cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Prophylactic Colectomy in Lynch Syndrome

In this issue of Clinical Colorectal Cancer, Scaife and Rodriguez-Bigas provide a provocative article dealing with the historical background, molecular genetics, and surveillance and management issues surrounding prophylactic colectomy in Lynch syndrome.1 The paper, by title, focuses on implications for the surgeon; however, the message will be equally important to all medical specialists who care for and counsel patients who are affected with or are at high risk for Lynch syndrome. The subject matter will also be of interest to medical directors and actuaries of insurance companies, who will be involved in paying for such prophylactic
The coupling between quasilocalized states in semiconductor double quantum barriers

The interaction between above-barrier states quasilocalized in barrier layers was studied in a double quantum barrier configuration. Optical transmission experiments were performed on type-II CdSe/ZnTe samples, in which the valence band has a double-barrier structure. Numerical studies reveal a change of symmetry for the coupled quasilocalized states, as a function of the separation between the two barriers. Consequently, the strongest optical transition occurs between different pairs of states as the barrier separation changes. The behavior is illustrated by both experimental and numerical results.
Correlations Between Measurements with RAM-land Gravimetric Samplers on Longwall Shearer Faces

Simultaneous RAM-1 and gravimetric personal sampler respirable dust measurements were made by the Bureau of Mines at two locations adjacent to a moving shearer on longwall faces. These locations were (1) 4.6 to 6.1 m (15 to 20 ft) on the ventilation intake side of the shearer headgate drum and (2) at the shearer midpoint, between the two operators. Despite the fact that the RAM-1 monitors were laboratory-calibrated to give equivalent readings, underground readings were often lower, particularly at the intake side of the shearer. The RAM-gravimetric ratio of all readings was 0.53 at the intake position and 0.75 at the midpoint position for all data. When only head-to-tail cut passes were analyzed, the RAM-gravimetric ratios were 0.53 at the intake position and 1.00 at the midpoint position. The difference between RAM arid gravimetric dust readings is attributed to a combination of factors such as ambient air velocity and cyclone orientation.
Endogenous alpha-synuclein is induced by valproic acid through histone deacetylase inhibition and participates in neuroprotection against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity.

Emerging evidence suggests that α-synuclein (α-syn), which is traditionally thought to have a pathophysiological role in neurodegenerative diseases, can have neuroprotective effects. This study aimed to investigate whether endogenous α-syn in neurons can be induced by valproic acid (VPA), a mood-stabilizer, anticonvulsant and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, and if so, whether the α-syn induction is neuroprotective. VPA treatment of rat cerebellar granule cells caused a robust dose- and time-dependent increase in levels of α-syn protein and mRNA and in the intensity of α-syn immunostaining. Knockdown of VPA-induced α-syn overexpression with α-syn antisense oligonucleotides or siRNA completely blocked VPA-induced neuroprotection. α-Syn knockdown also exacerbated glutamate neurotoxicity, stimulated the expression of the proapoptotic gene ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2N, and downregulated the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. Induction of α-syn by VPA was associated with inhibition of HDAC activity, resulting in hyperacetylation of histone H3 in the α-syn promoter and a marked increase in α-syn promoter activity. Moreover, VPA-induced α-syn induction and neuroprotection were mimicked by HDAC inhibitors sodium 4-phenylbutyrate and trichostatin A (TSA). α-syn was also induced by VPA in rat cerebral cortical neurons. Additionally, treatment of rats with VPA, sodium butyrate, or TSA markedly increased α-syn protein levels in the cortex and cerebellum. Together, our results demonstrate for the first time that VPA induces α-syn in neurons through inhibition of HDAC and that this α-syn induction is critically involved in neuroprotection against glutamate excitotoxicity. Clinically, VPA may represent a suitable treatment for excitotoxicity-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Flexible assessment of trends in age‐specific HIV incidence using two‐dimensional penalized likelihood

We present a method for estimating age- and time-specific HIV incidence using back-calculations of AIDS incidence data. Two-dimensional penalized likelihood is employed, using a flexible bivariate step function model of HIV incidence, together with a quadratic roughness penalty which leads to thin-plate spline smoothing. This allows incidence estimates to vary flexibly and smoothly in both age and time. We propose generalized cross-validation as a guide for choice of an appropriate level of smoothing and describe an EM algorithm for computing the estimates. We propose the method primarily for qualitative assessment of trends in age-specific incidence over time and apply it to a small Italian data set on men who have sex with men. The analysis suggests a trend over time of increasing relative incidence among younger individuals, consistent with incidence patterns observed in other countries.
Role of image-guided vascular intervention in therapeutic angiogenesis translational research

