cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
7003 Safety, efficacy and hemodynamic effects of diagnostic laparoscopy (lap) for the evaluation of liver diseases using conscious sedation (cs).

Background: Lap examination of the liver is used as an elective procedure to stage chronic liver diseases and intra-abdominal neoplasias. Hemodynamic variations in pulse(P), blood pressure(BP), and oxygen saturation(O 2 sat), are expected during minimally invasive surgical procedures using CS. The extension of these changes during Lap and their clinical significance remain unclear. AIM: Evaluate hemodynamic variations during Lap, and the correlation of Lap findings with liver histology(Hx). Patients and Methods: Pts undergoing Lap were prospectively evaluated from January to November 99. Lap was performed in the GI station using CS with meperidine and midazolam. Pneumoperitoneum was created using nitrous oxide. Pts received O 2 via nasal cannula 2L/min. P, BP and O 2 sat were recorded pre, intra and at the end of the Lap. Post-Lap monitoring was performed for 1 hour in the GI suite. Pts were then admitted for 23-hour observation. Results: 75 males, 53 females, mean age 55 (27-84) were studied. Lap indications: HCV in 65, staging cancer in 28, abnormal liver chemistries in 7, AIH in 6, liver masses in 6, PBC in 5, HBV in 4, cryptogenic cirrhosis in 3, NASH in 2, polycystic disease in 1, and granulomatous hepatitis in 1; 36 pts had platelet count 3 . All pts had normal prothrombin time. Biopsies were performed in 93pts. Lap findings: irregular surface in 39, cholestasis in 5, cirrhosis in 31, normal liver in 48, polycystic liver in 1 and liver metastasis in 4. The mean Lap duration was 32 minutes (14-74 min). Mean meperidine and midazolam doses were 56mg (0-150) and 2.8mg (0-13) respectively. No significant changes were observed in diastolic BP or O 2 sat. The systolic BP decreased from 141 pre- Lap to 136 mmHg post-Lap (p=0.00039). P significantly increased from 74 pre-Lap to 79 bpm end-Lap (p=0.000003). Systolic BP and P changes returned to baseline in the first hour post-Lap. There were no complications. All pts were discharged within 24 hours. Lap liver surface findings correlated with Hx fibrosis (p=0.00093) and detected 9 pts with cirrhosis not diagnosed by Hx. Conclusion: A mild but statistically significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and increase in pulse were observed during Lap. These hemodynamic changes returned to baseline within 1 hour post-Lap. Lap findings correlated with histologic fibrosis and increased the detection of cirrhosis. Lap using conscious sedation is safe and effective in the diagnosis of liver diseases.
Notes on Reading a Text: A Response to R. Leeson

(1994). Notes on Reading a Text: A Response to R. Leeson. History of Economics Review: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 83-93.
Synthesis of Tröger's base derived ligands: PHZ-derivatized ligand with pendant donor arms

Abstract A cyclic diamine ligand whose core structure was derived from Troger's base, and included additional pendant arms containing ancillary donor coordination sites was prepared and coordination with transition metals attempted.
Troubling Positionality: Politics of “Studying Up” in Transnational Contexts

Drawing on research conducted in India's software industry in Bangalore, this article explores the multiple positionalities of differently situated people in the project—state officials, software firm managers and owners, software professionals, and researcher as critic. Challenging conventional notions of positionality centered on individual scholars' negotiations of their own identities, I trace the institutional, geopolitical, and social relations within which all participants are embedded. I argue that moments of tension and uncertainty are not just symbolic of multiple positionalities of both researcher and researched but also indicate the fraught nature of information technology–led development in neoliberal India. This article thus provides a particular opportunity to trouble notions of power, positionality, reflexivity, and feminist commitment to untangling the politics of knowledge production while “studying up” in transnational contexts.
X-Ray Spectroscopic Measurements of Non-Equilibrium Ionization in Supernova Remnants

When a cool plasma is shock-heated to X-ray temperatures, the ionization structure does not attain its final, equilibrium value immmediately, but proceeds toward it through electron-ion collisions with a timescale τ ≡ n e t of order 10 12 cm −3 sec. For supernova remnants (SNRs), where 0.1 ≤ n e ≤ 10 cm −3 typically, the time required to achieve collisional ionization equilibrium (CIE) can be greater than the age of the remnant. Even if the SNR is quite old, that part of the remnant which is emitting most of the X-rays may have been shocked relatively recently, so that the assumption of CIE may be inappropriate (see below). The question of ionization equilibrium is of great astrophysical importance in the study of SNRs because it affects the deduced values of their masses and elemental abundances (e.g. Shull 1982). Mass determinations are affected because underionized plasma generally has a much higher emissivity in soft X-rays than equilibrium plasma. Unless this is accounted for, the deduced value of the density and therefore of the mass, will be considerably overestimated.
Passing time with the Staffordshire Hoard

