cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maintenance of the Corpus Luteum of Early Pregnancy in the Ewe. II. Prostaglandin Secretion by the Endometrium in vitro and in vivo

To determine if the synthesis and/or secretion of prostaglandins PGF20 and PGE2 differed during the late luteal phase of the cycle and early pregnancy, a combination of in vivo and in vitro parameters were studied. Synthesis of PGF20 and PGE2 by ovine endometrial tissue in vitro was studied on Days 13, 15 and 17 of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. The prostaglandins were quantified by radioimmunoassay. There was no difference in the quantity of PGF20 synthesized by tissue collected on Day 13 of either the cycle or pregnancy. Synthesis of PG F20 was greater on Day 15 (P<0.01) and tended to be greater on Day 17 (P<0.10) of pregnancy than on Day 15 or 17 of the estrous cycle. Synthesis of PGE2 was also significantlygreateron Days 15 (P<.O01) and 17(P<0.05) of pregnancy than on the same days of the estrous cycle. Synthesis rates of both PGs in vitro tended to decrease from Days 13-17 in tissue collected from cycling ewes, while increasing from Days 13-15, then falling again on Day 17 of pregnancy. Concentrations of PGF20 and PGE2 in endometrial tissue followed the same pattern as in vitro secretion, suggesting that in vitro secretion accurately reflects the in vivo capacity of endometrial tissue to synthesize PGs. Concentrations of PGF20 in uteroovarian venous serum were greater on Day 13 (P<0.05) and not different on Days 15 and 17 of pregnancy compared with the same days of the estrous cycle. However, concentrations of PGE2 in uteroovarian venous serum were greater on Days 15 (P<0.01) and 17 (P<0.05) of pregnancy than on the same days of the estrous cycle. Prostaglandin F20 was present in uterine flushings in extremely small quantities (0.3-0.6 ng/ml) and PGE2 was nondetectable (<10 pg/mi) on Days 13, 15 and 17 of the estrous cycle. In contrast, concentrations of PGF20 and PGE2 were relatively high on all days of pregnancy examined and on Day 15 were at least 50 times greater than on Day 15 of the estrous cycle. These data indicate that the capacity of endometrial tissue to secrete PGF20 is increased during early pregnancy. The fmding that PGE2 is also secreted at a greater rate during early pregnancy lends support to the hypothesis that PGE2 may be the factor responsible for maintenance of the
Development and Application of a High-Resolution Thin-Film Probe

This paper documents the development, characterization, and application of a high-resolution thin-film magnetic-field probe. Probe diameter ranged from 5 mum to 100 mum. The 100 mum probe exhibits a 250 mum improvement in spatial resolution compared to a conventional loop probe, measured at a height of 250 mum over differential traces with a 118 mum spacing. Electric field rejection was improved using shielding and using a 180 degree hybrid junction to separate common-mode (electric field) and differential-mode (primarily magnetic field) coupling. A network analyzer with narrow band filtering was used to detect the relatively weak signal from the probe and to allow detection of phase information. An application of the probe is demonstrated where the probe is used to identify the magnitude and phase of magnetic fields produced by currents in very closely-spaced IC package pins.
Why Do Mbuti Hunters Use Nets? Ungulate Hunting Efficiency of Archers and Net-Hunters in the Ituri Rain Forest

Comparaison de l'efficacite des deux techniques de chasse utilisees selon les groupes par les Mbuti de la foret de l'Ituri du Zaire. Raisons du choix de l'une ou l'autre : type de foret et de vegetation, type d'animal chasse
Transitioning to Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: The Pros and Cons

There has been much recent enthusiasm regarding complete arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and it is becoming apparent that, for many, this newer technique may be a preferable alternative to the more traditional mini-open rotator cuff repair. Several short-term studies have demonstrated that complete arthroscopic repair has excellent results comparable with those of mini-open repair, which is also an excellent technique. The choice of which procedure may be better for an individual patient or surgeon can be based on a variety of considerations, including the patient's expectations, the pathoanatomy of the cuff, and the surgical experience of the surgeon. The relative merits and disadvantages of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair are discussed on the basis of those considerations. When a surgeon is deciding which procedure to perform, it is important that the basic principles of rotator cuff repair not be compromised and that he or she perform the procedure that is most reproducible given his or her level of experience; however, for those who are now utilizing miniopen repair, arthroscopic repair may have important advantages and may be worth pursuing in the future. If a surgeon chooses to obtain the skills necessary to perform a complete arthroscopic repair, performance of the mini-open procedure offers an excellent opportunity to make an orderly transition.
Observability analysis of conewise linear systems via directional derivative and positive invariance techniques

Belonging to the broad framework of hybrid systems, conewise linear systems (CLSs) form a class of Lipschitz piecewise linear systems subject to state triggered mode switchings. Motivated by state estimation of nonsmooth switched systems, this paper exploits directional derivative and positive invariance techniques to characterize finite-time and long-time local observability of a general CLS. For the former observability notion, directional derivative results are developed from the simple switching property, and they yield improved observability conditions. For the latter notion, we focus on the case where a nominal trajectory has finitely many switchings. In order to characterize long-time behaviors of the CLS, necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for the interior of a positively invariant cone. By employing these conditions, we establish connections between finite-time and long-time local observability; underlying positive invariance properties are unveiled.
Photoemission Study of the Si, Ge Epitaxial Growth Process Using Surfactants

