cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anticoagulant therapy in coronary artery disease.

1. 1. The effectiveness of anticoagulants in the reduction of mortality and thromboembolic complications in the patient with acute cardiac infarction is substantiated by a majority of the clinical reports dealing with this treatment. Experience with 213 cases at the Presbyterian Hospital has been favorable and comparable to the results of the American Heart Association study, effecting an appreciable reduction both in mortality rate and thromboembolic complications. 2. 2. I subscribe to the program of employing anticoagulant therapy in all patients with acute cardiac infarction, regardless of classification according to the type of risk, provided there is no contraindication to their use. The selective use of anticoagulant therapy in “poor risk” patients only is advised by some authorities. This appears to be a matter for personal determination by each clinician. 3. 3. Chronic anticoagulation for months and years, following the initial acute infarction, may offer an improved prognosis with respect to preventing recurrent cardiac infarctions. This aspect, of therapy needs further documentation. 4. 4. In patients with recent onset or a sharp intensification of the degree of anginal pain, the prophylactic use of anticoagulants may delay or ward off the final occlusion of a narrowed vessel. This needs further evaluation and study. 5. 5. Patients with arteriosclerotic heart disease exhibiting embolism originating from intracardiac thrombi are protected from recurrent embolism by continuous anticoagulant therapy. Therapy is not necessarily continued for life, as is the case in individuals with rheumatic heart disease. Anticoagulant therapy for approximately six months may suffice. 6. 6. Several coumarin and indandione drugs are available for use, all equally effective and similarly fraught with comparable risk of bleeding. Each physician should become thoroughly familiar with one agent and acquire experience in its dosage and its behavior in patients. 7. 7. Vitamin K and vitamin K1 are essential and effective antidotes for the coumarin and indandione drugs. Protamine is a promptly effective antidote for excessive heparin effect. The judicious use of these antidotal drugs will contribute to the safety of anticoagulant treatment.
Arnold diffusion in the elliptic restricted three-body problem

In this paper, we show the existence of the Arnold diffusion in the elliptic restricted three-body problem. This gives one of the very few examples of Arnold diffusion in real physical systems. The construction is based on the transversal homoclinic orbits in the circular restricted three-body problem ([6, 7, 14]). We prove that the small perturbations to the horseshoe maps in the neighborhood of the homoclinic orbits creates the Arnold diffusion. The existence of the Arnold diffusion also shows that the elliptic restricted three-body problem is non-integrable.
Venous Thromboembolism After Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Thromboembolic complications after uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) are infrequent. The incidence and predisposing factors of thromboembolism after UFE are unknown. We present eight cases of nonfatal thromboembolic complications after UFE and estimate the frequency of such events as 0.4%.
Norwalk virus genome cloning and characterization

Major epidemic outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis result from infections with Norwalk or Norwalk-like viruses. Virus purified from stool specimens of volunteers experimentally infected with Norwalk virus was used to construct recombinant complementary DNA (cDNA) and derive clones representing most of the viral genome. The specificity of the clones was shown by their hybridization with post- (but not pre-) infection stool samples from volunteers infected with Norwalk virus and with purified Norwalk virus. A correlation was observed between the appearance of hybridization signals in stool samples and clinical symptoms of acute gastroenteritis in volunteers. Hybridization assays between overlapping clones, restriction enzyme analyses, and partial nucleotide sequence information of the clones indicated that Norwalk virus contains a single-stranded RNA genome of positive sense, with a polyadenylated tail at the 3' end and a size of at least 7.5 kilobases. A consensus amino acid sequence motif typical of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases was identified in one of the Norwalk virus clones. The availability of Norwalk-specific cDNA and the new sequence information of the viral genome should permit the development of sensitive diagnostic assays and studies of the molecular biology of the virus.
On the Road to Philippic III: The Management of Argument and the Modulation of Emotion in the Deliberative Speeches of Demosthenes

Resume: Si un orateur emploie trop d9arguments ou si ses arguments sont trop complexes, il risque de confondre l9auditoire, qui ne saura pas ce qui est important et ce qui ne l9est pas. Par contre, s9il ne presente que peu d9arguments, il est susceptible d9apparaitre insuffisament renseigne. De meme, s9il essaie trop d9eveiller les passions chez les auditeurs, il risque de donner l9impression d9etre fou. Par contre, s9il ne se sert pas des arguments qui eveillent les passions, il semblera indifferent. Dans cet essai je soutiens que dans ses harangues deliberatives Demosthene tente de trouver un juste rapport entre la logique et la passion et qu9il ne le trouve que dans la Troisieme Philippique .
SU-FF-I-121: Automated Ultrasound QC Tests: A Method That Does Not Require Perfect Transducer Alignment

