cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictive Factors of In-Hospital Mortality in Colon and Rectal Surgery

Background Knowledge of the independent risk factors for mortality in colon and rectal surgery can aid surgeons in surgical decision making and in providing patients with appropriate information about the risks of surgery. This study endeavors to identify the risk factors for mortality that are associated with colon and rectal surgery. Study Design Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, we examined the clinical data of patients who underwent colon and rectal resection from 2006 to 2008. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors predictive of in-hospital mortality. Results A total of 975,825 patients underwent colon and rectal resection during this period. Overall, the rate of in-hospital mortality was 4.50% (elective surgery, 1.42% vs emergent surgery, 8.76%; p Conclusions In patients undergoing colorectal surgery, emergent surgery, liver disease, total colectomy, age older than 65 years, chronic renal failure, and malignant tumor are the major risk factors for in-hospital mortality.
Monte Carlo simulations of liquid alkyl ethers with OPLS potential functions

Intermolecular potential functions have been developed for use in computer simulations of alkyl ethers. The simple OPLS model was adopted and parameterized to yield good descriptions of bimolecular and ion-molecule complexes as well as to reproduce experimental thermodynamic properties of liquid ethers. The principal testing featured Monte Carlo statistical mechanics simulations for liquid dimethyl ether (DME), ethyl methyl ether (EME), diethyl ether (DEE), and tetrahydrofuran (THF). Average errors of 1–3% are obtained for the computed densities and heats of vaporization including results for THF at pressures up to 5000 atm. The torsional motion about the central CO bonds in EME and DEE was included in the simulations using rotational potential functions fit to results of molecular mechanics (MM2) calculations. The liquid-state environment is found to have negligible effect on the conformational equilibria.
AGE AND GENDER-RELATED INFLUENCES ON LEFT VENTRICULAR TORSION AND LONGITUDINAL STRAIN IN A COMMUNITY-BASED ELDERLY COHORT: THE ARIC STUDY

Left ventricular (LV) torsion has been shown to increase with aging and in hypertensive remodeling. The relationship between longitudinal myocardial function and torsion as it relates to aging is unknown. We studied 1,091 (mean age:75.2±5.2years, 60% female, LVEF>=50%) subjects without prevalent
Droplet deformation in Dc electric fields : The extended leaky dielectric model

The leaky dielectric model (LDM) was extended to large droplet distortions in dc electric fields. The resulting extended LDM (ELDM) reduces to the LDM for small droplet aspect ratios and to the pure dielectric model when the ratio of droplet and matrix conductivities equals the inverse ratio of their permittivities. The ELDM distinguishes between two types of phenomena possible at high electric fields: continuous deformation and hysteresis. For droplets deforming parallel to the electric field, the relationship that distinguishes between the two phenomena is a function of the droplet and matrix conductivities and viscosities but not of their permittivities. For droplets deforming perpendicular to the electric field, the relationship is a function of the droplet permittivities and conductivities but depends only slightly on the ratio of their viscosities. Some of the predictions of the LDM and the ELDM were compared with our own data and with data from the literature. For the systems that deformed parallel to the field direction, the ELDM not only predicted the data qualitatively but also predicted the data quantitatively when the experimental errors in its input parameters were taken into account, whereas the older LDM did not even predict the qualitative trend of the data. For the systems that deformed perpendicular to the field direction, however, the ELDM predicted the observed the aspect ratios in only one out of the four systems examined. In the other three systems, the LDM appeared to give reasonable predictions when either the ratio of the matrix/droplet viscosities was relatively small or the value of total charge relaxation time was relatively large. Thus, the applicability of the ELDM, as presently formulated, appears to be limited in the case of deformations perpendicular to the electric field.
Behavioural thermoregulation and bioenergetics of riverine smallmouth bass associated with ambient cold‐period thermal refuge

Smallmouth bass in thermally heterogeneous streams may behaviourally thermoregulate during the cold period (i.e., groundwater temperature greater than river water temperature) by inhabiting warm areas in the stream that result from high groundwater influence or springs. Our objectives were to determine movement of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) that use thermal refuge and project differences in growth and consumption among smallmouth bass exhibiting different thermal-use patterns. We implanted radio transmitters in 29 smallmouth bass captured in Alley Spring on the Jacks Fork River, Missouri, USA, during the winter of 2012. Additionally, temperature archival tags were implanted in a subset of nine fish. Fish were tracked using radio telemetry monthly from January 2012 through January of 2013. The greatest upstream movement was 42.5 km, and the greatest downstream movement was 22.2 km. Most radio tagged fish (69%) departed Alley Spring when daily maximum river water temperature first exceeded that of the spring (14 °C) and during increased river discharge. Bioenergetic modelling predicted that a 350 g migrating smallmouth bass that used cold-period thermal refuge would grow 16% slower at the same consumption level as a fish that did not seek thermal refuge. Contrary to the bioenergetics models, extrapolation of growth scope results suggested migrating fish grow 29% more than fish using areas of stream with little groundwater influence. Our results contradict previous findings that smallmouth bass are relatively sedentary, provide information about potential cues for migratory behaviour, and give insight to managers regarding use and growth of smallmouth bass in thermally heterogeneous river systems.
Starving our Microbial Self: The Deleterious Consequences of a Diet Deficient in Microbiota-Accessible Carbohydrates

