cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A rare variant on a common risk haplotype of HFE causes increased risk of hereditary hemochromatosis

Abstract Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal recessive disorder of excess iron absorption. The most common form, HH1, is caused by loss of function variants in HFE. HFE encodes a cell surface protein that binds to the Transferrin Receptor (TfR1), reducing TfR1’s affinity for the transferrin/iron complex and thereby limiting cellular iron uptake. Two common missense alleles for HH1 have been identified, HFE C282Y and HFE H63D; H63D is considered to be a less penetrant allele. When we deployed Phenotype Risk Scores (PheRS), a method that aggregates multiple symptoms together in Electronic Health Records (EHRs), we identified HFE E168Q as a novel variant associated with HH. E168Q is on the same haplotype as H63D, and in a crystal structure HFE E168 lies at the interface of the HFE-TfR1 interaction and makes multiple salt bridge connections with TfR1. In in vitro cell surface abundance experiments, the HFE E168Q+H63D double mutation surprisingly increased cell surface abundance of HFE by 10-fold compared to wildtype. In coimmunoprecipitation experiments, however, HFE C282Y, E168Q, and E168Q+H63D completely abolished the interaction between HFE and TfR1, while H63D alone only partially reduced binding. These findings provide mechanistic insight to validate the PheRS result that HFE E168Q is an HH1-associated allele and lead to the reclassification of E168Q from a variant of uncertain significance to a pathogenic variant, according to ACMG guidelines. HFE E168Q results in loss of HFE function by disrupting the HFE-TfR1 interaction. In addition, some disease manifestations attributed to H63D may reflect the functional effects of E168Q.
Future Directions in Coronary CT Angiography: CT-Fractional Flow Reserve, Plaque Vulnerability, and Quantitative Plaque Assessment

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a well-validated and noninvasive imaging modality for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with stable ischemic heart disease and acute coronary syndromes (ACSs). CCTA not only delineates the anatomy of the heart and coronary arteries in detail, but also allows for intra- and extraluminal imaging of coronary arteries. Emerging technologies have promoted new CCTA applications, resulting in a comprehensive assessment of coronary plaques and their clinical significance. The application of computational fluid dynamics to CCTA resulted in a robust tool for noninvasive assessment of coronary blood flow hemodynamics and determination of hemodynamically significant stenosis. Detailed evaluation of plaque morphology and identification of high-risk plaque features by CCTA have been confirmed as predictors of future outcomes, identifying patients at risk for ACSs. With quantitative coronary plaque assessment, the progression of the CAD or the response to therapy could be monitored by CCTA. The aim of this article is to review the future directions of emerging applications in CCTA, such as computed tomography (CT)-fractional flow reserve, imaging of vulnerable plaque features, and quantitative plaque imaging. We will also briefly discuss novel methods appearing in the coronary imaging scenario, such as machine learning, radiomics, and spectral CT.
Configuration and Location of Small Urban Gardens Affect Colonization by Monarch Butterflies

Ecological theory predicts that specialist insect herbivores are more likely to locate and colonize host plants growing in relatively sparse or pure stands compared to host plants growing amongst diverse non-host vegetation. We tested the hypothesis that increasing the apparency and accessibility of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) host plants in small polyculture gardens would boost their colonization by the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), an iconic native species of conservation concern. We established replicated gardens containing the identical mix of milkweeds, flowering nectar sources, and non-host ornamental grasses but arranged in three different spatial configurations that were monitored for monarch colonization over two successive growing seasons. Monarch eggs and larvae were 2–3 times more abundant in gardens having milkweeds evenly spaced in a 1-m corridor around the perimeter, surrounding the nectar plants and grasses, than in gardens in which milkweeds were surrounded by or intermixed with the other plants. Predator populations were similar in all garden designs. In a corollary open-field experiment, female monarchs laid significantly more eggs on milkweed plants that were fully accessible than on milkweeds surrounded by non-host grasses of equal height. In addition, we monitored monarch usage of 22 citizen-planted gardens containing milkweed and nectar plants in relation to their botanical composition, layout, and surrounding hardscape. Multivariate analysis explained 71% of the variation, with significantly more eggs and larvae found in gardens having milkweeds spatially isolated as opposed to closely intermixed with non-host plants, and in gardens having 100 m north/south access unimpeded by structures. Numerous programs encourage citizens to establish gardens with milkweed and nectar plants to help offset habitat loss across the monarch's breeding range. Our findings suggest guidelines for garden design that can help make the urban sector's contributions to monarch habitat restoration more rewarding for participants, and of greater potential value to monarch recovery.
Kinetics and identities of extracellular peptidases in subsurface sediments of the White Oak River Estuary, NC

