cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ganglioside GD1a impedes lipopolysaccharide-induced maturation of human dendritic cells

Abstract Immunosuppressive membrane gangliosides are released by tumor cells and inhibit normal antigen presenting cell (APC) function. To better understand this process, we have studied the effect of gangliosides on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced maturation of human dendritic cells (DCs). Immature DCs were generated in vitro from human peripheral blood monocytes and were exposed for 72 h to a highly purified ganglioside, GD1a. During the last 24 h, LPS was added to effect maturation. As assessed by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis, incubation in 50 μM GD1a significantly blunted the LPS-induced maturation of the dendritic cells. The expected up-regulation of expression of the co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 was ablated and that of CD40 was reduced, as were surface CD83 expression and intracellular CD208 production. In addition, ganglioside pretreatment of DC markedly inhibited the allostimulatory capacity and partially prevented the down-regulation of FITC–dextran uptake characteristic of LPS-activated DC. Furthermore, ganglioside-exposed DC also evidenced a broad down-regulation of the cytokine release that is normally initiated by LPS exposure, i.e., there was no increase in IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α release. That a common mechanism may underlie these defects was suggested by the finding that GD1a exposure of DC also inhibited the nuclear binding of NF-κB that is normally induced by LPS. These results suggest that tumor gangliosides may blunt the anti-tumor immune response in vivo by binding and interfering with dendritic cell maturation.
System for Recording Signal Amplitudes and Waveforms from a Large-Area Scintillation Counter Hodoscope

A low-speed modification of the chronotron has been adapted to recording data from an array of 144 photomultiplier tubes. By noting the kinds of co. nbinations of signals expected for the various physical events of interest a relatively simple pulse position code is devised to display the data. This display gives addresses and amplitudes of signals for a composite event and in addition permits us to determine whether the waveforms are bona fide in nature or spurious. Some degree of redundancy may also be incorporated into the system.
Practical Wisdom in Environmental Education

To create an ecologically literate, motivated, and engaged citizenry, environmental education must help students develop practical wisdom. We discuss three elements of teaching central to this task: first, greater emphasis on contextualized knowledge, grounded in particular places and cases; second, multi-modal learning that engages students as whole persons both cognitively and affectively; and third, stronger connections between knowing and doing, or between knowledge and responsibility. We illustrate these elements through our experience teaching field-based environmental studies courses, but also emphasize ways in which practical environmental education can be effectively incorporated into campus-based classes.
Russian Contributions to the Theory of Ground-Water Flow

In this paper, some examples of original Russian work in the development of the theory of ground-water flow are given. Their practical usefulness is analyzed. Comparisons with some of the more refined Western methods are made. Typical examples include seepage under hydraulic structures and well flow in leaky aquifers.
Surgery of the head and 70-day brain surgeons.

In 1917, the Sugeon General of the United States Army, William Gorgas, learned that almost 15% of the casualties on the Western Front sustained intracranial injuries. Soon after the United States declared war in April 1917, the Council of National Defense established a General Medical Board and attached a brain surgery subsection to its Committee of Ophthalmology. Postcards were sent to experts around the country, asking for the names of individuals who had specialty training or practice in brain surgery. In August, Gorgas assumed control of this subsection and created a Division of Surgery of the Head in the American Army Medical Department, with additional sections for plastic surgery, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology. He needed almost 300 brain surgeons; he received 50 names. As Harvey Cushing, Gilbert Horrax, and others went to France, neurosurgeons at home trained student officers. Schools were established in Philadelphia (Charles Frazier), Chicago (Dean Lewis), New York City (Charles Elsberg), St. Louis (Ernest Sachs), and Camp Greenleaf in Georgia (Claude Coleman), with 10-week intensive courses for selected candidates. Basic science and x-ray classes and operative clinics addressed most aspects of neurosurgical care. An army manual outlined clinical diagnoses and surgical techniques. Lewis H. Weed established a laboratory at Johns Hopkins Hospital, staffed by volunteers such as K.D. Blackfan and W.E. Dandy, to investigate infections of the central nervous system. By the time of the armistice, Gorgas had his complement of brain surgeons. The newly trained brain surgeons and their mentors gradually made their way to the Western Front during the summer of 1918. Plans for a neurosurgical school in France were quickly discarded as the American Army Medical Department changed the specialized assignments to front-line general surgical care. Some of the 190 brain surgeons in the American Expeditionary Forces, notably Gilbert Horrax, Charles E. Dowman, and Charles Neuhoff, treated head injuries exclusively, whereas others, such as Eustace Semmes and Howard Naffziger, treated all battle casualties depending on the tactical circumstances. The rational but naive recommendations for coordinated care made by Cushing, as senior consultant in neurosurgery, were hindered by the confusion of the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives and the chaos of war. Only three 70-day brain surgeons participated in the postwar development of the specialty. However, 9 of 10 original members of the Neurosurgical Club, which was established 18 months after the armistice, taught in American Army Medical Department courses or served on the Western Front. The schools and their teachers emphasized a growing recognition of neurosurgical expertise in the early 20th century.
HIF-2α Blows Out the Flames of Adipose Tissue Macrophages to Keep Obesity in a Safe Zone

