cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Debunking the Evergreening Patents Myth

"Evergreening" is a pejorative term used to refer to the practice of extending the length of patent protection beyond the statutory term of 20 years, most often used in the context of pharmaceutical patents. Although drug companies do engage in creative strategies to maintain sales levels for as long as possible, criticisms of evergreening are largely overstated. In fact (with relatively reasonable exceptions), patents generally cannot be renewed or extended. In the vast majority of cases, so-called "evergreening" will only be a successful strategy to the extent that consumers can be persuaded to purchase the newer, pricier, patented version of a product rather than the older, cheaper, unpatented one.
The Hierarchy of White-Collar Work

The changed composition of white-collar work in the federal government is only one manifestation of the remarkable transformation the American labor force as a whole has undergone during the present century. During this period, the American work force increased in size from 28 million to over 100 million. At the start of the century, almost half of these workers made their living by farming, but fewer than 1 in 20 are farmers today (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1975, 1980). But the most relevant change for present purposes is the rise to prominence of the white-collar worker. In 1900, only 18% of American workers were white-collar workers. By 1980, that proportion passed 50% as the American economy became a service economy (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1986).
Analysis of immune infiltrates in a genomically characterized clinical cohort of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients (pts).

6052Background: Characterization of immune infiltrates and correlation with clinical and genomic alterations in HNSCC may facilitate the discovery of prognostic or predictive biomarkers to better s...
Distribution of annual plants in North American deserts

Early researchers concluded that the winter-annual flora was richest in the California deserts and became relatively poorer towards the east, whereas summer-annuals were richest in the deserts of western Texas and their richness progressively declined into eastern California. US/IBP Desert Biome and subsequent studies support these trends and add much relevant information. Winter-annuals have the C3 photosynthetic pathway, whereas most summer-annuals have the C4 pathway. While the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts have a few C3 ‘summer’ annuals (actually ‘winter’ annuals which can persist into the summer), the Mojave Desert lacks C3 summer-annuals. The Great Basin Desert has only a few prevalent winter or summer-annuals (mostly introduced species). Studies of the micro-distribution of desert-annuals have shown their close association with perennial shrubs. Some shrubs produce substances that are reportedly toxic to some annuals; the role of such toxins in structuring annual plant communities is unclear. The importance of nutrients associated with shrub canopies on the micro-distribution of many desert-annuals is becoming evident through LTER and other studies.
Antenna Array Calibration for a General Linear Transformation of the Array Manifold

We consider the problem of calibrating an antenna array using received signals from either known or unknown directions. A complex matrix is used to map the assumed array manifold to the true array manifold. This matrix may be completely unstructured. Algorithms are presented for joint estimation of this matrix and the directions-of-arrival, using data collected during multiple time intervals.
Does Spinal Fusion in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Neuromuscular Scoliosis Result in Weight Gain and Improvement of Nutritional Status

Purpose: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a non-progressive brain disorder with onset before the age of 2 years. Profoundly affected children commonly develop severe scoliosis with rigid thoracolumbar deformity. Such neuromuscular (NM) scoliosis can worsen reflux and respiratory capacity. It also causes progressive pelvic obliquity with crowding of abdominal contents and increased intra-abdominal pressure. This phenomenon may interfere with healthy weight gain via two mechanisms: decreasing oral food tolerance and inhibiting normal intestinal motility and absorption. We theorize that spinal fusion – the typical treatment for severe NM scoliosis – can partially remedy these causes and result in improved …
Incorporating Chemical Structure Drawing Software throughout the Organic Laboratory Curriculum

Fluency in both the construction and interpretation of molecular structures is a critical learning objective in the second-year organic chemistry curriculum. With the introduction of PerkinElmer’s ...
Quantification of local Ising magnetism in rare-earth pyrogermanates Er 2 Ge 2 O 7 and Yb 2 Ge 2 O 7

Recently, a local-Ising-type magnetic order was inferred from neutron diffraction of the antiferromagnetic ${\mathrm{Er}}_{2}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ (pg-ErGO) with an applied magnetic field. Here, we use neutron spectroscopy to investigate the energetics of pg-ErGO and the isostructural ${\mathrm{Yb}}_{2}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ (pg-YbGO) to evaluate the adequacy of the local-Ising description. To begin, we generate a model of the magnetic structure of pg-YbGO using neutron diffraction and find a net ferromagnetic moment. While pg-ErGO and pg-YbGO have highly symmetric crystal structures ($P{4}_{1}{2}_{1}2$ tetragonal space group 92) with only one trivalent rare-earth magnetic site, the point symmetry of the rare-earth site is low with only a single symmetry element (point group ${\mathrm{C}}_{1}$). For both compounds, the energy scale of the first excited state is large compared to the magnetic ordering temperature, suggesting Ising character. The ground-state Kramer's doublet of both compounds is dominated by the maximal ${m}_{\mathrm{J}}$ component. However, the low point group symmetry of the rare-earth site leads to finite mixing of all other ${m}_{\mathrm{J}}$'s, which suggests potential deviations from Ising behavior. Moreover, quasielastic scattering is observed deep in the ordered state of pg-ErGO and pg-YbGO that may be due to non-Ising behavior. The dominant magnetic interaction in both compounds is found to be magnetostatic by considering the magnetic excitations in the ordered state. From consideration of these data, the pg-YbGO is more Ising-like than pg-ErGO. Also, quantum multicritical points are anticipated with applied magnetic field in both compounds.
Proximity Ligation Assay

