cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Safety of Topical Cantharidin Treatment for Molluscum Contagiosum and Warts: A Systematic Review

Topical cantharidin is routinely used for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum and warts. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy and safety of topical cantharidin treatment for molluscum contagiosum and warts. We performed a systematic review of studies assessing topical cantharidin treatment of molluscum contagiosum or warts. We searched the databases of Cochrane, EMBASE, GREAT, LILACS, MEDLINE, and Scopus. Two authors performed the study selection and data extraction. Twenty studies (1958–2018) met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Twelve studies assessed warts, and eight studies assessed molluscum contagiosum. Overall, 1752 patients were included (range 0.3–62 years; specified in 15 studies). Clearance rates with topical cantharidin for molluscum contagiosum were variable (range 15.4–100%). Significant clearance of warts with maintenance of clearance was demonstrated with topical cantharidin alone. Topical cantharidin in combination with podophyllotoxin and salicylic acid demonstrated efficacy for plantar warts (pediatric and adult; clearance rate range 81–100%; four studies had 100% clearance), with the majority clearing after a single treatment. Satisfaction with cantharidin therapy was high, especially in molluscum contagiosum. Pain (7–85.7%), blistering (10–100%), and hyper-/hypopigmentation (1.8–53.3%) were the most commonly occurring adverse effects with cantharidin treatment. Topical cantharidin demonstrated clearance of warts, particularly in combination with podophyllotixin and salicylic acid, and modest benefit for pediatric molluscum contagiosum with good tolerability and safety.
Acid-base regulation in the renal proximal tubules: using novel pH sensors to maintain homeostasis.

The kidneys play a critical role in precisely regulating the composition of the plasma to maintain homeostasis. To achieve this, the kidneys must be able to accurately determine or “sense” the conc...
Therapeutic Practices for Sexually Abused Children and Adolescents: Resources for Marriage, Family, and Couples’ Counselors:

Marriage, family, and couple counselors should be educated in various treatment options for sexually abused adolescents, due to the frequency, and severity of this form of abuse. The long-term effe...
On optimizing operator fusion plans for large-scale machine learning in systemML

Many machine learning (ML) systems allow the specification of ML algorithms by means of linear algebra programs, and automatically generate efficient execution plans. The opportunities for fused operators---in terms of fused chains of basic operators---are ubiquitous, and include fewer materialized intermediates, fewer scans of inputs, and sparsity exploitation across operators. However, existing fusion heuristics struggle to find good plans for complex operator DAGs or hybrid plans of local and distributed operations. In this paper, we introduce an exact yet practical cost-based optimization framework for fusion plans and describe its end-to-end integration into Apache SystemML. We present techniques for candidate exploration and selection of fusion plans, as well as code generation of local and distributed operations over dense, sparse, and compressed data. Our experiments in SystemML show end-to-end performance improvements of up to 22x, with negligible compilation overhead.
Oil-Free Acoustofluidic Droplet Generation for Multicellular Tumor Spheroid Culture

We present an easy-to-assemble microfluidic system for synthesizing cell-loaded dextran/alginate (DEX/ALG) hydrogel spheres using an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) for templated fabrication of mul...
Profiles of psychosocial and clinical functioning in adolescence and risk for later depression and other outcomes.

BackgroundMost studies examining predictors of the onset of depression focus on variable centered regression methods that focus on the effects of multiple predictors. In contrast, person-centered approaches develop profiles of factors and these profiles can be examined as predictors of onset. Here, we developed profiles of adolescent psychosocial and clinical functioning among adolescents without a history of major depression.MethodsData come from a subsample of participants from the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project who completed self-report measures of functioning in adolescence and completed diagnostic and self-report measures at follow-up assessments up to approximately 15 years after baseline.ResultsWe identified four profiles of psychosocial and clinical functioning: Thriving; Average Functioning; Externalizing Vulnerability and Family Stress and Internalizing Vulnerability at the baseline assessment of participants without a history of depression at the initial assessment in mid-adolescence. Classes differed in the likelihood of onset and course of depressive disorders, experience of later anxiety and substance use disorders, and psychosocial functioning in adulthood. Moreover, the predictive utility of these classes was maintained when controlling for multiple other established risk factors for depressive disorders.ConclusionsThis work highlights the utility of examining multiple factors simultaneously to understand risk for depression.
Case series of reports of pruritus and sipuleucel-T submitted to the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System