The materials of the Staffordshire Hoard – garnets, gold, and even the soil that clings to the fragmented pieces of metalwork – have long histories in both time and place. An examination of this material ecology makes plain the co-presence of the past, the radical instability of things, and our own implication in the work of history; it also raises questions about what we leave out of romanticized art historical narratives, including histories of violence, both human and environmental. The history of the Hoard is a time of composition, decomposition, and recomposition; ultimately, the history of the Hoard is glimpsed only in pieces.
Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of Cp*Rh(III) complexes having functional N,O chelate ligands

Abstract Cp*Rh(III) complexes 1a and 1b (Cp* = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) having functional N,O chelate ligands have been synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Reactivity of these complexes has been investigated towards dehydrogenation of alcohols and hydrogenation of ketones. It was found that these compounds are precursors to the formation of Rh nanoparticles which serve as catalysts, as evidenced by mercury poisoning of the catalysis and direct observation of the particles by TEM, EDX, and XRD.
Don’t Bury the Lead! Understanding Who and What Shapes Organizational Media Content

Management scholars have found that the volume and tenor of organizational media content influences numerous organizational outcomes. This research stream, however, tends to focus on its consequenc...
Europa mission configuration update to accommodate maturing instrument designs

A mission to Jupiter's moon, Europa has been of interest to NASA and JPL since the Galileo mission's magnetometer data predicted the presence of a subsurface ocean. The planned Europa mission would be equipped with a suite of instruments to perform both remote and in-situ sensing, the scope of which ranges from gravity science to characterizing the surface composition, with one of the objectives being to confirm the existence of the subsurface ocean. As the selected instruments mature, the challenge has been to select and refine a spacecraft configuration that is flexible enough to accommodate these changes without degrading the scientific capability of the spacecraft. An increase in instrument volume and power have prompted the growth of spacecraft engineering subsystems, which include the solar arrays and the avionics module. These changes have the potential to cause obstructions to the instrument fields of view, stray light keep-out-zones, and thermal radiative fields of view. Many of these criteria are addressed by the implementation of a dedicated instrument platform. Payloads that are unique to the Europa mission require new approaches to instrument accommodation, such as coupling the ice penetrating radar's radiating elements to the solar array. This paper will discuss these accommodation strategies for the Europa spacecraft to generate a new baseline design.
Mechanisms of Potentiation of Pdgf in Atherosclerosis

Among the many processes that contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, the migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts and the migration and activation of macrophages are among the most important1,2. The responses of normal cells that lead to atherosclerosis are the consequences of directed signals that are initiated by cytokines that are upregulated at sites of developing lesions and by circulating plasma factors, such as oxidized low density lipoproteins (LDLs). Increasingly, evidence suggests that the initial insult may result from the interaction of partially oxidized LDL and scavenger receptors, that, in turn, upregulate a number of cytokine genes whose products function as potent chemoattractants and mitogens for different target cells within the arterial wal11,3–9. The PDGF A-chain gene is among the genes that are regularly upregulated in developing atheroma2. Its protein product, the homodimeric PDGF A-chain, is a chemoattractant for monocytes, fibroblasts, and smooth muscle cells and a mitogen for fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells 1,10. In addition, PDGF A upregulates its own transcription (and thus is autoregulatoryll) and transcription of a number of other potent cytokine genes.
Abstract 16144: Death Associated Protein Kinase Mediates Myofibril Degeneration and Myocyte Apoptosis Induced by Beta-adrenergic Receptors

Background: Death associated protein kinase (DAPK) is a novel Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated serine/threonine kinase that regulates cytoskeletal dynamics and cell death. Because chronic activation of Ca...
Pediatric clinical exome/genome sequencing and the engagement process: encouraging active conversation with the older child and adolescent: points to consider-a statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG).

Pediatric clinical exome/genome sequencing and the engagement process: encouraging active conversation with the older child and adolescent: points to consider—a statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG)
Predicting the Onset of Instability in Steel Columns Subjected to Earthquakes Followed by Nonuniform Longitudinal Temperature Profiles

AbstractHistorical earthquake events have demonstrated the destructive potential of postearthquake fire and the vulnerability of structural systems to such multiple events. Current well-established...
Consequences of an early catheter-based intervention on pulmonary artery growth and right ventricular myocardial function in a pig model of pulmonary artery stenosis.

OBJECTIVE To determine the consequences of an early catheter-based intervention on pulmonary artery (PA) growth and right ventricular (RV) myocardial function in an animal model of branch PA stenosis. BACKGROUND Acute results and safety profiles of deliberate stent fracture within the pulmonary vasculature have been demonstrated. The long-term impact of early stent intervention and deliberate stent fracture on PA growth and myocardial function is not understood. METHODS Implantation of small diameter stents was performed in a pig model of left PA stenosis at 6 weeks (10 kg) followed by dilations at 10 (35 kg) and 18 weeks (65 kg) with intent to fracture and implant large diameter stents. Hemodynamics, RV contractility, and 2D/3D angiography were performed with each intervention. The heart and pulmonary vasculature were histologically assessed. RESULTS Stent fracture occurred in 9/12 and implantation of large diameter stents was successful in 10/12 animals with no PA aneurysms or dissections. The final stented PA segment and distal left PA branch origins equaled the corresponding PA diameters of sham controls. Growth of left PA immediately beyond the stent was limited and there was diffuse fibro-intimal proliferation within the distal left and right PA. RV contractility was diminished in the intervention group and the response to dobutamine occurred uniquely via increases in heart rate. CONCLUSIONS Early stent intervention in this surgically created PA stenosis model was associated with improved growth of the distal PA vasculature but additional investigation of PA vessel physiology and impact on the developing heart are needed.
Long term results of ventricular shunts performed prior to posterior fossa operation for tumor

