cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of Eyes Lost to Follow-up with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Receiving Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Purpose To determine outcomes of eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) receiving intravitreal anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections who return after a period of being lost to follow-up (LTFU). Design Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Participants Eyes that received intravitreal bevacizumab, ranibizumab, or aflibercept for nAMD and were LTFU for >6 months. Methods Comparison of visual outcomes and structural parameters at the visit before LTFU, return visit, and final visit. Main Outcome Measures Logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity (VA), presence of subretinal fluid and intraretinal fluid, and central foveal thickness (CFT) by OCT. Results A total of 93 eyes of 77 patients were included in the analysis. Mean duration from date of LTFU to return was 346 (±122) days. Overall, 53.7% of patients had worse median logMAR VA by the final visit. Median logMAR VA worsened from 0.60 (0.40–2.00) (Snellen 20/80 [20/50–20/2000]) at the visit before LTFU to 1.00 (0.48–2.00) (20/200 [20/60–20/2000]) at the return visit (P Conclusions Eyes with nAMD receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF that were LTFU experience significant VA decline at the return visit that persists on final follow-up despite normalization of CFT.
Co-Worker Exclusion and Performance Outcomes: Are Different Forms of Support Helpful or Hurtful?

We depart from the majority of existing research highlighting the benefits of supportive relationships by adopting a more nuanced perspective to argue that social support can be helpful or hurtful ...
Intrinsic anomalous scaling of epitaxial vanadium dioxide thin films on titanium dioxide

We present dynamic scaling studies during growth of epitaxial vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films deposited on titanium dioxide TiO2(002). The main goal was to evaluate the evolution of the VO2 surfaces using films of different thicknesses to extract a series of growth exponents which determine the surface morphology and microstructure. We applied this evaluation for thin (∼5nm) to thick (∼100nm) films and determined the growth dynamics at thicknesses of interest for VO2 thin film applications. By analyzing the evolution of surface roughness, power spectral density, and correlation functions over the film thicknesses, we obtained the growth exponents that allowed us to characterize these films as belonging to the intrinsic anomalous scaling class. Such growth behavior suggests that nonlocal effects play a significant role during film growth, as these nonlocal effects arise from the growth method, strain dynamics at the film/substrate epitaxial heterojunction and the resulting grain structure of our films.We present dynamic scaling studies during growth of epitaxial vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films deposited on titanium dioxide TiO2(002). The main goal was to evaluate the evolution of the VO2 surfaces using films of different thicknesses to extract a series of growth exponents which determine the surface morphology and microstructure. We applied this evaluation for thin (∼5nm) to thick (∼100nm) films and determined the growth dynamics at thicknesses of interest for VO2 thin film applications. By analyzing the evolution of surface roughness, power spectral density, and correlation functions over the film thicknesses, we obtained the growth exponents that allowed us to characterize these films as belonging to the intrinsic anomalous scaling class. Such growth behavior suggests that nonlocal effects play a significant role during film growth, as these nonlocal effects arise from the growth method, strain dynamics at the film/substrate epitaxial heterojunction and the resulting grain structure of our films.
Does Performance Matter in Migration Governance? The Case of the 2016 EU-Turkey Statement

This article investigates the role of performance – more specifically performance measurement and performance management – in migration governance. Using the case-study of the 2016 EU-Turkey statem...
Inverse probability weighted distributed lag effects of short-term exposure to PM2.5 and ozone on CVD hospitalizations in New England Medicare participants - Exploring the causal effects

Abstract Background Although many studies have established significant associations between short-term air pollution and the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases, there is a lack of evidence based on causal distributed lag modeling. Methods Inverse probability weighting (ipw) propensity score models along with conditional logistic outcome regression models based on a case-crossover study design were applied to get the causal unconstrained distributed (lag0-lag5) as well as cumulative lag effect of short-term exposure to PM2.5/Ozone on hospital admissions of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF) and ischemic stroke (IS) among New England Medicare participants during 2000–2012. Effect modification by gender, race, secondary diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and Diabetes (DM) was explored. Results Each 10 μg/m3 increase in lag0-lag5 cumulative PM2.5 exposure was associated with an increase of 4.3% (95% confidence interval: 2.2%, 6.4%, percentage change) in AMI hospital admission rate, an increase of 3.9% (2.4%, 5.5%) in CHF rate and an increase of 2.6% (0.4%, 4.7%) in IS rate. A weakened lagging effect of PM2.5 from lag0 to lag5 could be observed. No cumulative short-term effect of ozone on CVD was found. People with secondary diagnosis of COPD, diabetes, female gender and black race are sensitive population. Conclusions Based on our causal distributed lag modeling, we found that short-term exposure to an increased ambient PM2.5 level had the potential to induce higher risk of CVD hospitalization in a causal way. More attention should be paid to population of COPD, diabetes, female gender and black race.
Quantifying the Risks and Benefits of Continuing Labor Induction: Data for Shared Decision-Making.

