cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variations in Maternal Factors and Preterm Birth Risk among Non-Hispanic Black, White, and Mixed-Race Black/White Women in the United States, 2017.

Abstract Objective This study aims to compare preterm birth (PTB) risk and maternal factors associated with PTB among non-Hispanic White, Black, and mixed-race Black/White women in the United States. Methods In this study, we used U.S. birth certificate data from the 2017 National Vital Statistics System. We included live singleton births to women who self-identified as non-Hispanic White, Black, or mixed-race Black/White. PTB was defined as less than 37 weeks of gestation. We used logistic regression models to estimate the PTB odds ratios for Black and Black/White relative to White women, adjusted for maternal factors. We used logistic regression to estimate associations between PTB and maternal factors in race-stratified models. Results The sample included a total of 2,297,076 births in 2017 to White (n = 1,792,257), Black (n = 476,969), and Black/White (n = 27,850) women. The prevalence of PTB varied for Black (11.2%), Black/White (8.2%), and White (6.8%) women. The odds of PTB compared with White differed for Black (odds ratio, 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.49–1.53) and Black/White (odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.18) women after adjusting for maternal factors. The odds of PTB associated with maternal sociodemographic, prepregnancy, and gestational factors differed by maternal race. Conclusions Evaluation of PTB risk among White, Black, and Black/White women revealed distinct associations between PTB and maternal factors for Black/White women. This study highlights the need for research assessing the relationships between social risk factors such as colorism and racism and the outcome of PTB, and it provides evidence that may inform more targeted PTB prevention among Black/White and Black women.
Analysis and Annotation of Microbial Genome Sequences

The interpretation of sequenced genomes, both directly and through detailed comparison, represents an essential foundation for post-genome biological studies. The Department of Energy’s pioneering Microbial Genome Initiative and Microbial Cell Project have opened up an amazing new domain of genome analysis — environmentally relevant microbes. Over billions of years of evolution, microbes, and communities of microbes, have found homes in every conceivable environment on Earth, from boiling thermal vents at the ocean’s bottom to Arctic flows (1). These microbes live on and make diverse sources of energy including biomass, methane and hydrogen. They also use many different substances as energy sources, including some that we consider toxic wastes. Microbes comprise more than 50% of the earth’s biomass (1), further pointing to the value of microbial activity in maintaining the earth’s biosphere. Microbes are the foundation of the biosphere, controlling earth’s biogeochemical cycles and affecting the productivity of the soil, quality of water and global climate (2). Indeed, the ability of this planet to sustain life is completely dependent on microbial activity.
Corticostriatal Projections from Rat Barrel Cortex Have an Anisotropic Organization that Correlates with Vibrissal Whisking Behavior

To elucidate the detailed organization of corticostriatal projections from rodent somatosensory cortex, the anterograde tracers biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) and fluoro-ruby (FR) were injected into separate parts of the whisker "barrel" representation. In one group of rats, the two tracers were injected into different barrel columns residing in the same row; in the other group of rats, the tracers were deposited into barrel columns residing in different rows. Reconstructions of labeled axonal varicosities in the neostriatum and ventrobasal thalamus were analyzed quantitatively to compare the extent of overlapping projections to these subcortical structures. For both groups of animals, corticostriatal projections terminated in densely packed clusters that occupied curved lamellar-shaped regions along the dorsolateral edge of the neostriatum. When the tracers were injected into different whisker barrel rows, the distribution of BDA- and FR-labeled terminals in the neostriatum followed a crude somatotopic organization in which the amount of overlap was approximately the same as in the ventrobasal thalamus. When both tracers were injected into the same whisker barrel row, however, the amount of corticostriatal overlap was significantly higher than the amount of overlap observed in the ventrobasal thalamus. These results indicate that corticostriatal projections from whisker barrel cortex have an anisotropic organization that correlates with the pattern of vibrissal movements during whisking behavior.
“Rights for Whites”?: Racial Resentment and Perceptions of Discrimination in Contemporary Britain

This paper investigates majority group members’ perceptions of racial discrimination by local housing authorities in England, examining survey data from the 2008-09 Citizenship Survey (N=7,051). While beliefs among whites that they are disadvantaged by the state relative to minority groups are politically potent, most research in political science on whites’ racial attitudes, both in the US and in Europe, has concentrated on hostility toward minority group members. To the extent that perceptions of discrimination against whites are considered at all, these attitudes are typically taken as indicators of feelings of “racial resentment” or “symbolic racism.” I argue, however, that if the concept of racial resentment, which was developed in the American case, is to be applied in the British context, we need to allow for the empirical possibility that such perceptions of discrimination may be grounded not in prejudice but in personal experience. The multinomial logit models reported in this paper indicate that both recent personal contact with housing officials and general beliefs about the persistence of racial prejudice in Britain affect whites’ feelings of group disadvantage in the allocation of public housing.
Exploring the Production of Social Order

