cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of medical students' use of web-based resources for a gross anatomy and embryology course.

An extensive Web site supporting our gross anatomy and embryology course, which includes various course management pages as well as online lectures, has been in use for the past 2 years. To determine how this Web site is being used by students, we examined server log files to track access to each of the Web pages on the site. Using this data, along with student responses on a course evaluation, we have been able to quantitatively characterize Web site use and gain some insight into students' perception of the site. This analysis showed that all of the resources available online, including course management information, exam reviews, online lectures, and dissection guides were heavily used and deemed useful by students. Despite universal computer ownership and Internet access from home, most use of the Web site was from on-campus computer labs, especially for lectures with audio streams. This was probably due to the limited bandwidth of off-campus connections. Data on the day of the week and time of the day of access showed peak activity at expected times, but also significant activity at all hours, as students took full advantage of ‘access on demand.’ This on-demand nature of the Web was also evident in students' viewing of lectures in short sessions rather than in one sitting. Online lectures were used regularly by a majority of students both before and after corresponding class sessions, however, this was not the preferred venue for all students. Although the flexibility of Web-based resources accommodates students' varying study habits, the alternative of traditional print material and live lectures should not be abandoned lightly. Clin. Anat. 15:409–418, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ultrafast electron dynamics and inner-shell ionization in laser driven clusters

The ionization dynamics of small rare-gas clusters in intense, ultrafast laser fields are studied via classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulations. Our results indicate that for similar laser pulses the charge states reached by atoms in a cluster can be significantly higher than those for atoms in the gas phase. The ionization enhancement is strongly dependent on the cluster density and exhibits a rapid increase in charge state once the laser intensity has reached the threshold for single ionization. This {open_quotes}ionization ignition model{close_quotes} is driven by the combination of the laser field and the strong field from the ionized cluster atoms. Approximate atomic inner-shell ionization probabilities are calculated for several cluster densities and peak laser intensities and provide evidence for the generation of inner-shell holes on an ultrafast time scale. This is a necessary condition for the generation of x-ray pulses with temporal widths comparable to that of the driving laser pulses. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
An interactive post-processor for structural design sensitivity analysis and optimization: Sensitivity display and what-if study

Abstract A menu-driven, multi-windowing design workstation for interactive design optimization is presented. As an alternative to a black-box optimization approach, the design workstation supports a four-step interactive design methodology that consists of (1) displaying design sensitivity information; (2) carrying out what-if studies; (3) determining trade-offs; and (4) performing interactive design optimization. Graphics capabilities of established finite element pre- and post-processors are exploited in providing for visualization of results generated during the interactive design process, within a graphics workstation environment. By using recently-developed methods of continuum design sensitivity analysis and a local database, established finite element analysis codes can be used for structural analysis and adjoint load reanalysis.
Oxygen incorporation in AlInP, and its effect on P-type doping with magnesium

Oxygen incorporation in AlyIn1−yP (y ∼ 0.5) grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) has been studied as a function of PH3 flow, growth temperature, and alloy composition. Both O2 and diethylaluminum ethoxide (DEAlO) were employed as sources of oxygen. The incorporation of oxygen was found to be a superlinear function of O2 or DEAlO flow. When multiple sources of oxygen are present, a surface interaction leads to enhanced oxygen incorporation. Oxygen incorporation cannot be adequately described by a simple dependence on growth temperature or V/III ratio due to strong interactions between these variables. In Mg-doped AlInP co-doped with oxygen, the incorporation of both Mg and O is strongly affected by an interaction between the two species, and roughly 10% of the oxygen atoms act as compensating donors.
Perceptions of Gender and Bisexuality: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Perceived Masculinity, Femininity, and Sexual Ambiguity

One of the most enduring stereotypes of gay and lesbian individuals is that they are cross sex-typed, meaning that each group possesses gender characteristics that we typically assign to the other gender: Gay men are typically perceived to be more feminine than straight men and lesbian women, and lesbian women are typically seen as more masculine than straight women and gay men. However, few have investigated whether these same stereotypes apply to bisexual (or sexually ambiguous) individuals. The authors explored the question of how people perceive the level of masculinity and femininity of a target whose sexual orientation is ambiguous, and whether there is a difference in perception depending on whether the target is male or female. Results suggest that people's perceptions of the degree to which a bisexual individual is masculine or feminine depend on how masculinity and femininity are measured. However, there is also some support for the contention that bisexual people are generally perceived to be a...
Targeted gene expression in the zebrafish prechordal plate.

