cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Association between Glucose Levels and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Nondiabetic Twin Pregnancies.

Objective The aim of this study is to determine if hyperglycemia in twin pregnancies without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Study Design Retrospective cohort study of twin pregnancies in a single Maternal–Fetal Medicine practice between 2005 and 2019 who underwent two-step GDM screening at 24 to 28 weeks. We excluded women with pregestational or gestational diabetes. We examined the association between maternal glycemia and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Glycemia was defined as the 1-hour GCT in all women, and each of the four values of the 3-hour OGTT in women who failed the GCT (≥130 mg/dL). Primary outcomes were preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and neonatal hypoglycemia in either twin. Statistical tests used included Pearson's correlation, Student's t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, Chi-square test for trend, and logistic regression. Results A total of 847 women underwent a GCT and 246 women underwent an OGTT. Increasing maternal glucose levels had no positive association with adverse outcomes. Women with preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and neonatal hypoglycemia did not have higher mean GCT or OGTT values than women without these outcomes. There was no increased risk of adverse outcomes with increasing quartiles of the GCT or OGTT values. Conclusion In women with twin pregnancies without GDM, elevated maternal glucose levels are not associated with preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, or neonatal hypoglycemia. The altered physiology of twin gestations may modify the effect of maternal hyperglycemia on perinatal outcomes as compared with singleton pregnancies. Current approaches to screening for and treating GDM during pregnancy might not adequately account for these unique considerations among twins.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) results from persistent gastroesophageal reflux (GER) leading to bothersome symptoms and/or complications. Certain pediatric patient populations are at increased risk for GERD, such as those with certain congenital defects and those with neurologic impairment. While studies can be used to aid in characterizing reflux, diagnosis is clinical. Treatment options include non-pharmacological, pharmacologic, and surgical approaches. Pediatric surgeons must be able to recognize symptoms of GERD and determine when surgical management is the optimal method of treatment.
Remote Collaboration Potential in STEM Education using Bare Machine Computing Research

Bare Machine Computing (BMC) is a paradigm used in programming applications to run on a Bare Machine. It consists of a CPU, Memory, and I/O without an Operating System and resident mass storage. It utilizes an Application Development model software that interfaces directly with the hardware. It also has potential as a powerful teaching and research tool in undergraduate STEM programs, notably Computer Engineering and Computer Science. Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, researchers used the University lab environment, and Bare Systems connected via LAN/WAN. The Pandemic restrictions put members of the research team in different locations. Hence, the researchers adopted a Remote Collaboration model of Concurrent Participation, Communication, and Development for Bare Machine to continue this research. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of moving the BMC research entirely online and measures needed to address the Configuration of BMC Development Environment, Communication, Collaboration, and Diverse Skill Set. The paper covers online technical research because most literature concentrates on only online survey research's benefits and drawbacks. This paper also addresses BMC application in presenting STEM subjects to students, mainly undergraduate students. Finally, the paper includes remote research that fulfills the Department of Education (DOE) requirements of student access.
Safety challenges of UAV integration in construction: Conceptual analysis and future research roadmap

Abstract The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in construction is growing at an unprecedented level, making the construction industry one of the fastest commercial adopters of UAVs. UAVs are widely used through different phases of construction, from aerial mapping, safety and quality monitoring and site logistics to structural inspection and maintenance assessment. While there is significant research about the benefits of UAVs for specific construction-related tasks, there is a dearth of research examining the impact of working with or near UAVs on the health and safety of workers. In this theory-driven paper, we examined UAV integration in construction workplaces from a health and safety perspective, categorized the potential ways UAVs might affect the construction workers’ health and safety, and provided a roadmap for future research in this area. The study used inferential and VR visualization techniques to identify the risks posed by UAVs, which were categorized into three groups of (1) physical risks, (2) attentional costs, and (3) psychological impacts. We then proposed a concurrent and cross-functional two-branch research road map to advance our knowledge about human-UAV interactions and develop regulatory and technological measures to ensure safe integration of UAVs in construction. The first branch shall empirically evaluate different ways UAVs can adversely impact workers’ health and safety. The second branch shall use these findings to develop regulatory and administrative interventions to guide the UAVs’ safe operation on construction sites and develop innovative hardware and software components for future UAVs to ensure their safe co-operation with human workers.
Exponential Modeling of Equipment Degradation in the Grid for More Reliable Contingency Analysis

