cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laboratory research on sexual behavior and reproduction of gorillas and orang-utans

Laboratory studies of sexual behavior in gorillas and orang-utans produced few pregnancies despite the occurrence of mating, including mating during the midcycle, which is the presumptively ovulatory phase of the cycle. Comparison of laboratory and field data suggests that for both these species, as well as for the chimpanzee, mating occurs more frenquently throughout the cycle in the laboratory than in the field. This increased mating occurs as a result of relatively increased male sexual initiative (chimpanzee and orang-utan) or male intimidation of the female (gorilla), made possible by (1) male dominance over females, and (2) testing in a single cage which prevents the female from avoiding or escaping the male. Some limited data on gorillas suggest that the probability of conceptions is increased when the frequency of copulation in the cycle is decreased. Preliminary data from an ongoing laboratory study of orang-utans suggest a similar conclusion for this species. Several pregnancies were produced using a limited access test condition in which the female, rather than the male, determined whether and when copulation could occur. Under these conditions, mating occurred less freqeuntly and was more restricted to the midcycle phase than during the earlier testing in a single cage which compromised female options regarding mating. The data suggest that the failure of some gorillas and orang-utans to produce offspring, despite mating during midcycle, is due to a reduced capacity of the males of these species to impregnate females as a result of relatively increased copulation prior to the time that the female ovulates. The male gorilla and orang-utan differ from the male chimpanzee in this respect, and this difference is related to differences in testis/body weight ratios and species-typical patterns of mating.
Tethering recombination initiation proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae promotes double strand break formation.

Meiotic recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is initiated by the creation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), an event requiring 10 recombination initiation proteins. Published data indicate that these 10 proteins form three main interaction subgroups [(Spo11-Rec102-Rec104-Ski8), (Rec114-Rec107-Mei4), and (Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2)], but certain components from each subgroup may also interact. Although several of the protein–protein interactions have been defined, the mechanism for DSB formation has been challenging to define. Using a variation of the approach pioneered by others, we have tethered 8 of the 10 initiation proteins to a recombination coldspot and discovered that in addition to Spo11, 6 others (Rec102, Rec104, Ski8, Rec114, Rec107, and Mei4) promote DSB formation at the coldspot, albeit with different frequencies. Of the 8 proteins tested, only Mre11 was unable to cause DSBs even though it binds to UASGAL at GAL2. Our results suggest there may be several ways that the recombination initiation proteins can associate to form a functional initiation complex that can create DSBs.
A Comparison of Black Drum, Red Drum, and their Hybrid in Saltwater Pond Culture

Hybridization has been used in aquaculture to produce fish that exhibit improved growth and survival over parent species. Previous studies produced an intergeneric hybrid by crossing female black drum Pogonias cromis with male red drum Sciaenops ocellatus. In the present study, the two parent species and their hybrid were simultaneously cultured in ponds for 9 mo. Two- to three-day-old larvae of each type were initially placed into three separate 0.1 ha ponds. After about 41 d, fingerlings of each type were transferred from the larval culture ponds to six 0.2 ha ponds. Two ponds each received 3,000 black drum, red drum or hybrid fingerlings. Fish were fed a commercial feed and harvested after about 230 d. At harvest, mean weight, mean total length, and production for the hybrids was 190 g, 245 mm, and 10.7 kg/ha/d, respectively; red drum averaged 142 g, 236 mm, and 7.0 kg/ha/d; and black drum averaged 144 g, 214 mm, and 10.6 kg/ha/d. Black drum survival was 94%, red drum survival was 63%, and hybrid survival was 72%. Hybrid growth was more rapid than either parent. A taste panel failed to identify differences in flavor between the three fishes. With similar flavor and faster growth, hybrid drum have potential for commercial mariculture.
Public Opinion Toward Costs and Benefits of Social Security and Medicare

Although most surveys show overwhelming support for old-age benefits among people of all ages, few surveys cover cost-benefit trade-offs in aging policy. Questions piloted by the American National Election Studies in 1991 surveyed attitudes not only about Social Security and Medicare expansion but also about taxes on Social Security benefits and the trade-off between increasing taxes and reducing elderly medical benefits. Path analysis is used to examine the influences on these benefit, tax, and cost-benefit trade-off items for elderly and nonelderly respondents. Attitudes toward taxes on Social Security benefits are shaped more by self-interest, and less by partisanship and ideology, than by attitudes toward benefits and cost-benefit trade-offs. Although there is some evidence of generational conflict, there is more conflict within generations than between them.
The Intricacies of Induced Lactation for Same-Sex Mothers of an Adopted Child

