cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Routine intensive care unit admission among patients undergoing major pancreatic surgery for cancer: No effect on failure to rescue

Background An understanding of the overall routine intensive care unit utilization, and characterization of the factors associated with a routine intensive care unit stay, may help identify ways to decrease overutilization of this resource after pancreatic surgery. Methods Patients undergoing major pancreatic resection were identified in the Truven Health Analytics (Ann Arbor, MI) MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database from 2010 to 2014. Routine postoperative intensive care unit admission was defined as an admission to the intensive care unit of 24 hours or less on postoperative day zero. The association between routine intensive care unit admission and postoperative outcomes, including extended length of stay, failure to rescue, and total inpatient costs were evaluated. Results Of 3,280 patients who underwent a major pancreatic resection, 1,715 patients (52.3%) had a routine intensive care unit admission, which trended down over time (2010, n = 349; 53.0% versus 2014, n = 299; 47.5%; P = .019). The incidence of failure to rescue among patients who were routinely admitted to the intensive care unit (3.7%) was comparable to those admitted to the floor (1.7%, P = .098). Patients who were routinely admitted to the intensive care unit after major pancreatic resection had a median length of stay of 10 days (IQR: 7–15 days) versus 8 days (IQR: 7–12 days) for patients who were not admitted to the ICU (P Conclusion Routine intensive care unit admission was associated with a longer length of stay but did not translate into lower failure to rescue among patients.
Hiding in the Clouds and Building a Stealth Communication Network.

Social networks, instant messages and file sharing systems are common communication means among friends, families, coworkers, etc. Due to concerns of personal privacy, identify thefts, data misuse, freedom of speech and government surveillance, online social or communication networks have provided various options for a user to guard or control his or her personal data. However, for most these services, user data are still accessible by the service providers, which can lead to both liability issues if data breach occurs at the server side and data misuse by the network administrators. To prevent service providers from accessing user data, secure end-to-end user communication is a must, like the one provided by WhatsApp. On the other hand, the services provided by such communication network can still be interfered by an authority. For a communication network to be stealthy, the following features are essential: (1) oblivious service, (2) complete user control and flexibility, and (3) lightweight. In this paper, we first discuss the features and benefits of a stealth communication network (SNET), and then we propose a theoretical framework that can be adopted to implement an SNET. By utilizing the framework and the existing publicly available cloud storage, we present the implementation details of an instance of SNET, named Secret-Share. Last but not least, we discuss the current limitations of Secret-Share and its potential extensions.
IMPACT OF VALVULAR HEART DISEASE, ANTICOAGULATION, AND LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE OCCLUSION DEVICES: A NOVEL APPROACH

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) at high risk of stroke are typically placed on anticoagulation (A/C), with warfarin being approved in patients with valvular heart disease (VHD). Some patients cannot tolerate long term A/C, and therefore left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) devices are used
Post-Process Effects of Isothermal Annealing and Initially Applied Static Uniaxial Loading on the Ultimate Tensile Strength of Fused Filament Fabrication Parts

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is one of the most popular additive manufacturing (AM) techniques used to fabricate polymeric structures. However, these polymeric structures suffer from an inherent deficiency of weak inter-laminar tensile strength. Because of this weak inter-laminar strength, these parts fail prematurely and exhibit only a fraction of the mechanical properties of those fabricated using conventional means. In this paper, we study the effect of thermal annealing in the presence of an initially applied static uniaxial load on the ultimate tensile strength of parts fabricated using FFF. Tensile specimens or dogbones were fabricated from an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filament with a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 105 °C; these specimens were then isothermally annealed, post manufacture, in a fixture across a given range of temperatures and static loads. Tensile testing was then performed on these specimens to gauge the effect of the thermal annealing and static loading on inter-laminar tensile strength by measuring the ultimate tensile strength of the specimens. A design of experiments (DOE) approach was followed to calculate the main and interaction effects of the two factors (temperature and static loading) on the ultimate tensile strength, and an analysis of variance was conducted. Cross-sectional images of the specimens were studied to observe the changes in the mesostructure of the specimens that led to the increase in inter-laminar strength of the parts. The results show that temperature plays a dominant role in increasing the ultimate tensile strength and an 89% increase in the average ultimate tensile strength was seen corresponding to an annealing temperature of 160 °C. A change in the mesostructure of the parts is seen, which is characterized by an increase in bond length and void coalescence. These results can be helpful in studying the structural strength of 3D printed parts, and thus could eventually guide the fabrication of components with strength comparable to those of conventional manufacturing techniques.
The Growth of Press Freedoms in the United States Since 9/11

The number, frequency, and seriousness of leaks of classified information have grown sharply in the last two decades. The government has reacted to these leaks with several initiatives to stop or deter them. Journalists and their allies, in turn, have complained that these initiatives have narrowed press freedoms and damaged the First Amendment. This essay argues that the journalists are wrong. The last two decades have witnessed an unprecedented growth in press freedoms in the national security context, and greater protection for journalists in their reporting of national security secrets. The indictment of Julian Assange is no violation of this norm, and in many ways confirms it.
Changes in Health Care Use by Mexican American Medicare Beneficiaries Before and After a Diagnosis of Dementia.

