cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathology of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a neoplasm of the astrocytes and is the most malignant of all primary adult brain tumors. Unfortunately, GBM is the most frequently occurring of all primary brain tumors too. Despite recent advances in cancer therapeutics and neurological surgery, the prognosis of GBM remains grave. Most patients with this disease succumb to death within 1 year of diagnosis. Though these tumors occur mostly in adults, no age is immune. There is a slight male predominance. Most of the tumors are supratentorial. The tumor cells diffusely infiltrate into the brain parenchyma and hence the tumor is not well delineated from the adjacent brain parenchyma. The tumor consists of neoplastic cells having highly pleomorphic nuclei showing a high proliferation index. However, diagnosis, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, depends on the presence of tumor cell necrosis and/or microvascular proliferations (angiogenesis) within the tumor.
Monsters of Sex: Michel Foucault and the Problem of Life

This article argues, contra-Derrida, that Foucault does not essentialize or pre-comprehend the meaning of life or bio - in his writings on biopolitics. Instead, Foucault problematizes life and provokes genealogical questions about the meaning of modernity more broadly. In The Order of Things , the 1974-75 lecture course at the College de France, and Herculine Barbin, the monster is an important figure of the uncertain shape of modernity and its entangled problems (life, sex, madness, criminality, etc). Engaging Foucault’s monsters, I show that the problematization of life is far from a “desire for a threshold,” a la Derrida. It is a spur to interrogating and critiquing thresholds, a fraught question mark where we have “something to do.” As Foucault puts it in “The Lives of Infamous Men,” it an ambiguous frontier where beings lived and died and they appear to us “because of an encounter with power which, in striking down a life and turning it to ashes, makes it emerge, like a flash [...].”
It's Not Your Mother's Marijuana : Effects on Maternal-Fetal Health and the Developing Child

Pro-marijuana advocacy efforts exemplified by the "medical" marijuana movement, coupled with the absence of conspicuous public health messages about the potential dangers of marijuana use during pregnancy, could lead to greater use of today's more potent marijuana, which could have significant short- and long-term consequences. This article reviews the current literature regarding the effects of prenatal marijuana use on the pregnant woman and her offspring.
TOR signaling in plants: conservation and innovation

Target of rapamycin (TOR) is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase that plays a central role in both plants and animals, despite their distinct developmental programs and survival strategies. Indeed, TOR integrates nutrient, energy, hormone, growth factor and environmental inputs to control proliferation, growth and metabolism in diverse multicellular organisms. Here, we compare the molecular composition, upstream regulators and downstream signaling relays of TOR complexes in plants and animals. We also explore and discuss the pivotal functions of TOR signaling in basic cellular processes, such as translation, cell division and stem/progenitor cell regulation during plant development.
Advanced manufacturing technology

Abstract Advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) are often attributed with providing operational benefits, organizational benefits, and improved managerial satisfaction and the more radical the technology the better. This study acts as a counterweight to those studies by suggesting that the achievement of the perceived benefits arising from radical AMT are far from automatic. This study provides evidence that the problems outweigh the benefits associated with radical AMT from the perspective of the operations manager.
Cynomolgus Macaques as Models for Evaluating Effects of Contraceptive Steroids on Plasma Lipoproteins and Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis

One of the most interesting aspects of the natural history of human atherosclerosis is the relative sparing of white, premenopausal women from the development of coronary artery atherosclerosis. In Table 1 we have summarized the male female differences in deaths due to myocardial infarction in the United States in 1974.
Leveraging the Public School System to Combat Adolescent Obesity: The Limits of Arkansas's Statewide Policy Initiative.

Abstract Purpose This study assessed the effectiveness of one of the earliest statewide policy initiatives to address obesity via schools—Arkansas's Act 1220 of 2003—on adolescent obesity. The Act required public schools in Arkansas to conduct body mass index (BMI) screening and reporting, restrict access to vending machines, and establish physical education and nutrition standards. Methods To determine the effect of Act 1220 as a whole, this study analyzed data representative of adolescents in grades 9–12 from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey using the quasi-experimental method of difference-in-differences. Changes in adolescents’ weight outcomes in Arkansas before (1999 and 2001) and after (2005, 2007, and 2009) the implementation of Act 1220 were compared to changes in weight outcomes for adolescents from the neighboring state of Missouri across the same time period. Results Arkansas's Act 1220 did not significantly influence adolescents’ BMI-for-age z-scores (−.017; 95% confidence interval [CI] [−.097, .063]; p = .68). Further, the Act did not lead to significant reductions in BMI-for-age z-scores among adolescents who were either overweight (−.003; 95% CI [−.043, .036]; p = .86) or obese (−.010; 95% CI [−.070, .051]; p = .75). Results remain robust to adjustments for self-report bias in height and weight as well as a set of alternative comparison states. Conclusions Preventing adolescent overweight and obesity is unlikely to occur through such large-scale policy initiatives alone.
Receptor Structures for a Caldron of Cannabinoids.

