cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between OREF Grants and Future NIH Funding Success.

Author(s): Hegde, Vishal; Johansen, Daniel; Park, Howard Y; Zoller, Stephen D; Hamad, Christopher; Bernthal, Nicholas M | Abstract: BackgroundThe Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) is the leading specialty-specific nongovernmental organization providing orthopaedic funding in the United States. As extramural research funding has become increasingly difficult to acquire, one mission of the OREF is to support investigators to generate data needed to secure larger extramural funding from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the rate of translating OREF faculty-level grants into subsequent NIH funding and to determine if there are identifiable factors that increase the rate of converting an OREF grant into NIH funding.MethodsThis is a retrospective review of OREF grants awarded to full-time faculty orthopaedic surgeons between 1994 and 2014. Grants were analyzed on the basis of award type and were categorized as basic science, clinical, or epidemiological. Sex, individual scholarly productivity, and publication experience were evaluated. All awardees were assessed for subsequent NIH funding using the NIH RePORTER web site.ResultsOne hundred and twenty-six faculty-level OREF grants were awarded to 121 individuals. Twenty-seven OREF grant awardees (22%) received NIH funding at a mean of 6.3 years after OREF funding. Nineteen (46%) of 41 Career Development Grant winners later received NIH funding compared with 10 (12%) of 85 other award winners. OREF grants for basic science projects were awarded more often (58%) and were more than 4 times as likely to result in NIH funding than non-basic science projects (odds ratio, 4.70 [95% confidence interval, 1.66 to 13.33]; p = 0.0036). Faculty who later received NIH funding had higher scholarly productivity and publication experience (p l 0.05).ConclusionsThe OREF grant awardee conversion rate of 22% and, particularly, the 46% for Career Development Grant winners compares favorably with the overall NIH funding success rate (18% in 2014). Faculty-level OREF grants appear to achieve their purpose of identifying and supporting researchers who aim to secure subsequent federal funding.Clinical relevanceThe goal of this study is to examine how successful faculty who have obtained OREF grants have been in securing NIH funding later in their careers. Although subsequent accrual of NIH funding is not the only goal of OREF funding, it can be used as an important benchmark to assess the development of orthopaedic clinician-scientists.
Impact of Underwater Treadmill Training on Glycemic Control, Blood Lipids, and Health-Related Fitness in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

IN BRIEF A large number of adults with type 2 diabetes experience comorbidities that discourage physical activity and hinder regular participation in land-based exercise programs. An aquatic exercise program is an innovative exercise modality that incorporates combined aerobic and resistance exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine if an underwater treadmill walking program featuring gradual and progressive increases in walking speed and duration has a positive effect on glycemic control, metabolic health, cardiovascular function, body composition, and leg strength in middle-aged adults with type 2 diabetes.
Entrepreneur Negotiations: Building Meaningful Organizations

This panel is focused on building meaningful organizations via entrepreneur negotiations. We discuss the current research in the field in understanding entrepreneur negotiation styles, and the infl...
Similarity evaluation on noisy time series gene expression data using particle filter and longest common subsequence

Correct and accurate analysis of the similarity score using noisy time series gene expression data plays important role in understanding gene level biological systems. In this study, we propose a two-step algorithm using particle filter and longest common subsequence to compute the similarity score of noisy time series gene expression data from synthetic model and microarray measurements. Specifically, an iterative algorithm is proposed where particle filter is applied to process non-Gaussian noise data and longest common subsequence(LCS) is applied to calculate the similarity score using processed data from the first step. The proposed algorithm can obtain accurate results with unknown noise statistics. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated using data from the synthetic model and experiments.
Abstract 15733: Inducible Postnatal Deletion Of COX-2 Accelerates Atherogenesis In Mice

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs confer a cardiovascular hazard attributable to suppression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 derived prostacyclin (PGI 2 ). A predisposition to thrombogenesis, hypertension and heart failure - reflective of the human phenotype - can be recapitulated by disruption of this pathway in mice. However, although randomized trials of COX-2 inhibitors are consistent with risk transformation in humans and deletion of the PGI 2 receptor accelerates atherogenesis in mice, inhibition and conventional deletion of COX-2 have yielded conflicting results. Given the importance of COX-2 in development and the contrasting products of COX-2 formed by shifting cells prominent in the evolving plaque, we generated a mouse model in which timed, postnatal global deletion of COX-2 could be accomplished. Method and results: Inducible deletion of COX-2 (Ind.COX-2 KO) was achieved with Cre-ER TM mice, resulting in ~95% suppression of peritoneal macrophage prostaglandin formation. In contrast to conventional COX-2 KOs, Ind.COX-2 KOs bypassed cardiorenal lesions during development. Atherogenesis was accelerated in both genders when Ind.COX-2 KO was crossed onto a hyperlipidemic ApoE KO background. COX-2 deletion promotes leukocyte infiltration, facilitates dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells from a “contractile” to a “synthetic” state as measured by loss of α-smooth muscle cell actin and upregulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. While suppression of COX-2 derived PGI 2 can explain this phenotype, we addressed the possibility that rediversion of arachidonic acid (AA) to 5-lipoxygenase (LO) pathways might also contribute to this hazard. Disruption of 5-LO activating protein (FLAP) alone did not alter atherogenesis, but in Ind.COX-2/FLAP/ApoE triple KOs, the acceleration of atherogenesis due to COX-2 deletion was attenuated by concomitant FLAP deletion. Conclusion: Avoidance of the confounding effects of COX-2 disruption during development reveals the constraint exerted by COX-2 derived PGI 2 on atherogenesis. However, although disruption of FLAP has no direct effect on atherogenesis, rediversion to 5-LO products exacerbates the impact of PGI 2 suppression on atherogenesis in hyperlipidemic mice.
Coherent and Semicoherent Neutron Transfer Reactions III: Phonon Frequency Shifts

