cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preliminary results of hyperopic photorefractive keratectomy (HPRK) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

The preliminary results of hyperopic photorefractive keratectomy (HPRK) performed with the VISX-Star excimer laser on 40 eyes of 25 patients are presented. 28 of 40 eyes had vision of 20/40 at 6 months and 22 of 25 eyes saw 20/40 12 months postoperatively. Eleven of 40 patients were over corrected 1.00 D at 6 months and no patients were overcorrected with the same amount at 12 months postop. At six months, no undercorrections of 1.00 D were observed and 3 of 25 eyes were undercorrected by 1.00 D at 12 months postop. At 6 months postop, 35 of 40 eyes saw for near J5 or better, and 20 of 25 saw J5 at 12 months postop. Complications included: induced astigmatism of 1.00 D (6 of 40 eyes at 6 months and 3 of 25 eyes at 12 months), and loss of two lines of best corrected vision (4 of 40 at 6 month,s and 2 of 25 at 12 months). HPRK appears to be safe and effective in correcting hyperopia of up to 4.00 D in the short to medium term.
Safety of short-term valacyclovir as an anti-sickling agent in sickle-cell anemia.

To assess safety and tolerability, we administered valacyclovir, an oral anti-viral medication that inhibits erythrocyte sickling in vitro, to 14 subjects with sickle-cell anemia for 1 week at a standard dose of 1,000 mg every 8 hr. No clinically significant adverse effects occurred. In 11 subjects in steady state, the mean hemoglobin concentration was almost constant while the absolute reticulocyte count decreased in eight (P = 0.1) and the overall mean fell slightly although not significantly (10%, P = 0.2). These results suggest that valacyclovir is safe and well tolerated in patients with sickle-cell anemia and that a longer duration of therapy merits investigation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:843–845. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Liver Involvement in Early Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background & Aims Polycystic liver disease (PLD), the most common extrarenal manifestation of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), has become more prevalent as a result of increased life expectancy, improved renal survival, reduced cardiovascular mortality, and renal replacement therapy. No studies have fully characterized PLD in large cohorts. We investigated whether liver and cyst volumes are associated with volume of the hepatic parenchyma, results from liver laboratory tests, and patient-reported outcomes. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of baseline liver volumes, measured by magnetic resonance imaging, and their association with demographics, results from liver laboratory and other tests, and quality of life. The data were collected from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial underway at 7 tertiary-care medical centers to determine whether the combination of an angiotensin I–converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II–receptor blocker was superior to the inhibitor alone, and whether low blood pressure ( Results We found hepatomegaly to be common among patients with ADPKD. Cysts and parenchyma contributed to hepatomegaly. Cysts were more common and liver and cyst volumes were greater in women, increasing with age. Patients with advanced disease had a relative loss of liver parenchyma. We observed small abnormalities in results from liver laboratory tests, and that splenomegaly and hypersplenism were associated with PLD severity. Higher liver volumes were associated with a lower quality of life. Conclusions Hepatomegaly is common even in early stage ADPKD and is not accounted for by cysts alone. Parenchymal volumes were larger, compared with liver volumes of patients without ADPKD or with those predicted by standardized equations, even among patients without cysts. The severity of PLD was associated with altered biochemical and hematologic features, as well as quality of life. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00283686.
Continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration using bicarbonate dialysate

We report our experience with 11 children treated by continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration. The median age was 5.0 years (range 3 days to 14 years). Access was via dual-lumen subclavian or femoral vein catheters. Hemofilters were chosen on the basis of patient size and dialysis requirements. Bicarbonate-buffered dialysis solution was prepared shortly before use by supplementation of a specially prepared base solution with commercially available electrolyte solutions. The mean ultrafiltration rate was 37.4±27 ml/kg body weight per hour. Urea and creatinine clearances were 15.1±6.4 ml/kg body weight per min and 16.4±8.4 ml/kg body weight per min, respectively. Metabolic acidosis was readily controlled in all patients. Of the 11 patients, 7 ultimately recovered normal renal function.
The Kuroshio flow-through in the East China Sea: A numerical model

Abstract The Bryan-Cox model of general ocean circulation is adapted to the East China Sea to study the flow-through of the Kuroshio. The model domain lies between 22°N and 35°N and between 119°E and 135°E, with a horizontal grid size of 1 6 ° and a vertical resolution provided by 30 levels so placed as to represent adequately the rapid change in bottom topography over the upper continental slope that underlies the Kuroshio. The model is driven by a steady inflow and outflow consistent with the Sverdrup transport calculated from the annual mean windstress field over the entire North Pacific. Temperature and salinity at the model sea surface are relaxed to the climatological values on a 50-day time scale. There is no locally imposed windstress. The model is initialized with the inflow-and-outflow-forced streamfunction field and climatological fields of temperature and salinity. The outflow condition is subsequently updated to reflect the redistribution suggested by the adjusted interior during the first year of integration. The model is then run with a combination of relaxation and radiation conditions along open boundaries for a total of six years, nearly five years beyond the time when the basin averaged kinetic energy reaches a constant value. In the final quasi-steady state, the model exhibits many of the patterns evident in observations, including a sharpened Kuroshio front over the upper continental slope, the countercurrent at about 200 m northeast of Taiwan, and the separation of the Kuroshio at about 30°N. A budget calculation at the final state shows that about 5% of the net poleward heat transport carried by the Kuroshio across 24°N in the North Pacific is routed through the marginal seas. Similarly, a salt flux about 5% of the net poleward transport carried by the Kuroshio across 24°N is directed to the north into the Sea of Japan, making the East China Sea an important salt source for water mass formation at high latitudes in the North Pacific Ocean.
Evaluation of volcanic gas analyses from Kilauea volcano