Therapeutic angiogenesis, the process of growing collateral blood vessels to better perfuse ischemic tissue, has been hailed as an up-and-coming treatment for symptomatic lower-extremity peripheral arterial occlusive disease. A minimally invasive durable treatment would be welcome since current treatment options for this disease carry high risk, limited efficacy or limited durability. Unfortunately, as evidenced by disappointing results in multiple clinical trials, therapeutic angiogenesis has yet to deliver in humans the success it has seen in animal models. In this review, we discuss the challenges of translating therapeutic angiogenesis into effective clinical treatments for lower-extremity peripheral arterial occlusive disease and we highlight the role that experts in image-guided vascular interventions can play in advancing the field.
A Pun in 1 Henry IV

(1999). A Pun in 1 Henry IV. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews: Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 14-16.
Poliphili: A Renaissance dream banquet

Francesco Colonna's Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (The Strife of Love in a Dream) of 1499 is a bizarre architectural-erotic fantasy whose imagery has often perplexed commentators. One particular banquet scene has defied scrutiny. This paper decodes the meal as a typical Renaissance banquet, as harmonious and balanced as any painting or edifice, yet offering an image of divine feeding. The flavors, ingredients and meal structure all reflect current culinary aesthetics as well as Neo-Platonic love theory, occult symbolism and humoral medicine. The banquet scene features foods and cooking methods which were popular in late 15th century Italy and yet includes exotic ingredients such as precious jewels and perfumes which were meant to denote divine feeding. For example, a confection served as a starter can be found in contemporary cookbooks such as the Banchetti of Christoforo di Messisbugo. There it is called Manus Christi (hand of Christ), made with powdered sugar, rosewater and ground pearls. Colonna's version also includes unicorn's horn, musk, powdered gold and other rare ingredients. Serving golden foods was also meant to harness the energy of the sun, following a form of sympathetic magic drawn from works such as Marsilio Ficino's De Vita (1489). The structure of the meal as well, with three courses each consisting of the same tripartite combination of fowl, delicate white bread and a spiced sauce, was not redundant but an elegant balance similar to that found in paintings of the High Renaissance, as well as according to the tenets of humoral physiology: balancing sweet, savory and sour flavors was meant to be highly nutritious, easily digested and moderate. In total, the meal reflects the same Renaissance preoccupation with harmony, balance and order evident in the other arts, and was intended to lead the spectator upward toward an appreciation of the pure Platonic form of Love.
The asymptotic number of integer stochastic matrices

Let H^n"r be the number of n x n matrices, with nonnegative integer elements, all of whose row and column sums are equal to some prescribed integer r. Similarly, let A^n"r be the number of n x n (0.1) matrices with common row and column sum r. An asymptotic formula for H^n"r is stated and proved, the method of proof being essentially elementary. A simple modification of the proof yields an analogous asymptotic formula for A^n"r. The latter agrees with a result of O'Neil, obtained by a completely different method.
The Differential Effects of Informal and Formal Social Controls on the Processing of Status Offenders

Many studies have examined gender bias within juvenile court processing of delinquents, but few have examined the theoretical relationship between informal and formal social controls and a juvenile offender's disposition. This thesis integrates Black's theory of social control and feminist theory to hypothesize that a breakdown in informal controls will be more consequential for female status offenders than for male status offenders. Additionally, an offender's “disrespectability” is expected to result in harsher disposition outcomes for female status offenders. All status offenders from a midwestern state between the years 1975 and 1987 will be analyzed to determine the validity of these hypotheses.
Equilibrium in Monopolistic Competition

The meaning of an imperfect market, 95.--Assumptions underlying the present analysis, 96.--I. The demand functions, 96.--II. Competitor's expectation of his rivals' behavior, 98.--His estimated demand function, 100.--III. Diagrammatic demonstration of attainment of equilibrium, 100.--IV. Equilibrium conditions for the general case, 103.--Conditions affecting the relative magnitudes of p1 and p2 equilibrium: (1) differences in demand functions, 105; different methods of estimation, 106; (3) cost differences, 106.--V. Conditions under which equilibrium is stable and economically possible, 107.--Cases where the stability conditions are not fulfilled or where equilibrium is economically impossible, 114. (Из JStore)
Normal inner canthal and outer orbital dimensions

Summary Measurements of 472 Caucasian subjects yielded data for the normal ranges of inner canthal and outer orbital distances. An appreciation of these normal lateral dimensions and relative rates of growth should help the clinician in judgements concerning ocular hypertelorism and other questions of unusual development in this part of the face.
Stirring of a planetesimal swarm: The role of distant encounters

The viscous stirring algorithm developed by Stewart and Wetherill (1988) to treat the random velocities induced in planetesimals by their mutual gravitational perturbations encompasses only the scattering of bodies in crossing orbits by close encounters. Expressions are presently derived for the stirring rate due to distant encounters on the basis of three-body formalism, using a stirring rate that has the same mass-dependence as that for close encounters. The relative importance of both the close encounter and distant encounter mechanisms depends on the Safronov number. Perturbations by a planetary embryo in scenarios that involve explosive growth are found capable of affecting planetesimal evolution in noncrossing orbits.
Ages of barite-sulfide chimneys from the Mariana Trough

