cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on the disappearance of LH and FSH in the rat; a quantitative approach to adenohypophysial secretory kinetics.

The disappearances of circulating endogenous and exogenous FSH and endogenous LH in the rat were compared, using HCG-augmentation and ovarian ascorbic acid depletion assays. The studies of endogenous LH and FSH were done in previously castrated male and female rats. Exogenous FSH was studied after iv injection of NIH-FSH (ovine) into several types of rats: 1) long-term castrates of both sexes (with and without prior hypophysectomy); 2) intact males and females, and hypophysectomized males; 3) rats orchidectomized, spayed or sham-castrated only 2–3 min prior to injection; 4) intact and previously castrated rats, treated chronically with estrogen or androgen and hypo-physectomized 2–3 min before they were injected. The following findings emerged. 1) Endogenous LH activity disappears from the circulation of the castrated rat at least 4 times as rapidly as endogenous FSH activity. Half-lives averaged 30 (19–38) and 149 (96–239) min, respectively. 2) The exogenous FSH preparations disappeared more rapidly than...
Prolactin-induced aggression in female Peromyscus leucopus

Aggressiveness of female Peromyscus leucopus was markedly altered by manipulation of plasma prolactin levels. Following ovariectomy, females were non-aggressive. When ovariectomized females were injected with an intermediate dosage of prolactin, they became as aggressive as lactating females. To determine whether the aggressiveness of prolactin-injected females was due to increased prolactin levels or to increased adrenal secretion of progesterone, the experiment was repeated with females that were both adrenalactomized and ovariectomized. Similar trends were observed with adrenalectomized and ovariectomized females, although the differences were not as pronounced. These results suggest that there may be a synergistic action of prolactin and progesterone or some other adrenal hormone in stimulating aggressiveness of female P. leucopus.
Electron capture in slow collisions of multicharged ions with hydrogen atoms using merged beams

Absolute total electron-capture cross-section measurements are reported for collisions of O3+ and O4+ with atomic hydrogen in the energy range 1–1000 eV/amu using merged beams. The data are compared with available coupled-states theoretical calculations.
MACROSCOPIC BEHAVIOR OF ELECTRORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS: TECHNIQUES FOR MEASURING RESPONSE TIME

Two experimental methods, a dielectric spectroscopic technique and a channel flow technique, have been found to provide reasonable estimates of an ER fluid's response time. The dielectric data obtained for an ER fluid was adequately modeled using a well established Cole-Cole relationship for a symmetric distribution of relaxation times. A calculation of the particle's conductivity in the ER fluid also was found to be possible using the measured dielectric data. The response time obtained with the channel flow technique was in good agreement with the measured response time of a working ER fluid device.
Cultivation at 37°C enhances Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto infectivity for hamsters

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), the causative agent of Lyme disease in North America is transmitted to the mammalian host by ticks belonging to the genus, Ixodes. Antibodies to several spirochetal proteins, most notably outer surface protein C (OspC), have been observed in early infection in both humans and laboratory animals. Thus, the expression of these proteins have been postulated to play a role in tick transmission and spirochetal infectivity for the mammalian host. B. burgdorferi strain JMNT was induced to produce increased levels of OspC by cultivation in BSK medium at 37°C. To diminish expression of OspC, spirochetes were cultivated at 31°C. Spirochetes shifted down from 37°C to 31°C or up from 31°C to 37°C for 1 week contained equivalent amounts of OspC. To evaluate spirochetal infectivity, hamsters were inoculated subcutaneously with 1×104 or 1×106 spirochetes grown at the above-mentioned temperatures. Hamsters inoculated with spirochetes expressing high amounts of OspC all became infected, irrespective of the inoculum size. None of the hamsters inoculated with 1×104 spirochetes grown at 31°C or in cultures shifted down from 37°C to 31°C were infected. All infected hamsters, confirmed by isolation of spirochetes in ear and/or bladder cultures, had an antibody response to OspC. In contrast, all non-infected hamsters lacked antibodies to OspC. We conclude that cultivation of spirochetes at 37°C enhances their infectivity for hamsters. This study also suggests there is a correlation between enhancement of OspC expression and spirochetal infectivity for hamsters.
Constrained RLS algorithm for narrow band interference rejection from EEG signal during CES

