cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WHIM syndrome, an autosomal dominant disorder: Clinical, hematological, and molecular studies

The acronym WHIM refers to Warts, Hypogammaglobulinemia, Infections, and Myelokathexis. The latter refers to the retention of white cells in the marrow, which becomes hypercellular. We have found approximately 20 examples of WHIM syndrome in the literature under various designations; the first examples are Zuelzer [1964] and Krill et al. [1964]. Chronic noncyclic neutropenia and hypercellular bone marrow represent defective release of marrow cells into the peripheral stream (myelokathexis). The hypermature neutrophils are bizarre in form. Condensed nuclei connected by long, stringy filaments and vacuolated cytoplasm suggest apoptosis. Fever or other stress increases the release of neutrophils. Hypogammaglobulinemia is marked and associated with recurrent upper respiratory infections (sinusitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, pneumonia). Patients have numerous warts, some venereal, with resultant cervical and vulval premalignant dysplasia. We report on a kindred of 6 affected individuals in 3 generations with autosomal dominant WHIM syndrome. The sex ratio among reported patients and in our kindred is 17 female to 8 male. Because there had been no male-to-male transmssion, search of the entire X-chromosome including the pseudoautosomal area was carried out and no linkage was found. Recently, the propositus has had an unaffected daughter, confirming our finding that the gene is not X-linked. A genome-wide search is being carried out.
Predictive factors for high mortality in hypernatremic patients

Abstract Hypernatremia (serum sodium level of > 145 mEq/L) is associated with high mortality. This study reports an analysis of mortality in 116 patients with hypernatremia from two large university-affiliated teaching hospitals. The purpose was to identify factors predictive of high mortality in hypernatremic patients. Medical records were reviewed to obtain the following data: serum sodium (Na + ) levels; systolic (S) and diastolic (D) blood pressure (BP) at the time of admission and throughout the hospital course; status of cognitive function; and type of fluid administered. The patients were divided into two groups: expired and survived. Seventy-seven of 116 patients (66%) expired, while 39 patients (34%) survived and were discharged from the hospital. The mean age and gender for patients who died (70.9 ± 15.4 years, 90% men) were not different from those who survived (66.4 ± 17.3 years, 87% men). For the serum Na + levels recorded at three different times (early, peak, and late), mean late serum Na + level during hospital course was significantly higher in patients who died than in those who survived (151.2 ± 9.2 v 143.1 ± 8.0 mEq/L, respectively; P + level (154.9 ± 5.5 v 155.1 ± 7.7 mEq/L, respectively) and mean peak serum Na + level (157.5 ± 6.5 v 156.8 ± 9.4 mEq/L, respectively) were not different between the two groups. Both SBP and DBP at the time of admission ( P P P P + level (possibly caused by prolonged infusion of normal saline) in association with protracted hypotension portends a dismal prognosis in hospitalized hypernatremic patients.
Gene Expression and Regulation in Adrenocortical Tumorigenesis

Adrenocortical tumors are frequently found in the general population, and may be benign adrenocortical adenomas or malignant adrenocortical carcinomas. Unfortunately the clinical, biochemical and histopathological distinction between benign and malignant adrenocortical tumors may be difficult in the absence of widely invasive or metastatic disease, and hence attention has turned towards a search for molecular markers. The study of rare genetic diseases that are associated with the development of adrenocortical carcinomas has contributed to our understanding of adrenocortical tumorigenesis. In addition, comprehensive genomic hybridization, methylation profiling, and genome wide mRNA and miRNA profiling have led to improvements in our understanding, as well as demonstrated several genes and pathways that may serve as diagnostic or prognostic markers.
Cellular and Molecular effects of Vitamin D on Carcinogenesis

Epidemiologic data suggest that the incidence and severity of many types of cancer inversely correlates with indices of vitamin D status. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is highly expressed in epithelial cells at risk for carcinogenesis including those resident in skin, breast, prostate and colon, providing a direct molecular link by which vitamin D status impacts on carcinogenesis. Consistent with this concept, activation of VDR by its ligand 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D) triggers comprehensive genomic changes in epithelial cells that contribute to maintenance of the differentiated phenotype, resistance to cellular stresses and protection of the genome. Many epithelial cells also express the vitamin D metabolizing enzyme CYP27B1 which enables autocrine generation of 1,25D from the circulating vitamin D metabolite 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D), critically linking overall vitamin D status with cellular anti-tumor actions. Furthermore, pre-clinical studies in animal models has demonstrated that dietary supplementation with vitamin D or chronic treatment with VDR agonists decreases tumor development in skin, colon, prostate and breast. Conversely, deletion of the VDR gene in mice alters the balance between proliferation and apoptosis, increases oxidative DNA damage, and enhances susceptibility to carcinogenesis in these tissues. Because VDR expression is retained in many human tumors, vitamin D status may be an important modulator of cancer progression in persons living with cancer. Collectively, these observations have reinforced the need to further define the molecular actions of the VDR and the human requirement for vitamin D in relation to cancer development and progression.
Blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and intima-media thickness a test of the "response to injury" hypothesis of atherosclerosis.