A new model describing the transfer of neutrons to and from nuclei embedded in a lattice was recently proposed. The coupling between the nuclei and lattice phonons is now explored, focusing on the question of whether it is possible under any conditions for anomalously large energy transfer to or from the lattice to occur during a neutron transfer reaction. By studying the gamma line shape, no anomalies are expected for a ground-state lattice or for a thermal lattice. Under certain conditions, the frequency of a phonon mode can be shifted significantly in a neutron transfer reaction; phonons initially present in that mode are shifted in frequency during the reaction. This effect produces an anomalous energy shift in the event that the mode is initially strongly excited. 49 refs.
Etiology of Head Pain

Head and facial pain encompass numerous conditions which can be debilitating and represent a significant health burden. Conditions described in this chapter focus on more common neuropathic conditions causing head and facial pain. Many times, the etiology remains unclear, but having a general understanding of potential causes of painful head and face conditions can lead to early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies to help with improvement of quality of life and restoration of function.
ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in a Patient with Moyamoya Disease

Moyamoya disease is a rare condition that is primarily reported in Asian populations, characterized by stenoocclusive intracranial angiopathy with small, fragile, and multiple collateral vessel formation. Extracranial complications, mainly abnormalities within the renal vasculature, have been described; however, there are very few case reports of cardiovascular complications in patients with Moyamoya disease. We report a 26-year-old Caucasian female with known Moyamoya disease who presented with both typical and atypical chest pain, mimicking symptoms of a previous non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Approximately six months prior to the current hospital admission, she underwent coronary angiography requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with two drug-eluting stents to the right coronary artery (RCA) for a critical stenosis. Despite medical management, our patient developed inferior lead ST-elevations leading to a repeat left heart catheterization which showed clinically significant stenosis of the first obtuse marginal branch. Development of significant coronary artery stenosis in a short period of time demonstrates the clinical significance of minimal atherosclerosis in the setting of underlying fibrocellular thickening as seen in patients with Moyamoya disease. Clinicians need to be aware of the possibility of coronary involvement in addition to intracranial vascular complications in patients with Moyamoya disease and take appropriate measures to prevent or delay the development of atherosclerosis in these arteries.
Near-Infrared Imaging of Artificial Enamel Caries Lesions with a Scanning Fiber Endoscope

Several studies have shown that near-infrared imaging has great potential for the detection of dental caries lesions. A miniature scanning fiber endoscope (SFE) operating at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths was developed and used in this study to test whether the device could be used to discriminate demineralized enamel from sound enamel. Varying depths of artificial enamel caries lesions were prepared on 20 bovine blocks with smooth enamel surfaces. Samples were imaged with a SFE operating in the reflectance mode at 1310-nm and 1460-nm in both wet and dry conditions. The measurements acquired by the SFE operating at 1460-nm show significant difference between the sound and the demineralized enamel. There was a moderate positive correlation between the SFE measurements and micro-CT measurements, and the NIR SFE was able to detect the presence of demineralization with high sensitivity (0.96) and specificity (0.85). This study demonstrates that the NIR SFE can be used to detect early demineralization from sound enamel. In addition, the NIR SFE can differentiate varying severities of demineralization. With its very small form factor and maneuverability, the NIR SFE should allow clinicians to easily image teeth from multiple viewing angles in real-time.
Ethnic Intermediation in Contemporary Buenos Aires

ABSTRACTScholarship on ethnic intermediation has paid much attention to how demographically important but socioeconomically disenfranchised groups broker power within various geopolitical contexts....
What visualising strategic reading means for young adolescents

Since middle school is a critical time for literacy learning in general and comprehension in particular, educators are left to ponder how best to teach these students. In addition, what role might ...
Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis management: A retrospective analysis of MuGard, Caphosol, and standard supportive care measures.