Sipuleucel-T, an autologous active cellular immunotherapy, is indicated for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) received a report of pruritus without rash following the second dose of sipuleucel-T in a patient who had otherwise not started any new medications concurrent with the first and second doses of sipuleucel-T. No further sipuleucel-T was administered, but symptoms persisted for at least 6 weeks despite treatment with several medications aimed at symptomatic relief of pruritus. Rash is the only dermatologic adverse event included in the sipuleucel-T U.S. package insert. A search of the FAERS database yielded seven additional U.S. reports of pruritus and sipuleucel-T identified as the primary suspect medication; two of these occurred prior to the administration of sipuleucel-T (following leukapheresis). In data mining analyses, pruritus following sipuleucel-T was not reported more frequently than expected when compared to all other adverse event-drug/biologic combinations in FAERS. Thus, pruritus following sipuleucel-T administration was rarely, but not disproportionately, reported to FAERS. Although we cannot exclude the possibility that diabetes, malignancy, or other conditions may have contributed to pruritus in our index patient, in view of the timing of sipuleucel-T therapy and onset of symptoms, a drug/biologic-related reaction is plausible. In the appropriate clinical scenario, sipuleucel-T (or its components) should not be overlooked as a potential etiological agent in pruritus.
Design of an Interstitial Microwave Applicator for 3D Printing in the Body

This paper describes a method for 3D printing in the body using a coaxial applicator to heat a biopolymer that solidifies when heated. This method is proposed for creating conductive lines in the body for focusing electromagnetic fields on a very small (4 mm on a side) implantable medical device. A 2450 MHz sleeved slot coaxial applicator with a pointed, extended, hollow tip is designed to heat 400 mm3 of polymer from body temperature to its crosslinking temperature of 40 °C in 10 s.
SAR-based vibrometry using the fractional Fourier transform

A fundamental assumption when applying Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to a ground scene is that all targets are motionless. If a target is not stationary, but instead vibrating in the scene, it will introduce a non-stationary phase modulation, termed the micro-Doppler effect, into the returned SAR signals. Previously, the authors proposed a pseudosubspace method, a modification to the Discrete Fractional Fourier Transform (DFRFT), which demonstrated success for estimating the instantaneous accelerations of vibrating objects. However, this method may not yield reliable results when clutter in the SAR image is strong. Simulations and experimental results have shown that the DFRFT method can yield reliable results when the signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) > 8 dB. Here, we provide the capability to determine a target's frequency and amplitude in a low SCR environment by presenting two methods that can perform vibration estimations when SCR < 3 dB. The first method is a variation and continuation of the subspace approach proposed previously in conjunction with the DFRFT. In the second method, we employ the dual-beam SAR collection architecture combined with the extended Kalman filter (EKF) to extract information from the returned SAR signals about the vibrating target. We also show the potential for extending this SAR-based capability to remotely detect and classify objects housed inside buildings or other cover based on knowing the location of vibrations as well as the vibration histories of the vibrating structures that house the vibrating objects.
Class Means as an Early Exit Decision Mechanism.

State-of-the-art neural networks with early exit mechanisms often need considerable amount of training and fine-tuning to achieve good performance with low computational cost. We propose a novel early exit technique based on the class means of samples. Unlike most existing schemes, our method does not require gradient-based training of internal classifiers. This makes our method particularly useful for neural network training in low-power devices, as in wireless edge networks. In particular, given a fixed training time budget, our scheme achieves higher accuracy as compared to existing early exit mechanisms. Moreover, if there are no limitations on the training time budget, our method can be combined with an existing early exit scheme to boost its performance, achieving a better trade-off between computational cost and network accuracy.
Ten years of implementation outcome research: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction A 2011 paper proposed a working taxonomy of implementation outcomes, their conceptual distinctions and a two-pronged research agenda on their role in implementation success. Since then, over 1100 papers citing the manuscript have been published. Our goal is to compare the field’s progress to the originally proposed research agenda, and outline recommendations for the next 10 years. To accomplish this, we are conducting the proposed scoping review. Methods and analysis Our approach is informed by Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews. We will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. We first aim to assess the degree to which each implementation outcome has been investigated in the literature, including healthcare settings, clinical populations and innovations represented. We next aim to describe the relationship between implementation strategies and outcomes. Our last aim is to identify studies that empirically assess relationships among implementation and/or service and client outcomes. We will use a forward citation tracing approach to identify all literature that cited the 2011 paper in the Web of Science (WOS) and will supplement this with citation alerts sent to the second author for a 6-month period coinciding with the WOS citation search. Our review will focus on empirical studies that are designed to assess at least one of the identified implementation outcomes in the 2011 taxonomy and are published in peer-reviewed journals. We will generate descriptive statistics from extracted data and organise results by these research aims. Ethics and dissemination No human research participants will be involved in this review. We plan to share findings through a variety of means including peer-reviewed journal publications, national conference presentations, invited workshops and webinars, email listservs affiliated with our institutions and professional associations, and academic social media.
Orientation dependent transverse relaxation in human brain white matter: The magic angle effect on a cylindrical helix

