cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biochemical aspects of cardiac muscle differentiation. Determination of deoxyribonucleic acid template availability and 3′-hydroxyl termini in nuclei and chromatin by using exogenous deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases

Experiments were designed to determine whether DNA synthesis ceases in terminally differentiating cardiac muscle of the rat because the activity of the putative replicative DNA polymerase (DNA polymerase α) is lost or whether the activity of this enzyme is lost because DNA synthesis ceases. DNA-template availability and 3′-hydroxyl termini in nuclei and chromatin, isolated from cardiac muscle at various times during the developmental period in which DNA synthesis and the activity of DNA polymerase α are decreasing, were measured by using Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, Micrococcus luteus DNA polymerase and DNA polymerase α under optimal conditions. Density-shift experiments with bromodeoxyuridine triphosphate and isopycnic analysis indicate that DNA chains being replicated semi-conservatively in vivo continue to be elongated in isolated nuclei by exogenous DNA polymerases. DNA template and 3′-hydroxyl termini available to exogenously added DNA polymerases do not change as cardiac muscle differentiates and the rate of DNA synthesis decreases and ceases in vivo. Template availability and 3′-hydroxyl termini are also not changed in nuclei isolated from cardiac muscle in which DNA synthesis had been inhibited by administration of isoproterenol and theophylline to newborn rats. DNA-template availability and 3′-hydroxyl termini, however, were substantially increased in nuclei and chromatin from cardiac muscle of adult rats. This increase is not due to elevated deoxyribonuclease activity in nuclei and chromatin of the adult. Electron microscopy indicates that this increase is also not due to dispersal of the chromatin or disruption of nuclear morphology. Density-shift experiments and isopycnic analysis of DNA from cardiac muscle of the adult show that it is more fragmented than DNA from cardiac-muscle cells that are, or have recently ceased, dividing. These studies indicate that DNA synthesis ceases in terminally differentiating cardiac muscle because the activity of a replicative DNA polymerase is lost, rather than the activity of this enzyme being lost because DNA synthesis ceases.
The Role of the Salesperson in Delivering Customer Value

Salespeople in business-to-business markets are a key component in creating and delivering customer value. This manuscript examines the role of the salesperson in creating and delivering customer value by employing means-end theory. A conceptual model is developed examining customer value delivered by salespeople. This model is the basis of a matrix identifying generalizable functional and psychological consequences delivered by salespeople. From these models, a methodology is proposed and discussed for further exploration.
Plant Nickel Metabolism

Interactions between nickel ions and plants are diverse and agriculturally significant (Mishra and Kar, 1974). At low metal ion concentrations, nickel is an essential nutrient for many plants and enhances several physiological functions. In contrast, excess levels of nickel can lead to growth inhibition, necrosis, or even plant death. Some plants classified as hyperaccumulators, however, can tolerate and may even prefer elevated levels of nickel (i.e., over 1000 µg of nickel per gram dry weight of tissue).
APS Data Management System

As the capabilities of modern X-ray detectors and acquisition technologies increase, so do the data rates and volumes produced at synchrotron beamlines. This brings into focus a number of challenges related to managing data at such facilities, including data transfer, near real-time data processing, automated processing pipelines, data storage, handling metadata and remote user access to data. The Advanced Photon Source Data Management System software is designed to help beamlines deal with these issues. This paper presents the system architecture and describes its components and functionality; the system's current usage is discussed, examples of its use have been provided and future development plans are outlined.
Risk Adjustment Methodologies

Each year there are more than one million hospital admissions for patients undergoing spine surgery. However, there is great heterogeneity in both the procedures performed and the patients who undergo them. In recent years, there is increased focus on optimizing patient outcomes and comparing outcomes across providers and care facilities. Current generalized risk stratification models help account for some of the heterogeneity across patients, but most are not spine-specific. As a result, they fail to emphasize spine-specific risk factors, and they do not include procedure details, such as the use of instrumentation, osteotomies, and construct length, all of which significantly increase the risk for complications. In this chapter, we provide an overview of risk factors for worse outcomes in spine surgery patients and discuss current efforts to formulate risk stratification systems for this population using the power of national databases and predictive analytics.
A Multilevel Intervention With African American Churches to Enhance Adoption of Point-of-Care HIV and Diabetes Testing, 2014-2018

We describe a multilevel intervention to enhance adoption of point-of-care HIV and diabetes testing at church health fairs in Atlanta, Georgia. Church leaders viewed a leadership video and subsequently conducted social activities that support testing. After the multilevel intervention, a third of churches hosted HIV and diabetes health fairs, and church leaders engaged in more social activities. Of 193 attendees receiving health services, 56.6% received HIV testing and 92.7% received diabetes testing. This implementation science approach could reduce HIV and diabetes disparities among African Americans.
Burn Depth Analysis Using Indocyanine Green Fluorescence: A Review

