cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex-specific differences in rim appearance of multiple sclerosis lesions on quantitative susceptibility mapping

Abstract Background Susceptibility MRI techniques, such as phase and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) reveal lesion heterogeneity in MS, including the presence of lesions with outer rims suggestive of iron accumulation in macrophages and microglia, indicative of chronic-active inflammatory white matter lesions (WMLs). Objective To evaluate the in vivo relationship between chronic-active WMLs (as visualized by rimmed lesions on QSM) and several clinical metrics. Methods 39 patients (15 men, 24 women) with MS underwent 7 Tesla brain MRIs and clinical evaluation. Contrast patterns of lesions identified on FLAIR and quantitative susceptibility maps were reviewed and compared to demographic characteristics and disability scores. Results 1279 lesions were identified on FLAIR MRI; 846 (66.2%) of these were visible on QSM, 119 (14.1%) of which had visible rims. Lesions visible on QSM were more likely to have rims in men (16.1%, vs 4.9% in women, p=0.009). In a logistic regression model accounting for several factors, male sex conferred a >10-fold risk of having ≥1 rimmed lesion(s) (p=0.026). Conclusion Our findings provide in vivo support for the body of histopathologic literature indicating sex-specific differences in MS WML formation and suggest that QSM can be used to study these sex differences in the future.
Legislative voting and environmental policymaking in the American states

In the United States (U.S.) wide differences exist in the environmental policies that individual states adopt. To better understand the reason for this variation I examine the conditions that shape...
Growth and the Microbiome — Integrating Global Health with Basic Science

Linear growth failure, or stunting, is a prevalent condition arising from undernutrition that has been identified as a major global health problem.1 Stunting is strongly associated with economic, h...
Comprehensive non-invasive analysis of lower urinary tract anatomy using MRI

Anatomic changes that coincide with aging including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) negatively impact quality of life. Use of MRI with its exquisite soft tissue contrast, full field-of-view capabilities, and lack of radiation is uniquely suited for quantifying specific lower urinary tract features and providing comprehensive measurements such as total bladder wall volume (BWV), bladder wall thickness (BWT), and prostate volume (PV). We present a technique for generating 3D anatomical renderings from MRI to perform quantitative analysis of lower urinary tract anatomy. T2-weighted fast-spin echo MRI of the pelvis in 117 subjects (59F;58 M) aged 30–69 (49.5 ± 11.3) without known lower urinary tract symptoms was retrospectively segmented using Materialise software. Virtual 3D models were used to measure BWV, BWT, and PV. BWV increased significantly between the 30–39 and 60–69 year age group in women (p = 0.01), but not men (p = 0.32). BWV was higher in men than women aged 30–39 and 40–49 (p = 0.02, 0.05, respectively) ,but not 50–59 or 60–69 (p = 0.18, 0.16, respectively). BWT was thicker in men than women across all age groups. Regional differences in BWT were observed both between men and women and between opposing bladder wall halves (anterior/posterior, dome/base, left/right) within each sex in the 50–59 and 60–69 year groups. PV increased from the 30–39 to 60–69 year groups (p = 0.05). BWT was higher in subjects with enlarged prostates (> 40cm3) (p = 0.05). Virtual 3D MRI models of the lower urinary tract reliably quantify sex-specific and age-associated changes of the bladder wall and prostate.
The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory mission concept

The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx), was one of four candidate flagship missions studied in detail by NASA, which were submitted for consideration to the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics for possible launch in the 2030s. For the first time in human history, technologies have matured sufficiently to enable an affordable space-based telescope mission capable of discovering and characterizing Earthlike planets orbiting nearby bright sun-like stars to search for signs of habitability and biosignatures. Such a mission can also be equipped with instrumentation that will enable broad and exciting general astrophysics and planetary science not possible from current or planned facilities. HabEx was designed to be the Great Observatory of the 2030s and beyond, with unique imaging and multi-object spectroscopic capabilities at wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet (UV) to near-IR.
Relationship between kinematic gait parameters during three gait modifications designed to reduce peak knee abduction moment.

Abstract Purpose Gait modifications designed to change a single kinematic parameter have reduced first peak internal knee abduction moment (PKAM). Prior research suggests unintended temporospatial and kinematic changes occur naturally while performing these modifications. We aimed to investigate i) the concomitant kinematic and temporospatial changes and ii) the relationship between gait parameters during three gait modifications (toe-in, medial knee thrust, and trunk lean gait). Methods Using visual real-time biofeedback, we collected 10 trials for each modification using individualized target gait parameters based on participants’ baseline mean and standard deviation. Repeated measures ANOVA was performed to determine significant differences between conditions. Mixed effects linear regression models were then used to estimate the linear relationships among variables during each gait modification. All modifications reduced KAM by at least 5%. Results Modifications resulted in numerous secondary changes between conditions such as increased knee abduction during toe-in gait and increased knee flexion with medial knee thrust. Within gait modifications, relationships between kinematic parameters were similar for toe-in gait and medial knee thrust (i.e. increased toe-in and decreased knee abduction), while increased trunk lean showed no relationship with any other kinematic parameters during trunk lean trials. Conclusion Two main mechanisms were found as a result of this investigation; the first being a pattern of toeing-in, knee abduction, flexion, and internal hip rotation, while trunk lean modification presented as a separate gait pattern with limited secondary changes. Future studies should consider providing feedback on multiple linked parameters, as it may feel more natural and optimize KAM reductions.
Structural Insights into Ankyrin Repeat-Containing Proteins and Their Influence in Ubiquitylation

