cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Propensity for adverse pregnancy outcomes in African-American women may be explained by low energy expenditure in early pregnancy

Background African-American (AA) women have poorer pregnancy outcomes, and studies in nonpregnant women suggest a different etiology of weight gain in AA compared with white women. We hypothesized that physiologic factors such as low energy expenditure and physical activity would be present in AA compared with white women in pregnancy. Objective We aimed to identify physiologic risk factors for disordered energy balance in AA and white women early in pregnancy. Design This was a cross-sectional study in 66 pregnant women with obesity, between 14 and 16 wk of gestation. Energy intake was calculated using the intake-balance method. Energy expenditure was measured in free-living conditions [total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)] over 7 d with the use of doubly labelled water and during sleep [sleeping EE (SleepEE)] in a room calorimeter. Body composition was measured by air displacement plethysmography and physical activity by accelerometers. Markers of metabolic health were obtained from fasting blood and urine. Results AA (n = 34) and white (n = 32) women were comparable in age (mean ± SEM: 27.7 ± 0.6 y), enrollment body mass index [mean ± SEM (in kg/m2): 36.9 ± 0.7], and body fat (mean ± SEM: 45.0% ± 0.6%). AA women had more fat-free mass (P = 0.01) and tended to be more insulin-resistant (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, P = 0.06). Energy intake was significantly lower in AA than in white women (2499 ± 76 compared with 2769 ± 58 kcal/d, P = 0.001), although absolute TDEE was comparable (AA: 2590 ± 77 kcal/d; white: 2711 ± 56 kcal/d; P = 0.21). After adjusting for body composition, TDEE was significantly lower in AA women (-231 ± 74 kcal/d, P = 0.003), as was SleepEE (-81 ± 37 kcal/d, P = 0.03). Physical activity, substrate oxidation, and metabolic biomarkers (triiodothyronine and thyroxine concentrations, catecholamine excretion) were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions Body mass-adjusted energy expenditure is significantly lower in AA than in white pregnant women. Energy intake recommendations for pregnancy do not consider this difference and may therefore overestimate energy requirements in AA women. This may lead to unintentional overeating and contribute to the disparity of excess gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention that is more prevalent in AA women. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01954342.
Travel Education: Demonstrating Effective Learning through the Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

Two Winona State University professors created an interdisciplinary six-hour curriculum with eleven days of travel as a means of transforming course material into experiential learning. Both course...
A tale of two Harlems: Gentrification, social capital, and implications for aging in place

Abstract Background and objectives Increasingly, older adults desire to remain in their communities for as long as possible, referred to as “aging in place”. While much of the aging in place literature focuses on housing specifically, there is a growing sense that social capital and community connectedness are important to the aging in place experience. The current study explores social capital in a gentrifying community to better understand the effects of rapid neighborhood change on older, African American adults. Research design and methods Using a qualitative approach, group interviews were collected across nine senior housing sites (N = 98) in Central Harlem, a historically African American neighborhood in New York City. Research questions examined how older adults ‘staying put’ in a gentrifying neighborhood perceive changes in their social networks and larger community. Results Major themes included shifting racial dynamics of the neighborhood, disruption of social ties, lack of intergenerational social cohesion and lack of social spaces for older adults, revealing a complex narrative of the network consequences of neighborhood change. Discussion and implications This study extends previous research, highlighting specific ways in which gentrification compromises aspects of social capital in a once predominantly Black neighborhood.
Accuracy Controlled Direct Integral Equation Solver of Linear Complexity with Change of Basis for Large-Scale Interconnect Extraction

In this paper, we develop a new linear-complexity direct solver for large-scale integral equation based interconnect extraction. The new solver possesses not only explicitly controlled accuracy, but also a change of cluster basis to efficiently account for the updates to the original matrix during the direct solution procedure. Comparisons with state-of-the-art direct solvers have demonstrated a much reduced CPU run time of the new solver as well as a significantly improved accuracy, which is also well controlled. Rapid and accurate direct solutions of millions of unknowns have been obtained on a single CPU core.
Comparison of still image quality between traditional 35 mm digital and GoPro cameras in a surgical setting.

AbstractIntraoperative photography is used to obtain images for both education and research purposes, but poses challenges due concerns regarding aseptic technique. Waterproof digital cameras have ...
Removal of a migrating catheter in the retroauricular vein: a case report

A fractured catheter in the posterior auricular vein is exceedingly rare. Imaging revealed that it was migrating freely and currently overlapped the temporal bone. With multidisciplinary cooperation, general anesthesia, and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) for guidance, the catheter was removed uneventfully.
An updated physician workforce model predicts a shortage of vascular surgeons for the next 20 years.

