cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incidence and Predictors of Persistent Pelvic Pain Following Hysterectomy in Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain

Study Objective To describe the incidence and risk factors for persistent pelvic pain 6 months following hysterectomy in women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP). Design Prospective, observational cohort study of women with chronic pelvic pain undergoing hysterectomy. Setting Academic tertiary care center. Patients or Participants 126 women with CPP undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications. Interventions Patients completed validated assessments of pain, anxiety, depression, and centralized pain (using the 2011 fibromyalgia survey criteria, 0-31 points) preoperatively and 6-months after hysterectomy. Demographic information, surgical history, intraoperative findings and surgical pathology were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Preoperative CPP was defined as average pelvic pain ≥3/10 for >3 months. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of persistent pelvic pain 6 months following hysterectomy, defined as Measurements and Main Results Among 176 participants with CPP, 126 (71.6%) were retained at 6-months, and 15 (11.9%) reported persistent pelvic pain. There was no difference in age (p=0.46), race (p=0.55), pain severity (p=0.10) or pain duration (p=0.80) in those with and without persistent pelvic pain. While intraoperative findings of endometriosis (p=0.045) was associated with a higher incidence of persistent pain, surgical route (p=0.46), uterine fibroids (p=0.34), adenomyosis (p=0.23), pelvic adhesions (0.51), uterine weight (p=0.66) were not related to risk of persistent pain. Higher preoperative centralized pain scores (p=0.01), but not depression (p=0.13) or anxiety (p=0.28) were more common in women with persistent pelvic pain. Multivariate logistic regression controlling for age, anxiety, and endometriosis indicated that every 1-point increase in centralized pain was associated with a 23% increase in odds of persistent pelvic pain (OR 1.23, 95%CI 1.03, 1.48). Conclusion While the majority of women with CPP report considerable improvement in pain following hysterectomy, higher degrees of centralized pain prior to hysterectomy is a robust predictor of persistent pain, even among women whose score falls below the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia.
Impact of e-cigarette use among a cohort of American Indian cigarette smokers: associations with cigarette smoking cessation and cigarette consumption

Introduction Despite American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people having the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking nationwide, few studies have evaluated e-cigarette use among AI/AN adults who smoke. The primary objective of this observational pilot cohort study was to determine if e-cigarette use is associated with cigarette smoking cessation or reduction among adult AI individuals who smoke. Methods In 2016, we collected baseline survey and biomarker data among AI adults who smoke. The survey included questions about cigarette consumption and use of e-cigarettes and biomarkers, such as salivary cotinine markers and exhaled carbon monoxide. After 18 months, we repeated data collection, and asked about changes in cigarette smoking status and cigarettes per day (CPD). Comparisons between groups were performed using the χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results Of 375 baseline participants, 214 (57.07%) returned for follow-up and were included in analyses. Of these, 20 (9.3%) reported having stopped cigarette smoking and had biochemical verification of cigarette smoking abstinence. Among those who quit smoking, 15% were baseline e-cigarette users; while among those who continued to smoke at follow-up, about 11% were baseline e-cigarette users. This difference was not statistically significant (p=0.48). Among all those who continued to smoke at follow-up, there was no overall decrease in CPD, nor a significant difference in change in CPD between baseline e-cigarette users and non-users (p=0.98). Conclusions E-cigarette use at baseline was not associated with smoking cessation or a change in CPD in this cohort of AI adults who smoke after an 18-month follow-up period.
Gaucher disease status and treatment assessment: pilot study using magnetic resonance spectroscopy bone marrow fat fractions in pediatric patients.

Abstract Objective To assess magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) bone marrow fat fractions' ability to discern between untreated Gaucher disease patients and healthy controls based on assessment of bone marrow infiltration and evaluate response to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) on serial imaging. Methods This retrospective case-controlled study compared conventional MRI and bone marrow MRS findings in six pediatric and young adult Gaucher disease patients with age- and sex-matched controls, examining femoral neck and lumbar spine bone marrow fat fractions and bone marrow burden (BMB) scores. Separate analysis of six patients with serial imaging on ERT was performed with analysis of fat fractions, BMB scores, organ volumes, and serum chitotriosidase. Results Untreated patients had significantly lower femoral and lumbar spine fat fractions than controls (0.32 versus 0.67, p = 0.041 and 0.17 versus 0.34, p = 0.041, respectively). Total BMB scores were significantly higher in patients (8.0 versus 3.5, p = 0.015). In patients on ERT with average follow-up of 3.5 years, femoral neck fat fraction was the sole significant predictor of treatment duration (R square: 0.804, p Conclusion MRS-derived bone marrow fat fractions appear capable of detecting Gaucher disease severity and monitoring treatment-related changes as a predictor of ERT duration in pediatric and young adult patients.
Algebraic Complete Solution for Joint Source and Sensor Localization Using Time of Flight Measurements

