cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Semi-Automatic System for Data Management and Cleaning

We present a data management system intended for semi-automatic database pre-processing. This system allows the user to obtain useable data from a large amount of records, simplifying the cleaning process with a set of built-in tools which allows the user to identify and exploit patterns in the data. This paper describes a system with set of tools including categorical definition of variables, multi-variable column split using stop characters, data cleansing based on regular expression and inclusion of tables and standards from datasets; is presented. The framework allows for operation traceability, making it feasible to create a repeatable and fast data pre-processing and cleansing procedure.
Arthrodesis of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints to treat osteoarthritis in 17 horses

Objective To describe arthrodesis of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) or metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint with a locking compression plate (LCP) and a metallic tension band and report the outcome of horses treated for osteoarthritis (OA) with this technique. Study design Retrospective case series. Animals Seventeen horses with OA of the MCP or MTP joint treated with arthrodesis. Methods Medical records (2004-2017) of horses treated for OA with arthrodesis of the MCP or MTP joint with an LCP and metallic tension band were reviewed. Preoperative variables included age, sex, breed, affected limb, and lameness grade. Surgical variables included implants used, surgery time, postoperative angle of joint, intraoperative complications, and anesthetic recovery method. Outcome was obtained from medical records and phone interviews. Results Lameness was scored as 4 out of 5 (range, 2-4) in 13 of 17 horses. All horses survived to discharge and were alive >6 months postoperatively, without any report of long-term complications. All horses were allowed unrestricted turnout, and 1 horse was lightly ridden. No postoperative infections or implant failures were reported. The only complications consisted of cast sores (n = 4). Conclusion Arthrodesis of the MCP/MTP joint was associated with acceptable morbidity and good long-term outcomes in these 17 horses with OA refractory to medical management. Clinical significance The morbidity and prognosis after fetlock arthrodesis for OA seem more favorable than reported in horses treated with traumatic disruption of the suspensory apparatus.
Is There a Book-to-Market Effect?

Fama and French (1992) report that size and the book-to-market ratio capture the cross-sectional variation of average stock returns for the universe of NYSE, Amex, and Nasdaq securities during the 1963-1990 period. This paper reports that Fama and French's empirical findings are driven by two features of the data: (i) a January seasonal in the book-to-market effect, and (ii) low returns on Amex and Nasdaq growth stocks. In the largest size quintile of all firms (accounting for 73 percent of the total market value of all publicly traded firms), book-to-market has no significant explanatory power on the cross-section of realized returns. For the majority of money managers, the empirical findings of Fama and French are of little economic importance for predicting future portfolio returns.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Point-of-Care Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Intussusception.

Abstract Background Delayed diagnosis of intussusception can lead to air enema failure and increased morbidity. There are limited studies reporting the accuracy of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physician point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in diagnosing intussusception. Objectives The primary objective was to evaluate the accuracy of PEM POCUS in identifying ileocolic intussusception. The secondary objective was to identify factors associated with air enema failure. Methods This was a retrospective study of children who underwent POCUS for suspected intussusception in a pediatric emergency department between January 2001 and December 2015. Patients were included if a pediatric radiologist confirmed the POCUS examination interpretation by image review, radiology department ultrasound, or air enema. Age, symptom duration, recurrent intussusception, and location of intussusception were examined as factors for air enema failure. Results One hundred and two POCUS examinations were completed on 101 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of patients was 22 months. Of 75 patients with intussusception, 72 were detected with POCUS. PEM POCUS had a sensitivity of 96.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 91.6–100.0%), specificity of 92.6% (95% CI 82.7–100.0%), positive predictive value of 97.3% (95% CI 93.6–100.0%), and negative predictive value of 89.3% (95% CI 77.8–100.0%). Air enema failure was associated with intussusception distal to the splenic flexure (odds ratio = 10.00 [95% CI 2.81–35.61]; p Conclusion PEM POCUS identifies intussusception with high sensitivity and specificity. Patients
Propagation of Fourth Sound in Superfluid He 3

Pressure waves propagate through a superleak in both $^{3}\mathrm{He}$-$A$ and $^{3}\mathrm{He}$-$B$, showing that both are superfluids below ${T}_{c}$. Superfluid relative density is obtained from velocity measurements over a wide pressure range above and below the polycritical point.
Remyelination Pharmacotherapy Investigations Highlight Diverse Mechanisms Underlying Multiple Sclerosis Progression