In this article, we consider the production of order. Social order is a product of community action, which is to say it is deliberately produced; its production can be explored with the tools of price theory. There are two categories of inputs—informal and formal, where the first involves customs, traditions and social norms and the latter involves regulation, statutes, and police. We argue that people seek to form homogeneous communities where order is produced at low cost, using informal means. Communities that can produce order at relatively low cost will use less of the formal input, unless required to do so by legislation. Formal efforts to force the production of order by a larger heterogeneous polity paradoxically can erode the ability of homogeneous communities to produce order by informal means. In our statistical examination of the relationship between homogeneity and order using U.S. data, we find support for these notions.
The influence of complications on the costs of complex cancer surgery

BACKGROUND: It is widely known that outcomes after cancer surgery vary widely, depending on interactions between patient, tumor, neoadjuvant therapy, and provider factors. Within this complex milieu, the influence of complications on the cost of surgical oncology care remains unknown. The authors examined rates of Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) occurrence for 6 cancer operations and their association with costs of care. METHODS: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) PSI definitions were used to identify patient safety-related complications in Medicare claims data. Hospital and inpatient physician claims for the years 2005 through 2009 were analyzed for 6 cancer resections: colectomy, rectal resection, pulmonary lobectomy, pneumonectomy, esophagectomy, and pancreatic resection. Risk-adjusted regression analyses were used to measure the association between each PSI and hospitalization costs. RESULTS: Overall PSI rates ranged from a low of 0.01% for postoperative hip fracture to a high of 2.58% for respiratory failure. Death among inpatients with serious treatable complications, postoperative respiratory failure, postoperative thromboembolism, and accidental puncture/laceration were >1% for all 6 cancer operations. Several PSIs—including decubitus ulcer, death among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications, and postoperative thromboembolism—raised hospitalization costs by 20% for most cancer surgery types. Postoperative respiratory failure resulted in a cost increase >50% for all cancer resections. CONCLUSIONS: The consistently higher costs associated with cancer surgery PSIs indicate that substantial health care savings could be achieved by targeting these indicators for quality improvement. Cancer 2013;000:000-000. V C 2013 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non- commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
Structure determination of A2M3+TaO6 and A2M3+NbO6 ordered perovskites: octahedral tilting and pseudosymmetry.

The room-temperature crystal structures of six A{sub 2}M{sup 3+}M{sup 5+}O{sub 6} ordered perovskites have been determined from neutron and X-ray powder diffraction data. Ba{sub 2}YNbO{sub 6} adopts the aristotype high-symmetry cubic structure (space group Fm{bar 3}m, Z = 4). The symmetries of the remaining five compounds were lowered by octahedral tilting distortions. Out-of-phase rotations of the octahedra about the c axis were observed in Sr{sub 2}CrTaO{sub 6} and Sr{sub 2}GaTaO{sub 6} which lowers the symmetry to tetragonal (space group = I4/m, Z = 2, Glazer tilt system = a{sup 0}a{sup 0}c{sup -}). Octahedral tilting analogous to that seen in GdFeO{sub 3} occurs in Sr{sub 2}ScNbO{sub 6}, Ca{sub 2}AlNbO{sub 6} and Ca{sub 2}CrTaO{sub 6}, which lowers the symmetry to monoclinic (space group P2{sub 1}/n, Z = 2, Glazer tilt system = a{sup -}a{sup -}c{sup +}). The Sr{sub 2}MTaO{sub 6} (M = Cr, Ga, Sc) compounds have unit-cell dimensions that are highly pseudo-cubic. Ca{sub 2}AlNbO{sub 6} and Ca{sub 2}CrTaO{sub 6} have unit-cell dimensions that are strongly pseudo-orthorhombic. This high degree of pseudosymmetry complicates the space-group assignment and structure determination. The space-group symmetries, unit-cell dimensions and cation ordering characteristics of an additional 13 compositions, as determined from X-ray powder diffraction data, are alsomore » reported. An analysis of the crystal structures of 32 A{sub 2}MTaO{sub 6} and A{sub 2}MNbO{sub 6} perovskites shows that in general the octahedral tilt system strongly correlates with the tolerance factor.« less
MP-12 virus containing the clone 13 deletion in the NSs gene prevents lethal disease when administered after Rift Valley fever virus infection in hamsters.