Joint source and sensor localization is a challenging problem, nevertheless it has numerous potential applications. This paper takes time of flight measurements and develops an approximate and yet reasonably accurate algebraic solution to the problem by converting it to the identification of an upper triangular linear transformation matrix in the localization space. The proposed solution is in closed-form and not iterative, and it reduces the solution evaluation to the positive root of a polynomial of degree 3 or less. It is among the first in solving the problem when the source and/or sensor positions can be embedded in a lower dimensional space than the localization space, leading to a complete and robust solution. The solution derivation establishes naturally the conditions for the solvability of the localization problem. The resulting solution is sufficiently close to the optimum estimate and gives better results than those from the literature. Iterative refinement of the proposed solution on the source and sensor positions provides the Cramer-Rao Lower Bound accuracy under Gaussian noise with sufficient number of sources and sensors. Performance evaluation using the data from two experiments under real environment confirms the reliability and promising behavior of the proposed solutions.
When less is more:downsizing, sense of place, and well-being in late life

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the decision-making process and outcomes associated with downsizing to a smaller home in late life. Older adults who had downsized in the past year (n = 68) were recruited across the U.S. between 2018 and 2019 and were interviewed eithr in person or over the phone. Participants completed self-report measures of push-pull factors driving the decision to move, relocation controllability, sense of place (SOP), and relocation outcomes (i.e., move satisfaction and psychological well-being). Placing greater importance on push relative to pull factors was associated with lower levels of well-being in three domains: environmental mastery, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Results of serial mediation analyses suggested that older adults whose downsizing decisions were more strongly influenced by push factors, felt less control over relocation, found it more difficult to develop SOP in the new home, and, in turn, experienced lower levels of psychological well-being and move satisfaction. These findings can be used to inform older adults’ downsizing decisions and develop supports for relocating older adults.
Reflected Schr\"odinger Bridge: Density Control with Path Constraints

How to steer a given joint state probability density function to another over finite horizon subject to a controlled stochastic dynamics with hard state (sample path) constraints? In applications, state constraints may encode safety requirements such as obstacle avoidance. In this paper, we perform the feedback synthesis for minimum control effort density steering (a.k.a. Schrodinger bridge) problem subject to state constraints. We extend the theory of Schrodinger bridges to account the reflecting boundary conditions for the sample paths, and provide a computational framework building on our previous work on proximal recursions, to solve the same.
CLEM with Commercially Available Reagents to Facilitate Immunolocalization

There is often a need to locate the same cellular structure of interest in light and electron microscopy, which can be a difficult task. Here we present a method that uses only commercially available reagents and standard epi-fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technology to make correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) available to a large group of researchers without specialized CLEM hardware. This was achieved by seeding cells on photo-etched gridded cover slips and staining the protein to be localized with a secondary antibody coupled to both a fluorophore and 10 nm gold. The presence of the grid allowed for the alignment of light microscopy images with TEM images and the double-labeled antibody revealed co-localization of the fluorophore with gold particles.
Producibility as a Design Factor in Naval Ships

Abstract : There are many producibility concepts which affect the characteristics of a naval ship. These concepts must be addressed during the early phases of the ship design process while the ship is still flexible. Since these producibility concepts may affect ship performance and technical risk, as well as ship characteristics and cost, a rigorous tradeoff analysis is required. This paper provides examples of producibility concepts which should be addressed during the ship design process. An evaluation procedure is presented to assist in the gathering and the organizing of information required for an objective tradeoff analysis. The ship synthesis model "ASSET" is utilized as the principal design tool to determine ship impact and the cost of producibility concepts. One of the primary recommendations of the authors is that the Navy needs to increase the visibility of producibility as a design factor in naval ships by developing rigorous evaluation tools, cataloguing producibility concepts for considerations in future designs, and establish an advocate for ship producibility within the design organization.
A simple linear relationship between resource availability and microbial community diversity

Microbial community diversity is pivotal for the functioning of our planet, but its drivers are still unclear, in particular the role of resource number and identity. To fill this gap, we studied the assembly of hundreds of soil-derived microbial communities on a wide range of well-defined resource environments, from single carbon sources to combinations of up to 16. We found a remarkable diversity in single resources but a linear one-by-one increase in the number of species with the number of additional resources. We show, both experimentally and theoretically, that both these observations could originate from generalist and specialist taxa interacting in a modular fashion within the community. Since generalists and specialists are ubiquitous in natural microbiomes, our results might apply to a variety of different ecological settings, providing a framework to predict how community diversity responds to changes in resource availability.
Outcomes of 3-day discharge after elective cardiac surgery

