cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is ICD-9 Coding of Morbid Obesity Reliable in Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Morbid obesity is considered to have a stronger association with complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Although the impact of obesity coding errors has been previously reported, the extent of coding inaccuracies with respect to morbid obesity is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess (1) the utility of coding in identifying morbid obesity and (2) the effects of morbid obesity on 90-day complications after TKA when morbid obesity was defined by both body mass index (BMI) and International Classification of Diseases 9th edition (ICD-9) coding. A total of 18,030 primary TKAs performed at a single institution from 2004 to 2014 were identified. Patients were defined as morbidly obese based on ICD-9 codes or by BMI recorded in the electronic medical record (EMR). Patients were defined as obese (ICD-9 codes 278.0, 278.00, 278.01, 278.03, 649.10–14, 793.91, V85.30–39, V85.41–45, V85.54) or morbidly obese (278.01, V85.41–45) by ICD-9 codes. Patient EMRs were also reviewed to identify obese and morbidly obese patients (BMI cutoffs of 30 and 40 kg/m2, respectively). Complications between the cohorts were compared. Sensitivity and specificity were also calculated. Among the 2,880 surgeries performed in morbidly obese patients, a code for obesity was present in 1,618 (56.2%) surgeries, but only 57.9% (937) of these patients had a code specific for morbid obesity, with the rest having a code not specifying morbid obesity. The sensitivity and specificity of obesity coding were 34.5 and 96.0%, while that of morbid obesity were 32.5 and 96.7%, respectively (area under curve: 0.65 vs. 0.65, p = 0.214). A higher rate of complications was noted when patients were defined as morbidly obese by ICD-9 as when defined by EMR-reported BMI. Although morbidly obese patients are more likely to have a code for obesity compared with obese patients, these patients may not be correctly identified as morbidly obese due to a lack of specificity in the codes. These errors may lead to inadequate reimbursements, and may also overestimate the effect of morbid obesity on complications.
Visual Complications of Pediatric Posterior Fossa Tumors: Analysis of Outcomes

Abstract Objective Visual abnormalities are common among children with posterior fossa tumors, resulting from disruption of ocular afferent and efferent systems due to the tumor or surgery. This study describes the visual complications and outcomes associated with these tumors. Methods Clinical and radiographic data of patients who underwent index surgery for resection of posterior fossa tumor from 2007 to 2016 were reviewed. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate regression were performed to assess factors contributing to visual acuity and postoperative strabismus. Results There were 182 patients who underwent posterior fossa craniotomy for neoplasm were included. Ophthalmologic symptoms were the fourth most common presenting complaint; initial ophthalmologic examination was abnormal in 40% of patients. Evaluation of visual acuity demonstrated a good outcome in 88% of patients following treatment. The most common postoperative oculomotor finding was esotropia (29%) which resolved spontaneously in more than half of patients. A good outcome was obtained in all patients who underwent surgery for esotropia. Hypertropia was noted in 14% of the cohort and less than half resolved spontaneously; less than half undergoing strabismus surgery for hypertropia had a good outcome. Multivariate analysis confirmed the association between cerebellar mutism and postoperative esotropia and hypertropia. Clinically significant pathological nystagmus was seen in 8% of the cohort. Conclusions Our results indicate a good visual outcome in the majority of pediatric patients undergoing resection of posterior fossa tumors. Ophthalmologic complications should be appropriately evaluated and addressed to allow for the best possible vision to survivors of posterior fossa tumors.
Understanding the Equatorial Pacific Cold Tongue Time-Mean Heat Budget. Part I: Diagnostic Framework

AbstractThe Pacific equatorial cold tongue plays a leading role in Earth’s strongest and most predictable climate signals. To illuminate the processes governing cold tongue temperatures, the upper-...
Examining Ideologically Motivated Cyberattacks Performed by Far-Left Groups

Over the last two decades, there has been a massive increase in research examining terror and extremist-related violence. Few have considered the extent to which these same groups may engage in att...
Epigenetic dysregulation in the fragile X-related disorders

Abstract The fragile X-related disorders are a group of clinical conditions that arise from the expansion of a CGG-repeat tract at the 5′ end of the transcript of the X-linked gene, FMR1. The first described disorder in this group is the developmental disorder, fragile X syndrome, the leading heritable cause of intellectual disability and most common monogenic cause of autism. More recently, two other disorders have been identified, the neurodegenerative condition fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome and fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency, whose symptoms include infertility and early menopause. These disorders result in whole, or in part, from repeat-mediated epigenetic abnormalities associated with the expression of large numbers of CGG repeats, and none have any effective treatments or cures. This chapter will describe these diseases and what is known about their molecular basis, including the mechanisms responsible for the epigenetic dysregulation of gene expression and the prospects for its correction.
CRISPR’d babies: human germline genome editing in the ‘He Jiankui affair’

