cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endogenous Hormones and Breast Cancer Risk

There is substantial evidence that high estrogen levels in postmenopausal women are associated with an increase in breast cancer risk, but such a relation has not yet been established in premenopausal women, despite biologic evidence that breast epithelial cell division rates are high during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle when estradiol and progesterone levels are high. The lack of total consistency among studies that have assessed estrogen differences, whether in breast cancer patients versus controls or in subgroups of the population characterized by different risk profiles for breast cancer, is not unexpected given the extraordinarily complex methodological issues that must be addressed in these studies. There has been a clear evolution over time in the level of sophistication of these types of studies, further decreasing the likelihood of finding consistent patterns in the literature. Other hormones may play an important role in breast cancer development as well. Experimental data are particularly compelling for a role of progesterone and prolactin, but hormonal studies in women are not entirely convincing regarding the role of these two hormones, nor is the literature nearly as extensive as it is for the estrogens. Studies of various androgens are even less consistent. Moreover, such studies suffer from a lack of precise hypotheses regarding how these hormones might directly alter risk.
Disability and the End of Life

This article seeks to answer the call from the disability rights community for a real debate on the role of disability in end-of-life decisionmaking. The article questions whether the crusade by disability rights activists against freedom in medical decisionmaking is in fact in the best interest of people living with physical and mental challenges, and concludes that it is not. Its underlying argument - that laws allowing choice in dying perpetuate disability discrimination - is flawed by conflation, inflation, misidentification, and a misplaced operational definition of disability. Specifically, the theory conflates dying with disability and misidentifies a persistent vegetative state as a disability that permits meaningful life. The conflation and misidentification allow the community to cast decisions to withhold or withdraw feeding tubes as disability prejudice, when such decisions are, in fact, an affirmation of autonomy and a showing of respect for individual values. Despite the flawed theory and negative practical implications of the disability agenda, the disabilty scholar's arguments deserve consideration. Judges, bioethicists, lawyers, legislatures, and health care providers should take concrete steps to stop the palpable discrimination that triggered the political movement in the first place and to alleviate the fear and hurt that has driven scholars and activists to extreme positions. The paper concludes that that two steps are necessary to achieve this goal. First, courts, bioethicists, and lawyers must stop justifying autonomous decisions to refuse treatment as reasonable by devaluing life with disability. Second, health care providers and policymakers, including institutional ethics boards, should reevaluate the notion of informed consent in cases of sudden disability to incorporate the evidence from empirical studies by disability scholars.
Teaching mobile computing using Cabana

Mobile computing is a growing market and an area of increasing interest to students. To answer our student demand we decided to develop a mobile computing course but one with a focus on interface and application design rather than implementation. The course is designed for a student audience ranging from novice programmers to experts. Using Cabana as our platform, we were able to achieve this end while also enabling our students to build functioning mobile applications. Cabana enables rapid interface design and application development without the learning curve of more traditional mobile application building. In this paper we describe our project-based curriculum and discuss its successes and failures.
Biogeographical patterns in Panellus stypticus.

Panellus stypticus fruits widely in Northern Hemisphere temperate forests but has also been col- lected in Alaska, Costa Rica, Australia and New Zea- land. Previous studies established that there was a sin- gle biological species across eastern North America, Russia, Japan and New Zealand. In order to examine phylogenetic and biogeographical patterns within this species, the ribosomal ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region was amplified for 67 collections representing North America, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand and was sequenced for ten exemplars selected from different geographical areas. The amplified ITS sequence length for collections from New South Wales and Tas- mania (Australia) and New Zealand was consistent within each of these geographical areas but varied between areas and was shorter than the ITS region for Northern Hemisphere collections. Length chang- es were due to a number of deletions. Deleted re- gions totaled 15 bp in collections from New South Wales, 29 bp from Tasmania and 88 bp from New Zealand. Parsimony analysis based on ITS sequences produced two major clades, a Northern Hemisphere clade and an Oceanian clade. The collection from New South Wales was basal to the Oceanian clade with collections from Tasmania and New Zealand as derived. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms based on BstZ I, Dra I and HinfI identified several biogeographically separated haplotypes within this species. In the Northern Hemisphere, an eastern North American haplotype was separated from other P. stypticus collections that extended from Pacific North America to Asia. European collections also shared a unique haplotype. The presence of a nucle- ar ribosomal large subunit group I intron was in- ferred in all Northern Hemisphere collections and in collections from New South Wales by length vari- ation of the PCR product and by sequencing of se- lected exemplars. ITS sequence data and the pres-
Observed dynamics of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) seedling recruitment in the Cascade Range, USA