Abstract Much of the chemical variation and disequilibrium in Kilauean volcanic gas analyses is the result of contamination by meteoric water and, to a lesser extent, organic matter. Contamination by meteoric water is extensive in some samples, causing variations of two to three orders of magnitude in atomic H/C. severely contaminated with meteoric water that did not equilibrate with the “Magmatic” gases and consequently gives the analyses a disequilibrium appearance. When the contaminating H 2 O is removed, the analyses converge to equilibrium mixtures in the temperature range 1085°C to 1185°C with O 2 fugacities slightly above those for the quartz-magnetite-fayalite buffer. The restored analyses are richer in CO 2 (18–50%) and SO 2 (10–21%) and poorer in H 2 O (37–70%) than are the original analyses. There is no single gas phase composition for erupting Kilauea basalts. The restored J-series gases and the higher quality gases collected from Kilauea since 1920 form a spectrum of gas compositions related by CO 2 content. A trend of decreasing CO 2 with progressive outgassing is suggested. The extremes in the spectrum of compositions, based on presently available data, range from an “early” magmatic gas containing 50% CO 2 , 35% H 2 O, and 15% SO 2 to a more evolved gas with 70% H 2 O, 10% CO 2 and 20% SO 2 . The common presence of hydrocarbons and anomalously low atomic S/C in several Kilauea gas analyses is due to contamination of erupting lavas with organic materials. A similar origin also applies to above background levels of environmentally hazardous organohalogens in volcanic gases. Thermodynamic calculations indicate these compounds would be virtually absent in gases erupted from lavas at temperatures above 500–600°C.
Unbounded ethnicity — The tourist network and its satellites

Fieldwork is one of the hallmarks of anthropology. Almost all students of anthropology have geographical and cultural specializations, ranging from a small group to a nation. Their interest areas are often identified or marked by real or putative boundaries; and it is within these boundaries that anthropologists have “founded” their own villages and tribes — “my village”, “my tribe.”
Frequency of Positive Surgical Margin at Prostatectomy and Its Effect on Patient Outcome

A positive surgical margin at prostatectomy is defined as tumor cells touching the inked edge of the specimen. This finding is reported in 8.8% to 42% of cases (median about 20%) in various studies. It is one of the main determinants of eventual biochemical (PSA) failure, generally associated with a doubled or tripled risk of failure. The effect of a positive margin on outcome can be modified by stage or grade and the length, number and location of positive margins, as well as by technical operative approach and duration of operator experience. This paper tabulates data from the past decade of studies on margin status.
Transposon-mediated insertion of R factor into bacterial chromosome.

Insertion of transposon Tn1 into the E. coli JC411 chromosome results in a sharp increase of plasmid RP4 integration frequency. This effect is absent in JC1553 recA cells. The RP4 integration with the chromosome is probably accomplished via recA-dependent recombination between transposon Tn1 inserted into the chromosome and the same transposon in the RP4 plasmid.
The extended retrosigmoid approach for neoplastic lesions in the posterior fossa: technique modification.

Approaches to the cerebellar-pontine angle and petroclival region can be challenging due to intervening eloquent neurovascular structures and cerebellar retraction required to view this anatomic compartment with the standard retrosigmoid technique. As previously described [11], the extended retrosigmoid provides additional access to space ventral to the brainstem through mobilization of the sigmoid sinus. We report our further experience and modifications of this approach for neoplastic pathology. The standard craniotomy is utilized, and the burr holes are placed slightly beyond the transverse sinus as well as the transverse–sigmoid junction and down towards the foramen magnum, as low as possible. Another burr hole is placed over the cerebral hemisphere to facilitate the dural dissection below the bone flap and over the transverse and sigmoid sinuses. We then perform a standard retrosigmoid craniotomy with a craniotome and the transverse and sigmoid sinuses are skeletonized. Consequently, the sigmoid sinus can then mobilized anteriorly to provide an unobstructed view in line with the petrous bone, while exposure of the transverse sinus provides access to the tentorium. Fifteen patients (March 2006–July 2008) underwent this approach to manage neoplastic lesions, including five meningiomas, three schwannomas, one epidermoid, and four intra-axial metastatic lesions. The nine extra-axial lesions were predominantly in the cerebellar-pontine angle with extension medial to the seventh/eighth nerve complex to the petroclival region. Gross total resection was obtained in all patients. The primary complication due to the exposure was a clinically asymptomatic sigmoid sinus thrombosis in one patient. Requiring a fundamental change in the management of the venous sinuses, the extended retrosigmoid craniotomy permits mobilization of the sigmoid and transverse sinuses. In this process, the entire cerebellar-pontine angle extending from the tentorium to the foramen magnum can be visualized with minimal cerebellar retraction. This technical modification over the standard retrosigmoid approach may provide a useful advantage to neurosurgeons dealing with these complex lesions.
The optimal number of donor biopsy sites to evaluate liver histology for transplantation

