cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Δ-dN/dS: A New Criteria to Distinguish among Different Selection Modes in Gene Evolution

One of the most widely-used measures for protein evolution is the ratio of nonsynonymous distance (dN) to synonymous distance (dS). Under the assumption that synonymous substitutions in the coding region are selectively neutral, the dN/dS ratio can be used to test the adaptive evolution if dN/dS>1 statistically significantly. However, due to selective constraints imposed on amino acid sites, most encoding genes demonstrate dN/dS 1-H for the adaptive evolution. The potential of this new method for resolve the neutral-adaptive debates is discussed.
Mindfulness training for a college team: Feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness from within an athletic department

Mindfulness-based interventions for athletes—including Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE)—have demonstrated promising results. While initial studies of MSPE have found improvements in man...
A TWIST ON A TWIST: A CASE OF OUTFLOW GRAFT ROTATION IN A HEARTMATE TWO PATIENT

The FDA recently issued a warning regarding the heartmate 3 left ventricular assist device (LVAD) due to concerns of an outflow graft assembly that may cause it to twist. However, this complication has not been reported in the heartmate 2 (HM2). A 54 year old Caucasian male presents three years
James M. Buchanan and Frank H. Knight on democracy as “government by discussion”

Among twentieth century inheritors of the classical liberal mantle, the notion that democracy could be understood as “government by discussion” is found most prominently in the work of Frank H. Knight and James M. Buchanan. The purpose of the present paper is to compare Knight and Buchanan’s use of the expression “democracy is government by discussion”. Knight adopted the expression in reference to the means by which (a) individuals coordinate decisions and actions to facilitate constitutional decisions about social action and (b) we coordinate society’s norms and values. For Buchanan, democracy as discussion occurs only at the level of constitutional decisions. Thus, while their use of the expression unites them, it also provides a way of examining the divide between them.
pH attenuation by soils underlying recycled concrete aggregate road base

Abstract Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is widely used as a replacement for natural aggregates in road base construction worldwide. Still, there are concerns that the high pH of RCA leachate may cause accelerated corrosion of metallic-coated (aluminum or galvanized) steel culverts placed in the underlying soil. Carbonation from CO2 produced in the soil by organic matter (OM) has been considered as a potential mechanism to attenuate RCA leachate pH to below aggressive conditions (pH
Efficient Two-Layered Monitor for Partially Synchronous Distributed Systems (Technical Report).

Monitoring distributed systems to ensure their correctness is a challenging and expensive but essential problem. It is challenging because while execution of a distributed system creates a partial order among events, the monitor will typically observe only one serialization of that partial order. This means that even if the observed serialization is consistent with the system specifications, the monitor cannot assume that the system is correct because some other unobserved serialization can be inconsistent with the system specifications. Existing solutions that guarantee identification of all such unobserved violations require some combination of lots of time and large clocks, e.g. O(n) sized Vector Clocks. We present a new, efficient two-layered monitoring approach that overcomes both the time and space limitations of earlier monitors. The first layer is imprecise but efficient and the second layer is precise but (relatively) inefficient. We show that the combination of these two layers reduces the cost of monitoring by 85-95%. Furthermore, the two-layered monitor permits the use of O(1) sized Hybrid Logical Clocks.
Impact of troponin I level on coronary artery bypass grafting outcomes.

Purpose The effect of preoperative cardiac troponin level on outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is unclear. We investigated the impact of preoperative cardiac troponin I (cTnI) level as well as the time interval between maximum cTnI and surgery on CABG outcomes. Methods All patients who underwent isolated CABG at our institution between 2009 and 2016 and had preoperative cTnI level available were identified using our Society of Thoracic Surgeons registry. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to identify a cTnI threshold level. Subjects were divided into groups based on this value and outcomes compared. Results A total of 608 patients were included. ROC analysis identified 5.74 µg/dL as the threshold value associated with worse postoperative outcomes. Patients with peak cTnI >5.74 µg/dL underwent CABG approximately 1 day later, had twice the risk of adverse postoperative events, and had 2.8 day longer postoperative length of stay than those with peak cTnI ≤5.74 µg/dL. cTnI level was not associated with mortality or 30-day readmission. Time interval between peak cTnI and surgery did not affect outcomes. Conclusion Elevated preoperative cTnI level beyond a certain threshold value is associated with adverse postoperative outcomes but is not a marker for increased mortality. Time from peak cTnI does not affect postoperative outcomes or mortality and may not need to be considered when deciding timing of CABG.
Metastatic head and neck cutaneous basal cell carcinomas: a retrospective observational study

