cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Duodenal gastrin concentration in upper gastrointestinal disorders.

Duodenal gastrin concentration was measured in endoscopic forceps biopsy specimens of the juxtapyloric duodenal mucosa in patients with various gastrointestinal disorders. Duodenal gastrin concentration was 5.9±1.2 ng/mg (mean ±1sem) in control patients. Duodenal gastrin concentration was similar to control values in patients with duodenal ulcer, pyloric channel ulcer, vagotomy and pyloroplasty, and gastric atrophy and hypergastrinemia. In gastric ulcer patients, duodenal gastrin concentration, 2.8±0.6 ng/mg, was significantly less than the control value (P<0.05). Duodenal gastrin concentration was approximately one third of antral gastrin concentration in control, duodenal ulcer, and gastric ulcer patients and was approximately one fifth of antral gastrin concentration in vagotomy and pyloroplasty patients and gastric atrophy patients. Duodenal and antral gastrin concentrations were significantly correlated in normal controls and in gastric ulcer patients. The finding of normal duodenal gastrin concentration in patients with vagotomy and pyloroplasty and patients with gastric atrophy suggests that, unlike antral gastrin concentration, duodenal gastrin concentration is unaffected by a decrease in acid secretion rate. The low duodenal gastrin concentration in gastric ulcer patients indicates that the duodenum may be involved in the pathophysiology of gastric ulcer disease.
Relationship of differential gene expression profiles in CD34+ myelodysplastic syndrome marrow cells to disease subtype and progression.

Microarray analysis with 40 000 cDNA gene chip arrays determined differential gene expression profiles (GEPs) in CD34+ marrow cells from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients compared with healthy persons. Using focused bioinformatics analyses, we found 1175 genes significantly differentially expressed by MDS versus normal, requiring a minimum of 39 genes to separately classify these patients. Major GEP differences were demonstrated between healthy and MDS patients and between several MDS subgroups: (1) those whose disease remained stable and those who subsequently transformed (tMDS) to acute myeloid leukemia; (2) between del(5q) and other MDS patients. A 6-gene “poor risk” signature was defined, which was associated with acute myeloid leukemia transformation and provided additive prognostic information for International Prognostic Scoring System Intermediate-1 patients. Overexpression of genes generating ribosomal proteins and for other signaling pathways was demonstrated in the tMDS patients. Comparison of del(5q) with the remaining MDS patients showed 1924 differentially expressed genes, with underexpression of 1014 genes, 11 of which were within the 5q31-32 commonly deleted region. These data demonstrated (1) GEPs distinguishing MDS patients from healthy and between those with differing clinical outcomes (tMDS vs those whose disease remained stable) and cytogenetics [eg, del(5q)]; and (2) molecular criteria refining prognostic categorization and associated biologic processes in MDS.
Two Microliths from Javanese Wadjak Man

Recently, during a restudy of the fragmentary bone material of the Wadjak site two microliths were discovered. A description of these artefacts is given. A discussion is presented in the light of other Holocene prehistoric sites from Java, a supposed linkage between Wadjak Man and the Pacitanian, the fauna and suggestions about the age of the Wadjak site. These new finds fit with the view of Wadjak Man as Modern Man ("Proto Javanese"), found in association with the subrecent fauna from Java.
Subordination of the fast-relaxing degree of freedom in the center manifold of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky system

A deterministic-phenomenological model for the Belousov-Zhabotinsky system is coupled with Gaussian additive noise to analyze the role of fluctuations when a dissipative structure emerges. We define a parameter $\overline{k}$ which measures the degree to which the fast-relaxing degree of freedom is "enslaved" (in Haken's terminology) to the two order parameters. We derive the center-manifold equation which gives the fast degree of freedom as a function of the slow variables. All the recurrent and locally attractive behavior of the system lies in this surface. We then derive an equation relating the relaxation time of the fast-relaxing degree of freedom, the intensity of the Gaussian noise, and the parameter $\overline{k}$. The relaxation time is taken as the reciprocal of the damping constant which depends on the bifurcation parameters of the system. The maxima in the probability density factor for the order variables coincide with the macroscopically observed states.
Ontogeny of the hypothalamic neuropeptide Y system

