cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of the Whole Child Assessment to identify children at risk of poor outcomes.

Abstract Background Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in pediatric patients has the potential to prevent poor health outcomes associated with ACEs. Only a limited number of tools screen for all ten ACEs in all pediatric age groups, and none of these have demonstrated robust validity to date. Objective In order to evaluate the validity of the Whole Child Assessment, we examined associations between poor outcomes in pediatric patients and responses to questions about exposure to and risk of ACEs. Methods This cross-sectional study used medical record data from 499 children ages 5−11 years old who received care at one of two university-affiliated clinics in California. All Child-ACE measures were included on the Whole Child Assessment, which caregivers completed when they brought their child to a well-child visit. Medical charts were reviewed for current diagnoses and problems, current or past history of any developmental delay, and health care utilization. Results Compared to lower risk patients (0−1 reported ACE exposure), patients with 2 or more reported exposures were statistically significantly more likely to experience sadness, anger, sleep problems, bullying, school problems, and enuresis. The directionality of effects and the number of statistically significant associations improved when adding questions about risk of ACEs to the total Child-ACE score. Conclusion We found strong relationships between Child-ACEs reported on the Whole Child Assessment and odds of poor child health and psychosocial outcomes in pediatric patients age 5−11 years old, which supports the validity of using the Whole Child Assessment at well-child visits.
Trends in Nerve Transfer Procedures Among Board-Eligible Orthopedic Hand Surgeons

Purpose Enthusiasm for peripheral nerve transfers increased over the past several years, but further studies are still needed to establish the role of these procedures in peripheral nerve reconstruction. The primary goal of this study was to describe the frequency of nerve transfer surgery among newly trained orthopedic surgeons. Methods We queried the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Part II case log database for all nerve reconstruction Current Procedural Terminology codes for examination years 2004 to 2018 for surgeries performed between 2003 and 2017. Information collected for each patient included examination year, year of surgery, surgeon fellowship training subspecialty, geographic region (as defined by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Part II case log database), patient age, and patient sex. Results A total of 3,359 nerve reconstruction cases were logged by 1,542 individual candidates from examination years 2004 to 2018. Of the nerve reconstruction codes, 2.1% were nerve transfer codes. There was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of nerve transfer codes over the study period, from 0% of nerve reconstruction codes in examination years 2004 to 2006 to 4.1% of nerve reconstruction codes in examination years 2016 to 2018 (Z = –6.82; P Conclusions There has been an increase in the number of nerve transfer procedures relative to all nerve reconstruction codes for peripheral nerve conditions. Clinical relevance There is a modest but significant increase in nerve transfer procedures over time among newly trained orthopedic surgeons, which suggests the need for long-term outcomes studies for nerve transfers procedures performed in the setting of peripheral nerve conditions.
Field Translocation of Mountain Pine Beetles Suggests Phoretic Mite Communities Are Locally Adapted, and Mite Populations Respond Variably to Climate Warming.

Temperature is a key determining factor in the population dynamics of forest insects and their associated biota. Bark beetles, often considered key agents of change in forest ecosystems, are particularly affected by warming in their environment. Beetles associate with various phoretic mite species that have direct/indirect effects on beetle fitness and population dynamics, although there is limited knowledge of how temperature affects these communities. Here, we use a field reciprocal translocation experiment with the addition of a novel “warming” environment to represent future changes in local environment in two populations of a keystone bark beetle species (Dendroctonus ponderosae). We hypothesize that mite community abundances as carried by bark beetles are significantly altered when not in their native environments and when subjected to climate warming. We use multivariate generalized linear models based on species abundance data to show that mite community compositions significantly differ across different field climates; and that these patterns diverge between source populations, indicating local adaptation. Our study offers foundational information on the general effects of simulated climate-warming on the compositional shifts of common and abundant biotic associates of mountain pine beetles and may be used as a model system for other important insect–mite systems.
Reelin deficiency contributes to long-term behavioral abnormalities induced by chronic adolescent exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in mice.

Abstract Cannabis use is widespread among adolescents and has been associated with long-term negative outcomes on neurocognitive functions. However, the factors that contribute to the long-term detrimental effects of cannabis use remain poorly understood. Here, we studied how Reelin deficiency influences the behavior of mice exposed to cannabis during adolescence. Reelin is a gene implicated in the development of the brain and of psychiatric disorders. To this aim, heterozygous Reeler (HR) mice, that express reduced level of Reelin, were chronically injected during adolescence with high doses (10 mg/kg) of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a major psychoactive component of cannabis. Two weeks after the last injection of THC, mice were tested with multiple behavioral assays, including working memory, social interaction, locomotor activity, anxiety-like responses, stress reactivity, and pre-pulse inhibition. Compared to wild-type (WT), HR mice treated with THC showed impaired social behaviors, elevated disinhibitory phenotypes and increased reactivity to aversive situations, in a sex-specific manner. Overall, these findings show that Reelin deficiency influences behavioral abnormalities caused by heavy consumption of THC during adolescence and suggest that elucidating Reelin signaling will improve our understanding of neurobiological mechanisms underlying behavioral traits relevant to the development of psychiatric conditions.
Biological sex differences in Alzheimer's preclinical research: A call to action.