BackgroundOral mucositis, a common complication of several different anticancer therapies, causes significant morbidity in cancer patients. It is characterized by the destruction of the mucosa thro...
Epigenetic signature of PD-1+ TCF1+ CD8 T cells that act as resource cells during chronic viral infection and respond to PD-1 blockade

We have recently defined a novel population of PD-1 (programmed cell death 1)+ TCF1 (T cell factor 1)+ virus-specific CD8 T cells that function as resource cells during chronic LCMV infection and provide the proliferative burst seen after PD-1 blockade. Such CD8 T cells have been found in other chronic infections and also in cancer in mice and humans. These CD8 T cells exhibit stem-like properties undergoing self-renewal and also differentiating into the terminally exhausted CD8 T cells. Here we compared the epigenetic signature of stem-like CD8 T cells with exhausted CD8 T cells. ATAC-seq analysis showed that stem-like CD8 T cells had a unique signature implicating activity of HMG (TCF) and RHD (NF-κB) transcription factor family members in contrast to higher accessibility to ETS and RUNX motifs in exhausted CD8 T cells. In addition, regulatory regions of the transcription factors Tcf7 and Id3 were more accessible in stem-like cells whereas Prdm1 and Id2 were more accessible in exhausted CD8 T cells. We also compared the epigenetic signatures of the 2 CD8 T cell subsets from chronically infected mice with effector and memory CD8 T cells generated after an acute LCMV infection. Both CD8 T cell subsets generated during chronic infection were strikingly different from CD8 T cell subsets from acute infection. Interestingly, the stem-like CD8 T cell subset from chronic infection, despite sharing key functional properties with memory CD8 T cells, had a very distinct epigenetic program. These results show that the chronic stem-like CD8 T cell program represents a specific adaptation of the T cell response to persistent antigenic stimulation.
Metastatic spine disease in lung cancer patients: national patterns of radiation and surgical care.

Background: Lung cancer is the most common source of spinal metastases. As our treatment of spinal metastases evolves, national trends in radiation therapy (RT), including spinal stereotactic neurosurgery, have yet to been established. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of lung cancer patients within the National Cancer Database (NCDB) between 2004 and 2014 who received radiation to the vertebral column. Results: A total of 29,144 lung cancer patients received either external beam RT (EBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), or particle-based RT to the spine. EBRT was the most common modality throughout all years, though SRS use increased over time (Spearman’s rank correlation, P Conclusions: In conclusion, spinal SRS is steadily growing in the treatment of lung metastases to the spine, and surgery on distant metastases is becoming more frequent. There was a survival advantage for patients receiving SRS over EBRT. As the use of SRS—in addition to separation surgery—grows in radioresistant pathology, further study of improved survival and recurrence rates are needed.
Constitutive Model for Brittle Granular Materials Considering Competition between Breakage and Dilation

AbstractA constitutive model is presented for brittle granular materials based on a recent reformulation of the breakage mechanics theory. The primary objective of the study is to capture peak stre...
Secularism in science: The role of religious affiliation in assessments of scientists’ trustworthiness:

With controversies surrounding numerous science topics, including vaccinations and climate change, science skepticism in the United States is of growing concern. Some skepticism of science may stem...
What Can Our Writing Do in the World?: The Feminist Praxis of Publishing Student Writing

In the digital age, scholars are increasingly arguing that one of the best ways to teach writing is by assigning students to write for audiences beyond the classroom. In this article, I argue that this praxis of publishing student writing is not merely a response to the internet, but has also been crucial to genealogies of feminist pedagogy, and that attending to this genealogy can help us think in more nuanced terms about the transformative potential of publishing student writing today.
Blink: A Fully Automated Unsupervised Algorithm for Eye-Blink Detection in EEG Signals

Eye-blinks are known to substantially contaminate EEG signals, and thereby severely impact the decoding of EEG signals in various medical and scientific applications. In this work, we consider the problem of eye-blink detection that can then be employed to reliably remove eye-blinks from EEG signals. We propose a fully automated and unsupervised eyeblink detection algorithm, Blink that self-learns user-specific brainwave profiles for eye-blinks. Hence, Blink does away with any user training or manual inspection requirements. Blink functions on a single channel EEG, and is capable of estimating the start and end timestamps of eye-blinks in a precise manner. We collect four different eye-blink datasets and annotate 2300+ eye-blinks to evaluate the robustness performance of Blink across headsets (OpenBCI and Muse), eye-blink types (voluntary and involuntary), and various user activities (watching a video, reading an article, and attending to an external stimulation). The Blink algorithm performs consistently with an accuracy of over 98% for all the tasks with an average precision of 0.934. The source code and annotated datasets are released publicly for reproducibility and further research. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ever annotated eye-blink EEG dataset released in the public domain.
Closing the Brief Case: Rat Bite Fever from a Kiss

