cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 7:35 AM–9:00 AM ePosters: P176. Positive margin status is prognostic of poorer survival in primary bone tumors of the spine: An NCDB study

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Surgical resection is the primary mode of treatment for primary osseous neoplasms of the spine. While resection type and margin status have been well demonstrated in primary bone tumors of the extremity, the low prevalence of these tumors in the spine makes it difficult to determine the prognostic significance of these factors for spinal tumors. We investigated the largest registry of primary bone tumors, the national cancer database (NCDB). Our hypothesis was negative margin status and radical resection would correlate with increased length of survival (LOS). PURPOSE To determine if achieving a negative margin following resection of a malignant bone tumor of the spine improves 5-year survival. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Retrospective. PATIENT SAMPLE A total of 759 patients. OUTCOME MEASURES A total of 5-year survival. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed patients in the NCDB from 2004 to 2015 with a histologic diagnosis of primary spinal chordoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. Only patients who underwent surgical resection were included. Patients were stratified by margin of resection (negative margin vs. positive margin) and type of surgical resection (radical resection vs. local excision). The Kaplan–Meier (KM) method with statistical comparisons based on the log-rank test was used to identify univariate factors associated with LOS. RESULTS A total of 759 patients with primary spinal tumors undergoing surgical resection were identified with diagnoses of chordoma (n=332), chondrosarcoma (n=217), Ewing's sarcoma (n=112) and osteosarcoma (n=98). Following resection, 36.1% had a negative margin (n=274), 20.2% had a positive margin (n=153) and 43.7% were unspecified (n=332). Improved 5-year survival was seen with a negative resection margin (72.5% vs. 58.3%, p=.0032). Patients undergoing radical resection were more likely to have negative margins (79.8%) than those undergoing local or partial excisions (51.1%) (p CONCLUSIONS Surgical resection is the primary mode of treatment for primary osseous neoplasms of the spine, and this study confirms improved 5-year survival rates with surgical resection. Achieving a negative margin following resection improves survival. The type of resection (radical vs. local or partial excision) was not associated with survival; however, a radical tumor excision was more likely to achieve a negative margin. This study confirms the role of tumor excision in bony neoplasms of the spine, and provides evidence towards the importance of achieving a negative margin.
The Role of the Internet in the Promulgation of Judaism and Jewish Identity in Central Africa

This article presents selections from ongoing qualitative research dealing with the influence of the Internet on the diffusion and promulgation of different iterations of Judaism (not all of them n...
Autonomous Haiku Generation.

Artificial Intelligence is an excellent tool to improve efficiency and lower cost in many quantitative real world applications, but what if the task is not easily defined? What if the task is generating creativity? Poetry is a creative endeavor that is highly difficult to both grasp and achieve with any level of competence. As Rita Dove, a famous American poet and author states, "Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful." Taking Doves quote as an inspiration, our task was to generate high quality haikus using artificial intelligence and deep learning.
Fundamentals and applications of incorporating chromatographic separations with ion mobility-mass spectrometry

Abstract Mass spectrometry (MS) is an extremely powerful analytical technique capable of yielding chemical composition with high levels of speed, sensitivity, and selectivity. However, differentiation according to analyte structure and stereochemistry is beyond the reach of routine mass analysis and requires a second dimension to capture structural heterogeneity of analyte populations. With marked gains in resolution and robustness since the 1970s, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has served as an alternative detection approach following chromatography. However, IMS cannot provide the compositional information furnished by mass spectrometry and is arguably more appropriate as a complementary separation method prior to MS analysis. With the introduction of IMS as an intermediate, post-ionization separation stage the space across which chemical species are resolved greatly expands but also places new pressures on the performance of the MS platforms. Currently, biochemical, clinical, food, natural product, and environmental analyses are the primary applications for chromatography-IMMS methods.
Oral contraceptive use, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers over 12 months in college-aged females.

The purpose of this study was to compare bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers between combined oral contraceptive (COC) and non-COC users over 12 months. COC users (n = 34, age = 19.2 ± 0.5) and non-COC users (n = 28, age = 19.3 ± 0.6) provided serum at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. C-terminal telopepetides (CTX) and pro-collagen type 1 N-terminal propeptides (P1NP) were determined using ELISA. BMD was measured at the three time points using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). COC users had greater CTX than non-COC users at baseline (18.6 ± 8.2 vs. 13.8 ± 5.3 ng/mL, P = 0.021) and 6 months (20.4 ± 10.3 vs. 14.2 ± 8.5 ng/mL, P = 0.018). Controlling for lean mass, groups were similar in BMD. Over 12 months, non-COC users maintained BMD at the spine, while the COC users declined 2.2% in lateral spine BMD (0.773 ± 0.014 to 0.756 ± 0.014 g/cm2, P = 0.03) and 0.7% in anterior–posterior spine BMD (1.005 ± 0.015 to 0.998 ± 0.015 g/cm2, P = 0.069). Non-COC users increased in BMD of the whole body over 12 months (P < 0.001) while COC users had no change. Women who began COCs within 4 years after menarche had lower BMD at the hip and whole body. Women taking very low dose COCs (20 mcg ethinyl estradiol, EE) significantly declined in CTX, P1NP, and lateral spine BMD in comparison to participants using low dose COCs (30/35 mcg EE). College-aged women who did not use COCs increased BMD of the whole body, while COC users had elevated bone turnover, declines in spinal BMD, and lack of bone acquisition of the whole body over 12 months. Young females who initiate COC use early after menarche may experience skeletal detriments.
Cytoprotection by a naturally occurring variant of ATP5G1 in Arctic ground squirrels

