cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NRG1 and Synaptic Function in the CNS

Recent genetic evidence indicates that neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and its receptor erbB4 may be susceptibility genes in schizophrenia, but their function in CNS synaptic transmission and circuitry is not well understood. In this issue of Neuron, studies from Li et al. and Woo et al. show that NRG1 and erbB4 regulate transmission at brain glutamate and GABA synapses. These findings raise the possibility of synaptic defects in schizophrenia.
Toxicokinetics and Disposition of Inorganic Mercury and Cadmium in Channel Catfish after Intravascular Administration

Abstract To better understand the distribution and elimination of inorganic mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) in fishes, channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were administered either 6.4. μg/kg203Hg as HgCl2or 4.0 μg/kg109Cd as CdCl2via a dorsal aortic cannula. Blood, plasma, and red blood cells (RBCs) were serially sampled up to 156 (Hg) or 335 (Cd) days. The fraction of the injected dose remaining in the animal (Xf) was also determined at selected times by whole animal counting. The blood concentration andXf–time profiles were simultaneously fitted to a three-compartment toxicokinetic model. The plasma concentration–time profile was also separately fitted to the same three-compartment model for comparison of parameter estimates. Toxicokinetic analysis of the blood concentration andXf–time profile provided the following values: steady-state volume of distribution = 13.8 ± 2.8 ml/g (Hg), 41.4 ± 0.3 ml/g (Cd); total body clearance = 0.021 ± 0.0006 ml/day/g (Hg), 0.0031 ± 0.0008 ml/day/g (Cd); biological half-life (t 1 2 , β) = 722 ± 309 days (Hg), 9627 ± 2206 days (Cd). Estimates of thet 1 2 , β were up to 94 times longer if determined by simultaneous fitting of the blood concentration andXf–time profiles. A time-dependent accumulation of Hg and Cd by RBCs was observed with maximum RBC concentrations of Hg and Cd occurring at 7 and 12 days after injection. After injection, the tissues with the highest accumulation of Hg were the liver, trunk and head kidney, muscle, and skin, but the amount of Hg in the liver gradually increased over 156 days. Most of the Cd was accumulated by the liver and trunk kidney within 24 hr, with little change occurring after 335 days. This study demonstrates the usefulness of intravascular injection and simultaneous analysis of blood and whole body amount data in determining the elimination of metals from fishes.
The challenge of Brettanomyces in wine

Brettanomyces spp. is an indigenous yeast that can grow during wine fermentation and impact its flavor. The characteristic flavor is often described as phenolic/medicinal, spices, cloves, earthy, barnyard, and horsy. The acceptability of Brettanoymces-induced flavors depends on the flavor intensity, personal preference, and consumer expectations. The yeast has been isolated from grapes, barrels, and winery equipment. It impacts wines from all the top producing regions in the world, with associated flavors most often found in red wines. Prevention of growth of this yeast in wine involves attention to fruit quality and winery sanitation, control of sulfite and oxygen levels, and the use uncontaminated barrels. Greater understanding of how Brettanomyces and its metabolites contribute to wine flavor is required to recognize its impact on consumer acceptability.
Alterations in cardiac diastolic function in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is associated with a decreased survival that appears attributable to cardiovascular causes. To determine whether alterations in systolic or diastolic cardiac function precede overt cardiac disease, 20 ankylosing spondylitis patients without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease and 25 healthy age and gender matched controls were studied by cross-sectional and Doppler echocardiography. Systolic function was assessed by wall motion analysis and ejection velocities. Diastolic function was measured by the peak velocity of early ventricular inflow, peak velocity in late diastole during atrial systole, the ratio of these velocities and the diastolic filling time. Atrial, ventricular and aortic dimensions were similar in patients and controls. Ejection indexes and systolic wall motion were normal in both groups. Diastolic function differed in patients as evidenced by a shorter diastolic filling period [405 +/- 68 ms vs 548 +/- 136 ms, p = 0.0001], a reduced velocity of early mitral inflow [0.55 +/- 0.09 m/s vs 0.63 +/- 0.11 m/s (p = 0.005)], and lower ratios of early/late inflow velocities [1.21 +/- 0.33 vs 1.60 +/- 0.35 (p = 0.0005) for mitral and 1.36 +/- 0.34 vs 1.71 +/- 0.42 (p = 0.016) for tricuspid]. These changes are consistent with impaired ventricular relaxation in some patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
Body-Weight–Supported Treadmill Rehabilitation after Stroke