An observational study of early seedling establishment (first 1–2 summers after emergence) was conducted in four ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) stands east of the Cascade Range crest in central Oregon, USA. Newly emerged ponderosa pine seedlings were identified at the start of summer and were monitored through their second summer; a subsequent cohort of seedlings was identified and monitored for one summer. About 3% of the viable seed that was produced resulted in new seedlings. Mortality was substantial immediately following emergence. Most seedlings emerged without shading from understory vegetation, but few survived. Most seedlings alive after one year had emerged beneath live cover; by the end of two summers only shaded seedlings were alive. 63–85% of new seedlings initiated in clusters attributed to rodent caching, and seedlings originating in clusters remained a substantial proportion of the cohort (60%) after two seasons. Results suggest that understory vegetation in these types of stands facilitates the recruitment of ponderosa pine seedlings, most likely by buffering them against environmental stressors during the seedling establishment phase. They also reveal that seed caching rodents are highly active in seed redistribution and can exert a lasting influence on seedling recruitment.
Neurofeedback Control in Parkinsonian Patients Using Electrocorticography Signals Accessed Wirelessly With a Chronic, Fully Implanted Device

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by motor symptoms such as rigidity and bradykinesia that prevent normal movement. Beta band oscillations (13–30 Hz) in neural local field potentials (LFPs) have been associated with these motor symptoms. Here, three PD patients implanted with a therapeutic deep brain neural stimulator that can also record and wirelessly stream neural data played a neurofeedback game where they modulated their beta band power from sensorimotor cortical areas. Patients’ beta band power was streamed in real-time to update the position of a cursor that they tried to drive into a cued target. After playing the game for 1–2 hours each, all three patients exhibited above chance-level performance regardless of subcortical stimulation levels. This study, for the first time, demonstrates using an invasive neural recording system for at-home neurofeedback training. Future work will investigate chronic neurofeedback training as a potentially therapeutic tool for patients with neurological disorders.
Biodistribution of Antibody-MS2 Viral Capsid Conjugates in Breast Cancer Models

A variety of nanoscale scaffolds, including virus-like particles (VLPs), are being developed for biomedical applications; however, little information is available about their in vivo behavior. Targeted nanoparticles are particularly valuable as diagnostic and therapeutic carriers because they can increase the signal-to-background ratio of imaging agents, improve the efficacy of drugs, and reduce adverse effects by concentrating the therapeutic molecule in the region of interest. The genome-free capsid of bacteriophage MS2 has several features that make it well-suited for use in delivery applications, such as facile production and modification, the ability to display multiple copies of targeting ligands, and the capacity to deliver large payloads. Anti-EGFR antibodies were conjugated to MS2 capsids to construct nanoparticles targeted toward receptors overexpressed on breast cancer cells. The MS2 agents showed good stability in physiological conditions up to 2 days and specific binding to the targeted recep...
Reflection phase and surface wave propagation characteristics of a symmetrical perforated high impedance surface

Electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures are used to suppress surface wave (SW) propagation in printed antenna systems. Although there are several different types of EBG structures, not all of them can be utilized in flexible applications. As a promising flexible EBG structure, perforated high impedance surfaces (PHIS), which also behave as artificial magnetic conductors, were previously reported. However, due to the asymmetry of their geometry, they can suppress SW in only one direction. This paper reports a symmetrical PHIS, which suppresses surface waves in more than one direction. The geometry of the perforations and patches are optimized to overlap the reflection phase and SW suppression bands.
Motivations and Behaviors of New Forest Owners in Virginia

Forestry must find ways to remain relevant to its changing constituency and client base. Market segmentation techniques can help. This study assessed the motivations and forest practices of 661 people who recently purchased forested lands ranging in size between 0.8 and 20 ha in rapidly growing counties in Virginia. Cluster analysis techniques were used to identify six market segments: absentee investors (4%), professionals (13%), preservationists (16%), young families (19%), forest planners (21%), and farmers (21%). (The remaining 6% demonstrated no variance in their responses and were not clustered.) The results suggest that lifestyle and amenity concerns are much more important motivations for landownership than are timber production and economic concerns. We discuss communication strategies, management services, and landowner assistance programs that might appeal to people in each of the six market segments. FOR .S CI. 51(2):142-154.
Review on the current status of refundoplication

BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be successfully treated by laparoscopic fundoplication with a high success rate of approximately 90%. A minority of patients will require refundoplication. METHODS: Seven recent studies on the long-term outcome of first LARS comprising a total of 955 patients and 14 recent studies on the outcome of redo fundoplication including more than 600 patients were summarized. RESULTS: For first LARS, patient satisfaction ranged between 86% and 95% after a follow up of 4–5 years. Two studies mentioned their revision rates, which were 3% and 4.8%, respectively. The various studies on the outcome of redo fundoplication reported a conversion rate between 0–25% and in general a high success rate. The studies came to the conclusion that refundoplication is feasible with good outcome in most patients. The majority of authors suggest that refundoplication should be carried out at high volume centers with ample experience with LARS. CONCLUSIONS: This article reviews the causes of failed fundoplications, presentation and diagnosis and subsequently gives an overview on indication, technique and outcome of refundoplication. Refundoplication is a feasible option for patients in whom first LARS failed.
An Assessment of Proposed ( n, γn ) Data Based on Measured and Calculated Neutron Spectra in Uranium Depleted in Uranium-235