The gut microbiota of a healthy person may not be equivalent to a healthy microbiota. It is possible that the Western microbiota is actually dysbiotic and predisposes individuals to a variety of diseases. The asymmetric plasticity between the relatively stable human genome and the more malleable gut microbiome suggests that incompatibilities between the two could rapidly arise. The Western lifestyle, which includes a diet low in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates (MACs), has selected for a microbiota with altered membership and functionality compared to those of groups living traditional lifestyles. Interactions between resident microbes and host leading to immune dysregulation may explain several diseases that share inflammation as a common basis. The low-MAC Western diet results in poor production of gut microbiota-generated short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which attenuate inflammation through a variety of mechanisms in mouse models. Studies focused on modern and traditional societies, combined with animal models, are needed to characterize the connection between diet, microbiota composition, and function. Differentiating between an optimal microbiota, one that increases disease risk, and one that is causative or potentiates disease will be required to further understand both the etiology and possible treatments for health problems related to microbiota dysbiosis.
A Comparison of Acute Mortality and Population Growth Rate as Endpoints of Toxicological Effect

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine how closely acute (72-hr) lethal concentration estimates developed from probit analysis compared to the demographic toxicological endpoints, net reproductive rate ( R o ), the intrinsic rate of increase ( r m ), and realized fecundity ( U x ), in terms of predicting effects of pesticides on populations. Lethal and sublethal effects of the insecticide imidacloprid on the arthropod Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (pea aphid) were determined for populations exposed to foliar-sprayed broad bean Vicia faba L. (variety Banner). An examination of R o indicated that sublethal effects were occurring that reduced reproduction. However, by looking at the mean number of offspring produced per surviving female and U x , it was determined that the reduction in R o was entirely due to acute mortality and a reduction in life span. Also, exposure to increasing concentrations of imidacloprid did not cause a shift in either the day of initial reproduction or the day of peak reproduction. Therefore, this pesticide caused no sublethal effects on reproduction and, as such, a lethal concentration estimate should have been a good predictor of effect at the population level. However, the 72-hr lethal concentration estimate was not a good predictor of effect of this pesticide on population growth. Populations exposed to the 72-hr LC 60 were able to maintain rates of population increase ( r m = 0.224) similar to those of the control ( r m = 0.295). The data indicate that the reason for the discrepancy between acute lethal concentration estimates and population growth was that surviving individuals were able to sustain heightened rates of reproduction following acute exposure to imidacloprid. The ability of surviving individuals to maintain these high reproductive rates allowed them to compensate for losses and act as reservoirs for future reproduction. It is not possible, using acute mortality estimates alone, to predict this “reservoir effect,” and therefore not possible to predict how a population's growth rate will respond or change based on this endpoint. Thus this would suggest that the assessment of a xenobiotic based solely on acute mortality estimates will lead to flawed conclusions about a population's exposure response.
do Mfantse fish sellers estimate probabilities in their heads

This paper describes how Mfantse fish sellers deal with choice under uncertainty. An alternative is offered to economists' cognitively unrealistic assumption that decision makers calculate probability distributions to assess the riskiness of uncertain outcomes. Fish sellers appear to minimize risks not by refusing to take risks above a minimum acceptable probability of loss, but by refusing to market their fish if any one of several discrete tests indicates unfavorable market conditions, a “multiple check” strategy derived from sellers' verbal reports.
Space simulations of thermal fields generated in bone tissue for application to nanophotohyperthermia and nanophotothermolysis

The use of nanoparticles in medical applications has been gaining momentum as antibody-conjugated nanoparticles are becoming more and more feasible as a means of targeted delivery of various therapies. Irradiating nanoparticles with light of strongly-absorbed wavelengths allows them to act as heat generation sites. Two therapies utilize these nanoparticle heat sources to kill the target cells: nanophotohyperthermia, which heats the particles just enough to disrupt cell function and trigger cell death; and nanophotothermolysis, which heats the particles to such extremes as to destroy the cell membrane. The use of optical wavelengths in the range of 750-1100 nm has been to capitalize on the "optical transparency window" of biotissues between the absorption peaks of hemoglobin in the visible end and water in the near-IR. However, further research has shown that a plasmon resonance can greatly affect the absorption characteristics of nanoparticles at the plasmon resonant frequency, allowing for increased absorption characteristics at desirable wavelengths. Thus, other transparency windows may find use in a similar manner, such as nanoparticle heating by RF waves. This paper presents the modeling of 3D thermal fields around nanoparticle absorbers in bone tissue for various frequencies. A comparison of the heating effectiveness across multiple wavelengths is discussed for application to nanophotothermolysis and nanophotohyperthermia treatments in or near biological hard tissue.
MBE growth of PbSe/CaF2/Si(1 1 1) heterostructures

