cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fat-Soluble Vitamin Deficiency in Pediatric Patients with Biliary Atresia.

Objective. To analyze the levels of fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs) in pediatric patients with biliary atresia (BA) before and after the Kasai procedure. Methods. Pediatric patients with obstructive jaundice were enrolled in this study. The FSV levels and liver function before, 2 weeks after, and 1, 3, and 6 months after the Kasai procedure were measured. Results. FSV deficiency was more obvious in patients with BA than in patients with other cholestatic liver diseases, especially vitamin D deficiency. 25-Hydroxy vitamin D (25-(OH)D) deficiency was more pronounced in younger patients before surgery. The 25-(OH)D level was significantly higher in patients with than without resolution of jaundice 3 months after surgery. At 6 months after surgery, the 25-(OH)D level was abnormally high at 8.76 ng/ml in patients with unresolved jaundice. Conclusions. Preoperative FSV deficiency, particularly vitamin D deficiency, is common in patients with BA. 25-(OH)D deficiency is more pronounced in younger children before surgery. Postoperative FSV deficiency was still prevalent as shown by the lower 25-(OH)D levels in patients with BA and unresolved jaundice. This required long-term vitamin AD supplementation for pediatric patients with BA and unresolved jaundice after surgery.
The Frequency Response Function of a Linear Time-Varying System

Abstract Although linear time-varying systems can be represented in terms of a frequency domain type representation based on the Zadeh system function, a well-known problem with the application of this formalism is that the system function is usually irrational, even in the case when the given system is finite dimensional. In this paper, the focus is on the problem of constructing rational approximations of the Zadeh system function for linear time-varying discrete-time systems. Rational approximations are constructed by generalizing the procedure for matching the combined sequences of Markov parameters and moments developed by Jonckheere and Ma for time-invariant systems. An example is given which illustrates the improvement in the approximation that can be gained in comparison to that of the frozen-time approximation. The use of rational approximations in system analysis is also briefly considered.
A Station in Motion: Termini as Heterotopia

Drawing on Michel Foucault’s definition of heterotopia, the article analyses the filmic and literary representation of Stazione Termini, Rome’s main train station. The Fascist architectural project...
Retrievable hydrogels for ovarian follicle transplantation and oocyte collection

Cancer survivorship rates have drastically increased due to improved efficacy of oncologic treatments. Consequently, clinical concerns have shifted from solely focusing on survival to quality of life, with fertility preservation as an important consideration. Among fertility preservation strategies for female patients, ovarian tissue cryopreservation and subsequent reimplantation has been the only clinical option available to cancer survivors with cryopreserved tissue. However, follicle atresia after transplantation and risk of reintroducing malignant cells have prevented this procedure from becoming widely adopted in clinics. Herein, we investigated the encapsulation of ovarian follicles in alginate hydrogels that isolate the graft from the host, yet allows for maturation after transplantation at a heterotopic (i.e., subcutaneous) site, a process we termed in vivo follicle maturation. Survival of multiple follicle populations was confirmed via histology, with the notable development of the antral follicles. Collected oocytes (63%) exhibited polar body extrusion and were fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and standard in vitro fertilization procedures. Successfully fertilized oocytes developed to the pronucleus (14%), two-cell (36%), and four-cell (7%) stages. Furthermore, ovarian follicles cotransplanted with metastatic breast cancer cells within the hydrogels allowed for retrieval of the follicles, and no mice developed tumors after removal of the implant, confirming that the hydrogel prevented seeding of disease within the host. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a viable option for safe use of potentially cancer-laden ovarian donor tissue for in vivo follicle maturation within a retrievable hydrogel and subsequent oocyte collection. Ultimately, this technology may provide novel options to preserve fertility for young female patients with cancer.
Serious and life-threatening drug eruptions.

Drug eruptions are common iatrogenic diseases. Although most of these conditions are benign and self-limited when use of the responsible drug is discontinued, several subtypes of drug eruptions are characterized by significant morbidity and mortality. The more dangerous types include erythroderma, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. Relatively few medications are repeatedly implicated in the pathogenesis of severe reactions. Prompt recognition of drug eruptions and early intervention are necessary to prevent the serious consequences of this group of iatrogenic diseases. Language: en
Abstract A03: Lymphocytes lead to circulating tumor cell death from 4D model seeded with non-metastatic lung cancer cell line

