cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contraceptive development: why the snail's pace?

Current contraceptive methods are not well-suited to many Americans. More safe and effective methods would be desirable. A report "Developing New Contraceptives: Obstacles and Opportunities" was released in January 1990. It summarized 2 years of data collection by the Committee on Contraceptive Development which includes pharmaceutical company executives physicians reproductive biologists public health legal and public policy experts demographers and economists. Barrier facing the development of new methods in the US were analyzed and ways to speed up research suggested. Particularly ill served are teenagers young mothers and comparatively older couples. The health risks of pregnancy delivery and labor "may be underrated." The pill is now the most common form of contraception in the US followed by female sterilization condoms and vasectomy. 95% of women aged 15-44 who have ever had intercourse have used 1 or more contraceptive methods. Contraceptive discontinuation and failure rates are high too. No fundamentally new contraceptives have been approved for use since the IUD and the pill in the 60s. Modifications of existing methods are in clinical trials. Obstacles cited were attitudes of the public federal regulations and product liability and the organization of and resources available for research. Public attitudes are very conservative. There is no great demand for more products. Since the 1960s only 1 large pharmaceutical company (Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp.) is still involved in contraceptive research. Activity by small firms nonprofit organizations and universities has increased. Federal research funding in reproductive biology has only increased modestly since the mid 1970s. Private foundation support has dramatically declined. The time involved in the great costs of data required for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval have reduced research incentives. The average time it takes to get FDA approval has increased in the past 20 years. Weighing the risks and benefits of contraceptives is different from doing that with other drugs yet FDA procedures do not allow for this. Product liability laws are different in each of the 50 states. Contraceptive development was greatly damaged by the mid 1980s insurance crisis. The committee recommended that the FDA put more importance on the effectiveness and convenience of new contraceptives. A comprehensive postmarketing surveillance system should be set up and congress should pass a federal products liability law.
Survival of water stress in annual fish embryos: dehydration avoidance and egg envelope amyloid fibers

Diapausing embryos ofAustrofundulus limnaeus survive desiccating conditions by reducing evaporative water loss. Over 40% of diapause II embryos survive 113 days of exposure to 75.5% relative humidi...
Hofmeister Ion-Induced Changes in Water Structure Correlate with Changes in Solvation of an Aggregated Protein Complex.

RecA is a naturally aggregating Escherichia coli protein that catalyzes the strand exchange reaction utilized in DNA repair. Previous studies have shown that the presence of salts influence RecA activity, aggregation, and stability and that salts stabilize RecA in an inverse-anionic Hofmeister series. Here we utilized attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD) to investigate how various Hofmeister salts alter the water structure and RecA solvation and aggregation. Spectroscopic studies performed in water and deuterium oxide suggest that salts alter water O–1H and O–2H stretch and bend vibrations as well as protein amide I (or I′) and amide II (or II′) vibrations. Anions have a much larger influence on water vibrations than cations. Water studies also show increased water–water and/or water–ion interactions in the presence of strongly hydrated SO42– salts and evidence for decreased interactions with weakly hydrated Cl– and ClO4– salts. Salt-w...
Effects of Salinity-Induced Chemical Reactions on Biotite Wettability Changes under Geologic CO2 Sequestration Conditions

The wettability of rocks and minerals significantly affects the safety and efficiency of energy-related subsurface operations. Salinity is an important controlling factor in terms of wettability but has received limited attention. We studied the effects of salinity-induced chemical reactions on biotite’s wettability changes under relevant subsurface conditions. Biotite was reacted at 95 °C and 102 atm of CO2 for 70 h in solutions with salinities of 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 M NaCl. Then, static and dynamic water contact angles on reacted biotite basal surfaces were measured using a captive drop method. As a result of enhanced biotite dissolution at higher salinities, increased roughness, more negatively charged surfaces, and higher densities of hydroxyl groups on the biotite surfaces made biotite basal surface more hydrophilic. These results provide new information about the interplay of chemical reactions and wettability alterations of minerals, providing a better understanding of CO2 transport in subsurface ...
Delayed administration of recombinant human parathyroid hormone improves early biomechanical strength in a rat rotator cuff repair model.