Cutaneous basal cell carcinoma is usually an indolent and slow-growing tumor with potential for local invasion and recurrence; however, metastatic events are exceedingly rare. The annual incidence of metastasis is estimated to range between 0.00281 and 0.05%. A retrospective search in the pathology database of a single tertiary institution was performed in the period between 1999 to 2019. Primary cutaneous metastatic basal cell carcinomas had paraffin blocks and glass slides retrieved. A total of 8673 cases was identified. The overall prevalence of metastatic tumors was 0.05% (4/8673). The median patient’s age at diagnosis was 61 years old (range 52–79). The most common primary site of tumor was nose (2/4) and the most common histological subtype was infiltrative. The sampled lymph nodes were identified during primary tumor resection, except for 1 patient who had a sentinel lymph node biopsy performed as a surgeon individual decision. One patient had hematogenous spread to the pleura, diagnosed 5 years after diagnosis. In summary, this study adds new data to the current literature in metastatic primary cutaneous basal cell carcinomas and highlights the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate surgical excision in an effort to prevent local advanced disease, recurrence and lymphovascular dissemination.
Financial Socialization: A Decade in Review

The financial socialization individuals receive is associated not only with their future financial wellbeing but also relational, mental, and physical wellbeing. This paper is a review of the literature on financial socialization, especially papers published between 2010 and 2019 in the Journal of Family and Economic Issues. We first review family financial socialization theory and then review empirical documentation for the theory, organized by (a) family socialization processes (e.g., parent financial modeling, parent-child financial discussion, and experiential learning as three primary methods of financial socialization) and (b) financial socialization outcomes (e.g., financial attitudes, financial knowledge, financial behaviors, and financial wellbeing). Finally, we discuss future directions for the field.
Management turnover in subsidiaries of conglomerates versus stand-alone firms

Abstract We compare turnover of subsidiary managers inside conglomerate firms to turnover of CEOs of comparable stand-alone firms. We find that, compared to turnover of CEOs, subsidiary manager turnover is significantly more sensitive to changes in performance and significantly more likely following poor performance. For subsidiary managers, the relation between turnover and performance is significantly stronger when the subsidiary operates in an industry that is related to the parent's primary industry. Results suggest that boards of directors are relatively ineffective disciplinarians of CEOs and despite their other apparent failings, conglomerate firms have relatively strict disciplining mechanisms for subsidiary managers.
Bone marrow, blood, and clinical findings in dogs treated with phenobarbital.

BACKGROUND Cytopenias have been reported in dogs treated with phenobarbital, but detailed descriptions of bone marrow findings and response to treatment are lacking. OBJECTIVES We aimed to characterize the hematologic findings and clinical outcomes of dogs that had been receiving phenobarbital at the time of marrow evaluation. METHODS Archived bone marrow slides and clinicopathologic data were reviewed in dogs undergoing marrow evaluation for any hematologic problems that developed while receiving phenobarbital (2008-2020). Dogs were excluded if marrow samples lacked diagnostic value, phenobarbital was withdrawn >1 day before marrow collection, a same-day complete blood count (CBC) was lacking, or dogs had concurrent illness or therapy known to cause cytopenias. RESULTS Thirteen dogs met inclusion criteria: eight pancytopenic, three anemic/thrombocytopenic, one neutropenic/thrombocytopenic, and one nearly neutropenic. Neutropenia was marked (<700/µL) in eight dogs; all neutrophil concentrations were low or low-normal. Of the 11 anemic dogs (Hct = 12%-42%, median = 29%), three had mild reticulocytosis (eight were tested). One dog had erythroid dysplasia in blood and marrow. All nine neutropenic dogs had evidence of ineffective neutropoiesis: neutrophilic hyperplasia with left shift (9) ± neutrophagocytosis (5). Eight of the 11 anemic dogs had evidence of ineffective erythropoiesis: erythroid hyperplasia (7), left shift (3), and/or rubriphagocytosis (6). No thrombocytopenic dog had megakaryocytic hypoplasia; seven dogs had megakaryocytic hyperplasia. One anemic/thrombocytopenic dog had marked collagen myelofibrosis. The noncytopenic dog had equivocal myeloid hypoplasia with neutrophagocytosis. Median maximal responses and resolution times for neutropenia (n = 6) were 14 days. CONCLUSIONS Phenobarbital-induced cytopenias should be considered in dogs with multilineage ineffective hematopoiesis, particularly when neutropenia and myeloid hyperplasia are present. However, findings in dogs with immune-mediated neutropenia or precursor-targeted immune-mediated anemia might be indistinguishable.
Redox-Mediated Carbamylation As a Hapten Model Applied to the Origin of Antibodies to Modified Proteins in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Significance: The production of antibodies to posttranslationally modified antigens is a hallmark in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In particular, the presence of citrullination-associated antibodies, ...
Individual and cumulative measures of knee joint load associate with T2 relaxation times of knee cartilage in young, uninjured individuals: A pilot study.

