cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IMPACT OF RESIDUAL MITRAL REGURGITATION ON MORTALITY AFTER ACUTE SUCCESSFUL MITRACLIP IMPLANTATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Acute procedural success after MitraClip Implantations (MCI) is often defined as mitral regurgitation (MR) grade ≤2+ without conversion to open surgery or in-hospital death after procedure. However, there is little evidence regarding the outcomes of patients with 2+ residual MR as compared to
The impact of response-guided designs on count outcomes in single-case experimental design baselines

In single-case experimental design (SCED) research, researchers often choose when to start treatment based on whether the baseline data collected so far are stable, using what is called a response-...
Broadband metalenses monolithically integrated with infrared photodetectors

In this work, we utilize metasurface lenses (metalenses) as optical concentrators for photodetectors. In particular, we design and fabricate metalenses for the wavelength range 3.5 -4.5 μm and integrate them with infrared photodetectors. Infrared photodetector technologies, especially in the mid- to long wavelength IR, need to be cooled to achieve optimal performance. Reducing the amount of required cooling will ease their use in space applications where small size, weight and power consumption (SWaP) is of high importance. In this work we address this issue by monolithically integrating metalenses with gallium antimonide (GaSb)-based infrared photodetectors. The metalenses are fabricated on the back side of a GaSb substrate and the detectors are then fabricated on the front side. The metalenses consist of nanopillars and the fabrication is performed by e-beam lithography and ICP plasma etching, leaving metalenses etched into the back side of the GaSb. The nanopillar diameters range from 200 nm to 1.4 μm and the nanopillars all have a height of 2 μm. By back side illuminating the photodetectors (i.e., through the metalenses) we obtain an enhanced optical collection area of the photodetectors and thereby an enhanced detectivity when operated at a specific temperature. Alternatively, this enhanced detectivity can be traded in for an increased operating temperature of the detectors. By being suitable for array-scale fabrication, our work paves the way for future high-operating temperature GaSb-based focal plane arrays.
Identification of Current Best Practices for Short-term Medical Mission Trips and Adherence to Current Common Principles and Guidelines

Background: Recent reviews of published guidelines for conducting short-term medical missions (STMM) identify significant concerns about the lack of adherence and of formal regulations concurrent with the increasing number of individuals and organizations participating in STMM. Method: A descriptive survey methodology was used. A 44-item survey that identifies current practices utilized by healthcare providers (HCP) who have participated in STMM was used based on the literature and prior research, and distributed electronically to HCP participating in STTM to identify current best practices and compare findings with the most recent recommendations for short-term global health activities. A focus on current operational practices was surveyed and analyzed to develop operational recommendations for the ethical and safe care provided during STMM. Results: Eighty-seven surveys were included in the final analysis, with 33% (N=29) serving as coordinators for the trip. The majority of the respondents were female (67%) and the primary roles represented were: MD (N=17; 20%), nurse practitioner (N=20; 23%), and registered nurse (N=18; 21%). A majority (N=48; 67%) traveled to South America or Latin America, with 38% (N=33) having participated in four or more STMM. Language proficiency was reported as deficient (N=35; 40%) along with little or no knowledge of the basic culture (N=39; 45%). Additional data were collected on trip preparation, clinic operations, and outcomes follow up. Conclusions: Using a convenience sample, the results of the survey provide information on the current best practices utilized by HCP who have participated in STMM and compare the findings to assess for adherence with the most recent recommendations for short-term global health activities. There was variation in the degree to which HCP were knowledgeable about specific aspects related to knowledge of local culture, language proficiency, and adherence to recommended practices for STMM. Additional research on STMM is needed, along with further exploration of how evidence based practices for STMM can be implemented to improve access and safety to the care provided while in the host country.
Akínṣọlá Akìwọwọ: an intellectual appreciation

I have written previously about those that I call, regarding African contributions to the discourse of modernity, ‘prophets without honour’.1 Akinṣọla Akiwọwọ deserves inclusion in the ranks of pro...
Histone H3 dopaminylation in ventral tegmental area underlies heroin-induced maladaptive plasticity

Persistent transcriptional events in ventral tegmental area (VTA) and other reward relevant brain regions contribute to enduring behavioral adaptations that characterize substance use disorder (SUD). Recent data from our laboratory indicate that aberrant accumulation of the newly discovered histone post-translational modification (PTM), H3 dopaminylation at glutamine 5 (H3Q5dop), contributes significantly to cocaine-seeking behavior following prolonged periods of abstinence. It remained unclear, however, whether this modification is important for relapse vulnerability in the context of other drugs of abuse, such as opioids. Here, we showed that H3Q5dop plays a critical role in heroin-mediated transcriptional plasticity in midbrain. In rats undergoing abstinence from heroin self-administration (SA), we found acute and persistent accumulation of H3Q5dop in VTA. By attenuating H3Q5dop during abstinence, we both altered gene expression programs associated with heroin withdrawal and reduced heroin-primed reinstatement behavior. These findings thus establish an essential role for H3Q5dop, and its downstream transcriptional consequences, in opioid-induced plasticity in VTA.
Regulation of Clostridium difficile spore germination by the CspA pseudoprotease domain.