Introduction For decades, researchers have largely ignored sex as a biological variable (SABV) within preclinical studies. Recent literature indicates scientists are increasingly including male and female subjects in studies, but fewer studies assess for sex differences in study outcome. This is particularly concerning within the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as disease burden is higher among women and evidence suggests sex differences exist in etiology and disease course. Methods We conducted an informal review of preclinical AD research studies. Results Results confirmed that only about one-third of ≈150 recent studies included both male and female mice, and <15 of nearly 150 studies examined SABV as an outcome of interest. Discussion Previous research supports the idea that better integration of SABV could open new doors in treatment research. We provide examples of best practices and discuss the need for Alzheimer's researchers to account for SABV within preclinical studies.
Ethical tribulations of COVID-19: the sinister ominous, existential responsibility and Medice, cura te ipsum

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the vulnerability of the human being in their existential and medical fields. A feeling of uncertainty of an overwhelming and ominous nature indicates that dying is inherent for the human condition, a feeling that is daily hidden behind the mask of a casual, unexpected, random event. The possibility of dying from the viral disease revealed that the essence of man as being-in-the-world is ethical or self-assumption and is expressed through an original rather than a moral conscience, which calls for authenticity, to listen to its nihility as being-referred-to-death. The medical ethical principles based on rights and duties need to be perfected by the ethics of virtues in accordance with the current challenges, requiring a transformation of the moral self of the doctor. A moral failure of duty is inevitable for medicine, it will never reach its final realization.
Deep transcriptome profiling of multiple myeloma with quantitative measures using the SPECTRA approach

ABSTRACT Complex diseases, including cancer, are highly heterogeneous, and large molecular datasets are increasingly part of describing an individual’s unique experience. Gene expression is particularly attractive because it captures genetic, epigenetic and environmental consequences. SPECTRA is an approach to describe variation in a transcriptome as a set of unsupervised quantitative variables. Spectra variables provide a deep dive into the transcriptome, representing both large (prominent, high-level) and small (deeper, more subtle) sources of variance. Spectra variables are ideal for modeling alongside other variables for any outcome of interest. Each spectrum can also be considered a phenotypic trait, providing new avenues for disease characterization or to explore disease risk. We applied the SPECTRA approach to multiple myeloma (MM), the second most common blood cancer. Using RNA sequencing from malignant CD138+ cells, we derived 39 spectra in 767 patients from the MMRF CoMMpass study. We included spectra in prediction models for several clinical endpoints, compared to established expression-based risk scores, and used descriptive modeling to identify associations with patient characteristics. Spectra-based risk scores added predictive value beyond established clinical risk factors and other expression-based risk scores for overall survival, progression-free survival, and time to first-line treatment failure. We identified significant associations between CD138+ spectra and tumor cytogenetics, race, gender, and age at diagnosis. The SPECTRA approach provides quantitative measures of transcriptome variation to deeply profile tumors. This framework more comprehensively represents signals in the transcriptome and offers greater flexibility to model clinical outcomes and characteristics.
Examining Customers’ Perceptions of High-end Ethnic Dining in the United States: An Application of Importance-Performance Analysis

The present study explores customers’ perceptions of high-end ethnic restaurant patronage in the United States utilizing importance-performance analysis (IPA). The study examines which attributes o...
Noninvasive Prenatal Testing and Noninvasive Prenatal Screening

Abstract The ability to analyze circulating fetal DNA in the maternal circulation has revolutionized noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS). Prior to the availability of NIPS, maternal screening was the only screening method to detect aneuploid pregnancies. The positive predictive value (PPV) of maternal screening was less than 5% resulting in a much maternal anxiety, cost to the health care system, and spontaneous loss of unaffected pregnancies. NIPT has PPV of > 90% resulting in a drastic reduction in the number of invasive prenatal diagnoses needed leading to a decrease in maternal anxiety and health care costs. This chapter will review the concept of PPV in a screening test, the scientific discoveries leading to clinical introduction of NIPT, describe the various technologies used to perform NIPT and then discuss nuances of testing and interpretation.
A Plasma-based Biomarker Panel Identifies Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease (S38.001)

