cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infliximab and pulmonary aspergillosis in ankylosing spondylitis

Summary Pulmonary apical fibrosis in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a risk factor for the development of mycobacterial and fungal infections. We report a case of a 49-year-old male with AS and pulmonary apical fibrosis, who developed necrotizing aspergillus infection 6 months after commencing infliximab therapy for peripheral joint arthropathy, who responded to a combination of antifungal therapy and surgery. This is the first reported case of invasive pulmonary aspergillus in association with infliximab in AS, and recognizes that caution is warranted, especially in treating the subgroup of AS patients with pulmonary apical fibrosis with TNFα modulating agents.
The strange physics of two-dimensional electrons in a strong magnetic field

Abstract This paper gives a brief review of some recent experiments on the localization-delocalization transition in the integral quantum Hall effect and the new quantum liquid ground states giving rise to the fractional quantum Hall effect.
An electron-optical system for the efficient operation of a constant energy mode π/4 electrostatic parallel plate electron analyzer

Two Einzel lenses are used in conjunction with an intermediately located deceleration grid arrangement to efficiently manipulate the shape and energy of an electron beam prior to the analyzer entrance slit. This system decelerates all electrons to be analyzed to a selectable transmission energy that is held constant for a given spectrum. The Einzel lens parameters are varied dynamically with the deceleration grid potential so that the desired electron energy band is focused and passed to the entrance slit. The cylindrical symmetry of the first lens enhances the intensity. The efficiency of detection is further aided by the planar symmetry of the second lens. The design of this variable band, selectable band width electron filter is discussed. Operational parameters and sample spectra are presented.
The effect of preoperative body mass index on outcome after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery.

Summary Purpose The increasing prevalence of obesity is a significant health care concern. Individuals with obesity, i.e., a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30, may have significant comorbid conditions that may increase the risk of general anesthesia and operative procedures. The rationale for the present investigation is to evaluate the importance of obesity on operative outcome in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy undergoing surgical treatment. Methods This study involved a retrospective analysis of 244 adult patients who underwent epilepsy surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota between 1990 and 1996. The mean age of patients at surgery was 35 years (range, 18–68 years). There were 108 male patients (44%). Seventy-three patients (30%) were overweight (BMI 26–29), 56 patients (23%) were obese (BMI 30–39), and nine patients (4%) had extreme obesity (BMI ≥ 40) at the time of surgery. Results The BMI was not predictive of the duration of intensive care unit or hospital stay following surgery, perioperative morbidity, or long-term seizure control following epilepsy surgery. Fifteen deaths occurred in the study period remote from the surgical procedure. The mortality during follow-up was increased for patients with extreme obese (p Conclusions The perioperative morbidity and seizure outcome following epilepsy surgery was independent of the patient's body weight. However, long-term mortality was significantly increased in the individuals with extreme obesity. The effect of morbid obesity on long-term quality of life after epilepsy surgery may need to be considered in selecting operative candidates.
Involving and educating base station physicians in paramedic programs

There is often misunderstanding and conflict between the emergency physician and paramedic team, particularly as a new system is being implemented. This paper outlines a four-pronged approach to reduce this conflict: 1) community physician involvement in protocol development by means of a Paramedic Policy and Procedures Committee; 2) clinical training of paramedics in community hospitals; 3) involvement of community physicians in primary training and by riding rescue squads; and 4) formulation of a base station physician course to familiarize physicians with radio technique, system operation, and paramedic field work. An outline of the base station physician course is given and discussed. The reactions and outcome of the course and the positive changes it made in both physician and paramedic attitudes are discussed.
Status of practice guidelines in the United States: CDC guidelines as an example.

Abstract Background Clinical practice guidelines have proliferated in the past several decades, starting with only a handful in the 1980s to over 1000 approved through The National Guideline Clearinghouse in 2002. Methods The purposes of this article to review research related to guideline adoption and impact and to make recommendations for assessing the outcomes of guidelines, using the CDC guideline process as an example. Results Despite the national movement toward standardization of evidence-based practice, few studies have been conducted to assess the costs of guideline development and implementation, and some practice guidelines have been implemented without concomitant assessment on patient outcomes and costs and benefits of changes in care. Conclusions An immediate mandate is to ensure that when guidelines are promulgated, they include an evaluation plan, developed by the implementer of the guideline, which takes advantage of existing qualitative and quantitative data and programs (e.g., patient-centered care, quality assurance, risk management) not limited to expensive and sophisticated clinical trials.
Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion is a common occurrence in cardiovascular surgery patients. Acute ischemia results in a spectrum of derangements, which range from transient reversible stunning of the myocardium to severe irreversible abnormalities such as infarction. Many of these abnormalities are accentuated upon reperfusion with oxygenated blood. Recently, the endothelium has been shown to play a key role in the injury suffered after ischemia and reperfusion. When rendered hypoxic and then reoxygenated, endothelial cells become activated to express proinflammatory properties that include the induction of leukocyte-adhesion molecules, procoagulant factors and vasoconstrictive agents that increase vasomotor tone. These changes may contribute to the no-reflow phenomenon by promoting endothelial edema, neutrophil and platelet plugging, microthrombosis, and enhanced vasomotor tone. An increased understanding of the role that hypoxic endothelial cell activation plays in myocardial dysfunction after ischemia/reperfusion may allow therapies to be designed to further attenuate this response.
The expanding spectrum of neurological phenotypes in children with ATP1A3 mutations, Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, Rapid-onset Dystonia-Parkinsonism, CAPOS and beyond.

