cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antipsychotics, Prolactin and Breast Cancer

Abstract Objective Antipsychotic drugs are well established to alter circulating prolactin levels by blocking dopamine D-2 receptors in the pituitary. Prolactin activates many genes important in the development of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of breast cancer in women exposed to antipsychotic drugs, stratified by prolactin elevating potential (high, mid, and low), compared to women taking anticonvulsants and/or lithium. Methods The IBM MarketScan Commercial and Medicaid Databases were used to establish a large, observational cohort of women taking antipsychotics drugs compared to control drugs. Invasive breast cancer was identified using diagnostic codes. Bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the risk of breast cancer by antipsychotic drug exposure, both as pooled antipsychotics and by prolactin specific categories. Results A total of 2,708 (0.2%) cases of invasive breast cancer were identified among 1,562,839 women. Exposure to antipsychotics with high prolactin elevating potential was associated with a 23% increased risk of breast cancer (aHR 1.23; 95% CI, 1.11-1.35), whereas mid and low prolactin categories of antipsychotics were not significant. Conclusion In the largest study of antipsychotics taken by women, a modest risk between antipsychotic drug use and the risk for breast cancer was observed, with a differential higher association with high prolactin elevating drugs. Residual confounding factors included incomplete information on parity, race and socioeconomic status, and differential outpatient visits. Clinicians should consider monitoring serum prolactin levels and adopting vigilant mammography screening practices, especially in older women taking category one antipsychotics.
Plaque Contact Surface Area and Flow Lumen Volume Predict Stroke Risk in Extracranial Carotid Artery Stenosis

Abstract The standard indication for intervention in asymptomatic disease is currently percent stenosis in the internal carotid artery as measured by the NASCET method, which remains limited in discriminating power. CT angiography (CTA) is widely used to calculate NASCET stenosis but also offers the opportunity to analyze carotid artery plaques from a morphological perspective that has not been widely utilized. We aim to improve stroke risk stratification of patients with carotid artery stenosis using plaque 3D modeling and image analysis. Patients with CTAs appropriate for 3D reconstruction were identified from an NIH designated stroke center database, and carotid arteries were segmented and analyzed using software algorithms to calculate contact surface area between the plaque and blood flow (CSA), and volume of the flow lumen within the region of the plaque (FLV). These novel parameters factor in the 3D morphometry inherent to each carotid plaque. A total of 134 carotid arteries were analyzed, 33 of which were associated with an ipsilateral stroke. Plaques associated with stroke demonstrated statistically significant increases in average CSA and FLV when compared to those not associated with stroke. When compared to NASCET percent stenosis, CSA and FLV both demonstrated a larger area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) in predicting stroke risk in patients with carotid stenosis. The data presented here demonstrate morphological features of carotid plaques that are independent of NASCET criteria stratification and may present an improved method in assessing stroke risk in patients with carotid artery stenosis.
Potential impacts of invasive crabs on one life history strategy of native rock crabs in the Gulf of Maine

Organismal life history strategies are continually being strained by increasing environmental change, including exposure to invasive species. The rock crab Cancer irroratus is a commercially harvested species in the Northeastern US and Canada where previous studies have reported it uses subtidal habitats as a juvenile and then undergoes a habitat shift into deeper offshore waters to mature and reproduce. We demonstrate that in intertidal habitats of the Gulf of Maine, this species reaches reproductive maturity, and does so at a smaller size than has previously been recognized. Our goal here is to identify potential mechanisms by which the presence of invasive European green crabs (Carcinus maenas) and Asian shore crabs (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) may influence the success of this intertidal life history strategy of rock crabs based on the ecology and reproductive requirements of these young intertidal crabs. We experimentally demonstrate that the reproductive success of small rock crabs in intertidal habitats depends on a carnivorous lifestyle. Further, we demonstrate that juvenile rock crabs are more susceptible to predation by both invasive species than they are to cannibalism. Finally, using a numerical model to calculate lifetime rock crab fecundity, we demonstrate that this intertidal strategy is only beneficial when crabs experience reduced predation risk intertidally relative to in subtidal habitats. Together, our results demonstrate that invasive European green crabs and Asian shore crabs have the potential to greatly reduce the reproductive benefit of intertidal habitat use by young rock crabs.
Critical Exponents and Generalized Potential for the Taylor Instability

According to Graham 1, the behavior of a fluid near a hydrodynamic instability should be determined by a generalized potential Ф which is of the same form as the Gibbs potential in the Landau theory of phase transitions. This potential is predicted to describe the dynamics of a suitably defined order parameter both above and below the critical point. In this paper we present optical heterodyne measurements of the Taylor instability in a rotating fluid which confirm that such a potential does in fact correctly describe the dynamics of the fluid near the critical point (although outside the region where fluctuations are important). In particular, we have observed a divergence of the response time associated with the flatness of the potential near the critical point.
Fragile Democracies: Contested Power in the Era of Constitutional Courts

