cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant vaginal brachytherapy and chemotherapy versus pelvic radiotherapy in early-stage endometrial cancer: Outcomes by risk factors

Abstract Objective To report on patterns of care as well as evaluate the two treatment regimens using a large retrospective hospital-based registry to identify possible subgroups of patients who may experience benefit with VBT + CT vs. EBRT. Methods Patients from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) were identified who met the inclusion criteria for GOG 249 and were treated with either VBT + CT or WPRT. Demographic, clinicopathologic, and treatment factors were collected. Association of treatment type and other variables with overall survival was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards model. Subset analyses were performed based on a variety of risk factors, including high risk pathologies, surgical nodal sampling, and grade. Results A total of 4,602 patients were included in the analysis, with 41% receiving VBT + CT and 59% receiving WPRT. For the entire cohort, VBT + CT was associated with improved survival, with 3-year overall survival 89.6% vs. 87.8% (hazard ratio 1.24, 95%CI 1.01–1.52, p = 0.04). On subset analysis, patients with serous histology experienced benefit with VBT + CT, while high-grade endometrial patients without lymph node dissection experienced improved survival associated with EBRT. After exclusion of serous histology, there was no survival difference associated with treatment type. Conclusions VBT + CT was associated with superior survival outcomes in patients with early-stage serous carcinoma. For non-serous histology, treatment modality was not associated with a difference in survival, although patients with high-grade disease and no nodal dissection experienced benefit from EBRT.
Facebook me about your code: an empirical study of the use of activity streams in early computing courses

Especially in the younger generation, there is a growing trend toward the use of social media sites such as Facebook. Social media sites are also being increasingly used in college courses. The activity stream-a central feature of social networking sites- provides a means for course participants to ask and answer questions, and also to keep abreast of course news. In early computing courses, how do computing students appropriate an activity stream? Are the discussions that take place there educationally relevant and valuable? While there has been much speculation on the benefits of social media in educational settings, there has not been a systematic effort, within computing education, to collect and analyze empirical data that might shed light on these questions. To that end, we present an exploratory empirical study of Facebook activity stream data from two different semester-long introductory computing courses. Our analysis suggests that computing students actively participate in activity streams, which can serve as a convenient forum for helpful discussions about computer programming-especially compilation and run-time issues. In light of our findings, we suggest pedagogical strategies and technological innovations to better support asynchronous discussions about programming.
Surgical techniques for management of acromioclavicular joint separations: review and update for radiologists

Imaging plays a central role in the postoperative management of acromioclavicular (AC) joint separations. There are more than 150 described techniques for the surgical management of AC joint injuries. These procedures can be categorized as varying combinations of the following basic techniques: a) soft-tissue repair, b) trans-articular AC joint fixation, c) coracoclavicular (CC) fixation, d) non-anatomic reconstruction of the CC ligaments, e) anatomic reconstruction of the CC ligaments, f) distal clavicle resection, and g) dynamic muscle transfer. The goals of this article are to describe the basic techniques for the surgical management of AC joint separations with an emphasis on technique-specific complications and postoperative imaging assessment.
The Transdiagnostic Nature of Cravings: Smoking Cessation and Food Craving in Pregnancy

Abstract Objectives Smoking cessation prior to pregnancy is strongly encouraged due to the adverse effects of tobacco use on the developing fetus, but appears to also increase risk of excess gestational weight gain (GWG). Smoking cessation has previously been shown to cause weight gain in non-pregnant individuals, in part due to an increase in food craving frequency. Food craving frequency in pregnancy is a known predictor of excess GWG, but has not yet been examined in relation to pre-pregnancy smoking status. This study sought to test the hypothesis that pre-pregnancy smoking cessation elevates excess GWG risk via an increase in food craving frequency. Methods Pregnant women (n = 82) completed measures of pre-pregnancy tobacco use and current general and specific food cravings. Gestational weight gain was calculated based on participant self-report of pre-pregnancy weight and data on weight prior to delivery culled from medical records. Results Pre-pregnancy tobacco use was associated with significantly greater food craving frequency in pregnancy (p = .05), specifically for high-fat and fast-foods (both p Conclusions Pre-pregnancy smoking appears predictive of food raving frequency in pregnancy and could thus contribute to excess GWG risk. Findings highlight the importance of incorporating strategies for managing cravings into behavioral interventions promoting healthy GWG for women endorsing pre-pregnancy tobacco use.
A High-Input Voltage Two-Phase Series-Capacitor DC-DC Buck Converter