Abstract—The “response to injury” hypothesis is a plausible model of the development of atherosclerosis supported by observations from animal models. The present study uses epidemiological data to investigate the hypothesis that wall damage due to hypertension is a precursor of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–mediated atherosclerosis. The Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study is following a cohort of 576 participants who were aged 40 to 60 years and were free of symptomatic cardiovascular disease at recruitment. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) was assessed by B-mode ultrasonography. After exclusion for nonfasting blood draw and other missing data, 511 subjects were available for analysis. IMT was regressed on LDL-C within tertiles of systolic blood pressure (SBP): low (93 to 122 mm Hg), middle (123 to 132 mm Hg), and high (133 to 175 mm Hg). Covariates were age, sex, body height, body mass index, ethnicity, smoking status, diabetes, and pharmacological treatment for hypertension...
Receptor Interacting Protein-2 Plays a Critical Role in Human Lung Epithelial Cells Survival in Response to Fas-Induced Cell-Death

Lung epithelial cell death is critical to the lung injury that occurs in the acute respiratory distress syndrome. It is known that FasL plays a prominent role in this lung cell death pathway and may work in part through activation of the receptor interacting protein-2 (RIP2). RIP2 is serine/threonine kinase with a C-terminal caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD). This CARD contains a highly conserved, predicted tyrosine phosphorylation site. Thus, involvement of tyrosine phosphorylation in the CARD domain of RIP2 may play a critical role in Fas-mediated apoptosis in the human lung immune system. To test this hypothesis, human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were induced to undergo cell death in response to the Fas agonist antibody CH11 with and without manipulation of endogenous RIP2 concentrations. We show that CH11 increases lung epithelial cell death in a dose-dependent manner as determined by LDH release and nuclear condensation. Fas-induced LDH release was inhibited by RIP2 knock-down. Reduced levels of RIP2 in BEAS-2B cells after treatment with RIP2 siRNA were confirmed by immunoblot. Overexpression of RIP2 in BEAS-2B cells synergized with Fas ligand-induced LDH release in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, mutation of the tyrosine phosphorylation site in CARD of RIP2 protected BEAS-2B cells from Fas ligand induced cell death. Thus RIP2's CARD tyrosine phosphorylation may represent a new therapeutic target to promote the survival of human lung epithelial cells in disorders that lead to acute lung injury and ARDS.
Smooth Mixed Geometry Profiles of Nozzles and Transition Ducts

Parametric equations are derived that characterize smooth surface profiles for two general classes of nozzles and nonbranching transition ducts: straight sections for axial flow and curved sections (elbows) for in-plane or out-of-plane flow. For each profile, the terminal cross sections are specified as rectangular, elliptical, circular, or a combination of those shapes. At each terminal and in line with the flow, the displacement, slope, and curvature with its respective intersecting uniform section is maintained. Included is a design example of a 90deg elbow duct whose cross section remains constant between terminals of elliptical and circular cross sections.
Within groups analysis of covariance: multiple comparisons at specified design points using a robust measure location when there is curvature

Consider the situation where measurements are taken at two different times and let Mj(x) be some conditional robust measure of location associated with the random variable Y at time j, given that some covariate X=x. The goal is to test H0: M1(x)=M2(x) for each x∈ x1, … , xK such that the probability of one or more Type I errors is less than α, where x1, … , xK are K specified values of the covariate. The paper reports simulation results comparing two methods aimed at accomplishing this goal without specifying some parametric form for the regression line. The first method is based on a simple modification of the method in Wilcox [Introduction to robust estimation and hypothesis testing. 3rd ed. San Diego, CA: Academic Press; 2012, Section 11.11.1]. The main result here is that the second method, which has never been studied, can have higher power, sometimes substantially so. Data from the Well Elderly 2 study, which motivated this paper, are used to illustrate that the alternative approach can make a pract...
Women's power and anthropometric status in Zimbabwe.

Abstract The relationship between household decision-making and married women’s anthropometry — based on data from the 1994 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey — is analyzed. Power is based on whether the wife has say over major purchases, her working, or the number of children. It is found that women who have no say in household decisions are significantly more likely to have a lower body mass index and chronic energy deficiency. Furthermore, women’s resources affect this relationship: it is strongest among women who have no cash income of their own. Social factors in Zimbabwe that may explain these results are considered.
Raman and reflection spectra of a polymorph of the polydiacetylene TCDU

Abstract The 298 K Raman and reflection spectra of a single crystal TCDU polydiacetylene polymorph (TCDU-A*) are presented. The lowest energy reflection maximum in TCDU-A* is seen at 15900 cm−1. Raman and reflection spectra of TCDU-A* are similar to those for TCDU-A and thin film TCDU samples and significantly different from TCDU-B spectra. It is suggested that TCDU-A* is a stable form of TCDU-A at ambient conditions and may also be the corresponding bulk form of the thin film TCDU.
The amphidial neuron pair ALD controls the temperature-sensitive choice of alternative developmental pathways in the parasitic nematode, Strongyloides stercoralis

The parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis, has several alternative developmental pathways. Upon exiting the host (humans, other primates and dogs) in faeces, 1st-stage larvae (L1) can enter the direct pathway, in which they moult twice to reach the infective 3rd-stage. Alternatively, if they enter the indirect pathway, they moult 4 times and become free-living adults. The choice of route depends, in part, on environmental cues. In this investigation it was shown that at temperatures below 34 °C the larvae enter the indirect pathway and develop to free-living adulthood. Conversely, at temperatures approaching body temperature (34 °C and above), that are unfavorable for the survival of free-living stages, larvae develop directly to infectivity. The time-period within the L1's development during which temperature influenced the choice of the pathway depended on the temperature, but, at any given temperature, occurred approximately in the middle of the time-span spent in the L1 stage, which varied inversely with temperature. This critical period was associated with the time-interval in which the number of cells in the genital primordium began to increase, thus providing a morphological marker for the pathway decision in individual worms. Sensing the environment is the function of the amphidial neurons, and therefore we examined the role of individual amphidial neurons in controlling entry into the direct pathway to infectivity. The temperature-sensitive developmental switch is controlled by the neuron pair ALD (which also controls thermotaxis), as seen by the loss of control when these neurons are ablated. Thus, in S. stercoralis a single amphidial neuron pair controls both developmental and behavioural functions.
Vortex model for control of diffuser pressure recovery

The paper outlines an effort to develop moderate dimensional computational models of the shear instability and subsequent highly nonlinear vortex dynamics that occur in a planar diffuser. The ultimate goal is to use the model for testing and synthesis of a nontraditional approach to control that works by triggering instabilities rather than suppressing them. The models appear to capture many of the essential dynamical features, although quantitative discrepancies still need to be resolved.
Unidirectional miniaturized slot antennas

A technique for designing unidirectional miniaturized slot antennas is presented in this paper. Our approach takes advantage of the simultaneous application of two different techniques used to reduce the lateral dimensions of a shallow cavity-backed slot antenna. Reduction of antenna length (including the cavity) is achieved by inductively loading the slot antenna with a number of distributed inductors to increase its electrical length. Reduction of the antenna width is achieved by modifying the ground plane around the slot by using a patterned ground plane with a specific pattern placed around the slot antenna. The combination of these two miniaturization techniques allows for reducing the occupied area by the antenna by a factor larger than 82%.
Fast line-scan imaging system for broiler carcass inspection

The USDA Agricultural Research Service has developed a fast line-scan imaging system for differentiating wholesome and systemically diseased fresh chickens. The imaging system was used to acquire hyperspectral line-scan images of 250 chicken carcasses on a laboratory processing line moving at 70 birds per minute. A method appropriate for line-scan imaging was developed for automated sensing of birds and locating the Region of Interest (ROI) within the line-scan images most suited for differentiation. From analysis of wholesome and systemically diseased chicken spectra in the ROI, four key wavelengths for differentiating between wholesome and systemically diseased chickens were selected: 424, 465, 515, and 546 nm. The key wavelengths and their ratios with a reference wavelength (689 nm) were investigated for a fuzzy logic based differentiation algorithm. Classification using the key wavelengths correctly identified 98 and 95% of wholesome and systemically diseased chickens for model development, and 98 and 93% of wholesome and systemically diseased chickens for model testing. Although band ratios reduced variation within each chicken category, the resulting classification accuracies were not significantly improved over those for classification by key wavelengths.
A 14-bit 125 MS/s IF/RF Sampling Pipelined ADC With 100 dB SFDR and 50 fs Jitter

This paper describes a 14-bit, 125 MS/s IF/RF sampling pipelined A/D converter (ADC) that is implemented in a 0.35mum BiCMOS process. The ADC has a sample-and-hold circuit that is integrated in the first pipeline stage, which removes the need for a dedicated sample-and-hold amplifier (i.e., "SHA-less"). It also has a sampling buffer that is turned off during the hold clock phases to save power. To accurately estimate and minimize the clock jitter, a new jitter simulation technique was used whose results were verified on silicon. The measured silicon results indicate the highest published IF sampling performance to date and prove the viability of the "SHA-less" architecture for IF/RF sampling ADCs. The ADC is calibration-free and achieves a DNL of less than 0.2 LSB and INL of 0.8 LSB. The SNR is 75 dB below Nyquist, and stays above 71 dB up to 500 MHz. The low-frequency SFDR is about 100 dB, and stays above 90 dB up to about 300 MHz. This is also the first ADC to achieve 14-bit level performance for input signal frequencies up to 500 MHz and to have a total RMS jitter of only 50 fs
Right Brain: The E-lephant in the room One resident's challenge in transitioning to modern electronic medicine