Twenty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the democratic ascendency of the post-Soviet era is under severe challenge. While fragile democracies in Eastern Europe, Africa, and East Asia face renewed threats, the world has witnessed the failed democratic promises of the Arab Spring. What lessons can be drawn from these struggles? What conditions or institutions are needed to prevent the collapse of democracy? This book argues that the most significant antidote to authoritarianism is the presence of strong constitutional courts. Distinct in the third wave of democratization, these courts serve as a bulwark against vulnerability to external threats as well as internal consolidation of power. Particular attention is given to societies riven by deep divisions of race, religion, or national background, for which the courts have become pivotal actors in allowing democracy to take root.
Extracting Migrant Flight Orientation Profiles Using Polarimetric Radar

Seasonal animal migration is characterized by aligned flight of airborne organisms across large spatial expanses. This large-scale alignment results in azimuthal patterns in polarimetric radar products. The following overviews some such patterns and introduces a technique for obtaining vertical profiles of migrant flight orientation by exploiting azimuthal symmetries in the polarimetric radar product of copolar correlation coefficient $\rho_{HV}$ . This method is compared with several Doppler-velocity-based techniques for measuring flight direction, and a sensitivity analysis is performed. Finally, the method is applied to a case of nocturnal migration over the Southern Great Plains, demonstrating the utility of the technique in the study of animal migratory behavior within the airspace.
Financing Pediatric Education in Community Settings

Increasingly, hospital-based pediatric outpatient departments are recognized as settings that attempt to combine two critical, but not always compatible, mandates: (1) education of medical students and pediatric residents in outpatient pediatrics, and (2) service, often with inadequate resources, to a socially highrisk population with a disproportionately high prevalence of social, family, and psychological dysfunction. Coexistence of these two mandates has raised a number of concerns, because pediatric ambulatory care education and training have historically been based almost exclusively in a hospital setting. Trainees often get a false impression of the types of problems they will be dealing with in pediatric primary care and of how an efficient pediatric practice is managed. In addition, they often are supervised by full-time faculty who have little if any experience in community settings and who practice only part time or not at all. These problems have led to a widespread desire to train pediatric residents outside the hospital, in settings that more closely approximate the places in which they will practice in the future. Residency programs that address this issue also provide residents with the opportunity to be trained by seasoned practitioners whose primary professional responsibility is the outpatient care of children. To date, little has been written about the cost or the financing of such educational efforts. This article summarizes what is known about the costs. We also attempt to specify the costs that should be anticipated for the various components and steps involved in devising and implementing pediatric community-based educational programs and to describe potential sources of funding for such programs.
Crossover SAFT Equation of State and Thermodynamic Properties of Propan-1-ol

In this work we have developed a new equation of state (EOS) for propan-1-ol on the basis of the crossover modification (CR) of the statistical-associating-fluid-theory (SAFT) EOS recently developed and applied to n-alkanes. The CR SAFT EOS reproduces the nonanalytical scaling laws in the asymptotic critical region and reduces to the analytical-classical SAFT EOS far away from the critical point. Unlike the previous crossover EOS, the new CR SAFT EOS is based on the parametric sine model for the universal crossover function and is able to represent analytically connected van der Waals loops in the metastable fluid region. The CR SAFT EOS contains 10 system-dependent parameters and allows an accurate representation of the thermodynamic properties of propan-1-ol over a wide range thermodynamic states including the asymptotic singular behavior in the nearest vicinity of the critical point. The EOS was tested against experimental isochoric and isobaric specific heats, speed of sound, PVT, and VLE data in and beyond the critical region. In the one-phase region, the CR SAFT equation represents the experimental values of pressure with an average absolute deviation (AAD) of less than 1% in the critical and supercritical regions and the liquid densities with an AAD of about 1%. A corresponding states principle is used for the extension of the new CR SAFT EOS for propan-1-ol to higher n-alkanols.
A Bayesian procedure for the detection of damped signals

Multiple hypotheses testing arises in many signal processing applications. It can be viewed as a model selection problem, and as such, is commonly resolved by invoking the popular MDL or AIC rules. These rules are very often inappropriately applied however, particularly when the signal models violate the underlying conditions on which the rules are based. The tools of Bayesian inference provide a mechanism for the specification of more accurate criteria for model selection. Through appropriate approximations of the prior predictive densities, one can develop rules similar in form to the AIC and MDL, but with a more complete penalty term. The derived rules are approximations of the maximum a posteriori criterion (MAP), which for a uniform cost function is known to be optimal. We present a general solution to the problem followed by a consideration of the special case of damped signals in white Gaussian noise. In particular, we investigate models whose signal components are comprised of damped sinusoids. Monte Carlo simulations are performed, the results of which indicate a marked improvement over both, the AIC and MDL. >
Marriages of Convenience and Purpose: Social Work Education and the Community Unite.