Clostridium difficile is a spore-forming obligate anaerobe that is a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections. C. difficile infections begin when its metabolically dormant spores germinate in the gut of susceptible individuals. Binding of bile salt germinants to the Csp family pseudoprotease CspC triggers a proteolytic signaling cascade consisting of the Csp family protease CspB and the cortex hydrolase SleC. Conserved across many of the Clostridia, Csp proteases are subtilisin-like serine proteases that activate pro-SleC by cleaving off its inhibitory pro-peptide. Active SleC degrades the protective cortex layer, allowing spores to resume metabolism and growth. This signaling pathway, however, is differentially regulated in C. difficile, since CspC functions both as a germinant receptor and regulator of CspB activity. CspB is also produced as a fusion to a catalytically inactive CspA domain that subsequently undergoes interdomain processing during spore formation. In this study, we investigated the role of the CspA pseudoprotease domain in regulating C. difficile spore germination. Mutational analyses revealed that the CspA domain controls CspC germinant receptor levels in mature spores and is required for optimal spore germination, particularly when CspA is fused to the CspB protease. During spore formation, the YabG protease separates these domains, although YabG itself is dispensable for germination. Bioinformatic analyses of Csp family members suggest that the CspC-regulated signaling pathway characterized in C. difficile is conserved in related Peptostreptococcaceae family members but not in the Clostridiaceae or Lachnospiraceae. Our results indicate that pseudoproteases play critical roles in regulating C. difficile spore germination and highlight that diverse mechanisms control spore germination in the Clostridia.
Gender, Race, and the Writing of Empire: Public Discourse and the Boer War

1. The war at home 2. The concentration camps controversy and the press 3. Gender ideology as military policy - the camps, continued 4. Cannibals or knights: sexual honor in the propaganda of Arthur Conan Doyle and W. T. Stead 5. Interpreting South Africa to Britain: Olive Schreiner, Boers, and Africans 6. The imperial imaginary: the press, empire, and the literary figure Notes Works cited.
Hormone replacement therapy: optimising the dose and route of administration.

Several new products and regimens for estrogen replacement in the postmenopausal woman have recently been introduced, giving physicians and patients greater choice not only in dose but also in route of administration. Estrogen treatment in the postmenopausal woman has several proven benefits for those who have vasomotor symptoms or problems related to urogenital atrophy. However, the most controversial area is in the long-term preventive benefits of estrogen against the development of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, particularly in women older than 60 years. It is in these areas that decisions on the dose and optimal route of administration of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) must be made. Although adding a progestogen to an ERT regimen is mandatory, particularly in a woman with an intact uterus, discussion now focuses on which progestogen least attenuates the beneficial effects of estrogen. Emerging trends suggest that lower doses of estrogen (i.e. ethinylestradiol 5 microg/day, estradiol 0.25 mg/day or conjugated estrogens [CEE] 0.3 mg/day) continuously combined with lower doses of medroxyprogesterone (MPA) are equally effective at relieving vasomotor symptoms as the most commonly prescribed regimen in the US (CEE 0.625mg/MPA 2.5mg daily), with fewer adverse events, leading to greater patient acceptance and likelihood for continuation of therapy. This is especially important when therapy is initiated at an older age.
Unbalanced Selective Harmonic Elimination for fault-tolerant operation of three phase multilevel Cascaded H-bridge inverters

This paper proposes a new modulation method for balanced operation of a multilevel inverter with a faulty switch. This modulation method is based on Selective Harmonic Elimination (SHE) and can be implemented in different multilevel topologies, primarily in Cascaded H-bridge (CHB) inverters. In this paper, first the general concept of SHE is explained briefly. Then, the proposed switching strategy for fault-tolerant operation of a CHB with one faulty switch is presented. Finally, experimental results are provided to validate the proposed switching.
The Chornobyl Accident, Radiation, and Health Concerns

At 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, an accident at Chernobyl Unit 4, a 1000 MWe RBMK(a)nuclear power plant located in Ukraine, Soviet Union, resulted in destruction of the reactor core and part of the building in which the reactor was housed. In the initial steam explosion and subsequent fires, large amounts of radioactive material were released in the form of gases and dust particles. The energy released in the explosion was equivalent to 40 tons of TNT and resulted in discharge of about 4% of the reactor's nuclear fuel to the environment...
Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Men on Business— A College Assurance Program