Macrovesicular steatosis (MaS), fibrosis, and inflammation have been associated with poor graft function after liver transplantation. We evaluated histological variation in livers to determine the optimal number of biopsies to estimate pathological characteristics in livers for transplantation. Specimens from autopsies performed during 3 months in 16- to 70-years-olds without known liver disease or drug and/or alcohol abuse were examined. Eight needle biopsies were performed, and hematoxylin and eosin–stained slides were evaluated. Percentages of MaS and microvesicular steatosis (MiS) were determined, and inflammation and fibrosis were scored as 0 to 4. MaS correlated positively with MiS, and inflammation correlated positively with fibrosis, whereas patient weight showed a significant correlation with liver weight and body mass index. No patient characteristic showed a significant correlation with histological findings. Subjects 55 years and older showed no increase in pathological findings compared with those younger than 55 years. When any site was compared with the average of the other sites, Spearman's ρ correlation ranged from 0.89 to 0.95 for MaS, 0.89 to 0.94 for MiS, 0.54 to 0.80 for inflammation, and 0.66 to 0.80 for fibrosis. Two biopsies explained 95% of variations for MaS and MiS and 85% for inflammation and fibrosis. There was no significant difference between findings in the right and left lobes of livers. These findings suggest that no single site best predicts pathological findings, and there is little variation among sites. In borderline cases of MaS, significant pathological characteristics may be found in additional biopsies. Therefore, we recommend two biopsy sites to evaluate donor livers with suspicious clinical histories. (Liver Transpl 2002;8:1044-1050.)
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor and HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor as Adjunct Treatment for Persons with HIV Infection: A Feasibility Randomized Trial

Background: Treatments that reduce inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among individuals with HIV infection receiving effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) are needed. Design and Methods: We conducted a 262 factorial feasibility study of lisinopril (L) (10 mg daily) vs L-placebo in combination with pravastatin (P) (20 mg daily) vs P-placebo among participants receiving ART with undetectable HIV RNA levels, a Framingham 10 year risk score (FRS) $3%, and no indication for ACE-I or statin therapy. Tolerability and adherence were evaluated. Longitudinal mixed models assessed changes in blood pressure (BP), blood lipids, and inflammatory biomarkers from baseline through months 1 and 4. Results: Thirty-seven participants were randomized and 34 [lisinopril/pravastatin (n=9), lisinopril/P-placebo (n=8), Lplacebo/pravastatin (n=9), L-placebo/P-placebo (n=8)] attended at least one follow-up visit. Participants were 97% male, 41% white, 67% were current smokers, and 65% were taking a protease inhibitor. Median age was 48 years, CD4 count 483 cells/mm 3 , FRS 7.79%, total cholesterol 184 mg/dL, and LDL-C 95 mg/dL. There was no treatment difference for pravastatin vs P-placebo in total cholesterol, LDL-C, or any of the inflammatory biomarkers. Participants randomized to lisinopril vs. Lplacebo had significant declines in diastolic BP (23.3 mmHg, p=0.05), hsCRP (20.61 mg/mL, p=0.02) and TNF-a (20.17 pg/ mL, p=0.04). Participants taking lisinopril vs L-placebo were more likely to report missed doses (88 vs 35%; p=0.001) and have adherence ,90% by pill count (42 vs. 0%; p=0.02). Few participants from either group reported side effects (n=3 vs. n=1). Conclusions: The modest BP changes and decreased adherence with lisinopril and absence of lipid differences with pravastatin suggest future studies of these drug classes should consider a run-in period to assess adherence and use a different statin. Our results also indicate that ACE-I therapy may have anti-inflammatory benefits for ART-treated persons with HIV infection and this should be further evaluated.
Optimal experiment selection for parameter estimation in biological differential equation models