PurposeTo overcome limitations of prior orientation-dependent R2 and [Formula] formalisms in white matter (WM) with a novel framework based on magic angle effect. MethodsA cylindrical helix model was developed embracing both anisotropic rotational and translational diffusions of ordered water in WM, with the former characterized by an axially symmetric system. Both R2 and [Formula] were divided into isotropic [Formula] and anisotropic parts, [Formula], with denoting a funnel opening angle and{varepsilon} 0 an orientation ({varepsilon}) offset relative to DTI-derived primary diffusivity direction. The proposed framework (Fit A) was compared with prior model without{varepsilon} 0 (Fit B) and applied to published R2 and [Formula] in WM of underdeveloped, healthy, and diseased conditions. Goodness of fit was characterized by rootmean-square error (RMSE). F-test and Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) were used with statistical significance set to P [≤] .05. ResultsFit A significantly outperformed Fit B as demonstrated by reduced RMSEs in myelin water (i.e., 0.349 vs. 0.724). The fitted{varepsilon} 0 was in good agreement with the calculated{varepsilon} 0 from DTI directional diffusivities. Significant positive [Formula] and negative ( and [Formula]) correlations were found with aging (demyelination) in adults while{varepsilon} 0 showed a weak positive correction (PCC=0.11, P= .28). Compared to those from healthy adult WM, the fits of [Formula], and from neonates were considerably reduced but{varepsilon} 0 increased, consistent with limited myelination. ConclusionThe developed framework can better characterize anisotropic transverse relaxation in WM, shedding new light on myelin microstructural alterations at the molecular level.
Hair cell counts in a rat model of sound damage: Effects of tissue preparation & identification of regions of hair cell loss.

Exposure to intense sound can damage or kill cochlear hair cells (HC). This loss of input typically manifests as noise induced hearing loss, but it can also be involved in the initiation of other auditory disorders such as tinnitus or hyperacusis. In this study we quantify changes in HC number following exposure to one of four sound damage paradigms. We exposed adult, anesthetized Long-Evans rats to a unilateral 16 kHz pure tone that varied in intensity (114 dB or 118 dB) and duration (1, 2, or 4 h) and sacrificed animals 2-4 weeks later. We compared two different methods of tissue preparation, plastic embedding/sectioning and whole mount dissection, for quantifying hair cell loss as a function of frequency. We found that the two methods of tissue preparation produced largely comparable cochleograms, with whole mount dissections allowing a more rapid evaluation of hair cell number. Both inner and outer hair cell loss was observed throughout the length of the cochlea irrespective of sound damage paradigm. Inner HC loss was either equal to or greater than outer HC loss. Increasing the duration of sound exposures resulted in more severe HC loss, which included all HC lesions observed in an analogous shorter duration exposure.
Acid-neutralizing power of several protein hydrolysates and other substances used in ulcer therapy.

Summary Buffer curves were determined for four commercial protein hydrolysates and a number of other substances commonly used in the therapy of peptic ulcer, i.e., whole fresh milk, a pharmaceutical alumina gel preparation, and sodium bicarbonate. For purposes of comparison, unhydrolyzed casein, a dried whole milk powder, and a soy milk powder were also included in the study. The procedure entailed electrometric titrations with 0.1N HCl under standardized conditions, using a glass electrode. Buffering power between the initial PH and pH 3.5 was estimated by interpolation from the titration curves, the lower limit being that employed in this laboratory as the boundary value between free and combined gastric acidities. At least three of the protein hydrolysates were found to have sufficient acid-neutralizing power to be effective antacids when taken by 'mouth in a dose of 300 g. distributed throughout the day–the minimum amount adminis tered by Co Tui in his hyperalimentation treatment for peptic ulcer. Whereas 300 g. of the most effective of these preparations neutralized almost 5500 cc. of 0.1N HCl in vitro, this amount of acid required 45 g. (about 10 level teaspoonfuls) of NaHCO 3 to bring its pH to 3.5. Furthermore, on this per diem basis, the protein hydrolysates were found to be generally superior even to the alumina gel preparation investigated, which has been demonstrated to be an effective antacid both in vitro and in vivo. As for the other substances studied, none of them were comparable in their acid-neutralizing action even to the alumina preparation. It is concluded, therefore, that the acid-neutralizing function of the protein hydrolysates is of major importance when they are administered orally in ulcer therapy. If they also possess a definitive nutritional function in the healing of ulcer, the mechanism still awaits elucidation.
Management information-decision systems: A new era ahead?

