cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Osteocyte dysfunction and renal osteodystrophy: not just calcium and phosphorus anymore

In an important new cross-sectional analysis in this issue, Graciolli and colleagues present bone data from 148 adult patients across the spectrum of chronic kidney disease that confirm that disrupted osteocyte function and abnormal bone histology characterize all stages of chronic kidney disease and suggest that osteocytic Wnt signaling and osteocyte maturation may play a role in the pathogenesis of renal osteodystrophy. These concepts may alter how the skeletal, cardiovascular, and infectious complications of chronic kidney disease are managed.
In-situ neutron diffraction and crystal plasticity finite element modeling to study the kinematic stability of retained austenite in bearing steels

Abstract This work integrates in-situ neutron diffraction and crystal plasticity finite element modeling to study the kinematic stability of retained austenite in high carbon bearing steels. The presence of a kinematically metastable retained austenite in bearing steels can significantly affect the macro-mechanical and micro-mechanical material response. Mechanical characterization of metastable austenite is a critical component in accurately capturing the micro-mechanical behavior under typical application loads. Traditional mechanical characterization techniques are unable to discretely quantify the micro-mechanical response of the austenite, and as a result, the computational predictions rely heavily on trial and error or qualitative descriptions of the austenite phase. In order to overcome this, in the present work, we use in-situ neutron diffraction of a uniaxial tension test of an A485 Grade 1 bearing steel specimen. The mechanical response determined from the neutron diffraction analysis was incorporated into a hybrid crystal plasticity finite element model that accounts for the martensite's crystal plasticity and the stress-assisted transformation from austenite to martensite in bearing steels. The modeling response was used to estimate the single crystal elastic constants of the austenite and martensite phases. The results show that using in-situ neutron diffraction, coupled with a crystal plasticity model, can successfully predict both the micro-mechanical and macro-mechanical responses of bearing steels while accounting for the martensitic transformation of the retained austenite.
Role of Molecular Interactions and Protein Rearrangement in the Dissociation Kinetics of p38α MAP Kinase Type-I/II/III Inhibitors

Understanding the governing factors of fast or slow inhibitor binding/unbinding assists in developing drugs with preferred kinetic properties. For inhibitors with the same binding affinity targeting different binding sites of the same protein, the kinetic behavior can profoundly differ. In this study, we investigated unbinding kinetics and mechanisms of fast (type-I) and slow (type-II/III) binders of p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase, where the crystal structures showed that type-I and type-II/III inhibitors bind to pockets with different conformations of the Asp-Phe-Gly (DFG) motif. The work used methods that combine conventional molecular dynamics (MD), accelerated molecular dynamics (AMD) simulations, and the newly developed pathway search guided by internal motions (PSIM) method to find dissociation pathways. The study focuses on revealing key interactions and molecular rearrangements that hinder ligand dissociation by using umbrella sampling and post-MD processing to examine changes in free energ...
Recycling meal-ready-to-eat (MRE) pouches into polymer filament for material extrusion additive manufacturing

Abstract Millions of Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) are consumed annually by soldiers around the world. This results in the generation of thousands of tons of residual polymeric packaging waste, which is either left behind in the environment or otherwise recycled or incinerated at a cost of several millions of U.S. dollars per year. Advancements in distributed recycling technologies now allow for on-demand reconstitution of traditionally neglected MRE pouch waste into useful appliances via material extrusion additive manufacturing. In this work, we demonstrate recycling of MRE pouch materials through a combined compounding, filament extrusion, and fused filament fabrication (FFF) additive manufacturing protocol. Mechanical properties and barrier properties of additively manufactured structures were evaluated through tensile testing and water vapor transmission testing, respectively, and found to be comparable to the native pouch materials. Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Thermogravimetric Analysis of the extruded filament and printed materials were contrasted with native pouch materials, showing minimal effects of the manufacturing process on critical thermal transitions in the polymer. Economics and viability of on-demand reconstitution using these proposed methods are briefly discussed and reveal the multiple benefits of this recycling process.
Effects of a Robot Peer on the Acquisition and Observational Learning of Sight Words in Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The authors of the current investigation developed and evaluated the effects of a tutoring system based on a small-group arrangement to two young adults with autism spectrum disorder on the acquisi...
PROGRESS IN INTERPRETING THE PHASE TRANSITIONS OF SICKLE-CELL HEMOGLOBIN