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to develop an approach to automatic quality controltesting of ultrasound equipment without the requirement to have perfect alignment of the image plane with the test objects in the phantom. Method and Materials: A standard commercial ultrasound phantom is used to acquire images using a typical clinical ultrasoundscanner. The phantom used here is one that employs a set of cylindrical voids to evaluate spatial resolution. The ultrasoundscanner is configured to acquire a series of images in a clip file and the data is sent via a DICOM connection. A clip is stored as the transducer is swept across the plane of the test objects (An alternative method would be to use a frame‐grabbing system that can acquire a video signal and store data as a multi‐image file.) A program has been written in MATLAB to open the DICOM multi‐image file and store the images.Statistical properties of this set of images are used to create a “composite” image that represents a perfect alignment of the transducer. This image may be used for a series of quantitative evaluations of image quality that have previously been described in the literature. These would include lesion detectability (lesion signal to noise ratio) measures as well as sensitivity measurements (maximum depth of penetration). Results: This approach to image acquisition has the potential to save time and effort (and frustration) for either a technologist or a physicist in the ongoing effort to simplify the manual aspects of computerized quality control for ultrasound.Conclusion: This approach is under evaluation against other computerized ultrasoundquality control procedures.
Image indexing in article component databases

It is often necessary to compare data-rich charts, tables, diagrams, or drawings rather than the articles that contextualize that data. The objective of this research has been to create a database of non-textual components (here, maps) that are searchable independently of the articles from which they are taken, with the option to view the source articles. The method mines words from the articles that are near or associated with each component map, and these mined words become the basis of region, time, and subject indexing. The evaluation showed that automatic indexing of the component maps by these three facets works well, and indicates that a large-scale component database following this model is viable. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Uptake and subcellular distribution of cadmium in resting and mitogen-activated lymphocytes and its relationship to a metallothionein-like protein.

The effects of cadmium on the immune system have been extensively studied, although relatively little is known about the nature of the interaction between cadmium and lymphocytes. We describe studies that examine the uptake and subcellular distribution of cadmium in resting and mitogen-activated mouse splenic lymphocytes exposed to cadmium in vitro . Mitogen activation was associated with an increased uptake and altered subcellular distribution of cadmium, compared to resting (nonmitogen-activated) lymphocytes. In both resting and mitogen-activated lymphocytes the total uptake of cadmium was concentration-dependent. However, compared to resting lymphocytes, in mitogen-activated lymphocytes, cadmium tended to distribute out of the nuclear and into the cytoplasmic fraction. The Sephadex G-75 exclusion chromatography profile revealed the presence of a cadmium-binding protein eluting identically to metallothionein in mitogen-activated, but not in resting, lymphocytes. The presence of this protein in mitogen-activated lymphocytes is consistent with the differences in subcellular distribution of cadmium reported. Further, the difference between resting and mitogen-activated lymphocytes in the production of this protein, and the known genetic differences in metallothionein inducibility, may explain some of the reported variability in the effects of cadmium on the immune system.
Mandated accounting changes and managerial discretion

Abstract Implementation methods mandated by the FASB allow firms to report equity-increasing changes as income and equity-decreasing changes as adjustments to stockholders' equity. These findings are consistent with the argument that the FASB, to reduce its political costs, attempts to minimize firms' costs of implementation. We find that the FASB permits flexibility in timing of adoption of mandated changes. Firms experiencing lower changes in return on assets (ROA) before adoption and expecting higher adoption income effects accelerate implementation. Early adopters select the year of adoption when their change in ROA is lowest and their change in leverage is highest.
Acetaminophen and experimental acute myocardial infarction.

Acetaminophen is a widely used analgesic, and recent studies have shown that it has some benefits in the ischemic heart. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of acetaminophen on infarct size, regional myocardial blood flow and the “no-reflow” phenomenon in a rabbit model of coronary artery occlusion (CAO) and reperfusion. Rabbits were assigned to one of four groups: (1) acetaminophen, 75 mg/kg in 75% ethanol, 30 min before CAO, (2) vehicle at 30 min before CAO, (3) acetaminophen at 18 min after CAO (12 min before reperfusion), or (4) vehicle at 18 min of CAO (n = 10 each group). All rabbits received 30 min of CAO followed by 3 hr reperfusion. The extent of ischemia was similar in all groups comprising 24–27% of the left ventricle. Infarct size (% ischemic zone) was 51 ± 5, 56 ± 3 in groups 1 and 2 (p = ns), 43 ± 3 and 40 ± 4 in groups 3 and 4 (p = ns). Thus acetaminophen did not affect the development of necrosis. Heart rate and blood pressure were unchanged by acetaminophen treatment. Regional myocardial blood flow was similar in all groups during occlusion and at the end of reperfusion. Acetaminophen had no effect on the size of the anatomic zone of no-reflow that developed by 3 hours of reperfusion. We conclude that acetaminophen has a neutral effect in this experimental model of ischemia/reperfusion and appears to be safe in the course of experimental myocardial infarction.
Genetics and Potential Treatments for Obesity

