cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship between corneal sensitivity, corneal thickness, corneal diameter, and intraocular pressure in normal cats and cats with congenital glaucoma

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of feline congenital glaucoma (FCG) on corneal sensitivity, and relationships between corneal sensitivity, central corneal thickness (CT), and corneal diameter (CD). ANIMALS AND PROCEDURES: Corneal sensitivity (estimated by corneal touch threshold [CTT] using Cochet‐Bonnet esthesiometry); CT using ultrasonic pachymetry; intraocular pressure (IOP) using rebound tonometry; and maximal horizontal CD were measured in 16 normal and 14 FCG cats, both males and females, aged 7 months‐3.5 years. All procedures complied with an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee‐approved protocol. Data were analyzed by linear regression: paired Student's t tests for between‐eye comparisons, and unpaired Student's t tests for comparisons between groups. Relationships between parameters were evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficients and linear mixed effects modeling. For statistical tests, with the exception of values that were Benjamini‐Hochberg adjusted for multiple comparisons, P‐values < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Mean CTT and CT values were lower in FCG eyes relative to normal eyes, but differences were not statistically significant. Mean CD was significantly larger in FCG eyes relative to normal eyes, and there was a significant negative correlation between CD and CTT in FCG (r = −0.8564, corrected P = 0.005). These associations were confirmed in linear mixed effects models. CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with FCG have significantly larger CDs when compared with normal eyes, and larger CDs correlated with decreased corneal sensitivity in this group. Further studies are warranted to explore the effect of buphthalmos and corneal enlargement on corneal sensitivity and innervation in feline subjects with chronic glaucoma.
Hospitalisation and readmission costs after radical cystectomy in a nationally representative sample: does urinary reconstruction matter?

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of continent urinary diversion on readmissions and hospital costs in a nationally representative sample of radical cystectomies (RCs) performed in the USA. PATIENTS AND METHODS The 2010-2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for patients with a diagnosis of bladder cancer who underwent RC. We identified patients undergoing continent (neobladder or continent cutaneous reservoir) or incontinent (ileal conduit) diversions. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of 90-day readmission, prolonged length of stay, and total hospital costs. RESULTS Amongst 21 126 patients identified, 19 437 (92.0%) underwent incontinent diversion and 1 689 (8.0%) had a continent diversion created. Continent diversion patients were younger, healthier, and treated at high-volume metropolitan centres. Continent diversions resulted in fewer in-hospital complications (37.3% vs 42.5%, P = 0.02) but led to more 90-day readmissions (46.5% vs 39.6%, P = 0.004). In addition, continent diversion patients were more often readmitted for infectious complications (38.7% vs 29.4%, P = 0.004) and genitourinary complications (18.5% vs 13.0%, P = 0.01). On multivariable logistic regression, patients with a continent diversion were more likely to be readmitted within 90 days (odds ratio [OR] 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28, 1.88) and have increased hospital costs during initial hospitalisation (OR 1.99, 95% CI: 1.52, 2.61). Continent diversion led to a $4 617 (American dollars) increase in initial hospital costs ($36 640 vs $32 023, P < 0.001), which was maintained at 30 days ($48 621 vs $44 231, P < 0.001) and at 90 days ($56 380 vs $52 820, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION In a nationally representative sample of RCs performed in the USA, continent urinary diversion led to more frequent readmissions and increased hospital costs. Interventions designed to address specific outpatient issues with continent diversions can potentially lead to a significant decrease in readmissions and associated hospital costs.
The approaching obsolescence of 137Cs dating of wetland soils in North America

Abstract The peak fallout in 1963 of the radionuclide 137 Cs has been used to date lake, reservoir, continental shelf, and wetland sedimentary deposits. In wetlands such dating is used to project the ability of wetlands to keep pace with sea level rise and develop strategies for mitigating carbon pollution using biological carbon sequestration. Here we demonstrate that reliable 137 Cs profiles are increasingly difficult to obtain from wetland soils. Among 58 soil cores recently collected from a range of wetland types and 137 Cs fallout densities across the United States, 25% contain no identifiable 137 Cs peaks. Less than 40% of 137 Cs ages are consistent with 210 Pb dating. We provide a new measure of 137 Cs peak clarity (τ) for our core dataset by comparing the 50% interquartile range of data around the 137 Cs peak for “ideal” cores profiles determined using 137 Cs fallout data to that of observed core profiles. Our results show that overall τ is approximately 10 times greater for observed cores than ideal cores. The deterioration in the 137 Cs peak has occurred due to radionuclide decay, 137 Cs migration in situ , which is ubiquitous in this study, and 137 Cs amendments from surface waters. Such deterioration likely extends to both Mexican and non-permafrost, Canadian wetlands. We recommend continued use of 137 Cs only if the full bound of dating uncertainty for both 137 Cs and an additional method such as 210 Pb is propagated into estimates of wetland vertical accretion and carbon sequestration.
Abstract P012: Cardiovascular Risk Scores Predict Fatigability Among Older Adults

