cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enzyme biosynthesis versus enzyme activity as a basis for microbial toxicity testing

A toxicity assay based on inhibition of β-galactosidase biosynthesis was compared to a similar assay based on inhibition of β-galactosidase activity. In both tests, Escherichia coli grown in a minimal medium was exposed to isopropyl-β-thiogalactoside to induce β-galactosidase biosynthesis. The induction step preceded contact of cells with the toxicant in the enzyme activity assay, whereas in the enzyme biosynthesis test, the inducer was added following contact of cells with the toxicant. Relative sensitivity was judged on the basis of responses to the heavy metals Hg2+, Cu2+, and Cd2+, and the organics 3,4-dichlorophenol, formaldehyde, Hydrothol, phenol, sodium dodecyl sulphate, and toluene. Comparison of these results to the IC50s achieved with other microbial systems, Daphnia bioassay, and fish bioassay indicates that the enzyme activity test was moderately sensitive to heavy metals but was insensitive to organic toxicants. The test based on inhibition of enzyme biosynthesis was sensitive to both heavy metals and toxic organics.
A learning architecture for control based on back-propagation neural networks

A neural-network-based control architecture has been developed which can autonomously learn to perform kinematic control of an unknown system and/or adapt to a system which changes over time. It can control continuous-valued system variables to arbitrary accuracy using a small number of neurons. It learns to control the system more accurately than an analytically calculated controller. It is fault-tolerant in the presence of a large number (e.g., 30%) of component failures. The architecture has been used to learn to control a simulated robot arm of initially unknown characteristics. The simulations run in near real time. >
An adaptive control strategy for space based robot manipulators

The authors present a novel adaptive control method for space-based robots which achieves globally stable trajectory tracking in the presence of uncertainties in the inertial parameters of the system. They begin with a partitioning of the fifteen-degree-of-freedom system dynamics into two component: a nine-degree-of-freedom invertible portion and a six-degree-of-freedom noninvertible portion. The controller is then designed to achieve trajectory tracking of the invertible portion of the system. This portion of the system consists of the manipulator joint positions and the orientation of the base. The motion of the noninvertible portion is bounded but unpredictable. This portion of the system consists of the position of the robot's base and the position of the reaction wheels. Simulation results are presented on a space-based robot with five revolute joints and one prismatic joint. >
Large-volume injection PTV-GC-MS analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air and sediment samples.

Abstract For the analysis of trace organic pollutants in environmental samples using a gas chromatographic (GC) instrument, large-volume injection using the programmable temperature vaporization (PTV) technique has many advantages over the traditional split/splitless injection. By increasing the injection volume from 1 or 2 μL with a split/splitless inlet to 60 μL or higher with the PTV inlet, analytical sensitivity is greatly enhanced for analytes with low concentrations. Results obtained from optimization of instrument operational parameters for analyzing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are reported in this paper. The laboratory method detection limits for 16 PAHs and six deuterated PAH surrogates were determined using seven replicate spike samples. The initial temperature of the inlet was found to be critical in determining the analytical sensitivity of PAHs with two or three rings due to loss of these relatively highly volatile compounds during solvent vaporization. For most PAHs, the response...
Molecular signatures of ribosomal evolution

Ribosomal signatures, idiosyncrasies in the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and/or proteins, are characteristic of the individual domains of life. As such, insight into the early evolution of the domains can be gained from a comparative analysis of their respective signatures in the translational apparatus. In this work, we identify signatures in both the sequence and structure of the rRNA and analyze their contributions to the universal phylogenetic tree using both sequence- and structure-based methods. Domain-specific ribosomal proteins can be considered signatures in their own right. Although it is commonly assumed that they developed after the universal ribosomal proteins, we present evidence that at least one may have been present before the divergence of the organismal lineages. We find correlations between the rRNA signatures and signatures in the ribosomal proteins showing that the rRNA signatures coevolved with both domain-specific and universal ribosomal proteins. Finally, we show that the genomic organization of the universal ribosomal components contains these signatures as well. From these studies, we propose the ribosomal signatures are remnants of an evolutionary-phase transition that occurred as the cell lineages began to coalesce and so should be reflected in corresponding signatures throughout the fabric of the cell and its genome.
Unreliability of conventional electrocardiography monitoring for arrhythmia detection in coronary care units

