cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conflict of Interest, Bias, and Objectivity in Research Articles

To The Editor: We enjoyed the recent Current Concepts Review “The Use of Low-Intensity Ultrasound to Accelerate the Healing of Fractures” (83-A: 259-70, Feb. 2001), by Rubin et al. It sounds like ultrasound is the best thing since sliced bread—and it may be, but we were a little disappointed with the references. The section entitled “The Ability of Ultrasound to Accelerate Fracture-Healing in the Clinical Setting” cited twelve sources. Two of these were articles published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery . The first, by Heckman, Ryaby, McCabe, Frey, and Kilcoyne1, found that ultrasound made tibial fractures heal faster. The second, by Kristiansen, Ryaby, McCabe, Frey, and Roe2, found that ultrasound made distal radial fractures heal faster. Since The Journal requires disclosure of potential conflicts of interest, the reader is told that for both papers, “One or more of the authors have received or will receive benefits for personal or professional use from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article. Funds were received in total or partial support of the research or clinical study presented in this article. The funding source was Exogen, Incorporated.”1,2 The articles also show that Ryaby and McCabe are employees of Exogen and that Frey is an employee of Health Products Development, Inc. The reader is not told what form of support Exogen gave, how much support, or to whom it was given. A third article, published in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, by Cook, Ryaby, McCabe, Frey, Heckman, and Kristiansen3 and cited in this section, was apparently a second look at the patients from the aforementioned two studies. Cook et al. showed that ultrasound makes fractures in …
San Jacinto Fault Zone in the Northern Imperial Valley, California

The San Jacinto fault zone consists of three principal faults: the San Jacinto, Coyote Creek, and Clark faults. Right-lateral horizontal displacement along these faults is 14 mi, 3 mi, and 1 mi, respectively. Vertical displacement is relatively minor. The faulting appears to have occurred since the middle Pleistocene. Clark Valley, which is similar to Death Valley, s i interpreted as a pull-apart graben along the curvilinear San Jacinto fault.
α-MSH potentiates the responsiveness of mammotropes by increasing Ca2+ entry

It is well known that the suckling stimulus renders mammotropes considerably more responsive to prolactin (PRL)-releasing stimuli, and the neurointermediate lobe peptide α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) has been proposed to play a pivotal role in this priming. The objectives of the present study were to determine whether α-MSH could act directly on pituitary cells to potentiate PRL release in response to two physiologically relevant PRL secretagogues, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and ATP, and, if so, to identify the mechanism by which this priming phenomenon is manifested. To this end, we cultured anterior pituitary cells from lactating rats overnight and then subjected them to a reverse hemolytic plaque assay for PRL to evaluate their responses to various test agents. We found that α-MSH, which had no effect on PRL export when tested alone, augmented by more than threefold the secretory responses to TRH and ATP. Next, we utilized digital-imaging fluorescence microscopy of fura 2 to evaluate the role of intracellular Ca 2+ in this process. We found that PRL export induced by pharmacological activation of L-type voltage-operated calcium channels was also potentiated by α-MSH, as was Ca 2+ entry induced by TRH. Our results indicate that α-MSH acts as a mammotrope-priming agent on a subset of mammotropes by increasing Ca 2+ entry induced by PRL secretagogues.
Mycetismus: a review

Although rare, death from amanitin exposure poses a significant health risk and a diagnostic challenge to the clinician due to its rarity. This is one of the few conditions to be voluntarily reported by healthcare professionals. No antidote exists for this poisoning and, perhaps due to its rarity or lack of attention, the United States has lagged behind Europe for almost three decades in treatment, diagnostics and experimentation. This regrettable fact warrants the formation of a centralized agency for education, the advancement of research and the collection of data, to provide better treatment for the population.
BRAF inhibitor therapy–associated melanocytic lesions lack the BRAF V600E mutation and show increased levels of cyclin D1 expression

Newly appearing or changing melanocytic lesions (MLs) are a recently reported toxicity of BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi) therapy. Morphologically, MLs associated with BRAFi therapy (BRAFi-MLs) may demonstrate alarming features of melanoma with an epithelioid cell phenotype with notable cytologic atypia. We sought to characterize the clinicopathological and molecular features of BRAFi-MLs. A retrospective review over a 4-year period revealed 20 patients in which 44 MLs (including 11 control nevi) were characterized by histopathology, review of clinical medical records, and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies (with anti-BRAF V600E, anti-BAP1, anti-cyclin D1, and anti-p16); the percentage of IHC+ cells was scored. Of the 20 patients, 3 (15%) whose BRAFi-MLs were biopsied had a second primary cutaneous melanoma. Of the 44 BRAFi-MLs tested, 37 (100%) of 37 MLs available for BRAF V600E testing lacked expression in contrast to 1 (9%) of 11 control nevi (lesions not associated with targeted therapy). A significantly higher level of cyclin D1 expression (>50% IHC+ cells) was more commonly seen in BRAFi-MLs (44%) than in control nevi (9%). No difference in p16 expression in melanocytes was seen between the 2 groups. BRAF mutation status distinctly differs between BRAFi-MLs from melanomas and nevi biopsied in patients who do not receive BRAFi therapy. Morphologically, BRAFi-MLs demonstrate a greater degree of atypia than do control nevi. Furthermore, BRAFi-MLs with coexisting cutaneous keratinocyte toxicity developed during fewer days of targeted therapy. Paradoxical activation of the MAPK pathway in BRAF(WT) melanocytes may account for ~15% to 21% of patients developing a second new primary melanoma within a year of starting BRAFi therapy; thus, close clinical surveillance is warranted.
A Determination of the Order of Limitation of Amino Acids in a Broiler Breeder Diet

