cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delay to Formalin Fixation (Cold Ischemia Time) Effect on Breast Cancer Molecules

Objectives The gold standard of examining breast biomarkers, including estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/Ki-67, is to perform these assays on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. However, preanalytical variables may confound these assays. One of these factors is delay to formalin fixation (DFF). The purpose of this review is to evaluate each study that investigated the effect of DFF on breast biomarkers and other molecules. Methods Thirteen primary research articles were identified by the literature search. The credibility of the studies was judged based on the degree of controlling other confounding factors. Nine studies had a prospective design with a high number of controlled variables. Results Most of the studies concluded that DFF had an effect on ER/PR/HER2. Some of these studies showed that DFF had negative effect on other markers used either clinically or for research purposes. Conclusions The vast majority of the studies agree that DFF has negative effect on breast biomarkers.
Guided Autonomy and Good Friend Physicians

The professional discipline of bioethics for some time now has seemed to be concerned primarily with two major questions.1 One is how various ethical theories such as utilitarianism, deontology, natural law ethics, principlism, feminist care ethics or casuistry (and perhaps other systems as well) would assess a certain action, e.g., assisted suicide or cloning.
Gait Analysis After Intertrochanteric Hip Fracture: Does Shortening Result in Gait Impairment?

OBJECTIVE To determine the association between fracture collapse with altered gait after intertrochanteric (IT) fracture using the trochanteric fixation nail (TFN) and helical blade. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Academic Level I trauma center. PATIENTS Seventy-two patients with IT hip fractures (OTA/AO 31) treated between 2012 and 2016. The average age was 79.7 years (range, 51-94 years); there were 59 women and 13 men. INTERVENTION All patients were treated with cephalomedullary nailing using the TFN (DePuy-Synthes, West Chester, PA) with a helical blade. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES At follow-up appointments, temporospatial gait parameters were measured and recorded. Radiographs were analyzed at the time of surgery and at each follow-up visit. Amount of radiographic femoral neck shortening was measured radiographically. Patients completed the Harris Hip Score, visual analog scale for pain, Short Form-36 Physical Component Score, and Short Form-36 Mental Component Score. RESULTS The mean length of follow-up between the surgery and the gait analysis was 8.6 months (±0.7 months). The mean amount of shortening was 4.7 mm (±0.6 mm). Out of the 72 patients analyzed, there were 15 patients (20.8%) who shortened more than 8 mm, 7 patients (9.7%) who shortened 10 mm or more, and 2 patients (2.8%) who shortened more than 20 mm. Mean shortening was 3.0 mm for stable OTA/AO 31-A1 fractures, whereas the unstable patterns (OTA/AO 31-A2, 31-A3) demonstrated a mean shortening of 5.9 mm (P = 0.02). There was significant correlation between increased shortening and decreased cadence (P = 0.008), increased double support time (P < 0.001), decreased step length (P = 0.001), and increased single support asymmetry (P = 0.04) during gait analysis. The threshold of 8 mm of shortening predicted decreased cadence (P = 0.008), increased double support time (P < 0.001), and decreased step length (P = 0.006). Analysis of patient-reported outcome scores, including the Harris Hip Score, visual analog scale, SF-36 Physical Component Score, and SF-36 Mental Component Score, revealed no significant association with shortening. CONCLUSIONS Results from this study indicate that shortening after cephallomedullary nailing of IT hip fractures using the TFN with a helical blade is associated with altered gait, specifically decreased cadence, increased double support time, decreased step length, and increased single support time asymmetry. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Clinical update on nursing home medicine: 2008.

In 2007 we provided an overview of clinical advances in the nursing home based on a series of presentations at the American Medical Directors Association. 1 This will now be a regular yearly series. Topics covered this year are nutrition, exercise, diabetes mellitus, lipids, hypertension, pressure ulcers, COPD, and osteoporosis.
Biocatalytic Carbon-Hydrogen and Carbon-Fluorine Bond Cleavage through Hydroxylation Promoted by a Histidyl-Ligated Heme Enzyme.

LmbB2 is a peroxygenase-like enzyme that hydroxylates l-tyrosine to l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. However, its heme cofactor is ligated by a proximal histidine, not cysteine. We show that LmbB2 can oxidize l-tyrosine analogues with ring-deactivated substituents such as 3-nitro-, 3-fluoro-, 3-chloro-, and 3-iodo-l-tyrosine. We also found that the 4-hydroxyl group of the substrate is essential for reacting with the heme-based oxidant and activating the aromatic C–H bond. The most interesting observation of this study was obtained with 3-fluoro-l-tyrosine as a substrate and mechanistic probe. The LmbB2-mediated catalytic reaction yielded two hydroxylated products with comparable populations: i.e., oxidative C–H bond cleavage at C5 to generate 3-fluoro-5-hydroxyl-l-tyrosine and oxygenation at C3 concomitant with a carbon–fluorine bond cleavage to yield DOPA and fluoride. An iron protein mediated hydroxylation on both C–H and C–F bonds with multiple turnovers is unpr...
International expansion of retailers: the role of technical expertise, alliances and allocation of resources in economic crises

