cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preventing maternal mortality in the United States: lessons from California and policy recommendations

Maternal mortality remains a large concern in the United States (US), although other Western countries are making progress. In this scoping review, we identify four problems that may contribute to the maternal mortality burden in the US: inadequately investing in women's health, poor quality of care, increasing disparities, and poor data collection and monitoring of maternal health issues. Because maternal mortality is decreasing in California, we identify strategies implemented there that could improve maternal health outcomes nationwide: funding programs to address social determinants of maternal health; supporting health care strategies to improve maternal health (including national standards and goals for health care systems); and investing in maternal health monitoring and surveillance (including use of technology). We encourage researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to work together to develop evidence-based policies and practices to improve maternal health and reduce maternal. We conclude with recommendations for the United States and globally.
Editor’s essay: Acknowledge our past. Change our future

As public relations leaders and educators, we need to acknowledge our professional complicity in both overt and systemic racism. Let’s remember that the despicable KKK was able to expand its member...
Monocyte-Derived Alveolar Macrophages Mediate Resistance to Migrating Helminths Through Depletion of Arginine Availability

We examined the activation and effector functions of lung macrophages in mediatingimmunity against helminth parasites. Using fate mapping mice, we showed thatmonocytes recruited to the lung assume an alveolar macrophage phenotype andcomprise as many as 10% of alveolar macrophages by 7 days after inoculation.Monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages assume distinct transcriptional and metabolicprofiles that include high levels of arginase expression and preferentially mediatehelminth damage, both of which are dependent on neutrophil help. In further studies,arginase was shown to mediate helminth killing through localized depletion of arginine.
A resilience by teaming framework for collaborative supply networks

A framework for design and operation of resilient supply networks is developed.Resilience is obtained by teaming disruption-prone agents to overcome disruptions.Teaming increases fault tolerance using fewer resources than traditional approaches.Protocols increase resilience in production and distribution networks' applications. Supply network resilience is an emerging concept related to the ability of a network to tolerate disruptions; current understanding of its meaning and dimensions, its role in the design and operation of supply networks, and its relation to sustainability is at its early stages. Existing approaches are based on the trade-off between increased resources and higher fault-tolerance. The Fault Tolerance by Teaming (FTT) principle of Collaborative Control Theory has been applied in sensor networks effectively and appears as a promising original approach not based on the aforementioned trade-off and capable of producing networks with higher resilience.Inspired by the FTT principle, a Resilience by Teaming Framework (RBT) for supply networks is developed to address the design and operation of resilient supply networks. RBT is tested and validated through the application of its protocols to case studies in production and distribution networks. Evidence from case studies' results suggests that through FTT-based protocols and RBT it is possible to achieve higher fault tolerance with fewer resources than under traditional approaches.
Insulin-Receptor Interaction in Isolated Fat Cells I. THE INSULIN-LIKE PROPERTIES OF p-CHLOROMERCURIBENZENE SULFONIC ACID

Abstract Suspensions of fat cells were prepared from rat epididymal adipose tissue by digestion of the tissue with crude bacterial collagenase. One portion of each suspension was exposed to p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid (CMS), washed, and then incubated in Krebs-Ringer-bicarbonate buffer. A second portion, the control, was not exposed to CMS, but it was otherwise treated identically. Acceleration of glucose transport was estimated from the rate of conversion of glucose-14C to 14CO2 and 14C-labeled lipids. Inhibition of the lipolytic action of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) was evaluated by measuring (a) the cyclic 3',5'-AMP concentration of the cell suspensions and (b) the rate of release of glycerol into the incubation medium. The optimal concentration of CMS was 10-3 m and the optimal exposure time was 30 min. Glucose utilization by cells exposed to CMS was 5 to 20 times that of the control, but only 50 to 80% that of cells maximally stimulated by insulin. Most of the increased glucose utilization was due to increased glucose entry via a specific transport system since glucose utilization, when stimulated by CMS, was inhibited by 3-O-methyl glucose. Cells exposed to CMS showed a slight increase in nonspecific permeability, however, since (a) there was a slight increase in the amount of malic dehydrogenase appearing in the incubation medium, and (b) stimulation by CMS plus insulin exceeded that of insulin alone when the glucose concentration of the incubation medium was l20 mm. Incubation of CMS exposed cells in 2,3-dimercaptopropanol resulted in partial reversal of the stimulatory effect of CMS. Exposure of cells to CMS inhibited lipolysis both in the basal state and when lipolysis was stimulated by ACTH. This inhibition was overcome either by a 10-fold increase in the concentration of ACTH or by the addition of theophylline, showing that the CMS exposure had not irreversibly inhibited the lipolytic enzymes of the cell. The antilipolytic action of CMS was probably mediated through an effect on the adenyl cyclase system since the increase in cyclic 3',5'-AMP produced by ACTH was inhibited by the CMS exposure. This inhibitory effect of CMS was likewise overcome by a 10-fold increase in the ACTH concentration. We concluded that the metabolism of CMS-treated fat cells mimicked that of cells incubated with insulin in that glucose transport was stimulated and lipolysis was reversibly inhibited. Since the reaction of CMS with isolated fat cells seemed analogous to its reaction with the sulfhydryl groups of other proteins, we postulated that the insulin-like actions of CMS were mediated through a combination between CMS and certain sulfhydryl containing elements located on or near the cell surface.
Bertrand Russell, Herbrand's Theorem, and the Assignment Statement

