cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
OpenRIMS: an open architecture radiology informatics Management system.

The benefits of an integrated picture archiving and communication system/radiology information system (PACS/RIS) archive built with open source tools and methods are 2-fold. Open source permits an inexpensive development model where interfaces can be updated as needed, and the code is peer reviewed by many eyes (analogous to the scientific model). Integration of PACS/RIS functionality reduces the risk of inconsistent data by reducing interfaces among databases that contain largely redundant information. Also, wide adoption would promote standard data mining tools—reducing user needs to learn multiple methods to perform the same task. A model has been constructed capable of accepting HL7 orders, performing examination and resource scheduling, providing digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) worklist information to modalities, archiving studies, and supporting DICOM query/retrieve from third party viewing software. The multitiered architecture uses a single database communicating via an ODBC bridge to a Linux server with HL7, DICOM, and HTTP connections. Human interaction is supported via a web browser, whereas automated informatics services communicate over the HL7 and DICOM links. The system is still under development, but the primary database schema is complete as well as key pieces of the web user interface. Additional work is needed on the DICOM/HL7 interface broker and completion of the base DICOM service classes.
NonMarkov Ito Processes with 1- state memory

Abstract A Markov process, by definition, cannot depend on any previous state other than the last observed state. An Ito process implies the Fokker-Planck and Kolmogorov backward time partial differential eqns. for transition densities, which in turn imply the Chapman-Kolmogorov eqn., but without requiring the Markov condition. We present a class of Ito process superficially resembling Markov processes, but with 1-state memory. In finance, such processes would obey the efficient market hypothesis up through the level of pair correlations. These stochastic processes have been mislabeled in recent literature as ‘nonlinear Markov processes’. Inspired by Doob and Feller, who pointed out that the ChapmanKolmogorov eqn. is not restricted to Markov processes, we exhibit a Gaussian Ito transition density with 1-state memory in the drift coefficient that satisfies both of Kolmogorov’s partial differential eqns. and also the Chapman-Kolmogorov eqn. In addition, we show that three of the examples from McKean’s seminal 1966 paper are also nonMarkov Ito processes. Last, we show that the transition density of the generalized Black-Scholes type partial differential eqn. describes a martingale, and satisfies the ChapmanKolmogorov eqn. This leads to the shortest-known proof that the Green function of the Black-Scholes eqn. with variable diffusion coefficient provides the so-called martingale measure of option pricing.
Analysis of Multiproduct Manufacturing Systems With Homogeneous Exponential Machines

This paper is devoted to modeling and analysis of multiproduct manufacturing systems with homogeneous exponential machines and finite buffers. In such systems, each machine processes multiple product types with different speeds, but the processing time for each product type is the same on all machines. Buffers are finite, shared for all products. Analytical methods to evaluate the system performance are developed, and system-theoretic properties are investigated. It is shown from numerical experiments that such a method has a high accuracy in performance evaluation. To improve the performance of such systems, bottleneck analysis is carried out to identify the machine and/or product whose improvement will lead to the largest improvement in system throughput.
Decentralized Hypothesis Testing in Wireless Sensor Networks in the Presence of Misbehaving Nodes

Wireless sensor networks are prone to node misbehavior arising from tampering by an adversary (Byzantine attack), or due to other factors such as node failure resulting from hardware or software degradation. In this paper, we consider the problem of decentralized detection in wireless sensor networks in the presence of one or more classes of misbehaving nodes. Binary hypothesis testing is considered where the honest nodes transmit their binary decisions to the fusion center (FC), while the misbehaving nodes transmit fictitious messages. The goal of the FC is to identify the misbehaving nodes and to detect the state of nature. We identify each class of nodes with an operating point (false alarm and detection probabilities) on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Maximum likelihood estimation of the nodes' operating points is then formulated and solved using the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm with the nodes' identities as latent variables. The solution from the EM algorithm is then used to classify the nodes and to solve the decentralized hypothesis testing problem. Numerical results compared with those from the reputation-based schemes show a significant improvement in both classification of the nodes and hypothesis testing results. We also discuss an inherent ambiguity in the node classification problem which can be resolved if the honest nodes are in majority.
A method of measuring the degree of synchronization of cell populations.

