cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infra-red absorption spectra of metal chelates derived from 8-hydroxyquinoline, 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline, and 4-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline

Abstract The infra-red absorption spectra of solid 8-hydroxyquinoline, 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline, 4-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline, and of a number of metal chelates derived from these reagents, have been studied. In general, the spectra of the metal chelates derived from a given reagent were found to be quite similar. Significant differences were, however, observed in several instances, which may be useful analytically. An absorption peak at about 9 μ was found in the spectra for the chelates of all three reagents. It is suggested that this peak is associated with C-O vibrations in these molecules. When the “9 μ” peak positions for divalent-metal 8-hydroxyquinolates are plotted against the atomic weights of the corresponding metals, the points for the transition-metal chelates fall near one straight line, while the points for the remaining metal chelates fall near another. It is suggested that this may indicate either involvement of 3d orbitals in metal-ligand bonding for the transition-metal 8-hydroxy-quinolates or, alternatively, a difference in crystal structure for the two classes of chelates.
Microsystems manufacturing via embossing of photodefinable thermally sacrificial materials

Substantial recent interest in microelectronics manufacturing has motivated significant work on non-traditional processes such as embossing-based lithography. This work has been generally limited to manufacturing conventional microelectronics, producing two dimensional patterned surfaces and structures. To date, little work has been done to produce microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which can require production of complex three-dimensional and possibly free standing structures. This paper reports a novel method for manufacturing three-dimensional microstructures that can be freely standing and/or fully released. The method involves the use of thermally sacrificial polymers, i.e. materials that can be cleanly decomposed to gaseous products upon heating at elevated temperatures. Such sacrificial polymers can be directly embossed and subsequently overcoated with a variety of materials including other polymers, dielectrics, semiconductors, and metals. Following the deposition of the overcoat layer, further processing can be performed on the overcoat layer (e.g. selective etching or deposition of additional materials). Finally, the entire structure is heated to the decomposition temperature of the sacrificial polymer which results in the “dry” removal of the sacrificial layer, thus releasing the desired structures. The various sacrificial materials that have been investigated are polynorbornenes and polycarbonates, and the overlayer materials include polyimides, silicon oxide, and metals. This paper discusses the various properties of these sacrificial materials, the printing and processing conditions for these materials, and the use of this method for the fabrication of a MEMS based microfluidic system with free standing and suspended obstructions. This novel manufacturing technique meets the needs of MEMS manufacturing in that it can produce three dimensional and free standing microstructures. It permits the fabrication of devices and systems in only a few process steps that would otherwise be either substantially more complicated or impossible to achieve. This process of coating, embossing, and overcoating can also be repeated to build-up complex multi-layered structures.
Abstract 3475: Progranulin as a prognostic biomarker of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Late diagnosis and early recurrence make epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) the leading cause of gynecologic cancer death in the US. Indicators of early relapse may allow triage of high-risk patients to earlier therapy. Progranulin (PGRN) is a growth and survival factor overexpressed in EOC. We hypothesize that elevated serum (s)PGRN concentrations after clinical complete response (CCR) to primary platinum and taxane-based combination chemotherapy prognosticates disease recurrence and decreased survival in advanced EOC patients. We previously demonstrated high plasma (p)PGRN concentration (cutoff 59ng/ml) at first CCR distinguished early from late recurrence and predicted long-term survival (ROC AUC=0.944; sensitivity 93%; specificity 100%). In multivariate analysis, high pPGRN concentration predicted early recurrence (HR=23.5; 95%CI: 2.49-221; P<0.006). As PGRN is cleaved into proinflammatory granulins by neutrophil elastase, we wished to investigate the reliability of sPGRN as a biomarker. We compared PRGN concentrations in ten blinded, paired serum and plasma samples, using commercial PRGN ELISA assays; paired two-tailed t-test demonstrated comparability (P=0.90, R2= 0.002). A cohort of 35 blinded serum samples from a different institution was analyzed using the ELISA. The optimal dichotomization concentration of sPGRN, 49.5ng/ml, was determined by ROC statistics at a specificity of 90%, and applied to outcome analyses using Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan-Meier modeling. This PGRN cutoff significantly differentiated progression-free survival (PFS; P=0.0013). Subjects with low sPGRN had 100% survival (OS) at 2 years (N=11; range 2-12). Further validation of PGRN's discriminatory value could lead to its clinical investigation as a prognostic biomarker to stratify those at high risk for recurrence to closer monitoring or maintenance therapy, as well as its examination as a predictive biomarker for response to initial therapy. Citation Format: Sharon Fitzgerald, Minshu Yu, John Hays, Nicola Di Santo, Laura Havrilesky, Elise Kohn. Progranulin as a prognostic biomarker of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3475. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3475
On the universe of stable cellular neural networks