In 1993, Hotamisligil et al. (1) broke new ground by linking immune response and metabolism. A striking observation in this early study was the upregulation of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α in adipose tissue (AT) of obese and insulin-resistant animals. Although adipocytes were thought to be the major source of inflammatory cytokines in fat, Weisberg et al. (2) later showed that macrophages accumulate in the AT of obese animals, creating a state of low-grade inflammation that could trigger insulin resistance. Since then, the concept of “immunometabolism” has gradually evolved, and many types of immune cells have been shown to contribute to AT inflammation and insulin resistance (3). For instance, macrophages secrete proinflammatory cytokines and other factors, which could impair insulin sensitivity. In light of this evidence, it has been suggested that decreasing inflammation in AT could attenuate the diabetic state. In support of this idea is the fact that anti-inflammatory drugs appear to have provided proof-of-concept that inflammation is linked to the deleterious effects of insulin resistance in animals (4,5). Paradoxically, recent studies suggest that inflammation is also required for maintaining AT homeostasis (6–8). These complex findings emphasize the need for a more nuanced understanding of the role immune cells play in the development of insulin resistance. Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) have been categorized into two distinct populations: proinflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2). While ATM subpopulations have overlapping inflammatory …
Cytoskeletal networks and the regulation of cardiac contractility: microtubules, hypertrophy, and cardiac dysfunction

The cytoskeleton as classically defined for eukaryotic cells consists of three systems of protein filaments: the microtubules, the intermediate filaments, and the microfilaments. In mature striated muscle such as the heart of the adult mammal, these three types of cytoskeletal filaments are superimposed spatially on the myofilaments, a specialized system of contractile protein filaments. Each of these systems of protein filaments has the potential to respond in an adaptive or maladaptive manner during load-induced hypertrophic cardiac growth. However, the extent to which such hypertrophy is compensatory is also critically dependent on the type of hemodynamic overload that serves as the hypertrophic stimulus. Thus cardiac hypertrophy is not intrinsically maladaptive; rather, it is the nature of the inducing load rather than hypertrophy itself that is responsible, through effects on structural and/or regulatory proteins, for the frequent deterioration of initially compensatory hypertrophy into the congestive heart failure state. As one example reviewed here of this load specificity of maladaptation, increased microtubule network density is a persistent feature of severely pressure-overloaded, hypertrophied, and failing myocardium that imposes a primarily viscous load on active myofilaments during contraction.
MacFee incisions: Dispelling the myth of cervical flap vascular inadequacy

MacFee (double horizontal) incisions have often been criticized for transecting the dominant blood supply of the central bipedicled cervical flap. To assess the viability of this flap we reviewed our recent surgical data. Ninety-three patients who underwent 100 radical neck dissections were evaluated retrospectively for cervical skin viability after surgery. MacFee incisions were used in 50 of these; in the remaining 50 a variety of other incisions were used. With MacFee incisions no ischemic tissue loss resulted. By contrast, six patients (12%) in the comparison group experienced partial flap necrosis due to ischemia. Chi-square analysis shows this difference to be statistically significant (P less than 0.01). This study shows the bipedicled cervical flap to be durable, dependable, and sufficiently vascularized to prevent ischemic tissue loss, even when incisions were previously placed in the ipsilateral neck or antecedent radiation therapy was delivered.
Theories of the State and Business Opposition to Increased Military Spending

Theories of the state have been based on varying assessments of the degree and form of business opposition to state policies. I examine business opposition to the quadrupling of U.S. national security expenditures between 1948 and 1953. Although top corporate leaders endorsed Washington's general foreign policy goals, they opposed the administration's specific plans for higher military spending. The business elite sought to reduce military spending because they believed rearmament would adversely effect the U.S. economy. The business elite supported fiscally conservative government officials in their inter-bureaucratic conflicts and helped to limit tax increases and the government's power to regulate the economy. This in turn led the administration to reduce its planned military buildup.
RDA Testing in Triplicate: Kent State University's Experiences Testing RDA

Kent State University participated in three different Resource Description and Access (RDA) testing opportunities: one formal, one informal and format-specific, and one informal general test. This article presents the experiences of University Libraries and the School of Library and Information Science participants. Based on multiple experiences with RDA testing, we find that RDA records work at various levels: they are compatible with Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition (AACR2) records in both public and staff mode; original, copy catalogers, and reference personnel find them sufficient for the work they do; and there is little significant difference between AARC2 and RDA records in the MARC (Machine Readable Cataloging) environment.
Raman Spectroscopy-Based Investigation of Thermal Conductivity of Stressed Silicon Microcantilevers

