cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Botulinum Toxin as a Treatment for Refractory Gastroparesis: a Literature Review

Gastroparesis (GP) is a disorder of gastrointestinal motility which leads to delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Treatment is limited as many patients are refractory to dietary modification and the use prokinetic medications carry significant adverse risks. These limitations necessitate more research into experimental therapies. The purpose of this article is to summarize the known information and guidelines on the diagnosis and management of GP and to review the latest literature on experimental treatments. Based on the current available literature, there is conflicting data regarding the efficacy of intra-pyloric botulinum injections (IPBIs) for refractory gastroparesis. There have been many open-label trials showing good clinical response, but the only two randomized controlled trials on the matter showed no objective improvement gastric emptying studies. However, both studies were likely underpowered and changes in gastric emptying may not correlate with symptom improvement. As such, these discouraging findings should not be used to exclude botox from the armamentarium of therapies for refractory GP. More large-scale, double-blinded, multicenter randomized control trials are needed to further validate the long-term efficacy and safety of IPBI, as well as gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM), as compared to gastric electrical stimulation (GES) or surgical intervention (i.e., laparoscopic pylorotomy) for refractory gastroparesis.
Fingerprinting for Cyber-Physical System Security: Device Physics Matters Too

Due to the increasing attacks against cyber-physical systems, it is important to develop novel solutions to secure these critical systems. System security can be improved by using the physics of process actuators (that is, devices). Device physics can be used to generate device fingerprints to increase the integrity of responses from process actuators.
Time fractals and discrete scale invariance with trapped ions

We show that a one-dimensional chain of trapped ions can be engineered to produce a quantum mechanical system with discrete scale invariance and fractal-like time dependence. By discrete scale invariance we mean a system that replicates itself under a rescaling of distance for some scale factor, and a time fractal is a signal that is invariant under the rescaling of time. These features are reminiscent of the Efimov effect, which has been predicted and observed in bound states of three-body systems. We demonstrate that discrete scale invariance in the trapped ion system can be controlled with two independently tunable parameters. We also discuss the extension to $n$-body states where the discrete scaling symmetry has an exotic heterogeneous structure. The results we present can be realized using currently available technologies developed for trapped ion quantum systems.
Determination of some red dyes in food samples using a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent-based vortex assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract A simple, sensitive, efficient and rapid method was developed based on vortex assisted deep eutectic solvent dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (VA-DES-DLLME) of five commonly used synthetic red dyes (amaranth, ponceau 4R, allura red, azorubine, and erythrosine) in food samples and simultaneous determination by high performance liquid chromatography. The novel hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent was readily prepared by mixing thymol as hydrogen bonding donor and benzyltriethylammonium chloride as hydrogen bonding acceptor at 70 °C for 15 min. Affecting parameters on VA-DES-DLLME were evaluated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the limits of detection were obtained in the range of 0.01–0.08 μg L−1 and linearity of the dyes were also obtained in the range of 0.5–500 μg L-1 (r2 ≥ 0.99). The enrichment factors and absolute extraction recoveries were in the range of 95–100 and 90–97, respectively. The relative standard deviations (intra-day and inter-days at 10 and 100 μg L−1 concentration levels) were
Am I Able? Is It Worth It? Unlocking Children's Predispositions to Be Physically Active

This article discusses the two main psychological constructs associated with children's engagement in physical activity and provides physical educators with specific strategies to address these con...
Market Return Around the Clock: A Puzzle

We study how the excess market return depends on the time of the day using E-mini S&P 500 futures actively traded for almost 24 hours. Strikingly, four hours around European open account for the entire average market return. This period’s returns are positive every year and have a 1.6 Sharpe ratio that remains high after costs. Average returns are a noisy zero during the remaining 20 hours. High returns around European open are consistent with European investors processing information accumulated overnight and thus resolving uncertainty. Indeed, uncertainty reflected by VIX futures prices rises overnight and falls around European open. The results are stronger during the 2020 COVID crisis.
Implementation of an evidence-based medicine curriculum in a fellowship program: Can it influence clinical practice?

While evidence-based medicine (EBM) curricula improves knowledge scores, correlation with physician behavior, and patient outcomes are not clear. We established an EBM curriculum for Geriatrics and...
An Experimental Study on the Impact of Execution Location in Edge-Cloud Computing