While propositional modal logic is a standard tool, first-order modal logic is not. Indeed, it is not generally understood that conventional first-order syntax is insufficiently expressible. In this paper we sketch a natural syntax and semantics for first-order modal logic, and show how it easily copes with well-known problems. And we provide formal tableau proof rules to go with the semantics, rules that are, at least in principle, automatable.
Batch Arrivals and Service—Single Station Queues

Queueing models characterized by bulk (or batch, group) arrivals or service performed in batches of either fixed or variable sizes can be commonly found in models of traffic and transportation, complex computer and telecommunication systems, inventory replenishment systems, and many other real-life applications. In this article, we study single-server bulk Markovian queueing models, followed by extensions to general distributions for both arrivals and services. We discuss important performance measures in steady state including waiting time characteristics, stochastic ordering properties, approximations, and bounds. We then review methods commonly employed to extend the study of bulk queueing models to more general systems, and present further reading references. Keywords: queueing models; batch arrival queues; batch service queues; partial batch model; full batch model
Sale of Goodwill and Other Intangibles as Ordinary Income

This proposal would define gain from the sale of business goodwill and business intangibles as gain from an ordinary asset. Under current law, the costs of achieving future income by creating or improving business goodwill and intangibles is deducted immediately. The proceeds of the sale of the business goodwill and intangibles is capital gain. The combination of deduction of input and capital gain for sales proceeds leads to a strongly negative tax or subsidy. The combination, for instance, can turn a 10 percent pretax return into a 25 percent after-tax return. The subsidy gives taxpayers an incentive to waste capital. The proposal would reduce the subsidy, but only capitalization of the costs of intangibles - not proposed here - can yield some positive tax. Ordinary character would apply to the sale of partnership interests and S corporation shares to the extent of gain attributable to the sale of business intangibles held at the entity level.The proposal is made as a part of the Shelf Project, which is a collaboration among tax professionals to develop and perfect proposals to help Congress when it needs to raise revenue. Shelf Project proposals are intended to raise revenue, defend the taxbase, follow the money, and improve the rationality and efficiency of the tax system. Shelf Project proposals follow the format of a congressional tax committee report in explaining current law, what is wrong with it, and how to fix it.
Filaments for Raman spectroscopy

Impulsive rotational/vibrational Raman scattering of molecules excited by IR filaments and thereafter probed by a narrow line-width UV beam is proposed. We show results of rotational Raman scattering of air molecules for preliminary demonstration.
Breaking the thought barrier: psychological challenges of the nuclear age.

(1960). Breaking the Thought Barrier: Psychological Challenges of the Nuclear Age. Psychiatry: Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 245-266.
Exploring functional redundancy in the immunoglobulin μ heavy-chain gene enhancer

Immunoglobulin (Ig) μ heavy-chain gene enhancer activity is mediated by multiple DNA binding proteins. Mutations of several protein binding sites in the enhancer do not affect enhancer activity significantly. This feature, termed redundancy, is thought to be due to functional compensation of the mutated sites by other elements within the enhancer. In this study, we identified the elements that make the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein binding sites, μE2 and μE3, redundant. The major compensatory element is a binding site for interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) and not one of several other bHLH protein binding sites. These studies also provide the first evidence for a role of IRF proteins in Ig heavy-chain gene expression. In addition, we reconstituted the activity of a monomeric μ enhancer in nonlymphoid cells and defined the domains of the ETS gene required for function.
Quantum correction for the Monte Carlo simulation via the effective conduction-band edge equation

Based on the Schrodinger–Bohm model, we have derived an effective conduction-band edge (ECBE) equation by eliminating the density gradient term. When applied to the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of the quantum corrected Boltzmann transport equation (BTE), this method has the advantage of not being affected by density fluctuations. The utility and accuracy of the ECBE method are tested on a simple problem of charge confinement in an infinite potential well and also those of particle tunnelling of a step potential barrier. Both results indicate that the ECBE method is a viable approach to the quantum correction of the BTE.
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS IN THE BEGINNING ORGANIC LABORATORY

We present arguments for the continued inclusion of qualitative analysis in the undergraduate organic laboratory curriculum. We have developed a problem-solving approach to the teaching of these laboratory courses. Judging from student comments, this approach is particularly successful in qualitative analysis.
Centers, out-of-roundness measures, and mathematical programming