Structures of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) in complex with an "ultrapotent" synthetic cannabinoid and its G protein (Krishna Kumar et al., 2019) and CB2 in complex with a new rationally designed inverse agonist (Li et al., 2019) provide unique snapshots of the molecular pharmacology of cannabinoids.
A Mixed Effects Multinomial Logistic-Normal Model for Forecasting Baseball Performance

Prediction of player performance is a key component in the construction of baseball team rosters. Traditionally, the problem of predicting seasonal plate appearance outcomes has been approached univariately. That is, focusing on each outcome separately rather than jointly modeling the collection of outcomes. More recently, there has been a greater emphasis on joint modeling, thereby accounting for the correlations between outcomes. However, most of these state of the art prediction models are the proprietary property of teams or industrial sports entities and so little is available in open publications.This dissertation introduces a joint modeling approach to predict seasonal plate appearance outcome vectors using a mixed-e ffects multinomial logistic-normal model. This model accounts for positive and negative correlations between outcomes both across and within player seasons. It is also applied to the important, yet unaddressed, problem of predicting performance for players moving between the Japanese and American major leagues.This work begins by motivating the methodological choices through a comparison of state of the art procedures followed by a detailed description of the modeling and estimation approach that includes model t assessments. We then apply the method to longitudinal multinomial count data of baseball player-seasons for players moving between the Japanese and American major leagues and discuss the results. Extensions of this modeling framework to other similar data structures are also discussed.
Anthropometry and Ovarian Cancer: The Inflammation Connection

Ovarian cancer affects over 200,000 women worldwide each year and has one of the highest case-fatality rates of any of the major cancers. Overweight and obesity have been associated with an increased risk of a variety of different illnesses and some types of cancer, in part, due to hormonal and metabolic factors that may drive tumorigenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that obesity may play a role in ovarian carcinogenesis. Individuals who carry excess adipose tissue have been shown to have a characteristic state of systemic, low-grade inflammation. Many of the risk factors for ovarian cancer, including endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndromes (PCOS), talc and asbestos exposure, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), have a recognized inflammatory component. Evidence linking obesity with an elevated risk of ovarian cancer, to date, has been conflicting; however, many prospective studies have shown that excess adiposity in young adulthood is related to both premenopausal and postmenopausal ovarian cancer risk. Other risk factors for ovarian cancer often affect women in their earlier, reproductive years; thus, the association between obesity in a woman’s younger years and ovarian cancer is plausible. Moderate physical activity may be protective against ovarian cancer by decreasing estrogen levels, while vigorous activity may promote ovarian carcinogenesis via aberrations in androgen and progesterone levels. This chapter will review the traditional hypotheses of ovarian cancer—including incessant ovulation, gonadotropin stimulation, and the inflammatory hypothesis—and discuss the most relevant research on adiposity, diet and physical activity, and ovarian cancer risk. A brief overview of obesity and ovarian cancer survival is also included.
Design of Organic Structure-Directing Agents for the Controlled Synthesis of Zeolites for Use in Carbon Dioxide/Methane Membrane Separations.

One strategy to mitigate global warming is carbon capture and sequestration. Membrane separation is one promising approach to separation of CO2 from feed streams. Here we report the investigation of four zeolites that have been predicted to be effective at separating CO2 from methane, but which have not to date been synthesized experimentally as membranes. Using an in silico de novo design procedure, we identify organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs) that are predicted to aid the synthesis of these zeolites. Using a genetic algorithm approach, we designed OSDAs for zeolites for which no purely siliceous form is known, and we also designed OSDAs for predicted zeolites. Stabilization energies of the best OSDAs designed for the zeolites GIS, ABW, and predicted zeolite 8198030 lie within -8 to -12 kJ/(mol Si), in the range of values for other known OSDAs. Stabilization energies of the OSDAs designed for predicted zeolite 8186909 are -16 kJ/(mol Si), comparable to the best known OSDAs for any zeolite. The OSDAs reported here may lead to zeolites that could enable a practical separation of CO2 from methane.
Simultaneous energy harvesting and vibration control in a nonlinear metastructure: A spectro-spatial analysis

Abstract Considerable attention has recently been given to the study of simultaneous energy harvesting and vibration attenuation in metastructures. However, only linear metastructures were investigated although nonlinear metastructures and nonlinear electromechanical devices offer superior interesting wave propagation phenomena (e.g., birth of solitary waves, tunable bandgap, acoustic nonreciprocity) and broadband energy harvesting. In this paper, we investigate the wave propagation in a weakly nonlinear metastructure with electromechanical resonators. Explicit expressions are derived for the nonlinear dispersion relations using the method of multiple scales. These expressions are validated via direct numerical integration. We carried out parametric studies to investigate the role of different parameters of the electromechanical resonators on the linear and nonlinear band structure. To obtain further detailed information on the nonlinear wave propagation, we employ spectro-spatial analysis on the numerical simulations. This spectro-spatial analysis can reveal the output voltage distortion due to different types of nonlinearities. The results indicate that nonlinear chain can enhance energy harvesting through the birth of solitary wave and without degrading the boundary of the bandgap. The results also suggest that such a system is suitable for designing electromechanical diodes and rectifiers.
Sexual Orientation Differences in Cervical Cancer Prevention among a Cohort of U.S. Women.