On the one hand, edge computing has the advantage of distributing the load to the edges of a computer network. Local computation at the edge is bandwidth-efficient and anonymous. On the other hand, cloud computing is the choice when it comes to computationally demanding tasks and big data. In this paper, we argue for edge-cloud computing (which blends the two together) with an experimental study on the impact of execution location on application performance. We answer the question of how to determine whether it should compute a task at the edge or on the cloud and what the criteria are. We analyze the factors of response time, memory space, data availability and privacy policy. We experimentally evaluate the impact of these factors on execution location based on a network visualizer software.
RARE PRESENTATION OF RADICULAR CYST WITH REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Clinical Presentation A 61-year-old male with a noncontributory medical history and a facial swelling of 1 week’s duration reported to his local emergency room. The physician prescribed penicillin and made a dental referral. The dentist obtained a pantomograph and, upon visualization of the lesions, referred the patient to the University of Florida Emergency Department, where cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed. The pantomograph illustrated 2 well-localized, partially corticated, radiolucent entities, which appeared hydraulic in nature, in the maxilla and a well-defined, corticated, mixed-density entity, which appeared hydraulic in nature, in the right parasymphyseal region of the mandible. Evaluation of the CBCT scan affirmed the maxillary lesions to be consistent with radicular cysts. The mandibular lesion was well defined, expansile, corticated, and unilocular and was predominantly radiolucent but with internal radiopaque entities. There was thinning of the mandibular buccal and lingual cortices, with possible disruption of the lingual cortex. Differential Diagnosis Calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC), ameloblastic fibro-odontoma, calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT), and ossifying fibroma were considered in the differential diagnosis. Diagnosis and Management The histologic investigation determined all 3 lesions to be radicular cysts. The radiopaque entities seen in the mandibular lesion were identified as cholesterol granulomas with multiple foci of calcification. Management included extraction of tooth #29 and surgical removal of all 3 radicular cysts. Discussion Radicular cysts with internal calcifications have been described in histopathologic evaluations but rarely in radiographic evaluations of radicular cysts. The differential diagnosis of COC was believed to be the most likely diagnosis because of its variable presentation. CEOT was not considered because of the advanced age of the patient but could not be ruled out. Similarly, the differential diagnosis of an ameloblastic fibro-odontoma was unlikely because it is typically seen in a much younger age group, but was included in the differential diagnosis. Radicular cyst was not initially considered in the differential diagnosis because of the presence of internal radiopaque entities. This case reinforces the importance of correlating clinical findings with radiographic findings. Even though radicular cysts with internal calcifications are rare and not often documented in the literature, under the right circumstances and with the aid of proper clinical information, a radicular cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a lesion with internal calcifications. The proper diagnosis of radicular cysts may lead to a more conservative treatment approach, such as endodontic therapy vs enucleation, greatly improving the patient’s comfort and prognosis.
Arming HSV-Based Oncolytic Viruses with the Ability to Redirect the Host’s Innate Antiviral Immunity to Attack Tumor Cells

One of the major hurdles for cancer immunotherapy is the host’s innate antiviral defense mechanisms. They include innate immune cells, such as natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages, which can be recruited within hours to the site of injection to clear the introduced oncolytic viruses. Here, we report a strategy to redirect these infiltrating innate immune cells to attack tumor cells instead by arming herpes simplex virus (HSV)-derived oncolytic viruses with secreted chimeric molecules that can engage these innate immune cells with tumor cells to kill the latter. These chimeric molecules have, at their N terminus, a custom-binding moiety for a tumor-associated antigen (TAA) and at their C terminus, protein L (PL) that binds to immunoglobulins (Igs). The binding of PL to Igs exposes the Fc to the Fc receptors on the surface of the innate immune cells, trigging them to attack the engaged tumor cells. In vitro and in vivo evaluation in a murine tumor model with limited permissiveness to oncolytic HSVs showed that arming the viruses with these chimeric molecules significantly boosts the killing effect and therapeutic activity. Moreover, our data also showed that the combined killing effect from the engaged innate immune cells and the oncolytic virus resulted in a more efficient stimulation of neoantigen-specific antitumor immunity than the virotherapy alone. Our data suggest that arming an oncolytic virus with this strategy represents a unique and pragmatic way of potentiating the oncolytic and immunotherapeutic effect of virotherapy.
The smoothed complexity of Frank-Wolfe methods via conditioning of random matrices and polytopes.

Frank-Wolfe methods are popular for optimization over a polytope. One of the reasons is because they do not need projection onto the polytope but only linear optimization over it. To understand its complexity, Lacoste-Julien and Jaggi introduced a condition number for polytopes and showed linear convergence for several variations of the method. The actual running time can still be exponential in the worst case (when the condition number is exponential). We study the smoothed complexity of the condition number, namely the condition number of small random perturbations of the input polytope and show that it is polynomial for any simplex and exponential for general polytopes. Our results also apply to other condition measures of polytopes that have been proposed for the analysis of Frank-Wolfe methods: vertex-facet distance (Beck and Shtern) and facial distance (Pena and Rodriguez). Our argument for polytopes is a refinement of an argument that we develop to study the conditioning of random matrices. The basic argument shows that for $c>1$ a $d$-by-$n$ random Gaussian matrix with $n \geq cd$ has a $d$-by-$d$ submatrix with minimum singular value that is exponentially small with high probability. This has consequences on results about the robust uniqueness of tensor decompositions.
Fault-tolerant complete visibility for asynchronous robots with lights under one-axis agreement

