cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Show Me the Evidence: Invited Lecture from the ASHT Annual Meeting, San Antonio, September 2005

Jerry Maguire was one of the best romantic comedies of the 1990s. Tom Cruise starred as Jerry Maguire a successful sports agent, whose only client left was a second-rate football player Rod Tidewell played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. Tidewell wanted the big time and one of the most memorable scenes in the movie was when he kept demanding from Jerry to ‘‘show him the money.’’ Tidewell said over and over again to Jerry ‘‘Showme the money, show me the money.’’ That scene has stuck in my mind to this day with a slight deviation. Every time I am promotionally introduced to a new product, a new operation, a new method of treating patients, and as I wander through the exhibit halls and see the quantity of money and commodification that has taken place in medicine, I think of Tidewell and cry out ‘‘show me the evidence, please, show me the evidence.’’ It is this subject matter that I would like to expand with you today. Bertand Russell once said: ‘‘The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way.’’ What we usually rely on as evidence is that opinion which is handed down to us by experts in our fields. We are faced
Hg2+-induced dissociation of exchange reactions from catalytic activity of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate-dependent phosphoglyceromutases.

1. 1. The rate of 3-phosphoglycerate exchange with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate catalyzed by phosphoglyceromutase (EC 2.7.5.3) increases in the order, rabbit < yeast < chicken enzymes. 2. 2. Treatment of the chicken and of the rabbit muscle mutase with Hg2+, a procedure known to increase their 2,3-diphosphoglycerate phosphatase (EC 3.I.3.I3) activity and to decrease their mutase activity, caused 149 and 294% increase, respectively, in their rate of exchange. The phosphate activity of the yeast enzyme which is not affected by Hg2+ remained also unaffected after Hg2− treatment in so far as exchange rates between 3-phosphoglycerate and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. 3. 3. The experimentally observed 32P incorporation from 3-phosphoglycerate into 2,3-diphosphoglycerate was close to that theoretically expected when equilibration of the reaction was reached. 4. 4. The phosphatase activity showed no direct relationship to the rate of the 32P exchange between 3-phosphoglycerate and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate.
Rethinking Adult Learning in the Workplace

The problem and the solution. Adult learning is a core concept in support of basic human resource development concepts, such as performance improvement, continuous quality improvement, knowledge ma...
Preterm betamethasone treatment of fetal sheep: outcome after term delivery.

Objectives:Although antenatal corticosteroids improve outcomes for preterm newborns, negative effects could result if present delivery does not occur. We investigated whether betamethasone treatment of preterm fetal sheep would alter cardiovascular, renal, and lung function after delivery at term.Methods:Preterm fetal lambs were radomized at 126-128 days' gestation to receive single doses of saline (n = 6) or 0.5 mg/kg betamethasone (n = 7) by ultrasound-guided fetal intramuscular injection. The lambs were delivered by cesarean at term, 20 days after fetal treatment, then ventilated for 4 hours to evaluate lung, cardiovascular, renal, and endocrine newborn adaptive responses, as well as responses to mild hypoxia.Results:Body and organ weights (brain, lung, heart kidney, adrenal) were similar in the two groups. Values for blood gases and PH, mean arterial pressures, heart rates, glomerular filtration rates, renal osmolar dearance, and plasma cortisol, angiotension II, epinephrine, and norepinephrine levels...
Wave-equation Hessian By Phase Encoding

I demonstrate a method for computing wave-equation Hessian operators, also known as resolution functions or point-spread functions, under the Born approximation. The proposed method modifies the original explicit Hessian formula, enabling efficient computation of the operator. A particular advantage of this method is that it reduces or eliminates storage of Green’s functions on the hard disk. The modifications, however, also introduce undesired crosstalk artifacts. I introduce two different phase-encoding schemes, namely, plane-wave phase encoding and random phase encoding, to suppress the cross-talk. I applied the Hessian operator obtained by using random phase encoding to the Sigsbee2A synthetic data set, where a better subsalt image with higher resolution is obtained.
Retrieving the unretrievable in electronic imaging systems: emotions, themes, and stories

New paradigms such as 'affective computing' and user-based research are extending the realm of facets traditionally addressed in IR systems. This paper builds on previous research reported to the electronic imaging community concerning the need to provide access to more abstract attributes of images than those currently amenable to a variety of content-based and text-based indexing techniques. Empirical research suggest that, for visual materials, in addition to standard bibliographic data and broad subject, and in addition to such visually perceptual attributes such as color, texture, shape, and position or focal point, additional access points such as themes, abstract concepts, emotions, stories, and 'people-related' information such as social status would be useful in image retrieval. More recent research demonstrates that similar results are also obtained with 'fine arts' images, which generally have no access provided for these types of attributes. Current efforts to match image attributes as revealed in empirical research with those addressed both in current textural and content-based indexing systems are discussed, as well as the need for new representations for image attributes and for collaboration among diverse communities of researchers.
THE IS CORE - IX THE 3 FACES OF IS IDENTITY: CONNECTION, IMMERSION, AND FUSION