The data in 92 posterior fossa operations on 75 patients was studied. 37 patients had and 38 patients did not have elective precraniotomy shunts; 5 patients had to have postcraniotomy shunts. The patients who did not receive elective precraniotomy shunts were those in whom an associated hydrocephalus was either mild or was not present and their general condition was better; in general, they were not as ill. This study is believed to be based on objective clinical observations and deductive reasoning. Since the patients were not randomized the study is not based on statistical analysis. Because of the potential benefit to the patient, the precraniotomy shunting in posterior fossa tumor is thought to be effective and a valuable treatment. Its application, especially for patients who have evidence for associated hydrocephalus and increased intra-cranial pressure is expressed. The slight possibility of dissemination of malignancy outside the central nervous system axis for medulloblastoma is discussed.
Syntheses and structures of two acridine orange polyiodide salts

Polyiodide salts of acridine orange were isolated from solutions of an acridine and I2 in methylene chloride, ethanol, and acetone. The products from all solutions were found to contain both amorphous and crystalline material. The isolated crystalline product from methylene chloride and ethanol were identical (1), but the product isolated from acetone was different (2). Complex 1 was formulated as [C17H19 N 3(H)]2(I)2ċ 3I2. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n, with a = 9.082(2) A, b = 24.027(4) A, c = 10.683(1) A, β = 107.20(1)○, and D (calc) = 2.31 Mg/m3. Complex 2 was formulated as [C17H19 N 3(H)]I3. It crystallizes in the triclinic space group P − 1, with a = 10.498(2) A, b = 11.265(2) A, c = 9.287(1) A, αg 100.88(1)○, β = 94.57(1)○, γ = 102.10(1)○, and D (calc) = 2.05 Mg/m3.
EUV Observations of Pulsars

Three pulsars have been detected with the Lexan (100 A )filter of the EUVE Deep Survey telescope: the middle-aged isolated pulsars, PSR B0656+14 and Geminga, plus the aged millisecond pulsar PSR J0437–4715. The EUV detections have been used both alone and in combination with observations in other bandpasses to limit the physical state of the objects and to test theories regarding neutron star cooling and re-heating mechanisms. For Geminga, the EUVE data suggests the presence of an optical cyclotron spectral feature superimposed on the Rayleigh-Jeans continuum tail from a hot pulsar surface. We summarize EUV pulsar observations and results.
Comparative regulatory structures and competitive performance of financial systems

Financial intermediation in advanced economies had become a fast-moving, ever changing matrix of activities that serve many masters. Users of finance expect to have easy access to liquid markets, which will reduce their cost of capital and optimize their financial structures. Investors expect equally easy access to a broad range of assets traded in liquid markets that will help them enhance risk-adjusted total returns and optimize portfolio allocation across an array of asset classes. The financial intermediaries themselves expect to have access to various parts of the intermediation value-chain, ranging from asset-gathering to risk-distribution, capital market origination and merger advice. Static and dynamic efficiency in financial allocation is a key determinant of both the level of economic activity and the rate of growth, within national economies and globally. At the same time, financial systems incorporate significant risks, usually associated with negative externalities caused by institutional failure. How these benefits and risks are to be weighted in financial system development is a key concern of public policy, especially against the backdrop of highly diverse histories and institutional structures of national financial systems that, in the end, compete in an increasingly seamless global market.
The Discovery and Function of MTA1s in Eraα Cytoplasmic Sequestration

Cellular functions of estrogen receptor-α (ER) are mediated through mechanisms that are both dependent and independent of the nucleus. MTA1s, a recently identified naturally occurring isoform of metastasis associated protein 1 (MTA1), sequesters ER in the cytoplasm via a nuclear receptor binding motif. Sequestration impairs the activation of ER-esponsive pathways in the nuclear compartment, and stimulates ER non-genomic functions in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, dysregulation of MTA1s in ER-positive breast cancer cells promotes the development of aggressive cell phenotypes. Thus, the MTA1s-mediated sequestration of ER in the cytoplasm is a new mechanism for modifying nuclear receptor signaling and functions. This principle is likely to also impact other type I nuclear receptors.
Homo Sapiens Televisus: A Sociobiological Meditation on TV

In this culture I will not speak for any other we are watchers of television. We sit alone or huddled together in darkened rooms staring at the tube. (Big Screens are on their way but today is still the day of the tube.) Despising it we call it the boob tube the groove tube the idiot box but we still sit and stare. The TV set is a cultural product a technological achievement of the twentieth century. Yet the images it purveys have primeval roots: Cro-Magnon Man homo sapiens sapiens would have been a TV fan.
The impact of prior external beam radiation therapy on device outcomes following artificial urinary sphincter revision surgery.