A high-input voltage 2-phase series-capacitor (2-pscB) DC-DC buck converter is theoretically analyzed, designed, and implemented. A new design approach for an automatic current sharing scheme was presented for a 2-phase series-capacitor synchronous buck converter. The series-capacitor voltage is used to achieve current sharing between phases without a current sensing circuit or external control loop as each phase inductor charges and discharges the series capacitor to maintain its average capacitor voltage constant. A novel isolated gate driver circuit to accommodate an energy storage capacitor is proposed to deliver isolated gate voltages to the switching transistors. An I2 control scheme that uses only one feedback path control for the four gate drivers is proposed to enable higher voltage conversion. An experimental 110-12 V 6 A load prototype converter was designed, and its current sharing characteristics were experimentally verified.
Co-creative Robotic Arm for Differently-Abled Kids: Speech, Sketch Inputs and External Feedbacks for Multiple Drawings

Today’s robotic technologies are not only used in industries but are also capable of making an impact in our day-to-day activities. Therapy robots have been playing a very prominent role in today’s modern world, so we have planned to create a robotic arm that could help kids with disabilities to draw along and build self-confidence in them. For this purpose, we train a co-creative robotic arm that processes the input in the form of speech, sketch and update the image according to the user given feedback. We have used Google’s quick draw data set as an initial training data for the robotic arm. The feedback can be given by the kids in the form of voice, as the sketches are drawn by the robotic arm that can then be trained to suit the needs of the kid and make more creative and personalized drawings.
Language and Obfuscation Oblivious Source Code Authorship Attribution

Source Code Authorship Attribution can answer many interesting questions such as: Who wrote the malicious source code? Is the source code plagiarized, and does it infringe on copyright? Source Code Authorship Attribution is done by observing distinctive patterns of style in a source code whose author is unknown and comparing them with patterns learned from known authors’ source codes. In this paper, we present an efficient approach to learn a novel representation using deep metric learning. The existing state of the art approaches tokenize the source code and work on the keyword level, limiting the elements of style they can consider. Our approach uses the raw character stream of source code. It can examine keywords and different stylistic features such as variable naming conventions or using tabs vs. spaces, enabling us to learn a richer representation than other keyword-based approaches. Our approach uses a character-level Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). We train the CNN to map the input character stream to a dense vector, mapping the source codes authored by the same author close to each other. In contrast, source codes written by different programmers are mapped farther apart in the embedding space. We then feed these source code vectors into the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier that uses Manhattan-distance to perform authorship attribution. We validated our approach on Google Code Jam (GCJ) dataset across three different programming languages. We prepare our large-scale dataset in such a way that it does not induce type-I error. Our approach is more scalable and efficient than existing methods. We were able to achieve an accuracy of 84.94% across 20,458 authors, which is more than twice the scale of any previous study under a much more challenging setting.
Free the Bun: Prevalence of Alopecia Among Active Duty Service Women, Fiscal Years 2010-2019.

Introduction Active duty service women (ADSW) constitute 16% of the force. The prevalence of alopecia, a dermatologic condition characterized by hair loss, is understudied in regard to hairstyle regulations across the U.S. military services. Alopecia has several causes; one of which is due to tension on the scalp secondary to tight hairstyles. In the U.S., alopecia has a lifetime prevalence of 1.7-2.1%; no previous studies which evaluated this condition in service women were found. Materials and methods We used the Military Health System Data Repository to perform a retrospective study to assess the prevalence of alopecia in ADSW from fiscal years (FYs) 2010 to 2019. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics on patient demographics and trend analysis on the prevalence of alopecia over the 10-year study period. Results A total of 498,219 ADSW were identified over the 10-year study period, of which 2.40% had a diagnosis of alopecia. Overall, the prevalence of alopecia decreases over the 10-year period, with two observed periods of slight increase (FY 2013 to 2014 and FY 2018 to 2019) when comparing prevalence year-to-year. Of those diagnosed, the majority were young, Black, with a senior enlisted rank, and in the U.S. Army. Conclusion The prevalence of alopecia in ADSW is slightly higher than that in civilian populations and is most likely underreported. It is more commonly diagnosed in Black women than would be expected based on ratios of this population in military service. Policy changes to ensure that traction alopecia is a qualifying medical condition for Veterans Affairs disability compensation, mechanisms are in place for more specific coding in the electronic medical record, and treatment options to be covered by TRICARE are recommended. All U.S. military services should consider updating and evaluating regulations to improve the health and quality of life of ADSW.
Thermal Simulation and Energy Consumption Analysis of Two Houses in St. John's, Newfoundland