To evaluate the reliability of conventional coronary care unit electrocardiographic monitoring, a study was made of 31 consecutive patients with uncomplicated verified acute myocardial infarction. All patients were monitored routinely with conventional equipment, and at the same time the electrocardiogram for each patient was recorded continuously on electromagnetic tape and stored for later analysis by an automated arrhythmia detection system. All patients studied were within 24 hours of the onset of chest pain and on entry into study all were free of shock, heart block, bundle branch block, severe heart failure or an existing arrhythmia. By conventional monitoring, premature ventricular contractions were recognized in 64.5 percent of patients compared with 100 percent using the automated detection system (P <0.01). The corresponding percentages for recognition of premature atrial contractions were 45.2 vs. 96.8 percent (P < 0.001); serious ventricular arrhythmias, 16.1 vs. 93.5 percent (P <0.001); multifocal premature ventricular contractions, 6.5 vs. 87.1 percent (P < 0.001); and consecutive premature ventricular contractions, 13.0 vs. 77.5 percent (P < 0.001), respectively. The delay from the time of first occurrence as detected by the automated system to recognition by the conventional monitoring system averaged 18 hours for premature ventricular contractions, 10 hours for serious ventricular arrhythmias and 23 hours for premature atrial contractions. The on-line use of an automated arrhythmia detection system in the coronary care unit is suggested if further improvement in the elimination of arrhythmias as a primary cause of death after myocardial infarction is to be achieved. The presence of serious ventricular arrhythmias in virtually all patients after myocardial infarction suggests that prophylactic antiarrhythmic agents be used in this setting; however, none of the presently available antiarrhythmic agents have been shown to reduce mortality when given prophylactically following myocardial infarction.
Influence of gypsum board type (X or C) on real fire performance of partition assemblies

This paper compares the responses of wall-size partition assemblies, composed of either type X or type C gypsum wallboard panels over steel studs, when each was exposed to an intense room fire. The exposures lasted from the time of ignition to beyond flashover. Heat flux gauges provided time histories of the energy incident on the partitions, while thermocouples provided data on the propagation of heat through the partitions and on the progress toward perforation. Visual and infrared cameras were used to image partition behaviour during the fire exposure. Contraction of the seams of the two types of assemblies occurred under similar thermal conditions on the unexposed surface. However, there were noticeable differences in cracking behaviour. Reduced scale experiments were performed in conjunction with the real-scale fire tests to provide insight into the contraction and cracking behaviour of the different gypsum board types. Results obtained from these experiments are discussed.
Quality of Colorectal Cancer Care Among Veterans: A 10-Year Retrospective Cohort

Nearly 5,000 patients within Veterans Health Administration (VHA) are diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) annually. However, the link between performance on CRC practice guidelines and outcomes is unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate quality of CRC care by assessing adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines and to determine if receipt of these metrics was associated with improvement in mortality. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent resection for nonmetastatic CRC at VHA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System from 2001 to 2010. We defined “excellent” care as receipt of at least 75 % of eligible NCCN metrics. We also examined time to treatment and the relationship between excellent care and mortality. A total of 331 patients underwent resection for CRC within the study period. Only 47 % of patients received excellent care, and 9 % received 100 % of eligible metrics. The median time from diagnosis to definitive treatment was 22 days [interquartile range (IQR) 12, 41] and 37 days (IQR 24, 56) among colon and rectal cancer patients, respectively. The likelihood of receiving excellent care increased significantly over time. However, there was no association between receipt of excellent care and 5-year all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85; 95 % CI 0.53–1.36]. Although patients received timely care overall, fewer than half of CRC patients received at least 75 % of eligible NCCN metrics. Although receipt of excellent care was not associated with reduction in all-cause mortality, further research is necessary to identify quality metrics likely to influence patient outcomes.
Circulating Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Product Identifies Patients With Bicuspid Aortic Valve and Associated Aortopathies

Objective—A total of 30% to 50% of patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) require surgery for aortic valve replacement (AVR), ascending aortic replacement (AA), or both. To prevent adverse aortic events, they are risk stratified using imperfect criteria based on imaging modalities. As a result, a significant number of dissections occur outside of the parameters suggested by the guidelines. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are associated with valve and vascular remodeling and trigger the release of a soluble receptor (soluble receptor for advanced glycation end product [sRAGE]). This study aims to characterize sRAGE as a diagnostic and risk-stratification tool for patients with BAV referred for surgery. Approach and Results—sRAGE was measured in 135 patients (BAV, n=74; tricuspid aortic valve, n=61) meeting inclusion criteria from 338 enrolled patients undergoing AVR and AA. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. sRAGE level was significantly associated with the presence of BAV, independent of age, sex, and common risk factors for vascular disease (P<0.001). Within the BAV cohort, patients referred for AA and AVR had higher sRAGE values than patients undergoing AVR only (P=0.002). Patients with BAV <60 years of age, presenting with both valve and aortic diseases (fast progressors), had higher sRAGE than older patients who only needed AVR (slow progressors). Histological analysis showed that sRAGE correlates with dysfunctional aortic microstructure and does not correlate with aortic diameter (R 2 =0.007; P=0.51) or diameter/body surface area (R 2 =0.011; P=0.42). Conclusions—These results show that elevated level of circulating sRAGE is associated with the presence of BAV and associated aortopathies, independent of aortic diameter. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2014;34:2349-2357.)
10 GHz, 20 mW, fast locking, adaptive gain PLLs with on-chip frequency calibration for agile frequency synthesis in a 0.18 /spl mu/m digital CMOS process

