cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opioid antinociception in amphibians.

Abstract Systemic and spinal administration of opioids produces a behaviorally defined antinociception in a variety of mammalian models. Although endogenous opioid peptides and opioid binding sites are ubiquitous throughout phylogeny, little attention has been paid to the function of endogenous opioid systems(s) or development of nociceptive models in nonmammalian species. Recent work has shown that the amphibian, Rana pipiens , provides an appropriate model for assessment of opioid antinociception and that endogenous opioid systems may likewise modulate the central processing of noxious information in amphibians as well as mammals.
Coordinates of the representation space in the semisimple Lie group of rank one

In this paper we show that the space of irreducible representations from a finitely presented group into the group of isometries of a rank one symmetric space of noncompact type, embeds into K for some n, where the coordinates are the translation lengths of isometries in the representation. The ingredients of the proof consist of the two facts that the representation is determined by its marked length spectrum and that the nested sequence of algebraic subvarieties is stabilised at a finite step by the Noetherian property of the polynomial ring. As a minor application, we use this fact to simplify McMullen's proof about the exponential algebraic convergence of Thurston's double limit to the geometrically infinite manifold in the space of discrete faithful representations of K\ (S) in Iso (H^).
Center for Disease Control's Diethylstilbestrol Update: a case for effective operationalization of messaging in social marketing practice.

The Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Update, a campaign to educate people who may have been exposed to the drug DES, is framed on the premises of the social marketing model, namely formative research, audience segmentation, product, price, placement, promotion, and campaign evaluation. More than that, the campaign takes a critical step in extending the social marketing paradigm by highlighting the need to situate the messaging process at the heart of any health communication campaign. This article uses CDC’s DES Update as a case study to illustrate an application of a message development tool within social marketing. This tool promotes the operationalization of messaging within health campaigns. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to extend the social marketing model and provide useful theoretical guidance to health campaign practitioners on how to accomplish stellar communication within a social marketing campaign.
A study of dynamic addressing techniques in mobile ad hoc networks

Dynamic address assignment enables nodes in mobile ad hoc networks to obtain a routable address without the need for any explicit configuration. It provides a means for nodes to communicate without any centralized infrastructure and provides a mechanism for dynamic network membership. Recently, a considerable number of dynamic addressing protocols have been proposed. While these approaches bear some similarities to each other, they also differ in some important characteristics. To understand the benefits of these different approaches, it is necessary to test the protocols in a wide range of network conditions so that their performance and suitability can be predicted. This paper studies existing solutions by categorizing and qualitatively analyzing the scalability and other performance properties of the approaches. We also introduce a new addressing approach that provides both quick and efficient unique address assignment. We then compare selected protocols through quantitative analysis based on extensive simulations. Based on the simulation results, we point out the applicability of the protocols and offer suggestions to improve protocol performance. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Robustness of the Estimator of the Index of Dispersion for DNA Sequences

If substitutions in DNA sequences follow a Poisson process, the ratio of the variance in the number of substitutions to the mean number of substitutions (the index of dispersion) should equal 1. In this paper, the robustness of the commonly applied estimator of the index of dispersion in replacement sites and silent sites to various assumptions regarding DNA evolution is explored using simulation methods. The estimate of the index of dispersion may be strongly biased if the assumptions of the model of substitution are violated. However, the results of this study support the conclusions of studies by Gillespie and Ohta that the process of substitution in replacement sites is overdispersed. This result contradicts those of a recent study and shows that the high index of dispersion for replacement sites is not an artifact caused by the method of estimation.
Risk of clinical leak after laparoscopic versus open bowel anastomosis

Purpose This study was designed to investigate the safety of laparoscopic (Lap) colorectal surgery as reflected by the anastomotic bowel leak (ABL) rate compared with that seen in open surgery.
Flexible graphite modified by carbon black paste for use as a thermal interface material

Abstract Polyol-ester-based carbon black pastes are used to either coat or penetrate flexible graphite, thereby increasing the thermal contact conductance of flexible graphite between copper surfaces. Paste penetration by up to an effective paste thickness (the volume of the penetrated paste divided by the geometric area of the flexible graphite) of 5 μm increases the conductance by up to 350%, 98% and 36% for thicknesses of 50, 130 and 300 μm, respectively. Paste coating up to 10 μm increases the conductance by up to 200%, 120% and 65% for thicknesses of 50, 130 and 300 μm, respectively. The paste penetration is more effective than the paste coating in enhancing the conductance, when the thickness is below 130 μm. At thickness ⩾130 μm, paste penetration and paste coating are similarly effective. These results stem from the relatively low interfacial thermal resistivity provided by paste penetration and the relatively high through-thickness thermal conductivity provided by paste coating. Paste penetration decreases the thermal conductivity of flexible graphite, but paste coating does not affect the conductivity. Both penetration and coating decrease the interfacial resistivity. The highest thermal contact conductance is 1.4 × 10 5 W/m 2 K, as provided by paste-penetrated flexible graphite of thickness 26 μm.
An animal model of necrotizing enterocolitis induced by infant formula and ischemia in developing piglets.