Abstract In this communication a method is described by means of which the degree of synchronization of a population of cells can be defined quantitatively and unambiguously. This method assigns values for the degree of synchronization from 0 per cent for cell cultures in logarithmic growth to 100 per cent for cell cultures which are perfectly synchronized. The decay of synchronization with time of synchronous cultures is discussed. It is shown that any growth pattern which differs from the pattern obtained in logarithmic growth indicates some degree of synchronization.
An ab initio study of the reactivity of nitrosoketene with formaldehyde

Ab initio molecular orbital theory (RHF/6-31G*) was used to locate pseudopericyclic transition structures for the cycloaddition of formaldehyde to the Z and E conformations of nitrosoketene. The [3+2] pathway, with a calculated activation energy of only 3.5 kcal/mol, is predicted to be significantly favored over the [4+2] alternative.
Pseudo complications of cardiac catheterization

Cardiac catheterization procedures may be associated with serious complications, even when performed in a technically flawless fashion. This prospective study investigated all complications associated with 1,036 diagnostic catheterizations over a 12-month period. Complications which occurred in the 48 hours before or the 24 hours after scheduled but unperformed catheterizations were termed “pseudo complications.” There were 24 (2.3 percent) pseudo complications, including 12 (1.2 percent) sudden deaths. There were 26 (2.6 percent) catheterization procedure-related complications, including six (0.6 percent) deaths. Similar types of complications were noted in both groups. The incidence of annual complications would have doubled and the mortality rate would have tripled if the procedures had been performed on schedule or up to 48 hours earlier in the patients of the pseudo complication group. The incidence of complications after cardiac catheterization is materially influenced by the unexpected complications resulting from severe cardiac disease.
Expression of two forms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67 and GAD65) during postnatal development of cat visual cortex

The postnatal development of GAD67 and GAD65 protein expression and of GAD67 positive neurons and GAD65 containing axon terminals in cat visual cortex was studied. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of both GAD67 and GAD65 increased to approximately two-thirds of the adult level during the first 5 postnatal weeks and gradually increased thereafter. In adult cats, immunohistochemistry showed that GABA and GAD67 containing neurons were found in all cortical layers. Faint cell body staining was seen with the antibody to GAD65, but it densely labeled puncta. In neonates, GABA and GAD67 immunoreactivity was most intense in two distinct bands, one superficial (Layer 1/Marginal zone), another deep (Layer VI/Subplate). Unlike in adults, GAD65 positive cell bodies were clearly evident in neonates and distributed similarly to, but less frequently than, GABA and GAD67. These GAD65 positive cells frequently had morphologies suggestive of embryonic cells and largely disappeared in older animals. During postnatal development, the neurochemical differentiation of GAD67 positive neurons and GAD65 positive axon terminals across visual cortical laminae followed an inside-outside developmental pattern, which reached adult levels after 10 weeks of age. These results suggest that postnatal development of the visual cortical GABA system involves three distinct processes: (A) a dying off of embryonic GABA cells which could play a role in formation of the cortical plate; (B) a period of relative quiescence of the VC GABA system in the first 5 postnatal weeks which could maximize excitatory NMDA effects during the rising phase of the critical period; (C) the prolonged postnatal maturation of the adult GABA system which could be involved in the crystallization of adult physiological properties and the disappearance of neural plasticity.
Mucosal cytokine production in radiation-induced proctosigmoiditis compared with inflammatory bowel disease

Mucosal cytokine production in radiation-induced proctosigmoiditis compared with inflammatory bowel disease
Synergistic effects of akt on abrogation of cytokine-dependency induced by raf and mek

Abstract The Raf/MEK/ERK kinase cascade is pivotal in transmitting signals from membrane receptors to transcription factors which regulate gene expression. This cascade is also involved in the prevention of apoptosis as ERK2 can phosphorylate Bcl-2 and Bad. The Akt kinase is involved in the regulation of apoptosis and can phosphorylate Bad. To determine whether Akt could interact with the Raf/MEK/ERK cascade and result in a significant oncological response, the ability of Akt to increase the frequency of abrogation of cytokine-dependency of FL5.12 hematopoietic cells was determined. Abrogation of cytokine-dependency is considered an important step in leukemogenesis. The Akt cDNA either containing or lacking a myristolation sequence was ligated to the hormone binding domain of a mutated estrogen receptor which preferentially responds to tamoxifen. Tamoxifen-induced Akt activity, by itself, did not abrogate the cytokine-dependency of FL5.12 cells. Moreover, hematopoietic cells are not efficiently transformed to cytokine-independence after infection with either an activated conditional Raf (ΔRaf-1:ER) or MEK1 (ΔMEK1:ER) genes. The combination of Akt and either Raf or MEK expression increased the transformation 100-fold. The efficiency of transformation was further enhanced 50-fold when cytokine-dependent cells were subsequently infected with retroviral vectors encoding either Bcl-2 or Bcl-X L . Two different types of cells were isolated in these experiments, cytokine-dependent and Raf or MEK responsive cells. The Raf-responsive, Akt:ER cells expressed higher levels of the ΔRaf-1:ER kinase and downstream MEK kinase activities than the cytokine-dependent cells. These cells should be useful in elucidating the interactions between Akt and Raf/MEK/ERK kinase cascade in the prevention of apoptosis.
Role of Immediate Early Protein ICP27 in the Differential Sensitivity of Herpes Simplex Viruses 1 and 2 to Leptomycin B

