cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between obesity and biomarkers of inflammation and metabolism with cancer mortality in a prospective cohort study.

Abstract Objective To investigate the association between biomarkers of inflammation and metabolic dysregulation and cancer mortality by obesity status. Methods Data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort was used to examine the associations between baseline biomarkers of inflammation (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and CRP) and metabolism (adiponectin, resisting and lipoprotein (a)) with cancer mortality among 1822 participants cancer-free at baseline. Weighted Cox proportional hazard regression with the robust sandwich method was used to estimate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusting for baseline covariates and stratified by BMI (normal, overweight/obese) given the significant interaction between biomarkers and BMI (p Results During a mean follow-up of 8 years, there were statistically significant associations between cancer mortality and being in the highest vs. lowest tertile of IL-6 (HR: 5.3; 95% CI: 1.6, 17.8), CRP (HR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.0, 11.2) and resistin (HR: 3.7; 95% CI: 1.2, 11.2) among participants with normal BMI. IL-6 was also associated with a 3-fold (HR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.5, 8.1) increased risk of cancer mortality among participants with overweight/obesity; however, neither CRP nor resistin was significantly associated with cancer mortality in this group. Conclusions Higher baseline inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers were associated with significantly increased risk of cancer mortality after adjusting for baseline risk factors and the associations varied by BMI. Cancer patients may benefit from interventions that modulate inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers.
Development of nanopore-based near ultraviolet vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers

Compared with conventional edge-emitting laser diodes, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have numerous advantages such as the compatibility with mainstream semiconductor microfabrication, the possibility of on-wafer testing, a better beam profile, the feasibility of arrayed and coherent operation and the possibility of low-power and single-mode operation. While, in the short wavelength, from green and blue to near ultraviolet (530 to 360 nm), only edge-emitting laser diodes are commercially available, the commercialization of III-nitride VCSELs are expected to enable unique applications in mobile display and projection, virtual, augmented, and/or mixed reality, adaptive beam steering, and high-resolution laser printing. The main challenge in the technology of III-nitride VCSELs, however, is the fabrication of planar distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) that provide near-unity reflection and thus support the formation of high-quality vertical cavity. While, over the past decade, numerous groups reported VCSEL operations (only in visible spectrum) using epitaxial DBRs (AlGaN/GaN, AlN/GaN, AlInN/GaN) and dielectric DBRs (involving lift-offs or epitaxial lateral overgrowth), the devices commercialization is still hampered by challenging epitaxial growth, complicated fabrication or low thermal management. We report in this paper the use of a nanoporous (Al)GaN medium as an alternative method in the formation of III-nitride VCSELs. Specifically, we will focus on the development of VCSELs with an emission wavelength at 369 nm which is crucial for the realization of next-generation compact atomic clocks. We note that VCSEL operation below 400 nm has never been demonstrated, and we will discuss factors of importance toward this realization, including the formation of near-unity DBR mirrors using nanoporous AlGaN/AlGaN structures, the investigation and control of cavity loss including absorption and scattering, and the formation of intra-cavity current injection, optically-transparent pathways. So far clear single-mode spontaneous emission at 369 nm (linewidth < 2 nm) is observed. We will report the latest result including pulsed characterizations under high level injection.
Efficacy, Toxicity, and Infectious Complications in Ruxolitinib-Treated Patients with Corticosteroid-Refractory Graft-versus-Host Disease after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Abstract Corticosteroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease (SR-GVHD) remains a significant source of morbidity after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. No standard therapy exists in this setting; however, recent studies have demonstrated a very promising role for ruxolitinib, an oral Janus kinase 1/2 inhibitor. With increasing evidence of efficacy for SR-GVHD, limited data exist describing complications of ruxolitinib use, specifically infectious complications during use in SR-GVHD. In this study we report outcomes and infectious complications at our institution with ruxolitinib use. Overall, 43 patients were treated with ruxolitinib for SR-GVHD, 19 for acute SR-GVHD and 24 for chronic SR-GVHD. With respect to acute SR-GVHD, 15 patients had grade III acute GVHD and 4 patients had grade IV acute GVHD. At 28 days, a response rate of 84% was detected. With respect to chronic SR-GVHD, 16 patients had moderate refractory disease and 8 had severe refractory disease. At around 28 days, a 63% response rate was detected. Overall, 42% of patients (n = 18) treated with ruxolitinib had a documented infectious event. Infectious events were significantly more common among patients treated for acute SR-GVHD (P
PedigreeNet: a web-based pedigree viewer for biological databases.