Early onset obesity and type II diabetes is rapidly becoming an epidemic, especially within the United States. This dramatic increase is likely due to many factors including both prenatal and postnatal environmental cues. The purpose of this review is to highlight some of the recent advances in our knowledge of the development of the hypothalamic circuits involved in the regulation of energy balance, with a focus on the neuropeptide Y (NPY) system. Unlike the adult rat, during the postnatal period NPY is transiently expressed in several hypothalamic regions, along with the expected expression within the arcuate nucleus (ARH). These transient populations of NPY neurons during the postnatal period may provide local NPY production to sustain the necessary energy intake during this critical growth phase. This may be physiologically important since ARH-NPY projections do not fully develop until the 3rd postnatal week. The significance of this ontogeny is that many peripheral metabolic signals have little effect of feeding prior to the development of the ARH projections. The essential questions now are whether prenatal and/or postnatal exposure to high levels of insulin or leptin during development can cause permanent changes in the function of hypothalamic circuits. It is vital to understand not only the natural development of the hypothalamic circuits that regulate energy homeostasis, but also their abnormal development caused by maternal and postnatal environmental cues. This will be pivotal for designing intervention and therapeutics to treat early onset obesity/type II diabetes, which may very well need to be different from those designed to prevent/treat adult onset obesity/type II diabetes.
Dosage rates and application methods with PCNB for control of potato scab and rhizoctonia

Pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) controlled potato scab in fine sandy loam of the Yakima Valley when applied at the rate of 50 pounds per acre broadcast before planting and mixed by discing or rotary tillage. Mixing with a harrow in the top 2 inches of soil was ineffective even when 80 pounds per acre were used. Control was also unsatisfactory when the material was applied after shallow planting followed by harrowing and hilling. The stem-canker stage of rhizoctonia was controlled similarly with PCNB at the rate of 10 to 20 pounds per acre. Tuber sclerotia, however, were not controlled until rates of 40 to 50 pounds per acre were used. At these rates there was no reduction in total yield of tubers but some delay in emergence resulted. Limited data indicate only slight residual disease control in the second year. These results were obtained with irrigation on fine sandy loam low in organic matter but at very high levels of infestation of the pathogens. Observations indicate that undecomposed plant residue in the soil may interfere with mixing and thus seriously reduce the effectiveness of treatment.
ASSESSING PREFERENCE FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION IN CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM

In this study, preference for social interaction was investigated for three young children diagnosed with autism. The study consisted of conducting a multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment to determine a hierarchy of preference for the interactions and conducting a reinforcer assessment. Results showed several types of social interaction functioned as reinforcers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Visiting Multiple Sites for Immunization and Vaccine Coverage Levels of Preschool Children in 3 Urban Clinics: Potential Indicator of Record Scatter?

Record scatter is a clinic-level impediment to accurately reporting immunization coverage levels but may be attributed to certain patient characteristics. We determine the association between visiting multiple sites for immunization and underimmunization among urban clinic patients. After collecting immunization histories for patients aged 3-35 months, caregivers were surveyed by telephone. 159/483 caregivers (32.9%) were interviewed. Visiting > 2 sites for immunizations was associated with underimmunization, adjusted Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Interval) =2.7 (1.2-6.5). An interruption in health insurance showed a trend toward association with visiting > 2 sites. Our results support the need for working registries, clinic outreach, and continued evaluation of both.
Fast construction of FM-index for long sequence reads

Summary: We present a new method to incrementally construct the FM-index for both short and long sequence reads, up to the size of a genome. It is the first algorithm that can build the index while implicitly sorting the sequences in the reverse (complement) lexicographical order without a separate sorting step. The implementation is among the fastest for indexing short reads and the only one that practically works for reads of averaged kilobases in length. Availability and implementation: https://github.com/lh3/ropebwt2 Contact: gro.etutitsnidaorb@ilgneh
Leucocytes in asthma.

A diagrammatic representation of the interactions between mediators of hypersensitivity and leucocytes in early-, late-phase, and ongoing asthma is shown in Fig. 1. Early-phase or immediate reactions are largely the result of bronchoconstriction consequent to the release of mediators such as histamine, PGD2, LTC4/D4 and PAF. The principal mediator cell (MC) is the mast cell (although other IgE receptor-bearing cells such as the macrophage, eosinophil and platelet might also be involved in this immediate response). The stimulus for mediator cell activation may be either immunologic (IgE-dependent) or non-immunologic (i.e. changes in osmolarity as a result of the respiratory water loss associated with exercise-induced asthma). Late-phase reactions appear to be a consequence of infiltration with neutrophils (N), eosinophils (E) and macrophages (MO). These cells are recruited and activated either by mast cell-associated chemotactic factors [such as LTB4, PAF, the eosinophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis (ECF-A) or high molecular weight neutrophil chemotactic activity (NCA (HMW]] and/or "lymphokines" derived from T helper cells (TH) which have been stimulated by antigen processed by the antigen processing cells (APC). These mononuclear cell interactions are under the control of regulatory T cells [T suppressor (TS) cells] and it is speculated that the availability of these subsets may determine the magnitude of the late-phase response. Lymphokines and monokines which selectively activate neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes include LIF, EAF and INF-gamma respectively. Macrophage-derived tumour necrosis factor (TNF) also amplifies the inflammatory response by its capacity to enhance eosinophil cytotoxicity. Eosinophil-derived agents such as PAF, LTC4, MBP and ECP might be responsible for submucosal oedema and non-specific bronchial hyperreactivity which are characteristic features of late-phase reactions. T cell-derived lymphokines such as EDF (IL-5), together with GM-CSF, might lead to eosinophilopoiesis and account for the prolonged eosinophilia of ongoing chronic asthma. The T cell is prominent in the pathology of chronic asthma and is possibly "chronically activated". Thus lymphocytes, driven by as yet undetermined "antigens" (possibly viral), may perpetuate the inflammatory response in and around the bronchi. IL-5-like products from these putative activated lymphocytes might perpetuate (a) eosinophil production by the bone marrow, (b) its release into the circulation, (c) its migration into bronchial tissue and (d) activation to release PAF, LTC4, MBP, etc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Successful treatment with doripenem of ventriculitis due to Achromobacter xylosoxidans