This paper describes two fully integrated 10 GHz PLLs with an LC-VCO implemented in a 0.18 /spl mu/m native digital CMOS process. In the first version, an adaptive gain circuit along with a wide-swing charge pump improves the lock range and ensures faster settling. The PLL has a 1.6 GHz tuning range, a 0.5 /spl mu/s settling time (for a frequency step equal to 10% of the tuning range), reference sideband power of -58 dBc and phase noise of -105 dBc/Hz at a 10 kHz offset and -120 dBc/Hz at a 20 MHz offset (rms jitter of 1.3 ps) while dissipating less than 20 mW from a 1.6 V power supply. Enhancing the process with deep n-wells appears to improve the noise isolation of the circuit by about 5 dB. The second variant incorporates a combination of coarse and fine tuning for the VCO along with a new frequency calibration circuit based on a digital quadri-correlator. This PLL has a 1.25 GHz tuning range, a 10 /spl mu/s settling time, a reference sideband power below the noise floor and a phase noise of -105 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz and -130 dBc/Hz at 20 MHz from the carrier (rms jitter of 1.2 ps).
Expression of the somatostatin receptor subtype-2 gene predicts response of human pancreatic cancer to octreotide

Background. Somatostatin inhibits proliferation of many solid tumors. The current study examines whether inhibition of the growth of pancreatic cancer by the somatostatin analog, octreotide, requires tumor expression of somatostatin receptors. Methods. We studied five human pancreatic cancer cell lines, Capan-1, Capan-2, CAV, MIA PaCa-2, and Panc-1. Solid tumors were established in nude mice (n = 20/cell line) by flank injection of tumor cells. Subcutaneous octreotide (500 μg/kg/day) was administered by osmotic pumps to 10 of the animals in each group, and the other 10 received control infusions of saline solution. On day 36, the tumors were excised and weighed. Plasma levels of the putative trophic peptides cholecystokinin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and insulin were assessed by radioimmunoassay. Each of the five cell lines was assayed for the presence of cell surface somatostatin receptors by using whole cell competitive binding assays with 125 I-somatostatin. Expression of the somatostatin receptor subtype-2 (SSR2) gene was determined with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions. Southern blot hybridization was used to assess the presence of the SSR2 gene. Results. Octreotide inhibited tumor growth in the MIA PaCa-2 group (512 ± 75 mg control versus 285 ± 71 mg treated ; p < 0.05) but had no significant effect on tumor weight in the other four cell lines. Plasma levels of cholecystokinin, epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, and insulin were not altered by chronic octreotide infusion. Cell surface somatostatin receptors and SSR2 gene expression were detected only in the MIA PaCa-2 tumors. The gene for the SSR2 receptor was found in all five tumor lines. Conclusions. Octreotide-mediated inhibition of pancreatic cancer growth is dependent on expression of somatostatin receptors. The expression of somatostatin receptors should be considered in the design and interpretation of clinical trials with somatostatin analogs for treatment of pancreatic cancer. (Surgery 1996 ;120 :234-41.)
Scalable superhydrophobic coatings based on fluorinated diatomaceous earth: Abrasion resistance versus particle geometry

Abstract Bio-inspired superhydrophobic surfaces were fabricated based on fossilized silica fresh water diatomaceous earth (DE) particles. These nanostructured silicified diatom frustules of cylindrical and circular structures were fluorinated to impart them with superhydrophobic properties. Substrates coated with superhydrophobic DE structures of varying size and shape were found to have water contact angles of approximately 170° and sliding angles of approximately 3°. The substrates were subjected to significant abrasion forces using a standard surface abrader. The ability to retain their superhydrophobic properties was observed to depend on the geometry and average size of the DE particles. The wettability of the abraded coatings was determined by their surface topology, and a transition from a non-wetted state to a partially wetted state was observed to occur and was dependent on the surface roughness. The proposed coatings are scalable, cost-effective, and can be applied on a variety of surfaces on critical infrastructures requiring protection from water saturation, ice formation and water based corrosion.
NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, cytochrome P-450 2C11 and P-450 1A1, and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in livers of rats fed methyl-folate-deficient diets.

Abstract We investigated three hepatic cytochrome P‐450 isozymes and the aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor in rats fed one of the following three diets for 15 months: a diet containing the AIN vitamin mixture (control), the control diet devoid of choline andfolate (CFD), or the CFD diet devoid of niacin (CFND). Hepatic tumors developed in all CFD‐and CFND‐fed rats. Western blot analyses of nontumor hepatic tissue showed that NADPH‐cytochrome P‐450 reductase (P‐450 reductase) increased significantly in the CFD and CFND groups compared with the control group. Hepatic cytochrome P‐450 2C11 (CYP2C11) was not detectable in the CFD and CFND groups compared with the control group. Ah receptor and cytochrome P‐450 1A1 (CYP1A1) were detected in higher amounts in livers of both deficient groups. CYP1A1 is an enzyme associated with bioactivation of exogenous genotoxins. To our knowledge, this is the first time it has been shown that CYP1A1 and the Ah receptor are induced by dietary deficiencies.
State Service Foresters' Attitudes Toward Using Climate and Weather Information When Advising Forest Landowners

