cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gene Therapy for Liver Disease

Liver plays a critical role in many inherited and acquired genetic disorders. It is also the prime location for the treatment of certain inborn errors of metabolism. Over the years, advances in nucleic acid-based therapies have resulted in several successful treatment outcomes for liver disorders. However, their use has been severely hampered by many undesirable side effects and methodological restraints. To address these issues, recent research efforts have been focused on the development of targeted gene editing approaches using novel genetic tools, as well as the efficient delivery systems for these tools into the liver. This chapter will provide an overview on current and emerging therapeutic strategies for liver-directed gene therapy.
Effective elastic properties of composites with particles of polyhedral shapes

Abstract Contributions of 15 convex polyhedral particle shapes to the overall elastic properties of particle-reinforced composites are predicted using micromechanical homogenization and direct finite element analysis approaches. The micromechanical approach is based on the combination of the stiffness contribution tensor (N-tensor) formalism with Mori–Tanaka and Maxwell homogenization schemes. The second approach involves FEA simulations performed on artificial periodic representative volume elements containing randomly oriented particles of the same shape. The results of the two approaches are in good agreement for volume fractions up to 30%. Applicability of the replacement relation interrelating N-tensors of the particles having the same shape but different elastic constants is investigated and a shape parameter correlated with the accuracy of the relation is proposed. It is concluded that combination of the N-tensor components of the 15 shapes presented for three values of matrix Poisson's ratios with the replacement relation allows extending the results of this paper to matrix/particle material combinations not discussed here.
Predictors of recurrence after radiofrequency ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation

Radiofrequency catheter ablation that targets the pulmonary veins is well established as a mainstay for drug-refractory, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). However, in patients with persistent AF, the ideal approach remains elusive. Further, despite the various additional ablation strategies that have been investigated in patients with persistent AF, the rate of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias after ablation remains relatively high. In this review, the predictors of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias after catheter ablation of persistent AF will be discussed.
Changing Attitudes and Reducing Tensions between People

I wonder how much we have learned since 1947 when Herbert Hyman and a colleague of his, Sheatsley, wrote an article on why information campaigns fail. Something very much like that was written about the same time by Daniel Katz (1946). How much have we learned since those days? How successful have we been in answering those questions?
Helping Trainees Develop Scholarship in Academic Medicine From Community Service.

Introduction Service in the community and academic medicine are often seen by trainees as unrelated. This may be one reason for the lack of faculty diversity and the declining interest in academic ...
Aspiration cytopathology of tophaceous gout: a report of 22 patients.

Introduction Gout may manifest with crystal-induced arthropathy and/or soft tissue tophi. Demonstration of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals is necessary to establish the diagnosis. Despite the fact that alcohol is an ideal fixative to preserve MSU crystals, very few fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cases of gout have been published. Materials and Methods A retrospective review was performed for FNA cases diagnosed as tophaceous gout. Samples included unstained smears or smears stained with Diff-Quik or Papanicolaou stain, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cell block stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Results We identified 22 FNA cases involving 18 men and 4 women. Only 7 patients had a clinical history of gout and 5 were taking gout medication. At least 4 patients presented with a clinical diagnosis of rule out sarcoma. All had soft tissue masses from either upper (n = 5) or lower (n = 17) extremities. Extracellular polarizing needle-shaped crystals with negative birefringence were present and visible on unstained, Diff-Quik, or Papanicolaou-stained conventional smears as well as in H&E-stained cell blocks in all cases. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that MSU crystals are readily detectable under polarization on direct smears with or without staining. FNA cytology can serve as an alternative to core needle biopsy or synovial biopsy in not only confirming a diagnosis of tophaceous gout, but also in eliminating a diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma in those patients where clinical and/or radiologic features were concerning for malignancy.
Generalizing the Yale Swallow Protocol to Different Patient Populations: Time to Change

The Yale Swallow Protocol has been validated with referral populations from four broad patient groupings: (1) Pediatric; (2) Trauma; (3) Stroke; and (4) General Hospital. When the Yale Swallow Protocol is passed not only thin liquids but diet recommendations with puree and solid food consistencies can be made without the need for further instrumental dysphagia assessment.
Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of the Importance, Preparation and Time Spent in the Athletic Training Content Areas

Context: Graduates of professional programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education are expected to be competent and proficient in the athletic training content...
Differential Equations & Domains

The primary goal of this chapter is to obtain a solid working intuition for the continuous dynamics part of cyber-physical systems. It provides a brief introduction to differential equations with evolution domains as models of continuous physical processes. While focusing on an intuitive development, this chapter lays the foundation for an operational understanding of continuous processes. For reference, it discusses some of the elementary theory of differential equations. This chapter also introduces the first-order logic of real arithmetic as a language for describing the evolution domains to which continuous processes are restricted when forming hybrid systems.
EncoMPASS: an online database for analyzing structure and symmetry in membrane proteins