Successful epitaxial growth of PbSe/CaF 2 /Si(1 1 1) heterostructures using just one growth chamber of a molecular beam epitaxy system is described. Sharp (1 x 1) streaks in the RHEED pattern confirm the high structural quality of PbSe, and SEM and Nomarski microscopy reveal smooth PbSe surfaces. The PbSe epilayers show mobilities as high as 23 200 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and electron concentrations of 1-2 x 10 17 cm -3 at 77 K. In addition, observation of RHEED intensity oscillations confirm layer-by-layer growth modes for both CaF 2 and PbSe. The PbSe/CaF 2 interface has also been characterized by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. All the Ca 2p, F 1s, Pb 4f and Se 3d peaks show chemical shifts as PbSe coverage on CaF 2 increases. Results show that the PbSe/CaF 2 interface consists of a thin transition layer dominated by Pb-F and Ca-Se bonds.
A gas-phase electron diffraction study of the phosphonitrilic chloride trimer

Abstract The molecular structure of the phosphonitrilic chloride trimer has been investigated by gas-phase electron diffraction techniques. The bond lengths and angles have been determined to fairly close confidence limits. It proved to be impossible to obtain satisfactory correlation between the theoretical and experimental curves on the basis of a model with the anticipated D3h symmetry. The discrepancies are particularly noticeable in the outer regions of the radial distribution curves. A far more satisfactory situation exists when the model symmetry is reduced to C3v, giving the ring the puckering characteristic of cyclohexane. This apparent departure from D3h symmetry is thought to be a vibrational effect rather than a feature of the equilibrium configuration.
Reverse Micelle Supercritical Fluid Separations

Abstract Initial results are presented showing the potential applications of reverse micelle supercritical fluid solvents in separation processes. The formation of reverse micelles in supercritical nalkane continuous phases is described. Phase diagrams obtained from view-cell studies of micellar and microemulsion phases formed in supercritical fluids are reported and shown to be strongly dependent on pressure. The solubility of AOT in ethane and propane over a range of pressures shows behavior typical of solids in supercritical fluids. The maximum water-to-surfactant ratio (WO) increased dramatically in both ethane and propane systems as pressure was increased. At 300 bar WO = 4 for ethane at 37 'C and WO = 12 for propane at 103 ∗C. The initial use of supercritical fluids containing reverse micelles for the extraction of solutes from an aqueous phase, and as mobile phases in chromatography, is described.
Determination of Horn Antenna Phase Centers by Edge Diffraction Theory

The edge diffraction method of analysis utilized in the past to determine amplitude patterns is extended in this paper to predict the radiation phase center of pyramidal horn antennas. A series of extensive phase and amplitude measurements were performed on these antennas to determine the validity of the theoretical results. The measurements were performed over a frequency range of 7.5 to 10.5 GHz in the E plane of the antennas. The phase measurements were accurate to ±0.2 electrical degrees, so that the phase center locations relative to the horn apertures were repeatably determined to better than 0.010 inch for horn apertures as large as 7 inches. The results of the measurements indicate that excellent agreement is obtained with the theory in predicting the phase center location of the larger horns (kRE > 50). For the smaller horns, however, there is a large discrepancy between the theory and measurements. The measured phase centers of the smaller horns exhibit a large variation with frequency which cannot be explained with the existing theory. Several reasons for the discrepancy are presented, and it is concluded that a more rigorous approach involving higher order modes has to be developed for the smaller horns.
Intracellular potassium. A determinant of the sodium-potassium pump rate.

Normal human red cells which have had their intracellular sodium (Nac) reduced have a diminished Na-K pump rate, but only if intracellular potassium (Kc) is high. If most of the Kc is replaced by tetramethylammonium or choline, both ouabain-sensitive Na efflux and K influx are significantly increased even with Nac below normal. Cells with reduced Nac and high Kc have an unchanged Na efflux if external potassium (Kext) is removed. In contrast, low-Na, low-K cells have a large ouabain-sensitive Na efflux which shows a normal response to removal of Kext. Neither low-K nor high-K cells have an altered ouabain-sensitive K efflux. Measurement at constant low Nac and varying Kc shows the pump Na efflux to be an inverse function of Kc. Thus, in low-Na cells, Kc appears to act as an inhibitor of the pump. Inhibition by high Kc can be seen even when Nac is normal. The effects attributed to Kc are distinguished experimentally from other variables such as cell volume, adenosine triphosphate concentration, effects of the replacement cations, and the method used to alter intracellular cation concentrations. A role is proposed for Kc, in cooperation with Nac, in regulating the pump rate of normal human red cells.
MODIFICATION IN AUTONOMICALLY MEDIATED PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO COLD PRESSOR BY COGNITIVE ACTIVITY: AN EXTENSION

The SNS response decrement obtained by Mefferd and Wieland (1965) when a congitive task was imposed during a painful stimulus was reproduced with 15 Ss under conditions involving minimal motor activity. The results support the conclusion that cognitive activity perse was the major determinant of the decrement.
Dynamic Response of Inhomogeneous Fermi Systems.

