cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fairness Outside the Cocoon

Investment bankers, security analysts, traders, and other finance professionals often behave as if they lived in a cocoon. They need to recognize that they live under the community's rules of fairness as well as the market's rules. Through anecdotes, quotations, and survey reports, this article discusses how internal and external obstacles keep finance professionals from perceiving the community's rules of fairness—rules that often make their way into the law. Ultimately, those who fail to understand and follow the community rules of fairness are taking risks they would be wise to avoid.
Politics of School Board Elections

Those who benefit directly, the schools' "clientele," can determine the outcome of board elections.
Patterns of leaf area index during stand development in even-aged balsam fir – red spruce stands

Leaf area index (LAI) strongly controls forest stand production. Silviculturists can easily manage this biologically important variable by quantifying its relationship to more directly manageable s...
Randomized controlled trials in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic literature review evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of interventions used in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. Primary efficacy outcomes were objective response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival. Safety endpoints were grade 3/4 toxicities, serious adverse events and withdrawals or deaths due to toxicity. Studies were selected if they were randomized controlled trials reporting on the efficacy or safety of treatments for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, and if outcomes were reported separately from trials that included other lymphoid neoplasms. We used the Bucher method for conducting adjusted indirect comparisons within a meta-analysis. We identified 10 randomized controlled trials of treatments for relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. The most prominent drug investigated (alone or in combination) was rituximab. Most trials did not report median overall survival. Two trials reported median event-free survival (range, 1.2-23.2 months). Six of ten trials reported objective response rate (range, 9-93%). Meta-analysis showed only one statistically significant result: rituximab + bortezomib yielded a significantly higher objective response rate than rituximab monotherapy (relative risk, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.47). Otherwise, there were no discernable differences in overall survival or progression-free survival, partly due to insufficient reporting of results in the clinical trials. The relatively small number of randomized controlled trials, few overlapping treatment arms, and variability in the randomized controlled trial features and in the endpoints studied complicate the formal comparison of therapies for relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. Additional well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to fully understand the relative outcomes of older and more recently developed therapies.
Emergence of Multi-Dideoxynucleoside-Resistant Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Variants, Viral Sequence Variation, and Disease Progression in Patients Receiving Antiretroviral Chemotherapy

A set of five reverse transcriptase mutations, which include Q151M, is known to confer multi-dideoxynucleoside resistance (MDR) in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). MDR mutations were found in 6 (17%) HIV-1 isolates from 36 patients, most of whom were receiving long-term combination therapy. Q151M was among the first of the substitutions to appear. Additional substitutions were observed, although none were common among all 6 patients. Certain zidovudine-related mutations were not observed together with the MDR mutations, indicating possible enzymatic constraint. During chemotherapy, the HIV-1 RNA levels in the 6 patients initially decreased and then rose. Initially, CD4 cell counts also responded favorably but were near or below baseline beyond 40 months of therapy. Such loss of clinical benefits appeared to coincide with the appearance of the MDR mutations. A common background genotype was not observed among HIV-1 isolates with or without MDR.
Patient characteristics associated with receipt of dental radiographic procedures during a 48-month population-based study of dentate adults

Abstract Objective The objective was to test hypotheses that patient characteristics are associated with receipt of specific types of radiographic procedures. Study design The Florida Dental Care Study was a prospective cohort study of dentate adults. Results From 19% to 59% of participants received a full-mouth series, panoramic, bitewing, or periapical radiograph(s), depending on procedure type. Receipt varied with reason(s) for dental visit(s), baseline clinical condition, race, approach to care (problem-oriented or regular dental attender), and socioeconomic status. Conclusion These findings underscore the distinction between what dentists hypothetically would prescribe, compared to what is actually received, receipt that results from the interaction between dentist recommendations and what patients will accept and pay for. Blacks and lower-income persons received dental radiograph types that were consistent with less comprehensive dental treatment, even with entry into the dental care system, reason(s) for incident dental visit(s), baseline clinical status, and regular versus problem-oriented attendance taken into account.
The Use of Embryonic Stem Cells and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Elucidating alterations in gene expression and cell signaling is essential for understanding the molecular basis for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Transcriptomic differences, which affect cell function, increase the risk for development of PAH. The use of animal models of disease and studies of end stage PAH tissue samples has significantly furthered the progress in human PAH research over the last century; however, both experimental sources have major limitations including end stage disease and limited translation to human patients. The ongoing challenge is to translate these findings into patient therapies. The ability to validate transformative therapies will require human tissue and cells, a limited resource under the best of circumstances. This need to study disease in multiple cell and tissue types has fostered significant interest in the use of modified embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model lung disease. These cells provide an alternative for studying the initiation and genetic basis of disease processes in both heritable and idiopathic PAH. In this Chapter, we will focus on the use of murine ESCs and murine and patient-derived iPSCs in pulmonary vascular disease research as a model for PAH.
Exploration of the P1 SAR of aldehyde cathepsin K inhibitors.