Active and inactive hydrothermal chimneys from the Mariana Trough have young ages ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 years. These estimates are based on disequilibrium between228Th and228Ra in barite-rich samples. Mineralogical investigations revealed that the chimneys contain a mixture of barite, galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite which appear to have formed contemporaneously. Based on radium isotope ratios andRa/Ba ratios, leaching of freshly exposed basaltic rock must have been the source of the barium found in these deposits.
Vegetation response to seven grazing treatments in the Northern Great Plains

Abstract Grazing systems may alter botanical composition and productivity of grasslands through differential use in time, space, or intensity. Seven simulated grazing treatments were applied six years in eastern Montana, USA to determine effects on plant community composition and standing crop. Treatments were moderate stocking (28.8 AUD ha −1 year −1 ) of cattle using 3-pasture summer rotation, season-long, high-intensity low-frequency, short-duration, 3-pasture winter rotation, and spring calving systems. The final treatment was severe growing-season grazing (108.2 AUD ha −1 year −1 ). Treatments were randomly assigned to 14, 6.1-ha pastures. Post-treatment grass and total standing crops were 54 and 58% of their pre-treatment measures because of extended drought. No single grazing system affected standing crop of any herbage component. Standing crops of Pascopyrum smithii Rydb. (Love) (674 ± 186 kg ha −1 ; P > 0.69), other perennial C 3 grasses (102 ± 156 kg ha −1 ; P > 0.77), perennial C 4 grasses (178 ± 111 kg ha −1 ; P > 0.22), and shrubs (13 ± 34 kg ha −1 ; P > 0.57) were similar across grazing treatments. Severe grazing produced more forbs (142 ± 16 kg ha −1 ; P −1 ). Annual C 3 grasses increased ( P −1 on pastures grazed after May to 362 ± 55 kg ha −1 on pastures grazed before June. Cacti also increased ( P −1 on early-grazed pastures. Greater total standing crop on pastures grazed before June ( P 3 grasses and cacti. Rotational and continuous grazing strategies produced similar effects on all vegetation components. Grazing systems were not effective in altering standing crop or functional group composition one year after six years of treatment. Standing crop changes over time and limited shifts in forbs, cacti, and annual C 3 grasses indicate northern mixed prairie is most responsive to weather, with stocking rate and timing of grazing contributing minor influences.
Inhibition of lipid accumulation and enhancement of energy expenditure by the addition of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone to a rat diet

To assess the effects of oral intake of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone on body composition and metabolism, rats were divided into two groups and pair-fed one of the following isocaloric diets for 112 days. The control diet was a liquid diet with the following caloric composition: 14% protein, 28% fat, and 58% carbohydrate. The experimental diet was the same as the control diet except for the partial substitution of carbohydrate content with pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone. Rats receiving the experimental diet gained less weight than rats receiving the control diet. This reduction in body weight appeared to be largely the result of inhibition of lipid accumulation. The experimental diet reduced body fat content by 32% without any significant effect on either protein or water content. Rats receiving the experimental diet did not have increased loss of calories in the stool, but had greater rates of heat production and energy expenditure, which was accompanied by an elevated plasma level of thyroxine. Furthermore, rats receiving the experimental diet had a smaller rate of lipid synthesis in their adipose tissue, and a reduced plasma insulin level. The data suggest that inhibition of gain in weight with the addition of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone to the diet is the result of an increased loss of calories as heat at the expense of storage as lipid.
High-Speed Gas Extraction of Volatile and Semivolatile Organic Compounds from Aqueous Samples

A device is described for high-speed gas extraction of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds from aqueous samples. High-speed extraction is achieved by the use of elevated temperatures. Large...
Microfluidic optoelectronic sensor array for detection of dissolved CO 2 based on halocromic dye-doped polymeric microbeads

We present a microfluidic optoelectronic sensor for detection of dissolved CO2 in aqueous samples. The sensor contains an array of wells embedded in a microfluidic device and filled with ion-exchange polymeric microbeads doped with halocromic dyes. We have developed a simple procedure for microbeads deposition that allows incorporation of virtually any combination of halocromic dyes, providing a route for cross-reactive sensing. Due to a versatile optical arrangement, using LEDs and photodiodes, optical signals are easily translated into electronic readouts. We demonstrate the sensor ability to provide distinct responses to different concentrations of dissolved CO2. Moreover, the sensor shows no cross sensitivity to acidity not related to dissolved CO2.
A New Natural History of Religion

That religion has a natural history, being included under the concepts that constitute the sciences of biology, psychology, and sociology, may by this time be assumed without argument. Details of the movement remain to be determined, but there is no longer any occasion to ask whether religion, or some form of it, is interpolated into the system of nature. But to adopt a principle is not the same as to apply it consistently. In spite of good intentions, remnants of the older view become incorporated into our would-be scientific structures. As instances, Professor King, in the book under review, specifies Max Muller's “perception of the infinite,” Morris Jastrow's “religious instinct,” Tiele's “innate sense of infinity,” Brinton's postulate of “ a religiosity of man as a part of his psychical being,” and the theological notion of the gradual revelation of a specific and so-to-say pre-determined idea of God. In all these King sees only so many interpolations. They inject a formed religious consciousness into history, instead of explaining the genesis of the consciousness itself. The author therefore undertakes to show how religion first emerges out of a pre-religious type of life, and how ceremonial, the gods, and the development of high religions can all be fully accounted for by strictly natural conditions. Whether or not all his conclusions are convincing, he has produced a book that must be reckoned with.
Simple Model of Sediment‐Laden Flows

