cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetic studies of novel di- and tri-propionate substrates for the chicken red blood cell enzyme coproporphyrinogen oxidase.

Coproporphyrinogen oxidase is an important enzyme in heme biosynthesis and catalyses the sequential oxidative decarboxylation of propionates on the A and B rings of the porphyrinogen ring. The effects of substituents on the C and D rings have not been systematically evaluated for their effects on the kinetic constants, K m and V m a x . A series of synthetic porphyrinogens have been tested for their ability to affect these kinetic constants for the chicken enzyme. The enzyme exhibited the largest V m a x when incubated with the authentic substrate and was clearly able to distinguish between various substituents on the C and D rings of the macrocycle. When co-incubated with substrate, the authentic product, protoporphyrinogen-IX, appears to inhibit coproporphyrinogen oxidase and this may have an important role in the regulation of this enzyme. Thus the model for the active site of this enzyme should be modified to take these factors into account.
On long waves with cross-wind in an atmosphere

Asymptotic equations of long waves in a compressible medium of infinite height with arbitrary density and wind profiles, including cross-wind, are systematically derived to provide the mathematical description of certain pressure-front phenomena observed in the atmosphere. It is assumed that the final state of the wave is a plane wave moving with nearly constant velocity, even though its velocity field has a component transverse to the direction of propagation. The coefficients of the asymptotic long-wave equations are found to depend on the equilibrium profiles of the density and of the velocity component in the direction of propagation of the wave, but not on the profile of the transverse velocity. Any horizontal direction of propagation is found to be possible, even for waves of permanent type.
The Effect of Turbulent Shear on the Damping of Pressure Waves

Combustion instability is the positive feedback between heat release and pressure in a combustion system. Combustion instability occurs in the both air breathing and rocket propulsion devices, frequently resulting in high amplitude spinning waves. If unchecked, the resultant pressure fluctuations can cause significant damage. Tools for the prediction of combustion instability typically include models for the heat release, the wave propagation and damping. Many wave propagation models for propulsion systems assume negligible flow, resulting in the wave equation. In this research the effect of flow on wave propagation was studied both numerically and experimentally. An experiential rig was constructed with varying axial flow to study longitudinal waves. The rig was excited with speakers and the resultant pressure was measured simultaneously at many locations on the test section. From the pressure data Frequency Response Function data were obtained. Turbulent spectrum data were also taken at the exit of the rig. The turbulent spectrum and Frequency Response Function data were compared and it was concluded that turbulent shear extracts energy in such a way that as the mode number increases the damping in the respective mode decreases. Also concluded was as the system damping increases for a given flow rate the resonant frequency of a mode increases. This result is counter to typical systems where the resonant frequency decreases in with systems of increasing damping
Modulators of the Acute Inflammatory Response: A Dissertation

Acute inflammatory response is caused by the rapid recruitment of leukocytes, mainly neutrophils and monocytes, from blood to the tissue site. Diverse agents, including invading pathogens, injured or dead cells, and other irritants, may stimulate this response. In the ensuing inflammatory response, the recruited leukocytes and their secreted molecules help in eliminating or containing the injurious agents and promoting tissue regeneration. But often this response is imprecise and can lead to bystander tissue damage. Unchecked neutrophil activation is implicated in the pathology of many inflammatory conditions. An in-depth understanding of the pathways regulating this response, therefore, becomes critical in identifying therapeutic targets for these diseases. In this study, we investigate the role of intestinal commensal bacteria in regulating the acute inflammatory response. Furthermore, we examine the mechanism by which Interleukin-1 (IL-1) controls the inflammatory response to sterile agents. Inflammatory responses have been studied in the context of host defense against pathogens. However, we report that the innate immune system needs to be primed by intestinal flora to enable neutrophil recruitment to diverse microbial or sterile inflammatory signals. This priming requires myeloid differentiation primary response gene (88) (MyD88) signaling. In antibiotic-treated mice, which have depleted intestinal flora, we show that neutrophils get released into the blood from the bone marrow, but have a specific defect in migration into the inflammed tissue. This deficiency can be restored by pre-stimulating the mice with a purified MyD88 ligand. Despite having reduced number of infiltrating neutrophils, antibiotic-treated mice make higher levels of
Consistency checking of SCR-style requirements specifications

The paper describes a class of formal analysis called consistency checking that mechanically checks requirements specifications, expressed in the SCR tabular notation, for application independent properties. Properties include domain coverage, type correctness, and determinism. As background, the SCR notation for specifying requirements is reviewed. A formal requirements model describing the meaning of the SCR notation is summarized, and consistency checks derived from the formal model are described. The results of experiments to evaluate the utility of automated consistency checking are presented. Where consistency checking of requirements fits in the software development process is discussed.
An experiment of campaign effects during the YouTube election

