cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Benefit of radical cystectomy in the elderly patient with significant co-morbidities

Although recent series have demonstrated that radical cystectomy can be safely performed in elderly patients, few if any, have examined the long-term success of this procedure. We sought to determine the long-term benefit and survival outcomes after radical cystectomy in the elderly, high operative risk patient. We reviewed the records of all patients undergoing radical cystectomy between July 1994 and January 2000. Of these 382 patients, we identified 38 patients with transitional cell carcinoma who met our predetermined selection criteria of elderly, high peri-operative risk patients [age ≥75 years and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification ≥3]. We analyzed patient characteristics, presenting symptoms, pathology, outcomes, and survival. Median age was 79 years (75–87 years). All but a single patient underwent surgery for symptomatic disease. No patient died in the early perioperative period. At a mean follow-up of 22 months (3–90 months), 11/38 (29%) patients are alive. Of the patients with ≤pT2B pathology, 9/27 (33%) are alive and are disease-free. There are 2/11 patients (18%) with ≥pT3 pathology still alive with 1 of those patients (pT4a) alive with disease 34 months after his radical cystectomy. Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrate that patients with organ confined disease (≤pT2B) had a significantly longer mean overall survival than patients with nonorgan confined disease (≥pT3): 31 months vs. 18 months, P = 0.046. Cause of death was known in 17 patients, with the majority (14/17) because of bladder cancer. However, there were no local recurrences, and palliative goals were achieved in all patients. Our results validate radical cystectomy as a safe and effective treatment choice in the elderly patient with significant co-morbidities. These patients, most of whom are symptomatic, can achieve palliation of their symptoms, local control, and long term survival, especially if their bladder cancer is organ confined. Reluctance to offer timely, aggressive local therapy may compromise ultimate survival, even amongst high operative risk, elderly patients.
Using the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes (RET-He) to evaluate anemia in patients with cancer.

Objectives: Evaluation of anemia, particularly iron deficiency, in patients with cancer is difficult. This study examined using the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes (RET-He) to rule out iron deficiency, as defined by serum iron studies (transferrin saturation <20%, serum iron <40 μg/dL, and ferritin <100 ng/mL), in an unselected cancer patient population. Methods: Patients were entered into the study based on the existence of concurrent laboratory test requests for CBC and serum iron studies. Results: Using a threshold of 32 pg/cell, RET-He ruled out iron deficiency with a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.5% and 100%, respectively, in the study population (n = 209) and in a subpopulation of patients with low reticulocyte counts (n = 19). In comparison, the NPV of traditional CBC parameters (hemoglobin, <11 g/dL; mean corpuscular volume, <80 fL) was only 88.5%. Conclusions: These results support the use of RET-He in the evaluation of iron deficiency in a cancer care setting.
Laying It on Thin: Analogical Cue Frequency in the Manipulation of Choice

Persuasive analogies consist of linguistic cues that invite audiences to represent a problem in terms of an analog and to make choices compatible with this manipulated representation. The authors explore how the frequency of linguistic cues moderates analogical bias in choice behavior. Participants read versions of a managerial decision scenario differing in the number of sports (e.g., game plan) or family (e.g., parent company) idioms used to describe situational attributes and then chose between analogically consistent and inconsistent response options. Analogies consisting of an intermediate number of cues elicited higher rates of analogically consistent responding than those of higher and lower cue frequency. When explaining their responses, participants referred to the sports or family analogies most often to rationalize rejecting the analogically consistent response option after reading high cue frequency versions. These findings indicate that there are lower and upper boundaries to a persuasive ana...
A biosystematic and evolutionary study of capsicum baccatum (Solanaceae)

Capsicum baccatum L. has frequently been treated as two distinct species,C. microcarpum Cav. andC. pendulum Willd. A biosystematic study reveals a quantitative and qualitative basis for morphological separation ofC. baccatum into two taxa, while cytological and genetic data indicate their close similarity. A resolution of this apparent contradiction can be found in a “gigas” effect imparted to all the organ systems of cultivatedC. baccatum while the fruit has been under intense subconscious and conscious artificial selective pressures for an increase in size. Few, if any, incipient genetic barriers have arisen to separateC. baccatum into distinct species. CultivatedC. baccatum has been isolated by man in a number of localities outside the range of wildC. baccatum. Where both cultivated and wildC. baccatum occur sympatrically, they are effectively isolated by an inbreeding mechanism and agricultural practices. On the basis of this investigationC. baccatum is treated as a wild variety,C. baccatum L. var.baccatum, and a cultivated variety,C. baccatum var.pendulum (Willd.) Eshbaugh.
A PDMS-based constant-flowrate microfluidic control device

This paper presents a microfluidic control device that regulates nearly constant flow rates under variable driving pressures. This flow regulator is fabricated from PDMS and exploits the large compliance of PDMS to achieve passive flow regulation without consuming power or requiring active control circuitry. The device features a compliant flap and a rigid block that form a flow constriction in a microchannel within which they are embedded. Under driving pressure variations, the flow constriction is narrowed due to flap deflections, and flow rate changes that would result from the pressure variations are canceled by constriction narrowing effects. As a result, a nearly constant flow rate can be maintained, as will be demonstrated with prototype devices that regulate water flow rates from 0.15 to 1.2 ml/min under driving pressures varying from 100 to 200 kPa.
A brief history of the UTD-focus on edge diffraction