Motivation Plant breeding aims to improve current germplasm that can tolerate a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. To accomplish this goal, breeders rely on developing a deeper understanding of genetic makeup and relationships between plant varieties to make informed plant selections. Although rapid advances in genotyping technology generated a large amount of data for breeders, tools that facilitate pedigree analysis and visualization are scant, leaving breeders to use classical, but inherently limited, hierarchical pedigree diagrams for a handful of plant varieties. To answer this need, we developed a simple web-based tool that can be easily implemented at biological databases, called PedigreeNet, to create and visualize customizable pedigree relationships in a network context, displaying pre- and user-uploaded data. Results As a proof-of-concept, we implemented PedigreeNet at the maize model organism database, MaizeGDB. The PedigreeNet viewer at MaizeGDB has a dynamically-generated pedigree network of 4706 maize lines and 5487 relationships that are currently available as both a stand-alone web-based tool and integrated directly on the MaizeGDB Stock Pages. The tool allows the user to apply a number of filters, select or upload their own breeding relationships, center a pedigree network on a plant variety, identify the common ancestor between two varieties, and display the shortest path(s) between two varieties on the pedigree network. The PedigreeNet code layer is written as a JavaScript wrapper around Cytoscape Web. PedigreeNet fills a great need for breeders to have access to an online tool to represent and visually customize pedigree relationships. Availability and implementation PedigreeNet is accessible at https://www.maizegdb.org/breeders_toolbox. The open source code is publically and freely available at GitHub: https://github.com/Maize-Genetics-and-Genomics-Database/PedigreeNet. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
“Ownself Check Ownself”: The Role of Singlish Humor in the Rise of the Opposition Politician in Singapore

The People’s Action Party (PAP) have won every election in Singapore since 1959 when the citystate was first granted self-governance. Over the years, its regime has been described as authoritarian by political observers (Rodan 2004; Tan 2012), the subjugation of the media a commonly brought-up example of the party’s ability to shut down contrasting political views (Seow,1998). With media laws that dictate the freedom of the press and protect the PAP’s interests, opposition parties have found it difficult to break their stronghold on the nation-state, and there has been no real political contestation in the general elections. Since 2011 however, the PAP, amidst social pressure to ‘keep up with the times’, have cautiously lifted the total ban on online campaigning and as a result, Singapore politics have undergone rapid mediatization. This has led to two major changes in the local political arena. Firstly, the shift in symbiotic relationships between the mainstream media, political organizations and the electorate in Singapore, has encouraged the paralleled rise of "newly competitive" opposition parties able to capitalize on newer, non-traditional spaces of communication to question the ruling legitimacy of the PAP (Ortmann, 2010). In order to brand themselves as alternative voices to an elite PAP, their public performances have appealed to growing populism, and tap on Singlish, an ideologically valuable linguistic resource, to do so. This paper analyzes the creative, patterned use of Singlish, indexically tied to "the common Singaporean" (J. Leimgruber, 2013), by opposition politicians in rallies to humorously attack PAP candidates and ideas. I argue that such linked uses of humor to language allow for opposition politicians to simultaneously position themselves as fellow lay members of the Singaporean community, and reinforce their own political stances through the deriding of the ruling party. Secondly, the rise of social media and alternative new media on the Internet have created an increasingly sophisticated citizenry (cf. Mazzoleni and Schulz, 1999) that exhibit greater degrees of "open political dissent" (Ortmann, 2010) and scrutinize political actors closer than before. This paper tracks online Singlish memes in which Singaporean netizens mock the PAP’s ’inauthentic’ expressions of Singaporean-ness and legitimize opposition politicians’ use of the language. As such, an alternative linguistic marketplace (Bourdieu, 1977) emerges in which Singlish humor is a symbol of populist resistance and solidarity. Through the analysis of these metalinguistic commentaries, I make a case for the commodification of Singlish as an ideological resource through which Singaporeans construct intersubjectivity and discuss how the nation-state is aligned with certain ways of using language.
The Role of Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Management of Benign, Atypical, and Malignant Meningiomas

Stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated Stereotactic radiotherapy (SR) offer precise localization of radiation dose (Gy) for the treatment of meningioma (M). For the multimodal treatment with preservation of function, SR is complementary to both microsurgery (S) and conventional external beam radiotherapy (XRT). The role of SR in the management of atypical and malignant meningiomas, however, remains unexplored. Fifty consecutive patients with meningioma: 18 males (60.1 +/− 2.3 years) and 32 females (56.9 +/− 2.2 years) (p = NS) received SR. Thirty-one patients had surgery 69.6 +/− 13.9 months (95% CI: 53.3–98.0) prior to SR. For patients having S, the incidence of atypical or malignant versus benign meningiomas (14 versus 17 patients) increased with age (p = 0.03). Twenty patients had XRT approximately 18 months prior to SR. For antecedent XRT, the range of doses was 3600–6400 cGy (median: 5040 cGy). Following failure of S and/or XRT, patients had SR. Compared to other series, the mean tumor volumes for SR were comparatively large: 9.8 +/− 1.3 cm3 (range 0.3–37.1 cm3). The median SR dose was 3500 cGy (range 540–5400 cGy) administered in seven fractions (range 1–30). Linear regression analysis showed a consistent method for fractionation: the number of administered fractions increased (p = 0.053) and the total dose increased (p = 0.054) with tumor size. During the interval for follow–up (17.9 +/− 2.9 months), one patient with malignant meningioma required surgery for progression 8 months after SR. In the remaining patients, post-SR MRIs showed control (unchanged or smaller tumor volume) regardless of histology. These results show that SR may provide control of M regardless of grade.
Does area postrema syndrome occur in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG-associated disorders (MOGAD)?

