cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety and immunological effect of domestic split influenza virus vaccine

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and immunological effect of domestic split influenza virus vaccine. METHODS All 606 subjects were divided into three groups by under 6, 16-60 and above 60 years old. Each age group was divided as study group (n = 213), control group 1 (n = 195) and control group 2 (n= 198) by Table of Random Number, one domestic vaccine and two imported vaccines were respectively inoculated in three group people. The differences of clinical side effect rate, antibody positive rate, protective rate and geometric mean titer (GMT) of these three vaccines were compared by using the statistical software with statistical significance of P < 0.05. RESULTS The side effect rate of study group, control group 1 and control group 2 was 3.76% (8/213), 4.10% (8/195), and 3.54% (7/198), respectively without statistical significance(chi2 = 0.87, P =0.93). The positive seroconversion rates of H1N1, H3N2 and B in these three groups were respectively 89.2% (190/213), 63.4% (135/213), 86.4% (184/213), 88.7% (173/195), 61.5% (120/195), 87.2% (170/195), 87.9% (174/198), 61.6% (122/198) and 84.8% (168/198). There were no statistical significance in the total positive seroconversion rate of each antibody type (chi2(H1N1) = 0.94, P(H1N1) = 0.63; chi2(H3N2) = 0.94, P(H3N2) = 0.63; chi2(B) = 0.75, P(B) = 0.69). The average growth multiple of H1N1, H3N2 and B in these three groups were 10.7, 7.3, 8.4, 10.5, 6.3, 8.3, 10.2, 7.1, 8.8 times. There were no statistical significances in the GMT growth multiple of each antibody type (F(H1N1) = 0.35, P(H1N1) = 0.70; F(H3N2) = 2.22, P(H3N2) = 0.11; F(B) = 1.51, P(B) = 0.35). The antibody protective rates of H1N1, H3N2 and B were 100% (213/213), 70.0% (149/213), 95.3% (203/213), 100% (195/195), 66.7% (130/195), 97.9% (191/195), 99.5% (197/198), 66.2% (131/198), 96.5% (191/198) respectively. There was no statistical difference among the three vaccines (chi2(H1N1) = 2.04, P(H1N1) = 0.36; chi2(H3N2) = 0.74, P(H3N2) = 0.69; chi2(B) = 0.42, P(B) = 0.82). CONCLUSION The domestic influenza split vaccine might be suitable for colony vaccination for its having clinical safety and immunological effect.
Extranodal Marginal Zone B-cell Lymphoma of the Dura Mater Mimicking Meningioma

Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma is a type of low-grade B-cell lymphoma which can uncommonly arise as a primary mass lesion of the dura mater. It can mimic meningioma on imaging. We present two cases of dura-based extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma and highlight the clinicopathologic characteristics of this rare entity. The first patient was a 46-year-old male who …
Dual antiplatelet therapy is associated with prolonged survival after lower extremity revascularization

Abstract Background Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after coronary stenting prolongs survival by preventing both in-stent thrombosis and other cardiovascular atherothrombotic events. Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) typically have a heavy burden of unrevascularized coronary artery disease and also stand to benefit from increased atherothrombotic protection with DAPT. The potential benefit of DAPT compared with aspirin alone in patients with PAD is not well described. Methods We identified all patients undergoing an initial elective lower extremity revascularization (bypass or endovascular) from 2003 to 2016 in the Vascular Quality Initiative registry discharged on aspirin or aspirin plus a thienopyridine antiplatelet agent (DAPT). We first estimated models predicting the likelihood of receiving DAPT and then used inverse probability weighting to account for baseline differences in the likelihood of receiving DAPT and compared late survival. For sensitivity analysis, we also performed Cox proportion hazard modeling on the unweighted cohorts and generated adjusted survival curves. Results We identified 57,041 patients undergoing lower extremity revascularization (28% bypass). Of 15,985 bypasses (69% for critical limb ischemia [CLI]), 38% were discharged on DAPT. Of 41,056 endovascular interventions (39% for CLI), 69% were discharged on DAPT. Analyses using inverse probability weighting demonstrated a small survival benefit to DAPT at 1 year for bypass (93% vs 92% [ P = .001]) and endovascular interventions (93% vs 92% [ P = .005]) that was sustained through 5 years of follow-up (bypass, 80% vs 78% [ P = .004]; endovascular, 76% vs 73% [ P = .002]). When stratified by severity of PAD, DAPT had a survival benefit for patients with CLI undergoing bypass (5 years, 70% vs 66% [ P = .04]) and endovascular intervention (5 years, 71% vs 67% [ P = .01]) but not for patients with claudication (bypass, 89% vs 88% [ P = .36]; endovascular, 87% vs 85% [ P = .46]). The protective effect of DAPT was similar when using Cox proportional hazard models after bypass (hazard ratio, 0.81 [95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.90]) and endovascular intervention (hazard ratio, 0.89 [95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.95]). Conclusions DAPT at time of discharge was associated with prolonged survival for patients with CLI undergoing lower extremity revascularization but not for those with claudication. Further research is needed to quantify the risks associated with DAPT and to identify subgroups at increased risk of thrombotic and bleeding complications to guide medical management of patients with PAD.
The threat of intergenerational extortion: on the temptation to become the climate mafia, masquerading as an intergenerational Robin Hood