A 29-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with complaints of headache, dizziness and nausea. There was a history of spina bifida and placement of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt in early childhood. One month prior to the current admission there was replacement of a VP shunt with a new system because of a mechanical malfunction. At that time there were no clinical signs of infection and cultures of the old shunt system and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were negative. On examination, temperature was 39.8°C, heart rate was 123, respiratory rate was 22 and blood pressure was 108/56 mmHg. Body weight was 60 kg. The neck was supple. The surgical sites of the VP shunt replacement showed no evidence of infection. Abdominal exam was unremarkable. Empiric intravenous (i.v.) piperacillin/tazobactam and vancomycin were begun. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a small area of fluid collection at the distal portion of the VP shunt. Cultures of the blood and urine were negative. Chest radiograph did not reveal infiltrates. The white blood cell (WBC) count was 14 100 cells/µl. Measurements of renal and hepatic function were normal. CT of the head with i.v. …
The Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Minimalist: An Approach to Patient Follow-Up and Management of Implantable Defibrillators

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) was devised to satisfy the unmet need for an effective, instantaneous therapy to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to ventricular fibrillation (VF) in at-risk, ambulatory patients. That therapy was a high-voltage electric shock delivered directly into the heart muscle. More than 3 decades later, shocks are still the defining operating characteristic of ICDs, and no other instantaneously effective therapy for VF exists. This elite status was clinched by large randomized clinical trials1,2 which demonstrated that ICDs improved mortality in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, regardless of pathogenesis or accompanying symptoms of heart failure (HF), by primary prevention of SCD due to ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA). Like bradycardia pacemakers for asystole, the ICD resides as a therapy genre of one, with no peer, and no competitor on the horizon. These sibling therapies for lethal heart rhythm disturbances will stand prominently among the greatest medical achievements of the 20th century. The ICD is a mature technology, and neither the technique nor the tools have changed much for several decades. Despite a certain evolutionary elegance of the operating system, the ICD is still a blunt instrument. Although it is true that some innovation has occurred, it is still a matter of a shock delivered by insulated metal conductors residing somewhere in direct proximity to the heart. No innovation beyond the fundamental of a timed shock for VF has proven to enhance mortality benefit. The basic design persists simply because no one can think of a suitable alternative and the self-satisfying aphorism that “shocks save lives.” Yet there is a growing intellectual dissatisfaction with the unintended consequences of this powerful, irreplaceable therapy. The stimulus for this self-inspection is an awareness of the very high morbidity risk overhead borne by the primary prevention patient, in particular, …
Bupropion SR for the treatment of postpartum depression: a pilot study.

Despite the prevalence of postpartum depression, few studies have assessed the efficacy of antidepressants for the treatment of this disorder. Failure to treat postpartum depression (PPD) places the woman at risk for chronic depression and may have adverse effects on child wellbeing and development. Eight female outpatients aged 18-45 yr were enrolled in an 8-wk open-label trial of bupropion SR for PPD. All patients met DSM-IV criteria for major depression with onset within 3 months of delivery and scored 17 or greater on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) at baseline. Those with onset of depressive symptoms during pregnancy, psychotic symptoms, or significant medical illness were excluded. Median scores on the HAMD declined from 20.5 (range 15-38) at baseline to 10.0 (range 1-20) at end-point (p or =50% decrease in HAMD scores from baseline; three subjects achieved remission (HAMD score of < or =7) at week 8. Median final dosage of bupropion SR was 262.5 (range 37.5-300). Bupropion SR was well tolerated, and no subjects discontinued treatment as a result of medication side-effects. Bupropion SR represents an effective and well-tolerated antidepressant for the treatment of PPD.
Hawaii Symposium on How Volcanos Work

Ancient Hawaiians told in legend about Pele, goddess of volcanic fires. She migrated from the Island of Kauai to Oahu, then to Maui, and finally to her present home in the Halemaumau Crater of Kilauea Volcano on the island of Hawaii. Geologists today accept this same relative age progression for the evolution of the islands, and they will be discussing this and many other aspects of how volcanos work—world volcanos, not just Hawaiian volcanos—at a meeting in Hawaii next year.
Use of microwave lenses in phase retrieval microwave holography of reflector antennas

