cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Takotsubo (Stress) Cardiomyopathy

Whenever a new and previously unrecognized medical condition enters our consciousness, considerable confusion and uncertainly can ensue. If a patient is afflicted by such a disease state, the natural reaction is, “I have never heard of what I have,” triggering considerable personal and family anxiety. Such is the case with the condition we now call takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which has received considerable attention from the media and has been assigned a myriad of names in the literature. Initial recognition of takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurred in Japan in 1990, with the first report emerging from the United States in 1998. Thereafter, scientific interest in this condition has increased steadily and dramatically. For example, in 2000, only 2 publications were recorded, compared with nearly 300 in 2010 (Figure 1). Now, takotsubo is widely recognized, with reports from 6 continents and diverse countries, including France, Belgium, Mexico, Australia, Spain, South Korea, China, Brazil, Germany, Israel, South Africa, Turkey, and Iceland. Figure 1. Increasing number of takotsubo cardiomyopathy publications by year, 2000 to 2010. ### The Acute Illness Takotsubo cardiomyopathy starts abruptly and unpredictably, with symptoms of chest pain and, often, shortness of breath, usually triggered by an emotionally or physically stressful event, and with a predilection for women older than 50 years of age …
Abnormalities in the Release of TSH in Response to Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) in Patients with Disorders of the Pituitary, Hypothalamus and Basal Ganglia

ABSTRACT The availability of synthetic TRH has permitted studies of TSH release in various disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Forty-five patients with disorders of the pituitary, hypothalamus or basal ganglia were studied. The TSH response to 400 μg intravenous TRH was normal in all but two of 19 acromegalics, normal or high in 6 patients with chromophobe adenomas, low or undetectable in 7 patients with panhypopituitarism, normal or low in 3 patients with galactorrhea and amenorrhea and in 5 with parkinsonism, and normal or markedly elevated in 3 patients with hypothalamic hypothyroidism. Unexpectedly, plasma GH also rose significantly after TRH administration in 10 of 11 untreated acromegalics with elevated fasting GH levels. These results demonstrate the usefulness of TRH in characterizing the location and extent of lesions in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, and suggest those therapeutic measures, including the administration of certain releasing hormones, which may be employed to treat cert...
Double slip plane crack model

In this paper a simple crack model is proposed and the behavior of this crack under stress is explored. The crack consists of an ordinary Griffith crack, but on either side of this crack, at a distance w, exist two slip planes that are parallel to the crack plane. It is assumed that slip can only take place on these two planes. Elsewhere the material is elastic. When w is set equal to zero the crack becomes a Bilby-Cottrell-Swinden crack. This crack model simulates in a simple way the elastic crack tip enclave model of a crack. Because w has a finite value the material around the crack tip is elastic. The crack is considered to be stressed in either mode II (plane strain shear) or mode III (anti-plane strain shear). It is found that for a virgin, stationary crack the stress intensity factor at the crack tip is equal to the conventional stress intensity factor when the stress is raised under a monotonically increasing load. However, when the crack tip advances under such a load the crack tip stress intensity factor is smaller than the conventional stress intensity factor. The fracture stress is proportional to the surface energy of the solid raised to a power. In general, this power is not equal to one half. For cyclic loading by using qualitative arguments it is shown that the crack can grow an incremental distance each cycle, and the growth law is a fourth power Paris equation.
Game Scholar: Do We Need a Reference Database for Video Game Research?

Given the growing influence of video games and the likelihood that video games will be the focus of an increasing amount of criticism and research, we suggest that a comprehensive information resource on the topic could be of significant value to the scholarly community. The Game Scholar prototype and research study are aimed at understanding whether there is in fact a need for such a resource and if so, what information would be most useful to include in the resource.
Examination of Tethered Porphyrin, Chlorin, and Bacteriochlorin Molecules in Mesoporous Metal-Oxide Solar Cells

The performance of five tetrapyrrole molecules as sensitizers in regenerative solar cells was evaluated. The tetrapyrroles form two sets. One set contains three meso-substituted porphyrins that differ only in the nature of their surface-binding tether: isophthalic acid, ethynylisophthalic acid, or cyanoacrylic acid. The other set includes the ethynylisophthalic acid tether attached to porphyrin, chlorin, and bacteriochlorin macrocycles, which contain zero, one, and two saturated pyrrole rings, respectively. Incident photon-to-current efficiency was measured for each sensitizer loaded onto a mesoporous TiO2 semitransparent electrode in a solar cell. The porphyrin bearing the cyanoacrylic acid tether gives the largest peak and integrated (350−900 nm) photocurrent density of the five tetrapyrrole molecules. For this sensitizer, a quasi-monochromatic power conversion efficiency of 21% was obtained at the Soret maximum (450 nm), along with a fill factor of 0.69. To elucidate the molecular origins of the effec...
In vitro technique for isolating prostatic cells from blood