Many organisms, from anaerobic bacteria to hibernating ground squirrels, have evolved mechanisms to tolerate severe hypoxia or ischemia. In particular, the arctic ground squirrel (AGS) has been shown to be highly resilient to ischemic and reperfusion injuries, demonstrating an ability to withstand metabolic stress under hibernation conditions. Although physiological adaptations are critical to ischemic tolerance in AGS, little is known about cellular mechanisms underlying intrinsic AGS cell tolerance to metabolic stressors. Through cell survival-based cDNA expression screens and comparative genomics, we have discovered that in AGS, a cytoprotective variant of ATP5G1 helps confer improved mitochondrial metabolism and cell resilience to metabolic stress. ATP5G1 encodes a proton-transporting subunit of the mitochondrial ATP synthase complex. Ectopic expression in mouse cells and CRISPR/Cas9 base editing of the endogenous AGS locus revealed causal roles of one AGS-specific amino acid substitution (leucine-32) in mediating the cytoprotective effects of AGS ATP5G1. We provide evidence that AGS ATP5G1 promotes cell resilience to stress by modulating mitochondrial morphological change and metabolic functions. Thus, our results identify a naturally occurring variant of ATP5G1 from a mammalian hibernator that causally contributes to intrinsic cytoprotection against metabolic stresses.
Using Notecard Check-Ins to Build Relationships and Establish a Climate of Care

We suggest the use of notecard check-ins as a quick and impactful way to build and maintain relationships with students, promote a climate of care, and demonstrate the importance of self-care and w...
Vita Builder: An Initiative to Reform Engineering Doctoral Programs for Underrepresented Groups

Globally, Latino/a is underrepresented in the engineering workforce and professoriate. The shortage in supply, one of the major causes of the current underrepresentation, can be relieved by expanding pathway to Ph.D. programs and strengthening the programs with professoriate preparation. Toward this goal, our work-in-progress conducts a pilot study on the strategies of transforming an existing Ph.D. program. How to stimulate and maintain student motivation and how to run the mentoring program to boost research productivity are two closely-related questions determining the success of this project. Our approach is based on the ARCS motivational model and the conceptual framework of Communities of Practice. The initiative, called Vita Builder, has been designed to attract a diverse pool of prospective students to the program that has been reformed in terms of instruction methods, mentoring mechanisms, and assessment protocols. Fundamentally, we replace the traditional milestone-based doctoral degree plan with vita-building learning experience. The students consider the scenarios of future career advancement and identify activities and products that will be helpful; then each student will work with faculty advisers to complete a master plan that specifies what to do during the program years. In this paper, we will present the background and motivation of this project, the theoretical underpinnings of the designed initiative, and a progress report of the reformed Ph.D. program. This work is a valuable reference for many higher education institutions that plan to develop or improve doctoral programs that are both competitive and inclusive.
Impact of palliative therapies in metastatic esophageal cancer patients not receiving chemotherapy.

Impact of palliative therapies in metastatic esophageal cancer patients not receiving chemotherapy
Low-Dose Perioperative Corticosteroids Can Be Administered Without Additional Morbidity in Patients Undergoing Bilateral Total Knee Replacement: A Retrospective Follow-up Study of a Randomized Controlled Trial:

Background: Short-term benefits of perioperative corticosteroid injections (CSIs) for bilateral total knee replacement (BTKR) include suppressed inflammation, improved knee motion, and reduced pain...
When Driving on Mpilo Boulevard: HIV, Citizenship, and the Migration of 'Competence'

Less than a decade ago, Lesotho’s leaders laid out a strategy for the country’s HIV response that focused on creating “HIV competent citizens.” Competence became one of the defining philosophical drivers of Lesotho’s HIV response, and an archetypal civic virtue. Understanding the emergence of such an idea requires tracing its movement and evolution, from clinical care in the US to development efforts in African states. For Lesotho, fostering and “decentralizing” HIV competence involved targeted grassroots campaigns that simultaneously asked citizens to “take responsibility” and chided them to “deal with culture.” The movement of a notion of competence out of the realm of the clinic (and the responsibility of providers) and into the citizenry marks a defining shift in global health policies — not simply a neoliberal turn, but an inversion of what it means to be a citizen, a presumption about the natural incompetence of citizens. I draw on multi-sited ethnographic research, paired with policy analysis, to elaborate this conceptual migration. Tracing the mobility of “competence” — from clinics to citizens, from donors to nation-states, and as it percolates into the civic imaginary — becomes essential to understanding the ways in which global health programs subtly reconfigure political subjectivities and civic worlds.
Stability of rumen pH measurements obtained postmortem