Heteroepitaxial growth of Ge on Si(100) and Si on Ge(100) surfaces with Sb as a surfactant has been investigated by in situ high resolution photoemission and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Our results show that an ordered monolayer of Sb atoms saturate the surface dangling bonds and consequently lower the surface free energy. Deposition of Ge or Si on the Sb/Si(100) or Sb/Ge(100) surfaces either at room temperature, followed by mild annealing or deposition at elevated temperature, result in an epitaxial layer of Ge or Si on the substrate, respectively. We provide clear experimental evidence that the deposited Ge or Si atoms changes position with the surface Sb atoms in this process. Ge or Si atoms occupy the epitaxial sites previously occupied by the Sb atoms. The Sb atoms in turn segregate to the surface and form a new ordered layer. The Bi-assisted growth process is also discussed.
Myotendinous rupture of temporalis muscle: A rare injury following seizure

Seizures are one of the most common pediatric neurologic disorders. Many complications secondary to seizures have been described in the literature including head trauma, fractures, drowning and burns. However, to the best of our knowledge, rupture of the myotendinous insertion of the temporalis muscle on the mandible secondary to a seizure has never been described in the literature. We report the case of a unilateral temporalis muscle rupture in a 16-year-old boy who developed unilateral facial swelling following new onset tonic-clonic seizures. We emphasize on the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings in this case report. Two mechanisms have been proposed to explain such an injury. The favored mechanism in our patient is a pull on the temporalis myotendinous insertion on the mandible following vigorous and brisk deviation of the head and neck during seizure. Radiologists should be familiar with this type of injury following seizures in order to prevent misdiagnosis and subsequently mistreatment.
Flexible Development of Dense Linear Algebra Algorithms on Massively Parallel Architectures with DPLASMA

We present a method for developing dense linear algebra algorithms that seamlessly scales to thousands of cores. It can be done with our project called DPLASMA (Distributed PLASMA) that uses a novel generic distributed Direct Acyclic Graph Engine (DAGuE). The engine has been designed for high performance computing and thus it enables scaling of tile algorithms, originating in PLASMA, on large distributed memory systems. The underlying DAGuE framework has many appealing features when considering distributed-memory platforms with heterogeneous multicore nodes: DAG representation that is independent of the problem-size, automatic extraction of the communication from the dependencies, overlapping of communication and computation, task prioritization, and architecture-aware scheduling and management of tasks. The originality of this engine lies in its capacity to translate a sequential code with nested-loops into a concise and synthetic format which can then be interpreted and executed in a distributed environment. We present three common dense linear algebra algorithms from PLASMA~(Parallel Linear Algebra for Scalable Multi-core Architectures), namely: Cholesky, LU, and QR factorizations, to investigate their data driven expression and execution in a distributed system. We demonstrate through experimental results on the Cray XT5 Kraken system that our DAG-based approach has the potential to achieve sizable fraction of peak performance which is characteristic of the state-of-the-art distributed numerical software on current and emerging architectures.
THE MODIFIED CANTWELL-RANSLEY REPAIR FOR EXSTROPHY AND EPISPADIAS: 10-YEAR EXPERIENCE

Purpose: We evaluate our experience with the modified Cantwell-Ransley epispadias repair technique to determine the complications and long-term results.Materials and Methods: The modified Cantwell-Ransley epispadias repair was performed during the last 10 years in 93 males of whom 79 had classic bladder exstrophy and 14 had complete epispadias. Primary repair was performed in 65 boys with classic bladder exstrophy and 12 with epispadias, and secondary repair was done after prior failed reconstruction in 14 boys with classic exstrophy and 2 with complete epispadias.Results: At mean followup of 68 months 87 patients had a horizontal or downward angled penis while standing. The incidence of urethrocutaneous fistulas was 23% in the immediate postoperative period and 19% at 3 months. A urethral stricture at the proximal anastomotic area developed in 7 patients and 5 (4 with exstrophy and 1 with epispadias) had minor skin separations of the dorsal penile skin closure. Catheterization or cystoscopy in 77 cases r...
Further Observations of the γ-Cygni Radio Source

Abstract : New radio observations of the 'gamma-Cygni' source in the Cygnus X complex have been made at wavelengths of 9.3 cm and 2.8 cm using a 10-m and 46-m antenna respectively. These support earlier conclusions that this strong radio source is of a non-thermal nature. In addition, there is evidence that it is weakly (<2 percent) but significantly polarized at both wavelengths. (Author)
SYSTEMATIC AND HOST RANGE STUDIES OF WORONINA PYTHII (PLASMODIOPHOROMYCETES) AND HOST, PYTHIUM SPECIES, FROM AXENIC CULTURE