Abstract An in vitro technique for isolating prostatic cells from blood has been applied to the study of circulating prostatic cells during a transurethral resection of the prostate. Our findings indicate that prostatic cells that are added to the blood in vitro can be isolated by the technique described and that cells resembling prostatic cells can be isolated from the blood of the patient undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate. Furthermore, the results of our study suggest that (i) in selected patients, needle biopsy of the prostate should be carried out prior to transurethral resection of the prostate and that (ii) patients who have multifocal adenocarcinoma diagnosed at the time of transurethral resection of the prostate may not be suitable candidates for future prostatectomy.
The Optimal Metal-Metal Arthroplasty Is Not a Surface Replacement—Opposes

A hip resurfacing arthroplasty has all the characteristics of an optimized metal on metal bearing: low surface roughness, head sphericity, low clearance, high carbon alloy metallurgy, and a larger diameter. Both wear simulation in the laboratory and clinical experience demonstrate that large diameter metal bearings with optimized clearance have the potential for low metal ion wear production. In addition, hip resurfacing can maintain normal hip mechanics. Hip resurfacing is the only metal bearing option that allows femoral bone conservation. There are situations where the femoral head bone is not sufficiently healthy or mechanically sound to warrant preservation. However, when the goal is bone conservation, and a metal bearing is indicated, there is no substitute in today's technology for a hip resurfacing.
Calculation of bounds on variables satisfying nonlinear inequality constraints

Existing techniques for solving nonconvex programming problems often rely on the availability of lower and upper bounds on the problem variables. This paper develops a method for obtaining these bounds when not all of them are availablea priori. The method is a generalization of the method of Fourier which finds bounds on variables satisfying linear inequality constraints. First, nonlinear inequality constraints are converted to equivalent sets of separable constraints. Generalized variable elimination techniques are used to reduce these to constraints in one variable. Bounds on that variable are obtained and an inductive process yields bounds on the others.
Dynamics of pursuit and evasion in a heterogeneous herd

We propose and analyze a dynamic model of pursuit and evasion on the plane with a single pursuer and a heterogeneous group of evaders. Heterogeneity in the group of evaders is expressed as heterogeneity in the individual maximum speeds. The goal of the pursuer is to capture a single evader in minimum time. The goal of each individual evader is to avoid capture or else to delay capture for as long as possible. Two cases of sensing among agents are considered: global (all-to-all) sensing, and local (radius-limited) sensing. We present pursuer strategies for optimal target selection that achieve bounded capture time. We propose evasion strategies and prove conditions under which they guarantee capture avoidance. In the case of local sensing, our strategy of evader risk reduction leads to aggregation of the evaders where the slowest evader in a group is the only member with a risk of capture. Our results provide insight into the dynamics of aggregation.
Expanding the PACS archive to support clinical review, research, and education missions

Designing an image archive and retrieval system that supports multiple users with many different requirements and patterns of use without compromising the performance and functionality required by diagnostic radiology is an intellectual and technical challenge. A diagnostic archive, optimized for performance when retrieving diagnostic images for radiologists needed to be expanded to support a growing clinical review network, the University of Florida Brain Institute's demands for neuro-imaging, Biomedical Engineering's imaging sciences, and an electronic teaching file. Each of the groups presented a different set of problems for the designers of the system. In addition, the radiologists did not want to see any loss of performance as new users were added. Each group was interviewed and requirements specified. Multiple archives were developed to meet the needs of each group. Databases were created using Oracle Relational Database Management systems. Retrieval and simple image display software was developed to facilitate access. Methods for converting DICOM images into standard formats for manuscripts and presentations were developed. The archive expansion is actually a group of multiple archives serving different users. Neuro imaging researchers require a combination of full patient and image information for clinical research and coded image information for research requiring blind studies. Biomedical engineering's imaging sciences require full image information with no patient information to maintain patient confidentiality while providing students with sample data sets for experiments. Referring physicians require full patient information, but a subset of complete image information. Clinical compression of studies is performed prior to making them available to referring physicians. Relevant images from large image sets are selected for inclusion, all images are converted from 12 to 8 bit, and large images are subsampled to be no larger than 1024 pixels x 1280 pixels. Images for presentations and manuscripts are converted from DICOM to a tiff, JPEG, or gif format and are stored for a short period of time until moved to a researcher's private directory, or to CD-ROM. Studies designated for teaching files are stored in their original DICOM format with database entries allowing complex searches. PACS archives, while important for the clinical diagnostic process, do not adequately serve the entire population of researchers and clinicians who wish to use radiology images. By creating separate archives or partitioned archives, the digital radiology department of the future can support diagnostic radiology, clinical review by referring physicians, full DICOM studies for clinical research, sanitized image sets for basic research, and images appropriate for education, manuscript preparation, and presentations.
What is the Incidence of Biliary Carcinoma in Choledochal Cysts, When Do They Develop, and How Should it Affect Management?

