cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intrafollicular pressure promotes partial evacuation of the antrum during hamster ovulation in vitro

The role of intrafollicular pressure in evacuation of the hamster cumulus from the follicle at ovulation was investigated experimentally in vitro. Previous work has shown that the cumulus is generally evacuated in two stages (Talbot, '82). Phase 1 occurs immediately at rupture and is characterized by rapid (<60 seconds) extrusion of about 20% of the cumulus and usually the oocyte. Phase 2 includes the gradual (2–10 minutes) removal of the remainder of the cumulus and collapse of the follicle wall. Fresh or aged follicles (approximate intrafollicular pressures = 2.1 or 0.0 mmHg, respectively) were poked with “0” gauge insect pins to produce a rupture site in their apices. Of 69 fresh follicles tested, 68 responded with phase 1 extrusion; 57 of the 68 evacuated the oocyte in addition to a significant portion of the cumulus. In contrast, only seven out of 80 aged follicles showed phase 1 extrusion, and only three out of these seven extruded the oocyte. To verify that phase 1 extrusion in fresh follicles was due to intrafollicular pressure and not smooth muscle cell (SMC) contraction, some fresh poked follicles were fixed for microscopy. Twelve of 14 follicles had flat bases or small V-shaped constriction in their bases, indicating SMC contraction had not occurred. This was further substantiated by examining several follicles with transmission electron microscopy; SMC in the theca externa were relaxed by morphological criteria. To determine if phase 2 extrusion occurred in poked follicles, fresh follicles were poked, cultured in vitro for 3 hours, and examined microscopically. Phase 1 occurred in all follicles after poking. The remainder of the cumulus was eventually evacuated from the antrum, although much more slowly than during normal in vitro ovulation. The follicle wall did not collapse in these trials. We conclude that intrafollicular pressure is responsible for phase 1 extrusion, i.e., rapid passage of part of the cumulus and oocyte through the rupture site, and that intrafollicular pressure will promote phase 1 extrusion in the absence of SMC contraction. The remainder of the cumulus can be evacuated in the absence of IFP and collapse of the follicle wall; perhaps this occurs by hydration of that portion of the cumulus evacuated during phase 1. Hydration would tend to expand the cumulus and pull the remaining cumulus from the antrum. These results establish a role for intrafollicular pressure in hamster ovulation.
How the ear's works work

The senses of hearing and equilibrium depend on sensory receptors called hair cells which can detect motions of atomic dimensions and respond more than 100,000 times a second. Biophysical studies suggest that mechanical forces control the opening and closing of transduction channels by acting through elastic components in each hair cell's mechanoreceptive hair bundle. Other ion channels, as well as the mechanical and hydrodynamic properties of hair bundles, tune individual hair cells to particular frequencies of stimulation.
Similar enzymes, different structures: Phthalate dioxygenase is an α3α3 stacked hexamer, not an α3β3 trimer like "normal" Rieske oxygenases

Phthalate dioxygenase (PDO) is a member of a class of bacterial oxygenases that contain both Rieske [2Fe-2S] and Fe(II) mononuclear centers. Recent crystal structures of several Rieske dioxygenases showed that they exist as alpha(3)beta(3) multimers with subunits arranged head-to-tail in alpha and beta stacked planar rings. The structure of PDO, which consists of only alpha-subunits, remains to be solved. Although similar to other Rieske dioxygenases in many aspects, PDO was shown to differ in the mechanism of catalysis. Gel filtration and analytical centrifugation experiments, supplemented with mass spectrometric analysis (both ESI-MS and ESI-GEMMA), in this work showed a hexameric arrangement of subunits in the PDO multimer. Our proposed model for the subunit arrangement in PDO postulates two alpha(3) planar rings one on top the other, similar to the alpha(3)beta(3) arrangement in other Rieske dioxygenases. Unlike other Rieske dioxygenases, this arrangement brings two Rieske and two mononuclear centers, all on separate subunits, into proximity, allowing their cooperation for catalysis. Potential reasons necessitating this unusual structural arrangement are discussed.
Basic science pharmacy faculty publication patterns from research-intensive US Colleges, 1999 – 2003

Objectives:The purpose of this paper was to determine publication patterns of basic science faculty (medicinal chemistry,pharmaceutics, and pharmacology) in research-intensive US colleges of pharmacy utilizing the Science citation index (SCI)database. A secondary purpose was to determine the sensitivity of our SCI search method in identifying basic science faculty publications. Methods:We searched SCI for publications by basic science faculty from five randomly selected health sciences-based,public colleges of pharmacy for each of the years 1999 – 2003. The search strategy involved searching individual faculty bystate, year and author name. Results:Our search strategy had a false-positive error rate of approximately 2%. Basic science faculty published an average of 3:6 +/- 4:25 publications per year (95% CI 3.2 – 4.0) for the years 1999 –2003. Approximately 15% of the faculty published 50% of the total publications. Full professors (n= 215) averaged significantly higher publications per year (4.77) compared to associate professor (n=135) at 2.75, and assistant professors (n=120) at 2.59. Pharmacology faculty (n=114)averaged significantly lower publications per year (2.60), compared with pharmaceutics faculty (n=178) at 3.90 and medicinal chemistry faculty (n= 172) at 4.11. Conclusion:These data provide normative values to compare publication rates among research-intensive basic science pharmacy faculty. However, simple publication counts such as these provide no insight into the quality or importance of thepublished information.
Evidence for an active shear zone in southern Nevada linking the Wasatch fault to the Eastern California shear zone

