cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydroquinone and its analogues in dermatology - a risk-benefit viewpoint.

Summary Hydroquinone (HQ) has been used since the 1950s in commercially available over-the-counter skin lightener products and since the 1960s as a commercially available medical product. It is also used in cosmetic products such as hair dyes and products for coating finger nails. Beginning in 2001, HQ is no longer authorized for use in cosmetic skin lightening formulations in European Union countries, although products containing arbutin, an analogue of HQ, and botanicals, including plants that naturally contain HQ and arbutin, continue to remain available in European countries. The potential toxicity of HQ is dependent on the route of exposure, and toxicity in rodents is highly sex-, species-, and strain-specific. Subchronic and chronic toxicity in experimental animals is primarily limited to nephrotoxicity in male F-344 rats. Dermal toxicity studies, even those conducted in the sensitive male F-344 rat, are essentially devoid of systemic toxicity. Developmental and reproductive toxicity studies with HQ in rats and rabbits have not demonstrated significant effects. Cancer bioassay data for HQ demonstrate limited effects and are not sufficient to classify HQ for human carcinogenicity. Epidemiology and occupational studies of workers with extensive exposure to HQ have not reported any evidence of adverse systemic health effects or carcinogenicity. A risk-benefit approach is recommended for assessing the available data for HQ, arbutin, and other materials in use as, or proposed for use as, skin lighteners to provide optimal therapeutic benefits to patients with pigmentary changes of the skin.
Improved densitometric measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction using dual-energy digital subtraction angiography *

The effects of misregistration artifacts and background corrections on the densitometric measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) from digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images were studied in 20 patients. Densitometric ejection fraction measurements were performed on both conventional time subtraction images and on dual-energy subtraction images. Dual-energy subtraction is not sensitive to the motion induced artifacts which often mar time subtraction images. While the time subtraction images had varying degrees of misregistration artifacts, none of the dual-energy studies contained significant misregistration artifacts. Densitometrically determined ejection fractions measured with and without correction for background signals were compared. Poor agreement between time subtraction ejection fractions determined with and without background correction (EFNO-BKG=0.88 EFBKG −6.0%, SEE=8.1%, r=0.83) demonstrated the sensitivity of time subtraction EFs to the performance of a background correction procedure. Conversely, densitometric measurement of ejection fraction using dual-energy subtraction was significantly less sensitive to the performance of a background correction (EPNO-BKG=0.99 EFBKG −5.3%, SEE=4.3%, r=0.96). Since background correction requires accurate definition of ventricular borders, but motion artifacts often preclude accurate border definition, it is concluded that dual-energy subtraction is a significantly more robust method for measuring left ventricular ejection fraction using densitometry. It is further concluded that identification of the systolic endocardial border is not required when performing densitometric EF measurements on dual-energy images. Drawing of the end-diastolic border alone is sufficient to produce an accurate ejection fraction measurement.
Cognitive Mechanisms in Children's Gender Stereotyping: Theoretical and Educational Implications of a Cognitive-based Intervention

The study was designed to test the hypothesis derived from cognitive-developmental theory that multiple classification skill plays an important role in children's gender stereotyping and in their processing of counterstereotypic gender information. Children (N= 75; 5-10 years) were matched on pretest measures of gender stereotyping and multiple classification skill and then assigned to: (1) multiple classification training using nonsocial stimuli, (2) multiple classification training using social stimuli, (3) a rule training intervention, or (4) a control intervention. Children who had acquired multiple classification skill via training with social stimuli and those children trained on rules for occupational sorting showed significantly more egalitarian responding on a subsequent measure of gender stereotyping and superior memory for counterstereotypic information embedded in stories. Additionally, children who had acquired multiple classification skill via training with nonsocial stimuli showed superior memory for counterstereotypic information, despite demonstrating no greater flexibility on the gender stereotyping measure. Both theoretical and educational implications of results are discussed.
Axonal isoforms of myosin-I

Abstract We have examined spinal motor neurons in Sprague–Dawley rats to further characterize a mechanoenzyme, myosin-Iγ (myr4), which is found in high concentration during axon tract formation in neonates. We raised an antibody to myr4 and made riboprobes for in situ hybridization. Myr4 mRNA was abundant in spinal cord motor neurons (particularly during axon regrowth). Nerves undergoing Wallerian degeneration (from a crush 7 days earlier) showed anti-myr4 labeling of the axolemma and SER—after microtubules, neurofilaments, and F-actin had already been degraded—which is consistent with a described lipid-binding domain in the tail region of myosin-Is. Newly synthesized myr4 was carried in axons by the slow component (SC) of axonal transport at 1–8 mm/day, whereas, none was carried by the fast component (FC). We conclude that SC delivers myr4 to the cytoplasmic surfaces of stationary axonal membranes (SER and axolemma). This positioning would anchor the tail domain of myr4 and leave the catalytic head domain free to interact with F-actin.
Alternative posterior consistency results in nonparametric binary regression using Gaussian process priors