The 2008 US presidential election was called the ‘YouTube Election’. However, scholars know little about how the internet influences attitudes toward politics. To address this, we conduct an experiment to test the effects of exposure to the YouTube channel, ‘YouChoose’08’, on young adults during the 2008 US presidential election. We find that those exposed to YouChoose’08 exhibit more cynicism toward the US government, yet also had a heightened sense that they influence the political system. Exposure to YouChoose’08 had no influence on attitudes toward candidates or internet sources.
A cross‐national and cross‐generational study of consumer acculturation to advertising appeals

Purpose – Previous research on global marketing has typically focussed on marketing strategies across national markets. Yet, the cross‐national mobility of individuals has increased heterogeneity within country markets. The purpose of this study is to examine how immigrant consumers perceive advertising appeals in the context of the consumer acculturation process. Specifically, our study focusses on the reactions of Mexican, American, and Mexican‐American consumers to puffery‐laden advertisements.Design/methodology/approach – Using two‐factor theory as our theoretical prism, the study offers salient hypotheses regarding consumer perceptions of puffery‐laden advertising appeals, which are then tested in a cross‐national experiment in the USA and Mexico.Findings – The results show that Mexican consumers are more susceptible to puffery‐laden claims than Americans. In contrast, American consumers are more susceptible to advertising that does not contain puffery‐laden claims than their Mexican counterparts. In...
Statistical frequency in perception affects children’s lexical production

Children’s early word production is influenced by the statistical frequency of speech sounds and combinations. Three experiments asked whether this production effect can be explained by a perceptual learning mechanism that is sensitive to word-token frequency and/or variability. Four-year-olds were exposed to nonwords that were either frequent (presented 10 times) or infrequent (presented once). When the frequent nonwords were spoken by the same talker, children showed no significant effect of perceptual frequency on production. When the frequent nonwords were spoken by different talkers, children produced them with fewer errors and shorter latencies. The results implicate token variability in perceptual learning.
Envelope tracking power amplifier with pre-distortion linearization for WLAN 802.11g

This paper presents a power amplifier based on envelope tracking (ET) with application to the WLAN 802.11g system. Baseband pre-distortion is implemented to improve the linearity. A high-efficiency wide-bandwidth envelope amplifier and a GaAs MESFET class AB RFPA are designed and implemented for the system. An overall system drain efficiency of 30% is obtained for an OFDM output power of 20 dBm at 2.4GHz.
Happily Ever After: Toward a Theory of Late Stage Group Performance

This article develops a theory of late stage group performance based on the late stage group’s unique characteristics: a long shared history, an indefinite endpoint, a long member entry/exit history, and a long “parent” organization relationship. These characteristics are markedly different from those of earlier stage groups, suggesting that extant literature’s limited “maintenance” or “cyclical” prescriptions are insufficient for effective late stage group management. Six propositions are developed to model the relationship between late stage group characteristics and performance. Managerial implications are also discussed and a late stage group research agenda is proposed.
Financing Higher Education in Kenya: Student perceptions and experiences

In response to declining governmental funding, cost‐sharing in higher education and dual‐track tuition policies were introduced in the 1990s in Kenya. The decline of government funding in higher education was a result of slow economic growth, competing public needs (such as health, elementary education, and infrastructure), and pressure to reduce funding by international donors. This qualitative research study examines the implications of these two financing policies in the Kenyan context and offers suggestions on how emerging critical issues can be addressed.
EFFECT OF POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY ON COCHLEAR POTENTIALS AND CATION CONTENTS OF THE ENDOLYMPH

The scala vestibuli and/or scala tympani in anesthetized guinea pigs was perfused with potassium-free solution. Cochlear microphonics (CM), summating potential (SP), action potential (AP) and endoc...
The Roles of ROS and ABA in Systemic Acquired Acclimation

Systemic responses to environmental stimuli are essential for the survival of multicellular organisms. In plants, they are initiated in response to many different signals including pathogens, wounding, and abiotic stresses. Recent studies highlighted the importance of systemic acquired acclimation to abiotic stresses in plants and identified several different signals involved in this response. These included reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium waves, hydraulic waves, electric signals, and abscisic acid (ABA). Here, we address the interactions between ROS and ABA at the local and systemic tissues of plants subjected to abiotic stress and attempt to propose a model for the involvement of ROS, ABA, and stomata in systemic signaling leading to systemic acquired acclimation.
Profound hypothermia mimicking a brugada type ECG

g p n e ( t Brugada’s syndrome is a complex of electrocariographic right bundle branch block STs segment levation in the right precordial leads, and an ncreased risk of sudden cardiac death. Patients may ave spontaneous and inducible polymorphic venricular tachycardia sustained or nonsustained, with ormal QT intervals. Usually, there is no structural eart disease, and most patients are asymptomatic. he syndrome presents commonly in adolescent nd young adult males, among whom it appears to onfer the highest risk of sudden death (1). We report a case of a young man without any revious history of cardiac disease who presented n our emergency department with hypothermia, etabolic and electrolytes abnormalities and STs, egment elevation in the right precordial leads but o malignant arrhythmia.
Codar: a congestion-directed general area router

