cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Mesh-Associated Abscess Using an Incision-Free Technique: A Case Series

Patients who undergo pelvic mesh placement are at risk for developing infectious complications. In the case of an abscess associated with the mesh, removal is often necessary for resolution of the infection. This report describes two cases of delayed abscesses associated with mesh for posterior compartment prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. Definitive treatment for both involved complete removal of the offending portion of mesh without the need for an incision. In patients who develop infectious complications involving pelvic mesh, providers must consider removal of the mesh as a method for source control. Here, exploration of an existing sinus tract allowed for complete mesh removal without the need for extensive dissection. This is especially important in those with medical comorbidities resulting in poor wound healing. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2019;8(1):25-28 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo538
Acceleration of fracture healing distal to a venous tourniquet.

A standard fracture or defect was made bilaterally in the bones of dogs. When a venous tourniquet was applied unilaterally for six weeks or until the fractures healed, healing was accelerated on the tourniquet side.
Role of denim and jeans in the fashion industry

Abstract This chapter discusses the role of denim and jeans in the fashion industry and further elaborates on its history, detailing the roles played by twill fabric and the waist overall. It also analyses the social and cultural influence of jeans and its iconic image as Western clothing. It further highlights aspects such as women and jeans, the expression of youth independence and the international appeal of jeans among all age classes. The evolution of denim as luxury attire and the emergence of premium jeans as a status indicator are also covered. Future trends in the areas of jeans design, niche markets, technology and mass customisation are also detailed.
Predictors of poor outcome for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

4100Background: The use of TACE in select patients with BCLC stage B HCC has been shown to improve survival. Despite this, it remains unclear which patients will benefit from repeated TACE versus s...
Free thyroxine within the normal reference range predicts risk of atrial fibrillation

INTRODUCTION Hyperthyroidism is a known precipitating factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, recent reports have suggested an increased risk of AF with free thyroxine (fT4) levels even within the upper reference (normal) range. We sought to test whether higher fT4 levels within the reference range are associated with an increased risk of AF. METHODS AND RESULTS All patients in the Intermountain Healthcare electronic medical record database with an fT4 level not on thyroid medication were included. The reference range of fT4 was divided into quartiles (Q), and associations with prevalent and incident AF were assessed by multivariable regression. Similar analyses were performed for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and total and free T3. A total of 174 914 patients were included and followed for 7.0 ± 4.9 years. Of these, 7.4%, 88.4%, and 4.2% had fT4 levels below, within, and above the reference range. As expected, prevalent AF was greater with elevated fT4. However, gradients also were noted within the reference range, comparing Q4 to Q1, for prevalent AF (adjusted odds ratio 1.4, P < .0001) and incident AF (adjusted hazard ratio 1.16, P < .0001). In contrast, no relationship with AF prevalence and incidence was noted for total and free T3 within their reference ranges, and the pattern for TSH was uninformative. CONCLUSION Higher fT4 levels within the reference range were associated with an increased prevalence and incidence of AF. These findings in a large dataset prospectively validate earlier reports and may have important implications, including a redefinition of the normal range and fT4 targets for replacement therapy.
Hormonal Regulation of Mammalian Adult Neurogenesis: A Multifaceted Mechanism

Adult neurogenesis—resulting in adult-generated functioning, integrated neurons—is still one of the most captivating research areas of neuroplasticity. The addition of new neurons in adulthood follows a seemingly consistent multi-step process. These neurogenic stages include proliferation, differentiation, migration, maturation/survival, and integration of new neurons into the existing neuronal network. Most studies assessing the impact of exogenous (e.g., restraint stress) or endogenous (e.g., neurotrophins) factors on adult neurogenesis have focused on proliferation, survival, and neuronal differentiation. This review will discuss the multifaceted impact of hormones on these various stages of adult neurogenesis. Specifically, we will review the evidence for hormonal facilitation (via gonadal hormones), inhibition (via glucocorticoids), and neuroprotection (via recruitment of other neurochemicals such as neurotrophin and neuromodulators) on newly adult-generated neurons in the mammalian brain.
Association of Survival With Adjuvant Chemotherapy Among Patients With Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With vs Without High-Risk Clinicopathologic Features.