The electronic medical record (EMR) is changing the landscape of medical practice in the modern age. Increasing emphasis on quality metric reporting, data-driven documentation, and timely coding and billing are pressuring institutions across the country to adopt the latest EMR technology. The impact of these systems on the patient–physician relationship is profound. One year following the latest EMR transition, one resident reviews his experience and provides a personal perspective on the impact the EMR on patient-physician communication.
Whiteness, Racism, and Identity

As an organizing concept, whiteness rests on insecure theoretical ground—specifically, the notions of identity and agency. It replaces racism with race and equates race with racial identity, which it accepts uncritically both as an empirical datum and as a tool of analysis. It thereby establishes a false parallel between the objects and the authors of racism and between Afro-Americans and other Americans of non-European ancestry. Whiteness is the ideological counterpart of race relations, both of them ways of skirting around the relations of political, social, and economic power that have determined the place of Afro-Americans in American society.
Dopaminergic Toxin 1-Methyl-4-Phenylpyridinium, Proteins α-Synuclein and Glia Maturation Factor Activate Mast Cells and Release Inflammatory Mediators.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), a metabolite of neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and Lewy body component α-synuclein activates glia in PD pathogenesis. Mast cells and glia maturation factor (GMF) are implicated in neuroinflammatory conditions including Multiple Sclerosis. However, the role of mast cells in PD is not yet known. We have analyzed the effect of recombinant GMF, MPP+, α-synuclein and interleukin-33 (IL-33) on mouse bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMMCs), human umbilical cord blood-derived cultured mast cells (hCBMCs) and mouse brain-derived cultured astrocytes by quantifying cytokines/chemokines released using ELISA or by detecting the expression of co-stimulatory molecules CD40 and CD40L by flow cytometry. GMF significantly released chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) from BMMCs but its release was reduced in BMMCs from GMF knockout mice. GMF, α-synuclein and MPP+ released IL-1β, β-hexosaminidase from BMMCs, and IL-8 from hCBMCs. GMF released CCL5, and IL-33- induced the expression of GMF from hCBMCs. Novel GMF expression was detected in hCBMCs and BMMCs by immunocytochemistry. GMF released tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) from mouse astrocytes, and this release was greater in BMMC- astrocyte coculture than in individual cultures. Flow cytometry results showed increased IL-33 expression by GMF and MPP+, and GMF-induced CD40 expression in astrocytes. Proinflammatory mediator release by GMF, MPP+ and α-synuclein, as well as GMF expression by mast cells indicate a potential therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases including PD.
Disentangling autosegments: a response

It may not matter that the authors of 'Disentangling autosegments from prosodies' (in this volume) misunderstood the point of my recent note in JL (Goldsmith I992). I was at some pains there to state my goals clearly. I was trying to show that IMPORTANT IDEAS WILL OFTEN TRAVEL FROM ONE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK TO ANOTHER VIA AREAL LINGUISTIC STUDIES. Even the title, 'A note on the genealogy of research traditions in modern phonology', with its Foucauldian overtones, carried the message that I was looking to uncover nontraditional corridors that linked superficially distinct research programs. The case that I examined was the transmission of certain conceptions of phonological structure from prosodic analysis to autosegmental analysis by way of the study of African languages. Along the way, I offered some suggestions as to why it was that these out-of-the-way detours should be necessary, and I made the suggestion (not an entirely happy one) that part of the reason for it was that membership in a theoretical school can bring with it a complaisance and a lack of concern for what is happening (or has happened) in other theoretical frameworks. Membership in a professional organization of a different kind, such as an organization basing its coherence not on theoretical inclination but on area of language study (e.g. African languages, signed languages of the Deaf, Southeast Asian languages) generally has the opposite effect, and does not, in any event, permit or excuse such theoretical myopia. The authors of 'Disentangling', however, took my goal to be the comparison of firthian prosodic phonology and autosegmental phonology, and they read two parts into this effort: first, an effort to show that there are theoretical differences between these two schools that are of theoretical importance, and second, an effort to show that autosegmental phonology is more elaborated and sophisticated. Of these two, my own understanding was that the first of these was a real, though a minor, part of the larger enterprise, and in any event a side issue at best; Messrs. Ogden and Local agree with me on that point, though they believe that I do not succeed in expressing the firthian position in terms acceptable to firthians. The second effort was in no
An essential reference for the drug safety practitioner.