AbstractThis paper argues that extortion is a clear threat in intergenerational relations, and that the threat is manifest in some existing proposals in climate policy and latent in some background...
The Communication of Suicide Terrorism

Suicide terrorism refers to a terrorist attack in which a person intentionally kills others so as to create substantial damage, while being conscious that he or she will also perish in the attack. Methodologically, this chapter is a conceptual analysis of suicide terrorism. The main premise of this analysis is that suicide terrorism is, first and foremost, a communicative act. Suicide terrorists do not simply engage in suicide/murder. Rather, they communicate something to us; they do so by exploiting both their own death and their victims’ death as a symbolic signal. It is a means of propaganda that conveys a message of superiority vis-a-vis enemies (e.g. infidels) and loyalty towards a particular cause, culture, religion, or Supreme Power. Overall, this analysis examines the communication of suicide terrorism in five different ways: (1) The weapon of mass persuasion, (2) nonverbal communication, (3) the martyrdom video, (4) a form of status symbol and (5) the culture of death. Scholarship on suicide terrorism has barely looked at that phenomenon from a communicative standpoint—at least not by integrating all five different communicative perspectives in one single study. Hence, the author hopes to add fresh insights to a subject that has become increasingly prominent in both Western and non-Western media.
Evidence-Based Cancer Prevention Research: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Cancer Prevention Trials

More than 1 million Americans were expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2004. This fact is especially tragic given that many cancers are preventable. The ongoing challenge to the medical, scientific, and public health communities is to formulate evidencebased decisions and implement effective and safe interventions for cancer prevention.
MULTI-SCALE ANALYSIS OF LANDCOVER COMPOSITION AND LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS IN INDIANA

A multi-scale analysis was conducted in Indiana (Midwest United States) to examine social and biophysical factors contributing to landcover pattern and composition at different spatial extents. Historical data shows that Indiana has experienced dramatic landcover change over the past two centuries. A state-level analysis found that while forest covered more than 85% of Indiana prior to European-American settlement, almost all of these forests were cleared for agriculture following settlement. Forests have since regrown in part such that they now cover nearly 20% of the state. In recent years, analysis at state and regional levels has found a strong relationship between topography and landcover, especially for agricultural and forested land. A parcel level analysis was conducted for 250 private landholdings in Monroe County, linking household level survey data to Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery. This local level analysis allows parcel land management practices and associated land holder characteristics to be linked to specific landscape outcomes. This research demonstrates the utility of a multi-scale analysis linking social and biophysical factors in landcover change studies.
Optimization of Inventory and Distribution for Hip and Knee Joint Replacements via Multistage Stochastic Programming

We introduce a multistage stochastic programming model to optimize the distribution–production network of medical devices; in particular, artificial hip and knee joints for orthopedic surgery. These devices are distributed to hospitals in kits that contain multiple sizes of the joint; the surgeon uses one device from the kit and then returns the rest of the kit to the distributor, which replaces the part that has been removed and distributes the kit anew. Therefore, the distribution problem for artificial joints has a shareability property and thus is related to closed-loop supply chains. We assume that demands for the devices follow a discrete probability distribution and therefore we use scenarios to model the random demands over time. We compare the results of our optimization model to an approximation of the simple distribution strategy that our industry partner currently uses. The proposed approach outperforms the present approach in terms of optimal cost. We also explore the sensitivity of the model’s computation time as the numbers of scenarios, hospitals, and time periods change. Finally, we extend the model to investigate the production of shareable items in sharing systems using a numerical example.
Triggers of Lapse and Relapse of Diet and Exercise in Behavioral Weight Loss.

Objective This study aimed to (1) develop instruments to evaluate situations that lead to lapse and relapse in diet and exercise and (2) prospectively investigate when and which psychosocial situations predict failure to lose weight in a clinical trial of intentional weight loss. Methods Participants were 469 individuals with overweight or obesity participating in a behavioral weight loss program (age: mean = 53.6 years, SD = 11.4; BMI: mean = 35.7 kg/m2 , SD = 6.5). Results The Cronbach alphas for the Diet Lapse and Relapse Triggers Scale and the Exercise Lapse and Relapse Triggers Scale were 0.93 and 0.91, respectively. Subscale alphas ranged from 0.60 to 0.96. Lapse and relapse were assessed at 3 and 9 months for associations with weight loss at 12 months. At 9 months, diet triggers were negative emotional states (beta = 0.11, P = 0.02) and urges (beta = 0.14, P = 0.01). Predicted social situations showed the opposite (beta = -0.09, P = 0.02). Exercise subscales were all nonsignificant. Conclusions Findings suggest the ongoing importance of addressing negative emotional states and the contributing influence of urges. The novel finding that participants whose difficulties arise in social situations may do better over time requires further study.
Cyclomarins A−C, New Antiinflammatory Cyclic Peptides Produced by a Marine Bacterium (Streptomyces sp.)