The filtering of signals in the presence of a narrow-band interference noise is a common problem in biomedical signal processing. A double adaptive band-rejection filter is applied to an electroencephalographic (EEG) signal corrupted by a double narrow-band white Gaussian noise during cranial electrical stimulation (CES). The multiple adaptive IIR digital band-rejection filters are designed by the pole-zero placement on the unit circle method using a unique second-order filter structure. Multiple band-rejection filters (of order 2N) can be designed by cascading N second-order band-rejection filters. The coefficients of the multiple band-rejection filters are calculated by convoluting the coefficients of the second-order band-rejection filters. The pole-zero placement on the unit circle method relates the coefficients of the filter through fundamental coefficients that are assumed to be independent. These coefficients are updated through the recursive least-squares (RLS) algorithm. Unlike other RLS based multiple adaptive band-rejection filters, the new constrained RLS (CRLS) multiple adaptive HR band-rejection filter truly adapts its zeros and poles.
Treatment of aortic disease in patients with Marfan syndrome.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a heritable disorder of the connective tissue with a prevalence of ≈1 in 3000 to 5000 individuals. The condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner with complete penetrance but demonstrates variable expression with significant intra- and interfamilial variation. Approximately 25% of patients do not have a family history and represent sporadic, new mutations for the condition. The cardinal features of MFS involve the cardiovascular, ocular, and skeletal systems. The most life-threatening complication of MFS is thoracic aortic aneurysms leading to aortic dissection, rupture, or both. This article focuses on medical and surgical treatment of aortic disease in patients with MFS and addresses the treatment of aortic disease in children and pregnant women with the condition. The most common cardiovascular complication in patients with MFS is progressive aortic root enlargement initially occurring at the sinuses of Valsalva. Ascending aortic aneurysm can precipitate acute type A aortic dissection, aortic rupture, aortic regurgitation (AR), or all 3, and these complications were the primary cause of death before the advent of successful preventive therapies. Treatment of the aorta consists of regular imaging to detect and quantify progression of aortic dilation, β-adrenergic receptor antagonist therapy, and prophylactic aortic repair when the dilation reaches a sufficient size to threaten dissection or cause AR. Before the era of open-heart surgery, the majority of patients with MFS died prematurely of rupture of the aorta, with an average life expectancy of 45 years.1 The success of current medical and surgical treatment of aortic disease in MFS has substantially improved the average life expectancy, extending it up to 70 years.2,3 Cardiovascular manifestations in MFS also include valvular disease involving the mitral valve, aortic valve, or both. Mitral valve prolapse is the most prevalent valvular abnormality, affecting 35% to 100% of patients.4 Mitral …
Flow-Sequential Sector-Specific Lumped Algorithm for Water Network Calibration

As part of the Battle of the Water Calibration Networks (BWCN) an algorithm termed the Flowsequential Sector-specific Lumped Algorithm (FSL) is employed to determine a set of roughness values for each pipe and the user demands at every junction of the system used for the contest. The FSL algorithm for roughness determination lumps all pipes in each pressure zone (similar to given district metering areas) together and alters the roughness values proportionately as a whole. Fine tuning with the pipes adjacent to the known pressure nodes is the final step. This is done iteratively from the furthest upstream pressure zone to the furthest downstream pressure zone and repeated until a satisfactory agreement between predicted and measured value is attained. Age-dependent roughness values are initially assigned according to literature values. The network in the demand calibration phase of the study was handled as a whole. Demand values based on the monthly demands were provided, and a common residential diurnal pattern found in the literature was assigned as an initial value for the extended period simulation. The demand pattern was adjusted for select hours to calibrate the network to match the SCADA data. This was followed by the fine tuning of the demand pattern values. It was found that the calibration process resulted in mean absolute relative errors in pressure of approximately 0.1 when adjusting roughness values for calibration with fire flow tests and 0.21 for discharge and tank level values in the adjustment of demand values.
Coordination between water transport capacity, biomass growth, metabolic scaling and species stature in co-occurring shrub and tree species

The significance of xylem function and metabolic scaling theory begins from the idea that water transport is strongly coupled to growth rate. At the same time, coordination of water transport and growth seemingly should differ between plant functional types. We evaluated the relationships between water transport, growth and species stature in six species of co-occurring trees and shrubs. Within species, a strong proportionality between plant hydraulic conductance (K), sap flow (Q) and shoot biomass growth (G) was generally supported. Across species, however, trees grew more for a given K or Q than shrubs, indicating greater growth-based water-use efficiency (WUE) in trees. Trees also showed slower decline in relative growth rate (RGR) than shrubs, equivalent to a steeper G by mass (M) scaling exponent in trees (0.77‐0.98). The K and Q by M scaling exponents were common across all species (0.80, 0.82), suggesting that the steeper G scaling in trees reflects a size-dependent increase in their growth-based WUE. The common K and Q by M exponents were statistically consistent with the 0.75 of ideal scaling theory. A model based upon xylem anatomy and branching architecture consistently predicted the observed K by M scaling exponents but only when deviations from ideal symmetric branching were incorporated.
32P-Labeling Patterns in Rat Pancreatic Islets: Tissue Source of the Radiophosphate Released after Glucose Stimulation

