cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric renal transplantation with considerations for successful outcomes

Renal transplantation in the pediatric population, although conceptually similar to that in adults, differs in many aspects. This review will focus on the issues unique to the pediatric recipient. In particular, we will focus on the incidence and etiology of end stage renal disease in children, and the results as measured by patient and graft survival. Pretransplant surgical considerations of timing of the transplant, management of congenital urologic abnormalies and the abnormal bladder will be addressed. Etiologies of renal failure unique to the pediatric population will be discussed, including autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, congenital nephrotic syndrome, inferior vena cava thrombosis, and primary hyperoxaluria Type 1. Lastly, special transplant surgical considerations including transplantation of an adult-size kidney (ASK) into an infant or small child and ureteral implantation, management of the urinary bladder, and fluid management in infants and small children will be discussed.
Synthesis and characterization of high stage alkali metal donor compounds

Abstract The preparation and stage characterization of high stage (n⪖5) potassium and rubidium donor compounds are discussed. Stage homogeneity is evaluated using the X-ray diffraction technique with particular emphasis given to low order index reflections. Sample composition is varied within the same crystal by small variations in the growth process, and air stability is investigated over this dilute concentration range.
Developmental segregation in the efferent projections to auditory hair cells in the gerbil

The auditory receptor epithelium of mammals receives efferent innervation from neurons within and surrounding the superior olivary complex of the brainstem (Warr [1975] J. Comp. Neurol. 161:159-181). Disruption of this pathway during early postnatal life, when olivocochlear axons are forming their final connections with auditory hair cells and nerve fibers, can lead to profound and permanent hearing impairments (Walsh et al. [1998] J. Neurosci. 18:3859-3869). Identification of the possible causes for this deterioration in auditory function requires a better understanding of the normal developmental interactions that occur between efferent axons and their target cells within the cochlea. To provide such information, we labeled developing efferent fibers at a constant location within the gerbil cochlea by using the fluorescent carbocyanine dye 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindo-carbocyanine perchlorate (DiI). The terminal arbors of these neurons were then reconstructed by using digital confocal microscopy. By postnatal day (P) 2, the efferent arbors associated with inner hair cells (IHCs) and outer hair cells (OHCs) displayed distinctly different morphologies closely resembling those described for adult animals (Brown [1987] J. Comp. Neurol. 260:605-619). Unlike their mature counterparts, however, P2 efferent axons frequently branched to contact both types of auditory hair cells. Unexpectedly, between P4 and P6, both IHC and OHC efferent axons produced additional branches that crossed the tunnel of Corti to invade the OHC zone. By P8, all of these supernumerary connections were eliminated, yielding completely segregated efferent pathways to IHCs and OHCs.
N-substituted poly(3,4-propylenedioxypyrrole)s: High gap and low redox potential switching electroactive and electrochromic polymers

A series of electrochromic N-substituted poly(3,4-propylenedioxypyrrole)s (PProDOPs) are reported, which exhibit the combined properties of a high (>3 eV) electronic band gap, colored oxidatively doped forms, and easily accessible, low redox potentials. Utilizing methyl (Me), propyl (Pr), octyl (Oct), propanesulfonated (PrS), and ethoxyethoxyethanol (Gly) pendants, the absorbance of the π−π* transition of the resulting polymers is blue-shifted when compared to the nonderivatized parent. For example, in the case of poly(N-ethoxyethoxyethanol ProDOP) (N-Gly PProDOP), this transition displays a maximum at 306 nm (onset at 365 nm), providing a colorless and highly transparent neutral polymer with a luminous transmittance greater than 99% for a film thickness of about 200 nm. N-Substituted PProDOPs display very well-defined cyclic voltammograms, with E1/2 < −0.1 V vs Fc/Fc+ (+0.2 V vs SCE), negative of the oxidation of water, as desired for materials having stable doped forms and long-lived redox switching pro...
Reducing energy per delivered bit in silicon photonic interconnection networks

A novel interface design with an optically-implemented availability feedback protocol is proposed for silicon photonic networks. Simulation results show a reduction in energy per delivered bit by as much as 34% compared to prior schemes.
Policies and Practices Related to Breastfeeding in Massachusetts: Hospital Implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding1

