cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined Hepatopancreaticobiliary Volume and Hepatectomy Outcomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients at Low-Volume Liver Centers.

Background The relationship between hospital volume and surgical outcomes is well-established; however, considerable socioeconomic and geographic barriers to high-volume care persist. This study assesses how the overall volume of hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) cancer operations impacts outcomes of liver resections (LRs). Study Design The National Cancer Database (2004-2014) was queried for patients who underwent LR for hepatocellular carcinoma. Hospital volume was determined separately for all HPB operations and LRs. Centers were dichotomized as low and high volume based on the median number of operations. The following study cohorts were created: low-volume hospitals (LVHs) for both LRs and HPB operations, mixed-volume hospitals (MVHs) with low-volume LRs but high-volume HPB operations, and high-volume LR hospitals (HVHs) for both LRs and HPB operations. Results Of 7,265 patients identified, 37.5%, 8.8%, and 53.7% were treated at LVHs, MVHs, and HVHs, respectively. On multivariable analysis, patients treated at LVHs had higher 30-day mortality compared with patients treated at HVHs (odds ratio 1.736; p Conclusions LR outcomes at low-volume LR centers that have substantial experience with HPB cancer operations are similar to those at high-volume LR centers. Our results demonstrate that the volume to outcomes curve for HPB operations should be assessed more holistically and that patients can safely undergo liver operations at low-volume LR centers if HPB volume criteria are met.
Medium-Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Protects Mitochondria from Lipid Peroxidation in Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is highly resistant to chemo- and immune-based therapies and targeted inhibitors. To identify novel drug targets, we screened orthotopically implanted, patient-derived glioblastoma sphere-forming cells (GSCs) using an RNAi library to probe essential tumor cell metabolic programs. This identified high dependence on mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism. We focused on medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD), which oxidizes medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), due to its consistently high score and high expression among models and upregulation in GBM compared to normal brain. Beyond the expected energetics impairment, MCAD depletion in primary GBM models induced an irreversible cascade of detrimental metabolic effects characterized by accumulation of unmetabolized MCFAs, which induced lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, irreversible mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis. Our data uncover a novel protective role for MCAD to clear lipid molecules that may cause lethal cell damage, suggesting that therapeutic targeting of MCFA catabolism could exploit a key metabolic feature of GBM.
Nigeria’s Inter-Faith, Inter-Ideology Crisis: The Need for Global Citizenship Education

Every first week in February, the United Nations (UN) celebrates World Interfaith Harmony (WIH) week to promote peaceful religious co-existence, and dialogue on peace, love, unity and togetherness, irrespective of faith or ideology. This chapter discusses the inter-faith, inter-ideology crisis in Nigeria within the context of promoting education for national values orientation and global citizenship. The chapter uses Samuel P. Huntington (1996) The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order to argue that until Nigerians define themselves as Nigerians first and only secondarily based on tribal affiliation, language, religion and class, the nation will be in a chronic crisis and will see its prosperity lessened and its global and regional reputation and influence devalued. Some of the principal inquiries include: (1) What impact does the inter-faith and inter-ideology crisis have on Nigeria? (2) To what extent can education for global citizenship contribute to national identity, unity and peace in Nigeria? (3) To what extent can education for global citizenship advance sustainable development goals? The chapter concludes by offering a template for curriculum design focused on furthering a values-based national identity in Nigeria through global citizenship education.
Risk of physical injuries in children and teens with ophthalmic diagnoses in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse.

BACKGROUND To evaluate how eye diseases affect the risk of injuries (fractures, musculoskeletal, head and eye injuries) in children and teens. METHODS Claims from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, a longitudinal deidentified commercial insurance claims database, were analyzed. Eligible subjects were aged 1 visit for >1 significant eye disease (strabismus, amblyopia, nystagmus, structural diseases), based on ICD9/10 codes. Controls were children in the same database who had no eye disease codes reported. Demographics and injury claims (fractures, musculoskeletal injuries, head injuries and eye injuries) were compared. RESULTS The overall incidence of any subsequent physical injury (even into adulthood) was 29% in eye disease patients and 23% in controls (P < 0.001). After accounting for covariates, the hazard ratio for injury with any type of eye disease was 1.14 (95% CI, 1.13-1.15), 1.17 (95% CI, 1.16-1.18), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.96-0.98), and 1.63 (95% CI, 1.60-1.66) for musculoskeletal injuries, fractures, head injuries, and eye injuries, respectively. The eye disease with the highest adjusted injury risk was nystagmus (HR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.23-1.28), followed by optic neuritis and pseudotumor cerebri (HR = 1.25). The eye diseases with the lowest risk included amblyopia, esotropia, and glaucoma (HR ≤ 1.06). CONCLUSIONS There was an increased long-term risk of physical injury among children and teens with eye disease. The clinical significance of these small differences is unclear.
Modeling Genocide: An Agent-Based Model of Bystander Motivations and Societal Restraints

