cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE PYRAMID TRACT AND OTHER DESCENDING PATHS IN THE SPINAL CORD OF THE SHEEP

1. The sheep has a comparatively small pyramid tract, the fasciculi of which degenerate as a result of lesions in the motor area, previously found to be located in the superior frontal gyrus. The greater part of the fibres are of fine calibre, and the majority decussate in the lower part of the medulla oblongata and in the first cervical segment of the spinal cord. By the Marchi method they can be traced into the reticular formation at the base of the dorsal horn, among the lateral horn cells and those of the dorsal part of the ventral horn. The homolateral fibres have a similar course. 2. The tract cannot be followed beyond the first cervical segment. 3. An uncrossed ventral cortico-spinal tract is not demonstrated. 4. Experimental lesions in the lower part of the medulla oblongata and in the spinal cord show that there are two well-developed descending paths. A. One, in the dorsal part of the ventro-lateral column, extends into the sacral region. It is made up of coarse fibres, and many collaterals are given off to end amongst the cells of the lateral horn and those of the dorsal part of the ventral horn. From its relations it probably represents the rubro-spinal tract described in some other animals. B. A large ventro-lateral path, with coarse fibres, can also be followed into the sacral segments. It is directly connected with the ventral born cells. The progressive decrease of both tracts is greater in the limb than in the trunk regions. 5. Little, if any, motor disturbance follows from cortical lesions. But when a considerable proportion of the fibres of one of these other paths is interrupted partial paralysis invariably results, from which the animals do not entirely recover in a fortnight.
An outcome prediction model for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma treated with radical nephrectomy based on tumor stage, size, grade and necrosis: the SSIGN score.

ABSTRACT Purpose Currently outcome prediction in renal cell carcinoma is largely based on pathological stage and tumor grade. We developed an outcome prediction model for patients treated with radical nephrectomy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma, which was based on all available clinical and pathological features significantly associated with death from renal cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods We identified 1,801 adult patients with unilateral clear cell renal cell carcinoma treated with radical nephrectomy between 1970 and 1998. Clinical features examined included age, sex, smoking history, and signs and symptoms at presentation. Pathological features examined included 1997 TNM stage, tumor size, nuclear grade, histological tumor necrosis, sarcomatoid component, cystic architecture, multifocality and surgical margin status. Cancer specific survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to test associations between features studied and outcome. The selection of features included in the multivariate model was validated using bootstrap methodology. Results Mean followup was 9.7 years (range 0.1 to 31). Estimated cancer specific survival rates at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 years were 86.6%, 74.0%, 68.7%, 63.8% and 60.0%, respectively. Several features were multivariately associated with death from clear cell renal cell carcinoma, including 1997 TNM stage (p Conclusions In patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma 1997 TNM stage, tumor size, nuclear grade and histological tumor necrosis were significantly associated with cancer specific survival. We present a scoring system based on these features that can be used to predict outcome.
Synthesis of the aglycone of the shark repellent pavoninin-4 using remote functionalization.

The aglycone of shark repellent pavoninin-4, (25R)-5α-cholestan-3α,15α,26-triol 26-acetate 1a, was synthesized from (25R)-cholest-5-en-3β,26-diol 4 (26-hydroxycholesterol) in eight steps in 18% overall yield. Breslow's remote functionalization strategy was used as a key step to introduce the C-15α alcohol on a steroid D ring. An efficient synthesis of the 26-hydroxycholesterol from the 16β hydroxyl steroid, (25R)-cholest-5-ene-3β,16β,26-triol (3a), is also reported.
Isotopic Temporal Analysis of Products study of anaerobic NO reduction by NH3 on Pt catalysts

Abstract A Temporal Analysis of Products (TAP) study was carried out of the anaerobic NO + NH3 reaction system on Pt sponge and Pt/Al2O3 catalysts. Temperature, pulse timing, and feed composition were varied to quantify the conversion and product selectivities. Isotopically labeled nitric oxide (15NO) was used to follow reaction pathways to molecular nitrogen and nitrous oxide. A variation in the delay time between sequential pulses of 15NO and NH3 had a significant effect on the reaction path to molecular nitrogen. A mixed feed (no delay time) above the light-off temperature resulted in a product mixture nearly balanced between the mixed product 15NN, and the two single-source products 15N2, and N2. With increased delay time the selectivity of 15NN decreased significantly in favor of 15N2 and N2. The data suggest at least two major routes to nitrogen formation, one involving direct NO decomposition on reduced Pt sites and the other involving reaction between NHx species and NO. There is also kinetic evidence for a slower, third minor route involving an unidentified surface complex, possibly HNOad. The alumina support is shown to suppress this effect of delay time through ammonia adsorption, serving as a source-sink. The trends are interpreted with a mechanistic model constructed from a sequence of elementary steps.
When Am I My Group? Self-Enhancement Versus Self-Justification Accounts of Perceived Prototypicality