During the last 5 years, the information on the genetic contributions toward obesity has increased exponentially. In this chapter, Caro discusses our recent understanding regarding leptin, the Ob protein which is produced in the adipocyte and signals the brain regarding energy needs, and the leptin receptor to which the Ob protein binds. He further mentions other work in the area of the genetics of obesity.
Real-time monitoring of cake thickness during slip casting

A test system was developed to measure cake growth for an alumina slip using a uniaxial, planar slip, casting assembly. This technique utilizes transducers configured in a pulse-echo mode to monitor cake thickness as a function of casting time. Studies were performed to determine the effect of varying slip properties on the attenuation of ultrasound. The ultrasonic velocity was independent of solid loading, φs=0.27−0.43, and slip viscosity, η=85–300 mPas. In addition, transducers with frequencies varying from 0.5 to 5 MHz were studied to determine the best frequency for monitoring the casting kinetics. A transducer frequency of 1 MHz was found to give the best peak resolution, and thus was best for monitoring cake thickness.
Serum and salivary cardiac analytes in acute myocardial infarction related to oral health status

With the advent of an increased emphasis on the potential to utilize biomarkers in saliva for systemic diseases, the issue of existing oral disease is an important consideration that could adversely affect the interpretation of diagnostic results obtained from saliva. We addressed the question does a patient’s oral inflammation status confound biomarker levels used in diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The results demonstrated that multiple serum biomarkers and a few salivary biomarkers reflected the cardiac event. Importantly, oral health of the individual had minimal impact on the validity of the serum or salivary biomarker effectiveness.
Cisplatin and radiotherapy in the management of locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Abstract Purpose : This manuscript traces the results of combined modality head and neck cancer trials, with reference to survival and rates of local-regional control and distant metastases, that have led to current Phase III trials testing concomitant cisplatin and radiotherapy. Methods and Materials : The toxicity, local control rates, and survival results of pilot trials and small randomized trials using concomitant cisplatin based chemotherapy and radiotherapy are reviewed. Results : Enhanced mucosal toxicity and myelosuppression occur which affect patient compliance and tolerance of planned chemotherapy, but do not appear to affect delivery of standard fractionation radiotherapy. The encouraging results of single agent cisplatin and radiotherapy trials and those using cisplatin-5-FU and split course radiotherapy have led to the activation of three randomized Head and Neck Intergroup trials. These trials are for Stage III & IV carcinoma of the nasopharynx, Stage III & IV resectable carcinoma of the larynx (organ preservation) and Stage III & IV unresectable carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. Conclusion : The three Intergroup study designs should allow for a definitive evaluation of concomitant treatment
Relaxations in mixed alkali metaphosphate glass

Abstract A study of the materials response to time-dependent mechanical and electrical perturbations was performed on a mixed alkali, sodium and lithium, metaphosphate glass over a range of overlapping frequencies. The characteristic timescale that characterizes the mechanical relaxations, τ μ , was observed to be two orders of magnitude slower than the characteristic response, τ σ , of the system to electrical perturbations. This is unlike the situation in single alkali glasses where τ μ and τ σ are equivalent. Interestingly, it was also noted that the breadth of the distribution of relaxation times that characterize the response of the mixed mobile ion system is slightly narrower than that of the single alkali (Li) metaphosphate. A comparison of the characteristic timescales, τ 1 , that describes the nuclear magnetic resonance spin-lattice relaxation time response revealed that τ 1 is comparable to τ σ . This is also by contrast with the single alkali case where τ σ is approximately one order of magnitude faster than τ 1 . However, as observed in single alkali glasses, the breadth of the distribution of relaxation times that characterize the loss processes of the mechanical response is considerably larger than that of the electrical response.
Sesquiterpene lactones of Calea zacatechichi and C. urticifolia

Abstract Calea zacatechichi yielded the sesquiterpene lactone zexbrevin and a new analog, several analogs of neurolenin B including calein A, two analogs of budlein A and the flavones acacetin and O-methylacacetin. Calea urticifolia contained additional analogs of neurolenin B as well as a series of epoxidation products. Structures were established by spectrometric techniques. The results are contrasted with previous findings.
Thermo-electro-mechanical modeling and structural response of a flexible beam with external SMA actuators

A thermo-electrical and thermo-mechanical model is developed to predict a shape memory alloy (SMA) tendon-actuated compliant beam structure. A geometrically non-linear static analysis is first carried out to investigate the deformed shape of a flexible beam with a SMA tendon actuated electrically. It is found that, when the beam tip deflection is less than 10% of its length, an approximate linear beam model is appropriate, allowing the use of linear beam theory in modeling the dynamic structural response. While the model with nonlinear beam theory is still preferred in model prediction, identification and for full understanding of structure behaviors. The actuation force applied by the SMA actuator to the beam is evaluated by using a thermodynamically based thermomechanical constitutive model for SMA. To calculate the temperature history in the SMA actuator for given electrical current input, the heat conduction equation in the SMA actuator is solved with the electrical resistive heating being modeled as a distributed heat source. Finally, the three steps in the formulation are connected through an iterative scheme that takes into account the static equilibrium of the beam, thus translating an input electrical current history into a beam strain output. The predictions of the proposed model are correlated with experimental results.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Potential Impacts of the Saharan Air Layer on Numerical Model Forecasts of North Atlantic Tropical Cyclogenesis

