cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eicosanoids and Renal Function

Perhaps nothing underscores the special relationship between the kidney and the eicosanoids better than the profound clinical effects non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) have on kidney function. NSAIDs are widely used to treat pain and inflammatory diseases, and work by blocking the enzymatic synthesis of prostaglandins, a type of eicosanoid, from arachidonic acid. However, chronic NSAID use is often complicated by major side effects, including renal sodium retention, resulting in edema, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. [1] ; [2] Conversely, in the sodium depleted state, NSAIDs can reduce renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, and cause acute renal failure. [3] ; [4] ; [5] These observations underscore the critical role cyclooxygenase-derived arachidonic acid metabolites play in maintaining normal kidney function – particularly in the setting of physiological stress.
Isolation of Canine Cardiac Sarcolemmal Vesicles

Isolation and characterization of sarcolemmal membrane fragments from the heart has been a goal of several research laboratories for some time (Wollenberger and Will, 1978). This is because of the fundamental importance of the sarcolemma in maintaining the electrophysiological and contractile properties of the heart by regulating transmembrane fluxes of the inotropically active cations Na+, K+, and Ca2+ between intracellular and extracellular compartments. Both purity and morphological form of the isolated membranes are equally important considerations in any isolation scheme for cardiac sarcolemma (Besch et al., 1976). In analogy to results first observed with cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane preparations, it seems highly advantageous to isolate sarcolemmal membrane fragments from the heart in the form of tightly sealed vesicles so that not only enzymic activity but also active and passive transport of ions can be measured in the same membrane preparation.
Bedside Monitoring of Vascular Mechanisms in CNS Trauma: The Use of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Transcranial Doppler (TCD)

Ischemia and adequacy of regional and global cerebral blood flow are important determinants of outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although brain ischemia may be a major common pathway of secondary brain damage following TBI, hyperemia and reperfusion injury may also occur and lead to elevated intracranial pressure and decreased cerebral perfusion pressure. Bedside monitors of cerebral ischemia include near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD), continuous electroencephalography, and brain tissue microdialysis. This chapter will describe how NIRS and TCD enhance our understanding of vascular pathology following a brain injury and their potential applications in the acute management of TBI.
Robust Design Via Simultaneous Polynomial Stabilization

Our approach to robust analysis and synthesis of systems with parameter uncertainty exploits properties of polynomials. Robust stability and robust performance requirements are expressed as stability requirements of polynomial families with parameter uncertainty. The last four Chapters we have demonstrated that the Finite Inclusions Theorem is a powerful tool for analy sis and synthesis as it provides the foundation of a number of robust analysis and synthesis algorithms. The resulting FIT synthesis algorithms are iterative procedures where at each iteration the controller is redesigned to enhance ro bustness. The controller parameters are computed from the solution of linear inequalities.
Role of sensitized pelvic nerve afferents from the inflamed rat colon in the maintenance of visceral hyperalgesia.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of sensitized pelvic nerve afferents from the inflamed rat colon in the maintenance of visceral hyperalgesia. The chapter examines the relationship between alterations in the mechanosensitive properties of pelvic nerve afferent fibers innervating the colon and the facilitated VMR to distension following instillation of zymosan into the colon. A significant finding of the present study was the absence of correspondence between the duration of afferent fiber sensitization and visceral hyperalgesia. Several studies have investigated the effect of experimental inflammation of the colon or bladder on mechanosensitive pelvic nerve afferent fibers. Maintenance of hyperalgesia may not require persistent sensitization, but only enhanced or episodic increases in spontaneous input. Spontaneous activity was increased in the present experiments, significantly at times early after intracolonic instillation of zymosan, and modestly at 3 h. Input from silent afferents could also be important to maintenance of hyperalgesia. Arguments opposing a role for sustained peripheral input as necessary to the maintenance of hyperalgesia are given. There are clear and long-lasting central nervous system consequences and contributions to the maintenance of hyperalgesia and resolution of the relative roles of peripheral and central mechanisms awaits experimental study.
Monotone norms

The idea of norms monotone in the nonnegative orthant is extended to partially ordered finite dimensional real spaces. Relations between the monotonicity of a norm and of the dual and the subordinate matrix norm are investigated.
Alumina Passives Using the Interconnect Layer of Metal-Embedded Chip Assembly Processing

This paper describes the additional design dimension of a new heterogeneous packaging process, referred to as Metal-Embedded Chip Assembly (MECA). The interconnect layers of the process can be used as an additional degree of freedom for design and manufacturing of passive circuits for integrated RF front-ends. Transmission lines designed with the interconnect layer, referred to as bridge lines, with up to 35% higher characteristic impedances than their microstrip counterpart, are validated by measurements up to 25 GHz. An X-band Lange coupler with 3.9 GHz bandwidth is designed using MECA interconnects, with accurate bridge placement. Broadband measurements from 0 to 25 GHz show good agreement with simulations.
Emotional Reactions to Health Status Changes and Emotional Well-Being Among HIV-Positive Persons with Limited Reading Literacy

