cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Embolization of wide-necked anterior communicating artery aneurysm: technical note

Objective and importance Although surgical treatment of saccular aneurysms continues to be the gold standard of care, certain situations arise for which surgery may not be the best option. In these cases, electrically detachable coils have proven to provide superior outcomes in aneurysms left to medical management alone. An anterior communicating artery aneurysm with an anatomic neck wider than the fundus of the aneurysm failed to accommodate an initial attempt at Guglielmi detachable coil placement and was treated with an adjunctive balloon technique that allowed safe and effective aneurysm occlusion. Clinical presentation The patient presented with an asymptomatic anterior communicating artery aneurysm that was detected incidentally on angiography after rupture of a giant middle cerebral artery aneurysm. Intervention Transarterial embolization of the patient's aneurysm was attempted with Guglielmi detachable coils. Although this procedure initially failed, it was then successfully performed when combined with a balloon angioplasty technique. Conclusion The Guglielmi detachable coils were able to be placed when a nondetachable balloon was used to occlude the neck of the aneurysm and allow for the coils to be deposited into the aneurysm while protecting the parent vessel.
Prediction of ordered superstructure phase equilibria

The approach to phase diagram calculations has changed drastically within the last few years. Previously, mean-field models (regular solution, Bragg-Williams, concentration waves) were used almost exclusively. These models rely on two very poor approximations: supe5rposition of ’point’ probabilities for pair probabilities and an ideal solution model for the configurational entropy. Today, effective cluster interactions can be calculated from first-principles electronic structure methods: the superposition approximation is avoided, and cluster formulations for the entropy are available. As will be shown by recently computed examples, such cluster methods predict first-priciples phase diagrams that are often in excellent agreement with those determined empirically.
Population-level transcriptome sequencing of nonmodel organisms Erynnis propertius and Papilio zelicaon

Several recent studies have demonstrated the use of Roche 454 sequencing technology for de novo transcriptome analysis. Low error rates and high coverage also allow for effective SNP discovery and genetic diversity estimates. However, genetically diverse datasets, such as those sourced from natural populations, pose challenges for assembly programs and subsequent analysis. Further, estimating the effectiveness of transcript discovery using Roche 454 transcriptome data is still a difficult task. Using the Roche 454 FLX Titanium platform, we sequenced and assembled larval transcriptomes for two butterfly species: the Propertius duskywing, Erynnis propertius (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) and the Anise swallowtail, Papilio zelicaon (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). The Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) generated represent a diverse sample drawn from multiple populations, developmental stages, and stress treatments. Despite this diversity, > 95% of the ESTs assembled into long (> 714 bp on average) and highly covered (> 9.6× on average) contigs. To estimate the effectiveness of transcript discovery, we compared the number of bases in the hit region of unigenes (contigs and singletons) to the length of the best match silkworm (Bombyx mori) protein--this "ortholog hit ratio" gives a close estimate on the amount of the transcript discovered relative to a model lepidopteran genome. For each species, we tested two assembly programs and two parameter sets; although CAP3 is commonly used for such data, the assemblies produced by Celera Assembler with modified parameters were chosen over those produced by CAP3 based on contig and singleton counts as well as ortholog hit ratio analysis. In the final assemblies, 1,413 E. propertius and 1,940 P. zelicaon unigenes had a ratio > 0.8; 2,866 E. propertius and 4,015 P. zelicaon unigenes had a ratio > 0.5. Ultimately, these assemblies and SNP data will be used to generate microarrays for ecoinformatics examining climate change tolerance of different natural populations. These studies will benefit from high quality assemblies with few singletons (less than 26% of bases for each assembled transcriptome are present in unassembled singleton ESTs) and effective transcript discovery (over 6,500 of our putative orthologs cover at least 50% of the corresponding model silkworm gene).
Distal myocardial protection with intracoronary beta blocker when added to a Gp IIb/IIIa platelet receptor blocker during percutaneous coronary intervention improves clinical outcome.

Objective: The present study tested the hypothesis that intracoronary (IC) propranolol improves clinical outcomes with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) when used with background Gp IIb/IIIa receptor blockade. Background: We have previously shown that administration of a relatively large weight-based IC dose of the beta blocker propranolol before PCI decreases the incidence of post-PCI myocardial infarction (MI) and improves short- and long-term outcome. It has previously been shown that administration of a Gp IIb/IIIa receptor blocker decreases post-PCI MI and improves short- and long-term clinical outcome. Methods: Patients undergoing PCI (n = 400) were randomized in a prospective double-blind fashion to IC propranolol (n = 200) or placebo (n = 200) with eptifibatide administered to all the patients. Myocardial isoform of creatine kinase was measured during the first 24 hr and clinical outcomes at 30 days and 1 year. Results: MI after PCI was seen in 21.5% of placebo and 12.5% of propranolol patients (relative risk reduction 0.42; 95%CI 0.09, 0.63; P = 0.016). At 30 days, the composite end point of death, post-procedural MI, urgent target lesion revascularization, or MI after index hospitalization occurred in 22.5% of placebo vs. 13.5% of propranolol patients (risk reduction 0.43; 95%CI 0.08, 0.65; P = 0.018). Similar results were observed at 1 year with adverse outcomes in 21.5% of propranolol and 32.5% of placebo patients (P = 0.01). Conclusion: IC propranolol administration with the background Gp IIb/IIIa receptor blockade significantly reduces the incidence of post-PCI MI and improves the short- and long-term clinical outcome when compared with a Gp IIb/IIIa blocker alone. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Distribution of the glucose transporter in the mammalian brain