Abstract Background ATP1A3 mutations have now been recognized in infants and children presenting with a diverse group of neurological phenotypes, including Rapid-onset Dystonia-Parkinsonism (RDP), Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), and most recently, Cerebellar ataxia, Areflexia, Pes cavus, Optic atrophy, and Sensorineural hearing loss (CAPOS) syndrome. Methods Existing literature on ATP1A3 -related disorders in the pediatric population were reviewed, with attention to clinical features and associated genotypes among those with RDP, AHC, or CAPOS syndrome phenotypes. Results While classically defined phenotypes associated with AHC, RDP, and CAPOS syndromes are distinct, common elements among ATP1A3 -related neurological disorders include characteristic episodic neurological symptoms and signs that vary in severity, duration, and frequency of occurrence. Affected children typically present in the context of an acute onset of paroxysmal, episodic neurological symptoms ranging from oculomotor abnormalities, hypotonia, paralysis, dystonia, ataxia, seizure-like episodes, or encephalopathy. Neurodevelopmental delays or persistence of dystonia, chorea, or ataxia after resolution of an initial episode are common, providing important clues for diagnosis. Conclusions The phenotypic spectrum of ATP1A3 -related neurological disorders continues to expand beyond the distinct yet overlapping phenotypes in patients with AHC, RDP, and CAPOS syndromes. ATP1A3 mutation analysis is appropriate to consider in the diagnostic algorithm for any child presenting with episodic or fluctuating ataxia, weakness or dystonia whether they manifest persistence of neurological symptoms between episodes. Additional work is needed to better identify and classify affected patients and develop targeted treatment approaches.
Duality and intersection theory in complex manifolds. I

We introduce the concept of a twisting cochain and a twisted complex associated to a coherent sheaf. For sheaves of submanifolds these twisted complexes are used to construct on cochain level the Grothendieck theory of dual class and Gysin map. These explicit constructions give, for instance, a local formula for dual class of higher codimensional submanifolds. We prove a refined version of the Hirzebruch Riemann Roch using such local formulas. We also prove a theorem on when global analytic intersection classes can be computed from first order geometric data. This theory will be used to prove the Holomorphic Lefschetz formula (in Part II) and the Hirzebruch Riemann Roch for analytic coherent sheaves.
Electrochemical Evaluation of a New Type of Corrosion Passivation Layer: Artificially Produced Al2O3 Films on Aluminum

A recently developed technique for the artificial production of an Al2O3 film on ultrahigh-purity polycrystalline Al samples was employed. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Auger electr...
Eliciting specific humoral immunity from a plasmid DNA encoding infectious bursal disease virus polyprotein gene fused with avian influenza virus hemagglutinin gene

DNA vaccine coding for infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) polyprotein gene and that for avian influenza virus (AIV) hemagglutinin (HA) gene have been shown to induce immunity and provide protection against the respective disease. The present study was carried out to determine whether an IBDV polyprotein gene-based DNA fused with AIV HA gene could trigger immune response to both IBDV and AIV. After transfection, VP2 and HA were detected in the cytoplasm and at cell membrane, respectively, by immunofluorescent antibody double staining method, suggesting the fusion strategy did not affect the location of protein expression. VP4 cleavage between VP2 and HA was confirmed by Western blot, indicating the fusion strategy did not affect VP4 function in transfected cells. After vaccination in chickens, the DNA construct VP24-HA/pcDNA induced ELISA and virus neutralizing antibodies against VP2 and hemagglutination inhibition antibody against the HA subtype. The results indicated that a single plasmid construct carrying IBDV VP243 gene-based DNA fused with AIV HA gene can elicit specific antibody responses to both IBDV and AIV by DNA vaccination.
Limited left ventricular response to volume overload in the neonatal period: a comparative study with the adult animal.

