cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional (vector) rigorous coupled-wave analysis of anisotropic grating diffraction

The rigorous coupled-wave analysis of diffraction by grating(s) formed in general anisotropic media is reviewed and extended. The method is first applied to a single slanted phase and/or amplitude grating with general three-dimensional incidence of a plane wave. The regions external to the grating can be isotropic, uniaxial, or biaxial anisotropic. The cases of gratings in isotropic media and of the grating vector lying in the plane of incidence (scalar analysis) are obtained as limiting cases of this general analysis. Coupling between the two orthogonal polarizations vanishes in these limiting cases. The Bragg conditions for various combinations of ordinary (for isotropic and uniaxial) and extraordinary (for uniaxial) polarized waves are quantified. The analysis is then extended to multiple cascaded gratings and to volume-superposed gratings. Sample calculations are presented for single anisotropic gratings (a lithium niobate photorefractive hologram in air and an interdigitated-electrode-induced grating in an electro-optic crystal), for multiple cascaded gratings (a lithium niobate hologram with grating strength varying with thickness), and for superposed gratings (multiplexed hologram storage). Applications for this analysis include optical storage, switching, modulation, deflection, optical interconnects, beam splitting, beam combining, and data processing.
A study of a new human tumor cell line (rhabdomyosarcoma).

SummaryA rhabdomyosarcoma cell culture (HUS-2) was established from an 80 year old female. The cells underwent a morphologic change (at the 12-14 cell transfer) but the karyotypic pattern remained stable throughout. It was our impression that this morphologic change was not an example of transformation but simply an adaptative process of these cells to the culture conditions. The modal number was 58 with a telocentric marker chromosome before and after the morphologic alteration. Treatment with 5-Iododeoxy-uridine and 20-methylcholantrene and DEAE-D caused no karyotypic change. Electron microscopy showed masses of fibrillar material in the multinucleated giant cells and no virus particles were seen in any culture examined.
Vascular rarefaction mediates whitening of brown fat in obesity

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a highly vascularized organ with abundant mitochondria that produce heat through uncoupled respiration. Obesity is associated with a reduction of BAT function; however, it is unknown how obesity promotes dysfunctional BAT. Here, using a murine model of diet-induced obesity, we determined that obesity causes capillary rarefaction and functional hypoxia in BAT, leading to a BAT “whitening” phenotype that is characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction, lipid droplet accumulation, and decreased expression of Vegfa. Targeted deletion of Vegfa in adipose tissue of nonobese mice resulted in BAT whitening, supporting a role for decreased vascularity in obesity-associated BAT. Conversely, introduction of VEGF-A specifically into BAT of obese mice restored vascularity, ameliorated brown adipocyte dysfunction, and improved insulin sensitivity. The capillary rarefaction in BAT that was brought about by obesity or Vegfa ablation diminished β-adrenergic signaling, increased mitochondrial ROS production, and promoted mitophagy. These data indicate that overnutrition leads to the development of a hypoxic state in BAT, causing it to whiten through mitochondrial dysfunction and loss. Furthermore, these results link obesity-associated BAT whitening to impaired systemic glucose metabolism.
Successful management of aberrant subclavian artery-esophageal fistula in an infant

This report describes a 4-month-old female infant with complex congenital heart disease and prolonged nasogastric intubation who developed an aberrant subclavian artery-esophageal fistula that was successfully managed in a two-staged procedure. To our knowledge, this is the first patient to survive correction of this problem after massive hemorrhage.
''I See Trayvon Martin'': What Teachers Can Learn from the Tragic Death of a Young Black Male

The goal of this article is to examine the racially hostile environment of U.S. public schooling towards Black males. Drawing on the work of Foucault (Discipline and punish. The birth of the prison, Penguin Books, London, 1977; Michel Foucault: beyond structuralism and hermeneutics, The Harvester Press, Brighton, 1982) regarding the construction of society’s power relations and Bourdieu’s (Power and ideology in education, Oxford University Press, New York, 1977; Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education. Greenwood Press, New York, 1986; The logic of practice. Polity Press, Cambridge, 1990) work concerning how beliefs are established, this article demonstrates how power operates within schools alongside racism, racial profiling, and gender stereotypes to criminalize Black males. Additionally, the utilization of the theoretical lenses of populational reasoning (Popkewitz in Struggling for the soul: the politics of schooling and the construction of the teacher, Teachers College Press, New York, 1998), conceptual narrative (Somers and Gibson in Social theory and the politics of identity, Blackwell, Cambridge, 1994), and critical race theory (Delgado and Stefancic 2001) links the common narrative and the cultural memory of Black males to the death of Trayvon Martin and the treatment of Black males in schools.
The regulation of cadherin-mediated adhesion by tyrosine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of β-catenin