Abstract Background/Aims: The lipid component of piglet formula (0.5% fat) causes increased mucosal permeability in 1-day-old piglets after ischemia/reperfusion. The present study examined if luminal exposure to infant formulas (3.5% fat) and ischemia/reperfusion result in an animal model of necrotizing enterocolitis and if injury is dependent on the formula fat composition. Methods: Plasma-to-lumen clearance of 51 Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was measured, and morphology was evaluated during luminal perfusion with preterm, term, and delipidated preterm cow milk-based infant formulas before and after ischemia/reperfusion in 1-day-old and 1-month-old piglet jejunoileum. In a separate set of experiments, a 1–2-cm segment of ileum was exteriorized and opened to expose the mucosal surface, and the villi were superfused with the above formulas (no ischemia). Results: Before ischemia, clearances were markedly higher for intestinal loops perfused with preterm formula than for loops perfused with term and delipidated formulas in 1-day-old animals. After ischemia, clearances in loops perfused with preterm formula were significantly greater and grossly hemorrhagic and historically necrotic compared with loops perfused with delipidated formula (minimal injury). Superfusion with preterm formula caused diffuse hyperemia and hemorrhage into intestinal villi. Conclusions: Luminal perfusion of 1-day-old piglet jejunoileum with predigested and bile acid-solubilized preterm infant formula, in combination with ischemia/reperfusion, produces an animal model of necrotizing enterocolitis, but only if the lipid fraction of the formula is present.
Irregular scattering of particles confined to ring-bounded cavities

The classical motion of a free particle that scatters elastically from ring-bounded cavities is analyzed numerically. When the ring is a smooth circle the scattering follows a regular and periodic pattern. However, for rings composed ofN scatterers the flow is irregular, of Lyapunov type. The Lyapunov exponent is found to depend logarithmically withN, which is consistent with the theoretical derivation of Chernov for polygon-shaped billiard systems. The escape time from cavities bounded by a ring ofN separated scatterers is demonstrated to follow a geometric distribution as a function of the aperture size. An empirical scaling is proposed between the Lyapunov exponent, the escape time, andN.
Pore System Characterization and Petrophysical Rock Classification Using a Bimodal Gaussian Density Function

This paper introduces a bimodal Gaussian density function to characterize pore-size distributions in terms of incremental pore volume versus logarithmic pore-throat radius. An inverse problem is formulated and solved to reconstruct mercury injection capillary pressure curves by enforcing a bimodal Gaussian pore-size distribution. The bimodal Gaussian model generates six petrophysically interpretable attributes which provide a quantitative basis for petrophysical modeling and rock typing. Correlations between these attributes and their associated petrophysical properties are investigated to verify interpretations. In the field case, the correlation coefficient (R2) between absolute permeability, end-point gas relative permeability and the mean value of large pore-throat size mode are 0.93 and 0.715, respectively. Correlation (R2=0.613) is also observed between critical water saturation and pore volume connected by small pore-throat sizes. Petrophysical modeling based on the bimodal Gaussian pore-size distribution with sufficient core data calibration predicts static and dynamic petrophysical properties that are in agreement with laboratory core measurements. The quantitative pore-system description underlies a new petrophysical rock typing method that combines all relevant pore-system attributes. Verification of the method was performed with field data from two key wells in the Hugoton carbonate gas field, Kansas.
Analysis of rate-limiting processes in soil evaporation with implications for soil resistance models

Abstract Numerical integrations of coupled equations of moisture, vapor and heat diffusion in soil are analyzed to explore the relative roles of vapor and liquid fluxes in rate-limiting the transfer of water to the soil–atmosphere interface. Approximate analytical integrations of a simpler isothermal system are then introduced to explore the interactions of vapor and liquid transport. Although vapor diffusion dominates total moisture flux near the soil surface, both models indicate that liquid transport deeper in the soil limits evaporation at daily time scales for all but very dry soils. The rate-limiting role of the liquid flow is demonstrated by the insensitivity of the integrated-coupled equations to the molecular diffusivity of water vapor (Da). The mechanism underlying the insensitivity is that the depth of the drying front ( L ∗ ) shrinks in order to compensate for reductions in Da in such a way that the capillary rise to the drying front can still be transported to the surface. The feedback mechanism that causes L ∗ to shrink is the mass imbalance that would occur for reduced vapor transport out of the drying front and essentially unchanged liquid transport into it. Implications for the utility and interpretation of soil resistance terms (defined as proportional to the ratio of L ∗ to Da) employed in SVAT models are discussed.
Effect of osteochondral defects on articular cartilage. Contact pressures studied in dog knees

