cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physical activity assessed with three different methods and the Framingham Risk Score on 10-year coronary heart disease risk.

Background: Physical activity (PA) protects against coronary heart disease (CHD) by favorably altering several CHD risk factors. In order to best understand the true nature of the relationship between PA and CHD, the impact different PA assessment methods have on the relationships must first be clarified. Tlie purpose of this study was to examine associations between the Framingham Risk Score on 10-year estimated risk of CHD (10-year CHD risk) and three different PA assessment methods. Material/Methods: Female (n=143) and male (n=155) adults wore activity monitors and recorded PA in logs during a seven-day period after which they completed a seven-day PA recall and had CHD risk factors assessed. The 10-year CHD risk was calculated from the CHD risk factors. Results: Multiple regression analyses showed 10-year CHD risk was negatively associated with physical activity measured by the activity monitor (p<0.05) but not the log or recall in women. In men, significant inverse relationships between 10-year CHD risk and physical activity measured by the activity monitor and recall were observed. The log was not significantly associated with 10-year CHD risk in men. Conclusions: The results of this study concur with previous research in that PA is associated with the risk of developing CHD; however, tlie findings clearly suggest that it is important to consider the PA assessment method when interpreting this relationship.
Should Forfeiture of Confrontation Clause Objection and Hearsay Objection with Respect to State of Mind Accusatory Statement by Battered Spouse Apply in Spousal Murder Case?: Crawford/Davis and Fed.R.Evid. 803(3) and 804(b)(6)

Pursuant to the Confrontational Clause, Federal Rules of Evidence 804(b)(6) and good public policy, forfeiture by wrongdoing making admissible otherwise barred statements of an unavailable declarant should apply solely when the conduct of the accused was intended to procure the unavailability of the declarant. Accordingly, forfeiture by wrongdoing should not be found applicable to an unavailable declarant's statements in a trial where the criminal defendant is being tried for a crime that resulted in the witness being unavailable, e.g., a spouse's murder. Forfeiture by wrongdoing applies solely in a trial for a different crime about which the defendant allegedly feared that the now unavailable declarants would testify.
SPECIES-SPECIFICITY OF ENDOGENOUS PYROGEN IN SERUM.

SummaryEndogenous serum pyrogen from rabbits produced fever in dogs and vice versa. Pyrogenicity of EP in the homologous species was dose related, but this was not the case in the heterologous spec...
Neurotransmitter signaling pathways required for normal development in Xenopus laevis embryos: a pharmacological survey screen

Neurotransmitters are not only involved in brain function but are also important signaling molecules for many diverse cell types. Neurotransmitters are widely conserved, from evolutionarily ancient organisms lacking nervous systems through man. Here, results are reported from a loss- and gain-of-function survey, using pharmacological modulators of several neurotransmitter pathways to examine possible roles for these pathways in normal embryogenesis. Applying reagents targeting the glutamatergic, adrenergic and dopaminergic pathways to embryos of Xenopus laevis from gastrulation to organogenesis stages, we observed and quantified numerous malformations, including craniofacial defects, hyperpigmentation, muscle mispatterning and miscoiling of the gut. These data implicate several key neurotransmitters in new embryonic patterning roles, reveal novel earlier stages for processes involved in eye development, suggest new targets for subsequent molecular-genetic investigation, and highlight the necessity for in-depth toxicology studies of psychoactive compounds to which human embryos might be exposed during pregnancy.
Rethinking Ceramic Degeneration: An Ancient Mesopotamian Case Study

A primary research concern of archaeologists is the explanation of social change. Since archaeologists must deal with change as it is manifested in the variability of material culture, it is not surprising that special attention has been given to studies of pottery, one of the most abundant forms of archaeological evidence, and one most sensitive to temporal change. Unfortunately, interpretations of changing pottery repertoires have usually failed to consider the socioeconomic factors which also may be responsible for ceramic variation. This has been notably true when trends of change are judged to be "degenerative." A study of ceramic change in the 'Ubaid and Uruk periods of Mesopotamia illustrates how "degeneration" can be correlated with the development of complex societies in the region.
Characterization of human osteoblast and megakaryocyte-derived osteonectin (SPARC)