Background: Hospital policies and practices related to breastfeeding may have long-term health effects. The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (WHO/UNICEF) provide an evidence-based standard, which may be used to assess individual hospitals. We assessed implementation, and factors related to implementation, of the Ten Steps in Massachusetts hospitals. Methods: We surveyed postpartum nurse managers at 43 (88%) of the 49 Massachusetts maternity hospitals by telephone. Survey items characterized hospital policies, breastfeeding education, and support practices. We classified hospital implementation of the Ten Steps as high, moderately high, partial, or low and used Massachusetts Department of Public Health hospital data to analyze factors related to implementation. Results: Levels of implementation of the Ten Steps ranged from high to partial. Overall, we classified implementation of 2% of hospitals as high, 58% moderately high, 40% partial, and 0% as low. Hospitals with high/moderately high levels of implementation significantly differed from hospitals with partial implementation with respect to pacifier usage (p=0.0017) and postpartum breastfeeding instruction (p=0.0001). Requirement of a physician order for formula was a statistically significant (p=0.02) predictor of Step 1 implementation but did not reach significance (p=0.14) overall. Acceptance of free formula was significantly associated (p=0.03) with overall Ten Steps implementation. Conclusion: Rates of self-reported implementation of the Ten Steps are relatively high in Massachusetts. Step 1 implementation is significantly associated with formula availability, and overall implementation with acceptance of free formula. Continued assessment is needed to confirm these results in larger samples and to examine the relationship of implementation of individual steps, breastfeeding rates, and health outcomes.
Systems Approach to Quarantine Security: Postharvest Application of Sequential Mortality in the Hawaiian Grown ‘Sharwil’ Avocado System

Natural mortality of eggs and lalvae after 24 h in mature green avocado fruit and efficacy of a heat treatment (40°C) applied to infested fruit were determined for 3 species of tephritid fruit flies. The estimated populations of each immature developmental stage in the fruit were calculated from estimates of the total numbers of eggs or larvae placed in the fruit or from actual numbers of insects that survived to pupae in untreated (control) fruit. Significant natural mortality was associated with the insects being present in the fruit without a postharvest heat treatment. A subsequent heat treatment (40°C, 24 h) further reduced the estimated surviving population by 99.5-100%. A hypothetical population of 100,000 eggs or larvae was subjected to a sequential mortality model in which the likelihood of survival of the various immature stages in the fruit, as well as after a heat treatment was determined based on the above mortality estimates. Immatures that survived both the initial natural mortality within fruit and the heat treatment were once again subjected to further stage-specific mortality within fruits. Application of the sequential mortality concept to both Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Weidemann), and melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillet), in the avocado system would be sufficient to meet probit 9 (99.9968% mortality) security using our model. Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis . (Hendel), eggs and 3rd instars would not meet probit 9 quarantine security. The implications of this study to systems approaches to quarantine security and risk are discussed.
A Comparative Analysis of Selected Economic Methodologies: Praxeology, Positivism and Institutionalism

Explicates and analyses selected economic methodologies: praxeology, positivism and institutionalism. Praxeology is a rationalistic methodology which utilizes deductive logic to deduce conclusions concerning economic behavior from postulates, which are self‐evident truths, but praxeologists deny that empirical verification is either necessary or desirable. Positivism is a methodology which combines deductive rationalism as a method of deriving substantive hypotheses and inductive empiricism as a method of verifying these hypotheses. Institutionalism is a pragmatic methodology which is based on an empirical epistemology and which utilizes inductive logic to formulate economic policy and to solve practical problems. Concludes that institutionalism is more empirically relevant than either praxeology or positivism, and that, therefore, institutionalism is superior to the other methodologies.
Modeling low frequency noise in PDSOI MOSFETs for analog and RF applications

In this paper we present the modeling of low frequency in 0.18um PDSOI technology. The two main noise sources, 1/f and excess noise due to shot noise have been discussed. It has been shown that accurate modeling of the body voltage, impact ionization, diode currents and 1/f noise characteristics is essential to incorporate the correct bias and frequency dependence of this excess noise component. Model to hardware correlation for body-contacted and floating body device is also shown to match well with the industry standard BSIMSOI 4.3 model.
Comprehension of Miranda Rights by Urban Adolescents with Law-Related Education:

Law-related education has been recommended to improve juveniles' inadequate comprehension of Miranda rights. Whether such training results in adequate comprehension was assessed in this study of 48 urban, primarily black adolescents in a Street Law course. While students reported an unwillingness to waive their rights and their recognition-comprehension of the Miranda warnings was adequate on true-false and multiple-choice tests, these high-school juniors and seniors showed inadequate comprehension of Miranda vocabulary and misperceived the significance of the right to silence. The socioeconomic status and reading and listening abilities of students were related to their comprehension of Miranda rights. Implications for law-related education and protection of juveniles' rights in interrogations are discussed.
Exercise‐induced cholangitis and pancreatitis