Economic downturns are often viewed as threats to prosperity and the challenges they can pose for international retailers are well documented. However, the potential opportunities of economic downturns are less well understood. In this paper, we ask whether or how these environments might actually afford occasions for strategic market adjustment, in the form of international expansion to new markets. Specifically, drawing on resource-based theory and game theory, we consider how a firm's financial performance during international expansion in a downturn may be predicted by its engagement in three modes of knowledge transfer. We consider knowledge transfer enabled by: 1) long-term investment in technical expertise; 2) formation of alliances in the local target market; 3) focused allocation of firm resources. Based on cases from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the 2007 US recession and the 2009 European Sovereign Debt Crisis, we developed propositions to guide future research on international expansion during economic downturns.
Learning by internal medicine residents: differences and similarities of perceptions by residents and faculty.

OBJECTIVE: To learn about what enhances or hinders learning in postgraduate medical education.
Preparation of Metal-Protein Aggregate Radioligand [11C]HQ415 and Evaluation by Small Animal PET Imaging

1019 Objectives: Metal ions are found in abnormally high concentrations in protein aggregates associated with different neurological diseases such as AD, DLB, and ALS.1 Therefore, we believe it will be possible to identify and differentiate disease states using PET radiotracers based upon various metal chelating scaffolds. Our previous work has shown that metal-chelator [18F]FL2-b has good brain uptake and exhibits dose dependent specific binding in AD, ALS and DLB tissue.2 Moving from the N,N-bidentate stilbene scaffold of L2-b, the potential of the hydroxyquinoline scaffold is also of interest. [18F]CABS-13 was synthesized but has poor brain uptake in nonhuman primates.3 However, another hydroxyquinoline lead compound, HQ415, has been identified in screening, and the objective of this study is to synthesize [11C]HQ415 and conduct preliminary evaluation of brain uptake and imaging properties in non-human primates. Methods: The compound HQ415 was discovered by high throughput screening and was shown to reduce toxicity of TDP-43 and alpha-synuclein aggregation in yeast models.4 Synthesis of a desmethyl precursor and reference standard for [11C]HQ415 was accomplished by reacting 2-amine-4-methylpyridine with either 3-ethoxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (for the standard) or 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (for the precursor), followed by addition of ethanolic 8-hyrdoxyquinoline at room temp. To produce [11C]HQ415, precursor (1mg) and NaH (1mg) in 100µL of DMF was reacted with [11C]CH3I for 5 minutes at 80°C in an automated synthesis module then quenched with 1mL of HPLC buffer (40% EtOH, 10mM NaOAc, pH 4.5) and purified by semipreparative HPLC (3mL/min). The product peak (rt~4 min.) was collected and manually formulated with saline (10%ethanol). PET imaging with a mature rhesus macaque female was performed to evaluate distribution and brain uptake of [11C]HQ415. Results: [11C]HQ415 was isolated in 1.3% radiochemical yield (40.8mCi from 3Ci of [11C]CO2) in high specific activity (7,000 Ci/mmol). PET imaging in a non-human primate demonstrated moderate brain uptake and efflux for [11C]HQ415 . The peak SUV was determined to be 1.7 in the cerebellum and thalamus at 375s post injection. Conclusions: The synthesis of [11C]HQ415 is reported herein and its evaluation by PET imaging reveals that it is the first BBB permeable hydroxyquinoline with reasonable brain uptake and good brain distribution. Future work using radiolabeled hydroxyquinolines to evaluate the metal hypothesis of neurodegeneration is now feasible and this work is ongoing in our laboratory, including the potential of [11C]HQ415 to image TDP-43 and alpha-synuclein. References:1. Roos, P.M., Vesterberg, O., Syversen, T. et al. Biol Trace Elem Res, 2013, 151, 159. 2. Cary, B. P.; Brooks, A. F. et. al. ACS Med. Chem. Lett., 2015, 6, 112. 3. a) Liang et al., ACS Med. Chem. Neurosci., 2015, 6, 535; b) Vasdev and Scott, Unpublished results. 4. David, D.J., Lena R., Bannister T. et al. Bio & Med Chem, 2013, 21, 6642.
HIV-Associated Vacuolar Myelopathy and HIV-Associated Dementia as the Initial Manifestation of HIV/AIDS

HIV-associated vacuolar myelopathy (HIV-VM) is the most common cause of spinal disease in HIV/AIDS. HIV-VM causes progressive spastic paraparesis, sensory ataxia, and autonomic dysfunction. It is a progressive myelopathy that shares features with subacute combined degeneration seen in vitamin B12 deficiency as well as other neurological diseases and can occur synchronously with HIV-associated dementia (HAD). Here, we describe a rare case in which a patient’s initial presentation of HIV/AIDS was both HIV-VM and HAD. A fifty-three-year-old man presented with a six-month history of numerous falls due to progressive gait instability with associated memory loss, tremor, urinary retention, and impotence. His exam was significant for hyperreflexia and weakness in bilateral lower extremities, upgoing plantar reflex, dysmetria, and ataxic gait. MRI-brain was notable for nonspecific volume loss and diffusely increased T2 signal throughout the supratentorial white matter. Lumbar puncture showed isolated lymphocytic pleocytosis with all other CSF testing unremarkable. He ultimately tested positive for HIV-1, with a CD4 count of 157 cells/mm3 and a viral load of 874,000 copies/mL. He was diagnosed with HIV-VM and HAD which improved after several months of antiretroviral therapy. This case highlights the importance of considering HIV testing in a patient with a sensory neuropathy and/or progressive cognitive impairment.
Humanitarian food aid and civil conflict

