cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE STRUCTURE OF A FOUR COORDINATE ACYLIMINOPLATINUM COMPLEX, TRANS-PTI(C(ME)=NC6H4CL)(PET3)2

The crystal structure of the isocyanide insertion product trans-iodobis(triethylphosphine)(1-p-chlorophenylimino)methylplatinum(II) has been determined by X-ray diffraction; it is shown to have a non-bonding PtN distance of 3.04 A; thus the previously suggested pseudo five-coordination geometry for these compounds is incorrect.
Influence of microbubble size distribution on postexcitation thresholds for single ultrasound contrast agent using double passive cavitation detection

A recent study has shown that double passive cavitation detection (DPCD) is a valid method for determining cavitation characteristics including collapse thresholds of isolated microbubbles based on the detection of postexcitation signal (PES) occurring 1 to 5 μs after the principle excitation of the bubble. The hypothesis is that PES is associated with the collapse of a free gas bubble released from the ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) after the rupture of its shell. It has been shown that responses of UCAs depend on several parameters such as the shell and gas core as well as the size of the microbubble. However, a detailed study of the influence of size distribution only on single microbubble collapse thresholds is still not available. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a significant correlation between microbubble size distribution and collapse thresholds. Experiments were performed using serum albumin and dextrose microbubbles. Four size distributions were obtained and we determined microbubble collapse thresholds for each distribution using the DPCD method (3 cycle tone bursts at the central frequency of 4.6 MHz). Statistical analysis was based on comparing the means of collapse threshold for the four size distributions using an analysis of variance. The microbubble collapse threshold was found to be significantly (p<;0.05) correlated to the microbubble size distribution: the DPCD experiments demonstrated that, in the configuration of the experiments, PES thresholds were higher for microbubbles exhibiting smaller size distribution.
Beach Ridges as Monitors of Isostatic Uplift in the Upper Great Lakes

Beach-ridge complexes located at key areas in the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior basins preserve continuous geomorphic and stratigraphic records of lake-level change during the late Holocene. Beach-ridge complexes at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Gary, Indiana, and Whitefish Point, Michigan, have been intensively studied to provide a reconstruction of differential postglacial isostatic uplift within the Lake Michigan and Lake Huron basin during the late Holocene. The three sites were analyzed in a framework that correlated and dated landforms on the basis of geometry aided by 14C age control. Contrary to expectations, the reconstructed rebound rates were not exponential. The constant rate for Whitefish Point was 0.34 m/century whereas that at Sturgeon Bay was 0.09 m/century relative to the southern shore of Lake Michigan. These rates are consistent with rates calculated on the basis of historical lake-level gauge records. The analysis suggests that crustal movement beneath the upper Great Lakes has been constant over the past 4,000 years. The variance between this region and coastal areas where isostatic uplift models were originally derived is unclear. Lake level in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron was progressively lowered between 5,000 and 2,100 years b.p. by erosion of the outlet channel from Lake Huron. Lake Superior began to be uplifted above Lake Huron about 2,100 years b.p. Over this period, the mean water surfaces of these lakes have been separated by 6.92 m. The rate of uplift necessary to account for this difference is 0.33 m/century. The separation of Lake Superior from Lake Huron was apparently, synchronous with stabilization of the outlet channel from Lake Huron. Since that time, uplift at this outlet has raised lake level in southern Lake Michigan by about 1.9 m at a rate of 0.09 m/century.
Lessons from a label maker.

Transitional objects are ubiquitous in childhood. They may take the form of a favorite blanket or, in my 18-month-old son's case, a stuffed bear named Bo. Mine was, oddly enough, a label maker. Onc...
The Cognitive Side of Social Responsibility

Individuals sit on the board of directors and set organizational goals, individuals make the product, push new marketing campaigns, make tough decisions, create new products, and so on. What is the role of social responsibility (SR) in their thinking? Do individuals need to behave responsibly to live in a social environment? Could this be grounded in their cognition? Furthermore, is there room for SR in our cognitive processes? And then, how can this analysis help studies on socially responsible business? The article presents how the distributed cognition approach provides a viable explanation for SR in human thinking. The exploitation of external – both social and nonsocial – resources shapes cognitive processes such that the idea of the “isolated brain” is definitely abandoned. Our social cognition uses responsibility as a support mechanism that sustains or discharges distributive processes. The article uses the notion of docility to keep cognition and social behavior together. The conclusion is that SR is (1) a mechanism that allows individuals to maintain cognitive advantages and (2) it emerges when the same social channel is exploited for extended periods of time.
A mathematical model of recombinational amplification of the 2μ plasmid in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A mathematical model of 2μ plasmid recombinational amplification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been developed, based on mechanisms of 2μ recombination and replication presented in the literature. A probabilistic description reveals the limits inherent in the recombinational mode of plasmid amplification. These limits correspond well with values calculated from reported results. In the model, copy number control is effected by the constitutive expression of a repressor of recombinase expression. Estimation of the model parameters is accomplished via a set of heuristic rules which restrict the feasible parameter space considerably. It is demonstrated that many parameter sets arbitrarily chosen from the feasible parameter space reproduce the observed characteristics of 2μ plasmid amplification: rapid correction of downward copy number deviations, with a lack of strict control of steady-state copy number.
Digital signature embedding (DSE) for medical image integrity in a data grid off-site backup archive