The world was shocked in Nov. 25, 2018 by the revelation that He Jiankui had used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (‘CRISPR’) to edit embryos—two of which had, sometime in October, become living babies. This article is an effort to provide some deep context for the He Jiankui affair and to begin analyzing it. It focuses on He's experiment, without delving into the broader ethical issues around ‘human germline genome editing’ in the abstract. It begins by carefully defining ‘human germline genome editing’. It then describes the little we know about the experiment before providing background on CRISPR, the pre-He ethical and legal status of human germline genome editing, and on He himself. The fourth, and longest, section provides a detailed narrative of the revelation of the He experiment and its fallout. The fifth section critiques the experiment, which I believe merits unequivocal condemnation on several grounds. The last section suggests some important immediate reactions, by ‘Science’ and by China.
Reflections on Future Directions for Including Students with Severe Disabilities

Little progress has been made in the last 20 years toward developing and sustaining effective inclusive programs for students with severe disabilities. An article by Agran and colleagues examines f...
Quadratic Solitons in Singly Resonant Degenerate Optical Parametric Oscillators

By identifying the similarities between the coupled-wave equations and the parametrically driven nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation, we show the existence conditions of quadratic solitons in continuous-wave pumped singly resonant degenerate optical parametric oscillators (SRDOPOs). Compared to the previously explored doubly resonant DOPOs, quadratic solitons in SRDOPOs are advantageous in their robustness against perturbations induced by dispersion of the effective third-order nonlinearity and temporal walk-off between the signal and the pump. Terahertz comb bandwidth and femtosecond pulse duration are attainable in an example periodically poled Lithium niobate waveguide resonator in the short-wave infrared. The working principle can be extended to other material platforms, making it a competitive ultrashort pulse and broadband comb source architecture at the mid-infrared spectral range.
Spike-based graph centrality measures

We derive several spike-based routines that compute or establish bounds on radial centrality measures for undirected graphs and trees without the use of matrix multiplication. These spike-based centrality measures utilize a direct embedding of graph nodes and edges into neurons and synapses, can be implemented with static synapses or plastic synapses, and rely on minimal post-processing of spike rasters. This work contributes to the growing set of graphical applications for neuromorphic hardware.
Export Competitiveness of Luxury Products: Measurement Scale Development

Doing business internationally brings a number of potential risks and difficulties, and globalization has raised new challenges for firms. With the attempt of business strategy development, competitiveness is a vital success factor of thriving competitive markets. Consumer demand has become the core focus of the luxury products, hence the adoption of distinctive combination of competitiveness factors to address customers’ specific demand is critical for business’s success. Thus, far to our best knowledge, there is no study on the export competitiveness of luxury products. In an attempt to address what is luxury product export competitiveness, this research proposes three dimensions of export competitiveness of luxury products: objective, subjective and collective factors. The objective competitiveness dimension consists of five elements focusing on internal resources and functions. The next dimension is the subjective competitiveness containing customer and market factors. Lastly, the collective dimension refers to external factors such as government-related factors, suppliers and distribution. The proposed measurement scale is developed from existing recent insights from the literature regarding luxury products, competitiveness and exporting research offering a framework for systematically assessing the exporting of competitiveness of luxury products. Keywords: Luxury Products, Luxury Product Export Competitiveness, Objective Competitiveness Factors, Subjective Competitiveness Factors and Collective Competitiveness Factors
Interprofessional ECMO telerounding: a novel approach to neonatal ECMO clinical participation and education

Determine the feasibility, strengths, and barriers of offering extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) telerounding to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care providers. NICU providers were invited to join ECMO rounds by teleconference. Data were collected on telerounding participation and ECMO concepts discussed. A survey was sent to all providers. From March 2018 to February 2020, telerounding on 24 neonatal ECMO patients (168 ECMO days) was performed in a Level IV NICU. A mean of four providers joined telerounds per ECMO day with an increase from 3 to 6 providers over the study period. Nearly all respondents felt telerounding lowered barriers to attending ECMO rounds (94%), promoted engagement (89%), and improved continuity of care (78%). Barriers to ECMO telerounding were suboptimal audio connections and limited ability to participate in the clinical discussion. ECMO telerounding is well-received by NICU providers. It can improve provider participation, complement existing in-person ECMO rounds, and ECMO education.
Poloxamer 188 Protects Isolated Adult Mouse Cardiomyocytes from Reoxygenation Injury

