cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
394 COMPARING RESIDENT QUALITY OF LIFE ACROSS SPECIALTY.

Purpose The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) recognizes the importance of monitoring resident well-being, or quality of life, during residency training. Indeed, the ACGME-mandated work-hour limitations were part of a broad approach to promote not only patient safety but also resident well-being. Few studies have focused on resident quality of life and how it is influenced by specialty. The purpose of this study was to examine residents9 attitudes toward their quality of life in comparison with others and to explore how specialty type influences quality of life ratings. Methods A voluntary survey was given to all resident physicians at the University of Kentucky. Residents were asked to rate the quality of life of the average person, the average resident, their current quality of life, their quality of life last year, and their anticipated quality of life for the next year on a 9-point Likert scale (1 being the worst, 9 the best). Residents were also asked to respond to two open-ended statements: “The best thing about my life is…” and “The worst thing about my life is…” Data were analyzed using means and t-tests. Results Overall, our results showed that residents perceived their current quality of life (5.2) as better than the average resident (4.5) but lower than the average person (6.0). Regarding differences in specialty, pediatrics and family medicine rated their quality of life as worse than the average resident. Comparing themselves with the average person, psychiatry and pathology rated their quality of life as higher. Similar to the general population, residents rated themselves with an optimistic bias for the next year. However, they also rated their current quality of life as worse than the previous year. In analyzing the open-ended responses, family was the most frequently identified response to “The best thing about my life is…” (44 responses). References to career or job satisfaction were less frequently identified with 11 responses. The most frequent response to “The worst thing about my life is…” regarded time limitations (27 responses). Conclusions Perhaps surprisingly, residents in pediatrics and family medicine rated their quality of life as significantly lower than residents in other specialties. Although these data are from one institution and should be interpreted with caution, this finding was not anticipated as pediatrics and family medicine are specialties less strained by the work-hour limitations (compared with other specialties, such as surgery).
Robust PID Control and Lead-Lag Compensation for Linear Interval Systems

This paper introduces some recently developed frequency domain design techniques that are effective in the design of control systems that are robust under parametric uncertainty. We have extended the well known classical control tools (i.e., Nyquist plot, Bode plot, and Nichols chart) developed for a fixed plant to the domain of uncertain interval plants. Using this new family of plots, classical control design techniques can be used to design robust control systems.
Multi-dose oral abuse deterrent formulation of loperamide using hot melt extrusion.

Abstract Loperamide, an over the counter anti-diarrheal drug, also infamously referred to as “poor man's methadone”. Due to the ease of availability and low price, people/patients abuse it by consuming more than 30 tablets to achieve euphoric effect and to combat opioid withdrawal. But supratherapeutic doses of loperamide result in severe respiratory depression, cardiac dysrhythmia and mortality. To address this issue, we developed a unique and innovative technology to deter multi-dose oral abuse. The concept is to design a tablet which can immediate release loperamide in diarrheic patients (single tablet) while stops loperamide release in case of intentional multi-dose ingestion. Loperamide was molecularly dispersed into gastric soluble cationic polymers – Eudragit® EPO and Kollicoat® Smartseal 100P using hot melt extrusion to obtain filament. Filaments were milled and compressed into tablets ((Eudragit® EPO (SJU1) and Kollicoat® Smartseal (SJU2)) with optimized amount of L-Arginine. Dissolution in 250 mL of Fasted state simulated gastric fluid (FaSSGF) revealed that single tablet of Imodium® (marketed formulation) and SJU1 showed >85% of release within 15 min. Most importantly, in multi-unit dissolution (15 tablets), Imodium® exhibited >90% release but SJU tablets showed
GreenTPU: Predictive Design Paradigm for Improving Timing Error Resilience of a Near-Threshold Tensor Processing Unit

The emergence of hardware accelerators has brought about several orders of magnitude improvement in the speed of the deep neural-network (DNN) inference. Among such DNN accelerators, the Google tensor processing unit (TPU) has transpired to be the best-in-class, offering more than $15\times $ speedup over the contemporary GPUs. However, the rapid growth in several DNN workloads conspires to escalate the energy consumptions of the TPU-based data-centers. In order to restrict the energy consumption of TPUs, we propose GreenTPU—a low-power near-threshold (NTC) TPU design paradigm. To ensure a high inference accuracy at a low-voltage operation, GreenTPU identifies the patterns in the error-causing activation sequences in the systolic array, and prevents further timing errors from similar patterns by intermittently boosting the operating voltage of the specific multiplier-and-accumulator units in the TPU. Compared to a cutting-edge timing error mitigation technique for TPUs, GreenTPU enables $2\times $ to $3\times $ higher performance (TOPS) in an NTC TPU, with a minimal loss in the prediction accuracy.
Alcohol and Drug Use and Abuse Among Women Selling Sex