Abstract Background Although much has been published in recent years on differences in Papanicolaou (Pap) tests across sexual orientation, other aspects of cervical cancer prevention remain underexplored, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, HPV co-tests, or abnormal Pap tests. Methods Data came from participants (aged 24–54 years) enrolled in an ongoing, longitudinal, U.S.-based cohort study, the Nurses’ Health Study 3 (N = 12,175). Analyses were restricted to participants who met the current guidelines for care (e.g., ≥21 years of age for Pap tests). Results Mostly heterosexual women were more likely to initiate HPV vaccination than completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners. All other comparisons across sexual orientation for HPV vaccination initiation and completion and the age of initiation were not statistically significant. Compared with completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners, mostly heterosexual and lesbian women had lower odds of having a Pap test within the past 2 years. Completely heterosexual women with same-sex partners, mostly heterosexual women, and bisexual women had their first Pap test at an earlier age, had higher odds of having an HPV co-test, and had higher odds of having a positive HPV or abnormal Pap test compared with completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners. In contrast, lesbian women had lower odds of having positive HPV or abnormal Pap results (odds ratio, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–0.86) than completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners. Conclusions There are significant differences across sexual orientation groups in cervical cancer prevention for Pap test timing and positive HPV and abnormal Pap tests, but few differences in HPV vaccination initiation, completion, and age at initiation. Interventions should focus on increasing routine Pap testing among mostly heterosexual and lesbian women.
Los peligros de las cámaras eco. Nota crítica de #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media

In #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media, Cass R. Sunstein presents a social phenomenon that has had a significant impact on the debate in politics during the last years: echo chambers. The purpose of this work is to analyze the relationship between this phenomenon and political polarization, something that often goes unnoticed in current political debates. To do this, I will first explain the mechanisms underlying the creation of echo chambers described by Sunstein in his book, then I will examine the problems they may entail. Second, I will analyze the connection between echo chambers and polarization.
Using prescribing and toxicology data to determine non-medical prescription drug overdose.

Abstract Background Overdose deaths have increased dramatically in the United States and are often attributed to prescription opioids. This study presents a framework for “overdose typologies”, including non-medical prescription drug use, to more accurately describe drug use patterns. Methods This study examined linked prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) and toxicology data (2016–2018) from accidental overdose deaths from a large metropolitan coroner’s office in the Midwest (Indianapolis, Indiana). Results In total, 1,112 accidental overdose deaths occurred and over two-thirds (68.0%; n = 756) were coded as an illicit drug user with no prescription opioid present in the toxicology. The most infrequent categories were prescription opioid users 5.5% (n = 61). Conclusion Linked PDMP and toxicology reports are useful in identifying drug use patterns that contribute to mortality.
Site-specific DNA Mapping of Protein Binding Orientation Using Azidophenacyl Bromide (APB)

The orientation of a DNA-binding protein bound on DNA is determinative in directing the assembly of other associated proteins in the complex for enzymatic action. As an example, in a replisome, the orientation of the DNA helicase at the replication fork directs the assembly of the other associated replisome proteins. We have recently determined the orientation of Saccharalobus solfataricus (Sso) Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase at a DNA fork utilizing a site-specific DNA cleavage and mapping assay. Here, we describe a detailed protocol for site-specific DNA footprinting using 4-azidophenacyl bromide (APB). This method provides a straightforward, biochemical method to reveal the DNA binding orientation of SsoMCM helicase and can be applied to other DNA binding proteins.
Myocardial Gene Expression Signatures in Human Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background: Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) constitutes half of all HF but lacks effective therapy. Understanding of its myocardial biology remains limited because of a ...
Secondary Genome-Wide Association Study Using Novel Analytical Strategies Disentangle Genetic Components of Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate in 1q32.2

Orofacial cleft (OFC) is one of the most prevalent birth defects, leading to substantial and long-term burdens in a newborn's quality of life. Although studies revealed several genetic variants associated with the birth defect, novel approaches may provide additional clues about its etiology. Using the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics project data (n = 10,542), we performed linear mixed-model analyses to study the genetic compositions of OFC and investigated the dependence among identified loci using conditional analyses. To identify genes associated with OFC, we conducted a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) based on predicted expression levels. In addition to confirming the previous findings at four loci, 1q32.2, 8q24, 2p24.2 and 17p13.1, we untwined two independent loci at 1q32.2, TRAF3IP3 and IRF6. The sentinel SNP in TRAF3IP3 (rs2235370, p-value = 5.15 × 10-9) was independent of the sentinel SNP at IRF6 (rs2235373, r2 < 0.3). We found that the IRF6 effect became nonsignificant once the 8q24 effect was conditioned, while the TRAF3IP3 effect remained significant. Furthermore, we identified nine genes associated with OFC in TWAS, implicating a glutathione synthesis and drug detoxification pathway. We identified some meaningful additions to the OFC etiology using novel statistical methods in the existing data.
Rap1a Overlaps the AGE/RAGE Signaling Cascade to Alter Expression of α-SMA, p-NF-κB, and p-PKC-ζ in Cardiac Fibroblasts Isolated from Type 2 Diabetic Mice

