cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On geometric ideas which lie at the foundation of quantum theory

Abstract Part I advances the hypothesis that between any two events on the world-line of a particle there can be at most finitely many intermediate events. From this it draws the conclusion that the space-time coordinates of events do not have precise meanings. Part II modifies the Feynman integral in a way which is analogous to the replacement of white noise by Gaussian noise. It thereby obtains a version of the quantum mechanics for a nonrelativistic particle in a potential. In the new discrete quantum theory, space coordinates have probabilistic rather than precise meanings; the energy of a free particle is a bounded operator; and the potential energy is a compact operator. It is argued that the differential scattering cross section for elastic scattering is unchanged when taken in the Born approximation.
Comment on the "dielectric properties of LDPE/Ny6 blends"

Data published by La Mantia et al. [1] on dielectric dispersion and loss in polyethylene/nylon 6 blends are analyzed in terms of dielectric mixture formulae. It is shown that an ohmic interfacial polarization process can not be responsible for the unexpected increase ofe″ ande′ values observed in these blends at high temperatures. The observed phenomena are tentatively attributed to space charge processes at the electrodes or to other defects dipole mechanisms.
Robust Timely Scheduled Optical Burst Switching

The two-way reservation based optical-burst-switching scheme is implemented over existing distributed-control optical-circuit-switching networks through the novel robust timely scheduled reservation protocol to guarantee data delivery and minimize burst blocking while maximizing wavelength utilization.
Glutamate receptor subunit 3 (GluR3) immunoreactivity delineates a subpopulation of parvalbumin-containing interneurons in the rat hippocampus.

Rasmussen's encephalitis is a childhood disease resulting in intractable seizures associated with hippocampal and neocortical inflammation. An autoantibody against the GluR3 subunit of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors is implicated in the pathophysiology of Rasmussen's encephalitis. AMPA receptors mediate excitatory neurotransmission in the brain and contain combinations of four subunits (GluR1-4). Although the distributions of GluR1, GluR2, and GluR4 are known in some detail, the cellular distribution of GluR3 in the mammalian brain remains to be described. We developed and characterized a GluR3-specific monoclonal antibody and quantified the cellular distribution of GluR3 in CA1 of the rat hippocampus. GluR3 immunoreactivity was detected in all pyramidal neurons and astrocytes and in most interneurons. We quantified the intensity of GluR3 immunoreactivity in interneuron subtypes defined by their calcium-binding protein content. GluR3 immunofluorescence, but not GluR1 or GluR2 immunofluorescence, was significantly elevated in somata of parvalbumin-containing interneurons compared to pyramidal somata. Strikingly, increased GluR3 immunofluorescence was not observed in calbindin- and calretinin-containing interneurons. Furthermore, 24% of parvalbumin-containing interneurons could be distinguished from surrounding neurons based on their intense GluR3 immunoreactivity. This subpopulation had significantly elevated GluR3 immunoreactivity compared to the rest of parvalbumin-containing interneurons. Electron microscopy revealed enriched GluR3 immunoreactivity in parvalbumin-containing perikarya at cytoplasmic and postsynaptic sites. Parvalbumin-containing interneurons, potent inhibitors of cortical pyramidal neurons, are vulnerable in the brains of epileptic patients. Our findings suggest that the somata of these interneurons are enriched in GluR3, which may render them vulnerable to pathological states such as epilepsy and Rasmussen's encephalitis.
Hemodynamics of Ulcerated Plaques: Before and After

The hemodynamics and fluid mechanical forces in blood vessels have long been implicated in the deposition and growth of atherosclerotic plaque. Detailed information about the hemodynamics in vessels affected by significant plaque deposits can also provide insight into the mechanisms and likelihood of plaque weakening and rupture. In the current study, the governing equations are solved in their finite volume formulation in several patient-specific stenotic geometries. Of specific interest are the flow patterns and forces near ulcerations in the plaque. The flow patterns and forces in vessels with ulcerated plaques are compared with those in stenotic vessels without evidence of ulceration and to the hemodynamics in the same vessels as they likely appeared prior to ulceration. Hemodynamics "before" and "after" hemorrhage may suggest fluid mechanical and morphological factors of diagnostic and predictive value. Recirculation zones, vortex shedding, and secondary flows are captured by both laminar and turbulent solutions. The forces on vessel walls are shown to correlate with unstable plaque deposits. Performing before and after studies of vessels in long-term radiology studies may illuminate mechanisms of hemorrhage and other vessel remodeling.
Holding of juvenile salmonids for surgical implantation of electronic tags: a review and recommendations

Many telemetry-based studies require that fish be sampled from the wild and then held both prior to and after the implantation of an electronic tag. However, the effects of such holding (or the lack thereof) have yet to be studied intensively. Pre-surgical holding often occurs to facilitate logistical needs of research projects and as an attempt to minimize negative physiological effects due to capture and handling stress. Further, post-surgical holding time and conditions greatly influence the physiological state of fish prior to being returned to the wild. This paper reviews pertinent studies pertaining to the effects of surgical holding on the behavior, physiology, and survival of fishes, with particular emphasis on juvenile salmonids. The effects of individual aspects of surgical holding such as handling, water quality, light conditions, holding density, metabolic scope, and duration of holding are reviewed. Recommendations regarding certain aspects of surgical holding are offered with a goal of reducing bias related to the surgical process.
A 13-Year-Old Girl With Headaches While Voiding

Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. Presented during the Section on Emergency Medicine Emergi-Quiz Case Competition at the 2007 American Academy of Pediatric National Convention and Exposition, San Francisco, CA, October 2007 Reprint requests and correspondence: Cara Doughty, MD, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College o Medicine, 6621 Fannin MC 1-1481, Houston, TX 77030. (E-mail: cbdought@texaschildrenshospital.org) The patient is a previously well 13-year-old female who presents to the emergency department (ED) with intermittent headaches for 2 years. The headaches initially occurred sporadically but have progressed in frequency and severity for the past several months to daily headaches that occur after every void, beginning 1 minute after urination, remaining severe for about 3 minutes, then subsiding to a severity of 2/10 until subsequent urination. Two days before presentation, the headaches became more severe, localized to the occipital region, and were accompanied by nausea and tingling of her hands and feet. The patient reports photophobia, phonophobia, and palpitations during the headaches but does not describe an aura. She reports no vertigo, visual changes, fever, weight loss, upper respiratory symptoms, change in urinary frequency or amount, rash, or association with menstruation. She has no headaches with bowel movements. The patient has sought medical attention for these headaches in the past, and prior evaluation included computed tomography (CT) of the head without contrast, an electrocardiogram, Holter monitor, and thyroid studies, all of which were unremarkable. Her medical history is unremarkable, and she has had no hospitalizations or surgeries. She underwent menarche at age 12, and her last menstrual period was 3 weeks ago. She takes acetaminophen and ibuprofen as needed for pain. There are no known drug allergies. Her immunizations are current. The patient lives with her parents, 2 siblings, and a dog. She attends the seventh grade, is an A student, and likes school. There are no recent sick contacts. The patient has not traveled recently. The family medical history is positive for a cousin and an aunt with migraines. Her father had febrile seizures as a child. There is also a family history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and skin cancer. The physical examination revealed a well-appearing female in no acute distress. Vital signs included a temperature of 96.9°F, heart rate of 121 per minute,
Experimental evaluation of polyurethane foam composites for low-heating-rate thermal protection.

Polyurethane foam composites for low heating rate thermal protection, noting astroquartz fiber additive effect on performance
Brief report: Changing perspectives on aging and intelligence: An empirical update

This study updated the examination of a four-phase, chronological progression model of published research perspectives on aging and intelligence. Phase I research emphasized the inevitable decline of intelligence during adulthood. Phase II research described aging intelligence as a complex multidirectional process with different functions increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable across the life span. Phase III research entailed interventions to enhance aging intelligence. Phase IV research viewed intelligence as continuing to develop and improve throughout adulthood. It was hypothesized that Phase I and Phase II research would decrease during 1986–1995 compared to 1966–1975 and 1976–1985, while Phase III and Phase IV research production would increase in 1986–1995 compared to the previous two decades. A review of 277 articles and 50 dissertations supported the predicted evolution from the unidirectional inevitable decline model toward perspectives describing the plasticity of adult intelligence and the further development and improvement of intelligence across adulthood.
Regular Article: A PDE-Based Fast Local Level Set Method

We develop a fast method to localize the level set method of Osher and Sethian (1988, J. Comput. Phys.79, 12) and address two important issues that are intrinsic to the level set method: (a) how to extend a quantity that is given only on the interface to a neighborhood of the interface; (b) how to reset the level set function to be a signed distance function to the interface efficiently without appreciably moving the interface. This fast local level set method reduces the computational effort by one order of magnitude, works in as much generality as the original one, and is conceptually simple and easy to implement. Our approach differs from previous related works in that we extract all the information needed from the level set function (or functions in multiphase flow) and do not need to find explicitly the location of the interface in the space domain. The complexity of our method to do tasks such as extension and distance reinitialization is O(N), where N is the number of points in space, not O(N log N) as in works by Sethian (1996, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 93, 1591) and Helmsen and co-workers (1996, SPIE Microlithography IX, p. 253). This complexity estimation is also valid for quite general geometrically based front motion for our localized method.
Degree of relative influence for consensus-type networks

In this work, a novel metric is introduced in order to measure the influence of one subgroup of agents on another in consensus-type networks. The measure is solely graph-depended and its value can be calculated from the normalized eigenvector corresponding to the second smallest eigenvalue of graph Laplacian, known as the Fiedler vector and widely used in graph partitioning algorithms. We also examine this metric for the influenced consensus model where external agents could attach to the network in order to influence the evolution of the agents' states. It is shown that the proposed metric is similar to a network centrality measure, capable of quantifying the effectiveness of the network attachment. As such, leader selection scenario is subsequently investigated via this metric.
State-space estimation with uncertain data: finite and infinite-horizon results