This book reviews empirical literature on a number of psychological concepts related to selling sex. The goals of the book and the boundaries of what is included can be found in Chap. 1. In brief, this book focuses on private, in-person, consensual sex acts exchanged between a cisgender woman and a paying customer. Research on men, minors, and victims of sex trafficking are deliberately excluded, unless otherwise noted. The review favors peer-reviewed sources of research and is most inclusive of comparative studies. Qualitative findings are used illustratively. In Chap. 5, we review alcohol and drug use among women who sell sex, a topic that has been studied extensively within the research literature. We begin by discussing some of the challenges of measuring alcohol and drug use in the context of selling sex and then review research on the prevalence of alcohol and substance use. Next, we review research relevant to questions such as: Do women tend to use alcohol and substances more before or after starting to sell sex? Does one impact the other more strongly? What are the reasons that women who sell sex use alcohol and drugs? We conclude by discussing some of the correlates and consequences of alcohol and drug use in the context of selling sex.
Introduction—scope of the problem

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading source of death and disability worldwide. There is a critical need for TBI biomarkers to guide diagnosis, treatment, and triage to follow-up. Biomarkers for TBI are being developed in blood and biofluids, as well as by neuroimaging and neuroelectric measurement. This textbook highlights the promise of biomarkers in TBI clinical care and research, across the spectrum of injury and continuum of care.
An Optimized Informatics Pipeline for Mass Spectrometry-Based Peptidomics.

The comprehensive MS analysis of the peptidome, the intracellular and intercellular products of protein degradation, has the potential to provide novel insights on endogenous proteolytic processing and its utility in disease diagnosis and prognosis. Along with the advances in MS instrumentation and related platforms, a plethora of proteomics data analysis tools have been applied for direct use in peptidomics; however, an evaluation of the currently available informatics pipelines for peptidomics data analysis has yet to be reported. In this study, we began by evaluating the results of several popular MS/MS database search engines, including MS-GF+, SEQUEST, and MS-Align+, for peptidomics data analysis, followed by identification and label-free quantification using the well-established accurate mass and time (AMT) tag and newly developed informed quantification (IQ) approaches, both based on direct LC-MS analysis. Our results demonstrated that MS-GF+ outperformed both SEQUEST and MS-Align+ in identifying peptidome peptides. Using a database established from MS-GF+ peptide identifications, both the AMT tag and IQ approaches provided significantly deeper peptidome coverage and less missing data for each individual data set than the MS/MS methods, while achieving robust label-free quantification. Besides having an excellent correlation with the AMT tag quantification results, IQ also provided slightly higher peptidome coverage. Taken together, we propose an optimized informatics pipeline combining MS-GF+ for initial database searching with IQ (or AMT tag) approaches for identification and label-free quantification for high-throughput, comprehensive, and quantitative peptidomics analysis.
A Speculative Poetics of Tammuz: Myth, Sentiment, and Modernism in Twentieth Century Arabic Poetry

In this paper, I attempt to read the poetic principle behind the Tammuzi movement of modern Arabic poetry through the lens of speculative poetics. While speculative-poetic accounts of modern poetry, such as those provided by Allen Grossman, blazed new paths connecting poetry to personhood in modernity, their application to the development of modern poetry outside of Europe remains limited by their self-avowed focus on European history. This paper will outline a critical corrective to speculative poetics which, I argue, can be of value in extending its domain of application to Arabic projects of poetic modernity, particularly the two tendencies of "free verse" and "commitment" poetry that emerged out of the Tammuzi movement.
Theory of mind processing in expectant fathers: Associations with prenatal oxytocin and parental attunement.

Social cognition may facilitate fathers' sensitive caregiving behavior. We administered the Why-How Task, an fMRI task that elicits theory of mind processing, to expectant fathers (n = 39) who also visited the laboratory during their partner's pregnancy and provided a plasma sample for oxytocin assay. Three months postpartum, fathers reported their beliefs about parenting. When rating "Why" an action was being performed versus "How" the action was being performed (Why > How contrast), participants showed activation in regions theorized to support theory of mind, including the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and superior temporal sulcus. Fathers' prenatal oxytocin levels predicted greater signal change during the Why > How contrast in the inferior parietal lobule. Both prenatal oxytocin and attunement parenting beliefs were associated with Why > How activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a theory of mind region implicated in emotion regulation. Posterior parahippocampal gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation during the Why > How contrast predicted fathers' attunement parenting beliefs. In conclusion, fathers' neural activation when engaging in a theory of mind task was associated with their prenatal oxytocin levels and their postpartum attunement parenting beliefs. Results suggest biological and cognitive components of fathering may track with the theory of mind processing.
Ultra low doses and biological amplification: Approaching Avogadro's number.