Abstract We consider the distributed setting of N autonomous mobile robots that operate in Look-Compute-Move (LCM) cycles and communicate with other robots using colored lights following the robots with lights model. We assume obstructed visibility under which a robot cannot see another robot if a third robot is positioned between them on the straight line connecting them. We study the fundamental Complete Visibility problem of repositioning N robots, starting from N distinct points, on a plane so that each robot is visible to all others. We are interested in fault-tolerant algorithms. We study fault-tolerance with respect to failures on the mobility of robots. Therefore, any algorithm for Complete Visibility is required to provide visibility between all non-faulty robots (i.e., no three non-faulty robots are collinear and no faulty robot is between two non-faulty robots on the straight line connecting them), independently of the behavior of the faulty ones. We model mobility failures as crash faults in which each faulty robot may stop its movement at any time and, once it stopped moving, it will remain stationary indefinitely thereafter. There exists an algorithm for this problem that tolerates a single faulty robot in the semi-synchronous setting under both-axis agreement. In that algorithm, the light of the faulty robot does not need to work correctly after the robot experiences fault. In this article, we assume the model in which, even after a robot experiences fault, its light still operates correctly and provide the first algorithm for Complete Visibility that tolerates f ≤ N faulty robots in the asynchronous setting under one-axis agreement. The proposed algorithm has many interesting properties.
A rare case of fibromuscular dysplasia involving multiple vascular beds.

ObjectiveFibromuscular dysplasia rarely involves vessels other than the renal and carotid arteries. We present a case of a rare fibromuscular dysplasia involving multiple vascular beds in a young f...
Imaging Malignant Lesions of the Head and Neck

Summary Radiographic imaging as an adjunct to physical examination often facilitates diagnosis of malignant lesions. The surgeon should choose the appropriate imaging modalities based on an understanding of the advantages and limitations of the different techniques. This article has provided a review of various head and neck malignancies along with illustrations of the information provided by different radiographic procedures.
El clima de la Historia: Cuatro tesis / The Climate of History: Four Theses

RESUMEN:La actual crisis planetaria del cambio climatico o calentamiento global provoca una variedad de respuestas en individuos, grupos y gobiernos, que van desde la negacion, el distanciamiento y la indiferencia hasta un espiritu de compromiso y activismo en diversas formas y grados. Estas respuestas saturan nuestro sentido del presente. El libro mas vendido de Alan Weisman, El mundo sin nosotros, propone un experimento mental como un modo de realizar experiencias sobre nuestro presente: “Supongamos que lo peor ha sucedido. La extincion humana es un hecho consumado… imaginemos un mundo del que hemos desaparecido de repente… ?podriamos haber dejado algunas marcas apenas visibles o perdurables en el universo?... ?es posible que ese mundo sin nosotros nos eche de menos a pesar de darle un alivio biologico?”. Me siento atraido por el experimento de Weisman, en la medida en que demuestra como la crisis actual puede precipitar un sentido del presente que desconecta el futuro del pasado y lo coloca mas alla del alcance de la sensibilidad historica. ABSTRACT:The current planetary crisis of climate change or global warming provokes a variety of responses in individuals, groups and governments, ranging from denial, estrangement and indifference to a spirit of commitment and activism in various forms and degrees. These answers saturate our sense of the present. Alan Weisman's bestselling book, The World Without Us, proposes a mental experiment as a way of making experiences about our present: "Suppose the worst has happened. Human extinction is a fait accomplished... let us imagine a world from which we have suddenly disappeared... could we have left some scarcely visible or lasting marks in the universe?... is it possible that this world without us will miss us in spite of giving a biological relief?". I am attracted to Weisman's experiment in the way that demonstrates how the current crisis can precipitate a sense of the present that disconnects the future from the past and places it beyond the reach of historical sensibility.
Dietary Self-Selection and the Zucker Rat

Impaired protein deposition has been suggested to be a critical factor promoting the hyperphagia of the obese Zucker rat. The selection patterns of adult, male, genetically obese (fa/fa) and lean (Fa/-) Zucker rats were studied to determine if obese rats would select a diet that was higher in protein than the diet selected by lean littermates. Rats were provided ad libitum access to three macronutrient sources and were allowed to compose their own diets for 9 days. The three dietary items were: a vitamin + mineral--supplemented carbohydrate source (cornstarch), a vitamin + mineral--supplemented protein source (casein) and commercially available corn oil. Obese rats ate 43% more calories than lean littermates. Further, obese rats selected a diet that provided 12% of their total caloric intake as protein, 24% as carbohydrate and 64% as fat. Lean rats selected a diet that provided 33% of their total caloric intake as protein, 37% as carbohydrate and 30% as fat. These selection data are not consistent with the hypothesized importance of the role of dietary protein and its incorporation into lean body mass as a stimulus promoting the hyperphagia demonstrated by the genetically obese Zucker rats.
Pregnant rats treated with a high fat/pro-oxidant western diet with angiotensin II and tumor necrosis factor α are resistant to elevations in blood pressure (BP) and have the normal fall in BP during late pregnancy (1084.1)

