cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expert Opinion vs Patient Perspective in Treatment of Rare Disorders: Tooth Removal in Lesch-Nyhan Disease as an Example

Treatment recommendations for rare disorders often are limited by a lack of data from objective clinical trials. As a result, recommendations are often based on expert opinion. Because expert opinions sometimes conflict, many patients turn to the Internet for guidance from others who may have tried a treatment. The increasing numbers of patients and families who post opinions regarding outcomes allow for systematic data collection regarding specific treatments from the patient perspective. We used social media research methods to determine the opinions of family members or other caregivers regarding permanent removal of teeth for treatment of self-injurious biting (SIB) in patients with Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND), a particularly difficult treatment decision where expert opinion is divided. A content analysis of social media postings was used to systematically interpret caregiver posts about tooth extraction from families and other caregivers of patients with LND who posted comments regarding physical or emotional well-being after tooth extraction. A scale was used to rate all posted opinions. Scores ranged from 1 to 5, with 1 being completely negative and 5 being completely positive. 170 comments from 46 unique individuals were collected and scored by two raters. Inter-rater reliability, determined using a correlation coefficient across all postings, was 0.85, suggesting a high degree of reliability. The overall average caregiver sentiment score was 4.86, which is an overwhelmingly positive endorsement of tooth extraction as a means for controlling SIB. These methods provide a simple strategy for recommending treatment strategies based on real-world experience when objective clinical trials are unviable.
Detection of vapor nanobubbles by small angle neutron scattering (SANS)

Experiments using boiling water on untreated (roughness 100–300 nm) metal surfaces using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) show the appearance of structures that are 50–70 nm in size when boiling is present. The scattering signal disappears when the boiling ceases, and no change in the signal is detected at any surface temperature condition below saturation. This confirms that the signal is caused by vapor nanobubbles. Two boiling regimes are evaluated herein that differ by the degree of subcooling (3–10 °C). A polydisperse spherical model with a log-normal distribution fits the SANS data well. The size distribution indicates that a large number of nanobubbles exist on the surface during boiling, and some of them grow into large bubbles.
Ramanujan’s Unpublished Manuscript on the Partition and Tau Functions with Proofs and Commentary

When Ramanujan died in 1920, he left behind an incomplete, unpublished manuscript in two parts on the partition function p(n) and, in contemporary terminology, Ramanujan’s tau-function τ(n). The first part, beginning with the Roman numeral I, is written on 43 pages, with the last nine comprising material for insertion in the foregoing part of the manuscript. G. H. Hardy extracted a portion of Part I providing proofs of Ramanujan’s congruences for p(n) modulo 5, 7, and 11 and published it in 1921 [80], [82, pp. 232–238] under Ramanujan’s name. In a footnote, Hardy remarks, “The manuscript contains a large number of further results. It is very incomplete, and will require very careful editing before it can be published in full. I have taken from it the three simplest and most striking results,. …” In 1952, J. M. Rushforth [89] published several further results, mostly on τ(n), from Part I. In 1977, R. A. Rankin [85] discussed several congruences for τ(n) found in Part I. Part II has not been discussed in the literature. Part I was not made available to the public until 1988 when it was photocopied in its original handwritten form and published with Ramanujan’s lost notebook [83]. The existence of Part II was first pointed out by B. J. Birch [26] in 1975, but, like Part I, it also was hidden from the public until 1988, when a handwritten copy made by G. N. Watson was photocopied for [83]. Several theorems and proofs in this manuscript had not previously appeared before 1988.
Vector Bundle Moduli

We give the general presciption for calculating the number of moduli of irreducible, stable U(n) holomorphic vector bundles with positive spectral covers over elliptically fibered Calabi–Yau threefolds. Explicit results are presented for Hirzebruch base surfaces B = F r. Vector bundle moduli appear as gauge singlet scalar fields in the effective low-energy actions of heterotic superstrings and heterotic M-theory.
ON WELL-POSED AND ILL-POSED EXTREMAL PROBLEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on well-posed and ill-posed extremal problems. It highlights several notions of well-posedness for extremal problems, optimization problems depending on a parameter, and best approximation problems within a common framework. The chapter focuses on appropriate notions of well-posedness in the absence of uniqueness. It describes the classes of ill-posed nonlinear extremal problems arising from consideration of proximinal solutions of linear operator equations. The notion of a well-posed (or properly posed) problem introduced (in the context of partial differential equations) by Hadamard at the beginning of this century plays an important role in the theory and numerical approximations of solutions of operator equations arising from analysis, engineering, and applied sciences. More recently, some notions of well-posed optimization and best approximation problems have been proposed and studied. The chapter explains in a common framework some of these notions and highlights additional ones that seem more appropriate for certain classes of optimization and best approximation problems, particularly those arising from consideration of operator equations, control theory, and variational inequalities.
SWATT: Synchronized Wide-area Sensing and Autonomous Target Tracking

