cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Possible involvement of cockroach haemocytes in the storage and synthesis of cuticle proteins.

The injection of UL14C-leucine into newly ecdysed immature cockroaches resulted in the labelling of both haemocyte and serum proteins. Serum proteins were purified by gel filtration, concentrated and reinjected into other freshly ecdysed animals. After incubations of one hour, radioactivity was detected in serum, haemocyte, and cuticle proteins. Similar experiments using labelled soluble blood cell proteins also produced radioactivity in the serum, cells and cuticle. The possible role of haemocytes in cuticle protein synthesis is denoted and its significance in regard to cuticular tanning is discussed.
Thermal rearrangements in polypentenamer and polyoctenamer

Experiments were conducted to show that polypentenamer and polyoctenamer, in common with 1,4-polybutadiene, undergo anaerobic thermal cis-trans isomerization at temperatures as low as 200 degrees C. Their activation energies for isomerization are comparable to that of polybutadiene. The relative rate constants are found to decrease in the order: polybutadiene, polypentenamer, polyoctenamer. When heated in a vacuum at 200 to 270 degrees C, polypentenamer exhibits a loss of double bonds. This disappearance of unsaturation has no counterpart in polybutadiene or polyoctenamer. In polypentenamer, a mechanism for a thermally-induced ring closure that is different from the one shown for the cyclization-depolymerization of various unsaturated polymers is evident. The cyclization-depolymerization process does cause a loss of double bonds in polybutadiene and polyoctenamer at temperatures greater than or equal to 275 degrees C.
Is hypoglycemia fear independently associated with health-related quality of life?

Patients may fear the symptoms and consequences associated with hypoglycemia. We tested whether fear of hypoglycemia is independently associated with poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Data were collected using direct-mail survey and enrollment information from adult commercial health plan enrollees with type 2 diabetes during a 12-month period (12/01/2008 to 11/30/2009). HRQOL was evaluated by the EuroQol (EQ)–5D index and 12-item Short Form Health Survey Mental Component Summary (SF-12 MCS) and Physical Component Summary (SF-12 PCS). Fear of hypoglycemia was assessed using the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey (HFS). Two ordinary least-squares (OLS) models of HRQOL controlling for demographics and illness characteristics were specified, and OLS regression coefficients and statistical inferences were compared. Model 1 included 1 variable of hypoglycemia symptoms; Model 2 included both hypoglycemia symptoms and HFS score. Of 3999 patients contacted, 813 responded to the survey. Model 1: hypoglycemia symptoms alone were associated with worse HRQOL (SF-12 MCS and SF-12 PCS scores and EQ-5D utility score; all P < 0.05). Model 2: hypoglycemia symptoms were significantly associated only with SF-12 MCS score. HFS total score was significantly associated with all 3 HRQOL scores. Hypoglycemia symptoms, Hispanic ethnicity, and longer diabetes duration were associated with greater hypoglycemia fear. Higher income, white race, and treatment without sulfonylurea or insulin were associated with less hypoglycemia fear (all P < 0.05). In addition to the effect of symptomatic hypoglycemia on HRQOL, fear of hypoglycemia was independently associated with lower overall health status and mental and physical health.
Resonant tunneling in high-Tc superconductors

A review is presented of the author's work on resonance tunneling as an electron transport mechanism along the c axis in high-temperature layered cuprates. A formulation of the problem is given, qualitative aspects of the mechanism are described, and physical properties calculated. Comparisons are made with experimental data for the temperature dependence of normal conductivity, the frequency dependence of optical conductivity, and the stationary supercurrent along the c axis. For the latter, the resonance tunneling coherence of different centers is shown to be of crucial importance. Weakened interplane coupling and vortex fluctuations are invoked to explain the sharp drop in Tc and the rise in the 2Δ(0)/Tc ratio with decreasing oxygen content. Simple example models are given to demonstrate major aspects of resonance tunneling.
The Electrode-Electrolyte Interface in Acidic and Alkaline Fuel Cells

This numerical study presents the role of diffuse region of the electric double layer in both acidic and alkaline fuel cells. The numerical model is based on the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) and generalized-Frumkin-Butler-Volmer (gFBV) equations. The Laminar Flow Fuel Cell (LFFC) is used as the model fuel cell architecture to allow for the appropriate and equivalent comparison of acidic and alkaline cells. In particular, we focus on how each device behaves to changing reactant supply at the electrodes, including the overall cell performance and individual electrode polarizations. It is found that the working ion concentration at the reaction plane contributes to differing performance behaviors in acidic and alkaline fuel cells, including activation losses and reactant transport overpotentials. This is due to the working ion, and the electrode where it’s consumed, being opposite for acidic and alkaline fuel cells.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Coarse-to-fine: A layered sensing approach to situational awareness

Military operations in the future will involve a variety of nation-state and non-nation-state adversaries. The ability to operate in complex domains will require sophisticated information gathering and exploitation tools. The Air Force Research Laboratory is working on such technologies. This paper highlights a subset of those technologies that operate in the electro-optical domain. The approach to sensor implementation and the types of sensors being developed will be overviewed, and potential new sensing technologies will be identified.
Mechanisms of Resistance to Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress: Implications for Fungal Survival in Mammalian Hosts

The ability of a fungal pathogen to cause disease requires the ability to survive in the host. Survival in the host is dependent on evasion of the host's immune system, including the microbial killing mechanisms of phagocytes. The innate immune system is comprised of macrophages and neutrophils,
PFO closure complications from the AGA registry.