Background Shorter length of stay (LOS) is a welcome consequence of optimized perioperative care. However, accelerated hospital discharge may have unintended consequences. Before implementing an institutional enhanced recovery after surgery protocol, we evaluated the safety of shorter LOS and compared outcomes of patients with shorter LOS (LOS ≤ 3 days) to those with longer LOS (LOS > 3 days). Methods We identified all patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between July 2004 and June 2017. Transcatheter approaches, ventricular assist devices, transplants, and traumas were excluded. Patients were divided into two cohorts, one with shorter hospitalizations (LOS ≤ 3 days) and one with longer hospitalizations (LOS > 3 days). Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed and differences between the two groups were compared. Results A total of 5,987 patients (63.0 ± 13.8 years old, 34% female) were identified and 131 (2.2%) patients were LOS ≤ 3 days; median STS Risk score was 1.2 (0.6-2.4). PSM resulted in a total of 478 patients (357 LOS > 3 and 121 LOS ≤ 3 days); median STS Risk score was 0.4 (0.3-0.9). LOS ≤ 3 days had lower rates of postoperative atrial fibrillation (2% vs. 19%; p 3 days; p = .66) and mortality rates (0% vs. 0%) were comparable between the two groups. Conclusion LOS ≤ 3 days was associated with less postoperative atrial fibrillation and fewer major in-hospital complications. LOS ≤ 3 days was not associated with rehospitalization or mortality. Shorter LOS after elective cardiac surgery appears to be a safe practice with favorable outcomes, especially in low operative risk patients.
Analysis of the elevated temperature deformation mechanisms and grain boundary strengthening of the alumina-forming austenitic stainless steel Fe–20Cr–30Ni–2Nb–5Al

Abstract The deformation mechanisms of an alumina-forming austenitic stainless-steel Fe–20Cr–30Ni–2Nb–5Al (at. %) were investigated at 750 °C using both creep tests and strain rate jump tests. It was found that nano-sized L12-structured precipitates were the dominant precipitate in the matrix and provided the majority of the strengthening. This behavior could be modeled well using a threshold stress term in a power law creep equation. Additionally, there appears to be a grain boundary strengthening mechanism in which the grain boundaries covered by precipitates act as barriers to dislocation movement. This could be again modeled using a power law creep equation. In addition to blocking dislocations, the grain boundary precipitates also prevent grain boundary sliding during creep. While the grain boundaries showed several strengthening mechanisms, all tests ultimately failed along the grain boundaries.
Are Bilateral Trade Balances Irrelevant

Based on an empirical gravity model of sectoral bilateral trade, we uncover three features of bilateral trade balances. First, the difficulty of gravity models in fitting the observed level of bilateral balances is likely due to the presence of unobservable bilateral trade costs. Second, the model fit improves drastically when we focus on changes over time of the balances. Third, using a log linear approximation we show that changes in bilateral trade balances over the past two decades were driven almost entirely by changes in the same macro factors that determine countries' aggregate balances - changes in bilateral trade costs, including tariffs, played therefore only a negligible role. This conclusion provides new support for the view that bilateral balances are, for practical purposes, not relevant to the conduct of macroeconomic policy.
Intracellular phase separation of globular proteins facilitated by short cationic peptides

Phase separation provides intracellular organization and underlies a variety of cellular processes. These biomolecular condensates exhibit distinct physical and material properties. Current strategies for engineering condensate formation include using intrinsically disordered domains and altering protein surface charge by chemical supercharging or site-specific mutagenesis. We add to this toolbox by designing short, highly charged peptide tags that provide several key advantages for engineering protein phase separation. Herein, we report the use of short cationic peptide tags for sequestration of proteins of interest into bacterial condensates. Using a panel of GFP variants, we demonstrate how cationic tag and globular domain charge contribute to intracellular phase separation in E. coli and observe that the tag can affect condensate disassembly at a given net charge near the phase separation boundary. We showcase the broad applicability of these tags by appending them onto enzymes and demonstrating that the sequestered enzymes remain catalytically active. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=113 SRC="FIGDIR/small/450573v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (18K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1dc5380org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ee01a9org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@af0a85org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1dba73d_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG
Racial disparities in vascular surgery: An analysis of race and ethnicity among U.S. medical students, general surgery residents, vascular surgery trainees, and the vascular surgery workforce

Abstract The ever-increasing diversity of the U.S. population has resulted in a challenge to a vascular surgery workforce that does not represent the national demographics. Educational institutions, medical organizations, and medical agencies, through initiatives and programs, have attempted to increase the number of underrepresented minorities, with, however, only modest changes during the past 30 years. Several obstacles have been identified, some of which include racism, issues of finances, lack of mentors and scholarly activities, and inequity in promotion. In the present study, we have reviewed the reported data addressing these concerns and provided guidance toward the amelioration of these issues with the hope of constructive change toward encouraging a diverse vascular surgery workforce.
Simulations and Student Understanding of the Budget Process

Simulations are often very effective in helping students to understand complex political processes. I examine the effect of an online self-directed budget simulation on introductory-level political science students’ knowledge of, and attitudes toward, the federal budget. I find that students taking the budget simulation have a greater appreciation for the complexity of the budget and are less likely to agree that there are simple ways to reduce budget deficits than are students who did not take the budget simulation. Self-reports from students taking the simulation indicate that they found the simulation interesting and believe it increased their understanding of the budget.
Purification of Horse Serum Cholinesterase by Preparative Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

