cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variations in Physician Prescribing Patterns for Statins: A Probit and Multinomial Logit Analysis

The identification of high cholesterol as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) has prompted implementation of prevention programs, with statins playing a major role. Studies have shown for many drugs that disparities in prescribing patterns exist that are unrelated to clinical guidelines. (e.g., across insurance types, regions, and various demographic characteristics including race). The objective of the paper is to estimate multinomial logit and probit models of the determinants of prescribing patterns for statins for persons having CHD, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Analyzing prescribing patterns for persons who have diabetes and dylsipidemia is important since both are risk factors for CHD. In fact the leading cause of death among diabetics is CHD. The key question, do the above mentioned disparities by race, etc. exist for statins? Two large databases for the U.S. provide socioeconomic, demographic, and diagnostic information needed for the analysis. These include two major U.S. data bases. The first data set includes respondents who were treated in office-based physician settings (National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys). The second data set is the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a panel, which in addition to health status and prescription drug use data, has richer socioeconomic data about respondents compared to the NAMCS. Results based on NAMCS: Preliminary results found variations across minorities, regions of the U.S., and insurance categories. It is evident that variations do exist. Between 1992 and 2004 statin usage increased by between one and five percent per year. Patients who are Black, Hispanic, and whose insurance is either Medicaid or Medicare are significantly less likely to receive a statin drug. We are in the process of running the analyses for 1996 through 2003 using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Our preliminary results are similar to those noted above and moreover we are finding that the probability of being prescribed a statin is positively related to a patient's family income.
Distribution of quercetin content in different rings of various coloured onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars

SummaryRepresentative cultivars of different coloured onions were compared to determine the extent of differences in the distribution of free and total (bound and free) quercetin among different onion rings. The dry skin, outer rings, and inner rings were separated and extracted with ethanol to obtain quercetin glycosides (bound form) that were then hydrolyzed to free quercetin. Free quercetin was used as the standard for quantification by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Significant difference (P = 0.05) in total quercetin content was observed between the dry skin and inner rings (edible parts). A decrease in total quercetin content was observed from the dry skin to inner rings. The highest total quercetin concentration was observed in the dry skins of ‘Red Bone’ (30.66 g kg–1 dry weight) while ‘Contessa’ contain the least amount (0.094 g kg–1 dry weight). Total quercetin content in outer rings (1–2) in ‘Kadavan’ was high highest (345.51 mg kg–1 fresh weight); however, trace a...
The Effect of Ambient Temperature Upon Body Temperature, Feed Consumption, and Water Consumption, Using Two Varieties of Turkeys

Abstract This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different ambient temperatures upon two varieties (Broad Breasted White and Broad Breasted Bronze) of adult male turkeys. Criteria taken into consideration were body temperature, feed consumption, and water consumption. Four environmental chambers were used with temperature settings of 37.8°C., 32.2°C., 21.1°C., and 10.0°C. Relative humidity and air circulation were controlled. Body temperatures were recorded once a week during treatment and at 5 days of post-treatment. Total feed consumption was recorded for the pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment periods. Water consumption for a 24-hour period was measured during pretreatment and once a week during the treatment periods only. At ambient temperature of 37.8°C., a significant (P Exposure to the 32.2°C., 21.1°C., and 10.0°C. treatments showed an increase in water consumption for the 32.2°C. group, a decrease in body temperature for the 21.1°C. and 10.0°C. groups, and an increase in feed consumption for the 10.0°C. group. Acclimatization to these treatments occurred generally between 7 and 14 days. This study has shown that upon exposure to four ambient temperatures, adult tom turkeys showed no variety differences except for feed consumption when considering three physiological characteristics.
METHODS TO ENHANCE THE REPRODUCIBILITY OF PRECISION MEDICINE.

During January 2015, President Obama announced the Precision Medicine Initiative [1], strengthening communal efforts to integrate patient-centric molecular, environmental, and clinical “big” data. Such efforts have already improved aspects of clinical management for diseases such as non-small cell lung carcinoma [2], breast cancer [3], and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy [4]. To maintain this track record, it is necessary to cultivate practices that ensure reproducibility as large-scale heterogeneous datasets and databases proliferate. For example, the NIH has outlined initiatives to enhance reproducibility in preclinical research [5], both Science [6] and Nature [7] have featured recent editorials on reproducibility, and several authors have noted the issues of utilizing big data for public health [8], but few methods exist to ensure that big data resources motivated by precision medicine are being used reproducibly. Relevant challenges include: (1) integrative analyses of heterogeneous measurement platforms (e.g. genomic, clinical, quantified self, and exposure data), (2) the tradeoff in making personalized decisions using more targeted (e.g. individual-level) but potentially much noisier subsets Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing 2016
Adopting Various Forms and Expanding the Transmission Route of Healthy Education All Round