The formation of stable cell-cell adhesions by type I cadherins depends on the association of their cytoplasmic domain with beta-catenin, and of beta-catenin with alpha-catenin. The binding of beta-catenin to these partners is regulated by phosphorylation of at least three critical tyrosine residues. Each of these residues is targeted by one or more specific kinases: Y142 by Fyn, Fer and cMet; Y489 by Abl; and Y654 by Src and the epidermal growth factor receptor. Developmental and physiological signals have been identified that initiate the specific phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of these residues, regulating cadherin function during neurite outgrowth, permeability of airway epithelium and synapse remodeling, and possibly initiating epithelial cell migration during development and metastasis.
The mole is an Avogadro number of entities, the macroscopic unit for chemical amount

Just as the gram is an Avogadro number of daltons, g = (g/Da) Da, the current definition of the mole can be interpreted as an Avogadro number of entities, as it is often thought of by chemists—and it should be explicitly redefined this way. By introducing a hitherto missing atomic-scale unit for the amount of any substance, the entity (symbol ent), analogous to the dalton for mass, we can then define the mole as: mol = (g/Da) ent—i.e., an Avogadro number of entities. It is argued that the name for the base quantity should be “chemical amount,” by analogy with “electric current.” Recent proposals and counterproposals for redefining the mole (and renaming “amount of substance”) are critically discussed in light of the above intuitively obvious definition.
Is Curriculum Quality Uniform? Evidence from Florida.

Abstract We construct a large panel dataset of schools and districts in Florida to evaluate curricular effectiveness in elementary mathematics. A key innovation of our study is that we allow for curriculum quality to be non-uniform across various mathematics subtopics. We find evidence of variability in curricular effectiveness across different subtopics within the same curriculum. Our findings suggest that educational administrators should consider the topical performance of their various curricular alternatives when making adoption decisions.
Delayed Presentation and Management of a Common Carotid Pseudoaneurysm Following Penetrating Trauma with a Retrograde Open Carotid Stent Graft

Traumatic injuries of the head and neck present a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic challenge when identified in a delayed manner. Pseudoaneurysm formation has been reported in the literature typically with regard to blunt mechanisms; however, a delayed presentation following penetrating injury is a rare finding, much less described. In this case report, we describe a pseudoaneurysm of the common carotid artery as a result of penetrating trauma to the thorax.
Commentary: The response process validity of a script concordance test item.

While the Script Concordance Test (SCT) item format has generated considerable researchthat has reﬂected positively on its reliability (Charlin et al. 1998) and ease of construction(Fournier et al. 2008), a recent review suggests the response process validity of the SCT isweakly supported (Lubarsky et al. 2011). The Gagnon et al. (2011) paper published in thisissue of Advances in Health Sciences Education suggests that the validity of an SCT scoreas a measure of clinical reasoning hinges on the degree to which aggregate scoring conveysa concordance between experts’ and examinees’ scripts. However, the assumption that anexaminee’s solution process reﬂects their clinical scripts has not been conﬁrmed. Since thevalidity of an SCT score derives from the congruence between current score interpretationsand a logical analysis of the task presented by the item, a sound validity argument mustconsider what the SCT task is actually asking the examinee to do. While it is obviouslyimportant to consider the underlying cognitive processes used to respond to the item, aneven more fundamental prerequisite is to logically decompose the SCT task into itscomponent parts. By breaking down the SCT problem into its logical steps, it will be easierto understand the cognitive demands of an SCT item.Figure 1 presents a ﬂow diagram of the four task stimuli (S1–S4) and the three cal-culation steps (P1, P2, {P2–P1}) required by an SCT-based question. Since Gagnon et al.(2011) already present an excellent example and description of the SCT item format, hereit will be sufﬁcient to simply note that an SCT ﬁrst presents a clinical scenario (S1) to theexaminee and then suggests a hypothesis (S2). Next, the item presents a single discrete newpiece of information (S3), and then asks how that new clinical information impacts theprobability of the suggested hypothesis (S4). As Fig. 1 indicates, after both S2 and S3 theexaminee is implicitly asked to make a probabilistic calculation (P1 & P2 respectively) inorder to answer the formal question (S4). The ﬁrst probability (P1) represents the likeli-hood of the hypothesis (S2) given the clinical scenario (S1). The second probability (P2) isthe likelihood of the hypothesis (S2) given both the scenario (S1) and the new piece of
Illumination and Interpretation: The Depiction and Reception of Faus Semblant in Roman de la Rose Manuscripts

The past seven centuries of scholarly attention to and debate over the Roman de la Rose bear strong witness to the fact that the allegorical figure Faus Semblant presents us with an interpretive crux—one of many such in the poem—that we are not likely to resolve in the coming centuries. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that a character who so embodies paradox—a profane friar who is openly honest about his intent to deceive—should be so difficult to pin down; it is his singular talent, after all, to dissemble and confuse. The last century has seen a significant increase in criticism centered upon Faus Semblant that seeks to understand what he signifies within the larger allegory of the poem and how he relates to Jean de Meun's purported satire and antifraternalism. But this struggle to understand and explain the character began centuries earlier and, like him, has taken many forms. As early as the thirteenth century, the passage of Jean's poem in which Faus Semblant explains his craft and guile had be...
Answering hard questions: Wh -movement across dialects and disorder

A large-scale study of complex wh-questions with 1,000 subjects aged 4–9 years is reported. The subjects' dialects were Mainstream American English or African American English, and approximately one-third were language impaired. The study examined when children permit long distance wh-movement, and when they respect a variety of syntactic barriers to movement. Thirteen different structures were compared, and the results suggest that typically developing children and disordered children at all the ages studied are capable of long-distance movement and obedience to abstract barriers. In no case was dialect a significant factor in the children's linguistic performance on these tasks.
Ablation studies on the developing inner ear reveal a propensity for mirror duplications.

