cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cystometrogram appearance in PUV is reliably quantified by the shape,wall, reflux and diverticuli (SWRD) score, and presages the need for intervention.

Objective Radiological bladder abnormalities in boys with posterior urethral valves (PUV) are well recognised; however, the assessment is subjective. The shape, wall, reflux and diverticuli (SWRD) score objectively assesses shape, wall, reflux and diverticuli in a simple way. This study was undertaken to demonstrate that the SWRD score is reliable, reproducible and correlates with bladder outcome and videourodynamic (VUD) assessment in boys with PUV. Materials and methods Three blinded assessors determined the SWRD scores of PUV bladders from cystometrograms taken during VUD from September 2012 to October 2013. The scores were correlated with clinical outcome and VUD pressure measurements. Data were given as median (interquartile range), non-parametric tests used as appropriate (Mann–Whitney U test, or Kruskall-Wallis) and P < 0.05 was taken as significant. Results A total of 55 boys with PUV underwent VUD assessment, for which 52 cystometrograms were available. The SWRD score for non-operative management was 1.0 (0.1–1.9) vs 2.0 (1.0–3.3) for operative intervention, P = 0.018 (Summary Figure). The SWRD score for compliant bladders was 1.1 (0.6–2.0) vs hypercompliant 1.7 (0.5–2.8) vs non-compliant 3.3 (2.8–5.0), Kruskall-Wallis P = 0.011. The hostile detrusor overactivity (DO) bladders (Pdet >40 cmH2O) had a SWRD score of 2.0 (1.3–3.7) vs 1.0 (0.5–2.5) for low-pressure DO bladders, P < 0.05. Discussion In this series of patients, increasingly distorted bladder shape was seen to be associated with poor bladder dynamics on VUD. Patients with poorly compliant bladders had a significantly higher SWRD score than normal or megacystis patients. Severe DO was also significantly associated with a high SWRD score. Therefore, the radiological appearance of a hostile bladder represented a marker for high intravesical pressure. VUR and bladder diverticuli may lead to spurious pressure measurements during VUD; however, the SWRD score provided an independent mechanism with which to objectively assess these patients, even in the presence of gross VUR. Conclusions The SWRD score is a simple and objective scoring system for the radiological abnormalities of PUV bladders. It correlates with clinical outcome and VUD assessment of compliance and DO, but is independent of pressure measurements and so not confounded by VUR acting as a ‘pop-off’ mechanism. Summary figure. Maximum and minimum possible shape, wall, reflux and diverticuli (SWRD) scores and the association of SWRD score with need for intervention. Figure options Download full-size image Download high-quality image (244 K) Download as PowerPoint slide
Venovenous Versus Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Adult Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Requiring Precannulation Hemodynamic Support: A Review of the ELSO Registry.

Background In addition to severe hypoxia and hypercapnia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can present with substantial hemodynamic compromise, requiring inotropic or vasopressor support or both. Either venovenous (VV) or venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be offered in this situation. However, a contemporary comparison of these two cannulation strategies has yet to be well described. Methods The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry was reviewed for all cases of adult ARDS in patients that required inotropic agents or vasopressors or both before ECMO initiation (2009 to 2013). Pre-ECMO clinical data, ECMO variables, and outcomes were compared, based on initial cannulation strategy (VV or VA ECMO). Results Of 717 ECMO runs, there were 591 VV ECMO and 126 VA ECMO cases. Over the study period, the proportion of VA ECMO cases decreased from 20% (n = 37 of 184, 2009 to 2010) to 19% (n = 59 of 312, 2011 to 2012) to 14% (n = 30 of 221, 2013). Conversion from VV ECMO to VA ECMO was 4%. VV ECMO was associated with less gastrointestinal bleeding and hemolysis, but overall rates of bleeding, stroke, and renal failure were similar. Survival to discharge was 58% for VV ECMO in contrast to 43% for VA ECMO ( p = 0.002). Multivariable regression analysis revealed VV ECMO to be an independent predictor of survival to discharge relative to VA ECMO. Conclusions In this review of ARDS patients requiring pre-ECMO hemodynamic support, VV ECMO was not associated with worse survival or complication rates compared with VA ECMO. These data suggest that, in appropriately selected patients, it may be reasonable to initially institute VV ECMO support, reserving VA ECMO for conversion for refractory hypotension.
Analytical clustering procedures in massive failure data

The increasing accessibility of information through advanced communications and telecommunications devices have led to availability of massive data with large number of variables. The acquired information are then clustered or categorized based on specified objectives. The demand for variable clustering as a fundamental strategy for data analysis is increasing. Although a wide variety of variable clustering methods have been proposed, there is still need for advancements in this area. Many of the recommanded procedures have given only a narrow theoretical motivation, and their operational properties need more systematic investigation before they can be used with confidence. The problem of variable selection in large-scale datasets arises when it is desired to model the relationship between a response variable and a subset of explanatory variables, but there is uncertainty about which subset to use. In addition, in many areas, there are great interests in time and causes of events. Time-to-event data analysis is a kernel of failure analysis and has an inevitable role in predicting the probability of events occurrence. Thus, in the presence of massive and complex data, proper methods are required for efficient simplification of such data. This study is motivated by the importance of the applied variable clustering in complex high-dimensional failure data to facilitate data analysis. Analytical procedures using combinational heuristic algorithms for variable clustering are proposed. The purpose of these procedures is to cluster the explanatory variables and identify sets of most correlated variables in such datasets.
Sparse Locally Linear Embedding