The tendency to view the self as a prototypic member of a group is thought to be at the foundation of many social psychological phenomena. Two opposing accounts of perceived prototypicality have been suggested in the psychological literature. The self-justification account portrays this as a defensive tendency that occurs in response to threatened group status. The self-enhancement account portrays this as a strategic tendency to associate the self with positively viewed groups. These competing views were tested using both a minimal group (Study 1) and a naturalistic group (Study 2). Both studies showed that perceived prototypicality increased with increasing group status. Moreover, the effect of status was moderated by group importance (Study 1) and behavioral choice (Study 2). Both interaction patterns supported the self-enhancement view, suggesting that people view themselves as prototypic group members when doing so will promote a positive identity. These findings contradict common statements in the social identity literature.
Calculation of thermal fields of underground cables using the boundary element method

The boundary-element method (BEM) is used to solve the underground cable thermal field problem. Because attention is focused on the region boundaries rather than on its interior, the computational effort is reduced very significantly. Examples of application of the BEM include homogeneous soil and multimedia systems. Single and multicable geometries are investigated. The results exhibit accuracy better than can be expected for commonly used domain-type methods, since region truncation with an artificial boundary is not needed. >
Species variability of N-terminal sequence of avian erythrocyte-specific histone H5

Abstract A comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of H5 isolated from chicken, quail, duck, goose and pigeon shows considerable sequence variation. With the possible exception of the very lysine-rich histone H1, H5 variation is much more extensive than that reported previously for other histones. The observed sequence diversity is in agreement with the known taxonomic grouping of these birds.
Germanium-silicon fractionation in the weathering environment

Abstract We present a detailed study of germanium behavior in the soil weathering environment as an important step toward using the Ge/Si system as a tracer of silicate weathering processes in both modern and ancient environments. Intensely weathered soils developed on Hawaiian basalts have bulk soil Ge/Si ratios 2 to 10 times higher than fresh basalt (e.g., 10 to 25 μmol/mol vs. 2.5 μmol/mol). Soil Ge concentrations increase with Si, and decrease with Fe, suggesting that Ge sequestration is related to accumulation of secondary soil silicates, rather than retention in soil Fe oxy-hydroxides. Sequential extractions of these soils suggest that Ge/Si fractionation takes place by Ge sequestration during the initial precipitation of secondary soil aluminosilicates (principally allophane). Further Si loss and changes in mineralogy as these soils age result in little additional Ge/Si fractionation. Ge/Si ratios in granitic soils and saprolites are strongly influenced by relative weathering rates of primary minerals. Kaolinite has a Ge/Si ratio (5.9 μmol/mol) higher than the plagioclase from which it forms (3.1 μmol/mol), whereas accumulation of primary quartz (Ge/Si 0.5 μmol/mol) prevents granitic soils from attaining high Ge/Si ratios. Laboratory synthesis of allophane confirms that Ge is preferentially partitioned into the solid phase upon precipitation of secondary aluminosilicates from solution.
Cannabis use in the last year in a US national sample of twin and sibling pairs.

Background. Three prior population-based twin studies, none of which was nationally representative, suggested that both genetic and familial-environmental factors contribute to family resemblance for lifetime cannabis use. We seek to replicate these results in a US national probability sample of twin and sibling pairs examining only last year cannabis use. Methods. Cannabis use in the last year was assessed by self-report questionnaire. Biometrical twin analyses were performed. Results. Twin and sibling resemblance for last-year cannabis use was substantial, and much higher in monozygotic pairs than in dizygotic and sibling pairs, where levels of resemblance were similar. Modeling suggested that sibling resemblance was due to genetic factors - with a heritability of at least 60 % - and probably family environmental factors. No evidence was found that cannabis use was influenced by a special twin environment. Conclusions. Consistent with prior studies, use of cannabis is substantially influenced by genetic factors but family-environment is also possibly of importance.
Steroidogenesis in human aldosterone-secreting adenomas and adrenal hyperplasias: effects of hypoxia in vitro.

The synthesis of adrenal steroids requires molecular oxygen. Because arterial hypoxemia is a common clinical condition, the purpose of the present study was to examine steroidogenesis in vitro unde...
Distribution in Angle of Protons from the D-D Reaction

The angular distribution of the disintegration protons from the D-D reaction has been investigated as a function of energy from 60 kev to 390 kev. The distribution was found to be well represented by $\mathrm{I}(\ensuremath{\theta})=1+A{cos}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}$ at any one energy. The value of $A$ increases smoothly with bombarding energy over the range investigated.
Mode choice decision process models: A comparison of compensatory and non-compensatory structures

Abstract Transportation planners use models which involve the construction of linear combinations of travel mode attributes to predict mode choice behavior. Psychologists, marketing researchers, and decision theorists, however, have identified a number of other types of choice models. Previous research has indicated that many of these models provide more accurate predictions of consumer choices than simple additive models. It is therefore suggested that mode choice decisions may involve a number of different choice mechanisms. Empirical results showing that conjunctive, lexicographic, and conjunctive-lexicographic models of mode choice outperform additive models are presented, and directions for future research are discussed.
False dichotomies and dead metaphors