Osteonectin is an adhesive, cell, and extracellular matrix-binding glycoprotein found primarily in the matrix of bone and in blood platelets in vivo. Osteonectins isolated from these two sources differ with respect to the complexity of their constituent N-linked oligosaccharide. In this study, osteonectin synthesized by bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) and platelet-producing cells (megakaryocytes) in vitro was analyzed to determine if the proteins produced were analogous in terms of glycosylation to those isolated from bone and platelets, respectively. Immunoblot analyses of osteonectin produced by the osteoblast-like cell lines, SaOS-2 and MG-63, indicated that secreted and intracellular forms of the molecule are structurally distinct. Endoglycosidase treatment and immunoblotting of osteonectin secreted from SaOS-2 and MG-63 cells, under serum-deprived conditions, suggested that the molecule possessed a complex type oligosaccharide unlike the high-mannose moiety found on bone matrix-derived osteonectin. Biosynthetic labeling of SaOS-2 cells and human megakaryocytes indicated that both cell types synthesize osteonectin de novo. Electrophoretic and glycosidase sensitivity analyses of [35S]-osteonectin isolated from lysates of metabolically labeled SaOS-2 cells and megakaryocytes indicated that these two cell types synthesize osteonectin molecules that are identical in oligosaccharide structure to the isolated bone and platelet proteins. These data suggest that the intracellular form of the osteonectin molecule is glycosylated differently in SaOS-2 cells and megakaryocytes but that the extracellular form which is secreted from platelets in vivo and osteoblasts in vitro is characterized by the presence of a complex type N-linked oligosaccharide.
The Relationship between Demographics of Business Students in a Developing Nation (Turkey) and their Perceptions of Marketing as A Field of Study and a Career Opportunity

Based on data collected from a sample of Turkish business students this study sought: 1) To identify attitudinal and motivational factors which contribute to different perceptions of marketing. 2) To identify demographic differences among students with different perceptions of marketing. 3) To determine the relationship between demographic differences and attitudinal or motivational factors which contribute to different perceptions of marketing. Once these factors, differences, and relationships were identified, specific implications of the findings for marketing educators were discussed.
Differences in the Rate of in Situ Mammary Gland Development and Other Developmental Endpoints in Three Strains of Female Rat Commonly Used in Mammary Carcinogenesis Studies Implications for Timing of Carcinogen Exposure

The potential of chemicals to alter susceptibility to mammary tumor formation is often assessed using a carcinogen-induced study design in various rat strains. The rate of mammary gland (MG) development must be considered so that the timing of carcinogen administration is impactful. In this study, in situ MG development was assessed in females of the Harlan Sprague-Dawley (Hsd:SD), Charles River Sprague-Dawley (Crl:SD), and Charles River Long-Evans (Crl:LE) rat strains at postnatal days 25, 33, and 45. Development was evaluated by physical assessment of growth parameters, developmental scoring, and quantitative morphometric analysis. Although body weight (BW) was consistently lower and day of vaginal opening (VO) occurred latest in female Hsd:SD rats, they exhibited accelerated pre- and peripubertal MG development compared to other strains. Glands of Crl:SD and Crl:LE rats exhibited significantly more terminal end buds (TEBs) and TEB/mm than Hsd:SD rats around the time of VO. These data suggest a considerable difference in the rate of MG development across commonly used strains, which is independent of BW and timing of VO. In mammary tumor induction studies employing these strains, administration of the carcinogen should be timed appropriately, based on strain, to specifically target the peak of TEB occurrence.
Music and Morality

Analytic philosophy in the last 50 years or so has focussed on music as a kind of aesthetic practice centred on the creation of musical objects seen to be valuable primarily for what are thought to be their intrinsic or purely musical features. One consequence of this purist focus is that philosophers have remained largely silent about the possible connections between music and morality, a topic that had been of prime interest to philosophers for centuries. This essay proposes a philosophical reorientation to return the attention of philosophy to the manifold connections between music and morality. The essay begins with an account of how contemporary philosophy arrived at its current position. The essay offers an account of the deep diversity of musical practices, providing an overview of the many functions that music serves in the complexities of the social, moral, political and cultural spheres. The essay then provides an analysis of the specific musical resources that enable music to contribute to the ethical life, followed by a discussion of the relationship between music and morality and the larger goal of the education of people in the ethos of their culture. The essay concludes with a postscript arguing that the relationship of musical practice to moral thought, action, behaviour, and character extends not only to the relation between music and morality considered as external to the practice of music making but also to what might be called the internal aspects of music such as the activities of musical composition and performance and musical genres, such as “absolute” or “pure” music, thought to be autonomous and thereby outside the realm of moral considerations.
Particle production in a gravitational wave background

We study the possibility that massless particles, such as photons, are produced by a gravitational wave. That such a process should occur is implied by tree-level Feynman diagrams such as two gravitons turning into two photons, i.e., $g+g\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\gamma}+\ensuremath{\gamma}$. Here we calculate the rate at which a gravitational wave creates a massless scalar field. This is done by placing the scalar field in the background of a plane gravitational wave and calculating the 4-current of the scalar field. Even in the vacuum limit of the scalar field it has a nonzero vacuum expectation value (similar to what occurs in the Higgs mechanism) and a nonzero current. We associate this with the production of scalar field quanta by the gravitational field. This effect has potential consequences for the attenuation of gravitational waves since the massless field is being produced at the expense of the gravitational field. This is related to the time-dependent Schwinger effect, but with the electric field replaced by the gravitational wave background and the electron/positron field quanta replaced by massless scalar ``photons.'' Since the produced scalar quanta are massless there is no exponential suppression, as occurs in the Schwinger effect due to the electron mass.
Big data as a service from an urban information system

