cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends of Utilization and 90-Day Complication Rates for Computer-Assisted Navigation and Robotic Assistance for Total Knee Arthroplasty in the United States From 2010 to 2018

Background Computer-assisted navigation (CAN) and robotic assistance (RA) for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are gaining in popularity. The purpose of this study is to update the literature on United States technology-assisted TKA trends of national utilization, regional utilization, and 90-day complication rates requiring readmission. Methods Patients who underwent primary, elective TKA between 2010 and 2018 were retrospectively identified in the PearlDiver All Payer Claims Database (PearlDiver Technologies Inc.). TKAs were classified as conventional, CAN, or RA based on International Classification of Diseases nineth or tenth revision and Current Procedural Technology codes. Annual rates and regional trends of each type of TKA were reported. Ninety-day complications requiring readmission for each group were captured. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify odds ratios (OR) for all-cause readmission based on TKA modality. Results Of the 1,307,411 elective TKAs performed from 2010 to 2018, 92.8% were conventional, and 7.7% were technology-assisted (95.2% CAN and 4.9% RA). RA-TKA had the greatest increase in utilization (+2204%). The Western region had the highest utilization of technologies for TKA, while the Midwestern region had the lowest. Ninety-day postoperative complications requiring readmission were highest for conventional TKA and lowest for RA-TKA. RA-TKA (OR 0.68; 97.5% confidence interval 0.56-0.83, P < .001) and CAN-TKA (OR 0.93; 97.5% confidence interval 0.88-0.97, P < .05) had significantly lower odds of all-cause 90-day complications requiring readmission than conventional TKA. Conclusion Utilization of RA-TKA and CAN-TKA continues to rise across the United States. The use of these technologies is associated with a lower OR of readmission within 90 days postoperatively.
An All-Hex Meshing Strategy for Bifurcation Geometries in Vascular Flow Simulation

We develop an automated all-hex meshing strategy for bifurcation geometries arising in subject-specific computational hemodynamics modeling. The key components of our approach are the use of a natural coordinate system, derived from solutions to Laplace’s equation, that follows the tubular vessels (arteries, veins, or grafts) and the use of a tripartitioned-based mesh topology that leads to balanced high-quality meshes in each of the branches. The method is designed for situations where the required number of hexahedral elements is relatively small (∼ 1000-4000), as is the case when spectral elements are employed in simulations at transitional Reynolds numbers or when finite elements are employed in viscous dominated regimes.
Development of generalized HPC simulator

With ever growing interests in High Performance Computer (HPC) systems for their inherent capabilities for data consolidation, data modeling, systems simulation, data storage, or intensive computation solutions there will obviously be ever growing needs from researchers within governments, businesses, and academia to determine the right HPC framework for meeting their computational needs for the least cost. While HPC simulators are available from commercial sources, they are not free and often commit a group into design choices that are not always optimal. In this short paper, we present our preliminary effort to design an open-source, adaptable, free-standing and extendible HPC simulator.
Pneumonia in Pregnant Women: Exploring This High Risk Complication& Its Links to Preterm Labor

Pneumonia is an ongoing and prevalent problem among elderly and immunosuppressed people; what is surprising is that pneumonia is the third leading cause of death in pregnant women and the most common nonobstetric infectious cause of death in women. There is also a correlation between pregnant women with pneumonia and preterm labor, in which preterm labor is caused by hypoxia and acidosis, which are poorly tolerated by the fetus. Pneumonias pose a significant risk for a pregnant woman and her unborn child. It's important that nurses teach pregnant women how to prevent pneumonia; early recognition and aggressive therapy and nursing care are necessary to successfully treat this disease. Keeping pregnant moms and their babies healthy is the health care team's ultimate goal.
Multijoint arm control: beyond reaching

We present a set of recent results on the control of movements in which the hand interacts with force fields that simulate the presence of dynamical objects and of surface boundaries. These experiments exploit the possibility of using human/robot interactions for exploring if and how the smoothness is enforced by the adaptive control system. We conclude that a) subjects learn to generate smooth motion of transported objects and that b) significant exceptions to smooth motions are observed in hand movements over curved boundaries.
How Asteroids Come to Earth

Although it has long been assumed that material from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter reaches Earth in the form of meteorites, the details of that process are unknown. In his Perspective, Greenberg discusses results reported in the same issue by Migliorini et al. on a scenario in which weak orbital resonances cause chaotic behavior that results in objects breaking away from the main belt. The results support one of the classical mechanisms for delivery of asteroid material to Earth.
Mechanism and action of glucansucrases