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG is a biomarker associated with CNS demyelinating diseases.1,2 MOGAD and aquaporin-4-IgG–positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-IgG + NMOSD) have overlapping clinical features including optic neuritis and myelitis. However, there are several clinical and radiologic distinguishing features of MOGAD including lack of female predominance, higher incidence of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), higher proportion of bilateral optic neuritis, and T2-signal confined to gray matter and conus involvement in myelitis.1,3,4
2-Octyl cyanoacrylate to prevent salivary fistula formation following oral cavity microvascular reconstruction: A prospective trial.

Abstract Background Salivary fistulas remain a significant problem in patients undergoing major head and neck reconstructive surgery. Surgical sealants have become increasingly used in cutaneous and non-cutaneous wound closure, providing a barrier to fluids/gases and promoting healing. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a common surgical sealant, 2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate (2-OCA, Dermabond®), in the prevention of salivary fistulas following free flap reconstruction of the oral cavity. Methods In this non-randomized, single arm prospective trial, patients undergoing free flap reconstruction of gravity-dependent oral cavity defects were recruited. Application of 2-OCA was performed along flap inset suture lines at the time of surgery. Prospectively collected trial data were propensity score matched to a control cohort to compare outcomes. Data collected include demographics, medical co-morbidities, previous treatments, primary tumor site, and subsites reconstructed. The primary outcome measure was rate of salivary fistula formation. Secondary outcomes were time to development of leak and percentage of patients tolerating oral feeding at one month post-operatively. Results In the 46 propensity score matched pairs, eight (17.4%) out of 46 patients in the 2-OCA prospective cohort and seven (15.2%) out of 46 patients in the control cohort developed postoperative salivary fistulas within the one-month study interval (p = 1.00). The average time to postoperative leak in the 2-OCA group was 12.5 days versus 7.1 days in the control cohort (p = 0.10). In the 2-OCA group, 30 (65.2%) patients were tolerating regular diet at one month post-operatively compared to 33 (71.7%) in the control cohort (p = 0.65). Conclusion Salivary fistula rates after application of a 2-OCA surgical sealant were not improved compared to a control cohort in this single institutional trial. There are several surgical sealants available, each with varying elasticity and adhesiveness. Future studies are needed to identify surgical sealants that are able to provide sufficient strength and adhesion to seal closures and combat corrosive saliva, but elastic enough to handle motion related tension during swallowing and post-operative movements in the head and neck.
Discourses Surrounding Latinx Students and Families among Literacy Educators

The literacy faculty at a regional, comprehensive university in the southeastern U.S. explored the perceptions of students in their undergraduate and graduate literacy programs—as well as students ...
Quantitative super-resolution microscopy reveals distinct ULK1 oligomeric states and nanoscopic morphologies during autophagy initiation

Abstract Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process for degradation and recycling of intracellular components. Although autophagy has been extensively studied over the past decades, it still remains unclear how autophagosome formation occurs in response to starvation. Here, using quantitative Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (qPALM) we have analyzed the nanoscopic spatial distribution and the oligomeric states of endogenous ULK1, the central autophagy induction regulator. For this, we introduced the gene of mEos2, a photoswitchable fluorescent protein, into the ULK1 allele of the HeLa cell genome using a genome-editing technique to express mEos2-ULK1 at an endogenous level. With single-molecule sensitivity, we found that ULK1 exists as various oligomers with clustered and arc-shaped structures throughout the cytoplasm. Upon induction of autophagy by amino acid starvation, a small fraction of ULK1 molecules formed higher-order oligomers localized to larger spherical structures with radii up to 380 nm. Cross-correlation analysis of two-color PALM data of ULK1 and its interaction partner Atg13 revealed that ULK1 structures composed of more than ~40 molecules form under starvation only when ULK1 and Atg13 are colocalized. Through two-color PALM analysis of ULK1 and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) compartment, we found that these autophagic ULK1 structures occur in a close proximity of the ER within 800 nm. These results indicate that ULK1 might engage in the initiation of autophagosome formation at and near the ER where its cluster size expands to contain more than 40 ULK1 molecules. This quantitative analysis of endogenous ULK1 has provided unprecedented insights into the origin of the autophagy initiation structures. Significance Statement Despite extensive research over the past decades, the molecular mechanism for autophagy initiation remains obscure. Here, we applied Photoactivation Localization Microscopy techniques, coupled with genome-editing, to quantify the oligomeric states and nanoscale behaviors of endogenous ULK1, the central autophagy regulator. The quantitative PALM analysis revealed that ULK1 forms high order multimeric clusters containing up to ~60 molecules, and the oligomeric states increase in response to amino acid starvation up to ~190 molecules. Through cross-correlation analysis, we identified a threshold number of ULK1 molecules that might reflect the state of ULK1 engaging in autophagy initiation in close proximity to the endoplasmic reticulum. These results have provided an unprecedented level of insight into the molecular behavior of ULK1 during autophagy initiation.
Targeted Muscle Reinnervation in the Hand: An Anatomical Feasibility Study for Neuroma Treatment and Prevention

