cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract IA12: Role of endocrine disruptors in cancer development

Multiple lines of evidence show that brief, early-life exposures to bisphenol A (BPA) can increase the risk of prostate cancer (PCa) with aging. Initial work from our laboratory determined that low-dose BPA exposure during rat development reprograms the prostate and enhances incidence and severity of neoplastic lesions (PIN) in response to elevated adult estrogen levels, as occurs in aging men (Prins et al., Repro Tox 2007). Subsequent BPA dose-response studies revealed that elevated carcinogenic risk is found at doses that yield undetectable serum free-BPA with documented PIN progression to PCa (Prins et al., EHP 2017). Epigenetic modifications (altered DNA and histone methylation) provide a mechanistic framework that may connect early-life BPA to later-life predisposition to prostate carcinogenesis. Our studies within the CLARITY-BPA Consortium, a collaboration with the NIEHS, NTP, and FDA, found that continuous low-dose BPA exposure from fetal life to 6 months altered adult dorsal prostate stem cell homeostasis, increased stem cell numbers and progenitor cell proliferation, and shifted lineage commitment to favor basal progenitor cells (Prins et al., EHP 2018). At 1 year, dorsolateral prostate ducts had heightened multiplicity of estrogen-driven adenocarcinoma as a function of chronic BPA exposure (2.5 μg/kg/day). We propose that the BPA-induced stem cell alterations may underpin increased carcinogenic risk with aging. To provide translational evidence for human exposures, two approaches were used. First, we generated a pioneer in vitro model of directed differentiation of hESC into prostatic organoids. Exposure to 1-10 nM BPA resulted in focal clusters of stem cells within the organoids, a phenotype not observed in controls, which suggests aberrant stem-cell self-renewal (Calderon and Prins, PLOS One 2015). Next, we developed in vitro and in vivo models utilizing primary prostate cells from young, disease-free organ donors. BPA exposure to 3-D human prostasphere cultures increased stem-progenitor cell self-renewal and stem-related gene expression through membrane-initiated ER signaling pathways. Tissue-cell recombination of human prostasphere cells and rat UGM with renal grafting into nude mice was used as an in vivo model to assess carcinogenicity (Prins et al., Endocrinol 2014). Developmental BPA exposure combined with adult estradiol led to a heightened PIN/PCa incidence (33-46%) in the human prostate epithelium of the chimeric prostate tissue compared to oil controls given adult estrogen (13%; P Citation Format: Gail S. Prins. Role of endocrine disruptors in cancer development [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Environmental Carcinogenesis: Potential Pathway to Cancer Prevention; 2019 Jun 22-24; Charlotte, NC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2020;13(7 Suppl): Abstract nr IA12.
What YouTube narratives reveal about online support, counseling entrance, and how Black Americans manage depression symptomatology.

This manuscript explores the depression disease management of Black Americans (N = 50) who post their experiences on YouTube. The narratives garnered five themes: (1) personal and national historie...
Liver transplant recipient with respiratory failure due to pulmonary fibrosis related to telomere disease requiring lung transplantation

Short telomere syndrome (STS) is characterized as multiorgan dysfunction presenting with unexplained cytopenias, cryptogenic cirrhosis and pulmonary fibrosis. We present a liver transplant recipient that gradually developed hypoxic respiratory failure attributed to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis associated telomere disease that culminated in a successful single lung transplantation.
Sarcopenia is a predictor of chemotherapy response score at the time of interval debulking surgery in advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Objectives: To examine the relationship between sarcopenia as measured by skeletal muscle index (SMI) on CT and chemotherapy outcomes and pathologic response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). Methods: Our institutional database was retrospectively queried for all women with advanced EOC who underwent NACT between 2007-2020. Demographic and clinical variables including number of NACT cycles, dose reductions, and dose delays were collected. Treatment response by 3-tier pathologic chemotherapy response score (CRS) and residual disease at time of interval cytoreductive surgery were recorded. Pre-treatment and post-treatment contrast enhanced CT scans were reviewed by two subspecialty radiologists to determine baseline and post-treatment SMI. SMI was calculated by dividing total psoas muscle and paraspinal muscle area (m2) (measured at the level of L4 vertebrae by height (cm2) squared. Patients were stratified to account for change in SMI after NACT and grouped into patients with >2% decrease in SMI (group 1) and increase or ≤2% decrease in SMI (group 2). SMI was also analyzed as a continuous variable for association with demographic and clinical factors by Kruskal-Wallis test/Spearman's correlation (results summarized as median [25th, 75th percentiles]). Results: Among 77 patients who met inclusion criteria, there were no significant differences between stage at diagnosis, baseline performance status, frailty scores, number of NACT cycles, histology, or tumor grade between the two groups. However, pretreatment Ca125 was higher in patients in group 2 (p=0.031). When SMI was analyzed as a continuous variable, age at diagnosis was negatively associated with higher SMI (-0.47, (-0.63, -0.28, p= Conclusions: Sarcopenia as measured by SMI is associated with older age and increased number of NACT cycles in our patient population. Additionally, sarcopenia was predictive of lower chemotherapy response at the time of interval cytoreduction. Data collection is ongoing to further delineate the relationship between sarcopenia and response to NACT. Download : Download high-res image (170KB) Download : Download full-size image
On the Effects of Transformer Size on In- and Out-of-Domain Calibration

