cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Implications of Emerging Data on the Safety of Proton Pump Inhibitors

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are among the safest class of drugs used by all care providers, including gastroenterologists. They are the mainstay in treatment of acid-related disease, in particular, gastroesophageal reflux disease. Without them, many patients would experience a major decrement in their quality of life. However, no drug is without side effects or adverse events. In the past decade, numerous reports, principally case control studies and meta-analyses, have raised questions about important adverse events related to the use of PPIs. This has affected not only physicians’ prescribing habits but patients’ concerns about using these medications, particularly long term. Several FDA warnings are listed including those related to long bone fractures, interaction with clopidogrel, enteric infections, and hypomagnesaemia. More recently, concerns regarding PPIs and cardiovascular events have resurfaced as have issues related to kidney disease and dementia. The methodology of these studies allows us to find an association with these events but does not provide us with sufficient evidence to determine causality. In general, the findings of the available studies do not fit with our clinical experience nor is the magnitude of the association sufficient to result in a major change in our practice. Nevertheless, the recent literature has resulted in our careful reevaluation of PPI use across both FDA indications and in general. This article will critically review the literature regarding potential PPI adverse events and attempt to place them in perspective for the practicing physician.
School Climate in American Secondary Schools: A Psychometric Examination of PISA 2009 School Climate Scale.

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 school climate survey instrument and evaluate perceptions of secondary school principals' located in the United States about school climate using an Item Response Theory (IRT) methodological approach. In particular, this study sought to determine if the instrument’s items are of sufficient psychometric quality to effectively measure schools' climate status in the United States. Collectively, results indicate the School Climate Assessment (SCA) scale is of sufficient psychometric quality to effectively measure schools' climate status in the United States. However, there are areas for which the instrument can be improved. Recommendations for improvement are provided.
Views of dermatopathologists about clonality assays in the diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

Background Appropriate use criteria have been developed for many tests using expert judgment, evidence-based practice, and clinical experience. In this context, the opinions of practitioners about clonality assays in various clinical scenarios where cutaneous lymphoma is suspected are reported. Methods An Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force sponsored by the American Society of Dermatopathology (ASDP) synthesized clinical scenarios for cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD). We conducted, summarized, and presented a relevant literature search to an audience of 144 dermatopathologists with a variety of practice experiences at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the ASDP in Chicago, IL. Results 27 clinical scenarios for lymphoproliferative disorders (13 T cell and 14 B cell) were defined. 40 relevant studies for T-cell receptor gene clonality assays and 20 relevant studies for IgH/IgK clonality assays were identified. Audience response data from participating dermatopathologists reflected a wide variety of approaches to the application of clonality assays in the evaluation of LPDs, based on practice setting, personal experience and test availability. Conclusions Our clinical scenario analysis and literature review revealed well supported clinical scenarios and identified opportunities for additional research to further define the utility of clonality assays in some clinical scenarios.
Decode-compress and forward relay: AWGN and constellation constrained channels

Even though there exists a lot of different transmission techniques, the capacity of the general relay channel is still unknown. This paper shows that combining decode-and-forward (DF) with compress-and-forward (CF) can have a performance advantage over each of the two techniques individually. Combining the two techniques goes back to the celebrated work of Cover and El-Gamal [1], more specifically, they gave an achievable rate for the DF-CF combination. In this paper, we re-derive the achievable rate of combining DF with CF in the full-duplex discrete memoryless relay channel. We derive the achievable rate in the AWGN relay channel as well as the constrained constellation AWGN relay channel. We show that even though in the AWGN channel, DF-CF combination does not provide any advantage, under constrained constellation, combining the two techniques has an advantage.
TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT IMPROVES HIGH GRADE MITRAL REGURGITATION

Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) is frequently accompanied by mitral regurgitation (MR). In patients who undergo surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), presence of pre-SAVR MR results in concomitant surgical replacement or repair. With the advent of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (
The crustacean endocrine system and pleiotropic chemical messengers

In this chapter, I first present a brief overview of the hormones (intraorganismal chemical signals) and endocrine glands that have been described in crustaceans. This overview focuses on decapods and the physiological processes of molting, metabolism, reproduction, and pigmentation. The hormones include ecdysteroids (molting hormones), molt-inhibiting hormone, methyl farnesoate, crustacean hyperglycemic hormone, androgenic gland hormone (AGH), and chromatophorotropins. I briefly discuss some of the work on the regulation of crustacean behavior by neurotransmitters, especially in respect to aggressive behavior. Evidence is then presented supporting the role of crustacean hormones as pheromones (intraspecific chemical signals). In particular, I describe the experiments demonstrating that ecdysteroids have pleiotropic activities. These experiments include the observations that ecdysteroids (1) are present in urine in varying amounts over the course of the molt cycle; (2) modulate aggressive behavior in a manner that correlates with hemolymph and urinary hormone levels; and (3) can be detected in the environment by olfactory neurons. There is evidence that the AGH may also act as a mating pheromone. I conclude my chapter by describing how the arthropod molting hormone can act as an allelochemical (interspecific chemical signal) in a pycnogonid (sea spider). Pycnogonids can accumulate high concentrations of ecdysteroids that serve as feeding deterrents against crustaceans that are potential predators.
The role of antibiotics in the management of elective and post-traumatic hand surgery

