cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Esophageal Stent Placement for the Treatment of Spontaneous Esophageal Perforations

Background Traditional therapy for spontaneous esophageal perforation has most often been urgent operative repair. This investigation summarizes the treatment of spontaneous perforations of the esophagus using an occlusive removable esophageal stent. Methods During a 48-month period, patients with a spontaneous esophageal perforation were offered endoluminal esophageal stent placement as the initial therapy instead of operation. Excluded were patients with an esophageal malignancy or a chronic esophageal fistula. Silicone-coated stents were placed endoscopically using general anesthesia and fluoroscopy. Adequate drainage of infected areas was achieved. Leak occlusion was confirmed by esophagram. Results Twenty-one esophageal stents were placed in 19 patients for spontaneous esophageal perforations. Associated endoscopic (n = 19) or surgical procedures (n = 9) were also simultaneously performed. Leak occlusion occurred in 17 patients (89%). Fifteen patients (79%) were able to initiate oral nutrition within 72 hours of stent placement. Two patients (10%) with a perforation extending across the gastroesophageal junction experienced a continued leak after stent placement and underwent operative repair. Stent migration in 4 patients (21%) required repositioning (n = 4) or replacement (n = 2). Stents were removed at a mean of 20 ± 15 days after placement. Hospital length of stay was 9 ± 12 days. Conclusions Endoluminal esophageal stent placement is an effective treatment of most spontaneous esophageal perforations. These stents result in rapid leak occlusion, provide the opportunity for early oral nutrition, may significantly reduce hospital length of stay, are removable, and avoid the potential morbidities of operative repair.
Mechanical properties of highly toughened ZrO2Y2O3

Abstract Y-PSZ (partially stabilized zirconia) and Y-TZP (tetragonal zirconia polycrystals) containing from 1·5 to 5·0 mol% Y 2 O 3 were prepared by hot isostatic pressing. The K IC value nonlinearly increases with the decrease from 2·5 to 2·0 mol % Y 2 O 3 , and has a maximum K IC value of 20 MPa √m at 2·0 mol% Y 2 O 3 . In order to clarify the toughness creating mechanism of the above materials, the experimental results of K IC , σ f and transformation zone size were examined, with emphasis on Y 2 O 3 composition, Al 2 O 3 additives and grain size.
Simple methods for computing the least squares line in three dimensions

Abstract Simple non-iterative linear procedures for finding the least squares line in three dimensions are presented. The more rigorous minimizes the sum of the squared perpendicular distances between the data points and the fitted line. It involves the solution to an eigensystem and is an example of the well known method from classical mechanics of finding the principal axes and moments of inertia of an anisotropic object. In addition to determining the best fitted line to the data according to the least squares criterion, the eigensystem solution produces the best fitted plane. This is useful in cases where the data display curvature, for the best fitted plane is the plane of curvature. The less rigorous solution is an approximation that minimizes the sum of squared lengths of the bases of isosceles triangles. The arms of the triangles are the lines from the origin, which is placed at the centroid of the data, to the data point and the line of the same length from the origin along the fitted line. The approximate procedure is three to four times faster than the rigorous one and gives virtually identical results as long as the data do not deviate extensively from linearity.
Practical limits for solid-state reference electrodes

Abstract A solid-state reference electrode is defined as any material in direct contact with the test solution that maintains a constant or predictable interfacial potential difference despite changing type and concentration of chemical species in the test electrolyte. The practical conditions under which an interfacial potential is expected to be invariant are studied, and it is shown that for equilibrium the interfacial potential remains constant only when all the ionic partition coefficients are equal. More exotic non-equilibrium reference electrode interfaces may also be realized, but pose additional problems.
A Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway, Activated by Tumor Necrosis Factor or Interleukin-1, Inhibits Apoptosis but Does Not Activate NFκB in Human Endothelial Cells

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) activate the transcription of both anti-apoptotic and pro-inflammatory gene products in human endothelial cells (EC) via NFκB. Here we report that both TNF and IL-1 activate the anti-apoptotic protein kinase Akt in growth factor and serum-deprived EC, assessed by Western blotting for phospho-Akt. Phosphorylation of Akt is blocked by LY294002 or wortmannin, inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase). Consistent with these biochemical observations, TNF and IL-1 reduce apoptosis caused by growth factor and serum deprivation, and this action is also blocked by LY294002. Although Akt has been reported to activate NFκB, LY294002 does not prevent TNF- or IL-1-induced degradation of IκBα, β, or e, transcription of NFκB-dependent E-selectin or ICAM-1 promoter-reporter genes, or surface expression of E-selectin or ICAM-1 in human EC. LY294002 potentiates the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and stress-activated protein kinases by TNF and IL-1, suggesting Akt inhibits these responses. We conclude that TNF and IL-1 activate a PI 3-kinase/Akt anti-apoptotic pathway and that the anti-apoptotic effects of Akt are independent of NFκB. Moreover, the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway does not play a major role in the pro-inflammatory responses of EC to TNF or IL-1.
Tunable far-infrared laser spectroscopy in a planar supersonic jet: The Σ bending vibration of ArH35Cl