Immediately after stimulation with glucose in vitro, isolated rat pancreatic islets prelabeled with [32P]orthophosphate release a pulse of [32P]orthophosphate into the media (the "phosphate flush"). Islets have been rapidly frozen before, during, and after this pulse to assess the concurrent changes in the distribution of tissue radioactivity. Under the present experimental conditions, approximately 90% of the islet radioactivity was soluble in perchloric acid (PCA-soluble) immediately before stimulation and slightly more than half of that was present as [32P]orthophosphate. The tissue pool of [32P]orthophosphate declined 55% and 62% after 7 and 14 min of stimulation which, respectively, incorporated the peak and the end of the heightened efflux of radioactivity. The net decrementa in tissue orthophosphate could account for all of the radioactivity which was released during the "phosphate flush." During the 14-min period of stimulation, labeled ATP and GTP (which had accounted for 13% and 4% of total PCA-soluble radioactivity before stimulation) increased 51% and 35%, respectively, and labeled ADP and AMP (which had accounted for 5.4% and 1.5% of PCA-soluble counts) fell 36% and 77%, respectively. Certain other PCA-soluble components, such as phosphorylcholine and phosphorylethanolamine, and total PCA-insoluble radioactivity were not demonstrably altered. The findings indicate that the "phosphate flush" originates from a labile pool of tissue orthophosphate. It remains to be established whether the simultaneous changes in the turnover of selected nucleotides are coupled to the translocation of orthophosphate or are mediated separately.
Social Categorization and the Perception of Groups and Group Differences

The classification of human beings into distinct groups is a fundamental feature of social perception. Problematic phenomena, such as prejudice, discrimination, and intergroup conflict, are commonly traced back to categorization. We explore the minimal conditions under which categorization occurs and the basic mechanisms by which it affects cognition and behavior. We show that comparisons between groups are not necessary for categorization, reveal the conditions under which people overestimate or underestimate differences between groups, and sketch a model showing how social categorization gives rise to differences in the evaluation of ingroups and outgroups and to differences in the accuracy of judgments of ingroups and outgroups. We conclude with reflections on intergroup conflict and the role of moral judgment in such conflicts.
Critical Micelle Concentration. A Transition Point for Micellar Size Distribution

Abstract The size distribution of aggregates in amphiphilar systems are computed on the basis of statistical thermodynamics. Numerical calculations have been carried out for alkyl glucosides and sodium alkyl sulfates. In these cases the computations show that the amphiphilar solution consists of single amphiphiles and only a narrow size range of aggregates. A critical concentration, defined earlier, corresponding to a transition in the shape of the micellar size distribution from a monotonic decreasing function to a function exhibiting extrema, is calculated. This critical concentration is a lower bound of the CMC's determined from sharp changes in the physical properties of the amphiphilar systems.
Primate-specific evolution of an LDLR enhancer

Sequence changes in regulatory regions have often been invoked to explain phenotypic divergence among species, but molecular examples of this have been difficult to obtain. In this study we identified an anthropoid primate-specific sequence element that contributed to the regulatory evolution of the low-density lipoprotein receptor. Using a combination of close and distant species genomic sequence comparisons coupled with in vivo and in vitro studies, we found that a functional cholesterol-sensing sequence motif arose and was fixed within a pre-existing enhancer in the common ancestor of anthropoid primates. Our study demonstrates one molecular mechanism by which ancestral mammalian regulatory elements can evolve to perform new functions in the primate lineage leading to human.
Caffeine attenuates the renal vascular response to angiotensin II infusion.

Non-modulation has been proposed as an intermediate phenotype in human essential hypertension. The trait is characterized by blunted aldosterone and renal plasma flow responses to short-term angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion. Elevated tissue Ang II levels or decreased tissue adenosine levels could account for this decreased sensitivity to Ang II. In support of the latter possibility, endogenous adenosine has been shown to contribute to the renal vasoconstrictive response to Ang II in animals. We therefore tested the hypothesis that endogenous adenosine contributes to modulation of renal plasma flow in sodium-replete humans. We examined the effect of long-term administration of the adenosine receptor antagonist caffeine on baseline renal plasma flow and on the renal plasma flow response to short-term Ang II infusion in six salt-replete normotensive subjects in a single-blind, placebo-controlled study. para-Aminohippurate clearance was used to assess renal plasma flow. Ang II was infused in graded doses (0.3 to 3 ng/kg per minute) in the presence and absence of caffeine (250 mg PO TID for 7 days). Blood pressure, plasma renin activity, Ang II, electrolytes, and para-aminohippurate clearance were measured before and after each dose of Ang II. Caffeine did not alter either baseline blood pressure or the blood pressure response to Ang II but did increase baseline plasma renin activity from 0.72 +/- 0.09 to 1.42 +/- 0.26 ng angiotensin I/mL per hour (P = .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Board-invited review: Peptide absorption and utilization: Implications for animal nutrition and health.