Abstract In this paper simulation results of two typical houses in St. John's are presented using BEOpt (Building Energy optimization) software. Simulation is done using one-year weather data, typical thermostat settings and occupation of two houses. BEopt provides capabilities to evaluate residential building designs and identify cost-optimal solution at various levels of whole-house energy savings along the path to zero net energy. It was noticed that the annual energy consumption determined using simulation in BEopt is almost same as the actual energy consumption, logged with a sampling time of 2 minutes for both the houses. This simulation, analysis and a comparison is necessary to validate the thermal model of houses. The developed model of the houses could be used to design a renewable energy system or study human behaviour impact on the house energy consumption. Simulation results and a detailed analysis of the logged data are presented in the paper.
Effect of Wing Parameters on Load Intensity in Wing Skin

where 8(x) is the Dirac delta function, and the characteristic length is a. I t is of particular interest that f(x) changes sign. In connection with g(x), we remark that the actual apparent mass is initially zero, jumps immediately to 2m, decreases in accordance with 2m[1 — (3r/4)] and is asymptotic to m as (1 + r~) , where r = ct/a. More detailed calculations are in progress but await the availability of certain tabulated integrals, to which we have been referred by Prof. A. Erdelyi. If a constant force acts for time h on a circular cylinder, we find that the work done for small and large values of n is given by
T Cells Control Cardiac Remodeling in Pressure Overload Induced Heart Failure

Patients with heart failure (HF) have increased activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in their circulation, and the mechanisms associated with this increase are still unknown. Recent studies hav...
Potential of idea futures markets in organizational decision-making for educational technology

The concepts and methods used in commodity and financial futures markets are adapted to structure "idea" futures markets. Instead of trading on future prices for commodities or financial instruments, an idea futures market trades on the likelihood of realization of a specific, identifiable, operational proposition at some future point in time - an idea. Shares in an idea future are bought and sold using standard market methods. The price of a future reflects the aggregated information over all traders about the probability associated with the proposition. Prices rise or fall based upon changes in information perceived by market participants. Idea futures markets have strong applicability to strategic, tactical, and logistics decisions about the development, diffusion, and implementation of educational technology products.
Gerontology Training in Marriage and Family Therapy Accredited Training Programs

Abstract Against the demographic backdrop of an aging society, this study investigated the degree to which accredited Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programs incorporate gerontological content in their curricula and the extent to which faculty affiliated with these programs have gerontological interests and/or are engaged in scholarly work related to gerontology. Data were collected from program “self-study” reports submitted to the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Documentation in these reports includes both course syllabi and faculty vitae. The study's findings indicate that only minimal coverage of gerontological and later-life family issues is addressed by the accredited MFT programs. Only 8.9% of the MFT courses in these programs incorporated gerontological or later-life family content to some degree.
Particulate Wetting and Metal: Ceramic Interface Phenomena

An experimental technique for evaluation of wettability of ceramic particulate with liquid metal was developed. Wettability tests were conducted by pressure infiltration through uniformly packed powder specimens. The threshold pressures for infiltration can either be used as quantitative measure of wettablity or be converted to wetting angles by using the capillary force equation. With this technique, wettability was measured for SiC and B4C particulates with liquid aluminum alloys. The effects of temperature, time, and alloying element on wettabilty were investigated. Theoretical calculations of solid-liquid interfacial energy were also reviewed briefly. 61 references.
Between the book covers : Going beyond opac keyword searching with the deep linking capabilities of google scholar and google book search

ABSTRACT One finding of the 2006 OCLC study of College Students' Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources was that students expressed equal levels of trust in libraries and search engines when it came to meeting their information needs in a way that they felt was authoritative. Seeking to incorporate this insight into our own instructional methodology, Schaffer Library at Union College has attempted to engineer a shift from Google to Google Scholar among our student users by representing Scholar as a viable adjunct to the catalog and to more traditional electronic resources. By attempting to engage student researchers on their own terms, we have discovered that most of them react enthusiastically to the revelation that the Google they think they know so well is, it turns out, a multifaceted resource that is capable of delivering the sort of scholarly information that will meet with their professors' approval. Specifically, this article focuses on the fact that many Google Scholar searches link b...
Resonance-enhanced Raman scattering from the molybdenum center of xanthine oxidase.