BACKGROUND Evidence from predominantly non-Hispanic White cohorts indicates health care utilization increases before Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) is diagnosed. We investigated trends in health care utilization by Mexican American Medicare beneficiaries before and after an incident diagnosis of ADRD. METHODS Data came from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly that has been linked with Medicare claims files from 1999 to 2016 (n = 558 matched cases and controls). Piecewise regression and generalized linear mixed models were used to compare the quarterly trends in any (ie, one or more) hospitalizations, emergency room (ER) admissions, and physician visits for 1 year before and 1 year after ADRD diagnosis. RESULTS The piecewise regression models showed that the per-quarter odds for any hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR] = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.43-1.84) and any ER admissions (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.27-1.54) increased before ADRD was diagnosed. Compared to participants without ADRD, the percentage of participants with ADRD who experienced any hospitalizations (27.2% vs 14.0%) and any ER admissions (19.0% vs 11.7%) was significantly higher at 1 quarter and 3 quarters before ADRD diagnosis, respectively. The per-quarter odds for any hospitalizations (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80-0.97) and any ER admissions (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.82-0.97) decreased after ADRD was diagnosed. Trends for any physician visits before or after ADRD diagnosis were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Older Mexican Americans show an increase in hospitalizations and ER admissions before ADRD is diagnosed, which is followed by a decrease after ADRD diagnosis. These findings support the importance of a timely diagnosis of ADRD for older Mexican Americans.
One-Year before and after UNOS Status Change Effect on Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients Undergoing Heart Transplant

Purpose Late stage dilated cardiomyopathy is one of the primary indications for heart transplant. We sought to see what baseline characteristics changed and if survival differed in dilated cardiomyopathy patients who underwent heart transplant in the one-year before and after the UNOS status change. Methods In the UNOS database, 2961 dilated cardiomyopathy patients underwent heart transplant (Exclusions: age Results The post group was younger (56 yo [47.0-63.0] vs 58 yo [49.0-64.0], p=0.002) and had lower creatinine levels (1.1 mg/dL [0.9-1.4] vs 1.2 [1.0-1.5], p Conclusion The distance of donor hospital to transplant center were farther and ischemic time were longer in the post-era policy change but the survival outcomes did not differ for dilated cardiomyopathy patients undergoing heart transplantation.
Serial progression of experimental Mannheimia haemolytica pneumonia

Mannheimia haemolytica (MH) is a major pathogen of the bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex. The objective of this study was to monitor various parameters of disease in beef feeder calves following experimental intrabronchial inoculation with MH.
pyRS: a user-friendly package for the reduction and analysis of neutron diffraction data measured at the High Intensity Diffractometer for Residual Stress Analysis

The pyRS (Python residual stress) analysis software was designed to address the data reduction and analysis needs of the High Intensity Diffractometer for Residual Stress Analysis (HIDRA) user community. pyRS implements frameworks for the calibration and reduction of measured 2D data into intensity versus scattering vector magnitude and subsequent single-peak-fitting analysis to facilitate texture and residual strain/stress analysis. pyRS components are accessible as standalone user interfaces for peak-fitting and stress/strain analysis or as Python scripts. The scripting interface facilitates automated data reduction and peak-fitting analysis using an autoreduction protocol. Details of the implemented functionality are discussed.
Catalytic cracking of inedible camelina oils to hydrocarbon fuels over bifunctional Zn/ZSM-5 catalysts

Catalytic cracking of camelina oils to hydrocarbon fuels over ZSM-5 and ZSM-5 impregnated with Zn2+ (named bifunctional catalyst) was individually carried out at 500 °C using a tubular fixed-bed reactor. Fresh and used catalysts were characterized by ammonia temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and nitrogen isothermal adsorption/desorption micropore analyzer. The effect of catalysts on the yield rate and qualities of products was discussed. The loading of Zn2+ to ZSM-5 provided additional acid sites and increased the ratio of Lewis acid site to Bronsted acid site. BET results revealed that the surface area and pore volume of the catalyst decreased after ZSM-5 was impregnated with zinc, while the pore size increased. When using the bifunctional catalyst, the pH value and heating value of upgraded camelina oils increased, while the oxygen content and moisture content decreased. Additionally, the yield rate of hydrocarbon fuels increased, while the density and oxygen content decreased. Because of a high content of fatty acids, the distillation residues of cracking oils might be recycled to the process to improve the hydrocarbon fuel yield rate.
Replication Hits 50