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system characterized by a complex lesion microenvironment. Although much progress has been made in developing immunomodulatory treatments to reduce myelin damage and delay the progression of MS, there is a paucity in treatment options that address the multiple pathophysiological aspects of the disease. Currently available immune-centered therapies are able to reduce the immune-mediated damage exhibited in MS patients, however, they cannot rescue the eventual failure of remyelination or permanent neuronal damage that occurs as MS progresses. Recent advances have provided a better understanding of remyelination processes, specifically oligodendrocyte lineage cell progression following demyelination. Further there have been new findings highlighting various components of the lesion microenvironment that contribute to myelin repair and restored axonal health. In this review we discuss the complexities of myelin repair following immune-mediated damage in the CNS, the contribution of animal models of MS in providing insight on OL progression and myelin repair, and current and potential remyelination-centered therapeutic targets. As remyelination therapies continue to progress into clinical trials, we consider a dual approach targeting the inflammatory microenvironment and intrinsic remyelination mechanisms to be optimal in aiding MS patients.
A Canonical Correlation Analysis of the Relationship between Clinical Attributes and Patient-Specific Hemodynamic Indices in Adult Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disease affecting approximately 10–52 cases per million, with a higher incidence in women, and with a high mortality associated with right ventricle (RV) failure. In this work, we explore the relationship between hemodynamic indices, calculated from in silico models of the pulmonary circulation, and clinical attributes of RV workload and pathological traits. Thirty-four patient-specific pulmonary arterial tree geometries were reconstructed from computed tomography angiography images and used for volume meshing for subsequent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Data obtained from the CFD simulations were post-processed resulting in hemodynamic indices representative of the blood flow dynamics. A retrospective review of medical records was performed to collect the clinical variables measured or calculated from standard hospital examinations. Statistical analyses and canonical correlation analysis (CCA) were performed for the clinical variables and hemodynamic indices. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), diastolic pulmonary artery pressure (dPAP), cardiac output (CO), and stroke volume (SV) were moderately correlated with spatially averaged wall shear stress (0.60 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.66; p
Calmodulin Mutations Associated with Heart Arrhythmia: A Status Report

Calmodulin (CaM) is a ubiquitous intracellular Ca2+ sensing protein that modifies gating of numerous ion channels. CaM has an extraordinarily high level of evolutionary conservation, which led to the fundamental assumption that mutation would be lethal. However, in 2012, complete exome sequencing of infants suffering from recurrent cardiac arrest revealed de novo mutations in the three human CALM genes. The correlation between mutations and pathophysiology suggests defects in CaM-dependent ion channel functions. Here, we review the current state of the field for all reported CaM mutations associated with cardiac arrhythmias, including knowledge of their biochemical and structural characteristics, and progress towards understanding how these mutations affect cardiac ion channel function.
Are Salt Tablets Effective in the Treatment of Euvolemic Hyponatremia

OBJECTIVES There is limited evidence for the use of salt tablets in the treatment of hyponatremia. This retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness of salt tablet administration in euvolemic hyponatremia. METHODS This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study. Information on patients' demographics, clinical characteristics, and laboratory data were collected for retrospective review. Treatment for hyponatremia, including the amount of salt tablets, fluid restriction, and diuretics was collected. We compared hyponatremic patients with those who received salt tablets versus those who did not receive salt tablets. The primary outcome of interest was the change in serum sodium at 48 hours between the two groups. RESULTS A total of 1258 medical records were initially screened with inclusion and exclusion criteria. After screening, there were 83 patients included in the study. Forty-two patients received salt tablets and 41 patients were in the group that did not receive salt tablets. Patients treated with salt tablets were older, more often female, and had lower body weight and lower initial serum sodium. The change in serum sodium after 48 hours was higher in the salt tablet group (5.2 mEq/L) than the non-salt tablet group (3.1 mEq/L; P < 0.001). This difference in serum sodium between the two groups remained statistically significant when adjusted for age, sex, weight, and initial serum sodium. CONCLUSIONS The use of salt tablets in the treatment of euvolemic hyponatremia is associated with a small but significant improvement in serum sodium compared with patients who did not receive such therapy, even after adjusting for age, sex, weight, and initial serum sodium. This study supports the effectiveness of salt tablets in the treatment of euvolemic hyponatremia in medical patients.
Comparing STEM Schools on Algebra Performance

Presented in this research category full paper is a study on the effectiveness of Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) high schools on students’ mathematics achievement. The original T-STEM blueprints for funding and designating a school as T-STEM include specifications for raising grade 9 Algebra I End of Course assessment scores. As inclusive STEM high schools, T-STEM schools have been designed with the intention to better serve ethnic minorities, females, and low socio-economic status students by improving both academic achievement and attitude toward STEM fields. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of attending T-STEM designated schools on students’ mathematics achievement after taking into account prior mathematics achievement, economic disadvantage, gender, and ethnicity. After controlling for these variables, T-STEM schools had no statistically significant effect on Algebra I End of Course assessment scores in the present study. We interpret the results as demonstrating that T-STEM schools are not sufficiently improving students’ mathematics achievement and are thus failing to achieve one of the critical standards set out by the original initiative to create T-STEM schools.
Evidence of Possible Irritable Larynx Syndrome in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Epidemiologic Approach.