OBJECTIVE: Identify and validate a blood-based biomarker of preclinical Alzheimer9s disease (AD) using lipidomics. BACKGROUND: The lack of an easy to obtain and accurate biomarker of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease limits our ability to detect the earliest stages of the disease where the neurologic substrate may be most receptive to intervention. DESIGN/METHODS: We collected yearly cognitive data and blood samples from 525 community-dwelling older adults for up to five years. During the study, 28 individuals phenoconverted from cognitively normal to either amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) or AD. We performed untargeted, then targeted metabolomic analyses using mass-spectrometry (MS)-based methods on the banked plasma samples from these subjects, 74 with stable normal cognitive performance, and 75 who presented with incident aMCI/AD in discovery and blinded validation phases. A classifier model was developed and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses for group classification were performed. RESULTS: Our metabolomics analyses identified ten lipid species including eight phospholipids and two acylcarnitines whose plasma levels were significantly altered in the cognitively normal individuals destined to phenoconvert to aMCI/AD in the next 2-3 years compared to those who remained cognitively normal with a ROC area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96. In the blinded validation phase, the biomarker panel classified the groups with a ROC AUC of 0.92. Sensitivity and specificity of the biomarker panel in the validation cohort was 90%. CONCLUSIONS: In a cognitively well-defined cohort of community-dwelling seniors, we discovered and validated a set of ten plasma lipids that primarily reflect cell membrane integrity, and was over 90% accurate in predicting phenoconversion from cognitively normal to either aMCI or AD within a 2-3 year timeframe. This biomarker panel may be sensitive to the synaptic loss and early neurodegeneration that defines the preclinical stage of AD. With further clinical confirmation this lipidomic biomarker panel may allow us to detect preclinical AD more readily and provide opportunities for earlier and more successful therapies. Study Supported by: NIH R01AG030753 Disclosure: Dr. Mapstone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fiandaca has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cheema has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhong has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kawas has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec. Dr. Kawas has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Continuum. Dr. Federoff has nothing to disclose.
SATISFACCIÓN USUARIA RESPECTO A COMPETENCIA DE COMUNICACIÓN DEL PROFESIONAL DE ENFERMERÍA

El modelo de relacion de persona a persona, de Joyce Travelbee, sustenta el estudio cuyo objetivo es determinar apreciacion usuaria respecto a la competencia de comunicacion del profesional de enfermeria, considerando las dimensiones: proactividad, actitud profesional, comunicacion verbal, comunicacion no verbal y apoyo emocional. Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, transversal. Universo: 305 personas hospitalizadas, 3 servicios publicos, V Region, Chile, octubre y diciembre 2013. Unidades Mediana Complejidad. Muestra151, > 18 anos; estadia > 5 dias; Glasgow = 15. Aceptacion comite etica, consentimiento informado. Cuestionario satisfaccion usuaria autoaplicado 17 itemes escala Lickert 1-4. Alfa de Cronbach 0.943. Resultados: Alto grado de satisfaccion global respecto de competencia de comunicacion, las mujeres perciben una mayor insatisfaccion que los hombres. Aumenta grado de satisfaccion con mayor estadia; los jovenes y quienes tienen mayor nivel de instruccion, mayor insatisfaccion. La comunicacion no verbal refleja menor nivel de satisfaccion, en comparacion con el resto de variables. La actitud profesional y proactividad se perciben en menor nivel que las otras dimensiones, siendo el apoyo emocional mejor valorado. Conclusiones: La comunicacion y la visualizacion del otro como un ser unico, autonomo, que tiene derecho a ser informado, tomar decisiones respecto a su salud, son dimensiones que deben ser respetadas. El centro del quehacer de la enfermera(o) como generador de cuidados a traves de la comunicacion, resaltando la relacion persona a persona.
Structure and Function of Microplasminogen: Reconstitution of Microplasminogen and Microplasmin from Isolated Fragments

We describe limited chemical proteolysis of microplasminogen/microplasmin (mPlg/mPlm) and their reconstitution from isolated fragments. A V141-->M141 substitution in methionineless human mPlg/mPlm allowed the protein(s) to be cleaved in CNBr/formic acid. The resulting two fragments (141 and 118 residues, respectively), each internally disulfide bonded, were separated by preparative non-reducing gradient SDS-PAGE, and could then be mixed to reconstitute the characteristic mPlg/mPlm, including their activation by urokinase (uPA) and streptokinase (SK), and inhibition by macromolecular inhibitors. The isolated larger, N-terminal fragment, which contains the mPlg activation site in a normal disulfide configuration, was not cleaved by uPA in the absence of its smaller C-terminal companion, showing that the linear amino acid sequence is not by itself sufficient to confer substrate character, even when its conformation is constrained by the disulfide structure.
Some Thoughts on Antidumping Laws with Special Reference to Korea

This paper begins with a general discussion and overview of the antidumping laws, then proceeds to discuss recent trends in the application of antidumping laws, with special reference to Korea, both as a target and as an initiator of antidumping investigations. The authors point out some welfare problems with antidumping laws - they are a negative-sum game - and discuss whether the antidumping laws are capable of being reformed or if they should be repealed outright.
Gelation of surimi pastes treated by high isostatic pressure