To adopt the healthy education of various forms,a effective attempt in expanding the transmission route of healthy education.METHODS Education-mediated is perferted gradually by combing two kinds of publicity meanses of the traditional medium and modern medium.Expanding the path of healthy education effectively by creativeing method of health education.RESULTS Participation of consciousness of audience are transferred and transmission system of stereoscopic healthy education is set up with the transmission advantage of medium effectively in cooperation of medium extensive.
Heterologous Pseudomonas aeruginosa O-antigen delivery using a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium wecA mutant strain

There is a broad interest in adapting live vaccine strains (LVS) for use as recombinant vaccines that can deliver heterologous antigens. The Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL1344 ΔwecA LVS contains a mutation in wecA that abrogates production of Enterobacterial common antigen. This ΔwecA strain is attenuated in vivo, persistently colonizes the host, and protects against both wild type and cross-Salmonella serovar lethal challenge in a murine model of salmonellosis. Given these characteristics, we hypothesized that the SL1344 ΔwecA strain could be used as a carrier for heterologous antigen expression. To test this hypothesis, SL1344 ΔwecA was engineered to express the Pseudomonas aeruginosa O11 O-antigen gene cluster. Intraperitoneal (IP) but not oral immunization of BALB/c mice with the heterologous expression strain protected against lethal P. aeruginosa intranasal (IN) challenge. Furthermore, IP immunization resulted in P. aeruginosa O11-specific Ig and IgG antibody production. Functional analysis of sera collected from the IP immunized mice showed antibody-mediated agglutination and opsonophagocytic activity against P. aeruginosa. En masse, these results indicate that the S. Typhimurium SL1344 ΔwecA strain expressing the P. aeruginosa O11 O-antigen gene cluster is able to induce a humoral immune response and to protect against lethal P. aeruginosa challenge. As such, the S. Typhimurium SL1344 ΔwecA LVS can likely serve as a vehicle for expression of a wide variety of heterologous antigens as a means to create recombinant vaccines.
Recent Declines in the Savings Rate: a Life Cycle Perspective

In the course of the last three decades, the national saving to income ratio, which has traditionally been regarded as fairly stable at least in the medium run, has undergone profound changes, especially among the industrialized countries. These changes have tended to run in the same direction for all countries, namely down. While this development has been very negative for the world economy, as it has reduced the flow of resources available for investment and generally raised interest rates, it offers a unique opportunity for the scientist trying to validate—or reject—theories of aggregate saving behavior. The main purpose of this paper is to rely on this episode to test whether and how far it can be explained by the so-called Life Cycle Hypothesis (LCH). We propose to show that, relying on that framework, one can account fairly well for the unusual behavior of saving in recent decades.
Small Eddies in Large Vortices

The engulfment of fluids from two streams into the shear region of a mixing layer is governed by the unsteady evolution of the large structures. The fine-scale mixing of the two fluids is accomplished by the random small eddies which provide large interface area for mixing. The transition from deterministic flow pattern into flow with random small eddies and the properties of the fine eddies are examined here.
Hybrid MU-MIMO and non-orthogonal multiple access design in wireless heterogeneous networks

In order to meet the ever increasing mobile application proliferation and data traffic growth, next-generation wireless networks or 5G networks are under a revolutionary technology innovation path towards these goals. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid MU-MIMO and NOMA design scheme in wireless heterogeneous networks to improve the system throughput and also to increase multi-user diversity gains by exploiting the heterogeneous nature of the supporting wireless networks. The best user cluster is formed in a NOMA group and then a precoding based MU-MIMO scheme is applied to NOMA composite signals. The problem is further formulated as a resource scheduling optimization problem to achieve the proportional fairness. Aiming to ensure the global optimality, a brute-force search algorithm is used to solve the problem. Simulations results show that the proposed scheme can improve the overall system performance notably.
Culturally Sensitive Adaptations to Evidence-Based Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Case Paper ☆

Abstract Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT), which involves restructuring maladaptive thoughts and exposures in social contexts in a group format, is an empirically supported treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, research on applying these skills to experiences of discrimination that may contribute to social anxiety in marginalized populations is limited. A case description is presented to demonstrate the ways in which culturally sensitive adaptations of CBGT were applied to treat social anxiety related to issues of discrimination. The case example includes outcome data from one individual diagnosed with SAD who experienced clinical improvement in symptoms of SAD after receiving CBGT as a part of a larger treatment trial for SAD. Specifically, this paper focuses on the way in which SAD manifested for a Latina woman based on a history, and current context of race-based and gender-based discrimination. We present strategies to address SAD related to experiences of discrimination within the context of CBGT as well as clinical implications related to the integration of multicultural principles and traditional cognitive behavioral therapies for SAD more generally.
Bos1p, a membrane protein required for ER to Golgi transport in yeast, co-purifies with the carrier vesicles and with Bet1p and the ER membrane.

