cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Historical Observations on Laws of Thermodynamics

Most textbooks quote four anonymous laws of thermodynamics (zeroth, first, second, and third), but it seems that every author has their own idiosyncratic statements. Why are there so many versions? Why are the laws of thermodynamics not credited with names of their discoverers? We revisit the history of the laws of thermodynamics and consider whether it would be less confusing, to both students and practitioners, if we define separate laws for reversible and irreversible thermodynamics and simply assign names to them. Central to our understanding of chemical thermodynamics are the concepts of “equilibrium” and “state functions”; these require definition before the various laws can be properly formulated. The idea of a state function is implicit in Black’s caloric theory of heat and also suggested by Priestley in phlogiston theory, but it was Gibbs who first represented thermodynamic properties as two-dimensional “surfaces” in 1878; that is, 30 years after the various principles that became the laws of the...
Two Steps Required for Male Pronucleus Formation in the Sea Urchin Egg

We have developed a system for microinjection of sea urchin sperm nuclei into live eggs and oocytes in order to study conditions which are required for pronuclear development. The system bypasses sperm-initiated surface events that result in egg activation. By comparison to male nuclei of normally fertilized eggs or immature oocytes, the injected nuclei faithfully reflect the ability of the egg cytoplasm to promote male pronuclear development. Isolated nuclei injected into fertilized eggs swell and transform into male pronuclei like the endogenous male pronuclei. Nuclei injected into immature oocytes remain conical like fertilizing sperm nuclei. If sperm nuclei are injected into unfertilized, unactivated eggs, they undergo incomplete decondensation and fail to form pronuclei. This partial decondensation can be inhibited with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP). If unfertilized eggs are first incompletely activated by raising internal pH with ammonia, injected sperm nuclei will complete pronuclear development. Increasing pH or Ca2+ does not cause sperm nuclear swelling or chromatin decondensation in immature oocytes. These experiments reveal two conditions necessary for pronuclear formation. The first condition, resulting in partial decondensation, develops during meiotic maturation and can be blocked by 6-DMAP. The second requires cytoplasmic alkalinization, but not the fertilization-induced internal Ca2+ increase or inositol triphosphate pathway activation.
Knowledge and Beliefs About Health Promotion and Preventive Health Care Among Somali Women in the United States

We explored conceptualizations of health promotion and experiences with preventive health services among African refugee women. We asked 34 resettled Somali refugee women about their beliefs and experiences regarding health promotion and common preventive health care services in the United States. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Key themes were the importance of good hygiene, an adequate source of food and water, access to a regular source of health care, spirituality, traditional practices, and functioning well at home. All participants were familiar with the process and rationale for immunizations and routine medical examinations; few understood cancer screening services.
Effects of the antibiotic ionophores monensin, lasalocid, laidlomycin propionate and bambermycin on Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in vitro*†

T.S. E DRINGTON, T .R. C ALLAWAY, P .D. V AREY, Y .S. J UNG, K .M. B ISCHOFF, R .O. E LDER, R . C . A N D E R S O N , E . K U T T E R , A . D . B R A B B A N A N D D . J . N I S B E T . 2003. Aims: To examine the effects of ionophores on Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in pure and mixed ruminal fluid cultures. Methods and Results: Four Salmonella serotypes (Dublin, Derby, Typhimurium, and Enteriditis) and two strains of E. coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43895 and FDIU 6058) were cultured in the presence of varying concentrations of ionophores (monensin, lasalocid, laidlomycin propionate, and bambermycin) in pure and mixed ruminal fluid cultures. Bacterial growth rates in pure culture were not affected (P >0 AE10) by ionophores at concentrations up to 10 times the approximate rumen ionophore concentration under normal feeding regimens. Likewise, ionophores had no effect (P >0 AE10) on Salmonella or E. coli CFU plated from 24-h ruminal fluid incubations. Ionophore treatment decreased (P <0 AE01) the acetate : propionate ratio in ruminal fluid cultures as expected. Conclusions: Ionophores had no effect on the foodborne pathogens Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in vitro. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results suggest that ionophore feeding would have little or no effect on Salmonella or E. coli populations in the ruminant.
Architecture as instauration

Kieran Timberlake Architects have demonstrated in a series of built projects the constructive logic of architecture and the ability of buildings to alter our perception of a site. Their work exemplifies a respect for materials and assemblies and an interest in the idea of ‘instauration’, which views a place as one of continuous inhabitation. In an era in which architects often try to express non-architectural ideas through their buildings, KTA's return to the expressive power of construction and materials, of sensitive siting and understated form comes as a welcome change.
Tenascin-X gene defects and cardiovascular disease.