Previous studies have shown that ~5% of the Pacifi c‐North America relative plate motion is accommodated in the eastern part of the Great Basin (western United States). Near the Wasatch fault zone and other nearby faults, deformation is currently concentrated within a narrow zone of extension coincident with the eastern margin of the northern Basin and Range. Farther south, the pattern of active deformation implied by faulting and seismicity is more enigmatic. To assess how present-day strain is accommodated farther south and how this relates to the regional kinematics, we analyze data from continuous global positioning system (GPS) stations and model the strain rate tensor fi eld using the horizontal GPS velocities and earthquake focal mechanisms. The results indicate an ~100-km-wide zone of ~3.3 mm/yr extension at 40.5°N that broadens southward from the Wasatch fault zone to a width of >400 km at 36°N. This broadening involves at least one zone of localized extension in northwestern Arizona that encroaches into the southwestern plateau, and an eastnortheast‐trending sinistral shear zone (the Pahranagat shear zone) through southern Nevada. This shear zone may accommodate as much as 1.8 mm/yr, and is a key feature that enables westward transfer of extension, thereby providing a kinematic connection between the Wasatch fault zone and the Eastern California shear zone.
Biosynthesis: Ringing in a new view

Heterocycles such as thiazoles are introduced into ribosomally synthesized peptide metabolites by post-translational modification. The enzyme that installs those rings has been identified, providing insight into heterocyclization biochemistry and the potential capabilities of an entire protein family.
Marine Outfall Performance. I: Introduction and Flow Restoration

Sewage outfalls are common inclusions in the infrastructure of coastal cities and towns. Near-ocean industries may also make use of such pipes. Keeping such a conduit operating properly is by no means a trivial matter, and this paper is the first of two dealing with this complex topic. Herein, the various failure and impairment mechanisms are summarized, and the need for careful underwater inspection is stressed. Examples are given of inspection, maintenance, and repair operations for various municipal facilities. The paper closes with presentation of two improvement procedures, pigging and sliplining.
Algorithm to detect episoides of falling based on a grid of floor sensors

The risk of falling and becoming injured increases with old age. A system to monitor human activity and detect episodes of a prolonged fall could be used to access whether an alert should be issued for medical help. This project is developing software modules for analysis of data from a grid of weight sensors in the floor. The algorithm analyzes recent activity on each node to determine if weight has recently increased. Then regions consisting of adjacent nodes with recently increased weights are determined. These regions will be analyzed to determine whether they fit a profile of a fallen state.
Carcinogenic activity of particulate nickel compounds is proportional to their cellular uptake

Particles (less than or equal to 5 micrometers) of the potent carcinogen crystalline nickel subsulfide were actively phagocytized by cultures of Syrian hamster embryo cells and Chinese hamster ovary cells. Cells did not take up significant quantities of similar-sized particles of the noncarcinogen amorphous nickel monosulfide. The carcinogenic activity of this and other metal compounds appears to be proportional to their cellular uptake.
Spin-echo fMRI in humans using high spatial resolutions and high magnetic fields.

The Hahn spin-echo (HSE)-based BOLD effect at high magnetic fields is expected to provide functional images that originate exclusively from the microvasculature. The blood contribution that dominates HSE BOLD contrast at low magnetic fields (e.g., 1.5 T), and degrades specificity, is highly attenuated at high fields because the apparent T2 of venous blood in an HSE experiment decreases quadratically with increasing magnetic field. In contrast, the HSE BOLD contrast is believed to arise from the microvasculature and increase supralinearly with the magnetic field strength. In this work we report the results of detailed and quantitative evaluations of HSE BOLD signal changes for functional imaging in the human visual cortex at 4 and 7 T. This study used high spatial resolution, afforded by the increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of higher field strengths and surface coils, to avoid partial volume effects (PVEs), and demonstrated increased contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and spatial specificity at the higher field strengths. The HSE BOLD signal changes induced by visual stimulation were predominantly linearly dependent on the echo time (TE). They increased in magnitude almost quadratically in going from 4 to 7 T when the blood contribution was suppressed using Stejskal-Tanner gradients that suppress signals from the blood due to its inhomogeneous flow and higher diffusion constant relative to tissue. The HSE signal changes at 7 T were modeled accurately using a vascular volume of 1.5%, in agreement with the capillary volume of gray matter. Furthermore, high-resolution acquisitions indicate that CNR increased with voxel sizes < 1 mm3 due to diminishing white matter or cerebrospinal fluid-space vs. gray matter PVEs. It was concluded that the high-field HSE functional MRI (fMRI) signals originated largely from the capillaries, and that the magnitude of the signal changes associated with brain function reached sufficiently high levels at 7 T to make it a useful approach for mapping on the millimeter to submillimeter spatial scale. Magn Reson Med 49:655–664, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Acne and hyperandrogenism: impact of lowering androgen levels with glucocorticoid treatment.