Abstract We establish consistency of posterior distribution when a Gaussian process prior is used as a prior distribution for the unknown binary regression function. Specifically, we take the work of Ghosal and Roy [2006. Posterior consistency of Gaussian process prior for nonparametric binary regression. Ann. Statist. 34, 2413–2429] as our starting point, and then weaken their assumptions on the smoothness of the Gaussian process kernel while retaining a stronger yet applicable condition about design points. Furthermore, we extend their results to multi-dimensional covariates under a weaker smoothness condition on the Gaussian process. Finally, we study the extent to which posterior consistency can be achieved under a general model where, when additional hyperparameters in the covariance function of a Gaussian process are involved.
Uroguanylin: how the gut got another satiety hormone

Prouroguanylin is a gastrointestinal paracrine signal and prohormone that is secreted after nutrient ingestion. In this issue of the JCI, Valentino et al. show that prouroguanylin is converted to uroguanylin in the CNS, which can activate guanylyl cyclase 2C (GUCY2C) receptors in the brain to reduce food intake in mice. This 16-amino acid residue peptide is a novel component of the gut-brain axis that represents a new and unique opportunity to manipulate gut-brain signaling for therapeutic intervention in obesity.
Feature selection for link prediction

Networks that model relationships in the real world have attracted much attention in the past few years. Link prediction plays a central role in the network area. Supervised learning is an important class of algorithms used to address the link prediction problem. A big challenge in solving link prediction tasks is deciding how to choose relevant features. As an important machine learning technique to select relevant features, feature selection not only enhances classification accuracy, but also improves the efficiency of the training process. Thus, it is especially relevant for link prediction. However, to the best of our knowledge, feature selection under the link prediction scenario remains unstudied. In this paper, we propose FEature Selection for Link Prediction (FESLP), which contains a feature ranking algorithm and a feature weighting algorithm to address link prediction tasks. We measure the discriminative ability of each individual feature and select those features with greatest discriminative power. Simultaneously, we aim to minimize the correlations among features such that redundancy in the learned feature space is as small as possible. Thus, the feature space can accurately preserve the sketch of the original data. Feature weighting and feature ranking problems can be formalized as two quadratic optimization problems. The active set method is used to solve the feature weighting problem (via real number programming) while a greedy policy is applied to solve the feature ranking problem (via integer programming). In experiments, We evaluate FESLP on six large-scale email network datasets from a university. The results show the effectiveness of the FESLP.
Long‐Range Interaction between Metastable Helium and Ground State Helium

Results of analysis for the long-range interaction between ground state helium and triplet metastable helium, which shows that the long-range coefficient is the same for both gerade and ungerade states. Those terms which lead to the second term on the right hand side of a developed equation vanish through spin selection rules.
Peanut-pod mycoflora and kernel infection

The mycoflora in soil clinging to dry pods of peanuts of the Spanish variety Argentine was sampled in 2 experiments by serially washing pods for increasing periods in changes of sterile water. Of the 9 principal fungi found,Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. terreus, Rhizopus spp. andSclerotium bataticola were present initially in relatively small numbers and decreased rapidly in subsequent dilutions. This decrease paralleled a decrease in weight of suspended material and in percentage of soil and organic particles greater than 0.016 mm in size.Penicillium funiculosum, P. rubrum, P. citrinum, andFusarium spp. were found in large numbers and increased or slowly decreased in numbers in subsequent dilutions. In some instances variations in numbers followed trends of percentages of soil and organic particles less than 0.016 mm in size.
A novel simulation model for minimally invasive spine surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is among the fastest growing technologies in general neurosurgical practice. In addition, great demand exists to teach these skills to neurosurgery residents. With newly enforced work hour restrictions, opportunities to acquire these skills are limited, necessitating development of alternative strategies of education. We describe a novel simulation model for MISS supplemented by resident self-assessment analysis and evaluation. METHODS: The simulator was constructed using a nontransparent Plexiglas frame supplemented with a modified halo frame on which to affix spine specimens. Interchangeable copper tubing was affixed to a 360-degree pivot system to replicate a working portal. Deer skulls and spines were then collected and prepared accordingly. Laboratory exercises were based on the resident's level of training with emphasis on proper drilling techniques. Eight neurosurgery residents were asked to complete the exercises and complete a self-assessment survey regarding their competence level on a scale of 0 to 5, both before and after completing the skill sets. Additionally, they were asked to complete an exit survey that was used to assess the simulation exercises. RESULTS: All exercises were completed successfully with the exception of placing 2 separate pedicle screws through the same portal, which posed difficulty on some specimens because of the of lack of lordosis of the specimens, leading to unfavorable trajectories using a free-hand technique. With regard to the resident self-assessment analysis, the mean confidence rating for performing an MISS laminectomy improved by a difference of 1.25 points (n = 8; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.84; P = 0.0015), from 2.50 to 3.75 before and after simulation exercises, respectively, and reached statistical significance. For the senior-level residents, the mean confidence rating for performing MISS placement of pedicle screws using a free-hand technique improved by a difference of 1.00 (n = 3; 95% confidence interval, -1.48-3.48; P = 0.225), from 3.33 to 4.33 before and after simulation exercises, respectively. Results of the exit survey were encouraging. CONCLUSION: The MISS simulator is a feasible, inexpensive, and reproducible adjunct to neurosurgery resident training and provides a new teaching method for spine surgery. Further investigation of this technology is warranted, although multicenter, randomized, controlled trials assessing its validity may not be practical because of ethical constraints with regard to patient safety.
The Association of Hyperestrogenemia With Coronary Thrombosis in Men