The lowest Σ bending vibration (02°0) of Ar-H^(35)Cl has been observed near 23.6 cm^(−1) from P(23) to R(17), in a continuous planar jet expansion using a tunable far-infrared laser. A least-squares analysis has been performed to determine the centrifugal distortion constants for the ground and excited states, which will greatly facilitate the determination of an accurate intermolecular potential surface.
How reliable are currently available methods of measuring the anorectal angle

A prospective study was undertaken to compare two different methods of measuring the anorectal angle (ARA), balloon proctography (BP) and cinedefecography (CD), as well as to evaluate the reproducibility of this measurement using each technique. One hundred four consecutive patients (75 women and 29 men) with constipation (63 patients), fecal incontinence (25 patients), or rectal pain (16 patients) underwent both BP and CD. The ARA was measured by taking lateral radiographs of the pelvis during rest (R), squeeze (S), and push (P). The same interpretation process was performed 2 to 12 months later by the same observer, blinded as to diagnosis and initial measurements. There were highly significant differences in each measurement category, R (P less than 0.0001), S (P less than 0.0001), and P (P less than 0.0004) between BP and CD. However, the correlation between the first and second measurements was excellent (P less than 0.0001). BP was consistently more difficult to interpret because of balloon configuration. Although BP and CD have poor correlation with each other, each examination can be reliably interpreted. CD appears to be a superior examination because of the added ability to delineate rectoceles, intussusceptions, and other structural defects.
The economic burden of prostate cancer, California, 1998.

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed among men in the United States. This article reviews previous studies of the annual cost of all cancers and of prostate cancer in the United States and California and estimates the direct and indirect costs of prostate cancer in California in 1998. METHODS Hospitalization costs, including costs of primary and secondary diagnoses of prostate cancer, were derived from the California Hospital Discharge data set (CHDS). Charges were converted to costs using hospital specific cost-to-charge ratios and an imputed cost for Health Maintenance Organization hospitalizations. Other direct medical costs were derived from the 1997 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Indirect mortality costs are the product of the number of deaths and the expected value of a male's future earnings taking into account age at death, earning patterns at successive ages, labor force participation, imputed value of housekeeping services, and a 3% discount rate. RESULTS Prostate cancer direct health care costs in California were estimated at $180 million, and lost productivity from premature death was estimated at $180 million, for a total cost of $360 million in 1998. The disease is largely one of older men; hospitalization costs account for three-fifths of total direct costs, and Medicare and private health insurance share almost equally in paying for hospital care. CONCLUSIONS It is critical to identify cost-effective screening efforts that permit early detection of prostate cancer to reduce illness, premature deaths, and the high costs of prostate cancer. Cancer 2002;94:2906–13. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10532
Canonical Analysis of the MMPI and WAIS in a Psychiatric Sample

Valid MMPI and WAIS subscale raw scores, collected from 197 psychiatric inpatients, were subjected to bivariate, multiple, and canonical correlational analyses. 25% of the bivariate correlations an...
Burnout: Causes and Solutions.

(1985). Burnout: Causes and Solutions. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 58, No. 5, pp. 210-212.
Signal Analysis for Quantitative AE Testing

Quantitative acoustic emission (AE) techniques can be used to monitor crack growth and to deduce microfracture mechanisms in quasi-brittle materials. Multichannel data acquisition systems are used to record the AE waveforms. The results of a quantitative AE analysis are quite sensitive to the interpretation of the recorded waveforms. Several techniques are presented here which facilitate AE data interpretation. Included are noise reduction and signal enhancement methods and time domain deconvolution methods which are used to recover microcrack fracture parameters.
A Model of Advertising Competition

Using a dynamic model of advertising rivalry between competitors in a duopoly, the author obtains analytical results for the case of pure market share rivalry in a mature market. A more general mod...
Life adaptation after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract Life adaptation of 32 patients who had undergone percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for coronary stenosis was compared with that of 15 patients who had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Patients were matched for psychosocial, anatomic and cardiac functions. Life adaptation was measured at 6 and 15 months after PTCA or CABG by the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS), a multidimensional instrument that evaluates change in 7 primary life domains. The overall PAIS scores for patients who had undergone PTCA were significantly better (p
NAD(P)H-dependent epoxidation of aldrin in vitro by sea anemone microsomes

Abstract Previous studies from our laboratory indicated the presence of a functional P450-dependent mixed-function oxidase system (MFO) in the sea anemone (Phylum: Cnidaria). Further catalytic studies have demonstrated that sea anemone microsomes can metabolize aldrin to dieldrin through an epoxidation reaction in the presence of NAD(P)H. Based upon Nickel 63 ECD gas chromatography, dieldrin was the only metabolite detected. Further, the production of dieldrin was linear with time and protein concentration. Given the low levels of dieldrin produced, immediate and identical extractions were necessary to minimize variation among replicates. Under these conditions, activity was consistently observed in both Bunodosoma cavernata (NADH, 1.1–2.3; NADPH, 0.4–2.1 pmol/min/mg protein) and Anthopleura elegantissima (NADH, 0.5–2.9; NADPH, 0.3–4.5 pmol/min/mg protein). Only 60% of the A. xanthogrammica microsomal preparations were active (NADH, 0–1.0; NADPH, 0–1.5 pmol/min/mg protein). In B. cavernata and A. elegantissima, the rate of aldrin epoxidation was consistent with that observed in other marine invertebrates. [Supported in part by a grant from USDI/MMS.]
Tetracycline, VI. Aufbau der Ringsystem von 6‐Desoxy‐6‐epi‐tetracyclin und 6‐Desoxy‐6‐desmethyl‐tetracyclin