This paper presents a theory of the linear density response to an external time-dependent scalar potential for a Fermi system whose unperturbed density varies slowly. Simple local-density-functional response theory is valid except in a region of small $q$ and $\ensuremath{\omega}$ (wave number and frequency of the perturbation). For this region we have worked out a generalization, to the case of inhomogeneous systems of Landau Fermi-liquid theory.
Chondrogenic potential of chick embryonic calvaria: I. Low calcium permits cartilage differentiation.

Calvaria from day-14 calcium-deficient chick embryos produced by long-term maintenance in shell-less culture, exhibit a cartilage-like phenotype (Jacenko and Tuan [1986] Dev. Biol. 115:215–232), which is restored to an osteogenic phenotype upon calcium repletion to the embryo. The expression of cartilage markers in a typically osteogenic tissue under calcium deficiency implies the presence of chondrogenic cells, and questions the conditions associated with calcium deficiency which may cause their divergent pathway of differentiation. In the present study, by explanting normal and shell-less embryonic calvarial pairs in organ culture in vitro and experimentally regulating their calcium supply, the calcium status of the calvaria was modulated as a function of medium calcium. Histological and immunoblotting analyses demonstrated for the first time that calvaria possess cells which can form genuine cartilage. This chondrogenic potential is expressed only in a low-calcium environment, where cartilage forms in both normal and shell-less calvarial pairs; their calcium-suplemented counterparts, however, develop as fully osteogenic tissues. Furthermore, chondrogenesis in both normal and shell-less calvaria indicates that the chondrogenic cells must be endogenous constituents of the calvaria, rather than being derived elsewhere in response to systemic calcium deficiency. Finally, the correlation between matrix under-calcification and cartilage expression in the embryonic calvarium suggests that calcium, perhaps in the form of matrix mineral, may modulate cell differentiation during skeletogenesis. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Precise measurement of the transverse asymmetry AT′ for inclusive quasielastic electron scattering off polarized 3He

Abstract We report the preliminary measurement of the 3 He inclusive transverse asymmetry A T ′ from a recent experiment at Jefferson Lab.
The Earth's Electrical Environment: Studies in Geophysics

As stated clearly in the preface, The Earth's Electrical Environment was written to aid policy members in assessing the importance of atmospheric electricity research. The reviewer has no idea whether this principle goal has been met and can only dicuss the text in relation to other works of the same general type. This class of book is actually a relatively new invention by the scientific community, and there is a real doubt in the reviewer's mind whether it should be classified as a book at all. It is more a collection of short stories with, hopefully, a common thread binding them together. In literature, such an anthology is often viewed as a way of enjoying and/or understanding the breadth and versatility of an author. In the present case, each entry is written by a different person. This makes it impossible for a reviewer to make any useful comments on the style, completeness, or coherence. The review itself might then degenerate into 16 different reviews, each potentially too shallow to be meaningful. This leaves something of a dilemma. The reviewer cannot comment on the primary purpose of the text, cannot comment on the style of the text or author, and is not competent to judge the 16 different research areas. With this somewhat pessimistic preamble, I will try to make some useful, general comments.
?Hard elastic? behaviour in high-impact polystyrene

Page 1255, ten lines of copy in the second column were transposed. The correct version of page 1255 is printed overleaf.
α-Tocopherol succinate does not mitigate nitrofurantoin-induced changes in the glutathione and protein thiol status of the isolated perfused rat liver

Because it had been suggested that α-tocopherol might protect protein thiols (PSH) from oxidation, we were interested in determining if α-tocopherol could prevent or mitigate nitrofurantoin-induced changes in the glutathione (GSH) or PSH status of the liver. Isolated rat livers were perfused in the single pass mode for 310 min with Krebs-Henseleit buffer or the same buffer containing 25 nmol/ml of α-tocopherol succinate. Treated livers were exposed to 1200 nmol/ml of nitrofurantoin from 30 to 90 min. In control (no nitrofurantoin or α-tocopherol) livers, tissue levels of GSH and PSH were maintained at 78 ± 6% and 94 ± 6% of their initial values, but α-tocopherol levels declined from 34.9 ± 0.6 nmol/g to 26 ± 1.5 nmol/g. In the nitrofurantoin-only livers, GSH and PSH tissue levels fell to 17 ± 10% and 49 ± 6% of their initial levels (P < 0.05, vs. controls). α-Tocopherol levels fell from 31.7 ± 4.8 nmol/g to 17.0 ± 2.8 nmol/g. In the α-tocopherol-supplemented, nitrofurantoin-treated livers, initial tissue levels of α-tocopherol were elevated to 43.8 ± 1.4 nmol/g (P < 0.05), but fell to 26.1 ± 4.2 nmol/g. Their GSH and PSH tissue levels also declined to 7 ± 3% and 56 ± 8% of their initial values (P < 0.05, vs. controls). Thus, it appeared that α-tocopherol supplementation was unable to prevent nitrofurantoin-induced changes in the GSH or PSH status of the liver.
Prevalence, distribution, and sequence diversity of hmwA among commensal and otitis media non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae.