Purpose Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) has emerged as a treatment for, and prevention of, symptomatic neuromas and has been reported to be of benefit in the hand. Anatomical studies establishing landmarks for consistent identification of the motor entry points (MEPs) to the intrinsic muscles have not been performed. The purpose of this study was to provide details regarding the MEPs to the intrinsic muscles, determine which MEPs are identifiable dorsally, and develop recommended sensory to MEP nerve coaptations for prophylactic TMR at the time of ray amputation or for management of symptomatic neuromas. Methods Motor entry points to the intrinsic hand muscles were dissected in 5 fresh latex-injected cadavers. Number of MEPs, diameter, surface of entry, and distance from dorsal (Lister tubercle) and volar (hamate hook) landmarks were recorded for each target muscle. The digital sensory nerve diameters were measured for size comparison. Results Motor entry points were identified to all 19 intrinsic muscles through a volar approach and 12 through a dorsal approach. For all fingers, at least 2 MEPs were consistently identified dorsally at the base of each amputation site innervating expendable muscles. Motor entry points to the thenar muscles were only reliably identified through a volar approach. Two recommended nerve coaptations for each digit amputation were identified. All had a favorable sensory-to-MEP diameter ratio less than 2:1. Conclusions The intrinsic hand muscles have MEPs at consistent distances from bony landmarks both dorsally and volarly. Clinical relevance These results can be applied clinically to assist surgeons in identifying the locations of MEPs to the intrinsic muscles when performing TMR in the hand for both neuroma treatment and prevention.
Pediatric Post-Tonsillectomy Opioid Prescribing Practices

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of discharge order sets on prescribing patterns of opioids after pediatric tonsillectomy. Secondary outcomes included encounters for postoperative pain, dehydration, and bleeding. METHODS Retrospective chart review of pre- and post-intervention in pediatric post-tonsillectomy patients, 0-18 years old (n = 1486). Order sets were installed with age-specific analgesic medication defaults and recommendation of concurrent alternating scheduled ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Time-balanced pre- and post-intervention cohorts were established. Opioid outcomes calculated in morphine milligram equivalents per kilogram (MME/kg) per dosage and total prescribed. RESULTS Discharge order set intervention resulted in 17% reduction of opioid dose prescribed (0.095 MME/kg [95% CI, 0.092-0.099] vs. 0.079 [95% CI, 0.076-0.083], P < .001). Total number of opioid doses prescribed was reduced after order set implementation (46.4 [95% CI, 43.6-49.1] to 20.3 [95% CI, 19.1-21.5], P < .001). Patients <7 years old prescribed opioids remained rare in pre- and post-intervention groups (1.6% and 1.8%, respectively, P = .86). Admissions and emergency department visits for postoperative dehydration and pain were significantly reduced. Post-intervention group showed an increase in readmissions for post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (9.2% vs. 5.2%, P = .003) which was isolated to an increase in the older post-intervention group after stratification by age. CONCLUSION Utilization of order sets with standardized analgesic medication regimen of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and opioid helped effectively reduce opioid amount per dose, total opioid amount dispensed, and variability in the total opioid amount dispensed while maintaining pain control. An increase in post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage was recognized following this implementation which did not persist after the study period despite continuation of intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 131:1386-1391, 2021.
High- T C Superconductivity Originating from Interlayer Coulomb Coupling in Gate-Charged Twisted Bilayer Graphene Moiré Superlattices

Unconventional superconductivity in bilayer graphene has been reported for twist angles θ near the first magic angle and charged electrostatically with holes near half filling of the lower flat bands. A maximum superconducting transition temperature TC ≈ 1.7 K was reported for a device with θ = 1.05° at ambient pressure and a maximum TC ≈ 3.1 K for a device with θ = 1.27° under 1.33 GPa hydrostatic pressure. A high-TC model for the superconductivity is proposed herein, where pairing is mediated by Coulomb coupling between charges in the two graphene sheets. The expression derived for the optimal transition temperature, TC0 = kB−1Λ(|nopt − n0|/2)1/2e2/ζ, is a function of mean bilayer separation distance ζ, measured gated charge areal densities nopt and n0 corresponding to maximum TC and superconductivity onset, respectively, and the length constant Λ = 0.00747(2) A. Based on existing experimental carrier densities and theoretical estimates for ζ, TC0 = 1.94(4) K is calculated for the θ = 1.05° ambient-pressure device and TC0 = 3.02(3) K for the θ = 1.27° pressurized device. Experimental mean-field transition temperatures TCmf = 1.83(5) K and TCmf = 2.86(5) K are determined by fitting superconducting fluctuation theory to resistance transition data for the ambient-pressure and pressurized devices, respectively; the theoretical results for TC0 are in remarkable agreement with these experimental values. Corresponding Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless temperatures TBKT of 0.96(3) K and 2.2(2) K are also determined and interpreted.
Periodic and non-periodic solutions in a Ricker-type second-order equation with periodic parameters