: We used [3H]cytochalasin B as a specific ligand to study the glucose transporter of the following tissue preparations: (a) microvessels derived from the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of the rat and pig, (b) particulate fractions of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of the rat and pig, (c) lateral, third, and fourth ventricular choroid plexus of the pig, and (d) synaptosomes from the pig cerebral cortex. Specific, D-glucose-displaceable binding of [3H]cytochalasin B was present in all the preparations studied. This binding was saturable and displayed the kinetics of a single class of binding sites, similar to the glucose transporter found in other mammalian tissues. The density of the glucose transporter was much higher in cerebral and cerebellar microvessels and choroid plexus than either in crude particulate fractions of the cerebrum and cerebellum or in cerebral synaptosomes. These findings agree with the physiologic function of brain microvessels that transport glucose, not only for their own use, but also for the much greater mass of the entire brain. In the pig, the density of the glucose transporter in cerebral microvessels was significantly higher than in cerebellar microvessels. Irreversible photoaffinity labeling of the glucose transporter of synaptosomal membranes with [3H]cytochalasin B followed by solubilization and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated a single region of radioactivity that corresponded to a molecular mass of 60,000–64,000 daltons.
Microprocessor-controlled drinkometer for primates in social groups

Abstract The task of recording the voluntary fluid consumption of individual members of animal social groups presents several challenges, particularly when the subjects are nonhuman primates. A drinkometer has been constructed which meets these challenges and provides a detailed temporal record of fluid consumption for each member of a primate group over an indefinite period. The drinkometer is comprised of a control device, based on a microprocessor, with special software, suction-activated feeder pumps for fluid delivery, and an electromic apparatus for identifying animals. A machine-readable record of animal identity, fluid identity, and time of drinking is produced for each 1-ml dose of fluid consumed.
Radiation Safety Design for SSRL Storage Ring

Abstract In 2003, the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) had upgraded its storage ring to a 3rd generation storage ring (SPEAR3). SPEAR3 is deigned to operate at 500-mA stored beam current and 3-GeV energy. The 234-m circumference SPEAR3 ring utilizes 60-cm-thick concrete lateral walls, 30-cm-thick concrete roof, as well as 60- or 90-cm-thick concrete ratchet walls. A total of 3.5 × 10 15 e - / y will be injected into the ring with an injection power of 4 W and an injection efficiency of 75%. Normal beam losses occur due to both injection and stored beam operations in the total of 20 low loss as well as 3 high loss limiting apertures. During the 6-min injection period, an instantaneous power loss of 0.05 W occurs at each low loss aperture. When averaged over the operational year, the loss of both the injection and the stored beams is equivalent to an average loss of 2 mW at each low loss aperture. On the other hand, the average losses in the high loss apertures are 16 mW for the injection septum, 47 mW for the beam abort dump, and 13 mW for the ring stoppers. The shielding requirements for losses in the new ring were based on a generic approach that used both FLUKA Monte Carlo particle generation and transport code and empirical computer codes and formulae.
Effects of steam sterilization on the contents of sharps containers

Abstract Background: One form of medical waste known to be capable of transmitting disease is the contaminated sharp. Safe handling and disposal of sharps is an essential element of any infection control program. Many areas allow the on-site treatment of sharps containers. However, little information currently exists as to the most effective sterilization procedures and container designs. Methods: This study was intended to evaluate the effect treatment with various autoclaves had on bacterial endospores present on strips or needled syringes. Strips contained 1.7 × 10 5 Bacillus stearothermophilus spores; syringes were soiled with equal numbers of spores or with spores plus blood. Syringes were tested capped and uncapped. A gravity-displacement autoclave and a high-vacuum autoclave were used. Strips and syringes were placed within sharps containers three quarters filled with representative materials. Six types of containers were tested. Containers were processed sitting up or on their sides. Processed strips and needles were aerobically cultured at 56° C for 7 days. If sterilization was not accomplished initially, additional exposure time was added. Results: (1) Soiled syringes were more difficult to sterilize than strips. (2) Capping or the presence of blood did not affect sterilization efficiency. (3) Container positioning was important only for the gravity-displacement autoclave. (4) Additional exposure time was required in the gravity displacement autoclave when sterilizing soiled syringes but not strips. (5) High-vacuum autoclaving killed all spore challenges within the normal processing interval. Conclusions: The data indicate that processing of sharps containers within a gravity-displacement autoclave appears to require extended exposure intervals to achieve sterilization.
Diagonal walking in captive infant vervet monkeys.