Abstract There are several different kinds of glucansucrases that synthesize glucans with different structures from sucrose. Glucans that have contiguous α-1→6 linked glucose residues are known as dextrans. The dextrans differ from each other by the type of branch linkages (α-1→2, α-1→2 and α-1→4), the percentage of branching, the length of the branch chains, and their spatial arrangement. Some of these dextrans are very highly branched with 35%≈50% branch linkages. Other glucans that have contiguous α-1→3 linked glucose residues in the main chains are known as mutans, and glucans with alternating α-1→6 and α-1→3 linked glucose residues in the main chains are known as alternans. The enzymes that catalyze glucan synthesis from sucrose form covalent glucosyl- and glucanyl-enzyme complexes. They transfer the glucosyl unit to the reducing-end of the growing glucan chain by a two-site insertion mechanism. Branching of the glucans occurs when a glucan chain acts as an acceptor and attacks the covalent glucosyl- or glucanyl-enzyme complex. Glucose or glucan chain are transferred to the acceptor chain where they are attached by a branch linkage. When other carbohydrates, in addition to sucrose, are present in the enzyme digest, the enzyme transfers glucose to the carbohydrate acceptors in a secondary reaction that diverts some of the glucose from incorporation into glucan. Many carbohydrate acceptors have been recognized and the products that result are dependent on the particular enzyme and the structure of the particular acceptor.
Sex differences in normal age trajectories of functional brain networks

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance image (rs-fMRI) is increasingly used to study functional brain networks. Nevertheless, variability in these networks due to factors such as sex and aging is not fully understood. This study explored sex differences in normal age trajectories of resting-state networks (RSNs) using a novel voxel-wise measure of functional connectivity, the intrinsic connectivity distribution (ICD). Males and females showed differential patterns of changing connectivity in large-scale RSNs during normal aging from early adulthood to late middle-age. In some networks, such as the default-mode network, males and females both showed decreases in connectivity with age, albeit at different rates. In other networks, such as the fronto-parietal network, males and females showed divergent connectivity trajectories with age. Main effects of sex and age were found in many of the same regions showing sex-related differences in aging. Finally, these sex differences in aging trajectories were robust to choice of preprocessing strategy, such as global signal regression. Our findings resolve some discrepancies in the literature, especially with respect to the trajectory of connectivity in the default mode, which can be explained by our observed interactions between sex and aging. Overall, results indicate that RSNs show different aging trajectories for males and females. Characterizing effects of sex and age on RSNs are critical first steps in understanding the functional organization of the human brain.
Non-aqueous quantitative determination of the carbonyl functional group by constant-current potentiometric titration.

A non-aqueous direct titration procedure has been developed for the determination of aldehydes and ketones. It uses two platinum-wire indicating electrodes with a constant current of 0.5 muA. The solvent medium is 0.15M sodium perchlorate in tetrahydrofuran. The titrant is sodium fluorenyl in a mixture of 1,2-dimethoxyethane and tetrahydrofuran. All types of carbonyl compounds react with the sodium fluorenyl, but steric hindrance prevents complete reaction with certain ketones containing bulky groups. The lowest concentration of carbonyl that can be determined with acceptable accuracy and precision is 7.5 x 10(-3)M, the error being < 3% and the precision better than +/-2.5%. Most reducible compounds interfere, e.g., peroxides, acid halides, nitro-compounds, acids, and water, and cannot be differentiated potentiometrically. The method can be extended to other reducible functional groups, e.g., nitro groups and acid chlorides.
Measurability analysis of the linearized gravitational field

The measurability analysis of quantum electrodynamics performed by Bohr and Rosenfeld is generalized in order to be applicable to gravitation. After briefly restating our earlier argument for the measurability of the components of the quantum linearized Weyl tensor field taken separately, we demonstrate in detail their measurability taken jointly. In comparing the measurability analysis of linearized gravitation with that of quantum electrodynamics, we are able to exhibit the pervasive differences between the analyses necessitated by the equivalence principle.
Local field potentials indicate network state and account for neuronal response variability

Multineuronal recordings have revealed that neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) exhibit coordinated fluctuations of spiking activity in the absence and in the presence of visual stimulation. From the perspective of understanding a single cell's spiking activity relative to a behavior or stimulus, these network fluctuations are typically considered to be noise. We show that these events are highly correlated with another commonly recorded signal, the local field potential (LFP), and are also likely related to global network state phenomena which have been observed in a number of neural systems. Moreover, we show that attributing a component of cell firing to these network fluctuations via explicit modeling of the LFP improves the recovery of cell properties. This suggests that the impact of network fluctuations may be estimated using the LFP, and that a portion of this network activity is unrelated to the stimulus and instead reflects ongoing cortical activity. Thus, the LFP acts as an easily accessible bridge between the network state and the spiking activity.
Compensatory Patterns of Support Among Children's Peer Relationships: A Test Using School Friends, Nonschool Friends, and Siblings.