A general area router that integrates the phases of global routing and detailed routing has been developed. The global phase coarsely places the nets based on the congestion of the routing region, and the detailed phase modifies the course wiring to find legal positions for all wire segments. Both phases use the same grid space of routing tracks with two or more levels of interconnect. With this integrated data structure, the router can alternate between global and detailed routing operations, both of which use rip-up and reroute techniques. This integration has resulted in a router that can solve difficult problems not solvable by other programs while exhibiting runtimes that grow only moderately with the size of the routing problem. >
Inspection planning for mission-critical quality

This paper discusses a class of quality management problems called mission-critical, meaning that the risk of loss due to product failure is so great that no degree of process control is sufficient. Although inspection has fallen out of favor, such circumstances require that complete finished goods inspections be carried out. After reviewing the literature, approaches to managing such inspection tasks are discussed with a particular emphasis on the effects of inspection error. An approach to designing experiments to estimate inspection error probabilities in an industrial setting is described.
Evaluating the safety of frontal sinus trephination.

Objectives/Hypothesis: The depth of the frontal sinus was measured using axial computed tomography (CT) images to examine the safety of frontal sinus trephination at selected distances from the midline. Study Design: Review of 200 sinus CT scans. Methods: Two hundred sinus CT scans (400 frontal sinuses) were reviewed to measure the frontal sinus depth at 5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm from midline. Results: Males had a significantly deeper frontal sinus than females at all measurements points (P < .001). The measurements revealed a considerable number of small but nonhypoplastic frontal sinuses, which were shallower than the length of standard frontal trephine instruments (7 mm) and would risk penetration of the posterior table of the sinus. Of all frontal sinuses studied, 9.54% were <7 mm deep at 5 mm from the midline, 10.12% at 10 mm, and 8.96% at 15 mm from the midline. Overall, 15.3% of all frontal sinuses studied had at least one point where the measured depth was <7 mm. Conclusions: Although the majority of patients have frontal sinuses deep enough to accommodate standard trephine instruments, surgeons should recognize that up to 15% of nonhypoplastic frontal sinuses may not be sufficiently deep at a given point to allow safe trephination without risking unintentional transgression of the posterior table. This study suggests that trephination routinely carried out at a given predetermined distance from the midline may be an unsafe practice. Careful evaluation of the imaging is essential in every case to avoid inadvertent injury and to help select the safest distance from the midline for frontal sinus trephination. Laryngoscope, 2010
Steroid hormone receptors in the developing brain

Sex differences exist in the behavioral patterns of adult vertebrate species. Many of these behavioral differences arise as a, result of the developmental imprinting of sex specific patterns in the anatomical, biochemical and molecular substrates of the brain. It is well established that steroid hormones play an important role during critical periods of development to organize the brain to a male or female specific pattern. In order to demonstrate that these hormones can act directly on brain tissue, ligand specific receptors for estrogen and androgen have been demonstrated in the developing brain, using a variety of techniques. Each class of steroid hormone receptor exhibits a unique distribution in the brain. Furthermore, each receptor undergoes a unique and tissue specific ontogenetic pattern of expression. A careful examination of the distribution and ontogeny of expression allows one to formulate specific hypotheses regarding the role of each of these receptors in the development and maturation of the brain. Biomedical Reviews 1997; 7: 51-66.
A 6-month-old with bilateral swollen, painful, and deformed hands.

Maureen Curtis Cooper, Beacon Chapter, Massachusetts ENA, is Staff Nurse, Pediatric Emergency Department, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Mass. For reprints, write: Maureen Curtis Cooper, RN, BSN, CEN, 21 John St, Malden, MA 02148-6501; E-mail: maureen.cooper@bmc.org. J Emerg Nurs 2004;30:384-7. Available online 28 May 2004. 0099-1767/$30.00 Copyright n 2004 by the Emergency Nurses Association. doi:10.1016/j.jen.2004.03.029
Design with evaluation in mind: Assuring quality in a newly blended nursing program

As traditionally face-to-face nursing programs integrate more and more online components into the curriculum, it is important to consider established standards of quality in online and blended course design. This case study applied a quality rubric and peer-review process to the design and evaluation of a newly blended Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. Early adoption of the standards to guide the redesign process resulted in a highly successful review process, with twelve of thirteen courses achieving quality certifications. Qualitative analysis of peer review feedback revealed common themes including: the importance of greeting students with a warm and professional welcome; ensuring alignment among objectives, activities & assessments; establishing a context for instructional units; guiding student use of learning materials; promoting active learning; and developing specific, detailed criteria and grading rubrics for assessments. Despite several challenges associated with applying an online-focused process to blended courses, the selected framework was a useful for assuring quality in the design and evaluation of both fully online and blended nursing courses.
Quantitation of dialkyl phosphate metabolites of organophosphate pesticides in human urine using GC-MS-MS with isotopic internal standards