Summary Objective “Irritable larynx syndrome” (ILS) often refers to a constellation of laryngeal-based symptoms including chronic cough (CC), diurnal dyspnea, and dysphonia. In patients with OSA, we examined: (1) the frequency, severity, comorbidity, risks and triggers of each problem, (2) whether these symptoms were compatible with stereotypic ILS and (3) the role of CPAP in their expression. Study design Cross-sectional, descriptive epidemiology study. Setting Sleep-Wake Center at University of Utah Health Care, Salt Lake City, UT. Subjects and methods Ninety-four individuals with OSA (53 men, 41 women; mean age 54.7 ± 12.8 yrs.) underwent an extensive telephone interview that addressed study objectives. Results Long-term CC, daytime breathing and voice problems were common, especially among women despite less severe OSA. Women, more than men, reported all three chronic conditions alone or in combination: CC (44% vs 11.3%), diurnal dyspnea (41.5% vs 13.2%) and voice disorders (41.5% vs 13.2%). Symptoms were not associated with age, BMI or Apnea Hypopnea Index after adjusting for sex. Although evidence supporting stereotypic ILS symptomatology was inconsistent, those participants with a voice disorder were 3.3 (95% CI = 1.8-6.0) times more likely to report CC and 2.4 (95% CI = 1.3-4.4) times more likely to experience diurnal dyspnea. Esophageal reflux, post-nasal drip, and frequent sinus infections were significantly associated with all three conditions. Triggers that provoked or made symptoms worse varied by condition and sex. Nightly, humidified CPAP use was associated with fewer symptoms overall and improved quality of life. Conclusions Symptoms suggestive of possible ILS are common in OSA, especially among women, and lessened by nightly CPAP use.
A Completely De Novo ATPase from Combinatorial Protein Design.

Our understanding of biological chemistry is shaped by the observation that all life comes from other life—as Pasteur put it, omne vivum ex vivo. A key step in expanding our biochemical vocabulary ...
Splicing at the phase-separated nuclear speckle interface: a model.

Phase-separated membraneless bodies play important roles in nucleic acid biology. While current models for the roles of phase separation largely focus on the compartmentalization of constituent proteins, we reason that other properties of phase separation may play functional roles. Specifically, we propose that interfaces of phase-separated membraneless bodies could have functional roles in spatially organizing biochemical reactions. Here we propose such a model for the nuclear speckle, a membraneless body implicated in RNA splicing. In our model, sequence-dependent RNA positioning along the nuclear speckle interface coordinates RNA splicing. Our model asserts that exons are preferentially sequestered into nuclear speckles through binding by SR proteins, while introns are excluded through binding by nucleoplasmic hnRNP proteins. As a result, splice sites at exon-intron boundaries are preferentially positioned at nuclear speckle interfaces. This positioning exposes splice sites to interface-localized spliceosomes, enabling the subsequent splicing reaction. Our model provides a simple mechanism that seamlessly explains much of the complex logic of splicing. This logic includes experimental results such as the antagonistic duality between splicing factors, the position dependence of splicing sequence motifs, and the collective contribution of many motifs to splicing decisions. Similar functional roles for phase-separated interfaces may exist for other membraneless bodies.
On the transition laws of p -tempered $$\alpha $$ α -stable OU-processes

We derive an explicit representation for the transition law of a p-tempered $$\alpha $$ -stable process of Ornstein–Uhlenbeck-type and use it to develop a methodology for simulation. Our results apply in both the univariate and multivariate cases. Special attention is given to the case where $$p\le \alpha $$ , which is more complicated and requires developing the new class of so-called incomplete gamma distributions.
Factors that Influence Progression of Respiratory Dysfunction in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (4410)

Objective: The primary objective of this retrospective study was to identify factors that influence progression of respiratory dysfunction in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Background: DM1 is a multisystem disease that causes muscle weakness and myotonia, as well as cognitive, cardiac conduction, gastrointestinal, and respiratory abnormalities. It affects 1 in 8000, and respiratory complications are the most common cause of death. The natural history of respiratory decline in DM1 is poorly characterized with few identified predictors of respiratory dysfunction progression. Design/Methods: Electronic medical records from 110 adult patients diagnosed with DM1 and seen at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center between 2009 and 2019 were reviewed. Respiratory symptom and pulmonary function data were obtained from routine evaluation with respiratory therapists. Results: At baseline, 70.9% had restrictive respiratory impairment. Greater CTG repeat size, higher MIRS rating, and longer disease duration were all correlated with lower baseline FVC (r= −0.4819, p= Conclusions: Our data confirmed a high prevalence of restrictive respiratory impairment and identified characteristics associated with respiratory dysfunction and decline in DM1 patients. Longer disease duration was associated with greater annual decline in VC, suggesting that with disease progression restrictive respiratory impairments progressed at a faster rate. However, annual rate of change of EtCO2, FVC, and number of respiratory symptoms were not significantly different when stratified by CTG repeat size, MIRS, or age at symptom onset suggesting that factors contributing to respiratory decline in DM1 are complex and multifactorial due to individual variability in clinical phenotype. Disclosure: Dr. Hartog has nothing to disclose. Dr. Arnold has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Genentech and Roche. Dr. Arnold has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Medscape. Dr. Arnold has received research support from NMD PHARMA and Gilead Sciences.Dr. LoRusso has nothing to disclose.
Use Python Data Analysis to Gain Insights from Airbnb Hosts