Introduction: Efforts to prevent CVD and its associated health outcomes are paramount to preserving health and functional status in a rapidly aging population. Fatigue is a common side-effect of CV...
Deletion of exons 17 and 18 in prestin’s STAS domain results in loss of function

Cochlear outer hair cells (OHC) express the motor protein, prestin, which is required for sensitivity and frequency selectivity. Because our previous work showed that a calmodulin binding site (CBS) was located in prestin’s C-terminal, specifically within the intrinsically disordered region, we sought to delete the IDR to study the functional significance of calcium-dependent, calmodulin binding on OHC function. Although the construct lacking the IDR (∆IDR prestin) demonstrated wildtype-like nonlinear capacitance (NLC) in HEK293T cells, the phenotype in ∆IDR prestin knockins (KI) was similar to that in prestin knockouts: thresholds were elevated, NLC was absent and OHCs were missing from basal regions of the cochlea. Although ∆IDR prestin mRNA was measured, no prestin protein was detected. At the mRNA level, both of prestin’s exons 17 and 18 were entirely removed, rather than the smaller region encoding the IDR. Our hybrid exon that contained the targeted deletion (17–18 ∆IDR) failed to splice in vitro and prestin protein lacking exons 17 and 18 aggregated and failed to target the cell membrane. Hence, the absence of prestin protein in ∆IDR KI OHCs may be due to the unexpected splicing of the hybrid 17–18 ∆IDR exon followed by rapid degradation of nonfunctional prestin protein.
Ramp Lesions of the Medial Meniscus in Patients Undergoing Primary and Revision ACL Reconstruction: Prevalence and Risk Factors:

Background:Ramp lesions are peripheral tears of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus that involve the meniscocapsular attachments or red-red zone and typically occur in conjunction with anteri...
Defining mild, moderate, and severe fatigue in cancer patients and survivors: E2Z02, a trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group.

9099 Background: Although mild, moderate and severe categories have been used in clinical guidelines for fatigue management in cancer patients, the optimal cutpoints on a 0-10 scale for delineating...
Infectious Bursal Disease Virus

Abstract Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is an Avibirnavirus that causes infectious bursal disease (IBD), an immunosuppressive disease in chickens. Immune suppression results from destruction of immature B-lymphocytes in the bursa of Fabricius by the virus. IBD is an economically important disease in the poultry industry due not only to performance losses but also to immune suppression related secondary infections. Two serotypes of the virus exist in chickens, turkeys and other avian species but disease results only from serotype 1 infections in chickens. Pathotypes of the virus range from naturally attenuated to very virulent. Control of IBD is attempted using vaccines but the wide variety of IBDV antigenic subtypes makes this challenging.
Spontaneous cerebral spinal fluid rhinorrhea with meningocele secondary to congenital foramen rotundum defect: A case report and review of literature

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea is a rare occurrence. We present a case of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea in a 57-year-old patient secondary to a sphenoid osseous defect involving the foramen rotundum and maxillary nerve with an associated arachnoid cyst and meningocele compressing the maxillary nerve. The location of the defect made correction amenable to an open skull-based approach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a spontaneous meningocele herniating into the sphenoid osseous defect through the medial aspect of the foramen rotundum. Early detection of these defects, open or endoscopic approaches and definitive treatment by closing the defect can result in excellent outcomes.
Unraveling Structural and Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional MoxW1–xS2 Alloys

Ordered defects in two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) could function as single-photon emitters and quantum-dot qubits in quantum information technologies. Alloying is a co...
A Contractarian Critique of Citizens United

In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a 5-4 majority overturned a congressional enactment limiting corporate electioneering. Decided in 2010, the Citizens United opinion has already been harshly criticized by a broad spectrum of people, ranging from President Obama to Ben & Jerry. A group of senators has even called for a constitutional amendment to undo the results of that decision. In this article, I criticize the majority opinion in Citizens United for ignoring the prevailing contractarian view of a corporation. In so doing, the majority arrived at the false conclusion that corporations should be entitled to the constitutional protections of individual citizens. This article presents a new way of using the contractarian paradigm as a defense of corporation regulation.Under the contractarian paradigm, corporations are understood as a nexus of contracts among the corporation’s constituents. The contractarians typically draw the normative conclusion that since parties freely enter into those contracts, parties should be at liberty to set whatever terms they like without government regulation. My article argues for the opposite normative conclusion, that exactly because the contracts at stake are often not in fact bargained for freely or fairly, as the theoreticians argue, that there is need for government regulation to make sure that the contracting process and the resulting bargains are fair. I use contract law jurisprudence to show that defenses to contract enforcement ex post, can justify government regulation of corporations ex ante. Further, I develop this idea into a general analytical framework for assessing whether and when regulation of a corporation is both constitutional and prudential. I then illustrate how to use this paradigm by applying it to the Citizens United decision and to proposed regulatory responses to that decision.This reconceived contractarian paradigm should empower both judicial and legislative bodies to appropriately regulate and even limit the activities of corporations. It is my hope that this article might encourage jurists and legislators to do just that.
Entrepreneurship in Peru: a SWOT analysis