Background Concern regarding the adequacy of the vascular surgery workforce persists. We aimed to predict future vascular surgery workforce size and capacity using contemporary data on the US population and number, productivity, and practice patterns of vascular surgeons. Methods The workforce size needed to maintain current levels of access was estimated to be 1.4 vascular surgeons/100,000 population. Updated population estimates were obtained from the US Census Bureau. We calculated future vascular surgery workforce needs based on the estimated population for every 10 years from 2020 to 2050. American Medical Association Physician Masterfile data from 1997 to 2017 were used to establish the existing vascular surgery workforce size and predict future workforce size, accounting for annual rates of new certificates (increased to an average of 133/year since 2013), retirement (17%/year), and the effects of burnout, reduced work hours, transitions to nonclinical jobs, or early retirement. Based on Medical Group Management Association data that estimate median vascular surgeon productivity to be 8,481 work relative value units (wRVUs)/year, excess/deficits in wRVU capacity were calculated based on the number of anticipated practicing vascular surgeons. Results Our model predicts declining shortages of vascular surgeons through 2040, with workforce size meeting demand by 2050. In 2030, each surgeon would need to increase yearly wRVU production by 22%, and in 2040 by 8%, to accommodate the workload volume. Conclusions Our model predicts a shortage of vascular surgeons in the coming decades, with workforce size meeting demand by 2050. Congruence between workforce and demand for services in 2050 may be related to increases in the number of trainees from integrated residencies combined with decreases in population estimates. Until then, vascular surgeons will be required to work harder to accommodate the workload. Burnout, changing practice patterns, geographic maldistribution, and expansion of health care coverage and utilization may adversely affect the ability of the future workforce to accommodate population needs.
Periradicular Lesions in Cancellous Bone Can Be Detected Radiographically

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether naturally occurring periradicular lesions confined to cancellous bone can be detected on periapical digital radiography and whether the size of the lesion had any effect on lesion detection. Methods One hundred twenty-nine roots were chosen based on cone-beam computed tomographic imaging and categorized as having no lesion, a lesion confined to cancellous bone, a lesion that encroaches on junctional corticocancellous trabeculae, or a lesion with cortical involvement. The largest buccolingual dimension of the lesions was measured on cone-beam computed tomographic imaging. Two observers separately viewed the corresponding periapical radiographs in their original version as well as in the edge-enhanced setting on MiPACS (LEAD Technologies Inc, Charlotte, NC). Observers were asked to evaluate and interpret the periapical radiographs as having a lesion present, absent, or “unsure.” Evaluations of images were conducted at 2 times 1 week apart. Data were analyzed, and the level of significance was set at P = .05. Results Lesion size, not the degree of cortical involvement, significantly affected the observers’ ability to accurately detect lesions. As the size of the lesion increased, the probability of correctly identifying a lesion increased (P = .0008). Lesions were correctly identified 97.6%, 94.1%, 91.6%, and 89.3% of the time, respectively, when in cortical bone, at the junction of corticocancellous bone, in cancellous bone, and when no lesion was present. Observers were “unsure” whether a lesion was present or absent 10.7% of the time. Only lesions in cortical bone significantly increased observers’ certainty in making a diagnosis. Conclusions This study concluded that lesions confined to cancellous bone can be detected radiographically at a high rate. Lesion size was positively correlated with correct lesion identification, whereas the degree of cortical involvement had no significant effect. This suggests that lesion size may be a better predictor for correct lesion identification than lesion location.
Racial Disparities in Prematurity Persist among Women of High Socioeconomic Status.

Objectives Despite persistent racial disparities in preterm birth (PTB) in the US among non-Hispanic (NH) black women compared to NH white women, it remains controversial whether sociodemographic factors can explain these differences. We sought to evaluate whether disparities in PTB persist among NH black women with high socioeconomic status (SES). Study Design We conducted a population-based cohort study of all live births in the US from 2015-2017 using birth certificate data from the National Vital Statistics System. We included singleton, non-anomalous live births among women who were of high SES (defined as having ≥ 16 years of education, private insurance, and not receiving Women, Infants and Children [WIC] benefits) and who identified as NH white, NH black, or 'mixed' NH black and white race. The primary outcome was PTB <37 weeks; secondary outcomes included PTB <34 and <28 weeks. In addition, analyses were repeated considering birthweight <2500g as a surrogate for preterm birth <37 weeks, birthweight <1500g as a surrogate for preterm birth <34 weeks, and birthweight <750g as a surrogate for preterm birth <28 weeks' gestation. Data were analyzed with chi-square, t-test, and logistic regression. Results 2,170,686 live births met inclusion criteria, with 92.9% NH white, 6.7% NH black, and 0.4% both NH white and black race. Overall, 5.9% delivered <37, 1.3% <34, and 0.3 % <28 weeks. In unadjusted analyses of women with high SES, the PTB rate at each gestational age cutoff was higher for women of 'mixed' NH white and black race, and highest for women who were NH black only compared to women who were NH white only. In regression models we further adjusted for women with insurance and prenatal care their entire pregnancy, maternal race was associated with higher odds of PTB at each GA cutoff, with the highest odds observed at <28 weeks. Finally, in further adjustement analysis including only the 1,934,912 women who received prenatal care in the first trimester, findings were similar. Rates of preterm birth at each gestational age cutoff remained highest for women who identified as non-Hispanic black, intermediate for women identifying as both non-Hispanic black and white race, and lowest for non-Hispanic white women at <37 weeks (9.9% vs. 6.1% vs. 5.5%, respectively; p<0.001), <34 weeks (3.5% vs. 1.5% vs. 1.1%, respectively; p<0.001), and <28 weeks' gestation (1.2% vs. 0.4% vs. 0.2%, respectively, p<0.001). Conclusions Even among college-educated women with private insurance who are not receiving WIC, racial disparities in prematurity persist. These national findings are consistent with prior studies that suggest factors other than socio-demographics are important in the underlying pathogenesis of PTB.
Early life nutritional stress affects song learning but not underlying neural circuitry in zebra finches