Tenascin-X gene defects and cardiovascular disease [2] Chen W, Kim MS, Shanbhag S, et al. The phenotypic spectrum of contiguous deletion of CYP21A2 and tenascin XB: quadricuspid aortic valve and other midline defects. Am J Med Genet A 2009;149A:2803–8. [3] Merke DP, Chen W, Morissette R, et al. Tenascin-X haploinsufficiency associated with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2013;98:E379–87.
Effect of added mass on human unipedal hopping.

Although hopping is considered a children's activity, it can be used to provide insight into the neuromuscular and biomechanical performance of adults. This study investigated whether mass added during unipedal hopping altered the vertical stiffness, hopping period, and angular kinematics of the lower extremity of adults. Measures of two-dimensional kinematics and vertical force were made from 10 healthy men during hopping at a preferred period under three conditions: Body Mass, Body Mass + 10%, and Body Mass + 20%. Adding mass significantly increased hopping period and hip flexion without significantly affecting vertical stiffness, ankle dorsiflexion, or knee flexion. Overall, the findings agreed with predictions based on a simple-mass spring model. The results indicate unique kinetic and kinematic responses to increased mass during hopping may have potential application in neuromuscular assessment and training for the lower extremities.
Exotic Hybrid Meson Spectroscopy with the GlueX detector at JLab

The GlueX experiment[1] is scheduled to begin taking data in 2015. The goal is to discover evidence for the existence of exotic hybrid mesons and to map out their spectrum in the light quark sector. Recent theoretical developments using Lattice QCD [2] predict exotic hybrid states in a mass range accessible using the newly upgraded 12GeV electron accelerator at Jefferson Lab. Hybrid mesons, and in particular exotic hybrid mesons, provide the ideal laboratory for testing QCD in the confinement regime since these mesons explicitly manifest the gluonic degrees of freedom. The experiment will use 9 GeV linearly polarized photons produced via coherent Bremsstrahlung to produce the exotic hybrids. The decay products will be detected in the solenoid-based GlueX detector currently under construction at Jefferson Lab. The status of the GlueX experiment including detector parameters will be presented along with theoretical motivation for the experiment.
Nuclear fusion in yeast.

PERSPECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539 PATHWAY OF NUCLEAR FUS ION . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540 Mating and Nuclear Fusion . . .. .. . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . .. .... . . . . . . ... 540 Mutations That Block Nuclear Fusion . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . ... . . . .. . 544 Assays for Nuclear Fusion.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... 545 Unilaterality Versus Bilaterality . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546 GENES REQUIRED FOR NUCLEAR FUS ION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549 KARl . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549 KAR3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552 BIKI .. . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . ... .. . .. ..... . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . ...... 555 KAR2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 556 CDC4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558 KEM Genes. . . . . . . . . . . . ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . 558 CINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559 CIK Genes . . . . . . ........ ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... . . . . . . 560 CDC28 , CDC34, and CDC37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560 MODELS FOR NUCLEAR FUS iON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561 CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
Social Values, Democracy, and the Problem of African American Identity

Aristotle in The Politics argued that an effective government must allow a good man to become a good and decent citizen. Democratic processes, institutions, and practices must strive to provide assurances that public policy are of high quality and in the public interest, which means they are a manifestation of, and embody the values of, a society in a simultaneously reinforcing mutual relationship. This article attempts to demonstrate that assuming a similar line of reasoning, American political practices would make public policies that reflect its core democratic social values. Yet the negativity in the political location of the African American challenges and deflates those democratic credentials of the United States. Much worse is that this creates an inexorable duality that shapes the political identity of the African American and sidelines him or her from the American political mainstream.
A regime of two intravenous injections of tranexamic acid reduces blood loss in minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty: a prospective randomised double-blind study