The use of prophylactic antibiotics in elective and emergency hand surgery is an unsettled issue. Although their benefit in general surgical cases and certain orthopedic cases is well established, the lower infection rates in elective and emergency hand surgery have made attempts to prove the efficacy of prophylaxis more difficult. Valid arguments can be made for the use of antibiotics in human and animal bites. Prophylactic antibiotic use is efficacious in the following scenarios: (1) soft-tissue reconstructive procedures with large flaps, (2) total elbow or wrist implant arthroplasty, (3) procedures of long duration, and (4) complex open hand trauma with wound contamination and extensive soft-tissue and bony injury. Antibiotic prophylaxis does not appear warranted in clean, elective procedures lasting fewer than 2 hours. The duration of antibiotic use should be as short as possible to minimize complications and the development of bacterial resistance. The selection of a particular antibiotic regimen remains the surgeon's choice, but many inexpensive and relatively safe antibiotic agents are available. Although uncommon, potentially serious hazards exist with the use of antibiotics. Definitive guidelines on the use of antibiotics in hand surgery are not available; hand surgeons should apply basic principles of prophylaxis and be aware of the existing controversies.
The nuclear receptor RORα protects against angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Mice lacking retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-α (RORα) develop exaggerated cardiac hypertrophy after angiotensin II infusion. Loss of RORα leads to enhanced IL-6 expression and NF-κB nuclear t...
Regional techniques for head and neck surgical procedures

Regional anesthesia has evolved as an important tool for anesthesiologists and surgeons managing patients for surgery of the head and neck region. In recent years, ultrasound use has increased significantly, and newer nerve blocks have been established for surgeries of the head and regions. In this review, anatomy, indications, efficacy, and potential side effects of regional anesthesia for the head and neck region are presented. Evolving practice strongly suggests that regional nerve blocks for the head and neck region are safe and effective. Future studies and education will likely evolve practice to make these regional techniques standards for future surgeries of the head and neck region.
Abstract 2108: Chromatin state as a mechanism of anthracycline response in breast cancer

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of chromatin regulators on anthracycline response in breast cancer. Anthracyclines are a highly effective component of curative breast cancer chemotherapy, but can be associated with substantial side effects. Because anthracyclines work in part via inhibition of topoisomerase II (TOP2) on accessible DNA, we hypothesized that expression levels of chromatin regulatory proteins that mediate DNA accessibility might predict anthracycline response. We used RNA-sequencing data from the TCGA breast cancer cohort to infer a breast cancer chromatin regulatory network using the ARACNE algorithm. A panel of 45 breast cancer cell lines with accompanying gene expression and growth inhibitory (GI50) data was used to build a genome-wide signature of anthracycline response. Based on the GI50, cell lines were classified as sensitive or resistant. The VIPER algorithm was then used to identify chromatin regulatory genes (CRGs) from the ARACNE network whose targets were significantly enriched in the anthracycline resistance signature. We further compiled a metacohort of 1006 clinically annotated early-stage breast cancer patients with gene expression data, allowing us to identify CRGs whose expression levels were associated with outcome after adjuvant treatment with anthracyclines. 24 CRGs associated (P Citation Format: Jose A. Seoane, Jacob G. Kirkland, Jennifer L. Caswell-Jin, Gerald R. Crabtree, Christina Curtis. Chromatin state as a mechanism of anthracycline response in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2108.
Protease Activated Receptors Differentially Regulate Human Platelet Activation through Phosphatidic Acid-Dependent DAG Formation.