Targeted gene expression is a powerful tool for understanding gene function in vivo. In zebrafish, overexpression of gene products is typically accomplished ubiquitously, without temporal and spatial specificity. However, the yeast Gal4/UAS system can be used for targeted gene expression in zebrafish. Here we describe the generation and characterization of Tg[gsc: Gal4-VP16] transgenic zebrafish lines that harbor a construct encoding Gal4-VP16 transcriptional activator under the control of a fragment of the goosecoid gene promoter. Tg[gsc:Gal4-VP16] embryos express Gal4-VP16 RNA in presumptive prechordal plate mesendoderm during late blastula and throughout gastrulation. By crossing these fish to Tg[UAS-GFP] transgenic fish, we show that the gsc:Gal4-VP16 transgene is capable of driving strong expression of a target gene in the prechordal plate and its derivatives during gastrulation and segmentation. Thus, the use of Tg[gsc:Gal4-VP16] fish can help in understanding gene function in the prechordal plate, an embryonic structure that is crucial for normal neural patterning. genesis 44:584–588, 2006. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Intracellular calcium responses of circadian pacemaker neurons measured with fura-2

The circadian pacemaker in the eye of the mollusk Bulla gouldiana is located within basal retinal neurons (BRNs) that express a circadian rhythm in cell culture. Light and other depolarizing stimuli shift the phase of the pacemaker in the eye through a process that requires extracellular calcium and is blocked by Ni2+. To test directly if an influx of Ca2+ is present throughout depolarizing treatments that produce phase shifts, dissociated BRNs in cell culture were loaded with a membrane-permeable form of the calcium-sensitive dye fura-2, and then depolarized with elevated levels of extracellular K+. Calcium levels in the BRNs remained elevated during treatments with 50 mM K+ lasting 1 h, a sufficient duration to phase shift the circadian pacemaker. Lowering extracellular free Ca2+ (approx. 1.7 x 10(-7) M) during depolarization blocked the rise in intracellular Ca2+, verifying that a Ca2+ influx is required. The sustained Ca2+ elevation during depolarization was also prevented with 50 mM Ni2+, which blocks phase shifts of the rhythm to depolarization, but not with 5 mM Ni2+, which does not block phase shifts. The initial rise in [Ca2+]i in response to 50 mM K+ was largest on average during the subjective night. The results show that a critical portion of the entrainment pathway persists in pacemaker neurons during cell culture, and that the phase-shifting stimulus may depend on a prolonged Ca2+ signal.
Electron probe microanalysis

Abstract Electron probe microanalysis has been reviewed with special emphasis on beam target interactions. Methods for the quantitative interpretation of X-ray data obtained by this technique are discussed and compared. Modifications in the theory are described for the special case of the analysis of surface layers. Associated techniques, such as cathodoluminescence, Kossell diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy are reviewed. Finally, merits and disadvantages of electron probe microanalysis are compared to other methods of surface analysis.
Immune Activation in Brain Aging and Neurodegeneration: Too Much or Too Little?

Until recently, the brain was studied almost exclusively by neuroscientists and the immune system by immunologists, fuelling the notion that these systems represented two isolated entities. However, as more data suggest an important role of the immune system in regulating the progression of brain aging and neurodegenerative disease, it has become clear that the crosstalk between these systems can no longer be ignored and a new interdisciplinary approach is necessary. A central question that emerges is whether immune and inflammatory pathways become hyperactivated with age and promote degeneration or whether insufficient immune responses, which fail to cope with age-related stress, may contribute to disease. We try to explore here the consequences of gain versus loss of function with an emphasis on microglia as sensors and effectors of immune function in the brain, and we discuss the potential role of the peripheral environment in neurodegenerative diseases.
Abnormalities of respiratory gases in synovial fluid of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Synovial fluids from 26 knees of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis were analyzed for partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) and carbon dioxide (pCO2), pH, and for lactate. As in adult rheumatoid arthritis, a low Po2 level was associated with a high concentration of lactate (r = −0.81), and inverse relationships were demonstrated between levels of lactate and pH (r = −0.87), and pCO2 and pH (r = −0.86). These physiologic abnormalities were unrelated to the clinical severity of local joint disease or to the spread of joint involvement.
Microbiology of Sputum from Patients at Cystic Fibrosis Centers in the United States

During a phase III national collaborative study of aerosolized tobramycin (1 July 1995 through 30 September 1996), the microbiology of specimens from 595 patients at 69 cystic fibrosis (CF) centers was examined. Samples from three screening visits were processed in a single laboratory by means of standardized techniques for identification and susceptibility testing. From 1,753 pretreatment specimens, 5,128 pathogens were isolated (average, 2.9/specimen). Of the 3,936 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, 56.7% were mucoid. The specimens of 125 patients (21.0%) yielded tobramycin-resistant P. aeruginosa (213 isolates); 61 (10.3%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia; and 52 (8.7%), Alcaligenes xylosoxidans. Isolation of Burkholderia cepacia was an exclusion criterion. Only visit 3 sputum samples were cultured for gram-positive organisms and fungi (n = 465 patients); samples from 201 patients (43.2%) yielded Staphylococcus aureus (18.8% of isolates were oxacillin-resistant), and those from 114 (24.5%) yielded an Aspergillus species. Compared with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry, the current study identified many more patients colonized with S. maltophilia, A. xylosoxidans, Aspergillus species, and oxacillin-resistant S. aureus, suggesting the utility of standardized processing of CF specimens.
Astroblastoma presenting with intracerebral hemorrhage misdiagnosed as dural arteriovenous fistula: review of a rare entity