Abstract The Locally Linear Embedding (LLE) algorithm has proven useful for determining structure preserving, dimension reducing mappings of data on manifolds. We propose a modification to the LLE optimization problem that serves to minimize the number of neighbors required for the representation of each data point. The algorithm is shown to be robust over wide ranges of the sparsity parameter producing an average number of nearest neighbors that is consistent with the best performing parameter selection for LLE. Given the number of non-zero weights may be substantially reduced in comparison to LLE, Sparse LLE can be applied to larger data sets. We provide three numerical examples including a color image, the standard swiss roll, and a gene expression data set to illustrate the behavior of the method in comparison to LLE. The resulting algorithm produces comparatively sparse representations that preserve the neighborhood geometry of the data in the spirit of LLE.
Drug-Avoidance Self-Efficacy Among Exclusive Cannabis Users vs. Other Drug Users Visiting the Emergency Department.

ABSTRACTBackground: Medical care in the emergency department (ED) is a growing and complex area of outpatient care, with about 256 visits made to EDs every minute in 2013. Studies report that, compared to people who do not use drugs, people who use illicit drugs are more likely to use the ED for their medical care. Self-efficacy has been shown to be a predictor of abstinence or reduced use among drug-using individuals. Objectives: The current study describes drug avoidance self-efficacy among exclusive cannabis-using individuals and other drug-using individuals who use the ED for any reason. Methods: Participants were 693 adult patients visiting the trauma units and EDs of two large urban “safety net” hospitals (i.e., providing care to low-income, uninsured, and vulnerable population) in Southern California who reported using illicit drugs in the past 30 days. Results: For people who use only cannabis, higher drug-avoidance self-efficacy was associated with older age, lower drug involvement scores, lower ...
The Light at the End of the Tunnel-Second Generation HPMA Conjugates for Cancer Treatment.

It is almost four decades since N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA)-based copolymers arose as drug carriers. Although fundamentals have been established and significant advantages have been proved, the commercialization of this platform technology was hampered due to modest outcome of clinical trial initiated with PK1, the symbol of first generation polymer-drug conjugates. In this review, we illustrate the exciting progress and approaches offered by more effective 2nd generation HPMA-based polymer-drug conjugates in cancer treatment. For example, a new synthetic strategy endorses inert HPMA polymer with biodegradability, which permitted to prepare high molecular weight HPMA-drug conjugates with simple linear architecture while maintaining good biocompatibility. As expected, extended long-circulating pharmacokinetics and enhanced antitumor activities were achieved in several preclinical investigations. In addition, greater inhibition of tumor growth in combination regimes exhibits the remarkable capability and flexibility of HPMA-based macromolecular therapeutics. The review also discusses the main challenges and strategies for further translation development of 2nd generation HPMA-based polymer-drug conjugates.
Principles of Musculoskeletal Tissue Banking

Transplantation of bone and tissue allografts is a commonly performed surgical procedure made possible by the development of tissue banks and the wide availability of transplants. Knowledge of the principles of tissue banking and understanding the advantages and risks of musculoskeletal allograft transplantation allows surgeons to make rational decisions about whether a particular patient should or should not receive such transplants.
Value co-creation in a sharing economy: The end of price wars?

Abstract The growing phenomenon of the sharing economy facilitates collaborative production and consumption, which highlights the concept of value co-creation. The current study aims to investigate the role of value co-creation in a sharing economy with an examination of consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price. Three types of functional, social, and emotional co-created values were explored through an online survey that focused on the pre-consumption, mid-consumption, and post-consumption stages. Four hundred and ninety-nine valid surveys were collected. The results showed that activities that involve functional and social values in the pre-consumption stage are stimulators of paying a premium price. In the mid-consumption stage, emotional value is also important for customers. However, in the post-consumption stage, only social-value-based activities are associated with willingness to pay a premium price.
A comprehensive evaluation system of smart distribution grid based on AHP and adaptive correction

In order to meet the needs of smart distribution grid evaluation in different regions and different information integrity systems, this paper presents a comprehensive evaluation system (CES) based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and adaptive correction method. First, a hierarchical frame structure of the CES is put forward. Then, a detailed design of the comprehensive evaluation index system (CEIS) based on AHP method is given. A weighting system based on the adaptive correction method is used to list the evaluation process based on the analytic hierarchy process in detail. Finally, according to the actual situation of the smart distribution grid in a region, the validity and accuracy of the CES are verified. The calculation results show that the CES can assess the actual operation condition of the distribution grid accurately.
Nucleopeptide Assemblies Selectively Sequester ATP in Cancer Cells to Increase the Efficacy of Doxorubicin