Abstract The sheer size and complexity of today's vast business conglomerates require a new technology to cope with the problems of administration. Such a technology is being developed: management information-decision systems. This new discipline is emerging to integrate other techniques and to provide the analytical frames of reference and the methodologies necessary to meet the new management requisites. This article defines the system (which views information as a resource parallel to land, labor, and capital), raises some problems (the content of the field is still subject to question), explores the state of the art (the action is in information, decisions, and interactive systems), and looks to the future.
A conceptual framework for designing robotic computational hardware with ASIC technology

ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) technology has created opportunities for implementing robotic control algorithms directly in silicon. However, the sheer complexity of VLSI design represents a tremendous knowledge barrier to system designers. To lower this knowledge barrier, a concise conceptual framework is presented which allows robotics hardware designers to acquire the essential knowledge of the ASIC technology efficiently. It addresses different aspects of how design decisions are made. The global strategy is to limit the search space through methodology implemented by CAE (computer-aided engineering) and expert systems. Alternatives are recognized through a proper framing of design space. A set of techniques for evaluation of the alternatives is classified. The conceptual framework enables system designers and application engineers to acquire and apply ASIC technology in a systematic and logical manner and thus facilitates efficient application of the technology in robotic hardware designs. >
Phospholipid Synthesis in Sindbis Virus-Infected Cells

We investigated the metabolic requirements for the decrease in phospholipid synthesis previously observed by Pfefferkorn and Hunter in primary cultures of chick embryo fibroblasts infected with Sindbis virus. The incorporation of (32)PO(4) into all classes of phospholipids was found to decline at the same rate and to the same extent; thus, incorporation of (14)C-choline into acid-precipitable form provided a convenient measure of phospholipid synthesis that was used in subsequent experiments. Experiments with temperature-sensitive mutants suggested that some viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis was essential for the inhibition of choline incorporation, but that functional viral structural proteins were not required. The reduction in phospholipid synthesis was probably a secondary effect of infection resulting from viral inhibition of the cellular RNA and protein synthesis. All three inhibitory effects required about the same amount of viral RNA synthesis; the inhibition of host RNA and protein synthesis began sooner than the decline in phospholipid synthesis; and both actinomycin D and cycloheximide inhibited (14)C-choline incorporation in uninfected cells. In contrast, incorporation of (14)C-choline into BHK-21 cells was not decreased by 10 hr of exposure to actinomycin D and declined only slowly after cycloheximide treatment. Growth of Sindbis virus in BHK cells did not cause the marked stimulation of phospholipid synthesis seen in picornavirus infections of other mammalian cells; however, inhibition was seen only late in infection.
Neuronal sensitivity to kainic acid is dependent on the Nrf2-mediated actions of the antioxidant response element.

The transcription factor, nuclear factor E2 (erythroid-derived 2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2), is essential for the induction of a battery of phase II detoxification genes through the antioxidant response element (ARE) that lies in their promoter region. Genes driven by the ARE are up-regulated in response to various stressors of the cellular environment. These genetic changes to the cellular reducing potential may reflect an intrinsic damage response to harmful toxicants. Analysis of transgenic reporter mice following kainate injection revealed selective ARE activation within the damaged hippocampus. Further, 2 · 2 microarray analyses comparing Nrf2 knockout versus wild-type hippocampi unmasked gene changes associated with ion movement and myelination, in addition to alterations to detoxification-related genes. Nrf2 knockout mice were more sensitive to kainate toxicity, as evidenced by elevated seizure severity, seizure duration, hippocampal neuron damage and mortality. Knockout mice injected with kainate displayed altered glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity and increased microglial infiltration. The wild-type to knockout damage differential was not dependent on the peripheral metabolism of the excitotoxin, was well correlated with increased seizure susceptibility, and was therefore not necessarily the neuroprotective effects of Nrf2. These results combine to support a role for Nrf2 in the neural cell defense response of the adult brain.
Monte Carlo Sampling Techniques

To understand the mathematical basis of Monte Carlo calculations, to develop means of increasing the efficiency of such calculations, and to estimate the statistical uncertainty in the results obtained, it is necessary to have some understanding of statistics and probability theory. A brief description of the terminology that will be used in the remainder of this book is also necessary. The intent of this chapter is to introduce the mathematical concepts that underlie the Monte Carlo method and provide a basis for further development of selected topics. To obtain a broader and more rigorous development of the underlying mathematical concepts than is presented here the interested reader may consult any of a number of standard textbooks and references on statistics and probability.
Mdivi-1 mitigates cardiac dysfunction by attenuating mitophagy in diabetes (1155.3)

Although Mdivi-1 ameliorates heart failure by inhibiting autophagy, the mechanism of Mdivi-1 mediated mitigation of cardiac dysfunction in diabetes is unclear. We hypothesize that Mdivi-1 improves ...
The SAS-3 delayed command system

To meet the requirements arising from the increased complexity of the power, attitude control and telemetry systems, a full redundant high-performance control section with delayed command capability was designed for the Small Astronomy Satellite-3 (SAS-3). The relay command system of SAS-3 is characterized by 56 bystate relay commands, with capability for handling up to 64 commands in future versions. The 'short' data command service of SAS-1 and SAS-2 consisting of shifting 24-bit words to two users was expanded to five users and augmented with a 'long load' data command service (up to 4080 bits) used to program the telemetry system and the delayed command subsystem. The inclusion of a delayed command service ensures a program of up to 30 relay or short data commands to be loaded for execution at designated times. The design and system operation of the SAS-3 command section are analyzed, with special attention given to the delayed command subsystem.
Reverse shoulder arthroplasty provided better functional outcomes than hemiarthroplasty for acute proximal humeral fractures.