Develops a robust estimation procedure for state-space models with parametric uncertainties. Compared with existing robust filters, the proposed filter performs data regularization rather than de-regularization. It is shown that, under certain stabilizability and detectability conditions, the steady-state filter is stable and that, for quadratically-stable models, it guarantees a bounded error variance.
Neurotrophin-3 regulates ribbon synapse density in the cochlea and induces synapse regeneration after acoustic trauma

Neurotrophin-3 (Ntf3) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) are critical for sensory neuron survival and establishment of neuronal projections to sensory epithelia in the embryonic inner ear, but their postnatal functions remain poorly understood. Using cell-specific inducible gene recombination in mice we found that, in the postnatal inner ear, Bbnf and Ntf3 are required for the formation and maintenance of hair cell ribbon synapses in the vestibular and cochlear epithelia, respectively. We also show that supporting cells in these epithelia are the key endogenous source of the neurotrophins. Using a new hair cell CreER(T) line with mosaic expression, we also found that Ntf3's effect on cochlear synaptogenesis is highly localized. Moreover, supporting cell-derived Ntf3, but not Bbnf, promoted recovery of cochlear function and ribbon synapse regeneration after acoustic trauma. These results indicate that glial-derived neurotrophins play critical roles in inner ear synapse density and synaptic regeneration after injury.
Influence of psychosocial stress and personality type on the biomechanical loading of neck and shoulder muscles

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of individual personality on the biomechanical response of neck and shoulder muscles to physical and psychosocial demands. Eighteen healthy male participants performed isometric pulling exertions in a semi-standing posture in the presence and absence of mentally demanding tasks. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to quantify biomechanical response of neck and shoulder muscles, and the NASA Task Load Index (TLX) was used for subjective workload assessment. The effect of individual personality as a potential modifier was evaluated by classifying participants into thinking and feeling personality types. Mentally demanding tasks performed prior to the physical exertions significantly affected the muscle loading during the physical exertion. Activation of the shoulder as well as neck muscles increased with the addition of mental stress. Higher workload scores for mental and temporal demands, and frustration were reported by the participants during combined physical and mental tasks. In general, participants with feeling personality showed higher increase in the muscle activation level than participants with thinking personality corresponding to identical mental and physical demands, which indicate that response to mental stress during physically demanding tasks seems to be mediated by the individual personality. Relevance to industry Work environments in modern work places, with strong emphasis on efficiency, competitiveness, and downsizing, are characterized by a combination of physical and psychosocial demands. Individual factors such as personality traits are known to interact with these work-related factors to reconcile or aggravate the body's biomechanical response, yet the interacting effect of these factors on muscular loading is not clearly understood. The results of this study indicate that certain personalities are more vulnerable than others to increased muscle loading in response to mental stress during physically demanding tasks.
Wavefront healing: a banana–doughnut perspective

SUMMARY Wavefront healing is a ubiquitous diffraction phenomenon that affects cross-correlation traveltime measurements, whenever the scale of the 3-D variations in wave speed is comparable to the characteristic wavelength of the waves. We conduct a theoretical and numerical analysis of this finite-frequency phenomenon, using a 3-D pseudospectral code to compute and measure synthetic pressure-response waveforms and ‘ground truth’ cross-correlation traveltimes at various distances behind a smooth, spherical anomaly in an otherwise homogeneous acoustic medium. Wavefront healing is ignored in traveltime tomographic inversions based upon linearized geometrical ray theory, in as much as it is strictly an infinite-frequency approximation. In contrast, a 3-D banana‐doughnut
SALIVARY GLAND TUMORS TREATED WITH ADJUVANT INTENSITY-MODULATED RADIOTHERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT CONCURRENT CHEMOTHERAPY

Purpose To analyze the recent single-institution experience of patients with salivary gland tumors who had undergone adjuvant intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), with or without concurrent chemotherapy. Patients and Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 35 salivary gland carcinoma patients treated primarily at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute between 2005 and 2010 with surgery and adjuvant IMRT. The primary endpoints were local control, progression-free survival, and overall survival. The secondary endpoints were acute and chronic toxicity. The median follow-up was 2.3 years (interquartile range, 1.2–2.8) among the surviving patients. Results The histologic types included adenoid cystic carcinoma in 15 (43%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma in 6 (17%), adenocarcinoma in 3 (9%), acinic cell carcinoma in 3 (9%), and other in 8 (23%). The primary sites were the parotid gland in 17 (49%), submandibular glands in 6 (17%), tongue in 4 (11%), palate in 4 (11%), and other in 4 (11%). The median radiation dose was 66 Gy, and 22 patients (63%) received CRT. The most common chemotherapy regimen was carboplatin and paclitaxel (n = 14, 64%). A trend was seen for patients undergoing CRT to have more adverse prognostic factors, including Stage T3-T4 disease (CRT, n = 12, 55% vs. n = 4, 31%, p = .29), nodal positivity (CRT, n = 8, 36% vs. n = 1, 8%, p = .10), and positive margins (n = 13, 59% vs. n = 5, 38%, p = .30). One patient who had undergone CRT developed an in-field recurrence, resulting in an overall actuarial 3-year local control rate of 92%. Five patients (14%) developed distant metastases (1 who had undergone IMRT only and 4 who had undergone CRT). Acute Grade 3 mucositis, esophagitis, and dermatitis occurred in 8%, 8%, and 8% (1 each) of IMRT patients and in 18%, 5%, and 14% (4, 1, and 3 patients) of the CRT group, respectively. No acute Grade 4 toxicity occurred. The most common late toxicity was Grade 1 xerostomia (n = 8, 23%). Conclusions Treatment of salivary gland malignancies with postoperative IMRT was well tolerated with a high rate of local control. Chemoradiotherapy resulted in excellent local control in a subgroup of patients with adverse prognostic factors and might be warranted in select patients.
Overexpression of inducible heat shock protein 70 and its mutants in astrocytes is associated with maintenance of mitochondrial physiology during glucose deprivation stress.