In this Note it is demonstrated that proposed (n, γn<’) data for238U cause substantially greater discrepancies to appear between measured and calculated spectra in uranium depleted in 235U than hav...
Using data visualizations to foster emotion regulation during self-regulated learning with advanced learning technologies: a conceptual framework

Emotions play a critical role during learning and problem solving with advanced learning technologies (ALTs). Despite their importance, relatively few attempts have been made to understand learners' emotional monitoring and regulation by using data visualizations of their own (and others') cognitive, affective, metacognitive, and motivational (CAMM) self-regulated learning (SRL) processes to potentially foster their emotion regulation (ER). We present a theoretically based and empirically driven conceptual framework that addresses ER by proposing the use of visualizations of one's own and others' CAMM SRL multichannel data to facilitate learners' monitoring and regulation of emotions during learning with ALTs. We use an example with eye-tracking data to illustrate the mapping between theoretical assumptions, ER strategies, and the types of data visualizations that can enhance learners' ER, including key processes such as emotion flexibility, emotion adaptivity, and emotion efficacy. We conclude with future directions leading to a systematic interdisciplinary research agenda that addresses outstanding ER-related issues by integrating models, theories, methods, and analytical techniques for the cognitive, learning, and affective sciences; human- computer interaction (HCI); data visualization; big data; data mining; and SRL.
A philosophical exploration of midwifery knowledge

There is an urgent need to identify the body of knowledge that underpins the practice of midwifery. It is vital that midwifery adopts an epistemology (the theory of knowledge) of practice which is based upon reflection and appropriate research.
Congenital Spinal Anomalies

Congenital spine abnormalities are caused by developmental defects during early gestation, which can lead to early and progressive scoliosis and kyphosis. Associated genitourinary and cardiac defects are common. While multiple factors affect treatment decisions, bracing is usually ineffective for congenital curves and operative intervention is frequently necessary.
Anesthetic effects on vascular smooth muscle.

For many years it was generally believed that volatile anesthetic agents, with the exception of diethyl ether and cyclopropane, had a depressant effect on the vascular system. Because the physiological effects of anesthetic agents were measured in man and whole animal, the precise site or sites of action could not be determined. In 1962 Price and Price,1 using isolated tissue and standardized experimental conditions, reported that the effect of halothane was primarily at the adrenergic receptor on the vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cell. Other studies2 concluded that although the response to norepinephrine (NE) in VSM was depressed by halothane, antagonism between NE and halothane was difficult to explain in terms of classical pharmacological kinetics.
Limited Contributions of Serotonin to Long-Term Hyperexcitability of Aplysia Sensory Neurons

Serotonin (5-HT) has provided a useful tool to study plasticity of nociceptive sensory neurons in Aplysia. Because noxious stimulation causes release of 5-HT and long-term hyperexcitability (LTH) o...
Predicting personality pathology among adult patients with substance use disorders: Effects of childhood maltreatment

The purpose of this study was to examine predictive relationships between types of childhood maltreatment and personality disorders in a substance-abusing population. Three hundred thirty-nine drug- or alcohol-dependent patients completed a reliable and valid retrospective measure of childhood trauma, the CTQ, and a self-report inventory that assesses the entire range of DSM-III-R personality disorders, the PDQ-R. As a preliminary step, factor analyses were used to group personality disorders into the three DSM-III-R Axis II clusters (Clusters A, B, and C), although some diagnostic subclusters were also found. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed several significant paths between types of maltreatment and personality disorder clusters (and subclusters). Physical abuse and physical neglect were related to a subcluster of "psychopathic" personality disorders consisting of childhood and adult antisocial personality traits and sadistic traits. Emotional abuse emerged as a broad risk factor for personality disorders in Clusters A, B, and C. Emotional neglect was related to the traits of schizoid personality disorder, which formed its own subcluster. Finally, sexual abuse, which had been expected to predict borderline personality disorder traits, was unrelated to any personality disorder cluster. These findings support the view that child maltreatment contributes to the high prevalence of co-morbid personality disorders in addicted populations.
Stress-Related Growth in the Lives of Lesbian and Gay People of Faith