A theoretical model of sediment‐laden flow is applied to dilute openchannel suspensions. It is found that the effect of the sediment is manifested in terms of a reduced depth and coefficient of resistance, and an increased mean velocity of flow. In particular, an expression for the effect of sediment on the wake strength parameter Π of the velocity profile can be derived. The expression predicts results that are in agreement with the measurements of a previous study. Another prediction of the theory concerns the level of turbulence. The ratio of the power consumed by the flow in holding the sediment in suspension to the power supplied to the flow by the work of the downstream pull of gravity on the sediment is used to form a dimensionless ratio. If this ratio is less than unity, i.e., sufficiently fine sediment, the turbulence is intensified; otherwise, it is damped.
Identification of alpha1 adrenergic receptors in rabbit aorta with [125I]BE2254

Abstract Alpha-adrenergic receptors may play an important role in regulating vascular tone and reactivity. To study alpha-adrenergic receptors in blood vessels, we have developed a method to characterize and quantitate alpha-adrenergic receptors in a particulate fraction of individual rabbit aortas using the high specific activity alpha antagonist [ 125 I]BE2254. [ 125 I]BE2254 specifically labels a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant of 286 pM and a maximal binding capacity of 16.7 fmoles/mg protein. Catecholamines compete for [ 125 I]BE2254 binding stereospecifically and with the characteristic alpha-adrenergic potency series of (−)epinephrine ≥(−)norepinephrine >>(−)isoproterenol. The alpha 1 -selective antagonist prazosin (K D = 0.7 nM) is much more potent in competing for [ 125 I]BE2254 binding than is the alpha 2 -selective antagonist yohimbine (K D = 1000 nM), which suggests that the alpha adrenergic receptor identified is predominantly of the alpha 1 subtype. Also, the dissociation constants from these binding studies were in good agreement with those reported in rabbit aorta from classical pharmacological experiments where contraction was found to be mediated via alpha 1 receptors. This extension of radioligand binding techniques to individual rabbit aortas should simplify the study of vascular alpha adrenergic receptor regulation, and provide a basis for broadening the understanding of vascular alpha adrenergic receptors.
Calcium entry into pollen tubes

Growing pollen tubes require calcium to maintain a tip-focused cytosolic gradient and as a constituent of the constantly expanding cell wall. Advances in cell and molecular biology as well as electrophysiology implicate several candidate channels and receptors in the flow of calcium into the cell. In this review we discuss the channels that have been identified and consider the role of the growing tip cell wall acting as a sink for calcium thus accounting for differences in oscillatory phase between influx measured on the outside of the cell and changes in tip concentration inside the cell. We also briefly draw attention to uptake mechanisms that restrict and shape the calcium signature in the growing pollen tube.
Joint liability versus individual liability in credit contracts

Abstract I offer an explanation for the coexistence of joint-liability and individual-liability microcredit contracts. I show that both contracts maximize welfare when credit is rationed due to limited liability, but for different borrowers. Borrowers monitor each other when liability is joint, while the lender monitors individual loans. Joint liability offers poorer borrowers larger loans with less monitoring effort than would have to be exerted by the lender. Individual liability offers the wealthier among credit-constrained borrowers larger loans even without monitoring. The theory explains why individual loans serve the wealthier among poor borrowers and are larger, and why businesses funded with individual loans grow more.
Dynamics of resonant phonons in ruby and alexandrite: A pair-state model.

Measurements of the escape time (lifetime), \ensuremath{\tau}, of 29 and 37 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ phonons from an optically excited volume in ruby (${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$:${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$) and alexandrite (${\mathrm{BeAl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$:${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$), respectively, are presented and compared with a model which takes into account Raman scattering of the phonons by the exchange-coupled ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ pair states. The model differs from previous attempts to describe the dynamics of 29-${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ phonons in ruby in that the Raman scattering is calculated from specific pair-state wave functions and energy levels. The resulting single-parameter model produces excellent fits to the experimental data for both ruby and alexandrite, despite the fact that the dynamical processes which lead to the phonon escape are quite different in the two systems. The pair-state model presented here also predicts that the Raman scattering is dominated by pairs which have one ion in the $^{4}\mathrm{A}_{2}$(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}(1/2) states. Measurements of \ensuremath{\tau} as a function of temperature in a magnetic field confirm this prediction.
Some complications of the therapy of hemorrhagic disorders