The frequency of use of diagonal walking by three motorically immature vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) is discussed. The subjects were housed at The Balcones Research Center (Austin, Texas) and ranged from 15-105 days of age. Mixed longitudinal data taken from film indicated that lateral walknig was the first gait employed by the infant vervets studied, but that diagonal walking completely replaced lateral walking by 81 days of age. These data were compared with those of captive infant Macaca mulatta, and feral infant Papio anubis. General agreement was found regarding onset and frequency of use of diagonal walking in the three genera.
Oxidation-reduction potentials and stoichiometry of electron transfer in ferredoxins.

The electron-carrier properties of a plant (Spinacia olarecea) and a bacterial (Clostridium pasteurianum) freedoxin were compared. The oxidation-reduction potentials, measured at different partial pressures of H2 and at different pH values, were found to be: E′0 = − 0.42 V for spinach ferredoxin and E′0 = − 0.39 V for clostridial ferredoxin. The oxidation-reduction potentials of spinach and clostridial ferredoxin were independent of pH in the ranges investigated: pH 6.67–8.19 for spinach ferredoxin and pH 6.13–7.41 for clostridial ferredoxin. The oxidation-reduction of clostridial ferredoxin, like that of spinach ferredoxin, was found to involve the transfer of 1 electron per molecule. These results are consistent with the view that, despite their diverse origin and function and their chemical differences, plant and bacterial ferredoxins have similar characteristics as electron carriers.
Photon migration through fetal head in utero using continuous wave, near infrared spectroscopy: clinical and experimental model studies

Near infrared (NIR) measurements were made from the ma- ternal abdomen (clinical studies) and laboratory tissue phantoms (ex- perimental studies) to gain insight into photon migration through the fetal head in utero. Specifically, a continuous wave spectrometer was modified and employed to make NIR measurements at 760 and 850 nm, at a large (10 cm) and small (2.5/4 cm) source-detector separa- tion, simultaneously, on the maternal abdomen, directly above the fetal head. A total of 19 patients were evaluated, whose average ges- tational age and fetal head depth, were 37 weeks 63 and 2.25 cm 60.7, respectively. At the large source-detector separation, the pho- tons are expected to migrate through both the underlying maternal and fetal tissues before being detected at the surface, while at the short source-detector separation, the photons are expected to migrate primarily through the superficial maternal tissues before being de- tected. Second, similar NIR measurements were made on laboratory tissue phantoms, with variable optical properties and physical geom- etries. The variable optical properties were obtained using different concentrations of India ink and Intralipid in water, while the variable physical geometries were realized by employing glass containers of different shapes and sizes. Third, the NIR measurements, which were made on the laboratory tissue phantoms, were compared to the NIR measurements made on the maternal abdomen to determine which tissue phantom best simulates the photon migration path through the fetal head in utero. The results of the comparison were used to pro- vide insight into the optical properties and physical geometry of the maternal and fetal tissues in the photon migration path. © 2000 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S1083-3668(00)00702-4)
Combined Neutron Diffraction and Adsorption Isotherm Study of the Anomalous Wetting Properties of NH 3 on Graphite

The wetting properties of NH{sub 3} films on graphite have been examined over a temperature range of approximately 50K (centered about the bulk triple point of 195.4K) using a combination of high-resolution vapor pressure isotherms and elastic neutron diffraction. Between 172 and 215K, a single adsorption step appears at reduced pressures above 0.5. As the system is cooled, the position of this step (which is shown to be associated with the formation of a thin liquid film) increases smoothly between 0.5 and 0.95. Evidence is put forward that there is a transition from complete wetting to incomplete wetting to nonwetting. Also, the role of cluster formation and hydrogen bonding is discussed. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Heterogeneity of human α-fetoprotein as revealed by isoelectric focusing in urea-containing gels

Abstract The heterogeneity of human α-fetoprotein has been studied by analytical isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel slabs in the presence of 8 M urea. Six major isoelectric variants could be identified over a pH range of 6.0–6.2. Verification of their identity was achieved by crossed immunoelectrophoresis into agarose gel containing monospecific antiserum to human α-fetoprotein. Complete desialylation of the protein did not abolish the heterogeneity; a complex pattern of major α-fetoprotein bands persisted over a more alkaline pH range. We have been able to correlate the pattern of α-fetoprotein heterogeneity seen following extended agarose gel electrophoresis with that obtained during isoelectric focusing in the presence of urea. The quantity of certain α-fetoprotein charge isomers in various α-fetoprotein isolates may be important in considering certain biological functions of this protein.
Gravity and the decay of the false vacuum

Abstract I have calculated, at zero temperature and using the thin-wall approximation, the exponential suppression factor in the rate of decay of the false vacuum per unit volume for a real scalar field. The effects of classical gravity are included. Both the false and the true vacua have arbitrary cosmological constants.
Use of Ferrites for Absorption of Electromagnetic Waves