There is a tendency in psychological research and practice within the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community to focus on the negative sequelae associated with sexual minority stress without ever understanding and/or appreciating that there are also positive forces at work here. To bring positive psychology into this discussion, our chapter will examine the importance of stress-related growth (SRG) and coming-out growth (COG) within LGB lives. The goal of this current book chapter is to recast and reconceptualize earlier and current work on lesbian and gay people of faith (e.g., Rodriguez and Ouellette, The Community Psychologist 32:24–29, 1999; Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 39:333–347, 2000a; Religion and masculinity in Latino gay lives, pp. 101–129, 2000b; Rodriguez, Journal of Homosexuality 57:5–38, 2010) not from a lens of conflict, but instead from the lens of positive psychology. In this chapter, we make the argument that the intersection of sexual orientation and religious/spiritual beliefs—including the experiences of lesbian and gay people of faith—can be viewed as examples of the positive psychological concepts of SRG and COG in action. We begin by exploring the concept of SRG, focusing specifically on how this construct relates to lesbian and gay life experience. We continue by discussing how the concept of COG connects to Shallenberger’s (Reclaiming the spirit: Gay men and lesbians come to terms with religion, 1998) work on lesbian and gay spiritual journeys. We then move onto a discussion of the importance of lesbian and gay religious institutions before concluding with suggestions for future research and practice.
Preprosthetic Management of Patients with Lower- or Upper-limb Amputation

All amputees can benefit from a comprehensive rehabilitation program that addresses the physical and emotional factors affecting their quality of life. Postoperative management should be tailored to the age, physical condition, amputation level, and previous and anticipated life-style of the patient. Psychologic preparation and support of the patient are stressed. The types of dressings available to promote healing and volume stabilization are described. Joint mobility, strength, coordination, and endurance are promoted by an individualized exercise program. Coping with phantom limb sensations, skin care, and functional activities are discussed. Management of problems specific to upper- and lower-limb amputations is detailed.
Unsteady Roll Moment Control Using Active Flow Control on a Delta Wing

A feedforward controller is designed to attenuate the roll moment coefficients produced by forced roll motion of a delta-wing type model. Active flow control effectors in the form of variable strength pneumatic slot-jets are located along the trailing edge of the model. The control effectors produce a roll moment coefficient proportional to the momentum coefficient. Direct measurements of the roll moment are made with the model in a wind tunnel. Black-box models for the plant and disturbance are identified, and used in the design of the feedforward controller. The effectiveness of the feedforward controller in attenuating disturbance roll moments produced by forced roll maneuvers is evaluated with periodic and pseudo-random maneuvers. Near the design point of the for the controller the root-mean-square value of the net roll moment is four times smaller than the roll moment without control.
Viscoelastic polymer semiconductors for stretchable electronics: the importance of interfaces on mechanical behavior (Conference Presentation)

Viscoelastic polymer semiconductors have the potential to be effective components in stretchable electronics. These malleable materials provide a simple and effective approach to realize stretchable field effect transistors and sensors.[1] For successful operation, the polymer film must be able to withstand large cyclic strains while maintaining electrical properties. Here, we show that in the stretching process, the elastomer substrate plays a critical role in the mechanical response of the semiconductor film. In particular, we explore the role of adhesion and near-surface modulus of a PDMS elastomer on the ability to achieve stretchable PDPP-4T films. We also show the use of PDMS tension on the stability of the film. We find that the increase in near-surface modulus of the PDMS and maintaining the PDMS in tension limits film wrinkling under large cyclic strain, and that an increase adhesion greatly reduces film delamination and propensity to tear. We show that through proper engineering of the elastomer substrate, the PDD-4T film has a surface roughness consistently below 3 nm for a strain range of 50% and for over 100 strain cycles. The local morphology and charge transport of the semicrystalline DPP-4T is also characterized in detail and shown to vary in a systematic and stable manner under this large strain range. These results demonstrate the ability to use low glass transition temperature polymers for intrinsically stretchable semiconductors given appropriate interactions with adjacent elastomer layers. [1] T. Sun, B. O’Connor, et al, Adv. Electron. Mater. 1600388, 2017.
Reduced-order modeling through machine learning and graph-theoretic approaches for brittle fracture applications

Abstract Typically, thousands of computationally expensive micro-scale simulations of brittle crack propagation are needed to upscale lower length scale phenomena to the macro-continuum scale. Running such a large number of crack propagation simulations presents a significant computational challenge, making reduced-order models (ROMs) attractive for this task. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop ROMs that have sufficient accuracy and low computational cost so that these upscaling simulations can be readily performed. However, constructing ROMs for these complex simulations presents its own challenge. Here, we present and compare four different approaches for reduced-order modeling of brittle crack propagation in geomaterials. These methods rely on machine learning (ML) and graph-theoretic algorithms to approximate key aspects of the brittle crack problem. These methods also incorporate different physics-based assumptions in order to reduce the training requirements while maintaining accurate physics as much as possible. Results from the ROMs are directly compared against a high-fidelity model of brittle crack propagation. Further, the strengths and weaknesses of the ROMs are discussed, and we conclude that combining smart physics-informed feature engineering with highly trainable ML models provides the best performance. The ROMs considered here have computational costs that are orders-of-magnitude less than the cost associated with high-fidelity physical models while maintaining good accuracy.
An update on the safety and efficacy of oral antidiabetic drugs: DPP-4 inhibitors and SGLT-2 inhibitors.