The principal mode for treating disorders of hemostasis is correction of the patient's functional defect by transfusions of appropriate fractions of normal plasma or transfusions of platelets. Two major complications of such therapy are the transmission of infectious diseases, particularly hepatitis and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and the development of antibodies against clotting factors that are deficient in the patient's plasma. Measures that reduce the occurrence of infection include careful selection of donors, fractionation of plasma with the help of monoclonal antibodies, and treatment of plasma or its fractions with heat or with virus-inactivating organic solvents. No technique of preparing or administering blood or its components can prevent the emergence of antibodies against clotting factors. Desensitization by repeated infusions of antigen, for example, antihemophilic factor, however, appears to result in remission in some patients.
Hypervitaminosis D and premature aging: lessons learned from Fgf23 and Klotho mutant mice

The essential role of low levels of vitamin D during aging is well documented. However, possible effects of high levels of vitamin D on the aging process are not yet clear. Recent in vivo genetic-manipulation studies have shown increased serum level of vitamin D and altered mineral-ion homeostasis in mice that lack either fibroblast growth factor 23 (Fgf23) or klotho (Kl) genes. These mice develop identical phenotypes consistent with premature aging. Elimination or reduction of vitamin-D activity from Fgf23 and Kl mutant mice, either by dietary restriction or genetic manipulation could rescue premature aging-like features and ectopic calcifications, resulting in prolonged survival of both mutants. Such in vivo experimental studies indicated that excessive vitamin-D activity and altered mineral-ion homeostasis could accelerate the aging process.
Modeling megakaryocyte development as a branching process

We have developed a computational method for directly fitting a stochastic branching model to colony growth data, which was then used to model development of colonies from human megakaryocytic stem cells. The overall fit is as good as indirect methods, such as the frequently used gamma function, but with far more interpretable parameters. The method is easily extended to more complex systems.
Determination of polar groups of heavy and light meromyosin.

Abstract Heavy meromyosin has 80 lysine, 8 histidine, and 43 arginine groups, 22 tyrosine, and 162 carboxyl groups. Light meromyosin has 64 lysine, 20 histidine, and 83 arginine groups, 14 tyrosine, and 182 carboxyl groups. The values are found from electrometric titration to pH 2, electrometric formol titration, and by means of alcohol and acetone titrations. Tyrosine is found from the ultraviolet spectrum.
Unitarity triangle without semileptonic decays.

The use of semileptonic decays has become standard in constraining the unitarity triangle. Since precise calculations of these are very challenging, we propose an entirely new approach. The ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{K}$ constraint, which depends extremely sensitively on $|{V}_{cb}|$, is replaced by the interplay between ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{K}$, $\mathrm{BR}(B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\nu})$, and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{M}_{{B}_{s}}$. Improvements on the $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\nu}$ branching ratio and on the lattice determinations of ${f}_{{B}_{s}}{\stackrel{^}{B}}_{s}^{1/2}$ and ${f}_{B}$ can increase the effectiveness of this method significantly.
In Vitro and In Vivo Relaxation of Corpus Cavernosum Smooth Muscle by the Selective Myosin II Inhibitor, Blebbistatin

ABSTRACT Introduction Blebbistatin (BLEB) is a small cell permeable molecule originally reported as a selective inhibitor of myosin II isoforms expressed by striated muscle and non-muscle cells (IC 50 = 0.5–5 µM) with poor inhibition of turkey gizzard smooth muscle (SM) myosin II (IC 50 ∼80 µM). However, recently it was found that BLEB can potently inhibit mammalian arterial SM (IC 50 ∼5 µM). Aim To investigate the effect of BLEB on corpus cavernosum SM (CCSM) tone and erectile function (EF). Methods CC tissue obtained from penile implant patients along with CC, aorta and bladder from adult male rats were used for BLEB organ bath studies. Intracavernosal BLEB was administered to rats and EF was assessed via intracavernous pressure (ICP). Main Outcome Measures Effects of BLEB on agonist-induced CCSM, aorta and bladder contraction in vitro and ICP in vivo. Results BLEB completely relaxed human CCSM pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE) in a dose-dependent manner decreasing tension by 76.5% at 10 µM. BLEB pre-incubation attenuated PE-induced contraction of human CC by ∼85%. Human CC strips pre-contracted with endothelin-1 or KCl were almost completely relaxed by BLEB. Rat CCSM pre-contracted with PE showed BLEB relaxation comparable to human CCSM. BLEB inhibition was similar for rat aorta but slower for bladder. Both maximal ICP and ICP/mean arterial pressure were dose-dependently increased by BLEB intracavernous injections with full erection at 1 micromole. Conclusion Our novel data reveals that BLEB nearly completely relaxes rat and human CCSM pre-contracted with a variety of potent agonists and exhibits tissue selectivity. Coupled with our in vivo data in which nanomole doses of BLEB significantly increase ICP, our data substantiates an important role for the SM contractile apparatus in the molecular mechanism for EF and suggests the possibility of BLEB binding at myosin II as a therapeutic treatment for ED by targeting SM contractile pathways. Zhang X, Aydin M, Kuppam D, Melman A, and DiSanto ME. In vitro and in vivo relaxation of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle by the selective myosin II inhibitor, blebbistatin. J Sex Med 2009;6:2661–2671.
Plasma homocysteine is elevated in patients with exfoliation syndrome.