Abstract Background Cholangitis requires bactibilia and increased biliary pressure. Pancreatitis may be initiated by elevated intraductal pressure. The sphincter of Oddi regulates pancreatobiliary pressures and prevents reflux of duodenal contents. However, following biliary bypass or pancreatoduodenectomy, increased intra‐abdominal pressure may be transmitted into the bile ducts and/or pancreas. The aim of this analysis is to document that cholangitis or pancreatitis may be exercise‐induced. Methods The records of patients with one or more episodes of cholangitis or pancreatitis precipitated by exercise and documented to have patent hepatico‐ or pancreatojejunostomies were reviewed. Cholangitis was defined as fever with or without abdominal pain and transiently abnormal liver tests. Pancreatitis was defined as abdominal pain, with transient elevation of serum amylase and documented by peripancreatic inflammation on computerized tomography. Results Twelve episodes of cholangitis occurred in six patients who had undergone hepaticojejunostomy for biliary stricture ( N =3), Type I choledochal cyst ( N =2), or pancreatoduodenectomy for renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the pancreas ( N =1). Four episodes of pancreatitis occurred in two patients who had undergone pancreatoduodenectomy for ampullary carcinoma or chronic pancreatitis. Workup and subsequent follow‐up for a median of 21 months have not documented anastomotic stricture. Each episode of cholangitis and pancreatitis was brought on by heavy exercise and avoidance of this level of exercise has prevented future episodes. Conclusion Following biliary bypass or pancreatoduodenectomy, significant exercise may increase intra‐abdominal pressure and cause cholangitis or pancreatitis. Awareness of this entity and behavior modification will avoid unnecessary procedures in these patients.
Radar techniques in an industrial control

The elementary electronics circuits familiar to radar men are not limited to one field, as is shown by this description of a typical industrial electronics application. Ultrahigh frequency techniques are described as used for register control in the printing and paper industries.
Kinetic mechanism of native Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamylase.

Abstract Equilibrium isotope exchange kinetics have been used to reinvestigate the kinetic mechanism of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamylase (aspartate carbamoyltransferase) at pH 7.0, 30 °C. Keq = 5.9 (±0.6) × 103, allowing variation of substrate concentrations above and below their Km values in all experiments, a condition not possible at pH 7.8 [ F. C. Wedler and F. J. Gasser (1974) Arch. Biochem. Biophys.163, 57–68 ]. The rate of the [14C]Asp ⇌ N-carbamoyl l -aspartate (CAsp) exchange reaction was five times faster than that of [32P]carbamyl phosphate (CP) ⇌ Pi, which argues strongly against the rapid equilibrium random mechanism previously proposed by E. Heyde, A. Nagabhushanam, and J. F. Morrison [Biochemistry12, 4718–4726 (1973) ]. Substrate concentrations were varied either as reactant-product pairs (holding the other pair constant) or together simultaneously in constant ratio at equilibrium. The resulting kinetic saturation patterns were most consistent with a preferred order random kinetic mechanism, with CP binding prior to Asp and with CAsp being released before Pi. Weak inhibition effects at high substrate levels could be accounted for by multiple weak dead-end complexes or ionic strength effects. Computer-based simulations have led to a set of rate constants that fit the experimental data, are in agreement with rate constants measured previously by pre-steady-state methods, and predict the correct initial velocities in the forward and reverse directions. Simulations also show that rate constants consistent with any of the various alternative mechanisms do not provide good fit to the experimental data. A model for the kinetic mechanism is considered, in which the binding of Asp prior to CP may restrict access of CP to the active site, but CP binding prior to Asp potentiates the enzyme for the allosteric (T-R) transition, centered entirely upon the Asp binding process.
Toxic metal proteomics: Reaction of the mammalian zinc proteome with Cd2 +

Abstract The hypothesis was tested that Cd2 + undergoes measureable reaction with the Zn-proteome through metal ion exchange chemistry. The Zn-proteome of pig kidney LLC-PK1 cells is relatively inert to reaction with competing ligands, including Zinquin acid, EDTA, and apo-metallothionein. Upon reaction of Cd2 + with the Zn-proteome, Cd2 + associates with the proteome and near stoichiometric amounts of Zn2 + become reactive with these chelating agents. The results strongly support the hypothesis that Cd2 + displaces Zn2 + from native proteomic binding sites resulting in the formation of a Cd-proteome. Mobilized Zn2 + becomes adventitiously bound to proteome and available for reaction with added metal binding ligands. Cd-proteome and Zn-metallothionein readily exchange metal ions, raising the possibility that this reaction restores functionality to Cd-proteins. In a parallel experiment, cells were exposed to Cd2 + and pyrithione briefly to generate substantial proteome-bound Cd2 +. Upon transition to a Cd2 + free medium, the cells generated new metallothionein protein over time that bound most of the proteomic Cd2 + as well as additional Zn2 +.
“Above the Influence”: How College Students Communicate About the Healthy Deviance of Alcohol Abstinence

Consumption of alcohol is widespread in U.S. culture, particularly among college students. Using a communication privacy management framework (Petronio, 2002), this study examined how college students who abstain from alcohol negotiate communication of their nondrinking status and establish meaning in a culture in which drinking is the norm. Through 25 face-to-face interviews, this article explores the experiences of “healthy deviants”—individuals who engage in healthy behavior that violates traditional norms. Interviews identified that participants relied on privacy rules when determining whether and how to disclose their nondrinking status. If participants perceived more costs from the disclosure than rewards, they did not disclose. Participants enacted specific strategies to manage (non)disclosure of their abstinence from alcohol, providing practical ways for people who engage in healthy deviance to avoid or manage stigma.
Organizational Learning: Subprocess Identification, Construct Validation, and an Empirical Test of Cultural Antecedents