Genocide does not occur within an isolated range of the societal spectrum; rather, it is the outcome of destructive processes that reach from elite governmental offices to the civilian bystander–and beyond. This research applies an agent-based computational model to the problem of identity-based conflict, exploring the dynamics of bystander resistance and its impact on outcomes. Macro-level conditions can lead to difficulties that affect the micro-level, psychological states of people living within a society. This model establishes a connection between these macro- and micro-states, seeking to better understand, explain, and quantify how the motivations and choices of bystanders impact the likelihood of genocide. Early results show that the model reproduces expected behavioral patterns, and also reveals the sensitivity of a genocidal outcome to in-group bystander willingness to intervene in behalf of out-group members.
Cross-Border Equity Investment and the Business Cycle

I present new evidence that gross foreign assets and liabilities in equity investments, measured at market value, are positively correlated over the business cycle in each of the Group of Seven industrialized countries (G7). The close comovement of assets and liabilities, in turn, reflects strong cross-country correlation between equity prices and moderate co-movement of gross outflows and inflows. I analyze an international real business cycle (IRBC) model to evaluate possible causes of these correlations: diminishing marginal product of capital, imperfect substitutability of goods, incomplete markets, and investment project duration. A complete markets model with diminishing returns to capital predicts positive cross-country correlation between equity prices. I show that imperfect substitutability between goods strengthens this correlation, and I show that cross-border financial costs lead to negative correlation between gross capital outflows and inflows. Finally, I develop a model that distinguishes foreign direct investment (FDI) in new projects from portfolio equity. The model suggests that assets and liabilities should be more closely correlated in portfolio equity than in FDI.
Beaches and Dunes of Developed Coasts

Preface Acknowledgements 1. The developed coastal landscape: temporal and spatial characteristics 2. Altering landforms to suit human needs 3. Replenishing landforms 4. Effects of structures on landforms and sediment availability 5. Characteristics of human altered landforms 6. Temporal scales of landscape change 7. Management programs 8. Maintaining and enhancing natural features in developed landscapes 9. Directions for geomorphological research References.
How Economic Downturns Affect Children's Development: An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Pathways of Influence

To understand how economic downturns affect children’s development, scholars have concentrated on how parents’ loss of a job affects children’s well-being, but have largely ignored the potential effects of downturns on children whose parents remain employed. In this article, we review research across disciplines to demonstrate that economic downturns should be conceptualized as a community-level event that affects all children in a community, not just those whose parents have lost jobs. We focus on three mechanisms linking downturns to children’s developmental outcomes: structural changes to communities, the economic and psychological effects on individuals who are continuously employed, and the strain of job loss on social networks. We conclude by discussing ongoing research and looking at implications for public policy.
Privacy-preserving Digital Identity Management for Cloud Computing.

Digital identity management services are crucial in cloud computing infrastructures to authenticate users and to support flexible access control to services, based on user identity properties (also called attributes) and past interaction histories. Such services should preserve the privacy of users, while at the same time enhancing interoperability across multiple domains and simplifying management of identity verification. In this paper we propose an approach addressing such requirements, based on the use of high-level identity verification policies expressed in terms of identity attributes, zero-knolwedge proof protocols, and semantic matching techniques. The paper describes the basic techniques we adopt and the architeture of a system developed based on these techniques, and reports performance experimental
W-band Sheet Beam Klystron Gun Design Using MICHELLE

A sheet-beam klystron has been designed, built and tested in the klystron department at SLAC. The first prototype, WSBK-1A, is a 95 GHz W-band device with a 74 kV, 3.6 A electron gun. Favorable hot-test results with greater than 90% beam transmission seem to indicate that the MICHELLE gun code (Petillo, 2000) is an accurate tool for predicting the electron gun behavior of sheet-beam klystrons
Flexible Insurance for Separate Accounts

With the advances in technology and lower costs to trading, separate account platforms and online brokers should be able to offer customized portfolio protection to their clients with the click of a button. This paper uses basic concepts from the option literature to show how this insurance could be oflered in two convenient forms. In one form, it would represent a straight cash payment by customers, and in another form, investors would exchange a portion of the upside of their returns for the protection. The paper uses the Black -Scholes model to show the benchmark costs associated with this type of protection, as well as performs a sintulation with an actual portfolio over various sub-periods from 2000 to 2006.
Economical synthesis of vanadia aerogels via epoxide-assisted gelation of VOCl 3