Abstract Purpose To compare plasma homocysteine concentrations among patients with exfoliation syndrome, exfoliative glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma, and normal control subjects without vascular or inflammatory ocular disease or glaucoma. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods We tested 25 patients with exfoliation syndrome, 50 with exfoliative glaucoma, 25 with normal-tension glaucoma, and 24 control subjects. Fasting plasma homocysteine concentrations were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Patients using vitamin supplements or medications known to alter serum homocysteine were excluded. Results Homocysteine levels were higher in both exfoliation groups compared with controls (exfoliation syndrome: P = .003; exfoliative glaucoma: P = .009); levels in normal-tension glaucoma were higher than but not significantly different from those in controls ( P = .2). Hyperhomocysteinemia was present in 16 of 25 (64%) exfoliation syndrome patients, 28 of 50 (56%) exfoliative glaucoma patients, 13 of 25 (52%) normal-tension glaucoma patients, and 7 of 24 (29.2%) controls ( P = .005). Multiple logistic regression analyses comparing exfoliation syndrome and exfoliative glaucoma patients with controls indicated that elevated plasma homocysteine concentration was a significant risk factor for exfoliation syndrome, in both those patients (odds ratios per 1.0 μmol/l increase in plasma homocysteine concentrations=1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08–2.0) and in exfoliative glaucoma patients (odds ratio=1.3; 95% CI=1.07–1.6). Although exfoliative glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma patients were not signficantly different with respect to hyperhomocysteinemia, logistic regression modeling of exfoliative glaucoma vs normal-tension glaucoma patients showed that an increased homocysteine concentration was a significant risk factor for exfoliation syndrome in the presence of glaucoma (odds ratio per 1.0 μmol/l increase in homocysteine=1.2, 95% CI=1.0–1.4). These relationships were not affected by adjustment for potential confounding due to sex, history of hypertension, or other factors. Conclusions Elevated plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is more common in exfoliation syndrome and exfoliative glaucoma patients than healthy controls. Patients with exfoliation syndrome may benefit from measurement of homocysteine levels.
The Profitability of Momentum Strategies

Momentum strategies based on continuations in stock prices have attracted a wide following among money managers and investors. We evaluated the profitability of price momentum strategies based on past return and earnings momentum strategies based on standardized unexpected earnings and revisions of consensus forecasts. The strategies proved to be profitable for intermediate horizons. Chasing momentum can generate high turnover, however; hence, implementation of momentum strategies requires a focus on managing trading costs. Comparing the strategies yielded evidence that they reflect distinct phenomena and provided information about the sources of profits. The results indicate that the market is slow to incorporate the full impact of information in its valuations.
Minimally invasive surgical approaches for temporal lobe epilepsy.

Surgery can be a highly effective treatment for medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The emergence of minimally invasive resective and nonresective treatment options has led to interest in epilepsy surgery among patients and providers. Nevertheless, not all procedures are appropriate for all patients, and it is critical to consider seizure outcomes with each of these approaches, as seizure freedom is the greatest predictor of patient quality of life. Standard anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) remains the gold standard in the treatment of TLE, with seizure freedom resulting in 60–80% of patients. It is currently the only resective epilepsy surgery supported by randomized controlled trials and offers the best protection against lateral temporal seizure onset. Selective amygdalohippocampectomy techniques preserve the lateral cortex and temporal stem to varying degrees and can result in favorable rates of seizure freedom but the risk of recurrent seizures appears slightly greater than with ATL, and it is not clear whether neuropsychological outcomes are improved with selective approaches. Stereotactic radiosurgery presents an opportunity to avoid surgery altogether, with seizure outcomes now under investigation. Stereotactic laser thermo-ablation allows destruction of the mesial temporal structures with low complication rates and minimal recovery time, and outcomes are also under study. Finally, while neuromodulatory devices such as responsive neurostimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and deep brain stimulation have a role in the treatment of certain patients, these remain palliative procedures for those who are not candidates for resection or ablation, as complete seizure freedom rates are low. Further development and investigation of both established and novel strategies for the surgical treatment of TLE will be critical moving forward, given the significant burden of this disease.
Panel - the technological literacy of undergraduates: Developing standard models

