cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Method to Administer Agents to the Larynx in an Awake Large Animal.

Purpose This research note describes an adapted experimental methodology to administer an exogenous agent to the larynx and upper airway of awake animals. The exogenous agent could be a perturbatio...
Birth as Restorative

A woman’s past history of sexual trauma is inextricably woven into her pregnancy and birth experience. Two cases are presented by a practicing certified nurse midwife to demonstrate trauma-informed...
A novel telemetry technique for empowering smart directional borehole drilling systems

In this paper, a novel low-cost, reliable, and real-time telemetry technique in deep boreholes drilling is developed. This is accomplished by using the drilling pipe surrounded by the drilling mud as a Single Conductor Transmission Line (SCTL). A very compact transducer of dimensions 0.006λ×0.006λ×0.05λ (where λ is the free space wavelength) is designed for properly exciting a TM surface wave on the drilling pipe and drilling mud SCTL. Fitting the standard borehole size, the transducer comprises an open-ended helical conductor concentrically surrounding the drilling pipe and provides a transition from the coaxial line to the SCTL at low HF-band over 2% fractional bandwidth.
Biotic constraints on Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) host use in the southern US and their implications for future spread

Abstract The roles of biotic interactions in determining invasion success emerge from the set of traits possessed by the invader and those present in the community being invaded. Identifying traits important for governing invader distributions is challenging, but systems in which invaders specialize on hosts or resources may facilitate narrowed focus on particular suites of traits. Most examples of specialist consumers that become successful invaders are escaped biological control species. One example is the South American cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum), an escaped biological control agent that infests prickly-pear cacti (primarily taxa in the genus Opuntia). Here we quantify tissue macronutrient traits (crude fiber, lipid, crude protein, and carbohydrate by difference) and evaluate C. cactorum infestation of several North American Opuntia taxa as a function of those traits. We then evaluate whether a common, native cactus moth (Melitara prodenialis) infests plants that are similar to those used by C. cactorum to evaluate the likelihood that the species compete for hosts. Our results generally suggest that Opuntia tissue macronutrients may be important traits in mediating cactus moth-Opuntia associations. While the range of macronutrients that are suitable for M. prodenialis are largely similar to those for C. cactorum in the east, M. prodenialis tend to infest plants with higher crude fiber content than C. cactorum. Tissue crude fiber content may thus play an important role in both constraining infestation of host plants by C. cactorum in its current invasive range as well as determining its future spread in North America.
In Vitro Pharmacological Characterization and In Vivo Validation of LSN3172176 a Novel M1 Selective Muscarinic Receptor Agonist Tracer Molecule for Positron Emission Tomography

In the search for improved symptomatic treatment options for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, muscarinic acetylcholine M1 receptors (M1 mAChRs) have received significant attention. Drug development efforts have identified a number of novel ligands, some of which have advanced to the clinic. However, a significant issue for progressing these therapeutics is the lack of robust, translatable, and validated biomarkers. One valuable approach to assessing target engagement is to use positron emission tomography (PET) tracers. In this study we describe the pharmacological characterization of a selective M1 agonist amenable for in vivo tracer studies. We used a novel direct binding assay to identify nonradiolabeled ligands, including LSN3172176, with the favorable characteristics required for a PET tracer. In vitro functional and radioligand binding experiments revealed that LSN3172176 was a potent partial agonist (EC50 2.4-7.0 nM, Emax 43%-73%), displaying binding selectivity for M1 mAChRs (Kd = 1.5 nM) that was conserved across species (native tissue Kd = 1.02, 2.66, 8, and 1.03 at mouse, rat, monkey, and human, respectively). Overall selectivity of LSN3172176 appeared to be a product of potency and stabilization of the high-affinity state of the M1 receptor, relative to other mAChR subtypes (M1 > M2, M4, M5 > M3). In vivo, use of wild-type and mAChR knockout mice further supported the M1-preferring selectivity profile of LSN3172176 for the M1 receptor (78% reduction in cortical occupancy in M1 KO mice). These findings support the development of LSN3172176 as a potential PET tracer for assessment of M1 mAChR target engagement in the clinic and to further elucidate the function of M1 mAChRs in health and disease.
Thrombolytic therapy: Agents, Indications, and Laboratory Monitoring

The patient must be educated to seek medical attention promptly when this malady strikes, and the physician must likewise be taught to institute this therapy as soon as the patient is seen. Less than 6 years ago, it was strongly expressed that there was no rationale for attempting to restore blood flow in the coronary arteries in the setting of myocardial infarction. It was believed that once the diagnosis of myocardial infarction was made, it was too late to relieve myocardial fibers and avert myocyte necrosis. If this thinking and advice of "the damage has already occurred" and "it is too late" prevailed, it would not be known today that treatment of myocardial infarction with thrombolytic therapy within 6 hours of onset of symptoms significantly reduces mortality in comparison with optimal medical treatment (including heparin) without thrombolytic therapy. The concept of thrombolytic therapy is correct. Persistent investigative work in this area will result in better thrombolytic agents and greater dexterity in their use. The thrombolytic agents available today are good, and they can be used safely. To state that agents that have been established to be capable of thrombus resolution should not be used in the treatment of thrombosis is a true example of how not to proceed toward improvement. To be content to remain in the past will not permit entrance into the future.
Introduction: Making America White Male Again