Herein is reported the first synthesis of vanadium oxide (vanadia) aerogels via epoxide-assisted gelation. Vanadia aerogels fabricated via epoxide-assisted gelation using VOCl3 and epichlorohydrin mimic those fabricated via the hydrolysis of vanadium oxytripropoxide while reducing cost per mole by a factor of 10, on par with silica gels synthesized from alkyl orthosilicates. Typical vanadia aerogels possess a macroporous nanoworm morphology, a density of 0.103 g/cm3, 96.9 % porosity, a specific surface area of 102 m2/g, and ~18 % reversible hydration capacity by mass. 1H and 13C NMR reveal that epoxide ring-opening does not proceed through epoxide protonation, as is the typical case with other transition metal oxide gels, but rather through Lewis-acid-catalyzed ring-opening. A multi-step gelation mechanism is proposed involving a fast initial VV oxide gelation, driven by H+ and Cl− consumption during epoxide ring-opening, followed by partial vanadia dissolution, VV → VIV reduction, and secondary gelation of low-valent VIV/V oxide.
Non-Linear Robust Adaptive Control of a SCARA Manipulator

In this paper a non-linear adaptive controller is presented for manipulator tracking control. The controller is shown to be robust with respect to jump parameter changes such as payload variations. A benchmark model of a two degree-of-freedom SCARA arm is used for the purpose of evaluating the controller's performance. Through a simulation study the results obtained using the adaptive controller are compared to those of a fixed gain computed torque scheme. In comparison with the fixed gain scheme the results indicate that the adaptive controller improves the tracking performance under payload variations.
Agminated atypical Spitz tumor: large nasal lesion in a child with Down syndrome

We present a 5-year-old girl with Down syndrome and a 2.5-cm agminated atypical Spitz tumor of the nose. Although atypical Spitz tumor has uncertain malignant potential, trisomy 21 is protective against melanoma. This is the first description of an atypical Spitz tumor in a patient with Down syndrome and the largest nasal lesion reported.
ACTINOMYCIN BINDING TO DNA: MECHANISM AND SPECIFICITY.

The interaction, of actinomycin with DNA is found to involve two classes of sites. Measurements are reported here of the properties of the strongly binding sites, which appear to be the ones involved in the biological activity of actinomycin as an inhibitor of DNA-dependent RNA synthesis. It is found that the binding of actinomycin to dGMP involves a favorable enthalpy change and a decrease in entropy, whereas the binding to the DNA sites which are studied here involves a large increase in entropy and no enthalpy change. The probable source of the entropy increase is the disruption of actinomycin-solvent interaction; the entropy of solution of actinomycin is shown to be large and negative at room temperature. Measurements of the effect of disruption of helical structure upon actinomycin binding demonstrate that this structure is essential to the binding. Titration experiments with a series of DNA's reveal the dependence of the number of strongly binding sites in the helical structure upon base composition. The dependence can be accounted for either by a site which consists of a sequence of two base pairs, involving one G-C pair and one A-T pair, or by a site consisting entirely of G-C pairs, in which there is a large amount of steric interference between sites spaced more closely than five to six base pairs apart.
Time-resolved fluorescence polarization as a probe of the rotational dynamics of electronically excited molecules: Fluorescence from single rotational (J) level of jet-cooled 0001B1 pyrimidine

Abstract The polarization of fluorescence from R-branch excited 0 0 0 1 B 1 pyrimidine decays with a rate which increases with increasing J . This observation confirms the occurrence of rotation-induced K mixing, which takes place during the lifetime of the excited electronic state.
The consequences of “not‐Paris”?

Postcolonial modernity has meant the creation of a very unusual set of circumstances for writers of the French‐speaking Caribbean. Called upon to insert themselves forcibly into a space from which, historically, they have been excluded, many of these writers have sharpened their revolutionary horns in Paris, political and cultural capital of the former imperial power. Indeed, throughout the 20th century, Paris has been a veritable inevitability for the francophone elite, a seemingly unavoidable destination that has served at once as a space of painful disillusionment, self‐interrogation, and even community‐building catharsis. While the quandary of negotiating this difficult relationship has been widely discussed, what has been less thoroughly considered is how the very framework in which this tension is negotiated has had an impact on canon formation in the region. In effect, more attention must be paid to the correlation between a refusal of theory and a certain degree of marginalization; to the possibil...
Relationship of Intracellular 3',5'-Adenosine Monophosphate Accumulation to Parathyroid Hormone Release from Dispersed Bovine Parathyroid Cells*

The relationship of cAMP accumulation to PTH release was investigated in dispersed bovine parathyroid cells. Intracellular cAMP was stimulated 3-fold by 2 × 10-4 M methylisobutylxanthine, a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and 40 to 60-fold by 10-6 M (–)Isoproterenol. Increases in intracellular cAMP, were accompanied by release of cAMP into the extracellular space, and this release was inhibited by probenecid. Increased intracellular cAMP in response to (–)isoproterenol wag42:113 s accompanied by a rapid increase in parathyroid hormone (PTH) release. Both increased cAMP accumulation and PTH release due to β-adrenergic agonists were rapidly reversed (within 3 min) by (–)propranolol, suggesting that intracellular cAMP regulates the rate of hormone release. The increased rate of PTH release due to a variety of agonists (β-adrenergic, dopaminergic, and secretin) was linearly related to the logarithm of the increment in intracellular cAMP. This relationship was independent of the agonist employed and was al...
Hypothesis: VPAC G protein-coupled receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide constitute a dynamic system for signaling T cells from plasma membrane and nuclear membrane complexes.