Abstract The order of limitation of amino acids in a corn soybean meal diet was determined for broiler breeder hens. Methionine was added to ensure that sulfur amino acids were not limiting. A control diet was fed which met all amino acid requirements for the hens. Corn replaced soybean meal in the deficient diet. The addition of lysine (Lys) to this diet improved performance significantly. The addition of tryptophan (Trp) resulted in further improvement in performance. The addition of Arginine (Arg) or Arg and Valine (Val) did not improve performance. However, when Arg, Val, Threonine and Isoleucine were added to the diet supplemented with Lys and Trp, a numerical (non-significant) improvement in performance was obtained.
Density Functional Studies on 19-Electron Metal Sandwich Complexes: Electronic Structures of CpFe(η6-C6H6), CpFe(η6-C6Me6), and (C5Me5)Fe(η6-C6H6)

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out on three 19-electron metal sandwich complexes, CpFe(η6-C6H6), CpFe(η6-C6Me6), and (C5Me5)Fe(η6-C6H6), to determine their electronic structure. The nuclear quadrupole splittings for these three molecules were also calculated using DFT and were found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental values observed by Mossbauer spectroscopy. For CpFe(η6-C6H6) and (C5Me5)Fe(η6-C6H6), the metal contributions to the singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) were found to be about 45% and 30%, respectively, lower than estimates based on the magnitude of the quadrupole splitting. In the case of CpFe(η6-C6Me6), however, the SOMO is dominated by the permethylated arene ligand, while the metal contribution is only about 10%, much less than the estimate of 75% based on the quadrupole splitting. In all three molecules the spin density is concentrated around the iron atom, and the partial charge on the iron atom is 0.75, as calculated using the AIM method....
A Solid-Dielectric Capacitive Pressure Transducer

We are attempting to develop a direct-reading pressure trans-ducer that will be as precise and stable as the piston gauge so that it may be used as a pressure transfer Standard with these gauges. The development has centered on a capacitive transducer in which the change in capacitance of a solid-dielectric capacitor is measured. The capacitors consist of discs of dielectric material with metallic electrodes and guard rings deposited directly on their surfaces, forming, in effect, parallel-plate capacitors. When subjected to hydrostatic pressure, the capacitance changes as a result of the combined effects of the change in size of the capacitor and the change in the dielectric constant of the material. Andeen, Fontanella, and Schuele [1] were the first to demonstrate the feasi-bility of such a device. They used single-crystal CaF£ as the dielectric medium with which a pressure change of 100 MPa produces a capacitance change of only 0.37%. Although this change is small, by using the three-terminal capacitor method, modern ac bridge techniques, and accurate ratio transformers, capacitance measurements can be made with accuracies in excess of 1:107 and with resolution approaching 1: 109. It should, therefore, be possible to measure pressures with an uncertainty of less than 1 kPa, which is about the uncertainty of piston gauges intended for the 100 MPa range. The drawback with using CaF2 capacitors is their large temperature dependence. To realize the pressure resolution of 1 kPa with this material requires that it be thermostated to within 0.1 mK which is clearly impractical. To overcome this pronounced temperature dependence, we conducted an extensive search for materials having a more favorable ratio of temperature-to-pressure dependence. Several materials were found which were an order-of-magnitude better than CaF2, but this was not considered a sufficient improvement.
Characterization of the antiplasmin activity of human thrombospondin-1 in solution

These studies demonstrate relatively rapid association of plasmin with thrombospondin and the effects of this interaction on plasmin activity towards D-Val-L-Leu-L-Lys p-nitroanilide hydrochloride (S-2251) and the proteinase inhibitors alpha 2-antiplasmin (alpha 2AP) and alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M). Binding of plasmin to thrombospondin reached an apparent reversible equilibrium within 3 min at 22 degrees C. The amidase activity of bound plasmin was inhibited. An analysis of S-2251 hydrolysis indicated that thrombospondin is a linear mixed-type plasmin inhibitor. The dissociation constant (KD) for the binding of plasmin to thrombospondin was 0.5 microM, assuming one plasmin binding site per thrombospondin homotrimer. Plasmin and miniplasmin slowly cleaved thrombospondin, yielding products which were comparable with those generated by other proteinases. Tranexamic acid inhibited the digestion of thrombospondin by plasmin and miniplasmin, suggesting an important role for the kringle-5 domain in this process. When plasmin was incubated first with thrombospondin and then with alpha 2AP, plasmin that was apparently bound to thrombospondin reacted with alpha 2AP at a decreased rate; however, within 20 min, all of the plasmin was recovered in complex with alpha 2AP. Similar results were obtained with alpha 2M. Transfer of plasmin from thrombospondin to alpha 2AP or alpha 2M probably required plasmin-thrombospondin-complex dissociation. A low level of reaction of alpha 2AP with thrombospondin-associated plasmin could not be ruled out. These results demonstrate that the activity of plasmin, when bound to thrombospondin, is greatly diminished or eliminated. The plasmin-thrombospondin complex, which is formed within 3 min, is fully reversible and the associated plasmin is in a latent form protected from proteinase inhibitors. Therefore, thrombospondin may regulate plasmin activity in a manner which is distinct from conventional proteinase inhibitors and other extracellular-matrix proteins.
Some Aspects of Population Dynamics Relative to Augmentation of Natural Enemy Action