Three new cyclic heptapeptides, cyclomarins A−C (1−3), were isolated from extracts of a cultured marine bacterium collected in the vicinity of San Diego, CA. The major metabolite, cyclomarin A (1), contains three common and four unusual (or unique) amino acids. The structures of the new metabolites were determined using 1D and 2D NMR methods, and the stereochemistry was determined from an X-ray crystal structure of the diacetate derivative of 1. Cyclomarin A (1) displays significant antiinflammatory activity in both in vivo and in vitro assays.
Indoor-Location Classification Using RF Signatures

Indoor locations are classified using spatial signatures of RF signals that are obtained using a measurement grid with a spacing of approximately a wavelength. The classification method is evaluated using a publicly available dataset of detailed signal measurements in a real environment. The experimental results suggest not only that high accuracy is achievable using much simpler signatures than those in prior work but also that this accuracy is maintained as the grid is significantly coarsened.
Occupational Reproductive Hazards for Female Surgeons in the Operating Room: A Review

Importance Higher rates of infertility and pregnancy complications have been found for female surgeons compared with the general population. Several reproductive hazards are present in the operating room and may be associated with these findings. Hazards should be identified and controlled to minimize risks. Observations Studies comparing surgeons with the general population show increased rates of infertility and pregnancy complications, including conditions affecting both mother and fetus, such as spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, growth restriction, and congenital abnormalities. Attention has focused on older age and demanding working conditions of pregnant surgeons; however, there are reproductive hazards present in the operating room that might also be contributing. Relevant hazards include radiation, surgical smoke, working conditions, sharps injury, anesthetic gases, and intraoperative use of toxic agents. Published evidence is limited to retrospective studies. Robust data are often unavailable to guide specific dose-response relationships, making it difficult to quantify risk and create occupational safety guidelines. Nevertheless, regulatory agencies have set exposure limits for some agents, relying on limited evidence. Various workplace interventions have shown success in reducing exposure levels for many reproductive hazards and should be adopted by surgical workplaces. Conclusions and Relevance Reproductive hazards exist in the operating room that may contribute to pregnancy complications and infertility in surgeons. Information and guidance should be given to female surgeons and trainees of reproductive age, and efforts should be made in the workplace to control exposures but not restrict female surgeons’ activities unnecessarily.
A Research-Driven Approach to the Identification of Novel Natural Killer Cell Deficiencies Affecting Cytotoxic Function.

Natural killer cell deficiencies (NKDs) are an emerging phenotypic subtype of primary immune deficiency. NK cells provide a defense against virally infected cells using a variety of cytotoxic mechanisms, and patients who have defective NK cell development or function can present with atypical, recurrent, or severe herpesviral infections. The current pipeline for investigating NKDs involves the acquisition and clinical assessment of patients with a suspected NKD followed by subsequent in silico, in vitro, and in vivo laboratory research. Evaluation involves initially quantifying NK cells and measuring NK cell cytotoxicity and expression of certain NK cell receptors involved in NK cell development and function. Subsequent studies using genomic methods to identify the potential causative variant are conducted along with variant impact testing to make genotype-phenotype connections. Identification of novel genes contributing to the NKD phenotype can also be facilitated by applying the expanding knowledge of NK cell biology. In this review, we discuss how NKDs that affect NK cell cytotoxicity can be approached in the clinic and laboratory for the discovery of novel gene variants.
Mechanically activated SHS of Nb5Si3 and Nb5Si3/Nb composites

Abstract Nb5Si3 and Nb are the main components of niobium silicide-based composites, which are promising materials for high-temperature structural applications. Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) is an attractive method for fabricating advanced materials from powders via exothermic reactions between the mixture constituents. However, to overcome kinetic difficulties of Nb–Si reaction, SHS of niobium silicides usually requires additional heat input. The present work focuses on a technique that addresses this problem by adding a mechanical activation step before SHS. Specifically, short-term ball milling was used for mechanical activation of Nb/Si mixtures with the goal of conducting SHS of Nb5Si3 and Nb5Si3/Nb composites with no preheating. The milled mixtures were compacted and ignited in an argon environment. It has been shown that a planetary mill is an effective tool for mechanical activation of Nb/Si mixtures. Milling for 10 min enabled SHS of the product that consisted of α-Nb5Si3 and γ-Nb5Si3 phases with traces of Nb3Si. For the first time, Nb5Si3/Nb composites were obtained by mechanically activated SHS with no preheating. Combustion took place at an Nb/Si mole ratio as high as 3, i.e. at 25 at% Si in the mixture. At this mole ratio, a spinning propagation of the combustion wave was observed, and the content of the γ phase, which has poor mechanical properties, was dramatically decreased.
Defence against the herbicide RoundUp® predates its widespread use