The definition of a modern family is changing. In this case study, we describe the breastfeeding experience of a child receiving human milk from all 3 of his mothers: his 2 adoptive mothers, who induced lactation to nurse him, and his birth mother, who shared in his early feeding during the open adoption process and continued to pump and send milk to him for several months. We review the lactation protocol used by his adoptive mothers and the unique difficulties inherent in this multi-mother family dynamic. Both adoptive mothers successfully induced moderate milk production using a combination of hormonal birth control, domperidone, herbal supplements, and a schedule of breast pumping. However, because of the increased complexity of the immediate postpartum period and concerns with defining parental roles in a same-sex marriage, maintenance of milk production was difficult.
Mean Field Analysis of the CuO2 Lattice: Comparison to Monte Carlo Simulations

The 2D multi-band Hubbard models have been attracting much attention recently since they provide one of the simplest models for the high Tc superconductors where one assumes the relevant motion is confined to the Cu-O planes. Recent Monte Carlo (MC) studies1,2, using the three-band Hubbard model to describe this motion, have been done in a wide parameter range for various values of doping δ away from half-filling (δ = 0 is defined as one hole per Cu site). We summarize their results as follows: We define the on-site O energy, ep, and the Cu on-site energy, ed. Then there are two basic regimes depending on whether the on-site energy difference e between the O and Cu sites (e = ep - ed) is greater or less than the onsite Cu Coulomb repulsion Udd. If Udd ≫ e the behavior of the system is controlled by e (charge transfer limit). In this case, at half-filling, they find strong antiferrromagnetic correlations and evidence of a charge transfer gap (≈ e). The antiferromagnetic correlations decrease rapidly as one dopes away from half-filling. In the other case e ≫ Udd the behavior is controlled by Udd. Here the O occupation is always small and we essentially have an effective single band model with a Mott-Hubbard gap which depends on Udd.
The Influence of the Semiconducting Properties of Passive Films on Pitting Resistance

The pitting resistance of transition metals and alloys is influenced by the semiconducting properties of the n-type passive films that form on their surface. Chromium rich films that have flatband potentials significantly lower than their corrosion potentials develop large energy barriers to charge transfer, which inhibits the reduction reaction. Sluggish reduction kinetics both suppresses a material's corrosion potential, which decreases pitting activity, and decreases the rate of oxidation that can take place inside occluded regions, which makes pits more likely to repassivate. Conversely, iron's passive film has a flatband potential above its corrosion potential in chloride solutions, which leads to an ohmic contact with the electrolyte and contributes to iron's low pitting resistance.
Summary proceedings from the neurology group on neonatal seizures

One of the highest risk periods for seizures during the human life span is the first month of life. Most neonatal seizures are triggered by acute illness such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, stroke, or infection; rarely are they triggered by epilepsy per se. Seizures are the most common and important sign of acute neonatal encephalopathy, are a major risk for death or subsequent neurologic disability, and by themselves may contribute to an adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. Customary clinical practice includes visual monitoring of high-risk neonates for seizures, performance of a routine electroencephalogram (EEG) for suspicious clinical seizure activity, and empirical treatment with phenobarbital. Presently, however, there are no data that have unequivocally demonstrated the efficacy of barbiturates in the treatment of neonatal seizures. The neurology group recognizes an important need for randomized, placebo-controlled, ethically acceptable trials of phenobarbital efficacy and safety in the treatment of neonatal seizures. After exploring 3 possible frameworks for clinical trials of phenobarbital in the treatment of neonatal seizures, the neurology group ultimately focused on a multicenter, placebo-controlled, electroencephalographer-blinded study of phenobarbital versus placebo in a homogeneous group of newborns who are at high risk of developing early subclinical electroencephalographically detected neonatal seizures. Continuous video-EEG monitoring would establish the presence and number of seizures. Criteria for escape from the study to treatment are clearly defined. The proposed study could provide the first concrete evidence of treatment efficacy because (1) it examines a homogeneous patient population, (2) the recognition and quantification of seizures rests solely on the gold standard of seizure detection (EEG), and (3) the dosing of phenobarbital is matched specifically to the phenobarbital-binding characteristics of the individual treated. This study would affirm or refute the common practice of phenobarbital as the first-line treatment of neonatal seizures.
Acute graft-versus-host disease is more prevalent and severe in the lower than the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Summary It is unclear whether acute gastrointestinal (GI) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) affects all segments of the GI tract equally. Up to 45% patients reported showed discrepancy in involvement between upper GI (UGI) and lower GI (LGI) tract. We compared the prevalence and the severity of acute GVHD in UGI and LGI tract on histologic examination. A cohort of 110 cases of simultaneous UGI and LGI biopsies from 105 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients with clinically confirmed GI GVHD were reviewed retrospectively. The χ 2 test and 1-way analysis of variance test were used for statistical analysis. Most (75%) of the cases had GVHD involvement in both UGI and LGI tracts, whereas UGI-only GVHD was found in 6% and LGI-only GVHD in 19%. GVHD prevalence was the lowest in stomach (61%) and significantly increased toward duodenum/jejunum (81%; P = .0019). The LGI tract showed similar GVHD prevalence ( P = .3648); the highest was in the sigmoid colon (97%). The histologic grade was lowest in the stomach (mean ± SD, 1.6 ± 0.8) and was similar across all UGI segments ( P = .0883). The histologic grade in LGI significantly increased ( P = .0265) from the terminal ileum (2.0 ± 1.3) to the rectum (2.9 ± 1.0). Overall, both the prevalence and the histologic grade of GVHD in LGI were significantly higher than those of UGI ( P
Tyrosine 813 Is a Site of JAK2 Autophosphorylation Critical for Activation of JAK2 by SH2-Bβ

