cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bone morphogenetic protein 4: potential regulator of shear stress-induced graft neointimal atrophy.

Objective Placement in baboons of a distal femoral arteriovenous fistula increases shear stress through aortoiliac polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts and induces regression of a preformed neointima. Atrophy of the neointima might be controlled by shear stress-induced genes, including the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). We have investigated the expression and function of BMPs 2, 4, and 5 in the graft neointima and in cultured baboon smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Methods Baboons received bilateral aortoiliac PTFE grafts and 8 weeks later, a unilateral femoral arteriovenous fistula. Results Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that high shear stress increased BMP2, 4, and 5 messenger RNA (mRNA) in graft intima between 1 and 7 days, while noggin (a BMP inhibitor) mRNA was decreased. BMP4 most potently (60% inhibition) inhibited platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated SMC proliferation compared with BMP2 and BMP5 (31% and 26%, respectively). BMP4 also increased SMC death by 190% ± 10%. Noggin reversed the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of BMP4. Finally, Western blotting confirmed BMP4 protein upregulation by high shear stress at 4 days. BMP4 expression demonstrated by in situ hybridization was confined to endothelial cells. Conclusions Increased BMPs (particularly BMP4) coupled with decreased noggin may promote high shear stress-mediated graft neointimal atrophy by inhibiting SMC proliferation and increasing SMC death.
The “Long Snodgrass”: Applying the Tubularized Incised Plate Urethroplasty to Penoscrotal Hypospadias in 1-stage Or 2-stage Repairs

ABSTRACTPurpose: The technique of tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (Snodgrass modification) has gained wide acceptance for hypospadias repair. The reported experience with this surgical modification has been primarily in cases of distal hypospadias. We applied this technique to cases of penoscrotal hypospadias and incised the urethral plate for its entire distance.Materials and Methods: In the last 24 months 21 boys 7 months to 8 years old with penoscrotal hypospadias were treated with a Thiersch-Duplay urethroplasty using the Snodgrass modification. The procedure was performed in 7 patients as a primary repair and in 14 at stage 2 of the 2-stage repair. The entire length of the urethral plate was incised along the midline in primary repairs, and the skin flaps and residual urethral plate were incised in the 2-stage repairs. The neourethra was tubularized over a 5 or 8Fr catheter. A layer of de-epithelialized tissue from the dorsal prepuce was used to cover the neourethra. No patient required skin ...
Sensitivity of Local Predictions to Initial Conditions

Abstract A hydrostatic, anelastic mesoscale numerical model is used to study the predictability of a sea breeze type of circulation over La Plata River in South America. The experiments are designed to test the sensitivity of the predictions to uncertainties in the initial wind field. They consist in the comparison of control and perturbed forecasts which differ only in the initial specification of the wind held. In the case of small-domain prediction systematic uncertainties are probably more representative of actual initial uncertainties than are random, uncorrelated uncertainities. In order to study such cases we systematically add to or subtract from the control run at every grid point a constant value equal to the typical error in the measurement of the wind. We also perform other experiments on a larger domain covering most of South America. The results show that the predictions of the sea breeze type of circulation in the boundary layer around the La Plata River are sensitive to errors in the initi...
Infrasound detection by the homing pigeon: A behavioral audiogram

Homing pigeons could detect extremely low frequency sounds (infrasounds) as low as 0.05 Hz in a sound isolation chamber. Classically conditioned heart rate changes were used as a behavioral measure of sensitivity. An audiogram of thresholds was determined for 13 frequencies between 0.05 Hz and 200 Hz. Below 10 Hz, the pigeons are at least 50 dB more sensitive than humans. Surgical removal of middle ear or inner ear structures reduced or eliminated the infrasound responses. Natural infrasounds come from many sources including weather patterns, topographic features, and ocean wave activity. Infrasounds propagate long distances and can be detected hundreds or even thousands of km away from their sources. These laboratory experiments are part of a series designed to find out if homing pigeons can use outdoor infrasounds as cues for orientation and navigation.
Crossed-beam superluminescent diode