Abstract Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) are Gram-negative coccobacilli that colonize the human pharynx, their only known natural reservoir. Adherence to the host epithelium facilitates NTHi colonization and marks one of the first steps in NTHi pathogenesis. Epithelial cell attachment is mediated, in part, by a pair of high molecular weight (HMW) adhesins that are highly immunogenic, antigenically diverse, and display a wide range of amino acid diversity both within and between isolates. In this study, the prevalence of hmwA, which encodes the HMW adhesin, was determined for a collection of 170 NTHi isolates recovered from the middle ears of children with otitis media (OM isolates) or throats or nasopharynges of healthy children (commensal isolates) from Finland, Israel, and the U.S. Overall, hmwA was detected in 61% of NTHi isolates and was significantly more prevalent (P = 0.004) among OM isolates than among commensal isolates; the prevalence ratio comparing hmwA prevalence among ear isolates with that of commensal isolates was 1.47 (95% CI (1.12, 1.92)). Ninety-five percent (98/103) of the hmwA-positive NTHi isolates possessed two hmw loci. To advance our understanding of hmwA binding sequence diversity, we determined the DNA sequence of the hmwA binding region of 33 isolates from this collection. The average amino acid identity across all hmwA sequences was 62%. Phylogenetic analyses of the hmwA binding revealed four distinct sequence clusters, and the majority of hmwA sequences (83%) belonged to one of two dominant sequence clusters. hmwA sequences did not cluster by chromosomal location, geographic region, or disease status.
Protein engineering for structure determination

Abstract Protein engineering has speeded progress in structure determination in several ways: the isolation of pure protein for structure determination; the crystallizability of proteins in terms of size, solubility and crystal packing; and, the solution of the phase problem by enabling multiple isomorphous replacement or multiwavelength anomalous diffraction through the introduction of heavy-metal-binding sites.
Hypertension and Retinal Vascular Insufficiency Associated With Platelet Microthrombi

A 45-year-old woman is described who, during the two-year course of her illness, had abdominal pain, gastrointestinal damage, and hypertension. Platelet "white bodies’ also were seen to appear in her arterial circulation.
Registration of multiple image sets with thin-plate spline

Abstract A thin-plate spline method for spatial warping was used to register multiple image sets duringthree-dimensional reconstruction ofhistological sections. In a neuroanatomical study, the samelabeling method was applied to several turtle brains. Each case produced a set of microscopicsections. Spatial warping was employed to map data sets from multiple cases onto a templatecoordinate system. This technique enabled us to produce an anatomical reconstruction of aneural network that controls limb movement.Keywords: spatial warping, thin-plate spline, registration, regularization theory, geometrictransformation, three-dimensional reconstruction, medical imaging. 1 Introduction Imaging has played an increasingly important role in contemporary biomedical research. A frequentproblem researchers face is how to compare images which are acquired from multiple subjects or differentmodalities. In neuroanatomical studies, the same labeling method is usually applied to several animals. Insome experiments, different labeling methods are given to same or different animals to obtain data under
The dependence of the coupled magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere system on the Earth's magnetic dipole moment

[1] The strength of the Earth’s magnetic field changes over time. We use simulations with the Coupled Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere model to investigate how the magnetosphere, upper atmosphere, and solar quiet (Sq) geomagnetic variation respond as the geomagnetic dipole moment M varies between 2⋅10 22 and 10⋅10 22 Am 2 . We find that the magnetopause stand-off distance and the cross-polar cap potential increase, while the polar cap size decreases, with increasing M. Their dependence on M is stronger than predicted by previous studies. We also show for the first time that the shape of the magnetosphere starts to change for M ≤ 4⋅10 22 Am 2 . This may be due to enhanced magnetopause erosion and/or to strong changes in the ionospheric conductance, which affect the field-aligned currents and the magnetic fields they create in the magnetosphere,
SU‐E‐T‐65: Using Gauge R&R for Analyzing the Process of Daily IGRT

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to characterize the measurement system of daily patient setup. We also evaluate whether or not the level of therapists' experience had an impact on aligning digitally reconstructedradiographs (DRRs) to the actual digital x‐ray images. Method and Materials:Expert and beginner level therapists were investigated in the processes of image matching. The levels of experience were based on the length in which the therapists have been working in the RadiationOncology Department and on their experience level with the daily radiographicimaging equipment. To evaluate the measurement system and the therapists' performance, a repeatability and reproducibility study (gauge R & R) was performed, which determines the error in the process of matching image sets. For an acceptable process, the Gage R&R should be below 30%. Nine therapists and one faculty expert matched 20 image sets (DRRs to kV x‐ray images) for GYN bone and prostate seed cases. For each case, the treatment couch shifts in vertical, longitude, and latitude were recorded. As an independent baseline, the therapists were compared to the faculty expert's evaluation of the same images sets. Identified shifts were analyzed as the magnitude of the three translational axes. Results: The mean vector agreement with the baseline is higher for the prostate cases than the GYN cases and there is more variability for the GYN cases. For GYN cases, the Gage R&R was 87.7% and 85.9% for beginner and expert, respectively. For prostate cases (with outlier removed), the Gage R&R was 86.9% and 26.2% for beginner and expert, respectively. Conclusions: We conclude that different level therapists cannot be distinguished for matching GYN cases. This implies that additional efforts on training alone may not help improve the process of bony anatomyimage matching for the pelvis. Equipment improvements may be necessary.
Maternal Mid-Pregnancy Autoantibodies to Fetal Brain Protein: The Early Markers for Autism Study