Organizational learning is key to an organization’s capability for continuous change and renewal. As a result, scholarly interest in identifying the antecedents of organizational learning has greatly increased over the past couple of decades. This study focuses on (1) identifying and measuring the distinct subprocesses that make up the organizational learning construct to obtain a more detailed understanding of the construct and (2) exploring the effect that organizational culture and, more particularly, four dimensions of culture—participative decision making, openness, learning orientation, and transformational leadership—have on each of the organizational learning subprocesses. The authors use two samples of subject matter experts and the responses of 631 managers to test their propositions. Their results yielded five independent but interrelated subprocesses—information acquisition, information distribution, information interpretation, knowledge integration, and organizational memory. Furthermore, the...
Exonuclease III digestion of herpes simplex virus DNA

Abstract The length of the terminal repetition of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA has been measured by electron microscopic observation of the overlap regions of the circular molecules formed by annealing the single-stranded DNA ends exposed after limited exonuclease III digestion. The terminal repetition was found to be 1560 ± 400 base pairs (1.0% of the total length of HSV DNA) on each end of the DNA. This value is twice the previously published value; experiments to explain this possible discrepancy have been undertaken. It has also been found that HSV DNA purified from the Hirt supernatant of virus-infected cells by preparative glycerol gradient sedimentation followed by CsCl buoyant density centrifugation could not be digested with exonuclease III sufficiently to produce circles unles the HSV DNA was subjected to additional rigorous deproteinization. In contrast, λ-exonuclease would digest HSV DNA sufficiently to produce circles both before and after rigorous deproteinization. These data are taken as preliminary evidence for a protein bound at or near the 3′-hydroxyl terminus of HSV DNA.
A detachable mobile and adjustable telemetry system

Many traditional mobile telemetry systems require permanently mounting a rod through the cabin of a vehicle to serve as the mast for a directional antenna. In this article we present an alternative to this configuration by providing a platform that can be placed atop the vehicle in which the antenna mast can be mounted and controlled from the cabin of the vehicle. Thereby making this design a viable option for researchers who share vehicles with others that may not approve of permanent vehicle modifications such as placing a hole in the roof of the vehicle as required by traditional mobile configurations. We tested the precision and accuracy of detachable mobile and adjustable telemetry system (DMATS) in an urban park with varying terrain, tree stands, overhead wires, and other structures that can contribute to signal deflection. We placed three radiocollars 50 m apart and 1.2 m above the ground then established three testing stations ∼280 m from the location of the radiocollars. The DMATS platform required 12 h for completion and cost $1059 USD. Four technicians were randomly assigned radio collars to triangulate using DMATS and a handheld telemetry system. We used a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a Scheffe post hoc test to compare error ellipses between azimuths taken using DMATS and the hand held system. Average error ellipses for all testers was 1.96 ± 1.22 ha. No significant differences were found between error ellipses of testers (P = 0.292). Our design, the DMATS, does not require any vehicle modification; thereby, making this a viable option for researchers sharing vehicles with others that may not approve of permanent vehicle alterations.
Objective analysis of a two dimensional scalar field by successive corrections using a personal computer

Abstract The use of a successive correction method for interpolating data from irregularity spaced points to a regularly spaced grid has long been used in meteorological applications. This procedure was automated using a personal computer and a demonstration program was written based on the Cressman method. The program also produce isopleth analysis for standard meteorological scalar fields such as temperature and height at constant pressure levels.
Gas exchange, leaf structure and nitrogen in contrasting successional tree species growing in open and understory sites during a drought.

Seasonal ecophysiology, leaf structure and nitrogen were measured in saplings of early (Populus grandidentata Michx. and Prunus serotina J.F. Ehrh.), middle (Fraxinus americana L. and Carya tomentosa Nutt.) and late (Acer rubrum L. and Cornus florida L.) successional tree species during severe drought on adjacent open and understory sites in central Pennsylvania, USA. Area-based net photosynthesis (A) and leaf conductance to water vapor diffusion (g(wv)) varied by site and species and were highest in open growing plants and early successional species at both the open and understory sites. In response to the period of maximum drought, both sunfleck and sun leaves of the early successional species exhibited smaller decreases in A than leaves of the other species. Shaded understory leaves of all species were more susceptible to drought than sun leaves and had negative midday A values during the middle and later growing season. Shaded understory leaves also displayed a reduced photosynthetic light response during the peak drought period. Sun leaves were thicker and had a greater mass per area (LMA) and nitrogen (N) content than shaded leaves, and early and middle successional species had higher N contents and concentrations than late successional species. In both sunfleck and sun leaves, seasonal A was positively related to predawn leaf Psi, g(wv), LMA and N, and was negatively related to vapor pressure deficit, midday leaf Psi and internal CO(2). Although a significant amount of plasticity occurred in all species for most gas exchange and leaf structural parameters, middle successional species exhibited the largest degree of phenotypic plasticity between open and understory plants.
Evaluation of Education Projects: the Case of the Perry Preschool Program