Abstract BOS1 and BET1 are required for transport from the ER to the Golgi complex in yeast and genetically interact with each other and a subset of the other genes, whose products function at this stage of the secretory pathway. In a previous study, we reported that BOS1 encodes a putative 27 kDa membrane protein. Here we show that BET1 is structurally similar to the synaptobrevins and identical to the SLY12 gene product. Overexpression of SLY12 compensates for the loss of function of the ras-like GTP-binding protein Ypt1. Both Bos1p and Bet1p are cytoplasmically oriented membrane proteins. Bos1p co-purifies with the ER to Golgi transport vesicles and co-fractionates with Bet1p and the ER membrane.
Array-based detection of isomeric and analogous analytes employing synthetically modified fluorophore attached β-cyclodextrin derivatives

Reported herein is a sensitive and selective array-based sensing strategy based on differential interactions with three supramolecular cyclodextrin–fluorophore sensors. Each interaction results in a distinct fluorescence modulation response, and linear discriminant analyses of these responses results in 100% successful classification of three classes of isomeric analytes and two classes of analogous analytes. Calculated limits of detection for this system are at or near literature-reported levels of concern.
Best friend or spy: a qualitative meta-synthesis on the impact of continuous glucose monitoring on life with Type 1 diabetes.

Aims This is a meta-synthesis of extant qualitative literature related to impact of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). CGM has been available for a decade for the management of Type 1 diabetes and is the lynchpin of future artificial pancreas technologies. Clinical uptake of CGM is an important area of inquiry. The purpose of this meta-synthesis is to understand the impact of CGM on individuals with Type 1 diabetes and others (parents, significant others, providers) in order to design appropriate clinical interventions for adherence. Methods Studies published in English between 2007 and 2017 were included, reflecting commercial CGM availability. PubMed, PsychINFO, CINALH, Web of Science and EMBASE databases were queried using search terms related to CGM, qualitative, experience and Type 1 diabetes. Included articles contained original qualitative or mixed-method research on CGM, sensor-augmented pump or closed-loop therapies. Articles underwent quality appraisal and thematic interpretive integration by a multidisciplinary team. Results Nine articles (343 participants) met the inclusion criteria and were included in the synthesis. Six novel themes emerged: interacting with CGM, burden of living with CGM, feeling different from others, feeling empowered, interacting with glucose information and impact on relationships. Conclusion CGM affects physical, emotional and relational aspects of life. Clinicians can help minimize the burden of CGM with carefully delivered education and expectation-setting with individuals. Empowerment and relational partnerships in diabetes care can be explored to maximize satisfaction with CGM. Systematic interpretive synthesis of qualitative studies provides a comprehensive, contextual understanding of the impact of CGM on daily life and relationships.
Pediatric Moderate-/High-Grade Spondylolisthesis Surgery Complication

Moderate- to high-grade spondylolisthesis is a difficult pathology to treat, with complications not infrequently associated with injury to the L5 root. Attention to detail with preoperative planning and surgical technique can minimize the risk of complication in these surgeries. We present here a rare complication, conus medullaris syndrome, due to the delayed diagnosis of a compressive arachnoid cyst in the lumbar spine. The symptoms evolved rapidly over the first postoperative day, though diagnosis was delayed due to the obscure diagnosis and the massive cyst occupying the entire lumbar canal. Patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis may have risk factors for the presence of arachnoid cysts. Surgeons should be aware of the signs associated with this concomitant pathology, as this may further reduce the risk of catastrophic complications.
Some uses of tritium in autoradiography.

The advantages of tritium in autoradiography result primarily from two of its properties, the low energy of its β particles, and its half-life of 12.4 years. The β particles have an average energy of only 5.7 kev and a maximum path in water of about 6 μ. However, it is worth noting that only 0.05% of the β particles have energies in the range between 17 and 18 kev which produce these tracks that approach 6 μ [1]. Ninety percent of the radiation would be absorbed in the first 1.2 μ of a medium of unit density [2]. In a photographic emulsion with a density of 3.5, the flux of β particles would be reduced to 1% by 0.8 μ. Therefore, nearly all grains produced will be less than 1 μ from the source. The β particles will seldom activate more than one grain and a high percentage of the low-energy ones will yield none.
The Transcendental Reduction and Ethics

We begin with the starting point of transcendental phenomenology, the transcendental reduction. After outlining the basic features of the epoche, or bracketing of the world’s validity-claim, which is the condition for the progressive “turn-back” (re-ductio), we then proceed to other themes which relate Husserl’s reduction to broader concerns of his philosophy and especially the foundations of ethics and social philosophy, the theme of this book. We will start with Husserl’s favorite metaphor.
Contemporary Reggeon Physics

This set of lectures aims to introduce the reader to the physics behind Reggeon field theories (RFT) and the developments in that subject. The goal of RFT is a coherent basis for the effects, in physical processes at large collision energies and small momentum transfers, of diffraction scattering subsumed in the form of the Pomeron Regge trajectory which has α(0) = 1, the maximum allowed by unitarity.
Dehydroamino acids: chemical multi-tools for late-stage diversification