Cobert B Cobert's Manual of Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance: Second Edition Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2012 408 pages, ISBN-13: 978–0763791599
Septic arthritis due to Streptococcus bovis in a patient with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus: case report and literature review

Monoarthritis remains a diagnostic challenge in Rheumatology and Orthopedics. The author reports a case of septic arthritis due to Streptococcus bovis after several episodes of joint effusion treated with hyaluronic acid (Hylan G-F 20) and methylprednisolone acetate in a 69-year-old patient with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus. Neither adenoma of the colon nor endocarditis was present. The diagnostic possibilities for this case of monoarthritis, the pathologies related to the microorganism of interest to the rheumatologist, and the possible involvement of joint reaction to hyaluronic acid as a predisposing factor to joint effusion are discussed.
SOI MOSFET design for all-dimensional scaling with short channel, narrow width and ultra-thin films

The effects of scaling MESA isolated (with sidewall reoxidation) SOI MOSFETs with respect to channel length, channel width, silicon film thickness and buried oxide thickness have been studied experimentally. Characteristics of narrow-width devices have a strong dependence on T/sub Si/. In devices with small T/sub Si/, narrow-width effect dominates over short channel effect. Thin buried oxide reduces self-heating and short channel effect, but results in a lower intrinsic current drive due to the effect of backside coupling. The trade-offs and limitations for scaling individual dimension in MESA isolated SOI MOSFETs are discussed.
Fine Structure of Ventral and Lateral Tarsal Sensilla of the Hard Tick, Amblyomma americanum

The sensilla on the ventral, lateral, and dorso-proximal sides of the first tarsi of adult Amblyomma americanum (L.) were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Only a few sensilla have dendrites in the shaft and are thick-walled, with either a single apical slit opening or 8 longitudinal slit grooves along the whole shaft. Based on their structure, these sensilla are assumed to be chemoreceptors. Sensilla with a single apical opening also possess 2 mechanoreceptive dendrites inserted at the setal base. All other sensilla are assumed to be solely mechanoreceptors since they have basal tubular bodies and no dendrites in the setal shaft.
Soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Studies of the Electronic Structure Recovery of Graphene Oxide upon Chemical Defunctionalization

A comparative evaluation of the efficacy of different reducing agents in defunctionalizing graphene oxide is performed using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy at carbon and oxygen K-edges. The relative intensities of π* and σ* resonances in carbon K-edge NEXAFS spectra suggest relatively high extents of recoveries of π-conjugation upon reduction using vapor-phase phenylhydrazine or hydrazine as well as neat phenylhydrazine. The use of these reducing agents in combination with modest thermal annealing appears to be particularly effective for de-epoxidation and decarboxylation of graphene oxide. Polarized carbon K-edge NEXAFS spectroscopy measurements allow evaluation of the extent of warping or planarity induced upon chemical reduction. Treatment with vapor phenylhydrazine and subsequent thermal annealing entirely disrupts the alignment of reduced graphene oxide while facilitating substantial recovery of π conjugation. In contrast, annealing subsequent to treatment with vapor-...
Calvin's Appreciation of Gregory the Great*

In 1861, a French priest published in Paris a pamphlet entitled “The Modern Papacy Condemned by Pope Saint Gregory the Great: Excerpts from the Works of Saint Gregory.” The author, Rene-Francois Guettee, was a Gallican, deeply involved in the so-called Roman Question. He proposed to demonstrate to his opponents, the advocates of absolute papal supremacy, that his side was really more orthodox because it conformed to the views of St. Gregory. From the letters of Gregory he drew support for his argument that all bishops share the same dignity and that claims by the bishop of Rome to a superior position represent a corruption of early Church practices. And upon those readers who rejected his thesis he placed the burden of explaining why Pope Gregory did not merit as much credence as modern popes. Father Guettee therefore turned to Gregory for help in building a case against the present-day papacy. It was not the first time someone had done this.
Fluid technologies: The Bush Pump, the LifeStraw and microworlds of humanitarian design.

Over the past decade, many ingenious, small-scale gadgets have appeared in response to problems of disaster and extreme poverty. Focusing on the LifeStraw®, a water filtration device invented by the company Vestergaard Frandsen, I situate this wave of humanitarian design relative to Marianne de Laet and Annemarie Mol’s classic article on the Zimbabwe Bush Pump. The LifeStraw shares the Bush Pump’s principle of technical minimalism, as well as its ethical desire to improve the lives of communities. Unlike the pump, however, the straw defines itself through rather than against market logic, accepting the premise that one can ‘do well while doing good’. Moreover, it does not share the assumed framework of de Laet and Mol’s Zimbabwean socio-technical landscape: a postcolonial state happily en route to national self-definition. Nonetheless, it clearly embodies moral affect, if in the idiom of humanitarian concern rather than development. My aim is to open up three interrelated lines of inquiry for discussion. ...
Constructing Consistent Digital Line Segments

Our concern is the digitalization of line segments in the unit grid as considered by Chun et al. [Discrete Comput. Geom., 2009], Christ et al. [Discrete Comput. Geom., 2012], and Chowdhury and Gibson [ESA, 2015]. In this setting, digital segments are defined so that they satisfy a set of axioms also satisfied by Euclidean line segments. The key property that differentiates this research from other research in digital line segments is that the intersection of any two segments must be connected. A system of digital line segments that satisfies these desired axioms is called a consistent digital line segments system (CDS). Our main contribution of this paper is to show that any collection of digital segments that satisfy the CDS properties in a finite \(n \times n\) grid graph can be extended to a full CDS (with a segment for every pair of grid points). Moreover, we show that this extension can be computed with a polynomial-time algorithm. The algorithm is such that one can manually define the segments for some subset of the grid. For example, suppose one wants to precisely define the boundary of a digital polygon. Then we would only be interested in CDSes such that the digital line segments connecting the vertices of the polygon fit this desired boundary definition. Our algorithm allows one to manually specify the definitions of these desired segments. For any such definition that satisfies all CDS properties, our algorithm will return in polynomial time a CDS that “fits” with these manually chosen segments.
Analysis on Epidemiology and Monitoring System of Acute Flaccid Paralysis in Qujing City from 1995 to 2003