Distinguishing between partial-thickness burns and full-thickness burns indicates the critical decision making related to whether a patient can be allowed to heal on their own or if the wound should be surgically excised and replaced with a graft. Therefore, reliable burn prognostication is crucial in planning the safest and most cost-effective treatment for the patient. Over the course of the last several decades, many techniques have been proposed and used to determine burn depth; namely, laser Doppler imaging and thermogenic assessment. Recently, indocyanine green (ICG), a fluorescent dye which is administered intravenously to measure tissue perfusion in real time, has been the focus of research regarding its efficacy in assessing burns. Studies have been conducted using rat, porcine, and human models. We have assessed and critically reviewed this literature to provide the burn community with a narrative of the promising potential of ICG to diagnose burn depth. ICG can measure perfusion instantaneously and in real time via video capture. This allows for evaluation of ICG uptake, standard state distribution, and clearance of the dye which with further study could increase the precision of the technique. In conclusion, ICG videoangiography shows a great deal of promise in being a particularly effective way of diagnosing burn depth and warrants further studies to investigate the best way for this technique to be used in a clinical setting.
Vulnerable to Disparity? The Imperfect Alignment of Neighborhood Relative Inequality with the Racial Invariance Thesis

Despite the importance of relative inequality in studies on race, place and crime, existing literature has paid little attention to the possibility of racial differences in the effect of relative i...
Small cell lung cancer: Sociodemographic factors in patients’ decisions for treatment.

144Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is highly responsive to cytotoxic therapy and can be cured in early stages of disease. In this setting, disparities in patient refusal despite provider ...
Epistemic norms, all things considered

An action-oriented epistemology takes the idea that our capacity for belief subserves our capacity for action as the starting point for epistemological theorizing. This paper argues that an action-oriented epistemology is especially well-positioned to explain why it is that, at least for believers like us, whether or not conforming with the epistemic norms that govern belief-regulation would lead us to believe that p always bears on whether we have normative reasons to believe that p. If the arguments of this paper are successful, then an action-oriented approach has a kind of explanatory power that has proved elusive, and so merits serious and sustained philosophical attention that it has yet to receive.
The Management of Perioperative Immunosuppressant Medications for Rheumatoid Arthritis During Elective Hand Surgery.

Purpose Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a destructive inflammatory disease that commonly involves joints of the hand and wrist. Different recommendations exist for continuing or discontinuing immunosuppressant medications during the perioperative time period. The purpose of our study was to determine whether continuing or discontinuing medications (steroids, nonbiological, and/or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs [DMARDs]) were associated with an increased or decreased risk of postoperative complications. Methods We performed a single-center, retrospective review of a cohort of RA patients who had elective hand surgery by a single surgeon. Patients were included if they had a documented diagnosis of seropositive RA by a rheumatologist and had elective hand surgery and/or a disease-related surgical procedure involving the upper extremity between January 2008 and August 2018. We stratified patients into different groups for comparison by classes of immunosuppressant medications for managing RA. These classes included corticosteroids, nonbiological DMARDs, biological DMARDs, and/or no medications. Immunosuppressant medications were then compared with no medications for the incidence of postoperative overall complications. Results Eighty-eight patients had elective hand and/or upper extremity surgeries for RA. Mean patient age at the time of surgery (± SD) was 55 ± 13 years (range, 24–74 years). Of these 88 patients, 8 (9%) overall complications occurred. Complications were wound healing failures (n = 5), tendon rupture (n = 1), hematoma (n = 1), and surgical-site infection (n = 1). Perioperative medications included steroids (n = 31), nonbiological DMARDs (n = 68), biological DMARDs (n = 5), and no medication (n = 27). There were no significant differences in overall complications between patients on immunosuppressant medications and those on no medications. Median (interquartile range) follow-up was 11.5 months (5–25.8) (range, 2–74 months). Conclusions We found that patients who continued or discontinued medications within 1 dosing interval of their usual dose perioperatively had similar rates of complications following elective hand surgery. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Proteomics Analysis of Circulating Extracellular Vesicles Isolated from Plasma of Human Lung Transplant Recipients

Purpose We demonstrated induction of circulating exosomes in lung transplant recipients (LTxRs) with acute/chronic rejection (bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome [BOS]) containing donor human leukocyte antigen and lung self-antigens (SAgs) (Kα-1 Tubulin, Collagen V), costimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86), transcription factors (NFkB, 20S proteasome) (Am J Transplant 17(2):474-484, 2017). In the current study, we identified unique proteomic signatures in circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can differentiate human LTxRs with acute rejection (AR), BOS, respiratory viral infection (RVI), and stable. Methods EVs were isolated using ultracentrifugation from LTxRs plasma (stable, AR, BOS or RVI) following transplant. EVs were characterized for the presence of lung SAgs (Kα-1 Tubulin, Collagen V) and size (50-200nm) was determined using NanoSight. EV protein cargoes were prepared for shotgun proteomics using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results We identified unique proteins (2 AR, 24 BOS, 4 RVI, 8 stable cohort) using LC-MS/MS. Differential analysis of the proteins from AR, BOS and RVI to stable yielded significant unique proteins (p-value 2) in each clinical cohort (27 AR, 2 BOS, 2 RVI). EVs from AR contained proteins involved in immunoglobulin, complement regulation, innate and adaptive immune response pathways. EVs from BOS revealed enrichment of immunoglobulin receptors and carboxypeptidase N catalytic chain. EVs from RVI were enriched for macrophage stimulating factor. Conclusion Our results demonstrate unique signatures in acute/chronic rejection and RVI highlighting complex immune mechanisms underlying lung allograft rejection. Presence of complement proteins and immunoglobulins in circulating EVs from AR can be helpful in differentiating cellular rejection with a mixed phenotype (cellular and humoral). We identified immunoglobulins and complement proteins in BOS in support of significance of Abs in the pathogenesis of BOS. Macrophage stimulating factor contained in EVs specific to RVI can be useful for the differential diagnosis of RVI from AR. To conclude, proteomic signatures of circulating EVs from LTxRs provided insights into immunological mechanisms at play in graft rejection and RVI leading to increased risk for chronic lung allograft dysfunction.
Small animal PET: a review of what we have done and where we are going

