cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical Care Management of the ACHD Patient with Aortopathies

Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) often have aortopathies. These patients require specialized care and attention before, during, and after procedures are performed. With complex relationships involving differential blood flow, elevated pressures and resistances, as well as unique blood vessel anatomy, these patients require specialty care. Knowledge of medications to avoid, details of post-procedural monitoring, and sequelae associated with the inherent congenital heart disease and aortopathy mandate that critical care staff be aware of the clinical complexities associated with each patient’s specific anatomy and physiology.
Cooperative activation of O-H and S-H bonds across the Co-P bond of an N-heterocyclic phosphido complex.

Metal–ligand cooperation has proven to be a viable concept for σ bond activation and catalysis, however there are few examples involving phosphorus as an active participant in bond cleavage. The reactivity of E–H bonds (E = S, O) across a metal–phosphorus bond of a cobalt(I) center ligated by a tridenate N-heterocyclic phosphido (NHP−) ligand with diphosphine sidearms, (PPP)−, has been explored. Addition of PhOH to (PPP)CoPMe3 (1) cleanly affords (PPOPhP)Co(H)PMe3 (2), in which the O–H bond was heterolytically cleaved across the M–PNHP bond. Addition of PhSH to 1 first generates (PPHP)Co(SPh)PMe3 (3), which undergoes an intermolecular rearrangement to generate (PPSPhP)Co(H)PMe3 (4) as the thermodynamic product. A comparison with a related platinum(II) system reveals the subtle effects that variations in metal intrinsic properties can have on metal–ligand bifunctional σ bond activation processes.
Bactrian camels shed large quantities of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) after experimental infection*

In 2012, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged. To date, more than 2300 cases have been reported, with an approximate case fatality rate of 35%. Epidemiological investigat...
Current management of succinate dehydrogenase-deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are increasingly recognized as having diverse biology. With the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors molecularly matched to oncogenic KIT and PDGFRA mutations, GISTs have become a quintessential model for precision oncology. However, about 5-10% of GIST lack these driver mutations and are deficient in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), an enzyme that converts succinate to fumarate. SDH deficiency leads to accumulation of succinate, an oncometabolite that promotes tumorigenesis. SDH-deficient GISTs are clinically unique in that they generally affect younger patients and are associated with GIST-paraganglioma hereditary syndrome, also known as Carney-Stratakis Syndrome. SDH-deficient GISTs are generally resistant to tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, the standard treatment for advanced or metastatic GIST. Thus, surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment for localized disease, but recurrence is common. Clinical trials are currently underway investigating systemic agents for treatment of advanced SDH-deficient GIST. However, further studies are warranted to improve our understanding of SDH-deficient GIST disease biology, natural history, surgical approaches, and novel therapeutics.
Acute Anticoagulation after Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Purpose Despite reductions in major adverse events with the latest generation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), the incidence of stroke remains high. The timing of anticoagulation resumption is controversial. We aim to explore practices of anticoagulation management following ischemic stroke in LVAD patients and identify optimal strategies. Methods We retrospectively analyzed our LVAD database between 11/2012 and 5/2018. Patients who suffered ischemic stroke were categorized into 3 groups based on the timing of anticoagulation resumption post-stroke: anticoagulation immediately continued (A), held 1-4 days (B), held >4 days (C). Primary outcome events included recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA, pump thrombosis, systemic thrombosis, and intracranial or extracranial bleeding within 90 days. Descriptive and nonparametric survival analyses were performed. Results Of the 38 patients identified as having an ischemic stroke, 22 experienced 37 primary outcomes including 5 recurrent ischemic strokes/TIAs, 3 pump thromboses, 15 systemic embolic events, 9 intracranial and 5 systemic hemorrhages. We found no significant association between timing of anticoagulation resumption and incidence of subsequent ischemic events (Group A= 39%, B= 22%, C= 17%) or intracranial bleeding (Group A= 17%, B= 33%, C= 33%). Kaplan-Meier survival free of a primary outcome for all patients was 65%, 56% and 50% at 7, 14 and 30 days post ischemic stroke, respectively. There was no association between survival and timing of anticoagulation, sex, LVAD type or placement before vs after 2014. Conclusion We found a high rate of early outcomes after ischemic stroke in LVAD patients, with no evidence of increased risk with continued anticoagulation. Accepting the limitations of a retrospective study, these data suggest that anticoagulation may not need to be held acutely to prevent hemorrhagic conversion. Risk factors for these post ischemic stroke outcomes however were not identified. Further research is needed to identify approaches to decrease these secondary complications.
III/V silicon hybrid laser based on a resonant Bragg structure

We demonstrate a laser tunable in intensity with gigahertz tuning speed based on a III/V reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) coupled to a silicon photonic chip. The silicon chip contains a Bragg-based Fabry–Perot resonator to form a passive bandpass filter within its stopband to enable single-mode operation of the laser. We observe a side mode suppression ratio of 43 dB, linewidth of 790 kHz, and an optical output power of 1.65 mW around 1530 nm. We also investigate using a micro-ball lens as an alternative coupling method between the RSOA and the silicon chip.
Design and Evaluation of a Collaborative Online Computational Thinking Course