This volume deals with augmentation of natural enemy action — a pest control strategy having several specific tactical components. To do so objectively, this strategy must be placed in a realistic ecological and economic framework broad enough to include situations where the strategy might be used successfully alone, where it can be used as one component in an integrated pest management system, and (very importantly) where it has little promise of successful application. The probable direct and indirect effects of its application must be ascertained and compared with those to be expected from the application of alternative strategies and tactics. This comparison must be on a cost-benefit basis from a long-term, as well as short-term view (the long-term view essentially is that the practice must not detract from the crop production or profit potential of the area in which it is used; i.e., it must be both ecologically and economically sound).
Follow-up imaging studies in patients treated with radiosurgery for metastatic melanoma

Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery for treatment of intracranial metastatic melanomas. A total of 13 patients with 35 intracranial metastatic melanoma lesions were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery. On imaging studies, complete remission was found in 5 of 35, partial remission in 20 of 35, stable disease in 8 of 35, and progression in 2 of 35. In addition, relapse was later seen in 3 of the 28 lesions that initially showed partial remission or stable disease. Stereotactic radiosurgery is an effective and safe therapy for brain metastatic melanomas. It can be applied as primary treatment or for a relapse in a patient previously treated by whole-brain irradiation.
Evidence of Nanoconfinement Effects in the Adsorption of Hydrogen on Coinage Metal Complexes Dispersed within Porous Carbon

In this article, we report the results of careful, room-temperature, high-pressure adsorption studies, in which simple complexes of copper and silver reversibly adsorb hydrogen when dispersed within nanoporous carbon. Whereas these complexes alone did not adsorb hydrogen, when they were nanoconfined within carbon, they adsorbed 1–3 mol of H2 per metal center. As a figure of merit, nanoconfined cupric formate adsorbed ∼2.6 H2/Cu at 100 bar and 20 °C, much larger than any reported metal-containing adsorption medium. On carbon alone, the heat of hydrogen adsorption decreased with an increase in adsorption extent, limiting to insufficient levels of uptake. By contrast, when these metal salts were dispersed within the carbon, the heats of adsorption increased markedly in a linear manner, meaning that the thermodynamics has moved in the right direction and is not self-limiting. Such thermodynamic behavior is associated with side-on dihydrogen binding onto a metal center, the so-called Kubas binding. Such intera...
Adult Congenital Heart Disease

The increasing number of patients with either uncorrected or repaired congenital cardiac lesions is on the rise, likely reflective of improvements in care and detection. With more patients surviving well into adulthood, they often present for non-cardiac surgery. Echocardiography remains central to the detection, and aids in both surgical and device-based correction. It can also provide important prognostic information and quantify the effects (from the lesion) on ventricular function, pulmonary and systemic flow, etc. It is important for the beginner and intermediate practitioner to familiarize himself/herself with basic lesions encountered in adulthood, the echocardiographic techniques used to further identify and evaluate each condition, and the associated conditions that need to be sought and ruled out.
Micro X-Ray computed tomography imaging and ultrasonic velocity measurements in tetrahydrofuran-hydrate-bearing sediments

Naturally occurring gas hydrates contain significant amounts of natural gas that might be produced as an energy resource in the foreseeable future. Thus, it is necessary to understand the pore-space characteristics of hydrate reservoirs, particularly the pore-scale distribution of the hydrate and its interaction with the sediment. Four end-member models for hydrate distribution in the pore space are pore filling, sediment-frame component, envelope cementing, and contact cementing. The goal of this study is to compare the models with pore-scale hydrate distributions obtained in laboratory-formed hydrates. Our results verify hydrate pore-scale distributions by direct, visual observations that were previously implied by indirect, elastic property measurements. Laboratory measurements were conducted using tetrahydrofuran as a guest molecule since tetrahydrofuran hydrate can be used as a proxy for naturally occurring hydrates. We performed micro X-ray computed tomography to obtain information about the distribution of hydrate in the pore space of synthetic sediment (glass beads). We also made ultrasonic velocity measurements on the same samples. Micro X-ray computed tomography images and ultrasonic velocity measurements both indicate that the tetrahydrofuran hydrate forms in the pore space with a part of the hydrate bridging the grains without touching the grain surfaces. These hydrate-bearing sediments appear to follow a pore-filling model with a portion of the hydrate becoming a load-bearing part of the sediment frame.
Waveform diversity and optimal change detection

We study the problem of change detection for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) when the reference and mission images are the result of interrogation with different waveforms (waveform diversity). With waveform diversity, the problem of change detection becomes more challenging: The point spread functions of the reference and mission images are different, resulting in suboptimality of existing change detection methods. We define a hypothesis test and derive an optimal change detector under waveform diversity. Our change detector is coherent in that it is capable of detecting phase changes, however, our detector does not take the form of the classical coherent change detector. We apply our change detector to real data collected with Ohio State's software defined radar (SDR).
The Independent Perceptual Calibration of Action-Neutral and -Referential Environmental Properties.