We examined the extent to which isolated and aggressive 6th graders compensate for unsatisfying school friendships by deriving support from siblings and nonschool friends and whether this support protects such children from poor socioemotional outcomes. Results were as follows: (a) When compared with average and aggressive children, isolated children perceived their school friendships as least supportive and their favorite sibling relationships as most supportive; (b) isolated, aggressive, and average children did not differ in their perceptions of support from nonschool friends; and (c) high support from a favorite sibling was associated with better adjustment among isolated children on select outcomes. Despite the somewhat ameliorating role of siblings for isolated children, isolated children with high sibling support remained less well adjusted than did average children. Recent research suggests that our understanding of children's social support can be enriched by simultaneously analyzing the various functions provided by different types of relationships within children's social networks (Berndt, 1989; Buhrmester & Furman, 1986,1987; Cauce, Reid, Landesman, & Gonzales, 1990; Furman & Buhrmester, 1985a; Hirsch, 1985). Much of this work draws on Weiss's (1974,1986) typology of adult relational bonds in which he outlined the various functions of different types or classes of social relationships. Weiss hypothesized that different types of social relationships (e.g., kin, friendships, marital relationships) provide different kinds of social provisions or social support. In examining these specialized types of support within children's social relationships, investigators have found that a particular support characteristic can be obtained from more than one relationship type (Buhrmester & Furman, 1986; Furman & Buhrmester, 1985a). Given this, Furman and Buhrmester (1985a, p. 1022) have argued that it would be adaptive for an individual who lacks a specific relationship type (e.g., a friend or sibling) to be able to compensate for the missing support by turning to a functionally similar type of relationship. Indeed, it is interesting to consider (a) whether a relationship that is low in support could be compensated for by the provisions of a functionally analogous relationship, and (b) to the extent that it could, whether the individual would forego experiences of emotional distress associated with the absent support.
Chelation of Ca2+ ions by a peptide from the repeat region of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein

Elegant efforts towards the determination of the structural tendencies of peptides derived from the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein allowed the proposal of a left-handed helical conformation for this protein. The use of circular dichroism and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy applied to various peptides derived from this protein, indicated that they bind Ca2+ ions in helical environments. The essential role of calcium in cell function and biological mechanisms is well known. It influences the development of several stages of the P. falciparum parasite. However, there is very little knowledge regarding calcium coordination to circumsporozoite proteins. In the present investigation the chelation of Ca2+ by the (NANPNVDP)3NANP peptide, which contains the first seven 4-amino-acid blocks of the repeat region of the P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein, is tested with the use of circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Spectroscopy-based solution conformations of the Ca-bound peptide are also determined. NMR spectroscopy and circular dichroism were used to test Ca2+ coordination by the peptide (NANPNVDP)3NANP. Solution conformations for the Ca-bound peptide were determined through molecular dynamics calculations. The NMR spectra collected for (NANPNVDP)3NANP indicate that the signals generated by some of the amino acids located at its C-terminal end are shifted from their original positions upon Ca2+ addition. The solution conformations determined for the Ca-bound peptide indicate that the metal ion can be either six- or seven-coordinate. The investigation described herein strongly supports the coordination of Ca2+ ions to some of the amino acids located at the C-terminus of the peptide (NANPNVDP)3NANP. The solution conformations determined for the Ca-bound congener of this peptide display many structural features associated to Ca-binding proteins.
The Manuscript Evaluation Process Used by AACD Journals

Surveys completed by 14 AACD journal editors were analyzed to provide information on journal length, nature of articles, leadership, review process, and disposition of manuscripts. The journal editors use fairly similar procedures for evaluating manuscripts and are interested in the same genre of manuscripts (notably research, theoretical, and in-the-field articles). The number of pages published annually by the journals, the number of editorial members, the number of manuscripts received, and the percentage of manuscripts accepted, however, vary considerably among the journals.
Production of the NO photofragment in the desorption of RDX and HMX from surfaces

A promising scheme for the remote detection of nitrate-based explosives, which have low vapor pressure, involves two lasers: the first to desorb, vaporize, and photofragment the explosive molecule and the second to create laser-induced fluorescence in the NO fragment. It is desirable to use for the first a powerful 532nm frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. In this study, we investigate the degree of photofragmentation into NO resulting from the irradiation of the explosives RDX and HMX coated on a variety of surfaces. The desorption step is followed by femtosecond laser ionization and time-of-flight mass spectrometry to reveal the fragments produced in the first step. We find that modest laser power of 532nm desorbs the explosive and produces adequate amounts of NO.
Meridic diet for Oncopeltus fasciatus (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) and its utilization in evaluating an insect growth regulator

A new meridic diet based on wheat germ, sunflower seed, and agar was developed for a sunflower-seed strain of the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas). We demonstrated that a wheat germ/agar diet, commonly used for insects with chewing mouthparts, can be used to support insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Ten consecutive generations of the large milkweed bug were successfully reared on this diet. At the end of the 10th generation, the wheat germ-sunflower seed diet was judged comparable with sunflower seeds in its ability to support growth and development. Females reared on the diet, however, laid fewer eggs. The diet allowed a homogeneous incorporation of xenobiotics such as an insect growth regulator (RO 13-5223, ethyl[2-(p-phenoxyphenoxy) ethyl]carbamate) into a foodstuff. Such an even distribution of xenobiotics is difficult to achieve when using intact seeds. Ingested RO 13-5223 caused morphological abnormalities, difficulty in ecdysis, and appearance of nymphal/adult intermediates similar to those caused by surface administration of RO 13-5223 reported previously. Thus, our results indicated that the effects of RO 13-5223 are not affected by the digestive processes.
Bound states and scattered states for contraction semigroups