Ankyrin repeat (AR) domains are considered the most abundant repeat motif found in eukaryotic proteins. AR domains are predominantly known to mediate specific protein–protein interactions (PPIs) without necessarily recognizing specific primary sequences, nor requiring strict conformity within its own primary sequence. This promiscuity allows for one AR domain to recognize and bind to a variety of intracellular substrates, suggesting that AR-containing proteins may be involved in a wide array of functions. Many AR-containing proteins serve a critical role in biological processes including the ubiquitylation signaling pathway (USP). There is also strong evidence that AR-containing protein malfunction are associated with several neurological diseases and disorders. In this review, the structure and mechanism of key AR-containing proteins are discussed to suggest and/or identify how each protein utilizes their AR domains to support ubiquitylation and the cascading pathways that follow upon substrate modification.
Hard magnetic properties of FeCoNiAlCuXTiX based high entropy alloys

High entropy alloys (HEA) contain multiple principal alloying elements, and possess unique properties due to the high configurational entropy and lattice strain in the system. Ferromagnetic FeCoNi-based HEAs exhibit dramatic changes in crystal structure and the type of magnetism expressed when adding non-magnetic elements such as Al, Cr, Ga, Ti, etc. Interestingly, Alnico permanent magnets also contain multiple principal alloying elements, such as Fe, Co, Ni, and Al, along with other minor additions. This well-studied system is similar in concept to high entropy alloys (HEAs). In this paper, we investigate the hard magnetic properties of FeCoNiAl-based HEAs with additions of Cu/Ti. The addition of Cu/Ti to an equimolar FeCoNiAl alloy is effective at enhancing coercivity, due to spinodal decomposition, but at the expense of saturation magnetization. By varying the ratio of Fe and Co, however, with respect to the other alloying elements, the saturation magnetization is increased, while generally retaining or improving the coercivity. In particular, the Fe2CoNiAlCu0.4Ti0.4 HEA shows promising hard magnetic properties as an isotropic cast magnet, with an HC of 1,078 Oe and (BH)max of 2.06 MGOe, slightly better than the performance of isotropic cast Alnico 2 magnets. The thermal stability is also sufficient for use at elevated temperatures over 200 °C. There was also an interesting increase in high temperature coercivity observed at temperatures from ∼650-800 °C, where these alloys often exhibited higher coercivity than that measured at RT.
Gratitude to God: Jonathan Edwards and the opening of the self

Abstract: The study of gratitude has become an increasingly important topic among psychologists to address the nature of human flourishing. Of more recent interest is how gratitude to God specifically functions within an account of human flourishing, with theologians seeking to provide a distinctively Christian account of the nature of gratitude. This article enters into the ongoing conversation by attending to Jonathan Edwards’s (1703-1758) theological anthropology and development of natural and supernatural gratitude. In particular, Edwards’s anthropology includes within it an account of how the self can, and should, enlarge to receive another in love. This “enlargement” is the creaturely mirror of God’s self-giving and is the supernatural response to the creature who has received God’s grace and been infused with divine love. As a supernatural response based on God’s action in the soul, this account of gratitude differs from its natural counterpart. On Edwards’s account, therefore, there is a need to develop studies that differentiate natural and supernatural gratitude. Furthermore, this article ends with a suggestion for a study that could pick up this task based on recent psychological studies that attend to how gratitude affects self-relation. On Edwards’s account of the enlargement of the self, as well as his notion of supernatural gratitude, there is meaningful research to be done on how these can help assess development in the formation of gratitude and human flourishing.
Socioeconomic health disparities in pediatric traumatic brain injury on a national level

Objective Low socioeconomic status is a determinant of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) incidence and severity. In this study, the authors used National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) data to evaluate socioeconomic and health disparities among children hospitalized after TBI. Methods This retrospective study identified pediatric patients aged 0 to 19 years with ICD-9 codes for TBI in the NIS database from 2012 to 2015. Socioeconomic variables included race, sex, age, census region, and median income of the patient residential zip code. Outcomes included mechanism of injury, hospital length of stay (LOS), cost, disposition at discharge, death, and inpatient complications. Multivariate linear regressions in log scale were built for LOS and cost. Logistic regressions were built for death, disposition, and inpatient complications. Results African American, Hispanic, and Native American patients experienced longer LOSs (β 0.06, p Conclusions The study results have demonstrated that racial minorities, females, older children, and children in lower socioeconomic groups were at increased risk of poor outcomes following TBI, including increased LOS, medical complications, mortality, inpatient costs, and worse hospital disposition. Public education and targeted funding for these groups will ensure that all children have equal opportunity for optimal clinical outcomes following TBI.
A high order multi-bit /spl sigma//spl delta/ modulator for multi-standard wireless receiver