One of the new trends to protect the PACS image data against disaster situations is to store clinical images at an off-site backup archive. In order to support the mission-critical clinical PACS, the backup archive must be 24/7 continuously available (CA). We have developed a novel Data Grid for this purpose using the grid computing technology. With the federation of several PAC systems in a grid, the Data Grid can provide the true CA (99.999%) backup for the PAC systems. However, image integrity becomes a new critical issue to the Data Grid where the image data are not under the protection of local PACS anymore. In this paper, we presented a digital signature embedding (DSE) method, which can assure image integrity in image transmission or archive. The DSE method permanently embeds the digital signature (DS) of the image in the image pixels using lossless data embedding approaches, which can completely recover the original image whenever desired. The permanently embedded DS in the image would provide the integrity assurance for medical image during its lifetime. The embedding process can be utilized by the local PACS archive server to embed the DS in every image before it is sent to the Data Grid. The embedded DS can then be extracted for verification to ensure image integrity when images arrived in the Data Grid or when images were retrieved back. Therefore, with the DSE method, we have extended our protection of image integrity from local PACS to the backup Data Grid.
A New Look at Habits and the Habit-Goal Interface.

The present model outlines the mechanisms underlying habitual control of responding and the ways in which habits interface with goals. Habits emerge from the gradual learning of associations between responses and the features of performance contexts that have historically covaried with them (e.g., physical settings, preceding actions). Once a habit is formed, perception of contexts triggers the associated response without a mediating goal. Nonetheless, habits interface with goals. Constraining this interface, habit associations accrue slowly and do not shift appreciably with current goal states or infrequent counterhabitual responses. Given these constraints, goals can (a) direct habits by motivating repetition that leads to habit formation and by promoting exposure to cues that trigger habits, (b) be inferred from habits, and (c) interact with habits in ways that preserve the learned habit associations. Finally, the authors outline the implications of the model for habit change, especially for the self-regulation of habit cuing.
Colorful horizons with charge in anti-de Sitter space.

An Abelian gauge symmetry can be spontaneously broken near a black hole horizon in anti-de Sitter space using a condensate of non-Abelian gauge fields. A second order phase transition is shown to separate Reissner-Nordstrom-anti-de Sitter solutions from a family of symmetry-breaking solutions which preserve a diagonal combination of gauge invariance and spatial rotational invariance.
A tree reconstruction method that is economical in the number of pairwise comparisons used.

A fast method for reconstructing phylogenies from distance data is presented. The method is economical in the number of pairwise comparisons needed. It can be combined with a new phylogenetic alignment procedure to yield an algorithm that gives a complete history of a set of homologous sequences. The method is applicable to very large distance matrices. An auxiliary program was developed that simplifies large phylogenies without ignoring biologically essential features. A set of 2 13 globins from vertebrates, plants, and Vitreoscilla (a prokaryote) were analyzed using this method.
CORPORATE HOUSEHOLD KNOWLEDGE PROCESSING: CHALLENGES, CONCEPTS, AND SOLUTION APPROACHES

Corporate household not only refers to the strict hierarchical structure within the corporation, but also the variety of inter-organizational relationships. We propose a conceptual definition for corporate household, corporate household knowledge, and corporate household knowledge processor. After describing research challenges and conceptual definitions, we summarize potential solution approaches. Our research plan is twofold: (1) continue to document the various different sources, views, and purposes for corporate household knowledge, including the rules used in each case; (2) extend the context interchange framework to represent the corporate household knowledge and enable the context mediation technology to correctly understand and reason about both the context of the sources and the context of the user's query.
Main Idea Identification: Instructional Explanations in Four Basal Reader Series:

All explanations and directives related to main idea identification were classified and evaluated in four current basal reader series. Results across the four series demonstrate that explanations tend to evade admittedly difficult issues of determining importance. Reasons for this finding are discussed. Results for directives replicate previous researchers' findings.
An evaluation of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act

This study investigated the effectiveness of child-resistant closures, required under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970, in reducing the incidence of accidental ingestions of 15 regulated substances among children less than 5 years of age. The regulated substances include aspirin, acetaminophen, prescription drugs, and household chemicals. Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System and the National Center for Health Statistics were analyzed to determine ingestion and death rates associated with these substances over a five-year-period. The ingestion rate for all substances that require child-resistant closures has declined from 5.7/1,000 children in 1973 to 3.4/1,000 children in 1978. It is estimated that child-resistant closure have prevented nearly 200,000 accidental ingestions since 1973. Over the past 20 years, the death rate due to poisonings of children has declined from 2.0/100,000 children to 0.5/100,000.
Tapping ICT to reduce poverty in rural India

