cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current trends in rotator cuff repair: surgical technique, setting, and cost.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate national trends in the surgical setting and hospital costs of shoulder arthroscopy and rotator cuff repair (RCR) using the Florida State surgical database and national inpatient database. Methods In part I we analyzed population-adjusted shifts in RCR technique (arthroscopic v open) in the Florida surgical database from 2000-2007 and quantified the procedural codes associated with arthroscopic and open RCR. In part II we analyzed the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2001-2009 for the total number of inpatient RCRs, the inpatient hospital type (rural, urban non-teaching, or urban teaching), and the cost. Results Part I showed a 163% increase in outpatient procedures in Florida, with a 353% increase in arthroscopic RCRs. There was a concurrent decrease in open RCRs; however, the overall trend was a 2-fold increase in total RCRs. Associated procedures such as subacromial decompression, distal clavicle resection, and extensive glenohumeral debridement increased by 440%, 589%, and 1,253%, respectively. Part II showed an overall 58.8% decrease in inpatient RCRs that was similar across all hospital settings, with an increase in RCR-associated hospital charges by 144.9%, whereas hospital costs only increased by 85.2%. Conclusions The study confirms a shift toward arthroscopic RCR and associated procedures in the outpatient setting. The increased financial cost partly explains the shift; nevertheless, future studies are needed to further examine national trends. Clinical Relevance This study examining RCR trends by hospital type, cost, and setting further elucidates how orthopaedic surgery practice is evolving with the implementation of arthroscopic RCR in the past decade.
Transcriptional Regulation in the Immune System: A Status Report

Regulated changes in transcription play a central role in virtually all events that accompany the development of the immune system and its response to microbial and environmental cues. Over the past 30 years, a large number of proteins that regulate transcription in the immune system have been discovered and much has been learned about their mechanisms of action. However, the field remains in its infancy, with technical challenges and the complexity of gene regulation circuitry limiting our current knowledge and providing formidable barriers to further advancement. Despite these barriers, the development of new and increasingly sophisticated technologies is speeding progress towards an understanding of the gene-specific and global logic through which transcription is regulated in key immunological settings.
Spatial Autocorrelation of Amino Acid Replacement Rates in the Vasopressin Receptor Family

Evolutionary rates of sites can be independent of one another or correlated in some fashion. Significant spatial autocorrelation was observed for site amino acid replacement rates in vasopressin receptor family proteins (VPRs). Spatial autocorrelation of rates is the propensity of residues to lie near other residues of similar rate in the folded protein structure. Optimal correlation occurred at a distance suggesting that residues in contact had correlated rates. As another way to study the same phenomenon, VPR was partitioned into >40 × 10 A3 contiguous spatial clusters for amino acid replacement rate estimation. Partitioning was done without preconception of functional regions of the protein and with a random partition control. Cluster rates exhibited an overdispersed distribution suggesting that rates were not randomly distributed in the spatial partitions. In tests, cluster partitioning improved maximum likelihood and Bayesian likelihood models for VPR evolution. Spatial clusters with outlier rates, or lineage-specific clusters differing in rate, proved to contain VPR features likely to be under selection. Thus the spatial autocorrelation observed is probably not just a statistical finding, but likely has an evolutionary basis in protein function.
ZP8, a neuronal zinc sensor with improved dynamic range; imaging zinc in hippocampal slices with two-photon microscopy.

The synthesis of a difluorofluorescein monocarboxaldehyde platform and its use for preparing ZP8, a new member of the Zinpyr family of neuronal Zn2+ sensors, are described. By combining an aniline ...
Role of Low-Energy Two-Body Virtual States in Three-Particle Scattering Situations

A model three-particle scattering situation consisting of a projectile incident on a target bound to a residual core was considered under the assumptions that there was a low-energy virtual state in the projectile-target channel, that the projectile and core did not interact, and that the projectile-target and target-core interactions were s-wave separable interactions. When the appropriate Faddeev equations were solved by inversion, an enhancement was found in the three-body elastic cross section for virtual state energies less than or comparable to the target-core binding energy. This enhancement was determined to be kinematical in origin.
Dinosaurs, Nuclear Winter, and Kanizsa Figures: In Defense of Pure Science and Intellectual Curiosity:

The practical implications of the nuclear winter scenario have been widely discussed. This scenario offers an elegant example of the application of several lines of pure research to a pressing real-world problem. Before the recent synthesis of findings in the areas of paleontology, historical geology, and astronomy, it was not obvious that research in any of these areas-particularly on the extinction of the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago-would ever have the slightest bearing on the question of the possible self-destruction of the human species, perhaps the most pressing issue of our time. Similarly, it is not always obvious which avenues of pure research in psychology might turn out to have unexpected applications in the real world.
Low-power clock synchronization using electromagnetic energy radiating from AC power lines