A b s t r ac t Background Locomotor training, including the use of body-weight support in treadmill stepping, is a physical therapy intervention used to improve recovery of the ability to walk after stroke. The effectiveness and appropriate timing of this intervention have not been established. Methods We stratified 408 participants who had had a stroke 2 months earlier according to the extent of walking impairment — moderate (able to walk 0.4 to <0.8 m per sec ond) or severe (able to walk <0.4 m per second) — and randomly assigned them to one of three training groups. One group received training on a treadmill with the use of body-weight support 2 months after the stroke had occurred (early locomotor training), the second group received this training 6 months after the stroke had occurred (late locomotor training), and the third group participated in an exercise program at home managed by a physical therapist 2 months after the stroke (homeexercise program). Each intervention included 36 sessions of 90 minutes each for 12 to 16 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants in each group who had an improvement in functional walking ability 1 year after the stroke. Results At 1 year, 52.0% of all participants had increased functional walking ability. No significant differences in improvement were found between early locomotor training and home exercise (adjusted odds ratio for the primary outcome, 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50 to 1.39) or between late locomotor training and home exercise (adjusted odds ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.99). All groups had similar improvements in walking speed, motor recovery, balance, functional status, and quality of life. Neither the delay in initiating the late locomotor training nor the severity of the initial impairment affected the outcome at 1 year. Ten related serious adverse events were reported (occurring in 2.2% of participants undergoing early locomotor training, 3.5% of those undergoing late locomotor training, and 1.6% of those engaging in home exercise). As compared with the home-exercise group, each of the groups receiving locomotor training had a higher frequency of dizziness or faintness during treatment (P = 0.008). Among patients with severe walking impairment, multiple falls were more common in the group receiving early locomotor training than in the other two groups (P = 0.02). Conclusions Locomotor training, including the use of body-weight support in stepping on a treadmill, was not shown to be superior to progressive exercise at home managed by a physical therapist. (Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research; LEAPS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00243919.)
Diffusion in Quartz, Melilite, Silicate Perovskite, and Mullite

This chapter presents diffusion data for a group of silicate minerals not covered by the other chapter categories. It is a diverse collection of minerals, ranging from silicate perovskite, a dominant phase in the Earth’s lower mantle, to quartz, a common crustal mineral, to melilite, an important constituent of calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions in primitive chondrite meteorites. A summary of the properties of minerals reviewed in this chapter is in Table 1⇓. This review will focus primarily on diffusion of cations, as diffusion of noble gases, hydrogen and oxygen are considered in other chapters in this volume (Baxter 2010; Farver 2010). View this table: Table 1. A list of minerals discussed in this chapter and some of their characteristics. Quartz is among the most abundant minerals in the continental crust, found in many igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It also has various technological applications because of its piezoelectric properties (e.g., Ramus 1989; Lang 1993). Quartz is one of the most stable minerals, resistant to chemical attack and weathering. It can contain minor amounts of aluminum, alkali elements, and transition elements; quartz color, and in some cases luminescence, can be attributed to the presence of these elements and the defects they create. For example, tiny rutile needles or TiO2 in the colloidal state may be responsible for rose and blue quartz coloring, respectively, and the coloration of citrine is due to the presence of colloidal ferric hydroxide distributed submicroscopically (e.g., Deer et al. 1992). Diffusion of the major constituents of quartz, Si and O, has been extensively investigated under a broad range of conditions (Giletti and Yund 1984; Dennis 1984; Farver and Yund 1991; Sharp et al. 1991, Jaoul et al. 1995; Bejina and Jaoul 1996; Cherniak 2003). Since oxygen diffusion in minerals will be …
Review of Ranibizumab Trials for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Ranibizumab, a recombinant, humanized, monoclonal antibody antigen-binding fragment that neutralizes all VEGF-A isoforms, is the first US FDA-approved therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to result in improvement in visual acuity. The benefit of intravitreal ranibizumab applies to all angiographic subtypes of neovascular AMD and across all lesion sizes. The two original phase III studies (ANCHOR and MARINA) demonstrated sustained visual acuity (VA) gains over a two-year monthly dosing schedule. Following these trials, several studies looked at ways to decrease the treatment burden while maintaining similar visual gains. These trials included PIER, PrONTO, EXCITE, SUSTAIN, HORIZON, and CATT. Visual acuity data shows that monthly dosing of ranibizumab produces superior vision outcomes compared to a less-frequent, fixed-dosing schedule. Intravitreal ranibizumab is well tolerated and shown to have a very low rate of adverse ocular or systemic side-effects.
Standards and specifications for selecting optimum nuclear reactor pressure boundary metals: a review of US approaches and needs

Abstract Standards and specifications which optimize the quality of structural components including pressure boundary materials fill an important place in assuring reactor structural reliability. The author reviews the needs for and demonstrates the way in which research may contribute to improve codes, standards, and specifications for nuclear reactor pressure boundary metals, considering radiation and other service environmental effects. Examples are cited from studies related to both thermal and fast reactor materials. The organisations and their current emphasis for standards development in the US also are reviewed briefly with specific reference boundary materials for commercial nuclear power plants.
Development of knowledge frameworks and higher order cognitive operations among secondary school students who studied a unit on ecology