Abstract The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-VPAC 1 and VPAC 2 G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) systems are autocrine and paracrine regulators of diverse T cell functions. It has been recognized that VIP evokes two types of T cell responses. The first are rapid in onset and brief in duration, such as altered traffic in blood, lymphoid corridors, and tissues. The second are slow in onset and sustained in duration, such as enhanced helper T cell (Th) differentiation in the thymus and increased survival in lymphoid tissues with biases favoring the Th2-type effector and memory subsets. Investigations of some other sets of GPCRs for peptide and lipid mediators have demonstrated expression both in nuclear membranes and plasma membranes with respective linkages to responses that are slow in onset and sustained, and those that are rapid in onset and brief in duration. The hypothesis presented in this paper suggests that plasma membrane VPAC receptors transduce short-term effects of exogenous VIP on T cell effector functions, whereas nuclear VPAC receptors mediate endogenous VIP alterations in differentiation, proliferation, and survival. The types of substantial additional proof needed to support this hypothesis are described, as are its advantages for more selective VIP-directed therapies.
Commentary: The "business" of the biosciences can be integrated into a biochemistry curriculum.

Numerous efforts are underway to rethink how we teach the life sciences and keep our students interested in science. The explosion of knowledge derived from large scale sequencing and the innumerable “omics” efforts has created an opportunity to teach at every level with integrated and systems approaches as well as to rely on the vast new appreciation for the mechanisms of evolution as a unifying principle of all aspects of biology. At least partly as a result of these research advances, there are noteworthy efforts that focus on developing innovative material for the youngest grades, new approaches to teaching introductory biology at the college level, and major advances in the reformulation and integration of curricula for graduate life sciences education. To relate molecular life sciences to the lives and concerns of our students, illustrations of the molecular bases for new cures for diseases, new foods, and novel
The metabolism of dl-(1,6-14C)lipoic acid in the rat.

dl-[1,6-14C]Lipoic acid was synthesized and administered to rats or incubated in vitro with rat liver systems. The urinary excretion of radioactivity after labeled lipoate was administered intraperitoneally at a level of 0.5 mg/100 g body weight was maximal at 3–6 hr, with 60% of the injected radioactivity recovered within 24 hr. Respiratory 14CO2 from the same animals is maximal at 3 hr, after which it falls off markedly. Approximately 30% of the injected radioactivity was recovered as 14CO2 within 24 hr. The excretion of radioactivity after lipoate was administered by stomach tube was similar to that after intraperitoneal injection. Localization of radioactivity in the body was greatest in liver, intestinal contents, and muscle in all cases. Ionexchange and paper chromatographies of 24-hr pooled urine revealed several watersoluble radioactive metabolites. Incubation of [14C]lipoate with homogenates or mitochondrial preparations in vitro resulted in the production of 14CO2, which was decreased by incubation with unlabeled fatty acids and unaffected by the addition of carnitine or (+)-decanoylcarnitine. The rat, like certain bacteria, metabolizes lipoate via β-oxidation of the valeric acid side chain and by other metabolic reactions on the dithiolane ring, which render the molecule more water soluble.
Effect of Alginate on Satiation, Appetite, Gastric Function and Selected Gut Satiety Hormones in Overweight and Obesity

Lack of control of food intake, excess size, and frequency of meals are critical to the development of obesity. The stomach signals satiation postprandially and may play an important role in control of calorie intake. Sodium alginate (based on brown seaweed Laminaria digitata) is currently marketed as a weight loss supplement, but its effects on gastric motor functions and satiation are unknown. We evaluated effects of 10 days treatment with alginate or placebo on gastric functions, satiation, appetite, and gut hormones associated with satiety in overweight or obese adults. We conducted a randomized, 1:1, placebo-controlled, allocation-concealed study in 48 overweight or obese participants with excluded psychiatric comorbidity and binge eating disorder. All underwent measurements of gastric emptying (GE), fasting, and postprandial gastric volumes (GVs), postprandial satiation, calorie intake at a free choice meal and selected gut hormones after 1 week of alginate (three capsules vs. matching placebo per day, ingested 30 min before the main meal). Six capsules were ingested with water 30 min before the GE, GV, and satiation tests on days 8-10. There were no treatment group effects on GE or volumes, gut hormones (ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY)), satiation, total and macronutrient calorie intake at a free choice meal. There was no difference detected in results between obese and overweight patients. Alginate treatment for a period of 10 days showed no effect on gastric motor functions, satiation, appetite, or gut hormones. These results question the use of short-term alginate treatment for weight loss.
Task, team and technology integration in the paediatric cardiac operating room