This paper uses Python and its external data processing package to conduct an in-depth analysis machine study of Airbnb review data. Increasingly, travelers are now using Airbnb instead of staying in traditional hotels. However, in such a growing and competitive Airbnb market, many hosts may find it difficult to make their listings attractive among the many. With the development of data science, the author can now analyse large amounts of data to obtain compelling evidence that helps Airbnb hosts find certain patterns in some popular properties. By learning and emulating these patterns, many hosts may be able to increase the popularity of their properties. By using Python to analyse all data from all aspects of Airbnb listings, the author proposes to test and find correlations between certain variables and popular listings. To ensure that the results are representative and general, the author used a database containing many multidimensional details and information about Airbnb listings to date. To obtain the desired results, the author uses the Pandas, NLTK, and matplotlib packages to better process and visualize the data. Finally, the author will make some recommendations to Airbnb hosts based on the evidence generated from the data in many ways. In the future, the author will build on this to further optimize the design.
The Effects of Racial Socialization and Parent-Child Relationship Quality on Emerging Adult Reports of Racial Discrimination to Parents

THE EFFECTS OF RACIAL SOCIALIZATION AND PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP QUALITY ON EMERGING ADULT REPORTS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION TO PARENTS By: NATHASHA NICOLETTE COLE Bachelor of Arts, Florida State University, May 2010 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014. Major Director: Shawn Utsey, Ph.D. Title: Professor Department of Psychology Former Chair, Department of African American Studies The effects of parent-child relationship quality and racial socialization on reports of racial discrimination to parents are examined in an African American emerging adult population. The effects of parent-child relationship quality and racial socialization on reports of racial discrimination to parents are also considered. The influences of demographic characteristics on reports of racial discrimination are also assessed. The purpose of this study is to examine if there are relationships between cultural origin, gender, socio-economic status and reports of racial discrimination to parents. The study also aims to determine if parent-child relationship quality has an effect on whether or not black youth report experiences of racial discrimination to their parents. The study included 133 emerging adult participants between the ages of 18-25, and 33 didactic pairs of parents and their emerging adult children. Via electronic surveys, young adults answered questions about their relationships with their parents, while the parents answered questions about their racial socialization strategies. The results indicated that cultural origin, gender, and SES did not have a relationship with reports of racial discrimination to parents. However, analyses suggested that having a low or working SES has a relationship with reporting racial discrimination to parents. Findings also showed that racial socialization along with parent-child relationship quality had an effect on reports of discrimination. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed.
Nonlinear enzymatic cycling systems: the exponential cycling system. II. Experimental cycling system.

The existence of a previously undescribed class of enzymatic cycling systems, the nonlinear cycling systems, is demonstrated in the form of an exponential cycling system. The system is based on the reactions catalyzed by myokinase and pyruvate kinase. Under the appropriate conditions, the concentrations of ADP, ATP, and pyruvate in the system increase exponentially with time and are linear functions of the initial concentrations of ADP and ATP. The behavior of the experimental cycling system is compared with the explicit mathematical model of the system. Preliminary results with two other exponential cycling systems are briefly discussed.
Structure of serum albumin.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an insight of the findings of past significant papers with the current knowledge of the recently determined high resolution X-ray structure of serum albumin. The most outstanding property of albumin is its ability to bind reversibly an incredible variety of ligands. The sequences of all albumins are characterized by a unique arrangement of disulfide double loops that repeat as a series of triplets. Albumin belongs to a multigene family of proteins that includes α- fetoprotein (AFP) and vitamin D-binding protein (VDP), also known as G complement (Gc) protein. Although AFP is considered the fetal counterpart of albumin, its binding properties are distinct and it is suggested that AFP may have a higher affinity for some unknown ligands important for fetal development. Domain structure and the arrangement of the disulfides, the surface charge distribution, and the conformational flexibility of the albumin molecule are described. The nature of ligand binding, including small organics, long-chain fatty acids, and metals, to multiple sites on the albumin molecule is clearly depicted. The chapter concludes with the perceptive comments on future directions being taken to explore the structure and function of this fascinating protein.
Whole-Stack Analysis and Optimization of Commercial Workloads on Server Systems

The evolution of the Web as an enabling tool for e-business introduces a challenge to understanding the execution behavior of large-scale middleware systems, such as J2EE [2], and their commercial workloads. This paper presents a brief description of the whole-stack analysis and optimization system – being developed at IBM Research – for commercial workloads on Websphere Application Server (WAS) [5] – IBM’s implementation of J2EE – running on IBM’s pSeries [4] and zSeries [3] server systems.
Triangular [Ag3]3+ Complexes Supported by Picolyl‐Substituted N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands

A series of 12 picolyl-containing NHC ligand precursors and their AgI salts are reported. The complexes [Ag3{Sim(CH2pyCl)2}3]X3 [2(PF6)3], [Ag3{Sim(CH2pyBr)2}3]X3 [3(PF6)3], [Ag3{Sim(CH2isoquin)2}3]X3 [4(PF6)3], [Ag3{5,6-Cl2-benzim(CH2py)2}3]X3 [6(BF4)3], [Ag3{5,6-Me2-benzim(CH2py)2}3]X3 [7(PF6)3], [Ag3(benzim{CH2py-3,4-(OMe)2}2)3]X3 [8(PF6)3], [Ag3{benzim(CH2py-3,5-Me2-4-OMe)2}3]X3 [9(PF6)3], [Ag3(5,6-Me2-benzim{CH2py-3,4-(OMe)2}2)3]X3 [10(PF6)3], [Ag3{5,6-Me2-benzim(CH2py-3,5-Me2-4-OMe)2}3]X3 [11(PF6)3], and [Ag3{5-OMe-benzim(CH2py)2}3]X3 [12(PF6)3] (X = PF6– or BF4–) each contain a central [Ag3]3+ core spanned by three NHC ligands. The optically pure [Ag3{(R,R)-cyclohexylim(CH2py)2}3](PF6)3 [(R,R)-5(PF6)3] adopts a different coordination mode. All complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and HRMS. In addition, complexes 3(PF6), (R,R)-5(PF6), 6(BF4), 7(PF6), and 8(PF6) were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and found to exhibit Ag–Ag distances of approximately 2.7 A.
Using computers to diagnose computer problems

Although computers continue to improve in speed and functionality, they remain difficult to use. Problems frequently occur, and it is hard to find fixes or workarounds. This paper argues for the importance and feasibility of building a global-scale automated problem diagnosis system that captures the natural, although labor intensive, workflow of system diagnosis and repair. The system collects problem symptoms from users' desktops, rather than requiring users to describe their problems to primitive search engines, automatically searches global databases of problem symptoms and fixes, and also allows ordinary users to contribute accurate problem reports in a structured manner.
Neurons, Computation in

Detailed knowledge of the complexities of single-neuron computation – the way in which single neurons process synaptic input – is essential to understanding the function of the brain itself. Keywords: computation; neurons; dendrites; synapses; ion channels; modeling
Orexin-A enhances feeding in male rats by activating hindbrain catecholamine neurons

Both lateral hypothalamic orexinergic neurons and hindbrain catecholaminergic neurons contribute to control of feeding behavior. Orexin fibers and terminals are present in close proximity to hindbrain catecholaminergic neurons, and fourth ventricular (4V) orexin injections that increase food intake also increase c-Fos expression in hindbrain catecholamine neurons, suggesting that orexin neurons may stimulate feeding by activating catecholamine neurons. Here we examine that hypothesis in more detail. We found that 4V injection of orexin-A (0.5 nmol/rat) produced widespread activation of c-Fos in hindbrain catecholamine cell groups. In the A1 and C1 cell groups in the ventrolateral medulla, where most c-Fos-positive neurons were also dopamine β hydroxylase (DBH) positive, direct injections of a lower dose (67 pmol/200 nl) of orexin-A also increased food intake in intact rats. Then, with the use of the retrogradely transported immunotoxin, anti-DBH conjugated to saporin (DSAP), which targets and destroys DBH-expressing catecholamine neurons, we examined the hypothesis that catecholamine neurons are required for orexin-induced feeding. Rats given paraventricular hypothalamic injections of DSAP, or unconjugated saporin (SAP) as control, were implanted with 4V or lateral ventricular (LV) cannulas and tested for feeding in response to ventricular injection of orexin-A (0.5 nmol/rat). Both LV and 4V orexin-A stimulated feeding in SAP controls, but DSAP abolished these responses. These results reveal for the first time that catecholamine neurons are required for feeding induced by injection of orexin-A into either LV or 4V.
Drug discovery and epithelial physiology.