Clock synchronization is highly desirable in many sensor networking applications. It enables event ordering, coordinated actuation, energy-efficient communication and duty cycling. This paper presents a novel low-power hardware module for achieving global clock synchronization by tuning to the magnetic field radiating from existing AC power lines. This signal can be used as a global clock source for battery-operated sensor nodes to eliminate drift between nodes over time even when they are not passing messages. With this scheme, each receiver is frequency-locked with each other, but there is typically a phase-offset between them. Since these phase offsets tend to be constant, a higher-level compensation protocol can be used to globally synchronize a sensor network. We present the design of an LC tank receiver circuit tuned to the AC 60Hz signal which we call a Syntonistor. The Syntonistor incorporates a low-power microcontroller that filters the signal induced from AC power lines generating a pulse-per-second output for easy interfacing with sensor nodes. The hardware consumes less than 58μW which is 2--3 times lower than the idle state of most sensor networking MAC protocols. Next, we evaluate a software clock-recovery technique running on the local microcontroller that minimizes timing jitter and provides robustness to noise. Finally, we provide a protocol that sets a global notion of time by accounting for phase-offsets. We evaluate the synchronization accuracy and energy performance as compared to in-band message passing schemes. The use of out-of-band signals for clock synchronization has the useful property of decoupling the synchronization scheme from any particular MAC protocol. Our experiments show that over a 11 day period, eight nodes distributed across the floor of the CIC building on Carnegie Mellon's campus remained synchronized on an average to less than 1ms without exchanging any radio messages beyond the initialization phase.
Electronic Structure of the H Cluster in [Fe]-Hydrogenases

[Fe]-Hydrogenase II isolated from C. pasteurianum contains 14 Fe which are distributed among the so-called H cluster (the catalytic center) and two [4Fe-4S] clusters. Insights gained from Mossbauer studies of M-[4Fe-4S]2+ cluster assemblies (M is a paramagnetic center) in sulfite reductase and carbon monoxide dehydrogenase have suggested that the H cluster contains a [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster covalently linked to a smaller Fe-containing cluster. Recent X-ray studies of two [Fe]-hydrogenases, combined with the results of FTIR studies, have revealed that the H cluster contains a novel binuclear Fe cluster, [2Fe]H, that is linked by a cysteinyl sulfur to a [4Fe-4S] cluster; [2Fe]H was found to have CO, CN-, and thiolate ligands. The analysis of the Mossbauer spectra of Hydrogenase II in the oxidized, reduced, and the CO-inhibited states has enabled us to assign the 57Fe magnetic hyperfine tensors observed by ENDOR and Mossbauer spectroscopy to the two subclusters. Thus, AI = +25.3 MHz and AII = −28.4 MHz of Hox-CO ...
Tu1396 Longer Term Follow up After Endoscopic Treatment of GERD With the Medigus SRS™ Endoscopic Stapling Device

(2 in dCRT VS 1 in non-dCRT group), 4 pneumonia and 3 GI hemorrhage. Overall complication rate was higher in dCRT group (55% VS 19% with p valueZ 0.017). Four patients (9.7%) had mild retrosternal pain. Recurrent dysphagia occurred in 14 patients (34.14% )[7 stent migrations and 7 tumor ingrowths]. Mean duration of recurrent dysphagia symptom after stent placement was 81 days (121.5 vs 18 days, dCRT vs non dCRT, respectively, pZ0.022). Overall survival was 102.11 days (106.55 in dCRT VS 92.78 days in non-dCRT with pZ 0.189). Conclusion: SEMs placement combined with definite chemoradiation is effective for palliation of dysphagia in advanced esophageal cancer. Dysphagia-free interval after SEMs placements was significantly longer after dCRT compared to those without. However, incidence of esophageal perforation and overall complication seem higher in SEMs after dCRT.
Carcinoma of the middle ear and external auditory canal

Abstract Thirty-one patients with malignant tumors of the middle ear and external auditory canal (EAC) were observed at the University of Virginia Hospital from 1956 through 1980. Of 27 patients with carcinoma, 21 had squamous cell carcinoma, 4 had basal cell carcinoma and 2 had adenoid cystic carcinoma. One Ewing's sarcoma and 3 rhabdomyosarcomas occurred in an age group of one to 10 years. The 27 patients with carcinoma are reviewed with regard to clinical presentation, treatment modality, results and complications. The majority (67 % ) of patients had a history of chronic ear drainage, 22% had a previous mastoidectomy or polypectomy and 7 % had an associated cholesteatoma. The treatment modalities employed depended on the extent of disease and the patient's general condition. Eighty percent of patients with carcinoma limited to EAC were alive and well at 5 years, compared to 43 % of patients with involvement of the middle ear. Fifty-six percent of patients without invasion of the petrous bone were alive at 5 years compared to only 20% of patients with petrous bone involvement. The data strongly suggest that survival depends on the extent of disease. The corrected disease free 5 year survival rates were 14 % for patients who had surgery alone and 50 % for those who had surgery and radiotherapy. Of the three patients with advanced disease who received radiotherapy alone, none survived five years. Surgery or radiotherapy alone is not sufficient for most of the cases of carcinoma of the middle ear, since these patients often present with advanced disease. We recommend combined therapy, especially postoperative radiotherapy, except for early lesions that do not involve the mastoid or petrous bone. Other series suggest radiotherapy would be adequate and more effective than surgery for early lesions. Surgery will provide the diagnosis, determine the extent of disease, offer adequate drainage of infected material and relieve most pain before radiation therapy.
Anticlastic effects and the transition from narrow to wide behavior in orthotropic beams

