cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for the Treatment of Osteoid Osteoma in Children and Adults: A Comparative Analysis in 92 Patients

To compare technical success, complications, and long-term clinical success following radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteomas in pediatric and adult patients. Ninety-two patients underwent percutaneous computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation for osteoid osteomas including 54 pediatric (mean age 12.9 years) and 38 adult (mean age 24.1 years) patients. Presenting indication, osteoma location, ablation method, technical success, complications, visual analog score, radiographic follow-up, clinical success, reintervention rate, and total follow-up were reported. Technical success was defined as placement of the probe in the radiolucent nidus with ablation. Clinical success was defined as resolution of symptoms. Ablation indications included: pain localized to the lesion, night pain, and an osteoma on imaging in all patients. Majority of osteoid osteomas were localized to the femur (pediatric [n = 22, 40.7%]; adult [n = 12, 34.2%]) and tibia (pediatric [n = 21, 38.9%]; adult [n = 10, 26.3%]). Mean lesion size was 9.6 mm in pediatric patients and 9.0 mm in adults. Technical success was achieved in all pediatric patients (100%) and 97.4% of adults. Two complications occurred. Primary clinical success was achieved in 49 (90.7%) pediatric and 35 (92.1%) adult patients. Five (9.3%) pediatric and 3 (7.9%) adult patients sought reintervention for residual symptoms, and all had secondary clinical success. Mean total follow-up was 95.2 ± 58.7 months in pediatric and 90.0 ± 61.6 months in adult patients. No differences in outcomes were identified between pediatric and adult patients. Radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteomas is safe with excellent technical and clinical success rates in pediatric and adult patients.
Never give up, never surrender: Game live streaming, neoliberal work, and personalized media economies:

Based on Internet Ethnography of a popular female live streamer on YouTube Gaming, this article theorizes how game live streaming invokes new forms of paid emotional labor that intersect with tradi...
The physical and chemical bases of energy

abstract Energy is the capacity to do work. Energy can exist in various forms, but those of greatest importance to living organisms are mechanical, chemical, radiant, and heat energy. All forms of energy are interconvertible; when conversions do occur, they do so according to rigorous laws of exchange. These are the Laws of Thermodynamics. Enthalpy is the total potential energy of a system. Entropy is a measure of the disorder, or randomness, of a system.
In situ hemolysis in a three-dimensional paper-based device for quantification of intraerythrocytic analytes

Blood-based diagnostics require various forms of sample preparation depending on the analyte of interest, which can include plasma separation and cellular lysis. Specifically, assays that require the release of intraerythrocytic analytes (e.g., detection of malaria antigens, dehydrogenases, and hemoglobin) require the rupture of red blood cells prior to analysis. Associated handling steps and additional fluid manipulation complicates the user-experience by adding time, potential for contamination error, and reagent waste. In this work, we demonstrate an in situ chemical hemolysis treatment coupled with a paper-based device for the quantification of liberated hemoglobin without using a hemolytic buffer. In contrast to traditional hemolytic methods that use a buffered solution of saponin, a surfactant, we dried saponin within our device to lyse red blood cells without diluting the sample. The optimal treatment condition for hemolysis of blood samples with hematocrit values ranging from 20–50% was 10.6 μg saponin per cm2. Establishing a relationship between saponin and zone area potentially allows this in situ hemolysis treatment to be translated to other paper-based devices with different geometries. For samples with hematocrit values below 40%, we achieved quantitative hemolysis. Samples with higher hematocrits (e.g., 40–50%) experienced a lesser extent of hemolysis (80–85%), which we attribute to the increased number of red blood cells present in samples with elevated hematocrits. The in situ chemical hemolysis treatment described here could potentially be integrated with a multiplexed paper-based microfluidic device to permit multiple sample preparation techniques on a single sample of blood without additional off-chip user steps.
Asylum and the 'Forced Marriage' Paradox: Petitions, Translation, and Courts as Institutional Perpetrators of Gender Violence

What legal practitioners conventionally refer to as “forced marriage” has emerged as an important humanitarian issue. While categories of purported forced marriages (PFMs) are familiar to Western legal practitioners, applicants struggle to describe the circumstances and individual(s) a victim may be seeking to escape. Purported forced marriage continues to be misunderstood, because a paradox resides at the heart of the claim. Put simply, the paradox on the part of the asylum-seeker or refugee seeking protection is that they must use the very terminology of legitimate marriage (e.g. husband, in-laws,) to distinguish the experiences and parties from which they themselves seek refugee. The experience of those alleging purported forced marriage emerges from a familiar Western legal context. A purported forced marriage involves perpetrators whose power, background, motivations, and mechanisms require elaboration and theorization for more effective asylum petitions and refugee status determinations, but a focus on the human perpetrators is only one part of a many faceted issue. This chapter contributes to recent research by conceptualizing the institutional perpetrators of PFM, shifting the focus to the courts and the bureaucracy in which asylum and refugee claims are processed. This chapter draws on asylum petitions by African women alleging forced marriage for which I have served as expert. I argue that the petition process and the immigration courts perpetrate violence against PFM survivors by deploying the language of legal unions or marriages to describe the perpetrators, events and cultural context of that which is anything but legitimate.
Mixed chimerism and acceptance of kidney transplants after immunosuppressive drug withdrawal