Herein, we report that assemblies of nucleopeptides selectively sequester ATP in complex conditions (for example, serum and cytosol). We developed assemblies of nucleopeptides that selectively sequester ATP over ADP. Counteracting enzymes interconvert ATP and ADP to modulate the nanostructures formed by the nucleopeptides and the nucleotides. The nucleopeptides, sequestering ATP effectively in cells, slow down efflux pumps in multidrug-resistant cancer cells, thus boosting the efficacy of doxorubicin, an anticancer drug. Investigation of 11 nucleopeptides (including d- and l-enantiomers) yields five more nucleopeptides that differentiate ATP and ADP through either precipitation or gelation. As the first example of assemblies of nucleopeptides that interact with ATP and disrupt intracellular ATP dynamics, this work illustrates the use of supramolecular assemblies to interact with small and essential biological molecules for controlling cell behavior.
Princes and People

Legendary Leaders—Wilfred “the Hairy” and James “the Conqueror.” The myth of Wilfred’s life and death. The Catalan Senyera, the Estelada blava, and the Estelada vermella. The medieval and modern conquests of James I. The “precocious” democracy of the late medieval Catalans; “pactism” as a deliberative process. Nomenclature: count-kings, the Crown of Aragon, the Catalan Mediterranean Empire. Territorial divisions of Catalonia and other attacks on language and culture.
Adolescent Smoking Susceptibility in the Current Tobacco Context: 2014-2016.

OBJECTIVES We examined perceptions and behaviors associated with smoking susceptibility among adolescents in the current tobacco landscape. METHODS Participants were 8th and 10th grade never-smokers of conventional cigarettes (N = 19,853) from Monitoring the Future surveys (2014-2016). Using weighted multivariable logistic regression, we examined risk factors for smoking susceptibility: alternative tobacco product use (e-cigarettes, large cigars, little cigars/cigarillos, and flavored little cigars/cigarillos), ownership of tobacco promotional items (TPIs), access to cigarettes, perceived influence of antismoking advertisements, and perceived addictiveness of conventional cigarette smoking. RESULTS Among never-smokers of conventional cigarettes, 16.7% were susceptible to smoking, 6.2% were past 30-day alternative tobacco product users, and 3.5% owned TPIs. Alternative tobacco product use, ownership of TPIs, and easy access to cigarettes were associated with increased likelihood of smoking susceptibility. Perceived great influence by antismoking ads and higher perceived addictiveness of conventional cigarette smoking were associated with lower odds of smoking susceptibility. CONCLUSION Alternative tobacco product use, ownership of TPIs, easy access to cigarettes, low influence by antismoking ads, and low perceptions of the addictiveness of conventional cigarettes are significant and actionable risk factors for smoking susceptibility among today's adolescents.
Novel Amorphous Magnetic Materials: Magnetic and Mössbauer Studies on Iron Dispersions in Zeolites

Our interest in this area stems from the extensive studies we reported on the dispersions of iron species (ions, atoms, etc.) in various vitreous silicates1,2. One of our objectives in studying superparamagnetic systems has been to devise novel synthetic methods for controlling the particle size of the magnetic species by “stuffing” them inside some cage structures.
New Results and Perspectives

In this chapter we discuss new work motivated by the notion of complex dimension. Throughout, we also make numerous suggestions for the direction of future research related to, and naturally extending in various ways, the theory developed in this book. In several places, we also provide some additional background material that may be useful to the reader.
Genetics: Animal Tumors

The development of our knowledge of the role of genes in the physiology and biochemistry of the cell during the past three-quarters of a century has erased any doubt that cancer is in some way genetic. It is inconceivable that anything so closely related to the physiology of the organism and the differentiation of the cell could be otherwise.
Eddy Current Analysis for 3-D Problems Using the Boundary Element Method

A modified boundary integral equation/boundary element method (BIE/BEM) is being developed for eddy current problems in three dimensions. Maxwell’s equations governing the eddy current problems are formulated in two sets of BIE’s, one for the electric field and the other for the magnetic field. These BIE’s involve both the field and the normal derivative of the field, for both exterior (air) and interior (metal) regions. In addition to the usual set of interface conditions involving only the field, a set of interface conditions involving the normal derivatives of the field is derived by applying Maxwell’s equations near the interface. The present approach represents a departure from the existing BIE formulation for eddy current problems (see, e.g. [1–3]) in which normal derivatives of the field do not explicitly appear.
Evaluation of a Pediatric Resident Skills-Based Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Curriculum for Substance Use