Background Despite advances in intraoperative techniques, rotator cuff repairs frequently do not heal. Recombinant human parathyroid hormone (rhPTH) has been shown to improve healing at the tendon-to-bone interface in an established acute rat rotator cuff repair model. We hypothesized that administration of rhPTH beginning on postoperative day 7 would result in improved early load to failure after acute rotator cuff repair in an established rat model. Methods Acute rotator cuff repairs were performed in 108 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Fifty-four rats received daily injections of rhPTH beginning on postoperative day 7 until euthanasia or a maximum of 12 weeks postoperatively. The remaining 54 rats received no injections and served as the control group. Animals were euthanized at 2 and 16 weeks postoperatively and evaluated by gross inspection, biomechanical testing, and histologic analysis. Results At 2 weeks postoperatively, rats treated with rhPTH demonstrated significantly higher load to failure than controls (10.9 vs. 5.2 N; P = .003). No difference in load to failure was found between the 2 groups at 16 weeks postoperatively, although control repairs more frequently failed at the tendon-to-bone interface (45.5% vs. 22.7%; P = .111). Blood vessel density appeared equivalent between the 2 groups at both time points, but increased intracellular and extracellular vascular endothelial growth factor expression was noted in the rhPTH-treated group at 2 weeks. Conclusions Delayed daily administration of rhPTH resulted in increased early load to failure and equivalent blood vessel density in an acute rotator cuff repair model.
‘It’s Not a Political Issue!’ The Interaction of Subject and Politics on Professors’ Beliefs in Human-induced Climate Change:

This study examines the interaction of political orientation with academic discipline on beliefs in anthropogenic climate change (ACC) among higher education faculty. Over 300 faculty members at tw...
The Germination of Resting Spores of Entomophthora virulenta Hall and Dunn

Laboratory tests have shown that about 2 to 5% of the resting spores of Entomophthora virulenta from pure cultures are ready to germinate when removed from the dry state and placed on artificial media, The germinating spores do not need the influence of chitin-splitting microorganisms or a lengthy period in a moist environment in order to start their growth, but they are responsive to high humidity conditions since a progressive increase in germination was noted as the period that the spores here soaked was increased, Considerable germination was noted following 10-minute exposures to temperatures up to 93° C. while no growth occurred after a 06-hour exposure to a temperature of 85° C.
Discuss Application of Supervision and Control System in Forest

The article introduced the condition and technical characteristic of the fire prevention supervision and control system in Taiyuan forest park,elaborate on structure and specific function of the fire prevention supervision and control system,proposed question of the fire prevention supervision and control system in practice.
Investigation of rodents and rodent borne pathogen in Jixian of Tianjin, China

Objective To investigate the species, distribution, and density of dominant species of rodents and parasitical fleas and the infections of rodents with Yersinia pestis and hantavirus (HV) in Jixian of Tianjin, China, and to provide a basis for effective prevention and control of plague and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Methods Cages were used to capture rodents. The captured rodents and the fleas collected from the rodents were classified and identified, and the density of rodents and flea carrying rate were calculated. Indirect hemagglutination assay was used to detect the Y. pestis F1 antibody. Polymerase chain reaction was used to identify the specific genes of Y. pestis (fra and pla). Fluorescent antibody technique was used to detect HV antigen in rodent lungs (HFRS Ag). Results From April to September in 2011, 269 rodents (8 species, 7 genera, and 3 families) were captured in Jixian of Tianjin, and the density of rodents was 1.15%; 9 fleas (Monopsyllus anisus) were collected from the rodents; the flea carrying rate was 3.68% , and the total flea index was 0.055. A total of 188 serum samples of rodents were collected, and no Y. pestis F1 antibody was detected. A total of 247 liver samples of rodents were collected, and the specific genes of Y. pestis were not detected. A total of 89 lung samples of rodents were collected, and HV antigen was detected in one sample, with a positive rate of 1.12%; the HV was confirmed as Seoul virus (SEOV). Conclusion R. norvegicus is the dominant species of rodents in Jixian of Tianjin. Both the rodent density and flea index are lower than the standard precaution level for plague control, and no rodent plague epidemic is found. R. norvegicus is the major host animal of HFRS, from which SEOV is detected.
Thromboembolic complications of malignancy. Part 2: management.

Thromboembolism affects many patients with solid tumors and clonal hematologic malignancies. Thromboprophylaxis with low-molecularweight heparin (LMWH) is indicated for surgery and other high-risk situations, but not routinely for central venous catheters or nonsurgical, ambulatory management. Thrombotic events require full anticoagulation for the duration of active disease and/or the prothrombotic stimulus. LMWHs are safe and more effective than both unfractionated heparin for initial therapy and warfarin for secondary prevention. Antiinflammatory and antiangiogenic properties might account for this advantage and for a survival benefit of chronic LMWH in subgroups of cancer patients. Ongoing studies are characterizing the cost-effectiveness and antitumor mechanisms of LMWHs, the potential utility of newer anticoagulants, and the ability of predictive models to identify high-risk candidates for thromboprophylaxis.
Getting alcoholics out of your office, into treatment, and back to your office.