The purpose of this research is to use the SWOT analysis to examine Peru's country conditions and identify areas for potential sources of entrepreneurial opportunities. Findings indicate Peru's main drivers of its economic activities are the energy, agriculture and tourism industries. However, insufficient infrastructure, crime, corruption, poor education and poverty limit economic development. Opportunities for entrepreneurship exist through a diversified economy with a favourable business environment. Although current entrepreneurial activity is mostly concentrated in the retail, hotel and restaurant sector, there is potential to increase entrepreneurial activity within the main economic activities as foreign investments are expected to increase Peru's export-driven industries. Because Peru's government efforts to support entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education have been stagnant in the last decade, we offer recommendations for policy makers to increase entrepreneurial activities based on training and motivation to improve business conditions that would promote and encourage entrepreneurial behaviour.
Predictive factors for failure of conservative management in the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder.

Background Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder is a painful condition characterized by the presence of calcium deposits within the tendons of the rotator cuff (RTC). When conservative management fails, arthroscopic surgery for removal of the calcium may be considered. Surgical removal is often followed by RTC repair to address the resulting tendon defect. This study was performed to assess predictive factors for failure of conservative management and to characterize the rate of RTC repair in the setting of calcific tendinitis. We hypothesize that larger calcific lesion would have a higher likelihood to fail conservative treatment. Methods A retrospective review of patients who were diagnosed with calcific tendinitis at our institution between 2009 and 2019 was performed. Demographics, comorbidities, pain score (visual analog scale), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, range of motion, and patient-reported quality of life measures were recorded and analyzed. All patients underwent a radiograph and magnetic resonance imaging. Size of the calcific lesion was measured based on its largest diameter on magnetic resonance imaging. Statistical analysis included chi-square test, independent t-test, and analysis of variance. Results Two hundred thirty-nine patients were identified in the study period; 127 (53.1%) were women. The mean age was 54 years, and body mass index was 29.2 with a mean follow-up of 6 months. One hundred and sixty had an intact RTC (67.2%) and 78 had a partial RTC tear (32.8%). Ninety-three of 239 (38.9%) patients failed conservative treatment after an average of 4.4 months, necessitating surgical management. Among patients who underwent surgery, the majority of patients (77 of 93 [82.8%]) required a concomitant RTC repair. Subanalysis demonstrates that calcific lesions >1 cm was significantly associated with failure of conservative treatment (odds ratio = 2.86, 95% confidence interval 1.25-6.29, P Conclusion Patients with calcific lesions >1 cm had a 2.8× increased likelihood to undergo operative treatment in the setting of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Most patients who undergo surgical management for removal of the calcific deposit required a concomitant RTC repair and had significant improvements in shoulder pain and function. This information can be helpful to guide orthopedic surgeons on preoperative planning and discussion when treating calcific tendinitis of the shoulder.
Cardiac imaging: Clinical principles and applications

Abstract The continued development and advancement of cardiac imaging technology has played a key role in addressing the growing burden of cardiovascular disease within the past century. The value of each of the imaging techniques lies in their ability to extrapolate the spatial, temporal, and density information from the physical properties of the heart, while considering the comfort of the investigation, how invasive the measurement is, and the cost of utilizing the technology. Roentgenography was the only technology used for decades for medical imaging but it had limited application to cardiac imaging. These limitations were circumvented with the advent of novel imaging technologies. Current noninvasive cardiovascular imaging includes ultrasound (echocardiogram), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each of these individual technologies has clinical applications and yields information that is important for understanding the anatomical structure and pathophysiological function in health and in disease. Currently, subjective visual interpretation of images remains the mainstay of clinical practice. However, recent computational advances have led to the advent of new automated methods for imaging interpretation, which can improve the diagnostic performance of these techniques especially for more inexperienced clinicians. Machine learning has also been used to combine clinical and automated techniques to also improve diagnostic performance of these modalities. This chapter contextualizes each imaging modality within the clinical domain of cardiovascular disease and describes these automated techniques for each of the imaging modalities described.
Immune-Intrinsic Myd88 Directs the Production of Antibodies With Specificity for Extracellular Matrix Components in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome

Primary Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is predominantly seen in women. The disease is characterized by exocrine gland dysfunction in combination with serious systemic manifestations. At present, the causes of pSS are poorly understood. Pulmonary and renal inflammation are observed in pSS mice, reminiscent of a subset of pSS patients. A growing body of evidence indicates that inflammation mediated by Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) contributes to autoimmunity, although this is not well-studied in pSS. Degraded extracellular matrix (ECM) constituents can serve as DAMPs by binding pattern-recognition receptors and activating Myd88-dependent signaling cascades, thereby exacerbating and perpetuating inflammatory cascades. The ECM components biglycan (Bgn) and decorin (Dcn) mediate sterile inflammation and both are implicated in autoimmunity. The objective of this study was to determine whether these ECM components and anti-ECM antibodies are altered in a pSS mouse model, and whether this is dependent on Myd88 activation in immune cells. Circulating levels of Bgn and Dcn were similar among pSS mice and controls and tissue expression studies revealed pSS mice had robust expression of both Bgn and Dcn in the salivary tissue, saliva, lung and kidney. Sera from pSS mice displayed increased levels of autoantibodies directed against ECM components when compared to healthy controls. Further studies using sera derived from conditional knockout pSS mice demonstrated that generation of these autoantibodies relies, at least in part, on Myd88 expression in the hematopoietic compartment. Thus, this study demonstrates that ECM degradation may represent a novel source of chronic B cell activation in the context of pSS.
Teleological Behaviorism: Origins and Present Status

Teleological behaviorism (TEB) is a behavioral identity theory of mind. It identifies the mind not with internal events but with overt patterns of behavior observable in principle by other people. Overt behavioral patterns are said by TEB to cause the acts that comprise them. Thus, according to TEB, the mind may cause overt behavior. However, TEB’s notion of cause differs from our usual notion; for TEB, following Aristotle, the mind may be a final cause of behavior (an answer to the question, why?) but not an efficient cause of behavior (an answer to the question, how?). Of course, to explain behavior fully, one must have answers to both questions. But mental causes, the domain of psychology, are, for TEB, final causes.
Intractable Diarrhea: Value of the Small Intestinal Biopsy

In summarizing their article on intractable diarrhea of infancy Rossi et al1 stated, "a small bowel biopsy is useful in assessing the degree of injury present and guiding nutritional support." We concur that the small bowel biopsy is useful in assessing mucosal injury but has certain limitations. The authors used the Crosby-Krugler capsule, which obtains two small pieces of tissue, in close proximity. This limits the sensitivity of the technique as the specimens are not necessarily representative of the mucosal state of the entire small intestine nor do they allow exclusion of a patchy villous lesion.2
Sternoclavicular Joint Anatomy and Pathology

The sternoclavicular joint is a diarthrodial synovial joint, which represents the only true articulation between the upper extremity and the axial skeleton. A fibrocartilaginous disk bisects the joint forming two distinct synovial cavities. The articulating surfaces of this joint are lined with fibrocartilage. There is little inherent osseous stability between the articulating surfaces of the bulbous medial clavicle and the shallow manubrium. Ligamentous connections, primarily the anterior and posterior sternoclavicular ligaments, play a crucial role stabilizing this joint. Anatomically, the joint is located in close proximity to the trachea, the brachiocephalic vein as it divides into the internal jugular and subclavian veins, the right brachiocephalic artery as it divides into the common carotid and subclavian artery, the left common carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery. Symptomatic pathology of the joint is uncommon, which is reflected by the paucity of literature on the structure. Most conditions can be managed conservatively with acceptable results. However, posterior dislocations represent an emergency, requiring urgent treatment given the potential for disastrous neurovascular or airway damage.
Characterization of Tunnel Barriers by Flicker Noise Spectroscopy

This paper reviews recent results concerning the nature of excess low frequency noise in tunnel junctions. Through the study of small area junctions, the individual components of this noise have been directly observed; it has been found that the noise originates with the slow filling and emptying of trap states in the barrier. The rate limiting step in this process appears to be a reversible change in the configuration of the ions constituting the trap site. The density and strength of these trap states in different tunnel junctions is discussed.
Inactivation of acetylcholinesterase by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride

The neurotoxicant 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been shown to reversibly inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase. The inactivation of the enzyme was detected by monitoring the accumulation of yellow color produced from the reaction between thiocholine and dithiobisnitrobenzoate ion. The kinetic parameter, Km for the substrate (acetylthiocholine), was found to be 0.216 mM and Ki for MPTP inactivation of acetylcholinesterase was found to be 2.14 mM. The inactivation of enzyme by MPTP was found to be dose-dependent. It was found that MPTP is neither a substrate of AChE nor the time-dependent inactivator. The studies of reaction kinetics indicate the inactivation of AChE to be a linear mixed-type inhibition. The dilution assays indicate that MPTP is a reversible inhibitor for AChE. These data suggest that once MPTP enters the basal ganglia of the brain, it can inactivate the acetylcholinesterase enzyme and thereby increase the acetylcholine level in the basal ganglia of brain, leading to potential cell dysfunction. It appears that the nigrostriatal toxicity by MPTP leading to Parkinson's disease-like syndrome may, in part, be mediated via the acetylcholinesterase inactivation.
Does information content influence perceived informativeness?: an experiment in the hypermedia