For online courses to be an effective alternative to face-to-face courses, they must provide equivalent levels of interaction, engagement, supervision, and support. This paper analyzes and compares the experiences of students in face-to-face and online sections of the same introductory course taught by the same instructor. The course heavily utilizes team-based active learning, and effort was put into maintaining comparable group experiences in the online section. An analysis of student opinions and objective outcomes revealed only minor differences between the two sections. Notably, there were no statistically significant variations in students' overall grades, self reported confidence, or course evaluation ratings, indicating that high quality student experiences and outcomes can be achieved when migrating active learning to an online format.
Islam and the Future of Africa: Perceptions, Stereotypes, and the Clash of Philosophies

This closing chapter reports the various perceptions of Islam, highlighting opinions that will shape the understanding of the faith in the future and the role of Muslims to change the negative narratives on their faith. It shows how the expansion of faith has inspired various reactions around the world, noting how contemporary discussions on Islam are complicated by global politics, Islamophobia, terrorism, and clashes with Christianity. The chapter reflects on many topical issues on Islam in Africa and the world, including the history of and its future and relevance, Islam and African cultures, Islamic banking, Islamic extremism, Islam and politics, Islam and modernity, and Islam and women issues.
Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament

Understanding the medial side of the elbow with respect to ligamentous restraints is paramount for the prevention of valgus overload injury. Although there are both dynamic restraints in the form of the flexor mass and static bony restraints, the medial ulnar collateral ligament provides much of the valgus support. The unique anatomical attachments of the medial ulnar collateral ligament (MUCL) allow for a broad area of insertion at the ulna. Biomechanically, this broad insertion allows for a wide moment arm and significant force distribution in the throwing athlete. The purpose of this chapter is to review the anatomical features of the medial ulnar collateral ligament with respect to how this affects the biomechanical environment and stressors at the medial side of the elbow.
Naming Processes in Multichannels with Beeps in the Weak Model

A system of processes is examined that communicate with beeps in multiple channels. In the beeping model, the processes have limited communication where they can detect the presence of a signal (beep), or its absence (silence). In the weak model, the processes can choose to transmit a beep on one or more channels and can detect beeps and/or silence on all channels. The processes are anonymous and they begin without names to identify themselves. The objective is to develop distributed naming algorithms for two models when n is either known or unknown, where n is the number of processes. The Multichannel Many Beeps Naming algorithm is a Las Vegas algorithm developed for the model when n is known and that has an optimal time complexity of \(\mathcal {O}{(\log {n})}\) rounds. When n is unknown, a Monte Carlo algorithm was developed, called the Unknown Multichannel Many Beeps Naming. It has an optimal time complexity of \(\mathcal {O}(\log {n})\) rounds and a probability of success that is at least \(1-(n\log {n})^{-1}\). These algorithms show an asymptotic improvement when compared to the existing naming algorithms for this model.
Chronic Pain is Associated With Reduced Sympathetic Nervous System Reactivity During Simple and Complex Walking Tasks: Potential Cerebral Mechanisms:

BackgroundAutonomic dysregulation may lead to blunted sympathetic reactivity in chronic pain states. Autonomic responses are controlled by the central autonomic network (CAN). Little research has e...
Factors contributing to gender inequities in physical activity and campus recreation facility use.

Examine college women’s perceptions of factors contributing to gender inequities in physical activity and campus recreational facility use.Semi-structured interviews were conducted with female unde...
Mutations in the cell-binding motif of lam-3/laminin α reveal hypercontraction behavior and defective sensitivity to levamisole in Caenorhabditis elegans

The amino acid sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) is a cell-binding motif for extracellular matrix proteins. Initially found in fibronectin, the RGD motif is also found in LAM-3/laminin α chain in C. elegans. Laminin, a heterotrimeric glycoprotein, is a significant component of the basement membrane. Mutations in laminin subunits disrupt the extracellular matrix hence inhibit cell adhesion. This study aims to characterize the function of the RGD motif in lam-3/laminin α. Two mutations, lam-3 RGE and lam-3 ΔRGD, were generated. Our analysis of the mutants revealed that the RGD motif is involved in the motility of animals, suggesting that the cell-laminin interaction plays a role in regulating body contraction.
Role of Free Radicals in Hearing Loss due to Heavy Metals

Heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, have no physiological functions in cell homeostasis and have been associated with various pathologies in the kidney and cardiovascular and nervous systems. These redox-inactive metals induce oxidative stress through binding to thiol (–SH) groups of enzymes and proteins which in turn leads to the depletion of thiol pool, inhibition of antioxidant defense systems, and increased lipid peroxidation, which play a central role in their toxicity, including their effects on the auditory system. This review focuses on the ototoxic mechanisms by lead, cadmium, and mercury and summarizes epidemiologic studies of the associations of these heavy metals with the risk of hearing loss and quantitative measures of auditory functions, such as auditory hearing thresholds and brainstem auditory evoked potentials. High exposures to lead, cadmium, and mercury at levels found in the occupational setting have consistently been reported to increase the risk of hearing loss. However, there is insufficient evidence of the effect of low-level exposure to heavy metals conducted in the general population. This review also discusses potential future studies including the ototoxic effects of long-term low-level exposures and the role of antioxidant nutrients in mitigating the adverse ototoxic effects of these heavy metals.
Temperature-Controlled Humid Storage Room