Abstract One of the most potentially valuable paradigms for improving safety in surgery is known as human factors. However, the main use of this approach has been largely limited to aviation-style teamwork training. In this paper two case studies are presented that illustrate the complex interactions between team, task and technology in paediatric cardiac surgery. Both illustrate primarily how the technological co-ordination of the perfusion task is shared amongst the three key team members. The first case study presents two approaches to going onto cardio-pulmonary bypass, one of which demonstrates a range of key risks. The second presents the transcripts of a case of mild exsanguinations that was quickly recovered from. This case illustrates both the complexity of error and the importance of task-based communications for error capture and recovery. The discussion argues for a broader approach to teamwork considerations in the OR.
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN DERMAL MICROCIRCULATION

Electron microscopy was used to define the ultrastructure of the capillary loops in the dermal papillae of normal, eczematous, and psoriatic skin. Capillary loops were reconstructed from 1-μm plastic-embedded sections. Ultrathin sections were taken at 4- to 6-μm intervals for correlation with the thick sections. The capillary loops of normal forearm and elbow skin could be divided into two segments: art intrapapillary and extrapapillary portion. The intrapapillary portion had the ultrastructural characteristics of an arterial capillary—homogeneous-appearing basement membrane without bridged fenestrations. The ascending limb in the extrapapillary portion was also an arterial capillary and the descending limb in the same portion had venous characteristics—multilayered basement membrane. The intrapapillary arterial loop developed venous characteristics abruptly after the vessel left the dermal papilla proper. The capillary loops in acute nummular eczema were identical in ultrastructure to those of normal skin. Bridged fenestrations were found in one capillary loop in eczema but not in normal skin. By contrast, the intrapapillary capillary loops in psoriasis were venous capillaries which were characterized by bridged fenestrations and multilayered basement membrane. The ultrastructural features of the capillary loops and those of the microcirculatory segments in the horizontal dermal plexus should provide sufficient criteria for one to evaluate the nature of vascular abnormalities that occur in the upper dermis.
Voice disorders in primary school teachers and barriers to care.

Summary Introduction Teachers have an increased prevalence of voice disorders that result in reduced activities, missed workdays, and occupation changes. However, only a small fraction of these teachers have sought professional help for their disorders. The purpose of this study was to elucidate some of the barriers to care that teachers may face. Study Design Cross-sectional survey. Methods One thousand subjects were randomly selected from a list of 95, 364 Kindergarten–12 teachers in North Carolina. Teachers were mailed a 43-item survey, with domains including demographics, personal voice health, and barriers to care using a five-point Likert scale. Results were tabulated, and statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test. Results Two hundred forty-three responses were received; 237 were complete. Twenty-two percent were currently hoarse. Fifty-eight percent had been hoarse at one point. Twenty-three percent had missed work for hoarseness. Only one-third (32.6%) had sought professional help. Women and those older than 45 years were more likely to seek help ( P P =0.008, respectively). Fewer than half were aware of voice therapy or believed that a doctor could help. Thirty percent believed that hoarseness was normal in teaching. Conclusions There are multiple barriers to care for the dysphonic teacher, including the lack of awareness of the availability of professional help. Further studies should evaluate teacher education and reducing barriers to care.
Structure of Nup58/45 suggests flexible nuclear pore diameter by intermolecular sliding.

The nucleoporins Nup58 and Nup45 are part of the central transport channel of the nuclear pore complex, which is thought to have a flexible diameter. In the crystal structure of an α-helical region of mammalian Nup58/45, we identified distinct tetramers, each consisting of two antiparallel hairpin dimers. The intradimeric interface is hydrophobic, whereas dimer-dimer association occurs through large hydrophilic residues. These residues are laterally displaced in various tetramer conformations, which suggests an intermolecular sliding by 11 angstroms. We propose that circumferential sliding plays a role in adjusting the diameter of the central transport channel.
Similar neural correlates for language and sequential learning: Evidence from event-related brain potentials

We used event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the time course and distribution of brain activity while adults performed (1) a sequential learning task involving complex structured sequences and (2) a language processing task. The same positive ERP deflection, the P600 effect, typically linked to difficult or ungrammatical syntactic processing, was found for structural incongruencies in both sequential learning as well as natural language and with similar topographical distributions. Additionally, a left anterior negativity (LAN) was observed for language but not for sequential learning. These results are interpreted as an indication that the P600 provides an index of violations and the cost of integration of expectations for upcoming material when processing complex sequential structure. We conclude that the same neural mechanisms may be recruited for both syntactic processing of linguistic stimuli and sequential learning of structured sequence patterns more generally.
AGEING AND THE INFLUX OF WATER INTO RADISH ROOT-HAIR CELLS