Objectives: To evaluate all complications that occurred during or after cardiac catheterizations for Amplatzer PFO device closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO), determine the cause of the complications and recommend techniques to minimize complications in the future. Background: Rare complications were reported to the manufacturer of the Amplatzer PFO occluder since the introduction of the device. Methods: A panel of independent physicians reviewed all complications reported to the manufacturer to determine whether the complication was related to the device or related to the cardiac catheterization procedure. Demographic data, echocardiograms, operative reports, and time to occurrence of complications were reviewed. Results: A total of 11 events were reported. Only two patients had device related complications (erosion), an incidence of 0.018%. Two patients were found to have additional atrial septal defect after PFO closure. Two patients were thought to have an inflammatory reaction without any serious sequelae. Five complications were related to the cardiac catheterization procedure (atrial appendage perforation). Conclusions: Device related complications after Amplatzer PFO occluder placement are extremely rare. Cardiac catheterization related complications appear to be the most common cause of the hemodynamic compromise. Careful manipulation of catheters and wires, recognition of the location of the catheter by fluoroscopy and echocardiography will decrease the risk of such complications. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Recent developments in theories of pathogenesis of AIDS

Abstract Experimental and theoretical progress in HIV research includes an improved resolution of the spatial heterogeneity and the dynamics (time course and turnover rates) of virus and CD4 + cells. Some of these advances have resulted from the joint work of experimental and theoretecal groups, demonstrating that interdisciplinary research can be fruitful.
The influence of orthography on readers' conceptualization of the phonemic structure of words

This study was designed to determine whether children's conceptualization of the component sounds in words is influenced by their knowledge of the words' spellings. For example, the spelling of pitch may lead learners to discover the phonetic element [t] in its pronunciation and to conceptualize this as a separate phoneme, whereas the spelling of rich should not. Positive results were obtained in a phonemic segmentation task with real and made-up words taught to fourth graders. Findings are interpreted to show that phonemic segmentation skill may be a consequence of as much as a prerequisite to learning to read words. Results are consistent with a theory of printed word learning in which visual spellings are retained in memory through a sound symbolization process.
Lancet: a high precision medication event extraction system for clinical text

Objective: This paper presents Lancet, a supervised machine-learning system that automatically extracts medication events consisting of medication names and information pertaining to their prescribed use (dosage, mode, frequency, duration and reason) from lists or narrative text in medical discharge summaries. Design: Lancet incorporates three supervised machine-learning models: a conditional random fields model for tagging individual medication names and associated fields, an AdaBoost model with decision stump algorithm for determining which medication names and fields belong to a single medication event, and a support vector machines disambiguation model for identifying the context style (narrative or list). Measurements: The authors, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, participated in the third i2b2 shared-task for challenges in natural language processing for clinical data: medication extraction challenge. With the performance metrics provided by the i2b2 challenge, the micro F1 (precision/recall) scores are reported for both the horizontal and vertical level. Results: Among the top 10 teams, Lancet achieved the highest precision at 90.4% with an overall F1 score of 76.4% (horizontal system level with exact match), a gain of 11.2% and 12%, respectively, compared with the rule-based baseline system jMerki. By combining the two systems, the hybrid system further increased the F1 score by 3.4% from 76.4% to 79.0%. Conclusions: Supervised machine-learning systems with minimal external knowledge resources can achieve a high precision with a competitive overall F1 score. Lancet based on this learning framework does not rely on expensive manually curated rules. The system is available online at .
Calibration and Evaluation of Link Congestion Functions: Applying Intrinsic Sensitivity of Link Speed as a Practical Consideration to Heterogeneous Facility Types within Urban Network

