cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elevated gastrin levels in patients with colon cancer or adenomatous polyps.

Gastrin has been shown to stimulate the growth of carcinogenic-induced colon cancer in animals, and some human colon cancers grown in vitroor as xenografts in nude mice. We determined fasting plasma gastrin levels in control subjects and patients with adenomatous polyps or adenocarcinoma of the colon to determine whether abnormal levels occurred in either patient group. Blood samples were obtained from 73 patients undergoing colonoscopy, primarily for evaluation of Hemoccult-positive stools. Fasting plasma gastrin was significantly greater in patients with adenomatous polyps (24.2±5.7 pM, N=25) or colon cancer (84.5±28.5 pM, N=20) than in controls (9.9±0.9 pM, N=28). Elevations were due to gastrin values greater than control mean + 2 sd in nine patients with polyps (19.5–150.2 pM) and eight with cancer (20.7–403.2 pM). None of the patients had identifiable causes (drugs, prior surgery) for elevated gastrin levels. Our results indicate that elevated plasma gastrin occurs in subgroups of patients with adenomatous polyps or adenocarcinoma of the colon. The cause and potential role of elevated gastrin for polyp and tumor growth in these patients is not known.
Market reaction to public information: The atypical case of the Boston Celtics

Abstract The publicly traded Boston Celtics Limited Partnership shares provide a unique means of studying the impact of information on equity prices. The results of the Celtics’ basketball games significantly affect partnership share returns, trading volume, and volatility. Controlling for the expectedvalue of the signal using betting-market point spreads has little effect on these relations. Investors respond asymmetrically to wins and losses, and playoff games have a larger impact on returns than regular-season games. Opening prices do not fully reflect game results, consistent with previous findings that significant volatility is caused by traders acting on private information.
Toxicity of 3,3',4,4'- and 2,2',5,5'-tetrabromobiphenyl: correlation of activity with aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induction and lack of protection by antioxidants.

3,3′,4,4′‐Tetrabromobiphenyl is a minor component of commercial polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) mixture fireMaster BP‐6 and is a potent inducer of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH). A single ip dose of 3,3′,4,4′‐tetrabromobiphenyl (150 μmol/kg) caused significant reduction in the growth rate in the immature male Wistar rat, as well as pale enlarged livers and marked reduction in thymus size. Under light microscopy, hepatocytes were enlarged and vacuolated. The vacuoles, which were most prominent in the midzonal region of the lobule, corresponded to fat droplets in oil‐red‐O‐stained sections. The thymus, especially the cortex, was markedly depleted of lymphocytes. Neither the reduced growth, altered organ weights nor the histo‐pathology was reversed for the duration of the study by the coadministration of the antioxidants butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), or vitamin E. Vitamin E did, however counter the negative effect of 3,3′,4,4′‐tetrabromobiphenyl on growth during the firs...
CMOS LDD process with seven masking steps from well to passivation

A cost-effective CMOS LDD process is described. This process, if single polysilicon and single metal, uses total of only seven masking steps: well, isolation, gate, source/drain, contact, metal, and passivation. Main strategy of the process is to implant blanket for one type of doping regions and compensated with masked implants for the other type. In our embodiment, blanket n-well is formed by implant and high- temperature drive-in before LOCOS isolation. Masked retrograde p-well is formed with multiple implants after LOCOS in order to fulfill different doping requirements for channel and field regions at one masking step. After gate definition, blanket n-LDD implant is performed, followed by side-wall spacer formation and blanket n+ source/drain implant. With p+ mask, three processing steps are performed: p+ source/drain implant, spacer removal and p-LDD implant. Finally, contact formation, metalization and passivation complete the process. The device parameters such as minimum gate length, VT, isolation, etc. are kept unchanged, compared to those of original non-compensated doping process. Some resistances and capacitances increase 20%.
Particle identity and the optical potential for elastic two-fragment collisions

The permutation symmetries resulting from particle identity are incorporated into a complete and consistent set of scattering integral equations which are partition labeled and which also possess a multiple scattering structure. These equations are applied to the investigation of the optical potential for elastic two-fragment collisions including all identity effects. It is found that, among the standard off-shell extensions for the transition operators, only the one proposed by Alt, Grassberger, and Sandhas is entirely satisfactory for the definition of the optical potential. A dynamical integral equation for the symmetrized optical potential is derived. Several alternative forms of this equation are developed. Various low-order approximations to these equations are proposed.
Regulation of the cerebral circulation by endothelium

Abstract Endothelium exerts an important influence on cerebral vascular tone through the production and release of a diverse group of vasoactive factors. Relaxing factors produced by endothelium include nitric oxide (or a nitric oxide-containing compound), a hyperpolarizing factor, and prostacyclin. Endothelium-derived contracting factors include cyclooxygenase products of arachidonic acid and endothelins. Severla pathophysiological conditions are associated with increased formation of endothelium-derived contracting factors. Such endothelial dysfunction in the cerebral circulation may shift the balance of vascular tone toward constriction and may potentially contribute to the onset or maintainance of cerebral ischemia and stroke.
The Impact of International Trade on Democracy: A Long-Run Perspective