The synthesis and biological activity of a series of aldehyde inhibitors of cathepsin K are reported. Exploration of the properties of the S2 and S3 subsites with a series of carbamate derivatized norleucine aldehydes substituted at the P2 and P3 positions afforded analogs with cathepsin K IC50s between 600 nM and 130 pM.
Multi-Variate Designed Experiments for Development of a Wing Weight Surrogate Model

An inferential-based statistical analysis is employed using Design of Experiments (DoX) that is applied to a 10-parameter nonlinear wing weight model. An equivalent surrogate model is developed that is just as accurate but more efficient than the original model. Several DoX design candidates were evaluated, with the five-factor, ½-fractional factorial augmented with center points selected as the final design. Only five (5) of the original 10 variables in the wing weight model “drive” the results, with the other five (5) variables adding no value. Compared to an exhaustive, enumerated search, the surrogate model resulted in a 98% reduction in the number of evaluations required to produce the optimized weight to within 1% of the full model. If properly implemented, statistically-based DoX can dramatically reduce the number of trials required to adequately characterize a system’s behavior and performance with minimal impact on the accuracy and precision of the results.
Evaluation of a mucoadhesive fenretinide patch for local intraoral delivery: a strategy to reintroduce fenretinide for oral cancer chemoprevention.

Systemic delivery of fenretinide in oral cancer chemoprevention trials has been largely unsuccessful due to dose-limiting toxicities and subtherapeutic intraoral drug levels. Local drug delivery, however, provides site-specific therapeutically relevant levels while minimizing systemic exposure. These studies evaluated the pharmacokinetic and growth-modulatory parameters of fenretinide mucoadhesive patch application on rabbit buccal mucosa. Fenretinide and blank-control patches were placed on right/left buccal mucosa, respectively, in eight rabbits (30 min, q.d., 10 days). No clinical or histological deleterious effects occurred. LC-MS/MS analyses of post-treatment samples revealed a delivery gradient with highest fenretinide levels achieved at the patch-mucosal interface (no metabolites), pharmacologically active levels in fenretinide-treated oral mucosa (mean: 5.65 μM; trace amounts of 4-oxo-4-HPR) and undetectable sera levels. Epithelial markers for cell proliferation (Ki-67), terminal differentiation (transglutaminase 1-TGase1) and glucuronidation (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase1A1-UGT1A1) exhibited fenretinide concentration-specific relationships (elevated TGase1 and UGT1A1 levels 5 μM) relative to blank-treated epithelium. All fenretinide-treated tissues showed significantly increased intraepithelial apoptosis (TUNEL) positivity, implying activation of intersecting apoptotic and differentiation pathways. Human oral mucosal correlative studies showed substantial interdonor variations in levels of the enzyme (cytochrome P450 3A4-CYP3A4) responsible for conversion of fenretinide to its highly active metabolite, 4-oxo-4-HPR. Complementary in vitro assays in human oral keratinocytes revealed fenretinide and 4-oxo-4-HPR's preferential suppression of DNA synthesis in dysplastic as opposed to normal oral keratinocytes. Collectively, these data showed that mucoadhesive patch-mediated fenretinide delivery is a viable strategy to reintroduce a compound known to induce keratinocyte differentiation to human oral cancer chemoprevention trials.
Old Laws, New Strategies: Continuity and Change in the Labor Politics of Brazil and Mexico

Within Latin America, the Brazilian and Mexican legal frameworks for labor represent two ends of a spectrum: the former is extremely conservative, while the latter is remarkably progressive. Political changes in the two countries have led to a current labor-friendly climate in Brazil and a labor-unfriendly climate in Mexico. In both cases, there have been initiatives - from different sides - to modify the labor code. Although some changes have been implemented, no major law reforms have passed in either country. While the legal framework is important enough for actors to push for revision, labor practices have evolved beyond legal constraints - and in different directions in the cases under study. This paper undertakes two objectives: (1) trace continuity and change in the Brazilian and Mexican labor codes; (2) describe the innovative strategies used by Brazilian labor actors to circumvent legal challenges and the restrictions that Mexican labor actors face in applying the provisions of the labor code.
Potential of Telemedicine in Pediatric Primary Care