Objective: Mouse lung cancer cell lines 393P and 344SQ are derived from Kras LA1/+ p53 R172HΔG mice and have different metastatic potential in immunocompetent mice. 393P cells have local primary tumor growth but do not form metastatic lesions when injected into the subcutaneous space of 129sv mice. However, 344SQ cells form a primary tumor and metastatic lesions when injected into the subcutaneous space. Our aim is to determine if lymphocytes play a role in this differential metastatic lung cancer formation between the two cell lines. Methods: Both 393P and 344SQ cells were grown in the ex vivo 4D lung cancer model. We determined the amount of primary tumor growth, the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and metastatic lesion formation. The CTCs from the 4D model seeded with either cells were injected into the tail veins of immunocompetent 129sv mice (wt) or immunodeficient mice (nu/nu). We calculated the Kaplan Meier survival curve. Next, we added lymphocytes derived from a 129sv mouse spleen to an ex vivo 4D lung cancer model seeded with 393P or 344SQ and isolated the CTCs. We plated the CTCs on a petri dish and compared the survival of these cells. Results: Both 393P and 344SQ cells grew in the 4D model. There were no significant differences in the primary tumor growth and circulating tumor cell formation between the two cell lines. There were no significant differences in the number of metastatic lesion formation between the two cell lines (p=0.5). When CTCs from the 4D model seeded with 344SQ were injected into the tail vein of nu/nu mice or wt mice, there were no differences in the survival rates between the two types of mice (p=0.3). However, nu/nu mice that were injected with CTC from the 4D model seeded with 393P were less likely to survive compared to the wt mice (p=0.002). No metastatic lesions formed in the wt mice injected with 393P CTC for 8 months. The CTC from the 4D model seeded with 344SQ and treated with lymphocytes had no significant difference in cell growth when cultured on a petri dish compared to the control group (p=0.9). However, the CTC from the 4D model seeded with 393P treated with lymphocytes had significantly less live cells compared to the control group (p=0.01). Conclusions: Lymphocytes inhibit metastatic lesion formation in 393P cell lines but not 344SQ cell lines. The ex vivo 4D lung cancer model allows for the identification of the cell type that is responsible for inhibition of metastasis. The model can be used to study the role of different components of a tumor9s microenvironment in tumor metastasis. Citation Format: Dhruva K. Mishra, Humberto Juarez, Michael J. Thrall, Min P. Kim. Lymphocytes lead to circulating tumor cell death from 4D model seeded with non-metastatic lung cancer cell line. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr A03.
Analysis of a chance-constrained new product risk model with multiple customer classes

Abstract We consider the non-convex problem of minimizing a linear deterministic cost objective subject to a probabilistic requirement on a nonlinear multivariate stochastic expression attaining, or exceeding a given threshold. The stochastic expression represents the output of a noisy system featuring the product of mutually-independent, uniform random parameters each raised to a linear function of one of the decision vector’s constituent variables. We prove a connection to (i) the probability measure on the superposition of a finite collection of uncorrelated exponential random variables, and (ii) an entropy-like affine function. Then, we determine special cases for which the optimal solution exists in closed-form, or is accessible via sequential linear programming. These special cases inspire the design of a gradient-based heuristic procedure that guarantees a feasible solution for instances failing to meet any of the special case conditions. The application motivating our study is a consumer goods firm seeking to cost-effectively manage a certain aspect of its new product risk. We test our heuristic on a real problem and compare its overall performance to that of an asymptotically optimal Monte-Carlo-based method called sample average approximation. Numerical experimentation on synthetic problem instances sheds light on the interplay between the optimal cost and various parameters including the probabilistic requirement and the required threshold.
Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells for modelling genetic retinal dystrophies.

Abstract The human retina is a highly complex tissue that makes up an integral part of our central nervous system. It is astonishing that our retina works seamlessly to provide one of our most critical senses, and it is equally devastating when a disease destroys a portion of the retina and robs people of their vision. After decades of research, scientists are beginning to understand retinal cells in a way that can benefit the millions of individuals suffering from inherited blindness. This understanding has come about in part with the ability to culture human embryonic stem cells and the innovation of induced pluripotent stem cells, which can be cultured from patients and used to model their disease. In this review, we highlight the successes of specific disease modelling studies and resulting molecular discoveries. The greatest strides in cellular modelling have come from mutations in genes with established and well-understood cellular functions in the context of the retina. We believe that the future of cellular modelling depends on emphasising reproducible production of retinal cell types, demonstrating functional rescue using site-specific programmable nucleases, and shifting towards unbiased screening using next generation sequencing.
Political Trust, Ideology, and Public Support in the United States for Government Spending on Health Care

ABSTRACTThe U.S. health-care costs have increased at a rapid rate over the last several decades. How much responsibility the government should bear with the increase in health-care costs is one of ...
Use of clinical decision support to identify i.v.-to-oral conversion opportunities and cost savings.