The molybdenum center of xanthine oxidase has been examined by resonance Raman spectroscopy. Making use of the long-wavelength absorption of the reduced molybdenum center in complex with violapterin (the product of enzymic action of lumazine), resonance Raman spectra were obtained using laser excitation at 676.4 nm. Several internal vibrational modes of violapterin were found to be resonance-enhanced, and a number of bands in the 250-1100 cm-1 range, presumably arising from vibrational modes of the molybdenum coordination sphere, were also observed. Upon substitution of 18O for 16O in the molybdenum coordination sphere, bands at 1469, 853, 517, 325, and 276 cm-1 exhibited shifts of 5-12 cm-1 to lower energy. By analogy to previous vibrational studies of Mo-O-Mo and Mo-O-R model compounds, the 853, 517, and 276 cm-1 frequencies were judged consistent with a labeled Mo-O-R linkage of the complexed violapterin. More importantly, the relatively small frequency shifts observed in these and other vibrations upon incorporation of 18O are very similar to those observed by others for 18O-labeled phenol and metal-phenolate complexes (Pinchas, S., Sadeh, D., and Samuel, D. (1965) J. Phys. Chem. 69, 2259-2264; Pyrz, W. J., Rue, L. A., Stern, L. J., and Que, L. J., Jr. (1985) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 107, 614-620) that model iron-tyrosinate proteins. The relatively small isotope-induced frequency shifts in multiple bands are thus interpreted as resulting from vibrational mixing of internal coordinates involving the oxygen atom with internal ring motions of the aromatic species. No oxygen isotope-sensitive bands were observed in the 900-1100 cm-1 region where Mo = O stretching modes typically occur. In agreement with the conclusions of previous workers (Davis, M.D., Olson, J. S., and Palmer, G. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14730-14737) we interpret our results to indicate that the absorption band appearing upon complexation of violapterin with the molybdenum center of reduced xanthine oxidase is a molybdenum-to-violapterin charge-transfer band. These results, as well as several other lines of evidence, are consistent with direct coordination of violapterin to molybdenum in the charge-transfer complex via the 7-hydroxyl group (i.e. the hydroxyl group introduced into substrate by the enzyme). The Mo=O stretching mode of the complex is presumably not resonance enhanced because it is orthogonal to the charge-transfer electronic transition, suggesting that coordination of violapterin is cis to the oxo group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Undergraduate microelectronic engineering programs and laboratory facilities

Semiconductors are at the core of today's $1 Trillion/year electronics industry. The semiconductor industry itself is large and expanding rapidly. To sustain this rapid growth there is an equal need for rapid growth of the educational programs that prepare engineers for the semiconductor industry. These programs are described in general and the program at Rochester Institute of Technology is described in detail to illustrate what undergraduate microelectronic engineering educational programs can accomplish.
Value of Generalized Hypergeometric Function at Unity

Value of generalized hypergeometric function at a special point is calculated. More precisely, the value of certain multiple integral over vanishing cycle (all arguments collapse to unity) is calculated. The answer is expressed in terms of Γ-functions. The constant is relevant to the part of ρ in the Gindikin-Karpelevich formula for the c-function of Harish-Chandra. Calculation is an adaptation of classical calculations of Gelfand and Naimark (1950) to the Heckman-Opdam hypergeometric functions in the case of root system of type A n−1.
Assessing the Preliminary Validity of an Adaptation of the Sociocentric Egocentric Questionnaire With a Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Sample

The goal of this article is to assess the validity of the Sociocentric Egocentric Questionnaire (SEQ) with Latinos (n = 88) and non-Hispanic Whites (n = 85) by comparing it with the Individualism a...
MRI AND MORPHOLOGY OF THE INSERTION OF THE PATELLAR TENDON AFTER GRAFT HARVESTING

We performed MRI on 16 patients who had had reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with a mid-third bone-patellar-tendon-bone autograft. Our aim was to assess the tendon and the site of its insertion at an average of seven years after the original operation. In four of these patients biopsies were taken from the donor site when they had revision of their original operation. MRI showed reconstitution of the tendon into the patellar defect with no evidence of bone formation. Six patients had a persistent defect in the patellar tendon itself. Histological examination of the biopsies of the donor site showed an indirect pattern of insertion with absence of the normal fibrocartilage zone. These morphological changes may adversely affect the biomechanical properties of the healed donor site and we suggest that another graft taken from this site may not be suitable for use in a further operation for reconstruction of the ACL.
Sézary syndrome: immunopathogenesis, literature review of therapeutic options, and recommendations for therapy by the United States Cutaneous Lymphoma Consortium (USCLC).

Sezary syndrome (SS) has a poor prognosis and few guidelines for optimizing therapy. The US Cutaneous Lymphoma Consortium, to improve clinical care of patients with SS and encourage controlled clinical trials of promising treatments, undertook a review of the published literature on therapeutic options for SS. An overview of the immunopathogenesis and standardized review of potential current treatment options for SS including metabolism, mechanism of action, overall efficacy in mycosis fungoides and SS, and common or concerning adverse effects is first discussed. The specific efficacy of each treatment for SS, both as monotherapy and combination therapy, is then reported using standardized criteria for both SS and response to therapy with the type of study defined by a modification of the US Preventive Services guidelines for evidence-based medicine. Finally, guidelines for the treatment of SS and suggestions for adjuvant treatment are noted.
Production characteristics of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, under seasonal pond conditions

Abstract The production characteristics of juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss and brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis were compared under winter pond conditions. Juvenile rainbow trout (55.1 ±1.5 g) and brook trout (28.9 ±0.4 g) were stocked at a density of 8,750 fish/ha into six 0.04-ha ponds. After 163 days, survival, growth, and feed conversion were similar (P >0.05). The results of this study suggest that brook trout may attain growth rates similar to rainbow trout under winter pond conditions in temperate regions of North America.
The millimeter-wave spectrum of CaH (X 2Sigma(+))