Over the last 50 yr, the study of intesti- nal peptide transport has rapidly evolved into a field with exciting nutritional and biomedical applications. In this review, we describe from a historical and cur- rent perspective intestinal peptide transport, the im- portance of peptides to whole-body nutrition, and the cloning and characterization of the intestinal peptide transporter, PepT1. We focus on the nutritional signifi- cance of peptide transport and relate these findings to livestock and poultry. Amino acids are transported into the enterocyte as free AA by a variety of AA transport- ers that vary in substrate specificity or as di- and trip- eptides by the peptide transporter, PepT1. Expression of PepT1 is largely restricted to the small intestine in most species; however, in ruminants, peptide transport and activity is observed in the rumen and omasum. The extent to which peptides are absorbed and utilized is still unclear. In ruminants, peptides make a contri- bution to the portal-drained visceral flux of total AA and are detected in circulating plasma. Peptides can be utilized by the mammary gland for milk protein synthesis and by a variety of other tissues. We discuss the factors known to regulate expression of PepT1 in- cluding development, diet, hormones, diurnal rhythm, and disease. Expression of PepT1 is detected during embryological stages in both birds and mammals and increases with age, a strategic event that allows for the immediate uptake of nutrients after hatch or birth. Both increasing levels of protein in the diet and dietary protein deficiencies are found to upregulate the peptide transporter. We also include in this review a discus- sion of the use of dietary peptides and potential alter- nate routes of nutrient delivery to the cell. Our goal is to impart to the reader the nutritional implications of peptide transport and dietary peptides and share dis- coveries that shed light on various biological processes, including rapid establishment of intestinal function in early neonates and maintenance of intestinal function during fasting, starvation, and disease states.
Size-limited filter banks for subband image compression

A size-limited filter bank (SLFB) is a maximally decimated filter bank operating on a finite length (duration) input signal resulting in subband components whose total number of independent samples is equal to the number of input samples. A theoretical framework for the design, analysis, and implementation of such filter banks resulting from applying FIR separable filter banks to finite length signals is presented. The concept of maximizing theoretical coding gain (TCG) using optimal bit allocation is generalized for this special case. Using TCG, the relative merits of various different SLFBs are addressed. >
Real-time knowledge-based support for air traffic management

Swissair, in collaboration with IBM, has developed a knowledge-based client/server system called Swissair Advanced Logical Tarmac Occupation (Salto). Salto is a real-time knowledge-based support system which is used at several airports to allocate aircraft to tarmac stands based on almost continuous updates from an existing host computer. The system alerts users to conflicts, proposes solutions, and plans for adjustments to flight schedules or special circumstances. >
Finite element analysis of temperature rise from an integrated 3-D intracardiac echo and ultrasound ablation transducer

A method for simulating the temperature rise due to acoustic heating from an ablation transducer is introduced. The size of lesions produced by this temperature rise is also modeled. First the intensity from the transducer is calculated using Field II. This intensity is scaled to a measured value and converted into acoustic heat generation. Finite element analysis is then used to find the temperature rise in tissue from this heat generation. The thermal dose is calculated and from that the size of any lesions may be predicted. We validate the model by comparing simulated results to experimental results from an ablation ring transducer. Temperatures were within 2/spl deg/C of the experiment after a 2 minute ablation. The simulation predicted a lesion size of 1.75 mm deep by 5.5 mm in diameter. The experimental average of four lesions was 1.75 mm deep by 4.6 mm in diameter. The model was then used to predict the temperatures and lesions created by an 86 element linear array transducer in various configurations.
Inadequacy of clinical trial designs and data to control for the confounding impact of race/ethnicity in response to treatment in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease characterized by a complex mix of genetics and gene-environment interactions. As compared with white Americans, African Americans are thought to have a lower risk for developing MS but a greater risk of disability and more opticospinal MS. Data show that MS in African Americans follows a more severe course than in white Americans. The 6-tiered multiple sclerosis severity scale–based analysis demonstrates that African ancestry is a risk factor for a more rapidly disabling disease course. 1 While MS is rare in native Africans, it can be associated with a higher risk of cane dependency, a shorter time to cane, and a shorter duration from symptom onset to diagnosis. 2 In one study, African American patients with MS admitted to US nursing homes were 6 years younger than white American patients with MS on admission, but more disabled. 3
Cold-Spotting: Linking Primary Care and Public Health to Create Communities of Solution

By providing enhanced primary care and social services to patients with high utilization of expensive emergency and hospital care, there is evidence that their health can improve and their costs can be lowered. This type of "hot-spotting" improves the care of individual patients. It may be that these patients live in communities with disintegrated social determinants of health, little community support, and poor access to primary care. These "cold spots" in the community may be amenable to interventions targeted at linking primary care and public health at broader community and population levels. Building local communities of solution that address the individual and population may help decrease these cold spots, thereby eliminating the hot spots as well.
Quantitative mass spectrometry of hemoglobin adducts.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the quantitative analysis of hemoglobin–carcinogen adducts in epidemiological samples rather than on adducts formed in vitro or by dosing experimental animals. In the latter cases, there is often a good deal of control over the amounts of material and the identities of the products, but in the former case, there is virtually none except in the selection of the populations to be studied and the amount of blood that can ethically be obtained from the participating individuals. Despite these constraints, adduct quantitation can be done with most high-quality modern gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) equipment capable of splitless or on-column injections and chemical ionization, especially electron-capture negative-ion che mical ionization (NICI or ECNI). The major differences from more routine GC–MS experiments arise from the fact that adduct analyses typically involve ultratrace quantitation of components present in unavoidably complex mixtures. Additionally, for epidemiological studies, the absolute amount of material may be limited, thus precluding reanalysis or additional concentration or cleanup.
Disorders of Impulse Control

