cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-cranioplasty cerebrospinal fluid hydrodynamic changes: Magnetic resonance imaging quantitative analysis

The syndrome of the trephined has been described in many patients with cranial defects as an indication for cranioplasty. Cerebral blood flow changes, the effect of the atmospheric pressure on the brain, as well as cerebrospinal fluid hydrodynamic changes have been postulated as the possible reasons for this syndrome. Using dynamic phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging we measured arterial, venous, and cerebrospinal fluid flow into and out of the skull, before and after cranioplasty in one patient whose bone flap was removed because of osteomyelitis. We report significant changes in the oscillatory CSF flow after cranioplasty. A moderate increase in venous outflow as well as a two-fold increase in craniocaudal cerebrospinal fluid systolic flow velocity was measured after the skull closure. The changes in the cerebrospinal fluid oscillatory flow at the level of the craniovertebral junction could reflect changes in the compliance of the craniospinal system produced by closure of the cranial defect.
Nondestructive Field Evaluation of Aging Levels of Rejuvenated Asphalt Concrete Pavements

This study used a nonlinear ultrasonic approach with noncollinear wave mixing of subsurface longitudinal waves that was capable of evaluating the efficacy of rejuvenators in restoring the original properties of aged asphalt concrete (AC) pavements. AC specimens that were oven aged for 36 h at 135°C were treated on the top surface with a rejuvenator (10% of binder by weight) and left to dwell for prescribed periods of time. After the dwell time, each specimen was nondestructively evaluated. Because in the field, AC pavement acoustic properties (ultrasonic velocities and corresponding attenuations) are unknown, a predetermined fixed-incident angle (based on the AC mixture type) was used; this use allowed for practical implementation in the field. It was observed that the rejuvenator had the effect of restoring the material responses of oven-aged samples to those corresponding to virgin samples. It was also observed that the rejuvenating action was not uniform and depended on the samples’ porosity because of...
Soil microbial communities and elk foraging intensity: implications for soil biogeochemical cycling in the sagebrush steppe

Foraging intensity of large herbivores may exert an indirect top-down ecological force on soil microbial communities via changes in plant litter inputs. We investigated the responses of the soil microbial community to elk (Cervus elaphus) winter range occupancy across a long-term foraging exclusion experiment in the sagebrush steppe of the North American Rocky Mountains, combining phylogenetic analysis of fungi and bacteria with shotgun metagenomics and extracellular enzyme assays. Winter foraging intensity was associated with reduced bacterial richness and increasingly distinct bacterial communities. Although fungal communities did not respond linearly to foraging intensity, a greater β-diversity response to winter foraging exclusion was observed. Furthermore, winter foraging exclusion increased soil cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzyme potential and higher foraging intensity reduced chitinolytic gene abundance. Thus, future changes in winter range occupancy may shape biogeochemical processes via shifts in microbial communities and subsequent changes to their physiological capacities to cycle soil C and N.
Pan Trap Designs for Monitoring Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects in Conservation Gardens

Abstract Flowering ornamental plant species have the potential to support beneficial insect communities such as pollinating bees, wasps, and predatory plant bugs. We compared pan trap color, size, and placement height for sampling of insects in replicated conservation gardens planted with species selected to act as a conservation resource for pollinators and other beneficials. Of the 14 combinations of color, size, and height placement, yellow bowls (14.5-mm diam., 8.5 mm high) placed on the soil substrate captured the greatest numbers and diversity of pollinator and beneficial insect taxa. During the study, 16 species of bees were collected and identified, with Lasioglossum (Dialictus) imitatum Smith and Halictus ligatus Say (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) being the most abundant species collected, primarily in the yellow bowl pan traps at ground level.
Watching the News and Support for Democracy: Why Media Systems Matter†