Ferrites have been known as good absorbers of electromagnetic waves for some forty years. They are very effective against the conventional radar using signals with small relative bandwidth, but they should have almost no effect on radar signals with large relative disappointment if this fact is overlooked.
ESTIMATION OF EMPLOYMENT VALIDITIES BY LESS EXPERIENCED JUDGES

In a previous study, Schmidt, Hunter, Croll and McKenzie (1983) demonstrated that estimates of the validity of cognitive tests made by highly trained and experienced judges are more accurate than empirical estimates obtained from small-sample validity studies. The present study examined whether less experienced judges could also produce accurate estimates. Twenty-eight recent Ph.D.'s in I/O Psychology estimated observed validities for the same 54 job-test combinations used by Schmidt et al. (1983). The estimates of these judges contained about twice as much random error as the experts' estimates. Systematic error of the less experienced judges was also greater than that of the experts (.0732 vs .019). The systematic errors of the two sets of judges were in opposite directions: less experienced judges overestimated validities, on average, while experts underestimated them. The results show that the estimates of less experienced judges contain less information than those of experts, but also that averages of estimates of several less experienced judges are as accurate as those obtained from small-sample empirical studies.
Pressure effects on the proximal heme pocket in myoglobin probed by Raman and near-infrared absorption spectroscopy

The influence of high pressure on the heme protein conformation of myoglobin in different ligation states is studied using Raman spectroscopy over the temperature range from 30 to 295 K. Photostationary experiments monitoring the oxidation state marker bands demonstrate the change of rebinding rate with pressure. While frequency changes of vibrational modes associated with rigid bonds of the porphyrin ring are
Changes in Institutional Aid, 1992–2003: The Evolving Role of Merit Aid

Changes in the distribution of student financial aid have taken place at the state and federal level. In addition, several authors have reported on shifts in the awarding of financial aid to students at the institutional level. The analysis described in this study examines shifts in institutional responsiveness to both student need and student test scores over the period 1992–2003. The analysis reveals that three of the four sectors in the study have become less responsive to student need and more responsive to students’ academic characteristics over time.
Hyperbolicity and constrained evolution in linearized gravity

Solving the 4-d Einstein equations as evolution in time requires solving equations of two types: the four elliptic initial data (constraint) equations, followed by the six second order evolution equations. Analytically the constraint equations remain solved under the action of the evolution, and one approach is to simply monitor them (unconstrained evolution). Since computational solution of differential equations introduces almost inevitable errors, it is clearly 'more correct' to introduce a scheme which actively maintains the constraints by solution (constrained evolution). This has shown promise in computational settings, but the analysis of the resulting mixed elliptic hyperbolic method has not been completely carried out. We present such an analysis for one method of constrained evolution, applied to a simple vacuum system, linearized gravitational waves. We begin with a study of the hyperbolicity of the unconstrained Einstein equations. (Because the study of hyperbolicity deals only with the highest derivative order in the equations, linearization loses no essential details.) We then give explicit analytical construction of the effect of initial data setting and constrained evolution for linearized gravitational waves. While this is clearly a toy model with regard to constrained evolution, certain interesting features are found which have relevance to the full nonlinearmore » Einstein equations.« less
Increasing the Number of Unloading/Reambulation Cycles does not Adversely Impact Body Composition and Lumbar Bone Mineral Density but Reduces Tissue Sensitivity.

Abstract A single exposure to hindlimb unloading leads to changes in body mass, body composition and bone, but the consequences of multiple exposures are not yet understood. Within a 18 week period, adult C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to 1 (1x-HLU), 2 (2x-HLU) or 3 (3x-HLU) cycles of 2 weeks of hindlimb unloading (HLU) followed by 4 weeks of reambulation (RA), or served as ambulatory age-matched controls. In vivo μCT longitudinally tracked changes in abdominal adipose and lean tissues, lumbar vertebral apparent volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and upper hindlimb muscle cross-sectional area before and after the final HLU and RA cycle. During the final HLU cycle, significant decreases in total adipose tissue and vertebral vBMD in the three experimental groups occurred such that there were no significant between-group differences at the beginning of the final RA cycle. However, the magnitude of the HLU induced losses diminished in mice undergoing their 2nd or 3rd HLU cycle. Irrespective of the number of HLU/RA cycles, total adipose tissue and vertebral vBMD recovered and were no different from age-matched controls after the final RA period. In contrast, upper hindlimb muscle cross-sectional area was significantly lower than controls in all unloaded groups after the final RA period. These results suggest that tissues in the abdominal region are more resilient to multiple bouts of unloading and more amenable to recovery during reambulation than the peripheral musculoskeletal system.
The importance of Stress in assessing the effects of anorectic drugs