This work models the relationship between age and age related degradation factors of various critical equipment components of the electrical grid, and translates these factors into failure rate curves. Using this information, critical component age factors in the failure rate and age curve are found, which indicate a high likelihood of a specific type of equipment failing. Previous research has explored fragility curves of sub components of equipment and developed basic models using Weibull distributions, as well as implementing individual component aging models into contingency analysis, a widely incorporated metric used to primarily prevent cascading failures and instability in the grid. This paper integrates and expands upon these models by acknowledging separate sub-component aging models for different types of equipment to obtain a higher resolution component model. These more sophisticated models of equipment aging and failure probability will provide more flexibility by allowing the aging models to vary based on external stressors to which they are subject to in operation. These stressors can include thermal factors, average loading, likelihood of overloading, and others. Additionally, this paper looks to introduce these aging models into contingency analysis by constraining power limits for higher resolution contingency analysis simulations. This paper finds that using degradation models to constrain power limits increases the resulting number of contingencies in real grid test cases as the equipment is more heavily aged. This allows the contingency analysis to capture aging related contingencies that have otherwise been ignored by contingency analysis without the aging models.
Distinct Patterns of P1 and C2 VEP Potentiation and Attenuation in Visual Snow: A Case Report

Visual snow syndrome, characterized by persistent flickering dots throughout the visual field, has been hypothesized to arise from abnormal neuronal responsiveness in visual processing regions. Previous research has reported a lack of typical VEP habituation to repeated stimulus presentation in patients with visual snow. Yet these studies generally used pattern-reversal paradigms, which are suboptimal for measuring cortical responses to the onset of foveal stimulation. Instead, these responses are better indexed by the C2, a pattern-onset VEP peaking 100-120 ms after stimulus onset. In this case study, we analyzed the C2 and its adaptation profile in data previously collected from a single patient with visual snow using a “double-pulse” presentation paradigm. In controls, shorter intervals between stimulus pairs were associated with greater attenuation of the C2 VEP, with recovery from adaptation at longer stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). However, the visual snow patient showed the opposite pattern, with reduced C2 amplitude at longer SOAs despite distinct C2 peaks at the shortest SOAs. These results stand in contrast not only to the pattern of C2 VEP attenuation in controls, but also to a lack of adaptation previously reported for the pattern-onset P1 VEP in this patient. Exploratory source localization using equivalent current dipole fitting further suggested that P1 and C2 VEPs in the visual snow patient arose from distinct sources in extrastriate visual cortex. While preliminary, these results support differential patterns of VEP attenuation and potentiation within the same individual, potentially pointing towards multiple mechanisms of abnormal neuronal responsiveness in visual snow syndrome.
The Dakota Conflict Trials

The causes of the Dakota Conflict are many and complex. The treaties of 1851 and 1858 contributed to tensions by undermining the Dakota culture and the power of chieftains, concentrating malcontents, and leading to a corrupt system of Indian agents and traders. Annuity payments reduced the once proud Dakota to the status of dependents. Annuity payments for the Dakota were late in the summer of 1862. On Sunday, August 17, four Dakota from a breakaway band of young malcontents were on a hunting trip when they came across some eggs in a hen's nest along the fence line of a settler's homestead. When one of the four took the eggs, another of the group warned him that the eggs belonged to a white man. The first young man became angry, dashed the eggs to the ground, and accused the other of being afraid of white men, even though half-starved. Apparently to disprove the accusation of cowardice, the other Dakota said that to show he was not afraid of white men he would go the house and shoot the owner. He challenged the others to join him. Minutes later three white men, a white woman, and a fifteen-year old white girl lay dead. Events moved quickly. Forty-four Americans were killed and another ten captured in the first full day of fighting in and around the Lower Agency at Redwood. Nearly two hundred additional whites died over the next few days as Dakota massacred farm families and attacked Fort Ridgely and the town of New Ulm. By mid-September, the initiative had shifted to the American forces. Penned in to the north and south, facing severe food shortages and declining morale, many Dakota warriors chose to surrender. Together with those taken captive, the ranks of Dakota prisoners soon swelled to 1,250. A decision had to be made soon what to do with them. The trials were quick affairs, getting quicker as they progressed. The commission heard nearly forty cases on November 3, the last day it met. The commission believed that mere participation in a battle justified a death sentence, so in the many cases, perhaps two-thirds of the total, where the prisoner admitted firing shots it proceeded to a guilty verdict in a matter of a few minutes. The final decision on whether to go ahead with the planned mass execution of the 303 Dakota and mixed-bloods rested with President Lincoln. Lincoln asked his clerks to search the records and identify those convicted of participating in the massacres of settlers. The clerks came up with the thirty-nine names included in Lincoln's handwritten order of execution written on December 6, 1862.
Nonthermal Radio Emission from Hot Star Winds

Nonthermal radio emission has been observed from some of the most luminous hot star winds. It is understood to be synchrotron radiation of the relativistic electrons in the winds. To understand how the electrons are accelerated to such high energies and to correctly explain the observed radio flux and spectra require an exhaustive investigation of all the relevant physical processes involved and possibly point to a complex wind structure. In this paper we discuss the logical path toward a comprehensive model of the nonthermal radio emission from hot star winds. Based on the available observational data and fundamental theoretical considerations, we found that the only physically viable and self-consistent scenario is:the nonthermal radio emission is synchrotron radiation of relativistic electrons ⇌ the electrons are accelerated by shocks via the first-order Fermi mechanism ⇌ the acceleration has to be in situ in the radio emitting region ⇌ the shocks formed at the base of the winds have to propagate to beyond the radio photosphere).
Increasing Student Engagement, Self-Efficacy, and Meta-Cognitive Self-Regulation in the High School Geometry Classroom: Do iPads Help?.