The EncoMPASS online database (http://encompass.ninds.nih.gov) collects, organizes, and presents information about membrane proteins of known structure, emphasizing their structural similarities as well as their quaternary and internal symmetries. Unlike, e.g. SCOP, the EncoMPASS database does not aim for a strict classification of membrane proteins, but instead is organized as a protein chain-centric network of sequence and structural homologues. The online server for the EncoMPASS database provides tools for comparing the structural features of its entries, making it a useful resource for homology modeling and active site identification studies. The database can also be used for inferring functionality, which for membrane proteins often involves symmetry-related mechanisms. To this end, the online database also provides a comprehensive description of both the quaternary and internal symmetries in known membrane protein structures, with a particular focus on their orientation relative to the membrane.
Hand Movement Discrimination Using Particle Filters

Powered prosthetic devices can be driven using task-specific information from surface electromyogram (sEMG) signals recorded over the relevant muscles. The task-specific information can be extracted from sEMG signals using the state-space framework, which models movement planning and execution by the central nervous system (CNS). The proposed state-space model consists of a nonlinear system dynamics model and a linear measurement model based on the hypothesis of muscle synergies. The unknown system state, which is to be estimated, consists of synergy activation coefficients and is constrained to be non-negative on average due to physiological reasons. To solve this constrained nonlinear estimation problem, we propose a modification to the particle filter, which first draws particles from the unconstrained posterior distribution and then enforces the constraints by sampling from a high probability region. This method is termed MEan DEnsity Truncation (MEDET) in contrast to an approach that constrains the entire posterior density. The constrained state estimates, i.e., synergy activation coefficients are later used to discriminate between six different tasks including hand open, hand close, wrist flexion, wrist extension, forearm pronation and supination of three participants. The newly proposed PF-MEDET algorithm was able to discriminate hand tasks with more than 97% accuracy.
Institutional Investor Preferences and Firm Value

This paper demonstrates the existence of different institutional investor preferences for equity characteristics, and makes the link between these preferences and firm value. We show that transient institutional investors (those that trade frequently with a view to maximizing short term gains) possess superior information to other market participants and actively seek out situations in which they can exploit this informational advantage. Their presence, particularly under conditions where firm-level information quality is poor, is associated with both higher returns and higher subsequent firm values. We also find that dedicated (long term) and quasi-indexing (passive with broad holdings) institutional investors are attracted to firms that enable them to engage in monitoring activities. Although there is some evidence to suggest that the arrival of dedicated institutional investors enhances firm transparency, the presence of both dedicated and quasi-indexer investors is of limited importance in determining overall firm value when other features of the firm‟s contracting environment (such as corporate governance provisions, information precision and free cash flows) are fully considered. These results are robust to both a fixed effects and an instrumental variables procedure that mitigates the endogeneity problem. Therefore, the previously documented linear relationship between institutional holdings and Tobin's Q is almost entirely driven by the trading actions of active investors who do not engage in monitoring in the conventional sense.
Is Bildung possible in the classroom?: Autobiographical writing as philosophical exercise (askēsis) for developing one’s Bildung

AbstractThe development of self is an important part of formal education, and related to the notion of self is the development of Bildung, or cultivation of the self. Bildung has been an integral p...
Commentary on using H/E and H3/E2 as proxies for fracture toughness of hard coatings

Abstract While positive correlation between fracture toughness and H/E and H3/E2 has been reported for some ceramic coatings, we outline an argument that such correlation cannot be true in general, especially for nanolayer and nanocomposite coatings that present multiple interfaces to impede crack growth. Literature data are presented to support this argument.
Effects of Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes on Smoking Behavior and Biomarkers of Exposure in Menthol and Non-menthol Smokers.

Author(s): Denlinger-Apte, Rachel L; Kotlyar, Michael; Koopmeiners, Joseph S; Tidey, Jennifer W; Luo, Xianghua; Benowitz, Neal L; Jensen, Joni A; Ikuemonisan, Joshua O; Pacek, Lauren R; Smith, Tracy T; Vandrey, Ryan; Donny, Eric C; Hatsukami, Dorothy K | Abstract: IntroductionBecause 30% of cigarettes sold in the United States are characterized as menthol cigarettes, it is important to understand how menthol preference may affect the impact of a nicotine reduction policy.MethodsIn a recent trial, non-treatment-seeking smokers were randomly assigned to receive very low nicotine cigarettes (VLNC; 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco) or normal nicotine cigarettes (NNC; 15.5 mg/g) for 20 weeks. On the basis of preference, participants received menthol or non-menthol cigarettes. We conducted multivariable regression analyses to examine whether menthol preference moderated the effects of nicotine content on cigarettes per day (CPD), breath carbon monoxide (CO), urinary total nicotine equivalents (TNE), urinary 2-cyanoethylmercapturic acid (CEMA), and abstinence.ResultsAt baseline, menthol smokers (n = 346) reported smoking fewer CPD (14.9 vs. 19.2) and had lower TNE (52.8 vs. 71.6 nmol/mg) and CO (17.7 vs. 20.5 ppm) levels than non-menthol smokers (n = 406; ps l .05). At week 20, significant interactions indicated that menthol smokers had smaller treatment effects than non-menthol smokers for CPD (-6.4 vs. -9.3), TNE (ratio of geometric means, 0.22 vs. 0.10) and CEMA (ratio, 0.56 vs. 0.37; ps l .05), and trended toward a smaller treatment effect for CO (-4.5 vs. -7.3 ppm; p = .06). Odds ratios for abstinence at week 20 were 1.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.8 to 4.4) for menthol and 9.11 (95% CI = 3.3 to 25.2) for non-menthol VLNC smokers (p = .02) relative to the NNC condition.ConclusionsAlthough menthol smokers experienced reductions in smoking, toxicant exposure, and increases in quitting when using VLNC cigarettes, the magnitude of change was smaller than that observed for non-menthol smokers.ImplicationsResults of this analysis suggest that smokers of menthol cigarettes may respond to a nicotine reduction policy with smaller reductions in smoking rates and toxicant exposure than would smokers of non-menthol cigarettes.
Medicine and the arts. Protect Yourself from This by Karen Fiser. Commentary.