The inner ear develops from a simple ectodermal thickening known as the otic placode. Classic embryological manipulations rotating the prospective placode tissue found that the anteroposterior axis was determined before the dorsoventral axis. A small percentage of such rotations also resulted in the formation of mirror duplicated ears, or enantiomorphs. We demonstrate a different embryological manipulation in the frog Xenopus: the physical removal or ablation of either the anterior or posterior half of the placode, which results in an even higher percentage of mirror image ears. Removal of the posterior half results in mirror anterior duplications, whereas removal of the anterior half results in mirror posterior duplications. In contrast, complete extirpation results in more variable phenotypes but never mirror duplications. By the time the otocyst separates from the surface ectoderm, complete extirpation results in no regeneration. To test for a dosage response, differing amounts of the placode or otocyst were ablated. Removal of one third of the placode resulted in normal ears, whereas two-thirds ablations resulted in abnormal ears, including mirror duplications. Recent studies in zebrafish have demonstrated a role for the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in anteroposterior patterning of the developing ear. We have used overexpression of Hedgehog interacting protein (Hip) to block Hh signaling and find that this strategy resulted in mirror duplications of anterior structures, consistent with the results in zebrafish. Developmental Dynamics 236:1237–1248, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A differential equation satisfied by the arithmetic Kodaira–Spencer class

Abstract The arithmetic Kodaira–Spencer class of the universal elliptic curve was introduced in [A. Buium, Differential modular forms, J. Reine Angew. Math. 520 (2000) 95–167]; its reduction mod p was explicitly computed by Hurlburt [C. Hurlburt, Isogeny covariant differential modular forms modulo p , Compos. Math. 128 (1) (2001) 17–34]. In this paper the complicated expression of Hurlburt is shown to be the unique solution of a simple partial differential equation subject to a certain initial condition and weight condition.
Visible snapshot imaging spectro-polarimeter

We present the first visible-spectrum snapshot imaging spectro-polarimeter based on a Computed Tomographic Imaging Spectrometer (CTIS). Improvements to our calibration methods have provided advances in the CTIS spectral resolution and in noise suppression which obstructed previous attempts to construct such an instrument. The resulting device is capable of 75×75 spatial resolution, 1 nm spectral resolution across the visible spectrum (400 nm-720 nm), at video frame rates. The instrument is also capable of complete Stokes vector polarimetry at a reduced spectral resolution (~10 nm).
Symptoms of anxiety and risk of coronary heart disease. The Normative Aging Study.

BACKGROUND Several studies have suggested an increased risk of fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) among patients with panic disorder, phobic anxiety, and other anxiety disorders. We prospectively examined this association in the Normative Aging Study. METHODS AND RESULTS An anxiety symptoms scale was constructed out of five items from the Cornell Medical Index, which was administered to the cohort at baseline. During 32 years of follow-up, we observed 402 cases of incident coronary heart disease (137 cases of nonfatal myocardial infarction, 134 cases of angina pectoris, and 131 cases of fatal CHD: made up of 26 cases of sudden cardiac death and 105 cases of nonsudden death). A nested case-control design (involving 1869 control subjects who remained free of diagnosed CHD) was used to assess the association between anxiety and risk of CHD. Compared with men reporting no symptoms of anxiety, men reporting two or more anxiety symptoms had elevated risks of fatal CHD (age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27 to 8.09), and sudden death (age-adjusted OR = 5.73, 95% CI: 1.26 to 26.1). The multivariate OR after adjusting for a range of potential confounding variables was 1.94 (95% CI: 0.70-5.41) for fatal CHD and 4.46 (95% CI: 0.92-21.6) for sudden death. No excess risks were found for nonfatal myocardial infarction or angina. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest an association between anxiety and fatal coronary heart disease, in particular, sudden cardiac death.
Pricing issues in industrial marketing

Abstract Developing an effective pricing strategy today is becoming a difficult task for industrial marketing managers. The failure of firms to totally understand the implications of their pricing decisions often leads to missed opportunities and eventually lowers profits. Price setting and implementation are multidimensional processes affecting customers, products, cost recovery efforts, produce margin levels, customer retention, market share, and domestic and international sales. This issue of Industrial Marketing Management provides some insights into the complexities of this process for managers by examining pricing on several levels, including the organizational influences on industrial pricing, the factors affecting international pricing, the importance of pricing in controlling supply chain costs, the influence of information on pricing decisions, the degree to which the Internet and reverse auctions are affecting customer relationships with their suppliers, and the importance of developing a strategic pricing plan.
Toward a New Engineering Theory of Bending: Fundamentals

