cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous splenic rupture associated with thrombolytic therapy and/or concomitant heparin anticoagulation

Two cases of spontaneous splenic rupture in connection with thrombolytic therapy and concomitant heparin anticoagulation are reported. One patient was being treated for peripheral arterial graft occlusion using intraarterial urokinase, the other received intravenous infusion of streptokinase for acute myocardial infarction. Neither patient had a condition predisposing to splenic rupture. Although rare, previous reports of spontaneous splenic rupture associated with thrombolytic therapy and/or anticoagulation have been reported. Splenic rupture as a complication of thrombolytic therapy and/or anticoagulation should be considered when unexplained abdominal symptoms, hypotension, or blood loss is encountered.
Absence of Alteration in the E.E.G. with Stilbesterol and Progesterone

Dusser de Barenne and Gibbs1 in 1942 presented evidence to indicate that the E.E.G. was modified during the menstrual cycle. Gibbs and Reid2 (1942) demonstrated that in the last weeks of pregnancy the electrical activity of the cortex was definitely slowed compared to postpartum E.E.G. records. Since it is well known that in both menstruation and pregnancy marked changes occur in the blood levels of follicular and corpus luteum hormones, it was decided to determine whether E.E.G. changes could be produced by the administration of stilbesterol and progesterone to women in the menopause.In order that neither the changes during the menstrual cycle nor during pregnancy might interfere with the electrical activity of the cortex three women in the menopause were chosen for study. All three were patients in the Boston Psychopathic Hospital suffering from agitated depressions of moderate severity. None of the patients complained of menopausal symptoms.Daily E.E.G.'s were obtained with the aid of a Grass six-chann...
Purification of a rheumatoid factor.

SummaryA macroglobulin was purified from sera of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis which agglutinated sensitized sheep erythrocytes and fixed gamma globulin-latex particle suspensions. Tentative evidence for the homogeneity of a preparation was furnished. The isolated macroglobulin is a component of the rheumatoid factor. The latter is a mixture of closely related macroglobulins.
Repairing the Damage: The Effect of Price Knowledge and Gender on Auto Repair Price Quotes

AbstractThe authors investigate whether sellers treat consumers differently on the basis of how well informed consumers appear to be. They implement a large-scale field experiment in which callers request price quotes from automotive repair shops. The authors show that sellers alter their initial price quotes depending on whether consumers appear to be correctly informed, uninformed, or misinformed about market prices. The authors find that repair shops quote higher prices to callers who cite a higher benchmark price and that women are quoted higher prices than men when callers signal that they are uninformed about market prices. However, gender differences disappear when callers mention a benchmark price for the repair. Finally, the authors find that repair shops are more likely to offer a price concession if asked to do so by a woman than if asked by a man.
Hydrosalpinx fluid has embryotoxic effects on murine embryogenesis: a case for prophylactic salpingectomy

Objective To ascertain if hydrosalpinges are associated with reduced pregnancy rates and increased pregnancy loss after IVF-ET. Increased volume and leakage of hydrosalpinx fluid may exert negative effects on follicular development and embryo quality and/or render the uterine environment hostile to embryogenesis. We undertook this study to examine the effect of hydrosalpinx fluid on murine embryogenesis in vitro. Design Descriptive study. Setting Tertiary care facility. Patient(s) Premenopausal females undergoing salpingectomy or salpingostomy for hydrosalpinges. Intervention(s) Collection of discarded hydrosalpinx fluid and development of a dose response curve for the effect of hydrosalpinx fluid on murine embryogenesis. Main Outcome Measure(s) Development of single cell mouse embryos in vitro. Result(s) All samples of tubal fluid obtained from hydrosalpinges demonstrated a significant embryo toxic effect at either the 100% or 10% concentration. Hydrosalpinx fluid demonstrated pH values (8.45 to 8.65) significantly higher than the physiologic range. Correction of pH to that of media did not affect cavitation rate. Conclusion(s) There is a well-defined and significant toxic effect of hydrosalpinx fluid. Procedures such as salpingectomy or proximal tubal occlusion to circumvent the passage of hydrosalpinx fluid into the uterine cavity may have beneficial effects on the developmental environment for embryos in vivo.
Research the Location Model on B2C Electronic Commerce Logistics Distribution Center

This article analyzes the development trend, the development bottle-neck namely the logistics distribution cost that the B2C electronic commerce. For optimizing the logistics cost, it sets up the choosing address model of the least transport costs based on the different unit price of the different road segments.
Long-term results after surgical correction of Ebstein's anomaly: report of two cases.