Reperfusion injury is a complex pathological event involving processes that can lead to further disruption of the cell membrane and function following an ischemic event. Return of blood flow allows for the needed reperfusion; however, for a period of time before remaining viable cells stabilize, reperfusion results in additional cellular injury. In cardiomyocytes, loss of membrane integrity allows abnormal influx of extracellular calcium, leading to hyper-contracture and cell death. Methods to improve the membrane integrity of cardiomyocytes overwhelmed by pathological disruptions, such as reperfusion injury, are needed to prevent cell death, because of the myocardium's limited ability to regenerate. Research has shown administration of the copolymer P(oloxamer) 188 before ischemia/reperfusion can protect cardiomyocytes through membrane stabilization. This study sought to determine whether the administration of P188 at the beginning of the clinically more relevant time of reperfusion after ischemia will attenuate any additional damage to cardiomyocytes by stabilizing membrane integrity to allow the cells to maintain function. Using an in-vitro cardiomyocyte model subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation to simulate ischemia/reperfusion injury, we show that reoxygenation significantly potentiates the injury caused by hypoxia itself. P188, with its unique combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemical properties, and only delivered at the beginning of reoxygenation, dose-dependently protected cardiomyocytes from injury due to reoxygenation by repairing cell membranes, decreasing calcium influx, and maintaining cellular morphology. Our study also shows the hydrophobic portion of P188 is necessary for the stabilization of cell membrane integrity in providing protection to cardiomyocytes against reoxygenation injury.
Advances in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Recently Approved Therapies and Drugs in Development

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a genetically heterogeneous malignancy comprised of various cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities that has notoriously been difficult to treat with an overall poor prognosis. For decades, treatment options were limited to either intensive chemotherapy with anthracycline and cytarabine-based regimens (7 + 3) or lower intensity regimens including hypomethylating agents or low dose cytarabine, followed by either allogeneic stem cell transplant or consolidation chemotherapy. Fortunately, with the influx of rapidly evolving molecular technologies and new genetic understanding, the treatment landscape for AML has dramatically changed. Advances in the formulation and delivery of 7 + 3 with liposomal cytarabine and daunorubicin (Vyxeos) have improved overall survival in secondary AML. Increased understanding of the genetic underpinnings of AML has led to targeting actionable mutations such as FLT3, IDH1/2 and TP53, and BCL2 or hedgehog pathways in more frail populations. Antibody drug conjugates have resurfaced in the AML landscape and there have been numerous advances utilizing immunotherapies including immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T cell engager antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy and the development of AML vaccines. While there are dozens of ongoing studies and new drugs in the pipeline, this paper serves as a review of the advances achieved in the treatment of AML in the last several years and the most promising future avenues of advancement.
Effect of dilution of canine blood samples on the specificity of saline agglutination tests for immune-mediated hemolysis

Background Saline agglutination tests (SATs) are widely recommended for diagnosis of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs, but there are frequent false-positive results. Objectives Specificity of SATs will improve at higher saline-to-blood ratios. Animals One hundred fifty dogs treated at a veterinary referral hospital with hematocrits ≤30%. Methods Prospective diagnostic accuracy study. Immune-mediated hemolysis (IMH) was considered present if a gel direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was positive and there was clinical evidence of hemolysis (n = 9), absent if another mechanism for anemia was identified and the DAT was negative or there was no hemolysis (n = 138), and if IMH status was unclear, dogs were excluded (n = 3). Saline agglutination tests were prepared at 1 : 1, 4 : 1, 9 : 1, and 49 : 1 saline-to-blood ratios, and microscopic agglutination was considered a positive result. Results Specificity for IMH increased from 29% (95% confidence interval 20-38) at a 1 : 1 dilution to 97% (93-99) at a 49 : 1 dilution. Sensitivity was 88% (47-100) at 1 : 1 and 4 : 1 dilutions and 67% (30-93%) at 9 : 1 and 49 : 1 dilutions. Diagnostic accuracy increased from 33% (24-42) at 1 : 1 dilution to 95% (90-98) at 49 : 1 dilution. Conclusions and clinical importance If performed using a 49 : 1 saline-to-blood ratio, SATs achieve high specificity for IMH. Based on a gold standard of positive DAT and evidence of hemolysis, lower saline-to-blood ratio results should not be used because false-positive results are common.
Pharmacogenomics of allopurinol and sulfamethoxazole/ trimethoprim: Case series and review of the literature

Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCAR) such as the Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) and drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms/drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) can be induced by a plethora of medications. The field of pharmacogenomics aims to prevent severe adverse drug reactions by using our knowledge of the inherited or acquired genetic risk of drug metabolizing enzymes, drug targets, or the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype. Dermatologists are experts in the diagnosis and management of severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCAR) in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. However, most dermatologists in the US have not focused on the prevention of SCAR. Therefore, this paper presents a case series and review of the literature highlighting salient examples of how dermatologists can apply pharmacogenomics in the diagnosis and especially in the prevention of SCAR induced by allopurinol and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, two commonly prescribed medications.
Immunomodulatory Role of Urolithin A on Metabolic Diseases.