Importance Tumor size larger than 4 cm is accepted as an indication for adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with node-negative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Treatment guidelines suggest that high-risk features are also associated with the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy among patients with early-stage NSCLC, yet this association is understudied. Objective To assess the association between adjuvant chemotherapy and survival in the presence and absence of high-risk pathologic features in patients with node-negative early-stage NSCLC. Design, setting, and participants This retrospective cohort study using data from the National Cancer Database included 50 814 treatment-naive patients with a completely resected node-negative NSCLC diagnosed between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2015. The study was limited to patients who survived at least 6 weeks after surgery (ie, estimated median time to initiate adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery) to mitigate immortal time bias. Statistical analysis was performed from December 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020. Exposures Adjuvant chemotherapy use vs observation, stratified according to the presence or absence of high-risk pathologic features (visceral pleural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and high-grade histologic findings), sublobar surgery, and tumor size. Main outcomes and measures The association of high-risk pathologic features with survival after adjuvant chemotherapy vs observation was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results Overall, 50 814 eligible patients with NSCLC (27 365 women [53.9%]; mean [SD] age, 67.4 [9.5] years]) were identified, including 4220 (8.3%) who received adjuvant chemotherapy and 46 594 (91.7%) who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Among patients with tumors 3 cm or smaller, chemotherapy was not associated with improved survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.10; 95% CI, 0.96-1.26; P = .17). For patients with tumors larger than 3 cm to 4 cm, adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a survival benefit among patients who underwent sublobar surgery (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.56-0.93; P = .004). For tumors larger than 4 cm to 5 cm, a survival benefit was associated with adjuvant chemotherapy only in patients with at least 1 high-risk pathologic feature (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.80; P = .02). For tumors larger than 5 cm, adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a survival benefit irrespective of the presence of high-risk pathologic features (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61-0.91; P = .004). Conclusions and relevance In this cohort study, tumor size alone was not associated with improved efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early-stage (node-negative) NSCLC. High-risk clinicopathologic features and tumor size should be considered simultaneously when evaluating patients with early-stage NSCLC for adjuvant chemotherapy.
What Makes Neurophysiology Meaningful? Semantic Content Ascriptions in Insect Navigation Research

In the course of investigating the living world, biologists regularly attribute semantic content to the phenomena they study. In this paper, I examine the case of a contemporary research program studying the navigation behaviors of ants and develop an account of the norms governing researchers’ ascriptions of semantic content in their research practices. The account holds that researchers assign semantic content to behaviors that reliably achieve a difficult goal-directed function, and it also suggests a productive role for attributions of semantic content in the process of animal behavior research.
Auditory-Visual Speech Behaviors are Resilient to Left pSTS Damage

The ability to understand spoken language is essential for social, vocational, and emotional health, but can be disrupted by environmental noise, injury, or hearing loss. These auditory deficits can be ameliorated by visual speech signals that convey redundant or supplemental speech information, but the brain regions critically responsible for these audiovisual (AV) interactions remain poorly understood. Previous TMS and lesion-mapping studies suggest that the left posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is causally implicated in producing the McGurk effect, an AV illusion in which auditory and visual speech are perceptually "fused." However, previous research suggests that the McGurk effect is neurally and behaviorally dissociable from other visual effects on speech perception and, therefore, may not provide a generalizable index of AV interactions in speech perception more broadly. To examine whether the left pSTS is critically responsible for AV speech integration more broadly, we measured the strength of the McGurk effect, AV facilitation effects, and AV conflict effects longitudinally over 2 years in patients undergoing surgery for intrinsic tumors in the left pSTS (n = 2) or frontal lobes (control; n = 14). Results demonstrated that left pSTS lesions impaired experience of the McGurk effect, but did not uniformly reduce visual influences on speech perception. Additionally, when multisensory behaviors were affected by a lesion, AV speech perception abilities could recover over time. Our results suggest a causal dissociation between perceptual benefits produced by congruent AV speech and perceptual modulations produced by incongruent AV speech (the McGurk effect). These data are consistent with models proposing that that the pSTS is only one of multiple critical areas necessary for AV speech interactions.
Use of Disposable Clear Plastic Elastic Band-Rimmed Bag to Limit Infectious Aerosol during Airway Instrumentation

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the need for appropriate protective measures for health care providers, particularly for those involved in aerosol-generating procedures. We report the use of the banded bag for extubation to contain infectious aerosols. The banded bag is a clear and disposable shower-cap style image intensifier cover which is commonly used as a sterile cover for mobile X-ray systems. With the addition of a filtered suction, safe air exchange rates can be obtained. We anticipate that the banded bag, which is economical, convenient, and highly practical, can be used as a safety-enhancing device for COVID-19 extubations.
Abstract 13830: Soluble Klotho Suppresses Human Aortic Valve Interstitial Cell Fibrocalcification Induced by Fibroblast Growth Factor 23

Aortic valve interstitial cells (AVIC) play a major role in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). Higher fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels are associated with chronic k...
Rabbinic Drinking: What Beverages Teach Us about Rabbinic Literature: by Jordan D. Rosenblum, Oakland, CA, University of California Press, 2020, xi + 309 pp., US$34.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-520-30043-9

As the author of Food and Identity in Early Rabbinic Judaism (2010) and The Jewish Dietary Laws in the Ancient World (2016), prominent historian of Jewish food in late antiquity Jordan Rosenblum is...
Failure to Find Altruistic Food Sharing in Rats