Two patients with Ebstein’s anomaly had valve replacement with Starr-Edwards cloth-covered valves 11 and 8 years ago. They have been asymptomatic and very active despite the absence of anticoagulation. These cases provide some of the long-term results needed for proper evaluation of the different methods of operative treatment of Ebstein’s anomaly.
Viremia and Antibody Response to la Crosse Virus in Sentinel Gray Squirrels (Sciuris Carolinensis) and Chipmunks (Tamias Striatus)

Six isolates of La Crosse (LAC) virus were obtained from sentinel gray squirrels (Sciuris carolinensis) and four from sentinel chipmunks (Tamias striatus) in an endemic area. Viremia titers were measured by plaquing on Vero cells. Antibody responses of the animals were measured by a microneutralization test employing four California group viruses: LAC, snowshoe hare (SSH), trivittatus, and Jamestown Canyon. In both species LAC antibody titers peaked at approximately 21 days and were still detectable in all animals at 256 days post-viremia. In chipmunks, homologous LAC virus antibody levels were consistently higher than heterologous antibody responses throughout the period recorded. However, in squirrels, homologous LAC virus and heterologous SSH virus antibody responses were initially comparable. This heterologous SSH titer rapidly declined while LAC antibody levels remained relatively high. Data indicate that antibody response persists from one summer season to the next. Viremia titers in both species indicate that these two species are capable of infecting Aedes triseriatus, the principal vector of LAC virus. This is the first reported field isolation of LAC virus from the squirrel.
Hyperinsulinemia as a possible etiology for the high prevalence of non insulin dependent diabetes in Mexican Americans.

The prevalence of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is higher in Mexican Americans (MAs) than in non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) even after adjustment for the former's greater overall and more centralized adiposity. We previously have shown that MAs are more hyperinsulinemic than NHWs even after adjustment for body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), subscapular-to-triceps skinfold ratio, and glucose tolerance. We now confirm these findings in much larger population (n = 1,182). Since hepatic extraction of insulin may be decreased with upper body adiposity, we also measured fasting and 2-hour C-peptides in a subset of subjects (n = 70). C-peptide concentrations were higher in MAs than in NHWs indicating that MAs have higher insulin secretion. We examined whether the increased insulin concentrations in MAs may be associated with a bimodal distribution of insulin concentrations in which the second or higher mode might represent pre-diabetics. No evidence of bimodality, however, was apparent. The effect of overall adiposity (BMI) and upper body adiposity was similar in both Mexican Americans (a high risk population for NIDDM) and non-Hispanic whites (a low risk population for NIDDM). These data indicate that, like other populations at high risk for NIDDM such as Pima Indians in the U.S. Southwest and Micronesians in the South Pacific, Mexican Americans have more hyperinsulinemia than can be accounted for by their adiposity and body fat distribution. Prolonged insulin secretion (secondary to increased insulin resistance), is one possible explanation for this phenomenon which could lead to islet cells decomposition and eventual clinical diabetes.
Overwhelmed With the Burden of Being Myself: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Existential Experiences of Counselors‐in‐Training

Little research exists about the lived experiences of counselors-in-training during their practicum and internship experiences. The results of a phenomenological study exploring the existential experiences of counselors-in-training are presented. Implications for counselor development and supervision, as well as needs for future research and exploration, are discussed.
Synthesis of system-level bus interfaces

Given a set of communication channels to be implemented as a single bus, the authors present a bus-generation algorithm which determines the width of a bus implementation. Tradeoffs between the width of the bus and the performance of the processes communicating over the bus are evaluated. The algorithm incorporates system level constraints such as data transfer rates and the number of pins and allows several channels that may be transferring different sizes of data to be implemented as a single bus. The authors demonstrate through a detailed example the usefulness of the algorithm in implementing system-level interfaces between modules. >
Explanation-based failure recovery

Interactions are inherent in design-type problem-solving tasks where only partially compiled operators are available. Failures arising from such interactions can best be recovered by explaining them in the underlying domain models. In this paper we explain how Explanation-Based Learning provides a framework for recovering in this manner. This approach also alleviates some of the problems associated with the least-commitment approach to design-type problem-solving.
Signet ring cell (SRC) histology of localized gastric adenocarcinoma (LGAC) to predict response to preoperative chemoradiation.

4067 Background: Patients with LGAC, when treated with preoperative therapy, have heterogeneous and unpredictable outcomes. Currently, there are no clinical variables or biomarkers that can predict...
Smart Test Strips: Next-Generation Inkjet-Printed Wireless Comprehensive Liquid Sensing Platforms

