cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coagulation factor VIII: Relationship to cardiovascular disease risk and whole genome sequence and epigenome-wide analysis in African Americans.

Background Prospective studies have suggested higher factor VIII (FVIII) levels are an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. However, limited information, including on genetic and epigenetic contributors to FVIII variation, is available specifically among African Americans (AAs), who have higher FVIII levels than Europeans. Objectives We measured FVIII levels in ~3400 AAs from the community-based Jackson Heart Study and assessed genetic, epigenetic, and epidemiological correlates of FVIII, as well as incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) associations. Methods We assessed cross-sectional associations of FVIII with CVD risk factors as well as incident CHD, stroke, heart failure, and mortality associations. We additionally assessed associations with TOPMed whole genome sequencing data and an epigenome-wide methylation array. Results Our results confirmed associations between FVIII and risk of incident CHD events and total mortality in AAs; mortality associations were largely independent of traditional risk factors. We also demonstrate an association of FVIII with incident heart failure, independent of B-type natriuretic peptide. Two genomic regions were strongly associated with FVIII (ABO and VWF). The index variant at VWF is specific to individuals of African descent and is distinct from the previously reported European VWF association signal. Epigenome-wide association analysis showed significant FVIII associations with several CpG sites in the ABO region. However, after adjusting for ABO genetic variants, ABO CpG sites were not significant. Conclusions Larger sample sizes of AAs will be required to discover additional genetic and epigenetic contributors to FVIII phenotypic variation, which may have consequences for CVD health disparities.
3D Simulation Technology as an Instructional Tool for Promoting Size Inclusive Apparel Design

The purpose of this study is to introduce a teaching method for apparel design studios to integrate 3D simulation technology to promote inclusive apparel design processes. The proposed framework has been further applied to a design process of developing a plus-size womens wear: students can refer to the example as they follow the proposed framework. Some researchers consider traditional physical dress forms limit designers in visualizing morphological characterization of the human body (Sabina, Elena, Emila & Adrina, 2014). Integrating 3D simulation into design processes provides students with a means to customize and examine body figures for their own target consumers and students can flexibly explore size inclusive design processes.
An online academic support model for students enrolled in Internet-based classes

This doctoral dissertation describes a research study that examined the effectiveness of an experimental Supplemental Instruction (SI) program that utilized computer-mediated communication (CMC) rather than traditional SI review sessions. During the Spring 1999 semester, six sections of an introductory computer course were offered via the Internet by a suburban community college district in Texas. Using Campbell and Stanley's Nonequivalent Control Group model, the online SI program was randomly assigned to four of the course sections with the two remaining sections serving as the control group. The students hired to lead the online review sessions participated in the traditional SI training programs at their colleges, and received training conducted by the researcher related to their roles as online discussion moderators. Following recommendations from Congos and Schoeps, the internal validity of the groups was confirmed by conducting independent t-tests comparing the students' cumulative credit hours, grade point averages, college entrance test scores, and first exam scores. The study's four null hypotheses were tested using multiple linear regression equations with alpha levels set at .01. Results indicated that the SI participants earned better course grades even though they had acquired fewer academic credits and had, on average, scored lower on their first course exams. Both the control group and the non-SI participants had average course grades of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. The students who participated in at least one SI session had an average final course grade of 2.5, exceeding their previous grade point average of 2.15. Participation in one SI session using CMC was linked to a one-fourth letter grade improvement in students' final course grades. Although not statistically significant, on the average, SI participants had slightly better course retention, marginally increased course satisfaction, and fewer student-initiated contacts with their instructors.
Decision Making: Tourism and Hospitality Game

The Competition Game creates an environment in which individual teams must make decisions based on possibly imperfect information and with conflicting goals. The game consists of several independent rounds that may be conducted separately or in series. This gives the instructor the flexibility to use all or portions of the game to meet individual class requirements. The individual components of the game allow players to explore the effects of production capacity, production costs, market demand, and government controls within a competitive market. The game also allows players to control certain aspects of the information flow relevant to the market, and players create their own ethical business environment.
Oxidative Stress as a Therapeutic Target for the Prevention and Treatment of Early Age-related Macular Degeneration

Abstract Age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible visual loss among older adults in developed countries, is a chronic, multifactorial, and progressive disease with the development of painless, central vision loss. Retinal pigment epithelial cell dysfunction is a core change in age-related macular degeneration that results from aging and the accumulated effects of genetic and environmental factors that, in part, is both caused by and leads to oxidative stress. In this review, we describe the role of oxidative stress, the cytoprotective oxidative stress pathways, and the impact of oxidative stress on critical cellular processes involved in age-related macular degeneration pathobiology. We also offer targeted therapy that may define how antioxidant therapy can either prevent or improve specific stages of age-related macular degeneration.
Barriers for people of color to RD in the US