Anoxic subsurface sediments contain communities of heterotrophic microorganisms that oxidize organic carbon at extraordinarily slow rates. In order to assess the mechanisms by which subsurface microorganisms access detrital sedimentary organic matter, we measured kinetics of a range of extracellular peptidases in anoxic sediments of the White Oak River estuary, NC. Nine distinct peptidase substrates were enzymatically hydrolyzed at all depths. Potential peptidase activities (Vmax) decreased with increasing sediment depth, although Vmax expressed on a per cell basis was approximately the same at all depths. Half-saturation constants (Km) decreased with depth, indicating that subsurface enzymes are adapted to low substrate concentrations. Potential activities of extracellular peptidases acting on molecules that are enriched in degraded organic matter (D-phenylalanine and L-ornithine) increased relative to enzymes that act on L-phenylalanine, further suggesting microbial community adaptation to access degraded organic matter. Nineteen classes of exported peptidases were identified in genomic data from the same site, of which genes for class C25 (gingipain-like) peptidases represented more than 40% at each depth. Methionine aminopeptidases, zinc carboxypeptidases, and class S24-like peptidases, which are involved in single-stranded DNA repair, were also abundant. These results suggest a subsurface heterotrophic microbial community that primarily accesses low-quality detrital organic matter via a diverse suite of well-adapted extracellular enzymes.
25 – Use of hCG in reproductive dysfunction

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a heterodimeric glycoprotein. The primary structures of the α-subunits and β-subunits were determined in 1972. The hormone is approximately 30% carbohydrate. Its similarity to luteinizing hormone (LH) and its capacity to bind to its receptors have fostered interest in the clinical utility of hCG in human reproductive medicine. Studies were performed that clarified the disappearance rates of hCG after delivery of a pregnancy, after intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) injections to healthy males and females, and after subcutaneous or IM injections in healthy males, and have calculated metabolic and renal clearance rates with continuous-infusion and single-injection techniques. These studies similarly confirmed that hCG disappears in a rapid phase and a slower phase, taking approximately 6 h and 36 h, respectively. Using an injection of 10,000 IU, Midgeley and Jaffe’s early data regarding hCG disappearance after delivery also estimated a fast half-life of 8.9 h and a longer, trailing half-life of 37.2 h. They discussed the fact that the rate of disappearance at a given time after delivery did not appear to be related to the concentration of hCG, nor to the duration of pregnancy, nor to the route of delivery. With IV rates, Rizkallah demonstrated an initial fast half-life of 3.7–5.9 h and a slower half-life of 22–26.7 h.
Self-Stabilizing Domination Algorithms

In this chapter, we introduce the self-stabilizing algorithm model and present several definitive examples that illustrate the simplicity and elegance of this algorithmic paradigm when applied to problems related to dominating sets in graphs. In this paradigm, a distributed computing system or network is modeled by an undirected graph G = (V, E), where V is its set of nodes, or processors, and E is its set of edges, or communication links. Each node has only a local view of the system, namely its immediate neighbors. Thus, it has no knowledge of the network, its size, or how it is structured. Every node executes the same algorithm simultaneously, and in a finite amount of time, often O(n), the system converges, or stabilizes, to a global, stable state, satisfying some desired property. For example, the states of the nodes in the given graph G can define a maximal independent set, a maximal matching, a minimal dominating set, a minimal total dominating set, or even two disjoint minimal dominating sets.
Strain echocardiography to describe left ventricular function pre- and postexercise in elite basketball athletes: A feasibility study.

BACKGROUND Elite athletes show structural cardiac changes as an adaptation to exercise. Studies examining strain in athletes have largely analyzed images at rest only. There is little data available regarding the change in strain with exercise. Our objectives were: to investigate the feasibility of strain analysis in athletes at peak exercise, to determine the normal range of left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) within this population postexercise, to describe how LV GLS changes with exercise, and to determine whether any clinical characteristics correlate with the change in GLS that occurs with exercise. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study on elite athletes who participated in the 2016-2018 National Basketball Association Draft Combines. Echocardiograms were obtained at rest and after completing a treadmill stress test to maximal exertion or completion of Bruce protocol. Primary outcomes included GLS obtained at rest and peak exercise. Secondary outcome was the change in GLS between rest and exercise. Univariate relationships between various clinical characteristics and our secondary outcome were analyzed. RESULTS Our final cohort (n = 111) was all male and 92/111 (82.9%) were African American. Mean GLS magnitude increased in response to exercise (-17.6 ± 1.8 vs -19.2 ± 2.6, P < .0001). Lower resting heart rates (r = .22, P = .02) and lower heart rates at peak exercise (r = .21, P = .03) correlated with the increase in LV GLS from exercise. CONCLUSIONS Strain imaging is technically feasible to obtain among elite basketball athletes at peak exercise. Normative strain response to exercise from this study may help identify abnormal responses to exercise in athletes.
Transcatheter Treatment of Valvular Heart Disease: A Review.