Monitoring large land areas is a human-intensive process. Sensor networks offer the promise of automation. Modern sensor networks alone typically only address the problem of event detection; they do not not address having to analyze what is detected. Furthermore, despite advances in low-power, long-range embedded sensing as well as high-power, high-fidelity camera or UAS sensing, no one type of sensing system alone can be low-cost, widely deployed, and high-fidelity.We propose a hybrid network of low-power and high-power sensors that, together, offer wide-area coverage. We couple these with a mechanism for online machine learning, allowing the the network to react to events autonomously. We design, deploy and evaluate a proof-of-concept system that is able to detect, learn about and track a vehicle in real time based on this combination of multi-modal sensing and machine learning.
The motivational unconscious

Author(s): Kihlstrom, JF | Abstract: Motives may be said to be unconscious in a variety of ways. They may be automatically and unconsciously elicited by consciously perceptible situational cues; they may be instigated by cues that are themselves excluded from conscious awareness, as expressions of implicit perception or memory; or the person may be consciously unaware of his or her actual motivational state. The paper reviews the evidence pertaining to all three aspects of unconscious motivation, with emphasis on conceptual and methodological questions that arise in the study of motives which are not accessible to phenomenal awareness or voluntary control but nonetheless influence the individual's experience, thought, and action.
Tensor principal component analysis via sum-of-square proofs.

We study a statistical model for the tensor principal component analysis problem introduced by Montanari and Richard: Given a order-3 tensor T of the form T = τ · v⊗3 0 + A, where τ > 0 is a signal-to-noise ratio, v0 is a unit vector, and A is a random noise tensor, the goal is to recover the planted vector v0. For the case that A has iid standard Gaussian entries, we give an efficient algorithm to recover v0 whenever τ > ω(n3/4 log(n)1/4), and certify that the recovered vector is close to a maximum likelihood estimator, all with high probability over the random choice of A. The previous best algorithms with provable guarantees required τ > Ω(n). In the regime τ 6 o(n), natural tensor-unfolding-based spectral relaxations for the underlying optimization problem break down. To go beyond this barrier, we use convex relaxations based on the sum-of-squares method. Our recovery algorithm proceeds by rounding a degree-4 sum-ofsquares relaxations of the maximum-likelihood-estimation problem for the statistical model. To complement our algorithmic results, we show that degree-4 sum-of-squares relaxations break down for τ 6 O(n3/4/ log(n)1/4), which demonstrates that improving our current guarantees (by more than logarithmic factors) would require new techniques or might even be intractable. Finally, we show how to exploit additional problem structure in order to solve our sum-ofsquares relaxations, up to some approximation, very efficiently. Our fastest algorithm runs in nearly-linear time using shifted (matrix) power iteration and has similar guarantees as above. The analysis of this algorithm also confirms a variant of a conjecture of Montanari and Richard about singular vectors of tensor unfoldings.
A mechanistic explanation of the increase in particle scavenging in the ultrasonic scrubber

Abstract Ran et al., 2014 developed the ultrasonic scrubber, a device which combines an ultrasonic standing wave field and a water spray to eliminate particles from a gas flow. This device, which is essentially a wet scrubber enhanced by ultrasound, was shown to significantly improve the scavenging of micron-scale particles compared to the use of a water spray alone. Herein a simulation of trajectories of the particles and spray drops in the ultrasonic scrubber are presented. These simulations and an associated model of the process are used to provide a mechanistic understanding of the enhanced scavenging observed in the ultrasonic scrubber.
The pharmaco-epidemiology of medication errors for children treated in the emergency department

Emergency care for children is a high risk setting for medication errors [1]. Patients are generally unknown to emergency department (ED) staff, may have significant medical complexity, and are rec...
Immune Status and Associated Mortality After Cancer Treatment Among Individuals With HIV in the Antiretroviral Therapy Era