Impulse control disorders are characterized by repetitive and dysregulated behaviors, often resulting in bodily harm or antisocial activities. Changes in the classification of these disorders in DSM-5 have separated these disorders into two distinct groups. Habit behaviors and disorders are now thought to be related to obsessive compulsive disorders (OCDs), while other disruptive and impulsive conditions are now grouped with other antisocial and oppositional disorders. Additionally, while research has identified effective treatments for some, others remain poorly understood.
Balancing the Duty to Treat Patients with Ebola Virus Disease with the Risks to Dialysis Personnel

In 2014, the author was invited to present at the American Society for Nephrology's annual conference in Philadelphia on the ethics of treating patients with Ebola virus disease. The argument was made that the status of health care workers, including nephrologists, was the dominant ethical standard that generated both the duty to treat and the conflicts between this commitment and other ethical commitments that arise in public health emergencies. Conflicts between duty to treat and personal safety, duty to community, and duty to colleagues were illustrated, and suggestions for designing ethics into medical practice were given. This article is a summary of that presentation.
Increased errors and decreased performance at night: A systematic review of the evidence concerning shift work and quality.

BACKGROUND: Shift workers have worse health outcomes than employees who work standard business hours. However, it is unclear how this poorer health shift may be related to employee work productivity. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the relationship between shift work and errors and performance. Searches of MEDLINE/PubMed, EBSCOhost, and CINAHL were conducted to identify articles that examined the relationship between shift work, errors, quality, productivity, and performance. All articles were assessed for study quality. RESULTS: A total of 435 abstracts were screened with 13 meeting inclusion criteria. Eight studies were rated to be of strong, methodological quality. Nine studies demonstrated a positive relationship that night shift workers committed more errors and had decreased performance. CONCLUSIONS: Night shift workers have worse health that may contribute to errors and decreased performance in the workplace.
Measuring the Southern Contribution to the Democratic Coalition

Measuring the southern contribution to the Democratic coalition is an important task. To measure this contribution one must choose appropriate data and the appropriate unit of analysis for studying party coalitions in the United States. Two recent studies of party coalitions use the National Election Studies to estimate the southern contribution to the Democratic party, and these studies illustrate the problems one may encounter. This note demonstrates two points. First, survey research results may lead to erroneous estimates and it is preferable, where possible, to rely upon official election statistics. Second, the contribution of demographic groups to party coalitions should be assessed within the context of the political rules that make such coalitions meaningful.
The emergence of a Galápagos shield volcano, Roca Redonda

Roca Redonda volcano is a mostly submarine shield volcano that rises nearly 3 km from the adjacent seafloor. Over twenty lava flows and palagonite tuff are exposed in a 60 meter high oblong outcrop above sea level, and several other flows are exposed in the shallow water surrounding the islet. Thick, slightly alkaline picritic flows form the base of the section. Thinner picrites interbedded with sparsely porphyritic alkali-olivine basaltic pahoehoe toes characterize the upper section. The subaerial section probably records the filling of a palagonite tuff cone with younger lavas. Numerous fumaroles that may have a magmatic component are present in the shallow ( MgO > 14%, high-Mg basalts with MgO of about 9%, and low-Mg basalts with MgO of about 6%. The Sr and Nd isotopic ratios of the three lava types are within analytical uncertainty. Olivine compositions indicate that the picrites are basaltic liquids that have accumulated olivine whose composition is in equilibrium with the host basaltic liquid. Apparently, basaltic magmas percolated through dunite and troctolite that had crystallized from slightly older Roca Redonda basaltic magma. Lavas from Roca Redonda have enriched trace element contents and isotopic ratios relative to nearby Wolf volcano, but they are quite similar to lavas from Cerro Azul and Ecuador volcanoes. The common characteristic of these volcanoes is that they lie on the periphery of the archipelago and are in a stage of subaerial growth. This suggests that Galapagos volcanoes may go through a juvenile alkaline stage before a mature tholeiitic stage, analogous to the Loihi stage of Hawaiian volcanism. A low 3He/4He ratio in olivine from one of the picrites indicates a small contribution by the Galapagos mantle plume.
Prospective evaluation of 24-hour urine profiles following bariatric surgery in a modern comprehensive care bariatric clinic.