Prior research has found that one rat will release a second rat from a restraint in the presence of food, thereby allowing that second rat access to food. Such behavior, clearly beneficial to the second rat and costly to the first, has been interpreted as altruistic. Because clear demonstrations of altruism in rats are rare, such findings deserve a careful look. The present study aimed to replicate this finding, but with more systematic methods to examine whether, and under what conditions, a rat might share food with its cagemate partner. Rats were given repeated choices between high-valued food (sucrose pellets) and 30-s social access to a familiar rat, with the (a) food size (number of food pellets per response), and (b) food motivation (extra-session access to food) varied across conditions. Rats responded consistently for both food and social interaction, but at different levels and with different sensitivity to the food-access manipulations. Food production and consumption was high when food motivation was also high (food restriction) but substantially lower when food motivation was low (unlimited food access). Social release occurred at moderate levels, unaffected by the food-based manipulations. When food was abundant and food motivation low, the rats chose food and social options about equally often, but sharing (food left unconsumed prior to social release) occurred at low levels across sessions and conditions. Even under conditions of low food motivation, sharing occurred on only 1% of the sharing opportunities. The results are therefore inconsistent with claims in the literature that rats are altruistically motivated to share food with other rats.
The Death of the Data Subject

This paper situates the data privacy debate in the context of what I call the death of the data subject. My central claim is that concept of a rights-bearing data subject is being pulled in two con...
Isolating the Gendered Component of Men’s Physical Aggression

Conformity to masculine norms and gender role conflict have each been linked to male-perpetrated aggression. However, these constructs have been critiqued for their assumption that gender can be reducible to the individual. Despite the excellent psychometric properties and multidimensionality of modern masculinity measures, their positivistic epistemological framework may render them insufficient for predicting the socially constructed gendered component of male aggression. The current study sought to empirically evaluate this critique by analyzing the extent to which gender norm adherence and gender role conflict uniquely predict a highly gender-linked phenomenon, physical aggression, over and above trait agreeableness. As such, 181 undergraduate students were recruited from a Southeastern university in the United States to complete assessment pertinent to masculinity (CMNI and GRCS), personality (NEO-FFI Agreeableness), and physical aggression (BAQ). Path analyses were utilized to estimate direct and indirect effects of conformity to masculine norms and gender role conflict on aggression over and above trait agreeableness. Results suggest that conformity to masculine norms and gender role conflict both directly account for men’s violence; however, when gender role conflict is considered in tandem with only the masculine norm most salient to physical aggression (i.e., violence), its relationship with aggression is fully mediated by trait agreeableness. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of more fully incorporating a constructionist approach in efforts to represent gender as it unfolds in the context of men’s aggression.
The association between allergic rhinitis and sleep-disordered breathing in children: a systematic review

Background The objective of this work was to systematically review existing literature on the association between allergic rhinitis (AR) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children. Methods We performed a literature search encompassing the last 25 years in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Inclusion criteria included English-language papers containing original human data, number of subjects ≥7, and age <18 years old. Data was systematically collected on study design, patient demographics, clinical characteristics/outcomes, and level-of-evidence. Two investigators independently reviewed all articles. Results The initial search yielded 433 abstracts, of which 18 articles were included. Twelve (67%) of the 18 articles showed a statistically significant association between AR and SDB. All articles were either case-series or case-control studies. Based on the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, the quality of the articles was determined to be fair to good. For characterizing AR, 7 (39%) studies included skin-prick testing and/or in vitro testing. For determining presence of SDB, 7 (39%) of the studies used polysomnographic data, of which 1 study incorporated data from a home polysomnogram. Habitual snoring was the most common form of SDB studied, in 10 (56%) of the articles. Obstructive sleep apnea was studied in 6 (33%) articles. Conclusion Although the majority of the studies included in this review showed a significant association between AR and SDB, all of the studies were evidence level 3b and 4, for an overall grade of B− evidence (Oxford Evidence-Based Medicine Center). Further higher-quality studies should be performed in the future to better evaluate the relationship between AR and SDB in children.
Developing Foreign Language Teacher Standards in Uruguay

El presente articulo documenta el desarrollo de estandares para la educacion de docentes en Uruguay. Comienza con una discusion de lo que significa ser docente, y explicita que son los estandares (y que no son) y como estos pueden apoyar o impedir el desarrollo docente. Dentro de la propuesta, se discute la relevancia de modelos curriculares que enfatizan la organizacion de contenidos a traves de cursos separados y aquellos en los que se priorizan estandares de desempeno que cruzan las fronteras de varios cursos particulares. Finalmente, se describe el proceso colaborativo que implico el desarrollo de los estandares para la realidad uruguaya y que se baso, fundamentalmente, en los Estandares para la Preparacion de Docentes p-12 de TESOL.
Centrifuge: integrated lease management and partitioning for cloud services