Medicine and the Arts Protect Yourself From This By Karen Fiser Protect yourself from this, the sight of the lumpish woman in plate glass laboring to push herself along in her coat, in the sun. She looks to be a woman of a certain age, a nice woman, but forlorn, with too much pain in her face to be outdoors. You look away, then swiftly back, to see her struggle with the chair outside the heavy bank door, holding her packages upright in her lap with her teeth. She starts to mutter, how difficult things are. For an instant you allow yourself to feel her dread, her effort not to become another crazy crying on a Berkeley street. She is not what you feel yourself to be, but what you see you are, reflected in the world’s unyielding surfaces. You know you can never leave her, now. Reprinted with permission of the poet. Originally published in Fiser K. Words Like Fate and Pain. Cambridge, Mass: Zoland Press; 1992 [out of print]. Academic Medicine, Vol. 84, No. 3 / March 2009
An analysis of a pilot’s adherence to their personal weather minimums

Abstract Risk acceptance and mitigation remains a focal point of pilot training, especially when it comes to weather. Even with enhanced technology such as smartphones, which put weather information at pilots fingertips, weather remains a leading contributor to aircraft accidents. Establishing personal weather minimums is intended to serve as a risk mitigation strategy to enhance a pilot’s decision making. However, personal weather minimums only reduce the risk level if pilots are willing to adhere to their personal minimums. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether pilots adhere to their predetermined personal weather minimums once the flight was conducted and could the simulation of external pressures, such as, for example, having to deliver a passenger on-time for a meeting, have an effect on their willingness to push on into poor weather conditions. A convenience sample of instrument-rated pilots (N = 112) flew an instrument (ILS) approach with a passenger (a confederate) onboard into low instrument meteorological conditions. Unbeknownst to the pilots, researchers controlled the weather in the simulator such that it was unsafe/illegal to land the aircraft. The findings demonstrated 96.4% of participants descended below their stated personal weather minimums while 81.5% descended below the minimum published federal altitude. None of the simulated external pressures resulted in any significant differences (all p’s > 0.05). The findings are of particular concern because if pilots do not adhere to their personal weather minimums, they are potentially voiding a risk mitigation strategy and either intentionally or unintentionally accepting a higher risk level for flight.
Impacts of Coal Resource Development on Surface Water Quality in a Multi‐jurisdictional Watershed in the Western United States

This study focuses on water quality and quantity impacts from natural resource development on watersheds originating on Crow tribal lands in southeastern Montana. My field research analysis will focus on the surface water quality in three adjacent watersheds. This study will determine impacts to water quality from reclaimed coal mine spoils surface runoff and produced water discharge from coal bed methane wells within the watersheds. A secondary research objective is to determine a baseline assessment of surface water in watersheds prior to proposed mine development, particularly on tribally owned and allotted tracts. Historical data from state agencies will also be compared to data collected within watersheds on tribal lands. Water quality impacts from mining development may be more pronounced than that of coal bed methane as the reclaimed mining sites have demonstrated lasting impacts on the nearby surface water quality in the study area. Historical and current samples have demonstrated elevated contaminant levels downstream of a mine site in a tributary to the primary watershed. A sample from a pond in another reclaimed mine site contained the most elevated sodium adsorption ratio levels of all surface water samples. Coal bed methane development impacts may have been transient in the primary watershed surface water based on sample results. Historical oil and gas development appears to be impacting surface water quality within the southernmost watershed. Analysis has shown the increasing degradation of water quality in watersheds downstream and across the state boundary of Montana into Wyoming where natural resource development has occurred.
Transoral Endoscopic Vestibular Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Excision.