The paper considers how information and communication technologies can enhance poor people's opportunities by improving access to markets, health and education. It considers ICT projects for poverty reduction in rural India.
Open Surgical Repair of Ureteral Strictures and Fistulas Following Radical Cystectomy and Urinary Diversion

Purpose: Open surgery after cystectomy can be a challenge. We report the incidence of postoperative urinary diversion-enteric fistula and ureteral strictures in patients undergoing radical cystectomy, and discuss the diagnosis and management of these complications, including our surgical approach to these patients.Materials and Methods: We preformed a retrospective review of 553 patients undergoing radical cystectomy and urinary diversion for bladder cancer between April 1999 and January 2007. Patients in whom a ureteral stricture or fistula developed were identified by serial laboratory and imaging evaluations. A chart review was preformed to identify symptoms, time to stricture or fistula development, radiological findings, type of diversion, estimated blood loss and whether the original anastomosis was stented. Management and outcomes were assessed.Results: Of 553 patients reviewed ureteral stricture developed in 41 (7.4%) with a mean followup of 20.2 months (range 1 to 98). Strictures developed in 11%...
Mapping the Interface Description Language type model into C

The Interface Description Language (IDL) is a notation for describing the characteristics of data structures passed among collections of cooperating processes in a programming environment. The authors discuss a mapping from IDL to C data structures and macro definitions that supports the full language and is type safe and run-time efficient, but is not particularly compile-time efficient nor easy to use. They then propose that the mapping be performed in a preprocessor, thereby achieving efficiency and ease of use as well. >
Chimpanzee minds: suspiciously human?

Chimpanzees undoubtedly form concepts related to the statistical regularities in behavior. But do they also construe such abstractions in terms of mental states – that is, do they possess a ‘theory of mind’? Although both anecdotal and experimental data have been marshaled to support this idea, we show that no explanatory power or economy of expression is gained by such an assumption. We suggest that additional experiments will be unhelpful as long as they continue to rely upon determining whether subjects interpret behavioral invariances in terms of mental states. We propose a paradigm shift to overcome this limitation. Why do the minds of chimpanzees seem so human-like? We consider two answers; one of which has something profound to say about their minds, and another, which has something profound to say about our own. (In this article, we restrict our comments to chimpanzees, including both Pan troglodytes and P. paniscus, but the reader will apprehend that, in most cases, our remarks generalize beyond comparisons of humans and chimpanzees. Structurally similar problems face researchers who compare humans to other taxa, or who compare developmental transitions in infants and children.)
Quantitation of cotinine in nonsmoker saliva using chip-based nanoelectrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

A new analytical procedure was developed for the quantitation of nonsmoker salivary cotinine. Small volumes of saliva were diluted with water, fortified with cotinine-d{sub 3} (internal standard), then passed through small extraction columns. The analyte and internal standard were eluted with 0.1% (v/v) acetic acid/acetonitrile. Aliquots of each extract were analyzed directly, without chromatographic separation, using chip-based (NanoMate{sup TM}) nanospray tandem mass spectrometry. The calculated detection limit was 0.49 ng cotinine/mL saliva. This method was used to quantify salivary cotinine collected from nonsmoking human subjects living in one of three environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure categories or 'cells': 1. smoking home/smoking workplace; 2. smoking home/nonsmoking workplace; and 3. nonsmoking home/smoking workplace. Samples were collected during five sequential days, including Saturday, as part of a larger study to evaluate potential variability in exposure to ETS. Salivary cotinine measurements were made for the purpose of excluding misclassified smokers and for comparison with known levels of exposure to airborne nicotine in each exposure category. The concentrations observed were consistent with those reported from other large studies reported elsewhere. A non-parametric statistical test was applied to the data within each cell. No statistically significant differences were found between the mean cotinine concentrations collected onmore » a weekday as compared to those collected on a weekend day. When the non-parametric test was applied to the three cells, a statistically significant difference was observed between cell 1 compared to cells 2 and 3. The salivary cotinine concentrations were thus statistically invariant over a five-day exposure period, and they were greatest under the conditions of smoking home and smoking workplace.« less
Endothelial Cells Secrete Triglyceride Lipase and Phospholipase Activities in Response to Cytokines as a Result of Endothelial Lipase