This paper explores the use of archived data to calibrate volume delay functions (VDFs) and updates their input parameters (capacity and free-flow speed) for planning applications. The sensitivity analysis of speed to change in congestion level is performed to capture functional characteristics of VDFs in modeling specific facility types. Different sensitivity characteristics shown by the VDFs indicate that each function is suitable to a particular facility type. The results of sensitivity analysis are confirmed by the root mean square percent error (RMSPE) values calculated using the Orlando Urban Area Transportation Study (OUATS) model results and observed data. The modified Davidson’s function exhibits remarkable performance in nearly all facility types. The strength of the modified Davidson’s function across a broad range of facilities can be attributed to the flexibility of its tuning parameter, μ. Fitted Bureau of Public Road (BPR) and conical delay functions show lower RMSPE for uninterrupted flow facilities (freeways/expressways, managed lanes) and higher values for toll roads (which might have partial interruptions due to toll booths) and signalized arterials. Akcelik function underperforms on freeways/expressways and managed lanes but shows some improvements for toll roads and superior results for the signalized arterials. This was a desired strength of Akcelik function when modeling link travel speed on facilities where stopped delays were encountered.
Electrocorticographic spectral changes associated with ipsilateral individual finger and whole hand movement

The study of the human sensorimotor (SM) cortex activations associated with hand motor movement is central to the design of efficient and clinically useful brain-computer interfaces. Whereas the electrocorticographic (ECoG) signatures of contralateral hand movement have been studied in detail, those of ipsilateral hand and individual finger movements have not been characterized. We studied the low (8–32 Hz) and high-frequency (76–100 Hz) SM cortical ECoG spectral changes associated with contralateral and ipsilateral whole hand and individual finger movement and assessed their discriminability. We find that ipsilateral movement is associated with widespread decreases in the low-frequency band (LFB) and more focal increases in the high-frequency band (HFB). The HFB component discriminates between ipsilateral and contralateral movement-associated activations, in contrast to the LFB. The HFB also discriminates between thumb and index finger movement-associated activations, for both the contralateral and the ipsilateral case, whereas the LFB does not. This is the first published report of a discriminable ipsilateral motor signal, with important implications in the use of brain-computer interfaces in hemiplegic patients.
Top Ten List in Sleep

(CHEST 2002; 122:1457-1460) sion rate (depression score, 0) was higher for morn- ing light (50% vs 40%, respectively). This study, along with the previously reported work by these authors further defines the protocol of morning light exposure in the treatment of patients with SAD.
Telomere length in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and its associations with carotid plaque

Objective. To evaluate telomere length (TL) between patients with SLE and healthy controls and to test if TL is associated with carotid plaque. Methods. A pilot study of 154 patients with SLE and 152 controls was performed from the SOLVABLE (Study of Lupus Vascular and Bone Long-Term Endpoints) cohort. Demographic and cardiovascular disease (CVD) factors were collected at baseline. The presence or absence of plaque was evaluated by B-mode US. Genomic DNA was isolated from whole peripheral blood. TL was quantified using real-time quantitative PCR. Results. SLE women had a short TL compared with healthy controls (4.57 vs 5.44 kb, P = 0.03). SLE women showed shorter TL than controls across all age groups: <35 years (4.38 vs 6.37 kb), 3544 years (4.52 vs 5.30 kb), 4554 years (4.77 vs 5.68 kb) and 555 years (4.60 vs 4.71 kb). Among patients with SLE and carotid plaque there was a trend towards shorter TL at a younger age and it was significantly lower in the 35- to 44-year age group when compared with controls (P = 0.025). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated a risk of carotid plaque with older age [odds ratio (OR) 1.09; 95% CI 1.06, 1.12] but not with TL (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.97, 1.13). Conclusion. SLE women had significantly shorter TL than controls. SLE women trended towards shorter TL at a younger age. When carotid plaque was identified, the younger SLE women had shorter TL. Only older age but not shorter TL was independently associated with carotid plaque. Additional studies are needed to confirm if TL is a novel biomarker for cardiovascular disease in SLE.
Architecture-Based Software Reliability Analysis: Overview and Limitations

With the growing size and complexity of software applications, research in the area of architecture-based software reliability analysis has gained prominence. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the existing research in this area, critically examine its limitations, and suggest ways to address the identified limitations
Nonlinear δf particle simulations of energy-anisotropy instabilities in high-intensity bunched beams

The self-consistent Vlasov-Maxwell equations and a generalized deltaf particle simulation algorithm are applied to high-intensity finite-length charge bunches. The nonlinear deltaf method exhibits minimal noise and accuracy problems in comparison with standard particle-in-cell simulations. For bunched beams with anisotropic energy, there exists no exact kinetic equilibrium because the particle dynamics do not conserve transverse energy and longitudinal energy separately. A reference state in approximate dynamic equilibrium has been constructed theoretically. The electrostatic Harris instability driven by strong energy anisotropy relative to the reference state have been simulated using the generalized deltaf algorithm for bunched beams. The observed growth rates are larger than those obtained for infinitely-long coasting beams. The growth rate decreases for increasing bunch length to a value similar to the case of a long coasting beam. For long bunches, the instability is axially localized symmetrically relative to the beam center, and the characteristic wavelength in the longitudinal direction is comparable to the transverse dimension of the beam.
Energy cost calculations for exercise prescription: an update.