Objective This study aimed to quantify the relative maternal and fetal risks and benefits of continuing labor induction. Study Design This retrospective cohort study included nulliparous women with nonanomalous, singleton, vertex, term pregnancies undergoing labor induction with intact membranes at a tertiary-care academic hospital from January 2015 to April 2017. The primary outcome was mode of delivery. Secondary outcomes included hemorrhage, transfusion, infection, and composite neonatal morbidity. The data were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Multivariable regression was used to control for potential confounders. Results A total of 955 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median induction duration was 32.3 hours (interquartile range: 20.4–41 hours) and the vaginal delivery rate was 70.5% (n = 673). The chance of vaginal delivery at 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and ≥60 hours was 76, 83, 77, 74, 72, and 48%, respectively. After controlling for confounders, there was a 20% decrease in chance of vaginal delivery with induction ≥ 24 hours compared with induction Conclusion In this cohort, the chance of vaginal delivery remained nearly 50% even when induction extended beyond 60 hours. Risks of hemorrhage and maternal infection rose modestly over time, but primarily in patients who underwent cesarean delivery. There was no difference in the risk of transfusion beyond 24 hours and no association between induction duration and neonatal morbidity. These findings may be useful when engaging patients in shared decision-making during labor induction.
Smoking, vaping and hospitalization for COVID-19

The study purpose was to examine the prevalence of current e-cigarette use and current smoking among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in China, considering the high population smoking prevalence in the country (26.6%, 50.5% in males and 2.1% in females). A systematic research of the literature (PubMed) was performed on April 1. Out of 432 studies, we identified 13 studies examining the clinical characteristics of a total of 5960 hospitalized COVID-19 patients that presented data on the smoking status. No study reported e-cigarette use among COVID-19 patients. The prevalence of current smoking ranged from 1.4% to 12.6%. The random effect pooled prevalence of current smoking was 6.5% (95%CI: 4.9-8.2%). This preliminary analysis does not support the argument that current smoking is a risk factor for hospitalization for COVID-19. Instead, these consistent observations, which are further emphasized by the low prevalence of current smoking among COVID-19 patients in the US (1.3%), raises the hypothesis that nicotine may have beneficial effects on COVID-19. This could be attributed to its immunomodulatory effects and its interaction with the renin-angiotensin system. However, other confounding factors need to be considered and the accuracy of the recorded smoking status needs to be determined. However, the results were remarkably consistent across all studies and were recently verified in the first case series of COVID-19 cases in the US. In conclusion, the generalized advice to quit smoking as a measure to improve health risk remains valid, but no recommendation can currently be made concerning the effects of smoking on the risk of hospitalization for COVID-19. No studies recording e-cigarette use status among hospitalized COVID-19 patients were identified. Thus, no recommendation can be made for e-cigarette users. The above-mentioned observations, together with the potential mechanisms through which nicotine interacts with the inflammatory process and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis involved in the development of COVID-19, warrant an urgent investigation of the clinical effects of pharmaceutical nicotine on COVID-19 susceptibility, progression and severity. Keywords. SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, nicotine, smoking, hospitalization, electronic cigarette.
Gaseous Iodine Sorbents: A Comparison between Ag-Loaded Aerogel and Xerogel Scaffolds.

Silver-exchanged aluminosilicate aerogels and xerogels were investigated as gaseous iodine [I2(g)] sorbents. The structures, morphologies, compositions, and porosities of aerogels (as-made and heat...
Adolescent Emotion Regulation and Parent–Child Discussions about Sexual Behaviors

Risky sexual behavior can lead to negative outcomes (e.g., pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections). Adolescents may engage in risky sex less often if families talk about sexual safety or if adolescents engage in emotion regulation (ER) skills, however research is lacking on how ER may be a barrier to sexual health communication. This exploratory study was a secondary analysis of baseline information from 420 American adolescents referred for mental health symptoms and their parents regarding ER and sexual health communication. Significant differences emerged on adolescent ER between families that talk about sexual health and those that do not.
An engineering model of Titan surface winds for Dragonfly landed operations