Big Data has already proven itself as a valuable tool that lets geographers and urban researchers utilize large data resources to generate new insights. However, wider adoption of Big Data techniques in these areas is impeded by a number of difficulties in both knowledge discovery and data and science production. Typically users face such problems as disparate and scattered data, data management, spatial searching, insufficient computational capacity for data-driven analysis and modelling, and the lack of tools to quickly visualize and summarize large data and analysis results. Here we propose an architecture for an Urban Information System (UrbIS) that mitigates these problems by utilizing the Big Data as a Service (BDaaS) concept. With technological roots in High-performance Computing (HPC), BDaaS is based on the idea of outsourcing computations to different computing paradigms, scalable to super-computers. UrbIS aims to incorporate federated metadata search, integrated modeling and analysis, and geovisualization into a single seamless workflow. The system is under active development and is built around various emerging technologies that include hybrid and NoSQL databases, massively parallel systems, GPU computing, and WebGL-based geographic visualization. UrbIS is designed to facilitate the use of Big Data across multiple cities to better understand how urban areas impact the environment and how climate change and other environmental change impact urban areas.
Alterations in B-cell subsets in pediatric patients with early atopic dermatitis

Background B cells undergo maturation and class-switching in response to antigen exposure and T-cell help. Early B-cell differentiation has not been defined in patients with early-onset atopic dermatitis (AD). Objective We sought to define the frequency of B-cell subsets associated with progressive B-cell maturation and IgE class-switching. Methods We studied 27 children and 34 adults with moderate-to-severe AD (mean SCORAD score, 55 and 65, respectively) and age-matched control subjects (15 children and 27 adults). IgD/CD27 and CD24/CD38 core gating systems and an 11-color flow cytometric panel were used to determine the frequencies of circulating B-cell subsets. Serum total and allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) levels were measured by using ImmunoCAP. Results Compared with adults, children showed T-cell predominance in the skin. Circulating CD19 + CD20 + B-cell counts were lower in patients with pediatric AD than in control subjects (24% vs 33%, P = .04), whereas CD3 + T-cell counts were higher (62% vs 52%, P = .05). A decreased B-cell/T-cell lymphocyte ratio with age was observed only in pediatric control subjects ( r = −0.48, P = .07). In pediatric patients with AD, a positive correlation was observed between B-cell/T-cell ratio and nonswitched memory B-cell counts ( r = 0.42, P = .03). Higher frequencies of positive sIgE levels were seen in pediatric patients with AD ( P P P H 1, T H 2, total IgE levels, and B-cell memory subsets. Conclusions Peripheral B and T cells are altered in pediatric patients with early AD, but T cells predominate in skin lesions.
Modeling the fecal coliform footprint in a Lake Michigan urban coastal area

Abstract The fecal coliform footprint in a Lake Michigan urban coastal area was studied using field sampling and modeling. Testing for fecal indicator bacteria at large spatial scales is not feasible after rain events; therefore it is desirable to develop a predictive model. A whole-lake model/nested model provided sufficient spatial and temporal resolution, simulated the appropriate transport mechanisms, and was verified against measurements. The major limitation of modeling watershed inputs is that there is no feasible continuous measurement of bacteria, which was addressed by developing a robust correlation between flow and bacteria concentrations. Field data and model predictions verified that most of the mixing between river and lake water occurs inside the harbor breakwater. Measurements and model results showed that the footprint can extend up to 8 km into the lake during sewer overflow events, depending on the meteorology that drives the interaction between tributary loads, whole-lake, and local circulation.
Depictions of Murder in Maine: The Dominant Ideology Thesis

ABSTRACTRecent research suggests that popular depictions of crime reflect and reinforce a dominant ideology in which criminals are viewed as rational actors who bear individual responsibility for crime. The research reported here employed a content analysis approach to examine depictions of 108 assailants found in media reports of murders that occurred in Maine from 2008 through 2012. While most of the depictions examined here describe crime as a matter of individual responsibility, this analysis found that many media depictions of Maine’s murderers include content that is sympathetic to the offender and some accounts raise questions about the effectiveness of police services, mental healthcare, and related social services.
Modeling and analysis of solvent removal during Li-ion battery electrode drying

Abstract In this work, we study the design aspects and process dynamics of solvent removal from Lithium-ion battery electrode coatings. For this, we use a continuum level mathematical model to describe the physical phenomenon of cathode drying involving coupled simultaneous heat and mass transfer with phase change. Our results indicate that around 90% of solvent is removed in less than half of the overall drying time. We study the effect of varying temperature and air velocity on the drying process. We show that the overall drying energy can be reduced by at least 50% by using a multi-zone drying process. Also, the peak solvent flux can be reduced by at least 40%. We further present the effect of using an aqueous solvent instead of N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) in electrode drying. Our results indicate that Water dries nearly 4.5 times faster as compared to NMP and requires nearly 10 times less overall drying energy per kg of solvent.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test Glucose Peak Time Is Most Predictive of Prediabetes and Hepatic Steatosis in Obese Girls.