Cardiovascular disease, specifically heart failure, is a common complication for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Heart failure can arise with stiffening of the left ventricle, which can be caused by “active” cardiac fibroblasts (i.e., myofibroblasts) remodeling the extracellular matrix (ECM). Differentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts has been demonstrated to be an outcome of AGE/RAGE signaling. Hyperglycemia causes advanced glycated end products (AGEs) to accumulate within the body, and this process is greatly accelerated under chronic diabetic conditions. AGEs can bind and activate their receptor (RAGE) to trigger multiple downstream outcomes, such as altering ECM remodeling, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Previously, our lab has identified a small GTPase, Rap1a, that possibly overlaps the AGE/RAGE signaling cascade to affect the downstream outcomes. Rap1a acts as a molecular switch connecting extracellular signals to intracellular responses. Therefore, we hypothesized that Rap1a crosses the AGE/RAGE cascade to alter the expression of AGE/RAGE associated signaling proteins in cardiac fibroblasts in type 2 diabetic mice. To delineate this cascade, we used genetically different cardiac fibroblasts from non-diabetic, diabetic, non-diabetic RAGE knockout, diabetic RAGE knockout, and Rap1a knockout mice and treated them with pharmacological modifiers (exogenous AGEs, EPAC, Rap1a siRNA, and pseudosubstrate PKC-ζ). We examined changes in expression of proteins implicated as markers for myofibroblasts (α-SMA) and inflammation/oxidative stress (NF-κB and SOD-1). In addition, oxidative stress was also assessed by measuring hydrogen peroxide concentration. Our results indicated that Rap1a connects to the AGE/RAGE cascade to promote and maintain α-SMA expression in cardiac fibroblasts. Moreover, Rap1a, in conjunction with activation of the AGE/RAGE cascade, increased NF-κB expression as well as hydrogen peroxide concentration, indicating a possible oxidative stress response. Additionally, knocking down Rap1a expression resulted in an increase in SOD-1 expression suggesting that Rap1a can affect oxidative stress markers independently of the AGE/RAGE signaling cascade. These results demonstrated that Rap1a contributes to the myofibroblast population within the heart via AGE/RAGE signaling as well as promotes possible oxidative stress. This study offers a new potential therapeutic target that could possibly reduce the risk for developing diabetic cardiovascular complications attributed to AGE/RAGE signaling.
Cationic Exciplexes: Role of Hydrogen Bonding in Deactivation and Electronic Coupling

Emissive properties for the cationic exciplex (A+ */D→A. D.+ ) of an isoquinolinium cation tethered to a substituted arene (1+ ) are strongly affected by hydrogen bonding solvents. At equal dielectric constant (ϵ), the ground-to-excited state energy gaps (ΔG) and solvent reorganization energies (λs ) decrease from nitriles to aliphatic alcohols. The corresponding decrease from aliphatic alcohols to high hydrogen bond acidity solvents is ∼3 times larger. The exciplex decay (kEx ), largely determined by unfolding of the exciplex to a stretched conformer, changes in a complex way depending on the strength of the hydrogen bond ability of these solvents. In contrast, the electronic couplings between the exciplex ground, excited, and charge transfer states do not show a solvent functionality dependence.
Algorithms and Certificates for Boolean CSP Refutation: "Smoothed is no harder than Random".

We present an algorithm for strongly refuting smoothed instances of all Boolean CSPs. The smoothed model is a hybrid between worst and average-case input models, where the input is an arbitrary instance of the CSP with only the negation patterns of the literals re-randomized with some small probability. For an $n$-variable smoothed instance of a $k$-arity CSP, our algorithm runs in $n^{O(\ell)}$ time, and succeeds with high probability in bounding the optimum fraction of satisfiable constraints away from $1$, provided that the number of constraints is at least $\tilde{O}(n) (\frac{n}{\ell})^{\frac{k}{2} - 1}$. This matches, up to polylogarithmic factors in $n$, the trade-off between running time and the number of constraints of the state-of-the-art algorithms for refuting fully random instances of CSPs [RRS17]. We also make a surprising new connection between our algorithm and even covers in hypergraphs, which we use to positively resolve Feige's 2008 conjecture, an extremal combinatorics conjecture on the existence of even covers in sufficiently dense hypergraphs that generalizes the well-known Moore bound for the girth of graphs. As a corollary, we show that polynomial-size refutation witnesses exist for arbitrary smoothed CSP instances with number of constraints a polynomial factor below the "spectral threshold" of $n^{k/2}$, extending the celebrated result for random 3-SAT of Feige, Kim and Ofek [FKO06].
Cruelty, Violence, and Murder: Understanding the Criminal Mind