Human exposure to organophosphate pesticides can be estimated from the presence of urinary metabolites. An isotope-dilution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) method was developed for quantitating the six dialkyl phosphate urinary metabolites of at least 29 organophosphate pesticides. Urine samples were spiked with stable isotope analogues of the dialkyl phosphates, evaporated using azeotropic distillation, followed by chemical derivatization of the metabolites to their respective chloropropyl phosphate esters. The chloropropyl phosphate esters were concentrated and then analyzed using GC-MS-MS. The limits of detection (LODs) of the method were in the low-to-mid picogram-per-milliliter range (parts per trillion) with coefficients of variation of less than 20%. The use of stable isotope analogues as internal standards for each of these metabolites allows for the highest degree of accuracy and precision. Additionally, the low LODs allow the use of this method in general population studies.
Renormalization study of two-dimensional convergent solutions of the porous medium equation

In the focusing problem, we study a solution of the porous medium equation ut D 1.u m / whose initial distribution is positive in the exterior of a closed noncircular two-dimensional region, and zero inside. We implement a numerical scheme that renormalizes the solution each time that the average size of the empty region reduces by a half. The initial condition is a function with circular level sets distorted with a small sinusoidal perturbation of wave number k> 3. We find that for nonlinearity exponents m smaller than a critical value which depends on k, the solution tends to a self-similar regime, characterized by rounded polygonal interfaces and similarity exponents that depend on m and on the discrete rotational symmetry numberk .F orm greater than the critical value, the final form of the interface is circular. ©2000 Elsevier Science
An Ecological Study of Magnolia macrophylla in Gaston County, North Carolina

Abstract Magnolia macrophylla Michaux (Big-Leaf Magnolia) has the largest size simple leaf and flower of any North American tree. Its primary geographic range includes the southeastern U.S. In North Carolina, it is predominantly found in Gaston County, located in the western Piedmont region of the state. This geographic isolation from its more extensive range in more southern states probably represents a bottleneck effect after the last glaciation period. Data from eight population sites sampled from the 2000 to 2002 growing seasons show a significant correlation of M. macrophylla with more mesic habitats. Fagus grandifolia, Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera and Oxydendrum arboreum are important associate species within these sites. Periodic disturbance may be an important factor in the maintenance and establishment of M. macrophylla populations.
Molecular Genetics in Carcinoma of the Bladder

Bladder cancer represents the fifth most common cancer in the United States (Silverberg et al. 1989). Epidemiological investigations suggest that cigarette smoking and occupational exposure to arylamines are the two leading risk factors contributing to this disease (Augustine et al. 1988). Carcinomas of the bladder arise from the neoplastic transformation of uroepithelial cells into the several morphologically and genetically distinct subsets of bladder cancer. For example, approximately 90% of bladder cancer malignancies in the United States are transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs), and the remaining 10% are classified as either squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), undifferentiated adenocarcinomas, or undifferentiated cancers of the bladder. In contrast, SCCs predominate in Middle Eastern countries, Egypt, and Africa, representing the leading cancer in men and accounting for 80% of all bladder cancer cases. The prevalence of SCC in these regions is associated with the endemic occurrence of infections by the Schistosoma haematobium trematode (Mostofi et al. 1988).
Random and Deterministic Forests

Forest-based classification and prediction is one of the most commonly used nonparametric statistical methods in many scientific and engineering areas, particularly in machine learning and analysis of high-throughput genomic data. In this chapter, we first introduce the construction of random forests and deterministic forests, and then address a fundamental and practical issue on how large the forests need to be.
After the pop-up games: London's never-ending regeneration

This paper examines the temporality of urban planning in contemporary London, especially with regard to the 2012 Olympic Games. I argue that planners and officials deployed a rhetoric of permanence to validate not only the Games themselves, but also the costly development and infrastructural changes in the city as well as human displacements. Specifically, a decentralized network of planners, officials, consultants, and administrators used temporal concepts such as ‘legacy’, ‘sustainability’, and ‘regeneration’ in describing the benefits of hosting the Games, all of which purposely ignored the temporary and unsustainable nature of the two-week sporting event. I further argue that this rhetoric could be sustained only through an implication that the Olympic site—and East London as a whole—was in a state of ruin, a state which could be ameliorated through the production of this sporting ‘mega-event’. Above all, the Olympics attempt to rhetorically mitigate their own temporary, ‘pop-up’ quality for the sake of an urban settler colonialism.
Use of Botulinum Toxin A in the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Disorders: A Review of the Literature

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is used to treat a variety of ailments, and its therapeutic application in lower urinary tract disorders (LUTDs) is well studied. Robust evidence supporting the efficacy and tolerability of BoNT in the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) and non-neurogenic overactive bladder (OAB) has led to regulatory approval for these conditions. Use of BoNT in the treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, and detrusor sphincter dyssynergia has demonstrated some promise, but is still evolving and off-label for these indications. Trials to date do not support the use of BoNT for benign prostatic hyperplasia. This comprehensive review outlines the mechanisms of BoNT in the treatment of LUTDs in adults and presents background and updated data examining the efficacy and adverse events associated with the use of BoNT in common urologic applications.
Open problems and conjectures: Two difference equations with simple limiting behaviors but complicated limits

In this section we present some open problems and conjectures about some interesting types of difference equations. Please submit your problems and conjectures with all relevant information to G. L...
The surgical treatment of atrial myxomas. Clinical experience and late results in 33 patients.