Abstract The paper reviews the educational and evaluation experience with the widely known Perry Preschool Program. Basically, the Perry Program generated short-term IQ gains that evaporated within 2 years, followed by long-term gains in attendance, academic achievement, graduation rates and earnings, and reductions in transfer payments and pregnancies. When subjected to a formal benefit-cost analysis, the program returns about $24,000 per student, with as much as 80% of the benefits going not to participants but to those who benefit from higher participant tax payments, lower transfers and reduced crime. It is at the same time mysterious that a program with such fleeting IQ gains could generate such enormous long-term gains, impressive that preschool programs provide such an attractive human investment opportunity for nonparticipants, and even more impressive that these long-term gains could be identified.
The effect of hydrocortisone treatment on the in vivo phosphorylation of a subgroup of non-histone nuclear proteins in the mouse lymphosarcoma P1798.

Abstract The in vivo phosphorylation of a small subgroup of non-histone nuclear proteins, similar to the high mobility group (HMG) proteins described by Goodwin and Johns ( Methods in Cell Biology (1977) Vol. XVI, eds. G. Stein, J. Stein and L.J. Kleinsmith, pp. 257–267, Academic Press, New York), was studied in the P1798 mouse lymphosarcoma. A single injection of cortisol, resulting in a 50% reduction in tumor mass of the sensitive strain of this tumor, caused a marked suppression in phosphorylation of at least three of these proteins, independent of any apparent change in protein concentration. No such change was observed in the cortisol-resistant strain, and it is suggested that the effect of cortisol in causing regression of this tumor might be mediated via changes in phosphorylation of specific nuclear proteins.
'Thompson seedless' grapevine vigour and abundance of Pacific spider mite (Tetranychus pacificus McGregor) (Acari, Tetranychidae)

Spider mite outbreaks have been frequently related to factors that reduce plant vigour. We conducted a field study to determine the relationship between the abundance of Pacific spider mite, Tetranychus pacificus McGregor, and abiotic factors related to the vigour of ‘Thompson Seedless’ grapevines, Vitis vinifera L. Our study supports previous observations on the relationship between Pacific mite abundance and vine vigour, and partially explains these differences in terms of the previously proposed hypotheses of differences in leaf N and leaf temperature on vines of different vigour. Pacific mite densities were 5.5-fold higher on low-vigour compared with high-vigour vines. Total leaf N was weakly correlated with vine vigour and Pacific mite abundance. Average daily and afternoon leaf temperatures were higher on low-vigour vines resulting in 45.3°D greater accumulation on low-vigour vines compared with high-vigour vines during the increasing phase of Pacific mite population growth. This difference represented 37.4% of the °D requirements for the development of 1 Pacific mite generation and could be partially responsible for the observed difference in Pacific mite abundance in relation to vine vigour. Other confounding factors are discussed and an additional hypothesis is proposed to further explain the relationship between vine vigour and Pacific mite abundance.
Acyl chain conformations in phospholipid bilayers: a comparative study of docosahexaenoic acid and saturated fatty acids

A variety of experimental methods indicate unique biophysical properties of membranes containing the highly polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the following we review the atomically detailed picture of DHA acyl chains structure and dynamics that has emerged from computational studies of this system in our lab. A comprehensive approach, beginning with ab-initio quantum chemical studies of model compounds representing segments of DHA and ending with large scale classical molecular dynamics simulations of DHA-containing bilayers, is described with particular attention paid to contrasting the properties of DHA with those of saturated fatty acids. Connection with experiment is made primarily through comparison with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) studies, particularly those that probe details of the chain structure and dynamics. Our computational results suggest that low torsional energy barriers, comparable to kT at physiological conditions, for the rotatable bonds in the DHA chain are the key to the differences observed between polyunsaturated and saturated acyl chains.
Distribution-free tests for no effect of treatment in heteroscedastic functional data under both weak and long range dependence

In this paper, we present distribution-free tests to evaluate the effect of multiple treatments when there are a large number of repeated measurements from each subject nested in a treatment. We formulate new test statistics to account for heteroscedasticity and unbalanced designs. The asymptotic distributions for the test statistics are obtained when the repeated measurements from the same subject have long range dependence and weak dependence, respectively. The asymptotic results hold under the nonclassical setting in which the number of repeated measurements is large while the number of subjects per treatment may be small. A real application to compare cattle ear temperature profiles under different antibiotic treatments is given for illustration. Simulation studies are undertaken to compare the empirical performance of the proposed tests to commonly used methods.
Evaluation of venous thromboembolism risk following hospitalization.

