cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders Among Elective Plastic Surgery Patients

Purpose: Psychiatric disorder is one of the predictors of poor outcome in cosmetic plastic surgery patients. A US study in 1960 showed that 72.4% of 98 cosmetic plastic surgery patients had a psychiatric disorder. In our study, we predict that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders will be statistically significant among patients seeking elective plastic surgery in comparison with the general US population. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review study of 1000 adult patients seeking elective plastic surgery at The University of Kansas Medical Center Plastic Surgery Department from 2011 to 2016. Results: From 1000 patients seeking elective plastic surgery procedure, 441 (44.1%) patients have or had a history of psychiatric disorder. Most common psychiatric disorders were major depressive disorder (n = 223; 50.6%) and generalized anxiety disorder (n = 145; 32.9%). Conclusion: Our study indicates that psychiatric disorders are prevalent in patients seeking elective plastic surgery at our institution. Anxiety and depression were the most common diagnoses, and this is possibly due to these being the most common psychiatric disorders in the US population. Results highlight the importance of provider vigilance for psychiatric patients seeking elective plastic surgery.
Derivation of a metabolic signature associated with bacterial meningitis in infants.

Diagnosis of bacterial meningitis (BM) is challenging in newborn infants. Presently, biomarkers of BM have limited diagnostic accuracy. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metabolites may be a useful diagnostic tool in BM. In a nested case–control study, we examined >400 metabolites in CSF of uninfected infants and infants with culture-confirmed BM using gas and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Preterm and full-term infants in a Level III or IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were prospectively enrolled when evaluated for serious bacterial infection. Over 200 CSF metabolites significantly differed in uninfected infants and infants with BM. Using machine learning, we found that as few as 6 metabolites distinguished infants with BM from uninfected infants in this pilot cohort. Further analysis demonstrated three metabolites associated with Group B Streptococcal meningitis. We report the first comprehensive metabolic analysis of CSF in infants with BM. In our pilot cohort, we derived a metabolic signature that predicted the presence or absence of BM, irrespective of gestational age, postnatal age, sex, race and ethnicity, presence of neurosurgical hardware, white blood cell count in CSF, and red blood cell contamination in CSF. Metabolic analysis may aid diagnosis of BM and facilitate clinical decision-making in infants.
Targets and Antibody Formats for Immunotherapy of Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a malignant embryonal tumor of the sympathetic nervous system that is most commonly diagnosed in the abdomen, often presenting with signs and symptoms of metastatic spread. Three decades ago, high-risk NB metastatic to bone and bone marrow in children was not curable. Today, with multimodality treatment, 50% of these patients will survive, but most suffer from debilitating treatment-related complications. Novel targeted therapies to improve cure rates while minimizing toxicities are urgently needed. Recent molecular discoveries in oncology have spawned the development of an impressive array of targeted therapies for adult cancers, yet the paucity of recurrent somatic mutations or activated oncogenes in pediatric cancers poses a major challenge to the evolving paradigm of personalized medicine. Although low tumor mutational burden is a major hurdle for immune checkpoint inhibitors, an immature or impaired immune system and inhibitory tumor microenvironment can further complicate the prospects for successful immunotherapy. In this regard, despite the poor immunogenic properties of NB, the success of antibody-based immunotherapy and radioimmunotherapy directed at single targets (eg, GD2 and B7-H3) is both encouraging and surprising, given that most solid tumor antibodies that use Fc-dependent mechanisms or radioimmunotargeting have largely failed. Here, we summarize the current information on the immunologic properties of this tumor, its potential immunotherapeutic targets, and novel antibody-based strategies on the horizon.
Long-run purchasing power parity redux

Abstract We test for long-run covariability between nominal exchange rate depreciation and inflation differentials to provide a new perspective on long-run Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). The method directly tests Cassel’s concept of relative PPP and is more robust to departures from exact unit roots in nominal exchange rates or relative prices than standard unit root and cointegration tests for PPP. The central result of the paper is that the 90 percent confidence interval for (1) the long-run correlation coefficient is above zero and (2) the long-run linear regression coefficient contains one and, therefore, long-run PPP cannot be rejected for 9 of the 16 countries. For six of the countries, adding a third criterion that the confidence interval for the long-run linear regression coefficient have relatively narrow bands provides strong evidence of long-run PPP. The evidence of long-run PPP is much stronger for high inflation/high depreciation countries than for low inflation/low depreciation countries.
Parenting Interventions and Secondary Outcomes Related to Maternal Mental Health: A Systematic Review.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can have far reaching negative impact on both maternal mental health and child growth and development. Multimodal group parenting programs have been shown to improve maternal mental health symptoms however, they are often costly to provide and not accessible to many mothers, especially those mothers suffering from mental health symptoms. Therefore, the authors sought to answer the following question by undertaking a systematic review of the literature: are parenting interventions aimed at improving maternal-child interaction also a way to address mental health symptoms (i.e. depression, anxiety, stress) in mothers? The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. An online platform that supports the systematic review process and quality assessment according to Cochrane guidelines, Covidence, was used in conjunction with an adapted extraction tool to identify relevant studies and extract data for analysis. 11 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. There was great heterogeneity between study interventions and measurement of outcomes for maternal mental health symptoms which precluded meta-analysis. Studies reviewed did not demonstrate consistent evidence to recommend that parenting interventions leads to improvement in maternal mental health symptoms for depression, anxiety or stress. However, there was evidence that participating in parenting programs does not worsen these symptoms and some encouraging evidence that alternative delivery methods, beyond face to face, could, with more research, lead to more financially feasible and sustainable models of delivery of these types of interventions in the future.
She Is Weeping: An Intellectual History of Racialized Slavery and Emotions in the Atlantic World