Koriat & Goldsmith's thesis is provocative but has three problems: First, quantity and accuracy are not simply related, they are complementary. Second, the storehouse metaphor is not the driving force behind contemporary theories of memory and may not be viable. Third, the taxonomy is incomplete, leaving unclassified several extremely influential methods and measures, such as priming and response latency.
Change in Pattern of Relapse After Antiangiogenic Therapy in High-Grade Glioma

Purpose Local recurrence is the dominant pattern of relapse in high-grade glioma (HGG) after conventional therapy. The recent use of antiangiogenic therapy has shown impressive radiologic and clinical responses in adult HGG. The preclinical data suggesting increased invasiveness after angiogenic blockade have necessitated a detailed analysis of the pattern of recurrence after therapy. Methods and Materials A total of 162 consecutive patients with HGG, either newly diagnosed ( n = 58) or with recurrent disease ( n = 104) underwent therapy with bevacizumab at 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks and conventional chemotherapy with or without involved field radiotherapy until disease progression. The pattern of recurrence and interval to progression were the primary aims of the present study. Diffuse invasive recurrence (DIR) was defined as the involvement of multiple lobes with or without crossing the midline. Results At a median follow-up of 7 months (range, 1–37), 105 patients had recurrence, and 79 patients ultimately developed DIR. The interval to progression was similar in the DIR and local recurrence groups (6.5 and 6.3 months, p = .296). The hazard risk of DIR increased exponentially with time and was similar in those with newly diagnosed and recurrent HGG (R 2 = 0.957). The duration of bevacizumab therapy increased the interval to recurrence ( p p p = .253). Conclusion Along with an increase in median progression-free survival, bevacizumab therapy increased the risk of DIR in HGG patients. The risk of increased invasion with prolonged angiogenic blockade should be addressed in future clinical trials.
RNA exosomes keep endogenous RNA under the radar

The unfolded protein response produces modified endogenous RNA substrates for host cytosolic sensors of RNA, which may lead to production of the interferons IFN-α and IFN-β. The accrual of modified RNA is prevented by an RNA nuclease.
SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF THE ANTARCTIC TROPOPAUSE

Abstract Computations of radiative cooling are made, and the conclusion is reached that the rate of cooling in the antarctic atmosphere is more than sufficient for the observed minimum temperatures to be attained in the lower stratosphere. In addition, the vertical distribution of radiative cooling is such as to give a positive lapse rate in the stratosphere and, ultimately, the disappearance of the tropopause. Synoptic data indicate that there may exist a tendency for a somewhat weaker meridional exchange of air in the winter season in the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere, as compared to the analogous exchange in the northern hemisphere. Insofar as a weaker meridional exchange will allow radiative cooling to operate more effectively in the antarctic, Court's explanation for the disappearance of the tropopause is accepted.
Biobanking and public health: is a human rights approach the tie that binds?

Ethical principles guiding public health and genomic medicine are often at odds: whereas public health practice adopts collectivist principles that emphasize population-based benefits, recent advances in genomic and personalized medicine are grounded in an individualist ethic that privileges informed consent, and the balancing of individual risk and benefit. Indeed, the attraction of personalized medicine is the promise it holds out to help individuals get the “right medicine for the right problem at the right time.” Research biobanks are an effective tool in the genomic medicine toolbox. Biobanking in public health presents a unique case study to unpack some of these issues in more detail. For example, there is a long history of using banked tissue obtained under clinical diagnostic conditions for later public health uses. But despite the collectivist approach of public health, the principles applied to the ethical challenges of biobanking (e.g. informed consent, autonomy, privacy) remain individualist. We demonstrate the value of using human rights as a public health ethics framework to address this tension in biobanking by applying it to two illustrative cases.
A radioisotope monitoring system for sewage effluent.

An automatic, on-line monitoring system for the sanitary sewage effluent from the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory has been constructed. It can defect, at levels lower than U.S. Atomic Energy Commission guidelines, all radioisotopes in use at the Laboratory, and it monitors pH continuously. It is wired into a central alarm system which alerts personnel on a 24-hour basis, A year's operating experience is summarized, and plans for an improved system are discussed.
Plasma-sprayed cordierite: structure and transformations

Powdered cordierite (fused and mechanically reduced) feedstock was plasma-sprayed onto a steel substrate and subsequently removed. The substrate-free deposit was thermally cycled and investigated using differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The deposit as sprayed is amorphous, with crystallization to μ-cordierite occurring at ca. 830° C, followed by a transition to high-cordierite at ca. 1000° C. The transition temperature is influenced by the heating rate and the geometry of the sample. Isothermal kinetic studies of crystallization were carried out, with the growth of the crystalline phase being described by a Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation. The activation energies were obtained from the differential thermal analysis.
Does the bronchial circulation contribute to congestion in heart failure