Purpose The use of a clinical decision support (CDS) tool to determine patients’ eligibility for oral medication therapy and the opportunity cost of i.v.-to-oral conversion practices in a large health system was evaluated. Methods This multicenter, retrospective, process improvement study comprised CDS data generated by 149 hospitals from May 1 through October 31, 2015. Data related to i.v.-to-oral conversions were identified and compiled for evaluation. For each patient with an opportunity for i.v.-to-oral therapy conversion, corresponding barcode-assisted medication administration data were evaluated to determine the number of doses that were administered within prespecified time periods. Results A total of 121,685 i.v.-to-oral conversion opportunities, corresponding to 71,342 unique patients and encompassing 31 different medications, were evaluated. The top 13 medications representing 94% of the total number of alerts and over 1.4 million doses were included for analysis. Current i.v.-to-oral conversion practices saved the hospitals 9% on medication costs. Upon further evaluation, additional cost savings of 29–78% for those 13 medications could be achieved with more timely conversion from i.v. to oral therapy. Conclusion Hospital pharmacists’ i.v.-to-oral conversion practices with the CDS tool resulted in medication cost savings of 9%, or $1.48 million, for 13 medications evaluated over a 6-month period.
Surveillance and Prevention of Hospital-Acquired Infections

Hospital-acquired infections can have a critical impact on our patients. Furthermore, together they make up a heavily weighted portion of most hospitals’ quality metrics. Though intensive care physicians are comfortable with making clinical diagnoses of various hospital-acquired infections, they are often not as comfortable with the complicated definitions that are used for surveillance and reporting purposed. Understanding these definitions and applying them consistently are critical when engaging in performance improvement. This chapter seeks to provide an overview of the surveillance definitions of hospital-acquired infections and of the most recent evidence-based measures for preventing these infections.
Structural and computational characterization of a bridging zwitterionic-amidoxime uranyl complex

A bridging (μ2) neutral zwitterionic amidoxime binding mode previously unobserved between amidoximes and uranyl is reported and compared to other uranyl amidoxime complexes. Density functional theory computations show the dinuclear complex exhibits a shallow potential energy surface allowing for facile inclusion of a nonbonding water molecule in the solid-state.
The end of driving: transportation systems and public policy planning for autonomous vehicles: by Bern Grush and John Niles, Cambridge, Elsevier, 2018, 332 pp., $100 (paperback), ISBN-13: 978-0128154519

There have been numerous recent texts exploring how autonomous vehicles impact the future of cities and transportation. Many, such as Kellermans’ Autonomous and Spatial Mobilities or Lipsom and Kur...
Catalytic Cooperativity in F1-ATPase: Photoaffinity Labeling Studies with BzATPa

In 1982, Williams and Coleman (1982) introduced the photoaffinity label BzATP, (3’-o-[4-Benzoyl]Benzoyl Adenosine 5’-Triphosphate), in studies with the rat liver mitochondrial F1-ATPase. A principal argument favoring the use of benzophenone-derivative photoaffinity labels is the very low probability of reaction between their excited state and water, the biochemical solvent. This situation contrasts dramatically with nitrene-generating photoprobes. The conclusions drawn from these initial studies emphasized that benzophenone-adenine nucleotide adducts could serve as informative photoactivatable substrate analogs for the nucleotide binding sites of this complex enzyme. With rat liver F1, BzATP appeared to behave both as a fair substrate and also as a competitive inhibitor for ATPase activity. Under actinic illumination, the probe bound covalently to the F1 in a site-specific manner, which was preventable by the presence of ATP. Furthermore, BzATP and BzABP were found, depending on experimental conditions, to seek out nucleotide-specific sites on the α and/or the β subunits of the enzyme. Upon light-activated, site-specific covalent binding to the rat liver F1, ATPase activity was lost.
Comment: Developing and Maintaining High-Quality Relationships via Emotion:

This comment addresses opportunities for understanding the social functions of emotion by taking a developmental perspective. I agree that understanding emotions and their development will meaningf...
Newtonian Hydrodynamics of the Coalescence of Black Holes with Neutron Stars I: Tidally locked binaries with a stiff equation of state