The line that separates those who kill from those who only think about it and those who injure themselves is often thinner than we imagine. Convicted murderers, their sentences commuted to life in prison when England abolished the death penalty, are some of the subjects of world-renowned psycho-therapist Arthur Hyatt-Williams' in-depth psychological study of what makes people kill. Dr. Hyatt-Williams found that constellations of undigested fantasies and emotions associated with death in some form dominate the unconscious of murderous individuals. Applying the theories and techniques of Melanie Klein, Herbert Rosenfeld, Hanna Segal, and above all Wilfred Bion, he sought to expand the sufferers' repertoires beyond acting out by facilitating the beginnings of a mourning process. His work has been an ongoing research project on the role of death in the unconscious. Its hallmarks include an absence of dogma, abiding faith in the potential for patients' reparation, and devotion to psychoanalytic truth.
The effect of dietary ractopamine concentration and duration of feeding on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of finishing pigs.

A total of 400 barrows from Dekalb EB and 83 terminal sires mated to 43 and 45 maternal lines were used to evaluate the effects of dietary ractopamine (RAC; Paylean, Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) concentrations (0, 5, 10, or 20 ppm; as-fed basis) and feeding durations (6 to 34 d) on growth, efficiency, carcass, and meat quality characteristics of finishing pigs. Barrows were weighed and sorted into five weight blocks, each block consisting of 16 pens (five pigs per pen). Weight blocks were allocated to feeding duration treatments and assigned consecutively by weight from lightest to heaviest to represent 34, 27, 20, 13, and 6 d on test, respectively. The lightest and heaviest blocks averaged 79.8 and 103.8 kg, respectively, at the start of the test. Within a weight block, pens (four per treatment) were randomly assigned to one of four dietary concentrations of RAC in a basal diet containing 18.5% CP and 1.13% lysine. The experiment-wide target slaughter weight was 109 kg, and pigs and feeders were weighed weekly. Weight blocks (80 barrows per block) were slaughtered at a commercial packing plant after 6, 13, 20, 27, or 34 d on test. Overall, RAC supplementation improved (P 0.08) from controls for pigs fed 5, 10, and 20 ppm RAC for 27, 34, and 6 d, respectively. During each feeding period, RAC-fed pigs had improved (P 0.11) by 5 and 10 ppm RAC compared with controls during each feeding period. Visual marbling score for the LM was decreased (P < 0.05) when RAC was fed at 10 and 20 ppm compared with 0 ppm RAC when fed for 34 d. Dietary RAC improved growth performance at all feeding durations, whereas carcass composition was improved at longer feeding durations. In addition, 5 and 10 ppm RAC did not affect objective and subjective measures of pork quality.
Psychotropics and sexual dysfunction: the evidence and treatments.

Sexual dysfunction is common in the general population and even more common in the mentally or medically ill. Because mentally ill patients often receive psychotropics, many of which affect sexual fu
Multiple 3-methyleneoxindole reductases of peas, differential inhibition by synthetic auxins.

Abstract The reduction of 3-methyleneoxindole, a biologically active metabolite of natural plant auxin, to the inert 3-methyloxindole is catalyzed by four or five reduced triphosphopyridine nucleotide-linked enzymes. Two of the reductases, which can be separated completely by column chromatography, exhibit differential sensitivity to the synthetic auxins, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Reductase A is inhibited noncompetitively by 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid which is a weak competitive inhibitor of reductase B. Reductase B, on the other hand, is inhibited competitively by 1-naphthaleneacetic acid, a weak competitive inhibitor of reductase A. Reductase A is labile, losing activity as well as its pH-dependent sensitivity to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Reductase B is stable, and its inhibition by the synthetic auxins is pH independent.
Re-examination of the lymphocytotoxic crossmatch in liver transplantation: Can C4d stains help in monitoring?

C4d-assisted recognition of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPE) from donor-specific antibody-positive (DSA+) renal allograft recipients prompted study of DSA+ liver allograft recipients as measured by lymphocytotoxic crossmatch (XM) and/or Luminex. XM results did not influence patient or allograft survival, or cellular rejection rates, but XM+ recipients received significantly more prophylactic steroids. Endothelial C4d staining strongly correlates with XM+ (<3 weeks posttransplantation) and DSA+ status and cellular rejection, but not with worse Banff grading or treatment response. Diffuse C4d staining, XM+, DSA+ and ABO- incompatibility status, histopathology and clinical-serologic profile helped establish an isolated AMR diagnosis in 5 of 100 (5%) XM+ and one ABO-incompatible, recipients. C4d staining later after transplantation was associated with rejection and nonrejection-related causes of allograft dysfunction in DSA- and DSA+ recipients, some of whom had good outcomes without additional therapy. Liver allograft FFPE C4d staining: (a) can help classify liver allograft dysfunction; (b) substantiates antibody contribution to rejection; (c) probably represents nonalloantibody insults and/or complete absorption in DSA- recipients and (d) alone, is an imperfect AMR marker needing correlation with routine histopathology, clinical and serologic profiles. Further study in late biopsies and other tissue markers of liver AMR with simultaneous DSA measurements are needed.
Theory of Synchrotron Radiation

