cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
National rates, trends and determinants of inpatient surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy in the United States, 1998-2011.

Aim To describe the frequency and temporal trends of inpatient hospitalization for tubal ectopic pregnancy as well as patients' characteristics, determinants and the current national trends in surgical management of ectopic pregnancy. Methods We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of patients who were treated for tubal ectopic pregnancy in an inpatient hospital setting in the United States from 1998 to 2011 using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases. National frequency and significant changes in the rate of surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy in the inpatient setting are described. Results The study included 334 639 tubal ectopic pregnancies for women aged 18-50 in the United States from 1998 to 2011. The rate of tubal ectopic pregnancy (per 10 000 maternal admissions) decreased from 77.2 in 1998 to 40.5 in 2011. The proportion of tubal ectopic pregnancies for which salpingostomy was performed decreased from 17.0% in 1998 to 7.0% in 2011, while the rate of salpingectomy increased from 69.3% in 1998 to 80.9% in 2011. The temporal change in surgical choice was not different in states with comprehensive in vitro fertilization insurance mandates. Conclusion The rate of tubal ectopic pregnancy managed in the inpatient setting in the United States decreased 5% annually between 1998 and 2011. The rate of salpingectomies performed annually increased whereas that of salpingostomy decreased over time. The surgical approach selected for the management of tubal ectopic pregnancies was not influenced by a state's in vitro fertilization mandate status.
Abstract MP56: Social Role Stress, Reward and the American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 in Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation

Introduction: American women can occupy multiple social roles, such as employee, caregiver, mother and spouse during midlife. These roles can be both stressful and rewarding, which may influence ad...
Surface Area and Porosity Changes in Iron Catalysts During Activation and Initial Use in the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Abstract The impact on iron Fischer-Tropsch catalysts of the variables controlling the initial precipitation, subsequent aging and drying conditions has been detailed. Heat treatment of iron oxyhydroxides causes the surface area to decrease and the major pore size to increase as the temperature increases, both in air and in an inert atmosphere. A shift toward higher temperature stability is seen for the same iron oxyhydroxide when co-precipitated with 6% Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , or ZrO 2 . Samples for characterization are withdrawn from the reactor at increasing time intervals during pretreatment and exposure to synthesis gas. Surface area decrease and pore size increase are also observed during pretreatment with CO at 260°C and 100 psi. and during the initial days of reaction under CO/H 2 . The major changes appear to occur during pretreatment and in the very early stages of the reaction. The effects of added promoter (s) also impact the area and/or porosity of the materials. The area and pore size distributions have shown systematic changes during increasing exposure to synthesis gas.
Evaluation of two σ2 PET tracers in mouse and human breast tumors

112 Objectives: F-18 and C-11 labeled radiotracers with high affinity and high selectivity for σ2 receptors have the potential to be useful for imaging of the proliferative status of solid tumors using PET. N-(4-(6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)butyl)-2-[11C]methoxy-5-methylbenzamide ([11C]RTC-11) (Ki-σ2 = 10.3 nM, Ki-σ1 = 3078 nM) and N-(4-(6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)butyl)-2-(2-[18F]fluoroethoxy)-5-methylbenzamide ([18F]RTF-18) (Ki-σ2 = 6.95 nM, Ki-σ1 = 330 nM) are PET radiotracers having a high affinity and selectivity for σ2 receptors. We previously evaluated these radiotracers on EMT-6 cells line. The goal of this study was to evaluated these two PET tracers in xenografts of the human breast tumor cell line, MDA MB-435, and to compare the results with the data obtained EMT-6 tumors. Methods: [11C]RTC-11 was synthesized by O-alkylation of the corresponding ortho phenol with [11C]methyl iodide. The 18F-labeled [18F]RTF-18, was obtained via microwave irradiation of the corresponding mesylate with [18F]/F-. Biodistribution studies were conducted on female athymic nude mice bearing MDA MB-435 tumors and female Balb/c mice bearing EMT-6 tumor. Animals were injected with either ~ 12 uCi / 150ul of [18F]RTF-18 or 220 ~ 250 uCi/ 150 ul of 11C]RTC-11 and were sacrificed at 5 min, 30 min, 60 min and 120 min post-i.v. injection. Blocking studies were performed by co-injection of radiotracer with YUN-143. Imaging studies were conducted with the microPET Focus 220 scanner and the microCAT-II for co-registration purposes. The imaging data were acquired at 1.0 hr post injection of radiotracers. Results: [11C]RTC-11 and [18F]RTF-18 gave very similar uptake in both tumor cell models. Both tracers gave high tumor uptake( at 1.0 hr, ~1.1 %I.D./gram for [11C]RTC-11, ~2.0% I.D./gram for 18F]RTF-18 in MDA MB-435) and suitable tumor : background ratios. MicroPET imaging studies demonstrated clear visualization of the tumors at 1 hr post-injection of the radiotracer. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that both [11C]RTC-11 and [18F]RTF-18 can potentially be used in PET imaging studies measuring the σ2 receptor status of breast tumors. Additional studies in other human tumor cell lines are currently under investigation. Research Support (if any): NIH CA102869
The elimination of spurious data in the process of preliminary and definitive orbit determination