Thirty-three patients (28 female and five male) from 17 to 70 years of age (mean age 48 years) underwent excision of left atrial myxomas between 1957 and 1981 at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Twenty-four patients presented with congestive heart failure, three with tachyarrhythmias, two with syncope, and one each with angina, peripheral embolization, hemoptysis, and recurrent pleural effusions. Symptoms were present from 1 to 72 months before operation (mean 11.2 months). Thirty-one tumors originated from the atrial septum and two from the mitral valve anulus. Twenty-nine tumors were pedunculated, and four were sessile; they weighed from 20 to 112 gm (mean 57 gm). No right atrial or ventricular tumors were identified. The myxomas were successfully removed in all patients, either by shaving them from the atrial septum (n = 17) or by excising a portion of normal atrial septum with the tumor (n = 16). One death (3.0%) occurred 8 days after operation as a result of multiple tumor emboli to the coronary circulation. Follow-up is current and complete in all cases (range 1 to 25 years, mean 6.7 years). Twenty-eight patients are in New York Heart Association Class I, and the remaining four patients are in Class II. No recurrent myxomas have been identified clinically or by echocardiography in any patient Altogether, 24 patients have been studied by two-dimensional echocardiography up to 20 years after operation (mean 4.0 years). In this series, excellent results were obtained by simple excision of the tumor, with or without a margin of normal atrial septum. Long-term clinical and echocardiographic follow-up is recommended since late recurrence, although rare, has been reported.
Grassroots for Hire: Outsourcing advocacy? Consulting for associations

Introduction Public affairs consultants are quite logical service providers for corporations. After all, corporations are built for generating profits and distributing them to their owners or shareholders, not for mobilizing public participation. Thus, when a challenge like unwelcome regulation, a community controversy, and/or a public protest comes about, corporations often find that they need to enlist public affairs consultants’ services. Advocacy organizations, by contrast, are known for their ability to connect people to politics. Public interest groups pressing for social change on issues like the environment and climate change, abortion, poverty, taxation, or health policy tend to be far more likely to have strong inherent capacities for galvanizing mass political participation than corporations do. Why, then, do some advocacy organizations feel the need to, in a sense, “outsource” their member mobilization efforts to public affairs consultants? And what does their doing so mean for the infrastructure of civic and political organizations in a context of expanding participatory inequality, transforming communications technologies, and professionalization in the advocacy sector?
Interactive learning in oral and maxillofacial radiology.

PURPOSE The use of electronic tools in teaching is growing rapidly in all fields, and there are many options to choose from. We present one such platform, Learning Catalytics™ (LC) (Pearson, New York, NY, USA), which we utilized in our oral and maxillofacial radiology course for second-year dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODS The aim of our study was to assess the correlation between students' performance on course exams and self-assessment LC quizzes. The performance of 354 predoctoral dental students from 2 consecutive classes on the course exams and LC quizzes was assessed to identify correlations using the Spearman rank correlation test. The first class was given in-class LC quizzes that were graded for accuracy. The second class was given out-of-class quizzes that were treated as online self-assessment exercises. The grading in the self-assessment exercises was for participation only and not accuracy. All quizzes were scheduled 1-2 weeks before the course examinations. RESULTS A positive but weak correlation was found between the overall quiz scores and exam scores when the two classes were combined (P<0.0001). A positive but weak correlation was likewise found between students' performance on exams and on in-class LC quizzes (class of 2016) (P<0.0001) as well as on exams and online LC quizzes (class of 2017) (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION It is not just the introduction of technological tools that impacts learning, but also their use in enabling an interactive learning environment. The LC platform provides an excellent technological tool for enhancing learning by improving bidirectional communication in a learning environment.
Fostering Engineering Students Engagement Using Problem-Based Learning and Course Learner Agent Object Portfolios

Engineering education today is undergoing an unprecedented array of challenges, including maintaining student engagement during the lecture and throughout the semester. Fostering student engagement in the class room has become a challenging task for engineering educators. In this paper, the authors report on the application of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to maintain student engagement throughout each lecture, and the use of Learner Agent Object (LAO) portfolios to maintain student engagement in the course throughout the semester.
Intracranial pressure influences the behavior of the optic nerve head

