cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contribution of the Liver and Extrasplanchnic Tissues to the Hypoglycemic Action of Dichloroacetate in the Conscious Dog

In a previous study, administration of sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) to 48-h fasted dogs had no effect on glucose production (Ra), utilization (Rd), or clearance, possibly because the direct effects of DCA were offset by the consequences of the fall in plasma insulin that it caused. To examine this possibility, dichloroacetate was infused (0.4 mg/kg min) for 5 h into 48-h fasted conscious dogs whose insulin and glucagon levels were “clamped” at basal values using a technique that involved the peripheral infusion of somatostatin to inhibit the endocrine pancreas and intraportal replacement of insulin (273 μ U/kg·min) and glucagon (1 ng/kg·min). Metabolite balances across the liver were measured using an A-V difference technique, glucose turnover was determined using a tracer technique, and gluconeogenesis was assessed by measuring the conversion of alanine and lactate into glucose. In the presence of fixed concentrations of insulin (14 μU/ml) and glucagon (162 pg/ml), DCA caused the conversion of alanine and lactate to glucose to fall by 73 ± 10﹪ (P < 0.01), glucose production to fall by 19 ± 9﹪ (NS), glucose utilization to fall by 17 ± 8﹪ (NS), glucose clearance to increase by 55 ± 16﹪ (P < 0.05), and the plasma glucose level to fall from 107 ± 10 to 56 ± 6 mg/dl (P < 0.001) after 300 minutes. Thus, with the plasma insulin level fixed, DCA induced hypoglycemia through an effect on both glucose production and clearance. Since the effects of DCA in the above experiment were undoubtedly attenuated by the hypoglycemia that occurred, the experiment was repeated with the exception that glucose was infused to maintain euglycemia (113 ± 11 mg/dl). In this case, the conversion of alanine and lactate to glucose fell by 76 ± 1﹪ (P < 0.01), endogenous glucose production fell 46 ± 11﹪ (P < 0.01), glucose utilization rose 39 ± 14﹪ (P < 0.05) and glucose clearance increased 40 ± 18﹪ (P < 0.05). Normalization of the alanine and lactate levels during the last 90 min of the latter experiment failed to significantly change glucose production and enhanced gluconeogenic conversion only slightly. Thus, in the conscious 48-h-fasted dog, we conclude that: (1) DCA acts to reduce the insulin/glucagon molar ratio such that the production of hypoglycemia is prevented, (2) when the effect of the compound on the pancreas is prevented, DCA causes hypoglycemia by a reduction in hepatic glucose production and a stimulation of peripheral glucose uptake, and (3) the effect of DCA on glucose production is in part due to reduced gluconeogenic substrate supply, but is principally related to the action of DCA on intrahepatic enzymatic processes.
Modulation of cell signaling pathways by kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8)

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8, has been associated with the development of Kaposi's sarcoma, pleural effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman's disease. KSHV is a double-stranded DNA virus that has been classified as a gammaherpesvirus. The viral genome is approx 160 kb long and encodes for several genes that are involved in cell signaling pathways. These include genes that are unique to the virus as well as viral homologues of cellular genes. The latter are likely to have been usurped from the host genome and include both virokines and viral receptor proteins. This article reviews how these KSHV proteins modulate cellular signal transduction pathways.
Dynamics and two-photon absorption properties of chromophore functionalized semiconductor nanoparticles

Two photon absorption cross-sections and fluorescence dynamics of Riboflavin, Fluorescein 548, Coumarin 519 and Quinizarin adsorbed onto reactive (TiO 2 ) and non-reactive (ZrO 2 ) semiconductor nanoparticles have been investigated. These dye molecules are chosen because of their inherently different anchoring groups with which they can bind to semiconductor nanoparticles giving a handle to probe the influence of anchoring group as well as molecule-nanoparticle electronic coupling on the two-photon absorption and nonlinear optical properties. Two-photon excited fluorescence technique has been utilized to monitor the two photon absorption cross-sections and the dynamics of singlet states are followed with femto second fluorescence upconversion. Interesting cross-section trends have been observed where the TPA cross-section of chromophore on ZrO 2 surface is similar or lower to that of the free dye while the cross-sections seem to be higher on the surface of reactive TiO 2 nanoparticle surface. Fluorescence upconversion investigations were able to probe the electronic interactions of the chromophore with semiconductor nanoparticle and also the adsorption of the chromophores on the surface of the nanoparticle.
Nike v. Kasky: reconsideration of noncommercial v. commercial speech

Abstract This study examines the case of Nike v. Kasky. The primary discussion in this paper is about a public relations campaign by Nike that responded to allegations of poor working conditions for employees in their foreign factories. Whether false or misleading statements should be categorized as commercial or noncommercial speech, and therefore unprotected or protected, is the most important issue in the case. The main discussion is about the distinction between commercial and noncommercial speech, in terms of judicial scrutiny and the degree of protection afforded by each type of speech. The author suggests that speech such as that used by Nike should be protected under the First Amendment and proposes ways to prevent corporations from making false or misleading speech.
Enhanced Biocompatibility of Porous Nitinol.