Importance Immunologic decline associated with cancer treatment in people with HIV is not well characterized. Quantifying excess mortality associated with cancer treatment–related immunosuppression may help inform cancer treatment guidelines for persons with HIV. Objective To estimate the association between cancer treatment and CD4 count and HIV RNA level in persons with HIV and between posttreatment CD4 count and HIV RNA trajectories and all-cause mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants This observational cohort study included 196 adults with HIV who had an incident first cancer and available cancer treatment data while in the care of The Johns Hopkins HIV Clinic from January 1, 1997, through March 1, 2016. The study hypothesized that chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in people with HIV would increase HIV RNA levels owing to treatment tolerability issues and would be associated with a larger initial decline in CD4 count and slower CD4 recovery compared with surgery or other treatment. An additional hypothesis was that these CD4 count declines would be associated with higher mortality independent of baseline CD4 count, antiretroviral therapy use, and risk due to the underlying cancer. Data were analyzed from December 1, 2017, through April 1, 2018. Exposures Initial cancer treatment category (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy vs surgery or other treatment). Main Outcomes and Measures Post–cancer treatment longitudinal CD4 count, longitudinal HIV RNA level, and all-cause mortality. Results Among the 196 participants (135 [68.9%] male; median age, 50 [interquartile range, 43-55] years), chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy decreased initial CD4 count by 203 cells/μL (95% CI, 92-306 cells/μL) among those with a baseline CD4 count of greater than 500 cells/μL. The decline for those with a baseline CD4 count of no greater than 350 cells/μL was 45 cells/μL (interaction estimate, 158 cells/μL; 95% CI, 31-276 cells/μL). Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy had no detrimental association with HIV RNA levels. After initial cancer treatment, every 100 cells/μL decrease in CD4 count resulted in a 27% increase in mortality (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.08-1.53), adjusting for HIV RNA level. No significant increase in mortality was associated with a unit increase in log10HIV RNA after adjusting for CD4 count (hazard ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.94-1.65). Conclusions and Relevance In this study, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy was associated with significantly reduced initial CD4 count in adults with HIV compared with surgery or other treatment. Lower CD4 count after cancer treatment was associated with an increased hazard of mortality. Further research is necessary on the immunosuppressive effects of cancer treatment in adults with HIV and whether health care professionals must consider the balance of cancer treatment efficacy against the potential cost of further immunosuppression. Monitoring of immune status may also be helpful given the decrease in CD4 count after treatment and the already immunocompromised state of patients with HIV.
Use of Glyphosate and Herbicide Alternatives for Weed Control in Florida Landscape Planting Beds

This new 10-page article is written for landscape professionals and those maintaining landscape areas to guide them in selecting alternatives to glyphosate (the active ingredient in RoundUp®) for postemergence weed control in Florida. Information is also included on preemergence herbicides and integrated weed management (use of chemical and non-chemical controls), which should be the basis of a weed management program. Written by Chris Marble, Joe Neal, and Andy Senesac, and published by the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep580
Characterization of Meta-Iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) Transport by Polyspecific Organic Cation Transporters: Implication for mIBG Therapy.

Radiolabeled meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) is an important radiopharmaceutical used in the diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine cancers. mIBG is known to enter tumor cells through the norepinephrine transporter. Whole-body scintigraphy has shown rapid mIBG elimination through the kidney and high accumulation in several normal tissues, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Using transporter-expressing cell lines, we show that mIBG is an excellent substrate for human organic cation transporters 1–3 (hOCT1–3) and the multidrug and toxin extrusion proteins 1 and 2-K (hMATE1/2-K), but not for the renal organic anion transporter 1 and 3 (hOAT1/3). Kinetic analysis revealed that hOCT1, hOCT2, hOCT3, hMATE1, and hMATE2-K transport mIBG with similar apparent affinities (Km of 19.5 ± 6.9, 17.2 ± 2.8, 14.5 ± 7.1, 17.7 ± 10.9, 12.6 ± 5.6 µM, respectively). Transwell studies in hOCT2/hMATE1 double-transfected Madin-Darby canine kidney cells showed that mIBG transport in the basal (B)-to-apical (A) direction is much greater than in the A-to-B direction. Compared with control cells, the B-to-A permeability of mIBG increased by 20-fold in hOCT2/hMATE1 double-transfected cells. Screening of 23 drugs used in the treatment of neuroblastoma identified several drugs with the potential to inhibit hOCT- or hMATE-mediated mIBG uptake. Interestingly, irinotecan selectively inhibited hOCT1, whereas crizotinib potently inhibited hOCT3-mediated mIBG uptake. Our results suggest that mIBG undergoes renal tubular secretion mediated by hOCT2 and hMATE1/2-K, and hOCT1 and hOCT3 may play important roles in mIBG uptake into normal tissues. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT mIBG is eliminated by the kidney and extensively accumulates in several tissues known to express hOCT1 and hOCT3. Our results suggest that hOCT2 and human multidrug and toxin extrusion proteins 1 and 2-K are involved in mIBG renal elimination, whereas hOCT1 and hOCT3 may play important roles in mIBG uptake into normal tissues. These findings may help to predict and prevent adverse drug interaction with therapeutic [131I]mIBG and develop clinical strategies to reduce [131I]mIBG accumulation and toxicity in normal tissues and organs.
Mentally Ill and Mentally Deficient Offenders

For a variety of reasons, the criminal justice system tends to be a “first stop” for mentally ill individuals with behavioral problems. Police are often called to resolve mental health crises, and this sometimes results in criminal charges and thus the need to address this unique population in corrections. Rates of many mental illnesses among offenders are disproportionately high. Additionally, individuals with low intelligence (IQ) are also more likely to be involved in corrections. These considerations must be taken into account during supervision and counseling as they can significantly impact strategies that are otherwise effective. While medication for mental health conditions can be effective to manage the symptoms of some clients, medication cannot be forced and may not be effective for other clients. The role of traditional goals for these offenders (e.g., employment) can be even more dramatic although obtaining these goals may place greater pressure on correctional workers. It is the role of the correctional worker to best support clients’ basic needs and encourage direct mental health and medication treatment from a trained professional.
Stereodynamics of ultracold rotationally inelastic collisions.