Abstract This paper describes evidence establishing that ultra-low doses of diverse chemical agents at concentrations from 10−18 to 10−24 M (e.g., approaching and/or less than 1 atom or molecule of a substance/cell based on Avogadro’s constant - 6.022×1023/mole) are capable of engaging receptor and intracellular signaling systems to elicit reproducible effects in a variety of species, from unicellular organisms to humans. Multiple experimental studies have shown that only one or very few molecules are needed to activate a cell and/or entire organism via cascade(s) of amplification mechanisms and processes. For example, ultra-low dose ligand exposure was able to activate both an individual cell, and ~3000 to 25,000 neighboring cells on average, by about 50%. Such activation of cells and whole organisms typically displayed hormetic-biphasic dose responses. These findings indicate that numerous, diverse phylogenetic systems have evolved highly sensitive detection and signaling mechanisms to enhance survival functions, such as defense against infectious agents, responses to diverse types of pheromone communications (e.g., alarm, sexual attraction), and development of several types of cellular protection/resilience processes. This suggests that ultra-low dose effects may be far more common than have been recognized to date. We posit that such findings have important implications for evolutionary theory, ecological and systems biology, and clinical medicine.
Raman microspectroscopy of a silicon solar cell

A fully finished, aluminum back-surface field, multi crystalline silicon solar cell was analyzed using Raman microspectroscopy. New insights into the process and material quality of the finished device is obtained. First, the image scan obtained on the multi crystalline silicon surface is reflective of the textured surface contributing to the surface topology. Second, the analysis helps to identify differences in the Raman spectra of the remnant saw marks on the silicon surface when compared to a textured silicon surface. Third, Raman analysis of the silver line shows a clear silver oxide signal that is detected up to 25 μm away from the edge of the silver line thus, quantifying the quality and effectiveness of the screen-printing and firing process. Finally, inclusions embedded inside the silicon surface are unambiguously identified as nanocrystalline silicon. Using confocal Raman microspectroscopy 3D tomography of the inclusions are constructed and the state of compressive stress around these particulates are measured. Taken together, these results demonstrate Raman microspectroscopy as a valuable tool for identification of micron-scale feature sizes and defects, otherwise too small to be identified using current metrology techniques.
Global-Local-Comparison Approach: Understanding Marine Mammal Spatial Behavior by Applying Spatial Statistics and Hypothesis Testing to Passive Acoustic Data

Technological innovation in underwater acoustics has progressed research in marine mammal behavior by providing the ability to collect data on various marine mammal biological and behavioral attributes across time and space. But with this comes the need for an approach to distill the large amounts of data collected. Though disparate general statistical and modelling approaches exist, here, a holistic quantitative approach specifically motivated by the need to analyze different aspects of marine mammal behavior within a Before-After Control-Impact framework using spatial observations is introduced: the Global-Local-Comparison (GLC) approach. This approach capitalizes on the use of data sets from large-scale, hydrophone arrays and combines established spatial autocorrelation statistics of (Global) Moran’s I and (Local) Getis-Ord Gi* (Gi*) with (Comparison) statistical hypothesis testing to provide a detailed understanding of array-wide, local, and order-of-magnitude changes in spatial observations. This approach was demonstrated using beaked whale foraging behavior (using foraging-specific clicks as a proxy) during acoustic exposure events as an exemplar. The demonstration revealed that the Moran’s I analysis was effective at showing whether an array-wide change in behavior had occurred, i.e., clustered to random distribution, or vice-versa. The Gi* analysis identified where hot or cold spots of foraging activity occurred and how those spots varied spatially from one analysis period to the next. Since neither spatial statistic could be used to directly compare the magnitude of change between analysis periods, a statistical hypothesis test, using the Kruskal-Wallis test, was used to directly compare the number of foraging events among analysis periods. When all three components of the GLC approach were used together, a comprehensive assessment of group level spatial behavior foraging activity was obtained. This spatial approach is demonstrated on marine mammal behavior, but it can be applied to a broad range of spatial observations over a wide variety of species.
Behavior of Pontine Cells during Eye-Head Coordination: Evidence of Gaze Shift Coding by Preoculomotor Bursters

The Pontine Reticular Formation (PRF) is known to be a preoculomotor area responsible for generating appropriate control signal to the extraocular musculature (Bender and Shanzer, 1964, Buttner-Ennever and Henn, 1976; Cohen and Henn, 1972; Eckmiller et al, 1980; Graybiel, 1977; Keller, 1974, 1977; Luschei and Fuchs, 1972; Sheibel and Sheibel, 1958; Sparks and Travis, 1971). In the Paramedian Pontine Reticular Formation (PPRF) there are preoculomotor cells firing in relation to the pulse-step output and each phase of the pulse step; i.e. burst units related to the pulse and tonic units related to the steady position of the eye (Keller, 1974; Luschei and Fuchs, 1972).
The Strength of the Bus Structure with the Determination of Critical Points