1. Which of the following is a known transmission modality for rat bite fever? Answer: b. Person-to-person and aerosol transmission of S. moniliformis have not been demonstrated. Classically, transmission occurs through the bite of a rat. As in the case presented, transmission has also been
Generational Cycles in American Politics, 1952–2016

The generation one comes of age politically is an important determinant in one’s political identity. Though a political generation gap is not a perpetual feature of the American political landscape, one’s generation can be a noteworthy influence on partisan and ideological leanings. The political environment experienced by successive generations as they have come of age politically influences political attitudes throughout one’s life. The result is that different generations have distinct political leanings that they will maintain over their lifetimes. Utilizing data collected by the American National Election Studies (ANES) from 1952 to 2016, this study utilizes cohort analysis to compare differences in generational presidential vote choice and ideological preferences over time. The findings suggest that the generational divide in American politics today is unprecedented. For the second half of the twentieth century there was remarkably modest political disparity between generational cohorts. This lack of an age divide in American politics lead the field of political science to generally focus on other demographic gaps in American politics other than generational differences. Once the Millennial Generation first entered the electorate in the early 2000s, however, there has emerged a considerable generational gap in American politics. The Millennial Generation has developed distinct political leanings that are significantly to the left of older generations. Although there is a stereotype that younger Americans are more liberal and supportive of Democrats than older Americans are, from 1952 to 2000 this generally was not the case. In fact, prior to the Millennials, there tended to be little difference between the generations in presidential vote choice and ideological leanings, and the youngest generation was not consistently the most Democratic leaning or liberal. Given Millennials’ left-leaning politics, generational replacement would probably have an important influence of American politics regardless of whomever these voters were replacing in the electorate. The Silent Generation that is currently being replaced in the electorate, however, has in recent years emerged as considerably the most Republican and conservative generation in contemporary American politics. Conservative and Republican-leaning Americans are thus currently being replaced in the electorate by relatively liberal and Democratic-leaning voters. The Millennial Generation thus has the potential to alter the course of American politics.
Evaluating the Applicability of the PUSH Framework to Quasi-Global Infrared Precipitation Retrievals at 0.5°/Daily Spatial/Temporal Resolution

Error estimates associated with satellite precipitation retrievals are crucial to allow inferences about the reliability of such products in their operational applications. However, evaluating satellite precipitation error characteristics is challenging because of the inherent temporal and spatial variability of precipitation, measurement errors, and sampling uncertainties, especially at fine temporal and spatial resolutions. The aim of this study is to estimate errors associated with satellite-based infra-red (IR) precipitation retrievals quasi-globally (60°N − 60°S) over land. The error model adopted for this study is the Probability Uncertainty in Satellite Hydrology (PUSH) framework, which is calibrated and validated against the satellite-based Level-3 Dual frequency precipitation radar product at daily resolution (3DPRD) for different Koppen climate zones. PUSH is shown to efficiently estimate errors in the IR retrievals, although its performance depends on the regional climatology. Specifically, the continental climate zone shows better agreement between observed and estimated errors as compared to other regions, which can be attributed to the general spatial homogeneity of precipitation across this zone and better correlation between IR and 3DPRD estimates.
BugDoc: A System for Debugging Computational Pipelines

Data analysis for scientific experiments and enterprises, large-scale simulations, and machine learning tasks all entail the use of complex computational pipelines to reach quantitative and qualitative conclusions. If some of the activities in a pipeline produce erroneous outputs, the pipeline may fail to execute or produce incorrect results. Inferring the root cause(s) of such failures is challenging, usually requiring time and much human thought, while still being error-prone. We recently proposed a new approach that makes provenance to automatically and iteratively infer root causes and derive succinct explanations of failures; such an approach was implemented in our prototype, BugDoc. In this demonstration, we will illustrate BugDoc's capabilities to debug pipelines using few configuration instances.
On Entrepreneurial Stories: Tolkien’s Theory of Fantasy and the Bridge between Imagination and Innovation:

AbstractInnovations are the product of entrepreneurs’ imaginations. To turn imaginations into realized innovations, entrepreneurs must attract the resources necessary to create the innovations they...
CORPUS LINGUISTICS AND THE STUDY OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

This paper describes how corpus-based analyses can be employed for the study of English grammar, with a focus on case studies taken from the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English (LGSWE). Two major themes are developed: 1) the kinds of unexpected findings about language use that result from corpus-based investigations, and 2) the importance of register for any descriptive account of linguistic variation. Three case studies are presented: one focusing on the use of words (i.e., the most common verbs in English); the second focusing on the use and distribution of grammatical forms (i.e., the relative frequency of simple, progressive, and perfect aspect in English); and the third describing how lexis and grammatical structure can interact in complex ways (i.e., showing how verbs with the same valency patterns can have strikingly different preferences for particular valencies). In all three cases, the paper argues for the centrality of a register perspective, showing how the patterns of use vary dramatically from one register to another.
STING, the Endoplasmic Reticulum, and Mitochondria: Is Three a Crowd or a Conversation?