Abstract Winds near the ground on Titan for the Dragonfly landing site (near Selk crater, 10°N) for the mid-2030s (Titan late southern summer, Ls ~ 310°) are estimated for mission design purposes. Prevailing winds due to the global circulation are typically 0.5 m/s, and do not exceed 1 m/s. Local terrain-induced flows such as slope winds appear to be similarly capped at 1 m/s. At various landing sites and times, these two contributions will vectorially combine to yield steady winds (for part of a Titan day, Tsol) of up to 2.0 m/s, but typically less – the slope wind component will be small in the mid-morning. In early afternoon, as on Earth and Mars, solar-driven convection in the planetary boundary layer will cause wind fluctuations of the order of 0.1 m/s, varying with a typical timescale of ~1000 s. Occasionally this convection organizes into coherent ‘dust devil’ vortices: detectable vortices with speeds of 1 m/s are predicted about once per Titan day. We have introduced the convective velocity scale combined with the advection time of PBL cells as a metric to derive the frequency of occurrence of gusts associated with convective vortices (‘dust devils’). Maximum possible vortex winds on Titan of 2.8 m/s may be expected only once per 40 Tsols, and define the maximum wind (4.8 m/s at 10 m height) that Dragonfly must tolerate without damage. The applicability of different wind combinations, scaled to the height of relevant Dragonfly components above the ground (e.g. the maximum corresponds to 3.9 m/s at 1.3 m height) by a logarithmic wind profile, to Dragonfly design and operations are discussed.
Sildenafil-evoked photoreceptor oxidative stress in vivo is unrelated to impaired visual performance in mice.

Purpose The phosphodiesterase inhibitor sildenafil is a promising treatment for neurodegenerative disease, but it can cause oxidative stress in photoreceptors ex vivo and degrade visual performance in humans. Here, we test the hypotheses that in wildtype mice sildenafil causes i) wide-spread photoreceptor oxidative stress in vivo that is linked with ii) impaired vision. Methods In dark or light-adapted C57BL/6 mice ± sildenafil treatment, the presence of oxidative stress was evaluated in retina laminae in vivo by QUEnch-assiSTed (QUEST) magnetic resonance imaging, in the subretinal space in vivo by QUEST optical coherence tomography, and in freshly excised retina by a dichlorofluorescein assay. Visual performance indices were also evaluated by QUEST optokinetic tracking. Results In light-adapted mice, 1 hr post-sildenafil administration, oxidative stress was most evident in the superior peripheral outer retina on both in vivo and ex vivo examinations; little evidence was noted for central retina oxidative stress in vivo and ex vivo. In dark-adapted mice 1 hr after sildenafil, no evidence for outer retina oxidative stress was found in vivo. Evidence for sildenafil-induced central retina rod cGMP accumulation was suggested as a panretinally thinner, dark-like subretinal space thickness in light-adapted mice at 1 hr but not 5 hr post-sildenafil. Cone-based visual performance was impaired by 5 hr post-sildenafil and not corrected with anti-oxidants; vision was normal at 1 hr and 24 hr post-sildenafil. Conclusions The sildenafil-induced spatiotemporal pattern of oxidative stress in photoreceptors dominated by rods was unrelated to impairment of cone-based visual performance in wildtype mice.
Moral Distress Among Consumer Health Information Professionals: An Exploratory Study

Objectives – In recent years, moral distress has become a topic of interest among health professionals. Moral distress is most commonly described in the nursing literature, and refers to a situation wherein an individual knows the correct action to take, but is constrained from doing so. While moral distress differs from the classic ethical dilemma, in recent years practitioners and theorists have advocated for a broadening of the definition of moral distress. To date, no study has examined another group of individuals who frequently interact with patients and who may be constrained by the confines of their role - Consumer Health Information Professionals (CHIPS). The objective of this study was to determine if CHIPS experience moral distress and/or ethical dilemmas, and to determine what, if any, coping strategies these individuals have developed.Methods – This study employed a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were gathered via an online survey which was distributed to relevant consumer health information professional electronic mail lists. The survey contained demographic questions and a series of questions related to potential discomfort within the context of work as a consumer health information professional. Qualitative data were also gathered through phone interviews with CHIPS. Interview questions included the participant’s definition of moral distress, professional experiences with moral distress, and any coping strategies to manage said distress.Results – The authors received 213 survey responses. To test whether any of our demographic variables help to explain survey response, we used STATA to calculate Pearson correlation coefficients. Individuals who were more likely to experience discomfort in their occupation as CHIPS included individuals with less experience and individuals who identified as Black and Latinx. Interview data indicated that participants most commonly experienced ethical dilemmas related to censorship, providing prognosis information, and feeling constrained by institutional policies. Few interview participants described scenarios that reflected moral distress.Conclusions – CHIPS do not appear to experience moral distress, at least according to its most narrow definition. CHIPS do consistently experience distinct ethical dilemmas, and the most durable patterns of this phenomenon appear to be related to experience level and racial identity. In recent years, researchers have raised calls to broaden the definition of moral distress from its narrow focus on constraint to include uncertainty, and CHIPs do experience moral uncertainty in their work. Further study is needed to determine how to best address the impacts of discomfort caused by ethical dilemmas among these groups.
Substance use treatment services utilization and outcomes among probationers in drug courts compared to a matched cohort of probationers in traditional courts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Drug courts provide an array of substance use treatments and community-based services for probationers struggling with substance use disorders. We assessed substance use treatment services utilization and related expenditures and relapse and recidivism outcomes and identified predictors of cost of provision of substance use treatment services in a matched cohort of Massachusetts probationers in drug courts and traditional courts. METHODS This was an observational quasi-experimental study with 542 propensity-score-matched probationers initiating drug court between August 1, 2015 and February 28, 2018 and a minimum 6-month follow-up period. RESULTS A significantly greater proportion of probationers in drug courts were female, self-reported opioids as their primary drug of choice, had a history of substance use treatment, and a high and very high risk of recidivism than their counterparts in traditional courts. We estimated that the provision of substance use treatment services was $1498 more expensive for probationers in drug courts than traditional courts (p = .054). There were no statistically significant differences in relapse or recidivism rates between court systems. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Probationer's age, gender, risk of recidivism at court intake, and enrollment length were strong predictors of expenditures on substance use treatment services. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE This was the first study to assess substance use treatment services utilization and outcomes among probationers in drug courts and traditional courts. Drug courts served the needs of probationers disproportionally impacted by nonserious drug-related offenses struggling with substance use disorders who were at a high and very high risk of recidivism at court intake.
Viscous-elastic-plastic response of tunnels in squeezing ground conditions: Analytical modeling and experimental validation