Abstract Background Astroblastoma is one of the most unusual types of tumors whose histogenesis has been recently clarified. It occurs mainly among children and young adults. It is grossly well demarcated and shows histologically characteristic perivascular pseudorosettes with frequent vascular hyalinization. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells show diffuse strong positivity for GFAP, S-100 protein, vimentin, as well as neuron-specific enolase and focal positivity for EMA. Case Description Our patient is a 33-year-old gentleman who presented with intraparenchymal hemorrhage in the left temporal lobe. A 4-vessel cerebral angiogram revealed a dural AVF in the left posterior temporal area. The lesion was resected, and pathology showed a GFAP-positive lesion with prominent astroblastoma rosettes. There was abundant hemosiderin consistent with a prior hemorrhage. Because of its high degree of proliferation, the presence of astroblastic pseudorosettes, prominent perivascular hyalinization, regional hyaline changes, and pushing borders with regard to the adjacent brain, the tumor was considered anaplastic. Conclusions Astroblastoma is a rare pure pathologic entity—a distinct form of astrocytic gliomas. The diagnosis of astroblastoma is often difficult because of the astroblastic aspects that can be found in astrocytic tumors, in ependymomas, and in nonneuroepithelial tumors. The natural history seems to be between astrocytomas and glioblastomas. Total resection and radiation therapy seem to be the advisable treatments.
Cycling the Representer Method for 4D-variational data assimilation with the Navy Coastal Ocean Model

Abstract The Cycling Representer Method, which is a technique for solving 4D-variational data assimilation problems, has been demonstrated to improve the assimilation accuracy with simpler nonlinear models. In this paper, the Cycling Representer Method will be used to assimilate an array of ADCP velocity observations with the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM). Experiments are performed in a high-resolution Mississippi Bight domain for the entire month of June, 2004 and demonstrate the usefulness of this assimilation technique in a realistic application. The Representer Method is solved by minimizing a cost function containing the weighted squared errors of velocity measurements, initial conditions, boundary conditions, and model dynamics. NCOM, however, is a highly nonlinear model and in order to converge towards the global minimum of this cost function, NCOM is linearized about a background state using tangent linearization. The stability of this tangent linearized model (TLM) is a very sensitive function of the background state, the level of nonlinearity of the model, open boundary conditions, and the complexity of the bathymetry and flow field. For the Mississippi Bight domain, the TLM is stable for only about a day. Due to this short TLM stability time period, the Representer Method is cycled by splitting the time period of the assimilation problem into short intervals. The interval time period needs to be such that it is short enough for the TLM to be stable, but long enough to minimize the loss of information due to reducing the temporal correlation of the dynamics and data. For each new cycle, a background is created as a nonlinear forecast from the previous cycle’s assimilated solution. This background, along with the data that falls within this new cycle, is then used to calculate a new assimilated solution. The experiments presented in this paper demonstrate the improvement of the assimilated solution as the time window of the cycles is reduced to 1 day. The 1-day cycling, however, was only optimal for the first half of the experiment. This is because there was a strong wind event near the middle of June that significantly reduced the stability of the 1-day cycling and caused substantial errors in the assimilation. Therefore, the 12-h cycling worked best for the second half of the experiment. This paper also demonstrates that the forecast skill is improved as the assimilation system progresses through the cycles.
The Localization of the Spanish War.

In July, 1936, none of the Great Powers wanted a European war. But, as in 1914, the preceding three or four years had brought in their wake a series of incidents and developments which increased tension considerably and made statesmen realize that a general war was far from impossible. The armaments race, the Italo-Abyssinian affair, the remilitarization of the Rhine zone, the FrancoSoviet alliance and the resulting denunciation of Locarno by Germany, the growth of nationalism and dictatorship, the increasing hostility of bolshevism and fascism, the apparent breakdown of world peace machinery-to mention only a few aspects of the situation-produced considerable pessimism about the chances for keeping the peace. On July 1, 1936, M. Blum, speaking in the League Assembly, emphasized "with what serious apprehension France views the present situation."' "The world at this moment," he said, "is not a world of peace . . . We feel the atmosphere growing heavy; we see the shadow looming. Everywhere the world is arming . . . For the first time in eighteen years, a European war is once again looked upon as a possibility." Some two weeks later, the trouble in Spain came to a head, civil war broke out, and the shadow of impending conflict fell at once across the entire Continent. Vividly recalling the trend of events in 1914 when frantic attempts at localization failed, the world began to wonder whether the Great Powers would minimize the importance of their political stakes in the affair and take the necessary action to prevent hostilities from spreading beyond the borders of Spain. Such action was taken; and the unusual technique employed to localize the Spanish war forms the subject of discussion in the pages that follow.
Simulation of Motion Parallax for Monitor-Based Augmented Reality Applications