Large, pre-trained transformer language models, which are pervasive in natural language processing tasks, are notoriously expensive to train. To reduce the cost of training such large models, prior work has developed smaller, more compact models which achieves a significant speedup in training time while maintaining competitive accuracy to the original model on downstream tasks. Though these smaller pre-trained models have been widely adopted by the community, it is not known how well are they calibrated compared to their larger counterparts. In this paper, focusing on a wide range of tasks, we thoroughly investigate the calibration properties of pre-trained transformers, as a function of their size. We demonstrate that when evaluated in-domain, smaller models are able to achieve competitive, and often better, calibration compared to larger models, while achieving significant speedup in training time. Post-hoc calibration techniques further reduce calibration error for all models in-domain. However, when evaluated out-of-domain, larger models tend to be better calibrated, and label-smoothing instead is an effective strategy to calibrate models in this setting.
Modular Power Flow Enhancer for Transmission Networks under Unbalanced Power Grid Conditions

The three-phase H-bridge or NPC converters are commonly adopted converter topologies for FACTS devices. Both the converters are classified as multilevel converters capable of producing a three-level AC voltage between the phase and the neutral terminals. Either topology is a good solution in the low voltage environment where it is possible to select a switch capable of blocking the required DC bus voltage. If the converter is designed for a high-voltage application, the design stage of these converters may be challenging due to making composite switches for voltage blocking requirements. Besides, there is a need for a large filter for interfacing these converters with the grid to meet the THD requirements as the operating frequency is the line frequency. Therefore, this paper adopts an MMC as an SSSC to enhance power flow in the transmission network and relieve the transmission line against abnormal situations. Besides, PR-based controllers are presented in αβ0 stationary reference frame to provide reliable operation under unbalanced grid conditions. The effectiveness of the MMC-based SSSC and its controller is modeled in FPGAs and integrated with the RTDS through fiber optic cables.
I Theory of Intensity Dependent Resonance Light Scattering and Resonance Fluorescence

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces to the theory of intensity dependent resonance light scattering and resonance fluorescence. It is necessary to describe the incident field and the scattered or emitted field in fully quantum mechanical terms to describe the problem of multiphoton scattering theory. A common way of approaching this problem is to choose a finite quantization volume and take all of the discrete modes to be initially unpopulated except the single mode that represents the incident field, which is chosen initially to have a definite number of photons in it. To treat the electromagnetic field in single-atom scattering problem, it is required to describe it entirely in terms of the correlation functions, which represent the expectation values of normally ordered products of field operators at specified points in space and time.
Geometric properties of the sections of solutions to the Monge-Ampère equation

In this paper we establish several geometric properties of the cross sections of generalized solutions 4 to the Monge-Ampere equation det D2 = , when the measure ,t satisfies a doubling property. A main result is a characterization of the doubling measures ,t in terms of a geometric property of the cross sections of 4. This is used to obtain estimates of the shape and invariance properties of the cross sections that are valid under appropriate normalizations. 0. INTRODUCTION Let : RI -+ R be a convex function. A supporting hyperplane to q at the point (xo, q(xo)) is an affine function ?(x) = q(xo) + p. (x xo) such that q(x) > ?(x) for all x e R'. Given t > 0, a section of 0 at height t is the convex set So (xo,p,t) = {x e R : +(x) 'P(RI) defined by Vq$(xo) = {p: q(x) > ?(xo) +p (x-xo), Vx E Rn}. If E C Rn, then V+(E) = UXEE Vq(x). By a classical theorem of Aleksandrov, the class of sets E such that V+(E) is Lebesgue measurable is a (o-algebra that contains the Borel sets and one can define the Monge-Ampere measure associated with q as the Borel measure ,u given by pt V+( = E); see [Ch-Y]. The purpose in this paper to analyze in detail several important geometric properties of the sections of the convex function q when its associated Monge-Ampere measure ,u satisfies a doubling condition. The interest in these properties comes from the study of the solutions of the Monge-Ampere equation, and its linearizations, both elliptic and parabolic, and from real harmonic analysis; see [Cl], [C2], [C-G1], [C-G2] and [H]. Some of these properties have been used in those references to prove a lemma of Besicovitch's type and a Calderon-Zygmund decomposition ir terms of sections which allows us to establish estimates of the solutions to the linearized Monge-Ampere equation. Also, some of these properties imply that R' Received by the editors June 9, 1997. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 35J60, 35D10; Secondary 26B25.
Cthrc1 controls adipose tissue formation, body composition, and physical activity