We investigate a novel surface-emitting superluminescent diode configuration that uses two detuned grating outcouplers to suppress lasing. This device exhibits a shaped beam with a peak power of 1.5 W quasi-continuous wave with an 11 nm bandwidth centered on 970 nm.
Viroid-Induced Phosphorylation of a Host Protein Related to a dsRNA-Dependent Protein Kinase

Viroids are very small, unencapsidated RNAs that replicate and induce severe disease in plants without encoding for any proteins. The mechanisms by which the viroid RNA regulates these events and interacts with host factors are unknown. An Mr 68,000 host-encoded protein has been identified that is differentially phosphorylated in extracts from viroid-infected and mock-inoculated tissues. This phosphoprotein is immunologically related to a double-stranded (ds) RNA-dependent protein kinase from virus-infected, interferon-treated human cells. Further, nucleotide photoaffinity labeling indicates that the protein has an ATP binding site. This protein is similar to dsRNA-dependent protein kinases implicated in mammalian systems in the regulation of protein synthesis and virus replication.
Probabilistic finite elements for nonlinear structural dynamics

Abstract A finite element method applicable to truss structures for the determination of the probabilistic distribution of the dynamic response has been developed. Several solutions have been obtained for the mean and variance of displacements and stresses of a truss structure; nonlinearities due to material and geometrical effects have also been included. In addition, to test this method, Monte Carlo simulations have been used and a new method with implicit and/or explicit time integration and Hermite-Gauss quadrature has also been developed and used. All these methodologies have been implemented into a pilot computer code with two-dimensional bar elements.
DIFFERENTIAL CONSTRAINTS FOR THE PROBABILITY DENSITY FUNCTION OF STOCHASTIC SOLUTIONS TO THE WAVE EQUATION

By using functional integral methods we determine new types of differential constraints satisfied by the joint probability density function of stochastic solutions to the wave equation subject to uncertain boundary and initial conditions. These differential constraints involve unusual limit partial differential operators and, in general, they can be grouped into two main classes: the first one depends on the specific field equation under consideration (i.e., on the stochastic wave equation), the second class includes a set of intrinsic relations determined by the structure of the joint probability density function of the wave and its derivatives. Preliminary results we have obtained for stochastic dynamical systems and first-order nonlinear stochastic particle differential equations (PDEs) suggest that the set of differential constraints is complete and, therefore, it allows determining uniquely the probability density function of the solution to the stochastic problem. The proposed new approach can be extended to arbitrary nonlinear stochastic PDEs and it could be an effective way to overcome the curse of dimensionality for random boundary and initial conditions. An application of the theory developed is presented and discussed for a simple random wave in one spatial dimension.
Identification of an allele of CLA1 associated with variegation in Arabidopsis thaliana

We have identified a mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana (lvr111) that exhibits a variegated phenotype, reduced isoprenoid pigmentation, and dwarfism in comparison with wild-type plants. Segregation analysis indicated that this phenotype was caused by a single, semi-dominant mutation and PCR-based marker mapping placed the mutation near position 56 on the RI map of chromosome IV. The lvr111 lesion was identified by genomic PCR and sequence analysis as a missense mutation (D306N) in the CLA1 gene (AT4g15560) and complementation analysis confirmed the allelic relationship between lvr111 and CLA1. CLA1 encodes 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase, which catalyses the first step of the non-mevalonate isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. These observations demonstrate that, unlike the albinism caused by severe alleles of CLA1, weaker alleles are associated with leaf variegation.
New approaches to biomaterials design

The adoption of combinatorial and computational methods in biomaterials design is a highway towards the discovery and realization of tailored polymeric materials to satisfy the specific requirements of many diverse biomedical or prosthetic applications.
Dependence of Bone Yield (Volume of Bone Formed per Unit of Cement Surface Area) on Resorption Cavity Size During Osteonal Remodeling in Human Rib: Implications for Osteoblast Function and the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Bone Loss