Preclinical studies have shown that persistent mixed chimerism is linked to acceptance of organ allografts without immunosuppressive (IS) drugs. Mixed chimerism refers to continued mixing of donor and recipient hematopoietic cells in recipient tissues after transplantation of donor cells. To determine whether persistent mixed chimerism and tolerance can be established in patients undergoing living donor kidney transplantation, we infused allograft recipients with donor T cells and hematopoietic progenitors after posttransplant lymphoid irradiation. In 24 of 29 fully human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched patients who had persistent mixed chimerism for at least 6 months, complete IS drug withdrawal was achieved without subsequent evidence of rejection for at least 2 years. In 10 of 22 HLA haplotype-matched patients with persistent mixed chimerism for at least 12 months, reduction of IS drugs to tacrolimus monotherapy was achieved. Withdrawal of tacrolimus during the second year resulted in loss of detectable chimerism and subsequent rejection episodes, unless tacrolimus therapy was reinstituted. Posttransplant immune reconstitution of naive B cells and B cell precursors was more rapid than the reconstitution of naive T cells and thymic T cell precursors. Robust chimerism was observed only among naive T and B cells but not among memory T cells. No evidence of rejection was observed in all surveillance graft biopsies obtained from mixed chimeric patients withdrawn from IS drugs, and none developed graft-versus-host disease. In conclusion, persistent mixed chimerism established in fully HLA- or haplotype-matched patients allowed for complete or partial IS drug withdrawal without rejection.
Quality and Readability Assessment of Websites on Human Papillomavirus and Oropharyngeal Cancer.

Objectives/hypothesis The incidence of human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) oropharyngeal cancer is rising, but public knowledge about this diagnosis remains low. This study aimed to investigate the quality and readability of online information about HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer. Study design Cross-sectional website analysis. Methods This study conducted a total of 12 web searches across Google, Yahoo, and Bing to identify websites related to HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer. The QUality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST) was used to measure quality based on seven website criteria. The Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) were used to measure readability, with scores estimating the education level a reader would require to understand a piece of text. Readability improves as FRES increases and FKGL decreases. Results Twenty-seven unique web pages were evaluated. The mean USA reading grade level as measured by FKGL was 10.42 (standard deviation = 1.54). There was an inverse relationship between quality and readability, with a significant positive correlation between QUEST score and FKGL (r = 0.343, P = .040) and a significant negative correlation between QUEST score and FRES (r = -0.537, P = .002). Conclusions With a mean USA reading grade level more than four grades above the American Medical Association's recommendation and results indicating that readability suffers as quality improves, these findings suggest that the currently available online information about HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer is insufficient. Improved patient education practices and resources about this diagnosis are needed. Level of evidence NA Laryngoscope, 131:87-94, 2021.
Timing of proximal femoral shortening in the early postoperative period after cephalomedullary nailing of hip fractures.

Abstract Objectives Examine the timing of proximal femoral shortening (PFS) after cephalomedullary nailing of hip fractures. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 21 patients ≥50 years old with pertrochanteric hip fractures treated with a short cephalomedullary nail (CMN) was performed. Abductor lever arm shortening, femoral height shortening, and PFS were measured. Results Mean PFS at 10–21 days postoperatively was 5.54 mm, compared to 11.31 mm at final follow-up. The percentage of total PFS that occurred within 10–21 days postoperatively was 53.9%. Conclusion Approximately half of total PFS occurs within 1.5–3 weeks and is notable on radiographs by the first postoperative visit.
Chapter 195 – Pheromones

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the pheromomes in insects, a chemical message that induce a behavioral reaction or developmental process among individuals of the same species. The kinds of behavioral responses evoked in insects are incredibly diverse, and they include alarm, defense, aggregation, attraction, kin and colony recognition, marking of territories and egg deposition sites, mating behaviors, recruitment, trail following, and even thermoregulation. In contrast, primer pheromones cause a physiological change in the receiver, such as development of a particular caste or sexual maturation, which eventually modifies the organism's behavior. All pheromones fall under the broader umbrella classification of semiochemicals—chemicals that are involved in communication. The two major classes of semiochemicals besides pheromones are allomones and kairomones. These are solely interspecific cues, in contrast to pheromones, which are always intraspecific signals. Allomones are chemicals that provide some advantage to the emitter such as defensive secretions, whereas kairomones are cues that confer an advantage to the receiver, e.g., emanations used by a parasite to locate a host. This chapter only touches on the diversity and complexity of pheromone-mediated behaviors and developmental changes in insects. Communication among social insects, especially among ants, bees, wasps, and termites, involves a highly sophisticated pheromonal language, in which the interpretation of the individual chemical constituents or “words” depends on their particular combinations, ratios, concentrations, and even order of presentation. Context, that is, the recent experiences of the receiver and its physiological state, is all-important in response.
Distinguishing Seedlings of Pines of Piedmont Upland Grassland Systems