When a Louisiana social work school and a federal court said " I do," their unusual partnership gave birth to a state plan enhancing inmate mental health services. This alliance illustrates some of the pitfalls and pleasures of partnerships and can be a model for " town-gown " liaisons. Despite problems of working across agency lines in rough political waters, the school and its students enjoyed substantial benefits, and community attention to the well-being of prison inmates increased. This article discusses problems and benefits of collaboration, describes the genesis and results of this model relationship, and outlines the inmate mental health assessment and plan that grew out of this partnership.
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assays: Analyzing Transcription Factor Binding and Histone Modifications In Vivo

Studies in the past decade have shown that differential gene expression depends not only on the binding of specific transcription factors to discrete promoter elements but also on the epigenetic modification of the DNA as well as histones associated with the promoter. While techniques like electrophoretic mobility shift assays could detect and characterize the binding of specific transcription factors present in cell lysates to DNA sequences in in vitro binding conditions, they were not effective in assessing the binding in intact cells. Development of chromatin immunoprecipitation technique in the past decade enabled the analysis of the association of regulatory molecules with specific promoters or changes in histone modifications in vivo, without overexpressing any component. ChIP assays can provide a snapshot of how a regulatory transcription factor affects the expression of a single gene, or a variety of genes at the same time. Availability of high quality antibodies that recognizes histones modified in a specific fashion further expanded the use of ChIP assays to analyze even minute changes in histone modification and nucleosomes structure. This chapter outlines the general strategies and protocols used to carry out ChIP assays to study the differential recruitment of transcription factors as well as histone modifications.
A note on network reliability

Let G = (V, E)be a loopless undirected multigraph on n vertices, with a probability p e 0 ⩽ p e ⩽ 1 assigned to every edge e ϵ E. Let G p be the random subgraph of G obtained by deleting each edge e of G, randomly and independently, with probability q e = 1 — p e . For any nontrivial subset S ⊂ V let (S, \(\bar{S}\)) denote, as usual, the cut determined by S, i.e., the set of all edges of G with an end in S and an end in its complement \(\bar{S}\). Define \(P(S) = {{\sum }_{{e \in (S,\bar{S})}}}{{p}_{e}}, \) and observe that P(S) is simply the expected number of edges of Gp that lie in the cut (S,). In this note we prove the following.
Regulation of Zinc Metabolism and Genomic Outcomes

Differential mRNA display and cDNA array analysis have identified zinc-regulated genes in small intestine, thymus and monocytes. The vast majority of the transcriptome is not influenced by dietary zinc intake, high or low. Of the genes that are zinc regulated, most are involved in signal transduction (particularly influencing the immune response), responses to stress and redox, growth and energy utilization. Among the genes identified are uroguanylin (UG), cholecystokinin, lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK), T-cell cytokine receptor, heat shock proteins and the DNA damage repair and recombination protein-23B. Zinc transporters (ZnT) help regulate the supply of this micronutrient to maintain cellular functions. Expression of ZnT-1 and -2 is regulated by dietary zinc in many organs including small intestine and kidney. ZnT-4 is ubiquitously expressed but is refractory to zinc intake. Expression of ZnT-1, -2 and -4 changes markedly during gestation and lactation from highly abundant to undetectable. Each ZnT has an endosomal-like appearance in the tissues examined. Upregulation of ZnT-1 and ZnT-2 by dietary zinc strongly implicates these transporters in zinc acquisition and/or storage for subsequent systemic needs. THP-1 cells were used as a model to examine the response of human cells to changes in zinc status. Based on mRNA quantities, Zip1 and ZnT-5 were the most highly expressed. Zinc depletion of these cells decreased expression of all transporters except Zip2, where expression increased markedly. Collectively, these findings provide a genomic footprint upon which to address the biological and clinical significance of zinc and new avenues for status assessment.
Charge transfer vibronic transitions in uranyl tetrachloride compounds

The electronic and vibronic interactions of uranyl (UO2)2+ in three tetrachloride crystals have been investigated with spectroscopic experiments and theoretical modeling. Analysis and simulation of...
Labeling and localization of the herpes simplex virus capsid protein UL25 and its interaction with the two triplexes closest to the penton