The design of a soil sample storage room that has been in operation since 1954 is described. The room provides a storage environment with a constant temperature of 55 °F and relative humidities of 90 to 97 percent. It is of wood frame construction, lined with copper sheeting, forming a watertight interior. The desired temperature and humidities are obtained by running water down the walls of the room and circulating it through a heat exchanger. The preparation of samples for storage and the effect of storage times on soils are discussed.
Differential space time block code scheme for cooperative relays in multi-hop sensor networks

This work studies the application of differential space time block code (STBC) for wireless multi-hop sensor networks in fading channel. We select multiple sensors as parallel relay nodes to receive and transmit signals from the previous hop. These relay nodes do not exchange symbols with each other but forward the symbols in parallel to the destination using STBCs. The proposed technique has low complexity even when the number of parallel relays grows, since it does not need to track or estimate the time-varying channel coefficients. The steady state network performance measures, such as network throughput and transmission delay, are analyzed via Markov chain modelling. Compared to the traditional single relay routing method, our proposed method offers improved performance
Simulation models of material delivery systems

One important aspect of JIT (just-in-time) manufacturing is the timely delivery of material from its arrival point at the facility to the point of processing. A simulation modeling method which captures the essentials of this process is described. This method was developed through several applications to actual systems. These applications cannot be modeled by simple simulation modeling constructs. Specialized modeling logic and constructs for truck arrival and unloading, moving material to an intermediate storage area, reloading the truck with empty containers, and feeding the production lines are presented. Several applications are discussed and used to demonstrate the types of issues and problems these models are capable of addressing. >
Control of Actinomycin D Biosynthesis in Streptomyces parvullus: Regulation of Tryptophan Oxygenase Activity

Tryptophan oxygenase (tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase) activity increases immediately before the initiation of actinomycin D production by Streptomyces parvullus. We have attempted to discern whether this increase is due to a release from catabolite repression or to the synthesis of an inducer substance. The standard culture medium (glutamic acid-histidine-fructose medium) used in antibiotic production studies with S. parvullus contains l-glutamate as a major constituent. l-Glutamate is almost totally consumed before the onset of actinomycin D synthesis. The addition of 10 mM l-glutamate at this stage completely abolished actinomycin D production as well as tryptophan oxygenase synthesis. Fourteen amino acids were tested for a similar effect. Of these, l-glutamate and l-aspartate had the most dramatic effect on tryptophan oxygenase and β-galactosidase (β-d-galactosidase), another inducible enzyme. Standard glutamic acid-histidine-fructose medium, preincubated for 23 h to remove l-glutamate, allowed the synthesis of actinomycin D and tryptophan oxygenase by cells at a stage of growth normally considered too early for antibiotic production. A chemically defined medium lacking l-glutamate and adjusted to pH 8.0 was designed to simulate the preincubation medium. The transfer of cells to this artificial preincubation medium resulted in the appearance of tryptophan oxygenase as early as 19 h before normal synthesis occurred, eliminating the possibility that an inducer molecule is synthesized and excreted during the preincubation period. The results of these studies suggest that the increase in tryptophan oxygenase activity before the onset of actinomycin D synthesis, as well as the synthesis of actinomycin D itself, is due to a release from l-glutamate catabolite repression.
Boosting classification accuracy of diffusion MRI derived brain networks for the subtypes of mild cognitive impairment using higher order singular value decomposition

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate stage between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and around 10–15% of people with MCI develop AD each year. More recently, MCI has been further subdivided into early and late stages, and there is interest in identifying sensitive brain imaging biomarkers that help to differentiate stages of MCI. Here, we focused on anatomical brain networks computed from diffusion MRI and proposed a new feature extraction and classification framework based on higher order singular value decomposition and sparse logistic regression. In tests on publicly available data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, our proposed framework showed promise in detecting brain network differences that help in classifying early versus late MCI.
Smart cement rheological and piezoresistive behavior for oil well applications