Summary form only given. The author presented a brief history of the UTD (uniform theory of diffraction) for the diffraction by edges in perfectly conducting surfaces. Particular attention was given to the three-dimensional case for the perfectly conducting wedge; a reexamination of the solution to the canonical wedge problem; and double diffraction, where a second edge is illuminated by a field from the first edge which is not ray optical. >
Parkinson's disease: a model dilemma

The lack of a good animal model is frustrating efforts to curb disease progression, explains M. Flint Beal.
SIMPLE Approach for Isolating Mutants Expressing Fimbriae

Genomes of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae contain large repertoires of putative fimbrial operons. Since many of these operons are poorly expressed in vitro, a convenient method for inducing elaboration of the encoded fimbriae would greatly facilitate their functional characterization. Here we describe a new technique for identifying fimbriated bacteria from a library of transposon mutants by screening with immunomagnetic particles for ligand expression (SIMPLE). The SIMPLE method was applied to identify the T-POP mutants of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium carrying on their surfaces filaments composed of PefA, the major subunit product of a fimbrial operon (pef) that is not expressed during growth in Luria-Bertani broth. Four such mutants were identified from a library of 24,000 mutants, each of which carried a T-POP insertion within the hns gene, which encodes a global silencer of horizontally acquired genes. Our data suggest that the SIMPLE method is an effective approach for isolating fimbriated bacteria, which can be readily applied to fimbrial operons identified by whole-genome sequencing.
Emerging strategies for lowering serum phosphorous in patients with end-stage renal disease

Hyperphosphataemia is a major problem in patients with chronic kidney disease as it has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Over the last four decades, different modalities have been applied to treat hyperphosphataemia with varying degrees of success. Unfortunately, treatment strategies have led to unforeseen complications. These have prompted the development of new classes of medications with potentially better efficacy and few short-term and long-term side effects. This article reviews the causes, mechanism and management of hyperphosphataemia.
An analysis of 6 decades of hygiene-related advertising: 1940-2000 *

Abstract Objectives: To describe and analyze trends in hygiene-related advertisements and examine potential social and regulatory changes that might be associated with these trends. Methods: From 1940 to 2000, advertisements in January issues of 2 widely read magazines were analyzed every fifth year, and 2 additional magazines only available from 1960 to 2000 were also analyzed every fifth year. In a content analysis, the total number of advertisements were determined and specific advertisements were grouped into categories (personal hygiene, dishwashing, laundry, and house cleaning) and further examined for the presence of 4 key claims (aesthetics, health effects, time-saving, and microbial effects). Results: From 1940 to 2000 for all magazines combined, 10.4% of the advertisements were devoted to hygiene products. After 1960 there were significantly fewer hygiene advertisements as compared with 1940 to 1955, and there was a significant increase after 1980 ( P P = .009). Conclusions: This content analysis reflects a cyclical attention in consumer advertising to personal and home hygiene products during the past 6 decades, with a waning of interest in the decades from 1960 to 1980 and an apparent resurgence of advertisements from 1985 to 2000. The potential contributions of federal regulatory bodies and societal changes (eg, new marketing strategies and options, product development, new and re-emerging infectious diseases, increasing concern about antimicrobial resistance, and increasing recognition that infectious diseases are unlikely to be eradicated) to these marketing trends are discussed. (Am J Infect Control 2001;29:383-8.)
Fluid inclusions and rare earth element geochemistry of fluorite from south-central Idaho

Epithermal fluorite mineralization of Tertiary age occurs in a northeast-trending belt within the Challis 2 degrees quadrangle of south-central Idaho. Fluorite was collected from the Meyers Cove area and the Bayhorse, Yankee Fork, and Stanley mining districts. Host rocks include the Eocene Challis Volcanics, the Cretaceous Idaho batholith, and the Ordovician(?) Bayhorse Dolomite. Mineralization is structurally controlled and is present as fault and fracture fillings and breccia cements. Argillization and silicification of the wall rocks is common and locally intense.Microthermometric measurements on nearly 400 two-phase (H 2 O + vapor), water-rich inclusions with low vapor to liquid ratios yielded mean homogenization temperatures of 160 degrees C for the Meyers Cove area, 150 degrees C for the Stanley district, and 130 degrees C for the Bayhorse and the Yankee Fork districts. Salinities range from 0 to 1.4 equiv wt percent NaCl.The rare earth element content of the fluorite is quite variable, ranging from 2.6 to 130 ppm, and Ce/Yb ratios reflect the dominant trend of light rare earth element enrichment. Fluorite from the Meyers Cove area and the Bayhorse and Stanley districts have similar Tb/La ratios, indicating crystallization at about the same time. Fluorite from the Yankee Fork district has a lower mean Tb/La ratio which is indicative of earlier crystallization. Chondrite-normalized plots and rare earth element ratios reveal persistent negative Ce anomalies, indicating high oxygen fugacities at the source area. Positive Eu anomalies indicate the release of Eu (super +2) during feldspar destruction, oxidation to Eu (super +3) at the deposition site, and subsequent incorporation in the fluorite. Samples with negative Eu anomalies indicate the presence of divalent Eu.The fluid inclusion, geochemical, geologic, geochronologic, and stable isotope data support deposition in Tertiary hydrothermal systems dominated by fluids of meteoric origin. The most important depositional mechanism is believed to be an increase in the pH of the ore-bearing fluids upon interaction with the wall rocks.
Tetragermacyclobutadiene: Energetically Disfavored with Respect to Its Structural Isomers