Despite the ecological and economic importance of pines (Pinus) in the southeastern United States, there exist no taxonomic keys or resources that facilitate the comprehensive identification of pine seedlings. The objectives of this study were to analyze select aspects of seedling morphology for the three primary pines associated with Piedmont upland grassland systems of conservation concern (Pinus echinata, P. taeda, and P. virginiana) and subsequently to develop a resource, traditional or probabilistic, depending on the outcome, to facilitate species-level determination. Two characters—the number of primary needles in the first whorl post-germination and needle apical curvature relative to the stem—were assessed through analysis of 3,200 seedlings under field conditions. The mean number of primary needles in the first whorl was 5.9 (s.d.=0.56) for P. echinata, 7.3 (s.d.= 0.79) for P. taeda, and 5.3 (s.d.=0.63) for P. virginiana. Predominant needle apical curvature was away from the stem in P. echinata (90.5%) and P. virginiana (91.5%), but toward the stem in P. taeda (97.5%). Based on these data, a probabilistic diagnostic framework that takes into consideration both morphology and stand composition is presented, including supplemental appendices of calculated posterior probabilities.
Concept analysis: Succession planning.

The aim is to understand the concept of succession planning and its application to initiate successful succession planning in nursing education. In nursing education, there is a lack of qualified academic nursing administrators associated with a national nursing faculty shortage. Succession planning is often confused with other leadership management techniques. An understanding of the concept and its application is required to initiate successful succession planning in nursing education. Walker and Avant's methodological approach was followed for this concept analysis. The electronic databases searched included CINAHL, Medline, Google Scholar, PROQUEST, ERIC, PsycINFO, along with reference and bibliographic lists, relevant books, and public domain websites. The initial search terms included: succession planning, academic deans/directors, and nursing education. A pattern of five attributes emerged related to the characteristics of the concept of succession planning: organizational support and culture, attitude, commitment, and resources. Antecedents included strategic planning, identification of potential individuals, leadership development, mentoring programs, and identification of leadership competencies. Consequences of succession planning appeared to be related to retention, recruitment, improved leadership competencies, decreased role transition stress, and a healthier work environment. Succession planning has been defined as the proactive strategy involving the purposeful identification, assessment, and development of individuals through the processes of educating and mentoring for future leadership positions and establishing leadership continuity within an institution. Succession planning is needed for the continued growth and development academic nursing leaders.
Relationship between carbohydrate intake and oral glucose tolerance test results among pregnant women.

Abstract Aims Evaluate the relationship between self-reported carbohydrate intake and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results in pregnancy. Methods We measured carbohydrate intake using 24-hour dietary recall and performed a 2-hour 75-gram OGTT in 95 pregnant women with risk factors for gestational diabetes (GDM) at a median of 26 weeks’ gestation. We tested for associations between carbohydrate intake in the 24 hours preceding the OGTT and 60-minute OGTT glucose, glucose at other timepoints, and glucose area under the curve (AUC) using linear regression, with adjustment for potential confounders. Results We observed an inverse linear relationship between carbohydrate intake (median 237 grams [interquartile range: 196, 303]) and 60-minute OGTT glucose. For every 50 gram reduction in carbohydrate intake, there was an 8.9 mg/dl increase in 60-minute OGTT glucose (P Conclusions Carbohydrate intake in the day preceding an OGTT in pregnancy is associated with post-load glucose values, with lower carbohydrate intake predicting higher glucose levels and higher carbohydrate intake predicting lower glucose levels. Carbohydrate restriction or excess before an OGTT may affect GDM diagnosis.
Liquid Crystal Targets And Plasma Mirrors For PW-Class Laser Experiments

We describe a novel technology based on liquid crystal films for ultrathin targets and plasma mirrors for PW-class laser experiments, on-demand or rep-rated. We describe experiments on ion acceleration, relativistic transparency, and plasma mirror operation.
Cannabis use disorder among atrial fibrillation admissions, 2008-2018.