Recent experiments on rotational quenching of HD in the v = 1, j = 2 rovibrational state in collisions with H2, D2, and He near 1 K have revealed strong stereodynamic preference stemming from isolated shape resonances. So far, the experiments and subsequent theoretical analyses have considered the initial HD rotational state in an orientation specified by the projection quantum number m or a coherent superposition of different m states. However, it is known that such stereodynamic control is generally not effective in the ultracold energy regime due to the dominance of the incoming s-wave (l = 0, partial wave). Here, we provide a detailed analysis of the stereodynamics of rotational quenching of HD by He with both m and m′ resolution, where m′ refers to the inelastically scattered HD. We show the existence of a significant m dependence in the m′-resolved differential and integral cross sections even in the ultracold s-wave regime with a factor greater than 60 for j = 2 → j′ = 1 and a factor greater than 1300 for j = 3 → j′ = 2 transitions. In the helicity frame, however, the integral cross section has no initial orientation (k) dependence in the ultracold energy regime, even resolving with respect to the final orientation (k′). The distribution of final rotational state orientations (k′) is found to be statistical (uniform), regardless of the initial orientation.
Coronary angiography utilization in the evaluation of a potential heart donor by age: a narrative review

Heart transplant is the gold standard treatment for patients with heart failure. The limitation to providing heart transplantation to patients suffering from end stage heart disease is the stable organ supply within the United States despite increasing demand. Transplant centers across the United States have begun to expand traditional cardiac donor selection metrics previously utilized. As a result, the use of extended criteria donors, such as older donors, those with longer ischemic times, and donors considered high risk has increased. Current guidelines suggest that coronary angiography be performed when evaluating a donor above the age of 45. Angiographic guidelines for evaluation of the donor heart are based specifically on age, with little evidence based guidance surrounding the use of angiography in a younger donor with comorbidities or increased risk behavior which may lead to premature coronary artery disease. Recently, we have seen an increase in younger heart donors, many of whom have succumbed due to drug overdose with ensuing high risk behaviors. Given the increased risk nature of these donors, consideration of performing coronary angiography is determined by clinical "gestalt" of the transplant center evaluating the heart for use, which may lead to underutilization of donor organs without evidence to support the practice. Here, we review the guidelines, literature, and controversy surrounding the use of coronary angiography in evaluating donor hearts for transplantation.
Introduction to Voltage Stability

Voltage stability is a branch of power system stability that has developed late. In general, the research on voltage stability can be divided into three stages. In Stage I from 1940s when the first voltage stability criterion dQ/dU [1] was put forward by Malkovich, a Russian scholar, to the mid-1970s, insufficient attention was been paid to voltage stability. In Stage II from the late-1970s to the mid-1980s, attention was paid to the research on static voltage stability.
Optimierung der Losgröße mittels Bernoulli-Prinzip und spektraler Präferenzen

Das Newsvendor-Modell ist ein klassisches Entscheidungsproblem aus dem Bereich des Produktionsmanagements. Es zielt auf die Ermittlung optimaler Bestellmengen bzw. optimaler Losgrosen bei stochastischer Nachfrage ab. Ublicherweise wird unterstellt, dass der Entscheidungstrager, der je nach Interpretation des Problems Handler oder Produzent ist, seinen erwarteten Gewinn maximiert und somit risikoneutral eingestellt ist. Insbesondere wenn die Spanne zwischen der risikoneutralen Losung und der extreme Risikoaversion ausdruckenden Maximin-Losung gros ist, erscheint jedoch die Berucksichtigung von Risikoaversion angebracht. Wir analysieren deshalb zwei etablierte Modellrahmen, um das Newsvendor-Problem unter der Annahme risikoaverser Akteure zu losen, namlich das Bernoulli-Prinzip sowie die Theorie spektraler Praferenzen. Das Kalkul auf Basis spektraler Praferenzen ist mithilfe einer approximativen Losung mit geringem Aufwand durchfuhrbar. Der Rechenaufwand fur das Bernoulli-Prinzip ist im Vergleich dazu wesentlich groser, was letztlich der Preis fur eine exakte Losung ist. Daruber hinaus diskutieren wir die relative Lage von Maximin- und risikoneutraler Losung sowie die Einschachtelung der exakten Losung durch diese beiden markanten (und leicht zu berechnenden) Benchmark-Losungen.
Incidence and risk factors of iatrogenic coronal malalignment after adult spinal deformity surgery: a single-center experience.

