cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic effects of sesquiterpene lactones from Magnolia and Bear's foot.

Sesquiterpene lactones possess a variety of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory activity. Two plants native to the southeastern United States, Magnolia grandiflora (L.) and Smallanthus uvedalius (L.) [syn Polymnia uvedalius (L.)], are novel sources of the sesquiterpene lactones parthenolide and enhydrin, respectively. In this study, the anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic effects of these isolated lactones from these two plant sources were evaluated in the rat carrageenan inflammation model. Rats received ip injections of either vehicle (propylene glycol), indomethacin (5 mg/kg), 11,13-dihydroparthenolide (20 mg/kg), parthenolide (5 or 20 mg/kg) or enhydrin (5 or 20 mg/kg). A 100-μl injection of 2.0% carrageenan was made into the plantar surface of the right hindpaw. Paw withdrawal latencies and paw volumes in both inflamed and non-inflamed paws were recorded at four test intervals: pre-inflammation baseline (0 time point), and 1, 2 and 4 h post-carrageenan injection. Vehicle-treated animals exhibited a significant time-dependent hyperalgesic and edema response that was greatest at the 4-h test interval. Indomethacin significantly blocked the hyperalgesic response and modestly attenuated the edema response. Parthenolide (20 mg/kg) and enhydrin (20 mg/kg) significantly blocked the hyperalgesic response and significantly attenuated the edema response; 11,13-dihydroparthenolide did not affect either inflammation or hyperalgesia. These findings suggest that parthenolide and enhydrin from these plant sources may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory pain.
Measuring children's exposure to domestic violence: The development and testing of the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) Scale ☆

Abstract This article describes the development and testing of the psychometric properties of a self-administered Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) Scale. The 42-item CEDV was systematically developed using both pre-existing and newly developed items and subsequently subjected to a review and revision by an international panel of experts to establish face validity. After initial pilot testing, the CEDV was administered to 65 children, ages 10 to 16 years of age, who were receiving services from several domestic violence prevention organizations. The measure was administered concurrently with the Things I ' ve Seen and Heard measure of violence exposure to establish convergent validity and again one week later to establish test–retest reliability. The CEDV appears to be a valid and reliable measure of the level of exposure to domestic violence from a child's perspective. The authors discuss potential uses of this scale and the development of resources to support the use of the measure, including an online version of the scale.
Comparison of Bond Dissociation Energies of Dormant Species Relevant to Degenerative Transfer and Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Density functional calculations are reported for the bond dissociation energy (BDE) of a number of dithioacetates, CH3C(S)S−R and selected dithiobenzoates, PhC(S)S−R, of relevance to reversible addition−fragmentation transfer (RAFT) controlled radical polymerization. In comparison with previously reported calculations [Gillies, M. B.; Matyjaszewski, K.; Norrby, P.-O.; Pintauer, T.; Poli, P.; Richard, R. Macromolecules 2003, 36, 8551−8559] at the same level on corresponding R−X systems (X = Cl, Br, I, N3, S2CNMe2), the results reveal significant steric and polar effects on the BDE. Particularly bulky R groups (tBu, C(CH3)2COOMe) yield relatively weaker R−S2CZ (Z = Me, Ph) bonds, such that the radical transfer process to R‘−S2CZ where R‘ is less sterically encumbering (e.g., CH(CH3)COOMe) is less favorable, when compared to the same transfer to R‘−Cl (or R‘−Br). As indicated by an analysis of DFT computed natural charges, electronegative substituents in the α position of the R group (F, OMe, OAc, and also m...
Orogenic and glacial research in pristine southern Alaska

Southern Alaska is an exceptional natural laboratory for studying a range of geologic problems, including the links between orogenic processes, landscape modification by glacial processes, and continental margin sedimentation. Geologic processes operate at rapid rates along the southern Alaskan margin, which allows scientists to concurrently collect data on tectonic deformation, uplift, erosion, and sedimentation, and develop comprehensive models that connect these diverse processes. Significant advancements have been made in studying fundamental geologic processes in this region. However, efforts to link these into comprehensive models are in their infancy and fundamental research questions remain. The National Science Foundation's MARGINS Source-to-Sink program (see http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/margins/SciencePlan.15Novpdf) will provide an interdisciplinary group of geoscientists the opportunity to merge these studies and significantly advance our understanding of continental margins.
Real-Time Volumetric Flow Measurements With Complex-Difference MRI