Abstract Pathological conditions such as coronary artery disease are clinically controlled via therapeutic regulation of platelet activity. Thrombin, through PAR1 and PAR4, plays a central role in regulation of human platelet function as it is known to be the most potent activator of human platelets. Currently, direct thrombin inhibitors used to block platelet activation result in unwanted side effects of excessive bleeding. An alternative therapeutic strategy would be to inhibit PAR-mediated intra-cellular platelet signaling pathways. To elucidate the best target, we are studying differences between the two platelet thrombin receptors, PAR1 and PAR4, in mediating thrombin's action. In this study we show that platelet activation by PAR1 requires a signaling pathway that generates diacylglycerol (DAG) formation independent of its PLC-mediated production. Specifically, inhibition of lipid phosphate phosphatase-1 (LPP-1) by propranolol or inhibition of the phosphatidylcholine (PC)-mediated phosphatidic acid (PA) formation with a primary alcohol significantly attenuated platelet activation by PAR1. Platelet activation by thrombin or PAR4 was insensitive to these inhibitors. Further, activation of Rap1 was significantly attenuated by these inhibitors following stimulation by PAR1, but not thrombin or PAR4. In the mouse, evidence indicates that Rap1 can be activated through the DAG-sensitive guanine nucleotide exchange factor CalDAG-GEF1, and our data indicate that the differential signaling of PARs may, in part, occur through formation of distinct DAG species following thrombin stimulation.
Reductive halocyclosilazane polymerization

The synthesis of a chloro-functionalized six-membered cyclosilazane (Si5N) is reported. Subsequent reductive polymerizations yielded low molecular weight polysilazanes. 1H and 29Si NMR characterization suggest the identity of the reducing metal influences the polysilazane structure. Optical characterization is consistent with extended σ-conjugation upon polymerization.
Patterns of opioid use in dialysis access procedures.

Abstract Background Overprescription of opioids after surgical procedures is recognized as an important contributor to opioid misuse. Dialysis access procedures are commonly performed outpatient operations with few data or guidelines to inform prescription pain management practices. We sought to characterize opioid pain medication use after dialysis access surgery to promote a conservative approach to postoperative opioid prescriptions. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent surgical dialysis access procedures from August 2018 through January 2019. Patient-reported opioid use information was captured in a brief questionnaire administered during routine follow-up appointments or phone calls and recorded in the electronic medical record. The procedure, type of intraoperative anesthesia or analgesia, postoperative prescription provided, and patient factors (including age, sex, dialysis type, history of chronic pain, and preoperative opioid or benzodiazepine use) were recorded. All procedures were classified by type (arteriovenous fistula or graft with a short incision [AVF-S], arteriovenous fistula or graft with a long incision [AVF-L], or peritoneal dialysis [PD] catheter), and descriptive statistics were performed using R (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Results Eighty-six patients underwent dialysis access procedures in the study time frame, of whom 63 were administered the pain questionnaire and 58 quantified opioid use; 85% of patients received a prescription, but 31% took no opioids and 71% used opioids for ≤2 days. Interquartile ranges (25th-75th percentile) of prescription and consumption quantities for patients who underwent AVF-L procedures were 10 to 28 pills and 2.5 to 20 pills; for patients who underwent AVF-S, quantities were 4.0 to 8.4 pills and 0 to 4.3 pills; and PD quantities were 10 pills and 3.3 to 9 pills. Thirty-one patients (53%) reported receiving more pain medication than they used, which resulted in a median of 8 excess pills per patient with an unused pill interquartile range of 0 to 22 pills for AVF-L procedures, 0 to 4.2 pills for AVF-S procedures, and 1.3 to 6.7 pills for PD procedures. Patients who were prescribed oxycodone or had a repeated operation had significantly increased opioid use. Conclusions This investigation of opioid use after surgical dialysis access procedures suggests that most patients use relatively few opioid pills after surgery, which translates into overprescription and leftover medication for >50% of patients. A conservative approach to postoperative prescription guidelines using lower prescription quantities would encourage opioid-related risk reduction while providing adequate postoperative analgesia. Recommended quantities for postoperative prescriptions were generated using the 80th percentile consumed and were 0 to 6 pills for brachiobasilic or brachiocephalic fistulas, 0 to 5 pills for basilic vein transposition, 0 to 5 pills for radiocephalic AVF, 0 to 15 pills for upper arm grafts, and 0 to 10 pills for PD catheter placement.
Phase I trial of D2C7 immunotoxin (D2C7-IT) administered intratumorally via convection-enhanced delivery (CED) for recurrent malignant glioma (MG).

2566Background: D2C7-IT is a recombinant immunotoxin comprised of a dual-specific antibody fragment targeting EGFRwt and EGFRvIII and a genetically engineered form of the Pseudomonas exotoxin, PE38...
Critical care surgical tracheotomy

Abstract Evaluating and performing open surgical tracheotomy for critical care patients requires special considerations and techniques. Although percutaneous dilational tracheotomy is largely performed in critical care patients, it has not completely eliminated the need for the open surgical approach. A preoperative evaluation with a safety checklist derived from expert recommendation is presented to aid the consulting otolaryngologist. Tracheotomy in an endotracheally intubated patient should be performed in a controlled, safe fashion with clear communication between the anesthesia provider and the surgeon. Rupture of the endotracheal tube cuff can turn a deliberate controlled operation into an emergency situation if the patient can no longer be properly ventilated. A widely known but infrequently discussed strategy for prevention of this complication is reviewed in this manuscript.
Comments on Proposed Amendments to the Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings

In late 2017, prominent Ninth Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski was accused of engaging in sexual harassment and other misconduct over a long period during his tenure as a judge. Judge Kozinski resigned, but the controversy continued. The Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, responding to a request from Chief Justice Roberts, formed a Working Group to recommend measures “to ensure an exemplary workplace for every judge and every court employee.” The Working Group issued its report in June 2018. In September 2018, the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability (Conduct Committee) of the Judicial Conference of the United States – the administrative policy-making body of the federal judiciary – issued a draft of proposed amendments to the rules for handling complaints of misconduct or disability on the part of federal judges. Virtually all of the substantive amendments in the draft implement recommendations of the Working Group. The Conduct Committee held a hearing on the proposed amendments in October 2018. I testified at the hearing and submitted this statement to accompany my oral remarks. The statement is in five parts. Part I suggests some general principles to be followed in drafting the Rules and Commentaries, with emphasis on the forward-looking perspective Congress adopted in the 1980 Act. Part II discusses the definitions of cognizable misconduct and disability contained in the new Article II. Part III addresses issues of confidentiality and transparency raised by various amendments to Rules 23 and 24. Part IV comments on some of the other proposed amendments in the September 2018 draft. Part V offers some additional suggestions for the Committee’s consideration, including one specifically dealing with workplace conduct. The idea is that each circuit would establish an interactive Web page or portal that would permit court employees to file reports of possible workplace misconduct by a judge. The reports would be similar in form and content to a complaint, but they would not be docketed as complaints. At the same time, because the reports would go to the chief judge, there would be no duplication of, or interference with, the procedures established by Congress for handling formal complaints. The article concludes by emphasizing that the 1980 Act created a “citizen complaint procedure”, and that the system should operate in a way that promotes confidence in the judiciary among all citizens as well as “ensur[ing] an exemplary workplace.” After the hearing, I submitted a supplementary statement elaborating on the Web portal proposal and responding to comments by other witnesses. That supplementary statement will be posted separately on SSRN.
The Dark Side of Morality: Grayer than You Think?

Workman et al. (2020) explore the “dark side” of morality—or instances in which our moral convictions serve as justifications for actions usually deemed morally impermissible. The authors present f...
Characteristics and Long Term Follow up of Men Who Suffer Ischemic Priapism Secondary to Recreational Use of Intracavernosal Injectable Medications.

ABSTRACT Objective To better understand patient experience, risk factors, culture, and ED outcomes surrounding recreational ICI use that led to ischemic priapism. Methods After IRB approval, men presenting for ischemic priapism secondary to recreational ICI use from January 2010 to December 2018 were contacted by mail and then via telephone. Standardized questions were asked of all study participants on the topics of erectile function (IIEF-5), sexual practices, and at-risk behavior at the time of priapism. Qualitative data analysis was performed using grounded theory methodology. Results 14 men age 24-59 were successfully recruited. All men described themselves as men having sex with men (MSM) and one (7.1%) as having both male and female sexual partners. Average follow up IIEF-5 among participants was 13 (SD 4.0). Eleven men (78.6 %) described illicit drug use at the time of priapism. Qualitative data analysis yielded several preliminary themes: concomitant drug use, naivety, peer pressure, and delay in seeking treatment. Men frequently reported illicit drug use in group sex scenarios and ICI use under pressure to perform sexually or to counteract effects of illicit substances. Conclusions Recreational ICI in this cohort was part of a lifestyle of risky behavior. Methamphetamine use and group sex encounters strongly motivate recreational ICI use. Substance abuse centers may offer an entry point into this population for counseling and primary prevention.
Generation Y and career choice: The impact of retail career perceptions, expectations and entitlement perceptions

Purpose – The transition from higher education to employment is a major life change for many college seniors (currently, the Generation Y cohort). The purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding of Generation Y and to present new insights regarding Gen Y's retail career expectations, perceptions of retail careers, future psychological contract/entitlement perceptions of retail careers, and career exploration of the US retailing industry.Design/methodology/approach – Utilizing quantitative research methods via an on‐line survey, the authors examined 193 Gen Y college seniors' retail career perceptions and expectations, and explored the influence these factors have on future psychological contract/entitlement perceptions of employer‐employee obligations and retail career exploration from nine US universities.Findings – College seniors' pre‐entry retail job expectations, perceptions of retail careers, and future psychological contract/entitlement perceptions of employee obligations were significant...
The Rise and Fall of the SEC in Bankruptcy