Importance More than 40 million people are living with either mitral or aortic valve disease worldwide, and more than 180 000 heart valve replacement surgeries are performed each year in the US. Transcatheter valve repair has emerged as an important therapeutic option for patients who are candidates for heart valve replacement. Observations All transcatheter valve therapies involve a multidisciplinary team of interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, radiologists, echocardiographers, nurses, and social workers, termed theheart team, to determine the optimal approach for managing each patient. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an aortic valve replacement procedure that is performed percutaneously and is currently approved for patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis in all surgical risk categories. The TAVI procedure can be performed using a balloon-expandable or self-expanding valve. In a low-risk cohort of patients (PARTNER [Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves] 3 trial), the rates of death from any cause, stroke, or rehospitalization were 8.5% for patients receiving TAVI and 15.1% for patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement. Decision-making regarding therapy choice should be based on individual anatomy (including the number of leaflets, annular size, and peripheral arterial anatomy), comorbidities (including concomitant coronary artery disease and aortopathies), and patient preference guide. A mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair device is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for high-risk patients with degenerative and functional mitral regurgitation that has excellent safety and efficacy in these populations. In the COAPT (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients with Functional Mitral Regurgitation) trial, the annualized rate of all hospitalizations for heart failure was 35.8% among patients who underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and received medical therapy compared with 67.9% among patients in the medical therapy alone group. Transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement trials are ongoing and show promise for the treatment of patients with tricuspid regurgitation, which previously had limited therapeutic options. Multimodality imaging, which includes transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography, and intracardiac echocardiography, is important for preprocedural planning, device selection, and optimal outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance Approximately 78 000 TAVI procedures and 10 000 transcatheter mitral valve repairs take place yearly in the US to treat patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation, respectively. Transcatheter valve therapies have expanded therapeutic options for patients, including for those who previously had no viable surgical options.
Treatment With Anakinra, a Recombinant IL-1 Receptor Antagonist, Unlikely to Induce Lasting Remission in Patients With CGD Colitis.

Treatment With Anakinra, a Recombinant IL-1 Receptor Antagonist, Unlikely to Induce Lasting Remission in Patients With CGD Colitis
Multimodality Treatment of T4 Gastric Cancer in the United States: Utilization Trends and Impact on Survival

National guidelines advocate use of multimodality therapy (MMT) for treatment of T4 gastric cancer (T4GC). Prior studies demonstrate poor compliance with these guidelines. We sought to assess treatment trends and association between different treatment approaches and overall survival (OS) in a large cohort of U.S. patients. Patients diagnosed with clinical T4 gastric adenocarcinoma were selected from the National Cancer Data Base (1998–2011). Temporal trends, risk factors associated with failure to receive treatment, and effect of treatments on OS were assessed. Of 4369 patients with T4GC, only 15 % (n = 652) received MMT. Treatment with MMT increased over time, and was utilized in 25 % of patients after 2006. Older age, African American race, nonprivate insurance, proximal tumor location, and clinical node-negative disease were associated with failure to receive surgery; older age, female sex, poorly differentiated tumor grade, clinical node-negative disease, and prolonged postoperative length of stay were associated with failure to complete MMT in patients who underwent surgical resection. Median OS was longest in patients receiving MMT (19.2 months), and was similarly poor in patients undergoing surgical resection (9.0 months) or nonsurgical therapy (8.3 months; p < 0.001). Median OS was longer in patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy compared to patients receiving adjuvant therapy (27.8 vs. 16.6 months; p = 0.004). Treatment with neoadjuvant MMT is increasing and is associated with prolonged survival. Surgery alone and chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy without resection are associated with similarly poor outcomes. Appropriate treatment sequencing may facilitate delivery of MMT and improve outcomes in patients with T4GC.
Ambulatory pharmacy services affiliated with acute care hospitals

The extent to which hospital-based pharmacists provide ambulatory clinical pharmacy services in the United States is unknown. We evaluated pharmacists' activities in hospital-affiliated ambulatory clinics and home health services. A questionnaire was mailed to directors of pharmacy in one-half of the United States acute care general medical-surgical hospitals with 50 or more licensed beds. The survey response rate was 56% (n = 1174). In 19% of hospitals, pharmacists provided patient care (nondispensing activities) in ambulatory clinics. The most common clinics with pharmacist involvement were diabetes (10% of hospitals), oncology (9%), cardiology (6%), and geriatrics, infectious disease, and pain (4% each). Nondispensing roles varied by clinic type; prescribing by protocol was performed in 57% of anticoagulation clinics and 7% of diabetes clinics. Home health care services, with pharmacists' activity extending beyond providing drugs, were offered by 28% of the hospitals. Thirty-six percent of the hospitals operated one or more outpatient pharmacies. A statistically significant association was observed between hospitals' inpatient clinical pharmacy services (as assessed by the pharmaceutical care index) and the involvement of pharmacists in both ambulatory clinics and home health care services.
Quantum Computing: Selected Internet Resources for Librarians, Researchers, and the Casually Curious