In this work, the biomechanical responses of the optic nerve head (ONH) to acute elevations in intracranial pressure (ICP) were systematically investigated through numerical modeling. An orthogonal experimental design was developed to quantify the influence of ten input factors that govern the anatomy and material properties of the ONH on the peak maximum principal strain (MPS) in the lamina cribrosa (LC) and postlaminar neural tissue (PLNT). Results showed that the sensitivity of ONH responses to various input factors was region-specific. In the LC, the peak MPS was most strongly dependent on the sclera thickness, LC modulus, and scleral canal size, whereas in the PLNT, the peak MPS was more sensitive to the scleral canal size, neural tissue modulus, and pia mater modulus. The enforcement of clinically relevant ICP in the retro-orbital subarachnoid space influenced the sensitivity analysis. It also induced much larger strains in the PLNT than in the LC. Moreover, acute elevation of ICP leads to dramatic strain distribution changes in the PLNT, but had minimal impact on the LC. This work could help to better understand patient-specific responses, to provide guidance on biomechanical factors resulting in optic nerve diseases, such as glaucoma, papilledema, and ischemic optic neuropathy, and to illuminate the possibilities for exploiting their potential to treat and prevent ONH diseases.
Food Insecurity and Chronic Diseases Among American Indians in Rural Oklahoma: The THRIVE Study

Objectives. To examine food insecurity and cardiovascular disease–related health outcomes among American Indians (AIs) in rural Oklahoma.Methods. We surveyed a cross-sectional sample of 513 AI adults to assess food insecurity domains (i.e., food quality and quantity) and obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.Results. Among AIs surveyed, 56% reported inadequate food quantity and 62% reported inadequate food quality. The unadjusted prevalence of diabetes (28.4% vs 18.4%), obesity (60.0% vs 48.3%), and hypertension (54.1% vs 41.6%) was higher among participants with inadequate food quantity than among those with adequate food quantity. These associations did not reach statistical significance after adjustment for age, gender, study site, education, and income. The unadjusted prevalence of obesity (60.7% vs 45.8%), diabetes (27.3% vs 18.8%), and hypertension (52.5% vs 42.5%) was higher among those with inadequate food quality than among those with adequate food quality, even after adjustment for age, gender, st...
DCIS and axillary nodal evaluation: compliance with national guidelines

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) provide guidelines regarding axillary nodal evaluation in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), but data regarding national compliance with these guidelines remains incomplete. We conducted a retrospective review of the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) analyzing all surgical approaches to axillary evaluation in patients with DCIS. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the multivariate relationship between patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and probability of axillary evaluation. We identified 88,083 patients diagnosed with DCIS between 1998 and 2011; 31,912 (37%) underwent total mastectomy (TM) and 55,349 (63%) had breast conserving therapy (BCT). Axillary evaluation increased from 44.4% in 1998 to 63.3% in 2011. In TM patients, axillary evaluation increased from 74.3% in 1998 to 93.4% in 2011. This correlated with an increase in sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) from 24.3 to 77.1%, while ALND decreased from 50.0 to 16.3% (p <0.01). In BCT patients, evaluation increased from 20.1 to 43.9%; SLNB increased from 7.2 to 39.4% and ALND decreased from 12.9 to 4.5%. Factors associated with axillary nodal evaluation in BCT patients included practice type and facility location. Among TM patients, use of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for axillary staging was associated with earlier year of diagnosis, black race, and older age, as well as community practice setting and practice location in the Southern US. Compliance with national guidelines regarding axillary evaluation in DCIS remains varied. Practice type and location-based differences suggest opportunities for education regarding the appropriate use of axillary nodal evaluation in patients with DCIS.
α-Eleostearic acid-containing triglycerides for a continuous assay to determine lipase sn-1 and sn-3 regio-preference.