Tranexamic acid (TXA), an inhibitor of fibrinolysis, reduces blood loss after total knee arthroplasty. However, its effect on minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty (THA) is not clear. We performed a prospective, randomised double-blind study to evaluate the effect of two intravenous injections of TXA on blood loss in patients undergoing minimally invasive THA. In total, 60 patients (35 women and 25 men with a mean age of 58.1 years; 17 to 84) who underwent unilateral minimally invasive uncemented THA were randomly divided into the study group (30 patients, 20 women and ten men with a mean age of 56.5 years; 17 to 79) that received two intravenous injections 1 g of TXA pre- and post-operatively (TXA group), and a placebo group (30 patients, 15 women and 15 men with a mean age of 59.5 years; 23 to 84). We compared the peri-operative blood loss of the two groups. Actual blood loss was calculated from the maximum reduction in the level of haemoglobin. All patients were followed clinically for the presence of venous thromboembolism. The TXA group had a lower mean intra-operative blood loss of 441 ml (150 to 800) versus 615 ml (50 to 1580) in the placebo (p = 0.044), lower mean post-operative blood loss (285 ml (120 to 570) versus 392 ml (126 to 660) (p = 0.002), lower mean total blood loss (1070 ml (688 to 1478) versus 1337 ml (495 to 2238) (p = 0.004) and lower requirement for transfusion (p = 0.021). No patients in either group had symptoms of venous thromboembolism or wound complications. This prospective, randomised controlled study showed that a regimen of two intravenous injections of 1 g TXA is effective for blood conservation after minimally invasive THA.
Molecular Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile over the Course of 10 Years in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background The molecular epidemiology of endemic and outbreak Clostridium difficile strains across time is not well known. Methods HindIII restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) typing was performed on available clinical C. difficile isolates from 1982 to 1991. Results The annual incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) ranged from 3.2 to 9.9 cases per 1000 discharges and was significantly higher in 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1991 (high-incidence years) than in other years (mean standard deviation number of cases for the high- vs the low-incidence years, 121.8 +/-20.4 and 70.0 +/-15.0; P =.002). A total of 696 (76.6%) of 908 C. difficile isolates were available for REA typing over the 10-year period. Large clusters (>or=10 CDI cases in consecutive months) were caused by REA types B1 and B2 in 1982 and 1983, F2 and B1 in 1985, and K1 in 1991 (high-incidence years). Small clusters of 4-9 CDI cases in consecutive months were caused by REA types G1 (1984), Y4 and Y6 (1987), Y2 (1988), L1 (1989), Y1 (1990), and K1 (1991). Current epidemic REA group BI (unrelated to type B1) was isolated 6 times, twice in 1984, 1988, and 1990. Conclusions Years with a high incidence of CDI were associated with large clusters of specific REA types that changed yearly. The molecular epidemiology of CDI in this hospital was characterized by a wide diversity of C. difficile types and an ever-changing dominance of specific C. difficile types over time. The current epidemic BI group was found sporadically on 6 occasions. A changing CDI molecular epidemiology should be expected in the future.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF BOAT TRAFFIC ON BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS, TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS, IN SARASOTA BAY, FLORIDA

Coastal cetaceans are subject to potential injury or disturbance from vessels. In Sarasota, Florida, where about 120 resident bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, share the inshore waters with over 34,000 registered boats, disturbance potential is high. We assessed specific behavioral responses of individual dolphins to boat traffic. We conducted focal animal behavioral observations during opportunistic and experimental boat approaches involving 33 well-known identifiable individual bottlenose dolphins. Dolphins had longer interbreath intervals (IBI) during boat approaches compared to control periods (no boats within 100 m). Treatment IBI length was inversely correlated with distance to the nearest boat in opportunistic observations. During 58 experimental approaches to 18 individuals, a video system suspended from a tethered airship was used to observe subsurface responses of focal dolphins as boats under our control, operating at specified speeds, were directed near dolphins. Dolphins decreased interanimal distance, changed heading, and increased swimming speed significantly more often in response to an approaching vessel than during control periods. Probability of change for both interanimal distance and heading increased when dolphins were approached while in shallow water. Our findings provide additional support for the need to consider disturbance in management plans for cetacean conservation.
Translation of Recent Advances and Discoveries in Molecular Biology and Immunology in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer progression have allowed for targeted approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. New biologic markers are emerging that may improve the ability to detect these tumors earlier. Targeted biologic cancer therapies promise more effective and less toxic systemic treatment options. Although a clear "magic bullet" has yet to emerge, this type of targeted approach offers hope in the management of this dreadful disease. This article offers an update on these promising diagnostic and treatment modalities.
The highs and lows of an NGF receptor.

Several new lines of evidence indicate that the low-affinity NGF receptor p75 is probably not essential for some responses to NGF, but may have a role in the development or survival of sensory neurons.
Parallel Multilevel Sparse Approximate Inverse Preconditioners in Large Sparse Matrix Computations

We investigate the use of the multistep successive preconditioning strategies (MSP) to construct a class of parallel multilevel sparse approximate inverse (SAI) preconditioners. We do not use independent set ordering, but a diagonal dominance based matrix permutation to build a multilevel structure. The purpose of introducing multilevel structure into SAI is to enhance the robustness of SAI for solving difficult problems. Forward and backward preconditioning iteration and two Schur complement preconditioning strategies are proposed to improve the performance and to reduce the storage cost of the multilevel preconditioners. One version of the parallel multilevel SAI preconditioner based on the MSP strategy is implemented. Numerical experiments for solving a few sparse matrices on a distributed memory parallel computer are reported.
A Graphical Approach to Diagnosing the Validity of the Conditional Independence Assumptions of a Bayesian Network Given Data

