cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MnSOD protects against vascular calcification independent of changes in vascular function in hypercholesterolemic mice.

Abstract Background and aims The overall goal of this study was to determine the effects of MnSOD-deficiency on vascular structure and function in hypercholesterolemic mice. Previous work suggested that increases in mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) can exacerbate vascular dysfunction and atherosclerosis. It remains unknown, however, how MnSOD-deficiency and local compensatory mechanisms impact atherosclerotic plaque composition. Methods and results We used a hypercholesterolemic mouse model (ldlr−/−/ApoB100/100; LA), either wild-type for MnSOD (LA-MnSOD+/+) or MnSOD-haploinsufficient (LA-MnSOD+/-), that was fed a western diet for either 3 or 6 months. Consistent with previous reports, reductions of MnSOD did not significantly worsen hypercholesterolemia-induced endothelial dysfunction in the aorta. Critically, dramatic impairment of vascular function with Nox2 inhibition or catalase pretreatment suggested the presence of a significant NO-independent vasodilatory mechanism in LA-MnSOD+/- mice (e.g. H2O2). Despite remarkably well-preserved overall vascular relaxation, loss of mitochondrial antioxidant capacity in LA-MnSOD+/- mice significantly increased osteogenic signalling and vascular calcification compared to the LA-MnSOD+/+ littermates. Conclusions Collectively, these data are the first to suggest that loss of mitochondrial antioxidant capacity in hypercholesterolemic mice results in dramatic upregulation of NADPH oxidase-derived H2O2. While this appears to be adaptive in the context of preserving overall endothelium-dependent relaxation and vascular function, these increases in ROS appear to be remarkably maladaptive and deleterious in the context of vascular calcification.
MEG Source Imaging Using Multipolar Expansions

We describe the use of truncated multipolar expansions for producing dynamic images of cortical neural activation from measurements of the magnetoencephalogram. We use a signal-subspace method to find the locations of a set of multipolar sources, each of which represents a region of activity in the cerebral cortex. Our method builds up an estimate of the sources in a recursive manner, i.e. we first search for point current dipoles, then magnetic dipoles, and finally first order multipoles. The dynamic behavior of these sources is then computed using a linear fit to the spatiotemporal data. The final step in the procedure is to map each of the multipolar sources into an equivalent distributed source on the cortical surface. The method is demonstrated through a Monte Carlo simulation.
Simplicidad inquietante en los relatos de Silvina Ocampo

Simplicidad aparente de Silvina Ocampo. Pensemos en algunos titulos de sus relatos: "El cuaderno", "Las fotografias", "La propiedad", "La boda", "La piedra", "Los objetos" 1 . Podriamos seguir: acabariamos con una lista semejante a aquellas inocuas lecciones de los libros de idioma donde se rozan sin peligro -pero en otra lengua, la que se nos invita a aprenderla lapicera y el pizarron, el chaleco y el paraguas. La lista de titulos de Silvina Ocampo es sin embargo menos tranquilizadora que esos ejercicios. Entre el cuaderno y las fotografias, entre la propiedad y la piedra, se insinuan crimenes perfectos, pecados mortales, razas inextinguibles, expiaciones y liebres doradas. La leccion (creo adecuado llamarla asi) de Silvina Ocampo es por cierto basica, como no lo son los manuales que declaran serlo. Basica porque toma en cuenta todo -lo decible y lo no decible, lo prestigioso y lo secundario, lo terrible y lo trivialy lo cuenta todo, sin prejuicio ni cobardia. Sabe que por una llave rota o una jaula de mimbre se puede ir al Infierno, que por un papel de diario o una taza de leche al Cielo (F, 219). Sabe tambien que en la literatura no hay cielos ni hay infiernos, si un pecado inevitable, o una inevitable inocencia que es la escritura. "Los proyectos de mi imaginacion me llevan a veces a lugares que no acepto pero que me fascinan" ;2 lugares, objetos, personajes, tramas que aceptan finalmente, de manera radical, sus cuentos. ?Que personajes pueblan la ficcion de Silvina Ocampo? Hay -y es este un primer intento de aproximacion a sus relatosmuchos ninos. Los interesting small mortals que presenta, como lo hacia Hemy James, son a menudo narradores de sus cuentos ("La casa de los relojes", "La boda", "Los amigos") o protagonistas ("El pecado mortal", "Las invitadas"). En otros casos el narrador ya adulto refiere un acontecimiento de su ninez ("Voz en el telefono", "Carta perdida en un cajon"). No nos dejemos llevar una vez mas por la aparente simplicidad de esta perspectiva, descontando la complejidad de estos personajes, creyendo que Silvina Ocampo nos presenta un inocuo y amable mundo infantiL
Alterations of pulsation absorber characteristics in experimental hydrocephalus.

