cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unilateral Complete Agenesis of Mesonephric Duct Derivatives in an 82-year-Old Male Cadaver: Embryology, Anatomy and Clinical Considerations

Development of urogenital anatomy in the human fetus is the result of a complex interplay between multiple different tissues. The time course of development is well documented and the morphologic outcomes of insults at various time points during development are predictable. We present a cadaveric case of unilateral agenesis of the left kidney, ureter, bladder hemitrigone, ureteric opening, seminal vesicle, vas deferens, and epididymis. Failure of development of the mesonephric duct early during embryogenesis, likely between the third and fifth week, caused ipsilateral urogenital organ agenesis.
Benefit of combination chemotherapy and radiation stratified by grade of stage IIIC endometrial cancer

Abstract Objective The optimal strategy for adjuvant therapy in stage IIIC endometrial cancer has not been determined. Our aim was to evaluate survival benefit of different treatments and to investigate if benefit varied by histologic grade. Methods We identified 199 patients with stage IIIC endometrial cancer from 2000 to 2012 through the Siteman Cancer Center registry. All patients underwent surgical staging followed by no adjuvant therapy (NAT), radiation (RT), chemotherapy (CT) or chemoradiation (CRT). The association between adjuvant treatment and overall survival was explored using Kaplan-Meier plots and multivariable Cox regression analysis. Multivariable analysis was stratified by low- or high-grade to explore the interaction between grade and treatment. Results Most patients received CRT (50.3%) followed by CT (23.1%), RT (16.1%) and NAT (10.5%). Survival after CRT was superior to NAT ( p p =0.010) and CT ( p p =0.024), 62% ( p =0.003) and 83% ( p p p =0.009) and CT (2.24, p =0.004). Stratifying by grade, RT and CRT led to a 67% ( p =0.039) and 85% ( p p =0.003) and 83% ( p 0.001) reduction in death, compared to NAT in high-grade patients. Conclusions Our findings suggest that CRT should be the preferred adjuvant treatment strategy for patients with stage IIIC endometrial cancer.
Effects of ferroportin-mediated iron depletion in cells representative of different histological subtypes of prostate cancer

Abstract Aims: Ferroportin (FPN) is an iron exporter that plays an important role in cellular and systemic iron metabolism. Our previous work has demonstrated that FPN is decreased in prostate tumors. We sought to identify the molecular pathways regulated by FPN in prostate cancer cells. Results: We show that overexpression of FPN induces profound effects in cells representative of multiple histological subtypes of prostate cancer by activating different but converging pathways. Induction of FPN induces autophagy and activates the transcription factors tumor protein 53 (p53) and Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) and their common downstream target, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (p21). FPN also induces cell cycle arrest and stress-induced DNA-damage genes. Effects of FPN are attributable to its effects on intracellular iron and can be reproduced with iron chelators. Importantly, expression of FPN not only inhibits proliferation of all prostate cancer cells studied but also reduces growth of tumors derived...
Digital Work: New Opportunities or Lost Wages

In this paper, I make the case that online work is not only a natural extension of the globalization of labor markets, but introduces a new spatial restructuring of work that removes nearly all tem...
Secretable Human Platelet-Derived Factor V Originates From the Plasma Pool

Factor Va (FVa), derived from plasma or released from stimulated platelets, is the essential protein cofactor of the prothrombinase complex. Plasma-derived factor V (FV) is synthesized by the liver, whereas the source of the platelet-derived cofactor has not been unambiguously identified. Megakaryocytes, platelet precursors, are known to synthesize platelet proteins and to endocytose proteins from plasma (ie, fibrinogen) and then package these proteins into -granules. To determine which mechanism accounts for FV presence in platelets, two patients heterozygous for FVLeiden who underwent allogeneic transplantation from homozygous FV wild-type donors (bone marrow [BM] or liver) were studied. Patient JMW, whose skin biopsy specimen showed heterozygous FVLeiden, received a BM transplant from a wild-type homozygous FV donor as analyzed from posttransplant peripheral blood cells. Patient FW, whose native liver is heterozygous for FVLeiden, received a homozygous wild-type FV liver. Because each individual has two distinct genetic pools of factor V in liver and megakaryocytes, it was possible to determine whether secretable platelet-derived FV was normal or contained the FVLeiden mutation. Platelet-derived FVa released from thrombin-activated platelets from a normal individual, an individual heterozygous for the FVLeiden mutation, and the two patients was incubated with phospholipid vesicles and activated protein C (APC). Western blotting analyses using a monoclonal antibody that allows distinction between platelet-derived FVa and FVaLeiden subsequent to APC-catalyzed cleavage were then performed. Based on the accumulation of proteolytic fragments derived from APC-induced cleavage, analyses of platelet-derived FVa from JMW demonstrated both normal FVa and FVaLeiden consistent with a plasma-derived origin of the secretable platelet-derived FVa. Western blotting analyses of the APC-cleaved platelet-derived FVa from FW showed a wild-type phenotype, despite the presence of a FVLeiden allele in her megakaryocyte genome, also consistent with a plasma origin of her secretable platelet-derived FVa. Platelets do not appear to endocytose the plasma cofactor, because a 35-hour incubation of platelet-rich plasma with 125I-factor V showed no specific association/uptake of the radiolabeled ligand with the platelet pellet. Collectively, these results show for the first time that the majority of secretable platelet-derived factor V is endocytosed by megakaryocytes from plasma and is not exclusively synthesized by these cells, as previously believed. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.
Pathogenetic Considerations of Idiopathic Diabetes

The hypothesis that idiopathic diabetes is a result of insufficient secretion of insulin seemed to be confirmed by many earlier experimental studies carried out around the turn of the century. This viewpoint was based on the studies of Von Mering and Minkowski1 who, in 1889, were the first to observe that removal of the pancreas causes diabetes in the dog. The discovery of insulin by Banting and Best2 in 1922 seemed to support this hypothesis, since the administration of pancreatic extracts could correct the metabolic abnormalities in diabetes. This was in keeping with the frequently observed atrophy of the pancreatic islets,3–7 the decrease of extractable insulin8–10 in pancreases of juvenile diabetics, and the occurrence of interacinar fibrosis, insular fibrosis, and hyalinization in the pancreases of maturity-onset diabetics.11 Moreover, quantitative studies by various authors indicated a relative increase of A cells in many diabetic pancreases associated with a concomitant decrease of the B cells.7,12–14
Workflow Tools for Digital Curation

Maintaining usable and sustainable digital collections requires a complex set of actions that address the many challenges at various stages of the digital object lifecycle. Digital curation activities enhance access and retrieval, maintain quality, add value, and facilitate use and re-use over time. Digital resource lifecycle management is becoming an increasingly important topic as digital curators actively explore software tools that perform metadata curation and file management tasks. Accordingly, the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries develop tools and workflows that streamline production and quality assurance activities. This article demonstrates two open source software tools, AutoHotkey and Selenium IDE, which the UNT Digital Libraries Division has adopted for use during the pre-ingest and post-ingest stages of the digital resource lifecycle.
Re-evaluation of pediatric 18F-FDG dosimetry: Cristy-Eckerman versus UF/NCI hybrid computational phantoms.

Because of the concerns associated with radiation exposure at a young age, there is an increased interest in pediatric absorbed dose estimates for imaging agents. Almost all reported pediatric absorbed dose estimates, however, have been determined using adult pharmacokinetic data with radionuclide S values that take into account the anatomical differences between adults and children based upon the older Cristy-Eckerman (C-E) stylized phantoms. In this work, we use pediatric model-derived pharmacokinetics to compare absorbed dose and effective dose estimates for 18F-FDG in pediatric patients using S values generated from two different geometries of computational phantoms. Time-integrated activity coefficients of 18F-FDG in brain, lungs, heart wall, kidneys and liver, retrospectively, calculated from 35 pediatric patients at the Boston's Children Hospital were used. The absorbed dose calculation was performed in accordance with the Medical Internal Radiation Dose method using S values generated from the University of Florida/National Cancer Institute (UF/NCI) hybrid phantoms, as well as those from C-E stylized computational phantoms. The effective dose was computed using tissue-weighting factors from ICRP Publication 60 and ICRP Publication 103 for the C-E and UF/NCI, respectively. Substantial differences in the absorbed dose estimates between UF/NCI hybrid pediatric phantoms and the C-E stylized phantoms were found for the lungs, ovaries, red bone marrow and urinary bladder wall. Large discrepancies in the calculated dose values were observed in the bone marrow; ranging between -26% to +199%. The effective doses computed by the UF/NCI hybrid phantom S values were slightly different than those seen using the C-E stylized phantoms with percent differences of -0.7%, 2.9% and 2.5% for a newborn, 1 year old and 5 year old, respectively. Differences in anatomical modeling features among computational phantoms used to perform Monte Carlo-based photon and electron transport simulations for 18F, and very likely for other radionuclides, impact internal organ dosimetry computations for pediatric nuclear medicine studies.
Comparison of initial leak pressures after single- and double-layer cystotomy closure with barbed and nonbarbed monofilament suture material in an ex vivo ovine model.

OBJECTIVE To compare initial leakage pressure after double-layer inverting and single-layer appositional closures with unidirectional barbed suture or an analogous monofilament absorbable suture in an ex vivo ovine model. STUDY DESIGN Experimental study. SAMPLE POPULATION Ovine cadaveric bladders (n = 48). METHODS A 4-cm ventral cystotomy was performed in each bladder. Bladders were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 12 each group) and sutured in an open setting with a single-layer appositional or a double-layer inverting pattern of unidirectional 2-0 barbed or an analogous monofilament suture. Intraluminal pressure at initial leakage and leakage location were recorded. Analysis of variance was used to compare initial leak pressure between the 4 groups (P < .05). RESULTS Ovine urinary bladders closed with double-layer inverting closures leaked at intraluminal pressures about twofold greater than bladders closed with single-layer appositional closures (P < .0001) whether barbed or nonbarbed suture was used (P ≥ .987). Bladders most commonly leaked at the suture hole after single-layer closure. Bladders that had been repaired with a double-layer closure leaked at the knot in nonbarbed closures or at the preconstructed end loop in barbed closures. CONCLUSION Double-layer closure increased leakage pressures compared with single-layer closures, irrespective of the suture type used. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE This study provides evidence to support double-layer rather than single-layer closure of cystotomies in clinical cases. The use of barbed suture may be suitable for cystorrhaphy in sheep.
Fluorescence imaging immuno-assay biosensors on biological photonic crystals (Conference Presentation)

Optical biosensing has achieved remarkable levels of sensitivity and has enabled early detection of various toxins and biomarkers. Fluorescence spectroscopy is among the most common and powerful optical detection techniques, capable of single molecule detection. This is done by exciting the sample using a light source, collecting the fluorescence light inherent in the sample or on a reporter molecule, and measuring the fluorescence spectrum using a spectrometer. This modality is effective for multiplex sensing as full spectral data is acquired. However, fluorescence spectroscopy requires multiple measurements at multiple points to achieve a representative sampling of a sensor. Fluorescence imaging is a detection modality similar to fluorescence spectroscopy, but replaces the spectrometer with an imager such as a camera thus reducing cost and complexity. Imaging allows data acquisition at multiple points in a large area of your sensor in a single measurement making it a more efficient sensing method but does not acquire spectral data. Both fluorescence sensing modalities have been shown to be very powerful in pristine laboratory settings but when the equipment or measurement area are not ideal, additional enhancement is needed. This can be achieved by implementing a sensing substrate capable of enhancing fluorescence signals to practical detection levels. Diatoms are unicellular marine organisms that grow a biosilica shell called a frustule. These frustules are porous with nanostructured patterns and represent naturally occurring photonic crystals which are known to enhance excitation and emission of fluorophores. In addition to the optical enhancements of diatoms, the large surface area allows for large numbers of analytes to aggregate making fluorescence signals stronger. In this work, we employ naturally occurring photonic crystal diatoms to create a sensor capable of enhancing the fluorescence of a standard sandwich immunoassay. Using this sensor, we achieved detection down to 10-16 M using fluorescence spectroscopy and 10-15 M for fluorescence imaging. These represent a 100× and 10× enhancement for the two respective detection modalities over equivalent, non-diatom sensors. This highlights the capability of our sensor to enhance fluorescence optical signals and its potential to be used in point-of-care biosensing applications.
In Memoriam: A. Allan Schmid (1935–2017)

At A. Allan Schmid’s (Al’s) memorial in East Lansing in May 2017, his friend and colleague David Schweikhardt asked the question: “How did a farm boy born in Dawson, Nebraska, farm house, who atten...
A Historical Perspective on Hardware AI Inference, Charge-Based Computational Circuits and an 8 bit Charge-Based Multiply-Add Core in 16 nm FinFET CMOS

The second wave of AI is about statistical learning of low dimensional structures from high dimensional data. Inference is done using multilayer, data transforming networks using fixed point arithmetic with parameters that have limited precision (4–16 bits). In this paper we give a historical perspective on hardware AI inference deep Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) or in short Deep Neural Networks (DNN) and deep learning. We review custom chip implementations of ANNs from thirty years ago and from the more recent publications in the last five years. With only few exceptions, hardware AI architectures are digital but we argue that if done right, i.e. in the charge domain, analog computation will have a role in future hardware AI systems. We make our discussion concrete by presenting the architecture, implementation and measurements from a mixed-signal, charge-based 8-bit analog multiplier for limited precision linear algebra in AI systems. Using a capacitor array, and charge redistribution, the architecture performs the multiplication operation in the charge domain at the thermal noise limit with near minimum energy dissipation. The charge redistribution multiplier core was fabricated in a 16 nm FinFET CMOS process, with measured energy 1.4 fJ for the analog multiplication operation. Compared to a conventional digital implementation synthesized and simulated in the same technology, the proposed design achieves the same performance at 37% less energy.
Short-term test-retest reliability of the human intrinsic functional connectome

Functional connectivity is frequently used to quantify the complex synchronous distributed fluctuations in neuronal activity derived from functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and to generate network representations of human brain function. Such "functional connectomes" have great promise for mechanistic studies and for clinical translation. However, we do not know to what extent a functional connectome is stable over time for an individual. In the present work, we evaluate the short-term test-retest reliability of functional connectomes in a large publicly available sample of healthy participants (N=833) scanned on two consecutive days. We also assess the consequences on reliability of three methodological procedures for which a clear guideline in the community is lacking: atlas choice, global signal regression and thresholding. By adopting the intraclass correlation coefficient as a reliability metric, we demonstrate that a relatively small portion of the intrinsic functional connectome is characterized by good (4-6%) to excellent (0.08-1%) stability over time. In particular, connectivity between prefrontal, parietal and temporal areas appears to be especially stable over short timescales. Also, while unreliable edges of the functional connectome are generally weak in terms of average functional connectivity, reliable edges are not necessarily strong. Methodologically, we demonstrate that multimodal parcellation and averaging of connections within known networks are practices that improve reliability. Harnessing this knowledge, for example by honing in on the reliable portion of the connectome, offers one way forward for studies of trait-like features within the normative connectome and for discovery of biomarkers in clinical cohorts.
Mixed-Mode Deformation and Failure of a Magnesium Sheet Quantified using a Modified Arcan Fixture

The anisotropic plastic deformation and the failure behaviour of a rolled magnesium sheet is quantified by means of a modified Arcan loading device. Combined mode I/II loadings are applied at room temperature. Anti-buckling guides enforce parallel motion of the fixture. The evolution of local strain fields during loading is analysed by means of digital image correlation. Two target functions are constructed from each test: one including the kinetic, another describing the kinematical response. The failure strain as a function of the loading direction and sheet orientation is quantified. It is shown that the failure mechanism is independent of the loading angle. Guidelines for future constitutive model developments are provided in terms of the exploration of the samples motion, the uniformity of strain fields and their respective significance.
Oncologic benefits of dural resection in spinal meningiomas: a meta-analysis of Simpson grades and recurrence rates

Objective While resection of the dural attachment has been shown by Simpson and others to reduce recurrence rates for intracranial meningiomas, the oncological benefit of dural resection for spinal meningiomas is less clear. The authors performed a systematic analysis of the literature, comparing recurrence rates for patients undergoing various Simpson grade resections of spinal meningiomas to better understand the role of dural resection on outcomes after resection of spinal meningiomas. Methods The PubMed/Medline database was systematically searched to identify studies describing oncological and clinical outcomes after Simpson grade I, II, III, or IV resections of spinal meningiomas. Results Thirty-two studies describing the outcomes of 896 patients were included in the analysis. Simpson grade I, grade II, and grade III/IV resections were performed in 27.5%, 64.6%, and 7.9% of cases, respectively. The risk of procedure-related complications (OR 4.75, 95% CI 1.27-17.8, p = 0.021) and new, unexpected postoperative neurological deficits (OR ∞, 95% CI NaN-∞, p = 0.009) were both significantly greater for patients undergoing Simpson grade I resections when compared with those undergoing Simpson grade II resections. Tumor recurrence was seen in 2.8%, 4.1%, and 39.4% of patients undergoing Simpson grade I, grade II, and grade III/IV resections over a mean radiographic follow-up period of 99.3 ± 46.4 months, 95.4 ± 57.1 months, and 82.4 ± 49.3 months, respectively. No significant difference was detected between the recurrence rates for Simpson grade I versus Simpson grade II resections (OR 1.43, 95% CI 0.61-3.39, p = 0.43). A meta-analysis of 7 studies directly comparing recurrence rates for Simpson grade I and II resections demonstrated a trend toward a decreased likelihood of recurrence after Simpson grade I resection when compared with Simpson grade II resection, although this trend did not reach statistical significance (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.23-1.36, p = 0.20). Conclusions The results of this analysis suggest with a low level of confidence that the rates of complications and new, unexpected neurological deficits after Simpson grade I resection of spinal meningiomas are greater than those seen with Simpson grade II resections, and that the recurrence rates for Simpson grade I and grade II resections are equivalent, although additional, long-term studies are needed before reliable conclusions may be drawn.
A Model for Joint Probabilistic Forecast of Solar Photovoltaic Power and Outdoor Temperature

In this paper, a stochastic model is proposed for a joint statistical description of solar photovoltaic (PV) power and outdoor temperature. The underlying correlation emerges from solar irradiance that is responsible in part for both the variability in solar PV power and temperature. The proposed model can be used to capture the uncertainty in solar PV power and its correlation with the electric power consumption of thermostatically controlled loads. First, a model for solar PV power that explicitly incorporates the stochasticity due to clouds via a regime-switching process between the three classes of sunny , overcast and partly cloudy is proposed. Then, the relationship between temperature and solar power is postulated using a second-order Volterra model. This joint modeling is leveraged to develop a joint probabilistic forecasting method for solar PV power and temperature. Real-world datasets that include solar PV power and temperature measurements in California are analyzed and the effectiveness of the joint model in providing probabilistic forecasts is verified. The proposed forecasting methodology outperforms several reference methods thus portraying that the underlying correlation between temperature and solar PV power is well defined and only requires a simple lower-complexity sampling space.
Sleep paralysis in college students.

We examined the prevalence of sleep paralysis (SP), its association with stress and sleep, and associated subjective experiences and beliefs. Participants: 1,115 college students from a large unive...
Indications for cement augmentation in fixation of geriatric intertrochanteric femur fractures: a systematic review of evidence.

Achieving durable mechanical stability in geriatric intertrochanteric proximal femur fractures remains a challenge. Concomitant poor bone quality, unstable fracture patterns, and suboptimal reduction are additional risk factors for early mechanical failure. Cement augmentation of the proximal locking screw or blade is one proposed method to augment implant anchorage. The purpose of this review is to describe the biomechanical and clinical evidence for cement augmentation of geriatric intertrochanteric fractures, and to elaborate indications for cement augmentation. The PubMed database was searched for English language studies up to January 2021. Studies that assessed effect of calcium phosphate or methylmethacrylate cement augmentation during open reduction and internal fixation of intertrochanteric fractures were included. Studies with sample size < 5, nontraumatic or periprosthetic fractures, and nonunion or revision surgery were excluded. Study selection adhered to PRISMA criteria. 801 studies were identified, of which 40 met study criteria. 9 studies assessed effect of cement augmentation on fracture displacement. All but one found that cement decreased fracture displacement. 10 studies assessed effect of cement augmentation on total load or cycles to failure. All but one demonstrated that augmented implants increased this variable. Complication rates of cement augmentation during ORIF of intertrochanteric fractures ranged from 0 to 47%, while non-augmented implants ranged from 0 to 51%. Reoperation rates ranged from 0 to 11% in the cement-augmented group and 0 to 11% in the non-augmented group. Fixation failure ranged from 0 to 11% in the cement-augmented group and 0 to 20% in the non-augmented group. Nonunion ranged from 0 to 3.6% in the cement-augmented group and 0 to 34% in the non-augmented group. Calcium phosphate or PMMA-augmented CMN fixation of IT fractures increased construct stability and improved outcomes in biomechanical and early clinical studies. The findings of these studies suggest an important role for cement augmentation in patient populations at high risk of mechanical failure.
Unilateral Action and the Transformations of the World Constitutive Process: The Special Problem of Humanitarian Intervention

'Unilateral actions' are taken by an unauthorized participant who contends they are, nonetheless, lawful. The lawfulness of such actions must be examined as a constitutive question before one proceeds to determine whether a particular action fulfilled the substantive criteria of lawfulness. Lawfulness is a function of constitutive structure. In coarchical systems without hierarchical institutions, unilateral action is perforce the mode of decision. In constitutive structures that include generally or intermittently ineffective hiearchical institutions, the lawfulness of unilateral action is more complex and unilateral action becomes normatively ambiguous as a result of the cognitive dissonance caused by the decalage between substantive lawfulness and procedural unlawfulness. In constitutive structures that incorporate effective decision institutions, unilateral action is presumptively unlawful. The normative ambiguity of unilateral actions in contemporary international law arises from the regrettable but acknowledged intermittent ineffectiveness of decision institutions. The appropriate remedy for this problem is to make the institutions effective.
Economic importance of digital diseases in cattle

Lameness in dairy cows is undoubtedly an important cause of economic loss to the milk industry, ranking third or fourth after mastitis, infertility, and possibly metabolic diseases. Information on losses in young cattle and beef stock due to lameness is very scanty, and this paper is only concerned with adult dairy cattle, and primarily the cow rather than the bull. Of course lameness due to infectious systemic diseases, a prime example being Foot and Mouth disease, causes severe weight loss due to discomfort, pain and the development of secondary infection where, in countries without a slaughter policy, affected cattle are permitted to survive and probably to make a partial recovery. But I must exclude infectious systemic diseases and consider only primary digital diseases. The importance of economic loss due to digital diseases is difficult to quantify with any precision. One requires to know a) the proportion of the population at risk which is affected; b) the different ways in which economic loss may arise; c) the average financial'loss due to each of the factors (b above) in an individual dairy cow which is lame.
Multiple anatomic sites of infarction in a pediatric patient with M. pneumoniae infection, a case report.

Background Although M. pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) infections have been associated with various extrapulmonary manifestations, there have been very few documented cases of thrombotic events in pediatrics, and none to our knowledge with such extensive involvement as the patient described here. We aim to contribute to the urgency of discovering the mechanism of the coagulopathy associated with M. pneumoniae infections. Case presentation This 10-year-old boy was admitted after 2 weeks of fever, sore throat, worsening cough, and progressive neck and back pain. During hospitalization, he developed clots in several different organs: bilateral pulmonary emboli, cardiac vegetations, multiple splenic infarcts, and deep venous thromboses in three of four extremities. He was treated with long-term antibiotics and anticoagulation, and fully recovered. Conclusions This is the first case known to us of a child with an extensive number of thrombotic events in multiple anatomic sites associated with M. pneumoniae infection. The mechanism by which M. pneumoniae infection is related to thrombotic events is not fully understood, but there is evidence that the interplay between the coagulation pathways and the complement cascade may be significant. This patient underwent extensive investigation, and was found to have significant coagulopathy, but minimal complement abnormalities. By better understanding the mechanisms involved in complications of M. pneumoniae infection, the clinician can more effectively investigate the progression of this disease saving time, money, morbidity, and mortality.
Changes in U.S. Healthcare Provider Practices Related to Emergency Contraception.

Abstract Introduction Emergency contraception (EC), including EC pills (ECPs) and the copper intrauterine device, can prevent pregnancy after sexual encounters in which contraception was not used or used incorrectly. The U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (U.S. SPR), initially released in 2013, provides evidence-based clinical recommendations on the provision of EC. The objective of this analysis was to assess the percentage of health care providers reporting frequent provision of select EC practices around the time of and after the release of the U.S. SPR. Methods We conducted two cross-sectional mailed surveys using different nationwide samples of office-based physicians and public-sector providers in 2013 and 2014 (n = 2,060) and 2019 (n = 1,420). We compared the percentage of providers reporting frequent provision of select EC practices by time period, overall, and by provider type. Results In 2019, few providers frequently provided an advance prescription for ECPs (16%), an advance supply of ECPs (7%), or the copper intrauterine device as EC (8%), although 41% frequently provided or prescribed regular contraception at the same time as providing ECPs. Providers in 2019 were more likely than providers in 2013 and 2014 to provide or prescribe contraception at the same time as providing ECPs (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.001–1.59) and to provide a copper intrauterine device as EC (adjusted prevalence ratio, 3.87; 95% confidence interval 2.10–7.15); there were no other significant differences by time period. Conclusions Few providers report frequent provision of recommended EC practices. Understanding the barriers faced by providers and clinics in implementing these practices may improve access to EC.
Heat Treatment of Knife River Flint

AbstractA modest experimental program indicates that Knife River flint, an exceptionally fine-grained stone in raw form, can be successfully thermally pretreated at temperatures around 225°-250°C (437°-482°F). Heating greatly improves flaking qualities, yielding a material judged second only to volcanic glasses in flaking properties. Temperatures above 275°C induce marked weakness and brittleness in the stone. Heating yields the following observable changes: waxy luster and frequent ripple marks in fresh flake scars, a distinct darkening in color, and decreased translucency. The stone tool collection from the Lower Hidasta Village site (32ME10) (A.D. 1680-1780) indicates that heat treatment was selectively practiced with KRF tools requiring pressure flaking, occurring most commonly in arrowpoints.
ATP-Adenosine-GSH Crosslinked Hb, An Oxygen Carrier with Pharmacological Properties for Multiple Therapeutic Indications

The quest to develop a viable substitute for human blood has been ongoing for many decades. Many attempts to create an effective blood substitute fall short because of toxicity issues and at present no product is commercially available. Armed with an awareness of the problems associated with the performance of the first generation blood substitute products, which are linked to hemoglobin’s (Hb) intrinsic toxicity that causes hypertension, oxidative and inflammatory reactions, gastrointestinal disorders and even heart attack and stroke, researchers at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center created a novel concept of pharmacological cross-linking of Hb with ATP, adenosine and reduced glutathione (GSH) that resulted in the non-toxic and effective ATP-ADO-GSH-Hb product. This novel blood substitute possesses vasodilatory, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and erythropoietic properties; all of which are beneficial to the patients suffering from acute and chronic anemias, sickle cell disease, ischemic diseases including heart attack and stroke, and cancer. ATP-ADO-GSH-Hb and its manufacturing technology have been extensively tested including viral and prion clearance validation studies and various non-clinical pharmacology, toxicology, genotoxicity and efficacy tests. The effects of ATP-ADO-GSH-Hb on appropriate physiological measures in human cell systems, normal animals and disease models have also been determined. The clinical proof-of-concept was carried out in sickle cell anemia patients. The obtained results confirmed that pharmacologic cross-linking of Hb molecules with ATP, adenosine and GSH is highly effective in designing a viable blood substitute for a wide array of therapeutic uses.
A mobile tactical experimentation test bed supporting the objective force

The objective force is the ultimate goal of the U.S. Army to transform itself into a highly mobile ground force that will be the most rapidly deployable and tactically agile force capable of engaging "full-spectrum" operations. Advanced information and wireless communications capabilities are among key-enabling technologies that support a dominant feature of the objective force: rapid deployment. This paper describes and explain the technologies utilized in an experimental mobile test bed environment that has been deployed as a communications contingency during Y2K support to the Pentagon, although the main purpose of the test bed was to establish a platform for conducting research, development, and evaluation of emerging communications, networking, sensors, and information technologies that can improve strategic and tactical responsiveness of the U.S. ground force.
Beware the null hypothesis: critical value tables for evaluating classifiers

Scientists regularly decide the statistical significance of their findings by determining whether they can, with sufficient confidence, rule out the possibility that their findings could be attributed to random variation—the ‘null hypothesis.' For this, they rely on tables with critical values pre-computed for the normal distribution, the t-distribution, etc. This paper provides such tables (and methods for generating them) for the performance metrics of binary classification: accuracy, F-measure, area under the ROC curve (AUC), and true positives in the top ten. Given a test set of a certain size, the tables provide the critical value for accepting or rejecting the null hypothesis that the score of the best classifier would be consistent with taking the best of a set of random classifiers. The tables are appropriate to consult when a researcher, practitioner or contest manager selects the best of many classifiers measured against a common test set. The risk of the null hypothesis is especially high when there is a shortage of positives or negatives in the testing set (irrespective of the training set size), as is the case for many medical and industrial classification tasks with highly skewed class distributions.
The abundance of atp gene transcript and of the membrane F1F0-ATPase as a function of the growth pH of alkaliphilic Bacillus firmus OF4

Molecular biological and biochemical studies of the F 1 F 0 -ATP synthase of alkaliphilic Bacillus firmus OF4 show that the enzyme used at pH 7.5 and pH 10.5 is a unique product of the atp operon, expressed at the same levels and yielding an enzyme with the same subunit properties and c -subunit/holoenzyme stoichiometry. Images
Optical properties of single-crystal Sr2CuO2Cl2.

We report reflectance measurements of single-crystal ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ over the frequency range between 30 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ and 40 000 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$. Using crystals of 10 \ensuremath{\mu}m to 100 \ensuremath{\mu}m thickness we were also able to perform transmittance measurements at frequencies below the lowest phonon mode as well as between the highest phonon mode and the charge-transfer gap. The measurements were done on the (001) surface with ab polarization at temperatures between 10 K to 360 K. With decreasing temperature the phonon modes shift to higher frequencies; the 340 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ stretching mode splits below 300 K. The most notable feature in the transmittance spectrum is a weak electronic absorption, possibly magnetic in origin. This feature is not resolved in the reflectance. At the charge-transfer gap there is an increase in the conductivity by four orders of magnitude. The charge-transfer gap energy increases with decreasing temperatures. In addition there is a temperature-dependent absorption band in the low-frequency tail of the fundamental absorption edge. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
How to collect matches that will catch fire

How can we select a cohort of promising astrophysicists before they have made their discoveries? This is the fundamental challenge of academic planning. I argue that science can only blossom if young researchers are rewarded for acquired skills and growth rather than inherited academic ancestry.
Multi-layer tubular conductor for high Q-factor wireless power transfer system resonators

In this paper we investigate multi-layer tubular conductor for multi-MHz Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) systems high-Q (quality factor) resonators. The conductor layers thickness and current sharing between them are optimized at 13.56 MHz, showing significant reduction in conductor AC resistance (R AC ). Capacitive ballast is used as a practical method for current sharing between layers and operation of coil near resonance. A two-layer conductor is designed, fabricated and characterized showing 18.1% reduction in R AC at 27.93 MHz using capacitive ballast.
Fetal lung development in male and female nonhuman primates.

Abstract: Indices of lung maturation were assessed in 58 rhesus fetuses at five gestational ages during the last trimester of nonhuman primate pregnancy to determine whether fetal sex influences lung maturation. In addition to analysis of whole lung phospholipids, glycogen, protein, DNA, and pressure-volume curves surfactant fraction phosphatidylcholine (PC) was quantitated following isolation by sucrose gradient centrifugation and a combination of predictors were assessed by all possible subsets regression to attain a composite “maturity index.” For the total population, there was a uniform progression in physical growth characteristics, lung destensibility and stability and phospholipids with advancing gestation. The quantitative change in surfactant fraction PC concentration for both sexes was considerably greater than that observed for whole lung PC between 135 days gestation and term. Further, the increase in surfactant PC occurred in association with improving lung destensibility and deflation stability prior to maximum changes in the whole lung PC or disaturated PC concentration. There were no statistically discernible differences in biochemical or physiological assessment between sexes at any gestational age. These data in nonhuman primates suggest that documented differences in survival from the respiratory distress syndrome between males and females do not result from a discordance in lung maturation as a function of time throughout the last trimester of gestation.
Heterogeneity of proteins synthesized, stored, and released by the bag cells ofAplysia californica

The biosynthesis, storage, and release of specific proteins in the bag cells ofAplysia californica were studied. In the soma, a 25000 dalton precursor molecule is synthesized, and is processed to a 6000 dalton protein, which in turn is converted into a≤3000 dalton protein (Fig. 1). Pulse-chase experiments show that the lower molecular weight products disappear from the cell body after 20 hrs of chase (Fig.1 B), but that this disappearance can be blocked by colchicine (Fig.1 C), an inhibitor of axoplasmic flow. The primary stored form of low molecular weight proteins in the bag cell soma is 6000 daltons with a minor peak at ≤3000 daltons (Fig. 2A), and it is these protein classes which disappear with release of hormones from the bag cells (Fig. 2B and C). The proteins which are released from the neurohemal area by potassium depolarization are heterogeneous, and are composed of 2 major peaks at 6000 and ≤3000 daltons, and 1 minor peak at 12000 daltons (Fig. 3B). The release of these proteins was dependent upon the presence of calcium ion. A hypothetical model of the intracellular mechanisms interposed between biosynthesis and release of the proteins is presented (Fig. 4), and the biological significance of the data is discussed.
Albuminuria and peripheral arterial disease: Results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Abstract Background The association of albuminuria with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly recognized, but its association with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is not well characterized in subjects with or without diabetes. Methods Using data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a cohort free of clinical vascular disease, we analyzed the cross-sectional association between albuminuria and PAD in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. A spot urine albumin–creatinine ratio (ACR) was used to define albuminuria in two ways: presence or absence of albuminuria and the degree of albuminuria (no albuminuria defined as urine ACR Results Among the 6760 subjects, aged 45–84 years, 326 (4.8%) had prevalent PAD. Eight hundred and thirteen (12.0%) subjects had microalbuminuria and 100 (1.5%) had macroalbuminuria. Among diabetic subjects, those with albuminuria (micro- and macroalbuminuria combined) were 1.90 times more likely to have PAD (95% CI: 1.19–3.04) than those with no albuminuria. After adjusting for CVD risk factors, the odds ratio modestly attenuated to 1.65 (95% CI: 1.00–2.74). For nondiabetic subjects, there were no statistically significant associations observed in the univariable and multivariable analyses. The degree of albuminuria was not associated with PAD in either diabetic or nondiabetic subjects. Conclusions The presence, but not magnitude of albuminuria, is an important risk factor for PAD in diabetic but not in nondiabetic subjects.
Spectroscopy of comet P/Schaumasse

Column density profiles for CN, C3, C2 and NH have been determined from a long-slit CCD spectrum of periodic comet P/Schaumasse (1992x). Comparisons of these profiles with Haser models indicate that the ratios of the CN, C3 and C2 production rates are typical for a short-period comet. Although the scale lengths for NH and its parent species are uncertain, the results indicate that the production rate for NH is much greater than for either C2 or CN.
Activation of antioxidant-response element (ARE), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and caspases by major green tea polyphenol components during cell survival and death.

Green tea polyphenols (GTP) have been demonstrated to suppress tumorigenesis in several chemical-induced animal carcinogenesis models, and predicted as promising chemopreventive agents in human. Recent studies of GTP extracts showed the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the regulation of Phase II enzymes gene expression and induction of apoptosis. In the current work we compared the bioligical actions of five green tea catechins: (1) induction of ARE reporter gene, (2) activation of MAP kinases, (3) cytotoxicity in human hepatoma HepG2-C8 cells, and (4) caspase activation in human cervical squamous carcinoma HeLa cells. For the induction of phase II gene assay, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (−)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) potently induced antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated luciferase activity, with induction observed at 25 μM with EGCG. The induction of ARE reporter gene appears to be structurally related to the 3-gallate group. Comparing the activation of MAPK by the five polyphenols, only EGCG showed potent activation of all three MAPKs (ERK, JNK and p38) in a dose- and time-dependent manner, whereas EGC activated ERK and p38. In the concentration range of 25 μM to 1 mM, EGCG and ECG strongly suppressed HepG2-ARE-C8 cell-growth. To elucidate the mechanisms of green tea polyphenol-induced apoptosis, we measured the activation of an important cell death protein, caspase-3 induced by EGCG, and found that caspase-3 was activated in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, the activation of caspase-3 was a relatively late event (peaked at 16 h), whereas activation of MAPKs was much earlier (peaked at 2 h). It is possible, that at low concentrations of EGCG, activation of MAPK leads to ARE-mediated gene expression including phase II detoxifying enzymes. Whereas at higher concentrations of EGCG, sustained activation of MAPKs such as JNK leads to apoptosis. These mechanisms are currently under investigation in our laboratory. As the most abundant catechin in GTP extract, we found that EGCG potently induced ARE-mediated gene expression, activated MAP kinase pathway, stimulated caspase-3 activity, and induced apoptosis. These mechanisms together with others, may contribute to the overall chemopreventive function of EGCG itself as well as the GTP.
Thermoanalytical investigation of composite lamination

Glass cloth reinforced epoxy resins are commonly used to make composites. The performance of these laminates depends strongly on optimizing cure kinetics and rheology for a given chemical composition and temperature/pressure profile. Aborted flow tests (weight percent resin squeezed out during a given temperature/pressure cycle) is frequently used to emulate lamination processes and/or to evaluate new formulations. The cure reaction was monitored using differential scanning calorimetry, rheology, and dielectrometry. These techniques show that the cure kinetics are controlled by the temperature profile. The viscosity and the macroscopic flow, however, are affected by the temperature profile, i.e. decrease in viscosity with rising temperature, as well as the cross-linking kinetics which lead to an increase in viscosity. Gravimetric and thickness measurement indicated a non-uniform resin distribution across the laminate, with a lower resin content found at the edges. Macroscopic flow is controlled by three dimensional heat transfer, which leads to a dynamic temperature distribution and, concomitantly, to a cure/rheology profile. This was demonstrated graphically by marking layers of reinforced resin and monitoring the movement of the markers.