Multiscale experiments and models have repeatedly shown that thermal and mechanical properties of materials are a strong function of the length scale of measurement. In the case of silicon, a length-scale-dependent interrelationship of thermal and mechanical properties has been used to improve the thermal dissipation and performance of the microscale electronic devices. This work uses a newly established nanomechanical Raman spectroscopy approach to analyze thermal conductivity of microscale silicon cantilevers as a function of temperature and mechanical strain. The results are compared to available experimental data on silicon by other researchers, and explanations are offered regarding the effect of the length scale on the obtained results. The results show that the thermal conductivity of silicon increases from 114 to 145 W/(m·K), with the compressive strain level increasing from 0 to 0.25% at room temperature. At higher temperatures, the dependence of thermal conductivity on strain significantly incr...
Engineering SIV-resistant macaque hematopoietic stem cells and CD4+ T cells with CCR5-specific zinc-finger nucleases

Background CCR5 is the major HIV co-receptor, and individuals homozygous for a 32-bp deletion in CCR5 are resistant to infection by CCR5-tropic HIV-1. Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology is a class of engineered DNA-binding proteins facilitating targeted genome editing by binding to a user-specific locus and causing a double-strand break in the region of interest. As a result, the gene of interest targeted by ZFN cleavage is disrupted. We investigated the ability of a Ccr5 gene-specific ZFN to establish SIV-resistant CD4+ T cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells isolated from macaques.
Metabolic and inflammatory genes in schizophrenia

Energy metabolism and immunity are characterized as abnormal in schizophrenia. Because these two systems are highly coordinated, we measured expression of prototypic obesogenic and immunogenic genes in freshly harvested PBMC from controls and participants with schizophrenia. We report significant increases in PPARγ, SREBP1, IL-6 and TNFα, and decreases in PPARα and C/EPBα and mRNA levels from patients with schizophrenia, with additional BMI interactions, characterizing dysregulation of genes relating to metabolic-inflammation in schizophrenia.
The Influence of Fat Substitutes Based on Protein and Titanium Dioxide on the Sensory Properties of Lowfat Milks

Abstract The following food-grade ingredients were evaluated as fat substitutes in skim milk: Simplesse ® Dry 100 (The Nutrasweet Company, Deerfield, IL), Litess™ (Cultor, New York, NY), whey protein concentrate, sodium caseinate, Dairy Lo™ (Cultor), and titanium dioxide. The addition of 3% Simplesse ® Dry 100 to skim milk gave milk an appearance that was similar to that of 0.5% fat milk, and mouthfeel was improved to be equivalent to that of milk containing about 1% fat, which is similar to previous results with NDM. Suspension of titanium dioxide in skim milk made the milk whiter, which resulted in improved sensory scores for appearance, creamy aroma, and texture. Skim milk containing titanium dioxide was slightly bluer and greener (i.e., lower b and a values, respectively) than 2% fat milk. Correspondingly, the skim milk containing titanium dioxide was rated lower than the 2% fat milk for visual hang up (a measure of how well milk coats the glass), creamy aroma, texture, and aftertaste. A fat substitute for 2% fat milk must impart not only the opacity and whiteness of fat but also make the milk less blue and less green. The impact of titanium dioxide on the sensory characteristics of skim milk demonstrated the importance of whiteness. There is clearly a need to develop a whitener for fat-free milk other than titanium dioxide to provide processors with an ingredient option that would improve sensory properties and provide a nutritional benefit.
COMPETITION AND PREDATION MEDIATE THE INDIRECT EFFECTS OF AN INSECTICIDE ON SOUTHERN LEOPARD FROGS

Pesticides are widely used by humans to eliminate or reduce populations of unwanted species. These pesticides often cause collateral damage by killing nontarget species and altering biological communities. Our study examined the relative importance of direct and indirect effects of the insecticide carbaryl on southern leopard frog tadpoles, Rana sphenocephala, in a simple aquatic community. We did not detect any significant direct effects of carbaryl on the anuran life-history traits examined in this study. Rather, environmentally relevant concentrations of carbaryl indirectly affected R. sphenocephala life-history traits by causing changes in the intensity of competition and predation within the community. Carbaryl generally increased the survival of R. sphenocephala tadpoles. However, the increase in survival was greatest in mesocosms containing predators, largely due to pesticide-induced mortality of the predators. Carbaryl also exacerbated the effects of competition by decreasing periphyton abundance,...
The stopping of 4He ions in elemental matter