Abstract The herpes simplex virus type 1 UL25 protein is one of seven viral proteins that are required for DNA cleavage and packaging. Together with UL17, UL25 forms part of an elongated molecule referred to as the C-capsid-specific component (CCSC). Five copies of the CCSC are located at each of the capsid vertices on DNA-containing capsids. To study the conformation of UL25 as it is folded on the capsid surface, we identified the sequence recognized by a UL25-specific monoclonal antibody and localized the epitope on the capsid surface by immunogold electron microscopy. The epitope mapped to amino acids 99–111 adjacent to the region of the protein (amino acids 1–50) that is required for capsid binding. In addition, cryo-EM reconstructions of C-capsids in which the green fluorescent protein (GFP) was fused within the N-terminus of UL25 localized the point of contact between UL25 and GFP. The result confirmed the modeled location of the UL25 protein in the CCSC density as the region that is distal to the penton with the N-terminus of UL25 making contact with the triplex one removed from the penton. Immunofluorescence experiments at early times during infection demonstrated that UL25–GFP was present on capsids located within the cytoplasm and adjacent to the nucleus. These results support the view that UL25 is present on incoming capsids with the capsid-binding domain of UL25 located on the surface of the mature DNA-containing capsid.
Middle subtalar osseous coalition with associated fusion of the sinus tarsi: a previously undescribed type of tarsal coalition

Tarsal coalitions affect up to 13% of the population and may cause chronic ankle and hindfoot pain. Coalitions can be subdivided as osseous, cartilaginous, or fibrous types. The most common type of tarsal coalition involvesthe talocalcaneal joint, where it usually affects the middle subtalar joint. In this article, we describe a previously unpublished form of talocalcaneal coalition with osseous coalition at the level of the middle subtalar joint with associated fusion of the sinus tarsi.
Cell-type identity: a key to unlocking the function of neocortical circuits

A central tenet of neuroscience is that the precise patterns of connectivity among neurons in a given brain area underlie its function. However, assigning any aspect of perception or behavior to the wiring of local circuits has been challenging. Here, we review recent work in sensory neocortex that demonstrates the power of identifying specific cell types when investigating the functional organization of brain circuits. These studies indicate that knowing the identity of both the presynaptic and postsynaptic cell type is key when analyzing neocortical circuits. Furthermore, identifying the circuit organization of particular cell types in the neocortex allows the recording and manipulation of each cell type's activity and the direct testing of its functional role in perception and behavior.
A look at alternative core-disruptive accidents in LMFBRs — Part II: Neutronic and fuel element behavior

Abstract This paper examines the reactivity insertion resulting from fuel and/or control rod motion in an LMFBR core during a postulated accident scenario in which decay heat causes the evaporation of all sodium and the melting of fuel cladding and assembly walls. It was found that fuel compaction and control rod motion due to gravity causes high reactivity insertion which leads to a power burst and an extreme temperature excursion of the fuel.
The Photoreceptors and Pigment Epithelium of the Larval Xenopus Retina: Morphogenesis and Outer Segment Renewal

Light microscopic autoradiography and electron microscopy were used to examine outer segment renewal and the development of photoreceptors and pigment epithelium in the larval Xenopus retina. Following the injection of [ 3 H]-leucine at stages 37/38–40 (when outer segments first develop) or 53–54 (when rod outer segments (r. o. s.) attain adult length), a band of label accumulated at the base of r. o. s. and was displaced sclerally with time, whereas label was diffusely distributed in cone outer segments (c. o. s.). By taking into account the change in shape of r. o. s. from conical to cylindrical around stage 46, and calculating outer segment growth (determined from the rate of band displacement) as volume of material added with time, we found a constant rate of membrane addition (1.59 μm/day) from the time of initial outer segment formation. The changes observed in r. o. s. length therefore indicate variations in the rate of disk shedding and phagocytosis, which is minimal before stage 46 and rises to 1.19 μm/day after stages 53–54. Ultrastructural observation showed that although all photoreceptor outer segments form by the repeated evagination of the plasma membrane of the connecting cilium, r. o. s. and c. o. s. are distinguishable by differences in membrane appearance even before they develop divergent membrane topologies. Fibrous granules near the basal body of young receptors may be precursors to the elongating ciliary microtubules. Clusters of cisternae observed near the ciliary base in photoreceptor inner segments may represent a stage in the transport of newly-synthesized opsin to the outer segment base.
Immunogenetic Relationships between Breeds of Chickens

Abstract All animals of the same species are related in some degree because of their common genotype. The exact relationship that exists among the members of a species has been impossible to estimate except for closely related individuals. A method of expressing the amount of genetic similarity based on a gene pool that exists within subgroups of the same species would be of great value in estimating the effects of natural and artificial selection upon the species. In birds, strain differences have been found to exist for several characteristics: organ weights and glandular size of doves, Riddle (1947); erythrocyte antigens in chickens, Kozelka (1933) and Briles (1948); number of lymphocytes in chickens, Ram and Hutt (1955); characteristic electrophoretic patterns of blood plasma of birds and their hybrids, Brandt et al. (1952). Few attempts have been made to measure biochemical relationships at the intraspecific level. In the differentiation of species and subspecies,…
Time-scale modification of speech based on short-time Fourier analysis