Object Analysis of waveform data in previous studies suggests that the pulsatile movement of CSF may play a role in attenuating strong arterial pulsations entering the cranium, and its effectiveness in attenuating these pulsations may be altered by changes in intracranial pressure (ICP). These findings were obtained in studies performed in canines with normal anatomy of the CSF spaces. How then would pulsation absorbance respond to changes in CSF movement under obstructive conditions such as the development of hydrocephalus? In the present study, chronic obstructive hydrocephalus was induced by the injection of cyanoacrylate gel into the fourth ventricle of canines, and pulsation absorbance was compared before and after hydrocephalus induction. Methods Five animals were evaluated with simultaneous recordings of ICP and arterial blood pressure (ABP) before and at 4 and 12 weeks after fourth ventricle obstruction by cyanoacrylate. To assess how the intracranial system responds to the arterial pulsatile comp...
How does robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) compare with open surgery in men with high-risk prostate cancer?

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Previous studies have shown that robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) can be performed in men with high-risk prostate cancer with similar outcomes to that of open surgery. However, most of the literature consists of small case series and compares RARP outcomes to open outcomes from the literature. This study compared a cohort of high-risk patients undergoing open RP and RARP at a single institution with good follow up. We found no difference in positive margin rates or likelihood of prostate cancer recurrence. This adds to the growing evidence that RARP is a safe option for men with high-risk disease. Objective To compare oncological outcomes in high-risk patients who underwent open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) and robot-assisted RP (RARP) at a single institution. Despite equivalent oncological outcomes between open RRP and RARP, the use of RARP in men with high-risk tumours has been debated. Patients and Methods A retrospective analysis of high-risk patients treated with open RRP or RARP at UCSF from 2002 to 2011 was conducted. The relationship between surgical approach and positive margin rate was assessed by multivariate logistic regression Cox proportional hazards regression assessed the effect of surgical approach on time to tumour recurrence. Results In all, 177 open RRP and 233 RARP patients made up the final cohort for analyses. The mean (SD) age was 61.6 (6.6) years and the median (range) follow-up was 27 (2–112) months. RARP patients had less blood loss (median 200 vs 400 mL, P < 0.01) and underwent complete bilateral nerve sparing more often (54% vs 34%, P < 0.01) than those undergoing open RRP. There were no differences by approach in pathological grade, stage, or positive margin rates. However, there was a trend towards higher positive margin rates with RARP early on. Recurrence-free survival was similar at 2 years (84% and 79%) and 4 years (68% and 66%) after open RRP and RARP, respectively (log-rank P = 0.53). Conclusions This study is novel in that it assesses outcomes of open RRP vs RARP in a cohort of high-risk men at a single institution. RARP appears to be a feasible option for men with high-risk prostate cancer and displayed equivalent oncological outcomes compared with open RRP.
Chitosan‐membrane interactions and their probable role in chitosan‐mediated transfection

Recent studies in our laboratory have shown that chitosan, a polycationic polymer of glucosamine, can facilitate the transfection of HeLa cells with a plasmid that codes for beta-galactosidase. Although chitosan can bind to DNA and other polyanions, the kinetics of complexation might differ depending on the polyanion tested. This evidence suggests that, in addition to ionic interactions, the carbohydrate backbone of chitosan might have an important role in the process of transfection. Beads prepared by the complexation of chitosan with polyphosphate were used to investigate the nature of cellular interactions with chitosan. HeLa cells bound to chitosan-polyphosphate beads could be readily displaced from the beads with methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside but not with NaCl. Membrane proteins solubilized by CHAPS bound readily to chitosan-polyphosphate beads. A major fraction of the membrane proteins could be eluted from the beads with methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside. These results suggest that non-ionic interactions between the carbohydrate backbone of chitosan and cell surface proteins might have an important role in the chitosan-mediated transfection of HeLa cells.
N is very Small

If N, the number of advanced technological civilizations in a typical galaxy the size of our own, were a large number, then the solar system would probably have been colonized long ago. We infer that N is small. The most likely cause of N being small is that flife (i.e., the fraction of suitable planets on which life actually arises) is very small; reasons are given why this should be so.
Transmembrane beta-barrel protein structure prediction

Transmembrane β-barrel (TMB) proteins are embedded in the outer membranes of mitochondria, Gram-negative bacteria, and chloroplasts. These proteins perform critical functions, including active ion-transport and passive nutrient intake. Therefore, there is a need for accurate prediction of secondary and tertiary structures of TMB proteins. A variety of methods have been developed for predicting the secondary structure and these predictions are very useful for constructing a coarse topology of TMB structure; however, they do not provide enough information to construct a low-resolution tertiary structure for a TMB protein. In addition, while the overall structural architecture is well conserved among TMB proteins, the amino acid sequences are highly divergent. Thus, traditional homology modeling methods cannot be applied to many putative TMB proteins. Here, we describe the TMBpro: a pipeline of methods for predicting TMB secondary structure, β-residue contacts, and finally tertiary structure. The tertiary prediction method relies on the specific construction rules that TMB proteins adhere to and on the predicted β-residue contacts to dramatically reduce the search space for the model building procedure.
Specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs) decrease human B cell IgE production: implications for allergy and asthma (HYP7P.309)