Making cloud services responsive is critical to providing a compelling user experience. Many large-scale sites, including LinkedIn, Digg and Facebook, address this need by deploying pools of servers that operate purely on in-memory state. Unfortunately, current technologies for partitioning requests across these in-memory server pools, such as network load balancers, lead to a frustrating programming model where requests for the same state may arrive at different servers. Leases are a well-known technique that can provide a better programming model by assigning each piece of state to a single server. However, in-memory server pools host an extremely large number of items, and granting a lease per item requires fine-grained leasing that is not supported in prior datacenter lease managers.This paper presents Centrifuge, a datacenter lease manager that solves this problem by integrating partitioning and lease management. Centrifuge consists of a set of libraries linked in by the in-memory servers and a replicated state machine that assigns responsibility for data items (including leases) to these servers. Centrifuge has been implemented and deployed in production as part of Microsoft's Live Mesh, a large-scale commercial cloud service in continuous operation since April 2008. When cloud services within Mesh were built using Centrifuge, they required fewer lines of code and did not need to introduce their own subtle protocols for distributed consistency. As cloud services become ever more complicated, this kind of reduction in complexity is an increasingly urgent need.
Screening computed tomography: will it result in overdiagnosis of renal carcinoma?

BACKGROUND Despite uncertain benefits and harms, screening computed tomography (CT) is being marketed to consumers in the U.S. One plausible harm is the detection and treatment of renal carcinoma cases that otherwise would have remained clinically silent during the patient's lifetime. METHODS After estimating the prevalence of preclinical renal carcinoma using meta-analysis of five series of asymptomatic, middle-aged Americans who received CT screening, the authors divided the prevalence by U.S. incidence rates of clinical renal carcinoma among persons of similar age. This calculation would estimate the mean duration of the detectable preclinical period (the “sojourn time”) of renal carcinoma if the incidence of preclinical and clinical renal carcinoma were equivalent. RESULTS The 5 series included 16,174 screenees (mean age range, 58–64 years; 61% male). The prevalence of asymptomatic renal carcinoma ranged from 0.11% to 0.76%; the pooled prevalence was 0.21% (95% confidence interval, 0.14–0.28%). The estimated mean sojourn time for renal carcinoma was between 3.7 years and 5.8 years among middle-aged Americans. CONCLUSIONS Because most renal carcinomas grow slowly during the preclinical period, the authors' estimated mean sojourn time did not seem unduly long. Therefore, the incidence rate of clinical renal carcinoma most likely is a reasonable surrogate for the incidence rate of preclinical renal carcinoma, implying that most renal carcinomas detected by CT screening among middle-aged Americans are likely to progress to clinical diagnosis. Cancer 2004;100:986–90. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Dielectric and Permeability Effects in Collisionless Plasmas

Using the unabridged Maxwell equations (including vectors D, E and H) new effects in collisionless plasmas are uncovered. In a steady state, it is found that spatially varying energy density of the electric field (E perpendicular) orthogonal to B produces electric current leading, under certain conditions, to the relationship P perpendicular + B(2)/8 pi-epsilon E perpendicular(2)/8 pi = constant, where epsilon is the dielectric constant of the plasma for fields orthogonal to B. In steady state quasi-two-dimensional flows in plasmas, a general relationship between the components of electric field parallel and perpendicular to B is found. These effects are significant in geophysical and astrophysical plasmas. The general conditions for a steady state in collisionless plasma are deduced. With time variations in a plasma, slow compared to ion-gyroperiod, there is a general current, (j-asterisk), which includes the well-known polarization current, given by J-asterisk = d/dt (E x M) + (P x B) x B B(-2) where M and P are the magnetization and polarization vectors respectively.
Digital Governance, Hotspot Detection, and Homeland Security

Effort is in progress for spatial and spatiotemporal hotspot detection, early warning, and security. A hotspot can mean an unusual phenomenon, anomaly, aberration, outbreak, elevated cluster, critical area, or object-recognition and tracking. The declared need may be for monitoring, etiology, early warning, or management. The responsible factors may be natural, accidental, or intentional. This article attempts to address concepts, methods, tools, and a variety of case studies and applications of interest to agencies, academia, and the private sector involving societal issues for homeland security, such as public health, infectious disease, invasive species, crop pathogens, biosecurity, hospital networks and syndromic surveillance, drinking water network systems, crisis management, and others. Keywords: geosecurity; hotspot detection; early warning; geographic surveillance; networked infrastructure surveillance; syndromic surveillance; biosecurity; homeland security; object-recognition and tracking; upper level set scan system
Global Diffusion of the Internet