Abstract Out-of-roundness measures in the plane are described geometrically and formulated analytically in terms of optimization theory. The analytical framework that we develop permits a more complete and thorough examination of out-of-roundness measures, and allows these measures to be generalized and extended to general convex bodies in R″. A new classification scheme based on “centers” is used to categorize out-of-roundness measures, which has also proved useful in other contexts. Mathematical characterizations of out-of-roundness measures are then related to the algorithms of mathematical programming which are used to actually compute these points. In addition to this discussion, relevant complexity issues on determining these measures are also introduced. Several alternative out-of-roundness measures are formulated and the geometry of their formulation discussed. This includes symmetry and various gravity measures, related least squares measures, and other more esoteric formulations.
The effects of thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis on the collection of charged sub-μm particles by charged droplets

Abstract The collection efficiency of charged water droplets of 500 μm diameter for charged particles of 0.2 μm diameter is examined as a function of the nondimensional Coulombic parameter. The present paper provides an experimental technique to determine the contribution of the phoretic forces in particle collection by comparing the collection efficiencies of water droplets to that of oil droplets for which the vapor pressure and the phoretic forces are negligible. Reasonable agreement is obtained between the experimental data and the values predicted by a collection efficiency model considering only Coulombic force, thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis.
Matching the inner and outer solutions in the continuum theory of dislocations

The field equations of the classical defect theory are written using exterior calculus, whereby antiexact inelastic 1-forms are introduced whose exterior derivatives give rise to the dislocation density 2-forms. As an example of the formulation, a problem with axial and antiaxial dislocation densities of compact support is considered. The problem is split into two regions, the inner problem where the dislocation density is specified and the outer problem where the dislocation density is zero. Continuity of the mapping functions and traction vector is used to connect the two solutions. The results presented could be viewed as a continuum approach to the singular field formulation of the dislocation theory using distributed incompatibilities of finite strength.
Religiosity as a Determinant of Educational Attainment: The Case of Conservative Protestant Women in the United States

This paper examines the role of religiosity as a determinant of the educational attainment of women raised as conservative Protestants in the United States. A human capital model based on the demand and supply of funds for investments in education is used to develop hypotheses about various causal links between religiosity and years of schooling. The hypotheses are tested using data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth, a large-scale survey addressed to a representative sample of women in the United States. Among respondents raised as conservative Protestants, those who attended religious services frequently during their adolescent years are found to complete one more year of schooling than their counterparts who were less observant. The gap is smaller, but still sizeable and statistically significant, when other factors are held constant in a multivariate analysis. The empirical results are consistent with the hypothesis that positive demand-side influences are dominant and explain the observed association between religiosity and educational attainment.
The Transcribed Demonstration

A new system of self-instruction which combines the desirable features of video tape and analog graphic recording is developed. By means of multiplexing techniques, four types of information are recorded on standard video tape: 1) video, 2) voice, 3) three channels of physiological data, and 4) control signals for the operation of auxiliary equipment. The latter three are combined and applied to a single audio track of the video tape recorder by successive time-division and frequency-division multiplexing; the video channel is unaltered.
Lesbians of Color and the Domestic Violence Movement

Lesbians of color have been part of the domestic violence movement in a variety of roles. These include survivor, batterer, and service provider. In each of these roles, issues of racism and homophobia have significant impacts on how these women are affected by these roles. Implications for community action are noted.
LGX pure shear horizontal SAW for liquid sensor applications

This paper reports predicted and measured properties of the pure shear horizontal (SH) mode for the LGX family of crystals, which includes langasite (LGS), langanite (LGN), and langatate (LGT). These crystals are of the trigonal class 32 group, as quartz, and they exhibit the SH symmetry type uncoupling for the Euler angles (0/spl deg/, /spl theta/, 90/spl deg/). This surface acoustic mode, also known as surface transverse wave (STW), is especially attractive for liquid sensing due to the moderate damping observed in liquid or viscous environments. Numerical and experimental propagation data presented for the SH mode on LGX (0/spl deg/, /spl theta/, 90/spl deg/) includes phase velocity (v/sub p/), electromechanical coupling coefficient (K/sup 2/), temperature coefficient of delay (TCD), fractional change in frequency with respect to temperature (/spl Delta/f/fo), penetration depth, metal strip reflectivity, and excitation of spurious plate modes as a function of /spl theta/. High electromechanical coupling and zero temperature coefficient of delay (TCD) along LGX Euler angles (0/spl deg/, /spl theta/, 90/spl deg/), /spl theta/ between 10/spl deg/ and 25/spl deg/, with penetration depths comparable to surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices are disclosed. In particular, along LGT (0/spl deg/, 13.5/spl deg/, 90/spl deg/), the experimental results reported with resonators and delay line structures verify the high electromechanical coupling (0.8%) for a SH SAW mode, about 10 times stronger than the 36/spl deg/ Y rotated quartz SH orientation, and the existence of zero TCD around 140/spl deg/C. The phase velocity of 2660 m/s is within 0.2% of the calculated value, which is about 55% below the phase velocity of 36/spl deg/ Y quartz, thus leading to smaller STW devices. The penetration depth of 6.5 wavelengths is eight times more shallow than 36/spl deg/ Y quartz, thus providing significant SH mode energy trapping close to the surface. With such positive predicted and measured coupling and propagation characteristics, these orientations are appropriate for the fabrication of high coupling, zero TCD, smaller, and highly sensitive STW devices for filtering, frequency control, and liquid sensor applications.
Toward an integrative and collaborative approach to Asian American and Pacific Islander youth violence research, practice, and policy