The tyrosine kinase Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) binds to the majority of the known members of the cytokine family of receptors. Ligand-receptor binding leads to activation of the associated JAK2 molecules, resulting in rapid autophosphorylation of multiple tyrosines within JAK2. Phosphotyrosines can then serve as docking sites for downstream JAK2 signaling molecules. Despite the importance of these phosphotyrosines in JAK2 function, only a few sites and binding partners have been identified. Using two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping and a phosphospecific antibody, we identified tyrosine 813 as a site of JAK2 autophosphorylation of overexpressed JAK2 and endogenous JAK2 activated by growth hormone. Tyrosine 813 is contained within a YXXL sequence motif associated with several other identified JAK2 phosphorylation sites. We show that phosphorylation of tyrosine 813 is required for the SH2 domain-containing adapter protein SH2-Bβ to bind JAK2 and to enhance the activity of JAK2 and STAT5B. The homologous tyrosine in JAK3, tyrosine 785, is autophosphorylated in response to interleukin-2 stimulation and is required for SH2-Bβ to bind JAK3. Taken together these data strongly suggest that tyrosine 813 is a site of autophosphorylation in JAK2 and is the SH2-Bβ-binding site within JAK2 that is required for SH2-Bβ to enhance activation of JAK2.
The evolutionary impact of androgen levels on prostate cancer in a multi-scale mathematical model

Androgens bind to the androgen receptor (AR) in prostate cells and are essential survival factors for healthy prostate epithelium. Most untreated prostate cancers retain some dependence upon the AR and respond, at least transiently, to androgen ablation therapy. However, the relationship between endogenous androgen levels and cancer etiology is unclear. High levels of androgens have traditionally been viewed as driving abnormal proliferation leading to cancer, but it has also been suggested that low levels of androgen could induce selective pressure for abnormal cells. We formulate a mathematical model of androgen regulated prostate growth to study the effects of abnormal androgen levels on selection for pre-malignant phenotypes in early prostate cancer development. We find that cell turnover rate increases with decreasing androgen levels, which may increase the rate of mutation and malignant evolution. We model the evolution of a heterogeneous prostate cell population using a continuous state-transition model. Using this model we study selection for AR expression under different androgen levels and find that low androgen environments, caused either by low serum testosterone or by reduced 5α-reductase activity, select more strongly for elevated AR expression than do normal environments. High androgen actually slightly reduces selective pressure for AR upregulation. Moreover, our results suggest that an aberrant androgen environment may delay progression to a malignant phenotype, but result in a more dangerous cancer should one arise. The model represents a useful initial framework for understanding the role of androgens in prostate cancer etiology, and it suggests that low androgen levels can increase selection for phenotypes resistant to hormonal therapy that may also be more aggressive. Moreover, clinical treatment with 5α-reductase inhibitors such as finasteride may increase the incidence of therapy resistant cancers. This article was reviewed by Ariosto S. Silva (nominated by Marek Kimmel) and Marek Kimmel.
Evidence for Uneven Alpha-Receptor Distribution in the Rat Portal Vein

The smooth muscle of the rat portal vein which supports propagation becomes supersensitive to exogenous l -norepinephrine after elimination of the vessel9s intramural neuronal uptake mechanism. Such supersensitivity is generally associated with intimate neuromuscular connections. Since the adrenergic vasomotor fibers in the portal vein do not enter the muscle tissue, it has been proposed that muscle cells close to the nerve terminals must determine the response to norepinephrine. With the aim of elucidating the mechanism behind the prejunctional supersensitivity, the total uptake of labeled norepinephrine in the portal vein was analyzed and its distribution within the vessel wall was evaluated directly using isotopically labeled frozen sections. The total uptake of the portal vein, related to its endogenous norepinephrine content, was comparable with that in other vascular and nonvascular tissues. The 3 H-uptake profile of the vessel wall showed that the neurogenic uptake was confined to the narrow adrenergic plexus between the longitudinal and the circular muscle layers. The neuronal uptake mechanism therefore could only influence the concentration of exogenous norepinephrine at muscle cells close to the nerve terminals. These results support the hypothesis that the prejunctional supersenstivity in the rat portal vein indicates that the alpha receptors are located on muscle cells in the vicinity of the adrenergic nerve terminals.
Civil Protective Order Outcomes Violations and Perceptions of Effectiveness

This study examined protective order (PO) outcomes for a period of 12 months for 698 women from multiple jurisdictions. Overall, results indicate that 2 out of 5 women did not experience violence after the PO was issued; however, 3 out of 5 women did experience ongoing violence. Two key risk factors were associated with PO violations and are examined. Further, only 9% of women dropped the order, and the vast majority of women perceived the PO was effective and that they felt safe. Results from this study suggest that POs are an important avenue for women's safety. However, results also suggest that PO effectiveness can be increased by attending to specific risk factors, crafting POs to meet individual needs, and by appropriate enforcement.
Random effects logistic regression analysis with auxiliary covariates.