Abstract Tunnels constructed in soft rock and high field stress show significant gradual convergence with even after the excavation. This paper proposes a new visco-elastic-plastic solution for deep circular tunnel under squeezing conditions. The model is composed of Mohr-Coulomb plasticity and Burger's model for visco-elastic material. The state of the stress around the tunnel boundary and the tunnel wall displacement due to elasto-plastic behavior is determined using a conventional closed-from solution. Additionally, Kelvin type Burger's creep material model is used to determine the viscous behavior of tunnel wall convergence with time. Burger's model and Mohr-Coulomb's parameters are determined from unconfined compressive strength tests, triaxial tests , and creep tests on the cylindrical specimen of the host rock. The results of the proposed solution are compared with tunnel convergence data from laboratory-scale model test. The comparison show that the proposed solution reflects the tunnel's time-dependent behavior and adequately predicts the tunnel wall displacement compared to the experimental data.
Surgical Management of Special Aneurysms

This chapter describes the surgical management of special aneurysms. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can complicate systemic or neoplastic disease, head injuries, and other cerebrovascular conditions. Concomitant aneurysms are present in 10–18% of arteriovenous malformations. Aneurysms may occur at bifurcations or at atypical locations, on major contributing arteries, deep or distal feeders, or within the nidus. Aneurysms may complicate primary connective tissue diseases that exacerbate naturally occurring degenerative changes in vessel walls. Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a multifocal angiopathy characterized by defective media in vessel walls. Aneurysmal SAH in sickle cell anemia is characterized by multiple lesions, often in unusual locations in young patients. The degenerative insult is initiated by endothelial injury from the adhesion of the sickled erythrocyte. Extracranial internal carotid artery and vertebral dissecting aneurysms are mostly traumatic in origin but may be caused by atherosclerosis, FMD, infection, arteritis, heritable connective tissue disorders, previous surgery, or chiropractic manipulations. Cerebral aneurysms may complicate the treatment of other vascular lesions, congenital and systemic disorders, infection, malignancy, and trauma. It is suggested to anticipate potentially unusual and treacherous aspects of aneurysm morphology, and natural history in these settings in order to provide appropriate surgical management.
Can Mobile Money Be Used to Promote Savings? Evidence from Northern Ghana

This research seeks to understand whether and how m-money can promote financial inclusion of the world’s poor, particularly those living in rural areas. In particular, the purpose of this research is to address some of the potential barriers to m-money adoption and usage in Ghana, with a goal towards providing insights into whether m-money services could be used to: 1) provide cash transfers to extremely vulnerable populations; 2) facilitate savings within rural areas, either by allowing individual members of savings groups to save, facilitating savings among different savings or promoting savings objectives; or 3) allow households to receive remittances from migrants.To better understand the barriers, this research followed two stages. The first stage involved a scoping visit to meet with key stakeholders (mobile phone operators, governmental officials, consumers and international organizations) to better understand the extent and type of m-money services available and the potential barriers to adoption. The second stage involved the implementation of an “action-oriented research” program, The purpose of the action-oriented research was to understand rural households’ demand for formal and informal financial services (including money transfer and savings services), their access to and usage of m-money and whether and how this technology could be used to improve households’ access to financial services.
The anthropological analysis of tourism: Indirect tourism and political economy in the case of the mamainde of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract Aspelin, Paul, “The Anthropological Analysis of Tourism: Indirect Tourism and Political Economy in the Case of the Mamainde of Mato Grosso, Brazil,” Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. IV, No. 3, January/February, 1977, pp. 135–160 --Tourists do not always directly descend upon a host culture but, in some cases, may only indirectly contact a people or an area. A particular example of this is presented as the type case of “Indirect tourism,” defined as a situation wherein indirect contact between tourists and host is maximized at the expense of direct contacts. Data for the Mamainde Indians (a dialect group of the Nambicuara of Mato Grosso, Brazil), studied in 1968–1971, illustrate that tourists could show they “visited the Indians” without directly bothering them at all, simply by purchasing Mamainde artifacts from Indian agencies located in the provincial capitals. This field data is analyzed in terms of cultural, economic, and political factors. Some models of cultural contact, provided by the Brazilian anthropologists Robert Cardoso de Oliveira and Darcy Ribeiro, are discussed and modified in the light of this field data, resulting in a generalized model of cultural contact now also suitable for the anthropological analysis of tourism. Tourism, as one form of cultural contact, is placed clearly within the general domain of political economy and the ethics of decision-making regarding the tourist industry are discussed for these types of cases.
Evaluation of Pollutant Loads from Urban Nonpoint Sources