The millimeter-wave spectrum of the CaH and CaD radicals (X 2Sigma(+)) has been observed in the laboratory via direct absorption spectroscopy. The species were generated by the reaction of calcium vapor, produced in a Broida-type oven, with hydrogen atoms created in a microwave discharge. The six hyperfine components of the N = 0 yields 1 rotational transition of CaH near 254 GHz were resolved and their frequencies determined to an accuracy of +/- 100 kHz. The main hyperfine lines originating in the N = 0 yields 1, 1 yields 2, and 2 yields 3 rotational transitions of CaD were also detected. Spectroscopic constants were determined for both radicals from a nonlinear least squares fit to the data, using a 2Sigma Hamiltonian. These measurements constitute the first laboratory observation of CaH at high spectral resolution, and are essential to the detection of this radical in interstellar space.
Deuterium double-quantum NMR with magic angle spinning

Abstract The combination of double-quantum NMR with magic angle spinning is demonstrated for deuterium in solids Under magic angle spinning the single-quantum resonance lines are extremely sensitive to spinner angle adjustment and stability while the double-quantum lines are not. This provides an additional approach to high resolution.
Control Issues for Postural Regulation at the Human Ankle

This study examines the activity of ankle plantarflexors during stance with a view towards implementing closed-loop control by Functional Neuromuscular Stimulation (FNS). The particular focus is small amplitude low frequency movements of body position on a fixed base of support, with no intention to initiate gait. The neurophysiological mechanisms by which stance is achieved are still controversial.
The avoidance of small intestine injury in gynecologic cancer

The evolution of systematized operative staging and radical surgical procedures in the management of gynecologic cancer has increased the complexities of integrating radiation therapy. High dose irradiation to large treatment volumes has been associated with an increased incidence of small intestine injury. This complication is morbid and often fatal. Although predisposing factors have been extensively studied, there has been a paucity of reports evaluating preventative measures. Between 1975 and 1980, 140 patients with gynecologic cancer were treated at the Valley Presbyterian Hospital in the Division of Radiation Therapy. Twenty-six patients with cervix cancer received definitive irradiation and seven received adjunct irradiation. Seventy-two with corpus cancer received adjunct irradiation, seven received definitive irradiation and three palliative irradiation. Eleven patients with ovarian cancer received adjunct irradiation and 15 palliative irradiation. Eight-five patients were at potential risk for small intestine injury and had treatment planning small intestine X rays. Fixation was observed in 7/39 (18%) without prior pelvic surgery and 30/46 (65%) with prior pelvic surgery. Information from the small intestine X rays were used in 41 patients to make 60 treatment modifications. Twenty-five of 140 (17%) had a reduction of total dose, 26/140 (18%) had exclusion of the small intestine by shrinking fields, or patient positioning and 13/140 (9%) had displacement of the small intestine by distention of the bladder. No patient developed small intestine injury. The disease free survival for cervix cancer was 27/33 (82%), corpus cancer 68/79 (86%) and ovarian cancer 5/11 (45%). Pelvic failure was observed in 19/123 patients who received definitive or adjunct irradiation. One patient with corpus cancer and three patients with ovarian cancer might have benefited from the use of a larger treatment volume or a higher total dose.
Abstract 749: Predicting and improving potential anticancer proteomimetics with computational modeling

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC In this work, computational approaches were used to investigate peptides for possible anticancer drug applications. Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is an important cellular process. Its malfunction can lead to cancer and other diseases. Apoptosis is regulated by both pro-death and pro-survival proteins. An over expression of pro-survival proteins can trigger cancer progression and poor chemotherapy response. A class of recently designed proteo-mimetics may help trigger death in cancer cells by hindering expression of certain pro-survival proteins. The Deep View program and the Swiss Model server were used to model interactions between pro-survival Bcl-xl protein and pro-death Bim protein. First, all binding residues of the Bcl-xl-Bim complex were identified. Bim residues were then systematically mutated. The goal was to study the significance of side chain groups for the complex formation. The changes in binding free energy, caused by the mutations, were calculated. Most mutations had a negligible influence on Bcl-xl-Bim interactions. However, some mutations produced additional bonds with Bcl-xl. Several residue substitutions led to minimization of free energies. Most of these residues were binding either at the original Bcl-xl binding or in its vicinity. The obtained minimum-energy peptides suggested putative proteomimetics that could form strong bonds with Bcl-xl. These could cause Bim to dislodge from the Bcl-xl binding site and thus stimulate apoptosis. The potential of the mutated peptides to hinder tumor cells’ survival is discussed. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 749.
Stimulation of spinal δ-opioid receptors in mice selectively enhances the attenuation of δ-opioid receptor-mediated antinociception by antisense oligodeoxynucleotide