Abstract Humanitarian food aid has long been considered to be an effective tool towards conflict mitigation among donors and policymakers. Within the Sustainable Development Goals that have the objectives of ending hunger before 2030 (SDG#2) and bringing peace and justice (SDG#16), humanitarian food assistance may play a critical role in delivering progress in developing countries. However, there have been growing concerns that it may actually have counter-intended effects by aggravating civil conflicts in recipient countries. We estimate the effect of humanitarian food aid on civil conflict using a sample of 79 recipient countries between 2002 and 2017. Our analysis exploits cross-sectional and time variation in between-country humanitarian food aid displacements. Our baseline instrumental variables estimates imply that a 10 percent increase in humanitarian food aid per capita decreases the incidence of civil conflict by about 0.2 percentage point (or by about 0.9 per cent at the mean conflict incidence). Humanitarian food aid also decreases the incidence of small-scale and large-scale civil conflicts, and the onset and duration of civil conflicts.
Characteristics of Interstitial Lung Disease

This chapter defines interstitial pneumonia and the various patterns of lung response to injury in the setting of interstitial lung disease. The different types of interstitial lung disease are defined by their radiographic appearance, including both specific and nonspecific findings. Classic features and signs are included. The differential diagnosis for the different interstitial lung diseases are discussed, as are some possible mimics and their causes/risk factors. Imaging features are highlighted.
Coherent nanofiber array buckling-enabled synthesis of hierarchical layered composites with enhanced strength

Abstract Heterogeneous materials possess unique combinations of strength, toughness, and multifunctionality, which are derived from the interplay between the different material constituents. The performance of such materials can be further improved via hierarchical architecting, including down to the nanoscale. Here, a novel hierarchical nanoengineered layered architecture is created by harnessing the coherent buckling of vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays followed by their integration with existing aerospace-grade carbon microfiber polymer-matrix advanced composites. In-plane tensile and interlaminar shear strengths are improved beyond the aerospace composite by ∼ 30% and 10%, respectively, and also beyond another CNT hierarchical architecture. Multiscale reinforcement mechanisms responsible for the strength enhancement, including nanofiber pullout, bridging, and suppression of delamination, are revealed by scanning electron microscopy and 3D X-ray computed tomography. The ability to design and create scalable, hierarchical materials with characteristic dimensions spanning from the nanoscale to the macroscale opens up a wide new avenue of next-generation advanced materials with enhanced mechanical and multifunctional properties.
Immaculate Deception: How (and Why) Bankers Still Enjoy a Global Rescue Network

Dodd-Frank is an example of counterfeit reform. It is designed principally to benefit very big banks and it has helped these banks to increase their market share greatly during the last 10 years. The Act provides lesser and contradictory forms of costs and comfort to smaller US bankers and taxpayers, foreign bankers (especially the managers of Deutsche Bank), and foreign governments. Small bankers and taxpayers are encouraged to believe that the 2007-2009 US rescue of the world’s biggest banks was a one-time maneuver. But an opposite message is sent through the press as (with great fanfare) the industry absolves and congratulates ex-officeholders: (1) for having transferred massive amounts of subsidized support not just to stakeholders in US megabanks, but also to European bankers and governments, and (2) for keeping the subsidies flowing long past the panic’s expiry date. Genuine reform will require changes in fraud laws and an effort to post on a continuing basis the value of the safety-net subsidies individual megabanks enjoy.
Profiling atmospheric turbulence using dual-camera imagery of non-cooperative targets

Phase-based techniques to measure atmospheric turbulence have potential advantages when used over long ranges since they do not suffer from saturation issues as the irradiance-based techniques. The present work uses time-lapse imagery of a non-cooperative target from two spatially separated cameras to extract turbulence distribution along a path. By measuring the differential motion of pairs of extended features on the target, sensed by a single camera or between cameras, turbulence profiles can be obtained. Tracking the motion of extended features rather than point features allows estimation over a longer range. The approach uses a derived set of path weighting functions for differential tilt variances. The mathematical framework is discussed and the technique is applied to images collected of a multi-story building. Turbulence profiles over different slant paths are extracted from features at multiple levels of the building. This work will ultimately help in a better understanding of how turbulence varies with altitude in the surface layer.
Systematic profiling of protein complex dynamics reveals DNA-PK phosphorylation of IFI16 en route to herpesvirus immunity