LetA generate a strongly continuous contraction semigroup {T(t)} on a Hilbert space and letL be a bounded operator. IfL(ζI−A)−1 is compact, then the Cesaro limit of ‖LT(t)f‖2 (ast→∞) is computed for all vectorsf. This limit is interpreted in terms of bound and scattered states in the context of quantum mechanical and classical wave propagation problems.
Cyclodextrin–hydrophobe complexation in associative polymers

We develop a new rheology-based method to study the complexation of cyclodextrins with hydrophobes in hydrophobically modified associative polymer solutions. The associative polymers have comb-like structure with hydrophobic groups randomly attached to the polymer backbone. Intermolecular interactions between the hydrophobic groups form a transient network resulting in thickening of the polymer solutions. On addition of cyclodextrins (CD) to the solution, the hydrophobes are encapsulated within the hydrophobic cavity of the cyclodextrins. This reduces viscoelastic properties of the polymer solution by several orders of magnitude. We exploit the existence of a dynamic equilibrium between CD adsorbed to the hydrophobes and free CD in the solution, to develop a rheology-based Langmuir-type adsorption isotherm for estimating the binding constant for molecular complexation. The model is based on the assumption that the amount of CD adsorbed is proportional to the reduction in elastic modulus of the polymer solution due to the encapsulation of the network junctions by CD. The effects of temperature on binding constant are studied to estimate the enthalpy and entropy of complexation. Experiments are conducted with both α-and β-CD at different polymer concentrations and temperatures to estimate the relative strength of binding of the CDs. At a given temperature and a polymer concentration, α-CD has a lower binding constant compared to that of β-CD, indicating higher affinity of α-CD to adsorb onto the hydrophobes. Since α-CDs have a smaller ring size, they can snugly fit to the hydrophobes and the association leads to higher enthalpy and entropy change.
Exploratory study of apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype and risk of Alzheimer's disease in Mexican Hispanics

To the Editor: Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) than White non-Hispanics1. A community-based study reported that the prevalence of AD is higher in Hispanics than in White non-Hispanics2. Interestingly, a recent study found that the average proportion of Amerindian genetic ancestry in AD cases was a third of that observed in the cognitively intact controls3. These findings suggest that Amerindian ancestry confers a protective effect against disease onset. Hispanics are a mixture of European, African, and Amerindian genomes, with percentages depending on the country of origin4. Individuals of Mexican origin generally are of Amerindian ancestry, while those of Caribbean origin, for example, have more African ancestry5,6. Therefore, the question arises as to whether Mexican Hispanics differ in their susceptibility to AD. The Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, with its three common alleles (e2, e3, e4), is involved in cholesterol transport and other biologic pathways potentially relevant to AD7 and has been consistently associated with an increased risk of AD8. Studies indicate that the APOE genetic risk variants may not carry the same risk for Hispanics as for White non-Hispanics. A meta-analysis found an association between the APOE-e4 allele and AD, although the risk conveyed by the APOE-e4 allele frequency was found to be lower in Hispanics, predominately Caribbean origin, than in White non-Hispanics9. Another study of Hispanic Americans of predominantly Caribbean origin showed a smaller relative risk of AD conveyed by the APOE-e4 allele in Hispanics than in White non-Hispanics10. To our knowledge, Mexican Hispanics have not been studied as a single group to determine the associated risk between the APOE-e4 allele and AD onset.
Effects of extra degrees of freedom on a decay rate of metastable topological objects

We review the recent results on a decay rate of metastable topological configurations such as strings and domain walls. The transition from a state with higher tension to a state with lower one proceeds through quantum tunneling or through thermally catalyzed quantum tunneling (at sufficiently small temperatures). It is shown that the effects of the motion in transverse direction lead to the renormalization of a mass (tension) parameter of a particle (string) associated with a boundary of a string (wall) in the semiclassical exponent. For a non-zero temperature we derive the catalysis factor for the decay rates. It is discovered that the catalysis factor is closely related to the probability (effective length) of the collision of the the Goldstone bosons, corresponding to the transverse waves on a string (wall). We find that the destruction of a string only takes place in collisions of even number of the bosons, while the destruction of the wall can occur in a collision of any number of particles.
INHIBITION OF THE TRANSPORT OF 5‐HYDROXYINDOLEACETIC ACID FROM BRAIN BY ETHANOL1