Introduction: Oral antidiabetic medications are important in many type 2 diabetes care plansAreas covered: The article summarizes the cardiovascular and renal safety data for DPP-4 inhibitors and S...
Characterization of Activating Mutations of the MEK1 Gene in Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas.

Background: Genetic alterations activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, most commonly BRAF and RAS mutations, are common in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Soma...
Programs with Negation

Our next goal is to extend the definition of a stable model from Sect. 4.4 to propositional programs that contain negation, and to apply this generalization to clingo programs with negation and choice. We begin with an informal discussion of a few examples.
Somatic Truth Data from Cell Lineage

Existing somatic benchmark datasets for human sequencing data use germline variants, synthetic methods, or expensive validations, none of which are satisfactory for providing a large collection of true somatic variation across a whole genome. Here we propose a dataset of short somatic mutations, that are validated using a known cell lineage. The dataset contains 56,974 (2,687 unique) Single Nucleotide Variations (SNV), 6,370 (316 unique) small Insertions and Deletions (Indels), and 144 (8 unique) Copy Number Variants (CNV) across 98 in silico mixed truth sets with a high confidence region covering 2.7 gigabases per mixture. The data is publicly available for use as a benchmarking dataset for somatic short mutation discovery pipelines.
Temporal color contrast guides emmetropization in chick.

Abstract As a result of longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA), longer wavelengths are blurred when shorter wavelengths are in focus, and vice versa. As a result, LCA affects the color and temporal aspects of the retinal image with hyperopic defocus. In this experiment, we investigated how the sensitivity to temporal color contrast affects emmetropization. Ten-day-old chicks were exposed for three days to sinusoidal color modulation. The modulation was either blue/yellow flicker (BY) (n = 57) or red/green flicker (RG) (n = 60) simulating hyperopic defocus with and without a blue light component. The color contrasts tested were 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 Michelson contrast. The mean illuminance of all stimuli was 680 lux. Temporal modulation was either of a high (10 Hz) or low (0.2 Hz) temporal frequency. To test the role of short- and double-cone stimulation, an additional condition silenced these cones in RG_0.4 (D-) and was compared with RG_0.4 (D+) (n = 14). Changes in ocular components and refractive error were measured using Lenstar and a photorefractometer. With high temporal frequency BY representing an in-focus condition for shorter-wavelengths, we found that high temporal frequency BY contrast was positively correlated with vitreous expansion (R2 = 0.87, p
Incorporation of a mock pharmacy and therapeutics committee as an entrustable professional activity supporting task.

Abstract Introduction Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) denote activities and tasks students should be able to perform by graduation irrespective of their practice setting. Formulary decision-making includes several core EPA related skills, such as utilization of drug information, written, and verbal skills. The objective of this study was to describe an EPA supporting task aimed at improving utilization of evidence-based medicine skills and its impact on student self-perceived confidence, rating of skills needed, and competence. Methods Teams comprised of six to seven students were assigned a drug and instructed to complete the following activities: (1) background literature search, (2) drug monograph, (3) five-min presentation to simulate a live pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee meeting, and (4) vote on a formulary drug in each drug class. Students completed a pre/post five-point Likert scale self-efficacy survey and a perceived importance survey. A scoring rubric assessed monograph and presentation elements (max points 30). Survey items were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Descriptive statistics were used for assignment grades. Results One hundred ninety students completed the pre/post self-efficacy and perceived importance survey. Confidence showed statistically significant improvement (P Conclusions A mock P&T activity represents an innovative way to evaluate an EPA supporting task that allows students to improve their evidence-based analysis, written, and verbal communication skills.
Microwiggler free electron laser experiment

In free electron laser (FEL) operation, wigglers with small periodicities reduce the electron beam energy required for producing high-frequency radiation. Microwigglers with periodicities of less than 1 cm, combined with the high-quality beams generated by photoelectric injectors, may result in compact and efficient short-wavelength FELs. The authors have designed, constructed, and tested novel microwiggler structures with periodicities of 2.4 to 8 mm in which the magnetic field in each half-period is independently adjustable. The experimentally demonstrated tunability of field amplitudes provides versatile means for enhancing the FEL performance. A microwiggler FEL driven by a 300-kV Marx generator and a thermionic electron gun have been investigated. >
INTRAVENOUS CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN ADULT KOI (CYPRINUS CARPIO).

