cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Updates in Staging and Management

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Outcomes are generally favorable, but a subset of cSCC is biologically distinct and requires a different approach because of its higher risk of local recurrence, metastasis, and death. This article focuses on the recent literature regarding identification of this high-risk subset, efforts to validate and improve the prognostic ability of staging systems, and updates in management.
Semistructured Motivational Interviews of Patients and Caregivers to Improve CPAP Adherence: A Qualitative Analysis.

Study Objectives:The aim of this qualitative analysis was to identify obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients' preferences, partner experiences, barriers and facilitators to positive airway pressure...
The Logic of Terrorism

terms-the parameters b and c-rather than expressing them in numerical values in order to illustrate the underlying logic and structure of seemingly unrelated problems.125 In addition, another advantage of expressing these values as abstract parameters is flexibility and generality. In other words, our abstract model permits us to derive results for any value that these parameters might actually take.1 Since this is a game-theoretic or interactive model, the payoffs depend on the strategies simultaneously chosen by the players at the start. The game and the payoff-structure of the terrorism game can be expressed in "extended form" (see Figure la below) as follows: them."); see also AXELROD, EVOLUTION, supra note 51, at 73-87 (a similar "live and let live" dynamic or cooperative equilibrium between British and German forces occurred during the first world war). 124. THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS, supra note 1. 125. For simplicity, we also assume that the payoffs of each player are equal; that is, we assume that the value of the parameters b and c are fixed. 126. MCELREATH & BOYD, supra note 94, at 6. Fall 2012 17 17 : Logic of Terrorism Published by Digital Commons @ Barry Law, 2012
Why Ockham’s Razor should be preferred to the Laser

Ockham’s Razor advises us to not multiply entities (or kinds of entities) without necessity. Recently, Jonathan Schaffer and Karen Bennett have argued that we ought to replace Ockham’s Razor with the Laser, the principle that only advises us to not multiply fundamental entities (or kinds of fundamental entities) without necessity. In this paper, I argue that Ockham’s Razor is preferable to the Laser. I begin by contending that the arguments offered for the Laser by Schaffer and Bennett are unpersuasive. Then I offer two cases of theory assessment that I believe the Razor handles better than the Laser. Finally, I argue that accepting the Laser gives rise to a difficult explanatory challenge: It is difficult to explain why fundamental entities and non-fundamental entities ought to be treated differently in ontological parsimony assessments. A recurring secondary theme of the paper is that the most tempting ways of responding to my arguments frequently result in the Laser losing much of its significance for debates about ontology. Thus, not only is it difficult to defend a preference for the Laser over the Razor, but it is especially difficult to do so while maintaining the Laser’s dialectical significance.
Minimizing Impurity Partition Under Constraints.

Set partitioning is a key component of many algorithms in machine learning, signal processing, and communications. In general, the problem of finding a partition that minimizes a given impurity (loss function) is NP-hard. As such, there exists a wealth of literature on approximate algorithms and theoretical analyses of the partitioning problem under different settings. In this paper, we formulate and solve a variant of the partition problem called the minimum impurity partition under constraint (MIPUC). MIPUC finds an optimal partition that minimizes a given loss function under a given concave constraint. MIPUC generalizes the recently proposed deterministic information bottleneck problem which finds an optimal partition that maximizes the mutual information between the input and partition output while minimizing the partition output entropy. Our proposed algorithm is developed based on a novel optimality condition, which allows us to find a locally optimal solution efficiently. Moreover, we show that the optimal partition produces a hard partition that is equivalent to the cuts by hyperplanes in the probability space of the posterior probability that finally yields a polynomial time complexity algorithm to find the globally optimal partition. Both theoretical and numerical results are provided to validate the proposed algorithm.
PASSENGER OBESITY AND REGIONAL AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE FOR THE MOST CORPULENT STATES IN THE USA

Obesity affects over 25% of Americans; however, prescribed FAA standard passenger weights for US airlines are based on data compiled 15 years ago. Since increased passenger weight degrades aircraft performance and may lead to a loss of control, the hypothesis herein is that passenger weight under-estimation for states with high obesity rates could potentially lead to a runway overrun or the inability to out climb rising terrain. In terms of the employed methodology, current person weights for the ten most obese states were determined using nationwide data adjusted for state ethnicity. Performance degradation for regional aircraft was assessed by accelerate-stop distance for a rejected take-off and climb gradient. Statistical analyses employed Poisson distributions. The results reveal that obesity rates across all ten states increased (p<0.001) between 2000, the year for which data were captured for standard passenger weights, and 2013. Moreover a 5.4 kilogram gain over the standard weight in current usage was evident. Modelling transport-category aircraft performance demonstrated that under-estimating passenger weights could degrade climb performance potentially leading to a collision with rising terrain and/or a runway excursion in the event of a rejected take-off. In conclusion, caution should be exercised in using standard passenger weights for states prone to obesity.
Ecotoxicological response of Scenedesmus obliquus to pure energetic compounds and metal ions found in wastewater streams from munitions manufacturing

