cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemoprevention with phosphatidylcholine non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in vivo and in vitro

The chemopreventive activity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly aspirin, has been well demonstrated in preclinical and clinical studies. However, the primary side effect from this class of drug is gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, which has limited the widespread use of NSAIDs for the prevention of cancer. The development of GI-safer NSAIDs, which are associated with phosphatidylcholine (PC) may provide a solution to this therapeutic problem. In the present study, the efficacy of two NSAIDs, aspirin and indomethacin, were compared using murine colon cancer cell line MC-26. Each NSAID was assessed alone and in combination with PC, using in vitro and in vivo systems. The results reveal that the PC-associated NSAIDs had a significantly higher degree of protection against cancer cell growth compared with the unmodified NSAIDs. It was also observed that Aspirin-PC and Indomethacin-PC prevented the metastatic spread of cancer cells in a syngeneic mouse model. These results support the potential use of PC-NSAIDs for the chemoprevention of colorectal cancer.
Left ventricular assist device is protective against cardiac transplant delisting for medical unsuitability

Abstract Background Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) related complications have the potential to disqualify patients for heart transplantation. We sought to determine whether LVAD support was associated with increased rates of delisting due to medical unsuitability or clinical deterioration. Methods The analysis included adult candidates listed for first-time heart transplantation in the UNOS registry in the contemporary, continuous flow (CF)- LVAD era (2010–2016). The exposure variable was LVAD support on the waitlist. The primary outcome was time to delisting due to medical unsuitability or clinical deterioration. As cardiac transplantation and death represent competing risks in this study, a Fine-Gray cox regression analysis was performed. Results Data on 16,913 patients listed for heart transplant were analyzed. During a median follow up of 150 days, 1206 (7.1%) patients died, 10,083 (60%) were transplanted, and 1224 (7.2%) were delisted due to medical unsuitability or clinical deterioration. Presence of a LVAD at listing was associated with a reduced rate (hazard) of delisting both in the adjusted and unadjusted models (unadjusted HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.55–0.73, adjusted HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.67–0.90). Delayed LVAD while on the list was not associated with reduced rates of delisting (adjusted HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.79–1.1). Conclusions Continuous flow left ventricular assist device support was protective against delisting in this UNOS analysis. These data would suggest that despite the adverse event rate of mechanical support, improving cardiac output may be important to preserving the overall health of the potential cardiac transplant recipient.
Rationality and Utility: Economics and Evolutionary Psychology

Economics has always prided itself on having a unifying theoretical framework based on rational choice theory. However, data from controlled experiments, which often provide theory the best chance to work, refute many of the rationality assumptions that economists make. The evidence against rational choice, as traditionally defined, has forced economists to rethink their traditional models. However, despite the investment of many brilliant minds in the pursuit of better behavioral models of choice, behavioral economics has so far made little progress in providing an alternative paradigm that would be both parsimonious and accurate. In this chapter, we review the evidence against rational choice and the ways in which behavioral economists have responded. In addition, we put forward the idea that evolutionary psychology can give economics back its overriding paradigm. Evolutionary psychology can place structure on the utility function and provide content to rationality. By doing so, it can explain many of the behavioral anomalies that behavioral economists and psychologists have documented. If economists are willing to use the evolutionary psychology paradigm, then they can regain theoretical consistency of their discipline and have models that are better descriptors and predictors of behavior.
Craniofacial Clefts and Craniofacial Syndromes

Craniofacial clefts are challenging problems encountered by plastic surgeons. These anomalies embrace a diverse group of abnormalities ranging from simple soft tissue defects to complex craniofacial malformation. They are rare occurrences, and their wide spectrum of presentation makes classi-fication difficult. The treatments of craniofa-cial clefts require a thorough knowledge of the craniofacial anatomy, the underlying embryological pathology, and the specific characteristic of each entity. In addition, careful surgical planning with a multidisciplinary team is essential to achieve both functional and aesthetic goals.
Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Benzylation of Acetylides and Enolates

Benzylic alkylation of enolates and acetylides has been achieved through the use of a decarboxylative benzylation strategy. Previous research in this area is often limited by the need for extended conjugation in the electrophiles that are coupled. Herein, we report that the use of 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) ligand allows the coupling of simple benzyl electrophiles with enolates, while the use of XPhos ligand promotes the decarboxylative couplings of propiolates.
Modification of Levenberg-Marquardt Algorithm for Solve Two Dimension Partial Differential Equation

في هذه الدراسة تم تطوير طريقة جديدة تقوم على الشبكة العصبية من أجل حل المعادلات التفاضلية الجزئية البعدين. استخدام الشبكة العصبية المعدلة لتجنب عيوب خوارزمية التدريب لﭭنبرك – ماركوادت. أولا نقترح SVD تحليل القيمة المنفردة إلى J و J-1 إذا كانت المصفوفة J(w) مستطيلة او منفردة . ثانيا نقترح حساب جديد إلى μ بحيث ان . نعتبر ان دالة الهدف الغير خطية E(w) تملك مجموعة غير خالية من الحلول W* ونشير أن ‖ ‖ هو من المعيار 2 و E(w): هي مستمرة وقابلة للاشتقاق وتحقق شرط حيث ان L هو ثابت ليبشيتز.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water: Elite Kinship Networks and State Building in Imperial China