Small animal research is an essential tool in studying both pharmaceutical biodistributions and disease progression over time. Furthermore, through the rapid development of in vivo imaging technology over the last few decades, small animal imaging (also referred to as preclinical imaging) has become a mainstay for all fields of biologic research and a center point for most preclinical cancer research. Preclinical imaging modalities include optical, MRI and MRS, microCT, small animal PET, ultrasound, and photoacoustic, each with their individual strengths. The strong points of small animal PET are its translatability to the clinic; its quantitative imaging capabilities; its whole-body imaging ability to dynamically trace functional/biochemical processes; its ability to provide useful images with only nano- to pico‑ molar concentrations of administered compounds; and its ability to study animals serially over time. This review paper gives an overview of the development and evolution of small animal PET imaging. It provides an overview of detector designs; system configurations; multimodality PET imaging systems; image reconstruction and analysis tools; and an overview of research and commercially available small animal PET systems. It concludes with a look toward developing technologies/methodologies that will further enhance the impact of small animal PET imaging on medical research in the future.
End-Stage Renal Disease and Shared Decision-Making Dilemmas

A case of an elderly man with cardiorenal syndrome resulting in volume overload. The usual approach of offering dialysis is discussed, contrasted with a palliative, interpretive approach. The impact of frailty and potential burdens of dialysis are presented, along with data showing little benefit of dialysis in some groups. Use of prognostic tools, Renal Physicians Association guidelines for decision-making, and choice of dialysis access are addressed. Practitioners are urged to pursue conservative nondialytic treatment in frail, debilitated, malnourished patients with multiple comorbidities. For those who opt for dialysis, an arterivenousgraft or tunneled dialysis catheter are preferable to a fistula when there is a limited prognosis.
Validity of Incident Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Diagnoses in Administrative Data: a Chart Verification Study

An important strategy to address the opioid overdose epidemic involves identifying people at elevated risk of overdose, particularly those with opioid use disorder (OUD). However, it is unclear to what degree OUD diagnoses in administrative data are inaccurate. To estimate the prevalence of inaccurate diagnoses of OUD among patients with incident OUD diagnoses. A random sample of 90 patients with incident OUD diagnoses associated with an index in-person encounter between October 1, 2016, and June 1, 2018, in three Veterans Health Administration medical centers. Direct chart review of all encounter notes, referrals, prescriptions, and laboratory values within a 120-day window before and after the index encounter. Using all available chart data, we determined whether the diagnosis of OUD was likely accurate, likely inaccurate, or of indeterminate accuracy. We then performed a bivariate analysis to assess demographic or clinical characteristics associated with likely inaccurate diagnoses. We identified 1337 veterans with incident OUD diagnoses. In the chart verification subsample, we assessed 26 (29%) OUD diagnoses as likely inaccurate; 20 due to systems error and 6 due to clinical error; additionally, 8 had insufficient information to determine accuracy. Veterans with likely inaccurate diagnoses were more likely to be younger and prescribed opioids for pain. Clinical settings associated with likely inaccurate diagnoses were non-mental health clinical settings, group visits, and non-patient care settings. Our study identified significant levels of likely inaccurate OUD diagnoses among veterans with incident OUD diagnoses. The majority of these cases reflected readily addressable systems errors. The smaller proportion due to clinical errors and those with insufficient documentation may be addressed by increased training for clinicians. If these inaccuracies are prevalent throughout the VHA, they could complicate health services research and health systems responses.
Quantitative Multivariate Complex Korovkin Approximation Theory

Let K be a compact convex subset of \(\mathbb {C}^{k}\), \(k\ge 2\), and \( C\left( K,\mathbb {C}\right) \) be the space of continuous functions from K into \(\mathbb {C}\). We consider bounded linear operators from \(C\left( K, \mathbb {C}\right) \) into itself. We assume that these are bounded by companion positive linear operators from \(C\left( K,\mathbb {R}\right) \) into itself. We study quantitatively the rate of convergence of the approximation and high order approximation of these multivariate complex operators to the unit operators. Our results are inequalities of Korovkin type involving the multivariate complex modulus of continuity of the engaged function or its partial derivatives and basic test functions.
Citizen Characteristics, Neighbourhood Conditions, and Prior Contacts with the Police: A Comparative Study of Public Satisfaction with the Police

This study takes a comparative approach to examine public satisfaction with the police, focusing on three theoretical models: the demographic model, the neighbourhood conditions model, and the prio...
Factors associated with refractory pain in emergency patients admitted to emergency general surgery.