Objective We explore whether the effect of watching television on support for democracy is contingent on the type of media system. In countries with well-developed public broadcasting systems, watching television news should enhance support for democracy. In more market-oriented systems with more superficial and episodic news content, watching television news should weaken democratic attachments. Methods We utilize Wave 6 of the World Values Survey to investigate the relationship between watching television news and support for democracy in the United States, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Results Watching television news in public broadcasting systems increases the importance one places on living in a democracy and evaluations of democratic governance. Watching television news in market-oriented systems increases support for authoritarian political systems. Conclusion The effect of watching television news on democratic attitudes is contingent on media system. Public broadcasting systems enhance democratic attitudes while market-oriented systems weaken these democratic attachments.
Influenza A virus recovery, diversity, and intercontinental exchange: A multi-year assessment of wild bird sampling at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Western Alaska is a potential point-of-entry for foreign-origin influenza A viruses (IAVs) into North America via migratory birds. We sampled waterfowl and gulls for IAVs at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in western Alaska, USA, during late summer and autumn months of 2011-2015, to evaluate the abundance and diversity of viruses at this site. We collected 4842 samples across five years from 25 species of wild birds resulting in the recovery, isolation, and sequencing of 172 IAVs. With the intent of optimizing sampling efficiencies, we used information derived from this multi-year effort to: 1) evaluate from which species we consistently recover viruses, 2) describe viral subtypes of isolates by host species and year, 3) characterize viral gene segment sequence diversity with respect to host species, and assess potential differences in the viral lineages among the host groups, and 4) examine how evidence of intercontinental exchange of IAVs relates to host species. We consistently recovered viruses from dabbling ducks (Anas spp.), emperor geese (Chen canagica) and glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens). There was little evidence for differences in viral subtypes and diversity from different waterfowl hosts, however subtypes and viral diversity varied between waterfowl host groups and glaucous-winged gulls. Furthermore, higher proportions of viral sequences from northern pintails (Anas acuta), emperor geese and glaucous-winged gulls were grouped in phylogenetic clades that included IAV sequences originating from wild birds sampled in Asia as compared to non-pintail dabbling ducks, a difference that may be related to intercontinental migratory tendencies of host species. Our summary of research and surveillance efforts at Izembek NWR will assist in future prioritization of which hosts to sample and swab types to collect in Alaska and elsewhere in order to maximize isolate recovery, subtype and sequence diversity for resultant viruses, and detection of evidence for intercontinental viral exchange.
An Exploratory Study Examining Obesity Risk in Non-Obese Mothers of Young Children Using a Socioecological Approach

This cross-sectional, exploratory study aimed to (1) develop an obesity risk score using a comprehensive set of variables assessing mothers’ intrapersonal weight-related characteristics and those of their homes’ interpersonal and physical environments, and (2) determine how weight-related characteristics differ by obesity risk level. U.S. mothers (N = 550) of preschool-aged children completed an online survey that assessed maternal self-report weight status, sociodemographics, health-related characteristics, and maternal intrapersonal and their homes’ interpersonal and physical environment weight-related characteristics. Binomial logistic regression analysis identified variables significantly associated with obesity. Scores for all obesity risk variables were summed to create a weighted obesity risk score for non-obese participants (n = 386). Analysis of variance and Tukey post-hoc tests determined how non-obese mothers’ sociodemographic, health-related, and intrapersonal and their homes’ interpersonal and physical environment characteristics differed among obesity risk score tertiles. Results revealed that eight variables explained 53 percent of maternal obesity risk, including African American race, lower education level, more children in household, poorer maternal health, higher weight teasing history, higher body dissatisfaction, primary relative with obesity, and greater concern about children’s overweight risk. Non-obese mothers in the highest obesity risk tertile had greater food insecurity risk, lower family affluence, worse sleep quality, less fruit/vegetable availability, and reported less frequent modeling of healthy behaviors and more family conflict. In conclusion, eight characteristics that explained more than half of the risk for obesity in non-obese mothers of young children, may help healthcare professionals identify mothers at increased risk of obesity and offer preventive care early.
RECQ DNA Helicases and Osteosarcoma

The RECQ family of DNA helicases is a conserved group of enzymes that are important for maintaining genomic integrity. In humans, there are five RECQ helicase genes, and mutations in three of them—BLM, WRN, and RECQL4—are associated with the genetic disorders Bloom syndrome, Werner syndrome, and Rothmund–Thomson syndrome (RTS), respectively. Importantly all three diseases are cancer predisposition syndromes. Patients with RTS are highly and uniquely susceptible to developing osteosarcoma; thus, RTS provides a good model to study the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. The “tumor suppressor” role of RECQL4 and the other RECQ helicases is an area of active investigation. This chapter reviews what is currently known about the cellular functions of RECQL4 and how these may relate to tumorigenesis, as well as ongoing efforts to understand RECQL4’s functions in vivo using animal models. Understanding the RECQ pathways may provide insight into avenues for novel cancer therapies in the future.
Metal concentrations and concomitant metal mobility in unsaturated mine and mill wastes

The shallow sediments in the Smelterville Flats portion of the Coeur d'Alene River Valley in north Idaho consist of a heterogeneous mixture of mine wastes and alluvium reworked during flood events. The wastes cover an area of approximately eight square kilometres. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Inductively-Coupled Plasma analyses on mine waste-sediment samples collected to the depth of the water table show maximum metal concentrations of about 20% Fe, 12% Pb, 10% Zn, 3% Mn, 2.8% Al, 0.13% Cu, 0.1% Cd, 370 ppm As, 170 ppm Ag, 150 ppm Sb, and 70 ppm Ni. The positive correlation between Fe, Ca, and Mg concentrations and sample pH suggests that the carbonate gangue minerals (siderite, ferrodolomite, and ankerite) control the pH. Other metals that exhibit a positive correlation with sample pH also may be present in the carbonate minerals. Identification of factors that govern metal mobility suggests that: (a) the pH of the water in the uppermost aquifer plays a minor role in controlling the solubility of most metals in the solid waste samples; b) the carbonate gangue minerals buffer the ground water pH and hence the solubility of metal sulfides; c) solubility of the carbonate gangue minerals decreases under anaerobic conditions, thereby allowing the ground water pH to decrease; d) solubility of Pb, Zn, and Cd correlates directly to anaerobic conditions as opposed to aerobic conditions.
Effects of alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehydes on macrophage and neutrophil membrane function, fluidity and sulfhydryl status.