Abstract Purpose To evaluate a screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment curriculum for alcohol and other substance use developed, implemented and integrated into a pediatric residency program. Methods During a 1-month adolescent medicine rotation, pediatric, and medicine/pediatric residents in an urban teaching hospital completed a 2 1/2-hour formal curriculum including a didactic lecture, a 40-minute video describing the Brief Negotiation Interview (BNI), and a skill-based session practicing the BNI and receiving individualized feedback. Access to a website with didactic material was provided. Outcome measures were pre- and post-training knowledge, BNI performance measured with a standardized patient using a validated BNI adherence scale, satisfaction with training, and adoption of BNI into clinical practice. Results Of the 106 residents trained, 92(87%) completed both pre- and post-test evaluations. Significant improvements were found in pre- versus post-test scores of knowledge, (20.0 [2.4 SD] vs. 24.1 [3.5 SD], p Conclusions A screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment curriculum was successfully integrated into an adolescent medicine elective in a pediatric residency program. Residents demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and skills performing the BNI, with high satisfaction and adoption of the BNI into clinical practice.
Learning from a State Professional Development Conference for Science Teachers: Beginning Secondary Science Teachers' Experiences

ABSTRACTAlthough there is growing understanding of beginning secondary science teacher learning and development in the United States, little is known about their learning experiences at professiona...
Synthesis and X-ray diffraction crystal structure of Zn{N[(C(CH3)3)(Si(CH3)3)]}2. The first solid-state characterization of a homoleptic zinc amide

Abstract The reaction between ZnCl2 and two equivalents of {Li}{N[(C(CH3)3)(Si(CH3)3)]} in THF at ambient temperature yields the distillable white solid Zn{N[(C(CH3)3)(Si(CH3)3)]}2, which is the first homoleptic zinc amide to be structurally characterized in the solid state.
Hypoxia/reoxygenation decreases endothelial glycocalyx via reactive oxygen species and calcium signaling in a cellular model for shock.

BACKGROUNDIschemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) has been shown to cause endothelial glycocalyx (EG) damage.Whether the hypoxic/ischemic insult or the oxidative and inflammatory stress of reperfusion plays a greater part in glycocalyx damage is not known. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which IRI causes E
Speculations on the Crisis in Social Work Recruitment: Some Modest Proposals

lidity in this period of reaction in which major components of social welfare are being dismantled after fifty to seventy-five years of operation. Social work's future appears precari ous. The wide-open, full-throttle pe riod of the 1960s and early 1970s is merely legend. In the 1980s world of crisis, recision, and curtailment, Reaganomics serves as the terminus for the development of the welfare state—a historic watershed in the life of the nation. It is not surprising that graduate schools of social work have been affected profoundly. Applica tions have declined precipitously, ex ceeding what might have been ex pected by the drop in college-age students. Prohibitive tuitions at pri vate universities threaten some of the finest graduate programs, whose con tinued existence is subject to on going review. Public university pro grams in the Middle West face severe difficulty because of the economic de pression in the region. Undergradu ate social work programs attract fewer students as the allure of prelaw, pre medicine, and computer science grows. The loss of federally financed loans to graduate students may be come the decisive factor in deter
The Presence of Intratumoral CD14 Positive Cells Is Associated with Transformation of Follicular Lymphoma to Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.

Abstract 2700 Background: Follicular lymphoma is a heterogeneous disease in terms of disease course and prognosis. Clinical risk factors, including age, presence of B symptoms and bulky disease have been shown to have prognostic value. More recently, elements of the tumor microenvironment, including CD68 positive macrophages as well as programmed death-1 (PD-1) expressing lymphocytes, have been shown to be associated with a worse prognosis. However, there is a paucity of data in terms of microenvironment changes that take place in the setting of transformation into diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). CD14 is a monocytic marker, and increased numbers of CD14+ cells in the peripheral blood have been associated with a poor prognosis in non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma and CLL. It has also been shown that CD14+ cells are present in biopsy specimens in DLBCL and that these cells may support malignant cell growth. This study was designed to examine the presence of CD14+ cells in follicular lymphoma that transformed to DLBCL and to determine the prognostic value of CD14 expression in terms of time to transformation. Methods: Patients with follicular lymphoma who underwent transformation into DLBCL were identified from the Mayo Clinic Lymphoma Database. Controls were follicular lymphoma patients who did not undergo transformation, and were matched 2:1 (control:transformed) on age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, sex, stage, and length of follow-up time. Tissue specimens at the time of diagnosis were stained for CD14 and CD68, and characterized semiquantitatively based on the presence and distribution of positive cells. Time to transformation (TTT) was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: 159 patients were included in the study: 58 patients transformed and 101 did not transform into DLBCL. Median age at diagnosis was 64 years. 150 specimens were sufficient for immunohistochemical analysis. When patients with transformed disease were compared to those who did not transform, those who transformed had greater numbers of CD14+ cells present in their initial diagnostic biopsy (p=0.0415). When only patients who transformed were considered, CD14+ cells in a follicular pattern was associated with a median time to transformation of 3.9 years, CD14+ cells in an interfollicular pattern had a median TTT of 4.9 years and CD14- specimens were associated with a median TTT of 6.2 years (p = 0.0322). The staining pattern for CD68 differed from that of CD14 and was not significantly associated with time to transformation. Conclusions: The presence of intratumoral CD14+ cells at diagnosis in follicular lymphoma is associated with subsequent disease transformation. Our results suggest that when CD14+ cells organize in the follicle, follicular lymphoma patients are likely to transform into DLBCL sooner. Further studies are therefore warranted to define the role of these cells in the tumor microenvironment during transformation to DLBCL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Ethics in Prognostics and Health Management