Germanium has been a central feature in the renaissance of main-group inorganic chemistry. Herein, we present the stationary-point geometries of tetragermacyclobutadiene and its related isomers on the singlet potential energy surface at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory. Three of these 12 structures are reported for the first time and one of them is predicted to lie only 0.4 kcal mol(-1) above the previously reported global minimum. Focal-point analyses has provided electronic energies at the CCSD(T) level of theory, which are extrapolated to the complete basis-set limit and demonstrate the convergence behavior of the electronic energies with improving levels of theory and increasing basis-set size. The lowest-energy structure is the bicyclic structure, which lies 35 kcal mol(-1) below the "all-Ge" cyclobutadiene structure. The reaction energies for the association of known Ge hydrides (e.g., digermene) to form Ge4H4 indicate that Ge4H4 could be observed experimentally. We investigate the bonding patterns by examining the frontier molecular orbitals. Our results demonstrate that: 1) the cyclic isomers of (GeH)4 distort to maximize the mixing of the p orbitals that are involved in the π system of tetragermacyclobutadiene and 2) the lowest-energy isomers exhibit unusual bonding arrangements (e.g., bridging H bonds) that maximize the nonbonding electron density at the Ge centers.
On the Accuracy of Whitham's Method

The steady flow of an ideal gas past a conical body is studied by the method of matched asymptotic expansions and by Whitham's method in order to assess the accuracy of the latter. It is found that while Whitham's method does not yield a correct asymptotic representation of the perturbation field to second order in regions where the flow ahead of the Mach cone of the apex is disturbed, it does correctly predict the changes of the second-order perturbation quantities across a shock (the first-order shock strength). The results of the analysis are illustrated by a special case of a flat, rectangular plate at incidence.
Seaglider observations of variability in daytime fluorescence quenching of chlorophyll-a in Northeastern Pacific coastal waters

Abstract. The use of new autonomous and Lagrangian platforms (e.g. gliders, drifters, etc.) has revolutionized sampling of the ocean. The incorporation of in vivo chlorophyll-a fluorometers into these platforms for characterizing chlorophyll-a concentrations and phytoplankton biomass has reinforced the need for a thorough understanding of the variability and biases associated with basic fluorescence measurements. Seaglider, a long-range autonomous glider, has been deployed routinely in Northeast Pacific waters off the Washington coast, USA. Measurements of chlorophyll-a fluorescence (proxy for chlorophyll-a concentration) and optical backscattering (proxy for particle concentration) were collected on the continental shelf and along a V-shaped transect that extended 200 km from the continental shelf into deep oceanic waters. Daytime fluorescence quenching (i.e. the reduction in the fluorescence quantum yield often observed during daylight hours) could be detected throughout the dataset, with near-surface daytime fluorescence quenched by as much as 80% during summer. Quenching was observed throughout the region, at all times of year, and to depths greater than 50 m. The degree of quenching was positively correlated with incoming solar radiation and the observed pattern was remarkably similar to what has been observed in other areas, suggesting some degree of universality for the underlying relationship.
Families United/Familias Unidas: Family Group Office Visits to Reduce Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE The purpose of the Families United/Familias Unidas study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of group office visits on reducing diabetes risk in a multiethnic, primary care population. METHODS Adults, ages 18 to 70 years, with any diabetes risk factor were recruited to attend 12 group office visits over 6 months. Each participant identified 1 support person, age 14 to 70 years, to accompany them. Data were collected at baseline, postintervention, 6 months, and 12 months. Primary outcome measures were reduction in the total number of predefined, modifiable risk factors (ie, body mass index ≥25 kg/m(2); waist circumference ≥88 cm [women], ≥102 cm [men]; blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg; hemoglobin A1C ≥5.7%; fasting insulin ≥15 µU/mL; glycemic index ≥52.5% [women], ≥53.4% [men]; and physical activity <150 min/wk). RESULTS Thirty-nine participants/supporters completed the intervention (mean age 47.8 ± 12.3 years, 69.2% female, 61.5% white, 35.9% Latino). Risk reduction analysis included only participants/supporters who remained paired at the intervention's end (n = 36). At baseline, primary participants (n = 18) had an average of 4.8 ± 1.6 (standard error) predefined risk factors; supporters (n = 18), 4.1 ± 1.4. Primary participants' risk factors decreased approximately 15% immediately after the 6-month intervention (absolute reduction of 1.1 risk factors) and increased to ~20% reduction 1 year postintervention (absolute reduction of 1.4 risk factors). Risk reduction was primarily due to decreases in dietary glycemic index and fasting insulin levels. CONCLUSIONS Group visits provide an innovative and potentially efficacious model of diabetes prevention in multiethnic patients with heterogeneous risk factors.
Modeling of the influence of coil winding pattern on tooth forces in brushless DC motors