This chapter provides an overview of the global diffusion of the Internet and examines the factors that shaped and are continuing to shape its diffusion dynamics. The diffusion pattern of an innovation such as the Internet is a function of economic, political, cultural, and geographical factors. In addition, business models vis-a-vis the cost to access the Internet also influence the diffusion of the Internet. Because social systems worldwide differ significantly in terms of these factors, diffusion patterns of the Internet also vary widely. Among the factors hampering the faster diffusion of Internet in many countries are low income levels, authoritarian governments with a distaste for the openness of the Internet, sociocultural environments that are incompatible with the Internet, and terrestrial and topographical barriers to landline networks. As a result, developing countries account for disproportionately fewer Internet users and Internet hosts worldwide, creating a global digital divide. Keywords: authoritarian governments; diffusion; global diffusion; sociocultural environments; terrestrial and topographical barriers
Reevaluating the L3C: Mistaken Assumptions and Potential Solutions

This paper tracks the development of the L3C, analyzes why the assumptions held by the proponents of the L3C have not come to fruition, and examines the possibilities to help the L3C reach its potential of opening new streams of capital for social enterprise. Part I discusses the current use of Program-Related Investments ("PRIs") by foundations in the United States. Part II examines the development of the L3C. Part III explores current status of the L3C and its underlying assumptions. Part IV analyzes certain proposed federal legislation and IRS regulations that could affect the L3C. Part V addresses the future of the L3C and proposes policies to ensure that the L3C serves its intended purpose, suggesting that any successful reforms need to focus on the distribution of the costs involved with PRIs rather than just focusing on minimizing these costs.
Valence-band photoemission from a quantum-dot system.

We report the first application of valence-band photoemission to a quantum-dot system. Photoemission spectra of cadmium sulfide quantum dots, ranging in size from 12 to 35 A radius, were obtained using photon energies of 20 to 70 eV. The spectra are qualitatively similar to those obtained for bulk cadmium sulfide, but show a shift in the valence-band maximum with size.
Parametric amplification of microwave magnetoelastic waves in y.i.g. at room temperature

The results of a series of experiments are reported, which show parametric amplification in single-crystal yttrium-0iron garnet for signal frequencies from approximately 900 to 5000 Mc/s.
STEP-BD and bipolar depression: What have we learned?

This article summarizes recent findings from the STEP-BD project pertaining to bipolar depression treatment. Highlighted are four papers that report, in turn, a large, randomized controlled trial of adjunctive antidepressants; a large, randomized controlled trial of adjunctive psychosocial therapies (cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal social rhythms therapy, and family-focused therapy); a small, randomized controlled trial contrasting lamotrigine, risperidone, and inositol as add-on therapies for refractory bipolar depression; and a naturalistic study of the risks of relapse during preventive therapy. The STEP-BD results highlight the challenge of treating bipolar depression to remission, illustrate the value of adjunctive psychotherapies, and point to new directions for research.
Behavioral analysis and treatment of poor diabetic self-care and antisocial behavior: A single-subject experimental study

A 14-year-old male adolescent who evidenced both inconsistent diabetic self-care and antisocial behavior was treated using behavioral family therapy. An extended baseline assessment of self-care, antisocial behavior and mother-child conflict indicated a cyclic coercion-countercoercion process in which the mother's attempts to discipline the son's antisocial behavior resulted in the son's deliberate poor self-care until a diabetic episode occurred, terminating his mother's disciplinary actions. Treatment sequentially focused on self-care, antisocial behavior, mother-child conflict, and school attendance and behavior. Self-monitoring and a reinforcement salary were insufficient to alter self-care; the addition of a potent punishment for poor self-care led to improved self-care and less frequent diabetic crises but increased antisocial behavior. Maternal monitoring of the son's activities and peer associates, a behavioral contract, and communication/problem-solving training resulted in a reduction in antisocial behavior and conflict, and in increased school attendance. Treatment gains were maintained at a two-month follow-up.
Taxanes from Taxus x.media Hicksii

Abstract Two new taxanes-1-hydroxy-5-decinnamoyl taxinine J (1) and 1-hydroxy taxinine A (2), and seven known taxanes were isolated using silica gel chromatography from the needles of Taxus x. media Hicksii. Their structures were primarily determined by detailed spectroscopic analysis. The known compounds have been characterized as taxol (3), cephalomannine (4), baccatin III (5), taxinine (6), taxinine M (7), 1-hydroxy-5-deacetyl baccatin I (8) and taxyuntin (9).
Evidence that both receptor- and heparan sulfate proteoglycan-bound basic fibroblast growth factor are internalized by cultured immature Leydig cells