Wild-type inducible Hsp70 (WT) and 2 folding deficient mutants protect the brain against focal cerebral ischemia in vivo and brain cells from oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro, but the protective mechanisms remain unclear. Mitochondria are central to both normal physiological function and the regulation of cell death. We tested the effect of overexpressing Hsp70 and 2 mutants, Hsp70-K71E, an adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase)-deficient point mutant, and Hsp70-381–640, a deletion mutant lacking the ATPase domain on mitochondrial physiology under glucose deprivation (GD) stress in primary cultured astrocytes. Mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed using a potentiometric fluorescent dye tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester (TMRE). By 5 hours of GD, the mitochondria in the LXSN control transfected astrocytes had markedly reduced membrane potential. However, in the Hsp70-WT, -K71E, and -381–640 groups, there was no apparent change in TMRE signal during 5 hours of GD. Oxygen consumption was measured to assess oxidative respiration. Overexpression of Hsp70-K71E and -381–640 prevented the decrease in state III respiration observed at 5 hours, and all 3 prevented the increase in state IV respiration found in LXSN controls after 5 hours of GD. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was assessed with hydroethidine. Hsp70 and its mutants all significantly reduced the increases in ROS accumulation during 5 hours of GD. The results demonstrate that the protective effect of the carboxyl-terminal half of Hsp70 and of the full-length molecule is associated with better maintained mitochondrial membrane potential, better maintained state IV respiration, and reduced ROS generation during GD.
Use of T cell receptor/HLA-DRB1*04 molecular modeling to predict site-specific interactions for the DR shared epitope associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective. To use molecular modeling tools to analyze the potential structural basis for the genetic association of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) “shared epitope,” a set of conserved amino acid residues in the third hypervariable region of the DRβ chain. Methods. Homology model building techniques were used to construct molecular models of the arthritis-associated DRB1*0404 molecule and a T cell receptor (TCR) from T cell clone EM025, which is specific for DR4 molecules containing the shared epitope sequence. Interactive graphics techniques were used to orient the TCR on the DR molecule, guided by surface complementarity analysis. Results. The predicted TCR-MHC-peptide complex involved multiple interactions and specificity for the shared epitope. TCR residues CDR1β D30, CDR2β N51, and CDR3β Q97 were positioned to potentially participate in hydrogen bond interactions with the shared epitope DRβ residues Q70 and R71. Conclusion. These results suggest a structural mechanism in which specific TCR recognition and possibly Vβ selection are directly influenced by the disease-associated MHC polymorphisms.
Choice‐making, Expectations, and Treatment Positivity: How and When Choosing Shapes Aversive Experiences

Every day we use products and treatments with unknown but expected effects, such as using medication to manage pain. In many cases, we have a choice over which products or treatments to use; however, in other cases, people choose for us or choices are unavailable. Does choosing (versus not choosing) have implications for how a product or treatment is experienced? The current experiments examined the role of choice-making in facilitating so-called expectation assimilation effects�or situations in which a person's experiences (e.g., discomfort and pain) are evaluated in a manner consistent with their expectations. In Experiment 1, participants were initially exposed to a baseline set of aversive stimuli (i.e., sounds). Next, some participants were given expectations for two �treatments� (i.e., changes in screen display) that could ostensibly reduce discomfort. Critically, participants were either given a choice or not about which of the two treatments they preferred. Participants in a control condition were not provided with treatment expectations. Results revealed that discomfort experiences assimilated to expectations only when participants were provided with choice. Experiment 2 replicated this finding and provided evidence against the idea that demand characteristics and choice-making unrelated to the core task (i.e., choices without associated expectations) could account for the results. Further, Experiment 2 showed that choosing reduced discomfort because of increased positivity about the treatment. Results are discussed in the context of extant research on choice-making and expectation effects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The IgE Receptor of Mast Cells and Basophils