In preparation of remedial action plans for areas of environmental concern in the Great Lakes Basin, the magnitude of pollutant contributions from point as well as nonpoint sources needs to be assessed. For screening evaluations of urban nonpoint source pollution, a statistically-based method was applied in one of the areas of concern. This method computes the annual pollutant load as a product of the annual runoff and the mean pollutant concentration derived from a lognormal distribution of concentrations. Approximate confidence intervals can be determined for the mean concentration and used to compute confidence intervals of the loads. For the conditions studied, the probabilistic method produced load estimates which were sufficiently accurate for comparisons of pollution sources and formulation of the remedial strategy.
Software in the Soviet Union: Progress and Problems

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a broad perspective on software development in the USSR. It is convenient to classify loosely the factors that affect the production and use of software in the Soviet Union in terms of four categories: (1) those that depend on hardware availability (2) those that are related to priorities in the allocation of effort and other resources; (3) those that are dependent on the nature of Soviet institutions— that is, systemic factors; and (4) those that involve technology transfers from foreign sources. Soviets have made substantial progress in removing limitations because of hardware availability, some progress because of changes in priorities, and as yet relatively little progress in overcoming an assortment of complex systemic problems that affect the development of software. Soviet software progress and problems cannot be understood on a technical basis alone. Any serious study of the Soviet software industry must involve some implicit and explicit comparisons with its US counterpart. The development of Soviet computing has tended to follow closely the US technical pattern, but it has differed considerably in terms of timescale, philosophy, institutional arrangements, capital decisions, and applications. In particular, the USSR was slow to appreciate data processing and to develop the technology to support the widespread use of digital computers for such applications.
A laboratory for student research on insulators using the pulsed electroacoustic technique

A method under development for digitizing an acoustic pulse signal (real or synthesized) is described. The technique described here is intended for a student laboratory experiment and is not meant to replace a digital multichannel signal averager, which is much better suited for production work. A sampling method using semiconductor switches and Walsh-like transform functions is discussed. A simple example is considered. >
Isolation and Characterization of Mutations Affecting the Transport of Hexose Phosphates in Escherichia coli

Mutants of Escherichia coli defective in the hexose phosphate transport system were isolated. Negative selection by penicillin treatment or positive selection with phosphonomycin was employed. These mutants grew normally on all carbon sources other than hexose phosphates. The map location of the mutations in 18 independently isolated mutant strains was investigated by transduction crosses. All of the mutations were found to lie in the same region of the chromosome, in the region represented by min 72 on the Taylor map. The order of the genes in this region was found to be mtl-cysE-pyrE-uhp-bgl-ilv. Revertants of some of the mutants exhibited altered regulatory control of this transport system.
Grain boundary microstructures in a liquid-phase sintered alumina (α-Al2O3)

Abstract Grain boundary microstructures in a commercial 99.8% alumina ceramic have been analysed using transmission electron microscopy. Nearly all boundaries are wet by an amorphous film which should invalidate both the CSL and DSC lattice constructions. Facets of widely differing sizes are observed primarily on basal {0001}, rhombohedral {1012}, and prism {1120} planes. The facets are always multiatomic in height and range up to ∼ 1000 A; this probably results from substantial anisotropy in the Al2O3-glass interfacial energy. Basal annealing twins are observed without amorphous films; they lie predominantly on {1120} and show interfacial energies much lower than adjacent random boundaries.
Allelic antibodies and their impact on organ allocation to highly sensitized patients