Many methods exist to study oncogenic signaling in lymphoma cells, each with certain strengths and weaknesses. The proximity ligation assay (PLA) is a technique used to examine protein-protein interactions in situ. PLA offers many advantages over traditional biochemical approaches to signaling in that it can detect both transient interactions, which are hard to capture otherwise, as well as protein interactions within large supramolecular signaling platforms that are often intractable to traditional biochemical methodologies. In addition, PLA can be adapted for use in lymphoma biopsy samples to translate findings from the lab. Implementation of PLA can complement many types of lymphoma research, and the methods presented herein can be adapted to a number of experimental settings.
A mini-thoracotomy approach for walking veno-arterial extracorporeal membranous oxygenation.

Fulminant myocarditis is a rapidly progressive myocardial inflammation that commonly requires advanced circulatory support therapies. We report our management of a 36-year-old gentleman with fulminant myocarditis who we managed with extracorporeal membranous oxygenation (ECMO) and subsequently durable bi-ventricular assist devices as a bridge to heart transplantation. The patient was admitted after a 1-week history of malaise with severe lethargy, jugular venous distension to greater than 10 cm, and troponin elevation to greater than 27 K. He was taken immediately for a heart catheterization which showed no obstructive coronary disease, and hemodynamics consistent with bi-ventricular failure. We proceeded with ECMO for hemodynamic support, utilizing a mini-thoracotomy for cannulation. A Protek Duo Rapid Deployment (LivaNova) was inserted via a modified Seldinger technique through the left ventricular apex, terminating in the ascending aorta. Percutaneous right IJ bicaval via a y-ed Avalon Elite (Getinge) was employed for venous drainage. This case highlights an alternate strategy for central walking veno-arterial ECMO in a patient presenting with fulminant myocarditis with a platform that minimizes upper/lower extremity over/under perfusion complications, while providing sternal sparring antegrade arterial flow with simultaneous ventricular unloading/venting.
Hypoglycemia in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

BackgroundGlycemic control is an important aspect of critical care because derangements are associated with morbidity and mortality. Patients at highest risk for hypoglycemia in the surgical intens...
Critical Point Theory in Infinite Dimensional Spaces Using the Leray–Schauder Index

Many problems arising in science and engineering call for the solving of the Euler–Lagrange equations of functionals. Thus, solving the Euler–Lagrange equations is tantamount to finding critical points of the corresponding functional. An idea that has been very successful is to find appropriate sets that sandwich the functional. This means that the functional is bounded from above on one of the sets and bounded from below on the other. Two sets of the space are said to form a sandwich if they produce a critical sequence whenever they sandwich a functional. If the critical sequence has a convergent subsequence, then that produces a critical point. Finding sets that sandwich a functional is quite easy, but determining whether or not the sets form a sandwich is quite another story. It appears that the only way we can check to see if two sets form a sandwich is to require that one of them be contained in a finite-dimensional subspace. The reason is that in order to verify the definition, we need to invoke the Brouwer fixed point theorem. Our aim is to find a counterpart that holds true when both sets are infinite dimensional. We adjust our definitions to accommodate infinite dimensions. These definitions reduce to the usual when one set is finite dimensional. In order to prove the corresponding theorems, we make adjustments to the topology of the space and introduce infinite dimensional splitting. This allows us to use a form of compactness on infinite dimensional subspaces that does not exist under the usual topology. We lose the Brouwer index, but we are able to replace it with the Leray–Schauder index. We carry out the details in Sections 5, 7, and 8. In Section 6 we solve a system of equations which require infinite dimensional splitting.
Accuracy of Launch Vehicle Cost Analysis

Abstract : This report presents a summary of an initial phase of a long term study to develop techniques for accurately predicting launch vehicle costs. It is directed toward the cost estimating problem involved in conceptual phase planning of future orbital transportation systems. It is an initial part of a larger research project to develop a computer program cost model for long range planning. Included in this report are descriptions of several aspects of launch vehicle cost models. A survey of the current state of the art in launch vehicle cost estimating techniques is briefly described. Also included is a brief description of the Aerospace Corporation launch vehicle cost model currently under development. The emphasis of this report is on the accuracy or confidence associated with cost estimates calculated by industry launch vehicle cost models. Results are shown of a statistical analysis of the mean and standard deviation of sample model estimates for various cost elements of a liquid and solid launch vehicle program. This sample was obtained with the assistance of several industrial contractors. The variations in the cost estimates are discussed. (Author)
Partial Purification and Characterization of S-Adenosylhomocysteine Hydrolase Isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