Abstract Preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has been used in the final stages of purification to prepare horse serum cholinesterase which was at least 95% pure, as judged by analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The starting material, already purified about 109-fold by the Strelitz method, was purified an additional 89-fold by the procedure. The method involved Sephadex G-200 and Sepharose 6B gel filtration followed by two successive preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis steps. The main problem involved a polyacrylamide gel contaminant. The molecular weight of cholinesterase by Sepharose 6B gel filtration was 315,000. The weight per active site of 143,500 was estimated from diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate titrations and dry weight determinations. The subunit weight of 77,300 was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A cholinesterase molecule consisting of two active sites and four subunits was indicated. Purified preparations were stable to dialysis, high dilutions, and during prolonged storage. The kinetic behavior of the purified material was complex, suggesting more than one form. With butyrylcholine a Km of 0.29 mm and a turnover number of 171,000 min-1 was obtained at 25°, pH 7.6. A Km of 0.53 mm and a turnover number of 61,020 min-1 was obtained with acetylthiocholine at 25°, pH 8.1.
Distributions of Carotenoids and α-Tocopherol among Lipoproteins Do Not Change when Human Plasma is Incubated In Vitro

Carotenoids and α-tocopherol are dietary, lipophilic antioxidants which may protect plasma lipoproteins from oxidation, a process believed to contribute to atherogenesis. In this study, the quantities and distributions of carotenoids, α-tocopherol and major lipids in the plasma and lipoproteins of seven normolipidemic humans were determined. Experiments were also conducted to determine if these antioxidants redistribute among lipoproteins when plasma is incubated in vitro. Virtually all of the total carotenoid in plasma associated with lipoproteins, primarily LDL [73 ± 10% (mean ± SD)] as did the more non-polar individual carotenoids, β-cryptoxanthin (68 ± 9%), lycopene (79 ± 9%), and β-carotene (72 ± 12%), in patterns which closely resembled the distribution of total cholesterol. Xanthophyll, the most polar carotenoid examined, distributed equally between LDL (44 ± 11%) and HDL (38 ± 14%), whereas α-tocopherol associated with LDL (43 ± 12%), HDL (26 ± 10%), and VLDL (27 ± 13%). These patterns closely resembled that of phospholipid. Approximately four carotenoid molecules associated with each VLDL and one with each LDL particle, whereas only 25 of every 1000 HDL particles contained carotenoid. Approximately 145 molecules of α-tocopherol associated with VLDL, 12 with LDL, and one with each HDL particle. Unlike triglyceride and cholesteryl ester, known to transfer among lipoproteins through the action of cholesteryl ester transfer protein, net transfer of carotenoids and α-tocopherol among lipoproteins did not occur. While these results suggest that the relative polarities of these antioxidants influence their distributions among lipoproteins, the extent to which carotenoids and α-tocopherol associate with specific lipoproteins does not appear to be governed by some of the mechanisms which lead to the establishment of major lipid distributions.
Short-wavelength target modeling

A simplified model has been employed to review the scattering characteristics of targets in the short wavelength limit. It is demonstrated that the reflected signal can be modeled as a diffuse plus a finite number of coherent returns (also called glints). It is then demonstrated that for accurate target location and direction it is usually necessary to decorrelate these glint returns. The conditions required for this are derived.
Evolution of 100-Gbit/s digital coherent signal processing moving to metro applications

100-Gbit/s transport technology based on digital coherent signal processing is becoming matured, and its adaptation to metro-access area would enhance survivability, interoperability, and low energy consumption features.
Adenovirus binding to cultured synoviocytes triggers signaling through MAPK pathways and induces expression of cyclooxygenase-2.

Background Recombinant adenovirus can be administered in vivo to achieve transduction of a number of cell types including human synoviocytes. Immunogenicity of adenoviruses has limited their utility as vectors for gene delivery; however, specific mechanisms underlying the acute inflammatory response to adenovirus are not well understood. Activation of a number of signal transduction pathways occurs rapidly upon adenovirus binding to cell-surface receptors. We investigated stimulated expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in human primary synovial fibroblasts to adenovirus expressing the E. coli β-galactosidase gene. Methods Cultured rheumatoid synoviocytes were exposed to transduction-competent Ad/RSVlacZ recombinant adenovirus or transduction-incompetent (psoralen/UV-irradiated) Ad/RSVlacZ. The effects on COX-2 expression, PGE2 levels and MAPK signaling in synoviocytes were assessed using a combination of reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction amplification and immunoblotting. Results Adenovirus treatment of synoviocytes increased levels of COX-2 mRNA and protein as well as PGE2. Psoralen-treated transcriptionally inactive adenovirus was equivalent to untreated adenovirus for early COX-2 induction suggesting that viral genes were not required. Adenovirus treatment stimulated phosphorylation of ERK-1/-2, p38 MAPK, and JNK. Inhibition of the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways inhibited COX-2 expression and PGE2 production. Conclusions Taken together, these data demonstrate that a MAPK-dependent increase in COX-2 results in local prostaglandin production. These findings have clinical implications for use of adenovirus as vectors for in vivo gene delivery. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A two-dimensional finite element multigroup diffusion theory for neutral atom transport in plasmas