Since the advent of high-precision electronic and electro-optical instruments, considerable research has been carried out in new methods of preliminary orbit determination. Early procedures for processing mini-track, pulsedradar, and Baker-Nunn camera data are briefly summarized. A more novel method, employing high-accuracy, range-rate data together with low-accuracy, angle data is also presented and its application to a recent Ranger lunar probe orbit, as observed by Goldstone, is noted.
Martin to Brown: How time and platform impact coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement

The rise of the modern Black Lives Matter movement can be traced back to two key events, the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin and the 2014 death of Michael Brown. Research routinely showed that mainstr...
β-Lithiations of carboxamides. Synthesis of β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated amides

N-Methyl-2-methyl-3-(benzotriazol-l-yl)propanamide, on treatment with butyllithium forms a dianion which on treatment with alkyl and benzyl halides, aldehydes and ketones affords monosubstituted products; with ethyl p-toluate, a lactam is formed. The alkylated derivatives eliminate benzotriazole in the presence of base to afford trisubstituted α,β-unsaturated amides.
Update on Glycemic Control for the Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common, complex condition that has become a significant public health problem. The beneficial effects of intensive glycemic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus on development of DKD are proven; however, the evidence for nephroprotection in patients with type 2 diabetes is conflicting. Moreover, a strategy of intensive glycemic control increases the risk for adverse effects (hypoglycemic episodes) with no obvious impact on macrovascular events or mortality in recent large randomized controlled trials. The risk for hypoglycemia with intensive therapy is heightened in patients with significant renal dysfunction, due to decreased renal clearance of insulin. Establishing an ideal level of glycemic control in patients requires an individualized approach taking into account duration of diabetes and presence of coexisting comorbidities and pre-existing DKD. In this article, we review the available evidence from both observational studies and randomized controlled trials and provide suggestions about evaluating the potential benefits and harm from intensive glycemic control in patients. We also discuss how in the future, a personalized approach using biomarkers might help identify patients most likely to respond as well as those most susceptible to harm. We believe that using the optimal level of glycemic control in diabetic patients using a multi-pronged strategy will improve individual patient outcomes and decrease the overall burden of morbidity and mortality.
Single-molecule fluorescence studies of IDPs and IDRs

Abstract Within the arsenal of experimental methods in studying intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), single-molecule fluorescence methods provide unique long-range distance and dynamics information. In this chapter, we discuss recent progress on using single-molecule fluorescence methods for probing both intra- and intermolecular interactions of IDPs. We focus on several aspects, including models for analyzing experimental data, physical principles that can be obtained, and combinations with other experimental methods for a comprehensive view of the structural properties of IDPs.
A case for Race scholarship: A research note

AbstractOver the past 50 years, the relationship of Race and ethnicity with leisure has been examined in many ways. In this article, the authors first recommend that leisure research give attention...
Coexistence and 2 n transfer in even Zr nuclei

In a simple coexistence model, I have examined $2n$ transfer ratios of ${0}^{+}$ states in even Zr nuclei. Results indicate that mixing is small in $^{96}\mathrm{Zr}$, but larger and nearly equal in $^{92,94}\mathrm{Zr}$, with $^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$ slightly larger. The $^{96}\mathrm{Zr}$ result is consistent with earlier analyses of E2 strengths.
Who’s Winning the Public Process? How to Use Public Documents to Assess the Equity, Efficiency, and Effectiveness of Stakeholder Engagement

It is widely recognized that stakeholder engagement processes produce advantages, but few studies acknowledge that they also can produce disadvantages. There is a global need to better assess stake...
Generalizability of reliable change equations for the RBANS over one year in community-dwelling older adults.

Objective: Reliable change methods can assist neuropsychologists in determining whether observed changes in a patient’s performance are clinically meaningful. The current study sought to validate p...
Using spatial characteristics of apex carnivore communication and reproductive behaviors to predict responses to future human development

A growing body of evidence has documented how wildlife alter their behavior in response to human encroachment. For carnivores, behaviors related to reproduction and communication are particularly sensitive to human disturbance and can provide an early warning indicator of development’s negative impacts. Despite the important role carnivores play in an ecosystem, few tools have been developed to anticipate how future human development impacts these behaviors. We developed a set of models to understand spatial relationships between anthropogenic development and puma (Puma concolor) habitat selection for two critical reproductive behaviors: nursery habitat for raising young, and sites for communication with mates. Using geospatial location data from the Santa Cruz Mountains in California, USA, we found that female pumas use small nursery home ranges (9 km2 ± 1.72 SE) of predominantly natural habitat, potentially with low levels of human development (< 1 housing unit per 40 acres), when supporting kittens < 8 weeks old. Areas immediately surrounding (≤ 600 m) puma communication sites were also almost entirely composed of undeveloped habitat or low-density development. When modeling projected human development compared to current land use, we found that increases in human development may eliminate 20% of current puma nursery habitat and nearly 50% of current communication site habitat. Future development will also increase the patchiness of suitable habitat, intensifying the difficulty of locating and accessing suitable areas for nurseries and communication. Focusing on the habitat needed to support reproductive and communication behaviors may be an effective way to prioritize conservation planning for pumas and other apex carnivores.
Demystifying Emergent Intelligence and Its Effect on Performance In Large Robot Swarms