People living with HIV-AIDS experience emotional distress in response to negative changes in their health status. The current study hypothesized that individuals with poorer health literacy skills would evidence greater emotional distress in response to negative changes in health status compared to persons with higher health literacy skills. HIV positive persons (N = 294) completed anonymous surveys that included measures of depression and social support and a subset of 98 participants completed two experimental vignettes depicting a person receiving test results showing an increase in HIV viral load (negative health changes) followed by a vignette suggesting decreased viral load (improved health changes). Responses to affective reactions and coping strategies indicated that persons with lower health literacy skills more strongly endorsed negative affective states and maladaptive coping strategies compared to persons with higher health literacy skills. In addition, lower health literacy was associated with greater symptoms of affective depression and poorer social support, whereas higher literacy was associated with greater negativistic thinking. Findings suggest the need for patient education and counseling regarding changes in health status among people living with HIV-AIDS, particularly persons with limited health literacy skills.
A Test of Time-constraint Predictions on Residence-to-Crime Distances among Sex Offenders

The finding that offenders tend to commit crime within relative proximity to their own residence has been well established in nearly 80 years of research. The usefulness of this area of research ex...
Identification Of Differential Patterns Of Oxidative Biomarkers In Prostate Cancer Progression

Abstract Introduction Oxidative stress has been found to be associated with the progression of prostate cancer (PCa); however, human studies which identify differential roles of each oxidation pathway in PCa progression are lacking. We aimed to identify which oxidative stress markers, specifically lipid and global oxidation and glycation, are associated with PCa progression. Patients and Methods We recruited 3 groups of patients from a urologic clinic at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center: men with PCa who had undergone prostatectomy, men with PCa under watchful waiting, and men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We used the most commonly used lipid oxidation marker, F2-isoprostanes; global oxidation markers, fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs); and the commonly used marker for advanced glycation end products, carboxymethyllysine. These biomarkers were measured in plasma samples at baseline entry. Plasma prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was measured at enrollment and follow-up visits. Results Compared with men with BPH, men with PCa who had undergone prostatectomy had 26% (P = .01) higher levels of F2-isoprostanes and 20% (P = .08) higher levels of carboxymethyllysine. All the oxidation markers were similar when comparing men under watchful waiting with men with BPH. When examining the associations between baseline oxidation markers and follow-up PSAs, we found that different oxidation markers had differential patterns associated with PSA elevation. F2-isoprostanes were positively associated with PSA elevation among men with PCa; FlOP_320 was positively associated with PSA elevation among both men with PCa and men with BPH, whereas among men with PCa under watchful waiting, FlOP_360 and FlOP_400 had opposite trends of associations with PSA elevation. Conclusions Our study suggested that high levels of lipid oxidation were associated with PCa progression, whereas different global oxidation markers had different patterns associated with PCa progression. Large-scale clinical studies are needed to confirm our associations. Our study provides a comprehensive view of the relationship between biomarkers and PCa progression.
Biogeochemical and socioeconomic drivers of above- and below-ground carbon stocks in urban residential yards of a small city

Research on patterns of below-ground carbon (C) storage in urban lawns has focused on biogeochemical mechanisms, with human activities playing an important but somewhat secondary role. By contrast, studies of above-ground vegetation in urban areas have emphasized socioeconomic factors that influence greenness, abundance, and diversity, without explicitly considering biogeochemical mechanisms. Here we examine how both biogeochemical and socioeconomic factors influence patterns of C storage in urban yards both above- and below-ground. We combined measurements of above- and below-ground C stocks in 36 lawns located in the small city (< 200,000 residents) of Manchester, New Hampshire, USA with a suite of indicators such as housing age, population density, median income, home value, and residence duration that we obtained from public assessment databases, the decennial census, and the American Community Survey. We found that for this small city, housing age was the only variable that was significant and positively correlated with soil C stocks. Median income, median resident age, and percent married couples were significant and positively related with above-ground biomass C, with housing age playing a secondary role. The disparity that we observed in how biogeochemical and socioeconomic factors shape the distribution of C stocks in urban yards highlights the need for management approaches tailored to sequestering C in above- versus below-ground pools. Understanding the C dynamics of small cities is critical to ensuring that urban areas of all sizes can enhance urban C storage and minimize urban C loss.
From good practice for good practice we theorize; in small words for big circles we write

As members of the socio-ecological practice research community, how should we theorize so that our theories of socio-ecological practice are both true and useful? How should we write so that our articles will be read and admired by a broad audience? In this perspective essay, I advocate a theorizing approach and a writing strategy through classic examples of two legendary scholars.
Poetry in Biology: Enhancing Science Education with Creative Writing