In eukaryotes, DNA replication appears to occur in stationary factories that can be visualized as foci in the nucleus via either immunofluorescence microscopy of replication proteins or fluorescence microscopy of live cells carrying green fluorescent protein-tagged replication proteins. In bacteria, the division plane at midcell is a crucial locus where most of the events leading to cytokinesis take place. Using green fluorescent proteintagged subunits of the Pol III HE, researches have shown that the DNA polymerases assemble and replicate DNA at midcell in Bacillus subtilis. Studies on the effect of moving dif on chromosomal dimer resolution and on the tolerance of deletions and inversions in the terminus region have led to the suggestion that the chromosome is polarized, meaning that the directionality of the path taken along the chromosome away from oriC has some physical manifestation. The proteins required for restart primosome assembly—PriA, PriB, PriC, DnaT, DnaB, DnaC, and DnaG—were discovered originally because they acted to assemble a primosome on φX174 viral DNA during its conversion to the replicative form. In Escherichia coli, estimates of the probability that a replication fork formed at oriC will be arrested before completing replication of one arm of the chromosome vary from 0.15 to almost certainty.
[ 3 H]Acetylcholine Binding to Nicotinic Cholinergic Receptors in Brain: Localization and Regulation Visualized by Autoradiography

[3H]Acetylcholine ([3H]ACh) labels nicotinic cholinergic receptors of high affinity in brain homogenates (1). The distribution of these sites can be studied in greater detail using autoradiographic techniques. In a recent autoradiographic study, a qualitative comparison was made of [3H]ACh and [3H]nicotine binding to nicotinic cholinergic receptors in rat brain sections (2). In the present study, autoradiography was used to determine the relative distribution of [3H]ACh binding sites throughout several levels of rat brain. Brain sections (24 ym) were thaw-mounted onto subbed slides, assayed for [3H]ACh binding, and exposed to tritiunv-sensitive film as previously described (2,3). Optical density measurements were made of specific brain regions relative to areas of white matter in the same slice. There was a seven-fold difference between areas with the highest and lowest levels of [3H]ACh binding. The greatest binding occurred in areas such as the interpeduncular nucleus, several thalamic nuclei, and medial habenula. Areas with moderate levels of binding included the superior colliculus, retrosplenial cortex, substantia nigra pars compacta, and caudate nucleus, while [3H]ACh binding was virtually absent in areas such as the inferior colliculus, hippocampus (stratum oriens), and entorhinal cortex. In previous studies using brain homogenates, we have observed that repeated exposure to the cholinesterase inhibitor OFP leads to a ‘down-regulation’ of [3H]ACh binding sites while repeated exposure to nicotine leads to an ‘up-regulation’ of these binding sites in brain areas such as the thalamus, cortex, caudate, and hypothalamus (4,5).
Laser excitation spectrum of PbO: Rotational analysis of the a(1)-X(0+) system☆

Abstract A flashlamp-pumped tunable dye laser has been used to investigate the a - X band system of PbO. Spectra with resolution adequate for rotational analysis were obtained by exciting a - X photoluminescence with the laser operating at a bandwidth of 0.2 cm −1 . The (3,1) and (4,1) bands have been rotationally analyzed, providing the rotational constants B 3 = 0.2389 ± 0.0002 cm −1 and B 4 = 0.2374 ± 0.0002 cm −1 for the a state. Observation of P , Q , and R branch structure confirms the assignment of the a state as a Hund's case ( c ), Ω = 1 state of PbO. Calculated combination defects having positive algebraic sign support the presence of a b (0 − ) state approximately 350 cm −1 above the a (1) state.
A PTAS for the weighted 2-interval pattern problem over the preceding-and-crossing model

The 2-Interval Pattern problem over its various models and restrictions was proposed by Vialette for RNA secondary structure prediction, and has attracted a lot of attention from the theoretical computer science community in recent years. In the framework of 2-intervals, the preceding-and-crossing model is an especially interesting model for RNA secondary structures with pseudoknots. In this paper, we present a polynomial time approximation scheme for the Weighted 2-Interval Pattern problem over the preceding-and-crossing model. Our algorithm improves the previous best 2-approximation algorithm, and closes this problem in terms of the approximation ratio.
Factors Affecting Environmental Performance of High-Strength Bolts

Hydrogen-stress cracking and stress-corrosion cracking are two mechanisms which have been responsible for many premature failures in high-strength-steel structural members. Both the strength level and the magnitude of the stress are important factors in both fracture mechanisms. Galvanized A-490 bolts heat treated to within specification strength level did exhibit some susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking in both laboratory and natural environments. Black A-490 bolts, on the other hand, can be properly fabricated to eliminate problems from hydrogen-stress cracking and stress-corrosion cracking
Risk neutral calibration of classifiers