Zur Uberprufung der in der vorhergehenden Mitteilung diskutierten Hypothese uber den stereochemischen Verlauf der katalytischen Hydrierung von Tetracyclin (XIX) wurde dem Aufbau von (±)-Desdimethylamino-descarboxamido-6.12a-didesoxy-4-carbomethoxy-7-chlor-tetracyclin-10-methylather (1) analoge Synthesen der entsprechenden 6-Desoxy-6-epi-Verbindung (II) und der 6-Desoxy-6-desmethyl-Verbindung (III) durchgefuhrt. Die spektralen Eigenschaften dieser beiden neu dargestellten Verbindungen erharten die Annahme, das bei der katalytischen Hydrierung von Tetracyclin (XIX) 6-Desoxy-6-epi-tetracyclin (XXI) ensteht.
Potential-Modulated Attenuated Total Reflectance Characterization of Charge Injection Processes in Monolayer-Tethered CdSe Nanocrystals

Reversible electron injection into pyridine-capped CdSe nanocrystals (pyr-CdSe NCs), tethered to indium-tin oxide (ITO) substrates using mercaptoalkylcarboxylic acids, is characterized using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectroelectrochemistry on a planar waveguide. The sensitivity of this technique provides for characterization of redox processes in submonolayer films of pyr-CdSe NCs. Optically determined onset potentials for electron injection, measured as bleaching/recovery of the exciton absorption band, provide estimates for the conduction band edge (ECB). Potential-modulated attenuated total reflectance (PM-ATR), in which the in-phase and out-of-phase reflectance response is measured as a function of modulation frequency, provides estimates for rates of electron injection. These apparent rate constants are found to be nearly independent of tether chain length, suggesting that communication between tethered NCs and electrochemically less active (i.e., less conductive) regions on the ITO surface is rate-limiting.
Determination of Liothyronine and Thyroxine in Dried Thyroid by GLC

The analysis reported here was successful in the quantitative determination of liothyronine and thyroxine in driedthyroid. Three basic steps were employed: (a) hydrolysis of the dried thyroid to release the iodoamino acids from their protein linkage, (b) separation of liothyronine and thyroxine from the interfering substances by extraction and column chromatography, and (c) detection and quantitation by GLC.
CONSUMER RESPONSE TO INFORMATION ON INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

Risk communication theory is used to address consumer concerns about food safety and pesticide residues. Risk perception is a function of actual hazard and “outrage”factors. If concerns are acknowledged and information is provided on how risks are being addressed, the outrage component of perception is reduced. Two 2-min videos were prepared to present information on the environmentally responsive integrated pest management (IPM) approach to farming. The video was shown to a total of 197 consumers in controlled group settings. Although about 90% of participants expressed confidence in the safety of produce grown in California and the United States, 40% said they avoided some produce items due to safety concerns. Pre-and post-attitude assessments and group discussions documented a significant change in attitudes toward food safety, farming practices, and university efforts to help farmers. This project indicates that consumer concerns are significantly reduced when their knowledge of IPM practices is increased.
11 EFFECTS OF THYROID HORMONE ON GROWTH HORMONE RECEPTOR (GHR) AND IGF-i EXPRESSION

Hypothyroidism induces growth retardation and decreases the circulating concentrations of GH and IGF-I. To study the effects of thyroid hormone on GHR and IGF-I expression, we measured rat liver and kidney GHR and IGF-I mRNA levels by solution hybridization RNase protection assay. Three to six 21 day-old castrated male rats per group were given either pure water or 0.025% methimazole in their drinking water, and subcutaneous pellet containing either placebo or thyroxine (T4) 2.5 mg. After 13 days, the animals were sacrificed. Serum free T4 and IGF-I levels were determined by RIA. Liver and kidney GHR and IGF-I, mRNA were measured by solution hybridization using specific antisense riboprobes. Protected bands corresponding to GHR and IGF-I mRNA were quantified using a Phosphorlmager. Hypothyroid rats grew slower than controls. IGF-I mRNA levels were reduced in liver but not in kidney, and were normalized after thyroxine treatment. GH receptor mRNA levels were increased in liver of rats receiving methimazole, and were decreased in the kidney of hypothyroid rats. These findings suggest that the reduction in IGF-I synthesis observed in hypothyroid rats is not mediated though a decrease in liver GH receptor expression.
A highly efficient RPF-based broadcast protocol using a new two-level pruning mechanism