The paper presents a method for the simulation of motion parallax for monitor-based Augmented Reality (AR) applications. Motion parallax effects the relative movement between far and close objects: near objects appear moving faster than far objects do. This facilitates the perception of depth, distances, and the structure of geometrically complex objects. Today, industrial AR applications are equipped with monitor-based output devices, e.g., for design reviews. Thus this important depth cue is omitted because all objects appear as one even layer on screen. As a result, the assessment of complex structures becomes more difficult. The method presented in this paper utilizes depth images to create layered images: multiple images in which objects in a video image are split up with respect to their distance too a video camera. Using head tracking, the single layers are relatively moved with respect to the user’s head position. This simulates motion parallax. Virtual objects superimpose the final image to complete the AR scene. The method was prototypically realized, the results show its feasibility.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
ON CARBENE ALKENE COMPLEXES

Abstract It is shown that a recent claim for the intermediacy of a carbene alkene complex is unsubstantiated. An alternative mechanism is proposed.
Multi-View Learning of Word Embeddings via CCA

Recently, there has been substantial interest in using large amounts of unlabeled data to learn word representations which can then be used as features in supervised classifiers for NLP tasks. However, most current approaches are slow to train, do not model the context of the word, and lack theoretical grounding. In this paper, we present a new learning method, Low Rank Multi-View Learning (LR-MVL) which uses a fast spectral method to estimate low dimensional context-specific word representations from unlabeled data. These representation features can then be used with any supervised learner. LR-MVL is extremely fast, gives guaranteed convergence to a global optimum, is theoretically elegant, and achieves state-of-the-art performance on named entity recognition (NER) and chunking problems.
Retinal adaptation in infants and children with retinal degenerations

Retinal adaptation of II infants and children with progressive retinal degenerations was studied. Diagnostic categories were Leber's congenital amaurosis (4 patients), infantile ceroid lipofuscinosis (1 patient), and retinitis pigmentosa syndromes (6 patients). Only limited appraisal of function was done electrophysiologically because all patients had extinguished or much attenuated electroretinal responses. Pupillography and psychophysical procedures did allow assessment of dark adapted sensitivity, and adaptation to steady background lights and after exposure to bleaching lights. From infancy onward, patients with these disorders had elevated dark adapted thresholds. Temporal integration appeared to be normal in patients with the RP syndromes and in a patient with Leber's congenital amaurosis. Steady background lights decreased retinal sensitivity, but less in patients than normal controls. The recovery from bleaches was abnormal in some patients. These preliminary results describe abnormal retinal adap...
A Practical Guide to Manuscript Writing With Particular Relevance to the Field of Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Publishing manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, such as Hospital Pediatrics, is critical for both the academic development of practitioners in pediatric hospital medicine and the scientific advancement of our field. Understanding the purpose of scientific writing and developing a structured approach to the writing process is essential. Doing so will improve the clarity of your work and likely the ease at which your research is published and disseminated throughout the scientific community. The purposes of this article are to detail the structure of a scientific manuscript, to highlight specific writing strategies, and to provide writing tips that may help or hinder publication. Our ultimate goal is to advance the field of pediatric hospital medicine and its growing membership by promoting the dissemination of high-quality research.
Adjuvant radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer: A 15-Year experience

Abstract Purpose: A retrospective analysis to determine differences in survival of patients with pancreatic adencarcinoma treated by radical surgery with and without adjuvant radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: Between 1980 and 1995, 249 patients with pancreatic tumors were identified at the Medical College of Ohio. Forty-four of these patients underwent radical surgical procedures with curative intent. These patients were divided into four groups according to treatment: surgery alone ( n = 14), surgery plus intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) ( n = 6), surgery plus external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) ( n = 14), or surgery plus both IORT and EBRT ( n = 10). Outcome and survival were analyzed among the four groups. Results: The median survival time of patients treated with radical surgery alone was 6.5 months. The median survival time for the surgery plust IORT group was 9 months; however, 33.3% (two of six) of these patients survived longer than 5 years. This survival pattern was borderline significantly bettern than that for the surgery alone group ( p = 0.0765). The surgery plus EBRT and the surgery plus IORT and EBRT groups had median survival times of 14.5 and 17.5 months, respectively. These were significantly better than that of the surgery alone group ( p = 0.0004 and p = 0.0002, respectively). The addition of radiation therapy did not affect the treatment complication rate. Conclusion: The survival of patients who were treated with radical surgery alone was significantly poorer than that of patients who received adjuvant radiation therapy. These results are consistent with other studies in the literature. Patients treated with all three modalities (surgery, IORT, and EBRT) displayed the best median survival time.
Physiologic stress and tooth contact.