As we enter an era where intelligent systems are omnipresent and where they also permeate Prognostics and Health Management ( PHM ), the discussion of moral machines or ethics in engineering will inevitably engulf PHM as well. This article explores the topic of ethics within the PHM domain: how it is relevant, and how it may be addressed in a conscientious way. The paper provides a historical perspective on ethics-related developments that resulted in the formulation of engineering ethics codes, regulations, and policies. By virtue of these developments, ethics has already been encapsulated in PHM systems. The specific areas that have traditionally driven ethics considerations include safety and security, and they increasingly include privacy, proprietary considerations ( protection of intellectual property ), and environmental protection. During the course of future technology development, innovations will increasingly impact all of these topics. It is argued here that consciously embracing these issues will increase the competitive advantage of a PHM technology solution. As a guideline, specific ethics attributes are derived from professional engineering ethics codes, and a path towards insertion into a requirements flow down is suggested.
Partisan Subconstituencies and Polarization in the U.S.

I study the change in polarization in the U.S. Senate from the period 1947-1966 to 1995-2014. I use a decomposition approach to quantify how much of the increase in polarization over that period can be explained by the representation relationship with all voters versus the representation relationship with copartisans. The decomposition also identifies the portion that arose from voters changing positions and how much arose from politicians changing how responsive they are to voters. I find that the representation relationship explains a majority of the increase in polarization. Further, I find that Republicans have become more conservative because they have become more responsive to the positions of their copartisan base. Copartisan subconstituencies matter for representation and are a source of increased polarization.The data also shows Democrats have contributed to polarization because the overall electorate in their districts have become more socially liberal.
Chapter 89 – Hairy Cell Leukemia

This chapter focuses on hairy cell leukemia, some cases of which occur after infection with a specific virus, human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus II. It has been reported to be more common among Jewish men. However, the causes of most cases are obscure. Hairy cell leukemia occurs with equal frequency in Los Angeles and other areas, and is more common in men than women. It begins to occur more frequently in young adulthood and has occurred at a constant rate over time in both sexes in the county as a whole. It is diagnosed slightly more often among those of upper social class. The reasons for increased incidence among males and among those of a higher social class are unknown. No systematic pattern of occurrence is apparent, and therefore no local source of causation is proposed.
Exactly solvable models of spin liquids with spinons, and of three-dimensional topological paramagnets

We develop a scheme to make exactly solvable gauge theories whose electric flux lines host (1+1)-dimensional topological phases. We use this exact ``decorated-string-net'' framework to construct several classes of interesting models. In particular, we construct an exactly solvable model of a quantum spin liquid whose (gapped) elementary excitations form doublets under an internal symmetry, and hence may be regarded as spin-carrying spinons. The model may be formulated, and is solvable, in any number of dimensions on any bipartite graph. Another example, in any dimension, has ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ topological order and anyons which are Kramers' doublets of time-reversal symmetry. Further, we make exactly solvable models of three-dimensional topological paramagnets.
COVID-19 global pandemic planning: Presence of SARS-CoV-2 fomites in a university hospital setting.

As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has surged across the globe, great effort has been expended to understand mechanisms of transmission and spread. From a hospital pers...
Psychological Evaluation of American Children Who Report Memories of Previous Lives

Some young children claim to have memories of a previous life, and they often show behaviors that appear related to the memories. This pilot study examined the psychological functioning of such children in the United States. Fifteen participants, ages 3-6 years, underwent testing with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (fourth edition) and the Children's Apperception Test. Their parents completed the Survey Form of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, the Child Behavior Checklist, the Child Dissociative Checklist, and the Family Questionnaire. The children's composite intelligence scores on the Stanford-Binet were greater than one standard deviation above the mean, with relative strengths in verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning. On the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, the children scored significantly above average in daily living skills, motor skills, and on the overall composite score. Thirteen of the 15 children obtained low scores on the Child Dissociative Checklist, indicating no dissociative thought patterns in most participants. The Child Behavior Checklist averages all fell within the normal range, revealing no clinically significant behavior problems. Results on the Children's Apperception Test revealed no unusual themes, and the families did not show any distinct patterns of functioning on the Family Questionnaire. Young children who claim to remember previous lives show high intelligence, and testing revealed no evidence that their reports arise from psychopathology.Keywords: psychological assessment-memory-pre-school children-reincarnation
Neuronal Plasticity in the Superficial Dorsal Horn Following Peripheral Tissue Inflammation and Nerve Injury