The use of neodymium and other rare earth magnets in brushless DC motors increases their torque, but also magnetically induced vibration due to rotating stator tooth force. This paper investigates the influence of the stator coil winding pattern on stator tooth force and torque from three common winding patterns, e.g., center-tapped-wye (CTY), wye (Y) and delta (/spl Delta/), with equivalent torque output. Stator tooth forces and torque in a 6-pole, 9-tooth, 3-phase motor were calculated from the flux density using finite element analysis and the Maxwell stress tensor. Their frequency spectra were analyzed through multi-dimensional spectral analysis. The analyses show that the driving frequencies of tooth forces appear at the integer multiple of rotor speed multiplied by the number of pole. The driving frequencies of forces have larger amplitudes at the leading edge than at the trailing edge of the tooth. At low frequencies, CTY and /spl Delta/ windings produce larger amplitudes at the leading edge and smaller amplitudes at the trailing edge than those of Y winding. Y windings may produce higher torque ripple than the other winding patterns. >
Muscle mechanoreflex and metaboreflex responses after myocardial infarction in rats.

Background— During exercise, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and blood pressure and heart rate increase. In heart failure (HF), the muscle metaboreceptor contribution to sympathetic outflow is attenuated and the mechanoreceptor contribution is accentuated. Previous studies suggest that (1) capsaicin stimulates muscle metabosensitive vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1), inducing a neurally mediated pressor response, and (2) activation of ATP-sensitive P2X receptors enhances the pressor response seen when muscle mechanoreceptors are engaged by muscle stretch. Thus, we hypothesized that the pressor response to VR1 stimulation would be smaller and the sensitizing effects of P2X stimulation greater in rats with HF due to chronic myocardial infarction (MI) than in controls. Methods and Results— Eight to 14 weeks after coronary ligation, rats with infarcts >35% had an increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and a marked increase in heart weight. Capsaicin injected into the arterial supply of...
Depolarization of white light by a birefringent crystal

The depolarization of white light upon passage through a birefringent crystal, due to the unequal phase retardation of different wavelengths is considered. Assuming the incident light to be completely linearly polarized with the spectral power distribution of a blackbody radiator, the degree of polarization remaining after passage through various thicknesses of birefringent material is calculated. The problem is simplified by assuming that there is no dispersion in the crystal. Results show that under the assumptions made, the light from a 3000 K source is less than 1% polarized after passage through 2.66 × 10−1 mm of quartz and 1.41 × 10−2 mm of calcite.
Cation Equilibria Studies on Fractionated Natural Clays

Various fractions, ranging in size from 5 to 0½05 μ of natural clays from Mexico and Wyoming, occurring as heterogeneous or multicomponent cationic systems, were studied under specific equilibrium conditions of salt concentrations in the range found in many drilling fluids and formation waters. Glass electrodes were utilized in this study. A Tektite electrode was found to have specific sensitivity to divalent cations.
Thermal management of BioMEMS: temperature control for ceramic-based PCR and DNA detection devices

Integrated microfluidic devices for amplification and detection of biological samples that employ closed-loop temperature monitoring and control have been demonstrated within a multilayer low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) platform. Devices designed within this platform demonstrate a high level of integration including integrated microfluidic channels, thick-film screen-printed Ag-Pd heaters, surface mounted temperature sensors, and air-gaps for thermal isolation. In addition, thermal-fluidic finite element models have been developed using CFDRC ACE+ software which allows for optimization of such parameters as heater input power, fluid flow rate, sensor placement, and air-gap size and placement. Two examples of devices that make use of these concepts are provided. The first is a continuous flow polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device that requires three thermally isolated zones of 94/spl deg/C, 65/spl deg/C, and 72/spl deg/C, and the second is an electronic DNA detection chip which requires hybridization at 35/spl deg/C. Both devices contain integrated heaters and surface mount silicon transistors which function as temperature sensors. Closed loop feedback control is provided by an external PI controller that monitors the temperature dependant I-V relationship of the sensor and adjusts heater power accordingly. Experimental data confirms that better than /spl plusmn/0.5/spl deg/C can be maintained for these devices irrespective of changing ambient conditions. In addition, good matching with model predictions has been achieved, thus providing a powerful design tool for thermal-fluidic microsystems.
RELAP5/MOD3.2 analysis of INSC standard problem INSCSP - R7 : void fraction distribution over RBMK fuel channel height for experiments performed in the ENTEK BM test facility.