This article describes Lincoln University’s Men on Business—ACollege Assurance Program, which was awarded a 2010 OutreachScholarship/W. K. Kellogg Foundation Engagement Award forthe Historically Black Colleges and Universities category.
Optimal wind farm placement considering system constraints and investment and uncertainty costs

Traditional methods of planning investment in Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS) focus on selecting sites that individually display the maximum total extractable wind energy. However, cost penalties associated with the uncertainty in Wind Power Production (WPP) may be non-negligible. This paper proposes a more holistic methodology to find the near optimal investment in WECS considering capital costs, uncertainty costs of WPP, and traditional thermal generator costs. The optimal number of turbines to be placed at each potential wind site is found system parameters using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and DC Optimal Power Flow (DCOPF) is used to compute the merit of each candidate solution. The IEEE 14 Bus System is used. Potential wind sites are preselected, and WPP of each site is characterized by a probability distribution function. The impact of the investment costs and transmission capacity on the merit of spatial diversity of wind farms is discussed.
Carotid sparing intensity-modulated radiation therapy achieves comparable locoregional control to conventional radiotherapy in T1-2N0 laryngeal carcinoma.

Summary Background Although intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is a standard of care for many head and neck cancers, its use for carotid-sparing (CS) therapy in early-stage laryngeal carcinoma is controversial. Methods 330 consecutive patients with early-stage laryngeal carcinoma were treated from 1/1989 to 5/2011, including 282 conventional radiotherapy (CRT) and 48 CS-IMRT patients. The median follow-up was 43 (CS-IMRT) and 66 (CRT) months. Results There was no difference in local failure rates comparing patients undergoing CS-IMRT with CRT, with 3-year local control rates of 88% vs. 89%, respectively (p = 0.938). Using a 1 cm circumferential margin, the average dose to the left and right carotid arteries was 48.3 and 47.9 Gy, respectively. 88% of locoregional recurrences involved the ipsilateral true vocal cord, including all local recurrences in the IMRT group. Conclusions These results warrant further prospective evaluation of CS-IMRT for early-stage glottic larynx cancer.
Does Multitasking Impair Studying? Depends on Timing

Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, USASummary: It is often said that contemporary students frequently study while ‘multitasking’. However, this rather diffuse termencompasses situations that vary as to the whether the learner controls the pace at which educational materials are provided.On the basis of prior cognitive research, we hypothesize that this may well be a critical determinant of interference. Three studiesrequired students to read or listen to several short historical narratives and also to engage in ﬁve to eight very short conversations(akin to an instant messaging conversation). In Experiment 1, subjects read the narratives; here, multitasking marginallyincreased total time spent reading the narratives, especially when it occurred at random times. However, ﬁnal memory for thenarratives was not signiﬁcantly affected. Similar results were obtained when the narratives were presented in audio format andthe learner could pause them while conversing (Experiment 2). By contrast, when audio narratives did not pause, interruptionsreduced comprehension performance (Experiment 3). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Supporting information may be found in the online version of this article.
Motivation in the global village

Abstract It is often claimed that the world is becoming a global village . This article examines the public discourse surrounding one example of this process in a small town in the United States. The example centers around a familiar process in many cities throughout the world, the creation of a Sister City relationship. The discourse is studied in reference to the social motivations that are manifest relevant to this relationship. The analysis is grounded in Kenneth Burke's notion of social motivation. Five different public personas and their social motivations are discovered and discussed in terms of their implications for intercultural communication.
O(log2 n) time efficient parallel factorization of dense, sparse separable, and banded matrices

Known polylog parallel algorithms for the solution of linear systems and related problems require computation of the characteristic polynomial or related forms, which are known to be highly unstable in practice. However, matrix factorizations of various types, bypassing computation of the characteristic polynomial, are used extensively in sequential numerical computations and are essential in many applications. This paper gives new parallel methods for various exact factorizations of several classes of matrices. We assume the input matrices are n × n with either integer entries of size ≤ 2no(1). We make no other assumption on the input. We assume the arithmetic PRAM model of parallel computation. Our main result is a reduction of the known parallel time bounds for these factorizations from O(log3n) to O(log2n). Our results are work efficient; we match the best known work bounds of parallel algorithms with polylog time bounds, and are within a log n factor of the work bounds for the best known sequential algorithms for the same problems. The exact factorizations we compute for symmetric positive definite matrices include: 1. recursive factorization sequences and trees, 2. LU factorizations, 3. QR factorizations, and 4. reduction to upper Hessenberg form. The classes of matrices for which we can efficiently compute these factorizations include:1. dense matrices, in time O(log2n) with processor bound P(n) (the number of processors needed to multiply two n × n matrices in O(log n time), 2. block diagonal matrices, in time O(log2b with P(b)n/b processors, 3. sparse matrices which are s(n)-separable (recursive factorizations only), in time O(log2n) with P(s(n)) processors where s(n) is of the form n γ for 0 4. banded matrices, in parallel time O((logn) log b) with P(b)n/b processors. Our factorizations also provide us similarly efficient algorithms for exact computation (given arbitrary rational matrices that need not be symmetric positive definite) of the following: 1. solution of the corresponding linear systems, 2. the determinant, 3. the inverse. Thus our results provide the first known efficient parallel algorithms for exact solution of these matrix problems, that avoids computation of the characteristic polynomial or related forms. Instead we use a construction which modifies the input matrix, which may initially have arbitrary condition, so as to have condition nearly 1, and then applies a multilevel, pipelined Newton iteration, followed by a similar multilevel, pipelined Hensel Lifting.
DNA sequence of the araC regulatory gene from Escherichia coli B/r.