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; Bunyaviridae, Phlebovirus) causes a range of illnesses that include retinitis, fulminant hepatitis, neurologic disease, and hemorrhagic fever. In hospitalized individuals, case fatality rates can be as high as 10-20%. There are no vaccines or antivirals approved for human use to prevent or treat severe RVFV infections. We previously tested the efficacy of the MP-12 vaccine strain and related variants with NSs truncations as a post-exposure prophylaxis in mice infected with wild-type pathogenic RVFV strain ZH501. Post-exposure efficacy of the rMP12-C13type, a recombinant MP-12 vaccine virus which encodes an in-frame truncation removing 69% of the NSs protein, resulted in 30% survival when administering the virus within 30 minutes of subcutaneous ZH501 challenge in mice, while the parental MP-12 virus conferred no protection by post-exposure vaccination. Here, we demonstrate uniform protection of hamsters by post-exposure vaccination with rMP12-C13type administered 6 h post-ZH501 infection while no efficacy was observed with the parental MP-12 virus. Notably, both the MP-12 and rMP12-C13type viruses were highly effective (100% protection) when administered 21 days prior to challenge. In a subsequent study delaying vaccination until 8, 12 and 24 h post-RVFV exposure, we observed 80, 70 and 30% survival, respectively. Our findings indicate that the rapid protective innate immune response elicited by rMP12-C13type may be due to the truncated NSs protein, suggesting that the resulting functional inactivation of NSs plays an important role in the observed post-exposure efficacy. Taken together, the data demonstrate that post-exposure vaccination with rMP12-C13type is effective in limiting ZH501 replication and associated disease in standard pre-exposure vaccination and post-challenge treatment models of RVFV infection, and suggest an extended post-exposure prophylaxis window beyond that initially observed in mice.
Enhanced DNA response following whole-body irradiation plus treatment with an antioxidant mimetic

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4418 Successful cancer radiotherapy is limited by concern for normal tissues, such as the highly sensitive hematopoietic/immune system. The objective of this study was to determine the acute impact of an antioxidant mimetic, MnTE-2-PyP [manganese(III) tetrakis(N-ethyl-2-pyridyl)porphyrin], in modifying radiation induced effects on bone marrow-derived cells. C57BL/6 mice were exposed whole-body to a single fraction of 7 gray (Gy) gamma-rays (60^Co). Subcutaneous (s. c.) injections of MnTE-2-PyP (10 mg/kg) were initiated 1h before and 1, 12 and 24 h post-radiation; and then repeated daily for a maximum of 14 days. Control groups received s.c. injections of saline radiation. On days 4 and 14 post-exposure, subsets were euthanized for analysis of whole blood and spleen DNA synthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by liver and organ weights. The remaining mice were followed for survival until 46 days post-irradiation. Increased DNA synthesis in samples of whole blood was observed on day 4 with the greatest increase occurring in the animals who received the mimetic 12 and 24 h post radiation. On day 14, the Radiation only group had significantly higher DNA synthesis compared to all other groups. All irradiated groups treated with MnTE-2-PyP were similar to the control on day 14. By day 46, DNA synthesis measured in whole blood had fallen to very low levels, suggesting that reconstitution of the leukocyte fraction was complete. A pattern similar to that in blood was observed for splenocytes. There were no significant differences among groups on day 4 for ROS by liver cells, as measured by the DCFH-DA method. However, by day 14 the Drug + 1h + Radiation and Radiation + 24h + Drug groups had significantly elevated ROS levels compared to the Radiation only group. The results (an earlier burst in DNA synthesis in whole blood and spleen in drug treated animals) suggest that MnTE-2-PyP can modify the timing of hematopoietic reconstitution following whole body irradiation. MnTE-2-PyP had no significant effect on radiation-induced reductions in body mass, relative spleen and thymus masses, and mouse survival.
Microglial Cells Invade the Outer Retina as Photoreceptors Degenerate in Royal College of Surgeons Rats

Purpose. Photoreceptor degeneration is accompanied by the invasion of phagocytic cells into the outer retina of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. Previous studies suggested that these mononuclear phagocytes were blood-borne macrophages and not retinal pigment epithelial cells nor Muller glia. Thus, immunospecific markers were used to identify these cells and to determine their distribution in the dystrophic retina. Methods. Retinas from RCS and control (RCS-rdy 1 ") rats were processed for immunocytochemistry using antibodies against phosphotyrosine, which labels both microglial cells and peripheral macrophages, and ED2, which labels peripheral macrophages only. As a positive control to demonstrate ED2-labeling of peripheral macrophages that enter the retina during injury, experiments were performed using needle-punctured Long Evans rat retinas. Results. In normal animals, process-bearing, phosphotyrosine-reactive cells were restricted to the inner retinal layers and the outer plexiform layer. In early dystrophic retinas, phosphotyrosine-reactive cells also were observed in the outer retinal layers. The number of phosphotyrosine-labeled cells in the outer retina increased substantially in later stages of dystrophy. ED2reactive cells were observed in normal or dystrophic retinas only after needle puncture. Conclusions. These findings suggest that phagocytic cells during the early stages of dystrophy in RCS rat retinas are derived from resident microglial cells, not from peripheral macrophages. The migration of microglial cells into the outer retina when photoreceptor cells begin to degenerate further suggests that they may play a major role in photoreceptor cell death in the dystrophic retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1996;37:196-203.
An efficient algorithm for fast O(N*ln(N)) box counting

Abstract A new topological ordering is defined which significantly reduces the time requirements for the fast box counting method proposed in a recent paper by Liebovitch and Toth. Only one sorting is necessary in this algorithm.
Joint frequencies of alleles determined by separate formulations for the mating and mutation systems.