This introduction situates the book’s study of six novels by American and Canadian authors amidst current scholarship on nostalgia, critical whiteness and masculinity studies, and literary white male protagonists. As demonstrated by these novels and by the central slogan in Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, “Make America Great Again,” xenophobic, white nationalist appeals have long stoked white male emotions, in part by evoking a mythical past in which white male power reigned without challenge. Spanning the 1950s to the 2010s, the novels examined in White Male Nostalgia provide adept, representative diagnoses of the contemporary white male psyche, demonstrating that a hyper-individualized masculine identity is ironically grounded in the collective subjugation of others and that white male nostalgia commonly takes at least five different forms.
Umkehrung des Brenztraubensäure/Acetaldehyd-Verältnisses bei der Vergärung von Traubenmost in Abhängigkeit von der Zuckerkonzentration

Wahrend der Vergarung von Traubenmost von 70° Oechsle, der auf 90, 120, 150 und 200° Oechsle aufgezuckert worden ist, verhalten sich die Pyruvatbildung und die Acetaldehydbildung direkt gegenlaufig: Der Most mit der geringsten Zucker konzentration bildet am meisten Pyruvat, aber am wenigsten Acetaldehyd. Mit Zunahme der Zuckerkonzentration kehrt Sich dieses Metabolitenverhaltnis um, so das bei der hochsten Zuckerkonzentration die Pyruvatbildung am geringsten, die Acetaldehydbildung am grosten ist.
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate: is it a feasible alternative to midazolam in long-term mechanically ventilated children?

Aim: Benzodiazepines like midazolam are commonly used for long-term sedation of critically ill children requiring mechanical ventilation. Tolerance to midazolam may occur in these patients resultin...
Intra‐abdominal infections in solid organ transplant recipients: Guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice

This new guideline from the AST IDCOP reviews intra-abdominal infections (IAIs), which cause substantial morbidity and mortality among abdominal SOT recipients. Each transplant type carries unique risks for IAI, though peritonitis occurs in all abdominal transplant recipients. Biliary infections, bilomas, and intra-abdominal and intrahepatic abscesses are common after liver transplantation and are associated with the type of biliary anastomosis, the presence of vascular thrombosis or ischemia, and biliary leaks or strictures. IAIs after kidney transplantation include renal and perinephric abscesses and graft-site candidiasis, which is uncommon but may require allograft nephrectomy. Among pancreas transplant recipients, duodenal anastomotic leaks can have catastrophic consequences, and polymicrobial abscesses can lead to graft loss and death. Intestinal transplant recipients are at the highest risk for sepsis, infection due to multidrug-resistant organisms, and death from IAI, as the transplanted intestine is a contaminated, highly immunological, pathogen-rich organ. Source control and antibiotics are the cornerstone of the management of IAIs. Empiric antimicrobial regimens should be tailored to local susceptibility patterns and pathogens with which the patient is known to be colonized, with subsequent optimization once the results of cultures are reported.
Partners in Crime: Neutrophil-CTC Collusion in Metastasis.

A recent study in Nature (Szczerba et al. 2019;566:553–557) reports that the association of neutrophils with circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of patients with breast cancer can promote CTC proliferation and metastasis. These findings reveal a new mechanism by which the innate immune system may be co-opted to drive tumor progression.
Effects of Kelthane and Pydrin on early life stages of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and amphipods (Hyalella azteca)

Embryonic, Larval, and early juvenile stages of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and juvenile amphipods (Hyalella azteca) were exposed to Kelthane, and fathead minnows were exposed to Pydrin in a small self-containedcontinuousflow diluter system for approximately 30 days. Survival of the newly hatched larvae was found to be the most sensitive measure of the effect on fathead minnows of both pesticides. Pydrin was approximately 90 times more toxic to fathead minnows than Kelthane. The lowest effect concentrations of Kelthane and Pydrin were 13 times lower than the 96-h median lethal concentration (LC 5 0 ) values for fathead minnows exposed in Lake Superior water. The upper and lower chronic limits for Kelthane were 39 and 19 μg/litre for fathead minnows and 33 and 19 μg/litre for amphipods. The chronic limits for Pydrin and fathead minnows were 0.43 and 0.33 μg/litre. The mean bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for Kelthane were 3 700 with fathead minnows and 10 000 with amphipods. The mean BCF for Pydrin with fathead minnows was 3 200. Residue concentrations and BCFs for both pesticides increased with increased water concentrations.
An Electro-Optical X-Ray Diffraction System for Grain Boundary Migration Measurements at Temperature