A long tradition in social sciences scholarship has established that kinship-based institutions undermine state building. I argue that kinship networks, when geographically dispersed, cross-cut local cleavages and align the incentives of self- interested elites in favor of building a strong state, which exhibits scale economies in providing protection and justice throughout a large territory. I evaluate my argument by examining elite preferences during a state-building reform in 11th century China. I map politicians’ kinship networks using their tomb epitaphs and collect data on their political allegiances from archival materials. Statistical analysis and narrative evidence demonstrate that dispersed kinship networks align elites’ family interests with state interests and incentivize elites to support building a strong central state. My findings highlight the importance of elite social structure in facilitating state development and help understand state building in China – a useful, yet understudied, counterpoint to the Euro-centric literature.
Lower Grade Gliomas.

Low-grade gliomas (LGG) are a group of primary brain tumors that arise from supporting glial cells. They are characterized by a mutation in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) enzyme and include astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. They usually affect young adults, and their main treatment consists of surgical resection, followed by radiation and chemotherapy in selected patients. This article reviews recent research on the clinical and molecular aspects of the disease and innovative therapeutic modalities in the process. Newly identified clinical and molecular features are currently used in the classification of LGG and applied in treatment-planning decisions. Advanced studies on the cellular level have an advanced understanding of the metabolic effects induced by IDH mutations, offering opportunities for specific targeted therapies that may improve patient outcomes. Such findings may lead to a paradigm shift in the treatment of these tumors. Although LGG are sensitive to radiation and chemotherapy, these therapies are not curative, and patient survival remains limited, raising the need for more creative and effective interventions.
Trans Prejudice and Its Potential Links to IPV Among Trans People

During the last 20 years, trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals have become more visible in social activism, politics, and popular media. Concomitant with this visibility has been greater recognition and acceptance of the fluidity and non-binary quality of some people’s gender identity. Despite these positive changes, TGNC individuals still face widespread prejudice and discrimination, such as the creation of so-called “bathroom bills,” proposed restrictions on access to health care, and instigated attempts by the federal government to legislate the definition of “gender.” Research examining the roots of trans prejudice, or prejudice toward trans people, indicates that negative attitudes may be associated with traditional gender role beliefs, anti-feminist attitudes, moral disgust toward trans people, and a belief that trans people are psychologically disturbed. Perceived threats to social values and sexual safety posed by trans people may also underlie trans prejudice among cisgender heterosexual individuals in particular. Also, there is evidence that these perceived threats vary depending on the gender identity of the trans person as well as the cisgender individual. An examination of the origins of and the factors that predict trans prejudice will contribute to a better understanding of the high levels of sexual assault, harassment, and intimate partner violence (IPV) reported by trans people in recent surveys. Furthermore, such an understanding may contribute to systemic changes in the treatment of trans people by their family, friends, intimate partners, as well as health care professionals.
Ultra-Low Loss 698 nm and 450 nm Silicon Nitride Visible Wavelength Waveguides for Strontium Atomic Clock Applications

We report tightly confining Si 3 N 4 waveguides with record low loss at key strontium clock visible wavelengths, 0.03dB/cm at λ=698nm, 0.08dB/cm at 450nm and ring resonators with measured loaded Q of 8.6 million at λ=674nm.
Event centrality following treatment for physical injury in the emergency department: Associations with posttraumatic outcomes.

Abstract Background The relationship between event centrality (i.e., the degree to which a stressful event is integrated into one's identity) and acute posttraumatic outcomes after relatively minor physical injury is unknown. We examined pre-injury and Emergency Department (ED) predictors of event centrality at 6-weeks post-injury, and whether event centrality is uniquely associated with 6-week posttraumatic outcomes. Methods In the EDs of two Level I trauma centers, 149 patients completed surveys regarding demographic, psychological and injury-related factors within 24 h post-injury; 84 patients (51% male) completed 6-week surveys of event centrality, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and trauma-specific QOL (T-QoL). Data were analyzed using linear regression modeling. Results At least 20% of patients agreed or strongly agreed that the injury changed their life. Hospitalization status and peritraumatic dissociation were significant predictors of event centrality at 6-weeks. After controlling for demographics, ED-related factors and pre-injury PTSS, event centrality was uniquely associated with PTSS (p Conclusion Over and above the effects of the injury itself, event centrality conveyed important information for posttraumatic outcomes at 6 weeks post-injury. The centrality scale is brief and feasible to administer; future work is needed to determine the predictive utility of event centrality on post-injury outcomes.
Cryoballoon vs radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation: insights from the Veterans Healthcare System