This paper reviews research in both information content and perceived informativeness in the literature, and examines the causal effect of two information content factors on perceived informativeness. A 2×2 factorial design was adopted in an experiment involving a hypothetical online retailer. Results from 120 surveys collected show strong support of the two hypotheses in the expected direction, i.e., both price and quality information had a significantly positive effect on perceived informativeness. Data also indicate that perceived informativeness is a significant predictor of visitor attitude toward the site and visitor intention to revisit.
Silent ischemia in rehabilitation patients: limited clinical utility of electrocardiographic monitoring.

Abstract In a prospective blinded trial, 24-hour continuous electrocardiographic monitoring for silent ischemia was used to try to identify rehabilitation patients at risk for cardiac complications. Five of 42 patients had episodes of silent ischemia, none of which occurred during physical therapy sessions. One of these patients had syncope while wearing the Holter; none of the other four patients had significant cardiac complications during their rehabilitation, and all were discharged home. None of the patients without ischemia on the monitor had complications, but two patients of 14 whose ECGs precluded monitoring for ischemia had complications. In addition, six patients had episodes of nonsustained asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia, 12 had episodes of supraventricular tachycardia, and four had significant ventricular ectopy, all without clinical significance. Despite the apparent high sensitivity and specificity of the technique, the positive predictive value of monitoring eligible patients for silent ischemia was 20%. We conclude that ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring for silent ischemia or ectopy has limited clinical utility in the rehabilitation population.
Atmospheric Dispersion Models for Environmental Pollution Applications

Pollutants are introduced into the air by many of man’s activities. The potentially harmful effects these can cause are, broadly speaking, of two kinds: long-term, possibly large-scale and wide-spread chronic effects, including long-term effects on the earth’s climate; and acute, short-term effects such as those associated with urban air pollution. This section is concerned with mathematical cloud or plume models describing the role of the atmosphere, primarily in relation to the second of these, the acute effects of air pollution, i.e. those arising from comparatively high concentration levels. The need for such air pollution modeling studies has increased spectacularly as a result of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1968 and, especially, two key court decisions; the Calvert Cliffs decision, and the Sierra Club ruling on environmental non-degradation. This increase is being met in several ways. Many more individuals and companies, a large number, have entered the environmental consulting field.* Similarly many more universities now offer special training in atmospheric diffusion. This workshop itself is a response to the greatly increased demand that exists for information on applications of diffusion modeling to a wide variety of urgent, practical, air-pollution problems.
A reassessment of the integrated impact of tropical cyclones on surface chlorophyll in the western subtropical North Atlantic

The impact of tropical cyclones on surface chlorophyll concentration is assessed in the western subtropical North Atlantic Ocean during 1998–2011. Previous studies in this area focused on individual cyclones and gave mixed results regarding the importance of tropical cyclone-induced mixing for changes in surface chlorophyll. Using a more integrated and comprehensive approach that includes quantification of cyclone-induced changes in mixed layer depth, here it is shown that accumulated cyclone energy explains 22% of the interannual variability in seasonally averaged (June–November) chlorophyll concentration in the western subtropical North Atlantic, after removing the influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The variance explained by tropical cyclones is thus about 70% of that explained by the NAO, which has well-known impacts in this region. It is therefore likely that tropical cyclones contribute significantly to interannual variations of primary productivity in the western subtropical North Atlantic during the hurricane season.
Identification of integrins in cultured corneal fibroblasts and in isolated keratocytes.

Purpose The integrins are a family of transmembrane glycoproteins that function in attachment of cells to one another and to the extracellular matrix. When cell--cell and cell--matrix interactions are altered, the population of integrins may change. In particular, removing cells from their normal environment may be used as a model of wounding. The current study reports the identification of the integrins expressed at the cell surface of noncultured keratocytes and of cultured corneal fibroblasts, which are derived from keratocytes grown in primary culture. Methods For integrin identification, the surface proteins of keratocytes and cultured corneal fibroblasts were labeled with biotin, and the integrins were immunoprecipitated using anti-integrin antibodies. Attachment assays determined (1) the extracellular matrix preference of the cultured corneal fibroblasts and (2) the effects of function-perturbing antibodies against the fibronectin receptor (alpha 5 beta 1) or against other beta 1-containing integrins. Results The integrins of noncultured keratocytes were present as heterodimeric alpha, beta surface proteins that were immunoprecipitated by anti-beta 1, anti-alpha v, anti-alpha 6, anti-alpha 3, anti-alpha 1, and anti-beta 3. Furthermore, when the keratocytes were placed in culture, the integrin pattern changed. The classic fibronectin receptor, alpha 5 beta 1, is then expressed along with additional integrins that bind to fibronectin. Using attachment assays, we determined that the cultured corneal fibroblasts prefer fibronectin to collagen, vitronectin, or laminin as extracellular matrix substrate. In addition, function-perturbing antibodies against the fibronectin receptor (alpha 5 beta 1) or against beta 1 inhibit attachment of cultured corneal fibroblasts to fibronectin. Conclusions Receptors for fibronectin and other extracellular matrix molecules are expressed at the cell surface in cultured corneal fibroblasts, and are in position to play a significant functional role as seen in attachment to extracellular matrix.
Individual differences in behavioural plasticities