The endothelium interacts extensively with lipids and lipoproteins, but there are very few data regarding the ability of endothelial cells to secrete lipases. In this study, we investigated the ability of endothelial cells to secrete the triglyceride lipase and phospholipase activities characteristic of endothelial lipase (EL), a recently described member of the triglyceride lipase gene family. No lipase activities were detected under basal conditions, but treatment with cytokines significantly stimulated the expression of both activities. Using antibodies to EL, we determined that both activities were primarily a result of this enzyme. In addition to the increase in lipolytic activity, cytokine treatment was demonstrated to substantially upregulate EL protein and EL mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. Cytokines did not change EL mRNA stability. Both new protein synthesis and activation of NF-κB influenced the induction of EL by cytokines, suggesting that multiple pathways contribute to this process. The upregulation of EL by cytokines is in sharp contrast to the downregulation by cytokines of the other two major members of this gene family, lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase, and has implications for the physiological role of EL in inflammatory conditions and its potential role in the modulation of lipoprotein metabolism during inflammatory conditions, including atherosclerosis.
Zooplankton and the total phosphorus – chlorophyll a relationship: hierarchical Bayesian analysis of measurement error

Zooplankton grazing is important in resolving residual variation around the total phosphorus – chlorophyll a relationship. In empirical studies, zooplankton body size is often a better predictor of...
On the lifetime analysis of always-on wireless sensor network applications

Majority of papers in the area of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have an element of energy-efficiency and associated with it an analysis of network lifetime. Yet, there is no agreement on how to analyze the lifetime of a WSN. As a result, errors are frequently made on both sides. Some underestimate the network lifetime by an order of magnitude, while others end up overestimating the lifetime by a significant factor. This paper presents a first step towards standardizing the lifetime analysis of WSNs. We focus on WSNs deployed for always-on applications, where the problem of power management is most severe because the environment needs to be monitored continuously. Underestimation of network lifetime is common when proposing sleep-wakeup schemes, where it is frequently assumed that in the absence of a sleep-wakeup scheme, a sensor node from the Mica family lasts 3-5 days on a pair of AA batteries. We show that the same sensor node can be made to last more than 36 days, even if it is continuously monitoring the environment. Overestimation typically occurs when proposing non-sleep-wake up power management schemes such as in-network data aggregation. Overestimation occurs because several network activities (e.g periodic routing messages) are assumed to have negligible effect on the network lifetime and therefore are ignored in the lifetime analysis. We use our recent experience in deploying ExScal (a large-scale WSN for intrusion detection) to identify major components in the network lifetime analysis. We then present a careful lifetime analysis of ExScal and show how to analyze the effects of using various non-sleep-wake up power management schemes such as hierarchical sensing, low-power listening, and in-network data aggregation on the network lifetime. Our lifetime analysis will be useful as a template in analyzing the lifetime of other WSNs deployed for always-on applications
Computer simulation of a flue gas desulfurization moving‐bed reactor

This paper describes the methodology of computer simulation of a moving-bed reactor system utilizing a gravity-fed solid reactant and a cross-flow of reacting gas. The objective of this work was to predict the efficiency of a moving-bed reactor for generic solid-gas reactions with known reaction rate parameters. Since in a continuous cross-flow-moving-bed reactor the solid reactant at the inlet of the reactor is fresh (or freshly regenerated) and the solid reactant can be almost totally utilized, the break-through of the reactant gas is much less at the reactor top (solid inlet) than at the bottom. The simulation provides predictions of the reactant gas break-through concentration profile as well as the bulk reactant gas consumption within the moving-bed reactor. The reactor performance is modeled by both one-dimensional and two-dimensional series of imaginary micro-reactors. The computer code is listed and a sample calculation is presented for a flue gas desulfurization process utilizing copper oxide impregnated on alumina as a sorbent. 7 refs., 10 figs.
Speeds Associated With Skiing and Snowboarding

Background/Objective.—Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in skiing and snowboarding. Although previous studies have advocated the use of a helmet to reduce the incidence of TBI, only a minority of skiers and snowboarders wear helmets. The low use of helmets may be partially due to controversy regarding their effectiveness in a high-speed crash. The protective effect of a ski helmet is diminished at the high speeds a skier or snowboarder can potentially obtain on an open slope. However, ski areas have undergone significant changes in the past decade. Many skiers and snowboarders frequent nontraditional terrain such as gladed areas and terrain parks. Since these areas contain numerous physical obstacles, we hypothesized that skiers and snowboarders would traverse these areas at speeds slow enough to expect a significant protective effect from a helmet. Methods.—Speed data were obtained via radar analysis of 2 groups of expert level skiers and snowboarders traversing a gladed woods trail and terrain park. Results.—A total of 113 observations were recorded. Forty-eight observations were made of 9 skiers and snowboarders in gladed terrain, and 65 observations were conducted of 21 skiers and snowboarders in the terrain park. In 79% of the cases in gladed terrain and 94% of the instances in the terrain park, observed speeds were less than 15 mph. Conclusions.—Skiers and snowboarders navigate nontraditional terrain at speeds slower than on open slopes. At the observed velocities, a helmet would be expected to provide significant help in diminishing the occurrence of TBI. Medical authorities should advocate the use of helmets as an important component of an overall strategy to reduce the incidence of TBI associated with skiing and snowboarding.
miR-92b regulates Mef2 levels through a negative-feedback circuit during Drosophila muscle development