In this paper we introduce a new, non-invasive approach to calibrating classifiers in a risk neutral setting based on the worthwhile index, W. We employ a simple Markov chain classifier and show through exhausted tests on data sets from the UCI machine-learning repository how to use the worthwhile index to significantly reduce the incidence of misclassification false positives. We hypothesize our approach to calibration may be applied to other classifier systems with few or no changes since the method involves observing the classifier's external behavior, not its internal mechanisms.
Assessment of the eN Method as a Transition Prediction Tool for Zero Pressure Gradient Flows with and without Boundary Layer Suction

This paper compares theoretical predictions for the onset of transition to turbulence with experimental results observed in a 2-D zero pressure gradient boundary layer (typical unit Reynolds number 2 million) subjected to suction through a perforated strip extending 20cm in the streamwise direction, for suction coefficients in the range 0.001 to 0.01. In the zero suction case experimental observations agreed well with theoretical predictions obtained by using the eN method with a transition criterion of N=9. However, with suction applied this criterion failed to predict transition onset in the post-suction region. The discrepancy is attributed to disturbance effects not accounted for in linear stability theory, made apparent, either directly or indirectly, by the application of boundary layer suction.
Seasonal shifts in the diet of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), Fort Collins, Colorado

Recent analyses suggest that the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) may be less of a beetle specialist (Coleoptera) in the western United States than previously thought, and that its diet might also vary with temperature. We tested the hypothesis that big brown bats might opportunistically prey on moths by analyzing insect fragments in guano pellets from 30 individual bats (27 females and 3 males) captured while foraging in Fort Collins, Colorado, during May, late July–early August, and late September 2002. We found that bats sampled 17–20 May (n = 12 bats) had a high (81–83%) percentage of volume of lepidopterans in guano, with the remainder (17–19% volume) dipterans and no coleopterans. From 28 May–9 August (n = 17 bats) coleopterans dominated (74–98% volume). On 20 September (n = 1 bat) lepidopterans were 99% of volume in guano. Migratory miller moths (Euxoa auxiliaris) were unusually abundant in Fort Collins in spring and autumn of 2002 and are known agricultural pests as larvae (army cutworms), suggesting that seasonal dietary flexibility in big brown bats has economic benefits.
Familial reticuloendotheliosis: concurrence of disease in five siblings.

A fatal syndrome characterized by failure to thrive, eczema, recurrent skin, ear, and respiratory tract infections, lymphadenopathy hepatosplenomegaly, pulmonary infiltrations, and terminal peripheral pancytopenia and hypergammaglobulinemia is described in a complete sibship of five girls. Histologically, there was diffuse reticulum cell infiltration in the lungs, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, and central nervous system. The lymphoid architecture was obliterated and there was a marked plasmacytosis. Death occurred between the ages of 20 months and 4 9/12 years and was associated with pulmonary insufficiency, septicemia, and candidiasis. Attempts to identify an etiologic agent were unsuccessful. Although similar to other reviewed cases of familial reticuloendotheliosis, the involvement of a complete sibship appears to be a unique occurrence.
Dental pain in the elderly

Dental pain is a primary precipitator of dental treatment in the elderly population. Yet the pain in an older person is likely to represent a more severe pathosis than in a younger individual. Increased internal mineralization of the teeth with time results in increased brittleness and susceptibility to fracture. Gingival recession exposes softer, more caries-prone areas of teeth to the oral environment. Alteration in salivary volume and composition is a common side effect of many medications; this further compromises the dentition. The sense organs of older teeth are relatively insulated from the oral environment; there is diminished vascular and nervous support of the pulps of older teeth; and incipient dental caries becomes less likely to cause any discomfort. Dental caries in an older individual therefore often presents as an advanced, cavitated lesion, a fractured tooth, or a soft tissue ulceration secondary to either. Soft tissue trauma similarly may be missed until extensive damage has occurred. Innervation of intraoral soft tissue is diminished in elderly subjects, and the healing potential of mucosa may be less as well. Dentures are often responsible for intreoral trauma due to progressive maladaptation, diminished patient coordination, or salivary modification. Inasmuch as both incipient dental caries and incipient soft tissue trauma may fall to signal their presence, regular intrsoral examinations become the most effective means for avoiding advanced dental pathoses and subsequent dental pain in the elderly.
Web-based telerehabilitation for the upper extremity after stroke

Stroke is a leading cause of disability in the United States and yet little technology is currently available for individuals with stroke to practice and monitor rehabilitation therapy on their own. This paper provides a detailed design description of a telerehabilitation system for arm and hand therapy following stroke. The system consists of a Web-based library of status tests, therapy games, and progress charts, and can be used with a variety of input devices, including a low-cost force-feedback joystick capable of assisting or resisting in movement. Data from home-based usage by a chronic stroke subject are presented that demonstrate the feasibility of using the system to direct a therapy program, mechanically assist in movement, and track improvements in movement ability.
Traumatic flank hernias: acute and chronic management.