Urolithin A (UroA) is a gut metabolite produced from ellagic acid-containing foods such as pomegranates, berries, and walnuts. UroA is of growing interest due to its therapeutic potential for various metabolic diseases based on immunomodulatory properties. Recent advances in UroA research suggest that UroA administration attenuates inflammation in various tissues, including the brain, adipose, heart, and liver tissues, leading to the potential delay or prevention of the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In this review, we focus on recent updates of the anti-inflammatory function of UroA and summarize the potential mechanisms by which UroA may help attenuate the onset of diseases in a tissue-specific manner. Therefore, this review aims to shed new insights into UroA as a potent anti-inflammatory molecule to prevent immunometabolic diseases, either by dietary intervention with ellagic acid-rich food or by UroA administration as a new pharmaceutical drug.
Physicians' and Patients' Ratings of the Physician-Patient Working Alliance, Adherence, Satisfaction, and Treatment Outcome

The physician-patient relationship is important and essential to the delivery of effective healthcare. The current study examined a measure of this relationship, which we call the physician-patient...
Density functional theory analysis of perovskite at ambient temperature

Despite the fast growth of using perovskite materials in solar cells and photo-sensors, there are still many unanswered questions about the processes for their unique electro-optical properties. In this regard, simulation of the material can help for better understanding of the perovskites’ properties. In this study, we have investigated the crystalline structure of methylammonium lead iodide, MAPbI3, perovskite using the density functional theory (DFT). The majority of DFT modeling of perovskite targets the ground state, at 0 K. Analysis at ground state simplifies several quantum mechanical effects and the model results are enlightening. Yet for practical application at ambient temperature, DFT models must include more physical processes which involve making mathematical simplifications and quantum mechanical assumptions to simplify the computations. Here we delved into the practical implication of the move from theory to practical algorithms and tools, identified the range of current computational implications and limitations, the problems of accurately modeling these substances at room temperature, the computational costs, expected results afforded by DFT models for real, practical materials. We have surveyed the required extensions needed to perform DFT on MAPbI3 which necessarily include the temperature modeling, crystal vibrational and frame deformation, phonon action and the novel characteristics of a free MA cation constrained within a Pb-I structure. The developed algorithm for the DFT analysis of perovskite can then be used as a tool for further study of the effect of various factors on the material properties.
Retiring ‘No Look’ Judicial Review in Agency Cases Involving Science

The Supreme Court's casual statement in Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. v. NRDC, 462 U.S. 87 (1983) that reviewing courts should be "most deferential" to agency predictions "on the frontiers of science" has spawned a liner of cases in the lower courts that rubber stamp agency decisions with what amounts to "no look" judicial review. This development is criticized on a number of legal and policy grounds. It is suggested that the increasing reliance on algorithms and other forms artificial intelligence makes it particularly important for the Supreme Court to clarify the proper standard of review in agency cases involving science.
Lack of CD8+ T cell effector differentiation during priming mediates checkpoint blockade resistance in non-small cell lung cancer.

In non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is associated with programmed cell death ligand 1 expression that is induced by interferon-γ–producing, tumor-inf...
Approaching Identity Problems Common in Clinical Practice.

ABSTRACT The concept of identity is pervasive in psychology and culture, but clinicians have lacked a conceptual framework for addressing problems related to identity. After reviewing the development of identity, I distinguish four of the most common categories of such problems and consider approaches to each: identity diffusion, distorted identity, threats to identity, and difficulty integrating disparate aspects of one's identity. While making identity a focus of clinical attention can strengthen the alliance and place the treatment within a larger context, doing so raises moral questions about the clinician's role as an agent of validation or change.
Sensory Pathways in the Dorsal Funiculus

The best-studied sensory tract that originates in the spinal cord is the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway (Fig. 9.1). The initial part of this pathway consists of branches of primary afferent fibers that ascend to the medulla oblongata in the dorsal funiculus. The dorsal funiculus is subdivided into two components known as the fasciculus gracilis and the fasciculus cuneatus (Latin for thin and wedge-shaped bundles, respectively). The fasciculus gracilis contains the ascending branches of primary afferent fibers from levels caudal to the midthoracic region, whereas the fasciculus cuneatus contains the branches of afferent fibers that originate from midthoracic to upper cervical levels.
Restriction fragment length polymorphism assessment of the heterogeneous nature of maize population GT-MAS:gk and field evaluation of resistance to aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus.

Aflatoxin, produced by Aspergillus flavus, is one of the most toxic and carcinogenic substances known and contaminates many agricultural commodities such as corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts. The challenge to breeders/plant pathologists is to identify lines that have resistance to aflatoxin production. Maize population GT-MAS:gk has been identified and released as a germplasm with resistance to aflatoxin contamination. In the present study, we assessed genetic divergence in the GT-MAS:gk population using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) DNA markers to survey 11 selfed inbred lines and conducted field evaluations for the dissimilarities in aflatoxin production among these inbred lines in comparison with a sister population, GT-MAS:pw.nf. The 11 selfed inbred lines were assayed for DNA polymorphism using 113 RFLP markers in 10 linkage groups covering 1,518.2 centimorgans (cM; unit of gene or chromosome size). Considerable variation among the inbreds was detected with RFLP markers, of which 42 probe-enzyme combinations gave 102 polymorphic bands. Cluster analysis based on genetic similarities revealed associations and variations among the tested lines. Three polymorphic groups were distinguished by cluster analysis. Two years of field evaluation data showed that aflatoxin concentrations among the lines were significantly different in both years (P < 0.001). Maturity data were also different. Thus, this study demonstrates that the maize population GT-MAS:gk is heterogeneous and that individuals may be different in resistance to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin production. Therefore, the most resistant lines should be inbred to increase homogeneity, and resistance should be confirmed through progeny testing.
From SEEKing knowledge to making connections: challenges, approaches and architectures for distributed process integration