1. Kenneth M. McConnochie, MD, MPH* 1. *Professor of Pediatrics and Director, Health-e-Access Telemedicine Program, The University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY Invalidating assumptions about space and time, telemedicine holds profound implications for health care. Much about the current structure and organization of health services reflects the assumption that patient and clinician must be in the same place at the same time. Yet telemedicine commonly eliminates geography as a barrier to access, and much exchange of information need not occur synchronously. The potential for specific telemedicine applications to enable quality health care has been demonstrated using commercially available technology. The opportunity for children, families, and primary care pediatricians to gain from the access and effectiveness proffered by telemedicine hinges on its acceptance and adoption in the health-care system. Adoption, in turn, depends on successful organizational innovation, especially reimbursement from insurance organizations. This discussion emphasizes the potential benefits of telemedicine in primary care pediatric practice and the challenge of integrating this tool into that setting. In our view, the greatest promise for benefiting children and families lies in integrating telemedicine into primary care. Telemedicine is defined by the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) as “the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications for the health and education of the patient or healthcare provider and for the purpose of improving patient care.” Although encompassing many applications beyond our purview (eg, teledermatology, telepathology, educational teleconferences, telecardiology, telemental health, virtual critical care units), (1) this broad definition is notable from the perspective of the primary care pediatrician because it rightfully includes practice via telephone. From a clinical perspective, telephone practice and more advanced forms of telemedicine are close kin because a required competency for both is the ability to judge whether available information is sufficient for diagnosis and management. As in telephone practice, the need to refer to a traditional, in-person care setting for hands-on, laboratory, or imaging evaluation is always …
Privacy-Preserving Biometric Identification Using Secure Multiparty Computation: An Overview and Recent Trends

This article presents a tutorial overview of the application of techniques of secure two-party computation (also known as secure function evaluation) to biometric identification. These techniques enable to compute biometric identification algorithms while maintaining the privacy of the biometric data. This overview considers the main tools of secure two-party computations such as homomorphic encryption, garbled circuits (GCs), and oblivious transfers (OTs) and intends to give clues on the best practices to secure a biometric identification protocol. It also presents recent trends in privacy-preserving biometric identification that aim at making it usable in real-life applications.
Materials synthesis, electrochemical characterization and oxygen permeation properties of Fe-doped BaZrO3

Abstract This paper reports the synthesis, materials characterization, electrochemical and transport properties under O 2 -environments of an iron-doped barium zirconate perovskite (Ba 0.90 Fe 0.10 Zr 0.90 O 3 −δ or BZF10), a mixed ionic-electronic conductor (MIEC). BZF10 powder was synthesized by solid-state reaction of the binary oxides and characterized using synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD). Analysis of the XRD patterns indicated the presence in the powder of a primary cubic perovskite phase with a lattice parameter 4.19 A. The actual composition of the powder was measured using proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The powder was pressed and sintered into pellets and the fracture cross-section was then investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM analysis indicates a polycrystalline structure and the electron-diffraction pattern confirms the XRD results. The pellets, with attached electrodes, were investigated for electrochemical activity under dry oxidizing atmosphere using a combination of electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the range of 600–800 °C and oxygen permeability between 600–900 °C. ECR indicates that both the chemical diffusion coefficient D V and the surface kinetic parameter k′ increase with increasing pO 2 . EIS suggests a primarily p-type semiconduction behavior explaining the dependence of electrical conductivity upon oxygen partial pressure. Separate gas permeation measurements confirm an oxygen permeability of 4.11 × 10 − 11 mol/(m · s · Pa). BZF10 materials showed superior stability during the whole study (> 1000 h on stream).
Structural Characterization of the Viral and cRNA Panhandle Motifs from the Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus

ABSTRACT Infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV) has emerged as a virus of great concern to the aquaculture industry since it can lead to highly contagious and lethal infections in farm-raised salmon populations. While little is known about the transcription/replication cycle of ISAV, initial evidence suggests that it follows molecular mechanisms similar to those found in other orthomyxoviruses, which include the highly pathogenic influenza A (inf A) virus. During the life cycle of orthomyxoviruses, a panhandle structure is formed by the pairing of the conserved 5′ and 3′ ends of each genomic RNA. This structural motif serves both as a promoter of the viral RNA (vRNA)-dependent RNA polymerase and as a regulatory element in the transcription/replication cycle. As a first step toward characterizing the structure of the ISAV panhandle, here we have determined the secondary structures of the vRNA and the cRNA panhandles on the basis of solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and thermal melting data. The vRNA panhandle is distinguished by three noncanonical U·G pairs and one U·U pair in two stem helices that are linked by a highly stacked internal loop. For the cRNA panhandle, a contiguous stem helix with a protonated C·A pair near the terminus and tandem downstream U·U pairs was found. The observed noncanonical base pairs and base stacking features of the ISAV RNA panhandle motif provide the first insight into structural features that may govern recognition by the viral RNA polymerase.
Kinetics of carbon oxidation from fly ash

Abstract Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and evolved gas mass spectroscopy were used to study the kinetics of carbon oxidation from a Class-F fly ash. A multi-process ignition loss schema is presented wherein carbon combustion is modeled as a series or discrete independent reactions. These processes were studied at temperatures up to 1000 °C (1832 °F), for oxygen partial pressures between 0.05 and 0.50 and for heating rates between 5 and 40 °C/min (9–72 °F/min). The results show that carbon combustion can be modeled by a series of at least three processes; the weights (fractions) of which are a function of temperature and not a function of oxygen partial pressure. Such detailed combustion kinetics are relevant for the post processing of fly ash to produce materials suitable for use as concrete admixtures or in the manufacture of sintered artificial aggregate or similar densified structures based on fly ash. Such are low temperature, low heating rate processes relative to coal combustion power generation applications.
Partial breakdown of the tunnel oxide in floating gate devices