Bayesian networks (BNs) have attained widespread use in data analysis and decision making. Well-studied topics include efficient inference, evidence propagation, parameter learning from data for complete and incomplete data scenarios, expert elicitation for calibrating BN probabilities, and structure learning. It is common for the researcher to assume the structure of the BN or to glean the structure from expert elicitation or domain knowledge. In this scenario, the model may be calibrated through learning the parameters from relevant data. There is a lack of work on model diagnostics for fitted BNs; this is the contribution of this article. We key on the definition of (conditional) independence to develop a graphical diagnostic that indicates whether the conditional independence assumptions imposed, when one assumes the structure of the BN, are supported by the data. We develop the approach theoretically and describe a Monte Carlo method to generate uncertainty measures for the consistency of the data wi...
Dominican Migrant Cooking: Food Struggles, Gendered Labor, and Memory-Work in New York City

The most common conceptions of immigrant foodways as enactment and preservation of ‘ethnic’ identity underplay the politicized struggles immigrants endure in their process of place-making in a new society, and the intersecting negotiations of class, gender, race, and citizenship implicated in everyday household reproduction. Foregrounding the significance of first generation immigrant choices of what to eat and why, how to procure it, and the gendered labor needed to maintain ‘traditional’ food practices, this essay argues that first generation Dominican working-class women in New York City utilize cooking as ‘political memory-capital’ for self-empowerment, as a healing strategy, and as a site of demands for culturally appropriate survival. Home cooking, usually considered a private ritual, has public implications as an investment of labor, energy, and time that helps migrant women exercise some measure of control over socio-economic uncertainties, while indirectly helping to defray the costs to receiving...
A Diet Rich in Medium-Chain Fatty Acids Improves Systolic Function and Alters the Lipidomic Profile in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study.

Context: Excessive cardiac long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) metabolism/storage causes cardiomyopathy in animal models of type 2 diabetes. Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are absorbed and oxidized efficiently. Data in animal models of diabetes suggest MCFAs may benefit the heart. Objective: Our objective was to test the effects of an MCFA-rich diet vs an LCFA-rich diet on plasma lipids, cardiac steatosis, and function in patients with type 2 diabetes. Design: This was a double-blind, randomized, 2-week matched-feeding study. Setting: The study included ambulatory patients in the general community. Patients: Sixteen patients, ages 37–65 years, with type 2 diabetes, an ejection fraction greater than 45%, and no other systemic disease were included. Intervention: Fourteen days of a diet rich in MCFAs or LCFAs, containing 38% as fat in total, was undertaken. Main Outcome Measures: Cardiac steatosis and function were the main outcome measures, with lipidomic changes considered a secondary outcome. Results: The rel...
Conductance in the wood of selected Carboniferous plants

Specific conductance was calculated for secondary xylem in seven Carboniferous stem taxa utilizing an equation derived from the Hagen-Poiseuille relation. Arborescent and lianoid representatives of major pteridophytic (Calamitaceae, Lepidodenraceae, Sphenophyllaceae) and gymnospermous (Cordai- taceae, Medullosaceae) groups were examined. In the calamite Arthropitys communis and the seed plant Cordaites (Cordaixylon sp. and Mesoxylon sp.), conductance corresponded approximately to the low end of the range for both extant conifers and angiosperms. A substantially higher conductance was determined for the wood of Arthropitys deltoides, conforming to the high end of the range for conifers and the low- middle part of the range for angiosperms. The highest conductance values were found in Sphenophyllum plurifoliatum, Medullosa noei, and Paralycopodites brevifolius and corresponded to the middle-high portion of the range for vessel-containing angiosperms. This outcome is particularly significant in light of the fact that tracheary elements in the fossils are imperforate. The results indicate that conductance in secondary xylem of some of the most ancient, woody groups was comparable to that in extant plants and that highly effective conducting tissue developed relatively early in plant evolution. Moreover, it is suggested that the general relationship between wood anatomy, growth habit, and ecology demonstrated for living plants can also be extended back in time to include fossil plants.
Determining the Spatial Extent of Ecological Impacts Caused by Local Anthropogenic Disturbances in Coastal Marine Habitats

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the impact of spatial scales on the chemical–physical parameters which differ from the scale of impacts on ecological parameters based on life-history features of the affected organisms. It examines the spatial relationships among various physical/chemical and biological variables used to measure the spatial extent of impacts caused by an industrial outfall in a coastal marine habitat. It presents ideas as to which attributes of species are most likely to lead to broad-scale population changes as a result of a localized disturbance. Knowledge of which species characteristics lead to dispersed effects may not allow dispersed impacts to be detected in most situations. Details of oceanographic transport and larval behavior under different transport regimes are critical to the accurate prediction of where dispersed impacts will most likely occur. Complementary information on sources and sinks of population replenishment can aid in predicting where and how much change can be expected from a given local impact. Such information may require the use of modem techniques in molecular biology and in the analyses of stable isotopes to develop genetic and environmental markers for distinguishing source and sink populations.
Phase I/II study of combined granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor administration for the mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells.