BACKGROUND Despite changes inthe legality of cannabis use and the increasing prevalence of cannabis use disorder (CUD), there is little data investigating the association between CUD and inpatient atrial fibrillation (AF) hospitalizations. METHODS Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified Atrial Fibrillation (AF) hospitalizations with and without a codiagnosis of CUD using International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes and compared demographics, socioeconomics, comorbidities, outcomes, and trends between cohorts. RESULTS Between 2008 and 2018, we identified 5,155,789 admissions for AF of which 31,768 (0.6%) had a codiagnosis of CUD. The proportion of admissions with a history of CUD increased from 0.3% in 2008 to 1.0% in 2018 (p < .001). Hospital discharges of patients with CUD were significantly younger (53 vs. 72 years, p < .001), had a higher proportion of black race (CUD: 26.6% vs. 8.0%, p < .001), and had a higher proportion of income in the lowest income quartile than without a codiagnosis of CUD (CUD: 40.5% vs. 26.2%, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS CUD is increasingly prevalent among AF hospitalizations, particularly among young patients. Codiagnosis of CUD in AF hospitalizations is also more common in underserved patients. As a result, it is important for future research to examine and understand the impact of CUD on this population, particularly in the light of changing legislation surrounding the legality of cannabis.
Isolated aortic dissection during coronary intervention: rare but challenging

Catheter-induced aortic dissection without involvement of the coronary arteries is an extremely rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. Management strategies vary depending on clinical scenarios, however, the choice of strategy prompt recognition and early aggressive management is key to patient outcomes.
Essays That Kill

Killer Essays are staging a comeback. The beasts used to be virtually extinct. Few contemporaries knew them except from books. Since an cient times, literati had sung their praise. Many had sought a brush with their own Killer. Killers preyed on the best of minds only. It was a distinction to be taken on by one. The fortunes of the Killers changed at the turn of the last century. The Acad?mie Fran?aise came out against Killer Essays, denouncing them as "de mauvais gout." Tasteless! I will get back later to what so motivated the august French body. Matters got worse for the Killers forever thereafter. Writers bunched up with academics and publishers, and Killer Essays were the victims. The wetlands of the interior were staked out as the creativity and information network built up. This deprived Killers of their natural habitat. Wherever they roamed, Essays were likely to be sighted. In formers were on the lookout throughout the provinces of the human mind and the most remote outposts of the soul. Informers would take no chance with an Essay turning wild. In no time would they lasso any Essay remotely resembling a Killer. They would make the Essay run in circles until it was broken in. It was not poaching of Essays so much as coaching of Essays the informers engaged in. Informers tamed Essays before they would strike. Teachers kept Essays from straying and gave them no chance to out grow and overpower writers. That arrangement rendered the world of Essays a cozy one. Writers ran no risk of being attacked and eaten alive by their own Essays. Readers were sure not to be troubled by Essays, or at least not much. With all their tact and good taste, Essays became to the educated what sermons were to churchgoers. Indeed, many churchgoers turned to Essays after the Pope threw out the tradi tional liturgy. Essays became Sunday reminders that truth comes in glimpses, and only to those who keep their minds open to serious reflection. The rich ritual of Essays combined the artsy with the mind ful and made them sanctuaries from the HERE AND NOW. Writers,
Consciousness: drinking from the firehose of experience

The problem of consciousness has captured the imagination of philosophers, neuroscientists, and the general public, but has received little attention within AI. However, concepts from robotics and computer vision hold great promise to account for the major aspects of the phenomenon of consciousness, including philosophically problematical aspects such as the vividness of qualia, the first-person character of conscious experience, and the property of intentionality. This paper presents and evaluates such an account against eleven features of consciousness "that any philosophical-scientific theory should hope to explain", according to the philosopher and prominent AI critic John Searle.
Rocking Ratchets at High Frequencies

A pedagogical introduction to basic physical and mathematical concepts of stochastic modeling is given for the specific example of a rocking ratchet system. Perturbative methods are illustrated by deriving the leading order behavior of the particle current for asymptotically fast rocking forces.
A metamorphosis-based shape recognition method

We present a framework for matching and recognition of planar shapes based on a method from computer graphics based animation, called "shape metamorphosis". In our approach, the "degree of morphing" between two shapes is employed as a dissimilarity measure. A physics-based energy minimization approach is used for optimally computing the "degree of morphing". This measure is shown to have metric properties and invariance to translation, rotation, scaling and mirror symmetry. Experimentations in the recognition of planar shapes, hand-drawn figures, and online cursive words indicate the robustness of the recognition paradigm.
Sexual dimorphism in immune response genes as a function of puberty

Autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in females than in males, whereas males have higher mortality associated with infectious diseases. To increase our understanding of this sexual dimorphism in the immune system, we sought to identify and characterize inherent differences in immune response programs in the spleens of male and female mice before, during and after puberty. After the onset of puberty, female mice showed a higher expression of adaptive immune response genes, while males had a higher expression of innate immune genes. This result suggested a requirement for sex hormones. Using in vivo and in vitro assays in normal and mutant mouse strains, we found that reverse signaling through FasL was directly influenced by estrogen, with downstream consequences of increased CD8+ T cell-derived B cell help (via cytokines) and enhanced immunoglobulin production. These results demonstrate that sexual dimorphism in innate and adaptive immune genes is dependent on puberty. This study also revealed that estrogen influences immunoglobulin levels in post-pubertal female mice via the Fas-FasL pathway.
Microfluidic electrophoretic mobility shift assays for quantitative biochemical analysis

Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) play an important role in analytical chemistry, quantitative bioscience, and point-of-care diagnostics. Emerging microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technologies bring high throughput and multiplexed analysis to affinity-based electrophoretic separations, greatly advancing the performance of traditional EMSAs. This review elaborates on the relevant theoretical basis for EMSAs, surveys microfluidic-based EMSA applications in molecular conformation analyses, immunoassays, affinity assays and genomics, and outlines challenges and potential future improvements needed from this powerful assay.
Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy

PART I. INTRODUCTION 1. Violent Video Games: Background and Overview 2. Effects of Exposure to Violent Entertainment Media 3. The General Aggression Model PART II. NEW STUDIES 4. Study 1: Experimental Study of Violent Video Games with Elementary School and College Students 5. Study 2: Correlational Study with High School Students 6. Study 3: Longitudinal Study with Elementary School Students 7. Risk Factor Illustrations PART III. GENERAL DISCUSSION (WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?) 8. New Findings and Their Implications 9. Interpretations and Public Policy 10. Reducing Violent Video Game Effects Appendix 1: Best Practices Coding Appendix 2: Video Game Ratings
Walsh Multipliers and Square Functions for the Hardy Space H1

We study versions of the Hardy space H1 for functions defined on the real interval [0, 1]. The underlying space could as well be the dyadic group where the Walsh functions are the characters. We are interested in classification of H1 by certain operators called "square functions" and in the general but related question of those multiplier operators which are bounded on H1 to itself. In particular we settle an outstanding conjecture of Simon [13], proving that the square function of Sunouchi characterizes H1.
The use and abuse of diagnostic/classification criteria

In rheumatic diseases, classification criteria have been developed to identify well-defined homogenous cohorts for clinical research. Although they are commonly used in clinical practice, their use may not be appropriate for routine diagnostic clinical care. Classification criteria are being revised with improved methodology and further understanding of disease pathophysiology, but they still may not encompass all unique clinical situations to be applied for diagnosis of heterogenous, rare, evolving rheumatic diseases. Diagnostic criteria development is challenging primarily due to difficulty for universal application given significant differences in the prevalence of rheumatic diseases based on geographical area and clinic settings. Despite these shortcomings, the clinician can still use classification criteria for understanding the disease as well as a guide for diagnosis with a few caveats. We present the limits of current classification criteria, their use and abuse in clinical practice, and how they should be used with caution when applied in clinics.
Critical factors for successful implementation of enterprise systems

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have emerged as the core of successful information management and the enterprise backbone of organizations. The difficulties of ERP implementations have been widely cited in the literature but research on the critical factors for initial and ongoing ERP implementation success is rare and fragmented. Through a comprehensive review of the literature, 11 factors were found to be critical to ERP implementation success – ERP teamwork and composition; change management program and culture; top management support; business plan and vision; business process reengineering with minimum customization; project management; monitoring and evaluation of performance; effective communication; software development, testing and troubleshooting; project champion; appropriate business and IT legacy systems. The classification of these factors into the respective phases (chartering, project, shakedown, onward and upward) in Markus and Tanis’ ERP life cycle model is presented and the importance of each factor is discussed.
Reinforcement sensitivity and maternal style as predictors of psychopathology

This study examined the effect of reinforcement sensitivity and adverse parenting on adult psychopathology. One hundred eighty-one undergraduates completed a battery of self-report scales measuring Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) sensitivity, Behavioral Approach System (BAS) sensitivity, maternal care, maternal overprotection, depression, anxiety, psychopathy, and substance abuse. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. Higher BIS and lower care scores predicted anxiety and depression; lower BAS, higher BIS, and lower care scores predicted anhedonic depression. Higher BAS and lower BIS scores predicted drug abuse and primary psychopathy; higher BAS, lower BIS, and lower care scores predicted alcohol abuse. Higher BAS and lower care scores predicted secondary psychopathy. Exposure to low maternal care predicted anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, and secondary psychopathy after partialling out BIS and BAS sensitivity. In addition, some support was found for the hypothesis that BIS sensitivity mediates the effect of maternal overprotection on anxiety.
Valproate use during pregnancy was linked to autism spectrum disorder and childhood autism in offspring

Source Citation Christensen J, Gronborg TK, Sorensen MJ, et al. Prenatal valproate exposure and risk of autism spectrum disorders and childhood autism. JAMA. 2013;309:1696-703. 23613074
Lung Extracellular Matrix and Fibroblast Function