Recent research has resulted in a number of recommended changes in how fitness professionals should prescribe target workloads and calculate the energy cost of exercise. The principal changes are in the use of oxygen consumption reserve (VO2R) as an alternative to percentage of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) for prescribing exercise intensity, the use of net VO2 rather than gross VO2 for the calculation of caloric expenditure during exercise, and a modification of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) equation for calculating the oxygen cost of leg cycle ergometry. The VO2R method of prescribing exercise workloads is similar to the heart rate reserve (HRR) method of prescribing target heart rates, i.e. the target workload is established at a given percentage of the difference between maximal and resting VO2. Several recent studies have shown that there is a discrepancy between the exercise intensity at given percentages of HRR and VO2max, but that HRR and VO2R yield equivalent exercise intensities. The use of VO2R in exercise prescription provides more accurate target workloads, especially for individuals with a low fitness level. Net VO2 during exercise is that amount above resting VO2 due to the exercise itself. A recent recommendation is to employ net VO2 in the calculation of the caloric expenditure during exercise, so as not to overestimate potential bodyweight loss. Several recent studies of leg cycling ergometry have yielded equations for the estimation of VO2 that include a term for unloaded cycling, i.e. the oxygen cost of moving the legs against zero resistance. The equations from these studies provide more accurate estimations of cycling VO2 than the existing ACSM equation, and a new standardised equation has been developed and adopted by the ACSM. The new equation is especially useful for improving the accuracy of VO2 estimates during low intensity leg cycle ergometry. The ACSM equation for bench stepping has also been modified to include a term for resting metabolism.
Occlusion Resistant Shape Classifier based onWarped Optimal Path Matching

In this paper, we present a novel occlusion resistant shape classification scheme for hidden Markov modeled shapes. First, hidden Markov model (HMM) is built using multiple example shapes for each shape class. A reference path for each class is built from the corresponding HMM, which is nothing but optimal path followed by the most likely example shape. The reference path stores temporal information about the entire shape, while the HMM only retains relationship between temporal information. Finally to classify a shape, occluded or not, its optimal path through HMM is calculated and warped to match the reference path using dynamic time warping (DTW). Correct class is identified as the one for which the warping cost is minimum. Classification results obtained for two shape data sets are presented for varying degrees of occlusion and are compared with the conventional maximum likelihood (ML) HMM classifier.
A numerically efficient semiconductor model with Fermi-Dirac thermalization dynamics (band-filling) for FDTD simulation of optoelectronic and photonic devices

We describe a numerically efficient semiconductor model for FDTD simulation of optoelectronic and photonic devices that include the essential carrier dynamics such as band filling with Fermi-Dirac thermalization, spectral hole burning, and refractive index change.
A business-oriented load dispatching framework for online auction sites

Online auction sites have unique workloads and user behavior characteristics that do not exist in other e-commerce sites. Earlier studies by the authors identified i) significant changes in the workload depending on time of day and ii) the presence of heavy-tailed distributions involving bidder and seller behavior. Other studies indicate that a small fraction or power users, among millions of registered users, contribute to the majority of the site's revenue. Poor quality of service to power users may imply in loss of business and cause significant loss of revenue to an auction site. This problem could be mitigated by dedicating resources in an exclusive manner to this small group of users in order to improve the quality of service they receive. However, this approach can lead to i) under utilization of these dedicated resources and ii) overloading of resources allocated to regular users when the load from power users is low. In this paper, we propose a scheme whereby resources are primarily dedicated to power users, but regular users can take advantage of these dedicated resources when spare capacity is available. This paper provides a business-oriented framework for dispatching requests to the various servers of an online auction site. Our approach uses a controller that can dynamically shift the load to different types of servers as the workload changes. Experimental evaluation showed, among other things, that the total number of bids processed using a dynamic controller to allocate resources can be improved under heavy load conditions compared to using a load balancing technique that does not differentiate among users.
Delayed effects of developmental exposure to low levels of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) on adult zebrafish behavior

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. The most toxic PCBs are the non-ortho-substituted ("dioxin-like") congeners that act through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathway. In humans, perinatal exposure to dioxin-like PCBs is associated with neurodevelopmental toxicity in children. Yet, the full potential for later-life neurobehavioral effects that result from early-life low level exposure to dioxin-like PCBs is not well understood. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of developmental exposure to low levels of dioxin-like PCBs on early- and later-life behavioral phenotypes using zebrafish as a model system. We exposed zebrafish embryos to either vehicle (DMSO) or low concentrations of PCB126 (0.3, 0.6, 1.2nM) for 20h (4-24h post fertilization), and then reared them to adulthood in clean water. Locomotor activity was tested at two larval stages (7 and 14 days post fertilization). Adult fish were tested for anxiety-related behavior using the novel tank and shoaling assays. Adult behavioral assays were repeated several times on the same group of fish and effects on intra- and inter-trial habituation were determined. While there was no effect of PCB126 on larval locomotor activity in response to changes in light conditions, developmental exposure to PCB126 resulted in impaired short- and long-term habituation to a novel environment in adult zebrafish. Cyp1a induction was measured as an indicator for AHR activation. Despite high induction at early stages, cyp1a expression was not induced in the brains of developmentally exposed adult fish that showed altered behavior, suggesting that AHR was not activated at this stage. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the zebrafish model in detecting subtle and delayed behavioral effects resulting from developmental exposure to an environmental contaminant.
Genetic polymorphisms and risk of breast cancer.