The classical engineering theory of bending due to Bernoulli and Euler serves as a cornerstone for structural analysis and design. Limitations of this theory, however, become apparent in flexural wave propagation studies; it predicts infinite phase velocity as the wavelength becomes shorter. This theoretical deficiency is corrected by Timoshenko theory which accounts for transverse shear deformation. A thorough study of exact elasticity solutions reveals that there are two additional effects that are the same order as transverse shear in bending behavior. A new theory accounting for them is presented, along with several applications. The new equations are no more complicated than those of Timoshenko-ty pe theory, yet they yield solutions which are exact or indistinguishable from exact in the examples studied.
Involvement of photobleaching and inhibition of protochlorophyll(ide) accumulation in tentoxin effects on greening of mung bean seedlings

Several types of evidence indicate that tentoxin-caused reduction of chlorophyll accumulation in greening primary leaves of mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek cv. Berken] is due to both photobleaching and decreased protochlorophyll(ide) synthesis. Greening was greater under dim (2.5 μmol m-2 s-1) far-red or white light than under bright (180 to 200 μmol m-2 s-1) white light in tentoxin-treated tissues, whereas there was a positive correlation between fluence rate and greening in control tissues. Under continuous white light (100 μmol m-2 s-1) chorophyll(ide) accumulation was slower in tentoxin-treated than in control tissues. This was caused by greater photobleaching of newly formed chlorophyll(ide), as well as by decreased protochlorophyll(ide) synthesis. Photobleaching did not affect protochlorophyll(ide) synthesis in control or tentoxin-treated tissues. Chlorophyll(ide) was less stable in tentoxin-treated than in control tissues during a 24 h period of darkness. Plastids of tentoxin-treated tissues had all of the chlorophyll-proteins of control plants. Etioplasts of tentoxin-treated plants contained normal galactolipid contents, but galactolipids in these plants were greatly reduced in white light. Reduced chlorophyll accumulation caused by tentoxin is apparently the result of both photodestruction and of reduced synthesis of chlorophyll.
Evaluating technology‐, information literacy‐, and content‐related learning outcomes among undergraduate students in face‐to‐face and social networking environments

Notes 1 This project is funded under award #0737466 from the National Science Foundation; Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)Phase 1 (Exploratory), Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM). 2 Email: phillip.m.edwards@unc.edu Phillip M. Edwards2, Evelyn Daniel, Claudia J. Gollop, Jane Greenberg, Jacob Kramer-Duffield, Hill Taylor, and David Woodbury University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science Chapel Hill, NC, USA Stephen Seiberling and Alan S. Weakley University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Herbarium Chapel Hill, NC, USA Michael Shoffner Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Multiple Mutations Detected Preoperatively May Predict Aggressive Behavior of Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Guide Management--A Case Report.

Background: Multiple gene mutations in thyroid nodules are rare. The presence of several oncogenic mutations could be associated with aggressive biological behavior of tumors. Patient findings: A 60-year-old female presented to her physician after she felt a lump in her neck. On ultrasound, she was found to have a 1.4 cm × 0.8 cm × 1.3 cm nodule in the isthmus and a 0.5 cm × 0.6 cm ×0.6 cm nodule with irregular margins and hypoechogenicity in the right thyroid lobe, warranting fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Cytological examination of the smaller nodule yielded a diagnosis of atypia of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS, Bethesda Category III). The aspirate was submitted for molecular testing using the next-generation sequencing ThyroSeq® v2 panel. The test revealed four distinct mutations: BRAF (p.V600E), TERT (C228T), PIK3CA (p.H1047R), and AKT1 (p.E17K). Presence of multiple oncogenic mutations in the FNA specimen was highly indicative of cancer, and suggestive of a cancer with propensity toward more ag...
Effects of defendant ethnicity on juries' dispositions of felony cases

This research examined jury decisions in 317 noncapital felony cases in El Paso, Texas, and assessed the impact of juror ethnicity on jury trial outcomes. Results revealed that there was no relation between defendant ethnicity and the probability of conviction. Anglo American defendants, however, received sentences that were approximately twice as severe as Hispanic defendants. Sentences imposed by juries were significantly related to defendant ethnicity and type of crime for which they were tried. Sentences were also influenced by defendant ethnicity in interaction with jury ethnic composition. Important differences appeared when there was a critical mass of 6 or more Hispanics on juries. This study, using criminal court data, provides a unique opportunity to examine the utility of social psychological theories for understanding actual trial outcomes.
Genre in Discourse, Discourse in Genre: A New Approach to the Study of Literate Practice