We have postulated that oxidative damage in the lung may be mediated by alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes formed during oxidant stress by ozone. As such, we are investigating the toxic effects of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes on alveolar macrophages since these are key cells in the lung, important for the detoxification and removal of inhaled particles and for their interaction with lymphoid cells for immune functions. Since many of these functions are critically dependent on the integrity of the macrophage plasma membrane, we have concentrated our efforts on the effects of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes on macrophage plasma membrane function and dynamic properties. The alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes inhibit the plasma membrane NADPH-dependent oxidase which metabolizes oxygen to superoxide anion radical, a precursor species to bactericidal active oxygen species such as •OH and H2O2. The observed IC50’s for inhibition of the macrophage oxidase are 24, 77 and 240 uM for acrolein, trans-4-hydroxynonenal and crotonaldehyde, respectively.1 Similar IC50’s were obtained for the inhibition by these aldehydes of the corresponding oxidase in human neutrophils.2
System Calibration for FastSPECT III: An Ultra-High Resolution CCD-Based Pinhole SPECT System

FastSPECT III is a recently developed ultra-highresolution small-animal SPECT imaging system. With 20 CCDbased intensified quantum-imaging cameras (iQID) and 250micron diameter platinum pinhole apertures, this stationary SPECT system offers $\sim 350$ microns isotropic linear resolution. This paper presents a novel system calibration method for FastSPECT III and other high-resolution stationary pinholeSPECT systems. The performance of the new system calibration method was evaluated using multi-bed-position MLEM reconstruction and helically-scanned objects. Originally designed for high-resolution rodent brain imaging to study neurological pathologies, FastSPECT III now offers whole-body mouse imaging capabilities with ultra-high spatial resolution.
System-Level Approach for Identifying Main Uncertainty Sources in Pavement Construction Life-Cycle Assessment for Quantifying Environmental Impacts

AbstractPoor data quality in pavement construction life-cycle inventory (LCI) causes uncertainty in quantifying the associated environmental impact through life-cycle assessment (LCA). To reduce su...
Impact of metal adhesion layer diffusion on thermal interface conductance

Systematic measurements on the impact of interdiffusion between a metal overlayer and adhesion layer on the thermal interface conductance ($G$) at the metal bilayer-dielectric interface are reported. Composition depth profiles quantify the interdiffusion of a Au-Cu bilayer as a function of Cu adhesion layer thickness (0--10 nm), annealing time, and annealing temperature. Optical pump/probe measurements of $G$ quantify the effect of Au-Cu interdiffusion on thermal transport across the (Au-Cu)-$\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ interface. The enhancement of $G$ between Au and $\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ through the addition of a Cu adhesion layer decreases as Au-Cu interdiffusion occurs. For example, annealing a 49-nm Au film with a 4.7-nm Cu adhesion layer on $\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ at 520 K for 30 min, results in a $57\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15%$ drop in $G$. An analytical model of the composition profile is derived with inputs of annealing time, temperature dependent permeabilities of the Au-Cu interface to each species, and the initial thicknesses of the Au and Cu layers. Integrating this model with a diffuse mismatch model defines a methodology for the prediction of $G$ that accounts for interdiffusion in metal bilayers on dielectric substrates, and can be used to evaluate the degradation of $G$ over a device's lifetime.
Pursing a career in academic surgery among African American medical students.

Abstract Background There are few African American students in medical school, and even fewer are choosing academic surgical careers. The objective of this study is to provide insight into what barriers URM students perceive when considering a career in academic surgery. Methods This qualitative, descriptive study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania. Sixteen African American students with an interest in surgery were recruited to participate in the study. The outcomes reported are themes of how participants perceive the challenges of pursuing an academic surgical career. Results Barriers to pursuing a career in academic surgery cited by students included lifestyle concerns, financial pressures, having to work in a predominantly white environment, lack of mentorship, feelings of having to prove oneself, stressful environments and concerns of being a minority female in surgery. Conclusions These study findings indicate that the persistent dearth of African-Americans in academic surgery is likely multi-factorial. Some ways surgical leadership can begin addressing these issues is through establishment of formal mentorship programs, ensuring non-discriminatory recruiting processes, having explicit goals of improving diversity and supporting pipeline programs.
Abstract P312: Association Between Religious Attendance And Obesity In African American And Afro-Caribbean Men

