cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Queuine hypomodification of tRNA induced by 7-methylguanine

Abstract Transfer RNA isolated from Chinese hamster cells transformed by 7-methylguanine is hypomodified for queuine. 7-Methylguanine rapidly induces queuine hypomodification of tRNA in normal Chinese hamster embryo cells under conditions leading to transformation, and the enzyme catalyzing the queuine modification reaction, tRNA: guanine transglycosylase, is inhibited by 7-methylguanine in vitro .
Cardiovascular effects of noise during complex task performance.

Abstract Ten human subjects were stimulated with intermittent pink noise during the performance of a computarized task. Each subject received 3 consecutive sessions consisting of 10 min of baseline, 30 min of task performance, and 10 min of post-task baseline. Noise stimulation was presented during minutes 10–20 of task performance. Task performance was associated with significant increases in mean blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate and significant decreases in digital pulse amplitude. Noise stimulation was associated with a further decrease in digital pulse amplitude and a further increase in mean blood pressure. Noise- and task-elicited blood pressure and vasomotor responses did not habituate.
Condensed Molasses Solubles in Poultry Feeds

Abstract Condensed molasses solubles levels of 0, 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% were fed in mash-type diets to broilers from one day through 8 weeks of age. Four replicate pens, each containing 9 male and 9 female birds, received each experimental diet. No significant differences were found among treatments for body weight and daily feed intake of broilers. All condensed molasses solubles treatments supported numerically heavier body weights than those of the control. The feed to body weight ratio was found to be numerically improved for those groups receiving above 2.5% solubles. A significant improvement of this criterion was associated with the 7.5% condensed molasses solubles level. Diets containing 0, 2.5, 5, or 7.5% condensed molasses solubles were also fed to commercial laying hens maintained in individual cages. Eight replicate groups of five hens received each of the dietary treatments for six 28-day periods. There was a significant improvement of hen-day egg production with hens fed 2.5% or higher levels of condensed molasses solubles. Egg weight and Haugh unit scores were significantly reduced by the presence of condensed molasses solubles with no difference found among the three levels fed. Egg specific gravity was not affected by treatment.
Polyimidothioether–polysulfide block polymers

The synthesis of a new class of block polymers that contain alternating polyimidothioether “hard” blocks and polysulfide elastomer “soft” blocks is described. Compositions with 70% and greater polysulfide component are solvent-resistant, thermoplastic elastomers exhibiting room temperature tensile strengths of up to 1500 psi and ultimate elongations of nearly 800%. The physical properties are a strong function of test temperature due to relatively short polyimidothioether blocks, 850 ≤ Mn ≤ 3500 g/mole. These short polyimidothioether blocks were necessary to minimize degradation of the polysulfide elastomer blocks during thermal processing at temperatures ∼100°C above the “hard” block domain Tg.
Patient and Physician Attitudes to Using Medications with Religiously Forbidden Ingredients

BACKGROUNDOver 1000 medications contain pork- and/or beef-derived gelatin and stearic acid as inert ingredients. Use of these medications in patients with religious beliefs against consumption of these ingredients might constitute an ethical conflict.OBJECTIVETo assess patients’ and physicians’ attitudes about using medications with religiously prohibited ingredients derived from pork and/or beef.METHODSIn this pilot study, 100 patients and 100 physicians completed a survey designed to assess their knowledge and opinion on using medications that might contain inert ingredients derived from animals whose consumption offends followers of certain religions.RESULTSOf the 100 patients surveyed, most (84%) reported that they were not aware that several medications contained ingredients derived from pork and/or beef. About 63% of the patients wanted their physicians, and 35% of the patients wanted their non-physician healthcare providers (pharmacists, nurses), to inform them when using such medications. Thirteen...
Anthropology and the Voice

: [commentary, Music and Sound, Chennai, India, Southern Asia, Kollywood, film industry, playback singers, performance and festivals, popular culture]
Estimating subpixel surface roughness using remotely sensed stereoscopic data

Surface roughness at the 10/sup -2/-10/sup 1/ m scale is estimated using the ratio between the reflectances of the surface measured from two view angles. As reflectance is dependant on surface roughness at these scales, this ratio provides us with a proxy for relative surface roughness within a single image that is largely independent of surface composition. Roughness estimates using stereoscopic data with 15-m spatial resolution from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) in Death Valley, California and ground based stereoscopic measurements at the /spl sim/1-m scale were both found to be in good agreement with observed surface roughnesses.
On the geometry of an earthquake fault system