The Healthy People 2010 objective of eliminating health disparities was prompted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Unequal Treatment; Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care . The report documented racial inequities within the U.S. health care delivery system, including differential treatment on the basis of race demonstrated by health care practitioners. Recommendation 5-3 was to Increase the proportion of underrepresented U.S. racial and ethnic minorities among health professionals .Between 2002 and 2008 the number of people of color entering undergraduate Nutrition programs increased by 67 %, while the number admitted to internships decreased by 11% . Of particular concern is the 58% decrease in African American's admitted into dietetic internships over the past decade. This paper is a discussion of barriers to RD that have been identified by African Americans in five studies, in hopes of shedding light on how to address and reverse this trend.
A natural language-inspired multilabel video streaming source identification method based on deep neural networks

Existing website fingerprinting techniques are not effective with video streaming traffic when the encrypted traffic contains multiple streams. This paper presents a deep learning-based source identification method for identifying multiple video sources within a single encrypted tunnel. The core contribution is a novel feature inspired by natural language processing (NLP) that allows existing NLP techniques to identify the source. The feature extraction method is described. A large dataset containing video streaming and web traffic is created to verify its effectiveness. Results are obtained by applying several NLP methods to show that the proposed method performs well on both binary and multilabel traffic classification problems. The work proves that the method can overcome the challenges given by mixed-traffic tunnels.
War and Post-War

Haas continued to teach during the first months of the war but was eventually drafted to the Army. His strong dislike of military affairs was a matter of record and the authorities charged him with the maintenance of the horse stables for the cavalry. His commanding officer had more appreciation for his academic titles and Haas enjoyed relatively peaceful but boring war years. He used the time to write a first textbook of modern physics. With the collapse of Germany and inner revolutionary struggles, Haas decided to return to Vienna. But, being from Brno, he saw himself identified as a Czech citizen.
The role of asymmetry in formation of the superfluid state in electron–hole systems

Abstract We consider a system of two coaxial nanotubes separated by a dielectric with the spatially separated electrons and holes confined on each nanotube. The pairing conditions in such systems are studied in the weak coupling limit. It is found that the electron–hole asymmetry caused by electron and hole mass difference and the difference in the radii of the nanotubes can adversely affect the pairing in the system. It is also found that under certain conditions these two asymmetries can effectively compensate each other, therefore significantly increasing the range of the system's parameters for which the superfluid state can exist.
On the Structure and Function of Relaxin

The endocrinological events leading to parturition are poorly understood. There are obvious species differences and no generalizations are possible at this time. In 1926 Hisaw called attention to the fact that in some mammals an ovarian factor is produced that leads to an enlargement of the birth canal in preparation for parturition. Subsequent work showed that this factor suppressed uterine contractions that might be harmful to the fetus. Hisaw and his coworkers also demonstrated that this ovarian factor was not a steroid but a protein susceptible to proteolytic action. He determined some physical properties of his new factor, relaxin, and compared them in an almost visionary fashion with the properties of insulin. Importantly, the involvement in parturition of a distinct hormone was demonstrated for the first time. The next thirty years of relaxin research was dominated by studies concerning the physiology of relaxin. The investigation of the biochemistry of relaxin suffered from the absence of an accurate and convenient bioassay. In 1930 Fevold et al. introduced the guinea pig assay which was rather elaborate and not sufficiently objective. The introduction of the mouse assay system by Steinetz et al. (1959) and the discovery of Kliman and Greep (1958) that the activity of relaxin in mice could be enhanced more than 100-fold by simultaneous injection of an adjuvant provided a better basis for the purification of relaxin.
Induction and habituation of immediate early gene expression in rat brain by acute and repeated restraint stress

Acute exposure to stress leads to activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis (PA-axis) while repeated exposure to a homotypic stressor generally results in habituation of this response. Previous studies suggested that such habituation is largely due to changes in afferents of the PA-axis. To examine where within these afferents habituation occurs, we studied the effect of acute and repeated exposure to 2 hr restraint stress on expression of c-fos mRNA, as a marker of altered neuronal activity, in brain regions previously shown to influence the activity of the PA-axis. Acute restraint stress increased expression of c-fos mRNA in cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, septum, and brainstem. In contrast, the effect of restraint stress on c-fos expression in the aforementioned brain regions was much smaller in animals restrained once daily for 4 d, and nonexistent in animals restrained once daily for 9 d. A similar pattern of induction and habituation of jun-B, but not zif-268, c-jun, or jun-D mRNA expression, was observed in the cortex of animals exposed to acute versus repeated restraint stress. The habituation of c-fos responses was stressor specific: exposure of restraint-adapted animals to a novel (20 min swim) stress produced an increase in levels of c-fos mRNA in every examined brain region comparable to that seen in animals exposed to this stressor for the first time. Adrenalectomy did not alter the pattern of c-fos expression induced by acute and repeated restraint stress. Therefore, activation and habituation of these c-fos responses are independent of changes in circulating levels of corticosterone.
Influence of Environmental Factors and Prior Changes on the Organizational Adoption of Changes in Products and in Technological and Administrative Processes