Abstract Tropical cyclones have devastating impacts on countries across large parts of the globe, including the Atlantic basin. Thus, forecasting of the genesis of Atlantic tropical cyclones is important, but this problem remains a challenge for researchers and forecasters due to the variety of weather systems that can lead to tropical cyclogenesis (e.g., stalled frontal boundaries, African easterly waves, and extratropical cyclones), as well as the role of the surrounding environment in promoting or inhibiting the development into a tropical depression and beyond. In the North Atlantic, the effects of the Saharan air layer (SAL), a hot, dry dusty layer that moves into the eastern Atlantic basin, must be taken into account when forecasting whether genesis will occur. There are several characteristics of SAL that impact tropical cyclones (decreased midtropospheric moisture, increased midlevel shear, and enhanced stability). The purpose of this study is to examine the forecasting skill of the National Cente...
Objectively measured light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with lower depression levels among older US adults

Objectives: We have a limited understanding of the epidemiological association between objectively measured physical activity and depression among older adults. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between accelerometer-assessed physical activity and depression symptoms among a nationally representative sample of US older adults. Methods: Data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used. 708 older adults (65+ years) wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer for at least 4 days, and completed data on the study covariates along with depression, as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results: After controlling for age, gender, race-ethnicity, body mass index, marital status, education, comorbidity index, and physical functioning, for every 60-minute increase in light-intensity physical activity, participants were 20% (OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67–0.95; p = 0.01) less likely to be depressed. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was also inver...
Lung cancer in HIV Infection.

The term lung cancer is usually used to describe any of several types of primary tumors arising in the lung; common histological types include adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, bronchoalveolar cancer, and small cell lung cancer. Taken together, lung cancer is the most common non-AIDS-defining malignancy in HIV-infected individuals. Lung cancer risk appears to be two to five times greater in the HIV-infected persons compared to the general population, and most epidemiological studies find that the risk remains high even after adjusting for other factors like smoking intensity and duration. Often these patients present with advanced disease at a younger age but may have comparable survival compared with similarly matched lung cancer patients without HIV infection. Smoking cessation is the most effective preventive strategy.
Recognition and management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass patients

Repeated exposure to unfractionated heparin is the rule in many congenital heart disease patients. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia occurs in 1% to 3% of adult cardiac surgeries, and carries high thrombotic morbidity (38% to 81%) and mortality (approximately 28%). Although heparin-induced thrombocytopenia appears to be infrequent in pediatric patients, particularly neonates, our evolving experience suggests postcardiopulmonary bypass congenital heart disease patients may be at increased risk. Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges include frequency of thrombocytopenia after cardiopulmonary bypass, imperfect laboratory testing, lack of established dosing of alternative anticoagulants (such as argatroban and lepirudin), and increased anticoagulant-related bleeding in young children.
Plant high night temperature tolerance zones: describing and predicting summer night temperature patterns and the southern limits of plant adaptation

Abstract The Arnold Zone Map and the USDA Hardiness Zone Map are widely used by horticulturists and botanists to determine northern limits of plant adaptation within the United States. Similar maps to determine the southern limits of successful plant performance do not exist. Many northern species perform poorly when moved to southern climates and are generally better adapted to cooler areas or where rapid cooling occurs at night. Night (2000 to 0500 hours) temperature data from four physiographic areas of North Carolina were used to develop threshold temperature (5–30°C) curves for the months of May through October. These curves displayed a smooth, continuously differentiable, sigmoid shape between maximum and minimum asymptotes at 5 and 30°C. Fletcher (southern mountains) experienced the lowest night temperatures followed by Lewiston (northern Coastal Plain), Raleigh (central Piedmont) and Wilmington (southern Coastal Plain). Low/medium/high threshold temperatures of 15/20/25°C resulted in 261/64/0.5 and 278/256/64 threshold hours accumulated during July at Fletcher and Wilmington, respectively. A high threshold temperature of 25°C resulted in 1, 71, 65 and 133 threshold hours accumulated at Fletcher, Lewiston, Raleigh and Wilmington out of 828 total hours occurring during June, July and August. Threshold temperature curves were described mathematically using a five-parameter asymptotic model developed by van Genuchten. The mean threshold temperature exceeded by not more than 10% of the maximum threshold hours occurring during June, July and August was calculated for each station. These values and the threshold temperature curves were used to develop a hypothetical classification scheme for plant high night temperature tolerance zones.
Observations of Movements and Habitat Preferences of Burbot in an Alaskan Glacial River System