Early life stress negatively impacts behavior and underlying neural circuitry across species. The present study investigated the effects of nutritional stress (NS), which increases parental foraging, on song quality in males, song preferences in females, and the size and number of cells in song and auditory regions of the zebra finch brain. We hypothesized that NS would decrease song quality in males and decrease preference for high quality song in females. Furthermore, we predicted that NS would reduce the size of song nuclei and decrease the number of cells in song and auditory regions. In males, NS decreased the number of syllable types (a measure of song complexity), decreased the number of high notes and flat notes, and increased the number of noisy notes, but had no effect on song rate or song length. In females, NS reduced preferences for high quality song. Despite these behavioral effects, there were no effects of NS on song and auditory nuclei, although there were effects of age and sex. These results suggest that NS affects behavior in both males and females, but these effects are not attributable to the number of cells or size of song and auditory regions. Such findings add to our understanding of the effects of early life stress on behavior and cognition. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Cervical Spine Fracture Dislocation

MJ is a 43-year-old female who presents to the emergency department after a fall from a height. On presentation, the patient complains of severe neck pain and bilateral upper and lower extremity weakness. Her primary survey demonstrates a clear airway and hemodynamic stability. She denies any LOC and maintains a GCS of 15. Her secondary survey is negative.
Chapter 8 – Infection, Allergy, and Psychosocial Stress

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses major disease types in which immune activity plays a role. Specifically, infectious diseases and allergy are considered, both occurring in response to some form of external irritant. Infectious diseases are by definition transmissible. Outbreaks of infectious diseases have been documented throughout history. Infection is not tantamount to disease. First, there is an incubation period, which defines the time between infection and the onset of signs or symptoms of disease. Disease caused by an infectious agent may be followed by recovery and long-term immunity. In other cases, the pathogen may remain capable of causing disease recurrences and the infective state or may have caused sequelae that persist as disability or dysfunction. Prions are protein particles without any genetic material that have been implicated in neurological conditions. Viroids contain a simple strand of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and have not been implicated in human disease. Fungi are eukaryotic organisms capable of infection. Fungi come in two forms, unicellular (yeasts) and multicellular (molds). Inflammation is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
TUBB4A mutations result in both glial and neuronal degeneration in an H-ABC leukodystrophy mouse model.

Mutations in TUBB4A result in a spectrum of leukodystrophy including Hypomyelination with Atrophy of Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum (H-ABC), a rare hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, often associated with a recurring variant p.Asp249Asn (D249N). We have developed a novel knock-in mouse model harboring heterozygous (Tubb4aD249N/+) and the homozygous (Tubb4aD249N/D249N) mutation that recapitulate the progressive motor dysfunction with tremor, dystonia and ataxia seen in H-ABC. Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice have myelination deficits along with dramatic decrease in mature oligodendrocytes and their progenitor cells. Additionally, a significant loss occurs in the cerebellar granular neurons and striatal neurons in Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice. In vitro studies show decreased survival and dysfunction in microtubule dynamics in neurons from Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice. Thus Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice demonstrate the complex cellular physiology of H-ABC, likely due to independent effects on oligodendrocytes, striatal neurons, and cerebellar granule cells in the context of altered microtubule dynamics, with profound neurodevelopmental deficits.
Role of Microbiota-Derived Bile Acids in Enteric Infections

In this issue of Cell, Alavi et al. report that infection by Vibrio cholerae is blocked by gut microbiome-mediated hydrolysis of bile acids. Cholera therefore joins amebic dysentery and Clostridioides difficile colitis as enteric infections profoundly influenced by the microbiome's impact on bile acid metabolism.
Residential Segregation in the United States

This article is a revision of the previous article by D.S. Massey, volume 19, pp. 13263–13266, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Impact of physical characteristics and lifestyle factors on bone density and fractures