Pulmonary congestion is a hallmark feature of heart failure and is a major reason for hospital admissions in this patient population. Heart failure patients often demonstrate restrictive and obstructive pulmonary function abnormalities; however, the mechanisms of these changes remain controversial. It has been suggested that the bronchial circulation may play an important role in the development of these pulmonary abnormalities and in the symptoms associated with pulmonary congestion. Congestion may occur in the bronchial circulation from either a marked increase in flow or an increase in blood volume but with a reduction in flow due to high cardiac filling pressures and high pulmonary vascular pressures (a stasis like condition). Either may lead to thickened bronchial mucosal and submucosal tissues and reduced airway compliance resulting in airway obstruction and restriction and a lack of airway distensibility. These structural changes may contribute to "cardiac asthma" and dyspnea, characteristic features common in HF patients. Thus the bronchial circulation may be a potential target for therapeutic interventions. The aim of this paper is to review factors governing the control of the bronchial circulation, how bronchial vascular conductance may change with HF and to pose arguments, both supporting and in opposition to the bronchial circulation contributing to congestion and altered pulmonary function in HF. We ultimately hypothesize that the engorgement of the bronchial circulatory bed may play a role in pulmonary function abnormalities that occur in HF patients and contribute to symptoms such as orthopnea and exertional dyspnea.
Subclinical endophthalmitis following a rooster attack.

Ocular injury resulting from rooster attacks is rarely reported in the literature. Sadly, the target of these attacks is most often children younger than 3 years old, whose naivete of the aggressive, territorial behavior of birds can place them at risk. Acute sequelae of these attacks can result in a lifetime of visual impairment. The possibility of a subacute or occult infection is an unusual occurrence that must always be considered. In an effort to prevent future attacks and ocular casualties, we present a case of a 12-month-old boy who suffered an open globe following a rooster attack. The open globe was emergently repaired. One week later, a white cataract was noticed on examination in the absence of systemic or ocular signs of inflammation. Traumatic endophthalmitis and lenticular abscess were suspected during examination under anesthesia. Vitrectomy, lensectomy, and injection of intravitreal antibiotics were performed. Culture of lenticular and vitreous aspirates grew alpha-streptococcus. Alpha-streptococcal endophthalmitis can result from ocular injuries caused by rooster pecking. The infection may present insidiously and without typical ocular or systemic symptoms or signs. Management is challenging and may require surgery.
Using Integration of Thermal-Balance Based and Data-Driven Models to Determine Single Duct Variable Air Volume System Cooling Baseline

In order to use real-time energy measurements to identify system operation faults and inefficiencies, a cooling coil energy baseline is studied in an air-handling unit (AHU) through an integration of physical models and a data driven approach in this paper. A physical model for an AHU cooling coil energy consumption is first built to understand equipment mechanism and to determine the variables impacting cooling coil energy performance, and then the physical model is simplified into a lumped model by reducing the number of independent variables needed. Regression coefficients in the lumped model are determined statistically through searching optimal fit using the least square method with short periods of measured data. Experimental results on an operational AHU (8 ton) are presented to validate the effectiveness of this approach with statistical analysis. As a result of this experiment, the proposed cooling energy baselines at the cooling coil have ±20% errors at 99.7% confidence. Six-day data for obtaining baseline is preferred since it shows similar results as 12-day.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Pre-transplantation physical and mental functioning is strongly associated with self-reported recovery from stem cell transplantation

Previous studies of quality of life (QOL) note compromised QOL after stem cell transplantation (HCT), but do not usually consider the impact of pre-transplantation deficits in QOL on post transplantation outcomes. To examine these associations, multivariate models for six self-reported QOL outcomes at 6 and 12 months were constructed, considering pre-transplantation clinical status and QOL, and subsequent clinical events. Outcomes measured overall subjective health, social functioning and agreement with statements such as 'Life has returned to normal.' Of 320 autologous and allogeneic HCT recipients who completed pre-transplantation surveys, 197 completed 6-month surveys and 175 completed 12-month surveys. Pre-transplantation overall health and mental health were independent predictors of all QOL outcomes at 6 months. Baseline physical health was also predictive of four of six outcomes at 12 months. In contrast, disease risk was predictive only of enjoying normal activities at 6 months. Relapse and chronic graft-versus-host disease were associated with poorer QOL. In conclusion, pre-transplantation self-reported physical and mental health are more strongly associated with QOL after HCT than commonly noted baseline clinical predictors such as age and disease risk. Measurement of baseline QOL can help place the effects of the transplantation procedure in context.
Therapeutic approaches to superantigen-based diseases: a review.