The next generation of cellular systems increasingly similar to a data communication system. Not only it transfers voice and multimedia data, it is also been integrated with WLAN to access Internet whenever possible. Thus these cellular systems need highly integrated multi-standard receivers. The design of the A/D converter in such receivers is a big challenge. A reconfigurable /spl sigma//spl delta/ modulator which is suitable for GSM/WCDMA/WLAN standards, is introduced in this paper. According to the different signal bandwidth and dynamic range (DR) specifications, this /spl sigma//spl delta/ modulator is reconfigured to achieve the required dynamic range with less power consumption. The prototype is implemented in TSMC 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process with 1.8 V power supply.
The Fashion Originators’ Guild of America: Self-help at the edge of IP and antitrust

The question of intellectual property for original fashion design has attracted enormous public attention in recent years. As we show in this chapter, the question has a storied past. In the 1930s, as American fashion was coming into its own as a cultural force, designers worried about knockoffs. Then, as now, they lacked intellectual property protection for original fashion designs, and sought legislative protection. But they also pursued a regulatory solution, as part of New Deal responses to the Great Depression. They ultimately settled on an effective but controversial solution: a set of self-help measures targeting both copyists and retailers willing to merchandise knockoffs.The resulting boycott, devised by the Fashion Originators’ Guild of America (“Guild”), was a massive private IP scheme. At its height, a staggering 4000 new designs were protected each month. The designers’ organized efforts at self-help to create design protection eventually gave rise to antitrust lawsuits in federal and state courts, culminating in a pair of 1941 Supreme Court cases.This chapter tells the story of the Depression-era fashion designers, and the solutions they pursued to remedy the lack of intellectual property protection for their work. It describes the Guild’s formation and activities within the social, economic, and legal context of the Depression, and the fatal government scrutiny that eventually led to the Guild’s demise. Finally, it suggests some lessons as to both means and ends drawn from this story about fashion design protection: about self-help as a private solution to a public lack on the one hand, and about intellectual property protection for design on the other.
Eruptive and Depositional Mechanisms of an Eocene Shallow Submarine Volcano, Moeraki Peninsula, New Zealand

Eocene Surtseyan lapilli tuff deposits with maximum stratigraphic thicknesses of at least 175 m record a submarine volcano that underwent two cycles of edifice construction and erosion at Moeraki Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand. Basalt dike fragments, basalt clasts exhibiting fluidal deformation, and angular schist derived xenoliths are present throughout the lapilli tuff units; together with petrographic examination of the lapilli tuff, these rocks indicate that a broad range of eruptive and fragmentary mechanisms took place in the Moeraki volcano. Processes involved probably included phreatomagmatic interaction of magma with pyroclast-mud-seawater slurries in the vent. Data from two measured stratigraphic sections show that the volcano was formed during two distinct phases of eruption, separated by quiescence during which 1.5 m of laminated volcaniclastic sandstones were deposited. Lapilli tuff units below the sandstones are generally massive, while those above are well bedded and often alternate between finer- and coarser-grained lenticular bedsets. The stratigraphy and lithology of rocks at Moeraki indicate that the volcano was constructed through the explosive eruption of lapilli and ash in water no deeper than 400 m. The cone built to a height of at least 100 m above the seafloor by a combination of fall and eruption fed density currents, before eruption ceased and erosion of the volcano occurred. Renewed volcanic activity resulted in a volcano that rose above storm wave base and may even have emerged. As with modern analogues Surtla and Kavachi, erosion of the volcano to storm wave base or below quickly followed cessation of eruption.
Transformations of Second Order Linear ODEs – 1

This chapter focuses on the version 1 of transformations of second-order linear ordinary differential equation (ODEs). The transformation is applicable to second-order linear ODEs y “ + a ( x ) y ' + b ( x ) y = 0. If the dependent and independent variables in y “ + a ( x ) y ' + b ( x ) y = 0 are changed by t = ∫exp (− ∫ a ( z ) dz ) dr , and w ( t ) = y ( x ), then y “ + a ( x ) y ' + b ( x ) y = 0 becomes d 2 w / dt 2 + b ( x ( t )) exp[−2 ∫ a ( z ) dz ] w = 0, two ordinary differential equations which have the same name normal form are said to be equivalent. The chapter also highlights that the invariant of the adjoint of equation y “ + a ( x ) y ' + b ( x ) y = 0 is equal to the invariant of y “ + a ( x ) y ' + b ( x ) y = 0. That is to say, invariants are preserved under the operation of taking the adjoint.
Deductive Hardware Design: A Functional Approach