Dannelle Gutarra Cordero's expansive study incorporates writers, cultural figures and intellectuals from antiquity to the present day to analyze how discourses on emotion serve to create and maintain White supremacy and racism. Throughout history, scientific theories have played a vital role in the accumulation of power over colonized and racialized people. Scientific intellectual discourses on race, gender, and sexuality characterized Blackness as emotionally distinct in both deficiency and excess, a contrast with the emotional benevolence accorded to Whiteness. Ideas on racialized emotions have simultaneously driven the development of devastating body politics by enslaving structures of power. Bold and thought provoking, She Is Weeping provides a new understanding of racialized emotions in the Atlantic World, and how these discourses proved instrumental to the rise of slavery and racial capitalism, racialized sexual violence, and the expansion of the carceral state.
Efficient Optimization-Based Falsification of Cyber-Physical Systems with Multiple Conjunctive Requirements

Optimization-based falsification, or search-based testing, is a method of automatic test generation for Cyber-Physical System (CPS) safety evaluation. CPS safety evaluation is guided by high level system requirements that are expressed in Signal Temporal Logic (STL). Trajectories from executed CPS simulations are evaluated against STL requirements using satisfaction robustness as a quantitative metric. In particular, robustness is the distance metric between the simulated system trajectory, associated to a specific input, and the known unsafe set, i.e., regions of the search space that violate the requirements. Identification of violations can be formulated as an optimization problem, where inputs that minimize the robustness function are of interest. In fact, an input falsifies a requirement if the associated robustness is negative. In this work, specifically, we consider the case where multiple requirements determine the unsafe set. Due to the computational burden of executing CPS simulations, practitioners often test all system requirements simultaneously by combining the requirement components and obtaining so-called “conjunctive requirements”. Conjunctive requirements can challenge optimization-based falsification approaches due to the fact that the robustness function may “mask” the contributions of individual conjunctive requirement components. We propose a new algorithm, minimum Bayesian optimization (minBO), that deals with this problem by considering the contributions of each component of the conjunctive requirement. We show the advantages of the minBO optimization algorithm when applied to general non-linear non-convex optimization problems as well as when applied to realistic falsification applications.
Experimental Results for SDM Communication System Using Prism Based De-Multiplexer

We present the experimental setup and results for a prism-based de-multiplexer to spatially filter and route the two-channels from an SDM system operating at 1550nm at 11Gpbs data to separate detectors for subsequent detection and processing.
Alluvial Fan Dynamics – Revisiting the Field

This article contains a new critical review of six predominant themes that have evolved over the last 40 years related to studies of alluvial fan dynamism. The themes include the development of conceptual models, field experiments, physical models, numerical models, high-resolution mor- phometric analyses, and climate change scenarios. Each theme is presented independently, but as highlighted in our concluding statements there should be greater efforts placed on integrating sci- entists from these disparate approaches. A case study is also presented in support of the review and pertains to ongoing work at the Colorado Natural Debris Flow Laboratory near Buena Vista, CO, USA. The case study uses repeat high-resolution topographic data to assess the 2- and 3-dimen- sional changes that occurred on a fan surface. The case study presents new field information to expand, support, and refute findings from the six research themes related to alluvial fan dynamics. Also, the case study provides a medium by which we show the need get back to more field- oriented data acquisition and analyses.
Climate Change and the Representative Agent

The artifice of an infinitely-lived representative agent iscommonly invoked to balance the present costs and future benefitsof climate stabilization policies. Since actual economies arepopulated by overlapping generations of finite-lived persons,this approach begs important questions of welfare aggregation.This paper compares the results of representative agent andoverlapping generations models that are numerically calibratedbased on standard assumptions regarding climate--economyinteractions. Under two social choice rules -- Pareto efficiencyand classical utilitarianism -- the models generate closelysimilar simulation results. In the absence of policies toredistribute income between present and future generations,efficient rates of carbon dioxide emissions abatement rise from15 to 20% between the years 2000 and 2105. Under classicalutilitarianism, in contrast, optimal control rates rise from 48 to 79% this same period.
A matter of fairness.