PURPOSETo study the toxicity and efficacy of combined granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) administration for mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs).MATERIALS AND METHODSCohorts of a minimum of five patients each were treated subcutaneously as follows: G-CSF 5 micrograms/kg on days 1 to 12 and GM-CSF at .5, 1, or 5 micrograms/kg on days 7 to 12 (cohorts 1, 2, and 3); GM-CSF 5 micrograms/kg on days 1 to 12 and G-CSF 5 micrograms/kg on days 7 to 12 (cohort 4); and G-CSF and GM-CSF 5 micrograms/kg each on days 1 to 12 (cohort 5). Ten-liter aphereses were performed on days 1 (baseline, pre-CSF), 5, 7, 11, and 13. Colony assays for granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) and erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) were performed on each harvest.RESULTSThe principal toxicities were myalgias, bone pain, fever, nausea, and mild thrombocytopenia, but none was dose-limiting. Four days of treatment with either G-CSF or G...
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and American College of Radiology Imaging Network Randomized Phase 2 Trial of Neoadjuvant Preoperative Paclitaxel/Cisplatin/Radiation Therapy (RT) or Irinotecan/Cisplatin/RT in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: Long-Term Outcome and Implications for Trial Design.

Purpose Toxicity, pathologic complete response, and long-term outcomes are reported for the neoadjuvant therapies assessed in a randomized phase 2 Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and American College of Radiology Imaging Network trial for operable esophageal adenocarcinoma, staged as II-IVa by endoscopy/ultrasonography (EUS). Methods and Materials A total of 86 eligible patients began treatment. For arm A, preoperative chemotherapy was cisplatin, 30 mg/m 2 , and irinotecan, 50 mg/m 2 , on day 1, 8, 22, 29 during 45 Gy radiation therapy (RT), 1.8 Gy per day over 5 weeks. Adjuvant therapy was cisplatin, 30 mg/m 2 , and irinotecan, 65 mg/m 2 day 1, 8 every 21 days for 3 cycles. Arm B therapy was cisplatin, 30 mg/m 2 , and paclitaxel, 50 mg/m 2 , day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 with RT, followed by adjuvant cisplatin, 75 mg/m 2 , and paclitaxel, 175 mg/m 2 , day 1 every 21 days for 3 cycles. Stratification included EUS stage and performance status. Results In arm A, median overall survival was 35 months, and 5-, 6-, and 7-year survival rates were 46%, 39%, and 35%, respectively, whereas for arm B, they were 21 months and 27%, 27%, and 23%, respectively. Median progression- or recurrence-free survival (PFS) was 39.8 months with a 3-year PFS of 50% for arm A and 12.4 months ( P =.046) with 3-year PFS of 28% for arm B. Eighty percent of the observed incidents of progression occurred within 19 months. Survival did not differ significantly by EUS and performance status strata. Conclusions Long-term survival was similar for both arms and did not appear superior to results achieved with other standard regimens.
Is it Too Late for Title Vi Enforcement?: Seeking Redemption of the Unequal Long Term Care System in the United States Through International Means

Legal and medical experts have noted continued racism in the health care system that prevents the equal distribution of quality care. Initially most racism was intentional and expressed through de jure segregation, as evidenced by federal funding of the construction of racial segregated health care facilities. Now most racism, expressed through de facto segregation, is subtly incorporated into the daily practices of institutions causing an adverse disparate impact on African-Americans. This institutional racism establishes separate and independent barriers through the neutral denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups that results from the normal operations of the institutions in a society. For example, elderly African-Americans are disproportionately placed in substandard nursing homes. The reason for this placement is because most high-quality nursing homes accept a high proportion of private pay patients. These facilities limit the admissions of Medicaid patients, which are customarily elderly African-American patients. The limiting of Medicaid patients is a 'separate and independent barrier' that prevents African-Americans from equal access to quality nursing homes. This 'neutral' denial of admissions of elderly African-Americans to quality nursing homes based on the normal operations is institutional racism. Consequently, elderly African-Americans only option is placement in substandard nursing homes. Unfortunately, the United States government has done little to put an end to these restrictive admission policies even though Title VI prohibits these practices. International law offers one mechanism to induce the Untied States government to prevent institutional racism. One avenue is for the aggrieved parties to file a claim under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which prohibits institutional racism funded by the United States.
Non-A to E hepatitis.