Seventeen 350 lb (159 kg) Holstein steers were utilized to determine stability of rumen pH postmortem. Cattle were randomly assigned to two whole-corn ration treatment groups: (1) limit-fed (7.5 lb; 3.4 kg) or (2) fed ad libitum (9.5 lb; 4.3 kg). Calves were humanely euthanized, rumen fluid was collected, and pH measurements were taken at 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours postmortem. A subset of five rumen samples per treatment at each sampling time was collected for later analysis of volatile fatty acid (VFA) content. No significant time by feeding regimen interactions were noted. The average postmortem rumen pH of calves fed ad libitum (5.7) was significantly lower than cattle limit-fed (6.2; P=0.03). The pH of rumen content increased for the first six hours postmortem, then gradually decreased over the next 18 hours back to initial pH readings (P<0.01). Rumen fluid total VFA concentrations tended to increase over time (P=0.06). Rumen fluid acetate concentration significantly increased (P<0.05), and proprionate concentrations tended to increase over time postmortem (P<0.08). These data indicate that postmortem ruminal pH could be a helpful diagnostic tool when used in conjunction with a complete necropsy.
Thymoquinone Inhibits Escherichia coli ATP Synthase and Cell Growth

We examined the thymoquinone induced inhibition of purified F1 or membrane bound F1FO E. coli ATP synthase. Both purified F1 and membrane bound F1FO were completely inhibited by thymoquinone with no residual ATPase activity. The process of inhibition was fully reversible and identical in both membrane bound F1Fo and purified F1 preparations. Moreover, thymoquinone induced inhibition of ATP synthase expressing wild-type E. coli cell growth and non-inhibition of ATPase gene deleted null control cells demonstrates that ATP synthase is a molecular target for thymoquinone. This also links the beneficial dietary based antimicrobial and anticancer effects of thymoquinone to its inhibitory action on ATP synthase.
BENEFITING FROM SUPPLIER OPERATIONAL INNOVATIVENESS: THE INFLUENCE OF SUPPLIER EVALUATIONS AND ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY

As suppliers take on more important roles in manufacturing and designing products, their operational innovativeness becomes an important source of value. We use the relational view theory to hypothesize for a positive association between operational innovativeness of established suppliers and manufacturer performance. Furthermore, we posit that the manufacturer can enhance this value by ensuring that the supplier is performing as expected (i.e., through supplier evaluation programs), and by focusing on learning from the supplier (i.e., through absorptive capacity). We then develop hypotheses as to how the influence of these two approaches differs when working with suppliers assigned to different types of tasks. We test the hypotheses using survey responses from 136 manufacturers evaluating 272 of their suppliers. Results show that supplier evaluation programs and absorptive capacity are both effective means of augmenting the benefits of supplier operational innovativeness. Contrary to theoretical predictions, benefits of operational innovativeness of suppliers with knowledge-intensive tasks are enhanced through increased absorptive capacity and through increased supplier evaluation programs.
Civil Rights Reform and the Body

Discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression has emerged as a major focus of civil rights reform. Opponents of these reforms have structured their opposition around one dominant image: the bathroom. With striking consistency, opponents have invoked anxiety over the bathroom -- who uses bathrooms, what happens in bathrooms, and what traumas one might experience while occupying a bathroom -- as the reason to permit discrimination in the workplace, housing, and places of public accommodation. This rhetoric of the bathroom in the debate over gender-identity protections seeks to exploit an underlying anxiety that has played a role in many efforts at civil rights reform: anxiety over the body. This article makes a first attempt to identify and analyze the role of anxiety over the body in civil rights reform, using as its primary point of reference the obsessive focus on bathrooms that antagonists exhibit in seeking to justify discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression. It begins by exploring the mode of subordination that characterizes much anti-LGBT discrimination and examining the particular forms of anxiety over the body that are deployed against the civil rights of transgender people. The article then analyzes how resistance to reform in other areas of discrimination has been structured around the exploitation of anxiety around the body, situating anti-transgender discrimination in that broader civil rights history.
Construction of complex directional complementary DNA libraries in SfiI.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a strategy that allows the construction of highly complex (> 10 7 members), directional complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries directly into a phagemid vector, thereby circumventing the limitations imposed by cloning into bacteriophage λ. Cloning of cDNA has become an indispensable tool in molecular biology for the analysis of gene expression. Directional cloning is necessary for a variety of applications; expression cloning, antisense inhibition of gene function, and subtractive hybridization. Other methods have been described for directional cDNA cloning, but these are often technically difficult, have inserts that are not removable intact, or require cloning into phage λ. The procedure outlined above generally circumvents these problems. Preparation of the vector DNA requires only digestion with Sill and dephosphorylation; no critical tailing steps are involved. The preparation of the cDNA for cloning is straightforward and can be accomplished with commercial reagents except for the three oligonucleotides, which can readily be obtained from custom synthesis services. The preparation of the bacteria for electroporation is much less complex than any other method available for high-efficiency transformation.
Non-sterol compounds that regulate cholesterogenesis. Analogues of farnesyl pyrophosphate reduce 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase levels.