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of obesity continues to be a public health concern in the United States (US). Religiosity, commonly characterized as the frequency of ritualistic practice an...
Can Ultrasound Measures of Muscle and Adipose Tissue Thickness Predict Body Composition of Premature Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background Premature infants are at risk for adverse metabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes due to growth alterations in early infancy. Monitoring body composition by tracking gains in fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) may assist clinicians in preventing obesity and metabolic disease while promoting optimal growth and development. A prospective, observational study was conducted to determine the ability of ultrasound (US) measurements of muscle and adipose tissue thickness to predict whole-body composition (FFM, FM, percent body fat [%BF]). Methods Sixty-three healthy premature infants were recruited from the University of Minnesota's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Anthropometric measurements, air displacement plethysmography, and US measurements of abdomen, biceps, and quadriceps muscle and of adipose tissue thickness were conducted when infants were medically stable. The relationship between US measurements and body composition was assessed using stepwise linear regression analysis. Results In linear regression analyses, biceps adipose and the sum of adipose thickness measurements were significant predictors of %BF, but prediction models had low R2 (0.17 and 0.16, respectively) and high root-mean-square error. US measurements of muscle thickness were not predictive of whole-body FFM. Conclusion US measurements of muscle and adipose tissue thickness at the examined sites are not adequate surrogates for whole-body composition in preterm infants. Exploration of alternate measurement sites may improve predictive ability.
Presidents as Thinkers: Barack Obama and His Progressive Predecessors

All presidents are political leaders. Some are also political thinkers. This article situates Obama securely in the traditions of Progressive political reform and progressive political thought, while also presenting the firmly embedded hurdles to progressive reform that exist within American democracy. Obama’s Progressivism is rooted in the pragmatic, anti-machine politics of the early twentieth century and draws much of its moral impetus from the same social gospel that inspired reforms a hundred years ago. At the same time, he worked to overcome resistance to reform based on “persistent localism, distrust of the federal government, a deep ambivalence about engaging in world affairs, and a racism that appears as deeply entrenched in the twenty-first century as it was in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth.”
Data-driven modeling to optimize the injection well placement for waterflooding in heterogeneous reservoirs applying artificial neural networks and reducing observation cost:

Secondary recovery methods such as waterflooding are often applied to depleted reservoirs for enhancing oil and gas production. Given that a large number of discretized elements are required in the...
Children's Health Insurance Coverage: Progress, Problems, And Priorities For 2021 And Beyond

Expansion of Medicaid and establishment of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) represent a significant success story in the national effort to guarantee health insurance for children. Th...
Analytical Approach to Screen Semiconducting MOFs Using Bloch Mode Analysis and Spectroscopic Measurements.

A rapid and simple analytical approach is developed to screen the semiconducting properties of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) by modeling the band structure and predicting the density of state of isoreticular MOFs (IRMOFs). One can consider the periodic arrangement of metal nodes linked by organic subunits as a 1D periodic array crystal model, which can be aligned with any unit-cell axis included in the IRMOF's primitive cubic lattice. In such a structure, each valence electron of a metal atom feels the potential field of the entire periodic array. We allocate the 1D periodic array in a crystal unit cell to three IRMOFs-n (n = 1, 8, and 10) of the Zn4O(L)3 IRMOF series and apply the model to their crystal lattices with unit-cell constants a = 25.66, 30.09, and 34.28 A, respectively. By solving Schrodinger's equation with a Kronig-Penney periodic potential and fitting the computed energy spectra to IRMOFs' experimental spectroscopic data, we model electronic band structures and obtain densities of state. The band diagram of each IRMOF reveals the nature of its electronic structures and density of state, allowing one to identify its n- or p-type semiconducting behavior. This novel analytical approach serves as a predictive and rapid screening tool to search the MOF database to identify potential semiconducting MOFs.
Moyamoya as a Cause of Altered Mental Status in the Emergency Department: A Case Report

Author(s): West, Michael; Dearing, Elizabeth | Abstract: Introduction: This case reviews a patient with moyamoya disease, a rare cause of altered mental status. It highlights the importance of maintaining clinical suspicion for uncommon causes of common presentations.Case Report: A 64-year-old male presented with seizures and persistent altered mental status. Computed tomography demonstrated findings consistent with bilateral ischemia. Cerebral angiography was performed with no thrombus identified but moyamoya disease present.Conclusion: Although rare, moyamoya should be considered as a potential cause of patients presenting with altered mental status. The case presented also highlights the importance of avoiding common diagnostic biases.
Sex hormones regulate metainflammation in diet-induced obesity in mice.