The RELAP5/MOD3.2 computer program has been used to analyze a series of tests investigating void fraction distribution over height in RBMK fuel channels performed in Facility BM at the ENTEK. This is RBMK Standard Problem 7 in Joint Project 6, which is the investigation of Computer Code Validation for Transient Analysis of RBMK and VVER Reactors, between the United States and Russian Minatom International Nuclear Safety Centers. The experiment facility and data, RELAP5 nodalization, and results are shown for all tests. Agreement between RELAP5 and the experiment data is reasonable.
Chronic migraine (aka chronic daily headache)

Many adolescents will report the presence of headache virtually every single day. Chronic, non-progressive, unremitting, daily, or near daily, pattern of headache represents one of the most difficult subsets of headache known as Chronic Daily Headache (CDH). CDH is formally defined as more than four months during which the patient has >15 headaches/month with the headaches last more than four hours/day. The estimated prevalence of CDH in adolescents is approximately 1% and may be as high as 4% of the adult population [115–117]. CDH is very common in referral headache clinics, where up to 15–20% of patients will present with daily or near-daily head pain [118].
IN-LAKE EUTROPHICATION CONTROL: PROGRESS AND LIMITATIONS

ABSTRACT Lake restoration activity in the U.S. is briefly reviewed and effectiveness and cost of inlake techniques to control nutrients and plant biomass are discussed. Of the three techniques to control phosphorus (P) release from sediments by inactivating the iron redox mechanism, alum has been the most cost effective and popular. Sediment oxidation (nitrification) by the Riplox technique may be a more permanent solution, but treatment experience has been limited. Complete removal of the enriched sediment layer by dredging is clearly the most permanent solution to lingering internal P loading, but its cost is eight times that of alum. Where external nutrients cannot be controlled, algal biomass and/or the formation of floating scums may be reduced by complete mixing. If mixing rate is adequate to significantly increase CO 2 and decrease pH, then gas vacuolate blue green algae may sink and be replaced by diatoms and green algae, which would be favored by higher light availability. The method has not been highly dependable in the past, but the increased understanding of buoyancy regulation in blue greens could improve its cost effectiveness. Biomanipulation of food webs, in order to increase the grazing loss of algae by large-bodied zooplankton, has received much attention, but more whole-lake tests are needed. Control of macrophytes by triploid grass carp can be more cost effective than mechanical/chemical methods, but some problems remain to be solved.
SPECIATION IN FISHES OF THE GENERA CYPRINODON AND EMPETRICHTHYS, INHABITING THE DEATH VALLEY REGION

During the Pleistocene history of the desert basins of western North America, particularly in the Great Basin, block faulting produced dozens of independent valleys separated by precipitous mountain ranges. In Pluvial 2 periods many of these valleys held lakes and large streams, but the desiccation of postglacial tinjes disrupted the drainages between, as well as within, the once continuous basins. Isolated populations of animals and plants resulted, and the Great Basin has become a land of relicts. The Death Valley region, lying in the southwestern extension of the Great Basin, provides an excellent example of such disconnected drainages and faunas. During late Pleistocene time, an integrated river system spread over this desert region to unite the four now isolated basins of what may be called the Death Valley system (Map 1). Although only a limited fish fauna inhabits this area, it is rich in material for the student of evolution and is highly endemic. The living fishes comprise 3 families, 5 genera, 10 species and about 24 kinds including subspecies. One genus, Empetrichthys, is endemic, and nine species are confined to the system. High endemism on the species level suggests a Wisconsin or pre-Wisconsin origin of the fauna.
Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Elderly Patients-A Therapeutic Dilemma.

Older adults represent the majority of approximately 20,000 new patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the United States each year. While the treatment goal for younger patients is to achieve a cure with intensive therapeutic protocols, including standard chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, these goals are less well defined in the elderly population. This is in part due to the continuous decline in treatment outcomes with increasing age secondary to a number of patient-related and disease-specific factors, ranging from the presence of comorbid conditions to the higher frequency of adverse cytogenetic and unfavorable molecular markers. Although best supportive care, low-dose cytarabine, and epigenetic drugs represent well recognized treatment concepts, no universally accepted strategy for the management of elderly patients with AML exists. Therapeutic decisions are widely based on the patient's age, general health, the disease features, as well as the patient's personal wishes. The predicament of treating AML in the elderly population is the central theme of this review.
Myelomeningocele - a single institute analysis of the years 2007 to 2015.