Abstract The classical assumptions of standard beam theory include that of uniaxial stress for isotropic beams, or vanishing transverse moment for beams of layered orthotropic materials. Wide beams, on the other hand, display the familiar effect in which the transverse “anticlastic” curvature is assumed to vanish. The transition between these behaviors is not well characterized, and is addressed in the present work by means of a solution for orthotropic plates with two free lateral edges, so as to represent a beam of any aspect ratio. It is found that the transition is independent of the thickness, but depends on the length/width aspect ratio and the material properties. The calculations show that the deviation from narrow beam behavior occurs at a length/width aspect ratio of about 10 for isotropic and many orthotropic materials, and depends on the orthotropic material properties. Comparisons with experimental data in the literature support these conclusions.
CONCENTRATION OF THE PROTECTIVE BODIES IN ANTIPNEUMOCOCCUS SERUM BY MEANS OF SPECIFIC PRECIPITATION

The addition of a water-clear extract of pneumococci to homologous antiserum produces a voluminous precipitate which carries down with it the agglutinins and practically the totality of the protective bodies against pneumococcus infection in animals. This precipitate when washed and resuspended in saline solution to the original volume of serum protects as well as the whole serum. The protein content of such solutions has varied from 0.09 to 0.34 per cent., as contrasted with about 6 per cent. in the original serum. The solution of this precipitate is not necessary to insure protection, and when produced by dilute alkali (sodium hydrate) frequently destroys the immune bodies.
Penicillin and natural immunity protect against postsplenectomy sepsis

Prophylactic penicillin, splenic autotransplantation, and immunization using pneumococcal vaccine have all been shown to reduce the incidence and mortality of postsplenectomy sepsis. However, little is known regarding the effect of penicillin in established infection or the effect of prior infection in either asplenic controls or animals with autotransplanted splenic tissue. An animal model with bacterial introduction via the lungs was used to investigate the effect of penicillin, splenic autotransplantation, and previous exposure to the infecting organism on the mortality of postsplenectomy sepsis. One hundred fifty-nine rats underwent either sham celiotomy, intraperitoneal splenic autotransplantation, or splenectomy. Twelve weeks postoperatively all animals were challenged using Streptococcus pneumoniae delivered transtracheally. Half of each group received procaine penicillin by intramuscular injection for 5 days beginning 24 hr post bacterial inoculation and mortality was observed. Eight weeks later surviving rats that had received penicillin were reinoculated with the same organism and mortality was again observed. Splenic autotransplantation reduced the early mortality in postsplenectomy sepsis. Prior bacterial exposure reduced the mortality in postsplenectomy sepsis, even in splenectomized animals. Treatment with penicillin produced a marked reduction in mortality even when administration was postponed for 24 hr after bacterial inoculation.
Deep-recessed GaN HEMTs using selective etch technology exhibiting high microwave performance without surface passivation

A selective dry etch technology of GaN over AlGaN using BCl3/SF6 has been applied to passivation-free deep-recessed GaN HEMTs, significantly reducing the effects of growth and process variations on the device performance, improving reproducibility and manufacturability. The effects of Si delta-doping density on the gate leakage, breakdown voltage and dispersion were investigated. Excellent microwave power performances were achieved without SiNx passivation. 6 W/mm with PAE of 72% at VD= 30 V and 11.6 W/mm with PAE of 63% at VD=50 V were demonstrated at 4 GHz, while 5 W/mm with PAE of 63% at VD= 28 V and 10.5 W/mm with PAE of 53% at VD=48 V were obtained at 10 GHz.
Cytochemical detection of mannose-specific receptors for glycoproteins with horseradish peroxidase as a ligand

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP), a glycoprotein rich in mannose groups, was used as a ligand to detect receptors for glycoproteins in formalinfixed, frozen sections of rat liver. Specific binding of HRP occurred to surface membranes of sinusoidal cells but not to those of parenchymal cells. The binding sites were visualized after the peroxidatic reaction in erythrocytes had been suppressed by methanol-H2O2 and phenylhydrazine, the latter reagent also decreasing the nonspecific background adsorption of HRP. Several factors influencing the reaction were studied systematically. The specific binding of HRP to sinusoidal cells was greatly decreased or abolished when tissue blocks were fixed for longer than 1–2 h in a cold 4% formaldehyde solution and the frozen sections subsequently treated for 30 min in cold methanol. The specific binding of HRP increased when the concentration of HRP in the medium was increased from 10 μg/ml to 40 μg/ml, when the time of incubation with HRP was increased from 1 h to 4 h, or when the temperature of incubation with HRP was increased from 4°C to 22°C, or from 22°C to 37°C. The specific binding of HRP also increased when the pH of the incubation medium was increased from 7.0 to 10.0. Little or no specific binding of HRP was observed in the absence of added Ca++. The binding of HRP was suppressed by 10 mM mannose or 0.004% mannan whereas the suppression of the binding reaction by galactose or galactan required 30–40 times higher concentrations.
Differential kinetics of intracellular caspase-1-like and caspase-3-like enzyme activity in human alloreactive CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells undergoing apoptosis.

