cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SEASONAL PHOTOSYNTHETIC AND RESPIRATORY RESPONSES OF THE RED ALGA BOSTRYCHIA TENELLA (CERAMIALES, RHODOPHYTA) FROM A SALT MARSH AND MANGAL

Abstract Seasonal photosynthetic and respiratory responses of the red alga Bostrychia tenella (Lamouroux) J. Agardh to temperature, salinity, and desiccation were compared using native and reciprocal transplants of mangrove and salt marsh populations on the west coast of Florida. In over 70% of cases. plants showed higher photosynthetic and respiratory rates when exposed to 30°C compared with 20°C, both in 30‰ and in 15‰ salinity. There was no pattern in responses to temperature and salinity with regard to season or whether the plants were native or transplants. Furthermore, respiration did not show a pattern for native and transplanted populations from both coastal wetland communities. Photosynthetic and respiratory responses were mostly similar after 3- or 6-h periods of daily desiccation, when compared with responses of plants that were not desiccated. All plants. regardless of the period of desiccation, showed net photosynthesis. The broad tolerances of native and transplanted B. tenella indicate that...
Expressing connexin 43 in breast cancer cells reduces their metastasis to lungs

Recently the concept that gap junctions play a role in cancer cell metastasis has emerged. However, the mechanism by which this might occur is unknown. To examine this issue a metastatic breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-435, was stably transfected with human Cx43 cDNA. Four clones of 435 transfectants (435/Cx43+ c1, c6, c8, c14) and two clones of plasmid control (435/hy) were isolated and examined in this study. We found that expressing Cx43 in MDA-MB-435 cells decreased their expression of Cx32 but did not affect gap junctional intercellular communication, migration or invasion through Matrigel®. However, forced expression of Cx43 decreased the growth of MDA-MB-435 cells, decreased expression of N-cadherin, which is frequently associated with an aggressive phenotype, and increased MDA-MB-435 sensitivity to apoptosis. More importantly, there were fewer lung metastases in mice injected with 435/Cx43+ cells relative to mice injected with 435/hy. These results suggest that expressing Cx43 in breast cancer cells decreases their metastatic potential through a mechanism independent of gap junctional communication but, rather, related to N-cadherin expression and apoptosis.
Photochemical addition of amino acids and peptides to DNA.

Abstract— The quantum yields for photochemical addition of twenty of the amino acids commonly occurring in proteins to denatured calf thymus DNA have been determined in deoxygenated phosphate buffer at λ 254 nM and pH 7 using a fluorescamine assay technique. Fifteen were found to be reactive, with cysteine, lysine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine being the most reactive. Alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine and threonine were unreactive. Analogous quantum yields for a series of eighteen peptides of the form glycyl X (X being one of the commonly occurring amino acids) were also determined, along with the corresponding quantum yields for L-alanyl-L-alanine, L-alanyl-L-tryptophan, L-seryl-L-seryl-L-serine, L-threonyl-L-threonyl-L-threonine, and L-cystine-bis-glycine. All of the peptides were found to be reactive. The modified amino acids Ne-methyllysine, Ne, Ne, Ne-trimethyllysine and Ne-acetyllysine, all occurring in minor amounts in the histone group of chromosomal proteins, were also found to be reactive as was Nα-acetyllysine. The quantum yields for photoaddition of a selected group of amino acids and peptides to denatured DNA and native DNA are compared. In some cases higher quantum yields for photoaddition to denatured DNA are observed while in other cases the reverse is true. The effect of oxygen on the quantum yields for photoaddition of selected peptides to DNA was examined. While for most systems studied the amount of reaction in aerated systems was less than in deoxygenated systems, in the case of glycyl-L-phenylalanine the reverse was true.
Ran GTPase Regulates Mad2 Localization to the Nuclear Pore Complex

In yeast and mammalian cells, the spindle assembly checkpoint proteins Mad1p and Mad2p localize to the nuclear pore complex (NPC) during interphase. Deletion of MAD1 or MAD2 did not affect steady-state nucleocytoplasmic distribution of a classical nuclear localization signal-containing reporter, a nuclear export signal-containing reporter, or Ran localization. We utilized cells with conditional mutations in the yeast Ran GTPase pathway to examine the relationship between Ran and targeting of checkpoint regulators to the NPC. Mutations that disrupt the concentration of Ran in the nucleus displaced Mad2p but not Mad1p from the NPC. The displacement of Mad2p in M-phase cells was correlated with activation of the spindle checkpoint. Our observations demonstrate that Mad2p localization at NPCs is sensitive to nuclear levels of Ran and suggest that release of Mad2p from NPCs is closely linked with spindle assembly checkpoint activation in yeast. This is the first evidence indicating that Ran affects the localization of Mad2p to the NPC.
Gastric cancer and metastasis to the brain.