We present the results of three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the final stages of inspiral in a black hole-neutron star binary, when the separation is comparable to the stellar radius. We use a Newtonian Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) code to model the evolution of the system, and take the neutron star to be a polytrope with a soft (adiabatic index G=2 and G=5/3) equation of state and the black hole to be a Newtonian point mass. The only non-Newtonian effect we include is a gravitational radiation back reaction force, computed in the quadrupole approximation for point masses. We use irrotational binaries as initial conditions for our dynamical simulations, which are begun when the system is on the verge of initiating mass transfer and followed for approximately 23 ms. For all the cases studied we find that the star is disrupted on a dynamical time-scale, and forms a massive (the disc mass is approximately 0.2 solar masses) accretion torus around the spinning (Kerr) black hole. The rotation axis is clear of baryons (less than 1.e-5 solar masses within 10 degrees) to an extent that would not preclude the formation of a relativistic fireball capable of powering a cosmological gamma ray burst. Some mass (the specific amount is sensitive to the stiffness of the equation of state) may be dynamically ejected from the system during the coalescence and could undergo r-process nucleosynthesis. We calculate the waveforms, luminosities and energy spectra of the gravitational radiation signal and show how they reflect the global outcome of the coalescence process.
Enumeration and molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells enriched by microcavity array from stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background Various methods of liquid biopsy through the sampling of blood in cancer patients allow access to minuscule amounts of tumor that can easily be sampled repeatedly throughout therapy. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represent shed tumor cells that can be characterized by imaging or molecular techniques using an amenable enrichment platform. Here we validate the Hitachi Chemical Micro Cavity Array (MCA) for the enrichment of CTCs from the blood of patients diagnosed with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MCA is a semi-automated filtration system that enriches CTCs on the basis of size and membrane deformability rather than a biased selection of surface antigens. Methods CTCs were enriched from the peripheral blood of 38 patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC at the start of chemoradiation. Two tubes of EDTA blood were collected from each patient and processed through MCA in parallel. In the first tube, CTCs were identified as pan-cytokeratin (CK)+ CD45- nucleated cells and enumerated. The second tube was depleted of leukocytes using CD45 antibody-coated magnetic microbeads before enrichment by MCA, followed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to interrogate CTC-enriched lysates for expression of 16 target mRNAs from a panel of epithelial, mesenchymal, stem-like, and cancer signaling-related genes. CTC-enriched lysates from similarly prepared peripheral blood samples from 18 healthy donors were used to define positive gene expression. Results CTCs were identified by imaging in 30 of 38 patient samples (79%). At least 1 target gene was positively expressed in 23 of 25 (92%) patient samples that was subjected to molecular characterization. A CTC count of ≥7 was associated with poor progression-free survival (PFS) [hazard ratio (HR) 4.24, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.73-10.40, P=0.020] and poor overall survival (HR 8.17, 95% CI, 2.87-23.26, P<0.001). Expression of BCL2 by MCA-enriched CTCs was associated with poor PFS (HR 3.11, 95% CI, 1.18-8.22, P=0.022). Individually, CTC count and expression of BCL2 each remained statistically significant predictors of disease progression and overall survival in multivariate analysis. Conclusions This is the first demonstration that lysates of MCA-enriched CTCs are amenable to molecular characterization. CTCs enriched by MCA are an independent prognostic marker in NSCLC.
Monetary policy uncertainty and the market reaction to macroeconomic news

Abstract We examine whether monetary policy uncertainty influences the reaction of the equity, Treasury security, foreign exchange and crude oil markets, as well as medium-term interest rates, to U.S. macroeconomic announcements. Using intraday futures data, we show that in the presence of higher policy uncertainty the response to macroeconomic news weakens in the stock and crude oil markets and strengthens in the Treasury, interest rate and foreign exchange markets. In times of elevated monetary policy uncertainty, macroeconomic announcements impact the financial and crude oil markets to a large extent through expectations of future monetary policy.
General equilibrium impacts on the U.S. economy of a disruption to Chinese cobalt supply

Abstract This study explores the short-run consequences of a disruption to Chinese cobalt supply, via an export restriction, under various electric vehicle deployment futures. Using 2017 as a benchmark, the cost then to the U.S. economy would have been small, and equivalent to less than 0.01% of U.S. personal consumption expenditures. If China were to supply all incremental new cobalt needed into 2030, the cost could be over 300 times larger than 2017. However, under baseline assumptions that account for the current pace of technology development and new cobalt production outside of China, model simulations indicate that over 90% of these costs could be avoided; surprisingly, it is possible for a Chinese supply disruption to be less costly to the U.S. in 2030 than 2017. A variety of scenarios are used to show the degree to which increased cobalt production, trade alliances, and ability to substitute away from cobalt in vehicles can help the U.S. reduce economic costs in the face of a Chinese supply disruption.
Dynamic Interconversion of Metal Active Site Ensembles in Zeolite Catalysis.

Catalysis science is founded on understanding the structure, number, and reactivity of active sites. Kinetic models that consider active sites to be static and noninteracting entities are routinely...
Mentorship: An Assessment of Faculty Scholarly Production, Mode of Doctoral Work, and Mentorship

Students working toward a doctoral degree have traditionally been required to maintain a residency requirement and receive mentorship from an advisor. Over time, technological advancements have led...
The Roles of Personality and Regulatory Focus in Entrepreneurial Persistence Decisions

The decision for entrepreneurs of whether to persist with a new business or discontinue its operation when confronted with negative feedback from the market is one of the most challenging decisions...
Current state of the art in treatment of Mendelian disease: Skeletal dysplasias