Blood flow in large vessels can be noninvasively evaluated with phase-contrast (PC) MRI by encoding the spin velocity to the image phase. Conventional phase-difference processing of the flow-encoded image data yields velocity images. Complex-difference processing is an alternative to phase-difference methods, and has the advantage of eliminating signal from stationary spins. In this study, two acquisitions with differential flow encoding are subtracted to yield a single projection that contains signal from only those spins moving in the direction of the flow-encoding gradients. The increase in acquisition efficiency allows real-time flow imaging with a temporal window as short as two acquisition lengths (60 ms). Validation of the complex-difference method by comparison with conventional gated-segmented PC-MRI in a flow phantom yielded a correlation of r > 0.99. Peak arterial flow rates in the popliteal artery and desending aorta measured in vivo with the complex-difference method were 0.92 ± 0.06 of the values measured with conventional PC imaging. Real-time in vivo volumetric flow imaging of transient flow events is also presented.
Neuro-simulation analysis of pressure maintenance operations in gas condensate reservoirs

The study of near-critical gas reservoirs, or gas condensate reservoirs, has been a fertile area of research in the last decades, especially because of their singular depletion behavior which cast them apart from other types of oil and gas reservoirs. Typically, exploiting a gas condensate reservoir without pressure maintenance generates high surface gas recoveries with relatively low condensate recoveries. Appearance of a hydrocarbon liquid phase upon isothermal depletion is typical of these systems, and major concerns arise related to the loss of this valuable fraction of heavier hydrocarbons and the associated impairment in gas production around the wellbore region. To provide reservoir pressure support, the injection of either surface gas or other gases such as nitrogen is common for pressure maintenance purposes. Pressure maintenance is economically justified by keeping the reservoir pressure above dew point or revaporizing any valuable condensate that might have formed. The convenience of the gas injection operation for a specific gas condensate reservoir is strongly tied to the flow characteristics of the reservoir and phase behavior of the fluid. Highly sophisticated and expensive compositional simulations are usually employed in order to estimate reservoir performance under gas cycling operations. In this study, we propose the implementation of artificial neural network (ANN) technology towards the establishment of an expert system capable of learning the existing vaguely understood relationships between the input parameters and output response of compositional simulation of gas cycling operations in gas condensate reservoirs. Parametric studies are conducted which identify the most influential reservoir and fluid characteristics in the establishment of optimum production protocols for the implementation of the pressure maintenance operation. As a result, a powerful tool for the implementation of pressure maintenance operations in gas condensate reservoirs is developed. This tool is capable of assisting in designing an optimized exploitation scheme for a particular reservoir under consideration for development. Fast, reliable, and inexpensive results are obtained using the proposed approach while capturing the important flow and thermodynamic characteristics inherent to such systems without resorting to detailed and expensive compositional simulation studies.
Global analysis of composite particles

The theory of vibrations of a composite particle when vibrational amplitudes are not constrained to be small according to the Eckart conditions is developed using the methods of differential topology. A global classical Hamiltonian appropriate for this system is given, and for the case of the molecular vibration–rotation problem, it is transformed into a global quantum Hamiltonian operator. It is shown that the zeroth-order term in the global Hamiltonian operator is identical to the Wilson–Howard Hamiltonian; higher-order terms are shown to give successively better approximations to the large amplitude problem. Generalized Eckart conditions are derived for the global classical Hamiltonian; the quantum equivalent of these conditions along with the quantum equivalent of the Eckart conditions are given. The spectrum of the global Hamiltonian operator is discussed and it is shown that the calculation of the vibration–rotation energy states of the system reduces to the same straight-forward procedure, the solution of a secular determinant, as was carried out for the Wilson–Howard Hamiltonian at a later time by Nielsen.
Juvenile sex offenders in the United States and Australia: A comparison

This article provides a comparative analysis of juvenile sex offenders in the USA and Australia. Juvenile sex offenders are shown to have common characteristics that include prior childhood abuse, experiences with sibling incest, possession of specific psychological dysfunctions, and dysfunctional familial backgrounds. These characteristics are common to juvenile sex offenders in both countries, pointing to the likelihood of universal typological determinations. Further, treatment programs for juvenile sex offenders in both countries are shown to be similar in structure, orientation and overall effectiveness. From the compiled research in both countries, it is shown that early childhood factors as well as post-offense interventions have similarities that support the notion that juvenile sex offenders have a universal basis in etiology and recidivism.
Proteins to order

Abstract There is a buzz of excitement and discussion in the protein folding and design community following the publication of papers by Stephen Mayo and colleagues, describing the implementation of their new computer-assisted strategy for protein design.
Optimal current waveforms for brushless permanent magnet motors

In this paper, we give energy-optimal current waveforms for a permanent magnet synchronous motor that result in a desired average torque. Our formulation generalises previous work by including a general back-electromotive force (EMF) wave shape, voltage and current limits, an arbitrary phase winding connection, a simple eddy current loss model, and a trade-off between power loss and torque ripple. Determining the optimal current waveforms requires solving a small convex optimisation problem. We show how to use the alternating direction method of multipliers to find the optimal current in milliseconds or hundreds of microseconds, depending on the processor used, which allows the possibility of generating optimal waveforms in real time. This allows us to adapt in real time to changes in the operating requirements or in the model, such as a change in resistance with winding temperature, or even gross changes like the failure of one winding. Suboptimal waveforms are available in tens or hundreds of microsecon...
NASPA's Journal of College and Character Will Move to Berkeley Electronic Press in 2010

NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education is pleased to announce its partnership with Berkeley Electronic Press (bepress) to publish Journal of College and Character. Bepress is one of the largest and most respected electronic publishers of professional journals. It currently publishes more than 150 professional journals.
Early Prenatal Care in Urban Black and White Women

: If the ultimate success of efforts to improve pregnancy outcome depends on assurance that prenatal care begins in the first trimester, it is important to identify potentially modifiable factors associated with the start of care as well as the groups in which it is most likely to be late. This topic was explored in a population-based study of low birthweight in 766 black women and 462 white women who gave birth in Alameda County, California, in 1987. Variables related to insurance coverage and financial status showed the greatest difference between early and late attenders at prenatal care in both groups. At virtually every level of almost every variable studied, black women were less likely than white women to begin prenatal care in the first trimester. The data suggested that some of the difference in the timing of prenatal care may be due to lack of awareness of, or failure to pay attention to, the signs of early pregnancy. We conclude that, although addressing problems of insurance coverage and financial status is critical to the solution of the problem of late initiation of prenatal care, as financing difficulties are solved, attention should be paid to women's internal factors such as depression and denial as modifiers of the earliness of seeking prenatal care.
The effects of purine nucleoside analogs on the response of the RIF-1 tumor to melphalan in vivo.

Abstract The effect of several purine nucleoside analogs on the cytotoxicity of melphalan (L-PAM) in the RIF-1 tumor in vivo was investigated. All the analogs tested-3′-deoxyguanosine (3′-dG 3′-deoxyadenosine (3′-dA), and N 6 -butyryl-3′-deoxyadenosine (N 6 -BC)—at a dose of 100 mg/kg, enhanced the tumor cell killing by L-PAM as measured by an in vivo/in vitro procedure. This enhancement was maximal when the drugs were given simultaneously. The mean enhancement ratios (ER's) determined from the L-PAM dose response curves were 1.4 for 3′-dG, 1.3 for 3′-dA, and 1.4 for N 6 -BC. A similar modification of the L-PAM-induced depression of white blood cell counts was not obtained. A large single dose of L-PAM (8 mg/kg) produced a transient drop in mouse body temperature. The analog 3′-dG (100 mg/kg) increased and prolonged this hypothermic effect. In addition 3′-dG also delayed the clearance of L-PAM from the plasma of C3H mice, such that the half-life of the chemotherapeutic agent was extended from 28 minutes to 35 minutes. The enhancement of the efficacy of L-PAM by these analogs probably results from this pharmacokinetic effect.
Learning motion primitive goals for robust manipulation

Applying model-free reinforcement learning to manipulation remains challenging for several reasons. First, manipulation involves physical contact, which causes discontinuous cost functions. Second, in manipulation, the end-point of the movement must be chosen carefully, as it represents a grasp which must be adapted to the pose and shape of the object. Finally, there is uncertainty in the object pose, and even the most carefully planned movement may fail if the object is not at the expected position. To address these challenges we 1) present a simplified, computationally more efficient version of our model-free reinforcement learning algorithm PI2; 2) extend PI2 so that it simultaneously learns shape parameters and goal parameters of motion primitives; 3) use shape and goal learning to acquire motion primitives that are robust to object pose uncertainty. We evaluate these contributions on a manipulation platform consisting of a 7-DOF arm with a 4-DOF hand.
Non-variational nature of the functional obtained by testing with a Dirac delta function

Since the Dirac delta function is not a conventional function, it must be approximated by a conventional function h/sub c/, that is large in a small neighborhood of the location of the delta function and is zero elsewhere. Moreover, the integral of h/sub c/, must be unity. It was found that increasing the number of expansion functions will usually increase the accuracy of the moment approximation to any conventional function but not the moment approximation to a delta function because increasing the number of expansion functions shrinks the "effective domain" of the delta function, making the delta function more difficult to approximate. The "effective domain" is the domain outside of which the approximation to the delta function is very small. >
High Endogenous Salivary Amylase Activity Is Associated with Improved Glycemic Homeostasis following Starch Ingestion in Adults

In the current study, we determined whether increased digestion of starch by high salivary amylase concentrations predicted postprandial blood glucose following starch ingestion. Healthy, nonobese individuals were prescreened for salivary amylase activity and classified as high (HA) or low amylase (LA) if their activity levels per minute fell 1 SD higher or lower than the group mean, respectively. Fasting HA (n = 7) and LA (n = 7) individuals participated in 2 sessions during which they ingested either a starch (experimental) or glucose solution (control) on separate days. Blood samples were collected before, during, and after the participants drank each solution. The samples were analyzed for plasma glucose and insulin concentrations as well as diploid AMY1 gene copy number. HA individuals had significantly more AMY1 gene copies within their genomes than did the LA individuals. We found that following starch ingestion, HA individuals had significantly lower postprandial blood glucose concentrations at 45, 60, and 75 min, as well as significantly lower AUC and peak blood glucose concentrations than the LA individuals. Plasma insulin concentrations in the HA group were significantly higher than baseline early in the testing session, whereas insulin concentrations in the LA group did not increase at this time. Following ingestion of the glucose solution, however, blood glucose and insulin concentrations did not differ between the groups. These observations are interpreted to suggest that HA individuals may be better adapted to ingest starches, whereas LA individuals may be at greater risk for insulin resistance and diabetes if chronically ingesting starch-rich diets.
Elective Stenting of Symptomatic Basilar Artery Stenosis