Behavior of smart oil well cement with varying water-to-cement ratio (w/c) was investigated. The oil well cement (Class H) was modified with 0.1% conductive filler (CF) to make the cement very sensing and smart and the rheological properties and piezoresistivity behavior with water-to-cement ratios of 0.38, 0.44 and 0.54 at two different temperatures (25 °C and 85 °C) were investigated. Electrical resistivity was identified as the sensing and monitoring property for the smart cement. The shear thinning behavior of the smart cement slurries have been quantified using the new hyperbolic rheological model and compared with another constitutive model with three material parameters, Herschel–Bulkley model. The results showed that the hyperbolic model predicated the shear thinning relationship for the smart cement slurries very well. The hyperbolic rheological model has a maximum shear stress limit were as the other model did not have a limit on the maximum shear stress. The electrical resistivity changes of the hydrating cement was influenced by the water-to cement ratio. The minimum electrical resistivity of the cement slurry was linearly related to the water-to-cement (w/c) ratio of the cement slurry and it decreased with increased w/c ratio. Additional of 0.1% CF also increased the 28 day compressive strength of the smart cement by over 10%. The piezoresistivity of smart cement at peak compressive stress was over 700 times higher than the unmodified cement which was less than 0.7%, making the smart cement very highly sensing. The piezoresistivity of the smart cement was influenced by the curing time and w/c ratio. A nonlinear piezoresistivity model has been developed to predict the compressive stress – electrical resistivity relationship for the smart cement.
Effects of maturation on cyclic GMP metabolism in ovine carotid arteries.

Previous studies suggest that elevated basal levels of cGMP in newborn arteries may help explain why vascular resistance is lower in newborns than adults. To explore the reasons why basal cGMP is higher in neonatal arteries, the present studies examined rates of cGMP synthesis and degradation in newborn and adult ovine common carotid arteries. The measurements were performed in both intact and homogenized arteries, and results were normalized relative to cell water to estimate intracellular concentrations and minimize errors due to compositional differences between newborn and adult arteries. Steady state levels of cGMP measured under baseline conditions averaged 0.11± 0.02 μM in adult arteries and 0.59 ± 0.11 μM in newborn arteries. These resting cGMP levels were unaffected by endothelium removal. Under baseline conditions, steady state rates of cGMP synthesis (μmol of cGMP/L of cell water/min) were higher in newborn (0.31 ± 0.06) than in adult (0.15 ± 0.04) arteries. Maximal rates of cGMP degradation(μmol of cGMP/L of cell water/min) measured in artery homogenates were also much higher in preparations of newborn (106 ± 6) than of adult (78± 6) arteries. Together, these data suggest that the reason resting cGMP concentrations were higher in newborn than in adult arteries was due at least in part to a higher basal rate of cGMP synthesis in the newborn. Estimates of apparent Km values for PDE were also greater in newborn (2.9μM) than in adult (1.5 μM) preparations, suggesting that age-related differences in the Km for PDE may also contribute to the elevated basal concentration of cGMP observed in the newborn.
Electrical Stimulation of Agonistic Behavior in the Mallard

Electrical stimulation of the brain of unanesthetized, freely moving adult Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) produced response patterns characteristic of the aggressive and escape behaviors of this species. Aggressive reactions were classified into three categories: (a) directed attacks on a companion; (b) defensive threat display automatisms characteristic of a cornered bird but lacking attack behaviors; and (c) the rabrab and inciting vocalizations associated with aggressive encounters but unaccompanied by other responses associated with attack or escape. Five categories of fear-like reactions were distinguished: (a) sneak-into-cover reactions characterized by attempts to hide under objects and a strong preference for shelter; (b) crouch-flat reactions in which the birds would stretch out flat on the floor or surface of the water; (c) directed escape reactions characterized by a variety of response topographies but all oriented toward the window or shelter; (d) undirected escape reactions characterized by rushing or flying responses but lacking orientation; and (e) alarm vocalizations unaccompanied by other fear-like responses. Testing of the stimulation-produced reactions under a variety of environmental conditions indicated that many of the reactions (e.g., directed attack, sneak-into-cover) were dependent on specific stimuli for their performance, while other reactions (e.g., threat display automatisms) showed consistent thresholds and response topographies in a variety of situations. Aggressive reactions were elicited from the archistriatum and from wide areas in the diencephalon. Sites producing escape reactions were located primarily in diencephalic and midbrain regions. Evidence was presented suggesting that the different patterns of escape behaviors have different neuroanatomical distributions.
Evidence for, and Cross Section of 115 Day Se 75

Evidence has been given to show that the 115-day activity produced in selenium by thermal neutrons is due to ${\mathrm{Se}}^{75}$ which decays by $K$ electron capture to ${\mathrm{As}}^{75}$, accompanied by a 0.4 Mev $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray. A value for the cross section of ${\mathrm{Se}}^{74}$ for radiative capture of a thermal neutron has been given.
Note on the validity of the claim that final closure is related to reading achievement.