This article is an annotated selection of the most important and informative Internet resources for learning about quantum computing, finding quantum computing literature, and tracking quantum computing news.
A Unified Approach to Passive and Active Ocean Acoustic Waveguide Remote Sensing

Abstract : OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH: Ocean acoustic waveguide remote sensing (OAWRS) is the basis for the primary undersea surveillance systems of the US Navy for both passive and active detection, localization, imaging and monitoring. Here OAWRS refers to all applications of acoustic remote sensing in an ocean waveguide. The primary objective of this work is to continue the data analysis and model development initiated in a series of major ocean acoustics experiments the PI has conducted which have recently been summarized in an invited paper in IEEE Spectrum [1]. We applied fundamental physical and statistical principles inherent in waveguide propagation and scattering to advance the state of the art in undersea surveillance. The approach was to use the extensive data analysis, software and fundamental waveguide scattering, propagation, reverberation and statistical models developed by the PI, his collaborators, graduate students and sub-contractors during the various experimental programs the PI has directed.
Suppose FIRPTA Was Repealed

This article argues, as others have before, that the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (or “FIRPTA”), or at least the provisions of FIRPTA relating to “United States real property holding corporations,” should be repealed. Their enactment in 1980 was misguided and in any event changes in the Internal Revenue Code since then have made the provisions obsolete. But if FIRPTA is repealed, in whole or in part, the article argues that the lack of parity between foreign investment in real property that is made directly or through a partnership, on the one hand, and foreign investment in a real estate investment trust (or a regulated investment company that invests in shares of real estate investment trusts) should be dealt with. Otherwise, repeal will exacerbate existing distortions (which were already pushed further by FIRPTA) resulting from the choice of the entity used to make an investment in US real property. The article also suggests that repeal of FIRPTA would provide an opportunity to look at the taxation of foreign investment in the United States more broadly and in particular the rules that tax income from U.S. real property. The tax treatment of inward investment is a generally neglected subject. The article concludes by arguing against legislation that would keep the FIRPTA rules and simply expand provisions of present law that favor foreign investment through real estate investment trusts, such as the Real Estate Jobs and Investment Act of 2011.
Neural detection for buried pipes using fully-polarimetric ground penetrating radar system

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been widely used for detecting and locating buried objects. However, the detection method using GPR is often subjected to operator interpretation due to large quantities of data and the presence of undesired clutter and noise. The artificial neural network (ANN) technique gives a promising approach to a more systematic and autonomous detection system. An automatic buried pipe detection algorithm, using a two-step ANN scheme on GPR data, is proposed. The detection performance of each ANN in the presence of different signal-to-noise and signal-to-clutter ratios is discussed. Estimating the linearity and orientation of the pipe by fully-polarimetric GPR is reviewed, and applying these factors to pipe detection is discussed. Examples of the two-step ANN detection application to actual field data measured by fully-polarimetric GPR is also presented.
Ripening pawpaw fruit exhibit respiratory and ethylene climacterics

Abstract The ripening behavior of the native American pawpaw (Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal.) fruit was studied immediately after harvest and after 1 month of 4 °C storage. Fruit were harvested at two different maturity stages. Fruit that were unripe (minimal softening evident) at harvest exhibited respiratory and ethylene climacterics at 3 and 5 days postharvest, respectively, at ambient temperature, and a precipitous decline in fruit firmness was evident prior to the climacteric peaks. Fruit classified as having commenced ripening (some softening evident) at harvest exhibited both respiratory and ethylene climacteric peaks at 3 day at ambient storage temperature. Fruit in cold storage at 4 °C for 28 days exhibited minimal to no loss of firmness, and upon removal to ambient temperature both respiratory and ethylene climacterics occurred within 7 days for both harvest maturities. The maximum rates of respiration and ethylene production in these studies were: CO2 production 90 mg kg−1 h−1 and C2H4 production 14.4 μg kg−1 h−1, respectively. These results indicate that pawpaw fruit ripening is climacteric.
How the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute can best influence real-world health care decision making.

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to promote and fund comparative effectiveness research and to ensure that the product of this research improves real-world health care decisions. Notwithstanding limitations imposed by Congress on the institute’s ability to influence federal payers’ coverage and payment policies, the organization now has considerable potential to help standardize and coordinate comparative effectiveness research in the United States. Still, many questions remain about how this important new entity will function—and a central challenge will be to produce comparative effectiveness assessments that can be readily disseminated to, and used by, a wide range of health care stakeholders, especially providers and patients. I recommend that the institute adopt a comparative effectiveness assessment format that compares interventions on the basis of their clinical risks and benefits, economic considerations, and the insights they might offer in...
Treatment planning with a graphics tablet.

A graphics‐tablet treatment planning system is described. The cost effectiveness of this approach is especially attractive where time‐sharing use of a central computer facility is available.
The sound of change: visually-induced auditory synesthesia.