α,β-Dehydroamino acids (dhAAs) are noncanonical amino acids that are found in a wide array of natural products and can be easily installed into peptides and proteins. dhAAs exhibit remarkable synthetic flexibility, readily undergoing a number of reactions, such as polar and single-electron additions, transition metal catalyzed cross-couplings, and cycloadditions. Because of the relatively mild conditions required for many of these reactions, dhAAs are increasingly being used as orthogonal chemical handles for late-stage modification of biomolecules. Still, only a fraction of the chemical reactivity of dhAAs has been exploited in such biorthogonal applications. Herein, we provide an overview of the broad spectrum of chemical reactivity of dhAAs, with special emphasis on recent efforts to adapt such transformations for biomolecules such as natural products, peptides, and proteins. We also discuss examples of enzymes from natural product biosynthetic pathways that have been found to catalyze many similar reactions; these enzymes provide mild, regio- and stereoselective, biocatalytic alternatives for future development. We anticipate that the continued investigation of the innate reactivity of dhAAs will furnish a diverse portfolio dhAA-based chemistries for use in chemical biology and drug discovery.
Innovations in Teacher Education

This paper presents a brief history of the education of teachers of visually handicapped students and reviews recent trends and adaptations. The author also offers some ideas for future innovations...
Coil embolization of bilateral internal mammary artery aneurysms in the setting of a heterozygous missense variant of unknown significance in COL5A1 and fibromuscular dysplasia

Abstract Internal mammary artery aneurysms are rare but serious clinical entities. Rupture results in hemothorax and can be life threatening. Most reported cases are pseudoaneurysms secondary to iatrogenic or traumatic causes. Noniatrogenic, nontraumatic, true internal mammary artery aneurysms have most commonly been associated with vasculitides or connective tissue disorders; rare cases have been deemed idiopathic. We describe a rare case of bilateral internal mammary artery aneurysms—successfully treated with coil embolization—in the setting of heterozygosity for a missense variant of unknown significance in the COL5A1 gene and multifocal fibrodysplastic changes on angiography.
Bootstrapping Matrix Quantum Mechanics

Large N matrix quantum mechanics is central to holographic duality but not solvable in the most interesting cases. We show that the spectrum and simple expectation values in these theories can be obtained numerically via a "bootstrap" methodology. In this approach, operator expectation values are related by symmetries-such as time translation and SU(N) gauge invariance-and then bounded with certain positivity constraints. We first demonstrate how this method efficiently solves the conventional quantum anharmonic oscillator. We then reproduce the known solution of large N single matrix quantum mechanics. Finally, we present new results on the ground state of large N two matrix quantum mechanics.
Option Pricing under Generic Market Conditions

A Black-Scholes replicating strategy with continuous revisions is no longer optimal or possible in the presence of transaction costs and discrete trading. This paper explores theoretical and practical solutions to revision frequency in a modified replicating strategy.
A New Chief Justice in the Sight of His Predecessor: Stone and Hughes, Summer 1941

Most Chief Justices of the United States have died in office. And few served initially as an Associate Justice. Thus after the founding period, only two Chiefs—Charles Evans Hughes and Warren E. Burger—ever saw an Associate Justice colleague be appointed to succeed him as Chief Justice. This article chronicles that history. It also describes the rare instance in Summer 1941 of such a succession, and the telegrams and letters that Chief Justice Hughes and his colleague Associate Justice Harlan Fiske Stone exchanged as Hughes retired and Stone was appointed to be his successor.
Recurrent Breast Cancer Diagnosis Delayed by COVID-19 Pandemic.

We describe the case of a 65-year-old female with a history of left-sided ductal carcinoma in situ in 2008. Mammography in January 2020 demonstrated calcifications in the previously affected breast. Subsequent stereotactic biopsy results were benign. In the months that followed, the patient experienced breast changes but avoided returning to the facility as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened. In August of 2020, the patient returned for a repeat mammogram, which indicated 2 suspicious masses in the left breast. Further analysis through ultrasound-guided core biopsy ultimately led to a left mastectomy and lymph node biopsy, which were performed in September 2020. Pathology results revealed multifocal invasive ductal carcinoma stage IIB.
Nomadic Pastoralism, Climate Change, and Conflict in Africa

Arid regions of Africa are expanding by thousands of square kilometers a year, potentially disturbing pastoral routes that have been forged over a long period of time. This disturbance is often said to explain why “herder-farmer” conflicts have erupted in recent years, as pastoralists and agriculturalists compete for increasingly scarce resources. We examine this hypothesis by combining ecological and ethnographic data on the location of pastoral ethnic groups with grid-cell level data on violent conflict in Africa from 1989 to 2018. First, using ecological data, (i) we confirm that areas suited to both agriculture and pastoralism are particularly prone to conflict relative to either agricultural or pastoral areas alone; and (ii) we find that the effect of precipitation shocks on conflict in these agro-pastoral zones is negative at the country-level, but not at the cell-level. To explain this pattern, we compile data on the historical location of borders between both types of ethnic groups. We find that droughts in pastoral areas lead to conflict in neighboring agricultural areas. This spillover mechanism appears to explain much of the negative overall relationship between precipitation and conflict in the sample. It implies that agro-pastoral conflict is caused by the displacement of pastoral groups due to low precipitation in their homelands. This finding establishes one mechanism through which climate change can lead to more conflict in agro-pastoral zones. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
Damages for Breach of Contract: Should the Government Get Special Treatment?