Integration and coordination of distributed processes remains a central challenge of construction information technology research. Extant technologies, while capable, are not yet scalable enough to enable rapid customization and instantiation for specific projects. Specifically, the heterogeneity of existing legacy sources together with firms' range of approaches to process management makes deployment of integrated information technologies impractical. This paper reports on complementary approaches that promise to overcome these difficulties. First, the SEEK: Scalable Extraction of Enterprise Knowledge toolkit is reviewed as a mechanism to discover semantically heterogeneous source data Second, a schedule mapping approach is presented that integrates firms' diverse individual schedules in a unified representation. The mapping network is supported by a Process Connectors architecture that also incorporates SEEK components. While this paper focuses primary on schedule process integration, the Process Connectors architecture is viewed as providing a broad solution to discovery and integration of firms' process data.
Sonoanatomy of the vasculature at the supraclavicular and interscalene regions relevant for brachial plexus block.

Background Our aim in this observational study was to utilize ultrasound, as well as anatomic dissection, to document the frequency with which branches of the subclavian vessels are found in close association with the brachial plexus at the locations of supraclavicular and interscalene brachial plexus block. Methods Ultrasound was utilized to document the presence of branches of the subclavian vein and artery, adjacent to the brachial plexus in the supraclavicular and in the interscalene region in 50 patients undergoing shoulder surgery. The position, depth, and dimensions of the vessels were described, and the origin determined when possible. In addition, the posterior triangle of the neck on both sides of three non-preserved cadavers was dissected to evaluate the vascular anatomy and correlate the ultrasound findings. Results Ultrasound scanning revealed an arterial branch adjacent to, or passing directly through, the brachial plexus in the supraclavicular region in 43/50 (86%) patients. Within the interscalene region, an artery was identified coursing in a lateral direction in 45/50 (90%) of cases, while a corresponding small vein, coursing medial to lateral in this area, was noted in 23/50 (46%) of cases. Conclusions Small branch vessels from the subclavian artery and vein were frequently evident, on ultrasound imaging, in close association with the nerve elements of the brachial plexus in the supraclavicular and interscalene regions. Appreciation of the presence of these vessels and their likely origin and course will aid the anesthesiologist in planning a safe nerve block.
Differential unitary space-time modulation for a large number of receive antennas

For high signal to noise ratios, the design criteria for differential unitary space-time (DUST) codes follow the rank-and-determinant criterion. In this paper, we show that when the number of receiver antennas is large, the Euclidean distance among codewords dominates the performance of DUST codes. Therefore, in the presence of a large number of receive antennas; DUST codes can be optimized by using the Euclidean-distance criterion. Simulation results are given to corroborate the theoretical analysis.
Mediation of swim-stress antinociception by the opioid delta2 receptor in the mouse

The present study has characterized the antinociceptive response to cold water swim-stress (CWSS) in mice using opioid-selective antagonists as well as tolerance and cross-tolerance approaches. Mice subjected to CWSS using water at 5 degrees C for 3 min showed a marked antinociceptive response in the tail-flick test, which reached approximately 90% after +10 min, and which persisted for 15 to 20 min. This antinociceptive response (at +10 min) was antagonized by naloxone or by the delta antagonist ICI 174,864. Additionally, the CWSS response was antagonized by the opioid delta 2 antagonist, naltrindole-5'-isothiocyanate, but not by the delta 1 antagonist, [D-Ala2,Leu5,Cys6]enkephalin, or by the mu antagonist, beta-funaltrexamine or by the kappa antagonist, norbinaltorphimine. Although the CWSS-induced antinociceptive effect was blocked by some delta antagonists and tolerance resulted from the CWSS-induced response, the decrease in body temperature after each CWSS exposure was not affected by the opioid antagonists and reliably occurred in CWSS-tolerant mice, suggesting that the observed antinociception was independent of changes in body temperature. In mice rendered tolerant to the antinociceptive actions of the mu agonist, [D-Ala2,NMPhe4,Gly-ol] enkephalin, or to [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (predominantly a delta 1 agonist), the CWSS-induced antinociceptive response was unaltered. In contrast, in mice tolerant to the delta 2 agonist, [D-Ala2,Glu4]deltorphin, the CWSS-induced antinociceptive response was markedly and significantly reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
On transactional scheduling in distributed transactional memory ystems