From international conference on ion beam surface layer analysis; Yorktown Heights, NY (18 Jun 1973). The recent increased use of high energy ions to analyze solid state materials has led to new interest in the study of ion interactions with matter. These recent solid state experiments, whether using nuclear back-scattering, channelling or ion-induced x-rays, need not only cross section information but also values of the energy loss of ions in matter. Many of the recent solid atate investigations using nuclear microanalysis techniques have used /sup 4/He ion beams. This ion has few nuclear reaction resonances with target nuclei in the energy range 400--4000 keV and can be detected with good energy resolution. Recent experimental values for the energy loss of /sup 4/He ions in matter have been measured for some 47 elements. The Baylor University group has also conducted extensive calculations of stopping cross sections of / sup 4/He ions in matter using the theories of Lindhard and Winther and Bonderup with Hartree- Fock- Slater charge distributions. Their results show that both these theories give similar values and show an oscillatory dependence of energy loss cross section of /sup 4/He ions as a function of the atomic number of themore » target material; the Bonderup values are about 7% lower than those from the Lindhard-- Winther theory. A phenomenological study of many kinds of ions in matter has also been published by Northcliffe and Schilling but they tabulate, values for only 21 elements for /sup 4/He ions, and these have almost all been superseded by more recent experimental measurements. Here, the previous calculations for the Lindhard-Winther theory are combined with the existing experiniental values of stopping cross sections to produce semi-empirical values of stopping cross sections for /sup 4/e ions in all elements for the energy nange 400 to 4000 keV. Finally these values are used to calculate back-scattering parameters which allow direct conversion of the energy width of peaks to film thickness. (auth)« less
Proof-test-based life prediction of high-toughness pressure vessels

The paper examines the problems associated with applying proof-test-based life prediction to vessels made of high-toughness metals. Two A106 Gr B pipe specimens containing long, through-wall circumferential flaws were tested. One failed during hydrostatic testing and the other during tension-tension cycling following a hydrostatic test. Quantitative fractography was used to verify experimentally obtained fatigue crack growth rates and a variety of LEFM and EPFM techniques were used to analyze the experimental results. The results show that: plastic collapse analysis provides accurate predictions of screened (initial) crack size when the flow stress is determined experimentally; LEFM analysis underestimates the crack size screened by the proof test and overpredicts the subsequent fatigue life of the vessel when retardation effects are small (i.e., low proof levels); and, at a high proof-test level (2.4 {times} operating pressure), the large retardation effect on fatigue crack growth due to the overload overwhelmed the deleterious effect on fatigue life from stable tearing during the proof test and alleviated the problem of screening only long cracks due to the high toughness of the metal.
Microbubble generation for environmental and industrial separations

Small gas bubbles are used in many environmental and industrial processes for solid-liquid separations or to facilitate heat and mass transfer between phases. Typically, smaller bubbles are preferred in treatment techniques due to both their high surface area-to-volume ratio and their increased bubble density at a fixed flow rate. This study examines some of the factors that affect the size of bubbles produced in the processes of electroflotation, dissolved air flotation, and a relatively new method known as electrostatic spraying. The effect of voltage, current and ionic strength was studied in electroflotation, the effect of pressure was studied in dissolved air flotation and the effect of voltage, capillary dimensions and flow rate was studied in electrostatic spraying. In electroflotation, the flow rate of gas produced increased as a function of voltage and current. Flow rate also increased as the ionic strength of the aqueous medium was increased. However, no clear trends in bubble size as a function of these parameters were evident. The bubbles produced in dissolved air flotation showed a decrease in size as saturation pressure was increased; however, the differences were insignificant at high pressures. Bubble size in electrostatic spraying decreased as voltage was increased. Finally, this study compares the three methods of bubble production in terms of average bubble diameter, bubble size distribution and power consumed during production. Dissolved air flotation produced the largest average bubble diameters, while electroflotation produced the smallest average bubble diameters. In terms of bubble size distribution, dissolved air flotation produced the most narrow distribution, electrostatic spraying produced the widest distribution, and electroflotation produced an intermediate distribution. In terms of power consumption, the pilot-scale dissolved air flotation system maximized surface area production, electroflotation produced an intermediate value, and electrostatic spraying of air produced the least surface area as a function of power consumed.
T-Maze performance after developmental exposure to 19F tagged 5-HTP in chicks

Chicks were used as a model to investigate behavioral effects of administering a new compound intended for use with magnetic resonance. The compound has multiple 19F atom tags covalently bonded to the indole ring of 5-hydroxytryptophan (PF-5HTP), the immediate precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. On incubation Day 17, 5μg of PF-5-HTP, an equivalent amount of 5-HTP, or just 200 μL of the weak phosphate buffered saline (PBS) vehicle was injected into the airsac of each egg. Three days after hatching, chicks were isolated at the top of a simple T-Maze which, when traversed correctly, enabled them to return to their brood mates. A second trial in the T-Maze was conducted about three hours later. The brief period of isolation at the start of a trial causes social distress in chicks who are reinforced by returning to the brood. The task was selected as being sensitive to functioning of the serotonin pathways whose development might be altered by administering the compound during brain development. Repea...
Modeling and simulation methods for design of engineering systems

This article presents an overview of the state-of-the art in modeling and simulation, and studies to which extent current simulation technologies can effectively support the design process. For simulation-based design, modeling languages and simulation environments must take into account the special characteristics of the design process. For instance, languages should allow models to be easily updated and extended to accommodate the various analyses performed throughout the design process. Furthermore, the simulation software should be well integrated with the design tools so that designers and analysts with expertise in different domains can effectively collaborate on the design of complex artifacts. This review focuses in particular on modeling for design of multi-disciplinary engineering systems that combine continuous time and discrete time phenomena.
Enzymatic synthesis and characterization of l-methionine and 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid (HMB) co-oligomers.