Objective: This study investigated the effects of loss of Cthrc1 on adipogenesis, body composition, metabolism, physical activity, and muscle physiology. Methods: Complete metabolic and activity monitoring as well as grip strength measurements and muscle myography was performed in Cthrc1 null and wildtype mice. Results: Compared to wildtypes, Cthrc1 null mice had similar body weights but significantly reduced energy expenditure, decreased lean mass, and increased fat mass, especially visceral fat. In vitro studies demonstrated that Cthrc1 inhibited adipocyte differentiation as well as PPAR and CREB reporter activity, while preadipocytes isolated from Cthrc1 null mice exhibited enhanced adipogenic differentiation. Voluntary physical activity in Cthrc1 null mice as assessed by wheel running was reduced to approximately half the distance covered by wildtypes. Reduced grip strength was observed in Cthrc1 null mice at the age of 15 weeks or older with reduced performance and mass of hyphenate muscle. In the brain, Cthrc1 expression was most prominent in neurons of thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei with evidence for secretion into the circulation in the median eminence. Conclusions: Our data indicate that Cthrc1 regulates body composition through inhibition of adipogenesis. In addition, central Cthrc1 may be a mediator of muscle function and physical activity.
Genome wide association studies for diabetes: perspective on results and challenges

Recent results of genome wide association study (GWAS) for diabetes genes, while reaching impressive technical milestones and implicating new findings for research, have been uniformly disappointing in terms of immediate clinical utility. The relative risk associated with any of the newly reported genetic loci, or even considering all of them together, is far less than simply that which can be obtained by taking a history and a physical exam. For type 2 diabetes (T2D), GWAS have implicated novel pathways, supported previously known associations, and highlighted the importance of the beta cell and insulin secretion. Monogenic forms of diabetes, on the other hand, continue to yield interesting insights into genes controlling human beta cell function but most cases of monogenic diabetes are simply not diagnosed. Here, we briefly review recent results related to type 1, type 2 and maturity onset diabetes of youth (MODY) diabetes and suggest that future studies emphasizing quantitative traits are likely to yield even more insights.
Non-Boiling and Film Boiling Heat Transfer to a Saturated Bath of Liquid Helium

It is well known that the liquid phase of the normal isotope 4He exhibits some unique physical properties and thus, heat transfer characteristics [1–5]. In discussing previous investigations of heat transfer from solid surfaces to the superfluid, helium-II, it is convenient to distinguish three regions: (1) nonfilm boiling; (2) transition to film boiling; and (3) film boiling.
Millennials, Technology, and Professional Responsibility: Training a New Generation in Technological Professionalism

This article explores the convergence of technologically-savvy Millennial law students, the evolving nature and expectations of legal practice, and the resulting responsibility of legal education to adequately prepare these law students to practice law in a new environment. This article will address the changing landscape of the law school and legal profession by: 1) examining several unique qualities particular to Millennials and their use of technology; 2) exploring the ethical implications of advancing technology on legal practice; and 3) presenting essential elements of a technological professionalism curriculum. As a matter of practical application, the article concludes with a hypothetical scenario that introduces and examines real-world examples of ethical and interpersonal issues associated with technology and provides best practice solutions.
Wildwood: the evolution of L-system plants for virtual environments

This paper describes the Wildwood project. In this work, a genetic algorithm was applied to a simplified L-system representation in order to generate artificial-life style plants for virtual worlds. Acting as a virtual gardener, a human selects which plants to breed, producing a unique new generation of plants. An experiment involving a simulation-style fitness function was also performed, and the virtual plants were adapted to maximize the fitness function.
Dynamic phase transitions: a connection matrix approach

Travelling wave solutions between liquid and vapor phases in a van der Waak fluid are shown to exist. The emphasis, however, is on the techniques, namely the Conley index and connection matrix. In particular it is suggested that these methods provide a natural approach for solving problems of this nature.
Should Cain's Children Inherit Abel's Property?: Wading into the Extended Slayer Rule Quagmire

A killer should not benefit from the death of his or her victim. Confusion exists as to whether this notion precludes not only direct benefits, like inheriting the victim's property, but also precludes indirect benefits. Indirect benefits include instances where the individual who inherits the victim's property subsequently gives the victim's property to the killer. The individual may give the killer the property to pay for the killer's legal expenses or to support the killer upon completion of the killer's prison sentence. Generally, the law prohibits an individual from doing indirectly what he or she cannot do directly. This article argues that a killer should not be able to indirectly benefit from the death of his or her victim. More specifically, this article examines case law grappling with the ability of the killer's relatives to receive the victim's property. This article then examines the challenges, feasibility, and necessity of crafting a rule that prevents killers from indirectly benefiting from the death of their victim's. Finally, this article proposes a clearly articulated rule that furthers both the relevant policies and acknowledges the significance of certain facts.
Comparison of Measured and Computed Flight Performance of a 33-kg Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