Abstract Reverse path forwarding (RPF) based data communication is one of the widely used data communication protocols in networks. The most attractive feature of RPF is that reasonably low amount of memory is needed per router for storing the routing information (DVR table). However, it generates quite a large number of duplicate packets resulting in poor bandwidth utilization. We have observed that if the location of the broadcast source is considered while forwarding a packet, considerable improvement of the bandwidth utilization can be achieved from the viewpoint of less number of duplicate packets generated. In this paper we have used this location aspect in the design of a novel hierarchical pruning mechanism to improve bandwidth utilization for broadcasting based on RPF mechanism for data communication. Experimental results support our theoretical findings and hence guarantee improvement of bandwidth utilization.
SAR Studies in the Yuma Desert, Arizona: Sand Penetration, Geology, and the Detection of Military Ordnance Debris

Abstract Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images acquired over part of the Yuma Desert in southwestern Arizona demonstrate the ability of C-band (5.7-cm wavelength), L-band (24.5 cm), and P-band (68 cm) AIRSAR signals to backscatter from increasingly greater depths reaching several meters in blow sand and sandy alluvium. AIRSAR images obtained within the Barry M. Goldwater Bombing and Gunnery Range near Yuma, Arizona, show a total reversal of C- and P-band backscatter contrast (image tone) for three distinct geologic units. This phenomenon results from an increasingly greater depth of radar imaging with increasing radar wavelength. In the case of sandy- and small pebble-alluvium surfaces mantled by up to several meters of blow sand, backscatter increases directly with SAR wavelength as a result of volume scattering from a calcic soil horizon at shallow depth and by volume scattering from the root mounds of healthy desert vegetation that locally stabilize blow sand. AIRSAR images obtained within the military range are also shown to be useful for detecting metallic military ordnance debris that is located either at the surface or covered by tens of centimeters to several meters of blow sand. The degree of detectability of this ordnance increases with SAR wavelength and is clearly maximized on P-band images that are processed in the cross-polarized mode (HV). This effect is attributed to maximum signal penetration at P-band and the enhanced PHV image contrast between the radar-bright ordnance debris and the radar-dark sandy desert. This article focuses on the interpretation of high resolution AIRSAR images but also compares these airborne SAR images with those acquired from spacecraft sensors such as ERS-SAR and Space Radar Laboratory (SIR-C/X-SAR).
Signaling through Receptors and Scaffolds: Independent Interactions Reduce Combinatorial Complexity

After activation, many receptors and their adaptor proteins act as scaffolds displaying numerous docking sites and engaging multiple targets. The consequent assemblage of a variety of protein complexes results in a combinatorial increase in the number of feasible molecular species presenting different states of a receptor-scaffold signaling module. Tens of thousands of such microstates emerge even for the initial signal propagation events, greatly impeding a quantitative analysis of networks. Here, we demonstrate that the assumption of independence of molecular events occurring at distinct sites enables us to approximate a mechanistic picture of all possible microstates by a macrodescription of states of separate domains, i.e., macrostates that correspond to experimentally verifiable variables. This analysis dissects a highly branched network into interacting pathways originated by protein complexes assembled on different sites of receptors and scaffolds. We specify when the temporal dynamics of any given microstate can be expressed using the product of the relative concentrations of individual sites. The methods presented here are equally applicable to deterministic and stochastic calculations of the temporal dynamics. Our domain-oriented approach drastically reduces the number of states, processes, and kinetic parameters to be considered for quantification of complex signaling networks that propagate distinct physiological responses.
Fractal analysis of field evaporation micrographs of FeCr alloys

Abstract Fractal analysis has been performed on the interphase between the chromium-enriched α' phase and the iron-rich α phase from digitized two-dimensional sections of the microstructure obtained by field evaporation microscopy. The field evaporation micrographs revealed that the interphase was rough on the atomic scale. The fractal dimension of the interface was found to be between 1.1 and 1.5 indicating that the interface is fractal in nature.
Encephalopathy with idiopathic hyperammonaemia and Alzheimer type II astrocytes in equidae

In 3 mature female horses of varying breeds, episodes of colic and depression for 14 days preceded an encephalopathic disorder with maniacal behaviour, anxiety, profuse sweating and, in one case, terminal opisthotonus. Blood ammonia levels were elevated approximately 10-fold. At necropsy, there were gastrointestinal serosal and mesenteric haemorrhages. Histologically, all 3 cases revealed diffuse Alzheimer type II astrocytes in the cerebral grey matter. Alzheimer type II astrocytes were glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) negative or only weakly positive, weakly S-100 positive, and vimentin negative. In the absence of primary hepatic and/or renal lesions, an increase in intestinal ammonia absorption due to ileus or increased ammonia production by colonic bacteria is hypothesised.
Xanthan gum effects on solubility and emulsification properties of soy protein isolate

The effect of xanthan gum (XG) on solubility and emulsifying properties of soy protein isolate (SPI) was evaluated. The solubility of SPI was increased by addition of XG (p 0.05). The emulsifying stability of SPI-XG dispersions was respectively 3 and 2 times higher than that of SPI and BSA (p < 0.05). The solubility and emulsifying properties of SPI-XG dispersions were stable over a wide range of pH (3.0 to 9.0), ionic strength (0.1 to 1.0M NaCl), and heat (85°C, 1 hr).
The Prefabricated Kitchen: Substance and Surface