Abstract Surimi, a myofibrillar concentrate offish muscle, gels at 25°C (for Alaska pollock) due to crosslinking of proteins by endogenous transglutaminase, at 90°C by heat-induced protein denaturation, and at pressures near 300 Mpa due to pressure-induced denaturation. The latter two treatments doubtless induce extensive gel network formation via formation of intermolecular hydrophobic associations, and heat is known to induce disulfide bonding. We have shown that pressure-induced gels evidence disulfide bonding as well. Endogenous transglutaminase evidently survives the pressure treatment, and subsequent setting at 25°C, with or without subsequent cooking at 90°C, results in very strong gels as compared to those prepared without prior pressurization.
Rep*: a Viral Element That Can Partially Replace the Origin of Plasmid DNA Synthesis of Epstein-Barr Virus

Replication of the Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) genome occurs once per cell cycle during latent infection. Similarly, plasmids containing EBV’s plasmid origin of replication, oriP, are replicated once per cell cycle. Replication from oriP requires EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) in trans; however, its contributions to this replication are unknown. oriP contains 24 EBNA-1 binding sites; 20 are located within the family of repeats, and 4 are found within the dyad symmetry element. The site of initiation of DNA replication within oriP is at or near the dyad symmetry element. We have identified a plasmid that contains the family of repeats but lacks the dyad symmetry element whose replication can be detected for a limited number of cell cycles. The detection of short-term replication of this plasmid requires EBNA-1 and can be inhibited by a dominant-negative inhibitor of EBNA-1. We have identified two regions within this plasmid which can independently contribute to this replication in the absence of the dyad symmetry element of oriP. One region contains native EBV sequences within the BamHI C fragment of the B95-8 genome of EBV; the other contains sequences within the simian virus 40 genome. We have mapped the region contributing to replication within the EBV sequences to a 298-bp fragment, Rep*. Plasmids which contain three copies of Rep* plus the family of repeats support replication more efficiently than those with one copy, consistent with a stochastic model for the initiation of DNA synthesis. Plasmids with three copies of Rep* also support long-term replication in the presence of EBNA-1. These observations together indicate that the latent origin of replication of EBV is more complex than formerly appreciated; it is a multicomponent origin of which the dyad symmetry element is one efficient component. The experimental approach described here could be used to identify eukaryotic sequences which mediate DNA synthesis, albeit inefficiently.
Variations of the v = 0, 1, 2, and 3, J = 1-0 SiO Masers of Mira

The v = 0, 1, 2, and 3, J = 1-0 SiO maser spectra of Mira have been observed with high phase resolution over approximately 2.6 periods of the star. These observations represent the first reported monitoring of the v = 0 emission over multiple stellar periods. A time cross-correlation analysis indicates that the variations in the emission of the v = 1 and v = 0 states were coincident to 0.066 or less of a phase period. The variations of the v = 1 and v = 2 emissions were coincident to less than 0.033 of a phase period. The v = 0 emission generally had relatively low contrast between its maximum and minimum and had several relative maxima during a stellar period. The relative minima varied by vibrational state. The v = 3 emission was only observed once during these observations, at a time when the v = 2 emission was near its absolute maximum. These observations further constrain possible models of maser pumping.
Violence Against Women: The Hidden Health Burden

Gender-based violence, including rape, domestic violence, mutilation, murder and sexual abuse is a profound health problem for women across the globe. Although gender violence is a significant cause of female morbidity and mortality, it is almost never seen as a public health issue. Recent World Bank estimates of the global burden of diseases indicate that in established market economies, gender-based victimization is responsible for one out of every five health days of life lost to women of reproductive age. On a per capita basis, the health burden imposed by rape and domestic violence in the industrial and developing world is roughly equivalent, but because the total disease burden is so much greater in the developing world, the percentage attributable to gender-based victimization is smaller. Nonetheless, on a global basis, the health burden from gender-based victimization is comparable to that from other conditions already high on the world agenda. Female-focused violence also represents a hidden obstacle to economic and social development. By sapping women's energy, undermining their confidence, and compromising their health, gender violence deprives society of women's full participation. This paper draws together existing data on the dimensions of violence against women worldwide and reviews available literature on the health consequences of abuse. It also explores the relationship between violence and other pressing issues, such as maternal mortality, health care utilization, child survival, AIDS prevention, and socioeconomic development. To assist policy makers in addressing this issue, the paper explores interventions in primary prevention, justice system reform, health care response, programs to assist victims, and treatment and reeducation programs for perpetrators. It argues that any strategy to combat violence must attack the root causes of the problem in addition to treating its symptoms. This means challenging the social attitudes and beliefs that undergird men's violence and renegotiating the meaning of gender and sexuality and the balance of power between women and men at all levels of society.
Clinical Aspects of Fracture Healing: An Overview