SUMMARY There have been important expansions in knowledge about alcohol recently. In this chapter a number of advances pertinent to the family practitioner are summarized. However, technology is not our focus. We are talking first about troubled people. The applications of research may help such people in practice. However, our main concern is for the patients and their families as a primary care practitioner rightly should be. Therefore, scientific study results are interspersed among the sections on a variety of clinical concerns. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are family affairs. Families are complex interactive systems that serve to maintain themselves and their members. Under certain conditions the powerful forces at work within a family can promote the use of alcohol as an effort to solve problems. This chapter has discussed some methods which may be used to change them. Alcohol also presents a number of specialized problems that may occur in family practice. We include recent modifications in the treatment of withdrawal. Another syndrome increasingly observed is that of the effects of alcohol on the human fetus. The interesting but less usual manifestations of alcoholism are also noted in passing.
Panel Models for the Analysis of Change and Growth in Life Course Studies

Panel data figure prominently in research on the many aspects of the life course. The longitudinal structure of panel data, with the properties of many units (individuals, families, etc.) measured on several occasions spread over time, is ideal for observational studies of life course processes. Panel data have proven useful for research on subjects as fundamental as the causes and consequences of marital stability and dissolution (Biblarz & Raftery 1993; Thornton, Axinn, & Teachman, 1995), the social psychological development and well-being of children and adults (Booth & Amato, 1991; Chase-Lansdale, Cherlin & Kiernan, 1995; Moen, Robison, & Dempster-McClain, 1995; Nagin & Tremblay, 1999), and the evolution of conventional (Diprete & McManus, 1996) and deviant careers (Land & Nagin, 1996; Sampson & Laub, 1992), as well as for research on the issues surrounding the timing of all these processes and related transitions. There is now widespread agreement that panel data and the analytical advances they make possible are essential for rigorously addressing the types of questions that drive and are central to many life course studies.
Interactive Learning and Adaptation for Robot Assisted Therapy for People with Dementia

In this paper, we present an adaptive cognitive music game designed to monitor and improve the attention levels of people with dementia. The goal of this game is to provide a customized protocol based on user needs and preferences, following the Reinforcement Learning (RL) framework. The game adjusts its parameters (e.g., difficulty level) so as to help the user complete the task successfully, while keeping them engaged. The main contribution of this paper is an interactive learning and adaptation framework that enables and facilitates the adaptation of the robot behavior towards new users, providing a safe, tailored and efficient interaction.
Kineothrix alysoides, gen. nov., sp. nov., a saccharolytic butyrate-producer within the family Lachnospiraceae

An anaerobic, saccharolytic, spore-forming, butyrate-producing bacterium, strain KNHs209T, was isolated from a switchgrass microcosm seeded with forest soil. Cells were highly motile rods, often forming long filamentous chains which were easily observed moving under the microscope. Its closest phylogenetic relative was Eisenbergiella tayi (16S rRNA gene sequence identity 94.2 %), although it was easily distinguishable based on its morphology and physiology. Whole-genome sequencing enabled development of a minimal medium, and also suggested that the organism is capable of fixing nitrogen. Its wide variety of growth substrates was mirrored by a high number of encoded chemotaxis receptors (45, the highest in the family Lachnospiraceae ). Strain KNHs209T utilized a wide variety of carbohydrates, but not cellulose or xylan. Fermentation products included formate, acetate and butyrate; sulfur compounds and nitrate were not reduced. Strain KNHs209T grew optimally at 35–40 °C and pH 7. The genomic DNA G+C content was 42.74 mol%; the major membrane fatty acids were C14 : 0 and C16 : 0. Based on phenotypic, genomic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses, this organism represents a novel genus and species within the family Lachnospiraceae for which the name Kineothrix alysoides, gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KNHs209T (=ATCC TSD-26T=DSM 100556T).
Community storage for firming

We analyze the benefit of storage capacity sharing for a set of consumers in a community (e.g., an apartment building or an industrial park). Each consumer has its own choice of either installing its own storage system or investing in a shared storage system. More precisely, they will decide on the capacity of the storage system to minimize the installation cost subject to a chance constraint for firming (e.g., to limit the exposure risk to the real time market). If the consumers decide to operate a shared storage system, they must also decide on a scheme to allocate the costs. We formulate the problem as a cooperative game and identify an efficient and stable cost allocation rule. In settings where certain statistical information is private, the cooperative storage sharing game becomes embedded with a non-cooperative information reporting game. We show our proposed cost allocation rule induces all consumers to report their private information truthfully.
Cleaving Fast and Slow: Strategies for Self-Assembly of Catalytic RNA

Ribozyme RNA motifs are widespread in nature and their adaptation to varied growth conditions has been sparsely investigated. Ribozymes fold into specific three-dimensional structures to promote self-cleavage of specific phosphodiester bonds. Metal cations stabilize the folded RNA, which usually correlates with biochemical activity. We used ensemble and single molecule FRET to compare the folding dynamics of a 195 nt bacterial group I ribozyme and a 54 nt Twister ribozyme from Oryza sativa. Whereas the group I ribozyme remains stably folded in 2 mM MgCl2 that is sufficient for its activity, Twister ribozyme folds and unfolds on the second timescale even in 100 mM MgCl2. Nevertheless, Twister still self-cleaves in 50 µM MgCl2, although visits to the folded state are transient and infrequent. Surprisingly, transition metals activated Twister ribozyme even more efficiently than Mg2+. Ongoing efforts to understand how folding dynamics tune RNA activity will be discussed.
On silences: Salvadoran refugees then and now