Abstract Nonskeletal risk factors can impact either bone mineral density (BMD), fracture risk or both. These factors fall into the general categories of physical characteristics [gender, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI)] and lifestyle factors (smoking and alcohol). Gender-related differences in fracture rates may be related to body size or microarchitectural differences. With age, women have greater loss of trabecular mass and cortical thickness with more cortical porosity, as compared to men. Weight and BMI relate positively to BMD and inversely to fracture rates. Lean mass may be an important determinant of premenopausal bone mass, but fat mass is strongly related to postmenopausal BMD. Obesity is related to higher bone mass and lower rates of osteoporosis-related fractures—but fractures of certain bones, such as humerus and ankle, may occur at higher rates. In obese individuals, weight loss is needed to reduce the risk of comorbid conditions, but this may be detrimental to the skeleton. Smoking and excessive alcohol intakes have adverse skeletal effects, whereas moderate alcohol intake is associated with higher BMD.
Feasibility of using “SMARTER” methodology for monitoring precipitating conditions of pediatric migraine episodes

Objective To evaluate the feasibility in children of an intensive prospective data monitoring methodology for identifying precipitating conditions for migraine occurrence. Background Migraine headaches are a common pain condition in childhood and can become increasingly chronic and disabling with repeated episodes. Identifying conditions that forecast when a child's migraine is likely to occur may facilitate next-generation adaptive treatments to prevent future migraine attacks. Methods In this cohort study of a sample of 30 youth (ages 10-17) with migraine recruited through a pediatric headache clinic, smartphones supplemented with wearable biosensors were used over a period of 28 days to collect contextual data thought to be potentially relevant to headache occurrence. Self-reported data on headache occurrence, lifestyle, and perceptions of the environment were collected in 4 epochs per day using custom real-time reporting software. Data derived from the wearable biosensor included information on autonomic arousal and physical activity. Built-in sensors on participants' own phones also were used to indicate location and to quantify the sensory environment (e.g., ambient noise and light levels). Data fidelity was monitored to evaluate feasibility of the methods, and participant acceptability was assessed via an end-of-study survey. Results Self-report data were obtained on a mean of 88.9% (24.9/28) of assigned days (SD = 22.4%) and at a mean of 68.9% (77.2/112) of assigned moments (SD = 24.5%). Data from the wearable biosensor were obtained for a mean of 18.7 hours per day worn (SD = 2.3 hours), with participants on average wearing the sensor on 20.3 days (SD = 9.9). Fidelity of obtaining objective data from phone sensors on the sensory environment and other environmental conditions was highly variable, with these data obtainable from 5 to 22/30 (16.7%-73.3%) of participants' own phones. Most participants (63.3%-100%) responded with at least "somewhat agree" to questions about acceptability of the study methods. However, 5 to 7/30 (16.7%-23.3%) patients indicated difficulties with burden and remembering to wear the sensor. Almost all participants (29/30, 96.7%) agreed that they would want information about when a migraine might occur. Conclusions A contemporary data sampling approach comprising ambulatory sensors and real-time reporting appears to be acceptable to most youth with migraine in this study. Reliability of acquiring some data sources from participants' own phones, however, was suboptimal. Further refining these data sampling methods may enable a novel means of predicting and preventing recurrences of migraine episodes in youth.
COVID anticks: Not all infiltrates are COVID related

Introduction: Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). We present a case of ARDS due to HGA, highlighting the importance of maintaining a broad differential and thorough history taking even in the midst of a pandemic. Case: A 43 year-old man with a history of alcohol and tobacco use presented in late November 2020 in the midst of a regional COVID-19 surge with two weeks of progressive shortness of breath, chest pain, fevers, and altered mental status. Admission labs were notable for hepatocellular injury, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia with absolute lymphopenia, and elevated creatinine. The patient's hypoxemia progressed to the point of requiring mechanical ventilation despite broad spectrum antibiotics. SARS-CoV-2 PCR x3, blood, viral, and fungal cultures were negative. Patient's PaO2/FiO2 ratio of <200, extensive bilateral infiltrates, and low suspicion for heart failure was consistent with ARDS (Figure). Given continued hypoxia, the patient underwent the prone positioning protocol. A peripheral smear was obtained for thrombocytopenia/leukopenia and demonstrated inclusions within the neutrophils consistent with Anaplasma. Upon further history taking, the spouse confirmed that the patient had recently found several ticks on his body after returning from a hunting trip in northern Minnesota. Anaplasma was confirmed with PCR testing. The rarity of ARDS due to anaplasmosis limits insight into therapeutic options aside from antibiotics. However, in addition to receiving doxycycline, the patient was started on dexamethasone, which has demonstrated possible symptomatic benefit through small case studies. The dosage of Dexamethasone administered ranged from 4-20 mg, totaling 5 doses. The patient improved and was discharged home. Discussion: Human granulocytic anaplasmosis is caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Ticks are the main vectors for this zoonotic disease, specifically the Ixodes tick. Like other tick-borne infections, it presents most commonly as a febrile illness. Our patient had several classic manifestations including leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated transaminases. Pulmonary symptoms are infrequently described aside from some reports of interstitial pneumonia and, rarely, ARDS. Doxycycline is the gold standard treatment for HGA. A few case reports have demonstrated clinical improvement with the addition of steroids when ARDS was present. Our patient saw improvement with the combination of corticosteroids, doxycycline, and ARDS evidencebased practices (i.e. pronation and low tidal volume ventilation). Similar management should be considered in other patients presenting with severe ARDS caused by HGA. Finally, although an atypical season for ticks, this case highlights the importance of a thorough social history and broad differentials, especially in patients presenting with severe illness.
Paved guideway topology optimization for pedestrian traffic under Nash equilibrium