It is both a necessary and a sufficient condition for bone to be lost with age at any surface location that during remodeling the replacement of resorbed bone is incomplete. In both the ilium and the rib, the degree of such focal imbalance is smaller on the intracortical than on the endocortical or cancellous surfaces that are adjacent to bone marrow. The reason for this difference is unknown. To further examine this question, we measured various geometric variables in 1263 osteons in rib cross sections from 65 persons, including both sexes and age ranges 20 to 30 years and 60 to 70 years (four groups). Haversian canal (HC) area did not differ significantly between sexes or age groups. Percent osteonal refilling was close to 95% in all groups and did not differ between sexes but fell slightly with age. There was a very highly significant linear relationship between osteon bone area and (osteon area + HC area) in all groups, with coefficients of determination (r2) greater than 0.98. The regression slopes declined slightly with age in women but not in men. There was a very highly significant quadratic relationship between osteon bone area and osteon perimeter in all groups, with r2 values greater than 0.97. The ratio osteon bone area:osteon perimeter, an index of bone yield—the volume of bone deposited on each unit area of cement surface—was strongly related to osteon area and did not differ between sexes but was slightly less in the older groups. We conclude the following: (1) The high efficiency of intracortical remodeling in the rib is confirmed, with only trivial effects of age. (2) For HC area to be maintained within narrow limits and bone balance preserved, either initial osteoblast density or osteoblast capacity (the two determinants of bone yield) or, most likely, both must increase progressively with the size of the resorption cavity, suggesting that osteoblast recruitment (relative to available surface) and osteoblast lifespan increase with the volume of bone resorbed. (3) Intracortical remodeling in the rib is more efficient than marrow-adjacent remodeling at any site, possibly because of the different relationships to the circulation. In osteonal remodeling, all molecules released from resorbed bone must travel past the sites of osteoblast recruitment and operation, but in hemiosteonal remodeling, some molecules may not be subject to this constraint. (4) If marrow-adjacent remodeling became as efficient as rib intracortical remodeling, age-related bone loss would cease to be an important medical problem. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Adjoint-Based Probabilistic Source Characterization in Water-Distribution Systems with Transient Flows and Imperfect Sensors

AbstractIf a contamination event occurs in a water distribution system, sensors in the network may observe water quality changes. The data from these sensors can be used to identify the source of the contamination. The sensors can be binary sensors that record the presence or absence of contamination, fuzzy sensors that measure concentration within a set range, or perfect sensors that measure the exact concentration within the bounds of measurement uncertainty. This work presents an adjoint-based probabilistic approach for identifying the source node, source release time, and source strength for an instantaneous release of contamination based on sensor observations and known system hydraulics. In the adjoint approach, information is propagated upgradient from the sensors to the possible source nodes. EPANET is used to simulate the transient hydraulics of the pipe network and the upgradient propagation of the adjoint state through the network. The resulting adjoint states are related to probability density...
A systematic framework for on‐line calibration of a head‐mounted projection display for augmented‐reality systems

— Augmented reality (AR) is a technology in which computer-generated virtual images are dynamically superimposed upon a real-world scene to enhance a user's perceptions of the physical environment. A successful AR system requires that the overlaid digital information be aligned with the user's real-world senses — a process known as registration. An accurate registration process requires the knowledge of both the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the viewing device and these parameters form the viewing and projection transformations for creating the simulations of virtual images. In our previous work, an easy off-line calibration method in which an image-based automatic matching method was used to establish the world-to-image correspondences was presented, and it is able to achieve subpixel accuracy. However, this off-line method yields accurate registration only when a user's eye placements relative to the display device coincides with locations established during the offline calibration process. A likely deviation of eye placements, for instance, due to helmet slippage or user-dependent factors such as interpupillary distance, will lead to misregistration. In this paper, a systematic on-line calibration framework to refine the off-line calibration results and to account for user-dependent factors is presented. Specifically, based on an equivalent viewing projection model, a six-parameter on-line calibration method to refine the user-dependent parameters in the viewing transformations is presented. Calibration procedures and results as well as evaluation experiments are described in detail. The evaluation experiments demonstrate the improvement of the registration accuracy.
Accessing Local Currency Through Credit-Enhanced Bond Structures in Africa: A Case Study of Safaricom's Medium-Term Floating-Rate Secured Note Issue