Oligomers of l-methionine (Met) and its hydroxy analogue, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid (d,l-HMB) were synthesized with the proteolytic enzyme papain. The Met homooligomers and HMB−Met co-oligomers obtained through the enzymatic reactions were subjected to persulfonation and separated with reverse phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). The separated oligomers were characterized with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The oligomers were also characterized with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The results showed that co-oligomers were predominantly composed of 4−8 Met residues and one HMB residue. The data also suggest that in the co-oligomers, HMB is attached at the N-terminal end of the oligopeptide chain. Keywords: Oligopeptides; co-oligomers; methionine; methionine hydroxy analogue; MHA; HMB; papain; mass spectrometry
Lyman-alpha emission from the damped Lyman-alpha system toward H0836 + 113

This study presents results of a comprehensive search for Ly-alpha emission from the 2.466-redshift damped Ly-alpha system toward the QSO H0836 + 113. Deep CCD images of the field surrounding the QSO were acquired with a narrow-band filter tuned to the wavelength centroid of the 2.466-redshift damped Ly-alpha line. Two superposed objects, one extended and the other compact, were detected within 4 arcsec of the QSO. Evidence is presented indicating that the extended object, seen only in the narrow-band frames, was detected in the light of Ly-alpha line radiation emitted by the damped system, while the compact object, seen with the broadband filters and in the narrow-band frames acquired with superior seeing, was detected in the light of the continuum radiation emitted by a foreground Mg II galaxy with a redshift of 0.79. Accurate spectra of the QSO were also obtained in order to observe the spatially unresolved Ly-alpha emission feature reported to exist at the bottom of the damped Ly-alpha absorption trough.
Fourth class of convex equilateral polyhedron with polyhedral symmetry related to fullerenes and viruses

The three known classes of convex polyhedron with equal edge lengths and polyhedral symmetry––tetrahedral, octahedral, and icosahedral––are the 5 Platonic polyhedra, the 13 Archimedean polyhedra––including the truncated icosahedron or soccer ball––and the 2 rhombic polyhedra reported by Johannes Kepler in 1611. (Some carbon fullerenes, inorganic cages, icosahedral viruses, geodesic structures, and protein complexes resemble these fundamental shapes.) Here we add a fourth class, “Goldberg polyhedra,” which are also convex and equilateral. We begin by decorating each of the triangular facets of a tetrahedron, an octahedron, or an icosahedron with the T vertices and connecting edges of a “Goldberg triangle.” We obtain the unique set of internal angles in each planar face of each polyhedron by solving a system of n equations and n variables, where the equations set the dihedral angle discrepancy about different types of edge to zero, and the variables are a subset of the internal angles in 6gons. Like the faces in Kepler’s rhombic polyhedra, the 6gon faces in Goldberg polyhedra are equilateral and planar but not equiangular. We show that there is just a single tetrahedral Goldberg polyhedron, a single octahedral one, and a systematic, countable infinity of icosahedral ones, one for each Goldberg triangle. Unlike carbon fullerenes and faceted viruses, the icosahedral Goldberg polyhedra are nearly spherical. The reasoning and techniques presented here will enable discovery of still more classes of convex equilateral polyhedra with polyhedral symmetry.
Three-stage management of traumatic enteral fistula abscesses: “drain, cannulate, and downsize”

Purpose: To describe the results from percutaneous management of traumatic enteral fistula abscesses (TEFA) by a sequential approach that includes abscess drainage, cannulation of the enteral fistula, and downsizing the drainage catheter. Materials and Methods: IRB approved retrospective study of patients that underwent percutaneous drainage of TEFA from 2005-2013 at our academic center. All patients had a diagnostic abdominal contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen. Indication for drainage was intraabdominal abscess. Patients were managed with antibiotics, percutaneous drainage, and catheter irrigation. Drainage catheter sizes ranged from 10-F to 24-F. Multiple catheters were used for collections 4 6 cm diameter or with viscous fluid. Post drainage follow-up included CT scans and catheter sinograms for residual abscess cavity evaluation and bowel communication presence. Enteral fistulas were cannulated with 10-F catheters that were kept closed. Abscess drainage catheters were downsized as the abscess cavity decreased in size while a tract from the bowel to the skin was maintained. Once the single fistulous tract was established, the catheter within the bowel was downsized and removed. Parameters measured were abscess resolution and enteral fistula closure, the need for surgery, complications, and patient outcome. Results: There were 24 patients, 15 males and 9 females, with TEFA. Their age range was 27 to 79 years (mean 52.5 years old). Causes were: postoperative, 19 patients; post-ERCP, 3 patients; gunshot wound, 2 patients. Fistulas involved the esophagus, 2 patients; stomach, 2 patients; small bowel, 15 patients; and colon, 5 patients. Abscess resolution occurred in 23 patients (failure, 1 patient with necrotic tumor) without the need for surgery. The enteral fistula persisted in 3 patients: 2 patients as a jejunostomy feeding tube and failure to close in 1 patient with advanced cancer. Drainage catheter duration ranged from 15 to 184 days (mean 79.7 days). Three patients died: cancer, stroke, multiorgan failure, 1 patient each. Conclusion: The described three-stage approach was effective in resolving challenging TEFA that originated from bowel perforation.
Operating room requirements for neurosurgical procedures