A monocock structure of an airport bus is a very demanding product as regards its strength. With the application of the FEA method the allegedly critical points of the framework were determined; these especially occurred on the door frameworks. The experimental methods of measuring mechanical deformations confirmed the presumptions that maximum deformations were measured at the points which were previously analysed with the FEA method. The driving regime with a maximum speed of 40 km/h in a circle with a minimum turning radius and a changeable regime of acceleration and braking proved critical. The measurements led to appropriate construction amendments, additional strengthening of the framework and other measures which fulfilled the required strength criteria.
CYP17 genotype modifies the impact of anthropometric variation on salivary estradiol in healthy women.

Several studies demonstrate that human ovarian function is responsive to the energetic environment, which has led to the development of theoretical models that explain this phenomenon. Although many genes are involved in ovarian hormone production, the possibility that genetic polymorphism may affect ovarian response to energetic conditions has not been considered. Cytochrome P450c17α is an enzyme that produces androgen precursors used to make estrogens during ovarian steroidogenesis, and is encoded by the CYP17 gene. A functionally significant variant within the promoter region of CYP17 has been linked to variation in steroid production, and some evidence suggests that this polymorphism could alter transcription of CYP17 in an insulin-dependent manner. We tested the hypothesis that the CYP17 variant affected the relationship between anthropometric measurements and salivary estradiol in healthy women in the United States (n = 28). PCR-RLFP analysis was used to genotype women for the genetic variant, and estradiol was assayed from saliva by EIA. Moderated regression analysis of these preliminary data revealed a significant interaction between waist-to-hip ratio and CYP17 genotype (P = 0.004). Our study provides evidence that gene–environment interactions should be considered in future adaptive models for human ovarian function. Moreover, our results stand to illuminate possible associations between this genetic variant and reproductive disease. Am J Phys Anthropol 156:665–670, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Approximating Aggregate Queries about Web Pages via Random Walks

We present a random walk as an eAEcient and accurate approach to approximating certain aggregate queries about web pages. Our method uses a novel random walk to produce an almost uniformly distributed sample of web pages. The walk traverses a dynamically built regular undirected graph. Queries we have estimated using this method include the coverage of search engines, the proportion of pages belonging to .com and other domains, and the average size of web pages. Strong experimental evidence suggests that our walk produces accurate results quickly using very limited resources.
Courts, the Constitution, and Customary International Law: The Intellectual Origins of the Restatement (Third) of the Foreign Relations Law of the United States

I contend that the so-called "modern" position on the status of international law as federal law - the claim that customary international law constitutes federal common law and informs the scope of constitutional protections of individual rights - changed substantially between the time of its first authoritative articulation and its enshrinement in the first tentative draft of the Third Restatement on the Foreign Relations Law of the United States. I relate these changes to broader jurisprudential, political and international developments in the period between those events. I seek to demonstrate that a strong statement of the modern position reflected the assumptions and anxieties of a precise historical moment. As that moment passed some time ago, I suggest, we can question whether the position has much to say to the present moment.
Temporal autocorrelation and stochastic population growth

How much does environmental autocorrelation matter to the growth of structured populations in real life contexts? Interannual variances in vital rates certainly do, but it has been suggested that between-year correlations may not. We present an analytical approximation to stochastic growth rate for multistate Markovian environments and show that it is accurate by testing it in two empirically based examples. We find that temporal autocorrelation has sizeable effect on growth rates of structured populations, larger in many cases than the effect of interannual variability. Our approximation defines a sensitivity to autocorrelated variability, showing how demographic damping and environmental pattern interact to determine a population's stochastic growth rate.
Nurse practitioners' contributions to cultural competence in primary care settings.

Purpose: To document unique ways Nurse Practitioners (NPs) contribute to the delivery of culturally competent healthcare to diverse and underserved patient populations in urban primary care practices. Data Sources: Data are from a multi-year, multi-site study and includes 50 intensive interviews with healthcare professionals and repeated observations at three urban primary health clinics in a Northeastern U.S. city. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Different healthcare professionals reported common perspectives on cultural competence dealing with distinctive patient communities, including altruistic motivations, advocacy, and addressing root causes while treating diverse patients. What made NPs distinct among healthcare workers in this study was the comprehensiveness of their cultural competence approaches, both in patient interactions and within healthcare teams. NPs established culturally sensitive partnerships with patients, encouraged self-advocacy, addressed contextual considerations, and adjusted practices to meet the patient needs. They also developed niches in multidisciplinary teams that emphasized holistic approaches to establish trust and to cross cultural boundaries, both with other health professionals and their diverse patients.
Generators for Synthesis of QoS Adaptation in Distributed Real-Time Embedded Systems