The impact of lowering androgen levels with glucocorticoid treatment in a group of consecutive female patients presenting to the Department of Reproductive Medicine and Biology, University of Texas, with a chief complaint of acne has been studied. One hundred fifty-eight patients, ages 16 to 40, who received prednisone at a maximum daily dose ranging from 7.5 to 15 mg for a period of at least 6 months were selected for the study. These patients were not taking other systemic medication affecting androgens or acne. Only thirty patients (19%) had pretreatment testosterone levels below the upper limits (40 ng/dl) of our normal range; while on treatment 146 patients (92.4%) had testosterone levels below 40 ng/dI. In sixty-three patients (39.9%) the acne completely cleared, in eighty patients (50.6%) it significantly improved, and in only fifteen patients (9.5%) was the acne not affected by the medication. There was a highly significant difference between the mean testosterone levels during treatment of those who cleared or improved, versus those who did not (p
Use of Professional and Informal Support by Black Men With Mental Disorders

This study utilized data from the National Survey of American Life to investigate the use of professional services and informal support among African American and Caribbean black men with a lifetime mood, anxiety, or substance use disorder. Thirty-three percent used both professional services and informal support, 14% relied on professional services only, 24% used informal support only, and 29% did not seek help. African American men were more likely than to rely on informal support alone. Having co-occurring mental and substance disorders, experiencing an episode in the past 12 months, and having more people in the informal network increased the likelihood of using professional services and informal supports. Marital status, age, and socioeconomic status were also significantly related to help-seeking. The results suggests potential unmet need. However, the reliance on informal support also suggests a strong protective role that informal networks play in the lives of black men.
Glutathione reverses endothelial dysfunction and improves nitric oxide bioavailability

Abstract OBJECTIVES We investigated whether glutathione (GSH), a reduced thiol that modulates redox state and forms adducts of nitric oxide (NO), improves endothelium-dependent vasomotion and NO activity in atherosclerosis. BACKGROUND Endothelial dysfunction and reduced NO activity are associated with atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations such as unstable angina. METHODS In the femoral circulation of 17 patients with atherosclerosis or its risk factors, endothelium-dependent vasodilation with acetylcholine (ACH), and endothelium-independent vasodilation with nitroglycerin and sodium nitroprusside were studied before and after GSH. In 10 patients, femoral vein plasma cyclic guanylate monophosphate (cGMP) levels were measured during an infusion of ACH before and after GSH. Femoral artery flow velocity was measured using a Doppler flow wire and the resistance index (FVRI) calculated as mean arterial pressure ÷ flow velocity. RESULTS Glutathione strongly potentiated ACH-mediated vasodilation; at the two doses, FVRI decreased by 47% and 56% before, and by 61% and 67% after GSH (p = 0.003). Glutathione also elevated cGMP levels in the femoral vein during ACH infusion from 17.6 ± 3 to 23.3 ± 3 pmol/ml (p = 0.006). Augmentation of ACH responses was only observed in patients with depressed endothelial function. Glutathione did not influence endothelium-independent vasodilation with either NO donor. CONCLUSIONS Thiol supplementation with GSH selectively improves human endothelial dysfunction by enhancing NO activity.
Benchmark analysis: Shopping with proper confidence

We discuss the issue of using benchmark doses for quantifying (excess) risk associated with exposure to environmental hazards. The paradigm of low-dose risk estimation in dose-response modeling is used as the primary application scenario. Emphasis is placed on making simultaneous inferences on benchmark doses when data are in the form of proportions, although the concepts translate easily to other forms of outcome data.
Angiotensin II enhances hyperpolarization-activated currents in rat aortic baroreceptor neurons: involvement of superoxide.

As an endogenous physiologically active peptide, angiotensin (ANG) II plays an important role in the maintenance of blood pressure. In the arterial baroreceptor reflex (a pivotal regulator of blood...
Influence of the Mediterranean Outflow on the isotopic composition of neodymium in waters of the North Atlantic