We study the dynamics of the positive solutions of the exponential difference equationxn+1=xn-1ean-xn-1-xnwhere the sequence {an} is periodic. We find that qualitatively different dynamics occurs depending on whether the period p of {an} is odd or even. If p is odd then periodic and non-periodic solutions coexist (with different initial values) if the amplitudes of the terms an are allowed to vary over a sufficiently large range. But if p is even then all solutions converge to an asymptotically stable limit cycle of period p if either all the odd-indexed or all the even-indexed terms of {an} are less than 2, and the sum of the even terms of {an} does not equal the sum of its odd terms. The key idea in our analysis that explains this behavioural dichotomy is a semiconjugate factorization of the above equation into a triangular system of two first-order equations.
The Pregnant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Patient: Evaluation and Management

Summary Management of the gravid patient who presents with an acute oral and maxillofacial surgery problem may be executed safely in most instances with minimal risks to the mother and the fetus. Particular attention should be paid to obtaining a obstetric consultation and to understanding the physiologic changes that occur in gestation. All elective treatment should be delayed to the postpartum period.
Battered Love in Contemporary Syria: Shi‘i Spiritual Healing with Abu Ahmad

Who can help heal broken hearts in contemporary Syria? The spiritual doctor (ṭabīb rūḥānī), Shaykh Abu Ahmad claimed he could. Abu Ahmad veiled “reality” by restating events and narratives with reference to jinn. Then he charged clients for exorcising the Evil Eye or an evil (magical) deed (‘amla). At least temporarily, he lightened the burden these concealed faults posed. Shaykh Abu Ahmad relieved his clients’ worries with ḥijābs or talismans, for which he used magic number squares. His method of healing involved kashshāf, a diagnostic analysis or revelation, which simultaneously revealed and concealed. Shaykh Abu Ahmad’s magic is an example of Michael Taussig’s definition as “a skilled revealing of skilled concealment”. The shaykh’s intervention had two social functions: It restored Muslim bodies and lives, and it reified normative views of the role of jinn. This chapter examines the role spiritual healers and jinn play in society and how they relate to the sphere of religion. It begins by analyzing the relationship between religion and magic in the setting of Sayyida Zaynab, a suburb south of Damascus, then describes the space of a spiritual doctor, Shaykh Abu Ahmad. Next, it tells two stories: one is about averting divorce and the other about an attempt to make a former lover return. In the first one, Shaykh Abu Ahmad achieved his stated goal; in the second, he did not. Both, however, resulted in healing broken hearts and mending social relations. Spirits are part of the healing process, part of the stories that veil events and problems.
The Perfect Storm Relationship Between Vaccination-induced Disorders and Illness Manifested by Post Covid-19 Long Haulers

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), has not only created an acute worldwide pandemic but also chronic adverse health effects in a substantial percentage of survivors. Hopefully, vaccines for Covid-19 will result in far fewer long haulers cases by reducing the severity of Covid-19 exposures. Acute and chronic vaccination-induced disorders attributable to Covid-19 immunizations need to be carefully assessed over intervals of several weeks because of the potential latency in mechanisms of disease causation that transcend anaphylaxis and allergic reactions.
Modeling Alluvial Channel Bed Transients

A mathematical model is devleoped to simulate bed transient formation and propagation in alluvial channels. The model is of the known-discharge type, i.e., within one time step, the water discharge is considered steady. This technique allows for the implicit numerical modeling of bed transient propagation using longer time steps that would otherwise be possible using the conventional sequential routing method. Instability due to ill-posing of the sediment transport function is circumvented by using a power relation between bed material transport and mean flow velocity. Errors in mass conservation due to linearization at the boundary are eliminated by using a nonlinear formulation of the upstream boundary condition. /ASCE/
The Continuing Wrong of “Wrongful Life”

My central task here is to explore the serious side of the humorous epitaph W. C. Fields is said to have chosen for his tombstone: “On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.” Of course, that is only a part of my thesis. In its broadest terms, the argument is that the term wrongful life has added needless confusion to the law—the courts are to blame for creating and employing it and the commentators are at fault for repeating it (a sin I suppose I am guilty of even now). The judiciary’s use of the terminology and the reasoning to which it gives rise in the decision of cases has taken a fairly straightforward injury and turned it into a metaphysical conundrum. This problem is going to assume increasing significance as human genetics becomes a more accepted part of medical practice, particularly as prenatal diagnosis for an ever-growing number of conditions becomes incorporated into obstetrics. With increased frequency, perhaps, will come clearer analysis, which will lead the courts to the view that recovery for malpractice leading to an affected birth should usually be possible for the parents, under standard theories of negligence and informed consent, and should also be available, upon proof of appropriate facts, for a child born with a severe anomaly that was “preventable.” It is particularly in the latter context that it may be necessary to explore Fields’s much-quoted dig at the town I call home.
2-Meth­oxy-3,4-diphenyl­phenol