Since College Biology is the gateway to further studies in life and health sciences, it is crucial for students to understand the disciplinary thinking, relationships among concepts, and specialized vocabulary in this foundational course. Students often find it difficult to sit through lengthy lectures and retain extensive and complex terminologies and concepts without any class engagement (Rissanen, ICAME Journal 42(1), 9–12, 2018). In this chapter, Biology and English faculty describe a collaborative approach that uses poetry and creative writing to foster student learning in Biology, which motivates students to approach the content material actively and guides them to develop deep reading and thinking habits that help them succeed in their course. The chapter also discusses examples, auxiliary strategies, and results of this approach.
Long-term follow-up and prognosis of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Objective To analyze treatment outcome and prognostic factors of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Methods The clinical data and outcome of 176 pediatric ALL patients were collected, the clinical characteristics, genetic features, therapeutic response, prognosis and prognostic factors were studied retrospectively. Univariate analysis and Log-rank test were used to analyze the prognostic factors. Results Among 176 patients, 143 cases got complete induction therapy, complete remission rate was 95.8%, and 5-year event free survival rate was 78.2%. Univariate analysis of prognostic factors: primary white blood cell (WBC) count ≥50×109/L, age of onset ≥10-year old, T-ALL, had adverse reaction of prednisone, bone marrow in M2/3 stage after 15 days of induction, minimal residual disease (MRD) ≥10-3 after 33 days of treatment, MRD≥10-4 after 3 months of treatment, BCR/ABL gene positive and high-risk grade were related factors of poor prognosis. Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that T-ALL, bone marrow examination after 15 days of induction, MRD after 3 months of treatment, the risk grade were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions Children with ALL, especially non-high-risk patients, could obtain high CR rate and long-term survival by chemotherapy. T-ALL, bone marrow examintion after 15 days of induction for bone, 3 months MRD, and risk grade were independent prognostic factors. Key words: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Children; Prognostic factors
Interaction of auditory and pain pathways: Effects of stimulus intensity, hearing loss and opioid signaling

Abstract Moderate intensity sounds can reduce pain sensitivity (i.e., audio-analgesia) whereas intense sounds can induce aural pain, evidence of multisensory interaction between auditory and pain pathways. To explore auditory-pain pathway interactions, we used the tail-flick (TF) test to assess thermal tail-pain sensitivity by measuring the latency of a rat to remove its tail from 52 °C water. In Experiment 1, TF latencies were measured in ambient noise and broadband noise (BBN) presented from 80 to 120 dB SPL. TF latencies gradually increased from ambient to 90 dB SPL (audio-analgesia), but then declined. At 120 dB, TF latencies were significantly shorter than normal, evidence for audio-hyperalgesia near the aural threshold for pain. In Experiment II, the opioid pain pathway was modified by treating rats with a high dose of fentanyl known to induce post-treatment hyperalgesia. TF latencies in ambient noise were normal 10-days post-fentanyl. However, TF latencies became shorter than normal from 90 to 110 dB indicating that fentanyl pre-treatment had converted audio-analgesia to audio-hyperalgesia. In Experiment III, we tested the hypothesis that hearing loss could alter pain sensitivity by unilaterally exposing rats to an intense noise that induced a significant hearing loss. TF latencies in ambient noise gradually declined from 1- to 4-weeks post-exposure indicating that noise-induced hearing loss had increased pain sensitivity. Our results suggest that auditory and pain pathways interact in ways that depend on intensity, hearing loss and opioid pain signaling, results potentially relevant to pain hyperacusis.
Intranasal ketamine for acute pain management in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Study objective To assess the efficacy and safety of intranasal analgesic-dose ketamine as compared to intranasal fentanyl for pediatric acute pain. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases for randomized controlled trials from inception to December 2019. We conducted meta-analysis with random-effects models to evaluate pain reduction, rescue analgesia, adverse events and sedation between intranasal ketamine and intranasal fentanyl. Random-effects models were used to estimate weighted mean differences (WMD) and pooled relative risks (RR). Results A total of 546 studies were screened and 4 trials were included. In the meta-analysis of 4 studies including 276 patients, ketamine had similar reductions in pain scores from baseline to all post-intervention times (10 to 15 min: WMD -1.42, 95% CI -9.95 to 7.10; 30 min: WMD 0.40, 95% CI -6.29 to 7.10; 60 min: WMD -0.64, 95% CI -6.76 to 5.47). Ketamine was associated with similar rates of rescue analgesia (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.25). Ketamine had a higher risk of non-serious adverse events (RR 2.00, 95% CI 1.43 to 2.79), and no patients receiving ketamine had a serious adverse event. There was one serious adverse event (hypotension) with fentanyl that self-resolved. No patients receiving either IN fentanyl or ketamine had significant sedation. Conclusion Intranasal analgesic-dose ketamine may be considered as an alternative to opioids for acute pain management in children. Its accepted use will depend on the tolerability of non-serious adverse events and the desire to avoid opioids.
Current methods of electroporation for efficient vaccination uptake

With the resurgence of illnesses, such as measles, it is of utmost importance that a high percentage of the local and global population be vaccinated. Diseases, such as measles, HepB, Hib, and othe...
Endoscopic Surgical Resection of the Retropulsed S1 Vertebral Endplate in L5-S1 Spondylolisthesis: Case Series.