This article describes a private placement and subsequent public listing of local-currency, five-year amortizing notes for a Kenyan wireless telecom operator. For the borrower, local currency financing reduces currency mismatch risk and provides an additional source of liquidity among local banks and institutional investors. Credit-Enhanced Local Currency Bonds (CELC bonds), covered by full or partial guarantees from export credit or multilateral agencies and sold to local investors, are an attractive alternative to local bank financing. Following a successful public issuance, they can broaden the issuer9s profile in the local market.
Politics, Insurance Regulation, and Unfunded Pension Liabilities

: Insurance regulators operate in an environment in which resources are scarce and issues are most often complex and not salient to affected persons. Consequently, regulatory agencies, such as the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), need to use resources efficiently by making issues salient and not complex if regulatory goals are to be attained. To further its goal of full funding of defined benefit pension plans, the PBGC annually published a list of the Top Fifty Companies With the Largest Underfunded Pension Liability (LIST). This article investigates the issue of the economic effects of pension plan disclosure by measuring the share price response of the companies included on the LIST; then policy implications are drawn. The event study findings show that, on average, publication of the LIST did not have a negative effect on firm value. However, cross-sectional analysis provides some support for the contention that publication of the LIST had an economic cost on LISTed firms. The authors' results show that the value of large firms on the PBGC's list is less negatively affected at arrival (ARRIVAL) than smaller LISTed firms. Conversely, when firms leave the list (DEPARTURE), the value of large growth-oriented firms is more negatively affected than the value of other firms that reduce their unfunded pension liability. From a policy perspective, as hypothesized by Meier (1991), the PBGC used its scarce resources effectively by publishing the LIST. The issue of unfunded pension liability became less complex and more salient to interested parties. Consequently, consumer groups and political elites provided their support to further the regulatory agency's stated goal, which was the full funding of defined benefit pension plans. Furthermore, increased awareness of the underfunding problem contributed to the passage of the Retirement Protection Act of 1994.
Coping of African-American women at risk for AIDS.

Abstract A qualitative study using focus group approach reveals major concerns, personal beliefs, and coping responses of African-American women at risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection.
On semantically-accessible messaging in an office environment

Electronic messaging in an office environment is normally carried out in natural language. For a variety of reasons it would be useful if electronic messaging systems could have semantic access to (i.e. access to the meanings and contents of) the messages they process. Given that natural language understanding is not a practicable alternative, there remain three approaches to delivering systems with semantic access: electronic data interchange, tagged messages, and the development of a formal language for business communication (FLBC). The authors compare and contrast these three approaches, present a theoretical basis for an FLBC (speech act theory), and describe a prototype implementation. >
Light-induced spectral diffusion in single self-assembled quantum dots

Small ensembles of ${\mathrm{In}}_{0.55}{\mathrm{Al}}_{0.45}\mathrm{As}$ self-assembled quantum dots have been studied at low temperatures using near-field scanning optical microscopy. We observe spectral diffusion in individual quantum dot luminescence lines. The phenomenon increases in magnitude with optical power density, but is not visible at low powers. We believe the spectral diffusion to be caused by long time-scale trapping and untrapping of charges created by photoionization or thermal ionization in the immediate vicinity of the quantum dots.
Collaborative Vision-Integrated Pseudorange Error Removal: Team-Estimated Differential GNSS Corrections with no Stationary Reference Receiver

This paper presents an approach for generating Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) differential corrections by distributing GNSS and georeferenced vision measurements through a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications network. Conventionally, high-quality differential GNSS corrections are generated from a stationary reference receiver in close proximity to a set of mobile users. The proposed method, which is called Collaborative Vision Integrated Pseudorange Error Removal (C-VIPER), instead generates differential corrections using data from moving vehicles, thus eliminating the need for an infrastructure of stationary receivers. An important feature of the proposed algorithm is that individual differential corrections are computed for each satellite, so that corrections can be shared among users with different satellites in view. As demonstrated in simulation, measurement sharing significantly improves positioning accuracy in both the cross-track direction, where the quality of visual lane-boundary measurements is high, and the along-track direction, where the quality is low. Furthermore, because measurements are shared among many vehicles, the networked solution is robust to vision-sensor dropouts that may occur for individual vehicles.
Relations of psychological distress with objective individual, family, and neighborhood characteristics of urban adolescents.

