cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gastrin-dependent inhibitory effects of octreotide on the genesis of gastric ECLomas.

BACKGROUND The efficacy of octreotide in the regulation of endocrine tumor secretion and symptomatology has been well documented. Its effects on neuroendocrine tumor generation and cell proliferation are less well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if blockade of somatostatin receptors by octreotide would alter gastrin levels and influence enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell proliferation. METHODS The well-established gastric ECLoma model of the rodent, mastomys, was used. Animals received loxtidine (1 mg/kg/day), an irreversible H2 blocker, and subcutaneous slow release, octreotide pellet implants (150 or 300 micrograms/kg/day) or placebo pellets for a 4-month period. RESULTS Control parameters for gastric mucosal thickness, plasma gastrin level, ECL cell density, and bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells were 517 +/- 20 microns, 46.1 +/- 11.4 pmol/L, 7.4 +/- 0.9 cells/visual field, and 13.8 +/- 2.6 cells/visual field, respectively. After loxtidine-placebo treatment all values were significantly increased (p < 0.05; 883 +/- 70 microns, 192.8 +/- 10.6 pmol/L, 97 +/- 16.2 cells/visual field, and 51.7 +/- 19.2 cells/visual field, respectively). High dose octreotide significantly inhibited all parameters (668 +/- 3.5 microns, 66.2 +/- 20.5 pmol/L, 37.0 +/- 8.0 cells/visual field, and 10.9 +/- 2.2 cells/visual field; p < 0.05). Low dose octreotide failed to significantly inhibit ECL cell density mucosal thickness, or cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Irreversible H2 receptor blockade results in hypergastrinemia and ECL cell tumor generation. Hypergastrinemia, ECL cell hyperplasia, and cell proliferation are significantly inhibited by in vivo blockade of somatostatin receptors by administration of octreotide.
The transformative computer and the play of mind

This study presents a broad-based conceptual analysis of human-computer interactions from the perspective of play and transformation. Examples of computer play and transformation are provided from art, science, simulation, virtual reality, and education. The spirit of play is an especially fitting and heuristic conceptualization to adopt in reflecting upon the use of computers. The computer can then be seen as an instrument that allows for free movement within mental playing fields that have no fixed boundaries: here, multiple, hybrid, even "inconceivable" games may be played and alternate realities may be explored. The computer is a device like no other--one that acts as a new kind of psychological mirror, a metaphoric, electronic Rorschach inkblot for the user. The computer can simulate any medium--real or otherwise--that we can imagine, and like all media, it not only shapes the world but also shapes the user in a process of continual interaction. Paradoxically, the computer's lack of character is its essential characteristic; its characterlessness, the source of its transformative power. As a metamedium, the computer's representational and functional abilities are without precedent, influencing not only our perception of the computer, but also our perception of ourselves. If we consciously enter into our interactions with computers, the transformative effects made possible through the mutual play of mind and computer will dramatically affect the future of our society.
Multiple Human Monitoring with Wireless Fiber-Optic Multimedia Sensor Networks

This paper presents a binary compressive sensing based fiber-optic sensor system for human monitoring. Fiber-optic sensors are flexible and convenient to measure pressure information of humans. Such a nature enables fiber-optic sensors to achieve localization and tracking directly. In order to capture more information of human subjects and scenes, a Bernoulli mixture model is proposed to model scenes. Meanwhile, compressive sensing based space encoding and decoding techniques are developed to implement scene recognition. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed fiber-optic sensing system and compressive sensing based encoding/decoding techniques are effective for human monitoring in terms of tracking and scene recognition.
Studies on Translocation of Immunoglobulins Across Intestinal Epithelium: II. Immunoelectron-microscopic localization of immunoglobulins and secretory component in human intestinal mucosa

To define mechanisms involved in the transport of immunoglobulins into intestinal fluids, we localized IgM, IgA, IgG, and secretory component (SCI in human intestinal mucosa by the peroxidase-labeled antibody technique. At the light microscopic level, immunocytes containing IgA, IgM, or IgG were found in the lamina propria. IgA, IgM, and SC were prominent in the epithelium of gland crypts; IgG was limited to a few cells at tips of villi. At the electron-microscopic level, SC was localized to perinuclear spaces, endoplasmic reticulum, saccules associated with Golgi complexes, cytoplasmic vesicles, and lateral and basal plasma membranes of columnar epithelial cells. IgA and IgM, but not IgG, also were localized to plasma membranes and cytoplasmic vesicles of these cells. Neither the immunoglobulins nor SC was found within other types of epithelial cells (Paneth, goblet, endocrine). The findings provide evidence that (1) the site of SC synthesis in intestinal epithelium is secretory columnar cells, principally those in gland crypts; (2) the polymeric immunoglobulins IgM and IgA are translocated through such SC-containing cells by a process that involves formation of cytoplasmic vesicles; (3) IgM and IgA could combine with SC during transcellular transport (likely sites are lateral or basal plasma membranes or supranuclear cytoplasm); (4) the monomeric immunoglobulin IgG does not share the transepithelial cell route involved in IgM and IgA transport.
Now is the Time for Change

Presented in this first manuscript is the premise that there are institutionalized beliefs and practices within schools about students, parents, our society, and the educator’s responsibilities to the learner that must be re-examined, and changed. This premise is based on the belief that most, if not all, educators want to be a part of highly successful teaching and learning environments and that this is indeed the goal of most, if not all, school leaders. A major area to be addressed here is how to better understand the students that we teach, and using this new knowledge to adjust what we do to help them learn.
Glider Salinity Correction for Unpumped Ctd Sensors across a Sharp Thermocline

Autonomous underwater gliders are becoming important assets of coastal ocean observing systems, but the salinity data may have errors at the depths of thermocline if unpumped CTD sensors are used. Based on the CTD data collected by an autonomous underwater glider on the West Florida Shelf, we examine different salinity corrections, and find that the existing methods successfully adjust the thermal lag effects of a weak thermocline where temperature change is less than 0.7 °C in 3 m of the water column, but fail to calibrate the salinity spikes near a sharp thermocline where temperature change is ∼2 °C within 3 m of the water column. These salinity spikes can be effectively removed by applying a median filter in conjunction with the thermal lag correction methods. Thus, we propose an improved and practical approach of glider salinity error correction, which is especially useful for waters of strong stratification and sharp thermocline.
A Diagnostic Marker to Discriminate Childhood Apraxia of Speech From Speech Delay: IV. The Pause Marker Index.

Purpose Three previous articles provided rationale, methods, and several forms of validity support for a diagnostic marker of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), termed the pause marker (PM). Goals ...
Feeding and exchange flows produced by soft corals and upside down jellyfish

Understanding how the morphology of soft marine invertebrates affects the hydrodynamics of feeding and nutrient exchange is important for understanding this diversity of life and predicting how climate change will alter the distributions of these organisms. Soft coral of the family Xeniidae pulse with their tentacles to enhance the photosynthetic rates of symbiotic zooxanthellae. Bell pulsations of the upside down jellyfish \textit{Cassiopea spp.} create feeding currents and may also enhance photosynthesis. Other soft invertebrates use active movements for efficient low speed cruising or alternatively for quick swimming bursts. In this presentation, we use videography to quantify the movement of soft corals and upside down jellyfish. We also use particle image velocimetry to reveal the flow fields these movements create. Numerical simulations of simplified models of jellyfish and soft corals are used then to quantify and compare exchange mechanisms associated with pulsations. Numerical models allow us to isolate fundamental effects of different parameters as well as to extend the examination beyond experimental feasibility or even biological possibilities. In this way computational studies present an opportunity to explore fundamental physical limits on biological mechanisms.
Maternal intake of high n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet during pregnancy causes transgenerational increase in mammary cancer risk in mice

Maternal and paternal high-fat (HF) diet intake before and/or during pregnancy increases mammary cancer risk in several preclinical models. We studied if maternal consumption of a HF diet that began at a time when the fetal primordial germ cells travel to the genital ridge and start differentiating into germ cells would result in a transgenerational inheritance of increased mammary cancer risk. Pregnant C57BL/6NTac mouse dams were fed either a control AIN93G or isocaloric HF diet composed of corn oil high in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids between gestational days 10 and 20. Offspring in subsequent F1–F3 generations were fed only the control diet. Mammary tumor incidence induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene was significantly higher in F1 (p < 0.016) and F3 generation offspring of HF diet-fed dams (p < 0.040) than in the control offspring. Further, tumor latency was significantly shorter (p < 0.028) and burden higher (p < 0.027) in F1 generation HF offspring, and similar trends were seen in F3 generation HF offspring. RNA sequencing was done on normal mammary glands to identify signaling differences that may predispose to increased breast cancer risk by maternal HF intake. Analysis revealed 1587 and 4423 differentially expressed genes between HF and control offspring in F1 and F3 generations, respectively, of which 48 genes were similarly altered in both generations. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis validated 13 chosen up- and downregulated genes in F3 HF offspring, but only downregulated genes in F1 HF offspring. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified upregulation of Notch signaling as a key alteration in HF offspring. Further, knowledge-fused differential dependency network analysis identified ten node genes that in the HF offspring were uniquely connected to genes linked to increased cancer risk (ANKEF1, IGFBP6, SEMA5B), increased resistance to cancer treatments (SLC26A3), poor prognosis (ID4, JAM3, TBX2), and impaired anticancer immunity (EGR3, ZBP1). We conclude that maternal HF diet intake during pregnancy induces a transgenerational increase in offspring mammary cancer risk in mice. The mechanisms of inheritance in the F3 generation may be different from the F1 generation because significantly more changes were seen in the transcriptome.
Community Violence Exposure, Conduct Problems, and Oppositional Behaviors Among Latino Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Academic Performance

The current literature examining how community violence exposure (CVE) differentially relates to oppositional behaviors and conduct problems, as well as factors that impact this link, is limited. Further research is needed to examine these relationships to understand the etiologies of these disorders and what factors can buffer the effects of CVE, particularly among Latino youth. Accordingly, the current study examined relations between CVE, conduct problems, and oppositional behaviors, and whether academic performance moderated these effects. The researchers examined these relations in a sample of 144 Latino adolescents (54% male, ages 14–19). Participants completed a survey that included self-report measures on CVE and conduct problems. Participants’ teachers reported on oppositional behaviors and academic performance. Results indicated that CVE was associated with conduct problems, but not oppositional behaviors. Additionally, academic performance was found to moderate the association between CVE and conduct problems, such that at low levels of academic performance, CVE was associated with more conduct problems. CVE was uniquely associated with conduct problems and not oppositional behaviors. Additionally, results of the current study contributes to the literature by suggesting CVE is associated with conduct behaviors when academic performance is low.
Spontaneous Aerobic Oxidation of 1,1,2,2-Tetrakis(N-methylpyridin- 4-ium)ethane Iodide to the Alkene and the Epoxide.

The tetrapyridinium salt 1 was found to undergo quantitative air oxidation upon dissolving it in water. The corresponding alkene and the epoxide were found as the only products of the oxidation. A mechanism that involves an alkyl hydroperoxide intermediate 1″ undergoing a transformation that yields both products is proposed. Air oxidation of 1 shows the potential of the acceptor substituted alkanes to be used in the studies of mostly unknown direct epoxidation of single C–C bonds.
Neurobehavioral features in individuals with Kabuki syndrome.

Background Kabuki syndrome (KS) is a disorder characterized by multiple congenital anomalies affecting development and function of multiple systems. Over the years, researchers have attempted to characterize the neurobehavioral phenotype of KS in cohorts of patients enrolled on the basis of clinical assessment. The availability of molecular testing now allows for recruitment of patients with confirmed KS due to KMT2D and KDM6A. Methods The aims of the present study were to investigate the neuropsychological and behavioral profiles of individuals with molecularly confirmed diagnosis of KS, and determine the extent of heterogeneity occurring in these profiles between individuals with clinical diagnosis of KS with and without mutations in KMT2D. We also described performance of our cohort in any neuropsychological domain investigated. Results We documented a marked variation in the neuropsychological profile of subjects with clinical diagnosis of KS, even though a relatively homogeneous impairment in linguistic domains and motor skills was observed. No significant difference occurred between mutation-positive and mutation-negative groups. Phonological disorders and oromotor dysfunctions were also found, and adaptive functioning was characterized by low performance in daily living and in motor domain. Conclusion The present study allowed identification of a distinctive neurobehavioral profile in a cohort of individuals affected by KS with or without molecularly confirmed diagnosis. These findings are expected to help clinicians define more accurately targeted protocols for individualized intervention.
The Civil War at 150 Years: Deep Wounds Yet to Heal

This chapter applies analytical approaches from political psychology to review the depth of the wounds leading up to, during, and after the American Civil War and the impact of individual and societal hurts and resentments that still in the twenty-first century profoundly affects national politics and paralyzes the federal government. It draws on little-known history and contemporary journalism to describe the memory of loss and insult that needs to be healed for the United States to function in reasonable health.
The genus Yersinia: biochemistry and genetics of virulence.

A highly successful modus operandi in research is to perform an experiment and then decide what problem was solved; the alternative procedure of devising experiments in order to answer preexisting questions may be more difficult. Unfortunately, the latter approach cannot be avoided by those concerned with infectious diseases because the question of why a given microorganism is virulent is automatically framed by its discoverer—in this case, the plague bacillus by Yersin (1894) and the causative agent of pseudotuberculosis by Malassez, and Vignal (1883). The delay of almost a century in obtaining satisfactory answers to these questions simply illustrates that the complexity of the host-parasite relationship is formidable and that experiments relevant to the expression of virulence have not been designed. At the same time, considerable progress towards this end has been made with other pathogens, especially in correlating nutritional requirements and metabolic patterns with the bacterium’s favored habitat in vivo (Moulder, 1962). Nevertheless, the diverse phenomena observed during infection with intracellular parasites cannot always be duplicated in simplified experimental systems. Furthermore, the infectivity of many microorganisms is low or erratic in laboratory animals and the response of the normal host to acute and chronic phases of disease may be quite distinct.
Hands-on laboratory experience in teaching-learning physiology.

Reactivation of several model 5 (vacuum tube) Grass polygraphs for active hands-on laboratory experiments by small student groups, in contrast to demonstrations and pretaped illustrations of physio...
Hydrogel Microelectrodes for the Rapid, Reliable, and Repeatable Characterization of Lipid Membranes.

Model lipid bilayer membranes provide approximations of natural cellular membranes that may be formed in the laboratory to study their mechanics and interactions with the surrounding environment. A new approach for their formation is proposed here based on the self-assembly of lipid monolayers at oil–water interfaces, creating a lipid-coated hydrogel-tipped electrode that produces a stable lipid membrane on the surface when introduced to a lipid-coated aqueous droplet. Membrane formation using the hydrogel microelectrode is tested for a variety of lipids and oils. The channel-forming peptide alamethicin is added to the membrane, and its functionality is verified. Finally, asymmetric membranes are created using varying lipid compositions, and the capacity for repeated quantification of membrane structure is demonstrated. The proposed hydrogel microelectrodes are compatible with multiple oils and lipids, simple to use, and suitable for detecting the presence of both biomolecular transporters and dissolved l...
Online quantification of input uncertainty for parametric models

It has become increasingly important to assimilate "online data" that arrive sequentially in time for real-time decision. Input uncertainty quantification in stochastic simulation has been developed extensively for batch data that are available all at once, but little has been studied for online data. In this paper, we propose a computationally efficient method to incorporate online data in real time for input uncertainty quantification of parametric models. We show finite-sample bounds and asymptotic convergence for the proposed method, and demonstrate its performance on a simple numerical example.
Melting and Evaporation of Monolayer H2-D2 Mixtures Adsorbed on D2-Plated Graphite

We report heat capacity measurements on second layer mixtures of H 2 -D 2 adsorbed on exfoliated graphite plated with one monolayer of D 2 , for 3K<T<15K, 2nd layer coverages between 0.3 and 0.44 layers, and x, the D 2 concentration, between 0 and 1, across the three-phase melting region (T m ) and the two-phase liquid-vapor coexistence region through its high temperature boundary (T e ). Deviations from a linear dependence of T m and T e on x have been found. An estimate of the degree of fractionation is presented.
Estimating Bayes factors from minimal ANOVA summaries for repeated-measures designs

In this paper, I develop a formula for estimating Bayes factors directly from minimal summary statistics produced in repeated measures analysis of variance designs. The formula, which requires knowing only the $F$-statistic, the number of subjects, and the number of repeated measurements per subject, is based on the BIC approximation of the Bayes factor, a common default method for Bayesian computation with linear models. In addition to providing computational examples, I report a simulation study in which I demonstrate that the formula compares favorably to a recently developed, more complex method that accounts for correlation between repeated measurements. The minimal BIC method provides a simple way for researchers to estimate Bayes factors from a minimal set of summary statistics, giving users a powerful index for estimating the evidential value of not only their own data, but also the data reported in published studies.
CHAPTER 2 – High School Review with Mathematica

This chapter reviews high school math with some help from Mathematica. Polynomials are functions of the form p = p [ x ] = a 0 + α 1 x + … + a n x n . This chapter presents the rule of exponents: addition of exponents, negative exponents, repeated exponents, and fractional exponents. One need to be proficient at the use of these rules to take advantage of the powerful symbolics in calculus. The chapter discusses basic trig functions. The notion of radian measure is one of the essential things to remember from high school. The reason radian measure is important in calculus is because it relates a distance measure of angle to the distance measure of sine and cosine that locates a point on the unit circle. The chapter presents the review of high school log and exponential identities and the review of high school trig identities.
Validation of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale in a mixed sample of adults with and without chronic conditions

The aim of this study was to validate the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale in three different groups: adults with multiple sclerosis (n = 65), fibromyalgia (n = 64), and healthy adults (n = 86). Participants completed the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale and other self-report measures. While findings supported the internal consistency of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (all Cronbach's alpha ⩾ 0.85), standard error of measurement estimates were larger than hypothesized. In addition, while item-level reliability was generally supported, item-total correlations for two items were lower than expected. Convergent and discriminant validity were supported, and the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale was able to distinguish between individuals with and without chronic disease. Overall, the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale exhibited acceptable psychometric properties.
Predicting change in perceived social support in late life: The role of personality and gender

AbstractObjectives: Perceived social support (PSS) has a uniquely beneficial effect on physical and mental health in older adults, yet relatively little is known about patterns of change in PSS dur...
Fossilized diatoms of siliceous hydrothermal deposits in Yellowstone National Park, USA

The study of eukaryotic extremophiles is relatively novel, and, therefore, documentation of the structure and function of micro-organisms in continental hydrothermal systems globally is limited. In...
Neural circuit mechanism for generating categorical representations

Categorical neural representations underlie various forms of selection and decision-making. They promote robust signaling of the winner in the presence of input ambiguity and neural noise. Here, we show that a 9donut-like9 inhibitory mechanism in which each competing option suppresses all options except itself is highly effective at generating categorical responses. It surpasses motifs of feedback inhibition, recurrent excitation, and divisive normalization used in decision-making models. We demonstrate experimentally not only that this mechanism operates in the midbrain spatial selection network in barn owls, but also that it is required for categorical signaling by it. Moreover, the pattern of inhibition forms an exquisitely structured 9multi-holed9 donut consistent with this network9s combinatorial inhibitory function. Self-sparing inhibition may be a powerful circuit module central to categorical selection.
Gene knockout of the Na + -glucose cotransporter SGLT2 in a murine model of acute kidney injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion.