ABSTRACT A method to calculate joint gene frequencies, which are the probabilities that two neutral genes taken at random from a population have certain allelic states, is developed taking into account the effects of the mating system and the mutation scheme. We assume that the mutation rates are constant in the population and that the mating system does not depend on allelic states. Under either–the condition that mutation rates are symmetric or that the mating unit is large and the mutation rate is small–the general formula is represented by two terms, one for the mating system and the other for the mutation scheme. The term for the mating system is expressed using the coancestry coefficient in the infinite allele model, and the term for the mutation scheme is a function of the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors of the mutation matrix. Several examples are presented as applications of the method, including homozygosity in a stepping-stone model with a symmetric mutation scheme.
Postmyocardial infarction ventricular septal perforation complicated by bacterial endocarditis

Abstract Bacterial endocarditis was observed in a 77 year old white woman with acute myocardial infarction complicated by rupture of the interventricular septum. Margins of the septal perforation as well as the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve were involved. The association of these lesions has not previously been reported.
Isolated atomoxetine overdose resulting in seizure

Abstract Background: Atomoxetine (Strattera™), has recently been approved for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adolescents and adults. Atomoxetine acts by inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine. There are limited reports of the effects of atomoxetine in overdose. We report a case of isolated atomoxetine overdose resulting in seizure and mild cardiac toxicity. Case Report: A 17-year-old female ingested 2840 mg of atomoxetine in an attempt to kill herself. She presented to an Emergency Department 2–3 hours after ingestion and soon after arrival had a tonic clonic seizure that lasted one minute. An initial electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed a sinus tachycardia with a rate of 110 beats per minute (bpm) and a QRS interval of 93 ms. She was transferred to a pediatric toxicology referral center and had progressive improvement in her symptoms. Gas chromatography and mass spectometry of the urine detected the following drugs: atomoxetine, naproxen, and nicotine. A quantitative serum atomoxetine level of 1995 ng/ml and a quantitative serum naproxen level of 12 mcg/L (30–90 mcg/L anti-inflammatory or analgesic range) were obtained. The patient had no further complications and was without symptoms within 24 hours of hospitalization. Repeat ECG 14 hours following ingestion revealed QRS interval of 79 ms. Conclusion: We report a case of atomoxetine overdose resulting in seizure and mild widening of the QRS interval on ECG. It is important to be aware of the potential for atomoxetine to cause central nervous system and cardiac toxicity.
A cell cycle-dependent mechanism of renal tubule epithelial cell hypertrophy.

A cell cycle-dependent mechanism of renal tubule epithelial cell hypertrophy. The response of renal epithelial cells to injury can include hyperplasia (increase in cell number), apoptosis (cell death), antiproliferation (growth arrest), or hypertrophy (cells physically enlarge). Examining cell size and the protein:DNA ratio can differentiate between the growth response patterns, but it is proposed that the degree of activation of cyclin D kinase in the late G 1 phase of the cell cycle differentiates between hyperplasia and hypertrophy.
'According to my bond': King Lear and re-cognition:

The theory of cognitive metaphor, applied in an analysis of King Lear's opening scene, shows that the scene's figurative language depends upon metaphoric projection from the schemata — skeletalised...
Glycinergic and GABAergic inputs affect short-term suppression in the cochlear nucleus.

Abstract Most cochlear nucleus (CN) neurons exhibit short-term response suppression to a second stimulus in a paired-pulse (click), forward-masking, paradigm. The magnitude of suppression, which appears to be greater than that observed in acoustic nerve, is dependent on the temporal separation and/or relative intensities of the two stimuli. Recent evidence suggests that inhibitory circuitry ending on CN neurons may mediate this response suppression. Using extracellular recordings from single CN neurons, suppression was evaluated using a forward-masking paradigm. Responses to paired acoustic clicks (i.e., a `masker' followed by an identical `probe' click) were measured while the time interval between the masker and probe was varied systematically. The role of inhibitory circuitry in forward-masking in the CN was assessed by pharmacologic manipulation of the GABA A and glycine I (strychnine-sensitive) receptors. Blockade of glycinergic or GABAergic receptors by iontophoretic application of the antagonists, strychnine and bicuculline methiodide, decreased the effects of forward-masking by shortening recovery times of the probe response in 2/3 of the neurons tested. Conversely, agonist application (glycine, and GABA or muscimol) increased the magnitude of suppression and delayed recovery of the probe response relative to control values. These findings suggest that known circuits releasing glycine and/or GABA mediate short-term response suppression in some CN neurons.
Synthesis, processing, and characterization of negative thermal expansion zirconium tungstate nanoparticles with different morphologies