BACKGROUND Oligoanalgesia in emergency departments (EDs) is multifactorial. A previous study reported that emergency providers did not adequately manage patients with severe pain despite objective findings for surgical pathologies. Our study aims to investigate clinical and laboratory factors, in addition to providers' interventions, that might have been associated with oligoanalgesia in a group of ED patients with moderate and severe pains due to surgical pathologies. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of adult patients who were transferred directly from referring EDs to the emergency general surgery (EGS) service at a quaternary academic center between January 2014 and December 2016. Patients who were intubated, did not have adequate records, or had mild pain were excluded. The primary outcome was refractory pain, which was defined as pain reduction <2 units on the 0-10 pain scale between triage and ED departure. RESULTS We analyzed 200 patients, and 58 (29%) had refractory pain. Patients with refractory pain had significantly higher disease severity, serum lactate (3.4±2.0 mg/dL vs. 1.4±0.9 mg/dL, P=0.001), and less frequent pain medication administration (median [interquartile range], 3 [3-5] vs. 4 [3-7], P=0.001), when compared to patients with no refractory pain. Multivariable logistic regression showed that the number of pain medication administration (odds ratio [OR] 0.80, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.68-0.98) and ED serum lactate levels (OR 3.80, 95% CI 2.10-6.80) were significantly associated with the likelihood of refractory pain. CONCLUSIONS In ED patients transferring to EGS service, elevated serum lactate levels were associated with a higher likelihood of refractory pain. Future studies investigating pain management in patients with elevated serum lactate are needed.
Long-term outcomes for 2-stage urethroplasty: an analysis of risk factors for urethral stricture recurrence.

To report long-term results and patient reported outcomes of staged anterior urethroplasties, and isolate risk factors for recurrence. We reviewed urethroplasty database for all patients who underwent staged urethroplasty from 2000 to 2017. Follow-up included a cystoscopy 4 months after their 2nd stage to assess early success, and then annual follow-up thereafter with post-void residual and symptom assessment. Stricture characteristics, etiology and graft type were analyzed with regards to success. Forty-nine patients were eligible for inclusion. The median stricture length was 7 cm (3–17 cm). The early success rate demonstrated by cystoscopy at 4 months was 100%. Long-term success was 96.4% in buccal graft (BMG) only patients; however, long-term success fell considerably to 53% in patients requiring any use split thickness skin graft (STSG) in the first stage. Median follow up time was 57 months (6–240 months). On analysis, age, increased stricture length and especially the use of STSG all appeared to be associated with late recurrence. The recurrence group had longer stricture length and were more likely to be panurethral. All recurrences occurred after the initial 4-month cystoscopy with a median time to recurrence of 78 months. Staged repairs that are amenable to BMG-only repairs have high long-term success rates. Increasing stricture length and the addition of split-thickness skin graft were associated with lower success rate in staged urethral reconstruction. Patients requiring staged repairs often experience recurrence in a very delayed fashion reinforcing the need for close, long-term follow up.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Silicone Hydrogels Contact lenses Based on TRIS-DMA-AA-NVP Via Photo Polymerization for Biomedical Application

The purpose of the present work is to designate the synthesis of innovative soft silicone hydrogel contact lenses founded on Acrylic acid (AA) ,N,N dimethylacrylic amide (DMA),and 1-vinyl 2- pyrolidone(NVP) was polymerized via free fundamental polymerization in the existence of 1,6 hexandioldiacrylate (HDODA) as a crosslinker and 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone as photoinitiator. The polymerized materials were characterized fully for its use fullness as an intraocular lens by various techniques. FTIR was implemented to discover the whole conversion of3-(methacryloyloxy) propyl TRIS (trimethylsiloxy) silane monomer into silicone hydrogels contact lens. The silicon hydrogels contact lenses were manufactured from silicon and different hydrophilic monomers, copolymerization of 3-(methacryloyloxy) propyl( TRIS) (trimethylsiloxy) silane with acrylic acid ,N,N-dimethylacrylamide, and N-Vinylpyrrolidone(NVP) with different ratio (70,80,90)%.To explore three sequences of silicone hydrogel ingredients for their classification, water component, transmittance, mechanical feature , oxygen penetrability) Dk), protein adsorption and bacterial connection as potential contact lens materials as well as tackles the connections between water kinship and optical, mechanical, oxygen permeable with biological features.The outcomes displayed that the water affinity might be moderated through the hydrophilic monomers. The Equilibrium Water Component (EWC) rose with increasing hydrophilic monomer value. Generally, the outcomes revealed that visible light transmittance inclines to increase as well as tensile mechanical features obtained in decreasing trend relying on the growing EWC. The Dk worth declined firstly then was rose once the EWC was from 25 to 75%. The sum of Staphylococcus aurous close to the silicone hydrogels surface of the was fell by61 to 140.This work may provide information on preparing functional silicone hydrogels for contact lenses application.
Individuals' personal characteristics associated with private health insurance policy possession in Greece.