Inflammation and hyperalgesia are common components of many acute and chronic pain conditions including postsurgical acute pain, cancer pain and arthritis. Pathological changes in peripheral nerve produced by trauma, metabolic disorders or viral infections sometimes result in painful neuropathies characterized by spontaneous pain, hyperalgesia and allodynia. Experimental studies in which the effects of peripheral tissue inflammation are compared with the effects of nerve injury on neuronal responsiveness in the peripheral and central nervous systems should provide insights into our understanding of the pathophysiology associated with these acute and chronic pain conditions.
Superasymptotic Perturbation Analysis of the Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability of Supersonic Shear Layers

A global asymptotic analysis of the traveling wave Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of a supersonic, finite-width velocity shear layer is carried out. The resulting solution, comprising a composite WKBJ and boundary-layer solution, satisfying outgoing, spatially damping radiative wave boundary conditions, has important applications in elucidating the energy transfer between the fluid and the unstable traveling wave solutions. Limitations in the use of this global asymptotic solution arise from the well-known directional character of the “connection formulae” at the turning points of the potential. In order to overcome these limitations, a superasymptotic analysis is developed based on recent work of Dingle, Berry and others. The structure of the resulting traveling wave solutions agrees closely with previously computed numerical solutions. In addition, the condition for the occurrence of the traveling wave instability is derived, and the absence of this mode in compressible tangential velocity discontinuities is explained.
Optimization of Truss Geometry

The effect of multiple (independent) load conditions on the optimum geometrical configurations of planar trusses is investigated. A general configuration is established by considering all truss components connecting the nodal points of a rectangular gridwork of possible joint locations. This general design is modified through use of a steepest descent nonlinear programming algorithm. Unnecessary components are dropped from the configuration until a truss of minimum weight is obtained. Modifications of joint locations through changes in the nodal pattern are also considered. For the particular design examples investigated, statically determinate trusses were found to exist which are lighter in weight than indeterminate trusses.
Baroreflex Function in Young Women with a Family History of Hypertension

A positive family history of hypertension (+FH) is a risk factor for the future development of hypertension. Reductions in cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) are also associated with hyperten...
Religion and Healing in Pre-Modern Japan

Throughout the pre-modern history of Japan, successive waves of foreign religious and medical influence provided distinct models for healing the mind-breath-body complex. Proto-Shintō divination and healing were supplemented by Daoist traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that theorized and restored the flow of ki (qi) energy throughout the body. Buddhist medicine and healing rituals mitigated karmic disease (gobyō ), also empowered patients with a hands-on healing technique called kaji, and offered the medicinal and meditative benefits of Zen tea. Islamic medicinal recipes made their way into Japan at the farthest reach of the Silk Road, and Neo-Confucian moral physicians as well as Jesuit surgeons carried competing models for health into Japan. In terms of visual culture, moreover, the healing Yakushi “Medicine” Buddha, esoteric mandalas, attributes of the thousand-armed Kannon bodhisattva of compassion and even paintings of healing herbs on the coffered ceilings of Buddhist temples indicate the central role that religion played in the medical arts of pre-modern Japan. Chronicling Japan’s religio-medical history in this way is important for several reasons. First, its interdisciplinary approach integrates the latest scholarship in religious studies, the history of science, and art history. Second, it offers much-needed historical perspective that can help to inform the contemporary interest in alternative medicine, the power of prayer in healing, and the health of the mind-breath-body complex. Finally, it speaks to the cultural flows and effects of pre-modern globalization, which facilitated the dissemination of knowledge far afield from its origins.
Involvement of the Secretory Pathway for AMPA Receptors in NMDA-Induced Potentiation in Hippocampus

A chemical form of synaptic potentiation was produced with a brief bath application of NMDA to rat hippocampal slices. Two methods were used to assess changes in membrane-bound AMPA receptors. Traditional subcellular fractionation was used to isolate synaptic membranes; alternatively, membrane receptors were cross-linked with the membrane-impermeable reagent bis(sulfosuccinimidyl) suberate, and levels of nonmembrane receptors were determined. In both cases, Western blots were used to determine the content of receptor subunits in various subcellular fractions. NMDA-induced potentiation was associated with increased levels of glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) and GluR2/3 subunits of AMPA receptors in synaptic membrane preparations, whereas no change was observed in whole homogenates. Both KN-62, an inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin kinase, and calpain inhibitor III, a calpain inhibitor, inhibited NMDA-induced potentiation and changes in GluR1 and GluR2/3 subunits of AMPA receptors. Brefeldin A (BFA) inhibits protein trafficking between the Golgi apparatus and cell membranes. Pretreatment of hippocampal slices with BFA significantly decreased NMDA-induced potentiation and completely prevented an NMDA-induced increase in GluR1 levels in membrane fractions. Thus, the levels of GluR1 and GluR2/3 subunits of AMPA receptors are rapidly upregulated in synaptic membranes under conditions associated with potentiation of synaptic responses, and this upregulation requires a functional secretory pathway.
A robust approach to enhancement of multivariate images