By combining radio-frequency identification (RFID) and paper-microfluidics technologies, a low-cost first-of-its-kind platform for comprehensive liquid sensing, i.e., the “smart test strip,” is presented, which enables portable wireless real-time liquid sensing with handhold devices (e.g., cell phones), and integration of various multifunctional electrical and chemical sensors, for numerous Lab-on-Chip applications, including manufacturing control, environmental monitoring, and point-of-care medical diagnostics. The fabrication of RFID tags and two types of microfluidics are accomplished by a single inkjet-printing process in a cost-effective environmental-friendly additive manufacturing approach, which makes possible the production of disposable, lightweight, and flexible sensing platforms. Taking advantage of the proposed smart test strips platforms, we demonstrate two proof-of-concept high-performance electrical sensors based on interdigitated electrode topologies: a resistivity-based sensor with a 1782 $\Omega$ /( $\Omega$ *m) sensitivity; nevertheless, the proposed permittivity-based sensor with a 15%/ $\epsilon _r$ sensitivity, but the proposed integrated wireless platform, can facilitate the integration of even more chemical and electrical sensors. In addition, two on-strip antenna prototypes have been designed, optimized, and tested to work at 2.4 GHz and 13.56 MHz, respectively. Furthermore, the wireless interrogation of a complete proof-of-concept smart test strip is presented, which shows an excellent sensing resolution of 1.33 $\Omega$ over the range of 0–1371 $\Omega$ .
Archie's Choices

The Archie Toast, offered during The Wolfe Pack’s Black Orchid Banquet at Arno Ristorante, 141 West 38th Street, New York, on December 5, 2015
Bronchoscopic Removal of an Obstructing Broncholith

A 68-year-old woman presented with fever, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Computed tomography revealed an obstructing broncholith and postobstructive pneumonia.
Combination Anti-HIV Therapy: Questions and Answers

It seems clear, given the ability of the HIV virus to produce variation in its structure, it’s presently deeply imbedded nature in our population, and its chronic asymptomatic carriage, this virus is not going to be durably impacted upon by any single modality or type of individual agent. Instead, we must combine a number of approaches to control it within a given patient and in society as a whole. Combination therapy includes intelligent sequencing of drugs in the individual as well as concomitant administration. The principles covering this approach can be taken from control strategies with other chronic diseases (tuberculosis or cancers) as well as the special possibilities that evolve from the nature of this viral infection and our host responses to it. Insights in pathogenesis coming from the study of untreated and treated patients must govern rational selection of therapy. At present, only CD4+ T cell level governs drug selection, whereas we must move to studies of an individual’s virus and more details of the immune system responses in order to select the most appropriate immediate and longterm therapy.
Affordability and availability of off-patent drugs in the United States—the case for importing from abroad: observational study

Abstract Objectives To evaluate whether off-patent prescription drugs at risk of sudden price increases or shortages in the United States are available from independent manufacturers approved in other well regulated settings around the world. Design Observational study. Setting Off-patent drugs in the USA and approved by the Food and Drug Administration, up to 10 April 2017. Study cohort Novel tablet or capsule prescription drugs approved by the FDA since 1939 that were no longer protected by patents or other market exclusivity and had up to three generic versions. Main outcome measures Number of additional manufacturers that had obtained approval from any of seven non-US regulators with similar standards (European Medicines Agency (European Union), HealthCanada (Canada), Therapeutic Goods Association (Australia), Medsafe (New Zealand), Swissmedic (Switzerland), Medicines Control Council (South Africa), and the Israel Health Ministry). Association with drug characteristics including US orphan drug designation for drugs treating rare diseases, World Health Organization essential medicine designation, treatment area, drug product complexity (that is, with attributes that could complicate establishing bioequivalence or manufacturing), and total Medicaid spending in 2015. Results Of 170 eligible study drugs, more than half (109, 64%) had at least one manufacturer approved by a non-US regulator and 32 (19%) had four or more. Among 44 (26%) drugs with no FDA approved generic versions, 21 (48%) were available from at least one manufacturer approved by one of the seven non-US regulators, and two (5%) by four or more manufacturers. Across all drugs and regulators (including the FDA), 66 (39%) drugs were available from four or more total manufacturers. Of 109 drugs with at least one non-US regulator approved manufacturer, 12 (11%) were approved for patients with rare diseases and 29 (27%) were WHO designated essential medicines; only 12 (11%) were complex products that might be more complicated to import. The highest numbers of drugs were indicated for treating cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia (19, 17%); psychiatric disease (16, 15%); and infectious diseases (15, 14%). In 2015, Medicaid alone spent nearly US$700m (£508m; €570m) on generic drugs without adequate US competition that could have had a manufacturer approved by non-US peer regulatory agencies. Conclusion In this study, more than half the off-patent drugs with no generic competition in the USA had at least one independent manufacturer approved by a non-US peer regulatory agency; slightly fewer than half had four or more total manufacturers. Facilitating US patient access to such manufacturers could help sustain affordable access to essential off-patent drugs.
A Trusted Healthcare Data Analytics Cloud Platform

This paper presents a cloud-based system for health care applications. Our system has advanced features for preserving privacy which are essential for health care applications that deal with confidential data. We describe some of the bioinformatics applications which our system is designed for. Performance is significantly enhanced by caching, and enhanced clients for performing part of the computations are a key component of our system. Cloud, due to its pay-as-you-go pricing and API based deployment model, has become widely used for delivering and maintaining infrastructure technology for businesses. However, there are significant challenges with using the cloud for applications with strict privacy and compliance requirements; health care applications fall in this domain. This paper describes an architecture and solutions for handling these types of applications.
Plantlet regeneration from protoplast-derived haploid embryogenic calli of wheat