Farnesyl acetate and ethyl farnesyl ether, two analogues of farnesyl pyrophosphate, stimulate post-transcriptional down-regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of cholesterol and isoprenoids. Farnesyl acetate and ethyl farnesyl ether reduce translation of HMG-CoA reductase mRNA and enhance degradation of the enzyme, the same regulatory effects attributed to the putative non-sterol regulatory metabolite (Goldstein, J.L., and Brown, M.S. (1990) Nature 343, 425-430). HMGal, a fusion protein consisting of the membrane domain of HMG-CoA reductase linked to Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase, is subject to the same regulated degradation as HMG-CoA reductase (Skalnik, D. G., Narita, H., Kent, C., and Simoni, R. D. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 6836-6841). At 10 micrograms/ml (37.8 microM), farnesyl acetate and ethyl farnesyl ether trigger a 50-80% reduction in HMGal activity. Farnesyl acetate reduces the synthesis of HMG-CoA reductase and HM-Gal by 60-80%, but neither farnesyl compound affects HMG-CoA reductase mRNA levels. Farnesyl acetate and ethyl farnesyl ether stimulated the degradation of HMG-CoA reductase and HMGal, reducing the half-lives of the enzymes by 40-70%. In addition to their regulatory effects on HMG-CoA reductase, these farnesyl compounds also directly disrupt sterol synthesis.
Laparoscopic continuous hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis occurs as an advanced stage of certain malignancies and is often considered incurable. 1 No good standard treatment options exist, so new and innovative treatments must be sought and investigated to combat this stage of disease. These treatments may be used as an adjuvant after surgical resection or to palliate symptoms such as ascites in patients with bulky disease. Regional intraperitoneal chemotherapy provides prolonged high concentration of a cytotoxic agent directly to intraperitoneal tumor cells while limiting systemic exposure of the patient to the drug. It has been shown to improve results compared with systemic chemotherapy alone in patients with ovarian cancer. 2 Continuous hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion (CHPP) is a method by which heated cytotoxic chemotherapy is recirculated at high flow rates through the peritoneal cavity. 3 This technique is designed to improve distribution of the chemotherapy in the peritoneal cavity and take advantage of known synergy between chemotherapy and hyperthermia. Although this has been previously performed after open laparotomy and complete lysis of adhesions, we describe here a minimally invasive approach that may be more appropriate for many clinical settings.
Epitaxial growth with phosphorus: 4. Application of dichloro-t-butylphosphine to CVD processes: the thermal chemical vapor deposition formation of copper phosphide thin films and etching of indium phosphide by dichloro-t-butylphosphine [1]

Abstract The potential application of dichloro- t -butylphosphine (DCTBP) as a phosphorus source compound for InP growth is explored. Experiments employing DCTBP with trimethylindium were, however, unsuccessful in preparing InP thin films but rather resulted in the efficient etching of the InP substrate. An InP etching rate of 73.4 A/s was observed with an InP substrate temperature of approximately 600°C. A possible mechanism is presented to account for these observations. In addition, crystalline copper phosphide (Cu 3 P) thin films were formed from the thermal surface reaction of copper metal and DCTBP. The films are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques.
An analysis of seed development in Pisum sativum L.

Pea embryos have been treated with xenobiotic substances to manipulate specific cellular events. Taxol was able to induce condensation of chromatin in endoreduplicated nuclei, resulting in cells with either normal or increased numbers of chromosomes at all stages of the mitotic cycle. Application of the synthetic auxin, 2,4-D allowed a proportion of dividing cells to be retained throughout the culture period. However, this did not alter the range of different nuclear DNA levels when compared with embryos grown in the absence of the auxin. The effect of applying aphidicolin produced the most dramatic alteration in cellular behavior by limiting the increase in DNA levels. This resulted in some cells of 4 C DNA level containing vicilin. These results are discussed in the light of previous findings, when it was suggested that the onset of storage protein deposition is linked to the cessation of mitosis and subsequent cell expansion rather than to elevated cellular DNA levels as once thought.
Aristotelian and Platonic Views of Knowledge Representation

Many disputes have arisen over what can legitimately be said to be the meanings of a formal representation, even among those who agree on the utility of model theory as a basic framework. I survey some of these in an attempt to distinguish irreconcilable philosophical differences from genuine technical debates.
Bleomycin Foam Treatment of Venous Malformations: A Promising Agent for Effective Treatment with Minimal Swelling