A micropotometric device previously described by the writer was used to determine quantitatively the velocity of water influx in cubic microns per square micron of hair surface per minute of comparatively older and younger root hairs of radish seedlings in a humid atmosphere at 29° ± 1°C. when the micropotometers were filled with Hoagland solution at pH 6.8. In each experiment, measurements were made on two hairs of different length and different age on a given root and the hairs were inserted into the micropotometers a sufficient distance so that the area of immersion, 13,200µ2, was the same in each instance. The range of velocities of water influx through the immersed surface was 4.46 to 1.16µ3/µ2/min. for the younger and shorter hairs which varied in length from 280 to 460 microns. The range of velocities of water influx through the immersed surface of the older hairs which varied from 661 to 2300 microns in length was 1.94 to 0.47µ3/µ2/min. The data indicate that water entry slows down in older hairs independent of root length. Estimations were made of the times to replace hair volumes based upon the mean velocities of water entry of the immersed areas. It was found that the time for the hairs to absorb an amount of water equivalent to their own volumes under the conditions specified was a matter of minutes or less; the range was 0.90 to 8.51 minutes.
Disturbance effects on soil solution chemistry due to heating cable installation

Installation of heating cables for warming soil was used to evaluate the effect of disturbance on soil solution chemistry within a northern hardwood forest (Adirondack Mountains, New York). Differences in response among treatments suggested the importance of both the depth and timing of cable installation. There were increases (p>0.05) in many solutes within pilot study plots in which “surrogate cable” was installed at 15 cm depth. Most notably, mean nitrate concentrations for the 1st year following disturbance were 744 μeq l-1 at 15 cm depth compared to 7 μeq l-1 for the non-disturbed control. A comparison of pilot plots with 5 cm cable depth and an unheated soil-warming control plot with the same cable disturbance showed that the seasonality of soil disturbance may have a key role in response to disturbance. The soil solution response was diminished if installation occurred during the spring, a period of rapid uptake of nitrogen by vegetation. Mean nitrate concentrations were 176 μeq l-1 for 5-cm pilot plots (installed in fall 1991) versus 6 μeq l-1 for 5-cm, unheated soil-warming control plots (installed in spring 1992). Disturbance effects were attenuated over time and not generally apparent 1 year after installation.
Multiple narrow bandpass optical filters based on one-dimensional rugate photonic structures of two periodicities

A theoretical analysis of a design of multiple narrow bandpass filters based on one-dimensional (1D) rugate photonic structures with a period jump defect is presented. The optical properties, including transmittance and energy density distributions, are numerically calculated using the propagation matrix method. Our results show that multiple resonance transmission modes are produced when the period jump defect is introduced into the 1D rugate film. Both blueshift and redshift of the stop band of the rugate structure and wavelengths of resonant modes are observed, depending on the change of period jump. The number, the wavelengths, the band intervals, and the intensities of multiple resonance transmission modes are tunable by adjusting structure parameters of the rugate structure. Experimental feasibility of the proposed multiple narrow bandpass optical filters using the technique of glancing angle deposition is also discussed.
Injuries Observed in Minimalist Runners

Background: Minimalist runners have been shown to have a different gait pattern with lower impact forces than habitually shod runners. Running in minimalist footwear has been promoted as a means of reducing or eliminating running injuries by returning to a more natural gait. Methods Ten experienced runners, age 21 to 57 (mean, 43) years, were identified with injuries within 1 year of transition from traditional to minimalist running footwear. Patients were interviewed to determine their running history, injury history, transition to minimalist footwear, and their new injury including its treatment and recovery. Results Ten patients who ran with traditional footwear ran an average of 25.9 (range, 6 to 45) miles/week for an average of 18.9 (range, 1 to 40) years presented with injuries 2.8 (range 1 to 10) months after switching to minimalist footwear. Their injuries included eight metatarsal stress fractures, a calcaneal stress fracture, and a plantar fascia rupture. All patients had a successful recovery a...
Particulate infiltration into a simulated space telescope

To understand the dynamics of airborne particulate intrusion into a space telescope, a mechanistic model based on mass balance was developed to predict the extent to which ambient particles penetrate through vent holes and enter the interiors after the purge is off. This work describes the mathematical modeling analysis, supplementing with results from laboratory measurements using a cylindrical chamber as a simulated space telescope. It was found that the characteristic time for airborne particles to reach a saturation level, after the purge is off, can be characterized by the air exchange rate and particle deposition rate inside the confined space volume. The air exchange rate, measured using a tracer gas technique, is associated with the natural convection and air flow turbulence intensity adjacent to the chamber. During the purge outage, the steady-state airborne particle concentration inside the space telescope is governed by the ambient particle concentration, air exchange rate, and particle deposition rate.
Semantic relatedness and clustering in free recall