S-Adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) hydrolase was purified 25-fold from bakers' yeast by chemical methods and column chromatography. The purified enzyme could readily synthesize SAH from adenosine and homocysteine, but could hydrolyze only negligible amounts of SAH. The purified enzyme showed no activity towards S-adenosylmethionine, methylthioadenosine, or adenosine. Several nucleotides, sulfhydryl compounds, and ribose could not replace adenosine or homocysteine in the reaction mixture. SAH could be hydrolyzed by SAH hydrolase if commercial adenosine deaminase was included in the reaction mixture. Under these conditions l-homocysteine could act as a product inhibitor. A number of compounds structurally similar to adenosine and homocysteine were found to inhibit synthesis of SAH from adenosine and homocysteine. The strongest inhibitors were adenine, adenosine-3'-monophosphate, adenosine-2'-monophosphate, adenosine diphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, and adenosine-5'-monophosphate. The biosynthetic and hydrolytic activity of SAH hydrolase in yeast cell ghosts was similar to the activity of the enzyme in vitro.
Area and performance study of FinFET with detailed parasitic capacitance analysis in 16nm process node

An area effective delay cell can be achieved in FinFET device with effective utilization of its parasitic capacitance, even though it is considered as disadvantage. We confirmed that parasitic capacitance of local interconnect can be a benefit for a delay cell because it is easy to increase delay time with simple layout modification only. Moreover, small number of delay cell can reduce a leakage current in a chip.
Origin of Auer bodies.

Evidence accrued by electron microscopic study of in vitro tissue-cultured leukemic cells supports Ackerman’s histochemical evidence that Auer bodies are formed from azurophilic granules, a circumstance first postulated by Nakashima in 1924. The enzymatic content and structure of these granules conforms to that of lysosomes, according to deDuve’s concept. Therefore the Auer body actually represents an unusual form, or abnormal development, of lysosomes.
A Model for Distance Education Delivery

Distance education, which has existed for many years, has become even more popular as a result of recent technological advances. This article proposes a model for distance education as a means for schools of social work to deliver curricula to students who face problems enrolling in campus-based or off-campus sites. The components of the model—videotapes, an on-site discussion leader/field instructor, computers, and direct observation by field instructors—fit well within the general requirements of group interaction in the delivery of a social work curriculum. Problems that may arise using the model include the extra time and training required for faculty to produce videotapes, the recruitment of discussion leaders/field instructors, and how to structure the delivery system so students can practice interviewing, assessment, and other abstract concepts. The author also suggests means for evaluating the model as well as policy changes universities and schools of social work may need to effect to successfull...
Study of aromatic sulfide polymers: Poly(2,5-thienylene sulfide)

Two methods of synthesis of poly(2,5-thienylene sulfide) have been developed. The first of these is based on the uncatalyzed condensation of thiophene with sulfur chlorides and the second on the self-condensation of 2-chloro-5-thiophene thiol promoted by cuprous oxide in dimethylformamide. The polymers obtained by both methods are linear in structure and probably of low molecular weight. The polymer decomposes at 250–260°C. in air and under nitrogen. A study of molecular models suggests that steric hindrance may play an important part in the low thermal resistance of poly(2,5-thienylene sulfide). Comparisons are drawn with the analogous poly(phenylene sulfide). Deux methodes de synthese de polysulfure de 2,5-thienylene ont ete developpees. La premiere de celles-ci est basee sur la condensation non catalysee du thiophene avec le chlorure de soufre et la seconde sur l'autocondensation du 2-chloro-5-thiophene thiol catalyse par l'acide cuivreux dans le dimethylformamide. Les polymeres obtenus par les deux methodes sont lineaires de structure et probablement de bas poids moleculaire. Le polymere se decompose a 250–260°C a l'air et sous azote. Une etude des modeles moleculaires suggere que l'empechement sterique peut jouer un role considerable dans la basse resistance thermique de ces poly-2,5-thienylene sulfures. Les comparaisons sont tirees avec des polysulfures de phenylenes analogues. Zwei Synthesemethoden fur Poly-2,5-thienylensulfid wurden entwickelt. Die erste beruht auf der unkatalysierten Kondensation von Thiophen mit Schwefelchloriden und die zweite auf der durch Kupfer-I-oxyd in Dimethylformamid bewirkten Selbstkondensation von 2-Chlor-5-thiophenthiol. Die nach beiden Methoden erhaltenen Polymeren besitzen lineare Struktur und wahrscheinlich niedriges Molekulargewicht. Das Polymere zersetzt sich bei 250–260°C in Luft und unter Stickstoff. Molekulmodelle zeigen, dass wahrscheinlich sterische Hinderung eine wichtige Rolle fur die geringe thermische Bestandigkeit von Poly-2,5-thienylensulfid spielt. Vergleiche zu dem analogen Polyphenylensulfid werden gezogen.
New School Meal Regulations and Consumption of Flavored Milk in Ten US Elementary Schools, 2010 and 2013