This investigation was undertaken to study the relationship between physiologic data, such as pulse rate and stroke volume, to the occurrence of tooth contacts. The tooth contacts were monitored in the intercuspal (I.C.) position and lateral or eccentric to this position with the aid of radio-transmitters constructed into dental bridgework as described by Kavanagh and Zander (1965), and Butler and Zander (1968). The frequency and duration of tooth contacts during mastication and swallowing observed was not different from previous investigations (Graf and Zander 1963, Adams and Zander 1965). Under varied environmental situations, however, tooth contacts lasting up to 17 seconds were observed occurring with accompanying alteration in the pulse rate-stroke volume data. These periods of clenching or bruxing type contacts were directly related to periods of emotional reactions, stress and/or anxiety.
Testicular morphology and sperm content relative to age, antler status and season in axis deer stags (Axis axis)

Testes were collected from 192 axis deer stags (Axis axis) in south Texas to quantify changes in testicular morphology and sperm content relative to age (juvenile: 1–2 years of age; mature: >2 years of age), antler status (hard antler; velvet/no antler) and season. Following harvest, morphological measurements of each testis were recorded, and the left testis and epididymis (caput, corpus and caudal regions) were homogenized individually for the determination of sperm content. In summer and autumn, 96.2% (102/106) of the stags harvested were in hard antler; in contrast to 23.3% (20/86) in the winter and spring. Testis weight and epididymal weight were positively correlated (r=0.75; P 0.10) during spring, summer and winter, while total testis sperm content in spring and summer were greater (P<0.05) than in autumn or winter. Juvenile stags tended to have greater (P<0.08) testis sperm content per gram of parenchyma and greater (P<0.05) total testis sperm content in velvet/no antlered than in hard antlered stags. For mature stags, total testis sperm content and total epididymal sperm content were greater (P<0.05) in summer than during all other seasons. Irrespective of seasonal fluctuations in testicular and epididymal sperm content, at no time were stags found to be azoospermic. Testis weight, total epididymal weight, total testis sperm content and total epididymal sperm content were greater (P<0.05) in mature hard antlered than in velvet/no antlered stags. These data indicate that while seasonal changes in testis sperm content and morphology do occur and pattern antler cycles in the axis stag, these changes are less pronounced than in more temperate species of cervids. These results support previous field-based observations regarding the capability of axis stags in Texas to maintain testicular function throughout the year regardless of antler status. Nevertheless, additional investigations are needed to further assess the breeding potential (i.e. fertility) and libido of axis stags relative to antler status and season.
Temporal Transcriptomic Analysis as Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough Transitions into Stationary Phase during Electron Donor Depletion

Desulfovibrio vulgaris was cultivated in a defined medium, and biomass was sampled for approximately 70 h to characterize the shifts in gene expression as cells transitioned from the exponential to the stationary phase during electron donor depletion. In addition to temporal transcriptomics, total protein, carbohydrate, lactate, acetate, and sulfate levels were measured. The microarray data were examined for statistically significant expression changes, hierarchical cluster analysis, and promoter element prediction and were validated by quantitative PCR. As the cells transitioned from the exponential phase to the stationary phase, a majority of the down-expressed genes were involved in translation and transcription, and this trend continued at the remaining times. There were general increases in relative expression for intracellular trafficking and secretion, ion transport, and coenzyme metabolism as the cells entered the stationary phase. As expected, the DNA replication machinery was down-expressed, and the expression of genes involved in DNA repair increased during the stationary phase. Genes involved in amino acid acquisition, carbohydrate metabolism, energy production, and cell envelope biogenesis did not exhibit uniform transcriptional responses. Interestingly, most phage-related genes were up-expressed at the onset of the stationary phase. This result suggested that nutrient depletion may affect community dynamics and DNA transfer mechanisms of sulfate-reducing bacteria via the phage cycle. The putative feoAB system (in addition to other presumptive iron metabolism genes) was significantly up-expressed, and this suggested the possible importance of Fe2+ acquisition under metal-reducing conditions. The expression of a large subset of carbohydrate-related genes was altered, and the total cellular carbohydrate levels declined during the growth phase transition. Interestingly, the D. vulgaris genome does not contain a putative rpoS gene, a common attribute of the δ-Proteobacteria genomes sequenced to date, and the transcription profiles of other putative rpo genes were not significantly altered. Our results indicated that in addition to expected changes (e.g., energy conversion, protein turnover, translation, transcription, and DNA replication and repair), genes related to phage, stress response, carbohydrate flux, the outer envelope, and iron homeostasis played important roles as D. vulgaris cells experienced electron donor depletion.
The re-establishment of synaptic transmission by regenerating optic axons in goldfish: Time course and effects of blocking activity by intraocular injection of tetrodotoxin