Increased oxidative stress and inflammation are risk factors for hypertension in pregnancy. Here we examined the systolic BP (SBP) via telemetry in virgin (V) and pregnant (P) rats treated with a HFD, ANG II, and TNFα. Methods: Female Sprague Dawley rats were pretreated with a normal diet (ND) or a HFD for 8 weeks before mating. Day 6 P and age-matched V rats were implanted with either a mini-pump infusion of saline or ANGII (150 ng/kg/min) + TNFα (75ng/day) for 14 days and sacrificed at gestational day 21. Groups consisted of: V Con (ND + Saline, n=7); V Treatment (HFD + ANGII/TNFα, n=7); P Con (ND + Saline, n=6); P Treatment (HFD + ANGII/TNFα, n=8). Results: The total pressor response (area under the curve [AUC]) increased in V Treatment rats compared to V Con rats (AUC: 120±32 vs. -35±29 mmHg X 20 days, P< 0.05) and in P Treatment rats compared to P Con rats (AUC: 61±28 vs. 21±30 mmHg X 20 days, P< 0.05). However the pressor response was greater in V Treatment rats vs. P Treatment rats (120±32 vs. 21±3...
A failure of infrastructure and service integration: The case of US 6 093 403

Worldwide, the occurrence of Type II diabetes is outpacing population growth, and it will rank among mankind's main disablers and killers during the next few decades. The current dominant design for treating this scourge consists of four parts aimed at managing the disease: education and diagnosis; blood sugar monitoring; diet; and exercise. But what if a cure were possible, even without pharmaceutical intervention; better, what if diabetes could be prevented? In 2000, US 6 093 403 offered this promise: an herbal formulation will not only lower blood glucose levels, but also prevent Type II diabetes. Clinical trials showed evidence of the promise among human subjects, and experimental results supported by NIH funding implied that prevention was possible. This herbal formulation consisted of nothing more than plant extracts. Yet, the science-based entrepreneurs failed in their attempts to commercialize the promise. Why? The answer is a classic case of the failure in infrastructure integration and service: in the broader sense of missed connections across the entire value chain, not merely information technology.
N -atom collective-state atomic clock with √{N }-fold increase in effective frequency and √{N }-fold reduction in fringe width

We describe a collective state atomic clock (COSAC) with Ramsey fringes narrowed by a factor of $\sqrt{N}$ compared to a conventional clock---$N$ being the number of noninteracting atoms---without violating the uncertainty relation. This narrowing is explained as being due to interferences among the collective states, representing an effective $\sqrt{N}$-fold increase in the clock frequency, without entanglement. We discuss the experimental inhomogeneities that affect the signal and show that experimental parameters can be adjusted to produce a near ideal signal. The detection process collects fluorescence through stimulated Raman scattering of Stokes photons, which emits photons predominantly in the direction of the probe beam for a high enough optical density. By using a null measurement scheme, in which detection of zero photons corresponds to the system being in a single collective state, we detect the population in a collective state of interest. The quantum and classical noise of the ideal COSAC is still limited by the standard quantum limit and performs only as well as the conventional clock. However, when detection efficiency and collection efficiency are taken into account, the detection scheme of the COSAC increases the quantum efficiency of detection significantly in comparison to a typical conventional clock employing fluorescence detection, yielding a net improvement in stability by as much as a factor of 10.
RNA catalysis and the origins of life.

The role of RNA catalysis in the origins of life is considered in connection with the discovery of riboszymes, which are RNA molecules that catalyze sequence-specific hydrolysis and transesterification reactions of RNA substrates. Due to this discovery, theories positing protein-free replication as preceding the appearance of the genetic code are more plausible. The scope of RNA catalysis in biology and chemistry is discussed, and it is noted that the development of methods to select (or predict) RNA sequences with preassigned catalytic functions would be a major contribution to the study of life's origins.
Suppressing pseudocodewords by penalizing the objective of LP decoding

In this paper, we present a new class of decoders for low density parity check (LDPC) codes. We are motivated by the observation that the linear programming (LP) decoder has worse error performance than belief propagation (BP) decoders at low SNRs. We base our new decoders on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) decomposition technique for LP decoding. The ADMM not only efficiently solves the LP decoding problem, but also makes it possible to explore other decoding algorithms. In particular, we add various penalty terms to the linear objective of LP decoding with the goal of suppressing pseudocodewords. Simulation results show that the new decoders achieve much better error performance compared to LP decoder at low SNRs. What is more, similar to the LP decoder, no error floor is observed at high SNRs.
Cooperative Control of Multiple Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles for Monitoring and Fighting Wildfires

Uninhabited aerial vehicles provide numerous advantages in fighting wildland fires that include persistent operation and elimination of humans from performing what can be dull, dangerous, and dirty work. Multiple cooperating uninhabited aerial vehicles can potentially bring about a paradigm shift in the way we fight complex wildland fires. This paper investigates algorithmic development for cooperative control of a number of uninhabited aerial vehicles engaged in fighting a wildland fire. The paper considers two tasks to be performed by a group of uninhabited aerial vehicles: 1) Cooperative tracking of a fire front for accurate situational awareness, and 2) cooperative, autonomous fire fighting using fire suppressant fluid. The scenario considered in this paper makes the following assumptions: information regarding the location of the fire and position of all uninhabited aerial vehicles is made available to each uninhabited aerial vehicle; and each uninhabited aerial vehicle is equipped with unlimited fire suppressant fluid which extinguishes fire in a circle of specified area directly beneath it. This paper formulates these two tasks of fire fighting based upon optimization of respective utility functions, develops a decentralized control method for the cooperative uninhabited aerial vehicles, and analyzes the system for its stability and its ability to carry out the tasks. The proposed strategies have been verified with the help of extensive simulations. Although simplifying assumptions have been made, this preliminary study presents a framework for path planning and cooperative control of multiple uninhabited aerial vehicles engaged in gathering data and actively fighting forest fires.
Theoretical conformational analysis for neurotransmitters in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. Norepinephrine.

The natural neurotransmitter (R)-norepinephrine takes the monocationic form in 93% abundance at the physiological tissue pH of 7.4. Ab initio and DFT/B3LYP calculations were performed for 12 protonated conformers of (R)-norepinephrine in the gas phase with geometry optimizations up to the MP2/6-311++G level, and with single-point calculations up to the QCISD(T) level at the HF/6-31G-optimized geometries. Four monohydrates were studied at the MP2/6-31G//HF/6-31G level. In the gas phase, the G1 conformer is the most stable with phenyl.NH(3)(+) gauche and HO(alc).NH(3)(+) gauche arrangements. A strained intramolecular hydrogen bond was found for conformers (G1 and T) with close NH(3)(+) and OH groups. Upon rotation of the NH(3)(+) group as a whole unit about the C(beta)-C(alpha) axis, a 3-fold potential was calculated with free energies for barriers of 3-12 kcal/mol at the HF/6-31G level. Only small deviations were found in MP2/6-311++G single-point calculations. A 2-fold potential was calculated for the phenyl rotation with free energies of 11-13 kcal/mol for the barriers at T = 310 K and p = 1 atm. A molecular mechanics docking study of (R)-norepinephrine in a model binding pocket of the beta-adrenergic receptor shows that the ligand takes a conformation close to the T(3) arrangement. The effect of aqueous solvation was considered by the free energy perturbation method implemented in Monte Carlo simulations. There are 4-5 strongly bound water molecules in hydrogen bonds to the conformers. Although hydration stabilizes mostly the G2 form with gauche phenyl.NH(3)(+) arrangement and a water-exposed NH(3)(+) group, the conformer population becomes T > G1 > G2, in agreement with the PMR spectroscopy measurements by Solmajer et al. (Z. Naturforsch. 1983, 38c, 758). Solvent effects reduce the free energies for barriers to 3-6 and 9-12 kcal/mol for rotations about the C(beta)-C(alpha) and the C(1)(ring)-C(beta) axes, respectively.
Comparison of the delayed actions of growth hormone and somatomedin on adipose tissue metabolism.

Although acute insulin-like effects of growth hormone (GH) on adipose tissue are readily demonstrable in vitro, it has not been possible to reproduce in vitro the delayed (3 h) inhibition of glucose utilization seen after the administration of GH in vivo. To examine the possibility that somatomedin (Sm), the postulated mediator of GH action, might, like GH, have biphasic effects on adipose tissue metabolism and mediate the delayed inhibition of glucose utilization, Sm was prepared by gel filtration from an acid-ethanol extract of normal rat plasma. The partially purified material increased 35SO4 incorporation into costal cartilage of hypophysectomized rats and produced in adipose tissue n acute stimulation of glucose oxidation that was not suppressed by insulin anti-serum. Unlike GH, whose insulin-like effects disappear in 3−4 hours, Smstimulated glucose oxidation remained linear for the entire 4 hour incubation period. Although acute stimulation of tissues with GH rendered them refractory to renewed insu...
Estimation of pulse shaping for well logs

A wavelet propagating in a finely layered lossless medium is subject to apparent attenuation that changes its shape. Can a sonic log be used to characterize this change? I show that numerical simulations with the well‐log as medium give an apparent attenuation or diffusion of the pulse that is very different from the attenuation in the real medium. This is due to the smoothing effect of the well‐log tool. Based on a version of the O’Doherty‐Anstey approximation, I derive an expression that reveals the role of the tool. Using a sonic log, I verify the theory and show how tool effects can be mitigated by deconvolution. I also propose a two‐scale stochastic model for the sonic log and a procedure for estimation of its parameters. One application of sonic logs is to quantify apparent attenuation and, in this context, my results are important.
Dynamics of DNA/intercalator complexes

Complexes of linear and supercoiled DNAs with different intercalating dyes are studied by time-resolved fluorescence polarization anisotropy using intercalated ethidium as the probe. Existing theory is generalized to take account of excitation transfer between intercalated ethidiums, and Forster theory is shown to be valid in this context. The effects of intercalated ethidium, 9-aminoacridine, and proflavine on the torsional rigidity of linear and supercoiled DNAs are studied up to rather high binding ratios. Evidence is presented that metastable secondary structure persists in dye-relaxed supercoiled DNAs, which contradicts the standard model of supercoiled DNAs.
Increasing the Percentage of Energy from Dietary Sugar, Fats, and Alcohol in Adults Is Associated with Increased Energy Intake but Has Minimal Association with Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Risk