AIMS To prospectively examine the effect of modern bariatric surgery on 24-hour urine parameters in a comprehensive care bariatric practice (CCBP). MATERIALS AND METHODS 47 consecutive patients in our CCBP underwent serum and 24-hour urine analysis pre-operatively, and 30 returned at 12 months for repeat testing. Paired comparisons for serum metabolite and 24-hour urine measures were performed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test for continuous variables and McNemar's test for categorical variables. Statistical tests were two-sided, with threshold of significance set at p = 0.05. RESULTS All 30 patients with pre-operative and 12-month follow-up analysis were free of stone events. 20 (67%) had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 6 (20%) had laparoscopic gastric banding (LGB), and 4 (13%)h ad laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). 24-hour urinary parameters were available for 27 patients. Median urine oxalate (mmol) was 0.29 pre-operatively and 0.21 at 12 months (p = 0.048). Median urine calcium (mg) was 143 pre-operatively and 180 at 12 months (p = 0.11). Median citrate excretion was 527 pre-operatively and 782 at 12 months (p = 0.22). Median serum creatinine was 0.7 pre-operatively and 0.8 at 12 months (p < 0.001). These trends were preserved with the exclusion of LGB and LSG patients. CONCLUSIONS Modern bariatric surgery (RYGB, LGB, and LSG) as part of a CCBP can still demonstrate alterations of select urinary parameters (particularly oxalate and citrate) in select patients associated with an increased risk of urolithiasis at 1 year follow-up.
Man, Monkey, and Blindsight

The visual function that survives damage to the primary visual cortex (V1) in humans is often unaccompanied by awareness. This type of residual vision, called “blindsight,” has raised considerable interest because it implies a separation of conscious from unconscious vision mechanisms. The monkey visual system has proven to be a useful model in elucidating the possible neural mechanisms of residual vision and blindsight in humans. Clear similarities, however, between the phenomenology of human and monkey residual vision have only recently become evident. This article summarizes parallels between residual vision in monkeys and humans with damage to V1. These parallels Include the tendency of the remaining vision to require forced-choice testing and the fact that more robust residual vision remains when V1 damage is sustained early in life. NEUROSCIENTIST 4:227–230
Endoscopic sinonasal surgery in the management of primary headaches

Primary headaches (migraine, cluster, tension-type) are common disorders thought to be unrelated to nasal and sinus abnormalities. We present data on 19 patients with refractory primary headaches in the absence of significant sinus symptoms. The majority of patients responded with decreased pain to office application of nasal anaesthesia. A high prevalence of sinonasal abnormalities was found on coronal CT scans. Seventy-nine per cent responded with either decreased pain severity or headache frequency after endoscopic sinonasal surgery. We discuss possible underlying mechanisms to explain these findings.
On Humanist Education of High-Level College Athletes

Great attention has been paid to humanist education in modern society. But, little is concerned with the reinforcement of humanist education of high-level college athletes in researches available. The quiddity of humanist education is analyzed in this essay, and the writer's opinions and suggestions to humanist education of high-level college athletes are also advanced in an attempt to establish theoretical foundation for the development of the special domain-physical education in China and make it lead athletics of our country to a higher level.
Study on thermal characteristics of Nd∶YAG lasers under thermally boosted pumping

Thermally boosted pumping scheme is adopted,pulse laser emission successfully is demonstrated in a slab Nd∶YAG crystal under LD thermally boosted pumping at 885 nm.Theoretical analysis of thermally boosted pumping has been done according to particle transition,experimental comparing between 885 nm thermally boosted pumping and 802 nm traditional pumping has been done.The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency has increased 26% than traditional pumping,and heat generated is about 23% less than traditional pumping.Results reveals that thermally boosted pumping scheme has more advantage in thermal characteristics than traditional pumping scheme.
The effect of AGM-1470 in an improved intracranial 9L gliosarcoma rat model.

AbstractAngiogenesis is a process fundamental to the growth of many solid tumours. Agents that inhibit angiogenesis may have a role in preventing tumour growth. AGM-1470, a synthetic analogue of fumagillin, has been shown to inhibit tumour growth in several extracranial solid tumour models. Its use has been reported to have minimal side effects. No studies have been reported using AGM-1470 in the treatment of an intracranial tumour. To determine the effect of AGM-1470 on an intracranial glial tumour, we used an improved implantation technique to place 80,000 9L tumour cells into the right caudate nucleus of 25 male Fischer 344 rats. Starting on the first post-implantation day; 12 animals received 30 mg kg–1 AGM-1470 via intraperitoneal injection every other day until death. Thirteen control animals received vehicle only. Evidence of intracranial tumour was.apparent in 22/23 animals (96%). All animals treated with AGM-1470 experienced a progressive and significant weight loss when compared to controls. At ...
Binocular Measures of Visual Acuity and Visual Field versus Binocular Approximations