This brief note presents validity data for one of the claims of the authors of the Higgins-Wertman Test of Visual Closure, that the test was developed to throw additional light upon intellectual functioning, particularly with respect to reading readiness and reading disability ( 2 ) . The idea chat visual closure might be related to reading achievement is not new and has been expressed in earlier studies such as that by Goins (1). Correlations ranging from .53 to .84 between sub-parts of the Metropolitan Achievement Test and final closure as measured by the Higgins-Werunan test were found by Rusch ( 3 ) in a study of alternate form reliability. If closure is related to reading and closure is indeed an important variable in learning to read, it seems reasonable to expect char good readers would have higher closure scores than poor readers. I t was the purpose of this study to determine whether good readers have higher scores on the closure test than poor readers and thus provide a type of concurrent validity for the claim of the authors of the Higgins-Wertman Test of Visual Closure. A sample of 30 boys and 30 girls was selected from seven first grade classes of a public city school, located in a low socioeconomic census tract. The average age of these children was about 8 yr. The 15 highest scoring and lowest scoring boys, and the 15 highest scoring and lowest scoring girls were selected on the basis of their total reading scores on the Metropolitan Achievement Test, Primary I, Form B. This test had been administered as part of the regular school testing program. One form of the Higgins-Wertrnan test (selected at random) was administered and approximately 3 wk. later the alternate form. A factorial 2 x 2 X 2 design, with equal replications, provided tests of main effects, Forms I and I1 of the closure test, boys and girls, and high and low readers. Significance appeared only for high versus low readers ( F = 7.16, df = 1/112, p < .01), i.e., good readers scored higher on the closure test than poor ones. None of the three twoway or the three-way interactions were significant, although form of test by reading level approached significance. Data provide a type of concurrent validity for the authors' claim that the Higgins-Werunan Test of Visual Closure was developed to assess intellectual functioning, particularly with respect to reading readiness and disabiliry.
Velocity and Q of mantle waves

Abstract Phase velocity and Q of long-period waves have been determined for 13 great-circle paths for Rayleigh waves and 12 great-circle paths for Love waves. Group velocities are also determined by band-pass filtering technique. Some of the preexisting data are incorporated to obtain representative sets of data for Q , phase and group velocities. With these sets of data stringent tests of various Earth models are possible. Each great-circle path is divided into oceanic, “tectonic” and shield portions, and a regression analysis is made on the phase velocity data to obtain pure-path dispersion curves for these distinct tectonic provinces. For both Love and Rayleigh waves, the pure-path phase velocity is found to be significantly lower for tectonically active regions than for ocean and shield. This difference in the phase velocity curve suggests that the mantle structure beneath tectonically active regions is significantly different from that elsewhere even at depths below 200 km.
THE MORPHOLOGY AND INTEGRATION OF VALVES AND BANDS IN NAVICULA MUTICA VAR. MUTICA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

Navicula mutica (Kutz.) var. mutica was isolated from the air, cloned on agar, cultured in soil-water bottle, and studied with transmission and scanning electron micros-ropy. The frustules were lanceolate to ovoid with rounded apices, with the apical axis 8.5 ± 3.2 μ and the trans-apical and the transapical axis 3.6 ± 0.6 μm. Striae were composed of two or three puncta, and the mantle bore a single row of puncta aligned with the striae. The ends of the raphe turned away from an isolated punctual in the central area of the valve. The mantle puncta and one or two of the valve-face puncta in each stria opened into a series of transapical grooves in the interior of the valve, the grooves contributing to the appearance of striae in the light microscope. The interior of the mantle also possessed a pair of longitudinal grooves, discontinuous at the apices of the valves. An undulate advalvar margin of the valvocopula likely articulates along the interior longitudinal groove of the mantle. The projections of the undulate margin are perhaps positioned between the transapical grooves and along the longitudinal groove between the dentiform structures formed by the intersection of the double-grooved system. The girdle bands each had two (occasionally three) rows of pores. The pleurae margins were straight and not undulate.
Molecular Length Dependence of the Melting Temperature Elevation for the Encapsulated Linear Monocarboxylic Acids inside Titania Nanotubes

A series of linear monocarboxylic acids (specifically, decanoic, dodecanoic, tetradecanoic, hexadecanoic, and octadecanoic acids) encapsulated in titania nanotubes was studied by 13C nuclear magnet...
Expression of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Normal Urothelium, and Superficial and Advanced Transitional Cell Carcinoma of Bladder

Purpose: We compared the differential expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in normal bladder tissue, primary bladder transitional cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma metastases to lymph nodes, and determined whether cyclooxygenase-2 expression is associated with molecular alterations commonly found in bladder transitional cell carcinoma and clinical outcomes after radical cystectomy.Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for cyclooxygenase-2, survivin (Novus Biologicals, Littleton, Colorado), p21, p27, pRB, p53, MIB-1, Bax, Bcl-2, cyclin D1 (Dako™), cyclin E (Oncogene, Cambridge, Massachusetts) and caspase-3 (Cell Signaling, Beverley, Massachusetts) was performed on archival bladder specimens from 9 subjects who underwent cystectomy for benign causes, 21 patients who underwent transurethral resection and 157 consecutive patients after radical cystectomy, and on 41 positive lymph nodes.Results: Cyclooxygenase-2 was expressed in none of the 9 normal bladder specimens (0%), 52% of transuret...
Site preference of ternary alloying elements in Ni3Al: A first-principles study