Solution of the energy-dependent diffusion equation in two dimensions is formulated by multigroup approximation of the energy variable and general triangular mesh, finite element discretization of the spatial domain. Finite element formulation is done by Galerkin's method. Based on this formulation, a two-dimensional multigroup finite element diffusion theory code, FENAT, has been developed for the transport of neutral atoms in fusion plasmas. FENAT solves the multigroup diffusion equation in X--Y cartesian and R--Z cylindrical/toroidal geometries. Use of the finite element method allows solution of problems in which the plasma cross section has an arbitrary shape. The accuracy of FENAT has been verified by comparing results to those obtained using the two-dimensional discrete ordinate transport theory code, DOT-4.3. Results of application of FENAT to the transport of limiter-originated neutral atoms in a tokamak fusion machine are presented. copyright 1987 Academic Press, Inc.
The photodecomposition of bromacil

The action of sunlight on dilute (1–10 ppm) aqueous solutions of the herbicide bromacil (5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil) resulted in the formation of only one detectable photoproduct, 5-bromo-6-methyluracil, in very low yield. The almost quanitative recovery of starting material, even after prolonged periods of irradiation, indicated that bromacil was very stable toward sunlight. TheN-dealkylated photoproduct proved to be much less stable toward sunlight wave-lengths, forming principally 6-methyluracil. No 5-bromouracil was detected.
Assessment of Factors Influencing Thermomechanical Fatigue Behavior of Sn-Based Solder Joints under Severe Service Environments

Reliability of solder joints under thermal excursions encountered in service depends on the solder performance during each stage, its extent in each cycle of temperature excursion, and the cumulative effects of the same under repeated thermal cycling. Extent of such field influence, and the resultant damage, will also be significantly affected by the constraints imposed by the solder joint geometry. Any realistic evaluation of the solder joint behavior should account for all of the above with specimen geometry, and thermal excursion stages that are representative of the actual conditions, encountered in service to arrive at meaningful results. Findings based on studies carried out to evaluate the roles of each of these, with specimens possessing same geometry and prepared under the same conditions, indicate the important contributions of each of the service and material parameters, and the solder alloy composition, for reliability considerations.
Chemical fingerprinting of Africanized honeybees by gas chromatography/pattern recognition techniques

Abstract The influence of the chromatographic column on the classification of biological samples in chemical fingerprinting experiments has been assessed, using as our model a study recently completed in our laboratory on European and Africanized honeybees. As the study shows, the differences between hydrocarbon profiles of Africanized and European honeybees are a result of phylogenetic considerations, not the result of specific experimental or environmental correlates.
The effect of feedback on modeling in an authentic process development project

Developing and using models is an important skill employed by practicing engineers that is difficult to cultivate in students. One way to help students develop modeling capability is through feedback. Feedback has been shown to be effective in helping students close the gap between actual and desired performance. This case study investigates the effect of feedback on student teams' use of models in a three-week, open-ended, process development project in which students conducted experiments using a virtual laboratory. Feedback took place during meetings with an expert coach, termed coaching sessions. Coaching sessions of four teams were found to include a substantial amount of model-related feedback. In addition, an in-depth exploration of a single team provides insight into the impact of both directive and facilitative feedback on student modeling behavior.
Neonatal Oxygen Increases Sensitivity to Influenza A Virus Infection in Adult Mice by Suppressing Epithelial Expression of Ear1

Oxygen exposure in premature infants is a major risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and can impair the host response to respiratory viral infections later in life. Similarly, adult mice exposed to hyperoxia as neonates display alveolar simplification associated with a reduced number of alveolar epithelial type II cells and exhibit persistent inflammation, fibrosis, and mortality when infected with influenza A virus. Because type II cells participate in innate immunity and alveolar repair, their loss may contribute to oxygen-mediated sensitivity to viral infection. A genomewide screening of type II cells identified eosinophil-associated RNase 1 (Ear1). Ear1 was also detected in airway epithelium and was reduced in lungs of mice exposed to neonatal hyperoxia. Electroporation-mediated gene delivery of Ear1 to the lung before infection successfully reduced viral replication and leukocyte recruitment during infection. It also diminished the enhanced morbidity and mortality attributed to neonatal hyperoxia. These findings demonstrate that novel epithelial expression of Ear1 functions to limit influenza A virus infection, and its loss contributes to oxygen-associated epithelial injury and fibrosis after infection. People born prematurely may have defects in epithelial innate immunity that increase their risk for respiratory viral infections.
Cardioteratogenic dose of ethanol reduces both lactic dehydrogenase and succinic dehydrogenase activity in the bulbar ridges of the embryonic chick heart