Abstract The DNA sequence of the araC regulatory gene from Escherichia coli B/r has been determined by the base-specific chemical cleavage reactions of Maxam and Gilbert. An open reading frame is found which codes for a protein of 292 amino acids. A nonsense mutation, araC5, is shown to result from a G to A transition at nucleotide 429 converting the tryptophan codon TGG to the amber codon TAG. A deletion which does not recombine with any known point mutation in araC, delta(araCO)719, removes all but the last 22 codons of the gene.
Eight-Chord CO 2 Interferometer For Plasma Density Measurements On ZT-40

We describe a CO2 laser interferometer which measures the path-integrated density along eight different chords simultaneously in the ZT-40 reversed-field pinch, a toroidal magnetic confinement experiment at Los Alamos. The interferometer system combines several reliable, commercially available components in a package which provides exceptional measurement resolution as well as ease of operation and maintenance.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in mixed plantings of non-Bt and Bt corn containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits☆

Protein contamination on refuge kernels due to cross-pollination from Bt corn to non-Bt corn ears is a major concern in the use of a seed mixture refuge strategy (“RIB”) for resistance management of ear-feeding pests. In this study, occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were evaluated in three planting patterns of non-Bt and Bt corn plants containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits. The three planting patterns were 1) pure stands of 27 Bt plants; 2) pure stands of 27 non-Bt plants; and 3) one non-Bt plant in the center surrounded by 26 Bt plants. A total of six trials were conducted in open field conditions with natural infestations in 2011 and 2012. Egg populations of H. zea were distributed randomly or uniformly, and the number of eggs laid was similar between Bt and non-Bt corn ears regardless of the planting patterns, suggesting that females of H. zea have no egg-laying preference between Bt and non-Bt plants. Bt corn plants containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits were equally effective in the control of H. zea in pure stands of Bt corn and “RIB” plantings. Occurrence of larvae and ear damage on Bt corn were significantly lower than on non-Bt plants and there were no significant differences between pure stands of Bt and “RIB” plantings across all trials. However, the limited numbers of live larvae in the pure stands of Bt plants were distributed non-randomly, suggesting a possibility of uneven expression of Bt proteins or elevated larval movement in the pure stands of Bt plants. Larval occurrence (3rd–5th instars) and ear damage on the refuge ears in “RIB” plantings were similar to or greater than found on ears of pure stands of non-Bt plants. However, more studies are needed to understand the effect of pollen movement on the full life cycle of H. zea before a final conclusion on the refuge function of RIB planting can be made.
Spillover and Crossover of Work-to-Family Conflict and the Health Behaviors of Dual-Earner Parents with Young Children

Scholars have identified an association between one's own work-family conflict and health. Yet the study of work-family intersections implicitly calls into question the roles played by multiple members in the family system. A contagion model is used to examine health behaviors and work-to-family conflict among dual-earner parents of young children—for whom role obligations are high and competing. Controlling for workplace characteristics, perceptions of both spouses' work-to-family conflict are considered. For mothers, their own work-to-family conflict was significantly and negatively associated with health behaviors until the perception of their spouse's work-to-family conflict was considered. For fathers, their own job pressure was negatively associated with health behaviors. Thus, it appears wives may be responding to what they perceive as the interference of husbands' work lives by reducing their own personal health behaviors, such as sleeping and taking time to relax, but fathers are not responding i...
Personal perspectives on graphene: New graphene-related materials on the horizon

In this article, I describe my early interest in graphene and contributions that I and my co-authors, in particular, have made to the field, along with a brief history of the experimental discovery of graphene. I then turn to new carbon materials whose experimental syntheses might be on the horizon. One example involves using graphene as a template to generate large-area ultrathin sp3-bonded carbon sheets that could also be substitutionally doped with, for example, nitrogen atoms, as one approach to making materials of interest for quantum computing. Such large-area sp3-bonded carbon sheets hold tremendous promise for use in thermal management; as a new material for electronics and photonics; and as ultrahigh-strength components in various structures including those used in aerospace, among other applications. Another example is the class of negative-curvature carbons (NCCs) that have atom-thick walls and carbon atoms trivalently bonded to other carbon atoms. Such NCCs have a nanoscale pore structure, atom-thick walls, and exceptionally high specific surface areas, and they fill three-dimensional space in ways that suggest their use as electrode materials for ultracapacitors and batteries, as adsorbents, as support material for catalysts, and for other applications.
Stability in two-stage stochastic programming