Background: Previous reports on the effect of radiation therapy on primary artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) device survival have met with conflicting results, and data evaluating this after revision surgery is sparse. Thus, we evaluated AUS device outcomes after revision surgery, and compared them among individuals who did versus did not undergo prior radiation therapy. Methods: A database of patients who underwent AUS revision surgery at our institution was used to perform a retrospective review. Device survival endpoints, including overall survival, infection/erosion, urethral atrophy, and device malfunction were evaluated. Overall device survival (i.e., any repeat surgery) was compared between groups, stratified by external beam radiation status, via Kaplan-Meier method. Proportional hazard regression and competing risk analysis were used to evaluate association between prior radiation therapy and device outcomes. Results: From 1983 to 2016, a total of 527 patients underwent AUS revision surgery. Of these, 173 (33%) patients had undergone prior radiation therapy. Patients with prior radiation therapy were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (22% vs . 14%; P=0.05), hypertension (71% vs . 56%; P<0.01), previous vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis (41% vs . 19%; P<0.0001), as well as prior androgen deprivation therapy (26% vs . 6%; P<0.0001). Overall, there was not enough evidence to support the existence of a significant difference in device survival among patients with or without a history of radiotherapy, with 1- and 5-year-overall survival of 84% vs . 85% and 51% vs . 64%, respectively (P=0.07). On competing risk analysis, a history of pelvic radiation therapy was not enough evidence to support a significant association with the risk of device infection/erosion, mechanical failure, or urethral atrophy. Conclusions: There was not enough evidence of a difference in the rate of device erosion or infection, cuff atrophy, malfunction, or overall device survival following AUS revision surgery between patients with and without a history of pelvic radiation. These findings may be helpful when counseling patients regarding outcomes after AUS revision.
Livability as a framework for understanding and guiding transportation and land use integration

Abstract This chapter uses livability concepts as a framework for evaluating transportation and land use integration, which has become viewed as a key component to Smart Growth. This research created a typology of transit stations based on station area accessibility (to jobs, housing, and key destinations), considering the amount of transit service in the station area, the area’s urban design characteristics, and the number of jobs and population that are accessible. A large dataset on transit stations and corridors was then used to populate the typology. About a quarter of current stations were in the highly accessible category while nearly 20% were in the low access category. Several proxies for livability, including levels of transit and auto use, transportation and housing costs, greenhouse gas emissions per household, and levels of obesity, were used to compare the high accessibility stations, that is, those with highly integrated transportation and land use, with the stations in the low accessibility bin. The high accessibility, highly integrated stations performed better in every category—providing important quality of life outcomes for people who could access them—important findings in light of a growing need for Ethical and Equitable Livability for all.
Impact of Perceived Cardiovascular Risk on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Behaviors in People With and Without HIV Infection.

Background People living with HIV (PLHIV) are at elevated risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). PLHIV do not engage in recommended levels of ASCVD prevention behaviors, perhaps due to a reduced perception of risk for ASCVD. We examined how HIV status influences knowledge, beliefs, and perception of risk for ASCVD and ASCVD prevention behaviors. Methods and results We conducted a mixed-methods study of 191 PLHIV and demographically similar HIV-uninfected adults. Participants completed self-reported surveys on CVD risk perceptions, adherence to CVD medication (aspirin, antihypertensives, and lipid-lowering medication) and 3 dietary intake interviews. All wore an accelerometer to measure physical activity. A subset of PLHIV (n = 38) also completed qualitative focus groups to further examine the influence of HIV on knowledge, perception of risk for ASCVD, and behavior. Participants They were approximately 54 (±10) years, mostly men (n = 111; 58%), and African American (n = 151, 83%) with an average 10-year risk of an ASCVD event of 10.4 (±8.2)%. PLHIV were less likely to engage in physical activity (44% vs 65%, P 0.05). HIV status did not influence ASCVD risk perceptions (P > 0.05) and modestly influenced physical activity and smoking. Conclusions Although perceptions of ASCVD risk modestly influence some behaviors, additional barriers and insufficient cues to action result in suboptimal physical activity, dietary intake, and smoking rates. However, PLHIV have high adherence to ASCVD medications, which can be harnessed to reduce their high burden of ASCVD.
Connecting energetics to dynamics in particle growth by oriented attachment using real-time observations.