Obese adolescent girls are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, characterized by defects in insulin secretion and action. We sought to determine if later glucose peak timing (>30 minutes), 1-hour glucose >155 mg/dl, or monophasic pattern of glucose excursion during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) reflect a worse cardiometabolic risk profile. Post-pubertal overweight/obese adolescent girls without diabetes were studied (N = 88; age, 15.2 ± 0.2 years; body mass index percentile, 97.7 ± 0.5). All participants completed an OGTT and body composition measures. Thirty-two girls had a four-phase hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp with isotope tracers, vascular imaging, and muscle mitochondrial assessments. Participants were categorized by glucose peak timing (≤30 min = early; >30 min = late), 1-hour glucose concentration (±155 mg/dL) and glucose pattern (monophasic, biphasic). Girls with a late (N = 54) vs earlier peak (n = 34) timing had higher peak glucose (P 155 mg/dL group only, peripheral insulin sensitivity and fasting free fatty acids were worse. A later glucose peak or >155 mg/dL 1-hour glucose predicts metabolic disease risk in obese adolescent girls. This may defect incretin effects and first phase insulin response, and muscle and adipose insulin resistance.
Identification and quantification of Lyme pathogen strains by deep sequencing of outer surface protein C (ospC) amplicons

Mixed infection of a single tick or host by Lyme disease spirochetes is common and a unique challenge for diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of Lyme disease. Here we describe a novel protocol for differentiating Lyme strains based on deep sequencing of the hypervariable outer-surface protein C locus (ospC). Improving upon the traditional DNA-DNA hybridization method, the next-generation sequencing-based protocol is high-throughput, quantitative, and able to detect new pathogen strains. We applied the method to over one hundred infected Ixodes scapularis ticks collected from New York State, USA in 2015 and 2016. Analysis of strain distributions within individual ticks suggests an overabundance of multiple infections by five or more strains, inhibitory interactions among co-infecting strains, and presence of a new strain closely related to Borreliella bissettiae. A supporting bioinformatics pipeline has been developed. With the newly designed pair of universal ospC primers targeting intergenic sequences conserved among all known Lyme pathogens, the protocol could be used for culture-free identification and quantification of Lyme pathogens in wildlife and clinical specimens across the globe.
Metaplastic Transformation of Pancreatic Cells to Hepatocytes

The dogma that the differentiated state in non-neoplastic cells is stable and irreversible is clearly no longer tenable in the face of the numerous examples in the literature that document its plasticity under certain circumstances. The earliest examples of the transformation of one differentiated cell type to another, referred to as metaplasia, were encountered by pathologists during their histologic studies of human tissues affected by processes such as inflammation and neoplasia.1 While relatively common, the occurrence of metaplasia in association with these conditions is extremely variable from case to case, suggesting that its development depends on a very specific set of conditions. Although metaplasia has long been known and is well documented in both epithelial and mesenchymal cells, details of its histogenesis remain controversial. This is based largely on the issue of whether one fully differentiated cell type can indeed directly undergo transformation to another, or whether as some hold, metaplastic cells must arise from undifferentiated precursor cells that persist in the adult state and under abnormal conditions undergo atypical differentiation.
Knowledge Sharing: Effects of Cooperative Type and Reciprocity Level

Knowledge sharing is an important research area in knowledge management. This study broadens the perspective on knowledge sharing by investigating an individualâ€™s behavior type as a cooperator, reciprocator, and free rider toward knowledge contribution. In this study, we view shared knowledge in a community of practice as a public good and adopt a theory of reciprocity to explain how different cooperative types affect knowledge contribution. In the perspective of shared knowledge as a public good, people may react in three ways: they share knowledge without need for reciprocity (cooperators), they feel obligated to share their knowledge (reciprocators), or they take knowledge for granted (free riders). Analytic and simulation results reveal that the fraction of cooperators is positively related to total knowledge contribution and to the reciprocity level, while the reciprocity level positively affects knowledge contribution.
Software Vulnerability Taxonomy Consolidation