Nine replications investigated clustering in the immediate free recall of semantically related and semantically unrelated associates of low associative strength according to free association norms. The results showed more clustering for semantic than for nonsemantic associates of the same frequency and associative strength and revealed that this effect was not due to the increased recall of semantic associates.
Cross-regulation of signaling by ITAM-associated receptors

An important function of receptors that signal through immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) is to regulate signaling by heterologous receptors. This review describes mechanisms by which ITAM-associated receptors modulate signaling by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), tumor necrosis factor receptor family members and cytokine receptors that use the Jak–STAT signaling pathway, and the biological importance of this signal transduction cross-talk. ITAM-mediated cross-regulation can either augment or dampen signaling by other receptors. Conversely, TLRs and cytokines modulate ITAM-mediated signaling, by means including activation of β2 integrins that are coupled to the ITAM-containing adaptors DAP12 and FcRγ. Integration of ITAM signaling into signaling networks through cross-talk with other signal transduction pathways results in tight regulation and fine tuning of cellular responses to various extracellular stimuli and contributes to induction of specific activation and differentiation pathways.
Initial experience of teaching robot-assisted radical prostatectomy to surgeons-in-training: can training be evaluated and standardized?

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To measure the time and subjective quality of individual steps of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), as RARP performed by trainees has recently become the most common technique of RP in the USA, and although outcomes from expert surgeons are reported, limited data are available to document training experiences. PATIENTS AND METHODS The patients studied were from a prospective cohort of 178 participants (124 with training data). Transperitoneal RARP was performed by one faculty surgeon and one assistant from a rotation of four urological oncology fellows and three residents. RARP was divided into 11 steps, and staff times were recorded for each step. Trainee times and quality scores were recorded for each step, the later defined as grade A equal to staff (A+, no verbal coaching); B, minor corrections; and C, major corrections. Short-term outcomes were recorded to assess the safety of the training. RESULTS The mean (range) console time/case of trainees was 40 (10–123) min. The median console time for a complete case by faculty and by trainees (pooled group) was 128 and 231 min, respectively, an increase in 81%. Individual trainee-performed steps increased in time (compared to staff) by a median range of 50–177%, and the incidence of quality grades < A of 9–100%. Trainee quality grades for basic tissue-dissection steps were higher than for advanced tissue dissection and suturing. There was no downgrading for a major correction. Analysis of short-term outcomes suggested acceptable results in a training environment. The study is limited by no available validated training measurement tools, and a low frequency of beginner trainees advancing to more difficult steps during the rotation. CONCLUSIONS During the initial exposure of trainees to RARP of <40 cases, we measured time and subjective quality grading of basic steps, and introduction to advanced steps. Training requires more procedure time, but does not appear to diminish expected outcomes.
Predation on eggs and larvae ofHeliothis virescens [Lep.: Noctuidae] by an adult predator complex in cage studies on cotton

Predation by a predator complex consisting of adults of the lygaeidGeocoris punctipes (Say), the nabidsNabis roseipennis Reuter and/orTropiconabis capsiformis Germar and the coccinelids,Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville andColeomegilla maculata (DeGeer) onHeliothis virescens (F.) eggs, 1st-instar larvae or both on late pinhead square and early bloom stage cotton was evaluated in field cages in Mississippi. Prey densities of 4 (11, 512/ha) or 8 per cage and predator: prey (P:p) ratios of 1∶1, 2∶1, 3∶1, 4∶1 and 5∶1 were used. Prey were labeled with phosphorus-32 or carbon-14 to determine predator ingestion and effectiveness. Average percent egg predation as a function of P:p ratio ranged from 2.1 to 12.1 for a 48 h period. The average percent predation on larvae as a function of P:p ratio ranged from 5.3 to 22.0. The hemiptera fed more than the coleoptera on larvae, andG. punctipes was the best egg predator. For the range of predator densities used, the average area of discovery for the predator complex was 6.98 × 10−3 m/day and 2.34 × 10−2 m/day when exposed to eggs and larvae, respectively.
Factor Structure of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment Clinical Form in Low-Income Hispanic American Bilingual Preschool Children

The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment Clinical Form (DECA-C) is the first instrument to measure the social-emotional resilience of young children from ages 2 to 5 years. This study is an important step toward gathering validity evidence for the teacher-rated DECA-C. This is the first study to investigate the DECA-C factor structure and the first to examine its use with low-income Hispanic American bilingual preschoolers. The one-factor, three-factor, and higher-order three-factor models were tested for the Total Protective Factors domain and the one-, four-, and higher-order four-factor models for the Total Behavioral Concerns domain. Participants comprised 471 low-income bilingual children of Hispanic backgrounds in an urban public school district in the Northeast. Findings from confirmatory factor analyses indicated that all models tested had poor model fit with this sample; however, future research replicating these findings would be necessary for implementation of modifications. In the meantime, the...
Defining the proliferative phase endometrial defect