Woronina pythii Goldie-Smith is a holocarpic, endobiotic, obligate parasite of members of the genus Pythium. The influence of various hosts on the morphology of the cystosori and the host range were studied to ascertain the validity of taxonomic criteria used to delimit W. pythii. Sesame seed cultures of test-species were grown axenically in individual Petri dishes for 24 h and inoculated with swimming secondary zoospores of the parasite at 24 h intervals for 72 h. Woronina pythii infected 15 species of Pythium, but not four species of Phytophthora, four of Saprolegnia, 26 of Achlya, one of Aplanes, Aphanomyces, Dictyuchus, and three of Brevilegnia. Cystosoral size and shape in W. pythii are influenced by the host and are of little taxonomic value in distinguishing taxa.
Comparative performance analysis of time-frequency distributions for spectroscopic optical coherence tomography

Joint time-frequency distributions (TFDs) can optimize the tradeoff between spectral and spatial resolution in spectroscopic OCT. Performances by representative TFDs are compared and optimized for different spectroscopic OCT applications.
Political and Linguistic Identities in an Ethnic Conflict

Language is a powerful marker for social discrimination, often associated with stereotypes and prejudices against various social groups. However, less is known about the psychological role of langu...
Effects of Opioids on Mechanosensitive Pelvic Nerve Afferent Fibers Innervating the Urinary Bladder of the Rat

Su, X., J. N. Sengupta, and G. F. Gebhart. Effects of opioids on mechanosensitive pelvic nerve afferent fibers innervating the urinary bladder of the rat. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 1566–1580, 1997. A to...
The effect of altitude-induced hypoxia on regional myocardial blood flow.

Mechanical obstruction of the pulmonary artery causes an increase in right ventricular myocardial blood flow (MBF) proportional to the increased work load. This study was done to assess the response of MBF to hypoxia in the absence of mechanical obstruction of the right heart. The effects of hypoxia on cardiac performance and regional MBF were studied in ten awake, unanesthetized dogs at 4,600 m (15,000 feet). Intracardiac pressures and pulmonary artery (PA) and thoracic aorta blood gases were recorded daily, initially at sea level and subsequently at 3,000 m and 4,500 m altitude. Regional MBF was measured on days 1 (control), 3, and 5 by use of 8 to 10 μ radioactive tracer microspheres, followed by postmortem assessment of subepicardial and subendocardial flow patterns in the left ventricle (LV), septum, and right ventricle (RV) (4,600 m). The results indicate that: (1) RV and PA pressures increase linearly with increasing degrees of hypoxia, (2) MBF increases in both the RV and LV with increasing degrees of hypoxia and elevated right-sided pressures, without increased systemic pressure, and (3) the transmural distribution of MBF is unaltered in both the BV and LV with altitude-induced hypoxia. These findings are distinctly different from those in which right-sided pressures are elevated secondary to mechanical obstruction of the PA in the absence of hypoxia.
Coordinating Multiple Robot Arms to Increase Productivity

Robotics research has mainly concentrated on low-level kinematics, dynamics, and path control problems. Intelligent decision making will also be required for truly effective robots. Planning for tasks requiring multiple arm coordination, including human/robot cooperative efforts, is becoming increasingly important. This paper reports progress toward a theory and implementation of collaborative action. An execution environment for coordinated parallel action is also presented.
Prion Amyloids in Scrapie and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Amyloid has been found in a limited number of diseases of the central nervous system. Amyloid plaques have been observed in some cases of both natural and experimental scrapie, but the relationship of these plaques to the scrapie agent or prion was not appreciated until recently. A protocol has been developed for the purification of scrapie prions 3,000- to 10,000-fold from infected hamster brains. Extensively purified preparations of scrapie prions contain only one major protein (PrP 27–30) and rod- shaped particles. PrP 27–30 is a sialoglycoprotein and has an apparent molecular weight of 27,000 to 30,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The rods measure 10–20 nm in diameter and 100–200 nm in length by negative staining. The rods appear to represent a polymeric form of the scrapie prion and each rod may contain as many as 1,000 PrP 27–30 molecules. Arrays of prion rods resemble ultrastructurally and histochemically many purified amyloids; antiserum to PrP 27–30 decorates filaments within amyloid plaques of scrapie-infected hamster brain. Our findings for scrapie suggest that amyloid plaques found in similar human transmissible disorders — kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome — may also represent paracrystalline arrays of prions. In addition, our observations raise the possibility that the amyloid proteins in Alzheimer’s disease may also play an etiologic role.
One spatial dimensional finite volume three-body interaction for a short-range potential

In this work, we use McGuire's model to describe scattering of three spinless identical particles in one spatial dimension; we first present analytic solutions of Faddeev's equation for scattering of three spinless particles in free space. The three particles interaction in finite volume is derived subsequently, and the quantization conditions by matching wave functions in free space and finite volume are presented in terms of two-body scattering phase shifts. The quantization conditions obtained in this work for the short-range interaction are L\"uscher's formula-like and consistent with Yang's results [Phys. Rev. Lett. 19, 1312 (1967)].
Recent Advances in Global Fracture Mechanics of Growth of Large Hydraulic Crack Systems in Gas or Oil Shale: A Review

This chapter reviews the recent progress toward computer simulation of the growth of vast systems of branched hydraulic cracks needed for the efficient extraction of gas or oil from shale strata. It is emphasized that, to achieve significant gas extraction, the spacing of parallel hydraulic cracks must be on the order of 0.1 m, which means that the fracturing of the entire fracking stage would require creating about a million vertical cracks. Another emphasized feature is that the viscous flow of fracking water along the hydraulic cracks must be combined with Darcy diffusion of a large amount of water into the pores and flaws in shale. The fracture mechanics on the global scale is handled by the crack band model with gradual postpeak softening and a localization limiter in the form of a material characteristic length. Small scale computer simulations demonstrate that the computational approach produces realistically looking results.
“L’état C’Est à Moi”: Louis XIV and the State

The relationship between king and state in the French monarchy of the Ancien Regime, although generally taken to be one of the plainest pieces of historical knowledge, is actually in an essential respect one of the least understood.1 The customary picture of French kingship in the centuries before the Revolution may be summed up in two phrases, “L’etat c’est moi” and “la grâce de Dieu” (usually Englished as “divine right”): “L’etat c’est moi” here implies an administrative monarchy equated with the person of the king, and “la grâce de Dieu” is concerned with the justification rather than the description of the monarchy. Yet close scrutiny of the historical literature reveals a current of uneasiness — something has been increasingly pushed into the background, something which ought to be in the very foreground of any study of the monarchy of the Ancien Regime, namely, that the king was the proprietor of the state, that he felt, even if he never literally said, “L’etat c’est a moi”2 The practice and the words of French kings and statesmen for many centuries, and most of all during the seventeenth, the zenith century of French monarchy, can be clearly understood only if we accept the principle that the dynastic king was, among other things, the owner of the kingdom.3
Response surface-based robust parameter design optimization with both qualitative and quantitative variables

ABSTRACTThe response surface-based robust parameter design, with its extensive use of optimization techniques and statistical tools, is known as an effective engineering design methodology for improving production processes, when input variables are quantitative on a continuous scale. In many engineering settings, however, there are situations where both qualitative and quantitative variables are considered. In such situations, traditional response surface designs may not be effective. To rectify this problem, this article lays out a foundation by embedding those input variables into a factorial design with pseudo-centre points. A 0–1 mixed-integer nonlinear programming model is then developed and the solutions found using three optimization tools, namely the outer approximation method, the branch-and-bound technique and the hybrid branch-and-cut algorithm, are compared with traditional counterparts. The numerical example shows that the proposed models result in better robust parameter design solutions th...
Differential expression of the human mu opiate receptor from different primary vascular endothelial cells

Background Studies from our laboratory have identified a novel mu opiate receptor, mu3, which is expressed in several tissues, such as human vascular endothelial cells, leukocytes and invertebrate neural tissues. This novel mu receptor has been shown to be selective for opiate alkaloids, insensitive to opioid peptides, and also is coupled to constitutive nitric oxide release. Material/methods In this study, we compare the mu3 receptor gene expression from three different vascular endothelial primary cell lines at the molecular level using a Taqman probe for the mu opiate receptor. Results Results from this study demonstrate that human umbilical vein endothelial cells (2.0, relative gene expression) and human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (1.1, relative gene expression) expressed more of the mu opiate receptor as compared to human arteriole endothelial cells (0.82, relative gene expression). Conclusions The individual variations in mu receptor expression in these vascular tissues may explain the large variance in graft survival using saphenous veins for coronary artery bypass surgery.
Secure State Estimation and Control for Cyber Security of the Nonlinear Power Systems

We focus on securely estimating the state of a nonlinear dynamical system from a set of corrupted measurements for two classes of nonlinear systems, and propose a technique that enables us to perform secure state estimation for those systems. We then illustrate how the proposed nonlinear secure state estimation technique can be used to perform estimation in the cyber layer of interconnected power systems under cyber-physical attacks and communication failures. In particular, we focus on an interconnected power system comprised of several synchronous generators, transmission lines, loads, and energy storage units, and propose a secure estimator that allows us to securely estimate the dynamic states of the power network. Finally, we numerically demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed secure estimation algorithm, and show that the algorithm enables the cyber layer to accurately reconstruct the attack signals.
Electronic structures and physical properties of Na 2 O doped silicate glass

Ab initio molecular dynamics has been applied to construct seven sodium silicate glass models with Na2O concentration ranging from 0 to 50 mol. %. The structures of the simulated (Na2O)x(SiO2)1-x glasses are critically analyzed and validated by comparing with available experimental data. Because the initial seed model is based on a near-perfect continuous random network model for amorphous SiO2 with periodic boundaries, the structures of these silicate glasses are highly reliable. The electronic structure, interatomic bonding, and the mechanical and optical properties of seven models are calculated using the first-principles density functional method. In particular, a single quantum mechanical metric, the total bond order density (TBOD), is used to characterize the internal cohesion of sodium silicate glass. This is a significant step beyond the traditional analysis of glasses based purely on the geometric parameters. The TBOD value is found to decrease with increasing Na content, indicating the destruction of silica network connectivity. The calculated mass density and refractive index increase with x are in good agreement with experiment. The elastic coefficients and bulk mechanical properties exhibit a nonlinear variation in the series and depend greatly on the internal bonding and cohesion of the glass. The calculated Poisson's ratio indicates that the glass becomes more ductile with the addition of Na2O. Our results indicate that sodium silicate glass tends to be unstable for x greater than 0.4 due to the total destruction of the SiO2 network.
Deterministic Integration of Biological and Soft Materials onto 3D Microscale Cellular Frameworks

Complex 3D organizations of materials represent ubiquitous structural motifs found in the most sophisticated forms of matter, the most notable of which are in life-sustaining hierarchical structures found in biology, but where simpler examples also exist as dense multilayered constructs in high-performance electronics. Each class of system evinces specific enabling forms of assembly to establish their functional organization at length scales not dissimilar to tissue-level constructs. This study describes materials and means of assembly that extend and join these disparate systems—schemes for the functional integration of soft and biological materials with synthetic 3D microscale, open frameworks that can leverage the most advanced forms of multilayer electronic technologies, including device-grade semiconductors such as monocrystalline silicon. Cellular migration behaviors, temporal dependencies of their growth, and contact guidance cues provided by the nonplanarity of these frameworks illustrate design criteria useful for their functional integration with living matter (e.g., NIH 3T3 fibroblast and primary rat dorsal root ganglion cell cultures).
The Health Behaviors of Ethnically Diverse Women at Increased Risk of Gestational Diabetes: The Behaviors Affecting Baby and You (B.A.B.Y.) Study

Objectives Cigarette smoking, low physical activity, and sedentary behavior are modifiable risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, only one study has evaluated predictors of these health risk behaviors among women at high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Therefore, our goal was to examine predictors of smoking, low physical activity, and sedentary behavior during pregnancy in an ethnically diverse high risk cohort. Methods This cross-sectional analysis utilized baseline data from the Behaviors Affecting Baby and You (B.A.B.Y.) study conducted among prenatal care patients at high risk for GDM (personal history of GDM or family history of diabetes and body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25 kg/m2). Smoking was assessed using questions from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System questionnaire and sedentary behavior (top vs. lower quartiles) and moderate/vigorous physical activity (bottom vs. upper quartile) via the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results Participants (n = 400) enrolled at a mean of 12.4 (SD 3.6) weeks gestation. A total of 150 (44.1%) engaged in one, 37 (10.9%) in two, and 4 (1.2%) in three risk behaviors. Lower household income and not having children at home were each associated with a 2–6 fold increased odds of smoking, high sedentary behavior, and engaging in at least one risk behavior. Being married, Hispanic or of younger age was associated with a 2–6 fold reduced odds of smoking. BMI and personal history of GDM were not associated with risk behaviors. Conclusions for Practice Findings help characterize high risk groups and inform prenatal interventions targeting these health risk behaviors.
Understanding Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Signaling in Vascular Pathophysiology.

Angiotensin II is the most important endocrine ligand in the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), contributing to the development of several cardiovascular diseases including hypertension.1 Angiotensin II mediates its signal transduction and functions via the angiotensin II receptors.2 Historically, the presence of 2 subtypes of angiotensin II receptors were pharmacologically recognized based on the sensitivity to the first orally active nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist, losartan. The losartan-sensitive receptor was termed AT1 (angiotensin II receptor type 1) receptor. It was assumed to be a heterotrimeric GPCR (G protein–coupled receptor) because it generates inositol triphosphate and diacylglycerol, leading to intracellular Ca2+ elevation and protein kinase C activation, respectively. Most known physiological and pathophysiological functions of angiotensin II, including stimulation of vasoconstriction and salt and water reabsorption, are mediated through the AT1 receptor. The losartan-insensitive receptor was termed AT2 receptor, whereas its G protein coupling remains unclear.1,3,4 In 1991, 2 research groups in the United States independently isolated cDNA (termed AGTR1) encoding the mammalian AT1 receptor.5,6 Subsequently, rat AT2 receptor cDNA (AGTR2) was cloned in 1993.7,8 This pioneer work revealed complete amino acid sequences of the angiotensin II receptor subtypes belonging to the 7-transmembrane GPCR superfamily. In the early 1990s, several studies reported that AT1 receptor elicits tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins and activation of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase; eg, p42/p44 MAPK)/ERK (extracellular signal–regulated kinase; eg, ERK1/2) in various cell types including vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The early 1990s also saw the establishment of the concept that angiotensin II via the AT1 receptor has a direct action on cardiac myocytes, fibroblasts, and VSMCs causing hypertrophic and fibrotic cardiovascular remodeling.9,10 The cardiovascular remodeling caused by angiotensin II seemed to be …
Soft Tissue Reconstruction After Bone Sarcoma Resection

The successful outcome of bony tumor resection followed by prosthetic reconstruction can often be improved by the addition of appropriate soft tissue reconstruction using muscle or skin flaps of various types. Such flaps are particularly useful for areas likely to encounter wound-healing problems. The benefits of flap reconstruction are seen particularly in high-risk areas such as the ankle and foot, the tibial and knee region, the distal forearm and hand, the elbow, and the shoulder. The most distal parts of the extremities usually require free-flap reconstruction because of a lack of sufficient local soft tissue; however, more proximal areas can be reconstructed with a variety of local pedicled flaps, simplifying the procedures. Fillet flaps can also be used to aid in soft tissue closure if the extremity cannot be salvaged. Flap selection for specific areas is based on the size of the defect, type of coverage required (i.e., skin versus muscle), patient position, tissue availability, and surgeon preference. Proper preoperative planning and coordination between the plastic and orthopedic surgeons are critical.
Linear Potential Sweep and Cyclic Voltammetry

The linear potential sweep and cyclic voltammetrk techniques were first introduced by Matheson and Nichols(1) in 1938 and were described theoretically by Randles(2) and Sevcik(3) ten years later. Since that time these two techniques have grown rapidly in popularity, not only as a means of obtaining a quick “electrochemical spectrum” of a charge transfer system, but also as a method for the detailed examination of reaction mechanisms. Recent developments, such as convolution potential sweep voltammetry (Section 6.7), have greatly extended the usefulness of the basic method, and it now exists as one of the most powerful of electrochemical techniques.
Molecular epidemiology of IDH2 hotspot mutations in cancer and immunohistochemical detection of R172K, R172G, and R172M variants

Summary IDH1/2 hotspot mutations occur in glioma, cholangiocarcinoma, chondrosarcoma, sinonasal carcinoma, and T-cell lymphoma and have diagnostic, prognostic, and/or therapeutic value. Availability of immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocols for specific IDH2 mutation detection is limited. A targeted exome sequencing assay MSK-IMPACT cohort comprising >38,000 cancer cases was explored for the presence of IDH1/2 mutations in solid malignancies and select T-cell lymphomas. Seventy-four formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded IDH1/2-mutated (n = 62) and wild-type (n = 12) samples were used for testing and optimization of anti–IDH2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) 14H7, 3C11, and MMab1 targeting R172K, R172G, and R172M mutant proteins, respectively. IDH1/2 mutations were common in glioma (26.8% and 1.6%), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (23.1% and 5.7%), chondrosarcoma (19.4% and 10.7%), sinonasal undifferentiated/large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (0% and 84.2%), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (0% and 22%), and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (0 and 5.1%). In other cancers, IDH2 mutations were rare. IDH2 R172 variants included R172K (39%), R172S (29%), R172W (12%), R172G (10%), R172M (5%), and R172T (4%). 14H7, 3C11, and MMab1 detected all IDH2 R172K, R172G, and R172M, respectively, and produced a crisp, granular cytoplasmic staining pattern. 3C11 was also positive in 5 of 6 IDH1 R132G mutants showing a homogeneous, smooth cytoplasmic staining. All 3 mAbs were negative in other IDH1/2 mutant or wild-type cases. IHC using mAbs 14H7, 3C11, and MMab1 can facilitate molecular diagnosis as a reliable, fast, and inexpensive alternative for specific IDH2 variant detection. Given the distinct distribution of IDH2 R172 mutations in cancers, these mAbs could also serve as useful pathologic diagnostic markers.
Cross-Organ, Cross-Modality Transfer Learning: Feasibility Study for Segmentation and Classification

We conducted two analyses by comparing the transferability of a traditionally transfer-learned CNN (TL) to that of a CNN fine-tuned with an unrelated set of medical images (mammograms in this study) first and then fine-tuned a second time using TL, which we call the cross-organ, cross-modality transfer learned (XTL) network, on 1) multiple sclerosis (MS) segmentation of brain magnetic resonance (MR) images and 2) tumor malignancy classification of multi-parametric prostate MR images. We used 2133 screening mammograms and two public challenge datasets (longitudinal MS lesion segmentation and ProstateX) as intermediate and target datasets for XTL, respectively. We used two CNN architectures as basis networks for each analysis and fine-tuned it to match the target image types (volumetric) and tasks (segmentation and classification). We evaluated the XTL networks against the traditional TL networks using Dice coefficient and AUC as figure of merits for each analysis, respectively. For the segmentation test, XTL networks outperformed TL networks in terms of Dice coefficient (Dice coefficients of 0.72 vs [0.70 – 0.71] with p-value < 0.0001 in differences). For the classification test, XTL networks (AUCs = 0.77 – 0.80) outperformed TL networks (AUC = 0.73 – 0.75). The difference in the AUCs (AUCdiff = 0.045 – 0.047) was statistically significant (p-value < 0.03). We showed XTL using mammograms improves the network performance compared to traditional TL, despite the difference in image characteristics (x-ray vs. MRI and 2D vs. 3D) and imaging tasks (classification vs. segmentation for one of the tasks).
Large- N c and renormalization group constraints on parity-violating low-energy coefficients for three-derivative operators in pionless effective field theory