A better understanding of the relationship between outpatient venous thromboembolism (VTE) and prior hospitalization is needed including data regarding the utilization of inpatient pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis and its effect on outpatient venous thromboembolic risk. The primary objective was to assess the association between development of outpatient VTE and inpatient hospitalization within the previous 90 days. Additional outcome measures included describing patients who received pharmacologic anticoagulation during hospitalization and identification of factors independently associated with VTE. Case patients in this matched case–control study were diagnosed with an outpatient deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus between January 2005 and December 2007 and were matched on age with up to five to patients who were seen for an outpatient health maintenance visit but had no VTE during the same time frame as their matched case. Information collected from electronic administrative databases and patient medical records included health services utilization, medication use, medical diagnoses, and patient demographic information. Of 2190 cases, 560 patients (25.6%) compared to 151 (1.4%) of 10,942 control patients were hospitalized in the previous 90 days (P < 0.001). Among hospitalized patients, 53.5% of cases and 47.0% of controls received an anticoagulant during hospitalization (P = 0.186). Factors associated with a VTE diagnosis included hospitalization for a surgical, medical, or orthopedic indication in the previous 90 days, younger age, longer hospitalization, cancer and an elevated Chronic Disease Score. Conclusions: A strong association exists between outpatient VTE diagnosis and hospitalization and gaps in pharmacologic prophylaxis utilization during hospitalization are evident.
(−)-N-[11C]propyl-norapomorphine: a positron-labeled dopamine agonist for PET imaging of D2 receptors

Imaging neuroreceptors with radiolabeled agonists might provide valuable information on the in vivo agonist affinity states of receptors of interest. We report here the radiosynthesis, biodistribution in rodents, and imaging studies in baboons of [(11)C]-labeled (-)-N-propyl-norapomorphine [(-)-NPA]. (-)-[(11)C]NPA was prepared by reacting norapomorphine with [(11)C]propionyl chloride and a lithium aluminum hydride reduction. [(11)C]Propionyl chloride was prepared by reacting [(11)C]CO(2) with ethylmagnesium bromide, followed by reacting with phthaloyl chloride. The radiochemical yield of (-)-[(11)C]NPA was 2.5% at end of synthesis (EOS), and the synthesis time was 60 min. The specific activity was 1700+/-1900 mCi/micromol ( N=7; ranged 110-5200 mCi/micromol at EOS). Rodent biodistribution studies showed high uptake of [(11)C](-)-NPA in D(2) receptor-rich areas, and the striatum/cerebellum ratios were 1.7, 3.4, and 4.4 at 5 min, 30 min, and 60 min postinjection, respectively. Pretreating the animals with haloperidol (1 mg/kg) decreased the striatum/cerebellum ratio at 30 min postinjection to 1.3. (-)-[(11)C]NPA was also evaluated via baboon positron emission tomography (PET) studies. Under control conditions ( N=4), rapid uptake of the tracer was observed and the striatum/cerebellum ratio reached 2.86+/-0.15 at 45 min postinjection. Following haloperidol pretreatment (0.2 mg/kg IV), the striatum/cerebellum ratio was 1.29 at 45 min postinjection. The result demonstrated the existence of specific binding of this new tracer to the D(2) receptor. To our knowledge, the current finding of a striatum/cerebellum ratio of 2.8 in baboon was the highest reported with a radiolabeled D(2) agonist. (-)-[(11)C]NPA is a promising new D(2) agonist PET tracer for probing D(2) receptors in vivo using PET.
CLASSIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE DIFFICULT PEDIATRIC AIRWAY

CLASSIFICATION OF THE DIFFICULT AIRWAY A difficult airway (DA) is one in which there is a problem establishing or maintaining gas exchange via a mask, an artificial airway, or both. A wide range of pathologic conditions, including developmental malformations, inflammatory lesions, endocrine and metabolic disorders, infections, trauma, and structural problems (e.g., foreign body or intrinsic or extrinsic masses), occur in a large number of anatomic locations (head, neck, spine, face, oral cavity, larynx, subglottic region, trachea) and can cause a DA. Familiarity with disease states and common syndromes increases one’s ability to recognize a DA in children and will lead to appropriate preparation and management of the airway. The anomalies complicating airway management in pediatric patients can be categorized in different ways. In this article, the DA is classified according to the anatomic region of the airway affected. With certain disease states, the DA may be due to involvement of multiple anatomic structures. Table 1 lists conditions that may be associated with airway problems in pediatric patients. It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss each of these disease states, but some of them are detailed in other articles in this issue. Important references are added where possible.
Hyperthermia impairs retrieval of an overtrained spatial task in the Morris water maze.