The likely endogeneity between democracy and trade is addressed with an instrumental variables strategy in this article about whether international trade fosters democracy. The authors use a measure of natural openness to obtain estimates of the causal impact of openness on democratization in three separate samples spanning the last 130 years. A positive impact of openness on democracy is apparent in the data over the long run. The post–World War II results suggest that with a rise in trade with other countries equal to a one standard deviation increase, countries such as Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela could eventually become as democratic as the U.S., Great Britain, or France. There is some variation in the impact of openness by region that may be because trade seems to have a positive impact only when the capital-to-labor ratio is sufficiently high. This is consistent with the idea that openness promotes democracy when it strengthens the economic fortunes of the middle class.
Locating Mothers How Cultural Debates About Stay-at-Home Versus Working Mothers Define Women and Home

Most women must decide whether to work for pay while mothering or make mothering their sole social role. Often this decision is portrayed in terms of whether they will be “stay-at-home” and presumably “full-time” mothers, or “working mothers” and therefore ones who prioritize paid work over caregiving. Inferred within this construction is women's physical location as well—either women are at home or work, not both. In this article, the authors explore common conceptualizations of stay-at-home versus working motherhood, as evidenced by feminist family scholarship and recent media items. To keep in tune with contemporary media conversations, the authors begin to investigate what cultural discourse about these mothers also illustrates about our definitions of home, and the individuals and activities that exist within this space. In writing this conceptual piece, the authors' goal is to initiate further feminist research on motherhood and paid work, and women's locations while engaging in both.
Molecular Control of Cell Fate in the Neural Crest: The Sympathoadrenal Lineage

A central problem in developmental neurobiology is understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that generate the diversity of cell types found in the nervous system. Although the general problem of cell type specification can be addressed in many non-neuronal tissues, it is particularly challenging in the nervous system, because of the enormous variety of cell types that exist, and the phenotypic plasticity they display. In recent years, several technical breakthroughs have permitted an intensive analysis of cell lineage relationships in various parts of the vertebrate nervous system. These have included the development of recombinant retroviruses for genetic marking of cell fate (Sanes et al 1986; Turner & Cepko 1987) and membrane-impermanent lineage tracers for microinjection of single progenitor cells (Holt et al 1988; Wetts & Fraser 1988). These techniques have revealed that in many (but not all) systems, individual neural precursor cells give rise to a variety of different cell types, thus demonstrating that they are multipotent. In the case of the neural crest, application of both techniques has indicated that many neural crest cells are multipotent, before (Bronner-Fraser & Fraser 1988, 1989; Frank & Sanes 1991) or shortly after (Fraser & Bronner-Fraser 1991) they migrate from the neural tube.
An enterprise-based grid resource management system

As the Internet began its exponential growth into a global information environment, software was often unreliable, slow and had difficulty in interoperating with other systems. Supercomputing node counts also continue to follow high growth trends. Supercomputer and grid resource management software must mature into a reliable computational platform in much the same way that web services matured for the Internet. DOGMA The Next Generation (DOGMA-NG) improves on current resource management approaches by using tested off-the-shelf enterprise technologies to build a robust, scalable, and extensible resource management platform. Distributed web service technologies constitute the core of DOGMA-NG's design and provide fault tolerance and scalability. DOGMA-NG's use of open standard web technologies and efficient management algorithms promises to reduce management time and accommodate the growing size of future supercomputers. The use of web technologies also provides the opportunity for anew parallel programming paradigm, enterprise web services parallel programming, that also gains benefit from the scalable, robust component architecture.
Effect of Arsanilic Acid in Low- and Normal-Protein Mashes upon Egg Production

Abstract ARSANILIC acid has been reported to increase egg production when fed to hens maintained under conditions suboptimal for a high rate of lay (Libby et al., 1955). In these experiments, birds in their first year of production were fed all-mash laying rations containing a normal level of protein. To explore this problem further, it was decided to investigate the effect of arsanilic acid in rations containing somewhat less protein than required by laying and breeding hens. PROCEDURE A typical all-mash laying ration containing 16.8 percent protein was used as the normal-protein control ration (Bird et al., 1954). This same ration was reduced to 13.1 percent protein by the substitution of corn for soybean oil meal (Table 1). To this lower-protein ration was also added 0.01 percent arsanilic acid (p-aminophenylarsonic acid). Each of the diets was fed to triplicate pens of 24 Single Comb White Leghorn pullets of a strain cross …
New Species of Hemigrammocharax (Characiformes: Distichodontidae) from the Northwestern Congo River Basin