From the time of the first ICIS conference in 1980, the debate over the identity of IS research continues to flare. Accompanying this debate is an endless quest for “the core” of the IS field and its boundaries, as well as the identification and articulation of its reference disciplines and research methods. This debate most recently crystallized in the dialectic between the BenbasatZmud-Weber position around narrowing the field to center around the core of “the IS artifact” and the Alter position around broadening the field to be a work-centered systemic interconnected view. This paper argues that there is nothing inherently wrong with either of these two perspectives, but that they are just alternative models of reality which bring particular central features of phenomena to the foreground and hide other features. The paper further argues that there is at least a third critical perspective that can be equally argued for. It characterizes these three perspectives of IS identity as connection, immersion, and fusion, and articulates their commonalities and distinctions. Like the “Three Faces of Eve” in the classic 1957 Hitchcock movie thriller, each of these faces of IS identity reveals particular aspects of the IS persona. This paper contends that it may be time for a natural shift of emphasis from the Connection view to the Immersion View to the Fusion view as IT continues to morph and augment its capabilities. The paper explains the differences and similarities among the three views, and articulates each of them. The Fusion view is one that is not yet apparent in the IS field. This paper alerts the IS scholarly community to pay attention to it, and suggests ways of doing that.
Analysis of kinesin motor function at budding yeast kinetochores.

Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis requires biorientation of sister chromatids on the microtubules (MT) of the mitotic spindle. Chromosome–MT binding is mediated by kinetochores, which are multiprotein structures that assemble on centromeric (CEN) DNA. The simple CENs of budding yeast are among the best understood, but the roles of kinesin motor proteins at yeast kinetochores have yet to be determined, despite evidence of their importance in higher eukaryotes. We show that all four nuclear kinesins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae localize to kinetochores and function in three distinct processes. Kip1p and Cin8p, which are kinesin-5/BimC family members, cluster kinetochores into their characteristic bilobed metaphase configuration. Kip3p, a kinesin-8,-13/KinI kinesin, synchronizes poleward kinetochore movement during anaphase A. The kinesin-14 motor Kar3p appears to function at the subset of kinetochores that become detached from spindle MTs. These data demonstrate roles for structurally diverse motors in the complex processes of chromosome segregation and reveal important similarities and intriguing differences between higher and lower eukaryotes.
Hardware channel model for ultra wideband systems

We present a digital hardware model for ultra wideband channels. The system runs at 80 MHz on a Xilinx Virtex-4 xc4vsx35 FPGA. High-speed arithmetic operations including division, square root, powering and normal random number generator are analyzed and developed for use as basic components in the channel emulator. The design flow is based on Matlab Simulink as the model builder, followed by Xilinx System Generator to transform the Simulink model into a VHDL description which can be synthesized and mapped onto the FPGA device. Speed and area results are given for the synthesized designs
Islands in the MSN messenger buddy network

The MSN messenger buddy network comprises a giant component and many small islands. Being curious about the existence of the small islands, we study their topologies and find that they favor part of the possible topologies. Specifically, fully connected and star-shape topologies become more and more popular as the size of the islands increases. The tendency towards certain topologies suggests specific ways of interactions between users in the islands. Using egonetworks as a tool, we also compare the local structures in islands and those in the giant component. The comparison shows that the giant component ego-networks are larger but sparser than those in the islands. The difference implies different interaction behaviors between users in the islands and the giant component.
An immunoregulatory function for the CD8 molecule

Abstract The molecular details of immunoregulatory phenomena associated with CD8+ T lymphocytes have not been clearly elucidated. We tested the hypothesis that the cell surface glycoprotein CD8 is itself essential in mediating the inhibitory effects associated with CD8+ T cells. For this purpose we utilized a T-cell clonal pair, consisting of a human CD8+ T-cell clone and a specific CD8- phenocopy of this clone obtained via antisense RNA mutagenesis, to modulate allogeneic responses in vitro. Our findings indicate that the expression of the CD8 molecule by the inhibitory cells is essential for down-regulation of both allogeneic proliferation and generation of cytotoxicity in mixed lymphocyte cultures. These results define an immunomodulatory function for the CD8 molecule and provide insights into the molecular basis of immunosuppression.
Understanding sports preparticipation cardiovascular screening recommendations.