US military and economic intervention in El Salvador has set the conditions for mass migration since the 1980s. Both then and now, despite well-documented human rights abuses, the US government refuses to categorize Salvadorans as refugees. Weaving in personal and political narratives, this essay examines the parallels of violence against refugees in the 1980s and the present. It also analyzes the silences created through the denial of state terror and the political and collective consequences of these silences for Salvadorans in the US.
Controllability of the Wave Equation Governed by Mobile Point Controls

This chapter continues the discussion of Chap. 9, dealing with the observability issues for the general hyperbolic equations equipped with the mobile degenerate sensors. We will now focus on the dual controllability issues for the wave equation governed by the mobile point actuators. In particular, we will show that the approximate controllability of this equation is possible in H D −[n∕2]−1(Ω) × H D −[n∕2]−2(Ω), while the exact controllability can hold in L 2(Ω) × H −1(Ω), provided that the control curves are carefully selected and that the control functions lie in [L ∞ (0, T; R n+1)] ′ .
Are physician assistant and patient airway assessments reliable compared to anesthesiologist assessments in detecting difficult airways in general surgical patients

Airway management remains one of the most important responsibilities of anesthesiologists. Prediction of difficult airway allows time for proper selection of equipment, technique, and personnel experienced in managing patients with difficult airway. Face to face preoperative anesthesia interviews are difficult to conduct as they necessitate patients traveling to the clinics, and, in practice, are usually conducted in the morning of the procedure by the anesthesiologist, when identification of predictors of difficult intubation may lead to schedule delays or case cancelations. We hypothesized that an airway assessment tool could be used by patients or physician assistants to accurately assess their airways. We administered an airway assessment tool, which had been constructed in consultation with a psychometrician and revised after non-medical layperson feedback, to 215 patients presenting to the preoperative clinic for evaluation. Separately, patients had the airway exam performed by a physician assistant and an anesthesiologist. Agreement was compared using kappa. We found good agreement between observers only on “can you put three fingers in your mouth?” (three-way kappa = .733, p < 0.001) and poor agreement on Mallampati classification (three-way kappa = .195, p < 0.001) and “Can you fit three fingers between your chin and your Adam’s Apple?” (three-way kappa = .216, p < 0.001). The agreements for the other questions were mostly fair. Agreements between patients and anesthesiologists were similar to those between physician assistants and anesthesiologists. Neither the patients’ self-assessments nor the physician assistants’ assessments were adequate to substitute for the anesthesiologists’ airway assessments.
Upregulation of the EMT marker vimentin is associated with poor clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia.

Vimentin (VIM) is a type III intermediate filament that maintains cell integrity, and is involved in cell migration, motility and adhesion. When overexpressed in solid cancers, vimentin drives epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and ultimately, metastasis. The effects of its overexpression in AML are unclear. In this study, we analyzed the TCGA data of 173 AML patients for which complete clinical and expression data were available. In this analysis, we assessed the association between VIM mRNA expression and patient’s clinical and molecular characteristics including clinical outcome. VIM overexpression was associated with higher white blood count (< p = 0.0001). Patients with high VIM expression have worse overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) compared with patients with low VIM expression (median OS; 7.95 months vs 19.2 months; p = 0.029). After age-stratification, high VIM expression was significantly associated with worse overall survival in older patients (age ≥ 60; median OS: 5.4 vs 9.9 months: p = 0.0257) but not in younger patients (age < 60). In stratification analysis according to cytogenetic status, high VIM expression was significantly associated with shorter OS (7.95 vs 24.6 months: p = 0.0102) in cytogenetically normal, but not in cytogenetic abnormal AML. Collectively, the data indicate that overexpression of the EMT marker vimentin is associated with poor clinical outcome in older patients with cytogenetically normal AML; and therefore may play a role in this disease.
Suicide Attempts among Latinas who Experienced Early Sex Were Largely Mediated by Substance Abuse

The purpose of this study was to describe the role of substance abuse as a mediating factor between early sexual experiences and suicide attempts among adult Latinas. In our study participants (n=158), nearly 15% had attempted suicide and 39% experienced their first sexual encounter at an age of 15 or younger (referred to hereafter as "early sex"). Latinas who experienced early sex were more likely to attempt suicide [OR=2.4, p<0.05], and this relationship was largely mediated by substance abuse. An early sexual debut may indicate an environmental adversity on the child that calls for long term intervention for prevention of substance abuse as well as promotion of psychological well-being later in life.
The Nuclear Era of Laser Interactions: New Milestones in the History of Power Compression