The phenomenon of synchrotron radiation has been introduced in a conceptual way and a number of basic relations have been derived. In this chapter we will approach the physics of synchrotron radiation in a more formal way to exhibit detailed characteristics. Specifically, we will derive expressions for the spatial and spectral distribution of photon emission in a way which is applicable later for special insertion devices.
Intradiscal Annuloplasty for the Treatment of Discogenic Pain

The term discogenic pain refers to pain arising from the disc itself. Discogenic pain is cited as the most common cause of chronic low back pain, accounting for approximately 26–39 % of patients with such pain etiology. Internal disc disruption (IDD) is the most common diagnosis leading to chronic low back pain and one of the major causes of chronic neck pain. Discogenic pain is a significant medical challenge, in terms of its clinical, social, economic, and public health implications. An extensive body of literature suggests that discogenic pain is likely to be multifactorial. The most significant risk factors are genetic inheritance, environmental influences, and lifestyle choices. Although available literature supports hypothesis that the intervertebral disc is an independent chronic pain generator, research related to the epidemiology of discogenic pain is still in its formative stage.
Energetic response to repeated restraint stress in rapidly growing mice.

There is a cost of stress that may result in the loss of normal biological function (e.g., growth). Repeated, and even single, applications of stressors have been shown to induce negative energy ba...
Bounding delay on a token ring network with voice, data and facsimile applications: a simulation study

A discussion is presented of the design issues in implementing a document retrieval system on a token-ring network. The presence of real-time traffic, namely, voice, on the same network makes the implementation complicated. The performance requirements of these traffic types are different. Voice creates stream traffic on a network, whereas data traffic is bursty. Voice packets need to be delivered within a limited time interval, whereas the data need emphasizes error-free delivery. A possible solution, using off-the-shelf components and supported by a simulation study, is discussed. >
Effects of signal to noise variability over repeated sessions in an auditory vigilance task

Subjects listened to a sequence of Gaussian noise pulses of 0.5-sec duration, occurring at 2.5-sec intervals. Performance was compared under two conditions: One group detected the occurrence of a 1.8-dB increment in noise pulses; a second group detected the occurrence of increments of 1.3, 1.8, or 2.3 dB. All Ss performed for three 90-min sessions on different days The usual trends were noted for hits and false alarms. TSD indices, d’ and β were also derived. For both groups, it was found that d′ increased slightly over sessions and decreased almost negligibly during sessions, and criterion indices, β generally increased slightly both within and over sessions. Performance was generally comparable under the fixed- and mixed-signal conditions.
Low temperature UV/ozone oxidation formation of HfSiON gate dielectric

Abstract Physical and electrical properties of hafnium silicon oxynitride (HfSi x O y N z ) dielectric films prepared by UV ozone oxidation of hafnium silicon nitride (HfSiN) followed by annealing to 450 °C are reported. Interfacial layer growth was minimized through room temperature deposition and subsequent ultraviolet/ozone oxidation. The capacitance–voltage ( C – V ) and current–voltage ( I – V ) characteristics of the as-deposited and annealed HfSi x O y N z are presented. These 4 nm thick films have a dielectric constant of ∼8–9 with 12 at.% Hf composition, with a leakage current density of 3×10 −5 A/cm 2 at V fb +1 V. The films have a breakdown field strength >10 MV/cm.
Chromatographic alarm system for aqueous and organic solvents.

Systeme a electrodes pour detecter la baisse du niveau de liquide. L'appareil realise est moins couteux que les dispositifs photoelectriques du commerce
Procedural Justice in Fishery Resource Allocations

Abstract Demands on scarce fishery resources have resulted in the need for allocation decisions. These decisions often entail choosing among various groups; some receive the resources they desire, others do not. Dissatisfaction with such allocation decisions and procedures is problematic for allocators, recipients, and nonrecipients. Thus, allocators should develop decision-making processes that minimize or prevent conflict yet continue to allocate resources wisely. Research on distributive justice, defined as “the fairness of the actual distribution of resources,” provides insight into how those affected by proposed allocations are likely to react. A second approach is procedural justice, or “the fairness of the decision-making process that leads to a distribution of resources.” An understanding of procedural justice can help resource managers determine whether perceptions of fairness or satisfaction arise from the final allocation decision, the manner in which a decision was made, or a combination of th...
Nonadiabatic tunnel ionization: Looking inside a laser cycle

We obtain a simple closed-form analytical expression for ionization rate as a function of instantaneous laser phase $\ensuremath{\varphi}(t),$ for arbitrary values of the Keldysh parameter $\ensuremath{\gamma},$ within the usual strong-field approximation. Our analysis allows us to explicitly distinguish multiphoton and tunneling contributions to the total ionization probability. The range of intermediate $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\sim}1,$ which is typical for most current intense field experiments, is the regime of nonadiabatic tunneling. In this regime, the instantaneous laser phase dependence differs dramatically from both quasistatic tunneling and multiphoton limits. For cycle-averaged rates, our results reproduce standard Keldysh-like expressions.
Master equation modeling of the unimolecular decompositions of hydroxymethyl (CH2OH) and methoxy (CH3O) radicals to formaldehyde (CH2O) + H.