Continuous viscosity measurements of high accuracy at very low shear rates have been used at a number of concentrations and temperatures to study the process of gelation of sickle-cell hemoglobin (HbS) both in the presence and absence of inositol hexaphosphate. The latter lowers the critical gelling concentration and also the length of the latent period by factors of about 2 and 30 respectively. The inhibition of gelling by Tris is also partially counteracted by IHP. It is shown that all of the viscosity phenomena may be explained by the requirement that an energetically unfavorable formation of nuclei consisting of 33 ± 6 tetramers precedes the rapid aggregation phase. Measurements have also been made of the solubility, enthalpies, entropies, and free energies of crystallization of crystals of deoxyHbS, with results that are in partial agreement with similar measurements for gels. Subsolubility concentrations of deoxyHbS can be made to crystallize by adding suitable amounts of deoxyHbA. Such additions increase the yield of crystals, i.e., diminish their solubility, at all concentrations of deoxyHbS. The interactions between sets of deoxyHbS tetramers are much stronger than between sets of deoxyHbA, but are not as strong as between deoxy A and S in sets of certain fixed ratios which may be related to the lattice geometry.
Communicating Product Recovery Activities

This chapter aggregates and clarifies various expressions in the product recovery literature. In some instances, practitioners and researchers have used these expressions with conflicting meanings. We intend to facilitate communication by establishing a common usage for the product recovery vocabulary.
Recent Advances in Experimental Methods of Cellular Force Sensing

Living cells employ a diversity of feedback mechanisms during their lifetime and generation of biomechanical force is one of them [1-3].
Efficacy of Incremental Reduction of Input Uncertainties to Improve Air Quality Prediction

Performance of an air quality prediction may suffer with problems due to uncertainties in meteorological forecasts, lack of event-based real-life emissions variations such as forest fires, and inaccurate dynamic boundary conditions representing effects of long-range transport events. The main objective of this article is to demonstrate the combined synergistic effect of incremental reduction of uncertainties in the model inputs for improving air quality predictions. Effects of improved meteorological inputs, emissions, and initial and boundary conditions, through the use of in-situ measurements and satellite-retrieved information are studied for the continental US domains utilizing the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. In this extended abstract, only the impacts of improved initial and boundary conditions are discussed.
High-Resolution Optical Measurements of Surface Roughness for Beta-Layered Deuterium-Tritium Solid Inside a Re-Entrant Copper Cylinder

A high-resolution optical imaging system and custom-designed image analysis software are used to make surface roughness measurements for deuterium-tritium (D-T) solid layers, equilibrated inside a ...
Microstructural stability of tantalum-alloyed ferritic-martensitic steel with neutron irradiation to 7.4 dpa at ~490 °C

Abstract Specimens of a reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic steel, called CNA1, were irradiated to 7.4 displacements per atom at ~490 °C in the High Flux Isotope Reactor. Vickers hardness and tensile properties revealed consistent softening that is attributed to some recovery during irradiation, with reduced laths and dislocation density. Detailed microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy showed radiation-induced dislocation loops, few cavities, and slight dissolution of M23C6 and MX precipitates. Partial amorphization was only observed in M23C6 precipitated in matrix. Transmutation somewhat destabilized M23C6 and MX, with a stronger effect on the later one by noticeable depletion of Ta with enriched W, which is consistent with the transmutation calculations. The microstructural evolution and associated strength changes were discussed with the assistance of computational thermodynamics.
Laser surface engineering of B4C/Fe nano composite coating on low carbon steel: Experimental coupled with computational approach

Abstract Laser surface engineering was successfully used to engineer a nano carbide composite coating on a low carbon steel substrate. Two powder precursors of B4C and B4C+ 4 wt% Fe were utilized with different laser powers and processing speeds. A smooth crack free coating layer was achieved with B4C+ 4 wt% Fe powder precursor. The phase evolution and microstructure characterization of the coating layer were conducted using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Microscopy observations revealed a fine dendritic microstructure consisting of α-Fe phase dendrites with nanosized B4C precipitates, while the interdendritic regions contained mainly Fe2B and Fe3C phases. The retention of B4C in the coating layer was observed only at high laser power with high scanning speed. This is due to the lower stability of B4C with respect to Fe2B and Fe3C phases as confirmed with density functional theory based thermodynamic calculations. The hardness increased nearly seven fold for the nano-composite coating compared to the steel substrate due to evolution of high hardness ceramic phases, in addition to the refinement of the microstructure. This laser coating has a high potential in advance engineering applications where a thick coating layer with high hardness is required.
An interdisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation program effectively treats impairment in sexual function, depression, alexithymia, and pain in women with chronic pelvic pain.