Both hyperestrogenemia and hypotestosteronemia have been reported in association with myocardial infarction (MI) in men. It was previously observed that the serum testosterone concentration correlated negatively with the degree of coronary artery disease (CAD) in men who had never had a known MI. The present study investigated the relationship of sex hormone levels to the thrombotic component of MI by comparing these levels in 18 men who had had an MI (ie, thrombosis) and 50 men with no history of MI (ie, no thrombosis) whose degree of CAD was in the same range. The mean degree of CAD, age, and body mass index in these two groups was not significantly different. The mean serum estradiol level in the men who had had an MI (38.5 +/- 8.8 pg/mL) was higher (P = .002) than the level in the men who had not had an MI (31.9 +/- 7.1 pg/mL). The mean levels of testosterone, free testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, insulin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, cholesterol, HDI, cholesterol, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure did not differ significantly. Estradiol was the only variable measured that showed a significant relationship to MI (P < .003 by multivariate logistic regression). These findings suggest that hyperestrogenemia may be related to the thrombosis of MI.
Increasing Trends in Waist Circumference and Abdominal Obesity among U.S. Adults

Objective: Some studies have shown that abdominal obesity may be a better predictor than overall obesity for disease risks and all-cause mortality. This study sought to examine the recent trends in waist circumference (WC) among adults in the United States. Research Methods and Procedures: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 1988–1994, 1999–2000, 2001–2002, and 2003–2004 were analyzed to estimate the trends in the mean WC and the prevalence of abdominal obesity. Pooled t tests were used to test the differences in estimates between two time periods. Results: Between the periods of 1988–1994 and 2003–2004, the age-adjusted mean WC increased from 96.0 cm to 100.4 cm among men (p < 0.001) and from 89.0 cm to 94.0 cm among women (p < 0.001); the age-adjusted prevalence of abdominal obesity increased from 29.5% to 42.4% among men (p < 0.001) and from 47.0% to 61.3% among women (p < 0.001). Between the periods of 1999–2000 and 2003–2004, a significant increase occurred in mean WC only among men (from 99.0 cm to 100.4 cm; p = 0.03) and in the prevalence of abdominal obesity among both men (from 37.0% to 42.2%; p = 0.03) and women (from 55.3% to 61.3%; p = 0.04). People with a BMI of 25 to 29 kg/m2 had a greater relative increase in abdominal obesity. Discussion: The mean WC and the prevalence of abdominal obesity among U.S. adults have increased continuously during the past 15 years. Over one-half of U.S. adults had abdominal obesity in the period of 2003–2004.
From two-step flow to the internet: the changing array of sources for genetics information seeking

The diffusion of the Internet has radically expanded the readily available sources for information of all types. Information that was once obtained second-hand from friends and acquaintances--the traditional "two-step flow"--is now found easily through the Internet. The authors make use of survey data to explore this thesis in regards to information sources about genetic testing and the influence of the Internet on the information seeking behaviors of the public. A telephone survey of a random sample of 882 adults asked them about their knowledge of, concerns about, and interest in genetic testing. Respondents were most likely to first turn to the Internet for information about cancer genetics, second to public libraries, and third to medical doctors. Overall, doctors were the most likely source to be consulted when second and third choices are considered. Age, income, and self-reported understanding of genetics are shown to be predictors of whether someone goes to medical professionals for advice, rather than to the Internet or public library. The results raise questions about the apparent tendency of the public to regard the Internet as the best source of information on complex topics like genetics, for which it may be ill-suited.
Experimental verification of periodic pulling in a nonlinear electronic oscillator