Abstract Background Articular cartilage structure and chondrocyte health are sensitive and reliant on dynamic joint loading during activities. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the association between measures of individual and cumulative knee joint loading with T2 relaxation times in the knee cartilage of young individuals without knee injury. Methods Twelve participants (17–30 years old) without history of knee injury or surgery completed MRI, physical activity (PA), and biomechanical gait testing. T2 relaxation times were calculated in the cartilage within the patella and lateral and medial compartments. Accelerometry was used to measure mean daily step counts, minutes of PA, and % sedentary time over 7 days. Vertical ground reaction force, external knee joint moments and peak knee flexion angle were measured during stance phase of gait using three-dimensional motion capture. Cumulative knee joint loading was calculated as daily step count by external knee joint moment impulse. The relationship between measures of knee joint loading and T2 relaxation times was assessed using Pearson correlations. Results Higher T2 relaxation times in the femoral and tibial cartilage were consistently correlated to greater body mass, daily step counts, moderate and vigorous PA, and peak knee joint moments (r = 0.10–0.84). Greater cumulative knee flexion and adduction loading was associated with higher T2 relaxation times in the femoral and tibial cartilage (r = 0.16–0.65). Conclusion Preliminary findings suggest that individual loading factors and cumulative knee joint loading are associated with higher T2 relaxation times in the articular cartilage of young, healthy knees.
Cost Effectiveness of Watch and Wait Versus Resection in Rectal Cancer Patients with Complete Clinical Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation

Watch and wait (WW) protocols have gained increasing popularity for patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer and presumed complete clinical response after neoadjuvant chemoradiation. While studies have demonstrated comparable survival and recurrence rates between WW and radical surgery, the decision to undergo surgery has significant effects on patient quality of life. We sought to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing WW with abdominoperineal resection (APR) and low anterior resection (LAR) among patients with stage II/III rectal cancer. In this comparative-effectiveness study, we built Markov microsimulation models to simulate disease progression, death, costs, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for WW or APR/LAR. We assessed cost effectiveness using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), with ICERs under $100,000/QALY considered cost effective. Probabilities of disease progression, death, and health utilities were extracted from published, peer-reviewed literature. We assessed costs from the payer perspective. WW dominated both LAR and APR at a willingness to pay (WTP) threshold of $100,000. Our model was most sensitive to rates of distant recurrence and regrowth after WW. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that WW was the dominant strategy over both APR and LAR over 100% of iterations across a range of WTP thresholds from $0–250,000. Our study suggests WW could reduce overall costs and increase effectiveness compared with either LAR or APR. Additional clinical research is needed to confirm the clinical efficacy and cost effectiveness of WW compared with surgery in rectal cancer.
Forging a New U.S. Trade Policy on Tobacco

Tobacco is reemerging as a polarizing issue in U.S. trade policy. New trade agreement negotiations, the first launched by the Obama administration, and an upcoming UN summit on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are forcing the White House to choose between the tobacco debate’s partisans.The United States need not exclude tobacco from its eight-country trade talks, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), or harm U.S. economic interests in order to promote tobacco control. U.S. negotiators should pursue a four-part strategy in the TPP that reduces tobacco agricultural subsidies; promotes coordinated, stringent tobacco product regulation; includes an explicit health exception for tobacco control measures; and excludes Vietnam, a lower-income country involved in the TPP talks, from tobacco tariff reductions. There is strong U.S. precedent for each element of this strategy. If implemented, this strategy will achieve the long elusive appropriate balance between U.S. mandates on trade and its obligations to promote global health and standing abroad.
A combined atomistic/continuum analysis of nanoelectromechanical systems

A multiscale method combining atomistic and continuum regions is presented to predict the static response of Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches. The atomistic and continuum regions are combined by using a Schwartz technique with either overlapped subdomains and Dirichlet-Dirichlet type boundary conditions, or non-overlapped subdomains and Dirichlet-Neumann type boundary conditions. The continuum regions are treated by nonlinear elastic theories and the atomistic regions are treated by the molecular dynamics (MD) method. The accuracy of the multiscale approach is checked. by comparing results obtained with the MD technique for the entire device or geometry. Finally, the convergence behavior of the multiscale approach is investigated in detail.
Restraining Loose Equipment Aboard the International Space Station: The Payload Equipment Restraint System

As the International Space Station (ISS) grows, so do the supplies and equipment needed to support its daily operations. Each day many items must be unstowed and moved to various worksites so that they are readily available to the crew. Due to the lack of gravity, these items ,may become loose and float away if not restrained. The Payload Equipment Restraint System (PERS) was developed to meet the new and unique challenge of restraining loose equipment aboard the ISS.
Article 177 of the Rome Treaty as a Federalizing Device

Hopes for development of a United States of Europe were an important reason for the flood of writings in the decade beginning in the mid-fifties that described, analyzed, praised, and extrapolated from the institutions establishing the three European Communities. The institutions that bore the greatest potential for federalizing the national governmental structures were the favored objects of study, and none was more intriguing than article 177 of the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community (the Rome Treaty).' Article I77 permits, and in some instances requires, national courts to certify to the Court of Justice of the Communities questions involving the validity or interpretation of acts of Community institutions that arise in the course of pending litigation. Other articles of the treaty give the Court jurisdiction over attacks on Community acts or failures to act by member states or other affected Community organs;2 and this remedy, on stated grounds, was even extended to private parties affected by the decisions of Community institutions.3 These important provisions open federal judicial channels, yet they contain significant limitations. A private litigant must show that a Community agency has acted against him directly, though a state may challenge regulations of general effect, even when it is not directly affected. Article I77, on the other hand, may come into play any time
Mean Colors and Effective Temperatures of K and M Dwarfs

Many applications of multicolor wideband photometry depend upon the existence of a table of mean colors, i.e. a listing of the average values of the color indices B-V, V-R, etc. for each spectral type. Such a table relates the observed colors of unreddened stars to their temperature classes and enables one to draw a reference line representing the main sequence on any color-color diagram.
The receptor-binding site of human relaxin II. A dual prong-binding mechanism.