Purpose: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in women is often associated with marked emotional distress and disability, with particular impairments in sexual functioning. Research supports the efficacy of i...
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy as a predictor of neuropathic pain in breast cancer patients previously treated with paclitaxel

e20505 Background: Neuropathic pain (NP) remains difficult to control for a significant proportion of patients with cancer. Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is postulated as an ini...
The Role of Molecular Testing in Identifying Carbapenemase Producing Organisms: Implications for Infection Control and Prevention Strategies

Background As multi-drug resistance proliferates, healthcare institutions must implement antimicrobial stewardship processes to quickly identify and disarm the microscopic enemy. Infection control (IC) surveillance should consider incorporating molecular testing to rapidly identify resistance threats and implement appropriate infection control measures. Methods In 2014, a large metropolitan teaching hospital implemented gram-negative blood culture nucleic acid testing (BC-GN). A retrospective review by a multidisciplinary team consisting of an IC practitioner and an infectious disease (ID) pharmacist assessed timeliness of organism identification, the prevalence of Carbapenemase-producing (CP) markers and collaboration opportunities for improvement of antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Results BC-GN testing has increased the speed of identifying epidemiologically significant organisms by 81% from the time of laboratory receipt. Of identified Carbapenem-resistant isolates from blood cultures, 41% also expressed CP mechanisms. Additionally, 50% of patients identified with CP organisms had a previously confirmed Carbapenem-resistant isolate from non-blood specimens. In collaboration with ID pharmacist, specific types of CP mechanisms were found to be associated with specific antibiotic resistance patterns. Conclusions Implementation of molecular testing provides quick identification of isolates and epidemiologically significant genetic markers. Understanding the CP prevalence assists ID professionals with the information necessary to treat patients appropriately while enhancing antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Trending antibiotic resistance patterns in BC-GN specimens with confirmed CP mechanisms can aid in developing a proxy marker for non-blood specimens where molecular testing is not yet available.
Single trial dynamics of attentional intensity in visual area V4

Understanding how activity of visual neurons represents distinct components of attention and their dynamics that account for improved visual performance remains elusive because single-unit experiments have not isolated the intensive aspect of attention from attentional selectivity. We isolated attentional intensity and its single trial dynamics as determined by spatially non-selective attentional performance in an orientation discrimination task while recording from neurons in monkey visual area V4. We found that attentional intensity is a distinct cognitive signal that can be distinguished from spatial selectivity, reward expectations and motor actions. V4 spiking on single trials encodes a combination of sensory and cognitive signals on different time scales. Attentional intensity and the detection of behaviorally relevant sensory signals are well represented, but immediate reward expectation and behavioral choices are poorly represented in V4 spiking. These results provide a detailed representation of perceptual and cognitive signals in V4 that are crucial for attentional performance.
E-071 Neutropenia after intra-arterial chemotherapy for the treatment of retinoblastoma

Background and Purpose Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) infusion for the treatment of intraocular retinoblastoma is an effective and relatively safe therapeutic option.1–3 However, one of the well described systemic complications following IAC is neutropenia.4 The purpose of this retrospective study is to examine the incidence of neutropenia over the course of treatment for each patient, and to further analyze if the incidence is affected by systemic chemotherapy or number of chemotherapeutic agents used for IAC. Methods We retrospectively identified 76 patients from a neurointerventional database spanning 10 years (March 2010 - August 2020) who underwent 214 cycles of IAC. Patient demographics, treatment course, angiographic technique as well as pre and post procedural complete blood counts were extracted from the medical record. Neutropenia, including all grades I-IV, is defined by an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) equal to or less than 1.5 x 10(9)/L. Eleven patients who did not obtain a post-procedural complete blood count during their treatment course were excluded. The presence of postprocedural neutropenia was further subdivided based on whether systemic intravenous chemotherapy was administered as well as according to the number of intra-arterial chemotherapeutic agents. Results The overall incidence of neutropenia was 62% in our total patient cohort. There was no statistically significant difference between the incidence of neutropenia in patients who did and did not receive systemic chemotherapy. The majority of patients received two chemotherapeutic agents (melphalan and topotecan), of which 58% and 54% of patients experienced neutropenia with and without systemic chemotherapy, respectively. The highest incidence of neutropenia was 100%, in five patients who received systemic chemotherapy and a three agent intra-arterial regimen (melphalan, topotecan, carboplatin). Conclusion Neutropenia is a systemic toxicity in more than half of patients who receive IAC infusion for intraocular retinoblastoma, and does not significantly differ in patients who do and do not receive systemic chemotherapy. References Ammanuel S, Alexander MD, Damato B, et al. Improved procedural safety following protocol changes for selective ophthalmic arterial infusion of chemotherapy for treatment of ocular retinoblastoma. Interv Neuroradiol. 2018;24(3):345–350. Yousef YA, Soliman SE, Astudillo PPP, et al. Intra-arterial Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma: A Systematic Review. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;134(5):584–591. Monroy JE, Orbach DB, VanderVeen D. Complications of intra-arterial chemotherapy for retinoblastoma. Semin Ophthalmol. 2014;29(5–6):429–433. Dunkel IJ, Shi W, Salvaggio K, et al. Risk factors for severe neutropenia following intra-arterial chemotherapy for intra-ocular retinoblastoma. PLoS One. 2014;9(10):e108692. Disclosures A. Baker: None. S. Ammanuel: None. M. Caton: None. K. Narsinh: None. A. Ashfar: None. A. Banerjee: None. D. Cooke: None. C. Dowd: None. M. Amans: None. V. Halbach: None. R. Higashida: None. S. Hetts: None.
Genetic Control of Immune Response