Abstract Zirconium tungstate (ZrW2O8) is a unique ceramic oxide, which exhibits a large negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). While the negative CTE of bulk ZrW2O8 has been extensively characterized, the negative thermal expansion behavior of ZrW2O8 nanoparticles has never been studied. In this work, ZrW2O8 nanoparticles are synthesized with different morphologies using sol–gel and hydrothermal methods. The structural features of the nanoparticles are compared through Raman spectroscopy. The negative CTE values of ZrW2O8 nanoparticles are determined from 25 °C to 600 °C using isothermal X-ray diffraction measurements and are compared with the values obtained for bulk ZrW2O8. In the α-phase, the CTE was measured to be −12.0 × 10−6 and −13.2 × 10−6 K−1 and in the β-phase, the CTE was found to be −4.3 × 10−6 and −5.1 × 10−6 K−1 for powders synthesized by sol–gel and hydrothermal routes, respectively. The α-phase CTE for nanoparticles from both methods were higher than that of bulk ZrW2O8 (−8.9 × 10−6). The role of moisture desorption on heating in contributing to the differences observed in the α-phase CTE between the nanoparticles and bulk ZrW2O8 is discussed.
Sequence variation in transcription factor IIIA

Previous studies characterized macromolecular differences between Xenopus and Rana transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) (Gaskins et al., 1989, Nucl. Acids Res. 17, 781-794). In the present study, cDNAs for TFIIIA from Xenopus borealis and Rana catesbeiana (American bullfrog) were cloned and sequenced in order to gain molecular insight into the structure, function, and species variation of TFIIIA and the TFIIIA-type zinc finger. X. borealis and R. catesbeiana TFIIIAs have 339 and 335 amino acids respectively, 5 and 9 fewer than X. laevis TFIIIA. X. borealis TFIIIA exhibited 84% sequence homology (55 amino acid differences) with X. laevis TFIIIA and R. catesbeiana TFIIIA exhibited 63% homology (128 amino acid changes) with X. laevis TFIIIA. This sequence variation is not random; the C-terminal halves of these TFIIIAs contain substantially more non-conservative changes than the N-terminal halves. In particular, the N-terminal region of TFIIIA (that region forming strong DNA contacts) is the most conserved and the C-terminal tail (that region involved in transcription promotion) the most divergent. Hydropathy analyses of these sequences revealed zinc finger periodicity in the N-terminal halves, extreme hydrophilicity in the C-terminal halves, and a different C-terminal tail hydropathy for R. catesbeiana TFIIIA. Although considerable sequence variation exists in these TFIIIA zinc fingers, the Cys/His, Tyr/Phe and Leu residues are strictly conserved between X. laevis and X. borealis. Strict conservation of only the Cys/His motif is observed between X. laevis and R. catesbeiana TFIIIA. Overall, Cys/His zinc fingers in TFIIIA are much less conserved than Cys/Cys fingers in erythroid transcription factor (Eryf 1) and also less conserved than homeo box domains in segmentation genes. The collective evidence indicates that TFIIIA evolved from a common precursor containing up to 12 finger domains which subsequently evolved at different rates.
Determination of 2-hydroxyiminomethyl-1-methyl-pyridinium methanesulphonate (pralidoxime mesylate, P2S) and its degradation products in solution by liquid chromatography

Abstract Pralidoxine mesylate (P2S) and its degradation products in solution can be analysed by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography. The accuracy and sensitivity of the methods are high and allow a mass balance for the decomposition to be obtained. The decomposition is shown to proceed via an initial reversible isomerisation step to anti -P2S which has not been detected in previous studies and which is shown to be capable of giving misleading predictions of storage life if UV methods of analysis are used.
Microcystin analysis in human sera and liver from human fatalities in Caruaru, Brazil 1996.

Abstract In 1996, an extensive exposure of Brazilian hemodialysis patients at a dialysis center, using a municipal water supply water contaminated with cyanotoxins, provided the first evidence for acute lethal human poisoning from the cyclic peptide hepatotoxins called microcystins. During this outbreak, 100 of 131 patients developed acute liver failure and 52 of these victims were confirmed to have been exposed to lethal levels of microcystins. Detection and quantitation of microcystins in these biological samples posed some analytical challenges since there were no well-established and routine analytic methods to measure total microcystins in tissue or sera samples. At the time of the 1996 exposure we used analytic methods that combined the use of enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA), analytical high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectroscopy (ES-ITMS) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF). In the intervening years these methods have been improved and others developed that allow a more quantitative and critical analysis of microcystin contaminated tissue and sera. For these reasons, and to see how storage with time might effect the detection and stability of microcystins in these matrices, we reanalyzed selected liver tissues and sera from the Caruaru victims in Brazil. We developed and validated a procedure to measure total microcystins in Caruaru human sera and liver tissue using a combination of ELISA, liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS), GC/MS and MS/MS techniques. GC/MS and LC/MS were followed by MS/MS to obtain a fingerprint fragment spectra for the microcystins. The validity of the extraction procedure for free microcystins was confirmed by recovery experiments with blood sera spiked with microcystin-LR. We removed proteins with the Microcon® Centrifugal Filter prior to LC/MS and ELISA analysis. A solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure was used for analysis of protein bound microcystins by conversion of ADDA to erythro-2-methyl-3-methoxy-4-phenylbutyric acid (MMPB) combined with GC/MS. We found that the GC/MS method yielded a higher concentration of microcystin than that obtained by ELISA and LC/MS. We hypothesize that this difference is due to better GC/MS detection of the covalently bound form of microcystins in human liver tissue. We also concluded that microcystins are very stable when stored under these conditions for periods of almost 10 years.
Abstract S2-3: Disparities in the utilization of axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy among black and white patients with node-negative breast cancer from 2002–2007.