Aim Based largely on the success of virtual crossmatching (vXM), the OPTN implemented a new kidney allocation process. Specifically, transplant candidates with cPRA values of 9899% and 100% now have priority for deceased donor (DD) kidneys. Recent studies revealed that the majority of these highly sensitized patients (HSPs) had HLA-DP antibodies, meaning that vXM was not possible unless the corresponding donor HLA-DP type was provided. A similar situation occurs if patients possess allele specific HLA antibodies and donors with the corresponding antigen are not allele level typed. Here again, vXM is not possible. In this study, we evaluated the distribution and frequency of allele specific HLA antibodies among HSPs. The allelic antibodies represented on SAB products are shown in the table below. Methods Luminex SAB assays were performed with sera from all listed kidney candidates with cPRA > 98% (n = 242). An antibody was considered positive when the MFI was > 2000. Results Of 189 black, 44 white and 9 Hispanic HSPs, 85% (n = 160), 89%(n = 39) and 78% (n = 11), respectively, had at least one allele specific antibody.The average number of allele specific antibodies per patient was 1.28 ± 0.71 (Class I) and 2.6 ± 1.59 (Class II). The most prominent allele specific antibodies are shown below (shaded). MFI values for the allele specific antibodies ranged from 2000– > 25000. Conclusions These data clearly show that allele specific HLA antibodies are common in HSPs. They are likely the tip of the iceberg since the only detectable allelic antibodies are those represented on the SAB panel. The “real” number of allelic antibodies is likely much greater. High resolution typing of DDs, at least for those alleles to which antibodies are commonly detected, needs to be provided in a timely fashion in order to perform accurate vXM for HSPs with allele specific antibodies. Download : Download full-size image
Dental education 1989: how are we adapting to change?

Multiple pressures on the nation9s dental schools have come in the form of a declining applicant pool, new university expectations of scholarship, and a changed professional environment for the dentist. The declining applicant pool led to a first-step response: declining enrollments. Schools are now moving to a new phase in which they must cope with severe fiscal pressures simultaneously with developing new programs to equip the dentist for the changed professional environment. Factors in the new environment for dentistry are discussed, including changing demography and distribution of disease, new technology, and the changed marketplace. Fiscal survival options are reviewed, as are emerging differences between public and private schools. The recent experience of five schools seeking to adapt to fiscal and environmental pressures is described, and six criteria are suggested as useful in measuring the success of these (and other) schools. Crucial issues are discussed from the perspective of the dental school and the university. The value of the dental school as a major resource for the university is stressed, as is the important role of university administrators in providing the necessary conditions for schools that must change.
Uncoupler-resistant mutants of bacteria.

The chemiosmotic model of energy transduction offers a satisfying and widely confirmed understanding of the action of uncouplers on such processes as oxidative phosphorylation; the uncoupler, by facilitating the transmembrane movement of protons or other compensatory ions, reduces the electrochemical proton gradient that is posited as the energy intermediate for many kinds of bioenergetic work. In connection with this formulation, uncoupler-resistant mutants of bacteria that neither exclude nor inactivate these agents represent a bioenergetic puzzle. Uncoupler-resistant mutants of aerobic Bacillus species are, in fact, membrane lipid mutants with bioenergetic properties that are indeed challenging in connection with the chemiosmotic model. By contrast, uncoupler-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli probably exclude uncouplers, sometimes only under rather specific conditions. Related phenomena in eucaryotic and procaryotic systems, as well as various observations on uncouplers, decouplers, and certain other membrane-active agents, are also briefly considered. Images
Assessing generalizability of trial results in general practice

This editorial refers to ‘XANTUS: a real-world, prospective, observational study of patients treated with rivaroxaban for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation’, by A.J. Camm et al ., on page doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehv466. The gold standard for assessing treatment effects is the randomized clinical trial. Providers are fortunate to have a robust set of trials with >80 000 participants showing important benefits and reassuring safety of the non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) relative to warfarin for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF).1–4 Based on the consistent findings of these trials, providers can be confident that NOACs will be safe and effective if prescribed and taken in a similar way and by patients comparable with the trials. However, unselected patients differ from those in clinical trials, and the way treatments are prescribed and taken in practice may differ from trials. In a general practice setting, a group of older patients started on warfarin had higher rates of bleeding and of warfarin discontinuation than patients in the recent randomized trials, and the time in the therapeutic range on warfarin was lower.5 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of serious and fatal bleeding events with dabigatran within several months of the medication becoming available in general practice, and the question was raised as to whether dabigatran might be less safe than was observed in the Randomized Evaluation of Long-Term Anticoagulation Therapy (RE-LY) trial.6 These concerns have been allayed through high-quality observational studies of unselected populations.6–8 It is important, however, to be cautious when estimating treatment effects from observational studies, since there is always residual unmeasured confounding. Even using the same Medicare data …
Association of androgen-deprivation therapy with excess cardiac-specific mortality in men with prostate cancer