As commentators have long pointed out, once established, administrative agencies are almost impossible to kill. Scaling back the authority of an agency is somewhat easier, but even retrenchment proves difficult. Given these political realities, the trajectory of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in corporate bankruptcy is remarkable. Led by William Douglas (head of the SEC before his appointment to the Supreme Court), the New Deal reformers and their allies in Congress transformed corporate reorganization practice by enacting the Chandler Act of 1938. In addition to destroying the influence of Wall Street bankers and lawyers, the Chandler Act positioned the SEC at the heart of the reorganization process. At first, the SEC did in fact play a dominant role in bankruptcy. But over the next several decades, the SEC slowly lost its grip. The end came in 1978, when Congress ushered the SEC out of bankruptcy almost completely as part of its next major reform. This Article addresses a single question: what happened? Why did the SEC, whose oversight had been seen as crucial to investor protection, disappear from bankruptcy? Drawing from recent positive political theory on Congressional institutions, I argue that the answer to these questions lies in the initial structuring of the SEC's role. In their zeal to destroy the Wall Street banks and lawyers who had previously dominated reorganization practice, William Douglas and the other New Deal reformers strengthened the hand of two interest groups, the general bankruptcy bar and bankruptcy judges, who each had strong incentives to resist SEC oversight. Congress's enactment of the Chandler Bill, rather than a companion bill considered at the same time, further compounded the SEC's troubles by subjecting subsequent reforms to a committee (the Judiciary Committee) that is more likely to favor bankruptcy lawyers than the SEC. Although these political factors explain the SEC's near disappearance from bankruptcy, this Article concludes that the time may now be ripe for the SEC to increase its profile once again, though in a more limited way than the New Deal reformers envisioned. Many of the securities law issues that the SEC regulates, from takeovers to securities trading, now figure prominently in major corporate reorganization cases as well. Regulation by the SEC would be the best means of coordinating the treatment of these issues inside of bankruptcy and out.
Interaction of a weak shock with freestream disturbances

A new transonic small-disturbance model to analyze the interactions of freestream disturbances with a weak shock has been developed. The model equation has an extended form of the classic small-disturbance equation for unsteady transonic aerodynamics. An alternative approach shows that the pressure field may be described by an equation that has an extended form of the classic nonlinear acoustic equation that describes the propagation of sound beams with a narrow angular spectrum. The model shows that diffraction effects, nonlinear steepening effects, focusing effects, and induced vorticity fluctuations interact simultaneously to determine the development of the shock wave in space and time and the pressure field behind it. A finite difference algorithm to solve the mixed-type elliptic/hyperbolic flows around the shock wave has also been developed. Numerical calculations of shock wave interactions with various deterministic vorticity and temperature disturbances result in complicated shock wave structures and describe peaked as well as rounded pressure signatures across the shock front, as were recorded in experiments of sonic booms running through atmospheric turbulence.
Optical Studies of Small Groups of Galaxies

Galaxies occur in a wide variety of systems ranging from binary pairs through small groups to rich clusters. These systems in turn possess a wide range of densities, with typical separations between bright (L ≳ L* = 3.4 × 1010 L⊙) galaxies varying from ≲ 10 kpc up to ~ 1 Mpc. Among the most common of these systems are small, loose groups containing ≲ 10 bright galaxies with separations ≳ 100 kpc. Such systems probably contain a substantial fraction of all galaxies (de Vaucouleurs 1975; van den Bergh 1962; Karachentseva 1973). Familiar examples include the Local Group and M81 group.
Learning Talagrand DNF Formulas.

Consider the following version of Talagrand’s probabilistic construction of a monotone function f : {0, 1} n → {0, 1}. Let f be an n-term monotone DNF formula where each term is selected independently and uniformly at random (with replacement) from the set of all n log n) possible terms of length log(n) over the first log(n) variables. Let us call such a DNF formula a Talagrand DNF formula. This is a scaled-down version of the construction by Talagrand (1996) which is defined over all n variables and has subexponentially many terms. I am interested in the following problem:
A cloudlet-based multi-lateral resource exchange framework for mobile users

The hardware improvement of mobile devices and pervasiveness of wireless technology expedite the convergence with the fast growing cloud computing trend, where the abundant resources on the cloud meet well with the deficiency of hand-held devices. Cloudlet, as a newly emerging paradigm “bringing the cloud closer” to the end users, features a more scalable deployment fashion where idle personal servers can be efficiently harnessed. Despite an envisioned monetary saving, such a paradigm confines itself to limited application scenarios, which fails to reach a wide realm of roaming users outside the distance coverage of the access points. In this paper, we propose a cloudlet-based multi-lateral resource exchange framework for mobile users, relying on no central entities. Inspired by the success of BitCoin, we design a novel virtual currency tailored for our framework. To realize an efficient resource exchange market, we also introduce flexible pricing strategies adopted by the individual users whom we assume are rational price-takers, with solid theoretical analysis on the equilibrium state and the stability. After elaborating the key functional modules, we introduce a prototype design enabling seamless trading among mobile users on Internet bandwidth as a proof-of-concept, with least user intervention. Both simulations and experiments are conducted to verify the practicality and efficiency of our system.
Wave Packet Dynamics in a Biased Finite-Length Superlattice