The interplay between crystal and solvent structure, interparticle forces and ensemble particle response dynamics governs the process of crystallization by oriented attachment (OA), yet a quantitative understanding is lacking. Using ZnO as a model system, we combine in situ TEM observations of single particle and ensemble assembly dynamics with simulations of interparticle forces and responses to relate experimentally derived interparticle potentials to the underlying interactions. We show that OA is driven by forces and torques due to a combination of electrostatic ion-solvent correlations and dipolar interactions that act at separations well beyond 5 nm. Importantly, coalignment is achieved before particles reach separations at which strong attractions drive the final jump to contact. The observed barrier to attachment is negligible, while dissipative factors in the quasi-2D confinement of the TEM fluid cell lead to abnormal diffusivities with timescales for rotation much less than for translation, thus enabling OA to dominate. Nanocrystal growth by oriented attachment remains poorly understood, despite being a prevalent pathway in geochemical, materials synthesis, and biomineral systems. Here, the authors show that zinc oxide nanocrystals grow by oriented attachment along the (001) plane driven by dipole-dipole interactions that align the particles at long distances prior to their collision and fusion.
Urethral obstruction and urolithiasis associated with patent urachus in a 12-week-old kitten.

Case summaryA 12-week-old intact male domestic shorthair kitten presented for dysuria. The patient had a urethral obstruction that was relieved with urinary catheter placement. A cutaneous opening ...
Surgical treatment of the severely displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children

Objective To study the curative effects of surgical treatment of the severelv displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children. Methods A retrospective investigation was conducted on 316 children with severely displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus who had been treated with operation in our hospital from June 2001 to June 2006.There were 215 boys and 101 girls,with an average age of 7 years old(range,1 to 14).All were treated with open reduction and internal fixation by Kirschner wire,plaster external fixation after operation,and functional training 2 to 4 weeks postoperatively. Results All the 316 cases were followed up for over 6 months to 5 years, with an average of 2 yearS and 10 months. The functional recovery of the postoperative elbow joint was evaluated by Flynn's criteria.Of them,253 cases were rated as excellent,34 as good,25 as satisfactory,and 4 as poor.Cubitus varus deformity was found in 27 cases. Conclusions Although closed reduction and external fixation is the frst choice for the pediatric supracondylar fracture of the humerus, open reduction and Kirschner wire fixation is necessary for the severely displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus,including those suffering from failed manipulative reduction,open fracture,vascular and neural injuries and limited function of the elbow joint. Anatomic reduction of broken ends,Kirschner wire internal fixation and early functional training are significant in the therapeutic efficacy of operation,and in the prevention or reduction of postoperative complications. Key words: Children; Humerus; Fracture; Surgical procedures, operative; Elbow joint
Performance of Guideline Recommendations for Prevention of Myocardial Infarction in Young Adults

Abstract Background The 2018 cholesterol guidelines of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) changed 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl–coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) eligibility criteria for primary prevention to include multiple risk enhancers and novel intensive lipid-lowering therapies for secondary prevention. Objectives This study sought to determine how guideline changes affected identification for preventive therapy in young adults with premature myocardial infarction (MI). Methods The study identified adults presenting with first MI at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Statin therapy eligibility was determined using the 2013 ACC/AHA and 2018 AHA/ACC guidelines criteria. The study also determined potential eligibility for intensive lipid-lowering therapies (very high risk) under the 2018 AHA/ACC guidelines, by assessing the composite of all-cause death, recurrent MI, or stroke rates in adults considered “very high risk” versus not. Results Among 6,639 patients with MI, 41% were Conclusions Most younger patients with premature MI are not identified as statin candidates before their event on the basis of the 2018 guidelines, and most patients with premature MI are not recommended for intensive post-MI lipid management.
The effect of high applied voltages on bioanodes of microbial electrolysis cells in the presence of chlorides

Abstract While most microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) tests and other bioelectrochemical tests use applied voltages (Eap) of 1 V or less, higher voltages are used in some tests that could lead to the generation of free chlorine species (FCS), from chloride ions, and hydroxyl radicals. To examine the impact of high Eap on bioanodes, MECs were acclimated at Eap = 1 V, tested for one cycle at an Eap of 3 or 4 V until the same total coulombs were achieved as Eap = 1 V, and then returned to cycles of Eap = 1 V. All biotic MECs with chloride ions showed severe biofilm damage based on the absence of current production, lack of acetate oxidation, and the absence of hydrogen gas production in subsequent cycles at 1 V. Abiotic tests conducted at Eap = 4 V, with same amount of total coulombs transferred as that which occurred in biotic tests at Eap = 4 V, showed 1.8-fold higher acetate removal than biotic cells at 4 V, suggesting 43% of generated coulombs could have contributed to microbial inactivation. FCS generation, rather than hydroxyl radical production, was concluded to be the major contribution to oxidation of organics due to small changes in acetate oxidation in the presence of a hydroxyl radical scavenger, and the measurement of FCS. These results demonstrated that high applied voltages should be avoided if bioanodes are needed in bioelectrochemical systems when chloride species are present in the solution.
Surgical management of hepatocellular carcinoma patients with portal vein thrombosis: The United States Safety Net and Academic Center Collaborative Analysis