After the introduction of folate supplementation, the number of open spinal dysraphism was successfully reduced over time. In 2007, the department for pediatric neurosurgery was established in the children’s hospital. Since then, newborns with myelomeningocele (MMC), the most common form of open neural tube defects (NTD), are treated here. The aim of this study is to present the concepts applied to and experiences resulting from treatment of MMC. Records of all newborns with MMC treated surgically during the period January 2007 to August 2015 in our institution were analyzed. Children, who were previously operated in utero were excluded. The type of neural tube defect, its location, associated comorbidities, and ambulation were recorded. Forty-eight children (25 males, 23 females) with spinal dysraphism were included in the analysis. In nearly 90 % of the cases, the repair of the MMC was done on the day of delivery. The follow-up period ranges from 9 weeks to 8 9/12 years (loss of follow-up in 2 cases). In 19 %, the defect remained undetected during gestation and in one case, carbamazepine was taken despite pregnancy. In 36 children (75 %), we found a Chiari malformation type II (CMII) associated with myelomeningocele. 85.4 % suffered from hydrocephalus and implantation of a shunt was necessary. In cases of bladder impairment, an intermittent catheterization was the most common management (83.3 %); no bladder augmentation was required. Twelve children required orthopedic surgery. Twenty-three of 33 patients (70 %) are ambulatory w/wo orthoses and devices. The 13 children who are younger than 2 years were considered separately to assess the motor activity safely. Our data show that neural tube defects to this day can remain undetected despite medical care during pregnancy. The most common associated diseases with MMC are Chiari II malformations and hydrocephalus. In the seven cases of simultaneous repair of MMC with shunt implantation, no additional complications were encountered. An interdisciplinary approach was allowed in a high percentage independence and social continence.
An Interdisciplinary Textbook Project: Charting the Paths Taken

Advanced-level literacy textbooks, written for students who are transitioning from ‘general’ academic English to the English of their academic disciplines, are not often discipline-specific, nor are they written by teams of authors who bring in both language and disciplinary expertise. In this chapter, we showcase an interdisciplinary textbook development project that brought together professionals from two disparate fields: applied linguistics and chemistry: Specifically, we explain the complex and iterative process that led to the publication of Write like a Chemist, a textbook that assists university-level chemistry students (native and nonnative speakers of English) develop discipline-specific reading and writing skills. To explain why the textbook looks the way it does, we chart the various paths taken during the writing process. After providing background on the project and identifying the textbook’s defining characteristics, we highlight numerous (and intertwined) steps that led to its development and final publication. We comment on these steps sequentially, even though most occurred in a non-linear fashion, influencing and informing one another throughout the multi-year project. We depict the following steps in the textbook-development process: (i) articulating priorities and principles; (ii) scaffolding the instructional approach; (in) selecting target genres, compiling corpora with full-length text exemplars, and analyzing them using tools from corpus linguistics and discourse, genre, and move analyses; (iv) converting analytical findings into instructional materials; (v) piloting and assessing materials; and (vi) using feedback to improve materials. To describe the textbook publication process, we focus on steps taken to (i) find a publisher; (ii) secure copyright permissions; (in) select a title; (iv) acknowledge contributors; and (v) finalize copy. We conclude with suggestions for language professionals who wish to pursue interdisciplinary textbook endeavors in other content areas or with different skill emphases.
Congenital Lung Masses

Congenital lung masses are common in pediatric patients. While these masses may be incidental findings in some children, they can also result in various symptoms and imaging findings depending on their size, location, and mass effect upon the adjacent thoracic structures. Imaging plays an important role for early and correct diagnosis, which in turn can improve pediatric patient care by guiding the appropriate next step in management. In this chapter, we discuss clinical presentation and imaging findings of common congenital pulmonary masses in pediatric patients. Familiarity with the characteristic clinical and imaging findings of congenital pulmonary masses can avoid delay in diagnosis and optimize pediatric patient care.
Crosstalk between adaptive and innate immune cells leads to high quality immune protection at the mucosal borders.

Mucosal effector memory CD8 T cells are located at the epithelium and have a heightened and immediate effector function. By contrast, central memory T cells reside within lymphoid tissues and require proliferation and differentiation to become effector cells that migrate to epithelial surfaces. The accumulation of effector memory T cells at the pathogen entry site(s) is essential for protective immunity, but the mechanisms that drive the differentiation of memory cell subsets are poorly understood. We recently showed that CD8αα, induced selectively on the most highly activated primary CD8αβ T cells, together with its ligand, the thymic leukemia (TL) antigen, induced on mucosal antigen-presenting cells and constitutively expressed on intestinal epithelial cells (IEC), serve as key components to mediate the selective accumulation of the fittest effector cells to form mucosal effector memory T cells. Therefore, the generation of mucosal effector memory is controlled by an innate-adaptive crosstalk that provides for host defense at the body’s largest interface.
Integration of Metabolic Signals