Focusing on matters of power and difference, this article examines rhetorical theories of genre and James Gee’s theory of Discourse. Although both theories offer productive ways of understanding literate practice, it is argued, they are limited in crucial respects. Genre theory offers few ways of understanding how and why some social actors have an easier time than others in producing generic texts and getting their texts deemed “legitimate” by recognized authorities. Gee’s theory, meanwhile, does not explain precisely how and where (i.e., at which conceptual level) communicants come to match Discourse to situation. This article contends that these limitations may be surpassed if the two theories are brought together in a particular way. In this new approach, genres and Discourses are viewed as mutually constitutive forms: Genres exist within Discourses and Discourses exist within genres. In adopting this approach, it is argued, researchers may study how particular genres are made to elicit performances o...
Surface effect influence on the quality factor of microresonators

This paper presents a model to estimate the quality factor (Q) of a microresonator with surface roughness. The equation of motion of a thin resonator has been derived based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and an extension of the “standard linear solid” model of interior friction to the material surface in the presence of an initial surface stress. The analysis demonstrates that the surface stress and roughness change the effective bending rigidity of the resonator as well as the Q factor. The Q factor has been studied as a function of the surface inclination angle and the Poisson ratio of the different surface films on a Silica substrate. The model can help to understand and quantify the size/material dependence of Q factor.
Iron Imports. III. Transfer of iron from the mucosa into circulation

Transfer of iron from the mucosa is a critical step in dietary iron assimilation that is tightly regulated to ensure the appropriate amount of iron is absorbed to meet the body's demands. Too much iron is highly toxic, and failure to properly control intestinal iron export causes iron overload associated with hereditary forms of hemochromatosis. One form of genetic iron overload, ferroportin disease, originates due to defects in ferroportin, the membrane iron exporter. Ferroportin acts in conjunction with the intestinal ferroxidase hephaestin to mediate release of iron from the enterocyte. How iron is then acquired by transferrin and released into circulation remains an unknown step in this process.
Dependence of Minimum Ignition Energy on Ignition Parameters

Abstract Using two mathematical models (one allowing for pressure variations, and the other assuming the pressure to be uniform), the minimum ignition energies of a stoichiometric methane-air mixture are calculated. The effect of the initial pressure wave generated by the spark on minimum ignition energy is studied by comparing the results of the two models. The pressure wave is found to affect the values of minimum ignition energy for ignition times shorter than 2 (is. The dependence of minimum ignition energy on the kernel radius and ignition time are also investigated. The results show that as the kernel radius is decreased to small values, the minimum ignition energy reaches a constant value. The ignition times that give an optimum value of minimum ignition energy are in the range of 3μs to 100μs. Our results show that minimum ignition energy is strongly dependent on the ignition parameters, and a minimum value of 0.005 mJ is found for an ignition kernel radius of 0.0635 mm and an ignition time of 27....
On the quantificational logic of intuitionistic set theory

Defaut de maximalite du calcul des precedents de Heyting pour les theories ensemblistes intuitionistes faibles. Distinction logique de collection
Challenge of nanoelectronic materials and devices toward new nonvolatile memories

This paper shows that that H plays a role in the forming of oxide RRAM which is derived from studies of both the electrical and physical properties of the oxides. Going forward, there is a clear need for additional studies that combine careful physical and electrical characterization of oxide and sulfide RRAM devices, as electrical measurements alone are ambiguous. If a thorough understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms can be achieved, RRAM holds promise for becoming a low-cost, low-power, highly scalable solution for nonvolatile memory products for the IC industry.
A novel algorithm for multi-node bridge analysis of large VLSI circuits

Defects that short two or more modes are known as multinode bridges. Multinode bridge analysis can be used to extract a list of either only two-node bridges or multi-node bridges. We discuss why multi-node bridge analysis is also required even if only two-node bridges are targeted. We propose a novel, scalable and accurate algorithm for multinode bridge analysis of large layouts. CARAFE can perform multi-node analysis only on small layouts. Comparison results show that for small layouts our algorithm is considerably faster than CARAFE. For larger layouts experimental results are provided to illustrate the performance and capacity of our algorithm.
Evaluation of phase error in a software-defined radio network testbed

When building a sensor network testbed each system component must be completely understood both in its operation and as a possible source of error. We seek to quantify phase error in the USRP-N210 software-defined radio in order to determine how accurately this error can be calibrated out of a network of USRP-N210 based sensor nodes. We measure the frequency stability of a single tone created using a USRP-N210. We also measure the phase difference between two receivers which have been synchronized and are receiving the same signal.
A single dose of Benzathine Penicillin G is as Effective as Multiple Doses of Benzathine Penicillin G for the Treatment of HIV-infected Persons with Early Syphilis