Mast cells and basophils express large numbers of surface receptors which bind homologous IgE with high affinity (KA> 1010 M-1). The IgE-receptor is not as species-specific as previously suspected. Apposition of adjacent IgE receptors is the critical event initiating histamine release, although the mechanisms by which receptor bridging activates the cell are not clear. Each IgE receptor appears to be composed of one 50000 Mr α-chain, one 32000 Mr s-chain, and two 9000 Mr γ-chains. The heavily glycosylated α-component binds IgE, can be labeled by surface iodination, and is phosphorylated in response to antigenic cross-linking of receptors (Hempstead et al., PNAS 80: 3050 ’83). Recent data (F.-T. Liu et al., PNAS 82:4100, 1985) show that a 31000 Mr protein resembling s-chain also binds to IgE and anti-receptor antibodies and has a proline-rich N-terminus.
Bayesian Dynamic Pricing with Unknown Customer Willingness-to-Pay and Limited Inventory

We consider a stylized dynamic pricing problem with an unknown distribution of customer willingness-to-pay (WTP) and limited inventory. The seller learns customers' WTP from their binary purchase decisions, where the posted price serves as an either left- or right-censoring point of the customer's WTP. The problem is formulated as a finite-horizon Bayesian dynamic program. We find that better information always improves revenue performance, but learning may bring a negative value when inventory level becomes low. A derivative approximation heuristic is devised for numerically solving the problem. We further develop a performance bound to compare our proposed heuristic with other benchmark heuristics. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our heuristic consistently outperforms others.
Invited Review: Getting more information from your grazing research beyond cattle performance1,2

ABSTRACT Research examining the nutrition of grazing ruminants can be a rewarding career; however, this type of science possesses great challenges. Grazing research requires the scientist to make many assumptions, deal with great variability across a landscape, and carefully plan and manage unknown effects and finally produce a published experiment that has applications across an extensive region. Probably the most rewarding aspect to researchers in this field is the ability to collaborate with researchers from other disciplines to evaluate the entire system. The knowledge that can be gained from studying a grazing system with collaborating scientists is valuable beyond a quantifiable number. Animal performance is a function of the soil–plant–animal–climate interaction with one factor affecting the other. One area of research that has been demonstrated in recent years has been that plant structure and mass will effect instantaneous intake rate and possibly total DMI. Struggles to predict DMI by grazing livestock have not been gifted with high predictive quality; the low prediction quality has probably resulted from minimal characterization of the sward and its integration in predictive models. Furthermore, grazing management affects the other ecological services provided by a landscape. Ecological services are often thought of as just wildlife habitat, but these services also include carbon sequestration, water infiltration and runoff, nutrient management, and food and fuel production for a growing world population. We know that ruminants are significant emitters of methane, and with the current level of interest in climate change, research examining the effects of grazing management on ecological services can possibly be as valuable to producers as animal performance data alone. The only way producers will adapt sustainable grazing systems is if these systems are as profitable as other opportunities for the same land resource. In the future, producers will need data showing the effects of their production systems on other ecological services. Visionary teams of agricultural scientists need to collect these ecological impact data in the present, because the public will be unwilling to wait decades for them to be collected in the future.
Clock Recovery for Nyquist-shaped Signals

Conventional clock phase detectors used in coherent receivers have been shown to perform poorly with Nyquist-shaped signals having very small excess bandwidth. We outline and discuss the latest research on this problem and solutions.
Luminescence-Decay as an Easy-to-Use Tool for the Study of Lanthanide-Containing Catalysts in Aqueous Solutions

Luminescence-decay measurements were studied as a simple and fast technique to determine inner-sphere water coordination numbers of LnIII-based complexes in binary solvent systems that are useful for catalysis. The luminescence-decay rates of EuIII-containing complexes were used to elucidate the coordination environment of EuIII in these solvent systems. Our findings were used to empirically derive easy-to-use equations to determine the average number of inner-sphere water and solvent molecules in binary aqueous solvent systems. The increased knowledge of the inner-sphere coordination environment of catalysts that our equations enable can be used to study lanthanide-catalyzed reactions and new precatalysts.
Metformin Has a Positive Therapeutic Effect on Prostate Cancer in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Abstract Objective Prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) are both common diseases found in the elderly male population. The diabetic drug, metformin, has been shown to have antineoplastic properties and demonstrated better treatment outcomes when used as adjuvant therapy in patients with breast cancer. The hormonally-sensitive cancer analogous to breast cancer in men is prostate cancer. We investigated improved survival, lower risks of recurrences, and lower, more stable levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients with DM2 along with prostate cancer on metformin. Methods Patients with prostate cancer along with DM2 who remained on metformin were compared with controls who were not on metformin matched by age, weight, race and Gleason score cancer staging. The endpoints of our study included final PSA values, number of recurrences, metastases and number living for each group. Results There were significantly fewer deaths (23% versus 10%), fewer recurrences (15% versus 8%), fewer metastases (5% versus 0%) and fewer secondary cancers (17% versus 6%) in the metformin group ( P P = 0.067). The primary treatments for prostate cancer (ie, surgery, radiation and androgen depletion) were found to be comparable in both the groups. Conclusions Our retrospective study shows that adjuvant metformin therapy leads to a better prognosis in prostate cancer. Not only are PSA levels controlled for several years but also there are significantly fewer cancer recurrences in metformin-treated patients. Overall, these results are promising and should be followed up with a prospective study to assess long-term survival.
Enclathration of X@La4 Tetrahedra in Channels of Zn–P Frameworks in La3Zn4P6X (X = Cl, Br)

Two new quaternary lanthanum zinc phosphide-halides were synthesized via high-temperature solid-state reactions. Their complex crystal structures were determined by a combination of X-ray diffraction and advanced solid-state 31P NMR spectroscopy. La3Zn4P6Cl and La3Zn4P6.6Br0.8 share a common structural feature: a polyanionic Zn–P framework with large channels hosting complex one-dimensional cations. The cations are built from X@La4 tetrahedral chains with X = Cl (La3Zn4P6Cl) or Br0.8P0.2 (La3Zn4P6.6Br0.8). The X@La4 tetrahedra share two vertices forming one-dimensional chains. To accommodate larger bromine-containing cations the Zn–P framework is rearranged by breaking and forming several Zn–P and P–P bonds. This results in the formation of a unique [P3]3– cycle, which is isoelectronic to cyclopropane. Analysis of the electron localization and orbital overlaps confirmed the presence of different chemical bonding in the Zn–P networks in the Cl- and Br-containing compounds. La3Zn4P6Cl was predicted to be a ...
Hypertrophien und Geschwülste

Das Keloid, eine vom Korium ausgehende Bindegewebs-hyperplasie, tritt bei entsprechend veranlagten Menschen im Anschlus an eine Wunde, Verbrennung oder Veratzung auf. Klinisch finden wir zwei bis drei Monate nach einer Hautverletzung, gelegentlich auch nach einer Operation, eine stark rot gefarbte, wulstige Erhebung, die strahlige Auslaufer haben kann. Im frischen Stadium juckt das Keloid. Spater blast es ab, bleibt aber immer etwas prominent. Wenn man es excidiert, stellt es sich regelmasig, nur noch groser als zuvor, nach kurzer Zeit wieder ein. Von einer blosen Ausschneidung ist daher abzuraten.
Principals and Blogs: In what ways does blogging support the practices of school principals?

University of Minnesota Ed.D. dissertation. January 2011. Major: Educational Policy and Administration. Advisors: Jennifer York-Barr, Ph.D. and Amy Garrett Dikkers, Ph.D. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 102 pages, appendices A-D.
Abstract 635: Knockdown Of Tyrosine Hydroxylase In The Nucleus Of The Solitary Tract (NTS) Reduces Persistent Increase In Blood Pressure During Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia (CIH)

A2 neurons in caudal NTS express tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine synthesis, and respond to stressors such as hypoxia. We tested the hypothesis that TH knockdown in NTS reduces cardiovascular responses to CIH, an animal model that mimics the arterial hypoxemia observed during sleep apnea in humans. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with radiotelemetry transmitters and adeno-associated viral constructs (GeneDetect, Inc) with a GFP reporter having either short hair-pin RNA for TH (shRNA) or scrambled virus (scRNA) were injected into caudal NTS. A group of no injection, no CIH (control) rats were also used. Baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were collected from all 3 groups for at least 4 days after which the virus injected rats were exposed to 7 days CIH (alternating 3 min periods of 10% O2 and 21% O2 from 8am to 4pm; from 4pm to 8am the rats were exposed to 21% O2). In shRNA injected rats (n=9) 7 day exposure to CIH increased MAP and HR during the day by 6.6±1.8 mmHg and 49.9±7.7 bpm and during the night by 0.3±1.8 mmHg and -4.5±1.3 bpm compared to baseline. In scRNA injected rats (n=10) 7 day exposure to CIH increased MAP and HR during the day by 7.7±1.2 mmHg and 65.3±7.9 bpm and during the night by 4.8±1.5 mmHg and 0.0±4.9 bpm compared to baseline. In control rats (n=8) MAP and HR were 1.5±1.0 mmHg and -8.4±3.8 bpm during the day and 1.8±0.9 mmHg and -10.8±2.9 bpm during the night compared to baseline. CIH induced significant changes in MAP and HR during the day in both the scRNA (p=.006 MAP; p
Persistence of Natural and Genetically Engineered Insecticides Based on Bacillus thuringiensis

The effects of environmental factors on the persistence of formulations of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner were investigated in a greenhouse study. The persistence of Dipel™, a conventional formulation of B. thuringiensis, was compared with that of MVP™, a commercial formulation consisting of Pseudomonas fluorescens Migula genetically engineered to express a δ-endotoxin gene of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki. Sprayed foliage bioassayed with third instars of Pseudoplusia includens (Walker) indicated that overall persistence of Dipel™ was significantly better (P 25% bioassay mortality on all three plant species after 14 d. Sunlight and a combination of precipitation and ultraviolet light were most detrimental to the B. thuringiensis formulations, followed by precipita...
A Rare Complication of a TAP Block Performed after Caesarean Delivery