School nurses have the responsibility of maintaining the medical files of middle- and high-school athletes. This includes collecting and monitoring the sports preparticipation physical exam. Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of death in young athletes and, therefore, is one of the primary reasons that competitive athletes undergo sports preparticipation physical exams. Although there is no governing body that has established mandates regarding the nature and scope of this physical exam, the American Heart Association (AHA) has recommendations for cardiovascular screening for competitive athletes. However, these recommendations are not always included on the preparticipation physical exam form and it is not always clear if the health care provider completing the form screened the athlete using these recommendations. Therefore, it is important that school nurses not only be knowledgeable of the AHA recommendations but also consider advocating for their school districts to include these recommendatio...
Hierarchic plate and shell models based on p-extension

Formulations of finite element models for beams, arches, plates and shells based on the principle of virtual work was studied. The focus is on computer implementation of hierarchic sequences of finite element models suitable for numerical solution of a large variety of practical problems which may concurrently contain thin and thick plates and shells, stiffeners, and regions where three dimensional representation is required. The approximate solutions corresponding to the hierarchic sequence of models converge to the exact solution of the fully three dimensional model. The stopping criterion is based on: (1) estimation of the relative error in energy norm; (2) equilibrium tests, and (3) observation of the convergence of quantities of interest.
Weighted DCT coefficient based text detection

This paper addresses text detection utilizing weighted discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients as a discrimination statistic. The sum of absolute value of DCT coefficients in each block is considered as an energy statistic for detection. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is conducted to calculate the optimal threshold. Different types of weights are employed to strengthen discrimination statistic, which include uniform, binary, linear and quadratic weights. The evaluation of weighted algorithms is conducted in the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) space. The ROC curves show that there is a tradeoff between true positive rate (TPR) and false positive rate (FPR) for all weight configurations. In terms of maximizing the separation between two distributions, experimental results show that the quadratic weighted energy achieves the best recall and precision.
7.5.3 Cultural Models of Organizational Risk in Product Development

This paper uses cognitive domain elicitation methods to explore taxonomies of risk in engineering product development. The paper places typical technologies of risk control within a context of theories that emphasize system-focused risk identification. Two case studies identify weaknesses in this approach: operator errors in a chemical plant, and pilot error classification on P-3 aircraft. Shifting the emphasis to user-focused rather than system-focused risk identification reveals several key concepts that are missing from the formal theories of risk mitigation. Using numerical analysis from a survey at a small engineering company, the paper explores cognitive anthropology insights regarding the distinction between folk and scientific taxonomies. The results present four significant findings: People who think they disagree with each other don't; experts and non-experts view risky things differently; despite this difference, non-experts have a systematic understanding of risky things; and there are verifiable ways to elicit the structure of this understanding.
Phase noise effects on turbulent weather radar spectrum parameter estimation

Accurate weather spectrum moment estimation is important in the use of weather radar for hazardous windshear detection. The effect of the stable local oscillator (STALO) instability (jitter) on the spectrum moment estimation algorithm is investigated. Uncertainty in the stable local oscillator will affect both the transmitted signal and the received signal since the STALO provides transmitted and reference carriers. The proposed approach models STALO phase jitter as it affects the complex autocorrelation of the radar return. The results can therefore be interpreted in terms of any source of system phase jitter for which the model is appropriate and, in particular, may be considered as a cumulative effect of all radar system sources. >
On the mixed-convective flame structure in the stagnation point of a fuel particle

An analysis is developed for the mixed, forced and free, convective gasfication, ignition, steady burning and extinction at the stagnation point of a condensed fuel particle. The analysis makes use of the boundary layer approximation to describe the gas flow, of the flamesheet approximation to analyze the fuel burning process, and of large activation energy asymptotics to study the ignition and extinction phenomena. A mixed-convection parameter is introduced in the formulation of the problem in such a way that the forced or free conditions are respectively recovered for zero value of the Grashof or Reynolds number. This unified formulation of the problem permits the derivation of general criteria for ignition and extinction, and the description of the gasification and burning processes when the fuel particle is subjected to convective flows of different nature and intensity. Explicit expressions are derived for the gasification and mass burning rates and for the critical Damkohler numbers for ignition and extinction.
A Helical Launching Structure for Alfvén Wave Heating in the Proto-Cleo Stellarator

A helical wave launching structure is analyzed to determine the spectrum of Alfven waves that it can excite. Using an ideal MHD plasma model, the effectiveness of this helical coil for producing Alfven wave heating in the Proto-Cleo stellarator is investigated. It is found that significant energy absorption should occur. The amount of absorption and the frequency range over which it is greatest are dependent on the shape of the radial profiles of the confining magnetic field and the plasma density.
High-power high-Modulation-speed 1060-nm DBR lasers for Green-light emission

We report on the static and dynamic performance of high-power and high-modulation-speed 1060-nm distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers for green-light emission by second-harmonic generation. Single-wavelength power of 387 mW at 1060-nm wavelength and green power as high as 99.5 mW were achieved. A thermally induced wavelength tuning of 2.4 nm and a carrier-induced wavelength tuning of -0.85 nm were obtained by injecting current into the DBR section. Measured rise-fall times of 0.2 ns for direct intensity modulation and 0.6 ns for wavelength modulation make the lasers suitable for >50-MHz green-light modulation applications
Origins, Lineage-Specific Expansions, and Multiple Losses of Tyrosine Kinases in Eukaryotes