Considerable work has been undertaken in order to gain an understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the generation of recrystallization textures developed upon annealing of cold-worked metals. Most direct measurements have consisted of measuring the increase in average diameter of the largest grain growing into a polycrystalline aggregate. Experimental measurements of individual boundaries migrating into deformed single crystals, though of a more fundamental nature, have been made by far fewer investigators. This is probably due to the increased experimental difficulties associated with careful control of such experiments. Most previous investigators have made grain boundary migration measurements by the heat-cool-etch method, despite the fact that it has several marked disadvantages. Other investigators have constructed an X-ray goniometer furnace and used it to measure grain boundary migration rates while the test specimen was maintained at temperature. Since there have been no published reports of the use of such a system in the past thirteen years, it must be concluded that the technique was unsuccessful in general.
Patterns of care and outcomes in small cell carcinoma of the prostate: A national cancer database analysis

BACKGROUND Small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the prostate is a rare, aggressive disease. Evidence is limited; however, the current standard of care is chemotherapy. The benefit of local treatment modalities is unknown. METHODS We queried the National Cancer Database identifying all SCC/neuroendocrine cases of the prostate, excluding those with unknown nodal or metastatic status, unknown treatment, or those not receiving chemotherapy. Overall survival (OS) was calculated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors associated with survival. A further subgroup analysis was performed on the utility of local therapy on survival in the nonmetastatic setting. RESULTS Our final cohort included 657 patients with a median age of 68. Most patients had positive lymph nodes (60.1%) and metastatic disease (70.0%). Median survival was 12 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 11.1-13.3 months) with a median follow-up of 11.8 months. Metastatic disease, age greater than or equal to 70, omission of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and lower income (P < .05 for all) were all associated with reduced OS. Patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) greater than or equal to 33 ng/mL and those receiving ADT had better survival (P < .05). Those with nonmetastatic disease were more likely to undergo prostatectomy and/or prostatic/pelvic radiation (P < .0001). Prostatic/pelvic radiation in the nonmetastatic setting was associated with longer survival (P = .02). Though well powered, our study is limited by the selection bias inherent to all observational studies, despite the statistical methods utilized to reduce this effect. CONCLUSIONS Although chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment, radiation to the prostate/pelvis may be beneficial in the nonmetastatic setting. In addition to chemotherapy, ADT may benefit patients with an elevated PSA.
The Tools of Management: Adapting Historical Union Tactics to Platform-Mediated Labor

At the same time that workers' rights are generally declining in the United States (US), workplace computing systems gather more data about workers and their activities than ever before. The rise of large scale labor analytics raises questions about how and whether workers could use such data to advocate for their own goals. Here, we analyze the historical development of workplace technology design methods in CSCW to show how mid-20th century labor responses to scientific management can inform directions in contemporary digital labor advocacy. First, we demonstrate how specific methodological tendencies from industrial scientific management were adapted to work in CSCW, and then subsequently altered in crowd work and social computing research to more closely resemble industrial approaches. Next, we show how three tactics used by labor unions to strategically engage with industrial scientific management in the mid-20th century can inform data-driven worker advocacy in platform-mediated work. Finally, we discuss how this history shapes our understanding of worker participation and the implications of using worker data for contemporary advocacy goals.
AI education matters: lessons from a kaggle click-through rate prediction competition

In this column, we will look at a particular Kaggle.com click-through rate (CTR) prediction competition, observe what the winning entries teach about this part of the machine learning landscape, and then discuss the valuable opportunities and resources this commends to AI educators and their students.
Neonatal Brain Microstructure and Machine-Learning-Based Prediction of Early Language Development in Children Born Very Preterm

Abstract Background Very-low-birth-weight preterm infants have a higher rate of language impairments compared with children born full term. Early identification of preterm infants at risk for language delay is essential to guide early intervention at the time of optimal neuroplasticity. This study examined near-term structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and white matter microstructure assessed on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in relation to early language development in children born very preterm. Methods A total of 102 very-low-birth-weight neonates (birthweight≤1500g, gestational age ≤32-weeks) were recruited to participate from 2010 to 2011. Near-term structural MRI was evaluated for white matter and cerebellar abnormalities. DTI fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity were assessed. Language development was assessed with Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development-III at 18 to 22 months adjusted age. Multivariate models with leave-one-out cross-validation and exhaustive feature selection identified three brain regions most predictive of language function. Distinct logistic regression models predicted high-risk infants, defined by language scores >1 S.D. below average. Results Of 102 children, 92 returned for neurodevelopmental testing. Composite language score mean ± S.D. was 89.0 ± 16.0; 31 of 92 children scored Conclusions Multivariate models of near-term structural MRI and white matter microstructure on DTI may assist in identification of preterm infants at risk for language impairment, guiding early intervention.
Nickel-Catalyzed Conversion of Amides to Carboxylic Acids

We report the conversion of amides to carboxylic acids using nonprecious metal catalysis. The methodology strategically employs a nickel-catalyzed esterification using 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethanol, followed by a fluoride-mediated deprotection in a single-pot operation. This approach circumvents catalyst poisoning observed in attempts to directly hydrolyze amides using nickel catalysis. The selectivity and mildness of this transformation are shown through competition experiments and the net-hydrolysis of a complex valine-derived substrate. This strategy addresses a limitation in the field with regard to functional groups accessible from amides using transition metal-catalyzed C-N bond activation and should prove useful in synthetic applications.
Cardiac transplantation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the United States 2003-2011.