Porous Nitinol (PNT) has found vast applications in the medical industry as interbody fusion devices, synthetic bone grafts, etc. However, the tendency of the PNT to corrode is anticipated to be greater as compared to solid nitinol since there is a larger surface area in contact with body fluids. In such cases, surface preparation is known to play a major role in a material’s biocompatibility. In an effort to check the effect of surface treatments on the in vitro corrosion properties of PNT, in this investigation, they were subjected to different surface treatments such as boiling in water, dry heating, and passivation. The localized corrosion resistance of alloys before and after each treatment was evaluated in phosphate buffer saline solution (PBS) using cyclic polarization tests in accordance with ASTM F 2129-08.
EphA2: A determinant of malignant cellular behavior and a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

The EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase is overexpressed in a variety of human cancers. We sought to characterize the role of EphA2 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and, using RNA interference (RNAi) mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA), we determined the effects of suppressing EphA2 expression in vitro and in vivo. EphA2 expression in PANC1, MIAPaCa2, BxPC3 and Capan2 cells was assessed by Northern and Western blot. We artificially overexpressed EphA2 by transient transfection and suppressed EphA2 expression using RNAi. Cellular invasiveness was quantified by modified Boyden chamber assay. Anoikis was induced by anchorage-independent polyHEMA culture and caspase 3 activity was quantified fluorometrically. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation was assessed by immunoprecipitation. EphA2 siRNA treatment was assessed in a nude mouse xenograft model. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells differentially express EphA2. Inherent and induced EphA2 overexpression is associated with increased cellular invasiveness and anoikis resistance. EphA2 siRNA suppresses EphA2 expression, cellular invasiveness, anoikis resistance and FAK phosphorylation in vitro and retards tumor growth and inhibits metastasis in vivo. EphA2 is both a determinant of malignant cellular behavior and a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Munchausen syndrome/bulimia by proxy: ipecac as a toxin in child abuse.

Child Abuse Offender Child Abuse Victim Domestic Violence Offender Domestic Violence Victim Adult Female Adult Mother Adult Parent Adult Offender Parent Offender Female Offender Mother Offender Infant Victim Munchausen Syndrome Case Studies Failure to Thrive Eating Disorder
Temperature-dependent optical rotatory dispersion properties of helical muscle proteins and homopolymers.

Thermally induced helix–coil transitions of myosin rod, light meromyosin, and tropomyosin were studied by optical rotatory dispersion (ORD). Fractional helicity was calculated from both the Moffitt-Yang parameter, b0, and the corrected mean residue rotation [m′] at 231.4 nm. Between 3 and 30°C, [m′] increases linearly with a slope of 59/°C, whereas b0 is virtually constant, indicating apparently different thermal melting behavior. Poly(L-lysine) and poly(L-glutamic acid) in their helical forms and myoglobin also show a nearly linear temperature dependence of [m′]231.4. Muscle proteins in 6M guanidine hydrochloride and the random-coil forms of the homopolymers exhibit temperature-dependent values of [m′]231.4 and b0. We conclude from these observations that ORD properties of both α-helices and random-coil polypeptides have significant intrinsic temperature dependencies. A new method of estimating fractional helicity as a function of temperature is proposed.
Thermodynamics of continuum damage and fragmentation models for hypervelocity impact

Abstract General numerical models of hypervelocity impact problems must account for finite strain deformation, isochoric rate dependent plasticity, volumetric and deviatoric damage, and complex energy domain coupling. Incorporating all these effects into current damage and fragmentation models is difficult, given their limited thermodynamic framework. An alternative, systematic approach to the material model formulation process results in a general thermodynamic framework which can incorporate a variety of constitutive assumptions. Application of the method is illustrated by formulation of an elastic-viscoplastic damage model with finite strain kinematics, Grady-Kipp volumetric damage, Johnson-Holmquist deviatoric damage, and thermodynamic compuling through an entropy state. Hypervelocity impact simulations using the developed model show that predictions of fragment size and fracture surface area based on Grady-Kipp fragmentation theory vary significantly with the extent of plastic deformation, over a velocity range of five to ten kilometers per second.
Preference by a virus vector for infected plants is reversed after virus acquisition