In today's environment, computers and networks are increasing exposed to a number of software vulnerabilities. Information about these vulnerabilities is collected and disseminated via various large publicly available databases such as BugTraq, OSVDB and ICAT. Each of these databases, individually, do not cover all aspects of a vulnerability and lack a standard format among them, making it difficult for end-users to easily compare various vulnerabilities. A central database of vulnerabilities has not been available until today for a number of reasons, such as the non-uniform methods by which current vulnerability database providers receive information, disagreement over which features of a particular vulnerability are important and how best to present them, and the non-utility of the information presented in many databases. The goal of this software vulnerability taxonomy consolidation project is to address the need for a universally accepted vulnerability taxonomy that classifies vulnerabilities in an unambiguous manner. A consolidated vulnerability database (CVDB) was implemented that coalesces and organizes vulnerability data from disparate data sources. Based on the work done in this paper, there is strong evidence that a consolidated taxonomy encompassing and organizing all relevant data can be achieved. However, three primary obstacles remain: lack of referencing a common ''primarymore » key'', un-structured and free-form descriptions of necessary vulnerability data, and lack of data on all aspects of a vulnerability. This work has only considered data that can be unambiguously extracted from various data sources by straightforward parsers. It is felt that even with the use of more advanced, information mining tools, which can wade through the sea of unstructured vulnerability data, this current integration methodology would still provide repeatable, unambiguous, and exhaustive results. Though the goal of coalescing all available data, which would be of use to system administrators, software developers and vulnerability researchers is not yet achieved, this work has resulted in the most exhaustive collection of vulnerability data to date.« less
Synthesis, Optoelectronic Properties, Self-Association, and Base Pairing of Nucleobase-Functionalized Oligothiophenes.

Device-relevant π-conjugated oligothiophenes with the canonical nucleobases directly embedded into the π-framework have been designed, synthesized, and characterized. These oligomers offer the ability to tune optoelectronic properties via the intimate merging of the nucleobase molecular electronic structure with base-pairing fidelity. Analysis of their optical and electronic properties in a hydrogen-bond-disrupting solvent (DMF) indicates that the nucleobase identity influences the intrinsic electronic properties of the semiconductors. These differences are supported by DFT calculations which demonstrate that the HOMO/LUMO orbitals are distributed differently for each compound. The solubility and competition between self-association and base pairing in a hydrogen-bond-supporting solvent (chloroform) was studied to better understand the oligomer behavior under conditions relevant for downstream solution processing into thin-film devices. These solution studies reveal that in each case base-pairing is prefe...
Changes in subjective experience elicited by direct stimulation of the human orbitofrontal cortex

Objective We applied direct cortical stimulation (DCS) to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in neurosurgical patients implanted with intracranial electrodes to probe, with high anatomic precision, the causal link between the OFC and human subjective experience. Methods We administered 272 instances of DCS at 172 OFC sites in 22 patients with intractable focal epilepsy (from 2011 to 2017), none of whom had seizures originating from the OFC. Results Our observations revealed a rich variety of affective, olfactory, gustatory, and somatosensory changes in the subjective domain. Elicited experiences were largely neutral or negatively valenced (e.g., aversive smells and tastes, sadness, and anger). Evidence was found for preferential left lateralization of negatively valenced experiences and strong right lateralization of neutral effects. Moreover, most of the elicited effects were observed after stimulation of OFC tissue around the transverse orbital sulcus, and none were seen in the most anterior aspects of the OFC. Conclusions Our study yielded 3 central findings: first, a dissociation between the “silent” anterior and nonsilent middle/posterior OFC where stimulation clearly elicits changes in subjective experience; second, evidence that the OFC might play a causal role in integrating affect and multimodal sensory experiences; and third, clear evidence for left lateralization of negatively valenced effects. Our findings provide important information for clinicians treating OFC injury or planning OFC resection and scientists seeking to understand the brain basis for the integration of sensation, cognition, and affect.
A phrase-frame list for social science research article introductions

Abstract This study aimed to contribute to recent corpus-based efforts in compiling lists of academic expressions by deriving a pedagogically useful list of phrase-frames for a specific part-genre, i.e. research article introductions, in six social science disciplines. A combination of corpus statistics was used to extract an initial set of phrase-frame candidates with adequate frequency, variant diversity, and range across disciplines. These candidates were then manually filtered in several steps to ensure their semantic completeness and pedagogical value. The resulting 370 five-word phrase-frames and 84 six-word phrase-frames were analyzed structurally and functionally. Evaluation of a random sample of 100 phrase-frames by a panel of academic writing instructors and student writers indicated that the overwhelming majority of the phrase-frames were considered pedagogically useful by either the instructors or the student writers, or both. The implications of the current study for academic formulaic language research and of the phrase-frame list compiled for academic writing pedagogy are considered.
Abstract P100: Geographic Disparities in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: An Environment-Wide Association Study

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are significant contributor to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality, and large geographic disparities exist. Although the importance of an individua...
Preference-Sensitive Management of Post-Mammography Decisions in Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Decision models representing the clinical situations where treatment options entail a significant risk of morbidity or mortality should consider the variations in risk preferences of individuals. In this study, we develop a stochastic modeling framework that optimizes risk-sensitive diagnostic decisions after a mammography exam. For a given patient, our objective is to find the utility maximizing diagnostic decisions where we define the utility over quality-adjusted survival duration. We use real data from a private mammography database to numerically solve our model for various utility functions. Our choice of utility functions for the numerical analysis is driven by actual patient behavior encountered in clinical practice. We find that invasive diagnostic procedures such as biopsies are more aggressively used than what the optimal risk-neutral policy would suggest, implying a far-sighted (or equivalently risk-seeking) behavior. When risk preferences are incorporated into the clinical practice, policy makers should bear in mind that a welfare loss in terms of survival duration is inevitable as evidenced by our structural and empirical results.
Superior pathologic and clinical outcomes after minimally invasive rectal cancer resection, compared to open resection.