The incidence of cancer in choledochal cysts (CCs) in adults was calculated to determine the timing and need for surgery. In 78 publications (1996-2010), 434 of 5780 reported CCs patients had cancer. Cholangiocarcinoma (70.4 %) and gallbladder cancer (23.5 %) were the most common malignancies. Only nine malignancies were reported before age 18 (0.42 %). In contrast, the incidence of malignancy in adults was 11.4 %. The median age for diagnosis of cancer was 42 years, and the incidence increased with each decade.
Children's Perceptions of Indebtedness: The Help-seeker's Perspective

The present study examined age and ability differences in children’s evaluations of indebtedness in help-seeking. Second-, fourth-, and sixth-graders were separated into high-, medium-, and low-achievement groups. Children responded to two high-cost and two low-cost vignettes describing a hypothetical classroom help exchange between two peers. Second- and fourth-graders experienced difficulty in determining the extent of their indebtedness. Sixth-graders offered evaluations of indebtedness that varied systematically with helper cost. With the exception of the second-graders, low-achieving children did not differentiate their ratings across the cost conditions. In contrast, low-achieving second-graders and high-achieving sixth-graders rated the importance of reciprocation higher in the high-cost than in the low-cost condition. Children’s understanding of the norms guiding help-seeking interactions between peers is discussed.
IS BRAND LOYALTY A CRITERION FOR MARKET SEGMENTATION: DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS

Is it possible to use brand loyalty for market segmentation? The answer rests solely on whether the researcher can identify the group of loyal buyers among the product users. This study investigates the usefulness of external information obtained from a set of independent variables in order to discriminate between loyal and disloyal groups. The independent variables of the study measure a consumer's shopping patterns, general characteristics of the product usage, and the element of price in purchase decision.
Transformation of the bathtub failure rate data in reliability for using Weibull-model analysis

Abstract All statistical methods involve basic model assumptions, which if violated render results of the analysis dubious. A solution to such a contingency is to seek an appropriate model or to modify the customary model by introducing additional parameters. Both of these approaches are in general cumbersome and demand uncommon expertise. An alternative is to transform the data to achieve compatibility with a well understood and convenient customary model with readily available software. The well-known example is the Box–Cox data transformation developed in order to make the normal theory linear model usable even when the assumptions of normality and homoscedasticity are not met. In reliability analysis the model appropriateness is determined by the nature of the hazard function. The well-known Weibull distribution is the most commonly employed model for this purpose. However, this model, which allows only a small spectrum of monotone hazard rates, is especially inappropriate if the data indicate bathtub-shaped hazard rates. In this paper, a new model based on the use of data transformation is presented for modeling bathtub-shaped hazard rates. Parameter estimation methods are studied for this new (transformation) approach. Examples and results of comparisons between the new model and other bathtub-shaped models are shown to illustrate the applicability of this new model.
Raman scattering studies of the effects of a symmetry-breaking impurity on the ferroelectric phase transition in K1−xLixTa1−yNbyO3

Abstract Raman scattering and optical depolarization measurements on K1−xLixTa1−yNByO3 with y ⩽ 0.028 and x ⩽ 0.06 show that lithium impurities destabilize the niobium-induced rhombohedral ferroelectric phase. With increasing x the phase transition is altered from a soft-mode dominated transition to a disorder-order transition into a tetragonal phase. The dependence of Tc on x disagrees with the predictions of classical mean-field theory.
Ordered nanocrystal/silica particles self-assembled from nanocrystal micelles and silicate

Ordered gold nanocrystal/silica particles were synthesized through self-assembly of nanocrystal micelles and silicate. Depending on the use of surfactants, and the kinetic conditions of silica hydrolysis and condensation, well-shaped and irregularly-shaped silica particles were formed, inside which the nanocrystals self-organized in a face-centered cubic mesostructure.
Marital status, alcohol dependence, and GABRA2: evidence for gene-environment correlation and interaction.