Leptomycin B (LMB) is a highly specific inhibitor of CRM1, a cellular karyopherin-β that transports nuclear export signal-containing proteins from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Previous work has shown that LMB blocks herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) replication in Vero cells and that certain mutations in viral immediate early protein ICP27 can confer LMB resistance. However, little is known of the molecular mechanisms involved. Here we report that HSV-2, a close relative of HSV-1, is naturally resistant to LMB. To see whether the ICP27 gene determines this phenotypic difference, we generated an HSV-1 mutant that expresses the HSV-2 ICP27 instead of the HSV-1 protein. This recombinant was fully sensitive to LMB, indicating that one or more other viral genes must be important in determining HSV-2's LMB-resistant phenotype. In additional work, we report several findings that shed light on how HSV-1 ICP27 mutations can confer LMB resistance. First, we show that LMB treatment of HSV-1-infected cells leads to suppression of late viral protein synthesis and a block to progeny virion release. Second, we identify a novel type of ICP27 mutation that can confer LMB resistance, that being the addition of a 100-residue amino-terminal affinity purification tag. Third, by studying infections where both LMB-sensitive and LMB-resistant forms of ICP27 are present, we show that HSV-1's sensitivity to LMB is dominant to its resistance. Together, our results suggest a model in which the N-terminal portion of ICP27 mediates a nonessential activity that interferes with HSV-1 replication when CRM1 is inactive. We suggest that LMB resistance mutations weaken or abrogate this activity.
Tolerability of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors: A Review

Abstract Background Oral glucose-lowering agents are used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Most patients require multiple agents to maintain glycemic targets. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are administered as monotherapy and in combination therapy for the treatment of T2DM. Objective The aim of this article was to provide a thorough review of published tolerability data on 5 DPP-4 inhibitors. Methods PubMed and Web of Science were searched for English-language clinical trials published from January 2000 to June 2001, using the following key words: dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, vildagliptin, alogliptin, sitagliptin, saxagliptin, linagliptin, safety, tolerability, efficacy, effect, AE , and adverse effect . Studies were considered for inclusion if they were randomized, double-blind trials performed in patients ≥18 years of age with T2DM and with a hemoglobin A 1c of ≥6.5%; included ≥1 arm that received monotherapy with DPP-4; and reported adverse events (AEs). Studies in patients with a history of type 1 or secondary forms of diabetes, significant diabetic complications or cardiovascular disease within the 6 months before the start of the study, hepatic disease or abnormalities, and/or renal abnormalities were excluded. Results A total of 45 clinical trials, 5 pharmacokinetic studies, and 28 meta-analyses or reviews were included. The duration of studies ranged from 7 days to 104 weeks. The most commonly reported AEs were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory infections, all-cause infections, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, and musculoskeletal pain. Based on the findings from the studies, the DPP-4 inhibitors had minimal impact on weight and were not associated with an increased risk for hypoglycemia relative to placebo. Rates of nasopharyngitis were higher with the DDP-4 inhibitors than with placebo. Pancreatitis was reported at lower rates with the DPP-4 inhibitors compared with other oral antihyperglycemic agents. Cardiovascular events were limited, and postmarketing studies are ongoing. Conclusions The tolerability of DPP-4 inhibitors is supported by published clinical trials. The rates of weight gain, gastrointestinal AEs, and hypoglycemia were minimal with the DPP-4 inhibitors studied.
A simple test phantom for stereotactic computed tomography

An easy‐to‐use phantom has been constructed for checking the accuracy of a stereotactic computed tomography localization system. This phantom has been used on a commercially available stereotactic radiosurgery system. With this system, the phantom reference point, whose location is established by means of a precision measuring implement, can be localized by a computed tomography(CT) scanner with a standard deviation of measurement that is less than 0.3 mm in three orthogonal axes.
Propagation of thermoelastic disturbances in non-Fourier solids

Integral transform techniques are employed to study the influence of small thermoelastic coupling on the propagation of thermoelastic disturbances in an infinite medium. The thermal relaxation time of heat conduction is also included in the analysis to insure that the thermal waves propagate with finite signal speeds. Explicit expressions for the wave speeds and amplitudes are obtained. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the salient features of the problem.
AN ANALYSIS OF LOW CYCLE FATIGUE BASED ON HYSTERESIS ENERGY

— Cyclic deformation behaviour of medium carbon steel, armco iron and copper has been investigated. A model based on the energy absorbed for the fracture process at the crack tip, given in the form (Δw*p)y where Δw*p is the hysteresis energy at the crack front and the exponent y decides the energy spent for the fracture process, is proposed for the crack growth in low cycle fatigue. The value of the exponent y has been found to be around 0·26 to 0·28 for medium carbon steel and armco iron and around 0·52 for copper. These values of y give good prediction of the relations between the total fracture energy and the stress amplitude and the total fracture energy versus the fatigue life. The energy based approach has been extended to predict the cumulative damage in a single step stress variation. Good correlation has been obtained between the experimental data and the theoretical prediction.
Quantitation of the T cell deficiency in RFM mice with host versus graft disease.