Recent structure/function studies on human relaxin II have led to the conclusion that the arginines B13 and/or B17 are important for biological activity. These studies have been confirmed and extended with the help of chemically synthesized derivatives, i.e. dicitrulline (B13, B17), two monocitrulline (B13 and B17), a dilysine (B13, 17), and alanine (B17) relaxins. The CD spectra of synthetic human relaxin and of the derivatives are indistinguishable. Yet, only the native human relaxin II is biologically active and binds strongly to relaxin receptor preparations in vitro. The inactivation is strictly due to side chain functions, in particular the replacement of either or both arginines in the positions B13 or B17. Binding is mediated by a two-prong electrostatic and hydrogen-binding interaction via arginines B13 and B17. Neither B13 nor B17 alone are sufficient and a positive charge equidistant from the B chain helix is equally insufficient. This binding mechanism appears to be unique, as concerns hormone receptor interaction.
A Review of “Geography of Power: The Making of Global Economic Policy”

Geography of Power contributes to a series of recently published books that have sought to bring academic debates on globalization, capitalism, and development to a nonacademic audience. Mainstream...
Effect of Acute and Subacute Administration of Diphenylhydantoin on Electroshock Seizure Threshold in Developing Rats

Publisher Summary Previous studies in laboratories have demonstrated that when diphenylhydantoin (Dilantin) is administered acutely in intact adult rats, it does not affect the electroshock seizure threshold (EST). However, if Dilantin is given acutely in adrenalectomized rats or chronically in intact rats it significantly elevates the threshold. It has also been shown that Dilantin stimulatcs the pituitary-adrenal system. The adrenocortical steroids released as a result of this stimulation may antagonize the threshold-elevating effects of Dilantin. Since the pituitary-adrenal axis in developing rats is not functioning completely during the first two weeks after birth, the EST-elevating effect of Dilantin should be more marked than in mature animals. The experiments given in this chapter are designed to investigate this hypothesis. The following tentative conclusions can be drawn from this chapter: (1) during early development when subcortical excitatory areas have not fully matured, the threshold-elevating effect of Dilantin is apparent; (2) Dilantin given chronically during the early development exerts a threshold-lowering effect, which lasts after the period of treatment. It can be speculated that, in this case, Dilantin influences some subcortical excitatory system (for example, HAA), which in turn antagonizes its effect on the cortex.
Focusing linear arrays operating in a sequential mode

The authors describe multiple target detection using a linear array, operated in the sequential mode. In this approach, the firing of the elements is sequential: one element is transmitting with all the elements receiving. A novel processing technique is presented which allows multiple target detection without tapering or phase shifting hardware, and which includes focusing at any range. Three examples are presented for a real array in the sequential mode: (1) detection of far field scatterers with focusing at infinity, (2) detection of finite range scatterers with focusing at infinity, and (3) detection of finite-range scatterers with proper focusing. The sequential operation and processing allows the simultaneous detection of all the targets within the elementary 3-dB beam. The synthesized array pattern is shown to be much better than that of the standard parallel operation, which requires a set of phase shifters of each direction sine. It is concluded that the implementation of sequential processing is straightforward and storage is minimized by accumulating the data in terms of phase index. >
MammoSite and accelerated partial breast irradiation: Rethinking one-size-fits-all breast irradiation after lumpectomy.

The emergence of accelerated partial breast irradiation (PBI) and particularly MammoSite has forced us to rethink the broad acceptance that breast irradiation after lumpectomy for early stage breast cancer can and need only be delivered one way. Since inception, whole breast irradiation (WBI) after lumpectomy has been given with tangent fields, typically using <6 MV photons to a clinically defined breast volume represented dosimetrically by single transaxial slice at the center of the breast. This is how breast irradiation was delivered toO90% of patients in the 1983 Patterns of Care Study (1) and nearly two decades later for 75% of patients in the 1998–1999 Patterns of Care Study survey (2). This method has been consistently used for WBI regardless of what has been learned in the past two decades about the effect of disease status, histology, margins of excision, patient age, breast size, lumpectomy cavity location or extent, among many other variables, on subsequent local control or cosmetic outcome. During this same period the radiation therapy of other disease sites focused on maximizing the therapeutic ratio by developing image-based conformal methods that direct dose to anatomically defined target volumes and set constraints to nontarget normal tissues in the vicinity. Why not for breast irradiation after lumpectomy? Arguably, to date the answer to this has been success – traditional WBI yields low inbreast recurrence, toxicity rates (3, 4), and good cosmetic results (5, 6). So, is there really no room for improvement in breast irradiation, and does its long history of success justify never looking to find one? The development of PBI and especially MammoSite has demonstrated that there is both patient and physician support for different ‘‘sizes’’ of breast irradiation, and the resulting groundswell of interest proven the need for good clinical studies that can define when a given ‘‘size’’ of breast irradiation is best suited. A growing body of data has demonstrated that PBI with multicatheter brachytherapy after lumpectomy in selected cases yields local control and cosmetic results similar to
Software aspects of business graphics