Objective: The gene GABRA2 has been associated with the risk for alcohol dependence in independent samples. This article explores how this genetic risk factor interacts with marital status, another factor previously shown to be associated with the risk for alcohol dependence. Method: Data from more than 1,900 male and female subjects from the Collaborative Study of the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) sample were analyzed. Subjects were recruited based on membership in a family with multiple individuals with alcoholism. A series of analyses was performed to evaluate the relationship between the following: (1) GABRA2 and alcohol dependence, (2) marital status and alcohol dependence, (3) GABRA2 and marital status, and (4) interactions between GABRA2 and marital status on the development of alcohol dependence in the high-risk COGA sample. Additional analyses were carried out in a sample of approximately 900 individuals from control families to test the generalizability of results. Results: Both GABRA2 and marit...
Self-imaging objects of infinite aperture

The necessary and sufficient conditions are derived in order that an infinite plane object, illuminated by a plane monochromatic wave of normal incidence, images itself without the aid of lenses or other optical accessories. This involves a solution of the reduced wave equation which does not satisfy the Sommerfeld radiation condition. The solution is obtained by requiring a geometrical-optics limiting condition as the wavelength λ goes to zero. Two cases of self-imaging are considered. The first case, called weak, deals with the faithful imaging of objects whose spatial frequencies are all much smaller than the (1/λ) value of the illuminating source. The conditions for this case demand that the two-dimensional Fourier spectrum of the object lies on the circles of a Fresnel zone plate. The second case, called strong, deals with the faithful imaging of objects for spatial frequencies up to the natural cutoff of 1/λ. Both doubly- and singly-periodic and nonperiodic objects are considered. For periodic objects the results are shown to agree well with the experimental and theoretical work to date, the latter of which has always employed the Fresnel–Kirchhoff diffraction integral with the parabolic approximation appropriate to Fresnel diffraction.
Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder during childhood

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a type of parasomnia that arises out of REM sleep and is characterized by aggressive or violent motor dream enactment in conjunction with preservation of tonic electromyographic activity (ie, REM sleep without atonia). RBD occurs at all ages and in both sexes, although it remains relatively infrequent during childhood. The literature pertaining to RBD in childhood is scant, and composed only of single case reports or small case series. RBD etiologies include Parkinson disease, multisystem atrophy, and dementia with Lewy body disease. This article presents an updated review of childhood RBD.
An in silico analysis of microRNAs: Mining the miRNAome

Systematic analysis of literature- and experimentally-derived datasets using text mining with ontological enrichment and network modeling revealed global trends in the microRNA (miRNA) interactome. A total of 756 unique miRNAs were resolved from PubMed abstracts and 1165 direct relationships between 270 miRNAs and 581 genes were identified as phrase groups using semantic search techniques. These miRNA:gene interactions were built into a bipartite network (the miRNAome) which displays scale-free degree distribution. Functional classification of miRNA-target genes using PANTHER revealed 189 distinct molecular functions, with significant enrichment of nucleic acid binding, transcription and protein phosphorylation. Pathway analysis revealed a network of 176 miRNAs linked to 368 OMIM disorders via their target genes, which are enriched (p = 0.0047) for disease-associated SNP variations. Reference to a database of drug targets revealed that 24.8% of all published miRNA-targets are targets for drug development programs, while a sub-set (18.2%) are targets for FDA-approved drugs. Consistent with topological analysis of the miRNA-disease network, the most prevalent class of FDA-approved drugs is anti-neoplastic agents against published miRNA-target genes. Linking miRNAs to biological process and diseases reveals distinct co-regulation of phenotypes that could aid in understanding the role miRNA-based gene regulation plays in biological phenomena.
Central venous catheterization in infants and children – small caliber audio‐Doppler probe versus ultrasound scanner

Summary Background : Ultrasound guidance for cannulation of the internal jugular vein has been shown to increase the success rate and reduce the incidence of complications in infants and children. We compared the use of a small caliber audio-Doppler probe with an ultrasound scanner for cannulation of a central venous (CV) line via the right internal jugular vein in infants and children. Methods : Fifty-two infants and 29 children scheduled for open-heart surgery were enrolled. Cannulation was guided using a small caliber audio-Doppler probe (the AU group, n = 42), or an ultrasound scanner image (the US group, n = 39). Ultimate success rate, success rate at the first attempt, success rate within 5 min, and complications were compared for the two groups. Results : In children (>12 months), both methods were equally efficient. But in infants (<12 months), success rate at the first attempt using audio-Doppler was worse than the rate using an ultrasound scanner and there were more complications when audio-Doppler was used. Conclusions : We conclude that application of both the audio-Doppler and the ultrasound scanner is useful in children over 1 year of age for access to the internal jugular vein. However, in infants and neonates, the ultrasound scanner would be more useful than the audio-Doppler.
DO SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS ASSESS AND ADDRESS ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO CLIENTS IMPLEMENTING AGREED TASKS

Identical vignettes except for a sentence describing a client's economic resources were randomly assigned to 129 MSW students. The vignettes described a social worker who agreed with a client's decision to relocate her residence as a partial solution to a presenting problem but did not assess or address economic barriers to the client's relocating. Students evaluating the "no economic resources" vignette were just as likely to agree that the social worker adequately assessed and addressed barriers to the client's relocating and to state that economic factors influenced their ratings as students who rated the "economic resources" vignette. The results provide little evidence that MSW students are sensitive to clients' economic circumstances.
Stridulation by a Cockroach during Courtship Behaviour