Abstract Purpose To report clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients with venous malformations (VMs) treated with bleomycin foam. Materials and Methods Twenty patients (age, 2–68 y) presented with symptoms of swelling (n = 19; 95%), pain (n = 14; 70%), and bleeding (n = 4; 20%). Lesions were located in the head and neck in 17 patients (85%), extremities in two (10%), and mediastinum in one (5%). Twenty-seven embolizations were performed, with a mean of 1.7 ± 1.0 treatments per patient (range, 1–4). An average of 0.45 ± 0.4 U/kg of bleomycin foam was used per procedure, with a range of 0.1–2.3 U/kg. Results All procedures were technically successful with no intraprocedural complications. Mean follow-up was 66 days ± 80, with a range of 4–403 days. Postprocedure complications were minor in 6 of 27 procedures (22%) and major in 2 of 27 procedures (7%). All 20 patients (100%) reported improvement in their symptoms after a single treatment session. Postprocedural magnetic resonance (MR) imaging demonstrated volume reduction of treated lesions in 13 of 14 patients (93%), with a mean lesion volume reduction of 66% ± 21. Enhancement on MR imaging after treatment was decreased in 11 of 14 patients (79%), increased in two (14%), and stable in one (7%). T2 signal intensity on MR imaging after treatment was decreased in 12 of 14 patients (86%) and stable in two (14%). Conclusions The use of bleomycin foam for the percutaneous treatment of VMs is safe and effective. Foaming bleomycin may be used to address the dose limitations of the liquid.
Quantum-classical path integral. II. Numerical methodology

We present a quantum-classical methodology for propagating the density matrix of a system coupled to a polyatomic (large molecular or solvent) environment. The system is treated via a full path integral, while the dynamics of the environment is approximated in terms of classical trajectories. We obtain quantum-classical path integral (QCPI) expressions in which the trajectories can undergo transitions to other quantum states at regular time intervals, but the cumulative probability of these transitions is governed by the local strength of the state-to-state coupling as well as the magnitude of the solvent reorganization energy. If quantum effects in the coordinates of the environment are relatively weak, an inexpensive random hop approximation leads to accurate descriptions of the dynamics. We describe a systematic iterative scheme for including quantum mechanical corrections for the solvent by gradually accounting for nonlocal “quantum memory” effects. As the length of the included memory approaches the decoherence time of the environment, the iterative QCPI procedure converges to the full QCPI result. The methodology is illustrated with application to dissipative symmetric and asymmetric two-level systems.
Uridine incorporation into polyribosomes of mouse brain after escape training in an electrified T-maze

Abstract Mice trained for 15 min on a spatial discrimination task were compared to untrained, but shocked, mice immediately and 15 min after training. Fifteen min after training, greater incorporation of uridine into polyribosomes was observed in the trained animal. Twenty-four hr after initial training, a second group of animals was retrained or reversed in the maze and was sacrificed immediately after training. Reversed animals incorporated more uridine into polyribosomes and had a higher polyribosome to monosome ratio than retrained animals.
Lobular Carcinoma in Situ, Classical Type and Unusual Variants

The morphologic spectrum of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) includes the classical type and unusual variants recently described. In this article we review the morphology of LCIS and highlight ways to distinguish it from its morphologic mimickers.
Association of nasopharyngeal and laryngopharyngeal reflux with postnasal drip symptomatology in patients with and without rhinosinusitis.

BackgroundPatients often report postnasal drip (PND), but objective rhinosinusitis and allergy findings are frequently absent. In this study, we evaluate the association between PND and pharyngeal reflux.MethodsSixty-eight participants underwent 24-hour pH testing, including chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients persistently symptomatic after endoscopic sinus surgery, CRS patients successfully treated by endoscopic sinus surgery, and volunteers without a CRS history. The pH probes contained nasopharyngeal (NP), laryngopharyngeal (LP), and distal esophageal sensors. Participants completed the Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 (SNOT-20) and Modified Reflux Symptom Index (MRSI) questionnaires. Survey items addressing PND symptomatology were compared with NP reflux (NPR) below pH 4 and pH 5 (defined as ≥1 event), and LP reflux (LPR; defined as ≥7 events or reflux area index <6.3).ResultsPearson analyses revealed a positive correlation of r = 0.87 between SNOT-20 and MRSI PND items. For NPR < pH 4, no significant diff...
Tiger Mothering and Hmong American Parent–Adolescent Relationships

This study examined associations between indicators of the parent–adolescent relationship (academic support, monitoring, normative conflicts, and culture-based conflicts) and outcomes related to academic motivation and psychological well-being. Findings suggested that parental academic support was associated with higher self-esteem and academic motivation and monitoring was associated with higher self-esteem in a sample of 93 middle-school Hmong American students. Whereas normative conflicts reported by adolescents (fighting over hairstyles or clothes) were unrelated to any outcomes, reports of culture-based conflicts were associated with greater self-deprecating thoughts for all adolescents and with greater depressive symptoms among boys only. In addition, findings suggested that monitoring moderated associations between culture-based conflicts and psychological well-being. Hmong American parents who engage in “Asian” parenting practices may promote positive developmental outcomes for both boys and girls when they engage in behaviors perceived to be supportive and as moderately controlling (i.e., monitoring). Parent–adolescent interactions that lead to culture-based conflicts, however, may be harmful to the well-being of Hmong American boys and in cases in which parents do not promote connection via monitoring behaviors.
Distinguishing clinical and electrodiagnostic features of X-linked bulbospinal neuronopathy.