Abstract We studied the movements of burbot Lota lota from October 1983 to December 1984 in the upper reaches of the Tanana River, a glacial tributary of the Yukon River in eastern Alaska. We surgically implanted radio transmitters into 21 burbot and monitored the fish by aerial telemetry once every 3 weeks. Fish were relocated up to 68 km downstream and 84 km upstream from release sites. The longest combined upstream and downstream movement observed for an individual fish was 125 km. Burbot were usually relocated in the main river channel, even during summer when peak flows caused high turbidity and channel scouring. Although burbot moved about during all seasons, their longest movements occurred during November–March, the normal period of spawning activity.
Facile preparation of α-nitroketones from enol silyl ethers

Abstract Treatment of enol silyl ethers with the mild nitrating agent tetranitromethane gives good yields of α-nitroketones at room temperature and below.
Strategies for Adapting WebQuests for Students With Learning Disabilities

WebQuests are gaining popularity as teachers explore using the Internet for guided learning activities. A WebQuest involves students working on a task that is broken down into clearly defined steps. Students often work in groups to actively conduct the research. This article suggests a variety of methods for adapting WebQuests for students with learning disabilities. Various strategies include advance organizers, graphic organizers, hypertext study guides, outlines, vocabulary definitions, annotated lists of Web sites, and templates for compiling information.
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan-induced myoclonus in guinea pigs: a model for the study of central serotonin-dopamine interactions.

Abstract Myoclonic responses produced in guinea pigs by systemic administration of l -5-hydroxytryptophan ( l -5-HTP), or of l -tryptophan plus a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, were recorded and analysed quantitatively. l -5-Hydroxytryptophan-induced myoclonus involves 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurones and receptors, and appears to be an all-or-none response due to a spill-over phenomenon, rather than to impulse released 5-HT. The myoclonus was antagonized by the 5-HT receptor blockers, cyproheptadine and methergoline. Quipazine, an agent which releases 5-HT and inhibits its reuptake, produced a low rate of myoclonic jerks. Injection of the 5-HT agonist, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, resulted in intense myoclonus as well as a behavioural syndrome characterized by writhing, turning and hyperactivity. The dopamine (DA) receptor agonists, apomorphine and N-n-propyl-N-n-butyl-β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethylamine-HCl (PBD), antagonized the l -5-HTP induced myoclonus. The DA receptor blockers, haloperidol and pimozide, had no appreciable effect on l -5-HTP-induced myoclonus, but antagonized the suppression of myoclonus by DA agonists, indicating a modulation of the L-5-HTP-induced myoclonus by DA neurones. It is proposed that l -5-HTP-induced myoclonus in guinea pigs represents a useful model by which to study interactions between DA and 5-HT neuronal systems. Using the recording system described, the relative 5-HT and DA agonist and antagonist properties of new compounds may be determined. Furthermore, suppression of myoclonus by DA agonists may be employed as a method for screening potential anti-Parkinsonian agents.
CT scan diagnosis of bleeding peptic ulcer after gastric bypass.

Investigation of the bypassed stomach in patients with suspected peptic ulcer disease presents a major challenge to bariatric surgeons. Various methods have been suggested for visualization of the duodenum and bypassed stomach. These include endoscopy via percutaneous gastrostomy access, retrograde endoscopy and virtual gastroscopy using CT scan. We present a case of peptic ulcer bleeding diagnosed with the help of conventional CT scan.To the best of our knowledge, this is the second such case reported in the literature and the first in the bariatric population.
An intermediate for the clean synthesis of ionic liquids : Isolation and crystal structure of 1,3-dimethylimidazolium hydrogen carbonate monohydrate

1,3-Dimethylimidazolium-2-carboxylate and carbonic acid have been used to prepare a 1,3-dimethylimidazolium hydrogen carbonate salt by means of a Krapcho reaction. The ability to form hydrogen carbonate azolium salts allows for them to be used as precursors for fast, efficient, environmentally benign, and halide-free syntheses of many ionic liquids by a simple, acid-base reaction of virtually any acid (inorganic, organic, and organic noncarboxylic) with a pK(a) less than that of HCO(3) (-). Additionally, the kinetics of this reaction can be accelerated by employing catalytic amounts of DMSO (a traditional Krapcho solvent used in decarboxylation reactions) to catalyze the decarboxylation. The crystal structure of 1,3-dimethylimidazolium hydrogen carbonate monohydrate is the first example of an imidazolium-based hydrogen carbonate salt. There is a strong 2D hydrogen-bonded network with facially pi-stacked imidazolium cations located in the cavities created by this framework.
In Vitro Selection of Hg (II) and As (V)-Dependent RNA-Cleaving DNAzymes

DNAzymes (or catalytic DNA) are cell-free biomolecular recognition tools with target recognition sequences for charged molecules such as metal ions, antibiotics, and pharmaceuticals. In this study, using in vitro selection, large populations (e.g., 1015) of random DNA sequences were used as the raw material for the selection of "catalytic or functional molecules" for Hg2+ and As5+. From a random pool of 45-nt (Pool-A) and 35-nt (Pool-B) templates, we isolated RNA-cleaving catalytic Hg2+- and As5+-active DNAzymes, respectively. After eight cycles of selection and amplification wihin Pool A, sequences were enriched with a 54% cleavage efficiency against Hg2+. Similarly, Pool-B was found to catalyze ca. 18% cleavage efficiency against As5+ after 10 cycles of repeated selection and amplification. The M-fold software analysis resulted in sequences in the two active pools being dominated by "AATTCCGTAGGTCCAGTG" and "ATCTCCTCCTGTTC" functional motifs for Hg2+- and As5+-based catalysis, respectively. These DNAzym...
The effect of Cys LT1 receptor blockade on airway responses to allergen.