We present a distributed transactional memory (TM) scheduler called Bi-interval that optimizes the execution order of transactional operations to minimize conflicts. Bi-interval categorizes concurrent requests for a shared object into read and write intervals to maximize the parallelism of reading transactions. This allows an object to be simultaneously sent to nodes of reading transactions (in a data flow TM model), improving transactional makespan. We show that Bi-interval improves the makespan competitive ratio of the Relay distributed TM cache coherence protocol to O(log(n)) for the worst-case and Θlog(n - k) for the average-case, for n nodes and k reading transactions. Our implementation studies confirm Bi-interval's throughput improvement by as much as 200% ∼ 30%, over cache-coherence protocol-only distributed TM.
The disappearance of fetal lung fluid following birth

The fetal lung at term contains a large amount of extravascular water which fully expands the future air spaces. This study on full-term newborn rabbits shows that the extravascular fluid disappears slowly over a period of several days, initially more rapidly in those delivered vaginally as compared with those delivered by cesarean section. The mechanisms of removal of the fluid are discussed. To our surprise, lung blood volume did not increase as was anticipated.
A novel mechanism of tumorigenesis involving pH-dependent destabilization of a mutant p53 tetramer

The p53 tumor suppressor requires tetramerization to function as an initiator of cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. Children in southern Brazil that exhibit an elevated incidence of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) harbor an Arg 337 to His mutation within the tetramerization domain of p53 (p53-R337H; 35 of 36 patients). The mutant tetramerization domain (p53tet-R337H) adopts a native-like fold but is less stable than the wild type domain (p53tet-wt). Furthermore, the stability of p53tet-R337H is highly sensitive to pH in the physiological range; this sensitivity correlates with the protonation state of the mutated His 337. These results demonstrate a pH-sensitive molecular defect of p53 (R337H), suggesting that pH-dependent p53 dysfunction is the molecular basis for these cases of ACC in Brazilian children.
Household dynamics and fuelwood consumption in developing countries: a cross-national analysis

Previous research has suggested a link between household dynamics (i.e., average household size and number of households) and environmental impacts at the national level. Building on this work, we empirically test the relationship between household dynamics and fuelwood consumption, which has been implicated in anthropogenic threats to biodiversity. We focus our analysis on developing countries (where fuelwood is an important energy source). Our results show that nations with smaller average households consume more fuelwood per capita. This finding indicates that the household economies of scale are, indeed, associated with the consumption of fuelwood. In addition, we found that number of households is a better predictor of total fuelwood consumption than average household size suggesting a greater relative contribution to consumption levels. Thus, insofar as declining average household sizes result in increased number of households and higher per capita consumption, this trend may be a signal of serious threats to biodiversity and resource conservation. We also found further support for the “energy ladder” hypothesis that economic development reduces demand for traditional fuels.
Anisotropic Plate Analysis-Boundary Conditions

The requirements on the boundary conditions of the assumed series in a Ritz solution for anisotropic plates is discussed for classical and elastically restrained boundary conditions. A convenient method is indicated for handling elastically restrained boundary conditions which satisfies the natural boundary conditions for orthotropic or iso tropic plates and which utilizes the integration formulas given in a previous paper. Extensive numerical results are presented to illus trate the solution method for series satisfying only the geometrical boundary conditions and for series satisfying both natural and geo metrical boundary conditions.
Neuronal replacement in adult brain

The discovery of spontaneous neuronal replacement in the adult vertebrate brain has changed the way in which we think about the biology of memory. This is because neuronal replacement is likely to have an impact on what a brain remembers and what it learns. Neuronal replacement has also changed the way in which we go about exploring new strategies for brain repair. Our new outlook on both these matters is all the more remarkable because of the pervasiveness of the earlier dogma, which for warm-blooded vertebrates relegated neurogenesis to embryonic development and, for a few neuronal classes, early postnatal life. The discovery of constant neuronal replacement in the adult brain was remarkable, too, in that it was not required by what we thought to be the logic of nervous system function. Moreover, no previous facts prepared us for it. Much of the modern theory of learning embraced the view of modifiable synapses as the key players in learning and as the repositories of memory. But if this were so, what would be the point of neuronal replacement in healthy brain tissue? In what follows, I will briefly review the work of Joseph Altman, because he was the first one to challenge the notion that new neurons were not produced in adulthood. I will then review what we know about neuronal replacement in the song system of birds, which my laboratory has studied for many years. In closing, I will offer a general theory of long-term memory that, if true, might explain why adult nervous systems constantly replace some of their neurons.
The effects of lithium on neuroendocrine function in affectively ill patients.