Background and Purpose—Percutaneous angioplasty of the intracranial arteries still carries the risk of dissection, with acute closure and embolization. Stenting has been shown to improve the safety and durability of angioplasty in every circulatory bed in which it has been applied. However, stenting of the intracranial arteries has been limited by the availability of stents that can be reliably deployed intracranially. Methods—Twelve patients underwent elective stenting of the basilar artery after episodes of vertebrobasilar ischemia. In all patients, either medical therapy had failed or the patient had a contraindication for long-term anticoagulation. Information from independent neurological examinations, quantitative angiography, and clinical follow-up was collected. Differences between pretreatment and posttreatment degree of stenoses were subjected to 1-way ANOVA for repeated measures. Results—There were 10 men and 2 women, all white, aged 40 to 82 years (mean age, 62.6 years). Stent placement was su...
Proposed Mechanism for the Antioxygenic Action of Trypsin in Milk

Abstract The treatment of milk with trypsin (3.4.4.4) increases the resistance of milk lipids to oxidation as demonstrated by flavor scores and thiobarbiturie acid. Evidence from milk points to the conclusion that the antioxygenic effect of the enzyme is due to its ability to increase the copper binding capacity of milk and is a function of the degree of proteolysis. Electrophoretic analysis of major milk proteins revealed that trypsin hydrolyzes casein but not the β -lactoglobulins.
Substrate-constrained deformation in thin metal films: numerical case studies

Numerical analyses of deformation in thin metal films are presented, with a focus on the effect of physical constraint imposed by the underlying substrate material. Continuum-based finite element modelling is used, for the purpose of establishing an overall mechanistic view without recourse to microstructural details. The model systems consist of aluminium in the thin-film form, with possible silicon, polyimide or silicon dioxide directly bonded to the metal. Particular attention is devoted to correlating the overall material response with the evolution of local stress and deformation fields. We highlight certain unique features to help facilitate a better understanding of the deformation characteristics and clarify some common misconceptions.
A Homologue of the Recombination-Dependent Growth Gene, rdgC, Is Involved in Gonococcal Pilin Antigenic Variation

Neisseria gonorrhoeae pilin undergoes high-frequency changes in primary amino acid sequence that aid in the avoidance of the host immune response and alter pilus expression. The pilin amino acid changes reflect nucleotide changes in the expressed gene, pilE, which result from nonreciprocal recombination reactions with numerous silent loci, pilS. A series of mini-transposon insertions affecting pilin antigenic variation were localized to three genes in one region of the Gc chromosome. Mutational analysis with complementation showed that a Gc gene with sequence similarity to the Escherichia coli rdgC gene is involved in pilus-dependent colony phase variation and in pilin antigenic variation. Furthermore, we show that the Gc rdgC homologue is transcriptionally linked in an operon with a gene encoding a predicted GTPase. The inability to disrupt expression of this gene suggests it is an essential gene (engA, essential neisserial GTPase). While some of the transposon mutations in rdgC and insertions in the 5'-untranslated portion of engA showed a growth defect, all transposon insertions investigated conferred an aberrant cellular morphology. Complementation analysis showed that the growth deficiencies are due to the interruption of RdgC expression and not that of EngA. The requirement of RdgC for efficient pilin variation suggests a role for this protein in specialized DNA recombination reactions.
Attenuation by valproate of c-fos immunoreactivity in trigeminal nucleus caudalis induced by intracisternal capsaicin.