In 1962 Humphrey and McDevitt (quoted by McDevitt and Sela 1965) made an important chance observation. While studying immunogenicity of certain synthetic polypeptides prepared and analyzed by Sela and his colleagues (see Sela 1969 for a review), they found a marked quantitative difference between two rabbit strains (Sandylops and Himalayans) in the ability to form antibodies against these antigens. The difference suggested that the antibody response to synthetic polypeptides was genetically controlled. Intrigued by this possibility and at the same time realizing the disadvantages of genetic studies on outbred rabbits, McDevitt began a genetic analysis of immune response, employing inbred strains and congenic mouse lines. McDevitt and his colleagues were soon able to demonstrate that the antibody response to synthetic polypeptides was, indeed, genetically controlled and, moreover, that it was determined primarily by a single, autosomal dominant gene (or gene cluster), immune response-1 (Ir-1),1 located within the H-2 complex. This was not the first report in the mouse to indicate that immune responsiveness was genetically controlled, but it was the first report to imply a relatively simple basis for genetic control. In all previous studies, the correlation between the responses of parents and offspring had been complex and difficult to interpret.
Isolation of a Bacterial Inhibitor from Green Olives

A compound inhibitory to lactic acid bacteria was isolated from green Manzanillo olives. The inhibitor is a phenolic compound, is devoid of acid-hydrolyzable reducing sugar, and has a bitter taste. Freezing the olives prior to extraction caused chemical changes which greatly increased the level of the inhibitor, whereas heating prior to freezing prevented its formation.
Nutrition Knowledge and Self-Efficacy among Classroom Teachers from a Large Urban School District in Los Angeles County

Purpose: School teachers play a critical role in providing nutrition information to students. Yet, in order for teachers to be a valuable source of nutrition information, they must be equipped with adequate knowledge to be able to convey accurate information to students. The purpose of this study was to assess nutrition-related knowledge and self-efficacy of teachers from a large urban school district in Los Angeles County. Methods: Using a convenience sample, 59 teachers from six elementary schools completed a one time only questionnaire assessing knowledge of food groups and self-efficacy to implement nutrition activities in the classroom. Differences in teachers’ responses to questions on knowledge and self-efficacy by demographics were also assessed. Results: The overall mean nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy scores were 50.4% and 71.4% respectively. Differences in nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy by demographic characteristics were observed. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that teachers in our sample did not have adequate levels of nutrition knowledge, and may not have possessed the necessary skills to effectively deliver nutrition education to their students. Current efforts to train and educate teachers on nutrition are perhaps falling short of the level needed to effect change in students’ dietary behaviors.
A broadly applicable method to characterize large DNA viruses and adenoviruses based on the DNA polymerase gene

Many viral pathogens are poorly characterized, are difficult to culture or reagents are lacking for confirmatory diagnoses. We have developed and tested a robust assay for detecting and characterizing large DNA viruses and adenoviruses. The assay is based on the use of degenerate PCR to target a gene common to these viruses, the DNA polymerase, and sequencing the products. We evaluated our method by applying it to fowl adenovirus isolates, catfish herpesvirus isolates, and largemouth bass ranavirus (iridovirus) from cell culture and lymphocystis disease virus (iridovirus) and avian poxvirus from tissue. All viruses with the exception of avian poxvirus produced the expected product. After optimization of extraction procedures, and after designing and applying an additional primer we were able to produce polymerase gene product from the avian poxvirus genome. The sequence data that we obtained demonstrated the simplicity and potential of the method for routine use in characterizing large DNA viruses. The adenovirus samples were demonstrated to represent 2 types of fowl adenovirus, fowl adenovirus 1 and an uncharacterized avian adenovirus most similar to fowl adenovirus 9. The herpesvirus isolate from blue catfish was shown to be similar to channel catfish virus (Ictalurid herpesvirus 1). The case isolate of largemouth bass ranavirus was shown to exactly match the type specimen and both were similar to tiger frog virus and frog virus 3. The lymphocystis disease virus isolate from largemouth bass was shown to be related but distinct from the two previously characterized lymphocystis disease virus isolates suggesting that it may represent a distinct lymphocystis disease virus species. The method developed is rapid and broadly applicable to cell culture isolates and infected tissues. Targeting a specific gene for in the large DNA viruses and adenoviruses provide a common reference for grouping the newly identified viruses according to relatedness to sequences of reference viruses and the submission of the sequence data to GenBank will build the database to make the BLAST analysis a valuable resource readily accessible by most diagnostic laboratories. We demonstrated the utility of this assay on viruses that infect fish and birds. These hosts are phylogenetically distant from mammals yet, sequence data suggests that the assay would work equally as well on mammalian counterparts of these groups of viruses. Furthermore, we demonstrated that obtaining genetic information on routine diagnostic samples has great potential for revealing new virus strains and suggesting the presence of new species.
Phosphoric Acids and Phosphates