Over the past century, workers’ compensation has become a central fixture in the American legal framework. The underlying premise of workers’ compensation is that employees injured while doing thei...
Extension of Pork Sausage Shelf Life Using Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), using 0.4% carbon monoxide(CO) and 99.6% carbon dioxide(CO2), for fresh pork sausage products can be a useful tool to extend product shelf life. Color retention, reduction in lipid oxidation rates and total microbial loads are positive contributions to an extended shelf life. Pre-rigor pork sausage in MAP resulted in greater shelf life improvement in terms of color retention than post-rigor pork sausage in MAP. The MAP packaging resulted in superior color life for both pre-rigor and post-rigor sausage compared with the control samples in conventional packaging. Increased purge was observed in the MAP packaging in comparison to the control, which was the only negative attribute observed for the MAP treatment.
The Effects of Other‐Oriented Perfectionism and Conscientiousness on Helping at Work

Workers high in other-oriented perfectionism have unreasonable standards for others and place considerable importance on others meeting these standards. Although other-oriented perfectionism is thought to be maladaptive, we investigated whether other-oriented perfectionists might help others achieve the high standards that they set for them by engaging in task-focused interpersonal citizenship behaviors (ICB). We suggest that the relationship between an individual's other-oriented perfectionism tendencies and his or her task-focused ICB is non-linear. Furthermore and in line with trait interactionist theory, we argue that an individual's conscientiousness moderates the other-oriented perfectionism–task focused ICB relationship. As hypothesised, data from 154 employees of a public sector organisation, using self-reports of personality and supervisor reports of task-focused ICB, revealed that increases in other-oriented perfectionism for workers high in conscientiousness generally led to those employees engaging in greater levels of task-focused ICB. However, there were diminishing returns at high levels of other-oriented perfectionism. The opposite was found amongst workers low in conscientiousness. Thus, we conclude that conscientiousness brings out a bright side of other-oriented perfectionism.
In defense of a constructive, information-based approach to decision theory

Since the middle of this century, the dominant prescriptive approach to decision theory has been a deductive viewpoint which is concerned with axioms of rational preference and their consequences. After summarizing important problems with the preference primitive, this paper argues for a constructive approach in which information is the foundation for decision-making. This approach poses comparability of uncertain acts as a question rather than an assumption. It is argued that, in general, neither preference nor subjective probability can be assumed given, and that these need to be generated by using the relevant information available to the decision-agent in a given situation. A specific constructive model is discussed and illustrated with a real example from this viewpoint.
Taylor’s Expansion

It was a great triumph in the early years of Calculus when Newton and others discovered that many known functions could be expressed as “polynomials of infinite order” or “power series,” with coefficients formed by elegant transparent laws. The geometrical series for 1/(1 − x) or 1/(1 + x2) $$\frac{1}{{1\; - \;x}} = 1 + x + {x^2} \cdots + {x^n} + \cdots $$ (1) $$\frac{1}{{1 + {x^2}}} = 1 - {x^2} + {x^4} - {x^6} + \cdots + {( - 1)^n}{x^{2n}} + \cdots $$ (1a) valid for the open interval |x| < 1, are prototypes (see Chapter 1, p. 67).
Manipulating Grazing Distribution

The goal of manipulation of grazing distribution is to obtain the maximum safe grazing use over as wide an area as possible without causing serious damage to any portion within it. Management plans must consider all natural, cultural, and management factors that affect site selection or avoidance by grazing animals. When grazing animals are not kept well distributed, the areas grazed too heavily as well as those grazed too lightly expand in size, while those areas receiving optimal use become smaller. To aid in selecting the appropriate tools of grazing distribution to fit ay given situation, this chapter offers a checklist in two parts. The first set includes the primary tools that have universal application; the second set includes the secondary tools that primarily have application in special situations. The recognition of critical areas ( areas on which special grazing safeguards are mandated) and the acceptance of sacrifice areas on the same grazing unit add materially to the complexity of executing and evaluating grazing management results.
Pursuit and achievement of leadership: A view from the top

There is no single formula for successful leadership or unique phenotype for successful leaders. There are, however, unifying principles and approaches that enhance the likelihood of success and fulfillment in leadership roles. Here we discuss the requirements for leadership positions in neurology and those personal qualities, management styles, priorities, and philosophical approaches that are likely to make individuals successful in such positions that serve to inform, mentor, and encourage the next generation of leaders in neurology. Ann Neurol 2014;76:784–788
Leveraging the International Economy of Intellectual Property