SummaryChronic application of a mild, non-painful pressure to the tail (tail-pinch) induces hyperphagia and obesity in normal sated rats. There are a number of parallels between this phenomenon and some forms of stress-related overeating in humans. Tail-pinch induced eating, therefore, was used as a model for testing the effects of different types of anorectic agents on stress-related overeating. The paradigm involved first testing 22 to 28-hour food-deprived male rats on a 15-minute ad lib. eating test without tail-pinch to determine the degree of anorexia. Tail-pinch was then applied for 10 minutes, followed by a 15-minute post-pinch period of ad lib. food intake. The results showed that tail-pinch effectively counteracted the anorexia produced by amphetamine (0.5 to 2 mg/kg), methylphenidate (5.5 mgjkg), andmazindol (2 mg/kg), but not the anorexia produced by fenfluramine (2 to 7.5 mg/kg) or quipazine (3 to 9 mg/kg). These data suggest that fenfluramine-like compounds may be more effective anorectic ag...
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the 21st Century: Living in an Intergovernmental Environment

Abstract This article examines the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) – one of the very few administrative systems that was established as an instrument of federalism, serving as an intermediary between states and the national government. It analyzes its early development and the changes that have taken place in the Indian society that have had an impact on the IAS and its role in the Indian federal system. Further, it discusses the contemporary global developments in intergovernmental relations and how the IAS might respond to them. There are many different interpretations of the current developments within India and whether the IAS has the ability to adapt to these changes. The article reviews these interpretations and the limitations of data that would allow an assessment of the alternative formulations.
Long-term fluoxetine produces behavioral anxiolytic effects without inhibiting neuroendocrine responses to conditioned stress in rats.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the anxiolytic effects of long-term treatment with fluoxetine in rats. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine, are used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, in addition to treating depression. A major concern with SSRIs is a 2–3-week delay in their therapeutic effects. SSRIs share with anxiolytic 5-HT1A agonists the ability to produce desensitization of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors. To investigate the anxiolytic effects of fluoxetine, rats were treated for 14 days with fluoxetine (10 mg kg−1 day−1, i.p.). The rats were stressed using a conditioned stress procedure and tested one day after the last fluoxetine injection. Fluoxetine decreased stress-induced defecation (by 60%), reversed the stress-induced suppression of exploring behavior (by 59%) and shortened the duration of stress-induced freezing behavior (by 11.5%). However, the stress-induced increase in plasma levels of ACTH, corticosterone, oxytocin, prolactin and renin were not inhibited by fluoxetine treatment. These findings suggest that neuroadaptive changes induced by sustained inhibition of serotonin (5-HT) reuptake, contribute to the mechanism of the anxiolytic effects of fluoxetine. In contrast, the neuroendocrine responses to conditioned stress are not affected by these neuroadaptive changes.
Ordinary Wallpaper: Identity and Use of History

ABSTRACTIn the opening line of “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892), Charlotte Perkins Gilman identified her characters as ordinary people living within a place that has history. As her story developed, the history of those people and that place intertwined in ways that made it difficult for the narrator to separate her own “self” and the interior of her room. In similar ways, the history of interiors and the history of human activity within spaces are meshed and inseparable. Yet, as Gilman's narrator also suggests, we perceive an unusual significance in ordinary people interacting with history. This article reports one family's stories about living in their own “ancestral halls.” The everyday stories of this family are not unusual, but are significant for showing how their understanding of history informs design and design history.
From laboratory studies to clinical trials: past benefits and future directions in hyperthermia.

Three examples of clinical research trials that were direct outgrowths of hyperthermia laboratory investigations performed at Stanford University, as well as elsewhere, are reviewed and directions for future studies presented. The first series of laboratory—clinical studies investigated the influence of the number of hyperthermia treatments on tumour response in combined radiotherapy-hyperthermia regimens. A prospective randomized clinical trial was performed and showed no difference in response rate or duration of local control in combined radiation therapy-hyperthermia regimens comparing two versus six hyperthermia treatments. The results were in agreement with the laboratory studies in RIF murine tumours which suggested that persistent thermotolerance limited the effectiveness of multiple heat treatments in fractionated hyperthermia treatment regimens. The second prospective clinical trial was undertaken to investigate the influence of pretreatment tumour temperatures on subsequent response to radiothe...
Managing Boundaries in the Web 2.0 Classroom.

This chapter explores the use of social media in the higher education classroom highlighting potential issues for student–faculty boundary management and providing suggestions for praxis.
The laboratory diagnosis of mild myasthenia gravis

We report our experience with single-fiber electromyogrphy (SF-EMG), acetylcholine receptor antibody assays, and Lancaster Red-Green tests of ocular motility with edrophonium chloride in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG). Over a period of almost 3 years, 43 patients in whom repetitive-stimulation nerve conduction tests were nondiagnostic had SF-EMG studies; 34 (79%) were positive. Examination of more proximal muscles yielded a higher likelihood of positive results. Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies were detected in 25 (71%) of 35 patients whose sera were assayed, and Lancaster Red-Green tests of ocular motility were positive in 13 (81%) of 16 patients studied. No single test was superior in diagnosing MG, but the three were complementary. If patients with mild MG are tested by all three methods, at least 95% should have laboratory confirmation of MG.
Open Source Software Support for the OpenMP Runtime API for Profiling