Teachers are increasingly integrating mobile digital technology into the classroom. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of incorporating iPads in a secondary-level geometry course on academic achievement, student engagement, self-efficacy, and meta-cognitive self-regulation. Students in the iPad-using classroom experienced lower levels of geometry proficiency scores, higher levels of off-task behaviors, and similar levels of self-efficacy and meta-cognitive self-regulation compared to the non-iPad group. However, the results may have been affected by several latent variables that can be controlled for in future research.
Dynamic multi-resolution modeling of power super capacitor

This paper presents an approach of implementing the dynamic multi-resolution power super capacitor model in the virtual test bed (VTB), a platform for complex system simulation and prototyping. The new model is an extension of the multi-order RLC circuit models and has the ability of switching between different orders dynamically during simulation. The higher-order model has better fidelity, however, its complicated representation and convergence-required smaller time step plague the speed. Unlike some traditional methods, neither the system state space equations nor the local integration error is required to determine the simulation order; instead, the model output derivative is employed here to trigger the switch. Energy conservation law is applied to guarantee the consistency of the switch. The model is validated by its application in the simulation of an electric vehicle system; the results show that the total simulation execution time can be reduced by sixty percent, with less than one percent accuracy loss.
Minimizing total variation for field splitting with feathering in intensity-modulated radiation therapy

In this paper, we study an interesting geometric partition problem, called optimal field splitting, which arises in Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). In current clinical practice, a multileaf collimator (MLC) with amaximum leaf spread constraint is used to deliver the prescribed radiation intensity maps (IMs). However, the maximum leaf spread of an MLC may require to split a large IM into several overlapping sub-IMs with each being delivered separately. We develop an efficient algorithm for solving the field splitting problem while minimizing the total variation of the resulting sub-IMs, thus improving the treatment delivery efficiency.Our basic idea is to formulate the field splitting problemas computing a shortest path in a directed acyclic graph, which expresses a special "layered" structure. The edge weights in the graph can be computed by solving an optimal vector decomposition problem using local searching and the proximity scaling technique as we can prove the L-convexity and totally unimodularity of the problem. Moreover, the edge weights of the graph satisfy the Monge property, which enables us to solve this shortest path problem by examining only a small portion of the graph, yielding a time-efficient algorithm.
MAPK signaling cascades mediate distinct glucocorticoid resistance mechanisms in pediatric leukemia

The outcome for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients who relapse is dismal. A hallmark of relapsed disease is acquired resistance to multiple chemotherapeutic agents, particularly glucocorticoids. In this study, we performed a genome-scale short hairpin RNA screen to identify mediators of prednisolone sensitivity in ALL cell lines. The incorporation of these data with an integrated analysis of relapse-specific genetic and epigenetic changes allowed us to identify the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway as a mediator of prednisolone resistance in pediatric ALL. We show that knockdown of the specific MAPK pathway members MEK2 and MEK4 increased sensitivity to prednisolone through distinct mechanisms. MEK4 knockdown increased sensitivity specifically to prednisolone by increasing the levels of the glucocorticoid receptor. MEK2 knockdown increased sensitivity to all chemotherapy agents tested by increasing the levels of p53. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inhibition of MEK1/2 with trametinib increased sensitivity of ALL cells and primary samples to chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo. To confirm a role for MAPK signaling in patients with relapsed ALL, we measured the activation of the MEK1/2 target ERK in matched diagnosis-relapse primary samples and observed increased phosphorylated ERK levels at relapse. Furthermore, relapse samples have an enhanced response to MEK inhibition compared to matched diagnosis samples in xenograft models. Together, our data indicate that inhibition of the MAPK pathway increases chemosensitivity to glucocorticoids and possibly other agents and that the MAPK pathway is an attractive target for prevention and/or treatment of relapsed disease.
Minimal extrathyroid extension in papillary thyroid carcinoma does not result in increased rates of either cause-specific mortality or postoperative tumor recurrence

Background This study assessed the influence of extrathyroid extension (EE) on cause-specific mortality (CSM) and tumor recurrence (TR) in patients treated for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods We studied outcome in 3,524 patients with PTC without distant metastases at diagnosis. CSM and TR were investigated in 422 patients with gross EE (GEE) or microscopic EE (MEE). Results The 30-year CSM rate for GEE of 25% was 12-fold greater (P 45 with tumors Conclusion MEE without concomitant GEE did not increase rates of either CSM or TR in PTC. Accordingly, these results raise concerns regarding current AJCC staging recommendations.
Empathy and Morality