WE have found that the male of Nauphoeta cinerea stridulates during courtship. The male raises his wings and tegmina when courting the female, and exposes his tergum1. The female responds to a pheromone (seducin), produced in the male's abdomen, and mounts and palpates or “feeds” on his tergum2. The male initially courts without stridulating, and if the female is receptive, mating will occur quickly. If the female does not respond by mounting and feeding, however, or if she does mount and the male's attempts to grasp her genitalia are unsuccessful and she dismounts, he lowers his tegmina and wings, touches her with his antennae or legs, or stands within about 2 cm from her and stridulates. The male stridulates when the female remains quiescent; if she begins to move about he stops stridulating and usually turns facing away from her and raises his tegmina and wings.
Effects of tubocurarine chloride on rates of evaporative water loss in eastern spadefoot toads, Scaphiopus holbrooki

1. 1. Rates of evaporative water loss were measured under controlled environmental conditions in Scaphiopus holbrooki either paralyzed with tubocurarine chloride or restrained physically. 2. 2. Rates of water loss and body temperatures did not differ significantly between paralyzed and restrained animals. 3. 3. Skin temperatures were slightly higher and more variable in restrained animals due probably to boundary layer disturbances caused by struggling movements and orientational shifts. 4. 4. Pulmonary water loss was insignificant relative to total water loss.
Time course of intercostal afferent termination of the inspiratory process

The influence exerted by several somatic nerves on the inspiratory off-switch mechanism has been assessed in decerebrate cats. These animals were paralyzed, artificially ventilated, and bilaterally vagotomized. Inspiratory activity was monitored by a phrenic neurogram. Brief stimulation of either the superficial radial nerve or the sciatic nerve had an inconsistent effect on both the depth of inspiration and the timing of the respiratory cycle. However, stimulation of the T6 intercostal nerve during inspiration elicited a premature phase switch to expiration. Distinct, repeatable thresholds were determined for 10 delays in 100 msec increments after the onset of inspiration. As the delay increased, the threshold current was observed to decrease in all 30 decerebrate cats studied. An increase in the end-expiratory %CO2 caused an elevation of the stimulus threshold. These results correspond to the known characteristics of the inspiratory off-switch. Also, since the intercostal afferents are not normally a major determinant of respiratory rhythmicity in eupnea, this work establishes intercostal nerve stimulation as a very useful technique in the study of inspiratory to expiratory phase switching mechanisms.
Amorphous Silicon Electronic Devices and their Applications

Hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) devices first made a significant impact in photovoltaic application, 70% of the photovoltaic solar cells produced in Japan in 1984 were a-Si:H. More recently, thin film transistor (TFT) and sensor devices have been developed for consumer and business products. The ability to produce large area uniform films of a-Si:H makes the application of TFTs and sensors well suited for input and output imaging devices such as image scanners, display and printers. This paper reviews the operation, material issues and physics of a-Si:H TFTs and sensors. The circuit and technology issues in large area systems incorporating these devices are described.
Age-associated changes in glutamine synthetase activity in WI-38 cells

The human fibroblast cell line WI-38 shows a gradual decline in glutamine synthetase specific activity with increasing age in culture. However, the level of functional enzyme per cell does not change with age. Heat inactivation profiles indicate that glutamine synthetase from younger cell cultures is more heat labile than that from older cultures. A possible explanation for these observations is that alterations in the glutamine synthetase molecule occur with increasing age of WI-38 cells in culture.
Numerical and experimental investigation of a serpentine inlet duct

This article presents a numerical and experimental investigation of the flow inside an ultra-compact, serpentine inlet duct. The numerical analysis used two flow solvers: FLUENT®, a commercial code, and UNS3D, an in-house code. The flow was modelled using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The turbulence effects were modelled by using the shear-stress transport k-ω model. The numerical investigation was compared against experimental data obtained in an open-circuit, low-speed wind tunnel in the Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at Texas A&M University. The numerical simulations and experimental testing were performed to reveal the separation points and the strong secondary flow phenomena within the inlet. UNS3D overpredicted the location of the first separation point by 9 mm and the location of the second separation point by 1 mm, while the area-averaged pressure loss coefficient was 5% higher than in the experiment. The numerical results of UNS3D agreed better with the experiment than those of FLUENT.
Film-Forming Properties of Propylene Carbonate in the Presence of a Quaternary Ammonium Ionic Liquid on Natural Graphite Anode