Background: Cardiac transplant (CT) is the sole option in a minority of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) adults with refractory symptoms or end-stage disease. Aims/Methods: We aimed to examine the trends and hospital outcomes of CT in HC using 2003-2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. Results: HC comprised 1.1% of CT (151 of 14,277) performed during this time period (age 45±12 years, 67% male, 79% Caucasians). Number of HC CT increased from 2003 to 2011 (odds ratio=1.174; 95% confidence interval=1.102-1.252; P Conclusion: HC comprises a small proportion of patients undergoing CT. The annual number of CT in HC has increased in recent years at least in part due to inclusion of patients with more comorbid conditions. Transplant recipients in the current cohort, however, required less postoperative circulatory support or renal replacement therapy.
Using virtual agents to increase physical activity in young children with the virtual fitness buddy ecosystem: Study protocol for a cluster randomized trial.

Abstract Background Designing and implementing a truly self-determined physical activity (PA) intervention has required excessive amounts of labor and expenses that, until recently, have made it prohibitively costly to implement in the field at scale. Methods Guided by self-determination theory, and harnessing the power of consumer-grade interactive technologies, we developed the Virtual Fitness Buddy (VFB) Ecosystem. Designed to foster intrinsic motivation toward adopting PA as a lifestyle change in 6-10-year-old children, the Ecosystem features a mixed-reality kiosk which houses a personalized virtual pet for each user. Each time a child visits the kiosk, the pet (a mid-sized dog) automatically detects its owner based on the data from a child's Fitbit, assists the child in setting daily PA goals and provides tailored feedback on the child's PA progress. The pet alerts parents in real-time by sending text messages and relaying the parents' response to the child, so that parents and children can remain connected about the child's PA progress even when they are physically apart. We aim to implement the kiosk in 12 after-school sites, plus use 12 additional sites as controls, where children can still set and view progress toward their PA goals without access to a virtual pet. Conclusion The VFB Ecosystem represents a new generation of technology-mediated health interventions for children to promote sustainable PA lifestyle changes. Because the VFB Ecosystem is a cost- and labor-effective solution that integrates consumer-grade technology with low barriers for continued use, it has the potential for rapid diffusion and widespread public health impact.
Colour of turbulence

In this paper, we address the problem of how to account for second-order statistics of turbulent flows using low-complexity stochastic dynamical models based on the linearized Navier–Stokes equations. The complexity is quantified by the number of degrees of freedom in the linearized evolution model that are directly influenced by stochastic excitation sources. For the case where only a subset of velocity correlations are known, we develop a framework to complete unavailable second-order statistics in a way that is consistent with linearization around turbulent mean velocity. In general, white-in-time stochastic forcing is not sufficient to explain turbulent flow statistics. We develop models for coloured-in-time forcing using a maximum entropy formulation together with a regularization that serves as a proxy for rank minimization. We show that coloured-in-time excitation of the Navier–Stokes equations can also be interpreted as a low-rank modification to the generator of the linearized dynamics. Our method provides a data-driven refinement of models that originate from first principles and captures complex dynamics of turbulent flows in a way that is tractable for analysis, optimization and control design.
Protective layers for optical coatings

Protecting optical coatings represents an interesting area of applied science in which synthetic fluorine chemistry merges with surface science in support of thin film coating technology. This paper discusses the application of various fluorine-rich coatings materials as a means of protecting dielectric coatings against such factors as moisture, chemicals and various contaminants. It discusses the methods of applying protective coatings to various dielectric materials commonly used in the design of optical thin films such as anti-reflection coatings, mirrors and conductive coatings. In particular, this paper emphasises an approach developed by JDSU to apply stable fluorocarbon-based protective coatings to some non-oxide surfaces. The results presented in this paper include surface energy, chemical resistance, as well as XPS and SIMS analysis of the coatings.
Trends in Use of Prescription Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Medications Before vs After Implementation of a Florida Law Restricting Opioid Prescribing for Acute Pain.