INTRODUCTION Notable theorists from various walks of education have begun to call for the cultivation of empathy for the purposes of moral education. These advocates of empathy suggest that its educational value pertains to its connection to morality. In calling for empathy, educators not only (mistakenly) assume agreement on what empathy is and which empathic phenomena (sympathy? compassion? emotional contagion? aesthetic empathy?) to foster, they also assume that these phenomena always qualify as moral.
The Crash of 1882 and the Bailout of the Paris Bourse

The crash of the French stock market in 1882 presented the Paris Bourse with its worst crisis of the nineteenth century. Its structure was similar in key respects to today’s futures markets, with a dominant forward market leading the Bourse to adopt a common fund to guarantee transactions and liquidity. While this mutualization of risk protects clients and brokers from idiosyncratic shocks, it is generally assumed that it also provides considerable protection against systemic shocks, as no twentieth century exchange has been forced to shut down. Using new archival data, this paper shows how a stock market crash overwhelmed the Bourse’s common fund. Only an emergency loan from the Bank of France, intermediated by the largest banks, prevented a closure of the Bourse.
The Genesee Connection: The Origins of Iroquois Culture in West-Central New York

The Genesee Valley has long been recognized as a center of Iroquois development, but the connection between Owasco sites in the Genesee and Iroquois sequences in the adjacent regions has never been adequately demonstrated. Attempts to identify transitional Owasco-Iroquois sites in this region have been hampered by the use of diagnostic criteria based on data from eastern New York. This article examines ceramic patterns in the Genesee and establishes a regional cultural sequence based on ceramic criteria which have local diagnostic significance. This sequence reveals the transition from Owasco to Iroquois culture begins in the Genesee with a sudden influx of Ontario Iroquois ceramic traits from the west ca. 1250 A.D. This Owasco-Ontario Iroquois connection in the Genesee negates certain assumptions regarding Iroquois origins and alters our current concept of in situ development.
Bacterial productivity in the water column and sediments of the Georgia (USA) coastal zone: Estimates via direct counting and parallel measurement of thymidine incorporation.

Three methods of estimating bacterial productivity were compared using parallel samples of Atlantic Ocean water (within 0.25–15 km of the Georgia coast). The frequency-of-dividing cells (FDC) method and the [3H]thymidine incorporation method gave results which were strongly correlated (r=0.97), but the FDC estimates were always higher (X2 to X7) than the [3H]thymidine estimates. Estimates of bacterial productivity ranged from 2–4×108 cells·l−1·h−1 at 0.25 km from shore to 1–9×107cells·l−1·h−1 at 15 km. A method involving incubation of 3-μm filtrates and direct counting gave results that could not be easily translated into estimates of bacterial productivity. Application of the FDC method to sediment samples gave high productivity estimates, which could be not reconciled with productivity estimates based on sediment oxygen uptake.
Rapid and sensitive detection of an intracellular pathogen in human peripheral leukocytes with hybridizing magnetic relaxation nanosensors.

Bacterial infections are still a major global healthcare problem. The quick and sensitive detection of pathogens responsible for these infections would facilitate correct diagnosis of the disease and expedite treatment. Of major importance are intracellular slow-growing pathogens that reside within peripheral leukocytes, evading recognition by the immune system and detection by traditional culture methods. Herein, we report the use of hybridizing magnetic nanosensors (hMRS) for the detection of an intracellular pathogen, Mycobacterium avium spp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The hMRS are designed to bind to a unique genomic sequence found in the MAP genome, causing significant changes in the sample’s magnetic resonance signal. Clinically relevant samples, including tissue and blood, were screened with hMRS and results were compared with traditional PCR analysis. Within less than an hour, the hMRS identified MAP-positive samples in a library of laboratory cultures, clinical isolates, blood and homogenized tissues. Comparison of the hMRS with culture methods in terms of prediction of disease state revealed that the hMRS outperformed established culture methods, while being significantly faster (1 hour vs 12 weeks). Additionally, using a single instrument and one nanoparticle preparation we were able to detect the intracellular bacterial target in clinical samples at the genomic and epitope levels. Overall, since the nanoparticles are robust in diverse environmental settings and substantially more affordable than PCR enzymes, the potential clinical and field-based use of hMRS in the multiplexed identification of microbial pathogens and other disease-related biomarkers via a single, deployable instrument in clinical and complex environmental samples is foreseen.
Using Focus Groups to Study Consumer Understanding and Experiences with Tamper‐Evident Packaging Devices