Abstract This paper considers some software and technical issues involved in the production of high quality three dimensional business graphics. It considers whether to use the vector or raster mode, the location or generation of source materials such as type fonts and geographic maps, existing 3-D plotting programs, and some technical issues in the calculation of 3-D plots. Finally it gives some examples of 3-D color plots illustrating different color techniques.
Use of eutectic mixture of local anesthetics: An effective topical anesthetic for slit-smear testing of patients with Hansen’s disease

REFERENCES 1. Anderson PC, Loeffel El). Erythrodermatitis. Mo Med 1970;67:252-5. 2. Breathnach SM, Hinter H. Adverse drug reactions and the skin, London: Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1992. p. 394. 3. Litt JZ, Pawlak WA Jr. Drug eruption reference manual, 1997. New York: Parthenon Publishing Group; 1997. p. 510. 4. Van Joost TH, Middlekamp Hup J, Ros FE. Dermatitis as a side-effect of long-term topical treatment with certain beta-blocking agents. Br J Dermatol 1979;101:171-6. 5. Diggory R Glaucoma: systemic side effects of topical medical therapy--a common and underrecognized problem. J R Soc Med 1994;87:575-6. 6. Lazarov A, Amichai B. Skin reactions due to eye drops: report of two cases. Cutis 1996;58:363-4. 7. Diggory P, Cassels-Brown A, Vail A, Abbey LM, Hillman JS. Avoiding unsuspected respiratory sideeffects of topical timolol with cardioselective or sympathomimetic agents. Lancet 1995 ;345:1604-6. 8. Kurtz S, Ashkenazi I, Melamed S. Major depressive episode secondary to antiglaucoma drugs. Am J Psych 1993;150:524-5. 9. McMahon CD, Shaffer RN, Dunbar Hoskins H Jr, Hetherington J. Adverse effects experienced by patients taking timolol. Am J Ophthalmol 1979;88:736-8. 10. Zamber RW, Starkebaum G, Rubin RL, Martens HF, Wener MH. Drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus due to ophthalmic timolol. J Rheumatol 1992;19:977-9. 11. O'Donnell BF, Foulds IS. Contact allergy to beta-blocking agents in ophthalmic preparations. Contact Dermatitis 1993;28:121-2. 12. Koch E Allergic contact dermatitis due to timolol and levobunolol in eyedrops, with no cross-sensitivity to other ophthalmic [3-blockers. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33:140-1. 13. Fraunfelder FT, Meyer SM, Menacker SJ. Alopecia possibly secondary to topical ophthalmic [3-blockers. JAMA 1990;263:1493-4.
Airway remodeling contributes to the progressive loss of lung function in asthma: An overview

Airway inflammation, airflow obstruction, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness are characteristic phenotypic features of asthma. Clinically, airflow obstruction in asthma often is not fully reversible, and many asthmatic subjects experience an accelerated and progressive loss of lung function over time. Histopathologic studies of the asthmatic airway have demonstrated stereotypic changes that might explain the loss of lung function that many patients with asthma experience. The notion of airway remodeling in asthma postulates that the alteration of the structure and function of key airway constituents, including airway smooth muscle, epithelium, blood vessels, and mucus glands, might explain, at least in part, the progressive loss of lung function that is observed clinically. Inflammation driven by CD4 + lymphocytes and mediated by effector cells, particularly the eosinophil, appears to modulate the function of mesenchymal cells, including fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, changing the composition of the airway wall matrix. Changes in the airway epithelium might alter the function of the underlying smooth muscle and the composition of the matrix and could drive inflammation. Alterations in the structure and function of airway smooth muscle change the mechanical properties of the airway wall and might also affect the function of other airway constituents. A variety of experimental models have identified candidate mechanisms and mediators for these observed changes, which are thus potential therapeutic targets. However, clinical studies to date have been disappointing, and it remains to be seen whether targeted therapies will prevent the progressive loss of lung function seen in asthma.
Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating

It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that the total diet or overall pattern of food eaten is the most important focus of healthy eating. All foods can fit within this pattern if consumed in moderation with appropriate portion size and combined with physical activity. The Academy strives to communicate healthy eating messages that emphasize a balance of food and beverages within energy needs, rather than any one food or meal. Public policies and dietary patterns that support the total diet approach include the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet, MyPlate, Let's Move, Nutrition Facts labels, Healthy People 2020, and the Dietary Reference Intakes. In contrast to the total diet approach, classification of specific foods as good or bad is overly simplistic and can foster unhealthy eating behaviors. Alternative approaches are necessary in some situations. Eating practices are dynamic and influenced by many factors, including taste and food preferences, weight concerns, physiology, time and convenience, environment, abundance of foods, economics, media/marketing, perceived product safety, culture, and attitudes/beliefs. To increase the effectiveness of nutrition education in promoting sensible food choices, skilled food and nutrition practitioners utilize appropriate behavioral theory and evidence-based strategies. Focusing on variety, moderation, and proportionality in the context of a healthy lifestyle, rather than targeting specific nutrients or foods, can help reduce consumer confusion and prevent unnecessary reliance on supplements. Proactive, empowering, and practical messages that emphasize the total diet approach promote positive lifestyle changes.
Societal views of justice for adolescents accused of murder: Inconsistency between community sentiment and automatic legislative transfers.

Examines citizens' views about when juveniles accused of homicide should be tried and punished as adults. Responses from two randomly selected samples of adult Georgia residents suggest that these views are strongly influenced by whether adolescent defendants have been victims of abuse. Laypersons prefer juvenile court for juveniles who kill abusive parents (76% for first time offenders. 77% for those with one prior adjudication). Respondents are split concerning how to punish abused juveniles who have two prior adjudications (49% recommend juvenile court) and abused juveniles with one prior offense who kill a neighbor (48% recommend juvenile court). Most respondents, however, prefer adult court for repeat offenders who kill and have no history of child abuse. These findings suggest that legislative automatic transfers are overly simplistic compared to the contextual sensitivity of community sentiment. Policymakers may have serious misconceptions of societal views of fairness in this area.
Pulverized coal diffusion flames - a perspective through modeling

This review paper examines, from the perspective of the modeler, the state of understanding of the behavior of pulverized coal diffusion flames. Several models of pulverized coal reaction processes are reviewed and component model parts are identified. These components include turbulent gaseous flow, particle dispersion, gaseous reaction, particle devolatilization and reaction, and heat transfer. Recent developments related to a description of these various component processes are summarized. Questions that arise from attempts to describe these processes are identified. Detailed data on pulverized coal reaction processes for model evaluation are also summarized and compared with selected model predictions.
Utility Application of Photovoltaic Power Generation: A Survey of Recent Literature

A bibliography of recent documents on the subject of photovoltaic power generation for utility application is presented. The bibliography is divided into two subject areas: central station systems; and residential/intermediate systems.
Minimized Wear and Debris Generation Through Optimized Machining of Co-Cr-Mo Alloys for Use in Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants

More than 380,000 hips are replaced with total joint prostheses each year in the U.S. Wear debris generated by metal-on-metal implant designs is of concern due to potential adverse biological effects arising from chronic exposure of human tissue to the wear debris. This paper presents a new methodology for optimizing the wear performance of prosthesis made of Co-Cr-Mo alloys by varying tool edge geometry and machining conditions to alter the wear behavior of this alloy, while also controlling the residual stresses induced during the machining process. The machining process causes inhomogeneous inelastic deformations near the surface layer of machined parts which create residual stresses in the surface of machined components. Residual stresses in the machined surface and the subsurface are affected by cutting tool material, tool geometry, workpiece, tool-work interface conditions, and the cutting parameters such as feed rate, depth of cut and cutting speed. In the current work, residual stresses were measured using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD). The surface residual stresses in two directions (radial and hoop) were measured on the machined pins after machining with different machining conditions, but prior to the wear test. Wear behavior of Co-Cr-Mo alloy pin specimens, produced from machining with varying tool edge geometry and machining conditions, was studied using a custom-made biaxial motion pin-on-disc tribological testing system in which the pin specimen is immersed in a simulated bio-fluid environment. Wear-induced weight loss (± 10 μg) and changes in surface roughness (± 0.001 μm) were obtained at 100,000 cycle intervals upto 500,000 cycles. Metallographic analysis was performed on the machined pin specimens to analyze the microstructure and microhardness before and after testing. The rate of wear for the specimens was lowest for those pins where the change of the subsurface microhardness was small due to prevention of additional steady state wear after the initial run-in wear in the wear tester. A combination or response surface methodology and genetic algorithm (GA) was used in to optimize the various machining parameters for minimized wear generation. The optimal combination of the four machining parameters (feed 0.18mm/rev, nose radius 0.6 mm, cutting speed 27.6 m/min and depth of cut 0.38) produced the largest compressive residual stresses on the surface and subsurface of the implants thereby reducing the wear/debris generation by about fifty percent.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
An interview with Edsger W. Dijkstra

The computer science luminary, in one of his last interviews before his death in 2002, reflects on a programmer's life.
Laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular cancer: a long-term update.