1. Valproic acid, useful in the treatment of migraine, is an inhibitor of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) aminotransferase and activator of glutamic acid decarboxylase. Its mechanism in migraine remains obscure. The effects of valproic acid (2-propylpentanoic acid) were examined on the number of cells expressing c-fos-like immunoreactivity (c-fos-LI), a marker of neuronal activation, within the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (lamina I, IIo, TNC) 2 h after intracisternal injection of the irritant, capsaicin (0.1 ml; 15.25 micrograms ml-1), in urethane-anaesthetized Hartley guinea-pigs. Positive cells were counted in eighteen sections (50 microns) at three representative levels (rostral, middle and caudal) within lamina I, IIo of the TNC in 90 animals. 2. Numerous cells were labelled after capsaicin instillation (244 +/- 25; 1 ml; 15.25 mM) but not after capsaicin vehicle (11 +/- 1). Positive cells were also found within the medial reticular nucleus, the area postrema and the nucleus of the solitary tract. A similar distribution has been demonstrated previously after application of intracisternal irritants such as autologous blood or carrageenin. 3. Valproate (> or = 10 mg kg-1, i.p.) reduced labelled cells by 52% (P < 0.05) in lamina I, IIo but not within the area postrema, the nucleus of the solitary tract or the medial reticular nucleus. A similar finding was obtained previously after administration of sumatriptan, dihydroergotamine or the NK1 receptor antagonist RPR 100,893. 4. Pretreatment with bicuculline (30 micrograms kg-1; i.p.), a GABAA antagonist, but not phaclofen (1 mg kg-1) a GABAB antagonist, reversed the effect of valproate and increased c-fos positive cells within lamina I, IIo. Somewhat paradoxically, bicuculline by itself (30 micrograms kg-1 i.p.) decreased the number of labelled cells suggesting that more than a single GABAergic mechanism can suppress c-fos expression. 5. We conclude that the mechanism of action of valproate is mediated via GABAA receptors. Since valproate decreases both c-fos expression and as previously shown, neurogenic inflammation within the meninges, the GABAA receptor complex might provide an important target for drug development in migraine and related headaches.
TESTS FOR STRUCTURAL CHANGE IN COINTEGRATED SYSTEMS

This paper considers tests for structural change of the cointegrating vector and the adjustment vector in the error correction model with an unknown change point. This paper derives new tests for structural change, which are applicable to maximum likelihood estimation. Our tests for structural change of the cointegrating vector have the same nonstandard asymptotic distributions that have been found by Hansen (1992a, Journal of Business and Economic Statistics 10, 321–335). In contrast, the tests on the adjustment vector have the same asymptotic distributions that have been found by Andrews and Ploberger (1994, Econometrica 62, 1383–1414) for models with stationary variables. Asymptotic critical values are provided.
StarClique: guaranteeing user privacy in social networks against intersection attacks

Building on the popularity of online social networks (OSNs) such as Facebook, social content-sharing applications allow users to form communities around shared interests. Millions of users worldwide use them to share recommendations on everything from music and books to resources on the web. However, their increasing popularity is beginning to attract the attention of malicious attackers. As social network credentials become valued targets of phishing attacks and social worms, attackers look to leverage compromised accounts for further financial gain.In this paper, we analyze the state of privacy protection in social content-sharing applications, describe effective privacy attacks against today's social networks, and propose anonymization techniques to protect users. We show that simple protection mechanisms such as anonymizing shared data can still leave users open to social intersection attacks, where a small number of compromised users can identify the originators of shared content. Modeling this as a graph anonymization problem, we propose to provide users with k-anonymity privacy guarantees by augmenting the social graph with "latent edges." We identify StarClique, a locally minimal graph structure required for users to attain k-anonymity, where at worst, a user is identified as one of k possible contributors of a data object. We prove the correctness of our approach using analysis. Finally, using experiments driven by traces from the del.icio.us social bookmark site, we demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of our approach on real-world systems.
LOCATIONAL PROBLEMS AND PREFERENCES IN PRESCHOOL CHILD CARE

With the increased use of formal child care, the number of child care alternatives has grown. The locational problems and preferences of University of Connecticut employees who use formal child care for children under age 6 are examined because an on-site program is available as one option. Difficulty finding care at a convenient location is related to residential location. Preference for worksite care decreases with increasing commuting distance. Variations in reported locational preferences by commuting zone are consistent with the notion of locating services within the activity spaces of the users. As commuting distance increases, worksite day care represents a greater displacement from the activity spaces of the child and possibly of other family members.
Doppler variance imaging for three-dimensional retina and choroid angiography

We demonstrate the use of Doppler variance (standard deviation) imaging for 3-D in vivo angiography in the human eye. In addition to the regular optical Doppler tomography velocity and structural images, we use the variance of blood flow velocity to map the retina and choroid vessels. Variance imaging is subject to bulk motion artifacts as in phase-resolved Doppler imaging, and a histogram-based method is proposed for bulk-motion correction in variance imaging. Experiments were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for 3-D vasculature imaging of human retina and choroid.
Evaluation of in vitro effects of 50 and 60 Hz magnetic fields in regional EMF exposure facilities.