α-Hydroxyalkyl radical intermediates (RCHOH, R = H, CH3, etc.) are common to the combustion of nearly all oxygenated fuels. Despite their importance in modeling the combustion phenomena of these compounds through detailed kinetic models, the unimolecular decomposition kinetics remains uncertain for even the simplest α-hydroxyalkyl radical, hydroxymethyl (CH2OH). In this study, RRKM/master equation simulations were carried out for CH2OH decomposition to formaldehyde + H between N2 pressures of 0.01–100 atm and temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1800 K. These simulations were guided by methoxy (CH3O) decomposition calculations between pressures of 0.01–100 atm and temperatures ranging from 600 to 1200 K, in both helium and nitrogen. Excellent agreement of the methoxy results was observed for all regions where experimental data exist. Rates were parametrized as a function of both density and temperature within the Troe formalism. Temperature- and pressure-dependent uncertainty estimates are provided, with the...
Health Insurance Choice with Flexible Spending Accounts

I model the interaction of flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and conventional insurance. I show that FSA participation reduces the desired level of insurance coverage. I also show that FSA participation can reduce the total tax cost of health insurance premium and FSA contribution exclusions.
Dabigatran vs warfarin for radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation

Background It is not clear whether dabigatran is as safe and effective as uninterrupted anticoagulation with warfarin during radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). Objective To compare the safety and efficacy of dabigatran by using a novel administration protocol and uninterrupted anticoagulation with warfarin for periprocedural anticoagulation in patients undergoing RFA of AF. Methods In this case-control analysis, 763 consecutive patients (mean age 61±10 years) underwent RFA of AF using dabigatran (N = 191) or uninterrupted warfarin (N = 572) for periprocedural anticoagulation. In all patients, anticoagulation was started≥4 weeks before RFA. Dabigatran was held after the morning dose on the day before the procedure and resumed 4 hours after vascular hemostasis was achieved. Results A transesophageal echocardiogram performed in all patients receiving dabigatran did not demonstrate an intracardiac thrombus. There were no thromboembolic complications in either group. The prevalence of major (4 of 191, 2.1%) and minor (5 of 191, 2.6%) bleeding complications in the dabigatran group were similar to those in the warfarin group (12 of 572, 2.1%; P = 1.0 and 19 of 572, 3.3%; P = .8, respectively). Pericardial tamponade occurred in 2 of 191 (1%) patients in the dabigatran group and in 7 of 572 (1.2%) patients in the warfarin group ( P = 1.0). All patients who had a pericardial tamponade, including 2 in the dabigatran group, had uneventful recovery after perdicardiocentesis. On multivariate analysis, international normalized ratio (odds ratio [OR] 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–15.0; P = .04), clopidogrel use (OR 4.2; 95% CI 1.5–12.3; P = .01), and CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1–1.8; P = .01) were the independent risk factors of bleeding complications only in the warfarin group. Conclusions When held for approximately 24 hours before the procedure and resumed 4 hours after vascular hemostasis, dabigatran appears to be as safe and effective as uninterrupted warfarin for periprocedural anticoagulation in patients undergoing RFA of AF.
Testosterone propionate effects on gonadotropin secretion in steers after administration of GnRH

Abstract Two experiments with steers were performed to determine the effects of 10 days of treatment with testosterone propionate (TP) on secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) after the administration of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). In Experiment 1, eight 15-month-old Holstein steers castrated at 12 months of age were used. In Experiment 2, eight beef-type steers between the ages of 12–18 months old and which had been castrated for 8–15 months were used. An initial injection of GnRH was followed by 10 daily injections of TP (175 ug/ kg of body weight) or safflower oil, and on the eleventh day a second injection of GnRH was given. Hormonal endpoints in long-term castrated steers (Experiment 2) were not altered by TP treatment. In contrast, TP treatment significantly suppressed FSH and LH concentrations in daily blood samples from Experiment 1 steers and significantly increased the response to GnRH. The lack of response in the long-term castrated steers (Experiment 2) to TP treatment is similar to the response observed in previous experiments with long-term ovariectomized cows. However, from the results of Experiment 1, it appears that the timing of castration influences the response to TP treatment.
Experiment on nonclassical fourth-order interference.

A new fourth-order interference experiment has been carried out and analyzed theoretically in classical and in quantum terms. Two photons produced in the process of parametric down-conversion provide the two inputs to a Mach-Zehnder type of interferometer, while two photodetectors coupled to a coincidence counter measure the output. The coincidence rate, after subtraction of accidentals, exhibits a cosine variation with the optical path difference, in agreement with quantum mechanics, but in disagreement with a classical analysis. By contrast, when two coherent light beams from a He:Ne laser are used as inputs to the interferometer, no fourth-order interference is observed.
Filament ultrastructure and organization in vertebrate smooth muscle. Contraction hypothesis based on localization of actin and myosin.