To search for an alternative method for protoplast culture, regenerable embryogenic calli were obtained from anther culture of three wheat cultivars, Karl 92, Jinghua #1, and Pavon 76. Protoplasts were isolated directly from the haploid embryogenic calli and cultured in modified PMI and LM8P media without going through cell suspension culture. After 8–11 days of subculture, the embryogenic calli produced the maximum yield of protoplasts and cell division was at the highest frequency when plated at a density of 3–4 × 105 protoplasts ml−1. Frequency of colony formation varied from 0.2% to 0.5% for Jinghua #1 and from 0.1% to 2% for Pavon 76, while Karl 92 failed to produce colonies, even though its embryogenic calli were friable and fast-growing on the maintenance medium. Green haploid plantlets of Jinghua #1 and Pavon 76 have been regenerated from protoplasts, which were cultured on a differentiation medium first and then on a rooting medium.
Modifications of Seizure Susceptibility inDrosophila

In a given population, certain individuals are much more likely to have seizures than others. This increase in seizure susceptibility can lead to spontaneous seizures, such as seen in idiopathic ep...
DISCRETIONARY NON-TREATMENT OF DEFECTIVE NEWBORNS

Developments during the last decade in neonatal intensive, are have drastically cut the infant mortality rate in the United States, and assured the survival of many infants who formerly would have died. Among the survivors are infants with spina bifida, Down’s syndrome, hydrocephalus and a variety of other congenital and genetic defects which substantially impair the infant’s capacity for full physical and social interaction. The reduction of neonatal death has thus starkly raised the question of whether the expected quality of life should influence treatment decisions, and whether intensive care resources may be withdrawn from newborns with minimal potential for a meaningful existence.
Early Examples of Software in Mathematical Knowledge Management

There are new roles for software in mathematical knowledge management (MKM). Three simple initial examples of MKM roles will be considered here. The first is software applied to the Mathematical Subject Classification (MSC). The second example is MathML (Mathematics Markup Language), a standard from the W3C, now in its third edition, and hoping to become an ISO standard. The third example of software in the service of mathematical knowledge is the use of programs to analyze the nature of our subject as represented by its literature seen as a network. How these tools have already been deployed makes clear that mathematical knowledge management, even in its primitive present form, can aid further development of mathematics. These examples above are just starting points.
TFMSA / TFA Cleavage in t-Boc Peptide Synthesis

Publisher Summary This chapter presents method for trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA)/ trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) cleavage and deprotection used to synthesize peptides ranging from 8 to 32 amino acids in length. It also presents data comparing TFMSA and hydrogen fluoride (HF) cleaved peptides, demonstrating that TFMSA is a feasible alternative to HF cleavage for the majority of peptides that have been synthesized. The chapter also presents the application of TFMSA/TFA cleavage for the synthesis of phosphopeptides. TFMSA represents a good alternative to HF cleavage for peptide synthesis laboratories that do not have access to an HF apparatus. The health risks and costs associated with TFMSA are considerably less than those associated with HF and TFMSA produces peptides equal in quality to those cleaved by HF. The use of TFMSA in the synthesis of phosphopeptides is emerging as an important application of this cleavage method for t-Boc synthesis as HF is precluded from use because of the hydrolysis of the phosphate group from the phosphoamino acid.
Abstract 5487: Targeting glycolysis for the treatment of cancer