ABSTRACTThough much attention has been given to the architecture of the prefabricated house, little has been devoted to the discussion of the prefabricated interior environment. Many discussions have centered on the notion of the house as a “machine for living,” but it is the kitchen, a room that epitomizes the profession of interior design, that stakes the greatest claim to such automation. The prefabrication of the kitchen arose from the ever-present desire to attain efficiency and accommodate individual user needs, requirements, and preferences. Driven by the need for efficiency and within the context of continued industrialized invention—including every conceivable element for making the processing of food easier, such as, for example, computerization—the kitchen historically has served as an ideal laboratory for the investigation into interior prefabrication.
Heat Flow and Distribution during Epidural Anesthesia

BACKGROUND Core hypothermia after induction of epidural anesthesia results from both an internal core-to-peripheral redistribution of body heat and a net loss of heat to the environment. However, the relative contributions of each mechanism remain unknown. The authors thus evaluated regional body heat content and the extent to which core hypothermia after induction of anesthesia resulted from altered heat balance and internal heat redistribution. METHODS Twelve minimally clothed male volunteers were evaluated in a approximately 22 degrees C environment for 2.5 control hours before induction of epidural anesthesia and for 3 subsequent hours. Epidural anesthesia produced a bilateral sympathetic block in only six volunteers, and only their results are reported. Shivering, when observed, was treated with intravenous meperidine. Overall heat balance was determined from the difference between cutaneous heat loss (thermal flux transducers) and metabolic heat production (oxygen consumption). Arm and leg tissue heat contents were determined from 19 intramuscular needle thermocouples, 10 skin temperatures, and "deep" foot temperature. To separate the effects of redistribution and net heat loss, we multiplied the change in overall heat balance by body weight and the specific heat of humans. The resulting change in mean body temperature was subtracted from the change in esophageal or tympanic membrane (core) temperatures, leaving the core hypothermia specifically resulting from redistribution. RESULTS Arm heat content decreased approximately 5 kcal/h after induction of anesthesia, but leg heat content increased markedly. Most of the increase in leg heat content was in the lower legs and feet. Core temperature increased slightly during the control period but decreased 0.8 +/- 0.3 degrees C in the 1st hour of anesthesia. Redistribution, contributing 89% to this initial decrease, required a net transfer of 20 kcal from the trunk to the extremities. During the subsequent 2 h of anesthesia, core temperature decreased an additional 0.4 +/- 0.3 degrees C, with redistribution contributing 62%. Thus, only 7 kcal were redistributed during the 2nd and 3rd hours of anesthesia. Redistribution therefore contributed 80% to the entire 1.2 +/- 0.3 degrees C decrease in core temperature during the 3 h of anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS Core hypothermia during the 1st hour after induction of epidural anesthesia resulted largely from redistribution of body heat from the core thermal compartment to the distal legs. Even after 3 h of anesthesia, redistribution remained the major cause of core hypothermia. Despite the greater fractional contribution of redistribution during epidural anesthesia, core temperature decreased only half as much as during general anesthesia because metabolic rate was maintained and the arms remained vasoconstricted.
Structures of Human Pumilio with Noncognate RNAs Reveal Molecular Mechanisms for Binding Promiscuity

Summary Pumilio is a founder member of the evolutionarily conserved Puf family of RNA-binding proteins that control a number of physiological processes in eukaryotes. A structure of human Pumilio (hPum) Puf domain bound to a Drosophila regulatory sequence showed that each Puf repeat recognizes a single nucleotide. Puf domains in general bind promiscuously to a large set of degenerate sequences, but the structural basis for this promiscuity has been unclear. Here, we describe the structures of hPum Puf domain complexed to two noncognate RNAs, CycB reverse and Puf5. In each complex, one of the nucleotides is ejected from the binding surface, in effect, acting as a "spacer." The complexes also reveal the plasticity of several Puf repeats, which recognize noncanonical nucleotides. Together, these complexes provide a molecular basis for recognition of degenerate binding sites, which significantly increases the number of mRNAs targeted for regulation by Puf proteins in vivo.
Noteworthy: News Briefs from PA Libraries

Accomplishments, experiences, events, and news about Pennsylvania librarians and libraries. In this issue: Chatham University Appointments and Professional Development Clarion University Libraries Appoint Two New Library Faculty Duquesne University Library News Lehigh Libraries Go Live with OLE The Library Company of Philadelphia’s African Americana Graphics Collection Now Online PADIGITAL E-mail List Penn State University Libraries News Seton Hill Library Marks 125th Anniversary with Makeover University of Pittsburgh Library System News
Measurable outcomes of quality improvement using a daily quality rounds checklist: one-year analysis in a trauma intensive care unit with sustained ventilator-associated pneumonia reduction.