Interest in individual differences in animal behavioural plasticities has surged in recent years, but research in this area has been hampered by semantic confusion as different investigators use the same terms (e.g. plasticity, flexibility, responsiveness) to refer to different phenomena. The first goal of this review is to suggest a framework for categorizing the many different types of behavioural plasticities, describe examples of each, and indicate why using reversibility as a criterion for categorizing behavioural plasticities is problematic. This framework is then used to address a number of timely questions about individual differences in behavioural plasticities. One set of questions concerns the experimental designs that can be used to study individual differences in various types of behavioural plasticities. Although within-individual designs are the default option for empirical studies of many types of behavioural plasticities, in some situations (e.g. when experience at an early age affects the behaviour expressed at subsequent ages), ‘replicate individual’ designs can provide useful insights into individual differences in behavioural plasticities. To date, researchers using within-individual and replicate individual designs have documented individual differences in all of the major categories of behavioural plasticities described herein. Another important question is whether and how different types of behavioural plasticities are related to one another. Currently there is empirical evidence that many behavioural plasticities [e.g. contextual plasticity, learning rates, IIV (intra-individual variability), endogenous plasticities, ontogenetic plasticities) can themselves vary as a function of experiences earlier in life, that is, many types of behavioural plasticity are themselves developmentally plastic. These findings support the assumption that differences among individuals in prior experiences may contribute to individual differences in behavioural plasticities observed at a given age. Several authors have predicted correlations across individuals between different types of behavioural plasticities, i.e. that some individuals will be generally more plastic than others. However, empirical support for most of these predictions, including indirect evidence from studies of relationships between personality traits and plasticities, is currently sparse and equivocal. The final section of this review suggests how an appreciation of the similarities and differences between different types of behavioural plasticities may help theoreticians formulate testable models to explain the evolution of individual differences in behavioural plasticities and the evolutionary and ecological consequences of individual differences in behavioural plasticities.
Geometric drawings of Kn with few crossings

We give a new upper bound for the rectilinear crossing number [email protected]?(n) of the complete geometric graph K"n. We prove that [email protected]?(n)=<0.380559(n4)[email protected](n^3) by means of a new construction based on an iterative duplication strategy starting with a set having a certain structure of halving lines.
A sensitive in vitro assay for oxytocin.

A bio-assay has been developed for the quantitative determination of oxytocin. The assay makes use of the milk ejection phenomenon of rat mammary gland tissue in vitro. The time between the exposure of the mammary gland tissue to the oxytocin solution and the initiation of milk ejection (TT) was used as the quantitative parameter. The TT was determined by placing 2 mm3 pieces of mammary tissue containing milk into drops of solutions of known oxytocin concentration. Solutions of oxytocin containing from 1 ×lO-2 through 1×lO-10 IU/ml were quantified. Since a volume of 0.01 ml was used per determination, the actual amounts of oxytocin were 1×10-4 to 1×1O-12 IU. The relationship between the logarithm of an exponential series of oxytocin concentrations and the logarithm of TT was found to be inverse and linear over the entire quantitative dose range. The simple materials and equipment, the small amount of time, the high sensitivity and the wide range of the linear dose-response relationship makes this a practi...
Midlife hypertension and 20-year cognitive change: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study