Tumors exhibit markedly increased glucose uptake and glycolysis and this metabolic phenotype serves to satisfy their increased requirement for energy and biosynthetic intermediates. Tumor glucose metabolism is stimulated in part by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F26BP), which is the product of a family of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatases (PFKFB1-4) and allosterically activates a key glycolytic enzyme, 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (PFK-1). Previous studies have found the PFKFB3 family member to be a dominant source of F26BP in cancer cells due to a high kinase activity, expression in multiple tumor types and the inhibition of tumor growth by specific PFKFB3 inhibitors including a compound, PFK158, that is currently under evaluation in a phase I trial. Recent data, however, indicate that the PFKFB4 enzyme plays a significant role in regulating glucose metabolism in neoplastic cells. We have found that PFKFB4 is highly expressed in multiple cancers, strongly induced by HIF-1α, and that its suppression markedly reduced F26BP and glycolytic flux, increased apoptosis and inhibited growth of xenograft tumors in vivo, thus providing strong rationale for the development of antineoplastic agents selectively targeting PFKFB4. Using virtual screening, we have discovered a first-in-class small molecule inhibitor of PFKFB4, termed 5MPN, that selectively inhibits recombinant PFKFB4 activity with a resultant decrease in F26BP, glycolytic flux and cancer cell growth in vitro and markedly reduces the growth of established tumors without systemic toxicity. During our studies, we unexpectedly observed that PFKFB4 expression is increased by PFKFB3 inhibition, suggesting that PFKFB4 may compensate for decreased PFKFB3 expression and activity. We examined the effects of simultaneous silencing of PFKFB4 and PFKFB3 on cancer cell lines and found that co-knockdown led to a significant decrease in cell viability and glycolysis and to a near-complete abrogation of anchorage-independent growth in vitro. We additionally examined the effect of simultaneous inhibition of PFKFB4 and PFKFB3 using 5MPN and several PFKFB3 inhibitors in vitro and found a synergistic increase in cell death. Taken together, our data indicate that targeting PFKFB4 may be a viable therapeutic option against cancer and strongly support the further development of PFKFB4 small-molecule inhibitors as well as the co-targeting of PFKFB4 and PFKFB3 as potential strategies for the treatment of cancer. Citation Format: Jason Chesney, Aubrey Mojesky, Yoannis Imbert-Fernandez, John Trent, Sucheta Telang. Targeting glycolysis for the treatment of cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5487.
Finding a Port in a Non-Safe Harbor: Implications for Reverse Exchanges after Bartell

ABSTRACT Revenue Procedure 2000-37 provides a safe harbor for reverse like-kind exchanges to qualify for deferral of gain under Section 1031. In a reverse exchange, the replacement property is acqu...
MITRE's Qanda at TREC-12

Qanda uses a general architecture for human language technology called Catalyst, (Burger & Mardis 2002, Nyberg et al., to appear). Developed at MITRE for the DARPA TIDES program, the Catalyst architecture is specifically designed for fast processing and for combining the strengths of Information Retrieval and Natural Language Processing into a single framework. Catalyst uses a dataflow architecture in which standoff annotations are passed from one component to another, with the components connected in arbitrary (acyclic) topologies. The use of standoff annotation permits components to be optimized for just those pieces of information they require for their processing.
Angle dependent scatter in CVD ZnSe and single crystal CaF2 from the infrared through the NIR

The data reported in journals on angle resolved scatter measurements for highly transparent window materials is scarce. An experimental facility with enough sensitivity to measure such low level scatter is described. A dynamic range of at least eight orders of magnitude is required to measure the peak of the specular component down to the random diffuse component far removed from the specular direction. Single crystal CaF2 and polycrystalline CVD ZnSe are measured at wavelengths from the visible to the midwave infrared. The use of thick and thin samples allows the distinction between surface scatterance and bulk scatter.
Social Equity Assessment Tool for the Cannabis Industry

Starting in 1996 with the state of California legalizing the use of medical cannabis, the wave of cannabis legalization has continued at a rapid pace. But with the growth comes increased acknowledgement that the benefits and financial profits of the legal cannabis industry are not flowing to the communities that have been disproportionately harmed by past drug policies as enacted during the War on Drugs. The industry and government officials are increasingly facing calls to create social equity programs to address the past harms. But while the number of these programs is growing, very little has been written about what makes a given program effective. This report aims to fill this gap by introducing the Social Equity Assessment Tool, which localities can use not only to assess the effectiveness of their existing efforts, but also to design a better functioning program for the future. The Social Equity Assessment Tool is a formula that accounts for ten components that are critical for successful social equity programs. The ten components are grouped into two categories – Accessibility (Eligibility, Application Process, Expungements, Preferential Licenses and Shareholder/Ownership Requirements) and Environment (Educational Services, Incubator Program, Zoning Regulations and License Caps, Government Responsiveness and Community Reinvestment). Accessibility encompasses components that affect the ease with which applicants can learn about and access a given program. Environment on the other hand encompasses factors that form a support structure for SEP applicants and their communities.
Taste the Pain: The Role of TRP Channels in Pain and Taste Perception

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are a superfamily of cation transmembrane proteins that are expressed in many tissues and respond to many sensory stimuli. TRP channels play a role in sensory signaling for taste, thermosensation, mechanosensation, and nociception. Activation of TRP channels (e.g., TRPM5) in taste receptors by food/chemicals (e.g., capsaicin) is essential in the acquisition of nutrients, which fuel metabolism, growth, and development. Pain signals from these nociceptors are essential for harm avoidance. Dysfunctional TRP channels have been associated with neuropathic pain, inflammation, and reduced ability to detect taste stimuli. Humans have long recognized the relationship between taste and pain. However, the mechanisms and relationship among these taste-pain sensorial experiences are not fully understood. This article provides a narrative review of literature examining the role of TRP channels on taste and pain perception. Genomic variability in the TRPV1 gene has been associated with alterations in various pain conditions. Moreover, polymorphisms of the TRPV1 gene have been associated with alterations in salty taste sensitivity and salt preference. Studies of genetic variations in TRP genes or modulation of TRP pathways may increase our understanding of the shared biological mediators of pain and taste, leading to therapeutic interventions to treat many diseases.
Pharmacological Advances of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine: From Antimalarials to Investigative Therapies in COVID-19

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, numerous existing chemicals have been screened for antiviral potential against the emerging coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome co...
Neuropeptidomics: Improvements in Mass Spectrometry Imaging Analysis and Recent Advancements.