Over the last 25 years it has become evident that single gene mutations can result in remarkable increases in lifespan. Of the gene mutations identified, the most potent at extending life- and healthspan are those that alter the quantity of food ingested (Avery, Genetics 133 (4):897–917, 1993) and those that disrupt the animals perception of the amount of food ingested (Gottlieb and Ruvkun, Genetics 137 (1):107–120, 1994; Dorman et al, Genetics 141 (4):1399–1406, 1995; Kimura et al, Science 277(5328):942–946, 1997; Lee et al, Curr Biol 11 (24):1950–1957, 2001). These mutations promote longevity, animal health and capacity for stress adaptation (Honda and Honda, Faseb J 13 (11):1385–1393, 1999; Scott et al, Science 296 (5577):2388–2391, 2002; Garsin et al, Science 300 (5627):1921, 2003; Lithgow and Kirkwood, Science 273 (5271):80, 1996), but importantly reveal that an intricate molecular and genetic network exists to integrate diet availability, utilization and animal physiology (Curran and Ruvkun, PLoS Genet 3 (4):e56. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.0030056, 2007; Dillin et al, Science 298 (5602):2398–2401. doi: 10.1126/science.1077780, 2002; Hamilton et al. Genes Dev 19 (13):1544–1555, 2005; Hansen et al, PLoS Genet 1 (1):e17, 2005; Lee et al, Nat Genet 33 (1):40–48, 2003; Tacutu et al, PLoS ONE 7 (10):e48282. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048282, 2012).
Waste or Wisdom: The Neglected Case of the ‘W’

Receiving a ‘W’ for a class withdrawal differs from earning a grade of ‘D’ or ‘F,’ yet studies typically combine these elements. This study focuses on the ‘W’: 1) to urge teacher-scholars to investigate its importance and 2) scholarly teachers to engage in methods that may avert student withdrawals as well as to facilitate students to make more informed decisions before taking a ‘W.’ The article addresses the scant literature on the ‘W’ to re-contextualize a student’s decision to withdraw from a course in the broader student success literature. Studies of retention, persistence, and completion of higher educational goals widely recognize both academic and non-cognitive influences that may move a student to withdraw from college. Results of the authors’ case study presented here suggest parallels in student decisions to withdraw from a course, hoping to raise awareness within the scholarship of teaching community of the need to probe this topic, in view of in their wisdom for teaching and learning their passion to educate students for a better quality of life and work.
Female nuptial signal advertises spawning readiness in a population of Halichoeres margaritaceus on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Females of some polygynous fish species display female nuptial signals (FNSs), advertising spawning readiness to potential mates. Halichoeres margaritaceus, a polygynous coral reef fish, reportedly display red belly color and a unique bobbing behavior as FNSs advertising spawning readiness. In this study, I examined whether FNSs were observed in an H. margaritaceus population in Australia. Females in this study displayed red belly color as an FNS, although at a lower intensity than that reported in a Japanese population. Contrary to observations made in the Japanese population, bobbing behavior performed by females in this study showed no temporal trend as spawning approached, indicating bobbing behavior did not function as an FNS in the Australian population. The role of local selective pressures on FNS intensity and lifetime reproductive benefits H. margaritaceus may potentially gain in utilizing FNSs are briefly discussed.
Analysis of acquired mutations in transgenes arising in Ba/F3 transformation assays: findings and recommendations.

// Kevin Watanabe-Smith 1 , Jamila Godil 2 , Anupriya Agarwal 3,4 , Cristina Tognon 5,6 and Brian Druker 3,6 1 Cancer Biology Program, Oregon Health & Science University, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA 2 Honors College, College of Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA 3 Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA 4 Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA 5 Oregon Health & Science University, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA 6 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Portland, OR, USA Correspondence to: Kevin Watanabe-Smith, email: // Keywords : reproducibility in research, Ba/F3 transformation assay, functional validation, leukemia, oncogenes Received : November 23, 2016 Accepted : February 12, 2017 Published : February 16, 2017 Abstract The identification and functional validation of potentially oncogenic mutations in leukemia is an essential step toward a future of personalized targeted therapy. To assess the oncogenic capacity of individual mutations, reliable and scalable in vitro experimental approaches are required. Since 1988, researchers have used the IL-3 dependent Ba/F3 transformation assay to validate the oncogenic potential of mutations to drive factor-independent growth. Here we report a previously unrecognized phenomenon whereby Ba/F3 cells, engineered to express weakly transforming mutations, present with additional acquired mutations in the expressed transgene following factor withdrawal. Using four mutations with known transformative capacity in three cytokine receptors (CSF2RB, CSF3R and IL7R), we demonstrate that the mutated receptors are highly susceptible to acquiring additional mutations. These acquired mutations of unknown functional significance are selected by factor withdrawal but appear to exist prior to the removal of growth factor. This anomaly has the potential to confound efforts to both validate and characterize oncogenic mutations in leukemia, particularly when it is not standard practice to sequence validate cDNAs from transformed Ba/F3 lines. We present specific recommendations to detect and mitigate this phenomenon in future research using Ba/F3 transformation assays, along with methods to make the Ba/F3 assay more quantitative.
Circumstantial sublimation and Steven Soderbergh’s ordinary objects

This essay draws from Mari Ruti’s prolific discussions of Lacan, sublimation, and the ethical import of subjective creativity, in confluence with an analysis of the evocative place of objects in several of Steven Soderbergh’s films. Via Ruti and Soderbergh, I treat sublimation as the pragmatic means by which a subject maintains a modicum of independence and creative freedom through a reliance on an external, circumstantial, and relatively independent object.
White-Collar Showdown