Recent studies have provided important new insights into the molecular epidemiology and genetics of breast cancer [(1][1], [2][2], [3][3], [4][4], [5][5], [6][6], [7][7], [8)][8] . Much of this research has focused on the aggregation of breast (and ovarian) cancer within high-risk families, as well
Introduction to Rural Aging in Twenty-First Century America

This book investigates demographic and social aspects of aging in nonmetropolitan areas of the United States in the twenty-first century. This introductory chapter briefly overviews the persisting and changing trends related to aging in rural environments. We identify major themes examined in the various chapters of the book. We next address the question of why it is important to study population aging in the rural United States. We define major concepts used across many of the chapters of the book. Finally, we describe briefly the content of major sections of the book and chapters within each section.
Stability of superfluid vortices in dense quark matter

Superfluid vortices in the color-flavor-locked (CFL) phase of dense quark matter are known to be energetically disfavored relative to well-separated triplets of so-called semi-superfluid color flux tubes. However, the short-range interaction (metastable versus unstable) has not been established. In this paper we perform numerical calculations using the effective theory of the condensate field, mapping the regions in the parameter space of coupling constants where the vortices are metastable versus unstable. For the case of zero-gauge coupling we analytically identify a candidate for the unstable mode and show that it agrees well with the results of the numerical calculations. We find that in the region of the parameter space that seems likely to correspond to real-world CFL quark matter the vortices are unstable, indicating that if such matter exists in neutron star cores it is very likely to contain semi-superfluid color flux tubes rather than superfluid vortices.
Choice Versus Interaction in Public Choice: Discerning the Legacy of The Calculus of Consent

This chapter explores the legacy of James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock as it pertains to the establishment of public choice as a field of scholarly inquiry. The Calculus of Consent is surely the urtext for capturing that legacy, yet that legacy can be discerned in two distinct directions. One direction is of a simple or equilibrated political economy as represented by median voter models. The other direction is of a complex or emergent political economy. The choice between these directions is similar to the choice between the Laspeyres and Paasche approaches to the construction of index numbers. This chapter argues for the superiority of the Paasche approach when applied to intellectual history and so locates the legacy of Buchanan and Tullock in terms of interactive or emergent political economy as against choice-theoretic political economy.
Justification, Design, and Analysis of a Village-Scale Photovoltaic-Powered Electrodialysis Reversal System for Rural India

This paper presents the merits of village-scale photovoltaic (PV) powered electrodialysis reversal (EDR) systems for rural India and the design and analysis of such a system built by the authors with planned testing to be completed in March 2015 in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The requirements for the system include daily water output of 6–15 m3/day (enough potable water for the average village size of 2,000–5,000 people), removal of dissolved salts in addition to biological contaminants, photovoltaic power source, recovery ratio of greater than 85% and appropriate maintenance and service scheme. At present, most village-scale desalination systems use reverse osmosis (RO), however the managing NGOs have found the systems to be cost prohibitive in off-grid locations. EDR has the potential to be more cost effective than currently installed village-scale RO systems in off-grid locations due to the lower specific energy consumption of EDR versus RO at high recovery ratios. This leads to lower power system cost and overall capital expense.The system developed in this study is designed to validate whether the system requirements can be met in terms of recovery ratio, product water quality, specific energy consumption, and expected capital cost. The system is designed to desalinate 3600 ppm brackish groundwater to 350 ppm at a rate of 1.6 m3/hour and a recovery of 92%. This paper reviews the scope of the market for village scale desalination, existing groundwater salinity levels, and presents the design methodology and resulting system parameters for a village-scale PV-EDR field trial.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
A next-generation antimicrobial wound dressing: a real-life clinical evaluation in the UK and Ireland.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a new, next-generation antimicrobial dressing (NGAD; AQUACEL Ag+ EXTRA dressing) in managing wound exudate, infection and biofilm, and facilitating progression toward healing. Method: Clinicians from the UK and Ireland selected stalled or deteriorating wounds that were considered to be compromised by infection and/or biofilm. Only the primary dressing was replaced by the NGAD, for up to 4 weeks or as deemed clinically appropriate; otherwise, standard protocols of care were used. Evaluation forms captured the baseline and final assessment characteristics of wound status, exudate levels, skin health, wound bed appearance, signs of infection and biofilm, and wound dimensions. Results: In all, 29 wounds were suitable for inclusion in the final analysis. Following the NGAD evaluation, wound statuses were shifted from stagnant/deteriorating to mainly improved, exudate levels were shifted from moderate/high to moderate/low, and skin health was improved in 20 wounds (69%)...
The Internet for Pediatricians