Importance Hypertension is a treatable potential cause of cognitive decline and dementia, but its greatest influence on cognition may occur in middle age. Objective To evaluate the association between midlife (48-67 years of age) hypertension and the 20-year change in cognitive performance. Design, Setting, and Participants The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort (1990-1992 through 2011-2013) underwent evaluation at field centers in Washington County, Maryland, Forsyth County, North Carolina, Jackson, Mississippi, and the Minneapolis, Minnesota, suburbs. Of 13 476 African American and white participants with baseline cognitive data, 58.0% of living participants completed the 20-year cognitive follow-up. Exposures Hypertension, prehypertension, or normal blood pressure (BP) at visit 2 (1990-1992) constituted the primary exposure. Systolic BP at visit 2 or 5 (2011-2013) and indication for treatment at visit 2 based on the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC-8) hypertension guidelines constituted the secondary exposures. Main Outcomes and Measures Prespecified outcomes included the 20-year change in scores on the Delayed Word Recall Test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, and Word Fluency Test and in global cognition. Results During 20 years, baseline hypertension was associated with an additional decline of 0.056 globalzscore points (95% CI, −0.100 to −0.012) and prehypertension was associated nonsignificantly with 0.040 more globalzscore points of decline (95% CI, −0.085 to 0.005) compared with normal BP. Individuals with hypertension who used antihypertensives had less decline during the 20 years than untreated individuals with hypertension (−0.050 [95% CI, −0.003 to −0.097] vs −0.079 [95% CI, −0.156 to −0.002] globalzscore points). Having a JNC-8–specified indication for initiating antihypertensive treatment at baseline was associated with a greater 20-year decline (−0.044 [95% CI, −0.085 to −0.003] globalzscore points) than not having an indication. We observed effect modification by race for the continuous systolic BP analyses (P = .01), with each 20–mm Hg increment at baseline associated with an additional decline of 0.048 (95% CI, −0.074 to −0.022) points in global cognitivezscore in whites but not in African Americans (decline, −0.020 [95% CI, −0.026 to 0.066] points). Systolic BP at the end of follow-up was not associated with the preceding 20 years of cognitive change in either group. Methods to account for bias owing to attrition strengthened the magnitude of some associations. Conclusions and Relevance Midlife hypertension and elevated midlife but not late-life systolic BP was associated with more cognitive decline during the 20 years of the study. Greater decline is found with higher midlife BP in whites than in African Americans.
Comparative Prevalence of Subclinical Cytomegalovirus and Herpes Simplex Virus Infections in the Genital and Urinary Tracts of Low-Income, Urban Women

The prevalence of subclinical infections caused by cytomegaloviruses (CMV) and herpes simplex viruses (HSV) was assessed simultaneously in the genital and urinary tracts of 1,101 indigent women. Shedding of CMV from the genital and urinary tracts exceeded that of HSV by ninefold (8.89% vs. 0.95%) and sevenfold (3.8% vs. 0.51%), respectively. Pregnancy, regardless of gestational age, had no discernible influence on productive infection with either virus in either the genital or the urinary tract. In contrast, age was a significant variable, especially with CMV. The prevalence of CMV shedding decreased steadily with age, from peak values of 15% and 8% in the genital and urinary tracts, respectively, of females 11-14 years of age to undetectable levels in females 31 years of age and older. Productive HSV infection was more prevalent in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women: 2.4% vs. 0.8% and 3.1% vs. 0.2% in the genital and urinary tracts, respectively. Likewise, HSV infection of both the genital and the urinary tract combined was more common in older than in younger females. Productive infections of the genital tract with cytomegaloviruses (CMV) and herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are relatively common in young, low-income women, whether pregnant or non
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES FOR OILSPILL TRAJECTORY MODELING IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LEASING AREA

Oilspill trajectory modeling and physical oceanographic studies of areas off the southeastern coast of the United States have been in progress since 1976, and have been used in making decisions for two separate offshore lease sales. The initial oilspill trajectory model was modified to accommodate the findings of ongoing studies. Research has enlarged the data base and increased the understanding of oceanographic and meteorological processes observed in this region. Hypothesized ocean surface circulation patterns, originally based upon drift bottle returns, are now based upon a series of satellite observations. By correlating winds observed at data buoys with observed winds on land, correction factors have been developed to more accurately apply data from land-based meteorological stations for predicting winds on the ocean surface. 18 refs.
Lorentz resonances and the vertical structure of dusty rings: Analytical and numerical results

The Schaffer and Burns (1987) linear theory of Lorentz resonances (LRs) in planetary rings is extended in order to accurately compute LR locations and to elucidate the nature of grain trajectories within the LR zones. Using the perturbation theory and energy arguments, it is shown that an increase in the inclination or eccentricity of a grain must be accompanied by a shift in the mean orbital radius of the particle. This shift alters the epicyclic frequencies in such a way that the infinite response of the linear resonance theory is suppressed. Chaotic motion is found for the range of charge-to-mass ratios that cause the vertical and horizontal LRs to overlap.
CALCULATION OF CRITICAL BUCKLING AND ONE-GROUP FLUX-DISTRIBUTION FOR CORES OF ARBITRARY SHAPE AS A METHOD TO OPTIMIZE CORE GEOMETRIES.