Resolution of inflammation is a biologically active process regulated by newly identified specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs). These endogenous lipid-derived mediators promote the resolution of inflammation and maintain homeostasis by regulating the immune system. Little is known about the functions of SPMs on adaptive immune cells, such as B cells. Our laboratory has discovered that certain omega-3 fatty acid derived SPMs promote human B cell IgM and IgG antibody production in vitro. Human B cells also produce IgE antibodies, which play an essential role in the onset of inflammatory diseases, such as seasonal allergies and asthma. Here, we show that certain SPMs decrease human B cell IgE production in vitro. Omega-3-derived SPMs, 17-HDHA (17-hydoxydocosahexaenoic acid) and RvD1 (resolvin D1), strongly decreased the IgE production in B cells, as well as the number of IgE-secreting cells in peripheral blood of healthy and asthmatic human donors. In addition, 17-HDHA and RvD1 also reduced IgE production by the spontaneously IgE secreting multiple myeloma B cell line, U266. These results show that SPMs are non-immunosuppressive endogenous mediators that could specifically dampen IgE production and have potential as therapeutics for asthma. Moreover, SPMs might also be effective on other IgE-mediated inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis.
Fault tolerant avionics for the Space Shuttle

The space shuttle uses a digital fly-by-wire control system. If this system were to fail, it would cause certain loss of personnel, payloads, and the vehicle itself. Consequently, an avionics architectural design was chosen that would withstand two failures in any particular subsystem and still provide adequate vehicle control. A total of four primary computers are used to provide safe control of the vehicle. Multiple copies of flight-critical sensors were installed. Software redundancy was also used. >
From Middle to Upper Class Sprawl? Land Use Controls and Changing Patterns of Real Estate Development in Northern New Jersey

During the past twenty-five years the land use controls that shape residential real estate development in the United States have changed in potentially significant ways. From the 1950s to the 1980s, land use laws promoted middle-class sprawl by reserving extensive tracts of land for the construction of moderately priced, single-family homes on lots of less than one acre. More recently, suburbs have adopted land use controls that promote upper class sprawl by reserving large areas for the construction of small numbers of expensive homes on spacious lots. This regulatory shift can be explained in several ways: a homevoter hypothesis that derives the new controls from the economic interests of suburban homeowners and a regional spillover hypothesis that attributes the adoption of new controls to desires by planning commissioners, consultants, and nongovernmental organizations to do as other communities are doing. We assess these explanations through a case study of changing land use controls in the suburban ...
Messenger ribonucleic acid of rat testicular retinoic acid receptors: developmental pattern, cellular distribution, and testosterone effect.

In order to understand the physiological importance and molecular mechanisms of retinoic acid regulation of spermatogenesis, we examined the ontogeny of the steady-state level of the mRNAs of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) a and y in testes; we also used Northern blot cDNA hybridization to examine the distribution of RARa and RARy in spermatogenic cells isolated from 60day-old rats. In addition, we investigated the effects of exogenous testosterone on the steady-state levels of mRNA of RAR a and y in testes of 20-day-old rats. The steady-state levels of both the 3.4- and 2.7-kb mRNA transcripts of RARa in rat testes remained relatively unchanged until 20-21 days of age, then declined thereafter. Comparison of the relative abundance of the RARa transcripts in Sertoli cells isolated from 20-day-old rats with that found in mixed spermatogenic cells isolated from 40-day-old rats suggests that both the 3.4- and the 2.7-kb transcripts were expressed more abundantly in Sertoli cells. Whereas young and pachytene spermatocytes, as well as young and elongated spermatids, all contained the 3.4-kb transcript of RARa, only trace amounts of the 2.7-kb transcript was detected in spermatogenic cells. In addition, trace amounts of a smaller transcript of RARa (1.8 kb) was detected in both Sertoli cells and spermatogenic cells, and two larger transcripts (4.0 and 7.0 kb) were detected exclusively in spermatogenic cells. In contrast, a single 3.4-kb mRNA transcript of RARy was detected in rat testes. The steady-state level of this mRNA transcript steadily increased and reached a maximum by 20 days of age, then decreased thereafter. Whereas Sertoli cells and spermatocytes contained relatively high levels of the 3.4-kb transcript of RARy, trace amounts of this transcript were also detected in spermatids. In addition, a smaller mRNA transcript (2.0 kb) of RARy was detected exclusively in pachytene spermatocytes. Administration of exogenous testosterone to 20-day-old rats resulted in a time- and dose-dependent increase of both the 3.4and 2.7-kb transcripts of RARa, but a decrease in the 3.4-kb transcript of RAR-y. These observations demonstrate that both Sertoli cells and germ cells are capable of expressing different retinoic acid receptors. It is postulated that retinoic acid may regulate the differentiation of spermatogenic cells either directly or through its actions on Sertoli cells. Furthermore, the differential effects of testosterone on the steady-state levels of mRNA of testicular RARa and -y suggest that an RAR-mediated mechanism may be involved in the testosterone regulation of some Sertoli cell functions.
DNA repair: Familiar ends with alternative endings