Most commercial applications of phosphorus-containing materials are based on phosphoric acids and the phosphates. Uses, other than as fertilizer, include applications in detergency, foods and food processing, dental materials, dentifrices, metal surface treatments, flame retardency, etc. Structures and properties of orthophosphoric acid and condensed phosphoric acids are presented. The manufacture of technical- and food-grade phosphoric acids by thermal and wet acid purification processes, as well as some of the uses of the various phosphoric acids, are discussed. The chemistry and properties of orthophosphates and condensed phosphates are presented. Emphasis is placed on alkali metal and calcium salts and their solution properties. Properties specific to condensed phosphate salts such as hydrolysis and metal ion complexation are outlined. Manufacturing schemes for the phosphates are described and attention is given to the control of product properties. Keywords: phosphoric acids; ortho phosphoric acid; condensed; orthophosphates; pyrophosphates; phosphates; polyphosphates; phosphate salts; detergents; fertilizers
Some Illustrative Patients

In this chapter, we will present the evaluation and management of three illustrative patients, beginning with the case of the sick Tarzan, whose history and portions of a verbatim interview with whom were presented in Chapter 13. All of the cases presented in this chapter, including the “sick Tarzan,” are actual case histories. Of course, some identifying data have been changed for reasons of confidentiality.
Recurrent Intranodal Palisaded Myofibroblastoma With Metaplastic Bone Formation

Abstract Intranodal palisaded myofibroblastoma (IPM) is a rare primary nonlymphoid tumor of the lymph node, which can easily be mistaken for other spindle cell tumors. Intranodal palisaded myofibroblastoma is thought to arise from intranodal myofibroblasts, a finding that is supported by its immunophenotype, positive immunostaining for actin and vimentin, and negative immunostaining for desmin. Characterized by a benign clinical course, IPM is treated by simple surgical excision. We describe a 49-year-woman, who had cadaveric renal transplantation in 1992 and recurrent IPM 4½ years after its original excision. To our knowledge, this case represents only the second known case of recurrent IPM. The histologic feature of metaplastic bone formation in this case has not been previously described in IPM.
Effects of aerosol from biomass burning on the global radiation budget

An analysis is made of the likely contribution of smoke particles from biomass burning to the global radiation balance. These particles act to reflect solar radiation directly; they also can act as cloud condensation nuclei, increasing the reflectivity of clouds. Together these effects, although uncertain, may add up globally to a cooling effect as large as 2 watts per square meter, comparable to the estimated contribution of sulfate aerosols. Anthropogenic increases of smoke emission thus may have helped weaken the net greenhouse warming from anthropogenic trace gases.
The Impact of Elective Active-Learning Courses in Pregnancy/Lactation and Pediatric Pharmacotherapy

Objective. To implement and evaluate the impact of 2 elective courses, Pregnancy & Lactation and Pediatrics on student acquisition of knowledge and development of lifelong learning skills related to these special populations.Design. Two 3-credit elective courses were implemented using various student-driven learning techniques, such as case-based exercises, group presentations, pro-con debates, and pharmacist “grab bag” questions. Strong emphasis was placed on medication literature retrieval and analysis, and a wiki was used to create an electronic resource for longitudinal use.Assessment. Pre- and post-course tests showed significant improvement in knowledge related to pregnancy, lactation, and pediatrics. Pre- and post-course confidence and ratings on satisfaction survey tools also revealed significant improvement in several domains relating to lifelong-learning skills, knowledge related to medication use within these special populations, use of technology to enhance learning, and overall course design....
Evaluation of the Electrochemical Characteristics of a Poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) Polymer Blend

Abstract The polymer blend poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) (PVA/PAA) has been evaluated as a coating on graphite electrodes. The uptake of tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II), Ru(bpy) 3 2+ , by the film was monitored by cyclic voltammetry and was found to be pH dependent. A plot of current response versus pH is analogous to a titration curve of a mixture of acids with p K a values in the range of 4–6. At pH 1 where the PVA/PAA film is neutral, voltammograms of Ru(bpy) 3 2+ were comparable to ones recorded at a bare electrode. At pH 7, where the film is anionic because the carboxyl group is deprotonated, a current enhancement factor of 9 to 16 compared to a bare electrode was obtained. This pH-dependent behavior is also observable for plots of the peak separation versus pH in which E p of cyclic voltammograms increases with pH. The effect of different supporting electrolytes was investigated by measuring the current response with LiNO 3 , NaNO 3 , and KNO 3 over a range of pH. Cyclic voltammograms of Fe(CN) 6 3− showed that negatively charged species are rejected by the polymer film.
Statin Initiation Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Outcome of a Hospital Discharge Protocol