This research studies how organizational adoption of three different types of change – change in products, in technological processes and in administrative processes – is influenced by environmental factors such as industry regulation and market concentration and by the prior adoption of different types of change. We tested our hypotheses in the service sector, examining a sample of bank holding companies in the USA for the period 1975–1995. We found that (1) environmental factors influence rates of change in products, in technological processes and in administrative processes differently; (2) changes in products are followed by changes in both technological and administrative processes; and (3) the three types of change exhibit momentum, as firms are more likely to implement changes similar to those they have recently undertaken. We discuss the implications of our findings for the theory and management of change in organizations.
THE PLASMA SHEET IN THE EVENING SECTOR

Some factors are considered which contribute to asymmetry between the premidnight and postmidnight sectors of the plasma both in the equatorial plane and at low altitudes. In particular the greater probability of occurrence of extended auroral arcs in the premidnight sector is noted. The formation of these quiet arcs, their relationship to ‘inverted V’ structures and their effect on energetic particle trapping are considered. It is concluded that the energetic electron ‘trapping boundary’ is not necessarily the limit of closed field lines but instead is caused by wave turbulence in the plasma sheet at the most equatorward of the extended arcs. Various implications of this conclusion for plasma sheet structure are discussed.
Anti-G-CSF treatment induces protective tumor immunity in mouse colon cancer by promoting protective NK cell, macrophage and T cell responses

// Katherine T. Morris 1 , Eliseo F. Castillo 2 , Anita L. Ray 2 , Lea L. Weston 2 , Robert A. Nofchissey 2 , Joshua A. Hanson 3 , Von G. Samedi 3 , Irina V. Pinchuk 4 , Laurie G. Hudson 5 , Ellen J. Beswick 2 1 Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 2 Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 3 Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 4 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA 5 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Correspondence to: Ellen J. Beswick, e-mail: ebeswick@salud.unm.edu Keywords: G-CSF, colorectal cancer, NK cells, macrophages, Th1 Received: April 03, 2015 Accepted: May 21, 2015 Published: June 04, 2015 ABSTRACT Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a cytokine that is highly expressed in human and mouse colorectal cancers (CRC). We previously reported that G-CSF stimulated human CRC cell growth and migration, therefore in this study we sought to examine the therapeutic potential of anti-G-CSF treatment for CRC. G-CSF is known to mobilize neutrophils, however its impact on other immune cells has not been well examined. Here, we investigated the effects of therapeutic anti-G-CSF treatment on CRC growth and anti-tumor immune responses. C57BL/6 mice treated with azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) to induce neoplasms were administered anti-G-CSF or isotype control antibodies three times a week for three weeks. Animals treated with anti-G-CSF antibodies had a marked decrease in neoplasm number and size compared to the isotype control group. Colon neutrophil and macrophage frequency were unchanged, but the number of macrophages producing IL-10 were decreased while IL-12 producing macrophages were increased. NK cells were substantially increased in colons of anti-G-CSF treated mice, along with IFNγ producing CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. These studies are the first to indicate a crucial role for G-CSF inhibition in promoting protective anti-tumor immunity, and suggest that anti-G-CSF treatment is a potential therapeutic approach for CRC.
Revision Shoulder Arthroplasty—How to Manage the Humerus?

Shoulder arthroplasty has been shown to be an effective treatment for both degenerative and traumatic pathology of the shoulder. Because of its proven efficacy, the use of arthroplasty has experienced rapid growth during the past 15 years, with the number of shoulder replacement surgeries expected to grow by more than 200% during the next 5 years. The rapid increase in primary shoulder replacement has generated a greater need for revision of failed components. Although the humeral component is rarely the source of failure, extraction is required in one-half of shoulder revisions. Revision shoulder arthroplasty can be an extremely challenging surgery, and careful preoperative planning is required. Thorough examination of the etiology of failure as well as knowledge of the characteristics of the prosthesis to be removed is essential before proceeding with revision. Management of the humeral component can be very difficult, especially in the instance of a well-fixed prosthesis. Techniques, such as osteotomies or humeral windows, are often needed in the removal of well-fixed components. The outcome after revision shoulder arthroplasty is dependent on the etiology of failure. The overall rate of satisfactory outcome for all revisions has been reported to be approximately 60% with functional limitation the main cause of unsatisfactory results. Revision for failure as the result of instability, infection, or soft-tissue deficiency is associated with higher rates of unsatisfactory results. Careful patient selection and preoperative counseling is required before performing revision of a shoulder arthroplasty. The primary indication for revision is for the treatment of a painful shoulder replacement with an identified source of failure. Caution should be taken when considering revision for functional improvement as the functional results are much less predictable. This article will review the indications, preoperative planning, surgical techniques, and results of revision of the humeral component following a failed shoulder arthroplasty.
Microporosity in 304 stainless steel films prepared by vapor quenching