Neuropeptides are an important class of endogenous peptides in the nervous system that regulate physiological functions such as feeding, glucose homeostasis, pain, memory, reproduction, and many others. In order to understand the functional role of neuropeptides in diseases or disorders, studies investigating their dysregulation in terms of changes in abundance and localization must be carried out. Because multiple neuropeptides are believed to play a functional role in each physiological process, techniques capable of globally profiling multiple neuropeptides simultaneously are desired. Mass spectrometry is well-suited for this goal due to its ability to perform untargeted measurements without prior comprehensive knowledge of the analytes of interest. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is particularly useful because it has the capability to image a large variety of peptides in a single experiment without labeling. Like all analytical techniques, careful sample preparation is critical to successful MSI analysis. The first half of this review focuses on recent developments in MSI sample preparation and instrumentation for analyzing neuropeptides and other biomolecules in which the sample preparation technique may be directly applicable for neuropeptide analysis. The benefit offered by incorporating these techniques is shown as improvement in number of observable neuropeptides, enhanced signal to noise, increased spatial resolution, or a combination of these aspects. The second half of this review focuses on recent biological discoveries about neuropeptides resulting from these improvements in MSI analysis. The recent progress in neuropeptide detection and analysis methods, including incorporation of various tissue washes, matrices, instruments, ionization sources, and computation approaches combined with the advancements in understanding neuropeptide function in a variety of model organisms indicates potential for the utilization of MSI analysis of neuropeptides in clinical settings.
Novel approaches to glycomimetic design: development of small molecular weight lectin antagonists

Introduction: The direct binding of carbohydrates or those presented on glycoproteins or glycolipids to proteins is the primary effector of many biological responses. One class of carbohydrate-bind...
The Treatment of Epitheliomas

Epitheliomas which are multiple and accessible lend themselves readily to laser treatment. These lesions include chiefly pigmented and non-pigmented basal cell epitheliomas, squamous cell carcinomas both superficial and invasive. To enable the epitheliomas to absorb more laser energy, non-pigmented lesions have been colored with Evan’s blue, Janus green, India ink in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and by copper iontophoresis and by tattooing.
Churning: Repeated Optimization and Cooperative Instability

It has been recently shown that the sharing of information (in order to promote cooperation among multiple agents) can actually degrade mission performance, primarily due to a form of cooperative instability. This instability occurs when the high-level cooperation strategy assigns tasks to the agents in a way that hinders the performance of true system objectives; specifically, the over action of the coordination law makes goal completion impossible, and agents exhibit a churning type of motion. This chapter examines this “churning” instability in order to understand its primary causes, and a formal definition of this cooperative instability is proposed. A method of mitigating the negative effects of churning is presented, and these ideas are illustrated in simulation.
Relations with Other Organizations

The Federation was founded in 1913 by the physiologists, pharmacologists and biochemists, and the pathologists joined promptly thereafter. The purpose was to provide some convenient liaison between the member societies so that they could meet annually at the same time and place. In the beginning, the societies took turns in arranging the meetings. In 1935, Dr. Donald Hooker assumed the duties of Executive Secretary and took care of all such matters as well as the printing of the Yearbook. The numbers steadily increased as indicated in the section on Membership. Originally, there was a very important and exciting Federation Banquet every year, but this had to be given up after the war when the numbers became too large. Thereafter, one often heard the cry that the meetings were too big, that the Federation had outlived its usefulness, and that the Society should resign from the Federation and meet by itself. When the Society was debating the desirability of holding a Fall Meeting by itself, I recall that Dr. Carlson arose and said that he helped to found the Federation and he was not going to vote for its liquidation. As presiding officer at the time, I explained that the Council thought that the Fall Meetings would save the Federation rather than wreck it and Dr. Carlson withdrew his objection.
Voting on Stadium and Arena Subsidies

We analyze voting on subsidies for professional sports facilities in Harris County (Houston), Texas and Brown County (Green Bay), Wisconsin to learn more about voter preferences for these subsidies. The results differ somewhat between the two jurisdictions, as do the nature of the supports being proposed and the communities. One consistent result is that voting precincts that have a relatively high degree of poverty tend to oppose subsidies for professional sports. Another consistent result is that voters in close proximity to existing facilities are more likely to favor subsidies than are voters living farther from the facilities. In Harris County, the results consistently indicate that those over 65 years of age, whites, and those with Bachelors degrees statistically significantly oppose subsidies while those with higher incomes and blacks favor the subsidies. Different values of consumption benefits, stemming from differences in preferences, may explain these voting patterns.
Factors Associated with the Incidence of Retained Placentas