ABSTRACT: A focus group with an educational component was used to help initiate a new research hypothesis. Early-stage development of a new tamper-evident invention was improved with input from a consumer focus group. The focus group comprised consumers who were shown several tamper-evident devices, including a new color-changing cap under active development. We found that consumers understood tamper-evident food packaging and recognized when devices were triggered. Most said that they always checked tamper-evident food packaging but further query revealed that they only did this for certain products. Consumers were ambivalent about paying more for foods protected by tamper-evident devices, including the color-changing one. None rejected the color-changing device but some recommended changes that would improve the invention. Some mentioned that new devices are unnecessary because current technology is effective in keeping food safe. An educational session conducted in conjunction with the focus group sessions showed that some peoples' initial negative attitude changed to positive support for new color-changing devices after learning about food security concerns. We found that a focus group was useful for shaping academic research and identifying the most practical outcomes. A focus group provided a unique interactive assessment of consumers' understanding of the usefulness and critical research needs in developing a tamper-evident device.
First detection of nonflare microwave emissions from the coronae of single late-type dwarf stars

Results are presented of a search for nonflare microwave radiation from the coronae of nearby late-type dwarf stars comparable to the sun: single stars without evidence for either a large wind or circumstellar envelope. The observing program consisted of flux measurements of six stars over a 24-h period with the VLA in the C configuration at a wavelength of 6 cm with 50 MHz bandwidth. Positive detections at 6 cm were made for Chi 1 Ori (0.6 mJy) and the flare star UV Cet (1.55 mJy), and upper limits were obtained for the stars Pi 1 UMa, Xi Boo A, 70 Oph A and Epsilon Eri. It is suggested that Chi 1 Ori, and possibly UV Cet, represent the first detected members of a new class of radio sources which are driven by gyroresonance emission, i.e. cyclotron emission from nonrelativistic Maxwellian electrons.
Common Sexually Transmitted Infections in Adolescents

Adolescents are often at higher risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Medical providers should be alert for both asymptomatic and symptomatic STIs, and follow appropriate screening guidelines. Moreover, providers need to know how to best administer adolescent-friendly confidential care, treatment, and health education in the primary care setting. This article addresses the most common adolescent STIs and pertinent recommendations for screening, diagnosis, and management of infections, in addition to a brief focused discussion on human immunodeficiency virus and adolescents.
A dynamic aggregative model of the AIDS epidemic with possible policy interventions.

Abstract The primary goal of this article is to analyze long-term growth in the presence of the AIDs epidemic and its interaction with population dynamics and the macroeconomy. Health-sector policies for preventing the spread of HIV or helping AIDs patients to cope with the disease are considered. Policies aimed at reducing HIV transmission can significantly reduce the prevalence of AIDs and can even bring the economy to a no-AIDs steady state. Model simulations using parameters representing a typical sub-Saharan country show how powerful these policies could be: a rise in condom use from 0 to 10 percent cuts steady-state AIDs prevalence nearly in half, from 31 percent to 19 percent of the population.
On recombinant estimation for experimental data

The recombinant estimation technique of Mullin and Reiley (2006) can be a useful tool for analyzing data from normal-form games. The recombinant estimator falls within a general category of statistics known as U-statistics. This classification has both theoretical and practical implications: (1) the recombinant estimator is optimal (minimum variance) among unbiased estimators, (2) there is a computationally simple method for computing its asymptotic standard error, and (3) the estimation technique can be extended to multiple outcomes and to other types of inferential procedures commonly used for experimental data, such as the sign test. Simulation evidence suggests that researchers should use the asymptotic standard error rather than the standard error of Mullin and Reiley (2006) since the latter exhibits a downward bias.
Lateral line pore diameters correlate with the development of gas bubble trauma signs in several Columbia River fishes.