A cellular neural network (CNN) is a novel analogue circuit architecture with many desirable features. This paper extends previous stability results of CNNs to include classes of strictly sign-symmetric and acyclic templates. We show that most of the 3×3 strictly sign-symmetric templates are stable almost everywhere, with the unknown templates reduced to three classes. We also introduce template graphs and CNN graphs and utilize them to obtain results concerning stability and irreducibility of CNN templates.
Sphenoid sinusitis in children

Abstract The sphenoid sinus is the least accessible of all paranasal sinuses. Symptoms of involvement are often vague and nonlocalizing. Computed tomographic studies provide the best view of this sinus and its involvement with the disease process. At the same time, the potential for intracranial and intraorbital complications can be evaluated. These images, particularly the lateral topogram, provide a road map for safe entrance into the sinus. The transnasal approach is the most direct method of entry into the sphenoid sinus, and when the radiological studies are combined with a thorough knowledge of the three-dimensional anatomy of the area and careful surgical technique, safe sphenoid surgery can be performed.
K−-Meson Elastic Scattering by Emulsion Nuclei

Data on elastic nuclear scattering of ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ mesons in emulsion have been obtained. The differential cross section has been calculated by the WKB approximation in the method of partial waves. It is concluded that the real and imaginary potentials necessary to give the correct ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}$-nucleon cross section also give a good fit to the elastic nuclear scattering data.
Homologous pairing of DNA molecules promoted by a protein from ustilago

Abstract A protein from mitotic cells of Ustilago maydis was purified on the basis of its ability to reanneal complementary single strands of DNA. The protein catalyzed the uptake of linear single strands by super-helical DNA, but only in reactions with homologous combinations of single-strand fragments and super-helical DNA from phages φX174 and fd. No reaction occurred with heterologous combinations. The protein also efficiently paired circular single strands and linear duplex DNA molecules. The product was a joint molecule in which the circular single strand displaced one strand of the duplex. Efficient pairing depended upon ATP, and ATPase activity was found associated with the purified protein. ATP-dependent reannealing of complementary single strands was not detectable in the recl mutant of Ustilago, which is deranged in meiotic recombination, as complete tetrads are rare, and is defective in radiation-induced mitotic gene conversion.
Transposition of the great vessels.

Abstract Twenty-nine cases of transposition of the great vessels were studied, 15 confirmed by necropsy and 4 by angiocardiography. They were divided into three groups: (1) isolated transposition; (2) transposition with pulmonary stenosis and other associated malformations; and (3) transposition with biventricular origin of the pulmonary artery and hypoplastic aorta. The relation between the great vessels, the characteristics of the associated malformations, the clinical picture, the scalar electrocardiogram and the radiologic findings were studied in every case. The anatomic-embryologic relations and the corresponding electrocardiographic and radiologic correlations were established in the different groups.
Solution of Unsteady Flow of Power Law Fluids

The experimental results have verified the linear behavior of the intensity of Raman scattered light as a function of specie concentration. It can be concluded that the technique is capable of identifying and measuring concentrations of individual gaseous species in a mixture during a single 10-nanosec sampling time. By repeating the sampling at the laser rate of 100 pulses per sec, it is possible to monitor a dynamic gas flow situation. For the case of 65 cm of nitrogen at 3000 psi injected into a spherical mixing chamber containing 100 psi of helium, results obtained using the Raman scattering technique illustrate the rapid mixing which is occurring in the vessel. The proven merit of this facility has encouraged the extension of the technique to the study of general gas mixing problems, evaluation of transport properties, and the study of highpressure, real gas effects.
Approximately-perfect hashing: Improving network throughput through efficient off-chip routing table lookup

IP lookup is one of the key functions in the design of core routers. Its efficiency determines how fast a router can forward packets. As new content is continuously brought to the Internet, novel routing technologies must be developed to meet the increasing throughput demand. Hash-based lookup schemes are promising because they have low lookup delays and can handle large routing tables. To achieve high throughput, we must choose the hash function to reduce the lookup bandwidth from the off-chip memory where the routing table is stored. The routing table updates also need to be handled to avoid costly re-setup. In this paper, we propose AP-Hash, an approximately perfect hashing approach that not only distributes routing-table entries evenly in the hash buckets but also handles routing table updates with low overhead. We also present an enhanced approach, called AP-Hash-E, which is able to process far more updates before a complete re-setup becomes necessary. Experimental results based on real routing tables show that our new hashing approaches achieve a throughput of 250M packets per second and perform re-setup as few as just once per month.
Drift reliability optimization in IC design: generalized formulation and practical examples

A generalized formulation of the drift reliability optimization problem is presented. Algorithmic solutions are also proposed. They can be implemented readily in the existing circuit optimization environments and applied to integrated circuit design. Such applications are demonstrated, considering degradations due to hot electron effects. The results show that the proposed approach can significantly increase long-term circuit reliability and increase its robustness. >
"Theory Uncompromised by Practicality": Hybridity in Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex

The intersexed body clearly challenges conceptual cate gories. It therefore can serve, like drag, as a case study aimed at both stimulating and troubling theoretical _attempts to account for the social construction of gen der, especially the relations among gender, sexuality, and the body. But because real people also inhabit intersexed bodies, suffering the social consequences of their exclusion from normatively cate gorized identities, more is obviously at stake in thinking about intersexuality than theory itself, as scholars such as Anne Fausto Sterling, Alice Domurat Dreger, and Suzanne J. Kessler have been mindful. The potential challenge uncovered by the exploration of the intersexed body echoes a problem that recurs in such political criticisms as feminism: the act of description, with its concomitant act of theorizing, does not necessarily support activism in the world, a politics of social change that might alter the lives of those who live on the margins. This is of course not news to scholars who regularly engage with the relation of theory to praxis, but mainstream fiction has not often taken up the challenge. Jeffrey Eugenides' Pulitzer Prize-winning comic epic Middlesex (2002), however, offers in its portrait of an intersexual protagonist a fasci nating representation of the slippage that may occur between the ory and what Eugenides terms "practicality" (258), in specific
Mechanism of beneficial effects of physical activity on atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease

the world health organization ([18][1]) reports that since 1990, more people have died worldwide from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than any other cause. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC; 20) recently reported that a combination of poor diet and physical inactivity was the second leading “
Error analysis for absorbing boundary conditions

An estimate is derived for the error committed by the introduction of artificial boundaries and corresponding artificial boundary conditions when solving wave equations on unbounded domains. The estimate has two terms. One is proportional to the largest reflection coefficient for the artificial boundary condition, the maximum taken only on those rays which appear in the computation. The second term is proportional to 1/k wherek is a measure of the average frequency present in the solution.
Presidential address: awakening the hero within

r c t p f hen I was a faculty member at Michigan State University e had a department custodian named Dallas. Dallas was a iet Nam war veteran who proudly wore his Viet Nam Vet aseball cap as he went about his work. My father, who had een a mobile Army surgical hospital surgeon in Viet Nam, nd Dallas, began talking one day and they determined that hey had been stationed in the same general vicinity at the ame time. Dallas had been badly wounded on 2 occasions nd as it turns out, the care he received was at the same unit here my father was based. Over the years, they developed friendship, and when my father retired as Chair of Surery, Dallas presented him with his Purple Heart stating, on behalf of all the soldiers who were wounded and never new who saved their lives, I’d like you to have this . . . I’d ike to think you are the man who saved my life.” Such tories of friendship and heroism are not the norm in our veryday lives but this story serves as a testimony to the fact hat we make differences every day. We may feel that we re just doing our job, but to the person who is the recipient f our gesture or effort, we may be a hero. One of my favorite movies, a true chick flick, is “While ou Were Sleeping.” In this movie, Lucy, who works in a rain station, jumps on the tracks to save a man she has orshipped from afar. When he finally emerges from his oma he tells her “we don’t get to do many heroic things as n adult.” She replies, “you give up your seat every day on he train.” “Well,” he states, “that’s not heroic.” And she esponds, “it is to the person who sits in it.” Since the tragedies of September 11th, the severe acute espiratory syndrome epidemic, the ongoing fight against error in Operation Enduring Freedom, and the tsunami of ecember 26th [2004], we have heard much about heroe. . . hundreds of thousands of people have died, and in heir wake thousands of heroes have been born. Few of us
Terrestrial Carbon-Cycle Feedback to Climate Warming

The coupled carbon-climate models reported in the literature all demonstrate a positive feedback between terrestrial carbon cycles and climate warming. A primary mechanism underlying the modeled positive feedback is the kinetic sensitivity of photosynthesis and respiration to temperature. Field experiments, however, suggest much richer mechanisms driving ecosystem responses to climate warming, including extended growing seasons, enhanced nutrient availability, shifted species composition, and altered ecosystem-water dynamics. The diverse mechanisms likely define more possibilities of carbon-climate feedbacks than projected by the kinetics-based models. Nonetheless, experimental results are so variable that we have not generated the necessary insights on ecosystem responses to effectively improve global models. To constrain model projections of carbon-climate feedbacks, we need more empirical data from wholeecosystem warming experiments across a wide range of biomes, particularly in tropic regions, and closer interactions between models and experiments.
UNIQUE REGULATION OF CYP17 EXPRESSION IN THE TROPHECTODERM OF THE PREATTACHMENT PORCINE BLASTOCYST