Catheter ablation is considered the mainstay treatment for drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). The aims of our study were to compare the efficacy and safety of the most two currently approved approaches (point-by-point radiofrequency ablation (RFA), either with contact force (CF) or without contact force (nCF) catheters, and cryoballoon ablation (CBA)) in the Veterans Healthcare System. We performed a retrospective study of patients who underwent ablation for treatment of AF at the veterans affairs healthcare system between 2013 and 2018. Only the first reported ablation procedure was included. We included 956 patients in the study (97.4% males, 91.5% Caucasians, 67% paroxysmal AF), with 682 patients in RFA-nCF, 139 in RFA-CF, and 135 in CBA. Thirty-day complication rates were comparable between the three groups with the exception of higher incidence of phrenic nerve injury in CBA group when compared to RFA-nCF (2.2% vs 0.0%, p < 0.01). Long-term recurrence rate of AF was significantly lower in the CBA group when compared to RFA-nCF (33.3% vs 47.7%, adjusted HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44–0.83, p < 0.01). On the other hand, it was similar between RFA-CF and RFA-nCF groups (43.9% vs 47.7%, adjusted HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.76–1.33, p 0.97). After stratifying patients based on AF type, these findings were only present in patients with paroxysmal AF. CBA for paroxysmal AF, in male dominant patients’ population, was associated with lower incidence of AF recurrence rate while having a comparable safety profile to RFA independent of the use of CF catheters.
Informed Consent and Framework of Living Donor Care

Living kidney donation is ethically unique because the donor undergoes nephrectomy, with associated risks and consequences, to provide medical benefit to another person. In this chapter, we discuss an ethical framework that ensures a meaningful informed consent process for donor candidates. We explore the benefits of independent donor team members, including the role of the independent living donor advocate that has been adopted in some countries, including the United States. We outline fundamental elements of living kidney donor informed consent, including content domains and methods for disclosure, and highlight the essential balance between honoring the principles of patient autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. We describe special considerations for vulnerable populations, offer illustrative case scenarios, and present an agenda for future research.
Huntingtin Protein Purification and Experimentation: An Innovative Undergraduate Research-Based Biochemistry Experiment

Traditional undergraduate biochemical laboratory curricula are confronted with challenges in improving student-learning outcomes while incorporating exciting and thought-provoking research-based laboratories due to limitations with time, increased student enrollment, and high-cost laboratory resources. However, with specialized biochemical instrumentation being more economically accessible and incorporation of creative approaches to circumvent inflexible undergraduate schedules, it is now possible to overcome some of these challenges. We have designed a unique laboratory experiment intended to mediate some of the limitations common to traditional biochemical experimentation using components of a research-based experience within the confines of a scheduled undergraduate laboratory session. In this experiment, undergraduate biochemistry students investigate the Escherichia coli-based expression and purification of the huntingtin protein with disease length polyglutamine tract using fluorescence-based aggregation assay. Students also investigate a novel area of research exploring the effects of macromolecular crowding agents (Ficoll, Dextran, and polyethylene glycol) on huntingtin protein aggregation
β-cell Smad2 null mice have improved β-cell function and are protected from diet-induced hyperglycemia

Understanding signaling pathways that regulate pancreatic β-cell function to produce, store, and release insulin, as well as pathways that control β-cell proliferation, is vital to find new treatments for diabetes mellitus. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling is involved in a broad range of β-cell functions. The canonical TGF-β signaling pathway functions through intracellular smads, including smad2 and smad3, to regulate cell development, proliferation, differentiation, and function in many organs. Here, we demonstrate the role of TGF-β/smad2 signaling in regulating mature β-cell proliferation and function using β-cell-specific smad2 null mutant mice. β-cell-specific smad2-deficient mice exhibited improved glucose clearance as demonstrated by glucose tolerance testing, enhanced in vivo and ex vivo glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and increased β-cell mass and proliferation. Furthermore, when these mice were fed a high-fat diet to induce hyperglycemia, they again showed improved glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, and insulin sensitivity. In addition, ex vivo analysis of smad2-deficient islets showed that they displayed increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and upregulation of genes involved in insulin synthesis and insulin secretion. Thus, we conclude that smad2 could represent an attractive therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Time-Dependent Helical Magnetic Field Effects on Cylindrical Liner Ablations

Cylindrical liner implosions and ablations are susceptible to the magneto Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability and general magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities, such as the $m=0$ “sausage” and the $m=1$ “kink” instabilities, where $m$ is the azimuthal mode number. Previous work has experimentally shown the effects of long pulse axial magnetic fields on these instabilities in both cylindrical liner ablations and implosions1. Simulations have also shown the effects of a time dependent helical magnetic field on the MRT instability using a dynamic screw pinch2, We have modeled and fabricated a helical return current path to set up such a field configuration (a predicted peak axial field of $B_{z}=2\mathrm{T}$ for a peak current of $I_{max}=600$ kA). This poster will present simulation results on the expected magnetic field profile as well as experimental measurements of the magnetic field values achieved.
Functional clustering of time series: An insight into length scales in subglacial water flow