Background: Disparities exist in many aspects of standard breast cancer treatment in certain patient populations. In the mid-1990s, axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was introduced as an alternative to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for staging clinically node-negative breast cancer. During the early 2000s, the validity of SLNB was being determined and its technique was being disseminated throughout the surgical community. By the mid to late-2000s, SLNB had been shown to provide accurate axillary staging with lower complications and no difference in survival compared to ALND in node-negative patients. SLNB has now replaced ALND as the accepted method for staging early breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to examine differences in the utilization of SLNB in pathologic node-negative invasive black breast cancer patients compared to white patients as SLNB became standard axillary staging and whether this difference impacted patient complications. Methods: Using the population-based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data, cases of incident, non-metastatic, pathologic node-negative breast cancer in women age≥66 were identified. Patients were considered to have undergone SLNB if specified by SEER records or if a billing claim for axillary lymphatic mapping was identified. Unadjusted associations of SLNB with race were evaluated using the chi-square test. The Cochran-Armitage test evaluated trends over time. Multivariate logistic regression tested whether race was associated with the use of SLNB after adjustment for clinicopathologic factors. Five-year cumulative incidence of lymphedema assessed via ICD-9 diagnosis codes was measured using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adjusted proportional hazards regression evaluated assiciations of race and ALND with lymphedema risk. Results: Of 31,274 women identified, 1,767 (5.7%) were Black, 27,856 (89%) were White and 1,651 (5.3%) were of other/unknown race. SLNB was performed in 74% of white patients compared to 62% of black patients (P In adjusted analysis, black patients were 33% less likely than white patients to undergo SLNB (relative risk = 0.74, 95% CI 0.67-0.81; P Conclusion: Even with the increased use of SLNB and its acceptance as standard axillary staging for node-negative breast cancer patients, disparities persist in its underutilization in appropriate black patients compared to white patients by as much as 26%. This racial disparity in SLNB use translated to a higher risk of lymphedema for black patients. Improving surgeon practices, the multidisciplinary team approach, and patient education are important in optimizing the beneficial impact of SLNB and reducing complications from unnecessary ALNDs in all patients with early stage breast cancer. Future research is needed to delineate mechanisms underlying this persistent disparity and to identify strategies to mitigate it. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr S2-3.
Thermochronologic evidence for timing of denudation and rate of crustal extension of the south mountains metamorphic core complex and sierra estrella, Arizona

Abstract Apatite fission-track analysis of samples collected along the length of theSouth Mountains metamorphic core complex and in a vertical profile from the adjacent Sierra Estrella reveal rapid cooling during regional crustal extension. Fission-track ages of 17 samples from South Mountains overlap at the 2σ level and have a weighted mean of 17.5 ± 1.0 Ma. Mean fission-track lengths are all greater than 14 μm, indicating rapid cooling at about this time. Integrating these data with K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar cooling ages of hornblende and biotite yields an average cooling rate of approximately 190°;C/my between 21 and 17 Ma for lower-plate rocks in the South Mountains. Four samples collected over 600 m of relief from the adjacent Sierra Estrella yield apatite ages with a weighted mean of 24.7 ± 0.4 Ma and mean track lengths greater than 14 μm, which also reflect rapid cooling. Geologic constraints suggest that the Sierra Estrella is most likely lower-plate with respect to the South Mountains detachment fault and that its uplift/cooling history is linked to the detachment-style denudation of the South Mountains core complex. If cooling simply reflects tectonic denudation of upper-plate rocks, the calculated rate of extension for the core complex is ≈ 0.3 cm/yr, a rate comparable to those estimated for other core complexes.
Telemedicine in the U.S.A. with Focus on Clinical Applications and Issues

Telemedicine usually refers to the use of information-based technologies, such as, computer and communications systems, to provide healthcare across geographic distances. Although telemedicine has the potential to improve healthcare, the number of clinical applications is still small and constrained by custom, regulatory, reimbursement and technical issues. In this review paper, a short historical review of telemedicine is provided, followed by an overview of clinical telemedicine applications, including cardiology, dermatology, emergency medicine and trauma care, homecare, pathology, psychiatry, radiology and surgery. Current telemedicine issues in clinics and technological problems to be decided, improved, and challenged, are reviewed. This is followed by conclusions.
Imaging of Intrinsic Optical Stem Cell Changes in Engineered Tissues

Interactions between stem cells and their surrounding matrix are essential in the development of engineered tissues. Spectroscopic imaging of endogenous sources of optical contrast provides a non-invasive means for monitoring such interactions.
On Markov processes in elementary mathematics courses

I give here a survey of the major results about Markov processes which are treated in many finite mathematics courses. These notes are the result of conversations with a number of colleagues and a certain amount of literature search. They delineate carefully the distinctions between the existence and uniqueness of fixed points and asymptotic fixed points of Markov processes. My primary motivation for writing up this material was the confusion about these distinctions that I found in a number of elementary texts. As noted below these results can be given 'high-powered' explanations. Such explanations can provide a valuable perspective; they can also unnecessarily intimidate. The arguments in this paper are all easily accessible to undergraduates.
Genetic mapping in hybrid zones.