Expression of the gene encoding cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase, CYP17, is necessary for adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis in most species. However, some animals, such as the pig, express CYP17 in the trophectoderm of the preattachment blastocyst, an event associated with estrogen synthesis and the establishment of pregnancy. How trophoblastic expression of CYP17 is regulated in the porcine blastocyst remains unknown and forms the basis of the following studies. The porcine CYP17 gene, including the complete coding and several kilobases of 5′-flanking regions, was cloned and sequenced. Blastocysts were examined by Northern analysis to verify the level of CYP17 transcript, and tissue-specific expression in the trophectoderm was confirmed by in situ hybridization. Primer extension, S1 nuclease protection, and 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends confirmed a common proximal transcription start site in adrenals and gonads (−48 bp) but identified a unique distal start site used in porcine trophectoderm (−182 ...
Sol‐Gel Processing and Characterization of Silica Thin Films for on Chip Humidity Sensors

Silica thin films have been processed via a colloidal sol-gel method which involves the hydrolyzing of potassium silicate and colloidal silica sol using formamide[1]. The resulting films are highly porous. The processing leaves residual potassium and sodium in the films which can then be removed through leaching in water. The dielectric properties of films which have been leached for twenty minutes are nearly insensitive to humidity. However, partially leached films, or films which have been doped with LiCl, KCl, or NaCl, are highly sensitive to humidity changes. The range of humidities over which these films have high sensitivity can be modified by changing the dopant type or varying the doping level. Films can be made to sense humidities ranging from 20% to 80% reproducibly. These films are ideal for microelectronic applications because they can be processed via dipping as well as spin coating and can also be easily etched.
Colonization of dental plaques: A reservoir of respiratory pathogens for hospital-acquired pneumonia in institutionalized elders

Study objectives: Poor dental hygiene has been linked to respiratory pathogen colonization in residents of long-term care facilities. We sought to investigate the association between dental plaque (DP) colonization and lower respiratory tract infection in hospitalized institutionalized elders using molecular genotyping. Methods: We assessed the dental status of 49 critically ill residents of long-term care facilities requiring intensive care treatment. Plaque index scores and quantitative cultures of DPs were obtained on ICU admission. Protected BAL (PBAL) was performed on 14 patients who developed hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Respiratory pathogens recovered from the PBAL fluid were compared genetically to those isolated from DPs by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Measurements and results: Twenty-eight subjects (57%) had colonization of their DPs with aerobic pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus (45%) accounted for the majority of the isolates, followed by enteric Gram-negative bacilli (42%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13%). The etiology of HAP was documented in 10 patients. Of the 13 isolates recovered from PBAL fluid, nine respiratory pathogens matched genetically those recovered from the corresponding DPs of eight patients. Conclusions: These findings suggest that aerobic respiratory pathogens colonizing DPs may be an important reservoir for HAP in institutionalized elders. Future studies are needed to delineate whether daily oral hygiene in hospitalized elderly would reduce the risk of nosocomial pneumonia in this frail population. (CHEST 2004; 126:1575–1582)
Expanding CERC Beyond Public Health: Sharing Best Practices With Healthcare Managers via Virtual Learning

Developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2002, the Crisis Emergency and Risk Communication (CERC) training module is a nationally and internationally recognized communication model. With the looming threat of a pandemic and the potential for a protracted ongoing siege, a valuable opportunity exists to introduce crisis and emergency preparedness communication best practices to a new population--health care managers and administrators. The CERC toolkit and resources, provide an easy, turn-key solution and a validated template for educators who are not directly involved in public health education but desire to share this content. In this example, graduate students enrolled in an Master of Health Administration program, used a Play2Train scenario, located in the virtual learning environment of SecondLife (2007), to incorporate concepts from the CERC model. By applying the CERC best practices in a real-time virtual learning scenario, students learned collaboration and the leadership competencies necessary to help implement Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations emergency communication protocols and community collaboration requirements. By expanding the impact of the CERC model and developing unified risk communication responses and information sharing, all health professionals can enhance the effectiveness of their emergency preparedness plans so that the public can be better served.
Hypoglycemia and the Full-Term Newborn: How Well Does Birth Weight for Gestational Age Predict Risk?

Objective To determine whether anthropometric characteristics could be used to accurately predict risk of hypoglycemia in full-term newborns during the early post-birth period. Design Descriptive, utilizing newborn anthropometric measurements singly and in combination to determine risk of neonatal hypoglycemia. The following measurements were obtained twice for each newborn: weight, head circumference, chest circumference, abdominal circumference, mid-arm circumference, thigh circumference, and length. The investigator was blind to all measurements except weight. Setting Mothers’ rooms or the newborn nursery in a community hospital. Interventions All measurements were obtained twice, and a physical examination was completed on each newborn by the principal investigator. These newborns were classified as large-, average-, and small-for-gestational age, using a tool typically used in many newborn nurseries. Sample One hundred fifty-seven full-term newborns (94 White and 63 African American). Main Outcome Measures The differences in anthropometric measurements by race and gender were calculated using two-way analysis of variance. The risk of hypoglycemia was calculated using logistic regression modeling. Results There were significant differences in measurements by race and by gender. Additionally, there was a subset of newborns classified as average for gestational age who had an increased risk of hypoglycemia (OR = 4.17, 95% CI = 1.33–13.08). Newborns with a mid-arm circumference/head circumference ratio that varied from .26 to .29 have an odds ratio of 6.10 (95% CI = 1.89–19.66) for risk of hypoglycemia. Plotting a newborn's birth weight on a published fetal growth curve clearly did not accurately predict his or her risk of hypoglycemia. Conclusions These findings indicate that extremes in newborn birth weight are not always correctly defined, may vary by race and ethnic group, and may not be the best method for determining under- or overnourishment and risk of neonatal hypoglycemia.
Recent developments in the field of monolithic stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography

This review summarizes the contributions to the rapidly growing area of monolithic columns based on both silica and synthetic polymers for capillary electrochromatography and chip electrochromatography, with a focus on those published during the year 2004. A wide variety of both modified approaches to the "old" monoliths and new monoliths have been reported despite the very short period of time covered. This demonstrates that monolithic stationary phases have become a well-established format in the field of electrochromatography. The simplicity of their preparation as well as the good control over their porous properties and surface chemistries make the monolithic separation media an attractive alternative to capillary columns packed with particulate materials.
Incorporating a Healthy Reimbursable Snack in an Afterschool Homework Program for Middle School Students: A Case Study

Background. This study tested the feasibility and acceptability of adding a reimbursable snack that meets the Institute of Medicine nutrition recommendations to an afterschool homework program for middle school students. Methods. Snack menu was developed and administered to students attending an afterschool homework program over 12 weeks. In spring 2009, two cross-sections of middle school students completed study measures, including snack preferences. Key school personnel completed follow-up interviews assessing program feasibility. Results. Survey evaluations from 110 students at baseline and 113 at posttest suggested improved preferences for healthy snacks. Teacher supervisors (n = 3) and the assistant principal rated the pilot project as feasible and beneficial, whereas school food service (n = 3) rated the program unsustainable because of administration logistics and costs. Conclusions. The addition of healthy snacks to afterschool programs was liked by students and teachers. However, policies that s...
Cost-effectiveness of a trial of labor after previous cesarean

Abstract Objective: To determine the cost-effective method of delivery, from society’s perspective, in patients who have had a previous cesarean. Methods: We completed an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis of a trial of labor relative to cesarean using a computerized model for a hypothetical 30-year old parturient. The model incorporated data from peer-reviewed studies, actual hospital costs, and utilities to quantify health-related quality of life. A threshold of $50,000 per quality-adjusted life-years was used to define cost-effective. Results: The model was most sensitive to the probability of successful vaginal delivery. If the probability of successful vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) was less than 0.65, elective repeat cesarean was both less costly and more effective than a trial of labor. Between 0.65 and 0.74, elective repeat cesarean was cost-effective (the cost-effectiveness ratio was less than $50,000 per quality-adjusted life-years), because, although it cost more than VBAC, it was offset by improved outcomes. Between 0.74 and 0.76, trial of labor was cost-effective. If the probability of successful vaginal delivery exceeded 0.76, trial of labor became less costly and more effective. Costs associated with a moderately morbid neonatal outcome, as well as the probabilities of infant morbidity occurring, heavily impacted our results. Conclusion: The cost-effectiveness of VBAC depends on the likelihood of successful trial of labor. Our modeling suggests that a trial of labor is cost-effective if the probability of successful vaginal delivery is greater than 0.74. Improved algorithms are needed to more precisely estimate the likelihood that a patient with a previous cesarean will have a successful vaginal delivery.
The Dormant Commerce Clause and the Balkanization of the Municipal Bond Market

The author argues that the U.S. Supreme Court should rule in favor of the plaintiffs in Davis v. Kentucky Department of Revenue, striking down Kentucky's policy of imposing state income tax on interest from out-of-state municipal bonds while exempting interest on home-state municipal bonds.
Study of relationship between pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and high-sentivity C-reactive protein in acute coronary syndromes

[Objective] To study the level of serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and expression of PAPP-A on peripherial blood monocytes in acute coronary syndromes and its correlation with serum high-senstivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). [Methods] Eighteen patients with unstable angina, thirty-seven patients with acute myocardial infarction, fifteen patients with stable angaina and fifteen healthy subjects underwent the study. Peripherial blood monocytes were isolated by Ficoll. Differential expression of PAPP-A on peripherial blood monocytes was analyzed by RT-PCR. Concentration of serum PAPP-A and hsCRP was measured. [Results] Serum PAPP-A levels were significantly higher in UAP patients or AMI patients than in SAP patients and controls (P0.01). The PAPP-A level did not differ significantly between UAP patients and AMI patients or between SAP patients and controls. Serum hsCRP levels were significantly higher in SAP patients than in controls and in UAP patients or AMI patients than in SAP patients and controls. Expression of PAPP-A on peripheral monocytes significantly increased in unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction than in control and stable angaina. The serum level and expression of PAPP-A in patients with ACS were positively correlated with level of hsCRP (r =0.616, 0.706, P0.01). [Conclusion] The expression of PAPP-A significantly increased in peripherial blood monocytes in acute coronary syndromes, which is positively associated with serum hsCRP. These results suggest PAPP-A may involve the process of acute coronary syndromes by mechanism of inflammatory.
Activity Inference through Commonsense