Full thickness osteochondral defects 6 mm in diameter were created in the weight-bearing regions of the femoral condyles in 5 adult mongrel dogs to study the contact pressure changes accompanying healing. A digital imaging technique employing Fuji Prescale film mapped contact pressures following 11 months of healing for comparison with contralateral normal knees, and knees with freshly made defects. Although all defects healed uneventfully with subchondral plate reconstitution and with growth restoration of the articular surface, the repair soft tissue appeared histologically to be primarily fibrous tissue, with varying degrees of a fibrocartilaginous component. The mean and peak stresses about fresh defects were not appreciably different from those about healed defects. Neither were there substantial differences in the total cartilage area making contact, except when very low loads were applied. The results suggest that the repair tissue is of poor mechanical quality, and does not contribute appreciably ...
Identifying a Novel Role for X-prolyl Aminopeptidase (Xpnpep) 2 in CrVI-Induced Adverse Effects on Germ Cell Nest Breakdown and Follicle Development in Rats

Environmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is one cause of premature ovarian failure (POF). Hexavalent chromium (CrVI) is a heavy metal EDC widely used in more than 50 industries, including chrome plating, welding, wood processing, and tanneries. Recent data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicate increased levels of Cr in drinking water from several American cities, which potentially predispose residents to various health problems. Recently, we demonstrated that gestational exposure to CrVI caused POF in F1 offspring. The current study was performed to identify the molecular mechanism behind CrVI-induced POF. Pregnant rats were treated with 25 ppm of potassium dichromate from Gestational Day (GD) 9.5 to GD 14.5 through drinking water, and the fetuses were exposed to CrVI through transplacental transfer. Ovaries were removed from the fetuses or pups on Embryonic Day (ED) 15.5, ED 17.5, Postnatal Day (PND) 1, PND 4, or PND 25, and various analyses were performed. Results showed that gestational exposure to CrVI: 1) increased germ cell/oocyte apoptosis and advanced germ cell nest (GCN) breakdown; 2) increased X-prolyl aminopeptidase (Xpnpep) 2, a POF marker in humans, during GCN breakdown; 3) decreased Xpnpep2 during postnatal follicle development; and 4) increased colocalization of Xpnpep2 with Col3 and Col4. We also found that Xpnpep2 inversely regulated the expression of Col1, Col3, and Col4 in all the developmental stages studied. Thus, CrVI advanced GCN breakdown and increased follicle atresia in F1 female progeny by targeting Xpnpep2.
Service Range for Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Air Communications at Frequencies above 50 Mc

Propagation aspects of air-to-ground and air-to-air communications are analyzed. Contours of constant received signal strength are shown in the form of lobes for various frequencies. It is shown that for systems with equivalent transmitted power, ground-antenna height, and transmitting- and receiving-antenna gain the service range decreases as the frequency is increased. This is due primarily to a decrease in the absorbing area of the receiving antenna and to a larger number of nulls in the lobe structure arising from interference between direct and ground-reflected waves. Ground-station antenna-height diversity and tilted-array ground-antenna systems are discussed as a means of improving coverage as the operating frequency is increased.
Vibration displacement on substrate due to time-harmonic stress sources from a micromechanical resonator

Abstract This paper investigates the vibration displacement on substrate due to time-harmonic stress sources from a micromechanical resonator fabricated using Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. The vibrations of a micromechanical resonator exert a time-harmonic stress across the clamped region on its substrate and further excite elastic waves propagating into the substrate, therefore leading to the dissipation of vibration energy—commonly referred to as support loss. Support loss can be quantitatively evaluated in terms of this time-harmonic stress and its corresponding vibration displacement on substrate. To calculate this vibration displacement, this work treats the substrate as either a semi-infinite or infinite elastic medium. Then, the classic elastic wave theories are utilized to describe its behavior, and the Fourier transform or Hankel transform is employed for dealing with the geometrical infinity of the substrate. Consequently, the mathematical expressions for this vibration displacement, under several typical time-harmonic stress sources in micromechanical resonators, are derived. As a result, this work provides the basis for quantitatively evaluating support loss in a micromechanical resonator and predicts the relation of support loss versus some key resonator design parameters and substrate materials.
Optimum quantization in dynamic systems

In this paper the problem of optimally designing a quantizer imbedded in a closed-loop dynamic system is considered. The criterion for the design is that the overall system performance as expressed by a variational criterion is optimized. The function of quantization is thus related to the functions of control and estimation that are performed in the system. First, a procedure is described for optimally designing a quantizer in a static open-loop system, where the design criterion is the expected value of a function of the instantaneous error between the input and output of the quantizer. This procedure reduces the search over all quantizer parameters to an iterative search over a single parameter. Next, the existing methods for finding the optimal design of a quantizer imbedded in a dynamic system are reviewed. The most general method found in the literature involves a combination of dynamic programming with an exhaustive search for all quantizer parameters. The computational requirements of this procedure are quite large even for low-order systems with few quantizer parameters. Finally, a new result is presented that leads to greatly reduced computational requirements for the dynamic system case. It is shown that under certain conditions an overall optimum system design is obtained by first optimizing the system with all quantizers removed and then applying the procedure for the static open-loop case mentioned above. This result is analogous to the separation of the functions of estimation and control that occurs under similar conditions. The computational savings over the existing procedures are very extensive, and the new procedure is computationally feasible for a large class of practical systems.
Cardiac arrest from intravenous indigo carmine during laparoscopic surgery -A case report-