Background: Metastasis of gastric carcinoma to the brain is very uncommon. At The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (M. D. Anderson), less than 1% of patients with primary gastric carcinoma are found to have brain metastases. Little has been published regarding the evaluation and treatment of these patients. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with gastric cancer metastatic to the brain and to describe the efficacy of the treatment used. Methods: Between 1957 and 1997, a total of 218,690 patients were seen for evaluation of malignant tumors at M. D. Anderson. Of these patients, 3320 (1.5%) had a diagnosis of gastric cancer; however, only 24 patients (0.7%) were found to have brain metastases on imaging studies or at autopsy. We performed a retrospective review of these 24 patients and divided them into three groups on the basis of the treatment they received. Results: Group 1 included patients who received steroids alone (16 mg of dexamethasone, daily). Group 2 patients received 3000 cGy of whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) delivered in 10 fractions in addition to steroids. Group 3 patients were managed with surgical resection, WBRT, and steroids. There were 18 male and 6 female patients, with a median age of 53 years. The most common presenting symptoms were weakness, difficulty with balance, and headache. Of the 19 patients diagnosed antemortem, 11 patients developed neurological symptoms after the primary diagnosis of gastric carcinoma, whereas 8 patients developed neurological symptoms before the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Forty-five percent of patients had a single brain metastasis, whereas 55% had multiple lesions. All patients had systemic disease, with bone, liver, and lung involvement seen in 46%, 42%, and 29%, respectively. Nineteen of 24 patients received treatment after diagnosis of brain metastases. Four patients received steroids only (group 1), 11 patients received WBRT and steroids (group 2), and 4 patients were treated with surgery, WBRT, and steroids (group 3). Median survival was approximately 2 months for patients in groups 1 and 2, whereas group 3 patients had a median survival of slightly greater than 1 year. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the overall prognosis of patients with brain metastases from gastric cancer is extremely poor (median survival, 9 weeks). WBRT, as an adjuvant to steroid treatment, was not effective in improving outcome in our series. In selected patients, most of whom were relatively young and had less advanced systemic disease, surgical resection followed by WBRT was associated with relatively long survival times (median survival, 54 weeks).
Synthesis and characterization of organozirconium complexes bearing a new trianionic multidentate cyclopentadienyl ligand by use of amine elimination

Abstract The new multidentate ligand o-(NH(C6H5)(N′H(Si(CH3)2(C5(CH3)4H))C6H4 (1), was synthesized by the reaction of (C5(CH3)4(H)Si(CH3)2Cl) with o-C6H4(NH2)(N′HPh) in the presence of NEt3. The ligand was bound to Zr using the amine elimination method through the reaction of 1 with Zr(N(CH3)2)4. Because of the incomplete removal of HCl generated in the synthesis of 1, two complexes were isolated and characterized from the reaction of 1 with Zr(N(CH3)2)4, o-C6H4{N(C6H5)N′[Si(CH3)2(C5(CH3)4)]}Zr(N(CH3)2)(NH(CH3)2) (2) and o-C6H4{N(C6H5)N′[Si(CH3)2(C5(CH3)4)]}Zr(Cl)(NH(CH3)2)2 (3). The structures of both 2 and 3 were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Crystals of 2 are triclinic, space group P1, with a=10.9864(1), b=11.8841(2), c=12.3633(1) A, and Z=2. Compound 2 has a square-pyramidal geometry with the NMe2 group occupying the apical position. Crystals of 3 are monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a=12.1925(2), b=18.9677(4), c=12.2218(2) A, and Z=4. Complex 3 has a distorted octahedral geometry with the cyclopentadienyl and the amido groups of the chelating ligand occupying pseudo-meridional positions.
Commentary: Kristian Andvord—an under recognized star in the epidemiological firmament

The article ‘Continued Studies of Tuberculosis considered as a generation illness’ by Andvord 1 published in this Journal in translation by Otto Jervell, makes available to a wide modern audience one of the milestones of research methods in medicine. This article is the text of a presentation in 1932 describing the concept of ‘birth cohort’, which is now a fundamental concept in medical research.
Poverty and Fatal Accidental Drug Overdoses of Cocaine and Opiates in New York City: An Ecological Study

This ecological study examines the association of the poverty status of urban communities in New York City with their mortality rates of accidental drug overdoses. Mean annual age-adjusted rates of drug overdoses involving cocaine, opiates, or both (n = 1,684) were calculated for each of 59 residential community districts in New York City for 1990-1992. A linear regression analysis was performed to test the association of the mortality rate with the poverty status of the district as measured by the proportion of the district living below the 1989 U.S. poverty line. Poverty status accounted for 69% of the variance in the drug overdose mortality rates of communities (p < .001). This study suggests that mortality rates of overdoses involving cocaine and optiates are significantly associated with the poverty status of communities in New York City.
Interlayer cracking in delaminated glass/epoxy and graphite/epoxy laminates under cyclic or monotonic loading