Thirteen randomly selected 9th and 10th grade students who studied an ecology unit were interviewed, and the tape-recorded data analysed for changes in organisation of knowledge, represented by ideational networks and the development of higher cognitive operations. Flow maps and content analysis, using a list of cognitive information processing categories, were used to analyse the tape-recorded narrative. The structure of the student knowledge became increasingly advanced, as represented by increasing complexity of student ideational networks. The network complexity closely paralleled the development of higher order cognitive operations, as evidenced in interview data. This research provides insights into how students develop knowledge schemata, ideational networks, and the capacity to express ecological understandings using higher order cognitive operations over several weeks.
Etiology of Bloody Diarrhea among Patients Presenting to United States Emergency Departments: Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Other Enteropathogens

2 National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections have been associated with bloody diarrhea. The prevalence of enteropathogens among patients with bloody diarrhea was determined by a prospective study at 11 US emergency departments. Eligible patients had bloody stools, >3 loose stool samples per 24-h period, and an illness lasting !7 days. Among 873 patients with 877 episodes of bloody diarrhea, stool samples for culture were obtained in 549 episodes (62.6%). Stool cultures were more frequently ordered for patients with fever, 110 stools/day, and visibly bloody stools than for patients without these findings. Enteropathogens were identified in 168 episodes (30.6%): Shigella (15.3%), Campylobacter (6.2%), Salmonella (5.8%), STEC (2.6%), and other (1.6%). Enteropathogens were isolated during 12.5% of episodes that physicians thought were due to a noninfectious cause. The prevalence of STEC infection varied by site from 0% to 6.2%. Hospital admissions resulted from 195 episodes (23.4%). These data support recommen- dations that stool samples be cultured for patients with acute bloody diarrhea.
Soviet and eastern european research on biological effects of microwave radiation

A large amount of literature on the biological effects of microwave radiation has been obtained from the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries since 1973. This literature reports changes in almost all biological systems at exposure power densities less than 10 mW/cm2. Since 1976 an increased amount of data using long-term microwave exposures at power density levels below 10 mW/cm2has been published. An overview of research results reported since 1976 are presented in this paper.
TNF-Like Weak Inducer of Apoptosis (TWEAK) Promotes Beta Cell Neogenesis from Pancreatic Ductal Epithelium in Adult Mice

Aim/Hypothesis The adult mammalian pancreas has limited ability to regenerate in order to restore adequate insulin production from multipotent progenitors, the identity and function of which remain poorly understood. Here we test whether the TNF family member TWEAK (TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis) promotes β-cell neogenesis from proliferating pancreatic ductal epithelium in adult mice. Methods C57Bl/6J mice were treated with Fc-TWEAK and pancreas harvested at different time points for analysis by histology and immunohistochemistry. For lineage tracing, 4 week old double transgenic mice CAII-CreERTM: R26R-eYFP were implanted with tamoxifen pellet, injected with Fc-TWEAK or control Ig twice weekly and analyzed at day 18 for TWEAK-induced duct cell progeny by costaining for insulin and YFP. The effect of TWEAK on pancreatic regeneration was determined by pancytokeratin immunostaining of paraffin embedded sections from wildtype and TWEAK receptor (Fn14) deficient mice after Px. Results TWEAK stimulates proliferation of ductal epithelial cells through its receptor Fn14, while it has no mitogenic effect on pancreatic α- or β-cells or acinar cells. Importantly, TWEAK induces transient expression of endogenous Ngn3, a master regulator of endocrine cell development, and induces focal ductal structures with characteristics of regeneration foci. In addition, we identify by lineage tracing TWEAK-induced pancreatic β-cells derived from pancreatic duct epithelial cells. Conversely, we show that Fn14 deficiency delays formation of regenerating foci after Px and limits their expansion. Conclusions/Interpretation We conclude that TWEAK is a novel factor mediating pancreatic β-cell neogenesis from ductal epithelium in normal adult mice.
Fate of Minus-Strand Templates and Replication Complexes Produced by a P23-Cleavage-Defective Mutant of Sindbis Virus