We extend, from operators with one derivative to operators with three derivatives, the analysis of two-body hadronic parity violation in a combined pionless effective field theory (${\mathrm{EFT}}_{\ensuremath{\pi}/}$) and large-${N}_{c}$ expansion, where ${N}_{c}$ is the number of colors in quantum chromodynamics (QCD). In elastic scattering, these operators contribute to $S\text{\ensuremath{-}}P$ and $P\text{\ensuremath{-}}D$ wave transitions, with five operators and their accompanying low energy coefficients (LECs) characterizing the $S\text{\ensuremath{-}}P$ transitions and six operators and LECs those in $P\text{\ensuremath{-}}D$ transitions. We show that the large-${N}_{c}$ analysis separates them into leading order in ${N}_{c}$, next-to-leading order in ${N}_{c}$, etc. Relationships among ${\mathrm{EFT}}_{\ensuremath{\pi}/}$ LECs emerge in the large-${N}_{c}$ expansion. We also discuss the renormalization group (RG) scale dependence of these LECs by considering two distinct limits: one in which large-${N}_{c}$ relationships among LECs hold but RG-related approximate expansions do not, and vice versa. Our analysis can complement lattice QCD calculations and help prioritize future parity-violating experiments.
Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysms: A Review with Perioperative Considerations

The sinuses of Valsalva are outpouchings in the aortic root just distal to the aortic valve that serve several physiologic functions. Aneurysm of this segment of the aorta is quite rare and infrequently encountered in clinical practice. Due to the rarity of sinus of Valsalva aneurysms, there is a lack of controlled trials and most of the literature consists of case reports and series. Here, the authors review the currently available literature to discuss the anatomy and normal function of the aortic root, as well as disease pathology and diagnostic imaging considerations. Using reported cases, the authors also will discuss considerations for cardiac anesthesiologists in the perioperative period.
Towards harmony in defining and reporting glomerular diseases on kidney biopsy

Purpose of review To review recent efforts to develop uniformity and precision in defining individual glomerular histologic and ultrastructural lesions and proposals for developing greater uniformity in reporting of glomerular diseases. Recent findings Over the past 2 decades, scoring systems for multiple glomerular diseases have emerged, as have several consortia for the study of glomerular diseases. However, one important limitation faced by renal pathologists and nephrologists has been a lack of uniformity and precision in defining the morphologic lesions seen by light and electron microscopy on which the scoring systems are based. In response to this, the Renal Pathology Society organized a working group that over 4 years arrived at consensus definitions for many such lesions. These definitions can be applied within the context of scoring systems for different glomerular diseases, and recently proposed reporting systems based on pathogenic categories and for defining the overall severity of chronic changes. Summary From extensive discussions a panel of 13 renal pathologists reached consensus in defining 47 individual glomerular lesions seen on light microscopy and 56 glomerular lesions and key normal structures seen by electron microscopy. Validation of the impact of these consensus definitions on interobserver agreement in lesion identification is currently underway.
Testing and cheating: technologies of power and resistance

Cheating, a form of academic dishonesty, is commonly regarded as a problem in science education. This inquiry theorizes cheating not as a moral failing on the part of students or a lack of surveillance by teachers but rather as a resistance to testing. Ethnographic data from a university physical science department, analyzed with Michel Foucault’s theory of governmentality, suggests testing as a technique of disciplinary power to produce normalized cases, schooled subjects of a certain type. The resistance of cheating is an assertion of agency within inequitable power relations. As such, cheating and testing are mutually constituting. This inquiry aims to trouble the notion that testing is educationally beneficial by discussing how testing may be placing students in morally compromised positions and teachers in morally complicit positions.
Use of Simulation to Improve Emotional Competence at End-of-Life Care for Healthcare Professionals and Students: A Scoping Review

Abstract A simulation-based learning experience (SBLE) is known to improve emotional skills. Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework and the preferred reporting items for scoping reviews were used. Databases included PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus for randomized controlled trials examining the impact of utilizing SBLE to promote emotional competence among healthcare professionals and students in the context of end-of-life (EOL) care. Eleven studies which included EOL care simulation interventions and outcomes for promoting emotional competence were identified. Gaps concerning effectiveness of post-simulation debriefing and using theoretical models were discussed. SBLE promoting emotional competence could address the psychological needs of learners at EOL care.
Mechanistic studies of the cofactor assembly in class Ib ribonucleotide reductases and protein affinity for MnII and FeII.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is an essential enzyme found in all organisms. The function of RNR is to catalyze the conversion of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides. RNRs rely on metallocofactors to oxidize a conserved cysteine in the active site of the enzyme into a thiyl radical, which then initiates nucleotide reduction. The proteins required for MnIII2-Y• cluster formation in class Ib RNRs are NrdF (β-subunit) and NrdI (flavodoxin). An oxidant is channeled from the FMN cofactor in NrdI to the dimanganese center in NrdF, where it oxidizes the dimanganese center and a tyrosyl radical (Y•) is formed. Both Streptococcus sanguinis and Escherichia coli MnII2-NrdF structures have a constriction in the channel immediately above the metal site. In E. coli, the constriction is formed by the side chain of S159, whereas in the S. sanguinis system it involves T158. This serine-to-threonine substitution was investigated using S. sanguinis and Streptococcus pneumoniae class Ib RNRs but it is also present in other pathogenic streptococci. Using stopped-flow kinetics, we investigate the role of this substitution in the mechanism of MnIII2-Y• cluster formation. In addition to different kinetics observed in the studied streptococci, we found that affinity constants of NrdF for MnII and FeII are about 1 µM and the previously reported preference for MnII could not be explained by affinity only.
Pilot study of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality-Group.