A brief review of the history of power compression over a range encompassing approximately 40 orders of magnitude places laser-nuclear interactions roughly at the logarithmic midpoint of the scale at approximately 10 20 W/cm 3 . The historical picture also motivates four conclusions, specifically, that (1) foreseen developments in power compression will enable laser-induced coupling to all nuclei, (2) conventional physical mechanisms will encounter a limit of Ω α ∼ 10 30 -10 31 W/cm 3 , a value approximately 10 10 above the presently demonstrated capability, (3) the key to reaching the Ω α limit is the generation of relativistic/charge-displacement self-trapped channels with multikilovolt X-rays in high-Z solids, a concept named "photon staging," and (4) penetration into the 10 30 - 10 40 W/cm 3 zone, the highest range known and the region represented by processes of elementary particle decay, will require an understanding of new physical processes that are presumably tied to phenomena at the Planck scale.
Finite Approximations of Infinitely Long Formulas

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses finite approximations of infinitely long formulas. It explains language L which has infinitely long formulas built up from atomic formulas by applying negations, finite and infinite conjunctions and disjunctions, and arbitrary sequences of quantifiers. Languages like L have been considered by Henkin. The main theorems have a number of consequences which have nothing to do with saturated structures. In the theory of models for the ordinary finitary first order logic there is a large class of theorems, which one might call “preservation theorems.” The preservation theorems were first proved by a variety of methods. However, it has recently become apparent that most of them can be proved using saturated structures. Quantifiers of finite length are also interpreted as usual, and in extending the interpretation to quantifiers of infinite length.
Biosorption of bisphenol A and sulfamethoxazole from water using sulfonated coffee waste: Isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic studies

Abstract Herein, we report a facile method for the synthesis of sulfonated coffee waste (CW-SO3H). The biosorbent was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Zeta potential measurements. The biosorbent was used for the biosorption of endocrine disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and antibiotics such as sulfamethoxazole (SMX) from water. The calculated biosorption capacities of CW-SO3H were 271 mg/g and 256 mg/g towards the removal of BPA and SMX, respectively. The as synthesized biosorbent is capable to form π–π interaction and electrostatic interaction that allow the efficient biosorption of BPA and SMX. The Temkin isotherm model fits the experimental data better for BPA biosorption process, whereas the Temkin and Langmuir models explain the experimental data better for SMX biosorption process. The kinetic studies showed that the biosorption of BPA and SMX by CW-SO3H follows pseudo-second order kinetic model. The thermodynamic studies showed that the biosorption processes were spontaneous as well as exothermic in both cases. Therefore, CW-SO3H could be used as a promising biosorbent for the rapid removal of BPA and SMX from the wastewater.
Lifetime Risks for Hypertension by Contemporary Guidelines in African American and White Men and Women.

Importance Patterns of hypertension risk development over the adult lifespan and lifetime risks for hypertension under the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) 2017 thresholds for hypertension (≥130/80 mm Hg) are unknown. Objective To quantify and compare lifetime risks for hypertension in white and African American men and women under the AHA/ACC 2017 and the Seventh Joint National Commission (JNC7) hypertension thresholds. Design, setting, and participants We used individual-level pooled data from 3 contemporary cohorts in the Cardiovascular Lifetime Risk Pooling Project: the Framingham Offspring Study, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. These community-based cohorts included white and African American men and women with blood pressure assessment at multiple cohort examinations. Main outcomes and measures Cumulative lifetime risk for hypertension from ages 20 through 85 years, adjusted for competing risk of death and baseline hypertension prevalence. Incident hypertension under the AHA/ACC threshold was defined by a single-occasion blood pressure measurement of 130/80 mm Hg or more or self-reported use of antihypertensive medications. Incident hypertension under the JNC7 threshold was defined by a single-occasion blood pressure measurement of 140/90 mm Hg or more or the use of antihypertensive medications. Results A total of 13 160 participants contributed 227 600 person-years of follow-up; the data set included individual-level data on 6313 participants at baseline (median age, 25 years), plus person-year data from participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities and Framingham Offspring studies who enrolled at older ages. Baseline prevalence of hypertension under the AHA/ACC 2017 threshold in participants entering the data set between 20 and 30 years of age was 30.7% in white men (n = 549 of 1790), 23.1% in African American men (n = 245 of 1063), 10.2% in white women (n = 210 of 2070), and 12.3% in African American women (n = 171 of 1390). White men had lifetime risk of hypertension of 83.8% (95% CI, 82.5%-85.0%); African American men, 86.1% (95% CI, 84.1%-88.1%); white women, 69.3% (95% CI, 67.8%-70.7%); and African American women, 85.7% (95% CI, 84.0%-87.5%). These were greater than corresponding lifetime risks under the JNC7 threshold for hypertension (white men, 60.5% [95% CI, 58.9%-62.1%]; African American men, 74.7% [95% CI, 71.9%-77.5%]; white women, 53.9% [95% CI, 52.5%-55.4%]; and African American women, 77.3% [95% CI, 75.0%-79.5%]). Conclusions and relevance Under the AHA/ACC 2017 blood pressure threshold for hypertension, lifetime risks for hypertension exceeded 75% for African American men and women and white men. Furthermore, prevalence of blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg or more is very high in young adulthood, suggesting that efforts to prevent development of hypertension should be focused early in the life course.
Crossfire: Tenotomy Versus Tenodesis # Pro Tenodesis