Objective The aim of this analysis was to learn about onsets of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and the operation of monitoring system in Qujing so as to reinforce and maintain the absence of poliomyelitis (PM), timely detect the input cases as well as provide guidance to eliminate PM. Methods According to case investigation, follow-up and annual 10-day initiative monitoring reporting forms from 293 AFP cases in Qujing, statistic analysis was made using "AFP management system" database developed by ACCESS 2002, together with EXCES 2002. Results Between 1995 and 2003, a total of 293 AFP cases below 15 years old was reported, with an annual morbidity of 2.47/lakh～1.25/lakh and a highly diffusive feature. Other monitoring indices increased year by year. Until 2000, all indicators reached the verification requirements for absence of PM. Conclusion The onset of AFP tends to occur in groups of young people and vulnerable population still exists; the fact that 7 counties reported no cases in 5 years and the low reporting rate for first-time consultancy (39.93%) indicate that it is necessary to strengthen the management of monitoring system, reinforce planned immunization work in grass-roots organizations and improve the vaccination rate; the monitoring of AFT cases furnishes eradication of PM with data and verified basis. Furthermore, the elimination of PM has created considerable social and economic benefits for our country.
265 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF FOOD ALLERGIES IN CHILDREN: AN EVALUATION OF CLINICAL TOLERANCE AND SEVERITY OF REACTIONS TO FOOD CHALLENGES

Purpose To compare food-specific IgE levels and age of passed or failed oral food challenges (FC) and examine the severity of failed FC. Methods We performed a retrospective review of food allergic patients who underwent milk, egg, soy, wheat, and peanut FC (January 2000-June 2004) based on known predictive IgE levels. Food-specific IgE and age were determined for those who passed or failed challenges. System involvement and treatment of failed challenges were analyzed. Results One hundred sixty-three FC were performed in 106 patients (67% male; 83% Caucasian; 66% atopic comorbidities). 56% of FC were blinded, 43% open. Negative challenges occurred in 97/163 (60%) - milk 47%, egg 61%, peanut 66%, soy 61%, and wheat 63%. Median age (years) of those passing challenges was: milk 3.2; egg 4.5; peanut 5.1; soy 2.3; wheat 3.6. For failed challenges median age was milk 2.0; egg 4.4; peanut 4.0; soy 4.6; and wheat 4.0. Median food-specific IgE levels (kUA/L) for passed FC were milk 1.6; egg 0.7; peanut 0.7; soy 0.7; and wheat 6.7. IgE levels for failed challenges were milk 4.5; egg 0.7; peanut 1.4; soy 20; and wheat 7.5. For failed challenges, 80% had cutaneous involvement, 32% upper respiratory, 23% lower respiratory, and 32% gastrointestinal. Positive challenges were successfully treated with antihistamines (80%), bronchodilators (8%), charcoal (2%), epinephrine (11%), and fluids/corticosteroids (2%), while 8% required no treatment. Conclusions For patients with low food-specific IgE levels approaching 95th% negative predictive value, FC can be performed safely, with minimal symptoms and with the majority of patients showing clinical tolerance.
Developing Freedom within Social Institutions: William Torrey Harris and the St. Louis Hegelians

W. T. Harris and his colleagues in the St. Louis Movement wanted schools to show children how social restraints enhanced their freedoms. In this way, they created a definition of democracy that differed from that of the New England Transcendentalists. Although Harris believed people should use nature to enhance their well-being, he thought the recognition that everyone lives within a web of systems would prevent people from wasting those valuable resources. To offset individualism, materialism, and conformity, he turned psychological growth toward spiritual development, but he used philosophy and reason rather than religion to aid in this process.
Collaborative Data Analysis and Discovery for Cyber Security

In this paper, we present the Cyber Analyst Real-Time Integrated Notebook Application (CARINA). CARINA is a collaborative investigation system that aids in decision making by co-locating the analysis environment with centralized cyber data sources, and providing next generation analysts with increased visibility to the work of others. In current generation cyber work, tools limit analyst’s ability to collaborate, often relying on individual record keeping which hinders their ability to reflect on their own work and transition analytic insights to others. While online collaboration technologies have been shown to encourage and facilitate information sharing and group decision making in multiple contexts, no such technology exists today in cyber. Using visualization and annotation, CARINA leverages conversation and ad hoc thought to coordinate decisions across an organization. CARINA incorporates features designed to incentivize positive information-sharing behaviors, and provides a framework for incorporating recommendation engines and other analytics to guide analysts in the discovery of related data or analyses. In this paper, we present the user research that informed the development of CARINA, discuss the functionality of the system, and outline potential use cases. We also discuss future research trajectories and implications for cyber researchers and practitioners.
The cost-effectiveness of nonoperative management versus laparoscopic appendectomy for the treatment of acute, uncomplicated appendicitis in children.