BACKGROUND Treatment guidelines recommend the use of a single dose of benzathine penicillin G (BPG) for treating early syphilis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons. However, data supporting this recommendation are limited. We examined the efficacy of single-dose BPG in the US Military HIV Natural History Study. METHODS Subjects were included if they met serologic criteria for syphilis (ie, a positive nontreponemal test [NTr] confirmed by treponemal testing). Response to treatment was assessed at 13 months and was defined by a ≥4-fold decline in NTr titer. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized to examine factors associated with treatment response. RESULTS Three hundred fifty subjects (99% male) contributed 478 cases. Three hundred ninety-three cases were treated exclusively with BPG (141 with 1 dose of BPG). Treatment response was the same among those receiving 1 or >1 dose of BPG (92%). In a multivariate analysis, older age (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82 per 10-year increase; 95% confidence interval [CI], .73-.93) was associated with delayed response to treatment. Higher pretreatment titers (reference NTr titer <1:64; HR, 1.94 [95% CI, 1.58-2.39]) and CD4 counts (HR, 1.07 for every 100-cell increase [95% CI, 1.01-1.12]) were associated with a faster response to treatment. Response was not affected by the number of BPG doses received (reference, 1 dose of BPG; HR, 1.11 [95% CI, .89-1.4]). CONCLUSIONS In this cohort, additional BPG doses did not affect treatment response. Our data support the current recommendations for the use of a single dose of BPG to treat HIV-infected persons with early syphilis.
The accommodative response to subthreshold blur and to perceptual fading during the Troxler phenomenon

A study is reported which shows that accommodation can be stimulated by a blur stimulus which is below the threshold for visual perception. It is also shown that perceptual fading of the target, caused by stabilization of the retinal image (Troxler phenomenon), can eliminate the accommodative response causing it to default to its resting level. The first finding suggests a way in which the visual system can filter the percept of blur out of our conscious awareness and still effectively utilize the blur as a steady-state error for the accommodative control system. The second finding is consistent with a locus for the Troxler phenomenon in the early afferent part of the visual pathway, ie the retinal ganglion cells.
Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Prescriptions for Enhancing Sodium and Fluid Removal: A Predictive Analysis of Optimized, Patient-Specific Dwell Times for the Day Period

♦ Background: Remaining edema-free is a challenge for many automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) patients, especially those with fast (“high”) transport characteristics. Although increased use of peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions with high glucose concentrations may improve volume control, frequent use of such solutions is undesirable. ♦ Methods: We used the 3-pore kinetic model to evaluate 4 alternative therapy prescriptions for the APD day exchange in anuric patients with high, high-average, and low-average transport characteristics. Four prescriptions were modeled:
Osteomyelitis and Discitis Following Translumbar Repair of a Type II Endoleak

Here we present the case of an 80-year-old man who developed a type II endoleak following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Initial attempts at treating the endoleak via a transarterial approach were unsuccessful; therefore the patient underwent percutaneous translumbar endoleak embolization. Approximately 1 month following the translumbar procedure, he developed back pain, with subsequent workup revealing osteomyelitis and discitis as a complication following repair via the translumbar approach.
Bern-Carrasco-Johansson relations for one-loop QCD integral coefficients

We present a set of one-loop integral coefficient relations in QCD. The unitarity method is useful for exposing one-loop amplitudes in terms of tree amplitudes. The coefficient relations are induced by tree-level Bern-Carrasco-Johansson amplitude relations. We provide examples for box, triangle, and bubble coefficients. These relations reduce the total number of independent coefficients needed to calculate one-loop QCD amplitudes.
Do interventions provide additional benefit to drug treatment of acute coronary syndromes? A call for a reserved, watchful approach.

Introduction: Balloon angioplasty has revolutionized clinical cardiology since its first use in coronary patients by Andreas Grunzig in 1977.1 Initially limited to single, concentric, and proximal lesions, its clinical applicability rapidly expanded to more complex stenoses and total occlusions. With equipment improvement and growing investigator experience, even the most vulnerable lesions found in patients with unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction, were soon recognized as potential targets for percutaneous interventions.2-6 The overwhelming and unquestioned success of coronary angioplasty is most prominently demonstrated by the estimated more than 1,000,000 procedures that will be performed worldwide during 1999. There is little doubt that, in patients with severe coronary lesions and exercise-induced angina, coronary angioplasty with minimal invasiveness can widen the vessel lumen and initiate coronary remodeling. This will lead, in many cases, to a durable relief from angina symptoms, as reviewed elsewhere.7 However, though vigorously advocated by interventional cardiologists, the benefit of percutaneous revascularization procedures in patients with acute coronary syndromes is less clear. This is even reflected in the AHCPR Clinical Practice Guidelines,8 in which both conservative medical management and early invasive therapies are regarded as suitable alternatives in most patients. This chapter will address the question of whether and when coronary angioplasty will add to the benefits of conservative drug treatment.
The foraging behavior of Semipalmated Sandpipers in the upper Bay of Fundy : Stereotyped or prey-sensitive?