Superantigens secreted by the bacterial pathogen Staphyloccocus aureus are extremely potent toxins that overstimulate the host immune system by binding to the MHC class II and T cell receptors and activating a large population of T cells. Superantigen infection has been shown to be the causative agents in acute diseases, food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome, and in more chronic conditions such as inflammatory skin diseases. In addition to the toll on public health, S. aureus superantigens also represent a potential biothreat to our national security. To address these risks, a number of different therapeutic strategies have been developed that target different aspects of the pathogenic mechanism of S. aureus and superantigen infection. These therapies, which encompass strategies as diverse as production of neutralizing antibodies, inhibitory peptide/receptor design and blockage of superantigen gene transcription, are being tested for treatment of established S. aureus infections in pre- and post-exposure scenarios. In this review, we will describe these different strategies and their efficacies in inhibition of superantigen-induced effects in the host, and present the future outlook for successfully producing therapies for superantigen-based disease.
In vivo MRI measurements of tumor growth induced by dichloroacetate: implications for mode of action.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is an important by-product of the chlorination of drinking water that produces liver cancer in rodents. Assessment of the risk that results from concentrations that occur in drinking water will be dependent upon the mode of action held responsible for these tumors. A study by Stauber and Bull [Stauber, A.J. and Bull, R. J (1997) Differences in phenotype and cell replicative behavior of hepatic tumors inducted by dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA). Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 144, 235-246] in mice treated with DCA demonstrated a lesion distribution that was skewed towards many small, altered foci of cells that are assumed to be precursor lesions [EPA, (1996). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Proposed Guidelines for carcinogen risk assessment; notice. Fed. Reg. 61, pp. 17960-10811]. The present study was designed to determine the extent to which the tumorigenic effects of DCA could be explained by its effect on tumor growth rates (i.e. tumor promoting activity). In vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allowed accurate determination of growth rates of individual lesions in mice that had been treated with DCA in drinking water at 2 g/l. Out of thirty treated mice, ten were found to have hepatic tumors detectable by MRI at 48 weeks of treatment. These tumor-bearing animals were assigned to two groups matched on the size of lesions observed by in vivo MR1. Treatment with DCA continued in one group of five mice and was stopped in the other. For both groups, tumor growth rates were determined by measuring changes in size of all lesions greater than 1 mm(3) in volume during a 14-day period. Removal of DCA treatment resulted in growth rates that could not be distinguished from zero across all lesion sizes represented in the sample. These data are in agreement with previous observations of DCAs effects on replication rates within tumors (Stauber and Bull, (1997)). Tumor growth rates observed in animals maintained on treatment decreased with lesion volume in a manner that is consistent with a stochastic Gompertz birth-death process proposed by Tan [Tan, W.Y. (1986) A stochastic Gompertz birth-death process. Stat. Prob. Lett. 4, 25-28]. Parameters of this model obtained by fitting measured growth rates were used to predict the lesion-size distribution expected after one year of DCA treatment. The shape of the predicted lesion-size distribution was similar to that observed by Stauber and Bull (Stauber and Bull, (1997)) in mice sacrificed after 40 weeks of DCA treatment. We conclude that the effects of DCA on the division and/or death rates of spontaneously initiated cells can account for the predominance of small lesions in DCA-treated animals.
Prolonged exercise in adolescent boys with juvenile diabetes mellitus. Circulatory and metabolic responses in relation to perceived exertion.

. Persson, B. and Thoren, C. (Department of Pediatrics, Karolinska Institutet, St. Goran's Children's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden). Prolonged exercise in adolescent boys with juvenile diabetes mellitus. Circulatory and metabolic response in relation to perceived exertion. Acta Paediatr Scand, Suppl. 283: 62, 1980.—Seven well-trained adolescent boys with juvenile diabetes mellitus were studied. They were non-ketotic and performed a 60 min exercise in the afternoon at an average intensity of 58 % of maximal working capacity. Blood glucose, blood lactate, plasma levels of insulin, C-peptide and 3-hydroxybutyrate, oxygen uptake and respiratory quotient were determined. The perception of exertion was scored as rate of perceived exertion. Healthy athletes of the same age were controls. Blood glucose, monitored continuously, decreased successively after 10–15 min of exercise with a significant correlation to the pre-exercise glucose value. Blood glucose decreased during exercise to the same level or below that of controls. Despite hypoglycemia with values of 2–3 mmol/l, the exercise continued. Plasma insulin was unchanged. The 3-hydroxybutyrate level was significantly higher in the diabetics, increased somewhat during exercise and still more during the recovery period. The diabetic subjects had significantly higher systolic blood pressure and heart rate during exercise despite a relatively equal work intensity and lower absolute workload. The rate of perceived exertion increased normally during exercise without interference of decreasing blood glucose.
Company‐Related Information: Some Ancillary Sources

In this survey, we would be concerned, not so much with the sources that provide information directly on companies themselves, as on those which contain composite statistical and other types of data, often required in evaluating corporate and market performance. Some of them relate to corporate reorganizations and taxation, stock prices, price averages and indices, capital adjustments and business and financial ratios. We may also look at some books which explain the organization and functions of national and regional stock exchanges, stock market timing and forecasting techniques, statistical publications describing market activity, and some general guidebooks used often by investors.
Silicon emboli syndrome: A Sequela of clandestine liquid silicone injections. A case report and review of the literature

Silicone has long been considered inert, but there is growing evidence that it causes an immunologic response. The use of injectable liquid silicone for cosmetic purposes is currently illegal and is associated with significant morbidity. Silicone embolism syndrome is a described phenomenon in the pulmonary literature, but it is important that it be equally recognised within the plastic surgery community.
Cost-effectiveness of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccination in the United States.