This paper develops the theoretical basis for time-scale modification of speech based on short-time Fourier analysis. The goal is the development of a high-quality system for changing the apparent rate of articulation of recorded speech, while at the same time preserving such qualities as naturalness, intelligibility, and speaker-dependent features. The results of the theoretical study were used as the framework for the design of a high-quality speech rate-change system that was simulated on a general-purpose minicomputer.
Modulation of sodium-channel mRNA levels in rat skeletal muscle

Abstract Action potentials in many types of excitable cells result from changes in permeability to Na ions. Although these permeability changes in nerve and muscle are mediated by voltage-gated Na channels that are functionally similar, we found that the Na-channel gene expressed in skeletal muscle is different from the genes coding for two Na channels (type I and type II) in brain. Despite the structural differences between muscle and brain Na-channel genes, a cDNA clone derived from rat brain hybridizes to skeletal muscle Na-channel mRNA of approximately 9.5 kilobases. We used this cDNA probe to measure changes in Na-channel mRNA levels in skeletal muscle during development and following denervation. By blot hybridization analysis of electrophoretically fractionated RNA, we found that Na-channel mRNA can be detected as early as embryonic day 17 and that mRNA levels increase 2-fold between birth and postnatal day 35. Denervation of adult muscle causes a further 2- to 3-fold increase in muscle Na-channel mRNA levels, suggesting that expression of Na-channel genes in fast-twitch muscle may be regulated by the state of innervation.
Genetic analyses of multivariate fingertip dermatoglyphic factors and comparison with corresponding individual variables.

SummaryUtilizing seven combinations of 40 fingertip variables identified with factor analysis, scores were calculated for each of the seven multivariate factors in 720 twins and 114 identical (MZ) twin pairs and their families. In comparison of variances of the factor scores in MZ versus fraternal (DZ) twins, a larger total variance was found for DZ twins, and subsequent estimates of genetic variance were not significant for two factors containing thumb variables, paralleling these surprising findings seen for each of the individual thumb variables. In comparisons of variances in the offspring of MZ twins, evidence for maternal effects was found for the thumb radial and ridge-count factor and a factor comprising the pattern type and ulnar count of the little finger, again reflecting findings seen in the individual variables comprising these factors. Multivariate pattern factors display the same findings as those individual variables comprising the factors and may provide additional genetic information ove...
Exploring the efficiencies associated with the e-fashions industry

Fashion design is ever changing, depending on moods, styles, seasons, and various market forces. It has always been known as a fast process, but never as quick as it has recently become with the surfacing of e-commerce. Many aspects of retail sales have moved online to try to obtain an edge over their competitors. With the continuous growth of e-commerce and online purchasing, fashion designers must work faster than ever to prepare clothing designs for the websites, by using online tools and computer-aided devices to promptly place the goods on these sites. While it may seem convenient to just pick clothes online, use virtual fitting rooms and custom tailors, there are also many difficulties that hinder e-fashion from being the latest and greatest of e-commerce technology. Various examples were shown to explain the rationale in promoting the e-fashion industry. A conceptual model showing the major forces/processes of e-fashion compared to in-store retailing was also shown.
A psychoeducational intervention (SWEEP) for depressed women with diabetes.

Clinically significant depression is present in 25 % of individuals with type 2 diabetes, its risk being doubled in women. To examine the effectiveness of the Study of Women’s Emotions and Evaluation of a Psychoeducational (SWEEP), a group therapy for depression treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles that was developed for women with type 2 diabetes was conducted. Women with significantly elevated depression symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale ≥16) were randomized to SWEEP (n = 38) or usual care (UC, n = 36). Multilevel modeling indicated that SWEEP was more effective than UC in reducing depression (mean difference of −15 vs. −7, p < .01), decreasing trait anxiety (mean difference of −15 vs. −5, p < .01), and improving anger expression (mean difference of −12 vs. −5, p < .05). Although SWEEP and UC had improvements in fasting glucose (mean difference of −24 vs. −1 mg/dl) and HbA1c (mean difference of −0.4 vs. −0.1 %), there were no statistically significant differences between groups. SWEEP was more effective than UC for treating depressed women with type 2 diabetes. Addition of group therapy for depression meaningfully expands the armamentarium of evidence-based treatment options for women with diabetes.
The neuronal basis of on-line visual control in smooth pursuit eye movements