Indigo carmine (sodium indigotindisulfonate) is a safe, biologically inactive blue dye routinely administered intravascularly during urologic and gynecologic procedures to localize the ureteral orifices and to identify severed ureters and fistulous communications. We report a case of hypotension, cardiac arrest, and cerebral ischemia after the administration of indigo carmine in a patient under total laparoscopic hysterectomy.
Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts and chondrocytes: a focus on adenosine receptors

Skeletogenesis, either during development, post-injury or for maintenance, is a carefully coordinated process reliant on the appropriate differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Some well described, as well as a new regulator of this process (adenosine receptors), are alike in that they signal via cyclic-AMP (cAMP). This review highlights the known contribution of cAMP signalling to mesenchymal stem cell differentiation to osteoblasts and to chondrocytes. Focus has been given to how these regulators influence the commitment of the osteochondroprogenitor to these separate lineages.
Specifically targeting ERK1 or ERK2 kills melanoma cells.

Background: Overcoming the notorious apoptotic resistance of melanoma cells remains a therapeutic challenge given dismal survival of patients with metastatic melanoma. However, recent clinical trials using a BRAF inhibitor revealed encouraging results for patients with advanced BRAF mutant bearing melanoma, but drug resistance accompanied by recovery of phospho-ERK (pERK) activity present challenges for this approach. While ERK1 and ERK2 are similar in amino acid composition and are frequently not distinguished in clinical reports, the possibility they regulate distinct biological functions in melanoma is largely unexplored. Methods: Rather than indirectly inhibiting pERK by targeting upstream kinases such as BRAF or MEK, we directly (and near completely) reduced ERK1 and ERK2 using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) to achieve sustained inhibition of pERK1 and/or pERK2. Results and discussion: Using A375 melanoma cells containing activating BRAF V600E mutation, silencing ERK1 or ERK2 revealed some differences in their biological roles, but also shared roles by reduced cell proliferation, colony formation in soft agar and induced apoptosis. By contrast, chemical mediated inhibition of mutant BRAF (PLX4032) or MEK (PD0325901) triggered less killing of melanoma cells, although they did inhibit proliferation. Death of melanoma cells by silencing ERK1 and/or ERK2 was caspase dependent and accompanied by increased levels of Bak, Bad and Bim, with reduction in p-Bad and detection of activated Bax levels and loss of mitochondrial membrane permeability. Rare treatment resistant clones accompanied silencing of either ERK1 and/or ERK2. Unexpectedly, directly targeting ERK levels also led to reduction in upstream levels of BRAF, CRAF and pMEK, thereby reinforcing the importance of silencing ERK as regards killing and bypassing drug resistance. Conclusions: Selectively knocking down ERK1 and/or ERK2 killed A375 melanoma cells and also increased the ability of PLX4032 to kill A375 cells. Thus, a new therapeutic window is open for future clinical trials in which agents targeting ERK1 and ERK2 should be considered in patients with melanoma.
Obtaining Self-Report Data From Cognitively Impaired Elders: Methodological Issues and Clinical Implications for Nursing Home Pain Assessment

PURPOSE We developed and evaluated an explicit procedure for obtaining self-report pain data from nursing home residents across a broad range of cognitive status, and we evaluated the consistency, stability, and concurrent validity of resident responses. DESIGN AND METHODS Using a modification of the Geriatric Pain Measure (GPM-M2), we interviewed 61 residents from two nursing homes (Mini-Mental State Examination score, M = 15 +/- 7) once a week for 4 consecutive weeks. We collected additional data by means of chart review, cognitive status assessments, and surveys of certified nursing assistants. We used descriptive and correlational analyses to address our primary aims. RESULTS Eighty-nine percent of residents completed all four scheduled interviews. Cognitive status was not significantly correlated with number of nonresponses and prompts for yes-no questions, but it was significantly correlated with nonresponses and prompts for Likert-scale questions (r = -.48, p <.001 and r = -.59, p <.001, respectively). Completion time for the 17-item pain measure (M = 13 min) was not predicted by cognitive status. Residents' scores on the GPM-M2 were significantly correlated with number of chronic pain-associated diagnoses, r =.37, p <.01, and internal consistency was excellent, alpha = 0.87 - 0.91. Residents' GPM-M2 scores were stable over time, r =.74-.80, p <.0001, for all comparisons. IMPLICATIONS Using explicit protocols and reporting procedural data allows researchers and clinicians to better understand and apply results of self-report studies with cognitively impaired elders. Results suggest that many nursing home residents can provide consistent and reliable self-report pain data, given appropriate time and assistance.
Bringing the physical sciences into your cell biology research