—The injection of ethanol in mice produced a transient rise in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in brain. However, no concomitant changes in serotonin (5-HT) levels were noted. In an attempt to explain the biochemical mechanism by which ethanol produced this effect, uptake of tryptophan by brain, serotonin turnover in brain, and transport of 5-HIAA from brain were investigated. No changes in tryptophan levels or uptake into brain of ethanol-treated mice were noted. Ethanol 3 g/kg was found to decrease serotonin turnover. Ethanol was also demonstrated to inhibit the removal of 5-HIAA from the central nervous system, and was found to be an inhibitor of 5-HIAA uptake by isolated choroid plexus. The inhibition of biogenic acid transport was noted even at sub-hypnotic levels of ethanol.
A novel molecular interpretation of the Hodgkin-Huxley model of electrical excitability

Abstract The Hodgkin-Huxley model of electrical excitability is often interpreted on a molecular level in terms of probabilities. In this paper we present an alternative molecular interpretation based on an aggregation process of channel-forming gating molecules.
Candidate gene polymorphisms and the 9p21 locus in acute coronary syndromes

It is now widely accepted that the classic environmental risk factors for atherosclerosis only partly explain the incidence of coronary artery disease and the development of acute coronary syndromes. Therefore, genetic factors that vary among human populations seem to be involved in the clinical manifestations of such patients. Substantial data suggest that a significant proportion of genetic polymorphisms involved in endothelial function, inflammation, lipid metabolism, thrombosis and fibrinolysis are often present in patients with acute coronary syndromes. In particular, a common variant on chromosome 9p21 was recently identified to affect the risk of myocardial infarction. Here, we review the progress of candidate gene studies and genome-wide association studies in identifying the genetic bases of complex cardiovascular diseases such as acute coronary syndromes.
Providing image management and communication functionality as an integral part of an existing hospital information system

The effective delivery of health care has become increasingly dependent on a wide range of medical data which includes a variety of images. Manual and computer-based medical records ordinarily do not contain image data, leaving the physician to deal with a fragmented patient record widely scattered throughout the hospital. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is currently installing a prototype hospital information system (HIS) workstation network to demonstrate the feasibility of providing image management and communications (IMAC) functionality as an integral part of an existing hospital information system. The core of this system is a database management system adapted to handle images as a new data type. A general model for this integration is discussed and specifics of the hospital-wide network of image display workstations are given.
Microscopic evaluation of the thickness of sealants used in orthodontic bonding

Placement of a resin sealant on the enamel surface prior to orthodontic bracket bonding has been suggested as a means of providing protection against demineralization, particularly at known sites of plaque accumulation. The duration of protection is influenced by resin sealant thickness and distribution. The object of this study was to determine the thickness of polymerized sealant at the vulnerable bracket/resin periphery. Six groups of ten extracted caries-free teeth were bonded with metal brackets using six commercially available bonding materials and their respective sealants. Scanning and light microscopy were used to map sealant distribution and measure sealant thickness at the bracket/resin periphery. Results showed a wide range of sealant thickness, from 0 to 228 micrometers, with considerable intraproduct variation. It was concluded that thin resin films, with their low abrasion resistance, cannot be expected to provide long-standing protection against demineralization.
Gastrostomy Tubes after Gynecologic Oncologic Surgery

Abstract In order to prevent the complications of long-term nasogastric suctioning and increase patient comfort, we have been using gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes) in gynecologic oncology patients who are deemed to be at risk for protracted postoperative bowel dysfunction. This study describes our patient selection criteria and evaluates the results with 35 MIC (Medical Innovation Corporation, Milpitas, CA) gastrostomy tubes inserted between September 1, 1992 and April 30, 1993. The procedure is technically easy and adds approximately 10 min to operating time. The tabes were well tolerated by the patients over periods ranging from 5 to 135 days. All tubes were used for postoperative gastric drainage and in addition, eight tubes were used for short-term enteral feeding. One patient with short bowel syndrome continued enteral nutritional supplementation at home. Twenty patients were discharged with their G-tubes in situ . Five of these patients required continuous gastric drainage because of obstruction of gastric emptying or small bowel by advanced tumor, and four of them were taking full liquids orally prior to discharge from the hospital. Gastrostomy tubes are convenient adjuncts to postoperative care of the gynecologic oncology patient and afford palliation with few complications to patients dying with bowel obstruction.
M1Muscarinic Receptors Heterologously Expressed in Cardiac Myocytes Mediate Ras-dependent Changes in Gene Expression