Mef2 is the key transcription factor for muscle development and differentiation in Drosophila. It activates hundreds of downstream target genes, including itself. Precise control of Mef2 levels is essential for muscle development as different Mef2 protein levels activate distinct sets of muscle genes, but how this is achieved remains unclear. Here, we have identified a novel heart- and muscle-specific microRNA, miR-92b, which is activated by Mef2 and subsequently downregulates Mef2 through binding to its 3′UTR, forming a negative regulatory circuit that fine-tunes the level of Mef2. Deletion of miR-92b caused abnormally high Mef2 expression, leading to muscle defects and lethality. Blocking miR-92b function using microRNA sponge techniques also increased Mef2 levels and caused muscle defects similar to those seen with the miR-92b deletion. Additionally, overexpression of miR-92b reduced Mef2 levels and caused muscle defects similar to those seen in Mef2 RNAi, and Mef2 overexpression led to reversal of these defects. Our results suggest that the negative feedback circuit between miR-92b and Mef2 efficiently maintains the stable expression of both components that is required for homeostasis during Drosophila muscle development.
Revisiting the hygiene hypothesis for allergy and asthma

The hygiene hypothesis, which describes the protective influence of microbial exposures in early life on the development of allergy and asthma, has continued its swell of academic interest, investigation, and evolution. This article is focused on studies published in the past 3 years that have furthered the substance and shape of hygiene theory, primarily as it relates to allergic airways and asthma. Recent investigations have furthered an overarching "microbiome hypothesis" to home features, medical practices, and cleanliness behaviors that are suspects in the hygiene effect. Relatively crude markers of the protective microbial environment have been supplanted by culture-independent microbiome science, distinguishing the characteristics of potentially protective microbiomes from pathologic features. Understanding how the microbiome is shaped and affects healthful versus harmful outcomes in the human host is relatively nascent. Good clues are emerging that give mechanistic substance to the theory and could help guide microbe-based therapeutics to fill the allergy and asthma management gap in prevention and disease modification.
Epidural Steroid Injections Ineffective for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Epidural glucocorticoid injections are ineffective for lumbar spinal stenosis. Whether this will change practice for this lucrative procedure will be an interesting question.
Endovascular repair of a large post-traumatic calf pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula.

ABSTRACT Endovascular techniques are being increasingly used as the definitive method of repair for various traumatic vascular injuries. This case report describes the use of transcatheter embolization and direct percutaneous thrombin injection used in the definitive treatment of a lower extremity post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula.
The Emotional Brain as a Predictor and Amplifier of Chronic Pain

Human neuroimaging studies and complementary animal experiments now identify the gross elements of the brain involved in the chronification of pain. We briefly review these advances in relation to somatic and orofacial persistent pain conditions. First, we emphasize the importance of reverse translational research for understanding chronic pain-that is, the power of deriving hypotheses directly from human brain imaging of clinical conditions that can be invasively and mechanistically studied in animal models. We then review recent findings demonstrating the importance of the emotional brain (i.e., the corticolimbic system) in the modulation of acute pain and in the prediction and amplification of chronic pain, contrasting this evidence with recent findings regarding the role of central sensitization in pain chronification, especially for orofacial pain. We next elaborate on the corticolimbic circuitry and underlying mechanisms that determine the transition to chronic pain. Given this knowledge, we advance a new mechanistic definition of chronic pain and discuss the clinical implications of this new definition as well as novel therapeutic potentials suggested by these advances.
Using the same cut-off for sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen multiple-breath washout may not be appropriate