Abstract The ICE-like families of serine proteases (caspases) have integral roles in apoptosis. These studies were performed to further understand the role of two critical caspases in relation to apoptotic regulation of the alloimmune response. A novel three-color cytofluorographic technique was utilized for measuring intracellular (in situ) caspase-1-like and caspase-3-like enzyme activity in responding CD4+ and CD8+ T cells over several time points of human mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR). We found that activity levels of caspase 3 in both CD4+ and CD8+ responder cells began rising at day 10 of the MLR and peaked at day 14. By comparison, caspase 1 demonstrated the highest activity at day 7 in both cell subpopulations. These results coincided with the appearance of apoptotic cells among the alloreactive cells in the MLR. These findings demonstrate that intracellular caspase-1- and -3-like enzyme activity increases in both CD4+ and CD8+ alloreactive T cells as the primary response to allostimulatory cells progresses. While the kinetic profiles for these enzymes differed, both had a temporal association with the appearance of apoptosis in the MLR-generated cells. In all cases, the highest enzyme activity and presence of apoptosis was seen subsequent to the peak proliferative period. These results support the concept that changes in the rate and amount of apoptosis in alloreactive T cells is one mechanism by which the response to alloantigens is attenuated (i.e., tolerance) or sustained.
Practical fusion algorithms for rotation matrices: A comparative study

Many computer vision, sensor fusion, and robotic applications require the estimation of a 3 × 3 rotation matrix from a set of measured or computed 3 × 3 noisy rotation matrices. This article classifies solution methods into three categories: nonlinear least squares, linear optimal, and linear suboptimal algorithms. Their performance is compared through simulation studies. It is shown that the linear suboptimal algorithms proposed in this article have an accuracy comparable to that of the optimal algorithms and are about five times faster. Furthermore, a particular nonlinear optimization algorithm is presented that has computational complexity similar to that of the linear optimal procedures. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Treating the metabolic syndrome using angiotensin receptor antagonists that selectively modulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ

Abstract The metabolic syndrome, defined as a cluster of visceral obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and elevated blood pressure, is associated with pro-thrombotic, pro-atherogenic and inflammatory risk factors that predispose to cardiovascular disease. Although activators of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα,γ,δ) in various combinations are under development for treating the metabolic syndrome, they are hampered by adverse effects related to increased adipogenesis, weight gain, fluid overload and carcinogenesis. The recent discovery that telmisartan and irbesartan, antihypertensive angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1-R) blockers (ARBs), were uniquely capable of activating PPARγ, has provided a novel approach to addressing the multifactorial components of the metabolic syndrome. Both drugs have established favorable safety profiles and can activate PPARγ at concentrations potentially achievable at therapeutic doses. Emerging studies have revealed that both these drugs have beneficial metabolic profiles. This information provides a strategic rationale and pharmacological platform for the development of novel dual ARB/PPARγ agonists to target the metabolic syndrome and its cardiovascular sequelae, for which therapy is presently insufficient or non-existent. Beneficial effects of these agents include increased energy expenditure, improved lipid profile, increased insulin sensitivity, blood pressure reduction, and amelioration of the associated pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic risk profiles. The potential benefit for treatment of the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular protection, and prevention of related end-organ complications could be of immense clinical value.
Polyteny as a factor in the chromosomal evolution of the Pentatomini (Hemiptera).

1. ThePentatomini, which constitute a single Tribe within one of the Subfamilies of the hemipteran FamilyPentatomidae, include an unusually large number of species. Though these species vary considerably in their size and color, they are very uniform in their essential external and internal morphology. 2. Uniformity also characterizes such features in the Tribe as the chromosome number and meiotic behavior. But in the eleven species here investigated, this uniformity does not extend to the DNA content of the male meiotic cells, as determined by Feulgen cytophotometry. 3. The lowest DNA content is found inThyanta which, in this respect, is well separated from an intermediate group whose DNA values vary around a mean that is roughly double the lowest amount. Some evidence is available that a still higher multiple of DNA may be represented in theAcrosternum-Nezara complex of species. 4. In view of these cytochemical data, the multiplicity of species coupled with a striking uniformity of morphological and cytological features is provisionally explained on the basis of varying polyteny.
Gravity sedimentation analysis of human blood leukocytes.