Background A severe grade I and grade II spondylolisthesis at L5-S1 creates an anatomic distortion that can compress the traversing S1 nerve with a retropulsed S1 vertebral body endplate and (sometimes) herniated disc. Objectives To evaluate the feasibility for awake, endoscopic treatment of symptomatic radiculopathy secondary to the deformity that results from the retropulsed superior endplate of S1 in grade I/II L5-S1 spondylolisthesis in patients with and without previous fusion surgery. Study design Retrospective chart review. Setting This study took place in a single-center, academic hospital. Methods In 325 patients over 4 years there were 19 patients (8 with previous L5-S1 fusions and 11 without) treated with transforaminal endoscopic spine surgery for decompression of the neural foramen at L5-S1 in the setting of spondylolisthesis (at least 5 mm) and a retropulsed superior vertebral endplate of S1. Results The average preoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS) back and leg scores were 6.1 and 6.7, and the average preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score was 50.4. The average 1-year VAS back and leg scores were 2.2 and 2.2, and the average 1-year postoperative ODI score was 20.5. There was no statistically significant difference between the fusion and nonfusion groups. Patients treated were patients who presented with an S1 or L5 and S1 radiculopathy as their primary complaint and a L5-S1 spondylolisthesis of 5 mm or greater. Patients treated had no instability on flexion-extension x-rays. Eleven patients had not had fusions at L5-S1, and 8 patients had previous fusions at L5-S1 but still had a spondylolisthesis of at least 5 mm. The average slip for nonfusion patients was 8.4 mm, and the average slip for fusion patients was 8.8 mm. At 1-year follow-up the improvement in VAS back scores was 44% in the nonfusion group and 49% in the fusion group, and the improvement in VAS leg scores was 84% in the nonfusion group and 58% in the fusion group. At 1-year follow-up the improvement in ODI scores was 63% in the nonfusion group and 54% in the fusion group. Limitations Retrospective case series. Conclusions Awake, endoscopic surgery for the treatment of radiculopathy in the setting of a grade I/II L5-S1 spondylolisthesis is a viable minimally invasive treatment option for patients with radiculopathy in the setting of a stable L5-S1 spondylolisthesis with foraminal narrowing caused by a retropulsed superior endplate of the S1 vertebral body.
Pharmacological Prevention of Noise-induced Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.

Objective This study aims to explore and determine the effectiveness of current pharmacologic agents for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) via a systematic review. Databases reviewed The PubMed, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception through February 6, 2020. Methods Full-text, English-language articles detailing prospective randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials with pharmacological interventions administered to prevent NIHL were included in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The detailed search terms are included in the Appendix, http://links.lww.com/MAO/B67. Results Eleven articles were included in this review with 701 patients receiving a pharmacologic prevention for various noise exposures. Various regimens included administration of alpha-lipoic acid, ambient oxygen, beta-carotene, carbogen, ebselen, Mg-aspartate, N-acetylcysteine, and vitamins C, E, and B12. A number of studies demonstrated statistically significant amelioration of NIHL with pharmacologic intervention. Two studies demonstrated significantly better hearing outcomes for pharmacological prophylaxis with carbogen or ebselen as compared with placebo for the 4 kHz frequency, where the noise-notch is most likely to be encountered. Given the considerable heterogeneity in agents and methodologies, however, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis. Conclusions While several heterogenous articles demonstrated promising results for Mg-aspartate, carbogen, vitamin B12, and alpha-lipoic acid, the clinical significance of these pharmaceuticals remains unclear. Initial data from this study alongside future clinical trials might potentially contribute to the generation of clinical practice guidelines to prevent NIHL. Level of evidence 2.
A scalable computational approach to assessing response to name in toddlers with autism

Background This study is part of a larger research program focused on developing objective, scalable tools for digital behavioral phenotyping. We evaluated whether a digital app delivered on a smartphone or tablet using computer vision analysis (CVA) can elicit and accurately measure one of the most common early autism symptoms, namely failure to respond to a name call. Methods During a pediatric primary care well-child visit, 910 toddlers, 17-37 months old, were administered an app on an iPhone or iPad consisting of brief movies during which the child's name was called three times by an examiner standing behind them. Thirty-seven toddlers were subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Name calls and children's behavior were recorded by the camera embedded in the device, and children's head turns were coded by both CVA and a human. Results CVA coding of response to name was found to be comparable to human coding. Based on CVA, children with ASD responded to their name significantly less frequently than children without ASD. CVA also revealed that children with ASD who did orient to their name exhibited a longer latency before turning their head. Combining information about both the frequency and the delay in response to name improved the ability to distinguish toddlers with and without ASD. Conclusions A digital app delivered on an iPhone or iPad in real-world settings using computer vision analysis to quantify behavior can reliably detect a key early autism symptom-failure to respond to name. Moreover, the higher resolution offered by CVA identified a delay in head turn in toddlers with ASD who did respond to their name. Digital phenotyping is a promising methodology for early assessment of ASD symptoms.
Different sensitivity of action potential generation to the rate of depolarization in vagal afferent A-fiber versus C-fiber neurons