Abstract Background Traumatic flank hernias are increasingly recognized as occurring after severe blunt injury. To clarify the role and timing of operative therapy, we review here our recent experience. Methods A prospectively maintained database at Oklahoma’s only level I trauma center was reviewed to identify all patients presenting with traumatic flank hernias. Results During the period from July 2001 through February 2007, 25 patients (.2% of all blunt trauma patients) had traumatic flank hernias. The average age was 36.4 years (range 13 to 66), and all cases but 1 were related to motor vehicle crashes. All patients had at least 1 associated injury. Repairs were done by standardized approach. Eleven patients underwent immediate surgery; 8 underwent delayed repair; and 3 underwent late repair (range 4.5 to 10 years after injury). The other 3 patients were managed expectantly. There was 1 mortality and 3 recurrences. Length of stay for acute trauma ranged from 5 to 49 days and was dependent on the severity of associated injuries. Follow-up of 21 patients ranged from 7 to 710 days. Conclusions Traumatic flank hernias are rare but more common than previously recognized. Prompt recognition, proper timing, and technique are key to successful outcomes.
Obsolescence Of The In-House Radiology Equipment Service Engineer

This paper concerns service cost, qualifications of service and service engineers. The qualification of the x-ray service personnel for the in-house repair work demands our attention. No formal education is offered in this field. The only prerequisite today is electronics; mechanical and electro-mechanical qualifications are neglected. A person is considered a service engineer if he can troubleshoot and repair general x-ray equipment. The replacement of a piece of x-ray equipment in a large department can make the in-house serviceman obsolete due to a completely new technology used in the design, unless the department is willing to carry the burden of continued education for the in-house service engineer. It is not only equipment knowledge the service engineer needs, it is also basic knowledge and, in most instances, knowledge in physics, for a good common sense approach. The government agency places an ever-increasing burden upon the service engineer with impractical laws or laws amended ad infinitum. I request and demand that fewer laws be written regarding the regulation of radiology and radiological procedures. Instead, an educational approach should be taken throughout the country.
Prospects for detecting dark matter with neutrino telescopes in light of recent results from direct detection experiments

Direct detection dark matter experiments, lead by the CDMS collaboration, have placed increasingly stronger constraints on the cross sections for elastic scattering of WIMPs on nucleons. These results impact the prospects for the indirect detection of dark matter using neutrino telescopes. With this in mind, we revisit the prospects for detecting neutrinos produced by the annihilation of WIMPs in the Sun. We find that the latest bounds do not seriously limit the models most accessible to next generation kilometer-scale neutrino telescopes such as IceCube. This is largely due to the fact that models with significant spin-dependent couplings to protons are the least constrained and, at the same time, the most promising because of the efficient capture of WIMPs in the Sun. We identify models where dark matter particles are beyond the reach of any planned direct detection experiments while within reach of neutrino telescopes. In summary, we find that, even when contemplating recent direct detection results, neutrino telescopes still have the opportunity to play an important as well as complementary role in the search for particle dark matter.
Specific Impairments in Self‐Regulation in Children Exposed to Alcohol Prenatally

The present study utilizes a conceptual framework derived from theories of cognition to explain the pattern of behavioral and learning problems observed in subjects with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Based on a modern interpretation of Luria's theory of self-regulation, this study used a neuropsychological test battery to compare 10 subjects (mean age = 13 years) having FAS/FAE with 10 control subjects (mean age = 12 years and 9 months). Subjects with FAS/FAE were relatively high functioning and did not significantly differ from controls with respect to receptive vocabulary. However, those with FAS/FAE exhibited greater difficulty than controls on tasks that involved the manipulation of information and goal management in working memory (e.g., Planning, Controlled Oral Word Association, etc). Both groups performed equally well on some tasks that demanded rule learning (Delayed Response) and response inhibition (Go-No-Go). The above impairments were interpreted to be reflective of selective rather than generalized disruptions of neural networks that subserve working memory.
Investigation of Thermal Stress Variability Due to Microstructure in Thin Aluminum Films

An X-ray microbeam study and a polycrystal finite element model of a 1010 m 2 section of a 1 m thick polycrystalline aluminum film on a silicon substrate are used to investigate the effect of microstructure on thermal stress variability. In the X-ray microbeam study, the grain orientations and deviatoric elastic strain field are measured at the subgrain level in the film during and after two thermal cycles. A finite element model of the observed grain structure is created and modeled with an elastoviscoplastic crystal constitutive model that incorporates film thickness and grain size effects as well as dislocation entanglement hardening. The experimental and simulation results are compared at both the film and subgrain scales. While the experiment and model agree fairly well at the film level, the experimental results show much greater elastic strain variability than the simulations. In considering the grain size effect, the experiment and model both predict a similar Hall‐Petch coefficient, which is consistent with literature data on free standing aluminum thin films. DOI: 10.1115/1.4002212
PROTEOLYSIS OF SYNTHETIC PEPTIDES BY TYPE A BOTULINUM NEUROTOXIN