We introduce CIM, a Commonsense Inference Memory system utilizing both Extended Semantic Networks and Bayesian Networks that builds upon the commonsense knowledgebase ConceptNet. CIM introduces a new technique for self-assembling Bayesian Networks that allows only relevant parts of the commonsense database to affect the inference. The Bayesian Network include the activity in the input sentences and the related activities appearing in the commonsense database. They are used to interpret and infer the meaning of the set of sentences input. Without self-assembled networks, only relevant inference is performed, speeding up performance of reasoning with commonsense knowledge. We demonstrate that our system can disambiguate the needs of the user even if they do not state them directly, and do not use keywords. This ability would not be possible without either the use of commonsense or significant training. Eventually this approach may be applied to increase the effectiveness of other natural language understanding techniques as well.
Interactions of complex polymers with nanoporous substrate

With the advance of polymer synthesis, polymers that possess unique architectures such as stars or cyclic chains, and unique chemical composition distributions such as block copolymers or statistical copolymers have become frequently encountered. Characterization of these complex polymer systems drives the development of interactive chromatography where the adsorption of polymers on the porous substrate in chromatography columns is finely tuned. Liquid Chromatography at the Critical Condition (LCCC) in particular makes use of the existence of the Critical Adsorption Point (CAP) of polymers on solid surfaces and has been successfully applied to characterization of complex polymer systems. Interpretation and understanding of chromatography behaviour of complex polymers in interactive chromatography motivates theoretical/computational studies on the CAP of polymers and partitioning of these complex polymers near the CAP. This review article covers the theoretical questions encountered in chromatographic studies of complex polymers.
Intrapulmonary placement of a pleural catheter.

Objective and Conclusion. A case of intrapulmonary placement of a pleural catheter is described that was likely due to the presence of focal pleural thickening at the site of catheter insertion.
THE FORTUNES OF ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION

The searcher who examines the records of the ecclesiastical courts in order to trace the fortunes of the Church's jurisdiction during the Reformation era finds that the period from the accession of the Tudors to the start of the reign of Charles I breaks roughly into three segments. The first lasted up to the start of the ‘official’ Henrician Reformation in 1529. These years witnessed a prolonged attack upon the Church's traditional jurisdiction and a gradual acquiescence by the ecclesiastical lawyers in jurisdictional boundaries changed to their detriment. The second period lasted from the time of the Reformation statutes until about 1570. It was a time of uncertainty about the future of the spiritual courts, continued low levels of litigation within them, and surprisingly small variation in court practice, given the dramatic swings in religious policy of the three monarchs who followed Henry VIII. The third period lasted into the reign of the first Stuart king of England. It was a time of recovery of nerve by the civilians, expansion of litigation within the courts, creation of an indigenous literature of English ecclesiastical law, and conflict with the common lawyers. The story told by the records turns out to be neither simple nor dramatic. It has many twists and turns, and not every piece of evidence points in the same direction. Not all of it suggests the same sort of conclusion about the efficacy or the future of spiritual jurisdiction in England. Tracing the fortunes of the spiritual courts through their records of 150 years warns repeatedly against seeking the definitive historical verdict that one might expect to emerge from prolonged study of act books and cause papers.
Studies of composite grafts of fetal pancreas (FP) and fetal liver (FL) in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat.

In the future treatment of diabetes mellitus by transplantation, the use of fetal pancreas (FP) rather than isolated adult pancreatic islets may have several advantages.2,3 Most importantly, FP has a generative capacity.41 However, the various factors necessary for engraftment, growth, maturation and function of FP grafts are poorly understood. In the quest for corroboration of findings by Ricordi and colleagues that islets transplanted with hepatocytes promoted hepatocyte survival,1 our pilot trials suggested that fetal liver (FL) exhibited a salutary effect on FP. Therefore, we investigated engraftment, histology and function of composite FP/FL grafts transplanted to 3 specific sites: intramural small bowel (ISB), renal subscapular (RSC), and intramuscular (IM). In anticipation of allograft studies, trials included cyclosporine treatment of recipients using doses that were islet toxic.
Advanced Backcross Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) Analysis of Oil Concentration and Oil Quality Traits in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Peanut seed oil is an important commodity worldwide and breeding efforts have been to improve both the quality and quantity of oil produced. Identifying sources of variation and elucidating the genetics of oil concentration and quality in peanut is essential to advancing the development of improved genotypes. The objective of this study was to discover QTLs for oil traits in an advanced backcross population derived from a cross between a wild-species derived amphidiploid, TxAG-6, and a cultivated genotype, Florunner. A BC1F1 population was developed for genetic mapping and an advanced backcross BC3F6 population was phenotyped in three environments and genotyped using SSR markers. Composite interval mapping results identified three genomic regions associated with oil concentration in a combined analysis. Marker PM36, associated with oil concentration and multiple fatty acids in this study, mapped directly to a HD-ZIP transcription factor in diploid Arachis genome sequences. For fatty acid concentrations, results suggested 17 QTLs identified in two or more environments, 15 of which were present across environments. Fourteen genomic regions on 13 linkage groups contained significant QTLs for more than one trait, suggesting that same genes or gene families are responsible for multiple phenotypes. QTLs and the genes identified in this study could be effective tools in marker-assisted breeding targeted at pyramiding seed oil alleles from wild-species while minimizing introgression of non-target chromatin.
The Blind Side of Public Debt Spikes