Tyrosine kinases are important components of metazoan signaling pathways, and their mutant forms are implicated in various malignancies. Searching the sequences from the genomes of 28 eukaryotes and the GenBank, we found tyrosine kinases not only in metazoans but also in the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the potato late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans, and the protozoan pathogen Entamoeba histolytica, contrary to the current view that tyrosine kinases are animal-specific. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, we divided this gene family into 43 subfamilies and found that at least 19 tyrosine kinases were likely present in the common ancestor of chordates, arthropods, and nematodes. Interestingly, most of the subfamilies have conserved domain organizations among subfamily members but have undergone different degrees of expansion during the evolution of metazoans. In particular, a large number of duplications occurred in the lineage leading to the common ancestor of Tagifugu and mammals after its split from the Ciona lineage about 450 to 550 MYA. The timing of expansion coincides with proposed large-scale duplication event in the chordate lineage. Furthermore, gene losses have occurred in most subfamilies. Interestingly, different subfamilies have similar net gain rates in the chordates studied. However, the tyrosine kinases in mouse and human or in fruit fly and mosquito mostly have a one-to-one relationship between species, indicating that static periods of 90 Myr or longer in tyrosine kinase evolution have followed large expansion events.
Arsenic and chromium speciation in an urban contaminated soil.

Abstract The distribution and speciation of As and Cr in a contaminated soil were studied by synchrotron-based X-ray microfluorescence (μ-XRF), microfocused X-ray absorption spectroscopy (μ-XAS), and bulk extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS). The soil was taken from a park in Wilmington, DE, which had been an important center for the leather tanning industry along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States, until the early 20th century. Soil concentrations of As, Cr, and Pb measured at certain locations in the park greatly exceeded the background levels of these heavy metals in the State of Delaware. Results show that Cr(III) and As(V) species are mainly present in the soil, with insignificant amounts of Cr(VI) and As(III). Micro-XRF maps show that Cr and Fe are distributed together in regions where their concentrations are diffuse, and at local spots where their concentrations are high. Iron oxides, which can reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III), are present at some of these hot spots where Cr and Fe are highly concentrated. Arsenic is mainly associated with Al in the soil, and to a minor extent with Fe. Arsenate may be sorbed to aluminum oxides, which might have transformed after a long period of time into an As–Al precipitate phase, having a structure and chemical composition similar to mansfieldite (AlAsO 4 ⋅2H 2 O). The latter hypothesis is supported by the fact that only a small amount of As present in the soil was desorbed using the characteristic toxicity leaching procedure tests. This suggests that As is immobilized in the soil.
Eat Better & Move More: A Community-Based Program Designed to Improve Diets and Increase Physical Activity Among Older Americans

Objectives. We assessed outcomes of an integrated nutrition and exercise program designed for Older Americans Act Nutrition Program participants as part of the Administration on Aging’s You Can! campaign. Methods. A 10-site intervention study was conducted. Preintervention and postintervention assessments focused on nutrition and physical activity stages of change, self-reported health status, dietary intakes, physical activity, and program satisfaction. Results. Of 999 enrollees, the 620 who completed the program were aged 74.6 years on average; 82% were women, and 41% were members of racial/ethnic minority groups. Factors associated with program completion were site, health conditions, and nutrition risk. Seventy-three percent and 75% of participants, respectively, made a significant advance of 1 or more nutrition and physical activity stages of change; 24% reported improved health status. Daily intake of fruit increased 1 or more servings among 31% of participants; vegetables, 37%; and fiber, 33%. Daily steps increased 35%; blocks walked, 45%; and stairs climbed, 24%. Program satisfaction was 99%. Conclusions. This easy-to-implement program improves diets and activity levels. Local providers should offer more such programs with the goal of enabling older Americans to take simple steps toward successful aging. (Am J Public Health. 2007;97:710‐717. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2006.090522)
Role of vocalizations in the reproductive cycle of ring doves (Streptopelia risoria): Effects of hypoglossal nerve section on the reproductive behavior and physiology of the female

Abstract The role of vocalizations in the reproductive cycle of female ring doves was investigated. Two-stage bilateral hypoglossal nerve section (HNS) was performed on adult females to alter their cooing and they were observed for courtship behavior with the same stimulus males used in preoperation behavioral tests. The HNS females showed a reduction in both the vocalization and wing flipping components of nest-coos but no changes in other female courtship behaviors. In addition, the HNS females failed to show the typical male courtship-induced follicular growth observed in sham-operated females. The behavior of stimulus males did not differ between groups and therefore could not account for the failure of follicular growth in the HNS females. These data suggest that the female's performance of nest-coos, or factors associated with it, may stimulate her own follicular growth.
Ecosystem Structure and Stability: Middle Upper Ordovician of Central Kentucky, USA