Abstract Host versus graft (HVG) syndrome is the fatal complex of lesions which has been observed in six inbred strains of mice following the perinatal inoculation of related F 1 hybrid spleen cells. Morphological studies have indicated that the key lesion is the depletion of peripheral T lymphocytes due to inflammatory destruction and failure of the thymus to replace them. In the present studies, tests of T-cell function were done on RFM mice, which had developed HVG disease following perinatal inoculations of (T 6 × RFM)F 1 spleen cells. As compared to control values, HVG spleen cell suspensions showed loss of reactivity to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) = 90%, to concanavalin A (Con A) = 94%, to (T 6 × RFM)F, cells in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) = 82%, to DBA cells in MLR = 94%, and to DBA mastocytoma cells in cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) = 95%. Lymph node cell suspensions showed losses of reactivity to PHA = 83%, to Con A = 62%, to (T 6 × RFM)F 1 cells in the MLR = 91%, and to DBA cells in the MLR = 77%. The CML activity of nodal cells to DBA mastocytoma cells varied widely from 12 to 273% of control values, and averaged 121%. Filtration of HVG spleen cells through nylon fiber columns failed to restore low responses to PHA to normal values. This suggested that the macrophage-like, adherent accessory cells were not acting as suppressors of T-cell responses in HVG disease. The deficits in all T-cell-mediated functions tested so far, appeared to correlate very well with quantitative morphological studies which showed the loss of 98% of the small lymphocytes normally present in the thymic dependent portions of the splenic white pulp. It is suggested that experimental HVG disease may serve as a model for immunodeficiency syndromes of the Nezelof type which are also characterized by T-cell deficiency, poor primary antibody responses, and the presence of variable amounts of serum immunoglobulins.
Liver preservation by cold storage with hyperosmolar solutions for twenty-four hours.

Abstract Canine livers were successfully preserved in an ischemic state for 24 hr under hypothermic storage with hyperosmolar colloid or crystalloid solutions. Livers preserved with a colloid hyperosmolar solution (MSGF) showed slightly better survival results than the ones preserved with a crystalloid hyperosmolar solution. It is possible that hyperosmolarity associated with hyperkalemia is an important factor for liver preservation for transplantation.
Family care in HIV/AIDS: Exploring lived experience.

Family Care in HIV/AIDS: Exploring Lived Experience. Premilla D'Cruz. New Delhi, India: Sage. 2004. 218 pp. ISBN 0-7619-3233-X. $44.95 (paper). The purpose of this important book is to describe family care in HIV/AIDS through lived experiences of caregivers and care receivers in India. The author has a well-established research record on families and the health care system in India. This study, conducted in Mumbai, India, is based on interviews with 10 caregivers and seven care receivers who come from diverse socioeconomic groups and family settings. The book consists of seven chapters. The first three introduce and contextualize the study in HIV/AIDS family care. Chapter 1 begins with a thorough review of the literature on caregiving with particular attention to types of caregiving relationships. Responding to caregiving research's focus on negative outcomes, the author expresses a need for a more comprehensive view of caregiving, including both its positive and negative aspects. This chapter ends with a discussion of methodological limitations of research on caregivers. Chapter 2 examines the unique challenges of HIV/AIDS family care. It begins with a discussion of stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. This chapter presents epidemiologic data on the heterosexual epidemic in India, with specific attention to the growth in cases among monogamous, married women. Most of HIV/AIDS services in India center around primary prevention provided mainly by public and, to some extent, voluntary health sectors. These services have proven to be inadequate in controlling the epidemic in India. Because HIV/AIDS treatment and support services are limited, families must provide care and endure the costs for ill family members. The intricacies of HIV/AIDS family care are brought out effectively in this chapter. The third chapter discusses the strength of qualitative methods in capturing the dynamics, complexities, and contexts of families. Experiential interview material is obtained from conversational interviews with HIV/AIDS family caregivers and care receivers. The author follows van Mahen's hermeneutic-phenomenological approach in order to analyze narratives, grasp meanings, and derive themes. The qualitative approach used in this study serves well to capture the challenges and constraints in HIV/ AIDS family care. The book's essential core is the next section, which consists of three chapters that present and analyze material from the narratives. Chapter 4 includes narrative excerpts from receivers of HIV/AIDS care. Two themes in the experience of HIV/AIDS care receivers are identified: losing autonomy and redefining family relationships. The fifth chapter provides accounts from HIV-negative caregivers who describe prolonging the life of their loved ones as the very core of their experience. …
On educating the medical writer

Most medical writers received their education on the job rather than through formal education. These writers may have gaps in knowledge when compared with lists of competencies published by professional organisations in the clinical research and medical writing fields. Formal education from an accredited programme gives a more uniform foundation of knowledge than experience alone or experience combined with short-term training. This article, based on the observations of a regulatory medical writer turned academic programme director, addresses some of the differences between education and training, educational approaches and delivery methods, and potential effects on employment prospects.
Diversity in classrooms: Teaching kindness through folktales

Folktales and the resulting follow-up activities can be used to teach kindness and encourage cultural diversity in classrooms. These tales from various cultures can prove to be an invaluble tool in bringing together and enriching students of different backgrounds.
A radical solution for the biosynthesis of the H-cluster of hydrogenase.