Experimental results are presented from an investigation into angle cracks emanating from delamination tips in crossply composite plates. The development and growth of the delamination-intralayer crack system is examined under (i) axial compressive cyclic (fatigue) loading, and (ii) off-axis, i.e. out of plane or transverse, monotonic tensile loading. Study of the results indicates different behavior for the intralayer crack formation depending on the composite material configuration and the position of the delamination through the thickness of the specimen. In particular, when subjected to either (i) or (ii) of the above loading conditions, graphite/epoxy and glass/ epoxy plates develop 35°-45° intralayer cracks in the 90° ply (the one neighboring the delamination) provided the ratio of delamination thickness over specimen thickness, h/T, is relative small, i.e. delaminations near the surface. The intralayer cracks cross the 90° ply with a 70°-85° angle in the case a of high h/T ratio, i.e. delamination is positioned close to the midplane of the specimen. Once the ply is cracked, these intralayer cracks turn again into delaminations at the next interface.
Estimating Aerosol Surface Area from Number and Mass Concentration Measurements

A number of toxicology studies have been published indicating that health effects associated with low-solubility inhaled particles may be more appropriately associated with particulate surface area than mass. While exposure data from the workplace is needed to further investigate the relevance of such an association, the means of measuring exposure to aerosol surface area are not readily available. A possible interim solution is to estimate surface area from measurements of particle number and mass concentration using readily available direct-reading instruments. By assuming a lognormal aerosol size distribution with a specific geometric standard deviation, number and mass concentration measurements may be used to estimate the surface area concentration associated with the distribution. Simulations have shown that surface area estimates made on unimodal lognormal aerosols will frequently lie within 100% of the actual value. Simulations using bimodal distributions indicate estimates of surface area vary from the actual value by less than an order of magnitude. Calculations based on experimental unimodal and bimodal data confirm these findings, with estimated surface area rarely being a factor of 4 greater than the actual value, and frequently being much closer than this. These findings indicate that estimating aerosol surface area exposure using readily available number and mass concentration direct-reading instruments may be suitable for providing initial data on the magnitude of surface area exposures with minimal additional effort. This would allow the accumulation of valuable exposure-response data prior to the development and implementation of more sophisticated instrumentation to more accurately estimate surface area exposure.
Cold Rich Bypass to Strippers for CO2 Capture by Concentrated Piperazine

Cold rich bypass to the stripper in CO2 capture by alkanolamines will usually reduce the total heat duty. Bypass reduces the stripping steam in the overhead vapor and balances the temperature approach in the main cross exchanger. This process improvement reduces the energy requirement of any configuration, but it is most beneficial when the overhead vapor is not already countercurrently contacted with incoming rich solution. Therefore, the 2-stage flash configuration was evaluated in this work, and it had an improvement of 11 % over the no bypass case. Its improvement was better than what was observed with a simple stripper and interheated column. An optimized cool rich bypass for a pilot scale 2-stage reduces the equivalent work.
An Inductive Design Exploration Method for the Integrated Design of Multi-scale Materials and Products

In this paper, we propose an Inductive Design Exploration Method (IDEM) which can be used to design materials and products concurrently and systematically. IDEM facilitates hierarchical materials and product design synthesis, which includes multi-scale material structure and product analysis chains, and uncertainty in models and its propagation through the chains. In this method, we sequentially identify a ranged set of feasible specifications, instead of an optimal point solution in each segment of a hierarchical design process. The feasible spaces are searched from top-level design requirements to product and materials specifications taking into account propagated uncertainty. Strategies for parallelizing computations and achieving a robust solution for uncertainty in models are also addressed. The method is demonstrated with a simple example of designing a clay-filled polyethylene cantilever beam.
Theoretical and experimental study of the input impedance of the cylindrical cavity-backed rectangular slot antennas

The authors study the input impedance of a cylindrical cavity-backed slot antenna based on mode matching and the complex Poynting theorem. Two cavity-backed slot antennas were fabricated to verify the theory. The numerical results agree very well with measurements. Two resonant frequencies were found from the input impedance. One resonant frequency is attributed to the rectangular slot and the other is due to the cavity. The slot length controls the first resonant frequency and has a much stronger effect on the input impedance at the antenna operating frequency as compared with the cavity length. >
Selling the Big Game: Estimating the Economic Impact of Mega-Events through Taxable Sales

Professional sports leagues, franchises, and civic boosters have used the promise of an all star game or league championship as an incentive for host cities to construct new stadiums or arenas at considerable public expense. Past league-sponsored studies have estimated that Super Bowls, All-Star games and other sports mega-events increase economic activity by hundreds of millions of dollars in host cities. Our analysis fails to support these claims. Our detailed regression analysis of taxable sales in Florida over the period 1980 to 2005 reveals that, on average, mega-events ranging from the World Cup to the World Series have been associated with reductions in taxable sales in host regions of roughly $34.4 million per event.
Comparison of the BD GeneOhm Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) PCR Assay to Culture by Use of BBL CHROMagar MRSA for Detection of MRSA in Nasal Surveillance Cultures from an At-Risk Community Population