Historically, much of biology was studied by physicists and mathematicians. With the advent of modern molecular biology, a wave of researchers became trained in a new scientific discipline filled with the language of genes, mutants, and the central dogma. These new molecular approaches have provided volumes of information on biomolecules and mo- lecular pathways from the cellular to the organismal level. The challenge now is to determine how this seemingly endless list of components works together to promote the healthy func- tion of complex living systems. This effort requires an interdisciplinary approach by investiga- tors from both the biological and the physical sciences.
Bee Richness and Abundance in New York City Urban Gardens

We describe the richness, abundance, and ecological characteristics of bees in community gardens located in heavily developed neighborhoods of the Bronx and East Harlem, NY. In total, 1,145 individual bees, representing 54 species (13% of the recorded New York State bee fauna) were collected over 4 yr. The nesting habits of these species include bees that nest in cavities (33% of species), hives (11% of species), pith (1.9% of species), wood (1.9% of species), or soft/rotting wood (7.4% of species) substrates. Soil-nesting individuals were relatively rare (25% of individuals), perhaps due to a lack of proper soils for nesting sites. Parasitic species were scarce (5.6% of species, 2.6% of individuals), most likely because of an absence or rarity of host species. Overall, exotic species were abundant and constituted 27% of the total individuals collected and 19% of the identified species. We compare these results to several bee faunal surveys in New Jersey and New York State, including newly reported species lists for Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City. Relative to other studies, bee richness of the urban gardens is reduced and composition is biased toward exotic and cavity-nesting species. Nevertheless, despite their small size and location within highly urbanized areas, urban community gardens harbor a diverse assemblage of bees that may provide pollination services and opportunities for ecological exposure and education.
Earnings Management to Avoid Losses and Earnings Decreases

This paper examines cross-sectional distributions of scaled annual earnings and earnings changes for all available observations on the annual industrial Compustat database for the years 1975-1993. The distributions are bell- shaped and relatively smooth except in the regions near zero. For both earnings and earnings change distributions there is a trough immediately to the left of zero and a peak immediately to the right of zero which is inconsistent with the overall shape of the remainder of the distribution i.e. the frequencies of small losses and small decreases in earnings are unusually low and the frequencies of small positive income and small increases in earnings are unusually high. We follow up on the distributional evidence that earnings are managed to avoid losses by defining five components of earnings: Cash flow from operations changes in working capital non-operating income special items and other accruals. The evidence suggests that the cash flow and change in working capital components play the primary role in earnings management in the vicinity of zero.
Incidence and compatibility of nonclavicipitaceous fungal endophytes in Festuca and Lolium grass species

The p-endophytes, previously identified as Gliocladium-like and Phialophora-\ike fungi, constitute a group of closely related, seed transmissible grass symbionts which have been found in several Festuca species and Lolium perenne, most often in cosymbiosis with mutualistic Epichloe-type (Acremonium) endo? phytes (e-endophytes). To help assess the ecological importance of p-endophytes, their incidence and the incidence of e-endophytes was determined in seed ac- cessions of Festuca and Lolium grass species in the U. S. Department of Agriculture Plant Introduction col? lection. Ten seeds of each accession were tested by tissue print immunoblot assay for the presence of e- or p-endophytes in separate seeds, or together in in? dividual seeds. A total of 370 accessions from 36 Fes? tuca species and five Lolium species were tested. The e-endophytes were present in 25 of the Festuca species and all of the Lolium species, while the p-endophytes appeared in five and one species, respectively. The p-endophytes were present in 18 Festuca accessions and six Lolium accessions, while the e-endophytes ap? peared in 121 and 43 accessions, respectively. The p- and e-endophytes were detected together in individual seeds in a total of five species and 13 accessions from both genera. Infectivity studies indicated that when p-endophytes from different species were introduced into their own and reciprocal hosts only the endo? phytes introduced into their own hosts produced sig? nificant levels of sustainable infections. Three conclu-
Gestaltung des Informations- und Kommunikationssystems für den Direktvertrieb kundenindividueller Problemlösungen

Zur Ableitung von Aussagen fur eine zieladaquate Gestaltung des Informations- und Kommunikationssystems fur den Direktvertrieb kundenindividueller Problemlosungen soll von den drei Phasen Problemformulierung Problemlosung und Losungsprasentation des Angebots- und (Direkt-) Vertriebsprozesses1 sowie den in ihnen jeweils zu bewaltigenden Aufgaben ausgegangen werden.
White Racial Socialization: Progressive Fathers on Raising “Antiracist” Children