Summary: The unique fragility of the neonatal circulation in response to disease states and various physiologic stimuli is apparent clinically, although underlying mechanisms have not been explored. Accordingly, this report examines and compares the influence on cardiac performance of changes in left ventricular (LV) filling pressure in six conscious, unscdated newborn lambs studied serially at 1 and 3 weeks of age and five adult sheep. All animals were instrumented chronically to assess LV internal dimensions and pressures and cardiac output. At constant heart rate, infusion of saline to comparably high LV end diastolic pressure was associated in the younger newborns with significantly elevated mean arterial pressures (MAP), reduced LV stroke volume, stroke work, and mean fiber shortening when compared to older newborns or adults. A separate analysis of the LV pressure-dimension relationships showed lowest LV compliance in the youngest animals with a progressive increase with age. Thus, these results suggest that the youngest newborns have limited preload reserve related to reduced LV compliance. With volume infusion, sacromeres are stretched fully; the rise in peripheral resistance creates a mismatch between aftcrload and the level of inotropic state. These findings provide a framework for viewing cardiocirculatory adaptation to left-to-right shunt lesions in the human newborn and support the contention that age-dependent, disadvantageous myocardial mechanical factors play a critical role in their clinical course. Speculation: The determinants of LV performance can best be described in terms of preload, afterload, and contractile state. The dynamic transition after birth from a single, parallel fetal circulation into separate, independent pulmonary and systemic circuits imposes marked loading alterations on the left ventricle of the newborn. Thus, preload increases dramatically in parallel with a 3-to 4-fold augmentation in pulmonary blood flow; systemic vascular resistance rises when clamping the umbilical cord removes the low resistance placental circulation, and when constriction of the ductus arteriosus occurs. Of course, the presence of a cardiac malformation may further accentuate either preload or aftcrload.
Sodium remote from Io

Measurements of sodium emission lines originating in the middle Jupiter magnetosphere are measured, confirming the wide dispersal of neutral sodium in the Jovian system in at least two distinct manifestations. Candidate neutral transport processes in the context of the observed kinematical signatures are discussed. It is argued that the normal emission feature is produced by sodium atoms on bound elliptical orbits originating in the Io sodium cloud but with apojove in the field of view. Observations of the fast sodium feature indicate that atoms episodically acquire a broad range of line-of-sight velocities above the Jupiter gravitational escape speed and far above the speeds characteristic of surface-sputtered atoms. Three suggested reactions are distinguished according to (1) production rates based on estimated plasmaspheric properties, (2) kinematical signature, and (3) the timing of occurrences of the fast sodium feature.
An energy model for the optimal design of linear continuum structures

An analytical model is presented for the optimal design of linearly elastic continuum structures. To facilitate the expression of the combined analysis and design problem in general form, a basis is introduced covering a general set of energy invariants. Both internal (strain) energy and the expression of generalized cost are represented conveniently in terms of this basis, and as a result the optimality conditions for the design problem have a particularly simple form. Present developments comprise a reinterpretation and an extension of existing models where the design variable is the material modulus tensor, and where “cost” is represented in a general form. The conventional potential energy statement for linear continuum elastostatics is restated in the form of an isoperimetric problem, as a preliminary step. This interpretation of the mechanics is then incorporated in a max-min formulation applicable for the general design of linear continuum structures. To exemplify its application, the model is interpreted as it would apply for certain materials with particular geometric structure, e.g. crystalline forms. Also problems treated earlier where optimal material properties are predicted for the case where unit cost is proportional to the trace of the modulus tensor are identified as examples within the generalized formulation. The application of a recently developed technique to predict optimal black-white structures, i.e. designs having sharp topological features, is considered in the setting of the present generalized model.
Relative Ages of Pleistocene Moraines Discerned from Pebble Counts: Eastern Sierra Nevada, California

A modified Wolman pebble count, traditionally used in fluvial science, is used to assess relative ages for glacial moraines at Bloody and Sawmill canyons, eastern California. Results show statistically separable size distributions among surface deposits of five known moraine groups, with finer distributions associated with older deposits. Large variance in clast size prevents robust distinction of younger moraines, but not older moraines that are most difficult to date. Results contribute to ongoing debate about the locale's oldest age groups, with Mono Basin predating Tahoe 1 moraines.
Global HIV Epidemiology: A Guide for Strategies in Prevention and Care

Global trends in HIV incidence are estimated typically by serial prevalence surveys in selected sentinel populations or less often in representative population samples. Incidence estimates are often modeled because cohorts are costly to maintain and are rarely representative of larger populations. From global trends, we can see reason for cautious optimism. Downward trends in generalized epidemics in Africa, concentrated epidemics in persons who inject drugs (PWID), some female sex worker cohorts, and among older men who have sex with men (MSM) have been noted. However, younger MSM and those from minority populations, as with black MSM in the United States, show continued transmission at high rates. Among the many HIV prevention strategies, current efforts to expand testing, linkage to effective care, and adherence to antiretroviral therapy are known as "treatment as prevention" (TasP). A concept first forged for the prevention of mother to child transmission, TasP generates high hopes that persons treated early will derive considerable clinical benefits and that lower infectiousness will reduce transmission in communities. With the global successes of risk reduction for PWID, we have learned that reducing marginalization of the at-risk population, implementation of nonjudgmental and pragmatic sterile needle and syringe exchange programs, and offering of opiate substitution therapy to help persons eschew needle use altogether can work to reduce the HIV epidemic. Never has the urgency of stigma reduction and guarantees of human rights been more urgent; a public health approach to at-risk populations requires that to avail themselves of prevention services and they must feel welcomed.
The Role of the Research‐Based Pharmaceutical Industry in Medical Progress in the United States