This paper presents a model-driven approach for generating Quality-of-Service (QoS) adaptation in Distributed Real-Time Embedded (DRE) systems. The approach involves the creation of high-level graphical models representing the QoS adaptation policies. The models are constructed using a domain-specific modeling language - the Adaptive Quality Modeling Language. Multiple generators have been developed using the Model-Integrated Computing framework to create low-level artifacts for simulation and implementation of the adaptation policies that are captured in the models. A simulation generator tool synthesizes artifacts for Matlab Simulink/Stateflow® (a popular commercial tool), providing the ability to simulate and analyze the QoS adaptation policy. An implementation generator creates artifacts for Quality Objects, a QoS adaptation software infrastructure developed at BBN, for execution of QoS adaptation in DRE systems. A case study in applying this approach to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - Video Streaming application is presented. This approach has goals that are similar to those specified in the OMG's Model-Driven Architecture initiative.
A comprehensive techno-economic analysis tool to validate long-term viability of emerging biorefining processes

As recent research continues to explore possibilities for developing renewable biofuels, there arises a need for a supporting framework that can guide the research along a path that will lead to long-term techno-economic viability. Processing of biomass into various marketable products requires a well-planned strategy from an investment, agriculture, management, and policy-making perspective. This novel techno-economic analysis tool encompasses multiple process and supply chain models into a comprehensive decision support tool. Incorporation of detailed upstream and downstream processes not only gives an opportunity to accommodate fundamental research, but also allows for the incorporation of the effects of future uncertainties. This claim is further validated by performing a case study on a biological process to convert locally available corn stover to ethanol. The results obtained show that unique integration of process simulation, supply chain optimization, and discrete event simulation can be used to validate the long-term economic viability of a biorefining process. Analysis demonstrates that the developed decision support tool can be applied to estimate long-term economic and environmental viability of potential biorefining processes in any given region of interest.
ATPase activity of Escherichia coli Rep helicase is dramatically dependent on DNA ligation and protein oligomeric states.

The Escherichia coli Rep helicase catalyzes the unwinding of duplex DNA using the energy derived from ATP binding and hydrolysis. Rep functions as a dimer but assembles to its active dimeric form only on binding DNA. Each promoter of a dimer contains a DNA binding site that can bind either single-stranded (S) or duplex (D) DNA. The dimer can bind up to two oligodeoxynucleotides in five DNA-ligation states: two half-ligated states, P2S and P2D, and three fully-ligated states, P2S2, P2D2, and P2SD. We have previously shown that the relative stabilities of these ligation states are allosterically regulated by the binding and hydrolysis of ATP and have proposed an "active rolling" model for DNA unwinding where the enzyme cycles through a series of these ligation states in a process that is coupled to the catalytic cycle of ATP hydrolysis [Wong, I., & Lohman, T.M., (1992), Science 256, 350-355]. THe basal ATPase activity of Rep protein is stimulated by ss DNA binding and by protein dimerization. We have measured the steady-state ATPase activities of Rep bound to dT(pT)15 in each distinct ss DNA ligation state (PS, P2S, and P2S2) to compare with our previous measurements with unligated Rep monomer (P) [Moore, K.J.M., & Lohman, T.M. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 14550]. We find the ATPase activity of Rep is influenced dramatically by both dimerization and ss DNA ligation state, with the following kcat values for ATP hydrolysis increasing by over 4 orders of magnitude: 2.1 x 10(-3) s(-1) for P, 2.17 +/- 0.04 s(-1) for PS, 16.5 +/- 0.2 s(-1) for P2S, and 71 +/- 2.5 s(-1) for P2S2 (20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 6mM NaCl, 5 mM MgCl2, 10% glycerol, 4 degrees C). The apparent KM's for ATP hydrolysis are 2.05 +/- 0.1 microM for PS and 2.7 +/- 0.2 microM for P2S. These widely different ATPase activities reflect the allosteric effects of DNA ligation and demonstrate that cooperative communication occurs between the ATP and DNA site of both subunits of the Rep dimer. These results further emphasize the need to explicitly consider the population distribution of oligomerization and DNA ligation states of the helicase when attempting to infer information about elementary processes such as helicase translocation based solely on macroscopic steady-state ATPase measurements.
Spontaneous intramural small-bowel hematoma due to a rare complication of warfarin therapy: Report of two cases