An experimental investigation of entrainment and the phenomenon known as periodic pulling is described. Periodic pulling refers to the incomplete entrainment of an oscillatory nonlinear system by a periodically varying driving force. The process whereby the system's oscillation frequency is pulled toward the driving frequency stops short of complete synchronization and is interrupted at regular intervals. In this way, periodic pulling produces pulselike amplitude and frequency modulation in the system's oscillatory response. Associated with these combined, nonsinusoidal modulations is an asymmetric, or single-sided, spectral peak made up of spectral components at frequencies incommensurate with the undriven (spontaneous) and driving frequencies. The system being investigated uses a unijunction transistor as the nonlinear element in an electrical circuit. The behavior of the system is shown to resemble that predicted for a forced van der Pol oscillator with an adjustable nonlinear restoring force. For certain ranges of driving frequency and amplitude, when the system is not entrained to the driving force, periodic pulling is shown to alter the system's oscillatory response significantly from that expected for conventional amplitude modulation involving two sinusoids. The essential features of the periodic pulling phenomenon are observed and compared, with good agreement, to a model.
Evoked single cortical unit activity in the somatic sensory areas

Abstract 1. 1. Evoked activity in single cortical units was isolated in the somatosensory areas of cat and monkey under barbiturate anesthesia or chloralose anesthesia combined with d-tubocurarine or B-erythroidin. Peripheral mechanical or nerve stimulation was used. 2. 2. The spikes were predominantly initially negative when recorded with 4–12 μ electrodes. Larger positive-negative and positive spikes were recorded with 0.5–3 μ electrodes together with smaller initially negative spikes. 3. 3. The latency for the first spike of some units was variable in successive records and varied greatly between units, especially under light anesthesia. Other units showed extraordinary consistency of firing. 4. 4. Some units fired on the commencing limb of the positive primary response which was usually reversed in sign when the electrode tip was 0.5–1.0 mm. deep. The earliest evoked activity at depths of 220–350 μ occurred several milliseconds later than the earliest activity at greater depths in the cortex. 5. 5. High frequency repetitive discharges of the same cortical unit were observed following a single peripheral stimulus. However, this can occur as early in the sensory system as the cuneate nuclear relays. Because injury by the electrode can cause an increased number of spikes per discharge, multiple discharges require a careful evaluation. 6. 6. In some units, increases in strength of nerve stimulation or alterations in site of peripheral stimulation, which reduced the latency for the first spike, lead to an increase in rate of firing and number of spikes per discharge. 7. 7. Cells lying within a few micra of one another often fire with different latencies, number of spikes per high frequency discharge, interspike intervals and may be preferentially activated from different afferent sources. 8. 8. The receptive field of some somesthetic association area units included all four limbs, but the timing of unit firing may significantly differ with the site of stimulation. 9. 9. Absolute and relative unresponsive phases are distinguished in single cortical unit responses to paired shocks to the same nerve. Alteration in strength of the test shock may alter duration and degree of these phases. A later supernormal phase is also distinguished. The response to repetitive peripheral stimulation was studied. 10. 10. Forms of inhibitory and occlusive interaction are distinguished following stimuli to two nerves. Interaction may occur with nearly synchronous volleys in peripheral nerves. 11. 11. The significance of single cortical unit recording is discussed as related to spread of activity in the cortex, the mechanism of the primary response, population sampling and transmission of information in the sensory system.
Communication skills education onsite in a veterinary practice.

Abstract Objective To provide communication skills education to veterinary professionals in the practice setting and evaluate the training by measuring veterinarian communication pre- and post-intervention. Methods This is a case-based pre-test/post-test intervention study of a veterinary practice in Denver, CO. Four veterinarians from a single practice and 48 clients (selected to represent wellness and problem visits) were recruited to the study. The veterinarians took part in a training intervention consisting of a year-long curriculum, including interactive communication modules, individual coaching and communication laboratories. Six visit interactions were measured for each of the 4 veterinarians pre- and post-skill training. The Roter interaction analysis system (RIAS) was used to analyze the study's 48 videotapes. Results Compared to the pre-training visits, veterinarians gathered twice as much lifestyle-social data (p Conclusion The training intervention promoted a more client-centered approach to veterinarian–client communication. Practice implications Practice-based communication training is novel to veterinary practice. As a case study, generalization of the findings are limited, however the findings support the efficacy of the communication intervention and enhanced utilization of veterinarian–client communication skills by these veterinarians.
Properties of carbon nanotube reinforced linear low density polyethylene nanocomposites fabricated by cryogenic ball-milling