Summary Synesthesia is a benign neurological condition in humans characterized by involuntary cross-activation of the senses, and estimated to affect at least 1% of the population [1]. Multiple forms of synesthesia exist, including distinct visual, tactile or gustatory perceptions which are automatically triggered by a stimulus with different sensory properties [1–6], such as seeing colors when hearing music. Surprisingly, there has been no previous report of synesthetic sound perception. Here we report that auditory synesthesia does indeed exist with evidence from four healthy adults for whom seeing visual flashes or visual motion automatically causes the perception of sound. As an objective test, we show that ‘hearing-motion synesthetes' outperformed normal control subjects on an otherwise difficult visual task involving rhythmic temporal patterns similar to Morse code. Synesthetes had an advantage because they not could not only see, but also hear the rhythmic visual patterns. Hearing-motion synesthesia could be a useful tool for studying how the auditory and visual processing systems interact in the brain.
Ionic contamination-induced degradation of low current hFE

Abstract Ionic contamination in the oxide is the most common cause of low current FE degradation in both npn and pnp transistors. Practical methods of preventing this type of failure have been developed at Fairchild and elsewhere. This paper is intended to provide a detailed account of the important information related to this subject. After reviewing the mechanism involved in ion-induced degradation of hFE for both pnp's and npn's, methods of eliminating and preventing ionic contamination are presented. It is shown that topside barrier protection alone does not provide complete device immunity to contamination. Possible lateral migration of ionic contamination dictates protection of oxide cut edges as well as the topside surface if complete immunity to ionic contamination is to be achieved. Finally, the effects of surface charge migration along the dielectric surface and the importance of overlapping the emitter-base junction with emitter or base metallization are demonstrated.
Colorectal Cancer Expression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARG, PPARgamma) Is Associated With Good Prognosis

Background & Aims The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARG, PPARgamma) is a nuclear receptor that regulates expression of mediators of lipid metabolism and the inflammatory response. There is controversy over the pro-oncogenic or antioncogenic effects of PPARG, and little is known about its prognostic significance in colon cancer. Methods Among 470 patients with colorectal cancer (stages I–IV) identified in 2 independent prospective cohorts, PPARG expression was detected in 102 tumors (22%) by immunohistochemistry. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) of colorectal cancer–specific and overall mortalities, adjusted for patient characteristics and molecular features including cyclooxygenase 2, fatty acid synthase, KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA , p53, p21, β-catenin, LINE-1 hypomethylation, microsatellite instability (MSI), and the CpG island methylation phenotype (CIMP). Results Compared with patients with PPARG-negative tumors, patients with PPARG-positive tumors had significantly lower overall mortality, determined by Kaplan–Meier analysis ( P = .0047), univariate Cox regression (HR, 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37–0.84; P = .0053), and multivariate analysis (adjusted HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.27–0.69; P = .0004). Patients with PPARG-positive tumors experienced lower colorectal cancer–specific mortality (adjusted HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25–0.79; P = .0054). The relationship between PPARG and lower mortality did not appear to be significantly modified by MSI, CIMP, LINE-1, or the other clinical and molecular variables examined (all P interaction > .05). Conclusions Tumor expression of PPARG is independently associated with longer survival of patients. PPARG expression appears to mark an indolent subset of colorectal cancers.
The Hoffmann-Tinel sign

The aim of this article is to show that the well-known Tinel sign is really a Hoffmann-Tinel sign. The translation of the two papers of Hoffmann, published in the same year that Tinel wrote his article (1915), is completed by a short biography of Paul Hoffmann.
Peritoneal drainage of subdural hematomas in infants

Summary A technique for internal drainage of subdural hematomas in infants is described. The results of subdural peritoneal drainage in 14 patients are summarized. There were 9 bilateral and 5 unilateral subdural hematomas in the group of infants. Good results were obtained in 14 of the 23 sides. Serial biopsy of the subdural membranes showed marked regression in membrane thickness, cellularity, and vascularity provided drainage was adequate. The results suggest that with adequate drainage of subdural hematomas in infants, excision of the membranes is not always indicated.
Onset of an Inhomogeneous State in a Nonequilibrium Superconducting Film

We discuss a phenomenological theory of the onset of an inhomogeneous state in a nonequilibrium superconducting film. The length scale of the initial instability is given by the geometric mean of the coherence length and an effective quasiparticle diffusion length.
Feasibility of physical training in post-infarct patients with left ventricular aneurysm: A haemodynamic study