IV iodinated contrast is undocumented in koi (Cyprinus carpio). IV contrast–enhanced computed tomography (CT) provides detailed imaging of the vascular structures and parenchymal organs. The goals of this study were to (1) document feasibility of IV contrast into the caudal vein, (2) determine distribution of contrast media and conspicuity of organs, (3) evaluate for differences in contrast uptake with two different doses of IV contrast, and (4) evaluate for contraindications of IV iodinated contrast in a small cohort of fish. Thirty adult koi were split into three groups (n = 10) in a prospective interrupted time series design with nonequivalent groups, receiving 480 mg iodine per kg (mg I/kg), 800 mg I/kg, and saline. Contrast doses were selected based on the range of doses used in other species. Half of the fish given IV contrast (n = 10) were imaged with CT. Physical exams, blood smears, and biochemistries were performed on all fish. Half of the fish in each group were euthanized 24 h after injection and the other half two weeks later. Necropsies and histopathology were performed to evaluate pathology associated with contrast. For the CT examinations, precontrast, immediate postcontrast, and 5-m delayed postcontrast CT scans were obtained. Contrast in coelomic organs and circulatory system was measured using Hounsfield units. The caudal kidney was the most contrast-enhancing organ. Both doses produced good vascular enhancement and similar distribution. The delayed postcontrast scans showed repeatable parenchymal enhancement of organs. No mortality was encountered. No abnormalities were detected on blood smears, necropsies, or histopathology. Results suggest IV contrast administration is feasible, both contrast doses provided valuable anatomical information in the study with CT of coelomic organs, and no contraindications of contrast administration were detected.
Live Captioning Accuracy in Spanish-Language Newscasts in the United States

In addition to English-speaking networks, the United States has a number of broadcasters that target the Hispanic community by offering their full programming in Spanish. According to the closed captioning regulations in place, they need to provide closed captions to their audiences, which have to be acceptable in terms of completeness, placement, synchronicity and accuracy. This paper provides the main findings of the first scholarly accuracy assessment conducted in the United States for Spanish-language live closed captions. Taking the national newscasts aired by two major Spanish-speaking networks as the focus of study, this article reports on their accuracy and reduction rates, and provides a detailed account of the number, type and severity of the errors encountered. Overall, our assessment revealed improvable accuracy levels, which were mainly caused by omissions of relevant information in combination with an increased presence of minor errors in the form of misspellings, punctuation errors and technology-related issues.
Enzymatic Labeling of Nucleic Acids

Extensive knowledge of the enzymology involved in biosynthesis and degradation of nucleic acids has permitted the development of simple methods for labeling RNA and DNA with radioisotopes or biotin. These labeled probes are used primarily for hybridization to nucleic acid fragments of interest in a variety of applications. A complete description of the methods available for such labeling is beyond the scope of this manual, but contained within this unit are protocols for oligonucleotide-primed synthesis of radiolabeled and biotinylated DNA probes, in vitro synthesis of radiolabeled RNA, and end labeling of synthetic oligonucleotide probes.
Influenza Virus Nucleoprotein Interacts with Influenza Virus Polymerase Proteins

Influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) is a critical factor in the viral infectious cycle in switching influenza virus RNA synthesis from transcription mode to replication mode. In this study, we investigated the interaction of NP with the viral polymerase protein complex. Using coimmunoprecipitation with monospecific or monoclonal antibodies, we observed that NP interacted with the RNP-free polymerase protein complex in influenza virus-infected cells. In addition, coexpression of the components of the polymerase protein complex (PB1, PB2, or PA) with NP either together or pairwise revealed that NP interacts with PB1 and PB2 but not PA. Interaction of NP with PB1 and PB2 was confirmed by both coimmunoprecipitation and histidine tagging of the NP-PB1 and NP-PB2 complexes. Further, it was observed that NP-PB2 interaction was rather labile and sensitive to dissociation in 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate and that the stability of NP-PB2 interaction was regulated by the sequences present at the COOH terminus of NP. Analysis of NP deletion mutants revealed that at least three regions of NP interacted independently with PB2. A detailed analysis of the COOH terminus of NP by mutation of serine-to-alanine (SA) residues either individually or together demonstrated that SA mutations in this region did not affect the binding of NP to PB2. However, some SA mutations at the COOH terminus drastically affected the functional activity of NP in an in vivo transcription-replication assay, whereas others exhibited a temperature-sensitive phenotype and still others had no effect on the transcription and replication of the viral RNA. These results suggest that a direct interaction of NP with polymerase proteins may be involved in regulating the switch of viral RNA synthesis from transcription to replication.
Ion Interactions with Solids: Astrophysical Applications

Energetic plasma ions and electrons can significantly alter surfaces in the solar system and the interstellar medium (ISM) and produce observable gas-phase atoms and molecules. In order to understand recent observations, the physics and chemistry of sputtering and radiolysis are reviewed. Emphasis is on recent molecular dynamics simulations of sputtering and their relevance to the desorption of molecules from grains in the ISM by heavy cosmic-ray ions and the effect of energetic ions and electrons on the icy surfaces in the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn.
Recasting the Callaway and von Baeyer thermal conductivity model on defective oxide materials: the ZnO-In2O3 system as an example.