Abstract Thin films of type 304 stainless steel composition were d.c. planar magnetron sputter deposited onto chilled and elevated temperature metallic and non-metallic substrates within the thickness range from 40 nm to 3.5 ωm. Bright field and dark field transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction techniques were utilized to investigate the as-deposited thin films. A b.c.c. microcrystalline grain structure was obtained through vapor quenching at substrate temperatures (deposition temperatures) between 77 and 473 K. The use of a defocus contrast technique and stereomicroscopy revealed a high density of intergranular and intragranular microvoids in all the films investigated. Microvoids were not observed in 304 stainless steel films sputter deposited by other investigators under similar conditions. Interconnected void networks did not exist in thicker regions of the film but were present in a “channel” in thinner film regions. Both the microcrystalline grain size and the void structures were influenced by the deposition temperature. In this study an attempt is made to evaluate the 304 stainless steel thin film microstructures in the light of their potential for protective coating uses.
Energy deposition during electron-induced dissociation.

We report studies of the internal energy deposited during activation of mass-selected ions through electron-ion collisions. Characteristic fragmentations of the molecular ion of limonene and W(CO) n/+ (n = 1–6) indicate that electron-induced dissociation in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer proceeds via multiple collisions and that the average internal energy deposited during the activation process can be selected to be similar to that associated with electron-impact ionization. Control of the degree of ion excitation through selection of the electron energy, flux, and interaction time with the ions of interest is demonstrated, and advantages of this promising activation technique are discussed.
The Essential Moral Perfection of God

Many theists of a traditional bent have been bothered by the apparent tension between God's essential omnipotence and his essential moral goodness. Nelson Pike draws attention to the conflict between these two attributes in his article ‘Omnipotence and God's Ability to Sin’, and there have been many attempts to respond to it since that time. Most of these responses argue that the essential omnipotence and essential goodness of God are not logically incompatible, so that the traditional conception of God is not incoherent; I think the arguments have been largely successful. However, some theists have found the typical responses to Pike less than convincing, and are tempted to surrender the claim that God has moral perfection essentially in favour of the more modest claim that God is morally perfect in the actual world (and cannot gain or lose this perfection) though in some possible worlds God is morally defective. I argue in this paper that this fall-back position is incoherent. More accurately, I argue that a necessary being who is essentially omniscient and essentially omnipotent (a ‘NOO’ being) cannot be contingently morally perfect or contingently morally defective. Any such being is either essentially good or essentially evil. Since the latter alternative seems unattractive, I argue that theists should embrace the essential moral perfection of God.
Mechanism of action of niacin on lipoprotein metabolism.

It is generally accepted that the increased concentrations of apolipoprotein (apo) B containing very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and decreased levels of apo AI containing high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are correlated to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Current evidence indicates that the post-translational apo-B degradative processes regulate the hepatic assembly and secretion of VLDL and the subsequent generation of LDL particles. The availability of triglycerides (TG) for the addition to apo B during intracellular processing appears to play a central role in targeting apo B for either intracellular degradation or assembly and secretion as VLDL particles. Based on the availability of TG, the liver secretes either dense TG-poor VLDL2 or large TG-rich VLDL1 particles, and these particles serve as precursors for the formation of more buoyant or small, dense LDL particles by lipid transfer protein- and hepatic lipase-mediated processes. HDLs are a heterogenous class of lipoproteins, and apo AI (the major protein of HDL) participates in reverse cholesterol transport, a process by which excess cholesterol is eliminated. Recent studies indicate that HDL particles containing only apo A-I (LPA-I) are more effective in reverse cholesterol transport and more anti-atherogenic than HDL particles containing both apo A-I and apo A-II (LPA-I+A-II).
Effect of micelle formation on the absorption spectra of decyl and dodecyl pyridinium iodides

Abstract 1. 1. Absorption spectra are presented for solutions of dodecyl pyridinium iodide in water, ethanol, and chloroform (containing 0.7% ethanol), and for decyl pyridinium iodide in water and in ethanol. 2. 2. The change of absorption spectrum with concentration in water can be related to the critical micelle concentration of these salts. 3. 3. The changes of absorption spectrum above the critical micelle concentration have been discussed in terms of the structure of the micelle.
Sodium and potassium current in neonatal rat carotid body cells following chronic in vivo hypoxia