Milk is a source of shortfall nutrients in children's diets, but most children do not consume recommended amounts. We measured consumption of milk by elementary-schoolchildren (grades 3-5) in a diverse sample of schools before and after implementation of the US Department of Agriculture's updated meal regulations requiring flavored milk to be fat-free. Flavored milk consumption did not change from 2010 to 2013; 52.2% of students in 2010 and 49.7% in 2013 consumed 7 ounces or more of an 8-ounce container. Updated regulations succeeded in lowering the amount of fat, added sugars, and calories in school milk but did not change overall milk consumption, thus improving children's diet quality.
Trying to keep it real: 25 Years of trying to get the stuff I learned in grad school to work on mechatronic systems

This paper is about the difficulty of making well known and widely accepted advanced textbook control techniques work in an industrial environment, particularly with mechatronic systems that have large numbers of flexible modes. I will go through the methods that fail if done the standard way and the adjustments I have learned to make over the years which get a lot of them to work. I will also go over the methods that seem to work robustly and without much thought in the industrial environment, explaining why they do work. Finally, I will try to show that understanding the differences and commonalities in these two world views allows us to use the principles of one to improve the other.
Comorbidities, Not Age, Impact Outcomes in Autologous Stem Cell Transplant for Relapsed Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Abstract High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is a widely applied treatment for advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), but few studies have analyzed the tolerability and outcomes in older patients compared with younger patients treated in a homogeneous manner. We retrospectively reviewed 152 consecutive patients who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) following BEAM conditioning (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan) for NHL from January 2000 through August 2004 at our institution. We compared 59 patients age ≥60 years and 93 patients age 20,000/mm3 were similar in younger and older patients, although days to platelet count >50,000/mm3 were longer in the older patients (median 30.0 days versus 22.5 days, P = .01). Patients over the age of 60 were more likely to develop grade III/IV mucositis than their younger counterparts (37.7% versus17.4%, P = .0063). Otherwise, the frequency of other grade III/IV toxicities were similar between younger and older patients. Treatment-related mortality (TRM) was similar between older and younger patients (8.5% versus 5.4%, P = .45). Although age was not associated with TRM, the Charlson Comorbidity Index Score was significantly correlated with TRM (P = .03). Median disease-free survival was similar between older and younger patients (21.8 months versus 29.9 months, P = .93), as was overall survival (OS) (47.7 months versus 62.5 months, P = .20). After controlling for age, the Charlson Comorbidity Index Score influenced OS [P = .013]. Overall, our cohort of patients with NHL over the age of 60 who underwent ASCT following BEAM conditioning experienced toxicities and survival similar to their younger counterparts. Comorbidities significantly influenced TRM and OS in this retrospective cohort. Future study should focus on improving tolerability of conditioning and careful prospective evaluation of comorbidities and their association with outcomes.
Thrombocytic Acroangiothrombosis Febrile Anemia, Thrombocytopenia, and Thromboses of Damaged Capillaries and Arterioles

Two additional cases of a syndrome characterized by arthralgia, fever, anemia, thrombocytopenia, hemorrhagic manifestations, and thromboses of arterioles and capillaries are presented. Pathologic description is given in some detail. Resemblances to certain other processes, including the rickettsial diseases, "vascular collagen" diseases and other conditions are pointed out. Deficiencies in knowledge of the entity are emphasized and a plea is made for continued efforts to define precisely the natural history of the syndrome.
Black-tailed prairie dogs selectively urinate near rabbit urine: the scent of competition between a rodent and a lagomorph?

Rodents commonly use urine to communicate with conspecifics and might do so with heterospecifics. We exposed black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) to water (a control) and urine from different mammals and then noted whether the prairie dogs urinated near the liquid stimuli. Prairie dogs urinated near water during 15% of trials, compared to 3% of trials with coyote (Canis latrans) urine, suggesting they avoided urinating in the presence of a predatory stimulus. Prairie dogs most commonly urinated near urine from herbivores, especially Sylvilagus rabbits (89%, relative to 37% for mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus). Prairie dogs altered the spatial layout of their urine markings depending on the liquid stimulus, using localized markings near water and mule deer urine, but scattered markings near rabbit urine. These results collectively suggest that urine may function as a communicative resource between prairie dogs and rabbits. Prairie dogs and rabbits often live in close proximity and can compete fo...
TURBULENT DISPERSION OF DYNAMIC PARTICLES