OpenMP is a defacto standard API for shared memory programming with widespread vendor support and a large user base. The OpenMP Architecture Review Board has sanctioned an interface specification known as the ”OpenMP Runtime API for Profiling” to enable tools to collect performance data for OpenMP programs. This paper describes the interface and our experiences implementing it in OpenUH, an open source OpenMP compiler.
EcoNet: A new software for ecological modeling, simulation and network analysis

We present EcoNet, a simulation and analysis software for ecological systems. EcoNet integrates dynamic simulation capability with steady-state network analysis. It features a simple and flexible interface, offering a gentle learning curve for the novice modeler. EcoNet contains sophisticated numerical equation solving routines, which require very few user choices, bringing the thought process and simulation results closer. Features like automatic diagram creation, capability to model large systems with thousands of stocks and flows, stochastic simulation options, and a web interface that requires no installation make EcoNet a welcome addition to the ecological modeling world.
Chronic pain as a manifestation of potassium channel-complex autoimmunity

Objective: Autoantibodies targeting voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC) complexes cause a spectrum of neuronal hyperexcitability disorders. We investigated pain as a manifestation of VGKC-complex autoimmunity. Methods: We reviewed the prevalence and characteristics of pain in VGKC-complex-immunoglobulin G (IgG)–seropositive patients in 25 months of comprehensive service testing for neural autoantibodies, subtyped positive sera for LGI1-IgG and CASPR2-IgG specificities, and reviewed pain prevalence in autoimmune control patients. Results: VGKC-complex-IgG was identified in 1,992 patients of 54,853 tested (4%). Of 316 evaluated neurologically at Mayo Clinic, 159 (50%) had pain, in isolation (28%) or with accompanying neurologic manifestations (72%), and not attributable to alternative cause. Pain was subacute in onset, chronic in course, neuropathic, nociceptive, regional, or diffuse and sometimes attributed to fibromyalgia (6%) or psychogenic cause (13%). Most patients had normal peripheral nervous system function, measured by neuropathy impairment scores and nerve conduction. Evidence of neuronal hyperexcitability (hyperhidrosis, quantitative heat-pain hyperalgesia, or electromyographic excitability) was 25-fold more common in pain patients. Pain management required multiple medications in 70% (narcotics, 30%); 13 of 16 patients reported pain relief with immunotherapy. Pain was significantly associated with CASPR2-IgG-positivity (16% positive with pain, 7% without pain; p = 0.014) but not with LGI1-IgG. Less than 10% of 167 patients with neural autoantibodies other than VGKC-complex-IgG reported pain. Conclusions: Chronic idiopathic pain is a syndromic manifestation of VGKC-complex autoimmunity. Hyperexcitability of nociceptive pathways is implicated. CASPR2-IgG significantly associates with pain, but in most patients the antigenic VGKC-complex molecule remains to be determined. VGKC-complex autoimmunity represents an important new direction for pain research and therapy.
Technique for reducing variance in transducer array pulse-echo response

There is widespread interest in finding low cost approaches for circumventing the problems caused by variations in transducer performance due to device material and geometry variations. In this work, deficiencies in the response were estimated and used for the design of transmitter waveforms or receive filters that are programmed to compensate, at least in part, for the deficiencies. Fortunately, many modern 'high end' systems have programmable waveform generators in the transmit signal path and/or a versatile digital filter in the receive signal path. In the approach used here, power absorbed (Re(VI*)) is measured and used as a surrogate for a measure of pulse-echo response since it is arguably easier to measure. This procedure was investigated using a 1D thickness mode transducer model that included two matching layers that were allowed to vary randomly over a range /spl plusmn/15% (approximately equivalent to approximately /spl plusmn/20 microns). In a simulation run involving 100 random designs, the spectral performance of the corrected transducer was observed to be much closer to desired spectral performance than that for the original uncorrected case. The mean deviation of the pulse-echo response measured over the 20 dB bandwidth was reduced to approximately one third of the value obtained without using the compensation approach. The -20 dB time domain pulse duration was also reduced by approximately 10%.
Brimonidine tartrate poisoning in children: frequency, trends, and use of naloxone as an antidote.