Point defects and nanoscale interfaces effectively scatter short and mid-to-long wavelength phonons, respectively, thereby considerably reducing the thermal conductivity. In this paper, a classical physical model of phonon transport and scattering, the Callaway and von Bayer method, is recast with the introduction of the phonon mean free path cut-off, or equivalently, the minimum phonon relaxation time. To illustrate the method, we compute the thermal conductivity for the ZnO–In2O3 binary system in which the compositionally dependent structure is available, including solid solutions consisting of point defects and natural superlattices. The calculated thermal conductivity is in good agreement with the experimental measurements, and suggests a threshold value of about 50 nm for the interface spacing, above which the thermal conductivity becomes less sensitive to the interfaces with increasing temperature. A useful design clue is implied for the nanostructural engineering of high temperature thermoelectrics and thermal barrier coatings.
Single mossy fiber axonal systems of human dentate granule cells studied in hippocampal slices from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Previous histological and immunocytochemical studies suggest that reorganization of the dentate granule cell axons, the mossy fibers, can occur in epileptic human hippocampus (Sutula et al., 1989; Houser et al., 1990; Babb et al., 1991) and in animal models of epilepsy (Tauck and Nadler, 1985; Sutula et al., 1988; Cronin et al., 1992). However, neuroanatomical analyses of the trajectory and morphology of reorganized axons are not yet available. The present study was conducted to investigate single dentate granule cell axonal systems in human epileptic hippocampus. Individual mossy fibers were directly visualized by injecting a tracer (biocytin or Lucifer yellow) intracellularly in hippocampal slices prepared from temporal lobes that were surgically removed from patients for treatment of intractable epilepsy. Two major arborization patterns were identified: (1) the parent axons extended to and coursed through the hilus toward CA3, leaving collaterals along their paths in the hilus (N = 19 neurons); (2) in addition to the aforementioned axonal system, collateral(s) branched from the parent axon near the soma and projected to the granule cell layer and molecular layer, forming an aberrant axonal pathway (N = 9 neurons). These aberrant collaterals bore large boutons similar to those of the hilar axons and formed extensive plexuses in the granule cell layer and/or in the molecular layer. The summed length of collaterals in the granular/molecular layers was 1110.8 microns on average, which was one-fourth of the total summed length of the mossy fibers (3698.5 microns on average). The size of the somata in neurons that had aberrant collaterals was significantly larger than that of neurons without such collaterals (p < 0.025). In four cases, filopodium-like fine processes were present near the axon hillock and proximal parts of the parent axon, suggesting that the aberrant collateral formation might be an ongoing process in these tissues. The lack of control slices from normal living human hippocampus makes it difficult to assess to what extent the present findings are epilepsy associated. However, the presence of aberrant mossy fiber collaterals in the hippocampi used in the present study has been confirmed by Timm's staining and/or dynorphin immunohistochemistry in comparison with nonepileptic autopsy material, indicating its relation to epilepsy (Babb et al., 1991, 1992). At present, there seems to be a consensus that the projection of mossy fiber collaterals to the supragranular layer is a rare occurrence in normal rats (Lorento de No, 1934; Claiborne et al., 1986; Seress et al., 1991; present study), normal monkeys (Seress et al., 1991), and normal humans (Houser et al., 1990).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The direct and specific opiate-like effect of met5-enkephalin and analogues on the spinal cord.

Narcotics administered into the spinal subarachnoid space of intact, unanesthetized rats produce a dose dependent analgesia which is antagonized by naloxone. In the present experiments, it was shown that an endogenous pentapeptide, methionine5-enkephalin would produce a similar analgesia, though it was only 0.03 times as potent as morphine. Protecting the molecule from degradation increased the apparent potency of the pentapeptide. In all cases, the analgesia, as measured on the hot plate and tail flick tests, was antagonized by systemically administered naloxone. These data are in accord with the finding of stereospecific narcotic binding in the dorsal horn and offer further evidence that an endogenous modulatory system having an opioid sensitive link exists in the spinal cord.
Formulating policy with a parallel organization: how a CEO integrated independent divisions

Purpose – Division managers in multi‐division, production organizations often focus primarily on their division's interests and goals and as a result may not be well motivated or equipped to formulate optimal, company‐wide policies. In this case study, a new CEO decided to deal with ambiguous, company‐wide policy issues such as pricing, product portfolios, market position, and communication across independent divisions, by installing a parallel organization composed entirely of line managers from different divisions and functions. This paper aims to examine the parallel organization concept and how it was applied, installed and operated to greatly benefit the firm.Design/methodology/approach – The case describes the operation and outputs of the parallel organization based on data gathered from interviews of managers and detailed analysis of proposed issues and policies formulated over a five‐year period.Findings – The firm's performance improved significantly as the parallel organization generated policie...
Novel potential-function-based control scheme for non-holonomic multi-agent systems to prevent the local minimum problem