The anti-viral pattern recognition receptor STING and its partnering cytosolic DNA sensor cGAS have been increasingly recognized to respond to self DNA in multiple pathologic settings including cancer and autoimmune disease. Endogenous DNA sources that trigger STING include damaged nuclear DNA in micronuclei and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). STING resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and particularly in the ER-mitochondria associated membranes. This unique location renders STING well poised to respond to intracellular organelle stress. Whereas the pathways linking mtDNA and STING have been addressed recently, the mechanisms governing ER stress and STING interaction remain more opaque. The ER and mitochondria share a close anatomic and functional relationship, with mutual production of, and inter-organelle communication via calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS). This interdependent relationship has potential to both generate the essential ligands for STING activation and to regulate its activity. Herein, we review the interactions between STING and mitochondria, STING and ER, ER and mitochondria (vis-a-vis calcium and ROS), and the evidence for 3-way communication.
Self-reported eating speed is associated with overweight among Chinese schoolchildren: a cross-sectional survey.

Purpose This study aimed to examine the association between eating speed and overweight in Chinese schoolchildren. Methods In all, 664 schoolchildren (10-12 years) from three primary schools participated in this study in China. Their height and body weight were measured. Information about eating speed and other lifestyle behaviors were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for overweight. Results Data from 629 students were analyzed. 26.2% of participants reported they were eating fast. The prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was 22.9%, and the mean of sleep duration was 9.69 (SD = 0.63) hours (Table 1). In the multiple linear regression analysis, slower eating speed was independently associated with lower BMI (B = - 0.70, 95% CI - 1.26 to - 0.14) and TG (B = - 0.16, 95% CI - 0.28 to - 0.04). In addition, participants who ate fast were more likely to be overweight (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.19-2.75) after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Conclusions This study indicates that eating fast is associated with overweight among Chinese school children. Level of evidence Cross-section descriptive study, Level V.
Making locals through local agriculture: citizenship and urban gardens in Rock Island, Illinois, 1913-2018

Our research explores the historical continuities and changes in urban gardening through a case study of a small post-industrial city in the Midwest. We argue that although the recent interest in u...
Immunization of Bulls for the Control of Vibriosis

(Summarized from a presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners at San Francisco, Calif., in December 1976.) The disease we know as vibriosis is caused by the bacterium known as Campylobacter fetus. For many years this organism was known as Vibrio fetus. The subject matter of this talk on the immunization of bulls for the control of vibriosis is primarily drawn from the work of others as published in the recent veterinary literature.
Understanding why poly(acrylic acid) works: decarbonylation and cross-linking provide an ionically conductive passivation layer in silicon anodes

Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is commonly used as a binder for fabricating silicon (Si) anode active materials in lithium-ion batteries due to its useful properties including high polar solvent solubility, good rheology, and strong adhesive properties. However, the role and evolution of PAA during electrode fabrication, cycling, and calendar aging are not well understood. In this work, we reveal the evolution of PAA during electrode curing and relate its chemical change to the final electrode properties and performance. These studies are made possible using two types of in situ attenuated total reflectance-infrared Fourier transform (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy: thermal ATR-FTIR to probe the cross-linking reaction, and ATR-FTIR spectroelectrochemistry of three-dimensional composite electrodes, a unique technique developed herein that probes the solvation dynamics of lithium ions at the silicon anode interface under electrochemical polarization. Specifically, we show that PAA undergoes a thermally-mediated, cross-linking decarbonylation reaction to form an ether-based network polymer. To show the importance of the polyether moieties, we synthesize partially esterified PAA analogues that do not undergo this cross-linking decarbonylation reaction and correlate the degree of cross-linking to half-cell performance metrics. Finally, we unveil the mechanism of the polyether binder performance through in situ ATR-FTIR spectroelectrochemistry and show that PAA acts as an interfacial material that conducts lithium-ions, limits solvent molecule access to the Si surface, and stabilizes the electrode against parasitic lithium inventory loss at high state of charge for an extended period of time.
Stability of lipids in plasma and serum: Effects of temperature-related storage conditions on the human lipidome