OBJECTIVE The authors' objectives were: 1) to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of iatrogenic coronal malalignment (CM), and 2) to assess the outcomes of patients with all three types of postoperative CM (iatrogenic vs unchanged/worsened vs improved but persistent). METHODS A single-institution, retrospective cohort study was performed on adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients who underwent > 6-level fusion from 2015 to 2019. Iatrogenic CM was defined as immediate postoperative C7 coronal vertical axis (CVA) ≥ 3 cm in patients with preoperative CVA 3°, mean preoperative absolute SVA was 8.0 cm, and 7 (54%) patients had preoperative sagittal malalignment. Patients with iatrogenic CM were more likely to sustain a major complication during the 2-year postoperative period than patients without iatrogenic CM (12% vs 33%, p = 0.046), yet readmission, reoperation, and PROs were similar. CONCLUSIONS Postoperative iatrogenic CM occurred in 9% of ASD patients with preoperative normal coronal alignment (CVA < 3 cm). ASD patients who were most at risk for iatrogenic CM included those with preoperative sagittal malalignment, increased pelvic obliquity, LSF curve concavity to the same side as the CVA, and maximum Cobb angle concavity opposite the CVA, as well as those who underwent a three-column osteotomy. Despite sustaining more major complications, iatrogenic CM patients did not have increased risk of readmission, reoperation, or worse PROs.
The Use and Testing of a Model for Upper Ocean Dynamics

A one-dimensional turbulent Ekman layer model is used to simulate the upper-ocean dynamics in Santa Barbara Channel. Comparison of simulated and measured currents showed excellent agreement below subtidal frequencies.
Scale and concurrency of GIGA+: file system directories with millions of files

We examine the problem of scalable file system directories, motivated by data-intensive applications requiring millions to billions of small files to be ingested in a single directory at rates of hundreds of thousands of file creates every second. We introduce a POSIX-compliant scalable directory design, GIGA+, that distributes directory entries over a cluster of server nodes. For scalability, each server makes only local, independent decisions about migration for load balancing. GIGA+ uses two internal implementation tenets, asynchrony and eventual consistency, to: (1) partition an index among all servers without synchronization or serialization, and (2) gracefully tolerate stale index state at the clients. Applications, however, are provided traditional strong synchronous consistency semantics. We have built and demonstrated that the GIGA+ approach scales better than existing distributed directory implementations, delivers a sustained throughput of more than 98,000 file creates per second on a 32-server cluster, and balances load more efficiently than consistent hashing.
The Relationships Between Mortgage Rates and Capital-Market Rates Under Alternative Market Conditions

Mortgage interest rates have become more integrated with other capital-market interest rates over recent decades, apparently as a result of the deregulation of financial markets. The link is both imperfect and time-varying. Mortgage rates during some time periods appear to be “sticky” with respect to their adjustment to changes in capital-market rates. We examine the relationship between weekly conventional mortgage rates and the interest rates on treasury and corporate securities under differing market conditions. We draw three conclusions based on the analysis. First, deregulation changed the link between mortgage rates and riskless interest rates, which confirms the findings of Goebel and Ma (1993). Second, mortgage rates were cointegrated with risky interest rates even before deregulation. Third, the link between mortgage rates and the risky bond rate can be associated with the behavior of the risk premium in the bond rate. The observed relationship is consistent with the stickiness observed by Haney (1988) and causes a more pronounced stickiness when rates are falling than when they are rising.
The Revival Structure of Rydberg Wave Packets Beyond the Revival Time

When a Rydberg atom is excited by a short laser pulse, a state is created that has classical behavior for a limited titne [1].
On the Exact Theory of a Prolate Spheroidal Receiving and Scattering Antenna

An exact formula for the current distribution l(n) along an unloaded (short-circuited terminals) prolate spheroidal receiving antenna of arbitrary eccentricity is derived when the incident field is a plane wave with the electric vector directed parallel to the major axis of the spheroid. A knowledge of the current I(0) and the input impedance Z0, derived earlier by Chu and Stratton, completely determines the receiving characteristics of the antenna when it is loaded by impedance ZL at η = 0. The current distribution along the antenna is obtained from Ampere's law by integrating the magnetic field at the surface of the spheroid around cross sections perpendicular to the major axis. This integration removes the azimuthal angular dependence providing sufficient simplification in the mathematics, so that the exact current distribution may be obtained from an equation involving a single infinite sum. The plane-wave scattering problem is completely formulated. It is shown that the solution for the scattered fields can be obtained only by solving simultaneous infinite matrix equations. Numerical results are presented that compare spheroidal antenna receiving current distributions to cylindrical antenna current distributions. Also the induced center currents are compared for a number of antenna-shape parameters. These reveal that thin cylindrical antenna theory may be extended past its theoretical limits of validity.
River management: What's best on the banks?

In the United States, part of the policy for conservation of aquatic ecosystems is to encourage the restoration and protection of stream and riverside forests. A new study of various forested and grassed reaches along a creek in Wisconsin, however, implies that grassy banks are subject to less erosion, at least in some circumstances, and may therefore be more desirable. So many interacting variables are involved in such systems that it is difficult to formulate general management policies. Perhaps it is best simply to let Nature take its course and let bankside vegetation develop naturally
Hyperdynamic circulation and cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents. The Bogalusa Heart Study.