Background: The herbicide RoundUp® became widely used in agriculture in the mid-1990s. Current populations of the crop weed Ipomoea purpurea exhibit both resistance and tolerance to RoundUp, which are two types of defence that have previously been shown to have a genetic basis in this weed species. Questions: Did the genetic basis of RoundUp defence antedate the introduction of RoundUp? If so, how does defence today compare with defence then? Organism: A preserved collection of Ipomoea purpurea seeds (the common morning glory) was germinated from 10 accessions sampled from the early 1980s. A contemporary population of I. purpurea derived from a crossing scheme was used for comparison. Methods: Replicate seeds from both the historical and contemporary populations were planted into a field experiment located at the University of Georgia’s Plant Sciences Farm. Individuals were sprayed with the field rate of glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide RoundUp. Tolerance, or the fitness response following herbicide application, and resistance, a measure of the amount of damage a plant exhibits after herbicide application, were determined for each line of both the historical and contemporary populations. Results: Genetic variation for both types of defence was already present in this weed species prior to the herbicide’s introduction in the mid-1990s. Furthermore, the level of tolerance to glyphosate has not increased over time. In contrast, our results suggest that resistance is higher in the contemporary population than in the historical accessions.
Accuracy of telephone triage in primary care patients with chest discomfort: a cross-sectional study.

Objective To assess the accuracy of semi-automatic assisted telephone triage in patients with acute chest discomfort against the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or other life-threatening events (LTEs). Methods A cross-sectional study was performed of telephone conversations with 2023 patients with acute chest discomfort (pain, pressure, tightness or discomfort) who called out-of-hours services for primary care (OHS-PC) between 2014 and 2016. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predicted values were calculated for a high urgency (patient seen within one hour) against the diagnoses of ACS and other LTEs. Diagnoses were retrieved from the patients9 medical records in general practice, including hospital specialists9 discharge letters. Results Of 2023 patients who called because of chest discomfort, 227 (11.2%) had an ACS (men 14.9%, women 8.2%) and 58 (2.9%) had another LTE (men 3.6%, women 2.3%). The sensitivity and specificity of a high Netherlands Triage System (NTS) urgency allocation against ACS/other LTEs were 0.73 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.78) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.40 to 0.45), respectively. In 13.2% of the calls the triage nurse overruled the NTS urgency, mostly by upscaling (11.0%). The sensitivity and specificity of the final urgency allocation were 0.86 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.90) and 0.34 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.37). The positive and negative predictive values of the final urgency were 0.18 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.19) and 0.94 (95% CI 0.92 to 0.95), respectively. Conclusions The semi-automatic triage NTS tool underestimated the urgency in 27% of patients with ACS/other LTEs. Overruling by triage nurses improved safety, but still 14% of men and women with ACS/other LTEs received too low urgency, while efficiency remained poor. Trial registration number NTR7331.
Saturday Morning in the Clinic

Case study detailing clinical ethics encounter with patient (and family) facing life and death treatment decision.
Abstract 2140: Delineating a functional link between a phosphoserine aminotransferase (PSAT1)-associated gene signature and EGFR-mutant NSCLC

Phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) catalyzes the second enzymatic step within the serine synthetic pathway and its expression is elevated in numerous human cancers, such as NSCLC. While PSAT1 suppression decreases SSP activity and cell proliferation, non-canonical activities have recently been suggested that may contribute to its pro-tumorigenic function, as is seen with other metabolic enzymes such as pyruvate kinase. Thus, we conducted a genome wide expression screen to uncover potential unknown cellular processes impacted by PSAT1 and to identify a PSAT1-associated gene signature that might inform patient outcomes in NSCLC. Loss of PSAT1 in EGFR-mutant PC9 lung cancer cells led to 491 differentially expressed genes (279-down; 212-up). KEGG and gene ontology analysis identified biological pathways such as metabolic processes, cell cycle regulation, cell adhesion, and cell motility. Transcript analysis confirmed inhibitory effects on the Rb/E2F1 and β-catenin pathways as well as expression of effectors on the actin cytoskeleton upon loss of PSAT1. Importantly, these could be rescued by PSAT1 restoration, including the loss of F-actin stress fibers as observed with phalloidin staining. Lastly, a bioinformatics approach utilizing transcriptomic data from human lung cancer patients was used to define genes altered between EGFR-mutant lung cancers and normal lung and that were differentially expressed in our PSAT1 depletion RNA-seq study. From this, we identified a PSAT1-associated gene signature that was then used to assign risk survival scores to these NSCLC patients. Subsequent, Kaplan Meier analysis demonstrated the prognostic ability of this gene signature for both relapse free and overall survival in EGFR-mutant NSCLC but was unable to predict risk groups in other NSCLC subtypes. Together, transcriptomic analysis under PSAT1 silencing identified its impact on various biological processes, including actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, and led to identification of a gene signature that has predictive ability towards survival outcomes in EGFR-mutant lung cancer. Citation Format: Rumeysa Biyik-Sit, Brian F. Clem. Delineating a functional link between a phosphoserine aminotransferase (PSAT1)-associated gene signature and EGFR-mutant NSCLC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2140.
The Oral-Written Textuality of Stichographic Poetry in the Dead Sea Scrolls