Abstract: Recent advances in genetic mapping methodologies make it feasible to localize quantitative trait loci (QTL) that contribute to adaptation and speciation. However, it has not been possible to employ these methods in many wild species because of difficulties associated with creating and propagating recombinant populations of sufficient size for QTL mapping. Natural hybrid zones contain recombinant individuals resulting from many generations of hybridization and thus offer a potential solution to these problems. For studies of speciation, hybrid zones offer the possibility of mapping QTL simultaneously with assessments of their effects on assortative mating, hybrid fitness, and interspecific gene flow. Here, we explore the problems and prospects associated with genetic map building and QTL analyses in natural hybrid zones by analyzing correlations among markers of known genomic location in four hybrid zones between the wild sunflower species Helianthus annuus and Helianthus petiolaris. Results indi...
Force on two touching dielectric spheres in a parallel field

Abstract An interactive linear multipole model is used to derive equations for the electric force between two unchanged dielectric spheres aligned in a parallel field. Up to 2800 multipoles are used to compute the force between identical touching spheres. Where necessary, extrapolation to an infinite number of multipoles is performed by an empirical equation. The model and equations apply equally well to a magnetizable sphere in a parallel magnetic field. The data presented allow the calculation of the force for values of electric (or magnetic) susceptibilities up to 21 500.
Geographic orientation in patients with unilateral cerebral disease

Abstract The accuracy of geographic orientation was studied in patients with unilateral cerebral disease and control patients. The influence of educational background on performance was also assessed. When educational background was controlled, the patients with brain disease performed more poorly than the controls on tasks requiring the localization of states and cities on a map of the United States and on a verbal test requiring them to indicate the directional relations between places. Educational background showed both an overall influence on performance level and an interaction with diagnostic category, the less well educated patients with brain disease showing a larger difference from their controls than did patients with better education. A “vector” score, reflecting a shift in localization toward the left or right part of the map differentiated between patients with right and left hemisphere disease and suggested neglect of the visual field contralateral to the side of lesion in some of these patients. The relationship between directional bias in geographic orientation and unilateral neglect in simpler spatial localization tasks remains an open question.
Physical and psychosocial function in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical use of a self-administered health status instrument.

The treatment of chronic disease is often directed at preservation of function, but most functional measures are crude, and rarely include indicators of psychosocial status. The Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) is a newer "health status" measure designed to comprehensively assess such outcomes. The functional and psychosocial impacts of rheumatoid arthritis and their relation to disease duration were measured by having 79 patients self-administer the SIP. Disease impacts were pervasive, including effects on leisure, social, and sexual activities, as well as physical function. While physical and psychosocial disease impacts were positively correlated, the association diminished with longer duration of disease. The self-administered SIP appears to be practical and useful in clinical settings. Specific results may help to target patient education, increase physician awareness of the distress patients experience, suggest the need for social and rehabilitative services, and help monitor responses to therapy. ( Arch Intern Med 1982;142:879-882)
Vascular Endothelial Function and Self-reported Sleep

Abstract Background The authors investigated the relationship between self-reported sleep characteristics and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in a community-based population. Previous studies document that sleep apnea may be related to endothelial dysfunction but disagree whether subjective reports of sleep may also reflect such associations. Methods In 684 subjects (32% male) aged between 37 and 60 years enrolled in the Emory-Georgia Tech Predictive Health Institute study, the authors measured reported sleep characteristics using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) along with cardiovascular risk factors. Endothelial function was assessed using brachial artery FMD. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to adjust for various cardiovascular risk factors including age, race, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and body mass index. Results Lower brachial artery FMD values were correlated with higher Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores ( P = 0.0275), even after adjustment for risk factors ( P = 0.03). Total PSQI score was unrelated to brachial artery FMD. However, lower sleep quality (PSQI component 1) was associated with lower brachial artery FMD (multivariate P = 0.038), and participants who coughed or snored during sleep also had lower brachial artery FMD (6.24% ± 3.42%) compared with those who did not (6.92% ± 4.30%) ( P = 0.056). This difference remained significant after adjustment for risk factors ( P = 0.03). Conclusions In a community-based population, our analysis indicates a significant association between sleepiness and snoring assessed by questionnaires and endothelial function. Simple subjective reports about individuals’ sleep may be highly revealing indicators of endothelial function impairment and thus important indicators of cardiovascular disease risk.
Clear lens extraction with intraocular lens implantation during retinal detachment repair in patients with autoimmune deficiency syndrome and cytomegalovirus retinitis