Background Hyperdynamic circulation has been reported to be associated with adverse levels of insulin, blood pressure, adiposity, and lipoproteins in the adult population. Whether this putatively insulin-mediated association also occurs in early life is not known. This aspect was examined in 2229 children and adolescents 8 to 17 years old living in Bogalusa, La. Methods and Results Individuals were categorized as hyperdynamic (pulse pressure and heart rate in the upper quartile of the race-sex-age distribution), intermediate, and hypodynamic (pulse pressure and heart rate in the bottom quartile). Systolic blood pressure was significantly greater with a hyperdynamic circulation in both sexes (P<.0001), and several measures of obesity were greater with a hyperdynamic circulation. Hyperdynamic circulation was associated with statistically significant increases in triglyceride (P<.05) and fasting insulin (P<.01) in boys independently of age, race, and obesity. A decreasing trend with HDL cholesterol (P=.06) w...
Darwin's search for a theory of the earth: symmetry, simplicity and speculation

1990 marked the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's first major scientific theory. The paper, first presented by Darwin to the Geological Society of London on 7 March 1838, was entitled ‘On the Connexion of Certain Volcanic Phenomena and on the Formation of Mountain-Chains and the Effects of Continental Elevations.’ The paper was a remarkable attempt to develop a global tectonic synthesis. It was the culmination of a period of intensive geological activity by Darwin – then twenty-nine – who had returned from the Beagle voyage only eighteen months previously. The present article reviews the development of Darwin's views, their impact upon his contemporaries, their role in shaping his later views on the origin of species, and their significance in scientific theory-making. It draws, in part, on Darwin's unpublished geological notes and jottings. This paper, and the papers by Sandra Herbert and James Secord that accompany it, were delivered at a symposium which I organized at the Geological Society of London on 31 October 1988 to mark the 150th anniversary of the reading of Darwin's paper.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Properties of ABA Type Triblock Copolymer Brushes of Styrene and Methyl Acrylate Prepared by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

A tethered triblock copolymer has been synthesized by sequential monomer addition to a self-assembled monolayer of (11-(2-bromo-2-methyl)propionyloxy)undecyltrichlorosilane. Si/SiO2//polystyrene-b-poly(methyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene (PS-b-PMA-b-PS) and Si/SiO2//PMA-b-PS-b-PMA were prepared by the “grafting from” method using atom transfer radical polymerization. The resulting triblock brushes were characterized by ATR−FTIR, water contact angles, ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Free polymer formed during the brush formation was characterized by gel permeation chromatography. Treatment of the triblock brushes with block-selective solvents caused reversible changes in the water contact angles and AFM. AFM analysis revealed a patterned nanomorphology when the brush was treated with a good solvent for the mid-block. We have interpreted this nanomorphology in terms of a folded brush structure where the two end blocks aggregate and force the mid-block to t...
The Medication Assessment Program: Comprehensive medication assessments for persons taking multiple medications for chronic diseases

Abstract Objective To describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a pharmacist patient care program for persons taking multiple medications for chronic diseases. Design Pilot study. Setting Services were provided in Michigan within community pharmacies and through home and work-site visits, between October 2004 and September 2006. Participants 30 pharmacists and 67 patients 18 years of age or older who took four or more medications on a routine basis (three or more times per week). Main outcome measures Patient knowledge regarding medications, diagnoses, and healthy lifestyle practices; types of recommendations made; recommendation acceptance rates; pharmacist assessment of program effects. Interventions The comprehensive medication assessments identified medication-and health-related problems. Pharmacists provided patient education supported by written educational materials and written recommendations for improving drug therapy and overall patient health. Results The program was developed and implemented through a collaborative approach that included pharmacists, colleges of pharmacy, and employers. Pharmacists were supported by various administrative and clinical services offered by the colleges. Three employers adopted the program as a service for their employees, retirees, and dependents. A total of 67 patients received comprehensive medication assessments. Patients tended to be women, tended to be older, and took an average of 12.6 medications. Pharmacists provided 662 recommendations related to drug therapy, healthy lifestyle practices, and the need for medical evaluation. Recommendation acceptance rates, changes in patient knowledge, and pharmacist evaluation of program effects indicated that the program had a positive effect on patient health. Conclusion A collaborative approach to developing and implementing comprehensive medication assessments was found to be beneficial in improving patient understanding of medications, diagnoses, and healthy lifestyle choices. Written pharmacist recommendations resulted in actions that improved self-monitoring skills and drug therapy appropriateness. College of pharmacy administrative and clinical service support was instrumental in network participation and the provision of care.
Response of human chorionic gonadotrophin to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone stimulation in the culture media of normal human placenta, choriocarcinoma cell lines, and in the serum of patients with gestational trophoblastic disease.