A cryogenic ball-milling process to produce polymer/CNT nanocomposites was investigated. Linear low density polyethylene was used as the matrix material and 1 wt % of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was used as reinforcement. The influence of the milling time and balls size was evaluated. The morphology of the nanocomposite and the degree of dispersion of the MWCNTs were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), visual inspection, and light transmission microscopy; ropes as well as aggregates of MWCNTs were observed, and there was evidence of wetting of the nanotubes by the matrix polymer. An increase of up to 28% in the elastic modulus (determined by tensile testing) with respect to the matrix was obtained. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed evidence of increase in the degree of crystallization, a result of the nucleating capability of the carbon nanotubes in the matrix. The degradation temperature of the nanocomposites does not show significant variations with respect to the unfilled polymer. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effects of refrigerated storage conditions on microbial activity of selected perishables

The effects of storage temperature and high relative humidity on the microbial activity of mature green tomato (‘Dombito’), mushroom (‘Sylvan Hybrid White’) and apple (‘Red Delicious’) were investigated at three temperatures (5, 10 and 15°C), and four different relative humidity levels (91, 94, 97 and 100%). Relative humidity effects were not found to be statistically significant for the ranges of variables investigated. The microbial counts for tomatoes were not very high during storage (<650 colony forming units per cm2), due in part to low initial counts. In mushrooms, the bacterial population was much higher (about 4 log scales) than the yeast and mould population throughout the storage period. These data also showed some evidence of a competitive relationship between bacterial and yeast and mould populations at 5°C. The final microbial count for apples at each temperature was less than 300 colony forming units per cm2.
Utility of the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic to Predict Medication Adherence in Patients Diagnosed with Heart Failure

Medication non-adherence is common and a primary reason for poor medical outcomes among individuals with heart failure (HF). This study’s aims were to determine whether depression, hostility, and the personality-based Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) Medication Abuse scale were associated with medication adherence (e.g., beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, statins) beyond contributions of demographic, medical, and psychosocial variables in an ethnically-diverse sample of 105 men and women diagnosed with HF. In hierarchical regression, greater MBMD Medication Abuse scale scores were associated with poorer adherence above and beyond both depression (β = .236, t[102] = 2.113, p = .037) and hostility (β = .244, t[102] = 2.506, p = .014). The Medication Abuse scale also completely mediated the relationship between adherence and depression. These findings suggest that personality measures such as the MBMD and hostility scales might be utilized in future studies investigating predictors of adherence and also used clinically to predict medication adherence among HF patients.
Grid search algorithm for 3D seismic source location

The spatial and temporal origin of a seismic energy source are estimated by minimizing (in the weighted least squares sense) the misfit between observed and predicted arrival times at a set of receiver stations. A search is conducted for the best source position within a 3D gridded volume of trial locations. Rapid calculation of predicted traveltimes is achieved by evaluating closed-form formulae appropriate for a homogeneous or 1D layered velocity model. The method is applicable to microseismic event location for mapping hydraulic fracturing in a petroleum reservoir.
Information, Commitment, and the Russo‐Japanese War of 1904–1905

We apply a modified version of the bargaining model of war to the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. We conceptualize the informational path to war as a two-step process, the first identifying the sources of informational asymmetries, and the second specifying the causal linkages between informational asymmetries and war. The sources of informational asymmetries include not only private information and incentives to misrepresent that information, but also individual, societal, and governmental-level factors. We argue that the primary causes of the Russo-Japanese War involved a combination of the commitment problem and preventive logic arising from Russia's growing power relative to that of Japan, and informational problems arising from disagreements about relative power and resolve. These disagreements arose almost exclusively from Russian political and military leaders' underestimation of Japanese capabilities and resolve, and they generated highly intransigent Russian bargaining behavior. Russia misperceptions can be traced primarily to racial and cultural stereotypes and psychological biases, and to competition between rival domestic and bureaucratic factions that distorted information flows, created an incoherent decision-making process, and sent confusing signals to Japan.
MONTAGE: CREATING SELF-POPULATING DOMAIN ONTOLOGIES FROM LINKED OPEN DATA

Domain-specific ontologies have become integral components of numerous semantic- and knowledge-based applications. However, creating such ontologies and populating them with correct individuals is a difficult and time-consuming process. Recently, a vast amount of knowledge has become available as part of the Linked Open Data (LOD) project, which includes data sets in multiple areas. In this paper, we present mOntage, a novel ontology design and population framework, which allows a domain expert to easily define a domain ontology schema and specify the ontology's classes and properties in terms of the subsets of the existing LOD data sources. The classes and properties of the ontology being created can be defined either directly, in terms of existing LOD-available classes and properties, or can be newly constructed by the domain expert. The definitions, called maps, are encoded as part of the ontology itself, effectively converting it into a self-populating ontology. Finally, a dedicated software system automatically populates the ontology with instances obtained from the selected LOD sources by executing suitable SPARQL queries. We illustrate our framework by creating Cancer Treatment ontology in the area of biomedicine.
Loss of circadian rhythmicity in body temperature and locomotor activity following suprachiasmatic lesions in the rat