Research into the prevalence of violence and delinquency among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth has proliferated in the last several years, as a result of federal funding. Consequently, this article reviews the literature on AAPI youth violence and delinquency published from 2001 to 2008. The findings demonstrate the frequency of AAPI youth violence and delinquency, provide a sense of the involvement of these youth in the juvenile justice system, reveal ethnic group differences in violence and delinquency, and explore the effects of immigration and acculturation on these phenomena. This article ends with a discussion on AAPI youth violence and delinquency prevention programs, with suggestions for future directions that incorporate a developmental and life-course approach in research and collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
Effects of source vs. interactive actuator assumptions on modelling of a smart structure

Embedded or internal actuators in a structure are being utilized to perform vibration attenuation, pointing maneuvers, damage control, and other adaptive tasks. The controls-structures-interaction (CSI) design process depends strongly on the coupled dynamic response of the structure and the actuators. A bond graph approach is used to guide this analytical study to uncover the effects of certain generic actuator types on the closed-loop, initial condition control of a single-mode structural model and an eighteen-state model of an active truss. So-called 'flow' and 'effort' source actuator types were studied and were shown to have significant differences in closed-loop response for ranges of initial conditions and system open-loop natural frequencies.
Analysis of Sulfonamides by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry and Capillary Electrophoresis Combing with Voltage-Assisted Liquid-Phase Microextraction

The method of liquid-phase microextraction assisted with voltage was developed and applied on determination of sulfonamides in water samples. Four analytes, such as sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole, sulfadimethoxine, and sulfamethoxazole were extracted from a sample solution at pH 4.5 through a polypropylene membrane of immobilized with 2-octanone, and then into 25 μL of the acceptor phase of 10 mM sodium hydroxide, and applied voltage of 100 V. Subsequently, the acceptor solution was directly subjected to analysis by LC-MS or capillary zone electrophoresis. Linearity was obtained in the range of 1.0–25.0 ng mL−1 with R2 > 0.992 in LC-MS, and 50–1000 ng mL−1 with R2 > 0.995 in capillary zone electrophoresis. The development of VA-LPME was also applied in analysis of sulfonamides in water samples to evaluate its practical applicability.
ATP-dependent Assembly of a Ternary Complex Consisting of a DNA Mismatch and the Yeast MSH2-MSH6 and MLH1-PMS1 Protein Complexes

MSH2 and MSH6 proteins exist as a stable complex, as do the MLH1 and PMS1 proteins. To study the mismatch binding properties of the MSH2-MSH6 complex and to examine its functional interaction with the MLH1-PMS1 complex, these protein complexes were purified to near homogeneity from overproducing yeast strains. As has been reported previously, the purified MSH2-MSH6 complex binds DNA substrates containing a G/T mismatch and insertion/deletion mismatches, but the binding affinity for the latter decreases as the size of the extrahelical loop increases. Addition of ATP or the nonhydrolyzable ATPγS reduces binding of the MSH2-MSH6 complex to the DNA substrates markedly. Here, we show that MSH2-MSH6 forms a ternary complex with MLH1-PMS1 on a mismatch containing DNA substrate. The formation of this ternary complex requires ATP, which can be substituted by ATPγS, suggesting that ATP binding alone is sufficient for ternary complex formation. Thus, it appears that ATP binding by the MSH2-MSH6 complex induces a conformation that is conducive for the interaction with MLH1-PMS1 complex, leading to the formation of the ternary complex.
The Comparative Effects of Various Antibiotics and an Arsenical upon the Growth, Health, and Certain Blood Constituents of Dairy Calves,

Summary The comparative effects of feeding aureomycin, terramycin, and penicillin (Experiment I) and terramycin, bacitracin, Chloromycetin, and 3-nitro-4-hydroxy phenyl arsonic acid (Experiment II) to dairy calves were evaluated. Mean body weight gains over a 12-week period as per cent of the mean gains of the controls were: Experiment I, terramycin, 155%; aureomycin, 151%; and penicillin, 86%; Experiment II, terramycin, 135%; arsonic acid, 128%; bacitracin, 126%; and Chloromycetin, 111%. The treatments that stimulated growth also improved efficiency of feed utilization. The most rapidly gaining groups also attained greater height at withers and appeared somewhat superior in condition and hair coat at completion of the experiment; however, these differences were not marked. No pronounced ration effects were noted on incidence and severity of diarrhea, although both were relatively high during weeks 3 to 5, inclusive. Blood cell counts (erythrocytes, leucocytes, and differential leucocytes), hemoglobin, plasma fat, and fecal pH appeared to be unaffected by antibiotic or arsenical supplementation. Also, there was no apparent effect of diarrhea on fecal pH. Rather marked age trends in the blood constituents were noted.
The effects of fibrination on the in vivo rheology of dog blood.