Abstract Cluster analysis reveals eight biofacies during a time of faunal turnover and regional oceanographic change in the middle Upper Ordovician of central Kentucky. These biofacies are arranged along a deep-water to shallow-water gradient, with the dalmanellid and the Sowerbyella biofacies in offshore facies, the Rafinesquina, the atrypid, and the ramose trepostome biofacies in deep-subtidal to shallow-subtidal facies, the Constellaria-Cyclonema and the Rhynchotrema biofacies in the shallow-subtidal facies, and the Solenopora-Hebertella biofacies in sand-shoal facies. These biofacies are not discrete, but rather they share a large number of taxa suggesting that they are arbitrary subdivisions of a depth-related ecological gradient. Nonetheless, they are useful as a point of comparison with other studies of this time interval in the eastern United States. Previous lower and middle Upper Ordovician biofacies studies portray a similar pattern of plectorthines and rhynchonellaceans in the shallow subtidal...
Costs of care and outcomes for high-dose therapy and autologous transplantation for lymphoid malignancies: results from the University of Nebraska 1987 through 1991.

PURPOSE AND METHODSHigh-dose therapy with autologous stem-cell support has become common treatment for relapsed or refractory lymphomas. We conducted a study of 178 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 149 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who received high-dose therapy with stem-cell support. We evaluated the following: (1) whether improvements in outcomes over time found for surgical procedures were also true for a new nonsurgical procedure, autologous bone marrow and peripheral stem-cell transplantation; and (2) whether such a relationship, if it existed, applied to both clinical and economic outcomes.RESULTSMortality rates for patients with Hodgkin's disease decreased from 20% in 1987 to 0% in 1991. For non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the mortality rate decreased from 29% in 1987 to 4% in 1991. Multivariate analyses indicated that the number of previous transplants was the most important factor associated with survival and low-cost care. After controlling for differences in clinical factors, a logistic regr...
Design and Computer Simulation of Microprocessor Controlled Lubricating Oil Cooling System for Truck Diesel Engine

A microprocessor controlled lubricating oil cooling system of truck diesel engine was designed to minimize the sump oil temperature fluctuation during start-up and nonsteady engine operations. Model reference adaptive control method is utilized in the control system design. The analysis involved in the design of the microprocessor controlled oil cooling system, and the applications of a special vehicle-engine-cooling system (VEC) computer simulation code in the implementation and testing of the model reference adaptive control strategy are described
Mediated Development: Inter-psychological activity for L2 education

L2 Vygotskian research has turned increasingly toward the design of educational practices to promote learner development. Two important strands of work that have emerged are Systemic Theoretical Instruction (STI), wherein L2 curricula are organized around linguistic concepts, and Dynamic Assessment, emphasizing mediators and learners engaged in what Vygotsky described as inter-psychological activity. This paper examines processes of mediator-learner interaction in the context of an STI program targeting learner understanding of the English tense-aspect system. Importantly, the focus of interaction was not to diagnose learner L2 abilities but to introduce specially designed pedagogical materials, or tools. The framework of Mediated Learning, developed by Reuven Feuerstein through his work with learners with special needs, guided the approach taken to joint mediator-learner functioning. Close analysis of transcribed mediator-learner interactions point to processes through which materials come to function as tools and the importance of the social relation created by mediators and learners.
Chemical and plant-based insect repellents: efficacy, safety, and toxicity

Most emerging infectious diseases today are arthropod-borne and cannot be prevented by vaccinations. Because insect repellents offer important topical barriers of personal protection from arthropod-borne infectious diseases, the main objectives of this article were to describe the growing threats to public health from emerging arthropod-borne infectious diseases, to define the differences between insect repellents and insecticides, and to compare the efficacies and toxicities of chemical and plant-derived insect repellents. Internet search engines were queried with key words to identify scientific articles on the efficacy, safety, and toxicity of chemical and plant-derived topical insect repellants and insecticides to meet these objectives. Data sources reviewed included case reports; case series; observational, longitudinal, and surveillance studies; and entomological and toxicological studies. Descriptive analysis of the data sources identified the most effective application of insect repellents as a combination of topical chemical repellents, either N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (formerly N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide, or DEET) or picaridin, and permethrin-impregnated or other pyrethroid-impregnated clothing over topically treated skin. The insecticide-treated clothing would provide contact-level insecticidal effects and provide better, longer lasting protection against malaria-transmitting mosquitoes and ticks than topical DEET or picaridin alone. In special cases, where environmental exposures to disease-transmitting ticks, biting midges, sandflies, or blackflies are anticipated, topical insect repellents containing IR3535, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane-3, 8-diol or PMD) would offer better topical protection than topical DEET alone.
Tumor necrosis factor-α alters steroidogenesis and stimulates proliferation of human ovarian granulosal cells in vitro