Objective To evaluate proliferative phase endometrial development in a heterogeneous infertility population. Design Retrospective study. Setting University-based infertility practice. Patient(s) Two hundred forty-six treatment cycles. Intervention(s) Clomiphene citrate or FSH ovarian stimulation, followed by IUI or IVF. Main Outcome Measure(s) Endometrial thickness according to transvaginal ultrasonography; clinical pregnancy rate. Result(s) Endometrial growth began from a nadir of approximately 4.5 mm on cycle day 4 and increased linearly to a plateau of approximately 10 mm on cycle day 9. This same pattern was observed in all cycles, regardless of pregnancy, drug, or underlying diagnosis. Follicle-stimulating hormone–stimulated cycles showed a significantly increased endometrial thickness compared with clomiphene citrate cycles (10.1 vs. 8.3 mm). Maximum endometrial thickness achieved showed a correlation with age, body mass index, and maximum E2 level. Subjects who carried a primary diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, or recurrent pregnancy loss all achieved a significantly lower peak endometrial thickness than control subjects. There was a trend toward increased endometrial thickness in cycles resulting in pregnancy compared with those not (10.1 vs. 9.6 mm, respectively). Conclusion(s) Endometrial development follows a predictable pattern, with a plateau in growth at cycle day 9. Diseases associated with infertility manifest a proliferative phase defect that can be recognized clinically.
Preparation and polymerization of 1,2‐epoxypropyl 2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside

Allyl D-glucopyranoside tetraacetate is prepared by reaction of acetobromo-D-glucose with allyl alcool. The glycoside is not readily polymerized by free radical mechanism but on conversion to the epoxide with peracids, polymerization is easily induced with triethylaluminum. The product with a D. P. of 250 is soluble in organic solvents. On alkaline deacetylation the hydrophylic polymer is water soluble but the aqueous solution possess comparatively low viscosity.
Coordinating postmitotic nuclear pore complex assembly with abscission timing

Cells divide and accurately inherit genomic and cellular content through synchronized changes in cellular organization and chromosome dynamics. Although DNA segregation, nuclear reformation, and cytokinesis/abscission temporally overlap, little is known about how these distinct events are coordinated to ensure accurate cell division. Recently, we found that disruption of postmitotic nuclear pore complex assembly, an essential aspect of the newly forming nuclear envelope, triggers an Aurora B-dependent delay in abscission. This delay is further characterized by mislocalized, aberrantly active Aurora B in the cytoplasm of midbody-stage cells. These results support a model in which an Aurora B-mediated abscission checkpoint provides surveillance of nuclear pore complex formation to ensure that elements of nuclear architecture are fully formed before daughter cells are physically separated. Here we discuss the process of nuclear pore complex assembly, describe potential mechanisms that may explain how this process could be coordinated with abscission, and postulate why such a checkpoint mechanism may exist.
SU-FF-T-421: Tomotherapy Patient-Specific Quality Assurance

Purpose: To verify the patient‐specific dosimetric accuracy of the helical tomotherapy system. Methods and Materials: Tomotherapy is a new and complex delivery system. Varying parameters such as pitch and modulating the beam at various angles during fan‐beam delivery can produce highly conformal dose distributions. Patient‐specific dosimetric verification is thus critical. This study uses a custom‐designed 18×18×18 cm3 phantom made from water‐equivalent plastic and Exradin A1SL ionization chambers to perform patient‐specific quality assurance (QA) procedures. During treatment, proper positioning of the patient is critical to avoid compromising treatment delivery. Tomotherapy allows roll correction to compensate for patient positioning errors. The roll correction was tested for 5°, 10°, 20°, and 30° using radiographic film dosimetry, the “cheese” phantom and the custom‐designed cuboid phantom. Results: Average ionization chamber correction factors for all patients treated on Tomotherapy were within 1.2%. Film dosimetry for every patient was also performed prior to treatment. Gamma and isodose overlay profiles were analyzed using commercial film analysis software. Results showed no significant dose delivery errors, and all patients passed within 5%. Gamma analysis was performed and showed excellent agreement by comparison with plans without phantom rotation.. Gamma values were within 3.3% at 3mm and 5% distance to agreement. A custom leaf‐control file, or sinogram, is created for each patient's plan, and replicated each time the patient plan is to be delivered. Dosimetric verification for three patient plans was performed to verify the integrity of the sinogram replication process. Results for each tested plan agreement within 1% for each patient fraction. Conclusion: Tomotherapy allows for accurate delivery, and accurately applies the roll correction as shown by direct dose distribution measurements. Conflict of Interest: This work supported in part by a grant from Tomotherapy, Inc.