Textuality in antiquity differs significantly from that of modern Western culture in which the text exists as a fixed, idealized abstraction. In antiquity reading was speaking, and stichography is a visual representation of this interface between speech and writing. Stichography’s spatialization displays scribes’ perception of the spoken text including the concomitants of oral performance. Stichography also reflects scribes’ attentiveness to the readership’s experience with the performed or inscribed text. Scribes interacted with compositions as authors, adapting them according to the exigencies of specific performance events. As a result, the transmission of a specific written layout can supersede parallelismus membrorum; nevertheless, parallelism is a constitutive device in the majority of stichographic texts. The demarcation of sense units elicits two symbiotic social uses, both of which are also implied by the content of the canon. Stichographic texts provide a formatted reference point that is styled to facilitate oral performance and pedagogy.
Aspects of Stress in the Tropical Marine Environment

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the aspects of stress in the tropical marine environment. There have been many studies of the tropical environment, many of them concerned with theories of the cause of the high speciation there; most of these have been focused on the land, and particularly the rain forest. The present study arises from the observation that it is much more difficult to keep organisms alive in the laboratory in the tropics than it is in temperate climates. Departure from optimal conditions for one environmental factor tends to reduce the tolerance range of a species for other factors. Throughout this chapter, the terms polar, temperate , and tropical have been used to refer to cold, intermediate, and warm seas without implying correspondence with well-defined zoogeographic regions. Physical aspects—such as temperature, salinity, radiation, and tides along with biological aspects—such as temperature tolerance, intertidal zonation, and critical levels—are discussed. The range of temperature tolerance is low in the tropics. Individual species there occupy a smaller fraction of the intertidal zone, and critical levels are shifted downwards. Tropical growth rates are high but very variable and there is less growth after sexual maturity than in mid-latitudes. The seasonal pattern of tropical growth is very variable. Longevity is less. The proportion of large species is less in the tropics, although there are some giant species there. Adaptation to the tropics may involve slowed growth, great size, and extended vertical intertidal range. Those species that show such adaptation are unable to live outside the tropics. These aspects seem to indicate that tropical seas are regions of increased stress.
Multipurpose tree prunings as a source of nitrogen to maize under semiarid conditions in Zimbabwe

When multipurpose-tree (MPT) prunings are used as a source of nitrogen to annual corps in agroforestry systems, it is important that high levels of N recovery are attained. In order to test the effect of pruning quality and method of pruning application on N-recovery rates, a field experiment was conducted using prunings of five MPT species and two methods of application (surface versus incorporation). There was an interaction of pruning quality and method of pruning application on N recovery and maize grain yield. For most MPT species used, incorporated prunings gave high nitrogen recovery compared to surface applied prunings. In order to achieve synchrony between N supply from prunings and N demand by a maize crop, relatively large amounts of N should be released into the soil before peak N demand by the maize crop. This could be achieved by incorporating adequate quantities of high quality prunings such as those ofCajanus cajan andLeucaena leucocephala.
The impedance tomography problem

Using an operator theoretic framework and pseudo-spectral methods, we provide a simple and explicit formula for the conductivity coefficient in terms of the Dirichlet to Neumann map and the eigenvalues of the Laplacian operator.
Chapter 30 Failure Analysis of Stepping in Adult Spinal Cats

Publisher Summary Adult cats that receive complete spinal cord transections can regain the ability to perform bipedal hind-limb locomotion on a treadmill. Furthermore, locomotor recovery is enhanced by daily training of the hind limbs on a motorized treadmill. Spinal cats that do not receive treadmill training recover poor locomotor ability relative to the step-trained spinal cats. Nontrained spinal cats stumble frequently and are thus unable to maintain long stepping sequences. The importance of inter-limb coordination in the successful execution of stepping in spinal cats has not been examined thoroughly. Forssberg and colleagues reported that the hind-limb coordination patterns in cats transected at one or two weeks of age resembled that found in normal animals. This chapter discusses whether the patterns of hind-limb coordination during locomotion in adult cats are altered after the cats received a complete low-thoracic spinal cord transection. In addition, to determine if training improved stepping in spinal cats by normalizing hind-limb coordination, stepping is compared before and after spinalization in spinal cats that received treadmill training and in spinal cats that received no training after spinalization. The current findings demonstrate that abnormal patterns of hind-limb coordination are a major cause of step failures—that is, stumbling during stepping in spinal cats. Treadmill training improved hind-limb coordination sufficiently to maintain successful stepping, but did not restore the pre-spinal pattern of hind-limb coordination.
Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal autosomal recessive disease affecting the Caucasian population. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, and abnormally high sweat electrolyte concentrations are characteristic of this disease. In 1989, the defective gene was localized to the long arm of chromosome 7. This region encodes a protein of 1,480 amino acids called the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Defects in CFTR reduce the ability of epithelial cells to transport chloride, altering the fluid and electrolyte composition of cellular secretions. Viscous, dehydrated secretions impair mucociliary clearance in the lungs, and cause progressive obstruction, inflammation, scarring, and destruction of multiple organ systems, particularly in the pulmonary, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, and reproductive systems.
Reading Asante's Myth of Afrocentricity: An Ideological Critique

