cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extrahepatic biliary atresia and other disorders of the extrahepatic bile ducts presenting in infancy

This chapter discusses the clinical and pathological features, management, and diagnosis of extrahepatic biliary atresia and rarer disorders of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Extrahepatic biliary atresia is characterized by complete inability to excrete bile associated with obstruction, destruction or absence of the extrahepatic bile ducts anywhere between the duodenum and the first or second order of branches of the right and left hepatic ducts. The extent and site of the atretic bile duct are extremely variable. Three main types of biliary atresia are defined on the basis of the site of the atresia determined by the macroscopic appearances at laparotomy: (1) atresia of the common bile duct with patent proximal ducts;(2) atresia involving the hepatic duct but with patent proximal ducts; and (3) atresia involving the right and left hepatic ducts at the portahepatis. Pathological study of tissues removed from the portahepatis and of the proximal extrahepatic bile ducts suggests that biliary atresia in the vast majority of infants results from a sclerosing, inflammatory lesion initiated in ductular tissues. It may start in fetal life, around the time of birth or early in postnatal life. In the majority of infants with biliary atresia the unconjugated physiological jaundice merges into the conjugated hyperbilirubinemia of biliary atresia making the exact time of onset uncertain.
Thermodynamic Double Mutant Cycles with the Shaker K+ Channel and a Peptide Inhibitor Define the Spatial Location of Pore-Forming Residues

K+-selective channels comprise the most diverse family among ion channels. K+ channels are gated in response to changes in membrane potential (voltage-activated K+-channels), G-protein activation, or second messengers such as Ca2+ or cAMP. Despite the differences in their gating mechanisms, all K+ channels share same conduction properties. The high selective permeability to K+ ions is the most remarkable property displayed by K+ channels considering that in order to achieve its selectivity K+ channels must exclude Na+ ions, which have a smaller crystal radius than K+ ions (the permeability ratio Na+ to K+ is greatly than 1:100; Hille, 1973).
Biochemistry and Regulation of Chlorophyll Biosynthesis

Chlorophylls and their derivatives play an important role in the light absorption and energy transduction processes of photosynthesis, as well as participate in numerous other metabolic and catabolic activities taking place within the cell. Over the past several years there has been a considerable advancement in our understanding of the biochemistry and genetic regulation of chlorophyll formation. Genes encoding many of the enzymes of the two biosynthetic pathways have been isolated and their nucleotide and encoded primary protein sequences determined. Such molecular analysis has greatly facilitated the detailed examination of how enzyme synthesis and activity are regulated throughout development and under a variety of different growth and environmental conditions. It has also led to new insights into the reaction mechanisms and specificity of several key enzymes in these processes. In this chapter, we present an overview of chlorophyll biosynthesis in the algae, drawing upon work carried out in a wide range of organisms in order to better illustrate features of the biosynthetic process in question or to highlight important differences among species.
Serum proteins and aqueous outflow resistance in bovine eyes.

PURPOSE Recent evidence shows that much of the protein in the anterior chamber aqueous humor enters diffusively through the root of the iris. The proximity of the protein entry point to the trabecular meshwork suggests that the protein content of the aqueous humor in the trabecular meshwork might be much higher than previously suggested. The authors were interested in investigating the possible hydrodynamic implications of these proteins. METHODS Bovine eyes were perfused with concentrations of bovine serum in buffer ranging from 0% to 15% to determine the effect on outflow resistance. Immunohistochemical methods were used on these eyes and unperfused eyes to determine the distribution of albumin in the anterior segment. RESULTS Preliminary perfusion studies suggested that increasing the concentration of serum in buffer from 0% to 15% decreased the rate of "wash-out" in bovine eyes, with a 15% solution essentially eliminating the wash-out phenomenon. Perfusion of a series of bovine eyes with a total of 5 ml of 15% serum in buffer showed a "wash-out" rate of 0.0498 +/- 0.0428 ([microliters/min/mm Hg]/[ml perfusate]), whereas control eyes perfused with buffer washed-out at a rate of 0.1677 +/- 0.0271 (P < 0.05); a second series of eyes perfused with a total of 10 ml of 15% serum washed-out at a rate of 0.0533 +/- 0.0294, whereas control eyes had a rate of 0.1813 +/- 0.0342 (P < 0.02). Immunohistochemical investigations showed significant quantities of albumin in the outflow pathway of unperfused eyes, whereas perfusion with buffer eliminated this protein; perfusion with 10% to 15% serum in buffer maintained the level of albumin in the outflow pathway similar to that found in unperfused eyes. Use of cuprolinic blue in a critical electrolyte concentration confirmed previous findings that sulfated proteoglycans are not eliminated from the trabecular meshwork during wash-out. CONCLUSIONS Wash-out in nonhuman species may result from progressive depletion of an anterior segment depot of plasma-derived proteins entering the trabecular meshwork. Modeling studies confirm that plasma-derived proteins in the aqueous humor of the trabecular meshwork can generate a significant fraction of aqueous outflow resistance. The lack of wash-out in human eyes suggests that this system may maintain flow resistance in a fashion fundamentally different from other species.
Measuring Heterogeneity in Preferences over the Sex of Children.

Abstract This paper introduces a model-based approach for measuring heterogeneity in sex preferences using birth history records. The approach identifies the combinations of preferences over the sex and number of children that best explain observed childbearing. Empirical estimates indicate that a majority of parents in Africa, Asia, and the Americas consider the sex of children when making childbearing decisions. Many parents prefer sons and many prefer daughters. Comparisons with reported preferences suggest that survey respondents tend to underreport the degree to which they prefer sons or daughters. Estimates indicate that, although sex preferences are widespread, they have little effect on aggregate fertility levels.
Too sweet: Problems of protein glycation in the eye

Laboratory and epidemiological data indicate that high blood sugar levels and/or consuming high glycemia diets are linked to multiple age-related diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetic retinopathy, and, apparently glaucoma. High concentrations of blood sugar and perturbations of the systems that regulate blood sugar lead to the accumulation of advanced-glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are toxic compounds that are formed from the combination of sugars and their metabolites with biomolecules in a non-enzymatic biochemical reaction called glycation. In vitro and in vivo data indicate that high sugar consumption is associated with accumulation of AGEs in a variety of human tissues. Hyperglycemia, along with an oxidative environment and limited cell proliferation in many ocular tissues, encourages formation and precludes dilution of AGEs and associated damage by cell division. These circumstances make many eye tissues vulnerable to glycation-derived damage. Here, we summarize research regarding glycation-induced ocular tissue dysfunction and its contribution to the onset and development of eye disorders. We also discuss how management of carbohydrate nutrition may provide a low-cost way to ameliorate the progression of AGEs-related diseases, including age related macular degeneration and some cataracts, as they do for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The Hydration Sweet Spot: Importance of Aquaporins

In both hyponatremia and hypernatremia, the sodium value (numerator) appears the most deranged. However, it is the changes in water content (denominator) that is most responsible for the pathophysiology, morbidity and mortality associated with dysnatremia. Therefore, fluid homeostasis involves both short-term and long-term water regulation at the molecular level to accommodate simultaneous and continuous changes in both fluid intake and output. Behavioral manipulation of long-term renal adaptations appear counter-intuitive in healthy individuals (i.e. water-loading induces dehydration – not water retention - in athletes seeking to “weigh-in light”), but do offer protection against behavioral (polydipsia) and environmental (dehydration) extremes. This mini-review summarizes both the short-term and long-term renal response to water intake, from the molecular perspective of the aquaporin-2 water channel. Then, four frequently asked questions will be addressed from this perspective: 1) What are the clinical consequences of drinking too much and 2) What are the clinical consequences of drinking too little? 3) How do we measure hydration? And 4) How much water do we need? We will close with practical advice on how humans should best maintain normal blood sodium concentrations (normonatremia, with preferential cellular size) from the perspective of thirst, vasopressin and small - but powerful - armies of aquaporin channels. ABBREVIATIONS:[Na+] – sodium concentration, ADH - anti-diuretic hormone, AVP – arginine vasopressin, AQP – aquaporin, AQP2 – aquaporin-2 water channel, V2R – vasopressin 2 receptors, SIADH - syndrome of anti-diuretic hormone secretion, UOsm - urine osmolality, USG – urine specific gravity,
Cytidine decreases melanin content in a reconstituted three-dimensional human epidermal model.

The process of melanin biosynthesis and its distribution throughout the skin is regulated by complex processes involving several enzymes in melanocytes. Recently, Diwakar et al. demonstrated that cytidine—a sialyltransferase inhibitor, 6′-sialyllactose (6′-SL) and 3′-sialyllactose (3′-SL) inhibited melanogenesis and melanosome transfer process. In this study, we have furthered this research, considering cytidine as a commercially viable and safe option over 6′-SL and 3′-SL. The efficacy of 2% w/v cytidine was studied in MelanoDerm™ skin equivalents in comparison with the positive control 1% w/v kojic acid and the vehicle control. Both the positive control and cytidine demonstrated a significant reduction in melanin content relative to the vehicle control. These experiments conclude that cytidine can effectively reduce melanin content in a skin equivalence assay and suggests that cytidine may be a good candidate for a skin lightening agent for human skin.
Gametes as embodied capital: perceptions on self-pricing reproductive biocommodities

The exchange of gametes has polarized and captivated the attention of biomedical practitioners, policy stakeholders, ethicists, and the general public alike. Studies have thoroughly explored the un...
A-Tail of Telomerase RNA Maturation.

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Roake et al. (2019) define a feedforward kinetic pathway consisting of a cycle of oligoadenylation and deadenylation that regulates the production of mature human telomerase RNA.
Natural History of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Children

Hepatitis C was first cloned and discovered to be a major cause of non-A, non-B hepatitis in 1989. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a RNA virus within the Flaviviridae family and comprises the genus Hepacivirus, of which there are six known genotypes. HCV is now known to be a leading cause of chronic liver disease in both industrialized and developing countries. Recent estimates suggest that over 200 million people worldwide have been infected with hepatitis C virus with an additional 3–4 million newly infected annually (El-Shabrawi MH, Kamal NM. World J Gastroenterol 19:7880, 2013). Eleven million of those globally infected with HCV are thought to be under 15 years of age (Gower E, Estes C, Blach S et al. J Hepatol 61:S45, 2014). Infection with HCV most commonly leads to persistent infection and can progress to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. While children account for a small proportion of the infected population, many of these children develop chronic hepatitis C and thus are at risk for its complications. The worldwide prevalence of HCV infection in children varies geographically, ranging from 0.05% to 0.36% in the USA (1.3% of children over the age of 6 (Mack CL, Gonzalez-Peralta RP, Gupta N et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 54:838, 2012)) and Europe to 1.8–5.8% in certain developing countries. The highest prevalence reported is in Egypt, sub-Saharan Africa, Amazon basin, and Mongolia (El-Shabrawi MH, Kamal NM. World J Gastroenterol 19:7880, 2013). Including individuals who were previously exposed but cleared the infection with those infected, the prevalence of HCV antibody positivity in North America is thought to approximate 0.2% of 6–11-year-olds and 0.4% of 12–19-year-olds (Mack CL, Gonzalez-Peralta RP, Gupta N et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 54:838, 2012). While a lot of what is known about hepatitis C comes from studying adults with the disease, children and adults demonstrate differences in modes of acquisition and transmission, rates of clearance and progression, and perhaps in response to treatment.
Divergent excited state proton transfer reactions of bifunctional photoacids 1-ammonium-2-naphthol and 3-ammonium-2-naphthol in water and methanol

This paper highlights the challenge of predicting the excited state proton transfer (ESPT) reactions of small organic compounds with multiple proton transfer sites. Aminonaphthols, naphthalene compounds with both hydroxyl and amino substituents, can be viewed as a combination of two monoprotic photoacids, naphthol and naphthylammonium. Here, the ESPT reactions of 3-ammonium-2-naphthol (3N2OH) and 1-ammonium-2-naphthol (1N2OH) were studied in water and methanol using a combination of steady-state and time-correlated single-photon counting emission spectroscopy. For 3N2OH, ESPT was observed at the OH site in water but at neither of the sites in methanol; for 1N2OH, ESPT was observed at both the OH and NH3+ sites in water but only at the NH3+ site in methanol. Evidence of ESPT at the NH3+ site is limited for aminonaphthols. The divergent dynamics of 3N2OH and 1N2OH in water and methanol are discussed; dependent on the substitution and solvent, the ESPT reactions were analysed within the frameworks of reference photoacids 2-naphthol and 1-naphthylammonium. The application of crown ether and salt to control the release of select protons in non-aqueous media is also discussed.
Depressive Symptoms After Ischemic Stroke: Population-Based Comparisons of Patients and Caregivers With Matched Controls

Background and Purpose- Persistent depression after ischemic stroke is common in stroke survivors and may be even higher in family caregivers, but few studies have examined depressive symptom levels and their predictors in patient and caregiver groups simultaneously. Methods- Stroke survivors and their family caregivers (205 dyads) were enrolled from the national REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) into the CARES study (Caring for Adults Recovering from the Effects of Stroke) ≈9 months after a first-time ischemic stroke. Demographically matched stroke-free dyads (N=205) were also enrolled. Participants were interviewed by telephone, and depressive symptoms were assessed with the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale. Results- Significant elevations in depressive symptoms (Ps<0.03) were observed for stroke survivors (M=8.38) and for their family caregivers (M=6.42) relative to their matched controls (Ms=5.18 and 4.62, respectively). Stroke survivors reported more symptoms of depression than their caregivers (P=0.008). No race or sex differences were found, but differential prediction of depressive symptom levels was found across patients and caregivers. Younger age and having an older caregiver were associated with more depressive symptoms in stroke survivors while being a spouse caregiver and reporting fewer positive aspects of caregiving were associated with more depressive symptoms in caregivers. The percentage of caregivers at risk for clinically significant depression was lower in this population-based sample (12%) than in previous studies of caregivers from convenience or clinical samples. Conclusions- High depressive symptom levels are common 9 months after first-time ischemic strokes for stroke survivors and family caregivers, but rates of depressive symptoms at risk for clinical depression were lower for caregivers than previously reported. Predictors of depression differ for patients and caregivers, and standards of care should incorporate family caregiving factors.
Epigenetic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and acute brain injury

Epigenetic modifications are emerging as major players in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders and susceptibility to acute brain injury. DNA and histone modifications act together with non-coding RNAs to form a complex gene expression machinery that adapts the brain to environmental stressors and injury response. These modifications influence cell-level operations like neurogenesis and DNA repair to large, intricate processes such as brain patterning, memory formation, motor function and cognition. Thus, epigenetic imbalance has been shown to influence the progression of many neurological disorders independent of aberrations in the genetic code. This review aims to highlight ways in which epigenetics applies to several commonly researched neurodegenerative diseases and forms of acute brain injury as well as shed light on the benefits of epigenetics-based treatments.
Role of nanoscale roughness in the heat transfer characteristics of thin film evaporation

Abstract Thin film evaporation yields high local heat fluxes that contributes significantly to the total heat transfer rate during various two-phase transport processes including pool boiling, flow boiling, and droplet evaporation, among others. Recent studies have shown a strong correlation between the roughness of a surface and its two-phase heat transfer characteristics, but the underlying role of nanoscale surface roughness in thin film evaporation is not fully understood. In the present work, a thin film evaporation model is developed that accounts for the role of the roughness-affected disjoining pressure and flow permeability in determining the film thickness profile and heat transfer rate. Nanoscale surface roughness leads to a flatter evaporating meniscus profile when the effect of disjoining pressure is more pronounced of the two and promotes evaporation, consistent with previous experimental observations. However, our results reveal that surface roughness may also inhibit evaporation and lead to a steeper evaporating meniscus profile when flow permeability has the more pronounced influence on thin film evaporation. It is important to identify the specific surface roughness characteristics that determine whether disjoining pressure or flow permeaiblity has the stronger influence. To this end, a parametric study is performed that analyzes thin film evaporation on V-grooved surfaces of different depths and pitches. While the heat transfer rate increases monotonically with groove depth, there exists an optimal groove pitch that leads to a maximized evaporation rate. Also, when the groove pitch is smaller than a critical value, surface roughness inhibits thin film evaporation.
Characterization of Rigid and Flexible 3D Printed Planar Antennas

This paper presents a characterization of both rigid and flexible microstrip patch antennas using the common 3D printed materials Polylactic Acid (PLA) and NinjaFlex. Key antenna parameters such as return loss, gain, beamwidth, and radiation efficiency are explored. The PLA based patch antenna exhibits analogous key antenna properties when compared to a similar antenna fabricated on Duroid 5880 at a substantially cheaper cost. The NinjaFlex material is extremely flexible compared to the PLA and Duroid substrates; this paper presents a method to characterize the NinjaFlex patch antenna under different bend radii. The results indicate from this experiment that there is little to no change of the radiation pattern for the NinjaFlex antenna under different bending conditions. These 3D printed substrates offer designers the unique ability to fully customize substrate dimensions that can be optimized for different radiator geometries.
Analysis of Obstacle Hardening Models Using Dislocation Dynamics: Application to Irradiation-Induced Defects

Irradiation hardening in $$\alpha $$ -iron represents a critical factor in nuclear reactor design and lifetime prediction. The dispersed barrier hardening, Friedel Kroupa Hirsch (FKH), and Bacon Kocks Scattergood (BKS) models have been proposed to predict hardening caused by dislocation obstacles in metals, but the limits of their applicability have never been investigated for varying defect types, sizes, and densities. In this work, dislocation dynamics calculations of irradiation-induced obstacle hardening in the athermal case were compared to these models for voids, self-interstitial atom (SIA) loops, and a combination of the two types. The BKS model was found to accurately predict hardening due to voids, whereas the FKH model was superior for SIA loops. For both loops and voids, the hardening from a normal distribution of defects was compared to that from the mean size, and was shown to have no statistically significant dependence on the distribution. A mean size approach was also shown to be valid for an asymmetric distribution of voids. A non-linear superposition principle was shown to predict the hardening from the simultaneous presence of voids and SIA loops.
Ruminative Inertia and Its Association With Current Severity and Lifetime Course of Depression

Rumination has been consistently shown to play a critical role in the severity and course of depression. Relatively understudied, however, is the nature of rumination across time and how individual...
The human microbiome in the 21st century.

The human body supports a thriving diversity of microbes which comprise a dynamic, ancillary, functional system that synergistically develops in lock-step with physiological development of its host. The human microbiome field has transitioned from cataloging this rich diversity to dissecting molecular mechanisms by which microbiomes influence human health. Early life microbiome development trains immune function. Thus, vertically, horizontally, and environmentally acquired microbes and their metabolites have the potential to shape developmental trajectories with life-long implications for health.
Jet Energy and Other Parameters for the Afterglows of GRB 980703, GRB 990123, GRB 990510, and GRB 991216 Determined from Modeling of Multifrequency Data

We model the radio, optical, and X-ray emission for the afterglows of GRB 980703, GRB 990123, GRB 990510, and GRB 991216, within the framework of relativistic jets, to determine their physical parameters. The models that yield acceptable fits to the data have jet energies mostly between 1050 and 1051 ergs and initial opening angles between 1° and 4°. The external medium density is uncertain by at least 1 order of magnitude in each case, being around 10-3 cm-3 for GRB 980703 and GRB 990123, ~10-1 cm-3 for GRB 990510, and ~3 cm-3 for GRB 991216. If the jets are uniform (i.e., there are no angular gradients of the energy per solid angle), then the 20 keV-1 MeV radiative efficiency during the GRB phase must have been at least 2%-3% for GRB 990510, 20% for GRB 990123, and 30% for GRB 991216.
Separate, Unequal, and Ignored? Interjurisdictional Competition and the Budgetary Choices of Poor and Affluent Municipalities

The fundamental value underlying the design of a fragmented system of local governance is consumer sovereignty. This system functions as a market-like arrangement providing citizen-consumers a choice of jurisdictions that offer different bundles of public services and taxes. However, the same choice also can facilitate class-based population sorting, creating regions where fiscally wealthy jurisdictions coexist with impoverished ones. Some argue that the public market enhances the power of all consumers, whether poor or rich. Even if the poor are concentrated in some jurisdictions, they can exercise their voice to ensure that their government responds to their service needs. But does the voice of the poor matter as much as the voice of the rich in determining service levels in the local public market? Comparing the budgetary choices in poor and affluent municipalities, this article shows that in highly fragmented regions, some municipal services are provided the least in communities where they are needed the most.
Nursing higher education mergers: Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Merger as an organizational change has the potential to create turmoil, unrest, and uncertainty among the employees. Despite the shortage of nursing education workforce, global economic hardships have brought on a recent increase in nursing higher education mergers. The focus on integrated operations of the newly merged organization can burden all involved. Financial and business survival factors can create an unintentional oversight of the employee feelings. Nursing education faculty and administrator’s quality of work lives are related to their performance, which ultimately determines organizational performance. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to evaluate the influence of a nursing higher education merger on the quality of work lives of faculty and administrators. Principal results of this research revealed that faculty and administrators perceived the influence of the nursing higher education merger to be negative in the beginning with a transition to a positive influence over 5 years. Challenges in this merger were related to cultural integration and the magnitude of work required for operationalization. Exact timing of transition of the negative influence to positive was not established and needs further research. These results have implications on the nursing higher education institutions planning future mergers. Nursing education leaders must utilize strategies to address the quality of work life factors during the nursing higher education mergers. Implications of maintaining quality of work lives during an organizational change has the potential to address the nursing and nursing education workforce issues.
Coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scatter response of semiconductor detectors to nuclear reactor antineutrinos

Abstract We studied the performance of advanced semiconductor detectors to measure reactor antineutrino with the potential to drastically improve efficiency and lower existing thresholds of detectable incident-antineutrino-energy. Recent developments, such as those by the Mitchell Institute Neutrino Experiment at Reactor (MINER) experiment at Texas AM however, it is shown that silicon is sensitive to lower antineutrino energies. It is found that a 100-eV nuclear recoil in germanium semiconductor detectors can be produced by a minimum incident energy of 1.84 MeV antineutrinos, and in silicon by 1.14 MeV antineutrinos. For the lower threshold, a 20-eV nuclear recoil in germanium semiconductors can be produced by a minimum incident energy of 0.82 MeV antineutrinos and in Si by 0.51 MeV antineutrinos. Lowering the detector response energy sensitivity equips us with newer techniques for nuclear fuel monitoring.
Price pass-through in US gasoline markets

Abstract Using an error-correction model in a seemingly unrelated regression framework, we examine regional differences in the price pass-through from crude oil spot prices to retail gasoline pump prices. We show that regional differences do exist both in the short run and long run adjustment processes. Depending on the region, a $1 per barrel change in crude oil prices is correlated with a change in retail gasoline pump prices somewhere between 2.36¢ and 2.58¢. We examine the presence of the rockets and feathers phenomenon using both single period coefficient tests and multiple period impulse response functions.
The Association Between Sex and Survival for Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT Background The incidence of anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is rising, despite the introduction of a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common etiology of anal SCC. The rate of anal SCC is higher among women and sex-based survival differences may exist. We aimed to examine the association between sex and survival for stage I-IV anal SCC. Materials and Methods The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with stage I-IV anal SCC from 2004-2016. Outcomes were assessed utilizing log rank tests, Kaplan-Meier statistics, and Cox proportional-hazard modeling. Subgroup analyses by disease stage and by HPV status were performed. Outcomes of interest were median, 1-, and 5-year survival by sex. Results There were 31,185 patients with stage I-IV anal SCC. 10,714 (34.3%) were male and 20,471 (65.6%) were female. 1- and 5- year survival was 90.2% (95% CI 89.8 – 90.7) and 67.7% (95% CI 66.9 – 68.5) for females compared to 85.8% (95% CI 85.1 – 86.5) and 55.9% (95% CI 54.7 – 57.0) for males. In subgroup analysis, females demonstrated improved unadjusted and adjusted survival for all stages of disease. Female sex was an independent predictor of improved survival (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.65 – 0.71, P Conclusions We demonstrate better overall survival for females compared to males for stage I-IV anal SCC. It is not clear why women have a survival advantage over men, though exposure to prominent risk factors may play a role. High-risk men may warrant routine screening for anal cancer.
The Concept of Aggressive Drive: Some Additional Considerations

Publisher Summary Aggression is a kind of behavior, whose goal is the injury of some person or object. This chapter discusses the concept of aggression including instinct, frustration and learning, the drive concept, and purpose in aggressive behavior. Aggressive actions undoubtedly are sometimes carried out to achieve certain purposes, as the ego formulation maintains, yet, it is also apparent that automatic processes, unaffected by ego controls, also occasionally govern the magnitude of aggression displayed in a given situation. A frustration arouses instigation to aggression, and a thwarting will produce instigations to many different kinds of responses. Several critics have maintained that only certain kinds of frustrations give rise to hostile reactions, but mere deprivations supposedly lead to other consequences, such as frustrations can intensify the strength of the responses following immediately afterward. Animals and humans can be trained to respond nonaggressively to situations that ordinarily produce hostile responses. The physiologically aroused subjects may have acted aggressively and then interpreted their feelings as anger, because of what they had done. Cues in the situation, such as the confederate's aggressive and perhaps unpleasant behavior, could have evoked aggressive responses from the physiologically aroused people. This knowledge, which was perhaps also considerably influenced by the confederate's behavior, could have prevented various nonaggressive actions from appearing.
Mouse Endogenous Retroviral Long-Terminal-Repeat (LTR) Elements and Environmental Carcinoaenesis

Publisher Summary Studies show that activation of long-terminal-repeat (LTR)-containing retrotransposable gene elements with subsequent insertion into new chromosomal sites could potentially cause genomic instability. This possibility may be examined experimentally by the isolation and functional characterization of “insertase” protein encoded in the 3´ portion of the pol gene of these elements, with subsequent tests for the ability of this insertase protein to cause chromosome breakage in the cell. The experimental approach discusses in this chapter focuses on retroviral LTRs, as they contain both the enhancer–promoter polyadenylation signal sequences for gene transcription and the short inverted-repeat sequences for gene insertion. A chromosomal element carrying two LTRs and adjacent priming sequences would be capable of retrotransposition, if provided with the functions of RNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase, insertase, and other trans-acting factors for transposition. The mouse genome was chosen for the LTR studies described in the chapter as considerable knowledge has been accumulated concerning murine leukemia viruses in relation to leukemogenesis. Research show that it is possible to investigate LTR containing gene elements in the mouse germ line that are related but not expressed in an extracellular virus form.
Custom bipolar integrated circuit designs for the front-end electronics of the Silicon Tracker subsystem for SSC-GEM detector

A preliminary design for the front-end electronics for the Silicon Tracker subsystem for the SSC (Superconducting Super Collider) GEM (Gamma, Electron, Muon) Detector has been simulated and will be submitted to AT&T for semicustom fabrication. The results show excellent beginning-of-life performance and acceptable end-of life performance (10 year lifetime, 5 Mrad total dose) for a required time walk ( >
Geometry of grain boundaries

The first part of this paper deals with the problem of describing and measuring microstructure in exact terms. The Euclidean parameters: volume, area, length, and angle can be measured and expressed only in terms of the total of each in unit volume. Average properties, such as average grain diameter, are accessible only through the topological parameters, specifically number in unit volume, which can be measured only by serial sectioning. The parameters which have been used to represent the concept of grain size are analyzed and shown in most cases to represent a function of grain boundary area. In a second section of this paper the geometric problem of plastic slip through a grain boundary is analyzed. A method is proposed by which all of the components of the deformation, as well as the crystallographic directions, can be manipulated simultaneously through the use of a stereographic projection. The third section of this paper is concerned with the geometry of grain growth. The polycrystalline state is described as a grain boundary network, which must respond to the requirements of surface tension. The several topological changes in a network which can contribute to grain growth are described.
Using Feminist Classroom Rules to Model Empowerment for Social Work Students

Abstract This paper describes a set of feminist classroom rules adapted for the undergraduate social work classroom. The rules were utilized to help students examine and practice interactions which underscored empowerment principles aimed at ending discrimination, enhancing the capacity of clients to meet their needs, and promoting social justice. The rules provide a framework for examining racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, and other institutional forms of oppression and privilege in American society. The paper examines the feminist rules in the context of a project designed to teach empowerment to students. Implementation strategies for social work educators and implications for researchers are discussed.
Stimulatory and Inhibitory Effects of Substance P on Rat Submandibular Secretion

Intravenous infusions of the undecapeptide substance P caused a moderate but transient secretory response from the rat submandibular gland. The electrolyte composition of the saliva elicited by this peptide was qualitatively similar to that of the secretion induced by parasympathomimetic agents. Substance P inhibited the secretory response to acetylcholine and isoproterenol, but did not modify the binding of specific ligands to glandular autonomic receptors. It is concluded that this naturally occurring peptide plays a role in the physiologic regulation of salivary secretions, which involves both direct stimulatory effects and a modulating action on the effect of autonomic neurotransmitters on the salivary gland cells. The latter may involve similar effects of substance P and the neurotransmitters on a metabolic pathway localized beyond receptor activation.
An NMR study of 1H, 31P, and 23Na relaxation and molecular dynamics in the polycrystalline disodium salt of N-phosphocreatine hydrate

Abstract Two samples of the disodium salt of phosphocreatine containing 4.5 and 1.5 water molecules for each phosphocreatine molecule, respectively, have been studied by employing techniques in solid-state NMR. Proton spin-lattice relaxation times in the laboratory frame, T1(H), have been measured as a function of frequency and temperature (333 K > T > 80 K). The spin-lattice relaxation times in the rotating frame, T1ϱ(H), have been measured at H1 = 23 G while the proton second moments, M2(H), have been extracted from the shape of the free induction decays. In addition T 1 ( 31 P ) and T 1 ( 25 Na ) have been measured as functions of temperature at 81 and 53 MHz, respectively. In both samples twofold reorientations of 1.5 H2O molecules dominate the relaxation results to a large extent over the temperature region covered. In the sample containing 4.5 H2O molecules the second moment results are in agreement with a model in which two water molecules rotate freely about their symmetry axes at lower temperatures. Atom-atom potential energy calculations support the conclusions drawn from the NMR results. The threefold reorientation of the methyl group has been identified in the sample containing 4.5 H2O molecules. The depth of the T1(H) minimum is however more shallow than expected, most probably due to a distribution of correlation times. At higher temperatures the sample with 1.5 H2O molecules exhibits relaxation minima which have been assigned to a large-amplitude vibration or wobbling motion of the PO3 group.
Testing the prisoners’ dilemma of counterterrorism: an aggregate analysis of counterterrorist efforts from 2001 to 2010

What compels states to cooperate in the face of a global terrorist threat? On an international scale, the elimination of a common terrorist threat resembles a prisoners’ dilemma, with many states choosing to shore up defences at home rather than bear the costs of cooperative, pre-emptive strikes abroad. Utilising original data, this paper represents an empirical examination of the prisoners’ dilemma of counterterrorism to determine what characteristics drive cooperation and whether that cooperation depends on the institutional characteristics of a state, finding that alliance commitments and state capabilities encourage cooperation, while democracy inhibits the achievement of cooperation. These findings illustrate the argument that, although democracies are generally cooperative with one another in matters of international security, the amorphous nature of terrorism fosters a sense of reluctance among democracies regarding proper counterterrorist action.
On the distributions of significant digits and roundoff errors

Generalized logarithmic law is derived for the distribution of the first t significant digits of a random digital integer. This result is then used to determine the distribution of the roundoff errors in floating-point operations, which is a mixture of uniform and reciprocal distributions.
Sonography of the radial artery at the wrist

The radial artery as a superficial structure at the wrist is susceptible both to direct penetrating injury and to blunt trauma, with the potential development of both false and true aneurysms. This report summarizes the sonographic features of seven consecutive patients who were referred for evaluation of the radial artery. The diagnoses include two cases of radial artery aneurysm, one tortuous nonaneurysmal artery, two cases of arteriovenous fistulae (one surrounded by fluid and one aneurysmal), a ganglion, and an inflammatory mass of the wrist. Although radial aneurysms are unusual and angiography may be required to define the nature and extent of distal embolization to the hand, the nature of a palpable aneurysm in this region, vascular vs avascular, is easily and quickly assessed with high-resolution sonography.
SOI wafer polishing with magnetorheological finishing (MRF)

In this paper, SOI wafer polishing with magnetorheological finishing (MRF) process were discussed. A precision polishing method called magnetorheological finishing used to improve nominal thickness and associated thickness uniformity of the silicon layer.
Fixation of femoral allograft/prosthesis composites after 25%, 50% and 75% resection

The relative linear and angular displacements of proximal femoral reconstructions were compared within six different replacement techniques during ex vivo axial compression, mediolateral bending, and axial torsion in dogs. Each femur was osteotomized at 25%, 50%, or 75% of its length and the proximal portion subsequently replaced using one of six techniques. The reconstruction techniques included various combinations of proximal and distal fixation methods (graft fixation/distal fixation): (1) an allograft/prosthesis composite (APC) press-fit proximally and cemented distally (press-fit/cement); (2) APC cemented proximally and distally (cement/cement); (3) APC cemented proximally and the host bone/graft interface double plated (cement/plates); (4) APC cemented proximally and secured distally with bicortical screws (cement/screws); (5) APC secured proximally and distally with bicortical screws (screws/screws); (6) Segmental proximal femoral replacement cemented into the distal femur without an allograft (no graft/cement). For axial compression and mediolateral bending, the combined resection lengths revealed no differences in linear and angular displacements, respectively, between reconstruction methods. During axial torsion, the cement/cement technique allowed larger angular displacements than all but the press-fit/cement technique which had larger displacements than the cement/screws, screws/screws, and no graft/cement groups (p < 0.0001). Overall, the measured implant stability was solid and consistent as evidenced by small amounts of relative displacement and small error values.
Buyers' Choice of Online Search Strategy and Its Managerial Implications

The Internet offers several tools such as shopping bots and search engines that help potential buyers search for lower prices. This paper defines buyers' online search strategy as using one or more of these tools to search for lower prices, and empirically investigates the validity of economics of information search theory in explaining buyers' choice of a particular online search strategy. We find that buyers' attitudes toward the price offered by their preferred online seller, their perception of online price dispersion, and their awareness of shopping agents have a significant effect on their choice of online search strategy. An understanding of buyers' choice of online search strategies can help an online seller to estimate its expected probability of making an online sale, optimize its online pricing, and improve its online promotional and advertising activities.
Ionic Association Effects upon Optical Electron Transfer Energetics: Studies in Water with (CN)5FeII-BPE-FeIII(CN)55−

The energetics of optical electron transfer (ET) in (NC){sub 5}Fe{sup III}-bis(pyridyl)ethylene-Fe{sup II}(CN){sub 5}{sup 5{minus}} (1), as monitored by intervalence absorption spectroscopy, display a remarkable sensitivity to added {open_quotes}inert{close_quotes} electrolyte. With small amounts of added NaCl, CaCl{sub 2}, or LaCl{sub 3}, the optical ET (or metal-to-metal charge transfer) energy (E{sup MMCT}) increases significantly. With further additions, however, it gradually decreases, ultimately approaching (for LaCl{sub 3}) the value found in the absence of added electrolyte.
Steady-State Response of a Dynamical System Under Combined Parametric and Forcing Excitations

A linear dynamical system subjected to combined parametric and forcing excitations of periodic nature is governed by a system of inhomogeneous differential equations with periodic coefficients. Presented here is an explicit expression for the steady-state periodic response of such a system, given in terms of the fundamental matrix of the homogeneous system. Based upon this expression, specific analytic formulas of the steady-state response can be derived for some physical systems. For a general system where such an analytical determination is not feasible, the derived expression allows us to devise a straightforward numerical procedure which is particularly suited for computer evaluation and which is equally suited for high-order systems.
Analytical and semi-analytical formalism for the voltage and the current sources of a superconducting cavity under dynamic detuning

Elliptical superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities are sensitive to frequency detuning because they have a high Q value in comparison with normal conducting cavities and weak mechanical properties. Radiation pressure on the cavity walls, microphonics, and tuning system are possible sources of dynamic detuning during SRF cavity-pulsed operation. A general analytic relation between the cavity voltage, the dynamic detuning function, and the RF control function is developed. This expression for the voltage envelope in a cavity under dynamic detuning and dynamic RF controls is analytically expressed through an integral formulation. A semi-analytical scheme is derived to calculate the voltage behavior in any practical case. Examples of voltage envelope behavior for different cases of dynamic detuning and RF control functions are shown. The RF control function for a cavity under dynamic detuning is also investigated and as an application various filling schemes are presented.
Interspecies variation in lung lavage and tissue saturated phosphatidylcholine

Abstract We measured the saturated phosphatidylcholine in lung lavage fluid and in lung tissue after lavage in five vertebrate species. The amount of saturated phosphatidylcholine recovered by lung lavage and from lung tissue showed a direct log linear correlation with species alveolar surface area. The saturated phosphatidylcholine content lung lavage fluid per square meter of alveolar surface area varied in the sequence: mouse > rat > rabbit > dog > cat, and showed a direct correlation with species respiratory rate. We compared the lavage (presumably mainly alveolar) and tissue saturated phosphatidylcholine with the theoretical minimum amount required to produce a monomolecular layer over an area equal to the computed alveolar surface area. The data suggest that there is an alveolar and a tissue reserve of saturated phosphatidylcholine. The size of the alveolar reserve varied in the sequence: mouse > rat > rabbit > dog > cat. we conclude that in each species there is an alveolar and tissue reserve of saturated phosphatidylcholine and that both reserves are larger in animals with rapid ventilatory rates and small alveoli than in animals with slower breathing rates and larger alveoli.