Importance Previous research has shown an immediate reduction in new opioid users and use after implementation of the opioid supply restriction laws. Assessment of the association between opioid restrictions and alternative treatment options, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), is needed to evaluate potential unintended consequences for patients requiring analgesia. Objective To evaluate the association between an opioid restriction law in Florida and use of prescription NSAIDs. Design, Setting, and Participants This quality improvement study used interrupted time series analyses accounting for autocorrelation to estimate immediate and trend changes in the prescribing and use of prescription NSAIDs in Florida before and after implementation of a state law limiting opioid prescriptions to a 3-day supply. Participants were enrollees in a single private health plan of a large university and health system employer in Florida from January 2015 to June 2019. Exposures Prescriptions for NSAIDs, ascertained from pharmacy claims data. Main Outcomes and Measures The following outcomes were calculated monthly per 1000 plan enrollees: (1) number of NSAID users; (2) mean days’ supply of NSAIDs per prescription; and (3) mean number of NSAID prescriptions. Individuals were classified as NSAID users if they had at least 1 NSAID prescription in a given month. Analysis was stratified by route of NSAID administration (oral or nonoral). Results Among 46 783 NSAID users with 79 089 NSAID prescriptions during the study period, the median age was 47 years (interquartile range, 35-57 years). After implementation of the opioid restriction law, the number of NSAID users immediately increased, but the difference was not significant (change, 0.82 per 1000 patients; 95% CI, −0.67 to 2.30 per 1000 patients). No significant change in the days’ supply of oral NSAID users occurred (change, 0.21 days per prescription; 95% CI, −1.66 to 2.08 days per prescription). Before implementation of the law, there was a nonsignificant decreasing trend in NSAID prescriptions (rate of change, −0.03 per month per 1000 enrollees; 95% CI, −0.13 to 0.07 per month per 1000 enrollees; after implementation, there was a nonsignificant increase in the number of oral and nonoral NSAID prescriptions (change, 1.49 per 1000 enrollees; 95% CI, −3.38 to 6.37 per 1000 enrollees). Conclusions and Relevance In this quality improvement study, prescribing and use of prescription NSAIDs did not increase after implementation of a law restricting opioid analgesic prescriptions in Florida. These findings suggest possible greater use of over-the-counter NSAIDs after implementation of the law, but further research is needed to evaluate changes in the use of nonopioid analgesics and alternative pain therapies.
Urological Oncology

In a large urological oncology section this month the topics of cancer of the prostate, bladder, kidney and testis are covered. To mention but a few of these, authors from New York report that the time from biopsy to surgery in the case of prostate cancer did not influence the probability of biochemical recurrence for men who had a radical prostatectomy within a year of diagnosis. A paper from Boston reports several pregnancies which occurred after brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Incidentally, there is a letter to the Editor at the end of this month's issue, from a UK author, which deals with the same topic. There are two papers from the USA presenting data on the use of nilutamide in hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and a third from Japan using flutamide in the same setting. A report from New York correlates urine cytology findings before and after flexible cystoscopy, finding that cytology immediately after flexible cystoscopy correlates well with that before cystoscopy. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the time from biopsy to radical prostatectomy (RP) predicts the biochemical recurrence (BCR) after RP, as men diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer have several available treatment options and investigating these alternatives may delay the initiation of definitive therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS We identified 3969 consecutive patients who had RP for clinically localized prostate cancer from 1987 to 2002; those eligible for the study had RP within a year of diagnosis. The interval between biopsy and RP was analysed both as a continuous and as a dichotomous variable (divided at 3 months). Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the impact of time to RP on BCR. Subsets were also analysed for the effect of time to RP in patients considered to be at high risk of recurrence, with group 1 having a prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of ≥ 20 ng/mL, a biopsy Gleason score of ≥ 8, or clinical stage ≥ T2c; and group 2 assessed as having a >40% probability of BCR using a preoperative nomogram. RESULTS In all, 3149 patients met the inclusion criteria and had a mean (interquartile range) follow-up after RP of 5.4 (2.2–7.9) years. Multivariate analysis showed that the year of biopsy, PSA level before biopsy, clinical stage and biopsy Gleason score (all P < 0.001) were significantly associated with BCR after RP. The time to RP, treated either as a continuous variable (P = 0.252) or when categorized at 3 months (P = 0.939), failed to predict BCR. Further, the time to RP was not an independent predictor of BCR for patients at high risk of recurrence in group 1 (P = 0.147) or group 2 (P = 0.548). CONCLUSIONS The time from biopsy to RP did not influence the probability of BCR for men who had RP within a year of diagnosis, even for those considered to be at high risk of BCR. Instead, the clinical and pathological features of the cancer provided the best estimate of the risk of BCR.
Role of nanoscale surface defects on Sn adsorption and diffusion behavior on oxidized Nb(100)