Abstract Large epidemiological studies often require sample transportation and storage, presenting unique considerations when applying advanced lipidomics techniques. The goal of this study was to acquire lipidomics data on plasma and serum samples stored at potential preanalytical conditions (e.g., thawing, extracting, evaporating), systematically monitoring lipid species for a period of one month. Split aliquots of 10 plasma samples and 10 serum samples from healthy individuals were kept in three temperature-related environments: refrigerator, laboratory benchtop, or heated incubator. Samples were analyzed at six different time points over 28 days using a Bligh & Dyer lipid extraction protocol followed by direct infusion into a lipidomics platform using differential mobility with tandem mass spectrometry. The observed concentration changes over time were evaluated relative to method and inter-individual biological variability. In addition, to evaluate the effect of lipase enzyme levels on concentration changes during storage, we compared corresponding fasting and post-prandial plasma samples collected from 5 individuals. Based on our data, a series of low abundance free fatty acid (FFA), diacylglycerol (DAG), and cholesteryl ester (CE) species were identified as potential analytical markers for degradation. These FFA and DAG species are typically produced by endogenous lipases from numerous triacylglycerols (TAGs), and certain high abundance phosphatidylcholines (PCs). The low concentration CEs, which appeared to increase several fold, were likely mass-isobars from oxidation of other high concentration CEs. Although the concentration changes of the high abundant TAG, PC, and CE precursors remained within method variability, the concentration trends of FFA, DAG, and oxidized CE products should be systematically monitored over time to inform analysts about possible pre-analytical biases due to degradation in the study sample sets.
The molecular biology of differentiation and transformation: an emerging field theory.

It appears to me that finally, a glimmer of insight is to be seen in the basic mechanism of oncogenic transformation. The emerging picture is based on fundamental observations from a large number of sources. We have been privileged to see the results of some of the currently brightest research in the mosaic during this workshop. The framework for the emerging picture is based on the recognition within recent years that cellular differentiation is a social event among cells in which one cell type triggers the differentiation of another. This principle hardly would have been a revelation to the early embryologists. Perhaps the foremost, technically accessible problem of biology at this time is to understand the specific biochemical mechanisms by which these processes are implemented within the cell.
A Study on Ride-Down Efficiency and Occupant Responses in High Speed Crash Tests

In vehicle crash tests, an unbelted occupant's kinetic energy is absorbed by the restraints such as an air bag and/or knee bolster and by the vehicle structure during occupant ride-down with the deforming structure. Both the restraint energy absorbed by the restraints and the ride-down energy absorbed by the structure through restraint coupling were studied in time and displacement domains during crash test data and a single vehicle-occupant model. Using the vehicle and occupant accelerometers and/or load cell data from the 31 mph barrier crash tests, the restraint and ride-down energy components were computed for the lower extremity, such as the femur, for the light truck and passenger car respectively. Relationships between the ride-down efficiency and occupant response in terms of femur decelaration and load are then studied for the unbelted driver occupant in the air bag equipped light truck and passenger car respectively. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 875168.
Releasing and Scheduling of Lots in a Wafer Fab

In this paper, we address the problem of both releasing and scheduling of lots in a wafer fab. In the lot release problem, we determine the number of lots of different products to be released in each period of a planning horizon in order to minimize total tardiness. The problem of the scheduling of lots at various workstations is modeled as a mathematical program for the objective of minimizing the cycle times of the lots and is solved by the Lagrangian relaxation method. Computational results are presented that exhibit that our methodology constantly generates better solutions compared to those obtained by commonly-used dispatching rules.
Dynamic association between α‐actinin and β‐integrin regulates contraction of canine tracheal smooth muscle

The adhesion junctions of smooth muscle cells may be dynamically regulated during smooth muscle contraction, and this dynamic regulation may be important for the development of active tension. In the present study, the role of α-actinin during smooth muscle contraction was evaluated in tracheal smooth muscle tissues and freshly dissociated cells. Stimulation with acetylcholine (ACh) increased the localization of α-actinin at the membrane of freshly dissociated smooth muscle cells, and increased the amount of β1 integrin that coprecipitated with α-actinin from muscle tissue homogenates. GFP-α-actinin fusion proteins were expressed in muscle tissues and visualized in live freshly dissociated cells. GFP-α-actinin translocated to the membrane within seconds of stimulation of the cells with ACh. Expression of the integrin-binding rod domain of α-actinin in smooth muscle tissues depressed active contraction in response to ACh. Expression of the α-actinin rod domain also inhibited the translocation of endogenous α-actinin to the membrane, and inhibited the association of endogenous α-actinin with β1-integrin in α-actinin immunoprecipitates from tissue extracts. However, the expression of α-actinin rod domain peptides did not inhibit increases in myosin light chain phosphorylation or actin polymerization in response to stimulation with ACh. Results suggest that contractile stimulation of smooth muscle causes the rapid recruitment of α-actinin to β-integrin complexes at the membrane, and that the recruitment of α-actinin to integrin complexes is necessary for active tension development in smooth muscle.
Health and Wealth: A Dynamic Demand for Medical Care