Abstract The reliability of thin oxide used for charge tunneling in the erase/program operation of floating gate devices, e.g. EEPROM, is examined. It is frequently observed in the simulated Erase operation that the oxide can break down partially, which implies localized physical damage and oxide thinning at and/or near the anode, i.e. the interface, before a complete breakdown occurs. After the partial breakdown, the negative-gate-biased Fowler-Nordheim tunneling current essentially arises at a lower gate bias, with the shifted amount depending on the degree of oxide thinning. In contrast, the positive-gate-biased characteristic exhibits a more drastic change, usually similar to an electric short, obviously due to the combining effect of field enhancement, lower barrier and high density of charge traps near the damaged site.
A comparison of in situ bottom pressure array measurements with GRACE estimates in the Kuroshio Extension

[1] Ocean bottom pressure estimates from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) have been validated by comparisons with an array of in situ bottom pressure measurements. The 600 km by 600 km array comprised 46 bottom pressure sensors that were part of the Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS). Validations in other ocean regions have been limited by available data to pointwise bottom pressure measurements. Spatially-averaged monthly-mean bottom pressure over the KESS array is highly correlated with GRACE bottom pressure estimated at the center of the array. The correlations are nearly equally high for three standard choices of spatial smoothing radius applied to GRACE estimates, 300, 500, and 750 km. In contrast, pointwise comparisons between GRACE and individual bottom pressures are high or low in sub-regions of KESS, depending partially upon the local variance of deep mesoscale eddies whose energetic length scales are shorter than 300 km. KESS is a suitable validation experiment for the GRACE estimates at monthly scales with 300 to 750 km spatial radius of smoothing.
The effect of starvation on acquisition of competence and post-metamorphic performance in the marine prosobranch gastropod Crepidula fornicata (L.)

The duration of the precompetent period of development determines the obligate dispersal period for larvae of many benthic marine invertebrate species. This study considers the extent to which the onset of metamorphic competence in the gastropod Crepidula fornicata (L.) is controlled by growth rate or the attainment of a critical, threshold size. Precompetent larvae of C. fornicata were starved in filtered seawater for up to 6 days at 25 °C and subsequently tested for competence by 5 h exposures to 20 mM excess K+ in seawater. Control larvae were reared in excess phytoplankton suspension (Isochrysis galbana, clone T-ISO) and tested for metamorphic competence concurrently with starved individuals. Even though larvae stopped growing (and in fact lost up to 37% of their initial ash-free dry weight) after being transferred to filtered seawater, many individuals became competent to metamorphose while being starved. These results suggest an allocation of limited energy stores to differentiation rather than to growth, and clearly indicate that the onset of metamorphic competence is not size-dependent and does not depend on growth for larvae of this species. Metamorphosed juveniles grew more slowly if they had been starved as larvae, indicating a link between larval nutritional experience and post-metamorphic performance.
Improving Preschool Classroom Processes: Preliminary Findings from a Randomized Trial Implemented in Head Start Settings.

A primary aim of the Chicago School Readiness Project was to improve teachers’ emotionally supportive classroom practices in Head Start-funded preschool settings. Using a clustered randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, the Chicago School Readiness Project randomly assigned a treatment versus control condition to 18 Head Start sites, which included 35 classrooms led by 94 teachers who served 602 children. Teachers in the treatment condition were invited to participate in behavior management training and their classrooms were visited weekly by mental health consultants who “coached” teachers as they implemented behavior management strategies. Estimation of hierarchical linear models revealed that the multi-component intervention provided statistically significant benefits: Head Start classrooms randomized to the treatment condition were found to have statistically significantly higher levels of positive classroom climate, teacher sensitivity, and behavior management than were classrooms in the control condition (with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.52 to 0.89). Discussion of these findings reflects on policy implications and future research.
The Management of Localized Articular Cartilage Lesions of the Humeral Head in the Athlete

Localized articular cartilage lesions of the humeral head can be a source of persistent pain and functional decline in patients who have failed conservative treatment measures. Many are younger, active patients who pose a challenging management decision for surgeons. The goals of treatment should focus on maintaining humeral bone stock, restoring the contour of the articular surface, minimizing soft-tissue disruption, and relieving symptoms. There has been a trend toward humeral resurfacing arthroplasty and away from stemmed components over the past few decades for younger patients potentially requiring future revision surgery. More recently, the HemiCAP resurfacing system (Arthrosurface, Franklin, MA) has been used for localized defects in patients with Hill-Sachs and reverse Hill-Sachs lesions, avascular necrosis, focal chondral defects, and humeral head osteoarthritis. Early, short-term outcome results of the HemiCAP system are encouraging. In this article, we describe our technique for management of localized articular cartilage defects of the humeral head using the HemiCAP resurfacing system.
Near-hanging injury

Summary Near-hanging injury results in multisystem insult and injury. Acute or delayed respiratory complications can result in death. A survivor can suffer neuropsychiatric sequelae ranging from amnesia to a prolonged vegetative state. Treatment is directed toward ensuring cerebral oxygenation, lowering increased intracranial pressure, and treating respiratory distress. Psychiatric consultation will be necessary in long-term survivors. Patients should be observed for at least 24 hours after a near-hanging injury.
EFFECTS OF BODY WEIGHT ON PARTITIONING OF AVAILABLE ENERGY TO FAT AND LEAN GAINS AND ON PARTIAL EFFICIENCIES

A method to study the effects of body weight on partitioning of available energy for growth (MEA) to fat and lean-tissue gains and on partial energetic efficiencies is proposed. A system of two simultaneous non-linear equations was used to calculate fat gain (FG) and lean gain (LG) as a function of MEA and body weight. The partial efficiencies for FG and LG were estimated from data obtained from energy-balance trials on pigs with body weights ranging from 20 to 80 kg. The results showed that the efficiency for FG is constant at 72% for all pigs; however, the efficiency for lean-tissue gain decreases from 55.5% for pigs at 20 kg to 49.9% for pigs at 80 kg. The results also showed that at a given level of energy intake, the older animal utilizes more of its available energy for fat synthesis.
Expression, regulation, and function of P2X4purinergic receptor in human cervical epithelial cells

Micromolar concentrations of ATP stimulate biphasic change in transepithelial conductance across CaSki cultures on filters, an acute transient increase (phase I response; triggered by P2Y2receptor ...
THE RÔLE OF THE DISCUS ARTICULARIS IN COLLES' FRACTURE

The function of the discus articularis is to stabilize the inferior radio-ulnar joint. This ligament may be injured in Colles' fracture. This complication requires a different technique of reduction and immobilization. Failure to recognize the injury definitely jeopardizes a favorable prognosis.
Tracing the Growth of U.S. Air Power and the Aircraft Involved

The first acknowledged flight of a manned, powered aircraft took place in the United States in 1903. However, several years went by before the airplane was recognized and accepted in the U.S. as having any practical applications. Then in 1907, the U.S. military recognized aviation with the establishment of an Aeronautical Division in the U.S.Army Signal Corps. The U.S. Navy acknowledged a role for aviation in 1910. U.S. airpower was in its infancy when World War I broke out in Europe. Following the war, however, the U.S. airpower began to grow rapidly based on the lessons learned and on new techno logy. This paper traces the development of some of the aircraft involved in the growth of U.S. air power over the first century of its existence. The paper will consider many of these airplanes with a view toward the relation of aerodynamic research findin gs and the requirements for effective airpower. The research findings will be drawn from that conducted at the NACA/NASA aeronautical laboratories since the early 1920’s. The paper also draws on the experience of the author who for over 65 years was involv ed in aerodynamic research with the NACA/NASA. I. Introduction HE U.S. was slow to adapt to the use of aircraft in the early !900’s because there was no apparent market for such a vehicle. At that time it is likely that the general public was more attracted by the automobile than by the airplane. In fact, the Ford Motor Company was organized in 1903 – the same year as the Wright Brothers successful flight at Kitty Hawk. While there was little activity related to aircraft in the U.S. in the early 1900’s, there was a considerable amount of activity in European countries. It was this disparity that was to lead to events in the U.S. that would alleviate the di fference in the growth of aviation between the U.S. and the rest of the world. These events included acceptance of the airplane as a part of the military; the creation of aeronautical research facilities; the establishment of an aircraft industry; and an increase in the education and training of personnel in the field of aeronautics. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss the influence of these events on the establishment of military aviation and to trace the subsequent growth of U. S. airpower.
Alpha Decay of No 255 and No 257

The $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decay of $^{255}\mathrm{No}$ and $^{257}\mathrm{No}$ produced by $^{249}\mathrm{Cf}(^{12}\mathrm{C},\ensuremath{\alpha}2n)^{255}\mathrm{No}$ and $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}(^{13}\mathrm{C},4n)^{257}\mathrm{No}$ reactions, respectively, has been studied. Five $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle groups with energies and intensities 8.30 (3%), 8.25 (6%), 8.11 (57%), 7.92 (19%), and 7.76 MeV (15%) were assigned to $^{255}\mathrm{No}$; and three $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle groups with energies 8.32, 8.27, and 8.22 MeV to $^{257}\mathrm{No}$. The half-lives of $^{255}\mathrm{No}$ and $^{257}\mathrm{No}$ were measured to be 200\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10 and 26 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 2 sec, respectively. The decay schemes of $^{255}\mathrm{No}$ and $^{257}\mathrm{No}$ are discussed.
Differences in Intestinal Calcium and Phosphate Transport between Low and High Bone Density Mice

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are differences in intestinal Ca and phosphate transport in mice having different peak bone densities. Intestinal transport was measured in ...
Identification of multi-modal plasma responses to applied magnetic perturbations using the plasma reluctance

Using the plasma reluctance, the Ideal Perturbed Equilibrium Code is able to efficiently identify the structure of multi-modal magnetic plasma response measurements and the corresponding impact on plasma performance in the DIII-D tokamak. Recent experiments demonstrated that multiple kink modes of comparable amplitudes can be driven by applied nonaxisymmetric fields with toroidal mode number n = 2. This multi-modal response is in good agreement with ideal magnetohydrodynamic models, but detailed decompositions presented here show that the mode structures are not fully described by either the least stable modes or the resonant plasma response. This work identifies the measured response fields as the first eigenmodes of the plasma reluctance, enabling clear diagnosis of the plasma modes and their impact on performance from external sensors. The reluctance shows, for example, how very stable modes compose a significant portion of the multi-modal plasma response field and that these stable modes drive significant resonant current. This work is an overview of the first experimental applications using the reluctance to interpret the measured response and relate it to multifaceted physics, aimed towards providing the foundation of understanding needed to optimize nonaxisymmetric fields for independent control of stability and transport.
Expression of bcl-2 and p16 Proteins in Astrocytomas and its Significance

To investigate the expression of bcl2 and p16 proteins in human astrocytomasFortyfive astrocytoma specimens were studied by SP method with monoclonal antibody against bcl2 and p16 proteins30 cases were bcl2 positive(positive rate 6667%),and there was no significant relation between the positive expression of bcl2 and the grade of astrocytoma22 cases were p16 positive(4889%),lower than that in nontumor brain tissues,and p16 positive rate was lower in high grade gliomas than that in low grade onesThere was no significant relation among the expression of bcl2 and p16[Conclusion]The bcl2 and p16 gene might be involved in tumorigenesis and development of astrocytomas,and they might play roles independently
High-precision Harmonic Analysis Method Based on Improved Neural Network

The high accuracy of the fundamental frequency was obtained using filter and Newton interpolation algorithm.And then harmonic was measured using the improved linear artificial neural network method.The exam-ples were shown in harmonic analysis with the method.Simulation results showed that:under the circumstances of power system frequency’s fluctuation,it still could get accurate information about the harmonic parameters,whose accuracy was far higher than the FFT algorithm and FFT algorithm with the Hanning window,which had certain val-ue in harmonic analysis of power system.
Using Templated Agarose Scaffolds to Promote Axon Regeneration Through Sites of Spinal Cord Injury

The past 30 years of research in spinal cord injury (SCI) have revealed that, under certain conditions, some types of axons are able to regenerate. To aid these axons in bridging the lesion site, many experimenters place cellular grafts at the lesion. However, to increase the potential for functional recovery, it is likely advantageous to maximize the number of axons that reach the intact spinal cord on the other side of the lesion. Implanting linear-channeled scaffolds at the lesion site provides growing axons with linear growth paths, which minimizes the distance they must travel to reach healthy tissue. Moreover, the linear channels help the regenerating axons maintain the correct mediolateral and dorsoventral position in the spinal cord, which may also improve functional recovery by keeping the axons nearer to their correct targets. Here, we provide a protocol to perform a full spinal cord transection in rats that accommodates an implanted scaffold.
Pediatric occipitocervical fusion: long-term radiographic changes in curvature, growth, and alignment

OBJECTIVE The authors assessed the rate of vertebral growth, curvature, and alignment for multilevel constructs in the cervical spine after occipitocervical fixation (OCF) in pediatric patients and compared these results with those in published reports of growth in normal children. METHODS The authors assessed cervical spine radiographs and CT images of 18 patients who underwent occipitocervical arthrodesis. Measurements were made using postoperative and follow-up images available for 16 patients to determine cervical alignment (cervical spine alignment [CSA], C1-7 sagittal vertical axis [SVA], and C2-7 SVA) and curvature (cervical spine curvature [CSC] and C2-7 lordosis angle). Seventeen patients had postoperative and follow-up images available with which to measure vertebral body height (VBH), vertebral body width (VBW), and vertical growth percentage (VG%-that is, percentage change from postoperative to follow-up). Results for cervical spine growth were compared with normal parameters of 456 patients previously reported on in 2 studies. RESULTS Ten patients were girls and 8 were boys; their mean age was 6.7 ± 3.2 years. Constructs spanned occiput (Oc)-C2 (n = 2), Oc-C3 (n = 7), and Oc-C4 (n = 9). The mean duration of follow-up was 44.4 months (range 24-101 months). Comparison of postoperative to follow-up measures showed that the mean CSA increased by 1.8 ± 2.9 mm (p < 0.01); the mean C2-7 SVA and C1-7 SVA increased by 2.3 mm and 2.7 mm, respectively (p = 0.3); the mean CSC changed by -8.7° (p < 0.01) and the mean C2-7 lordosis angle changed by 2.6° (p = 0.5); and the cumulative mean VG% of the instrumented levels (C2-4) provided 51.5% of the total cervical growth (C2-7). The annual vertical growth rate was 4.4 mm/year. The VBW growth from C2-4 ranged from 13.9% to 16.6% (p < 0.001). The VBW of C-2 in instrumented patients appeared to be of a smaller diameter than that of normal patients, especially among those aged 5 to < 10 years and 10-15 years, with an increased diameter at the immediately inferior vertebral bodies compensating for the decreased width. No cervical deformation, malalignment, or detrimental clinical status was evident in any patient. CONCLUSIONS The craniovertebral junction and the upper cervical spine continue to present normal growth, curvature, and alignment parameters in children with OCF constructs spanning a distance as long as Oc-C4.
Characterization of isolated, uncomplicated neutropenia–related to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib.