This paper addresses the problem of attenuating noise from vector-valued image data. A class of nonlinear filters stemming from robust estimation is introduced. An exact algorithm requires extensive computation. Therefore, approximate algorithms for computing the filter output are developed. The filters produce reliable results even if the assumptions on noise process are only approximately true. The performance of the techniques is studied using simulated data and data from range imaging sensor and in the case of additive multivariate noise with equal component variances, unequal component variances, correlated noise components, and in the presence of outliers. >
Carbohydrate restriction and lactate transporter inhibition in a mouse xenograft model of human prostate cancer

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? It is known that both lactate inhibition and carbohydrate restriction inhibit tumour growth. What is unknown is whether the two work synergistically together. This study adds that though the combination of lactate inhibition and carbohydrate restriction did not synergistically slow tumour growth in our model, we confirmed that carbohydrate restriction started after tumour inoculation slowed tumour growth. Moreover, lactate inhibition resulted in changes in the tumour microenvironment that may have implications for future metabolic targeting of prostate cancer growth. OBJECTIVE • To determine if a no-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (NCKD) and lactate transporter inhibition can exert a synergistic effect on delaying prostate tumour growth in a xenograft mouse model of human prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS • 120 nude athymic male mice (aged 6–8 weeks) were injected s.c. in the flank with 1.0 × 105 LAPC-4 prostate cancer cells. • Mice were randomized to one of four treatment groups: Western diet (WD, 35% fat, 16% protein, 49% carbohydrate) and vehicle (Veh) treatment; WD and mono-carboxylate transporter-1 (MCT1) inhibition via α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (CHC) delivered through a mini osmotic pump; NCKD (84% fat, 16% protein, 0% carbohydrate) plus Veh; or NCKD and MCT1 inhibition. • Mice were fed and weighed three times per week and feed was adjusted to maintain similar body weights. • Tumour size was measured twice weekly and the combined effect of treatment was tested via Kruskal–Wallis analysis of all four groups. Independent effects of treatment (NCKD vs WD and CHC vs Veh) on tumour volume were tested using linear regression analysis. • All mice were killed on Day 53 (conclusion of pump ejection), and serum and tumour sections were analysed for various markers. Again, combined and independent effects of treatment were tested using Kruskal–Wallis and linear regression analysis, respectively. RESULTS • There were no significant differences in tumour volumes among the four groups (P= 0.09). • When testing the independent effects of treatment, NCKD was significantly associated with lower tumour volumes at the end of the experiment (P= 0.026), while CHC administration was not (P= 0.981). However, CHC was associated with increased necrotic fraction (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS • Differences in tumour volumes were observed only in comparisons between mice fed a NCKD and mice fed a WD. • MCT1 inhibition did not have a significant effect on tumour volume, although it was associated with increased necrotic fraction.
Heritable transformation of adaptive landscapes elicited by transient expression of intrinsically disordered proteins (586.2)

Many environmental stresses elicit specific responses that promote survival. Whether such transient changes in gene expression have additional long-term consequences is unknown. Here we examine the...
Chromosome studies of the lethal hybrid Rana pipiens ♀ × Rana catesbeiana ♂

Abstract Developmental arrest of amphibian interspecific hybrids about the time of gastrulation may be causally related to chromosomal breakage and loss during cleavage. This paper presents the karyotypes of white blood cells of adult Rana pipiens and Rana catesbeiana , and evidence that hybrids between Rana pipiens ♀ × Rana catesbeiana ♂ retain complete haploid chromosome sets from both parental species shortly before arrest at the early gastrula stage. Both species have 13 pairs of homomorphic chromosomes. Individual real and relative chromosome lengths are very similar in both species, as are centromere positions in the two karyotypes. Two chromosome pairs in Rana catesbeiana (Nos. 7 and 10) contain prominent constrictions; the constrictions are present only in chromosomes of pair No. 10 in Rana pipiens . Metaphase figures from hybrid blastulae contained no ring chromosomes or acentric fragments; no anaphase bridges were seen. Most figures in which chromosomes could be counted contained 26 chromosomes, and the frequency of figures with abnormal chromosome numbers was less than that from control Rana pipiens blastulae. Relative lengths of individual chromosomes from hybrid karyotypes were the same as those from controls. Karyotypes from hybrid embryos contained three chromosomes with prominent constrictions, one falling into pair No. 7—for which there was no homolog with a constriction—and two into pair No. 10. The lengths of the longer chromosome segments of hybrid pair No. 10 were significantly different from one another; those of controls were not. The conclusion that functional inadequacy of nucleocytoplasmic interactions during cleavage can account for early developmental arrest without associated karyotypic abnormality is discussed. The relationship of chromosomal damage to blastula and gastrula arrest in other experimental systems is considered, and the Rana pipiens ♀ × Rana catesbeiana ♂ hybrid is suggested as a system amenable to further study of genetic dysfunction before gastrulation.
Low temperature specific heat measurement of a carbon-carbon composite

Abstract A.c. calorimetry was used to determine the value of the specific heat at low temperatures for a sample of Textron's fine weave pierced fabric (FWPF) composite, a three-directional carbon-carbon composite with orthogonal fibre orientation. The heat capacity measurements were performed from 30 to 100 K at nearly 1 K intervals. The specific heat values for the composite are similar to those reported in the literature for graphite in the same temperature range.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSES FOLLOWING IMMUNOLOGICAL SYMPATHECTOMY.