Abstract The effects of acute fibrination on the rheology of dog blood have been studied using a variable shear rate, nonpulsatile capillary viscometer; this viscometer, of special design, measures the flow properties of blood circulating in chronic exteriorized A-V shunts in dogs. Our results indicate that the concentration of fibrinogen, per se , does not influence the rheology of dog blood as measured in our instrument; the effect of plasma viscosity on the overall rheological behavior of blood is of significant importance. These conclusions are limited to the range of the independent variables studied.
Middle Ear Disorders and Hearing Loss in Native Hawaiian Preschoolers

This study reported on the prevalence of middle ear disorders and hearing loss among native Hawaiian preschoolers. The subjects included children enrolled in the Kamehameha Schools on the islands o...
Induction of Coproporphyrinogen Oxidase inChlamydomonas Chloroplasts Occurs via Transcriptional Regulation of Cpx1 Mediated by Copper Response Elements and Increased Translation from a Copper Deficiency-specific Form of the Transcript *

Coproporphyrinogen III oxidase, encoded by a single nuclear gene in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, produces three distinct transcripts. One of these transcripts is greatly induced in copper-deficient cells by transcriptional activation, whereas the other forms are copper-insensitive. The induced form of the transcript was expressed coordinately with the cytochromec 6-encoding (Cyc6) gene, which is known to be transcriptionally regulated in copper-deficient cells. The sequence GTAC, which forms the core of a copper response element associated with the Cyc6 gene, is also essential for induction of the Cpx1 gene, suggesting that both are targets of the same signal transduction pathway. The constitutive and induced Cpx1 transcripts have the same half-lives in vivo, and all encode the same polypeptide with a chloroplast-targeting transit sequence, but the shortest one representing the induced form is a 2–4-fold better template for translation than are either of the constitutive forms. The enzyme remains localized to a soluble compartment in the chloroplast even in induced cells, and its abundance is not affected when the tetrapyrrole pathway is manipulated either genetically or by gabaculine treatment.
The effect of regulatory advisories on maternal antidepressant prescribing, 1995-2007: an interrupted time series study of 228,876 pregnancies.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether antidepressant prescribing during pregnancy decreased following release of U.S. and Canadian public health advisory warnings about the risk of perinatal complications with antidepressants. We analyzed data from 228,876 singleton pregnancies among women (aged 15–44 years) continuously enrolled in Tennessee Medicaid with full pharmacy benefits (1995–2007). Antidepressant prescribing was determined through outpatient pharmacy dispensing files. Information on sociodemographic and clinical factors was obtained from enrollment files and linked birth certificates. An interrupted time series design with segmented regression analysis was used to quantify the impact of the advisory warnings (2002–2005). Antidepressant prescribing rates increased steadily from 1995 to 2001, followed by sharper increases from 2002 to late 2004. Overall antidepressant prescribing prevalence was 34.51 prescriptions [95 % confidence interval (CI) 33.37–35.65] per 1,000 women in January 2002, and increased at a rate of 0.46 (95 % CI 0.41–0.52) prescriptions per 1,000 women per month until the end of the pre-warning period (May 2004). During the post-warning period (October 2004–June 2005), antidepressant prescribing decreased by 1.48 (95 % CI 1.62–1.35) prescriptions per 1,000 women per month. These trends were observed for both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and non-SSRI antidepressants, although SSRI prescribing decreased at a greater rate. We conclude that antidepressant prescribing to pregnant women in Tennessee Medicaid increased from 1995 to late 2004. U.S. and Canadian public health advisories about antidepressant-associated perinatal complications were associated with steady decreases in antidepressant prescribing from late 2004 until the end of the study period, suggesting that the advisory warnings were impactful on antidepressant prescribing in pregnancy.
Two-Photon Absorption and Excited-State Energy-Transfer Properties of a New Multibranched Molecule

This paper presents a molecular design for a two-photon absorbing structure, which contains a two-dimensional molecular architecture with four arms and one bridging unit, each of these segments having an extended π-conjugation and capable of producing two-photon absorption in different spectral ranges. Two chromophore units of a triphenylamine derivative dye, (N, N-di[4-{4-(5-[4-tert-butylphenyl]-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)styryl}phenyl]amino)benzene, were linked with a π-conjugated di-2-thienylethenylene bridging unit to form a new multibranched compound, bis(5-[4-{N,N-di(4-[4-{5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl}styryl]phenyl)amino}styryl]thien-2-yl)ethenylene. Linear absorption spectra and luminescence spectra of the component and the multibranched chromophores revealed a hypochromic effect for the multibranched dye. A very effective energy transfer from the excited arm units to the π-conjugated bridging unit is observed. The two-photon cross-sections were measured using the femtosecond Z-scan techni...
Factors Influencing Surgical Career Decisions