This panel will report the results of a workshop and symposium on the technological literacy of undergraduates convened at the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) on March 26-27, 2007. The NAE advocates that all Americans become more knowledgeable about technology. Here technological literacy is defined as the broad understanding of all types of technological devices and process not just computers. The opportunity to utilize undergraduate education to further technological literacy of all students must not be neglected. Educators in computer science, engineering and technology have a responsibility to educate all students not just those intending technical careers. Despite the need for all Americans to become technologically literate, technical literacy is not likely to gain wide acceptance until the scholarly community develops standard courses that are supported by textbooks and other course materials. This National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored workshop sought to identify and define several models of technological literacy courses. In this FIE panel, short presentations about these models will be made by participants in the NAE/NSF symposium. This will be followed by a discussion with the audience. A goal of the discussion will be to seek the input from FIE participants on the technological literacy course models.
Stiffness and Damping Forces in the Intervertebral Joints of Blue Marlin (Makaira Nigricans)

The stiffness and damping moments that are transmitted by intervertebral joints during sinusoidal bending were determined in the blue marlin, Makaira nigricans Lacepede. Using a dynamic bending machine, the angular stiffness (N m rad−1) and damping coefficient (kg m2 rad−2 s−1) of the intervertebral joints were measured over a range of bending frequencies, amplitudes and positions along the backbone. Angular stiffness increases with increasing bending amplitude, but, for some joints, the rate at which it changes with increasing bending frequency is negative. The precaudal intervertebral joints are less stiff than the caudal joints. The damping coefficient, which also shows regional variation, does not change with amplitude but does decrease with increasing bending frequency in joint positions three and five. Stiffness moments along the vertebral column, given the same amount of bending at each joint, are always greater than the damping moments. However, damping moments increase by an order of magnitude with an increase in bending frequency from 0.5 to 5.0Hz. The stiffness and damping moments determine the work that an external moment, such as muscle, must do over a complete cycle of bending. The external moments and work needed to bend an intervertebral joint are determined largely by the stiffness moments of the intervertebral joints.
Performance Appraisal Procedural Justice: The Role of a Manager's Implicit Person Theory

Although there is a vast literature on employee reactions to procedural injustice, little is known about the important issue of why some managers are less procedurally just than others. In this field study we found that a manager’s implicit person theory (IPT; i.e., extent of assumption that people can change) predicted employees’ perceptions of the procedural justice with which their last performance appraisal was conducted. These procedural justice perceptions in turn predicted employees’ organizational citizenship behavior, as partially mediated by their organizational commitment. This research provides an initial empirical basis for a new line of inquiry that extends existing IPT theory into the realm of perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral responses to people as a function of their IPT. Other contributions to the IPT, performance appraisal, and procedural justice literatures are discussed.
Room temperature electron drift mobilities in 1,4‐dibromonaphthalene

The relative electron drift mobilities along the three crystallographic directions, at room temperature, in single crystals of 1,4-dibromonaphthalene were determined by transit time measurements following pulse excitation with a nitrogen laser. The drift mobility was approximately isotropic in the a′b plane with μ ≈ (0.65 ± 0.15) × 10−2 cm2/Vs, whereas its value along the c-axis was (3.4 ± 0.37) × 10−2 cm2/Vs, or a factor of five times larger. Attempts to measure the hole mobilities proved unsuccessful and is attributed to both extensive trapping at the surface and in the interior of the crystal. The electron drift mobilities are discussed in terms of small polaron transport theory. Es werden die relativen Elektronen-Driftbeweglichkeiten in den drei kristallographischen Richtungen bei Zimmertemperatur in Einkristallen von 1,4-Dibromnaphtalen durch Laufzeitmessungen nach Impulsanregung mit einem Stickstoff-Laser bestimmt. Die Driftbeweglichkeit ist naherungsweise in der a′b-Ebene isotrop mit μ = (0,65 ± 0,15) × 10−2 cm2/Vs, wahrend ihr Wert in Richtung der c-Achse (3,4 ± 0,37) × 10−2 cm2/Vs betragt, oder um den Faktor funf groser ist. Versuche, die Locherbeweglichkeit zu messen, stellten sich als nicht erfolgreich heraus, was einem ausgepragten Anhaften sowohl an der Oberflache als auch im Inneren des Kristalls zugeschrieben wird. Die Elektronen-Driftbeweglichkeiten werden mit der Transporttheorie kleiner Polaronen diskutiert.
Equine placental mixed germ cell tumor with metastasis to the foal.

The placenta from an embryo transfer–recipient mare and live foal was examined. The placenta was effaced by multifocal masses, which ranged from less than 1 cm to 14 cm in diameter. The foal represented at 52 days for lethargy, ataxia, and urine dribbling; due to a poor prognosis, the foal was euthanized. At necropsy, the liver was effaced by multifocal, pale, irregular nodules. The lumbar vertebrae and other skeletal sites had multifocal lytic lesions. The placenta had 4 populations of neoplastic cells, including a spindle cell population, tall columnar and transitional epithelial cell populations, and an undifferentiated polygonal cell population. The foal’s liver had similar populations and patterns of cells as those in the placenta. The lesion in the placenta and the masses in the foal were diagnosed as a mixed germ cell tumor and metastatic mixed germ cell tumor, respectively.
Biofilm Destruction by RF High-Pressure Cold Plasma Jet