Purpose of reviewSmall-molecule inhibitors and activators of gene products or cell functions can be valuable research tools for analyzing gene function (‘chemical genetics’), and as leads for the development of new therapies (‘drug discovery’). The recent National Institutes of Health roadmap highli
Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species signal hepatocyte steatosis by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase cell survival pathway

Abnormal dietary intake of macronutrients is implicated in the development of obesity and fatty liver disease. Steatosis develops in cultured hepatocytes exposed to medium containing either a high concentration of long chain free fatty acids (HFFA) or medium deficient in methionine and choline (MCD). This study examined the mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent regulation of the phosphoinositol (PI) 3-kinase pathway in steatosis induced by exposure of AML-12 mouse hepatocytes to MCD or HFFA medium. Exposure to either MCD or HFFA medium resulted in increased production of superoxide anions and H2O2, transduction of the PI 3-kinase pathway and steatosis. Inhibition of PI 3-kinase with LY294002 prevented steatosis. Pharmacologically inhibiting electron transport chain complex III production of ROS prevented activation of PI 3-kinase during macronutrient perturbation, whereas pharmacologically promoting electron transport chain complex III ROS production activated PI 3-kinase independent of nutrient input. The data suggest that H2O2 is the ROS species involved in signal transduction; promoting the rapid conversion of superoxide to H2O2 does not inhibit PI 3-kinase pathway activation during nutrient perturbation, and exogenous H2O2 activates it independent of nutrient input. In addition to transducing PI 3-kinase, the ROS-dependent signal cascade amplifies the PI 3-kinase signal by maintaining phosphatase and tensin homolog in its inactive phosphorylated state. Knockdown of phosphatase and tensin homolog by small interfering RNA independently activated the PI 3-kinase pathway. Our findings suggest a common path for response to altered nutrition involving mitochondrial ROS-dependent PI 3-kinase pathway regulation, leading to steatosis.
Remotely controlled cycling exercise system for home-based telerehabilitation

Limited research has been conducted in utilizing telemedicine to promote upper and lower limb rehabilitation using remotely controlled home-based ergometers. The goal of this study was to develop and assess a telerehabilitation system supporting internet-controlled home-based cycling exercise. We designed an interface to control cycling speed of an ergometer from a remote server via Internet. The evaluation of the interface included consecutive transmission of 7 different cycling speed levels, each level of 2-minute duration. Overall, the mean difference between remotely setup and actual cycling speed was 0.002±0.03 miles/hour. Our evaluation demonstrated high fidelity of the proposed system and reliability of controlling individualized exercise prescription for home-based cycling equipment via Internet.
Comments, with reply, on "Lyapunov stability designs for switching regulator/low-pass filter system" by M.L. Brooks

Erroneous conclusions reached in the original paper (see ibid., vol.25, no.5, p.602-10, Sept. 1989) concerning the applicability of the Rough criterion in studying the stability of fourth-order linear systems and its relationship with Lyapunov's stability tests are corrected. A brief review of relevant theory is presented, and faults in the analysis that led to these conclusions are identified. The relationship between the Routh criterion and the second method of Lyapunov is reviewed, and a correct application of the Lyapunov method is presented. It is shown that contrary to the conclusions of the paper discussed, these two methods are equivalent for any linear, time-invariant system, including the fourth-order system in question. >
The Socratic Narrative: A Democratic Reading of Plato's Dialogues

Plato wrote dialogues. While there has been attention to the dramatic elements of Plato’s dialogues by a number of scholars, there has been much less attention to the narrative style of the dialogues. I argue that we should consider whether the dialogues are recited or presented like dramatic works with each character speaking his own words—or as a mixture of these narrative forms. By employing this interpretive tool to read the Republic, I illustrate how paying attention to the narrative style enables us to see a democratic Socrates who undermines readings of the Republic famously offered by Karl Popper and Leo Strauss. Plato appears then as neither a defender of the “closed society” nor an advocate of the elite rule of the wise over the many.
Volumetric Change of Selected Organs at Risk During IMRT for Oropharyngeal Cancer

Purpose To assess volumetric changes of selected organs at risk (OAR) during intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for oropharyngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods Twenty-six consecutive patients that were treated with definitive IMRT ± chemotherapy between November 2007 and November 2008 were selected for the present study. As part of an internal quality assurances program, a repeat kilovolt (KV) computed tomography was planned weekly during the 7-week treatment course. On each available scan, a single observer contoured the parotid submandibular, and thyroid glands (PG/SMG/TG), larynx (L), and constrictor, masticatory, and sternocleidomastoid muscles (CM/MM/SCM) as appropriate. The volume at each scan was compared with the one at planning CT in a pair-wise fashion. p values Results A total of 159 scans was obtained during treatment for a total of 185 scans, including the baseline imaging. All OARs showed statistically significant changes over baseline by week 5. At week 7, the PG showed the largest absolute change with an average reduction of ∼10 mL followed by both the SCM and MM (∼-5 mL). The largest (∼-30%) relative change was observed for the salivary glands. L and CM showed a ∼15% increase in volume during treatment. Conclusion All selected OAR undergo significant volumetric changes during a course of IMRT for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
A reinvestigation of the bamberger‐ham phenazine. Synthesis: A limitation