It has been established previously that the chick embryo is an appropriate model for studying the pathogenesis of ethanol-induced ventricular septal defect and that the growth and fusion of the proximal bulbar ridges are critical to ventricular septation within the embryonic heart. To determine whether enzyme activity was altered significantly in bulbar ridges in response to a cardioteratogenic dose of ethanol, we injected 0.32 ml of 50% ethanol in chick Ringer's saline (CRS) into the air cells of 3-day-old chick embryos (72-84 h incubation, Hamburger-Hamilton stages 18-19, Dekalb Delta strain). Embryos were harvested 48-60 h after treatment (stages 26-27). Hearts were removed, frozen and sectioned, and the tissues were processed for enzyme histochemical demonstrations of lactic and succinic dehydrogenase. Twelve ethanol-treated embryos and 12 CRS-treated controls were compared for lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. Fourteen ethanol-treated embryos and 14 controls were compared for succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) levels. Formazan deposits were quantified by means of computer-assisted microdensitometry. Our results showed that ethanol decreased the mean LDH activity level by 36.3% (P = 0.005) and the mean SDH level by 40.8% (P < 0.02). Furthermore, ethanol significantly reduced LDH activity in 41.7% of the matched embryo pairs and significantly reduced SDH activity in 57.1% of the matched embryo pairs. Although some investigators have proposed that a disturbance in neural crest cell migration plays a major role in the pathogenesis of ethanol-induced cardiac malformations, this study provides evidence that the bulbar ridges of the embryonic heart are also potential target tissues for ethanol.
Controls of isotopic patterns in saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi

Abstract Isotopes of nitrogen (δ 15 N) and carbon (δ 13 C) in ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi contain important information about ecological functioning, but the complexity of physiological and ecosystem processes contributing to fungal carbon and nitrogen dynamics has limited our ability to explain differences across taxa. Here, we measured δ 15 N and δ 13 C in needles, litter, soil, wood, fungal caps, and fungal stipes at numerous forested sites in Oregon, USA to determine how functional attributes and biochemical processes may influence isotopic values. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were classified by hydrophobicity of ectomycorrhizae and by patterns of hyphal exploration; saprotrophic fungi were classified into wood decay and litter decay fungi. For δ 15 N, caps of hydrophobic taxa averaged 8.6‰, hydrophilic taxa 3.2‰, and saprotrophic taxa 0.5‰, whereas needles averaged 3‰ and soil at 5–12 cm averaged 2‰. Caps were higher in δ 15 N, δ 13 C, %N, and %C than stipes by 1.7‰, 0.6‰, 1.75%, and 2.61%, respectively, presumably because of greater protein content in caps than stipes. Isotopic enrichment of caps relative to stipes was greater in hydrophobic taxa (3.1‰ for 15 N and 0.8‰ for 13 C) than in hydrophilic taxa (1.1‰ for 15 N and 0.5‰ for 13 C). In multiple regressions, 45% of variance in δ 15 N cap – stipe and 30% of variance in δ 13 C cap – stipe was accounted for by various elemental, isotopic, and categorical variables. We estimated that fungal protein was enriched in 15 N relative to fungal chitin by 15‰ in hydrophobic taxa and by 7‰ in hydrophilic taxa. Fungal protein was enriched in 13 C by 4.2 ± 0.5‰ relative to carbohydrates. Isotopic signatures of sources and isotopic fractionation during metabolic processing influence both isotopic patterns of sporocarps and the isotopic partitioning between caps and stipes; functional groups differed in processing of both nitrogen isotopes and carbon isotopes.
Inactivation of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase and fatty acid synthesis by N2,O2′-dibutyryl guanosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate and N6,O2′-dibutyryl adenosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate in isolated hepatocytes☆

Abstract The effects of N 6 , O 2′ -dibutyryl adenosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate and N 2 , O 2′ -dibutyryl guanosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate on acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthesis were studied in isolated hepatocytes from mature rats (300–500 g). Both N 6 , O 2′ -dibutyryl adenosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate and N 2 , O 2′ -dibutyryl guanosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate caused the inactivation of hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase. The guanylic nucleotide was at least 10 times less potent than the adenosine cyclic 3′,5′monophosphate derivative in carboxylase inactivation. The inactivation of carboxylase by N 2 ,O 2′ -dibutyryl guanosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate correlated with a decrease in the incorporation of [1- 14 C]acetate into fatty acids and was accompanied by an increase in the incorporation of [ 32 P]phosphate into the enzyme. The inactivation of the hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase by either N 6 ,O 2′ -dibutyryl adenosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate or N 2 ,O 2′ -dibutyryl guanosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate required calcium.
Detection of clinically significant, occult prostate cancer metastases in lymph nodes using a splice variant-specific rt-PCR assay for human glandular kallikrein.