Abstract Background Several studies have demonstrated the safety and short-term success of nonoperative management in children with acute, uncomplicated appendicitis. Nonoperative management spares the patients and their family the upfront cost and discomfort of surgery, but also risks recurrent appendicitis. Methods Using decision-tree software, we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of nonoperative management versus routine laparoscopic appendectomy. Model variables were abstracted from a review of the literature, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and Medicare Physician Fee schedule. Model uncertainty was assessed using both one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. We used a $100,000 per quality adjusted life year (QALY) threshold for cost-effectiveness. Results Operative management cost $11,119 and yielded 23.56 quality-adjusted life months (QALMs). Nonoperative management cost $2277 less than operative management, but yielded 0.03 fewer QALMs. The incremental cost-to-effectiveness ratio of routine laparoscopic appendectomy was $910,800 per QALY gained. This greatly exceeds the $100,000/QALY threshold and was not cost-effective. One-way sensitivity analysis found that operative management would become cost-effective if the 1-year recurrence rate of acute appendicitis exceeded 39.8%. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that nonoperative management was cost-effective in 92% of simulations. Conclusions Based on our model, nonoperative management is more cost-effective than routine laparoscopic appendectomy for children with acute, uncomplicated appendicitis. Level of evidence Cost-Effectiveness Study: Level II
“Empowered Criminals and Global Subjects”: Transnational Norms and Sexual Minorities in India

In this paper, I comparatively examine the influence of transnational advocacy on legal struggles around sex work and homosexuality in contemporary India. While transnational scholars of sexuality understand globalization as a contradictory and uneven process, there has been little attention to how this unevenness is manifest in the realm of sexual rights and law. Based on qualitative research, I show how transnational discourses on health—in particular, HIV/AIDS interventions—and on human rights interact unevenly with national discourses on sexuality. Whereas discourses regarding HIV/AIDS enable sex workers to mobilize at the national level, global anti-trafficking discourses effectively reduce sex workers to “victims.” For Indian LGBTQ groups, discourses regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic and global human rights enable these groups to problematize the anti-sodomy law in national politics. However, national legal discourses effectively reduce LGBQ individuals to “criminals,” and legal advancements in this arena are uneven. Focusing on this unevenness produced by transnational advocacy this paper highlights how sexual rights are articulated in context of asymmetric and uneven globalizations.
Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair among octogenarians at high and standard risk for open repair

Abstract Background Octogenarians with complex abdominal aortic aneurysms are at higher risk of death and morbidity after open repair. Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR) is an alternative to open repair for high-risk patients, such as octogenarians. The aim of this study was to evaluate perioperative and midterm outcomes of FEVAR among octogenarians at high and standard risk for open repair. Methods During a 2-year period, 85 patients (68 men [78%] and 17 women [22%]) underwent FEVAR using Zenith (Cook Medical, Bloomington, Ind) Fenestrated AAA Endovascular Grafts (70%), Zenith p-Branch (7%), and fenestrated custom-made devices (22%). Demographics and perioperative and follow-up outcomes of patients aged >80 years (n = 18 [21%]) and patients aged χ 2 or Fisher test was used for categorical variables, and nonparametric tests were used for continuous variables. Kaplan-Meir curve was used for survival analysis. Results Median age was 73 years (interquartile range [IQR], 68-79 years) for the entire cohort, 84 years (IQR, 81-86 years) among octogenarians, and 71 years (IQR, 67-75) for younger patients. Median aneurysm size was 56 mm (IQR, 53-62 mm). The median number of fenestrations was three. Preoperatively, octogenarians had higher Society for Vascular Surgery score (5.5 [IQR, 5-7] vs 5 [IQR, 3-6]; P = .01) and lower body mass index (26 [IQR, 21-27] vs 28 [24-32]; P = .04). Intraoperatively, technical success was 100% for both groups. The median operative time for octogenarians was 224 minutes (IQR, 160-272) vs 212 minutes (IQR, 177-281) in patients P = .59). The median hospital length of stay was 3.5 days (IQR, 2-5) for octogenarians vs 4 days (IQR, 2-5) in younger patients ( P = .87). Intensive care unit length of stay was 2 days for patients from both groups (IQR, 1-3). The rate of postoperative complications was 28% for octogenarians and 36% for patients aged P = .5). None of the patients in this series required dialysis. No 30-day deaths occurred. The 20-month estimated survival rate was 75% in octogenarians and 91% in patients P = .1). The rate of reinterventions at 20 months was 10% for octogenarians and 57% for younger patients ( P = .09). Conclusions FEVAR is a safe and effective procedure in octogenarians at high and standard risk for open repair and those who are not eligible for standard endovascular aneurysm repair. Octogenarians have a similar technical success and low major adverse events similar to patients younger than 80 years.
Thyroid and Anti-Mullerian Hormones on Leydig Stem Cell Differentiation