The title compound, C19H16O2, was isolated as the major product after the solid-state photochemical reaction of 2-meth­oxy-4,4-diphenyl­cyclo­hexa-2,5-dienone. The dihedral angles between the central ring and pendant benzene rings are 60.76 (6) and 51.64 (6)°. The O—C vector of the meth­oxy group is almost perpendicular to the plane of the central ring as indicated by the C—C—O—C torsion angle of 94.89 (18)°. Hydrogen-bonded dimers are formed in the crystal structure via O—H⋯O inter­actions. The data were collected at room temperature on a Bruker SMART X2S diffractometer in the automated mode and processed manually thereafter.
The degree and duration of poliomyelitis virus excretion among vaccinated household contacts of clinical cases of poliomyelitis.

A study of the fecal excretion of poliovirus was made among household contacts of poliomyelitis patients in an attempt to determine whether or not prior administration of Salk vaccine had influenced susceptibility to gastrointestinal infection. No signfficant difference in excretion of virus was found between children who had received one or two doses of vaccine and those who had not been previously vaccinated.
Retrospectives Real and Money Wage Rates

Abstract In the General Theory, John Maynard Keynes held money and real wage rates move in opposite directions. In expansion, prices increase faster because of increasing costs and a rise in the proportion of product going to profits. Neoclassical economists held similarly. Money illusion of workers supported their common view. The author's 1938 article rather showed a procyclical pattern, significant to macroeconomic models of the economy. Contemporary literature with new elements of compensation and new measures of wages supports a slightly procyclical relationship. Increased output and employment in expansion do not require lower real wages.
Glutamatergic inhibition of voltage-operated calcium channels in the avian cochlear nucleus

The auditory nerve serves as the only excitatory input to neurons in the avian cochlear nucleus, nucleus magnocellularis (NM). NM neurons in immature animals are dependent upon auditory nerve signals; when deprived of them, many NM neurons die, and the rest atrophy. Auditory nerve terminals release glutamate, which can stimulate second messenger systems by activating a metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR). Therefore, it is possible that the effectors of mGluR-stimulated signal transduction systems are needed for NM neuronal survival. This study shows that mGluR activation in NM neurons attenuates voltage-dependent changes in [Ca2+]j. Voltage-dependent Ca2+ influx was also attenuated by increasing cAMP with forskolin, VIP, or 8-bromo-cAMP, indicating that mGluR activation may stimulate adenylate cyclase. The main results may be summarized as follows. NM neurons possess high voltage-activated Ca2+ channels that were modulated by quisqualate, glutamate, and (+/- )trans-ACPD, in that order of potency. Glutamatergic inhibition of Ca2+ influx was not blocked by L-AP3 or L-AP4, which antagonize the actions of mGluRs in other neural systems; it was blocked by serine-O- phosphate. Finally, the attenuation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ influx was duplicated by cAMP accumulators. Since NM neurons have high rates of spontaneous activity and higher rates of driven activity, the expression of this mGluR turns out to be very valuable: without it, [Ca2+]j could reach lethal concentrations. These results provide an important clue as to the identity of an intracellular signal that may play an important role in NM neuronal survival.
Towards safer nanomaterials: Investigating endothelial cell mechanical properties and barrier function

With the rapidly expanding use of nanoparticles in research and industry, the need to understand their potential for risk to population health is imperative. Current information on the effects of nanoparticles on living systems is limited, and this lack of knowledge has led to a global effort to define risk and improve the safety of nanoparticles. In this work, we elucidated the impact of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on cell mechanical behavior, barrier function, and cell-cell junctions as a critical step towards closing the present knowledge gap. We found tested nanoparticles affected the homeostasis of endothelial cells by disturbing the integrity of cell-cell junctions and cells mechanical properties. In addition, dark field microscopy showed that GNPs can adhere to endothelial cells or be taken up by endothelial cells easily; colorimetric assay for cell viability and reactive oxygen species assay showed the toxicity of GNPs is size dependent and surface modification dependent. These findings may have important implications regarding the safety issue as nanoparticles are widely used in biomedical applications and our daily life.
Newell's method for computing the plane equation of a polygon