While the ACOSOG and ALaCaRT trials found that laparoscopic resections for rectal cancer failed to demonstrate non-inferiority of pathologic outcomes when compared with open resections, the COLOR II and COREAN studies demonstrated non-inferiority of clinical outcomes, leading to uncertainty regarding the value of minimally invasive (MIS) techniques in rectal cancer surgery. We analyzed differences in pathologic and clinical outcomes between open versus MIS resections for rectal cancer. We identified patients who underwent resection for stage II or III rectal adenocarcinoma from the National Cancer Database (2010–2015). Surgical approach was categorized as open or MIS (laparoscopic or robotic). Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard analysis were used to assess differences in outcomes and survival. Analysis was performed in an intention-to-treat fashion. A total of 31,190 patients who underwent rectal adenocarcinoma resection were identified, of whom 52.8% underwent open resection and 47.2% underwent MIS resection (31.0% laparoscopic, 16.2% robotic). After adjustment for patient, tumor, and institutional characteristics, MIS approaches were associated with significantly decreased risk of positive circumferential resection margins (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.72–0.94), increased likelihood of harvesting ≥ 12 lymph nodes (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04–1.21), shorter length of stay (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.53–0.62), and improved overall survival (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83–0.98). MIS approaches to rectal cancer resection were associated with improved pathologic and clinical outcomes when compared to the open approach. In this nationwide, facility-based sample of cancer cases in the United States, our data suggest superiority of MIS techniques for rectal cancer treatment.
Understanding the impact of road design characteristic on teen driver’s fatality

Objective: There is little research simultaneously examining both teen drivers’ characteristics and the driving environment. This study aimed to investigate how traffic engineering factors (road de...
EFFECT OF THE MISSION COSMOS-1129 ON BODY COMPOSITION IN THE RAT

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses an experiment to study the effect of the mission Cosmos-1129 on the body composition of the rats. The body composition was studied in rats after 18.5 day flight on Cosmos-1129 (Flight Group, F), after a synchronous ground experiment for which the mission was duplicated as closely as feasible but at terrestrial gravity (Synchronous Control Group, S group), and in animals that were housed and maintained under standard vivarium conditions (Vivarium Controls, V group). The three groups consisted of five rats each. During flight and synchronous experiment, the rats were individually housed in cylindrical cage. The comparison of S and V groups emphasizes the effect of nongravitational factors involved in the mission on the body composition. The content of fat in the skin, in the musculo­skeletal system, and in the viscera in S rats was significantly higher than in V rats. Moreover, the comparison of body composition in F and V groups is of particular interest because it allows the differentiation of weightlessness effects.
Which Ideas for Change Are Endorsed? How Agentic and Communal Voice Affects Endorsement Differently for Men and Women

This paper explores how gender affects idea endorsement. We depart from the existing approach, which considers the effect of gender and other factors in isolation and propose that endorsement depen...
Optimal dose selection in oncology biologics development: Need for a paradigm shift.

3093Background: In oncology, the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) is typically selected from the first-in-patient (FIP) dose escalation and then carried forward to late stage trials. The RP2D is oft...
The Ethics of Species: An Introduction

Preface 1. Introduction 2. The value of species 3. The conservation biology dilemma 4. Assisted colonization 5. Shifting goals and changing strategies 6. The (in)significance of species boundaries 7. Homo sapiens in particular 8. Artifactual species 9. Conclusion.
Metabolism Prediction Based on Measurement of PO2 and Flow at the Same Locus during Seizures and Barbiturate Suppression of Eeg

The general purpose of this project was to determine the local state of oxygenation and metabolism in brain cortex during conditions of seizure and suppression. The methods employed to achieve these goals are outlined in the following list. (1) Seizure or suppression was induced by drugs. (2) Local PO2 and local flow was simultaneously measured with the same microelectrode. (3) The local metabolic changes associated with the measured parameters were predicted with the aid of a mathematical model.
Riding the Crest of the Wnt Signaling Wave

Formation of the neural crest is a crucial step during the embryonic development of vertebrates, but the signals that direct neural crest induction are largely unknown. In their Perspective, Trainor and Krumlauf discuss new findings ( GarcA­a-Castro et al.) revealing that Wnt6 expression in the surface ectoderm directs neural crest induction.
Lessons from the Past, View to the Future: Summary and Concluding Remarks

South Asia is a cohesive region and yet diverse, both in terms of physical and socio-cultural environments. This concluding chapter summarizes these similarities and variations in the context of malaria occurrence and specifically highlights common challenges such as the ever-conducive climate and the threat of climate change, cultural practices, socio-economic constraints, and political disruptions. It updates the malaria situation in South Asia into the twenty-first century and discusses the successes and failures of new drugs like ACTs and the return to old mainstays like DDT. Also addressed are the changing directions of global programs, the value of regional and multi-sectoral approaches, and the promise held by technological and scientific advances. In the end, the best course of action for now seems to be the use of effective and sustained surveillance, prophylaxes, prevention, control, and cure measures.
Urethrovesicopubic relationships and urinary stress incontinence. IV. The uterine suspension syndrome.