Abstract Invariants of a two-point correlation function of the seismic moment tensor were used to investigate an earthquake fault system. The geometry of the fault system is significantly different from the standard model of an earthquake fault, i.e. coherent rupture on a planar surface. Contrary to the ‘flat-fault’ model, we see clear evidence for non-planarity of the fault system geometry, and observe that the focal mechanisms of neighboring events may have very different orientation, i.e. they undergo large three-dimensional rotations. Therefore, earthquake deformation models need to be fully three-dimensional and should include large rotations. The spatial behavior of the invariants is approximately the same for earthquakes in different depth intervals: shallow, intermediate, and deep. The temporal behavior of the invariants differs only in that shallow earthquakes are clustered in time, whereas for deeper events the clustering is much less pronounced; as soon as we ‘decluster’ shallow seismicity, the invariants' temporal properties become similar for earthquakes of all depths. This demonstrates that the basic geometrical properties of earthquake rupture do not depend on depth, and therefore they are generally independent of rheological properties of rocks, lithostatic pressure, or the presence of a free boundary for strong shallow earthquakes.
Attachment research and Early Head Start: from data to practice

Early Head Start is the only federal program in the United States to support families from birth to three-years, a phase in which attachment is a central developmental task. The papers which make up this Special Issue represent formative work in using attachment theory and measures to frame research in Early Head Start. In this commentary, we offer some initial thoughts on how each of the studies presented might be used to foster program improvement and inspire research that will address pressing questions looking forward.
Method to Estimate Thermal Shrinkage Behavior of Glasses

We present a method to estimate the effect of heat treatment on the shrinkage behavior of glasses. As a pre-requisite, sensitivity of the glass density as a function of glass fictive temperature is measured using the sink–float method and the slope of the relationship is used to determine the linear thermal strain proportionality factor. Evolution of the fictive temperature for different temperature–time history is measured using the infrared spectroscopy method and the results are used to estimate the structural relaxation parameters in the temperature range of interest. The overall shrinkage behavior is predicted using the linear thermal strain factor and estimated change in fictive temperature due to the thermal treatment. The predicted shrinkage behavior is observed to be in good agreement with the independent dimensional change measurements performed on large glass sheets that have undergone similar thermal treatments.
Biomechanical Properties of Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System Tissue With vs Without Reinforcement With Poly-4-hydroxybutyric Acid Absorbable Mesh

ImportanceIt is unknown whether poly-4-hydroxybutyric acid (P4HB)–reinforced superficial musculoaponeurotic system tissue (SMAS) plication techniques will support SMAS imbrication and plication and...
Prospective comparison of radical retropubic prostatectomy and robot-assisted anatomic prostatectomy: the Vattikuti Urology Institute experience

Abstract Objectives Robotic assistance may enhance the precision of anatomic dissection and increase the feasibility of performing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for most surgeons. We performed a prospective comparison of 30 consecutive patients undergoing conventional radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) and 30 initial patients undergoing robot-assisted anatomic prostatectomy (RAP) at our institution. Methods The study design was a prospective nonrandomized comparison of anatomic RRP performed using the technique of Walsh and RAP performed with the da Vinci surgical system. We evaluated the baseline patient and tumor characteristics (age, body mass index, serum prostate-specific antigen, Gleason score, and clinical stage), intraoperative parameters (operative time, blood loss, and need for transfusion), postoperative parameters (pain score, hospitalization duration, catheter duration), histopathologic parameters, and complications in the two groups. Results The preoperative parameters were comparable for both groups of patients. The mean setup time for RAP was 0.95 hours. The mean operating time was 2.3 hours for RRP and 4.8 hours for RAP ( P P P P = 0.05). The mean hospital stay was 56 hours in the RRP group and 36 hours in the RAP group ( P value not significant). Sixty-three percent of the RAP and 0% of the RRP groups were discharged within 23 hours ( P Conclusions Currently, RAP is a longer procedure than RRP. However, the blood loss is minimal and patients feel less pain and are discharged earlier from the hospital. In our hands, the margin status and complication rates were comparable for both techniques.
An Exploratory Framework for the Empirical Measurement of Resilience

Deliberate progress towards the goal of long-term sustainability depends on understanding the dynamics of linked social and ecological systems. The concept of social-ecological resilience holds promise for interdisciplinary syntheses. Resilience is a multifaceted concept that as yet has not been directly operationalized, particularly in systems for which our ignorance is such that detailed, parameter-rich simulation models are difficult to develop. We present an exploratory framework as a step towards the operationalization of resilience for empirical studies. We equate resilience with the ability of a system to maintain its identity, where system identity is defined as a property of key components and relationships (networks) and their continuity through space and time. Innovation and memory are also fundamental to understanding identity and resilience. By parsing our systems into the elements that we subjectively consider essential to identity, we obtain a small set of specific focal variables that reflect changes in identity. By assessing the potential for changes in identity under specified drivers and perturbations, in combination with a scenario-based approach to considering alternative futures, we obtain a surrogate measure of the current resilience of our study system as the likelihood of a change in system identity under clearly specified conditions, assumptions, drivers and perturbations. Although the details of individual case studies differ, the concept of identity provides a level of generality that can be used to compare measure of resilience across cases. Our approach will also yield insights into the mechanisms of change and the potential consequences of different policy and management decisions, providing a level of decision support for each case study area.
Facial Emotion Recognition in Schizophrenia: Intensity Effects and Error Pattern