The isotopic composition of neodymium in the water column of the eastern North Atlantic near the Strait of Gibraltar has been determined for several depths. The data show that the Mediterranean outflow results in a significant shift in e_(Nd)(0) toward more radiogenic values of ^(143)Nd/^(144)Nd in the water column at a 1000-m depth. This corresponds to a depth in the neighborhood of the salinity maximum associated with the Mediterranean outflow. The core of the Mediterranean outflow gives e_(Nd)(0) = −9.8, as compared to e_(Nd)(0) ≈ −12 in overlying and underlying waters, demonstrating that the Mediterranean waters are distinct from the Atlantic. From mixing considerations we estimate that pure Mediterranean waters have e_(Nd)(0) ≈ −6. Possible sources of this relatively radiogenic Nd could be from drainage of young continental terranes or the injection of remobilized Nd from deep-sea sediments that have a young radiogenic volcanic component. New data from a depth profile in the western Atlantic is presented. Comparison of Nd data for the eastern North Atlantic with that for the western North Atlantic shows fundamental differences in the water column structures for e_(Nd)(0). While both regions show a pronounced maximum in e_(Nd)(0), the western basin maximum occurs at the near surface rather than at 1000 m. In addition, deep waters of the eastern basin are found to be more radiogenic than the western basin. These differences indicate several sources of isotopically distinct Nd in the North Atlantic. The deep waters of the North Atlantic (>1000 m) have the lowest values of e_(Nd)(0) measured in the oceans. We believe that the source of these low e_(Nd)(0) values, which we associate with North Atlantic deep water, is either from freshwater drainage off the Precambrian shields of North America and Asia into the Arctic Ocean or from the injection of ‘older,’ continentally derived REE from deep-sea sediments. Sm and Nd concentrations are found to increase with depth and e_(Nd)(0) changes with depth, indicating both vertical and lateral transport processes from different sources. This suggests a surface source of Nd and injection of REE into the water column from deep-sea sediments or large-scale bottom currents with high REE concentrations.
Open issues in formal methods for cryptographic protocol analysis

The history of the application of formal methods to cryptographic protocol analysis spans nearly twenty years, and recently has been showing signs of new maturity and consolidation. A number of specialized tools have been developed, and others have effectively demonstrated that existing general-purpose tools can also be applied to these problems with good results. However, with this better understanding of the field comes new problems that strain against the limits of the existing tools. In this paper we will outline some of these new problem areas, and describe what new research needs to be done to to meet the challenges posed.
Defining the nasal transcriptome in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's).

Objective To determine whether disease processes related to granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) (GPA) are reflected in gene expression profiles of the nasal mucosa. Methods Nasal brushings of the inferior turbinate were obtained from 32 patients with GPA (10 with active nasal disease, 13 with prior nasal disease, and 9 with no history of nasal disease) and a composite comparator group with and without inflammatory nasal disease (12 healthy people, 15 with sarcoidosis, and 8 with allergic rhinitis). Differential gene expression was assessed between subgroups of GPA and comparators. Results A total of 339 genes were differentially expressed between the GPA and comparator groups (absolute fold change >1.5; false discovery rate <0.05). Top canonical pathways up-regulated in nasal brushings from patients with GPA included granulocyte adhesion and diapedesis (P = 8.6−22), agranulocyte adhesion and diapedesis (P = 1.3−14), IL10 signaling (P = 3.0−11), LXR/RXR activation (P = 4.3−11), and TREM1 signaling (P = 9.0−11). A set of genes differentially expressed in GPA independently of nasal disease activity status included genes related to epithelial barrier integrity (fibronectin 1, desmosomal proteins) and several matricellular proteins (e.g., osteonectin, osteopontin). Significant overlap of differentially expressed genes was observed between active and prior nasal disease GPA subgroups. Peripheral blood neutrophil and mononuclear gene expression levels associated with GPA were similarly altered in the nasal gene expression profiles of patients with active or prior nasal disease. Conclusion Profiling the nasal transcriptome in GPA reveals gene expression signatures related to innate immunity, inflammatory cell chemotaxis, extracellular matrix composition, and epithelial barrier integrity. Thus, airway-based expression profiling is feasible and informative in GPA.
Real-time obstacle avoidance using harmonic potential functions

A novel formulation of the artificial potential approach to the obstacle avoidance problem for a mobile robot or a manipulator in a known environment is presented. Previous formulations of artificial potentials for obstacle avoidance have exhibited local minima in a cluttered environment. To build an artificial potential field, the authors use harmonic functions that completely eliminate local minima even for a cluttered environment. The panel method is used to represent arbitrarily shaped obstacles and to derive the potential over the whole space. Based on this potential function, an elegant control strategy for the real-time control of a robot is proposed. Simulation results are presented for a bar-shaped mobile robot and a three-degree-of-freedom planar redundant manipulator. >
Compatibility of Two Systemic Neonicotinoids, Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam, with Various Natural Enemies of Agricultural Pests

Two systemic neonicotinoids, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, are widely used for residual control of several insect pests in cotton (Gossypium spp.), vegetables, and citrus (Citrus spp.). We evaluated their impact on six species of beneficial arthropods, including four parasitoid species--Aphytis melinus Debach, Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault, Eretmocerus eremicus Rose & Zolnerowich, and Encarsia formosa Gahan--and two generalist predators--Geocoris punctipes (Say) and Orius insidiosus (Say)--in the laboratory by using a systemic uptake bioassay. Exposure to systemically treated leaves of both neonicotinoids had negative effects on adult survival in all four parasitoids, with higher potency against A. melinus as indicated by a low LC50. Mortality was also high for G. ashmeadi, E. eremicus, and E. formosa after exposure to both compounds but only after 48 h posttreatment. The two predators G. punctipes and O. insidiosus were variably susceptible to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam after 96-h exposure. However, toxicity to these predators may be related to their feeding on foliage and not just contact with surface residues. Our laboratory results contradict suggestions of little impact of these systemic neonicotinoids on parasitoids or predators but field studies will be needed to better quantify the levels of such impacts under natural conditions.
How You Named Your Child: Understanding the Relationship Between Individual Decision Making and Collective Outcomes