We investigate the emergence of swarm intelligence using task allocation in large robot swarms. First, we compare task decomposition graphs of different levels of richness and measure the emergent intelligence arising from self-organized task allocation by deriving STOCH-N1, a stochastic allocation algorithm which contextualizes per-robot task allocation decisions based on a previous task's neighborhood within the graph. The results are compared to other state of the art algorithms. Second, we derive MAT-OPT: a greedy algorithm that optimally solves the swarm task allocation problem by representing the swarm's task allocation space as a matroid under some restrictive assumptions. We compare the MAT-OPT allocation method, which disregards task dependencies, with STOCH-N1, which emphasizes collective learning of graph structure (including dependencies). Results from an object gathering task show that swarm emergent intelligence (1) is sensitive to the richness of task decomposition graphs (2) is positively correlated with performance, (3) arises out of learning and exploitation of graph connectivity and structure, rather than graph content.
Somatostatin Receptor Scintigraphy: Blazing in Indium and Quenching in Gallium (perspective on “Somatostatin Receptor Scintigraphy with Indium-111-DTPA-D-Phe-1-Octreotide in Man: Metabolism, Dosimetry and Comparison with Iodine-123-Tyr-3-Octreotide” J Nucl Med. 1992;33:652–658)

In contemplating peer-reviewed information and the business of science divulgation, in which we all are immersed, one may wonder what legacy a very quoted article will hand down to posterity and what core of knowledge will stand the tests of time, of fashion, and of planned obsolescence of
The Effect of the Need for Subsequent Seasoned Equity Offerings on Earnings Management Motivation

Several previous studies have discussed the differential market reaction to Seasoned Equity Offerings (SEOs) which were issued at different frequencies and in different sequences. We explore an additional aspect to this issue. We have attempted to study the impact of the need for subsequent SEOs on the managerial motivation to manage earnings. We hypothesize that those firms with less of a need for subsequent equity issuances are more likely to engage in “income-increasing” earnings management (EM) prior to their equity issuances. Conversely, equity issuers with more of a need for subsequent equity issuances would be more concerned about the potential impact of current EM on their future reported earnings and therefore would be less likely to manage earnings. Using data from U.S. companies during the period 1984-2014, we find that the level of income-increasing abnormal accruals around equity issuance is negatively related to their need for subsequent equity issuance. These results are consistent with the assumption that firms which have financing need plan not only for the current equity issuance but also for issuances in the near future.
Foucault’s Queer Virgins: An Unfinished History in Fragments

This essay attends to the place of virginity at the center of the fourth volume of Michel Foucault’s History of Sexuality, Confessions of the Flesh. Reading virginity through a rhetorical lens, the essay argues for an ethics and a politics of counter-conduct in Foucault characterized by chiasmus, a rhetorical structure of inverted parallelism. That chiastic structure frames Foucault’s Confessions, and all of his work, as a fragmented, self-hollowing speech haunted by death and the dissolution of the subject. The essay reads Foucault as apophatic speech that returns to us, no longer itself, made strange. In that deathly movement of eternal recurrence, Foucault’s Confessions speak after death from the x’d out place of the queer virgin: on a threshold that separates life from death, in a movement of metanoia or ethical conversion. As an unfinished history in fragments, the essay’s form brings attention to incompletion as a crucial aspect of Foucault’s work. The fragmentation that characterizes an unfinished history underscores poetic discontinuity as the hallmark of Foucault’s genealogical method and thought.
Retaliatory Discharge For Filing a Workers' Compensation Claim in Wyoming

Wyoming workers who file workers’ compensation claims and are subsequently retaliated against may bring an action for retaliatory discharge because such an action is neither precluded by the exclusive remedy rule nor by the employment “at-will” doctrine. As a practical matter, however, such claims still face two unjust barricades: 1) the causation standard is the “substantial and motivating” factor test; 2) the burden shifting mechanism forces employees to prove a negative, and to do so persuasively. While this test is better than the test the United States Supreme Court adopted in Title VII retaliation cases, it should be remodeled after the Wright Line test of labor law. The Wright Line test only requires a motivating factor under the prima facie prong, and it also shifts the burden of persuasion to the employer once the prima facie prong is satisfied. Wyoming should adopt this test because once an employee shows any illegal motive on the employer’s part, the onus should be on the employer to show innocent motive. Further, a strong retaliation test will reinforce the system of workers’ compensation and protect the underlying constitutional right to damages upon an injury. Such an alteration in Wyoming’s test would not run afoul of Wyoming’s intent to strictly construe its workers’ compensation statute, as other states that also strictly construe their workers’ compensation statutes have forceful retaliation jurisprudence. Accordingly, it would be suitable for Wyoming to implement forceful retaliation laws that would protect that right. Additionally, Wyoming looked to Oklahoma, a liberal construction state, when fashioning its retaliation jurisprudence. This shows that Wyoming strongly opposes employer destabilization of the workers’ compensation system through unjust firings.
Private Blame