Abstract The present studies examined how 125I-labeled basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) bound to high affinity receptors and with lower affinity to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) of cultured immature rat Leydig cells was processed. Following incubation for 2 h at 4°C with 125I-bFGF, cells were washed to remove unbound radioactivity. Fresh medium was added, and cells were incubated at 4° and/or 37°C. At time zero and at specific intervals over the next 6 h, the incubation medium was saved and cells washed to quantitate 125I-bFGF released into the medium, associated with HSPG of the cell surface or extracellular matrix (radioactivity released by washing cells with 2 M NaCl, pH 7.4), associated with cell surface receptors (radioactivity released by washing cells with 2 M NaCl, pH 4.0) or internalized (radioactivity resistant to high salt and acid washes, and solubilized with 0.5 M NaOH). Radioactivity released into the initial medium and the pooled washes was further divided into a trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-precipitated form (radioactivity precipitated by 10% TCA) and a TCA-soluble form (radioactivity remaining in the TCA supernatant). 125I-bFGF associated with both HSPG and surface receptors declined progressively during the first 4 h of incubation before stabilizing when cells were transferred to 37°C. These declines were associated with a corresponding increase in intracellular 125I-bFGF. These changes were blocked by maintaining cells at 4°C. The majority of internalized 125I-bFGF appeared to originate from the HSPG-bound fraction as there was a greater decline in HSPG-associated radioactivity and most of the increase in internalized radioactivity could be blocked by the inclusion of 10 μg/ml heparin (which mainly blocks 125I-bFGF binding to HSPG but not to high affinity receptors) during the initial incubation with 125I-bFGF for 2 h at 4°C. Furthermore, HSPG-mediated internalization appeared to have two components: the major fraction was blocked by the inclusion of 10 μg/ml heparin, while a heparin-resistant fraction, appeared to be closely linked both quantitatively and temporarily to receptor-mediated internalization. A minor fraction of internalized 125I-bFGF was metabolized in lysosomes, as the inclusion of 50 μM chloroquine during the 6 h incubation at 37°C inhibited most of the increase in TCA-soluble radioactivity appearing in the incubation medium. Exposure of cultured cells to increasing concentrations of bFGF (0.1–10 ng/ml) for ~ 16 h decreased bFGF receptor levels in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that internalization, in part, is associated with down-regulation of bFGF receptors.
Sensitive immunoassay of tissue cell proteins procured by laser capture microdissection.

Coupling laser capture microdissection (LCM) with sensitive quantitative chemiluminescent immunoassays has broad applicability in the field of proteomics applied to normal, diseased, or genetically modified tissue. Quantitation of the number of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) molecules/cell was conducted on human prostate tissue cells procured by LCM from fixed and stained frozen sections. Under direct microscopic visualization, laser shots 30 μm in diameter captured specific cells from the heterogeneous tissue section onto a polymer transfer surface. The cellular macromolecules from the captured cells were solubilized in a microvolume of extraction buffer and directly assayed using an automated (1.5 hour) sandwich chemiluminescent immunoassay. Calibration of the chemiluminescent assay was conducted by developing a standard curve using known concentrations of PSA. After the sensitivity, precision, and linearity of the chemiluminescent assay was verified for known numbers of solubilized microdissected tissue cells, it was then possible to calculate the number of PSA molecules per microdissected tissue cell for case samples. In a study set of 20 cases, using 10 replicate samples of 100 laser shots per sample, the within-run (intraassay) SD was approximately 10% of the mean or less for all cases. In this series the number of PSA molecules per microdissected tissue cell ranged from 2 × 104 to 6.3 × 106 in normal epithelium, prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and invasive carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining of human prostate for PSA was compared with the results of the soluble immunoassay for the same prostate tissue section. Independent qualitative scoring of anti-PSA immunohistochemical staining intensity paralleled the LCM quantitative immunoassay for each tissue subpopulation and verified the heterogeneity of PSA content between tissue subpopulations in the same case. Extraction buffers were successfully adapted for both secreted and membrane-bound proteins. This technology has broad applicability for the quantitation of protein molecules in pure populations of tissue cells.
Observation of chaotic dynamics of coupled nonlinear oscillators.

The nonlinear charge storage property of driven Si p-n junction passive resonators gives rise to chaotic dynamics: period doubling, chaos, periodic windows, and an extended period-adding sequence corresponding to entrainment of the resonator by successive subharmonics of the driving frequency. The physical system is described; equations of motion and iterative maps are reviewed. Computed behavior is compared to data, with reasonable agreement for Poincar\'e sections, bifurcation diagrams, and phase diagrams in parameter space (drive voltage, drive frequency). N=2 symmetrically coupled resonators are found to display period doubling, Hopf bifurcations, entrainment horns (``Arnol'd tongues''), breakup of the torus, and chaos. This behavior is in reasonable agreement with theoretical models based on the characteristics of single-junction resonators. The breakup of the torus is studied in detail, by Poincar\'e sections and by power spectra. Also studied are oscillations of the torus and cyclic crises. A phase diagram of the coupled resonators can be understood from the model. Poincar\'e sections show self-similarity and fractal structure, with measured values of fractal dimension d=2.03 and d=2.23 for N=1 and N=2 resonators, respectively. Two line-coupled resonators display first a Hopf bifurcation as the drive parameter is increased, in agreement with the model. For N=4 and N=12 line-coupled resonators complex quasiperiodic behavior is observed with up to 3 and 4 incommensurate frequencies, respectively.
Risk factors for urinary retention after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs

Background Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a common entity following surgery, particularly after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Here the intent is to investigate the incidence of POUR in all comers at a single institution following laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.
Materials chemistry: Liposomes derived from molecular vases

Liposomes are ubiquitous components of skin moisturizers and other personal-care products. Modified liposomes prepared from receptor-like molecules open up fresh opportunities for therapeutic and industrial applications.
Computer Support for Strategic Decision‐Making Processes: Review and Analysis*

This paper examines how computer-based support for strategic decision-making processes varies across the phases of decision making under a variety of conditions (represented by five contingency variables). The paper draws extensively from empirical research on the strategic decision-making processes, recognizing that these processes can be conducted in different ways. The relationships between the modes of the strategic decision process, the contingency variables, and the characteristics of computer-based support are examined. The paper thus represents an important first step towards deriving prescriptive implications for designers of computer-based support, whereby they can understand and design tools/systems for various phases and types of strategic decision-making processes.
Modeling Loose Joints in Elastic Structures— Simulation Algorithm and Results:

This is the third paper in a four companion paper sequence. In these papers, a hybrid parameter multiple body system (HPMBS) methodology is utilized to model the frictional contact/impact of a loose bolted joint between two sections of a cantilever beam undergoing planar slewing motion. In this preliminary model, a “rigid” joint is utilized, allowing the members of the joint to be rigid, each attached to an elastic beam section. Frictional contact/impact is modeled at four contact points. The contact constraints and momentum transfer are modeled with the idea of instantly applied nonholonomic constraints. In this paper, the contact and switching algorithms, the numerical solution scheme, and simulation results are presented. The theoretical model of the variable structure dynamic system, the momentum transfer equations and the experimental comparison are presented elsewhere. The motivation for this work is the need for accurate low order models of complicated nonlinear phenomena in structural systems.
Possible existence of a new absorption effect in dual absorptive model and the structure of $pi$N helicity amplitude

A possible new absorption effect in Harari's dual absorptive model is suggested and calculated in order to study the amplitude structure of pion-nucleon scattering. It is predicted that the imaginary part of the ${I}_{t}=1$, $s$-channel helicity-nonflip amplitude does not have the second zero near $|t|=0.8$ ${(\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^{2}$, although the same amplitude in the original dual absorptive model has such a zero due to the second zero of the Bessel function of the zeroth order in addition to the crossover zero at $|t|\ensuremath{\simeq}0.15$ ${(\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^{2}$. This result is consistent with those of the recent analytic amplitude analysis by Kelly and of the model-independent amplitude analysis by the Saclay group.
Performance issues in C language fault-tolerant software

Abstract An experiment is described for the determination of the overhead associated with N-version programming, a technique for achieving software reliability. Results are presented for the performance as a function of the number of versions in the voting process. Overhead is defined as additional algorithm execution time as required for the management of the voting process at each algorithm checkpoint. The experiment is conducted in a Unix C environment.
Using microwave observations to assess large‐scale control of free tropospheric water vapor in the mid‐latitudes

[1] The hypothesis of large scale control of midlatitude water vapor is evaluated through reconstructions of the water vapor field using a Lagrangian advection-condensation model without microphysics or diffusion. The reconstruction is validated against satellite observations in the 183.31 ± 1 GHz band from the AMSU-B radiometer following a model-to-satellite approach. Because microwave radiation can penetrate clouds, the validation can be performed for cloudy as well as clear sky scenes, with the exception of very cold or precipitating clouds, which are screened out. The results show very good agreement between the simulated top of the atmosphere radiation and the observations, in clear as well as cloudy regions, with a general bias of less than 2K. The results suggest that cloud microphysics and small scale mixing play at most a secondary role in determining midlatitude free tropospheric humidity except perhaps indirectly through their effect on large scale circulation.
Role of kairomones from host accessory gland secretion in host recognition by Telenomus remus and Trichogramma pretiosum, with partial characterization