BACKGROUND Possession of private health insurance has been associated with personal and socioeconomic characteristics, such as income and age. The objective of the present study is to assess the individuals' personal characteristics associated with private health insurance possession in Greece. METHODS The data used in the present analysis derived from the 'Health and Welfare' survey conducted by the Hellenic National School of Public Health in Greece and refer to year 2017. The sample of the analysis consisted of 1,932 adults aged 18 years or older. Α binary logistic regression model was conducted, in order to investigate the factors associated with private health insurance possession. RESULTS The factors that were found to be associated with private health insurance possession were: area of residence; Attica, family income level; 1,501€-2,000€, 2,001€+, absence of chronic condition, occupation; employer/self-employed, absence of public insurance, time since last health check-up; less than or equal to 5 and more than 1 years ago, more than 5 years or never and level of education; secondary, tertiary. CONCLUSIONS Private health insurance covers a low percent of the Greek population and has a low contribution to private health spending, compared with other countries. The personal characteristics that were found to be associated with private health insurance possession in Greece by the present study are in line with previous studies in other countries. These results are expected to provide policy advice on how to enhance coverage in order to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure, which is considered high in Greece.
Clinical characteristics and predictors of hoarding in children with anxiety disorders

Abstract Objective This investigation was conducted to describe the clinical of characteristics of anxious children with significant hoarding behavior and to examine the contributions of anxiety, obsessive compulsive, and inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms in the prediction of hoarding. Method One hundred nine children seeking treatment for an anxiety disorder and their parents completed clinician-administered and parent-report measures of emotional and behavioral symptoms, functional impairment, and hoarding symptoms. Results Elevated levels of hoarding were reported for 22% of the sample. Children with elevated hoarding scored significantly higher on measures of anxiety, obsessive–compulsive, attention, social, and thought problems, rule-breaking, aggression, and overall functional impairment and had higher rates of major depressive disorder than children without hoarding. Attention problems predicted hoarding symptomology over-and-above the contributions of either anxiety or obsessive–compulsive symptoms. Conclusions Findings suggest a pattern of behavioral and emotional dysregulation for children who hoard and provide further insight into the relationships between anxiety, attention problems, and hoarding.
Short-term potentiation of GABAergic synaptic inputs to vasopressin and oxytocin neurones

The magnocellular vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) neurones undergo long-term synaptic plasticity to accommodate prolonged hormone demand. By contrast, rapidly induced,transient synaptic plasticity in response to brief stimuli could enable the activation of magnocellular neurones in response to acute challenges. Here, we report a robust short-term potentiation of asynchronous GABAergic synaptic inputs (STP(GABA)) to VP and OT neurones of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus elicited by repetitive extracellular electrical stimulation.The STP(GABA) required extracellular Ca2+, but did not require activation of glutamate, VP or OT receptors or nitric oxide synthesis. Presynaptic action potential generation was necessary for the induction, but not the maintenance, of STP(GABA). The STP(GABA) led to a minutes-long GABA(A)receptor-dependent increase in spike frequency in VP neurones, but not in OT neurones,consistent with an excitatory function of GABA in only VP neurones and with the generation of prolonged bursts of action potentials in VP neurones. Therefore, this short-term plasticity of GABAergic synaptic inputs is likely to play very different roles in the regulation of OT and VP neurones and their distinct patterns of physiological activation.
A virtual crack-closure technique for calculating stress intensity factors for cracked three dimensional bodies

A three-dimensional virtual crack-closure technique is presented which calculates the strain energy release rates and the stress intensity factors using only nodal forces and displacements from a standard finite element analysis. The technique is an extension of the Rybicki-Kanninen (1977) method, and it assumes that any continuous function can be approximated by a finite number of straight line segments. Results obtained by the method for surface cracked plates with and without notches agree favorably with previous results.
A Look at Programming and Programming Systems

Publisher Summary Over the past several years, considerable effort has been directed toward understanding and developing a spectrum of programming languages and systems. This chapter examines the perception of the programming process and considers the implications for programming systems. The chapter starts with some background information for programming and programming systems. The next section discusses three basic classes of programs (or programmers) that have quite different profiles. These programs are classified as small, medium, and large in scale. This chapter discusses these programs in turn. The next section discusses the language and system facilities appropriate for small-scale programs. The next section provides a general introduction to the EL1 language and the ECL system. The chapter now goes on to describe some of the current efforts, using ECL, to develop mechanisms for the class of users who were associated with medium-scale programs. The chapter then turns to the problems of the construction of large programs in the next section. The final section discusses various aids for the production of complex programs.
Gibbs Sampling and Bayesian Inference

Gibbs sampling is a form of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. MCMC has opened up the power of Bayesian statistics and thus has become very popular in the field of statistics; it is particularly applicable to genomics applications.
Cadaveric study for placement of occipital condyle screws: technique and effects on surrounding anatomic structures.