Abstract Boorman, G. A., Owen, R. D., Lotz, W. G. and Galvin, M. J., Jr. Evaluation of In Vitro Effects of 50 and 60 Hz Magnetic Fields in Regional EMF Exposure Facilities. A weak association between magnetic-field exposure and increased incidences of cancer has been reported. While alterations in cellular processes after in vitro magnetic-field exposures have also been reported to provide plausibility for this association, other laboratories have been unable to repeat the findings. As part of an accelerated electric- and magnetic-field (EMF) research program, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences with the Department of Energy identified the replication of the published positive effects as a priority. Regional EMF exposure facilities were established to investigate major in vitro effects from the literature. These included effects on gene expression, intracellular calcium, colony growth in soft agar, and ornithine decarboxylase activity. The laboratories that first reported these effects...
The Bowel: Contamination, Colostomies, and Combat Surgery

Traumatic bowel injury in the combat casualty is extremely common and you must be comfortable with its management. Luckily, despite all that is written, the basic principles that govern the operative management for traumatic bowel injury boil down to control of hemorrhage and contamination, assessment of bowel viability, determination of need to resect vs. repair, and choice of reconstruction. Combat casualties tend to present with a multitude of injuries from combined mechanisms, so they must often be managed through means not typical of civilian trauma surgery. This is not the setting or the patient population to “try out” some great new technique you just read about or to push the envelope of primary reconstruction. While there are many ways to “skin a cat”, we will present you with some techniques and advice that we found useful in the management of these complex injuries.
Tea nanoparticle, a safe and biocompatible nanocarrier, greatly potentiates the anticancer activity of doxorubicin.

// Yi-Jun Wang 1 , Yujian Huang 2 , Nagaraju Anreddy 1 , Guan-Nan Zhang 1 , Yun-Kai Zhang 1 , Meina Xie 1 , Derrick Lin 2 , Dong-Hua Yang 1 , Mingjun Zhang 2 , Zhe-Sheng Chen 1 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA 2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA Correspondence to: Zhe-Sheng Chen, e-mail: chenz@stjohns.edu Mingjun Zhang, e-mail: zhang.4882@osu.edu Keywords: tea nanoparticle, tumor xenograft, multidrug resistance, drug delivery, biocompatibility Received: September 02, 2015 Accepted: November 25, 2015 Published: December 21, 2015 ABSTRACT An infusion-dialysis based procedure has been developed as an approach to isolate organic nanoparticles from green tea. Tea nanoparticle (TNP) can effectively load doxorubicin (DOX) via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. We established an ABCB1 overexpressing tumor xenograft mouse model to investigate whether TNP can effectively deliver DOX into tumors and bypass the efflux function of the ABCB1 transporter, thereby increasing the intratumoral accumulation of DOX and potentiating the anticancer activity of DOX. MTT assays suggested that DOX-TNP showed higher cytotoxicity toward CCD-18Co, SW620 and SW620/Ad300 cells than DOX. Animal study revealed that DOX-TNP resulted in greater inhibitory effects on the growth of SW620 and SW620/Ad300 tumors than DOX. In pharmacokinetics study, DOX-TNP greatly increased the SW620 and SW620/Ad300 intratumoral concentrations of DOX. But DOX-TNP had no effect on the plasma concentrations of DOX. Furthermore, TNP is a safe nanocarrier with excellent biocompatibility and minimal toxicity. Ex vivo IHC analysis of SW620 and SW620/Ad300 tumor sections revealed evidence of prominent antitumor activity of DOX-TNP. In conclusion, our findings suggested that natural nanomaterials could be useful in combating multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells and potentiating the anticancer activity of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer treatment.
A Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of the Spleen

The reticulum and vascular sinuses of the normal rat spleen were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Observations were also made of erythrocytes, macrophages, platelets, and other migratory elements. Reticular cells of the periarterial lymphatic sheath, the marginal zone, and cordal spaces were large, bulky, irregular cells with broad processes that formed a spongework. When marked retraction of these cells was induced in the drying phase of tissue preparation, they showed the slender multiple fingerlike processes characteristic of the argyrophilic reticulum. The reticular cells at the periphery of the periarterial lymphatic sheath were flattened and formed cylinders about the central artery. They were, moreover, associated with unusually heavy extracellular fibers. Vascular sinuses were suspended in the reticulum by attachments of cordal reticular cells and of fibrillar reticulum to the adventitial surface. Adventitial cells of the sinus, moreover, branched into the cords. Endothelial cells typically lay side by side without gaps, except as migratory cells passed through the wall. Erythrocytes were commonly observed in passage across the sinus wall. In sinuses and cords, they were often swollen, irregular, and bore blebs and crenulations. Macrophages displayed rich surface folds and processes. Platelets were abundant and were adherent to the surface of reticular cells and the endothelium of sinuses. Such adherence appeared to be the manner in which the platelets were sequestered in the spleen.
Pleading and Access to Civil Procedure: Historical and Comparative Reflections on Iqbal, a Day in Court and a Decision According to Law