In experiments on male and female ambulatory rats, the effect of bilateral suprachiasmatic lesions on deep body temperature and locomotor activity circadian rhythms was investigated. A L/D:12/12 cycle and 23 C ambient temperature were maintained. One-half of the rats received radiofrequency lesions in the suprachiasmic nucleus (SCN) while the second group were sham operated by lowering the radiofrequency electrode to the SCN without producing electrolytic lesions. Four weeks were allowed for recuperation. Autopsies were conducted to make sure that the lesions were restricted to SCN. The results show the complete disappearance of circadian rhythm in the SCN lesioned rats and only a slight diminution for the sham operated rats.
On the two-loop divergences of supersymmetric gravitation☆

Abstract Using an essentially dispersive approach to renormalization that allows us to consider subdivergences on-shell, we show that in supergravitational 2-loop amplitudes with external gravitons all non-local, non-renormalizable divergences cancel on-shell.
Pure red cell aplasia after 13 years of sodium valproate, and bone marrow suppression after 17 years of carbamazepine.

A 38-year-old woman presented with acute hematological toxicity from her anticonvulsants, even though she had been taking them for many years.
Topological dynamic Bayesian networks: Application to human face identification across ages

One of the major restrictions of dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs) is their inability to account for topological features such as shape descriptors, homeomorphy, homotopy, and invariance. The main reason for this shortcoming is explained by the fact that even if dynamic Bayesian networks encode statistical relationships; they are not embedded in a Euclidean space where mathematical structures abound. The goal is to embed DBNs into a Euclidean space such that these topological features can be exploited. This extension of DBNs to topological DBNs (TDBNs) leapfrogs the task of pattern recognition and machine learning by not only classifying objects but revealing how they are related topologically. We have applied the TDBN formalism to facial aging for person identification. Preliminary results reveal that the TDBNs outperform the traditional DBN with an accuracy margin of 8% in average.
Gradient Optimization of RF Amplifiers for Digital Communications

A gradient optimization methodology for use with nonlinear envelope simula- tion is presented. Emphasis is placed on efficient evaluation of cost function gradients. To this end, an envelope sensitivity equation is derived and methods for its efficient solution are proposed. In the case of circuits of moderate size, the solution of the sensitivity equation is shown to be simple and inexpensive. The more troublesome case of larger circuits is treated by a novel application of a recently developed iterative linear equation solver. The result is a general-purpose, rigorous optimization methodology for the fine tuning of gain, adja- cent channel power, power efficiency, and related performance measures in radio frequency (RF) amplifiers for digital communications. As an illustrative example, the optimization of a feedforward-linearized power amplifier is presented. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 10: 353-365, 2000.
Low-delay VXC at 8 kbit/s with interframe coding

The authors present a novel version of low-delay vector excitation coding (LD-VXC) operating at 8 kb/s that provides very good speech quality with a coding delay below that of the CCITT requirement. The coder integrates techniques such as vector quantization and analysis-by-synthesis, without any excessive buffering of speech samples in the encoder, by incorporating backward adaptive linear prediction. Compared with LD-VXC at 16 kb/s which was reported earlier, this version features an increased vector dimension, closed-loop pitch prediction with a three-tap pitch filter, codebook orthogonalization techniques, and dual-mode interframe coding of the pitch trajectory. Informal listening tests demonstrate that its quality is comparable to that of VSELP operating at the same rate, while maintaining a delay constraint an order of magnitude smaller than that of VSELP. >
The origin of the full-time faculty system. Implications for clinical research.

Clinical research has long been viewed as a fragile pursuit requiring special nurturing. The full-time clinical faculty system was introduced in the early 20th century to provide a milieu that would foster clinical investigation. This article, based on extensive archival research, will show that the main goal of the architects of the full-time system was to stimulate research by removing the incentive for medical professors to devote their main energy to practice. The plan was developed by preclinical scientists at The Johns Hopkins Medical School (Baltimore, Md) and was inaugurated there in 1913 with the financial assistance of the Rockefeller General Education Board. As other medical schools adopted traditional academic criteria for appointment and advancement, there were additional incentives for faculty members to undertake research. In the 1920s, the General Education Board yielded to pressure to liberalize its definition of full time and began to support medical schools that implemented what came to be known as the "geographic full-time plan." Increased government support and other factors encouraged the expansion of full-time plans and led to an impressive increase in the output of research. Today, growing pressure on full-time clinical faculty members to generate income from practice for themselves and their institutions threatens the future of clinical research in this country. (JAMA. 1991;265:1555-1562)
Soft contaminant detection using neural networks: techniques and limitations