Objective Thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) are relatively common congenital midline neck masses that are treated with surgical excision. Traditionally these are removed along with any associated tract and the central portion of the hyoid bone through an anterior neck incision. Some patients with TGDCs want to avoid an external neck scar. Methods We describe the details of a transoral endoscopic vestibular excision of a TGDC and the associated hyoid bone in an adolescent patient. Results This novel approach was successful and there were no complications. Conclusion We propose that cervical TGDCs can be safely and completely removed with this approach in appropriately selected patients while avoiding a neck scar.
Instagram and theory of reasoned action: US consumers influence of peers online and purchase intention

This study aims for a better understanding of social networks (SN) regarding sustainable apparel. This study utilises a quantitative, online survey research approach of U.S. consumers to understand...
Genome Analysis of Programmed DNA Elimination in Parasitic Nematodes

Two distinct groups of parasitic nematodes use programmed DNA elimination to silence germline-expressed genes in the somatic cells (ascarids) or for sex determination (Strongyloides spp.). In the ascarids, DNA is lost only in pre-somatic cells during early embryogenesis, leading to a reduced somatic genome compared to the intact germ cell genome. Comparative genome analysis has provided information on the retained vs. eliminated sequences, DNA breaks, a full chromosome view on DNA elimination, and the evolutionary conservation of DNA elimination among ascarids. These studies have revealed novel insights into the functions and mechanisms of DNA elimination and provided a reference for in-depth molecular analysis of DNA elimination. Here, I describe the genomics methods we used to study programmed DNA elimination, focusing on the parasitic nematode Ascaris.
Ruminant-specific retrotransposons shape regulatory evolution of bovine immunity

Cattle are an important livestock species, and mapping the genomic architecture of agriculturally relevant traits such as disease susceptibility is a major challenge in the bovine research community. Lineage-specific transposable elements (TEs) are increasingly recognized to contribute to gene regulatory evolution and variation, but this possibility has been largely unexplored in ruminant genomes. We conducted epigenomic profiling of the type II interferon (IFN) response in bovine cells, and found thousands of ruminant-specific TEs including MER41_BT and Bov-A2 elements predicted to act as IFN-inducible enhancer elements. CRISPR knockout experiments in bovine cells established that critical immune factors including IFNAR2 and IL2RB are transcriptionally regulated by TE-derived enhancers. Finally, population genomic analysis of 38 individuals revealed that a subset of TE-derived enhancers represent polymorphic insertion sites in modern cattle. Our study reveals that lineage-specific TEs have shaped the evolution of ruminant IFN responses, and potentially continue to contribute to immune gene regulatory differences across modern breeds and individuals. Together with previous work in human cells, our findings demonstrate that lineage-specific TEs have been independently co-opted to regulate IFN-inducible gene expression in multiple species, supporting TE co-option as a recurrent mechanism driving the evolution of IFN-inducible transcriptional networks.
How to Characterize Amorphous Shapes: The Tale of a Reverse Micelle

Aerosol-OT reverse micelles represent a chemical construct where surfactant molecules self-assemble to stabilize water nanodroplets ~1-10 nm in diameter. Although commonly assumed to adopt a spherical shape, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and some experimental studies predict a non-spherical shape. If these aggregates are not spherical, then what shape do they take? Because the tools needed to evaluate the shape of something that lacks regular structure, order, or symmetry are not well developed, we present a set of three intuitive metrics- coordinate-pair eccentricity, convexity, and the curvature distribution- that estimate the shape of an amorphous object and we demonstrate their use on a simulated Aerosol-OT reverse micelle. These metrics are all well-established methods and principles in mathematics, and each provides unique information about the shape. Together, these metrics provide intuitive descriptions of amorphous shapes, facilitate ways to quantify those shapes, and follow their changes over time.
A simple test for the interlaminar fracture toughness of composites

A simple test method for the measurement of delamination resistance is assessed through its application to 11-ply graphite-epoxy laminates whose matrices employ the F185 and 205 resins. The F185 resin has the same base epoxy as the 205, to which liquid and solid elastomers have been added. The critical value of the mixed mode energy release rate, calculated from a closed form equation employing nominal strain measurements from the onset of edge delamination, show that addition of the elastomers to the base epoxy increases interlaminar fracture toughness. Comparison of these results with those of width-tapered double cantilever beam (WTDCB) test data for the two materials shows a similar strain energy release rate, establishing the accuracy of the novel method. Both tests are found to be needed, however, for the quantitative characterization of interlaminar fracture toughness.
The use of aged monkeys to study pd: important roles in pathogenesis and experimental therapeutics

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses use of aged monkeys for studying Parkinson's disease (PD). Monkeys are closer to humans phylogenetically and display a motor repertoire similar to humans. As a function of age, monkeys display crucial pathological and behavioral features that mimics PD. The data presented in the chapter illustrate that aged monkeys provide a unique model to study specific aspects of PD pathogenesis. Monkey models provide an important behavioral and morphological association with PD and provide an important resource to evaluate disease pathogenesis and a forum to test new symptomatic therapeutic strategies. Aged monkeys display motor deficits that are associated with a loss of dopamine phenotype independent of the loss of nigral neurons. This occurs early in the pathogenic cascade in PD. The loss of phenotype seen in aged monkeys is associated specifically with the accumulation of α-synuclein, a phenomenon also associated with the loss of dopaminergic markers in PD. The chapter also discusses about the observation that the nigrostriatal system in aged monkeys treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP fails to compensate for the loss of dopaminergic function in a manner similar to that seen in young monkeys treated with MPTP.
INTERACTION OF SEPARATED FISSIONABLE SYSTEMS. PART II