The goal of deductive design is the systematic construction of a system implementation starting from its behavioural specification according to formal, provably correct rules. We use Haskell to formulate a functional model of directional, synchronous and deterministic systems with discrete time. The associated algebraic laws are then employed in deductive hardware design of basic combinational and sequential circuits as well as a brief account of pipelining. With this we tackle several of the IFIP WG 10.5 benchmark verification problems. Special emphasis is laid on parameterisation and re-usability aspects.
Using grooming cross-connects to reduce ADM costs in SONET/WDM ring networks

We show that the cost of electronic multiplexing in SONET/WDM rings can be reduced using small SONET cross-connects at multiple nodes. Our architecture uses multiple hub nodes and achieves significant savings over single hub architecture.
Conversation Analysis: The Study of Talk-in-Interaction

The Study of Interaction Discovering Sequences in Interaction Sequence and Structure in Interaction The Methodological Perspective of Conversation Analysis Talk and Social Structure Conclusion
Social support, physical activity and sedentary behavior among 6th-grade girls: a cross-sectional study

Despite the importance of social support in promoting physical activity, little is known about the relative influence of the type or source of social support on adolescent girls' physical activity and sedentary behaviors. This study examined the associations of two types of social support (social participation in and social encouragement for physical activity) and two social support sources (family and friends) with self-reported daily minutes of physical activity and sedentary behavior among sixth-grade girls in Texas. A secondary analysis of 718 sixth-grade girls between the ages of 10 to 14 was performed using cross-sectional baseline data from an osteoporosis prevention intervention study. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors (television-video viewing and computer-video game playing) were assessed using 3 administrations of the Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist; social support indicators were assessed with Likert-type items from a psychosocial questionnaire. In multiple linear regression analyses, friend physical activity participation (partial correlation coefficient (r) = 0.10, p = .009) and friend (r = 0.12) and family encouragement (r = 0.11) (p < .01, respectively) were positively related to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the full model with other support variables, BMI and ethnicity; friend encouragement was the only variable positively related to vigorous physical activity (r = 0.11, p = .005). Family participation in physical activity had the strongest negative correlation with total minutes of television-video viewing and computer-video playing (r = -0.08, p < .05). Findings lend support to the importance of social support for physical activity among adolescent girls but suggest that the source and type of social support may differ for physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Further research is needed to assess the causal or reciprocal relation between the roles of friends and family in promoting physical activity and of family physical activity in decreasing sedentary behaviors among early adolescent girls.
Differential Expression of the Transcription Factor ARID3a in Lupus Patient Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

Although hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) are used for transplantation, characterization of the multiple subsets within this population in humans has lagged behind similar studies in mice. We found that expression of the DNA-binding protein, ARID3a, in mouse stem cells was important for normal development of hematopoietic lineages; however, progenitors expressing ARID3a in humans have not been defined. We previously showed increased numbers of ARID3a(+) B cells in nearly half of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and total numbers of ARID3a(+) B cells were associated with increased disease severity. Because expression of ARID3a in those SLE patients occurred throughout all B cell subsets, we hypothesized that ARID3a expression in patient HSPCs might also be increased relative to expression in healthy controls. Our data now show that ARID3a expression is not limited to any defined subset of HSPCs in either healthy controls or SLE patients. Numbers of ARID3a(+) HSPCs in SLE patients were increased over numbers of ARID3a(+) cells in healthy controls. Although all SLE-derived HSPCs exhibited poor colony formation in vitro compared with controls, SLE HSPCs with high numbers of ARID3a(+) cells yielded increased numbers of cells expressing the early progenitor marker, CD34. SLE HSPCs with high numbers of ARID3a(+) cells also more readily generated autoantibody-producing cells than HSPCs with lower levels of ARID3a in a humanized mouse model. These data reveal new functions for ARID3a in early hematopoiesis and suggest that knowledge regarding ARID3a levels in HSPCs could be informative for applications requiring transplantation of those cells.
Dynamics of magma withdrawal from stratified magma chambers

The time history of magma withdrawal through a central vent from a flat-roofed chamber strongly stratified in density and viscosity has been numerically modeled. Important parameters include the geometry of the reservoir; the initial vertical compositional profile; the ratio of viscous, inertial, and gravitational forces; and the basal normal stress driving the eruption. Finite critical stresses in the range 102 to 106 Pa are required to initiate and maintain an eruption. The composition-time history of erupted magma depends strongly on the reservoir/conduit width ( A ) such that large A increases (1) the time interval during which mixed magma is erupted, (2) the steady-state time ( ts ), defined as the time at which the composition of erupted magma is within 1% of the initial basal composition, and (3) the fraction of silicic magma trapped within the chamber. Steady-state times increase by a factor of two as the viscosity contrast increases from 1 to 102, and they become independent of viscosity variations for contrasts > 104. It is possible to distinguish continuous from discontinuous (i.e., layered) pre-eruptive gradients within chambers by comparing synthesized and measured geochemical stratigraphic sections for particular pyroclastic flow deposits. A mechanism for the generation of compositional gaps in ignimbrites following either a short eruption hiatus or an abrupt increase or decrease of the discharge during an otherwise quasi-steady eruption is quantitatively predicted. Most important, a compositional gap or a series of gaps within a pyroclastic deposit does not necessarily mean that one existed within the chamber before the eruption. It is impossible to invert stratigraphically controlled geochemical data to obtain in situ chamber compositional structure if one does not have detailed information regarding the location of vents and the variation of magma discharge with time during a pyroclastic eruption.
Neutrophil proteinases and matrix degradation. The cellbiology of pericellular proteolysis