Sympathetic function and cardiovascular responses were measured in rats treated at birth with an antiserum developed to the sympathetic nerve growth factor. The intact animals exhibited ptosis, miosis, and decreased excretion of norepinephrine in the urine. Electrical stimulation of the sympathetic innervation to the vessels of the perfused hindquarters failed to produce vasoconstriction or vasodilatation in any of the treated rats over a wide range of stimulus parameters. Alterations in vascular reactivity characteristic of sympathetic denervation were noted; responsiveness was increased to norepinephrine but not to other constrictor agents. Chemical stimulation of the sympathetic ganglia with 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenyl-piperazinium iodide (DMPP) did not activate the postganglionic fibers but did promote the release of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla. The treated rats showed elevated resistance to flow in the hindquarters. The results of this investigation thus demonstrate that treatment with the antinerve growth factor effectively abolishes vasomotor function of the fibers of the sympathetic nervous system.
Magnetic Field Elements at High Latitude: Lifetime and Rotation Rate

Using one-minute cadence time-series full disk magnetograms taken by the SOHO/MDI, we have studied the magnetic field elements at high latitude (poleward of 65° in latitude). It is found that an average lifetime of the magnetic field elements is 16.5 h during solar minimum, much longer than that during solar maximum (7.3 h). During solar minimum, number of the magnetic field elements with the dominant polarity is about 3 times as that of the opposite polarity elements. Their lifetime is 21.0 h on average, longer than that of the opposite polarity elements (2.3 h). It is also found that the lifetime of the magnetic field elements is related with their size, consistent with the magnetic field elements in the quiet sun at low latitude found by Hagenaar et al. (Astrophys. J. 511:932, 1999). During solar maximum, the polar regions are equally occupied by magnetic field elements with both polarities, and their lifetimes are roughly the same on average. No evidence shows there is a correlation between the lifetime and size of the magnetic field elements. Using an image cross-correlation method, we also measure the solar rotation rate at high latitude, up to 85° in latitude. The rate is ω=2.914−0.342sin 2 φ−0.482sin 4 φ μrad s−1 sidereal. It agrees with previous studies using the spectroscopic and image cross-correlation methods, and also agrees with the results using the element tracking method when the sample of the tracked magnetic field elements is large. The consistency of those results strongly suggests that this rate at high latitude is reliable.
Attitude and learning in performance on programmed and conventional materials

Abstract In a previous experiment, students in a psychology course performed better in an examination when they used a programmed text than when they used a conventional text. In this experiment, the students expressed their attitudes towards their texts. It was found that, compared with the conventional text, the programmed text was: (1) more liked (p<0·001); (2) more preferred relative to the lecture text (p<0001) and texts in general (p<0·001); (3) more preferred for learning with a time limit (p<0001) and at leisure (p<0001); and (4) considered better preparation for the examination (p<0·001). Neither of the texts was rated as good as texts in general, and the students estimated that their instructors had a more favourable attitude to the programmed than to the conventional text (p<0001). Learning principles seemed to offer better explanations of the performance effects than attitude principles.
Eosinophilic esophagitis: asthma of the esophagus?

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is rapidly emerging as a distinct disease entity in both pediatric and adult gastroenterology. The typical clinical presentation includes solid food dysphagia in young men who have an atopic predisposition. Food impaction necessitating endoscopic intervention is common. EE should be suspected, in particular, in patients with unexplained dysphagia or those with no response to antacid or anti-acid secretory therapy. Careful endoscopic and radiographic examinations reveal furrows, corrugations, rings, whitish plaques, fragile crepe paper-like appearance, and a small-caliber esophagus. Mucosal erosion in the distal esophagus, characteristic to reflux esophagitis, is absent in EE. Marked eosinophil infiltration in the esophageal epithelia (>20 eosinophils per high-power field) is the diagnostic hallmark. Food antigens and aeroallergens may play a role in the pathogenesis of EE. The mechanisms may be dependent or independent of immunoglobulin E. Elimination diets, systemic and topical corticosteroids, leukotriene receptor antagonists, and, most recently, an anti-interleukin-5 monoclonal antibody have been used to treat EE. EE likely represents another example of eosinophil-associated inflammation of epithelia at the interface between external and internal milieu, similar to bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis. This review summarizes recent progress in the diagnosis and management of EE and discusses future research directions.