Type A botulinum neurotoxin catalyzed the hydrolysis of synthetic peptides based on the sequence of the 25-kD synaptosomal protein SNAP-25. In each peptide, the toxin cleaved at a single glutaminyl-arginine bond corresponding to residues 197 and 198 of SNAP-25, confirming earlier reports on the enzymatic specificity of the toxin in synaptosomal preparations. Metal chelators inhibited catalysis, consistent with a metalloprotease activity. In contrast to tetanus toxin and other botulinum toxin serotypes, type A toxin hydrolyzed relatively short, 17-to 20-residue peptides. In the substrates, SNAP-25 residue 202 and one or more of residues 187–191 were required for efficient hydrolysis, but residues 167–186 and 203–206 were not. The highest rates of hydrolysis were found when the C-terminal residues of the peptides were amidated.
Antenatal phenobarbital for the prevention of neonatal intracerebral hemorrhage.

Abstract Forty-six pregnant women less than 35 weeks of gestation were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled study evaluating the effects of antenatal phenobarbital on neonatal intracerebral hemorrhage. The women were randomly assigned to control (n = 22) or treatment (n = 24) groups; the treatment group received 500 mg of phenobarbital intravenously. The time interval between the dose of phenobarbital and delivery was 5.5 ± 4.8 hours (mean ± SD). The infants in the control group (n = 23) and those in the phenobarbital-treated group (n = 25) were comparable regarding birth weight, gestational age, and other obstetric and neonatal risk factors associated with intracerebral hemorrhage. The incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage was 56.5% (13 of 23 infants) in the control group and 32% (eight of 25 infants) in the phenobarbital-treated group (p = 0.08). Moderate or severe hemorrhage was diagnosed in six of 13 control infants and in none of the phenobarbital-treated infants (p
The significance of names

: As a class of terms and mental representations, proper names and mental names possess an important function that outstrips their semantic and psycho-semantic functions as common, rigid devices of direct reference and singular mental representations of their referents, respectively. They also function as abstract linguistic markers that signal and underscore their referents' individuality. I promote this thesis to explain why we give proper names to certain particulars, but not others; to account for the transfer of singular thought via communication with proper names; and, more generally, to support a cognitivist, not acquaintance or instrumentalist, theory of singular thought.
390 ISOLATION AND ADIPOGENESIS OF GRIZZLY BEAR MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS

During winter hibernation, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) do not eat but instead rely on internal fat stores as a primary source of metabolic energy. The resulting seasonal fluctuations in appetite and body mass make the grizzly bear a naturally occurring animal model for human conditions such as obesity and anorexia. An in vitro model of hibernating bear stem cells might enhance our understanding of processes such as stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Mesenchymal stem cells, derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue among others, differentiate into adipocytes and might play important roles in energy metabolism. In the current study, we examined the in vitro viability and morphology of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from grizzly bear adipose tissue (ADSC) and bone marrow (BMSC); these ADSC and BMSCs underwent adipogenic differentiation for 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Bone marrow stem cells and ADSC were isolated using mechanical disaggregation, collagenase digestion, centrifugation, and plating onto tissue culture polystyrene. Cell viability and proliferation was quantified using the colony forming unit assay and a hemocytometer. Both stem cell types were differentiated into adipocytes using 10 μM insulin, 1 μM dexamethasone, and 0.5 mM isobutylmethylxanthine (all Sigma- Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) with the addition of 10% fetal bovine (FBS) or bear serum from the active feeding period. Adipogenic differentiation was confirmed using Oil Red O and quantified using ImageJ. Statistical analysis was performed using an unpaired t-test between treatments of the same time point. All cells were isolated within 28 h of tissue harvest. Adipose-derived stem cells formed an average of 11 colonies (0.011%), whereas BMSC formed 1.5 colonies (0.0015%) per 100 000 cells. Doubling time forADSC was approximately 54 h in 10% FBS. BothADSC and BMSC had an initial spindle-shaped morphology, which gradually became more rounded during adipogenic differentiation. For bear serum at Day 28, ADSC had a significantly (P < 0.01) greater stained area per cell than did BMSC. In summary, both types of mesenchymal stem cells successfully differentiated into adipocytes and maintained viability. In conclusion, grizzly bear mesenchymal stem cells canbesuccessfully isolated, expanded, and differentiated in culture. These results allow for future studies using the bear as an in vitro model for fat metabolism during hibernation and active periods. This work was partially supported by the Carle Foundation Hospital, the Intel Scholar’s Research Program, USDA Multi-State Research Project W1171, and the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute (IDPH # 63080017). In addition, the authors would like to thank Agatha Luszpak for support with the analysis.
Validation of columnar CsI x-ray detector responses obtained with hybridMANTIS, a CPU-GPU Monte Carlo code for coupled x-ray, electron, and optical transport.