The current state of the art in treatment of Mendelian disease, specifically skeletal dysplasias, benefits tremendously from Dr. Victor McKusick's early delineation and standardization of the nomenclature surrounding these conditions. Through close observation and careful description of each dysplasia to flesh out the nosologic backbone of the genetic skeletal disorders, individuals with the same diagnosis were identified and grouped together for genetic interrogation. These efforts have resulted in the identification of the genetic etiology of nearly all recognized skeletal disorders. This, in turn, is leading to disease-specific treatment for many of the skeletal dysplasias in this new era of precision medicine. Furthermore, Dr. McKusick's natural history descriptions of many genetic skeletal disorders helped to establish the baseline disease state against which the effect of new treatment is compared.
Dependence of Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis on Continuous Protein Synthesis in Yeast

Using an auxotrophic strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we examined the kinetics of ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis following inhibition of protein synthesis caused by amino acid starvation or cycloheximide. Removal of a required amino acid immediately stopped net protein synthesis. After a brief lag, RNA synthesis also ceased. Cycloheximide, a ribosome-inhibiting drug, also immediately halted net protein synthesis. Again RNA synthesis stopped after a brief lag. Although cycloheximide and amino acid starvation affect different steps in protein biosynthesis, both inhibited RNA synthesis in identical fashion. This indicates that amino acids do not play a unique role in the control of RNA production in rapidly growing yeast; rather, it suggests that RNA synthesis is responsive to the overall rate of protein synthesis itself.
The Effect of Mercury on the Triplet State of Hexafluoroacetone [l]

Evidence is summarized for the deactivation of the n π* triplet state of hexafluoroacetone by mercury vapour. The lifetimes of that state in the presence and absence of mercury vapour differ by a factor of 11.8. Photochemical decomposition from the triplet state (the quantum yield for decomposition extrapolated to infinite pressure of ketone) is a factor of 10.5 larger under mercury free than under mercury saturated conditions. Values of the ratio of phosphorescence to fluorescence under the two conditions then permit the demonstration that the singlet n π* state is not significantly deactivated. The deactivation is absent for acetone and acetone-d6 but is also observed, with smaller efficiency, for 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone. It is suggested that the deactivation occurs via the formation of a charge transfer complex.
Surface-normal coupled four-wave mixing in a high contrast grating resonator

We demonstrate four-wave mixing using a Si-based high contrast gratings (HCG) resonator directly coupled in surface-normal direction. Quality-factor of the resonator is ∼7000 and peak conversion efficiency is −19.5dB at low pump power levels.
VARIABILITY IN OPTICAL SPECTRA OF ϵ ORIONIS

We present the results of a time series analysis of 130 echelle spectra of {epsilon} Ori (B0 Ia), acquired over seven observing seasons between 1998 and 2006 at Ritter Observatory. The equivalent widths of H{alpha} (net) and He I {lambda}5876 were measured and radial velocities were obtained from the central absorption of He I {lambda}5876. Temporal variance spectra (TVS) revealed significant wind variability in both H{alpha} and He I {lambda}5876. The He I TVS have a double-peaked profile consistent with radial velocity oscillations. A periodicity search was carried out on the equivalent width and radial velocity data, as well as on wavelength-binned spectra. This analysis has revealed several periods in the variability with timescales of two to seven days. Many of these periods exhibit sinusoidal modulation in the associated phase diagrams. Several of these periods were present in both H{alpha} and He I, indicating a possible connection between the wind and the photosphere. Due to the harmonic nature of these periods, stellar pulsations may be the origin of some of the observed variability. Periods on the order of the rotational period were also detected in the He I line in the 1998-1999 season and in both lines during the 2004-2005more » season. These periods may indicate rotational modulation due to structure in the wind.« less
Train an Army, Buy a Warlord: Extending Government Authority in Weak States

Extending government authority in weak states is a central foreign policy objective of the United States and other developed nations and has implications for international security and development. In weak states, governments face entrenched local elites with access to economic and military resources. This paper proposes a model of how governments bargain with these elites, who are referred to as warlords. Three outcomes are possible: the warlord disarms and joins the government; the government and warlord divide up the spoils of a "conflict economy"; or the government and warlord fight for dominance over the state. The model implies that government corruption is a useful tool for negotiating disarmament and that international sanctions can spark fighting unless joined by promises of increased future assistance. Case studies of Medieval Europe, Post-Soviet Georgia, and Cote d'Ivoire illustrate the model's logic.
The truth system: can a system of lying processes stabilize?