To investigate the haemodynamic changes after physical training in patients with left ventricular aneurysm, 60 uncomplicated patients, mean age 51 +/- 10 years, underwent a maximal ergometric test in the supine position with haemodynamic monitoring (Swan-Ganz catheter) 37 +/- 10 days from acute myocardial infarction and after a 4-week period of supervised physical training. The size of aneurysmatic dilatation (aneurysm area-total end-diastolic area ratio %) and resting left ventricular ejection fraction (Dodge's method) were obtained from a two-dimensional echocardiogram (apical approach) performed on the same day of the pre-training ergometric test. On average, left ventricular ejection fraction was reduced (39 +/- 11%), with values below 35% in 25 patients. Resting pulmonary wedge pressure was greater than 12 mm Hg in 42 patients and greater than 20 mm Hg at peak exercise in 48 subjects. The entity of aneurysmatic dilatation was significantly related to left ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.60, less than 0.001), but not to the values of pulmonary wedge pressure at rest (r = 0.22) or at peak exercise (r = 0.11). No complication during the physical training period was observed. After training, maximal work capacity increased (77 +/- 29 vs 94 +/- 35 W, P less than 0.001) as well as cardiac output and stroke volume with a slight change in pulmonary wedge pressure (24 +/- 7 vs 28 +/- 7 mm Hg, P less than 0.05). At matched submaximal exercise, heart rate decreased (P less than 0.05), stroke volume and arterio-venous oxygen difference increased (P less than 0.05) without significant changes in cardiac output and left ventricular filling pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Reviews in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: Transmembrane Signaling by G Protein-Coupled Receptors

As the most diverse type of cell surface receptor, the importance heptahelical G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to clinical medicine cannot be overestimated. Visual, olfactory and gustatory sensation, intermediary metabolism, cell growth and differentiation are all influenced by GPCR signals. The basic receptor-G protein-effector mechanism of GPCR signaling is tuned by a complex interplay of positive and negative regulatory events that amplify the effect of a hormone binding the receptor or that dampen cellular responsiveness. The association of heptahelical receptors with a variety of intracellular partners other than G proteins has led to the discovery of potential mechanisms of GPCR signaling that extend beyond the classical paradigms. While the physiologic relevance of many of these novel mechanisms of GPCR signaling remains to be established, their existence suggests that the mechanisms of GPCR signaling are even more diverse than previously imagined.
Attenuation Measurement Technique for Printed Circuit Board Traces in a Production Environment

In this paper we explore an attenuation measurement technique for PCB traces that is simple, robust, and quick enough to be a viable solution for a printed circuit board production environment. The technique is based on time domain reflectometry and transmission (TDR/T) measurements of two traces of different length. The result is the trace attenuation with respect to frequency. The technique combines well-known time and frequency domain algorithms. Comparison of experimental data to alternative time and frequency domain approaches verify the proposed technique up to 15 GHz. The importance of a low reflection signal launch design is discussed.
Insect sting anaphylaxis in patients without detectable serum venom-specific IgE.

Summary Following insect sting anaphylaxis, twenty-five patients of over 500 evaluated, did not have detectable serum venom-specific IgE. Twenty-two were evaluated within 1 year of the reaction, fifteen within 6 months. Anaphylaxis occurred in six patients after their first sting exposure. The clinical features of the sting reaction were typical of the reaction occurring in insect-allergic patients with serum venom-specific IgE. Eleven of the twenty-five patients had negative venom skin tests. These observations suggest that a non-IgE mechanism may be responsible for a minority of insect sting reactions.
Long-term and environmental effects of medial septal lesions in rats

One of the difficulties encountered in attempts to underestand the process of recovery following damage of the septal nuclei is that a variety of disorders are produced by the damage and that not all seem to recover at similar rates. It has been suggested that environmental conditions influence recovery such that rates may be either increased or attenuated. In the present study, the passive avoidance deficit that follows lesion of the medial septal nuclei in rats was observed for periods of 20 and 70 days. The damage produced marked passive avoidance deficits that were observed at 20 days but not at 70 days. Although lesion subjects rapidly acquired the passive avoidance response at 70 days, their learning patterns were unlike those of control subjects, suggesting acquisition via different neural substrates. Moreover, tests for retention of the passive avoidance task revealed retention deficits in all lesion subjects. Two groups of subjects were allowed to recover for 70 days, one housed in a high-stimulus environment and the other in a low-stimulus environment. Effects of environment on recovery from lesions were not detected. However, comparisons of normally housed subjects with those housed in the high- and low-stimulus environments showed that the low-stimulus environment produced passive avoidance deficits primarily in control subjects. The findings are discussed within a framework of specific and nonspecific arousal.
Lazy Toggle PRM: A single-query approach to motion planning

Probabilistic RoadMaps (PRMs) are quite successful in solving complex and high-dimensional motion planning problems. While particularly suited for multiple-query scenarios and expansive spaces, they lack efficiency in both solving single-query scenarios and mapping narrow spaces. Two PRM variants separately tackle these gaps. Lazy PRM reduces the computational cost of roadmap construction for single-query scenarios by delaying roadmap validation until query time. Toggle PRM is well suited for mapping narrow spaces by mapping both Cfree and Cobst, which gives certain theoretical benefits. However, fully validating the two resulting roadmaps can be costly. We present a strategy, Lazy Toggle PRM, for integrating these two approaches into a method which is both suited for narrow passages and efficient single-query calculations. This simultaneously addresses two challenges of PRMs. Like Lazy PRM, Lazy Toggle PRM delays validation of roadmaps until query time, but if no path is found, the algorithm augments the roadmap using the Toggle PRM methodology. We demonstrate the effectiveness of Lazy Toggle PRM in a wide range of scenarios, including those with narrow passages and high descriptive complexity (e.g., those described by many triangles), concluding that it is more effective than existing methods in solving difficult queries.
Investigation of PbO as a system for measuring the electric dipole moment of the electron