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a numerically robust way of computing the plane equation of an arbitrary 3-D polygon, known as Newell's method. This technique works for concave polygons and polygons containing collinear vertices as well as for nonplanar polygons—for example, polygons resulting from perturbed vertex locations. It can be shown that the areas of the projections of a polygon onto the Cartesian planes—xy, yz, and zx—are proportional to the coefficients of the normal vector to the polygon. Newell's method computes each one of those projected areas as the sum of the signed areas of the trapezoidal regions enclosed between each polygon edge and its projection onto one of the Cartesian axes. Newell's method may seem inefficient for planar polygons because it uses all the vertices of a polygon when, in fact, only three points are needed to define a plane.
Emerging Enteric Protozoa: Cryptosporidium, Cyciospora, and Microsporidia

The sometimes desperate search for an etiology of severe, life-threatening, and persistent diarrhea in patients with AIDS has led attention to three "new" or emerging protozoan enteric pathogens: Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and microsporidia. All three of these emerging enteric protozoa disrupt the intestinal epithelium and tend to cause persistent diarrhea. A recent longitudinal review in a community hospital suggests that elderly patients may also be predisposed to cryptosporidiosis, as 36% of infected patients in the study were 63 years of age or older. The prognosis is clearly better in individuals whose CD4 counts return toward normal, and preliminary results from two studies evaluating the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy document improvement in either diarrhea or parasite shedding in patients with cryptosporidiosis or microsporidiosis. Since glutamine-coupled sodium absorption remains largely intact (and may be superior to glucose), oral rehydration and nutrition therapy (ORNT) holds promise both in rehydration and in speeding repair of disrupted bowel function in patients with cryptosporidial and other persistent diarrheas. Cyclosporiasis appears to have a striking summer rainy-season seasonality like cryptosporidiosis and has been associated with drinking contaminated water despite apparently adequate chlorination. Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and microsporidia clearly pose increasingly recognized threats to both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals through food and water supplies. Improved detection and animal models are needed in order to better understand the pathogenesis and epidemiology of Cyclospora infections, and little is known about the reservoir and potential vehicles and means of transmission of microsporidia.
A Scalable Vertical Model for Mining Association Rules

Association rule mining (ARM) is the data-mining process for finding all association rules in datasets matching user-defined measures of interest such as support and confidence. Usually, ARM proceeds by mining all frequent itemsets — a step known to be very computationally intensive — from which rules are then derived in a straight forward manner. In general, mining all frequent itemsets prunes the space by using the downward closure (or anti-monotonicity) property of support which states that no itemset can be frequent unless all of its subsets are frequent. A large number of papers have addressed the problem of ARM but not many of them have focused on scalability over very large datasets (i.e. when datasets contain a very large number of transactions). In this paper, we propose a new model for representing data and mining frequent itemsets that is based on the P-tree technology for compression and faster logical operations over vertically structured data and on set enumeration trees for fast itemset enumeration. Experimental results presented hereinafter show big improvements for our approach over large datasets when compared to other contemporary approaches in the literature.
Buprenorphine for opioid dependence

Opioid use disorder is a growing problem in the United States that can have devastating consequences on affected individuals. Buprenorphine is a partial mu-opioid agonist that can be used in the treatment of opioid dependence. In this article, the pharmacology of buprenorphine is discussed as is the dosing strategy. Formulations and product availability are mentioned and assessed. Several studies comparing the use of buprenorphine to methadone for opioid dependence are briefly reviewed.
Metal carbonyl complexes of 3,5-dimethylaceheptylene. Synthesis and molecular structures of (C14H8Me2)Mn2(CO)6 and (C14H8Me2)Fe3(CO)8

Abstract The reactions of the non-alternant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 3,5-dimethylaceheptylene, C14H8Me2, with various transition metal carbonyls and the molecular geometry of the compounds (C14H8Me2)Mn2(CO)6 and (C14H8Me2)Fe3(CO)8 is shown.
Guideline Public Company Valuation and Control Premiums: An Economic Analysis

There is a long running valuation debate regarding whether a control premium should be added to valuation based on guideline public companies because the share prices of the guideline companies represent marketable minority positions. This paper attempts to resolve that debate by developing a more complete economic model to analyze the issue. Based on the economic model, which highlights the potential motives for acquisitions, I conclude that no adjustment for a control premium is required to appraise a company on a current going concern basis. If the goal is to value a company at its highest value use, including as part of another company, then an adjustment to take account of the benefits of synergies, if there are any, is required. However, historical averages of acquisition premiums will overstate the proper adjustment.
Ca binding to the human red cell membrane: characterization of membrane preparations and binding sites.