Abstract A new method of sedimentation analysis of human blood leukocytes is described. Platelets, lymphocytes, monocytes, and polymorphonuclear cells isolated from normal human peripheral blood have been analyzed alone and in mixture by gravity sedimentation employing a computerized scanning instrument. All four classes could be clearly resolved from each other exhibiting sedimentation velocities of 0.6 ± 0.00, 1.04 ± 0.11, 1.27 ± 0.15 and 1.89 ± 0.21 · 10−4 cm/s, respectively, at 37°C in a 2.5–6.25% Ficoll gradient in Medium 199. Less than 106 cells can be used for analysis. Possible applications of the method are discussed.
Recovery of Recombinant Dog Gastric Lipase from Corn Endosperm Extract

Abstract Two separation methods, aqueous two‐phase (ATP) partitioning and cation‐exchange chromatography, were compared as alternative methods for the recovery of recombinant dog gastric lipase (r‐DGL) from extracts of transgenic corn endosperm. r‐DGL is a hydrophobic, acid‐stable protein targeted for stable expression in endosperm. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) ‐ salt ATP system parameters of PEG molecular weight, phase‐forming salt, NaCl addition, Triton X‐100 concentration and phase ratio were adjusted to achieve favorable partitioning. The purification factor and yield of r‐DGL in the bottom phase of a PEG 3350 (14.2%)‐Na2SO4 (8.5%)‐NaCl (0.5%)‐Triton X‐100 (2 mM) system at pH 4 were 1.5 and 80%, respectively. A higher purification factor of 2.3 and nearly 100% yield of r‐DGL was obtained in the top phase of a PEG 3350 (9.4%)‐phosphate (14.3%)‐NaCl(1.5%)‐Triton X‐100 (2 mM) system at pH 4.0. The yield, purification factor, and concentration factor were 90%, 7.7, and 3.6, respectively, for the alternative ...
Gender optimized patellar component designs are needed to better match female patellar anatomy.

Abstract Background Avoidance of both over-resection of the native patella, and over-stuffing of the patello-femoral joint are advocated to reduce the risk of patellar complications following patellar resurfacing. Female gender, due to thinner native patella, and use of patellar prostheses from one specific manufacturer that were thicker for comparable diameters than the patellar prostheses from a second manufacturer were hypothesized to be risk factors for these undesirable technical outcomes. Methods A retrospective review was undertaken of 803 consecutive knee replacements, performed by one surgeon, during which the same patellar resurfacing technique had been used, but with two different patellar implant designs. Results Female gender, and use of one specific design of patella prostheses were associated with both increased risk of patellar over resection to ≤ 13 mm residual patellar thickness, and creation of a patella construct that was thicker than the native patella (p Conclusions Patellar prostheses design can contribute to compromises in surgical technique during patellar resurfacing in TKA in female patients with thinner patellae. Modifications to current patellar prosthesis dimensions may be considered to allow surgeons to more accurately resurface the thinner, native female patella. Level of Evidence III
Grünbaum and psychoanalysis

Abstract This paper argues that Adolf Grunbaum's evaluation of the scientific status of psychoanalysis is marred by its failure to locate Freud's notion of natural science. Contrary to his claims, Griinbaum does not assess Freud's theory on Freud's own terms. The presuppositions that Griinbaum brings to the question of the scientific status of psychoanalysis are problematic and his criticisms and methodological restrictions may not be defensible when psychoanalysis is taken to develop methodologically out of medical science rather than out of physics. I question the adequacy of the epistemological and methodological norms that Griinbaum brings to his analysis and I examine his arguments against the scientific credibility of Freud's theoretical claims. I argue that Griinbaum fails to consider the tension between clinical practice and psychoanalytic theory, ignores the evolution of Freud's thought and distorts and simplifies the complexity of the domain under investigation. Therefore his conclusions regardi...
6-Methyl-sulfanyl-4H-pyrimido[1,6-a]pyrimidin-4-one.

Reaction of 2-(methyl­sulfan­yl)pyrimidin-4-amine with the 5-(methoxy­vinyl­idene) derivative of Meldrum's acid and subsequent heating of the product in Dowtherm fluid yielded the title compound, C8H7N3OS, which was proven to contain a bicyclic 4H-pyrimido[1,6-a]pyrimidine system. All non-H atoms of the mol­ecule are coplanar within 0.15 A. The bond-length distribution in the bicyclic core shows localization of the double bonds. The geometry of the intra­molecular S⋯O 1,5-contact [2.534 (2) A] is consistent with the existence of an attractive inter­action.
Viscoelastic and Nonlinear Adherend Effects in Bonded Composite Joints

Abstract An experimental and theoretical investigation is described on the effects of viscoelasticity and geometric and material nonlinearity in rubber-toughened graphite/epoxy adherends. Single-lap joints, with adherends of a matrix-dominated layup and a brittle epoxy adhesive layer, were tested under two constant loading rates to failure; axial strains were measured at several locations on the surface of the adherends. Aluminum and fiber-dominated laminate adherends were also studied for comparison. Finite element analyses of the adhesive joint were made using linear and nonlinear viscoelastic characterizations of the composite. The experimental work is discussed first. Then we describe the constitutive theory and its implementation in the finite element analysis, after which the theoretical ane experimental results are presented and compared.
Homocysteine, folate, lipid profile and MTHFR genotype and disability in children with myelomeningocele