Purpose: hybridMANTIS is a Monte Carlo package for modeling indirect x-ray imagers using columnar geometry based on a hybrid concept that maximizes the utilization of available CPU and graphics processing unit processors in a workstation. Methods: The authors compare hybridMANTIS x-ray response simulations to previously published MANTIS and experimental data for four cesium iodide scintillator screens. These screens have a variety of reflective and absorptive surfaces with different thicknesses. The authors analyze hybridMANTIS results in terms of modulation transfer function and calculate the root mean square difference and Swank factors from simulated and experimental results. Results: The comparison suggests that hybridMANTIS better matches the experimental data as compared to MANTIS, especially at high spatial frequencies and for the thicker screens. hybridMANTIS simulations are much faster than MANTIS with speed-ups up to 5260. Conclusions: hybridMANTIS is a useful tool for improved description and optimization of image acquisition stages in medical imaging systems and for modeling the forward problem in iterative reconstruction algorithms.
Entropy Evaluation Based on Value Validity

Besides its importance in statistical physics and information theory, the Boltzmann-Shannon entropy S has become one of the most widely used and misused summary measures of various attributes (characteristics) in diverse fields of study. It has also been the subject of extensive and perhaps excessive generalizations. This paper introduces the concept and criteria for value validity as a means of determining if an entropy takes on values that reasonably reflect the attribute being measured and that permit different types of comparisons to be made for different probability distributions. While neither S nor its relative entropy equivalent S* meet the value-validity conditions, certain power functions of S and S* do to a considerable extent. No parametric generalization offers any advantage over S in this regard. A measure based on Euclidean distances between probability distributions is introduced as a potential entropy that does comply fully with the value-validity requirements and its statistical inference procedure is discussed.
Towards a structural model of the tourist experience: an illustration from food experiences in tourism.

Abstract The tourist experience has for a long time been one-sidedly understood as either the peak experience, or the consumer experience. For a better understanding of the tourist experience, this paper tries to build a conceptual model, in which both dimension of the tourist experience are integrated as a structured and interrelated whole. The position and role of each experiential component, such as eating, sleeping, transportation and so on in tourism can be more clearly understood in terms of this model. For an illustration of the model, food experience in tourism is examined in detail. It is demonstrated that food consumption in tourism can be either the peak touristic experience or the supporting consumer experience, dependent upon specific circumstances.
Personal air exposures and breath concentrations of benzene and other volatile hydrocarbons for smokers and nonsmokers

Abstract Personal air exposures and exhaled breath concentrations of 20 volatile organic compounds were measured for 198 smokers and 322 non-smokers in 5 U.S. cities (1980–84). Smokers showed significantly increased breath concentrations of six hydrocarbons: benzene, styrene, ethylbenzene, o -xylene, m + p -xylene, and octane. Homes with smokers had higher indoor air concentrations of the same compounds than homes without smokers during fall and winter. Passive smokers exposed at work had significantly higher levels of benzene and other aromatics in their breath than unexposed non-smokers.
Real-time in vivo imaging of mercury uptake in Caenorhabditis elegans through the foodchain

Mercury is a strong poison that poses significant and immediate hazards to human health. Due to its bioaccumulative properties, even small amounts of the metal are usually very poisonous or lethal when absorbed over long periods of time. Even though the possible dangers of mercury interactions with proteins are well understood, little is known about its uptake and dynamics within an organism. In particular, the concentration and distribution of the metal within a cell or a tissue are only poorly understood. In this study, we describe the application of a recently developed biosensor [Chapleau R.R., Blomberg R., Ford P.C., Sagermann M., 2008. Design of a highly specific and non-invasive biosensor suitable for real-time in vivo imaging of mercury(II) uptake. Protein Sci. 17(4), 614–622] that facilitates unprecedented non-invasive real-time imaging of ionic mercury uptake by an organism under in vivo conditions. Specifically, we here show that mercury ions can be taken up from the environment within minutes by prokaryotic as well as eukaryotic organisms. This rapid uptake can still be detected if the sensor expressing cells are shielded by layers of surrounding tissues suggesting that neither individual cell walls nor tissues provide a serious barrier for the metal. Furthermore, we show that this biosensor is suitable for the direct imaging of mercury uptake through the food chain. Our results suggest that ionic mercury remains available for extended periods of time and can rapidly contaminate surface as well as embedded tissue cells.
Evading the Proteasome: Absence of Lysine Residues Contributes to Pertussis Toxin Activity by Evasion of Proteasome Degradation