Objective: The authors used color photographs of emotional and neutral expressions to investigate recognition patterns of five universal emotions in schizophrenia. Method: Twenty-eight stable outpatients with schizophrenia (19 men and nine women) and 61 healthy subjects (29 men and 32 women) completed an emotion discrimination test that presented mild and extreme intensities of happy, sad, angry, fearful, disgusted, and neutral faces, balanced for gender and ethnicity. Analyses evaluated accuracy of identifying emotions as a function of intensity, diagnosis, and gender of poser and rater. Results: Patients performed worse than comparison subjects on recognition of all emotions and neutral faces combined, including mild and extreme expressions. For specific emotions, patients performed worse on recognition of fearful, disgusted, and neutral expressions. For all emotions except disgust, recognition of extreme intensity was better than recognition of mild intensity. However, patients showed less benefit from increased intensity for all emotions combined, and the difference was most pronounced for fear. Thus, patients were more impaired than healthy comparison subjects in identifying high-intensity expressions, even though this was an easier task than identifying low-intensity expressions. In the comparison of patterns of errors, patients and healthy subjects differed only in misattributions of neutral expressions; patients overattributed disgusted expressions and underattributed happy expressions. Conclusions: Patients with schizophrenia were impaired in overall emotion recognition, particularly fear and disgust, and did not benefit from increased emotional intensity. Error patterns indicate that patients misidentified neutral cues as negatively valenced.
Homogeneity Analysis and Planning Studies

Aggregation bias has been recognized as a problem when trying to define travel demand and is documented in detail for a subarea of Buffalo. This subarea consists of three adjacent square-mile transportation zones, varying from white to black in racial composition. The zones are shown to differ in those household parameters usually associated with travel generation: income, auto ownership, and related parameters including housing value and job type. In the zones considered, auto ownership is approximately one-half the city average, yet satisfaction of travel demand is not consistently good or poor throughout the zones. The primary trip purpose, work trip, is more readily satisfied by use of public transit in the white area than in the black area. A microstudy based upon block statistics underlines the inherent bias brought about by macrostudies. To refine such studies a new quantitative concept of homogeneity and continuity is defined and applied to the study area. The paper concludes with a description of how microstudy analysis can serve as a real input to macroplanning.
In Defense of (Traditional) Normative Standards

I argue that adherence to normative principles fosters substantive rationality and that departures from these principles represent defects in the decision maker, rather than defects in the principles.
A Singular Conscience: In Re Summers

This article tells the story behind In Re Summers, 325 U.S. 561 (1945) in which Clyde Summers was denied admission to practice law in Illinois based on a finding of unfit character because he elected conscientious objector status and declared that he could not kill another human being. Summers initiated his own appeal and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Illinois decision reaffirming that admission to practice law could be denied on these grounds. The story richly illustrates the circumstances of an individual taking a different course because he senses ideas that have not yet become generally understood. Such persons of singular conscience do not fit the categories of logic, law and convention that have gone before, as an analysis of the case demonstrates. This long neglected decision has never been overturned. The decision permits states to single out principled individuals and disqualify them from occupations. Also at stake is the free exercise of religious conscience. Secondly, the case invokes an ancient understanding of what it means to be a lawyer, “the lawyer-warrior.” The discursive exchange at the controversy’s heart can be read as marking the emergence of a new, contrasting view, “the lawyer-peacemaker.” The “lawyer-warrior,” a conventional model for attorneys in an adversarial system, had a significant hold on the minds of the Board on Character and Fitness. Although Summers did not prevail, in the process, at an early date, 1943, he articulated a remarkably modern view of the lawyer as problem-solver.In 1873, sixty years before Summers, the same state declared Myra Bradwell unfit to practice law because she was a woman, a decision also upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bradwell v. Illinois. The two cases share an interesting connection: the prescribed role for the lawyer-warrior in the adversarial system is quintessentially male. If the test is the willingness of a person to take a human life, Summers justifies excluding women from the bar and many men as well.
Abstract 344: Optimal Serum Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium in the Coronary Care Unit

Background: It is known that hypokalemia, hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia cause a prolonged QTc interval and are associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias. However, there are limited data on optimal serum electrolytes for patients admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU). Objective: Here, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum potassium, ionized calcium and magnesium levels and in-hospital mortality in the CCU setting. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 8,498 consecutive patients admitted to the CCU at an academic tertiary medical center from 2004 through 2013. The mean of serum electrolytes was categorized as <3.5, 3.5-<4.0, 4.0-<4.5 (reference), 4.5-<5.0, and ≥5.0 mEq/L for potassium; <4.4, 4.4-<4.6, 4.6-<4.8, 4.8-<5.0 (reference), and ≥5.0 mg/dL for ionized calcium; and <1.8, 1.8-<2.0, 2.0-<2.2 (reference), 2.2-<2.4, and ≥2.4 mg/dL for magnesium. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between the mean of serum electrolytes and in-hospital mortality. Results: Of the 8,498 patients, 599 (7%) died during hospitalization. Relationship between mean serum potassium (U-shaped), ionized calcium (inverted J-shape) and magnesium (J-shaped) and in-hospital mortality was present in Figure. Serum potassium levels <3.5, 4.5-<5.0 and ≥5.0 mEq/L were independently associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 1.7 95% CI 1.1-2.5, OR 1.7 95% CI 1.3-2.2, and OR 3.4 95% CI 2.4-4.8, respectively), compared to the reference group. As for serum ionized calcium, the levels of <4.4, 4.4-<4.6, and 4.6-<4.8 mg/dL independently increased risk of mortality (adjusted OR 3.0 95% CI 2.3-4.0, OR 2.0 95% CI 1.5-2.6, and OR 1.4 95% CI, 1.1-1.8, respectively). As for serum magnesium, an only level above 2.4 mg/dL was associated with an increased mortality risk (OR 1.6 95% CI, 1.1-2.2). Conclusions: In the CCU setting, serum potassium 3.5-<4.5 mEq/L, ionized calcium ≥5.0 mg/dL and magnesium <2.4 mg/dL are associated with the lowest in-hospital mortality. These findings do not support supratherapeutic repletion of potassium and magnesium. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
3D multimodal spatial fuzzy segmentation of intramuscular connective and adipose tissue from ultrashort TE MR images of calf muscle

Purpose To develop and evaluate an automated algorithm to segment intramuscular adipose (IMAT) and connective (IMCT) tissue from musculoskeletal MRI images acquired with a dual echo Ultrashort TE (UTE) sequence. Theory and methods The dual echo images and calculated structure tensor images are the inputs to the multichannel fuzzy cluster mean (MCFCM) algorithm. Modifications to the basic multichannel fuzzy cluster mean include an adaptive spatial term and bias shading correction. The algorithm was tested on digital phantoms simulating IMAT/IMCT tissue under varying conditions of image noise and bias and on ten subjects with varying amounts of IMAT/IMCT. Results The MCFCM including the adaptive spatial term and bias shading correction performed better than the original MCFCM and adaptive spatial MCFCM algorithms. IMAT/IMCT was segmented from the unsmoothed simulated phantom data with a mean Dice coefficient of 0.933 ±0.001 when contrast-to-noise (CNR) was 140 and bias was varied between 30% and 65%. The algorithm yielded accurate in vivo segmentations of IMAT/IMCT with a mean Dice coefficient of 0.977 ±0.066. Conclusion The proposed algorithm is completely automated and yielded accurate segmentation of intramuscular adipose and connective tissue in the digital phantom and in human calf data. Magn Reson Med 77:870-883, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Investigation of Simulated Annealing Cooling Schedule for Mobile Recommendations

Nowadays, mobile recommendation has become an important research topic in data science. While many researchers focus on developing new applications and designing algorithms for computational efficiency in different business areas, some significant technical problems in classical algorithms are rarely studied under these applications. Simulated annealing (SA), a key approach in solving global optimization problems, is one of them. To this end, this paper aims to investigate the performance of SA in mobile recommendation problems with a focus on identifying the optimal cooling schedule method. We also discuss the move generation, parameter estimation, and the balance between efficiency and effectiveness in SA. Specifically, our tests are based on two problems: a travelling salesman problem and a mobile route recommendation problem. The results suggest that the exponential-based method performs the best to achieve the optimal final energy, while the greedy method, constant-rated-based method, and logarithm-based method are dominant in terms of computational efficiency. Our studies would serve as a guidance of SA for mobile recommendation algorithm designs, especially for the selection of cooling schedule and related parameter estimation.
FLORAL DISPLAY IN PHYLA INCISA: CONSEQUENCES FOR MALE AND FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS.

The inflorescences of Phyla incisa consist of flowers in two phases: younger, nectar-containing flowers that have yellow corolla throats and older, nectar-lacking flowers that have dark purple corolla throats. Observations of pollinator visitation patterns to both natural and manipulated inflorescences were made to determine the role of each flower phase in pollinator attraction. The effect of older-phase flowers on male and female reproductive success was determined by comparing stigmatic pollen loads and estimates of pollen removal from inflorescences having different numbers of these flowers. The pollinators of Phyla selected larger inflorescences more often than expected based upon the size distribution of inflorescences available to them. Both younger- and older-phase flowers contributed to the attraction of pollinators, but the latter were less effective in this function. The presence of older-phase flowers significantly increased the visitation rate to inflorescences and the amount of pollen removed but had little effect on pollen deposition on stigmas. The lack of correspondence between pollen deposition and pollinator-visitation rate was not due to stigma saturation, since stigma loads varied greatly. The data indicate that the deposition of pollen on stigmas in this species is a relatively stochastic process, whereas pollen removal from inflorescences occurs at a much more regular rate. Old-phase flower retention appears to contribute to reproductive success through increased pollen donation when pollinator activity is high and may also increase the probability of seed set when pollinators are rare.
RT-39CONTROL OF BRAIN METASTASES FROM RADIORESISTANT TUMORS TREATED BY GAMMA KNIFE RADIOSURGERY

BACKGROUND: Renal cell carcinoma, sarcoma, and melanoma are considered to be “radioresistant” tumor histologies. Brain metastases (BM) from these tumors are unlikely to be controlled using the relatively low doses used in whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). This study was designed to analyze the efficacy of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS) on local control of BM from radioresistant primary tumors. METHODS: We reviewed all patients who received GKRS for BM at Columbia University Medical Center between January 2009 and April 2014. All patients were treated using the Gamma Knife Perfexion System. Dosimetric data was collected from treatment plans and metastases were categorized as radioresistant or not. Response was assessed by reviewing follow-up brain imaging studies and classified according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Local control was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: In total, 373 tumors were analyzed. Of these, 49 (13.1%) originated from radioresistant cancers. Median follow up was 6 months in the radioresistant cohort and 5 months in the non-radioresistant cohort. The overall local control rate in the radioresistant cohort was 89.8% and 90.1% in the non-radioresistant cohort. Local control of radioresistant tumors at 6-, 12-, and 18- months was 97.2%, 91.5%, and 69.7%, respectively. Local control of non-radioresistant tumors at 6-, 12-, and 18- months was 94.2%, 83.0%, and 79.6%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that radioresistance status of the primary tumor had no significant effect on local control with hazard ratios of 1.0 (p = 1.0, 95% CI: 0.388-2.576) and 0.954 (p = 0.926, 95% CI: 0.349-2.603) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in local control of BM from radioresistant and non-radioresistant primary tumors treated with GKRS. Both cohorts showed excellent response and local control, suggesting that GKRS upfront or in addition to WBRT may be an appropriate strategy in the treatment of BM from radioresistant cancers.
Preparation of double gradient porous Al_2O_3-ZrO_2 ceramic by centrifugal-gelcasting technology

In this paper,porous Al2O3-ZrO2 ceramics with gradient pore and gradient phase compositions were prepared by centrifugal-gelcasting technology using PMMA,nano-Al2O3 and nano-ZrO2 particles as initial particles. The gel solidification process was observed. The effects of centrifugal acceleration and time on the gradient of green density were analyzed. The microstructure and mechanical properties of sintering compacts were observed and measured. The results show the amount of initiator has little effect on the gel solidification process. With the increase of catalyst amount,the initial solidification time and whole gel solidification process are shortened. With the increase of centrifugal acceleration and time,the green densities difference of the top and the bottom of the samples both increase and mass segregation phenomenon of three kinds of different particles becomes obvious. The porosities of the top,middle and bottom of sintering gradient porous Al2O3ceramic are 55. 2%,37. 6% and 14. 5%,respectively,when centrifuged at 178. 9g for 5min. The compressive strength and fracture toughness of sintered compact was 80. 7MPa and 1. 46MPa·m1 /2
Protection Technology of LonWorks Bus Interface of Mine-used Products

For the problem of frequent damage in application of LonWorks bus interface of mine-used products,main causes were analyzed including unisolating sending and receiving signals,electrical surge and long-distance transmission.Three protection circuits were gave which are composed of gas discharge tube,polymeric positive temperature coefficent,transient voltage suppressor and electro-static discharge protector.The test result showed that the three circuits can achieve corresponding standards about anti-interference testing of electrical surge and have good effect in use.
Consistent Estimates of Tsunami Energy Show Promise for Improved Early Warning

Early tsunami warning critically hinges on rapid determination of the tsunami hazard potential in real-time, before waves inundate critical coastlines. Tsunami energy can quickly characterize the destructive potential of generated waves. Traditional seismic analysis is inadequate to accurately predict a tsunami’s energy. Recently, two independent approaches have been proposed to determine tsunami source energy: one inverted from the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) data during the tsunami propagation, and the other derived from the land-based coastal global positioning system (GPS) during tsunami generation. Here, we focus on assessing these two approaches with data from the March 11, 2011 Japanese tsunami. While the GPS approach takes into consideration the dynamic earthquake process, the DART inversion approach provides the actual tsunami energy estimation of the propagating tsunami waves; both approaches lead to consistent energy scales for previously studied tsunamis. Encouraged by these promising results, we examined a real-time approach to determine tsunami source energy by combining these two methods: first, determine the tsunami source from the globally expanding GPS network immediately after an earthquake for near-field early warnings; and then to refine the tsunami energy estimate from nearby DART measurements for improving forecast accuracy and early cancelations. The combination of these two real-time networks may offer an appealing opportunity for: early determination of the tsunami threat for the purpose of saving more lives, and early cancelation of tsunami warnings to avoid unnecessary false alarms.
Laparoscopic surgery for ectopic pregnancies: technology assessment and public health implications

Objectives To review the process by which technology is assessed in the United States and to use the principles elicited to compare laparotomy versus laparoscopy for the treatment of ectopic pregnancies (EPs). Participants Patients with an EP documented in 1987 in the United States. Methods Determining and reviewing the applicability, safety, efficacy, cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit, and availability of laparoscopic surgery for an EP. Results Laparoscopic surgery is applicable to at least 80% of patients, representing some 70,400 women in 1987. Safety and efficacy of laparoscopy are comparable with laparotomy, with the exception of a possible increase in the frequency of persistent EPs, if a conservative procedure is performed endoscopically. Dollar for dollar laparoscopy is more cost-effective than laparotomy for the treatment of EPs, with reduced hospitalization and recovery time, and improved cosmesis. Cost-benefit analysis indicates a savings of $105,600,000.00 in direct hospitalization costs and $65,000,000.00 in increased employer or patient income, because of a more rapid return to work time. Furthermore, savings in decreased home care requirements could not be calculated. The use of laparoscopic surgery in all potential candidates with an EP in 1987 would have resulted in an increased expenditure of $28,160,000.00 annually for additional equipment and $3,520,000.00 for the repeat laparotomies required to treat the excess number of persistent EPs. The expense of training physicians and operating room staffs in this technique could not be quantified. Overall, availability of this procedure was felt to be considerably less than 30% of affected patients. Conclusions Overall, the use of laparoscopic surgery in all eligible (≥ 80%) patients with an EP in 1987 in the United States would have resulted in a savings of approximately $138,920,000.00 for that year alone. Currently, there is a tremendous deficiency in the availability of this cost-effective procedure, contributing to the escalating costs of medical care.
Conclusions and further lines of research

This volume attempted to achieve several objectives and we believe it did. Its starting point was historical-theoretical. We were convinced that the issues on natural resources, technologies and rent did not receive the attention in the economic thought that they deserve. Indeed, we showed how economic theory swung back and forth around them through time. Recently these themes were considered far less relevant than those —certainly central but not exhaustive—that explained economic growth exclusively in terms of produced means of production.
Effects of anchor structure and glycosylation of Fcγ receptor III on ligand binding affinity

Isoforms of the Fcγ receptor III (FcγRIII or CD16) are cell surface receptors for the Fc portion of IgG and important regulators of humoral immune responses. Different ligand binding kinetics of FcγRIII isoforms are obtained in three dimensions by surface plasmon resonance and in two dimensions by a micropipette adhesion frequency assay. We show that the anchor structure of CD16 isoforms isolated from the cell membrane affects their binding affinities in a ligand-specific manner. Changing the receptor anchor structure from full to partial to none decreases the ligand binding affinity for human IgG1 (hIgG1) but increases it for murine IgG2a (mIgG2a). Removing N-glycosylation from the CD16 protein core by tunicamycin also increases the ligand binding affinity. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that deglycosylation at Asn-163 of CD16 removes the steric hindrance for the CD16-hIgG1 Fc binding and thus increases the binding affinity. These results highlight an unexpected sensitivity of ligand binding to the receptor anchor structure and glycosylation and suggest their respective roles in controlling allosterically the conformation of the ligand binding pocket of CD16.
A Mutasynthetic Library of Platensimycin and Platencin Analogues

Inactivation of ptmB1, ptmB2, ptmT2, or ptmC in Streptomyces platensis SB12029, a platensimycin (PTM) and platencin (PTN) overproducer, revealed that PTM and PTN biosynthesis features two distinct moieties that are individually constructed and convergently coupled to afford PTM and PTN. A focused library of PTM and PTN analogues was generated by mutasynthesis in the ΔptmB1 mutant S. platensis SB12032. Of the 34 aryl variants tested, 18 were incorporated with high titers.
Comorbidities of chronic facial pain and obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose of review This article explains the high comorbidity of craniofacial pain (chronic face pain, temporomandibular disorders, and primary headaches) with obstructive sleep breathing disorders and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It is recommended that physicians treating OSA should be aware of the concurrent chronic pain that affects the quality of sleep, and also dentists treating chronic pain be aware of a sleep breathing origin so that proper reciprocal referrals be made for optimal patient treatment outcome. Recent findings These comorbid relationships are not limited to adults. The most recent literature demonstrates that children diagnosed with primary headaches are highly comorbid with OSA and frequently have chronic facial pain complaints. Summary It is recommended that patients who seek care for the symptoms of sleep-related breathing disorders (OSA), or patients seeking care for chronic head and face pain be screened with intake forms that include questions of both to insure optimal treatment outcomes for either chief complaint.
A pruritic skin rash followed by chronic diarrhea.

(1999). A Pruritic Skin Rash Followed by Chronic Diarrhea. Hospital Practice: Vol. 34, No. 5, pp. 125-132.
RF-Power-Activated and Signal-Tracking Tunable Bandstop Filters

Two new classes of RF-power-dependent tunable bandstop filters that share a common filter topology are presented in this paper. RF-power-activated tunable bandstop filters transition from a resonant-allpass response to a bandstop response in the presence of a high-power RF signal, allowing for optimum use of the spectrum when used to solve interference issues in a receiver. Signal-tracking tunable bandstop filters automatically tune their center frequencies to that of a high-power RF signal, eliminating the need for complex sensing and control systems. The theory and design as well as laboratory prototypes are presented for both. The RF-power-activated tunable bandstop filter prototype achieves a minimum allpass-state insertion loss of 2.5 dB and a bandstop-state attenuation of greater than 50 dB. The signal-tracking tunable bandstop filter prototype attenuates a high-power signal by greater than 33 dB over a frequency range of 251–304 MHz.
Clinical Nurse Leader-Integrated Care Delivery: An Approach to Organizing Nursing Knowledge Into Practice Models That Promote Interprofessional, Team-Based Care.

J Nurs Care Qual Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 189–195 c 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright Commentary In this commentary, a clinical nurse leader (CNL) reflects on the role of the CNL in promoting continuity of care. Clinical Nurse Leader–Integrated Care Delivery An Approach to Organizing Nursing Knowledge Into Practice Models That Promote Interprofessional, Team-Based Care Miriam Bender, PhD, RN, CNL T HE STORY told by Segal 1 in “Looking for Continuity of Care” is unfortunately typical for many patients and families work- ing their way through today’s health care system. The problem expressed so articu- lately by Segal is a distinct lack of the critical health care communication and collaboration practices that drive continuity of care. This state of affairs continues despite the fact that we have an extensive literature defining what care quality should look like in terms of patient-centeredness, timeliness, safety, Author Affiliation: Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine. The author declares no conflict of interest. Correspondence: Miriam Bender, PhD, RN, CNL, Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of Cal- ifornia, Irvine, 252C Berk Hall, Irvine, CA 92697 (miriamb@uci.edu). Accepted for publication: January 10, 2017 Published ahead of print: February 16, 2017 DOI: 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000247 efficiency, effectiveness, and equity. 2 One issue is current care delivery infrastructures, which actively hinder interprofessional collaborative care processes. 3,4 As Segal’s experience exemplified so acutely, the majority of today’s care environments are structured so that nurses, physicians, other care providers, and administrative managers and leaders deliver or ensure quality care via mutually exclusive processes, with unique expected outcomes that are informed by distinct disciplinary curricula and training. Researchers and health care leaders are ac- tively seeking ways to redesign care systems in ways that overcome these critical chal- lenges. The purposes of this article are to (a) describe current conceptualizations of in- terprofessional communication and collabo- ration; (b) summarize the literature on clin- ical leadership, a mode of clinical behavior to promote engagement in specific practices; and (c) delineate current theory and evidence about clinical nurse leader (CNL)–integrated care delivery, an approach to structuring Copyright © 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
Genetic sex determination in Astatotilapia calliptera , a prototype species for the Lake Malawi cichlid radiation

East African cichlids display extensive variation in sex determination systems. The species Astatotilapia calliptera is one of the few cichlids that reside both in Lake Malawi and in surrounding waterways. A. calliptera is of interest in evolutionary studies as a putative immediate outgroup species for the Lake Malawi species flock and possibly as a prototype ancestor-like species for the radiation. Here, we use linkage mapping to test association of sex in A. calliptera with loci that have been previously associated with genetic sex determination in East African cichlid species. We identify a male heterogametic XY system segregating at linkage group (LG) 7 in an A. calliptera line that originated from Lake Malawi, at a locus previously shown to act as an XY sex determination system in multiple species of Lake Malawi cichlids. Significant association of genetic markers and sex produce a broad genetic interval of approximately 26 megabases (Mb) using the Nile tilapia genome to orient markers; however, we note that the marker with the strongest association with sex is near a gene that acts as a master sex determiner in other fish species. We demonstrate that alleles of the marker are perfectly associated with sex in Metriaclima mbenjii, a species from the rock-dwelling clade of Lake Malawi. While we do not rule out the possibility of other sex determination loci in A. calliptera, this study provides a foundation for fine mapping of the cichlid sex determination gene on LG7 and evolutionary context regarding the origin and persistence of the LG7 XY across diverse, rapidly evolving lineages.
On the use of compressive sensing (CS) for brain dopamine recording with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV)

This paper presents a novel compressive sensing (CS) framework for recording of electrically evoked brain dopamine levels using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at a carbon-fiber microelectrode (CFM). This approach utilizes the discrete cosine transform (DCT) as the sparsifying domain for the background-subtracted faradaic (dopamine) currents, along with the block sparse Bayesian learning (BSBL) algorithm for signal reconstruction. Furthermore, basic FSCV processing steps such as background current averaging and in situ background current subtraction in each FSCV scan can be directly performed with compressed measurements. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated using previously recorded dopamine concentration changes from the dorsal striatum of an anesthetized laboratory rat that are evoked via electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Specifically, the proposed framework can reconstruct the brain dopamine dynamics and their associated cyclic voltammograms with a high degree of fidelity (correlation coefficients of >0.97) for a compression ratio, CR, value as high as ∼5.
Differential contribution of microglia and monocytes in neurodegenerative diseases

Neuroinflammation is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Microglia, the innate immune cells of the CNS, are the first to react to pathological insults. However, multiple studies have also demonstrated an involvement of peripheral monocytes in several neurodegenerative diseases. Due to the different origins of these two cell types, it is important to distinguish their role and function in the development and progression of these diseases. In this review, we will summarize and discuss the current knowledge of the differential contributions of microglia and monocytes in the common neurodegenerative diseases AD, PD, and ALS, as well as multiple sclerosis, which is now regarded as a combination of inflammatory processes and neurodegeneration. Until recently, it has been challenging to differentiate microglia from monocytes, as there were no specific markers. Therefore, the recent identification of specific molecular signatures of both cell types will help to advance our understanding of their differential contribution in neurodegenerative diseases.
Nosema ceranae parasitism impacts olfactory learning and memory and neurochemistry in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Nosema sp. is an internal parasite of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, and one of the leading contributors to colony losses worldwide. This parasite is found in the honey bee midgut and has profound consequences for the host's physiology. Nosema sp. impairs foraging performance in honey bees, yet, it is unclear whether this parasite affects the bee's neurobiology. In this study, we examined whether Nosema sp. affects odor learning and memory and whether the brains of parasitized bees show differences in amino acids and biogenic amines. We took newly emerged bees and fed them with Nosema ceranae At approximate nurse and forager ages, we employed an odor-associative conditioning assay using the proboscis extension reflex and two bioanalytical techniques to measure changes in brain chemistry. We found that nurse-aged bees infected with N. ceranae significantly outperformed controls in odor learning and memory, suggestive of precocious foraging, but by forager age, infected bees showed deficits in learning and memory. We also detected significant differences in amino acid concentrations, some of which were age specific, as well as altered serotonin, octopamine, dopamine and l-dopa concentrations in the brains of parasitized bees. These findings suggest that N. ceranae infection affects honey bee neurobiology and may compromise behavioral tasks. These results yield new insight into the host-parasite dynamic of honey bees and N. ceranae, as well as the neurochemistry of odor learning and memory under normal and parasitic conditions.
Are Cattle Markets the Last Frontier? Vertical Coordination in Animal-Based Procurement Markets

Vertical integration and contracting have been documented as important developments in enhancing the efficiency of supply chains in agriculture. Despite the efficiency gains, movement toward greate...
Expression of the human mucin gene, Muc 1, in normal tissues and metastatic pancreatic tumors

Expression of Muc 1 mRNA was evaluated in normal and metastatic-tumor tissues obtained from a patient who died from extensive metastasis of a well-diffferentiated pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Northern blot analysis of total RNA from these tissues revealed that Muc 1 mRNA was detectable and unaltered in size in all metastatic tumor samples tested, including those from lymph node, liver, colon, and stomach. Southern blot analysis indicated that two forms of Muc 1 gene alleles were present in all normal and metastatic tissuess of this patient with no evidence for gross rearrangement, deletion, or duplication.
Intensive Care Unit Admission and Discharge Criteria

The advanced life support technology that can be provided in the ICU is intended to provide temporary physiologic support for patients with potentially reversible organ failure or dysfunction. In general, only patients who have a reasonable prospect of recovery should be treated in the ICU. The merits of each potential ICU admission should be assessed on an individual basis, taking the following factors into account: 1. The patient’s wishes or advance directives regarding life-support treatment 2. The patient’s underlying disease(s) and physiologic function 3. The severity and reversibility of the patient’s acute condition
Combination Therapies for the Treatment of AMD

Exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50 years of age in the Western world.
Preaching to the Choir: The Chasm Between Top-Ranked Reviewers, Mainstream Customers, and Product Sales

The main objective of this research is to study the effect of reviews by top- and bottom-ranked reviewers on product sales.