Smooth pursuit eye movements allow us to maintain the image of a moving target on the fovea. Smooth pursuit consists of separate phases such as initiation and steady-state. These two phases are supported by different visual-motor mechanisms in cortical areas including the middle temporal (MT), the medial superior temporal (MST) areas and the frontal eye field (FEF). Retinal motion signals are responsible for beginning the process of pursuit initiation, whereas extraretinal signals play a role in maintaining tracking speed. Smooth pursuit often requires on-line gain adjustments during tracking in response to a sudden change in target motion. For example, a brief sinusoidal perturbation of target motion induces a corresponding perturbation of eye motion. Interestingly, the perturbation ocular response is enhanced when baseline pursuit velocity is higher, even though the stimulus frequency and amplitude are constant. This on-line gain control mechanism is not simply due to visually driven activity of cortical neurons. Visual and pursuit signals are primarily processed in cortical MT/MST and the magnitude of perturbation responses could be regulated by the internal gain parameter in FEF. Furthermore, the magnitude and the gain slope of perturbation responses are altered by smooth pursuit adaptation using repeated trials of a step-ramp tracking with two different velocities (double-velocity paradigm). Therefore, smooth pursuit adaptation, which is attributed to the cerebellar plasticity mechanism, could affect the on-line gain control mechanism.
Nuclear Probes for Assessing Myocardial Viability in Heart Failure

Systolic left ventricular dysfunction is the end stage of most cardiovascular disorders that may manifest themselves clinically as heart failure. Among patients who have symptoms of heart failure, most may have coronary artery disease as the underlying cause of the left ventricular dysfunction. Determining whether left ventricular dysfunction is due to the consequences of coronary artery disease or one of the many other etiologies of heart failure is a critical early step. The left ventricular dysfunction may be secondary to previous myocardial infarction or prolonged and repetitive ischemia [1–4]. Substantial data now exist to indicate that prolonged alterations in regional or global left ventricular function may occur when patients are subjected to supply (decreased blood flow) or demand ischemia, and that such dysfunction may be completely reversible. Thus, noninvasive assessment of myocardial ischemia and viability would identify the subgroup of patients who have heart failure that has a potentially reversible degree of left ventricular dysfunction and may benefit from revascularization. Therapeutic interventions that reverse dysfunctional but viable myocardium may improve heart failure symptoms and impact left ventricular remodeling and patient outcome. Moreover, the identification of myocardial ischemia may have implications in secondary prevention strategies, because acute myocardial infarction is a common mechanism of death in patients who have heart failure. The objective of assessing myocardial viability in heart failure is to optimize selection of patients whose symptoms and prognosis may improve following revascularization. In a recent clinical trial of stable, community-based patients who had heart failure, approximately 70% of patients had evidence for hibernation or stress-induced ischemia in the absence of angina [5]. Thus, a significant subpopulation of patients who have heart failure may benefit from a noninvasive assessment of myocardial ischemia and viability.
In‐hospital and nine‐month outcomes among patients with coronary lesions involving a side branch and treated with bare metal stents

Background: The optimal management of coronary lesions involving side branches is not known. New devices are being developed for dedicated bifurcation stenting or improved side branch access or protection. Several of these devices are bare-metal stent (BMS) platforms. The risk of side branch compromise and outcome after standard BMS is not known. Methods: We evaluated the frequency of side branch involvement and the rate of side branch compromise in a retrospective analysis of 1,440 patients from three pooled historical BMS clinical trials. The impact of side branch compromise on in-hospital and nine-month clinical outcomes was assessed. Results: Side branches >2 mm in diameter were present within the stented segment in 39% of treated lesions. Compromise of a side branch occurred in 27% of 1,440 lesions, including 22% of side branches that were not diseased prior to stenting. Compromise was associated with increased in-hospital MI (13.5% vs. 7.6%, P = 0.001), a trend for increased nine-month clinically driven target vessel revascularization (TVR, 17.4% vs. 13.2%, P = 0.058), and increased nine-month target vessel failure (composite of cardiac death, target vessel MI or TVR, 29.7% vs. 20.2%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: At least moderate-sized side branches are involved frequently in lesions enrolled in routine clinical trials. Unexpected compromise of these side branches is common and is associated with increased in-hospital and nine-month adverse outcomes. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Muscular dynamics and muscular efficiency: I. The isometric length-tension diagram of striated skeletal muscle

The isometric length-tension diagram for individual fibers and for whole muscle is considered, and it is proposed that the tensionp may be represented for any muscle whose fibers are parallel and not in series, in the form $$p = f\left( x \right) + \beta \phi \left( {\alpha ,l,x} \right),$$ where the form of ϕ is known and the same for all muscles, the parameters α and l are experimentally measurable,x represents the length, β the degree of activity of the muscle, and the form off(x) varies from muscle to muscle.
Measurement error in assessing the size of cortical cataracts from retroillumination photographs

This study describes a new method of quantifying anteriorly located cortical cataracts using retroillumination photographs and computer planimetry. Cortical cataracts were graded clinically and then photographed using the Neitz retroillumination camera twice by each of 2 photographers. The cataract outlines were traced onto a transparent overlay, and computer planimetry was performed using a Scan Maker 600ZS, a MAC II Computer and specially developed software. We estimated the measurement error of the method and its associated effect on sample size estimates for clinical studies. We calculated that the variability in this technique would contribute about 21 additional subjects to overall sample size estimates in studies comparing the mean areas of cortical opacities. In many studies this would be a small addition to total sample size requirements. This technique provides clinically useful measurements of the size of a cortical opacity as seen on a retroillumination photograph. This may be useful for futur...
Transplantation of tectal tissue in rats. II. Distribution of host neurons which project to transplants