Summary. We study a semiparametric estimation method for the random effects logistic regression when there is auxiliary covariate information about the main exposure variable. We extend the semiparametric estimator of Pepe and Fleming (1991, Journal of the American Statistical Association86, 108–113) to the random effects model using the best linear unbiased prediction approach of Henderson (1975, Biometrics31, 423–448). The method can be used to handle the missing covariate or mismeasured covariate data problems in a variety of real applications. Simulation study results show that the proposed method outperforms the existing methods. We analyzed a data set from the Collaborative Perinatal Project using the proposed method and found that the use of DDT increases the risk of preterm births among US. children.
Changes in fat synthesis influenced by dietary macronutrient content.

De novo lipogenesis is the biological process by which C 2 precursors of acetyl-CoA are synthesized into fatty acids. In human subjects consuming diets higher in fat (>30 % energy), lipogenesis is down regulated and extremely low; typically < 10 % of the fatty acids secreted by the liver. This percentage will increase when dietary fat is reduced and replaced by carbohydrate, although the extent of carbohydrate-induced lipogenesis is dependent on the type of carbohydrate (monosaccharide v. polysaccharide) and the form in which the carbohydrate is fed (liquid meals, solid less-processed food). Clearly, massive overconsumption of carbohydrate can also increase lipogenesis. A second related phenomenon that occurs when dietary fat is reduced is hypertriacylglycerolaemia. This rise in blood triacylglycerol concentration could be due to increased de novo lipogenesis or to reduced clearance of lipid from the blood. The present paper will review the metabolic mechanisms leading to the elevations in blood triacylglycerol concentration that occur with dietary fat reduction. Studies considered will be those investigating fatty acid synthesis in subjects chronically fed low-fat high-carbohydrate diets and studies in which data were obtained in both the fasted and fed states. Also summarized will be data from subjects who had consumed diets of different carbohydrate types, as well as the most recent data from postprandial studies investigating factors that affect the magnitude of the rise in blood lipids following a meal. Given the changing availability of carbohydrate in the food supply, it will be important to understand how the balance of fat and carbohydrate in the diet influences lipogenesis, and the relative contribution of the process of de novo lipogenesis to the escalating incidence of obesity observed around the world.
A03 Session 1: Translational Hibernation

Once considered a malodorous and toxic gas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) now appears to play a pivotal role in cellular oxygen sensing, signaling and metabolism. The intimate association of enzymes involved in H2S metabolism with enzymes in the mitochondrial electron transport chain and the hormetic properties of H2S to serve as a substrate for ATP biosynthesis or inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation suggest a variety of opportunities for manipulating cell metabolism as evidenced by reports that H2S can induce a state of suspended animation in small mammals. In addition, H2S “donating” drugs are currently being developed that show promise in suppressing inflammatory responses, tumor growth and ischemia reperfusion injury.
The pill 30 years on: a new perspective.

The use of oral contraceptives has declined in all developed countries in the past decade; part of this decline may be due to the increased availability of voluntary sterilization but a considerable proportion is due to the negative image of the pill. Until recently assessments of pill risks and benefits often traded the health benefits of preventing unwanted pregnancy against direct adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. The protection against cancer provided by the pill more than outweighs the low risks of cardiovascular disease in younger women while in older women the reverse is true. A high contraceptive prevalence helps to bring down mortality especially maternal mortality; a Family Health International Study shows that the death rate among women using contraceptives in a traditional society is half that of those not using a contraceptive method. The idea that the availability of the means to control fertility encourages promiscuous sexual bahavior is strongly held by some groups but has not been demonstrated. The world is slowly learning to adjust mans reproductive potential to new patterns of mortality but methods of fertility control--especially hormonal contraceptives--carry with them a range of risks and benefits. Modern contraceptives are necessary for 2 reasons: 1) they adjust achieved family size by lowering infant mortality so that an adult couple can be succeeded by 2 children who survive to reproduce in the next generation and 2) they replace the pregnancy spacing once achieved by long intervals of breastfeeding. Overall the pill may be as philosophically important as it has been in the range of its clinical action and in its significance to individuals. It challenges science to develop new methods of contraception which not only control fertility but also ensure that those who postpone their pregnancies will reach menopause as health women.
Inaugural speaker