In a superlattice containing a finite number of periods, the allowed values of the Bloch wave number form a discrete set, and the dynamics of an electron through k-space under the influence of an external force is necessarily that of a superposition wave packet composed of multiple Bloch waves. The present paper investigates this dynamics for a particularly simple class of "k-compact" wave packets, in which the spread over different k-values is minimized, and which propagate with an essentially rigid shape through k-space.
Sensitivity analysis of initial value problems with mixed odes and algebraic equations

Abstract An efficient method is described for sensitivity analysis of nonlinear initial value problems, which may include algebraic equations as well as ordinary differential equations. The linearity of the sensitivity equations is utilized to solve them directly via the local Jacobian of the state equations. The method is implemented with the implicit integrator DASSL and is demonstrated on a stiff industrial reaction model.
Platelets are required for enhanced activation of the endothelium and fibrinogen in a mouse thrombosis model of APS

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is defined by thrombosis, fetal loss, and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, including anti–β2-glycoprotein-1 autoantibodies (anti-β2GP1) that have a direct role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis in vivo. The cellular targets of the anti-β2GP1 autoantibody/β2GP1 complex in vivo were studied using a laser-induced thrombosis model of APS in a live mouse and human anti-β2GP1 autoantibodies affinity-purified from APS patients. Cell binding of fluorescently labeled β2GP1 and anti-β2GP1 autoantibodies revealed their colocalization on the platelet thrombus but not the endothelium. Anti-β2GP1 autoantibodies enhanced platelet activation, monitored by calcium mobilization, and endothelial activation, monitored by intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression. When eptifibatide was infused to block platelet thrombus formation, enhanced fibrin generation and endothelial cell activation were eliminated. Thus, the anti-β2GP1 autoantibody/β2GP1 complex binds to the thrombus, enhancing platelet activation, and platelet secretion leads to enhanced endothelium activation and fibrin generation. These results lead to a paradigm shift away from the concept that binding of the anti-β2GP1 autoantibody/β2GP1 complex activates both endothelial cells and platelets toward one in which activation of platelets in response to anti-β2GP1 autoantibody/β2GP1 complex binding leads to subsequent enhanced endothelium activation and fibrin generation.
Counselors' Adjective Correlates of Working Alliance

The authors present a study of 85 counselors' adjective descriptors of clients in relation to a working alliance. The imperative for such a study emerges from Gough's 1965 Conceptual Analysis of Te...
RADPLANET- A functional radiology digital image network

RADPLANET is a functioning LAN (Local Area Network) designed to integrate the many and varied facilities of a university medical center radiology department (Department of Radiation Sciences) into an efficient unified resource providing state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities and delivering precision radiotherapy. RADPLANET links diagnostic work stations, radiation-therapy planning work stations, and therapy machine stations into an integrated whole. The RADPLANET project exploits technology currently evolving in the PACS (Picture Archiving and Communicating Systems) community but also addresses digital image networking requirements peculiar to radiation therapy. RADPLANET is designed as a modular, expandable, piecemeal updatable system in order to incorporate new, more cost-effective technology as it becomes available and to provide new resources to meet the needs of a growing department and an increasingly sophisticated medical profession. The paper discusses design criteria and rationale, current status of the network, and plans for continuing expansion and enhancement.
Interferon modifies morphine withdrawal phenomena in rodents.

Abstract Interferon injection in morphine dependent rats prior to naloxone treatment eliminates 7 behavioral sings of the abstinence (withdrawal) phenomenon. When a single injection of Interferon was given prior to chronic morphine treatment it reduces opiate addiction liability.
The effect of the substrate on two catalytic spot tests for copper

The results of the application of two catalytic spot tests to 22 grades of filter paper have been reported. The variation of sensitivity with the grade of filter paper was found to be at least ten-fold. In general, the “ash-free” grades of filter paper gave the highest sensitivity,
Thumb abduction strength measurement in carpal tunnel syndrome