2547 Background: Palbociclib (P), an oral, selective, reversible CDK4/6 inhibitor induces transient G1 arrest in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC), without DNA damage or apoptosis in precl...
La unificación del lenguaje como dispositivo de resistencia en La guaracha del Macho Camacho (1976), de Luis Rafael Sánchez

This article discusses how literary, linguistic, and grammatical canons are violated in La Guaracha del Macho Camacho. Its overall objective is to show that language has been used as a mechanism of resistance against hegemonic groups as it questions their position in Puerto Rican society. To achieve this objective, we propose three secondary objectives: first, identify the contradiction in the context of Puerto Rico between the social values proposed by the United States and those held on the island; second, explain the “anti-national” nature of the novel to the extent that it does not portray a single language but rather reflects the diglossia of street language; and, third, illustrate the use of Bakhtin’s concept of hybridization as a mechanism of construction of a linguistic register thatis different from its component parts. The article concludes that Sanchez’s text criticizes the ruling class of Puerto Rican society by vulgarizing it and making it as common as the lower classes, with whom they have no noticeable differences (at least in this text).
Decreasing postoperative narcotics in reconstructive pelvic surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Background Postoperative pain control is crucial to any successful recovery plan. Many currently used medication regimens are narcotic-focused. Objective The objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of a multimodal pain regimen after pelvic reconstructive surgery. Study Design The primary outcome measure was narcotic use. Secondary outcomes included pain, nausea, and constipation. Patients were randomized to either usual care postoperative treatment or multimodal pain regimen. Usual care included no specific preoperative or intraoperative medications, and postoperative narcotics with ibuprofen. Multimodal pain regimen included preoperative and postoperative celecoxib, gabapentin, intraoperative and postoperative intravenous and oral acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and narcotics as needed. All narcotics were converted to milligram equivalents of oral morphine for standardization according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines where conversion factors for oral hydrocodone = 1, oral oxycodone = 1.5, and oral hydromorphone = 4. Patients were given the validated Brief Pain Inventory survey preoperatively (baseline), at postoperative day 1, and 1 week postoperatively. At 1 week, bowel function and narcotics usage was assessed. Results Seventy patients were randomized to the usual care arm and 68 to the multimodal pain regimen arm. Patients in the multimodal pain regimen arm used significantly fewer intravenous narcotics in the operating room (90.7 ± 39.1 mg vs 104.6 ± 33.5 mg; P = .026) and while in the hospital (10.8 ± 15.1 mg vs 31.2 ± 29.6 mg; P P = .001). Of the patients who did use oral narcotics after discharge to home, there was no difference in amount used between groups (121.3 ± 103.7 mg in the multimodal pain regimen arm vs 153.0 ± 113.8 mg in the usual care arm; P = .139). Total narcotic usage (operating room + hospital + home) was significantly less in the multimodal pain regimen arm of the study (195.5 ± 147.2 mg vs 304.0 ± 162.1 mg; P Conclusion A multimodal pain regimen in pelvic reconstructive surgery was found to decrease postoperative opioid requirements, while providing equivalent pain control.
The Role of Non-pore-Forming β Subunits in Physiology and Pathophysiology of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels

Voltage-gated sodium channel β1 and β2 subunits were discovered as auxiliary proteins that co-purify with pore-forming α subunits in brain. The other family members, β1B, β3, and β4, were identified by homology and shown to modulate sodium current in heterologous systems. Work over the past 2 decades, however, has provided strong evidence that these proteins are not simply ancillary ion channel subunits, but are multifunctional signaling proteins in their own right, playing both conducting (channel modulatory) and nonconducting roles in cell signaling. Here, we discuss evidence that sodium channel β subunits not only regulate sodium channel function and localization but also modulate voltage-gated potassium channels. In their nonconducting roles, VGSC β subunits function as immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecules that modulate brain development by influencing cell proliferation and migration, axon outgrowth, axonal fasciculation, and neuronal pathfinding. Mutations in genes encoding β subunits are linked to paroxysmal diseases including epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia, and sudden infant death syndrome. Finally, β subunits may be targets for the future development of novel therapeutics.
Gender differences in expression of drug transporter genes in human livers: Microarray and real-time PCR analysis