Abstract Stimulation of α1-adrenergic receptors in neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes induces hypertrophic changes including activation of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) gene. This receptor couples to Gqto activate phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C, which have been implicated as mediators of the hypertrophic response. To directly determine whether receptor coupling to Gq/PLC is sufficient to induce ANF expression, we expressed wild-type and chimeric muscarinic cholinergic receptors (mAChRs) with altered G-protein coupling properties in cardiac myocytes and examined their ability to activate an ANF promoter/luciferase reporter gene. The cholinergic agonist carbachol failed to induce transcriptional activation of the ANF reporter gene through endogenous Gi-linked M2mAChRs or in cells transfected with M2mAChRs. In contrast, in cells transfected with M1mAChRs, which effectively couple to Gq/PLC, carbachol increased ANF reporter gene expression 10-fold and also increased ANF protein, as determined by immunofluorescence. Carbachol-mediated ANF gene expression was inhibited by the mAChR antagonist pirenzepine with a Kivalue characteristic of an M1mAChR. Studies using chimeric M1- and M2mAChRs demonstrated that the N-terminal 21 amino acids of the third intracellular loop of the M1mAChR were required for receptor coupling to ANF gene expression. This region, previously shown to specify receptor coupling to Gq/PLC, also conferred partial activity to a chimeric M2receptor. We further demonstrated that M1mAChR coupling to ANF gene expression was Ras-dependent since co-expression of dominant-interfering Ala-15 Ras inhibited M1mAChR-induced ANF expression by 60%. In contrast, ANF expression induced by the chimeric M2receptor was not blocked by dominant-interfering Ras. We suggest that receptor coupling to Gq/PLC is sufficient to induce ANF expression and that a Ras-dependent pathway contributes additional signals required for maximal M1mAChR-mediated ANF gene expression.
Entropy Maximization and Inferred Ideal Weights in Public Facility Location

It is assumed that a planner entrusted with the decision to choose a site for a public service facility attempts to find that location which minimizes the summed weighted distances from the facility to each resident in the service area. An observer may be able to infer the set of relative weights assigned by the planner to the residents by observing the actual site choice and then solving an inverse Weber problem. However, in general, there can be many weighting schemes which are consistent with any given locational choice. This paper uses an entropy model to select the maximally least biased set of weights consistent with the limited information available and examines some of the properties of such a model.
Ion implantation in II–VI compound semiconductors

Abstract Ion implantation in covalent bonded elemental semiconductors has reached a high level of understanding which is supported by a wealth of experimental data. This is reflected in the ability to accurately predict both implanted ion and damage profiles, and amorphization doses. Also, annealing of these implanted layers to achieve the desired properties has been well characterized. As one moves into the III–V compound semiconductors implantation becomes less well understood. Conflicting reports on implantation annealing results and amorphization doses are often found. To date, implantation in II–VI compounds remains a mystery at best. It is reasonable to assume that the materials themselves may be responsible for first order effects, such as amorphization thresholds and deep defect penetrations when compared to those predicted by damage calcuations. This paper discusses recent results obtained in selected II–VI binary compounds and the important ternary Hg 1−xCd xTe. The possibility of using ion implantation and thermal pulse annealing to enable accessing non-thermal equilibrium conditions for annealing is discussed.
A pilot study of reduced intensity conditioning and allogeneic stem cell transplantation from unrelated cord blood and matched family donors in children and adolescent recipients.

Reduced intensity (RI) allogeneic stem cell transplantation (AlloSCT) was initially demonstrated in adults following HLA-matched family and unrelated adult donor AlloSCT. There is little information about RI AlloSCT in children. We report results of a pilot study of RI AlloSCT in 21 recipients ( or =85% of recipients initially achieving > or =50% donor chimerism.
Nonlinear fluctuation-dissipation theorem

Using statistical mechanical perturbation theory, the second-order average current density response is calculated for magnetic field-free classical plasmas. A dynamical fluctuation-dissipation theorem is then derived, thus establishing a connection between triplet microscopic current-current correlations and quadratic response functions; it also leads to a static fluctuation-dissipation theorem which provides a dielectric description of the equilibrium ternary correlation. A comparison of the latter with its expansion in terms of the Mayer pair correlation clusters is discussed.
Refrigerant 134a liquid flow through micro-scale short tube orifices with/without phase change

The paper presents the results of experiments when R134a was flowing through micro-orifices with diameters of 31.0 and 52.0 μm, and length-to-diameter ratio of 2.5 and 4.2, respectively. For liquid-upstream/liquid-downstream flow, the discharge coefficient was found to be independent of Reynolds number, which suggests separated flow that was defined in macro-scale orifices. For liquid-upstream/two-phase-downstream flow, the experimental results indicate significant departure of flow characteristics from macro-scale orifices. The flow was not choked even when the downstream pressure was reduced to more than 400.0 kPa below the saturation pressure corresponding to upstream temperature, whereas in normal size orifices with length-to-diameter ratio larger than two, the flow is typically choked as downstream pressure is reduced below the saturation pressure. This phenomenon was explained by the strengthening of metastable effect in micro-tubes. For liquid-upstream/two-phase-downstream flow, a semi-empirical correlation was developed by modifying the discharge coefficient of the conventional orifice equation.
The regional differences in the contribution of nitric oxide synthase to skin blood flow at forearm and lower leg sites in response to local skin warming