Intraocular injections of tetrodotoxin were used to block activity for 27 days in normal fish and for the first 27 or 31 days of regeneration in fish with one optic nerve crushed. Synaptic activity was then assessed by a current source-density analysis of field potentials evoked by optic nerve shock at different times following the TFX treatment. In normal fish, the lack of activity for 4 weeks had no significant effect on the maintenance ofsynaptic strength. Likewise, in fish with nerve crush, lack of activity did not prevent the regenerating optic fibers from forming synapses that were nearly as effective as those formed in controls injected with the citrate buffer vehicle. The earliest synapses were formed at the rostromedial comer of the tectum (where the tract enters) at 20 days after nerve crush, when fibers had not yet reached the caudal areas. By 28 days synaptic potentials could be recorded everywhere on the surface of the tectum in both controls and TTX injected fish. However, the latency of the responses with TTX were longer, suggesting a smaller caliber of fiber, which is consistent with an earlier finding of decreased axonal transport in TTX fish 6. Maturation of the regenerating fibers proceeded slowly in both TFX and control fish. After more than 5 months, the projections were nearly normal but still not completely normal.
New Advances in Childhood Urinary Tract Infections

1. Candice E. Johnson, MD, PhD* 1. 2. *Professor of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Child Health Clinic, The Children’s Hospital, Denver, CO. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the primary factor that differentiates cystitis from pyelonephritis. 2. Determine the appropriate empiric antibiotic before culture sensitivity results are known and make necessary modifications in treatment when results become available. 3. Explain the circumstances when a child who has pyelonephritis should be admitted to the hospital. 4. Describe how to evaluate preschool and school-age children following urinary tract infections. 5. Delineate the natural history of reflux nephropathy and the procedure for detecting renal scars radiologically. Today’s clinicians know much more about the causes and prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs) than a decade ago, thanks to studies by pediatric urologists on vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and investigations by molecular biologists on virulence factors of coliforms. Advances in techniques of urinalysis have made more accurate diagnosis possible, thereby decreasing the incidence of misdiagnosis and allowing the clinician to evaluate only proven UTIs radiologically. New evidence shows that the radiologic studies may be performed during a brief hospital admission or as soon as practical on an outpatient basis, eliminating the previously recommended 4- to 6-week waiting period during which many children were lost to follow-up. The goal of research on UTIs is to understand how normal flora of the human intestine invade the bladder and ascend to infect the kidneys. This may permit development of a vaccine for high-risk individuals. The coliform bacteria isolated from urine can be shown to have colonized the perineum of women and the prepuce of male infants for several weeks before causing infection, but only certain organisms cause UTI, implying that virulence factors allow colonization to become infection. ### BACTERIAL VIRULENCE FACTORS In the late 1980s, studies at Dr Svanborg-Eden’s laboratory in Goteborg, Sweden, demonstrated that adhesive molecules on the tip of pili in some Escherichia coli strains bind to human uroepithelial cells. These pili were …
Practitioners' perceptions of yoga's positive and negative effects: Results of a National United States survey.

Summary Objectives Yoga is becoming increasingly popular, yet little information is available regarding practitioners' perceptions of effects of their practice. This study aimed to characterize perceptions of both positive and negative changes practitioners reported in physical and psychosocial domains. Design Cross-sectional internet-based survey. Participants Yoga practitioners (N = 542, including 162 teachers) recruited via email and flyers sent to yoga studios across the United States (US). Participants ranged in age from 18 to 85 years (M = 44). Measures Participants rated the extent to which they experienced positive or negative change in physical health and psychosocial dimensions and then listed up to three positive and three negative effects of their practice. Results Both students and teachers reported moderately high levels of positive physical changes and psychosocial changes, although teachers generally reported more positive changes. Few negative changes were reported. In open-ended responses, the most commonly reported positive effects were general health and fitness and relaxation. Most commonly reported negative effects were injuries, soreness, emotional triggers/irritability, and expense. Conclusions Findings suggest that yoga practitioners generally perceive high levels of positive changes, but some also experience adverse effects. Future research should assess subjective experiences of change alongside more objective measures of improvement.
Revision of Prior Failed/Recurrent Pectus Excavatum Surgery