Abstract Gas bubble trauma (GBT) caused by gas supersaturation of river water continues to be a problem in the Columbia River Basin. A common indicator of GBT is the percent of the lateral line occluded with gas bubbles; however, this effect has never been examined in relation to lateral line morphology. The effects of 115, 125 and 130% total dissolved gas levels were evaluated on five fish species common to the upper Columbia River. Trunk lateral line pore diameters differed significantly ( P largescale sucker>northern pikeminnow≥chinook salmon≥redside shiner). At all supersaturation levels evaluated, percent of lateral line occlusion exhibited an inverse correlation to pore size but was not generally related to total dissolved gas level or time of exposure. This study suggests that the differences in lateral line pore diameters between species should be considered when using lateral line occlusion as an indicator of gas bubble trauma.
Exenatide improves glucose homeostasis and prolongs survival in a murine model of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background There is growing awareness of secondary insulin resistance and alterations in myocardial glucose utilization in congestive heart failure. Whether therapies that directly target these changes would be beneficial is unclear. We previously demonstrated that acute blockade of the insulin responsive facilitative glucose transporter GLUT4 precipitates acute decompensated heart failure in mice with advanced dilated cardiomyopathy. Our current objective was to determine whether pharmacologic enhancement of insulin sensitivity and myocardial glucose uptake preserves cardiac function and survival in the setting of primary heart failure. Methodology/Principal Findings The GLP-1 agonist exenatide was administered twice daily to a murine model of dilated cardiomyopathy (TG9) starting at 56 days of life. TG9 mice develop congestive heart failure and secondary insulin resistance in a highly predictable manner with death by 12 weeks of age. Glucose homeostasis was assessed by measuring glucose tolerance at 8 and 10 weeks and tissue 2-deoxyglucose uptake at 75 days. Exenatide treatment improved glucose tolerance, myocardial GLUT4 expression and 2-deoxyglucose uptake, cardiac contractility, and survival over control vehicle-treated TG9 mice. Phosphorylation of AMP kinase and AKT was also increased in exenatide-treated animals. Total myocardial GLUT1 levels were not different between groups. Exenatide also abrogated the detrimental effect of the GLUT4 antagonist ritonavir on survival in TG9 mice. Conclusion/Significance In heart failure secondary insulin resistance is maladaptive and myocardial glucose uptake is suboptimal. An incretin-based therapy, which addresses these changes, appears beneficial.
Transverse Femoral Arteriotomy for Intraaortic Balloon Insertion

A technique for intraaortic balloon placement employing a transverse femoral arteriotomy is described. After balloon removal, the arteriotomy can be closed primarily. Avoidance of retained graft material or use of a vein patch reduces the likelihood of vascular complications.
R-loops and nicks initiate DNA breakage and genome instability in non-growing Escherichia coli

Double-stranded DNA ends, often from replication, drive genomic instability, yet their origin in non-replicating cells is unknown. Here we show that transcriptional RNA/DNA hybrids (R-loops) generate DNA ends that underlie stress-induced mutation and amplification. Depleting RNA/DNA hybrids with overproduced RNase HI reduces both genomic changes, indicating RNA/DNA hybrids as intermediates in both. An Mfd requirement and inhibition by translation implicate transcriptional R-loops. R-loops promote instability by generating DNA ends, shown by their dispensability when ends are provided by I-SceI endonuclease. Both R-loops and single-stranded endonuclease TraI are required for end formation, visualized as foci of a fluorescent end-binding protein. The data suggest that R-loops prime replication forks that collapse at single-stranded nicks, producing ends that instigate genomic instability. The results illuminate how DNA ends form in non-replicating cells, identify R-loops as the earliest known mutation/amplification intermediate, and suggest that genomic instability during stress could be targeted to transcribed regions, accelerating adaptation.
Probabilistic decision making for collision avoidance systems: Postponing decisions

For collision avoidance systems to be accepted by human drivers, it is important to keep the rate of unnecessary interventions very low. This is challenging since the decision to intervene or not is based on incomplete and uncertain information. The contribution of this paper is a decision making strategy for collision avoidance systems which allows the system to occasionally postpone a decision in order to collect more information. The problem is formulated in the framework of statistical decision theory, and the core of the algorithm is to run a preposterior analysis to estimate the benefit of deciding with the additional information. A final decision is made by comparing this benefit with the cost of delaying the intervention. The proposed approach is evaluated in simulation at a two-way stop road intersection for stop sign violation scenarios. The results show that the ability to postpone decisions leads to a significant reduction of false alarms and does not impair the ability of the collision avoidance system to prevent accidents.
Oceanogeaphic investigation's on the next cruise of the Carnegie

The next cruise of the Carnegie, to be Cruise VII, is planned to begin at Washington early in 1928, is to occupy three years' time, and is to extend around the world over all the oceans. Chief emphasis will be placed on magnetic and atmospheric-electric surveys and investigations since the vessel was designed and fitted primarily for this purpose. The practical and theoretical value of the magnetic investigations already done on the Carnegie is testified to by the principal hydrographic establishments of the world and by individual investigators, but the full value of the accumulated data will not be realized without additional observations to determine the secular variation (or progressive) changes in the Earth's magnetism. The chief aim of the magnetic work of the next cruise will be to increase our knowledge of these changes.
Management of Selected Early Breastfeeding Problems Seen in Clinical Practice

: Management guidelines for six common clusters of breastfeeding situations or problems commonly seen in clinical practice are discussed. These include inadequate infant weight gain, insufficient milk supply, nipple problems, latch-on and sucking disorganization, high-risk situations, and the “good baby” syndrome. Charts are provided describing devices and specialized techniques from which to choose when creating a feeding plan.
Research needs in cement-based waste forms