Background Immune dysfunction has been associated with autism, yet whether maternal immune status during pregnancy plays a causal role remains to be clarified. Methods We conducted a population-based case-control study nested within the cohort of infants born July 2000–September 2001 to women who participated in the prenatal screening program in Orange County, California. Cases (AU; n = 84) were children receiving services for autism at the Regional Center of Orange County. Two control groups were included: children with mental retardation or developmental delay (MR; n = 49) receiving services at the same regional center; and children not receiving services for developmental disabilities, randomly sampled from the California birth certificate files (GP; n = 160). Maternal autoantibody reactivity to fetal brain protein was measured by Western blot in archived mid-pregnancy blood specimens drawn during routine prenatal screening. Presence of specific bands and band patterns were compared between the three study groups. Results The pattern of maternal mid-gestation antibody reactivity to human fetal brain protein varied by study group and by autism onset type, although most differences did not reach statistical significance. Reactivity to a band at 39 kDa was more common among mothers of children with autism (7%) compared with mothers of MR (0%; p = .09) and GP control subjects (2%; p = .07), and simultaneous reactivity to bands at 39 kDa and 73 kDa was found only in mothers of children with early onset autism ( n = 3). Conclusions Our findings indicate that further studies of prenatal immune markers might be a productive area for etiologic and biologic marker discovery for autism.
Grooming demands instead of traffic: Benefits of a choice-based approach to Green optical networks

The problem of providing an agile, energy-aware, flexible optical network architecture is one of the challenges in optical networking in the coming decade. A key element in this challenge is the balancing of the benefits to customer and provider, and creating an agile system capable of reflecting both provider and customer interests on an ongoing basis as network conditions change. In this paper, we articulate how the traditional optical networking research area of traffic grooming may be combined with recent advances in Internet architecture, specifically a proposed Future Internet architecture called ChoiceNet, to make some key contributions to this problem. Our basic premise is that a marketplace that allows providers to advertise services on a dynamic basis, with accompanying prices that reflect the relative resource scarcity in the network at the time, provides a rendezvous of customer and provider interests, allowing collaborative optimization of network resource usage. With these pre-announced information, customers are able to make informed choices, thus participating in optimizing the use of available network resources for win-win benefits for providers and customers. We show how such marketplace choices naturally arise for energy-aware optical networks, and investigate the ensuing customer-provider interactions. Our results demonstrate the potential for win-win in this approach.
An open cremaster muscle preparation for the study of blood vessels by in vivo microscopy.

A survey is made of the various approaches employed for the study of the microcirculation in striated muscle (cremaster) by in vivo microscopy in the rat, and the technique for opening the muscle pouch is described. When opened and extended the rat's cremaster, of 2.7 ± 0.4-cm diam and 175 ± 15 μm in thick ness, can be transilluminated in toto, and the branches of cremasteric artery and vein visualized to their final ramifications. It also allowed direct measurements of dynamic changes of lumen and wall of the small blood vessels to be made at high power and maximum resolution of the electrooptical image on the television screen. A platform microtensor device sustains the spread muscle on the stage of the microscope, and allows quantitative evaluation of microcirculatory variables to be made at known amounts of stretch of the host tissue. Radial spreading of the tissue with a stretch force equivalent to < 180 mg, alters neither size nor reactivity of muscular precapillary vessels, and no change of blood in capillary occurred from that seen in exposed, unopened cremaster. The method was applied to the mouse. Cremaster muscle in this rodent measured 1.7 ± 5 mm in diameter, and 98.5 ± 11.0 μm in thickness. The method for striated cremaster muscle, experimental set up and optics provide a clear field for observing the smallest blood vessels in this tissue, for over more than 2 hr, without significant changes in dynamic activity and flow characteristics.
A Phased Approach to Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation Involving Ventricular Fibrillation and Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia

With the release of the 2010 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care, evidence regarding management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest suggests a more fundamental approach. To aid in understanding and learning, this article proposes a method that optimizes the timing and delivery of evidence-proven therapies with a 3-phase approach for out-of-hospital resuscitation from ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Although this model is not a new concept, it is largely based on the 2010 AHA Guidelines, enhancing the philosophy of the "CAB" concept (Chest compressions/Airway management/Breathing rescue).
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Amplicon Vector-Mediated Gene Transfer to Muscle