Abstract This article discusses turbulent dispersion of particles whose size and inertia are such that it cannot be assumed that they will follow exactly the fluctuations of the fluid elements with which they are associated. The turbulent field is assumed to be stationary, homogeneous and isotropic. Stationary, extraneous force fields for the particles may exist. The method of generalized harmonic analysis (Wiener) is used to determine the statistical particle-dispersion parameters in terms of the spectrum density of the turbulent field and the physical characteristics of the particles. The discussion is restricted to one-dimensional problems; it includes consideration of the relation between turbulent dispersion and Brownian motion of the particles due to molecular impacts. An illustrative example of dispersion calculation with a given turbulence spectrum is presented, and aspects of practical applications are discussed briefly.
MATURATION OF WHITE SHRIMP (Penaeus setiferus) IN CAPTIVITY1

Penaeus setiferus was matured and spawned in captivity by using ambient temperature and controlling photoperiod and diet. The experiments were performed at the lagoon laboratory and the seawater laboratory of the National Marine Fisheries Service, Galveston, Texas. One-half of the animals at each site were unilaterally ablated. The photoperiod was initially set at 15 hours light and increased to 16 hours with the onset of spawning; the temperature was 22–29°C, salinity 22–30 ppt and pH 7.5–8.0. The diet consisted of worms, squid, oysters, and mussels. Egg production varied between the two sites, with 534,000 eggs produced at the lagoon facility and 3,800,000 eggs at the seawater laboratory. Spermatophore transfer did not take place, perhaps because of a bacterial infection (Vibrio sp.) of the terminal ampoules and the compound spermatophore.
Periovulatory plasma prolactin response to synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone in normal women

Abstract Following the demonstration of a positive prolactin (PRL) response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) in acromegalic and anorexic women, we have injected GHRH (50 μg intravenously as a bolus) in normal women during various phases of their menstrual cycle in order to establish whether a positive response was present also in normal subjects. Synthetic GHRH 1-44 elicited a significant increase in circulating PRL levels in eight women studied during the periovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle. In contrast, no significant changes in circulating PRL levels after GHRH administration were found in nine women during the midfollicular phase or in five women during the midluteal phase. A temporal correlation between the midcycle gonadotropin peak and the positive response to GHRH has been observed. Synthetic GHRH elicited the expected increase in GH levels during all phases of the cycle studied. Our data demonstrate that GHRH is capable of stimulating a PRL response in normal subjects and raise the possibility that PRL secretion is regulated by several hormones of hypothalamic origin.
Rate adaptive video transmission over ad-hoc networks

A packet control mechanism via a cross-layer feedback to reduce bursts of packet drops for transmission of video over mobile multihop ad-hoc networks is presented. With this approach, the application layer would be capable of controlling the packet transmission flow in accordance with the multihop characteristics of the routing layer.
Student Perceptions of Science Classes Taught by Males and Females.

In their analysis of National Assessment results Haertel et al.d found that 13 year-old boys and girls are quite similar in science learning. However, this similarity does not exist for 17 year olds. One possible cause for this change is socio-cultural pressures. In this study, we suggest that the science classroom learning environment may contribute to these pressures due to differences in classes taught by male and female science teachers. The Learning Environment Inventory was used to assess student perceptions in junior high, biology, chemistry, and physics classes and significant differences were found. Students perceived classes taught by females as more formal, more goal directed, more diverse and as having more instances of teacher favoritism and friction between students. Classes taught by males were perceived as more difficult. Possible relationships between these perceptual differences and changes in girls' preference for science are discussed and suggestions for future research are given.
Effects of Parental Involvement on Experiences of Discrimination and Bullying

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between parental involvement and their children being picked on or bullied and being discriminated against based on their race during their elementary and secondary school years. The influence of parental involvement on academic achievement during that period was also examined. Specific aspects of parental involvement and an overall parental involvement variable were examined. Two different samples were examined. The first sample was made up of 139 college students, and the second sample consisted of 102 seventh to 12th grade students. Analysis of variance and logistic regression analysis were used. The results indicated that higher levels of parental involvement were associated with higher academic achievement among their children. However, the remainder of the analyses showed mixed results with the effects of parental involvement emerging as more robust with the college sample than for the 7th to 12th grade sample. Overall, it does appear that parental i...
A semantic model for safe protocol interaction

Most communication subsystems support modular and reconfigurable communication protocols based on the Lego block model. In this model, complex protocols are built as collections of simpler protocols. However, protocol behavior is often expressed via informal descriptions and few work has been done to develop the underlying semantics that enables us to model and reason about protocol interactions. Without it, it is very difficult to identify critical properties that must be met for correct operation. In this paper we present a communication framework based on a semantic model of distributed object reflection and we illustrate how this model can be used to formalize and reason about interactions between communication protocols. We evaluate the overhead and feasibility of our approach by developing an abstract executable specification of the communication framework in Maude [3] and a Maude API to systematically translate Maude code into Java. This gives us two versions of our model to play with: an abstract one for analysis and a concrete one for real-world applications.
The effects of amphetamine or caffeine on the response to glucoprivation in rats with rostral zona incerta lesions