Nanoscale structural defects such as grain boundaries, atomic dislocations, and surface roughness inhibit the stoichiometrically homogeneous growth of Nb3Sn on Nb. This is a critical technological bottleneck for the implementation of next-generation Nb3Sn superconducting radio frequency cavities, as thin film inhomogeneities are known to degrade superconducting properties that are essential for reaching optimal cavity performance. To determine the influence of structural defects on Nb3Sn film growth, low and moderate surface defect densities were intentionally induced onto a (3 × 1)-O Nb(100) substrate, which serves as a model system to study atomic-scale Sn adsorption and diffusion. Scanning tunneling microscopy shows that, while initial Sn adsorption behavior at room temperature differs between the low and moderate defect density Nb(100) surfaces, the overall diffusion pathways at elevated temperatures are guided by the underlying oxide structure with variations resulting from increased nanoscale surface defects. The (3 × 1)-O Nb(100) surface with a moderate defect density also demonstrates enhanced Sn thermal stability, with the Sn desorption threshold occurring between 850 and 900 °C, approximately 50 °C higher than desorption from both the low defect density and pristine thin oxide surfaces. This suggests that structural surface defects may stabilize adsorbed Sn species on oxidized Nb at the elevated temperatures utilized in Nb3Sn alloy growth procedures. Auger electron spectroscopy shows no significant difference in surface composition following Sn deposition at varying coverages on the pristine and defect-induced (3 × 1)-O Nb(100) surfaces. This indicates that the surface and near-surface composition are not influenced by the presence of nanoscale surface defects despite slight attenuations in Sn diffusion pathways on defected substrates. These results provide the first in situ visualization of Sn adsorption and diffusion behavior on oxidized Nb at the nanoscale, revealing the significance of the underlying Nb oxide surface structure and defect density on Nb3Sn film growth and, ultimately, cavity performance.
The use of cimetidine in the newborn.

Although uncommon, reflux esophagitis and gastric and duodenal ulcer disease have all been reported to occur in the newborn period.1,2 Cimetidine, a competitive antagonist specific for the histamine H2-receptor, has been demonstrated effective in reducing gastric acidity in the adult. Its neonatal use has not been reported. The following cases suggest that cimetidine may be beneficial for the newborn with such disorders. CASE REPORTS Case 1 Baby L. weighed 740 gm at birth, was at 28 weeks gestation, and had prolonged, severe respiratory illness requiring ventilatory assistance. Repeated attempts at feedings, which began at 6 weeks of age, were associated with regurgitation, abdominal distention, and melenetic gastric aspirates. An upper gastrointestinal (GI) x-ray series confirmed reflux esophagitis. At 8 weeks of age cimetidine treatment was started at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day. The drug was continued for three weeks. Within one week of the initiation of cimetidine therapy, there was a significant reduction in the frequency of vomiting and abdominal distention and the upper GI bleeding disappeared. There were no neurologic abnormalities noted on serial examinations performed during cimetidine therapy. There were also no changes in renal and liver function studies, or hematologic values associated with drug use. Case 2 Baby G. was born at 27 weeks gestation and weighed 820 gm. He had severe respiratory distress and required ventilatory assistance. At 3 weeks of age, bronchopulmonary dysplasia was diagnosed by x-ray and by tracheal cytology. Because of clinical deterioration from this process, the baby was started on therapy with corticosteroids at 24 days of age.
Using constraints for user interface construction

Interactive, direct-manipulation, graphical user interfaces are easy to use but difficult to construct. This dissertation shows that automatic constraint satisfaction is useful in many facets of user interface construction and demonstrates that it is feasible. A constraint represents a desired relationship between variables. While some constraints are required to be satisfied, others may be merely preferred to varying degrees. Such preferential constraints allow the programmer to control the behavior of the constraint solver declaratively. In user interface construction, constraints can represent relationships at three levels: between application data structures and user interface components, between the components of a user interface, and between the parts of a compound component. A system that automatically maintains these relationships frees the programmer from many tedious and error prone tasks. This dissertation focuses on a constraint satisfaction technique known as local propagation. It shows how to frame local propagation as a graph problem, and proves that, in general, this problem is NP-complete. It then identifies a restricted form of the problem that can be solved efficiently by the DeltaBlue algorithm, an incremental local propagation solver that handles preferential constraints. The major contributions of this dissertation are to prove that the DeltaBlue algorithm is correct, to demonstrate that it is fast enough to provide low latency, high bandwidth interactive feedback in systems with as many as 20,000 constraints, and to show that it is powerful enough to solve many of the constraint problems that arise in user interface construction. It also addresses a number of related issues, such as how to integrate constraints with imperative programs cleanly, how to model user inputs as constraints, how to compile constraints, and how to maintain constraints on collections incrementally. Finally, it describes ThingLab II, a programming environment for constructing constraint-based user interfaces, and its use to build a number of user interfaces.
Associations of maternal weight status prior and during pregnancy with neonatal cardiometabolic markers at birth: the Healthy Start study