Background Pandemic influenza A(H1N1) (pH1N1) was first identified in North America in April 2009. Vaccination against pH1N1 commenced in the U.S. in October 2009 and continued through January 2010. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pH1N1 vaccination. Methodology A computer simulation model was developed to predict costs and health outcomes for a pH1N1 vaccination program using inactivated vaccine compared to no vaccination. Probabilities, costs and quality-of-life weights were derived from emerging primary data on pH1N1 infections in the US, published and unpublished data for seasonal and pH1N1 illnesses, supplemented by expert opinion. The modeled target population included hypothetical cohorts of persons aged 6 months and older stratified by age and risk. The analysis used a one-year time horizon for most endpoints but also includes longer-term costs and consequences of long-term sequelae deaths. A societal perspective was used. Indirect effects (i.e., herd effects) were not included in the primary analysis. The main endpoint was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio in dollars per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results For vaccination initiated prior to the outbreak, pH1N1 vaccination was cost-saving for persons 6 months to 64 years under many assumptions. For those without high risk conditions, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ranged from $8,000–$52,000/QALY depending on age and risk status. Results were sensitive to the number of vaccine doses needed, costs of vaccination, illness rates, and timing of vaccine delivery. Conclusions Vaccination for pH1N1 for children and working-age adults is cost-effective compared to other preventive health interventions under a wide range of scenarios. The economic evidence was consistent with target recommendations that were in place for pH1N1 vaccination. We also found that the delays in vaccine availability had a substantial impact on the cost-effectiveness of vaccination.
Sentinel Lymph Node Update

The introduction of intraoperative lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has revolutionized the care of patients with early-stage breast cancer. Current guidelines recommend SLNB as a surgical alternative to axillary lymph node dissection for patients with early breast cancer and clinically negative axillary nodes. Lymphatic mapping can be performed with blue dye and/or radiocolloid. More recently, SLNB has been examined for ductal carcinoma in situ, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and for male breast cancer. The indications for completion axillary dissection in patients with the immunohistochemical micrometastasis in the sentinel lymph node remains controversial.
A germline substitution in the human MSH2 gene is associated with high-grade dysplasia and cancer in ulcerative colitis

Abstract Background & Aims: The DNA mismatch repair gene human MSH2 shows a germline mutation in certain family members with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. There is an increased risk of colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) with extensive disease of >8 years' duration; however, specific constitutional predisposing genetic abnormalities have not yet been identified. Methods: A germline human MSH2 abnormality was sought in patients with UC with high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma. Results: After direct sequencing of exon 13 and flanking regions of human MSH2 , a germline T to C substitution was shown at the −6 intronic splice acceptor site of exon 13. This substitution was found in 14 of 53 patients with UC with high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma (26%) compared with 4 of 36 high-risk patients with UC without dysplasia or cancer (11%) ( P ≤ 0.04) and in 7 of 80 healthy adult blood donors (9%) ( P ≤ 0.003). The patients with UC who had the substitution were three times more likely to develop neoplasia than patients with UC who did not carry it. Conclusions: An intronic splice-site substitution in the human MSH2 gene is present in the general population but may predispose to cancer in the setting of UC.
Lymph node staging in esophageal adenocarcinoma with PET-CT based on a visual analysis and based on metabolic parameters

In order to investigate the value of FDG positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), FDG PET (reviewed side-by-side with CT), and metabolic parameters in the assessment of lymph node status and prognosis. Fifty-five subjects with lymph node positive (N1) and 26 subjects with lymph node negative (N0) disease were included. In the slice with the maximum FDG uptake of the tumor, the axial area of the primary tumor, the maximum diameter of the tumor, and the mean and maximum standardized uptake values were measured. Fused PET-CT correctly characterized 289 of 325 lymph node groups (accuracy 89%) compared to 273 of 325 with PET (accuracy 84%). In lymph node staging (N0 vs. N1), PET-CT (accuracy 83%) was more accurate than PET (accuracy 78%). Among the metabolic parameters, the tumor diameter measured on PET-CT was the best predictor of lymph node stage (N0 vs. N1: accuracy 86%; threshold 25.5 mm) and overall survival. However, the highest accuracy of lymph node staging (N0 vs. N1) was achieved with the synergistic combination of visual analysis and primary tumor diameter measurements (accuracy 95%). PET-CT increases accuracy of lymph node staging in esophageal adenocarcinoma compared to PET. The primary tumor diameter further improves accuracy in lymph node staging and was shown to be an independent predictor of overall survival.
A conceptual cortical surface atlas.