We investigated the role of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) on regional cutaneous vascular function at rest (thermoneutral conditions) and during the vasodilator response to increased local skin temperature (Tloc). Dorsal forearm and lateral leg sites were instrumented with microdialysis fibers, local heaters, and laser-Doppler probes. All sites were heated from 33 °C to 42 °C. Each limb had 1 skin site treated with l-NAME to inhibit NOS, and 1 site infused with lactated Ringer's to serve as a control. Basal cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) was measured at 33 °C, forearm sites averaged 14 ± 1%max and 17 ± 1%max at l-NAME and control sites, respectively (P = 0.26). CVC sites in the leg were different between l-NAME (17 ± 1%max) and control (27 ± 2%max) (P = 0.04). CVC between the forearm and the leg across control sites differed (P < 0.05). In contrast, at l-NAME treated sites, there was no difference between the forearm and leg sites (P = 0.23). When Tloc was increased to 42 °C, CVC at the control sites differed between the forearm 93 ± 1%max and leg 98 ± 1%max (P = 0.02). There were no differences between the arm and leg at l-NAME treated sites at 42 °C (P = 0.45). The findings of the current study were that the contribution of nitric oxide (NO) to the vasodilator response to an elevated Tloc is consistent between the arm and the leg, and, under thermoneutral conditions (33 °C), NO plays a larger role in the basal vascular function in the legs than that of the forearm. Accordingly, these data suggest, in part, that the differences in basal CVC between the forearm and leg are due to NOS activity.
AN EXPERIMENTAL FRACTURE MECHANICS STUDY OF A STRONG INTERFACE : THE SILICON/GLASS ANODIC BOND

The fracture behavior of the silicon/Pyrex glass anodic bond was investigated using the methods of linear elastic bimaterial fracture mechanics. Due to the high bond strength, interfacial cracks were invariably observed to kink away from the interface into the more compliant glass under approximately mode I remote tensile loading. Kink angles measured by profilometry increased from 14 to 28°as bonding temperature increased from 300 to 450 °C. A regime of stable cracking accompanied penetration of cracks into the glass, with maximum load and corresponding fracture toughness measurement occurring at a location significantly removed from the interface. Approximately mode I, near-interface, plane-strain fracture toughness values (KIC) measured by rising load testing of chevron-notched and straight-thru-cracked compact-tension specimens increased from 0.63 to 0.68 MPa-m1/2 and 0.66 to 0.75 MPa-m1/2, respectively, as bonding temperature increased from 300 to 450 °C. In addition, XPS measurements revealed a sodium depletion zone of decreasing size and depletion magnitude with increasing bonding temperature over the same range. The near-interface region of the glass also experiences compressive residual stresses which decrease linearly with distance from the interface according to linear elastic computations. These stresses increase in magnitude with increasing bonding temperature due to enhanced differential thermal contraction upon cooling to room temperature. It is proposed that the trends in toughness and in kink angle with bonding temperature can be at least partially accounted for by variation of crack-tip shielding with compressive residual stress magnitude, the effects of interfacial. crack-tip shear stresses induced by the thermal mismatch, and by an increase in Young’s modulus of the near-interface glass accompanying sodium depletion.
Focal adhesion kinase expression in oral cancers.

Background Evidence suggests that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is involved in the pathogenesis of certain cancers. Focal adhesion kinase is overexpressed in invasive and metastatic cancers of the breast, colon, thyroid, and prostate. The objective of this study was to determine the presence and cellular distribution of FAK in oral cancer and determine whether there is a difference in FAK expression in preinvasive and invasive oral cancers. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to detect FAK expression in 20 archival oral cancer specimens. Results Focal adhesion kinase immunoreactivity was detected in all specimens that were examined. In tumors, there was an increase in the intensity of FAK staining and in the percentage of FAK-positive cells. Preinvasive tumors had populations of cancer cells which stained more intensely than neighboring cancer cells. Conclusions Focal adhesion kinase expression appears to be increased in invasive and preinvasive oral cancers. It is speculated that enhanced expression of FAK may contribute to the aggressive phenotype of oral cancers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 20: 634–639, 1998.
Cultural studies and social movements: A crucial nexus in the American case

Cultural studies took hold in the USA in the context of politics fronted by youth, multi-racial, and gender movements that emerged in the wake of the much larger Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. With a full-blown academic legitimation crisis well under way, cultural studies resonated strongly with social struggles that shaped both its reception as well as its capacity to augment new intellectual academic formations. Retrieving the historical nexus questions views that treat and limit British cultural studies to being mainly an intellectual import-export phenomenon. The overlooked historical nexus fosters trivialization anad caricature of cultural studies’ incorporation in the American academia, resulting in both conservative antipathy and left disappointments feeding into the common binary narratives of the ‘failure’ of cultural studies for being too Marxist and not Marxist enough. Restoring the historical nexus underscores the value of cultural formations and projects Williams proposed, while cautioni...
Vitamin D receptor is required for dietary calcium-induced repression of calbindin-D9k expression in mice.