Abstract Spontaneous intramural small-bowel hematoma secondary to warfarin therapy has been reported in the literature, but this complication of anticoagulant therapy is still considered rare. Here we report two cases of spontaneous nontraumatic jejunal intramural hematoma treated in our institution. After emergent admission for acute abdomen, both cases were found to have a history of warfarin therapy for atrial fibrillation. Prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and international normalized ratio were elevated in both cases. For Case 1, abdominal computed tomography revealed segmental mural thickening with precontrast hyperdensity and perienteric haziness affecting the distal jejunum. The patient underwent emergent laparotomy under the impression of mesentery occlusion with impending bowel ischemia due to her history of atrial fibrillation. Abdominal computed tomography for Case 2 revealed jejunal intramural hematoma and bloody ascites. The patient received conservative therapy with nil by mouth, fresh frozen plasma transfusion, and vitamin K1 supplementation, and no surgical intervention was done based on experience gained with the first case. Although a few other recent cases have been reported, the differences in our two cases were especially helpful in demonstrating that surgery can be avoided. We suggest that a history of anticoagulant use with prolonged international normalized ratio values in patients presenting with abdominal pain should alert physicians to consider spontaneous intramural small-bowel hematoma secondary to warfarin therapy. Recognizing this syndrome is important in order to avoid unnecessary surgery because excellent outcomes can be achieved with conservative treatment.
Some factors affecting sensory thresholds and relative bitterness of limonin and naringin

Equivalent sweetness to varying levels of sucrose was determined for naringin dihydrochalcone (ND), neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHD), hesperetin dihydrochalcone glucoside (HDG) and aspartylphenylalanine methyl ester (AP). The effect of sucrose and these compounds at equivalent sweetness levels on thresholds of limonin and naringin was determined. HDG was the most effective compound and sucrose the least effective in raising the threshold or suppressing bitterness of both limonin and naringin. At 1% sucrose equivalence, limonin thresholds were increased 0,40, 150 and 220% for sucrose, NHD, AP and HDG, respectively. At 5% sucrose equivalence, naringin thresholds were increased 80, 90, 145 and 180% by AP, sucrose, NHD and HDG, respectively.
The application of interferometric techniques to the nondestructive inspection of fiber-reinforced materials

A method for increasing the sensitivity of dynamic materials evaluation (DME) to localized damage in fiber-reinforced composites was examined. To obtain this improved sensitivity, different aspects of DME were examined. These included an increase in the frequency used to evaluate the dynamic properties, utilization of mode-shape information and different procedures for evaluating the experimental data.
Response of large oocytes of Xenopus laevis to progesterone in vitro in relation to oocyte size and time after previous HCG-induced ovulation.

Abstract The injection of Xenopus laevis females with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) leads to ovulation (and maturation) of oocytes whose diameters are 1.2 mm or larger. However, when Xenopus oocytes are removed from their follicular investments by manual dissection and exposed to the steroid, progesterone, in vitro , they exhibit maturation down to about 0.90 mm in diameter with the majority larger than 1.0 mm showing a positive response. Within each female the larger of the oocytes undergo maturation earlier than smaller ones. The response of oocytes also was shown to depend on the length of time since females were last stimulated to ovulate. Similar-sized oocytes from recently ovulated (stimulated) females matured much faster than those of untreated, unstimulated females. Indeed, even the smaller oocytes from stimulated females often matured before the largest oocytes of females without previous HCG injection. The experiments demonstrate that the physiological state of an oocyte cannot be accurately deduced solely from its size nor response to gonadotropins; unresponsiveness presumably being due to inability of follicular elements to respond to the trophic hormones or transfer the stimulus to the oocyte via the appropriate steroid.
B-cell targeted therapies in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Given the central role that B cells have in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, interest in approaches that therapeutically target B cells is considerable. This review provides an update on B-cell-depleting therapies for these diseases, as well as other approaches that target co-stimulatory signals, cytokines and other B-cell surface molecules. B cells appear to have a central role in the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); both autoantibody production and B-cell anomalies are characteristic of these diseases. With the recent availability of biologic agents that can deplete B cells or block their function in vivo, it has become possible to target B cells therapeutically. Evidence strongly suggests that novel B-cell targeting agents are effective. In addition, the mechanistic specificity of B-cell targeted approaches, combined with the ability to test them in large randomized controlled trials, will provide an unprecedented opportunity to study the precise roles of B cells in the immunopathogenesis of RA and SLE. The largest volume of information is available for rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody that depletes B cells by binding to the CD20 cell-surface antigen. Information from multiple investigator-sponsored trials and from off-label use suggests efficacy of this antibody in RA, SLE, and other autoimmune syndromes. Randomized controlled trials have also provided solid evidence for the efficacy of rituximab in RA and are ongoing in SLE. Other therapeutic agents supported by controlled data include cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 immunoglobulin and antibodies against the interleukin-6 receptor and the B-cell survival molecule BLyS. Additional agents and targets are in earlier stages of development. The concerns about infectious complications have so far not proven to be justified. We can reasonably expect important advances in the understanding and treatment of RA and SLE in the next 5–10 years, as B-cell targeting methods become more widespread and sophisticated.
Within-milking variation in milk composition and fatty acid profile of Holstein dairy cows