Two experiments were conducted to explore how the calibration of perception of environmental properties taken with reference to an animal and their action capabilities (e.g., affordances) and those...
Milton and Maternal Authority: Why Is the Virgin Mary in Paradise Regained?

Milton’s rigorously Protestant views would seem to preclude his interest in the Virgin Mary, yet he makes her a central figure in what is probably his last work, Paradise Regained. Rose argues that the narrative logic of the poem exalts the Son as a hero not for what he does, but because of who he is: a son. The Virgin’s maternal authority is needed to affirm this earthly and, during the time of the poem, emphatically private identity. Milton establishes not only the immensity of the Virgin Mary’s authority but also its limitations. An analysis of Thomas Hobbes’ exploration of parental authority, in which he not only assesses the mother’s natural superiority in conferring legitimacy but also does not extend that authority into a public plot, provides contextualization.
Acidic ionic liquid polymers: poly(bis-imidazolium-p-phenylenesulfonic acid) and applications as catalysts in the preparation of 1-amidoalkyl-2-naphthols

A new class of polymeric acidic ionic liquids with imidazolium hydrogen sulfate and p-phenylene sulfonic acid units built into the main polymer chain were prepared by a simple two step method in 87–89% yield. These new polymers were characterized by elemental analysis, 1H, 13C NMR, FT-IR, TGA and GPC. The catalytic activity of sulfonic acid group functionalized ionic liquid polymers was demonstrated through the synthesis of 1-amidoalkyl-2-naphthols in 78–90% yield by condensation of 2-naphthol, benzaldehyde and amides without a solvent at 100 °C.
Behavior of syntactic foam under plate impact

Abstract Hollow particulates were cast in an epoxy matrix and subjected to plate impact, at a speed of 300 m/s. Three different microballoon sizes were used, in turn, in the fabrication process, with particulate volume fractions of 5, 10, 20, and 30%. Both particulate size and volume fraction are shown to play a crucial role in the mitigative response of these syntactic foams. Composites with large diameter inclusions mitigate the effects of the imparted stresses to the largest extent, while those made from the smaller inclusions have the nefarious effect of causing a lessening of attenuation to a level below that which is provided by the virgin matrix. Increases in volume fraction tend to enhance the primary response associated with respective particulate sizes. It is also noted that the stress response to dynamic loading emulates the behavior of those same materials when ultrasonic waves are launched through them. The latter could therefore be used as a non-destructive guide to predict the behavior of syntactic foams.
Prognosis of power MOSFET in continuous time framework

The reliability of the MOSFET is a concern as it has been extensively used for the critical power supply applications in hybrid electric vehicles, high-speed electric trains, and electric aircraft. The MOSFET is subject to the multiple electro-mechanical stresses simultaneously during its operation. The degradation in MOSFET is random in nature due to these stresses along with manufacturing imperfection. The noise in the fault precursor measurement system results in large variation in the remaining useful life (RUL). In this paper, a continuous time (CT) framework based RUL estimation technique is proposed using the drain to source on-time resistance (R ds, on ) as the fault precursor. The CT framework is utilized to capture the dynamics of the system. The CT Markov Process (CTMP) in conjunction with Continuous time (CT) Sequential Importance Resampling (SIR) Particle Filter (PF) is used to simulate the trajectory of the R ds, on considering noise in measurement system. This simulated trajectory is then used to estimate the RUL of the MOSFET. The RUL estimation of the proposed method is compared with the RUL estimation of Kalman filter (KF) and Discrete Time Sequential Importance Sampling (SIS) PF using the experimental data of the R DS, ON of the MOSFET.
Panera Bread Company