AbstractA 32.8-kg unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is employed as a case study to assess the accuracy of the empirical techniques used in predicting aerodynamic performance. Despite the prevalent use of empirical methods for the design of new UAV airframes, it remains difficult to quantify the uncertainty in their use, even for traditional aircraft configurations. In this study, a collection of common methods is applied for developing a simple mathematical model for predicting various performance metrics, including thrust required for level, ascending, or turning flight. The calculated performance is compared directly against actual aircraft performance.
Design Patterns in Software Maintenance: An Experiment Replication at Brigham Young University

In 2001 Prechelt et al. published the results of a controlled experiment in software maintenance comparing design patterns to simpler solutions. Since that time, only one replication of the experiment has been performed (published in 2004). The replication found remarkably (though not surprisingly) different results. In this paper we present the results of another replication of Prechelt's experiment, conducted at Brigham Young University (BYU) in 2010. This replication was performed as part of a joint replication project hosted by the 2011 Workshop on Replication in Empirical Software Engineering Research (RESER). The data and results from this experiment are meant to be considered in connection with the results of other contributions to the joint replication project.
How do youth sports facilitate the creation of parental social ties

This article explores the mechanisms by which youth sports leagues facilitate the creation and mobilization of parental social ties and social capital. Through a qualitative examination of a youth baseball league in the Southwestern USA, I witnessed how organizational structures provided parents with opportunities to socialize and form ties with one another. In addition, I explore how players also influence the specific tie formation of their parents. The role of children in the social capital process has thus far been largely limited to that of passive recipient. Within this piece, I seek to alter this vision by repositioning children as active social agents with roles to play in the social capital formation of their parents.
Current research on infrared radiation from rocket exhaust

IR radiation heat transfer from rocket exhaust plumes, discussing absorption and emission characteristics
Direct contact profile characterization of thread surfaces

Abstract The automated inspection of parts containing machined surfaces such as internal or external threads can be accomplished using a variety of technologies and associated sensors. On-machine inspection of threads is important because it is then possible to rework the piece if flaws are detected. Quality assessment decisions based on thread information require more information than can be provided by functional tests such as ring or plug gages. This paper describes the geometric, kinematic, and dynamic criteria for the design of a direct contact stylus capable of accurately following the profile of threads at speeds up to 4.25 mm/sec . The direct contact stylus probe can be used in an on-line manufacturing control system to supply thread profile data to the machine tool controller and production information system.
Ameboflagellate transformation I. Possible initiation of the ameba-to-flagellate transformation of Naegleria gruberi (NB-1) by divalent cation influx

The hypothesis that the ameba-to-flagellate transformation (AFT) of Naegleria gruberi (NB-1) requires Ca2+ and/or Mg2+ was tested with divalent cation blockers and competitors. Several compounds were found to decrease the rate and magnitude of the AFT as well as increasing the time of enflagellation onset. The compounds include: the chloride salts of lanthanum, cobalt, and manganese; C-600; and EDTA. These results suggest that the AFT requires the influx of Ca2+ and/or Mg2+.
Potential distribution in the evans drop experiment

Abstract The potential distribution adjacent to and under a small drop of NaCl containing phenolphthalein and potassium ferricyanide placed on carbon steel has been determined using a scanning Kelvin probe. Most of the potential drop providing the driving force for dissolution in the center of the drop occurred in thin electrolyte layers adjacent to the drop. Similar results have been obtained in NaCl free of additives and in NaClO 4 .
Nucleotide Sequence Variation in Mitochondrial Deoxyribonucleic Acid from Bovine Liver

Abstract Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid isolated from the liver of pedigreed cows was examined by restriction enzyme analysis. Differences in restriction enzyme patterns of deoxyribonucleic acid from different maternal lineages were observed. These nucleotide sequence differences were scattered over the mitochondrial genome, with some clustering near the origin of deoxyribonucleic acid replication. Most of them appeared to result from the simple loss or gain of a restriction enzyme site and did not appear to involve gross rearrangements of the mitochondrial genome. Within one maternal lineage was a nucleotide sequence variation resulting in the loss of a Hae III restriction enzyme site mapping at 37.1 map units on the bovine mitochondrial genome. This polymorphism segregated among members of the lineage in a manner not easily understood by a simple mutagenic event. Amplification and segregation of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid during maternal transmission to progeny most directly explains this extremely rapid variation in nucleotide sequence within a single maternal lineage. These observations document the existence of a mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid polymorphism between and within Holstein cow lineages and should help in understanding molecular genetics of the dairy cow. They additionally demonstrate the utility of patterns of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid restriction enzyme digestion in analyzing maternal lineages of dairy cows.
Solvent effect and time-dependent behavior of C-terminus-cysteine-modified cecropin P1 chemically immobilized on a polymer surface.