Accessory gland materials from Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) and Heliothis zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) contained kairomones that influenced the host recognition or acceptance behavior of Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Scelonidae) and Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymeoptera: Trichogrammatidae), respectively. Material from S. frugiperda accessory glands stimulated ovipositor probing and drilling by female T. remus but not T. pretiosum. Accessory gland material from H. zea stimulated ovipositor probing and drilling by female T. pretiosum but not T. remus. An active material for T. remus is found in the 700 K protein fraction of accessory gland material from S. frugiperda. The oviposition behavior of the parasitoids is also discussed. RESUME Influence (et caracterisation partielle) des kairomones contenues dans les secretions des glandes annexes des hotes sur la selection de ces derniers par Telenomus remus et Trichogramma pretiosum. Cette etude a utilise une technique voisine de celle employee par Strand & Vinson (1982), pour examiner les reactions de parasitoides a des billes de verre enduites de substances, afin de determiner l'influence des secretions des glandes annexes (AGM) de Spodoptera frugiperda et Heliothis zea dans le reperage des hotes par Telenomus remus et Trichogramma pretiosum. Les femelles de T remus reagissaient plus aux billes enduites d'AGM de S. frugiperda qu'aux billes temois non enduites; celles de T. pretiosum reagissaient plus aux billes enduites d'AGM de H. zea qu'aux temoins. T remus n'a pas reagi aux billes enduites d'AGM de H. zea, ni T. pretiosum a celles enduites d'AGM de S. frugiperda. Les poids moleculaires des proteines des glandes annexes de H. zea sont 1.100 K et 50 K, et ceux de S. frugiperda de 700 K et 30 K (Strand & Vinson, 1983a). T. remus a mieux reagi aux billes enduites de la fraction 700 K de S. frugiperda qu'a celles enduites de la fraction 30 K, aux deux fractions de H. zea et aux billes temoins. Les billes enduites de la fraction 1.100 K de H. zea ont provoque aussi une reaction significative de T. remus. Les secretions des glandes annexes de S. frugiperda et de H. zea contiennent des kairomones qui interviennent dans le reperage des hotes respectifs de T remus et de T pretiosum. Mais, il semble peu probable que ces substances soient seules responsables de la reconnaissance de l'hote.
Image-based face illumination transferring using logarithmic total variation models

In this paper, we present a novel image-based technique that transfers illumination from a source face image to a target face image based on the Logarithmic Total Variation (LTV) model. Our method does not require any prior information regarding the lighting conditions or the 3D geometries of the underlying faces. We first use a Radial Basis Functions (RBFs)-based deformation technique to align key facial features of the reference 2D face with those of the target face. Then, we employ the LTV model to factorize each of the two aligned face images to an illumination-dependent component and an illumination-invariant component. Finally, illumination transferring is achieved by replacing the illumination-dependent component of the target face by that of the reference face. We tested our technique on numerous grayscale and color face images from various face datasets including the Yale face Database, as well as the application of illumination-preserved face coloring.
Cable route planning in complex environments using constrained sampling

We present a route planning algorithm for cable and wire layouts in complex environments. Our algorithm precomputes a global roadmap of the environment by using a variant of the probabilistic roadmap method (PRM) and performs constrained sampling near the contact space. Given the initial and the final configurations, we compute an approximate path using the initial roadmap generated on the contact space. We refine the approximate path by performing constrained sampling and use adaptive forward dynamics to compute a penetration-free path. Our algorithm takes into account geometric constraints like non-penetration and physical constraints like multi-body dynamics and joint limits. We highlight the performance of our planner on different scenarios of varying complexity.
Erythropoietin accelerates functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury.

Peripheral nerve injuries, both acute and chronic, are commonly seen by physicians in all subspecialties of orthopaedic surgery. Acute peripheral nerve injuries are generally associated with trauma—such as brachial plexus injuries, traumatic lacerations, fractures, and crush injuries. Peripheral nerve injuries can also occur iatrogenically, arising in the course of routine elective orthopaedic procedures1-3. Whatever the cause of a peripheral nerve injury, there are some generalities about its nature and prognosis. Specifically, it has long been known that the recovery potential is related to both patient and injury factors4. Recovery from the most mild neuropraxias is more reliable than recovery after complete laceration of a nerve, and older patients with poorer constitutions have the worst prognosis4-6. Little is known about the pathophysiology of neuronal injury. The mechanism of chronic injuries to peripheral nerves, as in cubital tunnel and carpal tunnel syndromes, is believed to be ischemic7,8. Acute injuries that do not result in the complete severing of the epineurium seem to have a better prognosis4, and the rate of recovery from these injuries is believed to be governed by the logistics of axonal transport. Finally, a patient with a lacerated nerve is likely to benefit from a repair that orients the severed nerve fibers with respect to each other9,10. These considerations, although profound, have not ensured the reliable recovery of patients with peripheral nerve injuries. Erythropoietin is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for use in the treatment of anemia with a minimal side-effect profile. Its proposed mechanism is anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory, which promotes cell survival11. Recent evidence has shown that erythropoietin also has an effect on cardiac, vascular, renal, and neural tissues12-14. Patients treated with erythropoietin show a reproducible improvement in peripheral neuronal function, even when peripheral neuropathy is not the chief symptom15. Although the role of erythropoietin in both central and peripheral neurons is still under investigation, in vitro evidence of its neuroprotective and neurotrophic role has motivated its application to various nerve-tissue disorders16-19. Furthermore, investigators have shown a protective effect of erythropoietin in the central nervous system—following both stroke and spinal cord injury20-23. In addition, diabetic peripheral neuropathy in a rat model seems to be sensitive to the administration of erythropoietin24. Despite these new findings, little is known about the effect of erythropoietin on acute peripheral nerve injuries. This study was designed to evaluate the possible role of erythropoietin administration, including a possible temporal administration response, in the functional recovery following acute peripheral nerve injuries.