As 2007 drew to a close, Panera Bread Company faced a new challenge. To date, it had relied on retained earnings and minor equity infusions to finance operations. But a decline in margins would limit future financing from internally generated funds. Complicating matters was the fact that its stock price was at historic lows and management was contemplating a large equity repurchase. This case can be used to discuss multiperiod financial forecasts and the relative desirability of various financing sources. A teaching note and instructor and student spreadsheet are available. Excerpt UVA-F-1575 Rev. Sept. 3, 2009 PANERA BREAD COMPANY As the end of 2007 drew near, Panera Bread Company was facing a brand-new challenge. Until recently, strong margins had allowed Panera to finance its rapid growth largely through retained earnings and very minor equity infusions resulting from compensation programs. The company used no permanent debt financing and, in fact, had allowed a $ 10 million dollar credit facility to expire. But now Panera was facing a decline in margins that would limit its ability to rely on internal funds. With growth expected to continue and a $ 75 million stock repurchase under consideration, the company realized it would almost surely need capital from external markets—in both the short run and the long run. History and Business Model Panera Bread Company had its origins in another successful bread venture, Au Bon Pain Co., which was founded in 1981. The success of Au Bon Pain in the 1980s gave rise to the 1993 purchase of Saint Louis Bread Company, a small bakery-cafe company located in St. Louis, Missouri. By the end of 1999, the Saint Louis Bread Company concept was being expanded under the Panera Bread name, Au Bon Pain had sold off all its units except Panera Bread, and Au Bon Pain itself had adopted the Panera name. . . .
A VORONOVSKAYA TYPE THEOREM FOR GENERAL SINGULAR OPERATORS WITH APPLICATIONS

In this article we continue with the study of approximation properties of smooth general singular integral operators over the real line. We produce Voronovskaya type results and give some quantitative results regarding the rate of convergence of these singular integral operators. We give particular applications to trigonometric singular integral operators.
A retrospective comparison of thoracic epidural infusion and multimodal analgesia protocol for pain management following the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum.

SummaryBackground Pain management following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum is variable. We recently adopted a comprehensive multimodal analgesic protocol that standardizes perioperative analgesic management. We hypothesized that patients managed with this protocol would use more opioids postoperatively, have similar pain control, and shorter length of stay compared to patients managed with thoracic epidural infusion. Aims We retrospectively compared opioid consumption, pain scores, and length of stay between a cohort of patients managed with our multimodal analgesic protocol and a cohort managed with a thoracic epidural infusion. Methods This retrospective cohort comparison includes patients, 8 to 21 years of age, managed with either thoracic epidural infusion (n = 21) or multimodal analgesic protocol (n = 29) following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum from January 1, 2011 through September 15, 2015. The primary outcome, total daily opioid consumption in morphine equivalents, is presented as an average by postoperative day. Secondary outcomes included median daily pain score and length of stay. Results Patients were similar in age, weight, sex, and physical status. Patients managed with thoracic epidural infusion received less opioid (morphine equivalents—mg/kg) intraoperatively compared to multimodal analgesic protocol (difference of mean [95% confidence interval] 0.22 [0.16-0.28] P ≤ .01) but required more total opioid through postoperative day 3 (difference of mean [95% confidence interval] 1.2 [0.26-2.14] P = .01). We did not observe a difference in pain scores. Median length of stay was 1 day less in patients managed with multimodal analgesic protocol (difference of median [95% confidence interval] 1 [0.3-1.7] P = .003). Conclusion Implementation of a standardized comprehensive multimodal analgesic protocol following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum resulted in equivalent analgesia with a modest reduction in length of stay when compared to thoracic epidural. We did not observe an opioid sparing effect in our thoracic epidural which may reflect technique variability.
Modeling amorphous silicon nitride: A comparative study of empirical potentials

Abstract We perform a comparative study of empirical potentials for atomistic simulations of amorphous silicon nitride (a-Si3N4). We choose 5 different parameterizations of the Tersoff potential, the Marian-Gastreich two-body (MG2) and three-body (MG3) potential, the Vashishta (V) potential, and the Garofalini (SG) potential. Amorphous models of Si3N4, comprising of 448 atoms, are generated by each empirical potential using a melt-and-quench procedure. Subsequently, models are optimized using Density Functional Theory calculations, and structures resulting from these DFT optimizations are compared. We emphasize local coordination of atoms and the enthalpies of formation (ΔHf) relative to crystalline β-Si3N4. The SG and MG2 potentials prove to be best options for modeling of a-Si3N4. Models generated with these potentials are close to their DFT local minimum, exhibit the smallest number of defects, and have realistic enthalpies of formation.
Design and synthesis of novel and potent GPR119 agonists with a spirocyclic structure.

Abstract Exploration of alternative structures of the substituted piperidine or piperazine ring which are characteristic in most of the reported GPR119 agonists provided novel spirocyclic cyclohexane derivatives. The representative 17 with a high three-dimensionality exhibited potent agonistic activity (EC50 = 4 nM) with no CYP inhibitory activity (IC50 >10 μM). Compound 17 also displayed hypoglycemic activity with insulin secretion dependent on glucose concentration in an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test in rats.
Abstract P6-10-06: Racial differences in the characteristics and outcomes of young breast cancer patients: A national population-based study