Pathogens and their vectors can interact either directly or indirectly via their shared hosts, with implications for the persistence and spread of the pathogen in host populations. For example, some plant viruses induce changes in host plants that cause the aphids that carry these viruses to settle preferentially on infected plants. Furthermore, relative preference by the vector for infected plants can change to a preference for noninfected plants after virus acquisition by the vector, as has recently been demonstrated in the wheat-Rhopalosiphum padi-Barley yellow dwarf virus pathosystem. Here we document a similar dynamic in the potato-Myzus persicae (Sulzer)-Potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) pathosystem. Specifically, in a dual choice bioassay, nonviruliferous apterous M. persicae settled preferentially on or near potato plants infected with PLRV relative to noninfected (sham-inoculated) control plants, whereas viruliferous M. persicae (carrying PLRV) preferentially settled on or near sham-inoculated potato plants relative to infected plants. The change in preference after virus acquisition also occurred in response to trapped headspace volatiles, and to synthetic mimics of headspace volatile blends from PLRV-infected and sham-inoculated potato plants. The change in preference we document should promote virus spread by increasing rates of virus acquisition and transmission by the vector.
Communication in the youth counter culture: Music as expression

Rock music in the past fifteen years expresses a dream for a recast America and for a changed world.
Spatially-Directed Protein Identification from Tissue Sections by Top-Down LC-MS/MS with Electron Transfer Dissociation

MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) has become a powerful tool for localizing both small molecules and intact proteins in a wide variety of tissue samples in both normal and diseased states. Identification of imaged signals in MALDI-IMS remains a bottleneck in the analysis and limits the interpretation of underlying biology of tissue specimens. In this work, spatially directed tissue microextraction of intact proteins followed by LC-MS/MS with electron transfer dissociation (ETD) was used to identify proteins from specific locations in three tissue types; ocular lens, brain, and kidney. Detection limits were such that a 1 μL extraction volume was sufficient to deliver proteins to the LC-MS/MS instrumentation with sufficient sensitivity to detect 50–100 proteins in a single experiment. Additionally, multiple modified proteins were identified; including truncated lens proteins that would be difficult to assign to an imaged mass using a bottom-up approach. Protein separation and identification are ex...
Single particle excitations in the lattice E8 Ising model

Abstract We present analytic expressions for the single particle excitation energies of the eight quasi-particles in the lattice E8 Ising model and demonstrate that all excitations have an extended Brillouin zone which, depending on the excitation, ranges from 0
F1-ATPase in a spin.

The structure of the bovine mitochondrial F1-ATPase lends further support to the idea that the enzyme generates ATP from a proton gradient by spinning like a top.
Biography: Selman A. Waksman, PhD (1888-1973): pioneer in development of antibiotics and Nobel Laureate.

Selman Abraham Waksman is regarded today as the foremost authority on soil biology. A Nobel Prize recipient for his work on antibiotics, he also coined the term. Waksman started life in humble surroundings in Priluka, the Ukraine, and later, as a young man, emigrated to the United States, where he later became a renowned scientist. His work on antibiotics has changed the lives of many people, far more than he could possibly have imagined. This brief biography seeks to honor this individual and his contributions to the war against infectious diseases.
Evaluating career success of African American males: It's what you know and who you are that matters

Abstract The objectives of the present study were to identify the factors related to career success of college educated, African American men and to explore the relative importance of human capital, social capital, individual differences, and demographic attributes in predicting career success. Using a sample of 247 African American males, we found some variables identified in previous research using primarily Caucasian samples were related to career success with this sample, while others were not. Additionally, human capital variables and demographic variables were found to the most important sets of predictors for career success. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
V gene sequences of human anti-ssDNA antibodies secreted by lupus-derived CD5-negative B cell hybridomas

V gene sequences encoding two lupus-derived human monoclonal IgMk anti-ssDNA antibodies (2F7 and 1A6) and CD5 mRNA expression by the corresponding hybridomas were investigated. Both antibodies displayed V gene sequences nearly in germline configuration compared with their putative germline counterparts. It appeared that 2F7 used hv3019b9/HUD-3/JH6 and 12La/Jk2, while 1A6 utilized HHG19/D31-HUD-3/JH2 and Humkv328h5/Jk1. Assessment of R/S mutation ratios suggested that 2F7 and 1A6 have not undergone the antigen-driven somatic mutation. The HCDR3 featuring arginine appeared to be important in determining the anti-ssDNA specificity. CD5 mRNA was negative in both hybridomas. Since 2F7 was previously shown to be monospecific and of high affinity, these results provide the molecular basis of such unique immunochemical characteristics of the IgM anti-ssDNA antibody. Germline V genes and N sequences may be selected to confer such anti-ssDNA specificity during V gene rearrangement, which might involve CD5-negative B cells.
Non-isothermal multi-dimensional direct methanol fuel cell model with micro-porous layers mitigating water/methanol crossover