Most international intellectual property debates ignore the fundamental question of how to optimize the global environment for innovation, focusing instead on whether a particular policy benefits or harms a particular country. The cost of this misplaced focus is significant as states fight bitterly over how to divide fixed benefits, rather than seeking to grow social welfare through greater innovation. This missed opportunity is not a surprise, however, given the difficulty of trying to identify which intellectual property regimes will support greater innovation, a task that has proven impossible to achieve directly.This Article introduces a new empirical methodology that leverages international trade data in an effort to identify indirectly which intellectual property regimes are more likely to provide greater incentives to innovate globally. A country’s trade balance in high-innovation goods tends to dictate the country’s preferences for intellectual property rights regimes. Countries that export more innovation than they consume tend to favor strong intellectual property rights regimes so as to reap the greatest rents from others, while countries that import more innovation than they produce favor weaker intellectual property laws so as to take advantage of innovation by others. Neither type of country will favor intellectual property regimes that maximize global incentives to innovate. Countries that happen to produce and consume relatively equivalent value from high-innovation goods, on the other hand, will tend to have self-interested incentives for an intellectual property system that supports the greatest innovation possible. The method developed here presents an original system to try to identify such countries, providing new information and insight into the international innovation economy and intellectual property law.
Contribution of acetabular labrum to articulating surface area and femoral head coverage in adult hip joints: an anatomic study in cadavera.

The purpose of our study was to describe the gross anatomy of the adult acetabular labrum and to determine its contribution to the depth, surface area, and volume of the acetabulum. Fifty-five embalmed hips were studied. Each hip was disarticulated, and standardized measurements were taken. Calculations of the acetabular articulating surface area and volume, with and without the labrum, were performed based on these measurements. Average width of the acetabular labrum was 5.3 mm (SD, 2.6 mm). The labrum was wider anteriorly and superiorly than posteriorly. The surface area of the acetabulum without the labrum was 28.8 cm2; with the labrum, it was 36.8 cm2 (P < .0001). The volume of the acetabulum without the labrum was 31.5 cm3; with the labrum, it was 41.1 cm3 (P < .0001). There was no side-to-side difference in contribution of the labrum to either surface area or volume between right and left hips. Comparison of these indices for males and females showed statistically significant differences in absolute but not relative increases.
Ethnography as Work: Some Rules of Engagement

Ethnography is both a methodological approach to and an analytic perspective on social research. It has a long history and pedigree in organization and management studies and well beyond. Perhaps the most distinctive features of ethnography are its pragmatic orientations and its written products. As a way of responding to Tony Watson's essay, I look at three constitutive (and overlapping) tasks – fieldwork, headwork, and textwork – as a way to sketch out a few craft-like rules for ‘how things work’ within ethnographic circles. This is an enlargement of Tony's argument rather than a challenge. I conclude however with remarks on two areas (i.e. the native's point of view and the peripheral position of ethnography) where Tony and I seem to differ.
Equity and Empathy: Toward Racial and Educational Achievement in the Obama Era

Reflecting on the 2008 election, Prudence Carter challenges the popular notion that President Obama's victory is symbolic of a postracial society in the United States. Citing statistics about the opportunity gap that still exists in our nation's schools—as well as the recent Supreme Court cases that served to halt racial desegregation— Carter argues that we must continue to push for truly integrated schools, where black and Latino students are provided with the resources, high standards, and care to meet their full potential. Although she sees President Obama's victory as a symbol of national potential, Carter calls on all of us to work toward ending the "empathy gap" that exists both in and out of our nation's schools.
Isolation of LCM virus in an effort to adapt poliomyelitis virus to rodents.

In a brief note Milzer and Boyd1 reported on the adaptation of strains of poliomyelitis virus to rodents using autolyzed mouse brain. The hazard of finding neurotropic viruses common to rodents was recognized, but apparently none of these viruses was encountered in their study. In this laboratory we have attempted to adapt several strains of poliomyelitis virus to cotton rats and Swiss mice using the method described by Milzer and Boyd. Our efforts to produce poliomyelitis with these strains have been abortive. In one experiment an infectious agent causing encephalitis was recovered from inoculated mice. It is the
Unraveling the role of FoxOs in bone—Insights from mouse models

The FoxO subfamily of forkhead transcription factors plays a critical role in a variety of physiological processes including metabolism, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and protection from stress. FoxO activity is inhibited by growth factors and the insulin signaling pathways and stimulated by nutrient depletion and a plethora of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced post-translational modifications. Recent studies have uncovered a fundamental role for FoxOs in skeletal homeostasis. In cells of the osteoblast lineage, FoxOs modulate redox balance, protein synthesis, and differentiation through the activation of specific gene programs and interaction with other transcription factors and co-factors such as β-catenin, ATF-4, and Runx2. FoxO activation also attenuates osteoclastogenesis through both cell autonomous and indirect mechanisms. In this review I discuss recent advances in the understanding of FoxO specific actions in osteoblast progenitors, osteoblasts, and osteoclast, as well as the implications of FoxO activation for age-related skeletal involution.
The Mechanisms of the Inhibitory Effects of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on Bone Healing: A Concise Review