This study demonstrates that the action potential discharge in vagal afferent A-fiber neurons is about 20 times more sensitive to the rate of membrane depolarization compared to C-fiber neurons. Th...
Effects of High-Sucrose and High-Saturated Fat Diets on Learning Abilities in Old Sprague-Dawley Rats

With an increase in longevity, many studies have explored the influences of different lifestyle factors on successful aging. This study hypothesizes that older rats fed with a nutritionally balanced standard diet would perform better on learning tasks than rats fed with either a high-sucrose or a high-saturated fat. It also hypothesizes that older rats fed with a high-sucrose diet would perform better than those fed with a high-saturated fat. The learning abilities of the 15-month-old rats (N = 36) were assessed by conducting forward and reverse learning tasks using a T-maze apparatus. The results showed that rats on a nutritionally balanced diet performed significantly better on both learning tasks than those on either the high-sucrose or the high-saturated fat (p’s .05). This finding suggests that, at an older age, both high-sucrose and high-saturated fat diets have a similarly detrimental influence on cognitive health.
Male Scarcity is Associated with Higher Prevalence of Premature Gestation and Low Birth Weight Births Across the United States

Objectives Modern adverse birth outcomes may partially result from mechanisms evolved to evaluate environmental conditions and regulate maternal investment trade-offs. Male scarcity in a population is associated with a cluster of characteristics related to higher mating effort and lower paternal investment. We predicted that modern populations with male scarcity would have shorter gestational times and lower birth weights on average. Methods We compared US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention county-aggregated year 2000 birth records with US Decennial Census data. We combined these data in a path model with the degree of male scarcity and known socio-economic predictors of birth outcomes as exogenous predictors of prematurity and low birth weight, with single mother households as a proportion of families with children as a mediator (N = 450). Results Male scarcity was directly associated with higher rates of low birth weight. Male scarcity made significant indirect predictions of rates of prematurity and low birth weight, as mediated by the proportion of families headed by single mothers. Aggregate socio-economic status also indirectly predicted birth outcomes, as mediated by the proportion of families headed by single mothers, whereas the proportion African American retained both direct and indirect predictions of adverse birth outcomes. Conclusions Male scarcity influences life history tradeoffs, with consequences for important social and public health issues such as adverse birth outcomes. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:225–227, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluating bias during pac-learning

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews a technique for detecting incorrect bias with arbitrary reliability. When a system is confronted with a new concept learning problem, it is probably not the case that it will be able to select the correct bias before it begins its learning task. It is true that the learner may be able to use knowledge it has to induce an appropriate bias in a few cases. Thus, it might be necessary to utilize an algorithm that makes strong performance guarantees when its bias is correct. Testing of whether the algorithm performs as promised forms the basis for concluding that the bias is bad. Any reasonable pac-learning algorithm can be converted into an algorithm that either returns an accurate concept or reports a bad bias such that its output can be regarded to be 1–δ reliable, whether or not its bias is correct. The Valiant framework derives its power and ability to provide strong performance guarantees from the assumption that the target concept is a member of the given concept class. When the assumption is true, the guarantees on accuracy, reliability, and computational complexity hold; however, when the bias can be incorrect, the model alone makes no guarantees on performance.
POMELo: A PML Online Editor

This paper introduces POMELo, a simple, web-based PML (Proof Markup Language) editor. The objective of POMELo is to allow users to create, edit, validate and export provenance information in the form of PML documents. This application was developed with provenance novices in mind, making it usable in various settings, from educational to scientific. Since this is a web-based application, users do not need to install or run any software aside from a normal web browser, which simplifies its adoption and makes it more attractive for inexperienced users.
Second-price Auctions with Power-Related Distributions

We analyze a class of parametric second-price auction models where asymmetry is modeled by allowing bidders to take different numbers of draws from the same distribution. We compute the closed-form distribution of price and construct likelihood and method-of-moments estimators to recover the underlying value distribution from observed prices. We derive a Herfindahl-like formula that predicts merger effects and find that merger effects depend on the shares of the merging bidders, the variance, and the "shape" of the distribution. We generalize the model by allowing bidders to mix over power-related distributions. The dominant strategy equilibrium implies that an auction among bidders who mix over distributions can be expressed as a mixture of auctions. This implies that an auction among bidders with potentially correlated values can be expressed as a mixture over independent power-related auctions.
A contribution to the surface circulation over South America