Recently, Aftrocentricity has emerged as a key element of multicultural curricula for the schools. The “subject matter of the Afrocentric paradigm is its placement of Africa at the center of any analysis of African history and culture, including the African-American experience.” Proponents describe Afrocentricity as “a humanistic philosophy, a scholarly methodology, and a model of practical action”
A Review of “Cisco Routers for the Desperate”

Lucas does a great service for network and system administrators who work with Cisco routers without the specialized training to familiarize themselves with all the ins and outs of Cisco hardware. ...
Gas chromatographic—mass spectrometric analysis of β-diketone-containing plant waxes

Abstract A number of β-diketones and β-diketone-containing waxes have been trimethylsilylated and analyzed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. The trimethylsilyl enol ethers of β-diketones and hydroxy and oxo β-diketones are completely separated by gas chromatography. Mass spectrometry of these derivatives gives simpler fragmentation patterns than those obtained with untreated β-diketones so that structure determination of β-diketones and oxygenated β-diketones, including structural isomers, is considerably facilitated. Trimethylsilyl derivatives of free acids and alcohols formed at the same time are separated from each other and from hydrocarbons by gas chromatography and are also identified by mass spectrometry.
Chapter 4 TRPV1: A Polymodal Sensor in the Nociceptor Terminal

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the presence of a polymodal sensor—transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1)—in the nociceptor terminal. TRPV1 can be viewed as a proteinaceous microcosm of the nociceptor terminal. It responds in a graded manner to diverse physical and chemical stimuli, distinguishes painful from nonpainful inputs, and changes its responsiveness as a function of its history and chemical milieu. This channel is one component of a much larger repertoire of transduction mechanisms available to nociceptors. The prominent expression of TRPV1 in unmyelinated small‐diameter neurons and its activation by noxious chemical and physical stimuli make this channel a compelling candidate transducer of painful stimuli in vivo . Among the array of stimuli that can excite nociceptors, capsaicin, protons, and noxious heat have attracted considerable attention because of their robust actions on these cells. TRPV1 is essential for nociceptive responses to capsaicin; there is evidence for a substantial contribution from TRPV1‐independent processes to acute heat nociception. TRPV1 gene disruption leads to the disappearance of nocifensive behaviors in mice injected with intraplantar capsaicin or resiniferatoxin (RTX)—a virtual elimination of capsaicin‐evoked neurogenic inflammation and a lack of avoidance of capsaicin‐containing drinking water.
Women in Midlife: Stress, Health and Life Satisfaction

Midlife is filled with challenges and unique stressors for women, which necessitate a greater understanding of the factors that influence their life satisfaction. This study examined the relationship of family strains/changes and weight to life satisfaction, as mediated by family coping, physical activity, sleep and health stress. The findings indicated that women in midlife, who experienced more stressful life changes and had higher body mass index scores, slept fewer hours and had greater health stress, which resulted in lower life satisfaction. These results have implications for family health professionals and programmes that deal with family and health problems, including sleep, weight and stress.
Reproductive studies unit of the New York Zoological Society

The Reproductive Studies Unit of the New York Zoological Society addresses several areas of exotic animal reproduction. These include semen collection and freezing, embryo transfer in the gaur, study of normal reproductive anatomy, urinary hormone analysis of cycling and pregnant females, and postmortem collection and freezing of oocytes. The primary goal is development of exotic species gene banks.
Noise susceptibility of cochlear implant users: the role of spectral resolution and smearing.

The latest-generation cochlear implant devices provide many deaf patients with good speech recognition in quiet listening conditions. However, speech recognition deteriorates rapidly as the level of background noise increases. Previous studies have shown that, for cochlear implant users, the absence of fine spectro-temporal cues may contribute to poorer performance in noise, especially when the noise is dynamic (e.g., competing speaker or modulated noise). Here we report on sentence recognition by cochlear implant users and by normal-hearing subjects listening to an acoustic simulation of a cochlear implant, in the presence of steady or square-wave modulated speech-shaped noise. Implant users were tested using their everyday, clinically assigned speech processors. In the acoustic simulation, normal-hearing listeners were tested for different degrees of spectral resolution (16, eight, or four channels) and spectral smearing (carrier filter slopes of −24 or −6 dB/octave). For modulated noise, normal-hearing listeners experienced significant release from masking when the original, unprocessed speech was presented (which preserved the spectro-temporal fine structure), while cochlear implant users experienced no release from masking. As the spectral resolution was reduced, normal-hearing listeners’ release from masking gradually diminished. Release from masking was further reduced as the degree of spectral smearing increased. Interestingly, the mean speech recognition thresholds of implant users were very close to those of normal-hearing subjects listening to four-channel spectrally smeared noise-band speech. Also, the best cochlear implant listeners performed like normal-hearing subjects listening to eight- to 16-channel spectrally smeared noise-band speech. These findings suggest that implant users’ susceptibility to noise may be caused by the reduced spectral resolution and the high degree of spectral smearing associated with channel interaction. Efforts to improve the effective number of spectral channels as well as reduce channel interactions may improve implant performance in noise, especially for temporally modulated noise.
Changes in LH and prolactin in arteriosclerotic female breeder rats