Study objective To evaluate the effect of a potent experimental leukotriene receptor antagonist, MK-571, on airway responses to inhaled allergen. Design Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Setting Clinical research center. Subjects Eight male volunteers with allergic asthma. Interventions An intravenous loading dose was followed by an 8-hour infusion of MK-571 or placebo, with a 7- to 14-day washout between treatments. Allergen challenge was performed after the loading dose and a histamine challenge was performed before and 24 hours after allergen. Measurements and main results Forced expiratory volume in 1 second was measured serially. MK-571 provided about 50% protection during maximum early and late responses compared with placebo (p=0.005), but airway obstruction persisted 8-24 hours after allergen on both treatment days. Airway responsiveness to histamine was not significantly attenuated at 24 hours. Conclusion Blocking Cys LT1 receptors for 8 hours attenuated the early and late responses but did not interrupt the cascade of events leading to subsequent allergen-induced airway obstruction and hyperreactivity.
On the nonidentifiability of migration time estimates in isolation with migration models

In recent years many studies have found evidence of gene flow between diverging populations by analyzing genetic data under an Isolation with Migration (IM) model (Pinho & Hey 2010). Given evidence of gene exchange, investigators often then wish to inquire of the time when gene flow occurred (e.g. Won & Hey 2005; Becquet & Przeworski 2009). For example, a model of divergence with gene flow would be suggested if gene flow occurred early or throughout the divergence process, whereas secondary contact would be the likely interpretation if gene flow was found to only have occurred after divergence had been ongoing for some time. Recently Strasburg & Rieseberg (2011) assessed the quality of estimates for the time of migration events using the method currently implemented in the IMA2 program (Hey 2010). They found that the credible intervals of estimated times were so wide as to make the method unsuitable for the question. These results suggest that some conclusions of previous studies that draw upon the posterior distribution for times of migration should be discounted (e.g. Won & Hey 2005; Strasburg et al 2008; Niemiller et al 2008; Nadachowska & Babik 2009). The Strasburg & Rieseberg (2011) study reports results from simulations. Here we examine, using the theory underlying the method implemented in the IMA2 program, the possible bases for their observations. We demonstrate that gene migration times are not fully identifiable using the general coalescent for genealogies in an IM model, as implemented in IMA2 and similar programs. In many respects the findings are general to methods that rely upon calculating the probabilities of genealogies under the coalescent, and so are of broader interest than any particular program. We note that the method implemented in IMA2 is the same as that in the IMA program (Hey & Nielsen 2007), and hereafter we refer simply to IMA.
The importance of humic acids to proton and cadmium binding in sediments

We used potentiometric titration to study the sorption of hydrogen and cadmium ions by three sediments and the humic acid (HA) extracted from each of these sediments. The acidity constants for both sediment and HA were estimated using a discrete monoprotic acid model. Similar pK values were found for the sediments and the HAs. The pK values are 4.48, 6.10, 7.56, and 9.50 for sediment RS3; 4.03, 6.46, and 8.42 for HA(RS3); 4.00, 5.76, 7.81, and 9.90 for sediment RS4; 4.11, 6.94, and 8.69 for HA(RS4); 3.90, 5.83, 7.90, and 9.78 for sediment RS6; 3.63, 6.23, and 8.24 for HA(RS6). Cadmium binding to sediment and HA was treated as surface complexation of cadmium by ligands. A nonlinear optimization program was used to treat the sorption isotherm data at pH 4.5 and 6.5. Conditional stability constants for cadmium binding to the sediment and HA at pH 4.5 are 4.04 for sediment RS3 and 3.95 for HA(RS3), 4.71 for sediment RS4 and 4.64 for HA(RS4), and 4.56 for sediment RS6 and 4.54 for HA(RS6). At pH 6.5 the conditional constants for cadmium binding are 5.03 for sediment RS3 and 4.92 for HA(RS3), 6.08 for sediment RS4 and 6.02 for HA(RS4), and 5.92 for sediment RS6 and 5.80 for HA(RS6). We also examined the correlation between cadmium binding to sediments and to the HAs extracted from sediments. All the binding of added cadmium by these sediments can be explained by HAs.
Dosage requirement and allelic expression of PAX6 during lens placode formation