Men have a statistically higher risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease than premenopausal women, but the mechanisms mediating these differences are elusive. Chronic inflammation during obesity contributes to disease risk and is significantly more robust in males. Prior work demonstrated that compared with obese males, obese females have reduced proinflammatory adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs). Given the paucity of data on how sex hormones contribute to macrophage responses in obesity, we sought to understand the role of sex hormones in promoting obesity-induced myeloid inflammation. We used gonadectomy, estrogen receptor–deficient alpha chimeras, and androgen-insensitive mice to model sex hormone deficiency. These models were evaluated in diet-induced obesity conditions (high-fat diet [HFD]) and in vitro myeloid assays. We found that ovariectomy increased weight gain and adiposity. Ovariectomized females had increased ATMs and bone marrow myeloid colonies compared with sham-gonadectomized females. In addition, castrated males exposed to HFD had improved glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and adiposity with fewer Ly6chi monocytes and bone marrow myeloid colonies compared with sham-gonadectomized males, although local adipose inflammation was enhanced. Similar findings were observed in androgen-insensitive mice; however, these mice had fewer CD11c+ ATMs, implying a developmental role for androgens in myelopoiesis and adipose inflammation. We concluded that gonadectomy results in convergence of metabolic and inflammatory responses to HFD between the sexes, and that myeloid estrogen receptor alpha contributes minimally to diet-induced inflammatory responses, whereas loss of androgen-receptor signaling improves metabolic and inflammatory outcomes. These studies demonstrate that sex hormones play a critical role in sex differences in obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and myeloid inflammation.
Economic Analysis and Policy Studies: Special Challenges in the Prevention Sciences

There is growing pressure to view prevention interventions as “investments” and to hold them accountable for yielding favorable returns to taxpayers. This chapter reviews challenges that arise when applying such thinking (“economic analysis”) to evaluating prevention interventions.
Consumer health information: The community college conundrum

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of consumer health in the community college setting, sharing ideas and information on the place of community college libraries in consumer health efforts. Section one explores the unique setting and role of community colleges within higher education in the United States. Information needs of different patron types are outlined in the second section. Next, the chapter continues to analyze the community college by looking closely at consumer health information issues including concerns regarding staffing, access, services, and organization of materials. Section four briefly discusses health literacy. Finally, section five explores the future and potential solutions to the issues raised throughout the chapter.
The PTEN/MMAC1 tumor suppressor induces cell death that is rescued by the AKT/protein kinase B oncogene.

PTEN/MMAC1 is a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated in a variety of cancers. PTEN encodes a phosphatase that recognizes phosphoprotein substrates and the phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate. PTEN inhibited cell growth and/or colony formation in all of the epithelial lines tested with one exception. The decrease in cellular proliferation was associated with an induction of apoptosis and an inhibition of signaling through the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase pathway. Akt/protein kinase B , a gene whose antiapoptotic function is regulated by phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate, was able to rescue cells from PTEN-dependent death. PTEN, therefore, appears to suppress tumor growth by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase signaling.
The academic library in the enterprise of colleges and universities: Toward a new paradigm

Abstract The academic library’s teaching role remains marginal. The utilitarian foundations of The United States’ colleges and universities as well as current developments render this marginalization untenable. Those same factors also reinforce the need for formal recognition of library instruction as a necessary component of the general educational requirement of colleges and universities.
Legionnaires' Disease: A Sporadic Case

A patient with Legionnaires' disease developed consolidated pneumonia with severe hypoxemia and mental confusion; his condition improved with therapy with positive end-expiratory pressure, steroids, and chloramphenicol. The retrospective diagnosis was made by a fourfold rise in indirect fluorescent antibody titers. The chest x-ray films showed bilateral alveolar infiltrates and air bronchograms.
Toxicity of 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene diepoxide after 13 weeks of dermal or oral exposure in rats and mice

Abstract 4-Vinyl-1-cyclohexene diepoxide (VCHD) is used as a chemical intermediate and as a reactive diluent for diepoxides and epoxy resins. Toxicology studies were conducted by administering VCHD in acetone by dermal application or in corn oil by gavage to F344 N rats and B6C3F1 mice for 13 weeks. In the 13-week dermal studies, groups of 10 rats of each sex received 0.3 ml of VCHD in acetone at concentrations ranging from 6.25 to 200 mg/ml, and mice received 0.1 ml at concentrations ranging from 6.25 to 100 mg/ml. Skin lesions were observed at the site of application at the top two dose levels for both species and sexes, and consisted of acanthosis, parakeratosis, and hyperkeratosis of the epidermis and sebaceous gland hyperplasia. In mice, follicular atrophy of the ovary, characterized by decreased numbers of primary and secondary follicles, occurred at the 50- and 100-mg dose levels, In 13-week oral studies, groups of 10 rats and mice of each sex were administered VCHD at dose levels ranging from 62.5 to 1000 mg/kg in corn oil. In rats and mice, there were body weight decreases in the groups given the two highest doses. The major target organs in rats were forestomach (hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis) and kidney (tubular cell degeneration/necrosis and regeneration). In mice the target organs included forestomach (hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis), ovary (follicular atrophy), and testis (degeneration of germinal epithelium).
Designer natriuretic peptides for heart failure: advanced in clinical development