INTRODUCTION Few evidence-based options exist for outpatient treatment of patients at risk of suicide, and to-date almost all research has focused on individually delivered psychotherapy. Group therapy for veterans at risk of suicide is a promising alternative. METHODS Thirty veterans receiving care at an urban Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the southern United States were randomized to either care as usual (CAU) or to CAU plus the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicide-Group (CAMS-G). Veterans were assessed prior to randomization to condition and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-randomization on a range of suicide-specific measures, burdensomeness, belonging, treatment satisfaction, and group cohesion. RESULTS Across measures and follow-up assessments, veterans in CAMS-G reported good satisfaction with the intervention, a sense of cohesion with other members of the group, and reduced symptom distress. Veterans in both conditions reported decreases in suicidal ideation and behavior, with CAMS-G participants potentially improving slightly faster. CONCLUSION This description of CAMS-G for veterans adds to the growing literature on suicide-specific interventions and supports the need for additional research to determine if wide-spread rollout is justifiable.
Mutagenesis of the calmodulin binding domain of neuromodulin.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on biochemical properties of neuromodulin that may be important for its function in neurons. Two interesting biochemical properties that may be important for the physiological function of neuromodulin are its affinity for CaM and the effect of protein kinase C phosphorylation on CaM interactions. The concentration of neuromodulin in the brain and the affinity of the protein for CaM in the absence of free calcium are sufficient to complex the majority of CaM present. Consequently, interactions between neuromodulin and CaM as well as the regulation of CaM binding by protein kinase C phosphorylation are of considerable interest. The protein kinase C phosphorylation site of neuromodulin is serine-41. This phosphorylation significantly reduces the affinity of neuromodulin for CaM, suggesting that the introduction of negative charge may abolish CaM binding. The chapter addresses this issue by substituting serine-41 with an aspartate or an asparagines residue. The aspartate-41 mutant neuromodulin did not bind to CaM-Sepharose. In contrast, the asparagine-41 mutant bound to CaM-Sepharose in a manner indistinguishable from the wild type protein.
Smoothing: Local Regression Techniques

Smoothing methods attempt to find functional relationships between different measurements. As in the standard regression setting, the data is assumed to consist of measurements of a response variable, and one or more predictor variables. Standard regression techniques (Chap. III8.) specify a functional form (such as a straight line) to describe the relation between the predictor and response variables. Smoothing methods take a more flexible approach, allowing the data points themselves to determine the form of the fitted curve.
Optimization of Midcourse Velocity Corrections

The concept of a six-dimensional state space is used to develop the fundamental equations of linearized midcourse guidance. Both fixed end-point (fixed-time-of-arrival) and variable end-point (variable-time-of-arrival) problems are considered. It is shown that the variable-time-of-arrival problem can be simplified mathematically by the introduction of a special coordinate system, which is called the critical-plane coordinate system.
Lactate detection in inducible and orthotopic Her2/neu mammary gland tumours in mouse models.

This study compared the steady state concentration of lactate in an inducible Her2/nue transgenic breast cancer mouse model and in tumours from the same Her2/neu model grown orthotopically. In vivo lactate was detected by MRS using the Hadamard encoded selective multiple quantum coherence pulse sequence (HadSelMQC) recently developed by our laboratory. A lower lactate signal was observed in the inducible tumours compared to orthotopic tumours in vivo, while ex vivo analysis of perchloric acid extracts revealed similar amounts of this metabolite in both models. Histological staining of mammary tumour specimens showed a much higher level of fat tissue in inducible tumours compared to the orthotopic model. Phantom studies with [3-C-13] lactate indicated that a lipid environment could significantly reduce the T2 of lactate and impede its detection. The transgenic inducible model for breast cancer not only better recapitulated the biological aspects of the human disease but also provided additional characteristics related to in vivo detection of lactate that are not available in orthotopic or xenograft models. This study suggests that the level of lactate measured by the HadSelMQC pulse sequence may be underestimated in human patients in the presence of high lipid levels that are typically encountered in the breast. Copyright (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A 1GB/S SCI link in 0.8/spl mu/m BiCMOS

It has become increasingly evident that the performance demands of modern microprocessors are rapidly outstripping the capability of traditional multidrop busses to support the necessary data bandwidth, especially in symmetric multi-processor (SMP) configurations. The definition of a replacement for the traditional bus with a packetized network based on unidirectional point-to-point links was undertaken under the auspices of the IEEE Microprocessor Standards Committee, resulting in the IEEE 1596-1992 Scalable Coherent Interface Standard (SCI). This chip is a prototype fabricated to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a full-speed SCI link in standard 0.8/spl mu/m BiCMOS.