In the early proximal tubule, Na+-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) mediates the bulk of renal glucose reabsorption. Gene deletion in mice (Sglt2-/-) was used to determine the role of SGLT2 in acute kidney injury induced by bilateral ischemia-reperfusion (IR). In Sglt2-/- and littermate wild-type mice, plasma creatinine increased similarly on day 1 after IR. This was associated with an equal increase in both genotypes in the urinary kidney injury molecule-1-to-creatinine ratio, a tubular injury marker, and similarly reduced urine osmolality and increased plasma osmolality, indicating impaired urine concentration. In both IR groups, FITC-sinistrin glomerular filtration rate was equally reduced on day 14, and plasma creatinine was similarly and incompletely restored on day 23. In Sglt2-/- mice subjected to IR, fractional urinary glucose excretion was increased on day 1 but reduced and associated with normal renal Na+-glucose cotransporter 1 (Sglt1) mRNA expression on day 23, suggesting temporary SGLT1 suppression. In wild-type mice subjected to IR, renal Sglt1 mRNA was likewise normal on day 23, whereas Sglt2 mRNA was reduced by 57%. In both genotypes, IR equally reduced urine osmolality and renal mRNA expression of the Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter and renin on day 23, suggesting thick ascending limb dysfunction, and similarly increased renal mRNA expression of markers of injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis (kidney injury molecule-1, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, transforming growth factor-β1, NADPH oxidase-2, and collagen type 1). This was associated with equal increases in kidney histological damage scores and similar degree of capillary loss in both genotypes. The data indicate that genetic deletion of SGLT2 did not protect the kidneys in the initial injury phase or the subsequent recovery phase in a mouse model of IR-induced acute kidney injury.
Mouse Models of Heart Failure with Preserved or Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, complex condition with increasing incidence worldwide, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This has led to the current clinical strategies, which only treat symptoms of HF without addressing the underlying causes. Multiple animal models have been developed in an attempt to recreate the chronic HF phenotype that arises following a variety of myocardial injuries. Although significant strides have been made in HF research, an understanding of more specific mechanisms will require distinguishing models that resemble HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) from those with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Therefore, current mouse models of HF need to be re-assessed to determine which of them most closely recapitulate the specific etiology of HF being studied. This will allow for the development of therapies targeted specifically at HFpEF or HFrEF. This review will summarize the commonly used mouse models of HF and discuss which aspect of human HF each model replicates, focusing on whether HFpEF or HFrEF is induced, to allow better investigation into pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment strategies.
Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Licensed Social Workers

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are predictors of deleterious outcomes in adulthood. Studies of childhood maltreatment among various populations and professions assess the prevalence and scope...
Anticolonial ecofeminisms: Women’s environmental literature in French-speaking Oceania:

This article considers Oceanian women’s literature of French-expression through an ecofeminist, anticolonial lens, or through what will be termed an ‘Oceanian ecofeminist approach’. Keeping in mind...
Type I interferon signaling mediates Mycobacterium tuberculosis–induced macrophage death

Macrophages help defend the host against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the major cause of tuberculosis (TB). Once phagocytized, Mtb resists killing by macrophages, replicates inside them, and leads to their death, releasing Mtb that can infect other cells. We found that the death of Mtb-infected mouse macrophages in vitro does not appear to proceed by a currently known pathway. Through genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening, we identified a critical role for autocrine or paracrine signaling by macrophage-derived type I IFNs in the death of Mtb-infected macrophages in vitro, and blockade of type I IFN signaling augmented the effect of rifampin, a first-line TB drug, in Mtb-infected mice. Further definition of the pathway of type I IFN-mediated macrophage death may allow for host-directed therapy of TB that is more selective than systemic blockade of type I IFN signaling.
Friend or foe? Feeding tube placement at the time of pancreatoduodenectomy: propensity score case-matched analysis.