The Sentencing Commission and the judiciary do not see eye to eye when it comes to punishing white-collar fraudsters. Recent survey data collected by Judge Bennett and his co-authors confirms that judges prefer to sentence fraudsters at or below the minimum of the Sentencing Guidelines range. This article asks whether that data should give the Sentencing Commission pause. The survey results might just substantiate the Sentencing Commission's worry that judges are prone to cognitive bias in favor of white-collar defendants, with whom they often overlap demographically. After suggesting that judges have no particular insight into the factors relevant to fraud sentencing, the article assesses the matter from criminal theory first principles: deterrence, rehabilitation, and retribution. It concludes - contrary to the apparent views of most judges and many white-collar criminal law scholars - that we should not be so quick to dismiss the guidelines as too harsh.
This Reporter is so Ugly, How can She Appear on TV?: Negotiating gender online and offline in Taiwanese media

In Taiwan, 25 professional female journalists were interviewed, to understand how they negotiate gender and professional identities online and offline through the lens of Shoemaker and Reese’s medi...
Electronic device generated light increases reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts

Objectives Our skin is constantly exposed to light from solar radiation and electronic devices, which impact skin physiology and aging. The biological altering properties of ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation on skin have been well established. There is significant scientific and public interest on the effects of electronic device generated light (EDGL) on skin. Currently, the effects of EDGL on skin are largely unknown. EDGL includes UV, visible, and infrared light from consumer electronics such as smartphones, computers, and televisions. In this study, we measured the wavelength specific irradiance from electronic devices, and irradiated fibroblasts with white EDGL to determine changes in reactive oxygen species generation, apoptosis, and necrosis. Methods To determine the EDGL output of commonly used consumer electronic devices, we measured the irradiance from electronic devices at the manufacturers' recommended reading distances and at 1 cm. To determine the effect of EDGL on human skin cells, we irradiated AG13145 fibroblasts with EDGL for 1 hour at a distance of 1 cm and measured changes in reactive oxygen species generation, apoptosis, and necrosis. Results ROS increased significantly by 81.71%, 85.79%, and 92.98% relative to control following 1 hour of white EDGL from iPhone 8+, iPhone 6, and iPad (first generation), respectively. There was a non-significant change in apoptosis following irradiation with an iPhone 8+, iPhone 6, and iPad. Total necrosis was less than 2% for all treatment and control groups. Conclusions Our results suggest that short exposures of EDGL increase ROS generation, but the long-term effects associated with repeated exposures of EDGL are unknown. As electronic devices become more widely used and integrated into society globally, we anticipate greater scientific research and general public interest on the effects of visible EDGL on skin. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pregnancy Survey of Smoking and Alcohol Use in South Dakota American Indian and White Mothers.

Introduction American Indian populations are believed to have relatively high tobacco use and alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy compared with other populations despite little evidence. Methods Population-based survey distributed 2–6 months postpartum to 1,814 South Dakota mothers having a live birth in 2014. Prevalence of self-reported smoking and alcohol use before and during pregnancy were calculated for American Indian and white mothers and AORs were determined controlling for Hispanic status, marital status, age, education, and income. Analysis was completed in 2017–2018. Results Smoking among American Indian mothers was similar to white mothers before and during pregnancy (AOR=1.60, 95% CI=0.95, 2.67 and AOR=0.67, 95% CI=0.37, 1.21, respectively). Among smokers, a higher percentage of American Indian mothers smoked less than six cigarettes/day than white mothers (AOR=6.79, 95% CI=3.21, 14.35, before and AOR=4.85, 95% CI=1.08, 21.7, during pregnancy), and American Indian mothers had greater odds of quitting (AOR=3.60, 95% CI=1.74, 7.43). No difference in relapse rates by race were found (AOR=0.57, 95% CI=0.19, 1.72). Alcohol consumption before pregnancy was less among American Indian than white mothers (AOR=0.53 95% CI=0.30, 0.94), and among those who drank no differences by race in drinks/week were observed (AOR for American Indians drinking more than four drinks/week=1.20, 95% CI=0.56, 2.55) or binge drinking (AOR=1.50, 95% CI=0.75, 3.04). Rates of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and topics covered by healthcare providers during prenatal visits did not differ by race. Conclusions After adjusting for covariates, no differences by race in smoking rates before or during pregnancy were observed and American Indian mothers who smoked were more likely to smoke fewer cigarettes and quit smoking during pregnancy than white mothers. Lower alcohol consumption among American Indian mothers before pregnancy challenges the commonly held belief of elevated alcohol consumption among American Indians compared with other races.
Coping with Role Overload

In this chapter we highlight findings from a program of research on coping with role strain and role conflict. Earlier research from our laboratory has focused primarily on how people deal with stressful life events such as physical disability (e.g., Bulman & Wortman, 1977) or the loss of a loved one (see, e.g., Lehman, Wortman, & Williams, 1987). Long-term goals of this research program include elaborating the theoretical mechanisms through which stress has deleterious effects on subsequent health and functioning (see Silver & Wortman, 1980, or Kessler, Price, & Wort-man, 1985, for reviews).