Pertussis toxin (PT) is an important virulence factor produced by Bordetella pertussis. PT holotoxin comprises one enzymatically active A subunit (S1), associated with a pentamer of B subunits. PT is an ADP-ribosyltransferase that modifies several mammalian heterotrimeric G proteins. Some bacterial toxins are believed to undergo retrograde intracellular transport through the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway involves the removal of misfolded proteins from the ER and degradation upon their return to the cytosol; this pathway may be exploited by PT and other toxins. In the cytosol, ERAD substrates are ubiquitinated at lysine residues, targeting them to the proteasome for degradation. We hypothesize that S1 avoids ubiquitination and proteasome degradation due to its lack of lysine residues. We predicted that the addition of lysine residues would reduce PT toxicity by allowing ubiquitination and degradation to occur. Variant forms of PT were engineered, replacing one, two, or three arginines with lysines in a variety of locations on S1. Several variants were identified with wild-type in vitro enzymatic activity but reduced cellular activity, consistent with our hypothesis. Significant recovery of the cellular activity of these variants was observed when CHO cells were pretreated with a proteasome inhibitor. We concluded that the replacement of arginine residues with lysine in the S1 subunit of PT renders the toxin subject to proteasomal degradation, suggesting that wild-type PT avoids proteasome degradation due to an absence of lysine residues.
Parametric duality models for semiinfinite multiobjective fractional programming problems containing generalized (α, η, ρ)-V-invex functions

In this paper, we present several parametric duality results under various generalized (α,η,ρ)-V-invexity assumptions for a semiinfinite multiobjective fractional programming problem.
Distribution and diagenesis of microfossils from the lower Proterozoic Duck Creek Dolomite, Western Australia

Two distinct generations of microfossils occur in silicified carbonates from a previously undescribed locality of the Lower Proterozoic Duck Creek Dolomite, Western Australia. The earlier generation occurs in discrete organic-rich clasts and clots characterized by microquartz anhedra; it contains a variety of filamentous and coccoidal fossils in varying states of preservation. Second generation microfossils consist almost exclusively of well-preserved Gunflintia minuta filaments that drape clasts or appear to float in clear chalcedony. These filaments appear to represent an ecologically distinct assemblage that colonized a substrate containing the partially degraded remains of the first generation community. The two assemblages differ significantly in taxonomic frequency distribution from previously described Duck Creek florules. Taken together, Duck Creek microfossils exhibit a range of assemblage variability comparable to that found in other Lower Proterozoic iron formations and ferruginous carbonates. With increasing severity of post-mortem alteration, Duck Creek microfossils appear to converge morphologically on assemblages of simple microstructures described from early Archean cherts. Two new species are described: Oscillatoriopsis majuscula and O. cuboides; the former is among the largest septate filamentous fossils described from any Proterozoic formation.
Heave motion of air cushion vehicles

In this paper, the heave motion alone is considered, which reduces the complexity of the equation of motion and the conservation of air mass expression. These relations are used to solve for the heave coordinate in terms of the wave parameters and the craft speed and design specifications. The theory is then discussed in terms of the heave motion frequency response and is compared with data obtained by experiment using a scale model in a towing tank.
Delay versus help seeking for breast cancer symptoms: A critical review of the literature on patient and provider delay.

Patient delay in seeking help for breast cancer symptoms and provider delay in treating those symptoms combine to decrease a woman's potential for breast cancer survival. This paper reviews the literature on patient and provider delay published since 1975. Meta-analysis of 12 studies using common definitions of patient delay estimates that 34% of women with breast cancer symptoms delay help seeking for 3 or more months. Provider delay appears to be both under researched and underestimated. This review identifies the factors that have been advanced as contributing to patient and provider delay, evaluating the support for each of these reported findings. Theory-based hypotheses emerging from the reviewed studies highlight foci for future investigations.
FINANCING DECISIONS AND SIGNALING BY PARTIALLY ACQUIRED FIRMS

It is well documented that financing decisions by firms can signal valuable information about that firm. Our goal is to determine whether financing decisions by firms can signal valuable information about large stakeholders who have a substantial investment in those firms. In particular, we focus on financing decisions by firms after they had been partially acquired to determine whether these decisions signaled information that affected the values of their corresponding partial acquirers. We find that some financing policies by partially acquired firms may not only signal valuable information about themselves, but may also signal valuable information about their corresponding partial acquirers. We also find that the magnitude of the signal for the partially acquired firm that enacts a financing policy is dependent on the degree of monitoring imposed by the respective partial acquirer. JEL classification: G14, G34
Bruno Inhibits the Expression of Mitotic Cyclins during the Prophase I Meiotic Arrest of Drosophila Oocytes

Animal oocytes undergo a highly conserved developmental arrest in prophase of meiosis I. The maintenance of the prophase I arrest requires the silencing of Cdk1 activity. Drosophila oocytes inhibit the accumulation of the mitotic cyclins, the activating subunits of Cdk1, via a poorly defined posttranscriptional mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that the translational repressor Bruno binds the 3' UTR and inhibits the translation of the mitotic cyclin Cyclin A during prophase of meiosis I. In the absence of Bruno, ovarian cysts enter meiosis but rapidly accumulate high levels of mitotic cyclins and return to the mitotic cycle. Based on our results, we propose a model in which Bruno and the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome act together to restrict the accumulation of the mitotic cyclins, and thus Cdk1 activity, during the prophase I arrest of the Drosophila oocyte.