Study objectives To evaluate the outcome of a hospital discharge statin drug therapy initiation protocol following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Our goal was to measure the percentage of patients receiving statin drugs at hospital discharge and at a post-hospital discharge assessment following the implementation of the statin drug therapy initiation protocol. We also evaluated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal attainment (ie, Design Single-center, observational study with a historical control group. Setting University-affiliated health system with a comprehensive heart care program that included a 14-bed cardiac surgery ICU. Approximately 400 CABG procedures are performed annually. Patients Patients who underwent CABG surgery were eligible for inclusion in the study. The exclusion criteria were as follows: contraindications to statin therapy; refusal to take a statin drug; refusal to give informed consent; and age Intervention A protocol was implemented to recommend treatment with a statin drug at hospital discharge in all post-CABG surgery patients if the presurgical LDL-C level was > 100 mg/dL or the patient was receiving a statin prior to hospital admission. The protocol also included a presurgical assessment of lipoprotein levels and hepatic function. All cardiac surgery staff were educated regarding the specifics of the protocol. Results A total of 403 patients were included in the study. The historical control group (202 subjects) and the intervention group (201 subjects) were similar with respect to gender, age, and baseline lipoprotein levels. The follow-up assessment interval was approximately 6 months in both groups. Overall, patients were more likely to receive a statin at hospital discharge in the intervention group compared to the control group (relative risk [RR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 2.0). Attainment of the goal for LDL-C level was similar between the intervention and control groups in the overall sample. Patients who were not at their LDL-C goal at baseline were more likely to have a follow-up LDL-C level of Conclusion The initiation of therapy with a statin drug at hospital discharge following CABG surgery was associated with increased utilization rates. The LDL-C goal attainment improved in patients who were not at their goal prior to surgery. However, the persistence of medication use declined within 6 months. Statin therapy initiation was well-tolerated in this cohort of patients.
Mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of laser and electron-beam welds in V-4Cr-4Ti.

Mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of laser and electron-beam welds of a 500-kg heat of V4Cr4Ti were investigated in as-welded condition and after postwelding heat treatment by impact testing, microhardness measurement, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ductile-brittle transition temperatures of the laser and electron-beam welds were significantly higher than that of the base metal. However, excellent impact properties could be restored in both types of welds by postwelding annealing at 1000 C for 1 h in vacuum. Analysis by TEM revealed that annealed weld zones were characterized by extensive networks of fine V(C,O,N) precipitates, which clean away O, C, and N interstitial from the grain matrices. This process is accompanied by simultaneous annealing-out of the dense dislocations present in the weld zone. This finding could be useful in identifying an optimal welding procedure by controlling and adjusting the cooling rate of the weld zone by an innovative method to maximize the precipitation of V(C,O,N).
TACN−Amino Acid Conjugates and Their Copper(II) Complexes

Triazacyclononane (TACN) was coupled to glycine (LGly), alanine (LAla), and phenylalanine (LPhe) via standard solution phase peptide coupling techniques. Copper(II) complexes of these new ligand−amino acid conjugates, [(CuLGly)2](ClO4)4 (1), [(CuLAla)2Cl](ClO4)3 (2), and [Cu2LPheCl4] (3), were synthesized and characterized. The X-ray crystal structures of 2 and 3 were determined. Complex 2 is a dimeric species where LAla bridges between copper ions via its two TACN amine nitrogen atoms to one copper while the Ala terminal amine and carbonyl oxygen bind to the other copper. Complex 3 is bimetallic but only contains one LPhe ligand that bridges between the copper ions.
Tec kinases in T cell development: a clue behind the mask?

In this issue of Immunity , studies from Atherly et al. (2006) and Broussard et al. (2006) show that mice deficient in Tec kinases support development of a population of CD8 + T cells with "innate-immune" properties. The similarity of these cells to NKT and MHC-class-Ib-restricted T cells suggests a common developmental pathway.
Accuracy of alternative methods for describing experts’ knowledge of multiple influence domains

Accuracy of different methods for modeling experts’ knowledge of a domain with continuous additive relations among multiple variables was compared. Bootstrapped models of case judgments with premeasured cues were more accurate than models produced directly by the experts. Bootstrapped models of judgments were less accurate when experts perceived the cues than when the cues were measured for them, in two of three domains. A formal procedure for guiding the experts in producing the models did not improve accuracy, whereas correcting their slips did. More accurate use of a diagnostic (as opposed to predictive) cue-criterion relationship was observed when the experts judged cases perceptually than when they wrote abstract formulas.
Some Environmental Consequences of Vertical Migration in Marine ZOOPLANKTON1