Abstract In vitro and in vivo responses to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) stimulation of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) production were evaluated. We cultured placental tissues of ten weeks and term pregnancy, choriocarcinoma tissues, and monolayers of the BeWo cell line, and added serial dilutions of LHRH (1, 5 and 10 μg) to the media for five to seven days. In in vivo experiments, 100 μg LHRH was intravenously administered to 2o normally cycling women (control group), 27 women who were ‘possible remission’, and 21 women with ‘minimal resistance’ to gestational trophoblastic disease. After injection of LHRH, blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. The concentrations of immunoreactive β-hCG in in vitro culture media, and in sera from patients, were measured before and after LHRH stimulation by double-antibody radioimmunoassay. These in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that normal and malignant trophoblastic cells responded to the LHRH stimulation by producing immunoreactive β-hCG. Therefore, LHRH stimulation may be useful in detecting residual choriocarcinoma cells in gestational trophoblastic disease patients during their periremission periods.
Further validation of the Six-Spot Step Test as a measure of ambulation in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background There is preliminary evidence regarding the validity of the Six-Spot Step Test (SSST) as a promising measure of ambulatory function in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). To date, this assessment has not been subject to the same rigor and extent of psychometric evaluation as other widely-accepted measures of ambulatory (e.g., timed 25-foot walk (T25FW)). Objective This study aimed to provide additional validity evidence for the SSST in 96 persons with MS, based on construct validity and precision. Construct validity involves examining the pattern of associations between the SSST and other measures, and precision involves comparing SSST performance relative to other valid measures of ambulation for differentiating between levels of disability status, MS clinical course, and fall risk based on balance confidence. Methods All participants completed the SSST, T25FW, Timed Up-and-Go (TUG), six-minute walk, Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12, Late-Life Function and Disability Inventory, Activities-specific Balance Confidence, and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test. All participants further underwent a neurological examination for generating EDSS scores, and then wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for the waking hours of a 7-day period. Results SSST performance was strongly associated with other valid measures of ambulation (|ρ| = .65–.90) and disability status (ρ = .73), moderately-to-strongly associated with balance confidence (ρ = .58), and weakly-to-moderately associated with cognitive processing speed and non-ambulatory measures (|ρ| = .35–.39). The SSST demonstrated stronger relative precision in discriminating between levels of disability status, MS clinical course, and fall risk based on balance confidence than the T25FW and TUG. Conclusions We provide comprehensive validity evidence for the SSST that supports its consideration for inclusion alongside other highly-regarded objective measures of ambulatory function for clinical research and practice in persons with MS.
Mucus Clearance: An Experimental and Numerical Study

Mucus in a human lung has non-Newtonian properties such as shear-thinning, yield stress, and viscoelasticity. Rheological changes of mucus may greatly affect its ability to function as a lubricant, selective barrier, and the body’s first line of defense against infection (Lai 2009). Patients with COPD, asthma, or cystic fibrosis often have mucus hyper-secretion. Mucus plugging can cause total airway obstruction (Kant 2007). If mucus is too thick, for example in severe bronchitis or cystic fibrosis where the sputum viscosity can be more than 105 times that of water, patients experience great difficulty in mucus clearance, resulting in bacterial overgrowth (Lai 2009). The understanding of the mechanisms involved in mucus clearance is far from complete. For instance, the relation is not known between the non-Newtonian properties of the mucus layer and ciliary function in thickened mucus (Button 2008).Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Influence of foliar-applied Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis and an early potato harvest on abundance and overwinter survival of Colorado potato beetles (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae) in North Carolina

The effects of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis applications and early harvest of potatoes on reducing the size of overwintering Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), populations in eastern North Carolina were investigated over 3 yr. In large-plot (0.04 ha) experiments, potato beetle densities and defoliation levels in plots that were either treated with B. thuringiensis or left untreated were compared during the season. Similarly, the size of the overwintered potato beetle populations in these plots was compared the following spring. In a simulated harvest experiment, 1st-generation adults (generation that overwinters) were collected from untreated and B. thuringiensis -treated plots at various times and then placed into small field cages containing tubers and dead potato vines. Survival of these beetles was determined the following spring. Additionally, the effects of early harvests of ‘Atlantic’ and ‘Superior’ potatoes on marketable tuber yields were examined. Results suggest that a single foliar application of B. thuringiensis made when the large larval populations reached 1 per stem reduced and delayed the development of potato beetle populations and, more importantly, suppressed defoliation during the critical bloom stage. Although overwinter survival and the size of the overwintered population from plots treated with B. thuringiensis the previous season did not differ with those from untreated plots, overwinter survival was positively correlated with an increase in the period between planting and harvest. These results suggest that beetle populations could be reduced if potatoes are harvested before many 1st-generation adults emerge. To accomplish this while minimizing the potential for yield loss by harvesting too early, fields of the early-maturing variety Superior could be harvested as early as 85–92 d after planting.
Theoretical analysis of coma aberration measurement for aerial image sidelobe peaks