We examine the interdependence between individual and group behavior surrounding a somewhat arbitrary, real-world decision: selecting a name for one’s child. Using a historical database of the names given to children over the last century in the United States, we find that naming choices are influenced by both the frequency of a name in the general population, and by its ‘‘momentum’’ in the recent past in the sense that names which are growing in popularity are preferentially chosen. This bias toward rising names is a recent phenomena: In the early part of the 20th century, increasing popularity of a name from one time period to the next correlated with a decrease in future popularity. However, more recently this trend has reversed. We evaluate a number of formal models that detail how individual decision-making strategies, played out in a large population of interacting agents, can explain these empirical observations. We argue that cognitive capacities for change detection, the encoding of frequency in memory, and biases toward novel or incongruous stimuli may interact with the behavior of other decision makers to determine the distribution and dynamics of cultural tokens such as names.
ADDITIVE EFFECTS ON THE RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF ALGINATE GELS

The effects of dextran and glycerol on the rheological properties of 1.25% alginate gels were studied. Although the dextran and glycerol dramatically changed the viscosity of the alginate solution, the gelation kinetics was not affected. This observation may be attributed to the fact that the gelling process was controlled by the combination of carboxylic groups in alginate chains with Ca2+, and not by the diffusion process of alginate molecules and Ca2+through the viscous medium. The small-strain shear modulus of alginate gels with either low molecular-weight dextran (MW: 140,000 Da) or glycerol remained nearly constant, as did the large deformation and fracture properties. The addition of high molecular-weight dextran (MW: 4–5 million Da) altered the small-strain shear modulus and lowered the gel fracture stress of the alginate gels, while the fracture strain remained the same. The change in small-strain shear modulus and large deformation and fracture properties for alginate gels with high MW dextran cannot simply be explained by the change in viscosity of the gel liquid phase. A plausible explanation for this behavior is that, in some manner, large dextran molecules influenced the alginate gel network. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS A common characteristic of food gels is a three-dimensional network formed by primary gel-forming materials, such as proteins and polysaccharides. Alongside the gelling material(s), additives are frequently included to attain desirable functionality. The gel network stabilizes the system, and the physiochemical properties of gels are dominated by structural organization at the molecular level. The inclusion of additives may affect physical and chemical properties of the gels, and subsequently, the rheological properties. Rational optimization of product formulations and processing conditions of food gels depends on a better understanding of the impact of additives on processing and rheological properties.
Behavior Problems in Adults With Mental Retardation and Maternal Well-Being: Examination of the Direction of Effects

We examined the occurrence and stability of behavior problems over a 6-year period among 193 adults with mental retardation who lived with their mothers. At the beginning of the study period, almost 30% of the sample had clinically significant behavior problems and about 25% had no behavior problems. During the study period, group-level stability of behavior problems and individual-level change were observed. We tested the bidirectional relations between behavior problems and maternal well-being and found evidence of both directions of influence. Initial levels and changes over time in behavior problems predicted changes in maternal well-being, and initial levels and changes over time in maternal well-being predicted changes in behavior problems in the son or daughter.
Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters

Rod J. Rohrich, William P. Adams Jr., Jamil Ahmad, and Jack P. Gunter, eds. Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters , 3rd edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2014. ISBN-10: 1576263843, ISBN-13: 978-1576263846. $475.00. ![Graphic][1] The third edition of Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters is a 2 volume set co-edited by Drs Rohrich, Adams, and Ahmad (who is new to this edition), with Dr Gunter recognized as an editor emeritus. The set also includes 4 DVDs and a full-text electronic book edition. Publication in 3 media formats provides multiple ways for the reader to digest this extensive and comprehensive treatise on rhinoplasty. There are 68 chapters, several of which are written by multiple authors. Many of the 46 authors are nationally recognized experts in rhinoplasty. Volume 1 is divided into 7 parts, the first of which covers basic concepts, such as nasal anatomy and analysis, nasal physiology, digital imaging, and coding. Parts 2-6 cover basic surgical concepts and address the dorsum, tip, alar rims, and alar base separately. The section on the tip is the most extensive and comprises 10 chapters. The last section covers surgery of the chin. Volume 2 is divided into 4 parts that cover secondary rhinoplasty, management of the airway, special topics and advances, and the personal approaches of 7 rhinoplasty experts (each with their own chapter). The 4 included DVDs cover numerous surgical techniques, including primary and secondary rhinoplasty, harvesting cartilage, and tip grafting. As a 2-volume set with 4 DVDs, Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters … Corresponding Author: Dr Farzad R. Nahai, The Center for Plastic Surgery at MetroDerm, 875 Johnson Ferry Rd, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30342, USA. E-mail: drnahai{at}gmail.com [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Recovery From a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Days 1 Through 22

Subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAHs) are a serious medical emergency, as 30% to 50% of all SAHs can result in death. Personal accounts and case studies are an important aspect of evidence-based practice. This first article of two presents a review of AB’s (patient) condition immediately following an SAH in the intensive care and immediately post discharge, that is, Days 1 through 22. An SAH shares many similarities with other neurological traumas such as a cerebral vascular accident, meningitis, and/or traumatic brain injury. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in medical settings have worked with patients and families with these types of disorders. Therefore, SLPs should be well equipped to assist with SAH issues from their existing knowledge and experiences.
A model and guide for evaluating supervision outcomes in cognitive–behavioral therapy-focused training programs.