This paper explores a problem for Michael McKenna’s conversation model of moral responsibility that views blame as characteristically part of a conversational exchange. The problem for this model on which this paper focuses is the problem of private blame. Sometimes when we blame we do so without any intention to engage in a communicative exchange. It is argued that McKenna’s model cannot adequately account for private blame.
Timing of Nerve Recovery After Nerve Grafting in Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Palsy Patients With Isolated Upper Trunk Neuromas.

Background The timing of nerve recovery after nerve grafting in obstetrical brachial plexus palsy patients has not been well reported. One prior study reported a return to baseline function at 3 to 6 months postoperatively. However, there is a paucity of studies to corroborate this timing, and there have been no studies delineating the timeline to obtain clinically meaningful function. Methods OBPP patients with upper trunk neuromas-in-continuity who were treated with resection and sural nerve grafting at a single institution were studied. Time to return to baseline function was assessed by Active Movement Scale (AMS) scores preoperatively and postoperatively. Time to clinically meaningful function, defined as an AMS score of ≥6, was also assessed. Results Eleven patients with isolated upper trunk neuromas-in-continuity underwent excision and reversed sural nerve grafting. Three of 11 patients also underwent spinal accessory to suprascapular nerve transfers. Average age at surgery was 9.8 ± 1.9 months. One patient did not have follow-up data and was excluded. Average follow-up was 37.1 ± 16.8 months. Average return to baseline AMS score was approximately 4 to 8 months for shoulder abduction, shoulder flexion, shoulder external rotation, elbow flexion, and forearm supination. Clinically meaningful function was obtained in most patients between 9 and 15 months. The remaining patients who did not achieve clinically meaningful function had all obtained scores of 5, which reflects less than one half normal range of motion against gravity. Conclusions Nerve recovery after surgical intervention in OBPP patients who undergo resection of an upper trunk neuroma-in-continuity and nerve grafting is more rapid than in adults but longer than previously reported in OBPP literature. This study provides an important data point in delineating the timeline of nerve recovery.
Quantifying nonlinear temporal effects of ethanol preservation on round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) anatomical traits.

Geometric morphometrics provides a powerful means of evaluating differences in phenotypic traits among specimens. However, inferences of trait variability can be confounded when measurements are based on preserved samples. We evaluated effects of ethanol preservation on morphology over a 22-week time period for a Laurentian Great Lakes invasive fish, round goby (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814), using sets of 17 lateral and six dorsal landmarks. We tested whether ethanol preservation affected the magnitude of inter-population variation between individuals collected from lake and river habitats. Generalized least square regression determined that length did not significantly vary through the preservation time series for fish from either population, while mass decreased significantly. Body shape variation was summarized using principal component analysis, which revealed that most preservation-associated changes occurred in the first 14 days. The lateral shape experienced a large magnitude change during the first 24 h in ethanol then only minor changes for the remainder of the study. The dorsal shape began to revert to pre-preservation measurements about 14 days following preservation. Additionally, differences in shape were apparent between the two populations throughout the experiment; however, the magnitude of differences between populations varied depending on whether dorsal or lateral landmarks were considered. Our study demonstrates that tissue responses to ethanol preservation can be more complex than a simple loss of mass, resulting in difficult to predict consequences for geometric morphometric analyses, including variable responses depending on the anatomical region being analyzed.
Hierarchical Object Map Estimation for Efficient and Robust Navigation

We propose a hierarchical representation of objects, where the representation of each object is allowed to change based on the quality of accumulated measurements. We initially estimate each object as a 2D bounding box or a 3D point, encoding only the geometric properties that can be well-constrained using limited viewpoints. With additional measurements, we allow each object to become a higher dimensional 3D volumetric model for improved reconstruction accuracy and collision-testing. Our Hierarchical Object Map Estimation (HOME) is robust to deficiencies in viewpoints and allows planning safe and efficient trajectories around object obstacles using a monocular camera. We demonstrate the advantages of our approach on a real-world TUM dataset and during visual-inertial navigation of a quad-rotor in simulation.
Economic Impact Analysis amid Rapid Change: Challenges, Strategies, and Examples from Defense Communities

This article examines issues in conducting economic impact analyses in regions undergoing substantial or rapid transformations. Economic impact analysis methods, like many other analytical techniques, are predicated on economic stability, yet commonly are applied to situations that violate this condition with little consideration of the implications. Special attention is paid to regional input–output modeling because of its prevalence in economic impact studies and susceptibility to distortions. Advice and suggestions for practitioners and educators teaching analytical techniques are discussed. Military communities in the United States impacted by the 2005 round of base realignments provide illustrative examples and applications.
Capsule Studies Performed in a Tertiary Care Center Versus Community Referrals Prior to Single-Balloon Enteroscopy: Does It Matter?