Contracts that involve the government differ from contracts between two private parties in that the identity of one of the parties, the government, is subject to change. Given that the incumbent government knows that it might not be in power when the contract is completed, it may have an incentive to structure the contract to make it more difficult for a new government to renegotiate it. I show that traditional damage measures used in contracts between two private parties exacerbate this problem. The reliance damage measure induces the incumbent government to enlarge projects beyond the socially optimal level when it fears that a new government will want to cut it back. Expectation damages suffer from the same defect, though to a lesser extent.
Severe COVID-19 induces molecular signatures of aging in the human brain (preprint)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is predominantly an acute respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and remains a significant threat to public health. COVID-19 is accompanied by neurological symptoms and cognitive decline, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. As aging induces distinct molecular signatures in the brain associated with cognitive decline in healthy populations, we hypothesized that COVID-19 may induce molecular signatures of aging. Here, we performed whole transcriptomic analysis of human frontal cortex, a critical area for cognitive function, in 12 COVID-19 cases and age- and sex-matched uninfected controls. COVID-19 induces profound changes in gene expression, despite the absence of detectable virus in brain tissue. Pathway analysis shows downregulation of genes involved in synaptic function and cognition and upregulation of genes involved in immune processes. Comparison with five independent transcriptomic datasets of aging human frontal cortex reveals striking similarities between aged individuals and severe COVID-19 patients. Critically, individuals below 65 years of age exhibit profound transcriptomic changes not observed among older individuals in our patient cohort. Our data indicate that severe COVID-19 induces molecular signatures of aging in the human brain and emphasize the value of neurological follow-up in recovered individuals.
The association between 5-min Apgar score and mortality disappears after 24 h at the borderline of viability.

Aim: To quantify the relationship between 5-min Apgar scores and infant mortality for infants at the borderline of viability. Methods: Cohort study of 7008 infants 23–25 weeks’ gestation using 2002 US National Center for Health Statistics data. Using Cox proportional-hazards models, we quantified the relationship between Apgar score and infant mortality for all infants, and then infants surviving their first 24 h. Models were adjusted for gestational age, birth weight, gender, delivery method, plurality, maternal race, marital status and education. Results: Within one year, 46% of infants died. Of the non-survivors, deaths within 24 h were more common among infants with Apgar scores 0–3 (83%) than among infants with Apgar scores 7–10 (13%). When including all infants and adjusting for potential confounders, each 1-point increase in Apgar score decreased the hazard of mortality by 0.82. However, after excluding infants who died within 24 h, the hazard ratio increased to 0.95; although statistically significant, the practical impact was negated. Conclusions: For 23–25 week gestation infants surviving the first 24 h, the Apgar score loses clinical significance. Clinicians should be aware of the limitations of clinical assessments in the delivery room.
Effective properties for modeling unsaturated flow in large-scale heterogeneous porous media.

The feasibility of representing unsaturated flow in spatially heterogeneous systems using effective parameters as an “equivalent” homogeneous medium is investigated numerically. Random fields of soil hydraulic properties are indirectly generated from local grain size distribution statistics. Two-dimensional finite element simulations of transient unsaturated flow are conducted for synthetic heterogeneous media. Effective medium properties, derived from a perturbation approximation of Richards’ equation, are numerically evaluated and parameterized in terms of the statistics of spatially variable soil properties and mean flow characteristics. Good agreement is noted between the response of heterogeneous and equivalent homogeneous systems.
An ACT based programmable bandpass filter

An ACT (acoustic charge transport) technology based programmable bandpass filter that provides rapid control of both the center frequency and the bandwidth is described. This filter consists of a number of contiguous bandpass filter channels which are summed together to a common output. The filter response is controlled directly in the frequency domain by selectively switching the input signal at one or more of the individual filter inputs. All filter states are linear phase filters, and the switching time between filter states is typically around 1 mu s. This filter has 16 programmable frequency channels of 2 MHz each. The bandwidth can be varied from 2 MHz to 32 MHz within the 54 and 86 MHz range. The various filter states demonstrate selectivities ranging from 45 to 55 dB. >
The Metabolism of Isolated Fat Cells IV. REGULATION OF RELEASE OF PROTEIN BY LIPOLYTIC HORMONES AND INSULIN