Background: Parameter estimation in biological models is a common yet challenging problem. In this work we explore the problem for gene regulatory networks modeled by differential equations with unknown parameters, such as decay rates, reaction rates, Michaelis-Menten constants, and Hill coefficients. We explore the question to what extent parameters can be efficiently estimated by appropriate experimental selection. Results: A minimization formulation is used to find the parameter values that best fit the experiment data. When the data is insufficient, the minimization problem often has many local minima that fit the data reasonably well. We show that selecting a new experiment based on the local Fisher Information of one local minimum generates additional data that allows one to successfully discriminate among the many local minima. The parameters can be estimated to high accuracy by iteratively performing minimization and experiment selection. We show that the experiment choices are roughly independent of which local minima is used to calculate the local Fisher Information. Conclusions: We show that by an appropriate choice of experiments, one can, in principle, efficiently and accurately estimate all the parameters of gene regulatory network. In addition, we demonstrate that appropriate experiment selection can also allow one to restrict model predictions without constraining the parameters using many fewer experiments. We suggest that predicting model behaviors and inferring parameters represent two different approaches to model calibration with different requirements on data and experimental cost.
Variation for Resistance to Verticillium Wilt in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Host resistance offers the most cost-effective method of Verticillium wilt control in lettuce (Lactuca sativa). In 2004 and 2005, 107 and 22 lettuce cultivars, respectively, were screened for resistance in a field infested with Verticillium dahliae, and disease progress on resistant and susceptible cultivars was determined. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate 16 cultivars for resistance to a race 1 and a race 2 isolate. Significant differences for resistance were observed within cultivated lettuce. In susceptible cultivars, disease levels increased through the season, whereas disease in resistant cultivars remained constant. Resistance in greenhouse tests was dependant upon the race used. Seven cultivars were resistant to race 1, whereas all were susceptible to race 2. Cultivar reactions to race 1 in greenhouse and field experiments were correlated, indicating the utility of greenhouse evaluations. The identification of resistance in diverse lettuce types is beneficial to the breeding process. However, because of the existence of resistance-breaking race 2 isolates, this resistance may not be durable. Alternatively, targeted releases of race-1-resistant cultivars to fields with only race 1 pathogen genotypes may extend the life of these cultivars.
Abstract 1238: Apigenin suppresses inhibitor of apoptosis family protein expression and disrupts Ku70-bax interaction in prostate cancer cells in culture andin vivo

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), an anticancer agent, selective toxic to cancer cells induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The molecular mechanism(s) of this effect has not been fully elucidated. It is well known that dysfunction of the apoptotic pathway confers apoptosis resistance through inhibitor of apoptosis family protein (IAP) and deregulation of Bax/Bcl2 pathway in prostate cancer cells. In the present study we provide evidence for the mechanisms of apoptosis induction by apigenin. Treatment of androgen-refractory human prostate cancer PC-3 and DU145 cells with 5-40µM apigenin resulted in dose-dependent suppression of XIAP, c-IAP1, c-IAP2 and survivin protein levels. Apigenin treatment (20µM) resulted in significant decrease in cell viability and apoptosis induction with the release of cytochrome C in time-dependent manner. These effects of apigenin were accompanied by decrease in Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 and increase in the active form of Bax protein. The apigenin-mediated increase in Bax was due to dissociation of Bax from Ku70 which is essential for apoptotic activity of Bax. Apigenin treatment resulted in the inhibition of class I histone deacetylases and HDAC1 protein expression, thereby increasing the acetylation of Ku70 and the dissociation of Bax resulting in apoptosis of cancer cells. Furthermore, apigenin significantly reduced HDAC1 occupancy at the XIAP promoter, suggesting that histone deacetylation might be critical for XIAP downregulation. In in vivo studies, per-oral intake of apigenin at doses of 20 and 50µg/mouse/day, two weeks after PC-3 cell implantation, continued for 8 weeks resulted in significant inhibition of tumor volume by 32.5% and 51.3% (P<0.001) and decrease in wet weight tumor by 33.3% and 55.1% (P<0.001), respectively. The animals did not exhibit any signs of toxicity or reduced food consumption. Compared to vehicle-treated controls, induction of apoptosis was significantly increased in tumor xenografts in apigenin fed mice (P<0.001) along with marked reduction in the protein expression of XIAP and survivin in PC-3 tumor xenografts. A dose-dependent decrease in HDAC1 expression, increase in Bax and PARP cleavage was observed in apigenin-treated mice. Taken together, these results suggest that apigenin targets IAP proteins and Ku70-Bax interaction in the induction of apoptosis in prostate cancer cells and in athymic nude mouse xenograft model endorsing its in vivo efficacy. Citation Format: Sanjeev Shukla, Pingfu Fu, Sanjay Gupta. Apigenin suppresses inhibitor of apoptosis family protein expression and disrupts Ku70-bax interaction in prostate cancer cells in culture and in vivo . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1238. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1238
Distributed attitude consensus among multiple networked spacecraft

In this paper we consider the distributed attitude consensus problem among multiple networked spacecraft in deep space, which extends the standard information consensus results in the literature to rigid body rotational dynamics. We propose control laws for three different cases. In the first case, multiple spacecraft align their attitudes during formation maneuvers with zero final angular velocities under an undirected communication topology. In the second case, attitudes are aligned in the presence of nonzero final angular velocities under an undirected communication topology. In the third case, attitude consensus under a directed information exchange topology is addressed. Simulation results for attitude consensus among six spacecraft show the effectiveness of our approach.
The moderating effects of tension-reduction alcohol outcome expectancies on placebo responding in individuals with social phobia

We conjectured that individual differences in tension-reduction alcohol outcome expectancies (TR-AOEs) could produce widely varying responses to manipulations in alcohol-placebo studies and tested this idea by having individuals with social phobia give speeches in front of a group. One speech occurred before and one after participants consumed either a placebo beverage or a control beverage (i.e., a nonalcoholic drink described as containing no alcohol). Study results indicate that the placebo manipulation reduced cognitive and affective symptoms of anxiety to a greater extent for males with high TR-AOEs than for males with low TR-AOEs. This pattern was not found for women in the placebo group or for individuals in the control group. These findings demonstrate a moderating effect of TR-AOEs on the association between the consumption of a placebo beverage and response to an anxiety challenge and highlight the importance of accounting for gender and outcome expectancies when evaluating psychoactive substances.
A unified approach to expectation-maximization and level set segmentation applied to stem cell and brain MRI images

We present a unified approach to Expectation-Maximization (EM) and Level Set image segmentation that combines the advantages of the two algorithms via a geometric prior that encourages local classification similarity. Compared to level sets, our method increases the information returned by providing probabilistic soft decisions, is easily extensible to multiple regions, and does not require solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). Relative to the basic mixture model EM, the unified algorithm improves robustness to noise while smoothing class transitions. We illustrate the versatility and advantages of the algorithm on two real-life problems: segmentation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) colonies in phase contrast microscopic images and information recovery from brain magnetic resonance images (MRI).
Detecting when UNNEST after a sequence of NESTs and UNNESTs can always be reversed with a single NEST

Algebraic database languages for nested relations use two operators, NEST and UNNEST, which change the nesting levels of relations. Consider a first-normal form relation scheme R and a sequence SEQ of NEST and UNNEST operators on R, with the last operator being an UNNEST on attribute Y. SEQ is single-nest-reversible if, for all instances r of R, the relation instance that preceded UNNEST is obtained, if SEQ(r) is nested on attribute Y. In the present work, the authors give (1) a necessary and sufficient condition that decides whether SEQ is single-nest-reversible or not; (2) the algorithm TEST to check the condition in (1) in O(n/sup 8/) time where n is the length of SEQ; and (3) sound and complete axioms for functional dependencies in one-level nested relations. >
The Construct of Resilience: A Critical Evaluation and Guidelines for Future Work

This paper presents a critical appraisal of resilience, a construct connoting the maintenance of positive adaptation by individuals despite experiences of significant adversity. As empirical research on resilience has burgeoned in recent years, criticisms have been levied at work in this area. These critiques have generally focused on ambiguities in definitions and central terminology; heterogeneity in risks experienced and competence achieved by individuals viewed as resilient; instability of the phenomenon of resilience; and concerns regarding the usefulness of resilience as a theoretical construct. We address each identified criticism in turn, proposing solutions for those we view as legitimate and clarifying misunderstandings surrounding those we believe to be less valid. We conclude that work on resilience possesses substantial potential for augmenting the understanding of processes affecting at-risk individuals. Realization of the potential embodied by this construct, however, will remain constrained without continued scientific attention to some of the serious conceptual and methodological pitfalls that have been noted by skeptics and proponents alike.
The comparative experiences of women in control: diabetes self-management education in a virtual world

The purpose was to characterize participants’ experiences of a diabetes self-management (DSM) education program delivered via a virtual world (VW) versus a face-to-face (F2F) format. Participants included a randomly selected sample of participants who completed the Women in Control study. Four focus groups were conducted with 32 participants. Four researchers coded the data and conducted a qualitative thematic analysis. Four overarching themes were identified. Three domains apply to both VW and F2F formats, including (1) the value of DSM knowledge gained, (2) cultivating DSM attitudes and skills, and (3) the value of peer-derived social support. The fourth domain is labeled positive technological development for DSM (VW condition only). VW and F2F groups both reported mastery of DSM knowledge, attitudes, and skills, and there were no differences in peer-derived social support between groups. The technological aspects of VW participation afforded VW participants a unique sense of personal agency and diabetes self-efficacy not reported by F2F participants. DSM education in a VW is feasible and educational outcomes are similar to a F2F classroom experience. Furthermore, learning DSM skills in a VW offers unique advantages in supporting personal agency for health behavior change. Further research is warranted.
Relationship between the Concentration of Hydrocodone and its Conversion to Hydromorphone in Chronic Pain Patients Using Urinary Excretion Data

Hydrocodone in combination with acetaminophen is commonly used to control moderate pain and is metabolized by cytochrome P4502D6 to form the active metabolite, hydromorphone. The purpose of this study was to determine the metabolic relationship and variability between hydrocodone and its conversion to hydromorphone using urinary excretion data from chronic pain patients. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantitate hydrocodone and hydromorphone concentrations in urine specimens. The first visits of 25,200 subjects who took hydrocodone and not hydromorphone and had measurable concentrations were included in this study. The geometric mean (95% confidence index) of hydrocodone and hydromorphone urine concentrations were 1.39 (1.37-1.41) mg per gram of creatinine and 0.224 (0.221-0.227) mg per gram of creatinine, respectively. The log of creatinine-corrected hydromorphone versus the log of creatinine-corrected hydrocodone showed a positive relationship (R(2) = 0.20), with 60-fold variability between subjects. The plot of the log of the metabolic ratio ([hydromorphone] divided by [hydrocodone]) versus the log of creatinine-corrected hydrocodone had a coefficient of determination of R(2) = 0.42, with 125-fold variability between subjects. Ultra-rapid metabolizers represented 0.6% of the population, whereas 4% were poor metabolizers. Within-subject variability for the excretion of hydrocodone in urine was 23-fold, whereas between-subject variability was 134-fold. Hydrocodone and hydromorphone urine concentrations showed great variability within and between subjects.
Samurai Lovers, ‘Samurai Beasts’: Warriors and Commoners in Ihara Saikaku’s Way of the Warrior Tales

As portraits of the samurai written by a prosperous chōnin, the warrior tales of Ihara Saikaku shed light on the dialectic between the Tokugawa status system and the period’s de facto, wealth-based social hierarchy, as well as on commoner attitudes toward the samurai. With its competing portrayals of samurai heroism, cowardice and outright villainy, and depictions of homosexual love affairs crossing the lines of status group and rank, Saikaku’s collection of samurai vendetta tales Budō denraiki (1687) is especially instructive regarding these issues and has broad implications for the ongoing debate over the extent to which, if at all, one can discern criticism of Tokugawa feudalism in Saikaku’s fiction. This essay demonstrates that Way of the Warrior’s narrative stance toward the samurai is a blend of admiration for the bravery, cultural attainments and style of the samurai with frustration at the limits placed on commoners by a status system based on samurai supremacy and contempt for those samurai who d...
Rediscovering the Taproot: Is Classical Pragmatism the Route to Renew Public Administration?

The origins of the influential American philosophy classical pragmatism and of American public administration overlap. On the surface, it appears that classical pragmatism had no influence on the emerging field of American public administration. Why were the two never properly wed? This essay first traces the historical connections that link public administration and classical pragmatism. Second, using a framework that is simple to remember, the tenets of classical pragmatism—practical, pluralistic, participatory, and provisional—are explored and applied to public administration. The marriage of classical pragmatism and public administration should prove endlessly fertile.
Paleocene–Eocene climatic variation in western North America: Evidence from the δ18O of pedogenic hematite

Reconstruction of the pre-Pleistocene climate of continental interiors has been hampered by a lack of climatic proxies and limited temporal resolution. We developed a new approach based on the oxygen isotope composition (δ 18 O) of hematite, which occurs as a coating on fossil vertebrates, and used this method to study climatic change across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary in the Bighorn basin, Wyoming. Hematite coatings form in soils or shallow sediments, and therefore may be used to monitor near-surface conditions. Hematite δ 18 O values are measured by combining selective leaching, laser fluorination, and mass-balance calculation. These values, in conjunction with δ 18 O values for co-occurring carbonates, are used to assess the plausibility of published hematite-water oxygen isotope fractionation relations. Though uncertainty remains as to the appropriate fractionation, all are relatively insensitive to temperature variations. Thus, differences in hematite δ 18 O values most likely reflect shifts in surface-water δ 18 O values. Analysis of hematites spanning the Paleocene-Eocene transition reveals a roughly 4‰ decrease in the δ 18 O of surface water in very early Eocene time. This episode probably reflects a cooling event (perhaps as great as 6 °C) that started 0.7 m.y. after the terminal Paleocene δ 13 C excursion, which corresponds to a pulse of extreme marine warming. Following the cooling, which lasted ∼0.6 m.y., temperatures rebounded to values close to those for late Paleocene time. The cooling episode coincides remarkably well with other indicators of environmental and climatic change from the basin, such as mammalian turnover events and mean annual temperatures estimated from leaf physiognomy.
Developmental alveologenesis: longer, differential regulation and perhaps more danger

by developmental alveologenesis, we mean the formation of mature pulmonary gas-exchange units (alveoli) that occurs during the overall maturation of the organism. Morphometric estimates of the total number of alveoli in humans who died of nonpulmonary causes led to the conclusion that developmental
Rapid elevation of neuronal cytoplasmic calcium by apolipoprotein E peptide.

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) and certain peptides derived from it have been shown to exert neurotoxic effects in vitro, and apoE has been linked to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. The mechanisms underlying these toxic and pathological effects are, however, not known. To approach this question, we have studied the effects of apoE peptides on the cytoplasmic calcium ([Ca2+]1) homeostasis of cultured cortical neurons. A tandem dimer repeat peptide (apoEdp) derived from the receptor binding domain of apoE was found to have a potent effect on elevation of [Ca2+]1 calcium. The pathway by which apoEdp exerted this effect was shown to involve both the mobilization of intracellular calcium and the influx of extracellular calcium, although the effect on influx was more pronounced. Calcium mobilization occurs via a G-protein-linked phospholipase C (PLC) pathway, whereas calcium influx appears to involve a novel Co2+-sensitive channel. Both the mobilization and the influx of calcium require the binding of the apoE peptide to a membrane receptor because both pathways are blocked by anti-body to low-density-lipoprotein receptor-related protein. The data suggest that the neurotoxic effects of apoE may be mediated by a persistent elevation of [Ca2+]1. J. Cell. Physiol. 173:73–83, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
DNA gyrase and the supercoiling of DNA

Negative supercoiling of bacterial DNA by DNA gyrase influences all metabolic processes involving DNA and is essential for replication. Gyrase supercoils DNA by a mechanism called sign inversion, whereby a positive supercoil is directly inverted to a negative one by passing a DNA segment through a transient double-strand break. Reversal of this scheme relaxes DNA, and this mechanism also accounts for the ability of gyrase to catenate and uncatenate DNA rings. Each round of supercoiling is driven by a conformational change induced by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding: ATP hydrolysis permits fresh cycles. The inhibition of gyrase by two classes of antimicrobials reflects its composition from two reversibly associated subunits. The A subunit is particularly associated with the concerted breakage-and-rejoining of DNA and the B subunit mediates energy transduction. Gyrase is a prototype for a growing class of prokaryotic and eukaryotic topoisomerases that interconvert complex forms by way of transient double-strand breaks.
Inflammatory activation of arachidonic acid signaling in murine P388D1 macrophages via sphingomyelin synthesis

Ceramide has emerged as an important lipid messenger for many cellular processes triggered via surface receptors. In the present study, inflammatory activation of P388D1 macrophages with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) stimulated a transient accumulation of ceramide. Moreover, cell-permeable ceramide mimicked LPS/PAF in triggering arachidonate mobilization in these cells. LPS/PAF-induced ceramide synthesis did not result from sphingomyelinase activation but from increased de novo synthesis. Participation of this pathway in arachidonate signaling was detected since fumonisin B1, an inhibitor of de novo ceramide synthesis, was able to inhibit the LPS/PAF-induced response. These studies have uncovered a new role for sphingolipid metabolism in cellular signaling and constitute evidence that products of the sphingomyelin biosynthetic pathway may serve a specific role in signal transduction by influencing the activity of the novel Group V secretory phospholipase A2.
On achieving reduced error propagation sensitivity in DFE design via convex optimization

Decision feedback equalization (DFE) is expected in digital TV receivers and other high error rate environments. Error propagation usually occurs in infrequent bursts. It is argued that the minimum mean-square error (MMSE) adaptation mechanism in the presence of error propagation will find a better answer than the solution computed in the absence of decision errors. The paper attempts to formalize this benefit during the design phase, by considering other (convex) performance measures than MMSE assuming perfect decisions. After all, any such modified objective is just a proxy for determining the optimal error rate. As discussed in Kennedy et al. (1987), error propagation is enhanced by large gains in the decision portion of the DFE portion. We consider a method to penalize these gains, but not in the unconstrained (perfect decision) MMSE sense.
NEO‐INSTITUTIONALISM, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, AND THE CULTURAL REPRODUCTION OF A MENTALITÉ: Promise Keepers Reconstruct the Madonna/Whore Complex

Theorizing the linkages between culture and social movements has proven elusive, as available theories are ill-equipped to move beyond agent-centered producerist accounts of culture-movement dynami...
BIOGENIC IRON MINERALIZATION ACCOMPANYING THE DISSIMILATORY REDUCTION OF HYDROUS FERRIC OXIDE BY A GROUNDWATER BACTERIUM

Dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria (DIRB) couple the oxidation of organic matter or H2 to the reduction of iron oxides. The factors controlling the rate and extent of these reduction reactions and the resulting solid phases are complex and poorly understood. Batch experiments were conducted with amorphous hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) and the DIRB Shewanella putrefaciens, strain CN32, in well-defined aqueous solutions to investigate the reduction of HFO and formation of biogenic Fe(II) minerals. Lactate-HFO solutions buffered with either bicarbonate or 1,4-piperazinediethanesulfonic acid (PIPES) containing various combinations of phosphate and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), were inoculated with S. putrefaciens CN32. AQDS, a humic acid analog that can be reduced to dihydroanthraquinone by CN32, was included because of its ability to function as an electron shuttle during microbial iron reduction and as an indicator of pe. Iron reduction was measured with time, and the resulting solids were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). In HCO3− buffered medium with AQDS, HFO was rapidly and extensively reduced, and the resulting solids were dominated by ferrous carbonate (siderite). Ferrous phosphate (vivianite) was also present in HCO3− medium containing P, and fine-grained magnetite was present as a minor phase in HCO3− medium with or without P. In the PIPES-buffered medium, the rate and extent of reduction was strongly influenced by AQDS and P. With AQDS, HFO was rapidly converted to highly crystalline magnetite whereas in its absence, magnetite mineralization was slower and the final material less crystalline. In PIPES with both P and AQDS, a green rust type compound [Fe(6-x)IIFexIII(OH)12]x+[(A2−)x/2 · yH2O]x− was the dominant solid phase formed; in the absence of AQDS a poorly crystalline product was observed. The measured pe and nature of the solids identified were consistent with thermodynamic considerations. The composition of aqueous media in which microbial iron reduction occurred strongly impacted the rate and extent of iron reduction and the nature of the reduced solids. This, in turn, can provide a feedback control mechanism on microbial metabolism. Hence, in sediments where geochemical conditions promote magnetite formation, two-thirds of the Fe(III) will be sequestered in a form that may not be available for anaerobic bacterial respiration.
Genetic and Economic Evaluation of Nucleus Breeding Schemes for Commercial Artificial Insemination Firms

Abstract Genetic and economic aspects of adoption of a multiple ovulation and embryo transfer nucleus breeding scheme by a commercial AI firm were investigated. Selection for a lactation trait in a large dairy cattle population with a competitive semen market served by five AI firms was simulated using a semi-stochastic model. Returns were from sale of semen from progeny-tested bulls, discounted to the time of adoption of the new scheme. Comparisons were to an effective conventional program using multiple ovulation and embryo transfer to produce young bulls. Sires of bulls and nucleus females were selected from progeny-tested bulls across AI firms. Therefore, rates of inbreeding within the nucleus were small. Closed adult nucleus schemes were competitive to the conventional scheme only for large nucleus sizes. Open adult schemes increased present values of returns from 20 yr of selection by 10 to 20%. Further cost analysis is needed to determine their economic profitability. Juvenile nucleus schemes increased present values of returns but also risks on returns. Relative gains in returns increased from 8 to 16% for the first 4 yr of selection to 46 to 63% for the first 20 yr. Additional returns from opening the nucleus were small due to high genetic superiority of the nucleus. Additional returns from repeated, instead of one-time, selection of females as donors were similar to returns from a 50% increase in nucleus size. Additional returns from eligibility of young bulls as bull sires were small due to the small number of young bulls selected.
Registration of Multimodal Stereo Images Using Disparity Voting from Correspondence Windows

This paper presents a method for registering multimodal imagery in short range surveillance situations when the differences in object depths preclude any global registration techniques. An analysis of multimodal registration approaches gives insight into the limitations of global assumptions and motivates the developed algorithm. Using calibrated stereo imagery, we use maximization of mutual information in sliding correspondence windows that inform a disparity voting scheme to demonstrate successful registration of color and thermal images. Extensive testing of scenes with multiple people at different depths and levels of occlusion shows high rates of successful registration and gives a reliable framework for further processing and analysis of the multimodal imagery.
Cell death of motoneurons in the chick embryo spinal cord. VI. Reduction of naturally occurring cell death in the thoracolumbar column of terni by nerve growth factor

A discrete preganglionic cell column (column of Terni, CT) in the caudal thoracolumbar (segments 21-23) spinal cord is first discernible in a avian embryos on day 8 when it contains approximately 9,300 visceral motoneurons. By day 10 there are about 6,900 motoneurons in the thoracolumbar (sympathetic) CT and this number remains constant until at least day 15. Daily injections of nerve growth factor (NGF) (1-20 micrograms) on the chorioallantoic membrane from day 3 to day 9 produced a dose-dependent increase in both the volume of the caudal thoracolumbar sympathetic ganglia and the number of motoneurons in the corresponding CT on day 10. The number and size of the neurons in the paravertebral sympathetic ganglia was also increased by NGF. Nerve growth factor decreased the number of pyknotic (dying) neurons in both the thoracolumbar sympathetic ganglia and the corresponding CT on days 8 and 10. The increased number of neurons in both the thoracolumbar sympathetic ganglia and the corresponding CT following chronic administration of NGF is the result of decreased cell death. The highest dose of NGF reduced naturally occurring cell death in the thoracolumbar CT by more than 60%. Daily injections of cytochrome C (20 micrograms) from day 3 to day 9 had no effect on either the volume of the sympathetic ganglia or the number of motoneurons in the Ct on day 10. Daily injections of NGF (10-20 micrograms) from day 10 until day 14 increased the volume of (and the number of neurons in) the caudal thoracic sympathetic ganglia on day 15 but no effect on the number of motoneurons in the corresponding CT. Nerve growth factor also had no effect on the number of motoneurons in either the somatic lateral motor column, the sacral (parasympathetic) CT, or the "abortive" visceral efferent column at the cervical level. Daily administration of NGF produced a similar increase in the volume of the dorsal root ganglia at the cervical, thoracic, and sacral levels. The reduction of cell death in the thoracolumbar CT by NGF is the result of neither a direct effect on spinal motoneurons nor an indirect effect of increased sensory innervation. Naturally occurring cell death of sympathetic preganglionic neurons is regulated by the size of their innervation field.
Reconfigurable hardware implementation of a modified chaotic filter bank scheme

Chaotic filter bank schemes have been proposed in the research literature to allow for the efficient encryption of data for real-time embedded systems. Some security flaws have been found in the underlying approaches which makes such a scheme unsafe for application in real life scenarios. In this paper, we first present an improved scheme to alleviate the weaknesses of the chaotic filter bank scheme, and add enhanced security features, to form a modified chaotic filter bank (MCFB) scheme. Next, we present a reconfigurable hardware implementation of the MCFB scheme. Implementation on reconfigurable hardware speeds up the performance of MCFB scheme by mapping some of the multipliers in design to reconfigurable look-up tables, while removing many unnecessary multipliers. An optimised implementation on Xilinx Virtex-5 XC5VLX330 FPGA gave a speedup of 30% over non-optimised direct implementation. A clock frequency of 88 MHz was obtained.