The development of innovative new drugs is a time-consuming, expensive, and risky process. Despite these challenges, the pharmaceutical industry has been remarkably successful in developing a broad range of important new medicines. This report examines several aspects of new drug development in the pharmaceutical industry and provides a quantitative evaluation of the role of the drug industry in medical progress. Results indicate that of the 196 new chemical entities approved by the FDA from 1981 through 1990, the source of 92% was the pharmaceutical industry. Within the industry, there was a sizeable increase in the level of clinical research activity (based on the number of investigational new drug [IND] filings) from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s; moreover, for U.S.-owned firms IND filings increased 46% between 1976 and 1989. Analysis by therapeutic category indicates that much of this clinical research activity was directed towards the development of drugs for cardiovascular disease and mental illness, and more recently towards the treatment of cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). These represent therapeutic areas in which there is an urgent need for new and more effective medicines. The high level of research activity was also reflected in the relative number of drug approvals in these areas. It is hoped that the present findings will contribute to the current debate on drug policy issues and encourage policy-makers to consider what impact proposed health care policies might have on pharmaceutical innovation.
The history of bioethics : An essay review

L'histoire, le contenu et la professionalisation de l'ethique medicale et de la bioethique sont analyses dans de nombreux ouvrages que l'A. decrit
The sidewall angle dependence of CDSEM measurements and its impact on CD process control

The CD measurements from CDSEMs is a two-step process, the first being the pixel based electron emission signal intensity profile generation and the second the algorithm treatment on the generated intensity profile for the dimension determination. Secondary electron emission is currently the most common choice for signal intensity profile generation due to its relatively high signal-to-noise ratio at low landing energy range and the maturity of detector designs than the backscattered electron collections. It is known that the secondary electron emission depends on feature topography. The pixel based intensity profile bears the signature of feature topography. Therefore, the following algorithm processing for CD derivation cannot be free from the feature topographic influence. In this study, we elect isolated resist line as our feature with the resist sidewall angle the major topographical contributor. A set of FEM wafers are exposed at a fixed CD node and the process window is identified for sampling range identification. A profile CDAFM is used as a reference tool for resist height, CD, and sidewall angle measurement. The range of sidewall angle variation in the process window is identified by CDAFM as the reference. Various locations in the process window are measured by CDAFM and CDSEM, and the ratios of the same metrology information are plotted as function of sidewall angle deviation from vertical profile. In this paper, the sidewall angle dependence of derivative based CDSEM algorithm will be identified and the impact of CD measurement dependence on sidewall angle on process control will be discussed. This paper aims to generate a guide for process engineers to perform better process control through the quantification of sidewall angle influence. This paper will also address the need of the development of new CDSEM algorithm which compensates sidewall angle influence.
Two stages of learning by children and adults

Repeated attempts to retrieve a 20-item list, without confounding by any further presentation of items after their first recall, were used to show that verbal learning by children and adults can be analyzed in terms of two stages of (item and list) learning, amplifying previous analysis in terms of storage, retention, and retrieval from long-term storage. Two separate stages of learning are indicated by the failure of retrieval to increase until the abrupt onset of perfectly consistent spontaneous retrieval.
Determinants of the severity of passenger vessel accidents

This study investigates determinants of the number of injured, deceased and missing occupants and the damage cost of passenger vessel accidents that were investigated by the US Coast Guard for the years 1991–2001. Negative binomial and Poisson regression estimates suggest that: (1) passenger-freight combination vessel accidents incur greater injuries than other types of passenger vessels, (2) deaths are greater when precipitation weather and poor visibility exist and (3) missing occupants are greater for capsize accidents and larger the vessel. The damage cost per vessel gross ton is less for ocean cruise and steel-hulled vessels. The major conclusion of the study is that human (as opposed to environmental and vessel) causes of passenger vessel accidents result in increases in the number of injured, deceased and missing occupants.
Sorivudine A promising drug for the treatment of varicella-zoster virus infection