Abstract Objectives To assess retrospectively the long-term cancer control in patients undergoing laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in the management of clinical Stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors. Methods A retrospective review of 29 patients undergoing laparoscopic RPLND was performed. All patients had clinical Stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor, with vascular invasion and/or embryonal carcinoma in the orchiectomy specimen. A modified template dissection was performed. Patients with retroperitoneal metastases were offered two cycles of chemotherapy. A modified follow-up schedule was used in patients with pathologically negative nodes. Results Lymph nodes were negative in 17 of 29 patients. Of these 17 patients, 15 had no recurrence and were free of disease with 5.8 years of follow-up. Two patients had recurrence, one in the chest, and one biochemically, and both were free of disease after chemotherapy. Twelve of 29 patients had lymph nodes with metastatic testicular cancer. Ten of these patients underwent adjuvant chemotherapy and were free of disease with 6.3 years of follow-up. One patient had a biochemical recurrence after positive RPLND and was salvaged with chemotherapy. One patient was observed after positive RPLND and was free of disease with 4.9 years of follow-up. The only long-term complication was retrograde ejaculation in 1 patient. Conclusions Laparoscopic RPLND is a safe, minimally invasive treatment option in patients with clinical Stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor. The cancer control appears to be similar, with minimal morbidity compared with the open procedure.
The amino acid dipeptide: Small but still influential after 50 years

The conformation of a polypeptide chain can be described with good accuracy in terms of a unique set of values of backbone torsion angles—two for each amino acid residue—called ϕ and ψ (Fig. 1); bond lengths and bond angles are given fixed canonical values, and the peptide bond linking successive residues also is fixed as a planar structure. As was shown by Ramachandran and coworkers nearly 50 y ago (1), it is easy to map distributions of polypeptide conformations expressed in terms of the torsion angles ϕ and ψ in 2D graphs, which have since become known as Ramachandran plots. These authors analyzed the conformations available to a single residue in a polypeptide chain in terms of a simple model that included, besides a single amino acid residue, parts of the neighboring residues as far as the immediately preceding and succeeding α-carbon atoms and, thus, included the two planar peptide groups; to this model they gave the (unsystematic) name of dipeptide. When they assumed standard atomic radii and disallowed conformations with atomic overlap, they found that relatively few combinations of the two … [↵][1]1E-mail: hermans{at}med.unc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Host−Guest Chemistry Using an Oriented Mesoporous Host: Alignment and Isolation of a Semiconducting Polymer in the Nanopores of an Ordered Silica Matrix

Oriented polymer/silica composites have been synthesized by incorporating the conjugated semiconducting polymer MEH-PPV into the pores of an aligned, hexagonally ordered mesoporous silica. The ordered silica framework is synthesized by a silica/surfactant coorganization process that proceeds via a silicate/surfactant liquid crystalline intermediate. Magnetic fields are used to orient this liquid crystalline intermediate, followed by chemical cross-linking of the silica framework and removal of the surfactant. Hexagonally ordered (p6mm) aligned silica samples are treated with organic chlorosilanes to optimize interactions between the polymer and the silica surface. Polymers are incorporated from solution; thermal cycling is used to drive the polymers into the pores. The resultant polymer incorporation is monitored by polarized photoluminescence spectroscopy. Polymer chains which are oriented in the aligned nanoporous silica show strong polarization anisotropy in their photoluminescence (IVV/IVH = 4.4, IHH/...
Examining both sides of a Janus PTB domain.

Abstract The crystal structure of the Disabled-1 PTB domain in a ternary complex with the phosphoinositide PI-4,5P 2 and an NPVY peptide of the apolipoprotein E receptor-2 reveals how this conserved scaffold simultaneously recognizes two distinct biological ligands required for signaling through this family of receptors.
Malrotation and midgut volvulus: a historical review and current controversies in diagnosis and management

The complex and sometimes controversial subject of malrotation and midgut volvulus is reviewed commencing with the 19th-century Bohemian anatomist, Vaclav Treitz, who described the suspensory muscle anchoring of the duodenal-jejunal junction in the left upper quadrant, and continuing with William Ladd, the 20th-century American “father of pediatric surgery” who pioneered the surgical treatment of midgut volvulus. In this review, we present the interesting history of malrotation and discuss the current radiologic and surgical controversies surrounding its diagnosis and treatment. In the symptomatic patient with malrotation and possible midgut volvulus, prompt diagnosis is critical. The clinical examination and plain film are often confusing, and delayed diagnosis can lead to significant morbidity and death. Despite recent intense interest in the position of the mesenteric vessels on US and CT scans, the upper gastrointestinal series remains the fastest and most accurate method of demonstrating duodenal obstruction, the position of the ligament of Treitz, and, if the contrast agent is followed distally, cecal malposition. Controversy exists over the management of asymptomatic patients with malrotation in whom the diagnosis is made incidentally during evaluation for nonspecific complaints, prior to reflux surgery, and in those with heterotaxy syndromes.
Soy Protein and Oil Effects on Chemical, Physical and Microbial Stability of Lean Ground Beef Patties