The Misell (1973) phase retrieval algorithm for microwave holography requires the capability to axially move an antenna's subreflector or feed to obtain a defocused far-field magnitude pattern. A microwave lens may be used as an alternative method of defocusing an antenna. A metal plate lens has been designed and constructed for use in phase retrieval holography at the Georgia Tech Woodbury Research Facility. Its phase variation across the aperture was chosen to have a parabolic profile in order to imitate the effect of subreflector or feed translation. A two-dimensional (2-D) finite-difference time-domain simulation has been performed to characterize the lens. Measurements, using the measured aperture phase of the lens transfer function as a phase correction term in the Misell algorithm, show the results to be comparable with that of phase coherent holography. Other types of microwave lenses such as a Fresnel zone plate, a bed of circular waveguides, and a standard dielectric lens are also being studied.
A facile, general route to perfluoroalkyl allenes

Abstract Perfluoroalkyl copper reagents react with propargyl halides or tosylates in DMF or DMSO at 0°C-RT to afford perfluoroalkyl allenes regiospecifically in good yield.
OpinionMiner: a novel machine learning system for web opinion mining and extraction

Merchants selling products on the Web often ask their customers to share their opinions and hands-on experiences on products they have purchased. Unfortunately, reading through all customer reviews is difficult, especially for popular items, the number of reviews can be up to hundreds or even thousands. This makes it difficult for a potential customer to read them to make an informed decision. The OpinionMiner system designed in this work aims to mine customer reviews of a product and extract high detailed product entities on which reviewers express their opinions. Opinion expressions are identified and opinion orientations for each recognized product entity are classified as positive or negative. Different from previous approaches that employed rule-based or statistical techniques, we propose a novel machine learning approach built under the framework of lexicalized HMMs. The approach naturally integrates multiple important linguistic features into automatic learning. In this paper, we describe the architecture and main components of the system. The evaluation of the proposed method is presented based on processing the online product reviews from Amazon and other publicly available datasets.
Asthma, allergy, and airway hyperresponsiveness are not linked to the β2-adrenoceptor gene

Study objectives: To exclude genetic linkage between the 2-adrenoceptor gene and asthma, allergy, and methacholine airway hyperresponsiveness. Design: The current study used six distinct intragene markers within the 2-adrenoceptor gene, and evaluated genetic linkage between the 2-adrenoceptor and asthma, allergy, or methacholine airway hyperresponsiveness in eight multiplex families. Patients: Forty-nine members of eight multiplex families with a high incidence of asthma. Interventions: Phenotypes were characterized by history, physical examination, skin testing, pulmonary function tests, and methacholine inhalational challenge. Genetic loci were identified using restriction fragment length polymorphisms, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, and restriction enzyme digest of polymerase chain reaction-amplified fragments of the 2-adrenoceptor gene. Measurements and results: Nonparametric analysis using computer analysis software found no evidence for linkage between these markers within the 2-adrenoceptor gene and asthma. Parametric exclusion analysis using a dominant inheritance model resulted in large negative lod scores ( 6.74, 19.44, and 49.9, respectively) for tight linkage between asthma, allergy, or methacholine airway hyperresponsiveness and these polymorphic markers. Conclusions: These results indicate that asthma, allergy, and methacholine airway hyperresponsiveness are not linked to a dominant 2-adrenoceptor gene with strong effect in these eight families with an inherited pattern of asthma. (CHEST 2002; 121:722–731)
Smoldering Combustion of Cellulosic Materials

In comparison to flaming combustion, the smoldering process seems more complex and is poorly understood. When heated by an ignition source, cellulosic materials decompose to volatile products and char. The volatile products fuel the flaming combustion which rapidly spreads in the gas phase. The slower oxidation of the char provides the heat flux required for propagation of the smoldering combustion. The initiation, propagation and termination of the latter process are controlled by several interrelated factors, including composition of the substrate, in organic additives, rates of heat release and heat flux and the combustibility of the char and volatile products, which are discussed.
Population-level expression variability of mitochondrial DNA-encoded genes in humans

Human mitochondria contain multiple copies of a circular genome made up of double-stranded DNA (mtDNA) that encodes proteins involved in cellular respiration. Transcript abundance of mtDNA-encoded genes varies between human individuals, yet the level of variation in the general population has not been systematically assessed. In the present study, we revisited large-scale RNA sequencing data generated from lymphoblastoid cell lines of HapMap samples of European and African ancestry to estimate transcript abundance and quantify expression variation for mtDNA-encoded genes. In both populations, we detected up to over 100-fold difference in mtDNA gene expression between individuals. The marked variation was not due to differences in mtDNA copy number between individuals, but was shaped by the transcription of hundreds of nuclear genes. Many of these nuclear genes were co-expressed with one another, resulting in a module-enriched co-expression network. Significant correlations in expression between genes of the mtDNA and nuclear genomes were used to identify factors involved with the regulation of mitochondrial functions. In conclusion, we determined the baseline amount of variability in mtDNA gene expression in general human populations and cataloged a complete set of nuclear genes whose expression levels are correlated with those of mtDNA-encoded genes. Our findings will enable the integration of information from both mtDNA and nuclear genetic systems, and facilitate the discovery of novel regulatory pathways involving mitochondrial functions.
Inhibition of growth of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer xenografts in nude mice by bombesin/gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) antagonists RC-3940-II and RC-3095