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) amplicon vectors were evaluated for feasibility in gene therapy of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD). An amplicon vector expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) was examined for transduction efficiency and cytotoxicity in cultured muscle cells, and for transduction efficiency, duration of transgene expression, and immunogenicity in tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of neonatal mice. Transduction efficiencies in murine and human myoblasts were 60-90 and 50-60%, respectively, when myoblasts were transduced at multiplicities of infection (MOIs) of 1-5. Similar transduction efficiencies were observed in myotubes of both species. No cytotoxic effects were noticed at an MOI of 10, the highest MOI tested. An amplicon vector, HyMD, containing the full-length mouse dystrophin cDNA and its muscle creatine kinase (MCK) promoter-enhancer, with a total size of 26 kb, was constructed and used to transduce mdx mouse myotubes. The expression of dystrophin in these cells was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry. After injecting 4-6 x 10(5) transduction units (TU) of HSVGN amplicon vectors, 10-50% of myofibers in the injected TA muscles expressed GFP. Although transgene expression was attenuated over time, significant improvement in long-term transgene expression and persistence of vector DNA was achieved, when compared with the first generation of recombinant HSV-1 vectors. Immunohistochemistry showed a modest CD4(+) lymphocyte infiltration in the vicinity of the injection. A gradually developed CD8(+) lymphocyte infiltration was also seen, most likely related to the antigenicity of the transgene product, GFP. We conclude that the HSV-1 amplicon vector is a promising vehicle for gene delivery in DMD. However, new strategies need to be evaluated to increase the stability of transgene expression.
Induced parturition in pigs with Alfaprostol

Abstract The potential of Alfaprostol (ALF) to induce parturition in pigs was evaluated in field trials at two locations. Sows of varying parity and breeding were randomly assigned to receive 0, 0.5, 1, 2 or 3 mg ALF per head. Intramuscular injections were given 2 d prior to expected parturition date. Sows receiving ALF, regardless of dose, farrowed in significantly less time than controls. The average time (h) from injection to first birth by location (1 or 2) and ALF dose (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3) respectively was as follows: Location 1, 76.2±5.7, 35.4±5.3, 34.7±6.6, 43.7±7.2, 34.9±8.6; Location 2, 69±3.9, 38.4±38, 32.7±3.8, 30.2±3.7, 31.3±3.9. Comparison of sow productivity (i.e., farrowing to farrowing interval, number of pigs born and weaned, among doses made prior to, during, or following ALF treatment) revealed no differences (P>0.05). The variability among and within doses associated with time of first birth was similar to results of earlier investigations with other prostaglandins used to induce birth in swine. It was concluded that ALF was effective for inducing parturition, and since 0.5 mg ALF was as effective as all other doses (P>0.05), it was the minimum effective dose in this study.
Aminozuckersynthesen, VIII. Oxazolidone des D-Gulosamins durch Intramolekulare Nucleophile Reaktion

Es wird eine intramolekulare nucleophile Reaktion von N-Cbo-3.4-anhydro-D-galaktosamin-Derivaten zu Derivaten des D-Gulopyranosido-[2.3 : 4′5′]-oxazolidons-(2′) beschrieben. Die Reaktion erfolgt in siedender, wasr. Essigsaure.
Invertebrate and Vertebrate Class III Myosins Interact with MORN Repeat-Containing Adaptor Proteins

In Drosophila photoreceptors, the NINAC-encoded myosin III is found in a complex with a small, MORN-repeat containing, protein Retinophilin (RTP). Expression of these two proteins in other cell types showed NINAC myosin III behavior is altered by RTP. NINAC deletion constructs were used to map the RTP binding site within the proximal tail domain of NINAC. In vertebrates, the RTP ortholog is MORN4. Co-precipitation experiments demonstrated that human MORN4 binds to human myosin IIIA (MYO3A). In COS7 cells, MORN4 and MYO3A, but not MORN4 and MYO3B, co-localize to actin rich filopodia extensions. Deletion analysis mapped the MORN4 binding to the proximal region of the MYO3A tail domain. MYO3A dependent MORN4 tip localization suggests that MYO3A functions as a motor that transports MORN4 to the filopodia tips and MORN4 may enhance MYO3A tip localization by tethering it to the plasma membrane at the protrusion tips. These results establish conserved features of the RTP/MORN4 family: they bind within the tail domain of myosin IIIs to control their behavior.
Staged curing of composite materials

Abstract In this paper the composites processing technique stage curing is developed. Stage curing is especially suited for the fabrication of thick composites in which thermal spiking and non-uniform consolidation are problematic. It is also useful for assessing the effects of lengthy lay-up times on mechanical integrity for large, complex composite structures. The effects of stage curing on the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness and interlaminar shear strength were investigated by double cantilever beam and interlaminar shear strength testing. From the results of these tests, no degradation was found for the staged cure cycles investigated. Additionally, the feasibility of reducing void content by stage curing was demonstrated. The interruption of the cure cycle with an intermediate cooldown under pressure before gelation results in shrinkage and collapse of voids. Subsequent gelation of the resin can give materials with reduced void content compared with conventional curing.
Institutional capacity and policy for latecomer technology development