The critical parameters of coupled fissionable assemblies in close proximity are studied by a variational technique based upon an integral equation for neutron conservation. Both diffusion and transport kernels can be used, and though the former is simpler, it may lead to considerable error in certain cases. An iterative method is used to solve the resulting integral equation for the case of identical spheres. The rapid convergence implies that a constant trial function for the flux is satisfactory. It is found that limiting values are rapidly approached as the separation increases and that the effect is more pronounced if the assemblies are in a vacuum than if they are embedded in matter. (auth)
Mono-ADP-ribosylation: A Reversible Posttranslational Modification of Proteins

Mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase activity has been detected in numerous vertebrate tissues and transferase cDNAs from a few species have recently been cloned. In vitro ADP-ribosylation has been demonstrated with diverse substrates such as phosphorylase kinase, actin, and Gs alpha resulting in the alteration of substrate function. ADP-ribosylation of endogenous target proteins has been observed in chicken heterophils, rat brain, and human platelets, and integrin alpha 7 was found to be the endogenous substrate of the GPI-anchored rabbit skeletal muscle transferase. The reversibility of ADP-ribosylation is made possible by ADP-ribosylarginine hydrolases which have been isolated and cloned from rodent and human tissues. The transferases and hydrolases could in principle form an intracellular ADP-ribosylation regulatory cycle. In the case of the skeletal muscle transferases, however, processing of ADP-ribosylated integrin alpha 7 is carried out by phosphodiesterases and possibly phosphatases (Fig. 1). Most bacterial toxin and eukaryotic mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases, and perhaps other NAD-utilizing enzymes such as the RT6 family of proteins, share a common catalytic-site structure despite a lack of overall sequence identity. The transferases that have been studied thus far possess a critical glutamic acid and other amino acids at the catalytic cleft which function to position NAD for nucleophilic attack at the N-glycosidic linkage for either ADP-ribose transfer or NAD hydrolysis. The amino acid differences among transferases at the active site may reflect different catalytic mechanisms of ADP-ribosylation or may be required for accommodating the different ADP-ribose acceptor molecules.
Extraovular prostaglandin F2α for early midtrimester abortion

Abstract Twenty patients who were 13 to 15 weeks pregnant received extraovular prostaglandin F 2 -alpha (PGF 2α ) in dosages of 3 mg. every 1 to 3 hours. Ninety-five per cent of the patients successfully aborted and 30 per cent of the patients had retained placental tissue. The mean abortion time was 17¾ and the average total dose used was 29.2 mg. The abortion time appeared to decrease with parity and had no relationship to weeks of gestation. Only one patient failed to abort after 31 hours of therapy. She required a curettage and was the only patient to develop a postabortion infection. The technique appears to compare favorably with the results of intra-amniotic PGF 2α . Extraovular prostaglandin may therefore be of particular value in inducing abortion in patients who are in the early midtrimester of pregnancy, i.e., when intra-amniotic instillation is technically infeasible.
The benefits of treating undetectable tumors

Cancer prevention is predicted to result in more positive therapeutic outcomes than post-diagnostic interventions, and so may be a viable option for future personalized medicine.
Optical Gauging Principles

Principles of operation of several optical gauging techniques are given including those of mature devices such as autocollimators, profile projectors, and conventional and moire interferometry as well as those of some of the newer techniques such as heterodyne interferometry, holographic and speckle interferometry, and optical probes. The range of measurements for which the different techniques are useful is given, and typical results are shown.© (1975) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Regulation of osteogenesis and survival within bone grafts to the calvaria: the effect of the dura versus the pericranium.

Background: The present study evaluates the isolated role of dura and pericranium in the survival of fresh (osteoblasts viable) and frozen (osteoblasts nonviable) bone grafts. Methods: Bilateral craniectomies were performed in 48 mature rabbits. On one side, bone was replaced immediately; on the contralateral side, it was flash-frozen before replacement. Animals were randomized into four groups by placement of Silastic barriers adjacent to bone grafts, as follows: (1) control (no barriers); (2) dural barrier; (3) pericranial barrier; and (4) double (dural and pericranial) barriers. Fluorescein labels were injected at specified intervals, with animals euthanized after 1 or 10 weeks. Results: After 1 week, fresh grafts without dural barriers demonstrated greater fluorescein labeling on the dural than on the pericranial surface (p < 0.05); in contrast, fresh grafts without pericranial barriers had no statistical difference in fluorescein labeling between pericranial and dural surfaces. After 10 weeks, the new bone area was greater in fresh than in frozen grafts (p < 0.05). Total new bone area and dural-side new bone were greater in grafts without dural barriers (p < 0.001); this was not seen in grafts without pericranial barriers. Pericranial new bone was greatest in fresh grafts without a pericranial barrier (p < 0.001); this was not seen in frozen grafts. Conclusions: The dura and pericranium each contributed to osteogenesis, although dural contact was more effective. Maintenance of dural contact enhanced osteogenesis through the entire graft, whereas pericranial contact enhanced osteogenesis only on the pericranial surface of fresh grafts. These data suggest dura is largely responsible for cranial graft survival.
Domestic violence and family interdependence