For the past 30 years, the definition of racial socialization has referred to how parents prepare children of color to flourish within a society structured by white supremacy. Drawing on ethnographic interviews with eight white affluent fathers, this study explores fathers' participation in white racial socialization processes. The article focuses on fathers who identify as “progressive” and examines the relationship between fathers' understandings of what it means to raise an “antiracist” child, the explicit and implicit lessons of racial socialization that follow from these understandings, and hegemonic whiteness. Findings illustrate how these fathers understand their role as a white father, how their attempts to raise antiracist children both challenge and reinforce hegemonic whiteness, and what role race and class privilege play in this process.
Hypothyroidism in late-onset Pompe disease

Abstract Purpose In Pompe disease, a deficiency of acid α-glucosidase enzyme activity leads to pathologic accumulation of glycogen in tissues. Phenotype heterogeneity in Pompe includes an infantile form and late-onset forms (juvenile- and adult-onset forms). Symptoms common to all phenotypes include progressive muscle weakness and worsening respiratory function. Patients with late-onset forms of Pompe disease commonly complain of chronic fatigue and generalized muscle weakness prior to being diagnosed with Pompe disease, and this may lead to consideration of hypothyroidism in the differential diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hypothyroidism in the adult-onset form of Pompe disease. Methods Electronic chart review was performed at the Advanced Therapies Clinic at the University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC) to identify patients with late-onset Pompe disease. The identified charts were reviewed for a co-diagnosis of hypothyroidism. A query was made to the clinical data repository at UMMC searching diagnosis ICD9 code 244.9 (hypothyroidism not otherwise specified) and/or presence of levothyroxine from 2011 to 2014 in patients 18 years of age and older. Results The clinical data repository found a prevalence of hypothyroidism of 3.15% (56,072 of 1,782,720 patients) in the adult patient population at UMMC. Ten adult patients with Pompe disease were identified, five with the diagnosis of hypothyroidism (50%, 95% CI: 23.7, 76.3, p Conclusions Hypothyroidism was found at a higher prevalence in patients with late-onset Pompe disease compared to the general adult population at UMMC. Studies in larger populations of patients with Pompe disease would be needed to confirm an association of Pompe disease and hypothyroidism. Challenges include finding an adequate sample size, due the rarity of Pompe disease.
The Effect of New Product Announcements and Preannouncements on Stock Price

Previous event studies which deal with new products do notdistinguish between preannouncements (made in advance of a new productintroduction into the marketplace) and new product announcements (made closeto the time when the new product is introduced). Methodologically, eventstudies implicitly assume that information is homogeneous; that is, they donot consider the amount of information contained in the news release or thetype (e.g., whether detailed or not). This paper argues that new productevent studies should distinguish between announcements and preannouncementsbecause both types of information release events (IRE) are strategicallydistinct and convey different information signals to the marketplace.Methodologically, event studies should allow for informationalheterogeneity. We analyze a large sample of IREs from the 1980–1989period for firms whose stock is publicly traded, distinguishing betweenpreannouncements and announcements. We use content analysis to classify IREsaccording to the type and amount of information provided. The results showthat it is incorrect to jointly analyze announcements and preannouncements.On average, only preannouncements have a significant positive effect onstock prices. However, the signaling effect of preannouncements on stockprice is industry-specific. In particular, the results support Klein andLeffler‘s theory (1981) that preannouncements in the manufacturing industryare effective strategic tools. We also investigate the impact of IREs onthe market risk (i.e., the risk that stockholders cannot diversify away) ofthe announcing and preannouncing firms. The results show that firm-specificand informational variables do not have any effect on market risk,regardless of the type of IRE (i.e., announcement or preannouncement).
Secondary malignancies in patients with multiple myeloma, Waldenström macroglobulinemia and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.

In recent years, the survival of patients with plasma cell dyscrasias has improved due to improvements in anticancer and supportive therapy. However, the risk of secondary malignancies has increased, thought to be due to a combination of environmental and disease-related factors, as well as treatment. In the present review, we evaluate the risk of secondary malignancies in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), multiple myeloma (MM) and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM). Patients with MGUS appear to have a higher risk of developing myeloid malignancies such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In patients with MM, the risk of AML, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and some solid tumors appears increased. Finally, in WM patients, there seems to be increased risk of AML, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, thyroid cancer and melanoma.
A novel iterative algorithm for approximating equivalent circuits of numerical transfer functions

Recently, we presented a novel method for pole residue equivalent system solver (PRESS). In this work, we provide the exact solution of local fit types 1, 2, and 3. We also modify the original algorithm to conduct parallel search for optimal solution across all frequencies, instead of targeting only the peak error. We further demonstrate PRESS through application to several numerical examples that are used to discuss convergence rate of solution. Finally, we highlight several topics for further research that could significantly enhance PRESS.
COAGULATION CASCADE | Overview