Abstract The energetic compounds 1-methoxy-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNAN), nitroguanidine (NQ), 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (NTO) and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (Research Department Explosive, RDX) are widely used for explosive formulations production. Wastewater streams from industrial munition facilities are rich in nitrogen and contain considerable amounts of residual energetic compounds and metals such as zinc, nickel and copper. As such, these wastewater streams require physicochemical and/or biological treatment to meet regulatory discharge limits. The high nitrogen content of these streams makes them an attractive nutrient source for growing biomass such as microalgae. In previous studies we have identified some wastewater streams suitable for microalgal growth with minimal or no prior treatment, while others have shown moderate to high growth inhibition. The current study aims to elucidate the toxicity response of microalgae by performing growth-inhibition assays using solutions of single compounds and mixtures of energetic compounds and heavy metals. Using the freshwater green microalga Scenedesmus obliquus (S. obliquus) (ATCC® 11477) as a model organism, a microwell-plate growth-inhibition test procedure was performed to assess potential growth inhibition effects by DNAN, NQ, NTO, RDX, Zn, Ni and Cu. For the three metals tested, the order of growth rate inhibition effect on S. obliquus was Ni > Cu > Zn. The EC50s of Ni, Cu and Zn for S. obliquus were 0.08 mg/L, 0.26 mg/L and 10.13 mg/L, respectively. The effective concentrations for 50% growth inhibition (EC50) were 4.86 mg/L for DNAN and 8,700 mg/L for NTO. Conversely, RDX exhibited no toxicity below its solubility limit, and NQ had a mild toxic effect on S. obliquus with an EC20 of 303.3 mg/L.
Treatment-related adverse events of combination immune checkpoint inhibitors: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

e15060Background: Despite increasing clinical experience with immune checkpoint inhibitors and the recent publication of clinical practice guidelines for managing treatment-related adverse events, ...
Race- and Gender-Based Differences in Descriptions of Applicants in the Letters of Recommendation for Orthopaedic Surgery Residency.

Background Letters of recommendation (LOR) are an important component of trainee advancement and assessment. Examination of word use in LOR has demonstrated significant differences in how letter writers describe female and male applicants. Given the emphasis on increasing both gender and racial diversity among orthopaedic surgeons, we aimed to study gender and racial differences in LOR for applicants to orthopaedic surgery residencies. Methods All applications submitted to a single, academic orthopaedic residency program in 2018 were included. Self-identified gender and race were recorded. The LOR were analyzed via a text analysis software program using previously described categories of communal, agentic, grindstone, ability, and standout words. We examined the relative frequency of word use in letters for (1) male and female applicants and (2) white and underrepresented in orthopaedics (UiO) applicants, with the subgroup analysis based on whether standardized (using the American Orthopaedic Association template) or traditional (narrative) LOR were used. Results Two thousand six hundred twenty-five LOR were submitted for 730 applicants (79% men). Fifty-nine percent of applicants were self-identified as white, and 34% were self-identified as UiO. In traditional LOR, standout words (odds ratio [OR] 1.07; p = 0.01) were more likely to be used in letters for women compared with men, with no difference in any other word-use category. In standardized LOR, there were no gender-based differences in any word category. In traditional LOR, grindstone words (OR = 0.96; p = 0.02) were more likely to be used in letters for UiO than white applicants, whereas standout words (OR = 1.05; p = 0.04) were more likely to be used in letters for white candidates. In standardized LOR, there were no race-based differences in any word category use. Conclusions Small differences were found in the categories of words used to describe male and female candidates and white and UiO candidates. These differences were not present in the standardized LOR compared with traditional LOR. It is possible that the use of standardized LOR may reduce gender- and race-based bias in the narrative assessment of applicants.
Bempedoic Acid: A New Tool in the Battle Against Hyperlipidemia

Abstract Purpose This article discusses the pharmacology of bempedoic acid, the trials that led to United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its use, and the overall safety and efficacy of this therapy in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and hyperlipidemia. Methods A database search of PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov was conducted for articles published between January 2012 to September 2020 and containing the key words bempedoic acid, ezetimibe, Nexletol and Nexlizet. Trials from the CLEAR series were selected, as they played a pivotal role in the establishment of FDA approval, along with additional trials published after FDA approval, which provided novel evidence on the use of bempedoic acid in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Publications that were not randomized, controlled trials were not included in this review. Only randomized controlled trials in which ezetimibe was used in conjunction with bempedoic acid were included in this review as they were relevant to the new FDA approval of bempedoic acid. Findings The findings of the present review show that bempedoic acid is both an effective and well-tolerated option for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia when used without ezetimibe in addition to standard therapy. It also appears that the combination with ezetimibe increases the cholesterol-lowering effect more than either agent alone when added to standard therapy. Implications Hypercholesteremia continues to be a major contributing factor leading to ASCVD. Bempedoic acid is an additional treatment option, along with both statins and diet and exercise, for reducing cholesterol levels and ASCVD events. With the new FDA approval, bempedoic acid may offer an effective therapy for reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events due to established ASCVD or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.
A Safe Anti-A2 Titer for a Successful A2 Incompatible Kidney Transplantation: A Single-center Experience and Review of the Literature