Climate change threatens the health of global forests. Integrating climate information into forest management can help with climate change adaptation but doing so requires extensive engagement between scientists, practitioners, and decisionmakers. Forestry advisors are an important source of forest management information for many private landowners. However, little is known about forestry advisors’ attitudes toward using and delivering climate and weather information. We surveyed state service foresters in the midwestern United States to assess their information needs and attitudes toward incorporating climate and weather forecasts into their practices. Most respondents (70%) indicated that they could find the short-term weather information they needed to advise landowners. Only 26% indicated that they could find the long-term climate information they needed. A majority of respondents indicated they would be interested in receiving long-term climate information. Results suggest that service foresters are open to using climate forecasts and information. Work needs to be done to ensure that the information presented is valuable to and usable by foresters.
A New Photovoltaic Module Design Paradigm: Cell Strands That Track the Sun

A project was recently undertaken with the objective of designing a novel photovoltaic module, which encloses groups of solar cells that can track the sun. This will allow the module itself to be mounted simply at a fixed tilt but still reap the substantial energy collecting benefits presently associated only with rotating active and passive solar tracking panels, while avoiding their significant additional complexity, cost and weight. The main ultimate goal is to design such a module to collect at least 25% more energy than a similarly-sized fixed-tilt solar panel, while limiting its added production cost to less than 25%. This paper describes the module’s specific design requirements, and the analysis and design embodiments that have led to a few closely related prototypes based on bimetallic coil actuators. It also presents outdoor test (in the state of Georgia, USA) results showing that the most recent such prototypes collected just over 6% more energy than a similarly-sized fixed-tilt solar panel.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Solid Cocatalysts for Activating Manganese Triazacyclononane Oxidation Catalysts

Immobilizing a homogeneous catalyst provides obvious handling benefits, but ideally can also enhance catalyst productivity or selectivity because of beneficial interactions between the surface and the active site. Here, Mn 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane dimers (1) are activated by carboxylate-containing solids for cyclooctene epoxidation/dihydroxylation with H2O2 at 0 °C. The productivity (TON, moles per mole 1) and selectivity (to cis-diol) of cyclooctene oxidation by 1 are known to be tuned by choice of soluble carboxylate cocatalyst, and this concept is extended here to solid carboxylate cocatalysts. These solid cocatalysts are synthesized by covalently grafting benzoate and propanoate silanes to SiO2 or allowing terephthalic acid or dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid to chemisorb on oxides. Comparing analogous structures, SiO2-grafted carboxylates outperform soluble benzoic acid (275 vs 25 TON at 2 equiv), hydrocinnamic acid (150 vs 40 TON at 2 equiv), and valeric acid (675 vs 70 TON at 10 equiv). O...
The syndrome of spontaneous iliac arteriovenous fistula: A distinct clinical and pathophysiologic entity

While the development of a spontaneous iliac arteriovenous fistula is an uncommon complication of arteriosclerotic aneurysmal disease, its association with a distinct clinical syndrome allows timely operative intervention for this potentially life-threatening event. A review of cases reported in the literature reveals a triad of symptoms consistently associated with the presence of a spontaneous iliac arteriovenous fistula: high-output cardiac failure of precipitous onset, a pulsatile abdominal mass accompanied by a thrill and bruit, and unilateral lower-extremity ischemia or venous engorgement. Survival may be anticipated if an aggressive diagnostic and operative approach is employed.
Biologic rhythms and hormone secretion patterns.

Investigations in recent years have shown that secretion of pituitary hormones is episodic rather than continuous, manifesting endogenous rhythms that are largely governed by the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. Variance from normal secretory patterns has been observed in several clinical syndromes (among them acromegaly, Cushing's, and affective depressive illness) and already serves as a valuable diagnostic tool.
Bleomycin inhibits hepatic mixed function oxidation.

Bleomycin inhibits hepatic microsomal ethylmorphine N-demethylase activity in both the athymic (nude) mouse and the rat four days after a single injection. This inhibition occurred both with subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injections. With multiple dose chronic treatment, s.c. injections resulted in decreases in both enzymatic activity and cytochrome P450 concentration in both species. However, i.p. chronic injection resulted in decreases only in the rat.
Cross-Sections and Vector Analyzing Powers in \( \vec d{ - ^3}He \) Elastic Scattering between 15 and 40 MeV

Angular distributions of the cross-sectin and the deuteron vector analyzing power, iT11, have been measured in \( \vec d{ - ^3}He \) elastic scattering. Data were obtained between 15 and 40 MeV in 5 MeV steps and for 25 to 35 angles at each energy.
Board Socio-Cognitive Decision-Making and Task Performance Under Heightened Expectations of Accountability