Dynamically shifting protein-protein interactions (PPIs) regulate cellular responses to viruses and the resulting immune signaling. Here, we use thermal proximity coaggregation (TPCA) mass spectrometry to characterize the on-off behavior of PPIs during infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), a virus with an ancient history of coevolution with hosts. Advancing the TPCA analysis to infer associations de novo, we build a time-resolved portrait of thousands of host-host, virus-host, and virus-virus PPIs. We demonstrate that, early in infection, the DNA sensor IFI16 recruits the active DNA damage response kinase, DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), to incoming viral DNA at the nuclear periphery. We establish IFI16 T149 as a substrate of DNA-PK upon viral infection or DNA damage. This phosphorylation promotes IFI16-driven cytokine responses. Together, we characterize the global dynamics of PPIs during HSV-1 infection, uncovering the co-regulation of IFI16 and DNA-PK functions as a missing link in immunity to herpesvirus infection.
Immediate functional progression program in adolescent athletes with a spondylolysis.

Abstract Objective To assess the preliminary evidence for the efficacy and safety of an immediate functional progression program to treat adolescent athletes with an active spondylolysis. Design Prospective single-arm trial. Setting Hospital-based sports medicine and physical therapy clinic. Participants Twelve adolescent athletes (14.2 ± 2 years, 25% female) with an active spondylolysis. Main outcome measures Clinical outcomes included time out of sport, Micheli Functional Scale (Function and Pain) and adverse reactions. Clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at baseline and 3 months to confirm diagnosis and assess healing of lesion. Results Eleven participants (92%) fully returned to sport in a median time of 2.5 months (75 days; interquartile range 55 days, 85 days). All participants demonstrated marked improvements in pain and function by the end of the program. One participant (8%) had an adverse reaction during care with a significant recurrence of LBP and had not returned to sport by 6 months. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated improvement of the spondylolytic lesion in all but one participant. Conclusion The immediate functional progression program appears a viable method for treating active spondylolysis and warrants future research.
Anisocoria and Poor Pupil Reactivity in the Neuro ICU (4662)

Objective: To describe the incidence of clinical anisocoria and its relationship with poor-pupil reactivity in a heterogenous Neuro-ICU population. Background: Anisocoria is an asymmetry of pupil size classically considered significant when size difference is at least 1mm. Anisocoria has multiple etiologies, including intracranial compression of pupillary pathways. In certain contexts, anisocoria prompts emergent diagnostic workup and/or treatment. Its incidence and association with poor pupil reactivity in Neurocritical-Care patients remains poorly described. Design/Methods: We collected pupil data on 314 Neuro-ICU patients 18 or older from two hospitals between 2016–2018. We used mixed-effects logistic regression adjusting for age/diagnosis to analyze the association of new-onset anisocoria and pupil reactivity (NPi) at the time of/prior-to pupil asymmetry. Results: Anisocoria occurred in 1318/13,284 pupil observations (9.9%), and in 187/314 (60%) patients. 649 anisocoric observations (49.2%) occurred concurrently with poor reactivity (NPi Conclusions: In our cohort, anisocoria occurred in 10% of pupil measurements and 60% of patients in the Neuro-ICU. Roughly half of anisocoric episodes occur concomitantly with poor-pupil reactivity. It is also significantly associated with prior poor-pupil reactivity. Further work is needed to determine whether prior poor-pupil reactivity is a sensitive and specific biomarker of clinical anisocoria. Disclosure: Dr. Ong has nothing to disclose. Dr. Prescott has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saglam has nothing to disclose. Dr. Greer has received research support from Becton Dickenson, Inc.
TGFα within Compartments of Human Milk

Human milk plays a significant role in postnatal gut maturation and may serve as a vehicle for transmitting developmental signals from mother to neonate (Okada et al. 1991; Wagner et al. 1995). Various growth factors, cytokines, and gut peptides have been isolated from human milk, often in quantities that exceed maternal serum levels (Kudlow & Bjorge 1990; Coffey et al. 1992). There exists an interrelated system in which compartmentation of milk components leads to controlled release of nutrients and metabolites to the breastfed infant. Various proteins are sequestered differentially within the compartments of human milk. These proteins become sequentially processed within the gastrointestinal tract (Kudlow & Bjorge 1990). The majority of studies on human milk have focused on the aqueous (defatted) fraction of whole milk rather than the various compartments that include fat. Yet, the fat compartment composed of the milk fat globule with its associated plasma membrane appears to provide a unique delivery system of bioactive substances to the newborn gut (Okada et al. 1991; Wagner et al. 1995; Jensen etal. 1995).
Optimal Exercise of Executive Stock Options and Implications for Valuation

The cost of executive stock options to shareholders has become a focus of attention in finance and accounting. The difficulty is that the value of these options depends on the exercise policies of the executives. Because these options are nontransferable, the usual theory does not apply. We analyze the optimal exercise policy for a utility-maximizing executive and indicate when the policy is characterized by a critical stock price boundary. We provide a counterexample in which the executive exercises at low and high stock prices but not in between. We show how the policy varies with risk aversion, wealth, and volatility and explore implications for option value. For example, option value can decline as volatility rises.
Iterative quadratic maximum likelihood approach to frequency response shaping

The problem of pole placement or eigenvalue assignment by state or output feedback is very well studied. Provided the locations of closed-loop poles are known, it is always possible under certain conditions to determine the feedback compensator. However, the selection of closed-loop pole location is based on heuristics and the designers' experience. In this paper, it is shown that by specifying the desired frequency response of the closed-loop system, the optimal closed-loop characteristic polynomial, and therefore, the optimal locations for the closed-loop poles can be determined. The problem of frequency response shaping in SISO systems by means of full state feedback is considered.
Sequential moderate coronary artery fistula and moderate coronary artery stenosis causing ischemia demonstrated by fractional flow reserve and relieved following percutaneous coronary intervention.