Abstract Intrathecal (i.t.) pretreatment of male ICR mice with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to δ-opioid receptor mRNA once a day for 1–3 days caused a time-dependent attenuation of i.t. administered [ d -Ala 2 ]deltorphin II-induced antinociception as measured by the tail-flick test. The attenuation of the antinociception induced by i.t. administered [ d -Ala 2 ]deltorphin II, a δ-opioid receptor agonist, was enhanced by i.t. pretreatment for 1 day with [ d -Ala 2 ]deltorphin II, but not [ d -Ala 2 , N MePhe 4 ,Gly(ol) 5 ]enkephalin (DAMGO), a μ-opioid receptor agonist, or U50,488H, a κ-opioid receptor agonist, given together with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to δ-opioid receptor mRNA. The present results indicate that stimulation of spinal δ-opioid receptors by i.t. injection of [ d -Ala 2 ]deltorphin II selectively causes a loss of δ-opioid receptor-mediated antinociception in mice pretreated with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to δ-opioid receptor mRNA.
Impact of amputation level and comorbidities on functional status of nursing home residents after lower extremity amputation.

Objective The ability of nursing home residents to function independently is associated with their quality of life. The impact of amputations on functional status in this population remains unclear. This analysis evaluated the effect of amputations—transmetatarsal (TM), below-knee (BK), and above-knee (AK)—on the ability of residents to perform self-care activities. Methods Medicare inpatient claims were linked with nursing home assessment data to identify admissions for amputation. The Minimum Data Set Activities of Daily Living Long Form Score (0-28; higher numbers indicating greater impairment), based on seven activities of daily living, was calculated before and after amputation. Hierarchical modeling determined the effect of the surgery on postamputation function of residents. Controlling for comorbidity, cognition, and prehospital function allowed for evaluation of Activities of Daily Living trajectories over time. Results In total, 4965 residents underwent amputation: 490 TM, 1596 BK, and 2879 AK. Mean age was 81 years, and 54% of the patients were women. Most were white (67%) or black (26.5%). Comorbidities before amputation included diabetes mellitus (70.7%), coronary heart disease (57.1%), chronic kidney disease (53.6%), and/or congestive heart failure (52.1%). Mortality within 30 days of hospital discharge was 9.0%, and hospital readmission was 27.7%. Stroke, end-stage renal disease, and poor baseline cognitive function were associated with the poorest functional outcome after amputation. Compared with residents who received TM amputation, those who had BK or AK amputation recovered more slowly and failed to return to baseline function by 6 months. BK was found to have a superior functional trajectory compared with AK. Conclusions Elderly nursing home residents undergoing BK or AK amputation failed to return to their functional baseline within 6 months. Among frail elderly nursing home residents, higher amputation level, stroke, end-stage renal disease, poor baseline cognitive scores, and female sex were associated with inferior functional status after amputation. These factors should be strongly assessed to maintain activities of daily living and quality of life in the nursing home population.
Micellar liquid chromatographic separation of sulfonamides in physiological samples using direct on-column injection

A mixture of twelve sulfonamides was separated by micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles and a hydrophilic endcapped C18 column. Retention behavior and selectivity pattern of sulfonamides in MLC were examined with the change of SDS concentration and volume fraction of an organic modifier (1-propanol). The suitable condition was found to be 0.070 M SDS and 6.0% 1-propanol for the separation of these twelve sulfonamides. Under this condition, the isocratic separation of the sulfonamides was achieved within 15 min with a relatively high column efficiency for MLC (ca. 7000 plates/25 cm column). Retention times of these twelve sulfonamides were found to be very repeatable, which is due to the highly reproducible retention behavior in MLC. The same twelve sulfonamides were successfully separated in the spiked physiological fluids (human urine and cow milk) through direct on-column injection by MLC.
Low-cost and highly manufacturable 30-Gb/s parallel optical transmitter module

This paper describes a 12-channels parallel optical transmitter module with a MPO-Connector designed for a very short reach OC-192 and SNAP 12 specifications. It is important to design the micro array lens for better couple efficiency of array optical transmitter module. The authors design the high accuracy micro array lens for injection modeling to reduce the price and suit for further mass production. In this 12-channel parallel optical transmitter module, it is very difficult to posit the chip on correct position according to guide pin or guide pin hole. Therefore, the authors develop the method of two steps flip chip bonding to release the difficulty of chip alignment on ceramic substrate without two guide pin holes. The performance of the module is demonstrated to fulfill the requirements of SNAP 12[1]. The extinction ratio of the 12-channels array transmitter module is tested above 6dB, respectively. The optical shift by heat is an important factor affecting the performance of the array module. Thermal analysis of 12-channel parallel optical transmitter module is used to improve the effect of optical shift by heat in this paper. And the temperature among the case of transmitter module is greatly reduced from 52.7 degree to 31.9 degree. In this paper, a 12-channel array transmitter module package and thermal simulation are discussed and tested. This is a low cost package design and is suitable for mass production.
A Comparative Study of Four Impedance Eduction Methodologies Using Several Test Liners