The optimal diet composition to prevent obesity and its complications is unknown. Study aims were to determine the association of diet composition with energy intake, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Data were from the NHANES for eligible adults aged 20-74 y from 2005 to 2006 (n = 3073). Energy intake and diet composition were obtained by dietary recall. HOMA-IR was calculated from fasting insulin and glucose concentrations, and CRP was measured directly. Changes for a 1-point increase in percentage of sugar, saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and alcohol were determined across their means in exchange for a 1-point decrease in percentage of nonsugar carbohydrates. Regression analyses were performed, and means ± SEs were estimated. Increasing the percentage of sugar was associated with increased energy intake in men (23 ± 5 kcal; P < 0.001) and women (12 ± 3 kcal; P = 0.002). In men, increasing percentages of SFAs (58 ± 13 kcal; P = 0.001) and PUFAs (66 ± 19 kcal; P < 0.001) were associated with increased energy intake. In women, increasing percentages of SFAs (27 ± 10 kcal; P = 0.02), PUFAs (43 ± 6 kcal; P < 0.001), and MUFAs (36 ± 13 kcal; P = 0.01) were associated with increased energy intake. Increasing the percentage of alcohol was associated with increased energy intake in men (38 ± 7 kcal; P < 0.001) and women (25 ± 8 kcal; P = 0.001). Obesity was associated with increased HOMA-IR and CRP in both genders (all P ≤ 0.001). Increasing PUFAs was associated with decreasing CRP in men (P = 0.02). In conclusion, increasing the percentage of calories from sugar, fats, and alcohol was associated with substantially increased energy intake but had minimal association with HOMA-IR and CRP.
The Returns to Entrepreneurial Investment: A Private Equity Premium Puzzle?

We document the return to investing in U.S. nonpublicly traded equity. Entrepreneurial investment is extremely concentrated, yet despite its poor diversification, we find that the returns to private equity are no higher than the returns to public equity. Given the large public equity premium, it is puzzling why households willingly invest substantial amounts in a single privately held firm with a seemingly far worse risk-return tradeoff. We briefly discuss how large nonpecuniary benefits, a preference for skewness, or overestimates of the probability of survival could potentially explain investment in private equity despite these findings.
Second generation synthesis of C27-C35 building block of E7389, a synthetic halichondrin analogue.

A practical method is reported to synthesize E7389 C27−C35 building block 13 from 1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-5-deoxyglucurono-6,3-lactone (3). This synthesis relies on two key processes: (1) C34/C35-diol is introduced via asymmetric dihydroxylation with dr = 3:1, with the undesired C34-diastereomer effectively removed by crystallization of 11, and (2) the C30 PhSO2CH2 group is introduced stereoselectively (>100:1) via hydrogenation of 12 in the presence of the Crabtree catalyst. The reported synthesis is practically free from chromatographic separation.
Six-Phase Transmission Systems: Capacitance Switching

This paper is aimed at studying the capacitance switching phenomenon in a six-phase power transmission system and comparing it with that of a three-phase system. The study is conducted by first deriving the analytical expressions for the transient recovery voltages associated with capacitance switching for three representative situations, and then verifying these analytical results by simulating the six-phase system on the digital computer using an electromagnetic transients program. The results indicate that the capacitance switching imposes less onerous transient recovery voltages on a six-phase system when compared to a three-phase system.
Comparison of Kπ3 experiments with predictions from equal-time commutators

Abstract The predictions by Callan-Treiman concerning Kπ3 decays, which are based on equal-time commutation relations, are compared with existing experimental data extrapolated to E(π) = 0. The agreement is good.
'Who is wise and understanding among you' (James 3: 13)? An analysis of wisdom, eschatology and apocalypticism in the epistle of James

Three questions form the basis of this analysis of the relationship of the Epistle of James to the traditions of wisdom, eschatology and apocalypticism. What kind of traditions are involved in James? What is the world view of James? What audience or community is presupposed by this writing? Foremost is the connection that James demonstrates to the wisdom tradition evident in the Old Testament and extratestamental literature. In particular two types of wisdom tradition are noted in James: practical wisdom advice as expressed in short sayings, wisdom instructions and admonitions and reflection on the nature of wisdom (1:5-8; 2:1-7; and 3:13-18) as coming from God. Finally, the question of how much apocalyptic symbolism is evident in the eschatological world view of the epistle is addressed.
Genetic polymorphism of amylase in three species of Tribolium (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)

Abstract 1. 1. We have used a comparative approach to estimate the number of amylase loci in Tribolium confusum . 2. 2. Our results suggest the presence of at least four distinct amylase loci, three of which are expressed in larval and adult stages, while the fourth is expressed primarily in the egg. 3. 3. Only one amylase isozyme was detected in T. castaneum .
The isomer shift of 198Tl

Abstract The isomer shift in the optical spectrum between the ground state of 198 Tl and the isomer state at 544 keV has been measured to be Δ (198−198m) = −13±4 mK in the 5350 A line and Δ (198−198m) = −6±4 mK in the 3776 A line.
High-pressure synthesis and crystal structure of silicon phosphate hydroxide, SiPO4(OH)