Two sets of January and July maps of surface resultant wind and divergence with a two degree square spatial resolution are presented for Northern South America and the adjacent sea reas. One set (b) is based on long-term ship observations and is limited to the ocean; the second map set (a) based on an alternative data source includes the land areas.
How Radio Sources Stay Young

In studying the dynamical evolution of radio galaxies, I find that the dynamical ages of the sources are older than the ages inferred from spectral breaks, typically by a factor ~ 10. This suggests to me that the spectral ages are misleading.
The Price of Bouncing Back : One-Year Mortality and Payments for Acute Stroke Patients with 30-Day Bounce-Backs

OBJECTIVES: To examine 1-year mortality and healthcare payments of stroke patients experiencing zero, one and two or more bounce-backs within 30 days of discharge. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of administrative data. SETTING: Four hundred twenty-two hospitals in the southern and eastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Eleven thousand seven hundred twenty-nine Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older surviving at least 30 days with acute ischemic stroke in 2000. MEASUREMENTS: One-year mortality and predicted total healthcare payments were calculated using log-normal parametric survival analysis and quantile regression, respectively. Models included sociodemographics, prior medical history, stroke severity, length of stay, and discharge site. RESULTS: Crude survival at 1 year for the zero, one and two or more bounce-back groups was 83%, 67%, and 55%, respectively. The one bounce-back group had 49% shorter (time ratio (TR)=0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.46\u20130.56) and the two or more bounce-backs group had 68% shorter (TR=0.32, 95% CI=0.27\u20130.38) adjusted 1-year survival time than the zero bounce-back group. For high- and low-cost patients, adjusted predicted payments were greater with each additional bounce-back experienced. CONCLUSION: Acute stroke patients experiencing bounce-backs within 30 days have strikingly poorer survival and higher healthcare payments over the subsequent year than their counterparts with no bounce-backs. Bounce-backs may serve as a simple predictor for identifying stroke patients at extremely high risk for poor outcomes.
MRF labeling with a graph-shifts algorithm

We present an adaptation of the recently proposed graph-shifts algorithm for labeling MRF problems from low-level vision. Graph-shifts is an energy minimization algorithm that does labeling by dynamically manipulating, or shifting, the parent-child relationships in a hierarchical decomposition of the image. Graph-shifts was originally proposed for labeling using relatively small label sets (e.g., 9) for problems in high-level vision. In the low-level vision problems we consider, there are much larger label sets (e.g., 256). However, the original graph-shifts algorithm does not scale well with the number of labels; for example, the memory requirement is quadratic in the number of labels. We propose four improvements to the graph-shifts representation and algorithm that make it suitable for doing labeling on these large label sets. We implement and test the algorithm on two low-level vision problems: image restoration and stereo. Our results demonstrate the potential for such a hierarchical energy minimization algorithm on low-level vision problems with large label sets.
Correlation of thickness measurements obtained from cross-sectioning and from X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Lead finish processes such as hot solder coat and solder plating differ in the deposit thickness distribution across the lead because of the surface thermodynamics of the system. Thickness measurements using the current methods of XRF (X-ray fluorescence) and cross-sectioning were evaluated. Results show that the thickness measurements using XRF correlate well with those obtained using cross-sectioning. However, cross-sectioning is more effective in solder dipped parts because of the nonuniform thickness distribution on the lead where the corner coverage is thinner than that at the center of the lead. XRF measurement of parts processed in solder coat can be influenced by obtaining measurements at the areas of the lead where the deposit is minimum and maximum. >
Decline in muscle strength and running endurance in klotho deficient C57BL/6 mice.

Alpha klotho (known as klotho) is a multifunctional protein that may be linked to age-associated decline in tissue homeostasis. The original klotho hypomorphic (klothohm) mouse, produced on a mixed C57BL/6 and C3H background, is short lived and exhibits extensive aging-like deterioration of several body systems. Differently, klothohm mice on a pure C57BL/6 background do not appear sickly nor die young, which has permitted us to gain insight into the effect of klotho deficiency in adult life. First, analyzing klotho transcript levels in the kidney, the main site of klotho production, we demonstrated a 71-fold decline in klothohm females compared to wildtype females versus only a 4-fold decline in mutant males. We then examined the effect of klotho deficiency on muscle-related attributes in adult mice, focusing on 7–11 month old females. Body weight and forelimb grip strength were significantly reduced in klothohm mice compared to wildtype and klotho overexpressing mice. The female mice were also subjected to voluntary wheel running for a period of 6 days. Running endurance was markedly reduced in klothohm mice, which exhibited a sporadic running pattern that may be characteristic of repeated bouts of exhaustions. When actually running, klothohm females ran at the same speed as wildtype and klotho overexpressing mice, but spent about 65 % less time running compared to the other two groups. Our novel results suggest an important link between klotho deficiency and muscle performance. This study provides a foundation for further research on klotho involvement as a potential inhibitor of age-associated muscle deterioration.
A quest for better contraception: The Ford foundation's contribution to reproductive science and contraceptive development 1959–1983