Background: Disparity in demographic characteristics as it relates to breast cancer outcomes is well-studied. However, studies evaluating racial differences exclusively among young patients are more limited. We sought to examine socioeconomic and clinical factors and their impact on outcomes in young patients, as well as to determine whether variation in outcomes changed over the 22-year study period. Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we identified female patients aged 20-35 with invasive breast cancer diagnosed from 1990-2012. We performed univariate, multivariate and survival analysis. Variables included patient age, race, stage, receptor status, surgery type and year of diagnosis Results: A total of 18,999 women were identified and analyzed. Mean age was 31.7 years. 31.2% were diagnosed between 1990-2000 while 68.7% were diagnosed between 2001-2012. 80.8% (15,364) of patients were white and 19.1% (3,635) were black. A higher percentage of blacks had stage III/IV disease (34% v 27%) and ≥ 4 positive nodes (19% v 16%) compared to whites. 54% of whites were ER receptor positive while 46% of blacks were ER receptor positive (p The overall 5-year disease specific survival (DSS) for the entire cohort was 82.5%. 5-year DSS was 84.4% for all white patients and 74.2% for all black patients (p Discussion: Racial disparity among breast cancer patients is also an issue in young females, as young white patients have superior disease-specific survival compared to African-Americans collectively and in each time-period studied. Absolute disease-specific survival has improved from 1990-2000 to 2001-2012 for both races. However, the statistically significant difference in improvement of disease-specific survival seen among white patients was not demonstrated in African-American patients. Continued attention to racial disparity in breast cancer outcomes is needed with additional studies examining potential differences in treatment, disease characteristics and biology, and accessibility to health care, with a particular focus on young cancer patients. With continued research, hopefully new treatment approaches will be developed to reduce this disparity. Citation Format: McClain JT, Mosquera C, Muzaffar M. Racial differences in the characteristics and outcomes of young breast cancer patients: A national population-based study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-10-06.
The Political Economy of the Hatch-Waxman Amendments

Reform of the Hatch–Waxman generic drug framework is in the air. Scholars, consumer advocacy groups, regulated industry, and policymakers are engaged in heated debate about perceived shortcomings in the scheme, flaws, and unexpected loopholes. Changes in how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implements the law, as well as changes to the law itself, are under serious consideration. These policymaking discussions take place against a backdrop of shared assumptions about the origins and nature of the original Hatch–Waxman legislation — assumptions that this Article claims are wrong. Convention wisdom holds that the Hatch–Waxman legislation was a delicate compromise privately negotiated and endorsed by the affected industries — and one that benefitted both sides. When the law is viewed through the lens of public choice theory, however, the truth is more nuanced, and the balance of benefits and costs different. By design the benefits would largely flow to one group, the generic companies, while the costs would be borne by the other group, the innovating companies. The public stood to both gain (earlier access to cheaper drugs) and lose (reduced flow of innovative drugs, if economic models were accurate). Its interests were championed by a legislative entrepreneur (Henry Waxman) as well as Public Citizen, however, which focused on the gain rather than the loss. The economic interests of the generic companies, which invested heavily in passage of the legislation, aligned with the interests of Public Citizen, and the combination of their forces made passage inevitable. Curiously, there have been few published histories of the Hatch–Waxman Amendments since the accounts written contemporaneously by participants in the policymaking process. Scholars, third–party opinion–shapers, and policymakers considering reform proposals need a clearer understanding of the history and the constraints under which the Hatch–Waxman Amendments were in fact brokered. This Article steps into the gap by offering a contextualized history of the statute and describing its political economy.
Silicon oxynitride based scratch resistant anti-reflective coatings

Scratch resistant anti-reflective (SRAR) coatings were developed on Gorilla Glass substrates. A reactive magnetron sputtering process was employed to enable desired layer hardness and refractive index. Optical modeling was performed to determine the effective hardness of the SRAR coatings, in an effort to reduce reflectance in the visible while maintaining high scratch resistance. Scratch resistance was evaluated by using a nano-indentation test. Broadband AR coatings were realized. Potential applications of the SRAR coatings for AD optics were discussed.
Tamoxifen for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

During the 1960s, many pharmaceutical companies around the world were involved in the study of the structure-activity relationships of the antiestrogens. Each compound was an effective antifertility agent in the laboratory rat, but it was clear that the properties scientists were observing in animals did not translate into a clinically useful contraceptive. A number of preliminary clinical trials in breast cancer were conducted with several new antiestrogens because of the recognized link between estrogen and the growth of some breast cancers (1,2). It had also been found in the laboratory that antiestrogens could block the binding of radioactive estradiol in its target tissues, so the rationale for clinical studies in the 1970s was strong.
Biochemistry of Essential Oil Terpenes

During the last thirty years, the number of structurally defined terpenoids has increased to over 30,000 and methods for the study of the biogenetic origins of these natural products have progressed from in vivo feeding experiments with labeled precursors, to work with cell-free enzyme systems, to the application of newer molecular biological approaches. Advances in this now well unified field are described, with emphasis on the biochemistry of monoterpenes and the biotechnological applications afforded by modern molecular genetics.
Limitations of laboratory models in predicting gastrointestinal toleration of oxicams and other anti-inflammatory drugs

The search for novel nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has intensified in the last decade. In large measure, this can be attributed to the appreciation of the structural and physical constraints placed upon those compounds believed to be potential NSAIDs and to the role played by pharmacokinetic properties in delivery of drug to the site of inflammation and the maintenance there of effective drug concentrations. The evolution of such appreciation can be discerned in the review of research which led to indomethacin and related indole-acetic acids1 and to piroxicam and related oxicams2. A further stimulus to the selection of novel structures as NSAIDs has been the discovery that they share the ability to modulate the elaboration of arachidonic acid into prostanoids through the two biosynthetic cascades known as the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways3,4.
Assessing the flow to low-income urban areas of conservation and environmental funds approved by California's Proposition 84.