Bombesin or gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) may act as autocrine growth factors and play a role in the initiation and progression of breast cancer. We investigated the effect of bombesin/GRP antagonists RC-3095 and RC-3940-II on the growth of the MDA-MB-231 oestrogen-independent human breast cancer cell line xenografted into female nude mice. Bombesin/GRP antagonists, RC-3095 and RC-3940-II, were administered subcutaneously twice daily at a dose of 10 micrograms for 5 weeks. The growth of MDA-MB-231 tumours was inhibited during the treatment, as shown by a reduction in tumour volume. RC-3940-II and RC-3095 significantly decreased the final tumour volume by 72.4% and 57.7%, respectively, and greatly reduced tumour weights. RC-3940-II also significantly increased tumour doubling time and appeared to be more effective than RC-3095 in inhibiting the growth of MDA-MB-231 breast cancers. Serum gastrin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels in animals treated with RC-3095 or RC-3940-II showed no significant changes as compared with controls. There was a significant decrease in the number of binding sites for epidermal growth factor (EGF), as well as bombesin, in tumour cells after chronic treatment with RC-3095 or RC-3940-II, which might be related to inhibition of tumour growth. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, followed by Southern blot analysis, also showed a reduction in the expression of mRNA for EGF receptors in the group treated with RC-3940-II. Our findings suggest that bombesin/GRP antagonists such as RC-3095 or RC-3940-II could be considered for endocrine therapy for oestrogen-independent breast cancers, but further investigations are necessary.
Analyzing Leadership Dynamics in Distributed Group Communication

We apply social network analysis (SNA) to examine the dynamics of leadership in distributed groups, specifically Free/Libre Open Source Software development projects, and its relation to group performance. Based on prior work on leadership in distributed groups, we identify leaders with those who make the highest level of contribution to the group and assess the degree of leadership by measuring centralization of communications. We compare the dynamics of leadership in two FLOSS projects, one more and one less effective. We find that in both projects, centralization was higher in developer-oriented communications venues than in user-oriented venues, suggesting higher degrees of leadership in developer venues. However, we do not find a consistent relation between centralization and effectiveness. We suggest that SNA can instead be useful for identifying interesting periods in the history of the project, e.g., periods where the leadership of the project is in transition.
Quartz crystal microbalance in electroanalytical applications

Electrochemistry research and to a lesser degree its applications, have embraced the quartz crystal microbalance as a useful tool, because this device can operate while immersed in a liquid and because the crystal metal surface can serve simultaneously as an electrode. In the following treatment three issues of electrochemical QCM work are addressed. (1) A comparison of charge and mass changes, leading to the determination of a general formula of a formed metal oxide. An example using formation of palladium oxide formed directly by electrochemical means on the QCM surface is given. (2) Application of QCM sensing device in measurement of changes of interfacial tension between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES). (3) Additional information about the QCM surface can be obtained if a network analyzer is used to probe the piezoelectric device, instead of obtaining only the crystal resonant frequency. A response of a crystal exposed to air, water and nitrobenzene, and a bare crystal and a crystal covered with polyaniline film is given.
Synergistic Activation of Interleukin-12 p35 Gene Transcription by Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 and Interferon Consensus Sequence-binding Protein

Interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) and interferon consensus sequence-binding protein (ICSBP or IRF-8) are two members of the IRF family of transcription factors that play critical roles in interferon signaling in a wide range of host responses to infection and malignancy. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a key factor in the induction of innate resistance and generation of T helper type 1 cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. In this work, we find that ICSBP-deficient macrophages are highly defective in the production of IL-12. The defect is also observed at the level of IL-12 p40 and p35 mRNA expression. Transcriptional analyses revealed that ICSBP is a potent activator of the IL-12 p35 gene. It acts through a site localized to -226 to -219, named ICSBP-response element (ICSBP-RE), in the human IL-12 p35 promoter through physical association with IRF-1 both in vitro and in vivo. Co-expression of ICSBP and IRF-1 synergistically stimulates the IL-12 p35 promoter activity. Mutations at the ICSBP-RE results in the loss of protein binding as well as transcriptional activation by ICSBP alone or together with IRF-1. This study provides novel mechanistic information on how signals initiated during innate and adaptive immune responses synergize to yield greater IL-12 production and sustained cellular immunity.
Renal artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to blunt trauma treated with microcoil embolization.