Domestic violence is of major concern to health professionals today. In order to intervene effectively, more scholarly inquiry needs to address the theoretical parameters of domestic violence. This article acknowledges the importance of the socio-political analysis while also suggesting that the concept of family interdependence can be helpful in not only understanding family violence, but in giving direction for intervention at the family level.
The effect of intravenous oestrogen injections on plasma human placental lactogen levels.

Summary Conjugated oestrogens (Premarin) or saline were injected intravenously into 45 women in late pregnancy, and plasma human placental lactogen (HPL) levels measured at frequent intervals for two hours thereafter. No significant changes were demonstrated in HPL levels. From these data it does not appear that oestrogens play a major role in the control of HPL secretion.
Statistical crosstalk aggressor alignment aware interconnect delay calculation

Crosstalk aggressor alignment induces significant interconnect delay variation and needs to be taken into account in a statistical timer. In this paper, we approximate crosstalk aggressor alignment induced interconnect delay variation in a piecewise-quadratic function, and present closed form formulas for statistical interconnect delay calculation with crosstalk aggressor alignment variation. Our proposed method can be easily integrated in a statistical timer, where traditional corner-based timing windows are replaced by probabilistic distributions of crosstalk aggressor alignment, which can be refined by similar delay calculation iterations. Runtime is O(N) for initial delay calculation of N sampling crosstalk aggressor alignments, while pdf propagation and delay updating requires constant time. We compare with SPICE Monte Carlo simulations on Berkeley predictive model 70nm global interconnect structures and 130nm industry design instances. Our experimental results show that crosstalk aggressor alignment oblivious statistical delay calculation could lead to up to 114.65% (71.26%) mismatch of interconnect delay means (standard deviations), while our method gives output signal arrival time means (standard deviations) within 2.09% (3.38%) of SPICE Monte Carlo simulation results.
Incidence and determinants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection among persons with HIV: association with hospital exposure.

Abstract Background: Little information exists on risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in persons with HIV. We assessed the incidence and factors associated with P aeruginosa among persons with HIV enrolled in a large observational cohort study in Los Angeles. Methods: Data were analyzed from 4825 persons aged ≥13 years with HIV infection enrolled from 4 outpatient facilities from 1990 to 1998. The association between P aeruginosa infection and demographic, risk behavior, and clinical factors was assessed. Results: P aeruginosa was diagnosed in 72 (1.5%) patients representing a crude incidence rate of 0.74 per 100 person-years. The most frequent site of infection was pulmonary (47%). In multivariate analysis, prior hospitalization (adjusted rate ratio = 7.9, 95% CI, 3.8-16.2), and both dapsone (adjusted rate ratio = 4.0, 95% CI, 2.2-7.4) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (adjusted rate ratio = 2.5, 95% CI, 1.2-5.3) use were independently associated with higher rates of infection. Increasing days of inpatient stay ( P + counts ( P P aeruginosa. Azithromycin use decreased the risk of infection by nearly 70%. Conclusion: Although the overall observed incidence of P aeruginosa was low, hospital exposure, declining CD4 + levels, and the use of dapsone or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole increased the risk of P aeruginosa disease, and azithromycin use was protective in this population. These findings may assist in the early recognition and diagnosis of persons likely to be at increased risk of P aeruginosa infection. (AJIC Am J Infect Control 2001;29:79-84)
Subcortical Gray Matter Volume Abnormalities in Healthy Bipolar Offspring: Potential Neuroanatomical Risk Marker for Bipolar Disorder?

Objective: A growing number of structural neuroimaging studies have shown that bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with gray matter (GM) volume abnormalities in brain regions known to support affect regulation. The goal of this study was to examine whole-brain regional GM volume in healthy bipolar offspring (HBO) relative to age-matched controls to identify possible structural abnormalities that may be associated with risk for BD. Method: Participants were 20 youths (8Y17 years old) with at least one parent diagnosed with BD, and 22 age-matched healthy individuals. All of them were free of Axis I diagnoses. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging structural images were acquired using a 3-T Siemens scanner. Voxel-based morphometric analyses were conducted using SPM5. Results: Relative to controls, HBO had significantly increased GM volume in left parahippocampal/hippocampal gyrus (p < .05 corrected), following whole-brain analyses. This increase was correlated with puberty but not age in HBO. Region-of-interest analyses on the amygdala and orbitomedial prefrontal cortex did not yield any significant group differences after conducting small volume correction. Conclusions: The pattern of increased GM volume in parahippocampal/hippocampal gyrus in HBO suggests a potential marker for risk for BD. It can also be considered as a potential neuroprotective marker for the disorder because HBO were free of current psychopathology. Prospective studies examining the relationship between changes in GM volume in these regions and subsequent development of BD in HBO will allow us to elucidate further the role of this region in either conferring risk for or
Canine hereditary ceroid-lipofuscinosis: evidence for a defect in the carnitine biosynthetic pathway.