Hemigrammocharax rubensteini is described from the northwestern Congo River basin in the Lekoli River of the Likouala River system, Republic of the Congo. The species differs from congeners in the combination of pigmentation pattern, meristics, and position of the dorsal fin. The presence of a well-developed pseudotympanum, a feature not previously reported in the Distichodontidae, is reported for H. rubensteini and other members of Hemigrammocharax and Nannocharax.
Multivariate statistical analyses demonstrate unique host immune responses to single and dual lentiviral infection

Background: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are recently identified lentiviruses that cause progressive immune decline and ultimately death in infected cats and humans. It is of great interest to understand how to prevent immune system collapse caused by these lentiviruses. We recently described that disease caused by a virulent FIV strain in cats can be attenuated if animals are first infected with a feline immunodeficiency virus derived from a wild cougar. The detailed temporal tracking of cat immunological parameters in response to two viral infections resulted in high-dimensional datasets containing variables that exhibit strong co-variation. Initial analyses of these complex data using univariate statistical techniques did not account for interactions among immunological response variables and therefore potentially obscured significant effects between infection state and immunological parameters. Methodology and Principal Findings: Here, we apply a suite of multivariate statistical tools, including Principal Component Analysis, MANOVA and Linear Discriminant Analysis, to temporal immunological data resulting from FIV superinfection in domestic cats. We investigated the co-variation among immunological responses, the differences in immune parameters among four groups of five cats each (uninfected, single and dual infected animals), and the ‘‘immune profiles’’ that discriminate among them over the first four weeks following superinfection. Dual infected cats mount an immune response by 24 days post superinfection that is characterized by elevated levels of CD8 and CD25 cells and increased expression of IL4 and IFNc, and FAS. This profile discriminates dual infected cats from cats infected with FIV alone, which show high IL-10 and lower numbers of CD8 and CD25 cells. Conclusions: Multivariate statistical analyses demonstrate both the dynamic nature of the immune response to FIV single and dual infection and the development of a unique immunological profile in dual infected cats, which are protected from immune decline.
Surgical management of hepatic malignancy.

Over the past twenty-five years, hepatic resection has evolved from a high risk, resource-intensive procedure with limited application to a safe and commonly performed operation with broad indications. This period has seen dramatic improvements in perioperative outcome, including reductions in mortality, blood loss, transfusion rates, and hospital stay. These improved perioperative results are largely responsible for the emergence of hepatic resection as a viable and effective treatment option for selected patients with 1° and 2° hepatobiliary malignancy. Continued advances in imaging technology, along with a heightened awareness of the clinical and tumor-related variables that dictate outcome, have allowed better preoperative assessment of disease extent and improved patient selection. Advances in other areas, such as minimally invasive and ablative techniques, have increased the treatment options and have had some impact on the approach to patients with malignant hepatobiliary disease; however, resectio...
Heteroduplex rejection in yeast

REPAIR of meiotically induced double-strand breaks (DSBs; [Figure 1][1]) is associated with a gradient of gene conversion, in which conversion frequency is high near the DSB site and falls with distance from the site. Hillers and Stahl ([1999][2]) addressed two models for the influence of mismatch
Paradoxical drop in circulating neutrophil count following granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and stem cell factor administration in rhesus macaques.

Objective Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is frequently used therapeutically to treat chronic or transient neutropenia and to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells. Shortly following G-CSF administration, we observed a dramatic transient drop in circulating neutrophil number. This article characterizes this effect in a rhesus macaque animal model. Methods Hematologic changes were monitored following subcutaneous (SQ) administration of G-CSF. G-CSF was administered as a single SQ dose at 10 μg/kg or 50 μg/kg. It was also administered (10 μg/kg) in combination with stem cell factor (SCF; 200 μg/kg) over 5 days. Flow cytometry was performed on serial blood samples to detect changes in cell surface adhesion protein expression. Results Neutrophil count dramatically declined 30 minutes after G-CSF administration. This decline was observed whether 10 μg/kg G-CSF was administered in combination with SCF over 5 days, or given as a single 10 μg/kg dose. At a single 50 μg/kg dose, the decline accelerated to 15 minutes. Neutrophil count returned to baseline after 120 minutes and rapidly increased thereafter. An increase in CD11a and CD49d expression coincided with the drop in neutrophil count. Conclusion A transient paradoxical decline in neutrophil count was observed following administration of G-CSF either alone or in combination with SCF. This decline accelerated with the administration of a higher dose of G-CSF and was associated with an increase in CD11a and CD49d expression. It remains to be determined whether this decline in circulating neutrophils is associated with an increase in endothelial margination and/or entrance into extravascular compartments.
Mathematical models of skeletal muscle function

Structural and utilitarian approaches to the mathematical modeling of skeletal muscle function are reviewed and analyzed from the engineering point of view. The intrinsic non-linearity of muscle behavior and lack of directly measurable inputs, outputs and state variables are emphasized as major impediments to successful modeling. Lumped parameter, utilitarian models are shown to provide little or no insight to muscle structure or control, and to insufficiently predict the kinetics of muscle function. Classical feedback control techniques have limited applicability to neuromuscular control models and a parametric control paradigm is alternatively suggested. Structural cross-bridge models are complex and over-parameterized and are not suitable for systematic parameter identification.
The Vertex-Frame Method for Obtaining Minimal Proposition-Letter Formulas

The vertex frame is similar to an n-dimensional cube or Tychonoff frame that has been cut and unfolded into the shape of a Karnaugh map. The methods of use are similar to those for Karnaugh maps. Minimal disjunctive and conjunctive normal formulas are found for problems with or without don't-care cases. The selection graph, a linear graph, is used to enhance the prime antecedent (= prime implicant) selection procedure. The vertex frame readily handles most problems of up to six variables. Problems with seven and eight variables have been worked successfully, but this is an area where more experience is needed in working out actual problems that arise in engineering practice. As with any map method, pattern recognition plays an important role, and thus it takes longer to become proficient in this method than in some of the formula-manipulation methods (e.g., Quine's, McCluskey's, Mott's). The problem of recognizing plots, on a vertex frame, of symmetric and unate truth functions is discussed.
Regional Source Rock Mapping Using Source Potential Rating Index: ABSTRACT

A method has been developed to combine sediment thickness, organic carbon content, and thermal maturity data from potential source rock units into a single mappable parameter which can be used to indicate areas of potential hydrocarbon generation. This is accomplished by taking the product of the average percent organic carbon and the effective source rock thickness of a formation to give a richness factor. The richness factor is then multiplied by maturity scaling factors to give source potential ratings for oil and/or gas generation. The rating values can be combined with kerogen-type data, if available, to refine these assessments of generating potential. The resulting ratings provide semiquantitative measures by which the source potential of a single formation can be ompared within an area or the source potential of 2 or more formations can be compared in the same basin or different basins. By using burial history curves and thermal maturity modeling, the rating index can also be used to estimate source potential through geologic time. Source potential rating index maps in conjunction with structural analysis of a basin can help the explorer explain the occurrence of already discovered hydrocarbon accumulations and point toward new areas for exploration. Examples are given of applications of rating index mapping to exploration problems in the Williston and Illinois basins. End_of_Article - Last_Page 470------------
Location and Mechanism of Very Long Period Tremor During the 2008 Eruption of Okmok Volcano from Interstation Arrival Times

[1] We describe continuous, very long period (VLP) tremor that occurred during the 2008 eruption of Okmok Volcano, Alaska. Due to its low frequency content in band from the 0.2–0.4 Hz, the wave field of the VLP tremor is relatively free of path effects. From continuous recordings of the VLP tremor on 2 three-component broadband and 3 single-component short-period instruments, we devise a method to locate the epicenter of the tremor based on interstation arrival times computed with cross correlation. We find the epicenter since the vertical and radial components of the VLP tremor wave field are dominated by Rayleigh waves and the time shifts are related to lateral propagation. Over the 4 h period studied, this procedure yields a location NNW of Cone D, close to the new cone built over the course of the eruption. Similar analysis using the transverse horizontal components from the 2 three-component broadband instruments yields strong constraints on the source mechanism of the VLP tremor. We observe an anomalous interstation arrival time due to the existence of a nodal plane in the Love wave radiation pattern. The orientation of a compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) source estimated from the transverse components closely aligns with the regional maximum horizontal stress direction. The depth of the CLVD source is constrained by matching the vertical components to the Rayleigh wave radiation pattern at all five stations. We find the VLP tremor source depth to be 2 km BSL, positioned between the magma chamber at Okmok (>3 km BSL) and the surface.
2013 Subtalar Arthroereisis Survey The Current Practice Patterns of Members of the AOFAS

Background. Subtalar arthroereisis (SA) has been a procedure used for the correction of painful flexible flatfoot deformity in adults and children. Clinical studies of patients who had a SA are sparse and with mixed results and variable indications. The purpose of this study was to determine the current practice among orthopaedic foot and ankle specialists regarding SA. Methods. Web-based questionnaires were e-mailed to members of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS). Requested information included demographics and practice patterns in regard to performing SA surgery. A total of 572 respondents completed the survey (32% response rate). Results. A total of 273 respondents (48%) have performed SA. Of this group, 187 respondents (69%) still perform this procedure (33% of total respondents currently perform SA). Of the respondents, 401 (70%) practice in the United States, 40% have performed SA, and 60% of those still perform this procedure. Of non-US respondents, 66% have performed SA, and ...
Necessary Conditions at the Boundary for Minimizers in Incompressible Finite Elasticity

New necessary conditions for energy-minimizing states of an incompressible, elastic body are found. These must hold at boundary points at which dead-load traction data is prescribed.
Nuclear RNA Surveillance: Role of TRAMP in Controlling Exosome Specificity

The RNA exosome, a highly conserved protein complex originally discovered in S. cerevisiae, has emerged as a major component of 3′-5′ ribonucleoytic RNA surveillance pathways in both archae and eukaryotes 1–5. The eukaryotic exosome is composed of a 9-subunit core, referred to as exo-9. Six of these proteins are arranged in a hexameric ring with a central channel, while the remaining 3 proteins form a trimeric cap and sit on top of this ring structure 6. In S. cerevisiae, catalytic activity resides in an additional component Dis3/Rrp44 that associates with the catalytically inactive core exosome to form the functional cytoplasmic and nuclear exo-10 complex 7–9. RNA substrates with sufficiently long single-stranded 3′ ends may thread through the core to reach the active site of Dis3; alternatively, RNA may bypass the exosome core channel and enter the active site of Dis3 directly 8, 9. In the nucleus, exo-10 can associate further with the nonessential 3′-5′ exoribonuclease Rrp6 to form the exo-11 complex 10. Rrp6 can also function independently of exo-10 on a subset of RNA targets, since mutants unable to interact with exo-10 still complement some functions of native Rrp6 11. Remarkably, experiments have shown that the exosome functions in degradation of a wide range of substrates, including coding and noncoding RNAs produced by all 3 major RNA polymerases 12–15. Furthermore, the exosome functions in the 3′ end formation of a growing list of transcripts 10, 13, 16–20. Hence, the exosome is not only able to adapt to a multitude of RNA substrates, but its catalytic activities can be modulated, likely by protein cofactors such as TRAMP, to distinguish between processing and degradation. The exosome relies on multiple co-factors, such as the TRAMP complex, for recruitment of its vast repertoire of substrates, and possibly modulation of its activity. Originally discovered in yeast, the TRAMP complex is composed of a noncanonical poly(A) polymerase Trf4 or Trf5, a zinc-knuckle protein Air1 or Air2, and the RNA helicase Mtr4 21–24. TRAMP polyadenylates RNAs destined for Rrp6 and the core exosome, assisting in transcript recognition and exosome activation. In this way, TRAMP plays a critical role in ridding the cell of non-coding transcripts generated through pervasive Pol II transcription, as well as functioning in the biogenesis and turnover of functional coding and non-coding RNAs 16, 19, 25. Extensive research has revealed the critical role the TRAMP plays in determining nuclear RNA fate, though the mechanism used for recognition of RNA substrates and subsequent activation of the exosome remains elusive.
Foreign Aid Shocks as a Cause of Violent Armed Conflict

In this study we resolve part of the confusion over how foreign aid affects armed conflict. We argue that aid shocks—severe decreases in aid revenues—inadvertently shift the domestic balance of power and potentially induce violence. During aid shocks, potential rebels gain bargaining strength vis-` the government. To appease the rebels, the government must promise future resource transfers, but the government has no incentive to continue its promised transfers if the aid shock proves to be temporary. With the government unable to credibly commit to future resource transfers, violence breaks out. UsingAidData’scomprehensivedatasetofbilateralandmultilateralaidfrom1981to2005,weevaluatetheeffectsofforeign aid on violent armed conflict. In addition to rare-event logit analysis, we employ matching methods to account for the possibility that aid donors anticipate conflict. The results show that negative aid shocks significantly increase the probability of armed conflict onset. I n the spring of 1990, Tuareg fighters in the North African Sahel launched a rebellion against the government of Mali. Although there were many underlying causes, foreign aid played a proximate role in the outbreak of violence. Desertification and severe droughts in the 1970s and 1980s impoverished Mali, especially the livestock-reliant Tuareg. During this period, Mali became heavily dependent on foreign aid; for many years Mali received more than 30% of its budget from international assistance, which at times was
Prolonged postoperative respiratory support after proximal thoracic aortic surgery: Is deep hypothermic circulatory arrest a risk factor?☆☆☆★

Purpose In addition to the pulmonary risks associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, thoracic aortic surgery using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) may subject the lungs to further injury. However, this topic has received little investigation to date.
Managing Public Sector Decentralization in Developing Countries: Moving Beyond Conventional Recipes

Summary Decentralization has become a nearly universal feature of public sector reform in developing countries, but it has unevenly met the often considerable and diverse expectations placed on it. This paper contends that the popular reform has been framed and assessed in standardized—yet disjointed and incomplete—ways that do not offer a suitably robust basis for its effective application. Decentralization is a complex process that is pursued in variable environments, and superficial commonalities that suggest routine remedies are often overwhelmed by great heterogeneity in how it is perceived and unfolds in context. The drivers of diversity—the country setting, national and local political and bureaucratic dynamics, available resources and capacities, and in some cases the role of aid agencies, among others—shape what is intended and what is feasible relative to normative goals. Deeper attention to these factors can inform possibilities for more appropriate design and implementation. This paper discusses basic elements of the persistent decentralization challenge and outlines a preliminary approach to broaden contextual analysis and to define pragmatic ways to tap its potential more productively. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polyglycolic Acid Mesh in Experimental Renal Trauma