In this paper, we consider a control problem of a non-holonomic multi-agent system. We assume that agents and obstacles are in a circular shaped work area. We propose a novel potential-function-based control scheme that drives agents from the initial to the goal configuration while avoiding collision with other agents, obstacles, and the boundary of the work area. The control scheme enables agents to avoid being trapped at local minima by forcing them to exit from the regions that may contain local minima. A numerical simulation is presented to demonstrate the validity of the proposed control scheme.
Superscan caused by renal osteodystrophy: Observed on 18F FDG PET/CT scan

Superscans have been described in variety of conditions such as metastatic disease, metabolic bone disease, and myeloproliferative disorders. We describe a rare case of supercan from metabolic bone disease/renal osteodystrophy observed on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan. A 35-year-old woman patient with history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), end stage renal disease, and recently diagnosed with breast carcinoma had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by mastectomy with sentinel lymph node dissection and adjuvant chemoradiation. The patient has been in remission for the last 10 years of follow-up visits. She was subjected to F-18 FDG PET/CT scan and Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scan 2 weeks apart for initial staging workup of locally advanced ductal carcinoma of the right breast. Whole body F-18 FDG PET/CT scan [Figure 1a and b] apart from radiotracer uptake in the primary neoplasm in the right breast, demonstrated diffusely increased FDG uptake in the osseous structure without any abnormalities on corresponding CT scan and absence of radiotracer excretion in the kidneys and urinary bladder. Subsequent Tc99m MDP bone scan [Figure 2] demonstrated classic findings of super scan of diffuse, uniform radiotracer uptake in the axial and appendicular skeleton, faint visualization of soft tissue, and absence of radiotracer excretion in the kidneys and urinary bladder.[1] As both bone scan and F-18 FDG PET/CT scan demonstrated diffuse uniform radiotracer uptake in osseous structure indicative of metabolic bone disease rather than patchy, heterogeneous radiotracer uptake observed with skeletal metastasis and corresponding CT scan images being unremarkable, skeletal metastasis was felt less likely.
The microstructure and magnetic properties of melt-spun Fe76Nd16B8 magnetic materials

Abstract The origin of magnetic hardening has been examined in melt-spun Fe 76 Nd 16 B 8 samples heat-treated at around 700°C. Microstructure studies show the same phases as in sintered magnets consisting of Fe 14 Nd 2 B, Fe 4 NdB 4 and two high-Nd content phases. These phases exist in both equiaxed and faceted crystallites of submicron size. Lorentz microscopy shows domain walls which end at grain boundaries indicating that they are pinned there.
The healing of phenolized pulp exposures

The healing process of exposed human dental pulps has been reported previously by us. In that study the healing process was observed under 2 widely used medicaments, calcium hydroxide and zinc oxidee eugenol. It was found that the superficial portion of the pulp in contact with the calcium hydroxide was rapidly necrotized; within 4 weeks healing took place beneath the necrotic area with the appearance of a new odontoblastic layer and a new dentine bridge. Zinc oxideeeugenol did not necrotize the pulp tissue; however, it elicited an inflammatory reaction, which persisted throughout the course of the experiment. Pulp healing did not occur under zinc oxideeeugenol during the 12 weeks of the study. The question then arose whether or not the necrotizing action of calcium hydroxide was instrumental in promoting pulp healing. Since phenol is an escharotic drug, would its necrotizing action produce the same type of helaing under other capping as observed under calcium hydroxide? Good clinical results have been reported by phenolizing exposed pulp tissue before capping. Some clinicians use phenol before treating vital pulps with calcium hydroxide; however, there is no experimental evidence to substantiate its use. The next question was whether the use of phenol would reduce or enhance the beneficial action of calcium hydroxide in the process of pulp healing. In order to answer these questions, our original
Cosmic-ray exposure history at the Apollo 16 and other lunar sites: lunar surface dynamics

Concordant Kr-81/Kr exposure ages for four station 11 breccias indicate an age of 50.3 plus or minus 0.8 m.y. for North Ray Crater. Ray structures visible from orbital photography suggest that stations 8 and 9 should contain a substantial amount of South Ray ejecta. Concordant Kr-81/Kr exposure ages at these sites indicate an age for South Ray Crater of 2.04 plus or minus 0.08 m.y. Surface effects show good general agreement with this young age, but discrepancies on a sample-by-sample basis seem to indicate that extensive presurface irradiations must have occurred.
“The Teacher Who is Remembered”1

The abiding qualities which combine to make a really great teacher of the languages and of any other subject.
Theoretical absolute J-manifold intensities of the ν3 fundamental of GeH4

Abstract Theoretical absolute integrated of the J-manifolds P(1)-P(20), R(0)-R(20), and the central Q-branch in the ν3 fundamental of GeH4 have been projected from experimental intensity measurements. Values are presented in tabular form as a function of temperature from 200 to 340°K in 20°K increments.