Sebastia-Forcada E, Cebrian-Gomez R, Lizaur-Utrilla A, Gil-Guillen V. Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Versus Hemiarthroplasty for Acute Proximal Humeral Fractures. A Blinded, Randomized, Controlled, Prospective Study. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2014 Oct;23(10):1419-26. ### Question: In older patients with acute complex proximal humeral fractures, how does reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) compare with hemiarthroplasty (HA) for functional outcomes? ### Design: Randomized (allocation concealed), blinded (outcome assessors), controlled trial with at least 2 years of follow-up. ### Setting: A university hospital in Alicante, Spain. ### Patients: 62 patients who were ≥70 years of age with an acute proximal humeral fracture and who were candidates for shoulder arthroplasty because of complex fracture patterns not amenable to reduction and fixation. Exclusion criteria were contraindications to surgery, previous shoulder surgery, associated ipsilateral upper limb fracture, or neurologic disorder. 61 patients (98%) (mean age, 74 years; 85% women) completed follow-up. ### Intervention: Patients were randomly allocated to RSA (n = 31) or HA (n = 30). A modular shoulder replacement system that allowed either an HA or RSA to be performed with the same cementless humeral stem was used …
Track abandonment and railroad economies of scale

Since very early in its existence, the American Railroad Industry has been treated like a natural monopolist. Railroads became the first industry in this country to be regulated by the federal government. This regulation has taken two forms: restricting entry of firms into the market; and the regulation of prices. Many analysts have concluded that such regulation has left railroads operating under conditions of increasing returns to scale, that is, on the decreasing portion of their LAC curves. One consequence of this regulation is that the railroad firms are not using their plants efficiently by operating at the minimum of the LAC. A second consequence is that the firm's marginal cost is less than its average cost. This implies that in order for the railroad to operate profitably, its price must be set above its marginal cost. A number of authors have presented empirical proof that railroads, at least in their line-haul operations, operate in a range of decreasing returns to scale [Borts,Econometrica, 1960, Healy, RaiI MergerLegislation Hearings, 1962; Griliches, The Bell Journal of Economics and Management Science, 1972]. Further evidence that railroads operate on the decreasing returns to scale portion of their LAC curve can be found in the vast number of petitions by railroads for track abandonments. From a microeconomic point of view, it appears that railroads are attempting to move to the left along their LAC curves. In doing so, they are decreasing output. At the same time, by moving to a smaller plant (as measured by track mileage) they are decreasing costs. This type of behavior on the part of the railroads would make no sense if they were operating in a range of increasing returns to scale. Therefore, it must be concluded that, by their actions in requesting track abandonments, the railroads are signalling that they are currently operating in a range of decreasing returns to scale, and are attempting to increase their efficiency by cutting back on plant size. If this is the case, the regulation of railroads should be reevaluated. The track abandoning behavior by railroads could serve as evidence that they are no longer natural monopolies, and no longer require extensive regulation for their own protection.
Organic films in non-linear integrated optics structures

Abstract Organic films with specifically engineered optical properties hold considerable promise for applications in integrated optics. Light can be propagated for up to centimeter distances in waveguides to interact with organic films of thicknesses 1–5000 nm which are either deposited onto the waveguide or form the guiding medium, depending on the application. The potential advantage of using organic materials is that the molecules can be optimized for their optical response, e.g. second- and/or third-order optical non-linearities for efficient modulation, harmonic generation, all-optical signal processing etc. The basic concepts of integrated optics, non-linear guided wave interactions, material requirements for various applications and progress to date are reviewed.
Renal parathyroid hormone-dependent adenylate cyclase activity after repletion of vitamin D-deficient rats with vitamin D-2.

Abstract Rats fed a diet deficient in both vitamin D and Ca 2+ exhibited a greater depression of the renal parathyroid hormone (PTH)-dependent adenylate cyclase than was observed in rats fed diets deficient in either vitamin D or calcium. Total serum Ca 2+ was decreased from a control level of 11.2 mg/dl to 8.5 mg/dl in rats fed the diet deficient in calcium alone, and to 5.4 mg/dl in rats fed the diet deficient in vitamin D. Serum calcium was decreased further to 4.3 mg/dl in rats fed the diet deficient in both vitamin D and Ca 2+ . Serum immunoreactive PTH was significantly elevated over control levels when rats were fed the test diets; however, there were no significant differences between the elevated levels in the three experimental groups. Repletion of rats deficient in vitamin D only with a single oral dose of 3200 I.U. vitamin D-2 resulted in restoration of serum calcium to normal levels, a return of serum PTH to the control state, and an associated increase in PTH-dependent adenylate cyclase activity to the control level by 72 h. Repletion of rats deficient in both vitamin D and Ca 2+ with the same dose of vitamin D-2 raised serum Ca 2+ to 7.2 mg/dl by 72 h, but did not cause a reduction in circulating PTH, nor did it result in any significant improvement in the responsiveness of the membrane adenylate cyclase to PTH. These results suggest that elevated PTH is a factor in the down regulation of the PTH-dependent adenylate cyclase, but do not rule out a role for calcium as a regulatory factor.
Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is the primary form of PGES expressed by the primate periovulatory follicle