The assessment, diagnosis, and management of fractures, particularly fractures that exhibit delayed healing, present considerable unique challenges to both patients and physicians. Fracture healing results from a complex series of biochemical events that may produce complete restoration of the anatomic and biochemical properties of the original osseous tissue. Fracture healing requires appropriate reduction, mechanical stability, and adequate vascularity to the fracture site; compromise of one of these elements may lead to delayed healing or nonunion. The patient’s history, physical examination, and findings based on radiographs or other imaging modalities allow for assessment and characterization of the progression of healing. If nonunion is recognized, it is important for the clinician to understand the current treatment options that are available to optimize healing. Physical stimulation therapies include electromagnetic stimulation and low-intensity pulsed ultrasonography. Osteogenic factors used locally to promote fracture healing include autologous bone marrow and peptide signaling molecules such as platelet-derived growth factors, fibroblast growth factors, and bone morphogenetic proteins. Systemic biological protein such as parathyroid hormone and factors that target the Wnt family of signaling molecules offers promising data regarding its abilities to promote healing. Large segmental defects must be managed depending on the type and severity of the injury and may require treatment with bone grafts, induced membrane techniques, acute shortening, or distraction osteogenesis. A systematic approach in evaluating fracture union and an understanding of the modern methods to promote fracture healing will allow clinicians to significantly improve the treatment of patients with these injuries.
Asymptotic properties of mean cumulative function estimators from window-observation recurrence data

Abstract A variety of nonparametric and parametric methods have been used to estimate the mean cumulative function (MCF) for the recurrence data collected from the counting process. When the recurrence histories of some units are available in disconnected observation windows with gaps in between, Zuo et al. (2008) showed that both the nonparametric and parametric methods can be extended to estimate the MCF. In this article, we establish some asymptotic properties of the MCF estimators for the window-observation recurrence data.
Depositional setting and paleobotany of Permian and Triassic permineralized peat from the central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

Abstract Silicified peat is known from two sites in the central Transantarctic Mountains. Both are within a 2-km-thick Permo-Triassic sandstone-shale sequence that was deposited by braided streams in a rapidly subsiding foreland basin along the paleo-Pacific margin of Antarctica. Upper Permian permineralized peat occurs as scattered boulders just above a channel-form sandstone in the upper part of the Buckley Formation on Skaar Ridge overlooking the Beardmore Glacier. These boulders are erosional remnants of fine-grained deposits that accumulated in shallow lakes or swamps on a flood plain. At Fremouw Peak, the peat occurs near the top of the Fremouw Formation in strata that are probably Middle to Late Triassic in age. The peat consists of large blocks that were rafted into a sandy braided stream channel during a flood and then stranded and buried as flood waters receded. Both sites are characterized by exceptionally well-preserved plant material, although the composition and diversity of the two floras are very different. Permineralization apparently took place rapidly and was enhanced by the dissolution of siliceous volcanic detritus that is abundant in both formations.
Correlations among hydrocarbon microseepage, soil chemistry, and uptake of micronutrients by plants, Bell Creek oil field, Montana

Abstract Chelate-extractable iron and manganese concentrations in soils over and around the Bell Creek oil field suggest that compared to low average background values, there are moderate amounts of these elements directly over the production area and higher concentrations distributed in an aureole pattern around the periphery of the field. Adsorbed and organically bound iron and manganese appear to be readily taken up by plants resulting in anomalously high levels of these elements in leaves and needles over the oil field and suggesting correlation with corresponding low concentrations in soils. Iron and manganese appear to have bypassed the soil formation process where, under normal oxidizing conditions, they would have ultimately precipitated as insoluble oxides and hydroxides.
Rapid Bridge Replacement: Processes, Techniques, and Needs for Improvements

The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 and subsequent potential threats to the United States transportation systems have presented an urgent need to develop emergency response plans in order to quickly react to the possible consequences of an extreme event. Highway bridges, as critical components of the nation's transportation network, have received increased attention. To respond to the potential threats on highway bridges, a research project was conducted to identify rapid bridge replacement processes, techniques, and needs for improvements. To achieve the research objectives, the research team studied three cases of previous bridge replacements following extreme events. By studying these cases, the research team first sought to identify and expand on lessons learned and then addressed which actions did and did not work effectively under the incident circumstances. Using the lessons learned government agencies and engineering and construction communities could enhance their emergency response plans for future incidents. Next, the research team identified needed improvements so that the research community could investigate new technologies to advance current practices.
Preferences for patient cost sharing among medicare beneficiaries after HMO plan withdrawals.

OBJECTIVE: To assess Medicare beneficiaries’ willingness to cost share in order to minimize disruptions in coverage from HMO plan withdrawals.
Entropic vs. elastic models of fragility of glass-forming liquids: two sides of the same coin?

The two most influential atomistic models that have been proposed in the literature to explain the temperature dependent activation energy of viscous flow of a glass-forming liquid, i.e., its fragility, are the configurational entropy model of Adam and Gibbs [J. Chem. Phys. 43, 139 (1965)10.1063/1.1696442] and the elastic “shoving” model of Dyre et al. [J. Non-Cryst. Solids 352, 4635 (2006)10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2006.02.173]. Here we demonstrate a qualitative equivalence between these two models starting from the well-established general relationships between the interatomic potentials, elastic constants, structural rearrangement, and entropy in amorphous materials. The unification of these two models provides important predictions that are consistent with experimental observations and shed new light into the problem of glass transition.
Molecular diagnosis of soft tissue neoplasia: clinical applications and recent advances

Sarcomas are rare and heterogeneous neoplasms of mesenchymal tissues with diverse morphologies and clinical behavior. In the last few years, the discovery of specific genetic aberrations in these tumors has allowed better classification and understanding of mechanisms driving their pathogenesis. While the majority of sarcomas are still treated by traditional modalities, molecular markers driving the pathogenesis have paved the way for more accurate diagnosis and opportunity to explore other therapeutic strategies. This review discusses the available molecular tools in sarcoma diagnostics and highlight some of the biological significance of the recent discoveries and their clinical applications.
Neonatal thymectomy increases the incidence of spontaneous and methylcholanthrene-enhanced thyroiditis in rats

At 16 weeks of age, 13 percent of untreated Buffalo strain rats showed evidence of autoimmune thyroiditis. Feeding methylcholanthrene increased the incidence to 42 percent. Neonatal thymectomy significantly raised the incidence of disease so that almost all (87 percent) untreated and all methylcholanthrene-treated animals developed severe disease. It is proposed that the thymus exerts a regulatory effect on autosensitization.
Small-cell lung carcinoma: inhibition of proliferation by vasoactive intestinal peptide and helodermin and enhancement of inhibition by anti-bombesin antibody.

Abstract Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a common and highly fatal malignancy for which there is no satisfactory treatment. The amphibian peptide bombesin and its mammalian counterpart, gastrin-releasing peptide, serve as autocrine growth factors for the SCLC cells, but little is known about endogenous substances that inhibit the growth and proliferation of these tumor cells. We report that the neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) markedly inhibits the growth and multiplication of SCLC cell lines NCI-H345 and NCI-H69, and that the closely related peptide helodermin inhibits the proliferation of NCI-H345 cells with even higher efficacy. In the latter cells, the inhibition by VIP and isobutyl methyl xanthine paralleled their ability to stimulate cyclic adenosine monophosphate production within the cells. The peptide-induced suppression of SCLC proliferation is enhanced in the presence of an anti-bombesin monoclonal antibody. The anti-mitogenic activities of VIP and helodermin, and their enhancement by anti-bombesin antibody, offer the potential for a new approach to the pharmacologic control of SCLC.
Simple, Defensible Sample Sizes Based on Cost Efficiency

The conventional approach of choosing sample size to provide 80% or greater power ignores the cost implications of different sample size choices. Costs, however, are often impossible for investigators and funders to ignore in actual practice. Here, we propose and justify a new approach for choosing sample size based on cost efficiency, the ratio of a study's projected scientific and/or practical value to its total cost. By showing that a study's projected value exhibits diminishing marginal returns as a function of increasing sample size for a wide variety of definitions of study value, we are able to develop two simple choices that can be defended as more cost efficient than any larger sample size. The first is to choose the sample size that minimizes the average cost per subject. The second is to choose sample size to minimize total cost divided by the square root of sample size. This latter method is theoretically more justifiable for innovative studies, but also performs reasonably well and has some justification in other cases. For example, if projected study value is assumed to be proportional to power at a specific alternative and total cost is a linear function of sample size, then this approach is guaranteed either to produce more than 90% power or to be more cost efficient than any sample size that does. These methods are easy to implement, based on reliable inputs, and well justified, so they should be regarded as acceptable alternatives to current conventional approaches.
Osteoporosis in men

Osteoporosis in men remains underdiagnosed and underappreciated, despite the fact that at age 50, 13–25 men per 100 can expect to suffer an osteoporotic fracture before they die. In older men, hip fracture carries a high mortality rate, twice that of women. While vertebral fractures are occasionally noted in middle-aged men, the risk for fracture rises markedly after age 80. Screening of older men and those with important risk factors may lead to fewer fractures. Evaluation requires history/physical examination, a modest list of laboratory tests, and bone mineral density by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Most expert groups advocate use of the white female normative database for calculation of the DXA T-score in men, but it is important to note that fractures can occur in men with normal bone mineral density. Osteoporosis risk factors magnify the predicted fracture risk of DXA testing. Secondary causes of osteoporosis are important in men, and diagnostic testing may be helpful. Although bone density and serum testosterone decline in parallel with aging, bioavailable estradiol is better correlated with bone density. In younger men, testosterone replacement increases bone density. In older men, testosterone has been shown to increase bone strength, but larger studies are needed to demonstrate fracture risk reduction. Approved medications that lower fracture risk in women appear to work equally well in men: oral and intravenous bisphosphonates, denosumab, and teriparatide. However, long-term management decisions rely on studies in women.
Binding domain of human parathyroid hormone receptor: from conformation to function.

A 31 amino acid fragment of the extracellular N-terminus of the human G-protein coupled receptor for parathyroid hormone (PTH1R) has been structurally characterized by NMR and molecular dynamics simulations. The fragment PTH1R[168-198] includes residues 173-189, shown by photoaffinity cross-linking to be a contact domain with position 13 of parathyroid hormone (PTH). The structure of PTH1R[168-198], determined in a micellar solution of dodecylphosphocholine to mimic the membrane environment, consists of three alpha-helices, separated by a well-defined turn and a flexible region. The topological orientation of PTH1R[168-198] was determined from nitroxide-radical induced relaxation of NMR signals utilizing 5- and 16-doxylstearic acid. The C-terminal helix (residues 190-196), consisting of seven amino acids of the first transmembrane domain, is very hydrophobic and embedded in the lipid core. This helix is preceded by a well-defined turn, forming an approximate 90 degrees bend, placing the other helices (residues 169-176 and 180-189), both of which are amphipathic, on the surface of the micelle. In this orientation, many hydrophilic residues of the receptor, including Glu177, Arg179, Arg181, Glu182, Asp185, and Arg186, are projecting toward the solvent available to form complementary Coulombic interactions with the polar residues of the principal binding domain of the ligand (e.g., Arg25, Lys26, Lys27, Asp30, and His32). Given that the binding domain of PTH adopts an amphipathic alpha-helix which lies on the membrane, we visualize ligand binding as a two stage process involving a nonspecific hydrophobic interaction of amphipathic helices with the membrane, followed by two-dimensional diffusion leading to highly specific, ligand-receptor interaction.
Network interdiction via a Critical Disruption Path

This paper presents an innovative approach to maximally disconnect a given network. More specifically, this work introduces the concept of a Critical Disruption Path, a path between a source and a destination vertex whose deletion minimizes the cardinality of the largest remaining connected component. Network interdiction models seek to optimally disrupt network operations. Existing interdiction models disrupt network operations by removing vertices or edges. We introduce the first problem and formulation that optimally fragments a network via interdicting a path. Areas of study in which this work can be applied include transportation and evacuation networks, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, anti-terrorism activities, drug interdiction, and counter human-trafficking operations. In this paper, we first address the complexity associated with the Critical Disruption Path problem, and then provide a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming formulation for finding its optimal solution. Further, we develop a tailored Branch-and-Price algorithm that efficiently solves the Critical Disruption Path problem. We demonstrate the superiority of the developed Branch-and-Price algorithm by comparing the results found via our algorithm with the results found via the monolith formulation. In more than half of the test instances that can be solved by both the monolith and our Branch-and-Price algorithm, we outperform the monolith by two orders of magnitude.
Lanthanum additions and the toughness of ultra-high strength steels and the determination of appropriate lanthanum additions

Studies of commercial heats of AF1410 steel suggest that under appropriate conditions additions of rare-earth elements can significantly enhance fracture toughness. This improvement in toughness is not due to an extremely low inclusion volume fraction but is apparently due to the formation of larger and more widely spaced inclusions. The purpose of this work is to discuss our experience in using rare-earth additions to laboratory scale vacuum induction melted and subsequently vacuum arc remelted heats of ultra-high strength steels to achieve inclusion distributions similar to those observed in commercial heats modified with lanthanum additions. The results indicate that lanthanum additions of 0.015 wt.% to low sulfur steels which have been well deoxidized using carbon-vacuum deoxidation can result in lanthanum rich inclusions which are similar in size, volume fraction and spacing to those obtained in commercially produced heats of ultra-high strength steel to which lanthanum has been added. The heat of steel to which lanthanum additions of 0.015 wt.% were made had significantly higher toughness than did the heat of the same steel in which the sulfur had been gettered as small and closely spaced particles of MnS and which had an inclusion volume fraction similar to that of the heat modified by the addition of 0.015 wt.% lanthanum. This improvement in toughness was attributed to an increase in inclusion spacing. An addition of 0.06 wt.% lanthanum was excessive. Such an addition of lanthanum resulted in a huge volume fraction of large cuboidal inclusions which primarily contain lanthanum and oxygen and which are extremely detrimental to toughness.
Antibacterial polyelectrolyte-coated Mg alloys for biomedical applications

This study deals with two biomedical subjects: corrosion rates of polyelectrolyte-coated magnesium (Mg) alloys, mainly used for biomedical purposes, and antibacterial properties of these alloys. Thin sheets of Mg alloys were coated with cationic polyelectrolyte chitosan (CHI) and anionic polyelectrolyte carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) using a layer-by-layer coating method and then embedded with antibacterial agents under vacuum. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was employed to analyze these samples in order to detect their corrosion properties at different conditions. In the electrochemical analysis section, a corrosion rate of 72 mille inches per year was found in a salt solution for the sample coated with a 12 phosphonic acid self-assembled monolayer and 9 CHI/CMC multilayers. In the antibacterial tests, gentamicin was used to investigate the effects of the drug embedded with the coated surfaces against the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. Antibacterial studies were tested using the disk diffusion method. Based on the standard diameter of the zone of inhibition chart, the antibacterial diffusion from the surface strongly inhibited bacterial growth in the regions. The largest recorded diameter of the zone of inhibition was 50 mm for the pre-UV treated and gentamicin-loaded sample, which is more than three times the standard diameter.
Effects of grouping on sexual receptivity in female hamsters.

Female hamsters maintained in groups of 4 to 12 animals continue to show four-day ovulatory cycles. However, when placed with males on the evening of proestrus, only 40% of these grouped females mate. Ninety-five per cent of females caged singly or in groups of two, mate in less than ten minutes when placed with males on the evening of proestrus. Thus, grouping of female hamsters blocks reproduction in some individuals through a behavioral mechanism which does not apparently affect the ovulatory cycle. Receptivity cannot be reinitiated in such animals by administration of exogenous progesterone on the afternoon of proestrus.
The Subcellular Distribution and State of the Elongation Factor Tu in Extracts of Escherichia coli B

The concentration of elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) is about 8 times that of ribosomes in extracts of Escherichia coli B grown in glucose-minimal medium. 90% of the EF-Tu is found in the ribosomefree fraction of the cell and 75 % of this is free of other macromolecules as judged by chromatography on Sephadex G-100; about 10% is bound to the elongation factor EF-Ts and the remaining 10–15% is eluted from Sephadex G-100 earlier than expected for it molecular weight. Tryptic peptide maps of the three forms of EF-Tu are essentially indistinguishable.
Cytological studies of the ductuli efferentes of the opossum

Ductuli efferentes in four examined genera of family Didelphidae are organized into highly convoluted tubules, located within a conical body adjacent to the vascular plexus supplying the testis. They have yellowish-green color in the adult Didelphis virginiana and grey pink color in other genera. The ductuli efferentes in all examined animals are lined by very low columnar cells, covered by microvilli or booth cilia and microvilli. Histochemical analysis reveals several types of cytoplasmic granules in the genera examined. A single sperical body about 1.5 μ in diameter is found in epithelial cells of the four eyed opossum (genus Philander); this body stains positively for RNA and non-histone protein, and appears granular under the electron microscope, without a limiting membrane. Abundant cytoplasmic bodies in the Virginia opossum show strong reactions for SH groups; these granules may be responsible for the green color of the ductuli in this species. Ultrastructural studies show that the morphology of membrane limited granules in the ductuli of the examined genera is characteristic for each genus. Abundant pinocytotic vacuoles in the apices of these cells and a strongly positive alkaline phosphatase reaction suggest a marked absorptive activity of epithelial cells.
Improved determination of tantalum based upon the pyrogallol procedure

Abstract The pyrogallol method for tantalum has been improved in two ways. First, the addition of boric acid eliminates the interference from fluoride. Second, incorporation of an extraction with ethyl acetate, in the presence of a long-chain quaternary ammonium ion, eliminates the interference from vanadiumv and decreases that from chromiumVI. TitaniumVI, molybdenumVI and tungstenVI remain as interferences.
Seasonal History and Control of the Alfalfa Weevil in North Carolina 1

The alfalfa weevil ( Hypera poslica (Gyllenhal)) is the most important pest of alfalfa in North Carolina where multiple treatments of malathion or methoxyehlor are necessary for good protection in the spring. Granulated heptachlor when applied in mid-October or mid-November gave optimum weevil control in tests conducted in 1959 and 1960. Near perfect control was attributed to the destruction of adult weevils prior to oviposition which normally commences in mid-November. Insecticide residues, however, limit the 1 lb. per acre rate to a mid-October application of heptachlor. Experiments initiated in the fall, 1960, compared formulations, rates, and timing of heptachlor for weevil control Excellent control of adults was obtained with rates as low as 0.5 lb, per acre in mid-October with indications that a mid-November treatment was at least as effective. Insecticides were less effective when they were applied after oviposition commenced or too far in advance of the time when the estivating adults return to alfalfa. Control obtained with one-half pound of granulated heptachlor applied in mid-October was equivalent to that obtained with 2 lb. per acre applied in mid-September. Thus, an intimate relationship exists between climate and weevil activity which in turn governs the optimum time for control of the overwintering weevil population.
On optimality conditions in nonsmooth inequality constrained minimization

First order necessary optimality conditions for a minimum of an inequality constrained minimization problem are given in terms of approximate quasidifferentials, without the usual differentiability, convexity or locally Lipschitz assumptions. The main result is obtained with the help of a semi-infinite Gordan type alternative theorem. Sufficient conditions for a minimum are also given with the usual convexity assumption replaced by an invex condition.