Pax6 is a member of the mammalian Pax transcription factor family. Many of the Pax genes display semi-dominant loss-of-function heterozygous phenotypes, yet the underlying cause for this dosage requirement is not known. Mice heterozygous for Pax6 mutations exhibit small eyes (Sey) and in embryos the most obvious defect is a small lens. We have studied lens development in Pax6(Sey)(−1Neu)/+ embryos to understand the basis of the haploinsufficiency. The formation of the lens pre-placode appears to be unaffected in heterozygotes, as deduced from the number of cells, the mitotic index, the amount of apoptosis and the expression of SOX2 and Pax6 in the pre-placode. However, the formation of the lens placode is delayed. The cells at the edge of the lens cup fail to express N-cadherin and undergo apoptosis and the lens fails to detach completely from the surface ectoderm. After formation, the lens, which has 50% of the cells found in wild-type embryos, grows at a rate that is indistinguishable from wild type. We rule out the possibility that monoallelic expression of Pax6 at the time of lens placode formation accounts for the 50% reduction in cell number by showing that expression of Pax6 is biallelic in the lens placode and optic vesicle. We propose instead that a critical threshold of PAX6 protein is required for lens placode formation and that the time in development at which this level is reached is delayed in heterozygotes.
Religiosity and Fertility in the United States: The Role of Fertility Intentions

Using data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), we show that women who report that religion is "very important" in their everyday life have both higher fertility and higher intended fertility than those saying religion is "somewhat important" or "not important." Factors such as unwanted fertility, age at childbearing, or degree of fertility postponement seem not to contribute to religiosity differentials in fertility. This answer prompts more fundamental questions: what is the nature of this greater "religiosity"? And why do the more religious want more children? We show that those saying religion is more important have more traditional gender and family attitudes and that these attitudinal differences account for a substantial part of the fertility differential. We speculate regarding other contributing causes.
Feature-preserving artifact removal from dermoscopy images

Dermoscopy, also called surface microscopy, is a non-invasive imaging procedure developed for early screening of skin cancer. With recent advance in skin imaging technologies and image processing techniques, there has been increasing interest in computer-aided diagnosis of skin cancer from dermoscopy images. Such diagnosis requires the identification of over one hundred cutaneous morphological features. However, computer procedures designed for extracting and classifying these intricate features can be distracted by the presence of artifacts like hair, ruler markings, and air bubbles. Therefore, reliable artifact removal is an important pre-processing step for improving the performance of computer-aided diagnosis of skin cancer. In this paper, we present a new scheme that automatically detects and removes hairs and ruler markings from dermoscopy images. Moreover, our method also addresses the issue of preserving morphological features during artifact removal. The key components of this method include explicit curvilinear structure detection and modeling, as well as feature guided exemplar-based inpainting. We experiment on a number of dermoscopy images and demonstrate that our method produces superior results compared to existing techniques.
Using deliberate-delay decentralized controllers to stop spread dynamics in canonical network models

We introduce a deliberate-delay feedback paradigm for mitigating infection spreads in two canonical network models, namely the multi-group susceptible-infected-recovered and the multi-group susceptible-infected-exposed-recovered model, through placement of control resources such as quarantine or treatment capabilities. We apply a recently-developed methodology for dynamical-network controller design to acheive high-performance controls. This design methodology yields simple spread-control schemes that use trends in measured infection counts (as obtained from deliberately-delayed and current observations) to allocate control resources. The developed methodologies hold promise for both public-health and genetic-epidemiology applications.
A Microscale Differential Capacitive Direct Wall-Shear-Stress Sensor

This paper presents the development of a floating-element-based capacitively sensed direct wall-shear-stress sensor intended for measurements in a turbulent boundary layer. The design principle is presented, followed by details of the fabrication, packaging, and characterization process. The sensor is designed with an asymmetric comb finger structure and metalized electrodes. The fabrication process uses deep reactive ion etching on a silicon-on-insulator wafer, resulting in a simple two-mask fabrication process. The sensor is dynamically characterized with acoustically generated Stokes layer excitation. At a bias voltage of 10 V, the sensor exhibits a linear dynamic sensitivity of 7.66 mV/Pa up to the testing limit of 1.9 Pa, a flat frequency response with resonance at 6.2 kHz, and a pressure rejection of 64 dB. The sensor has a noise floor of 14.9 μPa/√(Hz) at 1 kHz and a dynamic range >;102 dB. The sensor outperforms previous sensors by nearly two orders of magnitude in noise floor and an order of magnitude in dynamic range.
Loop scheduling algorithms for power reduction

The increasing demand for portable computing has elevated power consumption to be one of the most critical parameters for the execution of loops which constitute most of the computation of scientific applications. The reduction of a schedule length is usually considered to be opposite to the reduction of power. This paper presents a novel loop pipelining approach to reduce power consumption while reducing the schedule length. Power consumption is measured by transition activity between operands of successive operations. Both initial scheduling and loop scheduling across iterations try to reduce the transition activity at the inputs to the functional units. A series of experiments show that our method achieves considerable power dissipation and schedule length reduction.
Response of pigeon guillemots to variable abundance of high-lipid and low-lipid prey.