Abstract Background Renal artery pseudoaneurysms are rarely described sequelae of blunt abdominal trauma. Interventional radiological advances have allowed such lesions to be managed nonoperatively. Methods The authors review the presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and hospital course of an 11-year-old girl who developed a right renal artery pseudoaneurysm 14 days after blunt abdominal trauma. Results An 11-year-old girl fell off a horse onto her right flank. She sustained multiple right hepatic lobe lacerations and a complex fracture of the upper pole of the right kidney. Her initial hospital course was uncomplicated, and she was discharged after an uneventful 6-day course. The child did well for 2 weeks, until she developed right back pain and gross hematuria. A computed tomography scan revealed a right renal artery pseudoaneurysm. Angiography confirmed the presence of a pseudoaneurysm, which was fed by a single segmental branch originating from the renal artery. The artery was successfully occluded with a single platinum microcoil, which was demonstrated by the absence of contrast flow into the pseudoaneurysm. The patient recovered and was discharged shortly after the procedure. She initially had intermittent pain and hematuria, which resolved. Follow-up computed tomography scans have shown resolution of both the renal and hepatic lesions. Conclusions Renal artery pseudoaneurysms that arise after blunt abdominal trauma in the pediatric population may be safely and effectively managed with arterial embolization, thereby avoiding extensive surgical interventions.
Dominance, Aggression, and Glucocorticoid Levels in Social Carnivores

In social animals, reproductive success is often related to social dominance. In cooperatively breeding birds and mammals, reproductive rates are usually lower for social subordinates than for dominants, and it is common for reproduction in subordinates to be completely suppressed. Early research with captive animals showed that losing fights can increase glucocorticoid (GC) secretion, a general response to stress. Because GCs can suppress reproduction, it has been widely argued that chronic stress might underlie reproductive suppression of social subordinates in cooperative breeders. Contradicting this hypothesis, recent studies of cooperative breeders in the wild show that dominant individuals have elevated GCs more often than do subordinates. Here, I summarize relationships between rank, aggression, and GCs from field studies of 3 cooperatively breeding carnivores: the dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula), the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), and the gray wolf (Canis lupus). In all 3 species, GC levels are higher in dominants than in subordinates for 1 or both sexes. Higher GCs are associated with higher rates or severity of aggression in some cases, but not all. As studies have accumulated, the patterns observed in these carnivores are emerging as typical for cooperative breeders.
Asymmetric Adjustment In The Effects Of Monetary Policy On Output: Evidence In The USA And Canada Using A Cointegration Analysis

Using a set of cointegration and error correction models with Threshold Autoregressive (TAR) or Momentum Threshold Autoregressive (MTAR) asymmetric adjustment, we investigate whether the effects of monetary policy on output in the USA and Canada are asymmetric or not. Forty years of quarterly data on output, money supply, price of oil and interest rate for the USA and Canada obtained from the International Monetary Funds International Financial Statistics CD-ROM were used for the different tests. Empirical results show that the effects of monetary policy on output are asymmetric in both countries. Furthermore, the impulse response functions indicate that the results are consistent with a dynamic asymmetry in the behavior of money supply movements in both countries.
Substance Abuse in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Communities

Abstract This article calls attention to the lack of knowledge concerning alcohol and other drug (AOD) use in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations. Twenty-five Internet Web sites related to the LGBT substance use are reviewed.
Model-Based Scale-up and Design Space Determination for a Batch Reactive Distillation with a Dean–Stark Trap

Batch reactive distillations are commonly used unit operations in the pharmaceutical industry to drive chemical equilibrium reactions to completion. Their scale-up and transfer to manufacturing is not straightforward due to the interplay of scale dependent and scale independent phenomena. The increased process knowledge as required by the Quality by Design (QbD) approach calls for a first-principles-based design, scale-up and transfer of such processes. This paper presents a systematic approach consisting of a combination of first principles modeling and experimentation for the scale-up from bench to pilot-plant scale. The model is then used to estimate the process performance at different scales and study the sensitivity of the process to operational parameters such as heat transfer driving force, solvent recycle, removed fraction of volatiles. This approach is capable of robustly predicting process outcomes at lab and pilot-plant scale and delivers a better understanding of the underlying physics govern...
Stable isotope analyses (δ15N and δ13C) of the trophic relationships ofCallinectes sapidus in two North Carolina estuaries

The present study focused on detecting variations in trophic relationships among blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) consumers according to water quality along two estuaries in North Carolina. Stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) analyses of particulate organic matter and bivalve(Rangia cuneata andCorbicula fluminea) food sources were examined in combination with an Isosource mixing model. Results suggest that blue crab δ13C values increased significantly with increasing salinity from upper to lower sites along the Neuse River estuary (NRE; R2 = 0.87, p < 0.01) and Alligator River estuary (R2 = 0.92, p < 0.01). There was a positive relationship between blue crab δ15N values and nitrate concentrations for the NRE (R2 = 0.48, p = 0.12). This study found that blue crab δ13C values increased with salinity from upper to lower regions along both estuaries. Results suggest that blue crab production may have used alternative food sources that were isotopically (δ13C) depleted, especially in the upper NRE, and enriched sources in the mid to lower regions of both estuaries. Consumers sampled from the upper NRE may be influenced by higher nitrogen input from urban land use and municipal wastewater.
Differentiation in Aspergillus flavus as influenced by L-canavanine.