Videotapes of migrant Semipalmated Sandpipers foraging in the upper Bay of Fundy were analyzed to test for foraging behaviors sensitive to prey density. Over a range of prey densities, both the number of steps sec -1 and probes sec -1 increased with increasing prey density. However, the number of steps between probes was constant over the range of prey densities observed. The average angle of directional change during foraging and the number of turns min -1 were constant despite large differences in prey patchiness.
Emergency Imaging: A Practical Guide

A.B. Baxter New York, NY: Thieme, 2016, 580 pages, $99.99 Emergency Imaging: A Practical Guide is an excellent, concise handbook on imaging of trauma and other acute conditions. It is intended to, and will, be a useful, handy primer for junior radiology residents covering a busy emergency room.
Immunologic Analysis of the Cloned Platelet Thrombin Receptor Activation Mechanism: Evidence Supporting Receptor Cleavage, Release of the N-Terminal Peptide, and Insertion of the Tethered Ligand Into a Protected Environment

The recently cloned functional thrombin receptor is thought to be activated by thrombin cleavage of the bond between R41 and S42, followed by the insertion of the new N-terminal region (“tethered ligand”) into an unknown site in the receptor. Antibodies to peptides at or near the cleavage site have been reported to inhibit thrombin- induced platelet activation to varying extents, but the precise mechanism(s) of their inhibition is unknown. We have produced: (1) a polyclonal antibody in rabbits to a peptide containing amino acids 34 to 52 (anti-TR34–52); enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) indicate that anti-TR34–52 contains antibodies to regions on both sides of the thrombin cleavage site; (2) two murine monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to a peptide containing amino acids 29 to 68; one antibody reacts primarily with residues N-terminal to the thrombin cleavage site, and the other reacts primarily with residues C-terminal to the cleavage site; and (3) a polyclonal rabbit antibody to a peptide containing amino acids 83 to 94 (anti-TR83–94). Anti-TR34–52 binds to platelets as judged by flow cytometry, and pretreating platelets with a thrombin receptor peptide ligand does not lead to loss of antibody reactivity, suggesting that platelet activation does not initiate redistribution or internalization of surface thrombin receptors. In contrast, pretreating platelets with thrombin leads to complete loss of anti-TR34–52 binding. Similarly, the binding of both MoAbs to platelets is dramatically reduced by pretreatment with thrombin. However, the binding of anti-TR83–94 is not decreased by thrombin activation, confirming that the receptor is not internalized. Anti-TR34–52 profoundly inhibits low dose thrombin-induced platelet shape change and aggregation, but the inhibition can be overcome with higher thrombin doses. However, anti-TR34–52 does not inhibit platelet aggregation induced by tethered ligand peptides. The TR34–52 peptide is a thrombin substrate, with cleavage occurring at the R41-S42 bond as judged by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and platelet aggregation analysis. Anti-TR34–52 prevented cleavage of the TR34–52 peptide, suggesting that the antibody prevents platelet activation, at least in part, by preventing cleavage of the thrombin receptor. These data, although indirect, provide additional support for a thrombin activation mechanism involving thrombin cleavage of the receptor; in addition, they provide new evidence indicating that receptor cleavage is followed by loss of the N-terminal peptide, and insertion of the tethered ligand into a protected domain.
Effects of Water and Fertilizer Coupling on Yield,Fruit Quality and Water and Fertilizer Use Efficiency of Young Apple Tree

In order to explore the accurate management mode of water and fertilizer supplies for young apple tree in semi-arid area field,the bucket cultivation experiment,including four levels of irrigation as75% ~ 85%( W1),65% ~ 75%( W2),55% ~ 65%( W3) and 45% ~ 55%( W4) of field capacity,and three levels of fertilization( N-P2O5-K2O) as 30-30-10 g / plant( F1),20-20-10 g /plant( F2) and10-10-10 g / plant( F3),was conducted to study the effects of water and fertilizer coupling on yield,fruit quality and water and fertilizer use efficiency of three-year old young apple tree. The results showed that controlled water and fertilizer can effectively regulate the plant and leaf area growth during bud flowering to new growth period; the highest and lowest yields were obtained by F1W1 and F3W4treatments,respectively( compared with F3W4,yield of F1W1 was increased by 139. 1%),and the determinationcoefficient between yield and dry mass was 0. 908 5. Increasing irrigation depth could improve apple color index but it would reduce the shape index,deficit irrigation and increased fertilizer application rates both could improve apple firmness. Increased fertilizer application rates could improve the vitamin C content of apple under mild deficit irrigation treatment( F2); irrigation depth had no significant effect on soluble solids content and soluble sugar content,but increased fertilizer application rates could improve both of them; increased irrigation depth could reduce titratable acid and improve the sugar acid ratio,but fertilization rate had no significant effect on them. High irrigation depth and low fertilization rate could get high partial factor productivity( PFP),but the maximum water use efficiency( WUE) could not be got by F1W1 treatment. The maximum WUE was appeared in F2W2 treatment with yield decreased by 7. 5%,water consumption decreased by 16. 7% and WUE increased by 11. 2% compared with F1W1 treatment.Thus,F2W2 treatment was the best water and fertilizer application combination for the young apple tree and it reached the best water and fertilizer coupling mode.
Analysis on enterotoxin and antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from different sources