The Iqbal decision confirms the breakdown of contemporary American civil procedure. We know what civil procedure should do, and we know that our civil procedure is not doing it. Civil procedure should facilitate determining rights according to law. It should help courts and parties apply law to facts accurately, fairly, expeditiously and efficiently. This article reflects on three historic American system failures and reports a foreign success story.Pleadings can help courts do what we know courts should do: decide case on the merits, accurately, fairly, expeditiously and efficiently. Pleadings facilitate a day in court when focused on deciding according to law. Pleadings are, however, only part of the process of determining rights and of applying law to facts. They cannot do it all. Their utility is limited by the interdependent nature of determining law and finding facts to apply law to facts.The United States has had three principal systems of civil procedure; all three have failed. The United States has used three principal forms of pleading - common law pleading, fact pleading, and notice pleading; all three have proven in-adequate. None has achieved both accuracy and expedition; none has managed both fairness and efficiency. Although wildly different in what they have required of pleading, all three systems of civil procedure have shared common flaws: they have expected too much of lawyers and not enough of judges. They have allowed issue deciding to substitute for law applying. Since 1877 Germany has had only one system of civil procedure; that system has worked well. It has stood the test of time. Its unchallenged and unchanged basic principle is that parties provide facts and courts apply law. Da mihi factum, dabo tibi jus. Parties and courts cooperate. Pleading is only the beginning of that cooperation. Pleading leads directly to a day in court. Pleading directs the court down the path to a decision according to law.
Directional Solidification Stage With Dynamically Variable Speeds: Assessment of Cell Viability After Interrupted Cooling

A two-step directional freezing method was utilized to assess the membrane integrity in frozen/thawed adult stem cells (ASCs). Using a custom built directional solidification stage (DSS) we determined that cells cooled at two different rates (i.e., a slower rate between room temperature, 27 °C and −10 °C and a higher rate between −10 °C and −60 °C) experienced significantly higher loss of cell viability when compared with those cooled at a single and uniform slower cooling rate between 27 °C and −60 °C. Specifically, the cells cooled using the two-step freezing method exhibited a post-thaw cell viability of ∼17% while those that were cooled using the traditional method exhibited a cell viability of 49%. We also found that varying the cooling rate between 27 °C and −10 °C did not significantly affect the post-thaw viability of ASCs, suggesting that they are not susceptible to supra-zero cooling injury.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Which Lifelong Activities Are Held in Highest Regard by Physical Education Stakeholders in Michigan: Can Stakeholders Agree? A Delphi Study.

The purpose of this study was to identify what lifelong activities stakeholders agree upon as most important to include in physical education programs. Little research has been conducted regarding which lifelong activities are most important to include in the curriculum and if there is consensus in priorities across program stakeholders. Consensus among stakeholders at the local level would contribute to program support and guide program planning. Three hundred fifty subjects were drawn from 15 school districts across Michigan and five professional organizations with a stake in physical education programming. Subjects completed three rounds of a Delphi study, in which they shared opinions and rated the relative importance of lifelong activities. Swimming, jogging/power walking, and strength training were the highest rated of the 64 activities that received a rating in the final round. The mean dispersion of ratings by stakeholders decreased on 82 of the 86 activities, demonstrating an increase in agreement as a result of the Delphi study. The rank order of activities based on mean ratings also changed during the study. The decrease in the dispersion in ratings and the change in rank order based on ratings support the use of the Delphi as a consensus-building tool.
Abstract 5342: Assessing EWS/FLI1 activity as a read-out for small-molecule drug screening in Ewing's sarcoma

Background: Ewing9s sarcoma (ES) is the second most common bone malignancy in children and adolescents and accounts for approximately three percent of pediatric cancers. The hallmark of Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors (ESFT) is a chromosomal translocation involving the EWS gene on chromosome 22q12 with a member of the ETS transcription factor family. The derived EWS/FLI1 chimeric fusion protein, found in 85% of tumors, is a potent transcription factor, regulating malignant transformation and maintenance of the oncogenic phenotype by aberrant expression of its target genes. Hence, EWS/FLI1 represents an attractive therapeutic target whose transcriptional activity might be modulated by already existing small molecule inhibitors. Material and Methods: We screened the LOPAC1280 library (Sigma-Aldrich) consisting of 1280 different drug-like and well annotated compounds covering all major drug types. In addition we screened a smaller library composed of the latest targeted agents in the field of oncology, including most characterized kinase inhibitors. The effect of the compounds on EWS/FLI1 transcriptional activity was measured in three ES cell lines, using quantitative RT-PCR. Our read out was relative expression of three well-described EWS/FLI1 target genes: NR0B1, NKX2.2 and CAV1 and one new target gene, PHLDA1 (unpublished data) as well as the expression of the fusion protein itself. In parallel we measured proliferation using WST-1 assays. Results: We identified several well known chemotherapeutics such as camptothecin, doxorubicin, vincristine and etoposide as modulators of EWS/FLI1 target gene expression. The current usage of some of these agents in the treatment of Ewing9s sarcoma validated our screening approach in an ideal and unbiased way. In addition we identified inhibitors targeting several signalling pathways, both known and unknown to play a role in sarcomas. The most prominent among them is the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, playing a prominent role in many cancer types. Three inhibitors targeting this pathway revealed a significant modulation of EWS/FLI1 target genes and a strong inhibition of cell proliferation in all three ES cell lines. Conclusion: Screening of small molecule inhibitors was used to identify inhibitors of potential molecular pathways regulating the transcriptional activity of EWS/FLI1. Work continues to investigate these pathways in more detail on the molecular level. Genetic-loss of function experiments will be carried out to exclude unspecific off-target effects. Our findings will help to prioritize specific pathway inhibitors for more detailed investigations to accelerate the development of improved and novel therapeutics. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5342. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5342
Frosting on the cake: pictures on food packaging bias serving size.