Object The occipital condyle has never been studied as a viable structure that could permit bone purchase by fixation devices for occipitocervical fusion. The authors propose occipital condyle screw placement as a possible alternative to conventional occipitocervical fixation techniques. Methods Six adult cadaver heads (12 total occipital condyles) were studied, and the StealthStation image-guidance system was used for preoperative planning of occipital condyle screw placement. Morphometric studies of the occipital condyle were performed. A 3.5-mm Vertex screw was then placed in the occipital condyle with image-guided assistance in 3 specimens. Operations in the remaining 3 specimens proceeded using anatomical markers and calculated degrees of angulation for screw placement with a free-hand technique. Postoperatively the cadaver heads were rescanned and reanalyzed to determine the success of screw placement and its effect on hypoglossal canal volume. Results All screws were successfully placed with no sig...
Effects of d-norgestrel-releasing intracervical devices in the nonhuman primate, Erythrocebus patas

Abstract Primates ( Erythrocebus patas ) were implanted with intracervical devices which slowly released d-norgestrel at either of two rates: 38 ± 12 μg/day (high dose, 4 animals) or 14 ± 10 μg/day (low dose, 3 animals). An additional 8 animals received placebo devices or were untreated controls. All animals were studied for 3 months of exposure, at which time they were necropsied and evaluated. The uterus in all of the high dose primates had endometrial stromal and epithelial hyperplasia and, in two primates, suppurative endometritis. Similar, but less severe, uterine changes were present in animals of the low dose group. Systemic effects included evidence of diminished menstrual cycling and an absence of corpora lutea at both dose levels. Our results indicate that local application of these levels of d-norgestrel for contraception produces effects similar to those from systemically administered d-norgestrel.
Fibroblast Growth Factors: Evolution

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGF receptors) constitute a signalling system conserved throughout animal evolution. Most members of the FGF family signal across adjacent tissue boundaries and are essential for a variety of developmental and physiological processes. One subfamily of vertebrate FGFs, that may have originated in primitive chordates, appears to have evolved novel functions within neurons. Another subfamily of FGFs has acquired hormone-like properties, regulating physiological processes in the adult. Keywords: fibroblast growth factor (FGF); FGF receptor tyrosine kinase (FGFR); endocrine hormone; heparin/heparan sulfate; neurophysiology; klotho
Dynamics and Retinal Structural Changes in the Photocycle of the Artificial Bacteriorhodopsin Pigment BR6.9

The molecular mechanism describing the initial 200 ps of the room-temperature photocycle in the artificial bacteriorhodopsin (BR) pigment, BR6.9, is examined by both absorption and vibrational spectroscopy. The BR6.9 pigment contains a structurally modified retinal chromophore (retinal 6.9) having a six-membered carbon ring bridging the C9C10−C11 bonds. Picosecond transient absorption (PTA) data show that the initial 200-ps interval of the BR6.9 photocycle contains two intermediates: J6.9 formed with a 5-ns lifetime). Resonantly enhanced vibrational spectra from the light- and dark-adapted ground states of BR6.9 are measured using picosecond resonance coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (PR/CARS). Each of these PR/CARS spectra (800−1700 cm-1) contains 33 features assignable to the vibrational degrees of freedom in the retinal chromophore. CARS spectra from the K6.9, obtained from picosecond time-resolved CARS (PTR/CARS) dat...
Staged hybrid approach using proximal thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair and distal open repair for the treatment of extensive thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objective Repair of patients with extent I and II thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, whereas repair of more distal extent III and IV TAAAs has a lower risk of paraplegia and death. Therefore, we describe an approach using thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) as the index operation to convert extent I and II TAAAs to extent III and IV TAAAs amenable to subsequent open aortic repair to minimize patient risk. Methods Between July 2007 and March 2012, 10 staged hybrid operations were performed to treat one extent I and nine extent II TAAAs. Aortic aneurysm pathology included five chronic type B dissections, three acute type B dissections, and two penetrating aortic ulcers. Initially, the proximal descending thoracic aorta was repaired with TEVAR for coverage of the most proximal fenestration or penetrating ulcer, with seven elective and three emergent repairs. Interval open distal aortic replacement was performed in a short-term planned setting or for progressive dilation of the distal aortic segment. In the open repair, the proximal end of the graft was sewn directly to the distal end of the TEVAR and outer wall of the aorta. Results Average patient age was 48 years, and 60% were men. Risk factors included hypertension (80%), current tobacco use (50%), and Marfan syndrome (30%). Complications after TEVAR included type IA (n = 1) and type II (n = 3) endoleaks, pleural effusions (n = 3), and acute kidney injury (n = 1). Three patients required endovascular reinterventions. In patients with dissection, persistent filling of the false lumen was common and associated with distal thoracic aortic dilation. Complications of open repair included acute kidney injury in two patients, but no cardiac, pulmonary, or neurologic morbidity. Median time between TEVAR and open repair was 14 weeks. Most importantly, no deaths or neurologic deficits occurred after either procedure during a median follow-up of 35 weeks. Conclusions A staged hybrid approach to extensive TAAAs combining proximal TEVAR, followed by interval open distal TAAA repair, is safe and appears to be an effective alternative to traditional open repair. This approach may decrease the significant morbidity associated with single-stage open extent I and II TAAA repairs and may be applicable to multiple TAAA etiologies.
A variational assimilation technique in a hybrid isentropic-sigma coordinate