The faithful propagation of species requires a complex balance of DNA-repair pathways to maintain genome integrity. New work sheds light on one such poorly understood pathway and its role in certain cancers. See Letters p.254 & p.258
Successes and failures of the k ⋅ p method: A direct assessment for GaAs/AlAs quantum structures

The k\ensuremath{\cdot}p method combined with the envelope-function approximation is the tool most commonly used to predict electronic properties of semiconductor quantum wells and superlattices. We test this approach by comparing band energies, dispersion, and wave functions for GaAs/AlAs superlattices and quantum wells as computed directly from a pseudopotential band structure and using eight-band k\ensuremath{\cdot}p. To assure equivalent inputs, all parameters needed for the k\ensuremath{\cdot}p treatment are extracted from calculated bulk GaAs and AlAs pseudopotential band structures. Except for large exchange splittings in the in-plane dispersion for thin superlattices, present in pseudopotential calculations but absent from the k\ensuremath{\cdot}p results, we find generally good agreement for heterostructure hole bands within \ensuremath{\sim}200 meV of the GaAs valence-band maximum. There are systematic errors in band energies and dispersion for deeper hole bands (all other than hh1 and lh1) and significant qualitative and quantitative errors for the conduction bands. Errors for heterostructure conduction states which are derived from the zinc-blende \ensuremath{\Gamma} point diminish as length scales increase beyond \ensuremath{\sim}20 ML, while significant errors persist for L- and X-derived states.For bulk GaAs and AlAs, eight-band k\ensuremath{\cdot}p bands agree well with pseudopotential results very near the zinc-blende \ensuremath{\Gamma} point (where k\ensuremath{\cdot}p parameters are fit) but the first GaAs X point conduction band is \ensuremath{\simeq}26 eV too high with respect to the pseudopotential result. We show that this inadequate description of the bulk band dispersion is the principal source of k\ensuremath{\cdot}p errors in these heterostructures. A wave-function projection analysis shows that k\ensuremath{\cdot}p errors for heterostructures simply reflect corresponding errors for the bulk constituents, weighted by the amount that such bulk states participate in heterostructure states. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
The Value of Formal Conventions in Disciplinary Writing An Axiological Analysis of Professional Style Manuals

The value of formal writing conventions has been diminished in mainstream composition scholarship; although research on occupational writing suggests that formal conventions are important, these fi...
Reduction of Trichloroethylene by Outer-Sphere Electron-Transfer Agents

A series of well-characterized outer-sphere electron-transfer agents were used to study the reduction of trichloroethylene (TCE). Through comparison of the final product ratios of cis-dichloroethylene (cDCE) to trans-dichloroethylene (tDCE) of the outer-sphere reductants to that observed for vitamin B12, it was found that an outer-sphere electron-transfer mechanism is not the likely major pathway in the reduction of TCE by B12. The results provide kinetic support for a two-step reduction mechanism by outer-sphere reductants that involves both vinyl radicals and vinyl anions. The results suggest that the [cDCE]:[tDCE] ratio can be used as a diagnostic for the mechanism of TCE reduction.
Precise and efficient computation of the Beveridge-Nelson decomposition of economic time series

Abstract This note shows how the Beveridge-Nelson decomposition of economic time series can be precisely computed without the necessity for truncating infinite sums. The algorithm includes those of Beveridge and Nelson (1981) and Miller (1988) as special cases for particular models, correcting an error in the latter.
Cognitive and neurodevelopmental benefits of extended formula-feeding in infants: Re: Deoni et al. 2013

The recent Deoni et al. (2013) manuscript proposed that breastfeeding was associated with increased cognitive ability and white-matter in older children (over 26 months), using ms-DESPOT MRI imaging to indirectly measure white matter in children who were either breastfed, formula fed, or combined breast+formula fed. In this response, we identify limitations in drawing causal inference among white matter, cognitive ability, and breastfeeding. We propose that the observed cognitive and neurodevelopmental differences between breastfed and formula-fed infants might actually be caused by the premature introduction of cow's milk in the second year of life, among other contributing factors. The implication of a causal relationship between intelligence and white matter metrics, especially in a developmentally young population, is premature given the recency of this field. The original analyses did not control for important covariates; when comparing both white matter and test scores, mothers were not controlled for age and socio-economic status (SES) and their children were not controlled for gender. Raw test scores, instead of age-adjusted test scores, were used even though the children were of different ages. Mothers were not controlled for reason(s) not to breastfeed, even though many prenatal factors are known to predict this such as stress, parity, obesity, and smoking habits. The observed cognitive ability and white matter benefits identified primarily within the long-term breastfed children are at least partially attributable to other factors such as age, gender, and SES. We suggest methodological approaches to removing such ambiguity, and ways to dissociate cause from effect. The formula and breastfeeding groups didn't show differences until the "formula fed" children likely had been fed cow's milk for longer than they had been fed formula, at 2.2 years. The greatest cognitive differences however were observed within the high SES breastfed infants depending on breastfeeding duration; infants who were breastfed over 15 months showed increased cognitive ability compared to those breastfed less than months. This implicates the source of dairy during the second year of life, and not other SES factors or infant formula, as the most likely nutritional factor responsible for the observed differences within the breastfed children. Given the known nutritional deficiencies of cow's milk, these findings imply infants who received cow's milk during the second year of life were at a disadvantage compared to those who were breastfed, independent of whether they were fed formula or breast milk during the first year of life. This evidence suggests that infants should receive formula in lieu of cow's milk when breast milk is unavailable as a dairy source, until roughly 2 years of age.
A soft body under-actuated approach to multi degree of freedom biomimetic robots: A stingray example