Recent evidence suggests that results from multiple-breath washout (MBW) using nitrogen (N 2 ) as washout gas are different to those obtained by using sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ). Explanations were mainly related to different MBW equipment and gas properties. We aim to mention a new aspect, namely using the same cut-off in both techniques to determine lung clearance index (usually 2.5% of initial tracer concentration) irrespective of additional contribution of tissue-nitrogen in N 2 -MBW. In a simple model calculation we subtracted 1% tissue-N 2 from the N 2 -MBW in real washout traces from two children, one with cystic fibrosis (CF) and one healthy. This "SF 6 -washout simulation" decreased LCI differently in the children. In the healthy subject 1/40 th (2.5%) was achieved two breaths earlier compared to the original signal and changed LCI from 6.7 to 5.9 (12%), while in CF 1/40 th was achieved 19 breaths earlier leading to a LCI decrease from 13.7 to 10.0 (27%). It would have been required to wash out SF6 until 1/66 th (1.5%) to be comparable to N 2 washout at 1/40th (2.5%), or to stop N2-MBW already at 3.5% of the starting concentration to make both techniques comparable. We show that a basic physiological-mathematical difference between both techniques additionally accounts for different sensitivities and poor agreement between SF 6 - and N 2 -MBW. The best way of adjusting for the contribution of tissue-N 2 needs to be examined in future studies. Thus, despite increasing use in different disease groups, the books on MBW technology are obviously not closed yet.
Rates and burden of surgical site infections associated with pediatric colorectal surgery: insight from the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize the rates of surgical site infections (SSI) associated with colorectal procedures in children and the relative burden of these events within the scope of pediatric surgical practice. Methods The NSQIP-Pediatric Public Use File was queried for all pediatric surgery procedures captured from 50 hospitals during 2012—2013. Rates of incisional and deep organ/space SSIs (ISSI and OSI, respectively) were calculated for all procedures, and the relative burden of SSIs from the entire dataset attributable to colorectal procedures was determined. Results Colorectal procedures accounted for 2.5% (2872/114,395) of the NSQIP-P caseload and contributed 7.1% of the SSI burden. The SSI rate for all colorectal procedures was 5.9% (ISSI:3.2%; OSI:2.7%), and the highest rates were associated with total abdominal colectomy (11.4%) partial colectomy (8.3%), and colostomy closure (5.0%). Inflammatory bowel disease contributed the greatest relative burden of SSIs among colorectal diagnoses (24.9%; ISSI:22%; OSI:28.6%), followed by Hirschsprung's Disease (14.2%; ISSI:15.4%; OSI:12.8%) and anorectal malformations (12.4%; ISSI:17.6%; OSI:6.4%). Conclusion Colorectal procedures are responsible for a disproportionate burden of SSIs within pediatric surgery. The rate and relative burden of SSIs are particularly high for colostomy closure, partial colectomy, and procedures for inflammatory bowel disease. Efforts to reduce SSI burden may be best focused on this cohort of children.
Mistuning for Minimum Maximum Bladed Disk Forced Response

A theory is presented for minimizing the maximum forced response amplitude of any blade in any mode for an isolated fami ly of turbine engine bladed disk modes. An infinitely long linear mistuning pattern, defined by a constant inter -blade stiffness increment, is shown to minimize amplitude magnification. This infinite linear mistuning pattern can be truncated to provide a n approximate mini -max solution for bladed disks with finite N. The linear mistuning method is demonstrated numerically and experimentally . I. Introduction LADED disks, such as those in fans, compressors, and turbines, rotate through circumferential pressu re disturbances caused by struts, vanes, stators, or other obstructions in the gas path of turbine engines. These disturbances cause engine order excitation, where the engine order refers to the number of equally spaced disturbances either upstream or dow nstream of the bladed disk. The resulting blade vibration can lead to high cycle fatigue (HCF) failures as cycles quickly accumulate due to the high rotational rates of turbine engines. HCF has historically led to the premature failure of major aircraft engine components and in some instances has resulted in the loss of the total engine and aircraft. Estimates put the cost of HCF at over $400 m illion per year 1 . HCF is exacerbated by mistuning, a breakdown in the cyclic symmetry of bladed disks. A tuned bladed disk is defined as one in which all sectors have identical properties. Differences in the geometries, material properties, or interface boundary conditions of blades inevitably result in a mistuned bladed disk. The maximum blade response amplitude to engine order excitation, or maximum response for short, is almost always greater for a mistuned bladed disk than for a tuned bladed disk. Therefore, mistuning tends to shorten component life and negative ly impact the durability and reliability of engi nes. Because of the importance of mistuning to turbine engine durability, a large amount of research has been publis hed on the subject. Srinivasan 2 has surveyed much of the literature. The effect of mistuning on turbine bladed disk forced vibration is of ten described using the term amplitude magnification, which is the maximum mistuned blade response across a range of excitation frequencies divided by the maximum t uned blade response. Whitehead
Conformational insights into the lesion and sequence effects for arylamine-induced translesion DNA synthesis: 19F NMR, surface plasmon resonance, and primer kinetic studies.