While tenotomy and tenodesis both have been advocated to create good clinical outcome, a discussion remained over the favored treatment option in lesions of the biceps pulley system (BPS) and the long head of the biceps tendon (LHB). LHB tenodesis can avoid the three major complaints after tenotomy: (1) distalization of the biceps muscle belly resulting in a so-called “popeye” deformity, (2) cramping and soreness of the biceps muscle belly, and (3) fatigue discomfort and loss of flexion/supination strength in the elbow. These disorders play an important role in the young and active patient. Therefore, tenodesis should be preferred in younger patients who are involved in sports activities and in manually laboring employees. No general recommendation about the technique for tenodesis could be given that is mostly up to the preference of the surgeon.
Multimodal cues facilitate nest recognition in carpenter bee aggregations

The advantages of group living are partially offset by the cognitive challenges associated with maintaining social boundaries. These challenges can give rise to recognition mechanisms that adaptively integrate information across multiple sensory modalities. The valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, nests in dead wood in large aggregations of up to several dozen nests. This study investigates the proximate mechanisms by which returning foragers quickly and reliably identify their own nest entrance within a high-density nesting site. We manipulated long- and short-range visual cues associated with nest entrances, removed chemical cues on the inside of nest entrances and added chemical cues from foreign conspecific bees. By measuring the effect of these manipulations on nest search time and search accuracy, we assessed the importance of visual and olfactory sensory modalities in allowing carpenter bees to locate their nests within aggregations. Our results support the hypothesis that both visual and olfactory cues can facilitate nest localization. Removal of nest olfactory cues did not significantly disrupt homing, suggesting that olfactory information may not be necessary for nest localization when visual information is available. However, the addition of olfactory cues from unfamiliar conspecific bees actually aided nest localization rather than disrupting it, suggesting that bees may use generalized species odour cues for homing. Due to intense nest site competition within aggregations, nest localization may have important social implications for maintenance of high-density nesting.
Osteocytes Support Hematopoiesis by Altering the Bone Marrow Microenvironment Through Gsα Signaling

Abstract 219 Osteocytes, the most abundant and long living cells of bone embedded in the bone matrix, coordinate bone remodeling by regulating osteoblast and osteoclast activity, at least in part, via G-protein coupled receptor signaling. Osteoblasts and osteoclasts control hematopoiesis primarily by influencing self-renewal, differentiation, and mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells in their endosteal bone niche. A role for osteocytes in hematopoiesis has previously not been demonstrated. We engineered mice lacking Gsα in osteocytes (DMP1-GsαKO) using the Cre-loxP recombination technique. Consistent with the previously established role of osteocytes in regulation of bone remodeling, DMP1-GsαKO mice showed severe osteopenia and a decrease in cortical thickness. The osteopenia in the KO mice was due to a dramatic decrease in osteoblast numbers whereas the number and activity of osteoclasts was unaffected. In addition, DMP1-GsαKO mice displayed hematopoietic abnormalities that resembled a myeloproliferative syndrome (MPS) characterized by leukocytosis and neutrophilia. Myeloid cells were increased in the peripheral blood, bone marrow (BM), and spleen in DMP1-GsαKO mice compared to controls (p In summary, our results represent the first evidence for osteocyte-mediated regulation of hematopoiesis via Gsα-signaling-induced alteration of the BM microenvironment, possibly through CXCL2 signaling. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Characterization of Biological Tissues Using a Suspended Microstrip Ring Resonator

In this paper, a simple ex-vivo method to characterize the dielectric properties of biological tissues is demonstrated using a proximity-fed suspended microstrip ring resonator. Samples of porcine tissue are placed between the microstrip feed lines and the ring resonator. Using typical porcine bio-material data, the layout of the loaded resonator and feeds are optimized by full-wave simulations to obtain a discernable resonance signature in insertion loss profile. Measurements of the fabricated prototype with porcine fat samples closely follow the simulated S 21 plots and yield relative permittivity of 5.35 and loss tangent of 0.059 at resonance. This set up is also used to extract permittivity of porcine skeletal muscle tissues and experimentally demonstrate its anisotropic nature.
A Cross-Sectional Analysis Exploring Differences between Food Availability, Food Price, Food Quality and Store Size and Store Location in Flint Michigan