Cement-based waste forms are one of the most widely used waste disposal options, yet definitive knowledge of the fate of the waste species inside the waste form is lacking. A fundamental understanding of the chemistry and microstructure of the waste forms would lead to a better understanding of the mass transfer of the waste species, more confidence in predicting and extrapolating waste-form performance, and improved design of waste forms. Better and cheaper leach tests would lead to quicker and more cost-effective screening of waste-form alternatives, cement-based and otherwise. In addition, assessment of durability may be important to predicting waste-form performance in the field over periods of decades and centuries.
Early hospital discharge after radical retropubic prostatectomy : impact on cost and complication rate

Abstract Objectives. To assess the impact of shortened hospital stay after radicalretropubic prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer on complication rates and hospital costs. Methods. A comparison of results between 171 consecutive patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy between July 1989 and January 1993 (group 1) and 101 consecutive patients operated on since February 1993 (group 2) during a prospective effort to reduce hospital length of stay by home-based preoperative bowel preparation, direct admission to the operating room on the day of surgery, earlier and more extensive postoperative ambulation, earlier initiation of postoperative oral intake, earlier use of oral analgesics, and routine pelvic drain removal at 72 to 96 hours after surgery independent of volume of drainage. Results. Median length of stay was reduced from 8 to 5 days (p Conclusions. Reduced hospital length of stay after radical retropubic prostatectomy resultsin significant cost savings without increasing morbidity.
Cells of Escherichia coli swim either end forward.

Abstract Chemotactic cells of the bacterium Escherichia coli were marked asymmetrically by growth on a rich medium containing tetrazolium red. When this dye is reduced, it tends to form a refractile granule near one end of the cell, readily visualized by dark-field microscopy. In smooth-swimming cells, the marker was found with equal probability in front or behind. In wild-type cells, tumbles changed the cell orientation nearly as often as not. Some cells formed flagellar bundles at one end more frequently than at the other, but the run-interval distributions were the same either way. We conclude that the sensory system does not favor one end of the cell over the other. Thus, chemoreceptors that appear in patches at only one pole do not serve as a nose.
Complement-fixation studies with poliomyelitis in humans.

SummaryThe Lansing complement-fixing (CF) antibody response to immunization in monkeys and to infection in humans appears to be transitory. One hundred thirty-one paralytic poliomyelitis cases in humans were examined for CF antibody to Lansing virus. In the serums of 85 cases, collected 2 weeks after onset of clinical disease, 11 had both neutralizing and CF antibodies. CF antibody was not found in any of 47 cases which were negative for neutralizing antibody. In a series of serum specimens collected from 46 other cases, CF antibody appeared in 10. The CF antibody rose quickly and remained elevated for from 6 weeks to 3 months. A positive CF test may indicate recent infection; a negative, either no exposure or infection at a period remote in the past.
Drosophila DHR38 nuclear receptor is required for adult cuticle integrity at eclosion.

DHR38 is the only Drosophila member of the NR4A subclass of vertebrate nuclear receptors, which have been implicated in multiple biological pathways, including neuronal function, apoptosis, and metabolism. Although an earlier study identified three point mutations in DHR38, none of these were shown to be a null allele for the locus, leaving it unclear whether a complete loss of DHR38 function might uncover novel roles for the receptor. Here we show that a specific DHR38 null allele, DHR38Y214, leads to fully penetrant pharate adult lethality, similar to the most severe phenotype associated with the EMS-induced mutations. DHR38Y214 mutants display minor effects on ecdysone-regulated transcription at the onset of metamorphosis. In contrast, cuticle gene expression is significantly reduced in DHR38Y214 mutant pupae. These studies define the essential functions of DHR38 and provide a genetic context for further characterization of its roles during development. Developmental Dynamics 238:701–707, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dynamic mechanical properties of reactor graphites irradiated to high doses

Abstract Properties of polycrystalline graphites irradiated at various temperatures (338°K and 873°K) were tested from 100 to 750°K. The dynamic mechanical properties for these specimens indicate multirelaxation behavior. The modulus values increase for all irradiated specimens as compared to unirradiated values. For species irradiated at 338°K, radiation damage annealing processes occur when the specimens were tested above 400°K. As expected, data for specimens irradiated at 873°K indicate that some annealing takes place during irradiation. Internal friction data for irradiated specimens exhibit considerable scatter and appear to be complex.
On the centralizer of the sum of commuting nilpotent elements

Abstract Let X and Y be commuting nilpotent K -endomorphisms of a vector space V , where K is a field of characteristic p ⩾ 0 . If F = K ( t ) is the field of rational functions on the projective line P / K 1 , consider the K ( t ) -endomorphism A = X + tY of V . If p = 0 , or if A p - 1 = 0 , we show here that X and Y are tangent to the unipotent radical of the centralizer of A in GL ( V ) . For all geometric points ( a : b ) of a suitable open subset of P 1 , it follows that X and Y are tangent to the unipotent radical of the centralizer of aX + bY . This answers a question of J. Pevtsova.
The Biomechanical Effect of Increased Valgus on Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Cadaveric Study