Objectives To determine if androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is associated with excess cardiac-specific mortality (CSM) in men with prostate cancer and no cardiovascular comorbidity, coronary artery disease risk factors, or congestive heart failure (CHF) or past myocardial infarction (MI). Patients and Methods In all, 5077 men (median age 69.5 years) with cT1c-T3N0M0 prostate cancer were treated with brachytherapy with or without neoadjuvant ADT (median duration 4 months) between 1997 and 2006. Fine and Gray competing risks analysis evaluated the association of ADT with CSM, adjusting for age, year of brachytherapy, and ADT treatment propensity score among men in groups defined by cardiac comorbidity. Results After a median follow-up of 4.8 years, no association was detected between ADT and CSM in men with no cardiac risk factors (1.08% at 5 years for ADT vs 1.27% at 5 years for no ADT, adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.39–1.78; P = 0.64; n = 2653) or in men with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or hypercholesterolaemia (2.09% vs 1.97%, AHR 1.33; 95% CI 0.70–2.53; P = 0.39; n = 2168). However, ADT was associated with significantly increased CSM in men with CHF or MI (AHR 3.28; 95% CI 1.01–10.64; P = 0.048; n = 256). In this subgroup, the 5-year cumulative incidence of CSM was 7.01% (95% CI 2.82–13.82%) for ADT vs 2.01% (95% CI 0.38–6.45%) for no ADT. Conclusion ADT was associated with a 5% absolute excess risk of CSM at 5 years in men with CHF or prior MI, suggesting that administering ADT to 20 men in this potentially vulnerable subgroup could result in one cardiac death.
Membrane Association and Catabolite Repression of the Sulfolobus solfataricus α-Amylase

Sulfolobus solfataricus is a thermoacidophilic member of the archaea whose envelope consists of an ether-linked lipid monolayer surrounded by a protein S-layer. Protein translocation across this envelope must accommodate a steep proton gradient that is subject to temperature extremes. To better understand this process in vivo, studies were conducted on the S. solfataricus glycosyl hydrolyase family 57 α-Amylase (AmyA). Cell lines harboring site specific modifications of the amyA promoter and AmyA structural domains were created by gene replacement using markerless exchange and characterized by Western blot, enzyme assay and culture-based analysis. Fusion of amyA to the malAp promoter overcame amyAp-mediated regulatory responses to media composition including glucose and amino acid repression implicating action act at the level of transcription. Deletion of the AmyA Class II N-terminal signal peptide blocked protein secretion and intracellular protein accumulation. Deletion analysis of a conserved bipartite C-terminal motif consisting of a hydrophobic region followed by several charged residues indicated the charged residues played an essential role in membrane-association but not protein secretion. Mutants lacking the C-terminal bipartite motif exhibited reduced growth rates on starch as the sole carbon and energy source; therefore, association of AmyA with the membrane improves carbohydrate utilization. Widespread occurrence of this motif in other secreted proteins of S. solfataricus and of related Crenarchaeota suggests protein association with membranes is a general trait used by these organisms to influence external processes.
234 Effect of Dialysate Baths on Serum Bicarbonate Levels in Hemodialysis Patients

HYPONATREMIA AFTER HEAD INJURY: A COMPLEX CEREBRORENAL CONNECTION BEYOND SIADH Uma Pakkivenkata, Kambhampati Ganesh, Gurjit Dhatt, Amir Kazory Division of Nephrology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA A 76-year-old female who was admitted for subdural hematoma secondary to a fall presented with hyponatremia of 120 mmol/l. The blood pressure was 149/73, pulse 80, and she appeared euvolemic. The brain CT scan revealed a stable subdural hematoma which was managed conservatively. Since the lab data (urine Na 48meq/L, urine osm 401mosm/kg, and serum osm 250mosm/kg) was consistent with the diagnosis of SIADH in the context of recent head injury, the patient was placed on free water restriction. However, this was followed by worsening of hyponatremia to 117 mmol/l and alteration in mental status. A repeat brain CT scan showed worsening hematoma, and she underwent a surgical drainage. Review of the lab results revealed characteristics compatible with increased ADH release associated with features of renal proximal tubulopathy: persistent high urinary levels of electrolytes (e.g. K, Mg, and Phos) despite very low serum levels. Therefore the diagnosis of cerebral salt wasting (CSW) was made and the patient was started on hypertonic saline, which was followed by progressive improvement in serum sodium levels. Two days after resolution of hyponatremia, serum and urine studies were rechecked: serum uric acid remained very low (1.4 mg/dl) and fractional excretion of uric acid did not normalize; a finding that further supported the diagnosis of CSW, rather than SIADH. Other manifestations of proximal tubulopathy (e.g. hypokalemia and hypo-phosphatemia) gradually improved. Hyponatremia after head injury is possibly the manifestation of a complex cerebro-renal connection, with poorly understood underlying mechanisms. In CSW, an unidentified mediator released from the brain disrupts the function of the proximal tubules and leads to leakage of electrolytes into the urine. Interestingly, ADH levels are also increased in CSW; hyponatremia is related to “appropriate” ADH secretion in response to intravascular volume depletion secondary to excessive tubular sodium excretion. As such, CSW and SIADH share several features and represent the biological consequences of a primary insult to the brain that can either be predominant in the brain (SIADH) or in the kidney (CSW). It is of utmost importance to appreciate the subtle differences existing between CSW and SIADH in order to avoid instauration of potentially-harmful management strategies such as this case.
Activation of taurine efflux in hypotonically stressed elasmobranch cells : inhibition by stilbene disulfonates