Sorivudine provides a unique nucleoside analog with significantly enhanced both in vitro and in vitro activity and enhanced oral bioavailability. Early indications from controlled studies indicate that sorivudine therapy is superior to acyclovir for the treatment of localized zoster in individuals with HIV infection and adults with chicken pox. However, these studies await peer evaluation. Importantly, recent experience in Japan indicates administration of sorivudine with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is contraindicated. Sorivudine inhibits dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, which is required for the metabolism of 5-FU. As a consequence, toxic levels of 5-FU accumulate in the plasma and have led to the deaths of nearly 30 patients in Japan. One might question, as these data unfold, the relative value of drugs with such enhanced in vitro activity and oral bioavailability as compared with standard therapeutic agents. Should accelerated healing occur, but not as dramatically as would have been anticipated from the in vitro data, unique approaches to the management of herpes zoster will need to be developed if further improvement is desired. Regardless, sorivudine appears superior to acyclovir for acceleration of cutaneous healing and, importantly, can be administered once daily in significantly smaller concentrations. These findings in and of themselves should allow for licensure of the compound in other developed societies.
The CcpA protein is necessary for efficient sporulation and enterotoxin gene (cpe) regulation in Clostridium perfringens

Clostridium perfringens is the cause of several human diseases, including gas gangrene (clostridial myonecrosis), enteritis necroticans, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and acute food poisoning. The symptoms of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and acute food poisoning are due to sporulation-dependent production of C. perfringens enterotoxin encoded by the cpe gene. Glucose is a catabolite repressor of sporulation by C. perfringens. In order to identify the mechanism of catabolite repression by glucose, a mutation was introduced into the ccpA gene of C. perfringens by conjugational transfer of a nonreplicating plasmid into C. perfringens, which led to inactivation of the ccpA gene by homologous recombination. CcpA is a transcriptional regulator known to mediate catabolite repression in a number of low-G+C-content gram-positive bacteria, of which C. perfringens is a member. The ccpA mutant strain sporulated at a 60-fold lower efficiency than the wild-type strain in the absence of glucose. In the presence of 5 mM glucose, sporulation was repressed about 2,000-fold in the wild-type strain and 800-fold in the ccpA mutant strain compared to sporulation levels for the same strains grown in the absence of glucose. Therefore, while CcpA is necessary for efficient sporulation in C. perfringens, glucose-mediated catabolite repression of sporulation is not due to the activity of CcpA. Transcription of the cpe gene was measured in the wild-type and ccpA mutant strains grown in sporulation medium by using a cpe-gusA fusion (gusA is an Escherichia coli gene encoding the enzyme β-glucuronidase). In the exponential growth phase, cpe transcription was two times higher in the ccpA mutant strain than in the wild-type strain. Transcription of cpe was highly induced during the entry into stationary phase in wild-type cells but was not induced in the ccpA mutant strain. Glucose repressed cpe transcription in both the wild-type and ccpA mutant strain. Therefore, CcpA appears to act as a repressor of cpe transcription in exponential growth but is required for efficient sporulation and cpe transcription upon entry into stationary phase. CcpA was also required for maximum synthesis of collagenase (kappa toxin) and acted as a repressor of polysaccharide capsule synthesis in the presence of glucose, but it did not regulate synthesis of the phospholipase PLC (alpha toxin).
Meiosis and the Evolution of Recombination at Low Mutation Rates

The classical understanding of recombination is that in large asexual populations with multiplicative fitness, linkage disequilibrium is negligible, and thus there is no selective agent driving an allele for recombination. This has led researchers to recognize the importance of synergistic epistatic selection in generating negative linkage disequilibrium that thereby renders an advantage to recombination. Yet data on such selection is equivocal, and various works have shown that synergistic epistasis per se, when left unquantified in its magnitude or operation, is not sufficient to drive the evolution of recombination. Here we show that neither it, nor any mechanism generating negative linkage disequilibrium among fitness-related loci, is necessary. We demonstrate that a neutral gene for recombination can increase in frequency in a large population under a low mutation rate and strict multiplicative fitness. We work in a parameter range where individuals have, on average, less than one mutation each, yet recombination can still evolve. We demonstrate this in two ways: first, by examining the consequences of recombination correlated with misrepaired DNA damage and, second, by increasing the probability of recombination with declining fitness. Interestingly, the allele spreads without repairing even a single DNA mutation.
Connected-diagram expansion of transport coefficients—I. Electron-impurity system

Abstract A connected-diagram expansion method is applied in the evaluation of the correlation function formulas for transport coefficients of an electron-impurity system. This method does not utilize any special representation and is applicable whether the system is subjected to a time-dependent or time-independent electric field and whether or not it is subjected to a constant magnetic field. The connection between the correlation function formula and the generalized transport equation of Kohn and Luttinger (3) is clarified. The first density correction to the conventional formula for the static conductivity of a weak-coupling system is explicitly formulated in integrals with the assumption of a more realistic distribution of impurities than the usual uniform distribution. The expansion in powers of the impurity density, whose validity may be questioned in the light of recent controversies over the virial expansion of transport coefficients of a classical gas, does not seem to lead to difficulties for weak, short-range impurity potentials. The cases of dynamic conductivity and magnetoresistance are discussed in terms of generalized transport equations.
Children and Privacy: Choice, Control, and Access in Home Environments