Abstract Factors associated with the incidence of retained placentas in Holstein cows were determined from records of 298 carvings at the South Dakota State University research farm from 1968 to 1972. The incidence of retained placentas was 7.7% for cows with single births and 35.7% for cows with multiple births. Calving number and incidence were unrelated when multiple births were removed. Incidence was lower in August through November compared with other seasons. Gestation length was 3.3 days shorter for cows with retained placentas while calf birth weights were similar. Incidence of genital infection was higher in cows with retention although subsequent breeding efficiency was similar for all cows. Milk and fat production were higher from cows with retained placentas. Sex of the calf had no influence on incidence of retention or any of the variables.
NIH Career Development Awards in Clinical and Translational Science Award institutions: distinguishing characteristics of top performing sites.

Purpose To identify and disseminate the organizational characteristics of “top performing” National Institute of Health (NIH) Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) institutions in regards to career development, using the number of new K awards received per year to rank institutions and comparing these with non-CTSA institutions. Methods The authors analyzed the organizational characteristics of all 61 CTSA institutions from 2006 to 2013 using the American Association of Medical Colleges Organizational Characteristics Database and K Award funding details using NIH RePORT. Results Five of the “top 10 performing” institutions are in the western region, and six out of the ten are public schools. Three of the “top 10 performing” institutions receive most of their K awards through two funding mechanisms—the K08 (mentored clinical scientist research award) and K23 (mentored patient-oriented research career development awards). Notably, these three institutions lack a KL2 program. Conclusion The CTSA network of institutions is committed to developing the next generation of physician scientists in order to meet the pressing health needs of society. Educators and evaluators within this network may need to provide training to junior investigators beyond the traditional KL2 programs in order to advance their career development as physician scientists and clinical translational researchers.
Hot electron effects on undoped AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Summary form only given. In this work, we report on the effects of hot electron stress on the degradation of undoped Al/sub 0.3/GaN/sub 0.7//GaN power HEMT's with SiN passivation, consisting of a decrease in the drain current, an increase in the parasitic drain and source resistance, and a shift in threshold voltage. The stressed devices suffered from aggravated drain current slump (DC to RF dispersion). Pulsed I-V measurements and current-mode deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) suggested possible changes in surface charge profiles occurred during hot electron stress test. The nature of degradation under hot electron stress was irreversible.
A House of Cards Falls: Why 'Too Big to Debar' Is All Slogan and Little Substance

“A House of Cards Falls: Why ‘Too Big to Debar’ is All Slogan and Little Substance” is a critical response to the article, "FCPA Sanctions: Too Big to Debar" by Drury D. Stevenson and Nicholas J. Wagoner, which aptly demonstrates a common, yet fundamentally flawed understanding of the FAR 9.4 suspension and debarment regime. "Too Big to Debar" asserts that when large government contractors violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), they should be “punished” by being debarred from the procurement system. Indeed, despite FAR 9.4’s clear directive to use debarment only for the purpose of protecting the government, not to punish past misconduct, "Too Big to Debar" completely disregards this fundamental tenet of the suspension and debarment regime (and the regulation’s plain language) by repeatedly referring to debarment as punishment. "Too Big to Debar" also misrepresents the true consequences of debarment — the corporate death penalty. In an era of outsourced government, these large, sophisticated firms not only permit the government to provide critical functions, but employ thousands of hard-working and innocent employees. Imposing debarment for the sake of retribution or deterrence is not only contrary to law, but would be harmful to the country’s diverse interests. If FCPA enforcement has touched every industry, why do the authors single out large government contractors? Because they can — large government contractors are not sympathetic. Even though nearly all companies, regardless of their size or line of business are exposed to the potential misconduct of rogue employees, the authors expect government contractors to defy the statistically impossible. Too Big to Debar appears to assert that it is morally wrong to “reward” government contractors that have misbehaved. By injecting theories of punishment into an administrative regime, the article elevates the simple, almost visceral desire for large-scale retribution over the more nuanced best interests of the government. “A House of Cards Falls” exposes “Too Big to Debar” for what it is: a populist sound bite used to vilify and bash contractors without regard for nuance or reality.
Questionable Choices: A Reply to Alex Raskolnikov's 'Revealing Choices'

In a recent article, Professor Alex Raskolnikov proposes creating two regimes for IRS audits and allowing taxpayers to choose between them. I congratulate Professor Raskolnikov on his original contribution to tax compliance discourse. I hope it will stimulate discussion. However, I have concerns about the proposal. Its principal benefits could be achieved through less radical means and would be eclipsed by its disadvantages.
Comments on Ch. Carlsson’s “Realism in Hierarchical Modeling: A Fuzzy Systems Approach”