Background The increasing burden of heart failure (HF) is a major unmet need for new therapeutics. No new drug has been approved for HF for over a decade. The natriuretic peptides as endogenous activators of particulate guanylyl cyclase (GC) receptors represent an unparalleled opportunity for novel therapeutic agents for HF. Specifically, the GC-A receptor activated by ANP and BNP and GCB activation by CNP mediate beneficial pleiotropic actions, which include natriuresis, vasodilatation, suppression of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, inhibition of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, retardation of fibrosis and improvement in ventricular function and structure.
Rationale for new treatments aimed at IgE immunomodulation.

Objective To review potential or current therapies that decrease IgE synthesis or effects. Data Sources Relevant literature in peer-reviewed journals and abstracts from national meetings. Study Selection Key articles were selected by the authors. Results Modulation of IgEmediated diseases can occur at several levels. Transcription factors may be altered to differentiate lymphocytes into a T H 1 phenotype, thus decreasing T H 2-driven IgE production. This may be accomplished by inhibiting GATA-3 with peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor agonists or promoting T-bet expression with CpG motifs. Inhibiting IgE-promoting cytokines may be accomplished by blocking the effects or synthesis of interleukin 4 (IL-4) or IL-13 by suplatast tosilate. Cytokine therapy with anti–IL-4 or anti-IL-13 has the potential to directly influence IgEmediated diseases, but strategies aimed at IL-4 alone have been disappointing. Clinical trials with interferon-γ or IL-12, 2 cytokines important in promoting T H 1 and inhibiting T H 2 responses, have been fraught with adverse effects that make their use limited. The use of plasmids encoding interferon-γ or IL-12 has shown promise in animal models. Inhibition of IgE synthesis has been demonstrated with anti-CD23 antibodies. Early human studies have been very encouraging, and larger studies are under way. The only IgE immunomodulator currently available for use is omalizumab. Omalizumab is effective for allergic asthma in children and adults. Conclusions Newer therapies hold great promise for the future treatment of allergic respiratory diseases, but clinical trials are necessary to accurately evaluate risk-benefit ratios of IgE immunomodulators.
The prognostic significance of Gleason scores in metastatic prostate cancer

Abstract Purpose Although the majority of metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) will arise from tumors with Gleason scores (GS) of 8 to 10 existing tumor grade analyses for mPCa have been almost uniformly limited to comparisons of≤7 vs.≥8. In this analysis, we comprehensively evaluate the GS as a prognostic factor for mPCa in the era of the updated Gleason grading system. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for patients with mPCa, GS 6 to 10, diagnosed from 2006 to 2008. GS and primary-secondary Gleason pattern variations were analyzed for overall survival and prostate cancer–specific survival (PCSS). Results A total of 4,654 patients were evaluable. At 4 years, the overall survival rates were 51%, 45%, 34%, 25%, and 15% and PCSS rates were 69%, 57%, 44%, 33%, and 21% for GS 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, respectively. Survival differences for GS 7 vs. 8, 8 vs. 9, and 9 vs. 10 were highly significant on both univariate and multivariate analyses accounting for age, prostate-specific antigen level, and T stage (all P Conclusions In this large population-based cohort, stratified survival outcomes were observed for GS 6 to 10, with sequential comparisons of GS 7 to 10, and the presence and extent of Gleason pattern 5 representing independent prognostic factors in the metastatic setting.
The City in the Second Testament

While interest in the ancient city has been strong in recent Second Testament scholarship, such work has not always been informed by a social-scientific understanding that allows us to distinguish the pre-industrial cities of the the past from the modem ones we now inhabit. This BTB Reader's Guide is thus intended to give the student of Second Testament who is a non-specialist in urban studies a review of the basic literature needed for understanding the pre-industrial city in the Second Testament. After a description of the use of the term city by ancient writers and comment about anachronistic perceptions prevalent today, two types of literature are surveyed: (1) historical literature on the rise of the ancient city and (2) social-science literature on the nature of the pre-industrial city and urban system.
Dielectric properties of polymer-particle nanocomposites influenced by electronic nature of filler surfaces.