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy has been applied to the investigation of peptide immobilization on a polymer surface as a function of time and peptide conformation. Surface immobilization of biological molecules is important in many applications such as biosensors, antimicrobial materials, biobased fuel cells, nanofabrication, and multifunctional materials. Using C-terminus-cysteine-modified cecropin P1 (CP1c) as a model, we investigated the time-dependent immobilization behavior in situ in real time. In addition, potassium phosphate buffer (PB) and mixtures of PB and trifluoroethanol were utilized to examine the effect of peptide secondary structure on CP1c immobilization to polystyrene maleimide (PS-MA). The orientation of immobilized CP1c on PS-MA was determined using polarized SFG spectra. It was found that the peptide solution concentration, solvent composition, and assembly state (monomer vs dimer) prior to immobilization all influence the orientation of CP1c on a PS-MA surfa...
Lasers: All mirrors are not created equal

Lasers are a triumph of modern optics, and mirrors play a crucial role in the coherent light produced. A hi-tech reflector could make lasers a lot smaller and lead to their inclusion in an even wider range of optical devices.
Serials “derelegation” from remote storage

The quality of library selectors’ initial decisions about which titles to relegate to storage will determine how convenient patrons are going to find the arrangement. Some of these decisions will inevitably need to be reversed over time, as research interests evolve and mistakes come to light. If patrons request storage items frequently, circulation records can identify these items for possible return transfer. Monographs can usually be restored easily, but serials pose harder questions, since back runs take up so much space on the home shelves. At the University of Florida, each request for a stored serial volume is compared to previous requests from the same title. Examining clusters of years retrieved over time provides an opportunity to “derelegate” portions of a back run, rather than the entire mass, to the active collection. Such a transfer saves shelf space, and responds directly to users’ demonstrated needs.
Some remarks on cumulus parameterization

A simple parameterization of cumulonimbus convective heating is presented. The model is primarily based on preserving a moisture budget and on detraining cloud air at levels corresponding to the neutral buoyancy of the air converged at low levels. Results are compared with data from the western Pacific and GATE. Agreement is good. Suggestions are offered for improving the model and extending it to other regions.
Focus on the cell membrane: the need for dissociation and detachment in tumoral invasion.

Commentary to:Identification of a Transcriptional Profile Associated with In Vitro Invasion in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell LinesAlan S. Lader, Marco F. Ramoni, Bruce R. Zetter, Isaac S. Kohane and David J. Kwiatkowski
A spiking-neuron collective analog adder with scalable precision

Although neurons function with locally imprecise analog computational units, they can collectively interact to achieve computations with high complexity, low error rate, or high precision. In this work, we show how many moderately precise integrate-and-fire analog units interact via the mechanism of a spiking `carry' to collectively add numbers to arbitrary precision. For example, in a proof-of-concept implementation that we implemented with chips built in a 0.5 μm CMOS process, we show that four 4-bit precise analog units can collectively interact to implement 16-bit-precise addition. Errors in the analog computation are minimized via novel time-based calibration techniques. Our work may lay a foundation for future collective analog computation that is arbitrarily precise just as current digital computation is today.
Chipping away at the lung cancer genome

Kinase inhibitors are now standard treatment for patients with lung cancer whose tumors harbor specific mutant kinases. Four recent studies, including three in this issue (pages 375–384), have identified new fusion proteins involving another receptor tyrosine kinase that may potentially be responsive to existing targeted therapies.
Valence tautomerization and exchange coupling in a cobalt–nitronylnitroxide–semiquinone complex

Abstract The synthesis, variable-temperature electronic absorption spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility of a novel valence tautomer are presented, and thermodynamic parameters for the valence tautomeric equilibrium were determined. The dioxolene used is a semiquinone–nitronylnitroxide donor–acceptor ligand. Due to the ferromagnetic coupling inherent in the semiquinone–nitronylnitroxide donor–acceptor biradical, the Co III form of the valence tautomer may display an additional stabilization of the high-spin ground state resulting from valence delocalization. As such, this would represent a unique example of double exchange in an organic system.
Pre-existence, Naming, and Investiture in the Similitudes of Enoch and in Hebrews

AbstractUnderstanding longings of readers of Wisdom, Philo, and the Similitudes of Enoch, can clarify how to respond to a classic conundrum in Hebrews: how can Hebrews conceive God requiting Jesus’ loud cries and tears (Heb 5:7) by instating him as pre-existent divine Son through whom God created the world? Such readers long to conform to what God knows them to be. Hebrews interprets Psalms to assuage this longing, revealing the Son conformed to God’s knowledge and themselves following their forerunner to perfection.
Use of aspirin and heparin for treatment of stroke in a community hospital emergency department in the 21st century