Purpose The strength of thumb abduction and index finger flexion was measured with a load cell mounted on a custom-made device. The resulting ratio (thumb-index ratio, or TIR) was used to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and was compared with the gold standard (electrodiagnostic studies). The ratio was used as an internal control in each subject. Methods Sixty-one patients (80 hands) with a clinically and electrodiagnostically confirmed diagnosis of idiopathic CTS and a control group of 51 asymptomatic volunteers (102 hands) were evaluated. The strength of thumb abduction and index finger flexion was measured in standardized fashion in each hand three times, and the mean was taken to calculate TIR. Results Thumb-index ratio was statistically significant in differentiating between a CTS patient and a normal control. A TIR of 0.51 had a 98% specificity and a 92% positive predictive value for diagnosing CTS. Thumb-index ratio greater than 0.51 was neither sensitive nor specific for diagnosis of CTS. Twenty-four (30%) hands in the investigational group had a TIR ≤0.51 compared with 1 hand (1%) in the control group. There was a significant difference in the TIR between hands with a motor amplitude of ≤4.0 mV and those with an amplitude >4.0 mV. Conclusions Most patients with CTS do not appear to have notable weakness of thumb abduction strength. A TIR ≤0.51 had high specificity for differentiating between CTS and controls. However, the performance of this device needs to be evaluated in a general population of patients who present with signs and symptoms of CTS before it would be clinically applicable. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic III.
Measurement of the intramolecular isotope effect on aliphatic hydroxylation by Chromobacterium violaceum phenylalanine hydroxylase.

The non-heme iron enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase from Chromobacterium violaceum has previously been shown to catalyze the hydroxylation of benzylic and aliphatic carbons in addition to the normal aromatic hydroxylation reaction. The intrinsic isotope effect for hydroxylation of 3-cyclochexylalanine by the enzyme was determined in order to gain insight into the reactivity of the iron center. With 3-[2H11-cyclohexyl]alanine as the substrate, the isotope effect on the kcat value was 1, consistent with an additional step in the overall reaction being significantly slower than hydroxylation. Consequently, the isotope effect was determined as an intramolecular effect by measuring the amount of deuterium lost in the hydroxylation of 3-[1,2,3,4,5,6-2H6-cyclohexyl]alanine. The ratio of 4-HO-cyclohexylalanine that retained deuterium to that which lost one deuterium atom was 2.8. This gave a calculated value of 12.6 for the ratio of the primary deuterium kinetic isotope effect to the secondary isotope effect. This...
Phorbol myristate acetate-mediated stimulation of transcytosis and apical recycling in MDCK cells

We observed that phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulates transcytosis of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) in MDCK cells. Apical release of pre-endocytosed ligand (dimeric IgA) bound to the pIgR can be stimulated twofold within 7 min of addition of PMA while recycling of the ligand from the basal surface is not affected. In addition, apical surface delivery of pIgR and cleavage of its ectodomain to secretory component (SC) is also stimulated by PMA. The recycling of apically internalized ligand back to the apical surface is similarly stimulated. These results suggest that the stimulation of apical delivery is from an apical recycling compartment. The effect of PMA suggests that protein kinase C (PKC) is involved in the regulation of pIgR trafficking in MDCK cells. To test this we down regulated PKC activity by pre-treating cells with PMA for 16 h and observed that transcytosis could no longer be stimulated by PMA. Western blots show that the PKC isozymes alpha and to a lesser extent epsilon, are depleted from MDCK cells which have been pre-treated with PMA for 16 h and that treatment of MDCK cells with PMA for 5 min causes a dramatic translocation of the PKC alpha isozyme and a partial translocation of the epsilon isozyme from the cytosol to the membrane fraction of cell homogenates. This translocation suggests that the alpha and/or epsilon isozymes may be involved in PMA mediated stimulation of transcytosis. A mutant pIgR in which serines 664 and 726, the major sites of phosphorylation, are replaced by alanine is stimulated to transcytose by PMA, suggesting that phosphorylation of pIgR at these sites is not required for the effect of PMA. These results suggest that PMA-mediated stimulation of pIgR transcytosis may involve the activation of PKC alpha and/or epsilon, and that this stimulation occurs independently of the major phosphorylation sites on the pIgR. Finally, PMA stimulates transcytosis of basolaterally internalized transferrin, suggesting that PMA acts to generally stimulate delivery of endocytosed proteins to the apical surface.
Muscular apparatus of the mitral valve in man and its involvement in left-sided cardiac hypertrophy.

Abstract The leaflets from 40 mitral valves obtained from autopsy and surgical material were studied histologically. Eight valves, from subjects without heart disease who ranged from premature infants to 38 year old adults, were used as controls. Twenty-two valves were from patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, and 10 valves were from patients with rheumatic stigmata of old rheumatic disease causing long-standing mitral insufficiency or stenosis, or both. Well defined bundles of striated muscle were found in all cases, except in 2 infants, 1 premature and 1 that was 7 weeks old. In left-sided cardiac lesions, there seemed to be a correlation between the development of these bundles and the degree of muscular hypertrophy. Muscular vessels accompanied the bundles. The most striking hypertrophy of these muscular bundles was found in cases with changes caused by previous rheumatic valvulitis, even though there were interruptions caused by fibrosis, sometimes with focal calcification. Again, muscular vessels accompanied these bundles. These observations are interpreted as evidence of the active function of muscular fibers in the mitral valve. Like the rest of the myocardium, these fibers respond to strain by undergoing hypertrophy.
RETURNING THE GERIATRIC VETERAN TO THE COMMUNITY FROM A NEUROPSYCHIATRY HOSPITAL