[1] We analyzed water pressure measurements taken at 10-min intervals over 49 days in an array of 16 boreholes penetrating a small mountain glacier. We sought temporal and spatial patterns that would define clusters of boreholes that behaved similarly. Because we are interested primarily in changes in pressure with time, we used functional data analysis, which involves fitting mathematical functions to the time series, in order to smooth out the otherwise noisy first derivatives in the time series. Our objective of the analysis is to identify clusters of boreholes with similar behavior, in this case similar rate of change of water pressure, to help elucidate poorly understood subglacial water flow. Though the data are collected over time, treating these time series as functional data allows for a computationally intensive but relatively simple exploratory cluster analysis. The functional cluster analysis reveals a spatially and temporally complex basal water system. We use the clustering to infer evolving regions of local connectivity in the basal water systems and additionally infer a connected englacial water system. The spatial scale of the borehole clusters is of order 50 m, while the time scale is less than 9 days, although not well constrained by our cluster sampling interval.
Rankings: A Dramatization of the Incentives Created by Ranking Law Schools

Sellers in a competitive market shift resources from attributes buyers don't care about to attributes buyers do care about. In markets in which buyers rely on imperfect signals for quality, sellers move resources away from improving the quality of their product to enhancing the illusion of quality. For example, before freshness dating, when consumers tested the freshness of bread by squeezing it, bakers reportedly added chemicals to bread to preserve its softness longer, thereby creating the illusion of freshness. Similarly, law school rankings encourage schools to shift resources away from improving the quality of the education they provide in favor of investing in improving their standings in the rankings. Consequently, under the guise of serving the market, rankings which are based on the wrong criteria are likely to subvert the market because they both fail to measure accurately the quality of a school's education and reduce the quality of legal education. This piece dramatizes some of the ideas discussed in the preceding paragraph. It takes the form of a fifteen minute-play with three characters: a law school dean, a junior law professor, and a law student. The play illustrates how the incentives created by a ranking system could affect law schools and their administrators, faculty, and students. The play format is intended to make the ideas expressed more vivid.
Effective non-perturbative real-time dynamics of soft modes in hot gauge theories

We derive, from first principle, the Fokker-Planck equation describing the non-perturbative real-time evolution of a gauge field at high temperatures on the spatial scale $(g^2T)^{-1}$ and the time scale $(g^4T)^{-1}$, where $g$ is the gauge coupling and $T$ is the temperature. The knowledge of the effective dynamics on such spatial and time scales is crucial for the understanding and quantitative calculation of the baryon number violation rate at high temperatures in the electroweak theory. The Fokker-Planck equation, which describes the diffusive motion of soft components of the gauge field in the space of field configurations, is shown to be gauge-invariant and consistent with the known thermodynamics of soft gauge modes. We discuss the ways the Fokker-Planck equation can be made useful for numerical simulations of long-distance dynamics of hot gauge theories.
The interaction of metal ions with ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase from spinach.

Abstract 2-Carboxy-d-ribitol 1,5-diphosphate, an analogue of the proposed six-carbon intermediate in the reaction catalyzed by d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase, is a potent inhibitor of this enzyme. Tight binding of 2-carboxy-d-ribitol 1,5-diphosphate to d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase is observed only in the presence of divalent metal ions, e.g. Mn2+, Mg2+. The complex formed contains equimolar amounts of inhibitor and divalent metal ion when isolated by gel filtration. The extent of tight binding observed is dependent on the time of preliminary incubation prior to filtration. A similar increase in the extent of tight binding is observed on prolonged incubation of d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase with 14C-d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate, Mg2+ (or Mn2+), KHCO3, glutathione, and cyanide. The complex formed contains equimolar amounts of 14C-d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate and divalent metal ion. In several instances the maximal extent of tight binding of 2-carboxy-d-ribitol 1,5-diphosphate and of d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate (in the presence of cyanide) as estimated by gel filtration approximates the total number of binding sites for these ligands as estimated by ultrafiltration. These studies suggest a role for the divalent metal ion in formation or stabilization of the six-carbon intermediate which may result from condensation of d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate and CO2. The bound Cu2+ present in d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase has been removed by incubation with cyanide. The copper-free enzyme readily rebinds Cu2+. No significant kinetic or structural differences are observed between the native and the copper-free enzymes. Both enzyme species form the enzyme-d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate-cyanide ternary complex (Wishnick, M., and Lane, M. D., J. Biol. Chem., 244, 55 (1969)). Important differences are, however, observed in the extent and properties of the tight binding of 2-carboxy-d-ribitol 1,5-diphosphate and of d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate plus cyanide. Divalent metal ion is not required for binding of 2-carboxyribitol 1,5-diphosphate to the copper-free enzyme and, in most instances, the extent of binding of these ligands is greater for the copper-free as compared with the native enzyme. These studies suggest that the bound copper is involved in maintenance of a particular conformation of d-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase.
VLBI spectral line polarization observations of the OH masers in the supergiant IRC+10420