The Bamberger-Ham condensation of 4-substituted nitrosobenzenes in concentrated sulfuric acid reported as a method of synthesis for phenazine N-oxides has been found to be limited to electron donating substituents. Methyl 4-nitrosobenzoale has been found to react under these conditions to give dimethyl 2-nitrodiphenylamine-4, 5-diearboxylate (2). Compounds of unknown structure previously reported to arise from acid treatment of 4-bromo- and 4-chloronilrosobenzene have been shown to be 4, 5-dibromo-2-nitrosophenylamine (10) and the analogous dichloro compound. Treatment under stronger acidic conditions (oleum) converted 10 but not 2 into the corresponding phenazine N-oxide. Mechanistic implications are discussed.
Stability of liquid flow down a heated inclined plane

Abstract The linear stability theory is used to obtain the stability criteria of a thin liquid film flowing down a heated or cooled wall. A critical Reynolds number exists above which the film flow is unstable. The surface tension variation caused by the temperature fluntuation is shown to stabilize condensate films but to destabilize liquid films on a heated wall. While evaporation destabilizes the flow, condensation stabilizes it. The time required to develop thin spots in a film is given in terms of relevant physical variables. There exists a critical value of ΔT, the temperature drop across the film, beyond which the above mentioned time decreases as (ΔT) −4 if (T s − T m )/ Δ T ⪡ 1, where T s and T m are respectively the free surface temperature and the ambient gas temperature. On the other hand, if (T s − T m )/ ΔT ⪢ 1, the above mentioned time decreases as (ΔT) −6 but increases as the second power of T s − T m .
An analytic hierarchy approach to activity-based costing

Abstract This article presents an estimating model for determining how overhead costs might be allocated to different products. The model, which is loosely based on Activity-Based Costing (ABC), incorporates Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in estimating the overhead costs associated with each product. The proposed model uses overhead cost categories, and other cost-correlated information, as well as managers' subjective judgements for detail classification of overhead costs when “hard” data are not available. This model allows business to determine the benefits of ABC before actual implementation. A real-world example illustrates the model.
An exuberant retinocollicular pathway in siamese kittens effects of competition and abnormal activity on its maturation

Retinocollicular pathways were studied in normally pigmented and Siamese adult cats and newborn kittens. In addition, retinocollicular pathways were studied in Siamese cats which were unilaterally enucleated on the day of birth and in Siamese cats which were reared in a stroboscopically illuminated environment. In adult Siamese cats the ipsilateral retinocollicular pathway is spatially less extensive than it is in adult normally pigmented cats. In contrast, the ipsilateral retinocollicular pathway in newborn Siamese kittens is widespread, while that of newborn normally pigmented kittens is restricted, as it is in normally pigmented adults. This comparison indicates that the spatial restriction of the retinocollicular pathway occurs after birth in Siamese cats. After enucleation or stroboscopic rearing the ipsilateral retinocollicular pathway in Siamese cats remains widespread. These results demonstrate the importance of interactions with afferents from other sources and the requirement for appropriate neural activity in the normal maturation of this initially exuberant pathway.
THE ANALYSIS OF THICK-TARGET THICK-CATCHER NUCLEAR RECOIL EXPERIMENTS

In a “thick-target thick-catcher” experiment a relatively thick foil surrounded by foils of some other material is exposed to a beam of particles. The distribution of a reaction product in the three foils is measured. The results are analyzed by the standard two-step vector representation. The velocity of the recoiling nucleus is given by the sum of a forward velocity ν (taken here to be constant) imparted in the first step and a velocity V (taken here to be isotropic) imparted in the second step. The range-velocity relation is taken to be: range = K×velocityN, where K and N are constants. The distribution of the recoil energy E in the second step, corresponding to the velocity V, is of the form P(E) dE = (E-E0) exp[−(E-E0)/τ]dE/τ2, where E0 is the effective Coulomb barrier and τ = 12(〈;E〉-E0). The analysis is made in two parts, V >ν and V<ν. Experimental results can be analyzed to obtain values of ν, 〈R〉, 〈V〉, 〈E〉, etc.
Accelerating neural net dynamics by boundary layer methods

Abstract A boundary layer method for accelerating the solution of the differential equations representing the dynamics of an analog relaxation neural net in a high gain limit is presented. The inverse of the gain parameter in an analog neuron's transfer function is used as a small parameter, in terms of which the net dynamics may be separated into two time scales. This separation leads to economies in the numerical treatment of the associated differential equations, i.e., the acceleration in question. Illustrative computations are presented.
Comparison of Low- and High-Volume Irrigation-Aspiration Systems for Extracapsular Cataract Extraction

A low-volume irrigation-aspiration system with a 1-mm tip (0.3-mm aspiration port) has been developed for extracapsular cataract extraction. This autoclavable system uses approximately 36% less irrigating fluid during the irrigation and aspiration of cortical material when compared to currently available models. The time required for cortical aspiration is also shortened by 33%. After three years of clinical experience with the low-volume system at the Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, where almost all extracapsular cataract surgery is now performed with the new system, there have been no adverse effects and subsequent capsulotomy has rarely been necessary.
Absence of a correlation between cyclic nucleotide fluctuations and cell cycle progression