Abstract Lipases are essentially described as sn-1 and sn-3 regio-selective. Actually few methods are available to measure this lipase regio-selectivity, moreover they require chiral chromatography analysis or specific derivations which are discontinuous and time consuming. In this study we describe a new, convenient, sensitive and continuous spectrophotometric method to screen lipases regio-selectivity using synthetic triglycerides (TG) containing α-eleostearic acid (9Z, 11E, 13E-octadecatrienoic acid) either at the sn-1 position [1-α-eleostearoyl-2,3-octadecyl-sn-glycerol (sn-EOO)] or at the sn-3 position [1,2-octadecyl-3-α-eleostearoyl-sn-glycerol (sn-OOE)] and coated onto the wells of microtiter plates. A non-hydrolysable ether bond, with a non UV-absorbing alkyl chain, was introduced at the other sn positions to prevent acyl chain migration during TG synthesis or lipolysis. The synthesis of TG containing α-eleostearic acid was performed from S-glycidol in six steps to obtain sn-EOO and in five steps to sn-OOE. The α-eleostearic acid conjugated triene constitutes an intrinsic chromophore and, consequently, confers the strong UV absorption properties of this free fatty acid as well as of the TG harboring it. The lipase activity on coated sn-EOO or sn-OOE was measured by the increase in the absorbance at 272 nm due to the transition of α-eleostearic acid from the adsorbed to the soluble state. Human and porcine pancreatic lipases, guinea pig pancreatic lipase related protein 2, Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase, Candida antarctica lipase A and Candida antarctica lipase B were all used to validate the assay. This continuous high-throughput screening method could determine directly without any processes after lipolysis the regio-selectivity of various lipases.
Use of direct oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in elderly patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Background and purpose Four direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are available for the prevention of stroke in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF): dabigatran (a direct thrombin inhibitor); and rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban (factor Xa inhibitors). This article summarizes the safety and efficacy of DOACs for the prevention of stroke in elderly NVAF patients. Methods PubMed was searched to identify published results of randomized, controlled trials evaluating DOACs for stroke prevention in elderly NVAF patients. Pharmacologic and dose recommendations were obtained from the package inserts. Conclusions DOACs are at least as effective as warfarin for stroke prevention in elderly patients with NVAF. Compared with warfarin, DOACs were associated with reduced risk of intracranial hemorrhage, while some DOACs demonstrated an increase in other bleeding events (e.g., gastrointestinal). The faster onset and offset of action and fewer food and drug interactions of DOACs may be an advantage over warfarin for some patients. Implications for practice DOACs are an alternative to warfarin with overall equivalent safety and efficacy in elderly patients with NVAF, and may be preferable for some. Stroke risk must always be balanced against potential bleeding risk when determining an optimal anticoagulation treatment plan. Patients’ needs and preferences will also impact this decision.
Deciphering how HIV-1 weakens and cracks the bone.

Globally, life expectancy for HIV-infected individuals is increasing and many are living into their old age, largely due to the success and increased use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) (1). Among the debilitating features of aging are the development of osteoporosis and loss of immune competence (2). Notably, both osteoporosis and immune compromise are also features of HIV infection, fueling speculations that HIV may lead to a form of premature aging. In fact, over half of HIV-infected individuals exhibit some degree of clinically appreciable bone loss (3). The skeletal effects of HIV infection are further compounded by additional bone mineral density (BMD) loss at fracture-prone anatomical sites mostly within 48 wk of cART initiation (4). The clinical significance of HIV bone loss was for long unappreciated and evidence for a higher fracture rate in HIV-infected individuals relative to the general population has until recently been anecdotal. However, a series of large observational studies have now unambiguously shown a dramatic rise in fracture rate with HIV infection that is particularly pronounced with advancing age. Overall, fracture rate with HIV infection is two- to sixfold higher than the general population (5, 6), and hip fracture risk ninefold higher has been reported (7). These data forewarn of a looming epidemic of fragility fracture in the aging HIV population and provide a compelling rational to explore in greater depth the pathophysiology of this phenomenon, to inform the search for effective preventive and therapeutic strategies. In PNAS, Raynaud-Messina et al. (8) make significant inroads into this quest, adding to our current understanding of the mechanisms of HIV-induced bone loss. They demonstrate for the first time that HIV-1 is capable of infecting the bone resorbing cell, the osteoclast, thereby directly modifying the structure and the function of the osteoclasts bone resorption apparatus, known as the … [↵][1]1Email: iofotok{at}emory.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Co-electrodeposition of tin with 0.2–20% indium: Implications on tin whisker growth

Abstract The growth of whiskers on tin-plated interconnects causes acute short circuit problems and system failures in electronic components. In the past, this problem was suppressed by the addition of a few percent Pb in the electroplated tin, but following the introduction of international laws restricting the use of lead in electronics, alternative strategies are necessary. Recently it has been shown that 5–10% indium can eliminate whisker growth in electroplated tin on copper substrates under ambient temperature aging. However, there is no currently known method for co-electrodepositing Sn with a small amount of In using an acidic electrolyte that is similar to that currently used in the industry. This paper reports on a method to co-electroplate tin with 0.2 to 20 atomic percent indium from a methanesulfonic acid (MSA) electrolyte, which is the most widely used bath for electroplating of Sn, with only a small amount of other additives. The impact of co-deposited Sn-In platings on the susceptibility to whisker growth has been demonstrated.
Effect of the Duodenal-Jejunal Bypass Liner on Glycemic Control in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes With Obesity: A Meta-analysis With Secondary Analysis on Weight Loss and Hormonal Changes