Without proper flow channelization, congestion and overcrowding in pedestrian traffic may lead to significant inefficiency and safety hazards. Thus, the design of guideway networks that provide a fine balance between traffic congestion and infrastructure construction investment is vital. This paper presents a mathematical formulation and topology optimization framework for paved pedestrian guideway design under physics-based traffic equilibrium in a continuous space. Pedestrians are homogeneous, and their destination and path choices under the Nash equilibrium condition are described by a set of nonlinear partial differential equations. The design framework optimizes the deployment of pavement, which alters the road capacity and directly affects pedestrians’ free flow travel speed. A maximum crowd density constraint is included in the design model to address public safety concerns (e.g., over stampede risks). A series of numerical experiments are conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model as well as solution techniques. The proposed framework, which builds on the traffic equilibrium theory, produces optimized guideway designs with controllable maximum pedestrian density, accounts for budget constraints (through an adjustable multiplier that balances pavement construction and travel costs), and allows for control of the spatial configuration of road branches. Comparison with lamellar structures and more conventional guideway designs demonstrates better performance of the outcomes from the proposed modeling and optimization framework.
Feature Selection for Causal Inference from High Dimensional Observational Data with Outcome Adaptive Elastic Net.

Feature selection is an extensively studied technique in the machine learning literature where the main objective is to identify the subset of features that provides the highest predictive power. However, in causal inference, our goal is to identify the set of variables that are associated with both the treatment variable and outcome (i.e., the confounders). While controlling for the confounding variables helps us to achieve an unbiased estimate of causal effect, recent research shows that controlling for purely outcome predictors along with the confounders can reduce the variance of the estimate. In this paper, we propose an Outcome Adaptive Elastic-Net (OAENet) method specifically designed for causal inference to select the confounders and outcome predictors for inclusion in the propensity score model or in the matching mechanism. OAENet provides two major advantages over existing methods: it performs superiorly on correlated data, and it can be applied to any matching method and any estimates. In addition, OAENet is computationally efficient compared to state-of-the-art methods.
Business Enterprise Value in Hotels – The Reality vs. the Shell Game

Excerpt] The Appraisal of Real Estate states: The existence of a residual intangible personal property component in certain properties has been widely recognized for years. Among the many terms used to describe this phenomenon, business enterprise value (BEV) is the most widely used. The issue has attracted attention primarily through assessment, condemnation, and damage claim assignments, which require that an estimate of the value of the real estate component be separated from the market value of the total assets of the business.2
Evaluation of sperm function. What is available in the modern andrology laboratory

Tests of sperm function markedly improve the clinician's ability to diagnose male factor infertility accurately. An understanding of the patient's sperm defect may improve the clinical management of male infertility. A wide spectrum of therapeutic options is available to the urologist treating the infertile male. IVF is now routinely employed for many types of male factor infertility with promising results. Micromanipulation has permitted men who, in the not so distant past, were considered infertile to experience fatherhood. In light of these promising therapeutic advances, accurate assessment of sperm function becomes crucial. Treatment options may be selected on the basis of specific functional defects of sperm. Sperm with an inability to bypass cervical mucus may be adequately treated with IUI. Oligospermic men with sperm capable of ova penetration can be treated with IVF, whereas men whose sperm are incapable of zona binding/penetration may be treated with micromanipulation. Sperm function assays provide a rationale for the selection of specific therapies to treat or bypass identified defects, and by providing comprehensive and accurate diagnosis, they make possible individually tailored therapies. Such individualized treatment choices may improve success rates for many male factor patients.
Nickel dermatitis hazards from prostheses. In vivo and in vitro solubilization studies.

SUMMARY This report reviews data relating to the nickel hazard from implanted prostheses. It is shown that nickel is released from stainless steel prostheses by the action of sweat, blood and physiological saline solution. In laboratory animals, solubilized nickel is localized in the tissue near the implant.
The Internet Gambling Conundrum: Extraterritorial Impacts of Domestic Regulation

The geographical transcendence of the Internet presents challenges for government regulation of activities such as Internet gambling, which are legally proscribed in some jurisdictions and allowed in others. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) enacted in October 2006 provides one approach to regulating Internet gambling by focusing on financing, rather than the conduct of individual gamblers. Though this approach will generally protect the privacy rights of individuals and preserve free access to the Internet, it will impose costs on the business community. This article provides an analysis of the UIGEA and its effects on Internet gambling firms and firms that provide transactional services. Financial markets suggest this legislation has reduced Internet gambling in publicly traded firms, even before enabling regulations have been enacted. However, this law may also have the effect of enhancing investment capital flows for online gambling firms, due to clarification of the legal status for firms who are not targeting U.S. residents in violation of UIGEA. The ultimate result may depend on whether other nations follow suit in targeting extraterritorial business with domestic gambling patrons. [Author's Note: A prior version of this paper has been published in the COMPUTER LAW & SECURITY REPORT, Vol. 23, No. 6 (Elsevier, 2007). This article is published with permission from Elsevier, Ltd.]
Case, service and family characteristics of households that experience a child maltreatment fatality in the United States

Child maltreatment fatalities have increasingly received attention over the past three decades and yet there is a dearth of information concerning case, service and family/household factors associated with maltreatment fatalities. This is a US multi-state study of 135 child welfare workers who experienced the death of a child on their caseload. They reported on the case, service and family/household characteristics of a child who died on their caseload. Results indicate that workers had seen victims one week prior to their death and were closely monitoring families. The most frequently mentioned family characteristics included: parental unemployment, parental mental health, experiencing a major life event and parents' inappropriate age expectations of the child. Parental alcohol and substance use were more common among infant victims; and parental perceptions of the child being 'difficult' were more common among older victims. The results are discussed with regard to future research and prevention for the field. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 'A US multi-state study of 135 child welfare workers who experienced the death of a child on their caseload' Key Practitioner Messages: The primary findings of this study indicate that: * Workers have regular contact with children leading up to the time of their death. * Children die even when they are being closely monitored and have had a full-risk assessment. * Families where children died were not using very many services. 'Families where children died were not using very many services' Language: en
Toxoplasmosis and abortion

from the other forms of calcification mentioned above. Calcifications in the Fallopian tube are rarely encountered and are usually asymmetrical, measuring from a few millimeters to 1 or 2 cm. in diameter. This case, however, showed a large calcified mass and represents to the best of our knowledge the first case reported where a relatively large calcified and ossified mass of the Fallopian tubes was visualized on radiography.
Enhanced Growth Rate of Transplanted Mammary Adenocarcinoma Induced in C3H Mice by Dietary Linoleate

Three-month-old C3H female mice were given injections of 5-mg pieces of mammary adenocarcinoma and were then fed diets that either were fat free or contained saturated fat (15% hydrogenated cottonseed oil) or linoleate (1-15% corn oil). After 6 weeks, the tumors in mice fed the linoleate diet weighed 3-4 times more than those in mice fed the fat-free or saturated-fat diets. Despite a linoleate-free diet, tumors contained appreciable amounts of linoleate and arachidonate (approximately 2 and 9% of the total fatty acids, respectively). When the level of dietary corn oil was increased from 1 to 15%, the linoleate content of the tumors increased from 4 to 18% of the total fatty acids. However, in these instances, the tumor arachidonate levels increased to maximum values even when the 1% corn oil diet was used. These observations showed that mammary tumor growth was depressed by a fat-free or saturated-fat diet and enhanced by dietary linoleate. Furthermore, they suggested that the growth rate was related to the arachidonate content rather than the linoleate content of the tumors.
Growth of laser damage in SiO2 under multiple wavelength irradiation

In laser systems using frequency conversion, multiple wavelengths will be present on optical components. We have investigated the growth of laser initiated damage in fused silica in the presence of multiple wavelengths. In particular, we measured growth at 351 nm in the presence of 1053 nm near the threshold of growth for 351 nm alone. The data shows that the sum fluence determines the onset of growth as well as the growth rate. The measured growth coefficient is consistent with all the energy being delivered at 351 nm. Additionally, we measured growth at 527 nm in the presence of 1053 nm near the threshold of growth at 527 nm alone. In this case, the sum fluence also determines the growth coefficient but the rate is consistent with all the energy being delivered at 1053 nm. We present the measurements and discuss possible reasons for the behavior.
Osteopontin mediates Stat1 degradation to inhibit iNOS transcription in a cecal ligation and puncture model of sepsis.

Background Osteopontin (OPN) represses inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression by increasing ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome degradation of Stat1, a critical transcription factor for iNOS expression. We investigated the in vivo relevance of our findings in a cecal ligation and puncture model. Methods and Results A total of 129 wild-type (WT; n = 24) and OPN null (n = 24) mice were used. Bone marrow macrophages and whole liver tissue were isolated. iNOS and phosphorylated Stat-1 (P-Stat1) protein were significantly greater in OPN null than WT. Cecal ligation and puncture increased Ub-P-Stat1; Ub-P-Stat1 was significantly less in OPN null than WT. In chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, P-Stat1 binding to the iNOS promoter was increased in OPN null. Ex vivo studies with bone marrow macrophages were performed with MG132 (10 μM), an inhibitor of 26S proteasome function, and/or exogenous OPN (50 μM). Ub-P-Stat1 was decreased in OPN null bone marrow macrophages treated with LPS; iNOS was increased. Exogenous OPN or MG132 restored Ub-P-Stat1 and iNOS to levels seen in WT. Our results indicate that absence of OPN does the following: (1) increases iNOS and P-Stat1 protein, (2) decreases ubiquitination and degradation of P-Stat1, and (3) increases iNOS transcription. Conclusions We conclude that OPN downregulates iNOS expression by accelerating ubiquitination and degradation of Stat1.
Survival analysis of clinical, pathologic, and genetic features in neuroblastoma presenting as locoregional disease