Objective The purpose of this project is to evaluate factors that residents consider when choosing a career in surgery or a surgical subspecialty. Once these factors are identified, surgical residency programs may use the information in their recruiting efforts to attract the most qualified applicants for postgraduate surgical training. Design A descriptive survey consisting of 20 questions was conducted. Surgical residents were surveyed about student loan debt, career decisions and influencing factors, and demographic data. Setting A 2-page, Institutional Review Board-approved, survey was mailed to program directors of 40 general surgery residency programs. Included in the packet were copies of the survey, a letter to the program director, and a self-addressed prestamped envelope for return of the completed survey. The program directors were asked to have their residents complete the survey during a normally scheduled meeting and to collect and return the surveys. Participants General surgery residents in residency programs randomly chosen throughout the country were surveyed. These residents included all postgraduate levels of training. Results Among 6 choices for entering a surgical residency, a strong desire to become a surgeon was the response chosen most often by residents. Over 50% of those surveyed indicated that they planned to pursue subspecialty training. Family ties was the most quoted influencing factor for choosing a geographical location for practice. Amount of student loan debt correlated with the perception of medical school being a financially wise decision, yet had little influence on the decision to subspecialize. Conclusions A strong desire and passion for surgery was the predominant reason for choosing a career in surgery in this survey. Only 15% of general surgery residents surveyed intend to join the workforce as general surgeons. With the rising average age of the general population, this implies a significant shortage of general surgeons in the near future.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy in the Neonate

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type I is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by loss of lower motor neurons in the spinal cord. This severe hereditary neurodegenerative disorder is an important cause of morbidity in the neonate and the leading hereditary cause of infant mortality. The characteristic degeneration of anterior horn cells in the spinal cord leads to progressive muscular weakness and atrophy of the skeletal muscles. In SMA type I, the most severe form of SMA, death usually ensues by 2 years of age from respiratory failure or infection. Accurate diagnosis is now available through genetic testing, and progress is being made toward the development of therapy based on understanding of the disease mechanism. The neonatal nurse plays a pivotal role in identifying and caring for these medically fragile infants and in providing support and education for parents and families.
A songbird forebrain area potentially involved in auditory discrimination and memory formation

Songbirds rely on auditory processing of natural communication signals for a number of social behaviors,including mate selection,individual recognition and the rare behavior of vocal learning - the ability to learn vocalizations through imitation of an adult model,rather than by instinct. Like mammals,songbirds possess a set of interconnected ascending and descending auditory brain pathways that process acoustic information and that are presumably involved in the perceptual processing of vocal communication signals. Most auditory areas studied to date are located in the caudomedial forebrain of the songbird and include the thalamo-recipient field L (sub fields L1,L2 and L3),the caudomedial and caudolateral mesopallium (CMM and CLM,respectively) and the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM). This review focuses on NCM,an auditory area previously proposed to be analogous to parts of the primary auditory cortex in mammals. Stimulation of songbirds with auditory stimuli drives vigorous electrophysiological responses and the expression of several activity-regulated genes in NCM.Interestingly,NCM neurons are tuned to species-specific songs and undergo some forms of experience-dependent plasticity in-vivo . These activity-dependent changes may underlie long-term modifications in the functional performance of NCM and constitute a potential neural substrate for auditory discrimination. We end this review by discussing evidence that suggests that NCM may be a site of auditory memory formation and/or storage.
Unique Properties of Polyphenol Stilbenes in the Brain: More than Direct Antioxidant Actions; Gene/Protein Regulatory Activity

The 'French Paradox' has been typically associated with moderate consumption of wine, especially red wine. A polyphenol 3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene (a member of the non-flavonoids family), better known as resveratrol, has been purported to have many health benefits. A number of these valuable properties have been attributed to its intrinsic antioxidant capabilities, although the potential level of resveratrol in the circulation is likely not enough to neutralize free radical scavenging. The brain and the heart are uniquely vulnerable to hypoxic conditions and oxidative stress injuries. Recently, evidence suggests that resveratrol could act as a signaling molecule within tissues and cells to modulate the expression of genes and proteins. Stimulation of such proteins and enzymes could explain some the intracellular antioxidative properties. The modulation of genes could suffice as an explanation of some of resveratrol's cytoprotective actions, as well as its influence on blood flow, cell death, and inflammatory cascades. Resveratrol stimulation of the expression of heme oxygenase is one example. Increased heme oxygenase activity has led to significant protection against models of in vitro and in vivo oxidative stress injury. Resveratrol could provide cellular resistance against insults; although more work is necessary before it is prescribed as a potential prophylactic in models of either acute or chronic conditions, such as stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson, Alzheimer, and a variety of age-related vascular disorders.
The physiology of sperm recovered from the human cervix: acrosomal status and response to inducers of the acrosome reaction.