Abstract A two-phase three-dimensional direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) model with the capability of saturation jump is developed in order to investigate the effect of micro-porous layers (MPL) on the water/methanol crossover in a DMFC. It is found that hydrophobic MPL on the cathode side helps cathode catalyst layer reserve water whereas hydrophobic MPL on the anode side blocks liquid flow to the cathode side, which effectively reduces water/methanol crossover. As the water transport in a DMFC occurs in two-phase, energy equation considering the heat-pipe effect with latent heat is solved together. Calculation result revealed thermal conductivity of gas diffusion layer has a strong influence on both temperature and water transport. Finally, a large-scale simulation of 28 cm 2 cell is conducted to examine current density and fuel concentration distribution.
High Temperature Raman Scattering From Boron Nitride Coatings On Resistively Heated Graphite Surfaces

Raman spectra of the hexagonal phase of boron nitride to temperatures exceeding 2000°C. have been recorded using a pulsed-excitation gated-detection method. Surface temperatures were determined during rapid sample heating from analysis of corrected Stokes/anti-Stokes intensity ratios and from shifts in the resonance frequency of the 1366 cm-1 Eg mode. Successive spectra were acquired at time intervals as short as 33 msec corresponding to the pulse repetition frequency of the probe laser. Using this synchronous detection technique, the time evolution of graphite furnace temperatures was determined from measured spectra. Results indicate nearly complete rejection of sample blackbody radiation from the Raman scattered light at these high temperatures. A nearly linear relationship between the Eg resonance frequency and temperature was found. Phonon linewidths were also found to increase by a factor of three over this temperature range.
Immune activation decreases sperm viability in both sexes and influences female sperm storage

All animals are under the constant threat of pathogenic infection. However, little is known regarding the influence of acute infection on sperm viability, particularly in female insects. This information is crucial for our understanding of mating and immune system coevolution, considering that females store sperm and serve as the site of sperm competition. Using the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, we examined the influence of infection on sperm viability and storage. Twenty-four hours after haemocoel inoculation with a pathogen mimic (peptidoglycan, PGN) both sexes exhibited reduced sperm viability, indicating that systemic immune activation played a significant role in gamete survival. Surprisingly, sperm death did not appear to result from a reproductive-immune system trade-off, considering that sperm survived 24 h in vitro once removed from their somatic resources. Instead, our results are most consistent with death owing to immune effector collateral damage. We also examined the potential for sexually transmitted pathogens to influence sperm storage. Females mated with 'infected' males (created by dipping genitalia into a PGN solution) exhibited a higher proportion of empty sperm stores 48 h after mating compared to their controls. Remarkably, these data indicate that females may increase their fitness by removing 'infected' ejaculates from storage over time.
Cobb's collar: a rare cause of urinary retention

Cobb9s collar is a membranous stricture of the bulbar urethra, often misdiagnosed, potentially leading to acute urinary retention, upper urinary tract dilations, enuresis, infectious diseases, poor streaming and haematuria. A 14-year-old boy with a history of previous hospitalisations came to our attention. A Cobb9s collar was diagnosed and successfully managed with a videoendoscopic one-step approach. Although extremely uncommon, paediatric urologists must be aware of this congenital anomaly. A correct and timely diagnosis and endoscopic management may affect positively the clinical onset of these patients avoiding major urethral surgery and preserving renal and bladder function.
Indications for Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

Objective To review recent clinical trials that provide a foundation on which clinicians can base decisions regarding adenotonsillar surgery for their patients. Study Design Review. Methods An evidence-based approach was used to review recent clinical trials addressing indications for adenotonsillectomy, tonsillectomy, and adenoidectomy. Results Absolute indications for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy include adenotonsillar hyperplasia with obstructive sleep apnea, failure to thrive, or abnormal dentofacial growth; suspicion of malignant disease; and (for tonsillectomy) hemorrhagic tonsillitis. Relative indications for both procedures are adenotonsillar hyperplasia with upper airway obstruction, dysphagia, or speech impairment, and halitosis. Otitis media and recurrent or chronic rhinosinusitis or adenoiditis are relative indications for adenoidectomy but not tonsillectomy. Recurrent or chronic pharyngotonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, and streptococcal carriage are relative indications for tonsillectomy but not adenoidectomy. Conclusion Good clinical evidence regarding indications for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy is available. Clinicians should make recommendations for surgery on the basis of this evidence.
Tribology of diamond-like carbon sliding against itself, silicon nitride, and steel

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were deposited on (100) silicon wafers and silicon nitride balls by RF plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition at a pressure of 700 mTorr and a substrate temperature of 360 K. The friction coefficient and the wear rates were measured using a pin-on-disk tribometer in 40% humid and dry air. Friction coefficients are near 0.05 in all cases measured. In dry air, the wear of silicon nitride and steel against DLC is below measurement capability because of a protecting DLC transfer layer, and wear of DLC is 2.5 ± 10−8 mm3/Nm against silicon nitride and 6.5 ± 10−9 mm3/Nm against steel. In humid air, the DLC transfer layer does not adhere to the solids, and wear of both bodies is larger. Unmeasurable wear is obtained when DLC slides against itself in humid air; the wear rate is 5 ± 10−9 mm3/Nm in dry air. These results are interpreted in terms of the properties of a friction-induced transformation of the surface layer of DLC.
Containing emissions from a microprocessor module