Neutrophil proteinases have the capacity to degrade almost every component of the extracellular matrix. In marked contrast to the wealth of available data about the structure and activity of these proteinases when they are free in solution, there has been relatively little information about the mechanisms by which neutrophils use and control their proteolytic enzymes in an extracellular milieu that is replete with proteinase inhibitors. However, recent data have provided insights into several mechanisms that permit these enzymes to evade inhibition: (1) compartmentalization; (2) localized inactivation of proteinase inhibitors; (3) tight binding of enzymes to substrates; and (4) binding of proteinases to the neutrophil's cell surface.
Optical damage testing at the Z-Backlighter facility at Sandia National Laboratories

To enable laser-based radiography of high energy density physics events on the Z-Accelerator [4,5] at Sandia National Laboratories, a facility known as the Z-Backlighter has been developed. Two Nd:Phosphate glass lasers are used to create x-rays and/or proton beams capable of this radiographic diagnosis: Z-Beamlet (a multi-kilojoule laser operating at 527nm in a few nanoseconds) and Z-Petawatt (a several hundred joule laser operating at 1054nm in the subpicosecond regime) [1,2] . At the energy densities used in these systems, it is necessary to use high damage threshold optical materials, some of which are poorly characterized (especially for the sub-picosecond pulse). For example, Sandia has developed a meter-class dielectric coating capability for system optics. Damage testing can be performed by external facilities for nanosecond 532nm pulses, measuring high reflector coating damage thresholds >80J/cm 2 and antireflection coating damage thresholds >20J/cm 2 [3] . However, available external testing capabilities do not use femtosecond/picosecond scale laser pulses. To this end, we have constructed a sub-picoseond-laser-based optical damage test system. The damage tester system also allows for testing in a vacuum vessel, which is relevant since many optics in the Z-Backlighter system are used in vacuum. This paper will present the results of laser induced damage testing performed in both atmosphere and in vacuum, with 1054nm sub-picosecond laser pulses. Optical materials/coatings discussed are: bare fused silica and protected gold used for benchmarking; BK7; Zerodur; protected silver; and dielectric optical coatings (halfnia/silica layer pairs) produced by Sandia's in-house meter-class coating capability.
Working towards quality-developing an approved course

Developing a course in complementary therapies is both exciting, demanding and means embarking on new territories previously uncharted. The following is a short guide to how the first nationally approved professional course for nurses and midwives was developed.
Rhetoric and “doing philosophy”

By drawing new distinctions labelled “appeal” and “response” to replace traditional rhetorical modes of written discourse, the essay sketches a new perspective about what philosophers are doing rhetorically in “doing philosophy.” To think of philosophers as simply engaged in argument is an oversimplification and a distortion of what philosophers do. Crucial to doing philosophy are four activities: (1) definition and redefinition of problems and issues that form both the focus of the canonical historical literature of philosophy and what goes on in contemporary philosophy as a discipline, (2) the development and use of formal languages and technical vocabularies to abbreviate and label complexity and to disambiguate and precise distinctions necessary to deal with problems and issues, (3) the development and exploration of argumentative appeals for acceptance or refutation of answers to questions raised by the philosophical problematic, and (4) the development and exploration of explanatory responses to questions raised by the problematic. In so far as these four activities are driven and sanctioned by the current, self-defining philosophical problematic, contemporary philosophy as a body of knowledge is historical, cumulative, and marked by progress, and the doing of philosophy is fundamentally the making of written appeals and responses about its problematic.
Counterion motions and thermal ordering effects in perfluorosulfonate ionomers probed by solid-state NMR

Abstract Perfluorosulfonate ionomers (PFSIs) neutralized by tetraalkylammonium ions have been investigated using variable temperature 1H and 13C solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy to probe the thermally induced properties of tetraalkylammonium ions at temperatures near the α-relaxations. Tetramethylammonium (TMA+), tetraethylammonium (TEA+), tetrapropylammonium (TPA+) and tetrabutylammonium (TBA+) ions have been incorporated in our study for the systematic control of ionic interactions within PFSIs according to the chain-length of ammonium ions. 13C static ssNMR results show that bulkier TPA+ and TBA+ ions undergo molecular tumbling motions near or above the α-relaxation temperature of the corresponding PFSI ionomers, with jumping rates of κ ≈ 1 kHz. Moreover, the results of 1H spin-lattice (T1) relaxation time measurements suggest that smaller TMA+ ions in the PFSI exhibit a thermally induced ordering effect as the sample temperature approaches the α-relaxation temperature of TMA+–PFSI. This ordering phenomenon is also supported by the results from small-angle X-ray scattering.
Influence of surgical volume on outcome for laparoscopic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer.

The volume of surgical procedures performed by hospitals and surgeons has a strong influence on outcomes for a number of surgeries. We examined the influence of surgeon and hospital case volume on morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization for women with endometrial cancer undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy. Perspective, a nationwide inpatient database developed to measure utilization and quality, was used to examine women with endometrial cancer who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy with or without lymphadenectomy from 2000 to 2010. Perioperative morbidity, mortality, and cost were compared using Chi-square tests and multivariable generalized estimating equations. A total of 4,137 patients were identified. The overall complication rate was 9.8% for low-volume vs. 10.4% for high-volume surgeons [multivariable odds ratio (OR) = 0.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.41–1.22]. The rates of intraoperative complications, surgical-site complications, medical complications, transfusion, and reoperation were similar for patients treated by low- and high-volume surgeons (p > 0.05 for all). The adjusted estimate for hospital cost for patients treated by high- compared with low-volume surgeons was 219 USD (95% CI, −790 to 1,228 USD). The odds ratio for any complication in high- compared with low-volume hospitals was 1.24 (95% CI, 0.78–1.96). The average cost for patients treated in high- compared with low-volume facilities was −815 USD (95% CI, −1,641 to 11 USD). Neither physician nor hospital volume had a statistically significant effect on perioperative mortality. Laparoscopic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer is well tolerated and associated with an acceptable morbidity profile. Surgeon and hospital volume appear to have little effect on perioperative morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization.
Herring stock-recruitment relationships and recruitment patterns in the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific oceans

Abstract Understanding the recruitment dynamics of marine fish stocks is crucial in selecting harvest strategies. Revealing the recruitment patterns is the first step to understanding recruitment dynamics. In this study, stock-recruitment data for 19 Atlantic and Pacific herring stocks from the north Atlantic and northeast Pacific oceans were examined for density-dependent effects on recruitment and for recruitment patterns over spatial scales. Two parametric and one nonparametric tests indicate that the survival rates from eggs to recruits from 15 out of 19 stocks are related to spawning biomass, with high spawning biomass resulting in low survival rates. Seven out of 19 stocks show that year class strengths are associated with spawning biomass. Most stocks have compensatory, dome-shaped or asymptotic stock-recruitment curves. Positive correlations are generally found among the geographically close neighbor stocks. The recruitment patterns suggest that each environmental process may play an important role in recruitment dynamics of herring only within a certain spatial scale.
Physiologic oscillations produced by an infusion pump

Les mesures simultanees et continues de la PO 2 transcutane, de la pression sanguine aortique moyenne et du rythme cardiaque chez un premature de 1810 g, ont revele des oscillations de ces parametres d'une regularite singuliere lors de la perfusion de dopamine par pompe peristaltique disparaissant avec l'utilisation d'une pompe a perfusion continue. Discussion sur les interactions possibles et complexes entre progres technologiques et retentissement physiologique eventuellement defavorables
Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome, Leukotrienes, and Anaphylaxis:

The association of cysteinyl leukotrienes with plasma exudation allowed the authors to form the hypothesis that rates of leukotriene excretion would be increased in the acute phase of systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) and that leukotriene-modifier therapy would reduce the frequency and severity of life-threatening episodes. The authors report the association of SCLS in 3 cases, 1 with seafood-induced anaphylaxis. Rates of urinary leukotriene excretion were greater during the evolution of an episode than after resolution. In a third case, the rate of urinary leukotriene excretion was significantly higher when symptoms were evolving than when they were absent (230 ± 17 vs 110 ± 6 pg/mg, P < 0.001). Treatment with a leukotriene receptor (cys-LT1) antagonist eliminated episodes in 1 patient. Treatment with the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor zileuton was completely effective in another patient and prevented life-threatening episodes in the patient with SCLS after seafood exposure. The authors' finding that all...
A phase I trial of gemcitabine in combination with patupilone in patients with advanced solid tumors

Chemotherapy regimens including gemcitabine in combination with microtubule inhibitors such as docetaxel and paclitaxel have wide clinical application. Patupilone is a novel tubulin-polymerizing agent with activity against paclitaxel-resistant cell lines. We conducted a phase I trial to assess the maximum tolerated dose, dose limiting toxicity (DLT) and antitumor activity of gemcitabine and patupilone. Patients with refractory solid tumors enrolled in cohorts of three. Cohorts received fixed doses of gemcitabine (1,000 or 750 mg/m2) along with escalating doses of patupilone (1.5–3 mg/m2) on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle. Twenty-seven patients received a total of 99 courses of treatment on study. Hematologic toxicity in the first cohort required a modification of the protocol to decrease the gemcitabine dose. Subsequent patients received gemcitabine 750 mg/m2 and escalating doses of patupilone from 1.5 to 3 mg/m2. DLTs were grade 3 asthenia and grade 3 dehydration. There was also one treatment-related death due to neutropenic infection. Other clinically significant toxicities were persistent asthenia and persistent nausea. Four patients, one each with pancreatic cancer, esophageal carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma, experienced a partial response. The dose-limiting toxicities of gemcitabine and patupilone were asthenia and dehydration. Dose reductions also occurred due to persistent fatigue that was not dose-limiting. However, patients with advanced malignancies were able to tolerate gemcitabine and patupilone at doses that resulted in clinical benefit. The recommended phase II dose for this schedule is gemcitabine 750 mg/m2 and patupilone 1.5 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle.
Differences Between Suicide Attempters and Nonattempters in Depressed Older Patients: Depression Severity, White-Matter Lesions, and Cognitive Functioning

Objectives The population of older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) has the highest rate of suicide. White-matter brain lesions (WML) are a potential biologic marker for suicidality in young and middle-aged adults and are correlated with cognitive impairment in older adults. In this study of older patients with MDD, we examined 1) if a history of suicide attempts was associated with a more severe course of MDD; 2) if WML are a biologic marker for suicide; and 3) if suicide attempt history is associated with cognitive impairment mediated by WML. Setting Data from the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Depression in the Elderly study. Participants Depressed patients (60+) who had ever attempted suicide (n = 23) were compared with depressed patients (60+) who had not attempted suicide (n = 223). Measurements Baseline and follow-up assessments were obtained for depressive symptoms (every 3 months) and cognitive functioning (every 6 months) over 2 years. Three magnetic resonance imaging scans were conducted. Results At baseline, suicide attempters reported more severe past and present symptoms (e.g., depressive symptoms, current suicidal thoughts, psychotic symptoms, earlier age of onset, and more lifetime episodes) than nonattempters. Suicide attempters had more left WML at baseline, and suicide attempt history predicted a greater growth in both left and right WML. WML predicted cognitive decline; nonetheless, a history of suicide attempt was unrelated to cognitive functioning. Conclusions Severity of depressive symptoms and WML are associated with suicide attempts in geriatric depressed patients. Suicide attempts predicted neurologic changes, which may contribute to poorer long-term outcomes in elder attempters.
Creating the Sociological Imagination on the First Day of Class: The Social Construction of Deviance

The first day of class is crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the semester (Dorn 1987; Riffer 1983; Weimer 1989). This paper describes an exercise that we use on the first day of our courses in the sociology of deviance and in introductory sociology. Four objectives are sought in the initial meeting. The first two are the answers to two questions suggested by Dorn (1987): "What are we doing here together?" and "What is the sociological substance of the course?" In answer to the first question, students should know what they will be able to do by the end of the course. To this end, we give them an overview of things to come that will enable them to place course material in an appropriate context. To address Dorn's second question, we expose students to a major sociological concept, the social construction of reality. They experience, firsthand, the insights and the usefulness of the concept before they have had time to read and discuss any of the course material. The exercise uses lay language and experiences already familiar to students. The third objective is to show students the power of the sociological imagination in understanding their social world.
Studies of photoconductance decay method for characterization of near-surface electrical properties of semiconductors

Abstract The Photoconductance Decay (PCD) method in a standard version allows determination of the bulk properties of semiconductors but is not suitable for evaluation of the surface and near-surface region of the wafer during processing. This experiment is concerned with PCD measurements devised specifically for the purpose of electrical probing using temporary contacts of the near-surface (ns-PCD) region of semiconductor substrates, including thin films. The method is tested through the measurements of the single-crystal, indirect bandgap elemental semiconductor wafers (Si and Ge), as well as selected direct bandgap compound semiconductor wafers (GaAs and InP). In the former case, surface properties of the material tested are altered in a controlled fashion and the PCD response to the surface alteration, in terms of the minority carrier lifetime, is measured. In the case of all substrates studied, a direct correlation between carrier lifetime measured using PCD and the condition of the wafer surface was observed. Furthermore, the ns-PCD method was proven very effective in measuring minority carrier lifetime at the semiconductor-dielectric interface without having to form MOS test structures. The results obtained suggest that the modified PCD method employing temporary contacts to the measured surface can be used to monitor the condition of semiconductor surfaces during device processing.
The U. S. Catholic Bishops on Nuclear Arms: Corporate Advocacy, Role Redefinition, and Rhetorical Adaptation

The authors examine the communicative, organizational, and political dimensions of how the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) treated the issue of nuclear arms control in the early 1980s. They argue that the NCCB as an organizational unit shaped a new “corporate advocacy” role for itself; the bishops responded to internal and external needs, revitalized their image within the Church, and achieved a new political status.
Modulation of vascular cell growth kinetics by local cytokine delivery from fibrin glue suspensions.