Volumetric, slice-based, 3-D atlases are invaluable tools for understanding complex cortical convolutions. We present a simple scheme to convert a slice-based atlas to a conceptual surface atlas that is easier to visualize and understand. The key idea is to unfold each slice into a one-dimensional vector, and concatenate a succession of these vectors – while maintaining as much spatial contiguity as possible – into a 2-D matrix. We illustrate our methodology using a coronal slice-based atlas of the Rhesus Monkey cortex. The conceptual surface-based atlases provide a useful complement to slice-based atlases for the purposes of indexing and browsing.
Nebulin regulates the assembly and lengths of the thin filaments in striated muscle

In many tissues, actin monomers polymerize into actin (thin) filaments of precise lengths. Although the exact mechanisms involved remain unresolved, it is proposed that "molecular rulers" dictate the lengths of the actin filaments. The giant nebulin molecule is a prime candidate for specifying thin filament lengths in striated muscle, but this idea has never been proven. To test this hypothesis, we used RNA interference technology in rat cardiac myocytes. Live cell imaging and triple staining revealed a dramatic elongation of the preexisting thin filaments from their pointed ends upon nebulin knockdown, demonstrating its role in length maintenance; the barbed ends were unaffected. When the thin filaments were depolymerized with latrunculin B, myocytes with decreased nebulin levels reassembled them to unrestricted lengths, demonstrating its importance in length specification. Finally, knockdown of nebulin in skeletal myotubes revealed its involvement in myofibrillogenesis. These data are consistent with nebulin functioning as a thin filament ruler and provide insight into mechanisms dictating macromolecular assembly.
Focus on qualitative methods. The use of quotes in qualitative research

Quoted words and phrases from research participants are a common feature of qualitative research reports. Quoting is a process that requires the achievement of the proper balance between the obligations of scientific reporting and the taking of artistic license. Quotes are used to support researcher claims, illustrate ideas, illuminate experience, evoke emotion, and provoke response. Quoting involves researchers in acts of choosing that lie in the domains of aesthetics and ethics.
Nitroxyl and “Forbidden Disulfides”: Phospholamban Cysteines are Targeted to Enhance SERCA2a Activity

Our enjoyable collaboration with Dr. Jeffrey P. Froehlich focused on the role of phospholamban (PLN) in HNO-induced enhancement of SR Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a) activity. We hypothesized that given HNO thiophilic nature it modifies cysteine residues in PLN transmembrane domain, altering its interaction with SERCA2a, thus enhancing pump activity. When HNO, donated by Angeli's salt (AS), was administered to control isolated myocytes, it enhanced both sarcomere shortening and Ca2+ transient. However, when AS/HNO was applied to PLN-/- ventriculocytes, HNO inotropy was reduced by ≅ 50% (the remaining likely stemming from enhanced myofilament sensitivity to Ca2+). PLN centrality to HNO cardiotropic action was confirmed incubating SR vesicles from WT and PLN-/- mice with AS/HNO to measure ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake by stopped-flow mixing. In WT, HNO increased Ca2+ uptake rate, but it failed to do so in PLN-/- vesicles. The role of cysteines in PLN emerged from studies using ER microsomes from Sf21 insect cells expressing SERCA2a±PLN (WT or Cys 36-41-46→Ala mutant) where we assessed SERCA2a dephosphorylation, a measure of E2P hydrolysis, i.e. a rate-limiting step of SERCA2a activity. AS/HNO augmented SERCA2a dephosphorylation in ER microsomes co-expressing SERCA2a and WT PLN, but this stimulation was absent in microsomes expressing SERCA2a and Cys 36-41-46→Ala mutant PLN. Thus, Jeff's elegant, creative and passionate approach helped us to show that PLN is essential for HNO-induced faster Ca2+ uptake by SERCA2a, suggesting that HNO action occurs, at least partly, via modifications of critical cysteines in PLN transmembrane domain. In Jeff's view, “forbidden” disulfide bonds in PLN are involved, and one of his legacies for us is unearthing the cysteine pairs that are involved in HNO-induced formation of an intramolecular bond that could distort the conformation of PLN, thus perturbing its interaction with SERCA2a and relieving the inhibition.
Female control of male reproductive function in a Mexican Snake

Male Thamnophis melanogaster court immediately when exposed to estrogen-treated, attractive females and continue courting for 6 to 8 days. Males exposed to estrogen-treated females will court both intact and ovariectomized females. These males undergo a period of testicular recrudescence, whereas males exposed only to ovariectomized females do no. Sexual attractivity can be induced in female T. melanogaster without estrogen treatment by heavy feeding, which results in significant increases in liver size and activity.
Chemical Reasoning Based on an Invariance Property: Bond and Lone Pair Pictures in Quantum Structural Formulas