This article examines privacy in the home environments of families who have young children with disabilities. Literature supports the importance of privacy in developing self-identity and autonomy in children with disabilities. Early experiences with privacy help develop a sense of self-esteem and help define the range, limits, and consequences of individual autonomy. Data from parent interviews, surveys, and home observations of 32 families who have children (age 3-10) with disabilities are analyzed. Results describe opportunities for being alone; choice, control, and access in bedrooms; privacy during toileting or bathing; and privacy-promoting modifications. Parents agree that privacy is important; however, it is being restricted by access and control in the environment. A majority of children have some control and opportunity for choice making in their bedrooms. Privacy in the bathroom is most difficult. The findings suggest that parents are cognizant of the need for privacy, but the physical environm...
In vitro antimicrobial activity of various medication preparations on E. faecalis in root canal dentin.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of several medication preparations in root canal dentin infected with Enterococcus faecalis. Roots of extracted bovine incisors were prepared to standardized cylindrical test specimens, 5 mm in height. The smear layer was removed and the samples were autoclaved and then incubated at 37°C/5% CO2 for 24 h in brain-heart infusion (BHI) broth containing 7.0 × 104 colony forming units per ml of E. faecalis. The samples were washed in phosphate buffered saline and mounted to individual culture wells with sticky wax. Test medications were applied to fill the canal lumina; medication groups were: (a) sterile H2O (positive control); (b) a 10% mixture of 1.0 g Ca(OH)2 USP in 10 ml sterile H2O; (c) 10% Ca(OH)2 in 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate (Peridex); (d) Peridex; and (e) uninoculated BHI (negative control). The samples were incubated at 37°C/5% CO2 for 24 h. Dentin samples for quantitative microbiology were then obtained with consecutive sterile burs (ISO 029, 035, 042). All three experimental groups demonstrated significantly greater antimicrobial activity than the positive control (p
Parathyroid hormone stimulates formation of inositol phosphates in a membrane preparation of canine renal cortical tubular cells

Recent studies have shown that, in addition to its well-known action to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity, parathyroid hormone (PTH) may stimulate the inositol phosphate second messenger system in its target tissues, bone and kidney. We have developed a membrane preparation of canine renal cortex to test this hypothesis. We also have examined the potential role of guanine nucleotides on the formation of inositol phosphates (IPs) in this tissue. Collagenase-dispersed tubules were labeled with [3H]inositol, and membranes containing labeled phospholipase C (PLC) substrates ([3H]phosphatidyl inositol, [3H]phosphatidylinositol monophosphate, and [3H]phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate) were prepared. bPTH-(1-34) (100 nM) rapidly increased levels of all measured [3H]IPs (IP1, IP2, and IP3) 1.6-1.7-fold within the first 30 s of stimulation. The half-maximal concentration for the response to bPTH-(1-34) was approximately 8 nM. GTP gamma S (100 microM), a nonhydrolyzable analog of GTP, also increased levels of the three [3H]IPs (1.8 to 2.8-fold). The half-maximal concentration for the response to GTP gamma S was approximately 30 microM. In the presence of GTP gamma S, bPTH-(1-34) increased levels of IPs by up to 2.7 times more than GTP gamma S alone. The results indicate that bPTH-(1-34) can stimulate the formation of inositol phosphates in the kidney and suggest that PTH may activate a receptor coupled to this effect through a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein.
Feud: Hatfields, McCoys, and Social Change in Appalachia, 1860-1900

The Hatfield-McCoy feud, the entertaining subject of comic strips, popular songs, movies, and television, has long been a part of American folklore and legend. Ironically, the extraordinary endurance of the myth that has grown up around the Hatfields and McCoys has obscured the consideration of the feud as a serious historical event. In this study, Altina Waller tells the real story of the Hatfields and McCoys and the Tug Valley of West Virginia and Kentucky, placing the feud in the context of community and regional change in the era of industrialization. Waller argues that the legendary feud was not an outgrowth of an inherently violent mountain culture but rather one manifestation of a contest for social and economic control between local people and outside industrial capitalists -- the Hatfields were defending community autonomy while the McCoys were allied with the forces of industrial capitalism. Profiling the colorful feudists "Devil Anse" Hatfield, "Old Ranel" McCoy, "Bad" Frank Phillips, and the ill-fated lovers Roseanna McCoy and Johnse Hatfield, Waller illustrates how Appalachians both shaped and responded to the new economic and social order. |Wetherington examines the local effects of the Civil War on a section of southern Georgia, in part of the region known as Wiregrass Country. The author looks closely at the experiences of white "plain folk"--mostly yeoman farmers and craftspeople--who feared that emancipation would encourage freed slaves to move from cotton plantations into the piney woods communities they had claimed for themselves.
Anxiety in medically ill older patients: a review and update.