Abstract A new high-pressure phase, silicon phosphate hydroxide, was prepared at 8.3 ± 0.5 GPa and 1000 °C in > 98 % purity. From X-ray diffraction on a pseudo-merohedrally twinned crystal, it was found that SiPO4(OH) crystallizes in a monoclinic cell with space group P 2 1 / n (No. 14), a = 6.8446 ( 11 ) A , b = 6.8683 ( 13 ) A , c = 6.8446 ( 11 ) A , β = 119.77 ( 1 ) ∘ , and Z = 4 . The refinement gave a conventional R obs of 0.0320 and w R obs of 0.0864 for the overlapped data from both twin components. In the structure, SiO6 octahedra form chains along [101], with PO4 tetrahedra alternating along the chain in the b-direction. The parallel chains link up with tetrahedral corners from other chains to form a 3-dimensional network. SiPO4(OH) belongs to a structural family that includes HgSeO 4 · H 2 O . It is also related to the SbOPO4 structure by a small distortion that lowers the symmetry from C 2 / c in SbOPO4 to P 2 1 / c ( P 2 1 / n ) in SiPO4(OH).
Long-term outcomes after non-instrumented lumbar arthrodesis.

Abstract Non-instrumented lumbar fusion is an accepted technique for the treatment of various spinal degenerative pathologies. The purpose of this study is to report long-term outcomes of patients undergoing in situ fusion. A retrospective review was performed at a single institution over a 20 year period. The main outcome variables were symptom resolution at last follow-up, development of adjacent segment disease (ASD) and overall need for re-operation. A total of 376 patients were identified, with a mean age of 61.1 ± standard deviation of 13.54 years. The most common presenting symptom was back pain in 344 (91.5%) patients, followed by radiculopathy in 304 (80.9%) patients. The most common pre-operative diagnosis was multi-level spinal stenosis with claudication in 211 (56.1%) patients. At last follow-up, the prevalence of back pain (60.64%; p p in situ fusion for degenerative lumbar spine disease with a median follow-up time of 92 (range 24–154) months. Although the prevalence of both back pain and radiculopathy was significantly reduced at last follow-up, a significant portion of patients still experienced continued symptoms. Notably, while 18.35% of patients developed ASD, 30.6% of patients required re-operation due to recurrent or worsening symptoms during the follow-up period, highlighting the need for additional stabilization techniques.
Birth traits of pure Holstein calves versus Montbeliarde-sired crossbred calves

Pure Holstein calves and Montbeliarde-sired crossbred calves from multiparous Holstein dams were compared for gestation length, calf weight at birth, calving difficulty, and stillbirth in 2 research herds of the University of Minnesota. The Montbeliarde-sired calves from multiparous Holstein dams had significantly longer gestation lengths (283.2 d) than Holstein-sired calves from Holstein dams (278.4 d), and Montbeliarde-sired calves from multiparous Holstein dams had significantly greater calf weight at birth (48.3kg) compared with Holstein-sired calves from Holstein dams (43.3kg). However, calves sired by Montbeliarde bulls were not significantly different from calves sired by Holstein bulls for calving difficulty and stillbirth. In addition, Jersey x Holstein crossbred cows mated to Montbeliarde artificial insemination (AI) bulls were compared with pure Holstein cows mated to Holstein AI bulls for gestation length, calf weight at birth, calving difficulty, and stillbirth at their first 3 calvings. Gestation length was significantly longer for Jersey x Holstein cows bred to Montbeliarde bulls than for pure Holstein cows bred to Holstein bulls at first calving (280.3 versus 277.7 d) and second and third calving (282.2 versus 278.6 d); however, Jeresy x Holstein cows bred to Montbeliarde AI bulls were not significantly different from pure Holstein cows bred to Holstein AI bulls for calf weight at birth, calving difficulty, and stillbirth at the first 3 calvings.
Simplified Radioenzymatic Assay for Chloramphenicol

Abstract A simplified radioenzymatic assay for chloramphenicol was developed by eliminating the need for cumbersome extraction procedures. After the acetylation of chloramphenicol with [14C]acetyl coenzyme A in the presence of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, the reaction mixture was added to a toluene-based scintillation fluid. Since 14C-acetylated chloramphenicol is more soluble than [14C]acetyl coenzyme A in toluene, the radioactive product could be counted directly. The rapidity of this assay, as well as its accuracy, precision, and specificity, makes it particularly suitable for clinical use. In contrast to previous reports of enzymatic assays for chloramphenicol, we have found that results of the assay of standards prepared in serum were up to 25% higher than those of standards prepared in saline, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine.
Ampicillin Dosage in Bacterial Meningitis with Special Reference to Haemophilus influenzae

Ampicillin remains the preferred drug for most cases of bacterial meningitis, including those due to Haemophilus influenzae type b. A prospective study was performed comparing high (400 mg/kg per day)- and low (150 mg/kg per day)-dosage regimens of ampicillin in the treatment of 172 patients with bacterial meningitis. Response to both regimens was equivalent in terms of average hospital stay, duration of ampicillin therapy, microbiological response, and death and residua. Patients with H. influenzae infections treated with low-dosage regimens had slightly prolonged febrile courses. This study suggests that high-dosage regimens of ampicillin offer no benefit over low-dosage regimens in the treatment of bacterial meningitis.
Amazon dams and waterways: Brazil’s Tapajós Basin plans