The transversus abdominis plane block is a regional anesthesia technique that has become popular. Being a relatively simple procedure, the TAP block has an excellent safety profile and major complications are rare. We present a case of transient femoral nerve palsy occurring after a TAP block with involvement of the sacral plexus for a patient who had undergone a caesarean section.
Improving Long-Term Portfolio Risk and Return by Using Appreciated Stocks for Charitable Donations

Stock investors who are charitable donors can minimize capital gains taxes and improve portfolio diversification by donating their most appreciated shares instead of cash, and then investing the freed-up cash in the portfolio’s least-weighted stocks. The charity is indifferent to the donation method, and the investor receives the same charitable deduction. Monte Carlo simulations show that a donor-investor using this method enjoys substantially higher wealth and lower portfolio risk, particularly over longer time horizons. This strategy can be integrated with tax loss selling and some limited gain harvesting to further increase after-tax returns and reduce risk.
Yanna Tzourmana, Βρετανοί ριζοσπάστες μεταρρυθμιστές: Φιλικές εταιρείες και κομιτάτα στο Λονδίνο (1790-1823) [British radical reformers: friendly societies and committees in London, 1790-1823]

Yanna Tzourmana. Βρeτανοί ριζοσπάστeς μeταρρυθμιστές: Φιλικές eταιρeίeς και κομιτάτα στο Λονδίνο (1790-1823) [British radical reformers: friendly societies and committees in London, 1790-1823]. Athens: Benaki Museum, 2015. 360 pp.
Label free assessment of ultra-violet radiation induced damages in skin cells (Conference Presentation)

Changes in the cellular homeostasis in response to a stimuli, disease or therapeutic intervention are multifaceted in nature, and cannot be grasped by routinely employed targeted imaging that focuses on a small set of suspected molecules or genes. Novel approaches relying on global analysis of cellular features, from morphology to the composite biomolecular status (notably chemical composition and molecular conformation), is a pre-requisite for accurate monitoring of cellular processes. In the present study label-free profiling of normal skin fibroblasts (Hs895.Sk) exposed to sub-lethal doses of ultra-violet radiation has been performed using quantitative phase imaging and Raman spectroscopy. Spectral differences in the Raman fingerprint region indicates differences in the protein and nucleic acid composition. These differences were successfully utilized to develop an automated classification model based on principal component analysis. Distinct changes in the cellular morphology were observed and validated through quantitative phase imaging. Significant dose dependent differences in different biophysical parameters such as dry mass and matter density were observed. Combination of these two techniques, one suited for detection of subtle morphological/biophysical alterations while the other appropriate for capturing molecular perturbations, could pave the way to address issues of label-free monitoring of cellular responses in response to an external stimulus. These findings can provide an accurate understanding of different markers associated with radiation damage and would assist in providing a quantitative tool to our future studies on designing alternate diagnostic tools.
Significance and Outcomes of Fetal Growth Restriction Below the 5th Percentile Compared to the 5th to 10th Percentiles on Midgestation Growth Ultrasonography.

Objective To determine whether there are differences in neonatal and pregnancy outcomes in pregnancies complicated by severe fetal growth restriction, defined as estimated fetal weight below the 5th percentile, compared with estimated fetal weight in the 5th to 10th percentiles at midgestation. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of singleton nonanomalous gestations with estimated fetal weight at or below the 10th percentile (Hadlock et al. Radiology 1991; 181:129-133) at 18 to 24 weeks' gestation. The cohort was divided into fetuses with estimated fetal weight below the 5th percentile and estimated fetal weight in the 5th to 10th percentiles. Antenatal and neonatal outcomes were compared across the groups. Results Of the 254 growth-restricted fetuses, 91 had estimated fetal weight below the 5th percentile, and 163 were in the 5th to 10th percentiles. Fetuses below the 5th percentile were 2.82 times more likely to be born small for gestational age compared to fetuses at the 5th to 10th percentiles (P = .001). Fetuses with estimated fetal weight below the 5th percentile had higher rates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (relative risk [RR], 1.79; P = .04), abnormal umbilical artery Doppler waveforms (RR, 6.27; P = .01), labor induction (RR, 1.45; P = .002), neonatal intensive care unit admission (RR, 1.73; P = .02), and Apgar scores of less than 7 at 1 minute (RR, 2.05; P = .04). Conclusions Severely growth-restricted fetuses with an estimated fetal weight below the 5th percentile at 18 to 24 weeks are born smaller and have worse antepartum and neonatal outcomes than those with an estimated fetal weight in the 5th to 10th percentiles. These findings suggest that severely growth-restricted fetuses at midgestation should be treated and counseled differently than those in the 5th to 10th percentiles.
Further Consideration of “An Open Expanding Economy Model”

We consider some issues arising from our paper, “An Open Expanding Economy Model”, Naval Logistics Research Quarterly, 16 (1969), pp. 443–457. Some of these issues were left open in that paper and others have been inspired by comments of readers.
Hindsight After the Cold War: Samuel Huntington, the Social Sciences and Development Paradigms