(1971). Differentiation in Aspergillus Flavus as Influenced by L-Canavanine. Mycologia: Vol. 63, No. 1, pp. 181-184.
Use and Costs of Disease Monitoring in Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

PURPOSE The optimal frequency of monitoring patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is unknown; however, data suggest that intensive monitoring does not improve outcomes. We performed a population-based analysis to evaluate patterns and predictors of extreme use of disease-monitoring tests (serum tumor markers [STMs] and radiographic imaging) among women with MBC. METHODS The SEER-Medicare database was used to identify women with MBC diagnosed from 2002 to 2011 who underwent disease monitoring. Billing dates of STMs (carcinoembryonic antigen and/or cancer antigen 15-3/cancer antigen 27.29) and imaging tests (computed tomography and/or positron emission tomography) were recorded; if more than one STM or imaging test were completed on the same day, they were counted once. We defined extreme use as > 12 STM and/or more than four radiographic imaging tests in a 12-month period. Multivariable analysis was used to identify factors associated with extreme use. In extreme users, total health care costs and end-of-life health care utilization were compared with the rest of the study population. RESULTS We identified 2,460 eligible patients. Of these, 924 (37.6%) were extreme users of disease-monitoring tests. Factors significantly associated with extreme use were hormone receptor-negative MBC (odds ratio [OR], 1.63; 95% CI, 1.27 to 2.08), history of a positron emission tomography scan (OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 2.40 to 3.55), and more frequent oncology office visits (OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 2.49 to 3.96). Medical costs per year were 59.2% higher in extreme users. Extreme users were more likely to use emergency department and hospice services at the end of life. CONCLUSION Despite an unknown clinical benefit, approximately one third of elderly women with MBC were extreme users of disease-monitoring tests. Higher use of disease-monitoring tests was associated with higher total health care costs. Efforts to understand the optimal frequency of monitoring are needed to inform clinical practice.
Learning Organizations and Diversity Management

The matter of diversity in organizations and its management is of interest to social scientists, policymakers, and managers alike. Its importance has increased in the context of the current transformation of organizational forms from the “old” type of Weberian bureaucracy to a “new” kind of learning organization, arguably better suited to learning, experimentation, and innovation. This is the case even more in the context of globalization, where organizations—truly transnational in form and operation—create salient issues for managers as to how to respond to what some have dubbed the “hypermobility” of production, human capital, and labor. Under these conditions, managers face employees who pursue “boundaryless” careers, organizations that encounter diversity at all levels and forms, and multinationals with a larger than ever proportion of their workforce made up of expatriate employees. Keywords: diversity; globalization; Weber, Max; work, management, occupations, and organizations
Current status of the evaluation and management of antibody-mediated rejection in kidney transplantation.

Purpose of reviewAntibody-mediated rejection (AMR) has come to the forefront of clinical and research challenges in clinical transplantation. Despite the major progress made over the past two decades, there remains a large number of unanswered diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic questions. Here
Semiprime f-Rings That Are Subdirect Products of Valuation Domains

Recall that an f-ring is a lattice-ordered ring in which a Λ b = 0 implies a Λ bc = a Λ cb = 0 whenever c ≥ 0. In [BKW], an f-ring is defined to be a lattice-ordered ring which is a subdirect product of totally ordered rings. These two definitions are equivalent if and only if the prime ideal theorem for Boolean Algebras is assumed; see [FH]. We regard these two definitions as equivalent henceforth. Our main concern is with f-rings that are semiprime; i.e., such that the intersection of the prime ideals is 0. A ring whose only nilpotent element is 0 is said to be reduced. (An f-ring is semiprime if and only if it is reduced; see [BKW, 8.5].) We will, however, maintain more generality when it does not take us too far afield. An l-ideal I of an f-ring A is the kernel of a homomorphism of A into an f-ring. Equivalently, I is a ring ideal of A such that if a ∈ I, b ∈ A, and ∣b∣ < ∣a∣, then b ∈ I. A left ideal with this latter property is called a left l-ideal, and a right l-ideal is defined similarly. We let N(A) denote the set of nilpotent elements of the f-ring A.
Estimating glycosaminoglycan–protein interaction affinity: water dominates the specific antithrombin–heparin interaction