OBJECTIVE Duodenal-jejunal bypass liner (DJBL) is an endoscopic device that may mimic small bowel mechanisms of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of DJBL at inducing weight loss. We assessed the effect of DJBL on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with obesity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data sources included MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science through 1 July 2017. Included were published studies that assessed DJBL outcomes in obese T2D patients. RESULTS Primary outcomes were change in HbA 1c and HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Secondary outcomes were change in weight and gut hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and ghrelin. Seventeen studies were included. At explant, HbA 1c decreased by 1.3% [95% CI 1.0, 1.6] and HOMA-IR decreased by 4.6 [2.9, 6.3]. Compared with control subjects, DJBL subjects had greater HbA 1c reduction by 0.9% [0.5, 1.3]. Six months after explant, HbA 1c remained lower than baseline by 0.9% [0.6, 1.2]. At explant, patients lost 11.3 kg [10.3, 12.2], corresponding to a BMI reduction of 4.1 kg/m 2 [3.4, 4.9], total weight loss of 18.9% [7.2, 30.6], and excess weight loss of 36.9% [29.2, 44.6]. The amount of weight loss remained significant at 1 year postexplantation. After DJBL, GIP decreased, whereas GLP-1, PYY, and ghrelin increased. CONCLUSIONS DJBL improves glycemic control and insulin resistance in T2D patients with obesity. DJBL also appears to induce significant weight loss in this population. Additionally, changes in gut hormones suggest mechanisms similar to RYGB. Study limitations included heterogeneity among studies.
Autoimmune ovarian disease in day 3-thymectomized mice: the neonatal time window, antigen specificity of disease suppression, and genetic control.

Discovery of the CD4+CD25+ T cells has stemmed from investigation of the AOD in the d3tx mice. Besides CD4+CD25+ T cell depletion, d3tx disease induction requires effector T cell activation prompted by lymphopenia. This is supported by other neonatal AOD models in which T cell-mediated injury has been found to be triggered by immune complex or Ag immunization. In addition, there is growing evidence that support a state of neonatal propensity to autoimmunity, which depends on concomitant endogenous antigenic stimulation, concomitant nematode infection, resistance to CD4+CD25+ T cell regulation, and participation of the neonatal innate system. The suppression of d3tx disease by polyclonal CD4+CD25+ T cells appears to be dependent on endogenous Ag and the persistence of regulatory T cells. Thus, suppression of AOD occurs in the ovarian LN, and AOD emerges upon ablation of the input regulatory T cells; and in AIP, the hormone-induced expression of prostate Ag in the CD4+CD25+ T cell donors rapidly enhances the capacity to suppress disease over Ag negative donors. Finally, genetic analysis of AOD and its component phenotypes has uncovered seven Aod loci. As the general themes that emerged, significant epistatic interactions among the loci play a role in controlling disease susceptibility, the majority of the Aod loci are linked to susceptibility loci of other autoimmune diseases, and the genetic intervals encompass candidate genes that are differentially expressed between CD4+CD25+ T cells and other T cells. The candidate genes include Pdcd1, TNFR superfamily genes, H2, Il2, Tgfb, Nalp5 or Mater, an oocyte auto Ag that reacts with autoantibody in sera of d3tx mice.
“Falling Fire”: The Negativity of Knowledge in the Poetry of William Blake

To mythologize consciousness is the poet’s privilege. For the Romantic poet such an act becomes primary to the task of poetry itself, for consciousness, crucial to the creation of poetic knowledge is itself raised to a fiction, one central to the poetic oeuvre. The status of consciousness can however differ. It might be Wordsworth’s almost naturalistic presentation, the “sad perplexity” of thought that he recreates, as close an approximation as possible to the quick complexities of reflection that struggles for the truth.2 Or it might be deliberately surreal, a Symbolist “dereglement” of all the senses, with the poet, as Rimbaud had him, cast as Other, witness of a divine madness — “C’est faux de dire: Je pense. On devait dire: On me pense.” As witness — “Car JE est un autre” — wrote Rimbaud — consciousness becomes a careful recorder of knowledge the ordinary world cannot easily harbor.3
Protecting Adolescent Confidentiality: A Response to One State's "Parents' Bill of Rights".

Abstract Purpose In November, 2014, the State of Oklahoma enacted legislation potentially eliminating the provision of conditional confidential pediatric care. A consent form for treatment specific to adolescent confidential care was developed in response. This study examines parent/guardian response to the consent form. Methods The consent to treatment form describes the clinical and developmental benefits of conditional confidential treatment of adolescent minors and asks parent/guardians to waive the right to: (1) access confidential portions of the medical record, (2) be present for the physical exam, (3) be present for risk behavior discussions, and (4) consent for hormonal contraception, if indicated. Results Of 269parent/guardian respondents to the consent form, over 95% waived their rights for each of the four provisions. Conclusions When provided with information on the rationale for provision of conditional confidential care, a diverse group of parent/guardians in a conservative state overwhelmingly agree to this standard of care.
Assessment of Clinical Trial Evidence for High-Risk Cardiovascular Devices Approved Under the Food and Drug Administration Priority Review Program

This study uses publicly available FDA summaries to analyze the quality of evidence in pivotal studies that support cardiovascular premarket device approval under FDA priority review from 2007 to 2017.