Associations of maternal weight status prior and during pregnancy with neonatal cardiometabolic markers at birth: the Healthy Start study
ID: 69: A monocyte and interferon based cell therapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the number one cause of death due to gynecological malignancies, and the fifth leading cause of death in cancer in women. While surgical debulking and chemotherapy cause an initial remission in disease, approximately 75% of patients will relapse. The relapse is characterized by chemotherapy refractory disease. Currently there are no definitive second line treatments for patients who fail standard of care. Patients with ovarian cancer have a 5-year survival rate of 25–30%, making it one of the most aggressive malignancies. We have designed a new cell therapy by using the patient’s innate immune system (monocytes primed with Interferon Alpha and Gamma) to kill metastatic lesions of the peritoneal cavity. Monocytes isolated from patients with therapy resistant ovarian cancer and stimulated with interferons alpha and gamma are potent killers of tumor cell lines in vitro. We have also found that patient monocytes are more cytotoxic than age match healthy controls. We have shown that the major mechanism of monocyte-mediated killing is the up regulation of TRAIL on monocytes. Ovarian cancer cell death is mediated in a Caspase-8 dependent manner. Furthermore, we have shown that the non-classical (CD14loCD16+) subset of monocytes is more cytotoxic than the classical (CD14 + CD16−) subset. Finally, we have shown that this therapy is effective in a mouse model of ovarian cancer. Based upon these results we are preparing an investigational new drug (IND) with the FDA to test this therapy in human subjects.
A Review Of “Globalization and International Development: Critical Issues of the 21St Century”

This timely volume of essays on globalization and development addresses the increased flow of people, capital, and ideas in the intricately interdependent economies of the 21st century. Editor Sisa...
Some Observations of NP Complete Sets

In this paper, we summarize and extend some recent results about the properties of NP complete sets and related results about the structure of feasible computations.
Apoptosis in Developmental Processes

Embryonic development and differentiation to adult form depends on orchestration of cell division and death. In embryos, programmed death sculpts form, opens lumens, separates or splits tissue layers, allows tissue layers to fuse and removes vestigial organs. Both the central nervous and immune system overproduce cells and destroy those that do not form successful synapses or produce unusable antibodies. Cell death is first seen in mammalian embryos when the blastocyst expands, but elsewhere, the first deaths are not seen before the maternal-zygotic transition. Abnormal timing, amount or localisation of cell death leads to abnormalities or death of embryos. Several signalling pathways trigger cell death. Usually the signals activate caspases (first discovered in embryonic cell death in nematodes) and lead to apoptosis, although apoptosis is not the only form of cell death. The signalling mechanisms that control cell death in embryos are not well understood, but should be if we hope to understand normal and teratological development. Key Concepts: Cell death can be seen in both embryonic development and normal growth of adult tissue. The embryonic cell deaths are highly programmed in that they are predictable in location, time and amount. In the simplest instances, such as in nematodes, control of cell death is under direct control of a small number of genes. Most but not all of the embryonic deaths are apoptotic. Embryonic cell to sculpt the embryo and define the boundaries of tissues and organs. In the central nervous system and the immune system, overgrowth (production of excessive cells) and subsequent pruning by cell death generate the high specificity that characterises these systems. Deregulation of apoptosis can produce many embryonic abnormalities and teratologies and, later in life, produces cancers, autoimmune disease or neurodegenerative disease. There are many means to study cell death, but only a few are directly applicable to the study of cell death in embryos. Nevertheless, further study is needed to understand the signalling mechanisms that decide the death of cells in specific locations and times. Learning more about cell death in embryos will help us to understand how it is controlled in adults. Keywords: apoptosis; autophagy; caspase; cell death receptor; embryo; embryonic development; gene expression; programmed cell death; techniques
Acculturation, Income and Vegetable Consumption Behaviors Among Latino Adults in the U.S.: A Mediation Analysis with the Bootstrapping Technique.

This study examined whether household income mediates the relationship between acculturation and vegetable consumption among Latino adults in the U.S. Data from the 2009 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Vegetable consumption index was created based on the frequencies of five kinds of vegetables intake. Acculturation was measured with the degree of English language use at home. Path model with bootstrapping technique was employed for mediation analysis. A significant partial mediation relationship was identified. Greater acculturation [95 % bias corrected bootstrap confident interval (BCBCI) = (0.02, 0.33)] was associated with the higher income and in turn, greater vegetable consumption. At the same time, greater acculturation was associated with lower vegetable consumption [95 % BCBCI = (−0.88, −0.07)]. Findings regarding the income as a mediator of the acculturation-dietary behavior relationship inform unique intervention programs and policy changes to address health disparities by race/ethnicity.
Hypothalamic Arousal Regions Are Activated during Modafinil-Induced Wakefulness