Support for this research came from National Science Foundation Grant GB-2861, from the Marine Life Research Program (Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s part of the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations, sponsored by the Marine Research Committee of the State of California), and from the United States Steel Corporation.
Endogenous anxiety and stress responses in water maze and Barnes maze spatial memory tasks

The effects of abnormally high or low stress on learning are well established. The Barnes maze and Morris water maze are two commonly used tests of spatial memory, of which the water maze is considered more stressful; however, until now this has not been demonstrated empirically. In the present study, mice matched for performance on commonly used anxiety tasks were trained on either the Barnes maze or water maze or received no cognitive testing. Water-maze training induced greater increases in plasma corticosterone than did Barnes maze training, assessed 30 min after the final session. Importantly, spatial learning was inversely correlated with corticosterone levels in the water maze but not the Barnes maze, suggesting that performance on the water maze may be more affected by test-induced stress even within wild-type subjects of the same age and gender. These findings are important when considering the appropriate cognitive tasks for any experiment in which stress responses may differ systematically across groups.
Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy With Local Anesthesia can be Performed Safely and Cost-Efficiently

This prospective study was designed to assess the feasibility of performing the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids, or stapled hemorrhoidectomy, under local anesthesia supplemented with conscious sedation. Seventy consecutive patients (mean age, 56 years; 37 males) with Grade 3 or 4 hemorrhoids underwent the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids after perianal infiltration of 0.5 percent lidocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine and supplemental conscious sedation. The procedure was performed in an outpatient setting, with the patient being discharged within two hours of checking into the ambulatory facility. All patients were assessed the following day by telephone, and then in the office at three weeks and two months for degree of postoperative pain, bleeding, continence, and time back to work or social activities. Additionally, all excised mucosal anastomotic rings were analyzed for presence or absence of muscle. Each patient rated the pain as minimal or none. Five patients complained of mild, transient perineal pressure, and three complained of fecal urgency and seepage before their first office visit; one complained of external skin tags at the second office visit. All subjects were back to work or social activities within three to four days—most within 48 hours. Complications included urinary retention in five patients, two of whom had a concomitant urinary tract infection, and one had urosepsis requiring hospitalization. One patient required immediate reoperation for bleeding from the staple line. Another patient was admitted for postoperative bleeding and packed with a hemostatic agent the evening of surgery. Muscularis propria fibers were identified in 68 of 70 pathologic specimens. Administration of general, spinal, or epidural anesthesia for the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids is well described. This study suggests that the use of local anesthesia supplemented with conscious sedation for the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids yields results equivalent to those achieved with general or regional anesthesia without the attendant risks and additional costs. This study also suggests that the presence of muscle fibers in the pathologic specimen does not seem to lead to increased pain or impaired continence, although it was not specifically designed to address this issue.
Clue to diagnosis of neonatal urinary ascites: Relative radiolucency of liver shadow

Abstract About 25 per cent of neonatal ascites is caused by urinary tract disease. Opacification of the ascitic fluid by leakage of contrast material during cystography or intravenous urography may lead to striking relative radiolucency of the liver. This phenomenon may be an important clue to the differential diagnosis of the etiology of neonatal ascites.
Synchronization of complex switched delay dynamical networks with simultaneously diagonalizable coupling matrices

This paper studies local exponential synchronization of complex delayed networks with switching topology via switched system stability theory. First, by a common unitary matrix, the problem of synchronization is transformed into the stability analysis of some linear switched delay systems. Then, when all subnetworks are synchronizable, a delay-dependent sufficient condition is given in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) which guarantees the solvability of the synchronization problem under an average dwell time scheme. We extend this result to the case that not all subnetworks are synchronizable. It is shown that in addition to average dwell time, if the ratio of the total activation time of synchronizable and non-synchronizable subnetworks satisfy an extra condition, then the problem is also solvable. Two numerical examples of delayed dynamical networks with switching topology are given, which demonstrate the effectiveness of obtained results.
The use of selective deuteration for the sequence specific 1H NMR assignment of larger proteins

The possibility of extending NMR methods for structure determination to larger proteins (MW > 10 kD) depends on the development of isotopic labeling protocols for the simplification of their NMR spectra (isotopic spectral editing). We describe here the successful use of selective deuteration to obtain sequence specific assignments for (thus far) more than 50% of the residues of the trp repressor protein (25 kD). This is the largest protein for which detailed sequence specific assignments have been attempted to-date.
Overview of injuries in the young athlete