Abstract A variational method, calculating critical size and flux distribution for reactor cores of arbitrary shapes has been developed. The flux is approximated by a product of the shape function and a linear combination of trial functions. A unique treatment of a variety of shapes and an analytical integration of the variation integral is possible. The general procedure has been developed and programmed for reactors with rotational symmetry and symmetry to the mid-plane. Numerical results are given. The method is particularly suited for the optimization of core shapes with respect to various technically and economically important reactor parameters like the power peaking factor, void coefficient distribution, etc. The optimization is described and results are shown.
Bulk tissue optical parameters of porcine skin dermis at 8 wavelengths from 325 to 1550nm

Investigation of tissue optics requires accurate values of the bulk optical parameters: the scattering coefficient μs, absorption coefficient μa, anisotropy factor g and the real refractive index nr. We employed a coherent reflectance curve method to determine the refractive index of fresh porcine skin dermis at 8 wavelengths between 325 and 1557nm. The surface profiles of fresh dermis samples were measured with a non-contact method of confocal imaging and the roughness parameters were extracted. To determine tissue optical parameters, a single integrating sphere was used to measure the diffused reflectance and transmittance with slab samples of fresh porcine skin dermis. Collimated transmittance was measured with the samples in situ using a spatial filtering setup. Based on these results, a Monte Carlo code capable of handling surface roughness of the tissue sample has been developed and used to inversely determine the bulk values of μs, μa and g at the 8 wavelengths which are significantly different from the reported values.
Childhood central nervous system leukemia: historical perspectives, current therapy, and acute neurological sequelae

Introduction During the past three decades, improvements in the treatment of childhood leukemia have resulted in high cure rates, particularly for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Unfortunately, successful therapy has come with a price, as significant morbidity can result from neurological affects which harm the brain and spinal cord. The expectation and hope is that chemotherapy, as a primary means of CNS therapy, will result in acceptable disease control with less CNS morbidity than has been observed with combinations of chemotherapy and radiotherapy over the past several decades.
Childhood family violence history and women’s risk for intimate partner violence and poor health

Abstract Background There is growing evidence for associations between generations in family violence and between family violence in both childhood and adulthood and women’s health. Most studies focus on a subset of family violence (child abuse, witnessing intimate partner violence [IPV] as a child, and/or adult IPV), and few examine possible differences associated with the nature of abusive experiences, such as physical versus sexual abuse. Methods A population-based telephone survey, the 1999 and 2001 Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, asked a representative sample of 3527 English-speaking, non-institutionalized adult women whether they had been physically or sexually assaulted or witnessed interparental violence in childhood, and whether they had experienced physical assault or emotional abuse from an intimate partner in the past year. The survey also asked about current general health and mental distress in the past month. Results The risks associated with childhood family violence experiences varied depending on the nature of those experiences. Women reporting childhood physical abuse or witnessing interparental violence were at a four- to six-fold increase in risk of physical IPV, and women reporting any of the experiences measured were at three- to four-fold increase in risk of partner emotional abuse. In contrast, women reporting childhood sexual abuse only were not at increased risk of physical IPV. Women reporting childhood physical abuse were at increased risk of poor physical health, and women reporting any type of childhood family violence were at increased risk of frequent mental distress. Approximately one third of women reporting poor general health and half of women reporting frequent mental distress also reported at least one of the childhood experiences measured. Conclusions These findings underscore the role of childhood experiences of abuse and of witnessing family violence in women’s current risk for IPV, poor physical health, and frequent mental distress.
Comparison of morphology and photo-physiology with metal/metalloid contamination in Vallisneria neotropicalis

Abstract The overarching goal of this in situ study was to investigate the integrated impact(s) that metal/metalloid contamination might have on the overall health and performance of the ecologically important aquatic macrophyte, Vallisneria neotropicalis . Morphological (i.e., shoot growth-based endpoints) and photo-physiological (i.e., photosynthetic activity measured as chlorophyll a fluorescence and oxygen exchange) variables, along with aboveground tissue metal/metalloid concentrations, were measured in natural populations of V. neotropicalis that differed with respect to their anthropogenic pressure. With the exception of an overall negative effect on growth, our results suggest that there were no detrimental effects of low/moderate contamination of V. neotropicalis by trace elements (i.e., arsenic As and mercury Hg; 1.04–2.77 μg g −1 dry wt. and 3.76–15.18 ng g −1 dry wt., respectively) on the photosynthetic physiological performance of this species. V. neotropicalis appears to tolerate low/moderate levels of trace element contamination with little impact on plant health and performance.
Space-Time-Dependent Correlation Functions for One-Dimensional Heisenberg Spin Systems in a Lorentzian-Gaussian Approximation

We comment on the recent work of Fernandez and Gersch on the frequency Fourier transform of the selfcorrelation function for a one-dimensional, $S=\frac{1}{2}$, Heisenberg spin system with nearest-neighbor exchange. Using a more embellished version of their phenomenological theory, we have computed the frequency Fourier transform of the self-correlation, as well as those for several spatially separated correlations. The results are in good agreement with those calculated by Carboni and Richards with an exact ab initio procedure.