We compared the BD GeneOhm methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) PCR assay to culture with BBL CHROMagar MRSA for nasal surveillance among 602 arrestees from the Baltimore City Jail. The sensitivity and specificity were 88.5% and 91.0%, respectively, and after secondary analysis using enrichment broth, they were 89.0% and 91.7%, respectively. Twenty-three of 42 false-positive PCR lysates contained methicillin-susceptible S. aureus.
White Ethnic Diversity and Community Attachment in Small Iowa Towns

Objectives. This study examines the relationship between white ethnic diversity and community attachment in 99 small Iowa towns. Methods. Our data come from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Rural Development Initiative (RDI) at Iowa State University. The RDI data, which consist of interviews with approximately 110 people in each of the 99 towns, are used to develop a community attachment score for each town. These scores serve as the dependent variable in ordinary least squares regression models to assess the extent to which ethnic diversity is related to attachment. Results. The findings show that towns with high levels of white ethnic diversity tend to have low levels of community attachment. Moreover, residents of diverse towns tend to view their communities with more suspicion and tend to be less involved in community activities than citizens in more homogeneous towns. Conclusions. Looked at narrowly, these results indicate that white ethnic diversity may be detrimental to community building in small Iowa towns. More broadly, the findings provide support for the idea that white ethnic diversity is alive and well in America.
An approach to convert vertex-based 3D representations to combinatorial B-splines for real- time visual collaboration

Scientific Visualization and Virtual Reality are increasingly being used for the design of complex systems. These technologies offer powerful capabilities to make decisions that are cost and time effective. The next logical extension is to collaborate with these visual models in real-time, where parts of a design team are geographically separated. Specifically, visual collaboration enables ideas and proposed changes to be discussed exactly on a virtual model of a product. However, high-end visualization hardware and Internet technologies impede widespread use of real-time visual collaboration due to the large amount of data from which these representations are created. These data are typically in the form of 3D vertex-based models, which offer a high degree of realism when displayed, but at a price of storage, rendering speeds and processing efficiency. The more realistic the representation desired, the larger the number of vertices required and hence the higher the file size. In this paper, we propose a new data modeling and handling technique where traditional vertex-based models are converted into combinatorial B-Spline based wire-frame models that allow realtime visual collaboration in the context of typical virtual reality systems. Using appropriate filtering methods, parametric equations are computed for each curved segment in a vertexbased representation and bundled together with sampled linear segments of the model. The computed parametric equation based models occupy only a fraction of the size when compared to the original vertex-based models. These lightweight models can easily be transmitted over the Internet, in real-time, for viewing with a platform independent visual client program. The proposed methods were tested on several example data files to prove the method’s effectiveness.
Nixon and Business: Examining the Politics of Regulation, 1968-1974

This paper examines the regulatory politics of the Nixon White House by exploring the Administration’s relationship with organized business interests, including the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the nascent Business Roundtable. Specifically, I examine the relative capacity of organized business interests to constrain the President’s political agenda — in particular, Nixon’s expansion of the regulatory state and his encouragement of regulatory enforcement by private litigation. Exploiting a diverse set of archival records, I argue that business’s capacity to limit the Nixon Administration depended both on the degree of internal unity within the White House, and on the relative place of business interests within the political coalition that the President and his aides were attempting to construct.
Patasson luna in Overwintering Eggs of the Alfalfa Weevil

Patasson luna (Girault), (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) was reared from overwintering eggs of the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), collected in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The distribution of P. luna in those areas was spotty and nowhere was the parasite abundant. Data taken monthly from a field in northern New Jersey showed that P. luna can survive the winter in overwintering eggs of the alfalfa weevil, but the host eggs may suffer considerable mortality. A large fraction of the alfalfa weevil eggs is inaccessible to P. luna because they are scaled in the stems, a fact which places a limit on the value of this parasite as a biological control agent. In addition, the parasite finds and attacks only a relatively small percentage of the accessible eggs. Its value, therefore, appears to be negligible.
Length minimization for Poisson confidence procedures

ABSTRACTWe study Poisson confidence procedures that potentially lead to short confidence intervals, investigating the class of all minimal cardinality procedures. We consider how length minimization should be properly defined, and show that Casella and Robert's (1989) criterion for comparing Poisson confidence procedures leads to a contradiction. We provide an alternative criterion for comparing length performance, identify the unique length optimal minimal cardinality procedure by this criterion, and propose a modification that eliminates an important drawback it possesses. We focus on procedures whose coverage never falls below the nominal level and discuss the case in which the nominal level represents mean coverage.
Alkaline Chemical Stability and Ion Transport in Polymerized Ionic Liquids with Various Backbones and Cations