Government funding accounts for a large proportion of conservation and environmental improvements, and is often the result of citizen votes on state ballot measures. A key concern surrounding public investments in the environment is whether that funding serves lower-income communities, which are often the communities of greatest need. We applied three statistical methods to analyze the spatial distribution of conservation funding derived from California’s Proposition 84, which distributed nearly $4 billion across California between 2006 and 2015. First, we used hurdle models to ask if income, population density, urban coverage, or pollution could explain receipt of grants or magnitude of funding. Second, we compared the income levels of funded and unfunded communities for each chapter of the proposition. Finally, we examine two sections of the proposition that were intended to fund parks around the state and compare the attributes of funded and unfunded communities. Proposition 84 offers lessons for environmental legislation and future research. While there were general tendencies for more funding to flow to poor areas and areas with pollution problems, the language in Proposition 84 as a whole was vague with respect to the funding of disadvantaged areas, and as a result the targeting of these areas overall was at best modest. However, when enabling legislation (AB 31) defined specific “metrics of disadvantage” that had to be met by communities to receive funds from some sections of Proposition 84, the funds did flow much more selectively to poorer communities. This suggests that future ballot measures should be very explicit in their language if they want to promote equity in conservation investments, and that future research should investigate the extent to which technical workshops and outreach could further increase the number of funded grant proposals from low-income communities.
Physical and Chemical Properties of Green Roof Media and Their Effect on Plant Establishment

Abstract There are few research reports on components of green roof media. Better elucidation will allow landscape installers to select the ideal medium for individual or regional situations. The p...
Throwing the Book at Them: John of Segovia’s use of the Qur’an

This essay investigates how Juan de Segovia (d. 1458) used the Qur’ān in his engagement with Islam. The essay has three principal aims. First, it identifies certain distinctive aspects of Segovia’s use of the Qur’ān. Second, it examines his treatment of sacraments and soteriology in the Qur’ān. Third, it considers Segovia’s use of the Qur’ān in light of David Bertaina’s recent analysis of Christians and the Qur’ān. It is argued that, just as Segovia read the Qur’ān in various ways, he also used or cited the Qur’ān in various ways, for various ends and even for various audiences.
Effect of Distal Ulna Osteochondroma Excision and Distal Ulnar Tether Release on Forearm Deformity in Preadolescent Patients With Multiple Hereditary Exostosis.

Background Multiple hereditary exostosis is a benign condition that can lead to significant forearm deformity secondary to physeal disturbances. As the child grows, the deformity can worsen as relative shortening of the ulna causes tethering, which may lead to increased radial articular angle, carpal slippage, and radial bowing, over time this tethering can also result in radial head subluxation or frank dislocation. Worsening of forearm deformities often require corrective reconstructive osteotomies to improve anatomic alignment and function. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of osteochondroma excision and distal ulnar tether release on clinical function, radiographic anatomic forearm alignment, and need for future corrective osteotomies. Methods The authors reviewed a retrospective cohort of preadolescent patients who underwent distal ulna osteochondroma resection and ulnar tethering release (triangular fibrocartilage complex). Patients were invited back and prospectively evaluated for postoperative range of motion, pain scores, self-reported and parent-reported Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) and Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) scores. In addition, preoperative and final postsurgical follow-up forearm x-rays were reviewed. Results A total of 6 patients and 7 forearms were included in our study with an average age of 7.9 years at time of surgery. The average final follow-up was 7.4 years. With respect to range of motion, only passive radial deviation demonstrated improvement -20 to 14 degrees (P=0.01). Although there was not statistically significant change in radial articular angle, this study did find an improvement in carpal slip 75.7% to 53.8% (P=0.03). At final follow-up DASH score was 5.71 (σ=5.35), PODCI Global Function score was 95.2 (σ=5.81), and PODCI-Happiness score 98 (σ=2.74). Visual analogue scale appearance and visual analogue scale pain assessment were 1.67 (σ=1.21) and 1.00 (σ=1.26), respectively, at final follow-up. No patient in the cohort developed a radial head dislocation. Only one of 7 forearms required a corrective osteotomy within the study's follow-up time period. Conclusions Surgical excision of forearm osteochondromas with ulnar tether release in the preadolescent patients improves carpal slip, may help to prevent subsequent surgical reconstruction and provides satisfactory clinical results at an average 7-year follow-up. Level of evidence Level III-therapeutic study.
High-Resolution, Adaptive Optics Imaging of the Human Trabecular Meshwork In Vivo.