Abstract Chronic hypoxic acclimatization modifies ventillatory reflexes arising from carotid body stimulation. To explore this, the effects of in vivo chronic hypoxia on membrane currents were quantified in chemoreceptive carotid body glomus cells. Pregnant rats were maintained in either normoxia (NORM: inspired oxygen tension 141 mmHg), or hypoxia (CHX: inspired oxygen tension 80 mmHg) from day 3 of gestation, to day 5–10 postpartum. Whole cell patch clamp recordings were then made from the mechanically and enzymatically dissociated carotid body glomus cells of the rat pups (NORM: 41 cells, CHX: 36 cells) and comparisons of means ± S.E.M. were made with unpairedt-tests. Glomus cells were bright under phase contrast illumination, formed clusters, were histochemically positive for catecholamines and possessed voltage-potassium currents that were depressed by acute hypoxia. Acclimatization to chronic hypoxia did not affect rat pup whole body mass (CHX: 12.0 ± 0.7 g vs. NORM: 11.0 ± 0.2 g), but it significantly increased blood hematocrit (CHX: 48.7 ± 0.9% vs. NORM: 37.8 ± 0.5%%,P
The feto-maternal lymphocyte interaction in preeclampsia and in uncomplicated pregnancy

Abstract Assuming that preeclampsia of pregnancy could be caused by immunological alterations in the materno-fetal relationship, mixed lymphocyte cultures were performed. 30 mother-baby pairs after preeclampsia were compared with 26 pairs after uncomplicated pregnancy stimulated by phytohemagglutinin. Only male offspring were included in the study so that the fluorescence of the Y-chromosome could be used as a marker in the mixed lymphocyte cultures with maternal cells. After uncomplicated pregnancy there was a preponderance of fetal cells (84.1% fetal, 15.9% maternal cells). After preeclampsia, however, the fetal mitotic activity decreased to 69.6%. Statistically this was significantly less than after normal pregnancy. There was no correlation with the severity of the symptoms. In further experiments fetal cells were combined with nonrelated maternal cells. A decrease or increase of fetal cells was observed according to whether the mother was preeclamptic or not. Our findings suggest that the immunotolerant state of the mother in normal pregnancy is changed to cellular hyperreactivity in preeclampsia.
Windowing time in digital libraries

This paper discusses the specification, organization, and utility of time references identified in digital library materials, emphasizing how to treat date references that cannot be resolved to a single day. The HistoryMakers oral history archive is used to illustrate the concept of windowing such time in digital library interfaces.
Immunoassay studies of thyrotropin in rat pituitary glands and serum.

A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for rat thyrotropin (TSH) has been developed which utilizes 125I-mouse thyrotropic tumor TSH, antibovine TSH serum and USP bovine TSH as a standard. TSH in serum and pituitary homogenates was found in fractions corresponding to those previously shown to contain biological activity after gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. Serum TSH in normal rats after decapitation ranged from 15 to 66 μU/ml. During pentobarbital anesthesia, serum TSH was significantly lower (10–37 /μU/ml). Mean normal rat pituitary TSH content was 44 mU/gland. After 50μg thyroxine (T4) every other day for 14 days, serum TSH became undetectable (<6 μU/ml) in 5 of 7 rats, and pituitary content fell to 25 % of normal. Chronic propylthiouracil (PTU) treatment resulted in a progressive increase in serum TSH over a 12-week period. Pituitary TSH content, however, was below normal after 3 weeks of PTU, but rose progressively thereafter to exceed normal at 12 weeks. Following intravenous administration of t...
On the structure and formation of singularities in solutions to nonlinear dispersive evolution equations

(1986). On the structure and formation of singularities in solutions to nonlinear dispersive evolution equations. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 545-565.
Acceleration radiosity solutions through the use of hemisphere-base formfactor calculation

In this paper, we propose a novel formfactor calculation algorithm for acceleration radiosity solutions in complex environments. Our basic algorithm is an improved version of Spencer's (S.N. Spencer, ‘The hemisphere radiosity method: a tale of two algorithms’, in Photorealism in Computer Graphics, Spencer, 1992, pp. 127–135) and Van Wyk's (G.C. Van Wyk Jr., ‘A geometry-based insolution model for computer-aided design,’ Ph.D. Thesis, The University of Michigan, 1998.) methods, which fail to remove hidden surfaces for relatively large patches and cause large discretization errors in formfactors. We also demonstrate that our technique is superior to the hemi-cube method in terms of the computation time. Moreover, we parallelize our approach on a parallel computer with shared memory, and obtain a high performance with our radiosity rendering system. Our method divides a hemisphere-base into regions, and assigns a region to each processor. The approach can be applied to geometrical data generated by CAD systems, and is evaluated in terms of the computation time, the visual effects, and the parallelization performance. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Dynamic sentinel lymph node biopsy as the new paradigm for the management of penile cancer.