Fe-only or FeFe hydrogenases, as they have more recently been termed, possess a uniquely organometallic enzyme active site, termed the H-cluster, where the electronic properties of an iron–sulfur cluster are tuned with distinctly non-biological ligands, carbon monoxide and cyanide. Recently, it was discovered that radical S-adenosylmethionine enzymes were involved in active hydrogenase expression. In the current work, we present a mechanistic scheme for hydrogenase H-cluster biosynthesis in which both carbon monoxide and cyanide ligands can be derived from the decomposition of a glycine radical. The ideas presented have broader implications in the context of the prebiotic origin of amino acids.
Hydrogen recycle and isotope exchange from dense carbon films

Dense carbon films were prepared by deposition from hydrogen plasmas to which methane was added. The initial hydrogen recycle coefficient from the films ranges from more than two to less than one. The films contain large amounts of hydrogen (up to 50 at. %). They adjust themselves to provide recycling coefficients near unity. Isotope changeover times tend to be long. The reservoir of hydrogen instantly available to the plasma to maintain or stabilize the recycle coefficient and isotopic composition of the plasma is 10/sup 15/ cm/sup -2/ or greater depending on film preparation, temperature, and prior plasma exposure conditions. Simulator observations tend to support and improve the understanding of the observations in TEXTOR and JET; however, they also point out the need for control of film deposition and operating parameters to provide desirable and reproducible properties. The films and the hydrogen isotopes they contain can be removed easily by plasma processes. Since the hydrogen in these films is relatively immobile except in the zone reached by energetic particles, or at temperatures above 400/sup 0/C, dense carbon films may be useful in managing the tritium recovery from near-term fusion experiments.
Private and public approaches to solving oil/fishing conflicts offshore California

Abstract Offshore oil activity is projected to increase significantly in the south-central coast of California: from 80 000 barrels a day in the mid-1980s up to 400 000 barrels a day by 1994. Serious clashes between fishermen and oil company operators occurred during the initial stages of the oil build-up, with fishermen claiming they were experiencing ‘death by a thousand cuts’—from loss of fishing gear, to loss of fishing opportunity, to resource dispersal and deterioration. This paper reviews the impacts of oil operations on the commercial fishing industry in California utilizing the results of a recent survey of commercial fishermen. Reported impacts include not only the typical area displacement effects reported in other oil/fishing conflict cases, but the unleashing of a chain of events which also affects, among others, fishermen working in other locations as well as fish processors whose supply sources and markets may be disrupted. Efforts to mitigate negative effects on the fishing industry have been made in both the private and public realms with mixed results. The conclusion suggests that in conflict cases involving publicly owned resources and pitting contestants of unequal power, private mediation should not become a replacement for, but only a supplement to, public decision-making.
Bacteria- and IMD Pathway-Independent Immune Defenses against Plasmodium falciparum in Anopheles gambiae

The mosquito Anopheles gambiae uses its innate immune system to control bacterial and Plasmodium infection of its midgut tissue. The activation of potent IMD pathway-mediated anti-Plasmodium falciparum defenses is dependent on the presence of the midgut microbiota, which activate this defense system upon parasite infection through a peptidoglycan recognition protein, PGRPLC. We employed transcriptomic and reverse genetic analyses to compare the P. falciparum infection-responsive transcriptomes of septic and aseptic mosquitoes and to determine whether bacteria-independent anti-Plasmodium defenses exist. Antibiotic treated aseptic mosquitoes mounted molecular immune responses representing a variety of immune functions upon P. falciparum infection. Among other immune factors, our analysis uncovered a serine protease inhibitor (SRPN7) and Clip-domain serine protease (CLIPC2) that were transcriptionally induced in the midgut upon P. falciparum infection, independent of bacteria. We also showed that SRPN7 negatively and CLIPC2 positively regulate the anti-Plasmodium defense, independently of the midgut-associated bacteria. Co-silencing assays suggested that these two genes may function together in a signaling cascade. Neither gene was regulated, nor modulated, by infection with the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei, suggesting that SRPN7 and CLIPC2 are components of a defense system with preferential activity towards P. falciparum. Further analysis using RNA interference determined that these genes do not regulate the anti-Plasmodium defense mediated by the IMD pathway, and both factors act as agonists of the endogenous midgut microbiota, further demonstrating the lack of functional relatedness between these genes and the bacteria-dependent activation of the IMD pathway. This is the first study confirming the existence of a bacteria-independent, anti-P. falciparum defense. Further exploration of this anti-Plasmodium defense will help clarify determinants of immune specificity in the mosquito, and expose potential gene and/or protein targets for malaria intervention strategies based on targeting the parasite in the mosquito vector.
Antithrombotic therapy in the acute phase: new approaches.