1. S. Andrew Spooner, MD* 2. Kent R. Anderson† 1. 2. *Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Children’s Hospital, Birmingham, AL. 3. 4. †Director, Division of Medical Journals & Professional Periodicals, American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, IL. Type the word “pediatrics” into one of the more robust search engines on the World-Wide Web, and you will retrieve more than 90,000 different sites that refer to the specialty in some manner. With more than 5 million different destinations on the Web (and 80,000 being added every week), the growth of this information source and communication tool is remarkable. However, the quality and reliability of information can be uneven, despite vast improvements in the offerings over the past 1 to 2 years, and sites still fall into disrepair when their champions lose interest or funding. To help readers sort through this daunting information repository, the editors of Pediatrics in Review invited us to highlight some of the primary touchstones on the Web for pediatricians and to point to other sites that we believe offer excellent content, useful features, timely information, and interesting perspectives. The following list is by no means exhaustive, and it is not intended to represent a “best of” list. It is simply a list of stable, useful, and intriguing sites that can serve as a fine collection of online resources and a springboard for further investigations for the pediatric health care specialist. We organized most of this list according to clinical categories used by the American Board of Pediatrics and by the AAP’s PREP program. We then focused on sites that have one or more of the following priorities apparent in their design:
The Coping Long Term with Active Suicide Program: Description and Pilot Data.

A description of and pilot data for a new adjunctive intervention designed to reduce suicidal behavior among high-risk individuals are presented. The Coping Long Term with Active Suicide Program (CLASP) has three major components: (1) three individual, in-person meetings, (2) one significant other/family meeting, and (3) 11 brief (15-30 minute) phone contacts with the patient and his/her significant other. Open trial and pilot randomized trial data provide preliminary evidence that CLASP is a feasible, acceptable, and efficacious intervention to reduce suicidal behavior.
Microwave-Assisted Solution–Liquid–Solid Synthesis of Single-Crystal Copper Indium Sulfide Nanowires

Chalcopyrite copper indium sulfide (CuInS2) is an important semiconductor with a bandgap optimal for terrestrial solar energy conversion. Building photovoltaic and microelectronic devices using one-dimensional CuInS2 nanowires can offer directional conduits for rapid and undisrupted charge transport. Currently, single-crystal CuInS2 nanowires can be prepared only using vapor-based methods. Here, we report, for the first time, the synthesis of single-crystal CuInS2 nanowires using a microwave-assisted solution–liquid–solid (MASLS) method. We show that CuInS2 nanowires with diameters of less than 10 nm can be prepared at a rapid rate of 33 nm s–1 to more than 10 μm long in less than 10 min, producing a high mass yield of 31%. We further show that the nanowires are free of structural defects and have a near-stoichiometric composition. The success of MASLS in preparing high-quality tertiary nanowires is explained by a eutectic growth mechanism involving an overheated alloy catalyst.
Perspectives in endoscopic mucosal resection.

The birth of endoscopic mucosal resection probably can be traced back to the early days of colonoscopy and polypectomy. With the advent of colonoscopy, endoscopists began encountering pedunculated and sessile mass lesions arising from the mucosal surface. The concept of snare polypectomy developed quickly, and this technique has become the standard of care in the management of colon polyps. Large sessile lesions, however, remain problematic, especially when they arise from the thin wall of the cecum and ascending colon. Serosal burns and frank performation represent the most significant complication of this technique.
Dual adrenergic control of renin during nonhypotensive hemorrhage in conscious dogs.

These experiments evaluated the contribution of renal alpha-adrenoceptors, renal beta-adrenoceptors, and extrarenal beta-adrenoceptors to increased plasma renin activity (PRA) during nonhypotensive hemorrhage in conscious dogs. Blood withdrawal at a rate of 16 g/kg body wt over 20 min increased PRA to nearly threefold control levels without decreasing mean arterial pressure. The PRA response to hemorrhage was reduced to a greater extent by simultaneous direct renal arterial (ira) infusion of phenoxybenzamine and propranolol than by propranolol alone. Phenoxybenzamine infusion ira did not block alpha-adrenoceptors located outside of the kidney. The PRA and heart rate responses to hemorrhage were both significantly reduced when propranolol was infused either ira or intravenously (iv) at a rate of 2 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 for 20 min followed by 0.5 microgram.kg-1.min-1 continuous infusion. Propranolol infusion at a lower rate (0.5 microgram.kg-1.min-1 for 20 min followed by 0.12 microgram.kg-1.min-1) had litt...
Introduction: human pathology within the broad scope of comparative pathology.