Coronary artery fistulae are rare anomalous connections arising from the coronary circulation. We report a case of anterior wall myocardial ischemia caused by the combination of sequential coronary-to-pulmonary artery fistula and moderate (50–60%) stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Ischemia was demonstrated by myocardial stress perfusion imaging as well as fractional flow reserve. Percutaneous coronary intervention of the lesion resulted in resolution of ischemia. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Signaling Organogenesis in Parasitic Angiosperms: Xenognosin Generation, Perception, and Response.

Parasitic strategies within the angiosperms generally succeed by tightly coupling developmental transitions with host recognition signals in a process referred to as xenognosis. Within the Scrophulariaceae, Striga asiatica is among the most studied and best understood parasitic member with respect to the processes of host recognition. Specific xenognosins regulate seed germination, the development of the host attachment organ, the haustorium, and several later stages of host-parasite integration. Here we discuss the signals regulating the development of the haustorium, the critical vegetative/parasitic transition in the life cycle of this obligate parasite. We provide evidence for the localized production of H2O2 at the Striga root tip and suggest how this oxidant is used to exploit host peroxidases and cell wall pectins to generate a simple benzoquinone signal. This benzoquinone xenognosin proves to be both necessary and sufficient for haustorial induction in cultured seedlings. Furthermore, evidence is provided that benzoquinone binding to a redox active site completes a ``redox circuit'' to mediate signal perception. This redox reaction regulates the time-dependent expression of specific marker genes critical for the development of the mature host attachment organ. These studies extend the emerging series of events necessary for the molecular regulation of organogenesis within the parasitic plants and suggest novel signaling features and molecular mechanisms that may be common across higher plants.
A review of equine sarcoid

Summary Equine sarcoid is the most common tumour of horses and accounts for over half of all equine skin tumours. Six types of sarcoid based on gross appearance and clinical behaviour have been described including occult, verrucous, nodular, fibroblastic, mixed and malevolent. Common locations for sarcoid development include the periocular region, ear pinnae, lips, neck, extremities and ventrum (including groin region). Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) is causally associated with equine sarcoid with genetic haplotype, fly vectors and skin trauma identified as potential risk factors for development of the disease. Histopathology is required for definitive diagnosis of equine sarcoid but incomplete excision is thought to activate latent BPV and stimulate growth. Although there are no uniformly effective treatment options, several modalities have been successful in eliminating or managing equine sarcoid. Surgical excision, intratumoural chemotherapy, cryotherapy, hyperthermia, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and immune modulators are used with degrees of success relative to the accessibility and invasiveness of the tumour. Prevention of equine sarcoid may be facilitated by future development of vaccines against bovine papillomavirus.
SCHUR CONVEX FUNCTIONALS: FATOU PROPERTY AND REPRESENTATION

The Fatou property for every Schur convex lower semicontinuous (l.s.c.) functional on a general probability space is established. As a result, the existing quantile representations for Schur convex l.s.c. positively homogeneous convex functionals, established on for either p= 1 or p=∞ and with the requirement of the Fatou property, are generalized for , with no requirement of the Fatou property. In particular, the existing quantile representations for law invariant coherent risk measures and law invariant deviation measures on an atomless probability space are extended for a general probability space.
Research and Public Policy

Professor Hyman has reviewed for us all the research that has been done on the effects of corporal punishment in the schools.1 It is actually a meager record because of the reasons he has mentioned, many of them ethical, demographic, and religious. Whatever research has been published on the effects of corporal punishment, however, would indicate that although the practice is widespread in the United States, corporal punishment is not an effective means of discipline and has many harmful effects on the recipient of the punishment, both physical and psychological. Certainly there are enough data, which Dr Hyman has assembled over 20 years, to warrant the measures he advocates to get the message out to the public as well as to concerned professionals, and to formulate public policy aimed at eliminating corporal punishment in our schools as well as all other settings, including the home. And to those cynics who are skeptical about what influence psychological research findings can have on public policy, my own personal experience over 40 years with research on the effects of viewing television violence on aggressive behavior of children indicates that psychological and sociological research findings can have a profound influence. But changing behavior takes persistence and time. There are too many vested interests who favor the status quo and are threatened by change. There are also many professionals who very often have not done any research in the area, but consider themselves authorities, as well as lay persons who are convinced that the old way of doing things is the only right way.
Photoacoustic spectroscopy of pyridine chemisorbed on calcined and sulfided molybdenum catalysts