Abstract Objectives The management of patients with penile cancer who have high-risk features for micrometastasis with clinically negative inguinal lymph nodes is controversial. We describe the history of the sentinel lymph node biopsy and how it has evolved to become a useful adjunct in the management of penile caner. Materials and methods Using a PubMed search, we identified the evidence relating to the management of the inguinal lymph nodes in penile cancer between 1977 and 2010. Results The concept of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) was first described in 1977 for penile carcinoma where lymphangiograms were performed via the dorsal lymphatics of the penis to locate the primary lymphatic drainage zone of the penis situated near the saphenofemoral junction. Then, in 1992, the lymphatic mapping concept was further advanced by performing intradermal injections of blue dye to directly visualize the lymphatic channels and SLN in the treatment of melanoma. In 1994, investigators from The Netherlands pioneered the use of dynamic sentinel lymph node biopsies (DSLNB) for penile cancer by combining the use of peri-lesional blue dye injection, lymphoscintigraphy, and other future modifications of the technique to achieve low false negative biopsy rates (4.8%) as well as much lower morbidity (5.7%), compared with the 30%–50% morbidity associated with a full inguinal node dissection. Conclusion DSLNB significantly decreases the morbidity associated with performing a standard or even modified inguinal lymph node dissection in patients with clinically negative inguinal lymph nodes. Performing DSLNB requires a multidisciplinary team of urologists, nuclear medicine radiologists, and pathologists working in cohesion to attain the best SLN detection rates with the lowest possible false-negative rates.
Changing HIV treatment expectancies: a pilot study

Beliefs about HIV treatment efficacy, adherence self-efficacy, and side effects management are related cross-sectionally to adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, the role of such expectancies held prior to the initiation of ART is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore feasibility, satisfaction, and preliminary effects of an intervention to address HIV treatment expectancies. ART naive participants (N = 26) who were contemplating ART initiation were randomized to a single session group intervention or standard care control condition. The session included an exploration of expectancies; an education about ART efficacy, adherence, and side effects; and guided problem solving around adherence and side effects management. The pilot intervention was feasible and was rated highly satisfactory. Follow-up assessments demonstrated that intervention participants increased adherence self-efficacy and positive side effects expectancies relative to those in the control group (ps<.05). Findings have implications for nursing practice and further research in the area of HIV treatment expectancies and treatment readiness.
A relation between structure and pair potential for liquid metals

Abstract We emphasize the importance of considering the relationship between the structure of a liquid and the interatomic potential directly from the point of view of wave vector space (k space). Although the Ornstein-Zernike equation was not originally derived from this point of view, this equation when transformed into the k-space representation has direct physical content, when coupled with a normal mode representation according to the approaches of Pines and Bohm (1952), and Percus and Yevick (1958). These normal modes are defined isothermally, and the relation to the dynamical modes of the liquid is discussed. The use of a simple k-space relationship between the transform of the Ornstein-Zernike direct correlation function and the transform, Vk , of the interatomic potential is explored. This leads to a correspondingly simple relationship between the structure factor and the interatomic potential. It is equivalent to a generalized Debye-Huckel equation and is expected to be valid only under special ...
Are vigabatrin induced T2 hyperintensities in cranial MRI associated with acute encephalopathy and extrapyramidal symptoms

Reversible T2-hyperintensities in cranial MRI have been recently observed in infants with infantile spasms, who were treated with vigabatrin. In most cases, this phenomenon is solely been reported in neuroimaging practice without clinical relevance. We report two patients with infantile spasms, who not only developed transient T2-hyperintensities, but also presented acute encephalopathy, and extrapyramidal symptoms under vigabatrin therapy.
A simulation model to study the impact of resource changes on motor vehicle division field offices

Abstract This paper presents a network-based simulation model for the microcomputer to solve the resource balancing problem. The specific application discussed is systems planning for Motor Vehicles operations; however, the approach is adaptable to many organizations. The developed software is an interactive concept program, and can be used by people with no experience in computer programming.
Congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