The availability, price, and quality of healthy foods can vary based on store size and store location. Quantifying access to healthy food based on availability, price, and quality might improve die...
Managing Psychiatric Disorders in Athletes

Pharmacotherapy is an important psychiatric tool available to treat mental illness in athletes. There are at least three important, unique considerations when prescribing a psychiatric medication to an athlete: (1) potential negative impact on athletic performance; (2) potential performance-enhancing effects; and (3) potential safety risks. Furthermore, there are unique considerations within each category of psychiatric medications when it comes to prescribing for athletes.
Injury intensifies T cell mediated graft-versus-host disease in a humanized model of traumatic brain injury

The immune system plays critical roles in promoting tissue repair during recovery from neurotrauma but is also responsible for unchecked inflammation that causes neuronal cell death, systemic stress, and lethal immunodepression. Understanding the immune response to neurotrauma is an urgent priority, yet current models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) inadequately recapitulate the human immune response. Here, we report the first description of a humanized model of TBI and show that TBI places significant stress on the bone marrow. Hematopoietic cells of the marrow are regionally decimated, with evidence pointing to exacerbation of underlying graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) linked to presence of human T cells in the marrow. Despite complexities of the humanized mouse, marrow aplasia caused by TBI could be alleviated by cell therapy with human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). We conclude that MSCs could be used to ameliorate syndromes triggered by hypercytokinemia in settings of secondary inflammatory stimulus that upset marrow homeostasis such as TBI. More broadly, this study highlights the importance of understanding how underlying immune disorders including immunodepression, autoimmunity, and GVHD might be intensified by injury.
Effects of temperature probe orientation on the Purdue hog cooling pad data acquisition

Abstract Heat stress in domestic animal production consistently alters several physiological, growth, and reproductive metrics within the livestock industry. To increase commercial productivity and general animal husbandry, the agricultural research community has been investigating technologies to combat the effects of heat stress for several decades. A hog cooling pad has been developed at Purdue University through a departmental collaboration between Agricultural & Biological Engineering and Animal Sciences. One of the main points of interest in the hog cooling pad research investigation is the accurate expression of the heat transfer from the sow to the copper coil coolant system. It is vital to obtain accurate temperature data in real time to properly manage the coolant flow in the device. This research project investigated the effect of the temperature probe orientation. Several cooling pad temperature probe orientations were proposed, while trying to keep every other operational aspect of the hog cooling pad the same. Temperature data from two separate collection systems were assessed using analyses that document differences in the selected probe’s responsiveness and accuracy. Three placement areas were examined: the blade, center, and ham locations. This research demonstrated conclusively that the type K thermocouple collection system maintained an accurate, rapid, and consistent performance as the calibrated system, and the Hilitchi® digital probes varied substantially in accuracy and responsiveness. Calibration offset values for digital probes were documented in the 4–5 °C range. This was completely unacceptable for the small ranges of interest in the hog cooling pad work. Horizontal orientations were shown to be the most responsive against 45° orientations with: (tH(37.8) = −14.09, p
The US Generalised System of Preferences in Principle and Practice

In principle, the US generalised system of preferences (GSP) offers uniform market access to exports from eligible developing countries for a broad set of GSP-eligible products. In practice, realised GSP tariff exemptions demonstrate marked variation across countries, industries and years. In this paper, we identify the sources of discretionary and non-discretionary GSP exclusions and quantify the extent to which competitive needs limitations (CNLs), waivers and additional annual product, country and country-product exclusions drive a wedge between the ‘generalised’ principle of GSP and its implementation in practice.
Lignite, thermally-modified and Ca/Mg-modified lignite for phosphate remediation.

Abstract Aqueous phosphate uptake is needed to reduce global eutrophication. Negatively charged adsorbent surfaces usually give poor phosphate sorption. Chemically- and thermally-modified lignite (CTL) was prepared by impregnating low-cost lignite (RL) with Ca2+ and Mg2+ cations, basified with KOH (pH 13.9), followed by a 1 h 600 °C pyrolysis under nitrogen. CTL has a positive surface (PZC = 13) due to basic surface Ca and Mg compounds, facilitating the aqueous phosphate uptake. CaCO3, MgO, Ca(OH)2, and Mg(OH)2 surface phases with 0.22 μm particle sizes were verified by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and EDX before and after phosphate uptake. Higher amounts of these mineral phases promoted more CTL phosphate uptake than raw lignite (RL) and thermally treated lignite (TL) without Ca/Mg modification. Phosphorous uptake by Ca2+/Mg2+ occurs not by classic adsorption but by stochiometric precipitation of Mg3(PO4)2, MgHPO4, Ca3(PO4)2, and CaHPO4. This offers the potential of substantial uptake capacities. CTL's phosphate removal is pH-dependent; the optimum pH was 2.2. Water-washed CTL exhibited a maximum Langmuir phosphate uptake capacity of 15.5 mg/g at pH 7, 6 and 14 times higher than that of TL and RL, respectively (particle size
Paths to Learning: Teaching for Engagement in College