We present spectral line polarization observations of the 1612MHz OH masers in the supergiant IRC+10420. Our observations indicate that the individual maser com ponents are highly circularly polarized in contrast to the polarization observed in total power spectra. Linear polarization of some features was also detected. We estimate that, at the distance of the 1612MHz OH masers from the star, the magnetic field has a strength of 1–2 mG.
Registration-based autofocusing technique for automatic correction of motion artifacts in time-series studies of high-resolution bone MRI.

Purpose To develop a registration-based autofocusing (RAF) motion correction technique for high-resolution trabecular bone (TB) imaging and to evaluate its performance on in vivo MR data. Materials and Methods The technique combines serial registration with a previously developed motion correction technique — autofocusing — for automatic correction of subject movement degradation of MR images acquired in longitudinal studies. The method was tested on in vivo images of the distal radius to measure improvements in serial reproducibility of parameters in 12 women (ages 50–75 years), and to compare with the navigator echo-based correction and autofocusing. Furthermore, the technique's ability to optimize the sensitivity to detect simulated bone loss was ascertained. Results The new technique yielded superior reproducibility of image-derived structural and mechanical parameters. Average coefficient of variation across all parameters improved by 12.5%, 27.0%, 33.5%, and 37.0%, respectively, following correction by navigator echoes, autofocusing, and the RAF technique (without and with correction for rotational motion); average intra-class correlation coefficient increased by 1.2%, 2.2%, 2.8%, and 3.2%, respectively. Furthermore, simulated bone loss (5%) was well recovered independent of the choice of reference image (4.71% or 4.86% with respect to using either the original or the image subjected to bone loss) in the time series. Conclusion The data suggest that our technique simultaneously corrects for intra-scan motion corruption while improving inter-scan registration. Furthermore, the technique is not biased by small changes in bone architecture between time-points. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:954–963. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evidence theoretic approach for classification of HRR signatures

Target recognition with an HRR signature can be viewed as consisting of pre-discriminant, discriminant, and post discriminant phases. The large variability and feature uncertainty of HRR signatures can, to a good extent, be handled by detailed modeling of underlying physical and electro-magnetic phenomena. However, some signature and feature variabilities pass through and continue to exist in the post-discriminant phase. A decision about the class of a signature must account for this residual uncertainty. In this paper we demonstrate an evidence theory based method for post- discriminant decision-making phase that minimizes the effects of the signature variability.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Power MOSFET screening to improve field-reliability of power supplies

The field-failures of a power converter depends on the reliability characteristics of circuit components, package and interconnect parasitics, thermal management and cooling, load characteristics, and the field operating environment, among other factors. In this paper, power supply field-reliability improvement by careful screening of power MOSFET's is reported. A new power MOSFET screening criteria is proposed that leads to dramatic improvement in the mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) of compact computer/telecom power supplies. Using the new screening criteria, nearly an order of magnitude improvement in power supply MTBF is demonstrated.
Theory and method in population psychology: introductory comments.

After a late entry into the field of population and environmental issues psychologists have begun rushing to the study of population and environmental psychology. Psychologists new to the field of population issues brought theories methods and procedures developed in other contexts and applied them to fertility and environmental subjects even though the appropriateness of those applications was not always clear. It is important to reflect upon these theories and methods that are being used in the study of the psychology of population and to that end the collection of papers included in this issue on the subjects of "Theory and Method in Population Psychology" was assembled. Due to the popularity of decision models 3 of the papers in this issue concentrate on decision aspects of fertility-related behavior. In a 4th paper a strong attack is made on the "shoddy workmanship" of many of the fertility studies which have recently appeared in the boom economy of population research. In the final paper behavior in high density living conditions is analyzed in terms of the perceptual theory of J. J. Gibson.
A study of the mortality and fecundity of Haemonchus contortus in sheep following experimental infections.