Abstract This review describes the Ford Foundation's program of support of research and training in reproductive science and contraceptive development from 1959 through 1983. An appraisal of some of the merits and limitations of that program and of its impact on the field is also presented.
Electrolytic valving isolation of cell co-culture microenvironment with controlled cell pairing ratios

Cancer–stromal interaction is a critical process in tumorigenesis. Conventional dish-based co-culture assays simply mix two cell types in the same dish; thus, they are deficient in controlling cell locations and precisely tracking single cell behavior from heterogeneous cell populations. Microfluidic technology can provide a good spatial–temporal control of microenvironments, but the control has been typically realized by using external pumps, making long-term cultures cumbersome and bulky. In this work, we have presented a cell–cell interaction microfluidic platform that can accurately control the co-culture microenvironment by using a novel electrolytic cell isolation scheme without using any valves or pneumatic pumps. The proposed microfluidic platform can also precisely control the number of interacting cells and pairing ratios to emulate cancer niches. More than 80% of the chambers captured the desired number of cells. The duration of cell isolation can be adjusted by electrolytic bubble generation and removal. We have verified that the electrolytic process has a negligible effect on cell viability and proliferation in our platform. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first attempt to incorporate electrolytic bubble generation as a cell isolation method in microfluidics. For proof of feasibility, we have performed cell–cell interaction assays between prostate cancer (PC3) cells and myoblast (C2C12) cells. The preliminary results demonstrated the potential of using electrolysis for micro-environmental control during cell culture. Also, the ratio controlled cell–cell interaction assays were successfully performed which showed that the cell pairing ratios of PC3 to C2C12 affected the proliferation rate of myoblast cells due to increased secretion of growth factors from prostate cancer cells.
Increased Knowledge in Geometry and Instructional Practice.

This study examined the effects on instruction of an intervention program designed to enhance teachers' knowledge of geometry and their knowledge of research on student cognition in geometry. Forty-nine middle-grade (4-8) teachers participated in a 4-week program consisting of a content course in geometry and a research seminar on van Hiele theory. The pretest and posttest results showed significant gains in content knowledge and in van Hiele level. The analysis of a lesson-plan task revealed a significant shift in goals and expectations to the next higher van Hiele level. Follow-up observations of 8 teachers found marked changes in what was taught, how it was taught, and the characteristics teachers displayed. Teachers attributed these changes to increased geometrical content knowledge and research-based knowledge of student cognition.
Prevention of nosocomial aspergillosis

Unfiltered outside air averages 1-15 pathogenic Aspergillus sp. colony forming units (cfu) m-3 although short-term fluctuations are substantial. Seasonal variation reflects increased spore prevalence during periods of greater availability of non-viable matter. In hospital, airborne spores reflect incomplete filtration, infiltration of outside air and shedding of adherent spores from introduced objects. In highly protected hospital areas supplied with air filtered at high efficiency, where aspergillus cfus may be as low as 0.01 cfu m-3, infiltration and shedding contribute a high fraction of ambient spores. Nosocomial aspergillosis occurs in linear proportion to the mean ambient hospital airborne spore content. An analysis presuming a steady-state dynamic equilibrium is imperfect because repeated sampling produces occasional high counts which violate a Poisson distribution. 'Mini-bursts' arise from disturbance of settled spores in dust, shedding spores from clothes or other subtle sources. These sources are best mitigated by increasing the air change rate. It is most important to protect bone marrow transplant patients, leukaemia and lymphoma patients undergoing intensive, potentially curative therapy. The optimal protective environments include high filtration efficiency, point-of-use filters, protection against infiltration and filter bypass, elimination of in-hospital sources, and high air change rates.
Shell Eggs as A Vehicle for Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Abstract Consumption of the omega-3 fatty acids indigenous to fish has been associated with decreased heart disease risk and improved neural tissue development in preterm infants. To increase the availability of these fatty acids, laying hen diets may be manipulated to increase yolk omega-3 fatty acid levels to levels similar to those found in lean fish. The current study investigated the usefulness of these enriched shell eggs for mediating health affects associated with omega-3 fatty acid consumption. Healthy male and female subjects (n=32) were assigned randomly to consume self-selected diets restricted in omega-3 fatty acids plus either regular (C) or n-3 enriched shell eggs (4/week), the latter from hens fed flaxseed (F, high in linolenic acid) or menhaden oil (M, high in docosahexaenoic acid). Subjects consumed all types for 6 weeks with a 4 week washout period between each for a total of 3 test periods. Plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were determined enzymatically. Platelet aggregation was studied using collagen stimulated platelet-rich plasma preparations in 7 subjects per treatment. Percentage change for the above parameters was determined from Week 0 to Week 6 for each subject per period. Dietary intake was monitored using 3-day food records (2/period) by the Nutrient Data System (University of Minnesota, 1994). Data were analyzed by analysis of variance using the general linear model procedure of SAS (SAS Institute, 1992). Nutrients did not vary between dietary treatment or test periods. Week 0 plasma TC and TG levels were not influenced by dietary treatment indicating no carryover between periods. Egg consumption resulted in no significant changes in TC. Subjects consuming M eggs exhibited 10% and 25% reductions in TG during periods 1 and 2, respectively, however this effect was significant (P
Analysis of Upper Bound Power Output for a Wrist-Worn Rotational Energy Harvester from Real-World Measured Inputs