Purpose: To compare the detection of human glandular kallikrein 2 (hK2) mRNA expression in archival lymph nodes with disease progression, the development of prostate cancer metastases, and mortality in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for locally advanced nonmetastatic prostate cancer. Patients and Methods: We evaluated total RNA extracted from fixed, paraffin-embedded, histopathologically normal pelvic lymph nodes, removed at radical prostatectomy, from 199 pT3N0 prostate cancer patients (150 extraprostatic extension only; 49 seminal vesicle involvement) for hK2-expressing cells using a novel reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)/hK2 assay. Cumulative incidence functions and Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed. Results: Forty patients (20%) had positive results, 80 patients (40%) had negative results, and 79 patients (40%) had equivocal results. RT-PCR/hK2 status was not associated with any pathologic characteristics (P > .05). In postoperative multivariable model...
Reserpine effects on body temperature in maturing mice.

Abstract 1. 1. The effects of a single dose of reserpine (1 mg/kg body wt) have been studied 1 hr and 24 hr after injection. Young mice were tested on days 3, 7, 10 and 14 after birth and compared with 6-week-old adults. 2. 2. Body temperature ( T b ) fell in reserpine-treated young animals 1 hr after injection, as compared with vehicle-treated littermate controls; however, the effect was small in 3- and 7-day animals when compared with 10- and 14-days. 3. 3. T b was significantly depressed in young reserpine-treated animals 24 hr after injection, with greater effects again found in the 10- and 14-day animals. In contrast, the adult animals failed to show an effect on T b at either 1 hr or 24 hr after injection. 4. 4. A second dose of reserpine 24 hr after the first dose was ineffective in producing further changes in T b in 3-, 7-, and 10-day animals; but in 14-day and adult animals the second dose produced a significant decrease in T b .
A review of Cenozoic evolution of the southeastern United States Atlantic coast north of the Georgia trough

Abstract From late Eocene or Oligocene to the present the pattern of cyclic sediment deposition on the Atlantic coastal plain of the southeastern United States is the product of: (1) a relatively stable trailing edge continental margin with gentle downwarping; (2) deposition of siliciclastics by major Appalachian Mountain and Piedmont draining rivers and shelf generated carbonates; (3) a humid temperate to subtropical climate; (4) a mesotidal coast with moderate wave energy and periodic tropical storms; (5) dominant longshore drift towards the southwest; (6) a history of sea level change that was moderately submergent from late Cretaceous through late Eocene or Oligocene and mildly emergent during the Neogene. Intermittent fluctuations in sea level (up to 100 m in the Neogene) subdivide the stratigraphy as unconformities during the late Oligocene through Holocene, but are less pronounced in the Paleogene. Each of these six factors has influenced the geomorphology, sedimentation, stratigraphy, petrology and geometry of the Cenozoic sedimentary units and the diversity of surficial Quaternary coastal deposits. During the Quaternary sea level change would have been produced by glacial-interglacial cycles. The late Eocene-Oligocene to early Miocene and the late Miocene transition experienced a major sea level decline influenced by ice cap formation in addition to climatic cycle induced sea level fluctuations.
Bibliometric and Bibliographic Analysis in an Era of Electronic Scholarly Communication

Summary Bibliometric analysis of citation data is important to scientist and librarian alike. With alternate means of scientific scholarly communication proliferating, its's important to be able to accurately link publications and their references. This article highlights some of the current problems that arise when doing citation analysis of different kinds of scientific scholarly communication. A combination of better bibliographic control, interactive systems, and adherence to standardized electronic publishing protocols would improve the accuracy and reliability of the citation data retrieved.
Miracles, evil and justified belief: Further clarification

La contribution de l'A. s'inscrit dans un debat sur le phenomene du miracle. L'A. defend une position essentielle. Premierement, aucun evenement ne peut en principe etre tel qu'il demande a tous les individus rationnels de reconnaitre que Dieu est directement intervenu dans les affaires terrestres. L'A. continue de croire en accord avec des philosophes comme Hume, Kierkegaard, Alvin Plantinga, que la question de savoir si le mal peut etre pris en compte comme evidence forte contre le theisme, reste une affaire subjective et relative
A new scheme on link quality prediction and its applications to metric-based routing

Efficient routing in wireless sensor networks entails the establishment of high quality links. Recent research has shown that metric-based routing, such as ETX [6]can significantly improve routing performance by tracking various link-quality metrics. Such metrics, however, may fail to capture link quality at relatively high traffic rates. This poster describes how machine learning techniques can be leveraged to help estimate link quality in those adverse scenarios. We also present MetricMap, a metric-based protocol using our learning-enabled link quality assessment method. Experimental results on MoteLab show that MetricMap can achieve up to 400% improvement on data delivery rate in a high traffic rate application, with no negative impact on other performance metrics, such as data latency.
Skin care practices in the neonatal nursery: a clinical survey.