We deal with the detection of contaminants in bags of frozen corn kernels. Foreign objects (FOs) buried in the bags are not visible to a conventional camera and consequently in order to view the contents of the bags we use X-ray imaging. The aim of this research is to develop a neural net based image analysis system which detects and segments any FOs that might be in the bags. >
Submodular feature selection for high-dimensional acoustic score spaces

We apply methods for selecting subsets of dimensions from high-dimensional score spaces, and subsets of data for training, using submodular function optimization. Submodular functions provide theoretical performance guarantees while simultaneously retaining extremely fast and scalable optimization via an accelerated greedy algorithm. We evaluate this approach on two applications: data subset selection for phone recognizer training, and semi-supervised learning for phone segment classification. Interestingly, the first application uses submodularity twice: first for score space sub-selection and then for data subset selection. Our approach is computationally efficient but still consistently outperforms a number of baseline methods.
Missed injuries in a rural area trauma center

Background Missed injuries can lead to delays. In the rural environment, where patients are frequently seen in multiple hospitals prior to reaching the trauma center, different problems arise. Methods Level-1 trauma center admissions from January 1993 through June 1995 were reviewed. Missed injuries were those not identified within 24 hours of injury. Data extracted included demographics, mechanism, severity and outcome. Comparisons were made between missed injury patients and typical trauma patients. Results Of 3,996 patients, 70 missed injuries were identified in 56 patients. Compared with typical trauma patients, missed injury patients suffered more blunt trauma, were more severely injured, had longer intensive care unit and hospital stays, and a lower mortality rate. Transferred patients accounted for 60% of missed injuries. Conclusions Transferred patients with blunt injury have the highest risk for missed injury. Delayed transports and prior examination may contribute to complacency. All trauma patients must be repeatedly evaluated thoroughly, and all diagnostic studies reviewed for adequacy.
Cerebral Sinus Venous Thrombosis Complicated by Cerebellar Hemorrhage in a Child With Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

A 12-year-old boy who presented with headache and papilledema was diagnosed with cerebral sinus venous thrombosis and promyelocytic leukemia. Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis is an uncommon manifestation of acute promyelocytic leukemia, and acute promyelocytic leukemia is an unusual etiology for cerebral sinus venous thrombosis. This case highlights the importance of a complete evaluation for risk factors in a child presenting with cerebral sinus venous thrombosis. Anticoagulation was initiated for treatment of cerebral sinus venous thrombosis, and new asymptomatic hemorrhage was identified in the cerebellum 1 day later. Anticoagulation was discontinued for 5 days and then reinitiated in the intensive care unit without hemorrhage expansion or other complications. We review the literature regarding anticoagulation in children with cerebral sinus venous thrombosis and issues specific to acute promyelocytic leukemia. This case suggests that in a controlled setting, anticoagulation may be safe in selected patients with cerebellar hemorrhage.
Assessment of Flow Events at the Ductus VenosusInferior Vena Cava Junction and at the Foramen Ovale in Fetal Sheep by Use of Multimodal Ultrasound

Background Previous techniques for the study of the fetal circulation did not permit assessment of phasic events associated with the cardiac cycle. We used multimodal ultrasound techniques to examine flow events that occur in the major veins and across the foramen ovale in the circulation of the fetal lamb. Methods and Results We studied eight fetal lambs instrumented with catheters in the superior and inferior venae cavae and a peripheral umbilical vein and performed ultrasound studies that included M-mode and two-dimensional imaging, pulsed and Doppler color flow ultrasound, and contrast echocardiography to evaluate flow in the ductus venosus, in both venae cavae, and through the foramen ovale. Two blood streams of different flow velocities were identified within the cephalic portion of the inferior vena cava. The stream that originated from the narrowed ductus venosus had a higher velocity than that from the caudal inferior vena cava (mean velocity, 57±13 versus 16±3 cm/s; P<.0002). Facilitated by the ...
Metamodeling of simulations consisting of time series inputs and outputs

Long run times of a simulation can be a hindrance when an analyst is attempting to use the model for timely system analysis and optimization. In this situation, techniques such as simulation metamodeling should be considered to expedite the end user's intended analysis procedure. A difficult problem arises in the application of metamodeling when the simulation inputs and outputs are not of a single value, but constitute a time series, a phenomenon that is seen repeatedly in the area of financial simulations and many naturally occurring events. This paper provides a method to develop a mapping between multiple time series inputs of a simulation and a single Figure of Merit (FoM) of the system across a given time period of interest. In addition, this paper discusses a means for an end user to define a tailored FoM with respect to their own specific system beliefs and objectives in the case of multiple simulation outputs.
MicroRNA, sex determination and floral meristem determinacy in maize

Sex determination in the flowers of maize involves the abortion of stamen or pistil development. Recent work investigating genes that control this process reveals that a microRNA is involved in both the sex determination of the male inflorescence and its growth pattern.
Early hyperglycemia is associated with poor gross motor outcome in asphyxiated term newborns.