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use continues to expand at a remarkable rate due both to the broad spectrum of clinical applications for these medications and to the relatively recent introduction of the popular COX-2-selective inhibitors. The use of NSAIDs is particularly prevalent in patients with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. Reports of impaired bone healing associated with NSAID use, therefore, are a particular cause for concern. Animal and in vitro studies have demonstrated impaired bone healing in the presence of traditional NSAIDs, as measured by a variety of different parameters. More recently, initial studies investigating the effects of COX-2-selective inhibitors on bone healing have yielded similar results. With mounting evidence that NSAIDs do in fact interfere with proper bone healing in various animal models, questions have arisen regarding the potential mechanism through which NSAIDs produce this outcome and whether these results can be translated to clinical settings. A likely pathway for these observed effects results from an understanding of the steps involved in bone healing itself. These steps include an inflammatory response, bone resorption, and new bone formation. Investigations over the past several decades have elucidated a role for prostaglandins (PGs) in each of these areas. Specifically, PGs have been shown to elicit and participate in inflammatory responses, increase osteoclast activity and subsequent bone resorption, and increase osteoblast activity and new bone formation. This apparent integral role for PGs in the process of bone healing, coupled with the knowledge that NSAIDs act by inhibiting the production of PGs, results in an understanding of the likely mechanism through which NSAIDs impart their deleterious effects on bone healing. By inhibiting the COX enzymes and the subsequent production of PGs, NSAIDs not only achieve their desired anti-inflammatory effects but also inhibit the increased production of PGs that is necessary for bone healing to occur. Despite this understanding of the potential mechanism through which NSAIDs inhibit bone healing in a laboratory setting, few studies exist that show whether these inhibitory effects are also evident clinically. Thus, further studies will need to decipher whether similar inhibitory effects occur in a clinical setting.
The Capabilities Approach: A Framework to Understand and Enhance TANF Recipients’ Employability

This article reviews the capabilities approach to understand the life circumstances that affect the employability of “hard-to-employ” welfare (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families [TANF]) recipients. It reports research findings related to TANF recipients’ employment and presents key elements of the capabilities approach. It compares and contrasts functionings that impede and enhance TANF recipients’ employment. It finds that employability is influenced by seven of the 10 core functioning capabilities identified by Nussbaum. It recommends social workers assess and enhance TANF recipients’ employability by addressing all these seven functionings as appropriate with particular emphasis on practical reason, affiliation, and control over environment.
William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles

William Mulholland presided over the creation of a water system that forever changed the course of southern California's history. Mulholland, a self-taught engineer, was the chief architect of the Owens Valley Aqueduct - a project ranking in magnitude and daring with the Panama Canal - that brought water to semi-arid Los Angeles from the lush Owens Valley. The story of Los Angeles' quest for water is both famous and notorious: it has been the subject of the classic yet historically distorted movie Chinatown, as well as many other accounts. This first full-length biography of Mulholland challenges many of the prevailing versions of his life story and sheds new light on the history of Los Angeles and its relationship with its most prized resource: water. Catherine Mulholland, the engineer's granddaughter, provides insights into this story that family familiarity affords, and adds to our historical understanding with extensive primary research in sources such as Mulholland's recently uncovered office files, newspapers, and Department of Water and Power archives. She scrutinizes Mulholland's life - from his childhood in Ireland to his triumphant completion of the Owens Valley Aqueduct to the tragedy that ended his career. This vivid portrait of a rich chapter in the history of Los Angeles is enhanced with a generous selection of previously unpublished photographs. This is "Los Angeles Times" Best Nonfiction Book of 2000.
The value of parents’ concerns to detect and address developmental and behavioural problems

: Half of all children with disabilities are not identified before school entry. This precludes their participation in early intervention programs that have known benefit. Although screening tests can greatly improve detection rates, these have not been popular in primary care due to test length and time constraints, and difficulty managing children's behaviour. An alternative is to rely on information from parents. This review describes existing research on parents’ concerns about children's development and behaviour. Hand- and electronic-searches were made of journals indexed in the EMBASE, Medline and Psych-lit data bases between 1980 and 1998. Key words included ‘parents’ concerns’ and ‘parents’ complaints’. These terms were intersected with ‘development’ and ‘behaviour’. The search identified 30 articles which were grouped into the following categories: frequency of concerns, concerns about development/behavioural/emotional status, the meaning of concerns, influences on concerns including children's ages, health, and parents’ mental health status, eliciting concerns, how parents’ respond to concerns questions, and the accuracy of parents’ concerns. Parents, regardless of differences in education, socioeconomic status, and child-rearing experience, are able to raise concerns that accurately reflect children's developmental and behavioural status. However, concerns must be carefully and systematically elicited and interpreted according to available evidence. When this occurs, concerns have a high degree of accuracy in detecting developmental and behavioural problems and do so at levels that represent a substantial improvement over disability detection rates usually found in medical settings.
Mass Murder, Suicide, and Moral Development: Can We Separate the Adults from the Juveniles?:

Mass murder—the sudden, explosive killing of a group of people—when committed by adults often is followed by the offender committing suicide. Recently in the United States, frequent cases of mass murder are reported as committed by adolescents. However, among juvenile mass murderers, there are no reported suicides (or attempts) by the offenders. This article provides a typology of mass murderers and offers a dynamic interpretation of the development of conscience and moral decisional capacity in adult and juvenile offenders. Preventive measures are explored along with methodological techniques that may distinguish between adult and juvenile mass murderers in their propensity to commit suicide after the events.
Diagnosis of pancreas divisum by endoscopic ultrasonography.

Background and Study Aims: During pancreatobiliary imaging by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) at the authors' institution, it is customary to attempt to obtain the stack sign, where the bile duct and the pancreatic duct can be seen to run in parallel through the pancreatic head. We suspected that such a view may not be attainable in patients with pancreas divisum because of the short ventral pancreatic duct. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the presence of pancreas divisum could be suspected on the basis of EUS findings. Patients and Methods: The stack sign is obtained by positioning the echo endoscope in the long scope position with the transducer in the duodenal bulb. The balloon is then inflated and advanced snugly into the apex of the bulb. From this position, the bile duct (closest to the transducer) and the pancreatic duct can be seen to run in parallel through the pancreatic head. We attempted to obtain a stack sign during EUS examinations of six patients with pancreas divisum. EUS was done in these patients to look for evidence of chronic pancreatitis and the pancreas divisum was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde pancreatography. An attempt to obtain the stack sign was also made in 30 patients who had EUS for pancreatobiliary indications but did not have pancreas divisum. Results: In only two out of six patients with pancreas divisum (33 %) were we able to obtain a stack sign. This was significantly different from the rate of observation of a stack sign in 83.3 % (25/30) of patients who did not have pancreas divisum (P=0.04). Of the two patients with pancreas divisum in whom a stack sign was seen, the ventral duct was markedly dilated (6.6 mm) in one, and the other patient had an unusually large ventral pancreas. Conclusions: The absence of a stack sign during pancreatobiliary imaging by EUS may suggest the diagnosis of pancreas divisum.
Students Enrolled in an Introductory Gerontology Course: Their Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Sexual Expression in Older Adults

Little is known about younger adults’ attitudes towards age-related sexual changes and behaviors. Research using the Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale (ASKAS) (White, 1982) has been effective in determining knowledge and attitudes among the staff of long-term care facilities, nurses, undergraduate nursing students, health care educators, and physicians. There is a dearth of literature on the knowledge about and attitudes toward aging and sexuality among students’ emerging from an era of sexuality education focused heavily on abstinence-education. This study was conducted to determine the extent to which undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory gerontology course (n = 156) were knowledgeable about age-related changes in sexual expression; the role of political views on attitudes regarding aging and sexuality; relationships among prior sexuality education, knowledge, and attitudes regarding aging and sexuality; and differences in knowledge and attitudes between those with and without a...
Quantitative analysis of erythrocytes containing fetal hemoglobin (F cells) in children with sickle cell disease

Variation in the level of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) accounts for much of the clinical heterogeneity observed in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The HbF level has emerged as an important prognostic factor in both sickle cell pain and mortality, and a % HbF of 10-20% has been suggested as a threshold level for diminished clinical severity. The number of erythrocytes that contain HbF (termed F cells) may also be critically important, as F cells resist intravascular sickling and have preferential in vivo survival. Since F cells can be enumerated with high accuracy using flow cytometry methods, we prospectively studied a cohort of 242 children with SCD. Children with HbS and hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (S/HPFH) had essentially 100% F cells. In contrast, children with homozygous sickle cell anemia (HbSS), HbS/beta0 thalassemia, or HbS/beta+ thalassemia had significantly lower mean % F cell values (55.9, 61.6, and 51.3%, respectively; P < 0.001), and children with HbSC had even fewer F cells (27.0%; P < 0.001). There was a highly significant correlation between the % F cells and the log (% HbF), which was observed for the total population of children (r = 0.95, P < 0.001), as well as for each of the individual subgroups of children with HbSS (r = 0.94, P < 0.001), HbSC (r = 0.89, P < 0.001), or HbS/beta0 thalassemia and HbS/beta+ thalassemia (r = 0.95, P <0.001). This logarithmic correlation between % F cells and % HbF has not been previously described and has important implications for the pharmacologic manipulation of HbF in patients with SCD.
Li+-solvation/desolvation dictates interphasial processes on graphitic anode in Li ion cells