T HE modern concept of the pathologic anatomy of congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis stems from the papers of I-Iirsehsprung (1888). I However, at least two reports indicate that the condition was recognized in adults prior to that time (Landerer, 2 1879, and Mater, 3 1885). The earliest known reference to the disease was that by Beardsley whose accurate description of the condition appeared in 1788 in the earliest volume of medical transactions issued in this country entitled, "Cases and Observations by the ~edieal Society o2 New Haven County in the State of Connecticut." Because of widespread interest in this disease, Beardsley's report was later republished. 4 Within the decade following Hirschsprung's report, some twenty case histories were collected from the world literature 5 and by 1902 a total of fifty cases had been recorded, in nineteen of which operation had been performed2 Various operative procedures were described and practiced prior to the turn of the present century. Loreta 7 (1887) performed a divulsion of the pylorus and introduced graduated sounds through an incision in the gastric wall in an attempt to dilate the pyloric canal. Rather than dilating, the stenotic area usually ruptured and produced a uniformly fatal peritonitis. Simple pyloroplasty (Cautley and Dent, 6 1902), consisting of conversion of a longitudinal incision into a transverse one in the manner of the HeinekeMikulicz procedure, was popular for only a short period. The incision extended through the entire pyloric tumor into the stomach and duodenum, and peritonitis again was the most common cause of failure. Gastroenterostomy was a logical procedure in the early surgical treatment of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis because it was a popular choice for treating allied conditions in the adult. Even though diligent efforts resulted in a steadily decreasing mortality rate, it still remained higher than the reasonable rate for abdominal procedures. Research therefore was directed toward the exploration of the various types of pyloroplastics, culminating in the submucous pyloroptasty (Fredet-Rammstedt procedure) which has few peers with respect to its merit and practical results in the annals of surgical practice. The value of extramueous pylorop]asty in the treatment of congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis cannot be denied. Pierre Fredet s mus t receive credit for the basic essential of the operation: the longitudinal incision of the serous and muscular layers of the pylorus without in jury to the mucosa. The operation he described in 1908 included the conversion of the longitudinal incision into a transverse one by suturing. Conrad Rammstedt, 9 in 1912, first omitted closure of the incision, allowing the pyloric wound to gape widely without further manipulation. Although this modification is the operation in universal use in modern surgery, both pioneers should receive their due. The Fredet-Rammstedt operation for hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is their monument.
Breast imaging: a breast surgeon's perspective

The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer has become progressively more interdisciplinary, resulting in closer cooperation between the surgeon treating breast cancer and the breast-imaging radiologist. This article presents a surgeon's perspective on the role of breast imaging in the evaluation of women with screen-detected abnormalities, palpable lesions, nipple discharge, proven breast cancer, or suspected local recurrence.
The hypertensive patient with concomitant cardiovascular disease

Many drugs for the treatment of hypertension are available in the United States today. Of the various factors that determine the appropriate treatment for a particular patient, the presence of concomitant heart disease requires specific tailoring of the antihypertensive therapy. Coronary artery disease, aortic insufficiency, congestive heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, premature ventricular contractions, supraventricular arrhythmias, mitral valve prolapse, orthostatic hypotension, and aortic dissection are some of the conditions that influence the choice of treatment. Diabetes places hypertensive patients at increased risk of heart disease, and exercise and sexual function are other considerations that govern the selection of treatment for the hypertensive person. For all of these conditions, more than one drug choice is often possible, but usually hypertensive patients can be treated with a beta-blocker or a calcium channel blocker in these special circumstances.
Interactions of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with DNA base molecules studied by absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching

Abstract The interactions of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[e]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, 3-methylcholanthrene, dibenz[a, c]anthracene and dibenz[a, h]anthracene with selected deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) bases, i.e. adenine, thymine, cytosine and 5-methylcytosine, and a nucleoside, guanosine, have been studied employing UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence quenching and electrochemical measurements. The results indicate that PAHs interact with DNA bases by forming modernately strong 1:1 charge transfer (CT) complexes in their ground state. The fluorescence of PAHs was only quenched by 5-methylcytosine, quanosine and cytosine, and this was at lower than diffusion controlled rates in dimethyl sulfoxide. The fluorescence quenching rate constants showed a better inverse correlation with the solvent reorganization energies than with the free energies of activation calculated using the Marcus model of electron transfer.
NPC 15669, an Antiinflammatory Leucine Derivative, Reduces In Vitro Platelet Aggregability in Both Swine and Human Plasma.

Background: Leumedins inhibit cell adhesion to endothelium via blockage of integrin binding. We tested a hypothesis that the novel leucine derivate NPC 15669 will affect in vitro platelet aggregability (PA) in both human and swine plasma.Methods and Results: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was incubated with 200 μ-g and 400 μg of NPC 15669. Then PA was induced by ADP, collagen, thrombin, and ristocetin in the PRP without NPC 15669 and in NPC 15669 treated samples. We have found that PRP incubation with 200 μg of NPC 15669 significantly decreases PA compared to baseline in all three experimental groups in response to all agonists tested. When PRP was treated with 400 μg of NPC 15669, dose-dependent reduction of PA was observed only in the human control and swine groups, but not in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.Conclusions: Leumedins, known for their antiinflammatory properties, may have clinical applications related to their effect on platelet function. The mechanism of these effects is unknown, but may be related to the inhibition of platelet-endothelial binding.
Differential Regulation of Angiotensin II Receptor Subtypes in the Adrenal Gland: Role of Aldosterone