We investigated the efficacy of kidney wrapping with polyglycolic acid (PGA) mesh for control of hemorrhage and preservation of renal function following extensive potentially lethal kidney lacerations in the dog. Wrapping of lacerated kidneys resulted in reapposition of the renal parenchyma and prompt, sustained hemostasis. At 21 days following injury the renal lacerations were well healed. Among five dogs with lacerations involving the entire surface of one kidney, the mean of the ratios of the creatinine clearance of the affected kidney divided by the creatinine clearance of the uninjured contralateral kidney was 0.83 +/- 0.14. Among ten dogs with lacerations confined to the lower pole of one kidney, five were treated by mesh wrapping and five by partial nephrectomy. The mean of the ratios of the creatinine clearance of the affected kidney divided by the creatinine clearance of the uninjured contralateral kidney was 0.93 +/- 0.17 for the former group and 0.58 +/- 0.06 for the latter group. Perirenal infection following kidney wrapping developed in only one dog who had an E. coli bacteriuria at the time of injury. Blood pressure was monitored in eight dogs treated with mesh wrapping. None became hypertensive. These data suggest that PGA mesh may have clinical utility in the management of selected renal injuries in humans.
Cancer risk in first- and second-degree relatives of men with poor semen quality

Objective To further characterize the association of male infertility with health risks by evaluating semen quality and cancer risk in family members. Design Retrospective, cohort study. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) A total of 12,889 men undergoing SA and 12,889 fertile control subjects that had first-degree relative (FDR) data (n = 130,689) and 8,032 men with SA and 8,032 fertile control subjects with complete second-degree relative (SDR) data (n = 247,204) were identified through the UPDB. An equal number of fertile population control subjects were matched. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Adult all-site, testicular, thyroid, breast, prostate, melanoma, bladder, ovarian, and kidney cancer diagnoses in FDRs and SDRs. Result(s) The FDRs of men with SA had a 52% increased risk of testicular cancer compared with the FDRs of fertile population control subjects. There was no significant difference in testicular cancer risk for the SDRs based on any of the semen parameters. The FDRs and SDRs of azoospermic men had a significantly increased risk of thyroid cancer compared with fertile population control subjects. Conclusion(s) These data suggest a link between male infertility and selected cancer risk in relatives. This highlights the possibilities of shared biologic mechanisms between the two diseases, exposure to environmental factors, and an increased level of genetic and/or epigenetic burden in subfertile men and their relatives that may be associated with risk of cancer.
A diagnostic for localizing red giant differential rotation

We present a simple diagnostic that can be used to constrain the location of the differential rotation in red giants with measured mixed mode rotational splittings. Specifically, in red giants with radii $\sim 4R_\odot$, the splittings of p-dominated modes (sound wave dominated) relative to those of g-dominated modes (internal gravity wave dominated) are sensitive to how much of the differential rotation resides in the outer convection zone versus the radiative interior of the red giant. An independently measured surface rotation rate significantly aids breaking degeneracies in interpreting the measured splittings. We apply our results to existing observations of red giants, particularly those of Kepler-56, and find that most of the differential rotation resides in the radiative region rather than in the convection zone. This conclusion is consistent with results in the literature from rotational inversions, but our results are insensitive to some of the uncertainties in the inversion process and can be readily applied to large samples of red giants with even a modest number of measured rotational splittings. We argue that differential rotation in the radiative interior strongly suggests that angular momentum transport in red giants is dominated by local fluid instabilities rather than large-scale magnetic stresses.
Gentlemen of the Highest Character: Negotiating Inclusion with the People of South Shields

Between 1879 and 1939, hundreds of the untold thousands of overseas migrants who passed through or settled in South Shields applied for and received naturalization as British subjects. Hundreds of local people stepped forward to support them, making public their friendships with foreign-born migrants. Their testimony rendered visible only a fraction of the relationships and social networks that developed between migrants and natives in industrial South Shields. Examining these well-documented cases illuminates the sorts of relationships integrating overseas migrants into local society, whether or not they ultimately pursued naturalization. It reveals how migrant networks described in previous chapters articulated with those of native-born Britons, belying the comforting but spurious projection of recent xenophobia onto past people. The 1897 petition of Swedish mariner Andrew Anderson ‘to obtain the rights and capacities of a natural born British Subject’ exemplified the grounds on which migrants pursued naturalization: ‘a desire to continue and improve his said calling so as to obtain an honorable [sic] independence from such calling to provide for his after years and sustenance and because your memorialist having resided within Great Britain for so many years and having become very much attached to the manners and customs thereof desires to be and remain a resident therein for the remainder of his life’.1
Development of a phantom to simulate a wide range of body sizes