Androgens are essential to the male mammal for the general health and reproductive functions; Leydig cells in the testis interstitium are their main source. Therefore, the establishment of the adult Leydig cell population in the postnatal testis is an important event in the mammalian male, where the process begins during the prepubertal life. It is established that the adult population of Leydig cells is differentiated primarily from the peritubular mesenchymal cells in the testis. Five distinct cell stages, namely the mesenchymal cells {i.e. stem cells), progenitor cells, newly formed adult Leydig cells, immature Leydig cells and mature Leydig cells are identified in the Leydig ceil lineage. At the onset of Leydig cell differentiation in the postnatal testis, a mesenchymal cell which is non-steroidogenic, differentiates into a progenitor cell which is still similar in shape to a mesenchymal cell but contains some steroidogenic enzymes. The trigger mechanism of this process is yet to be determined. Recent research has shown that this differentiation process is arrested under hypothyroid conditions and accelerated with hyperthyroid conditions. These findings suggest that thyroid hormones have a positive regulatory role in this process. Nevertheless, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) secreted by the immature Sertoli cells is considered to be a negative regulator of Leydig cell differentiation. Thyroid hormones and AMH could act directly on the mesenchymal precursor cells to trigger and inhibit, respectively, the process of Leydig cell differentiation. Additionally, thyroid hormones could act on Sertoli cells to induce maturation and inhibit the AMH production; this withdrawal of the inhibitory effect of AMH could possibly trigger the onset of mesenchymal cell differentiation. These concepts were addressed in this paper using evidence from experiments conducted in rats.
Formidable challenges to the notion of biologically important roles for dietary small RNAs in ingesting mammals

The notion of uptake of active diet-derived small RNAs (sRNAs) in recipient organisms could have significant implications for our understanding of oral therapeutics and nutrition, for the safe use of RNA interference (RNAi) in agricultural biotechnology, and for ecological relationships. Yet, the transfer and subsequent regulation of gene activity by diet-derived sRNAs in ingesting mammals are still heavily debated. Here, we synthesize current information based on multiple independent studies of mammals, invertebrates, and plants. Rigorous assessment of these data emphasize that uptake of active dietary sRNAs is neither a robust nor a prevalent mechanism to maintain steady-state levels in higher organisms. While disagreement still continues regarding whether such transfer may occur in specialized contexts, concerns about technical difficulties and a lack of consensus on appropriate methods have led to questions regarding the reproducibility and biologic significance of some seemingly positive results. For any continuing investigations, concerted efforts should be made to establish a strong mechanistic basis for potential effects of dietary sRNAs and to agree on methodological guidelines for realizing such proof. Such processes would ensure proper interpretation of studies aiming to prove dietary sRNA activity in mammals and inform potential for application in therapeutics and agriculture.
Effects of Nicotine on Insulin: Actions and Implications

In 1988, we reported that nicotine decreases plasma levels of insulin in a dose-response fashion. More specifically, two weeks of continuous administration by osmotic minipump of 6 mg and 12 mg nicotine/kg body weight/day to rats resulted in significant decreases in plasma insulin. Recently, we found that plasma insulin increases after cessation of this type of nicotine administration, slightly overshooting control values for a few days. We have continued to explore the effects of nicotine on insulin. This paper reviews our findings regarding nicotine’s effects on insulin and presents data indicating that nicotine administration somewhat decreases pancreatic levels of insulin and slightly increases levels of insulin in the hypothalamus. The implications of these findings for nicotine’s effects on body weight, specific food preferences, energy expenditure, and nicotine reinforcement are discussed.
Effect of Trap Size on Efficiency of Yellow Sticky Traps for Sampling Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Adults in Corn

Field studies were conducted in Virginia cornfields in 1990 and 1991 to evaluate the effect of trap size on numbers of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte adults caught on unbaited Pherocon AM a...
A systematic method for isolating, tracking and discriminating time-frequency components of bat echolocation calls

Echolocating bats can rapidly modify frequency modulation (FM) curvatures of their calls when facing challenging echolocation tasks. Frequency parameters, such as start/end/peak frequency, have often been extracted from the time-frequency domain to study the call variation. Even though this kind of signal investigation method reveals important findings, these approaches to analyze bat echolocation calls use bulk parameters, which hide subtleties in the call structure that may be important to the bat. In some cases, calls can have the same start and end frequencies but have different FM curvatures, and subsequently may influence the sensory task performance. In the present study, the authors demonstrate an algorithm using a combination of digital filters, power limited time-frequency information, derivative dynamic time warping, and agglomerative hierarchical clustering to extract and categorize the time-frequency components (TFCs) of 21 calls from Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) to quant...