Objective To determine if tumor necrosis factor α (TNF- α ) altered human granulosa-luteal cell proliferation and steroidogenesis. Design Aspirates of follicles from women undergoing in vitro fertilization were subjected to Percoll gradients to collect an enriched population of granulosa-luteal cells. The granulosa-luteal cells were subjected to culture for a period of 10 or 20 days in the presence or absence of various doses of human recombinant TNF- α (0.1 to 10.0ng/mL). Patients Granulosa-luteal cells from nine patients were evaluated for their response to TNF- α in vitro. Patients with three follicles >16mm and a serum estradiol (E 2 ) concentration of >1,836 pmol/L were selected for study. Results Tumor necrosis factor- α increased granulosa-luteal cell number. By day 10 of culture, 10ng TNF- α /mL doubled cell number and >95% of the cells exhibited 3 β -hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase. Tumor necrosis factor- α at 10ng/mL increased progesterone (P) accumulation from day 4 through day 20 of culture. Tumor necrosis factor- α also increased E 2 secretion but in a biphasic manner. During the first 14 days of culture, TNF- α increased E 2 , but thereafter E 2 decreased to basal values by day 20. When steroidogenesis was expressed per 1,000 cells per days of culture, TNF- α did not increase P beyond controls but significantly increased E 2 for the first 14 days of culture after which E 2 per 1,000 cells declined. Conclusions The results indicate that TNF- α stimulates granulosal-luteal cell growth and E 2 secretion in vitro, and thus TNF- α may promote cellular events associated with formation of the corpus luteum; i.e., granulosa-cell proliferation and steroidogenesis.
Use of Intravenous Vancomycin and Cefepime in Preventing Endophthalmitis After Open Globe Injury

Abstract Purpose: The choice and route of antibiotic prophylaxis in the setting of open globe injury remains controversial. We investigated the utility of intravenous vancomycin and cefepime prophylaxis in preventing endopthalmitis after open globe injury. Methods: The charts of 224 patients who presented to Parkland Memorial Hospital and Children's Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, between June 1, 2009 and June 30, 2013, with open globe injury and who were treated with prophylactic intravenous vancomycin and cefepime were retrospectively reviewed. Data collection included time from injury to presentation, mechanism of injury, details of ophthalmological examination, timing of open globe repair, and length of follow-up. All patients were treated with intravenous vancomycin and cefepime for 48 h after presentation. Results: The primary outcome measure was rate of endophthalmitis, and the secondary outcome measure was identification of risk factors for developing endophthalmitis. Out of 224 patients who pres...
Baer in Posthemorrhagic Ventricular Dilatation

Nineteen infants with pos themorrhagi c ventricular dilatation were studied with serial auditory brainstem responses at the Department of Paediatrics and Neonatal Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
Future Radio Access, Wi-Fi-LTE, LTE-Advanced: The Path to 5G

With the proliferation of IP-based bandwidth-intensive video services and smartphones, there has been an unprecedented exponential increase in mobile broadband data. This has resulted in increasing demand for additional wireless capacity. In order to increase the wireless capacity multifold, the next-generation radio access networks (RAN) boast of a number of sophisticated technologies, such as Carrier Aggregation (CA), Evolved-Multicast/Broadcast Multimedia Services (eMBMS) using Single-Frequency Networks (SFN), enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) in self-organized Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets), Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) transmission in Multiple-Input–Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems using 2D/3D Beamforming, and full-duplex communication. Some of the above technologies are standardized in 3GPP Release 10+ systems like LTE-Advanced and are seen as a roadmap to 5G RANs. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of each of these technologies and surveys the key open issues concerning them in terms of radio resource management (RRM) to facilitate maximum wireless capacity and provide Quality-of-Service (QoS) to the users. It also explores the synergies between these technologies towards developing holistic optimization techniques for the design of 4G+ and 5G systems.
Effects of transit bus interior configuration on performance of wheeled mobility users during simulated boarding and disembarking

The emergence of low-floor bus designs and related regulatory standards in the U.S. have resulted in substantial improvements in public transit accessibility. However, passengers using wheeled mobility devices still experience safety concerns and inefficiencies in boarding, disembarking, and interior circulation on low-floor buses. This study investigates effects of low-floor bus interior configuration and passenger crowding on boarding and disembarking efficiency and safety. Users of manual wheelchairs (n = 18), powered wheelchairs (n = 21) and electric scooters (n = 9) simulated boarding and disembarking in three interior layout configurations at low and high passenger crowding conditions on a full-scale laboratory mock-up of a low-floor bus. Dependent measures comprised task times and critical incidents during access ramp use, fare payment, and movement to and from the doorway and wheeled mobility securement area. Individual times for unassisted boarding ranged from 15.2 to 245.3 s and for disembarking ranged from 9.1 to 164.6 s across layout and passenger crowding conditions. Nonparametric analysis of variance showed significant differences and interactions across vehicle design conditions, passenger load and mobility device type on user performance. The configuration having electronic on-board fare payment, rear-bus entrance doorways and adjacent device securement areas demonstrated greatest efficiency and safety. High passenger load adversely impacted efficiency and frequency of critical incidents during on-board circulation across all three layouts. Findings have broader implications for improving transit system efficiency and quality of service across the spectrum of transit users.
Nonspecific block of voltage‐gated potassium channels has greater effect on distal schaffer collaterals than proximal schaffer collaterals during periods of high activity