Abstract First-principles supercell calculations were performed to predict the site preference of Pt, Hf, Cr and Ir in L1 2 Ni 3 Al. Our calculations showed that, at T = 0 K, Pt always prefers Ni sites, while Cr and Hf always prefer Al sites in Ni 3 Al. The site preference of Ir was found to be strongly composition-dependent: Ir prefers Ni sites in Al-rich and Al sites in Ni-rich Ni 3 Al, and shows no site preference in stoichiometric Ni 3 Al. The effects of temperature on site preference of ternary alloying elements were further studied using a statistical–mechanical Wagner–Schottky model in combination with our first-principles calculated point defect formation enthalpies. Our calculations showed that the site preference of Ir is also strongly affected by temperature.
An early ape shows its hand

When Charles Darwin, Thomas Huxley, and Sir Arthur Keith pondered how and why humans had evolved, they did so without much knowledge of genetics, evolutionary theory or even observations of the behaviour of extant apes. Nevertheless, these deficiencies were dwarfed by their lack of a hominoid fossil
Isolation of pathogenic microorganisms from dentures and denture-soaking containers of myelosuppressed cancer patients

I nfection is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing myelosuppressive cancer chemotherapy. ‘9 2 Bone marrow supp ression and mucosal damage sustained during chemotherapy predispose these patients to infection.‘s4 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, other gram-negative bacilli, Staphylococcus aureus, and yeasts are responsible for the majority of infections in this population. 5-* Many of these pathogens are thought to be acquired or to ascend to predominance after admission to the hospital. 6,7 At the Baltimore Cancer Research Center (BCRC) during 1971-1976, surveillance cultures of 135 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) demonstrated that new organisms were acquired at a rate of 0.5 organism per patient per week. Many of these organisms were gram-negative bacilli and species of yeast.’ Severely myelosuppressed patients appear to be especially susceptible to infections from these organisms.2~3~5~7 Infection in these patients can be exogenously or endogenously derived.’ Defined exogenous sources include food, water, bathtubs, shower stalls, ice machines, respirators, humidifiers, intravenous catheters, urinary catheters, and members of the hospital staff.8~‘o The primary endogeneous source is the patient’s alimentary canal.8 Dental prostheses and denture-soaking containers might represent a significant microbial reservoir for infection and cross-contamination but have not been evaluated. Investigations have shown that complete dentures from immunocompetent patients are capable of supporting the growth of microorganisms and can, therefore, serve as inadvertent transport mediums for potentially infectious organ
Symmetric Nonrandom Two-Liquid Segment Activity Coefficient Model for Electrolytes

The nonrandom two-liquid segment activity coefficient model (NRTL-SAC) [Chen, C.-C.; Song, Y. Solubility Modeling with a Nonrandom Two-Liquid Segment Activity Coefficient Model. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2004, 43, 8354−8362] has been shown to be a simple and practical thermodynamic model for correlating and predicting phase behavior for complex pharmaceutical molecules. The model was later extended for electrolytes [Chen, C.-C.; Song, Y. Extension of Non-Random Two-Liquid Segment Activity Coefficient Model for Electrolytes. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2005, 44, 8909−8921]. However, the electrolyte model was presented as an unsymmetric activity coefficient model with aqueous phase infinite dilution reference state. Such an unsymmetric model becomes rather cumbersome to use when dealing with nonaqueous solvents. In this work, we present a symmetric electrolyte NRTL-SAC model which simplifies the long-range interaction term. We further examine the utility of the model in predicting salt solubilities in nonaqueous solven...
Hydrogen patterning of Ga1-xMnxAs for planar spintronics

Abstract We demonstrate two patterning techniques based on hydrogen passivation of Ga 1− x Mn x As to produce isolated ferromagnetically active regions embedded uniformly in a paramagnetic, insulating host. The first method consists of selective hydrogenation of Ga 1− x Mn x As by lithographic masking. Magnetotransport measurements of Hall-bars made in this manner display the characteristic properties of the hole-mediated ferromagnetic phase, which result from good pattern isolation. Arrays of Ga 1− x Mn x As dots as small as 250 nm across have been realized by this process. The second process consists of blanket hydrogenation of Ga 1− x Mn x As followed by local reactivation using confined low-power pulsed-laser annealing. Conductance imaging reveals local electrical reactivation of micrometer-sized regions that accompanies the restoration of ferromagnetism. The spatial resolution achievable with this method can potentially reach
Pharmacological approaches to prion research.

Abstract The “protein-only” mechanism by which infectious agents of prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy replicate remains undetermined. The identification of several distinct classes of prion inhibitors has created an opportunity to investigate the mechanism of prion formation using pharmacological tools. These new inhibitors include substituted tricyclic derivatives, tetrapyrrole compounds, cysteine protease inhibitors, branched polyamines, and specific antibodies. Each inhibitor class contains at least one active compound that inhibits prion propagation in cell culture at sub-micromolar concentrations and several structurally related, inactive compounds. Work with branched polyamines and specific antibodies has already provided insight into the kinetics and cell biology of endogenous prion clearance mechanisms. Other anti-prion compounds do not appear to bind directly to the prion protein. Detailed investigation of the mechanism of drug action of these compounds may lead to the identification of novel prion propagation factors.
Transcriptional control and gene silencing in Plasmodium falciparum.