We analyze the effect of changes in problem functions and/or distributions in certain two-stage stochastic programming problems with recourse. Under reasonable assumptions the locally optimal value of the perturbed problem will be continuous and the corresponding set of local optimizers will be upper semicontinuous with respect to the parameters (including the probability distribution in the second stage).
Aberrant cell and basement membrane architecture contribute to sidestream smoke-induced choroidal endothelial dysfunction.

Author(s): Yang, Xiao; Scott, Harry A; Ardekani, Soroush; Williams, Monique; Talbot, Prue; Ghosh, Kaustabh | Abstract: PURPOSE: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is widely regarded as a major modifiable risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Yet, precisely how it exerts its pathologic effects is poorly understood. Since early-stage AMD is characterized by choroidal capillary loss, this study examined the effect of sidestream smoke (SS), the major component of ETS, on the viability of choroidal endothelial cells (EC), with an emphasis on the role of aberrant cell and basement membrane (BM) architecture in mediating SS-induced response. METHODS: Chorioretinal ECs (RF/6A) were treated with SS, and cell viability and architecture were analyzed by colorimetric assay and actin cytoskeletal organization, respectively. The structure of RF/6A EC-secreted BM was examined by immunofluorescence for collagen IV and immunoblotting for lysyl oxidase (LOX), a collagen-crosslinking enzyme. Finally, fresh RF/6A ECs were cultured on decellularized SS-treated BM to evaluate its active role in EC dysfunction. RESULTS: The RF/6A EC viability decreased progressively with increasing SS dose, which correlated strongly with a significant decline in actin cytoskeleton-dependent EC spreading. Sidestream smoke also caused marked disruption of the RF/6A EC-secreted BM that was accompanied by suppression of LOX expression. Further, fresh, non-SS-treated RF/6A ECs exhibited a significant loss in viability and actin cytoskeletal organization when cultured on SS-treated corrupt BM. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that aberrant physical cues in the form of EC and BM architecture likely have an important role in choriocapillaris dysfunction seen in SS-associated early AMD and implicate choroidal BM as a potential target for AMD management strategies.
A critical review of the classifications and staging of colorectal cancer

Proper classification of colorectal cancer has been critical in determining prognosis and possible therapy. The Dukes classification has generally been the one most widely used. However, modifications by Dukes himself, as well as by others, have created considerable confusion. This paper attempts to review, in critical detail, the origins for each of the proposed systems and to compare them.
Interpretation of the Optical Properties of Metal Surfaces

The surface optical properties of the metals Ag, Au, Cu, Pt, Ir, and Ni in the infrared are shown to obey a simple generalized form of the Drude formula for the free electron theory, but involving two types of free electrons. If the surface optical constants are not anomalous, this procedure may be interpreted as a source of information on the density and relaxation times of free electrons in different overlapping energy bands. The evidence for and against anomalous surface optical constants is reviewed and it is concluded that the optical constants in the interior are the same as those measured on the surface.
Reciprocal Love Mentoring Black and Latino Males Through an Ethos of Care

Although mentoring programs can produce positive outcomes for youth, more research is needed that offers an account of how Black and Latino male mentors and mentees experience mentoring. This pheno...
An impurity beam trapping instability in Tokamaks

The sensitivity of neutron energy production to the impurity trapping of injected neutral beams is considered. This process is affected by inherent low-Z contamination of the tritium pre-heat plasma, by the species composition of the neutral beam, and by the entrance angle of the beam. The sensitivities of the process to these variables, and to the variation of wall material are compared. One finds that successful use of a low-Z, low-sputtering material can appreciably lengthen the useful pulse length. (auth)
Surface-opening feature measurement using coordinate-measuring machines