The list of possible hepatotropic viruses continues to grow with the discovery of the GB virus-C, the TT virus and the SEN virus. There is emerging data on the biology of these newly discovered viruses and their role in the pathogenesis of both acute and chronic liver diseases. In spite of continuing research into the pathogenicity of the GB virus-C and the TT virus, definite evidence linking them to acute or chronic liver disease is lacking. The SEN virus was reported in 2000, and although there seems to be an association between virus and transfusion-related hepatitis, more data are awaited before definite conclusions can be drawn. The effect of GB virus-C, the TT virus and the SEN virus co-infection on other viral and non-viral hepatitides has also been studied in some detail. Again, there is no definite evidence so far that these viruses modify other liver diseases. At the present time, diagnostic testing for these viruses does not seem to be warranted outside of clinical studies. The discovery of these viruses, however, paves the way for further research into novel viral agents that infect humans, other among hosts.
Explore on the Prevalent Factors and Control Countermeasure of AIDS in Zhushan County

OBJECTIVE To know and analyze the prevalent characteristics and factors of AIDS, to provide foundation to make prevention policy. METHODS Used the descriptive method to count and analyze the currently existing data. RESULT From the first HIV infected person known in June 2002 in Zhushan, there were 54 HIV /AIDS until May 2007. The patients’age distribution were 25~50, and the epidemic distributed among 12 towns, 25 villages , which had the district-gathered phenomenon obviously. 42 cases were infected by blood, 12 cases were by sex behaviors, and all of the infectors were farms. The epidemic might go up recent year. The main reasons of HIV/AIDS prevalent in Zhushan County were numerous migrants caused by impoverishment, the people lacked of the knowledge of prevention, the infect rate on the reproductive organ of countrywomen were high, the change of the sex morality and the lack of useful management measures to the infectors and patients. CONCLUSION Strengthen sours management and do the health education works well. Popularizing the condom among the population who may have the high probability to infect HIV is a valid way to prevent and control the prevalent of HIV/AIDS.
The Acute Abdomen in the Immunocompromised Host

The immunocompromised host includes patients receiving transplants, patients receiving chemotherapy for malignant disease, patients receiving steroids for autoimmune disease, and patients with AIDS. Specific abdominal conditions are associated with each type of immunosuppression. The causes of the acute abdomen in these patients may be divided into two broad categories: (1) disorders that are closely associated with the immunocompromised state and (2) processes that occur in any patient regardless of the host state. Physicians at every level of specialization must become familiar with the unusual complications that occur in this population and the ways in which the underlying disease and its therapy can modify the clinical presentation and management of common abdominal conditions.
Prologue: The Social Setting

The Book of Lecan records the inauguration ceremony of the O’Dowds, powerful chieftains of Tirawley, in County Connacht: And the privilege of the first drinking [at the banquet] was given to O’Caomhain by O’Dubhda, and O’Caomhain was not to drink until he first presented it to the poet, that is, to MacFirbis…and it is not lawful ever to nominate the O’Dubhda until O’Caomhain and MacFirbis [first] pronounce the name, and until MacFirbis brings the body of the rod over the head of O’Dubhda; and after O’Caomhain and MacFirbis every clergyman and comharba of a church, and every bishop and every chief of a district pronounce the name.1
Multiparametric Genomic Assays for Breast Cancer: Time for the Next Generation?

The Breast Cancer Index appears to perform better than the 21-gene recurrence score in predicting 10-year disease-free survival in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive lymph node–negative early-stage breast cancer. This may have implications for clinical use of first-generation versus second-generation multiparametric genomic assays. Clin Cancer Res; 22(20); 4963–5. ©2016 AACR. See related article by Sestak et al., p. 5043
A High Protein Diet Has No Harmful Effects: A One-Year Crossover Study in Resistance-Trained Males