Abstract Anterior displacement of the bladder, imprint of the uterus upon the posterosuperior surface, and partial elimination of the segment of bladder posterior to the urethrovesical junction, are three abnormal alterations in urethrovesicopubic relationships. They occur as the result of extravesical pressure. First observed after uterine suspension, these relationships have been noted to occur also in association with pelvic tumors. They stand out in contrast to the usual downward and backward rotatory changes incident to parturition. Urinary stress incontinence may accompany either type of change. It is the purpose of this report to evaluate the importance of the anatomic changes which occur as the result of posterosuperior extravesical pressure.
The Business of Human Factors

The role of human factors in industry is discussed. Considerations determining size and location of a human factors group within an organization are examined.
Ambient ammonia in terrestrial ecosystems: A comparative study in the Tennessee Valley, USA

Abstract Atmospheric ammonia has been shown to degrade regional air quality and affect environmental health. In-situ measurements of ammonia are needed to determine how ambient concentrations vary in different ecosystems and the extent to which emission sources contribute to those levels. The objective of this study was to measure and compare ammonia concentrations in two Tennessee Valley (USA) ecosystems: a forested rural area and a metropolitan site adjacent to a main transportation route. Integrated samples of atmospheric ammonia were collected with annular denuder systems for ~ 4 weeks during the summer of 2009 in both ecosystems. Ancillary measurements of meteorological variables, such as wind direction and precipitation, were also conducted to determine any relationships with ammonia concentration. Measurements in the two ecosystems revealed ammonia concentrations that were mostly representative of background levels. Arithmetic means were 1.57 ± 0.68 μg m− 3 at the metropolitan site and 1.60 ± 0.77 μg m− 3 in the forest. The geometric mean concentrations for both sites were ~ 1.46 μg m− 3. Wind direction, and to a lesser extent air temperature and precipitation, did influence measured concentrations. At the metropolitan site, ammonia concentrations were slightly higher in winds emanating from the direction of the interstate highway. Meteorological variables, such as wind direction, and physical factors, such as topography, can affect measurement of ambient ammonia concentrations, especially in ecosystems distant from strong emission sources. The 12-h integrated sampling method used in this study was unable to measure frequent changes in ambient ammonia concentrations and illustrates the need for measurements with higher temporal resolution, at least ~ 1–2 h, in a variety of diverse ecosystems to determine the behavior of atmospheric ammonia and its environmental effects.
A Simple Anaerobic Cell for Low-Temperature Raman Spectroscopy

The advantage of low-temperature Raman spectroscopy is well known, and this technique is now widely used for many different types of compounds. The recent interest in resonance Raman spectroscopy applied to the biological compounds posed new demands for the experimental techniques. Several valuable improvements have been made in this area, especially for samples which require handling under anaerobic conditions. In 1986 Czernuszewicz presented an anaerobic sample cell use in conjunction with a closed-cycle helium refrigerator. This type of cell has been successfully applied to the resonance Raman spectra collected under back-scattering geometry with incident radiation at 135° to the surface of the sample. However, this arrangement is not suitable for collection of scattering at 90° to the incident beam, the conventional arrangement of the majority of commercial Raman spectrometers. Thus a simple low-temperature anaerobic cell suitable for 90° scattering geometry has been designed, and it is presented here.
Identification of a Severely Atrophic Testicle During Castration of a Horse: A Case Report

Tissue considered to be testicle was removed from the scrotum of a horse considered previously to be cryptorchid. Close anatomical inspection after emasculation revealed the presence of the vas deferens, intact epididymis, pampiniform plexus, and a severely atrophic testicle. Histologic examination of the tissue confirmed the presence of an atrophic testicle. Accurate anatomic identification at the time of surgery prevented the need for exploration of the inguinal canal or abdomen.
Improved wide-band VHF whip antenna

The design principles, construction, and performance of a ten-foot whip antenna for use with radio communication sets covering the frequency range from 30 to 76 MHz are described. The antenna is insensitive to changes in environment, with respect to electrical performance. It has uniform azimuthal distribution of radiation, optimum gain at the horizon, and is suited as an element of antenna arrays. Some of the design features which provide advantages in these respects over conventional vertical antennas, are: Control of the current distribution by means of a variable reactor between the base of the radiator and "ground", judicious choice of antenna length and feed-point position, and internal broadband matching.
Analysis of tandem cold reduction mill with automatic gauge control