Pathologic integration is the basic phenomenon of comparative pathology. Since man evolved as earth's most influential species, he was unequally influenced the progression and prevention of diseases in himself and other species. This has both positive and negative ramifications. Positive influences have been life-style, the prolongation of life under healthy conditions and medical progress as seen in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, dental hygiene and other factors, such as the decrease of infectious and parasitic diseases, which are still dominating factors in developing nations. Negative influences are side effects of medical treatments, the appearance of occupational, and certain recreational diseases. These are the pathologic effects of man's life-style to which car accidents, smoking and other factors can be added. Different species are affected by environmental changes such as pollution, ozone, acidic rain, polluted food, and transmission of different diseases from one species to another. Interspecies-specifically the direct influence of man in the extermination of other species, or the indirect influence such as through pollutants in the environment producing chain reactions in different species, can be distinguished. The physical environment has been changed as can be seen in air pollution in large cities, the damage to the ozone layer and the increase of malignant melanoma in certain regions of western Australia. The industrialized nations are dominated by non-infectious diseases such as atherosclerosis and neoplasms, whereas in the developing nations parasitic and infectious diseases stand in the fore-front. Particular diseases like acquired immunodeficiency syndrome increase in both types of nations. These diseases may have developed from other species, e.g. the plague which was originally a disease of rodents, especially rats where it was transmitted by the flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, Rothschild. The principle of foremost importance is the disruption of biologic integration of normal processes leading to different types of pathologic progression. A typical problem affecting man and many other fellow species is crowding. Man's pathology and the pathology of other species exhibit continued integration which is the central problem for understanding diseases where similar functions are performed by various structures, such as is the case in gaseous exchange, or differences in size and life span. The broad spectrum of comparative pathology which centers around human pathology provides a source of increased knowledge for a better understanding of diseases. The present issue is based on the two symposia organized by the International Society for the Study of Comparative Ongology during the Fifth International Conference of Anticancer Research, 17-22 October 1995, Corfu, Greece.
The Relationship between Infant Mortality Rate and Health Expenditure in India: A Bayesian Approach

This paper uses a Bayesian approach to fit a linear regression analysis to panel data. The dependent variable is Infant Mortality Rate and the explanatory variable is state health expenditure for the individual states in India. Various strands of previous literature are examined in order to provide a context for the relationship between state health expenditure and Infant Mortality Rate. Owing to the highly heterogeneous nature of Indian states across time, a panel data model has been considered. The time and state effects are captured in separate intercept terms and the coefficient of regression reflects only the responsiveness of Infant Mortality Rate to an increase in state health expenditure. The underlying assumption here is that the distribution of the explanatory variable affects the dependent variable only through the explanatory variable itself and the conditional distribution of the dependent variable is thus independent of the marginal distribution of the explanatory variable. Another assumption is that state and time effects are isolated from the coefficient of regression but this can be modified with an appropriate prior distribution. Proportion of state GDP allocated to healthcare is used as a proxy for state health expenditure and all calculations are performed with deviations from the mean. The underlying methodology is a Bayesian approach and all the intercept and slope coefficients are modeled with non-informative or uniform prior distributions. Further the completely pooled regression is considered, that excludes time and state heterogeneity and the pooled regression coefficient is used as a prior for the actual slope coefficient and the two coefficients of regression (i.e with a uniform prior and a normal prior with a fixed mean and uniformly distributed variance) are compared. The inference is that increasing state health expenditure has a negative effect on Infant Mortality Rate.
Miscellaneous Techniques and Equipment

Application of radiotracers to studies of environmental pollution source and distribution is rather widespread. This is partly due to encouragement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which through its various symposia, e.g., on radiological techniques in pesticide research (IAEA, 1966a, 1970c) and also on other environmental pollutants (IAEA, 1975a, 1976), has disseminated knowledge on the subject. Perhaps the most extensive use has been in the study of pesticides (Dedek, 1967a,b, 1970, 1975; Casida, 1961; Dahm, 1957; Redemann and Meikle, 1958; Winteringham, 1960; Peterle, 1966; and documented in the bibliographies of Bingelli, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969). Citing 110 references, DeWitt (1978) summarizes the application of isotopes in investigations of air, soil, and water pollution and concludes: Based on established isotope uses, on the projected increase in the pollution problem, and on the apparent social and economic pressure for pollution abatement, a significant demand for enriched isotopes appears to be developing for the assessment and control of air, water, and soil pollutants. Isotopic techniques will be used in combination with conventional methods of detection and measurement, such as gas chromatography, x-ray fluorescence, and atomic absorption. Recent advances in economical isotope separation methods, instrumentation, and methodology promise to place isotopic technology within the reach of most research and industrial institutions. Increased application of isotope techniques appears most likely to occur in areas where data are needed to characterize the movement, behavior, and fate of pollutants in the environment.
Abstract 3092: Physiological mimicry to characterize the average topology of the MYC and VEGF promoter G-quadruplexes

DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) have become increasingly present in modern drug discovery efforts. The main focus centers on cancer therapeutic development, as G4s are more concentrated in oncogenic promoters than the rest of the genome. Two of the most well described G4s to date are within the MYC and the VEGF promoters; stabilization of either structure fosters transcriptional silencing. Downregulation of MYC decreases cell proliferation and alters metabolism; it is promising for a number of cancers, such lymphomas, leukemia, colorectal cancer and more. VEGF downregulation would modulate angiogenesis, which is of therapeutic benefit for almost all solid tumors. The physiological structure of both of these promoter G4s has been elucidated using plasmid DMS footprinting, which incorporates DNA supercoiling in addition to stabilizing cations or molecules. The current study examines a variety of anhydrous or crowding co-solvents for their ability to recapitulate the physiological structure in single-stranded ex vivo conditions. The co-solvents tested included glucose, acetonitrile, polyethylene glycol, dextran sulfate, sucrose, ficoll, and extracted nucleoplasm, ranging from 0-40%. Significant changes in structure, including loop directionality and number of competing isoforms, were examined by electronic circular dichroism. Electromobility shift assays differentiated inter- and intra-molecular structures, further distinguishing the distribution of isoforms. DMS footprinting with select molecular crowding and dehydrating agents was performed and compared to plasmid footprints, to validate physiological mimicry ex vivo. Ongoing studies examining the physiological conditions regulating G4 stability and function include moving from plasmid to in cell DMS footprinting in order to most completely identify the physiologic isoform, and to using optimized co-solvents to examine the effects of small molecules ex vivo and better predict active hits for in vitro evaluation. Overall the VEGF and MYC promoter G4 structures are promising therapeutic targets for anti-angiogenic and anti-proliferative therapy, respectively. This comprehensive understanding of physiological principles governing the above G4 formation will best inform future drug discovery efforts for these and other oncogenic promoters. Citation Format: Rhianna K. Morgan, Tracy A. Brooks. Physiological mimicry to characterize the average topology of the MYC and VEGF promoter G-quadruplexes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3092.
Body Composition of the Fetus

During the past 100 years several dozen human fetuses and newborns have been analyzed for water, electrolytes, minerals, and fat by chemical techniques. German scientists were the first to make such studies, with several reports in the late 1800s and early 1900s; Americans came on the scene in the 1930s; then in the 1950s British workers, led by Dr. Elsie Widdowson of Cambridge University, began their extensive observations. Dr. Widdowson and Professor R. A. McCance and their associates were responsible for generating a renewed interest in body composition, and together they have produced a vast amount of data on this topic. Much of the data to be presented in this chapter is the direct result of their work.
Heavy-Tailed Transmission Line Restoration Times Observed in Utility Data

The empirical probability distribution of transmission line restoration times is obtained from 14 years of field data from a large utility. The distribution of restoration times has a heavy tail that indicates that long restoration times, although less frequent, routinely occur. The heavy tail differs from the convenient assumption of exponentially distributed restoration times, impacts power system resilience, and makes estimates of the mean restoration time highly variable.
Mediterranean Landscapes: Italians and Greeks in America

This chapter provides an overview of the contributions of several Mediterranean groups in shaping the American landscape. It notes the cultural influence of classical Greek and Roman architecture, and later Italianate architecture, upon America’s public buildings, houses, and religious structures. The spatial distribution of Italian-Americans is discussed. The chapter emphasizes Italian-Americans within northern California, in several cities of New England, and in the greater New York City metropolitan area. The role of Italians in the shaping of California’s wine industry and related landscape is reviewed. Both geographers and landscape historians have noted a paucity of studies of Italian-American ethnic landscapes, and that fact plus the very small number of established Greek communities, limited discussion. Ethnic tourism, shown by the prominence of Little Italys and Greektowns in several cities, is reviewed, as is the religious landscape of Italian neighborhoods.
Reinforcing Zionist ableism in Israeli wheelchair folk dancing

ABSTRACTThis article examines a culturally specific case study of integrated dance. While integrated dance must constantly combat what I termed as disdance to earn legitimacy, each project might do this differently in its particular context. Based on documentary analysis and ethnography, I argue that in the Israeli context, wheelchair folk dancing utilises a Zionist version of ableism to promote cultural approval. The reinforcement of Zionist ableism includes: national hierarchy, militaristic myth, and exclusion of those who fail to represent overcoming. I conclude that public acceptance of Israeli disabled participants as dancers relies on their symbolic status as soldiers and/or overcomers.