Fuzzy systems approach is proposed to enhance the realism of systems modeling, as it promises to cope better with the complexity and ambiguity so often encountered in the real world. There can be no question in our minds that fuzzy systems framework is desirable and that modeling realism can never be taken seriously without accounting for and dealing with the fuzziness of human language and ambiguity of human values. Such task and effort are significant undertakings and no level of encouragement can be deemed adequate. However, such strivings should be distinguished from the more expedient (and often trivial) and less scientific attempts for fuzzification of existing models. While fuzzy systems framework for developing new models of reality is a novel and noble task, “fuzzification” of the existing old models (those originally based on inherently non-fuzzy assumptions) represents an unfortunate “short-cut” to be pursued by less patient minds.
A real-time digital mixer IC

An integrated circuit which combines a high-precision digital sinewave generator with a digital mixer (multiplier) has been designed in a 2 µm N-well CMOS process. This paper describes the architecture and design methodology for this chip.
Decreased approach behavior and nucleus accumbens immediate early gene expression in response to Parkinsonian ultrasonic vocalizations in rats

Many individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) have difficulty producing normal speech and voice, resulting in problems with interpersonal communication and reduced quality of life. Translational animal models of communicative dysfunction have been developed to assess disease pathology. However, it is unknown whether acoustic feature changes associated with vocal production deficits in these animal models lead to compromised communication. In rodents, male ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) have a well-established role in functional inter-sexual communication. To test whether acoustic deficits in USVs observed in a PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) knockout (KO) PD rat model compromise communication, we presented recordings of male PINK1 KO USVs and normal wild-type (WT) USVs to female rat listeners. We measured approached behavior and immediate early gene expression (c-Fos) in brain regions implicated in auditory processing and sexual motivation. Our results suggest that females show reduced approach in response to PINK1 KO USVs compared with WT. Moreover, females exposed to PINK1 KO USVs had lower c-Fos immunolabeling in the nucleus accumbens, a region implicated in sexual motivation. These results are the first to demonstrate that vocalization deficits in a rat PD model result in compromised communication. Thus, the PINK1 KO PD model may be valuable for assessing treatments aimed at restoring vocal communicative function.
The Delayed Effects of Ethacrynic Acid on the Stria Vascularis of the Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs were administered 40 mg ethacry-nic acid per kg b.wt. and sacrificed at 30–48 minutes, 34- hours, 2 or 7 days post-drug. Cochlear potentials (EP and CP) were monitored before sacrifice. At 30–48 minutes, the potentials had decreased considerably, and a marked edema plus cytological changes were visible in the stria vascularis. The potentials had recovered to about 75 % of their original value at 3–4 hours; some cell recovery was visible, but the edema was still present. Potentials recorded from the basal turn were normal at 2 and 7 days, although some strial cells showed deterioration.
Defining an Episode of Care for Colonoscopy: Work of the High Value Health Care Project Characterizing Episodes and Costs of Care

Working with a group of key stakeholders, the authors developed an episode-based resource use measure focused on the use of colonoscopy. This measure is intended to identify differences in health care resource use in a short time frame surrounding the colonoscopy. The ultimate intent in the development of this measure was to pair it with a measure of quality so that both the cost and quality of care can be evaluated together. In initial testing, the authors found the use of general anesthesia with colonoscopy to be associated with higher episode costs. Eventually, when paired with quality measures, it is hoped this measure will provide actionable information for health care payers and providers to more efficiently provide colonoscopy services without compromising quality.
Moving Least Squares Coordinates

We propose a new family of barycentric coordinates that have closed-forms for arbitrary 2D polygons. These coordinates are easy to compute and have linear precision even for open polygons. Not only do these coordinates have linear precision, but we can create coordinates that reproduce polynomials of a set degree m as long as degree m polynomials are specified along the boundary of the polygon. We also show how to extend these coordinates to interpolate derivatives specified on the boundary.
Acute Ischemic Proctitis: Report of Four Cases

Acute ischemic proctitis is an extremely rare clinical entity. It is mainly described in patients with significant atherosclerotic and cardiac risk factors who present with lower gastrointestinal symptoms in the setting of hemodynamic instability. Previous reports of ischemic proctitis suggest that rectal resection is not necessary in the treatment of this disease. We present four cases of acute ischemic proctitis that required complete proctectomy. All patients had large vessel atherosclerosis with rectal bleeding and sepsis as the presenting signs and symptoms. Three of four patients underwent complete proctectomy as the initial procedure. The fourth patient underwent complete proctectomy five days after the initial intervention. Two of four patients survived and were ultimately discharged from the hospital. A third patient recovered from surgery but ultimately died of respiratory complications. Only the patient who was initially treated by subtotal proctectomy died as the result of the disease. Although ischemic necrosis of the rectum is rare, complete proctectomy may be necessary to save the patient's life.