In any electrochemical device, the interface between electrolyte and electrode should be the only “legitimate” location where redox reactions happen. Particularly in Li ion batteries, these interfaces become “interphases” due to the reactivity of the electrode materials used, and they mainly consist of chemical species from the sacrificial decomposition of electrolyte components. Since the emergence of Li ion technology, it has been recognized that interphase on graphitic anodes, usually referred as SEI (solid electrolyte interphase) after its electrolyte attributes, is the key component supporting the reversibility of Li+-intercalation chemistry. Research attention focused on this component during the past two decades has led to substantial understanding about both its chemistry and mechanism. This article summarizes these progresses, and elaborates on the relatively recent insights, including the effect of Li+-solvation sheath structure on the interphasial processes at graphitic anode. A new strategy of forming a more desirable interphase is also discussed.
Depression in Cardiovascular Disease: From Awareness to Action

In this issue of Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, Drs. Bradley and Rumsfeld [1] provide a clear, contemporary review of the phenomenology, assessment, and treatment of depression in patients with heart disease. Their article adds to a large volume of such reviews written over the last 15 years. It should be clear at this point that depression in cardiac patients is common, underrecognized, persistent, and deadly. Furthermore, it is also increasingly clear that psychotherapy and antidepressant medications are well tolerated and generally effective in treating depression in this population. The question is, now what? Certainly, increasing recognition of the prevalence and toxic effects of depression is a start. In addition to reviews such as this one, the American Heart Association has taken a lead role in highlighting the issue of depression in cardiac patients, first in 2008 by recommending systematic screening of all cardiac patients [2], and then in 2014 by declaring depression a risk factor for poor prognosis following an acute coronary syndrome [3]. However, despite being a good first step, depression screening alone is at best ineffective and at worst associated with increased patient distress and greater clinician burden [4,5]. Furthermore, asking front-line clinicians to assess patients for depression, initiate treatment, and monitor and adjust such treatment may feel well beyond the scope of practice for many cardiologists. This is especially true given that most cases of major depression—in cardiac and non-cardiac patients—often require long trials and multiple adjustments of treatment before patients have substantial symptomatic and functional relief [6]. Furthermore, there is evidence that patients with significant medical conditions may be more
Molecules in Motion: From Sub-Nanoscale to Macroscale

Ruthenium polypyridine complexes comprising sulfoxide ligands show dramatic photochromic behavior based on phototriggered SO and OS isomerization. Quantum yields of isomerization can be large, indicating that the excited-state bond-breaking and bond-making reactions are efficient. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy reveals both adiabatic and non-adiabatic isomerization mechanisms. Incorporation of these complexes within polymer matrices leads to macroscopic bending of the polymer in an example of a direct transduction of photonic energy to mechanical energy.
Molecular cloning and characterization of a tumor-associated, growth-related, and time-keeping hydroquinone (NADH) oxidase (tNOX) of the HeLa cell surface

NOX proteins are growth-related cell surface proteins that catalyze both hydroquinone or NADH oxidation and protein disulfide interchange and exhibit prion-like properties. The two enzymatic activities alternate to generate a regular period length of about 24 min. Here we report the expression, cloning, and characterization of a tumor-associated NADH oxidase (tNOX). The cDNA sequence of 1830 bp is located on gene Xq25-26 with an open reading frame encoding 610 amino acids. The activities of the bacterially expressed tNOX oscillate with a period length of 22 min as is characteristic of tNOX activities in situ. The activities are inhibited completely by capsaicin, which represents a defining characteristic of tNOX activity. Functional motifs identified by site-directed mutagenesis within the C-terminal portion of the tNOX protein corresponding to the processed plasma membrane-associated form include quinone (capsaicin), copper and adenine nucleotide binding domains, and two cysteines essential for catalytic activity. Four of the six cysteine to alanine replacements retained enzymatic activity, but the period lengths of the oscillations were increased. A single protein with two alternating enzymatic activities indicative of a time-keeping function is unprecedented in the biochemical literature.
Radiometric assays of N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferase and α-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphodiesterase with substrates labeled in the glucosamine moiety

Abstract The assay of fibroblast and leukocyte-N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferase with α-methylmannoside acceptor and commercially available UDP-[3H or 14C]N-acetylglucosamine donor was modified to yield low background and consequently high sensitivity and reliability comparable to those obtained with the synthetically made [β-32P]UDP-N-acetylglucosamine donor. This was achieved by an additional elution step that removed free [3H or 14C]N-acetylglucosamine which appeared to be the breakdown product responsible for the high background. In addition, the [3H or 14C]N-acetylglucosamine-1-phospho-6-α-methylmannoside product of the transfer reaction was then isolated and, following desalting, could serve as a substrate for the assay of α-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphodiesterase. Cell preparations of patients with I-cell disease and pseudo-Hurler polydystrophy demonstrated severe to moderate deficiency of transferase activity and normal phosphodiesterase activity toward the respective substrates labeled with 3H or 14C in the glucosamine moiety.
Diagnostic utility of contrast echocardiography and lung perfusion scan in patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome

Abstract Background & Aims: Two modalities, contrast echocardiography and lung perfusion scan, are used to identify intrapulmonary vascular dilatation and diagnose hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), but a comparison of these two procedures has not been performed. The aim of this study was to compare the use of these diagnostic modalities in detecting intrapulmonary vascular dilatation and diagnosing HPS. Methods: Forty consecutive outpatients with biopsy-proven cirrhosis had contrast echocardiography, a lung perfusion scan, and arterial blood gases analyzed. Results: Fifteen of 40 cirrhotics (38%) had positive contrast echocardiogram results. Seven patients with positive echocardiogram results had gas exchange abnormalities and could be considered to have HPS (7 of 40 [17.5%]). Three of these patients were hypoxemic and had no concurrent cardiopulmonary disease, and each had positive contrast echocardiogram and lung perfusion scan results and were readily diagnosed as having HPS. The other 4 patients (3 hypoxemic and 1 normoxemic with an elevated alveolar-arterial gradient) had coexisting intrinsic lung disease and/or chest radiograph abnormalities complicating the diagnosis of HPS, and each had positive echocardiogram and negative lung scan results. The remaining 8 patients with positive echocardiogram results had normal lung scan and normal gas exchange results. No patient had positive lung scan and negative contrast echocardiogram results. Conclusions: Contrast echocardiography is the most useful screening test for intrapulmonary vasodilatation and may be positive more frequently than lung perfusion scans in patients with HPS.
A Trophic Role for Serotonin in the Development of a Simple Feeding Circuit

Correct differentiation and positioning of individual synapses during development is fundamental to the normal function of neuronal circuits. While classical transmitters such as serotonin (5-HT) play a critical trophic role in neurogenesis in addition to their functions as transmitters in the mature nervous system, this process is not well understood. We used a simple model to assess both development and function of a specific behavioral circuit in the larval stage of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). We show that, as in all other species examined, the neurotransmitter actions of 5-HT depress feeding, and decreased neuronal 5-HT levels increase appetite. However, using transgenic tools, we show that constitutive knockdown of neuronal 5-HT synthesis to reduce 5-HT levels during central nervous system (CNS) development results in increased branching of the serotonergic fibers projecting to the gut, as well as increased size and number of varicosities along the neurite length. As larvae, these animals display decreased feeding rates relative to controls, and, when given exogenous 5-hydroxytryptophan, feeding is significantly enhanced. Late-stage wild-type embryos exposed to 5-HT to augment 5-HT levels during CNS development display, as mature larvae, a significant decrease in gut fiber branching and total varicosity number, as well as increased feeding and a hyposensitivity to the effects of 5-HT. Exposure of embryos unable to synthesize neuronal serotonin to 5-HT during late embryogenesis results in rescue of the feeding behavior and abnormalities in the 5-HT gut fiber architecture. These results demonstrate an inverse relationship between developmental 5-HT levels and complexity of the fiber architecture projecting to gut tissue, which results in a perturbed feeding pattern. We conclude that 5-HT is tightly regulated during CNS development to direct the normal architecture and mature function of this neural circuit.
Further discussion on the optimum temperature of efficiency of production for blackbody radiation

In this paper, the exact equation governing the optimum temperature of efficiency of blackbody radiation production for a certain wavelength interval is obtained. The new formula is compared with the previous result, and it is found that, under certain condition, the new equation will collapse into the previous theory. The dependence of optimum temperature and the error between the two formulas on lower limit wavelength and bandwidth are also discussed.
Liver dysfunction associated with long-term total parenteral nutrition in patients with massive bowel resection.

Sixteen patients with massive bowel resection receiving long-term home total parenteral nutrition (HTPN) for 31 to 145 months were reviewed for evidence of liver disease. Patients were divided into three groups: group 1 with duodenocolostomy (n = 3), group 2 with an estimated 15-43 cm residual small bowel (n = 7), and group 3 with an estimated 55-120 cm residual small bowel (n = 6). Two patients in group 1 developed liver cirrhosis; one was diabetic and died of sepsis and liver failure at the 88th month on HTPN; the other died of lung cancer at the 46th month on HTPN. The third patient, followed for 33 months, had transient severe liver function abnormalities associated with a blood transfusion. In groups 2 and 3, only one patient (with a history of probable liver disease before HTPN) developed biopsy-proven cirrhosis at the 60th month of HTPN. All four patients with clinically apparent liver disease developed persistent elevation of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) early in HTPN. Four other patient...