Blood coagulation is necessary for maintaining vascular integrity, and thus for maintaining life. Nature has developed an elaborate and elegant series of controlled proteolytic events that lead to the rapid formation of a stable platelet-fibrin plug at the site of vascular damage. Tissue factor (TF), the trigger for coagulation, is normally restricted from contact with the circulation by being expressed largely in adventitial fibroblasts. Once the vessel is compromised, the exposed TF binds escaping factor VIIa (fVIIa) molecules with high affinity to form a potent procoagulant complex on local phospholipid surfaces. This enzyme–cofactor complex activates both fIX and fX to initiate the coagulant response, which is subsequently rapidly amplified through numerous positive feedback reactions. This burst of coagulant activity is dampened and finally quenched by specific protease inhibitors as well as the self-regulating nature of the coagulation complexes, thus preventing the potential lethal consequences of widespread thrombosis and allowing the complex process of wound healing to begin. Vascular integrity and maintenance of hemostasis is critical to normal lung function to allow efficient and unrestricted gas exchange. Lung injury or insult can lead to exposure or expression of TF in various cell types in the lung and can circumvent many of the normal coagulation control mechanisms. The resulting unregulated or dysfunctional coagulation can lead to pulmonary fibrosis and the progression of an inflammatory response such as that observed in acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Abstract LB-129: NDAT and P-bi-TAT formulations of tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) induce devascularization, necrosis and apoptosis in glioblastoma xenografts

Thyroid hormone as L-thyroxine (T4) has been reported to stimulate proliferation of multiple glioma cell lines in vitro and there is clinical evidence that medical induction of hypothyroidism slows growth of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The proliferative action of T4 on glioma cells is initiated at a cell surface receptor for thyroid hormone on the extracellular domain of integrin αvβ3. Tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) is a thyroid hormone (T4) derivative that blocks T4 action at αvβ3 and has anticancer and anti-angiogenic activity. Tetrac has been covalently bonded via a linker to a nanoparticle (Nanotetrac, Nano-diamino-tetrac, NDAT) or to two polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules (P-bi-TAT) that increase the potency of tetrac and broadens the anticancer properties of the drug. In the present studies of U87 MG GBM xenografts, NDAT administered daily for 10 days s.c. as 1 mg tetrac equivalent/kg reduced tumor xenograft weight at animal sacrifice by 50%, compared to untreated control lesions (p Citation Format: Paul J. Davis, Sudha Thangirala, Stewart Sell, Aleck Hercbergs, Shaker A. Mousa. NDAT and P-bi-TAT formulations of tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) induce devascularization, necrosis and apoptosis in glioblastoma xenografts [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-129. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-LB-129
Chromatographic performance of microfluidic liquid chromatography devices: Experimental evaluation of straight versus serpentine packed channels.

Abstract We prepared a series of planar titanium microfluidic (μLC) columns, each 100 mm long, with 0.15, 0.3 and 0.5 mm i.d.’s. The microfluidic columns were packed with 1.8 μm C18 sorbent and tested under isocratic and gradient conditions. The efficiency and peak capacity of these devices were monitored using a micro LC instrument with minimal extra column dispersion. Columns with serpentine channels were shown to perform worse than those with straight channels. The loss of efficiency and peak capacity was more prominent for wider i.d. columns, presumably due to on-column band broadening imparted by the so-called “race-track” effect. The loss of chromatographic performance was partially mitigated by tapering the turns (reduction in i.d. through the curved region). While good performance was obtained for 0.15 mm i.d. devices even without turn tapering, the performance of 0.3 mm i.d. columns could be brought on par with capillary LC devices by tapering down to 2/3 of the nominal channel width in the turn regions. The loss of performance was not fully compensated for in 0.5 mm devices even when tapering was employed; 30% loss in efficiency and 10% loss in peak capacity was observed. The experimental data for various devices were compared using the expected theoretical relationship between peak capacity Pc and efficiency N; (Pc−1) = N0.5 × const. While straight μLC columns showed the expected behavior, the devices with serpentine channels did not adhere to the plot. The results suggest that the loss of efficiency due to the turns is more pronounced than the corresponding loss of peak capacity.
Exploring spatial motifs for device-to-device network analysis (DNA) in 5G networks

Device-to-device (D2D) communication is a promising approach to efficiently disseminate critical or viral information across 5G cellular networks. Reaping the benefits of D2D-enabled networks is contingent upon choosing the optimal dissemination policy and resource allocation strategy subject to resource, topology, and user distribution constraints. In this paper, a resource allocation problem within a single-cell orthogonal frequency division multiple-access (OFDMA) network has been formulated to optimize the system throughput. The problem is cast as a mixed binary integer programming problem, which is challenging to solve. Therefore, in order to obtain a sub-optimal solution, the optimization problem is decomposed into two subproblems: seed selection and subchannel allocation. For the seed selection sub-problem, a novel D2D network analysis (DNA) framework is proposed to explore frequent communication patterns across D2D users, known as spatial motifs, to determine the optimal number of devices which can disseminate contents. Furthermore, to solve the second sub-problem, a heuristic algorithm is introduced. Simulation results show the effectiveness of exploring motifs to design D2D dissemination policies, and show that the proposed algorithm can achieve a performance gain of up to 40% compared with a baseline scheme that selects subchannels randomly.
Periodicity in Linear Volterra Equations

In this paper we present a unified theory of the existence of periodic solutions of linear ordinary differential equations and linear Volterra integro-differential equations.
Abiogenesis and the reverse Hofmeister effect.