An operating room (OR) setup must be standardized to ensure safe and efficient operating conditions for neurosurgical procedures. This article reviews the basic OR setup at the Barrow Neurological Institute for neurosurgical procedures, the requirements for surgical equipment and supplies, and equipment storage and maintenance. Anesthesia equipment and the special requirements for pediatric, intracranial, spinal, and stereotactic procedures are also discussed.
Dislocation behavior in quenched and in neutron irradiated stainless steel

Abstract The dislocation behavior in unirradiated as well as neutron irradiated stainless steel was investigated by the thin-film technique in the electron microscope. Irradiation of stainless steel does not cause defects which give rise to discernible diffraction effects. Instead radiation damage seems to consist simply of a strong supersaturation of point defects, possibly in the form of some type of three-dimensional aggregate, without associated stress field. The supersaturated point defects, which also are present to some extent in the non-irradiated material, cause “old” dislocations to be firmly anchored, lead to some climb during glide in “new” dislocations in thin foils and, by inference, cause the mechanism of “mushrooming” in bulk material. Some additional observations on network formation and on dislocation trails are related, and tentative explanations given.
New Synthetic Lures for the Male Melon Fly

Several para-substituted derivatives of 4-phenyl-2-butanone (I) have proved to be powerful attractants for the male melon fly (Dacus clucurbitae). These compounds, unlike anisylacetone, heretofore the best lure, attract even newly emerged flies. The most potent analog is 4-(p-acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone (II), which also strongly attracts Dacus ochrosiae males.
Predictors of Readmission following Outpatient Urological Surgery

Purpose: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act increases oversight of surgical outcomes and ties hospital readmissions to Medicare reimbursement. Given the increasing volume of outpatient urological procedures, to our knowledge this study provides the first multi-institutional multivariate analysis of patient factors that contribute to readmission.Materials and Methods: Using the 2011 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database we identified 7,795 patients. Multiple logistic regression was used to predict 30-day unplanned hospital readmissions controlling for demographics, clinical characteristics and comorbidities. Readmission rates of the 5 most common procedures were calculated along with the rate of postoperative complications associated with readmission.Results: Outpatient urological surgery had an overall 3.7% readmission rate. The 5 most common procedures were cystourethroscopy and resection of bladder tumor (readmission rate 4.97%), laser prostatectomy (4.27%), transurethral re...
Probabilistic event-driven fault diagnosis through incremental hypothesis updating

A probabilistic event-driven fault localization technique is presented, which uses a symptom-fault map as a fault propagation model. The technique isolates the most probable set of faults through incremental updating of the symptom explanation hypothesis. At any time, it provides a set of alternative hypotheses, each of which is a complete explanation of the set of symptoms observed thus far. The hypotheses are ranked according to a measure of their goodness. The technique allows multiple simultaneous independent faults to be identified and incorporates both negative and positive symptoms in the analysis. As shown in a simulation study, the technique is resilient both to noise in the symptom data and to the inaccuracies of the probabilistic fault propagation model.
Iron-fortified Formulas: Pediatricians' Prescribing Practices

Primary care pediatricians in Washington State were surveyed regarding their attitudes about iron-fortified formula. Of the 210 responding physicians who stated an opinion 70 (33%) feel that there are definite indications for non-fortified formula, and 33 (16%) routinely recommend formula without added iron.Despite evidence that adding iron to formula has helped reduce the prevalence of anemia in children and does not cause gastrointestinal symptoms, iron-fortified formula is not universally recommended by pediatricians.
Fast nano-scale texturing using the self-assembly polymer mask and wet chemical etching

An efficient suppression of reflection in a broad spectral range can be achieved when the textured scale is comparable to the wavelength of incident light. The nano-scale texturing method is, therefore, attracting many interests in many fields. In this study, a fast nano-scale texturing method for the crystalline silicon substrate has been provided. By using the self-assembly polymer mask and wet chemical etching, an almost uniform low reflectance can be achieved. The self-assembly polymer mask was fabricated by coating the pre-prepared polymer solution onto silicon substrate followed by suitable heat treatment. In addition to being technologically easy, the process is also inexpensive.
Help-Seeking in a National Sample of Victimized Latino Women: The Influence of Victimization Types