The key trend driving the growth of Internet over the last decade is the profusion of services over the Internet. Google, Facebook, YouTube and similar services form the bulk of the Internet traffic. Cloud computing and proliferation of mobile devices has lead to further growth in services over the Internet. The current Internet architecture designed for point-to-point communication is not suitable for service delivery since most services are distributed (world-wide) and have multiple points of attachment. Many application service providers, therefore, bypass the Internet either by implementing their own WANs (e.g., Google WAN) or by leasing services from other private WANs (e.g., Akamai). An open and secure service delivery network (openSDN) will allow telecommunication carriers to offer SDN services that can be used by many application service providers (ASPs). For example, an ASP wanting to use multiple cloud computing centers could use it to setup their own world-wide application specific SDN and customize it. Clouds make computing a service. openSDN introduces the concept of networking as a service and will allow setting up new services using these clouds as easily as the clouds themselves.
Forward-buying and the naive newsvendor

The newsvendor model assumes that demand in a period is independent of the discounted inventory in the previous period. In the presence of forward-buying consumers, discounted inventory in a period may reduce next period's demand. We find that incorporating forward-buying leads to smaller order quantities and possibly lower salvage value.
Relation of Hair Proliferation to Damage Induced in the Mouse Skin

ConclusionsThe combined treatment of methylcholanthrene-in-benzene painting plus 1000 r irradiation results in changes in the epidermis which are more severe than those occurring after either treatment alone. Sebaceous glands are destroyed by methylcholanthrene and redifferentiate only when hair growth is active. Where hair development is arrested or delayed by the irradiation, there is a failure of new sebaceous glands to redifferentiate until hair development again occurs. Furthermore, the initial damage to the epidermis in terms of hyperplasias and hyperkeratoses is less in areas where hairs were in anagen IV at the time of the single or combined treatment. Maximal damage occurs in telogen areas. Not only, then, is active hair proliferation associated with restoration, as in the case of sebaceous glands, but it also protects the epidermis from damage and it is associated with the repair of epidermal damage.The explanation of such phenomena is as yet incompletely known. Cells of the external sheath of t...
Dietary Amino Acids and Wing Determination in the Aphid Myzus persicae

Similar groups of apterous adults of the green peachaphid, Mysus persicae (Sulzer), and the larvae they depositedwere maintained, highly crowded, on pairs ofsynthetic diets differing solely by the omission of certainamino acids from 1 of a pair. The proportions of apteraethat developed among the larvae were found to be greatlyincreased when methionine, isoleucine, or histidine wereomitted. These 3 aminos acids have been shown bygrowth experiments to be essential amino acids. Thelessor effects of lysine, threonine, and cysteine may beassociated with the fact that although their omissionfrom synthetic, diet retarded growth, they could not beshown to be indispensable. Omission of alanine, tryptophane,or yaline tended to reduce the proportions ofapterae, while the remaining 10 amino acids had little orno effect. Growth experiments failed to show any deleteriouseffects when any of these latter 13 amino acidswere omitted singly from synthetic diet. One experimentusing a pair of diets with and without histidine showedthat differences in the proportions of apterae werebrought about by a direct effect of diet on young larvae,and indicated also that an indirect effect of the dietwas mediated to the larvae via their mothers. The bearingof these results on current theories of morph determinationin aphids is discussed.
Development and Experience of Non-communicable Diseases Prevention and Control in Community in Wuhou District,Chengdu

Objective To introduce the development and experience of non-communicable diseases(NCDs)prevention and control in community in Wuhou District.Method The development and effects of NCDs prevention and control in community were reviewed so as to summarize the experience.Result NCDs prevention and control in community in Wuhou District has been developed through the practices.The system has been set up better than before.Many experience has been summarized.Conclusion Perfect prevention and control system,powerful policy,advanced technique,sustainable financing measures and running two-way referral system are the necessary factors to carry out NCDs prevention and control in community effectively.
A Foster Care Alumna’s Past and Present Technological Experience: A Feminist Case Study Approach

Research on technology use and access among youth raised in non-traditional family structures indicates that the youth’s experiences are different from individuals raised in traditional family structures. Foster care represents a non-traditional family structure that warrants research attention in terms of technology. Using a multicultural feminist framework, the present study explores the past and present technological experience of a woman (30 years old) who was raised in the foster care system. The results are presented as a case study documenting her technological experience in foster care, as she transitioned out of the foster care system, and as she has taken on the roles of wife and mother. Results indicated that the participant had limited access to technology while in the foster care system, and this limited technology access related to her current use and perceptions of technology. Directions for future research are provided.
A portrait of accessibility change for four US metropolitan areas