Abstract Background Hyperglycemia after ischemic stroke in adults and after near-drowning in children is associated with a poor neurological outcome. Anaerobic metabolism of glucose leads to buildup of lactic acid, free radical production, mitochondrial failure, and ultimately an increase in neurological injury. In asphyxiated infants, high lactate peaks are seen in the basal ganglia with magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Because motor disability in asphyxiated full-term newborns often relates to injury in the basal ganglia, we hypothesized that hyperglycemia and associated buildup of lactic acid may lead to worse gross motor outcome. Methods Glucose, blood gas values, and demographic data were abstracted from the medical records of 41 term infants with asphyxia and without confounding diagnoses. Their Gross Motor Function Classification System scores were determined from the medical record or by structured telephone interviews. Results The outcomes of 14 infants were considered poor on the basis of death within the first 6 months or moderate-to-severe cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System score 1-5). The other 27 infants had no gross motor disability (Gross Motor Function Classification System score 0). The highest recorded blood glucose correlated with poor outcome ( P = 0.046 by logistic regression). Infants with hyperglycemia (blood glucose > 150 mg/dL) were more likely to have poor outcome ( P = 0.017; odds ratio: 5.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.4-24.7). Conclusions High blood glucose in the first 12 hours is associated with poor gross motor outcome in this cohort of asphyxiated term infants. Clinicians should avoid hyperglycemia in managing term infants with asphyxia.
The Potential for the Transcriptome to Serve as a Clinical Biomarker for Cardiovascular Diseases

See related article, pages e74–e83 The ability to measure the level of expression of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously with a variety of technologies has introduced the concept of deriving molecular signatures based on specific patterns of gene expression. This notion is conceptually resonant with regard to oncogenesis, and coupled with the ready availability of tumor tissue, has led to the introduction of molecular signature–based biomarkers for several solid and hematologic tumors.1,2 Recently, molecular signature analysis (MSA), prospectively validated in large patient cohorts, has become available to physicians managing patients with breast cancer,3 and ongoing clinical trials suggest that MSA could be a valuable tool to predict diagnosis, prognosis, and individual responses to therapies. The promising results of microarray technology in oncology raise the issue of whether and how this tool could be used in other areas. In the cardiovascular field, there is a need for improved tools to detect inflammatory diseases of the myocardium and to guide immunosuppressive treatment in cardiac allograft recipients. The current gold standard for detecting myocarditis or monitoring cardiac allograft rejection—histopathological examination of endomyocardial biopsy specimens—is limited by imperfect sensitivity4 and requires, in the case of transplant recipients, repeated invasive procedures. The availability of high-throughput genomic technology could contribute substantially to the management of inflammatory diseases of the myocardium. From a conceptual basis, genetic susceptibility does play in role in these disorders. For example, various single nucleotide polymorphisms correlate with cardiac transplant outcomes.5,6 Therefore, the advent of high-throughput genotyping holds great promise to assess one patient’s individual risk for developing rejection episodes, and testing of pharmacogenomic markers could help to guide the complex immunosuppressive regimens. Moreover, gene expression profiles may aid in the diagnosis and management of cardiac allograft rejection and myocarditis by reflecting complex genotype–environmental interactions. …
A simple but accurate mass conservative, peak-preserving, mixing ratio bounded advection algorithm with FORTRAN code

Abstract A simplified but very accurate method for calculating advection of mixing ratios in a mass conservative and monotonic manner is presented. This scheme replaces the polynomial approximations of other advection algorithms with dual-linear segments, and employs a special treatment near local maxima and minima to preserve extremes very well. Before updating mixing ratios, fluxes at grid-cell faces are bounded to yield conservative, monotonic, maximum-bounded and minimum-bounded solutions to the advection equation with very little numerical diffusion, even in locally deformational flows. “Bounded” here means that updated mixing ratios never exceed local maxima or fall below local minima. If an initial tracer distribution is everywhere positive, the solution is positive-definite, but negative values can be advected. With a “sharpening” option fully enabled, local maxima or minima are usually perfectly preserved, and features as small as 2–3Δx in width are advected with virtually no numerical diffusion for many Courant numbers and advection distances. Algorithms are presented for advecting mixing ratios through variable-spaced grids in any flow, including strongly deformational flows. One- and two-dimensional tests of the scheme are presented. Relative to other advection algorithms, this scheme yields significantly lower peak, distribution and rms errors, especially when advecting poorly resolved features with sizes 1–3Δx. Therefore this scheme may be useful in applications where peak and minima preservation of small features is desirable. A 41-line FORTRAN advection subroutine which can be readily applied for general advection problems is provided in the appendix.