The interface between the polymer and the particle has a critical role in altering the properties of a composite dielectric. Polymer-ceramic nanocomposites are promising dielectric materials for many electronic and power devices, combining the high dielectric constant of ceramic particles with the high dielectric breakdown strength of a polymer. Self-assembled monolayers of electron rich or electron poor organophosphate coupling groups were applied to affect the filler–polymer interface and investigate the role of this interface on composite behavior. The interface has potential to influence dielectric properties, in particular the leakage and breakdown resistance. The composite films synthesized from the modified filler particles dispersed into an epoxy polymer matrix were analyzed by dielectric spectroscopy, breakdown strength, and leakage current measurements. The data indicate that significant reduction in leakage currents and dielectric losses and improvement in dielectric breakdown strengths resulte...
Functional illiteracy among emergency department patients: A preliminary study

Study objectives: To determine the ability of emergency department patients to understand common written discharge instructions and the level of reading difficulty of standard discharge instructions. Design: The study was performed in two parts. In part 1, subjects were asked to read one set of standard written discharge instructions. Then, with the instructions to refer to, subjects were asked to answer five questions about the instructions. A subject's level of success was correlated with age, sex, and highest level of education. In part 2, 47 sets of standard written discharge instructions from six different EDs were computer analyzed using five commonly used readability formulas. Results were reported as grade levels. Setting: The ED of a large inner-city university hospital. Type of participants: The subjects for part 1 were 400 adult ED patients who presented on randomly selected days. Measurements and main results: Part 1: A significant proportion of patients failed to answer correctly at least four of five questions. Patients educated beyond high school demonstrated higher levels of success than did those with less education. A trend was noted for younger subjects to perform better than older subjects. The answers to the three most frequently missed questions were contained within areas of difficult sentence structure or long paragraphs containing large amounts of information. Part 2: The average grade level required to understand instruction sheets ranged from 6.0 to 13.4. More difficult instruction sheets tended to contain numerous multisyllabic words, long sentences, and difficult sentence structure. Conclusion: A significant proportion of ED patients have a demonstrable inability to understand common written instructions. ED instruction sheets are written at a level of difficulty that is out of the readable range for many patients. Health care providers should strive to simplify written materials and to develop new methods for instructing those for whom current written materials have no meaning.
Analysis of a Bi-Harmonic Tapping Mode for Atomic Force Microscopy

The tapping mode (TM) is a popularly used imaging mode in atomic force microscopy (AFM). A feedback loop regulates the amplitude of the tapping cantilever by adjusting the offset between the probe and sample; the image is generated from the control action. This paper explores the role of the trajectory of the tapping cantilever in the accuracy of the acquired image. This paper demonstrates that reshaping the cantilever trajectory alters the amplitude response to changes in surface topography, effectively altering the mechanical sensitivity of the instrument. Trajectory dynamics are analyzed to determine the effect on mechanical sensitivity and analysis of the feedback loop is used to determine the effect on image accuracy. Experimental results validate the analysis, demonstrating better than 30% improvement in mechanical sensitivity using certain trajectories. Images obtained using these trajectories exhibit improved sharpness and surface tracking, especially at high scan speeds.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Early-onset repeated dieting reduces food intake and body weight but not adiposity in dietary-obese female rats.

Abstract As dieting behavior and attempts at weight loss are becoming increasingly common in adolescent girls, we wished to determine whether early-onset repeated dieting influenced the development of obesity and its metabolic correlates. Female rats were fed a high-fat diet and subjected to six cycles of dieting and regain, beginning in the peripubertal period. Although dieted rats weighed less than nondieted high-fat fed controls at the completion of the sixth cycle, body composition analysis revealed that the two groups were equally obese. Cumulative caloric intake was less in dieted rats, suggesting that the pattern of consumption promoted by dieting helped to establish the obesity. Resting metabolic rate did not differ between the two groups. These data suggest that although early-onset repeated dieting may result in reduced body weight the eventual level of adiposity may be unknowingly elevated, potentially leading to long-term health risks.
STEREOCHEMICAL AND KINETIC APPLICATIONS OF DEUTERIUM ISOTOPE EFFECTS

Several published and unpublished work concerning primary, secondary, and experimental deuterium isotope effects, rates of racemization and anharmonicity of deuterium labeled compounds, and the carbon-- deuterium bond distance as compared to the carbon-hydrogen bond distance are discussed, analyzed, and illustrated. Some calculations, k/sub H//kD, lambda , kD, /kT, kH, kD, , and krac>i, are included. (P.C.H.)
Resources for forensic psychology: a selective bibliography

Libraries supporting a forensic psychology undergraduate and/or graduate level college program need to collect materials from a range of disciplines – psychology, law, psychiatry and criminal justice. This guide identifies the major reference works, journals, databases and other resources that should be in a good forensic psychology collection.
Fluorine and Tin Uptake by Enamel Studied by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ESCA)

ESCA has been combined with argon-ion etching to obtain depth profiles for SnF2-treated enamel. Three zones of products from the topical treatment are detected: a layer of tin oxide on the surface; fluoroapatite + hydroxyapatite at depths below about 0.2 micron; an intermediate layer CaF2, Sn(OH)2, Sn2PO4OH, and fluoroapatite between the two. Sn3F3PO4 was not detected.
High effectiveness shielding materials and optimal shield design