Inside out and right side out vesicles were used to study the sidedness of Ca binding to the human red cell membrane. It was shown that these vesicles exhibited only a limited permeability to Ca, enabling the independent characterization of Ca binding to the extracellular and cytoplasmic membrane surfaces. Ca binding was studied in 10 mM Tris HCl at pH 7.4, 22±2°C and was shown to be complete in under 5 min. Scatchard plots were made from Ca binding data obtained at free Ca concentrations in the range of 10−6 to 10−3M. Under these conditions inside out vesicles exhibit two independent binding sites for Ca with association constants of 1×105 and 6×103 M−1, and right side out vesicles exhibit three independent binding sites with association constants of 2×105, 1.4×104 and 3×102M−1. Upon the addition of 0.1M KCl a third, high affinity site was found on inside out vesicles with an association constant of 3×105, (in 0.1 M KCl). Ca binding to inside out vesicles increased nearly linearly with pH in the, range of pH 4 to pH 11, while binding to right side out vesicles remained practically unchanged in the range of pH 7 to pH 9. Progressive increase of the ionic strength of the medium by the addition of K, Mg or Tris decreased Ca binding to inside out vesicles as did the addition of ATP. Comparison of a series of cation competitors for Ca binding sites on inside out vesicles at 0.003 mM Ca showed that La was the most effective competitor of all while Cd was the most effective divalent cation competitor of those tested. Our findings suggest that the effects of low concentrations of Ca at the inner surface of the red cell membrane are mediated primarily through Ca binding to site 1 (and, possibly site 2) of inside out vesicles of which there are approximately 1.6×105 per equivalent cell.
Relating metallic glass mechanical properties to liquid structure

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the mechanical properties of a model metallic glass depend critically on the degree of supercooling attained in the liquid prior to vitrification. A well-characterized binary glass-forming system roughly analogous to ZrTi was quenched instantaneously from a series of liquid temperatures. These temperatures ranged from approximately twice that of the onset of supercooled liquid behaviour down to just above the mode-coupling temperature ( T MCT ). The low-temperature mechanical properties of these glass samples is studied in simple shear at constant strain rate while the density of the system is held constant. All the glasses exhibit an initial linear response at small strain and approached a steady-state flow regime at large strain. However, glasses obtained by quenching from supercooled liquids just above T MCT , which we will refer to as T MCT glasses, exhibit higher shear strength and modulus than glasses obtained by quenching from higher temperature liquids. The T MCT glasses also exhibit pronounced shear softening. The change in pressure during shear is markedly different in these glasses, and indicates that the T MCT glasses retain aspects of the quenched-in structure out to as much as 25% strain. The changes in pressure also indicate significant structural changes occur even during nearly linear stress–strain response.
Blood glucose levels in diabetic patients following corticosteroid injections into the hand and wrist.

Purpose To quantify diabetic patients' change in blood glucose levels after corticosteroid injection for common hand diseases and to assess which patient-level risk factors may predict an increase in blood glucose levels. Methods Patients were recruited for this case-crossover study in the clinic of fellowship-trained hand surgeons at a tertiary care center. Patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2, who received a corticosteroid injection, recorded the morning fasting blood glucose levels for 14 days after the injection. Fasting glucose levels on days 1 to 7 after injection qualified as case data; levels on days 10 to 14 provided control data. A mixed model with a priori contrasts was used to compare postinjection blood glucose levels with baseline levels. We used a linear regression model to determine patient predictors of a postinjection rise in blood glucose levels. Results Of 67 patients recruited for the study returned, 40 (60%) completed blood glucose logs. There was a significant increase in fasting blood glucose levels after injection limited to postinjection days 1 and 2. Among patient risk factors in the linear regression model, type 1 diabetes and use of insulin each predicted a postinjection increase in blood glucose levels from baseline, whereas higher glycated hemoglobin levels did not predict increases. Conclusions Corticosteroid injections in the hand transiently increase blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Patients with type 1 diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetics are more likely to experience this transient rise in blood glucose levels. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic III.
Premises, promises, and problems of primatology

The premises and promises of primatology stem from its focus on a unique biological group whose members are related by evolutionary descent, and from its commitment to discover all there is to know about these animals. The essential multidisciplinary character of primatology is implicit in this commitment. Evolutionary theory provides the field of primatology with its reason for being and its intellecutal coherence, and is the basis for transforming a diversity of potentially disparate and autonomous disciplines into a mutually reinforcing array of interdependent components within a common enterprise. A powerful adjunct to evolutionary theory is the comparative perspective. The distinguishing characteristic of this perspective is its concern with similarities and differences among primate species at all levels of structure and function. It aims to establish shared traits, to distinguish between homologous processes and convergent effects, to identify trends and specializations, and to understand the historical antecedents of living species. Some of the problems that primatology faces can be traced to its multidisciplinary character. The vitality of primatology depends on the continuing infusion of new methods, new findings, and new ideas. This requires an active process of interdisciplinary communication and mutual education. It is also essential to promote basic research on all aspects of primate biology and to affirm the singular importance of the nonhuman primates as a resource for understanding the natural world and the principles that govern its workings. Conservation is the most formidable and intractable problem confronted by modern primatology. Primate conservation is part of the larger problem of preserving biological diversity in the face of accelerating destruction of natural ecosystems. Primatology has made important contributions to conservation and will continue to do so. The scope and complexity of the problem, however, require the cooperative efforts of many different interest groups.