Objective To investigate the distribution of staphylococcal enterotoxin( SE) and drug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus( S. aureus) isolated from different sources in Maanshan City. Methods VIDAS and PCR amplification were used to detect the S. aureus enterotoxin and its genes,sea- see( sea,seb,sec,sed and see),seg- sej( seg,see,sei and sej) and tsst, and amplification products were tested by agarose gel electrophoresis. The drug sensitivities of different strains were tested by agar dilution. Results Among 70 S. aureus strains,48( 68. 6%) tested positive for enterotoxin,and the positive rates from different sample sources were as follows: 80%( 8 /10) for swimming pool water,72. 5%( 29 /40) for food,58. 3%( 7 /12) for food poisoning and 50. 0%( 4 /8) for patients with diarrhea. The total positive rate of enterotoxin genes was 71. 4%,among which the genotypes sea- see and seg- sej predominated at the rate of 88. 5% and 10%,respectively. No genotype tsst had been detected. All the strains were 100% sensitive to norvancomycin,but they were resistant in different degrees to 11 types of antibiotics,including penicillin,oxacillin and ampicillin. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the genotypes sea- see are the most dominant enterotoxin genes in the 70 S. aureus strains.
Penile Paget's disease and prostatic carcinoma.

AbstractA case of prostatic adenocarcinoma and penile Paget’s disease, a unique association, is reported. Possible histogenetic mechanisms are considered and the differential diagnosis of penile Paget’s disease is discussed.
Mnemonic convergence in social networks: The emergent properties of cognition at a collective level.

The development of shared memories, beliefs, and norms is a fundamental characteristic of human communities. These emergent outcomes are thought to occur owing to a dynamic system of information sharing and memory updating, which fundamentally depends on communication. Here we report results on the formation of collective memories in laboratory-created communities. We manipulated conversational network structure in a series of real-time, computer-mediated interactions in fourteen 10-member communities. The results show that mnemonic convergence, measured as the degree of overlap among community members’ memories, is influenced by both individual-level information-processing phenomena and by the conversational social network structure created during conversational recall. By studying laboratory-created social networks, we show how large-scale social phenomena (i.e., collective memory) can emerge out of microlevel local dynamics (i.e., mnemonic reinforcement and suppression effects). The social-interactionist approach proposed herein points to optimal strategies for spreading information in social networks and provides a framework for measuring and forging collective memories in communities of individuals.
Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry measurement of xenon in gas-loaded liposomes for neuroprotective applications.

Rationale We have produced a liposomal formulation of xenon (Xe-ELIP) as a neuroprotectant for inhibition of brain damage in stroke patients. This mandates development of a reliable assay to measure the amount of dissolved xenon released from Xe-ELIP in water and blood samples. Methods Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to quantify xenon gas released into the headspace of vials containing Xe-ELIP samples in water or blood. In order to determine blood concentration of xenon in vivo after Xe-ELIP administration, 6 mg of Xe-ELIP lipid was infused intravenously into rats. Blood samples were drawn directly from a catheterized right carotid artery. After introduction of the samples, each vial was allowed to equilibrate to 37°C in a water bath, followed by 20 minutes of sonication prior to headspace sampling. Xenon concentrations were calculated from a gas dose–response curve and normalized using the published xenon water–gas solubility coefficient. Results The mean corrected percent of xenon from Xe-ELIP released into water was 3.87 ± 0.56% (SD, n = 8), corresponding to 19.3 ± 2.8 μL/mg lipid, which is consistent with previous independent Xe-ELIP measurements. The corresponding xenon content of Xe-ELIP in rat blood was 23.38 ± 7.36 μL/mg lipid (n = 8). Mean rat blood xenon concentration after intravenous administration of Xe-ELIP was 14 ± 10 μM, which is approximately 15% of the estimated neuroprotective level. Conclusions Using this approach, we have established a reproducible method for measuring dissolved xenon in fluids. These measurements have established that neuroprotective effects can be elicited by less than 20% of the calculated neuroprotective xenon blood concentration. More work will have to be done to establish the protective xenon pharmacokinetic range. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Teratoma of the spinal cord in an adult: Report of a rare case and review of the literature

Teratomas of the spinal cord are incredibly rare, comprising less than 0.5% of all spinal cord tumors. These tumors are exceptionally rare in adults, with only a handful of cases reported in the literature. We present the case of a 49-year-old gentleman with new onset urinary incontinence who presented with a large intradural tumor of the thoracolumbar spine. The patient underwent a laminectomy with midline durotomy for subtotal tumor resection. Surgical pathology diagnosed the tumor as a mature teratoma, exhibiting the presence of all three germ layers. These tumors tend to present with an indolent onset of symptoms characteristic of the tumor location within the spinal cord and the affected surrounding nerve roots. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful in determining the location and nature of these tumors, but final diagnosis ultimately rests on histopathological analysis. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment, with subtotal resection being favored if there is a high risk of intraoperative neurological damage due to adherent or infiltrative tumor. In general, the prognosis for these tumors is good, with most patients exhibiting stable or improved neurological status after resection.