Propylene carbonate (PC) in electrolytes is generally believed to lead to graphite exfoliation due to intensive cointercalation and ceaseless decomposition reactions. This paper reports the formation of an effective solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film on a natural graphite surface through decomposition of PC in the presence of a quaternary ammonium ionic liquid. With an ionic liquid content of at least 60%, the PC molecules are reduced in the first charge, effectively passivating the graphite anode and allowing the formation of LiC6 with high capacity and good reversibility. In the electrolyte containing 20 vol % PC, the natural graphite anode attains a discharge capacity of 322.8 mAh/g and 76.5% coulombic efficiency on the first cycle. A stable discharge capacity of around 330 mAh/g was obtained in the initial 20 cycles without any noticeable capacity loss. This result compares favorably with using 20 vol % ethylene carbonate (EC) as the film-forming additive in the electrolyte. SEM and FTIR studies d...
TRIZ and Axiomatic Design: A Review of Manufacturing Case-Studies & Their Compatibility

With increasing competition in the market, expediting the problem solving process has become crucial in the industry. Techniques such as Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and Axiomatic Design (AD) have been widely applied for this purpose. This paper reviews practical applications of TRIZ and AD in solving industrial problems related to designing and manufacturing. We propose that application of these two techniques synergistically to solve a problem will increase the efficiency and quality of the problem solving process. This has been demonstrated using a real life case-study of manufacturing tool design.
Surgical treatment of type 2 diabetes: the surgeon perspective

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major health priority globally, having achieved pandemic status in the twenty-first century. Several gastrointestinal procedures that were primarily designed to treat morbid obesity result in dramatic remission of diabetes. Studies in experimental rodent models and humans have shown that the glycemic benefits of surgery are at least in part weight-independent and extend to non-morbidly obese subjects with T2DM. Bariatric procedures differ in their ability to ameliorate type 2 diabetes, with intestinal bypass procedures being more effective than purely restrictive procedures. Several studies have demonstrated that the benefits of bariatric surgery extend beyond amelioration of hyperglycemia and include improvement in other cardiovascular risk factors such as dyslipidemia and hypertension. The safety and cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery are also well established by several studies. In this paper, the authors present the surgeon perspective on the management of type 2 diabetes focusing on the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of metabolic surgery. The available evidence warrants the inclusion of metabolic surgery in the treatment algorithm of type 2 diabetes.
Bronze-processed Nb3Sn for r.f. applications☆

Abstract The bronze method of Nb3Sn production is studied for coating microwave cavities. The influence of the bronze composition and Nb3Sn layer thickness on the quality of these films is investigated. Films of about 1 μm thickness are prepared on niobium substrates of different residual resistivity ratio (RRR) values. Surface and elemental analysis for a number of samples are made. Preliminary results on r.f. properties of such films coated on a muffin-tin X-band cavity are also given.
Total curvature and volume of foliations on the sphere S 2

In this paper we study a curvature integral associated with a pair of orthogonal foliations on the Riemann sphere S2 and we compute the minimal value of the volume of meromorphic foliations.
Zur Deutung der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit von Korngrenzen in Germanium-Bikristallen

Die Defektelektronenverteilung bei tiefen Temperaturen an der Korngrenze von Germanium-Bikristallen mit einem Verdrehungswinkel von 20° wurde mit Hilfe der Thomas-Fermi-Methode berechnet. Fur die mittlere Dicke der leitenden p-Schicht wurde ein Wert der Grosenordnung 50 A gefunden, die mittlere Defektelektronendichte ergab sich zu 4 · 1018 cm−3. The low-temperature hole distribution adjacent to the grain boundary of germanium bi-crystals with a tilt angle of 20° has been computed using the Thomas-Fermi-method. The average thickness of the conducting p-type layer was found to be of the order of 50 A, with an average hole density of 4 × 1018 cm−3.
Geo-clustering of Images with Missing GeoTags

Images with GPS coordinates are a rich source of information about a geographic location. Innovative user services and applications are being built using geotagged images taken from community contributed repositories like Flickr. Only a small subset of the images in these repositories is geotagged, limiting their exploration and effective utilization. We propose to use optional meta-data along with image content to geo-cluster all the images in a partly geotagged dataset. We formulate the problem as a graph clustering problem where edge weights are vectors of incomparable components. We develop probabilistic approaches to fuse the components into a single measure and then, discover clusters using an existing random walk method. Our empirical results strongly show that meta-data can be successfully exploited and merged together to achieve geo clustering of images missing geotags.
1308 DEVELOPMENT OF THE HIPPOCAMPAL FORMATION IN TRISOMY 16 MICE

Studies of the neuroanatomic features of murine trisomy 16 (Ts16), an animal model for human trisomy 21 (Ts 21, Down Syndrome), have focussed upon the structural and ultrastructural characteristics of germinative cells within the hippocampal formation. We prepared 5 micron plastic section serial reconstructions of the hippocampal formation of Ts16 and normal littermates from days 12 through 18 gestation.
Color Changes in Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus) During Cooking