BACKGROUND Locoregional neuroblastoma is a clinical subgroup characterized by the absence of distant metastasis (International Neuroblastoma Staging System Stages 1, 2, and 3). Although these patients generally have an excellent survival with minimal therapy, some do experience recurrence with lethal consequences. METHODS To identify risk factors for disease progression, the authors performed a retrospective analysis of clinical (age and stage) and tumor biologic markers (histology, MYCN, DNA index, and allelic analysis of chromosomes 1p, 11q12-qter, and 14q12-q32) in 44 patients (10 Stage 1, 18 Stage 2, and 16 Stage 3). Allelic analysis was performed using polymorphic polymerase chain reaction markers in a semiautomated, fluorescent detection system. RESULTS Sixteen patients (38%) were younger than 365 days at diagnosis. Seventeen of 39 tumors (43%) had unfavorable histology, 6 (13%) were MYCN amplified, 14 (31%) were diploid, 17 (38%) had 1p36 loss of heterozygosity (LOH), 11 (25%) had 1p22 LOH, 10 (22%) had 11q LOH, and 13 (29%) had 14q LOH. Seventeen patients (38%) progressed, including 6 who progressed to Stage 4 disease (13%). Sixteen patients with progressive disease received cytotoxic therapy. Thirty-seven patients are alive (84%) with a median follow-up of 51 months. By permutation log rank test, both MYCN amplification and diploidy were associated with overall survival (OS), but only diploidy was associated with progression free survival (PFS) and progression to Stage 4 disease. LOH of 1p36, 1p22, 11q, or 14q did not show correlation with either OS or PFS. CONCLUSIONS Locoregional neuroblastoma tumors with diploid DNA index, regardless of other biologic features, have increased risk of local recurrence and Stage 4 progression. Cancer 2001;91:435–42. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
Regulation of autophagy and mitophagy by nutrient availability and acetylation.

Normal cellular function is dependent on a number of highly regulated homeostatic mechanisms, which act in concert to maintain conditions suitable for life. During periods of nutritional deficit, cells initiate a number of recycling programs which break down complex intracellular structures, thus allowing them to utilize the energy stored within. These recycling systems, broadly named “autophagy”, enable the cell to maintain the flow of nutritional substrates until they can be replenished from external sources. Recent research has shown that a number of regulatory components of the autophagy program are controlled by lysine acetylation. Lysine acetylation is a reversible post-translational modification that can alter the activity of enzymes in a number of cellular compartments. Strikingly, the main substrate for this modification is a product of cellular energy metabolism: acetyl-CoA. This suggests a direct and intricate link between fuel metabolites and the systems which regulate nutritional homeostasis. In this review, we examine how acetylation regulates the systems that control cellular autophagy, and how global protein acetylation status may act as a trigger for recycling of cellular components in a nutrient-dependent fashion. In particular, we focus on how acetylation may control the degradation and turnover of mitochondria, the major source of fuel-derived acetyl-CoA.
Parthenogenic activation of surplus in vitro–matured human oocytes: a tool for validation of oocyte cryopreservation

Controlled-rate frozen and vitrified mature human oocytes were thawed or warmed and parthenogenically activated using ionomycin and 6-dimethylaminopurine to assess pronuclear development compared with fresh controls. This chemical activation model provides a useful tool for laboratories to assess proficiency before offering oocyte cryopreservation to their patients.
Critical concepts in domination

Publisher Summary Graphs that are minimal or critical with respect to a given property frequently play an important role in the investigation of that property. Not only are such graphs of considerable interest in their own right, but also a knowledge of their structure often aids in the development of the general theory. This chapter studies domination critical graphs that deals with those graphs that are critical in the sense that their domination number drops when any missing edge is added; and domination perfect graphs, is analogous to the idea of perfect graphs in the chromatic sense, and deals with those graphs that have all their induced subgraphs satisfying γ(G) = i(G) where i(G) is the independent domination number of G.
Calculation of electron scattering from partially aligned non-spherical nuclei