A preliminary investigation of the effectiveness of new composite materials under development for shielding against neutrons and photons is reported upon. These materials are made from a proper mix of powders of tungsten, titanium or zirconium hydride and boron carbide, all bonded by hydrogenous materials such as polyethylene or silicone based materials. The investigation is carried out with the aid of the shield optimization code SWAN by considering a simplified 40-cm-thick spherical shield with CI-252 source at its center. The shielding ability of the new, so-called polynated and siliconated, materials is found to be highly superior to that of shielding materials in common use. The flexibility in tailoring the mix of inelastic scatterers, elastic scatterers, neutron absorbers, and photon attenuators to one's shielding needs, along with the information on material effectiveness functions which can be calculated with a code such as SWAN, are expected to enable improvements in future shield designs.
Microphase Separation Mode-Dependent Mechanical Response in Poly(vinyl ester)/PEO Triblock Copolymers

The morphology and mechanical properties of a series of poly(vinyl ester)/poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers are reported. Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerizations of vinyl ester monomers mediated by an α,ω-telechelic poly(ethylene oxide) bearing terminal xanthate functionalities enable the bidirectional syntheses of monodisperse POP, AOA, and BOB (P = poly(vinyl pivalate); A = poly(vinyl acetate); B = poly(vinyl benzoate); O = poly(ethylene oxide)) triblock copolymers. By controlling the extent of monomer conversion in these RAFT polymerizations using a single difunctional macro-RAFT chain transfer agent having Mn,O = 11.3 kg/mol, a series of polymers having O mass fractions 0.25 ≤ wO ≤ 1.00 and Mn,total = 14.9–45.1 kg/mol (Mw/Mn < 1.40) were synthesized. Through a combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and variable-temperature small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analyses, the three triblock series are shown to exhibit three different solid-state morph...
Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Neuromotor Function in Rural Children.

Objective To investigate the relationship between secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure and neuromotor function in children. Study design We studied 404 children aged 7-9 years who were exposed to SHS and other environmental neurotoxicants. Parents reported smoking habits, and serum cotinine levels were measured in children to determine SHS exposure. The Halstead-Reitan Finger Oscillation Test, Purdue Grooved Pegboard Test–Kiddie version, and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2-Short Form were used to assess neuromotor function. Multivariable regression models that accounted for potential confounders were used to evaluate the associations. Results Approximately 50% of the children were exposed to SHS based on serum cotinine measures. Exposure to SHS was significantly associated with motor impairment in children, including diminished visuomotor coordination ( P = .01), fine motor integration ( P = .01), balance ( P = .02), and strength ( P = .04) after adjusting for exposures to lead and manganese, age, sex, body mass index, measures of parental cognitive abilities, parental education, and quality of home environment. Conclusion SHS is a neurotoxicant that may be associated with impaired childhood neuromotor function.
Growth inhibition of prostate cancer cells by epigallocatechin gallate in the presence of Cu2

Green tea is an effective chemopreventive agent to human prostate cancer adenoma (PCA). Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) inhibited the growth of PCA cells and induced apoptosis. Cu2+ is a trace elem...
Investigating the Oxidation of Biodiesel From Used Vegetable Oil by FTIR Spectroscopy: Used Vegetable Oil Biodiesel Oxidation Study by FTIR

ABSTRACT The thermal oxidation of a biodiesel prepared from used vegetable oil was investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Spectral changes were observed in the hydroxyl, carbonyl, and cis/trans double bond regions for the control and Vitamin E–added samples. These spectral changes, increasing with increasing oxidation, were attributed to common oxidation products. IR results also suggested an oxidation-induced breakage of methyl ester linkages and agreed with those from selected physical property measurements. This preliminary study demonstrated the feasibility and potential of FTIR spectroscopy, a fast and reagent-free method, in assessing the oxidation state of biodiesel and providing understanding of its oxidative degradation.
The secondary β-deuterium isotope effect in dark adaptation of bacteriorhodopsin containing retinal-20,20,20-d3

Abstract The secondary deuterium isotope effect on the rate of dark adaptation of photobleached purple membrane reconstituted with retinal- 20,20,20-d 3 is k H k D = 0.87 ± 0.02 . The inverse isotope effect which reflects the change in hyperconjugative stabilization of positive charge at retinal's C13 in going from reactant to the transition state of the rate-controlling step is rationalized, with the aid of MNDO calculations, as being due to the addition of a nucleophile, presumably the carboxylate of aspartate-212, to retinal's C13 to catalyze the double cis-trans isomerization which is attendant with the dark-adaptation process.
Trading volume, maturity and natural gas futures price volatility

Important characteristics of the natural gas spot and futures markets are discussed. The relationship between the variance of price change (or volatility) of the natural gas futures price and maturity of the futures contract and the volume of trading in the futures contact is also discussed and estimated. It is found that the volume of trade rather than maturity explains the variance of the volatility. It is also discovered that past levels of volume of trade influence current variability of price volatility but that past variability of price volatility has much less of an influence on current levels of trading.