Within the community, patients with positive capsule endoscopy (CE) are often referred to centers performing balloon-assisted enteroscopy. There is limited data evaluating the concordance and diagnostic/therapeutic yield of CE performed in the community versus CE conducted at institutions experienced with enteroscopy. The primary aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the concordance between CE and SBE after CE was performed either in the community or at our tertiary care center. A total of 141 patients were analyzed after selecting patients undergoing evaluation of obscure GI bleeding from January 2010 to May 2014. Forty-seven CE were performed inside and the remaining 94 CE were performed at outside institutions prior to single-balloon enteroscopy at our institution. Agreement beyond chance was evaluated using kappa coefficient. A p value <5 % was considered significant. The most frequent findings on CE were vascular lesions in 39 patients (41.5 %) within the referral group and 23 within inside patients (48.9 %), followed by active bleeding/clots in 23 patients (24.5 %) and in 14 patients (29.8 %) respectively. There was a fair degree of concordance in the referral group for vascular lesions 0.23 (0.03–0.42) compared to a good degree in the inside group 0.65 (0.44–0.87). Fair agreement was found looking at ulcers within the referral group 0.29 (0.06–0.65) compared to a moderate agreement in the inside group 0.55 (0.17–0.94). Degree of concordance for vascular lesions and ulcers was significantly higher for patients undergoing CE at our institution compared to those referred from the community. Patients referred to tertiary care centers for balloon-assisted enteroscopy may benefit from advanced endoscopists re-reading the capsule findings or even potentially repeating CE in hemodynamically stable patients if the study is not available.
Organometals and brain development

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews some of the evidence on the neurotoxicity of the organometals methyl mercury, trimethyl tin, and trimethyl lead. Organometals were chosen because they may represent the most toxic forms of the heavy metals and also because they either have or may become serious environmental hazards. Methyl mercury was selected because it is associated with the most important examples of human environmental intoxication and also because it exerts its maximum effect during the perinatal period, which may be the most sensitive period of the nervous system to the action of neurotoxic chemicals. The study of the mechanisms of neurotoxicity and their relationship to behavioral changes is intimately involved in the question of neurobiological function and behavioral expression. The field of neuroscience owes its rapid development to the fact that researchers have been willing to cross disciplinary lines to investigate the functions of the nervous system. It is believed that through the continued investigations of animal models of perinatal neurotoxicity and concurrent human studies, safeguarding of the health of human populations can be achieved.
The economic effect of efficiency programs on energy consumers and producers

An increase in the efficiency of natural gas fired residential appliances allows users to realize the same level of service, heating water for example, while using less natural gas. In addition to this technological benefit to the residential sector, the reduced demand for natural gas depresses the price of natural gas, resulting in pecuniary gains to other energy consumers and pecuniary losses to energy producers. The question we address in this study is whether purely pecuniary effects, those that follow from the price changes elicited by lower usage of natural gas, should enter the debate concerning the implementation of energy efficiency programs. To that end, we explore the price and social welfare impacts of natural gas energy efficiency standards by evaluating the impacts of a specific efficiency standard using the National Energy Modeling System. Our analysis indicates that purely pecuniary losses to producers are largely offset by pecuniary benefits to consumers. Our analysis also provides useful insight into the sources of these benefits and losses. Although our results are based on a specific model and efficiency standard, we believe that the results generalize to other efficiency programs and would be reproduced using other energy models.
A transgenic mouse model that is useful for analyzing cellular and geographic differentiation of the intestine during fetal development.

Abstract Regional as well as cell-specific differences in gene expression are established and maintained in the perpetually regenerating intestinal epithelium. We have recently linked regions of the 5'-nontranscribed domain of the rat "liver" fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) gene which is normally expressed in both liver and intestine, to a reporter, the human growth hormone (hGH) gene, and examined hGH expression in adult transgenic mice (Sweetser, D. A., Birkenmeier, E. H., Hoppe, P. C., McKeel, D. W., and Gordon, J. I. (1988) Genes Dev. 2, 1318-1332). Our results indicated that cis-acting elements, including an orientation-independent suppressor, could produce a pattern of cellular and geographic expression of hGH which mimics that of the intact, endogenous murine Fabpl gene in both organs. We now show that nucleotides -4000 to +21 of the rat L-FABP gene can direct "appropriate" cell-specific, regional, and temporal expression of the hGH reporter during a period of remarkable cellular expansion, cytodifferentiation, and morphologic transformation of the fetal gut epithelium. These studies also indicate that the polyclonal stem cell population located in the intervillous regions of the late fetal intestine exhibits a different pattern of transgene regulation than does the monoclonally derived crypt stem cell population in adult transgenic mice. Nucleotides -4000 to +21 are not sufficient to reproduce the normal temporal pattern of L-FABP gene activation in liver. Precocious expression of growth hormone in this pedigree of transgenic mice results in early induction of insulin-like growth factor I mRNA accumulation in liver but has no effect on insulin-like growth factor II mRNA levels. In contrast, local synthesis of growth hormone in the small intestine does not influence its insulin-like growth factor I or II mRNA levels.
Verifiable compilation of i/o automata without global synchronization