This study examines how heightened expectations of board responsibility and accountability affect the socio-cognitive decision-making of boards and their collective task performance. Using data from the directors of 60 boards who served before and after the enactment of Sarbanes–Oxley, this study provides insight into the potential negative impact that this tightened accountability environment can have on a board’s task performance. Examining several socio-cognitive elements of board decision-making, board authority is found to have a positive main effect on board task performance, while relative CEO power and affective conflict have curvilinear relationships with board task performance. Cohesiveness also moderates the relationship between a board’s perceived uncertainty and affective conflict with board task performance. In sum, the model shows how a new era of director accountability can affect the social cognitions of board decision-making that underlie board task performance.
The volatility of exchange rates and the non-normality of stock returns

Abstract In this study, we examine how exchange rate volatility in a particular country influences both the kurtosis and skewness of stock returns. In a variety of tests that hold constant the structure of the financial market, we show that exchange rate volatility is associated with greater kurtosis, and more negative skewness. We use the out-of-sample implementation of the Euro as an identification strategy in order to make stronger causal inferences. The implementation of the Euro created stability in exchange rates not only in the Euro Region but also in other parts of the world. We find some evidence that the adoption of the Euro decreased the level of kurtosis and increased the skewness of stock returns.
Short-term sensory impairment after orthognathic surgery

Summary • Subjective reports of abnormal sensations, pinprick sensitivity, and two point sensitivity were assessed in 158 orthognathic surgery patients before and 6 weeks after bilateral sagittal split and!or Le Fort I osteotomies in a controlled clinical trial involving two centers: a private practice in Seattle and a university teaching hospital in Chapel Hill (UNC). • The presurgical findings for sharpness and for two point perception were similar at the two centers and consistent with published findings for nonsurgery subjects. A new finding at both centers was that patients 25 years of age or older were more sensitive to pinprick than patients younger than 25 years of age. • Six weeks after surgery, a high percentage (approximately 90%) of patients reported abnormal sensations. The altered sensations were limited largely to facial sites innervated by nerves in close proximity to the surgical osteotomies. Pinprick sensitivity and two point sensitivity (to a lesser degree) were impaired at these same locations. • For patients who underwent a combined (two-jaw) procedure, neurosensory function was impaired to a greater extent on the lower face than on the midface 6 weeks after surgery. Unexpected was the finding that impairment on the midface of these patients may have been less than that of patients who underwent maxillary surgery only. • The postsurgery findings were similar at the two centers and for the two sides of the face, which indicates that the risks of neurosensory impairment did not differ from any hypothetical difference in the execution of surgical skills between centers or sides. • The addition of a genioplasty procedure resulted in greater sensory loss than that associated with the osteotomies, which indicates that greater impairment occurred when multiple procedures were performed. • There was a trend for the additional loss after genioplasty to be greater for patients younger than 25 years of age than for patients 25 years of age or older. Further consideration of age and gender did not explain variation in the patients' impairment beyond that accounted for by the type of surgery and presence versus absence of genioplasty. • The association of patients' reports of abnormal sensations with loss in pinprick sensitivity was stronger than the association with loss in two point perception, which attests to the usefulness of pinprick sensitivity in assessing sensory impairment clinically. • Additional work is needed to understand better the pattern of sensory recovery after different orthognathic surgery procedures, to clarify better the affect of age and gender on neurosensory outcome measures, and to reconcile differences in the literature regarding these issues. Clinical trials also are needed to address the role of patients' psychologic well-being and attitude of the perception of altered sensations in their overall recovery and satisfaction and to evaluate the effectiveness of noninvasive therapies that may assist patients in coping with altered sensations.
Temporal persistence modeling for object search

We present a novel solution to the object search problem for domains in which object permanence cannot be assumed and other agents may move objects between locations without the robot's knowledge. We formalize object search as a failure analysis problem and contribute temporal persistence modeling (TPM), an algorithm for probabilistic prediction of the time that an object is expected to remain at a given location given sparse prior observations. We show that probabilistic exponential distributions augmented with a Gaussian component can accurately represent probable object locations and search suggestions based entirely on sparsely made visual observations. We evaluate our work in two domains, a large scale GPS location data set for person tracking, and multi-object tracking on a mobile robot operating in a small-scale household environment over a 2-week period. TPM performance exceeds four baseline methods across all study conditions.
The fixation of hydrocyanic acid by a psychrophilic basidiomycete.

α-Aminopropionitrile-1-14C was identified in cultures of a psychrophilic basidiomycete fed H14CN. The results of the study suggest that this compound is a precursor of alanine. This suggestion is supported by experiments with H14C15N as well as by a time course evaluation of 14C labeling in α-aminopropionitrile and alanine in fungal mats. Evidence is presented for the presence of a nitrile synthetase in cell-free extracts of this fungus. The enzyme catalyzes the condensation reaction of acetaldehyde, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide to form α-aminopropionitrile.
Patients with Non-invasive Follicular Thyroid Neoplasm with Papillary-Like Nuclear Features are Unlikely to have Malignant Preoperative Cytology.