Both anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents have been advocated, used and studied for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Randomized trials of unfractionated heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin and heparinoids have failed to show an overall benefit to these agents largely because the benefits in reducing thromboembolic events are offset by the increased risk of bleeding complications. The International Stroke Trial, the Trial of ORG 10172 Acute Stroke Treatment and studies of fraxaripine all failed to show an overall benefit to anticoagulation in the patients studied. Aspirin has been shown to offer a modest benefit when studied in patients treated within 48 h of stroke onset. Ancrod is an antithrombotic agent that acts by reducing circulating fibrinogen levels. Patients treated within 3 h of stroke symptom onset had a better functional outcome at 90 days compared to placebo-treated patients with both the benefits and the risk of intracerebral bleeding related to the fibrinogen lowering achieved. Abciximab is a blocker of the platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptor. A dose finding safety study suggests that in doses up to that typically given in patients with acute coronary occlusion syndromes, there is no increased risk of symptomatic intracerebral bleeding and suggestions of potential benefits on neurological outcome.
A New Technique of Subcutaneous Colon Interposition

A colon interposition graft may be placed in the subcutaneous position when other routes are not available. Creation of an adequate subcutaneous tunnel may be difficult, especially in patients with prior sternotomy. In this report we describe a method that utilizes tissue expanders to facilitate subcutaneous esophageal reconstruction.
Analysis of Human Vaginal Secretions by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Vaginal secretions from 14 ovulating females were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) during 50 ovulatory cycles. The day of ovulation was documented in each case by charting of basal body temperature and/or determining hormonal profiles for estrogens, progesterone and luteinizing hormone. The secretions were found to contain a complex mixture of acids, alcohols and aromatic compounds. Two distinct types of vaginal environment were found with six subjects displaying large amounts of C2–C5 aliphatic acids in secretions and the remaining showing only acetic acid by GC–MS analysis. Predominant concentrations of these acids occur both at midcycle and in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Lactic acid and urea were present in the secretions of all subjects and underwent cyclic variations in concentration with maxima occurring around midcycle. The effect of sexual arousal on the organic compounds in the secretions is also discussed.
Comic Provocations in Racial Culture: Barack Obama and the “Politics of Fear”

President Barack Obama's candidacy and election represented a momentous milestone in U.S. racial history; yet, the declarations of postracialism that followed his election are grossly premature. Comic discourses on race that reflect racial realities and constructions prominently illustrate the lasting significance of race. I consider the dominant public reactions to a controversial New Yorker cover illustration that satirized fearful discourses about Michelle and Barack Obama during the 2008 election. The dominant responses to the illustration revealed pervasive colorblind, antiracialist discourses and scapegoating rituals that erect significant obstacles to racial justice. These reactions illustrate the potential of racial comedy to provoke important conversations and debates about race that force people to make sense of racial culture.
Experimental, numerical and analytical models of mantle starting plumes

Abstract The results of a combined experimental, numerical and analytical investigation of starting thermal plumes are described, to obtain a better perspective on plumes within the Earth's mantle. Thermal plumes were generated experimentally in a tank of corn syrup by means of an electrical heater. Viscosity ratios of 400, 30 000, and 108 were generated by varying the temperature of the tank. Plumes for the smaller ratios had the traditional ‘balloon-on-astring’ shape, but that at the highest ratio had a novel morphology. The plume heads in the first two cases were observed to rise at roughly a constant speed, in contrast to most previous studies which found the plume heads to accelerate. Loss of buoyancy from the plume head owing to heat loss is believed to be responsible for this difference. Starting plumes were simulated numerically using an axisymmetric, finite-element code to solve the Boussinesq equations at finite Prandtl numbers. The constant rise speed observed experimentally was confirmed by the numerical simulation for the viscosity ratios of 400 and 30 000, but numerical instability prevented simulation of the case with a viscosity ratio of 108. There was very good agreement between the experimental and numerical rise speeds. An analytical model was developed which reduces to previous models in limiting cases. This parameterization gives better agreement with the experimental and numerical results than does any previous model.
Change and influence in popular criminology: Public attributions of crime causation

Abstract Researchers who have examined the historical development of societal responses to crime and criminals have emphasized that opinions concerning “what to do about crime” are inextricably linked to contemporary perceptions of the causes of criminality. Moreover, these causal attributions have shifted across a broad landscape over time. This article examines data from public opinion surveys conducted over the last four decades to assess the nature and extent of changes in the public's attributions of crime causation. The relationship between changing public attributions and shifts in crime control strategy is examined. Variation in causal attribution across socio-demographic characteristics of survey respondents is explored. Directions for the future in terms of crime control policy are discussed as they may be foreshadowed by historical and contemporary assessment of these public perceptions. In addition, suggestions for improvement of the methodology of further research in this ares are offered.
Six-month follow-up of a brief intervention on self-reported safety belt use among emergency department patients