The change from the blue-green color to the red-orange color of Blue crabs was monitored during cooking using a Hunterlab Color Difference Meter set in the L, a, b scale. Changes in the “a” readings were correlated with the changes in internal body temperature. A cooking temperature of 100°C resulted in maximum red-orange color development after 30 sec with no significant changes occurring subsequently. The internal body temperature of the crabs was shown to be only slightly above the initial temperature when maximum color development occurred. The results of this study show that color changes in Blue crab do not serve as an adequate index of proper cooking.
CURRENT STANDARDS OF DIAGNOSIS IN THYROID DISEASE

Abstract Proper diagnosis of thyroid disease requires a knowledge of the available tests, their strengths, and their limitations. In recent years, the widespread availability of sensitive serum assays, increased experience with cytological interpretation, and greater experience with radiological imaging techniques has simplified and increased the accuracy of the diagnosis of thyroid disease. In this article we review the use of current techniques to diagnose inflammatory, neoplastic, and metabolic thyroid disease.
Sodium 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonate (DMPS) treatment does not redistribute lead or mercury to the brain of rats

Since there has been concern about whether any of the chelating agents used therapeutically might cause an initial redistribution of heavy metals to the brain and since the sodium salt of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (Dimaval, DMPS) has been used to treat heavy metal intoxication in humans, the hypothesis that DMPS does not redistribute and increase lead or mercuric ions in the brains of rats was tested. Lead acetate at a concentration of 50 mg/l was made available in the drinking water of rats for 86 days. Other rats received intraperitoneal injections of 0.50 mg Hg/kg (as mercuric chloride) each day for 5 days a week for a total of 32 or 41 days. Animals were divided into groups and given, i.p., either 0.27 mmol DMPS/kg body weight or saline, each day for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days. Lead or mercury concentrations of the brain were determined after each group received DMPS for the different number of days. DMPS treatment did not result in any initial increase of lead or mercuric ions in the brain. The mercury content of the kidney decreased. The results of these experiments demonstrated that lead or mercuric ions were not redistributed to or increased in the brains of rats during the initial days of DMPS treatment.
The Quiet Crusade: Moody Bible Institute's Outreach to Public Schools and the Mainstrearning of Appalachia, 1921–66

In 1921, William Norton of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago pushed, pulled, and dragged his Model T along the back roads of the southern Appalachians. He visited churches, schools, and private homes, talking with anyone and everyone he could find. His question was always the same: “Do you have enough Bibles?” The answers he received shocked him. As far as Norton could tell, many of the “mountaineers” were nominally Christian, but they had often never seen a Bible, much less read one of their own. As the head of the Moody Bible Institute's Bible Institute Colportage Association, he immediately put together a plan. “To reach these people quickly,” he wrote in his report, “I am convinced that it can be done most efficiently … through the public schools.… A great majority of the teachers are ready to cooperate.”
The mechanical design of muscle-operated arm prostheses

Abstract This paper is concerned with the principles of engineering design associated with the harnessing of human muscle to operate a cineplastic prosthesis. The analysis proceeds on the assumption of a linearized biceps muscle force-length diagram. Four types of mechanical lever systems are proposed to compensate for the loss in muscle force with excursion. Design principles are established for each system and the performance of typical designs are compared.
Glucose Biosensor Based on Oxygen Electrode. Part I: Silastic Coated Polycarbonate Membranes for Biosensor Application

Abstract An amperometric glucose biosensor based on the oxygen electrode principle has been developed. Polycarbonate membranes (pore size from 0.01 μm to 0.4 μm) were used as external glucose diffusion membranes in order to obtain direct proportionality of the amperometric signal to the substrate concentration in the entire physiological range. The commercially available membranes - standard (hydrophilic, treated with Polyvinylpyrrolidone/(PVP)) and PVP-free membranes were compared with membranes coated with a silicone elastomer (silastic). Spindrop coating technique was used to create stable, adhesive coatings over the polycarbonate membranes. These coated membranes achieved diffusion control of the glucose flux such that the amperometric signal of the biosensor was linearly proportional to the substrate concentration up to 16 mM glucose. The membrane parameters were optimized by varying the parameters of the coating process-spin rate of the membrane rotation and the silastic/water ratio in the coating e...
Deterioration of the silver/glass interface in second surface solar mirrors