Purpose To assess the relationship of binocular visual function tests with binocular approximations using data from the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS). Design Case series based on existing data from a clinical trial. Participants Six hundred seven patients with newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma from the CIGTS. Methods Monocular visual field (VF) and visual acuity (VA) tests were performed at baseline and every 6 months thereafter. Binocular tests of visual function (Esterman VF score, binocular VA) were added to the CIGTS protocol 3 years into the study. The binocular approximations of binocular visual function were better or worse eye, average eye, better or worse location, and binocular summation or pointwise binocular summation. Associations between binocular tests and binocular approximations to represent binocular visual function were assessed with Pearson's correlations ( r ), as was the relationship between vision-related quality of life (VR QOL; Visual Activities Questionnaire [VAQ] and the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire [NEI VFQ-25]) and binocular tests or binocular approximations of visual function. Main Outcome Measures Binocular visual function (VF and VA) and VR QOL. Results Five hundred seventy-five patients underwent at least 1 binocular visual function test. The Esterman score was correlated significantly with all binocular approximations of VF, with r values ranging from 0.31 (worse-eye mean deviation [MD]) to 0.42 (better-eye MD; P r values ranging from 0.65 (worse-eye VA) to 0.80 (binocular summation; P r = −0.14 to −0.25; P r = −0.07 to −0.21) were weaker in all subscales than those with better-eye, average-eye, and binocular summation of VA ( r = −0.12 to −0.25), but not different from worse-eye values. These trends also were found in relevant subscales of the NEI VFQ-25. Conclusions We found limited benefit in binocular testing of VA in the clinical setting as a means of approximating a patient's reported visual functioning. In contrast, we found some benefit in performing binocular VF testing, because the results correlated more closely with reported functioning than binocular approximations.
Emergency incarcerated obturator hernia repair with biologic mesh in a male patient after ipsilateral hip disarticulation: A case report.

Introduction An obturator hernia is an uncommon form of abdominal hernia that is difficult to diagnose due to its non-distinct presentation. This case investigates an emergency treatment of an obturator hernia presenting in a patient with an ipsilateral hip disarticulation in a 266-bed community hospital.
Techno-economic study of hydrogen production using CSP technology

Abstract There are different processes for hydrogen production and different sources of energy could be used to drive these processes. However, a hydrogen production technique won't insure market penetration unless it succeeds in securing the economic competitiveness. In the present work, techno-economic study of the solar-electrolysis based hydrogen production techniques is carried out. The present study is limited to the case of hydrogen production using a hybrid solar parabolic trough-gas power plant-electrolysis system. The effect on hydrogen production cost of different factors, such the direct normal irradiance and the solar fraction are investigated. This technique of hydrogen production is considered for the case of Algeria. In order to determine the effect of the climatic conditions on the cost of hydrogen production, two different sites have been chosen: one in Northern Algeria and the other one in Southern Algeria. The results indicate that the cost of hydrogen production is dominated by the cost of hydrogen related to the cost of energy production. This cost is highly dependent on solar fraction and solar insolation. The results show also that solar CSP based hydrogen production technique is more competitive than the conventional PV based hydrogen production technique but as competitive or less competitive than CPV based hydrogen production technique.
Multivalent Recruitment of Human Argonaute by GW182.

Summary In miRNA-mediated gene silencing, the physical interaction between human Argonaute (hAgo) and GW182 (hGW182) is essential for facilitating the downstream silencing of the targeted mRNA. GW182 can interact with hAgo via three of the GW/WG repeats in its Argonaute-binding domain: motif-1, motif-2, and the hook motif. The structure of hAgo1 in complex with the hook motif of hGW182 reveals a "gate"-like interaction that is critical for GW182 docking into one of hAgo1's tryptophan-binding pockets. We show that hAgo1 and hAgo2 have a single GW182-binding site and that miRNA binding increases hAgo's affinity to GW182. With target binding occurring rapidly, this ensures that only mature RISC would be recruited for silencing. Finally, we show that hGW182 can recruit up to three copies of hAgo via its three GW motifs. This may explain the observed cooperativity in miRNA-mediated gene silencing.
The relationship between linear osteological and radiographic measurements of the human calcaneus and talus

Plain radiographs of the foot are a common form of examination in individuals when medical evaluation is indicated. Their availability makes them useful for studying human variation where large sample sizes are crucial. Calcaneal and talar morphology are critical in the understanding of human foot form and function, but few studies have examined the accuracy of linear measurements of these bones taken from radiographs. If linear measurements are to be used in quantitative analysis, their accuracy must first be demonstrated. For this study, fifty-four human feet from amputated limbs were imaged in standard radiographic views and skeletonized. Selected linear measurements were made on each skeletonized talus and calcaneus. Corresponding landmarks were identified on the radiographic images and the distances between these points determined. Using the measurements taken from the physical bone, the accuracy of the radiographic measurements was evaluated employing paired Student's t-tests and correlation analysis. Most measurements were not significantly different (p ≥ 0.05). Overall, the sagittal plane measurements were correlated (r2 > 0.61 – 0.88, all p < 0.001) with the radiographic measurements; transverse plane measurements less so (r2 = 0.20 -0.63, p < 0.001). These results demonstrate that measurements from radiographic images provide useful information concerning both the calcaneus and talus, indicating that radiographs of living individuals can be evaluated quantitatively and compared to osteology collections of modern humans. This information can be applied to the understanding of functional anatomy of the modern human foot, interpreting the hominin fossil pedal record, and establishing identification in forensic analysis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Abstract 446: Cellular Uptake of Glycol Chitosan Nanoparticles in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Fibroblasts in Response to the Collagen-Rich Microenvironment