In this paper we present a new application of the methodology our group is developing to design and prototype under-actuated biomimetic robots by determining appropriate body material property distributions. When excited, flexible bodies with proper anisotropic material distributions display modes of vibration that mimic required locomotion kinematics and require minimal actuation. Our previous prototypes explored simple two dimensional applications for fish-like swimming. In this paper, the three dimensional vibrational kinematics of a stingray are explored. A simple design is explained, and corresponding prototypes are presented along with preliminary performance data. Our methodology shows great promise to develop simple, robust, and inexpensive mobile robots that can efficiently accomplish locomotion.
Opportunities to teach: confronting the deskilling of teachers through the development of teacher knowledge of multiple literacies

Two inservice teachers participated in an online master’s course focused on multiple literacies. Their learning in the course is used as a means to explore what teachers need to know about multiple literacies in order to adapt their instruction in the context of prescribed reading programs. This essay presents how both teachers navigated their programmatic reading curriculum constraints and used their knowledge of multiple literacies and new literacies in their pedagogy.
Factors contributing to severity of herpes zoster in children

Herpes zoster is typically a benign disease in children. Three patients were observed in whom unusually severe herpes zoster was present. Among the factors which may have contributed to the gravity of the illness were the presence of malignancy, debility, and therapy with immune-suppressive agents.
A new rule for computing Clebsch-Gordan series

A new combinatorial rule for computing the Clebsch-Gordan series of a tensor product of irreducible SU(n)-representations is introduced. This rule provides an efficient algorithm for computing features of the Clebsch-Gordan multiplicities, such as the ''characteristic nullspaces'' of tensor operators, that are not easily computed by other methods. Furthermore, unlike the Littlewood-Richardson rule, this new rule generalizes, in principle, to other semisimple Lie groups. This generalization and its consequences for tensor operators are discussed in some detail. As an application, it is shown that as n increases, it is possible to find characteristic nullspaces for SU(n)-tensor operators, which have arbitrarily large multiplicity.
Ion equation of state in quasi-parallel shocks: A simulation result

Ion equation of state in the quasi-parallel collisionless shock is deduced from simulation results. The simulations were performed for theta(bn) = 10 deg, beta = 0.5 and M sub A in the range from 1.2 to 8, where M sub A is the Alfven Mach number, beta is the upstream ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure, and theta(bn) is the angle between the shock normal and the upstream magnetic field. The equation of state can be approximated by a power law with different exponents in the upstream and downstream sides of the shock transition region. The exponent in the upstream side of the transition region is much greater than the adiabatic value of 5/3 and increases with M sub A. The exponent in the downstream side of the transition region is slightly less than 5/3. The results show that ion heating in the quasi-parallel shock is highly nonadiabatic with a large increase in entropy and in temperature ratio in the upstream side of the transition region, while the heating is highly isentropic with a large increase in temperature difference across the principal density jump in the downstream side of the transition region.
Technology to enhance physical rehabilitation of critically ill patients.

Background: Neuromuscular complications after critical illness are common and can be severe and persistent. To ameliorate complications, there is growing interest in starting physical medicine and rehabilitation therapy immediately after physiologic stabilization. The introduction of physical medicine and rehabilitation-related technology into the intensive care unit may help facilitate delivery of this therapy. Discussion: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy creates passive contraction of muscles through low-voltage electrical impulses delivered through skin electrodes placed over target muscles. Although neuromuscular electrical stimulation has not been studied in patients with acute critical illness, published guidelines based on available evidence suggest that neuromuscular electrical stimulation may be considered in intensive care unit patients who are at high risk of developing muscle weakness. Bedside cycle ergometry can provide range of motion and muscle strength training for intensive care unit patients who are either sedated or awake, and may help preserve muscle architecture and improve strength and function. Finally, custom-designed technological aids to assist with ambulating mechanically ventilated patients may reduce the human resource requirements and improve the safety and effectiveness of early mobilization in the intensive care unit. Conclusion: Physical medicine and rehabilitation-related technologies may play an important role in preventing and treating intensive care unit-acquired neuromuscular complications. Future studies are needed to evaluate their efficacy in intensive care unit patients.
Values and disvalues of children in successive childbearing decisions