Previous studies established different responses between proximal and distal portions of Schaffer collateral axons during high-frequency and burst stimulation, with distal axons demonstrating biphasic changes in excitability (hyperexcitability followed by depression), but proximal axons showing only monophasic depression. Voltage-dependent potassium (KV) channels are important determinants of axonal excitability, and block of KV channels can promote axon hyperexcitability. We therefore hypothesized that block of KV channels should lead to biphasic response changes in proximal Schaffer collaterals, like those seen in distal Schaffer collaterals. To test this hypothesis, we made extracellular recordings of distal Schaffer collateral responses in stratum radiatum of hippocampal area CA1 and proximal Schaffer collateral responses in stratum pyramidale of area CA3 during high-frequency stimulation (HFS) at 100 Hz and burst stimulation at 200 msec intervals (5 Hz or theta frequency). We then applied a nonselective KV channel blocker, tetraethlylammonium (TEA, 10 mmol/L) or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 100 μmol/L), and assessed effects on Schaffer collateral responses. Surprisingly, block of KV channels had little or no effect on proximal Schaffer collateral responses during high-frequency or burst stimulation. In contrast, KV channel blockade caused more rapid depression of distal Schaffer collateral responses during both high-frequency and burst stimulation. These findings indicate that KV channels are important for maintaining distal, but not proximal, Schaffer collateral excitability during period of sustained high activity. Differential sensitivity of distal versus proximal Schaffer collaterals to KV channel block may reflect differences in channel density, diversity, or subcellular localization.
Medication overuse headache: An ongoing debate.

Medication overuse headache (MOH) has incited passionate debate among headache clinicians and researchers in recent years. The existence of MOH as a diagnostic category1 and as a potentially modifiable risk factor for headache chronification is well-recognized by most headache specialists.2 However, the greatest controversies seem to exist over whether medication overuse should be regarded as cause or consequence; and over the treatment strategies, including advice about withdrawal of frequently used symptomatic (acute pain relieving) medication and whether prophylactic treatment should be initiated during withdrawal or after detoxification.3,4 This ongoing debate is undoubtedly a symptom of a lack of high-quality evidence, as Scher et al.5 state in this issue of Neurology® . Other contributing factors include the difficulty of disentangling retrospectively the underlying primary headache type predating medication overuse and cultural differences regarding types of overused symptomatic medication. Most notably, the advice to patients to stop symptomatic medication that may provide transient benefits seems to counter the mission of headache practitioners to minimize pain.
Jerry Mashaw's Creative Tension with the Field of Administrative Law

This piece provides a concise critical introduction to the 45-year body of work of Jerry Mashaw, a leading skeptic of judicial power over the administrative state and a leading dissenter from the court-centered approach that dominates administrative law scholarship. In Mashaw’s view, we are not wrong in our aspiration to subject government to law, but we are wrong to think that judicial review and tightly-written congressional statutes are the best means to that end. Mashaw argues that agencies themselves, under the right conditions, can generate law from within and do it more effectively than courts or elected lawmakers can (“law” being defined as predictable norms that are followed by officials and are capable of normative evaluation and improvement and of winning public acceptance). The piece introduces a collected volume of essays by twenty-one scholars debating, extending, and critiquing Mashaw’s ideas. The piece places the volume's essays in dialogue with Mashaw’s principal works, tracing the theme of agency-generated law and related themes throughout (including the President’s potential role in fostering agency-generated law, the danger that judicial review and congressional oversight may hinder agencies from carrying out their statutory missions, and the robust historical development of governmental legality in the 19th century prior to, and unaided by, modern judicial review). Mashaw’s scholarship is a guide and a provocation for writing about administrative law and for challenging its premises and pushing its boundaries as a field.
The chlorinated lipidome originating from myeloperoxidase-derived HOCl targeting plasmalogens: Metabolism, clearance, and biological properties