The newly termed tumor ‘noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features’ (NIFTP) acts in an indolent manner and can likely be safely managed with a thyroid lobectomy. Preoperative fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is the cornerstone of surgical planning, but the ability of FNA to distinguish NIFTP from other variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has not been well-evaluated. A 9-year retrospective review of the preoperative cytology and surgical pathology of PTC patients who underwent a thyroidectomy at our tertiary referral center. Overall, 174 patients with 177 PTCs had a preoperative FNA followed by a thyroidectomy, and met our inclusion criteria. Of the 21 patients with NIFTP, the preoperative cytology was read as malignant in three (14%), suspicious for malignancy in three (14%), follicular neoplasm in ten (48%), atypia of undetermined significance in four (19%), and benign in one (5%) nodule. When comparing patients with NIFTP with other variants of PTC, patients with NIFTP were younger (p = 0.023) and less likely to have malignant cytology (p < 0.001). On multivariable regression modeling, malignant cytology was independently associated with a decreased risk of a final diagnosis of NIFTP (odds ratio 0.064, 95% confidence interval 0.018–0.233, p < 0.001). Patients with a final diagnosis of NIFTP are less likely to have preoperative FNA diagnosis of malignancy than those with final pathology of classical or other variants of PTC. Surgeons should take this into consideration when considering between a lobectomy and total thyroidectomy for patients with suspected PTC.
A Prospective Randomized Comparative Dosing Trial of Ranibizumab In Bevacizumab-Resistant Diabetic Macular Edema: The REACT Study

Purpose To assess the efficacy of ranibizumab for persistent diabetic macular edema (DME) previously treated with bevacizumab and compare monthly versus treat-and-extend (TREX) dosing. Design Twelve-month open-label prospective, randomized, comparative dosing study. Participants Twenty-seven participants with persistent foveal-involving DME recently treated with bevacizumab. Methods All participants were to receive 3 initial monthly 0.3-mg ranibizumab injections before randomization to monthly (n = 15) or TREX (n = 12) injection protocols over 12 months. The treatment interval was extended by 2 weeks up to a maximum interval of 12 weeks in the TREX group if central subfield thickness (CST) was 300 μm or less or complete absence of intraretinal or subretinal fluid on the macular cube was observed. The follow-up interval was decreased by 2 weeks if CST increased to 300 μm or more with associated intraretinal or subretinal fluid, or both. Main Outcome Measures Change in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), CST, and adverse events. Results Before study enrollment, participants received an average of 8.6 bevacizumab injections. At month 12, mean ETDRS BCVA improved by +5.3 letters (P Conclusions After conversion to ranibizumab in eyes with persistent DME refractory to bevacizumab, significant functional and anatomic improvements were noted. Visual and anatomic outcomes were similar in TREX and monthly treatment protocols.
Heat stress risk profiles for three non-woven coveralls

ABSTRACTThe ACGIH® Threshold Limit Value® (TLV®) is used to limit heat stress exposures so that most workers can maintain thermal equilibrium. That is, the TLV was set to an upper limit of Sustainable exposures for most people. This article addresses the ability of the TLV to differentiate between Sustainable and Unsustainable heat exposures for four clothing ensembles over a range of environmental factors and metabolic rates (M). The four clothing ensembles (woven clothing, and particle barrier, water barrier and vapor barrier coveralls) represented a wide range of evaporative resistances. Two progressive heat stress studies provided data on 480 trials with 1440 pairs of Sustainable and Unsustainable exposures for the clothing over three levels of relative humidity (rh) (20, 50 and 70%), three levels of metabolic rate (115, 180, and 254 Wm−2) using 29 participants. The exposure metric was the difference between the observed wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and the TLV. Risk was characterized by odds rat...
Did States Use Implementation Discretion to Reduce the Stringency of NCLB? Evidence From a Database of State Regulations:

When No Child Left Behind (NCLB) became law in 2002, it was viewed as an effort to create uniform standards for students and schools across the country. More than a decade later, we know surprisingly little about how states actually implemented NCLB and the extent to which state implementation decisions managed to undo the centralizing objectives of the law. This paper introduces a state-level measure of NCLB stringency that helps shed light on these issues. The measure is available for 49 states and the District of Columbia and covers most years under NCLB (2003–2011). Importantly, the measure does not depend on population characteristics of the state. It varies only because of state-level decisions about rule exemptions, standards, and proficiency trajectories. Overall, we find that while NCLB was successful in encouraging states to adopt higher and more consistent performance standards for schools, it also provided much more flexibility and customization in state-level accountability policies than is g...
From the Miocene to Olestra: A Historical Perspective on Fat Consumption