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a tissue-specific macromolecular structure that provides physical support to tissues and is essential for normal organ function. In the lung, ECM plays an active role in shaping cell behavior both in health and disease by virtue of the contextual clues it imparts to cells. Qualities including dimensionality, molecular composition, and intrinsic stiffness all promote normal function of the lung ECM. Alterations in composition and/or modulation of stiffness of the focally injured or diseased lung ECM microenvironment plays a part in reparative processes performed by fibroblasts. Under conditions of remodeling or in disease states, inhomogeneous stiffening (or softening) of the pathologic ECM may both precede modifications in cell behavior and be a result of disease progression. The ability of ECM to stimulate further ECM production by fibroblasts and drive disease progression has potentially significant implications for mesenchymal stromal cell-based therapies; in the setting of pathologic ECM stiffness or composition, the therapeutic intent of progenitor cells may be subverted. Taken together, current data suggest that lung ECM actively contributes to health and disease; thus, mediators of cell-ECM signaling or factors that influence ECM stiffness may represent viable therapeutic targets in many lung disorders.
Immune complexes and autoantibodies in silicosis

Serum specimens from 53 patients with silicosis were examined for the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF), immunoglobulins, and immune complexes. These humoral immunologic parameters were compared with radiographic changes and pulmonary function studies. A significant percentage of patients had an increased prevalence of ANA, RF, and immunoglobulin elevation (IgG, IgA). Immune complexes determined by the Raji-cell assay were detected in 31% of the patients. However, there was no significant correlation between any humoral immunologic abnormality and radiographic changes or declines in pulmonary function tests. These findings suggest that humoral immunologic abnormalities are not directly responsible for the lung changes in silicosis and cannot be used as "guides" to predict severity or progression of disease.
Integration of Server, Storage and Database Stack: Moving Processing Towards Data

Storage architecture includes more and more processing power for increasing requirement of reliability, managibility and scalability. For example, an IBM storage server is equipped with 4 or 8 state-of-the-art processors and gigabytes of memories. This trend enables analyzing data locally inside a storage server. Processing data locally is appealing under the following circumstances: (1) huge reduction of data flowing to the host, (2) reduction of CPU consumption on host. Accordingly, the benefits are (1) less data traffic through IO channel to the host, (2) better utilization of host bufferpool, and (3) enabling more workload on the host. One crucial task is to understand how DBMS can benefit from such hardware. That is to identify which database operations are beneficial to be offloaded given a query workload in a particular setting. For certain operations, we establish value proposition via various approaches and show the analytical and experimental results. In particular, starjoin queries are commonly used in business warehouses. We propose to offload a portion of a starjoin query from host to the POWER5 P processors on a storage server, which dramatically reduces the amount of channel IO and host CPU consumption. Moreover, the query elapsed time is improved via the exploitation of the state-of-the-art P processors on a storage server.
Winter territoriality and flock cohesion in the black-capped chickadee Parus atricapillus

Abstract In northwest Massachusetts, black-capped chickadees shifted foraging groups repeatedly each day during the winter. As a result, there was no clear distinction between flock members and floaters, but instead a continuous gradation from birds that formed relatively stable associations to those that shifted groups more frequently. Group territories were absent and individual territories were at most poorly defended, if present at all. This picture differs from other recently studied populations, where flock membership is stable and flock territories are clear. Comparison with other populations indicates that winter social structure in the black-capped chickadee may be sensitive to both winter food levels and the proportion of year-round residents. This indicates that cost-benefit analyses of winter social organization should consider factors acting throughout the year as well as the residence status of the wintering birds. The data suggest that flock size, population density and home range size are sensitive to winter food on the study area, whereas territoriality and flock cohesion may respond more clearly to the local availability of breeding resources or the proportion of year-round residents.
3D models of human ERα and ERβ complexed with 5-androsten-3β,17β-diol