Myeloperoxidase produces the two-electron oxidant HOCl, which targets plasmalogen phospholipids liberating 2-chlorofatty aldehyde. 2-Chlorofatty aldehyde has four known fates: 1) oxidation to 2-chlorofatty acid; 2) reduction to 2-chlorofatty alcohol; 3) Schiff base adduct formation with proteins and amines; and 4) reactivity with glutathione through nucleophilic attack of the α-chlorinated carbon. 2-Chlorofatty acid does not undergo conventional fatty acid β-oxidation due to the presence of the α-chlorinated carbon; however, 2-chlorofatty acid does undergo sequential ω-oxidation and β-oxidation from the ω-end, ultimately resulting in 2-chloroadipic acid urinary excretion. Recent studies have demonstrated that 2-chlorofatty acid clearance is increased by treatment with the PPAR-α agonist WY14643, which increases the enzymatic machinery responsible for hepatic ω-oxidation. Furthermore, 2-chlorofatty acid has been shown to be a PPAR-α agonist, and thus accelerates its own clearance. The roles of 2-chlorofatty aldehyde and 2-chlorofatty acid on leukocyte and endothelial function have been explored by several groups, suggesting that chlorinated lipids induce endothelial cell dysfunction, neutrophil chemotaxis, monocyte apoptosis, and alterations in vascular tone. Thus, the chlorinated lipidome, produced in response to leukocyte activation, is a potential biomarker and therapeutic target to modulate host response in inflammatory diseases.
Health insurance coverage and access to skilled birth attendance in Togo.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of the newly introduced national health insurance plan on access to skilled birth attendance (SBA). METHODS The present secondary analysis used data from the 2014 Togo Demographic and Health Survey. The study sample comprised women aged 15-49 years who had at least one delivery in the 5 years preceding the survey. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS The adjusted sample included 4826 women. Overall, 195 (4.0%) of 4826 pregnant women had health insurance. The coverage rate varied by wealth, with poor women having the lowest coverage rate (22/931 [1.1%]). Approximately one-third of the women had no SBA at delivery. Women with health insurance were almost three times as likely to be assisted by skilled healthcare personnel at delivery as were those without health insurance (adjusted odds ratio 2.74, 95% confidence interval 1.63-4.59). Other factors associated with SBA included education, household wealth, and age. CONCLUSION The study highlights the positive impact health insurance coverage could have on access to SBA and provides evidence that SBA use could be improved through improved access to health insurance. An accessible health insurance scheme will offer a pathway to achieving health equity and Sustainable Development Goal 3 in Togo.
Next-Generation Sequencing to Diagnose Muscular Dystrophy, Rhabdomyolysis, and HyperCKemia.

Background: Neuromuscular disorders are a phenotypically and genotypically diverse group of diseases that can be difficult to diagnose accurately because of overlapping clinical features and nonspecific muscle pathology. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a high-throughput technology that can be used as a more time- and cost-effective tool for identifying molecular diagnoses for complex genetic conditions, such as neuromuscular disorders. Methods: One hundred and sixty-nine patients referred to a Canadian neuromuscular clinic for evaluation of possible muscle disease were screened with an NGS panel of muscular dystrophy–associated genes. Patients were categorized by the reason of referral (1) muscle weakness (n=135), (2) recurrent episodes of rhabdomyolysis (n=18), or (3) idiopathic hyperCKemia (n=16). Results: Pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants were identified in 36.09% of patients (61/169). The detection rate was 37.04% (50/135) in patients with muscle weakness, 33.33% (6/18) with rhabdomyolysis, and 31.25% (5/16) in those with idiopathic hyperCKemia. Conclusions: This study shows that NGS can be a useful tool in the molecular workup of patients seen in a neuromuscular clinic. Evaluating the utility of large panels of a muscle disease-specific NGS panel to investigate the genetic susceptibilities of rhabdomyolysis and/or idiopathic hyperCKemia is a relatively new field. Twenty-eight of the pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants reported here are novel and have not previously been associated with disease.
Pedagogy and Content Knowledge Based Podcasting Project for Preservice Teachers

This study examines the impact of an instruction based on the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework on podcasting and vodcasting for preservice teachers in the United States. Podcasting and vodcasting enhances public school learners’ creativity and critical thinking as well as verbal skills. Preservice teachers enrolled in teacher preparation programs benefit from learning pedagogical reasons to implement podcasting and vodcasting. However, the conceptual knowledge is not enough. They should also have the technology skills to facilitate them in the context of the subject they are teaching. The result indicates that the research participants developed positive attitudes towards using podcasting and vodcasting in their classrooms after the instructional sequences.
Second primary melanomas: Increased risk and decreased time to presentation in patients exposed to tanning beds.

Background Melanoma incidence has increased; the primary modifiable risk factor is ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun or artificial UVR (arUVR) from tanning beds. Objective To determine whether patients who developed melanoma after arUVR exposure from tanning beds have unique characteristics. Methods A retrospective study of 434 melanoma patients was performed. Patients who consented at the initial appointment completed a questionnaire regarding phenotypic traits, medical history, and UVR exposure. Results Compared with patients aged ≥40 years, younger patients, especially women, had greater lifetime exposure to arUVR. At any age, patients with multiple primary melanomas had a higher probability of exposure to arUVR. For all patients with additional primary melanomas, those exposed to arUVR acquired their second primary melanoma significantly earlier; 67% of patients exposed to arUVR through tanning beds had their second primary diagnosed at the time of or within 1 year of their original diagnosis compared with 28% of nontanners (P = .011). Median time to diagnosis of second primary melanoma in patients exposed to arUVR versus those not exposed was 225 days versus 3.5 years, respectively (P = .027). Limitations The study was conducted in 1 geographic area with a relatively small sample size. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence for heightened surveillance in melanoma patients exposed to arUVR.