SIN2V is an engineered mutant Sindbis virus (SIN) that is unable to process the P23 cleavage site in polyproteins P123 and P1234 that are translated from the genome after its entry into cells. Unlike wild-type (wt) SIN, it caused minus strands to be made continuously and replication-transcription complex (RTC) activity to be unstable (R. Gorchakov, E. Frolova, S. Sawicki, S. Atasheva, D. Sawicki, and I. Frolov, J. Virol. 82:6218-6231, 2008). We examined further the effects of P23 on SIN RNA replication and RTC activity. Continuous minus-strand synthesis by SIN2V produced 250% of wt levels of minus strands but accumulated only 110% of wt levels (0.39 pg, or 2.7 x 10(4) molecules of double-stranded RNA per cell). Because SIN2V-infected cells accumulated only 40% of the minus strands that were made, cells must possess some process to limit RTC accumulation. The loss of activity by SIN2V RTC after translation was inhibited was stochastic and not due to their inherent instability, based on finding that activity was lost without the degradation of the minus-strand templates. In addition to their normal functions, P23 RTCs exhibited the novel phenotype of being unable to switch from making less to making more genomes than subgenomic 26S mRNA at late times during infections. Our results lend credence to the hypothesis that nsP2 (and possibly nsP3) possesses functions other than those needed solely for RTC activity and that it may also act with the host to regulate minus-strand synthesis and the stability of the RTC.
Management of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The American population is aging and the incidence of cardiac arrests will increase because the prevalence of heart disease and arrhythmias increases with advancing age. Twenty-five million people are now over the age of 65, and 2.7 million are over the age of 85. 23 Projected estimates by the US Census Bureau for the year 2030 indicate that one in five persons in the US (approximately 35 million people) will be older than age 65, and one in four of the elderly will be older than age 85. 1 In 1990, there were approximately 2 million deaths in the United States, of which cardiovascular disease accounted for approximately 50% or 1 million deaths. 3 Sudden cardiac death represents 30% of all traumatic and 50% of all coronary artery disease-related deaths, 36 or approximately 300,000 to 400,000 deaths annually in the United States. 31 Sudden cardiac arrest from coronary artery disease may be treatable with rapid resuscitation and defibrillation. Delayed or ineffective intervention may result in avoidable deaths in these patients. Owing to the large numbers of affected people, the American Heart Association has strived to present to health care workers, paramedics, and lay people the latest research on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The most recent national conference in 1992 resulted in new guidelines for CPR, but no separate recommendations were given for the elderly. Early in the development of resuscitation guidelines, it became apparent that neonates and children have very different causes of arrest and different physiologic responses to various interventions as compared with adults. Separate guidelines have been developed for resuscitation in the pediatric population. In the future, it may become apparent that the elderly will also need separate guidelines from the other adults, but few data exist currently regarding the responses of geriatric patients to various interventions. This article discusses CPR in the elderly by examining the available outcome data, the known physiologic changes with aging that may affect decisions made during resuscitation, and the possible altered responses to resuscitation drugs owing to aging.
Rate of radiation therapy events in a large academic institution

Purpose The goals of this study were to determine the rate of radiation therapy patient events at a large academic institution and to evaluate temporal trends in this rate using statistical process control tools. Methods An incident reporting system was used to prospectively collect information on radiation therapy patient events and near misses or good catches, using paper-based reports through December 2010 and an online electronic reporting system from January 2011 onward. Patient events were classified into 3 categories on the basis of their severity. The rate of these events from January 2008 to December 2011 was determined. p charts were used to evaluate trends over time. Results There were 188 radiation therapy events in the 4-year period, of which 38 were level I or II (more severe) events and 150 were level III (less severe) events. During this 4-year period, a total of 28,488 new patients were treated, and a total of 618,461 radiation fractions were delivered. The rate of radiation therapy events was 0.66% per patient and 0.03% per radiation fraction. There were 358 near misses and good catches in the 4-year period. The p charts indicated that there were no significant changes in the rate of radiation therapy events over time. Conclusions The rate of radiation therapy events was very low and remained stable over a 4-year period. In the absence of a national reporting system, single-institution reports can provide valuable information on radiotherapy patient event rates and can augment quality improvement efforts.
Vibration-induced activation of muscle afferents modulates bioassayable growth hormone release

The effects of tendon vibration on bioassayable growth hormone (BGH) secretion from the pituitary gland were investigated in anesthetized adult male rats. The tendons from predominantly fast-twitch...
Acclimation of leaf hydraulic conductance and stomatal conductance of Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) to long-term growth in elevated CO2 (free-air CO2 enrichment) and N-fertilization

We investigated how leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf )o f loblolly pine trees is influenced by soil nitrogen amendment (N) in stands subjected to ambient or elevated CO2 concen- trations (CO2 a and CO2 e , respectively). We also examined how Kleaf varies with changes in reference leaf water poten- tial (Yleaf-ref) and stomatal conductance (gs-ref) calculated at vapour pressure deficit, D of 1 kPa. We detected significant reductions in Kleaf caused by N and CO2 e , but neither treat- ment affected pre-dawn or midday Yleaf.We also detected a significant CO2 e -induced reduction in gs-ref and Yleaf-ref. Amongtreatments,thesensitivityofKleafto Yleafwasdirectly related to a reference Kleaf (Kleaf-ref computed at Yleaf-ref).This liquid-phase response was reflected in a similar gas-phase response, with gs sensitivity to D proportional to gs-ref. Because leaves represented a substantial component of the whole-tree conductance, reduction in Kleaf under CO2 e
The relation of self-efficacy and error-related self-regulation