Using a variety of preparative techniques for electron microscopy, we have obtained evidence for the disposition of actin and myosin in vertebrate smooth muscle. All longitudinal myofilaments seen in sections appear to be actin. Previous reports of two types of longitudinal filaments in sections are accounted for by technical factors, and by differentiated areas of opacity along individual filaments. Dense bodies with actin emerging from both ends have been identified in homogenates, and resemble Z discs from skeletal muscle (Huxley, 1963). In sections, short, dark-staining lateral filaments 15–25 A in diameter link adjacent actin filaments within dense bodies and in membrane dense pataches. They appear homologous with Z-disc filaments. Similar lateral filaments connect actin to plasma membrane. Dense bodies and dense patches, therefore, are attachment points and denote units analogous to sarcomeres. In glycerinated, methacrylate-embedded sections, lateral processes different in length and staining characteristics from lateral filaments in dense bodies exist at intervals along actin filaments. These processes are about 30 A wide and resemble heavy meromyosin from skeletal muscle. They also resemble heads of whole molecules of myosin in negatively stained material from gizzard homogenates. Intact single myosin molecules and dimers have been found, both free and attached to actin, even in media of very low ionic strength. Myosin can, therefore, exist in relatively disaggregated form. Models of the contraction mechanism of smooth muscle are proposed. The unique features are: (1) Myosin exists as small functional units. (2) Movement occurs by interdigitation and sliding of actin filaments.
DosS Responds to a Reduced Electron Transport System To Induce the Mycobacterium tuberculosis DosR Regulon

The DosR regulon in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is involved in respiration-limiting conditions, its induction is controlled by two histidine kinases, DosS and DosT, and recent experimental evidence indicates DosS senses either molecular oxygen or a redox change. Under aerobic conditions, induction of the DosR regulon by DosS, but not DosT, was observed after the addition of ascorbate, a powerful cytochrome c reductant, demonstrating that DosS responds to a redox signal even in the presence of high oxygen tension. During hypoxic conditions, regulon induction was attenuated by treatment with compounds that occluded electron flow into the menaquinone pool or decreased the size of the menaquinone pool itself. Increased regulon expression during hypoxia was observed when exogenous menaquinone was added, demonstrating that the menaquinone pool is a limiting factor in regulon induction. Taken together, these data demonstrate that a reduced menaquinone pool directly or indirectly triggers induction of the DosR regulon via DosS. Biochemical analysis of menaquinones upon entry into hypoxic/anaerobic conditions demonstrated the disappearance of the unsaturated species and low-level maintenance of the mono-saturated menaquinone. Relative to the unsaturated form, an analog of the saturated form is better able to induce signaling via DosS and rescue inhibition of menaquinone synthesis and is less toxic. The menaquinone pool is central to the electron transport system (ETS) and therefore provides a mechanistic link between the respiratory state of the bacilli and DosS signaling. Although this report demonstrates that DosS responds to a reduced ETS, it does not rule out a role for oxygen in silencing signaling.
Human milk: nutritional aspects of a dynamic food

The composition and volume of human milk progressively changes with the onset and duration of lactation and can be influenced by maternal nutritional factors. Current evidence indicates that infant demand is the major determinant of the quantity of milk transferred to the nursing infant. Human milk is remarkable for its variability, and ranges of intakes of milk constituents are comparable with normal patterns of infant growth and development. Lipids are by far the most variable constituents in human milk with both long-term maternal nutrition states and daily intake capable of exerting an influence. Maternal vitamin intake bears a strong relationship to milk content, and appropriate intakes of vitamins D and K may not always be furnished to nursing infants. Major and trace minerals in human milk are not greatly affected by maternal diet, with selenium and iodine being notable exceptions. Compartmentalization and molecular forms of the trace elements in human milk are associated with high infant bioavailability. The success of lactation should be measured using maternal and infant indices of nutritional adequacy.
Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Containing Oligothiophene-Fullerene Triads and Their Use in Organic Solar Cells

We report the characterization of a series of oligothiophene-diketopyrrolopyrrole-fullerene triads and their use as active materials for solution processed organic solar cells (OSCs). By incorporating the diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) core with electron rich oligothiophene units and electron withdrawing fullerene units, multifunctional electronic molecules have been prepared; these molecules show high solubility in common organic solvents, excellent photophysical properties with high extinction coefficients (1 × 104 to 1 × 105 M–1 cm–1) and broad absorption spectra coverage (250–800 nm), as well as suitable molecular orbital energy levels (HOMO of approximately −5.1 eV, LUMO of approximately −3.7 eV). Solution-processed thin-film organic field effect transistors (OFETs) from these triads revealed good n-type characteristics with electron mobilities up to 1.5 × 10–3 cm2 V–1 s–1. With these multifunctional triads, single-component OSCs have been fabricated, exhibiting power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of up...