Abstract Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FT-IR/PAS) studies of pyridine adsorbed on Mo/Al 2 O 3 and Co-Mo/Al 2 O 3 were undertaken to determine the presence of Bronsted and Lewis acid sites on the calcined, and sulfided catalysts. Results on the calcined catalyst indicate both Bronsted and Lewis sites to be present, in agreement with earlier IR transmission studies. A previously unreported vibrational band has been assigned to a surface cobalt-alumina domain. For the sulfided catalysts, only Lewis acidity could be unambiguously identified. The lack of detectable Bronsted acidity on the sulfided catalyst under the experimental conditions employed does not necessarily rule out its presence under hydrodesulfurization reaction conditions.
Who said robots should work like people

Abstract Predictions made about the future of robotics have consistently proposed that the largest application area for robots in the 1990s would be automated assembly. To date, however, very few flexible systems for performing assembly tasks are in place and operating cost effectively on a regular basis. It has been assumed that assembly robots would be anthropomorphic in geometry and would operate on parts being conveyed through a factory much as people do. The advantages of the robot were to be its abilities to assemble varieties of products, to use sensed inputs to adapt to changes in the assembly process, and coupled with computers to bring a level of intelligence to the factory floor. Implicit was the assumption that they would be more cooperative than human laborers.
The Temporal mechanisms in HBase

The research on Temporal Databases (TDB) has been a hot topic for quite a long time, but few implementations have been reported. The authors have developed a prototype of temporal DBMS in DOS/Windows environment, called HBase. This paper discusses its temporal structure, temporal syntax and semantics, as well as the special techniques used in the implementation of HBase.
Surgical and Anesthetic Decisions for Children With Terminal Illness

Abstract Terminal conditions such as congenital anomalies and cancer are a significant source of infant and childhood mortality. Many terminally ill children are considered for operative procedures each year. These procedures may be palliative or elective, and the prognosis and natural course of the terminal illness play a significant role in determining the appropriateness of the surgical procedure. Providing anesthesia to a terminally ill patient is a complex task requiring an appropriate balance between adequate anesthesia and hemodynamic normality. Some children with a terminal condition will have a standing "Do-Not-Resuscitate" order that should not necessarily be reversed. Surgeons, anesthesiologists, and family members must consider a number of factors when determining the appropriateness of an operation for a dying patient, including the rights of the child.
High incidence of complications encountered in chronic otitis media surgery in a U.S. metropolitan public hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the incidence and nature of complicating factors in surgery for chronic otitis media (COM) in a metropolitan public hospital in the United States.METHODS: A retrospective review was performed over 2 years in a metropolitan public hospital to identify cases of surgery for chronic ear disease with the following complicating factors: intracranial or extracranial abscess, labyrinthine fistula, dural dehiscence with or without associated encephalocele or meningocele, or extensive involvement of the facial nerve by cholesteatoma with or without paralysis.RESULTS: Thirty-three of 90 consecutive operations for COM (37%) met criteria for complicated chronic otitis media (CCOM). The majority (85%) of patients had cholesteatoma involvement. Most patients (73%) were managed by an extended modified radical mastoidectomy. An additional 31 procedures were required in these 33 patients for control of complications. There was no iatrogenic sensorineural hearing loss or facial paralysis.CONCLUSIONS: ...
Bilirubin Benefits: Cellular Protection by a Biliverdin Reductase Antioxidant Cycle

Bilirubin is widely known as an end product of heme metabolism. Very high levels of serum bilirubin lead to its accumulation in the brain, causing kernicterus.1,2 Almost all newborns display some level of jaundice, and some display high enough serum bilirubin levels that phototherapy or exchange transfusion is considered. What most of the medical profession has not appreciated is that, from a teleologic perspective, biosynthesis of bilirubin as the key catabolite of heme does not seem to make sense. Bilirubin is a secondary degradation product of heme. Heme is best known as a constituent of hemoglobin, which is released in association with the breakdown of aging red blood cells. Heme also is contained in a wide range of enzymes whose turnover also leads to free heme release. Free heme can be toxic, so nature evolved a family of heme oxygenase enzymes to degrade heme,3,4 and their blockade leads to greatly increased excretion of unmetabolized heme in the bile.5 These enzymes cleave the heme ring to form biliverdin, iron, and a 1-carbon fragment as carbon monoxide (CO; Fig 1). CO is increasingly appreciated as a neurotransmitter,6,7 and iron, itself toxic, is excreted from cells by a recently characterized pump.8–11 Biliverdin would seem to be an appropriate end product of the pathway, being readily excreted in the bile to enter the intestine and leave the body in the feces. Indeed, in birds, reptiles, and amphibians, biliverdin is the predominant end product of heme degradation.12 For reasons that until now have seemed obscure, in mammals, biliverdin undergoes additional metabolism, being reduced by biliverdin reductase (BVR) to bilirubin, a step that consumes the energy resource nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH).13 As bilirubin is more hydrophobic and insoluble than biliverdin, … Reprint requests to (S.H.S.) Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205. E-mail: ssnyder{at}bs.jhmi.edu
Implicit and Untested Assumptions About the Role of Psychotherapy Treatment Manuals in Evidence‐ Based Mental Health Practice

We consider Carroll and Nuro's (this issue) model of treatment manual development in the broader context of attempts to bring accountability and evidence- based practice to clinical services. The current Zeitgeist surrounding treatment manual dissemination is guided by several implicit and largely untested assumptions. We describe each assumption, consider how it guides current thinking about dissemination of empirically supported treatments, and briefly summarize relevant research. We conclude that treatment manual development and dissemination, while clearly a worthwhile pursuit, is only one way to merge science and practice.
The effect of mercury on chloride secretion in the shark (Squalus acanthias) rectal gland.