Recently, binding of 5-androsten-3β,17β-diol (Δ(5)-androstenediol) to human estrogen receptor-beta (ERβ) was found to repress microglia-mediated inflammation, which is associated with various neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. In contrast, binding of estradiol to ERβ resulted in little or no repression of microglia-mediated inflammation. Binding of Δ(5)-androstenediol to ERβ, as well as to ERα, is unexpected because unlike estradiol, Δ(5)-androstenediol has a saturated A ring and a C19 methyl group. To begin to elucidate the interaction of Δ(5)-androstenediol with both ERs, we constructed 3D models of Δ(5)-androstenediol with human ERα and ERβ for comparison with the crystal structures of estradiol in ERα and ERβ. Conformational flexibility in human ERα and ERβ accommodates the C19 methyl on Δ(5)-androstenediol. This conformational flexibility may be relevant for binding of other Δ(5)-steroids with C19 methyl substituents, such as 25-hydroxycholesterol and 27-hydroxycholesterol, to ERs.
Orthotopic bladder substitution in women: nontraditional applications.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Orthotopic urinary diversion is a feasible and optimal technique for many women undergoing cystectomy. Although successful outcomes have been achieved, groups at most centers have strict selection criteria. We evaluated our experience with female orthotopic diversion in traditional and nontraditional candidates.Materials and Methods: From September 1, 1995 to February 6, 2003 53 females with a mean age of 62 years underwent orthotopic bladder substitution. Median followup was 24 months. Clinicopathological parameters were evaluated in traditional and nontraditional patients. The nontraditional subset comprised 22 women older than 70 years (12) or had a history of pelvic radiation (2), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (6) or stress incontinence (2).Results: The entire group had a mean operative time, blood loss and hospital stay of 6.2 hours, 1,135 ml and 8.2 days, respectively. Tumor was organ confined in 38 and extravesical in 14 patients with bladder cancer. Complications were detected in 20 pa...
On the physics of φ 4 in 3+1 dimensions

Theλφ4 theory in 3+1 dimensions is often claimed to be trivial; that is, either free or inconsistent. Here, the theory is studied in a simple variational approach, which confirms that for any positiveλBare the theory is indeed sick. However, proper renormalization actually requiresλBare to be negative infinitesimal. This apparently leads to a viable, non-trivial theory.
Speaker Identification Wavelet Transform based method

One of the most important signal processing method in digital signal processing discipline is speaker identification method (SIM). Because of the difficult nature of speech signals and their fast variation with time, the wavelet transform is used to reduce the complexity of such signals. In this paper two identification methods are presented based on Continuous Wavelet Transform CWT. The first method is the male and female identification method and the second is the SIM. The obtained results showed a high recognition rate about 98%, which makes the speaker identification wavelet transform based method to be very important in digital security systems applications.
One step at a time: A framework for introducing business students to basic sources of company and industry data

Abstract Over the post five to ten years, company and industry information has been packaged and repackaged into a vast number of sources and formats. Undergraduate students consulting business sources in their library frequently become lost or confused because they are not familiar with the sources, nor do they understand how the sources interrelate and complement each other. How does a student develop a context for using business sources? Reference and instruction librarians can help students develop a framework by incorporating three key concepts into their encounters with students. This article presents an approach that reference and instruction librarians who work in environments where they answer questions related to all disciplines and who possess limited knowledge of business sources can use to help students develop a framework for classifying and using business information sources.
Obesity in Children

Over the last few decades our national concern has been shifting from undernutrition to obesity as the major nutritional problem of the country. Concern about the health risks created by obesity is shared by health professionals and large segments of society. Public attention has been directed to obesity because it has been identified as a risk factor for many diseases, particularly those of the cardiovascular system. In addition, the public image of the desirable body form is culturally determined and strongly influenced by factors such as advertisements depicting lean individuals, especially lean women, as sexually attractive, intelligent, and popular models for owning everything from beautiful clothing to expensive automobiles. The social bias that is generated is so powerful and widespread among middle and upper middle class Americans that there is well documented discrimination against the obese in education at all levels and in most professional and social organizations. For pediatricians, the problem of obesity creates four major concerns: (1) obesity in the adult may have its origin in infancy and/or childhood; (2) feeding practices, especially in early life, may be a major etiologic factor in the ultimate development of obesity; (3) obesity in children may be associated with illness during childhood; and (4) discrimination against obese children is inherently serious and may be devastating to long-term personality development.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Spin-Lattice Relaxation of the Acetic Acid Carboxyl Carbon

The carbon-13 spin-lattice relaxation times of the carboxyl carbons of acetic acid and its deuterated analogues (CH_3COOD, CD_3COOH, CD_3COOD) have been measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These measurements reveal that the methyl protons and the hydroxyl proton contribute roughly equally to the total dipolar relaxation of neat acetic acid. Spin-rotation relaxation is also observed in these molecules. The T_1 and NOE values for the carboxyl carbon of acetic acid in aqueous solution each demonstrate a small concentration dependence in the region of high acid concentration. Although samples of 1 M acetic acid contaminated with paramagnetic metal ions show a marked pH dependence of T_1 and NOE, the T_1and NOE values for purified samples are invariant with respect to pH. Some chemical implications of the above behavior are discussed.
Survey on present and potential instructional use of computers in psychology

A survey of academic psychologists was taken to determine present use of computers in instruction, willingness to use good education software, and kinds of potential uses of computers in psychology courses. A majority of the respondents reported using computers in instruction. Respondents indicated substantial willingness to adopt computer-based courseware. Respondents believed that a variety of uses, including classroom demonstrations and student experiments, would facilitate student learning. The results of the survey are compared with the instructional modules the task force is developing.
The heat capacity of lead from 300 to 850°k: conversion of cp to cv for liquid lead