Abstract Coyne M. J. , Smith G. and Johnstone C. 1991. A study of the mortality and fecundity of Haemonchus contortus in sheep following experimental infections. International Journal for Parasitology 21 : 847–853. The regulation of the fecundity and mortality of H. contortus in sheep was examined using a series of mathematical models. Six-month-old Dorset crossbred lambs were infected once only with various doses of infective H. contortus larvae (500–20,000 larvae). Parasite mortality was found to be an increasing linear function of the magnitude of the initial infection over the range of doses examined. Parasite fecundity was found to remain constant over the intensity and duration of the infection. The average fecundity for H. contortus at the time of slaughter was found to be 7037 eggs per female worm per day. There was no evidence of time-dependent changes in fecundity or density-dependent regulation of fecundity.
Examining the AHRD Standards on Ethics and Integrity Using a Multiple Ethical Paradigms Approach

This research used a multiple ethical paradigms approach to examine the Standards on Ethics and Integrity (Standards) published by the Academy of Human Resource Development. After a thorough analysis of the current text of the Standards in terms of the four ethical paradigms of justice, care, community, and critique, we discuss issues and offer propositions to address those issues. Included within our discussion are the need for discussion forums on ethical issues, further reflection on a client- and community-centered approach in the Standards, and the introduction of professional language protocols and codes of Internet communications and technologies. We conclude this research with practical recommendations for updates, diffusion, and utilization of the Standards to enhance its further ethical contribution to the field of human resource development.
An unusual stereoselectivity in the anomeric substitution with carbamates promoted by HNTf2

An unexpected stereoselective anomeric substitution with carbamates promoted by HNTf2 is described here. Our experiments suggest that the observed diastereoselectivity is a result of thermodynamic equilibration of protonated N-acyl aminals.
Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Glucose Homeostasis and Type 2 Diabetes

Obesity is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Weight loss improves the major factors involved in the pathogenesis of T2DM, namely insulin action and beta cell function, and is considered a primary therapy for obese patients who have T2DM. Unfortunately, most patients with T2DM fail to achieve successful weight loss and adequate glycemic control from medical therapy. In contrast, bariatric surgery causes marked weight loss and complete remission of T2DM in most patients. Moreover, bariatric surgical procedures that divert nutrients away from the upper gastrointestinal tract are more successful in producing weight loss and remission of T2DM than those that simply restrict stomach capacity. Although upper gastrointestinal tract bypass procedures alter the metabolic response to meal ingestion, by increasing early postprandial plasma concentrations of glucagon-like peptide 1 and insulin, it is not clear whether these effects make an important contribution to long-term control of glycemia and T2DM once substantial surgery-induced weight loss has occurred. Nonetheless, the effects of surgery on body weight and metabolic function indicate that bariatric surgery should be part of the standard therapy for T2DM. More research is needed to advance our understanding of the physiological effects of different bariatric surgical procedures and possible weight loss–independent factors that improve metabolic function and contribute to the resolution of T2DM.
X-Ray Diffraction Data for SnO2. An Illustration of the New Powder Data Evaluation Methods

The Powder Diffraction File (PDF) X-ray diffraction pattern for SnO2 (cassiterite, syn), determined in the early 1950's at the National Bureau of Standards, was evaluated using the NBS*AIDS83 editorial review program and a calculated powder pattern. Systematic errors in d-spacings and relative intensities were attributed to the lack of an iterative least-squares refinement of unit cell parameters, to inadequate precision in reporting d-spacings, to poor sensitivity to high angle reflections, and to detector dead time. A new SnO2 pattern was prepared and used to illustrate criteria for evaluation of powder patterns. An R-Factor for quantifying agreement between observed and calculated relative intensities was utilized. The systematic errors in the earlier pattern occurred at higher angles and did not hinder its usefulness for identification purposes.
Diabetic Neuroarthropathy in the Foot: Patient Characteristics and Patterns of Radiographic Change

The diagnosis of diabetic neuroarthropathy of the foot can be difficult. A series of 96 patients (116 extremities) who had diabetes and peripheral neuropathy with bone and joint changes was reviewed. Typically, the patients were middle-aged or older, were taking insulin, and had had diabetes for more than 10 years. Retinopathy, nephropathy, and peripheral vascular disease were often present. There were abnormalities of vibratory sensation (94%) and of the gastrosoleus reflex (88%). The finding of specific radiographic abnormalities assisted but did not reliably differentiate neuropathy from infection. Three patterns of radiographic changes were noted: (1) at the metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal joints, usually with underlying ulceration; (2) at the tarsometatarsal joints; and (3) in the anterior pillar-medial column of the foot, with talus, talonavicular, navicular, or naviculocuneiform destruction. Ulceration and infection in patients with patterns (2) and (3) were rare. When correlated, the demog...
The Appalachia Community Cancer Network: Issues and Challenges in Evaluation

Although the need for evaluation of prevention programs is clear, the implementation of evaluation, particularly for large, complex projects with multiple investigators, poses numerous challenges. Program evaluators in these circumstances do not have the same degree of control as, say, experimental psychologists and must find ways to obtain data while being sensitive to local environmental influences. The purpose of this article is to identify for social work evaluators some of the ways program evaluation can differ from true experiments and to discuss issues that may affect the planning and conduct of evaluation efforts. The Appalachia Community Cancer Network is used as a case example, and illustrations of its approach using formative and process evaluation are presented.
Laser Powder Deposition of a Near Net Shape Injection Mold Core — A Case Study