Accessibility is a key objective of regional planning, one requiring the coordination of transportation and land use. Several metropolitan planning organizations in the United States and Europe have started to incorporate accessibility metrics into their evaluation of future regional scenarios. This paper describes changes in accessibility to employment by auto and transit for four contrasting metropolitan areas between 2000 and 2010. The effect of changing residential locations, changing employment locations, and changing travel speeds on accessibility change is decomposed and analyzed. Residential locations are generally shifting toward low-accessibility locations, degrading regional accessibility. Shifting employment locations have differential effects across metros, improving the accessibility of central locations in some metros while improving the accessibility of peripheral locations in others. Travel speeds also show strongly contrasting patterns across metros, with speed-related accessibility benefits concentrated in high-density locations for some metros (Chicago), while low-density locations are the primary beneficiary in other metros (Charlotte and St. Louis).
Are Roasting Pits Always Roasting Pits

ABSTRACTAn ethnographically based interpretation of the plant remains in three pits similar to roasting pits at the Adobe Dam Site indicates that the features may have never functioned in a roasting capacity. The reader is warned not to interpret the functions of possible roasting pits prior to the analyses of the varied contents of such pits.
Tele-Radiology System for ISDN Networks

We have developed a digital tele-radiology system for ISDN and other networks. This system uses a software application we’ve written called “GreasePencil” coupled with an Apple Macintosh computer and prototype ISDN terminal adapters (Apple Computer, Inc., Cupertino, CA). It is currently being tested a several locations, including a private practice in Southern California and at the University of Tennessee, Memphis.
RESEARCH FORUM: Structured observation: How it works

Presentation de la methode de «l'observation structuree» utilisee en sciences sociales. Les observations sont structurees en ce que des categories pre-determinees sont utilisees pour guider la mise en ordre des evenements observes. Cette methodologie semble bien adaptee pour la recherche sur les transferts d'information et les comportements des utilisateurs
Profiling risk for acute rejection in kidney transplantation: recipient age is a robust risk factor

Careful management of immunosuppression is paramount to prevent acute rejection in kidney transplantation. We studied a cohort of 139,875 kidney transplant recipients from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) database between 2002 and 2013. We confirmed the analysis with a cohort of 35,277 who received thymoglobulin induction with tacrolimus maintenance, and a third cohort of 12,161 recipients who received basiliximab induction with tacrolimus maintenance. We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses on data from all three cohorts and identified independent risk factors for treated acute rejection at 1 year. Recipient age was a robust risk factor for rejection in all three cohorts in a dose response pattern. Young age (18-25 years) was among the strongest risk factors for rejection in all three cohorts; thymoglobulin cohort: OR 1.87 (1.59-2.19); basiliximab cohort: OR 2.41 (1.89-3.05); and inclusive cohort: OR 1.97 (1.83-2.12). The opposite was true for old age (65-69 years); thymoglobulin cohort: OR 0.69 (0.59-0.81); basiliximab cohort: OR 0.77 (0.62-0.96); and inclusive cohort: OR 0.75 (0.70-0.80). This study is unique because it is the largest and most comprehensive multivariate analysis that demonstrates recipient age is a robust risk factor for acute rejection in an inverse dose response pattern.
Definitive Management of Distal Tibia and Simple Plafond Fractures With Circular External Fixation

Obtaining optimal results in the treatment of extraarticular distal tibia fractures can be challenging. Plate and screw and intramedullary fixation have proven to be effective treatments, but are associated with significant complication rates when used for open fractures and patient with severe medical comorbidities. External fixation is a third alternative that is less often employed, but provides a very effective means of treatment. Circular external fixation offers great flexibility in obtaining anatomic alignment and stable fixation for even the most challenging distal tibia fractures. In addition, it provides advantages in limiting the risk of deep infection, dealing with bone loss, and obtaining soft tissue coverage. The greater ease of treatment and potential economic advantage in patient cohorts with low complication rates, such as closed fractures, supports the preferential use of internal fixation. However, circular external fixation may be the preferred treatment for patients with higher-grade open fractures, a poor soft tissue envelope with limited fixation options distally, and major comorbidities (diabetes, immune deficiency) with an associated high risk of complications.
Living feminist: the liberation and limits of countercultural business and radical lesbian ethics at Bloodroot Restaurant

AbstractIn 1977, Selma Miriam, Betsey Beaven, and Samn Stockwell formed a collective and opened Bloodroot restaurant and bookstore in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Pat Shea and Noel Furie (then Giordano) joined shortly after. The Bloodroot Collective strove to embody its radical lesbian ethics in every facet of the business from its vegetarian menu to its self-service rule. Like the women’s movement as a whole, the Collective’s feminism, and its enterprise, was conditioned by its members’ white middle class identities. Despite these limitations, Bloodroot restaurant survives as a pro-woman space providing connective tissue between one part of feminism’s past and the present.
Investigation of the Melting Thermodynamics of a DNA 4-Way Junction: One Base at a Time