Fifteen rats were trained to learn the location of a spatially fixed platform hidden in a Morris water maze (40 ± 2°C). Then retention of the spatial task was assessed immediately after raising core body temperature (Tc) to 42 or 40°C or stabilizing at 37°C (the normothermic control). The hyperthermic treatment order was counterbalanced according to a Latin-square design. Hyperthermia at 42°C Tc significantly impaired spatial performance. Hyperthermic animals were cooled to normothermia (Tc = 37°C) and spatial perforance was tested again approximately 30 min later. Cooling resulted in a complete recovery of spatial performance. These results demonstrate that hyperthermia-induced amnesia can be obtained on an overtrained spatial-mapping strategy and cooling to normothermia initiates recovery of spatial performance.
Characterization of cholinergic and noradrenergic slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials from rat cerebral cortical neurons

Intracellular recordings from layer V pyramidal neurons in rat somatosensory neocortical slices were used to investigate the effects of electrically stimulating slices known to contain cholinergic and noradrenergic fibers. Repetitive electrical stimulation ventral to the recording site elicited a series of fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials followed by an inhibitory postsynaptic potential. These potentials were followed by a slow excitatory postsynaptic potential that lasted up to tens of seconds. The slow excitatory postsynaptic potential was more prominent when neurons were depolarized to 5-10 mV below firing threshold and was associated with increased input resistance and generated action potentials. The slow excitatory postsynaptic potential increased the amplitude of membrane potential oscillations and blocked the slow afterhyperpolarization which followed trains of action potentials. The amplitude of the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential was sensitive to extracellular potassium concentration. Blockade of postsynaptic action potentials by QX-314 did not block slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials. Exposure of slices to tetrodotoxin did block slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials, indicating they were dependent on propagated action potentials. Application of antagonists of glutamate and fast GABA responses failed to block slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials. Exposure to atropine or either propranolol or atenolol partially antagonized slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials, but only when atropine was added in combination with one of the other agents was the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential completely blocked. Exposure of slices to eserine, imipramine, or cocaine enhanced slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials. It is concluded that the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential triggered in neocortical slices is a composite of a cholinergic and a noradrenergic slow excitatory postsynaptic potential, and these potentials are capable of altering the firing properties of neurons for tens of seconds.
Prostaglandin E2 selectively antagonizes prostaglandin F2α-stimulated T-cell factor/β-catenin signaling pathway by the FPB prostanoid receptor

Abstract FP prostanoid receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors that consist of two isoforms named FPA and FPB. Both isoforms activate inositol phosphate second messenger signaling pathways by their endogenous ligand prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α). Previously we have shown that both isoforms undergo Rho-mediated cell rounding following treatment with PGF2α. Following the removal of PGF2α, however, FPA-expressing cells return to their original morphology, whereas FPB-expressing cells do not. It was also found that PGF2α-could activate T-cell factor (Tcf)/β-catenin signaling in cells expressing the FPB isoform but not in cells expressing the FPA isoform. We now show that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) can induce cell rounding and stimulate the formation of inositol phosphates to the same extent as PGF2α in cells expressing either the FPA or FPB isoforms. However, PGE2 has much lower efficacy as compared with PGF2α for the activation of Tcf/β-catenin signaling in FPB-expressing cells, and the cell rounding is reversible. Interestingly, pretreatment of FPB -expressing cells with PGE2-attenuated PGF2α-stimulated Tcf/β-catenin signaling in a dosedependent manner while having no effect on PGF2α-stimulated inositol phosphates formation. Thus, the ratio of endogenous PGE2 and PGF2α has the potential to selectively regulate one signaling pathway over another. This represents a novel mechanism for the regulation of cell signaling that is distinct from regulation occurring at the level of the receptor and its effector pathways.
Bounding restricted rotation distance

Restricted rotation distance between pairs of rooted binary trees quantifies differences in tree shape. Cleary exhibited a linear upper bound of 12n for the restricted rotation distance between two trees with n interior nodes, and a lower bound of (n - 1)/3 if the two trees satisfy a reduction condition. We obtain a significantly improved sharp upper bound of 4n - 8 for restricted rotation distance between two rooted binary trees with n interior nodes, and a significantly improved sharp lower bound of n - 2, again with the requirement that the trees satisfy a reduction condition. These improvements use work of Fordham to compute the word metric in Thompson's group F.
Inhibitory action of epidermal growth factor on progesterone biosynthesis in hen granulosa cells during short term culture: two sites of action.