Abstract Lesions in the rostral zona incerta (ZI) of male albino rats severly impaired feeding responses to 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) and drinking responses to hypertonic saline during the first month after surgery. There was evidence of recovery 6 months after surgery but the magnitude of the improvement was small and severe impairments persisted in most subjects. A small but significant deficit in the feeding response to insulin persisted unabated after the 6-month recovery period. Caffeine or amphetamine pretreatment, but not apomorphine, increased ad lib feeding as well as the response to low doses of 2DG in rats with ZI lesions as well as in controls. The increased feeding response to 2DG after caffeine or amphetamine was larger than the sum of the effects of 2DG alone plus the effect of caffeine or amphetamine alone.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Total Anomalous Pulmnonary Venous Connection

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection remains a difficult diagnosis to make prenatally. The absence of normal pulmonary veins entering the left atrium may provide an indication of an abnormality. The authors discuss a case of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in conjunction with hypoplastic left heart syndrome that was diagnosed in utero.
Can Owning a Gun Really Triple the Owner's Chances of being Murdered?: The Anatomy of an Implausible Causal Mechanism

Using a case-control design comparing homicide victims with matched nonvictims, Kellermann et al. (New Engl J Med, 1993) concluded that keeping a gun in one's home increased the risk of being murdered by a factor of 2.7. The authors' underlying assumption was that a significant elevation in homicide risk derived from the risk of being murdered with a gun kept in the victim's home. This article shows that homicides are rarely committed with guns belonging to members of the victim's home and that such killings could be responsible for no more than a 2.4% increase in the relative risk of being murdered. Guns in one's own home have little to do with homicide risk. Scholars need to attend more closely to the mechanisms by which an alleged causal effect is supposed to operate and to consider their plausibility before concluding that an association reflects a causal effect.
Generation of Grade Specific Finite Element Model of Lumbar Spines

The anatomy and biomechanics of the intervertebral motion segments is complex, and the development of degenerative motion segment disorders, which occur frequently, is poorly understood. When disc degeneration occurs at one level, whether treated or not, degeneration frequently develops at mobile segments above or below the degenerated or treated segments. After surgical treatment the process is referred to adjacent segment disc disease (ASDD), and the condition clinically called transition syndrome. We do not know at this time if the ASDD is caused by the neighboring degenerated disc or if they represent the natural progression of the lumbar degenerative processes. The development of ASDD is clinically problematic because it can cause pain and necessitate further surgical intervention. The development and severity of ASDD in disc degeneration is broadly believed to depend on a number of variables such as the severity of degeneration, the number of levels that are degenerated and the location of the degenerative disc. Thus it is important to understand how ASDD develops and progresses and how different variables that cause ASDD compare with reference to normal disc biomechanics. It is proposed to address this clinically relevant problem using poroelastic finite element models.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Effects of wall radiation and conduction on the stability of a fluid in a finite slot heated from below

Abstract Critical Rayleigh number is found for a fluid bounded by vertical parallel walls of finite height. The thermally expansive, radiatively diathermanous fluid is heated from below and cooled from above at rigid ends. The ends have arbitrary but equal emissivity. The vertical walls are thin and conducting, have arbitrary uniform emissivity and are adiabatic on their exterior surfaces. Effects of aspect ratio, side wall conductance and side and end wall emissivities on critical Rayleigh number are found analytically with the Galerkin technique and confirmed experimentally with holographic interferometry.
Anisotropy in two-dimensional electronic quantum Hall systems at half-filled valence Landau levels

Abstract Strongly correlated electronic systems in two dimensions have constantly been a source of new discoveries. For example, the integer and fractional quantum Hall (QH) effects have emerged when such systems have been subjected to strong perpendicular magnetic fields. Recently, in the transitional regions between QH plateaus, strong magneto-transport anisotropies have been observed below ca. 100 mK. In this paper, we explain the emergence of broken rotational symmetry at half-filled valence Landau levels in terms of quantum liquid crystalline states with nematic order. Quantum Monte Carlo simulations indicate that while isotropic states are stable in the lowest and first excited Landau level, there are regions of instability towards liquid crystalline states in higher Landau levels. A possible connection of the recently discovered magneto-transport anisotropy in low magnetic fields and these liquid crystalline states is discussed.
Multilevel models reveal no cohort-level variation in time spent foraging to account for a collapse in kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) breeding success