Biofilms are bacterial communities embedded in a glue-like matrix mostly composed of exopolysaccharides and a small amount of proteins and nucleic acids. Conventional disinfection and sterilization methods are often ineffective with the biofilms since microorganisms within the biofilm show different properties from those in free planktonic life. The use of the gas discharge plasmas is a novel alternative since the plasmas contain a mixture of charged particles, chemically reactive species, and UV radiation. The four-day-old single-species biofilms were produced using Chromobacterium violaceum, a gram-negative bacterium commonly present in soil and water. The gas discharge plasma was produced by using an Atomflo 250 reactor (Surfx Technologies), and the bacterial biofilms were exposed to it for different periods of time. Our results show that a 10-min plasma treatment is able to kill almost 100% of the cells. The results show a rapid initial decline in the colony forming units per milliliter (phase one) that is followed by a much slower subsequent decline (phase two) of the D-values that are longer than the inactivation of the planktonic organisms, suggesting a more complex inactivation mechanism for the biofilms. Two hypotheses are offered to explain this biphasic behavior. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to study the plasma composition, and the role of the active species is discussed. These results indicate the potential of plasma as an alternative way for biofilm removal
The Association of Medicare Drug Coverage with Use of Evidence-Based Medications in the Veterans Health Administration

Background:Veterans with Medicare managed-care plans have access to pharmacy benefits outside the Veterans Health Administration (VA), but how this coverage affects use of medications for specific disease conditions within the VA is unclear.Objective:To examine patterns of pharmacotherapy among patients with diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and chronic heart failure enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) or managed-care (HMO) plans and to test whether pharmacy benefit coverage within Medicare is associated with the receipt of evidence-based medications in the VA.Methods:A retrospective analysis of veterans dually enrolled in the VA and Medicare healthcare systems was conducted. We used VA and Medicare administrative data from 2002 in multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the unique association of enrollment in Medicare FFS or managed-care plans on the use of medications, after adjusting for sociodemographic, geographic, and patient clinical factors.Results:A total of 369,697 enrolle...
Neonatal lesions of the ventral hippocampal formation disrupt neuroendocrine responses to auditory stress in the adult rat.

Abstract Lesioning the ventral hippocampal formation (vHF) in the neonatal rat with an excitotoxin replicates several features of schizophrenia. Similar lesions in the adult rat disrupt the normal constraint of neuroendocrine responses to environmental stressors, which is of potential interest because the enhanced HPA axis and antidiuretic hormone activity in schizophrenia is linked to acute stress and hippocampal formation (HF) pathology. In the current study, we investigated the effects of neonatal ventral hippocampal formation lesions (NVHFL) on plasma adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) responses following a 2-min acoustic stressor in the adult rat. Levels of the two hormones did not differ between SHAM-operated and NVHFL animals in their home cages. ACTH levels doubled in SHAM-operated animals immediately following stress, but increased more than six-fold in the NVHFL group. AVP levels were halved immediately following stress in SHAM-operated animals, but did not change significantly in NVHFL. Findings could not be attributed to intervening factors known to influence neuroendocrine activity. Thus, NVHFL appear to disrupt the HF-mediated constraint of neuroendocrine responses to stress, and model the neuroendocrine dysfunction seen in schizophrenia. We posit that clarification of how NVHFL alters relatively “simple”, well characterized, and phylogenetically preserved systems, such as the neuroendocrine system, may provide insight into the mechanism of hippocampal pathology in schizophrenia.
Irrigated Agricultural Adaptation to Water and Climate Variability: The Economic Value of a Water Portfolio

Increasing aridity, more frequent and intense drought, and greater degrees of water scarcity create unique challenges for agriculture. In response to these challenges, which often manifest themselves as lower and more variable surface water supplies, as well as depleted and degraded ground water supplies, growers tend to seek opportunities to adapt. One option for growers to reduce their exposure to water scarcity and heightened uncertainty is to diversify. Indeed, access to a portfolio of supplies is one way in which water and irrigation districts, as well as individual growers, are responding to the changing landscape of water resource availability. This article evaluates the benefits to irrigated agriculture from having access to multiple sources of water. With farm‐level information on 1,900 agricultural parcels across California, we use the hedonic property value method to investigate the extent that growers benefit from having access to multiple sources of water (i.e., a water portfolio). Our results suggest that while lower quality waters, less reliable water, and less water all negatively impact agricultural land values, holding a water portfolio has a positive impact on land values through its role in mitigating the negative aspects of these factors and reducing the sensitivity of agriculture to climate‐related factors. From a policy perspective, such results identify a valuable adaptation tool that irrigation districts may consider to help offset the negative impacts of climate change, drought, and population increases on water supply availability and reliability.
Predictors of durable no evidence of disease status in de novo metastatic inflammatory breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and post-mastectomy radiation

Introduction Definitive locoregional therapy including surgery and post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) has been offered to select IBC patients with de novo metastatic disease. Herein we examined predictive factors for progression-free survival after comprehensive PMRT radiation +/- locoregional treatment of metastatic sites.