We performed a cross-sectional study in myelomeningocele children. To investigate plasma total homocysteine, folate, lipid profile, 5,10- metylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype (MTHFR) and disability. Sixty patients aged between 2 and 14 years with myelomeningocele (18 ambulatory and 42 non-ambulatory) and 150 healthy children of same age, are investigated for lipid profile, homocysteine concentration and for the determination of MTHFR genotype. Plasma homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher in myelomeningocele children than in the control group. In myelomeningocele female group, there were higher levels of total cholesterol and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with respect to the control group. Myelomeningocele children walking with tutorial aid showed triglyceride levels significantly lower than those observed in myelomeningocele non-walking children. Disability, insulin uptake, lipid, homocysteine, hormones plasma levels, and genetic factors such as allelic variants of MTHFR are possible for cardiovascular disease in myelomeningocele children. This study highlights the importance of a continuous surveillance of any changes in the lipid profile that should be corrected as soon as possible. Constant physical activity necessary to increase HDL levels should be planned in all susceptible children. Nonetheless, further investigations are necessary to identify new homocysteine susceptible genes for prevention of early atherosclerosis and consequent cardiovascular disease.
S-adenosylmethionine: homocysteine methyltransferase during embryogenesis in Musca domestica.

Abstract S -Adenosylmethionine:homocysteine methyltransferase activity was monitored during embryogenesis of the housefly, Musca domestica . A rapid decrease in the activity of S -adenosylmethionine:homocysteine methyltransferase was observed during the first 3 hr of embryogenesis. Activity continued to decline less rapidly until hatching at 12 hr. An inverse relationship was found to exist between the activities of S -adenosylmethionine:homocysteine methyltransferase and the tRNA methyltransferases during Musca embryogenesis.
The Application of Negative Feedback to Microwave Bipolar Transistor Amplifiers

It is shown that RLC feedback between the base and collector of a microwave bipolar transistor enables one to design a single-stage unbalanced amplifier with a two-octave bandwidth (0.5 - 2.0 GHz). Over this bandwidth the measured terminal v.s.w.r.'s are within 2:1, the gain variation is ±1dB and a noise figure ?4.6 dB has been achieved. The advantages of feedback are: (i) circuit design is simplified (ii) it is more economical than a balanced approach (iii) the gain of the amplifier can be varied by 3 dB by altering the collector current without degrading the terminal matches (iv) feedback reduces the effect of changes in transistor s-parameters (v) the amplifier is immune to parametric overload instabi1ities[1].
Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis Functioning in Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Children

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) reactivity and proactive and reactive aggression in pre-pubertal children. After a 30-min controlled base line period, 73 7-year-old children (40 males and 33 females) were randomly assigned to one of two experimental tasks designed to elicit fear (N = 33) or frustration (N = 32), or a validity check condition (N = 8). This was followed by a 60-min controlled regulation phase. A total of 17 saliva samples for cortisol analysis were collected including 12 post-stress samples at 5-min intervals. Reactive and proactive aggression levels were assessed via the teacher-completed Aggression Behavior Teacher Checklist (Dodge and Coie, J Pers Soc Psychol, 53(6), 1146–1158, 1987). Reactive aggression significantly predicted total and peak post-stress cortisol regardless of stress modality. Proactive aggression was not a predictor of any cortisol index. Examination of pure reactive, proactive, combined, or non-aggressive children indicated that reactive aggressive children had higher cortisol reactivity than proactive and non-aggressive children. Our data suggest that while an overactive HPA-axis response to stress is associated with reactive aggression, stress induced HPA-axis variability does not seem to be related to proactive aggression.
Theoretical uncertainties in the photon structure function

Abstract We study the theoretical uncertainties associated with higher order singularities and hadronic contributions in the photon structure function. We find that they give negligible contributions for x ≳ 0.15. Therefore, the second order QCD analysis still provides a reliable prediction in γγ-scattering.
Immunology of Transplant Protocols

The development of immunosuppressive medications to control the alloimmune response against donor Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) has permitted the transplantation of many solid organs as well as the treatment of graft versus host disease in bone marrow transplantation. The experience gained with these now routine therapies for end stage organ disease has led to protocols for composite tissue transplantation with grafts containing multiple organ types, such as skin, muscle, nerve, and bone. Successful transplant of limbs, face, and larynx has ushered in a new stage in the progress of clinical transplantation with identification of newly characterized interactions between the immune system and the allograft. The expanding number of clinically successful composite tissue transplants has increased the likelihood for subspecialists not in the traditional fields of nephrology, hepatology, pulmonology, or cardiology to encounter patients taking immunosuppressive medications. Therefore, it is useful to have a basic understanding of the rationale for and complications of therapies including these medications.
A probe specific empirical light transport model for improvedquantification of optical parameters for accurate PDT dosimetry

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a common technique for assessing tissue optical parameters (absorption, scattering) non-invasively. However, choosing the correct model for light-tissue interaction is needed for accurate quantification. The diffusion approximation is only valid for certain ranges of tissue optical properties and specific probe geometries. For improved quantification with DRS over a wide range of optical properties and for a short source detector separation, a probe-specific light transport model can provide more accurate analysis of optical parameters. We developed and tested a probe-specific empirical model by using tissue simulating phantoms with promising results. We will apply it for the analysis of patients from a clinical trial for head and neck cancer.
Case attrition in the juvenile court: An application of the crime control model