It is estimated that 30 million children in the US participate in organised sports programmes. As more and more children participate in sports and recreational activities, there has been an increase in acute and overuse injuries. Emergency department visits are highest among the school-age to young adult population. Over one-third of school-age children will sustain an injury severe enough to be treated by a doctor or nurse. The yearly costs have been estimated to be as high as 1.8 billion US dollars. There are physical and physiological differences between children and adults that may cause children to be more vulnerable to injury. Factors that contribute to this difference in vulnerability include: children have a larger surface area to mass ratio, children have larger heads proportionately, children may be too small for protective equipment, growing cartilage may be more vulnerable to stresses and children may not have the complex motor skills needed for certain sports until after puberty. The most commonly injured areas of the body include the ankle and knee followed by the hand, wrist, elbow, shin and calf, head, neck and clavicle. Contusions and strains are the most common injuries sustained by young athletes. In early adolescence, apophysitis or strains at the apophyses are common. The most common sites are at the knee (Osgood-Schlatter disease), at the heel (Sever's disease) and at the elbow (Little League Elbow). Non-traumatic knee pain is one of the most common complaints in the young athlete. Patellar Femoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) has a constellation of causes that include overuse, poor tracking of the patellar, malalignment problems of the legs and foot problems, such as pes planus. In the child, hip pathology can present as knee pain so a careful hip exam is important in the child presenting with an insidious onset of knee pain. Other common injuries in young athletes discussed include anterior cruciate ligament injuries, ankle sprains and ankle fractures. Prevention of sports and recreation-related injuries is the ideal. There are six potential ways to prevent injuries in general: (i) the pre-season physical examination; (ii) medical coverage at sporting events; (iii) proper coaching; (iv) adequate hydration; (v) proper officiating; and (vi) proper equipment and field/surface playing conditions.
Timing of motor cortical stimulation during planar robotic training differentially impacts neuroplasticity in older adults

Objective The objective was to determine how stimulation timing applied during reaching influenced neuroplasticity related to practice. Older adult participants were studied to increase relevance for stroke rehabilitation and aging.
Manipulation of nanoparticles using dynamic force microscopy: simulation and experiments

Dynamic force microscopy (DFM) in combina- tion with special-purpose probe control software is used as a manipulation tool for the precise positioning of single gold nanoparticles on a mica substrate covered with a poly-L- lysine film. Experimental results are presented that show how to construct arbitrary patterns of nanoparticles. The dy- namic state of the cantilever during the manipulation pro- cess is studied experimentally by analyzing the simultan- eously recorded non-contact amplitude and cantilever deflec- tion. Numerical simulations guide and supplement the ex- periments in order to provide a physical description of the manipulation mechanism. The results presented here show that the nanoparticles are pushed along the surface once a crit- ical contact force between tip and gold cluster is exceeded. In addition, a method for estimating the average separation between the tip apex and the sample in DFM is described.
Genes showing altered expression in the medial preoptic area in the highly social maternal phenotype are related to autism and other disorders with social deficits.

The mother-child relationship is the most fundamental social bond in mammals, and previous studies indicate that the medial preoptic area (MPOA) contributes to this increase in sociability. It is possible that the same genes that lead to elevated sociability in one condition (the maternal state) might also be dysregulated in some disorders with social deficits (e.g. autism). In this study, we examined whether there was enrichment (greater than chance overlap) for social deficit disorder related genes in MPOA microarray results between virgin and postpartum female mice. We utilized microarrays to assess large scale gene expression changes in the MPOA of virgin and postpartum mice. The Modular Single Set Enrichment Test (MSET) was used to determine if mental health disorder related genes were enriched in significant microarray results. Additional resources, such as ToppCluster, NIH DAVID, and weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to analyze enrichment for specific gene clusters or indirect relationships between significant genes of interest. Finally, a subset of microarray results was validated using quantitative PCR. Significant postpartum MPOA microarray results were enriched for multiple disorders that include social deficits, including autism, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. Together, 98 autism-related genes were identified from the significant microarray results. Further, ToppCluser and NIH DAVID identified a large number of postpartum genes related to ion channel activity and CNS development, and also suggested a role for microRNAs in regulating maternal gene expression. WGCNA identified a module of genes associated with the postpartum phenotype, and identified indirect links between transcription factors and other genes of interest. The transition to the maternal state involves great CNS plasticity and increased sociability. We identified multiple novel genes that overlap between the postpartum MPOA (high sociability) and mental health disorders with low sociability. Thus, the activity or interactions of the same genes may be altering social behaviors in different directions in different conditions. Maternity also involves elevated risks for disorders, including depression, psychosis, and BPD, so identification of maternal genes common to these disorders may provide insights into the elevated vulnerability of the maternal brain.
Evaluation of the memorial delirium assessment scale (MDAS) for the screening of delirium by means of simulated cases by palliative care health professionals

Background Delirium is among the most common neuropsychiatric complications of advanced cancer. The Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS) is a widely used and validated screening tool for delirium in cancer patients.