The ceroid-lipofuscinoses are a group of autosomal-recessive hereditary lysosomal storage diseases that have been characterized in humans and other mammalian species. In a canine model for the juvenile form of the human disease, a major constituent of the storage bodies is the subunit c protein of mitochondrial ATP synthase that contains an e-N-trimethyllysine (TML) residue. TML is a precursor in carnitine biosynthesis. To determine whether accumulation of the TML-containing protein could result from a defect in the carnitine biosynthetic pathway, plasma carnitine and trimethyllysine levels were measured in homozygous affected, heterozygous carriers, and in normal dogs. When compared to normal animals, mean carnitine levels were reduced by 67% in affected and 50% in carrier dogs. Mean plasma TML levels were elevated almost 50% above control levels in the carriers, but were decreased by approximately 25% in the affected animals. The changes in plasma carnitine and TML levels in the carriers are consistent with the possibility that the disease involves a defect in the carnitine biosynthetic pathway. Secondary effects of the disease process may account for the apparently contradictory decrease in plasma TML levels in affected animals. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Superoxide in apoptosis. Mitochondrial generation triggered by cytochrome c loss

Activation of apoptosis is associated with generation of reactive oxygen species. The present research shows that superoxide is produced by mitochondria isolated from apoptotic cells due to a switch from the normal 4-electron reduction of O2 to a 1-electron reduction when cytochrome c is released from mitochondria. Bcl-2, a protein that protects against apoptosis and blocks cytochrome c release, prevents superoxide production when it is overexpressed. The switch in electron transfer provides a mechanism for redox signaling that is concomitant with cytochrome c-dependent activation of caspases. The block of cytochrome c release provides a mechanism for the apparent antioxidant function of Bcl-2.
Incidence of recurrent or residual stenosis after carotid endarterectomy.

Summary The incidences of recurrent and residual stenosis after carotid endarterectomy have been controversial. Duplex scanning has recently provided an accurate noninvasive method of quantifying areas of arterial narrowing, and this technique was used in 122 postendarterectomy vessels from 71 men and 35 women with a mean age of 65.2 years. The average time interval between operation and scanning was 26.3 months (range 1 month to 11.76 years). Postoperative examination of the internal carotid artery revealed no stenosis in 78 vessels, less than 50 percent area reduction in 17 vessels, 50 to 75 percent stenosis in 11 vessels, more than 75 percent area reduction in 9 vessels, and total occlusion in 7 vessels. Thus, 22 percent of the vessels (27 of 122) had total occlusion or more than 50 percent area reduction after carotid endarterectomy. This is a higher rate of recurrent stenosis than was diagnosed by oculoplethysmography, where 7 of 52 vessels (13 percent) had a positive oculoplethysmogram after operation. These data show that the reported incidence of residual or recurrent stenosis after carotid endarterectomy is heavily dependent on the testing method used. Duplex scanning documents a 22 percent frequency of residual or recurrent stenosis, a figure higher than has been reported with less sensitive tests.
The Initiation of Superordinate Goals

The following is an exploratory study comparing the initiation of two types of superordinate goals in a highly competitive, nonzero-sum bargaining situation. One superordinate goal was introduced by a third party, was perceived by the participants as a natural event not linked to or created by the third party, and was not perceived by the bargainers in the conflict to be aimed at resolving the conflict. The other superordinate goal was initiated by one of the participants in the conflict, was identified with the initiator, and was perceived as being aimed at resolving the conflict. A variation of the standard intergroup conflict exercise was used for the study.The data indicate that the first type of superordinate goal resolved the competition between the groups but in a way which, it is hypothesized, may lead to premature agreement, leaving the basic conflict of interests unresolved. The second type of superordinate goal, on the other hand, became caught up in the competitiveness of the situation and inc...
A coverage algorithm for drifters in a river environment

This paper studies a coverage problem for a network of vehicles in an environment where there is an ambient flow field. This flow field can represent river currents or atmospheric air patterns that affect the vehicles' motion. Specifically, we examine the case where the flow field is always greater in magnitude than the available actuation of any individual vehicle. We define reachability sets of each agent and characterize several of their properties. These reachability sets provide a basis for dominance regions of each agent based on travel times. For the particular case of linear flows, we find a closed-form expression for these and analyze distributed gradient algorithms that optimize an area coverage metric. Finally, we present simulations illustrating the algorithm's performance and discuss lines of future research.
The Fluorescence Spectrum of the Introduced Tryptophans in the α3(βF155W)3γ Subcomplex of the F1-ATPase from the Thermophilic Bacillus PS3 Cannot Be Used to Distinguish between the Number of Nucleoside Di- and Triphosphates Bound to Catalytic Sites