Abstract Directed Light Fabrication (DLF) is a direct deposition process that fuses metal powder, in the focal zone of a laser beam, to form fully fused near net shaped components. A fully associative 3D design-through-manufacturing model is presented as a case study for the fabrication of a near net shaped injection mold core part. This study evaluates the ability to move from a parametric 3D model, integrated into a manufacturing model, to creating a control file used to produce a component using a nickel base alloy. Evaluation of the efficiency, quality, attributes and limitations of the process is reported. A high degree of accuracy for large feature location was obtained but improvements in surface finish and the dimensional accuracy of small features are required to fully realize benefits of this technology. The competing benefits of deposition accuracy and manufacturing time are discussed in terms of computerized numerical control code generation.
Accuracy of polygraph techniques : Problems using confessions to determine ground truth

Abstract Mangan et al. [D.J. Mangan, T.E., Armitage, G.C., Adams: A field study on the validity of the Quadri-Track Zone Comparison Technique. Physiol Behav 2008] have carried out a field study of polygraph test accuracy in which they relied on confessions to determine guilt as well as to clear co-suspects in the same case as innocent. Using this criterion for ground truth, they estimate polygraph accuracy by determining how often confessions are matched by failed polygraph tests and how often those cleared by confession have passed polygraph tests. They conclude that the polygraph was “100% accurate in the identification of the innocent and guilty.” However, their method contains a flaw, not discernible by reading their article, that invalidates this conclusion. The flaw arises because confessions were obtained by the polygraph examiner who interrogated the examinee after deciding the test was failed. Under these circumstances, the criterion (the confession) and the test outcome (deception indicated) are not independent. The method thus virtually guarantees that the two will match, ensuring 100% “accuracy.” Although largely ignored by the polygraph profession, this flaw inherent to confession-based field studies of polygraph validity has been known to confound these studies for over two decades. Hence, contrary to Mangan et al., their study design does not provide for an adequate estimate of polygraph test accuracy. Moreover, reviews of polygraph testing carried out by scientists at arms length to the polygraph profession have repeatedly failed to support the accuracy proponents claim for the polygraph.
DNA sequence conservation and diversity in transposable element IS605 of Helicobacter pylori.

Background. IS605, a transposable element-like sequence identified in the virulence-associated cag region of Helicobacter pylori reference strain NCTC11638, is unusual in containing two oppositely-oriented open reading frames whose products are homologues of the single transposases of the unrelated elements, IS200 and IS1341. Methods. One hundred independent H. pylori isolates from different parts of the world were screened by PCR and dot blot hybridization to determine the presence of IS605. For some positive isolates, southern hybridizations and sequence analyses were done. Results. Of the 100 isolates, 31 were found to contain sequences related to each ORF with orientation and spacing matching those in canonical IS605-hybridizing sequences. No isolate containing just one ORF and not the other was found. The frequencies of IS605 carriage were independent of geographical origin (U.S. vs. non-U.S.), and of the probable virulence of the isolate (cag status, toxin production or vacA alleles, patient symptoms). Southern blot hybridization of six IS605-containing strains revealed one to nine IS605 copies per genome. Two types of DNA sequence diversity were found: first, a specific 100 bp deletion in two isolates; second, base substitution divergence of 0.4% to 7.5% in pairwise comparisons among the eight isolates characterized, a level of divergence similar to that seen in other H. pylori chromosomal genes. Conclusions. Based on these findings, we speculate that IS605 is a relatively ancient component of the H. pylori gene pool that has proliferated in this species by horizontal gene transfer, homologous recombination, and transposition.
Is there evidence to claim or deny association between variants of the multidrug resistance gene (MDR1 or ABCB1) and inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex disease with a genetic background. Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are the two main types of IBD. There is indication that variants in the MDR1 gene are associated with development of IBD. However, the 20 published genetic association studies (GAS) for the three most popular variants in the MDR1 gene (C3435T, G2677T/A, and C1236T) have produced inclusive results. Methods: In order to decrease the uncertainty of pooled risk effects and to explore the trend and stability of the risk effects, a meticulous meta-analysis, including cumulative and recursive cumulative meta-analysis, of the GAS related to the MDR1 gene with susceptibility to IBD was conducted. The risk effects were estimated based on the odds ratio (OR) of the allele contrast and the generalized odds ratio (ORG). Results: The analysis showed marginal significant association for the C3435T variant in UC: the risk estimate for the allele contrast was OR = 1.11 (1.00–1.22) and ORG = 1.12 (1.01–1.27), indicating that a subject with high mutational load has a 12% higher probability of being diseased. The respective cumulative meta-analysis indicated a downward trend of association, as evidence accumulates with the association being significant during the whole published period. The cumulative meta-analysis for the other variants showed lack of any trend of association. However, the recursive cumulative meta-analysis showed that there is no sufficient evidence for denying or claiming an association for all variants. Conclusions: More evidence is needed to draw safe conclusions regarding the association of MDR1 variants and development of IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012;)
Cerebral autoregulation following prophylactic and delayed experimental STA-MCA bypass