X-linked bulbospinal neuronopathy (XLBSN) or Kennedys disease is a rare inherited neuromuscular disease characterized by adult-onset muscle weakness, usually in a limb-girdle distribution. It is frequently misdiagnosed despite a distinctive clinical presentation, usually due to the absence of a clear family history, and perhaps also due to failure of recognition. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for genetic counseling purposes and because alternative diagnoses usually carry a poorer prognosis. We evaluated 4 patients with XLBSN and one symptomatic female heterozygote patient. Based on our clinical observations in these patients and a systematic review of previously reported cases, the following clinical and electrophysiologic features when present in the setting of adult-onset muscle weakness, are strongly suggestive of the disorder: 1) facial weakness, 2) facial twitching or fasciculations, 3) tongue weakness and atrophy, 4) postural hand tremor, 5) hypo- or areflexia, and 6) absent or low-amplitude sensory nerve action potentials despite clinically normal sensation. We also hypothesize regarding the possibility of partial expression of the abnormal XLBSN gene in a symptomatic heterozygote female patient.
Assessing the acquisition and generalization of two mand forms with adults with severe developmental disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether manual sign or the Picture Exchange Communication System (P.E.C.S.) (Frost and Bondy, 1994) would be more effective in teaching mand skills to adults with mental retardation in the severe and profound range. Four participants were taught to mand for four reinforcing items using both communication modalities, in an alternating treatments design. Three of four participants demonstrated criterion performance across all four mands using P.E.C.S. first. Two of those three participants later demonstrated criterion performance for the mands using manual sign. The fourth participant was removed from the study during training due to illness, but her progress indicated greater acquisition with P.E.C.S. Generalization probes conducted at participants' respective residences showed that three participants demonstrated generalization across settings using P.E.C.S., and two participants demonstrated generalization across settings using manual sign. Participants were also more likely to mand for reinforcing items not present using P.E.C.S. than using manual sign.
Dynamic mechanical response and thermal expansion of ceramic particle reinforced aluminium 6061 matrix composites

Abstract The mechanical response of silicon carbide (SiC) particle and boron carbide (B4C) particle reinforced aluminium 6061 alloy was studied under quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions, using an Instron universal testing machine and split Hopkinson pressure bar respectively. The stiffness and yield strength of the B4C and SiC particle composites were significantly enhanced as compared to the unreinforced alloy. The strain hardening behaviour of the SiC particle reinforced composites was not significantly different as compared to that of the unreinforced alloy, at either low or high strain rates. On the other hand, the strength and strain hardening of the B4C particle reinforced composites was significantly greater than that of the unreinforced alloy, at both low and high strain rates. Differences in the mechanical behaviour of the two composites was attributed to the differences in the strength of the reinforcing particles and bonding between the B4C and SiC particles and the matrix alloy. Therma...
Exploring Diversity Attitudes of Youth Placed in Residential Treatment Facilities

The increasing ethnic, cultural, and class diversity in the United States calls for a proactive approach in helping youth develop into socially competent adults. Youth in residential treatment may exhibit deficits in perspective-taking ability, social competence, and relationship skills, which are important outcomes of healthy diversity attitudes. For some, the milieu may be their first experience with youth of diverse backgrounds. However, little is known about this topic. The purpose of this study was to explore diversity awareness, attitudes, and skills of youth in residential treatment. The current study highlights the need for diversity education programs within treatment.
Age at Orchiopexy and Testis Palpability Predict Germ and Leydig Cell Loss: Clinical Predictors of Adverse Histological Features of Cryptorchidism

Purpose: We determined the relationship between clinical variables and testicular histopathological changes associated with decreased fertility potential in children with cryptorchidism.Materials and Methods: Testis biopsies of 274 children who underwent orchiopexy and concurrent testicular biopsy between 1991 and 2001 were analyzed for germ and Leydig cell loss, and testicular fibrosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine if age at orchiopexy (analyzed as continuous and ordinal variables), preoperative testis palpability, unilateral vs bilateral disease and/or side of undescended testis was predictive of these pathological outcomes.Results: Age at orchiopexy was associated with germ and Leydig cell depletion. Each month of testis undescent was associated with development of moderate/severe germ cell depletion (OR 1.02 for each month of age, p <0.005) and Leydig cell loss (OR 1.01 for each month of age, p <0.02). Nonpalpable testes were associated with severe germ cell depletion. Child...
The ventral lamina and superior facet rule: a morphometric analysis for an ideal thoracic pedicle screw starting point.

Abstract Background context With the increasing popularity of thoracic pedicle screws, the freehand technique has been espoused to be safe and effective. However, there is currently no objective, definable landmark to assist with freehand insertion of pedicle screws in the thoracic spine. With our own increasing surgical experience, we have noted a reproducible and unique anatomic structure known as the ventral lamina. Purpose We set out to define the morphologic relationship of the ventral lamina to the superior articular facet (SAF) and pedicle, and describe an optimal medial-lateral pedicle screw starting point in the thoracic spine. Study design We conducted an in vitro fresh-frozen human cadaveric study. Methods One hundred fifteen thoracic spine vertebral levels were evaluated. After the vertebral body was removed, Kirschner wires were inserted retrograde along the four boundaries of the pedicle. Using digital calipers, we measured width of the SAF and pedicle at the isthmus, and from the borders of the SAF to the boundaries of the pedicle. We calculated the morphologic relationship of the ventral lamina and the center of the pedicle (COP) to the SAF. Results Two hundred twenty-nine pedicles were measured, with one pedicle excluded because of fracture of the SAF during disarticulation. The ventral lamina was clearly identifiable at all levels, forming the roof of the spinal canal and confluent with the medial pedicle wall (MPW). The mean distance from the SAF midline to the MPW was 1.36±1.23 mm medial. The MPW was lateral to SAF midline in 34 pedicles (14.85%) and, on average, was a distance of 0.52±0.51 mm lateral. The mean distance from the SAF midline to the COP was 2.17±1.38 mm lateral. The COP was medial to SAF midline in only 11 pedicles (4.80%). Conclusions The ventral lamina is an anatomically reproducible structure located consistently medial to the SAF midline (85%). We also found the COP consistently lateral to the SAF midline (95%). Based on these morphologic findings, the medial-lateral starting point for thoracic pedicle screws should be 2 to 3 mm lateral to the SAF midline (superior facet rule), allowing screw placement in the COP and avoiding penetration into the spinal canal.
Building Classroom Discipline (Fourth Edition)

(1994). Building Classroom Discipline (Fourth Edition) Teaching Education: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 179-181.
Group Decision Making Under Threat: The Tycoon Game

The relationship between external threat and group decision-making processes was tested with 24 groups involved in a management simulation called Tycoon.1 Results indicate a restriction in informat...
Detailed balance limits the rate of odd oxygen production in the reaction of vibrationally excited oxygen with O2

Application of detailed balance permits estimation of the rate coefficients for the reaction of highly vibrationally excited O2 with ambient O2 to yield odd oxygen, a process of potential importance in the stratosphere, O2(υ=26, 27) + O2 → O3 + O. The rate coefficients calculated in this manner are much smaller than those reported from experiment and below any level of atmospheric significance.
Situs Inversus Totalis and an Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Case Report:

Situs inversus totalis is a rare clinical finding. A patient with a 7 cm in frarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and situs inversus totalis is presented. The patient underwent routine and uneventful operative management of his aneu rysm. This case demonstrates the relative ease of aneurysm resection in this setting if the anomaly is recognized preoperatively.
Sleep Disorders Associated with Primary Mitochondrial Diseases

Study Objectives:Primary mitochondrial diseases are caused by heritable or spontaneous mutations in nuclear DNA or mitochondrial DNA. Such pathological mutations are relatively common in humans and...
The critical properties of perfluoro n-alkanes

Abstract The critical temperatures, pressures and densities of four perfluoro n -alkanes (perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane and perfluorooctane) have been measured using a sealed ampoule method and a low residence time flow method. Our data have been compared with literature data whenever possible and several inconsistencies in the literature data have been resolved by the present work. Available literature data on the critical properties of all perfluoro n -alkanes have been compiled and trends in the data with chain length of the perfluorocarbon are noted. The performance of several group contribution methods has also been examined and shown to be generally poor for the prediction of critical properties of the homologous series of perfluoroalkanes.
A fourier transform infrared study of the coagel to micelle transitions of sodium laurate and sodium oleate

Abstract Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been used to study the thermotropic phase transitions of sodium laurate and sodium oleate. Bands specific to the hydrophobic acyl chain methyl, methylene and methine groups, and to the hydrophylic carboxylate group were monitored. Apart from evidence of a more rigid crystal lattice in the sodium laureate spectrum, no substantial difference in the thermotropic behaviour of the two systems was found. The chain melting phenomenon was clearly evident from the behaviour of the acyl chain bands, and the location of the sodium ion in both phases was elucidated from the behaviour of the carboxylate bands.
The influence of heart rate on echocardiographic assessment of aerobic training.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if echocardiographic measures of ventricular structure and function ascribed to aerobic training might be an artifact of heart rate (HR) differences between trained and untrained subjects. Comparisons were made at rest, of 10 young, male, aerobically well-trained athletes [((VO2)max 65>ml/kg/min] and 10 young, healthy controls [((VO2)max<56ml/kg/min]. Additionally, the echocardiographic responses to low (HR=80 beats/min) and moderate intensity (HR=120 beats/min) supine cycling exercise were analyzed. Echocardiographic measures were made as described by Sahnet al. (1978). Results of echocardiographic comparisons between groups, both during supine rest and at a constant heart rate of 80 beats/min during supine cycling confirmed that athletes had significantly greater left ventricular mass (LV mass) and end-diastolic size per square meter of body surface area (p<0.05). When supine cycling loads were increased to elevate HR to 120 beats/min in groups of 7 athletes and 5 controls, athletes exhibited a progressive and significant (p<0.05) enlargement of left ventricular end-diastolic size (LVEDS), while left ventricular end-systolic size (LVESS) showed negligible change. The control group showed little change in LVEDS, but decreased LVESS significantly (p<0.05). Contractility measures, i.e., estimated ejection fraction (EF) and velocity of circumferential shortening ( (Vcf) increased in both groups in a similar manner. It was concluded that echocardiographic differences in ventricular structure and function observed between aerobically trained and untrained subjects are not an artifact of heart rate differences. Clearly, aerobic training results in increased LV mass and diastolic size which allows for further dilitation with supine exercise. Aerobic training does not appear to alter indices of myocardial contractility.
Influence of intraocular astigmatism on the correction of myopic astigmatism by laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy

Purpose To assess the influence of the origin of astigmatism on the correction of myopic astigmatism by laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK). Setting Ophthalmology Department, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai, China. Design Prospective study. Methods Patients having LASEK to correct myopia or myopic astigmatism were divided into 2 groups according to their ocular residual astigmatism (ORA). Patients were examined preoperatively and 1 and 3 months postoperatively. The efficacy of LASEK was compared between those with and those without a significant amount of intraocular astigmatism. Results The study comprised 54 eyes of 54 patients. The mean index of success (ratio of magnitude of remaining uncorrected astigmatism to that of initial preoperative astigmatism) in the high ORA group (n = 21) and low ORA group (n = 33) was 0.85 and 0.48, respectively, 1 month after surgery ( t = 2.17, P = .04) and 0.88 and 0.32, respectively, 3 months after surgery ( t = 2.18, P = .04). The Zernike coefficient of horizontal coma, Z(3,+1), increased more after surgery in the high ORA group than in the low ORA group (1 month versus preoperative, t = 2.32, P = .024; 3 months versus preoperative, t = 2.07, P = .048). Conclusions Nine percent and 2% of the eyes had minimal corneal haze at 1 month and 3 months, respectively. Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy was less effective in correcting myopic astigmatism when astigmatism was mainly located at the internal optics. Horizontal coma increased more after LASEK in patients with higher ORA. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Matrix metalloproteinases: from biology to therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular disease.

Recent decades have witnessed substantial strides in our efforts to reduce both morbidity and mortality resulting from congenital and acquired forms of heart disease.1Traditional therapies using inotropic agents (eg, digoxin) for congestive heart failure (CHF) are now surpassed in efficacy by new classes of pharmacologic agents, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which exert both central (eg, myocardial remodeling) and peripheral (eg, afterload reduction) effects. New insights about the etiologic factors and progression of CHF have emerged from the mechanisms that mediate the physiologic roles of ACE inhibitors at the cellular level. At the same time, the emphasis has shifted away from the cardiomyocyte per se to consider the physiologic role of the connective tissue elements and matrix remodeling, within the extracellular milieu, in the pathophysiology of heart failure. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a large multigene class of endopeptidases, are rapidly emerging as the next molecular targets whose biologic roles are involved in a wide spectrum of human pathologies. MMP distribution in the organism reflect the scope of the clinical burden, spanning entities such as degenerative rheumatoid arthritis, cancer metastasis, periodontitis, renal disease, and certain cardiac and vascular diseases. Evidence, which is ever accumulating, suggests that MMPs and their endogenous tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) are possible targets for future therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular diseases. Both challenges and opportunities exist to reduce restenosis after angioplasty, to increase graft potency after coronary artery bypass, and to improve the survival of inheritable disorders, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Marfan syndrome. Hence, the primary goals in this review are to demystify the extracellular matrix (ECM), to provide a bench-to-bedside overview of the basic foundations in this burgeoning field, and to lay out a conceptual framework for the clinician to consider new therapeutic strategies on the horizon targeted to interactions between MMPs and TIMPs in …
Variable amplitude cyclic deformation and fatigue behaviour of stainless steel 304L including step, periodic, and random loadings

This paper discusses cyclic deformation and fatigue behaviours of stainless steel 304L and aluminium 7075-T6 under variable amplitude loading using strain-controlled as well as load-controlled tests. Load sequence effects were investigated in step tests with high-low and low-high sequences. For stainless steel 304L, strong hardening induced by the first step of the H-L sequence significantly affects the fatigue behaviour, depending on the test control mode used. For periodic overload tests of stainless steel 304L, hardening due to the overloads was progressive throughout life and more significant than in H-L step tests. For aluminium 7075-T6, no effect on deformation behaviour was observed due to periodic overloads. However, the direction of the overloads was found to affect fatigue life, as tensile overloads led to longer lives, while compressive overloads led to shorter lives. Deformation and fatigue behaviours under random loading were also studied for the two materials. To correlate a broad range of fatigue life data for a material with strong deformation history effect, such as stainless steel, it is shown that a damage parameter with both stress and strain is required. The Smith-Watson-Topper parameter as such a parameter is shown to correlate the data reasonably well under different control modes and loading conditions.