Abstract It has been reported that shifts in the fluorescence emission spectrum of the introduced tryptophans in the βF155W mutant of Escherichia coli F1 (bovine heart mitochondria F1 residue number) can quantitatively distinguish between the number of catalytic sites occupied with ADP and ATP during steady-state ATP hydrolysis (Weber, J., Bowman, C., and Senior, A. E. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 18711–18718). In contrast, addition of MgADP, Mg-5′-adenylyl β,γ-imidophosphate (MgAMP-PNP), and MgATP in 1:1 ratios to the α3(βF155W)3γ subcomplex of thermophilicBacillus PS3 F1 (TF1) induced nearly identical blue shifts in the fluorescence emission maximum that was accompanied by quenching. Addition of 2 mm MgADP induced a slightly greater blue shift and a slight increase in intensity over those observed with 1:1 MgADP. However, addition of 2 mm MgAMP-PNP or MgATP induced a much greater blue shift and substantially enhanced fluorescence intensity over those observed in the presence of stoichiometric MgADP or MgAMP-PNP. It is clear from these results that the fluorescence spectrum of the introduced tryptophans in the βF155W mutant of TF1 does not respond in regular increments at any wavelength as catalytic sites are filled with nucleotides. The fluorescence spectrum observed after entrapping MgADP-fluoroaluminate complexes in two catalytic sites of the βF155W subcomplex indicates that the fluorescence emission spectrum of the enzyme is maximally perturbed when nucleotides are bound to two catalytic sites. This finding is consistent with accumulating evidence suggesting that only two β subunits in the α3β3γ subcomplex of TF1 can simultaneously exist in the completely closed conformation.
Adjustment to spinal cord injury : stage theory revisited

To better understand adjustment following spinal cord injury (SCI), 106 subjects from two samples (N = 53 each) were administered the SCL-90-R, a symptom checklist, and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales. Sample 1 subjects were admitted for rehabilitation during 1981 to 1982 and sample 2 subjects were admitted during 1984 to 1986. Sample 2 subjects entered rehabilitation programs more quickly after injury and reported more anxiety, phobic anxiety, and hostility than sample 1 subjects. Within each sample, there was no evidence for a relationship between age or time since injury and health beliefs or psychological distress. This study does not support stage theory for adjustment after catastrophic injury, but does suggest the importance of understanding the impact of social policy changes in adjustment following spinal cord injury.
Fusion of ranging data from robot teams operating in confined areas

We address the problem of fusing laser ranging data from multiple mobile robots that are surveying an area as part of a robot search and rescue or area surveillance mission. We are specifically interested in the case where members of the robot team are working in close proximity to each other. The advantage of this teamwork is that it greatly speeds up the surveying process; the area can be quickly covered even when the robots use a random motion exploration approach. However, the disadvantage of the close proximity is that it is possible, and even likely, that the laser ranging data from one robot include many depth readings caused by another robot. We refer to this as mutual interference. Using a team of two Pioneer 3-AT robots with tilted SICK LMS-200 laser sensors, we evaluate several techniques for fusing the laser ranging information so as to eliminate the mutual interference. There is an extensive literature on the mapping and localization aspect of this problem. Recent work on mapping has begun to address dynamic or transient objects. Our problem differs from the dynamic map problem in that we look at one kind of transient map feature, other robots, and we know that we wish to completely eliminate the feature. We present and evaluate three different approaches to the map fusion problem: a robot-centric approach, based on estimating team member locations; a map-centric approach, based on inspecting local regions of the map, and a combination of both approaches. We show results for these approaches for several experiments for a two robot team operating in a confined indoor environment .
New Design of Miniature Electromagnetic Blood Flow Transducers Suitable for Semi-automatic Fabrication

A new design of electromagnetic flow transducer and semi-automatic method of producing it at a low cost is described. The transducer is characterized by a 3-pole magnet core. Two of these poles can be considered as one split pole permitting insertion of the artery through the split-pole piece into the transducer lumen.
Evidence for a mitochondrial lesion in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) remains a major problem in human genetics and cell pathophysiology. It is a single gene trait caused by a mutation on the long arm of chromosome 7. Among its expressions are abnormal regulation of chloride channels and/or microobstructions in exocrine tissues. Here, evidence is presented that mitochondria are dysfunctional in CF: the major site of increased intracellular Ca in CF is mitochondrial, cells from subjects with CF consume more oxygen than normal, respond differentially to inhibitors of mitochondrial function, express increased electron transport activity and altered kinetics of complex I (NADH dehydrogenase) of the mitochondrial electron transport system. Patients with CF express increased total and resting energy expenditure. Some of these differences from normal occur also in asymptomatic carriers of the CF gene.