cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Prospective Study of Bowel Movement Frequency and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease

The authors prospectively examined bowel movement frequency at baseline in relation to future Parkinson’s disease risk in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) during 2000–2006 (33,901 men) and the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) during 1982–2006 (93,767 women). During the follow-up (6 years for the HPFS and 24 years for the NHS), the authors identified 156 incident male Parkinson’s disease cases (HPFS) and 402 female cases (NHS). In the HPFS, compared with men with daily bowel movements, men with a bowel movement every 3 days or less had a multivariate-adjusted relative risk of 4.98 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.59, 9.57) for developing Parkinson’s disease in the next 6 years. In the NHS, the corresponding relative risk was 2.15 (95% CI: 0.76, 6.10), and the risk of Parkinson’s disease was not elevated beyond 6 years of follow-up (relative risks = 1.25 for years 7–12, 0.54 for years 13–18, and 0.88 for years 19–24). When these 2 cohorts were combined, the pooled relative risks for Parkinson’s disease in the next 6 years were 0.75, 1 (referent), 2.62, and 3.93 (95% CI: 2.26, 6.84) (Ptrend < 0.0001) across 4 bowel movement categories. In conclusion, infrequent bowel movements may antedate the onset of cardinal motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and may contribute to the identification of populations with higher than average Parkinson’s disease risk.
Gravity inversion of 2D bedrock topography for heterogeneous sedimentary basins based on line integral and maximum difference reduction methods

Based on the line integral (LI) and maximum difference reduction (MDR) methods, an automated iterative forward modelling scheme (LI-MDR algorithm) is developed for the inversion of 2D bedrock topography from a gravity anomaly profile for heterogeneous sedimentary basins. The unknown basin topography can be smooth as for intracratonic basins or discontinuous as for rift and strike-slip basins. In case studies using synthetic data, the new algorithm can invert the sedimentary basins bedrock depth within a mean accuracy better than 5% when the gravity anomaly data have an accuracy of better than 0.5 mGal. The main characteristics of the inversion algorithm include: (1) the density contrast of sedimentary basins can be constant or vary horizontally and/or vertically in a very broad but ap rioriknown manner; (2) three inputs are required: the measured gravity anomaly, accuracy level and the density contrast function, (3) the simplification that each gravity station has only one bedrock depth leads to an approach to perform rapid inversions using the forward modelling calculated by LI. The inversion process stops when the residual anomalies (the observed minus the calculated) falls within an ‘error envelope’ whose amplitude is the input accuracy level. The inversion algorithm offers in many cases the possibility of performing an agile 2D gravity inversion on basins with heterogeneous sediments. Both smooth and discontinuous bedrock topography with steep spatial gradients can be well recovered. Limitations include: (1) for each station position, there is only one corresponding point vertically down at the basement; and (2) the largest error in inverting bedrock topography occurs at the deepest points.
Notch promotes radioresistance of glioma stem cells

Radiotherapy represents the most effective nonsurgical treatments for gliomas. However, gliomas are highly radioresistant and recurrence is nearly universal. Results from our laboratory and other groups suggest that cancer stem cells contribute to radioresistance in gliomas and breast cancers. The Notch pathway is critically implicated in stem cell fate determination and cancer. In this study, we show that inhibition of Notch pathway with γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) renders the glioma stem cells more sensitive to radiation at clinically relevant doses. GSIs enhance radiation-induced cell death and impair clonogenic survival of glioma stem cells but not non-stem glioma cells. Expression of the constitutively active intracellular domains of Notch1 or Notch2 protect glioma stem cells against radiation. Notch inhibition with GSIs does not alter the DNA damage response of glioma stem cells after radiation but rather reduces Akt activity and Mcl-1 levels. Finally, knockdown of Notch1 or Notch2 sensitizes glioma stem cells to radiation and impairs xenograft tumor formation. Taken together, our results suggest a critical role of Notch signaling to regulate radioresistance of glioma stem cells. Inhibition of Notch signaling holds promise to improve the efficiency of current radiotherapy in glioma treatment. STEM CELLS 2010;28:17–28
Recent advances in personalized lung cancer medicine

The identification of molecular subtypes of non-small-cell lung cancer has transformed the clinical management of this disease. This is best exemplified by the clinical success of targeting the EGFR or ALK with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the front-line setting. Our ability to further improve patient outcomes with biomarker-based targeted therapies will depend on a more comprehensive genetic platform that can rationally interrogate the cancer genome of an individual patient. Novel technologies, including multiplex genotyping and next-generation sequencing are rapidly evolving and will soon challenge the oncologist with a wealth of genetic information for each patient. Although there are many barriers to overcome, the integration of these genetic platforms into clinical care has the potential to transform the management of lung cancer through improved molecular categorization, patient stratification, and drug development, thereby, improving clinical outcomes through personalized lung cancer medicine.
Safe Third Country Agreement: Closing the Doors on Refugee Women Seeking Protection:

This article examines the shortcomings of the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the United States in protecting refugee women from rape, torture, and domestic violence. It also outlines efforts that benefit all refugee women, particularly women of color seeking protection in Canada and the United States. The article concludes that social workers, lawyers, medical and health care workers, nongovernmental organizations, and immigration advocates should collectively lobby to change the existing refugee processes that disqualify and refuse protection to bona fide refugee women of color. The recommendations involve convening a standing committee to review decisions that deny protection to refugee women survivors of violence. Also, social work research on the determination process can identify how legal and cultural representation can benefit refugee women.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Magnetic Properties of New Rh(III) Compounds with the K4CdCl6Structure-Type:Sr3MRhO6(M=Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Yb)

The compounds Sr3MRhO6(M=Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Yb) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction data in the space groupR3c;Z=6. The lattice parameters for the series were found to bea=9.78570(7) andc=11.4811(1) A,a=9.7837(1) andc=11.4421(2) A,a=9.7662(2) andc=11.3812(4) A,a=9.7627(2) andc=11.3451(2) A,a=9.7591(2) andc=11.3159(2) A,a=9.7557(2) andc=11.2919(3) A, anda=9.7390(2) andc=11.2501(3) A, for Sr3SmRhO6, Sr3EuRhO6, Sr3TbRhO6, Sr3DyRhO6, Sr3HoRhO6, Sr3ErRhO6, and Sr3YbRhO6, respectively. These compounds are isostructural with K4CdCl6. The structure consists of infinite one-dimensional chains of alternating face-shared RhO6octahedra andMO6trigonal prisms (M=Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Yb). The strontium cations are located in a distorted square antiprismatic environment. Magnetic susceptibility data for the compounds Sr3MRhO6(M=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Yb) obey the Curie law, with the expectedμeffvalues consistent with an oxidation state of +3 for both Rh andM.
Correlations Among Measures of Executive Function and Positive Psychological Attributes in College Students

Executive functions are cognitive abilities that allow for more goal-oriented and autonomous behavior. The authors examined the relationship between self-rated executive functions and 3 positive personality attributes (satisfaction with life, gratitude, and forgiveness) in a nonclinical community sample. The authors used self-report scales (Executive Function Index, Heartland Forgiveness Scale "other" subscale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, and the Gratitude Questionnaire) to examine how executive functions related to the positive psychology attributes. After controlling for age, sex, and formal education, positive relationships emerged among gratitude, satisfaction, and executive function scales of motivational drive, empathy, and strategic planning. However, an inverse relationship emerged between impulse control and forgiveness, perhaps relating to cautiousness and suggesting finer distinctions between adaptive and maladaptive forms of forgiveness. These findings suggest common psychological and neurobiological substrates for executive functions and positive psychology attributes, warranting further, more direct biobehavioral research.
Complete hypopharyngeal obstruction by mucosal adhesions: a complication of intensive chemoradiation for advanced head and neck cancer.

Background. Severe swallowing dysfunction is the dominant long-term complication observed in patients treated for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with treatment protocols using intensive concurrent chemotherapy with radiation therapy (chemo/XRT). We identified a subset of these patients, who were seen with complete obstruction of the hypopharynx distal to the site of the primary cancer, and in whom we postulate that the obstruction was caused by separa- ble mucosal adhesions rather than obliteration by a mature fi- brous stricture. Methods. Seven patients were referred to the senior author with a diagnosis of complete hypopharyngeal obstruction be- tween 1992 and 2001. The diagnosis was confirmed by bar- ium swallow imaging and/or endoscopy before referral in all patients. Patients underwent recanalization by passing a Jes- berg esophagoscope under general anesthesia, followed by se- rial dilations and intensive swallowing therapy. Patient charts were reviewed retrospectively after institutional review board approval. Results. All seven patients were successfully recanalized. No patient had a perforation or other significant complication related to the recanalization procedure or subsequent dilations. Five of the seven patients showed improvement in swallowing at some point after the initial procedure, but just two patients recov- ered sufficiently to have their gastrostomy tube removed perma- nently. Conclusions. We conclude that complete hypopharyngeal obstruction secondary to mucosal adhesions is one cause of gastrostomy tube dependence in patients who have been treated with chemo/XRT for HNSCC. It is a difficult problem to treat, but most patients can recover useful swallowing function without undergoing laryngectomy or major surgical reconstruc- tion. The postulated pathophysiology has implications for pre- vention as well as treatment. V C 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 28: 663-670, 2006
Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation augments ovarian stimulation in poor responders: a case series

In patients with poor response to ovarian stimulation with gonadotrophins, growth hormone (GH) is sometimes used to increase paracrine insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) effect. We postulated that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration to poor responders would augment gonado-trophin effect via a similar mechanism. Baseline ovarian stimulation response to a cycle with DHEA in five healthy non-smoking women <41 years old was compared with day 3 FSH <20 mIU/ml. All had documented poor response to vigorous gonadotrophin administration. After day 2 ultrasounds, DHEA-sulphate (DHEA-S), FSH, human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), and testosterone were measured, and the women were given 80 mg/day of oral micronized DHEA for 2 months. While still on DHEA, they underwent ovarian stimulation with FSH given i.m. twice a day, and HCG (10 000 IU) at follicular maturity, followed by intrauterine insemination. Cycle parameters assessed were peak oestradiol, and peak oestradiol/ampoule. The DHEA/ovarian stimulation cycles occurred between 4 and 24 months after the control cycles. After 2 months DHEA treatment, DHEA-S increased to 544 +/- 55 microg/dl, and testosterone increased to 67.3 +/- 6.1 ng/dl. All five subjects (six cycles; one subject had two DHEA cycles) had increased responsiveness; peak oestradiol concentrations increased from 266.3 +/- 69.4 pg/ml to 939.8 +/- 418.9 pg/ml. The oestradiol/ampoule ratio increased in all six cycles, by a mean of 2.94 +/- 0.50 fold (P = 0.012). One of the cycles resulted in a delivered twin pregnancy. In this small series, DHEA improved response to ovarian stimulation even after controlling for gonadotrophin dose. Supplemental DHEA treatment during ovarian stimulation may represent a novel way to maximize ovarian response.
Testing Ada Annex E-distributed systems

With the addition of special needs annexes to Ada 95, the traditional reliance on Ada Compiler Validation Capability style testing may not suffice. This paper explores some alternatives for testing a portion of the Distributed Systems Annex that deals with the method used to communicate between multi-processors in a real-time Ada system. >
Clarifying the relationship between nonradiologists' financial interest in imaging and their utilization of imaging

OBJECTIVE. Several limitations and deficiencies have been identified in existing studies of physician financial interest in imaging that show financial interest is associated with more imaging. We conducted extensive quantitative analysis of seven deficiencies that have been identified. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Using Symmetry’s Episode Grouper, we created episodes of care from all the 2004–2007 health care claims for a random 5% sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. We compared utilization of imaging in nonhospital episodes having a nonradiologist physician who had a financial interest in imaging with utilization in episodes with no such physician. We studied 23 combinations of medical conditions with imaging modalities commonly used for these conditions. RESULTS. Across four different definitions of financial interest and the 23 combinations, the relative probability (risk ratio) of imaging was uniformly higher for episodes of physicians with a financial interest, predominantly at p < 0.001. Th...
Using AI-based monitoring technologies in management control

The author asserts that alternative monitoring technologies will broaden the scope of contractual choices and thereby increase the likelihood of congruence with the organization's objectives, even in those cases where issues of measurability are ill defined. He reviews agency theory with particular reference to implications for organization theory; links agency theory with the empirical and theoretical literature on the managerial task of environmental scanning; describes an AI (artifical intelligence)-based system for facilitating scanning activities; and presents results of a laboratory test of the system's effect on trust in the scanning manager. He provides evidence for the hypothesis that using machine induction can provide information that increases principal trust in agent behavior. >
Long-term survival among Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with gastrointestinal cancer: a population-based study

Background: The increased risk of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers after Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is well established. However, no large population-based study has described the actuarial survival after subsequent GI cancers in HL survivors (HL-GI). Patients and methods: For 209 patients with HL-GI cancers (105 colon, 35 stomach, 30 pancreas, 21 rectum, and 18 esophagus) and 484 165 patients with first primary GI cancers (GI-1), actuarial survival was compared, accounting for age, gender, race, GI cancer stage, radiation for HL, and other variables. Results: Though survival of HL patients who developed localized stage colon cancer was similar to that of the GI-1 group, overall survival (OS) of HL patients with regional or distant stage colon cancer was reduced [hazard ratio, (HR)=1.46, P=0.01]. The HL survivors with regional or distant stage colon cancer in the transverse segment had an especially high risk of mortality (HR: 2.7, P=0.001 for OS). For localized stomach cancer, OS was inferior among HL survivors (HR=3.46, P=0.006). Conclusions: The HL patients who develop GI cancer experience significantly reduced survival compared with patients with a first primary GI cancer. Further research is needed to explain the inferior survival of HL patients and to define selection criteria for cancer screening in HL survivors.
The role of ethnic identity in symptoms of anxiety and depression in African Americans.

Ethnic identity has been identified as a factor contributing to resilience and coping in African Americans. Ethnic identity includes positive feelings of ethnic affirmation and belonging, appreciation for one's ethnic identity, and increased ethnic behaviors. This study examines the role of ethnic identity in symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants were an adult student and community sample (N ¼ 572), administered the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D), State Trait Anxiety Inventory-state portion (STAI-S), and Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM). Compared to European Americans, African Americans reported significantly greater depression and more negative state anxiety, as well as higher levels of ethnic identity. For African Americans, higher ethnic identity was correlated to reduced anxiety and depression, whereas this was not true for European Americans. Findings support the proposition that a strong, positive ethnic identity may serve a protective role among African Americans by moderating the relationship between discriminatory experiences and psychological well-being. An Afrocentric perspective may also contribute to reduced anxiety due to a greater emphasis on a present versus future-oriented worldview. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
A Narrative Approach to Development: Implications for Adult Education:

Adult educators have relied heavily on stage and phase theories of human development to understand adults as learners and the place of learning in their lives. Such models of development have been ...
Aerosolized protein delivery in asthma: gamma camera analysis of regional deposition and perfusion.

Bioavailability of an aerosolized anti-inflammatory protein, soluble interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R), was measured in patients with asthma using two different aerosol delivery systems, a prototype aerosol delivery system (AERx® tethered model, Aradigm, Hayward, CA) and PARI LC STAR® nebulizer (Pari, Richmond, VA). Regional distribution of the drug in the respiratory tract obtained by planar imaging using gamma camera scintigraphy was utilized to explain the differences in bioavailability. The drug, an experimental protein being developed for asthma, was mixed with radiolabel 99mTechnetium diethylene triaminepentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA). Aerosols were characterized in vitro using cascade impaction (mass median aerodynamic diameter [MMAD] and geometric standard deviation [GSD]); the AERx® MMAD 2.0 μm (GSD 1.35), the PARI® 3.5 μm (GSD 2.5). Four patients with asthma requiring maintenance aerosolized steroids were studied. First, regional volume was determined utilizing equilibrium 133Xe scanning. Then, after...
Growth, photosynthesis, nitrogen partitioning and responses to CO2 enrichment in a barley mutant lacking NADH-dependent nitrate reductase activity

Plant growth, photosynthesis and leaf constituents were examined in the wild-type (WT) and mutant nar1 of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Steptoe) that contains a defective structural gene encoding NADH-dependent nitrate reductase (NADH-NAR). In controlled environment experiments, total biomass, rates of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO(2) concentrations and foliar non-structural carbohydrate levels were unchanged or differed slightly in the mutant compared with the WT. Both genotypes displayed accelerated plant growth rates when the CO(2) partial pressure was increased from 36 to 98 Pa. Total NADH-NAR activity was 90% lower in the mutant than in the WT, and this was further decreased by CO(2) enrichment in both genotypes. Inorganic nitrate was greater in the mutant than in the WT, whereas in situ nitrate assimilation by excised leaves was two-fold greater for the WT than for the mutant. Foliar ammonia was 50% lower in the mutant than in the WT under ambient CO(2). Ammonia levels in the WT were decreased by about one-half by CO(2) enrichment, whereas ammonia was unaffected by elevated CO(2) in mutant leaves. Total soluble amino acid concentrations in WT and mutant plants grown in the ambient CO(2) treatment were 30.1 and 28.4 micromol g(-1) FW, respectively, when measured at the onset of the light period. Seven of the twelve individual amino acids reported here increased during the first 12 h of light in the ambient CO(2) treatment, leading to a doubling of total soluble amino acids in the WT. The most striking effect of the mutation was to eliminate increases of glutamine, aspartate and alanine during the latter half of the photoperiod in the ambient CO(2) treatment. Growth in elevated CO(2) decreased levels of total soluble amino acids on a diurnal basis in the WT but not in mutant barley leaves. The above results indicated that a defect in NADH-NAR primarily affected nitrogenous leaf constituents in barley. Also, we did not observe synergistic effects of CO(2) enrichment and decreased foliar NADH-NAR activity on most N-containing compounds.
THE “RESPIRATORY VASOMOTOR REELEX” IN THE EOREHEAD AND EINGER

The so-called respiratory vasomotor reflex, long observed in plethysmography of the extremities, was examined in seven normal Ss ranging in age from 17 to 38 years. With a photometric method, the vascular responses of the skin of the forehead and the finger were found to differ following a deep breath like a sigh. These responses were quite similar to the vascular components of the orienting reflex, i.e., vasodilation in the forehead and vasoconstriction in the hand. A polyphasic response in the forehead in some Ss followed the deliberate deep inspirations. This polyphasic response has also been observed during the orieinting reflex but without changes in respiration. This type of response appears to be associated with bradycardia, and may be related to similar vascular responses observed following cardiac arrhythmias.
Consensus genetic maps: a graph theoretic approach

A genetic map is an ordering of genetic markers constructed from genetic linkage data for use in linkage studies and experimental design. While traditional methods have focused on constructing maps from a single population study, increasingly maps are generated for multiple lines and populations of the same organism. For example, in crop plants, where the genetic variability is high, researchers have created maps for many populations. In the face of these new data, we address the increasingly important problem of generating a consensus map an ordering of all markers in the various population studies. In our method, each input map is treated as a partial order on a set of markers. To find the most consistent order shared between maps, we model the partial orders as directed graphs. We create an aggregate by merging the transitive closure of the input graphs and taking the transitive reduction of the result. In this process, cycles may need to be broken to resolve inconsistencies between the inputs. Tlie cycle breaking problem is NP-hard, but the problem size depends upon the scope of the inconsistency between the input graphs, which will be local if the input graphs are from closely related organisms. We present results of running the resulting software on maps generated from seven populations of the crop plant Zea Mays.
Effects of Variable Placement of Superior Tangential/Supraclavicular Match Line on Dosimetric Coverage of Level III Axilla/Axillary Apex in Patients Treated With Breast and Supraclavicular Radiotherapy

Purpose To determine the differences in dosimetric coverage of the Level III axillary node target as a function of the superior tangential/supraclavicular match line in breast cancer patients undergoing with tangential breast and supraclavicular fossa radiotherapy. Methods and Materials The data from 20 consecutive breast cancer patients who were treated with breast conservation surgery and Level I and II axillary dissection followed by radiotherapy to the undissected Level III axilla/supraclavicular fossa were retrospectively analyzed. The nodal volumes were delineated from the computed tomography simulation data set. Three composite treatment plans were generated for each patient according to the placement of the match line. Results Coverage of the contoured Level III/axillary apex varied significantly with respect to the ipsilateral clavicular head, depending on the placement of the superior tangential/supraclavicular match line. The mean volume of the Level III/axillary apex covered by the 90% isodose line (45 Gy) was 100% for caudal placement of the match line, significantly greater than the 92% for intermediate placement (bisecting the clavicular head; p = 0.001) and the 68% for cranial placement with respect to the clavicular head ( p Conclusion Placement of the superior tangential/supraclavicular match line caudal to the clavicular head results in statistically improved dosimetric coverage of the Level III axilla/axillary apex in breast cancer patients undergoing tangential/supraclavicular radiotherapy.
Preparation and Reactivity of Polyfunctional Zinc and Copper Organometallics Bearing Sulfur Functionalities

Abstract Iodomethylthiobenzoate 5 and α-chloroalkyl phenyl sulfides 6 were found to insert zinc dust in THF under very mild conditions (10–25 °C, 0.5–2 h) leading to zinc α-thioorganometallics. After a transmetallation with CuCN·2 LiCl, the corresponding copper reagents 8 and 7 reacted with various electrophiles (1-haloalkynes, aldehydes, enones, acyl chlorides, allylic halides, trialkyltin halides) affording polyfunctional thioesters and sulfides of type 9 or 10 in excellent yields. Of special interest is that, contrary to lithium α-thiocarbanions, these zinc-copper reagents can bear various functional groups like esters or nitriles. The same approach allowed the preparation of various γ-thio-substituted zinc and copper reagents bearing phenylthio, phenylsulfinyl, or α-(phenylsulfonyl)vinyl functionalities (20–22) which also display a good ability to form new carboncarbon bonds.
GIANT HEPATOID YOLK SAC TUMOR IN A BLACK MAN

Testicular cancer in black subjects is rare with an annual age adjusted incidence of 0.9/100,000 compared to 3.7/ 100,000 for all men. While cryptorchidism is a known risk factor for malignant transformation, the lifetime risk of development and death from testicular cancer declines with age.1 Orchiopexy, orchiectomy and observation are accepted forms of management for an undescended testis depending on patient age at presentation. Orchiopexy is primarily recommended before puberty while orchiectomy is recommended after puberty. However, for men older than 32 years the incidence of testicular cancer declines, and it has been recommended that this age group should only be observed periodically.' We report a case of an aggressive germ cell tumor of rare pathology in a black man treated with cryptorchidism after observation failed. CASE REPORT A 51-year-old morbidly obese black man presented with a 1-year history of an enlarging right scrota1 mass. Medical history was notable for a right inguinal testicle with a normal ultrasound examination performed 8 years before presentation. Lactic dehydrogenase, a-fetoprotein and P-human chorionic gonadotropin were within normal limits. Ultrasound
Ethical considerations in the globalization of medicine – an interview with James Giordano

In this Q&A, we talk to Prof. Giordano about some of the most important ethical problems that should be considered when conducting biomedical research in all types of clinical settings, with particular emphasis on some of the main challenges of research in low-and-middle-income countries.
A Theory of Electronic Propinquity Mediated Communication in Organizations

This paper proposes a theoretical approach to mediated communication in organizations. It is argued that the man-machine interface in mediated human communication is better dealt with when a comprehensive theoretical approach is used, than when separate communication devices are tested as they appear in the market, such as video-teleconferencing. Propinquity is considered to be the system's trait which is essential for the continuation of the human communication system in organizations. In a structural-functional analysis, six propositions, 15 derived corollaries, and two-limits propositions are presented. The variables included in the propositions are: (a) perceived propinquity; (b) perceived bandwidth; (c) perceived complexity of the information; (d) perceived degree of mutual directionality of the channel; (e) communication skills; (f) perceived communication rules; (g) perceived number of choices among channels; (h) perceived conflict; and (i) perceived turbulence in the environment. Evidence from pas...
Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion reduce the levels of cyclic ADP-ribose in rat myocardium

Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) is a novel Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger in mammalian cells including cardiomyocytes. It is unknown whether myocardial ischemia and reperfusion affect the metabolism of cADPR in the myocardium. The present study therefore examined the effects of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion on the concentrations of myocardial cADPR using high-performance liquid chromatography. Basal levels of cADPR in rat myocardium were 5.3 ± 1.8 nmol· mg−1 protein. Myocardial ischemia for 30 min significantly decreased cADPR concentrations to 2.1 ± 0.4 nmol·mg−1 protein. During reperfusion, cADPR was maintained at ischemic levels. The activity of ADP-ribosyl cyclase was expressed as the conversion rate of nicotinamide guanine dinucleotide (NGD+) to cyclic GDP-ribose. Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion did not alter the activity of ADP-ribosyl cyclase. However, cADPR hydrolase activity, as measured by the conversion rate of cADPR to ADP-ribose, was significantly elevated by ischemia and reperfusion. To determine the mechanism resulting in the enhancement of cADPR hydrolase activity, we examined the effects of changes in ADP, ATP, pH, and PO2 on the conversion rate of cADPR to ADPR. Alterations of ADP, ATP, or pH in myocardial tissue had no effect on the degradation of cADPR, whereas a decrease in tissue PO2 markedly increased the hydrolysis of cADPR. These results suggest that myocardial ischemia and reperfusion decrease cADPR in the myocardium by increasing its hydrolysis. Tissue hypoxia may be one of the important mechanisms to activate cADPR hydrolase.
Étale dévissage, descent and pushouts of stacks

Abstract We show that the pushout of an etale morphism and an open immersion exists in the category of algebraic stacks and show that such pushouts behave similarly to the gluing of two open substacks. For example, quasi-coherent sheaves on the pushout can be described by a simple gluing procedure. We then outline a powerful devissage method for representable etale morphisms using such pushouts. We also give a variant of the devissage method for representable quasi-finite flat morphisms.
Effect of aging on respiratory skeletal muscles

Although it has been recognized that limb skeletal muscles undergo changes during aging, it has been unclear to what extent age-related changes occur in respiratory muscles. This article reviews the structural organization of human skeletal muscles, including those of the respiratory system. Evidence that changes do occur in the structure and function of these muscles in elderly individuals is presented. The potential clinical significance of aging on respiratory muscle strength and endurance is discussed.
Inhibition of glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase results in selective inhibition of macrophage cytokine secretion in vitro and in vivo efficacy in rat adjuvant arthritis

Objective To determine the effects of a glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GARFT) inhibitor on macrophage inflammatory processes and in vivo in rat adjuvant arthritis. Methods GARFT inhibitors, LY309886 (6S-2',5'-thienyl-5, 10-dideazatetrahydrofolic acid) and LY329201 (R)-N-[[5-[2-(2-amino-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-4-oxopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-6-yl)ethyl]-2-thienyl]carbonyl]-L-glutamatic acid disodium salt, were investigated in vitro and ex vivo on primary murine peritoneal macrophages and in the RAW macrophage cell line for both purine depletion and inhibition of LPS induced monokine secretion. In vivo efficacy following GARFT inhibition was evaluated in modified rat adjuvant arthritis. Results LY309886 inhibited purine biosynthesis in the RAW cell line with an EC50 of 90 nM, an effect readily reversible with exogenous hypoxanthine. LY309886 and LY329201 also inhibited LPS induced TNF alpha and MIP1 alpha in these cells and in primary macrophages. A similar effect could be demonstrated ex vivo with mice dosed for two days with 3 mg/kg of LY329201. LY329201 as well as methotrexate demonstrated a dose dependent reduction in both paw and spleen weight and improved joint histology following 2 weeks of dosing in a rat adjuvant arthritis study. Conclusion These results suggest that GARFT inhibitors should be tested in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by considering their mechanism of action, here successfully tested on activated macrophages.
Testosterone replacement therapy: who to evaluate, what to use, how to follow, and who is at risk?

AbstractBackground: Hypogonadism, defined as a low serum testosterone in the presence of signs and symptoms, is common, particularly in aging men. Testosterone supplementation therapy (TST) is the standard treatment for male hypogonadism. It has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the signs and symptoms of hypogonadism, but there are concerns about the increase in TST and its potential adverse effects, particularly cardiovascular effects. Objective: This review presents health care providers with current information regarding the prevalence and impact of hypogonadism, as well as the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hypogonadism. The beneficial and potential adverse effects are reviewed with a discussion on the current cardiovascular controversy. Methods: We reviewed current and “landmark” articles in the English-language literature pertaining to hypogonadism, its prevalence, etiologies, presentation, evaluation, and treatment. Results: Authorities in the field have offered guidelines ...
Simulation Research of Anti-skid Braking System with Undercarriage Dynamics

Referring to an aircraft,a model of anti-skid braking system with the undercarriage model was built.By simulation,a conclusion can be drew that this system model is practical.It can feature the true procession of landing.
Study on Dissertation of Master Degree on Ethnic Traditional SportsEthnic Traditional Sports in Hebei Province

The dissertation of master degree on ethnic traditional sports represents the trend of science of ethnic traditional sports in Hebei province.Through the methods of document literature,content analysis and mathematical statistics,this paper studies the selection of subject,research method and references.And it can be concluded that the papers of master degree on ethnic traditional sports in Hebei have the wide research range and rich study contents and develop on the multidisciplinary,multi-level and comprehensive direction.These conclusions release the development characteristics of this major.
American Catholic Universities and the Passion for the Impossible

Recent debate regarding the implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae has led many Catholic colleges and universities to reexamine their identity in relation to the church. Often departments of theology and religious studies are charged with maintaining the “Catholic” character of a campus, with negative effects. Much of the reaction to Ex Corde has been framed in terms of free speech, American systems of tenure, and religious diversity. This paper, however, suggests that holiness, understood as an ever-deepening awareness of Mystery (Rahner) or as “a passion for the impossible” (Caputo) might be a more fruitful context for dialogue between Catholic institutions of higher education and the Vatican.
Chapter 8 – Sheet-Metal Forming

This chapter discusses the sheet–metal forming in which wrought metals, formed by rolling, are used to produce thin–walled parts. Sheet–metal forming consists of two broad categories: stamping and fabricating. It describes some of the most common methods used for the production of thin–walled sheet–metal parts. A discussion of the relationship between part attributes and the development of alternative process plans for the production of a stamped part is presented. The chapter concludes with a discussion on Design For Manufacturing (DFM) issues as they apply to the production of stampings.
Oncolytic virotherapy for pediatric malignancies: future prospects

Pediatric solid tumors remain a major health concern, with nearly 16,000 children diagnosed each year. Of those, ~2,000 succumb to their disease, and survivors often suffer from lifelong disability secondary to toxic effects of current treatments. Countless multimodality treatment regimens are being explored to make advances against this deadly disease. One targeted treatment approach is oncolytic virotherapy. Conditionally replicating viruses can infect tumor cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. Four viruses have been advanced to pediatric clinical trials, including herpes simplex virus-1, Seneca Valley virus, reovirus, and vaccinia virus. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of action of each virus, pediatric preclinical studies conducted to date, past and ongoing pediatric clinical trials, and potential future direction for these novel viral therapeutics.
EGFL7 Antagonizes NOTCH Signaling, Stimulates Blast Proliferation and Confers Poor Prognosis in Cytogenetically-Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia (CN-AML)

Epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) is a secreted protein and plays an important role in angiogenesis by regulating the growth, proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. Recent studies in solid tumors have shown that EGFL7 is overexpressed and is associated with a more aggressive disease phenotype. Whether EGFL7 plays a similar role in blood cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) however, has not been previously reported. To investigate the association of EGFL7 expression with outcome in AML, we measured EGFL7 mRNA expression in newly diagnosed older (≥60 years, n=126) CN-AML patients. In these patients, those with high EGFL7 expression were less likely to achieve CR (52% v 76%, P =.009). Patients with high EGFL7 expression status had shorter event-free survival (5-year rates: 6% v 13%, P =.03) and overall survival (5-year rates: 10% v 16%, P =.009) than patients with low EGFL7 expression status. To validate our clinical data we measured EGFL7 mRNA in primary AML blasts (n=11) compared to normal bone marrow (NBM) (n=5) using RT-PCR, and found a ~2.4 fold-increase in the AML samples, P Lobry C et al., (JExpMed 2013) demonstrated that although NOTCH2 and to a lesser extent, NOTCH1, mRNA was relatively abundant, NOTCH signaling was inhibited in AML blasts. Re-activation of the canonical NOTCH pathway, released a block in differentiation resulting in eradication of the leukemic blasts. Schmidt MH et al., (Nat Cell Biol. 2009) demonstrated that EGFL7 was capable of binding NOTCH receptors and blocking their subsequent activation. Therefore, we hypothesized that one mechanism by which the NOTCH pathway is kept inactive in AML is through autocrine binding of EGFL7 protein to NOTCH receptors. Co-immunoprecipitation assays confirmed binding of EGFL7 to NOTCH2 in both human primary AML cells (n=3, P HES1 and NRARP (n=3, P EGFL7 is associated with worse prognosis in patients with CN-AML, and that EGFL7 is expressed and secreted by the AML cells in an autocrine fashion, promoting their growth in part through antagonizing NOTCH2 activation. Targeting EGFL7 with antibodies to reduce NOTCH binding might represent a novel therapeutic approach to reactivate NOTCH signaling, allowing for blast differentiation and elimination of AML. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
PREVALENCE AND PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF CARDIAC TROPONIN-T ELEVATION IN PATIENTS ADMITTED WITH HYPERTENSIVE CRISES

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic conditions in the world. Hypertensive crises (HC) are frequently associated with the release of cardiac troponin T (cTnT). However, limited data is available on the clinical significance of cTnT in patients with HC. We sought to study the
Applying Mutation Analysis on Kernel Test Suites: An Experience Report

Mutation analysis is an established technique for measuring the completeness and quality of a test suite. Despite four decades of research on this technique, its use in large systems is still rare, in part due to computational requirements and high numbers of false positives. We present our experiences using mutation analysis on the Linux kernel's RCU (Read Copy Update) module, where we adapt existing techniques to constrain the complexity and computation requirements. We show that mutation analysis can be a useful tool, uncovering gaps in even well-tested modules like RCU. This experiment has so far led to the identification of 3 gaps in the RCU test harness, and 2 bugs in the RCU module masked by those gaps. We argue that mutation testing can and should be more extensively used in practice.
Post-Irradiation Non-Destructive Analyses of the AFIP-7 Experiment

This article reports the results and interpretation of post-irradiation non-destructive examinations performed on four curved full-size fuel plates that comprise the AFIP-7 experiment. These fuel plates, having a U-10 wt.%Mo monolithic design, were irradiated under moderate operating conditions in the Advanced Test Reactor to assess fuel performance for geometries that are prototypic of research reactor fuel assemblies. Non-destructive examinations include visual examination, neutron radiography, profilometry, and precision gamma scanning. This article evaluates the qualitative and quantitative data taken for each plate, compares corresponding data sets, and presents the results of swelling analyses. These characterization results demonstrate that the fuel meets established irradiation performance requirements for mechanical integrity, geometric stability, and stable and predictable behavior.
Contact: Gaston Richard and Marcel Mauss on Sacrifice and Magic

Resistance against society is not only found in the works of Gaston Richard, but also in those of Emile Durkheim’s nephew Marcel Mauss, especially in his writings on sacrifice and magic. Chapter 3 compares both Richard and Mauss on the themes related to their conception of resistance, especially penalty, pain, and inhibition. This comparison enables us to highlight a first important dimension for a theoretical framework adapted to a sociology through relation: contact. Contact is the concrete element describing how the actors give to their objects and to their activities a relational orientation, which leads to the mobilisation of other actors, objects and activities.
Job scheduling in cloud datacenters using enhanced particle swarm optimization

Scheduling continues to be a predominant area of research in computer science, especially with the advent of cloud computing and Internet-scale applications, which require global dissemination and high-availability to meet the variable demand of users from geographically distributed locations. While there are various algorithms which address the problem of scheduling, the issue of assigning compute jobs to servers in cloud data centers is particularly challenging, given its combinatorial nature. Operating systems utilize basic scheduling algorithms such as first fit, worst fit, best fit, round robin, and priority for determining the order in which processes are sent to the central processing unit and memory, disk space and other resources are allocated to be utilized. In datacenters, however, scheduling becomes more difficult due to increased complexity of the infrastructure and time-constraints of cloud platforms in general. Therefore, to address the issue of job scheduling on cloud datacenters, algorithms inspired by the natural world, such as particle swarm optimization, ant colony optimization, artificial bee colony, and others have been proposed. In this paper we explore the particle swarm optimization algorithm further, and study the effects of changing the social and cognitive value contributions in the convergence of the algorithm towards a solution. We also implement the naive scheduling algorithms for the cloud datacenters as well, and perform a comparison with the particle swarm optimization algorithm. All the implementations are done using CloudSim, a simulator for cloud computing platforms, and the results are shown. It can be concluded that the advanced algorithms indeed perform better than the naive ones; however, the social and cognitive constants do not influence the solution for the particle swarm optimization technique significantly.
Mandatory Summary Jury Trial: Playing by the Rules?

Every week the clerk of each part turned in a scorecard to Louis Mastroiani, chief administrative judge .... The scorecard showed how many cases the judge in that part had on his docket and how many he had disposed of that week, through plea bargains, dismissals, and trials. On the wall of the courtroom, over the judge's head, it said IN GOD WE TRUST. On the scorecard, however, it said CASE BACKLOG ANALYSIS, and a judge's effectiveness was rated almost entirely according to CASE BACKLOG ANALYSIS.'
AnDarwin: Scalable Detection of Semantically Similar Android Applications

The popularity and utility of smartphones rely on their vibrant application markets; however, plagiarism threatens the long-term health of these markets. We present a scalable approach to detecting similar Android apps based on their semantic information. We implement our approach in a tool called AnDarwin and evaluate it on 265,359 apps collected from 17 markets including Google Play and numerous thirdparty markets. In contrast to earlier approaches, AnDarwin has four advantages: it avoids comparing apps pairwise, thus greatly improving its scalability; it analyzes only the app code and does not rely on other information - such as the app’s market, signature, or description - thus greatly increasing its reliability; it can detect both full and partial app similarity; and it can automatically detect library code and remove it from the similarity analysis. We present two use cases for AnDarwin: finding similar apps by different developers (“clones”) and similar apps from the same developer (“rebranded”). In ten hours, AnDarwin detected at least 4,295 apps that have been the victims of cloning and 36,106 apps that are rebranded. By analyzing the clusters found by AnDarwin, we found 88 new variants of malware and identified 169 malicious apps based on differences in the requested permissions. Our evaluation demonstrates AnDarwin’s ability to accurately detect similar apps on a large scale.