¶A three-dimensional variational (3dVAR) analysis set in a generalized vertical coordinate is described. This analysis technique has been applied to the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC), a mesoscale analysis/model system in the United States providing high-frequency, short-range forecasts. The RUC 3dVAR analysis is, in fact, set in a hybrid isentropic-sigma coordinate, but without loss of generality or applicability to other coordinate systems. The use of this coordinate provides an adaptive analysis space, with sloping of background error covariances in the proximity of baroclinic systems, and a stability-dependence for vertical error covariances. The basic characteristics of the RUC are described briefly, with special attention to its vertical coordinate. A detailed description of observation operators is provided. The 3dVAR algorithm, including stream function and velocity potential as control variables for the multivariate aspect, is described in detail. A few examples of analysis results are provided. The RUC 3dVAR in hybrid-isentropic-sigma coordinates is being implemented at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) in 2001.
Comparison of the effects of LSD and lisuride on A10 dopamine neurons in the rat

Extracellular single-unit recording techniques were used to compare the effects of d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and its non-hallucinogenic congener lisuride hydrogen maleate (LHM) on the activity of dopamine (DA) neurons in the A10 region of the rat ventral tegmental area. Lisuride hydrogen maleate potently suppressed the firing rates of A10 DA cells (ID50 = 0.021 mg/kg). The DA antagonist haloperidol prevented, but did not reverse, the effect of lisuride. In addition, the DA agonist apomorphine was unable to suppress further the firing rates of A10 DA cells that had been partially suppressed by small doses of lisuride. These results suggest that lisuride acted as a non-competitive or irreversible DA agonist. In contrast to lisuride, LSD exerted mixed effects on A10 DA cells, partially depressing the firing rates of 54% of the cells tested, increasing the firing rates of 23% of the cells and exerting no effect on the other 23%. The response of a particular A10 DA cell to administration of LSD was dependent upon its baseline firing rate. Haloperidol readily reversed the LSD-induced partial suppression of the firing of A10 DA cells. Also, LSD effectively reversed apomorphine-induced suppression and increased the doses of apomorphine required to suppress firing of A10 DA neurons. These results suggest that, in addition to its weak DA agonist effects, LSD also exerted partial DA antagonist effects. Pharmacological and physiological manipulations of serotonergic neuronal systems failed to implicate a role for serotonin in the effects of LSD and lisuride on A10 DA neurons. These qualitative and quantitative differences between the effects of LSD and lisuride on A10 DA neurons suggest that the potent DA agonist actions of lisuride may contribute to its lack of hallucinogenic potential.
Potential of baboon endothelial progenitor cells for tissue engineered vascular grafts

Thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia limit the usefulness of small caliber vascular grafts. While some improvements have been reported for grafts seeded with mature endothelial cells (EC), the harvesting of ECs from autologous sources, for example, veins or adipose tissue, remains problematic. More recently, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been considered a promising source of ECs because EPCs can be readily isolated from whole blood then rapidly expanded in vitro. Additionally, EPCs are increasingly recognized to play important roles in hemostasis, angiogenesis, and arterial injury repair. However, the characterization of EPCs in relevant animal models remains poorly defined. Accordingly, we have characterized the isolation, growth, and functional characteristics of Baboon EPCs (BaEPCs) to evaluate their potential for an autologous cell source for tissue engineered vascular grafts. BaEPCs were successfully cultured from the peripheral blood with an average population doubling time of 1.17 +/- 0.43 days. While the BaEPCs were positive for typical EC markers of vWF, CD31, VE-cadherin, VEGF-R2, Thrombomodulin, and E-selectin, there was reduced eNOS expression. The BaEPCs cell body and actin filaments align in the direction of flow typical of mature ECs. Thus while the lack of eNOS expression is worthy of investigation, EPCs are an attractive cell source for tissue engineered vascular grafts and the baboon model has great potential for continuing evaluations of these cells.
A reassessment of facies and faunas in the type Llandeilo (Ordovician), Wales