Only recently have investigative teams focused their research on understanding the effects of supervision on key outcomes, largely in response to the implementation science movement. Two steps are necessary to better understand the effects of supervision and set the stage for subsequent research to identify evidence-based supervision structures, methods, and content. First, critical domains of supervision outcomes need to be delineated to promote cross-study comparisons and focus research efforts. Second, psychometrically validated measures for evaluating these outcome domains need to be identified and systematically administered. Building on recent reviews that lay the foundation for assessing the impact of cognitive–behavioral therapy training (e.g., Muse & McManus, 2013; Simons, Rozek, & Serrano, 2013), the main goal of this article is to present a model of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Research and Training Clinic that exemplifies a systematic approach to supervision outcome assessment. Falender and Shafranske (2004) provide a relevant framework that specifies key supervision outcome domains at the clinician level (knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values) to which we have added the supervisory relationship, general competencies, and client-level outcomes. Exemplars of psychometrically sound measures to assess these outcome domains are provided, with a focus on cognitive–behavioral therapyspecific measures, given the strength of its evidence base. With the inclusion of a model for how to implement supervision outcome assessment, this article will position other training programs to assess supervision outcomes and to engage in subsequent inquiry into the key components of evidence-based supervision.
Induction of Mucosal Antibodies by Live Attenuated and Inactivated Influenza Virus Vaccines in the Chronically III Elderly

Induction of local antibody responses to influenza A virus hemagglutinin by coadministration of two vaccines was investigated. Fifty elderly nursing home residents received inactivated trivalent influenza virus vaccine intramuscularly and simultaneously were randomized to receive either bivalent live attenuated influenza A virus vaccine or saline placebo intranasally in a blinded fashion. More significant increases in anti-H1 and -H3 IgA antibodies were detectable in nasal wash specimens of subjects who received live attenuated virus vaccine than in those who received intranasal placebo. The increased anti-hemagglutinin IgA antibody response was of longer duration in recipients of live attenuated vaccine. The change in antibody titers after vaccination was positively correlated with total blood lymphocyte counts measured before vaccination in both vaccinee groups (P < .05). There was a possible advantage of administering live attenuated with inactivated virus vaccines because of enhanced local antibody responses.
T-Cell Lymphocytosis Associated with Invasive Thymomas

Peripheral T-cell lymphocytosis and bone marrow infiltration is a rarely associated feature of invasive thymomas. Hypotheses for the origin of the circulating lymphocytes include a spillover of tumor lymphocytes into the circulation, a neoplastic lymphoid proliferation, and a reactive proliferation of peripheral lymphocytes resulting from a thymoma-induced immunoregulatory disorder. The authors describe two cases of peripheral T-cell lymphocytosis associated with invasive thymomas with a predominantly lymphocyte-rich, cortical type histologic appearance. In both cases T cells constituted as much as 99% of the circulating lymphoid cell population, according to flow-cytometric analysis before and after treatment, and expressed a mature phenotype consistent with medullary thymic or peripheral T cells (CD2+, CD3+, CD4+ or CD8+, CD5+, CD7+) with predominant expression of the alpha/beta T-cell receptor heterodimer. Bone marrow biopsy specimens showed nodular and interstitial infiltrates of small T cells. No monoclonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta gene was observed. Both cases had a normal female karyotype. Our findings confirm those of previous studies supporting a reactive origin for the peripheral lymphocytosis. Although an immunoregulatory disorder is probably involved in lymphocyte proliferation in situ, we postulate that peripheral lymphocytosis results from augmented release of the more mature thymoma-associated lymphocytes into the circulation through tumor invasiveness. A thymic origin is supported by the presence of a subset of peripheral T cells with low-intensity CD5 expression.
Multidimensional Democracy: A Supply and Demand Theory of Representation in American Legislatures

Multidimensional Democracy examines political representation from the supply (legislator) and demand (constituent) perspectives. Focusing on four dimensions - policy, service, allocation, and descriptive representation - it documents systematic variation in what people want from legislators and what legislators choose to emphasize while in office. It has important implications for the study of representation, as well as normative questions about political inequality in America. The demand-side results show that constituents who are economically advantaged tend to prefer policy-based representation while the disadvantaged place relatively more importance in constituent service and/or allocation. Suggestive results from the legislator data complement this finding; legislators in wealthy, white districts tend to focus more on policy while those representing economically disadvantaged and racially diverse districts may place more emphasis on service and/or allocation. A likely consequence is that the policy choices made by representatives reflect the policy preferences of the economically advantaged because policy representation is what those citizens want.
The SBIR Program