Abstract Calbindin (CaBP), the vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding protein, is believed to play an important role in intracellular calcium transport. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of high dietary calcium on the expression of CaBP-D9k and CaBP-D28k in the presence and absence of a functional vitamin D receptor (VDR). Treatment with the HCa–Lac diet containing 2% calcium, 1.5% phosphorus and 20% lactose reversed the hypocalcemia seen in adult VDR-null mice in 3 weeks but did not significantly change the blood ionized calcium in wild-type mice. This dietary treatment dramatically suppressed both the duodenal and the renal CaBP-D9k expression in wild-type mice at both mRNA and protein levels but had little effect on the expression of the same gene in VDR-null mice. Removal of this diet gradually restored the expression of CaBP-D9k to the untreated level in wild-type mice. Only moderate or little change in CaBP-D28k expression was seen in wild-type and VDR-null mice fed with the HCa–Lac diet. The VDR content in the duodenum or kidney of wild-type mice was not altered by the dietary treatment. These results suggest that calcium regulates CaBP-D9k expression by modulating the circulating 1,25-dihydrxyvitamin D3 level and that VDR is thus required for the dietary calcium-induced suppression of CaBP-D9k expression. Calcium regulation of the CaBP-D9k level may represent an important mechanism by which animals maintain their calcium balance.
SORTING OUT THE CUCKOO'S NEST: A FACTORIAL SURVEY APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF POPULAR CONCEPTIONS OF MENTAL ILLNESS

Research relevant to understanding how mental illness is popularly conceptualized owes much to the methods pioneered by Star in 1950. However, while her six vignettes have been used extensively over the last 30 years to test the public's ability to recognize mental illness, subsequent research has provided little insight into which factors contribute most to the judgment process. This study introduces a factorial survey research method that is more appropriate for the task. A sample of 143 college undergraduates responding to the experimentally designed vignettes were found to be most influenced by a vignette person's behavioral impairment, followed by the psychological attributes of depression, obtrusive thoughts, beliefs, conflict, engagement/withdrawal, fear, and anxiety. Other factors that significantly affected mental illness ratings included a vignette person's past history of mental illness and the relationship of the vignette person to the rater. These ten dimensions were found to be considerably more important than sociodemographic characteristics in judging persons mentally ill. In this article we propose a new approach to study popular conceptions of the behavioral indicators of mental illness and then illustrate the use of this approach with data obtained in a pilot test. Factorial surveys-the new approach in question-typically are devised to study how judgments are made of complex social objects, and hence are suitable to the substantive topic under study (Rossi and Nock 1982). The particular complex objects
Stratigraphic control of the Hills Pond lamproite, Silver City Dome, southeastern Kansas

The Silver City Dome contains a rare occurrence of a lamproite sill complex. Interpretation of seismic reflection data suggests that the character of the Late Cretaceous Hills Pond lamproite is a consequence of local stratigraphic conditions—namely, the dense layering and hydrologic impermeability of Pennsylvanian strata that host the intrusion. The structure developed in at least two phases. First, a gentle dome and marginal ring grabens formed as a result of deep magmatic activity. Later, a smaller and steeper dome and a centrally located down-warp were superimposed upon the gentle dome as a result of sill injection into the Pennsylvanian sequence and collapse of the rock column above the magma source.
Pleiotropic genetic effects contribute to the correlation between HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL particle size in hypertensive sibships.

Objective Abnormalities of HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, and LDL particle size are present in familial dyslipidemic hypertension. We investigated heritability of these three lipid traits and the extent to which shared effects of genes (pleiotropy) contribute to the additive genetic variation in each trait in hypertensive sibships. Methods Subjects included 788 individuals (60% women) ascertained through sibships with ≥2 members diagnosed with hypertension before age 60 years. The LDL particle size was measured by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Triglycerides were log transformed to reduce skewness, and age- and sex-adjusted lipid traits were used in the analyses. Heritability and pairwise genetic correlations were computed using a variance components approach. The genetic correlation between a pair of traits was squared to yield genetic covariance, a measure of pleiotropic effects of genes influencing both traits concomitantly. Results Heritability estimates indicated significant genetic effects on HDL-C (0.58), log triglycerides (0.47), and LDL particle size (0.71). Genetic correlation was strongest between HDL-C and log triglycerides (−0.642), followed by log triglycerides and LDL particle size (−0.493), and HDL-C and LDL particle size (0.334). HDL-C and log triglycerides showed the strongest genetic covariance (41%), followed by LDL particle size and log triglycerides (24%), and HDL-C and LDL particle size (11%). Conclusions Multivariate quantitative genetic analyses in hypertensive sibships reveal that pleiotropy contributes to the additive genetic variation in HDL-C, triglycerides, and LDL particle size. These findings provide the rationale for multivariate linkage analyses to identify novel genetic loci with pleiotropic effects on the traits.