The development of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) with high alkaline chemical stability, as well as high ion conductivity, is crucial to the implementation of long-lasting, low-cost (nonplatinum) alkaline fuel cells (AFCs). In this study, 12 polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) were synthesized with various backbones and cations (backbones: ethyl methacrylate, undecyl methacrylate, undecyl acrylate, styrene; covalently attached cations: butylimidazolium, trimethylammonium, butylpyrrolidinium). 1H NMR spectroscopy was employed to determine the alkaline degradation mechanisms and extent of degradation at high pH (in D2O) at 60 °C for 1 week (168 h). For the butylpyrrolidinium cation, ethyl and undecyl methacrylate backbones proved to be more stable than the undecyl acrylate backbone. Styrene (vinylbenzene) functionalized with butylpyrrolidinium cation surpassed the stability of the benchmark benzyltrimethylammonium (BTMA) cation, where the former possessed the highest overall observed chemical stability with 0...
Enzymatic Synthesis of Cytidine Diphosphate 3,6-Dideoxyhexoses II. REVERSIBLE 2-EPIMERIZATION OF CYTIDINE DIPHOSPHATE PARATOSE

Abstract The reversible diphosphopyridine nucleotide-dependent 2-epimerization of cytidine diphosphate 3,6-dideoxy-d-glucose (CDP-paratose) and CDP-3,6-dideoxy-d-mannose (CDP-tyvelose) is described, both in a Group D Salmonella (Salmonella enteritidis) and in Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis, Type IV. Tyvelose is, thus, the only 3,6-dideoxyhexose which is synthesized from another member of this class of sugars. Some possible implications in the immunology of Salmonella are discussed.
Real-time monitoring of drowsiness through wireless nanosensor systems

Detection of sleepiness and drowsiness in human beings has been a daunting task for both engineering and medical technologies. Accuracy, precision and promptness of detection have always been an issue that has to be dealt by technologists. Generally, the bio potential signals – ECG, EOG, EEG and EMG are used to classify and discriminate sleep from being awake. However, the potential drawbacks may be high false detections, low precision, obtrusiveness, aftermath analysis, etc. To overcome the disadvantages, this paper reviews the design aspects of a wireless and a real time monitoring system to track sleep and detect fatigue. This concept involves the use of EOG and EEG to measure the blink rate and asses the person’s condition. In this user friendly and intuitive approach, EOG and EEG signals are obtained by the textile based nanosensors mounted on the inner side of a flexible headband. The acquired signals are then electrically transmitted to the data processing and transmission unit, which transmits the processed data to the receiver/monitoring module through ZigBee communication. This system is equipped with a software program to process, feature extract, analyze, display and store the information. Thereby, immediate detection of a person falling asleep is made feasible and, tracking the sleep cycle continuously provides an insight about the fatigue level. This approach of using a wireless, real time, dry sensor on a flexible substrate mitigates obtrusiveness that is expected from a wearable system. We have previously presented the results of the aforementioned wearable systems. This paper aims to extend our work conceptually through a review of engineering and medical techniques involved in wearable systems to detect drowsiness.
Breast cancer delay in Latinas: the role of cultural beliefs and acculturation

Cultural beliefs about breast cancer may act as a barrier to Latina women seeking preventive services or timely follow-up for breast symptoms regardless of access. This study examines the association between factors and breast cancer cultural beliefs and the extent to which cultural beliefs are associated with delays in breast cancer care. Participants who were Latina, ages 30–79, and had been diagnosed with a primary breast cancer were examined (n = 181). Interviews included a 15-item cultural beliefs scale spanning beliefs inconsistent with motivation to seek timely healthcare. Self-reported date of symptom discovery, date of first medical presentation, and date of first treatment were used to construct measures of prolonged patient, clinical, and total delay. Logistic regression with model-based standardization was used to estimate crude and confounder-adjusted prevalence differences for prolonged delay by number of cultural beliefs held. Women held a mean score of three cultural beliefs. The belief most commonly held was, “Faith in God can protect you from breast cancer” (48 %). Holding three or more cultural beliefs was associated with lower acculturation, lower socioeconomic status and less access to care (p < 0.01). After adjusting for age, education, income, acculturation, trust, and insurance, likelihood of prolonged total delay remained 21 percentage points higher in women who held a higher number cultural beliefs (p = 0.02). Cultural beliefs may predispose Latina women to prolong delays in seeking diagnosis and treatment for breast symptoms. Cultural beliefs represent a potential point of intervention to decrease delays among Latina breast cancer patients.
The Stone Belt

There are a host of factors that contribute to stone formation. They include environmental, occupational, lifestyle, gastrointestinal, medical disease, hormone, surgical, medication, family history and ethnicity factors. This chapter will discuss climate and other factors favoring stone formation. The following factors will be discussed in this chapter:
Female Genital Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery

Michael P. Goodman, ed. Female Genital Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery . Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016. ISBN-13: 978-1118848517, ISBN-10: 1118848519, $199.95. ![Graphic][1] The increasing popularity of labiaplasty has resulted in the first text (to my knowledge) exclusively detailing female genital rejuvenation . Female Genital Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery , published in 2016 by Wiley Blackwell, was edited and largely written by a gynecologist, Michael P. Goodman. Dr Goodman is commended for an interesting, fairly comprehensive review textbook discussing this growing area of aesthetic surgery. Dr Goodman, medical director of the Caring for Women Wellness Center in Davis, CA has published in both the plastic surgery and gynecology literature on female genital cosmetic surgery procedures and issues. He is the editor of this 227-page hardcover text, and author of 13, and coauthor of 1, of its 21 chapters. Eleven associate editors, mostly contributing authors, are also listed, but this is clearly Dr Goodman's book. Female Genital Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery is written from a gynecology prospective. Only one plastic surgeon, Otto Placik (a previous coauthor of Dr Goodman) contributed to this text, writing a well-done … Corresponding Author : Dr John G. Hunter, 461 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016. E-mail: jgh2001{at}nyp.org [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Investigation of Polymer-Plasticizer Blends as SH-SAW Sensor Coatings for Detection of Benzene in Water with High Sensitivity and Long-Term Stability