Abstract Objective To assess the outcomes of clear lens extraction with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation during repair of retinal detachment by vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. Design Retrospective, noncomparative case series. Participants Twelve eyes of 10 patients with AIDS, CMV retinitis, and retinal detachment. Intervention All patients underwent phacoemulsification with posterior chamber IOL placement at the time of vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade for repair of retinal detachment. A targeted postoperative refractive error of −5.00 diopters (D) to −3.00 D was chosen in an attempt to counteract the hyperopic effect of silicone oil. Main outcome measures The following factors were evaluated: postoperative visual acuity, refractive error, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results Median follow-up was 7 months (range, 1–46 months). For patients without macular necrosis, median best-corrected preoperative visual acuity was 20/75 (range, 20/20–20/800), and median best postoperative visual acuity was 20/50 (range, 20/20–20/400). Median final visual acuity was 20/140 (range, 20/25 to count fingers at 1 foot). The median postoperative refractive error (spherical equivalent) was −1.00 D (range, −4.00 D to +7.88 D). Reoperation was required in 3 of 12 eyes for recurrent macular detachment (1 with silicone oil underfill; 2 with proliferative vitreoretinopathy). The macula was attached in all eyes at last follow-up. Reattachment of the peripheral retina was achieved in 10 of 12 eyes. There were no anterior segment complications. Conclusions Clear lens extraction with IOL placement during repair of retinal detachment with silicone oil tamponade does not seem to increase complications and may improve long-term visual rehabilitation, improve retinitis management by allowing better posterior segment visualization throughout the postoperative course, and decrease overall cost and morbidity associated with cataract extraction as a second procedure.
An analysis of the dielectric α-relaxation of crystaline polyethene in terms of solitons

Abstract A previously proposed crystal defect providing a mechanism for the dielectric α-relaxation of polyethylene can be interpreted as a soliton. The soliton dynamics are consistent with an earlier observation that absolute rate theory provides excellent agreement with the experimental loss frequencies
An experiment in predicting short-term forgetting.

Abstract In connection with a recent experiment reported in this journal dealing with memory retrieval, we had the opportunity of testing, on a small scale, the hypothesis that normal subjects experience exceptional difficulty in remembering material which is likely to stimulate a significant unconscious conflict. 1
Classroom approach for managing dietary restraint, negative eating styles, and body image concerns among college women.

Objective: In this exploratory study, the authors evaluated the impact of an elective college course on dieting levels, eating styles, and body image among college women. Participants: Participants were a convenience sample of 29 self-selected female students at a western university who were mostly white, normal-weight seniors with significant dieting experience. Methods: The authors used valid and reliable instruments to collect data both before and after testing. An instructor conducted the program in an undergraduate course that met twice weekly for 15 weeks. Theory-based lessons focused on resisting media pressure, modifying dietary restraint, eating in response to hunger (intrinsic eating), and achieving healthy body image. Dependent variables included intrinsic eating, dieting involvement, emotional eating, body image, and self-esteem. Results: A comparison of pretest and posttest scores identified significant improvements for most measures. Conclusions: A theory-driven elective course implemented w...
Propagation of intense plasma and ion beams across B-field in vacuum and magnetized plasma

This paper summarizes experimental results on the injection and transport of intense, wide cross-section H+ plasma (PB), and ion beams (IB), in vacuum and ambient H+ plasma across an applied B-field. The injection of plasma and ion beams into magnetic confinement devices have the potential to heat and support current in these systems (e.g., field-reversed configurations). The translational energies of the PB and IB ranged between Epb = 60 to 120 eV and EIB = 60 to 120 keV, with temperatures and densities in the range of Tb ∼ 2 to 10 eV, nb ∼ 1012 to 1013 cm−3, and Tb ∼ 200 eV, nb 1010 to 1011 cm−3, respectively. Compared to earlier studies (Peter et al., 1979; Wessel et al., 1988, 1990), this research extends the experimental parameter space to higher beam current densities (up to 30 A/cm2) and higher B-field strengths up to 1.6 kG. The PB and IB were both about 10 cm in diameter at the injection port, and the ratio of beam specific energy to ambient B-field specific energy, β, was in the range of 0.1 to 10. Ratios of beam Larmor radius to beam size, ρ, ranged from 10−1 to 1 and 1 to 10 for the PB and IB, respectively. Cross B-field propagation of the PB in vacuum was undeflected as a whole with a sharp increase (one order or more) in the current density of the central beam core at B-field levels > 1 kG accompanied by a significant loss of beam peripheral layers, beam “braking” and preferential beam expansion along the B-field lines. Cross B-field propagation of the PB in ambient plasma did not differ substantially from the case without B-field, that is, no deflection of the PB as a whole, which could be due to an insufficient neutralization of the induced E-field inside the PB. Cross B-field propagation of the IB in ambient plasma followed a single particle trajectory deflection with a simultaneous significant loss of IB intensity without any detectable bunching, indicating an adequate shorting of the polarization E-field inside the IB.