BACKGROUND Although consensus guidelines generally discourage any surgical management (ASM; i.e., resection and/or transplantation) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein thrombosis (PVT), recent series from Asia have challenged this paradigm. METHODS Patients from the US Safety Net Collaborative database (2012-2014) with localized HCC and radiographically confirmed PVT were propensity-score matched based on demographic and clinicopathologic factors associated with receipt of ASM and overall survival (OS). OS was compared between patients undergoing ASM and those not selected for surgery. RESULTS Of 1910 HCC patients, 207 (14.5%) had localized disease and PVT. The majority received either liver-directed therapies (LDTs; 34%) and/or targeted systemic therapies (36%). Twenty-one patients (10.1%) underwent ASM (resection [n = 11], transplantation [n = 10]); a third experienced any complication with no 30-day mortalities. Independent predictors of undergoing ASM were younger age, recent hepatology consultation, and lower model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. After matching for age, comorbidities, MELD, tumor size, receipt of LDT, or systemic therapy, OS was significantly longer for patients selected for ASM versus non-ASM patients (median not reached vs. 5.8 months, p < .001). CONCLUSION In a large North American multi-institutional cohort, a minority of HCC patients with PVT were selected for ASM. Resection or transplantation was associated with improved survival and may have a role in the multimodality management in selected patients.
Diagnosis of amyloid beyond Congo red.

Purpose of review Amyloidoses are a group of rare and heterogeneous diseases in which abnormally folded proteins deposit in tissues and lead to organ damage. A brief review of advances in the diagnosis of extracerebral systemic amyloidoses in the context of recent advances in their clinical management is provided. Recent findings Although steady progress in the treatment of AL and AA has evolved over many years, significant advances in the treatment of ATTR, transthyretin-derived amyloidosis, have been achieved only recently. This coincides with the emergence of nontissue diagnosis of cardiac ATTR in both the hereditary and wild-type settings. The latter is emerging as possibly the most prevalent type of systemic amyloidosis.Available treatments are amyloid protein type dependent and, hence, following amyloid detection, amyloid protein typing is necessary. Although mass spectrometry has emerged as the preferred method of amyloid typing, careful application of immune methods is still clinically useful but caution and experience, as well as awareness of the limitations of each method, are necessary in their interpretation. Summary Despite significant advances in the treatment of the systemic amyloidoses, outcomes remain poor, primarily due to delays in diagnosis. Precise diagnosis of the amyloid protein type is critical for treatment selection.
Circulating prostate cancer cells have differential resistance to fluid shear stress-induced cell death.

ABSTRACT Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are exposed to fluid shear stress (FSS) of greater than 1000 dyn/cm2 (100 Pa) in circulation. Normally, CTCs that are exposed to FSS of this magnitude die. However, some CTCs develop resistance to this FSS, allowing them to colonize distant organs. We explored how prostate CTCs can resist cell death in response to forces of this magnitude. The DU145, PC3 and LNCaP human prostate cancer cell lines were used to represent cells of different metastatic origins. The cell lines were briefly treated with an average FSS of 3950 dyn/cm2 (395 Pa) using a 30 G needle and a syringe pump. DU145 cells had no change in cell viability, PC3 cells had some cell death and LNCaP cells exhibited significant cell death. These cell death responses correlated with increased cell membrane damage, less efficient membrane repair and increased stiffness. Additionally, FSS treatment prevented the LNCaP FSS-sensitive cell line from forming a growing tumor in vivo. This suggests that these properties play a role in FSS resistance and could represent potential targets for disrupting blood-borne metastasis.
RAPT score and preoperative factors to predict discharge location following adult spinal deformity surgery

To assess factors, including RAPT score, predictive of non-home discharges following adult spinal deformity (ASD) operations. Adults who underwent thoracolumbar instrumented fusions to the pelvis for ASD (1/2019–1/2020) were reviewed. Patient demographics, RAPT metrics, hospital length of stay (LOS), operative details, and complications were compared between patients discharged home and non-home. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression to determine the relative risk of non-home discharge. Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUROC) for RAPT score and non-home discharge was also determined. Ninety-nine patients (average age 68 ± 9 years; female-64; average RAPT 8.6 ± 2.2) were analyzed. Operations had the following characteristics: average # levels fused 11 ± 3, revisions 54%, anterior–posterior 70%, 3-column osteotomies 23%. Average LOS was 8.5 ± 3.6 days. The majority of patients (75.8%) had non-home discharges. Non-home discharges had significantly lower RAPT scores (8.3 vs. 9.6; p = 0.02), more advanced age (70 vs. 63 years; p = 0.01), and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores (3.6 vs. 2.5; p < 0.01) compared to home discharges. On univariate analysis, factors significantly associated with non-home discharge were older age [relative risk (RR) 1.09, p < 0.01], higher CCI (RR 1.73, p = 0.01), total # levels fused (RR 1.24, p = 0.04), and lower RAPT scores (RR 0.71, p = 0.01). RAPT score < 8 was most predictive of non-home discharge (RR 4.87, p = 0.04). An AUROC relating RAPT scores and non-home discharge was 0.7. Non-home discharges after ASD operations are common. Of the four factors associated with non-home discharges (elderly age, higher CCI, total number of levels fused, RAPT score), a RAPT score < 8 was most predictive. The RAPT score holds promising utility for pre-operative patient counseling and discharge planning for adults undergoing operations for spinal deformity.
Fluid Dynamic and Stability Analysis of a Thin Liquid Sheet