Cerebral autoregulation is impaired in ischaemic regions. We hypothesized that pre-existing STA-MCA bypass would be superior to delayed revascularization in maintaining ipsilateral rCBF and preserving cerebral autoregulation following experimental stroke. Two series of dogs were tested to evaluate this hypothesis, but which was disproved for the chosen experimental conditions.
From Incivility to Outrage: Political Discourse in Blogs, Talk Radio, and Cable News

Most research on incivility in American politics focuses on its effects on citizens' political attitudes and behaviors, in spite of remarkably little data on the extent to which political discourse is actually uncivil. Those studies that do examine content focus on negative campaign advertisements, overlooking more egregious forms of political incivility that penetrate the broader media landscape. In this study, we attempt to conceptualize and measure more dramatic types of political incivility, which we term “outrage.” Outrage discourse involves efforts to provoke a visceral response from the audience, usually in the form of anger, fear, or moral righteousness through the use of overgeneralizations, sensationalism, misleading or patently inaccurate information, ad hominem attacks, and partial truths about opponents. Scrutinizing 10 weeks of data from political blogs, talk radio, and cable news analysis programs, we demonstrate that outrage discourse is extensive, takes many different forms (we examine 13...
Physiological and Pathological Factors of Human Breast Disease That Can Influence Optical Diagnosisa

The 'normal' human female breast is a very complex organ that changes considerably during development, pregnancy and menopause. In addition, it is an excretory organ that, during lactation, discharges various metabolites and certain drugs that can be optically active. Optical diagnosis of breast cancers requires detection of differential concentrations of 1) various absorbers and scatterers or 2) native or exogenous fluorophores to distinguish cancers from surrounding 'normal' and benign breast tissues. The differential concentrations are due to the biology of the cancer cells and the host responses to the cancer growth. For most patients, the cancer will be intermixed with a complex 3-dimensional array of 'normal' breast tissue and benign breast lesions. This complexity will challenge the optical biopsy investigator but, with the recent advances in our understanding of light transport, optical diagnostic techniques and devices can be developed to complement and supplement current breast cancer screening techniques.
Involvement of polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTBP1) in maintaining breast cancer cell growth and malignant properties

We have investigated some roles of splicing factor polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTBP1) in human breast cancer. We found that PTBP1 was upregulated in progressively transformed human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs), as well as in breast tumor cell lines compared with HMECs with finite growth potential and found that the level of PTBP1 correlated with the transformation state of HMECs. Knockdown of PTBP1 expression substantially inhibited tumor cell growth, colony formation in soft agar and in vitro invasiveness of breast cancer cell lines, a result similar to what we have reported in ovarian cancer. However, ectopic expression of PTBP1 (as a PTBP1–EGFP fusion protein) did not enhance the proliferation of immortalized HMEC. Rather, PTBP1 expression promoted anchorage-independent growth of an immortalized HMEC as assessed by increased colony formation in soft agar. In addition, we found that knockdown of PTBP1 expression led to upregulation of the expression of the M1 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM1) and increase of the ratio of PKM1 vs PKM2. PKM1 has been reported to promote oxidative phosphorylation and reduce tumorigenesis. Correspondingly, we observed increased oxygen consumption in PTBP1-knockdown breast cancer cells. Together, these results suggest that PTBP1 is associated with breast tumorigenesis and appears to be required for tumor cell growth and maintenance of transformed properties. PTBP1 exerts these effects, in part, by regulating the splicing of pyruvate kinase, and consequently alters glucose metabolism and contributes to the Warburg effect.
Tolerance and cross-tolerance among psychotomimetic drugs

A fixed-ratio schedule of milk reinforcement (FR 30) was used to study tolerance to the effects of d-LSD, l-LSD, BOL, psilocybin, mescaline, and d-amphetamine in the rat. A decrease in the amount of disruption of bar-pressing occurs with repeated daily administration of appropriate doses of all of the “psychotomimetic” compounds, and cross-tolerance was also demonstrated.
Lateral distortions of electromagnetic cascades in emulsion chambers

Electromagnetic cascades in a lead-emulsion chamber have been studied to determine the effect of air gaps on the upstream sides of the emulsions. Such air gaps cause a change in the form of the radial distribution of electron tracks, making cascades appear older and giving incorrect energy estimates. The number of tracks remaining within a radius r was found to vary as exp(-g/G), where g is the gap thickness. The characteristic gap thickness in mm is G = 3.04 + 1.30 ln (Err per GeV per sq mm) where E is the energy of the initiating gamma ray. Use of this relation provides a significant correction to cascade-energy estimates and allows one to calculate the effect of different gap thicknesses on the energy threshold for visual detection of cascades.