X-ray image quality is highly dependent on object size. Diagnostic image quality can be maintained while controlling dose to a patient with tube current modulation schemes. For PET attenuation correction, much lower requirements are placed on CT image quality, but the minimum technique is still likely to be body size dependent. To investigate tube current modulation and non-diagnostic CT image quality effects on PET attenuation correction, and to aid in the development of new body-size dependent CT protocols for CT and PET/CT, we have developed a water-equivalent phantom that simulates a wide range of body sizes. Design criteria for the phantom include cross-sectional dimensions, shape, taper rate and material. Cross sectional dimensions and shape were desired to closely resemble different sized human torsos. Taper rate was important to achieve a smooth edge to reduce edge artifacts and to prevent partial volume effects. The phantom material needed to be easily machined, but still be tissue equivalent for CT imaging. The finished phantom was made of cast acrylic. Twelve one-inch plates of acrylic were machined into ovals with continuously tapered edges. After fabrication, the plates were stacked and secured together. The tolerance between plate diameters is less than 1.0 mm. The final dimensions are 12.3 x 22.4 cm at the small end and 38.8 x 49.0 cm at the large end. The phantom has an overall length of 29.0 cm and a mass of 23.2 kg. Initial results from this phantom include evaluation of image quality when using tube current modulation and evaluation of low-dose CT techniques for accuracy in PET attenuation correction.
Testing for human immunodeficiency virus among cancer survivors under age 65 in the United States.

INTRODUCTION Knowing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serostatus of patients at the time of cancer diagnosis or cancer recurrence is prerequisite to coordinating HIV and cancer treatments and improving treatment outcomes. However, there are no published data about HIV testing among cancer survivors in the United States. We sought to provide estimates of the proportion of cancer survivors tested for HIV and to characterize factors associated with having had HIV testing. METHODS We used data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to calculate the proportion of cancer survivors under age 65 who had undergone HIV testing, by demographic and health-related factors and by state. Adjusted proportion estimates were calculated by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS Only 41% of cancer survivors in the United States under the age of 65 reported ever having had an HIV test. The highest proportion of survivors tested was among patients aged 25 to 34 years (72.2%), non-Hispanic blacks (59.5%), and cervical cancer survivors (51.2%). The proportion tested was highest in the District of Columbia (68.3%) and lowest in Nebraska (24.1%). Multivariable analysis showed that factors associated with HIV testing included being non-Hispanic black or Hispanic, being younger, having higher education, not being married or living with a partner, not being disabled, and having medical cost concerns. Having an AIDS-related cancer was associated with HIV testing only among females. CONCLUSION The proportions of HIV testing varied substantially by demographic and health-related factors and by state. Our study points to the need for public health interventions to promote HIV testing among cancer survivors.
Assembling high activity phosphotriesterase composites using hybrid nanoparticle peptide-DNA scaffolded architectures

Nanoparticle (NP) display potentially offers a new way to both stabilize and, in many cases, enhance enzyme activity over that seen for native protein in solution. However, the large, globular and sometimes multimeric nature of many enzymes limits their ability to attach directly to the surface of NPs, especially when the latter are colloidally stabilized with bulky PEGylated ligands. Engineering extended protein linkers into the enzymes to achieve direct attachment through the PEG surface often detrimentally alters the enzymes catalytic ability. Here, we demonstrate an alternate, hybrid biomaterials-based approach to achieving directed enzyme assembly on PEGylated NPs. We self-assemble a unique architecture consisting of a central semiconductor quantum dot (QD) scaffold displaying controlled ratios of extended peptide-DNA linkers which penetrate through the PEG surface to directly couple enzymes to the QD surface. As a test case, we utilize phosphotriesterase (PTE), an enzyme of bio-defense interest due to its ability to hydrolyze organophosphate nerve agents. Moreover, this unique approach still allows PTE to maintain enhanced activity while also suggesting the ability of DNA to enhance enzyme activity in and of itself.
Neoliberalism, the public sphere, and a public good

ABSTRACTThis essay considers the challenges that neoliberalism raises for conceptual models and practices of a multiple public sphere. Engaging difference and attending to inequality, a multiple public sphere facilitates the circulation of a dynamic public good that may articulate mutual standing and relationships among people to enable the construction of a collective “we” for coordinated action. Weakening relationships among people and devaluing coordinated action, neoliberalism envisions a public of atomistic individuals who compete with one another for comparative advantage. Flattening difference and obscuring inequality, a neoliberal public presumes a universal subject that obscures its own particularity and discounts the uneven burdens faced by those who cannot seamlessly identify with its mode of subjectivity. Further, for a neoliberal public, inequality serves as the condition and end of competition. Resistance to neoliberalism may arise in the networked locals of a multiple public sphere, as advo...
PROMIS Pain Interference and Physical Function Scores Correlate With the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) in Patients With Hallux Valgus.