Coordinate-measuring machines (CMM) with contact probes have been widely used in industry for quality inspection and reverse engineering. Despite its lower scanning speed, its tactile nature and precision level leads to more reliable measurement results compared with non-contact probes. Although extensive research effort has been spent on CMM-based measurement, the current research status does not lend an immediate application of CMM machines to the measurement of surface-opening features. When opening spaces are not taken into account in CMM path planning, the probing stylus would enter opening spaces, thus leading to significant measurement errors. This paper presents a methodology to measure surface-opening features using CMM with contact probes. Starting from estimated boundary points through extrapolating cubic spline curves, the probing styluses are able to search and compensate to the boundaries of opening features. The probing method is implementable in both computer-aided design (CAD)-guided mode and non-CAD-guided mode. In CAD-guided mode the probing stylus approaches along surface normal direction, while in non-CAD-guided mode the normal direction is first estimated through triangular method, and then followed by a correction procedure. The presented method is able to use contact probes to track and measure the boundaries of surface-opening features directly without using complicated data processing and sophisticated instrumentation.
Previous percutaneous coronary intervention increases morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background We hypothesized that the incidence of previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasing and that prior PCI influences patient morbidity and mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods A total of 34,316 patients underwent isolated CABG operations at 16 different statewide, institutions from 2001 to 2008. Patients were stratified into prior PCI (n = 4346; 12.7%) and no prior PCI (n = 29,970). Patient risk factors, intraoperative variables, and outcomes were compared by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results The incidence of prior PCI in CABG has risen from <1% to 22.0% from 2001 to 2008 (P < .001). Prior PCI patients were younger (P < .001) and more commonly had previous myocardial infarction (P < .001), but less commonly had heart failure (P < .001). The operative mortality was similar between groups (2.3% vs 1.9%; P = .13). Prior PCI patients had more major complications (15.0% vs 12.0%; P < .001), longer hospitalization (P = .01), and higher readmission rates (P = .01). Importantly, by multivariate analyses, prior PCI was not associated with mortality, but was an independent predictor of major complications after CABG (odds ratio, 1.15; P = .01). Conclusion The incidence of prior PCI in patients undergoing CABG is increasing. Previous PCI is associated with a higher risk of major complications, greater hospital length of stay, and higher readmission rates after CABG.
Electron transport uniformity characterization of CdZnTe using alpha particles

Novel electrode configurations, such as coplanar grids, have been successful in mitigating the effects of poor hole transport in CdZnTe gamma-ray detectors. However, poor material uniformity remains a major problem preventing the widespread application of such detectors in gamma-ray spectroscopy. Uniform electron transport is critical for achieving good gamma-ray detection performance in the coplanar-grid configuration. The authors have investigated the use of alpha-particle response as a quick and simple electron transport uniformity screening technique for material selection, and as a method to study other spectral broadening mechanisms in coplanar-grid detectors. The method consists of uniformly illuminating, with an alpha-particle source, the cathode side of the CdZnTe crystal in either a planar or a coplanar-grid detector configuration. In the planar geometry, the variation in the measured pulse heights is dictated in large part by the uniformity of the electron transport. An alpha-particle spectrum that has a single sharp peak with little background indicates uniform electron transport and, consequently, that the CdZnTe crystal should result in a coplanar-grid detector with good gamma-ray detection performance. In the coplanar geometry, the measured pulse-height variation provides information on additional sources of spectral broadening. In this paper the authors present the results of their study to measure the correlation between these simple alpha-particle measurements and the coplanar-grid gamma-ray detector response.
Nephrogenic adenomas in pediatric patients: a morphologic and immunohistochemical study of 21 cases.

ABSTRACT Similar to nephrogenic adenomas in adults, those in children are rare benign lesions that often occur in the setting of previous surgery or chronic irritation of the urinary tract. These lesions often present with hematuria and/or as polypoid or papillary lesions on cystoscopy, which may indicate malignancy. We sought to evaluate the various patterns of nephrogenic adenoma occurring in the pediatric population and better characterize the immunophenotype of these lesions. We reviewed 21 cases of nephrogenic adenomas from urinary bladder biopsies of 16 patients. Most patients had a history of urinary bladder augmentation with recurrent urinary stones and urinary tract infections. Many cases presented as a papillary or polypoid mass on cystoscopy. The most common morphologic patterns are papillary, tubulocystic, and a mixed pattern of papillary and tubulocystic, followed by cystic and tubular. On immunostaining, PAX-2, PAX-8, CK7, and MUC-1 provided the most diffuse and intense positive reactivity f...
Rationale and design for PACE: Patients with intermittent claudication injected with ALDH bright cells

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is recognized as a public health issue because of its prevalence, functional limitations, and increased risk of systemic ischemic events. Current treatments for claudication, the primary symptom in patients with PAD, have limitations. Cells identified using cytosolic enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) may benefit patients with severe PAD but has not been studied in patients with claudication. PACE is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted by the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network to assess the safety and efficacy of autologous bone marrow–derived ALDH br cells delivered by direct intramuscular injections in 80 patients with symptom-limiting intermittent claudication. Eligible patients will have a significant stenosis or occlusion of infrainguinal arteries and a resting ankle-brachial index less than 0.90 and will be randomized 1:1 to cell or placebo treatment with a 1-year follow-up. The primary end points are the change in peak walking time and leg collateral arterial anatomy, calf muscle blood flow, and tissue perfusion as determined by magnetic resonance imaging at 6 months compared with baseline. The latter 3 measurements are new physiologic lower extremity tissue perfusion and PAD imaging–based end points that may help to quantify the biologic and mechanistic effects of cell therapy. This trial will collect important mechanistic and clinical information on the safety and efficacy of ALDH br cells in patients with claudication and provide valuable insight into the utility of advanced magnetic resonance imaging end points.
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery cathodes: In-situ XAS