Modafinil is an increasingly popular wake-promoting drug used for the treatment of narcolepsy, but its precise mechanism of action is unknown. To determine potential pathways via which modafinil acts, we administered a range of doses of modafinil to rats, recorded sleep/wake activity, and studied the pattern of neuronal activation using Fos immunohistochemistry. To contrast modafinil-induced wakefulness with spontaneous wakefulness, we administered modafinil at midnight, during the normal waking period of rats. To determine the influence of circadian phase or ambient light, we also injected modafinil at noon on a normal light/dark cycle or in constant darkness. We found that 75 mg/kg modafinil increased Fos immunoreactivity in the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) and in orexin (hypocretin) neurons of the perifornical area, two cell groups implicated in the regulation of wakefulness. This low dose of modafinil also increased the number of Fos-immunoreactive (Fos-IR) neurons in the lateral subdivision of the central nucleus of the amygdala. Higher doses increased the number of Fos-IR neurons in the striatum and cingulate cortex. In contrast to previous studies, modafinil did not produce statistically significant increases in Fos expression in either the suprachiasmatic nucleus or the anterior hypothalamic area. These observations suggest that modafinil may promote waking via activation of TMN and orexin neurons, two regions implicated in the promotion of normal wakefulness. Selective pharmacological activation of these hypothalamic regions may represent a novel approach to inducing wakefulness.
The effect of moisture on the mechanical behavior of a nylon‐epoxy adhesive

The mechanical properties of a commercial nylon-epoxy resin have been studied using a sensitive creep apparatus which employs a frictionless levitation magnetic bearing. Isothermal creep measurements over a temperature range of 30-170°C and covering a time scale of five decades were made on the wet and dry state of the material. Following the usual time-temperature reduction scheme, master curves for each state were constructed from the experimental data. The effect of moisture was found to be more than that of a simple plasticizer. The steepness of the reduced curves in the transition region was determined and the distribution function of retardation times of the two states of the sample were calculated. The problem of predicting the physical state of the bulk adhesive at higher temperatures was found to be complicated, possibly due to the presence of nylon crystallites.
Effect of several metallothionein inducers on oxidative stress defense mechanisms in rats

Abstract One mechanism by which chemicals cause cellular injury is the formation of reactive oxygen species. In vitro studies have shown that metallothionein (MT), a small metal-binding, sulfhydryl-rich, readily inducible protein, can scavenge reactive oxygen species, especially hydroxyl radicals. Nevertheless, whether or not MT protects against oxidative stress in the intact animal is not known. Experimental induction of MT could help to clarify this question, however, it is unclear whether agents that induce MT also influence known antioxidant systems. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine whether the well-known MT inducers are specific for induction of MT or whether they might also influence other hepatic systems that protect against oxidative stress. Male rats were administered cadmium chloride (Cd; 30 pmol/kg s.c.), zinc chloride (Zn; 1000 pmol/kg s.c.), α-hederin (α-H, 30 pmol/kg s.c.) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 mg/kg s.c.) 24 h prior to measurement of antioxidant systems. Zn and α-H increased hepatic GSH concentration 20% and 55%, respectively. Cd significantly increased, whereas LPS reduced, the activities of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. Glutathione S-transferases were not altered by any of the inducers. Cd also increased DT-diaphorase activity. Cd, Zn and α-H all decreased catalase activity 20–35%, while the activity of Superoxide dismutase was unaffected by the inducers. The amount of total cytochrome P450 enzymes and cytochrome b5 were decreased by LPS, Cd and α-H, while Zn appeared to have no effect. The activities of P450 enzymes towards testosterone oxidation were also decreased by LPS, Cd and α-H. In conclusion, all four MT inducers examined affect systems known to protect cells against oxidative stress. Therefore, using these chemicals to determine the in vivo role of MT in protecting against oxidative stress poses difficulties.
Anpassung des Klinikmanagements in der Geburtshilfe und Gynäkologie an die gesundheitspolitischen Entwicklungen

Die immer geringer werdenden finanziellen Ressourcen zwingen zur Rationalisierung auch im Gesundheitswesen. Unprofessionelles Vorgehen kann dabei zu Imageverlusten bei den Patienten und zum Verlust des beruflichen Idealismus fuhren, der groser ist als der Einspareffekt. Besonders „kundenfreundliche“ Herausforderungen kommen wegen ihrer besonderen Stellung auf die Geburtshilfe und Gynakologie zu. Diese Situation fuhrt zu dem Versuch der Sozialpolitiker, die Lucke zwischen dem medizinisch Wunschenswerten und dem Bezahlbaren zu reduzieren. Moglichkeiten dazu gibt es im Bereich des Marketing. So streben die Krankenkassen und deren Medizinischer Dienst eine Reduzierung der Fehlbelegung an. Das erfordert ein professionelles Marketing schon bei der Krankenhausaufnahme. Ferner wird die Ausgrenzung verzichtbarer Leistungen aus dem Pflichtkatalog der Krankenkassen diskutiert. Rationalisierung und Leistungsausgliederungen reichen aber kaum aus, um die Finanzierungslucke auf Dauer zu schliesen. Deshalb wurde auch uber neue Einnahmequellen nachgedacht. Die Tagespauschale, das Notopfer und die Arzneimittelzuzahlungen sind Beispiele dafur – alles Masnahmen, die auf eine versteckte Beitragserhohung hinauslaufen.