Brazil plans to build 43 “large” dams (>30 MW) in the Tapajos Basin, ten of which are priorities for completion by 2022. Impacts include flooding indigenous lands and conservation units. The Tapajos River and two tributaries (the Juruena and Teles Pires Rivers) are also the focus of plans for waterways to transport soybeans from Mato Grosso to ports on the Amazon River. Dams would allow barges to pass rapids and waterfalls. The waterway plans require dams in a continuous chain, including the Chacorao Dam that would flood 18 700 ha of the Munduruku Indigenous Land. Protections in Brazil’s constitution and legislation and in international conventions are easily neutralized through application of “security suspensions,” as has already occurred during licensing of several dams currently under construction in the Tapajos Basin. Few are aware of “security suspensions,” resulting in little impetus to change these laws.
The impact of sulfur on the reproductive success of Anagrus spp. parasitoids in the field

Pesticides targeted at pest species have often been demonstrated to have strong adverse effects on the survival of biological control agents in short-term laboratory bioassays; however, studies examining the influence of pesticides on the actual reproductive success of biological control agents in the field are rare. Because natural enemy reproduction is often directly tied to biological control success, effects of pesticides on reproduction are of central importance. Here we use a new technique to examine the influence of sulfur, a fungicide widely used in grape production, on the reproductive success of Anagrus erythroneurae (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) and Anagrus daanei (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), egg parasitoids of the grape leafhopper, Erythroneura elegantula (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Sulfur has previously been shown to be highly toxic to Anagrus spp. in short-term laboratory and field bioassays, creating the expectation that sulfur should also reduce Anagrus reproductive success in the field. Surprisingly, in two studies, the first comparing the oviposition success of Anagrus collected live in paired sulfur-treated versus untreated vineyards and the second comparing the lifetime reproductive success of Anagrus collected at the end of their lives in unpaired sulfur-treated versus untreated vineyards, we found no effect of sulfur on parasitoid reproductive success. In this system, traditional short-term assays of laboratory toxicity do not appear to predict effects on parasitoid reproductive success, suggesting that demographic approaches to assessing the disruptive effects of pesticides may have an important role in designing IPM programs.
Electrochemical, hydrothermal, and electrochemical-hydrothermal synthesis of barium titanate thin films on titanium substrates

Well-crystallized polycrystalline films of cubic BaTiO3 have been synthesized on Ti metal substrates by electrochemical, hydrothermal, and electrochemical-hydrothermal reaction of a Ti metal with a saturated solution of Ba(OH)2 in the temperature range 80 °C−200 °C. The films can be produced in the electrochemical process by the anodization of a Ti substrate in Ba(OH)2 solution at pH = 13 and current densities of the order of 10–50 mA/cm2. The films can also be synthesized by the hydrothermal reaction of Ba(OH)2 and a Ti substrate without electrical bias. A combination of these two techniques reduces the reaction time to 30–45 min. The films were found to have good adherence on the substrate and films of thickness up to 2 μm could be formed within a reaction time of 45 min. Capacitance measurements have yielded a dielectric constant of 300. The films prepared by the three different techniques have been compared for crystallinity and microstructure. The thickness of the films increased with temperature and time of reaction. The crystallinity decreased with extended time of reaction for a given temperature. It is likely that a reactive intermediate such as Ti(OH)4 (aq.) is formed in all the three cases which leads to the formation of crystalline BaTiO3.
Search for stable heavy massive particles of positive integral charge

Abstract A search has been made for stable heavy massive particles of positive integral charge in deuterium samples. The concentration of such particles in the mass range 6–16 atomic mass units is estimated to be less than 3 × 10−18 per hydrogen atom in ordinary water.
Method for analysis of the characteristic matrix in optical systems

Similarity between the characteristic matrix and the scattering matrix is noted. This similarity is exploited to develop a method for deriving the characteristic matrix in a closed form and to develop a perturbation expansion of the characteristic matrix for one-dimensional variation of refractive index. Examples are given.
Horizontally issuing diffusion flames characterized by OH-PLIF and visualizations

Planar laser induced fluorescence and flame visualizations characterized the effect of buoyancy on the behavior of the combustion zone of diffusion jet flames which issued from horizontally-oriented tubes into ambient air. The study focused on the mixing characteristics of propane and ethylene at Reynolds numbers ranging from 300 to 1500 in the near field of the jet (up to X/D =9) and Froude numbers ranging as low as 0.36, based on cold-flow gas properties and conditions. Performing the study with a variety of fuel tube diameters enabled independent control of Froude and Reynolds numbers. The PLIF visualizations revealed the presence of the hydroxyl radical in the mixing layer for all cases. The hydroxyl concentrations were consistently higher in the upper portion of the mixing layer, indicative of more vigorous mixing in this region. The visualizations also revealed the evolution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which were initially spatially segregated from the portion of the reaction zone containing...