We generalize extant health capital models to provide an economic explanation for why individuals invest in health when survival and/or longevity prospects are poor. We allow relative health to impact utility and model depreciation as an amount rather than a rate. As a result, the decline in health causes an inevitable disequilibrium between an increasing marginal benefit from health and a declining cost of health capital that individuals can only resolve with increasing investment in medical care. A central implication is that individuals will demand more medical care the greater their decline in health at any level of health. We develop additional testable hypotheses about what drives medical care spending.
A reduced-dimensional model for near-wall transport in cardiovascular flows

Near-wall mass transport plays an important role in many cardiovascular processes, including the initiation of atherosclerosis, endothelial cell vasoregulation, and thrombogenesis. These problems are characterized by large Peclet and Schmidt numbers as well as a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, all of which impose computational difficulties. In this work, we develop an analytical relationship between the flow field and near-wall mass transport for high-Schmidt-number flows. This allows for the development of a wall-shear-stress-driven transport equation that lies on a codimension-one vessel-wall surface, significantly reducing computational cost in solving the transport problem. Separate versions of this equation are developed for the reaction-rate-limited and transport-limited cases, and numerical results in an idealized abdominal aortic aneurysm are compared to those obtained by solving the full transport equations over the entire domain. The reaction-rate-limited model matches the expected results well. The transport-limited model is accurate in the developed flow regions, but overpredicts wall flux at entry regions and reattachment points in the flow.
What kinds of questions do future elementary teachers ask in a university science course? Results from an online question-ranking tool

Asking questions is one of the key external indicators of curiosity and a cornerstone of scientific inquiry. To understand the types of questions students ask in an introductory college science class for preservice elementary teachers, students used an online question-ranking tool (Google Moderator) as part of the daily routine. This study compiled 2,494 student questions from 128 students in four sections of the same course taught by the same instructor. After grouping questions into nine categories based on cognitive level, two independent regimes of questioning emerged – knowledge-rich and exploration-rich. When students had more specific knowledge about a topic, they asked a greater percentage of questions that demonstrate knowledge, fewer testable scientific questions, and fewer questions about course logistics. This knowledge-rich regime is more active in students with high quiz scores. Lower scoring students tended to be more active in an exploration-rich regime. They asked more scientifically testable questions that reflect a desire to explore cause-and-effect relationships. During an online question-ranking process, students decided which questions they would like to discuss in class by voting for their preferred questions. They submitted 13,301 student votes on the questions in this study. Despite differences in question-asking, students at all performance levels voted for similar questions in this voting process. Voting patterns revealed that students slightly preferred higher order questions that demonstrate knowledge. Questions that are both scientifically testable and demonstrate knowledge received, on average, the highest number of votes per question (about 30% higher than logistical questions about course expectations).
O'Connell Early Settlement Offers: Toward Realistic Numbers and Two‐Sided Offers

In a prior article in this journal, we estimated the effect of an “O'Connell” early settlement offer program on payouts in medical malpractice litigation. Using Texas data and a base set of assumptions, we predicted that early offers would result in a 16 percent (20 percent) decline in payouts in currently tried (settled) cases. The overall decline came almost entirely from a sharp drop in payouts in cases with small economic damages. We compared our results with the estimate by Hersch, O'Connell, and Viscusi (2007) (HOV) of a 70 percent reduction in payouts, reconciled the two estimates, and explained why HOV's estimate reflected the compound effects of a series of unreasonable assumptions. In a reply in this journal, Hersch, O'Connell, and Viscusi (2010) (HOV-2) complain that we misunderstand both the early offer proposal and their analysis. Remarkably, they do not dispute our estimates, given our assumptions. In this rebuttal, we defend our assumptions and provide an alternate analysis of settled cases based on insurer allocations, which also produces an estimated 20 percent payout decline. We also develop further our proposal for two-sided early offers. This proposal would reduce the predicted payout decline by about 2 percent in both tried and settled cases. We explain in greater detail the problems with HOV's analysis. If we correct an error they made in understanding the Texas data set, and leave their other assumptions unchanged, their payout decline estimate drops to 30 percent, not far from ours.
The polymerization of vinyl acetate in aqueous solution initiated by potassium persulphate at 60°C.

Polyvinyl acetate precipitates from aqueous solution as it is formed. When potassium persulphate is used as initiator the polymer suspension is stable and constitutes the principal locus of reaction. The effect of reaction conditions on the rate of polymerization and on the number of particles formed has been studied. The surface charge density appears to be the factor which determines the number of particles formed and which limits the rate of reaction. Polyvinylacetat fallt bei seiner Bildung aus wasriger Losung aus. Bei Verwendung von Kaliumpersulfat als Initiator ist die Polymersuspension bestandig und stellt den hauptsachlichen Ort der Reaktion dar. Der Einflus der Reaktionsbedingungen auf die Polymerisationsgeschwindigkeit und auf die Zahl der sich bildenden Polymerteilchen wird untersucht. Es scheint, das die Oberflachenladungsdichte die Zahl der Polymerteilchen bestimmt und auch die Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit begrenzt.
Some aspects of self-mutilation in the general population of a large psychiatric hospital.