Cervical mucus was coil ected from 35 women after ar:(flcial insemination. Mucus collections were performed at 1 h, 1 day, 2 days, or 3 days following insemination. Sperm viability was >80% at all recovery times as assessed by exclusion of the supravital dye Hoechst 33258. Virtually 100% of the viable sperm were acrosome-intact at all times as assessed with afluorescein isothiocyanase-conjugated pea lectin. Sperm were recovered from the mucus afer migration into the Biggers, Whittin, and Whittingham medium in vitro. Sperm did not undergo the acrosome reaction in response to hwnan foil icular fluid immediately after migration from the mucus but did respond to this agonist afEer 6 h of incubation in vitro. Sperm recovered a: all tunes after insemination had the same pattern of response tofollicularfluid. Sperm that penet rated a column of cervical mucus in vitro also responded tofollicular fluid with an increase in acrosome reactions after migrationfrom the mucus and incubasionfor 6 h in vitro. Unlike the sperm that migrated from cervical mucus, sperm that were separated from semen by Percoll density centrifu- gation did not undergo the acrosome reaction when challenged with fouicularfiuid after 6 h but did respond after 24 h incubation. Sperm that migratedfrom cervical mucus had a similar increase in acrosome reactions after 6 h incubation, regardless of whether the acrosome reaction agonist was follicular fluid or disaggregated human zona pellucida. The observations ofprolonged acrosomal integrity of cervical sperm in vivo and the uniformity of their response to acrosome reaction agonists after migration from cervical mucus suggest that there is conserva- tion of sperm function in the human cervix and support the hypothesis that this region may serve as a site of sperm storage in women.
Locally similar hypersonic laminar boundary- layer error estimate.

/' = df/dy = u/ue = transformed velocity h = (H — Hw)/(He — Hw] = normalized enthalpy function H = total enthalpy j = 0 for two-dimensional flow, = 1 for axisymmetric flow M = Mach number Pr = Prandtl number r = radius from axis of symmetry T = temperature tw = normalized wall temperature Tw/To u = component of velocity in x direction x,y = orthogonal body surface coordinates, x along and y normal to the surface fj, = viscosity P = density co = exponent in approximate temperature-viscosity relation
On the Pigment of the Negro's Skin and Hair

The pigmentary granules of the negro's skin and hair can be freed in several ways from the cells in which they are lodged and collected in any desired amount. As thus obtained, these granules are found to be insoluble in dilute alkalies, dilute hydrochloric acid (hot or cold), alcohol, or other organic solvents when applied in the order named. If, after they have been subjected to the action of dilute hydrochloric acid, they are again treated with dilute alkalies, they are found to give up their pigment, and, on the continued application of heat, the granules dissolve entirely in the alkaline solution, leaving only an insignificant residue. The pigmentary granules are composed of a colourless ground substance or substratum, a pigment, and much inorganic matter. Their inorganic constituents, as thus far determined, are calcium, magnesium, iron, and silicic, phosphoric, and sulphuric acids; and these constituents possibly play an important part in the deposition and fixation of the colouring matter in the granules. The pigment isolated from the granules, and sufficiently freed from adherent inorganic matter, contains only the merest trace of iron—so little, in fact, that we must think of it when entirely pure as free of iron. Heating the isolated pigment with barium hydrate at a temperature of 260° C. entirely frees it from the closely adherent ground substance, and it is then found that the vapours of pyrrol are no longer emitted when it is subjected to dry distillation, and the odour of burnt feathers is no longer discerned, although nitrogen is still present. We can not conclude as the result of our work that the pigment is a derivative of haemoglobin; it seems to us more probable that it is ultimately derived from the proteids of the parenchymatous juices. The total quantity of soluble pigment in the skin of a negro of average size is found to weigh about 1 gramme; the weight of the pigmentary granules is about 3.3 grammes, if we are right in our assumption that they contain sixty-five per cent of water and five per cent of mineral constituents in their natural state in the epidermis. The pigments of the epidermis and hair of the negro are very likely identical. In the present state of our knowledge we can only say that it seems highly probable that the pigment of the negro's hair is not different from the dark pigment found in the hair of the white races, and we may infer that the pigment of the black skin differs only in amount and not in kind from that deposited in the skin of the white man.
A Propensity-Matched Comparison of Pleurodesis or Tunneled Pleural Catheter in Patients Undergoing Diagnostic Thoracoscopy for Malignancy