Objectives: Safety belt use (SBU) reduces motor vehicle deaths by 45%. We previously reported that a brief intervention improved self-reported SBU among emergency department (ED) patients at 3 months. We sought to determine if these effects were sustained at 6 months postenrollment. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial of adult patients (age >/= 21 years) at an academic medical center ED from February 2006 to May 2006. Patients were systematically sampled for self-reported SBU. Those with self-reported SBU less than "always" were asked to participate. Subjects were surveyed at baseline with a nine-item series of situational SBU questions scored on a five-point Likert scale (e.g., 5 = always, 1 = never). This nine-item average comprised the mean SBU score. Subjects were randomized to a control group (CG) and an intervention group (IG). The CG received an injury prevention brochure; the IG received a brief motivation interview by a trained interventionist and the brochure. Subjects were phoned at 3 and 6 months to determine interval change in SBU scores via a standard script. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance and t-tests were used to analyze trends in mean SBU scores between groups, as well as to test mean changes in SBU scores from the 3- to 6-month intervals. Results: Of 432 eligible patients, 292 enrolled (mean age = 35 years, SD +/- 11.2 years; 61% male). At baseline, there were no significant demographic differences; the IG (n = 147) and CG (n = 145) had similar mean SBU scores (2.8 vs. 2.6, p = 0.31), and 66% (n = 96 in each) completed both 3- and 6-month follow-up. The mean SBU score at 6 months in the IG was greater than in the CG group (3.6 vs. 2.9, p 0.05). Conclusions: The previously reported finding that ED patients who received a brief motivation interview reported higher SBU scores at 3 months compared to a CG was sustained at 6-month follow-up. Although limited by self-report, a brief intervention may enhance lasting SBU behavior among high-risk ED patients. Language: en
Left ventricular twist, but not circumferential-longitudinal shear angle, increases with increasing age in normal subjects

Background Left Ventricular (LV) twist, defined as the difference in rotation between the apex and the base, has recently been suggested as a diagnostic imaging biomarker for LV dysfunction [1]. Increasing age is associated with an increase in apical rotation, which leads to an increase LV twist [2-4]. Recently, it has been suggested that LV circumferential-longitudinal shear angle (CL-shear angle) [5] may be a more robust imaging biomarker than LV twist, due to normalization within the formula for ventricular size and slice separation [6]. However, changes in CL-shear angle with respect to age have not been reported. CL-shear angle is defined as the difference between apical rotation times the epicardial radius of the apex and basal rotation times the epicardial radius of the base, divided by the distance between the apex and base. The purpose of this study was to evaluate age related changes in CL-shear angle.
Intraoperative donor cholangiography.

Biliary drainage has long been called the Achilles' heel of liver transplantation, and biliary complications compromise the success of liver transplantation by increasing graft loss and the rates of a required second operation, morbidity, and mortality. One cause of complications is unrecognized anomalous biliary anatomy. We examined 73 intraoperative donor duct cholangiograms (IODDCs) to assess our ability to identify biliary anomalies intraoperatively. Normal anatomy was seen in 42% (31/73); some part of the right-sided biliary system drained into the left bile duct in 22% (16/73); trifurcated systems with a single branch point for the right posterior, right anterior, and left ducts appeared in 16% (12/73); low insertion of a right segmental duct to the hepatic duct was seen in 11% (8/73); and drainage of a right segmental duct into the cystic duct or into the hepatic duct at the cystic duct origin was noted in 8% (6/73). It was believed that the last group represented a condition that dictated extra caution in biliary reconstruction. The incidence of radiographic recognition of these anomalies was more than twice the clinical recognition in our patient population, implying that many such "problem" ducts usually go unrecognized. IODDCs facilitate training of transplant fellows. Costs are low, and morbidity is nil.
MPP+-induced COX-2 activation and subsequent dopaminergic neurodegeneration.

SPECIFIC AIMSThe purpose of this study was to determine whether in an in vitro Parkinson’s disease (PD) model 1) microglia participate in MPP+-induced COX-2 activation and 2) the activation of COX-...
An epidemiologic study of oral cancer in a statewide network