The role of concomitant gastrostomy or jejunostomy feeding tube (FT) placement during pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) and its impact on patient outcomes remain controversial. NSQIP database was surveyed for patients undergoing PD between 2014 and 2017. FT placement was identified using CPT codes. Propensity scores were used to match the two groups (1:1) on baseline characteristics and intraoperative variables including pancreas specific ones (duct size, gland texture, underlying disease, wound class, use of wound protector, drain placement, type of pancreatic reconstruction and vascular reconstruction). Outcomes were compared. Finally, a subset analyses for patients with delayed gastric emptying (DGE) or postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) were performed. Out of 15,224 PD, 1,104 (7.5%) had FT. POPF and DGE rates were 17% and 18%, respectively, for the entire cohort. Feeding jejunostomy was the most placed FT (88.2%). Patients with FT placement were more likely to be older (mean, 65.8 vs. 64.6 y), smokers (22.6% vs. 17.8%) who had preoperative weight loss (22.5% vs. 15.3%), ASA class ≥ 3 (80.8% vs. 77.5%), preoperative transfusion (1.5% vs. 0.84%), chemotherapy (22.8% vs. 17.5%), and radiation (14.5% vs. 6.8%, p 0.05). Patients with FT placement during PD tend to have higher postoperative morbidity and delayed recovery.
Equipment Reposition Optimization

Maritime Lines need continuous equipment flow to maintain their service and operations among the port network they call. The ideal scenario for a shipping company would be every inbound container exported as a full container loaded in a short term. Reposition costs begin right after the container has been discharged and it will increase every day if the unused unit stays in a depot. The Maritime Lines will bear these costs for a while to quicken the process, but in the end, producers and consumers will pay all. This project is being undertaken because it is necessary to identify equipment imbalances and plan equipment repositioning with minimum costs and transit times, besides trying to get credit for export cargoes by import units using the drop-off fee paid by the shipper. This way, better equipment control, which will benefit the customers, will be obtained. This strategy will help companies to avoid negative contributions by earning more cargo volume and offering competitive rates.
A Reconfigurable Nanophotonic Architecture based on Phase Change Material

Silicon photonics is an emerging technology allowing to take the advantage of high-speed light propagation to accelerate computing kernels in integrated systems. Micrometer-scale optical devices call for reconfigurable architectures to maximize resources utilization. Typical reconfigurable optical computing architectures involve micro-ring resonators for electro-optic modulation. However, such devices require voltage and thermal tuning to compensate for fabrication process variability and thermal sensitivity. This power-hungry calibration leads to significant static power overhead, thus limiting the scalability of optical architectures. In this paper, we propose to use non-volatile Phase Change Materials (PCM) elements to route optical signals only through the required resonators, hence saving calibration energy of bypassed resonators. The non-volatility of PCM elements allows maintaining the optical path. We investigate the efficiency of the PCM elements on the Reconfigurable Directed Logic (RDL) architecture. Results show that the static power is reduced by 32.8% on average and that 30% power saving is obtained from 158kHz reconfiguration frequency.
Plant-Derived Natural Products Research: Recent Progress in Drug Discovery

Numerous important bioactive compounds have been, and continue to be, isolated worldwide from natural sources. These compounds include both primary and secondary metabolites isolated mainly from plants, as well as from the animal and mineral kingdoms. The recent development of new bioassay methods has facilitated progress in the BDFI (bioactivity-directed fractionation and isolation) of many useful bioactive compounds from natural sources (1). These active principles could be developed or additionally modified to enhance the biologic profiles as clinical trials candidates. Many natural pure compounds have become medicines, dietary supplements, and other useful commercial products. This article summarizes research on many different useful compounds isolated or developed from plants with an emphasis on those discovered recently by the laboratories of the authors as antitumor and anti-HIV clinical trial candidates.
Adult descending colocolic intussusception caused by a large lipoma

Adult intussusception is uncommon and varies considerably from the more common occur rence of this disorder in infants and children. Although lipoma represents the most common benign tumor of the colon, it is a relatively rare cause of gastrointestinal symptoms. A rare case of adult intussusception of the descending colon caused by a giant lipoma is presented and discussed.
Effects of low dose X-ray irradiation on porcine articular cartilage explants.

Ionizing radiation therapy is a crucial treatment for cancer, but can damage surrounding normal tissues. Damage to articular cartilage leading to arthropathy can occur at irradiated sites. It is unclear whether this response is due to damaging surrounding skeletal structures or direct effects on cartilage. In this study, we showed that irradiation with 2 Gy of X-rays causes a significant reduction in the stiffness of porcine explants 1 week post-irradiation. By using both microindentation and indentation-type atomic force microscopy, ionizing radiation reduces stiffness in both the superficial zone, and throughout the entire thickness of the tissue. Young's modulus values were 75% and 60% lower in 2 Gy irradiated samples when compared with controls using microindentation and nanoindentation, respectively. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) released into the culture media of irradiated samples was nearly 100% greater at 24 h after exposure. While collagen content in the tissue is similar between groups, GAG content is 55% lower in irradiated explants compared with controls 7 days after exposure. Therefore, the irradiated explants are unable to recover from the initial loss of GAGs by 1 week. This acute loss of GAGs is a likely contributor to the reduction in modulus seen after exposure to ionizing radiation. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31:1780–1785, 2013
Models and search strategies for applied molecular evolution