Abstract Detailed analysis of the lithological and faunal successions of the type Llandeilo forms the basis of an evaluation of the sequence of depositional environments and a quantitative description of the entombed faunas, comprising mainly brachiopods, trilobites, and ostracods. Recorded distribution patterns confirm the validity of the existing trilobite (trinucleid) biostratigraphic zones but emphasize the importance of benthic bivalved taxa which are particularly abundant in the Lower Llandeilo. Groups of assemblages comprising localized faunules or associations, despite exhibiting evidence of transportation, are readily identified as representative of more widespread contemporary palaeocommunities recently described from Wales and the Welsh Borderland. The relationship between these palaeocommunities and the transgressive Llandeilo sequence indicates a shoreface to open-shelf zonation of ecosystems controlled primarily by substrate conditions rather than depth.
Thermoelectric properties of indium-filled InxRh4Sb12 skutterudites

Abstract This study reports the synthesis and characterization of polycrystalline indium-filled In x Rh 4 Sb 12 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) skutterudites. The structural response to indium filling was monitored by whole pattern fitting of the powder X-ray diffraction data. Indium occupation of the oversized void-sites was verified by its unusually large thermal displacement parameter. The indium solubility limit approached 0.15. The principal thermoelectric properties were measured from 300 to 600 K. All samples are semiconducting. Indium void-site occupation reduced the lattice thermal conductivity of In 0.15 Rh 4 Sb 12 30% at 300 K; however, the effect was subverted at elevated temperatures due to a coincident increase in bipolar thermal diffusion. The high-temperature thermoelectric figure of merits ( ZT 's) are low compared to the isostructural indium-filled In x Co 4 Sb 12 skutterudites due to a striking sign change in the Seebeck coefficients at 400 K and relatively high thermal conductivities.
C2 can do it, too

In this issue of Cell, Benes et al. (2005) report that the C2 domain of the serine/threonine protein kinase Cδ is a phosphotyrosine binding domain and present the crystal structure of this C2 domain bound to a peptide containing phosphotyrosine. Prior to this work, C2 domains were thought to bind only to phospholipids or to unphosphorylated proteins, and the SH2 and PTB domains were the only signaling domains known to recognize phosphotyrosine. This new role for the C2 domain links phosphotyrosine recognition directly to serine/threonine kinase activity and reveals an unexpected mechanism for crosstalk between distinct signaling pathways.
Stability and compatibility assessment techniques for total parenteral nutrition admixtures: setting the bar according to pharmacopeial standards.

Purpose of reviewThe stability and compatibility of total parenteral nutrition mixtures compounded for patients requiring nutritional support is paramount to their safety on intravenous infusion. The most significant pharmaceutical issues associated with mixing total parenteral nutrition formulation
Skarn CuAu orebodies of the Gunung Bijih (Ertsberg) district, Irian Jaya, Indonesia

Abstract The major CuAu skarn deposits of the Gunung Bijih (Ertsberg) district in central Irian Jaya are products of hydrothermal systems that developed in association with Pliocene magma emplacement in an active continental margin. The CuAu skarn orebodies occur within a Cretaceous to Tertiary sedimentary sequence that was deformed as the northern Australian continental margin entered a north-dipping subduction zone at ∼ 12 Ma. The intermediate-composition intrusions consist of fine-grained porphyritic stocks, dikes, and sills that have K-Ar ages ranging from 2.7 to 4.4 Ma. Most intrusions are slightly potassic, but these data could be affected by alteration. The skarn orebodies in the Ertsberg district are hosted in deformed lower Tertiary New Guinea Group carbonate strata along the periphery of the Pliocene Ertsberg intrusion. Major skarn orebodies include the Ertsberg (GB), the Ertsberg East (GBT) complex, including the GBT, the Intermediate Ore Zone (IOZ) and the Deep Ore Zone (DOZ), and the Dom. Chalcopyrite is the dominant ore mineral in the GB and Dom orebodies, whereas bornite dominates in the GBT complex. Native Au occurs within bornite and chalcopyrite in GB and GBT ores. The district calc-silicate alteration assemblages are characterized by high-temperature skarn minerals, including forsterite, monticellite, and minor melilite. Diopsidic clinopyroxene is common, particularly in GBT. Anhydrite and phlogopite are abundant in the GBT complex, and the anhydrite:calcite ratio increases with depth from GBT to DOZ where anhydrite is ubiquitous and calcite rare. At least three types of garnets have been identified at the Dom and show a progressive increase in ferric iron content. Garnet decreases with depth in the GBT complex. Talc, serpentine, tremolite-actinolite, and chlorite are common retrograde minerals. Copper sulfide mineralization is texturally associated with early retrograde alteration. Differences among the skarn orebodies are related in part to variable protolith composition that affected skarn development within different stratigraphic positions. Distinctive fossil replacement textures preserved within skarn indicate that the Oligocene-Miocene Ainod Formation is the most likely protolith for the GB and Dom orebodies. The GBT and upper IOZ orebodies probably are hosted by the Eocene Faumai Formation. The DOZ and lower IOZ orebodies, dominated by magnesian skarn alteration, appear to be developed in a dolomitic unit within the lower New Guinea Limestone Group, which probably is equivalent to the Paleocene Waripi Formation.