Although many aspects of the juvenile justice process have been studied in recent years, little attention has been given to the issue of case attrition—the loss of cases referred to the juvenile court through intake or judicial dismissals. This study examines case attrition in a metropolitan court, the types of cases lost, and the reasons for dismissal. Findings indicate that many serious crime cases are dismissed because of petitioner and/or witness actions. Methods of addressing this problem are discussed.
A secure unidirectional proxy re-encryption using identity and secret key exchange

Proxy re-encryption, abbreviated as PRE, is a cryptosystem which allows the proxy to re-encrypt a cirphertext without accessing the underlying message. The re-encryption protocol should be key independent to avoid compromising the private keys of the sender and the recipient. PRE should also be secure from signature re-usability, where unreliable proxies store and re-use the signatures without the authorization of the signature bearer. This is achieved by ensuring that PRE algorithm is unidirectional, key independent and the signature is dynamic. The proposed approach uses identity and secret key to prevent plain text and collusion attacks while ensuring that the delegator approves every signature used on his behalf. The algorithm used to generate the private/public keys is different from that generating the secret key. The proposed approach is secure even in unreliable proxies.
Star Products on Compact Pre-quantizable Symplectic Manifolds

We define in this Letter, a notion of ‘representation’ for a star product (equipped with a star-compatible trace) and show that every compact pre-quantizable symplectic manifold admits a representable star product.
Local Remez-type inequalities for exponentials of a potential on a piecewise analytic ARC

Based on techniques from potential theory and geometric function theory, we give a new proof of the pointwise Remez-type inequality for exponentials of logarithmic potentials on the unit interval [−1, 1]. This inequality was first proved by Erdelyi, Li and Saff [8, Theorem 2.2.]. We generalize our result to the case of a piecewise analytic arc.
Breastfeeding and feminism: A focus on reproductive health, rights and justice

The annual Breastfeeding and Feminism Symposia aim to reposition breastfeeding as a valued part of women's (re)productive lives and rights. The symposia are designed to raise the profile of breastfeeding within the women's advocacy and feminist studies' communities, and to increase recognition among breastfeeding supporters that breastfeeding promotion could receive more socio-political support by partnering with those concerned with women's reproductive health, rights and justice, women's economic advancement, and the elimination of social, economic and health inequities. The third symposium (2007) sought to build dialogue and increase communications between and among these diverse communities. The nine articles presented in this thematic series were selected by the journal editors, and represent the core discussions at the symposium. This editorial presents the areas of synergy and strategies for action that emerged from the discussions. These strategies and this thematic issue are intended to reassert the momentum that evolved among participants, and to stimulate involvement among individuals and organizations not in attendance in promoting breastfeeding as a women's reproductive health, rights and justice concern.
Beyond the medicine cabinet: an analysis of where and why medications accumulate.

Abstract Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from medications can enter the environment as trace contaminants, at individual concentrations generally below a part per billion (μg/L). APIs enter the environment primarily via the discharge of raw and treated sewage. Residues of unmetabolized APIs from parenteral and enteral drugs are excreted in feces and urine, and topically applied medications are washed from skin during bathing. These trace residues may pose risks for aquatic life and cause concern with regard to subsequent human exposure. APIs also enter the environment from the disposal of unwanted medications directly to sewers and trash. The relative significance of this route compared with excretion and bathing is poorly understood and has been subject to much speculation. Two major aspects of uncertainty exist: the percentage of any particular API in the environment originating from disposal is unknown, and disposal undoubtedly occurs from a variety of dispersed sources. Sources of disposal, along with the types and quantities of APIs resulting from each source, are important to understand so that effective pollution prevention approaches can be designed and implemented. Accumulation of leftover, unwanted drugs poses three major concerns: (i) APIs disposed to sewage or trash compose a diverse source of potential chemical stressors in the environment. (ii) Accumulated drugs represent increased potential for drug diversion, with its attendant risks of unintentional poisonings and abuse. (iii) Leftover drugs represent wasted healthcare resources and lost opportunities for medical treatment. This paper has four major purposes: (1) Define the processes, actions, and behaviors that control and drive the consumption, accumulation, and need for disposal of pharmaceuticals. (2) Provide an overview of the diverse locations where drugs are used and accumulate. (3) Present a summary of the first cataloging of APIs disposed by a defined subpopulation. (4) Identify opportunities for pollution prevention and source reduction.
Validation of Predicted Baking Performance of Muffins Containing Mixtures of Wheat, Cowpea, Peanut, Sorghum, and Cassava Flours

The performance of seven muffin formulations predicted by computer models to perform similarly to a 100% wheat flour control was studied. An additional formula close to but not within the predicted optimum ranges was included. The nonwheat flours tested were cowpea, peanut, sorghum, and cassava. No significant differences were observed between the formulations for 22 of 31 sensory, physical and compositional characteristics. Two formulations, one containing 25% each of wheat, peanut, sorghum and cassava flours, and the other containing 66.7% wheat and 16.6% each of cowpea and peanut flours differed most from the control. Significant correlations between some sensory attributes and physical and compositional measurements were observed.
Endothelium-dependent, shear-induced vasodilation is rate-sensitive