Traditional patient-reported outcome instruments like the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) quantify patient disability but often are limited by responder burden and incomplete questionnaires. The Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) overcomes such obstacles through computer-adaptive technology and can capture outcome data from various domains including physical and psychosocial function. Prior work has compared the FAAM with PROMIS physical function; however, there is little evidence comparing the association between foot and ankle-specific tools like the FAAM with more general outcomes measures of PROMIS pain interference and depression in foot and ankle conditions. (1) We asked whether there was a relationship between FAAM Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scores with PROMIS physical function, pain interference, and depression in patients with hallux valgus. (2) Additionally, we asked if we could identify specific factors that are associated with variance in FAAM and PROMIS physical function scores in patients with hallux valgus. Eighty-five new patients with either a primary or secondary diagnosis of hallux valgus based on clinic billing codes from July 2015 to February 2016 were retrospectively identified. Patients completed FAAM ADL paper-based surveys and electronic PROMIS questionnaires for physical function, pain interference, and depression from new patient visits at a single time. Spearman rho correlations were performed between FAAM ADL and PROMIS scores. Analyses then were used to identify differences in FAAM ADL and PROMIS physical function measures based on demographic variables. Stepwise linear regressions then determined which demographic and/or outcome variable(s) accounted for the variance in FAAM ADL and PROMIS physical function scores. FAAM scores correlated strongly with PROMIS physical function (r = 0.70, p < 0.001), moderately with PROMIS pain interference (r = −0.65, p < 0.001), and weakly with PROMIS depression (r = −0.35, p < 0.001) scores. Regression analyses showed that PROMIS pain interference scores alone were associated with sizeable portions of the variance in FAAM ADL (R2 = 0.44, p < 0.001) and PROMIS physical function (R2 = 0.57, p < 0.001) measures. PROMIS function and pain measures correlated with FAAM ADL scores, highlighting the interrelationship of pain and function when assessing outcomes in patients with hallux valgus. PROMIS tools allow for more-efficient data collection across multiple domains and, moving forward, may be better poised to monitor changes in pain and function with time compared with traditional outcome measures like the FAAM. The relationships shown here between PROMIS and FAAM scores further support the use of PROMIS tools in outcomes-based research. In patients with hallux valgus, pain-related disability appears to be a central feature of the patient-experience. Future studies should assess the association of various outcome domains on other common foot and ankle diagnoses.
Long-term review of dentatectomy in dystonia musculorum deformans and cerebral palsy.

Since 1966 34 patients with disorders of movement and tone due to dystonia musculorum deformans, cerebral palsy and other dyskinesias underwent ablation of the cerebellar dentate nucleus. Long term results (2–8 years) in 19 patients could be verified. Five other patients died and 10 were lost to follow up.
Dealing with Your Clinic

Most graduating surgical residents and fellows have minimal exposure to office hours or clinic during training. Before the first day at your new job, meeting with your new office staff and partners is strongly recommended. Open communication with your staff in terms of office flow, scheduling, and expectations up front will help significantly. Overviewing any procedures and supplies necessary in advance will also be helpful for your clinic days.
Marketable selves: Making sense of employability as a liberal arts undergraduate

Abstract Traditionally holistic liberal arts undergraduates face the challenge of professional branding in the neoliberal ideology of higher education in a competitive knowledge economy. This study explores the storied career-related perceptions of undergraduates in the College of Liberal Arts at a large, state-affiliated university. Thirty-two students participated in in-depth interviews to identify prevalent themes in employability narrative construction. Transcripts were coded and analyzed according to grounded theory methodology. Findings suggest that participants construct and manage employability narratives in an iterative process of exploring, packaging, and distinguishing themselves. Participants' semantic negotiation of “liberal arts” provides a sensitizing lens for consideration of contemporary student perspectives. By ascribing meaning and value to underlying influences on career progress, exploratory student thinking offers insights for practitioners and theorists concerned for the future of liberal arts graduates.
Friction stir processing of dual certified 304/304L austenitic stainless steel for improved cavitation erosion resistance

Abstract Cavitation erosion is known to be prevalent in equipment in hydraulic environments. Understanding cavitation erosion and improving the erosion resistance of commonly used materials is of interest for both scientific and economic reasons. In this study, friction stir processing was employed to modify commercial dual certified AISI 304/304L austenitic stainless steel plates. The cavitation erosion behavior of the processed plates was evaluated and compared to that of the unprocessed steel. A temperature control algorithm was employed to maintain a target tool temperature during the processing. The cross sections of the processed nuggets were evaluated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Vickers hardness testing. Erosion testing by cavitation liquid jet was performed conforming to ASTM G134 on specimens cut out of the nuggets of the commercially unprocessed and the processed 304/304L steel. The tool temperature was found to affect the microstructure and the cavitation erosion behavior. Friction stir processed steel showed greater than 3× improvement in cavitation erosion resistance (defined as the reciprocal of the mass loss of a given material) than the unprocessed 304/304L. Surface erosion patterns and erosion rates were characterized and the mechanisms of material removal were discussed.