Tectal tissue was dissected from fetal rats and transplanted adjacent to the superior colliculus of newborn rats. The recipient animals were then allowed to survive for 6 or more weeks. Subsequent examination revealed that the transplants generally lay over the host inferior colliculus and rostral part of the cerebellum and had substantial fiber connections with the host superior colliculus. To determine which host areas projected to the transplants, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into the transplants, and the host brain was examined for the presence of retrogradely filled neurons. Labeled cells were found in nearly 50 host areas. Most of these areas are known to project to normal superior colliculus. There was a consistency between one animal and another in the frequency and density of cell label in the various areas. The projection from host cortex (particularly from visual cortical areas) was the densest and most consistent projection. Other areas which commonly projected into the transplants included pretectum, parabigeminal nucleus, superior colliculus, and the brachial region of the inferior colliculus. Sparse and infrequent projections were found from ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, substantia nigra, zona incerta, and catecholaminergic nuclei. No unequivocally labeled retinal ganglion cells were found. The results indicate that the host projection into the transplants is limited to those areas with axons in the vicinity of the host/transplant interconnection. However, the data also suggest that (1) the relative maturity of particular host pathways at the time of transplantation and (2) some form of preferential or absolute affinity expressed between host axons and transplant cells are also factors which influence the pattern of connections formed between host and transplant.
Volcanic spreading on Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii: Evidence from accretion, alteration, and exhumation of volcaniclastic sediments

A transect of submersible dives across the submarine west flank of Mauna Loa volcano yields compelling evidence for volcanic spreading and associated hydrothermal circulation during volcano growth. A frontal bench at the toe of the flank, formerly thought to be a downdropped block of Mauna Loa, contains a mix of volcaniclastic lithologies, including distally derived siltstone, mudstone, and hyaloclastite. The bench is overlain by bedded gravels and subaerially erupted pillow flows derived from local shoreline-crossing lava flows. The volcaniclastic strata in the bench were offscraped, uplifted, and accreted to the edge of the flank, as it plowed seaward into the surrounding moat. The accreted strata underwent significant diagenesis, through deep burial and circulation of hydrothermal fluids expelled from porous sediments beneath the volcano. Timing constraints for bench growth and breakup suggest that catastrophic failure of the subaerial edifice ca. 250–200 ka triggered volcanic spreading by reducing stresses resisting basal sliding and rift-zone inflation. Increased eruptive activity, and westward migration of Mauna Loa9s southwest rift zone, gradually rebuilt the massive flank, arresting slip prior to detachment of the Alika 2 debris avalanche ca. 120 ka.
Solar neutrinos: Solar physics and neutrino physics

Abstract It is shown that the current solar neutrino situation, with results from the Homestake experiment, the Kamiokande experiment, GALLEX and SAGE is unfortunately still ambiguous. The differences between observations and the standard solar theory may still be due to either astrophysical inputs or new neutrino physics. The need for new neutrino physics, MSW or vacuum neutrino mixing is sensitive to the results of the Homestake experiment. If the Homestake experiment is correct, then new neutrino physics is required. A problem with the uncalibrated Homestake experiment would allow an astrophysical solution, which merely consists of a slightly cooler sun than the standard solar model of Bahcall et al The use of future experiments, SNO, Super Kamiokande and Borexino to resolve this ambiguity are explicitly discussed. The measurement of deeper helioseismology modes by GONG will also further constrain solar model solutions.
Introduction: Understanding Theory and Practice in Reading Fluency Instruction

Fluency is gaining new recognition as an essential element of every reading program, especially for students who struggle in reading. Reading fluency is one of the defining characteristics of good ...
Localization of cochlear implant electrodes in radiographs

Multielectrode cochlear implantation is the most effective treatment for profound sensorineural hearing loss.In vivo three-dimensional 3-D localization of cochlear implantelectrodes is important for modeling of the electrical field in the cochlea, design of electrode arrays, and may improve speech processor programming for better speech recognition. The prerequisite for 3-D localization of the electrodes is their 2-D localization in x-ray radiographs. In this paper, we develop a practical method to localize the electrodes with high efficiency, accuracy, and reproducibility. In this method, a priori knowledge of the electrodes and their approximate positions are utilized, an intelligent thresholding and segmentation mechanism is embedded, and the electrode center is computed as the weighted geometric center of segmented electrode pixels. Experiments with physical phantoms and human data demonstrate the feasibility and utility of this method. The PC-based program developed for this project is disseminated on the Web.
The Thyroid Axis and Depression

Hypothyroidism may give rise to frank depression that usually responds to thyroxine therapy. Depressed subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism and/or autoimmune thyroiditis should probably also be...
Laparoscopic colectomy is associated with a lower incidence of postoperative complications than open colectomy: a propensity score-matched cohort analysis.