Background Kidney allocation system allows blood type B candidates accept kidneys from A2/A2B donors. There is no mandate by UNOS on which the anti-A2 level is acceptable. We aimed to investigate the safety of kidney transplant in blood group B patients with anti-A2 titers ≤16. Methods We performed 41 A2-incompatible kidney transplants in blood group B recipients between May 2015 and September 2019. Clinical outcomes were compared with a control group of 75 blood group B recipients who received blood group compatible kidney transplantation at the same period. Results Of the 41 recipients, 85% were male, 48% African American, with a median age of 53 (20-73) y. Thirty-eight (93%) were deceased-donor and 3 (7%) were living-donor kidney transplant recipients. Pretransplant anti-A2 IgG titers were 2 in 16, 4 in 9, 8 in 6, and 16 in 5 and too weak to titer in 5 recipients. Eight patients had pretransplant donor-specific antibodies. During a median follow-up of 32.6 mo (6-57.3) patient and graft survival were 100% and 92% in the A2-incompatible kidney transplant group, and 91% and 92% in the blood group compatible group, respectively. Twelve A2-incompatible recipients underwent a 21 clinically indicated kidney biopsies at a median 28 d (6-390) after transplantation. None of the patients developed acute antibody-mediated rejection and 2 patients (5%) had acute T-cell-mediated rejection. Interestingly, peritubular capillary C4d positivity was seen in 7 biopsies which did not have any findings of acute rejection or microvascular inflammation but not in any of the rejection-free biopsies in the control group. C4d positivity was persistent in 5 of those patients who had follow-up biopsies. Conclusions A2-incompatible transplantation is safe in patients with anti-A2 titers ≤16 with excellent short-term kidney allograft outcomes. C4d positivity is frequent in allograft biopsies without acute rejection.
Real-time in situ process monitoring and characterization of GaN films grown on Si (100) by low-temperature hollow-cathode plasma-atomic layer deposition using trimethylgallium and N2/H2 plasma

In this work, we report on the in situ process monitoring and materials characterization of low-temperature self-limiting grown gallium nitride (GaN) thin films. GaN samples were synthesized on Si (100) substrates via remote hollow-cathode plasma-atomic layer deposition (HCP-ALD) using trimethylgallium and N2/H2 plasma as a metal precursor and a nitrogen coreactant, respectively. A multiwavelength in situ ellipsometer was employed to monitor the saturating surface reactions and determine the self-limiting growth conditions. The subangstrom thickness resolution of ellipsometry enabled the real-time observation of single chemical adsorption and plasma-induced ligand removal/exchange events. Taking advantage of this in situ capability, saturation experiments have been carried out within the 120–240 °C temperature range without interruption featuring 10-cycle subruns for each parameter change. Plasma power, plasma exposure duration, and plasma chemistry (gas composition) are the main process parameters that have been investigated. Ex situ optical, structural, and chemical characterization is carried out on 600-cycle HCP-ALD-grown GaN films as a function of substrate temperature. Hexagonal single-phase polycrystalline GaN films with (002) preferred orientation was obtained at substrate temperatures higher than 200 °C. The crystalline GaN films exhibited below-detection-limit carbon content and slightly gallium rich stoichiometry. Substrate temperature and plasma power played a critical role on GaN film properties with 200 °C and 150 W as threshold values for crystallization. Moreover, we observed that Ar-free N2/H2 plasma gas composition led to a slightly stronger (002) dominant crystal orientation.
In Support of Online Learning: A COVID-19 One Shot Case Study

This article presents a case study of a successful undergraduate information literacy one-shot instruction session conducted wholly online and synchronously through a web-conferencing platform built into the university’s learning management system. This modality was necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was agreed upon through discussion between the librarian and the instructors of record. The article provides a pedagogical framework grounded in constructivism and active learning for the approach to the information literacy session, including justifications for the deviation from the lesson plan as created when the class was taught face to face. It discusses best practices indicated by the experience, as well as limitations and changes the librarian would have made after a critical analysis of the session. Among the considerations discussed are issues of engagement, access, accessibility, and student support, and suggestions are made as to how academic libraries can learn from this experience to bring more information literacy instruction to online learners.
Employee Perceptions of E-Mail Monitoring from a Boundary Management Perspective

This research contributes to the growing body of literature exploring employee perceptions of workplace communication monitoring and surveillance by developing an explanatory model based on predictions derived from communication boundary management theory. Specifically, this study explores the perceptions of workplace e-mail monitoring from a cross-section of 155 workers. The data suggest that when employees feel that there is a large amount of e-mail monitoring and believe that the monitoring is inappropriate, they respond negatively to top management. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Does lumbar spine fusion predispose patients to future total hip replacement