Abstract Given the extraordinary dietary and geographic diversity of Pleistocene hominids, there is no single "Paleolithic diet" or average pre-Holocene fat intake. Even the Neanderthals initially were scavengers, possibly becoming seasonal hunters of large game at a later period. Fat intakes of greater than 20 g/day (11% of total caloric intake) developed after the domestication of mammals and then by selective breeding of genetically fatter animals in suitably temperate climates. By the late 1940s, the percent of fat in the diet rose to more than 40% in many Western countries (including France), decreasing somewhat to about 35% by the late 1980s in the United States, following reduced consumption of whole milk, fried meats, and other high-fat foods. Overall, fat reductions to less than 30% may be facilitated by no-fat or low-fat substitutes or texturizers or (perhaps more effectively) by increased intakes of fiber and calcium and greater reliance on fats that are poorly absorbed because of their stearate content. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:S54-S57 .
Hydrogen-Helium Liquefier

Experience over the last four years with a fairly large helium liquefier led to the belief that it would be possible to reduce the cost per liter of liquefying helium and hydrogen to a figure only slightly greater than the cost of liquefying air, A heavy-duty machine which would run for years with only nominal maintenance charges would be required. High efficiency in the use of manpower and electrical energy would also be necessary.
Tests and Analyses Preliminary to Identification Experiment

Like most types of analysis, the application of the white-noise method for the characterization of a physiological system can become very difficult and involved if not preceded by considerable preliminary analysis of the system characteristics and the tools available for its study. In addition, the amount of difficulty depends on the nature of the system nonlinearities and the degree of accuracy which we require from the derived characterization (model). In certain cases the application of the method to a physiological system could produce poor results after long experimental procedures and digital computations. Therefore, it is desirable to develop preliminary criteria and simple experiments and tests that give an indication of how complex the system is and how successful the white-noise method will be in each particular case.
Active learning with multi-label SVM classification

Multi-label classification, where each instance is assigned to multiple categories, is a prevalent problem in data analysis. However, annotations of multi-label instances are typically more time-consuming or expensive to obtain than annotations of single-label instances. Though active learning has been widely studied on reducing labeling effort for single-label problems, current research on multi-label active learning remains in a preliminary state. In this paper, we first propose two novel multi-label active learning strategies, a max-margin prediction uncertainty strategy and a label cardinality inconsistency strategy, and then integrate them into an adaptive framework of multi-label active learning. Our empirical results on multiple multilabel data sets demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed active instance selection strategies and the integrated active learning approach.
Do Vaccines Cause Disseminated Varicella Infection

Disseminated varicella infection is a serious potential complication of natural infection with varicella virus, particularly among immunodeficient persons. Thus, varicella vaccine prevents disseminated varicella infection by protecting against natural infection. However, varicella vaccines can rarely cause disseminated varicella infection in patients with severe immune deficiency, for whom the vaccine is contraindicated.
A case report of parotid mammary analogue secretory carcinoma and reviews.

Abstract Introduction Mammary analog secretory carcinoma (MASC) is a new diagnosis of head and neck tumors first reported in 2010. It was often misdiagnosed as salivary acinic cell carcinoma (AciCC). We present a patient with an asymptomatic parotid tumor that underwent deep lobe parotidectomy and postoperative radiation therapy. The final pathology showed MASC. Case presentation A 57-year-old male presented with an asymptomatic enlarging right parotid mass. A CT neck with IV contrast showed a 1.2 cm heterogeneously enhancing mass in the center of the right parotid gland without extraparotid extension. An FNA showed an epithelial neoplasm with papillary features. The patient underwent a right deep lobe parotidectomy with facial nerve dissection. The final pathology confirmed the diagnosis of MASC. He subsequently completed a 6-week course of radiation therapy and remained asymptomatic at his 30-month follow up. Discussion/conclusion Although MASC is considered a low-grade tumor in most cases, recurrence and disseminated disease are not uncommon. No standard treatment protocol has been established. This report aims to enhance the awareness of this diagnosis and provide a review of current treatments for head and neck oncology care providers.
Law, Absolute Will, and the “Withering of the State”: Sovereignty at the Limits of Lenin’s “Dictatorship of the Proletariat”

Lenin formulated the Dictatorship of the Proletariat as a phase of transition from the capitalist state-system to a communist society. The dictatorship was not a state. Moreover, it was neither legal nor illegal; instead it was characterized as extra-legal in nature. How are we to understand the legal character of the dictatorship? In this essay, I elaborate on the alleged juridical foundations as this quasi-state structure and the paradoxes it posed to early Soviet thinkers. I argue for the genealogy of the idea of the imposition of the proletariat’s absolute will in the political concept of “despotism” in Montesquieu’s Esprit des lois. Montesquieu’s despotism is a limiting concept of government, which is marked by an absence of legal institutions and the absolute force of the “prince’s” will, which is unhindered by law. This idea, which remained obscure in nineteenth-century theories of socialism, was resurrected by Lenin in the 1917 work, The State and Revolution. His formulation of the “withering of the state” helps us interrogate the ambiguous situation of the revolutionary context, which lacks any “state” form. Analyzing the conceptual arguments for the extra-legal nature of dictatorship among Soviet legal thinkers like Evgeny Pashukanis, the essay argues for a dialectical understanding of the paradox of law under dictatorship: the rule by decrees in the post-revolutionary context, the role of the soviets in decision-making, and the gradual juridicization of the Soviet state. Through these historical issues, I illustrate the difficulties in conceiving the relation between sovereignty and law in post-revolutionary transitions.
Cognitive flexibility: Impact on entrepreneurial intentions