Aim Elective laparoscopic colectomy (LC) has been shown to provide short-term results comparable with open colectomy (OC), but there is potential selection bias whereby LC patients may be healthier and therefore more likely to have a superior outcome. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of postoperative complications between matched laparoscopic and open colectomy cohorts, while controlling for differences in comorbidity. Method A retrospective cohort study (2005–2010) using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data was performed, identifying laparoscopic and open partial colectomy patients through common procedural terminology codes. Patient having rectal resection were excluded. The cohorts were matched 1:1 on a propensity score to control for observable selection bias due to patient characteristics, comparing overall complication rates, length of hospital stay (LOS), the incidence of superficial (S-SSI) surgical site infection, urinary tract infection (UTI) and deep-venous thrombosis (DVT). Results We analysed 37 249 patients. After propensity score matching the LC group had a significantly lower overall incidence of postoperative complications (29.1 vs 21.2%; P < 0.0001), S-SSI (9.0 vs 5.9%; P = 0.003) and DVT (1.2 vs 0.3%; P = 0.001). The LC group had a shorter LOS (8.7 vs 6.4 days; P < 0.0001), while mortality was comparable between the two groups (4.0 vs 4.1%; P = 0.578). Conclusion LC is associated with a lower incidence of S-SSI and DVT than OC. Previously suggested advantages for laparoscopy, such as shorter length of stay and overall rate of complications, were observed even after controlling for differences in comorbidity.
Into the Woods: Norbert Wiener in Maine

Wiener would not be remembered on campus until 1953, when his less than flattering description of the University of Maine in his autobiography caused quite a stir among its alumni. One alumna was sufficiently upset to send a transcription of the most damning passages to then-President Hauck, wondering if anything could be done against this “immature and biased judgment.” In his response, Hauck said he had not read the autobiography, but he did know that there were still a few people on campus who remembered Wiener and were quite amused by what he had written. Indeed, a chuckle and a shrug was probably the best reaction.30 With hindsight, it is obvious that Wiener would never have made a good college teacher at a rural university and that his stay in Maine was a stage in his own education more than anything else. Wiener still had many issues to deal with before he would be ready to make his true debut in academia. At best, his stint in Orono was a trial run, as Wiener himself appositely calls the chapter on it in his autobiography.
An Introduction to Web Accessibility, Web Standards, and Web Standards Makers.

Librarians and libraries have long been committed to providing equitable access to information. In the past decade and a half, the growth of the Internet and the rapid increase in the number of onl...
Biopsy-proved Alzheimer disease presenting as a right parietal lobe syndrome.

A progressive right parietal lobe disorder charcterized by astereognosis and pseudoathetosis developed in a 57-year-old woman. Two years later, the patient began to show signs of intellectual deterioration. Biopsy of the right frontal lobe revealed numerous plaques and tangles. The patient's right parietal lobe dysfunction was probably the first manifestation of Alzhemer disease. On rare occasions, Alzhemier disease can present as a focal syndrome with findings referable to a localized area of maximal involvement.
Perceptions in the U.S. building industry of the benefits and costs of improving indoor air quality

How building stakeholders (e.g. owners, tenants, operators, and designers) understand impacts of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and associated energy costs is unknown. We surveyed 112 stakeholders across the United States to ascertain their perceptions of their current IAQ and estimates of benefits and costs of, as well as willingness to pay for, IAQ improvements. Respondents' perceived IAQ scores correlated with the use of high-efficiency filters but not with any other IAQ-improving technologies. We elicited their estimates of the impacts of a ventilation-filtration upgrade (VFU), that is, doubling the ventilation rate from 20 to 40 cfm/person (9.5 to 19 l/s/person) and upgrading from a minimum efficiency reporting value 6 to 11 filter, and compared responses to estimates derived from IAQ literature and energy modeling. Minorities of respondents thought the VFU would positively impact productivity (45%), absenteeism (23%), or health (39%). Respondents' annual VFU cost estimates (mean = $257, s.d. = $496, median = $75 per person) were much higher than ours (always <$32 per person), and the only yearly cost a plurality of respondents said they would pay for the VFU was $15 per person. Respondents holding green building credentials were not more likely to affirm the IAQ benefits of the VFU and were less likely to be willing to pay for it. M. Hamilton, A. Rackes,
Government, industry and public management of the seas in the 21st century

It is argued that conventional behaviour of government, industry, and the public in managing the seas is dysfunctional and must change. Industry manipulation of government regulatory processes, the public complacency that allows it, and its consequences are discussed. Resolving this problem will require industry to embrace a code of environmental ideals such as the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) principles. A new emerging ‘corporate environmentalism’ is discussed.