— Lithium is the primary treatment for manic-depressive illness. The mechanism of action of lithium and its endocrine effects remain unclear. Therefore, the hormone responses to sequential stimuli, namely arginine, TRH, and LHRH, were studied in eight patients with major depression before and during treatment with lithium. The drug was found to elevate baseline TSH and prolactin and to augment both their responses to TRH. No clinically significant effect on sex hormones was noted. The advantages of the experimental design and the implications of the findings for lithium's mechanism of action are discussed.
Wind and temperature response of midlatitude mesopause region to the 2009 Sudden Stratospheric Warming

[1] In this paper we report winds and temperature in the mesopause region (80–102 km) over full diurnal cycles during the 2009 major Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) at Fort Collins (41°N, 105°W). The measurements were made with the Colorado State University (CSU) sodium Doppler wind-temperature lidar. We deduce the diurnal mean wind and temperature profiles by removing the tidal components from the 24-h continuous observations and present their anomalous behaviors in connection with this event. These mean wind and temperature measurements reveal significant anomalies in the mesopause region: the mean temperature at 80 km was approximately 30 K lower than the climatological mean; the mean zonal wind ranged between ∼ −10 to 0 m/s from 80 to 97 km and then turned eastward in lower thermosphere in a reversal of the climatological mean wind profile. We further use observations from the TIMED/SABER satellite observations and simulations from the WACCM model to investigate the global structure of this dynamical anomaly at Fort Collins. The satellite observations and model reveal that the anomaly is part of a disturbance that extended from the polar region to Fort Collins. These simultaneous wind- and temperature-lidar observations document the direct impact of a major SSW on the dynamic and thermal circulation of the midlatitude mesopause region.
Platinum clusters supported in zeolite LTL: Influence of catalyst morphology on performance in n-hexane reforming

Abstract KLTL zeolite-supported platinum catalysts were synthesized from aqueous tetraammineplatinum(II) nitrate solutions and nonacidic KLTL zeolite crystallites, including some with dimensions as little as 300×500 A. The zeolite crystallites had various morphologies, some being predominantly disk-shaped particles and some predominantly mosaics of rod-like domains with a range of c -dimension lengths. The activity and selectivity of each catalyst were evaluated for dehydrocyclization of n -hexane in the presence of H 2 to form predominantly benzene at conversions of typically 45–90%. The data presented here provide a detailed characterization of the deactivation of such catalysts in the absence of sulfur. EXAFS data show that the platinum in each catalyst was present in clusters of about 20 atoms each, on average. Electron micrographs show that the platinum clusters were nearly evenly dispersed on the surfaces of the zeolite crystallites, including the intracrystalline and extracrystalline surfaces. The catalytic performance was virtually independent of the zeolite channel length, but activity, selectivity, and resistance to deactivation were found to be correlated with the ratio of the surface area external to the crystallite domains to that within the intracrystalline pores. The catalyst performance is dependent on this ratio (which is related to the zeolite morphology) as follows: in comparison with the others, the catalysts with the relatively low fractions of platinum outside the intracrystalline pores are more active, more selective for benzene formation, and more resistant to deactivation. One well-prepared catalyst, for example, gave greater than 90% selectivity for benzene and no measurable deactivation over 140 h of operation in a flow reactor at 420°C and atmospheric pressure. These data match those characterizing the most selective catalysts reported. Consistent with the interpretation of E. Iglesia and J. E. Baumgartner ( in “New Frontiers in Catalysis” (L. Guczi, F. Solymosi, and P. Tetenyi, Eds.), p. 993, Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, Vol. 75. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1993), catalyst deactivation is associated with platinum outside the zeolite pores; it is hypothesized that coke formation outside the pores is relatively rapid and that a distinguishing characteristic of the best catalysts is the presence of most of the platinum in the intracrystalline pores, where coke formation may be inhibited by the constraints of the pores.
Conversion electron measurements in the decay of 11.5 d Ba131

Abstract The internal conversion electron spectrum accompanying the decay of 11.5 d Ba131 has been re-investigated, and a total of 32 transitions observed. On the basis of energy sums and relative intensities a consistent decay scheme is proposed with levels at 78.6, 123.7, 133.5, 215.8, 372.8, 584.8, 619.6, 696.3 and 1046.5 keV. These results clarify the coincidence data of other workers. The multipolarities of some transitions have been established by making use of experimentally determined L-subshell ratios, K/L ratios and internal conversion coefficients. Delayed coincidence measurements tend to confirm the 13.3 ns half-life for the 133.5 keV level.
One‐dimensional finite element grids based on a localized truncation error analysis