Purpose To image the human trabecular meshwork (TM) in vivo using adaptive optics gonioscopy (AOG) with approximately 2-μm lateral resolution. Methods An existing Indiana University adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope was altered by adding a 12-mm button lens to a clinical gonioscopic lens allowing high-resolution imaging of the human iridocorneal angle. First an anatomic model eye was used to refine the imaging technique and then nine participants (7 controls and 2 participants with pigment dispersion syndrome) were imaged. Results All nine participants were successfully imaged without adverse events. High-resolution imaging of the human TM was achieved allowing for visualization of the TM beams, and presumed endothelial cells. Uveal meshwork beams in controls averaged 25.5 μm (range, 15.2-44.7) in diameter with pores averaging 42.6 μm (range, 22.3-51.4) while the corneoscleral meshwork pores averaged 8.9 μm (range, 7.7-12.1). Differences in appearance of the uveal and corneoscleral meshwork were noted between the two participants with pigment dispersion syndrome and the controls. These included nearly absent spacing between the beams and enlarged endothelial cells with hyperreflective areas. Conclusions AOG allows for near cellular level resolution of the human TM in vivo. This may allow for further understanding of age-related changes that occur as well as provide a deeper understanding of medical and surgical alterations for the treatment of glaucoma. Translational relevance Further development of this approach may allow for direct measurements at a micometer level in vivo of changes that occur in the human trabecular meshwork with glaucoma and therapeutic interventions.
Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With Dementia.

Abstract Background There are few studies evaluating total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with dementia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the rate of revision, complication, emergency department (ED) visitation, and discharge disposition in patients with dementia undergoing THA. Methods In this retrospective study, we evaluated patients from 2007 to 2017 using a national database. We evaluated complications in patients with a diagnosis of dementia undergoing primary THA for osteoarthritis. Results In patients with dementia undergoing THA, the 90-day complications were increased risk of revision, delirium, ED visitation, and skilled nursing facility disposition (P Conclusion Patients with dementia undergoing THA are at an increased risk of complications and 90-day resource utilization.
The Role of Metabolism in Hormonal Control of Sexual Behavior

In 1970, Baulieu published a paper entitled “The Action of Hormone Metabolites: A New Concept in Endocrinology.” The new concept advanced by Baulieu was that the secretions of endocrine glands may exert their biological actions only after intracellular metabolism to active agents. Specifically, Baulieu suggested that testosterone (T) maintains growth and secretion of target tissues (e.g., the prostate) by local metabolism to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 3α, 5α-androstanediol (abbreviated Adiol; the chemical names, trivial names, and abbreviations of most of the steroids and drugs referred to in this chapter are given in Table 1).
The Effects of an Albumin Binding Moiety on the Targeting and Pharmacokinetics of an Integrin αvβ6-Selective Peptide Labeled with Aluminum [18F]Fluoride.

The αvβ6-BP peptide selectively targets the integrin αvβ6, a cell surface receptor recognized as a prognostic indicator for several challenging malignancies. Given that the 4-[18F]fluorobenzoyl (FBA)-labeled peptide is a promising PET imaging agent, radiolabeling via aluminum [18F]fluoride chelation and introduction of an albumin binding moiety (ABM) have the potential to considerably simplify radiochemistry and improve the pharmacokinetics by increasing biological half-life. The peptides NOTA-αvβ6-BP (1) and NOTA-K(ABM)-αvβ6-BP (2) were synthesized on solid phase, radiolabeled with aluminum [18F]fluoride, and evaluated in vitro (integrin ELISA, albumin binding, cell studies) and in vivo in mouse models bearing paired DX3puroβ6 [αvβ6(+)]/DX3puro [αvβ6(−)], and for [18F]AlF 2, BxPC-3 [αvβ6(+)] cell xenografts (PET imaging, biodistribution). The peptides were radiolabeled in 23.0 ± 5.7 % and 22.1 ± 4.4 % decay-corrected radiochemical yield, respectively, for [18F]AlF 1 and [18F]AlF 2. Both demonstrated excellent affinity and selectivity for integrin αvβ6 by ELISA (IC50(αvβ6) = 3–7 nM vs IC50(αvβ3) > 10 μM) and in cell binding studies (51.0 ± 0.7 % and 47.2 ± 0.7 % of total radioactivity bound to DX3puroβ6 cells at 1 h, respectively, vs. ≤ 1.2 % to DX3puro for both compounds). The radiotracer [18F]AlF 1 bound to human serum at 16.3 ± 1.9 %, compared to 67.5 ± 1.0 % for the ABM-containing [18F]AlF 2. In vivo studies confirmed the effect of the ABM on blood circulation (≤ 0.1 % ID/g remaining in blood for [18F]AlF 1 as soon as 1 h p.i. vs. > 2 % ID/g for [18F]AlF 2 at 6 h p.i.) and higher αvβ6(+) tumor uptake (4 h: DX3puroβ6; [18F]AlF 1: 3.0 ± 0.7 % ID/g, [18F]AlF 2: 7.2 ± 0.7 % ID/g; BxPC-3; [18F]AlF 2: 10.2 ± 0.1 % ID/g). Both compounds were prepared using standard chemistries; affinity and selectivity for integrin αvβ6 in vitro remained unaffected by the albumin binding moiety. In vivo, the albumin binding moiety resulted in prolonged circulation and higher αvβ6-targeted uptake.