BACKGROUND. Brimonidine tartrate, a centrally acting selective α-2 adrenergic agonist with a toxicity that is often compared with that of clonidine, is used as eye drops to lower intraocular pressure in glaucoma. We investigated characteristics of childhood exposures to brimonidine-containing products. METHODS. All brimonidine exposures in children 0 to 5 years of age between 1997 and 2005 were retrieved from the American Association of Poison Control Centers9 Toxic Exposure Surveillance System database and the US Food and Drug Administration9s Medwatch Adverse Events Reporting System. The design of the study was retrospective, and the main outcome measures were frequency of exposures over time, reason, symptoms/signs of toxicity, dose, management site, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS. There were 413 brimonidine reports in the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System and 340 in the Adverse Events Reporting System during the 9 years under study, of which 185 Toxic Exposure Surveillance System reports involved children ≤5 years of age versus 15 cases in the Adverse Events Reporting System. There were no deaths. The peak age of poisoning in the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System pediatric cases was 2 years of age, and circumstances were unintentional poisoning in 176 cases, usually by ingestion (84.3%). Common symptoms in 176 children included drowsiness (40.9%), ataxia (4.5%), pallor (4.5%), irritability (4.0%), hypotension (4.0%), bradycardia (4.0%), miosis (3.4%), and respiratory depression (3.4%). Of the 176 unintentional pediatric poisonings, 73 children were observed at home and 103 were seen at a health care facility; 28 were hospitalized and 11 received naloxone. Of the 15 pediatric cases in the Adverse Events Reporting System data set, all were hospitalized, and 13 had ocular exposures only. CONCLUSIONS. All children ≤5 years of age with confirmed brimonidine ingestions should be medically evaluated and monitored for an extended period. Indications for the use of naloxone in brimonidine poisoning remain uncertain.
Features of Recent Codon Evolution: A Comparative Polymorphism-Fixation Study

Features of amino-acid and codon changes can provide us important insights on protein evolution. So far, investigators have often examined mutation patterns at either interspecies fixed substitution or intraspecies nucleotide polymorphism level, but not both. Here, we performed a unique analysis of a combined set of intra-species polymorphisms and inter-species substitutions in human codons. Strong difference in mutational pattern was found at codon positions 1, 2, and 3 between the polymorphism and fixation data. Fixation had strong bias towards increasing the rarest codons but decreasing the most frequently used codons, suggesting that codon equilibrium has not been reached yet. We detected strong CpG effect on CG-containing codons and subsequent suppression by fixation. Finally, we detected the signature of purifying selection against A∣U dinucleotides at synonymous dicodon boundaries. Overall, fixation process could effectively and quickly correct the volatile changes introduced by polymorphisms so that codon changes could be gradual and directional and that codon composition could be kept relatively stable during evolution.
Loss of Antigen-Antibody Affinity with Storage of Antiserum at —20 C

Abstract Heparinized plasma containing antibodies to human growth hormone (hGH) was kept at −20 C for 9 yr, with occasional freezing and thawing. Storage was accompanied by a progressive loss of affinity of the antibody for its antigen, rendering the antiserum progressively less satisfactory for radioimmunoassay purposes.
The shielding of radio waves by conductive coatings

A theory is given of the shielding of radio waves by the conducting coatings which are placed over the cockpit dome and windows of an airplane. At low and medium frequencies the shielding arises primarily from the quasi-electrostatic charges which are induced on the surfaces the effects of which increase strongly with decreasing frequency. At higher frequencies the shielding from this source diminishes in importance while that from the induced eddy currents increases in effectiveness.
18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Contributes to the Diagnosis and Management of Infections in Patients With Multiple Myeloma: A Study of 165 Infectious Episodes

Purpose Correctly identifying infection in cancer patients can be challenging. Limited data suggest that positron emission tomography (PET) using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) may be useful for diagnosing infection. To determine the role of FDG-PET in the diagnosis of infection in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Patients and Methods The medical records of 248 patients who had FDG-PET performed for MM staging or infection work-up revealing increased uptake at extramedullary sites and/or bones and joints that would be atypical for MM between October 2001 and May 2004 were reviewed to identify infections and evaluate FDG-PET contribution to patient outcome. Results One hundred sixty-five infections were identified in 143 adults with MM. Infections involved the respiratory tract [99; pneumonia (93), sinusitis (six)], bone, joint and soft tissues [26; discitis (10), osteomyelitis (nine), septic arthritis (one), cellulitis (six)], vascular system [18; septic thrombophlebitis (nine), infection of imp...
CD36-deficient mice are resistant to alcohol- and high-carbohydrate-induced hepatic steatosis.

CD36 is a scavenger receptor with multiple ligands and cellular functions, including facilitating cellular uptake of free fatty acids (FFAs). Chronic alcohol consumption increases hepatic CD36 expression, leading to the hypothesis that this promotes uptake of circulating FFAs, which then serve as a substrate for triglyceride (TG) synthesis and the development of alcoholic steatosis. We investigated this hypothesis in alcohol-fed wild-type and Cd36-deficient (Cd36−/−) mice using low-fat/high-carbohydrate Lieber-DeCarli liquid diets, positing that Cd36−/− mice would be resistant to alcoholic steatosis. Our data show that the livers of Cd36−/− mice are resistant to the lipogenic effect of consuming high-carbohydrate liquid diets. These mice also do not further develop alcoholic steatosis when chronically fed alcohol. Surprisingly, we did not detect an effect of alcohol or CD36 deficiency on hepatic FFA uptake; however, the lower baseline levels of hepatic TG in Cd36−/− mice fed a liquid diet were associated with decreased expression of genes in the de novo lipogenesis pathway and a lower rate of hepatic de novo lipogenesis. In conclusion, Cd36−/− mice are resistant to hepatic steatosis when fed a high-carbohydrate liquid diet, and they are also resistant to alcoholic steatosis. These studies highlight an important role for CD36 in hepatic lipid homeostasis that is not associated with hepatic fatty acid uptake.
Malaria in the United States - Past and Present