Relations between a modifiable psychosocial factor, self-efficacy (SE), and behavioral and neural indices of self-regulation, including post-error behavior, the error-related negativity (ERN), and error positivity (Pe) were examined in young adults during a flanker task emphasizing either accuracy or speed. SE was predicted to be associated with larger ERN and Pe amplitudes, as well as greater post-error behavioral performance during task conditions emphasizing accuracy, but not speed. Results showed that higher SE was associated with greater post-error response accuracy during the accuracy condition, but not the speed condition, and higher SE was related with greater ERN amplitudes across instruction conditions. Further, ERN amplitude mediated the relationship between SE and post-error response accuracy in the accuracy condition. These findings emphasize the role of motivation and incentive on the self-regulatory system and suggest that SE is beneficially related to self-regulatory processes and outcomes.
ECLOSION, MATING, AND GROOMING BEHAVIOR OF THE PARASITOID FLY PSEUDACTEON CURVATUS (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE)

Phorid flies from the genus Pseudacteon are parasitoids of Solenopsis ants. Recent efforts of controlling imported fire ants in the United States have focused on rearing and releasing these flies as biocontrol agents. We studied eclosion, mating, and grooming behavior of Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier in an effort to increase understanding of its biology. The sex ratio of eclosing flies in the lab was 1:1. The flies emerged only in the morning and were protandrous. Mating in the lab occurred on the substrate and did not require disturbed ants. Males and probably also females mated multiply.
What if you could only publish 50 papers your entire career

Ethical questions in science are often centered on the veracity, accuracy, and expediency of results in published articles. A majority of the support for academic studies is sponsored by taxpayers, resulting in an obligation to disseminate the research, a notion supported by the proliferation of Library of Congress journals, eJournals, and publically available reports. Yet a majority of publications have little impact, resulting in few or no peer citations, or are not even read by other scientists in the same field, resulting in the duplication of funding for questions that have already been effectively addressed. This begs the question, if a mechanism were in place to reduce the pressure to publish, would these problems be marginalized? What if you could only publish 50 papers your entire career as corresponding author? This translates mathematically to 2 % of your scientific footprint per manuscript. Would you change the depth of your inquiry, rigor of experimental design and data interpretation, and the clarity in which you put your work into the context of the literature? Ultimately, would your conclusions propel your field forward in a significant way? Regardless of journal type or impact factor, each manuscript should detail a complete and significant study. The effort required to publish with a clear conceptual framework—from experimental design to evidence-based positive or negative conclusions—goes beyond that of many papers submitted to meet a minimal publishable unit (MPU). Though this shift to the highest publishable unit (HPU) will not mean every paper is a blockbuster, it would guarantee that each manuscript fulfills one or more of three goals:
Infections in long-term care facilities.

These statistics speak for themselves: the population aged 65 to 85 is projected to increase 15% (from 26 to 30 million) by the year 2000. But the population aged 85 and over will nearly double from 2.6 million to about 5 million by the year 2000. Currently, about 20% of the very elderly individuals reside in nursing homes. There are now about 1.3 million beds in 18,000 nursing homes in the United States. If the above projections of the elderly population hold true, then we would need approximately one-half million nursing home beds in the next 15 years.' Although the field of hospital infection control is well established, only in the last several years has attention been turned to nosocomial infections in nursing homes. The article by Price et al in this issue of Infection Control certainly adds to our knowledge of the problem.2 Noting the paucity of information about nosocomial infections in this setting, they performed monthly 1-day on-site surveys of 12 North Carolina extended care facilities. Long-term care facilities include extended care facilities (which suggests association with an acute care facility) and nursing homes (which suggests a free-standing institution), although all three terms are often used interchangeably. Long-term care beds may be categorized as skilled care or intermediate care, the latter requiring less intensive nursing. What do we know about infections that occur in longterm care facilities? The annual number of nosocomial
Disruptive developments in document recognition

Most printed material of legal, commercial or industrial value already transcribed.The flow of hardcopy-based transactions that require OCR is drying up.Research targets mainly handwriting, historical documents and niche applications.The advent of entirely new genres of digital documents requires new approaches.Portable and wearable sensors could foster lifetime reading retention. Progress in optical character recognition, which underlies most applications of document processing, has been driven mainly by technological advances in microprocessors and optical sensor arrays. Software development based on algorithmic innovations appears to be reaching the point of diminishing returns. Research results, dispersed among a dozen venues, tend to lag behind commercial methodology. Some early mainline applications, like reading typescript, patents and law books, have already become obsolete. Check, postal address, and form processing are on their way out. Open source software may open up niche applications that don't generate enough revenue for commercial developers, including poorly-funded transcription of historical documents (especially genealogical records). Smartphone cameras and wearable technologies are engendering new image-based applications, but there is little evidence of widespread adoption. As document contents are integrated into a web-based continuum of data, they are likely losing even the meager individuality of discrete sheets of paper. The persistent need to create, preserve and communicate information is giving rise to entirely new genres of digital documents with a concomitant need for new approaches to document understanding.
Percutaneous Ablation of Breast Tumors

The surgical management of breast cancer has evolved gradually over the past century from the exclusive use of radical mastectomy to the current practice of segmental mastectomy and radiation therapy. This less aggressive surgical approach in the management of breast cancer extended to treatment of the axilla. The latter led to the recent introduction and subsequent acceptance of lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy as an alternative strategy to the routine use of formal levels I and II axillary dissection in clinically node-negative patients.
Trade Sanctions as a Tool of International Relations

Trade policy is often used as a tool of international relations. Offering to reduce tariffs or quotas or to liberalize trade can be used as a bargaining chip to induce trading partners to do the same. When successful, such agreements result in a positive-sum game, since all parties to the deal benefit. Trade sanctions are also a tool of international relations, but their use does not result in positive-sum games because all parties are losers, since all parties are worse off, in economic terms at least, as a result of sanctions. This article discusses trade sanctions as a tool of international relations and questions whether it is a tool that should continue to be used, given the overwhelming evidence that trade sanctions result in more losses than gains. The Iraqi and Cuban sanctions are examined as case studies.
Gorham's Disease in a Patient with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Gorham’s disease is a rare entity that has been sparsely covered in the medical literature, and its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. We present the case of a 22-year-old man who sustained a traumatic T6 American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale B paraplegic injury complicated by a complaint of shoulder pain during his acute rehabilitation stay. He was found to have osteolysis of the distal right clavicle (Gorham’s disease). He was treated conservatively with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and relative rest and experienced good functional outcome. Although the differential diagnosis for shoulder pain in the paraplegic patient during acute rehabilitation is extensive, it is important to consider less common but still important etiologies such as Gorham’s disease.
Frequency and Impact of Clashing Beliefs in State Executive Branches

From seemingly time immemorial the sovereigns of reasonably large polities have had to address the extent of subordinate compliance with the sovereign’s directions. In the modern state, relying on permanent organizations for policy implementation, the concern often becomes a dominant issue. As described by Max Weber: “ ...the power position of a fully developed bureaucracy is always overtowering. The ‘political master’ finds himself in the position of the ‘dilettante’ who stands opposite the ‘expert’...“ (Gerth and Mills, 1991:232).
Psychosocial predictors of stroke outcomes in an elderly population

The influence of premorbid psychosocial factors on physical function and institutionalization 6 weeks after hospital discharge was studied in elderly stroke patients. The predictor variables of interest were social networks, availability of social support, pre-stroke depression (CES-D), and religiousness. The data were obtained from a prospective longitudinal study based on 2,812 noninstitutionalized individuals aged 65 years and older living in New Haven, Connecticut. Incident stroke cases from this study were followed for post-stroke outcomes. Results from 87 survivors indicated that larger social networks were associated with fewer limitations in physical function, controlling for relevant health and sociodemographic conditions. Larger networks were also associated with a lower risk of institutionalization (p < .05). None of the other psychosocial factors assessed appeared to be related to these outcomes.
Teratogen-induced cell death in postimplantation mouse embryos: differential tissue sensitivity and hallmarks of apoptosis.

Teratogen-induced cell death is a common event in the pathogenesis associated with tissues destined to be malformed. Although the importance of this cell death is recognized, little information is available concerning the biochemistry of teratogen-induced cell death. We show that three teratogens, hyperthermia, cyclophosphamide and sodium arsenite induce an increase in cell death in day 9.0 mouse embryos with concurrent induction of DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3 and the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Teratogen-induced cell death is also selective, i.e., some cells within a tissue die while others survive. In addition, cells within some tissues die when exposed to teratogens while cells in other tissues are relatively resistant to teratogen-induced cell death. An example of the latter selectivity is seen in the cells of the developing heart, which are resistant to the cytotoxic potential of many teratogens. We show that the absence of cell death in the heart is accompanied by the complete lack of DNA fragmentation, activtion of caspase-3 and the cleavage of PARP.
Pesticide effects on the immune response and metabolic activity of chicken lymphocytes.

SummaryImmune response and metabolic activity of bursal, splenic, and thymic lymphocytes from chickens treated with DDT and Mirex were evaluated. The results indicated a marked reduction in the metabolic activity upon pesticide treatment. There was no significant difference in total antibody production, but IgG levels were significantly reduced and IgM levels were markedly elevated. The significance of reduced metabolic activity and IgG production were discussed in relation to T-cell activity .
A Java-Based Upgrade Model for Large-Scale Distributed Systems

The problems in the upgrade of large-scale distributed systems are analysed,and a system model is presented .The key technologies such as BT,Java calss dynamic loading,system updating are introduced.Finally,this paper summarizes the model’s advantages.
Improved ID3 Algorithm to Construct Decision-Tree of Academy-to-Undergraduate Students Exam Scores

ID3 algorithm is a sort of classified algorithm which of categorized the decision tree.By the ID3 algorithm computational complexity analysis,make using of statistical theory of knowledge and conditions probability ideas to improve the algorithm,and the use of improved algorithms to construct analysis decision-tree of academy-to-undergraduate students exam scores.
Elevated Cerebrospinal Fluid Norepinephrine in the Elderly can Link Depressionand A Reduced Glymphatic System as Risk Factors for AlzheimerÃ¢ÂÂs Disease

Aging (>65 years) is clearly the greatest risk factor for developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), although the age of onset for an individual is unknown. Accumulation of plaques (Aβ) and tangles (phosphorylated tau) are believed to be the cause of AD and are considered the two major neuropathological markers of AD, and occurs well before the appearance of cognitive impairment. Reducing the incidence of AD by reducing the accumulation of plaques or tangles could have a profound effect on the predicted costs of caring for these individuals. To reduce the incidence or delay the onset of AD in the elderly population, risk factors or biomarkers need to be identified very early in the progression of the disorder to indicate when interventions should be initiated to prevent or slow the progression of AD. This review hypothesizes that depression in the elderly is a marker of depression because it suggests the noradrenergic nervous system in the locus coeruleus (LC) is malfunctioning. The noradrenergic neurons in the LC are malfunctioning because there is a loss of noradrenergic neurons due to early stage AD pathology. The minimal loss of LC neurons increases synaptic brain norepinephrine (NE) levels which precipitates depression and a reduction in the glymphatic system. The reduction in the glymphatic system would reduce the clearance of Aβ and tau from the brain, thereby enhancing the deposition of plaques and tangles in the brain and the development of AD.
Quantitative characterization of alkyd cure kinetics with the quartz crystal microbalance

Abstract The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used to measure the time-dependent mechanical properties of an alkyd resin throughout the transition from its application as a liquid to the formation of a solid film. Three different regions of curing were observed, corresponding to solvent evaporation; early stage curing, where the mass increases as oxygen is incorporated into the film; and long-term curing, where the mass decreases as volatile compounds are released. Mechanical property changes obtained at 15 MHz with the QCM were correlated with measurements at much lower frequencies utilizing traditional dynamic mechanical analysis. These mechanical property changes were in turn correlated to chemical changes tracked with Raman spectroscopy. From the temperature dependence of the curing process we obtain an effective activation energy of 4.1 kcal/mol.
Advanced Digital Signal Processing Techniques and Hardware for Radio Direction Finding Applications

A dual-channel Digital Signal Processing-based IF Processor (DSPIFP) has been developed for use in radio direction finders. An undersampled mixing technique was used to allow direct digitization at 25 kHz of a 455 kHz IF signal with a bandwidth of 10 kHz or less. A 64-point FFT was used to estimate the spectrum. The DSPIFP measures amplitudes from both channels and relative phase difference between channels. These measurements are made on the strongest signal in the passband; however, this could be extended to other resolved signals in the passband. The test results have shown that DSP techniques can be used to provide IF processing functions previously implemented in analog circuitry, giving comparable performance. The DSPIFP has the additional capability of effective amplitude and phase measurement on the desired signal in the presence of co-channel interference.
Explaining the Disparity in Results Across Studies Assessing Racial Disparity in Police Use of Force: A Research Note

In the spring and summer of 2016, seven studies that examined the impact of subject race on police use of force were announced in the media and the paraphrased headlines ranged from “there is bias in the use of force,” “there is no bias in the use of force,” and “there is bias in some types of force, but not others.” The purpose of this research note is to examine these disparate findings and the methods that might explain them, with attention to sample characteristics, the types of analyses, the number and character of agencies studied, and how concepts are operationalized. This analysis will help research consumers analyze critically the results from race-and-force studies and, hopefully, add to our understanding of this important national issue.
Dust formation and the binary companions of supernovae

Supernovae (SNe) should both frequently have a binary companion at death and form significant amounts of dust. This implies that any binary companion must lie at the center of an expanding dust cloud and the variable obscuration of the companion as the SN remnant (SNR) expands will both unambiguously mark the companion and allow the measurement of the dust content through absorption rather than emission for decades after the explosion. However, sufficiently hot and luminous companions can suppress dust formation by rapidly photo-ionizing the condensible species in the ejecta. This provides a means of reconciling the Type IIb SNe Cas A, which lacks a luminous companion and formed a significant amount of dust (Md > 0.1 Msun), with the Type IIb SNe 1993J and 2011dh, both of which appear to have a luminous companion and to have formed a negligible amount of dust (Md < 0.001 Msun). The Crab and SN 1987A are consistent with this picture, as both lack a luminous companion and formed significant amounts of dust. An unrecognized dependence of dust formation on the properties of binary companions may help to explain why the evidence for dust formation in SNe appears so contradictory.
Hearing biochemical structures: molecular visualization with spatial audio

Accurately perceiving the structure of biochemical molecules is key to understanding their function in biological systems. Visualization software has given the scientific and medical communities a means to study these structures in great detail; however, these tools lack an intuitive means to convey this information to persons with visual impairment. Advances in spatial audio technology have allowed for sound to be perceived in 3-dimensional space when played over headphones. This work presents the development of a novel computational tool that utilizes spatial audio to convey the three dimensional structure of biochemical molecules.
Ideas for Teaching Vision and Visioning.

In teaching leadership, a key element to include should be a discussion about vision: what it is, how to communicate it, and how to ensure that it is effective and shared. This article describes a ...
Galen's conception theory

One of the reasons why ancient theories of reproduction have drawn so much recent attention' is that they offer a unique case study in scientific inference, one that unites limited observational data (usually anatomic description based upon dissections of primates and readily accessible facts of heredity) and theoretical inference. Because these two poles constitute the boundaries for most scientific explanation, study of these theories can shed philosophical light upon scientific methodology as well as reveal the nature of the explanations involved.
Specialty Crops in Temperate Agroforestry Systems: Sustainable Management, Marketing and Promotion for the Midwest Region of the U.S.A.

U.S. agricultural and rural communities face ongoing challenges including profitability and environmental stresses that threaten the livelihoods and well-being of many who work the land and/or live in rural areas. Ongoing concerns exist regarding the sustainability of small family farms. Using sustainable agricultural practices and promoting locally produced specialty crops will provide new opportunities for small farms to be both profitable and environmentally sustainable. Specialty nut crops and Non-Timber Forest Products crops (e.g. eastern black walnut, elderberry, log-grown shiitake mushrooms, ginseng) produced in perennial polycultures (e.g. agroforestry systems, AFS) offer opportunities to introduce environmentally, economically and socially sustainable agricultural systems that create new opportunities for farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and families in rural communities. An integrated, long-term approach involving cultivar selection and breeding, field production techniques, market and consumer studies, sound financial decision support tools and grower training is needed to bring specialty crops into the sustainable agriculture mainstream. This chapter summarizes recent research carried by the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) on specialty crops, focusing on edible tree nuts (chestnuts and black walnuts), fruits and berries (elderberry), and other potential specialty crops.
The Lactic Acid Bacteria

The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from wine are located in two families and three genera (with several species and strains). The Lactobacillaceae, represented by the genus Lactobacillus, includes rod-shaped Gram-positive species and their respective strains (see Fig. 1-1), whereas the Streptococcaceae represented by the genera Pediococcus and Leuconostoc, includes Gram-positive coccoid- or coccobacilloid-shaped isolates (see Figs. 1-2 and 1-3). Both groups may grow as somewhat characteristic aggregations of cells. These may include chains of lenticular or sausage-shaped cells, in the case of Leuconostoc oenos, filamentous chains (Lactobacillus fructivorans), and tetrads that result from division in two planes (Pediococcus damnosus).
Steady-state kinetics of imipramine in transgenic mice with elevated serum AAG levels.

Purpose. The effect of elevated serum alpha-1 -acid glycoprotein (AAG) concentrations on the steady-state serum and brain levels of imipramine and its metabolite desipramine was assessed. This was approached using a novel strain of transgenic mice whose basal endogenous serum AAG levels were 8.6-fold elevated over normal.
Juan Goytisolo y la tradición autobiográfica española

Escribir una autobiografia exige una compleja eleccion de modelos. Entre los escritores de autobiografias que Juan Goytisolo incorpora en su propios textos autobiograficos, Coto vedado (1985) y En los reinos de taifa (1986), se encuentra Jose Maria Blanco White, escritor de fines del siglo XVIII y comienzos del XIX, relativamente olvidado hasta decadas recientes. Significativamente, en la autobiografia de Blanco White ocupa un lugar importante su descubrimiento de Feijoo, cuya fama habia periclitado cuando Blanco lo descubre. Vemos asi la estrategia autobiografica de preferir como modelo literario una figura que es necesario reivindicar. A complex selection of models is required to write an autobiography. Among the writers of autobiographies that Juan Goytisolo includes in his own autobiographical texts, Coto vedado (1985) and En los reinos de taifa (1986) is Jose Maria Blanco White, a writer from the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth centuries, who was relatively forgotten until recently. Significantly, Blanco While's discovery of Feijoo, whose fame had been declining when Blanco discovered him, has an important place in his autobiography. Thus, we see the autobiographical strategy of selecting a figure who needs to be recovered as a literary model.
A Short History of Modern Medical Imaging

Roentgen’s discovery of x-rays revolutionized diagnostic medicine. For the first time, physicians could visualize internal organs and determine with precision whether bones were broken, hearts enlarged, or lungs opacified. Cannon’s introduction of heavy element contrast material to study the physiology of the gastrointestinal system opened up another dimension and increased the utility of radiological procedures. Heavy element contrast material was used, albeit briefly, to visualize the liver and spleen with thorotrast and, more lastingly, as iodinated material to display the kidneys, vascular system and spinal canal. Obversely, air has been used as a contrast agent in the nervous system and bowel as well. With these Important but relatively primitive tools, a vast experience with two-dimensional radiology was developed along with procedures that by the early 1960s were providing some 60% of all medical diagnoses.