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal lung disease characterized by the presence of persistent fibrotic fibroblasts which have apoptosis-resistant properties in response to cell death inducing conditions including type I collagen rich matrix. Although selective targeting of fibrotic fibroblasts is a feasible concept for the effective therapy of IPF, no reliable drug carriers for targeting IPF fibroblasts have been reported. To address this limitation, biodegradable glycol chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) were utilized as a carrier system for selective targeting of IPF patients-derived fibroblasts. Primary human lung fibroblasts from non-IPF and IPF patients (n = 6/group) were treated with various doses (50–450 μg/ml) of CNPs, and the subcellular localization of CNPs was examined as a function of time (3, 6, and 30 h) with a confocal microscope. CNPs were found in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts at 30 h post-treatment on tissue culture plates in the absence of collagen while the intracellular CNPs were clearly observed at 3 h post-treatment. Importantly, the cellular uptake of the CNPs was significantly increased at 3, 6, and 30 h post-treatment, when control and IPF fibroblasts were cultured on collagen, suggesting that fibroblast and collagen interaction promotes the CNP’s cellular internalization process. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolae-mediated endocytosis, and macropinocytosis were then suppressed by chlorpromazine (30 μM), genistein (100 μM), or amiloride (50 μM), respectively to elucidate the underlying mechanism of cellular uptake of CNPs in fibroblasts on the collagen matrix. Amiloride pre-treatment remarkably reduced the cellular internalization of CNPs in fibroblasts cultured on the collagen matrix. Furthermore, additional results also showed that sodium-hydrogen exchanger 1 (NHE-1) and PI3K play important roles in the increased cellular uptake of CNPs in the lung fibroblasts on the collagen matrix, suggesting that the subcellular localization of CNPs is largely due to the macropinocytosis. We propose that our approach can be a promising tactic for targeted delivery of therapeutics to the fibrotic fibroblasts residing in collagen matrix, which may lead to the improved treatment outcomes of this deadly disease.
Outcomes and patterns of disease progression in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients treated with nivolumab.

654Background: Nivolumab (nivo) has been approved for the treatment of refractory metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Data regarding the characteristics and outcomes of patients (pts) who progr...
Inadvertent self-induced macular laser injury in an 8-year-old girl.

An 8-year-old girl with a history of type 1 diabetes was referred for an evaluation of pigment changes in the right macula. Curvilinear hypopigmented streaks were noted in the fovea, with corresponding disruption of the photoreceptor layer on spectral domain optical coherence tomography. On further questioning, a history of laser pointer play 2 years prior was elicited, with acknowledgement of direct laser pointing in the child's eye. The family was advised to remove any commercial laser devices from the home, and observation of the pathology was recommended.
Fuzzy non-reducible descriptors

We present a model for supervised pattern recognition problems in which the features of patterns are fuzzy numbers. Non-Reducible Descriptors (NRDs) for such problems are obtained through the use of a threshold value, which is calculated based on the distance between patterns defined in a manner similar to Hamming distance between binary sequences. Boolean formulas are used to represent these Fuzzy NRDs. This model is useful in a wide variety of applications, and we illustrate its usefulness with a medical application.
Moderately Neutralizing Epitopes in Nonfunctional Regions Dominate the Antibody Response to Plasmodium falciparum EBA-140.

ABSTRACT Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte-binding antigen 140 (EBA-140) plays a role in tight junction formation during parasite invasion of red blood cells and is a potential vaccine candidate for malaria. Individuals in areas where malaria is endemic possess EBA-140-specific antibodies, and individuals with high antibody titers to this protein have a lower rate of reinfection by parasites. The red blood cell binding segment of EBA-140 is comprised of two Duffy-binding-like domains, called F1 and F2, that together create region II. The sialic acid-binding pocket of F1 is essential for binding, whereas the sialic acid-binding pocket in F2 appears dispensable. Here, we show that immunization of mice with the complete region II results in poorly neutralizing antibodies. In contrast, immunization of mice with the functionally relevant F1 domain of region II results in antibodies that confer a 2-fold increase in parasite neutralization compared to that of the F2 domain. Epitope mapping of diverse F1 and F2 monoclonal antibodies revealed that the functionally relevant F1 sialic acid-binding pocket is a privileged site inaccessible to antibodies, that the F2 sialic acid-binding pocket contains a nonneutralizing epitope, and that two additional epitopes reside in F1 on the opposite face from the sialic acid-binding pocket. These studies indicate that focusing the immune response to the functionally important F1 sialic acid binding pocket improves the protective immune response of EBA-140. These results have implications for improving future vaccine designs and emphasize the importance of structural vaccinology for malaria.