Latecomer countries possess varying levels of policy and institutional capacity to make the right kinds of choices that promote development, which explain to a large extent the difficulties they face in transforming knowledge through learning activities to technological capabilities and innovative performance. This paper tries to answer some of the myriad of questions that arise in resolving the development conundrum of the latecomers. For instance, why is access to knowledge not sufficient to promote the use of knowledge? Why is technology transfer not a necessary precondition for technology absorption? Why is public sector research not sufficient to promote product development through the private sector? The answer to most of these very basic, often-assumed-to-be-given, constraints lies in the nature of, and the capacity of formal and informal institutions that underlie innovation in latecomer countries. I suggest that one of the causes of this failure is the lack of an institutional base for innovation that builds on local and contextual factors.
A recursive linear programming analysis of the future of the pulp and paper industry in the United States: Changes in supplies and demands, and the effects of recycling

The impacts of increased paper recycling on the U.S. pulp and paper sector are investigated, using the North American Pulp And Paper (NAPAP) model. This dynamic spatial equilibrium model forecasts the amount of pulp, paper and paperboard exchanged in a multi-region market, and the corresponding prices. The core of the model is a recursive price-endogenous linear programming system that simulates the behavior of a competitive industry. The model has been used to make forecasts of key variables describing the sector from 1986 to 2012, demand for paper would have the greatest impact on the amount of wood used. But the minimum recycled content policies envisaged currently would have no more effect than what will come about due to unregulated market forces.
Phase II study of Belinostat (PXD101), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, for second line therapy of advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma

Background: Belinostat (PXD 101) is a novel inhibitor of class I and II histone deacetylases. This class of compounds has demonstrated anticancer activity in malignant mesothelioma. We conducted a phase II study of belinostat in patients with relapsed malignant pleural mesothelioma. Methods: Patients with advanced mesothelioma, progression with one prior chemotherapy regimen and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0–2 were eligible. Belinostat was administered at 1000 mg/m 2 intravenously over 30 minutes on days 1–5 of every 3 week cycle. The primary end point was response rate. The Simon two-stage design was used. Disease assessments were performed every two cycles. Results: Thirteen patients were enrolled. Baseline characteristics were: median age of 73 years; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 ( n = 4), 1 (8) and 2 (1). A median of two cycles of therapy were administered. Disease stabilization was seen in two patients. No objective responses were noted and the study did not meet criteria to proceed to the second stage of accrual. Median survival was 5 months with a median progression-free survival of 1 month. Salient toxicities included nausea, emesis, fatigue, and constipation. One patient died as a consequence of cardiac arrhythmia which was deemed ‘possibly' related to therapy. Conclusions: Belinostat is not active as monotherapy against recurrent malignant pleural mesothelioma. Evaluation of combination strategies or alternate dosing schedules may be necessary for further development of this novel agent in mesothelioma.
Control of T2-Specific RNA synthesis

RNA molecules made in T2-infected Escherichia coli during different parts of the latent period have been compared with one another. Specific RNA-DNA complex formation has been used as a criterion for distinguishing unlike molecules. RNA isolated early in the latent period has been tested for its ability to inhibit complex formation by late RNA and vice versa. Analyses of complexes by equilibrium centrifugation in CsCl and by nitrocellulose absorption have led to similar conclusions. During the period 15 to 19 min after T2 infection, RNA molecules are copied from T2 DNA sequences which are not expressed in the first 6·5 min. All types of RNA made in the first 6·5 min remain present in the bacteria 19 min after infection.
Teaching Leadership: Preparing Graduate Students for "Taking Charge"

Fast-track MBA and MPA graduates cycle through several managerial assignments during their career, requiring that they repeatedly "take charge" of new units or organizations. Research has shown that this transitional stage of an executive assignment has unique leader-follower dynamics and tasks. However, most leadership courses do not provide formal study of the transition dynamics, tending to emphasize the qualities of established, steady state leadership. This article summarizes research on the "taking charge" process, distinguishing between the entering and the established phases of a managerial assignment along dimensions such as the self-focused and other-directed tasks at each stage. The article describes teaching strategies, materials, and adaptations to current curricula that enable students to understand the evolution of a managerial assignment from taking charge through to established leadership and to build relevant skills and expectations.
A clinical trial of antazoline in the treatment of arrhythmias

Abstract Antazoline is a comparatively safe and effective antiarrhythmic drug in many situations, for both the conversion and prevention of arrhythmias. It appeared to be most effective in the abolition of ventricular tachycardia, possibly helpful in 2 cases of cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation and beneficial in the prevention of atrial and ventricular premature beats. It was useful and deserves further trial in the prevention of paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia. It was almost ineffective in the conversion and prophylaxis of atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation but appeared to be of value in the prevention of paroxysmal atrial tachycardia. There was a high incidence of mild side effects, mostly of the gastrointestinal type, some of which were prevented by taking the drug with meals or with an antacid preparation. No irreversible or serious side actions were encountered, but diarrhea, central nervous system symptoms and chills and fever necessitated stopping the drug in a small percentage of patients.