Background:We have previously demonstrated that the use of a daily “Quality Rounds Checklist” (QRC) can increase compliance with evidence-based prophylactic measures and decrease complications in a busy trauma intensive care unit (ICU) over a 3-month period. This study was designed to determine the
Stimulation of adrenal cholesterol side chain cleavage activity by theophylline.

1. 1. Theophylline was tested in incubations with rat adrenal halves for its effects on enzymatic cholesterol side chain cleavage and protein synthesis. 2. 2. Preincubation of adrenal halves for 5–15 min with theophylline at a concentration of 10 mM stimulated adrenal cholesterol side chain cleavage without influencing [14C]glycine incorporation into adrenal protein. When, however, adrenal halves were incubated for 25 min with 10 mM theophylline, [14C]glycine incorporation into adrenal protein was significantly inhibited. 3. 3. Preincubation of adrenal halves for 15 and 25 min with 10 mM theophylline significantly decreased the amount of adrenal free and esterified cholesterol, no effect was found at shorter incubation times. 4. 4. Cholesterol side chain cleavage activity and [14C]glycine incorporation into adrenal protein was significantly reduced in adrenal halves from cycloheximidetreated rats as compared to normal rats. Preincubation of adrenal halves from cycloheximide-treated rats with 10 mM theophylline for 15 min slightly increased cholesterol side chain cleavage, but did not restore the activity to the level found in adrenal halves from normal rats.
Steady-state functional MRI using spoiled small-tip fast recovery imaging.

Purpose To determine whether a recently proposed steady-state magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence, “small-tip fast recovery” (STFR), can be used for functional brain imaging. Compared to existing functional MRI (fMRI) based on -contrast and long echo time, STFR has the potential for high-resolution imaging with reduced B0 artifacts such as geometric distortions, blurring, or local signal dropout. Methods We used Monte Carlo Bloch simulations to calculate the voxel-averaged steady-state signal during rest and activation, for blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) and STFR. STFR relies on a tailored “tip-up” radiofrequency pulse to align the spins with the longitudinal axis after each data readout segment, and here we performed proof-of-concept in vivo STFR fMRI experiments using a tip-up pulse tailored to a two-dimensional region-of-interest in motor cortex. Experiments were performed on multiple subjects to test reliability of the functional activation maps. Results Bloch simulations predict a detectable functional signal that depends mainly on intravoxel dephasing, and only weakly on spin diffusion. STFR produces similar activation maps and signal change as BOLD in finger-tapping experiments, and shows reliability comparable to BOLD. Conclusion STFR can produce functional contrast (even with short TE), and is a potential alternative to long-TE ( ) fMRI. The functional contrast arises primarily from the interaction between -like dephasing and the tailored tip-up pulse, and not from spin diffusion. Magn Reson Med 73:536–543, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cooperative Path Planning for Multiple UAVs Exploring an Unknown Region

In this paper, we propose a cooperative path planning technique for multiple UAVs that need to cover an unknown region in the presence of obstacles. The UAVs are subjected to limited sensor range, limited communication range and minimum turn radius constraints. A world map of the unknown region is dynamically created based on the information obtained from sensors and others agents. The UAVs use the map to generate feasible and safe paths. The cooperative path planning technique selects a path from the feasible set of safe paths in coordination with other UAVs using a dynamic leader approach. The path planning technique takes UAV deconfliction into account. Simulation results are presented to verify that the UAVs cover the entire region while satisfying the constraints.
Role of sigma-1 receptor C-terminal segment in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor activation: constitutive enhancement of calcium signaling in MCF-7 tumor cells.

Sigma-1 receptor (sigma-1R) agonists enhance inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-dependent calcium release from endoplasmic reticulum by inducing dissociation of ankyrin B 220 (ANK 220) from the IP3 receptor (IP3R-3), releasing it from inhibition. MCF-7 breast tumor cells express little or no sigma-1R and were used here to investigate the effect of receptor overexpression and the role of its N- and C-terminal segments in function. We stably expressed intact sigma-1R (amino acids (aa) 1–223; lines 11 and 41), N-fragment (aa 1–100; line K3), or C-fragment (aa 102–223; line sg101). C-fragment expressed as a peripheral membrane-bound protein that was removable from the endoplasmic reticulum membrane by chaotropic salt wash, consistent with lack of a putative transmembrane domain. The expressed sigma-1R, N-fragment, and C-fragment exhibited normal, low affinity, and no [3H](+)-pentazocine binding activity, respectively. All transfected lines showed constitutive enhancement of bradykinin (BDK)-induced calcium release, because of a decrease in BDK ED50 values. Interestingly, sigma-1R and C-fragment had high activities, whereas the N-fragment was much less active. The antagonist BD1063 behaved as an inverse agonist in sigma-1R cells, whereas C-fragment was insensitive to ligand regulation. Like BDK, vasopressin- and ATP-induced calcium release was enhanced with the same pattern in cell lines. Anti-IP3R-3 immunoprecipitates from cells expressing sigma-1R or C-fragment contained significantly less ANK 220 compared with untransfected or N-fragment cells, indicating a higher amount of ankyrin-free IP3R-3. Anti-ankyrin B immunoprecipitates contained sigma-1R or C-fragment, with markedly lower levels of N-fragment present. These results suggest that sigma-1R overexpression drives sigma agonist-independent dissociation of ANK 220 from IP3R-3, resulting in activation. The C-terminal segment plays a key role in the interaction.
The structure of oral language and reading and their relation to comprehension in Kindergarten through Grade 2