Proteins of fat cells, isolated from rat epididymal fat pads, were labeled with 14C-histidine or 14C-leucine. The fate of the labeled protein was examined after subsequent treatment of the cells with hormones. Release of labeled proteins was stimulated by lipolytic hormones (adrenocorticotropic hormone, glucagon, and epinephrine) and by theophylline. Proteolysis, as measured by the appearance in the medium of trichloracetic acid-soluble radioactivity, occurred to a small extent but was not influenced by lipolytic hormones. Release of such nonparticulate enzymes as malic dehydrogenase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactic dehydrogenase, and hexokinase was also enhanced by lipolytic hormones. In intact adipose tissue, lipolytic hormones had the same effect on release of enzymes as observed with isolated fat cells. Release of protein was secondary to the rise in intracellular concentration of fatty acids in response to lipolytic hormones. Fatty acids, not their peroxides, were responsible for the release of protein. Isolated fat cells released protein after albumin in the medium became saturated with fatty acids. Intact adipose tissue released enzymes in response to lipolytic hormones when the concentration of fatty acids in the tissue reached approximately 16 µeq per g. With isolated fat cells, accumulation of intracellular fatty acids and protein release were prevented by either providing an excess of albumin in the medium or supplying glucose to the cells, especially in the presence of insulin, which accelerated re-esterification of intracellular fatty acids. It is suggested that the metabolic capacity of adipose tissue, in vitro and in vivo, is regulated in part by the release of cellular protein mediated through the intracellular concentration of fatty acids which is the product of the opposing actions of insulin and lipolytic hormones.
Research Note-Investigating Firm Strategies on Offering Consumer-Customizable Products

Advances in the digital economy have driven the trend among manufacturers, particularly those in the information technology IT industry, to offer products that consumers can self-customize to satisfy their idiosyncratic needs. This study examines firm strategies on offering such consumer-customizable products. Our analysis shows that a monopolistic firm obtains a greater profit from offering a consumer-customizable product than from offering a preconfigured standardized product only if consumers are sufficiently capable to conduct the customization task; otherwise, it is more profitable for the firm to offer a standardized product. Moreover, consumers obtain a greater surplus when the firm offers the customizable product. We also consider the case where the firm is capable of offering both a customizable product and a standardized product and find that the firm benefits more from offering both products than offering either product if consumer customizing capability and the customization cost are not too high. Interestingly, when the firm offers both products, its effort in enhancing consumer customizability e.g., offering free consumer training always benefits both the firm and consumers, but its effort in increasing the value of the standardized product e.g., offering more functions can hurt both the firm profit and consumer surplus. Our theoretical results explain many interesting business practices and provide useful insights for marketing practitioners.
II. A Case for Long-Term Treatment with Anticonvulsants

Seizures occurring in the neonatal period are one of the most significant discriminating factors in predicting childhood neurologic mortality and morbidity (epilepsy, cerebral palsy and mental retardation). Data derived from retrospective and prospective studies indicate that different variables, such as cause and severity of seizure activity, birth weight, neurologic examination and electroencephalogram, help predict which of these children will be severely affected. Most physicians treat such children with an anticonvulsant (phenobarbital) for the first year of life on the supposition that this therapy will minimize mortality and long-term morbidity. There are no controlled studies to indicate whether anticonvulsant therapy affects the outcome in children with neonatal seizures. It may now be possible to select those who are at significantly higher risk for neurologic morbidity, and these infants may benefit from anticonvulsant prophylaxis with phenobarbital.
Unscrambling the eggs: cybrid research through an Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee (ESCRO) lens.

Francoise Baylis (2008) places the recent decision of the United Kingdom's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to provide licenses for humanesque cytoplasmic hybrid embryo (cybrid) ...
RECENT CLINICAL TRIALS IN ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA BY THE CANCER AND LEUKEMIA GROUP B

The Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) has performed a series of studies evaluating different aspects of remission induction and postremission treatment in adults with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). In recent years, these clinical trials have been supplemented by systematic morphologic, immunophenotyping, cytogenetic, and molecular genetic studies leading to the identification of different risk groups of patients who may warrant individualized treatments. These protocols have enrolled all adult patients older than 15 years with ALL, without an upper age restriction, and did not exclude Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome-positive patients.
Near-Surface Water Content Estimation with Borehole Ground Penetrating Radar Using Critically Refracted Waves

Zero-offset profiling (ZOP) with borehole ground penetrating radar (BGPR) is a promising tool for profiling water contents in the subsurface to great depths with high spatial and temporal resolution. The ZOP method relies on determining the velocity of an electromagnetic (EM) wave that follows a direct path from the transmitter to the receiver. However, near the ground surface, critically refracted energy that travels along the ground surface at the velocity of an EM wave in air may arrive before direct waves that travel through the subsurface. If the critically refracted waves are mistakenly interpreted to be direct waves, the water content will be underestimated. As a result, the water content near the ground surface cannot be determined using standard BGPR analysis. We refer to the depth below which direct waves are the first to arrive as the refraction termination depth . An alternative analysis is presented to determine the water content above the refraction termination depth using the slope of the travel time vs. depth profile. Additionally, guidelines are presented to predict the refraction termination depth for known near-surface water contents.
The enzymic hydrolysis of certain hydroxamic acids

The hydroxamic acids corresponding to the straight-chain monocarboxylic acids from valeric to decanoic, and the monohydroxamates derived from the dicarboxylic acids, from malonic to adipic, were prepared. Certain of these acids were found to be rapidly hydrolyzed in the presence of liver homogenates. At least two enzymes are present, a lipase which hydrolyzes the hydroxamates of the straight-chain acids, and another enzyme which attacks succinyl- and glutaryl-monohydroxamates but not the corresponding malonyl or adipyl derivatives. The distribution of the enzymes is described. They are present in the livers of all the common laboratory animals, but the activity ratios for the two vary considerably in different species. The enzymes have been separated from each other. The Oct HA enzyme is present in the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions of the liver cells, and the other only in the cytoplasm. The lipase system is reversible, and the equilibrium point occurs when 15% is present as hydroxamate, and 85% as the hydrolysis products. The Succ HA enzyme system is not reversible; it is SH dependent, unlike the lipase, and is not affected by NaF in concentrations which inhibit the lipase. The sensitivity of the two enzymes to hydroxylamine is markedly different. The lipase is not affected by concentrations of hydroxylamine up to 15 times that of the substrate, while the Succ HA enzyme is inhibited 90% in equimolar concentrations. The hydrolysis of Tween 80 by rabbit liver is inhibited by 0.03 M Oct HA but not by similar amounts of Succ HA.
Thermal degradation of bending strength of plywood and oriented strand board: a kinetics approach

The construction industry has relied heavily on wood and wood-based composites, such as oriented strand board (OSB) and plywood for timber frame construction. Therefore, it is highly imperative to categorize the response of wood-based composites when exposed to elevated temperatures for a sustained period of time. The essence of fire-resistant structural design is to ensure that structural integrity be maintained during and after the fire, prevent collapse and maintain means of egress. Another aspect is to assess post-fire structural integrity and residual strength of existing structure. The objective of this project was (a) to study the effect of exposure time on bending strength (MOR) of OSB and plywood at elevated temperatures, (b) to interpret any relationships between different temperature and time of exposure using a kinetics model for thermal degradation of strength, and (c) to develop a master curve representing temporal behavior of OSB and plywood at a reference temperature. As much as 1,152 samples were tested in static bending as a function of exposure time and several temperatures. Strength (MOR) of both OSB and plywood decreased as a function of temperature and exposure time. These results were fit to a simple kinetics model, based on the assumption of degradation kinetics following an Arrhenius activation energy model. The apparent activation energies for thermal degradation of strength were 54.1 kJ/mol for OSB and 62.8 kJ/mol for plywood. Furthermore, using the kinetics analysis along with time–temperature superposition, a master curve was generated at a reference temperature of 150°C which predicts degradation of strength with time on exposure at that reference temperature. The master curves show that although plywood has a higher initial strength, OSB performs better in terms of strength degradation after exposure to elevated temperature.
Upstream-downstream movements of aquatic invertebrates in a Rocky Mountain stream

Simultaneous collections of drift and organisms moving either upstream or downstream in association with the substrate were made using a specially designed sampler. Samples were taken in a diel series along a transect across the study riffle of a Colorado foothills stream on six dates over an annual cycle. In addition to longitudinal movements, taxonomic composition and diel periodicity were evaluated. The insect-dominated fauna showed a net downstream displacement. Only the caddisflies Helicopsyche borealis and Hesperophylax occidentalis exhibited net upstream movement, primarily a result of low drift frequencies. The taxonomic composition of moving invertebrates differed from that of the benthos. Drift resembled downstream moving substrate-associated invertebrates in composition, but differed from that of the upstream directed fauna. Taxa collectively exhibited four types of diel patterns: 1) similar downstream (drift and substrate-associated movements) patterns, which generally differed from the upstream pattern; 2) similar benthic (upstream and downstream) patterns, which differed from that of drift; 3) aperiodic patterns; and 4) independent patterns for each type of directional movement. Analysis of size classes based on head capsule width for the mayfly Baetis tricaudatus showed significantly smaller size in stationary individuals compared with moving individuals in the population and revealed that nymphs moving during the day were smaller than those moving at night.
Effect of trace metal applications on emergence of Bromus rubens in desert soil