Based on the Faraday cage principle a solution to contain noise at the modular level of a microprocessor (/spl mu/P) is presented. This solution builds a conductive enclosure around the module. Using a metallic skirt the enclosure is connected to the ground structure of the motherboard to complete a six-sided box. For the shield design to be implement-worthy, it had to be ensured that neither the thermal solution of the /spl mu/P nor the design of the bus on the motherboard is broken by the enclosure design. This solution showed good suppression of emission at all frequencies (including the high frequencies) generated by the /spl mu/P. Otherwise, the high bandwidth emissions demand costly and difficult chassis enhancements to meet strict regulatory requirements. This investigation focused on different flavors of vertically standing Pentium(R) III Xeon/sup TM/ processors from Intel.
On the asymptotic behaviour of large-scale turbulence in homogeneous shear flow

The asymptotic behaviour of large-scale velocity statistics in an homogeneous turbulent shear flow is investigated using direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the incompressible Navier―Stokes equations on a 512 3 grid, and with viscous rapid distortion theory (RDT). We use a novel pseudo-spectral algorithm that allows us to set the initial value of the shear parameter in the range 3―30 without the shortcomings of previous numerical approaches. We find there is an explicit dependence of the early-time behaviour on the initial value of the shear parameter. Moreover, the long-time asymptotes of large-scale quantities such as the ratio of the turbulent kinetic energy production rate over dissipation rate, the Reynolds stress anisotropic tensor and the shear parameter itself depend sensitively on the initial value of the shear parameter over the range of Reynolds number we could achieve (26 ≤ R λ ≤ 63) with the stringent resolution requirements that were satisfied. To gain further insight into the matter, we analyse the full viscous RDT. While inviscid RDT has received a great deal of attention, viscous RDT has not been fully analysed. Our motivation for considering viscous RDT is so that the energy dissipation rate enters the problem, enabling the shear parameter to be defined. We show asymptotic expansions for the short-time behaviour and numerically evaluate the integrals to determine the long-time prediction of viscous RDT. The results are in quantitative agreement with DNS for short times; however, at long times viscous RDT predicts the turbulent energy decays to zero. Through an analysis of the pressure―strain terms, we show that the nonlinear 'slow' terms are essential for rearranging turbulent energy from the streamwise direction to the mean shear direction, and this sustains the indefinite growth of the kinetic energy at long times. In effect, the nonlinear pressure―strain correlation maintains the three-dimensionality of the turbulence, countering the tendency of the mean shear to project the turbulence onto the two-dimensional plane of the mean-flow streamlines. We postulate that the predictions of viscous RDT at long times could be improved by introducing a model for the 'slow' pressure―strain term, along the lines of the Rotta model.
Phenotypic and Genetic Statistics of Components of Milk and Two Measures of Somatic Cell Concentration

Heritabilities, genotypic and phenotypic correlations for milk, fat, and protein yields, and two traits related to somatic cell concentration (cumulative lactation score and lactational somatic cell concentration) were estimated. A total of 18,416 first lactations of Holstein cows were analyzed by a new procedure for estimating variance components. Heritabilities were .21, .23, .19, .17, and .61 for milk, fat, and protein yields, cumulative lactation score, and lactational somatic cell concentration. Addition of protein yields to the current selection for two traits with nil economic value for protein would improve genetic gains for fat and milk yields in the northeastern United States. If cumulative lactation score and lactational somatic cell concentration were incorporated in current selection for two traits, restricted selection indexes should be used to avoid reduction in genetic gains for milk and fat yields.
Replication of Standardized ADOS Domain Scores in the Simons Simplex Collection

Raw totals from diagnostic and screening measures for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are frequently used as dimensional measures of autism symptom severity without appropriate correction for confounding factors, such as developmental level or non-ASD-specific behavior problems. Although these associated features are important to consider when diagnosing ASD and developing intervention plans, both researchers and clinicians sometimes need metrics of ASD severity that are not influenced by these factors. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) domain calibrated severity scores (CSS) were created to provide separate estimates of social affect (SA-CSS) and restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRB-CSS) that are relatively independent of child characteristics (Hus et al., 2014). Using a sample of 2,509 probands with ASD from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC), this study provides the first replication of the ADOS domain CSS in an independent sample. Consistent with the original standardization study, when applied to existing SSC data, the ADOS domain CSS were less influenced by age and cognitive ability compared to raw domain totals. Domain CSS were also relatively independent of behavior problems. Use of the ADOS domain CSS to assess relationships between ASD symptoms and genetic risk factors will increase confidence that associations reflect domain-specific relationships. Scores also offer less developmentally-influenced estimates of ASD severity for future phenotypic explorations in the SSC. This independent replication provides support for the application of the ADOS domain CSS in other samples, though further replication in population-based samples will be an important next step.
Does prior valve surgery change outcome in patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy

Impact of Prior Valve Surgery in CRT Patients. Aims: Cardiac valve surgery (CVS) has been implicatedasapotentialbarriertooptimalresponseaftercardiacresynchronization therapy(CRT)though prospective data regarding outcome remains limited. We sought to determine CRT response in patients with a prior history of CVS. Methods and Results: We performed a retrospective analysis of a prospectively acquired cohort of CRT patients with history of CVS. Echocardiographic response was evaluated at baseline and 6 months. The coprimary endpoints were time to first heart failure (HF) hospitalization and a composite of all-cause mortality, transplantation and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) assessed over a 3-year follow-up period. The study group consisted of 569 patients undergoing CRT. Of these, 86 patients had a history of CVS (46.5% aortic, 37.2% mitral, 16.3% combined, and tricuspid), and were compared to 483 patients with no history of CVS. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were not significantly different between the groups except for a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF; 74.4% vs. 55.3%; P = 0.001), coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG; 58.1% vs. 38.7%; P = 0.001), and longer QRS duration (167.6 ± 29.3 milliseconds vs. 159.4 ± 27.5 milliseconds; P = 0.01) in those with prior CVS. Survival with respect to HF hospitalization and composite outcome was comparable in both groups. Echocardiographic response (improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction of 10%) was similar. No difference in clinical or echocardiographic outcome was found by type of valve surgery performed. Conclusion: Despite a higher incidence of AF, CABG, and longer QRS duration, history of CVS is not associated with worse clinical or echocardiographic outcome after CRT. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol.
A compiler-based approach to data security

With the proliferation of personal electronic devices and embedded systems, personal and financial data is more easily accessible. As a consequence, we also observe a proliferation of techniques that attempt to illegally access sensitive data without proper authorization. Due to the severe financial and social ramifications of such data leakage, the need for secure memory has become critical. However, working with secure memories can have performance, power, and code size overheads since accessing a secure memory involves additional overheads for encryption/decryption and/or password checks. In addition, an application code may need to be restructured to work under such a memory system. In this paper, we propose a compiler-directed strategy to generate code for a secure memory based embedded architecture. The idea is to let the programmer mark certain data elements, called the seed elements, as secure (i.e., need to be stored in secure memory), and let the compiler determine the remaining secure elements automatically. We also address the problem of code size increase due to our strategy. The experimental results obtained through simulations clearly show that the proposed approach is effective in reducing the total secure memory size. The results also indicate that it is possible to reduce the resulting code size increase by clustering accesses to secure memory.
Sharing the Work Mother-Child Relationships and Household Management

This manuscript reports on a study of how low-income employed single mothers and young adolescents manage household daily life. Analysis is based on longitudinal ethnographic data collected from families of 35 young adolescents over 3 years following the 1996 welfare reforms. Although mothers worked, young adolescents spent time unsupervised, performed household chores, and provided child care for younger siblings. Mother-youth relationships marked by mutual understanding acted as resources that enabled the families to successfully navigate daily life. Discussion focuses on how relationship quality moderates the impact of maternal employment and household work on young adolescent well-being. Implications for further research on children's household work are considered.
Arginine:glycine amidinotransferase deficiency: a treatable metabolic encephalomyopathy.

Creatine and creatine phosphate are essential for intracellular storage and utilization of phosphate-bound energy. Aside from dietary sources, creatine is chiefly synthesized in liver in a 2-step enzymatic process (arginine:glycine amidinotransferase [AGAT] and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase), is carried via blood to target organs, and then transported using creatine transporter–1 into the tissues. Creatine deficiency syndromes related to each of the 2 enzymatic steps and creatine transporter–1 have been recently reported in patients with developmental delay and mental retardation.1 We report adult cases of myopathy in AGAT deficiency. ### Case reports. #### Case IV-30. A 26-year-old Jordanian woman was born full-term to first-cousin parents (figure). She had moderate developmental delay in childhood; she began walking at age 20 months and speaking in monosyllables at age 6 years. At adolescence, she had impaired fine motor skills and speech difficulty but was independent in activities of daily living. Figure Brain creatine levels in arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT) deficiency (A) Pedigree chart showing consanguinity. (B, C) 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy in IV-30 showing low creatine peaks (arrows) and …
Ubiquity of network organizations paradigmatic perspective and synergistic effect