Summary Infection with the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum is associated with a high burden of morbidity and mortality across the developing world, yet the mechanisms of transcriptional control in this organism are poorly understood. While P. falciparum possesses many of the characteristics common to eukaryotic transcription, including much of the canonical machinery, it also demonstrates unique patterns of gene expression and possesses unusually AT-rich intergenic sequences. Importantly, several biological processes that are critical to parasite virulence involve highly regulated patterns of gene expression and silencing. The relative scarcity of transcription-associated proteins and specific cis-regulatory motifs recognized in the P. falciparum genome have been thought to reflect a reduced role for transcription factors in transcriptional control in these parasites. New approaches and technologies, however, have led to the discovery of many more of these elements, including an expanded family of DNA-binding proteins, and a re-assessment of this hypothesis is required. We review the current understanding of transcriptional control in P. falciparum, specifically highlighting promoter-driven and epigenetic mechanisms involved in the control of transcription initiation.
Inhibition of GSK-3β rescues the impairments in bone formation and mechanical properties associated with fracture healing in osteoblast selective connexin 43 deficient mice.

Connexin 43 (Cx43) is the most abundant gap junction protein in bone and is required for osteoblastic differentiation and bone homeostasis. During fracture healing, Cx43 is abundantly expressed in osteoblasts and osteocytes, while Cx43 deficiency impairs bone formation and healing. In the present study we selectively deleted Cx43 in the osteoblastic lineage from immature osteoblasts through osteocytes and tested the hypothesis that Cx43 deficiency results in delayed osteoblastic differentiation and impaired restoration of biomechanical properties due to attenuated β-catenin expression relative to wild type littermates. Here we show that Cx43 deficiency results in alterations in the mineralization and remodeling phases of healing. In Cx43 deficient fractures the mineralization phase is marked by delayed expression of osteogenic genes. Additionally, the decrease in the RankL/ Opg ratio, osteoclast number and osteoclast size suggest decreased osteoclast bone resorption and remodeling. These changes in healing result in functional deficits as shown by a decrease in ultimate torque at failure. Consistent with these impairments in healing, β-catenin expression is attenuated in Cx43 deficient fractures at 14 and 21 days, while Sclerostin (Sost) expression, a negative regulator of bone formation is increased in Cx43cKO fractures at 21 days, as is GSK-3β, a key component of the β-catenin proteasomal degradation complex. Furthermore, we show that alterations in healing in Cx43 deficient fractures can be rescued by inhibiting GSK-3β activity using Lithium Chloride (LiCl). Treatment of Cx43 deficient mice with LiCl restores both normal bone formation and mechanical properties relative to LiCl treated WT fractures. This study suggests that Cx43 is a potential therapeutic target to enhance fracture healing and identifies a previously unknown role for Cx43 in regulating β-catenin expression and thus bone formation during fracture repair.
Spectra of the Si I isoelectronic sequence from Cu XVI to Mo XXIX

Si-like spectra of Cu to Mo have been observed in tokamak-generated plasmas, and Cu to As in laser-produced plasmas. Wavelengths in the range of 86 to 300 A were recorded photographically with a 2.2-m grazing-incidence spectrograph on the tokamak, and a 10.7-m grazing-incidence spectrograph for the laser plasmas. Wavelength accuracy is estimated to be ±0.005 A. The transition arrays 3s23p2−3s3p3 and 3s23p2−3s23p3d were identified. Classifications were established by comparison with Hartree–Fock calculations of wavelengths and relative intensities along isoelectronic sequences. Spectra of Rb and Sr were not observed, but interpolated values of wavelengths for these ions are derived from the rest of the data. Ground configuration intervals known from magnetic dipole transitions are compared with Dirac–Fock calculations to predict unknown values and to correct misidentifications.
New Horizons: A Center for Research into Information and Religion

This article introduces the creation of a new research center focused on the study of information and religion. The Center, located at Kent State University, provides a new opportunity for scholars in the field of library and information science to collaborate with researchers in other disciplines in the exploration of many potential intersections of information and religion. The Center founders have already begun to present and publish in this area. Planned symposia and an annual conference add to the exposure of interested parties to ongoing studies in this field.
Studies on the mechanisms of neurulation in the chick: Possible involvement of myosin in elevation of neural folds

The possible involvement of myosin in elevation of neural folds in the chick was studied. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed the presence of myosin in the neuroepithelium as early as the neural-plate stage and was concentrated in the apical regions of neuroepithelial cells where microfilaments are known to be organized into discrete bundles. This fluorescent pattern persisted until closure of the neural tube. Actin-specific fluorescence followed a similar distribution pattern as myosin. Diazepam (Valium/Roche), at 400 micrograms/ml, was found to preferentially inhibit elevation of neural folds in explanted stage 8 embryos within 6 hr of incubation. Affected neuroepithelial cells were often less elongated, contained thinner and less conspicuous microfilament bundles, and had apical surfaces which were smoother and broader than the controls. These morphological changes were accompanied by a considerable reduction in the intensity of myosin-specific fluorescence, particularly in the cell apices. Results suggest that (1) diazepam inhibits elevation of neural folds through its disruptive effects on the organization and contractility of apical microfilament bundles in developing neuroepithelial cells and (2) myosin may be directly involved in elevation of neural folds.
Activated dynamics across aperiodic stochastic potentials