Energy harvesting from human motion addresses the growing need for battery-free health and wellness sensors in wearable applications. The major obstacles to harvesting energy in such applications are low and random frequencies due to the nature of human motion. This paper presents a generalized rotational harvester model in 3 dimensions to determine the upper bound of power output from real world measured data. Simulation results indicate much space for improvement on power generation comparing to existing devices. We have developed a rotational energy harvester for human motion that attempts to close the gap between theoretical possibility and demonstrated devices. Like previous work, it makes use of magnetically plucked piezoelectric beams. However, it more fully utilizes the space available and has many degrees of freedom available for optimization. Finally we present a prototype harvester based on the coupled harvester model with preliminary experimental validation.
Human aspects of interactive multimedia communication

Abstract The aim of the VISION project was to determine the value added to an office system by incorporating audio and video. The performance, feelings and perceptions of work groups were measured while they carried out cooperative tasks in a controlled environment using an experimental video communication system. The results showed no significant differences in the quality of the output, or the time taken to complete the tasks, under three conditions: data sharing; data sharing plus audio; data sharing plus audio and video. The results suggest that high bandwidth communication is particularly effective for social, informal communication. Finally, some of the implications and issues for HCI community are discussed.
Subclassification of atypical cells of undetermined significance in direct smears of fine-needle aspirations of the thyroid: distinct patterns and associated risk of malignancy.

BACKGROUND: Atypical cells of undetermined significance (AUS) in thyroid fine-needle aspirates (FNAs) may have poor interobserver agreement. Some authors have suggested that “atrophic” microfollicles should be diagnosed as benign. This laboratory sought to determine whether criteria for this diagnosis could be improved by subcategorizing cases into specific patterns, including the atrophic pattern, and determining their risk of malignancy. METHODS: A series of 7089 FNAs were reviewed and correlated with subsequent resection specimens. Cases of AUS were reviewed and subclassified. RESULTS: Cases could be subcategorized into the following categories: 1) atypical, papillary carcinoma cannot be ruled out, 2) atypical, Hurthle cell neoplasm can not be ruled out, 3) cellular atrophic pattern, 4) scant atrophic pattern, and 5) cytologic atypia alone. Cytologic atypia alone (50%) and both atrophic patterns (21% and 34%) had a significant risk of malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of AUS cases in thyroid FNA can be subcategorized into 5 different patterns, all with associated significant risk of malignancy. “Atrophic” microfollicles are a significant risk factor for malignancy and should not be diagnosed as benign on the basis of lack of cytologic atypia. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Legitimating the legitimate: A grounded theory study of legitimacy work among Ethics and Compliance Officers

Abstract Organizations have responded to ethical scandals in part by creating the Ethics and Compliance Officer (ECO) role to help insure employee ethical and legal behavior. Because ECO work is so fundamental to behavioral ethics in organizations and we know very little about it, we conducted a grounded theory study to learn more. We learned that, although most ECOs were hired to help their organizations respond to external legitimacy challenges, ECOs face major legitimacy challenges inside their organizations. Facilitating conditions may reduce these challenges and help ECOs reach internal legitimacy. But, we also found that ECOs engage in what we term legitimacy work that relies on a number of tactics to help them gain legitimacy in the eyes of their constituents. We tie our findings to the broader legitimacy literature and draw implications for the behavioral ethics literature.
EFFECT OF OXIDATION‐REDUCTION POTENTIAL ON THE OUTGROWTH AND CHEMICAL INHIBITION OF Clostridium botulinum 10755A SPORES

The influence of oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) on the outgrowth, toxin production, and chemical inhibition of C. botulinum(10755A) was investigated. Strict anaerobic procedures and prereduced media were utilized in all growth experiments. No difference in growth or toxin formation in Trypticase Soy Broth (TSB) at an Eh7 of -60 mv or in TSB at an Eh7 of -145 mv was observed. However, growth and toxin production were delayed and/or decreased in the higher Eh medium as compared to the lower Eh medium by the addition of sodium chloride (5.0% and 6.0%), hydrogen ion concentration (pH 5.2 and 5.3), and sucrose (30%) to TSB.