Objective:The authors review the evaluation and treatment of anxiety symptoms in elderly patients, with particular emphasis on elderly patients with chronic medical illness.Methods:A computer searc...
Information-bit, information-symbol, and decoded-symbol error rates for linear block codes

There are two types of bounded-distance decoders for linear block codes: erasing decoders that discard uncorrectable received words, and reproducing decoders that reproduce uncorrectable received words. Exact expressions for the information-symbol and decoded-symbol error rates are derived for both types. Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the quality of the information-symbol and decoded symbol error rates, It is formally proved that these two error rates are equal for cyclic codes with either erasing or reproducing decoders. For reproducing decoders, two approximations to the information-bit error rate and their applicability are examined. >
Educational Differences in U.S. Adult Mortality: A Cohort Perspective.

We use hierarchical cross-classified random-effects models to simultaneously measure age, period, and cohort patterns of mortality risk between 1986 and 2006 for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic...
A survey of managed honey bee colony losses in the USA, fall 2009 to winter 2010

SummaryThis study records the fourth consecutive year of high winter losses in managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in the USA. Over the winter of 2009–2010, US beekeepers responding to this survey lost an average of 42.2% of their colonies, for a total loss of 34.4%. Commercial beekeepers (those operating more than 500 colonies) experienced lower total losses as compared to sideline and backyard beekeepers. Similarly, operations that maintained colonies in more than one state and operations that pollinated almond orchards over the survey period had lower total losses than operations either managing colonies in one state exclusively or those not pollinating almonds. On average beekeepers consider acceptable losses to be 14.5%, and 65% of all responding beekeepers suffered losses in excess of what they considered acceptable. The proportion of operations that experienced losses and reported having no dead bees in their colonies or apiaries was comparable to that reported in the winter of 2008–2009. M...
Molecular mechanisms regulating iNOS expression in various cell types

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) has been shown to be present in a variety of cell types, and nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in a multitude of biological functions. The purpose of this review is twofold: (1) to provide a comprehensive table of cell types that produce NO together with the effects of agents used to study iNOS regulation, as a ready reference for the investigators in the field; and (2) to summarize recent observations dealing with iNOS signal transduction mechanisms. Initially, the major regulation of NO production was believed to occur at the transcription step, but now it is recognized that NO regulation can occur at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional, translational, and posttranslational level. There have been a number of studies of the regulation of iNOS in various cell types, often yielding conflicting results. The major emphasis of this review is on iNOS signal transduction mechanisms. For example, the role of JAK kinases and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases in iNOS regulation is elaborated. In addition, species differences in the iNOS promoter region and the role of RNA structure in iNOS expression is discussed. The role MAP kinases play in translational regulation in addition to transcriptional regulation is emphasized. An analysis of the current data and suggestions for future studies are also presented.
Sweat-patch test for alcohol consumption: rapid assay with an electrochemical detector.

The sweat-patch test monitors the amount of alcohol consumed over a number of days. A new method is described for rapid assay of ethanol in the sweat-patch, using a hand-held electrochemical detector (Alco-Sen-sor III). The head-space assay technique is sensitive and highly linear, and may be used in an office setting with no additional laboratory equipment. Using this method, it is possible to obtain clinically useful information at the time of an office visit concerning the patient's alcohol consumption during the preceding week.
Expression of CD163 in dermatofibroma, cellular fibrous histiocytoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: comparison with CD68, CD34, and Factor XIIIa.

Background Distinction between cellular fibrous histiocytomas (FHs) with a deep component and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSPs) can pose diagnostic problems. While CD68, CD34, and Factor XIIIa are helpful in distinguishing between these entities, none are diagnostically absolute. Recent work with CD163, a hemoglobin scavenger receptor, has demonstrated that this marker has high specificity for monocytes, macrophages, and histiocytes. Our goal is to evaluate the utility of CD163 in the diagnosis of dermatofibromas (DFs), cellular FHs, and DFSPs. Methods Sixty cases including 19 DFs, 23 cellular FHs with a deep component, and 18 DFSPs were tested with antibodies against CD163, CD68, CD34, and Factor XIIIa. Results CD163 was expressed in 17/19 (89%) DFs, 23/23 (100%) cellular FHs, and 3/18 (17%) DFSPs. CD68 was positive in 8/19 (42%) DFs, 19/23 (83%) cellular FHs, and 1/16 (6%) DFSPs. CD34 was expressed in 1/19 (5%) DFs, 5/23 (22%) cellular FHs, and 100% of DFSPs. Factor XIIIa labeled 4/19 (21%) DFs, 11/23 (48%) cellular FHs, and 0/17 cases of DFSPs. Conclusions CD163 expression is helpful in distinguishing between cellular FHs and DFSPs and will be useful in a panel of antibodies when these entities are in the differential diagnosis. Sachdev R, Sundram U. Expression of CD163 in dermatofibroma, cellular fibrous histiocytoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: comparison with CD68, CD34, and Factor XIIIa.
Predictive Value of MRI Findings for the Identification of a Hernia Sac in Fetuses With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to identify MRI features of diaphragmatic hernia sac, as well as to assess the accuracy of diagnosing a sac prenatally. MATERIALS AND METHODS. All fetal MRI examinations performed for intrapleural congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) from 2004 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed by two pediatric radiologists blinded to the hernia sac status (defined intraoperatively or at autopsy). Reviewers noted whether a sac was present on the basis of identification of the following four MRI findings: 1, meniscus of lung posterior or apical to the hernia contents; 2, encapsulated appearance of hernia contents, exerting less than expected mass effect on the heart and mediastinum; 3, presence of pleural fluid outlining a sac from above; and 4, presence of ascites outlining a sac from below. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each finding and for various combinations. Contingency tables, chi-square ...
Sentiment analysis of short informal texts