Part I of this thesis presents a strategy for compiling distributed systems specified in IOA into Java programs running on a group of networked workstations. IOA is a formal language for describing distributed systems as I/O automata. The translation works node-by-node, translating IOA programs into Java classes that communicate using the Message Passing Interface (MPI). The resulting system runs without any global synchronization. We prove that, subject to certain restrictions on the program to be compiled, assumptions on the correctness of hand-coded datatype implementations, and basic assumptions about the behavior of the network, the compilation method preserves safety properties of the IOA program in the generated Java code. We model the generated Java code itself as a threaded, low-level I/O automaton and use a refinement mapping to show that the external behavior of the system is preserved by the translation. The IOA compiler has been implemented at MIT as part of the IOA toolkit. The toolkit supports algorithm design, development, testing, and formal verification using automated tools. The IOA language provides notations for defining both primitive and composite I/O automata. Part II of this thesis describes, both formally and with examples, the constraints on these definitions, the composability requirements for the components of a composite automaton, and the transformation a definition of a composite automaton into a definition of an equivalent primitive automaton. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Variation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase Activities during Rat Liver Regeneration

Abstract During rat liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy, the 3.4 S DNA polymerase activity in both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions remains relatively constant while the 6 to 8 S DNA polymerase activities in the cytoplasmic fraction increase 6- to 7-fold.
Insertion of a New Transcriptional Unit into the Genome of Mouse Hepatitis Virus

The subgenomic mRNAs of the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) are composed of a leader sequence, identical to the 5' 70 nucleotides of the genome, joined at distant downstream sites to a stretch of sequence that is identical to the 3' end of the genome. The points of fusion occur at intergenic sequences (IGSs), loci on the genome that contain a tract of sequence homologous to the 3' end of the leader RNA. We have constructed a mutant of MHV-A59 containing an extra IGS inserted into the genome immediately downstream of the 3'-most gene, that encoding the nucleocapsid (N) protein. We show that in cells infected with the mutant, there is synthesis of an additional leader-containing subgenomic RNA of the predicted size. Our study demonstrates that (i) an IGS can be a sufficient cis-acting element to dictate MHV transcription, (ii) the relative efficiency of an IGS must be influenced by factors other than the nucleotides immediately adjacent to the 5'AAUCUAAAC3' core consensus sequence or its position relative to the 3' end of the genome, (iii) a downstream IGS can exert a polar attenuating effect on upstream IGSs, and (iv) unknown factors prevent the insertion of large exogenous elements between the N gene and the 3' untranslated region of MHV. These results confirm and extend conclusions previously derived from the analysis of defective interfering RNAs.
Stanley Kubrick: new perspectives

While doing research in the Stanley Kubrick Archive (SKA) at the University of the Arts London last year, I kept having one recurring thought: Stanley Kubrick saved everything. All manner of corres...
Real-time synthesis of linear state observers using a multilayer recurrent neural network

Presents a multilayer recurrent neural network for real-time synthesis of asymptotic state observers for linear dynamical systems. The proposed recurrent neural network is composed of two layers of artificial neurons. By solving two matrix equations using the two-layer recurrent neural network, the proposed recurrent neural network is able to determine the output gain matrix of a Luenberger (asymptotic) state observer in real time. The proposed multilayer recurrent neural network is shown to be capable of synthesizing asymptotic state observers with prespecified poles for linear time-varying dynamic systems. The operating characteristics of the recurrent neural network for state observation are demonstrated by use of two illustrative examples. >
Synthesis of Stable, Low-Dispersity Copper Nanoparticles and Nanorods and Their Antifungal and Catalytic Properties

Low-polydispersity copper nanoparticles (NPs) and nanorods (NRs) were synthesized by thermal decomposition of copper(II) acetylacetonate precursors in the presence of surfactants. Exchange of weakly bound alkylamine ligands for alkanethiols increased the stability of the NPs and, depending on the thiols’ terminal functionality, rendered them soluble in organic solvents or in water. The water-soluble nanoparticles stabilized with positively charged thiols exhibited long-term (months) stability and antifungal properties. The NPs and NRs stabilized with weakly bound alkylamine ligands are catalytically active in alkyne coupling reactions.
Approach to model order reduction for angular response calculations in periodic structures

A framework for implementing model order techniques for periodic structure analysis is presented. Appropriate choice of the problem formulation, in combination with straightforward Pade approximations, permit the entire angular response to be extrapolated from the solution at a single aspect angle.
Quantitative contribution of factors regulating rat colonic crypt epithelium: role of parenteral and enteral feeding, caloric intake, dietary cellulose level and the colon carcinogen DMH.