Background Patients with a suspected malignant pleural effusion occasionally require thoracoscopy to achieve a diagnosis. It is unclear whether chemical pleurodesis or the placement of a tunneled pleural catheter (TPC) that can be used for intermittent pleural drainage produces superior palliation, a shorter hospital stay, and less morbidity. This investigation compares these 2 treatment groups. Methods Patients with a recurrent, symptomatic, pleural effusion suspected of having a malignant etiology who underwent a thoracoscopic exploration after at least 2 nondiagnostic thoracenteses were identified. Two patient groups were formed, comprised of patients who received either talc pleurodesis or a TPC at the conclusion of the procedure, using propensity matching. Patient demographics, length of stay, interval until the initiation of systemic therapy, need for further intervention for the pleural effusion, and procedural morbidity and mortality were collected and compared. Results Over a 6-year period, 60 patients undergoing treatment were identified and propensity matched. No significant differences in mean age or palliation from their effusion were identified. However, the group treated with TPC realized a significantly shorter hospital stay and interval to systemic therapy for their malignancy as well as a lower rate of operative morbidity than patients undergoing talc pleurodesis. Conclusions This investigation found that a TPC provided palliation of patients' malignant pleural effusions and freedom from reintervention equal to that of talc pleurodesis after thoracoscopy while resulting in a shorter mean length of hospital stay and interval to the initiation of systemic therapy. Lower rates of operative morbidity were also seen in the TPC treatment group. This method of palliation of a malignant pleural effusion should be considered when diagnostic thoracoscopy reveals a malignant pleural effusion.
A Little Knowledge Is a Dangerous Thing ... Emerging Miranda Research and Professional Roles for Psychologists

In Miranda v. Arizona (1966), the 20th century's most prominent and consequential legal decision on constitutionally guaranteed rights against compelled self-incrimination, the Supreme Court of the United States mandated the delivery of specific warnings to persons facing custodial interrogation. Owing in large part to popularization of these warnings by the entertainment media, many citizens can recite at least some of their Miranda rights in rote fashion; however, recent and emerging research provides compelling evidence of persistent Miranda misconceptions and fallacies among criminal suspects and the lay public. The effects of these misunderstandings are profound. Conservatively, an estimated 318,000 suspects waive their rights annually while failing to comprehend even 50% of representative Miranda warnings. Two major issues, oral advisements and juvenile warnings, are examined in relationship to Miranda comprehension. Professional roles for psychologists are explored for Miranda issues that incorporate education, community consultation, forensic practice, and applied research.
The behavior of biological materials at different sites of implantation.

Adult albino rabbits were implanted with disks of 316 and 304 stainless steel in the subperiosteum of the anterior calvarium and the left mandible and in the left paravertebral and thigh muscles. The corresponding opposite sites were sham operated. The histopathological slides revealed that there was variation in thickness of the membrane in sections of both the paravertebral and thigh muscles; one side showing greater reaction than the other, which corresponded with the appearance of the implants. Sections of the calvarium revealed minimal bone and soft tissue reaction, although the implants showed corrosion compatible with soft tissue sites. The mandibular sections revealed extensive bone tissue reactions with minimum masseter muscle reactions, but the appearance of the implants due to corrosion was different than those of all other sites. Moderate eosinophilic infiltration was observed in sections containing deposits of corrosion products.
WE-G-BRE-07: Proton Therapy Enhanced by Tumor-Targeting Gold Nanoparticles: A Pilot in Vivo Experiment at The Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Purpose: Assess tumor-growth delay and survival in a mouse model of prostate cancer treated with tumor-targeting gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and proton therapy. Methods: We first examined the accumulation of targeting nanoparticles within prostate tumors by imaging AuNPs with ultrasound-guided photoacoustics at 24h after the intravenous administration of goserelin-conjugated AuNPs (gAuNP) in three mice. Nanoparticles were also imaged at the cellular level with TEM in PC3 cells incubated with gAuNP for 24h. Pegylated AuNPs (pAuNP) were also imaged in vivo and in vitro for comparison. PC3 cells were then implanted subcutaneously in nude mice; 51mice with 8–10mm tumors were included. AuNPs were injected intravenously at 0.2%w/w final gold concentration 24h before irradiation. A special jig was designed to facilitate tumor irradiation perpendicular to the proton beam. Proton energy was set to 180MeV, the radiation field was 18×18cm2, and 9cm or 13.5cm thick solid-water compensators were used to position the tumors at either the beam entrance (BE) or the SOBP. Physical doses of 5Gy were delivered to all tumors on a patient beam line at MD Anderson's Proton Therapy Center. Results: The photoacoustic experiment reveled that our nanoparticles leak from the tumor-feeding vasculature and accumulate within the tumor volume over time. Additionally, TEM images showed gAuNP are internalized in cancer cells, accumulating within the cytoplasm, whereas pAuNP are not. Tumor-growth was delayed by 11 or 32days in mice receiving gAuNP irradiated at the BE or the SOBP, relative to proton radiation alone. Survival curves (ongoing experiment) reveal that gAuNPs improved survival by 36% or 74% for tumors irradiated at the BE or SOBP. Conclusion: These important, albeit preliminary, in vivo findings reveal nanoparticles to be potent sensitizers to proton therapy. Further, conjugation of AuNPs to tumor-specific antigens that promote enhanced cellular internalization improved both tumor-growth delay and survival of mice after proton therapy.