We describe a state-of-the-art sentiment analysis system that detects (a) the sentiment of short informal textual messages such as tweets and SMS (message-level task) and (b) the sentiment of a word or a phrase within a message (term-level task). The system is based on a supervised statistical text classification approach leveraging a variety of surface-form, semantic, and sentiment features. The sentiment features are primarily derived from novel high-coverage tweet-specific sentiment lexicons. These lexicons are automatically generated from tweets with sentiment-word hashtags and from tweets with emoticons. To adequately capture the sentiment of words in negated contexts, a separate sentiment lexicon is generated for negated words. The system ranked first in the SemEval-2013 shared task 'Sentiment Analysis in Twitter' (Task 2), obtaining an F-score of 69.02 in the message-level task and 88.93 in the term-level task. Post-competition improvements boost the performance to an F-score of 70.45 (message-level task) and 89.50 (term-level task). The system also obtains state-of-the-art performance on two additional datasets: the SemEval-2013 SMS test set and a corpus of movie review excerpts. The ablation experiments demonstrate that the use of the automatically generated lexicons results in performance gains of up to 6.5 absolute percentage points.
Hypercholesterolemia and a candidate gene within the 12q24 locus.

The 12q24 locus entails at least one gene responsible for hypercholesterolemia. Within the 12q24 locus lies the gene of proteasome modulator 9 (PSMD9). PSMD9 is in linkage with type 2 diabetes (T2D), T2D-nephropathy and macrovascular pathology in Italian families and PSMD9 rare mutations contribute to T2D. In the present study, we aimed at determining whether the PSMD9 T2D risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) IVS3 + nt460 A > G, IVS3 + nt437 T > C and E197G A > G are linked to hypercholesterolemia in 200 T2D Italian families. We characterized 200 Italian families for presence and/or absence of hypercholesterolemia characterized by LDL levels ≥ 100 mg/dl in drug-naive patients and/or presence of a diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia in a patient treated with statin medication. The phenotypes were described as unknown in all cases in which the diagnosis was either unclear or the data were missing. We tested in the 200 Italians families for evidence of linkage of the PSMD9 SNPs with hypercholesterolemia. The non-parametric linkage analysis was performed for the qualitative phenotype by using the Merlin software; the Lod score and correspondent P-value were calculated. For the significant linkage score, 1000 replicates were performed to calculate the empirical P-value. The PSMD9 gene SNPs studied show linkage to hypercholesterolemia. The results are not due to random chance. PSMD9 should be tested in all populations reporting linkage to hypercholesterolemia within the chromosome 12q24 locus. The impact of this gene on hypercholesterolemia and contribution to cardio- and cerebrovascular events may be high.
Understanding The American Public's Health Priorities: A 2006 Perspective

Opinion surveys conducted in 2006 show that health care is an important but second-tier issue in terms of priorities for government action. Americans’ top health care concerns are mostly related to economic insecurity: rising costs and the problems of the uninsured. The biggest perceived health threats are cancer, HIV/AIDS, and avian flu. Although most Americans do not think that the health system is in crisis, the public remains dissatisfied with both the country’s health care and public health systems. These attitudes are likely to create a climate that is supportive of increased health spending and substantial policy changes.
Determining Which Delivery Styles Are Best Suited For Instructing In The Distance Learning Environment

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if there is a specific style of teaching which is better suited for the distance learning (virtual) environment, as opposed to the traditional classroom environment. Numerous studies have shown that individuals have different delivery styles in the classroom. The study utilized instructor delivery styles and faculty perceptions of distance learning programs to develop an instrument which identifies the style that would be more successful in the distance learning environment. The study employed an author developed instrument, which included a derivative of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI) instrument, to determine the teaching style of the instructor. Results of the study concluded that while there will always be exceptions, the instrument developed in the study will provide an indication of which instructors are better suited for the virtual environment.
Second-Order Perturbations for Solitons

A singular perturbation theory for nonlinear Schrodinger solitons is extended into second order. There are certain subtle points which occur in second-order, and these are detailed and described.