Abstract The suitability of various heliostat mirror module designs for large solar central power systems depends, in part, on the ability of the reflective surface to survive over the expected lifetime with little loss in reflectivity. Recent observations on several module designs proposed for solar energy applications revealed significant deterioration of the reflective interface in an unexpectedly short time span. The deterioration seen to date is not specific to a particular geographic location or module design and appears in several forms depending upon the geometry of the mirror module and the compatibility of the mirror with adhesives and sealants used in its fabrication. There is evidence of more than one deterioration mechanism that may be a function of the mirror backing paint used. There is strong evidence that water plays a dominant role in all observed mechanisms and that silver delamination is a precursor to other effects on the silver layer. Laboratory tests have been successful to an extent in generating mirror deterioration similar to that seen in the field.
Absolute Gene Occupancies by RNA Polymerase III, TFIIIB, and TFIIIC in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A major limitation of chromatin immunoprecipitation lies in the challenge of measuring the immunoprecipitation effectiveness of different proteins and antibodies and the resultant inability to compare the occupancies of different DNA-binding proteins. Here we present the implementation of a quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation assay in the RNA polymerase III (pol III) system that allowed us to measure the absolute in vivo occupancy of pol III and its two transcription factors, TFIIIC and TFIIIB, on a subset of pol III genes. The crucial point of our analysis was devising a method that allows the accurate determination of the immunoprecipitation efficiency for each protein. We achieved this by spiking every immunoprecipitation reaction with the formaldehyde cross-linked in vitro counterparts of TFIIIB-, TFIIIC-, and pol III-DNA complexes, measuring the in vitro occupancies of the corresponding factors on a DNA probe and determining probe recovery by quantitative PCR. Analysis of nine pol III-transcribed genes with diverse sequence characteristics showed a very high occupancy by TFIIIB and pol III (pol III occupancy being generally ∼70% of TFIIIB occupancy) and a TFIIIC occupancy that ranged between ∼5 and 25%. Current data suggest that TFIIIC is released during transcription in vitro, and it has been proposed that TFIIIB suffices for pol III recruitment in vivo. Our findings point to the transient nature of the TFIIIC-DNA interaction in vivo, with no significant counter-correlation between pol III and TFIIIC occupancy and instead to a dependence of TFIIIB-DNA and TFIIIC-DNA complex maintenance in vivo on pol III function.
Enabling the sharing of neuroimaging data through well-defined intermediate levels of visibility

The sharing of neuroimagery data offers great benefits to science, however, data owners sharing their data face substantial custodial responsibilities, such as ensuring data sets are correctly interpreted in their new shared context, protecting the identity and privacy of human research participants, and safeguarding the understood order of use. Given choices of sharing widely or not at all, the result will often be no sharing, due to the inability of data owners to control their exposure to the risks associated with data sharing. In this context, data sharing is enabled by providing data owners with well-defined intermediate levels of data visibility, progressing incrementally toward public visibility. In this paper, we define a novel and general data sharing model, Structured Sharing Communities (SSC), meeting this requirement. Arbitrary visibility levels representing collaborative agreements, consortium memberships, research organizations, and other affiliations are structured into a policy space through explicit paths of permissible information flow. Operations enable users and applications to manage the visibility of data and enforce access permissions and restrictions. We show how a policy space can be implemented in realistic neuroinformatic architectures with acceptable assurance of correctness, and briefly describe an open source implementation effort.
pH-temperature dependence of the hemolymph of the squid, Loligo pealei.

Abstract 1. 1. The pH of Loligo hemolymph decreases by 0.021 ± 0.0005 pH units per °C between 5 and 25°C. 2. 2. The change in hemolymph pH with temperature is essentially the same as the change in the neutral pH of sea water over the same temperature range. 3. 3. Buffers with a pH-temperature dependence similar to that of hemolymph are recommended for in vitro studies of squid tissues.
Exploring Pedagogical Strategies to Integrate a Holistic Approach to Education into ESL Classes.

Holistic education is a popular trend in the midst of various educational reforms, yet little systematic research has been done to consider its application in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) for Asian Chinese learners. According to the New Zealand Ministry of Education, holistic education is defined as an approach to teaching to include the physical, social, emotional, cultural, and cognitive dimensions of a person’s growth. Education reform in Taiwan has adopted a Western constructivist approach. However, in Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC), open teacher–student and student–student interactions are not as common as they are in the social constructivist model found in the Anglo-Saxon culture. CHC values social harmony, teachers’ authority, and silence to avoid confrontation. Without understanding the affective and social environment in the Western context, holistic education is unlikely to be successfully implemented in Taiwan. The purpose of this research is to understand the contextualization of the holistic environment and pedagogical strategies that nurture student–teacher and student–student interactions in a holistic approach to EFL. This study utilized qualitative research methods of observation and in-depth interviews of New Zealand English teachers and observed the pedagogical practices in New Zealand English classes. This research provided effective pedagogical strategies for implementing the social and affective support of a holistic educational approach for Asian EFL students.