A comparative study of four commonly used impedance eduction methods is presented for a range of liner structures and test conditions. Two of the methods are restricted to uniform flow while the other two accommodate both uniform and boundary layer flows. Measurements on five liner structures (a rigid-wall insert, a ceramic tubular liner, a wire mesh liner, a low porosity conventional liner, and a high porosity conventional liner) are obtained using the NASA Langley Grazing Flow Impedance Tube. The educed impedance of each liner is presented for forty-two test conditions (three Mach numbers and fourteen frequencies). In addition, the effects of moving the acoustic source from upstream to downstream and the refractive effects of the mean boundary layer on the wire mesh liner are investigated. The primary conclusions of the study are that: (1) more accurate results are obtained for the upstream source, (2) the uniform flow methods produce nearly identical impedance spectra at and below Mach 0.3 but significant scatter in the educed impedance occurs at the higher Mach number, (3) there is better agreement in educed impedance among the methods for the conventional liners than for the rigid-wall insert, ceramic, or wire mesh liner, and (4) the refractive effects of the mean boundary layer on the educed impedance of the wire mesh liner are generally small except at Mach 0.5.
The association between cyclooxygenase gene polymorphisms and acute post‐surgical pain in humans

Background Variability relating to pain sensitivity, perception and tolerance has been documented; however, the exact role of genetics in the interpretation and expression of pain is currently unknown. Given the prominent role of cyclooxygenase (COX) in the inflammatory responses to tissue injury, we examined the influence of common genetic polymorphisms of COX-1 and COX-2 genes on the modulation of responses to clinically induced pain in humans. Methods Patients (N=200) undergoing third molar removal provided ratings of pain intensity every 20 minutes postoperatively using a 10 cm visual analog scale (VAS). Upon patient request at the onset of moderate-severe pain, an NSAID (ketorolac) was administered. The effect of genetic variation was investigated with 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the COX-1 gene and 9 SNPs in the COX-2 gene. Results COX-2 gene SNPs, including promoter variant −765G>C, show significant association for time to onset of post-operative pain and analgesic onset time (ANOVA, p<.05). Slight but significant (3.4 - 4.8%) variation in post-operative pain measures can be attributed to these SNPs. We did not detect any influence of individual SNPs in the COX-1 gene on pain in this clinical model. Conclusions COX-2 gene polymorphisms contribute to post-operative pain responses and may explain variation in pain responses between individuals following tissue injury and during COX-2 mediated acute inflammation. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P20–P20; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.11.079
Attitudes toward multiple births and pregnancy concerns in infertile and non-infertile women

In order to determine receptivity to having more than one child in a single pregnancy, a questionnaire assessing attitudes toward multiple gestations and concerns about various pregnancy-related issues was developed and administered to four groups: women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), ovulation stimulation with human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG), artificial insemination with donor semen (AID), and a control group consisting of female medical and graduate psychology students. Results indicated that the infertile women were significantly more positive about having multiple gestations than the non-infertile control women. Study groups also differed significantly in the degree of concern felt regarding various pregnancy complications or consequences, with infertile women expressing greater worry about losing a pregnancy due to a miscarriage or tubal pregnancy and non-infertile women displaying more concern about potential consequences to their health, attractiveness and marital relationship. The i...
A theory for fast‐igniting catalytic converters

Using asymptotic expansion and numerical analysis, the authors demonstrate how the step-response ignition time of an automobile catalytic converter depends on the ratio of the reaction rate to the interphase heat-transfer rate, as measured by a key Damkoehler parameter X and the degree of monolith subcooling n. In the region of low reaction rate at small X, the normalized ignition time t scaled by the homogeneous ignition time t{sup {infinity}} from the inlet gas temperature is (t/t{sup {infinity}}) = 1 + 2X{sup 1/2}{vert_bar}ln(X{sup 1/2}/2n){vert_bar}{sup 1/2}, and the ignition takes place at a thermal front deep in the monolith. At large X when the reaction rate is high, ignition occurs at the leading edge of the monolith with (t/t{sup {infinity}}) = 2.50 + X(ln n {minus} 0.34). The delay in ignition time with increasing X is due to a Taylor-Aris dispersion mechanism induced by interphase heat transfer. Although the small-X ignition mechanism is faster, its downstream ignition location leads to a very slow upstream propagation of the thermal front that follows ignition. An optimal converter system that ignites in 13 s, 25% of the current value in a standard step-response test, is then designed by placing a small igniter, which ignitesmore » by the small-X mechanism, upstream to preheat the current converter which then ignites by the large-X mechanism. The length of the igniter is kept small by bypassing 2/3 of the exhaust since, from the authors` theory, t{sup {infinity}} is independent of the gas velocity.« less
The Sequence of the Alternatively Spliced Sixth Exon of α-Tropomyosin Is Critical for Cooperative Actin Binding but Not for Interaction with Troponin