Abstract Bromus rubens L. seeds in calcareous desert soil which was brought from the Nevada Test Site to UCLA for pot tests with differential excess trace metal treatments gave differential emergence in response to the trace metal experiments. Zinc up to 5300 μg/g soil did not impair emergence. Cadmium at 1200 μg/g soil impaired emergence but 800 μg/g did not. Nickel at 500 μg/g soil did not impair emergence but 1000 and 2000 did. There was no emergence at 3000 μg Ni/g soil.
Assembly and Installation of the Daya Bay Antineutrino Detectors

Abstract The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment will make a precision measurement of sin 2 2θ 13 , the last unmeasured angle in the neutrino mass matrix in the next few years. Assembly is well underway with 4 of the planned 8 antineutrino detectors nearing completion. Assembly and installation of these antineutrino detectors is described.
Success and failure after repair of rectovaginal fistula in Crohn’s disease: analysis of prognostic factors

Objective To compare the healing rate after several types of surgical repair of rectovaginal fistula (RVF) in Crohn’s disease, and to identify factors predicting a successful outcome. Patients and methods A Medline review of the literature since 1980 and analysis of our results in 32 consecutive patients was done. Results All types of repair (rectal, vaginal, anocutaneous advancement flap, or perineoproctotomy with fistula closure) seem to be equally effective. Healing after a first repair is observed in 58 (46–71)%. Healing can still be obtained at subsequent attempts in 62 (40–71)% of the patients. The reported overall healing rate is 75 (56–93)%. The need for proctectomy after an attempt to repair was 6 (0–27)% in these series. Using a tailored surgical approach, we observed primary healing in 57%, healing after one or more supplementary procedures in 71%, for a total ‘definitive’ closure rate of 75%. Anal continence was never compromised and all temporary stomas (12 patients) could be closed. Univariate analysis identified number of Crohn’s sites, presence of extra-intestinal disease and previous Crohn’s proctitis to be related with problematic healing after a surgical repair. A positive relation was found between extra-intestinal disease and the number of repairs needed to ultimately obtain healing, whereas the relation with previous right hemicolectomy was negative. Multivariate analysis revealed the number of Crohn’s sites as the only factor predicting problematic healing. A defunctioning stoma was not related to the healing rate and had its intrinsic morbidity with supplementary hospitalization (9.6 days). After a median follow-up of 40.4 (range 8–87) months, we observed 4 late recurrences in 25 patients with healed RVF (16%). Conclusion Closure of a RVF in Crohn’s disease should not be considered an easy undertaking, especially in patients with several Crohn’s sites. In this very heterogeneous group of patients the technique is adapted to the nature and the extent of accompanying anorectal disease. Construction of a temporary stoma is not mandatory and can be limited to complex cases. Healing can be obtained in 75% of all patients, although a late recurrence might occur.
Pulmonary Embolism Despite Negative ELISA D-Dimer: A Case Report

Pulmonary embolus (PE) can be fatal, but is often treatable if recognized early. Unfortunately, the clinical presentation of PE is often variable and misleading. The D-dimer assay has recently come into favor as a method to exclude PE; however, this test has an acceptable safety margin only in low-risk populations. What is unclear is the exact composition of this low risk population. This is the report of a 26-year-old woman with over 2 weeks of chest pain and intermittent dyspnea. The patient was initially seen in the Emergency Department (ED) and hospitalized. She returned to the ED 2 weeks later with similar symptoms. Although enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) D-dimer assays were normal on the initial and subsequent ED visits, pulmonary embolism (PE) was diagnosed by computed tomography scan on the second visit. This report highlights the risk of misdiagnosing PE if relying solely on ELISA D-dimer for exclusion. The approach to PE should include a measure of clinical probability. This report documents the presentation of PE despite having two unremarkable ELISA D-dimer measurements, and highlights the importance of clinical suspicion.
Dynamics of crossbridge-mediated activation in the heart.

Both intracellular calcium and strongly bound crossbridges contribute to thin filament activation in the heart, but the magnitude and the duration of the effects due to crossbridges are not well characterized. In this study, crossbridge attachment was altered in tetanized ferret papillary muscles and changes in the rate constant for the recovery of force (k TR) and unloaded shortening velocity (V U) were measured to track thin filament activation. k TR decreased as the time the muscles spent at low levels of crossbridge attachment (shortening deactivation) increased (0.02 s=17.9±2.3 s−1, 0.32 s=3.3±0.4 s−1; half-time=0.052 s; P<0.05). Furthermore, the deactivation was reversible and k TR recovered when muscles were allowed to regenerate force isometrically during the same tetanus. V U also decreased when the preceding load was lower (isometric load, V U=1.93±0.26 muscle lengths/s (ML/s); zero load, V U=0.93±0.14 ML/s, P 60% decline after 0.3 s). In addition, V U recovered when the muscle was allowed to regenerate force isometrically. These results indicate that crossbridge attachment increases thin filament activation as reflected in measurements of V U and k TR. This ‘extra’ activation by crossbridges appears to be a dynamic process that decays during unloaded shortening and redevelops during isometric contraction.