Abstract As central-place foragers, colonial seabirds should be able to compensate, up to some threshold, for changing breeding conditions by remaining flexible in the amount of time allocated to foraging versus other activities. Black-legged kittiwake ( Rissa tridactyla ) colonies in Chiniak Bay, Kodiak Island, Alaska experienced high productivity from 2001 to 2003 and virtually no productivity from 2004 to 2005. In the absence of disease epidemics, increased human disturbance or predation, we applied multilevel, mixed, regression models to assess the hypothesis that the collapse from high to low breeding success was due primarily to changes in prey availability. Under this hypothesis, we predicted that longer foraging trips would be associated with reduced breeding performance in cohorts of kittiwakes—groups marked with radio-transmitters at the same colony in the same year. We separately modeled two response variables: foraging trip-durations made during the incubation and early chick stages. Multilevel mixed models revealed only weak variation at the cohort-level in either response variable; hatching success and fledging success accounted for none or less than 2% of the total variation in trip-durations made during the incubation and early chick stages, respectively. The majority of the variation in our response variables was at the observation (ca. 80–90%) and bird (or individual) levels (ca. 10–12%). Our results expose the unreliability of using indirect evidence to implicate prey availability as the primary cause of widespread breeding failures in colonial seabirds. In the ecological literature, two types of inferences seem particularly vulnerable to indirect evidence: inferences following studies on species that are accepted or strongly promoted as bioindicators of changes in marine productivity such as the black-legged kittiwake, and inferences that implicate a fisheries-induced reduction in prey availability to failed breeding. In light of these pitfalls, we recommend that long-term monitoring studies on kittiwakes and other seabirds carefully consider in their study designs and implementations multiple working hypotheses that might explain major changes in breeding success.
The role of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine in the physiological action of thyroxine in the premetamorphic tadpole.

In premetamorphic tadpoles precocious metamorphosis can be induced by immersion in water containing either T4 or T3. T3 5-deiodinase (5D) activity is present in most tissues, and T4 5'-deiodinase (5'D) activity is present in gut and skin; both systems can be inhibited by iopanoic acid (IOP). If conversion of T4 to T3 is important for the normal physiological action of T4 in these tadpoles, it follows that IOP should decrease the effects of T4 and increase those of T3 on metamorphic events. To test this, tadpoles were immersed in water containing either T4 or T3 (20 nM) with or without 1.75 μM IOP. Two indices of metamorphosis, increased leg length and hepatic carbamyl phosphate synthetase activity, were studied. In vehicle- or IOP-treated animals, change in leg length and carbamyl phosphate synthetase activity were minimal. Both indices were increased after exposure to T3 for 10 days or to T4 for 21 days. Moreover, the effects of T3 were significantly enhanced while those of T4 were inhibited when IOP was...
HDR brachytherapy with surface applicators: technical considerations and dosimetry.

HDR surface molds offer an alternative radiotherapy modality to electrons for the treatment of skin lesions. Treatment planning and dosimetry are discussed for two types of surface molds used in our clinic. Standard rectangular applicators are used on a variety of sites where surface curvature is minimal. In these cases an idealized planar geometry is used for treatment planning dose calculations. The calculations yield treatment dose uniformity at the prescription depth in tissue as well as skin dose, as a percentage of the treatment dose, and its dose uniformity. The availability of optimization techniques results in superior dose uniformity at depth but the dose at the skin has to be carefully evaluated. We have studied the dependence of these dosimetric parameters on the size of the surface mold and the type of optimization procedure used in the dosimetry calculations. The second type of surface applicator involves the use of a customized silicone rubber mold attached to a thermoplastic mask of the pa...
Homosexual male pairing in Schistosoma mansoni.

Abstract Basch P. F. and Gupta B. C. 1988. Homosexual male pairing in Schistosoma mansoni . International Journal for Parasitology 18 : 1115–1117. To see whether male worms within the gynecophoral canal of another male worm would become feminized (i.e. express vestigial female-associated genes), we established homosexual pairs by twice exposing mice to male cercariae with a 4 or 6-week interval, and perfusing 3–5 weeks later. From 13 to 34% of these worms were found in pairs, compared with 0 to 7% in singly exposed controls. ‘Inner’ males in homosexual pairs showed no histological evidence of female reproductive structures, but were stunted, had poorly developed testes, and the high nuclear density characteristic of mature females. More vitelline follicles occurred in unpaired unisexual males than in homosexually paired males, fewest in bisexually paired males. Uptake of tyrosine, an indicator of vitelline development, occurred in the same relative order. The gynecophoral microenvironment often led to stunting, probably through starvation induced by the relative inaccessibility of host blood to homosexually clasped males.
Identification of citrullinated histone H3 as a potential serum protein biomarker in a lethal model of lipopolysaccharide-induced shock.

Background Circulating proteins may serve as biomarkers for the early diagnosis and treatment of shock. We have recently demonstrated that treatment with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, significantly improves survival in a rodent model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock. Preliminary proteomic data showed that LPS-induced shock altered a number of proteins in circulation, including histone H3 (H3) and citrullinated histone H3 (Cit H3). The present study was designed to confirm these findings and to test whether the pro-survival phenotype could be detected by an early alteration in serum biomarkers.
Denervated frog skeletal muscle: calcium content and kinetics of exchange.