Recurrence of pectus excavatum deformities occurs after both open and MIRPE. Recurrence risks are also based on multiple factors and differ based on the initial repair procedure. Identifying the contributing factors to a previous procedure’s failure is critical to proper repair and prevention of another recurrence. Each case must be taken on an individual basis and is contingent on the patient’s anatomy and previous repair technique. A combination of surgical techniques may be necessary in to successful repair some patients.
Maternal distress and child neuroendocrine and immune regulation

Abstract Rationale Neuroendocrine-immune regulation is essential for maintaining health. Early-life adversity may cause dysregulation in the neuroendocrine-immune network through repeated activation of the stress response, thereby increasing disease risk. Objective This paper examined the extent to which maternal psychological well-being moderates neuroendocrine-immune relations in children. Methods We used data from a laboratory-based study of mothers and their five-year old children ( n = 125 mother–child pairs) conducted from 2011 to 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland. Child saliva was assayed for markers of immune function (i.e., cytokines: interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity (i.e., cortisol). A composite score for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and parenting stress characterized maternal psychological distress. Multilevel mixed models examined the relationship between maternal psychological well-being and child neuroendocrine-immune relations. Results Significant cytokine × maternal distress interactions indicated that as maternal distress increased, expected inverse cytokine–cortisol relations within children became weaker for IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Sex-stratified models revealed that these interactions were only significant among girls. Among boys, there were inverse cytokine–cortisol relations for all cytokines, and, while in the same direction as observed among girls, the cytokine × maternal distress interactions were non-significant. Conclusion The findings suggest that maternal distress is associated with child neuroendocrine-immune relations in saliva and may alter the sensitivity of inflammatory immune processes to cortisol's inhibitory effects. This desensitization may place the child at risk for inflammatory diseases. The findings support efforts for the early detection and treatment of at-risk mothers to protect maternal and child health and well-being.
Labelling of antibodies by 5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalene sulfonyl chloride, its effect on antigen-antibody reactions.

Summary and conclusionProperties of the fluorescent dye DNS for labelling proteins have been described. Investigations of conditions of DNS binding to serum proteins revealed ratios of 3-4 M DNS/M gamma-globulin and about 7 M DNS/M albumin. Dealing with the use of DNS in immunochemistry, experiments have been carried out with the ADH-rabbit antiserum system, measuring enzyme inhibition by the Ab. Labelling of Ab with DNS did not affect rate of formation of Ag-Ab complex and had no influence on quantity of formed precipitate. The reported data suggest that because DNS does not affect the Ag-Ab reaction, it can be successfully applied in histochemical studies.
Unpublished Opinions: A Working Bibliography

Federal and state intermediate courts of appeals have rules that enable them to designate some dispositions to be unpublished. They aren't literally unpublished: the texts are distributed in looseleaf services and related sets, in West's Federal Appendix, on court websites, and in online research services, such as LexisNexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law. Still, the courts say that the cases are "not for publication." And then they have rules saying that litigants can't cite them — or that the courts won't consider them to have precedential value even if they can be cited. Much has been written about unpublished opinions, discussing practical, policy, and constitutional issues. My working bibliography is not comprehensive, but it is substantial enough that I think some other researchers might find it helpful. (It currently lists just over 200 articles.)
Management of Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer

A 65-year-old female was found to have a palpable lymph node in the right posterior neck during an examination by a physician who was treating her for sinusitis. A fine needle aspiration of the lymph node showed pleomorphic, spindle-shaped cells, which stained positively for synaptophysin, carcinoembryonic antigen, and calcitonin. The patient was referred to a head and neck surgeon. The patient denied any compressive symptoms related to her neck lesion. She had no diarrhea or facial flushing. An ultrasound of the neck was performed and not only showed that the index 2 cm lymph node was suspicious without a fatty hilum, but also showed several other smaller suspicious nodes within the right neck, and a hypoechoic 3 cm right thyroid nodule with intranodular vascularity. No abnormal lymph nodes were noted within the left neck. A fine needle aspiration of the thyroid nodule yielded cells with spindled nuclei and plasmacytoid appearance. Nuclear pleomorphism and focal binucleation were also noted. Again, the cells stained positive for calcitonin. A serum calcitonin level was significantly elevated at 851 pg/mL (normal <15 pg/mL). Screening for the RET proto-oncogene was negative. Thyroidectomy and neck dissection were planned. Prior to her surgery the patient underwent a CT scan of the thorax and abdomen. The chest CT showed two tiny pulmonary nodules and the abdominal CT showed a hepatic lesion that was described as “incompletely assessed.” A repeat CT scan was performed which showed a 4 × 2 cm liver lesion that was described as filling in with time, consistent with a hemangioma. Smaller lesions were seen along the periphery of the liver that were described as consistent with “flash-filling hemangioma.”
Epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a significant burden of disease worldwide. It is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy with an estimated prevalence of 1.1 million cases. Numerous factors have been linked to the development of CRC. Non-modifiable factors associated with risk include age, family history, race, and the presence of inflammatory bowel disease. There are many modifiable factors, which also affect risk such as dietary habits, level of physical activity, tobacco abuse, and the use of certain medications such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and hormone replacement therapy. Prevention of CRC through the removal of adenomatous polyp and the rapid diagnosis of early stage CRC remain at the forefront of disease management.
Analysis of monitoring EHEC O157:H7 in food in Qinhuangdao City