This paper describes the relations of psychological distress with 11 ecological factors (5 community, 4 family, and 2 individual) among 423 older urban adolescents who are predominantly people of color. Data were obtained by means of self-report via group-administered questionnaires given between 1994 and 1996; most scales are multi-item. There is wide variation in distress. There are very few statistically significant relationships between the ecological factors and distress, and those are negligible. Girls whose parents have less education and live in extended families have higher distress; family and individual domains are correlated .04 and .03 with distress and the community domain .00, so this ecological model accounts for a mere 7% of the common total variance in distress.
Method for Rapid Identification and Differentiation of the Species of the Mycobacterium chelonae Complex Based on 16S-23S rRNA Gene Internal Transcribed Spacer PCR-Restriction Analysis

Members of the Mycobacterium chelonae complex (MCC), including M. immunogenum, M. chelonae, and M. abscessus, have been associated with nosocomial infections and occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to metalworking fluid (MWF) exposures. In order to minimize these health hazards, an effective and rapid assay for detection of MCC species and differentiation of MCC species from other species of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) and from one another is warranted. Here we report such a method, based on the variable 16S-23S rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Mycobacterium genus-specific primers derived from highly conserved sequences in the ITS region and the flanking 16S rRNA gene were used. Specificity of the primers was verified using the MCC member species, 11 non-MCC RGM species, 3 slow-growing mycobacterial (SGM) species (two strains each), and 19 field isolates, including 18 MCC isolates (from in-use MWF) and one non-MCC isolate (from reverse osmosis water). The ITS amplicon size of M. immunogenum varied from those of M. chelonae and M. abscessus. Sequencing of the ∼250-bp-long ITS amplicons of the three MCC member species showed differences in 24 to 34 bases, thereby yielding variable deduced restriction maps. ITS PCR-restriction analysis using the in silico-selected restriction enzyme MaeII or HphI differentiated the three MCC members from one another and from other RGM and SGM species without sequencing. The enzyme MaeII discriminated all three member species; however, HphI could only differentiate M. immunogenum from M. chelonae and M. abscessus. Use of an optimized rapid DNA template preparation step based on direct cell lysis in the PCR tube added to the simplicity and adaptability of the developed assay.
Neurocontrol of nonlinear dynamical systems with Kalman filter trained recurrent networks

Although the potential of the powerful mapping and representational capabilities of recurrent network architectures is generally recognized by the neural network research community, recurrent neural networks have not been widely used for the control of nonlinear dynamical systems, possibly due to the relative ineffectiveness of simple gradient descent training algorithms. Developments in the use of parameter-based extended Kalman filter algorithms for training recurrent networks may provide a mechanism by which these architectures will prove to be of practical value. This paper presents a decoupled extended Kalman filter (DEKF) algorithm for training of recurrent networks with special emphasis on application to control problems. We demonstrate in simulation the application of the DEKF algorithm to a series of example control problems ranging from the well-known cart-pole and bioreactor benchmark problems to an automotive subsystem, engine idle speed control. These simulations suggest that recurrent controller networks trained by Kalman filter methods can combine the traditional features of state-space controllers and observers in a homogeneous architecture for nonlinear dynamical systems, while simultaneously exhibiting less sensitivity than do purely feedforward controller networks to changes in plant parameters and measurement noise. >
Cardiovascular Lifetime Risk Predicts Incidence of Coronary Calcification in Individuals With Low Short‐Term Risk: The Dallas Heart Study