The values and disvalues that wives and husbands in the Philippines, South Korea, and the United States attach to having another child are described from national survey data. Loglinear models are used to demonstrate that both country and parity affect value and disvalues rankings, but respondent’s sex does not. The differences in values and disvalues across parities suggest a multistage model of family formation, with perceptions of successive children linked to periods in family development. It is argued that this multistage. model is consistent with changes in the value of children in the fertility transition.
Complex multiplication of exactly solvable Calabi–Yau varieties

We propose a conceptual framework that leads to an abstract characterization for the exact solvability of Calabi–Yau varieties in terms of abelian varieties with complex multiplication. The abelian manifolds are derived from the cohomology of the Calabi–Yau manifold, and the conformal field theoretic quantities of the underlying string emerge from the number theoretic structure induced on the varieties by the complex multiplication symmetry. The geometric structure that provides a conceptual interpretation of the relation between geometry and conformal field theory is discrete, and turns out to be given by the torsion points on the abelian varieties.
Patency rates of portal vein/superior mesenteric vein reconstruction after pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatectomy with venous reconstruction (VR) for pancreatic cancer (PC) is occurring more commonly. Few studies have examined the long-term patency of the superior mesenteric-portal vein confluence following reconstruction. From 2007 to 2013, patients who underwent pancreatic resection with VR for PC were classified by type of reconstruction. Patency of VR was assessed using surveillance computed tomographic imaging obtained from date of surgery to last follow-up. VR was performed in 43 patients and included the following: tangential resection with primary repair (7, 16 %) or saphenous vein patch (9, 21 %); segmental resection with splenic vein division and either primary anastomosis (10, 23 %) or internal jugular vein interposition (8, 19 %); or segmental resection with splenic vein preservation and either primary anastomosis (3, 7 %) or interposition grafting (6, 14 %). All patients were instructed to take aspirin after surgery; low molecular weight heparin was not routinely used. An occluded VR was found in four (9 %) of the 43 patients at a median follow-up of 13 months; median time to detection of thrombosis in the four patients was 72 days (range 16–238). Pancreatectomy with VR can be performed with high patency rates. The optimal postoperative pharmacologic therapy to prevent thrombosis requires further investigation.
Geomicrobial transformation of manganese in Gorda Ridge event plumes

Abstract Event plumes form as episodic discharges of large volumes of hydrothermal solutions in response to magmatic diking/eruptive events. In consequence, event plumes represent the sudden injection of exploitable reduced chemical substrates, as well as inhibitory constituents, and likely induce successional changes in the microbial community structure and activity within event plume waters. In response to a major seismic event detected beginning 28 February 1996 at the northern Gorda Ridge, a series of three rapid response and follow-up cruises (GREAT 1, 2 and 3) were mounted over a period of three months. This report focuses on time-series measurements of manganese geomicrobial parameters in the two event plumes found in association with this seismic event. Scanning transmission electron microscopy, elemental microanalysis, and radioisotope (54Mn) uptake experiments were employed on samples collected from vertical and tow-yo casts from the three cruises. Numbers of bacteria and ratios of metal precipitating capsuled bacteria to total bacteria were greatest in the youngest (days old) plume, EP96A, found during GREAT 1; however, when normalized to the hydrothermal temperature anomaly, the greatest values were found in a second event plume, EP96B, discovered during GREAT 2 (up to 1 month old). Early capsule bacteria and particulate Mn distributions may have been influenced by entrainment of resuspended sediment, while those of the oldest (2–3 months) plume sample may have been subjected to preferential aggregation and particle settling.
Managing music across multiple devices and computers

In this paper we present results from a study to understand how people use, synchronize, and backup personal digital music collections across multiple devices and computers. We conducted a survey of a university community including students, faculty, and staff, with 184 respondents. Our findings show that the sizes of music collections follow an exponential distribution curve both in terms of number of songs and collection size in gigabytes. Over 50% of the participants in this study owned more than one portable music player and a majority of respondents (82%) listened to music on their mobile player 2--3 times per week or more. We report techniques that participants commonly described for synchronizing portable MP3 players with music collections, and common problems they experienced. We also describe results about music backup and recovery strategies described by respondents and how they synchronize music across multiple computers. Our results give insights into the under-studied area of personal digital music management and provide suggestions for tasks that would benefit from improved tools and practices.
The magnetic domain configuration in Co/Ni/Co nanoscale antidot arrays

We performed superconducting quantum interference devices and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) measurements on magnetic multilayer Co(60 A)/Ni(90 A)/Co(60 A) nanoscale antidot samples. The antidot samples were fabricated on nanochannel glass substrates with different antidot diameters and the antidots ordered as a two dimensional hexagonal lattice structure. The results indicate that a self-organized domain structure is formed due to the pinning effect of the antidots. The strong uniaxial anisotropy of Co suppresses the shape anisotropy of the antidots and results in an uncommon domain structure. The field dependent MFM data reveal a reversal of magnetization.
Assay for molecular transport across gap junction channels in one-dimensional cell arrays