We point out the potential of the diatomic molecule PbO as a system in which to search for an electron electric dipole moment (EDM). Large oscillator strengths between various electronic states of PbO would be beneficial for such an experiment. As a step toward determining these oscillator strengths, we have measured a number of radiative lifetimes and branching ratios in PbO. We discuss the impact of our measurements on the proposed EDM experiment and point out the need for further experimental and theoretical work on PbO.
Low-Temperature Metallization of Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and Poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Aluminum films were deposited on poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) substrates pretreated with TiCl4 vapor at ambient temperature for 1 h and exposed to dimethylethylamine ...
Trade-off strategies in engineering design

A formal method to allow designers to explicitly make trade-off decisions is presented. The methodology can be used when an engineer wishes to rate the design by the weakest aspect, or by cooperatively considering the overall performance, or a combination of thesestrategies. The design problem is formulated with preference rankings, similar to a utility theory or fuzzy sets approach. This approach separates the designtrade-off strategy from the performance expressions. The details of the mathematical formulation are presented and discussed, along with two design examples: one from the preliminary design domain, and one from the parameter design domain.
Model studies on the ring construction of the auriside macrolactone

The preparation of a 12-membered ring macrolactone model of auriside that contains a pendant diene chain bearing a bromide was investigated employing two approaches. The first approach utilized an oxidative rearrangement of a tertiary allylic alcohol on a 12-membered ring. The second approach was based on a 1,4-methylation of an ynone followed by macrolactonization.
The role of fairness orientation and supervisor attributions in absence disciplinary decisions

The present study investigated the role of the work value of fairness and attributions regarding the causes of absence in supervisor disciplinary decisions. It was hypothesized that supervisors who valued fairness, and those who made internal attributions regarding the cause of a particular absence incident, render more severe disciplinary decisions than supervisors who value fairness less, and who make external attributions. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that the degree to which supervisors valued fairness moderates the relationship between external attributions and the severity of disciplinary decisions. Using a policy capturing approach, results were consistent with predictions. Implications of the results for research and practice are discussed.
Limb-sequencing deficits after left but not right hemisphere damage

Abstract The performance of right and left hemisphere stroke patients was compared to normal control groups on a task where subjects alternately hit two targets which varied in size from 0.5 to 6.5 cm. The stroke patients used the arm ipsilateral to damage, and the control groups used the same arm as their respective stroke group. Lesion size and location were similar for the two stroke groups. No deficits were found for the right hemisphere stroke group. The left stroke group′s tapping speed was not slower at the smallest target, but became progressively slower relative to the control group′s as target size increased. Variability in tapping speed increased as target size increased for all except the left stroke group. While the entire left stroke group was as accurate as their controls, the apraxic, but not nonapraxic, patients made more errors on smaller targets only. Two explanations for these findings both emphasize the left hemisphere′s special role in motor programming; one focuses upon its dominance for movements which are independent of sensory feedback and the other emphasizes its specialization for processing rapid temporal information.
THE INFLUENCE OF LATERAL MASS FLUX ON CONJUGATE NATURAL CONVECTION FROM A VERTICAL PLATE FIN IN A SATURATED POROUS MEDIUM

The effects of lateral surface mass transfer on the natural convection boundary layer about a vertical plate fin with solution-determined thermal boundary conditions (or fin temperature distributions) in a fluid-saturated porous medium were studied numerically. It was found that the governing parameters for the problem are the convection-conduction parameter N/sub cc/ and the lateral mass flux parameter f/sub w/. The nonsimilar solutions were obtained by the local nonsimilarity method and were carried out up to the third level of truncation. The effects of mass flux on fin temperature distribution, boundary-layer thickness, local heat transfer coefficient, local heat flux, and total heat transfer rate are presented and discussed.
Difficulties in coupling to conformationally constrained aromatic amino acids

Coupling of amino acids to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Tic) and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-hydroxyisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (HOTic) is difficult. In model experiments, use of 1-hydroxy-7-azabenzotriazole (HOAt) in combination with eitherN,N-diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC) orO-(7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium (HATU) for activation was effective in solving coupling difficulties. Based on this finding, HOTic was then incorporated into the 20–31 fragment of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF). [Abu20, 31,HOTic22]hEGF(20–31)-NH2 was shown to be a ‘difficult sequence’, but replacement of the Tyr at position 29 with HOTic facilitates the complete dodecapeptide synthesis.
Compounds protective against renal tubular necrosis induced by D-serine and D-2,3-diaminopropionic acid in the rat.