DNA four-way junctions are branched structures that form between two homologous chromosomes. These junctions play key roles during several cellular processes, including meiosis and DNA double-stranded break repair, however their mechanism of formation and separation are not well understood, particularly with respect to branch migration. We have investigated the thermodynamic stability of the DNA four-way junction J3 using the fluorescent pteridine nucleoside analogues, 6-MAP and 6-MI, which provide site-specific information on the melting process. We have incorporated these probes at different locations throughout the junction to determine the influence of position on junction stability. Preliminary fluorescence data suggest that the central region of the four-way junction, a region under much torsional strain, is in fact more stable than previously hypothesized. We have also investigated the relative stability of the different arms, by incorporating probes on each arm approximately the same distance from the junction center. These results are compared with those predicted from coarse-grained simulations of the junction using the 3 sites per nucleotide (3SPN.2) model. Already, we have demonstrated the ability of this model to reproduce many experimentally determined aspects of DNA junction structure and stability, including the temperature dependence of melting on salt concentration, the bias between open and stacked conformations, the relative populations of conformers at high salt concentration, and the inter-duplex angle between arms. We are now using a replica-exchange molecular dynamics approach to evaluate the fraction of bonded bases along each arm of the junction over the temperature range associated with melting. This approach allows us to determine base-by-base the local melting temperature along the arm. We specifically compare the patterns of melting observed experimentally with those obtained from the coarse-grained simulations.
Microgrid cost optimization for a mixed-use building

Nationally, there has been significant movement to mixed-use buildings. This work investigates the effect of a mixed commercial and residential building load on the optimal sizing of a renewable energy resource (RER) microgrid. The RER system consists of solar panels, wind turbines, battery storage, and a backup diesel generator, and it is isolated from conventional grid power. The building contains a single restaurant and 12 residential apartments. Historical meter readings and commercial-kitchen modeling represent the apartments and restaurant, respectively. TMY3 data determines hourly RER power, and a dispatching algorithm predicts power flows between system elements. A genetic algorithm approach minimizes total annual cost over the number of solar panels and micro-turbines, battery capacity, and diesel generator size, with a constraint on the renewable penetration. Results indicate that load-mixing serves to reduce cost, and the reduction is largest if the diesel backup is removed from the system.
Molecular genetic structure-function analysis of translation initiation factor eIF5B.

Recently, significant progress has been made in obtaining three‐dimensional (3‐D) structures of the factors that promote translation initiation, elongation, and termination. These structures, when interpreted in light of previous biochemical characterizations of the factors, provide significant insight into the function of the factors and the molecular mechanism of specific steps in the translation process. In addition, genetic analyses in yeast have helped elucidate the in vivo roles of the factors in various steps of the translation pathway. We have combined these two approaches and use molecular genetic studies to define the structure–function properties of translation initiation factors in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this chapter, we describe our multistep approach in which we first characterize a site‐directed mutant of the factor of interest using in vivo and in vitro assays of protein synthesis. Next, we subject the mutant gene to random mutagenesis and screen for second‐site mutations that restore the factor's function in vivo. Following biochemical and in vivo characterization of the suppressor mutant, we interpret the results in light of the 3‐D structure of the factor to define the structure–function properties of the factor and to provide new molecular insights into the mechanism of translation.
Additional Evidence of Firms’ Willingness to Pay Taxes on Apparent Fictitious Earnings

This paper attempts to answer the question of whether firm’s who are actively engaged in earnings management and reporting fictitious earnings, are willing to pay the additional taxes on these fictitious earnings. Two methods were used. One found that 76 out of 87 firms that reported fictitious earnings and restated their statements were willing to pay 10.9% more taxes. In the second method, the effective tax rates (ETR) before, after and during the year fictitious earnings were compared. The results also indicate that some firms were willing to pay taxes on fictitious earnings.
I. ÁBALOS, R. SENTKIEWICZ - Abalos+Sentkiewicz. Ensayos sobre Termodinámica, Arquitectura y Belleza

Inaki Abalos y Renata Sentkiewicz Abalos+Sentkiewicz. Ensayos sobre Termodinamica, Arquitectura y Belleza Nueva York, Barcelona: Actar Publishers, 2015. (Lluis Ortega, ed.) Idioma: castellano, ingles, chino. 480 paginas, 30 €
Hexavalent Chromium as an Electrocatalyst in DNA Sensing