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has been identified as the key ovulatory PG in the primate follicle. Follicular PGE2 levels increase just before the expected time of ovulation, suggesting that the midcycle LH surge induces the expression of enzymes involved in PGE2 synthesis. METHODS: To identify the specific form(s) of prostaglandin E synthase (PGES) expressed by the primate periovulatory follicle, we examined granulosa and theca cell expression of the three microsomal (m) and cytosolic (c) forms of PGES (mPGES-1, mPGES-2 and cPGES) identified to date. Monkey granulosa cells and whole monkey ovaries were obtained from animals receiving exogenous gonadotropins to stimulate multiple follicular development; monkeys then received an ovulatory dose of HCG to initiate periovulatory events. RESULTS: Expression of mPGES-1 mRNA and protein by granulosa cells of periovulatory follicles increased in response to HCG administration, peaking just before the expected time of ovulation. Immunocytochemistry showed that mPGES-1 protein was present in both granulosa and theca cells of monkey periovulatory follicles. Monkey granulosa cells also expressed mPGES-2 and cPGES mRNA, but mRNA levels did not change in response to HCG administration. Isolated monkey theca cells expressed both mPGES-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA, and produced PGE2 in vitro. Human granulosa-lutein cells obtained from women undergoing treatment for infertility expressed mRNAs for mPGES-1, mPGES-2 and cPGES. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that mPGES-1 is a gonadotropin-regulated PG synthesis enzyme expressed by granulosa cells of primate periovulatory follicles and suggest that mPGES-1 may be the primary PGES responsible for the increased follicular PGE2 levels necessary for primate ovulation.
Modeling dynamic engineering processes when the governing equations are unknown

Abstract The paper describes a method of modeling the dynamic behaviour of continuous engineering processes, using artificial neural networks. The technique is applicable to situations where the differential equations governing the behaviour of a system are nonlinear and poorly understood, such as is the case for frost-heave and thaw-settlement processes in soils. A means of modeling the unknown component of governing differential equations is first described. A method of discretizing the neural network models of these equations is then illustrated, and the way in which these networks can be used to simulate the behaviour of a process is discussed. The proposed approach is proven to provide highly accurate results in a series of experiments simulating the nonlinear thermal behaviour of translucent solid materials. The paper concludes with an identification of several on-going areas of further development and application of the proposed tool.
Pathways of carbohydrate metabolism in Tetrahymena. Subcellular distribution and properties of hexokinase, aldolase and alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase.

Abstract In homogenates prepared at pH 6.8, most of the hexokinase activity of Tetrahymena was in soluble form, whereas in homogenates prepared at pH 7.9 most of the activity was localized on the mitochondria. The K m values for the hexokinase of Tetrahymena for glucose and for fructose are similar to the K m values for brain hexokinase and there was no appreciable difference in kinetic properties between enzyme bound to the mitochondria and enzyme released from the mitochondria. There was no indication of a specific fructokinase in Tetrahymena . Aldolase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, and α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activities were observed only in the cytosol. Some implications of these results with respect to glyconeogenic and glycolytic pathways in Tetrahymena are discussed.
A Numerical Study of Atmospheric Convective Scaling.

Abstract The phenomenon of selective scaling in shallow atmospheric convection is examined with the use of a two-dimensional, fine-resolution numerical model with a large domain aspect ratio. No extra model physics (such as latent heat release, eddy anisotropy, large-scale sinking motion, or radiative-entrainment effects) is incorporated in order to show that the preferred convective mode can be determined through the action of the nonlinear terms. The governing equations have the same form as that for Benard-Rayleigh convection, with the Rayleigh number being varied over approximately three orders of magnitude times supercritical. The scale of the convection in the steady state solutions is found to increase with Rayleigh number. At the largest Rayleigh numbers considered, the scale increases with time from initial modes with aspect ratio of roughly unity, to modes with aspect ratio larger by nearly one order of magnitude. The results, supported by radar and aircraft observations of boundary layer clear-...
Preschool Feeding Problems: It's Not Nutritious Unless They Eat It

Although a parent may be able to plan meals for a preschooler according to the four food groups, he or she may be unable to get the child to eat them. To provide successful diet counseling to the person caring for a preschool child, a nurse needs to discuss not only what to feed the child, but how to feed the child. In fact, what is often considered a child's eating problem may actually be a caregiver's feeding problem. In this article we will provide some answers to commonly encountered questions about getting children to eat. This information is based on our experience in working with advanced nursing students in community settings.
An Archaeological Source of Delacroix's Death of Sardanapalus

bert's doing you the pictures you have of their Maties [Majesties] ."29 The picture of Smibert that emerges from his trip to Italy is one of a successful artist. He found considerable patronage for portraits from life and copies of Old Masters to sustain him during his visit. His Notebook suggests that his trip went well and that he had more work than he could comfortably complete. His life portraits in Italy, such as the unidentified man (Fig. 1) in Hartford, are his most accomplished to date, animated and broadly painted, providing clear evidence of his rapidly growing abilities. After he left Italy he settled in London, not in Edinburgh where he had painted immediately prior to his trip. He believed himself capable of flourishing in the considerably more competitive atmosphere of London. He was a seasoned traveler. Only a handful of his fellow artists could make that claim. The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 78712 Bibliography
TH-C-18A-01: Is Automatic Tube Current Modulation Still Necessary with Statistical Iterative Reconstruction?

Purpose: Automatic tube current modulation (TCM) has been widely used in modern multi-detector CT to reduce noise spatial nonuniformity and streaks to improve dose efficiency. With the advent of statistical iterative reconstruction (SIR), it is expected that the importance of TCM may diminish, since SIR incorporates statistical weighting factors to reduce the negative influence of photon-starved rays. The purpose of this work is to address the following questions: Does SIR offer the same benefits as TCM? If yes, are there still any clinical benefits to using TCM? Methods: An anthropomorphic CIRS chest phantom was scanned using a state-of-the-art clinical CT system equipped with an SIR engine (Veo™, GE Healthcare). The phantom was first scanned with TCM using a routine protocol and a low-dose (LD) protocol. It was then scanned without TCM using the same protocols. For each acquisition, both FBP and Veo reconstructions were performed. All scans were repeated 50 times to generate an image ensemble from which noise spatial nonuniformity (NSN) and streak artifact levels were quantified. Monte-Carlo experiments were performed to estimate skin dose. Results: For FBP, noise streaks were reduced by 4% using TCM for both routine and LD scans. NSN values were actually slightly higher withmore » TCM (0.25) than without TCM (0.24) for both routine and LD scans. In contrast, for Veo, noise streaks became negligible (<1%) with or without TCM for both routine and LD scans, and the NSN was reduced to 0.10 (low dose) or 0.08 (routine). The overall skin dose was 2% lower at the shoulders and more uniformly distributed across the skin without TCM. Conclusion: SIR without TCM offers superior reduction in noise nonuniformity and streaks relative to FBP with TCM. For some clinical applications in which skin dose may be a concern, SIR without TCM may be a better option. K. Li, W. Zhao, D. Gomez-Cardona: Nothing to disclose; G.-H. Chen: Research funded, General Electric Company Research funded, Siemens AG Research funded, Varian Medical Systems, Research funded, Hologic, Inc.« less
The housing indicators program: A model for evaluation research and policy analysis?

The author draws from the lessons of the ongoing Housing Indicators Program to provide a framework for developing better performance indicators and improving the development impact of housing policies and programs.
Comprehensive analysis of proteins which interact with the antioxidant responsive element : correlation of ARE-BP-1 with the chemoprotective induction response

Abstract Transcriptional activation of the mouse glutathione S -transferase Ya gene by chemoprotective molecules is mediated through the interaction of trans -acting factors with an antioxidant responsive element (ARE) in the promoter region of this gene. In a step toward identifying those factors which bind productively to the GST Ya ARE, all of the discernible, specific ARE-binding proteins (ARE-BP) in nuclear extracts from HepG2 cells were systematically characterized. By gel-mobility-shift analysis, seven specific ARE-BPs, termed ARE-BP-1 through 7 in order of increasing mobility, were observed that did not vary in concentration or migration between induced and uninduced cell extracts. The molecular weights of the individual ARE-BP subunits were determined by a two-dimensional electrophoresis protocol. Ferguson gel analysis of native protein size indicated that several of the ARE-BP–DNA complexes are composed of multiple protein subunits. Wild-type AREs and GST Ya ARE fragments and mutant sequences were evaluated for their ability to mediate induction in a reporter gene system in HepG2 cells. This same panel of sites was tested in an in vitro binding assay for the ability to compete for the ARE-BPs. A binding profile for each ARE-BP was compiled. Correlation between the ARE-BP binding profiles and induction results indicated that: (i) the ARE-BP-1 and ARE-BP-2 complexes formed only with AREs that supported induction, and (ii) the ARE-BP-4 complex formed with all inducible AREs, but it also bound to ARE mutants that failed to support induction. Based on the studies, an early composite regulatory element model for ARE-mediated expression is presented. ARE-BP-1 is proposed to be the mediator of the ARE's unique induction response to chemoprotective agents.
Electricity for Engineers

THERE appears to be nothing fundamentally different in what Prof. Frazier and I say, only the method of approach, his from the historical scientific and mine from what I conceive to be the modern educational, especially for electrical engineers.
An investigation of the influence of expectancy on affective and physical changes associated with oral contraceptive use.