MOST of the cold rolled steel strip which is produced today is rolled on tandem cold reduction mills. Fig. 1 shows a 5-stand mill with its unwind and winding reels. The strip fed into the mill has previously been hot rolled and pickled. Each stand, using a combination of pressure transmitted through the work rolls and interstand tension, reduces the strip thickness by as much as 50 per cent. When the delivered strip is later to be plated and made into tin cans, the nominal input thickness to this mill may be 90 mils and the delivered thickness 8 mils. Typical delivery speeds for this product are 3,000 feet per minute up to nearly 6,000 feet per minute. The subsequent operations upon the steel to obtain the finished product require that each coil of strip be rolled to close thickness tolerance. Although mill operators can and do control thickness by manual adjustment, this is difficult and tedious even for the most alert operators. Therefore, a completely integrated automatic gauge (thickness) control for a tandem cold strip mill has been built and placed in service for more than a year. Other equipments are being manufactured and some are being installed on other mills.
Promoter activity of polypyrimidine tract-binding protein genes of potato responds to environmental cues

Polypyrimidine tract-binding (PTB) proteins are RNA-binding proteins that target specific RNAs for post-transcriptional processing by binding cytosine/uracil motifs. PTBs have established functions in a range of RNA processes including splicing, translation, stability and long-distance transport. Six PTB-like genes identified in potato have been grouped into two clades based on homology to other known plant PTBs. StPTB1 and StPTB6 are closely related to a PTB protein discovered in pumpkin, designated CmRBP50, and contain four canonical RNA-recognition motifs. CmRBP50 is expressed in phloem tissues and functions as the core protein of a phloem-mobile RNA/protein complex. Sequence from the potato genome database was used to clone the upstream sequence of these two PTB genes and analyzed to identify conserved cis-elements. The promoter of StPTB6 was enriched for regulatory elements for light and sucrose induction and defense. Upstream sequence of both PTB genes was fused to β-glucuronidase and monitored in transgenic potato lines. In whole plants, the StPTB1 promoter was most active in leaf veins and petioles, whereas StPTB6 was most active in leaf mesophyll. Both genes are active in new tubers and tuber sprouts. StPTB6 expression was induced in stems and stolon sections in response to sucrose and in leaves or petioles in response to light, heat, drought and mechanical wounding. These results show that CmRBP50-like genes of potato exhibit distinct expression patterns and respond to both developmental and environmental cues.
Cognitive event-related brain potentials in children with attention and reading deficits.

ERPs were recorded from four groups of children: reading disabled, attentional deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity, and normal controls. Subjects pressed a button to a low probability nonsense syllable (target, p= .168) and ignored all other events, which included a high probability nonsense syllable (nontarget, p= .664) and either low probability (category, p= .168) symbols (Block 1) or 3-letter words (Block 2). The amplitudes of several late ERP components and the latency of the P3 component were examined. The overall amplitude of P3 was significantly smaller in all clinical groups than in controls, but the difference in P3 amplitude between targets and nontargets was smaller only in the two attentional deficit groups. Reading disabled children had smaller P3 and Pc components to words than to symbols, while controls had equivalent values. The N2 component had a different scalp distribution for words and symbols, but did not differentiate reading disabled children from controls. P3 latency was significantly longer in the three clinical groups than in controls, but only the attentional deficit groups showed an increase in P3 latency across blocks of the task. The results are discussed within the framework of recent cognitive models dealing with attentional processes.
Detection of stable secondary structure at the 3′ terminus of dengue virus type 2 RNA

Abstract The 3'-terminal sequences of flavivirus genomes within approx. 100 nucleotides (nt) have been suggested to have a highly conserved secondary structure, as based on the known nt sequence data and free-energy calculations using computer programs. To test the existence of a secondary structure in solution, we devised a strategy to generate truncated RNA molecules from about 0.3–1.4 kb in length, having the same polarity and nt sequence as dengue virus type 2 (DEN-2) RNA (New Guinea-C strain). When these labeled RNA molecules were digested by RNase A, and analyzed by denaturing polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, three resistant fragments of 16, 20 and 23 nt in length were reproducibly obtained. To examine whether these RNase A-resistant (RNase R ) fragments emerged from a stable secondary structure formed in solution consisting of 3'-terminal sequences, hybridization of the RNase R fragments to four chemically synthesized oligodeoxyribonucleotides (oligos), complementary to nt 1–24, 25–48, 49–72, and 73–96 from the 3' terminus of DEN-2 RNA, followed by RNase H digestion were carried out. Oligos complementary to nt 25–48 and 49–72 from the 3' end of DEN-2 RNA were sufficient to render all three RNase R fragments susceptible to RNase H digestion. These data indicate that a stable secondary structure is formed in solution involving nt 18–67 from the 3' terminus. The potential use of these unique transcripts to identify the viral and/or host proteins which might interact at the 3' terminus of DEN-2 RNA during initiation of replication is discussed.