Human organizations that have begun to rely on networks for collaboration are already prolific. Networked collaboration is highly beneficial in many group activity including mixed teams of humans and agents. The prospect of understanding complex interactions on network organizations has prompted us to develop a paradigm serving as a reference model for organizations of networked individuals. In this paper, we present salient components suggested to comprise network organizations. Network properties are central for incorporating a spectrum of collaboration styles that is outlined in our paradigm. We have introduced synergy as a specific network effect that embodies collaboration, which in turn has the potential to enhance performance at various levels of an organization as well as the overall productivity of it.
Infraclavicular first rib resection for the treatment of acute venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

Objective Venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS) is most commonly treated by transaxillary, supraclavicular, or paraclavicular approaches, based on surgeon preference. However, we have adopted an infraclavicular approach to VTOS as the surgical pathology is in the anterior costoclavicular space. We hypothesize that this approach, combined with catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) with venoplasty as needed, provides safe and effective treatment of patients with an acute presentation of VTOS. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive patients that underwent infraclavicular thoracic outlet decompression for an acute presentation of VTOS from July 2005 to February 2014 by a single surgeon. Acute presentation was defined as less than 14 days between the onset of symptoms and CDT. Demographics, primary and secondary subclavian vein patency, perioperative outcomes, and reinterventions were recorded. Results There were 33 patients that underwent an infraclavicular approach for treatment of VTOS. Average age was 35 years, and 61% were male. All patients underwent CDT, subsequent infraclavicular first rib resection, and intraoperative venography. Intraoperative subclavian vein angioplasty was performed in 70%. Median postoperative length of stay was 2 days (range, 2-6 days), blood loss was 78 mL (range, 20-200 mL), and operative time was 120 minutes (range, 76-166 minutes). Median follow-up was 78 days (range, 2-483 days). Follow-up ultrasound showed all patients having a patent subclavian vein at last follow-up. Reinterventions included two cases for rethrombosis and one case of hemothorax. Primary patency was 91%, and secondary patency was 100%. There were no complications of brachial plexus or phrenic nerve injury. All patients at last follow-up were symptom-free, and subclavian veins were patent. Conclusions An infraclavicular approach is a safe and effective treatment for acute VTOS. It provides excellent access to the costoclavicular space for first rib resection and subclavian venolysis while at the same time minimizing the risk of brachial plexus and phrenic nerve injury.
Policy for the 'deserving,' but politically weak: The 1996 welfare reform act and battered women

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law #104–193) is perhaps the most visible national legislation since the sweeping Civil Rights laws of the 1960s. For social policy so well entrenched into the American social fabric, the rapidity with which reforms swept through the welfare system was unprecedented and confound conventional theoretical pronouncements on bureaucracy and policy change. The swiftness of reform, and the political rhetoric that surrounded the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, have prompted criticism that reformers responded more to the social construction of welfare recipients than they did to the dictates of sound public policy (Magusson and Dunham, 1996). This article discusses the ramifications of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act for battered women and concludes that battered women's social construction as deserving of public assistance, but politically weak, precipitated welfare reform policy, targeted to battered women, that has been largely rhetorical rather than substantive.
Grafting between model legumes demonstrates roles for roots and shoots in determining nodule type and host/rhizobia specificity

Previous grafting experiments have demonstrated that legume shoots play a critical role in symbiotic development of nitrogen-fixing root nodules by regulating nodule number. Here, reciprocal grafting experiments between the model legumes Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula were carried out to investigate the role of the shoot in the host-specificity of legume-rhizobia symbiosis and nodule type. Lotus japonicus is nodulated by Mesorhizobium loti and makes determinate nodules, whereas M. truncatula is nodulated by Sinorhizobium meliloti and makes indeterminate nodules. When inoculated with M. loti, L. japonicus roots grafted on M. truncatula shoots produced determinate nodules identical in appearance to those produced on L. japonicus self-grafted roots. Moreover, the hypernodulation phenotype of L. japonicus har1-1 roots grafted on wild-type M. truncatula shoots was restored to wild type when nodulated with M. loti. Thus, L. japonicus shoots appeared to be interchangeable with M. truncatula shoots in the L. japonicus root/M. loti symbiosis. However, M. truncatula roots grafted on L. japonicus shoots failed to induce nodules after inoculation with S. meliloti or a mixture of S. meliloti and M. loti. Instead, only early responses to S. meliloti such as root hair tip swelling and deformation, plus induction of the early nodulation reporter gene MtENOD11:GUS were observed. The results indicate that the L. japonicus shoot does not support normal symbiosis between the M. truncatula root and its microsymbiont S. meliloti, suggesting that an unidentified shoot-derived factor may be required for symbiotic progression in indeterminate nodules.
A survey of electron-deficient pentacenes as acceptors in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells

We have prepared, characterized and surveyed device performance for a series of electron deficient pentacenes for use as acceptors in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells, using P3HT as the donor material. All of the materials reported here behaved as acceptors, and variations in the position and nature of the electron-withdrawing group on the pentacene core allowed tuning of device open-circuit voltage. Photocurrent was strongly correlated with the pentacene crystal packing motif; materials with 2D π-stacking interactions performed poorly compared with materials exhibiting 1D π-stacking interactions. The best pentacene acceptors gave repeatable device efficiency in excess of 1.2%, compared with 3.5% exhibited for PCBM-based devices.
Selection of examples in case-based computer-aided decision systems.