Abstract The levels of cAMP and cGMP were determined throughout the mitotic cycle of two independent strains of the naturally synchronous slime mold, Physarum polycephalum. The normal range of values was approx. 0.5–2.5 pmoles cAMP/ mg protein and 0.01–0.08 pmoles cGMP/mg protein. In our standard laboratory strain, there was no systematic pattern to the variations in the values within the normal range and no unique time in the cycle when values significantly above normal were noted. In the other strain recently cultured from spherules, elevated levels of cGMP, but not cAMP, were observed in late G2 and in the S phase. The data suggest that elevated levels of these cyclic nucleotides are not required for normal progression of the Physarum mitotic cycle which is unperturbed by artificial synchronizing procedures.
Integration of Footprints Information Systems in Palliative Care: The Case of Medical Center of Central Georgia

Healthcare in America continues to be of paramount importance, and one of the most highly debated public policy issues of our time. With annual expenditures already exceeding $2.4 trillion, and yielding less than optimal results, it stands to reason that we must turn to promising tools and solutions, such as information technology (IT), to improve service efficiency and quality of care. Presidential addresses in 2004 and 2008 laid out an agenda, framework, and timeline for national health information technology investment and development. A national initiative was long overdue. This report we show that advancements in both medical technologies and information systems can be capitalized upon, hence extending information systems usage beyond data collection to include administrative and decision support, care plan development, quality improvement, etc. In this paper we focus on healthcare services for palliative patients. We present the development and preliminary accounts of a successful initiative in the Medical Center of Central Georgia where footprints information technology was modified and integrated into the hospital's palliative care service and existing EMR systems. The project provides evidence that there are a plethora of areas in healthcare in which innovative application of information systems could significantly enhance the care delivered to loved ones, and improve operations at the same time..
Ion confinement in a marginally stable penning trap

Abstract The behaviour of ions stored in a Penning trap operated near the stability boundary is investigated. It is found that a marginally stable region exists with width ΔB which appears to depend on the initial kinetic energy of the ions at time of production. It is pointed out how this property, presenting an inherent limitation to the stored ion collision method, can be utilized in the production of higher charge states using electron-impact ionization and to obtain information on the intermediate states in charge exchange reactions.
Dualistic hearts: social class, education, different cultures, and lesbian love in desert hearts.

Donna Deitch's Desert Hearts, one of the highest-grossing lesbian films ever made, is a groundbreaking and poignant movie about self-discovery and self-acceptance. This article focuses on the societal obstacles—such as vastly different social classes, cultures, and educational backgrounds—that Vivian and Cay must overcome in order to begin their relationship. The article also shows the taboos faced by gays in the 1950s, such as the firing of college professors in that era. The latent lesbian desire of the homophobic Frances, which is rarely addressed in criticism of the film, is discussed in detail.
Inhibitory effects of benzyl isothiocyanate administered shortly before diethylnitrosamine or benzo[a]pyrene on pulmonary and forestomach neoplasia in A/J mice.

The inhibitory effects of benzyl isothiocyanate, a naturally-occurring constituent of cruciferous vegetables, on carcinogenesis of the forestomach and lungs of female A/J mice given dimethylnitrosamine (DEN) or benzo[a]pyrene (BP) was investigated. When administered by gavage 15 min prior to p.o. carcinogen challenge, benzyl isothiocyanate almost completely inhibited forestomach tumor formation resulting from DEN but had no effect on pulmonary tumor formation. With BP as the carcinogen, benzyl isothiocyanate had inhibitory effects on carcinogenesis of both the forestomach and lungs, the latter being greater. The implications for epidemiology studies and for chemopreventive strategies of compounds that inhibit when administered shortly before carcinogen challenge are discussed.
Naloxone inhibition of stress-induced increase in prolactin secretion

Abstract Naloxone, an opiate antagonist that acts by binding to opiate receptors in the brain, was given to rats stressed by immobilization or heat in an attempt to inhibit stress-induced release of prolactin. Both stresses resulted in approximately a 5-fold increase in serum prolactin concentration. Naloxone, at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg b.w. completely or partially inhibited the stress-induced rises in serum prolactin, and reduced serum prolactin concentrations in unstressed rats to below control values. It is concluded that endorphins may be responsible for increased release of PRL during stressful conditions.
Fluoroquinolone Treatment of Skin and Skin Structure Infections

When the causative pathogens are susceptible, the fluoroquinolones have been demonstrated to be highly efficacious in the treatment of both mild uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections as well as the more severe complicated infections involving these tissues, including infections of the feet of diabetic patients. These broad spectrum agents, particularly the newer fluoroquinolones with enhanced activity against Gram-positive bacteria, are ideal for treating the often polymicrobial complicated skin and skin structure infections. The wisdom of treating uncomplicated skin infections, which are primarily due to staphylococci and streptococci wherein more narrow spectrum β-lactam antibiotics would suffice, is questionable.