Lithium-ion batteries with high energy and power density are needed for a variety of new technologies. The materials that are used in the cathodes and anodes of these batteries have crystal structures that can accommodate and release lithium over a fairly large composition range. Over 95% of commercial lithium-ion batteries use LiCoO2 cathodes, but the high cost of cobalt makes cheaper alternatives desirable. Knowledge of the redox chemistry and changes in structure during electrochemical cycling is of paramount importance in designing new cathode materials with superior properties. The authors explored the changes in the atomic and electronic structure of nickel- and manganese-based cathode materials using in-situ x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The element-specific nature of the XAS technique and its sensitivity to the local chemical environment make it an ideal tool to study this class of materials.
A note on "Information conveyed by vowels".

In an early experiment using synthetic speech, it was shown that raising or lowering the formants in an introductory sentence affected the identification of the vowel in a following test word [P. Ladefoged and D. Broadbent, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 29, 98–104 (1957)]. This experiment has now been replicated using natural speech produced by a phonetician using two different overall settings of the vocal tract.
Estrogen-induced anchorage-independence in human endometrial stromal cells.

Estrogens are important etiologic agents for most gynecologic malignancies, and chronic exposure to estrogen that is unopposed by progestins conveys the greatest risk. Treatments with estrogen facilitate the process of malignant transformation in rodents, but relatively few studies of estrogen-induced carcinogenesis have been performed using human cells. Most malignancies in estrogen-responsive tissues arise from epithelial cells, but an increasing body of evidence emphasizes the role of stromal cells as mediators of the effects of estrogens on epithelial cells. Our studies were designed to assess estrogens as carcinogens for human endometrial stromal cells and to provide a basis for studies of the role of stroma in estrogen-induced carcinogenesis in humans. Acute treatments with the estrogens diethylstilbestrol (DES), 17β-estradiol E2 and β-dienestrol enhance anchorage-independent proliferation (AIP) of SV40-immortalized human endometrial stromal cells in the rank order of DES > E2 > β-dienestrol. The anti-estrogenic compound tamoxifen inhibits DES-induced AIP. The magnitude of DES-induced AIP increases with prolonged duration of treatment. After 11 months of chronic treatment with 0.1 nM DES, AIP was 20-fold higher than in vehicle-treated control cultures. Expression of the estrogen receptor was altered by treatments with DES in parallel with increased capacity for AIP. These conditionally immortal human endometrial stromal cells appear to be a good model for estrogen-induced transformation of human cells. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Quantitative genetics of serum sex hormone-binding globulin levels in participants in the San Antonio Family Heart Study

Abstract Sex hormone—binding globulin (SHBG) is a steroid-binding plasma protein with a high affinity for testosterone that has been inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk in many populations. SHBG may also act as a receptor in some tissues. Although the function of SHBG is relatively well understood, comparatively little is known about genetic factors contributing to the normal variation of serum SHBG levels. We estimated the heritability (h 2 ) of serum SHBG levels in 717 related Mexican-Americans participating in the San Antonio Family Heart Study (SAFHS). We found a significant heritability (h 2 = 0.31, P P
The influence of directional associations on directed forgetting and interference.

Two experiments examined how cross-list directional associations influenced list-method directed forgetting and the degree of interference observed on each list. Each List 1 item had a (a) bidirectionally related item on List 2 (chip potato), (b) forward association with an item on List 2 (chip --> wood), (c) backward association from an item on List 2 (chip <-- chisel), or (d) no relationship with List 2 items. The results revealed that associative relationships that eliminated retroactive interference in the baseline condition also eliminated the directed forgetting costs. In contrast, associative relationships did not affect List 2 recall in the forget group, which remained unchanged across experimental conditions. However, certain conditions reduced proactive interference in the remember group, thereby eliminating the benefits of directed forgetting. The directed forgetting costs and benefits were observed independently of each other. The authors propose that these effects emerged from a combination of item and context strengthening induced by different associative directions.
Novel nonintercepting diagnostic techniques for low-emittance relativistic electron beams

Abstract Relativistic electron beams are being generated with emittances low enough that diffraction radiation can be used for beam diagnostics. Techniques based on diffraction radiation can be used to measure the beam transverse momentum distribution and to measure the transverse spatial distribution. The radiation is intense and can be in the visible spectral region where optical diagnostic techniques can be used to maximum advantage.
Characterizing white matter changes in cigarette smokers via diffusion tensor imaging