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG)–protein interactions modulate many important biological processes. Structure–function studies on GAGs may reveal probes and drugs, but their structural complexity and highly acidic nature confound such work. Productivity will increase if we are able to identify tight-binding
Perfluoroalkylated PAH n-Type Semiconductors: Theory and Experiment

Strong electron-withdrawing ability, superhydrophobicity, and oleophobicity of perfluoroalkyl substituents provide unique properties for polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to serve as high-performance n-type organic semiconductor materials. Upon perfluoroalkylation, significant positive shifts of the redox potentials, increased ionization potential IPs and electron affinitie EAs, changes in bandgaps and reorganization energies associated with electron transfer, and increased chemical and photochemical stabilities were observed compared to nonsubstituent PAHs. Though perfluoroalkylated PAHs reveal great promises in many applications, challenges are still to be solved, including fundamentally understanding on how intermolecular interactions between fluorine atoms on the perfluoroalkyl chains affect the solid state structure and electron transfer kinetics in solid state and how the interfacial structures between perfluoroalkylated PAHs and metal electrodes affect the organic semiconductor device performance. With a combined theoretical and experimental approach, we hope this chapter will provide some insights for solving these fundamental challenges.
The effects of probe similarity on retrieval and comparison processes in associative recognition

In this study, we investigated the information processing stages underlying associative recognition. We recorded EEG data while participants performed a task that involved deciding whether a probe word triple matched any previously studied triple. We varied the similarity between probes and studied triples. According to a model of associative recognition developed in the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational cognitive architecture, probe similarity affects the duration of the retrieval stage: Retrieval is fastest when the probe is similar to a studied triple. This effect may be obscured, however, by the duration of the comparison stage, which is fastest when the probe is not similar to the retrieved triple. Owing to the opposing effects of probe similarity on retrieval and comparison, overall RTs provide little information about each stage's duration. As such, we evaluated the model using a novel approach that decomposes the EEG signal into a sequence of latent states and provides information about the durations of the underlying information processing stages. The approach uses a hidden semi-Markov model to identify brief sinusoidal peaks called bumps that mark the onsets of distinct cognitive stages. The analysis confirmed that probe type has opposite effects on retrieval and comparison stages.
Nonlinear model updating applied to the IMAC XXXII Round Robin benchmark system

Abstract We consider the application of a new nonlinear model updating strategy to a computational benchmark system. The approach relies on analyzing system response time series in the frequency-energy domain by constructing both Hamiltonian and forced and damped frequency-energy plots (FEPs). The system parameters are then characterized and updated by matching the backbone branches of the FEPs with the frequency-energy wavelet transforms of experimental and/or computational time series. The main advantage of this method is that no nonlinearity model is assumed a priori, and the system model is updated solely based on simulation and/or experimental measured time series. By matching the frequency-energy plots of the benchmark system and its reduced-order model, we show that we are able to retrieve the global strongly nonlinear dynamics in the frequency and energy ranges of interest, identify bifurcations, characterize local nonlinearities, and accurately reconstruct time series. We apply the proposed methodology to a benchmark problem, which was posed to the system identification community prior to the IMAC XXXII (2014) and XXXIII (2015) Conferences as a “Round Robin Exercise on Nonlinear System Identification”. We show that we are able to identify the parameters of the non-linear element in the problem with a priori knowledge about its position.
Does the gross prosector impact pT3 subclassification or lymph node counts in bladder cancer

Gross prosector analysis of perivesicular adipose tumor invasion is the sole differentiator between pT3 substages, and gross evaluation is critical to lymph node identification. Gross prosector impact on pT3 subclassification and lymph node counts in cystectomy specimens resected for bladder cancer has not been previously analyzed. Both pT3 subclassification and total number of lymph nodes removed at radical cystectomy for bladder cancer are considered important components of the pathology report; however, both have controversial prognostic significance. Our objective was to assess the impact of the gross prosector on pT3 substaging and lymph node count. Pathology reports from 560 cystectomy cases performed for primary bladder cancer were reviewed. Educational interventions regarding cystectomy gross prosector documentation were conducted. Gross prosectors did not document the presence or absence of macroscopic perivesicular adipose invasion in 17% of cases. There was a decrease in the frequency of cases lacking documentation after educational intervention (33% to 5%, P<.01). Most pT3 cases lacking documentation were classified as pT3a (75%). The percentage of pT3 cases classified as pT3a decreased after intervention (68% to 35%, P<.01). Overcounting of lymph nodes by gross prosectors was more common than undercounting (22% versus 2%). Pathology residents and prosectors with lower caseloads had more uncounted lymph packets (P<.01). In conclusion, we demonstrated an impact of the gross prosector on pT3 substaging and lymph node counts within bladder cancer resection specimens. This novel variable may confound the relationship of these parameters upon oncologic outcomes and should be incorporated into quality assurance programs.