The effects of valgus load on cadaveric knees following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were investigated using a custom testing system. TKAs were performed on 8 cadaveric knees and tested at 0°, 30°, and 60° knee flexion in both neutral and 5° valgus. Fuji pressure sensitive film was used to quantify contact areas and pressures and MCL strain was determined using a Microscribe digitizing system. Lateral tibiofemoral pressures increased (P 0.05). Significant increases in strain were observed along the anterior and posterior border of the MCL at all knee flexion angles. These findings suggest that valgus loading increases TKA joint contact pressures and MCL strain with increasing knee flexion which may increase implant instability.
Effect of band or line shape on radiative transfer in a nongray two-dimensional medium

Abstract An exact formulation is presented for a nongray two-dimensional, finite, planar, absorbing-emitting medium in radiative equilibrium. The absorption coefficient consists of an array of equal intensity, nonoverlapping bands or lines. Rectangular, triangular, exponential, Doppler and Lorentz shapes are specifically considered. Exact expressions are obtained for a medium subjected to collimated and diffuse radiation. The integral equations are linearized by the narrow-band approximation. The solution for the cosine-varying, collimated, monochromatic radiation model is used to construct the solutions for other boundary conditions. The two-dimensional equations are reduced to one-dimensional equations by the method of separation of variables. Results for the diffuse case are presented for several spatial variations.
Radiation therapy in the management of bulky mediastinal Hodgkin's disease

From July 1981 to July 1985, 20 patients with bulky mediastinal Hodgkin's Disease (maximum mediastinal width divided by the maximum intrathoracic diameter for a mediastinal mass ratio (MMR) greater than 0.33 were treated at Stanford University with definitive radiation therapy alone. The majority of these patients were selected to receive radiation therapy because they had the more favorable characteristics of minimal extralymphatic involvement, mediastinal masses that were superior and central in location, and a MMR less than or equal to 0.50. All 20 patients were laparotomy staged, and 17 received some radiation to the mantle before laparotomy. Seventeen patients had pathologic stage (PS) II disease (13 PS IIA, 4 PS IIB), two had PS IIISA, and one had PS IB. Eleven patients (55%) had extralymphatic involvement. All patients were irradiated to the mantle field using a shrinking field technique (mediastinal dose, 4400 to 5500 cGy, mean 4990 cGy). After completion of the mantle, all patients with good clinical responses received infradiaphragmatic radiation. Treatment complications included two cases of mild radiation pneumonitis, five of hypothyroidism, five of localized Herpes zoster, one of amenorrhea, one of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and one of sepsis. Four patients relapsed. All had an intrathoracic component to their failure. All four patients were salvaged with MOP(P) chemotherapy and are currently alive and free of disease. For the entire group, the actuarial freedom from relapse is 80% at 7 years and the survival is 100%. Median follow-up time is 67 months. The authors conclude that radiation therapy alone is effective in the management of selected patients with Hodgkin's disease who have extensive mediastinal involvement, even when the MMR exceeds 1/3.
Thin film Si solar cell fabricated at low temperature

Abstract Research and development of our film Si solar cells are reviewed. Our developed film polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) cells are well described by the structure of natural surface texture and enhanced absorption with a back reflector (STAR), where the active poly-Si layer is fabricated by plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at low temperature. The cell with a thickness of 2.0 μm demonstrated an intrinsic efficiency of 10.7% (aperture 10.1%). By combining poly-Si cell with an a-Si cell, a stabilized efficiency of 12% has been reached for a-Si:H/poly-Si/poly-Si cell structure.
Clinical evaluation of etretinate for the treatment of canine solar-induced squamous cell carcinoma and preneoplastic lesions.

Background: Tumors of the skin and subcutaneous tissue account for 30% of all canine neoplasms. Canine solar-induced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most frequently reported canine cutaneous neoplasm. Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary observations on the safety and efficacy of etretinate for the treatment of solar-induced SCC and associated preneoplastic lesions in dogs. Methods: Etretinate was administered to 10 dogs at 1 mg/kg twice daily for a minimum of 90 days. Results: Clinically, two dogs showed complete resolution of their preneoplastic lesions, three dogs had partial responses, two dogs maintained stable disease, and three dogs showed progression of lesions after 90 days of etretinate administration. Three dogs showed histologic improvement, four dogs showed no changes, and three dogs showed evidence of progressing SCC. Treatment-related biochemical abnormalities included reversiblehypertriglyceridemia and transient serum liver enzyme elevations in three dogs. Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that etretinate, at the dosage administered, may provide therapeutic efficacy for solar-induced preneoplastic lesions in the dog, particularly for those multifocal lesions not easily managed by local methods of therapy.