Objective Food packaging often pictures supplementary extras, such as toppings or frosting, that are not listed on the nutritional labelling. The present study aimed to assess if these extras might exaggerate how many calories † are pictured and if they lead consumers to overserve. Design Four studies were conducted in the context of fifty-one different cake mixes. For these cake mixes, Study 1 compared the calories stated on the nutrition label with the calories of the cake (and frosting) pictured on the box. In Studies 2, 3 and 4, undergraduates (Studies 2 and 3) or food-service professionals (Study 4) were given one of these typical cake mix boxes, with some being told that cake frosting was not included on the nutritional labelling whereas others were provided with no additional information. They were then asked to indicate what they believed to be a reasonable serving size of cake. Settings Laboratory setting. Subjects Undergraduate students and food-service professionals. Results Study 1 showed that the average calories of cake and frosting pictured on the package of fifty-one different cake mixes exceed the calories on the nutritional label by 134 %. Studies 2 and 3 showed that informing consumers that the nutritional information does not include frosting reduces how much people serve. Study 4 showed that even food-service professionals overserve if not told that frosting is not included on the nutritional labelling. Conclusions To be less misleading, packaging should either not depict extras in its pictures or it should more boldly and clearly state that extras are not included in calorie counts.
Indicators of climate change and social vulnerability in fishing dependent communities along the Eastern and Gulf Coasts of the United States

Abstract Changing climatic conditions are affecting the relationship between fishing communities and the marine resources they depend on. This shift will require an adaptive response on the part of policy makers and fishery managers. In the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established, in its fisheries agency (NOAA Fisheries), a set of social indicators of fishing community vulnerability and resilience to evaluate the impacts of changes in fishery management regimes. These indicators enhance the analytical capabilities within NOAA Fisheries for conducting fisheries social impact assessments and informing ecosystem-based fishery management. Building on the existing Community Social Vulnerability Indicators (CSVIs), new measures of climate change vulnerability are defined for the U.S. Eastern and Gulf coasts. These new indicators are used to assess the impact of sea level rise on critical commercial fishing infrastructure and the dependence of communities on species identified as vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Examples are provided in this article to demonstrate the utility of these new indicators to policy makers and the NOAA strategic goal for building resilient coastal communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable. Integration of CSVIs and the new climate change vulnerability indices highlight community needs for unique solutions in order to adapt to environmental and social changes and maintain their well-being.
Research of enterprise application integration model based on SOA

There are many problems in traditional EAI,including poor nature of integration,extension,flexibility and so on.A new model S_EAI based on SOA is presented.This model has such merits as loose-couple,cross-platform,reusable and so on.The model,which is divided into user interaction layer,service-bus layer,service-assembly layer and infrastructure layer,realizes the separation of user,basic data and enterprise application,changes and encapsulates the business flow to standard-based,loose-couple services.A platform is designed based on S_EAI on which we can develop project directly and promote the rate of service development.It provides a new plan for the EAI and has been successfully applied.
Arthroscopic Training Courses Improve Trainee Arthroscopy Skills: A Simulation-Based Prospective Trial

Purpose To evaluate the correlation between timed task performance on an arthroscopy shoulder simulator and participation in a standardized expert shoulder arthroscopy educational course. Methods Orthopaedic trainees were voluntarily recruited from over 25 residency programs throughout the United States and Canada. Each trainee was tested on arrival at the Arthroscopy Association of North America orthopaedic learning center on a virtual reality arthroscopy shoulder simulator, and his or her performance was objectively scored. Each trainee's postgraduate year level was recorded, as was his or her experience in residency with shoulder arthroscopy as measured by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case-log totals. After the focused 4-day training curriculum consisting of didactics and cadaveric experience, each trainee was re-evaluated on the same simulator. Statistical analysis was performed to determine if participation in the course was associated with changes in simulation performance from before to after assessment. Results Forty-eight trainees completed the testing. On completion of the course, trainees showed significant improvements in all objective measures recorded by the simulator. Total probe distance needed to complete the task decreased by 42% (from 420.4 mm to 245.3 mm, P P P Conclusions This study shows objective improvement in orthopaedic trainee basic arthroscopy skill and proficiency after a standardized 4-day arthroscopy training curriculum. The results validate the Arthroscopy Association of North America resident training course and its curriculum with objective evidence of benefit. Level of Evidence Level III, prospective study of nonconsecutive participants.