The legislative history of the SBIR program is summarized in this chapter, and the government agencies that participate in the program are described.
A multi-endpoint matched molecular pair (MMP) analysis of 6-membered heterocycles

Abstract Aromatic rings, ubiquitous in pharmaceutical compounds, are often exchanged with another ring during the optimization process of drug discovery. Inevitably, the preferred ring system for one endpoint may prove detrimental to another, thus necessitating a holistic, multiple endpoint optimization approach for finding the ideal replacement. Accordingly, we conducted an extensive matched molecular pair (MMP) analysis of common 6-membered aromatic rings across 4 endpoints critical for drug discovery (log D lipophilicity, microsomal metabolism, P-gp efflux and passive permeability). We also investigated the effect of context by considering the connecting atom. Heat maps were created as a simple yet comprehensive way to view and analyze the vast amount of interrelated data. Paired difference statistical tests were used to identify transforms with changes that were significantly different from zero. We conclude that the heat maps of transforms provide a unique and powerful approach for multiparameter optimization.
High Serum Free Kappa Chains Are Frequently Missed By Serum Immunofixation

Background: Serum free light chains (sFLC) and immunofixation (IFE) analysis are used to detect monoclonal proteins. We noticed that some multiple myeloma (MM) patients (pts) had negative IFE results despite very high sFLC levels. This analysis was done to determine the frequency of this finding in a large cohort. Methods: Following IRB approval, samples with simultaneous sIFE and sFLCs ordered from 1/2013 to 9/2013 were identified by querying our lab electronic database. Freelite (R) Human Kappa & Lambda Free kit (The Binding Site, Birmingham, UK) was used for sFLC and SPIFE® ImmunoFix-15 gels (Helena Laboratories, Beaumont, TX) for IFE. Clinical review was performed for a subset of patients with discrepant results between the two assays. Results: 4404 samples from 2200 pts were identified with simultaneous sFLC and sIFE results. Overall 348 of 4404 (7.9%) samples had an abnormal sFLC ratio but a negative sIFE. Of 205 pts (457 samples) with involved serum free kappa above the expected IFE threshold (200 mg/L), 42 pts (103 samples) had negative sIFEs (20.5% pts; 22.5% samples) despite median free kappa of 556.6 mg/L (range 208.1 to 4954.4). This was much less common for involved free lambda. Only 4 of 107 pts with free lambda above 200mg/L had negative sIFEs (3.7%). Information of the nature of the plasma cell disorder was available on 40 of the 42 patients with free kappa > 200mg/L and negative IFE. In this group, 62.5% (n=25) had symptomatic MM, 12.5% (n=5) had asymptomatic MM, 5% (n=2) had light chain amyloidosis, 5% (n=2) had both amyloidosis and MM, and 15% (n=6) had MGUS or a not yet fully worked up plasma cell disorder. Conclusions: Serum IFE, with a commonly used kit, missed about 20% of patients with free kappa above the expected IFE threshold, while free lambda was detected more reliably. Results suggest current criteria for complete remission which rely on immunofixation and bone marrow plasma cell infiltration may need to be revised for kappa light chain myeloma. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Cartan’s Trilogy: 1913–14

Two decades after his doctoral dissertation, Cartan published a “trilogy” of memoirs [1913; 1914b; 1914c] of fundamental importance to the theory of Lie groups and algebras and especially to the study of their representations. In [1913] he further developed Killing’s theory of secondary roots and applied it to the problem of determining all linear Lie algebras of semisimple structure that leave nothing planar invariant. That is, he solved the representation problem that he had already articulated twenty years earlier in his dissertation. In [1914b] he solved the same problem for real linear Lie algebras. This required the results of [1913] together with the classification of all real simple structures that he developed in [1914c].
Investigation of genes involved in the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules in soybean

vi CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Dissertation organization 1 1.2 Literature review 2 1.3 References 15 CHAPTER 2. GENETICS ANALYSIS OF A SOYBEAN NODULATIONDEFECTIVE MUTANT 24 2.1 Abstract 24 2.2 Introduction 25 2.3 Materials and methods 26 2.4 Results and discussion 32 2.5 Conclusions 37 2.6 Acknowledgements 37 2.7 References 38 CHAPTER 3. THE ROLE OF BRASSINOSTEROIDS IN SOYBEAN NODULATION 60 3.1 Abstract 60 3.2 Introduction 60 3.3 Materials and methods 63 3.4 Results and discussion 67 3.5 Conclusions 70 3.6 Future plans 71 3.7 Acknowledgements 72 3.8 References 72 CHAPTER 4. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 99
Where is Misty? Interpreting Spatial Descriptors by Modeling Regions in Space