SUMMARY With the exponential increase in computing power, modelers of coastal and oceanic regions are capable of simulating larger domains with increased resolution. Typically, these models use graded meshes wherein the size of the elements can vary by orders of magnitude. However, with notably few exceptions, the graded meshes are generated using criteria that neither optimize placement of the node points nor properly incorporate the physics, as represented by discrete equations, underlying tidal flow and circulation to the mesh generation process. Consequently, the user of the model must heuristically adjust such meshes based on knowledge of local flow and topographical features—a rough and time consuming proposition at best. Herein, a localized truncation error analysis (LTEA) is proposed as a means to efficiently generate meshes that incorporate estimates of flow variables and their derivatives. In a one-dimensional (1D) setting, three different LTEA-based finite element grid generation methodologies are examined and compared with two common algorithms: the wavelength to Dx ratio criterion and the topographical length scale criterion. Errors are compared on a per node basis. It is shown that solutions based on LTEA meshes are, in general, more accurate (both locally and globally) and more efficient. In addition, the study shows that the first four terms of the ordered truncation error series are in direct competition and, subsequently, that the leading order term of the truncation error series is not necessarily the dominant term. Analyses and results from this 1D study lay the groundwork for developing an efficient mesh generating algorithm suitable for two-dimensional (2D) models. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Type B CpG oligodeoxynucleotides induce Th1 responses to peanut antigens: modulation of sensitization and utility in a truncated immunotherapy regimen in mice

Scope Peanut allergy stems from a Th2-biased immune response to peanut allergens leading to IgE production and allergic reactions upon ingestion.
CZChemDB and EarthChem: Advancing management and access of critical zone geochemical data

Multiple Critical Zone Observatories (CZO) have been established in recent years in the USA and other international settings to conduct collaborative research on processes that occur at and near Earth’s surface, also known as the Critical Zone (CZ). Data documentation and data sharing are two persistent problems facing the CZOs that impede the ability for cross-site comparisons and integrated analysis. In this study, a relational database was developed for CZ rock and regolith geochemical data – CZChemDB. There are a total of 24 interrelated tables in the database, each representing different aspects of CZ features. The main data group includes tables of locations, sites, samples, subsamples, preparation/treatments, laboratory-analysis and data values. The meta-data group includes tables of methods, references, and data quality. Lookup tables (variables, units, etc.) contain lists of “controlled” vocabularies. The CZChemDB is currently implemented in the MS Access database management system. It is expected to be integrated into the EarthChem portal by summer of 2011 for broader online accessibility and usability. This integration also complements the EarthChem’s global geochemistry database with CZ regolith data. The structure of the CZChemDB is simple, straightforward, and flexible so that it has potential to accommodate other chemical data collected from CZOs, such as pore fluid data. Furthermore, the development of CZChemDB represents the first attempt toward the standardization of geochemical data documentation and data sharing among CZOs. This effort will establish a model to bridge the connections between data acquisition, data management, data sharing, and data searching/discovering that are all essential but weak in terms of linkages within most geoscience research projects.
On the Ramsey multiplicity for stars

In 1929, Ramsey proved a theorem guaranteeing that if G"1,G"2,...,G"k are graphs, then there exists an integer r so that if the edges of K"r are colored in any fashion with k colors a monochromatic G"i in color i exists for some i. Harary and Prins suggested the problem of deciding the minimum number of monochromatic G"i in any such coloring. It is the purpose of this paper to establish this minimum number in the case when G"i are stars for each i.
Decrypting a Stream Cipher Based on J&#8211;K Flip-Flops

Pless has proposed a stream cipher based on J–K flip-flops that uses 8 linear shift registers with feedback, having a combined length of 97 bits, 4 J–K flip-flops, and a 4-stage cycling counter. The cipher has 2.54 × 1051initial states (keys), and generates a presumably pseudorandom stream whose period is 1.52 × 1029bits. Despite these impressive statistics, it is computationally feasible to solve such a cipher with a known-plaintext attack, using as few as 15 characters
Chaotically Accelerated Polymerase Chain Reaction by Microscale Rayleigh–Bénard Convection

Chemical processes can unfold in surprising and unpredictable ways when performed in the presence of chaotic advection. But the underlying interplay between reaction and flow remains poorly understood, and the “design” rules needed to rationally apply these effects are largely unknown. Here we show how this fundamental coupling can be harnessed in flow fields generated by microscale thermal convection to achieve rapid biochemical replication of DNA via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)—a process that involves cyclically heating and cooling an aqueous reagent cocktail to temperatures corresponding to denaturation of the double-stranded template DNA (~95 °C), annealing of primers at specific locations on the denatured single-stranded fragments (~50 – 60 °C), and enzyme catalyzed extension to synthesize the complementary strands (~72 °C). Although the reactor configuration to execute convective PCR is conceptually simple (i.e., the classical Rayleigh-Benard system whereby a fluid is heated from below in a cylindrical chamber of height h and diameter d; Figure 1), remarkably complex flow phenomena can emerge owing to the onset of convective turbulence even though the flow is inertially laminar.[1] These states can be mapped in a parameter space governed by the aspect ratio (h/d) and the Rayleigh number (Ra = [gβ(T2−T1)h3]/να; where β is the fluid’s thermal expansion coefficient, g is gravitational acceleration, T1 and T2 are the temperatures of the top (cool) and bottom (hot) surfaces respectively, h is the height of the fluid layer, α is the thermal diffusivity, and ν is the kinematic viscosity).