L'arrogance culturelle fondamentale et les biais ideologiques - de l'Occident -, caracteristiques des approches du developpement, ravivent periodiquement le debat sur les limites de la methodologie des sciences sociales. Ce debat continue de miner les sciences sociales bien apres la victoire du capitalisme, alors qu'il est devenu plus difficile de justifier les biais academiques en termes de luttes ideologiques. La question introspective de savoir si les sciences sociales, dans leur revendication d'une recherche relativement neutre du point de vue axiologique, sont comparables aux sciences physiques et naturelles reste d'une actualite fondamentale. L'indifference envers cette question a genere une plethore d'opinions qui se veulent etre des etudes scientifiques sur les societes non-occidentales. Une question importante est notamment de savoir si, afin d'etre pris au serieux, les paradigmes des sciences sociales doivent s'inscrirent dans les presupposes et les valeurs des societes hegemoniques ou doivent recevoir l'imprimature de ces societs. Evoquant les travaux de Samuel P. Huntington, l'A. propose une reflexion retrospective sur les errements ideologiques des approches du developpement durant la periode de la Guerre froide
Chapter 40 - Small Conductance Ca 2+ -Activated K + Channels: Mechanism of Ca2+ Gating

Small-conductance Ca 2+ -activated K + channels (SK channels) play a fundamentally important role in all excitable cells. They are K + selective, voltage independent, and activated by increases in the levels of intracellular Ca 2+ . SK channels are exquisite Ca 2+ sensors that couple [Ca 2+ ] i to membrane potential. SK channels may be activated by a global rise in Ca 2+ due to entry through voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels, such as occur during an action potential in nerve cells. They may respond to the discrete localized Ca 2+ that enters through agonist-induced opening of Ca 2+ -permeable ionotropic receptors that are close to SK channels, such as acetylcholine (ACh) receptors in inner-ear hair cells. SK channels may also open due to Ca 2+ released from intracellular stores as occurs in many gland cells, permitting rhythmic hormone release. Centrally important to the physiological roles of SK channels in a wide variety of cell types are their high Ca 2+ sensitivity and fast gating kinetics. The SK channel family has been cloned, and the mechanism by which Ca 2+ ions affect channel gating has been investigated. The results reveal a remarkable molecular marriage between SK channels and the ubiquitous Ca 2+ sensor, calmodulin. They also suggest a novel chemomechanical gating mechanism in which a dimer-of-dimers with two-fold symmetry translates the gating cue of Ca 2+ binding to a tetrameric ion-conducting pore.
Comparison of Rats Selectively Bred for High and Low Ethanol Intake in a Forced-Swim-Test Model of Depression: Effects of Desipramine

Abstract This investigation examined if there is a relationship between selective breeding for high or low alcohol intake and immobility in a forced-swim-test (i.e., “behavioral despair”) model of depression. Time spent immobile in a water-filled cylinder was measured in the alcohol-preferring (P) and nonpreferring (NP) lines of rats, and in the high-alcohol-drinking (HAD) and low-alcohol-drinking (LAD) lines. Each rat was tested for 2 10-min trials administered 24 h apart, and pretreatment with saline or desipramine (10.0 or 20.0 mg desipramine/kg b.wt. IP) also was evaluated. Drug was administered immediately after Trial 1 and again 1 h before Trial 2. When tested without pretreatment in Trial 1 or with saline pretreatment in Trial 2, NP rats spent significantly more time immobile than did P rats, but no comparable line differences were found when HAD and LAD rats were tested. Desipramine pretreatment reduced the time spent immobile in rats of the 2 alcohol-nonpreferring lines (i.e., the NP and LAD rats), but had no significant effect in rats of the 2 alcohol-preferring lines (the P and HAD rats). These findings do not support the hypothesis that there is a functional relationship between high alcohol drinking and susceptibility to “behavioral despair” as measured by the forced-swim test. The results with desipramine suggest that selection for high alcohol intake may be associated with insensitivity to desipramine.
Review of Gas Hydrates with Implication for Ocean Sediments

This paper presents a general review of gas hydrate knowledge, the utilization of such knowledge in the natural gas industry, some contemplated uses of gas hydrates in sea water desalinization, and discusses the existence of natural gas hydrates under the permafrost of the Northern Hemisphere. The theory of how gases enter the water phase and cause premature crystallization of water into an ice-like hydrate structure is presented. With this background, hydrate formation in ocean sediments is considered.
Expressing emotion through vocal performance: Acoustic cues and the effects of a mindfulness induction:

Previous research suggests that musicians modulate a predictable set of acoustic cues to convey distinct emotions. The current study focuses on singers, testing the validity of cues previously repo...
RIGHT BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK INDUCED BY ALCOHOL SEPTAL ABLATION FOR HYPERTROPHIC OBSTRUCTIVE CARDIOMYOPATHY DOES NOT IMPACT BIVENTRICULAR REMODELING

Electrical dyssynchrony is associated with adverse remodeling which is studied in systolic heart failure. Whether similar changes occur in other cardiomyopathies is unknown. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of right bundle branch block (RBBB) on biventricular remodeling