Abstract d -Serine and d -2,3-diaminopropionic acid ( d -DAPA) induce necrosis of the epithelial cells of the proximal straight tubules of the rat kidney. Nineteen compounds with chemical structures and/or functional groups similar to d -serine or d -DAPA were tested for their protective effect against the induction of this injury. The acute tubular necrosis inducible by d -serine and d -DAPA was prevented by d -alanine, d -threonine, d -homoserine, dl -α-methyl serine, β-hydroxy- dl -leucine, and α-aminoisobutyric acid. In addition, protection from necrosis due to d -DAPA, but not that due to d -serine, was found with l -threonine, l -serine, l -2,3-diaminopropionic acid, and 3-hydroxypropionic acid. Little or no protective effect against d -serine of d -DAPA was afforded by l -alanine, β-alanine, dl -isoserine, dl -3-hydroxybutyric acid, l- or dl -lactic acid, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, taurine, and isethionic acid. The compounds that protected against d -serine-induced necrosis had in common the d -configuration (except for aminoisobutyric acid), the α-amino group, and the carboxyl group. The structural characteristics and chirality of the protective agents against d -DAPA were more varied and less definable than for d -serine. d -Alanine, dl -α-methyl serine, and α-aminoisobutyric acid protected on a mole-for-mole basis against d -serine-induced necrosis. d -Alanine was protective against d -serine even when given 30 min after d -serine administration. These results suggest that protection may be due to competition with d -serine or d -DAPA for a cellular or transport binding site.
Regulation of β1-adrenoceptors by glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones in fetal sheep

Abstract The effects of betamethasone alone or in combination with thyroxine (T 4 ) on ovine fetal β-adrenoceptors were investigated at the molecular level. Ovine fetuses (126 days gestation: term = 150 days) were treated with a single ultrasound-guided intramuscular injection of 0.5 mg/kg betamethasone, betamethasone + 50 μg/kg T 4 , or saline. Forty-eight h after injection, lambs were delivered by cesarean section and evaluated three h for postnatal adaptation. Myocardial β-adrenoceptor equilibrium dissociation constant ( K d ) and maximal receptor density ( B max , as assessed by [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding, were not significantly different in drug-treated groups compared to the control group. Northern hybridization and RNase protection assays of myocardial total RNA probed with a sheep β 1 -adrenoceptor riboprobe confimed no changes in expression at the level of the gene. Levels of β 1 -adrenoceptor mRNA in the lung and brain were also unaffected by the treatments. Because other genes are responsive to glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones at this stage, the absence of up-regulation of β-adrenoceptor number and steady-state levels of mRNA coding for β 1 -adrenoceptor following fetal corticosteroid and thyroid hormone treatment may indicate a specific, developmentally regulated repressor mechanism.
INDUCED PRESSURE GRADIENTS ACROSS INFUNDIBULAR ZONE OF RIGHT VENTRICLE IN NORMAL DOGS.

In these experiments we have demonstrated that: 1. Right ventricular outflow-tract pressure gradients of significance can be induced in normal dogs by a sympathomimetic amine which increases the rate and force of ventricular contraction. 2. Such outflow-tract pressure gradients are magnified by the addition of other inotropic drugs, such as acetyl strophanthidin and calcium chloride. 3. These outflow-tract pressure gradients are not the result of an increase in the volume and rate of blood flow but are due to forceful contraction of the infundibulum.
Demand Forecasting for Water Distribution Systems

Abstract Short-term water demand forecasts can provide valuable information to distribution system operators for controlling the produc- tion, storage and delivery of drinking water. Our current research is focused on developing an integrated Time Series Forecasting Framework (TSFF) to statistically predict hourly/quarter-hourly demands in real-world, real-time scenarios. The first version of TSFF has been prototyped within Matlab. Two forecasting models, a fixed seasonal auto-regressive (FSAR) model and an adaptive seasonal auto-regressive (ASAR) model have been included within the framework for evaluation. The ASAR model self-updates model parameters at run-time using maximum likelihood estimates (MLE). The framework has been applied to a real-world case study of a system-wide water demand time series. With an underlying auto-regressive model, AR(3), the ASAR provides, on average, 5.3% absolute relative prediction error (ARE) for lead-1 forecasts, 10.2% for lead-2 forecasts, and 14.2% for lead-3 fore- casts. Computationally, the speed of the algorithm is such as to easily accommodate real-time activities. The framework will be applied to additional demand time series in order to evaluate the performance of the forecasting algorithm and compare the water consumption characteristics of different distribution systems.
Gone baby gone—but how?

In this issue of Blood , Tewalt et al show how the interaction between PD-1 on CD8 T cells, and its ligand PD-L1 on lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), appears to play a critical role in peripheral tolerance characterized by deletion.[1][1] Although the thymus plays a significant role in T-cell