This study examined the structure of oral language and reading and their relation to comprehension from a latent variable modeling perspective in Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Participants were students in Kindergarten (n = 218), Grade 1 (n = 372), and Grade 2 (n = 273), attending Title 1 schools. Students were administered phonological awareness, syntax, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and decoding fluency measures in mid-year. Outcome measures included a listening comprehension measure in Kindergarten and a reading comprehension test in Grades1 and 2. In Kindergarten, oral language (consisting of listening comprehension, syntax, and vocabulary) shared variance with phonological awareness in predicting a listening comprehension outcome. However, in Grades 1 and 2, phonological awareness was no longer predictive of reading comprehension when decoding fluency and oral language were included in the model. In Grades 1 and 2, oral language and decoding fluency were significant predictors of reading comprehension.
Decomposition of FIR digital filters for realization via the cascade connection of subfilters

A method is presented for decomposing even-order linear-phase FIR filters with distinct roots into the cascade connection of second-and fourth-order subfilters. The technique consists of of finding roots of the z-domain filter transfer function by searching a finite region in the complex z plane. Due to symmetry in the impulse response, only the perimeter (the real axis and boundary) and interior of the upper half of the unit circle need to be searched for real and complex values of roots from which the impulse response coefficients of the corresponding subfilters can be directly determined. The root-finding algorithm tests for existence of a root at each interval in a finite grid and then utilizes the Newton-Raphson method to refine the final estimate of each root value. In the two-dimensional (2-D) search, the Cauchy-Riemann relations are exploited to reduce computations and speed convergence. This method has been tested on FIR filters with orders ranging to over 120 and has proven effective in decomposing filters to the cascade realization with identical frequency response characteristics. An example is presented that illustrates the use of this technique.
Endogenous dopamine (DA) competes with the binding of a radiolabeled D3 receptor partial agonist in vivo: A positron emission tomography study

A series of microPET imaging studies were conducted in anesthetized rhesus monkeys using the dopamine D₃-selective partial agonist, [¹⁸F]5. There was variable uptake in regions of brain known to express a high density of D₃ receptors under baseline conditions. Pretreatment with lorazepam (1 mg/kg, i.v. 30 min) to reduce endogenous dopamine activity before tracer injection resulted in a dramatic increase in uptake in the caudate, putamen, and thalamus, and an increase in the binding potential (BP) values, a measure of D₃ receptor binding in vivo. These data indicate that there is a high level of competition between [¹⁸F]5 and endogenous dopamine for D₃ receptors in vivo.
An Evaluation of the Effects of Being Regarded as "Unmotivated"

To designate someone as unmotivated or lazy has consistently been shown to affect behavior towards that person. A prospective study evaluated the relationship between such a designation and events at school. The subjects included 164 school-aged children who presented to the Johns Hopkins School Problems Clinic and, prior to their evaluation, had extensive forms completed by their teachers and parents. Lack of motivation was seen as the primary cause of school difficulties in 80 children (49%). Testing revealed that 69 percent were more than one year behind academically; 48 percent were more than two years behind. Fifty-one percent had been retained in grade, and 8 percent of those had been retained twice. Only 16 percent were receiving remedial help.A comparison between children seen as unmotivated and those not perceived as such showed that sex, race, and socioeconomic status (SES) were not distinguishing factors. Children seen as unmotivated were further behind academically (Chi2 = 7.02 p < 0.05), had ...
JAK2 V617F and beyond: role of genetics and aberrant signaling in the pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms

Dysregulated signaling is a hallmark of chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), as evidenced by the identification of the activating JAK2 V617F somatic mutation in almost all patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and 50–60% of essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis patients. These disorders are clinically distinct, raising the question of how a single mutation can result in such phenotypic diversity. Mouse models have demonstrated that the level of JAK2 V617F expression can modulate the phenotype, and clinical studies of JAK2 V617F allele burden have reported similar findings. It has also been hypothesized that one or more pre-JAK2 V617F events may modify the MPN phenotype. However, the molecular basis of JAK2 V617F-negative essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis remains largely unexplained. Mutations in the TET2 gene have been identified in both JAK2 V617F-positive and -negative MPNs and other myeloid neoplasms, but their functional and clinical significance have yet to be c...
Order complexes of coset posets of finite groups are not contractible

Abstract We show that the order complex of the poset of all cosets of all proper subgroups of a finite group G is never F 2 -acyclic and therefore never contractible. This settles a question of K.S. Brown.
Adenosine 3',5'cyclic monophosphate in adipose tissue of diabetic rats.