Objective: To monitor and analyze contamination of food by E.coli O157:H7 in Qinhuangdao City.Methods:Enrich enterobacterium with EC Broth,adopt O157 immunomagnetic microspheres isolation technique,inoculate Qiangdao Haibo O157 colorable culture medium,prove through serology and bio-chemical experiments.Results:We detected 2 strains of E.coli O157:H7 in 220 shares of food samples,one was found on beef sample and another on mutton sample,the detectable rate was 0.9l%.We detected 2 strains of suspected E.coli O157:H7 that may be L coli O157:H7.Conclusion:There is contamination of food by E.coli O157:H7 in Qinhuangdao,which should be monitored in long term.The monitoring and identification of L E.coli O157:H7 should be enhanced.
Mechanogated channels in Xenopus oocytes: different gating modes enable a channel to switch from a phasic to a tonic mechanotransducer.

Critical to the survival of any cell is its ability to sense and respond appropriately to changes in its environment. In the case of the mechanical environment, there are both static and dynamic components that the cell may be required to selectively detect. Such detection takes place in the presence of a dynamic background of mechanical stimulation arising from Brownian motion, gravitational force, and various forces generated within a cell (e.g., due to molecular motors and cycles of cytoskeletal polymerization and depolymerization) that maintain cell shape and also mediate shape changes during growth and adhesion. In addition to such background forces, a cell may experience other mechanical perturbations, ranging from steady indentations to highfrequency vibrations, and from osmotic challenges to fluid shear stresses. Detection and appropriate responses to such perturbations may be critical for the function and, perhaps, survival of the cell. Therefore, cells require biological mechanotransducers that can extract specific information regarding relevant mechanical stimuli while filtering out irrelevant stimuli. A variety of mechanosensitive processes have been identified including (i) mechanosensitive enzymes such as adenylate cyclase (Watson, 1990) and phospholipase A2 (Jukka et al., 1995), (ii) mechanosensitive transmitter release (Chen and Grinnell, 1995), (iii) mechanosensitive gene activation (Sadoshima et al., 1992), and (iv) the
The Cambridge Introduction to Chekhov: Chekhov in context

Two crucial historical events frame Chekhov's life, and between them they reveal much about the Russia in which he lived, practiced medicine, formed his opinions, and wrote his works. These were the Emancipation of the Serfs in 1861, a year after Chekhov's birth, and the Russian Revolution of 1905, a year after his death. Together they defined a Russia still heavily invested in a medieval past while on the precipice of revolutionary change; a Russia rooted in peasant agriculture but undergoing rapid urbanization and industrialization; a Russia ruled by an autocratic tsar but already devising the structures of Soviet communism. Just as Chekhov traced his own ancestry to servitude and shopkeeping, while coming to rub shoulders with industrialists and revolutionaries, so his Russia grew from a vast but remote feudal empire to a political powder keg that would rock the history of the twentieth century. The Emancipation of the Serfs was the most important of the reforms undertaken by Tsar Alexander II. Millions of peasants, who had formerly been bound to the lands on which they were born and which they cultivated for the benefit of wealthy landowners, were granted the rights of citizens and allowed to buy the land they worked. While this action had many complex long-term effects and did not, at one stroke of the pen, transform the lives of Russia's peasantry, it set in motion fundamental changes to Russia's feudal economy and gave the possibility of geographical and class mobility to a huge segment of the population.
Evidence-based recommendations for antimicrobial nasal washes in chronic rhinosinusitis.

BackgroundChronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) refractory to medical and surgical therapy is a difficult problem for patients and physicians. Topical antimicrobial nasal irrigations are commonly used for t...
PortSec 2.0: The next generation

The infrastructure systems at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach comprise the largest port complex within the United States, processing over forty percent of the nation's container traffic. Security within this port is critical to the regional and national economy. The University of Southern California's National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events, a Department of Homeland Security University Center of Excellence, has continued development of the Port Security Risk Assessment and Resource Management (PortSec) system to address a key challenge facing all port complexes - simultaneously increasing security, maximizing business throughput, and minimizing environmental impact. PortSec continues to focus on risk assessment from real-time intelligence sources for tactical operations. In this paper, ongoing advancements to PortSec, including the ability to interface with Unified Incident Command and Decision Support (UICDS) system, development of an economic impact model, and updates to the POLA/LB transportation model are reported.