B34 Membrane transporters and ion channels are encoded by numerous gene families. These genes code for a number of proteins involved in many physiologic processes, such as lipid transport, sterol homeostasis, immune mechanisms and drug transport. Gender differences in adverse drug reactions have been reported with a number of chemotherapeutic drugs suggesting a possible role for drug transporters. Using Illumina Human Whole-Genome beadchips (Human-6-v1), males (50) and females (52) age- matched liver samples were analyzed for differentially expressed genes according to gender. Microarray filtered analysis identified 1,640 genes differentially expressed according to gender. Of the 1,640 genes, 26 were molecular transporters. Seventeen genes from the solute carrier (SLC) family (SLC30A1, 43A1, 31A2, 31A1, 35F5, 43A1, 4A1AP, 5A10, 5A6, 6A16, 9A1, 10A1,16A11, 22A12, 22A2, 22A9 25A13 and SLCO1B1) and three from the ATP-binding (ABC) family (ABCA5, ABCB6 and ACCN4) were differentially expressed between genders. Other transporters that were differentially expressed were OST beta, ATP7B, KCNK5, TRPC4AP, KCNJ8 and ATP2B2. Real-time PCR analyses validated the microarray results and further showed, in addition to expression by gender, intra-individual differences within gender. The ABC and SLC transporters mediate energy-dependent drug efflux and uptake, therefore playing a major role in chemoresistance and pharmacokinetic disposition of drugs. Gender differences in adverse reactions to certain drugs could be attributed to differences in transporters expression. Knowledge of gender differences in expression may, thereby, be a key component in ensuring optimal patient outcome.
Empowered Guinea Pigs: Stories of Cross-Disciplinary Projects in an Experimental Educational Software Design Course

This chapter tells the story of an educational software design course through reflections written by the instructor and student coauthors throughout the semester. The course design was inspired by the instructor’s experiences in a software design and development team. Driven by struggles in educational software’s rapid growth, the course focused on the design (i.e., learner analysis, prototyping, and testing) using a project-based pedagogy. With students from a wide variety of backgrounds, learning is focused on the educational software creation process in parallel with analyzing needs and designing software for real clients in multidisciplinary teams. To understand the experience of the course, the authors wrote and analyzed reflections about their experience in the course.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy for palliative management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in elderly and medically inoperable patients

// John F. Ryan 1 , Lauren M. Rosati 1 , Vincent P. Groot 2 , Dung T. Le 3 , Lei Zheng 3 , Daniel A. Laheru 3 , Eun J. Shin 3 , Juan Jackson 1 , Joseph Moore 1 , Amol K. Narang 1 and Joseph M. Herman 1, 4 1 Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA 2 Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA 3 Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA 4 Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA Correspondence to: Joseph M. Herman, email: JMHerman@mdanderson.org Keywords: stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT); palliative care; pancreatic cancer; radiation; elderly Received: November 07, 2017 Accepted: March 02, 2018 Published: March 27, 2018 ABSTRACT Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) represents a promising treatment option for patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who cannot tolerate surgical therapy. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with localized PDAC treated with SBRT at our institution between 2010 and 2016 to identify patients deemed medically inoperable due to poor performance status, advanced age, and/or comorbid conditions. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and local progression-free survival (LPFS) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Twenty-nine patients were included. Median age was 74 (IQR 68-79). Thirteen patients (45%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2. Six patients (19%) had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 9 (31%) had cardiovascular disease, and 17 (58%) had diabetes mellitus. SBRT was delivered over 5 fractions to a median dose of 28 Gy (IQR, 25-33). Twenty-two patients (76%) received induction chemotherapy prior to SBRT, and 9 (31%) received maintenance chemotherapy after SBRT. Median OS was 13 months from diagnosis. Median OS and PFS were 8 and 6 months from SBRT, respectively. Six and 12-month LPFS rates were 91% and 78%, respectively. Patients receiving induction chemotherapy had superior survival from diagnosis than those who did not (14 vs. 7 months, p = 0.01). Three patients (10%) experienced acute grade ≥3 toxicity, and 1 patient (4%) experienced grade ≥3 late toxicity. Symptom relief was achieved at three-month follow-up in 8 of 11 patients (73%) experiencing abdominal pain. These results suggest SBRT may be safe and effective for patients who cannot tolerate surgery.
Research And Information Systems

It is well known that information systems and technology can facilitate innovation in organizations. For example, companies in the automotive industry are leveraging product lifecycle management systems and advanced information technologies such as automated product design and testing tools, digital simulation and visualization, knowledge repositories of best practices, and collaboration tools linking globally distributed design teams. These technologies are revolutionizing the automotive product development process, facilitating the development of novel products, significantly reducing product development time and eliminating inconsistencies in product design, creation, and production (Rosencrance 2002).