Abstract Recent measurements of the heat capacity at constant pressure Cp for lead from 300 to 850°K have shown that Cp for liquid lead decreases continuously from the melting point to 850°K. Using data in the literature of density and velocity of sound, the dilation correction has been applied to Cp to obtain the heat capacity at constant volume Cv for liquid lead. Application of the dilation correction to solid lead gives a Cv curve which uncreases only about one joule/gm-atom-°K from 300 to 600°K, whereas the Cv curve for liquid lead decreases almost 5 joules/gm-atom-°K from 600 to 850°K. A careful assessment of the uncertainty in the quantities used in the dilation correction leads to an uncertainty in Cv of ± 2.5% (about one joule/gm-atom-°K), and thus the decrease in Cv for liquid lead is quite real.
Assuring Software Cost Estimates: Is It an Oxymoron?

The software industry repeatedly observes cost growth of well over 100% even after decades of cost estimation research and well-known best practices, so "What's the problem?" In this paper we will provide an overview of the current state of software cost estimation best practice. We then explore whether applying some of the methods used in software assurance might improve the quality of software cost estimates. This paper especially focuses on issues associated with model calibration, estimate review, and the development and documentation of estimates as part of an integrated plan.
Measuring Patch Assessment Abilities of Desert Granivores

We develop two criteria for measuring patch assessment ability. First, we examine the ability of foragers to equalize benefits and costs at manipulated resource patches. Second, we compare patch utilization patterns of four possible foraging strategies (prescient, fixed time, Bayesian, and rate assessor) with actual foraging patterns. Experi- ments with several desert rodent and avian species suggest that Merriam's kangaroo rat may obtain the best estimate of patch quality, followed by the round-tail ground squirrel and Arizona pocket mouse. Kangaroo rats exhibited both a prescient and Bayesian strategy. Pocket mice and ground squirrels exhibited both a fixed-time and Bayesian strategy. Gam- bel's Quail appeared to be the least sophisticated forager and exhibited only a fixed-time strategy. The fixed-time strategy was observed most frequently in the low variance environment where patch differences were relatively minor. In general, increased patch variation led to poorer patch estimates but allowed employment of sophisticated foraging strategies. Avian group foragers did not obtain better estimates of patch quality than solitary foragers.
Ecomusicology: music, culture, nature . . . and change in environmental studies?

The five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing. We rely on them daily, professionally, and personally — each can inform our understanding of the world and evoke memories of places and times, both distant and dear. Public policy and science, however, are guided primarily by the visual: maps, not the smell of rich soil or the feel of damp air, are used to understand local and national borders; photographs, not the feel of sticky blood or the cold metal of a weapon, provide evidence for use in court; and data such as lists of ingredients, not individual natural and artificial components to be tasted, are provided in text to be read. Scholarly research, after all, is presented in visual form in the text of a journal: maybe in braille but not as light shows, perfumes, or food, and, while those words in a journal may be read aloud, they are certainly not meant to be performed or sung.
Financial versus health motivation to quit smoking: A randomized field study

Objective Smoking is the most preventable cause of death, thus justifying efforts to effectively motivate quitting. We compared the effectiveness of financial versus health messages to motivate smoking cessation. Low-income individuals disproportionately smoke and, given their greater income constraints, we hypothesized that making financial costs of smoking more salient would encourage more smokers to try quitting. Further, we predicted that financial messages would be stronger in financial settings where pecuniary constraints are most salient. Methods We conducted a field study in low-income areas of New Haven, Connecticut using brochures with separate health vs. financial messages to motivate smoking cessation. Displays were rotated among community settings-check-cashing, health clinics, and grocery stores. We randomized brochure displays with gain-framed cessation messages across locations. Results Our predictions were confirmed. Financial messages attracted significantly more attention than health messages, especially in financial settings. Conclusions These findings suggest that greater emphasis on the financial gains to quitting and use of financial settings to provide cessation messages may be more effective in motivating quitting. Importantly, use of financial settings could open new, non-medical venues for encouraging cessation. Encouraging quitting could improve health, enhance spending power of low-income smokers, and reduce health disparities in both health and purchasing power.
Prevention of nosocomial infections in the neonatal intensive care unit

Nosocomial infections are responsible for significant morbidity and late mortality among neonatal intensive care unit patients. The number of neonatal patients at risk for acquiring nosocomial infections is increasing because of the improved survival of very low birthweight infants and their need for invasive monitoring and supportive care. Effective strategies to prevent nosocomial infection must include continuous monitoring and surveillance of infection rates and distribution of pathogens; strategic nursery design and staffing; emphasis on handwashing compliance; minimizing central venous catheter use and contamination, and prudent use of antimicrobial agents. Educational programs and feedback to nursery personnel improve compliance with infection control programs.