We present a model for locating regions in space based on natural language descriptions. Starting with a 3D scene and a sentence, our model is able to associate words in the sentence with regions in the scene, interpret relations such as ‘on top of’ or ‘next to,’ and finally locate the region described in the sentence. All components form a single neural network that is trained end-to-end without prior knowledge of object segmentation. To evaluate our model, we construct and release a new dataset consisting of Minecraft scenes with crowdsourced natural language descriptions. We achieve a 32% relative error reduction compared to a strong neural baseline.
A scalable distributed spatial index for the internet-of-things

The increasing interest in the Internet-of-Things (IoT) suggests that a new source of big data is imminent---the machines and sensors in the IoT ecosystem. The fundamental characteristic of the data produced by these sources is that they are inherently geospatial in nature. In addition, they exhibit unprecedented and unpredictable skews. Thus, big data systems designed for IoT applications must be able to efficiently ingest, index and query spatial data having heavy and unpredictable skews. Spatial indexing is well explored area of research in literature, but little attention has been given to the topic of efficient distributed spatial indexing. In this paper, we propose Sift, a distributed spatial index and its implementation. Unlike systems that depend on load balancing mechanisms that kick-in post ingestion, Sift tries to distribute the incoming data along the distributed structure at indexing time and thus incurs minimal rebalancing overhead. Sift depends only on an underlying key-value store, hence is implementable in many existing big data stores. Our evaluations of Sift on a popular open source data store show promising results---Sift achieves up to 8× reduction in indexing overhead while simultaneously reducing the query latency and index size by over 2× and 3× respectively, in a distributed environment compared to the state-of-the-art.
Tumor Dormancy and Cancer Stem Cells: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Increasing evidence suggests that tumor dormancy represents an important mechanism underlying the observed failure of existing therapeutic modalities to fully eradicate cancers. In addition to its more established role in maintaining minimal residual disease after treatment, dormancy might also critically contribute to early stages of tumor development and the formation of clinically undetectable micrometastatic foci. There are striking parallels between the concept of tumor dormancy and the cancer stem cell (CSC) theory of tumor propagation. For instance, the CSC hypothesis similarly predicts that a subset of self-renewing cancer cells—that is CSCs—is responsible for tumor initiation, bears the preferential ability to survive tumor therapy, and persists long term to ultimately cause delayed cancer recurrence and metastatic progression. Additionally, many of the biological mechanisms involved in controlling the dormant state of a tumor can also govern CSC behavior, including cell cycle modifications, alteration of angiogenic processes, and modulation of antitumor immune responses. In fact, quiescence and immune escape are emerging hallmark features of at least some CSCs, indicating significant overlap between dormant cancer populations and CSCs. Herein, we crucially dissect whether CSCs occupy specific roles in orchestrating the switch between dormancy and exuberant tumor growth. We elucidate how recently uncovered CSC biological features could enable these cells to evade immunologic clearance and regulate cancer expansion, relapse, and progression. We propose that the study of CSC immunobiological pathways holds the promise to critically advance our understanding of the processes mediating tumor dormancy. Ultimately, such research endeavors could unravel novel therapeutic avenues that efficiently target both proliferating and dormant CSCs to minimize the risk of tumor recurrence in cancer patients.
The Effects of Inaccurate Blood Sample Volume on Prothrombin Time (PT) and Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT)

The results of determinations of the prothrombin time (PT) and the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) are frequently used to assess hemostatic function. Accurate results for these laboratory tests depend on many variables, one of which is the ratio of plasma to anticoagulant. We studied 12 patients and 4 normal subjects to determine the effects of sample volume on PT and aPTT. We conclude that underfilling may produce profound effects, particularly on the aPTT. In contrast, overfilling rarely affects the results. The greatest effects of sample volume were observed in specimens in which the true PT or aPTT was elevated. A normal PT or aPTT result on any specimen, regardless of sample volume, strongly suggests that the true value is normal.
The Crystallization Behavior of Long Chain N-Alkanes and Low Molecular Weight Polyethylenes

Since the synthesis of long chain n-alkanes containing between 100 and 400 carbon atoms [1, 2, 3], emphasis has been directed to the study of the nucleation [4, 5, 6, 7, 8], morphology [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14], crystallization kinetics [15, 16, 17, 18], thickening [19, 20, 21] and melting processes [16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22] of these ideal model systems. These studies will serve as a bridge to the crystallization behavior of polymers by comparing the characteristics of these n-alkanes with those of low molecular weight linear polyethylene fractions crystallized from either the bulk or from dilute solution. Once the details of the thermodynamic behavior of these two systems are well developed, we will be in a much better position to understand the crystallization and melting of high molecular weight polymers. A close connection between both species is already found in the very similar molecular weight at which folding can occur. Low molecular weight polyethylene fractions crystallized from the melt may fold at a molecular weight higher than 2220 g/mol [23, 24]. For the same mode of crystallization the n-alkane with 168 carbon atoms (corresponding to 2350 g/mol) folds after rapid crystallization. When crystallized from solution, the limiting molecular weight for the formation of folded-chain crystals is slightly lower than in the crystallization from the melt, but still very similar [22]. A limiting molecular weight for the formation of folded structures is also predicted by nucleation theory applied to finite chain molecules [4].