The acute effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on progesterone biosynthesis by hen granulosa cells in short term culture was investigated. Pretreatment of cells for 5 h with EGF at concentrations of 1000–4000 ng/ml inhibited LHstimulated progesterone production by 54%. Shorter EGF pretreatment times of 1 and 3 h caused 25% and 35% inhibition of LH-stimulated progesterone production, respectively. In additional experiments, EGF was found to inhibit progesterone production in response to 8-bromo-cAMP (1 mm) and forskolin (100 μm) by 34% and 35%, respectively. EGF had no effect on the conversion of 25-hydroxy-cholesterol or preghenolone to progesterone, indicating that one site at which EGF inhibits progesterone biosynthesis is distal to cAMP generation, but before the side-chain cleavage step. EGF also inhibited LHstimulated cAMP production by 32%, but had no effect on forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation. This indicated that there was a second site of EGF action in these cells, probably at the level o...
Expression of transcripts for myelination-related genes in the anterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia

Several recent studies have found changes in the expression of genes functionally related to myelination and oligodendrocyte homeostasis in schizophrenia. These studies utilized microarrays and quantitative PCR (QPCR), methodologies which do not permit direct, unamplified examination of mRNA expression. In addition, these studies generally only examined transcript expression in homogenates of gray matter. In the present study, we examined the expression of myelination-related genes previously implicated in schizophrenia by microarray or QPCR. Using in situ hybridization, we measured transcript expression of 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNP), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), transferrin (TF), quaking (QKI), gelsolin, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 3, erbb2 interacting protein, motility-related protein-1, SRY-box containing gene 10, oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2, peripheral myelin protein 22, and claudin-11 in both gray and white matter of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in subjects with schizophrenia (n = 41) and a comparison group (n = 34). We found decreased expression of MAG, QKI, TF, and CNP transcripts in white matter. We did not find any differences in expression of these transcripts between medicated (n = 31) and unmedicated (n = 10) schizophrenics, suggesting that these changes are not secondary to treatment with antipsychotics. Finally, we found significant positive correlations between QKI and MAG or CNP mRNA expression, suggesting that the transcription factor QKI regulates MAG and CNP expression. Our results support the hypothesis that myelination and oligodendrocyte function are impaired in schizophrenia.
Introduction to the special section on the structure of emotion.

This section is devoted to articles about the structure of affect, the patterned interrelations of moods and emotions. Structural features of affect, such as a bipolar pleasantness-unpleasantness dimension, a circumplex ordering, prototypical discrete emotions, and separable positive and negative emotion clusters, are discussed. It is proposed that positive and negative affect systems create the conditions for the co-occurrence of discrete positive emotions with each other and of discrete negative emotions with each other. The experience of affect tends to be felt along a bipolar pleasantness-unpleasantness dimension because pleasant emotions and unpleasant emotions tend not to be experienced together at intense levels. To move beyond current knowledge, future research in the area must more often use non-self-report measures, more sophisticated statistical and measurement methods, dynamic as well as static data, systematically varied response formats, and experimental manipulations.
Wild chimpanzees show population-level handedness for tool use.

Whether nonhuman primates exhibit population-level handedness remains a topic of considerabe theoretical and empirical debate. One continued subject of discussion is whether evidence of population-level handedness in primates is confined to studies in captive animals or whether it is in both captive and wild subjects. Here, we report evidence of population-level handedness in wild chimpanzees for a tool-use task known as “termite-fishing.” We subsequently compared the handedness for termite-fishing with other published reports on handedness for nut-cracking and wadge-dipping and found task-specific differences in handedness. Last, when combing all of the published data on tool use in wild chimpanzees, we show that hand preferences are heritable. Contrary to previous claims, our results demonstrate that populationlevel handedness is evident in wild chimpanzees and suggest that the antecedents of lateralization of function associated with hand use were present at least 5 million years ago, before the Pan-Homo split.
A resonantly driven piezoelectric transformer for high voltage generation

A resonant piezoelectric transformer circuit is being developed for high voltage generation. A lithium niobate ferroelectric crystal with a rotated y-cut polarization orientation is used as a step up transformer. The rectangular shaped crystal is driven through the thickness into the extensional vibration mode. Applied voltages at low radio frequencies, 40 to 90 kHz, are used, which includes the half and full wavelength resonance frequency. The circuit design takes advantage of the piezoelectric transformation into mechanical energy to bias the primary side of the transformer. An impedance matching transformer is used to match the crystal to the driving circuit over a wide range of frequencies. The piezoelectric circuit is designed to drive high impedances at 50 to 100 kV for beam or plasma applications. Voltage and frequency characteristics with several load impedances have been measured. The results of these tests to characterize the piezoelectric transformer circuit are presented.
Numerical determination of long-range stress history from strain history in concrete

The paper presents an efficient and highly accurate step-by-step numerical algorithm for computation of stress history from any prescribed strain history in a linear age-dependent viscoelastic material. The method is applicable for any form of the creep function, including the typical case when the slope of the creep curve in the logarithmic time scale is significant over many orders of magnitude of the elapsed time period (i.e retardation spectrum is broad). The time division must be in geometric progression or nearly so. The creep function may be defined by formulas or by a table of values. A FORTRAN program is presented which allows quick and economical computer solution. Numerical examples are given and excellent convergence is demonstrated. For the special case of strains varying linearly with the creep coefficient a useful new theorem is proved.