Abstract 1. Mercuric chloride inhibited chloride secretion in a dose dependent way in isolated perfused rectal glands. The effect was readily apparent at a concentration of 10−6 M and profound and irreversible at 10−4 M. 2. The dithiol dithiothreitol (DTT) 10−2 M completely prevented the effect of 10−6 M mercuric chloride, reduced that at 10−5M and 10−4M, and made the inhibition at the latter concentration reversible. 3. Two organic mercurials, mersalyl and meralluride, that are effective diuretics in the mammalian kidney, and p-chloromercuribenzoyl sulfonic acid (PCMBS), that has no diuretic activity, had no effect on chloride secretion by the rectal gland. 4. The effect of mersalyl was not modified by lowering the pH of the solution perfusing the glands. 5. These results indicate that inorganic mercury and organic mercurials do not share the same mechanism of action. 6. The absence of an effect of organic mercurials on chloride transport in the rectal gland suggests that its effect on another chloride transporting epithelia, the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, is not mediated by inhibition of the chloride cotransporter or Na+, K+-ATPase, common to both epithelia.
Multiple Role Involvements and the Adjustment to Conjugal Bereavement: An Exploratory Study:

The relationship between multiple role involvements and the adjustment to conjugal bereavement was examined with a sample of surviving spouses ranging in age from twenty-four to seventy-four. Data from forty-nine respondents indicated a significant, positive correlation between the number of roles reported and an adjustment score. The self-report behavioral measure of role involvements was a better predictor of adjustment to bereavement than was sex, age, elapsed time since the spouse's death, educational attainment, income level, or religiosity. Significant, positive correlations were also obtained between the number of role involvements and scores from the Purpose-in-Life test.
Synthesis of in-situ reinforced Al composites from AlSiMgO precursors

Abstract Al matrix composites reinforced with micro-composite Al 2 O 3 /Al particles were synthesized by reactive infiltration of molten Al into preforms of particulate SiO 2 or Mg + SiO 2 mixtures at 1075°C. Displacement reactions between silica and magnesium containing oxides lead to in-situ formation of the reinforcements and also aid the infiltration of the melt. In the presence of Mg, it was found that the consistency of infiltration was better and that the transformation of silica to alumina involved intermediate displacement reactions unlike the single step reaction without Mg in the preform. It was observed that the morphology and size scale of the micro-composite Al 2 O 3 /Al particles were affected by the presence of Mg. Without Mg a finer scale Al 2 O 3 /Al microstructure with a tendency to be elongated in the growth direction formed, while a coarser morphology with interconnectivity in both phases developed from Mg + SiO 2 preforms. Potential for such microstructural variations of the reinforcements permits control of the overall mechanical properties of the composite.
Comparative dosimetry of radiography, tomosynthesis, and CT for chest imaging across 59 adult patients

There are three main x-ray based modalities for imaging the thorax: radiography, tomosynthesis, and CT. CT provides perhaps the highest level of feature resolution but at notably higher radiation dose. To implement the ALARA (as low as reasonable achievable) principle in making an appropriate choice between standard chest projection imaging, tomosynthesis, and CT to achieve the lowest possible dose to patients, the effective doses and risk indices for each modality should be accurately known. In this study, we employed 59 computational anthropomorphic male and female extended cardiac-torso (XCAT) adult phantoms and a Monte Carlo simulation program (PENELOPE, version 2006, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain). Effective dose and risk index was estimated for a clinical radiography system enabling to conduct chest radiography and tomosynthesis sweep (Definium 8000, Volume RAD, GE Healthcare) and a clinical CT system (LightSpeed VCT, GE Healthcare). It was found that the absolute effective dose and risk index increased greatly with increasing patient size for CT, while these two dose metrics only increased slightly for radiography and tomosynthesis. This suggests that it is important to specify patient size when comparing radiation dose across imaging modalities.
Effect of γ-irradiation on the Effector Function of T Lymphocytes in Microbial Control

A chlamydial-specific T cell clone, capable of inhibiting the growth of infectious Chlamydia in vivo and in vitro, was employed to investigate the effect of gamma-irradiation on the ability of effector T cells to control infections. Clone 2.14-0 (CD4+), specific for the Chlamydia trachomatis biovar agent of mouse pneumonitis (MoPn), was irradiated with varying doses (0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 40.0 Gy) and its biological functions and ability to inhibit the intraepithelial growth of MoPn were assessed. The results revealed that although gamma-irradiation drastically reduced the proliferative response of the clone to antigen, it did not affect the phenotype and the effector function of inhibiting chlamydial growth. The preservation of anti-chlamydial function after gamma-irradiation correlated with the retention of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha secretion in response to antigenic stimulation. We conclude that the biologic functions of T cells requiring proliferation and differentiation are more likely to be adversely affected by gamma-irradiation on the short-term, but the effector functions, possibly associated with cytokines and cytolysis, may be preserved among persisting effector T cells in an irradiated individual.
Effectively translating diabetes prevention: a successful model in a historically underserved community