What explains public debt spikes since the end of WWII? To answer this question, this paper identifies 179 debt spike episodes from 1945 to 2014 across advanced and developing countries. We find that debt spikes are not rare events and their probability increases with time. We then show that large public debt spikes are neither driven by high primary deficits nor by output declines but instead by sizable stock-flow adjustments (SFAs). We also find that SFAs are poorly forecasted, which can affect debt sustainability analyses, and are associated with a higher probability of suffering non-declining debt paths in the aftermath of public debt spikes.
Allergenic Ingredients in Personal Hygiene Wet Wipes.

Background Wet wipes are a significant allergen source for anogenital allergic contact dermatitis. Objective The aim of the study was to calculate the frequency of potentially allergenic ingredients in personal hygiene wet wipes. Methods Ingredient lists from brand name and generic personal hygiene wet wipes from 4 large retailers were compiled. Results In the 54 personal hygiene wet wipes evaluated, a total of 132 ingredients were identified (average of 11.9 ingredients per wipe). The most common ingredients were Aloe barbadensis (77.8%), citric acid (77.8%), fragrance (72.2%), sorbic acid derivatives (63.0%), tocopherol derivatives (63.0%), glycerin (59.3%), phenoxyethanol (55.6%), disodium cocoamphodiacetate (53.7%), disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (42.6%), propylene glycol (42.6%), iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (40.7%), chamomile extracts (38.9%), sodium benzoate (35.2%), bronopol (22.2%), sodium citrate (22.2%), lanolin derivatives (20.4%), parabens (20.4%), polyethylene glycol derivatives (18.5%), disodium phosphate (16.7%), dimethylol dimethyl hydantoin (DMDM) (14.8%), and cocamidopropyl propylene glycol (PG)-dimonium chloride phosphate (11.1%). Of note, methylisothiazolinone (5.6%) was uncommon; methylchloroisothiazolinone was not identified in the personal hygiene wet wipes examined. Conclusions There are many potential allergens in personal hygiene wet wipes, especially fragrance and preservatives.
The Spectrum of Vestibular and Ocular Motor Abnormalities in Thiamine Deficiency

The first aim of this review is to summarize recent ocular motor signs in pre-encephalopathy patients with nutritional deficiency at risk of thiamine deficiency. Timely recognition of thiamine depletion in these patients, who may have a normal brain MRI, could lead to appropriate management and prevention of Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE) with full recovery. The second aim is to incorporate recent diagnostic testing on the revised WE diagnostic criteria and the identification of patients who may show slow, partial, or no response to treatment. Selective vulnerability of periventricular gray neurons in thiamine deficiency is well known. Involvement of the vestibular and abducens nuclei may precede encephalopathy. Studies have shown mild ophthalmoparesis and bilateral symmetric vestibular loss in thiamine deficiency. Moreover, quantitative data has shown decreased horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain and nystagmus, with a favorable response to timely treatment. Ophthalmoparesis, horizontal nystagmus, and decreased gain of the horizontal VOR, sparing the vertical VOR, may be present in the early pre-encephalopathy stage of thiamine deficiency. Rapid response to a loading dose of parenteral thiamine might be seen in some cases and normalization, albeit slower in others. In contrast, analogous to the Korsakoff’s syndrome, ocular motor and vestibular abnormalities may show only partial improvement. Future studies in larger populations at risk are needed to confirm the results of these preliminary observations.
Cold War Modernists: Art, Literature, and American Cultural Diplomacy

During the summer of 1956, poet Ezra Pound was nearing the end of his more than decade-long detention at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington D.C., having being deemed mentally unfit to stand tri...
IBD Therapies: Coming Attractions