Case-based computer-aided decision (CB-CAD) systems rely on a database of previously stored, known examples when classifying new, incoming queries. Such systems can be particularly useful since they do not need retraining every time a new example is deposited in the case base. The adaptive nature of case-based systems is well suited to the current trend of continuously expanding digital databases in the medical domain. To maintain efficiency, however, such systems need sophisticated strategies to effectively manage the available evidence database. In this paper, we discuss the general problem of building an evidence database by selecting the most useful examples to store while satisfying existing storage requirements. We evaluate three intelligent techniques for this purpose: genetic algorithm-based selection, greedy selection and random mutation hill climbing. These techniques are compared to a random selection strategy used as the baseline. The study is performed with a previously presented CB-CAD system applied for false positive reduction in screening mammograms. The experimental evaluation shows that when the development goal is to maximize the system’s diagnostic performance, the intelligent techniques are able to reduce the size of the evidence database to 37% of the original database by eliminating superfluous and/or detrimental examples while at the same time significantly improving the CAD system’s performance. Furthermore, if the case-base size is a main concern, the total number of examples stored in the system can be reduced to only 2–4% of the original database without a decrease in the diagnostic performance. Comparison of the techniques shows that random mutation hill climbing provides the best balance between the diagnostic performance and computational efficiency when building the evidence database of the CB-CAD system.
Cell-Penetrating Pepducin Therapy Targeting PAR1 in Subjects With Coronary Artery Disease

Objective—Pepducins are membrane-tethered, cell-penetrating lipopeptides that target the cytoplasmic surface of their cognate receptor. Here, we report the first human use of a protease-activated receptor-1–based pepducin, which is intended as an antiplatelet agent to prevent ischemic complications of percutaneous coronary interventions. Approach and Results—PZ-128 was administered by 1 to 2 hours continuous intravenous infusion (0.01–2 mg/kg) to 31 subjects with coronary artery disease or multiple coronary artery disease risk factors. Safety, antiplatelet efficacy, and pharmacokinetics were assessed at baseline and 0.5, 1, 2, 6, 24 hours, and 7 to 10 days postdosing. The inhibitory effects of PZ-128 on platelet aggregation stimulated by the protease-activated receptor-1 agonist SFLLRN (8 μmol/L) at 30 minutes to 6 hours were dose dependent with 20% to 40% inhibition at 0.3 mg/kg, 40% to 60% at 0.5 mg/kg, and ≥80% to 100% at 1 to 2 mg/kg. The subgroup receiving aspirin in the 0.5 and 1-mg/kg dose cohorts ...
Use of Partial Total Mixed Rations on Pasture-Based Dairy Farms in Pennsylvania and New York

ABSTRACT A study was conducted on the use of a partial total mixed ration (pTMR) on 13 pasture-based dairy farms in New York and Pennsylvania. The objectives of the study were to monitor and summarize management decisions made in relation to pTMR formulation throughout the grazing season and to develop recommendations for use of a pTMR in a pasturebased system. In general, haylage or silage replaced pasture in the pTMR diet. The pTMR protein level was often decreased with high pasture protein content; however, total dietary protein still exceeded protein requirements by an average of 39% over NRC requirements on most farms. In some cases, nutritionists or producers underestimated the nutritional quality of pasture. All farms appeared to be feeding adequate levels of energy in relation to NRC requirements. Few farms analyzed pastures for nutrient content, even though forage testing of stored forages was common. The amount of pTMR fed was frequently adjusted on most farms based on bulk milk tank readings, changing pasture availability, and pTMR refusal rates. Outside factors (i.e., water supply on pasture, heat, time on pasture, pasture condition) also have significant impacts on animal productivity and health and must be considered in a whole-farm approach. Flexibility is key in utilizing a pTMR on pasture-based operations to respond to changing pasture quality and quantity and to formulate least-cost rations. The basic principles of nutrition still apply — monitor dry matter intake, forage to concentrate ratios, and milk production.
Knowledge Management in a Global Context: A Case Study

This paper establishes a formal framework of managing knowledge assets in global enterprises. The suggested framework holistically integrates the following eight components: global information infrastructure, IT capabilities, global outsourcing, global information system design, development, and implementation, trans-border data flow, IT cultures, global virtual teams, and information resource management strategies, which serve as the crucial enablers of the success of knowledge management initiatives in a global context. Validated by a case study, the proposed framework provides meaningful insights for future research and valuable guidance for practicing managers of global knowledge management.