Abstract Malaria is caused by protozoa that are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female anopheline mosquito. The World Health Organization reports that malaria causes approximately 1 million deaths per year. Many of us do not remember that this life-threatening disease was once endemic in the United States. This article reviews the history of malaria and its eradication in the U.S. and discusses methods for laboratory diagnosis.
Structural Properties of Docosahexaenoyl Phospholipid Bilayers Investigated by Solid-State 2H NMR Spectroscopy

Polyunsaturated lipids in cellular membranes are known to play key roles in such diverse biological processes as vision, neuronal signaling, and apoptosis. One hypothesis is that polyunsaturated lipids are involved in second messenger functions in biological signaling. Another current hypothesis affirms that the functional role of polyunsaturated lipids relies on their ability to modulate physical properties of the lipid bilayer. The present research has employed solid-state 2 H NMR spectroscopy to acquire knowledge of the molecular organization and material properties of polyunsaturated lipid bilayers. We report measurements for a homologous series of mixed-chain phosphatidylcholines containing a perdeuterated, saturated acyl chain ( n:0) at the sn-1 position, adjacent to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6ˆ3) at the sn-2 position. Measurements have been performed on fluid (LR)-state multilamellar dispersions as a function of temperature for saturated acyl chain lengths of n ) 12, 14, 16, and 18 carbons. The saturated sn-1 chains are therefore used as an intrinsic probe with site-specific resolution of the polyunsaturated bilayer structure. The 2 H NMR order parameters as a function of acyl position (order profiles) have been analyzed using a mean-torque potential model for the chain segments, and the results are discussed in comparison with the homologous series of disaturated lipid bilayers. At a given absolute temperature, as the sn-1 acyl length adjacent to the sn-2 DHA chain is greater, the order of the initial chain segments increases, whereas that of the end segments decreases, in marked contrast with the corresponding disaturated series. For the latter, the order of the end segments is practically constant with acyl length, thus revealing a universal chain packing profile. We find that the DHA-containing series, while more complex, is still characterized by a universal chain packing profile, which is shifted relative to the homologous saturated series. Moreover, we show how introduction of DHA chains translates the order profile along the saturated chains, making more disordered states accessible within the bilayer central region. As a result, the area per lipid headgroup is increased as compared to disaturated bilayers. The systematic analysis of the 2 H NMR data provides a basis for studies of lipid interactions with integral membrane proteins, for instance in relation to characteristic biological functions of highly unsaturated lipid membranes.
Beam structure and transverse emittance studies of high-energy ion beams

A visual diagnostic technique has been developed to monitor and study ion-beam structure, shape, and size along a transport line. In this technique, a commercially available fluorescent screen is used in conjunction with a video camera. The visual representation of the beam structure is digitized, enhanced through false-color coding, and displayed on a TV monitor for on-line viewing. The digitized information is stored for further off-line processing (e.g. extraction of beam profiles). An optional wire grid placed upstream of the fluor screen adds the capability of measuring transverse emittance (or angular spread). This technique allows real-time observation of the beam response to parameter changes (e.g. evolution of the beam structure, shifts in the beam intensity at various spatial locations within the beam perimeter, and shifts in the beam center and position). >
A novel graphene channel field effect transistor with Schottky tunneling source and drain

In this paper, a novel concept of graphene channel FET with highly doped silicon source/drain is proposed. The current-voltage characteristics are analyzed and the optimized design parameters are presented by numerical analysis and device simulation. Such novel graphene channel MOSFETs on FDSOI or on insulator are found to have much superior current drive and transconductance than silicon MOSFETs.
Nonclassic 21-hydroxylase deficiency

Nonclassic 21-hydroxylase deficiency is a frequent autosomal recessive disorder which causes decreased fertility and is easily treated. It occurs with the highest frequency of any other autosomal recessive disorder in humans.
CopyMap: localization and calling of copy number variation by joint analysis of hybridization data from multiple individuals.

Summary: The program package CopyMap identifies copy number variation from oligo-hybridization and CGH data. Using a time-dependent hidden Markov model to combine evidence of copy number variants (CNVs) across multiple carriers, CopyMap is substantially more accurate than standard hidden Markov methods in identifying CNVs and calling CNV-carriers. Moreover, CopyMap provides more precise estimates of CNV-boundaries. Availability: The C-source code and detailed documentation for the program CopyMap is available on the Internet at http://www.sph.umich.edu/csg/szoellner/ Contact: ude.hcimu@enlleozs Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.