Serum levels of LH and prolactin were measured in repeatedly-bred, arteriosclerotic female rats. Serum LH was abnormally decreased on the afternoon of proestrus and estrus. The extent of the depression of circulating LH levels parallels the severity of the arteriosclerosis. Serum prolactin was significantly increased above normal at proestrus, and the degree of prolactin increase was also correlated with the degree of severity of arteriosclerosis. It is suggested that frequent and repeated pregnancies affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-gonadal axis leading to hormonal and metabolic imbalance, which may play a causal role in the pathogenesis of the spontaneous arteriosclerosis which appears in repeatedly-bred rats.
Crystal structures of valinomycin with potassium tetrachloroaurate and rubidium tetrachloroaurate with comparisons to other monovalent cation complexes

A total of 19 different crystal forms of complexes of valinomycin or its analogues with monovalent cations have been observed. The crystal structure determinations of valinomycin potassium tetrachloroaurate and valinomycin rubidium tetrachloroaurate are given here.Including this work complete structure determinations have now been published on 7 with 2 more soon to appear. Comparisons of these structural results suggest that the valinomycin complex opens at the D-valyl (lactyl) end and that contacts are possible between the complexed cation and other molecules. Such contacts may play an important part in membrane transport.
Hormonal Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Toward Further Unraveling of Androgen Receptor Function

Prostate cancer is a major cause of cancer-related death in men. Prostate cancer is an androgen-responsive tumor and the treatment of advanced prostate cancer involves hormonal therapy. First-line treatment for advanced prostate cancer is androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), usually with agents that suppress gonadotropins through a pituitary mechanism. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists and antagonists both suppress gonadal release of testosterone, although their activity profiles vary. ADT down-regulates androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional activity in the tumor but the response in metastatic disease is transient and tumors progress as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Although serum testosterone concentrations decline dramatically with ADT, CRPC growth remains largely dependent on AR activity. Secondary hormonal therapies are then often employed to further dampen AR-driven transcription. These secondary hormonal therapies either further deplete adrenal or intratumoral androgen synthesis, or directly and competitively antagonize AR. New hormonal agents with both of these mechanisms are in clinical trials and show promising activity in patients with CRPC. Abiraterone acetate is an inhibitor of CYP17, which is an enzyme required for the synthesis of all androgens and estrogens. MDV3100 is an AR antagonist that has a higher affinity for AR than any other AR antagonist in clinic use. In phase I and phase II clinical trials, both agents have significant activity. These agents and the promise of the development of others provide hope that more effective hormonal therapies may soon be offered to patients, which will improve clinical outcomes.
Practice Management Considerations for an Aging Population

Older adults are visiting their dentists more frequently than in the past and expecting higher levels of oral health through out their lives. Special considerations for this age group and marketing tips are discussed.
Ipsilaterale Knie- und Hüftgelenkluxation

Knie- und Huftluxationen, sind schwerwiegende Verletzungen und, abhangig von Dislokationsgrad und Begleitverletzungen, mit ungewisser Prognose. Das gleichzeitige Vorliegen einer ipsilateralen Huft- und Kniegelenkluxation stellt eine sehr seltene Verletzungskombination dar, entsprechend wenig Literaturhinweise sind vorhanden.
Scavenger receptor class B member 1 protein: hepatic regulation and its effects on lipids, reverse cholesterol transport, and atherosclerosis

Scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SR-BI, also known as SCARB1) is the primary receptor for the selective uptake of cholesterol from high-density lipoprotein (HDL). SR-BI is present in several key tissues; however, its presence and function in the liver is deemed the most relevant for protection against atherosclerosis. Cholesterol is transferred from HDL via SR-BI to the liver, which ultimately results in the excretion of cholesterol via bile and feces in what is known as the reverse cholesterol transport pathway. Much of our knowledge of SR-BI hepatic function and regulation is derived from mouse models and in vitro characterization. Multiple independent regulatory mechanisms of SR-BI have been discovered that operate at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. In this review we summarize the critical discoveries relating to hepatic SR-BI cholesterol metabolism, atherosclerosis, and regulation of SR-BI, as well as alternative functions that may indirectly affect atherosclerosis.
Plasma dynamics driven by finite-width current filament and KV potential drops in ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling

We have simulated the plasma dynamics of a quasi-two-dimensional current filament in ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. The simulation consists of a set of one-dimensional flux tube simulations with different imposed time-dependent, field-aligned currents. The dynamical interactions of the individual current filaments with the ionospheric and magnetospheric plasma generate kV field-aligned potential drops along the field lines, and the side-by-side display exhibits the evolution of the implied potential structure in the horizontal direction. The primary cross-field motion produced by the horizontal E-field (ExB drift) is perpendicular to both of the significant spatial directions, and is thus ignorable in this geometry. The effects of other cross-field drict processes are discussed. The simulation thus provides insight into the dynamical evolution of 2D potential structures driven by an imposed finite-width field-aligned current profile. Spatial and temporal variation of other plasma parameters (temperatures, density, etc.) that are determined primarily by parallel transport effects are also displayed.
Inefficiency in Japanese water utility firms: a stochastic frontier approach

I examine inefficiencies in Japanese water utility companies. Efficiency in this context is defined as a firm’s capacity to maximize output given a fixed level of inputs. The findings suggest that the average operation rate, customer density and size variables are associated with lower levels of inefficiency (or higher levels of efficiency), while water purification (a conditioning variable capturing low initial water quality), subsidies and outsourcing are associated with higher levels of inefficiency. Since inefficiency exists, there is an opportunity to improve Japanese water utilities by working on emulating “best practice” firms whenever possible and by providing a regulatory framework that can set appropriate incentive schemes to do so.
Attenuated responses to CO2 and hypoxia in parents of threatened sudden infant death syndrome infants.

Ventilatory and heart rate responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia were measured in the following three groups: group I, controls (n=15); group II, parents of threatened sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) infants (n=10); and group III, parents of SIDS infants (n=17). We found significantly reduced heart rate responses to carbon dioxide and hypoxia in group II (1.4 ± 1.9 percent and 16.0 ± 4.0 percent; mean ± SEM) compared with controls (7.1 ± 1.4 percent and 26 ± 2.4 percent; P
The particle pressure of arrays in a potential flow

Abstract The role of the polarization of objects, for determining the forces acting on them in a surrounding potential flow, is developed. This is used to derive the particle pressure and compressibility for arrays, as well as expressions for the overall average stresses. The structure of the array, and the way in which it responds to a virtual strain, determines these stresses in contrast to earlier structure-independent models of Geurst (Physica 129A (1985) 233–261, Physica, 135A (1986) 455–486) and Wallis (Multiphase Sci. Technol. 5 (1989) 239–361, Int. J. Multiphase Flow 17 (6) (1991) 815–821). Specific results are given for rectangular arrays of spheres.
Creative ways to empower action to change the organization: Cases in point

Change can take many forms—and so can obstacles to change. And just as effective change is a creative force, so can be the ways to remove such obstacles. Obstacles to change range from bosses who disempower their employees to lack of information from the wrong performance measurement and reward systems to lack of self-confidence. But creative solutions to the problem of such obstacles are being found every day. This article presents case studies of organizations that have found some that work. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Field dependence and memory for relevant and irrelevant incidental stimuli.

On the basis of previous work, it was hypothesized that field-independent Ss would show better incidental memory for task-relevant stimuli, while field-dependent Ss would better remember incidentally presented task-irrelevant social cues. Only the former was supported by the results. It is possible that the latter depends upon the social context of the interaction between subject and experimenter.
Effects of 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy on fatigue: role of MCP-1

Chemotherapy has been known to cause severe side effects, including fatigue. While the mechanisms for chemotherapy induced fatigue (CIF) are likely to be multi-factorial in origin, it is thought that inflammation and anemia may play a role. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of chemotherapy on fatigue in mice, and further, to begin to determine if inflammation and anemia may contribute to this response. For experiment 1, C57BL/6 mice were assigned to: vehicle (PBS), low (20 mg/kg), medium (40 mg/kg), or high (60 mg/kg) doses of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Voluntary physical activity (PA) was measured throughout the treatment period (day 1–5) as well as during the recovery period (day 6–14). In experiment 2, we examined the effects of 5-FU (60 mg/kg) on the inflammatory mediator MCP-1 and on markers of anemia (RBC, Hct and Hb). Finally, using MCP-1−/− mice we examined the role of MCP-1 on CIF (experiment 3). 5-FU reduced voluntary PA in a dose response manner (p < 0.05). Plasma MCP-1 was increased following 5-FU treatment on both days 5 (p = 0.10) and 14 (p < 0.05). In addition, RBCs, Hct and Hb were reduced with 5-FU on days 5 and 14 (p < 0.05). Both C57BL/6 and MCP-1−/− mice saw similar decrements in PA through the duration of the treatment period (days 1–5), however the MCP-1−/− mice recovered much earlier than wildtype mice. This study provides evidence of the dose response effect of a standard chemotherapy agent on fatigue and demonstrates a potential role of MCP-1 and presumably inflammation, and anemia.
TEAMS: A Special-Purpose AOP Framework for Runtime Monitoring

Software reliability can be greatly enhanced by using tools that can inspect and evaluate the runtime behavior and performance of a system, yet such tools are difficult to create. Aspect-oriented programming is a formal approach to instrumenting software that can ease this problem. This paper presents TEAMS, an AOP framework specifically tailored to supporting such instrumentation.