Abstract Background Tobacco use remains the most preventable cause of death; however, its effects on the brain, and particularly white matter, remain elusive. Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have failed to yield consistent findings, with some reporting elevated measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) and others reporting lowered FA. Methods In our study, we sought to elucidate the effects of tobacco on white matter by using enhanced imaging acquisition parameters and multiple analysis methods, including tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) with crossing fiber measures and probabilistic tractography. Results Our TBSS results revealed that chronic cigarette smokers have decreased FA in corpus callosum and bilateral anterior internal capsule, as well as specific reduced anisotropy in the two major fiber directions in a crossing fiber model. Further, our tractography results indicated that smokers have decreased FA in tracts projecting to the frontal cortex from (1) nucleus accumbens, (2) habenula, and (3) motor cortex. We also observed that smokers have greater disruptions in those regions when they had recently smoked compared to when they abstained from smoking for 24 h. Our results also support previous evidence showing hemispheric asymmetry, with greater damage to the left side compared to the right. Conclusions These findings provide more conclusive evidence of white matter disruptions caused by nicotine use. By better understanding the neural disruptions correlating with cigarette smoking we can elucidate the addictive course and explore targeted treatment regimens for nicotine dependence.
ACADEMIC ADVISING IN TWO‐YEAR COLLEGES

The purposes of this research study were to examine the academic advisement of students in two‐year colleges on a statewide basis, to compare the present status of academic advisement in two‐year colleges in New York State with the results and directions cited in a nationwide survey, and to suggest ways in which institutions might further develop and improve systems for the academic advisement of students. A literature review included both conceptual and operational approaches to academic advisement. Major variables were identified in establishing a system for academic advisement. Responses were received from 44 of the 58 colleges involved in the population of the study. Research results involved presentation of data including percentages in several categories including the name of the academic advising function, the identification of those involved in academic advising, the coordination of academic advising, and the impact of advising on the students. Attention was given also to the evaluation of advisin...
Uridine diphosphoglucuronosyltransferase pharmacogenetics and cancer

The uridine diphosphoglucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) belong to a superfamily of enzymes that catalyse the glucuronidation of numerous endobiotics and xenobiotics. Several human hepatic and extrahepatic UGT isozymes have been characterized with respect to their substrate specificity, tissue expression and gene structure. Genetic polymorphisms have been identified for almost all the UGT family members. A wide variety of anticancer drugs, dietary chemopreventives and carcinogens are known to be conjugated by members of both UGT1A and UGT2B subfamilies. This review examines in detail each UGT isozyme known to be associated with cancer and carcinogenesis. The cancer-related substrates for several UGTs are summarized, and the functionally relevant genetic polymorphisms of UGTs are reviewed. A number of genotype-phenotype association studies have been carried out to characterize the role of UGT pharmacogenetics in several types of cancer, and these examples are discussed here. In summary, this review focuses on the role of the human UGT genetic polymorphisms in carcinogenesis, chemoprevention and cancer risk.
Thoracoscopic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis: analysis of 642 procedures with special attention to Horner's syndrome and compensatory hyperhidrosis.

Background Hyperhidrosis (HH) profoundly affects a patient's well-being. Objective We report indications and outcomes of 322 patients treated for HH via thoracoscopic sympathectomy or sympathotomy at the Barrow Neurological Institute. Methods A prospectively maintained database of all patients who underwent sympathectomy or sympathotomy between 1996 and 2008 was examined. Additional follow-up was obtained in clinic, by phone, or by written questionnaire. Results A total of 322 patients (218 female patients) had thoracoscopic treatment (mean age 27.6 years; range, 10-60 years). Mean follow-up was 8 months. Presentations included HH of the palms (43 patients, 13.4%), axillae (13 patients, 4.0%), craniofacial region (4 patients, 1.2%), or some combination (262 patients, 81.4%). Sympathectomy and sympathotomy were equally effective in relieving HH. Palmar HH resolved in 99.7% of patients. Axillary or craniofacial HH resolved or improved in 89.1% and 100% of cases, respectively. Hospital stay averaged 0.5 days. Ablating the sympathetic chain at T5 increased the incidence of severe compensatory sweating (P = .0078). Sympathectomy was associated with a significantly higher incidence of Horner's syndrome compared with sympathotomy (5% vs 0.9%, P = .0319). Patients reported satisfaction and willingness to undergo the procedure again in 98.1% of cases. Conclusion Thoracoscopic sympathectomy is effective and safe treatment for severe palmar, axillary, and craniofacial HH. Ablating the T5 ganglion tends to increase the severity of compensatory sweating. Sympathectomy led to a higher incidence of ipsilateral Horner's syndrome compared with sympathotomy.