Changes in milk composition during a milking are well characterized, but variation in milk fatty acid (FA) profile is not well described and may affect the accuracy of in-line milk composition analyzers and could potentially be used for selective segregation of milk. Within-milking samples were collected from 8 multiparous high-producing Holstein cows (54.86 ± 6.8 kg of milk/d; mean ± standard deviation). A milk-sampling device was designed to allow collection of multiple samples during a milking without loss of vacuum or interruption of milk subsampling. Milk was collected during consecutive morning and afternoon milkings (12-h intervals) and was replicated 1 wk later. Each sample represented approximately 20% of the milking and was analyzed for fat, true protein, and lactose concentration and FA profile. Milk fat concentration markedly increased over the course of milk let down (4.4 and 4.2 percentage units at the a.m. and p.m. milking, respectively), whereas milk fat globule size did not change. Milk protein and lactose concentration decreased slightly during milking. Modest changes in milk FA profile were also observed, as milk de novo and 16-C FA concentrations increased approximately 10 and 8%, respectively, whereas the concentration of preformed FA decreased about 7% during the milking. In agreement, mean milk FA chain length and unsaturation modestly decreased during milking (0.59 and 0.014 U, respectively). The observed changes in milk fat concentration during a milking are consistent with previous reports and reflect the dynamic nature of milk fat secretion from the mammary gland. Changes in milk FA profile are not expected to practically affect the accuracy of spectroscopy methods for determination of milk fat concentration. Furthermore, the small variation in FA profile during a milking limits the use of within-milking milk segregation to tailor milk FA profile.
Tethering the classroom to the workplace through embedded writing instruction

Demonstrating writing competency supports outcome requirements of the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The authors discuss their experience with two engineering programs that embed writing instruction in the curriculum. One is a new, project-based integrated mechanical and electrical engineering program within a teaching university, with 10 students at present. The second program discussed is a civil engineering, environmental engineering, and geoengineering program within a research university. The program is part of a university-wide writing enriched curriculum effort. Both of these programs have a writing specialist embedded in the engineering department. The authors describe program and course structures, assignments, and challenges of tethering classroom and professional experiences through embedded writing instruction.
Uterine Artery Embolization in the Management of Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids: An Overview of Complications and Follow-up

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) evolved as a treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids in the early 1990s, after initially being used as a temporizing measure prior to hysterectomy or myomectomy. Since that time, over 100,000 UAEs have been performed. Technical success rates have been quoted ranging from 94 to 99%. The overall incidence of major complications associated with the procedure is low, the majority of which can be prevented. Knowledge of the potential complications and the measures that can be taken to avoid these complications is essential. Furthermore, because UAE is a relatively new procedure, no standardized recommendations for patient follow-up exist. Common practice for patient follow-up includes both clinic visits at increasing time intervals postprocedure, as well as telephone follow-up, and imaging follow-up when necessary. As symptomatic improvement is subjective, some institutions have developed standardized questionnaires to better assess patient improvement postprocedure. Aggressive pain control is a crucial component of follow-up, as uncontrolled pain can result in readmission and patient dissatisfaction.
Fabrication B-Ni-Al Shielding Materials by Vacuum Metal Infiltration

In this paper, B-Ni-Al shield materials were fabricated by vacuum metal infiltration. The B-Ni-Al Composite were fabricated by preheating BN+Ni at 1550°C for one hour before infiltrating Al alloys into the preforms in a vacuum at 1100°C for two hours. Microstructural characterization of the materials obtained was performed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Mechanical properties were evaluated by fracture toughness and bending strength. AlN was produced with interfacial reactions between Al and BN.
Interactions of prostaglandins with subpopulations of ovine luteal cells. I. Stimulatory effects of prostaglandins E1, E2 and I21

Preparations of small and large steroidogenic cells from enzymatically dispersed ovine corpora lutea were utilized to study the in vitro effects of luteinizing hormone (LH) and prostaglandins (PG) E1, E2 and I2. Cells were allowed to attach to culture dishes overnight and were incubated with either LH (100 ng/ml), PGE1, PGE2, or PGI2 (250 ng/ml each). The secretion of progesterone by large cells was stimulated by all prostaglandins tested (P less than 0.05) while the moderate stimulation observed after LH treatment was attributable to contamination of the large cell population with small cells. Prostaglandins E1 and E2 had no effect on progesterone secretion by small cells, while LH was stimulatory at all times (0.5 to 4 hr) and PGI2 was stimulatory by 4 hr. Additional studies were conducted to determine if the effects of PGE2 upon steroidogenesis in large cells were correlated with stimulated activity of adenylate cyclase. In both plated and suspended cells PGE2 caused an increase (P less than 0.05) in the rate of progesterone secretion but had no effect upon the activity of adenylate cyclase or cAMP concentrations within cells or in the incubation media. Exposure of luteal cells to forskolin, a nonhormonal stimulator of adenylate cyclase, resulted in marked increases in all parameters of cyclase activity but had no effect on progesterone secretion. These data suggest that the actions of prostaglandins E1, E2 and I2 are directed primarily toward the large cells of the ovine corpus luteum and cast doubt upon the role of adenylate cyclase as the sole intermediary in regulation of progesterone secretion in this cell type.
Engineering concepts for the placement of wastes on the abyssal seafloor