Bruce C. Gibb takes us on a journey through the physical and chemical evolution of planet Earth and suggests that the reverse Hofmeister effect, the phenomenon whereby poorly solvated ions associate in water, could be a powerful driving force towards the first hint of life on the rock we call home.
The Colorado and Virgin Rivers before Lake Mead

In 1936, the completion of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in Nevada and Arizona created Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. When the lake reached capacity in 1941 several canyo...
Efficiency and Reliability Analyses of AC and 380 V DC Distribution in Data Centers

Modern data centers consume large amounts of electricity, resulting in high operational costs. The efficiency of a data center power distribution system can be increased and the operational cost reduced if the number of power conversion stages can be minimized and more efficient converters, such as wide bandgap converters, are used. This can be achieved by using dc distribution voltage at the rack level by eliminating extra conversion stages. In this paper, benchmarks for both ac and 380-V dc data centers were developed and efficiency analyses were performed for an entire year. The impact of integrating photovoltaic (PV) systems into the data centers has also been analyzed in both cases in terms of efficiency. The results show that 380-V dc data centers are more efficient than ac data centers with and without PV integration. Furthermore, the reliability of an ac system was compared with a 380-V dc architecture with Tier-IV standard. Monte-Carlo simulations were used to perform reliability analyses for different levels of redundancy in the uninterruptible power supply system for both cases. The simulation results showed that the 380-V dc distribution system had a higher level of reliability than the ac distribution system in data centers.
Learning Domain Shift in Simulated and Clinical Data: Localizing the Origin of Ventricular Activation From 12-Lead Electrocardiograms

Building a data-driven model to localize the origin of ventricular activation from 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECG) requires addressing the challenge of large anatomical and physiological variations across individuals. The alternative of a patient-specific model is, however, difficult to implement in clinical practice because the training data must be obtained through invasive procedures. In this paper, we present a novel approach that overcomes this problem of the scarcity of clinical data by transferring the knowledge from a large set of patient-specific simulation data while utilizing domain adaptation to address the discrepancy between the simulation and clinical data. The method that we have developed quantifies non-uniformly distributed simulation errors, which are then incorporated into the process of domain adaptation in the context of both classification and regression. This yields a quantitative model that, with the addition of 12-lead ECG data from each patient, provides progressively improved patient-specific localizations of the origin of ventricular activation. We evaluated the performance of the presented method in localizing 75 pacing sites on three in-vivo premature ventricular contraction (PVC) patients. We found that the presented model showed an improvement in localization accuracy relative to a model trained on clinical ECG data alone or a model trained on combined simulation and clinical data without considering domain shift. Furthermore, we demonstrated the ability of the presented model to improve the real-time prediction of the origin of ventricular activation with each added clinical ECG data, progressively guiding the clinician towards the target site.
Elliptic equations

A brief review is given of the literature on numerical methods for elliptic problems as reltaote tdh e ideas introduced by Courant, Friedrichs and Lewy in the fundamental paper published in Math. Ann. 100, 32 (1928). The discussion shows how the finitedifference methods have subsequently been extended and applied to higher order elliptic problems and how the recent literature has reported methods for solving large algebraic systems. In addition, thae dreis cius ssion of the relation between the Dirichlet problem and the problem of the random walk.
Convict Criminology: Learning from the Past, Confronting the Present, Expanding for the Future

As the machine of mass incarceration continues down its destructive path, ever-increasing numbers of formerly incarcerated citizens have been released back into society. Convict Criminology (CC) was created out of the societal chaos produced by these events. This article presents an ever-expanding CC perspective—over two decades since its founding. The article begins with a journey into the field’s dynamic past. It then examines the present, delineating examples of the multiple pathways individuals have taken to align with the spirit and goals of CC. Next, this article addresses claims regarding the lack of diversity in CC and explains how a heterogeneous membership currently exists within the group. The article’s final sections undertake further development of a theoretical model of CC, discuss current ideological debates within CC, and demonstrate how the field has grown. The article concludes by summarizing the benefits of CC to ex-convicts, criminology and society, at large, and then outlines tasks that need to be addressed in the future.
Ordinary Differential Equations: A Brief Eclectic Tour

1. Solutions 2. First order equations 3. Insight not numbers 4. Second order equations 5. Linear and nonlinear systems.