Populations of the pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) and other piscivores have been in decline for several decades in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, and a decline in abundance of lipid-rich schooling fishes is hypothesized as the major cause. We tested this hypothesis by studying the breeding biology of pigeon guillemots during 1995–1999 while simultaneously measuring prey abundance with beach seines and bottom trawls. Our study area (Kachemak Bay, Alaska) comprises two oceanographically distinct areas. Populations of a lipid-rich schooling fish, Pacific sand lance (Ammodyteshexapterus), were higher in the warmer Inner Bay than in the colder Outer Bay, and sand lance abundance was higher during warm years. Populations of low-lipid content demersal fishes were similar between areas. Chick survival to age 15 days was 47% higher in the Inner Bay (high-lipid diet) than in the Outer Bay (low-lipid diet), and estimated reproductive success (chicks fledged nest–1) was 62% higher in the Inner Bay than in the Outer Bay. Chick provisioning rate (kJ chick–1 h–1) increased with the proportion of sand lance in the diet (r2=0.21), as did growth rate (g day–1) of younger (beta) chicks in two-chick broods (r2=0.14). Pigeon guillemots in the Inner Bay switched to demersal prey during years of below-average sand lance abundance, and these birds reacted to 38-fold interannual changes in sand lance abundance with reductions in beta chick growth rates, with no decline in beta chick survival. In contrast, the proportion of nests experiencing brood reduction in the Outer Bay (demersal diet) increased >300% during years of below-average demersal abundance, although demersal fish abundance varied only 4-fold among years. Our results support the hypothesis that recovery of pigeon guillemot populations from the effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill is limited by availability of lipid-rich prey.
Visualization of semileptonic form factors from lattice QCD

Comparisons of lattice-QCD calculations of semileptonic form factors with experimental measurements often display two sets of points, one each for lattice QCD and experiment. Here we propose to display the output of a lattice-QCD analysis as a curve and error band. This is justified, because lattice-QCD results rely in part on fitting, both for the chiral extrapolation and to extend lattice-QCD data over the full physically allowed kinematic domain. To display an error band, correlations in the fit parameters must be taken into account. For the statistical error, the correlation comes from the fit. To illustrate how to address correlations in the systematic errors, we use the Becirevic-Kaidalov parametrization of the D {yields} {pi}{ell}{nu} and D {yields} K{ell}{nu} form factors, and a analyticity-based fit for the B {yields} {pi}{ell}{nu} form factor f{sub +}.
Differences in left ventricular long-axis function from mice to humans follow allometric scaling to ventricular size.

While the heart size maintains a constant proportion to body size, heart function parameters, such as heart rate and cardiac output, show a more complex scaling pattern. How these phenomena affect the long-axis left ventricular (LV) function is unknown. We studied 10 mice, 15 rats, 6 rabbits, 8 mongrel dogs and 38 human volunteers. Doppler tissue echocardiography data were postprocessed to reconstruct mitral annulus (MA) peak systolic velocity and displacement. The relationship between MA peak velocity, MA displacement and LV ejection time, and LV end-diastolic volume (and mass) were fit to an allometric (power-law) equation Y=kMβ. LV mass varied from 0.062 to 255 g, while end-diastolic volume varied from 0.014 to 205 ml. β values of the relation between LV ejection time and LV end-diastolic volume and mass were 0.247 ± 0.017 and 0.267 ± 0.018, respectively. β values of the relationship between MA displacement and LV end-diastolic volume and mass were 0.358 ± 0.047 and 0.390 ± 0.051 (P < 0.023 versusβ of LV ejection time). β values of the relationship between MA peak systolic velocity and LV end-diastolic volume and mass were 0.096 ± 0.012 and 0.100 ± 0.013, respectively (P < 0.0001 versus 0). Finally, β values of the relationship between the long-to-short axis displacement ratio and LV end-diastolic volume and mass were 0.077 ± 0.017 and 0.086 ± 0.019 (P < 0.0001 versus 0). We conclude that MA velocity, displacement, and long-to-short axis displacement ratio scale allometrically to heart size. This reduces the relative long-axis contribution to heart function in small mammals.
Practice parameter: Screening and diagnosis of autism Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society

Autism is a common disorder of childhood, affecting 1 in 500 children. Yet, it often remains unrecognized and undiagnosed until or after late preschool age because appropriate tools for routine developmental screening and screening specifically for autism have not been available. Early identification of children with autism and intensive, early intervention during the toddler and preschool years improves outcome for most young children with autism. This practice parameter reviews the available empirical evidence and gives specific recommendations for the identification of children with autism. This approach requires a dual process: 1) routine developmental surveillance and screening specifically for autism to be performed on all children to first identify those at risk for any type of atypical development, and to identify those specifically at risk for autism; and 2) to diagnose and evaluate autism, to differentiate autism from other developmental disorders.