Abstract Normal male rats were made chronically diabetic by injection of alloxan or acutely diabetic by injection of anti-insulin serum. The concentration of cyclic AMP in epididymal adipose tissue was increased approximately 2 1 2 - built 24 h after alloxan administration and up to 7-fold 72 h post-alloxan. Treatment of alloxan-diabetic rats with insulin for 4 h completely suppressed lipolysis but only partially suppressed cyclic AMP levels; 6 h following insulin treatment cyclic AMP levels were normal. When segments of the epididymal fat bodies were incubated in vitro the high cyclic AMP levels were not maintained but instead decreased spontaneously. Addition of insulin to the incubation media decreased lipolysis in tissues of diabetic rats to levels measured in tissues of normal rats and accelerated the decline in cyclic AMP levels but did not return cyclic AMP levels to normal. Rats rendered acutely insulin deficient by injection of anti-insulin serum showed increased plasma glucose and free fatty acid levels and increased adipose tissue free fatty acid, and cyclic AMP levels 30 min following injection of the antiserum. Plasma glucagon levels increased but not until 2 h following anti-insulin serum, thereby excluding the possibility that an increment in plasma glucagon is the primary stimulus for the acceleration of lipolysis in diabetes. These data are consistent with the view that control of adipose tissue cyclic AMP levels in situ is an important physiologic action of insulin.
Adaptive Designs for Randomized Trials in Public Health

In this article, we present a discussion of two general ways in which the traditional randomized trial can be modified or adapted in response to the data being collected. We use the term adaptive design to refer to a trial in which characteristics of the study itself, such as the proportion assigned to active intervention versus control, change during the trial in response to data being collected. The term adaptive sequence of trials refers to a decision-making process that fundamentally informs the conceptualization and conduct of each new trial with the results of previous trials. Our discussion below investigates the utility of these two types of adaptations for public health evaluations. Examples are provided to illustrate how adaptation can be used in practice. From these case studies, we discuss whether such evaluations can or should be analyzed as if they were formal randomized trials, and we discuss practical as well as ethical issues arising in the conduct of these new-generation trials.
Intimate partner violence in women hospitalized on an internal medicine service: prevalence and relationship to responses to the review of systems.

BACKGROUND: Although intimate partner violence is common, the prevalence in patients hospitalized on internal medicine services and whether it is associated with numerous positive responses to the review of systems are not known. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of intimate partner violence in women hospitalized on an internal medicine service and to determine whether it is associated with the number or types of positive responses to the review of systems. DESIGN: This was a prospective, cross-sectional survey. SETTING: The setting was a university-affiliated public hospital. PATIENTS: The patients were women, 18 to 60 years old, hospitalized on an internal medicine service. MEASUREMENTS: The measurements were responses to screens for intimate partner violence and a review-of-systems questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 78 women asked to participate, 72 agreed (92%). The prevalences of experiencing intimate partner violence at any time in the patient's life or within the year prior to presentation were 61% and 22%, respectively. Women with a history of intimate partner violence and women without a history of intimate partner violence had 11 ± 4 (mean ± standard deviation) and 8 ± 5 positive responses to the review of systems, respectively (P < 0.01). Women with 10 or more positive responses were more likely to have a history of intimate partner violence than those with 9 or fewer (odds ratio = 4.82, confidence interval = 1.63–14.23). CONCLUSIONS: Intimate partner violence is common in women hospitalized in an internal medicine service of a university-affiliated public hospital. Although numerous somatic complaints are associated with a history of intimate partner violence, the high prevalence of this problem warrants screening of all women admitted to internal medical services. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;3:299–307. © 2008 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Measurement of Vibrational Non-Equilibrium in a Supersonic Freestream Using Dual-Pump CARS

Measurements have been conducted at the University of Virginia Supersonic Combustion Facility of the flow in a constant area duct downstream of a Mach 2 nozzle, where the airflow has first been heated to approximately 1200 K. Dual-pump CARS was used to acquire rotational and vibrational temperatures of N2 and O2 at two planes in the duct at different downstream distances from the nozzle exit. Wall static pressures in the nozzle are also reported. With a flow of clean air, the vibrational temperature of N2 freezes at close to the heater stagnation temperature, while the O2 vibrational temperature is about 1000 K. The results are well predicted by computational fluid mechanics models employing separate "lumped" vibrational and translational/rotational temperatures. Experimental results are also reported for a few percent steam addition to the air and the effect of the steam is to bring the flow to thermal equilibrium.
TRAIL gene therapy: from preclinical development to clinical application.

Numerous studies have investigated the potential use of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) as a cancer therapeutic since its discovery in 1995 – because TRAIL is a potent inducer of apoptosis in tumor cells but not in normal cells and tissues. Consequently, a great deal is known about TRAIL/TRAIL receptor expression, the molecular components of TRAIL receptor signaling, and methods of altering tumor cell sensitivity to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Our laboratory was the first to report the possibility of TRAIL gene transfer therapy as an alternative method of using TRAIL as an antitumor therapy. As with recombinant proteins administered systemically, intratumoral TRAIL gene delivery also has limitations that can restrict its full potential. Translating the preclinical TRAIL studies into the clinic has started, with the hope that TRAIL will exhibit robust tumoricidal activity against human primary tumors in situ with minimal toxic side effects.