Advances in the understanding of mechanisms of disease activity through preclinical and translational studies have promoted the development of many therapeutic agents in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Since FDA approval of infliximab in 1998 for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, five other monoclonal antibodies against either tumor necrosis factor-α or integrin subunits have demonstrated effectiveness in either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and achieved FDA approval. In addition to these currently available therapies, numerous agents directed against alternative pathways are in development. This includes treatments targeting immune cell adhesion and migration, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators, agents directed agents against proinflammatory cytokines, and therapies aimed at preventing cytokine mediated signaling pathways. Given heterogeneity in the pathogenesis, clinical phenotype, and treatment responses in patients with IBD, the availability of multiple agents targeting different pathways is likely to lead to improved overall outcomes and change the landscape of treatment recommendations in the next decade.
THE GENERALIZED HYPERGEOMETRIC FUNCTION P F Q AND THE G-FUNCTION

This chapter presents the generalized hypergeometric function p F q and the G -function. The G -function is significant as numerous special functions appearing in applied mathematics are special cases or are closely related. Thus, a result involving a G -function becomes a master or a key formula from which a very large number of results can be deduced for Bessel functions, Legendre functions, confluent hypergeometric functions, etc., their combinations and other related functions. The p F q is symmetric in its numerator parameters, and likewise in its denominator parameters. If a numerator parameter and a denominator parameter coalesce, then omit the parameter, whence the p F q becomes a p-1 F q-1 . The p F q series terminates and, therefore, is a polynomial if a numerator parameter is a negative integer or zero, provided that no denominator parameter is a negative integer or zero.
Temporal and Locational Variations of a Phytophthora spp. Community in an Urban Forested Water Drainage and Stream-Runoff System

Species richness and diversity of Phytophthora spp. (water molds) in urban riparian-forest ecosystems, which serve as primary drainage passageways for surface-water runoff, may be attributed to surrounding landscape management, associated vegetation, and environmental conditions. These riparian areas, although generally small, are always flooded during wet seasons and almost completely dry during the hottest parts of each year when there is limited precipitation. Little is known about Phytophthora spp. diversity within these heavily impacted sites. We sampled water, soil, and vegetation (phenology dependent) across 14 dates, over ~2 y at a site containing a drainage ditch that enters Hog Creek, in Rankin County, MS. We cultured all Phytophthora spp. using 4 published protocols to ensure maximum isolation potential. Across all sampling dates, 65 isolations were positive for Phytophthora spp., 12 of which were recovered from vegetation. We employed morphological and internal transcribed sequence (ITS) data to confirm taxa. We determined a total of 11 taxa on the basis of their phylogenetic clustering with known species of Phytophthora in a bayesian analysis. The most common taxa were P. chlamydospora, P. mississippiae, and P. cinnamomi at frequencies of 12.5%, 11.0%, and 10%, respectively. We verified morphologically and by sequence similarity an undescribed species, Phytophthora oaksoil taxon, which has been reported previously in the Western US, as well as other countries, such as Australia. Overall, the bottle-of-bait (BOB) intact-leaf and water-filtration methods had numerically greater frequencies (P ≤ 0.05) than BOB leaf disks, soil-baiting leaf disks, or vegetationsampling protocols. Overall frequency (14%) of Phytophthora spp. was significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) for the 17 December 2014 sampling date. Even though several taxa identified in this study are reported to be pathogenic to riparian forest trees and vegetation at the Hog Creek site, symptoms on surrounding trees and vegetation was generally limited to foliar lesions, and we observed no visible damage or decline during the study period. It would be judicious to visit different, similar urban habitats to determine if common Phytophthora in this study are present in other central and southern Mississippi riparian habitats.
Demo/poster abstract: Efficient and flexible packet tracing for virtualized networks using eBPF

As the scale of cloud systems continues to grow, virtualized networks are becoming increasingly important to the performance and reliability of the cloud. Despite many advantages, virtualized networks introduce additional layers of abstraction and are more difficult to monitor and diagnose performance issues compared to traditional networks. Furthermore, it is challenging to reason about the dynamic performance of virtualized networks. Therefore, there is a great need for fine-grained, user customizable, and reconfigurable network tracing. To address the above challenges, we propose vNetTracer, an efficient and programmable packet profiler for virtualized networks. vNetTracer relies on the extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF) to dynamically attach user-defined tracing scripts into a live virtualized network without any changes to user programs nor restarting the monitored network. Through case studies, we demonstrate the effectiveness of vNetTracer in diagnosing various virtualized networking problems.
Firefly Toxicosis in Lizards

Ingestion of fireflies of the genus Photinus (Lampyridae) can be lethal to Australian lizards of the genus Pogona (Agamidae), probably because of the poisonous steroidal pyrones (lucibufagins) that these fireflies contain. One Photinus may suffice to kill a Pogona. Captive Pogona kept as pets need to be shielded from firefly ingestion. African chameleons (Chamaeleo; Chamaeleonidae) appear also to be vulnerable to Photinus toxicosis.
Attending a tattoo convention: to seek or escape?

ABSTRACTUtilizing Iso-Ahola’s (S. E. Iso-Ahola. The Social Psychology of Leisure and Recreation. Dubuque, IA: WC Brown Co. Publishers, 1980) seek and escape theory and social identity theory in the...