In just a few years, molecular diversity techniques have revolutionized pharmaceutical design and experimental methods for studying receptor binding, consensus sequences, genetic regulatory mechanisms, and many other issues in biochemistry and chemistry [1–6]. Because of the enormous libraries of ligands that can be used and the rapidity of the techniques, methods of applied molecular evolution such as SELEX and phage display have become particularly popular [1,5,7–11].
Phase Transition Behavior and Molecular Structures of Monounsaturated Phosphatidylcholines CALORIMETRIC STUDIES AND MOLECULAR MECHANICS SIMULATIONS

Abstract High resolution differential scanning calorimetric studies were performed to investigate the thermotropic phase behavior of 26 molecular species of sn-1 saturated/sn-2 monounsaturated phosphatidylcholines. In parallel with calorimetric studies, the energy-minimized structures and steric energies of the diglyceride moieties of these monoenoic lipids were determined using a molecular mechanics approach. The combined calorimetric and computational studies led to the following results and conclusions. (i) When a single cis-carbon-carbon double bond (Δ) is incorporated into a saturated diacylphosphatidylcholine molecule at any position within the central segment of the long sn-2 acyl chain, the resulting monoenoic lipid molecules will, in excess water, exhibit reduced phase transition temperature (T) and transition enthalpy (ΔH) as they undergo the gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition. The T and ΔH-lowering effects of the Δ bond can be attributed to a decrease in the chain length of the sn-2 acyl chain, a change in the chain length difference between the sn-1 and sn-2 acyl chains, and a local perturbation of the chain-chain van der Waals interaction in the vicinity of the Δ bond. (ii) For a series of positional isomers of 1-stearoyl-2-cis-octadecenoylphosphatidylcholine, C(18):C(18:1Δ)PC, with a Δ bond at different positions along the sn-2 acyl chain, the T value depends critically on the position of the Δ bond. Specifically, the T value is minimal as the Δ bond is located at the geometric center of the linear segment of the sn-2 acyl chain, and the Tvalue is progressively increased as the Δ bond migrates toward either end of the sn-2 acyl chain. (iii) The various monoenoic phosphatidylcholines under study can be divided into two groups. The T values of most lipids in each group can be correlated in an identical manner with their structural parameters, yielding a commonT-structure relationship.
The Information Content of Analyst Stock Recommendations

We investigate the relation between analyst stock recommendations and eight concurrently available variables that have predictive power for stock returns. We find that analysts generally pay little attention to the large sample predictive attributes of these variables. In seven out of eight cases, analysts' stock recommendations are directionally opposite to the variable's normative usage in returns prediction. In general, analysts exhibit a strong bias in favor of glamour stocks with growth characteristics. Despite this general bias, analyst recommendations have incremental predictive power for future returns. In fact, after controlling for the other predictive variables, the predictive power of the level of the analyst recommendation increases. These findings suggest that analyst stock recommendations contain information that is largely orthogonal to the information in the other predictive variables. We discuss the implications of these results for analysts, and for investors who rely on their recommendations.
Inhibition of pure cultures of methanogens by benzene ring compounds.

The inhibition of methane production by Methanosaeta concilii GP6, Methanospirillum hungatei GP1, Methanobacterium espanolae GP9, and Methanobacterium bryantii M.o.H. during short-term (6-h) exposure to eight benzene ring compounds was studied. The concentration that caused 50% inhibition of the methane production rate (IC50) was dependent on the species and the toxicant. Pentachlorophenol was the most toxic of the tested compounds, with an IC50 of less than 8 mg/liter for all species except M. hungatei. Abietic acid was the next most toxic compound for all the species, with an IC50 in the range of 21.4 to 203 mg/liter. Sodium benzoate was generally the least toxic, with an IC50 in the range of 1,225 to 32,400 mg/liter. 3-Chlorobenzoate was substantially more toxic (IC50, 450 to 1,460 mg/liter) than benzoate. The inhibition by benzene, phenol, vanillic acid, and toluene was intermediate to that of pentachlorophenol and benzoate. Long-term incubation (days) studies to determine effect on growth indicated that all eight compounds were usually much more toxic than predicted from the short-term data. In these latter studies, there was generally a good correlation in the observed inhibition as determined from growth and methane production.
A class of reliable UDP-based transport protocols based on stochastic approximation

The capacities of Internet backbone links have been continuously improving over the last decade, but such improvements have not been fully realized at the application level, particularly in high-performance applications. The complicated and monolithic TCP-AIMD dynamics are responsible to a large degree for low throughputs as a result of the difficulty in optimally configuring its parameters such as buffer sizes, AIMD coefficients, and slow-start transition points. In this paper, we propose a new class of UDP-based transport protocols that utilize a rate control scheme founded on the stochastic approximation method to achieve high throughputs at the application level. These protocols operate around a local maximum of the throughput regression curve by dynamically adjusting the source rate in response to acknowledgements and losses based on the statistical behavior of the network connection. We analytically show that this protocol generates a TCP-friendly flow, and also stochastically converges to the maximum throughput under a monotone loss rate condition. Our implementation achieved very robust performance over diverse Internet connections with different characteristics: it tracked the peak throughput in presence of time-varying cross traffic and consistently achieved 2-5 times the throughput of default TCP without significantly affecting the concurrent regular traffic.
Measuring Gender: Options and Issues