. To elucidate the role and quantitative contribution of several exogenous factors which may regulate colon crypt mitotic activity, proliferative zone height (PZH) and crypt height, groups of rats were subjected to various feeding regimens both with and without treatment with the colon carcinogen, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). The rats were divided into two major groups and one group was given eight weekly injections of DMH base at 9·5 mg kg-1 body weight. Throughout this period and for two additional weeks the rats were isocalorically fed either a defined nutritionally complete diet with different levels of dietary cellulose or they were parenterally (i.v.) fed a nutritionally complete liquid formula with different caloric levels. The rats were then injected with colchicine 3 h prior to sacrifice to arrest and to collect dividing cells at metaphase. The results of multiple regression analysis of all data were interpreted to indicate that parenteral feeding caused dramatic suppression of the colon crypt height (CH) and of the number of metaphase figures per crypt (MC). Increased cellulose intake stimulated CH but suppressed MC. The CH was also stimulated by DMH. CH was positively correlated to PZH and MC. The MC was suppressed by cellulose intake and negatively correlated to PZH but was positively correlated to CH. The PZH was positively correlated to CH. These findings were related to the role of luminal food, functional workload, kcal intake and treatment with DMH on the measured colon crypt parameters. A quantitative assessment of factors that regulate the measured colonic crypt parameters was accomplished.
Presidential Success in the Realm of Foreign Affairs: Institutional Reform and the Role of House Committees*

Objective This analysis focuses on institutional reform and the House foreign policy committees to assess the resurgent-Congress explanation of presidential success in international affairs between 1953–1998. Method Logit models are used to determine the changing effects on presidential success resulting from the support of chairmen and the president's co-partisans on the foreign policy committees due to the 1970s congressional reforms. Results The analysis illustrates differences in the effects of committee leaders and committee co-partisans on roll-call success before and after the reforms. Also, contrasts are found in the effects of the foreign policy panels that differentially influence presidential success. Conclusion The article offers evidence that the institutional reforms that changed the House policy process from one dominated by committee chairs to one responsive to political parties significantly altered presidential success. These findings emphasize the importance of the changing congressional environment in explaining presidential success in foreign policy.
Becoming a Self-Regulated Learner: Which Are the Key Subprocesses?.

Abstract The basic form and purpose of theories of self-regulated learning are described, and the contribution to this general formulation of each article in this special issue of Contemporary Educational Psychology is discussed. The articles focus on different subprocesses in academic self-regulation such as those involved in the self-system, metacognitive functioning, self-verbalization, instructional context management, and socialization of children. Basic research and theory on each process is considered, and a field study indicating a strong relationship between student use of self-regulated learning strategies and their academic achievement is briefly described. It is concluded that self-regulated learning theories have much potential for guiding research on student study patterns and for assisting students to become more self-reliant and effective as learners.
Mothers with self-reported axis I diagnoses and child protection.

Purpose To describe mothers with serious mental illness (SMI) and their children, who are involved with child protective services. Methods : A retrospective review was conducted of 122 files from a large metropolitan Department of Child and Family Services. Findings : The most frequently occurring diagnoses in these mothers were polysubstance dependence (39.3%) and dual diagnoses (mental illness with substance abuse; 19.7%). There was an overrepresentation of African American mothers (60%) compared with the county population and a greater prevalence of child neglect (59.0%) compared with national prevalence. Most mothers and children had been exposed to domestic violence (62.6%). Mental health services were seldom utilized, and foster care was the most common placement (36.5%). Also, there was close spacing of the age of the children, with an average of 1.25 years between siblings. Conclusions : Identifying common descriptive factors of mothers with mental illness can assist in responding to mothers with SMI and their children. There is a need to coordinate services of the Department of Child and Family Service and mental health providers that address parenting and the support of children.
Prostaglandin F levels in endometrial jet wash specimens during the normal human menstrual cycle.

Abstract The Gravlee endometrial jet wash technique has been used to collect uterine fluid in normal human volunteers for Prostaglandin F analysis throughout the human menstrual cycle. Uterine washings so obtained demonstrated a cyclicity in prostaglandin F content with low concentrations found during the proliferative phase and a 3–4 fold rise occurring during the secretory phase. Menstrual fluid prostaglandin F content collected with the jet wash technique gave the highest total concentrations.
Maternal Parenting Behaviors and Coping in African American Children: The Influence of Gender and Stress