Objective To survey the details of skin care practices in a sample of level I, II, and III nurseries in the United States. Design A survey conducted by written questionnaire, personal inspection, and phone contact. Participants Information was obtained from staff physicians and nurses about routine neonatal skin care practices, including bathing, cord care, emollient use, diapering, use of antimicrobial skin preparations, management of intravenous infiltration, approach to diaper rash, and methods used to minimize transcutaneous water loss. Setting Fifteen nurseries from twelve hospitals in four states were surveyed. Results Among the nurseries surveyed, we found no uniform approach to skin care. Only two individual maneuvers were consistently performed in all the nurseries: criteria for bathing and skin antisepsis with povidone-iodine. Other than these, a wide range of practices and products were used, some with a high ratio of risk and/or cost to benefit. Conclusion A better understanding of the principles of infant skin care and a more uniform approach to skin care in the neonatal nursery can minimize risks and costs to this special population of patients.
The Challenge of Forecasting Heavy Rain and Flooding throughout the Eastern Region of the National Weather Service. Part I: Characteristics and Events

Abstract Heavy rain and flooding are of particular concern to forecasters throughout the eastern and southeastern United States. In this paper, the unique combination of synoptic-scale and mesoscale weather conditions and topographic factors that contribute to and enhance convectively produced flash flooding and river flooding are described and categorized. A classification system for synoptic-scale flooding events is developed, which is then used to identify the distribution (by month and synoptic-scale weather system) of major floods in the region of interest. Also, examples of flooding caused by synoptic-scale weather systems are presented. Characteristics of mesoscale heavy-rain events that result in flooding are discussed. Topographical and geographical factors in the region, which play a role in these events, are described, along with examples of mesoscale, flash flood events. Finally, floods produced by warm-top thunderstorms, which pose a unique and challenging forecast problem throughout the east...
Evaluating simulation acceleration techniques

The development of large, complex systems, the training of personnel, and the refinement of concepts of operations all depend on high-performance simulation technologies. For each of the above application areas, among others, there is a chronic need for ever-higher performance. This paper addresses the application of three simulation acceleration approaches, used independently or in conjunction with one another: parallel simulation, mixed-abstraction/multiresolution simulation, and hardware acceleration via reconfigurable computing elements. After discussing the merits of each approach, the paper presents analytic techniques for determining the most effective approach to use for a given simulation problem.
Ceramics from the 1971–1977 Excavations at the Seip Earthworks

The 1971–1977 Ohio Historical Society excavations at Seip recovered ceramics from soils covering the floor plans of seven structures. For the most part, the sherds are very fragmentary, with few rim sherds. Types are in proportions consistent with other areas of the site. The distribution of sherds across the excavated structures and between strata does not show any patterns which could shed light on possible activities within the structures. Conversely, weathering of sherds, even those found within features and post molds, implies their source in debris which had been exposed to the elements for some time before being spread over the dismantled structures.
Physicochemical studies of fac-mer isomerism of aluminium beta-diketonates by high performance liquid chromatography at low temperature

Abstract The kinetics of interconversion of fac and mer isomers of Al(III) beta-diketonates both in free solution and during chromatographic elution are reported using low temperature high performance liquid chromatography to prepare and analyse pure isomeric complexes. Studies of retention and separation mechanisms of these complexes are also conducted using variation in column temperature to elucidate the contributions of enthalpy and entropy effects.
The effect of dietary sterculic acid on the hepatic lipids of rainbow trout

Groups of young rainbow trout (5 g) were fed a basal diet containing 9% salmon oil and 1% tristearin with 0, 100 or 200 ppm methyl sterculate. Liver lipids were separated into polar and nonpolar fractions and the fatty acids quantitatively analyzed. Significant elevations of the stearic-oleic and the palmiticpalmitoleic ratios were found in liver fatty acid composition 10 days after the feeding trial began. Liver triglycerides of fish fed methyl sterculate for 87 days contained only 2–3% docosahexenoic acid as compared to 10.69% in control trout, suggesting an effect on the biosynthesis of long chain polyunsaturates. Dietary cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPFA) suppressed growth rate during the first part of the 200 day feeding trial. After 90 days no differences in the rate of weight gain were observed between the control and CPFA groups. A seven day feeding trial with 0, 5, 20, 50 and 100 ppm CPFA resulted in a maximum change in the stearic-oleic ratio at 50 and 100 ppm levels. All levels of CPFA increased this ratio and caused marked alterations in the cellular morphology of the liver.
Effect of packaging on physical and sensory characteristics of ground pork in long-term frozen storage.

Effects of packaging materials on water-holding capacity (WHC), thaw and cook losses, TBA value, moisture and fat content, and sensory characteristics of ground pork held in frozen storage for 13, 26, or 39 wk were examined. Moisture and juiciness decreased and total losses (thaw + cook) increased over time regardless of packaging. WHC decreased most in PVC-packaged pork (fresh = 0.53, 39 wk = 0.17) and least for vacuum-packaged pork (39 wk = 0.25). After 39 wk TBA values were highest for PVC-packaged (2.98) and lowest for vacuum-packaged pork (1.16). Rancid and sour odors and flavors followed similar trends.