cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists Guidelines on HER2/neu Assessment by FISH in breast cancers: predicted impact in a single institutional cohort

The 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and College of American Pathologists (CAP) update modified the interpretation guidelines for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) testing by incorporating immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) results in a subset of cases. Importantly, the new guidelines eliminate "equivocal" results, as well as the use of alternative chromosome 17 probes as the primary strategy for resolving the indeterminate FISH results. Herein, we investigate the predicted impact of implementing the 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines on HER2 assessment by FISH in breast cancers, using data from a single institution. We compared the HER2 status of 1542 consecutive cases of breast carcinoma, interpreted by 2013 and 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines. In total, 10.7% (165/1542) of the cases had a different final interpretation by 2018 guidelines compared with 2013 guidelines, including 70 previously HER2-positive cases reclassified as negative, four previously negative cases reclassified as positive, and 91 previously equivocal cases reclassified as negative. Overall, the number of HER2-positive cancers was reduced by 66 cases (4.3% reduction in the HER2 positivity rate). The newly HER2-negative cases were mostly estrogen receptor positive (90%), progesterone receptor positive (80%), stage 1 (60.9%), and grade 1-2 (59.4%) cancers; 70% of them had been designated as HER2 positive only after the use of an alternative chromosome 17 FISH probe after an intially equivocal result from the standard CEP17 probe. Overall, implementing the revised 2018 HER2 guidelines is predicted to change the HER2 results of 10.7% of breast cancers, mainly by reclassifying previously equivocal to negative results.
Africa’s Debt: Three Concerns, Three Remedies

Since 2014, almost all African countries have experienced an increase in public debt and a change in its nature. The ratio of public debt to GDP has doubled, and sovereign debt is changing from concessional credit provided by official agencies to market-based loans from private institutions. This paper attempts to answer three questions that are being asked with increasing urgency to avoid another debt crisis. First, has the quality of institutions and policies of African countries, critical to sustaining higher levels of debt, improved since the debt relief of the early 2000s? Second, will debt markets get to know emerging Africa well enough before the next crisis? Third, have the resolutions of recent defaults in Africa been orderly so that debtor governments are not herded into traps set by foreign creditors? Our calculations suggest that the answer to all three questions is ‘no’. To avoid another debt crisis, the paper recommends preventive measures that involve full transparency in debt accounting, greater realism in growth forecasts, and diligence in matching the region’s seemingly limitless public investment needs with weak public sector capacity to manage infrastructure investments. More specifically, we recommend that as a rule African governments treat increases in commodity prices as temporary — not permanent — shocks; that in deciding how to finance public investment, governments compare the marginal cost of funds from taxation with market terms of borrowing; and that governments avoid financing long-term infrastructure projects with short-term money from abroad.
Engineered Ureolytic Microorganisms Can Tailor the Morphology and Nanomechanical Properties of Microbial-Precipitated Calcium Carbonate

We demonstrate for the first time that the morphology and nanomechanical properties of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) can be tailored by modulating the precipitation kinetics of ureolytic microorganisms through genetic engineering. Many engineering applications employ microorganisms to produce CaCO3. However, control over bacterial calcite morphology and material properties has not been demonstrated. We hypothesized that microorganisms genetically engineered for low urease activity would achieve larger calcite crystals with higher moduli. We compared precipitation kinetics, morphology, and nanomechanical properties for biogenic CaCO3 produced by two Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains that were engineered to display either high or low urease activity and the native producer Sporosarcina pasteurii. While all three microorganisms produced calcite, lower urease activity was associated with both slower initial calcium depletion rate and increased average calcite crystal size. Both calcite crystal size and nanoindentation moduli were also significantly higher for the low-urease activity E. coli compared with the high-urease activity E. coli. The relative resistance to inelastic deformation, measured via the ratio of nanoindentation hardness to modulus, was similar across microorganisms. These findings may enable design of novel advanced engineering materials where modulus is tailored to the application while resistance to irreversible deformation is not compromised.
Self-perceived Problematic Pornography Use: An Integrative Model from a Research Domain Criteria and Ecological Perspective

Although pornography can be a healthy expression of sexuality, some individuals report difficulty and distress regulating their pornography use. Self-perceived problematic pornography use (SPPPU) refers to one’s negative self-evaluation of their pornography use, which is inherently subjective. SPPPU has been associated with decreased psychological well-being and overall functioning. Given the subjective nature of ‘pornography addiction’ (i.e., SPPPU), the integration of different levels of analysis of this phenomenon are complicated. To address this issue, we propose an integrative model of SPPPU, using both the Research Domain Criteria and ecological lenses. We propose that SPPPU can produce change in the molecular, circuits, and behavioral levels, as well as in the interpersonal, community, and societal levels. As a social phenomenon, SPPPU is associated to societal structures, community norms, and interpersonal distress. This social phenomenon is also connected to biological changes, including excessive activation of reward systems, increase in dopamine, and sexual dysfunctions. The negative effects in the individual level amplify and maintain societal implications. Future studies should focus on prevention and treatment that can integrate different units of analysis and look at this phenomenon holistically.
The Impact of Gene Dosage and Heterozygosity on The Diploid Pathobiont Candida albicans

Candida albicans is a fungal species that can colonize multiple niches in the human host where it can grow either as a commensal or as an opportunistic pathogen. The genome of C. albicans has long been of considerable interest, given that it is highly plastic and can undergo a wide variety of alterations. These changes play a fundamental role in determining C. albicans traits and have been shown to enable adaptation both to the host and to antifungal drugs. C. albicans isolates contain a heterozygous diploid genome that displays variation from the level of single nucleotides to largescale rearrangements and aneuploidy. The heterozygous nature of the genome is now increasingly recognized as being central to C. albicans biology, as the relative fitness of isolates has been shown to correlate with higher levels of overall heterozygosity. Moreover, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) events can arise frequently, either at single polymorphisms or at a chromosomal level, and both can alter the behavior of C. albicans cells during infection or can modulate drug resistance. In this review, we examine genome plasticity in this pathobiont focusing on how gene dosage variation and loss of heterozygosity events can arise and how these modulate C. albicans behavior.
A Survey of Issues Related to Capital Account Liberalization

The decade of the 1990s witnessed currency crises in all parts of the world - in Europe in 1992/2, in Latin America in 1994/5, in Asia in 1997/8 and in Russia and Brazil in 1998. The large economic costs resulting from the severe depreciation of the currencies in various episodes and general problems with macroeconomic management in the presence of large capital flows has led to proposals for limiting capital flows. The paper reviews the issues related to capital account liberalization, shedding light on empirical work and briefly discusses the capital controls imposed by Chile and Malaysia in the 1990s.
Spinal Cord Injury Provider Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Bacteriuria Management and Antibiotic Stewardship.

INTRODUCTION Bacteriuria, either asymptomatic or urinary tract infection, is common in persons with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D). In the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), conflicting clinical practice guidelines make appropriate bacteriuria management and antibiotic stewardship challenging. OBJECTIVE To explore SCI/D provider knowledge, attitudes, and teamwork around bacteriuria management during the VHA SCI/D annual examination. DESIGN Mixed methods. SETTING VHA SCI/D centers. PARTICIPANTS SCI/D staff providers and physical medicine and rehabilitation resident physicians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Knowledge, safety, and teamwork scores on bacteriuria management using a validated questionnaire. Themes on barriers and facilitators to bacteriuria management during the SCI/D annual exam, and attitudes toward antibiotic stewardship in general. RESULTS We received 84 responses from 344 distributed surveys, with a response rate of 24%. Thirty percent of all participants endorsed incorrect triggers for obtaining a urine culture (change in urine color, cloudiness, or odor). The type of organism identified on culture drove unnecessary antibiotic use; 57% would treat asymptomatic bacteriuria if caused by extended spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli. There were no significant differences between the median (interquartile range [IQR]) knowledge score of the staff providers (70.6 [58.8-82.4]) and the resident physicians (64.7 [58.8-82.4]), but the teamwork climate scores (P = .02) and safety climate scores (P < .01) were higher among staff providers than among resident physicians. Interview analysis identified how the limited recall of content among SCI/D providers of the guidelines for bacteriuria was a potential barrier to their use but attitudes toward guidelines and antibiotic stewardship initiatives were positive. CONCLUSION All participants objectively demonstrated actionable gaps in bacteriuria management and expressed uncertainty in their knowledge during qualitative interviews. Through addressing these gaps, we can develop effective antibiotic stewardship programs for the VHA SCI/D system of care.
Fidget Spinners May Decrease Prefrontal Cortex Activity During Cognitively Challenging Fine Motor Tasks

Despite increasing popularity, media attention, and commercial success of fidget spinners, scientific evidence on their effectiveness is scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore how fidget spinners affect fine motor performance and its neural correlates in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC). Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to examine the PFC activity while a group of healthy adult participants completed five different sub-tasks of the Purdue Pegboard Task (PPT). In this study, fidget spinners resulted in a significant decrease in ΔHbO compared to the controls during performance of the more cognitively demanding assembly subtask despite no differences in behavioral output. No other main effects for group existed in the other sub-tasks, although significant group by block interactions occurred in all four brain regions. This finding suggests that fidget spinners may reduce the cognitive load on LDLPFC during a cognitively challenging fine motor task.
Microglia Activation and Inflammation During the Death of Mammalian Photoreceptors.

Photoreceptors are highly specialized sensory neurons with unique metabolic and physiological requirements. These requirements are partially met by Muller glia and cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which provide essential metabolites, phagocytose waste, and control the composition of the surrounding microenvironment. A third vital supporting cell type, the retinal microglia, can provide photoreceptors with neurotrophic support or exacerbate neuroinflammation and hasten neuronal cell death. Understanding the physiological requirements for photoreceptor homeostasis and the factors that drive microglia to best promote photoreceptor survival has important implications for the treatment and prevention of blinding degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.
Angular size and emission time scales of relativistic fireballs

The detection of delayed X-ray, optical and radio emission, ``afterglow,'' associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is consistent with models, where the bursts are produced by relativistic expanding blast waves, driven by expanding fireballs at cosmological distances. In particular, the time scales over which radiation is observed at different wave bands agree with model predictions. It had recently been claimed that the commonly used relation between observation time t and blast wave radius r, t=r/2\gamma^{2}c where \gamma(r) is the fluid Lorentz factor, should be replaced with t=r/16\gamma^{2}c due to blast wave deceleration. Applying the suggested deceleration modification would make it difficult to reconcile observed time scales with model predictions. It would also imply an apparent source size which is too large to allow attributing observed radio variability to diffractive scintillation. We present a detailed analysis of the implications of the relativistic hydrodynamics of expanding blast waves to the observed afterglow. We find that modifications due to shock deceleration are small, therefore allowing for both the observed afterglow time scales and for diffractive scintillation. We show that at time t the fireball appears on the sky as a narrow ring of radius h=r/\gamma and width 0.1h, where r and t are related by t=r/2\gamma^{2}c.
James DeWitt Andrews: Classifying the Law in the Early Twentieth Century

This paper examines the efforts of New York lawyer James DeWitt Andrews and others to create a new classification system for American law in the early years of the twentieth century. Inspired by fragments left by founding father James Wilson, Andrews worked though the American Bar Association and organized independent projects to classify the law. A controversial figure, whose motives were often questioned, Andrews engaged the support and at times the antagonism of prominent legal figures such as John H. Wigmore, Roscoe Pound, and William Howard Taft before his plans ended with the founding of the American Law Institute in 1923.
Plessy’s Legacy: The Government’s Role in the Development and Perpetuation of Segregated Neighborhoods

Plessy v. Ferguson provided the foundation for a system of segregation and exclusion that adversely affected African Americans throughout the twentieth century. Segregation was perpetuated by federal policies. During the 1940s and 1950s, the federal government facilitated the construction of suburban communities with Veterans Administration– and Federal Housing Authority–insured mortgages. These agencies invented redlining and required lending institutions to insert racially restrictive covenants in deeds for properties they insured. In the 1950s and 1960s, the federal government facilitated the construction of the interstate highway system. The freeways were frequently constructed through African American neighborhoods, displacing the residents. Urban renewal programs caused the destruction of African American communities across the nation. This long and tragic history of structural racism continues to adversely affect the well-being of African American families.
Integrated Dielectric Micro-Optical Elements on VCSELs Using Grayscale Photolithography

We present fabrication of silicon nitride integrated micro-optical elements on VCSELs using grayscale photolithography and dry etching. The optical characteristics of VCSELs with spirals are investigated.
Impact of Metformin Use on Survival in Patients Undergoing Liver Resection for Colorectal Cancer Metastases.

INTRODUCTION Resection of colorectal liver metastases provides the best chance for survival in patients with Stage IV colorectal cancer; however, hepatic recurrence is frequent and the main cause of death. Multiple epidemiological studies have documented an association between metformin and anti-neoplastic effects in a variety of cancers. Given the vast literature, we evaluated the incidence on recurrence and survival of patients on metformin who undergo surgery for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). METHODS We selected 270 consecutive patients with known CRLM who underwent hepatic metastases resection at our institution between January 1st 2012 and December 31st 2019. Patients were divided based on their use of metformin (n = 62) or no metformin (n = 208). Adjusted analysis of recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) was performed. RESULTS Patients on metformin had significantly longer RFS (HR: .44, 95% CI: .26-.75, P 200 ng/ml (HR: 2.23, 95% CI 1.21-4.03, P 1 tumor (HR: 1.98, 95% CI 1.26-3.09, P < .003). Liver margin remained a significant factor for predicting shorter OS (HR: 4.99, 95% CI 2.49-10.0, P < .001). CONCLUSION In this study, we found that patients with CRLM on metformin have prolonged RFS and OS postliver resection. Further prospective randomized trials need to be carried out to evaluate the anti-neoplastic effect of metformin in diabetic and non-diabetic cancer patients.
Calcium Uptake and Exchange in Barley Aleurone Layers and Protoplasts During Ca-Stimulated Amylase Secretion

Extracellular Ca2+ regulates α-amylase secretion in isolated barley aleurone layers. At high Ca2+ concentrations (1–10 mM) the secretion of isozymes of α-amylase with high isoelectric points (high pI) is greatly stimulated. This effect is rapidly reversed by withdrawing Ca2+ and is specific for Ca2+. Extracellular Ca2+ may exert its effect either directly on the plasma membrane or by altering the Ca concentration of some compartment inside the cell. We have determined the influence of extracellular Ca2+ on intracellular Ca pools by measuring Ca uptake and exchange in aleurone layers and by direct measurement of cytoplasmic Ca2+ activity in aleurone protoplasts.
Two-Dimensional Formulation

Because of the complexity of the elasticity field equations, analytical closed-form solutions to fully three-dimensional problems are very difficult to accomplish. Thus, most solutions are developed for reduced problems that typically include axisymmetry or two-dimensionality to simplify particular aspects of the formulation and solution. We now wish to examine in detail the formulation of two-dimensional problems in elasticity. Our initial formulation will result in a boundary-value problem cast within a two-dimensional domain in the x , y -plane using Cartesian coordinates. This work will then be reformulated in polar coordinates to allow for the development of important solutions in that coordinate system. Since all real elastic structures are three-dimensional, the theories set forth here will be approximate models. The nature and accuracy of the approximation will depend on problem and loading geometry. Although four different formulations will be developed, the two basic theories of plane strain and plane stress represent the fundamental plane problem in elasticity. While these two theories apply to significantly different types of two-dimensional bodies, their formulations yield very similar field equations. It will be shown that these two theories can be reduced to one governing equation in terms of a single unknown stress function. This reduction then allows many solutions to be generated to problems of engineering interest.
TH-AB-204-02: Preliminary Study of Up-Converting Nanocrystal (UCNC) Imaging in Optical-ECT

Purpose: Optical-emission computed tomography (optical- ECT) enables high-resolution 3D imaging of emission in optically cleared tissues on the order of 1 cm3. This work demonstrates capabilities of optical-ECT to quantify the red fluorescent protein (RFP) tdTomato in rat lung, and presents preliminary data on the feasibility of imaging near-IR absorptive up-converting nanocrystals (UCNCs) with optical-ECT. Methods: The nanocrystal NaYF4:Yb/Er studied in this work up-converts 980nm light to visible light peaking sharply at ∼530nm. Collimation of light using telecentric lenses coupled with a CCD array allows for inverse radon 3D reconstruction of fluorescent molecules in optically cleared tissue or whole-organ samples in emission mode. As demonstration of the typical capability of the system, tdTomato RFP emission in the lung of a Cre mouse model is reconstructed in 3D. Compatibility of UCNC with optical clearing is assessed with agarose phantom, to which 1mg/mL of 100-nm diameter NaYF4:Yb/Er coated with polyethyleneimine was injected at two different locations before the agarose was fixed with ethanol and cleared with methyl salicylate. Results: Emission mode imaging of the tdTomato-expressing mouse lung reveals in high-resolution (25.8µm3/voxel) information unseen in transmission imaging. UCNCs are shown to emit in ethanol and methyl salicylate, detected by fluorimetry. Projection images of injected UCNC crystals in agarose confirm that the crystal is unaffected by optical clearing. One-second exposure images of the excited nanocrystals yield maximum CCD counts of ∼3800 with a 530nm filter, a significant increase compared to three-second exposure image of tdTomato yielding ∼1200 counts. Conclusion: Optical-ECT imaging enables 3D emission mapping of un-sectioned tissue or whole organ on the order of 1cm3. UCNCs are not only confirmed to be unaffected by optical clearing but also yield high intensity fluorescence. Since UCNC is biocompatible, 3D imaging of the behavior of cancer cells in small animal models with UCNCs is currently under exploration.
Biosynthesis of a Globoside-type Glycosphingolipid by a β-N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase from Embryonic Chicken Brain

Abstract A β-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activity has been detected in 11-day-old embryonic chicken brain which catalyzes the transfer of N-acetylgalactosamine from UDP-N-acetyl[14C]galactosamine to a triglycosylceramide (or, GloboTri-cer; O-α-galactosyl(1→4)-O-β-galactosyl(1→4)-O- β-glucosyl(1→1)-ceramide) to form the globoside-type tetraglycosylceramide, GalNAc → Gal → Gal → Glc → ceramide. The enzyme is membrane bound and requires sodium taurocholate and Mn2+ for optimal activity. The optimum pH value for the incorporation of N-acetylgalactosamine was 6.5 in 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid buffer. The Km values were 1.7 x 10-3 m and 2.0 x 10-4 m for GloboTri-cer and UDP-GalNAc, respectively. The radioactive product of the reaction was isolated, purified, and characterized as globoside-type tetraglycosylceramide. The terminal [14C]GalNAc was cleaved 78% by the action of jack bean β-N-acetylgalactosaminidase. The 14C product formed a precipitin line with anti-globoside serum, and the line fused with that of globoside derived from porcine heart or erythrocytes.
The Open Grid Computing Environments collaboration: portlets and services for science gateways: Research Articles

We review the efforts of the Open Grid Computing Environments collaboration. By adopting a general three-tiered architecture based on common standards for portlets and Grid Web services, we can deliver numerous capabilities to science gateways from our diverse constituent efforts. In this paper, we discuss our support for standards-based Grid portlets using the Velocity development environment. Our Grid portlets are based on abstraction layers provided by the Java CoG kit, which hide the differences of different Grid toolkits. Sophisticated services are decoupled from the portal container using Web service strategies. We describe advance information, semantic data, collaboration, and science application services developed by our consortium. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Induction of Mitochondrial Tri-carboxylic Acid Cycle is Sustained in Mice with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major public health problem in 70% of obese humans, with 20 to 40% progressing to NASH. Tri-carboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in the liver is critical to macronutrient metabolism, free radical generation and inflammation. We have shown that hepatic TCA cycle is induced in humans and mice with NAFLD. We hypothesized that NASH will impair TCA cycle activity. Mice (C57/BL6) were fed high trans-fat diet (TFD) for 8 wks. to induce NAFLD and 24 wks. to induce NASH. In vivo fasting hepatic fluxes were measured by stable isotopes and NMR isotopomer analysis. Hepatic ceramides and diacylglycerols were determined by LC-MS/MS based targeted metabolomics. Hepatic mitochondrial fluxes remained unchanged in mice with NAFLD. However, hepatic fluxes (µmoles/ min) of glucose production (4.1 ±0.4 vs. 5.8 ±0.5), TCA cycle (2.6 ±0.5 vs. 5.4 ±0.6) and anaplerosis (9.1 ±1.2 vs. 16.9 ±2.2) were elevated (P < 0.05) in mice with NASH. Induction of TCA cycle during NASH was concurrent with i...
Treatment of premature labor with beta sympathomimetics: Results with isoxsuprine

Abstract This propective study presents a protocol for the treatment of premature labor with beta sympathomimetics and the results when isoxsuprine was used. Seventy-two patients from 25 to 36 weeks' gestation were treated. All patients were placed at bed rest, hydrated, and given parenteral sedation prior to the intravenous use of isoxsuprine. Treatment was continued via the intramuscular and oral routes until the thirty-seventh week of gestation. Three patients (4.2%) were delivered of infants during the initial infusion, and 15 (20.2%) were delivered of infants within 2 weeks after the onset of therapy. Forty-nine (68%) were delivered of infants after 37 weeks' gestation, and their infants weighed more than 2,500 grams. Maternal side effects were common, but none necessitated termination of therapy. There were six neonatal deaths, the causes of which were respiratory distress syndrome in two infants, necrotizing enterocolitis in one, group B streptococcal sepsis in one, congenital anomalies with sepsis in one, and multiple congenital anomalies in one.
Model fit assessment via marginal model plots

We present a new Stata command, mmp, that generates marginal model plots (Cook and Weisberg, 1997, Journal of the American Statistical Association 92: 490–499) for a regression model. These plots a...
LIFE AND DEATH IN ADOLESCENCE

This issue contains an articley of unusual interest by the eminent English pediatrician and psychoanalyst, Dr. D. W. Winnicott. Winnicott for many years continued to function as pediatrician and psychoanalyst, enabling him to be in contact with a wide range of human experience centered on the child and his family. Such highly useful and creative concepts as "The ordinary devoted mother," "Transitional objects," "The capacity to be alone," are but a few examples of Winnicott's refreshing originality, invariably based on observations made while diagnosing and treating children and in connection with guiding parents to satisfying and confident parenthood. In his volume of collected papers, Through Pediatrics to Psychoanalysis, Winnicott wrote in the preface, "My clinical experience has been varied." Language: en
Suicide bereavement and recovery patterns compared with nonsuicide bereavement patterns

This study compared bereavement experiences of suicide survivors with those of other survivors. The primary focus of investigation was upon grief reactions suggested to be unique to suicide bereavement and upon quality of grief resolution 2-4 years after death. Fifty-seven women and men, between the ages of 24 and 48, who had experienced the death of a marital partner were interviewed. Subjects were assigned to one of four groups by mode of death (suicide, accident, unanticipated natural, and expected natural). Analyses of variance and Scheffe procedures indicated no significant differences among survivors on frequencies of grief reactions considered common to all bereavements. The suicide survivors were significantly different from all others on certain grief measures, including rejection and unique grief reactions. On various other grief measures, significant differences were indicated among the groups of survivors. Four primary conclusions, implications of the findings, and limitations of the study are discussed.
Ensuring Success in School is About More Than Getting A's: Layered Stories

I begin this paper with a reader’s theatre text that represents the multiple perspectives of a student, teacher, student teacher, and administrator about a high school class schedule change. In presenting a text that portrays multiple points of view upon what would seem to be an everyday experience in an urban high school, I aim to show the complexity of how different people in different roles respond and manage their context in response to a single policy decision. After the reader’s theater and before I continue with the rest of the paper, I invite you the reader to consider your interpretations of and associations with the text. I conclude by arguing that we need to be attuned to the complex ways that policy decisions inform and constrain the actions of people within educational contexts. Keywords: policy decisions; effects; urban schools; English language learners; layered stories; reader’s theater
Manganese(III) Acetylacetonate

[14284-89-0] C15H21MnO6 (MW 352.30) InChI = 1S/3C5H8O2.Mn/c3*1-4(6)3-5(2)7;/h3*3,6H,1-2H3;/q;;;+3/p-3/b3*4-3-; InChIKey = HYZQBNDRDQEWAN-LNTINUHCSA-K (one-electron oxidant used to oxidize phenols, β-dicarbonyl compounds, and thiols to the corresponding radical) Physical Data: lustrous brown crystalline solid; mp 172 °C.1 Solubility: slightly sol water; sol acetone, benzene, chloroform, ether, ethanol, ethyl acetate.1
Synergistic effects of carbon fillers in electrically and thermally conductive liquid crystal polymer based resins

Adding conductive carbon fillers to insulating thermoplastic resins increases composite electrical and thermal conductivity. Often, as much of a single type of carbon filler is added to achieve the desired conductivity, while still allowing the material to be molded into a bipolar plate for a fuel cell. In this study, varying amounts of three different carbons (carbon black, synthetic graphite particles, and carbon fiber) were added to Vectra A950RX Liquid Crystal Polymer. The resulting single filler composites were tested for electrical resistivity (1/electrical conductivity) and thermal conductivity. In addition, the effects of single fillers and combinations of two different carbon fillers were studied via a factorial design. The results indicated that for the composites containing only single fillers, synthetic graphite, followed by carbon fiber, cause a statistically significant decrease in composite electrical resistivity. Composites containing only synthetic graphite, followed by carbon black, and then carbon fiber cause a statistically significant increase in thermal conductivity. For the combinations of two different fillers, the composites containing carbon black/synthetic graphite and synthetic graphite/carbon fiber had a statistically significant and positive effect on thermal conductivity. It is possible that thermally conductive pathways are formed that “link” these carbon fillers, which results in increased composite thermal conductivity. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Sexual differentiation of rat reproductive versus opioid antinociceptive systems.

Abstract Background: It has been suggested that sexual differentiation of opioid analgesic sensitivity may parallel sexual differentiation in reproductive systems. Objective: The present study compared organizational and activational roles of testosterone in sexual differentiation in reproductive versus opioid antinociceptive systems in the rat, to assess whether both systems were similarly testosterone dependent. Methods: Male rat pups (Sprague-Dawley and Fisher 344 [F344]) were either handled or castrated on postnatal day (PND) 1, and female pups were injected with testosterone propionate (100 or 1000 µg) on PND 2. In adulthood, all rats were gonadectomized (or simply anesthetized) and implanted with either testosterone filled or blank capsules (one 10-mm capsule/100 g of body weight). Results: Two hundred one Sprague-Dawley rats and 178 F344 rats were used. In gonadally intact adults of both rat strains, the antinociceptive potency of subcutaneously injected morphine was significantly greater in males than in females ( P = 0.05). These sex differences were eliminated by neonatal castration in males or by neonatal androgenization in females. However, adult testosterone treatment reversed the effects of neonatal castration in males. Masculinization and defeminization of sexual behavior, ovary weight, and body weight generally met conventional expectations. Compared with male controls, neonatally castrated males gained less body weight, and displayed more lordosis behavior and compromised male sexual behaviors. Compared with female controls, neonatally androgenized females gained more body weight, developed smaller ovaries, and presented less lordosis behavior and more male sexual behaviors. Overall, neonatal testosterone manipulations sufficient to masculinize or defeminize rats in terms of reproductive behavior and physiology also masculinized or defeminized morphine antinociceptive sensitivity. The effects of neonatal castration were reversed by adult testosterone treatment, indicating that sexual differentiation of opioid antinociceptive systems begins before PND 1. Conclusions: Sensitivity to opioid antinociception begins to diverge between males and females early in life. The relationship between gonadal hormone-mediated sexual differentiation of the reproductive and the opioid antinociceptive systems suggests that the 2 systems may be functionally linked. This finding has implications for the treatment of pain and analgesia in women and men.
Observations on the clinical characteristics and natural history of oral leukoplakia

One hundred and seventeen white adults with oral leukoplakia were examined and followed up from 1 to 11 years to correlate the clinical and histologic characteristics with the natural history of this disease.
Kinematics of turning maneuvers in the southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans

The ability to change direction is essential to any animal that moves around in a complex, 3D environment. In this study we present the first 3D description of body positions during gliding turns in a mammalian gliding specialist, the southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans. In addition, we used these kinematic data to estimate the aerodynamic forces generated by the animals and rotational velocities and accelerations of the body while turning. These results were compared with similar measurements of flying squirrels during straight glides. The two individuals used in this study differed significantly in limb position asymmetries between the two sides of their bodies and also were significantly different in measures of turning performance. The individual with better performance used limb positions consistent with a primarily lift-based turning mechanism (banked turn), whereas the individual with poorer performance used limb positions consistent with a primarily drag-based turning mechanism (crabbed turn). Both individuals employed limb movements continuously through the gliding turn, but these movements did not have any consistent relationships with body rotations or lateral acceleration. As compared with straight glides, squirrels used significantly higher angles of attack and had lower lift-to-drag ratios, but did not differ in glide angle. Contrary to the typical view of maneuvering during gliding as a simple, static form of locomotion, the results presented here indicate that mammalian gliding is a complex behavior comprising the interplay of many components of limb position and wing shape that affect the balance of forces that control the turn.
Severe ocular self-injury

Abstract To further delineate the clinical characteristies of patients who deliberately, severely mutilate their eyes, we reviewed the medical records of a specialty eye hospital and found nine cases of intentional, severe, self-inflicted eye injuries. We identified two groups of patients. Most were young psychotic individuals with severe psychopathology often involving sexual and religous delusions, command hallucinations, and the propensity to act on delusions. The second group was comprised of patients with organic disabilities, either dementia or severe mental retardation, where a lack of impulse control and preexisting eye irritation or surgical operation may have contributed to the act. One patient was a recidivist. Two-thrids of the patients were confined at the time of the act. That selfmutilation may occur frequently in confined patients calls for active vigilance from caretakers; that it may recur calls for caution by the psychiatrist.
Effects of left atrial enlargement on atrial transmembrane potentials and structure in dogs with mitral valve fibrosis

Abstract The effects of left atrial enlargement on atrial cell electrophysiology and structure were studied in dogs with mitral valve fibrosis. Thirteen dogs (Group I) had left atrial enlargement and intermittent atrial arrhythmias; 10 dogs (Group II) had left atrial enlargement and chronic atrial fibrillation. The resting and action potentials of cells in isolated preparations from the enlarged left atrium were found not to differ from those in the nonenlarged right atrium or in the atrium of control dogs. The resting and action potentials of cells in Group II atria did not differ significantly from those in Group I atria. Some cells (15 percent of the total studied) in the atria of dogs in Groups I and II were inexcitable, but either superfusion with acetylcholine or norepinephrine restored excitability. The structural studies showed that the left atrium of the dogs in Groups I and II had a reduced number of muscle cell layers spanning the wall with an unusually large amount of connective tissue between greatly hypertrophied cells. Very few degenerating cells were seen. Dramatic abnormalities of cell electrophysiology may not be involved in the genesis of arrhythmias in the enlarged canine atrium, and the altered morphologic features of the atrium in these dogs may be important in the genesis of persistent atrial arrhythmias.
SCATTERING OF POLARIZED NUCLEON BEAMS

The polarization formulas for the general reaction $a+b\ensuremath{\rightarrow}c+d$ are given in a compact form and specialized for the scattering of polarized nucleon beams at unpolarized targets. These targets may have arbitrary spin, possibly being different before and after collision. An interesting quantity in this problem is the polarization of the scattered nucleon beam. On the basis of general invariance properties of the transition matrix, this polarization is expressed by the polarization of the incoming nucleon beam and the relative momenta before and after collision. The invariant coefficients in this relation are functions of energy and scattering angle only; they are given in terms of the parameters of the transition matrix.By using these formulas, it is shown that with triple scattering experiments one can obtain two new relations between the parameters of the transition matrix at fixed energy and angle. Quadruple scattering leads to two further relations. These relations represent information in addition to the differential cross section and the polarization resulting from unpolarized beams. The results are specialized for targets of spin zero and spin one-half, where in the latter case also the scattering of identical particles is discussed briefly.
Adolescents' Extracurricular Participation in Context: The Mediating Effects of Schools, Communities, and Identity.