In 1979, Carole Beere published an index of 235 gender-related measures. In her effort to update the volume a decade later, she reviewed over 1,400 measures (Beere, 1990a, 1990b). Although less than 10% of the newly published measures had been cited more than five times, the sheer volume of measures suggests that there is (or was) great interest in assessing gender-related phenomena, that there were many options for doing so, and that gender is a complex, multidimensional phenomenon. The plethora of measures also suggests that there were substantial disagreements about measurement and that there were (likely) fractures in the field. This chapter emerges from a perspective that holds gender to be socially constructed, consistent with literature that has demonstrated changes in femininity and masculinity across times and places (Best & Williams, 1998; Gilmore, 1990; Kimmel, 1996; Smiler, Kay, & Harris, 2008; Twenge, 1997a, 1997b). Before we go further, we must clarify some terms. In this chapter, we use “sex” to refer to an individual’s biological status as female, male, or intersexual. We use the term “gender” to refer to a broad collection of personality characteristics, beliefs, and behaviors that are understood to be more “appropriate” for one sex than for the other (Unger, 1990). Gendered expectations are also applied to different “gender roles,” which specify what is normative and culturally “appropriate” behavior for men and women. Because the definitions of “masculinity” and “femininity” vary across scales, we do not offer a definition here. Moreover, we acknowledge that constructions of gender are necessarily culture-specific and cohort-specific, and illustrate dominant values that do not necessarily reflect individual differences. As most of the gender measures reviewed here have emerged from the Western world, this chapter largely reflects Western notions of masculinity and femininity, including the notion that there are only two genders (but see Herdt, 1994, for an alternate view). In this chapter, we review three different classes of measures that assess gender-related constructs, and we discuss measurement and conceptual issues that we believe the field must address. Within each class, we identify major foci, and provide a brief description of commonly used measures. We highlight measures that have had a substantial impact on gender studies or, among newer scales that we believe have the potential to have a substantial impact. We give preference to measures that have been used within the past 10 years and for which at least one psychometric analysis has been published (beyond the initial publication of the scale). In our review, we focus on the internal consistency (i.e., Cronbach’s alpha), reliability (i.e., the scale’s ability to produce replicable results)
Browning of subcutaneous white adipose tissue in humans after severe adrenergic stress (1160.5)

Intriguing new evidence from animal models suggests that white adipose tissue (WAT) can acquire a brown adipose tissue (BAT) phenotype after adrenergic stress. In this study, we investigated whether the WAT of humans has the capacity to adopt a BAT-like phenotype (browning of WAT). Subcutaneous WAT samples were collected from 20 severely burned children (early group [8±4 days post injury] or late group [37±25 days]) and 6 healthy children (control group). Morphologic assessment of WAT from the late burn group showed numerous multilocular adipocytes that stained positive for uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). UCP1 protein content was significantly higher in the late burn group compared to healthy controls (2.72±0.31 vs. 22.88±4.45 ng/mg, P<0.001) and the early burn group (6.88±1.39 vs. 22.88±4.45 ng/mg, P<0.01). Likewise, coupled and uncoupled mitochondrial respiration in the late burn group were 3-fold and 4-fold greater, respectively compared to the control group (P<0.01) and the maximum activity of citrate sy...
Overlayer Au-on-W Near-Surface Alloy for the Selective Electrochemical Reduction of CO 2 to Methanol: Empirical (DEMS) Corroboration of a Computational (DFT) Prediction

It is now widely known from extensive studies [1–3] over the past few decades on the heterogeneous electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in aqueous solutions that, across the vast landscape of CO_2-reduction electrocatalysts, copper stands alone as the single metal that can deliver a remarkable variety of products; unpredictably, however, the product distribution does not include methanol [1–5]. The overall energy conversion efficiency of Cu, defined [6] as the ratio of the free energy of the products generated and that consumed in the electrochemical reduction, is only 30 to 40 %, and the overpotential of Cu at benchmark current densities remains unacceptably large, ca. −1.4 V [1, 6]. The diversity of the product distribution also becomes a major hurdle if only one product is coveted. The desire for catalysts that can perform better than Cu, especially in the generation of methanol, a liquid transportation fuel, and feedstock for direct fuel cells, is thus understandable.
Modern Chinese Labor History, 1895-1949

The modern period of Chinese labor history begins in 1895, the year in which the Treaty of Shimonoseki ended the Sino-Japanese War. Prior to that time, the numbers of modern industrial enterprises and industrial workers in China were so small as to be insignificant. But this treaty contained within it provisions that facilitated the construction of foreign-owned factories in China and the hiring of Chinese workers in these new factories, and thus marks the beginning of a signifi cant modern industrial sector.