We examined the effects of maternal parenting behavior on coping strategies in 200 low-income, African American children (mean age = 10.41) and the role of child gender and economic stress on these effects. Participants completed measures of perceived economic stressors, coping strategies and perceptions of mothers’ parenting behaviors. Regression analyses demonstrated a main effect for maternal support on active coping and support-seeking coping. For boys, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that maternal support and economic stressors interacted to predict active and support-seeking coping. For girls, there was a significant interaction between maternal psychological control and economic stressors in the prediction of avoidant coping. Our results add to the literature on the effects of parent–child relationships on children’s responses to stress.
Heat transfer from pin-fins situated in an oncoming longitudinal flow which turns to crossflow

Abstract Experiments were performed to determine per-fin heat transfer coefficients for pin-fin arrays exposed to a novel airflow arrangement. The flow enters the array longitudinally but, owing to the blocking action of the fin base surface, is forced to turn and exit the array with a predominantly crossflow orientation. Geometric parameters varied during the experiments included the fin height to diameter ratio H D and the inter-fin pitch to diameter ratio S D . For each geometric configuration, the Reynolds number was varied over an order of magnitude. In general, fins situated adjacent to the edges of the array have higher heat transfer coefficients than those situated in the interior of the array. The Nusselt numbers for the edge-adjacent fins are virtually independent of H D and S D when they are correlated with a Reynolds number based on a crossflow velocity. For the interior fins, a Reynolds number based on a longitudinal flow velocity was used to achieve a correlation which was insentitive to H D and S D . The pressure drop across the array was measured and presented in dimensionless form relative to a specially defined velocity head which gave a universal pressure drop result for all operating conditions.
PREVALENCE OF MYOCARDIAL SCAR IN WOMEN WITH SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ISCHEMIA BUT NO OBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE: A REPORT FROM THE WOMEN’S ISCHEMIA SYNDROME EVALUATION

Moderated Poster ContributionsStable Ischemic Heart Disease Moderated Poster Theater, Poster Hall B1Sunday, March 15, 2015, 10:00 a.m.-10:10 a.m.Session Title: Ischemia in Women without Obstructive Coronary Artery DiseaseAbstract Category: 26. Stable Ischemic Heart Disease: ClinicalPresentation Number: 1205M-05Authors: May Bakir, Janet Wei, Louise Thomson, John Petersen, Quanlin Li, Erika Jones, Puja Mehta, Chrisandra Shufelt, Daniel Berman, Eileen Handberg, Sheryl Kelsey, George Sopko, Carl Pepine, C. Noel Bairey Merz, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USABackground: Women with signs and symptoms of ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) have an elevated major adverse cardiac event rate. We evaluated the presence, extent and distribution of scar using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in the Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation.methods: Women (n=344) with signs and symptoms of ischemia and no obstructive CAD underwent 1.5T CMRI LGE. Scans were read blindly for presence and segmental distribution of LGE. Scar size was quantified using Pie Medical Imaging software. LGE type was defined as ischemic when subendocardial or transmural and localized to a coronary artery distribution, and non-ischemic when mid-myocardial or epicardial. Fisher’s exact and two sample t-tests were used for statistical analysis.results: LGE was present in 20 (5.8%) women, including 15 (75%) with ischemic LGE. Women with non-ischemic LGE (n=5) had larger scar size compared to women with ischemic LGE (Table). There were no significant differences in cardiac risk factors among women with no LGE, ischemic LGE, or non-ischemic LGE, and there was no significant correlation between LGE presence and cardiac risk factors.Conclusion: Women with signs and symptoms of ischemia and no obstructive CAD have a 5.8% prevalence of myocardial scar detected by CMRI, with a predominant ischemic LGE pattern. These findings demonstrate that these women can develop irreversible myocardial injury, which may be clinically under-diagnosed.No LGE(n=324)Ischemic LGE(n=15)Non-ischemic LGE(n=5)Age 54 ± 11 years 55 ± 8 years 37 ± 15 yearsBody Mass Index 30 ± 8 32 ± 11 35 ± 7Hypertension 40% 31% 75%Diabetes 11% 14% 50%Dyslipidemia 20% 10% 33%Family History of Coronary Artery Disease 48% 21% 50%Scar pattern n/a4 LAD6 LCX4 RCA1 LAD and RCA3 patchy epicardial1 midmyocardial ASH1 RV insertion pointsScar size n/a 4.83 ± 3.12g* 9.57 ± 6.10g*ASH= asymmetric septal hypertrophy, LAD= left anterior descending artery, LCX= left circumflex artery, LGE= late gadolinium enhancement, RCA= right coronary artery, RV= right ventricular*p=0.0034
Improvements upon the “Colorful Cobalt Catalysis” Demonstration and Evidence for the Presence of an Autocatalytic Mechanism

The oxidation of potassium sodium tartrate by hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by cobalt(II) chloride is a favorite lecture demonstration. I present conditions under which this experiment may be performed without need for 30% hydrogen peroxide and without need for controlled heating or any heating of the reaction mixture. I further show that this reaction is subject to an induction period and that the induction period may be shortened or eliminated by the introduction of one of the reaction products, bicarbonate ion, into the reaction mixture.