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a high protein diet over a one-year period. Fourteen healthy resistance-trained men completed the study (mean ± SD; age yr; height cm; and average years of training yr). In a randomized crossover design, subjects consumed their habitual or normal diet for 2 months and 4 months and alternated that with a higher protein diet (>3 g/kg/d) for 2 months and 4 months. Thus, on average, each subject was on their normal diet for 6 months and a higher protein diet for 6 months. Body composition was assessed via the Bod Pod®. Each subject provided approximately 100–168 daily dietary self-reports. During the subjects’ normal eating phase, they consumed (mean ± SD) kcals/kg/day and g/kg/day of protein. This significantly increased () during the high protein phase to kcals/kg/day and g/kg/day of protein. Our investigation discovered that, in resistance-trained men that consumed a high protein diet (~2.51–3.32 g/kg/d) for one year, there were no harmful effects on measures of blood lipids as well as liver and kidney function. In addition, despite the total increase in energy intake during the high protein phase, subjects did not experience an increase in fat mass.
IMPDH2 Is an Intracellular Target of the Cyclophilin A and Sanglifehrin A Complex

Summary Natural products have demonstrated utility in the clinic and can also act as probes to understand complex cellular pathways. Sanglifehrin A (SFA) is a mixed polyketide and non-ribosomal peptide synthase natural product with sub-nano-molar affinity for its receptor cyclophilin A (PPIA). It has been shown to behave in vitro as an immune suppressant. Here, we identify inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase 2 (IMPDH2) as an intracellular target of the PPIA-SFA binary complex. The formation of this ternary complex does not inhibit the enzymatic activity of IMPDH2. Rather, ternary complex formation modulates cell growth through interaction with the cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) domain of IMPDH2. We further demonstrate that the SFA complex is highly isoform selective for IMPDH2 (versus IMPDH1). This work reveals a role for the CBS domains of IMPDH2 in cellular proliferation, suggesting a more complex role than previously suspected for IMPDH2 in T cell activation and proliferation.
Endosomal Targeting Sequences from Non-Classical Antigen Presenting Molecules Can Direct Antigens into the MIIC and Other Antigen Processing Compartments.

The ultimate goal of these studies is to enhance the development of MHC class II-restricted helper T cell responses that are required for effective and durable immunotherapy. In order to optimize the processing and presentation of MHC class II-restricted epitopes, we are using a differential targeting strategy that relies upon the unique endosomal targeting sequences from the individual isoforms of the CD1 family of non-classical antigen presenting molecules. Distinct endosomal compartments differ with respect to pH and resident proteases. MHC class II molecules can load antigen in each of the different endosomal compartments. This is in addition to the traditional antigen loading compartment, MIIC. Therefore, by forcing the expression of a tumor antigen across different endosomal compartments, we hope to maximize the number of successfully processed epitopes. To achieve this, we have developed a PCR-based strategy to link the leader, transmembrane, and endosomal targeting sequences from the four different human CD1 isoforms, CD1a-d, to DNA encoding for a surrogate antigen, green fluorescent protein (GFP). Using this strategy, we have demonstrated that fusion of individual CD1 tails to the sequence for GFP resulted in four distinct expression patterns in HELA cells transfected with these constructs. Using immunofluorescent staining and confocal laser microscopy, we determined the pattern of antigen expression in various endosomal compartments. GFP variably colocalized with recycling endosomes (ARF-6), early endosomes (CD71, transferrin receptor), late endosomes (CD63), and late endosomes/lysosmes/MIIC (CD107a, LAMP-1). Three of the four CD1 tails also resulted in co-expression of GFP with the MHC class II molecule, HLA-DR. The expression pattern for each CD1 tail is shown in Table 1. These experiments validate the feasibility of the CD1 targeting approach. Current studies are underway to apply this strategy to the leukemia antigen, WT1, using recently completed and sequenced WT1/CD1 fusion constructs. Table 1. Pattern of GFP/CD1 fusion expression in different endosomal compartments. Fusion of the endosomal targeting sequences from human CD1 molecules to the model antigen, GFP, results in different patterns of antigen expression within distinct endosomal compartments. The degree of colocalization between GFP and the indicated markers of endosomal compartments is represented as follows: (−), no colocalization; (−/+), infrequent colocalization; (+), frequent colocalization; (++), extensive colocalization.
Urban Forests, Biomes and History

The basic object of this investigation has been to understand the relationships between the characteristics of urban forests and the biomes in which they occur. Four major characteristics have been examined in relation to different urban environments common to all cities. These characteristics were urban forest composition, design, function, and management. Another aspect of the investigation has been to understand the influence of cultural and historical factors on the characteristics of urban forests. Some ideas about these relationships have been put forward in previous chapters on urban forest composition, design, function, and management. This chapter will be used to draw some general relationships between urban forest characteristics, biomes, and history
Three extubations and a blizzard: A day in the life of a palliative social worker

A palliative social worker describes a day in the hospital during which three patients come off their ventilators and families gather to say goodbye while a blizzard looms over the city.
Hydraulic and Heated Equivalent Diameters Used in Heat Transfer Correlations