By analyzing aerial images, we characterize the lowest order coma aberration measurements for the projection optics of a microlithography exposure apparatus based on scalar diffraction theory. Our developed method for measuring the coma aberration exploits the intensity difference between the sidelobe peaks appearing near the boundaries of the bright field (“negative”) single-line or plural-line patterns. Our method further demonstrates linearity between the intensity difference of the sidelobe peaks and the amount of residual lowest order coma aberration. We analyze the coma aberration sensitivity formula and determine the duty ratio of the line-and-space pattern that realizes the highest aberration sensitivity.
Dietary lipids and calorie restriction affect mammary tumor incidence and gene expression in mouse mammary tumor virus/v-Ha-ras transgenic mice

Abstract We have studied the effects of food restriction (FR) and substitution of fish oil (FO; omega 3) for corn oil (CO; omega 6) on breast tumor incidence and survival in mouse mammary tumor virus/v-Ha-ras transgenic (Onco) mice. The diets were as follows: group 1, 5% (wt/wt) CO fed ad libitum (AL); group 2, 5% CO, restricted calories (40% fewer calories than AL; FR); group 3, 20% CO fed AL; and group 4, 20% FO fed AL. After 3 years, 40% of FR Onco (group 2) mice were alive, whereas there were no survivors in the other three groups. Similarly, tumor incidence was reduced to 27% (5 out of 18) in FR animals (group 2), whereas it was 83% (11 out of 13) in group 1 mice, 89% (16 out of 18) in group 3 mice, and 71% (10 out of 14) in group 4 mice. These protective effects of FR on survival and tumor incidence were paralleled by higher expression of the tumor suppressor gene p53 (wild type) and free-radical scavenging enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase) in breast tumors. Immunoblotting showed less ras gene product, p21, and increased p53 levels in the tumors of FR mice. In addition, FR decreased RNA levels of c-erbB-2, interleukin 6, and the transgene v-Ha-ras in tumors. In contrast, analysis of hepatic mRNA from tumor-bearing FR mice revealed higher expression of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Survival and tumor incidence were not influenced significantly by dietary supplementation with FO in place of CO. Taken together, our studies suggest that moderate restriction of energy intake significantly inhibited the development of mammary tumors and altered expression of cytokines, oncogenes, and free-radical scavenging enzymes.
Gadolinium-Induced Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis Is Associated with Insoluble Gd Deposits in Tissues: In Vivo Transmetallation Confirmed by Microanalysis

Background: Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is an extremely debilitating systemic fibrosing disorder affecting renal failure patients. The association of NSF with gadolinium (Gd) containing magnetic resonance contrast agents was noted in 2006. Gd deposition in skin biopsies was demonstrated shortly thereafter. Methods: We used automated scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy for in situ quantitative analysis of insoluble Gd-containing deposits, recording multi-elemental composition and spatial distribution of detected features. Results: Gd was detected in all 29 patients (53 of 57 skin biopsies) with NSF, biopsied from 2 weeks to 3 years after Gd exposure. Gd concentration ranged from 1 to 2270 cps/mm2 and was detected predominantly in the deep dermis and subcutaneous fibrous septa. Gd was found associated with Ca, P and sometimes Fe or Zn. Patients with sequential biopsies showed persistence or increase of Gd in tissues (6 of 11). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) identified the intracellular deposits in fibrocytes and macrophages. Conclusions: The demonstration of insoluble tissue deposits of Gd with co-associated elements clearly confirms in vivo transmetallation and dissociation of soluble Gd-chelates. Toxic Gd3+ may trigger fibrosis under permissive conditions, e.g., in renal insufficiency. Pathologists and clinicians need to be aware of this serious but preventable disease.
Effects of lysolecithin on the surface properties of human erythrocytes.

Abstract Human red blood cells (RBCs), transformed by incubation with the amphiphatic compound lysolecithin from their normal discocyte shape into echinocytes, have increased rates of agglutination in the presence of either poly- l -lysine (PLL) or soybean agglutinin (SBA). Removal of lysolecithin by washing caused a reversal of shape back to the discocyte configuration and a lowering of agglutination rates. Methochlorpromazine, another amphiphatic echinocytogenic substance produced a similar increase in agglutination rates, suggesting that increased agglutinability may be a general property of echinocytes. Lysolecithin treatment of RBCs caused a decrease in the binding of cationized ferritin (CF) particles/μm2 of RBC surface. The decrease in CF binding is due to a rearrangement of negative charge bearing molecules on the RBC surface rather than shedding of charged groups. These observations support the hypothesis that integral membrane proteins which bear negative charges and receptors are associated with a cytoskeleton within the red cell. Alterations in cell shape which result in distortion of the cytoskeleton may cause a redistribution of integral membrane proteins which bear charged groups at the RBC surface.