Transport across gap junction channels (GJCs) between neighboring cells is critical to synchronizing cell's electrical and metabolic activities and maintaining cell homeostasis. Here we present a non-invasive microfluidic method to measure molecular diffusion across GJCs in multiple 1D cell arrays in real time. Using the chip, selective loading of a membrane permeant fluorescence dye (carboxyfluorescein) in Normal Rat Kidney (NRK) cells shows that the dye was able to diffuse through three cells along single cell chains in ∼35 minutes. Application of 100 µM 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) reversibly inhibits connexin-43 gap junctions in NRK cells; 0.8 mM 1-heptanol inhibits the diffusion partially. The method offers rapid exchange of reagents, enabling sequential screening of multiple gap junction specific drugs with only one preparation of cells. It is capable of measuring gap junction mediated diffusion between single cells.
Research activities of a veterinary toxicology laboratory.

(1972). Research Activities of a Veterinary Toxicology Laboratory. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 271-281.
Ripples and Waves: The Growth of the Parkway South High School-Maryville University Partnership

(1999). Ripples and Waves: The Growth of the Parkway South High School-Maryville University Partnership. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 74, No. 3-4, pp. 71-84.
Patient-reported outcomes following biologic therapy in a sample of adults with rheumatoid arthritis recruited from community-based rheumatologists.

Clinical trials of biologic agents have established the efficacy of these agents in improving outcomes among individuals with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (1–3). Results of these trials are usually based on ACR 20/50/70 responder criteria or EULAR improvement criteria, which include some patient-reported outcomes, but patient-reported outcomes have not traditionally been the primary focus of clinical trials. More recently, some studies have begun to focus on patient-reported outcomes such as joint pain, pain severity, fatigue, and function (4–6). A limited number of these trials have evaluated results beyond one year. For example, of the trials evaluated by Chen and colleagues for a systematic review of the effectiveness of various biologic agents, only 2 of 11 trials of etanercept extended beyond 12 months, and the longest noted trials of infliximab were 54 weeks (for 4 of 9 trials)(1). Similarly, Gartlehner noted in another systematic review of 26 trials of biologic agents that the longest trial was 52 weeks (7). In addition, patients enrolled in clinical trials are selected based on very strict inclusion and exclusion criteria and treatment is defined by the clinical trial protocol. Patients are assigned to treatments randomly to assess the efficacy of the treatment being studied accurately and to minimize differences between treatment groups. However, in community practice, treatment assignment is not random and care is not as strictly controlled, so effectiveness may differ from the efficacy seen in clinical trials. In 1998, two biologic agents, etanercept and infliximab were approved for the first time for the treatment of individuals with moderate to severe RA. Given the high cost of these agents, it is important to assess how treatment is being allocated and whether individuals on treatment long-term are receiving meaningful benefits from treatment. Some community-based studies suggest that patients who receive biologic agents have worse function and pain than those who do not (6). The purpose of this analysis was to examine self-reported symptoms and functioning of persons with RA treated by community rheumatologists who initiated biologic agents, and changes in symptoms and function after up to two years of use, compared to a group of individuals from the same cohort who did not use biologic agents.
Malondialdehyde oxidation by hydrogen peroxide and by light-excited riboflavin in model systems

Oxidation of malondialdehyde (MDA) by H 2 O 2 was affected by concentrations of MDA or H 2 O 2 , pH and solvent. The reaction displayed an approximate 1:1 ratio of H 2 O 2 /MDA consumption and probably produced malonaldehyde as the oxidation product in moderate conditions. Oxidation of MDA by light-excited riboflavin produced superoxide anion, and the amount of superoxide anion generated was MDA concentration-dependent
Prediction of Boundary-Layer Transition Effects on Turbine Airfoil Profile Losses

A previous paper by these authors demonstrated the ability of CFD simulations to accurately resolve profile losses — both with and without film cooling — for a test case in which the airfoil boundary layers were turbulent over the entire airfoil surface. The same paper highlighted the inability of currently available methods to properly resolve losses for cases in which the airfoil boundary layer undergoes transition. This paper presents new CFD results for the identical test case of flow through a linear turbine airfoil cascade. This test case matches an experimental study documented in the open literature, and the measured data is used for validation of the computational results. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations were performed using a new three-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence model previously developed and documented by the authors. The new model has been developed specifically to provide accurate resolution of boundary-layer transition, without any need for empirical correlations or problem-dependent user input. Results obtained with the new model on the uncooled airfoil show a significant improvement in loss prediction over currently available models that cannot resolve boundary-layer transition. Results for the film-cooled cases show improvement over more traditional models, but highlight the need to incorporate the physics of separated shear-layer transition in addition to attached boundary-layer transition.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Experimental gliopathy in the adult rat CNS: Effect on the blood‐spinal cord barrier