In recent work, we have developed a new phenomenology allowing us to characterize the dynamics of particles on stochastic bistable surfaces well below the high-friction limit. [Shepherd, T. D.; Hernandez, R. J.Chem.Phys. 2001, 115, 2430.] A generalization of this class of bistable potentials to one-dimensional stochastic aperiodic potentials-viz. potentials which are not periodic in the sense that the barriers separating minima on a regular lattice are of unequal height-is pursued here. Several interesting aspects of the surface diffusion process across aperiodic stochastic potentials are compared to the well-established results for the periodic potential model. In particular, a suppression in the probability of correlated hops and an enhancement in the rate across aperiodic stochastic potentials are observed. Unique features characteristic of bistable stochastic potential models are also exhibited for this multi-barrier model. The most notable is the resonance enhancement of the escape rate (inverse escape time) which reaches a maximum at a nontrivial value of the barrier-correlation decay time.
The relationship between periprocedural myocardial infarction and subsequent target vessel revascularization following percutaneous coronary revascularization : Insights from the EPIC trial

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine whether periprocedural myocardial infarction complicating percutaneous coronary revascularization is associated with subsequent clinical restenosis, as judged by the need for target vessel revascularization. BACKGROUND Although myocardial enzyme elevation following angioplasty is associated with increased late mortality, its effect on subsequent clinical restenosis, as assessed by the need for late target vessel revascularization (TVR), is unknown. METHODS Serial myocardial enzyme determinations were performed on 2,099 patients who underwent angioplasty or atherectomy in the Evaluation of IIb/IIIa platelet receptor antagonist 7E3 in Preventing Ischemic Complications (EPIC) trial. Thirty-day survivors were prospectively followed for three years for adverse clinical events including death and need for TVR. RESULTS Within the study population, periprocedural creatine kinase (CK) elevation was a predictor of late mortality. Among patients with elevated CK, however, a paradoxical decrease in the need for late TVR was present. This relationship became progressively more profound as the magnitude of CK release increased. Late TVR occurred in 29.8% of patients with no CK elevation, 24.8% with CK elevation to >3 times normal, and 16.9% with >10 times elevation (hazard ratio 0.51, 95% CI 0.29, 0.91). CONCLUSIONS In the EPIC study, patients with periprocedural MI were less likely to develop clinical restenosis as measured by the need for TVR. Mechanistically, although it is unlikely that CK elevation prevents vascular renarrowing per se, myocardial necrosis impairs the clinical manifestation of restenosis, thereby reducing the need for ischemia-driven TVR. This novel finding 1) highlights the potential discordance between angiographic and clinical measures of restenosis, and 2) has implications for clinical trials, as therapies that reduce periprocedural MI may be associated with a perceived excess of restenosis when measured by the need for TVR.
Structured Observation of Motor Performance (SOMP-I) applied to preterm and full term infants who needed neonatal intensive care. A cross-sectional analysis of progress and quality of motor performance at ages 0–10 months

A new protocol for Structured Observation of Motor Performance in Infants, SOMP-I, designed to describe both progress and quality of motor performance, was evaluated concerning its ability to describe and to discriminate between the motor performance observed in different groups of infants. Sixty-eight infants born at 37 c.w. group III. Seventy-two neonatally healthy full term infants served as controls (group IV). The detailed assessment of level (progress) of motor development at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 10 months of age corrected for preterm birth disclosed few differences in mean level between the groups. Most were found between group I and the control group. In contrast, the quality of motor performance, expressed as proportion of infants with deviations, type of deviation, and total number of deviations per infant, showed many differences, especially between groups I and III, respectively, and the control group. Thus, the SOMP-I protocol permits a detailed assessment both of the level of motor development and the quality of motor performance but has a better discriminative ability for the latter.
Topological field theories with c>3

Abstract We consider N = 2 G/H models with c>3 and their coupling to topological gravity. By using a free field formulation, the resulting action closely resembles that of the minimal models. Partial results for the contact algebra and recursion relations are derived.
Effect of synthetic drilling fluid base oils on asphaltene stability and wetting in sandstone cores

Tests of imbibition rates in Berea sandstone cores have been used to examine the wettability effects of displacement of crude oils with a number of synthetic base oils. In all cases examined to date, the products that flocculated asphaltenes from crude oils also caused water-wet sandstone cores to become markedly less water-wet or even oil-wet. Relatively minor effects on wetting were observed with base oils that did not destabilize asphaltenes. A simple diagnostic test of asphaltene stability can be used to identify specific crude oil/base oil pairs that precipitate asphaltenes.