Interest in thin sheet flows has recently been renewed due to their potential application in space radiators. Theoretical and experimental studies of the fluid dynamics and stability of thin liquid sheet flows have been carried out in this thesis. A computer program was developed to determine the cross-sectional shape of the edge cylinder given the cross-sectional area of the edge cylinder. A stability analysis was performed on a non-planer liquid sheet. A study was conducted to determine the effects of air resistance on the sheet.
A flow-through system for studying interaction of two toxicants on aquatic organisms

An intermittent-flow, proportional diluter system has been designed for the study of synergistic and antagonistic effects of two toxicants on aquatic organisms. The system consists of two diluters mounted side by side, each of which produces three toxicant concentrations plus a solvent control. Below the diluters are two additional mixing, sample-splitting levels. The first divides each concentration of each toxicant into four equal volumes. The second consists of 16 compartments, each of which receives a measured volume from 1 of the 4 concentrations of each toxicant. This produces a 4 by 4 matrix of all 16 possible combinations. This final level also serves as a series of sample-replicating chambers from which the toxicant mixtures flow to 32 test aquaria.
The Challenges of Bringing the Kids Network to the Classroom

For several years, both North American and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries have labored over the stimulation and improvement of work in science, mathematics, and technology. In the American context, one area of special interest has been the middle grades, 5–8. Promising projects have been designed, field tested, and carried out, usually leaving few tracks for us to study closely afterward. Some of these projects are still in operation, but the memory of their adoption and the keys to explain the success of some and the demise of others are missing.
Hemodialysis Catheter-Associated Central Venous Stenosis

The purpose of this review is to explore the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and interventional treatment of central vein stenosis (CVS) that may result from central vein catheter (CVC) placement. The precise mechanism of CVC-associated CVS remains largely undefined, though anatomic considerations appear to play a prominent pathologic role. The impact of CVC-associated CVS on arteriovenous fistula outcomes is reviewed. The percutaneous treatment of CVS, observation, angioplasty, or angioplasty with stent placement is reviewed, along with potential surgical treatment options. As the treatment outcomes of CVC-associated CVS have been disappointing, catheter avoidance remains the best strategy.
Focus on... Pension Reform

The last issue of the Journal included an interesting article by Professor Theresa Ghilarducci, "If This Isn't the Time for a Guaranteed Retirement Account, When Is It?" (Journal of Pension Benefits, Vol. 16, No. 3, Spring 2009.) Professor Ghilarducci is one of the country's most interesting and thought-provoking pension scholars, and her ideas are set out in more detail in her recent book, When I'm Sixty-four: The Plot Against Pensions and the Plan to Save Them.
Possible Involvement of a Megaplasmid in Nodulation of Soybeans by Fast-Growing Rhizobia from China

Several isolates from a newly described group of fast-growing acid-producing soybean rhizobia, Rhizobium japonicum, were analyzed for plasmid content. All contained from one to four plasmids with molecular weights of 100 x 10 or larger. Although most of the isolates shared plasmids of similar size, the restriction endonuclease (BamHI, EcoRI, and HindIII) patterns of the plasmids from three of the isolates were vastly different. Growth in the presence of acridine orange was effective in producing mutants cured of the largest plasmid in one of the strains. These mutants also lost the ability to form nodules on soybeans. High-temperature curing of a smaller plasmid in another strain did not lead to loss of nodulating ability or alteration of symbiotic effectiveness on soybean cultivars. The identities of all of the isolates and mutants were ascertained by immunofluoresence and immunodiffusion. The new fast-growing strains of R. japonicum may provide a better genetic system for the study of the soybean symbiosis than the slow-growing R. japonicum, not all of which can be shown to contain plasmids.
Effects of Moisture on Grain‐Boundary Strength, Fracture, and Fatigue Properties of Alumina

The role of moisture in affecting both intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of the fracture and fatigue-crack growth resistance of a polycrystalline alumina (99.5% pure, 25 μm grain size) has been examined in both moist and dry environments at ambient temperature. The intrinsic (crack-tip) toughness, deduced from measured crack-opening profiles, is found to be less than for a single crystal and is 30% lower (∼0.6 MPa·m1/2) in moist air versus in dry N2, implying that the grain-boundary theoretical strength is higher in a dry environment. Despite this, in dry atmospheres, the R-curves (which derive from crack deflection and grain bridging) initially rose more steeply and nominal fatigue-crack growth thresholds for short crack sizes (20–60 μm) were more than 1.3 MPa·m1/2 higher. Owing to this quicker crack bridging development, strengths for natural flaws could be more than doubled in dry atmospheres, a difference that well exceeds the effect solely due to the intrinsic toughness change. After ∼2 mm of crack growth, however, the R-curve and steady-state fatigue behavior appeared similar in both environments, although altering the atmosphere for such fatigue cracks in situ induced large, abrupt changes in transient growth rates. The environment influences the nature of the bridging zones, with uncracked-ligament bridges playing a larger role in dry atmospheres, while frictional bridges are predominant in moist air. Evidently, to achieve optimal toughness in bridging ceramics, the window for the requisite grain-boundary strength may be small; whereas weak boundaries are required to induce the necessary intergranular fracture, if too weak, shallower R-curves, less strengthening, and poorer fatigue resistance all follow.
Genetic studies on the role of the nucleoside transport function in nucleoside efflux, the inosine cycle, and purine biosynthesis.