Edited by: Barbara F. Tobolowsky (Ed.) Published by:, Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Research Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, 2014. 179 pages Reviewed by: Jessica Hale, Ed.D.
Designing a closed loop system to achieve real-time evaluation and manipulation of state anxiety while walking in virtual reality

Real-time examination of the effect of emotional state changes on the control of movement in complex environments presents a significant challenge. Towards the goal of developing a novel test bed for monitoring and manipulating emotional states in complex environments, we aim to synthesize real-time sensing of state anxiety in humans while walking in virtual outdoor environments with implicit biofeedback. Through the use of immersive virtual reality, realistic and complex ambulation environments will be provided to participants to examine their response and adaptation to potentially anxiety-inducing stimuli in their community. Through the integration of real-time sensing of anxiety changes with biofeedback, we seek to examine the neural and behavioral response to virtual community ambulation environments and how successfully biofeedback may alleviate state anxiety in older adults.
Radial artery or saphenous vein for Coronary artery bypass grafitng

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cardiovascular disease worldwide, affecting over 18 million American adults. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the standard of care for patients with left main or triple vessel CAD. Historically, the saphenous vein (SV) has been utilized to bypass the majority of the coronary vessels in patients undergoing CABG, but more recent data suggest that the use of the radial artery (RA), rather than the SV, is associated with improved cardiac outcomes and better survival. The aim of this review is to summarize the current literature on the use of RA and SV for CABG in patients with multivessel CAD.
A medium voltage AC drive with integrated isolation transformer and active front end

A current source inverter (CSI)-based medium voltage AC drive with PWM rectifier (active front end), sensorless vector control and symmetric gate commutated thyristors (SGCTs) is presented. A transformer is integrated to the drive system to provide isolation from the other loads. The design emphasizes ease of use and reliability by adopting a plug and play concept. The drive requires a total of six cable connections, three for the input and three for the output motor connections only. The use of the integral transformer further reduces the start up and installation cost and reduces the size of the overall system. The proposed system meets the harmonics requirements without the need for additional filters or complicated multiwinding transformers. Results for a 1000 hp 6600 V drive are included.
Photogeological, Geophysical, and Geochemical Data on the East Side of the Moon

Correlations between Apollo orbital data and geologic data for eight map provinces are reported for a region centered on the east limb of the moon (50 deg N to 50 deg S and 50 deg E to 140 deg E). The appearance of the provinces is described, and the basins in or near the region are assigned relative ages. The western (nearside) part of the region averages about 3 km lower in elevation than the eastern (farside) part, according to laser altimeter measurements which are used to make geologic cross sections. Gravity data correlate with most geologic provinces and the surface profiles made by the laser altimeter and lunar sounder. The distribution of concentration ratios of Al/Si and Mg/Si as well as the distribution of relatively low natural radioactivity are considered.
Patty Hearst Trial (1976)

On the evening of February 4, 1974, three armed members of a group calling itself the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) burst into the Berkeley, California apartment shared by Patty Hearst and her fiance, Steven Weed. Hearst, the daughter of Randolph Hearst (managing editor of the San Francisco Examiner) and the granddaughter of the legendary William Randolph Hearst, screamed when the men assaulting Weed with a wine bottle. The SLA members carried Hearst, clothed in a nightgown, out of her apartment and forced her into the trunk of a white car. Hearst's abductors fired a round of bullets as they sped away, followed by a second vehicle. On April 15, the security camera of the Sunset District branch of Hibernia Bank in San Francisco showed Patricia Hearst holding an assault rifle as members of the Symbionese Liberation Army carried out the midday robbery. Was the rich heiress, kidnapped two months earlier, acting in fear of her life? Was she brainwashed? Or did she participate in the robbery as a loyal soldier in the revolution? That was the issue a California jury had to decide in the 1976 trial of Patty Hearst.
Influence of Hydrocarbons and Derivatives on the Polar Lipid Fatty Acids of an Acinetobacter Isolate

The effects of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives as growth substrates on the polar lipid fractions of an Acinetobacter isolate were studied. Tetradecane, hexadecane, and octadecane resulted in the incorporation of substantial quantities of equivalent-chain-length fatty acids into cellular lipids. Cells cultured on nonane, the only odd-numbered alkane tested, contained both odd- and even-chain fatty acids. The n-alkane dotriacontane (32 carbons), 1-chlorohexadecane, 1-chlorododecane, 1-chlorodecane, and 1-phenyldodecane yielded significant amounts of odd-chain fatty acids. A subterminal oxidative pathway is believed to account for these results. Cells grown on long-chain alcohols exhibited fatty acid profiles nearly identical to those of cells grown on the corresponding alkanes.