We introduce a new abstract system, called the truth system. In the truth system, a process deduces a true value, with high probability, from an incoming stream of both true and false values, where the probability that a value in the incoming stream is true is at least 0.6. At each instant, the receiving process maintains at most one candidate of the true value, and eventually the process reaches the conclusion that its candidate value equals, with high probability, the true value. In this paper, we present three versions of the truth system, discuss their properties, and show how to choose their parameters so that their probability of error is small, i.e. about 10-6. The third version, called the stable system, is the most valuable. We employ the stable system as a building block in a stabilizing unidirectional token ring of n processes. When n is small, i.e. about 100 or less, the stable system can be considered errorfree and we argue that the resulting token ring is stabilizing with high probability. We simulate the token ring, when n is at most 100, and observe that the ring always stabilizes even though each process lies about its state 40% of the time.
p53-dependent and -independent Regulation of the Death Receptor KILLER/DR5 Gene Expression in Response to Genotoxic Stress and Tumor Necrosis Factor α

The death receptor (DR) KILLER/DR5 gene has recently been identified as a doxorubicin-regulated transcript that was also induced by exogenous wild-type p53 in p53-negative cells. KILLER/DR5 gene encodes a DR containing cell surface protein that is highly homologous to DR4, another DR of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family. Both DR4 and KILLER/DR5 independently bind to their specific ligand TRAIL and engage the caspase cascade to induce apoptosis. TRID (also known as TRAIL-R3) is an antiapoptotic decoy receptor that lacks the cytoplasmic death domain and competes with KILLER/DR5 and DR4 for binding to TRAIL. In this study, we demonstrate that the DR KILLER/DR5 gene is regulated in a p53-dependent and -independent manner during genotoxic and nongenotoxic stress-induced apoptosis. Just like other p53-regulated genes, ionizing radiation induction of KILLER/DR5 occurs in p53 wild-type cells, whereas methyl methanesulfonate regulation of KILLER/DR5 occurs in a p53-dependent and -independent manner. However, unlike other p53-regulated genes, KILLER/DR5 is not regulated following UV irradiation. TNF-alpha, a nongenotoxic cytokine, also induced the expression of KILLER/DR5 in a number of cancer cell lines, irrespective of p53 status. TNF-alpha did not alter the KILLER/DR5 mRNA stability, suggesting that the TNF-alpha regulation of KILLER/DRS expression appears transcriptional. We also provide evidence that KILLER/DR5 is regulated in a trigger and cell type-specific manner and that its induction by TNF-alpha, p53, or DNA damage is not the consequence of apoptosis induced by these agents. Unlike KILLER/DR5, none of the other KILLER/DR5 family members, including DR4, TRID, or the ligand TRAIL, displayed genotoxic stress or TNF-alpha regulation in a p53 transcription-dependent manner. Thus, KILLER/DR5 appears a bona fide downstream target of p53 that is also regulated in a cell type-specific, trigger-dependent, and p53-independent manner.
Free Calcium in Serum. I. Determination with the Ion-Specific Electrode, and Factors Affecting the Results

Free (ionic) calcium in human serum was measured with a commercially available ion-specific electrode, together with a saturated-KCl salt bridge, a saturated-calomel reference electrode, and a direct-reading electrometer. Effects of sodium, potassium, and magnesium on the electrode values for calcium were assessed and a rationale demonstrated for the use of calcium standards containing 140 mmol of NaCl, 5 mmol of KCl, and 0.55 mmol of MgCl2 per liter. Trypsin, triethanolamine, and heparin bind calcium; therefore, their use is to be avoided. Variability is greatly decreased if the serum is from a fasting subject and if the collection tube is completely filled, transported on ice, and handled anaerobically. The range for free calcium for 86 apparently healthy adults was 1.175-1.375 mmol/liter when measured at 25°C. The precision (coefficient of variation) of duplicates was 0.6%; the long-term precision ≃2.0%.
A "Blunt Withdrawal"? Bars on Citizen Suits for Toxic Site Cleanup

Throughout the history of federal statutory environmental law, citizen suits have played a key role in enforcement. Through statutory interpretation, however, courts have narrowed the circumstances under which citizens can sue. This Article explores one such restraint: Courts have severely limited citizen suits under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) by reading very broadly a jurisdiction-stripping provision of RCRA’s companion statute, the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). This Article argues that courts have read that provision too broadly, not only violating traditional principles for resolving inter-statutory conflict but also undermining the purposes of both statutes by eliminating what could be an essential mechanism for combating delay during toxic site cleanups.
How are symptoms of ovarian cancer managed

BACKGROUND: A study was undertaken to identify the diagnostic approaches that primary care physicians and gynecologists undertake in women with symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. METHODS: A vignette-based survey was mailed to 3200 primary care physicians from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. The vignette described a 55-year-old woman with symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, although ovarian cancer was never mentioned. The authors evaluated patient, physician, and practice characteristics associated with a workup that could detect ovarian cancer. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 61.7%. After exclusions, 1532 physicians were included. Overall, 89.5% of physicians reported that they would recommend testing that can detect ovarian cancer (71.2% ultrasound; 25.4% pelvic computed tomography; 26.5% CA125). In adjusted analysis, the only patient factor associated with ovarian cancer testing was symptom type, genitourinary versus gastrointestinal (risk ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.11). Physician and practice characteristics associated with recommending of ovarian cancer testing included specialty (gynecologists > family physicians and internists); type of practice (group > solo); clinical teaching (yes > no); and within Census division, location of practice, with all Central (East, West, North, and South) and Atlantic (Middle and South) areas having a lower likelihood than New England. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of a vignette in which a woman reported symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, the majority of primary care physicians and gynecologists would not recommend CA125, but would recommend imaging of the pelvis. Gynecologists, physicians involved with clinical teaching, and those in group practices were significantly more likely to recommend testing that could lead to an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
High step-down ratio DC-DC converter with multi-leg transformer