Study objectives: Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of adult disability. The International Stroke Trial and Chinese Acute Stroke Trial demonstrated decreases in mortality, disability, and recurrent stroke for patients who received early administration of aspirin. A systematic review by the Cochrane Collaboration and the Heparin in Acute Embolic Stroke Trial (HAEST) study, both published in early 2000, found no benefit from heparin in the management of any subgroup of acute stroke patients. No study has been published that surveys the frequency of aspirin and heparin use in the early management of acute stroke in a community emergency department (ED). One study published a survey of frequency of heparin and aspirin administration during a hospitalization for acute stroke and found a 10% and 44% rate, respectively. Our study characterizes the frequency of aspirin and heparin use by emergency physicians in managing strokes in the 21st century to discover whether the recent evidence supporting aspirin and discouraging heparin use has affected practice. We determine the use of aspirin and heparin for treatment of acute stroke in an urban community ED in 2000 to 2001. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review for aspirin and heparin use in patients with a primary ED diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident from January 2000 to May 2001. Review methodology previously recommended was implemented and included a single chart reviewer who used a standardized abstraction form. Additionally, a second reviewer reabstracted a sample of charts to measure interpreter reliability. Computerized order-entry records and physician dictations were reviewed to quantify the rate of aspirin and heparin use, as well as the frequency of aspirin contraindications (allergic reactions, previous antiplatelet use on day of treatment, active bleeding). Results: Five hundred eighty-five patients were diagnosed with acute cerebrovascular accident during the 17-month study period. Two hundred fifty-one patients received aspirin, which represented 43% (95% confidence interval [CI] 39% to 47%) of patients who were candidates for aspirin therapy. Fifty-nine patients (10%; 95% CI 8% to 12%) received heparin. Conclusion: We found that aspirin is underused and heparin is overused in the early management of acute stroke in a community ED in the 21st century. Efforts should be made to increase awareness of the beneficial effects of aspirin and nonbeneficial effects of heparin in the early treatment of stroke patients.
Variation in seasonal ultrastructure of sexual granules in the renal sexual segment of the Northern Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon sipedon

The renal sexual segment of the kidney (RSS) can be found in many male squamate reptiles, encompassing the distal region of the nephron and, in some cases, collecting ducts. This sexually dimorphic structure exhibits varying degrees of hypertrophy and regression throughout the year. Although researchers have been aware of and have investigated this unique structure for over a century, its ultimate function remains under discussion. In many studies hypertrophy and regression of the RSS have been correlated with testicular activity and androgen secretion. As in most of the snakes studied to date, the male Northern Water Snake (Nerodia s. sipedon) does not exhibit a dramatic cycle of hypertrophy and regression, as reported in lizards. Following the initial hypertrophy at maturity, the male Northern Water Snake maintains a level of RSS hypertrophy throughout the year. Variations in the appearance and makeup of the sexual granules provide an identifiable and quantifiable seasonal pattern that can be correlated with the concentration of plasma androgens. In the Northern Water Snake, plasma androgens are elevated upon emergence and the RSS epithelial cells are filled with solid granules. As androgen levels decline during spring, sexual granule content appears to be breaking down (utilized?), becoming diffuse in appearance. By mid- to late summer androgen synthesis is at a maximum, increasing circulating androgens and stimulating the development and return of the solid granules. This study utilized electron microscopy and steroid radioimmunoassay to examine seasonal cycles of sex granules, in terms of development, maintenance, and regression, correlated with plasma androgen concentration. In addition, this investigation provides evidence of a possible secondary source of androgen secretion.
Metal and Sulfate Composition of Residual Oil Fly Ash Determines Airway Hyperreactivity and Lung Injury in Rats

Abstract The biological effects of particulate matter (PM) deposition in the airways may depend on aqueous-leachable chemical constituents of the particles. The effects of two residual oil fly ash (ROFA) PM samples of equivalent diameters but different metal and sulfate contents on pulmonary responses in Sprague–Dawley rats were investigated. ROFA sample 1 (R1) had approximately twice as much saline-leachable sulfate, nickel, and vanadium, and 40 times as much iron as ROFA sample 2 (R2), while R2 had a 31-fold higher zinc content. Four groups of rats were intratracheally instilled with a suspension of 2.5 mg R2 in 0.3 ml saline (R2), the supernatant of R2 (R2s), the supernatant of 2.5 mg R1 (R1s), or saline only. By 4 days after instillation, 4 of 24 rats treated with R2s or R2 had died, compared with none treated with R1s or saline, and pathological indices were greater in both R2 groups compared with the R1s group. In surviving rats, baseline pulmonary function parameters and airway hyperreactivity to acetylcholine challenge were significantly worse in R2 and R2s groups than in the R1s group. Numbers of bronchoalveolar lavage neutrophils, but not other inflammatory cells or biochemical parameters of lung injury, were greater in both R2 groups compared with the R1s group. These results reinforce the hypothesis that the composition of soluble metals and sulfate leached from ROFA, an emission source particle, is critical in the development of airway hyperreactivity and lung injury.
Risk factors for anabolic-androgenic steroid use among weightlifters: a case–control study

Anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use represents a major public health problem in the United States, but the risk factors for this form of drug use are little studied. We evaluated 48 men who had used AAS for at least 2 months and 45 men who had never used AAS, using a verbal interview and a battery of questionnaires covering hypothesized demographic, familial, and psychosocial risk factors for AAS use. All subjects in both groups were experienced weightlifters; thus, differences between groups were likely to be associated specifically with AAS use, rather than with weightlifting in general. The AAS users and non-users generally described similar childhood and family experiences, but users reported significantly poorer relationships with their fathers and greater childhood conduct disorder than non-users. At the time that they first started lifting weights, AAS users and non-users were similar in their perceived physical, social, and sexual status, but users were significantly less confident about their body appearance. AAS users displayed much higher rates of other illicit substance use, abuse, or dependence than non-users, with use of other illicit substances almost always preceding first use of AAS. These findings suggest that AAS use may be most likely to occur in men with high levels of antisocial traits and low levels of body esteem.
The myth of throughput

Twelve months ago, I outlined to you the priorities which I proposed for my assignment to the newly created position of Director of Users Services at Michigan State University. Our university has not yet made a long-term appointment to that position, but Dr. Tom Carroll, on returning from Korea about three months ago, has accepted it as a temporary assignment, so that I am, for the first time in many years, now free from any administrative responsibilities in the computer field, and accordingly able to speak with complete freedom about where we now are in the computer field and the problems which will have to be faced in the future in providing users with the services they need.
The application of ultraviolet reflectance spectroscopy to thin-layer chromatography

Abstract A method which can be employed for both preparative and analytical purposes was devised for the resolution of salicylic acid-aspirin mixtures on chromatoplates. Ultraviolet reflectance spectroscopy was then used to determine the amounts of resolved material by carrying out measurements on spots removed from the dried plates and packed in a suitable cell.
Transanal resection of a colonic lipoma, mimicking rectal prolapse.

Abstract Purpose Colonic lipomas are benign tumors usually asymptomatic. Occasionally, they may cause symptoms such as bleeding, intussusception, obstruction, or rectal prolapse. Methods We present a 44-year-old African-American female that presented with an 8 cm colonic lipoma protruding through the anal verge. We also reviewed all the reported cases in the English literature. Results The patient was treated successfully with transanal resection, which has rarely been done before for this large a tumor. Conclusions Transanal resection of large benign tumors of the rectosigmoid is possible.
Using Evolutionary Conserved Modules in Gene Networks as a Strategy to Leverage High Throughput Gene Expression Queries

Background: Large-scale gene expression studies have not yielded the expected insight into genetic networks that control complex processes. These anticipated discoveries have been limited not by technology, but by a lack of effective strategies to investigate the data in a manageable and meaningful way. Previous work suggests that using a pre-determined seednetwork of gene relationships to query large-scale expression datasets is an effective way to generate candidate genes for further study and network expansion or enrichment. Based on the evolutionary conservation of gene relationships, we test the hypothesis that a seed network derived from studies of retinal cell determination in the fly, Drosophila melanogaster, will be an effective way to identify novel candidate genes for their role in mouse retinal development. Methodology/Principal Findings: Our results demonstrate that a number of gene relationships regulating retinal cell differentiation in the fly are identifiable as pairwise correlations between genes from developing mouse retina. In addition, we demonstrate that our extracted seed-network of correlated mouse genes is an effective tool for querying datasets and provides a context to generate hypotheses. Our query identified 46 genes correlated with our extracted seed-network members. Approximately 54% of these candidates had been previously linked to the developing brain and 33% had been previously linked to the developing retina. Five of six candidate genes investigated further were validated by experiments examining spatial and temporal protein expression in the developing retina. Conclusions/Significance: We present an effective strategy for pursuing a systems biology approach that utilizes an evolutionary comparative framework between two model organisms, fly and mouse. Future implementation of this strategy will be useful to determine the extent of network conservation, not just gene conservation, between species and will facilitate the use of prior biological knowledge to develop rational systems-based hypotheses.
Block kinematics of the Pacific-North America plate boundary in the southwestern United States from inversion of GPS, seismological, and geologic data