The entire population of a large psychiatric hospital was screened with regard to the clinical symptom of self-mutilation. One out of every 23 patients, or 4.29 per cent, presented as at least one symptom a significant tendency toward self-injury. The attacks of men upon their bodies appeared generally more violent than those of women upon theirs. The frequency of self-mutilation by males was strikingly less than by females, 1∶2.81. This frequency of self-mutilation, short of suicide, was almost the inverse of that of accomplished suicide in males as compared with females, 3.67∶1.
Characterizing Compaction-Induced Thermodynamic Changes in a Common Pharmaceutical Excipient

ABSTRACT: Work, heat, and internal energy change values were measured during compression of a common pharmaceutical tablet excipient, anhydrous lactose, using a compression calorimeter. Heat of solution measurements were used independently to measure the energy change caused by compaction. Both the compression calorimeter and the heat of solution measurements showed an increase in anhydrous lactose's energy state as a result of the net compression and decompression process. Excellent agreement between the energy change measured by compression calorimetry (0.94 J/g) and the energy change measured by solution calorimetry (0.91 J/g) strongly supports the data and results generated by the compression calorimeter. Furthermore, specific volume and specific surface area measurements were used to investigate the nature of the measured energy increase. The results indicate that the vast majority of the stored energy is most likely associated with residual strain within the compacted particles. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association
Making Sense of Methods and Measurement: Frequencies

Imagine a television commercial that reports ‘‘Seven of ten nurse educators recommend simulation for their learners.’’ Most of us would automatically convert this frequency into a percentage and smile in agreement with the 70% of nurse educators quoted. But what if we wanted to know how all the nurse educators responded to this question? This month’s column will explore the uses and abuses of frequencies. A frequency is defined as the number of times a given value occurs in a set of results. A frequency distribution is the most common reporting format for frequency data. Table 1 shows how many times each given value occurs. Different types of frequency distributions include simple or absolute, relative, cumulative, or cumulative relative. A simple or absolute frequency distribution reports the given value and the number of times each value occurs in tabular format. Although it is interesting to know the actual number of times each value occurs, it does not tell you how that compares with the overall number of occurrences. A relative frequency provides important information telling us how the individual value compares with the total group. Relative frequency is reported as the percentage of occurrence. The calculation of relative frequency is quite simple. The number of occurrences of a value is divided
Vascularization in Bone Tissue Engineering Constructs

Vascularization of large bone grafts is one of the main challenges of bone tissue engineering (BTE), and has held back the clinical translation of engineered bone constructs for two decades so far. The ultimate goal of vascularized BTE constructs is to provide a bone environment rich in functional vascular networks to achieve efficient osseointegration and accelerate restoration of function after implantation. To attain both structural and vascular integration of the grafts, a large number of biomaterials, cells, and biological cues have been evaluated. This review will present biological considerations for bone function restoration, contemporary approaches for clinical salvage of large bone defects and their limitations, state-of-the-art research on the development of vascularized bone constructs, and perspectives on evaluating and implementing novel BTE grafts in clinical practice. Success will depend on achieving full graft integration at multiple hierarchical levels, both between the individual graft components as well as between the implanted constructs and their surrounding host tissues. The paradigm of vascularized tissue constructs could not only revolutionize the progress of BTE, but could also be readily applied to other fields in regenerative medicine for the development of new innovative vascularized tissue designs.
Laparoscopic and Open Abdominoperineal Resection for Cancer: How Patient Selection and Complications Differ by Approach

Outcomes between laparoscopic (LAPR) and open abdominoperineal resections (OAPR) are poorly described. After IRB approval, 2005–2008 NSQIP data were used to identify patients undergoing LAPR and OAPR for rectal cancer. Logistic regression identified variables influencing the selection of LAPR vs. OAPR as well as the likelihood of postoperative events. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the incidence of 30-day postoperative events. One thousand one hundred ninety-seven OAPRs and 143 LAPRs were identified. LAPRs were less likely to have a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30 (p = 0.04) and were associated with equivalent mean operative times (p = 0.36). LAPRs and OAPRs were found to have similar rates of surgical site infections (p = 0.13), transfusion requirements (p = 0.17), myocardial infarction (p = 0.48), and need for reoperation within 30 days (p = 0.20). Neoadjuvant radiotherapy did not directly increase complication rates in either group. Few factors predicted choice of LAPR but included BMI <25 (OR, 1.54; p = 0.02). Complication rates between LAPR and OAPR were similar despite the greater technical challenge of LAPR. Wound infection rates were equivalent, which may reflect similar rates of perineal wound infections. Few patients are offered LAPR, possibly due to surgeon preferance as opposed to patient factors.