Abstract Calcium content and exchange in denervated frog extensor longus digitorum (ELD IV) muscles were examined using the efflux technique. Time constants of exchange were found to be similar in both intact and denervated muscle. Calcium content of denervated muscle was significantly greater than that of intact. Although four components of exchange could be determined, the increase in calcium content was largely restricted to components believed to be extracellular space and sarcoplasmic reticulum. The data are discussed in relation to morphological and radioautographic findings from other laboratories.
Error analysis in electric power system available transfer capability computation

Abstract A key concept in the restructuring of the electric power industry is the ability to accurately and rapidly quantify the capabilities of the transmission system. Transmission transfer capability is limited by a number of different mechanisms, including thermal, voltage, and stability constraints. This paper discusses the available transfer capability (ATC) definitions and determination guidelines approved by the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) and presents several concepts for dealing with the potential errors and technical challenges of computation.
The influence of end effects on the behavior and stability of catalytic wires

Abstract Thermal end effects may strongly influence the behavior and stability of catalytic wires. When the temperature of the edges of the wire is kept at the gas temperature the number of steady state solutions may be either larger or smaller than that predicted from a uniform temperature model. The end effects may falsify the kinetics of the chemical reaction. It is proven that when three steady state solutions exist, the intermediate one is always unstable. The diameter of the wire has an important influence on the stability of the system. When the edges of the wire are insulated, there exist standing wave as well as uniform temperature steady state solutions. It is proven that all the standing wave solutions are unstable and cannot be realized in practice.
Danger signals: a time and space continuum

Sudden uncontrolled necrosis and the controlled, physiological process of apoptosis are considered to be distinct forms of cell death. Necrotic cell death is associated with the release of danger signals, the consequent maturation of professional antigen-presenting cells (dendritic cells) and the priming of immune responses, whereas apoptotic cell death is associated with the induction of tolerance. Recently, uric acid in necrotic cell lysates, in addition to other substances, has been identified as a danger signal for dendritic cells. We discuss the significance and principle of action of these molecules in alerting the immune system to dying cells and propose that, in sterile injury, they have a primary initiating role, whereas in the presence of pathogens, initiation is caused by pathogen-associated molecules.
Charge separation and transport in conjugated-polymer/semiconductor-nanocrystal composites studied by photoluminescence quenching and photoconductivity.

We study the processes of charge separation and transport in composite materials formed by mixing cadmium selenide or cadmium sulfide nanocrystals with the conjugated polymer poly(2-methoxy,5-(2\ensuremath{'}-ethyl)-hexyloxy-$p$-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV). When the surface of the nanocrystals is treated so as to remove the surface ligand, we find that the polymer photoluminescence is quenched, consistent with rapid charge separation at the polymer/nanocrystal interface. Transmission electron microscopy of these quantum-dot/conjugated-polymer composites shows clear evidence for phase segregation with length scales in the range 10-200 nm, providing a large area of interface for charge separation to occur. Thin-film photovoltaic devices using the composite materials show quantum efficiencies that are significantly improved over those for pure polymer devices, consistent with improved charge separation. At high concentrations of nanocrystals, where both the nanocrystal and polymer components provide continuous pathways to the electrodes, we find quantum efficiencies of up to 12%. We describe a simple model to explain the recombination in these devices, and show how the absorption, charge separation, and transport properties of the composites can be controlled by changing the size, material, and surface ligands of the nanocrystals.
Malignant epithelioid angiomyolipoma: tumor and metabolic response to everolimus as evaluated with positron emission tomography.

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a benign mesenchymal neoplasm with a classic triphasic histology, adipose tissue, epithelioid smooth-muscle—like cells, and abnormally thick-walled blood vessels.1–3 Although most AMLs occur in the kidneys, they also occur in other sites, such as the liver, lungs, uterus, vagina, ovaries, colon, lymph nodes, skin, bone, nasal and/or oral cavities, retroperitoneum, and adrenal glands.2,3 Epithelioid AML (eAML) is a rare, recently recognized subtype with a natural history of malignancy. There is little knowledge about the origin, treatment options, clinical course, and imaging evaluation for these aggressive tumors.2,4–6 Inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein were recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for various tuberous sclerosis—related lesions, including AML.7 Genetic analyses also reported mTOR activity in non—tuberous sclerosis-related AMLs. These studies provide functional evidence that mTOR activation is common to sporadic, non—tuberous sclerosis-related AMLs,8 which suggests the possibility that mTOR inhibitors such as everolimus and temsirolimus may be therapeutic for this class of disease. This article focuses on 3 aims: (1) to highlight the fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity of these tumors on positron emission tomography (PET) computed tomography (CT), which, to our knowledge, has not been previously reported, (2) to demonstrate the response of eAML to mTOR inhibitors, as suggested by other case reports, and (3) to show the concomitant occurrence of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) in association with recurrent eAML.