[1] The active deformation of the southwestern United States (30°–41°N) is represented by a finite number of rotating, elastic-plastic spherical caps. GPS-derived horizontal velocities, geologic fault slip rates, transform fault azimuths, and earthquake-derived fault slip vector azimuths are inverted for block angular velocities, creep on block-bounding faults, permanent strain rates within the blocks, and the rotations of 11 published GPS velocity fields into to a common North American reference frame. GPS velocities are considered to be a combination of rigid block rotations, recoverable elastic strain rates resulting from friction on block-bounding faults, and nonrecoverable strain rates resulting from slip on faults within the blocks. The resulting Pacific–North America angular velocity is similar to some published estimates and satisfies transform azimuths and one spreading rate in the Gulf of California, earthquake slip vectors in the Gulf of California and Alaska, and GPS velocities along coastal California and within the Pacific Basin. Published fault slip rates are satisfied except in the southern Mojave Desert where the motion of the Mohave block relative to North America is faster than can be explained by mapped faults. The largest blocks, the Sierra Nevada–Great Valley and the eastern Basin and Range, show permanent strain rates, after removing elastic strain, of only a few nanostrain per year, demonstrating approximately rigid behavior. Observed horizontal strain rates correlate strongly with predicted strain rates from known faults suggesting that the short-term strains evident in GPS velocities are largely elastic. In only about 20% of the region is distributed deformation needed to match the data, indicating that a plate tectonic style description of the deformation of the western United States is plausible. Most blocks rotate about vertical axes at approximately the same rate as the Pacific (relative to North America), suggesting that locally, spin rates are communicated from block to block, arguing against both floating block and ball-bearing mechanisms of block rotation. The similarities of the blocks' spin rates to that of the Pacific suggests that the Pacific strongly influences their motions through edge tractions. However, it is shown that the blocks cannot rotate about the Pacific–North America pole without spinning counter to the sense of Pacific–North America shear. Unlike some other broad plate boundaries, in the western United States, vertical axis rotations take up very little of the slip rate budget across the region.
Development of engineered natural organic sorbents for environmental applications. 4. Effects on biodegradation and distribution of pyrene in soils.

The effects of engineered natural organic amendments on the biodegradation and distribution of pyrene in soils were assessed. Pyrene was aged for 105 days in soils amended with either raw or superheated water (SHW)-processed Ml peat or soybean stalks, and then subjected to biodegradation with specifically selected microorganisms for 130 days. Initial rates of pyrene mineralization in the soils were increased by addition of raw Ml peat, but markedly decreased by additions of SHW-processed Ml peat and both processed and raw soybean stalks. Pyrene sorbed by the processed organic sorbents was, however, slowly but steadily degraded by microorganisms over a greater than 4-month test period. Pyrene distributions in the soils were examined by sequential extractions of samples before and after biodegradation. Fractions of pyrene extracted readily with water orwater/methanol mixtures were decreased substantially in both soils by the addition of processed amendments, while the nonextractable fractions associated with humic and fulvic acids and humin were increased markedly. The results demonstrate that SHW-processed amendments effectively reduce the ecological and human availability and aqueous phase extractability of organic contaminants while facilitating their steady microbial degradation and eventually complete remediation.
The sympathetic nervous system in chronic heart failure

The sympathetic nervous system plays a pivotal role in the natural history of chronic heart failure (CHF). There is early activation of cardiac adrenergic drive, which is followed by an increasing magnitude of generalized sympathetic activation, with worsening heart failure. The adverse consequences predominate over the short-term compensatory effects and are mediated through downregulation of beta-receptor function and harmful biological effects on the cardiomyocyte. beta-blockers exert a beneficial effect on the natural history of CHF by attenuating the negative biological effects, restoring homogeneity of contractile/relaxant mechanisms, and reducing the risk of myocardial ischemia and arrhythmias. After pioneering work conducted over 20 years ago, numerous studies have shown the beneficial effects of beta-blockade on left ventricular function, and survival, morbidity, and mortality rates in CHF. Large-scale trials are underway to determine the overall benefits of beta-blockade in heart failure.
De-Icing Layers of Interdigitated Microelectrodes

We report development of special active coatings that are capable of de-icing various solid surfaces vulnerable to icing such as airplane wings, helicopter blades, road signs, superstructures, hulls of ships, etc. The coating consists of a thin web of metal interdigitated microelectrodes formed using photolithography. The electrodes are made of very thin copper on a thin and flexible Kapton substrate. After etching, the electrodes were electroplated with Au to increase their resistance to electro-corrosion. The de-icing action of the coating is based on the phenomenon of ice electrolysis. Namely, when ice forms over the electrodes, a small DC bias of 5 V to 30V is applied to the electrodes to generate a DC current through the ice. The ice adjacent to the electrodes is then decomposed into gaseous hydrogen (on the cathode) and gaseous oxygen (on the anode) thus eliminating bonding between the ice and the metal. Moreover, gas bubbles rapidly growing on the interface spread as interfacial cracks thus breaking the ice. We present a theory of such active grids and describe their preparation procedure. Results of mechanical and electrical tests will be shown.