Abstract A mutant clone (AU-100) which is 90% deficient in adenylosuccinate synthetase activity was characterized from wild-type murine S49 T-lymphoma cells. This AU-100 cell line and its hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient derivative, AUTG-50B, overproduce purines severalfold and excrete massive amounts of inosine into the culture medium (Ullman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79:5127-5131, 1982). We introduced a mutation into both of these cell lines which make them incapable of taking up nucleosides from the culture medium. The genetic deficiency in nucleoside transport prevents the adenylosuccinate synthetase-deficient AU-100 cells from excreting inosine. Because of an extremely efficient intracellular inosine salvage system, the nucleoside transport-deficient AU-100 cells also no longer overproduce purines. AUTG-50B cells which have been made genetically deficient in nucleoside transport still overproduce purines but excrete hypoxanthine rather than inosine. These studies demonstrate genetically that nucleoside transport and nucleoside efflux share a common component and that nucleoside transport has an important regulatory function which profoundly affects the rates of purine biosynthesis and purine salvage.
PINNING AND SLIDING OF TETHERED MONOLAYERS ON DISORDERED SUBSTRATES

We study the statistical mechanics and dynamics of crystalline films with a fixed internal connectivity on a random substrate. Defect free triangular lattices exhibit a sharp transition to a low temperature glassy phase with anomalous phonon fluctuations and a nonlinear force-displacement law with a continuously variable exponent, similar to the vortex glass phase of directed lines in 1+1 dimensions. The periodicity of the tethered monolayer acts like a filter which amplifies particular Fourier components of the disorder. However, the absence of annealed topological defects like dislocations is crucial: the transition is destroyed when the constraint of fixed connectivity is relaxed and dislocations are allowed to proliferate. 46.30Pa 68.35Rh 76.60Ge
Isotopic evidence for the differential regulation of arginine and proline synthesis in man

Arginine and proline derive from the metabolism of delta 1-pyrolline-5-carboxylate, a product of intestinal glutamic acid metabolism. We studied the extent of glutamate, arginine, and proline synthesis in four adult fed and fasted women. The subjects ingested a single dose of a mixture of uniformly (U)-13C-labeled amino acids and carbohydrate of algal origin. Frequent blood samples were taken for 24 hours. All the mass isotopomers of plasma lysine, glutamate + glutamine (GLX), arginine, and proline were measured using negative chemical ionization, selected-ion monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In this isotopic approach, the appearance of U-13C-amino acid in the plasma reflects entry of the dietary amino acids, and the appearance of 13C in lower mass isotopomers demonstrates synthesis of the respective amino acids by the subject. All the mass isotopomers (including [M + 4]) of GLX became enriched with 13C. We suggest that the [M + 4] isotopomer of GLX reflects synthesis of the amino acid from alpha-ketoglutarate derived from the metabolism of U-13C-carbohydrate by the bacterial flora. Arginine labeling showed two patterns. The [M + 5] isotopomer of plasma arginine was labeled as rapidly as [M + 6] (ie, tracer) arginine, and we propose that the appearance of the [M + 5] isotopomer reflects the synthesis of citrulline from dietary [M + 5]-glutamate in first pass. The [M + 1] to [M + 3] isotopomers of arginine were also labeled for a prolonged period of time, suggesting that systemic glutamate was also a precursor for arginine synthesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Past the Pax

Recent writing on the cultural history of nineteenth-century British imperialism has tended to concentrate on questions of difference and identity. Cannadine's Ornamentalism, however, focuses less on difference than on commonality. Both his critique of the literature and his methodology are flawed. Ornamentalism also suggests the limitations of cultural history. Late Victorian Holocausts, by Mike Davis, offers new possibilities for the study of imperialism, by combining a history of ideas with an analysis of famine and global environmental change. His romanticization of the state detracts from what is otherwise a provocative work. Both books point to the urgent need to revitalize the social history of empire.
Drug-Induced Hyperthermia and Amphetamine Toxicity

Experiments were conducted to determine the relative importance of hyperthermia as a factor influencing the toxicity of amphetamine in aggregated and isolated mice. The ability of several agents to interfere with the hyperthermic response to amphetamine was compared with their ability to alter the incidence of lethality to this drug. It was evident that there was no direct relationship between the ability of the selected drugs to prevent the body temperature of mice from reaching the maximum temperature level of amphetamine-treated controls and their ability to protect mice from amphetamine-induced lethality. It was concluded that hyperthermia does not, in itself, appear to be the causative factor for the increased incidence of mortality to amphetamine observed in aggregated versus isolated mice.