The expression of certain blood-brain barrier (BBB) properties in CNS endothelial cells appear to be dependent on astroglial interactions in vitro. However, evidence for direct astroglial support of BBB function in vivo is controversial. To determine if perivascular astroglial damage or loss would compromise BBB function in situ, localized astroglial degeneration was produced in adult rat spinal cords by systemic injections of the anti-metabolite 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN). Between 1 and 5 days after 6-AN administration, microvessels in the lumbar spinal cord (blood-spinal cord barrier) were examined for the expression of several BBB markers and for leakage of endogenous and exogenous proteins by means of immunocytochemical and histochemical procedures. Glial cells throughout the gray matter were swollen after 24 h, and by 5 days post-injection perivascular astroglia in laminae VI-VIII appeared completely degenerated. Microvessels were undamaged and continued to express BBB markers such as GLUT-I, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, and endothelial barrier antigen in this region in a manner comparable to control animals. These results suggest that differentiated, BBB-competent microvascular endothelia in situ may not depend on continuous astroglial support to maintain these particular BBB characteristics. However, the BBB to protein appeared to be compromised; the gray matter was immunoreactive for serum albumin and some areas were permeable to intravascularly injected horseradish peroxidase (HRP). No increase in microvascular transport vesicles was apparent, and no open, tracer-containing interendothelial junctions were detected using standard ultrastructural methods. Some venous structures were surrounded by hemorrhages and HRP reaction product. Thus, astrocytic injury may alter venous, and possibly microvascular, permeability to macromolecules.
Unsteady forced convection with sinusoidal duct wall generation: the conjugate heat transfer problem

Abstract Transient heat transfer solutions are found for a fluid flowing within a parallel plate duct when there is sinusoidal generation with axial position in the duct wall. Solutions are found for wall temperature, surface heat flux and fluid bulk mean temperature as a function of position and time in this conjugated problem. To develop this solution, finite difference methods are used as well as the quasi-steady method and another method which employs a two integral representation for the surface heat flux. Accuracy limitations of the quasi-steady results are identified. Transient local Nusselt number predictions show its dependence upon time.
Laparoscopic management of a large ovarian cyst in the neonate

Laparotomy has become the preferred approach to the excision of large, complex abdominal cysts in the neonate. We describe a laparoscopic-assisted decapsulation of an antenatally diagnosed abdominal cyst that was noted on postnatal ultrasound scan to have a complex echo pattern. This limited procedure allows for accurate verification of the diagnosis, institution of appropriate therapy, and organ salvage. It represents a superior management option that obviates the significant complications associated with conservative management.
Chromatin-associated ribonucleases are activaed by estradiol in chick oviduct

Abstract To gain some insight into the mechanism of regulation of gene expression by estradiol in chick oviduct, the effect of steroid administration in vivo on the size distribution of nascent RNA transcripts synthesized in isolated ‘chromatin’ in vitro was analyzed. In ‘chromatin’ from withdrawn (control) animals, the majority of form B-directed RNA products were large (> 18S) and degradation of these chains was minimal. After treating chicks with estradiol in vivo for 1–6 h, a marked shift to a smaller size distribution was observed for the nascent RNA population, suggesting that ‘chromatin’ contained tightly-bound ribonucleases whose activity was enhanced by estradiol. This was confirmed by measuring the ability of ‘chromatin’ preparations to increase the number of 3'-ends in isolated endogenous RNA. The results indicate that the steroid-induced accumulation of mRNAs coding for egg white proteins in chick oviduct may be mediated by an activation of nuclear ribonucleases.
Natural history of Crohn's disease following total colectomy and end ileostomy.

Background Crohn's disease (CD) requires surgical management in up to two-thirds of patients. Few studies have addressed the issue of ileal recurrence after colectomy and permanent ileostomy. The aims of our study were to assess the rate and predictors of postoperative recurrence of CD in patients with permanent ileostomy. Methods In a retrospective study from a tertiary referral center, we analyzed the natural history of patients with CD who underwent total colectomy and permanent ileostomy. Our primary outcomes were (1) overall disease recurrence including luminal recurrence, perianal disease or peristomal lesions requiring therapy, and (2) luminal recurrence alone defined as endoscopic and clinical recurrence within the terminal ileum. We examined if patient characteristics predicted recurrence using multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Results Our study included 73 patients with CD followed for a mean of 28 months (range, 0-168 mo) after total colectomy and permanent ileostomy. Twenty patients had overall disease recurrence within 10 years after surgery, at rates of 15% and 50% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Rate of luminal recurrence was 8% and 35% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Diagnosis at age less than 18 years (hazard ratio, 2.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-7.62) and anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy before surgery (hazard ratio, 4.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-18.13) were the only independent predictive factors for overall disease recurrence. Conclusions Up to one-third of patients with CD have overall recurrence of disease after treatment with total colectomy and permanent ileostomy. There is need to develop algorithms for surveillance and management of this select subgroup of patients.