Chemists use one set of orbitals when comparing to a structural formula, hybridized AOs or NBOs for example, and another for reasoning in terms of frontier orbitals, MOs usually. Chemical arguments can frequently be made in terms of energy and/or electron density without the consideration of orbitals at all. All orbital representations, orthogonal or not, within a given function space are related by linear transformation. Chemical arguments based on orbitals are really energy or electron density arguments; orbitals are linked to these observables through the use of operators. The Valency Interaction Formula, VIF, offers a system of chemical reasoning based on the invariance of observables from one orbital representation to another. VIF pictures have been defined as one-electron density and Hamiltonian operators. These pictures are classified in a chemically meaningful way by use of linear transformations applied to them in the form of two pictorial rules and the invariance of the number of doubly, singly, and unoccupied orbitals or bonding, nonbonding, and antibonding orbitals under these transformations. The compatibility of the VIF method with the bond pair – lone pair language of Lewis is demonstrated. Different electron lone pair representations are related by the pictorial rules and have stability understood in terms of Walsh’s rules. Symmetries of conjugated ring systems are related to their electronic state by simple mathematical formulas. Description of lone pairs in conjugated systems is based on the strength and sign of orbital interactions around the ring. Simple models for bonding in copper clusters are tested, and the bonding of O2 to Fe(II) in hemoglobin is described. Arguments made are supported by HF, B3LYP, and MP2 computations.
Type Locality and Conservation Status of the Northern Plains Killifish (Fundulus kansae: Fundulidae) in Kansas

Fundulus kansae Garman (northern plains killifish; Fundulidae) was described in 1895 and “Kansas” was designated as the type locality. Based on the information available, a more specific locality is suggested: Big Creek near Ellis, Kansas. However, the continued presence of F. kansae in this region is uncertain. In several areas of western Kansas, including Big Creek, the distribution of F. kansae has been reduced since the late 1880s and its relative abundance has declined since the 1970s. These declines resulted primarily from habitat loss through dewatering of streams, although introduced predators, parasites, and fragmented streams also represent threats to the species. In other areas of western Kansas, especially in the upper Arkansas River basin, F. kansae has increased in relative abundance. However, these are probably short-term increases linked to declines in water quality, to which F. kansae is more tolerant than most other species of native fish. Thus, generally declining trends in distribution...
IFNγ enhances IL‐23 production during Francisella infection of human monocytes

We previously demonstrated that monocytes produce IL-23 during Francisella infection, and that IL-23 induces IFNγ from NK cells. Here, we demonstrate that IFNγ-priming of monocytes enhances IL-23 production during Francisella infection. This effect was seen on the IL12/23 p40 subunit. Induction of IL-12/23 p40 is reported to be enhanced by IRF-1 and IRF-8. Consistently, microarray analysis of IFNγ-treated monocytes revealed a significant induction of the IRFs. Interestingly, IFNγ-primed monocytes produced IL-12p70, a more potent inducer of IFNγ than IL-23. We propose that there exists an amplification loop between monocyte IL-23 and NK/T cell IFNγ that leads to IL-12p70 production.
Bacteria are Stressed Out Too: The Physics of Mechanosensation

Many of the ways that cells talk and listen to the external world center on the presence of proteins on the cell surface. Indeed, the cell membrane is an amazingly diverse lipid environment, riddled in turn with a host of different proteins that perform tasks ranging from sensing and measuring chemical signals to the transport of sugars needed for cell division to the detection of potentially lethal osmotic pressures. This talk will focus on recent progress in the dissection of the mechanisms of mechanosensation in bacteria with special reference to the rich interplay between certain classes of ion channels and the surrounding lipids. Using simple arguments from elasticity theory, I will describe the membrane deformation footprint surrounding ion channels and how this deformation footprint contributes to the free energy of channel gating. In turn, I will show how these ideas can be parlayed into an experimental strategy for better understanding mechanosensation by watching individual cells as they are subjected to controlled levels of osmotic shock.
Privacy and the clandestine evolution of e-commerce

This note discusses briefly some questions on economics of privacy, especially the relation of privacy to price discrimination, as well as relevant developments in ecommerce and ordinary commerce. Various open questions that call for further research are discussed. In particular, while much interesting theoretical research has been done, and a small number of informative laboratory experiments have been carried out, much more work would be desirable, especially in some areas of behavioral economics, and there is a great unmet need for active monitoring of the marketplace.
The physical basis of adhesion

Abstract A general review is given of the main factors that determine the strength of adhesive joints. No type of atomic or molecular bond alone is strong enough to give a peel strength higher than about an ounce per inch width. Practically useful strengths are obtained by extending the range of action of the adhesive force by viscoelastic, viscous or plastic deformation to orders of magnitude higher than those of interatomic forces, or by a self-arresting mechanism of cracks in the case of brittle or nearly brittle adhesives. The crack may be arrested by internal stresses in the adhesive layer that guide the crack out of the layer, or by a process that reduces the stress concentration at the crack tip as the crack runs. Wetting of the adherend by the adhesive has less basic importance than is usually ascribed to it; surface energies, in particular, are not directly connected with the strength of the adhesive joint, as is seen from the fact that even with the highest possible specific energies of separation of the adhesive from the adherend the peel strength may be very low if neither viscoelasticity or plasticity, nor an effective crack-deflecting or crack-stopping mechanism is present. In an Appendix, a simple energetic derivation of Young's equation for the contact angle is given.