We report the first-ever direct detection of benzene in water at concentrations below 100 ppb (parts per billion) using acoustic wave (specifically, shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave, SH-SAW) sensors with plasticized polymer coatings. Two polymers and two plasticizers were studied as materials for sensor coatings. For each polymer–plasticizer combination, the influence of the mixing ratio of the blend on the sensitivity to benzene was measured and compared to commercially available polymers that were used for BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) detection in previous work. After optimizing the coating parameters, the highest sensitivity and lowest detection limit for benzene were found for a 1.25 μm thick sensor coating of 17.5%-by-weight diisooctyl azelate-polystyrene on the tested acoustic wave device. The calculated detection limit was 45 ppb, with actual sensor responses to concentrations down to 65 ppb measured directly. Among the sensor coatings that showed good sensitivity to benz...
Modeling Objects as Aspect Transition Graphs to Support Manipulation

Designing robots that can model unstructured environments and act predictably in those environments is a challenging problem. In this article we address two issues in object modeling and manipulation. First, in image-based models, how can we choose a discrete set of canonical views from an infinite set of possible choices to support recognition and manipulation? Second, how can we make actions repeatable and predictable in unstructured environments? We propose an object model that handles both of these issues in a coherent way and introduce a novel image-based visual servoing algorithm that works in conjunction with the object model. We then demonstrate our object model and visual servoing algorithm on a tool grasping task on the Robonaut 2 simulator.
Distrust in health care and cultural factors are associated with uptake of colorectal cancer screening in Hispanic and Asian Americans.

Background There are racial/ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, including lower uptake rates among Hispanic Americans (HAs) and Asian Americans (AAs) relative to non-Hispanic white Americans. The objective of this study was to explore pathways associated with the use of health services and to characterize multifaceted associations with the uptake of CRC screening among HAs and AAs. Methods Data were obtained from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2012-2013). Participants included HA (n = 3731) and AA (n = 1345) respondents ages 50 to 75 years who met CRC screening recommendations. A modified Andersen behavioral model was used to examine pathways that lead to CRC screening uptake, including predisposing characteristics (education, economic, and cultural factors), health insurance, health needs (perceived health status and several comorbidities), and health provider contextual factors (access to care, perceived quality of health services, and distrust in health care). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the models for HAs and AAs. Results In the HA model, cultural factors (standardized regression coefficient [β] = -0.04; P = .013) and distrust in health care (β = -0.05; P = .007) directly and negatively affected CRC screening. Similarly, cultural factors (β = -0.11; P = .002) negatively affected CRC screening in the AA model, but distrust in health care was not significant (P = .103). In both models, perceived quality of health services was positively associated with CRC screening uptake and mediated the negative association between cultural factors and CRC screening. Access to care was not associated with CRC screening. Conclusions Correlations between CRC screening and associated factors differ among HAs and AAs, suggesting a need for multilevel interventions tailored to race/ethnicity. The current findings suggest that facilitating access to care without improving perceived quality of health services may be ineffective for increasing the uptake of CRC screening among HAs and AAs. Cancer 2018;124:335-45. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Quantization of molecular motion at the synapse and its consequences as contrasted with the generalized Turing machine.

Using the most general models, we show that molecular motion concerned with transmission of the nervous impulse across the synapse is indeterminate (in the sense of Heisenberg). This occurs despite the assumption of a minimal uncertainty product and the taking into account of the nature of the random walk. Consequences of the interposition of an indeterminate process in nervous system function are detailed by investigation of the operation of a “quantized” Turing machine. Such a generalized algorithm has been taken by some investigators to be the starting point for building analogues to brain function. The brain, with a demonstrated indeterminate basis for at least one of its “levels” of operation, has capabilities or modes of operation not able to be mimed by the most general calculating engine.
A Digital Ethnography of Medical Students who Use Twitter for Professional Development

BACKGROUND While researchers have studied negative professional consequences of medical trainee social media use, little is known about how medical students informally use social media for education and career development. This knowledge may help future and current physicians succeed in the digital age.
The limits of resilience in US community responses to recent drought events

Drought threatens many facets of community life, including food security, agricultural and tourism livelihoods, recreation, esthetic appeal, and social cohesion. Many policy responses to a drought ...
Off-Label Use of Bumetanide for Brain Disorders: An Overview