We report for the first time the use of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) as an electrocatalyst in electrochemical DNA sensing. For both stem-loop probe and linear probe electrochemical DNA sensors, the increase in probe rigidity upon target hybridization alters the accessibility of Cr(VI) to the methylene blue label on the surface-immobilized DNA probes. This change results in an enhancement in the electrocatalytic current when the sensors are interrogated using cyclic voltammetry at a slow scan rate. The incorporation of this electrocatalyst does not affect the normal “signal-off” sensing behavior observed in alternating current voltammetry; instead it enables simultaneous “signal-on” and “signal-off” detection of the target, while maintaining noted attributes of this class of folding- and dynamics-based sensors such as reusability and high selectivity. It is also capable of improving the limit of detection of the sensors by an order of magnitude. Importantly, this accessibility-based electrocatalytic sensin...
Effect of Perioperative Gabapentin Use on Postsurgical Pain in Patients Undergoing Head and Neck Mucosal Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Effective postoperative pain management increases patient satisfaction, reduces cost, reduces morbidity, and shortens hospitalizations. Previous studies investigating multimodal pain therapy in otolaryngology patients focused on homogenous patient groups with short postoperative follow-up times. Objective To investigate the effect of perioperative gabapentin treatment on postsurgical pain in patients undergoing head and neck mucosal surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants Adults undergoing head and neck mucosal surgery from July 25, 2016, through June 19, 2017, were included in this double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial and randomized to receive gabapentin, 300 mg twice daily, or placebo before surgery and up to 72 hours after surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcome was hourly narcotic use calculated in morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes included subjective visual analog scale pain scores captured for resting, coughing, and swallowing using a 0- to 100-mm scale (a 100-mm line anchored with no pain on the left end and worst possible pain on the right end). A change of 10 mm or more was deemed to be clinically meaningful. Additional secondary outcome measures included degree of pain control, patient satisfaction, and adverse effects. Results Of the 110 patients randomized to receive gabapentin or placebo, 11 and 10 withdrew from each group, respectively. Ninety patients were then analyzed: 44 in the gabapentin group (mean [SD] age, 61.1 [10.0] years; 33 [75%] male; 40 [91%] white) and 46 in the placebo group (mean [SD] age, 60.9 [11.3] years; 35 [78%] male; 43 [94%] white). Both groups had similar self-reported levels of preoperative pain and narcotic effectiveness. A median difference of 0.26 mg/h of morphine (95% CI, −0.27 to 0.94 mg/h) was found between groups. After controlling for comorbidity and self-reported baseline pain levels, mixed model analysis found the difference in marginal means of visual analog scale scores between groups to be lower in the gabapentin group compared with the placebo group for all categories (rest difference, 7.9 mm; 95% CI, −0.4 to 16.2 mm; cough difference, 8.9 mm; 95% CI, −0.5 to 18.3 mm; swallow difference, 9.4 mm; 95% CI, −1.2 to 20.0 mm). More patients in the gabapentin group reported that pain was always well controlled than in the placebo group (difference, 9.2%; 95% CI, −21% to 3%). Gabapentin and placebo groups reported similar levels of satisfaction with pain control (difference, 2%; 95% CI, −11% to 15%). There was no clinically meaningful difference in reported nausea between the 2 groups (difference, 6%; 95% CI, −14% to 26%). Conclusion and Relevance Perioperative gabapentin given 300 mg twice daily did not result in reduced narcotic use, but results were compatible with clinically meaningful reductions in pain scores. Satisfaction with pain control and adverse effects were similar between groups. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02926573
Women’s Human Rights and Migration: Sex Selective Abortion Laws in the United States and India

In her compelling new book, Women’s Human Rights and Migration, Sital Kalantry challenges the idea that a women’s human rights framework offers a consistent and universal way to address complicated...
An Overview of Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure Processes

This article provides an overview of a number of issues pertaining to the accreditation of educational programs and the licensure and certification of individual professionals. Acknowledging the diversity within and across countries, we define the terms accreditation, licensure, and certification, explain their benefits to a variety of different stakeholders, provide descriptions of some of the models currently in use, and review the evidence in favor of their effectiveness. Issues and challenges surrounding the globalization of education and the increasingly frequent international migration of professionals are highlighted.
Charges for Alcoholic Cirrhosis Exceed All Other Etiologies of Cirrhosis Combined: A National and State Inpatient Survey Analysis

Inpatient charges for patients with cirrhosis are substantial. We aimed to examine trends in inpatient charges among patients with cirrhosis to determine the drivers of healthcare expenditures. We hypothesized that alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) was a significant contributor to overall expense. We performed a retrospective analysis of the Health Care Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database 2002–2014 (annual cross-sectional data) and New York and Florida State Inpatient Databases 2010–2012 (longitudinal data). Adult patients with cirrhosis of the liver were categorized as AC versus all other etiologies of cirrhosis combined. Patient characteristics were analyzed using ordinary least squares regression modeling. A random effects model was used to evaluate 30-day readmissions. In total, 1,240,152 patients with cirrhosis were admitted between 2002 and 2014. Of these, 567,510 (45.8%) had a diagnosis of AC. Total charges for AC increased by 95.7% over the time period, accounting for 59.9% of all inpatient cirrhosis-related charges in 2014. Total aggregate charges for AC admissions were $28 billion and increased from $1.4B in 2002 to $2.8B by 2014. In the NIS and SID, patients with AC were younger, white and male. Readmission rates at 30, 60, and 90 days were all higher among AC patients. Inpatient charges for cirrhosis care are high and increasing. Alcohol-related liver disease accounts for more than half of these charges and is driven by sheer volume of admissions and readmissions of the same patients. Effective alcohol addictions therapy may be the most cost-effective way to substantially reduce inpatient cirrhosis care expenditures.