The current study aimed to examine formal and informal help-seeking responses to interpersonal victimization among a national sample of Latino women. In addition, an examination of help-seeking by victimization type was undertaken. Data came from the Sexual Assault Among Latinas (SALAS) study that obtained help-seeking rates among a victimized subsample of Latino women (n = 714; 35.7% of a national sample). Results show a majority (76.6%) of the victimized participants engaged in some form of help-seeking with informal resources (68.9%) more often used than formal (32.5%). Medical attention was the type of formal help-seeking sought most often among victimized women who were injured (34.7%), and parents were the most common source of informal help-seeking (26.6%). However, logistic regression analyses show that help-seeking responses were significantly affected by type of victimization. Latino women who experienced childhood victimization were significantly less likely to engage in formal and informal help-seeking. Latino women who experienced stalking were significantly less likely to engage in formal help-seeking. Victimization with a weapon was significantly related to increased odds of formal help-seeking. Thus, women respond to violence in a way that is shaped by the dynamics of the victimization experience. Practice implications include the need to increase knowledge and availability of formal help-seeking venues.
Climate-moderated responses to wildfire by macroinvertebrates and basal food resources in montane wilderness streams

Changes in both climate and fire frequency have been documented but the combined effects of these are poorly understood in freshwater systems, thus making it imperative for long-term studies in pristine habitats to quantify climate-mediated wildfire effects in lotic systems. We quantified the response of invertebrates and basal food resources in 6 wilderness streams in central Idaho USA for 8 years pre-fire and 5 years post-fire. We found that a shift in climate toward increased temperature and reduced peaks in snow-melt runoff moderated the effects of wildfire on basal food resources and altered invertebrate community structure and annual variation. Taxon richness significantly increased over the 13-year study period at all sites regardless of fire. Post-fire changes were accompanied by an increase in the relative abundances of chironomid midges and Baetis mayflies, which generally are regarded as disturbance-adapted taxa. Ordination analysis of invertebrate community biomass showed that both unburned and burned streams differed between pre- and post-fire years and combined, our results suggest that the effects of climate ameliorated the effects of fire. We found significant correlations between community structure and climatic variables of precipitation, temperature, and discharge in all streams. Our findings support previous studies that attribute a large part of negative fire effects on stream ecosystems to major increases in runoff from sparsely vegetated uplands and attendant restructuring of channels and substrata. However, we found during a period of climate warming and reduction in snow-melt runoff, these adverse effects were suppressed resulting in increases in basal food resources and invertebrate density and biomass following fire. Our results show the importance of long-term studies in quantifying community changes in responses to disturbance under a changing climate in lotic ecosystems.
ABSORPTION OF H2S INTO AQUEOUS METHYLDIETHANOLAMINE

The absorption of H2S into aqueous methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) was studied experimentally over the temperature range 15 to 35°C and for MDEA concentrations from 10 to 25 wt% using a laminar liquid ...
Determinants of reproductive costs in the long-lived Black-legged Kittiwake: A multiyear experiment

We studied reproductive costs of Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) in Prince William Sound, Alaska (USA) by removing entire clutches from randomly selected nests over four successive years, and then contrasting survival and fecundity of adults from manipulated and unmanipulated nests in each subsequent year. To elucidate mechanisms that lead to the expression of reproductive costs, we simultaneously characterized several behavioral and physiological parameters among adults in the two treatment groups. We also examined naturally nonbreeding adults that previously bred to determine their survival and future nonbreeding probabilities. Food availability varied during the study, being generally poor at the onset, and improving in later years. Adult nest attendance and body condition (assessed late in the chick- rearing period) varied accordingly among years, and between adults raising chicks and adults that had their eggs removed. Adults from unmanipulated nests incurred significant survival costs in all years, although fecundity costs were strongly expressed in only one of four years. Neither survival nor fecundity costs were strongly influenced by body condition or food availability, and no difference in reproductive costs was detected between the sexes. Although unmanipulated breeders survived at lower rates than manipulated breeders due to costs of reproduction, their survival rates were elevated compared to those of natural nonbreeders, presumably due to differences in individual ability. These findings indicate that models of adult survival must consider not only an organism's reproductive state, but also the factors that lead to that state. Although body condition appeared to be weakly related to survival, it was insufficient to explain the full magnitude of survival costs observed. We suggest that other parameters that were found to differ between treatment groups (e.g., rates of energy turnover, baseline levels of stress, and patterns of allocating body reserves) may be important mechanistic determinants of reproductive costs in kittiwakes, and potentially other long-lived species. Future efforts should move beyond simple assessments of body condition and toward more integrated measures of physiological condition when attempting to identify factors that influence how long-lived species balance the costs and benefits of reproduction.
Hip Fracture and Increased Short-term but Not Long-term Mortality in Healthy Older Women