Abstract Entrepreneurial intentions are an important determinant to starting new ventures. However, there is only limited knowledge of their cognitive antecedents. Building on the person-environment fit theory and tenets from the cognitive psychology literature, we analyze the effect of cognitive flexibility on individual's intentions to pursue a career in entrepreneurship. We also ascertain the role of attitude toward risk taking and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in explaining the cognitive flexibility-entrepreneurial intentions link. Empirical analyses based on a sample of 440 respondents, supported our hypothesized arguments. We discuss our contributions, highlight limitations and advance suggestions for future research.
Deformation of Earth Materials: An Introduction to the Rheology of Solid Earth

This graduate textbook presents a comprehensive, unified treatment of the materials science of deformation as applied to solid Earth geophysics and geology. The deformation of Earth materials is presented in a systematic way covering elastic, anelastic and viscous deformation. Advanced discussions on relevant debates are also included to bring readers a full picture of science in this interdisciplinary area. This textbook is ideal for graduate courses on the rheology and dynamics of solid Earth, and includes review questions with solutions so readers can monitor their understanding of the material presented. It is also a much-needed reference for geoscientists in many fields including geology, geophysics, geochemistry, materials science, mineralogy and ceramics.
Mode of Transport and Trauma Activation Status in Admitted Pediatric Trauma Patients

Abstract Background Injured children who arrive by self-transport to the emergency department (ED) may receive delayed or inadequate care. We studied differences in demographics, clinical characteristics, and trauma activation status for admitted pediatric trauma patients based on arrival by self-transport or Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Materials and methods We performed a retrospective cohort study at two level I pediatric trauma centers. Inclusion criteria: Results We identified 1161 patients: 40.1% arrived by self-transport and 59.9% by EMS. Self-transport patients were less likely to have an abnormal Glasgow Coma Scale score 15 (2.4% versus 11.7%, P 15 (OR 2.8, 95% CI 0.8-9.2). Self-transport arrival was associated with longer ED LOS (estimated regression slope 0.47, 95% CI 0.13-0.82). Conclusions Almost half of admitted pediatric trauma patients arrived by self-transport; however, trauma team activation rarely occurs for these patients. Trauma team activation may be underutilized in self-transport patients with injuries resulting in hospital admission.
Formation of Procoagulant Platelets in Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) Follows a Unique Signaling Pathway

Abstract 197 HIT is a drug-induced, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and thrombosis disorder associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. HIT is associated with generation of procoagulant platelet microparticles (Warkentin et al., Blood 1994; 84:3691), one of the cardinal features of procoagulant platelets, along with a phosphatidylserine-positive (PS+) external plasma membrane and surface retention of procoagulant proteins from plasma or released from platelet γ-granules. Other names for procoagulant platelets include COAT, or coated, platelets (Dale, J Thromb Haemostas 2005; 3:2185). To date, virtually all of the work on procoagulant platelets has used collagen or convulxin signaling via ITAM-associated GPVI, combined with thrombin signaling via GPCRs PAR1/PAR4. Batar and Dale reported the formation of coated platelets as a result of dual platelet FcγRIIa and thrombin stimulation; they used crosslinking of an anti-FcγRIIa antibody or anti-platelet glycoprotein antibodies which also engaged FcγRIIa (J Lab Clin Med 2001; 138:393). We report here the procoagulant activation of human and FcγRIIa transgenic (tg) mouse platelets stimulated by the HIT immune complex (IC) and thrombin (thr). HIT IC consist of ultralarge complexes of heparin and platelet factor 4 (hep/PF4) bound by HIT-like monoclonal antibody KKO. Washed human platelets, wild-type mouse platelets, or FcγRIIa tg mouse platelets were stimulated with the HIT IC + thr. Controls include convulxin (100 ng/ml) + thr, HIT IC alone, or thr alone as the stimulus. Human platelets and FcγRIIa-tg platelets, but not wild-type mouse platelets, develop a 40 to 60% PS+ population in response to HIT IC (100 ug/ml KKO)+ thr (0.5 U/ml), but not to either alone, as assessed by flow cytometry using labeled Annexin V. Unlike cvx + thr, which consistently shows a broad distribution of PS+ platelets in our hands and in the literature, HIT IC-stimulated platelets reproducibly show one discrete PS+ subpopulation (n = 6 per group). Preincubation of platelets with novel specific Syk inhibitor PRT318 (Reilly et al., Blood 2011; 117:2241) completely prevented PS+ platelet formation. FcγRIIa-tg platelets null for Akt2 showed a ∼50% reduction in the formation of PS+ platelets. Studies with FcγRIIa-tg mice null for Cal-DAG GEFI are ongoing. Understanding the unique pattern of procoagulant platelets generated by HIT IC + thr and the signals which produce it may lead to new diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.