It has been shown that aldosterone potentiates the action of angiotensin II (Ang II) in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells solely by increasing the number of Ang II receptors. The mechanisms responsible for aldosterone-Ang II interactions in the adrenal gland are unknown. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of aldosterone on expression of Ang II receptor subtypes (AT1 and AT2) in the adrenal gland. Seven-week-old male Wistar rats were treated for 2 weeks with either aldosterone (0.05 microg/h, n=14) or vehicle (n=14) by use of implanted osmotic minipumps. Systolic blood pressure was not altered by aldosterone treatment. Plasma aldosterone levels were higher in aldosterone-treated rats (181+/-53 pg/mL) compared with vehicle-treated rats (33+/-21 pg/mL, P<0.05). Northern blot analysis and radioligand binding assay showed that adrenal AT1 mRNA levels and AT1 receptor density in aldosterone-treated rats were not statistically different from those of vehicle-treated rats. However, immunohistochemical studies showed that the highest adrenal AT1 receptor expression was shifted from the zona glomerulosa to the zona fasciculata after aldosterone treatment. In contrast, adrenal AT2 mRNA and AT2 receptor density in aldosterone-treated rats were decreased by approximately 50% and 40%, respectively, compared with vehicle-treated rats (P<0.05). Aldosterone-induced decrease in adrenal AT2 receptor expression occurred mainly in the medulla. Thus, aldosterone differentially modulates the expression of AT1 and AT2 receptors in the adrenal gland. Although the function of the AT2 receptor in the adrenal gland is largely unknown, our data indicate that aldosterone may modulate the effect of Ang II by altering the location of AT1 receptors and by reducing the number of AT2 receptors in the adrenal gland.
Thermal Isomerizations of Fluorinated Spiropentanes

The syntheses and thermal rearrangements and/or fragmentations of 1,1-difluorospiropentane, 6, 1,1,4,4- and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorospiropentanes, 7 and 8, 1,1,2,2,4,4-hexafluorospiropentane, 9, and perfluorospiropentane, 10, are described., Spiropentanes 6 and 7 undergo only rearrangement to 2,2-difluoromethylene-cyclobutane and 1-(difluoromethylene)cyclobutane and to 2,2,4,4-tetrafluoromethylenecyclobutane, respectively. Spiropentanes 8 and 9 rearrange and extrude CF2: competitively, while perfluorospiropentane extrudes CF2: exclusively. Activation parameters are presented for all processes and the mechanisms of these thermal processes are discussed in detail.
failsafe: supporting product quality with knowledge-based systems

Abstract This article describes the design, development, implementation and impact of an expert system used in Quality Assurance in the food industry. The knowledge base of the system was developed by a non-programmer in a high level production rule language. The introduction of the system led to improved decision-making at the plant level and improved reporting to meet internal and external quality requirements. The system also contributed to team based learning. The system is likely to save one plant over US$100,000 due to decreased consumer complaints.
A spatio-temporal extension to Isomap nonlinear dimension reduction

We present an extension of Isomap nonlinear dimension reduction (Tenenbaum et al., 2000) for data with both spatial and temporal relationships. Our method, ST-Isomap, augments the existing Isomap framework to consider temporal relationships in local neighborhoods that can be propagated globally via a shortest-path mechanism. Two instantiations of ST-Isomap are presented for sequentially continuous and segmented data. Results from applying ST-Isomap to real-world data collected from human motion performance and humanoid robot teleoperation are also presented.
Effect of oocyte number and rate of atresia on the age of menopause.

Menopause occurs when oocyte number falls below the threshold required for ovarian function. The age of menopause is decreased by some drugs, some occupational exposures, and cigarette smoke (both active and passive). Using data collected by Block (Acta Anal (Basel) 1954; 14: 208), we have constructed four, two parameter models to explore the effect of oocyte number and rate of atresia on age at menopause. The models used are: linear [O(A) = OB + R ∗ A]; natural log [O(A) = R ∗ In (A)]; exponential [O(A) = OB ∗ exp(R ∗ A)], and power [O(A) = OB ∗ Age(R)]. OB = oocyte number at birth, ATR = rate of atresia, and O(A) = number of oocytes at age A. The parameters for the four models are: Linear Exponential Natural log Power OB 257 × 103 901 × 103 553 × 103 85,852 × 103 R −6.652 ×3 −0.127 −149,285 × 103 −2.51 Full-size table Table options View in workspace Download as CSV Each model has different behavior with respect to alterations in oocyte number and rate of atresia on age at menopause. Animal studies suggest that ovarian failure is only weakly dependent on oocyte number, consistent with the power and exponential models. These suggest that the decrease in age at menopause following xenobiotic exposures results from an increase in the rate of atresia.