Adduct-induced DNA damage can affect transcription efficiency and DNA replication and repair. We previously investigated the effects of the 3′-next flanking base (G*CT vs G*CA; G*, FABP, N-(2′-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-4′-fluoro-4-aminobiphenyl; FAF, N-(2′-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-7-fluoro-2-aminofluorene) on the conformation of arylamine-DNA lesions in relation to E. coli nucleotide excision repair (Jain, V., Hilton, B., Lin, B., Patnaik, S., Liang, F., Darian, E., Zou, Y., Mackerell, A. D., Jr., and Cho, B. P. (2013) Nucleic Acids Res., 41, 869−880). Here, we report the differential effects of the same pair of sequences on DNA replication in vitro by the polymerases exofree Klenow fragment (Kf-exo–) and Dpo4. We obtained dynamic 19F NMR spectra for two 19-mer modified templates during primer elongation: G*CA [d(5′-CTTACCATCG*CAACCATTC-3′)] and G*CT [d(5′-CTTACCATCG*CTACCATTC-3′)]. We found that lesion stacking is favored in the G*CT sequence compared to the G*CA counterpart. Surface plasmon resonance binding resul...
Abstract 4207: Pharmacodynamic comparisons of novel cryobiopsy instrumentation compared to standard techniques through comparative oncology modeling

The development of novel and targeted cancer drugs requires innovative clinical trial designs to define drug (pharmacokinetic) and host (pharmacodynamic) relationships early in the development process. For most new cancer agents there is increased emphasis on pharmacodynamic (PD) endpoints measured in tumor and surrogates as biomarkers of response. Accordingly, novel tissue collection procedures and instruments are needed to ensure that PD endpoint assessments are representative of their actual in vivo “state”. The Cassi Rotational Core Biopsy Device (Cryobiopsy) (Sanarus Medical, Inc, Pleasanton, California) is a biopsy instrument capable of incisional tissue collection and simultaneous freezing. In rodent xenograft models it demonstrated superiority in consistency for tumor analyte detection compared to traditional biopsy techniques. Whether this value would translate to the clinical setting was unknown. Use of naturally occurring cancers in pet dogs provides a model system to validate and optimize instrumentation techniques prior to use in human trials. A prospective clinical trial in dogs with lymphoma was conducted through the National Cancer Institute-Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium (NCI-COTC) to 1) determine if Cyrobiopsy provides sample quality advantages over conventional tru-cut, and open biopsy procedures, and 2) validate a “practice setting” Cryobiopsy Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that could be followed by multiple users providing consistent high-quality biopsy samples. Ten dogs with newly diagnosed lymphoma enrolled. Cryobiopsy and tru-cut samples were collected in each patient from two lymph nodes in three planes via alternating techniques. A whole lymph node was then removed via excisional biopsy from the same dog. No adverse events were reported with Cryobiopsy or standard biopsy methods. The SOP for cryobiopsy collection of tissues was successfully implemented in a relevant clinical setting. Cryobiopsy collected samples successfully preserved target phospho-proteins (p-AKT: tAKT, p-ERK: tERK, p-MEK: tMEK) collected from tumor tissue. No difference in phospho-protein detection by Western was seen across biopsy techniques. In conclusion, this effort highlights the utility of the comparative approach to model medical device evaluation and PD biomarker assay validation in the clinical theatre. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4207.
Controlling Light using Three-Dimensional Spatially Variant Self-Collimating Photonic Crystals

Tight control of an optical beam is demonstrated based on self-collimation within three-dimensional all-dielectric photonic crystals for which the orientation of the unit cell is progressively varied to direct power flow.
Beet Armyworm: Inherited Sterility Produced by Irradiation of Pupae or Adults

Gamma irradiation of ♂ pupae and adults of Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) with 15 or 20 krad did not affect in longevity and mating of either the P1 or F1 generations. When P1 males, irradiated as pupae or adults, or their F1 progeny were crossed with untreated moths, the percentages of egg hatch and yields of F1 adults of norma appearance were higher with the 15 krad than with the 20 krad treatment. However, a model appraising the impact of a single release of such treated males (9:1 ratio of sterile to untreated) in suppressing a population indicated that all treatments could have a comparable effect if it is assumed that both types of irradiated P1 males and their F1 ♂ progeny are equally competitive. Therefore, irradiation of pupae would be the method of choice because less space, time, and equipment are needed for storage, handling, feeding, and irradiation.
Kinetic mutations in argininosuccinate synthetase deficiency: characterisation and in vitro correction by substrate supplementation

Background Citrullinemia type 1 is an autosomal-recessive urea cycle disorder caused by mutations in the ASS1 gene and characterised by increased plasma citrulline concentrations. Of the ∼90 argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) missense mutations reported, 21 map near the substrate (aspartate or citrulline) binding site, and thus are potential kinetic mutations whose decreased activities could be amenable to substrate supplementation. This article aims at characterising these 21 ASS mutations to prove their disease-causing role and to test substrate supplementation as a novel therapeutic approach. Methods We used an Escherichia coli expression system to study all potentially kinetic ASS mutations. All mutant enzymes were nickel-affinity purified, their activity and kinetic parameters were measured using tandem mass spectrometry and their thermal stability using differential scanning fluorimetry. Structural rationalisation of the effects of these mutations was performed. Results Of the characterised mutants, 13 were totally inactive while 8 exhibited decreased affinity for aspartate and citrulline. The activity of these eight kinetic mutations could be rescued to ∼10–99% of the wild-type using high l-aspartate concentrations. Conclusions Substrate supplementation raised in vitro the activity of eight citrullinemia type 1 mutations with reduced affinity for aspartate. As a direct translation of these results to the clinics, we propose to further evaluate the use of oxaloacetate, a nitrogen-free aspartate precursor and already available medical food (anti-ageing and brain stimulating, not considered as a drug by the US Food and Drug Administration), in patients with citrullinemia type 1 with decreased aspartate affinity. Although only patients with kinetic mutations would benefit, oxaloacetate could offer a safe novel treatment.
Measuring Residential Segregation With the ACS: How the Margin of Error Affects the Dissimilarity Index.