Lifestyle interventions can prevent diabetes through weight loss, but they are rarely translated for use in underserved communities. The aim of this study was to describe how a community–academic partnership formed and developed a program to address local health disparities by developing a low-cost, culturally and economically appropriate, peer-led community-based diabetes prevention program. Using a participatory approach, the partnership chose to focus on diabetes prevention, and co-developed all intervention, recruitment, research, and evaluation strategies. The partnership's philosophy to maintain high clinical and scientific standards paired with their ability to represent and engage the community facilitated the development of a randomized controlled trial that achieved statistically significant and sustained weight loss, and the recruitment of a largely Spanish-speaking, low income, uninsured population. The success of this intervention lies in the partnership's commitment to the community, co-ownership of research, and a careful balance between academic rigor and community engagement and relevance.
Vaginal herniation: case report and review of the literature.

Objective The purpose of this study was to discuss the treatment of a case of spontaneous intestinal herniation per vagina in a patient who had undergone previous transabdominal hysterectomy and to review the related literature. Study design A computer-based search of the English literature from January 1900 to October 2004 with the use of the terms vaginal herniation, vaginal evisceration, and vaginal trauma/injury was performed. Causes, presentation, and treatment were discussed and compared with a recent case that was treated locally in our hospital. Results Vaginal evisceration was described in the literature as early as 1864; since then Conclusion Vaginal evisceration is a rare, distressing emergency that requires aggressive resuscitation and urgent surgical intervention.
The structure of the fluorophosphate-pyruvate kinase complex investigated by 31P relaxation rate studies☆

Abstract The interaction of fluorophosphate with muscle pyruvate kinase was investigated by 31P nuclear relaxation rate measurements. The fluorophosphate samples were highly purified and were first monitored by 19F and 31P relaxation rate measurements in the formation of the binary FPO3-Mn complex. The results of the binary complex demonstrated that FPO32− binds in the first coordination sphere of Mn2+ via the oxygen atoms but not via the fluorine. The enzyme experiments were designed under conditions where a significant fraction of the ligand is in the ternary enzyme-Mn-FPO3 complex. These studies demonstrate that the 31P relaxation rate of bound FPO3 ( 1 T 1 m = 1.58 ± 0.05 × 10 5 s −1 ) is consistent with the binding of this ligand in the first coordination sphere of enzyme-bound Mn2+ with an elongated Mn-O-P distance ( r Mn-P = 3.3 ± 0.2 A ). Such a structure is demonstrated in the ternary enzyme-Mn-FPO3 complex, in the complex containing HCO3−, and in the complex also containing HCO3− and ADP. The data further substantiate the binding of phosphoenolpyruvate analogs in the first coordination sphere of pyruvate kinase-bound Mn2+.
A retrospective cohort study on the influence of UV index and race/ethnicity on risk of stress and lower limb fractures

Low vitamin D status increases the risk of stress fractures. As ultraviolet (UV) light is required for vitamin D synthesis, low UV light availability is thought to increase the risk of vitamin D insufficiency and poor bone health. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if individuals with low UV intensity at their home of record (HOR) or those with darker complexions are at increased risk of developing stress fractures and lower limb fractures during U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT). This was a retrospective cohort study using the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center data repository. All Basic trainees were identified from January 1997 to January 2007. Cases were recruits diagnosed with stress fractures and lower limb fractures during BCT. The recruit’s home of record (HOR) was identified from the Defense Manpower Data Center database. The average annual UV intensity at the recruits’ HOR was determined using a U.S National Weather Service database and recruits were stratified into low (≤3.9); moderate (4.0-5.4), and high (≥5.5) UV index regions. Race was determined from self-reports. The dataset had 421,461 men and 90,141women. Compared to men, women had greater risk of developing stress fractures (odds ratio (OR) = 4.5, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 4.4-4.7, p < 0.01). Contrary to the hypothesized effect, male and female recruits from low UV index areas had a slightly lower risk of stress fractures (male OR (low UV/high UV) = 0.92, 95%CI = 0.87-0.97; females OR = 0.89, 95%CI = 0.84-0.95, p < 0.01) and were at similar risk for lower limb fractures (male OR = 0.98, 95%CI = 0.89-1.07; female OR = 0.93, 95%CI = 0.80-1.09) than recruits from high UV index areas. Blacks had lower risk of stress and lower limb fractures than non-blacks, and there was no indication that Blacks from low UV areas were at increased risk for bone injuries. The UV index at home of record is not associated with stress or lower limb fractures in BCT. These data suggest that UV intensity is not a risk factor for poor bone health in younger American adults.