OBJECTIVE Hip-spine syndrome has been well studied since it was first described by Offierski and MacNab in 1983. Today, strong evidence links symptoms of hip and spine pathology to postsurgical outcomes. Recent studies have reported increased rates of hip dislocation in patients previously treated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) who had undergone lumbar fusion procedures. However, the effect of this link on native hip-joint degeneration remains an area of ongoing research. The purpose of this study was to characterize the relationship between use of lumbar fusion procedures and acceleration of hip pathology by analyzing the rate of future THA in patients with preexisting hip osteoarthritis. METHODS This population-level, retrospective cohort study was conducted by using the PearlDiver research program. The initial patient cohort was defined by the presence of diagnosis codes for hip osteoarthritis. Patients were categorized according to use of lumbar fusion after diagnosis of hip pathology. Survival curves with respect to THA were generated by comparison of the no lumbar fusion cohort with the lumbar fusion cohort. To assess the impact of fusion construct length, the lumbar fusion cohort was then stratified according to the number of levels treated (1-2, 3-7, or ≥ 8 levels). Hazard ratios (HRs) were then calculated for the risk factors of number of levels treated, patient age, and sex. RESULTS A total of 2,275,683 patients matched the authors' inclusion criteria. Log-rank analysis showed no significant difference in the rates of THA over time between the no lumbar fusion cohort (2,239,946 patients) and lumbar fusion cohort (35,737 patients; p = 0.40). When patients were stratified according to number of levels treated, again no differences in the incidence rates of THA over the study period were determined (p = 0.30). Patients aged 70-74 years (HR 0.871, p < 0.001), 75-79 years (HR 0.733, p < 0.001), 80-84 years (HR 0.557, p < 0.001), and ≥ 85 years (HR = 0.275, p < 0.001) were less likely to undergo THA relative to the reference group (patients aged 65-69 years). CONCLUSIONS Although lumbar fusion was initially hypothesized to have a significant effect on rate of THA, lumbar fusion was not associated with increased need for future THA in patients with preexisting hip osteoarthritis. Additionally, there was no relationship between fusion construct length and rate of THA. Although lumbar fusion reportedly increases the risk of hip dislocation in patients with prior THA, these data suggest that lumbar fusion may not clinically accelerate native hip degeneration.
Microbiology and safety of table eggs.

Abstract: This chapter describes the microbiology of table eggs, effects of processing, regulatory influences, relative risk of egg-borne disease, and the role of retail and consumer practices in outbreaks. Effects of washing, refrigeration, and facility sanitation in US commercial facilities will be described and their contribution to shelf-life and food safety will be discussed. Current regulations, recent changes, and the influence of Safe and Quality Foods (SQF), a voluntary program required by some retailers, are described. A general discussion of table egg microbiology, pathogens, and emerging pathogens is followed by a description of sampling methods. Finally, the relative risk of egg-borne illness in the US and the contribution by retail and consumer practices will be discussed.
Las crónicas de viaje de Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera y el discurso cartográfico del porfiriato

Este articulo examina las cronicas de viaje de Manuel Gutierrez Najera publicadas entre 1880 y 1893 en el contexto de la reorganizacion fisica y discursiva del territorio nacional como parte de las aspiraciones de modernidad de la elite porfirista. En esta lectura, las cronicas de Najera recuperan su legitimidad como discursos sobre el espacio, perdida la raiz de la institucionalizacion de la geografia y por la masificacion de la practica del viaje, a partir de su confirmacion y refuerzo de la vision del espacio nacional promovido por las instituciones geograficas porfiristas que formulan la idea de un Mexico abierto, moderno e integrado a los centros de modernidad capitalista.
24 Interference of PNA binding to the non-template strand with transcription supports the general model for transcription blockage by R-loop formation

Transcription blockage can strongly affect various DNA and RNA transactions (reviewed in Hanawalt & Spivak, 2008; Belotserkovskii, Mirkin, & Hanawalt, 2013). Thus, it is of interest to study the various factors that can cause transcription blockage and to elucidate mechanisms of their action. Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs) are artificial DNA mimics with superior nucleic acid binding capabilities. The effect of PNA binding to the (GAA/CTT)n sequence within the transcribed DNA region upon T7 RNA polymerase transcription was studied in vitro. In the case of the PNA binding to the template strand, the blockage signals concentrated primarily in the narrow area close to the upstream flank of the PNA-bound sequence, consistent with the blockage being caused by RNA polymerase “bumping” into the PNA/DNA hybrid (Belotserkovskii, Liu, & Hanawalt, 2009). In contrast, for PNA binding to the non-template strand, a characteristic pattern of blockage signals was observed, extending downstream from the PNA binding site (Belotserkovskii and Hanawalt, 2014), similar to that produced by G-rich homopurine-homopyrimidine sequences (Belotserkovskii et al, 2010, 2013). This striking similarity between transcription blockage patterns caused by two seemingly unrelated factors suggests a common mechanism of blockage. This common mechanism likely involves R-loop formation, which is facilitated both by PNA binding to the non-template strand and by G-rich homopurine-homopyrimidine sequences, due to sequestration of the non-template strand or due to formation of an extra-stable RNA/DNA hybrid, respectively. We suggest that there is a general mechanism of transcription blockage by R-loop formation, which presumably involves destabilization of the transcription complex, making it more prone to spontaneous pausing or termination.
Amniotic fluid C-peptide as an index for intrauterine fetal growth