A case-control study was conducted to investigate the risks of male and female oral, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal cancer associated with poor oral health, mouthwash use, occupation, histories of tobacco and alcohol use, and other factors. Data were collected from all newly diagnosed patients entered into the Wisconsin Head and Neck Cancer Network over an 18-month period (N = 623). The prevalence of painful or ill-fitting dentures was significantly higher among males and females with oral cavity cancer. Relative risks for painful dentures were 5.97 (males) and 1.60 (females); for ill-fitting dentures, the relative risks were 3.15 (males) and 2.15 (females). For males, high relative risks of oropharyngeal cancer were also found to be associated with these indicators of poor dentition. Other indicators of poor oral health, including toothbrushing frequency and prevalence of broken teeth, were not associated with oral cancer. Mouthwash use was not found to carry a risk of oral cavity, oropharyngeal, or hypopharyngeal cancer. The risks of upper aerodigestive cancers with smoking and alcohol were confirmed for males, and lifetime use patterns were explored. Notable sex differences in exposure to alcohol and tobacco were found. There was little evidence that past alcohol use was related to female oral cancer.
Step-up test with a single cutoff for unreplicated orthogonal designs

This article presents a simplified means of controlling the experiment-wise risk of declaring too many effects active when analyzing an unreplicated orthogonal design. The method begins by assuming a lower bound on the number of null effects. The regression method of backward elimination is followed, comparing each F statistic with a common critical value, until the first statistically significant outcome. By using a single critical value, the method is simpler than the approach of Langsrud and Naes (1998) and Venter and Steel (1998) and is sometimes more powerful. Simulation is used to demonstrate the actual risk of Type I errors and power under various configurations of the true regression coefficients.
Aptamer-Targeted Gold Nanoparticles As Molecular-Specific Contrast Agents for Reflectance Imaging

Targeted metallic nanoparticles have shown potential as a platform for development of molecular-specific contrast agents. Aptamers have recently been demonstrated as ideal candidates for molecular targeting applications. In this study, we investigated the development of aptamer-based gold nanoparticles as contrast agents, using aptamers as targeting agents and gold nanoparticles as imaging agents. We devised a novel conjugation approach using an extended aptamer design where the extension is complementary to an oligonucleotide sequence attached to the surface of the gold nanoparticles. The chemical and optical properties of the aptamer-gold conjugates were characterized using size measurements and oligonucleotide quantitation assays. We demonstrate this conjugation approach to create a contrast agent designed for detection of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), obtaining reflectance images of PSMA(+) and PSMA(-) cell lines treated with the anti-PSMA aptamer-gold conjugates. This design strategy can easily be modified to incorporate multifunctional agents as part of a multimodal platform for reflectance imaging applications.
Valuing energy policy attributes for environmental management: Choice experiment evidence from a research institution

Abstract Many governments, firms, institutions and individuals have become increasingly cognizant of their impact on the environment, most notably with respect to global climate change. Coupled with the possibility of future regulations aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, firms and institutions have begun to critically evaluate their own carbon footprint. This paper examines the preferences of stakeholders within a large academic institution for attributes of alternative greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies. The attributes considered by constituents include: the fuel portfolio mix, effort for conserving energy use, carbon emissions reduction, timeframe for emissions reduction to be achieved and cost. We use a choice experiment technique that enables the examination of greenhouse gas reduction program attribute preferences across three constituent groups. The results show that each of the constituent groups have a positive WTP for carbon emissions reductions and prefer investments in reductions in the shorter- rather than longer-term. The results also suggest differences between the constituent groups in their WTP for types of fuels in the fuel portfolio. Finally, we use the results to examine the welfare implications of different combinations of the policy attributes that coincide with alternative GHG program strategies.
The Development Program of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP)

All foreign language teachers, at whatever level of instruction, have much in common, and their common interests can be well served by a national association. Apart from this, teachers of French, Spanish and Portuguese, Italian, German, Slavic and East European languages, or any other language or family of languages having a place in the American curriculum, have interests, concerns, and problems which are peculiar to their individual languages, literatures, and cultures. For this reason, the various AATs came into being. Whether or not it might have been better had a national association of all foreign language teachers been formed before the individual AATs were established is a matter that need not be debated here. One might just as well wish that the development of structural linguistics had preceded that of historical linguistics, which, in many ways, would have been more desirable than the chronological sequence we have had to live with. While man has the ability to rewrite history, he happens thus far not to have been blessed with the power to reverse it. Unlike the MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION (MLA), whose membership largely consists of college and university faculty (a large percentage of whom are in the field of English), the various AATs have had a membership drawn in large numbers from both secondary and higher education, to say nothing of some people in elementary education. These associations have provided a variety of services to their members, and have published a journal presumably suited to their needs and interests. They have held national meetings each year, at which papers have been read, business meetings and executive council sessions have been held (or 'celebrated,' as the Spanish say), and professional gossip has been exchanged. Moreover, at the local or state level, the AATs have had their chapters, which have held periodic meetings. Any ship, however sturdy or serviceable, will in the course of time acquire a fair share of barnacles on its hull. And any professional organization, even an academic one (some cynics might say 'especially an academic one') can over the years settle into a comfortable routine. But at a time when the foreign language teaching profession is experiencing a multi-faceted revolution, and no Thermidorean reaction is in sight, the routine so common to professional associations ceases to be comfortable. Many of us in the AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS