cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Runx2 Protein Expression Utilizes the Runx2 P1 Promoter to Establish Osteoprogenitor Cell Number for Normal Bone Formation

The Runt-related transcription factor, Runx2, is essential for osteogenesis and is controlled by both distal (P1) and proximal (P2) promoters. To understand Runx2 function requires determination of the spatiotemporal activity of P1 and P2 to Runx2 protein production. We generated a mouse model in which the P1-derived transcript was replaced with a lacZ reporter allele, resulting in loss of P1-derived protein while simultaneously allowing discrimination between the activities of the two promoters. Loss of P1-driven expression causes developmental defects with cleidocranial dysplasia-like syndromes that persist in the postnatal skeleton. P1 activity is robust in preosteogenic mesenchyme and at the onset of bone formation but decreases as bone matures. Homozygous Runx2-P1lacZ/lacZ mice have a normal life span but exhibit severe osteopenia and compromised bone repair in adult mice because of osteoblastic defects and not increased osteoclastic resorption. Gene expression profiles of bone, immunohistochemical studies, and ex vivo differentiation using calvarial osteoblasts and marrow stromal cells identified mechanisms for the skeletal phenotype. The findings indicate that P1 promoter activity is necessary for generating a threshold level of Runx2 protein to commit sufficient osteoprogenitor numbers for normal bone formation. P1 promoter function is not compensated via the P2 promoter. However, the P2 transcript with compensatory mechanisms from bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Wnt signaling is adequate for mineralization of the bone tissue that does form. We conclude that selective utilization of the P1 and P2 promoters enables the precise spatiotemporal expression of Runx2 necessary for normal skeletogenesis and the maintenance of bone mass in the adult.
Clearance rates of xenon-133 in non-inflamed and inflamed gingiva of dogs

Blood flow rates were compared in non-inflamed and inflamed gingiva in 4 dogs following a depot injection of 133Xe and external monitoring of the radioisotope. Only teeth in the left jaws were cleaned daily and gingival health maintained. Selection of sites for testing was dependent on Gingival Index scores of 0 (no inflammation) or 2 (overt gingivitis). Measurements were made of 133Xe clearance from the interdental and attached gingiva and alveolar mucosa of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th premolars. Data were analysed using the initial slope clearance rate determination of Sejrsen and Tonnesen (1968) and the stochastic method of Zierler (1965) to determine a blood-flow-to-volume ratio. There was a significantly (p < 0.001) lower rate of clearance of 133Xe in alveolar mucosa compared to the other gingival sites, a difference not dependent on the presence of inflammation. There was no difference in 133Xe clearance rates in non-inflamed and inflamed gingiva. Thus the blood flow rate in the gingival nutritional capillary bed was maintained in chronically inflamed gingiva.
Enantioselective synthesis of angularly substituted 1-azabicylic rings: coupled dynamic kinetic epimerization and chirality transfer.

A new strategy for enantioselective synthesis of azacyclic molecules in which dynamic kinetic equilibration of diastereomeric iminium ions precedes a stereochemistry-determining sigmatropic rearrangement is reported. The method is illustrated by the synthesis, in high enantiomeric purity (generally 95–99% ee), of a variety of 1-azabicyclic molecules containing angular allyl or 3-substituted 2-propenyl side chains adjacent to nitrogen and up to three stereogenic centers. In these products, the size of the carbocyclic ring is varied widely (5–12 membered); however, useful yields are obtained in forming 1-azabicyclic products containing only fused pyrrolidine and piperidine rings. Chirality transfer from substituents at carbons 1 and 2 of the 3-butenylamine fragment of the starting material is investigated, with methyl and phenyl substituents at the allylic position shown to provide exquisite stereocontrol (generally 98–99% chirality transfer). An attractive feature of the method is the ability to carry out ...
Beyond the Ethics of Flag Waving: Schooling and Citizenship for a Critical Democracy

(1991). Beyond the Ethics of Flag Waving: Schooling and Citizenship for a Critical Democracy. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 64, No. 5, pp. 305-308.
Erythropoietin elevation in the chronically hyperglycemic fetal lamb.

The effects of chronic fetal glucose infusion upon fetal oxygenation and endogenous erythropoietin (Ep) production were studied using the chronically catheterized fetal lamb. Fetal glucose infusion at rates between 5 and 20 mg/kg/min resulted in sustained fetal hyperglycemia. During glucose infusion (maximal glucose concentration achieved = 55.4 +/- 3.7 mg/dl) fetal arterial oxygen contents fell from 5.8 +/- 0.9 to 4.2 +/- 1.0 ml/dl while no changes were observed in simultaneously sampled, noninfused twins. Although plasma insulin concentration rose in the infused fetuses, the elevations were inconstant and no relationship between fetal plasma insulin concentration and decrement in fetal oxygen content was evident. The changes in plasma Ep concentration were noted prior to any significant fetal metabolic acidosis (as evidence of tissue hypoxia) and no changes in plasma Ep concentration were observed in simultaneously sampled noninfused twins. No relationship was apparent between fetal arterial plasma insulin and Ep concentrations. Since neither fetal anemia nor hemodilution occurred in these preparations, glucose-induced fetal hyposemia is the likely mechanism behind elevated fetal Ep concentrations in these experiments. Similarities between this animal model and human fetuses and infants of diabetic mothers suggest that chronic in utero hypoxemia may be a common feature responsible formore » such diverse abnomalities as polycythemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and late fetal demise. The mechanism behind the glucose-induced fetal hypoxemia is not known.« less
Doing UX: A Workflow for Teaching and Training

In this interactive poster, I describe methods for introducing professionals from any background to key UX knowledge-making practices (ways); deliverables and concepts that professionals new to UX should be able to create (things); and means of sustaining this work within organizations (impact). This workflow has been developed through my own work teaching classes in UX within higher education, and through collaboration with UX training programs in industry.
Discrete, spatiotemporal, wavelet multiresolution analysis method for computing optical flow

A wavelet-based system for computing localized velocity fields associated with time-sequential imagery is described. The approach combines the mathematical rigor of the multiresolution wavelet analysis with well-known spatiotemporal frequency flow computation principles. The foundation of the approach consists of a unique, nonhomogeneous multiresolution wavelet filter bank designed to extract moving objects in a 3-D image sequence based on their location, size, and speed. The filter bank is generated by an unconventional 3-D subband coding scheme that generates 20 orientation-tuned filters at each spatial and temporal resolution. The frequency responses of the wavelet filter bank are combined using a least-squares method to assign a velocity vector to each spatial location in an image sequence. Several examples are provided to demonstrate the flow computation abilities of the wavelet vector motion sensor.
Squeezing of classical noise by nondegenerate four-wave mixing in an optical fiber

Nondegenerate four-wave mixing in an optical fiber is shown to attenuate one quadrature of random sideband fluctuations created by external modulators. A theory of the nonlinear interaction that includes nonlinear dispersion fits the results. Analogous experiments on quantum noise inputs should prove successful.
Sol-Gel SiO2-Polymer Hybrid Heteropoly Acid-Based Proton Exchange Membranes

Heteropoly silicotungstic acid (STA)-based, cross-linked hybrid proton exchange membranes for intermediate-temperature (80°-120°C) fuel cell applications were fabricated by incorporating STA in a host matrix of binding silane, SiO2 sol gel, ethylene methacrylate copolymer containing glycidyl methacrylate groups (PMG), and molecular cross-linker. The STA loading level relative to the sum of the PMG and a cross-linker exceeded 100 weight%. Upon curing at 145° under pressure, the composite membranes were nearly 100% cross-linked and were flexible, showed high thermal and chemical stability against Fenton’s reagent, and exhibited a break-in behavior during cyclic voltammetric (CV) scans. The best proton conductivity, which was obtained from CV results, decreased from ∼8-15 mS/cm at 80°C and 100% relative humidity (RH), to ∼1.5 mS/cm at 100°C and 46% RH, and ∼0.25 mS/cm at 120°C and 23%RH.
Uncertainty by choice: anesthesia and the children of night

Anesthesiologists sometimes have difficulty discussing uncertainties with patients. The widespread and deeply visceral uncertainty about sleep, dreams, and death--the daily terrain of the anesthesiologist--has its roots in the classical representations of these states as siblings, the children of the goddess Night. The symbolism of mythology can guide the practitioner by recognizing, through allegory, the range of our own and our patients' fears.
Repeated anabolic/androgenic steroid exposure during adolescence alters phosphate-activated glutaminase and glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) subunit immunoreactivity in Hamster brain: correlation with offensive aggression

Abstract Male Syrian hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus ) treated with moderately high doses (5.0 mg/kg/day) of anabolic/androgenic steroids (AAS) during adolescence (P27–P56) display highly escalated offensive aggression. The current study examined whether adolescent AAS-exposure influenced the immunohistochemical localization of phosphate-activated glutaminase (PAG), the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of glutamate, a fast-acting neurotransmitter implicated in the modulation of aggression in various species and models of aggression, as well as glutamate receptor 1 subunit (GluR1). Hamsters were administered AAS during adolescence, scored for offensive aggression using the resident-intruder paradigm, and then examined for changes in PAG and GluR1 immunoreactivity in areas of the brain implicated in aggression control. When compared with sesame oil-treated control animals, aggressive AAS-treated hamsters displayed a significant increase in the number of PAG- and area density of GluR1-containing neurons in several notable aggression regions, although the differential pattern of expression did not appear to overlap across brain regions. Together, these results suggest that altered glutamate synthesis and GluR1 receptor expression in specific aggression areas may be involved in adolescent AAS-induced offensive aggression.
Analysis of Bioassay Data Drawn from Several Sources

This article presents a review of some important considerations for scientists and regulatory decision makers who are charged with the task of drawing a conclusion from an existing and growing body of bioassay data to evaluate the toxicity of a compound. Two general approaches are outlined, based on classic statistical methods and on Bayesian statistical methods. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed in relation to the overall decision-making process. The article concludes by presenting an application of the Bayesian approach to the body of bioassay data available at the time of the regulatory decision concerning the link between saccharin and bladder cancer.
Influence of Fungi On Host Preference, Host Suitability, and Morphometrics of Five Mycophagous Nematodes

Influence of ten fungi was studied on host preference, host suitability, and morphometrics of a parthenogenetic and a bisexual isolate of a species of Ditylenchus resembling D. triformis, and one isolate each of Neotylenchus lin f ordi, Aphelenchus avenae, and Paraphelenchus acontioides. Consistent differences in numbers of nematodes recovered from two young fungal colonies located at opposite sides of a dish 18 hours after the nematodes were introduced were too great to be explained as random distribution. None of the fungi tested repulsed any of the nematodes. Five of the fungi tested were rated as excellent hosts for most of the nematodes, two as good hosts, two as poor, and Pythium irregulare as a nonhost. Nematode morphometrics varied considerably within populations reared on a single fungus and between populations reared on different fungi. Position of the vulva varied the least of the five values studied, varying only 1.3% from the mean in N. linfordi. No consistent correlation was found between host preference, host suitability and morphometrics.
The conservatism principle and the asymmetric timeliness of earnings1

I interpret conservatism as resulting in earnings reflecting ‘bad news’ more quickly than ‘good news’. This interpretation implies systematic differences between bad news and good news periods in the timeliness and persistence of earnings. Using firms’ stock returns to measure news, the contemporaneous sensitivity of earnings to negative returns is two to six times that of earnings to positive returns. I also predict and find that negative earnings changes are less persistent than positive earnings changes. Earnings response coefficients (ERCs) are higher for positive earnings changes than for negative earnings changes, consistent with this asymmetric persistence. ¢ 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Studies of optical and biological properties of landcover employing shuttle flights of a multispectral linear array radiometer

Abstract Studies to characterize optical and biological properties of land cover as observed from space are planned using a six channel, imaging spectroradiometer employing newly developed multispectral linear array (MLA) detector technology. These studies are to take place by mounting the radiometer on the Shuttle and observing areas with dynamic and diverse types of land cover condition. The radiometer will have 15 meter spatial resolution for four, 20 nanometer bands in the visible and near infrared and 30 meter resolution for similarily narrow bands in the shortwave infrared bands. The instrument will scan ± 45 degrees along the Shuttle orbital path. The principle objective of this experiment is to obtain observations that augment knowledge of the distribution of basic land cover types in regions that are known to be key to questions of biogeochemical cycles, energy balance and climatic change. Another key objective is to quantify the bidirectional reflectance of key land cover conditions in major portions of the visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared as they are observed from space. The initial execution of this experiment is presently scheduled for late 1987.
A role for donor-derived B cells but not T cells in the maintenance of mixed hematopoietic chimerism

ENGRAFTMENT of allogeneic pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (PHSC) in nonmyeloablated but immunodepleted recipients can produce mixed hematopoietic chimeras in which both host and donor cells coexist and are tolerant of each other. The major mechanism of tolerance in these mixed chimeras is central intrathymic clonal deletion, which is induced and maintained by the immigration of both host and donor marrow-derived cells to the host thymus, ensuring the ongoing central deletion of donorand host-reactive thymocytes. In this study, we addressed the role of different donor-derived hematopoietic cells in the induction and maintenance of mixed hematopoietic chimerism and tolerance in mice receiving non-myeloablative conditioning.
Cost-effectiveness of an intervention to increase cancer screening in primary care settings.

Abstract Background. The main goal was to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of an intervention designed to increase cancer screening rates in primary care settings serving disadvantaged populations. The Cancer Screening Office Systems intervention reminded clinicians whether screening mammography, Pap smears, and/or fecal occult blood tests were up-to-date in eligible patients and then established a division of office responsibilities to ensure that tests were ordered and completed. Methods. The cost-effectiveness analysis was predicated on data generated from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of Cancer Screening Office Systems conducted at eight clinics participating in a county-funded health insurance plan in Florida. Cost numerators were computed from estimated time inputs of both clinical personnel and patients valued at nationally representative wages as well as expenses for Cancer Screening Office Systems-related materials and overhead. Effectiveness denominators were constructed from net changes in screening rates observed experimentally over a 12-month follow-up. Two types of incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were computed: the cost per extra screening test by type and the cost per life-year saved without and with Cancer Screening Office Systems. Results. Cancer Screening Office Systems produced statistically significant increases in screening rates, and these gains more than outweighed the costs of the intervention viewed from either payer or societal perspectives. Conclusions. Cancer Screening Office Systems are a cost-effective means of addressing cancer-related health disparities.
Genomewide DNA methylation analysis reveals novel targets for drug development in mantle cell lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a mostly incurable malignancy arising from naive B cells (NBCs) in the mantle zone of lymph nodes. We analyzed genomewide methylation in MCL patients with the HELP (HpaII tiny fragment Enrichment by Ligation–mediated PCR) assay and found significant aberrancy in promoter methylation patterns compared with normal NBCs. Using biologic and statistical criteria, we further identified 4 hypermethylated genes CDKN2B, MLF-1, PCDH8, and HOXD8 and 4 hypomethylated genes CD37, HDAC1, NOTCH1, and CDK5 when aberrant methylation was associated with inverse changes in mRNA levels. Immunohistochemical analysis of an independent cohort of MCL patient samples confirmed CD37 surface expression in 93% of patients, validating its selection as a target for MCL therapy. Treatment of MCL cell lines with a small modular immunopharmaceutical (CD37-SMIP) resulted in significant loss of viability in cell lines with intense surface CD37 expression. Treatment of MCL cell lines with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor decitabine resulted in reversal of aberrant hypermethylation and synergized with the histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid in induction of the hypermethylated genes and anti-MCL cytotoxicity. Our data show prominent and aberrant promoter methylation in MCL and suggest that differentially methylated genes can be targeted for therapeutic benefit in MCL.
Role of Sst2 in modulating G protein-coupled receptor signaling.

Abstract Sst2 formally acts as an inhibitor of G protein-coupled receptor signaling in yeast perhaps stabilizing a G protein/unactivated receptor complex. desTrp1,Ala3 α-factor (dTA-αf), normally a competitive antagonist, activated responses in ansst2strain. The antagonist to agonist switch was consistent with an Sst2 effect on receptor/G protein coupling, but not with an Sst2 role in global reduction of signaling. Response to α-factor, assayed by growth arrest, was independent of level of expressed surface receptor over a 40-fold range in anSST2+strain, consistent with coupling of only a subset of receptors to G protein. In contrast, in ansst2strain, response to α-factor was proportional to receptor expression, consistent with participation of all receptors in signaling. The wt α-factor receptor inhibited signaling in response to dTA-αf when introduced into a CKC4 chimeric receptor strain. The dominant-negative effect of the receptor might reflect sequestration of G protein.
Power Wheelchair Prescription, Utilization, Satisfaction, and Cost for Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Preliminary Data for Evidence-Based Guidelines

Abstract Ward AL, Sanjak M, Duffy K, Bravver E, Williams N, Nichols M, Brooks BR. Power wheelchair prescription, utilization, satisfaction, and cost for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: preliminary data for evidence-based guidelines. Objectives To determine the features most frequently selected in a power wheelchair (PWC), level of satisfaction with the selections, and how often the PWC features are used by patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND). Design Internally generated questionnaire. Setting An ALS/Muscular Dystrophy Association center. Participants Convenience sample of current patients (N=45) of our clinic with ALS/MND who are PWC users (men, n=27; women, n=18; age range, 27–85y). Intervention Self-administered survey. Main Outcome Measure Thirty-two patients completed a 31-question survey investigating patients' patterns of selection, satisfaction, and frequency of PWC use; technical and psychometric influences; and other aspects of decision-making processes that patients experience before, during, and after acquiring a PWC. Results Ninety percent of respondents received their evaluations at a multidisciplinary ALS clinic, 1 via the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 1 was unknown. Sixty-six percent of patients thought the chair evaluation was timed correctly, and 19% wished they had started sooner. Forty-five percent of people were able to walk a few steps, and 55% were able to stand when their chairs arrived. When they first received the chair, 79% were satisfied with the overall comfort of the chair, and 86% were satisfied with the ease of use; currently, 69% are satisfied with the overall comfort, and 72% are satisfied with ease of use. There was a statistically significant difference in how patients used their wheelchair features initially and currently in terms of seat elevate and attendant control, but not tilt, recline, and elevating leg rests. The average cost for the power chairs was $26,404 (range, $19,376–$34,311), and the average cost a month is $917. Overall, 88% of respondents said they would get the same type of chair with the same features again, and 81% felt that the chair was a good value for the cost. Conclusions We obtained first-hand knowledge from 32 patients with ALS/MND who are current PWC users on their use and satisfaction with their PWCs from initial to current use. Based on this survey, patients with ALS/MND seen for their wheelchair evaluation with experienced clinicians exhibit high use and satisfaction with their PWCs.
Discrimination of Orientation by Human Infants

Successive discrimination of suprathreshold gratings of different orientations by two-month-old infants was tested with the use of a type of familiarization–novelty paradigm. Infants showed clear discrimination between horizontally and vertically oriented gratings. Infants failed, however, to discriminate mirror-image obliques from each other and also failed to discriminate nonmirror-image obliques. Considered along with previous demonstrations in children and adults of a greater confusability of oblique grating pairs relative to that of the horizontal and vertical pair, these findings indicate that this differential confusability of orientation is, at least in part, manifest in humans by two months of age.
Body mass index and 15-year mortality in a cohort of black men and women

Abstract The association between body mass index (BMI) and mortaliy was investigated in 2453 black male (aged 30–79 years) and 2731 black female (aged 40–79 years) members of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan. During a 15-year follow-up 393 male and 283 female deaths were identified. Analyses were conducted separately in a lower and an upper range of BMI (as well as over the entire range), to isolate separate effects of low weight and high weight on mortality. Particular attention was also paid to potential bias from cigarette smoking and antecedent illness. Cox regression analyses showed that over the entire range of BMI the adjusted BMI-mortality association was significantly J-shaped for the men and essentially flat for the women. The inverse association between BMI and mortality in the lower range of BMI was statistically significant for the men; the adjusted relative hazard increasing from the 10th to the 50th percentile of BMI was 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59–0.98). The positive association between BMI and mortality in the upper range of BMI was highly statistically significant for the men; the adjusted relative hazard increasing from the 50th to the 90th percentile of BMI was 1.37 (95% CI 1.14–1.63). Whether controlled by multivariate analysis, by excluding the first 5 years of follow-up from the analyses, or by analyzing the BMI-mortality association in smoking-specific and/or illness-specific subgroups, smoking and antecedent illness did not have much impact on the BMI-mortality association, in either sex. The general observations on the BMI-mortality association are similar to findings in some white cohorts.
Transforming Historic Architecture into Viable Museums: The Conservation Perspective

(2003). Transforming Historic Architecture into Viable Museums: The Conservation Perspective. Museum International: Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 39-47.
Methods to optimize selective hyperthermia

Laser immunotherapy, a novel therapy for breast cancer, utilizes selective photothermal interaction to raise the temperature of tumor tissue above the cell damage threshold. Photothermal interaction is achieved with intratumoral injection of a laser absorbing dye followed by non-invasive laser irradiation. When tumor heating is used in combination with immunoadjuvant to stimulate an immune response, anti-tumor immunity can be achieved. In our study, gelatin phantom simulations were used to optimize therapy parameters such as laser power, laser beam radius, and dye concentration to achieve maximum heating of target tissue with the minimum heating of non-targeted tissue. An 805-nm diode laser and indocyanine green (ICG) were used to achieve selective photothermal interactions in a gelatin phantom. Spherical gelatin phantoms containing ICG were used to simulate the absorption-enhanced target tumors, which were embedded inside gelatin without ICG to simulate surrounding non-targeted tissue. Different laser powers and dye concentrations were used to treat the gelatin phantoms. The temperature distributions in the phantoms were measured, and the data were used to determine the optimal parameters used in selective hyperthermia (laser power and dye concentration for this case). The method involves an optimization coefficient, which is proportional to the difference between temperatures measured in targeted and non-targeted gel. The coefficient is also normalized by the difference between the most heated region of the target gel and the least heated region. A positive optimization coefficient signifies a greater temperature increase in targeted gelatin when compared to non-targeted gelatin, and therefore, greater selectivity. Comparisons were made between the optimization coefficients for varying laser powers in order to demonstrate the effectinvess of this method in finding an optimal parameter set. Our experimental results support the proposed use of an optimization coefficient to find optimal parameters for selective hyperthermia.
Metabolic rates of wintering blanding's turtles, Emydoidea blandingii

Abstract 1. 1. Aquatic .VO2 of three adult Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) wintering at 3°C on the bottom of a small Massachusetts pond was 0.342 ± 0.012 gml O2/g/hr ( x ± SE ). 2. 2. This moderate rate of metabolism, compared with that of other species at low water temperature, is probably correlated with the physical characteristics of the hibernation site and the amount of movement demonstrated by wintering animals.
Health insurance status and hypertension monitoring and control in the United States.

Background In this study, we examined whether insurance status (private, Medicare, Medicaid, no insurance) was associated with the odds of blood pressure (BP) monitoring and control. Methods We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted in 1999 through 2002, defining hypertension as either self-report of elevated BP or an elevated BP value on examination. We conducted multivariate analyses adjusting for age, income, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and medical comorbidities. Results Among all hypertensive participants, only 58% of the uninsured had a BP check within 6 months, compared to 82% of the privately insured. Overall, uninsured individuals (adjusted odds ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.44–0.92) were at lower odds of adequate BP control than the privately insured. Among treated participants, the uninsured were at lower odds of adequate control (adjusted OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.23–0.73) than the privately insured. Among participants who self-reported hypertension but were not taking antihypertensive medications, the odds of elevated BP did not differ by insurance status. No differences in BP control were observed for participants with Medicare or Medicaid compared to those with private insurance, in any comparisons. Conclusions Lack of insurance is associated with lower rates of BP control among treated hypertensives, whereas the odds of elevated BP are similar among untreated hypertensives with different insurance status. Variation in BP control between the uninsured and privately insured with hypertension is likely related to differences in appropriate treatment intensification or adherence, rather than differences in rates of treatment initiation.
The effect of the Kyoto Protocol on carbon dioxide emissions

In this paper, we investigate the impact of the Kyoto Protocol on world emissions of a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. We use a large unbalanced panel data consisting of 177 countries from 1980 to 2006. The key finding of this paper is that there are structural breaks in the data that demonstrate the effects of the international agreement. While carbon dioxide emissions declined for industrialized (Annex B) countries since the signing of the international agreement, the effect of income per capita is much larger during these years. However in the same period, the effect of industrial production has declined not just for industrialized countries but for developing countries as well. The results are robust to the exclusion of the US and Australia as Annex B countries since they had not ratified the protocol by 2006.
Common CTA features of Ebstein anomaly in a middle-aged woman with a heart murmur and dyspnea on exertion

Ebstein anomaly is a rare and complex congenital heart defect that may present with a variety of clinical symptoms. This article presents the case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with a history of a heart murmur and progressively worsening dyspnea on exertion. We describe the imaging features and protocol used for visualizing the congenital defect on a 256-channel multidetector CT scanner.
Site frequency spectra from genomic SNP surveys

Genomic survey data now permit an unprecedented level of sensitivity in the detection of departures from canonical evolutionary models, including expansions in population size and selective sweeps. Here, we examine the effects of seemingly subtle differences among sampling distributions on goodness of fit analyses of site frequency spectra constructed from single nucleotide polymorphisms. Conditioning on the observation of exactly two alleles in a random sample results in a site frequency spectrum that is independent of the scaled rate of neutral substitution (θ). Other sampling distributions, including conditioning on a single mutational event in the sample genealogy or randomly selecting a single mutation from a genealogy with multiple mutations, have distinct site frequency spectra that show highly significant departures from the predictions of the biallelic model. Some aspects of data filtering may contribute to significant departures of site frequency spectra from expectation, apart from any violation of the standard neutral model.
Highly Luminescent, Stable, and Water-Soluble CdSe/CdS Core−Shell Dendron Nanocrystals with Carboxylate Anchoring Groups

A dendron ligand with two carboxylate anchoring groups at its focal point and eight hydroxyl groups as its terminal groups was found to efficiently convert as-synthesized CdSe/CdS core−shell nanocrystals in toluene to water-soluble dendron-ligand stabilized nanocrystals (dendron nanocrystals). The resulting dendron nanocrystals retained 60% of the photoluminescence value of the original CdSe/CdS core−shell nanocrystals in toluene and were significantly brighter than the similar dendron nanocrystals with thiolate (deprotonated thiol group) as the anchoring group which retained just 10% of the photoluminescence value of the original CdSe/CdS core−shell nanocrystals in toluene. The carboxylate-based dendron nanocrystals survived UV irradiation in air for at least 13 days, about 9 times better than the thiolate-based dendron nanocrystals (35 h) and similar to that of the thiolate-based dendron-box stabilized CdSe/CdS core−shell nanocrystals (box nanocrystals). Upon UV irradiation, the dendron nanocrystals bec...
Bladder cancer mortality after spinal cord injury over 4 decades.

Purpose: We estimate bladder cancer mortality in people with spinal cord injury compared to the general population.Materials and Methods: Data and statistics were retrieved from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center and the National Center for Health Statistics. The mortality experience of the 45,486 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury treated at a Spinal Cord Injury Model System or Shriners Hospital was compared to the general population using a standardized mortality ratio. The standardized mortality ratio data were further stratified by age, gender, race, time since injury and injury severity.Results: Our study included 566,532 person-years of followup between 1960 and 2009, identified 10,575 deaths and categorized 99 deaths from bladder cancer. The expected number of deaths from bladder cancer would have been 14.8 if patients with spinal cord injury had the same bladder cancer mortality as the general population. Thus, the standardized mortality ratio is 6.7 (95% CI 5.4–8.1). Incre...
Practical perioperative pain control in children and adults

Pain is soul-destroying. No patient should have to endure intense pain unnecessarily. The quality of mercy is essential to the practice of medicine. Here of all places it should not be strained.The...
Microfluidic light scattering as a tool to study the structure of aqueous polymer solutions

A small-angle light scattering (SALS) apparatus, coupled with a specially designed microfluidic device is shown to monitor the formation and subsequent size distribution of giant multilamellar vesicles of a diblock copolymer in aqueous solution. The closed-face design, fabricated between glass slides using a UV-curable optical adhesive, incorporates multiple inlets, a mixing system, and a viewing window to perform on-line SALS. The mixing of each component is tested using polystyrene latex microspheres. Vesicles of the block copolymer, EO6BO11 in aqueous solution are formed on the SALS chip and the pair distance distribution function determined using an inverse Fourier transformation of the scattered intensity to quantify the population and distribution for a range of vesicle sizes. These experiments provide demonstrations of how SALS on a microfluidic device can be used as a rapid screening tool to optimize processing conditions for a range of polymer solutions.
Obituary Analysis of Early 20th Century Marriage and Family Patterns in Northwest Ohio.

This research is a content analysis of obituary notices gathered over a one-year period of time from a newspaper in a micropolitan area in northwest Ohio. Obituary collection was limited to those aged 65 and over at the time of death and who resided in the region. The purpose of the research is to examine marital and family patterns such as age at marriage, length of marriage, marital status at time of death, and number of surviving children and their offspring. The data indicate that single women had the highest average age at death while those married at time of death were married earlier, generally died at an older age, and had fewer surviving children and grandchildren when compared with women widowed at time of death. Patterns were less consistent among men. However, men widowed at time of death were generally older at time of death when compared with men married at time of death.
Polyadenylic Acid Sequences: Role in Conversion of Nuclear RNA into Messenger RNA

Polyadenylic acid [poly(A)] segments containing 150 to 250 nucleotides appear to be covalently linked to heterogeneous nuclear RNA (HnRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) in eucaryotic cells. The poly(A) is synthesized in the nucleus, and is probably linked initially to HnRNA that is ultimately transported as mRNA to the cytoplasm. Studies with inhibitors of RNA or poly(A) synthesis indicate that synthesis of poly(A) segments is independent of transcription. The poly(A) marker may prove useful to elucidate mRNA modification and transport in eucaryotic cells.s
International Sleeve Gastrectomy Expert Panel Consensus Statement: best practice guidelines based on experience of >12,000 cases.

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is an emerging surgical approach, but 1 that has seen a surge in popularity because of its perceived technical simplicity, feasibility, and good outcomes. An international expert panel was convened in Coral Gables, Florida on March 25 and 26, 2011, with the purpose of providing best practice guidelines through consensus regarding the performance of LSG. The panel comprised 24 centers and represented 11 countries, spanning all major regions of the world and all 6 populated continents, with a collective experience of 12,000 cases. It was thought prudent to hold an expert consensus meeting of some of the surgeons across the globe who have performed the largest volume of cases to discuss and provide consensus on the indications, contraindications, and procedural aspects of LSG. The panel undertook this consensus effort to help the surgical community improve the efficacy, lower the complication rates, and move toward adoption of standardized techniques and measures. The meeting took place at on-site meeting facilities, Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, Florida. Methods: Expert panelists were invited to participate according to their publications, knowledge and experience, and identification as surgeons who had performed 500 cases. The topics for consensus encompassed patient selection, contraindications, surgical technique, and the prevention and management of complications. The responses were calculated and defined as achieving con- sensus (70% agreement) or no consensus (70% agreement). Results: Full consensus was obtained for the essential aspects of the indications and contraindi- cations, surgical technique, management, and prevention of complications. Consensus was achieved for 69 key questions. Conclusion: The present consensus report represents the best practice guidelines for the perfor- mance of LSG, with recommendations in the 3 aforementioned areas. This report and its findings support a first effort toward the standardization of techniques and adoption of working recommen- dations formulated according to expert experience. (Surg Obes Relat Dis 2012;8:8-19.) © 2012 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. All rights reserved.
Quality of life and the patient with cancer. Individual and policy implications

This article reviews the developments during the past decade that have led to a better definition and conceptualization of the term "quality of life." There is growing consensus regarding the dimensions of quality of life, along with an expansion of the number of tools appropriate for measuring quality of life in patients with cancer. Quality of life increasingly is being used as an outcome in research, especially clinical trials. However, there remain some areas of controversy, including the application of economic analyses (utility and cost-effectiveness studies) and the potential conflict between the needs of the individual versus society. In the future, we can expect development of a theoretical framework for quality of life research. Clinicians may begin to routinely evaluate quality of life in their patients and use these evaluations as part of the clinical decision making process in individual patients. Ultimately, policy decisions also may incorporate some form of quality of life assessment.
Random response of antisymmetric angle-ply composite plates with levy boundary conditions

Abstract The forced vibration problem of antisymmetric angle-ply composite plates with Levy boundary conditions is solved using the principal modes of the free vibration problem and its adjoint. The formulation of the vibration problem is based on a third-order shear deformation theory. The root-mean-square values and zero-crossing rates of several response quantities are obtained for plates with different boundary conditions subjected to temporally and spatially correlated random loads. To evaluate the effects of shear deformations, the numerical results have also been obtained for the plate problems formulated according to the first-order shear deformation theory and classical lamination theory, and compared with the results obtained for the third-order theory. It is observed that the third- and first-order theories provide almost the same results for the natural frequencies, zero-crossing rates and lateral displacements. These two theories, however, do not give similar results for the normal and shear stress responses across the thickness of the plates, especially near a clamped edge. The results of the classical lamination theory which disregards shear deformations are, of course, quite different from those of the two shear deformation theories.
Drawbacks of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy

Background: Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) has come into widespread use for palmar hyperhidrosis and other complaints of the upper limb and of the head and neck, but there are concerns about its safety. This review highlights the operative complications and long-term side-effects that may occur. Methods: A Medline search was carried out using the terms ‘thoracoscopic sympathectomy’, ‘endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy’ and ‘complications’. References from identified articles were handsearched for further relevant articles. The senior author’s experience and personal communications were also taken into account. Results and conclusion: No death following ETS has ever been reported in the literature, but nine anecdotal fatalities are known, five resulting from major intrathoracic bleeding and three from anaesthetic mishap. Significant intrathoracic bleeding may occur in up to 5 per cent of patients but only a minority require thoracotomy; pneumothorax occurs in 2 per cent of patients and two instances of brain damage are known. In the longer term compensatory hyperhidrosis is extremely common and 1–2 per cent of patients regret having had surgery because of its severity. Horner’s syndrome, on the other hand, is rare. Improvements in instrumentation, adequate training and careful patient selection may help reduce the drawbacks of ETS.
Alternative Splicing of the Fibronectin EIIIB Exon Depends on Specific TGCATG Repeats

The fibronectin EIIIB exon is alternatively spliced in a cell-type-specific manner, and TGCATG repeats in the intron downstream of EIIIB have been implicated in this regulation. Analysis of the intron sequence from several vertebrates shows that the pattern of repeats in the 3′ half of the intron is evolutionarily conserved. Point mutations in certain highly conserved repeats greatly reduce EIIIB inclusion, suggesting that a multicomponent complex may recognize the repeats. Expression of the SR protein SRp40, SRp20, or ASF/SF2 stimulates EIIIB inclusion. Studies of the interplay between mutations in the repeats and SRp40-stimulated inclusion suggest that the repeats are recognized in many, if not all, cell types, and that EIIIB inclusion may be regulated by quantitative changes in multiple factors.
Decapitated Lunar Goddesses in Aztec Art, Myth, and Ritual

Aztec images of decapitated goddesses link the symbolism of astronomy with politics and the seasonal cycle. Rituals reenacting decapitation may refer to lunar events in the context of a solar calendar, providing evidence of a luni-solar calendar. Decapitation imagery also involves metaphors expressing the rivalry between the cults of the sun and the moon. Huitzilopochtli's decapitation of Coyolxauhqui can be interpreted as a symbol of political conquest linked to the triumph of the sun over the moon. Analysis of Coyolxauhqui's imagery and mythology indicates that she represents the full moon eclipsed by the sun. Details of the decapitation myth indicate specific links with seasonal transition and events taking place at dawn and at midnight. Other decapitated goddesses, often referred to as earth goddesses with “lunar connections,” belong to a complex of lunar deities representing the moon within the earth (the new moon). Cihuacoatl, a goddess of the new moon, takes on threatening quality when she assumes the form of a tzitzimime attacking the sun during a solar eclipse. The demonic new moon was greatly feared, for it could cause an eternal solar eclipse bringing the Aztec world to an end.
The failing human heart.

Heart failure remains a significant public health problem with an unacceptably high morbidity and mortality affecting about three persons per thousand per year [1]. The percent survival following diagnosis decreases significantly as a function of the severity of the disease with survival rates for NYHA (New York Heart Association) I–II being 65% at the end of 4 years, for NYHA III it is 50% at the 4-year period and for NYHA IV it is 50% after only 1 year [2,3],1. In the patients with heart failure, there is a significant correlation between survivability and ejection fraction [4]. The deficits in ventricular function in failing human hearts led us to examine the contributions of the contractile (acto–myosin interaction) and excitation–contraction–coupling (EC) (calcium cycling) systems to that insufficiency. ### 2.1 Myofibrillar ATPase activity and velocity of shortening The first demonstration of a molecular alteration in the contractile system of human failing hearts was found in studies carried out on myofibrils from failing hearts (secondary to hypertensive heart disease) and non failing hearts (accident victims) [5]. The myofibrillar ATPase activity in the failing human hearts was reduced from non failing values (mean±S.D.)2 of 0.99±0.05 to 0.69±0.04 μmole Pi/mg myofibrillar protein/15 min ( P <0.001). The functional consequences of the depressed ATPase activity were not completely clear at the time these experiments were carried out although we believed the depressed activity was associated with a decrease in contractility of the heart muscle. This view was supported by a decrease in the contractility of actomyosin strands [6] and glycerinated fibers [7] from failing heart muscle. From the perspective of ventricular function, the decreased contractility involves contractile force, velocity of shortening or a combination of the two. The relationship between force and velocity of shortening was thoroughly described by Hill [8] where the hyperbolic relationship was believed to be … * Corresponding author. Fax: +1-807-656-747
Dementia: its diagnosis and medical management.

“Dementia” refers to a broad neurological syndrome marked by multifaceted intellectual loss. Primary and secondary forms exist. Alzheimer's disease, a primary dementia, is the most important cause of the syndrome. It has a well-defined pathology and a characteristic clinical presentation, but its etiology, or etiologies, remains unknown. No currently available medical therapy can reverse or arrest Alzheimer's disease. However, treatment of associated symptoms and attention to the needs of patients and their families can blunt some of the effects of this devastating illness.