Background Fractures have been associated with subsequent increases in mortality, but it is unknown how long that increase persists. Methods A total of 5580 women from a large community-based, multicenter US prospective cohort of 9704 (Study of Osteoporotic Fractures) were observed prospectively for almost 20 years. We age-matched 1116 hip fracture cases with 4 control participants (n = 4464). To examine the effect of health status, we examined a healthy older subset (n = 960) 80 years or older who attended the 10-year follow-up examination and reported good or excellent health. Incident hip fractures were adjudicated from radiology reports by study physicians. Death was confirmed by death certificates. Results Hip fracture cases had 2-fold increased mortality in the year after fracture compared with controls (16.9% vs 8.4%; multivariable adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% CI, 1.9-3.1]. When examined by age and health status, short-term mortality was increased in those aged 65 to 69 years (16.3% vs 3.7%; OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 2.6-9.5), 70 to 79 years (16.5% vs 8.9%; OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.8-3.3), and only in those 80 years or older with good or excellent health (15.1% vs 7.2%; multivariable adjusted OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.5-5.2). After the first year, survival of hip fracture cases and controls was similar except in those aged 65 to 69 years, who continued to have increased mortality. Conclusions Short-term mortality is increased after hip fracture in women aged 65 to 79 years and in exceptionally healthy women 80 years or older. Women 70 years or older return to previous risk levels after a year. Interventions are needed to decrease mortality in the year after hip fracture, when mortality risk is highest.
Carcinoma of the breast with pseudosarcomatous metaplasia

Twenty-six cases of breast carcinoma demonstrating pseudosarcomatous metaplasia are described, and their clinical and pathologic aspects are correlated. The metaplastic elements include mature and immature bone, cartilage, myxoid stroma, loose fibromyxoid and dense spindle-cell stroma, and anaplastic stroma with giant cell features. Light and electron microscopic examination demonstrated an orderly sequence of transformation and dedifferentiation of epithelial cells to become undifferentiated mesenchymal cells. These tumors are more aggressive than purely epithelial carcinomas. The overall survival rate was 44%. Five-year survival figures for TNM Stages I, II, and III lesions were 56%, 26%, and 18%, respectively. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was 25% despite the large size of many of these tumors. Systemic metastases replicated the range of metaplastic elements seen in the primary site. Patients with tumors composed predominantly of pseudosarcomatous elements had worse prognoses than those with predominantly epithelial components (28% versus 62%, 5-year survival).
Thermal accommodation coefficients by high speed vibration of solid samples: VI. O2 and N2 on As(111) and Sb(111) single crystal surfaces

Abstract Translational γt and rotational γr energy accommodation coefficients are measured using a high speed vibrational method described earlier. For N2 on cleaved As(111) single crystal surfaces γt = 0.34 ± 0.03, γr = 0.03 ± 0.03; on cleaved Sb(111) single crystal surfaces γt = 0.49 ± 0.02, γr = 0.06 ± 0.04. For O2 on As(111) γt = 0.39 ± 0.02, γr = 0.02 ± 0.02; on Sb(111) γt = 0.56 ± 0.05, γr = 0.07 ± 0.06. (Uncertainties are statistical estimates of precision. In addition, it is possible that the results are systematically low by up to 10%.) Comparison with N2 and O2 accommodation coefficients measured by the same method on other metal substrates suggests that the antimony surface is covered by chemisorbed oxygen but that the arsenic surface is somewhat cleaner. The results are consistent with oxidation of these semimetals occurring by way of physisorbed gas precursor states.
Reflective blogs in clinical education to promote critical thinking in dental hygiene students.

One challenge facing dental hygiene, as well as dental, education is to identify clinical teaching strategies promoting critical thinking and clinical reasoning. These skills are crucial elements in the practice of dental hygiene. A two-group design (intervention, n=28, and control, n=30) assessed first-year dental hygiene students using pre- and post-Health Science Reason - ing Test (HSRT) scores to evaluate the effect of reflective blogging on critical thinking skills. A reflective blog rubric, based on Mezirow's levels of reflection, determined if reflective blogging increased the level of reflection for dental hygiene students. The results suggest within this nonprobability sample that reflective blogging did not produce a significant change in students' HSRT scores (p>0.05). However, analyses of reflective blog rubric scores demonstrated statistically significant improvements ( p<0.05) in students' levels of reflection. Furthermore, data analysis revealed a correlation ( p<0.05) between HSRT subscale scores and the element of reflection scores for the intervention group. This study addressed needs of the dental and dental hygiene education community by examining the use of blogs, an emerging technology, as a tool for reflecting on clinical experiences and, in turn, for promoting critical thinking.
Bulk Undoped GaAs–AlGaAs Substrate-Removed Electrooptic Modulators With 3.7-V-cm Drive Voltage at 1.55 $\mu$ m

Substrate removed bulk GaAs-AlGaAs electrooptic modulators with 3.7-V-cm drive voltage at 1.55 mum were realized. The 1.94-mum-thick undoped GaAs-AlGaAs epilayer removed from its substrate behaves as an electrooptic dielectric layer and has electrodes placed directly on both sides. This allows a very strong modulating electric field overlapping very well with the optical mode. The propagation loss in the presence of electrodes is less than 2.9dB/cm. There is very good agreement between the measured and simulated values