Objectives: To quantify the relative contributions of the rate of change and the magnitude of shear stress to endothelium-mediated arteriolar dilation.Methods:A feedback control system was designed in which shear stress (τ) and the temporal shear gradient (TSG) were prescribed and dynamically controlled in isolated rat cremaster 1A arterioles. The TSG was the quotient of the maximum shear stress and the ramp duration. This system was used to assess the roles of τ and TSG in the initial, transient vasodilations and the secondary, sustained vasodilations in response to steps and ramps in shear stress.Results:Both step- and ramp-shear experiments revealed time-dependent biphasic vasodilations that we report for the first time. Application of a step-shear stress of 20 dynes/cm2 elicited an initial transient vasodilation that peaked at about 4 min. When the shear stress was applied as a ramp that reached the maximum value of 20 dynes/cm2 over 5 min, a vasodilation was observed over the ramp period, which reach...
Recent advances in chromatography

Abstract An account of the state of the art in the contemporary practice of gas, liquid, supercritical-fluid, and thin-layer chromatography is presented with an emphasis on column technology, kinetic optimization of column variables, and multidimensional and multimodal chromatographic techniques. Future trends and the need for further research in the above areas are identified.
Estimation of the Triiodothyronine Secretion Rate in Euthyroid Man

ABSTRACT Daily T3 secretion rates were estimated in 6 euthyroid subjects by administering increasing doses of triiodothyronine (T3) and utilizing suppressibility of thyroidal iodine release (TIR) as an endpoint. Daily T4 and T3 production rates were calculated so that T4 to T3 interconversion could be estimated. The estimated mean daily T3 secretion rate for the 6 subjects was 16 μg, while the T3 derived from peripheral interconversion was determined to be 12 μ/day. Therefore, approximately 58% of circulating T3 is derived from thyroid gland secretion and 42% from peripheral T4 to T3 interconversion. Since the mean daily T4 production was 92 μg, the amount of T4 metabolized via interconversion to circulating T3 would approximate 15%. The effects of pharmacological doses of T3 on TIR were also studied. It was noted that oral administration of 50 μg of T3 every 8 hr did not achieve full suppression of TIR. The addition of pharmacological doses of prednisolone, 20 mg every 8 hr to the high doses of T3, marke...
Adherence to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 2002 osteoporosis screening guidelines in academic primary care settings.

Abstract Background: Osteoporosis is very common in older women in the United States. Osteoporotic fractures cause significant morbidity and mortality, as well as high healthcare costs. Since 2002, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recommended screening for osteoporosis of all women aged ≥65. Our objective was to determine adherence to osteoporosis screening guidelines by primary care internists in a large academic medical center and to assess if adherence varies based on provider gender or practice location. Methods: This was a retrospective electronic medical record (EMR) review. All women aged ≥65 who were seen in the General Internal Medicine Center (GIMC) or the Women's Health Care Center (WHCC) at the University of Washington Medical Center by internal medicine attending physicians between January 1, 2006, and February 2, 2008, were included in the study. We determined if the patient had a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) study in the EMR database. We calculated th...
Circulating oxidized low-density lipoproteins are associated with overweight, obesity, and low serum carotenoids in older community-dwelling women.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to determine whether total serum carotenoids, α-tocopherol, selenium, and obesity were independently associated with oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDLs) in moderately to severely disabled older women living in the community. Methods Serum ox-LDLs, carotenoids, α-tocopherol, and selenium were measured in a population-based sample of 543 moderately to severely disabled women ≥65 y in the Women's Health and Aging Study I in Baltimore, Maryland. Results Total serum carotenoids, smoking, overweight (body mass index 25–29.9 kg/m 2 ), and obesity (body mass index ≥30 mg/kg 2 ) were significantly associated with the ox-LDL/LDL cholesterol ratio after adjusting for age, C-reactive protein, and chronic diseases. α-Tocopherol and selenium were not significantly associated with the ox-LDL/LDL cholesterol ratio. Conclusion Older women who are overweight or obese or who have low total serum carotenoids are more likely to have higher lipoprotein oxidation. Weight reduction in overweight/obese women and increased intake of carotenoid-rich foods may potentially reduce lipoprotein oxidation.
Air sparging effectiveness: laboratory characterization of air-channel mass transfer zone for VOC volatilization.

Abstract Air sparging in conjunction with soil vapor extraction is one of many technologies currently being applied for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Mass transfer at the air–water interface during air sparging is affected by various soil and VOC properties. In this study with a single air-channel apparatus, mass transfer of VOCs was shown to occur within a thin layer of saturated porous media next to the air channel. In this zone, the VOCs were found to rapidly deplete during air sparging resulting in a steep concentration gradient while the VOC concentration outside the zone remained fairly constant. The sizes of the mass transfer zone were found to range from 17 to 41 mm or 70 d 50 and 215 d 50 ( d 50 =mean particle size) for low organic carbon content media (