Hypotonic stress activates taurine efflux from elasmobranch cells. The transport mechanism involved in this efflux is not known. In this study we show that the hypotonic-activated taurine efflux from skate (Raja erinacea) erythrocytes and dogfish (Squalus acanthias) rectal gland tubules is inhibited by stilbene disulfonates. These results suggest that the anion transporter (Band-3) is involved in the efflux activation mechanism.
Beyond exchange models: Understanding the structure of B2B information systems

This paper provides a framework to characterize the structure of information systems that enable transactions between businesses. We propose that the structure of various inter-organizational information systems, including traditional EDI systems and more recent web based exchanges, can be characterized in terms of four underlying dimensions: control, relational support, integration, and technology dimensions. In our paper we explain and operationalize these dimensions as constructs, and examine how each of them might be affected by inter-organizational relationship or product specific antecedents. We argue that these dimensions are fundamental to more realistically representing an organization’s involvement with and use of inter-organizational information systems. Further, we argue that specific product types and preexisting relationships between organizations will be strongly associated with the variables representing the dimensions of Inter-organizational information systems.
Contact Failure Mechanisms in Ohmic-Type MEMS Switches

In this paper, we present some current research issues in contact failures in ohmic RF MEMS microswitches. Such experimental and modeling research encompasses contact mechanics (including elastic, plastic, and adhesive contacts) and the related phenomena of brittle and ductile separation. Furthermore the contact interface is not static, but rather is known to evolve over the lifetime of the switch. Also discussed are contamination failures.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Chemisorption-XRD particle size discrepancy of carbon supported palladium: Carbon decoration of Pd?

Abstract A systematic discrepancy is often observed between chemisorption versus X-ray diffraction and/or electron microscopy-determined nanoparticle size estimates for metals supported on carbon. It is hypothesized that lower than expected chemisorption capacity is due to decoration of the metal surface by the carbon support. To test this, a series of carbon supported Pd nanoparticles with different pretreatments was prepared and analyzed using Temperature Programmed Oxidation. Carbon oxidation peaks distinct from high temperature bulk carbon burn off were observed for all samples at around 250 °C and 300 °C. A short oxidation at the latter temperature appears to remove the decorating layer as the TPO peaks disappear and the reduced metal surface chemisorbs at close to the expected capacity.
P03-223 Treatment of sleep disturbance in patients with traumatic brain injury

Aims Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects nearly 1.5 million individuals in the United States each year. During peacetime, over 7,000 Americans with a diagnosis of TBI are admitted to military and veterans hospitals every year; this number increases significantly during combat, during which TBI may comprise up to 20% of survivor casualties. Pain and discomfort relating to injuries are frequent causes of sleep disturbance in TBI patients. Sleep disturbances can manifest as difficulty falling or staying asleep, early morning wakening and non-restorative sleep, and affects up to 30% of individuals with TBI. Because there are few studies on pharmacotherapy for sleep disturbances in TBI, many physicians base their intervention on experience with the general population. In this poster, we will consider the unique features of the patient with TBI and make recommendations for psychoactive medications that are appropriate to treat insomnia in this population. Methodology A literature review was performed and recommendations for treatment of sleep disturbances in patients with TBI are summarized here based on published findings. Conclusion Non-pharmacological means should be the first-line treatment for sleep disturbances in patients with TBI. These include sleep hygiene and cognitive behavioral therapy. Physicians and other clinicians should pay attention to the specific sleep complaint, adverse effect profile of the medication as well as the anticipated duration of treatment before deciding upon a sleep agent for patients with TBI.
Testosterone Replacement in Older Hypogonadal Men: A 12-Month Randomized Controlled Trial

A decline in testicular function is recognized as a common occurrence in older men. However data are sparse regarding the effects of hypogonadism on age-associated physical and cognitive declines. This study was undertaken to examine the year-long effects of testosterone administration in this patient population. Fifteen hypogonadal men (mean age 68 ± 6 yr) were randomly assigned to receive a placebo, and 17 hypogonadal men (mean age 65± 7 yr) were randomly assigned to receive testosterone. Hypogonadism was defined as a bioavailable testosterone <60 ng/dL. The men received injections of placebo or 200 mg testosterone cypionate biweekly for 12 months. The main outcomes measured included grip strength, hemoglobin, prostate-specific antigen, leptin, and memory. Testosterone improved bilateral grip strength (P < 0.05 by ANOVA) and increased hemoglobin (P < 0.001 by ANOVA). The men assigned to testosterone had greater decreases in leptin than those assigned to the control group (mean ± sem: −2.0 ± 0.9 ng/dL vs...