In this paper, a multi-leg transformer structure is proposed to realize high effective turns ratio for high step-down ratio dc-dc converters. By adding an extra degree of freedom, the proposed transformer structure can reduce the number of winding layers and the cost of a planar transformer. The proposed core and winding structures effectively reduce the number of primary turns, which results in balanced core loss and winding loss, reduced dc winding loss, and reduced fringing effect loss. To meet the core height and volume requirements, different structures are compared and high efficiency and high power density are achieved. Several design considerations are discussed, and extra trace copper loss is minimized by careful layout design. A 200 kHz 400 V-to-2 V 120 W forward converter prototype is built to verify the proposed transformer design.
Suppression of the jaw-opening reflex by periaqueductal gray stimulation is decreased by paramedian brainstem lesions.

Abstract Electrical stimulation of the midbrain periaqueductal gray region (PAG) supresses the tooth pulp-evoked jaw-opening reflex (TP-JOR). In the present study the pathways that mediate this suppression were investigated by placing brainstem lesions in lightly anesthetized cats. Parasagittal lesions that interrupted the afferent and efferent connections of the medullary and pontine raphe nuclei attenuated (but did not abolish) suppression of the TP-JOR evoked by PAG stimulation. This result provides further evidence that medial brainstem structures partially mediate the effects of PAG stimulation in the trigeminal system.
Comparison of Postoperative Pain in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Coblation Tonsillectomy versus Cautery Tonsillectomy

Objective. To compare postoperative pain scores between monopolar electrocautery and coblation subcapsular tonsillectomy.Study Design. Prospective double-blind randomized study.Setting. Tertiary care children’s hospital.Subjects and Methods. Between December 2004 and April 2008, 61 children, ages 4 to 20 years (mean age, 10 years; SD, 4 years), were randomized to have one tonsil removed by electrocautery and the other tonsil removed by coblation. Subjects used the FACES scale to rate pain on each side immediately postoperatively, 2 days postoperatively, and 2 weeks postoperatively. Postoperative hemorrhage was also tracked.Results. Coblation tonsillectomy resulted in statistically less pain than electrocautery immediately after surgery, but this difference was not clinically significant.Conclusions. Pediatric pain is similar following monopolar electrocautery or coblation subcapsular tonsillectomy.
Effects of zinc and cadmium on the growth of human prostatic epithelium in vitro

Abstract This study reports the effects of zinc and cadmium on the growth of human prostatic epithelium in vitro and explores their role in prostate carcinogenesis. Prostatic acini were isolated from human tissue removed at the time of surgery for prostatic hyperplasia. Cells were grown in a serum-free, chemically defined medium in the presence or absence of transferrin. Zinc chloride stimulates maximum epithelial cell proliferation in the absence of transferrin at 10 −8 M level but not in its presence. Zinc chloride becomes inhibitory beyond 10 −7 M and toxic at 10 −5 to 10 −4 M level. Stimulation of cell proliferation by cadmium chloride is sustained between 10 −9 and 10 −7 M concentration. Beyond 10 −6 M growth declines rapidly and cadmium becomes toxic at 10 −5 to 10 −4 M level. At 10 −5 M, cadmium chloride is 3 and 4 times more cytotoxic than zinc in the presence and absence of transferrin, respectively. For both zinc and cadmium, the toxicity of the metal at 10 −5 M concentration is greater in the absence than in the presence of transferrin. Results demonstrate that both zinc and cadmium have the ability to stimulate the growth of human prostatic epithelium at low concentrations. An increase in the incidence of prostate cancer in men exposed to high levels of cadmium has been observed. The involvement of cadmium in carcinogenesis may be related to its ability to replace zinc in the prostate. Thus, it is necessary to examine the role of cadmium in prostate carcinogenesis.
Gait Assessment in the Elderly: A Gait Abnormality Rating Scale and Its Relation to Falls