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), with industry and academic participation, has completed a study of the concept of isolating industrial wastes (i.e., sewage sludge, fly ash from municipal incinerators, and dredged material) on the abyssal seafloor. This paper presents results of the technical and economic assessment of this waste management concept. The results of the environmental impacts portion of the study are presented in a companion paper. The technical assessment began with identification of 128 patents addressing waste disposal in the ocean. From these 128 patents, five methods for transporting wastes through the water column and emplacing wastes within an easily monitored area on the abyssal seafloor were synthesized for technical assessment. In one method waste is lowered to the seafloor in a bucket of 190 m3. In a second method waste is pumped down to the seafloor in pipes, 1.37 m in diameter and 6100 m in length. In a third method waste is free-fallen from the ocean surface in 380-m3 geosynthetic fabric containers (GFCs). In the fourth and fifth methods, waste is carried to near the seafloor in GFCs transported in (a) a 20,000 metric ton displacement (loaded), unpowered, unmanned submersible glider, or (b) a 2085 metric ton displacement (loaded) disk-shaped transporter traversing to and from the seafloor much like an untethered elevator. In the last two methods the transporter releases the GFCs to free-fall the last few hundred meters to the seafloor. Two reliability analyses, a Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and a Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), showed that the free-fall GFC method posed the least overall relative risk, provided that fabric container and transporter designs eliminate the potential for tearing of the containers on release from the surface transporter. Of the five methods, the three GFC methods were shown to offer cost-effective waste management options when compared with present-day waste management techniques in higher-priced areas, such as the New York–New Jersey area. In conclusion, the abyssal seafloor waste isolation concept is technically feasible and cost-effective for many waste sources.
The impact of corporate ethical values on perceptions of earnings management

Earnings management behavior has been a concern in the accounting profession for a long time. This study surveyed 583 certified public accountants (CPAs) in public accounting, industry and academia to determine if there is a link between corporate ethical values and perception of earnings management. Selected earnings management scenarios were mailed to the respondents before high‐profile bankruptcies became public information. The results indicated that CPAs employed in organizations with high (low) ethical standards viewed earnings management activities as more unethical (ethical). Within‐group analyses of the respondents also found significant differences on the perception of corporate ethical values based on gender, age, job title and other demographic factors. The results indicated that there were early warning signals in the accounting profession regarding ethical values and earnings management. The results were particularly alarming among CPAs employed in industry who reported lower perception of their corporate ethical values.
Stage Migration in Planning PET/CT Scans in Patients Due to Receive Radiotherapy for Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract Introduction This study examined rates of tumor progression in treatment-naive patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as determined by repeat treatment-planning fluorine-18 ( 18 F) fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG PET/CT). Methods and Materials This study assessed patients who underwent PET/CT simulation for NSCLC stage II/III, radiation-naive, nonmetastatic NSCLC. It compared planning PET/CT with previous PET/CT images. Patients were analyzed for change in stage, treatment intent, or both. Progression was defined as a change in TNM status leading to upstaging, and standardized uptake value (SUV) velocity was defined as [(SUV scan2 − SUV scan1 )/interscan interval in days]. Results Of 149 consecutive patients examined between April 2009 and April 2011, 47 had prior PET/CT scans and were included. The median age was 68 years. New nodal disease or metastatic disease was identified in 24 (51%) of 47 patients. Fourteen (30%) had evidence of extrathoracic metastatic disease; the remaining 10 (21%) had new nodal disease that required substantial alteration of treatment fields. At a scan interval of 20 days, the rate of upstaging was 17%. SUV velocity was analyzed in the subset of patients who had their studies on the identical PET/CT scanner (n = 14). Nonupstaged patients had a mean SUV velocity of 0.074 units per day, compared with 0.11 units per day in patients that were upstaged by their second PET/CT scan ( P = .020). Conclusion Radiation treatment planning with hybrid PET/CT scans repeated within 120 days of an initial staging PET/CT scan identified significant upstaging in more than half of patients. For a subset of patients who underwent both scans on the same instrument, SUV velocity predicts upstaging, and the difference between those upstaged and those not was statistically significant.