The effect of low-dose oral contraceptives on psychological and physical complaints was investigated prospectively in a group of 19 first-time users. Their responses to questionnaires assessing depressionanxietyphysical symptomslife changesand expectations of negative or positive consequences of oral contraceptives were compared to a group of age-matched women who had been using the same type of oral contraceptive for at least 6 months. All subjects were assessed at recruitment1 monthand 3 months later. No group differences were found prior to initiation of contraceptive use by the first-time usersor 1 and 3 months after the first-time users began taking oral contraceptives. Non-significant correlations were found between negative expectancy (expected increases in depressionanxietymenstrual discomfortand other negative psychological or physical changes)anxietydepressionphysical complaintsand life changes in first-time usersalthough 65% did expect at least one negative effect of oral contraceptives. Our fi...
Perturbations of the Schroedinger equation by potentials with small support

Abstract We consider perturbations of the (time-dependent) Schroedinger equation in L 2 ( R s ) by potentials having small support in an appropriate sense. Estimates for the perturbational effects are obtained which depend only on the size of the perturbing potential's support and not on its magnitude. A few exceptional cases are examined in which large perturbations are produced by singular potentials with point support.
The Intertemporal Substitution Model of Labour Market Fluctuations: An Empirical Analysis

The paper uses two approaches to study whether aggregate fluctuations in employment and unemployment may be explained within a market clearing framework as intertemporal substitution in labour supply. First, log-linear equations for labour supply and unemployment are estimated using a forecasting model to measure wage and price expectations. Second, a utility function is used to derive and estimate an equation for labour supply as a function of the current real wage and consumption. The influence of expected future real wages and interest rates is captured by the consumption variable. The empirical results do not support the intertemporal substitution model.
Inhibition of bacterially promoted uranium reduction: ferric (Hydr)oxides as competitive electron acceptors.

The reduction of uranyl (U(VI)) to the relatively insoluble tetravalent form (U(IV)) by Shewanella alga (BrY), a dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria, was studied in the presence of environmentally relevant iron hydrous oxides. Because this process is dependent on U(VI) being used as the terminal electron acceptor (TEA) during anaerobic respiration, it is important to understand how other potential TEAs might affect this process. When cell suspensions of BrY were added to uranyl acetate (400 μM), uranyl was removed from solution within 10 h. Similarly, uranyl in the presence on goethite (11.1 μmol of U/m2 of solid) underwent dramatic reduction (>90%) with active BrY cells. In contrast, when ferrihydrite was available (0.67 μmol of U/m2 of solid) only 48% of the initial U(VI) was removed after 10 h. When varying ratios of goethite and ferrihydrite were incorporated into cell suspensions, the extent of uranyl reduction was inversely related to the fraction of ferrihydrite present. Increasing uranyl concent...
On vector invariants over finite fields

Abstract Let F denote a finite field and let S(m, n, F) denote a set of generators of the invariants of SL(n, F) acting on mn-component vectors. This paper proves that if m > n > 1, then S(m, n, F) must contain a generator whose degree is greater than or equal to (m − n + 2)(|F| − 1). Similar results are obtained for the vector invariants of other groups of matrices with entries in F.
Summary of session II and concluding remarks

ertebral fractures cause substantial morbidity; ~owever, it is difficult to define precisely how much disability they cause. As Dr. Ross discussed, uncontrolled clinical series do not provide sufficient information. Observational studies cannot distinguish morbidity caused by other illnesses that accompany aging. The best approach for estinmting the impact of vertebral fractures may be to measure comprehensively the morbidity associated with vertebral fractures in randomized clinical trials of bonespecific agents. The importance of "comorbidi ty" was emphasized in several discussions. A concer ted effort to treat comorbidi ty may be one of the most fruitful ways of improving outcome after hip fracture; it may even help to prevent hip fractures, particularly in men. Dr. Lyons pointed out the regional variability in hip fracture management and how current treatments are based on anecdote, habit, and culture. Results of treatlnent remain poor despite new advances. Dr. Lyons also highlighted growing evidence that cemented may be bet ter than m~cemented prostheses. Again, this theory would best be tested in randomized clinical trials. Intensive home-based rehabilitation after a hip fracture appears to be a promising approach. It is attractive because it is likely to be less expensive than in-hospital care. Preliminary results suggest that home-based rehabilitation improves patient outconies. Dr. Tamayo discussed the management of patients with vertebral fractures. For asymptonmtic patients, the goal of treatment is to prevent new fractures. He proposed that some patients who are acutely symptomatic because of vertebral fracture need surgical stabilization of the spine. This concept needs careful study before it is applied to patients, because there is limited evidence supporting the benefits of surgical stabilization. Benefits will depend on the risk of development of neurologic symptoms as a consequence of fracture. In general, this risk is probably very low.