AbstractHydraulic and heated equivalent diameters are approximations to account for different flow geometries in thermal-hydraulic analyses. Most of the empirical models used in single- and two-phase flow heat transfer are based on experiments in heated tubes and extrapolated to complex geometries by means of the equivalent diameters. For heat transfer calculations, as a general rule, the heated equivalent diameter must be used for bundle geometries and the hydraulic equivalent diameter for annulus geometries. The use of both diameters in different correlations is discussed and clarified in this technical note.
Couples’ Alcohol Use in Middle and Later Life: Stability and Mutual Influence

Objective:Wives and husbands may influence one another’s alcohol use, but little is known about within-couple patterns of alcohol consumption over time during midlife and later life. Drawing from a nationally representative U.S. sample of middle-aged and older married couples, we examined individual stability and partner influence in alcohol use across a 16-year period.Method:The analytic sample comprised 1,257 married couples age 40 and older who completed nine waves of the Health and Retirement Study (1996–2012). Dyadic multilevel models were estimated to simultaneously examine the stability of one’s own alcohol use (number of drinks per occasion and per week) over time as well as whether partner drinking predicted subsequent alcohol use within couples. Models controlled for marital duration.Results:Wives’ and husbands’ own prior alcohol use positively predicted alcohol use across waves, demonstrating individual stability in drinking patterns. Partners’ alcohol use also positively predicted wives’ and h...
Learning abstraction of a swarm to control a parent system

Many high-dimensional systems can be decomposed into a swarm of subsystems manipulating a parent system, each with its own dynamics. Rather than design control laws directly on this state space, we propose a method that uses deep learning to learn an abstract state of the swarm that encapsulates the interactions between the swarm and parent system. In addition, controllers for the swarm and parent system that utilize this abstract state are also learned. Further, the controller for the swarm is designed to be pseudo-distributed, where the policy for each member is only dependent on that member's state, the abstract representation of the swarm, and the desired abstract representation. We set up neural networks for each part of the architecture and assemble them into a recurrent neural network wherein the mapping to the abstract state and the control laws for the parent and swarm systems are learned simultaneously. This method is applied to an example problem consisting of a tilting plane with a swarm of robots driving on top of it, with the goal being to balance the plane. The results are compared to those of an iterative Linear Quadratic Regulator as well as a prescribed abstract state with hand-crafted controllers for the swarm and parent systems. Our results show that the performance of the learned method is comparable to these more demanding methods.
An adjustable-stiffness MEMS force sensor: Design, characterization, and control

Abstract This paper presents a novel one-degree-of-freedom microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) force sensor. The high-bandwidth device contains on-chip sensing and actuation mechanisms, enabling open- and closed-loop modalities. An active compliance mechanism is incorporated to render the device more conducive to characterization of soft samples. When operated in closed loop, the adjustable stiffness enables the sensor to attain a larger dynamic range and minimize the nonlinearities originating from flexures. Analytical models are employed to design and calibrate the sensor. In open loop, the sensing resolution of 23.3 nN within a bandwidth of 2.35 kHz and a full-scale range of ± 42.6 µ N are experimentally obtained. The resolution is enhanced to 9.3 nN by employing an active compliance mechanism. When operated in closed loop, a resolution of 12.9 nN is achieved within a dynamic range of 71.2 dB and a sensing bandwidth of 3.6 kHz is demonstrated. The sensor performance is tested by obtaining the stiffness of an atomic force microscope probe and measuring the force produced by a self-actuated piezoelectric microcantilever.
Inheritance of statistical properties

Statistical aggregate properties (e.g. mean, maximum, mode) have not previously been thought to "inherit" between sets. But they do in a weak sense, and a collection of such "weak" information can be combined in a rule-based architecture to get stronger information.
Fetal Wound Repair

The process of wound repair has phylogenetically evolved as an essential survival process after injury. While some lower species retain the ability to regenerate, humans require rapid healing lest they succumb to infection, predators or starvation during evolution. Thus it is likely that wound healing in the form of rapid collagenous scar deposition evolved. The original demonstration that the mammalian fetus retains the ability to heal in a scarless fashion [1–3], resembling regeneration, reinforced the importance of restoration of original structure and function. These studies have suggested important therapeutic strategies in modulating pathologic adult wound healing. For example, can we modulate adult repair to prevent the formation of keloids and hypertrophic scarring? Will the study of the noncontracting fetal skin wound teach us how to control burn scar contracture or common bile duct stenoses? In an attempt to address these and other questions, fetal wound repair has been a major focus of research in our laboratory for the past 5 years. It is hoped that by delineating the mechanisms whereby the fetus carries out optimal wound repair, resembling regeneration, pathologic adult wound healing problems may be ameliorated.