Effects of isolated soy protein (ISP), frozen, textured isolated soy protein (FTISP), soybean oil (SO), and hydrogenated soybean oil (HSO) addition on chemical, color, sensory, and microbial stability of lean (>90%) ground beef patties (LGBP) were evaluated. Soy oil was incorporated as an emulsion (SE). Nine treatments, including two all beef controls (20 and 10% fat), were formulated to contain combinations of SE, HSO and FTISP. Sensory panelists found LGBP with 25% FTISP (10% fat from beef) to have as intense beef flavor (P>0.05) as all beef controls. Lipid oxidation and pigment discoloration rates were slowed by fat adjustment to 10% with SO and/or HSO. Soy had no effect (P>0.05) on microbial stability.
Clinical and noninvasive hemodynamic results after aortic balloon valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis.

Abstract Balloon valvuloplasty has been shown to be an effective treatment for adults with aortic stenosis, typically providing a 50 to 80% increase in aortic valve area and marked improvement in exertional dyspnea, angina and syncope. However, the duration of this hemodynamic and clinical improvement is uncertain. Forty-two patients were followed for 10.2 ± 0.5 months. Balloon valvuloplasty caused dramatic immediate reduction in the number of patients with moderate or severe dyspnea (80 to 14%), moderate or severe angina (39 to 2%) and syncope (30 to 2%). Furthermore, this improvement in symptoms continued for the duration of the follow-up period in most patients. Echocardiographic aortic valve mean gradient and area determined at 3-month intervals, however, showed a trend toward or return to prevalvuloplasty levels by 9 months' follow-up in 13 of 25 patients (52%), whereas 12 of 25 patients showed no deterioration in their hemodynamic parameters. This trend toward restenosis was accompanied by symptomatic deterioration in 5 of 13 patients (38%). This tendency toward restenosis in >50% of patients by 9 months underscores the need for further technical improvements if balloon valvuloplasty is to be widely applied. Even with these limitations, however, balloon valvuloplasty seems to provide a significant improvement in actuarial survival compared with the natural history of elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis.
Association of the tryptophan hydroxylase gene with smoking initiation but not progression to nicotine dependence

We investigated the association between two markers in the seventh intron of the tryptophan hydroxylase gene (TPH C218A and C779A) in a population-based case control study of 780 genotyped subjects. As in prior studies, the two markers were in strong linkage disequilibrium. The phenotypes we studied were smoking initiation and progression to nicotine dependence. Allele, genotype, and estimated haplotype frequencies for each marker were highly significantly different for smoking initiation (P < 0.0004 for each comparison) and were nonsignificant for progression to nicotine dependence. An empirical test suggested that the positive results were unlikely to have resulted from population stratification. Our results are similar to those of Lerman et al. [2001: Am J Med Genet (Neuropsychiatr Genet) 105:000-000] in associating these TPH markers with a construct related to smoking initiation but dissimilar in the variable implicated. If these results replicate in other samples, the serotonergic system may be involved in the etiology of smoking initiation given the rate-limiting role of TPH in the biosynthesis of serotonin.
CloVR-Metagenomics: Functional and taxonomic microbial community characterization from metagenomic whole-genome shotgun (WGS) sequences – standard operating procedure, version 1.0

The CloVR-Metagenomics pipeline employs several well-known tools and protocols for the analysis of metagenomic whole-genome shotgun (WGS) sequence datasets:A) UCLUST – a C++-based software package for clustering redundant DNA sequences and removing artificial 454 replicates;B) BLASTX and BLASTN for functional and taxonomic assignment of sequences, respectively;C) Metastats and custom R scripts to generate additional statistical and graphical evaluation.The CloVR-Metagenomics pipeline accepts as input multiple fasta files (1 sample per file) and a corresponding tab-delimited metadata file that specifies features associated with the samples, which are used for comparative analysis. This protocol is available in CloVR beta version 0.5 and 0.6.
Development of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin (STa)

A sensitive competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect the low molecular weight heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) in culture supernatant fluids of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Competitive inhibition was observed between STa in solution and a glutaraldehyde-coupled STa-human serum albumin (HSA) conjugate bound to microtiter wells when antiserum raised against a glutaraldehyde-coupled STa-bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugate was used as detecting antibody. No competition was observed with conjugates prepared using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide or dimethyl suberimidate and antisera raised against each conjugate. A biotin/avidin system increased the sensitivity of the assay such that 133 pg/ml of purified STa can be detected in less than 4 h. The assay was used to detect and quantify STa in culture supernatant fluids from human, porcine, and bovine ETEC isolates. No cross-reactivity was observed with the heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) or the form of ST with biological activity only in piglets (STb). Results from the quantitative STa ELISA showed good correlation (0.87) with the suckling mouse bioassay and a previously described radioimmunoassay. The quantitative assay was modified to reduce the total incubation time to less than 2 h. The qualitative STa ELISA provides a rapid and sensitive assay for clinical isolates of ETEC and should facilitate epidemiological studies on the incidence of STa-producing ETEC.