To understand the meaning of high school students' participation in extracurricular activities, it is important to account for social contexts as influences on development. This study investigated how school and community contexts relate to associations among high school students' extracurricular participation, academic achievement, and educational ambition. On the basis of survey data from the Alfred P. Sloan Study of Youth and Social Development, the results show that participation in sports is most strongly associated with achievement in schools with low educational expectations and schools in poor communities. Participation in non-sports extracurricular activities, while also demonstrating some contextual variation, is more consistently associated with both higher academic achievement and higher educational expectations across types of communities than is participation in sports. A further examination of these associations suggests that having an athletic identity accounts for much of the variation in the value of sports. Thus, identity can help to explain the finding that social contexts differentially influence developmental outcomes associated with participation in extracurricular activities
Separation of alkaloids by pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography

pH-Zone-refining counter-current chromatography was applied to the separation of alkaloids from a crude extract of Crinum moorei using a multilayer coil planet centrifuge. After methyl tert. -butyl ether and water were equilibrated, triethylamine (5–10 mM) was added to the organic phase and hydrochloric acid (5–10 mM) to the aqueous phase. The separation was performed by eluting the column with either the organic phase (displacement mode) or the aqueous phase (reverse-displacement mode) while the other phase was used as the stationary phase. From 3 g of the extract, crinine. powelline and crinamidine were separated in 2.5–7 h with minimum overlapping
Child characteristics, family demographics and family processes: Their effects on the stress experienced by families of children with disabilities

Abstract Parents of children with disabilities are often reported as having more stress than their counterparts. Because past investigations of parent stress have been limited by considering too few sources of stress, this study gathered a large variety of demographic, child and family process variables. Two domains of parenting stress, including those aspects related to the child's characteristics (child related) and those aspects concerned with the parent's attitudes toward parenting (parent related) were analyzed separately. The results showed that the circumstances and processes of a family, as well as child characteristics, must be taken into account when clinicians attempt to mediate problems. This research has direct application for clinicians and interventionists. If intervention hopes to truly serve families, a thorough understanding of parenting stress is needed.
Improving field analogues by transformation

A CONDUCTION analogue such as the electrolytic tank is a familiar device for the solution of problems involving electric, magnetic, thermal, and other fields. The accuracy of measurements made in this way is often limited by distortion of the field produced by the boundaries of the conducting medium and by practical limitations on the size of the model. In 1949 Boothroyd, Cherry, and Makar1 described an ingenious circular double tank which was used for the study of impedance functions and which essentially eliminated the usual errors caused by the tank walls. Their technique is actually a special case of a general method based on conformal mapping.
Oligonucleotide formation catalyzed by mononucleotide matrices

Pb2+-containing precipitates of mononucleotides form matrices which catalyze the self-condensation of nucleotide 5′-phosphorimidazolides and their condensation with nucleosides. The reactions exhibit base-pairing specificity between matrix nucleotide and substrate, and usually follow the Watson-Crick pairing rules. Although purine polynucleotides do not facilitate the oligomerization of pyrimidine nucleotide monomers in solution, it is interesting that purine-containing matrices do catalyze such a reaction. The significance of the results in the context of the prebiotic evolution of polynucleotides is discussed.
Near-field radiative thermal transport: From theory to experiment

Radiative thermal transport via the fluctuating electromagnetic near-field has recently attracted increasing attention due to its fundamental importance and its impact on a range of applications from data storage to thermal management and energy conversion. After a brief historical account of radiative thermal transport, we summarize the basics of fluctuational electrodynamics, a theoretical framework for the study of radiative heat transfer in terms of thermally excited propagating and evanescent electromagnetic waves. Various approaches to modeling near-field thermal transport are briefly discussed, together with key results and proposals for manipulation and utilization of radiative heat flow. Subsequently, we review the experimental advances in the characterization of both near-field heat flow and energy density. We conclude with remarks on the opportunities and challenges for future explorations of radiative heat transfer at the nanoscale.
Deferoxamine administration delivers translational optimization of distraction osteogenesis in the irradiated mandible.

Background Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that Deferoxamine (DFO) promotes angiogenesis and bone repair in the setting of radiation therapy (XRT) coupled with Distraction Osteogenesis (DO). However, clinically relevant effects of deferoxamine administration on union rate, micro-Computed Tomography (μCT) and biomechanical parameters are unknown. We posit that administration of deferoxamine will increase union rate, mineralization, and strength of the regenerate in an irradiated DO model.
Synthesis of N2-alkyl-8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine derivatives and effects of these modifications on RNA duplex stability.

N2-Alkyl analogues of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (OG) were synthesized (alkyl = propyl, benzyl) via reductive amination of the protected OG nucleoside and incorporated into various positions of an RNA strand. Thermal stability studies of duplexes containing A or C opposite a single modified base revealed only moderate destabilization. Both OG as well as its N2-alkyl analogues can pair opposite A or C with nearly equal stability, potentially offering a new means of modulating RNA−protein interactions in the minor vs major grooves.
Dabigatran excess: case report and review of the literature.

Introduction Novel oral anticoagulants are increasingly used for stroke prophylaxis in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. While these agents offer a more predictable pharmacokinetic profile, the lack of readily available laboratory tests to monitor the level of anticoagulation and absence of an antidote or established therapies to reverse the anticoagulant effect make management of cases of over-anticoagulation challenging.