Abstract Purpose: Fibrin glue (FG) has been used as a delivery system for bioactive agents on grafts and angioplasty sites. Reports from two different institutions suggest that heparin concentrations of 500 U/mL in FG inhibit smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, but do not effect endothelial cell (EC) proliferation. The purposes of this study were to (1) quantify the diffusive release of fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) and heparin from FG; (2) determine the effect of heparin and FGF-1 on SMC proliferation when the cells are immediately plated on the FG; and (3) by means of the diffusive release data, design a new in vitro model that may differentiate the effect of FG-incorporated FGF-1 and heparin, rather than the released, solubilized components of these two factors, on SMC and EC proliferation. Methods: 125 I-FGF-1 or 3 H-heparin release from FG into the overlying media was measured serially in a 96-hour period, either with or without cells. SMCs were immediately plated on FG containing various concentrations of FGF-1 and heparin. SMCs or ECs were plated on identical groups of FG containing FGF-1 and heparin 24 hours after the FG was made to exclude the effect on cell growth of the initial release of FGF-1 into the media. Results: In the first 24 hours, 70% ± 1% of the FGF-1 and 59% ± 2% of the heparin in the FG was released into the overlying media, with minimal release occurring thereafter. The cell type or absence of cells did not affect release, but there was five times more FGF-1 and four times more heparin in the media at 72 hours for the immediate plating versus the delayed plating because of a diffusive release primarily in the first 24 hours. A heparin concentration of 500 U/mL inhibited SMC proliferation, as compared with 5 U/mL heparin, only when immediate plating of SMCs was used. Comparing immediate versus delayed SMC plating, at equivalent FGF-1 and heparin doses, immediate plating induced greater proliferation than delayed plating; this was likely caused by the higher soluble FGF-1 concentration. Heparin doses as high as 500 U/mL had little effect on SMC proliferation. In contrast, ECs died with delayed plating on FG containing 500 U/mL heparin, and their growth was inhibited at 50 U/mL heparin, as compared with 5 U/mL heparin. Conclusion: The differences in SMC proliferation when comparing immediate versus delayed plating are likely caused by diffusive release of heparin and FGF-1 into the media. Our ongoing work uses an optimized in vitro FG system that minimizes the effects of soluble factors. This is an important distinction, because the cytokines that are released in vivo will be removed by blood flow and, thus, may not exert an effect unless they are contained within the FG. (J Vasc Surg 1999;29:852-62.)
Novel two-dimensional photonic crystals designed by evolutionary algorithms

We use evolutionary algorithms to search the space of two-dimensional photonic crystals with maximum bandgaps for a given index contrast. The unit-cells of the photonic crystal are represented as bitmaps which are either directly encoded or generated through bottom-up and top-down construction trees. The fitness criterion rewards for partial band gaps and is evaluated by solving for the photonic crystals bands using an eigensolver in a planewave basis. Starting from random patterns and with no prior knowledge, the process discovered a number of novel photonic crystals, some with bandgaps that are 12.5% larger than any previously reported human-designed crystals.
Models having the thermodynamic properties of aqueous alkaline earth halides and NaCl-MgCl2 mixtures

A model studied earlier in relation to aqueous 1–1 electrolytes has been applied to the interpretation of the excess free energies of aqueous solutions of the alkaline earth halides up to 1 M ionic strength. Several variations on the model could be fitted to the data. In the one which seems most consistent with the other observations, the cospheres (hydration layers) on the M++ ions were two water molecules thick rather than one as for the alkali metal, tetraalkylammonium, and halide ions. The overlap of cospheres of an M++, M++ pair was found to make a small attractive contribution to the interionic force, while the overlap of cospheres of an M++, X− pair makes a small positive contribution which is almost the same for X−=Cl−, Br−, or I−. Thus, ionic hydration shells which are not penetrated by other ions are not required to account for the observed excess free energies. The model is also fitted to NaCl-MgCl2 mixtures to see whether the new cosphereoverlap parameter which must be determined is consistent with the others. The calculation also shows how the thermodynamic behavior of the mixtures is consistent with the mixture limiting law for unsymmetrical mixtures. The singularities in the mixing coefficients g0 and w0 at infinite dilution dominate their concentration dependence only up to ionic strengths of about 0.01 M in models which fit the data.
Lysosomal Digestion of Thyroglobulin: Role of Cathepsin D and Thiol Proteases

Purified hog thyroid lysosomes, prepared by a procedure previously developed in this laboratory, were used to study lysosomal digestion of [131I]thyroglobulin [131I]Tg). The lysosomal proteases were solubilized with 0.1% Triton X-100. Rates of proteolytic digestion, measured by the release of ethanol-ammonium acetate-extractable 131I, were greatly stimulated by thiol reagents. The pH optimum was also affected by the presence of thiols. In the absence of a thiol reagent, a broad pH optimum was observed, ranging from 3.5–4.5. However, in the presence of 1 mm mercaptoethanol, the maximum rate of digestion occurred at pH 5.0, very close to reported values for the internal pH of lysosomes. Pepstatin, an inhibitor of cathepsin D, markedly inhibited lysosomal digestion of [131I]Tg at concentrations as low as 0.01 μg/ml. Its inhibitory effect was greater at pH 3.5 (pH optimum of cathepsin D) than at pH 5.0. Leupeptin, an inhibitor of thiol proteases, was not as potent as pepstatin, but it was significantly inhibi...