: The results of this pilot study indicate that the characteristics of 107 elderly (mostly psychiatric) patients released from the Geriatric Unit of a Veterans Administration Hospital did not differ significantly from those of most other older patients found in nursing homes. Age, diagnosis, and length of stay in the hospital proved not to be important factors in selecting the patients who should be released or in determining their adjustment potential. Of the 107 patients, 69 (64 per cent) had incomes of $200 or less per month. Re-education of the families and the public in general may permit more veterans to return to their own homes or to live with relatives. An increase and/or extension in the veteran's benefits may be far less costly than maintaining him in the hospital when he requires only custodial or nursing care. There is a need for more intermediate-care facilities, such as sheltered-care homes and homes for the aged, to accommodate these veterans.
The transpiration-cooled flat plate with various thermal and velocity boundary conditions

Cases (a) through (d) are self-explanatory; however, Case (e) merits some amplification. The thermal boundary condition represents a balance between the convective heat transfer from the boundary layer into the wall and the enthalpy rise of the coolant gas as it passes through the porous wall. Such a balance is valid when extraneous heat losses are negligible. Thus, in Case (e), neither the surface temperature T, nor the surface heat flux q* is prescribed; rather, these quantities vary along the plate surface in a manner consistent with the dynamics of the boundary layer. It is believed that the boundary conditions that comprise Case(e) correspond most closely to those that can be achieved in experiment. It is well established that Cases (a) and (c) yield similarity solutions of the boundary-layer momentum and energy equations, On the other hand, Cases (b), (d), and (e) do not possess similarity solutions. For these cases, the velocity and heat-transfer solutions are found by a series expansion method. For the velocity problem, one defines a stream function
Techniques for visualizing Fermat's last theorem: a case study

The authors describe some mathematical approaches and computer graphics techniques for illustrating concepts related to Fermat's last theorem. They present a selection of visualization methods, and describe observations made in the process of creating a three-minute computer animated videotape dealing with some elementary aspects of Fermat's last theorem, a problem in number theory. The approach to the representation of the different concepts presented in the video was influenced by many factors: the available hardware, real and perceived constraints of the available software, constraints imposed by the video medium, and a number of peculiarities and features of the mathematical domain itself. The authors describe the experiences with the software systems that played a part in these efforts, some specific successful visualization techniques, and some unexpected mathematical insights. >
Pharmacology of peripheral analgesia.

: Pain may begin in the periphery with activation of nociceptor transducers. The present article reviews the pharmacology of drug action at the level of the primary afferent by discussing the following: [1] agents which block transduction processes (vanilloids, sodium ion channel blockers, antiserotonergic agents, antipurinergic agents); [2] agents inhibiting the transducer site (opioids, cannabinoids, alpha adrenergic agents); [3] agents blocking transducer-based modulation processes (anti-inflammatories, antikinin agents, antitachykinins); and [4] agents which block primary afferent-related modification processes (antineurotrophins). There is a clear role for many of these agents in the treatment of inflammatory pain and they have potential benefits for neuropathic pain with peripheral triggers.
Transrectal hyperthermia in the management of men with prostatism: an algorithm for therapy.

Transrectal hyperthermia has been proposed as a potential treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This report presents our initial experience in an ongoing clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transrectal thermal therapy (TRTT) for symptomatic BPH. To date, 24 patients (mean age 60.6 years) have undergone TRTT. In all cases the initial investigations included pre-operative symptom score analysis, synchronous video/pressure/flow urodynamic studies and transrectal measurement of both the size of the prostate and the distance between the applicator and the prostatic urethra (AU). Twenty-one patients completed the study (mean follow-up 6.7 months). There was a significant reduction in symptom score (> 50%) in 14 patients and the peak urinary flow rate (Qmax) increased from 5.9 to 12.4 ml/s at 1 month, 12.7 ml/s at 3 months and 13.2 ml/s at 6 months. In 12 patients the decrease in symptom score and the increase in flow rate exceeded 50%. Five of the 6 patients who failed to respond to treatment had prostate volumes > 85 g; 4 had voiding detrusor pressures 2.5 cm. These preliminary results suggest that TRTT may be a potential therapeutic alternative in patients with mild to moderate symptoms of prostatism. However, patients with either lower detrusor pressures (< 40 cm H2O) or very large prostates are unlikely to show a beneficial response. We suggest that large prostates may preclude effective temperature distribution and therefore mitigate the potential therapeutic benefit.