Bumetanide (BTN or BUM) is a FDA-approved potent loop diuretic (LD) that acts by antagonizing sodium-potassium-chloride (Na-K-Cl) cotransporters, NKCC1 (SLc12a2) and NKCC2. While NKCC1 is expressed both in the CNS and in systemic organs, NKCC2 is kidney-specific. The off-label use of BTN to modulate neuronal transmembrane Cl- gradients by blocking NKCC1 in the CNS has now been tested as an anti-seizure agent and as an intervention for neurological disorders in pre-clinical studies with varying results. BTN safety and efficacy for its off-label use has also been tested in several clinical trials for neonates, children, adolescents, and adults. It failed to meet efficacy criteria for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) neonatal seizures. In contrast, positive outcomes in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), autism, and schizophrenia trials have been attributed to BTN in studies evaluating its off-label use. NKCC1 is an electroneutral neuronal Cl- importer and the dominance of NKCC1 function has been proposed as the common pathology for HIE seizures, TLE, autism, and schizophrenia. Therefore, the use of BTN to antagonize neuronal NKCC1 with the goal to lower internal Cl- levels and promote GABAergic mediated hyperpolarization has been proposed. In this review, we summarize the data and results for pre-clinical and clinical studies that have tested off-label BTN interventions and report variable outcomes. We also compare the data underlying the developmental expression profile of NKCC1 and KCC2, highlight the limitations of BTN's brain-availability and consider its actions on non-neuronal cells.
Real-time Abnormal Data Filtering Framework for Battery Energy Storage System Real-world Application

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are key components in microgrids for reliable operations. To ensure the safety and reliability of the BESS, accurate State-of-Charge (SOC) estimation is crucial. Most battery SOC estimation algorithms are developed assuming the measured load current and terminal voltage data are trust-worthy. However, in the real-world BESS applications, the measured battery data contains abnormal data which result in poor SOC estimation accuracy and will be harmful to the safety of the BESS and the stability of the microgrid. In this paper, a practical abnormal data filtering framework for real-world BESS applications is proposed. This framework real-time detects and filters abnormal data in real-world applications. Three typical abnormal data filters are investigated and demonstrated in this paper to illustrate the effectiveness of using data filtering for accurate SOC estimation in real-world BESS applications.
The Dialectical Method and its Compatibility with Modern Systems Theory

This paper defines what is meant by ‘dialectic method’ and isolates some of its properties. The dialectic method is then compared with the major postulates of systems theory. The conclusion is reached that, in principle, the dialectic method is compatible with systems theory and that it can be subsumed to it.
THE INFLUENCE OF THICKNESS ON THE FATIGUE ENDURANCE OF NON-LOAD CARRYING SPOT WELDED JOINTS

ABSTRACT Non-load carrying spot welded joints of 301L stainless steel sheets were tested in fatigue. Different combinations of 1.5, 3 and 4.5 mm thick sheets were evaluated. The initiation of the fatigue crack was detected by a compliance method. The obtained S-N curves revealed that the presence of a non-load carrying connection considerably reduces the fatigue endurance limit as compared to plain specimens. It is also shown that the fatigue limit decreases when the thickness of the non-load carrying sheet is increased. However, the thickness of the load carrying sheet has little influence on the fatigue limit. The comparison with other results also showed that the alloy has a small influence on the high-cycle regime. These results indicate that for design purpose in fatigue, the load carried by a spot welded connection is not the only factor to consider. More specifically, in the case of a low-load carrying joint the stress in each sheet and the thickness of the sheet attached to it are the controlling factors in high-cycle fatigue.
Marijuana use in pregnancy and lactation: a review of the evidence

With the legalization of recreational marijuana in many states, we anticipate more women will be using and self-reporting marijuana use in pregnancy. Marijuana is the most common illicit drug used in pregnancy, with a prevalence of use ranging from 3% to 30% in various populations. Marijuana freely crosses the placenta and is found in breast milk. It may have adverse effects on both perinatal outcomes and fetal neurodevelopment. Specifically, marijuana may be associated with fetal growth restriction, stillbirth, and preterm birth. However, data are far from uniform regarding adverse perinatal outcomes. Existing studies are plagued by confounding by tobacco and other drug exposures as well as sociodemographic factors. In addition, there is a lack of quantification of marijuana exposure by the trimester of use and a lack of corroboration of maternal self-report with biological sampling, which contributes to the heterogeneity of study results. There is an emerging body of evidence indicating that marijuana may cause problems with neurological development, resulting in hyperactivity, poor cognitive function, and changes in dopaminergic receptors. In addition, contemporary marijuana products have higher quantities of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol than in the 1980s when much of the marijuana research was completed. The effects on the pregnancy and fetus may therefore be different than those previously seen. Further research is needed to provide evidence-based counseling of women regarding the anticipated outcomes of marijuana use in pregnancy. In the meantime, women should be advised not to use marijuana in pregnancy or while lactating.
Experimental Model and Controller Validation for a Series Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