Abstract The differential cross section for scattering of high-energy electrons ( E e≈200 MeV ) from partially aligned non-spherical nuclei is calculated. The nuclei are represented by the Bohr-Mottelson model in the strong coupling limit, and the cross section calculated by the distorted wave treatment of electron scattering. Analysis of the (measured) cross section for non-aligned 181 Ta gives an intrinsic quadrupole moment of 7 b (comparable with other measurements). The expected dependence of the cross section on the direction and degree of alignment of a similar nucleus ( 165 Ho) is discussed. In particular, for 50% alignment of 165 Ho perpendicular to the incident beam, the cross section should display measurable azimuthal asymmetry.
Responsibility Ethics and Postliberalism: Rereading H. Richard Niebuhr's The Meaning of Revelation

Postliberals have hailed H. Richard Niebuhr's The Meaning of Revelation as a harbinger of narrative theology. A careful reading of Niebuhr's argument, however, suggests a theological ethic that is at once attentive to the narrative formation of agency and yet distinct from postliberalism because of its attention to the divine object of Christians' stories. Niebuhr's theocentrism yields a view of narrative as opened from the inside because it requires appropriation of what he calls "external" narratives in order to do justice to the sovereignty of God. The result is a theological ethic which is sharply critical of modern conceptions of agency and yet continually sifted by contemporary insights and experience.
Bestimmung von Schwermetallen in Ölen, Fetten und Futtermitteln

Fur die Bestimmung von Blei, Cadmium und Quecksilber in Fetten, Olen und Futtermitteln hat sich die Atomabsorptions-spektroskopie am besten bewahrt, zur Bestimmung von Arsen die Kolorimetrie. Die je nach Substrat besonders geeigneten Aufschlusverfahren werden beschrieben. Wiederfindungsquote und Nachweisgrenze der Bestimmungsmethoden werden angegeben. Determination of Heavy Metal Traces in Oils, Fats and Feeding-Stuffs Atomic absorption spectroscopy has proved to be the best method for the determination of lead, cadmium and mercury in fats, oils and feeding-stuffs, whereas colorimetry is best for the determination of arsenic. For each substrate the most suitable digestion method is described. Recoveries and detection limits of the determination methods are shown.
Importance sampling in computer simulation of signal processors

Abstract Use of the variance reducing technique of importance sampling in a Monte Carlo simulation can make it possible to estimate very low error probabilities. The fundamental principle of this technique is discussed and examples are presented which demonstrate the feasibility of improving the simulation efficiency by many orders of magnitude.
Delivery of optical contrast agents using Triton-X100, part 2: enhanced mucosal permeation for the detection of cancer biomarkers.

Uniform delivery of optical contrast agents through mu- cosal tissue has proven a significant challenge. Topical permeation enhancers that have proven useful for skin demonstrate limited suc- cess in mucosal tissue. We sought to develop a topical permeation strategy capable of delivering tissue-impermeant molecular-specific contrast agents through mucosal epithelium in a uniform, controlled manner. We demonstrate that Triton-X100 can be utilized to deliver targeted and untargeted optical contrast agents through freshly ex- cised normal mucosal epithelium and epithelial cancer. Macromol- ecules up to 150 kDa in size were successfully delivered via transcel- lular and paracellular routes. The depth of Triton-mediated permeation was modulated by varying the treatment time and con- centration. Uniform epithelial penetration to a depth of 500 m was achieved in 1.5 h for molecules of 40 kDa or less. Larger optical probes required longer treatment times. Coadministration of molecular-specific contrast agents with Triton-X100 treatment facili- tated simultaneous labeling of biomarkers on the cell membrane, in the cytoplasm, and in the nucleus with high specificity. Together, these data suggest that Triton-X100 is a promising topical permeation enhancer for mucosal delivery of tissue-impermeant molecular- specific optical contrast agents. © 2009 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation
Seasonal and circadian variation in presentation of cats with congestive heart failure

Objective– To determine if cats with congestive heart failure (CHF) are presented to a referral clinic more frequently during different seasons, months, days, or times. Design– Retrospective study. Setting– University small animal hospital. Animals– One hundred and eighty-six cats with CHF. Interventions– None. Measurements and Main Results– The medical records of 186 cats, presented for 238 episodes of CHF between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 2002, were reviewed. An episode of CHF was defined as documented clinical evidence of pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, or ascites attributed to a cardiac origin by a board-certified cardiologist. Chi-square tests revealed statistically significant differences in presentation between different days of the week, with Thursday being the most common day, and between different hours of the day, with the peak between 10 am to 4 pm. Evaluation of presentation for CHF by season of the year identified more cats in December, January, and February although this did not achieve statistical significance. No significant difference was identified for presentation based on the day of the month or the month of the year. Conclusions– In this population of cats, there was daily, weekly and, possibly, seasonal variation in the frequency of presentation of cats with CHF. Additional studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to determine the cause for these differences.
Biomineralization: Micelles in a crystal

Inclusion of organic molecules in inorganic crystals is thought to enhance their mechanical properties, yet obtaining high occlusion levels has been a challenge. It is now shown that synthetic calcite single crystals incorporating a significant amount of copolymer micelles have mechanical properties similar to biogenic calcite crystals.