Tropomyosins, a family of highly conserved coiled-coil actin binding proteins, can differ as a consequence of alternative expression of several exons (Lees-Miller, J., and Helfman, D. (1991) BioEssays 13, 429-437). Exon 6, which encodes residues 189-213 in long, 284-residue tropomyosins, has two alternative forms, exon 6a or 6b, both highly conserved throughout evolution. In alpha-tropomyosin, exon 6a or 6b is not specific to any one of the nine isoforms. Exon 6b encodes part of a putative Ca2+-sensitive troponin binding site in striated muscle tropomyosins, suggesting that the exon 6-encoded region may be specialized for certain tropomyosin functions. A series of recombinant, unacetylated tropomyosin exon 6 deletion and substitution mutants and chimeras was expressed in Escherichia coli to determine the requirements of exon 6 for tropomyosin function. Functional properties of the tropomyosins were defined by actin affinity measured by cosedimentation, troponin T affinity using a newly developed biosensor assay, and regulation of the actomyosin MgATPase. The region of tropomyosin encoded by exon 6 affects actin affinity but not thin filament assembly, troponin T binding, or regulation with troponin. The tropomyosins with exon 6a or 6b function normally whether a striated muscle exon 9a or smooth/non-muscle exon 9d is present. However, the effect of deleting 21 amino acids encoded by exon 6 or replacing it with a GCN4 leucine zipper sequence depends on the COOH-terminal sequence.
The Role of Joint Attentional Processes in Early Language Development.

Abstract In this paper I examine the role of joint attentional processes in the child's early lexical acquisition and conversational interaction. In both cases I conclude that relatively extended periods of adult-child joint attentional focus on nonlinguistic entities, perhaps as manifest in routines, scaffold the child's early language development. On the other hand, adult directiveness — whether of child behavior/attention or of the dyad's conversational topic — has a negative effect on early language development. For both lexical acquisition and conversational interaction some findings from experimental studies are available to supplement conclusions based on correlational evidence. Based on these findings, I propose a developmental sequence of joint attentional processes in early language development and discuss the role of adults in the child's passage through this sequence.
A novel system for the co-culture of epididymal epithelial cells and sperm from adult rats

To study interactions that occur between the epididymal epithelial cells and sperm within the epididymis during sperm maturation, a specialized co-culture system capable of supporting the differentiated function of these cell types must be utilized. A multifaceted approach has been devised to isolate plaques of epithelial cells from the epididymis of adult rats which involves microdissection, two collagenase digestions, and extensive pipetting and washing. The plaques of cells are cultured on a customized extracellular matrix within a primary semipermeable support and form into highly contiguous, but not confluent, regions of polarized epididymal epithelial cells during the first 2 days of culture. On Day 3, immature sperm are recovered from the caput epididymidis and placed within a second semipermeable support resting above the epithelial cells. During 24 h of co-culture, both sperm and epithelial integrity are maintained. Moreover, certain functions requisite to epididymal sperm maturation occur such as protein secretion by the epithelial cells, the association of secreted protein with the sperm, and the acquisition of progressive motility by the sperm. A comprehensive and illustrative description of this novel co-culture methodology is provided.
The next decade of logistics research

Pathbreaking logistics research over the next 10 years will focus on systems problems. Whereas past research generally has taken a “bottom-up” approach, future investigations are likely to pursue a “top-down” philosophy. Specifically, attention will concentrate on diagnosis of systems' improvement potentials; easy-to-use analytic approaches, inherently approximative, will be devised for quickly ascertaining whether a complex operating system can be substantially and effectively improved. Theories to assist in overall systems design, particularly the setting of boundaries and buffers among systems components, will be developed. At the same time, techniques for accurately forecasting future systems performance will be investigated. Underlying such research will be efforts to gain better understanding of management information requirements, including approaches for monitoring systems performance and providing early warning detection of systems degradation Improved management information systems will have to be coupled with appropriate design of managerial organizations and assignment of decision making responsibilities. Important avenues of research will he development of robust approaches, that is, both mathematical techniques and organizational approaches that are not too adversely affected by limited data, a changing environment, and human frailly. Finally, critical research will be directed at the implementation process, especially the interaction among initiation, design, testing and ultimate adoption This prognosis will explore the above themes in the context of large-scale, complex systems. The decision areas will encompass inventory replenishment, multiechelon hierarchies for stockage and maintenance, procurement, transportation, scheduling, facilities planning, budgeting, reliability and personnel management.