An inherent modular and scalable design framework has made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's) popular for various applications across many industries. The hybridization of UAV's facilitates higher performing and more efficient aircraft but necessitates new control designs. At a vehicle level, most efforts thus far have focused on the modeling and development of novel controllers in simulation. However, validating these controllers on experimental hardware is necessary before testing these algorithms on expensive flight-ready hardware. This paper seeks to address this research gap by experimentally validating a system-level hybrid UAV model. Using the validated system model, a baseline and predictive controller are developed in simulation and experimentally validated using a series hybrid UAV powertrain testbed.
National readmission rates after surgical stabilization of traumatic rib fractures

Introduction: Little is known about the risk of readmission after surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRFs). Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the National Readmissions Database, a representative sample of all hospitalized patients in the US, from January 2012 to December 2014. All inpatient encounters with a primary trauma diagnosis of rib fractures were included in the study. Patients who underwent SSRF were compared to those who did not. Outcomes evaluated included readmission frequency and mortality. Results: There were 411,169 patients admitted after trauma with rib fractures from 2012 to 2014; of these, 382 ( 15 (55% vs. 37%; P Conclusions: Long-term readmission rates for traumatic rib fracture patients are low. If nonoperative management is pursued, the presence of ≥3 rib fractures increases the risk of readmission. Patients requiring SSRF do not have higher readmission or mortality rates despite having a higher burden of injury during their initial hospitalization, suggesting the clinical benefit of surgical fixation.
The level of oncogenic Ras determines the malignant transformation of Lkb1 mutant tissue in vivo.

The genetic and metabolic heterogeneity of RAS-driven cancers has confounded therapeutic strategies in the clinic. To address this, rapid and genetically tractable animal models are needed that recapitulate the heterogeneity of RAS-driven cancers in vivo. Here, we generate a Drosophila melanogaster model of Ras/Lkb1 mutant carcinoma. We show that low-level expression of oncogenic Ras (RasLow) promotes the survival of Lkb1 mutant tissue, but results in autonomous cell cycle arrest and non-autonomous overgrowth of wild-type tissue. In contrast, high-level expression of oncogenic Ras (RasHigh) transforms Lkb1 mutant tissue resulting in lethal malignant tumors. Using simultaneous multiview light-sheet microcopy, we have characterized invasion phenotypes of Ras/Lkb1 tumors in living larvae. Our molecular analysis reveals sustained activation of the AMPK pathway in malignant Ras/Lkb1 tumors, and demonstrate the genetic and pharmacologic dependence of these tumors on CaMK-activated Ampk. We further show that LKB1 mutant human lung adenocarcinoma patients with high levels of oncogenic KRAS exhibit worse overall survival and increased AMPK activation. Our results suggest that high levels of oncogenic KRAS is a driving event in the malignant transformation of LKB1 mutant tissue, and uncovers a vulnerability that may be used to target this aggressive genetic subset of RAS-driven tumors. Rackley, Seong et al use a Drosophila model of Ras/Lkb1 mutant carcinoma to show that high levels of the KRAS oncogene drive the malignant transformation of LKB1 mutant tissue. This pathway could be used as a target for future therapies that aim to treat RAS-driven tumours.
Sudden Onset of Myelitis after COVID-19 Vaccination: An Under-Recognized Severe Rare Adverse Event (preprint)

Myelitis has been reported as a complication of COVID-19 infection. However, it has rarely been reported as a complication of COVID-19 vaccination, and this may be the first case report following an mRNA vaccine. A 63 yo, otherwise healthy male, received his second dose of the Moderna vaccine on 08 April 2021. He had some initial pain and soreness at the injection site. Seventeen hours post dose, he reported pain and numbness in both calves which progressed to lower back pain, paresthesia in both feet, and pain in lower extremities. Over the day post- vaccination the patient’s condition worsened and he was unable to walk and unable to urinate voluntarily. On the second day post- vaccination he presented to the Emergency Department and was admitted to the University of Iowa hospital unable to walk with severe pain in lower back, legs and feet, and numbness in buttocks. Laboratory findings were unremarkable and lumbar puncture was not diagnostic. MRI revealed increased T2 cord signal seen in the distal spinal cord and conus. Initial treatment included IV Immunoglobulin for 2 days, followed by methylprednisolone 1000 mg/day IV for 5 days. Discharge from the hospital occurred on 16 April 2021 to inpatient rehabilitation. Treatment consisted of oral prednisone 60 mg/day with a tapering schedule. The patient slowly improved and was able to ambulate unassisted at 25 days post -vaccination. This case represents one of the first cases of myelitis reported in the literature after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. As of 27 April 2021 the FDA VAERS system has 45 reports of transverse myelitis after COVID-19 vaccination (21 after Moderna vaccine, 19 were after Pfizer vaccine, and 5 occurred after Janssen vaccine).
Civilizing swamps in California: Formations of race, nature, and property in the nineteenth century U.S. West:

This paper examines the production of settler ecologies through nineteenth century swamp reclamation projects in California. It focuses on the transformation of inland swamps into agricultural land...