The American Community Survey (ACS) provides valuable, timely population estimates but with increased levels of sampling error. Although the margin of error is included with aggregate estimates, it has not been incorporated into segregation indexes. With the increasing levels of diversity in small and large places throughout the United States comes a need to track accurately and study changes in racial and ethnic segregation between censuses. The 2005–2009 ACS is used to calculate three dissimilarity indexes (D) for all core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) in the United States. We introduce a simulation method for computing segregation indexes and examine them with particular regard to the size of the CBSAs. Additionally, a subset of CBSAs is used to explore how ACS indexes differ from those computed using the 2000 and 2010 censuses. Findings suggest that the precision and accuracy of D from the ACS is influenced by a number of factors, including the number of tracts and minority population size. For smaller areas, point estimates systematically overstate actual levels of segregation, and large confidence intervals lead to limited statistical power.
Calibrated approach to endoscopic sinus surgery.

In order to demonstrate the feasibility of that exercise and to review the variations of sinus anatomy that might confound the surgeon, we have made calibrated anatomic studies of cadavers and assessed landmarks of importance to the endoscopic sinus surgeon
Hematopoietic Stem Cell-derived Adipocytes Promote Tumor Growth and Cancer Cell Migration

Adipocytes, apart from their critical role as the energy storage depots, contribute to the composition of the tumor microenvironment. Our previous studies based on a single hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation model, have revealed a novel source of adipocytes from HSCs via monocyte/macrophage progenitors. Herein, we extend these studies to examine the role of HSC-derived adipocytes (HSC-Ad) in tumor progression. When cultured under adipogenic conditions, bone marrow-derived monocytic progenitors differentiated into adipocytes that accumulated oil droplets containing triglyceride. The adipokine array and ELISAs confirmed secretion of multiple adipokines by HSC-Ad. These adipocytes underwent further development in vivo when injected subcutaneously into C57Bl/6 mice. When co-injected with melanoma B16F1 cells or breast cancer E0771 cells into syngeneic C57Bl/6 mice, HSC-Ad not only accelerated both melanoma and breast tumor growth, but also enhanced vascularization in both tumors. Conditioned media from HSC-Ad supported B16F1 and E0771 cell proliferation and enhanced cell migration in vitro. Among the HSC-Ad secreted adipokines, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) played an important role in E0771 cell proliferation. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was indispensable for B16F1 cell migration, whereas HGF and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) collectively contributed to E0771 cell migration. Expression levels of receptors for IGF-1, HGF, and PDGF-BB correlated with their differential roles in B16F1 and E0771 cell proliferation and migration. Our data suggest that HSC-Ad differentially regulate tumor behavior through distinct mechanisms.
Selfies, Dance, and Performance: A Multimedia and Multidisciplinary Collaboration

ABSTRACTThis article discusses a pedagogical and creative approach to designing a mixed-media, live dance performance. By involving undergraduate students in the process, the authors were able to examine the contemporary phenomenon of selfies and the effect of the “online self” and “mediated self” on dance performance. The performance combined the work of dance and digital media design faculty members, self-reflective contributions from students, a music composer, and a costume designer. Even the audience participated, as the students’ selfies and images of audience members taken by the dancers early in the performance were then also projected onto a media screen. Some of the choreographed movements were developed by student dancers following journaling and small group explorations of self and identity as seen in the selfies. Postperformance interviews revealed the value of complicating more traditional dance-making practices through role interdependence and of teaching the creative integration of multime...
Awakening the Learner Within: Purposeful Prompts and Lifelong Learning Measures in a First-Year Composition Course.

Lifelong learning skills have been shown to benefit students during and after college. This paper discusses the use of the Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI) in a first-year composition course. Reflective writing assignments and pre- and post-semester ELLI data were used to assess student growth as lifelong learners over the course of a semester. Statistically significant gains in lifelong learning dimensions were made by students in the study as compared to those in a control group who received no direct instruction. The authors reflect on the outcomes of the project for students and instructors and question the general assumptions often made about the outcomes of a college education, namely, whether students gain lifelong learning skills simply by virtue of attending college, or is more instruction on these “intangible” qualities needed?