We evaluated the gait of 49 nursing home residents (27 of whom had a history of recent falls), and 22 controls. Measures consisted of stride length and walking speed, as well as a videotape-based analysis of 16 facets of gait. The study demonstrates that stride length, walking speed, and the assessment of videotaped gait correlated well with each other and were significantly impaired in fallers compared to controls. Arm swing amplitude, upper-lower extremity synchrony, and guardedness of gait were most impaired in fallers. Although subjects who fell were more often demented than controls, it is likely that this represents a selection bias in nursing homes. Visual rating of gait features in the nursing home population is a simple and useful alternative to established methods of gait analysis.
Monkeys Quickly Learn and Generalize Visual Categories without Lateral Prefrontal Cortex

Categorization is a basic mental process that helps individuals distinguish among groups of negative and positive objects, e.g., poisons and nutrients, or predators and prey. Monkey experiments have suggested that lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) participates in learning and processing visual categories. However, in humans category specific visual agnosia follows inferior temporal cortex but not LPFC damage. Here, we use a new behavioral approach to show that both normal monkeys and those with bilateral removal of LPFC learn and generalize perceptual categories of related visual stimuli rapidly without explicit instruction. These results strongly indicate that visual categorization occurs at some earlier stage of feed-forward processing, presumably in temporal cortex, without top-down information from LPFC.
On automating candle lighting analysis: insight from search with genetic algorithms and approximate models

Decision makers often need to find solutions to problems that they understand only approximately. For these difficult situations, we consider a model-based approach for a type of analysis which we term 'candle lighting analysis', which suggests actions we might take to create new and better options. This paper shows how a space of actions can be searched by a genetic algorithm, automatically providing trade-off and sensitivity information to the decision maker. We use this approach in a DSS and show how a decision maker can obtain insight into the problem itself and knowledge about effective actions to take. >
In situ monitoring (field screening) and assessment of lead and arsenic contaminants in the greater New Orleans area using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyser

This paper reports environmental assessment and identification of environmental contaminants caused by exposure to toxic metals such as Pb and As after Hurricane Katrina using an onsite analysis method. Concentrations of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) detected in many soil samples after Hurricane Katrina were reported to exceed EPA allowable value. Toxic metals mentioned above were measured by a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer (XRF) in the greater New Orleans area. The portable XRF analyzer provides rapid data collection in the field. Distribution of Pb in New Orleans is displayed in a regional map using geographic information system (GIS). The map provides an updated image of environmental exposure to Pb contamination in the greater New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina and also shows Pb contaminated areas where Pb concentrations exceed the EPA allowable level. The portable XRF provides a rapid analysis method for toxic metals and can be used for the field screening of soils at any place and for identifying contamination areas rapidly.
DIMENSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF RECALL AND RECOGNITION MEASURES WITH SELECTED COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE ASPECTS OF PRINT ADS

This study builds on prior work in advertising by investigating issues associated with the dimensional representation of memory for print advertisements and the antecedent factors that relate to those dimensions. Of particular interest to this research are answers to questions associated with whether memory for print ads is unidimensional or multidimensional, as assessed by aided recall and recognition methods, with the nature of the antecedent factors of ad characteristics and subjective reactions, and with how the antecedents relate to memory. The study identified two dimensions of ad-based antecedents to memory, labeled cognitive and affective aspects, and two dimensions of memory, labeled recall and recognition. It was found that recall is influenced by cognitive, and to a lesser extent, by affective factors, whereas recognition is primarily influenced by affective factors. This research provides support for the potential use of stimulus-related factors in conjunction with, or as surrogates of, memory...
Agronomic Practices that Affect Corn Kernel Characteristics

Agronomic practices affect corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield and may affect physical and chemical characteristics of corn kernels. These characteristics affect feed, food, and industrial uses of corn grain. Four field experiments consisting of planting date and population combinations were conducted to determine the effect of these agronomic practices on grain yield, kernel N concentration, and kernel hardness. Kernel hardness was estimated by kernel weight, kernel density, and grinding resistance. A fixed ear hybrid, B73 x LH38, was used in all four experiments. Two of the four experiments also included LH119 x LH51, a flexible ear hybrid. Planting date affected yield in only one experiment [...]
Coral Content of Quaternary Reef Limestones: ABSTRACT

The coral content of Quaternary reef limestones provides a useful calibration of the preserved record of modern reefs. Estimates of the percentage of corals in outcrops range from 32 to 46% for the Key Largo limestones of south Florida; 18 to 46% for Pleistocene limestones of the Kenya coast; and up to 60% for Pleistocene reef limestones of Barbados. Core borings from the Great Barrier Reef have an even wider range in the percentage of coral, with only localized areas of more than one-third massive or branched coral. Simulated core borings made on photographs of outcrops call attention to the wide range of variations to be expected. The average standard deviation of coral percentages in simulated core borings is ± 13% as compared with percentages of their respective outcrops. These results further support the view that percentage of coral in Quaternary reef limestones is highly variable and is often less than one-third of the total biomass. Furthermore, they give a useful baseline for comparing Quaternary and more ancient reef limestones. End_of_Article - Last_Page 480------------