Abstract Amniotic fluid C-peptide (AFCP) was monitored as an indicator of the amount of insulin secreted by the fetus in utero. Levels of amniotic fluid and cord blood C-peptide, insulin, and glucose were measured in 103 nondiabetic infants at ≥36 weeks' gestation. Infants were grouped according to birth weight and gestational age at delivery, as follows: small for gestational age (SGA, ≤10%, n = 11), average for gestational age (AGA, 10% to 90%, n = 75), large for gestational age (LGA, >90%, n = 17). AFCP correlated best with infant weight-gestational age percentile classification: low AFCP in SGA infants and high AFCP in LGA infants. The data from this study suggest that a persistently low production of insulin by SGA fetuses and a high production of insulin by LGA fetuses may lead to the different intrauterine growth rates observed.
Amyloid burden is associated with self-reported sleep in nondemented late middle-aged adults

Midlife may be an ideal window for intervention in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To determine whether sleep is associated with early signs of AD neuropathology (amyloid deposition) in late midlife, we imaged brain amyloid deposits using positron emission tomography with [C-11]Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB), and assessed sleep with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale in 98 cognitively healthy adults (aged 62.4 ± 5.7 years) from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention. We used multiple regressions to test the extent to which sleep scores predicted regional amyloid burden. Participants reporting less adequate sleep, more sleep problems, and greater somnolence on the Medical Outcomes Study had greater amyloid burden in AD-sensitive brain regions (angular gyrus, frontal medial orbital cortex, cingulate gyrus, and precuneus). Amyloid was not associated with reported sleep amount, symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing, trouble falling asleep, or Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Poor sleep may be a risk factor for AD and a potential early marker of AD or target for preventative interventions in midlife.
Molecular Basis of Heritable Tissue Culture-induced Variation in Plants

Plant tissue culture techniques are used extensively in the propagation of ornamental and horticultural plants, in biochemical and molecular studies of plant cellular processes, and in plant transformation protocols. Genetic identity among cells or plants is usually desired or assumed in these experiments. However, the tissue culture process does not always produce clonal cells or plants, and often results in numerous morphological changes (reviewed in Sunderland, 1973; D’Amato, 1977, 1985; Bayliss, 1980; Larkin and Scowcroft, 1981, 1983; Orton, 1984; Ahloowalia, 1986; Larkin, 1987; Lee and Phillips, 1988; Sun and Zheng, 1990; Peschke and Phillips, 1992; Kaeppler and Phillips, 1993a).
Genotype, Feeding Regimen, and Diet Interactions in Meat Chickens. 3. General Fitness

Abstract Several fitness traits were measured in males from two meat lines fed diets differing in nutrient density ad libitum daily or on alternate days. Criteria of evaluation were antibody response to SRBC, blood heterophil:lymphocyte ratios, incidence of leg deformities, and resistance to Escherichia coli inoculation. Males from the heavier line had lower antibody titers to SRBC inoculation than those of the lighter line. Diets, feeding regimens, and interactions among them did not influence response to SRBC. Lines, diets, feeding regimens, and interactions among them were not significant for heterophil:lymphocyte ratios. Chicks fed daily had a higher incidence of leg deformities than those fed on alternate days. There were no differences between lines or diets, nor were interactions significant. Interactions were present between main variables for response to E. coli inoculation whether the measure was initial weight loss, recovery, or lesion scores, demonstrating the complexity of genotype-environmental relationships in resistance to this infectious agent.
Neuroprotective effects of memantine in a mouse model of retinal degeneration induced by rotenone

This is the first report of the in vivo effectiveness of memantine as a neuroprotective agent against rotenone-induced retinal toxicity. We tested the hypothesis that uncompetitive NMDAR blockade with memantine prevents mitochondrial dysfunction-related neurodegeneration in vivo, using a mouse model of retinal ganglion cell layer (GCL) degeneration induced by rotenone, a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor. Rotenone induced an increase in cell death and oxidative stress in GCL compared to controls, and these changes were prevented by the co-administration of memantine. The neurotoxic effect of rotenone was also reflected as a decrease in total cell density in GCL and GCL + nerve fiber layer thickness. These changes were also prevented by co-administration of memantine in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, memantine induced an increase in long-term retinal energy metabolic capacity. The results suggest that NMDAR activation contributes to cell death induced by mitochondrial dysfunction and that uncompetitive NMDAR blockade may be used as a neuroprotective strategy against mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases.
Thermochemistry of (germanium + sulfur) II. Standard molar enthalpy of formation ΔfHom of germanium(II) sulfide GeS at the temperature T = 298.15 K determined by fluorine-bomb combustion calorimetry

Fluorine-bomb calorimetry was used to determine the standard specific energy of combustion Δcuo in fluorine of high-purity germanium(II) sulfide GeS according to the reaction: GeS(cr) + 5F2(g) = GeF4(g) + SF6(g). The standard molar enthalpy of formation ΔfHom(GeS, cr, 298.15 K) = -(61.2 ± 1.2) kJ·mol-1, where the uncertainty is twice the standard deviation of the mean, has been derived from Δcuo. This ΔfHom(Ges) differs significantly from previous determinations, and is approximately 15 kJ·mol-1 more positive than the critically selected values in modern compilations.
Classifier performance using enhanced resolution SAR data

In support of the DARPA/DARO-sponsored SAIP program, MIT Lincoln Laboratory has developed a new, state-of-the-art ATR (automatic target recognition) system that provides significantly improved target recognition performance compared with ATR systems that use conventional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image processing techniques. This significant improvement is achieved by using a new superresolution image processing technique that enhances SAR image resolution (and image quality) prior to performing target recognition; a template-based classifier is then used to perform target recognition. This paper quantifies the improvement in target recognition performance achieved using superresolution image processing in the ATR system.
Seasonal and decadal changes in distribution patterns of Halobates (Hemiptera: Gerridae) populations in the eastern tropical Pacific

Five species of the marine insect Halobates share similar ecology but have distinct biogeographic ranges in the eastern tropical Pacific, a region from approximately 75°W–160°W and 10°S–35°N. Between 2001 and 2010, the Sea Education Association collected Halobates from 682 neuston tows (surface net 1 m × 0.5 m, 335-μm mesh) during fifteen cruises between San Diego, USA, Mexico and Tahiti. Total Halobates spp. densities varied substantially from year to year, but our data do not show a sustained change from a data set collected 40 years earlier from 1967 to 1968 (Cheng and Shulenberger in Fish Bull 78(3):579–591, 1980). Halobates are sensitive to sea surface temperature and we observed significant differences in species distributions over time, but these were not due to differences in water temperature or climate change. Our analyses show that the patterns observed are attributable to substantial but previously undescribed seasonal shifts that occur each year in the ranges for both Halobates sobrinus and Halobates micans. There is substantial overlap in ranges during seasonal shifts, but very little co-occurrence of H. sobrinus and H. micans in individual net tows, suggesting biological mechanisms rather than physical factors are restricting distribution and co-occurrence of these two species.
Information loss and entropy increase

Abstract The statistical entropy is shown to increase due to information loss introduced by a substitution of the total distribution function of a given system by (i) a product of distribution functions of lower orders and by (ii) a new distribution function transformed from the original one by an integral equation such as appearing in the theory of stochastic processes.
Special considerations in the purification of the GM3 ganglioside-forming enzyme, CMP-sialic acid: Lactosylceramide α2–3 sialyltransferase (SAT-1): Effects of protease inhibitors on rat hepatic SAT-1 activity

Summary Co-purification of an endogenous proteolytic activity has been proposed as the cause for the size heterogeneity of sialyltransferases. Reported herein are results on the effects of various protease inhibitors, sulfhydryl-reducing agents and antimicrobial agents on SAT-1 activity. Addition of protease inhibitors to immunoaffinity-purified rat liver SAT-1 dramatically affects its activity. All protease inhibitors examined, with the exception of PMSF, inhibited the purified enzyme. The most inhibitory were the cysteine (thiol) protease inhibitors. This effect is less spectacular when the effect of these inhibitors was studied on SAT-1 activity in Golgi-enriched microsomes, although the inhibition was greatest by the cysteine protease inhibitors. One dramatic effect, found in both cases, was the apparent activation of SAT1 activity in the presence of β-mercaptoethanol.
Influence of Cu, Ag, Ir and Pt on the work function and near-surface electron density of Re mass spectrometer filaments

The influence of metal overlayers on the properties of polycrystalline Re mass spectrometer filaments has been examined using contact potential difference (CPD) measurements of the work function, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements of overlayer binding energy (BE) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) measurements of electron energy distribution curves (EDCs). Work function data for Cu-Re, Ag-Re and Ir-Re are compared to earlier results for Au-Re, Pd-Re and Pt-Re as part of the effort to understand the influence of surface additions to the work functions of ionization sources
Gastrointestinal Perforation and the Acute Abdomen

The acute abdomen accounts for up to 40% of all emergency-surgical hospital admissions and is considered in the differential in the more than 7 million visits to the emergency department annually for abdominal pain in the United States. A large percentage of these cases are secondary to perforation or impending gastrointestinal perforation. Gastrointestinal perforation causes considerable mortality and usually requires emergency surgery.Rapid diagnosis and treatment of these conditions is essential to reduce the high morbidity and mortality of late-stage presentation. Successful treatment requires a thorough understanding of the anatomy, microbiology, and pathophysiology of this disease process and in-depth knowledge of the therapy, including resuscitation,antibiotics, source control, and physiologic support.
Veterans affairs congestive heart failure antiarrhythmic trial

Abstract This is a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effect of antiarrhythmic drug therapy on mortality in patients with congestive heart failure and ventricular arrhythmia. Patients will be assigned to receive either amiodarone or placebo. Eligible patients include those with ischemic and nonischemic congestive heart failure and with ≥10 ventricular premature beats per hour. All patients must have shortness of breath with minimal exertion or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, a left ventricular internal dimension (LVIDd) by echocardiogram of ≥55 mm or a cardiothoracic ratio of >0.5 and an ejection fraction of ≤40%. All patients will receive vasodilator therapy, unless they find it intolerable. Patients will be entered into the study for 2.5 years and followed for an additional 2 years. Drug therapy will be continued for all patients throughout the entire study unless adverse reactions occur that necessitate individualized treatment. The expectation is that 674 patients will be entered into the study from 25 participating centers. This sample size will allow for the detection of a 33% decrease in 2-year mortality (20% vs 30%) in the treated patients compared with those in the placebo group, with a power of 0.90 and a 2-sided alpha level of 0.05. Intermittent Holter monitoring, radionuclide ventriculograms, pulmonary function tests, echocardiograms, and blood tests, including arterial blood gases, will be required for each patient. The study analysis will address differences in total mortality, cardiac mortality, and sudden cardiac death between patients receiving antiarrhythmic drug therapy and those receiving placebo. Other factors to be examined include the effects of antiarrhythmic therapy on suppression of arrhythmias and ejection fraction.
Tau Aggregation and Toxicity in a Cell Culture Model of Tauopathy

Intracellular aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau into filamentous inclusions is a defining characteristic of Alzheimer disease. Because appearance of tau-aggregate bearing lesions correlates with both cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, it has been hypothesized that tau aggregation may be directly toxic to cells that harbor them. Testing this hypothesis in cell culture has been complicated by the resistance of full-length tau isoforms to aggregation over experimentally tractable time periods. To overcome this limitation, a small-molecule agonist of the tau aggregation reaction, Congo red, was used to drive aggregation within HEK-293 cells expressing full-length tau isoform htau40. Formation of detergent-insoluble aggregates was both time and agonist concentration dependent. At 10 microM Congo red, detergent-insoluble aggregates appeared with pseudo-first order kinetics and a half-life of approximately 5 days. By 7 days in culture, total tau levels increased 2-fold, with approximately 30% of total tau converted into detergent-insoluble aggregates. Agonist addition also led to rapid losses in the tubulin binding activity of tau, although tau was not hyperphosphorylated as judged by occupancy of phosphorylation sites Ser396/Ser404. Tau aggregation was associated with decreased viability as detected by ToPro-3 uptake. The results, which establish a new approach for analysis of tau aggregation in cells independent of tau hyperphosphorylation, suggest that conformational changes associated with aggregation are incompatible with microtubule binding, and that toxicity associated with intracellular tau aggregation is not acute but develops over a period of days.
Stability of the Hypocalcemic Activity of Porcine Thyrocalcitonin

Porcine thyrocalcitonin was modified by enzymatic and chemical treatment for the purpose of studying the interrelationships between structure and hypocalcemic activity. Enzymatic treatment with trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin and polyphenyl oxidase led to rapid and complete inactivation of the hypocalcemic activity. We conclude from these experiments that thyrocalcitonin either is a simple polypeptide or contains a peptide moiety which is absolutely essential for hypocalcemic activity. Incubation of thyrocalcitonin in dilute HC1 or neutral Tris buffer at elevated temperature was accompanied by gradual loss of activity. Inactivation was also seen after treatment with hydrogen peroxide, photooxidation and treatment with n-bromosuccinimide, results demonstrating that there is at least one site in the thyrocalcitonin molecule that is sensitive to oxidation. The hypocalcemic activity which was lost during incubation with hydrogen peroxide could not be recovered by treatment of the oxidized products with cysteine...
Crystallographic structure of the octameric histone core of the nucleosome at a resolution of 3.3 Å

The structure of the (H2A-H2B-H3-H4)2 histone octamer has been determined by means of x-ray crystallographic techniques at a resolution of 3.3 angstroms. The octamer is a prolate ellipsoid 110 angstroms long and 65 to 70 angstroms in diameter, and its general shape is that of a rugby ball. The size and shape are radically different from those determined in earlier studies. The most striking feature of the histone octamer is its tripartite organization, that is, a central (H3-H4)2 tetramer flanked by two H2A-H2B dimers. The DNA helix, placed around the octamer in a path suggested by the features on the surface of the protein, appears like a spring holding the H2A-H2B dimers at either end of the (H3-H4)2 tetramer.
Exotic fermion production in a new left-right model at ep colliders

Abstract We consider the production at ep colliders of exotic fermions expected in E6 grand unified theories within the context of a new, superstring-inspired, left-right symmetric model. The process e−p→nh+X (with n and h being exotic fermions) proceeds via t-channel WR exchange and can lead to significant production cross sections at HERA energies (√s = 314 GeV) as well as at higher energy ep colliders.
Compliments and Politeness in Peer-review Texts

Analyse pragmatique des formes, strategies et fonctions du complement, cadre theorique de la grammaire fonctionnelle et de la theorie de la politesse de Brown et Levinson. Etude sur corpus en anglais des Etats-Unis
Superconducting microresonators for detection and multiplexing

Superconducting microresonators are drawing increasing attention for use in sensitive THz detection, especially for astronomical applications. These are relatively simple thin-film lithographically produced devices that are amenable to large-scale microwave frequency multiplexing. Indeed, such resonators have very high quality factors, in the range 10^4 to 10^6, potentially allowing 10^3 to 10^4 resonators to be multiplexed using a single cryogenic low-noise amplifier (HEMT). The resonators may themselves serve as detectors given appropriate coupling of the signal energy, or the resonators may be used to multiplex a broad range of other devices such as SIN or SIS tunnel junction detectors, SQUID preamplifiers for TES bolometers, etc. One of the major advantages of microwave frequency multiplexing is that much of the complexity of the readout system is transferred to room temperature, where it is now feasible to produce readouts with very high channel counts using FPGA digital signal processing along with fast, high-resolution ADCs and DACs. This presentation will give an overview of the topics described above, including an introduction to the basic physics of superconducting microresonators and their noise mechanisms, and as a concrete example will describe the development of a 2.5 kilopixel millimeter-wave multicolor camera system for the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory.
Ultra-wideline 14N NMR spectroscopy as a probe of molecular dynamics

We show that ultra-wideline solid-state 14N NMR can be used as a quantitative probe of molecular dynamics. Jump rates for the molecular flipping mechanism in crystalline urea are determined at various temperatures and are shown to be in good agreement with other NMR techniques.
Severe Conradi-Hünermann Syndrome (CDPX2) is a phenocopy of peroxisomal Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata (RCDP)

RCDP was initially diagnosed in a newborn female who had typical symmetric rhizomelic shortening of the extremities, metaphyseal changes, multiple punctate skeletal calcifications, icthyosis, bilateral cataracts and Koala bear facies. The patient succumbed at 12 weeks of age. Diagnostic evaluations were unrevealing, including normal peroxisomal very long chain fatty acids, phytanic acid hydrolase and plasmalogen biosynthesis. Fibroblasts where reanalyzed for defects in 3-beta-hydroxysteroid-Δ(8), Δ(7)-isomerase, which was recently identified to cause X-linked Conradi-Hunermann Syndrome. GC/MS analysis revealed a pattern of metabolites consistent with this enzymatic defect in cholesterol biosynthesis, specifically showing increased levels of 8-dehydrocholesterol and 8(9)-cholesterol. Genomic DNA was isolated from the patient's fibroblasts and the gene for 3-beta-hydroxysteroid-Δ(8), Δ(7)-isomerase (EBP, located at Xpll.2) was sequenced (all exons and intronic junctions). Results showed 3 mutations in cis in exon 2 : L42X (125T>A), W47X (140G>A) and L49L (147G>A)(a synonymous change). The other allele showed a wild type sequence. The EBP gene were sequenced in blood lymphocytes from both parents and were normal. This case highlights the heterogeneity of CDPX2. The range of phenotypic severity seen in this disorder is presumably due to variable lyonization. We show that severe CDPX2 is a phenocopy of peroxisomal RCDP. We have also identified a novel mutation that could have originated from a pseudogene or another unknown mechanism.
A cellular automata model of chromatography

Dynamic models of the behavior of solvent and solute molecules can be made using cellular automata. A chromatographic column was represented by use of a cellular automata grid of 43 x 200 spaces. Solvent (mobile phase), solute and stationary phase cells were designated to simulate the chromatographic situation. The movements of solute and solvent cells down the grid were monitored for different numbers of iterations, different flow rates and different affinities of the solutes for the stationary phase and the solvent for itself. The cellular automata dynamics were successfully able to model expected chromatographic behavior except in a few cases where the number of cells was not large enough to provide an average value reflective of the molecular situation.
Multiphoton micrometer-scale photoetching in silicate-based glasses

Silicate-based glasses containing approximately 10% by weight boron or more have been observed to exhibit selective etching in hydrofluoric acid solution after direct exposure to intense visible laser light at 532 nm. The observation of a ring-shaped etch pattern in samples exposed to solid Gaussian beams suggests that selective etching is related to a charge-diffusion process rather than to local light-induced defect generation. The technique has so far resulted in the maskless production of micrometer-scale features with submicrometer depths.
Photoassisted Deposition of Chalcogenide Semiconductors on the Titanium Dioxide Surface: Mechanistic and Other Aspects

Heterogeneous photocatalysis using photoexcited TiO2 substrates (either in dispersed suspensions or in thin film form) is shown to be a versatile method for preparing Se- or metal selenide (MSe)-modified TiO2 surfaces. The mechanistic aspects underlying this novel preparative route are addressed using chronopotentiometry and linear sweep photovoltammetry. The photovoltammograms of Se/TiO2 composite electrodes exhibit unusual “bipolar” behavior, i.e., both photocathodic and photoanodic enhancement of current flow on the same trace, depending on the imposed potential bias. This interesting photoelectrochemical behavior is rationalized on the basis of the electronic properties of the Se/TiO2 junction. Ex situ characterization of the composite semiconductor samples was also carried out. Finally, an application of CdSe/TiO2 samples for environmental remediation of CrVI is demonstrated.