Background The absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in middle age is associated with very low short‐term risk for coronary events. However, the long‐term implications of a CAC score of 0 are uncertain, particularly among individuals with high cardiovascular lifetime risk. We sought to characterize the association between predicted lifetime risk and incident CAC among individuals with low short‐term risk. Methods and Results We included 754 Dallas Heart Study participants with serial CAC scans (6.9 years apart) and both low short‐term risk and baseline CAC=0. Lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease was estimated according to risk factor burden. Among this group, 365 individuals (48.4%) were at low lifetime risk and 389 (51.6%) at high lifetime risk. High lifetime risk was associated with higher annualized CAC incidence (4.2% versus 2.7%; P < 0.001). Similarly, mean follow‐up CAC scores were higher among participants with high lifetime risk (7.8 versus 2.4 Agatston units). After adjustment for age, sex, and race, high lifetime risk remained independently associated with incident CAC (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.12 to 2.27; P =0.01). When assessing risk factor burden at the follow‐up visit, 66.7% of CAC incidence observed in the low lifetime risk group occurred among individuals reclassified to a higher short‐ or long‐term risk category. Conclusion Among individuals with low short‐term risk and CAC scores of 0, high lifetime risk is associated with a higher incidence of CAC. These findings highlight the importance of lifetime risk even among individuals with very low short‐term risk.
Rethinking Statewide Infrastructure Policies: Lessons from California and Beyond

Whether it is for public infrastructure or private facilities, investment planning should be demand driven and predicated on both the willingness and ability to pay for services. The demand for infrastructure services is dynamic and sensitive to economic, social, and technological changes. A failure to assess these changes accurately often leads to disastrous results. Over the next 10 years, California faces a daunting infrastructure challenge. According to the California State Treasurer's Office, the state needs to invest $82 billion to repair and maintain current structures and build new ones. Projected state and local revenue sources will meet only about 50% of this need. Unfortunately, California's infrastructure planning and financing process seems to be broken as well. According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, the state government lacks a stable funding source for infrastructure investment programs, reviews these programs on an ad hoc basis, and does not have an administrative or legislative evaluation of infrastructure investment requirements. This commentary argues that many states, including California, need to rethink their approach toward infrastructure planning and finance.
Sample size reduction in stochastic production simulation

A combined control variable and stratified sampling method is proposed for Monte Carlo production simulation. Using the production cost obtained from the load duration curve type simulation as the control variable, both the theory and a sample study suggest that the required (for an acceptable coefficient of variation) number of samples can be reduced by approximately a factor of 1000. In the example study, 8000 samples were replaced with 10 samples; in addition, the proposed method using the 10 samples produces an estimator of the mean production cost that has a much smaller variance than an estimator based on a traditional Monte Carlo study which uses 8000 samples. It is believed that this significant reduction in running time will enable chronological simulation to be used in a number of long range planning studies. The advantage of this method is additional insight into actual operation through chronological simulation as well as less bias (or systematic error). With this proposed method, it is believed that the computational time requirement of stochastic production cost simulation has been reduced to the point that its advantages outweigh its additional (over probabilistic simulation) running time. >
An observer for the estimation of synchronous generator damper currents for use in parameter identification

The main objective of this letter is to design an observer for synchronous machine damper currents. The observer is used in a parameter estimator to identify synchronous machine parameters from online measurements. Possible internal machine fault conditions can be detected and remedial action can be undertaken.
Light Decay Time/Gain Shift in a LaBr/sub 3/: Ce/LYSO:Ce Phoswich Detector

We have found that scintillation light emitted by LaBr3 is totally absorbed as it passes through an optically joined piece of LYSO on its way to the photocathode of a photomultiplier tube. However, scintillation events in the LaBr3 reappear as events with a scintillation light decay time similar to the native light decay time of LYSO (40.8 ns) and much greater than the native light decay time of LaBr3 (17.8 ns). The conversion of LaBr3 events to scintillations with this new light decay time occurs, for this experimental arrangement, with about 41% gain efficiency, i.e. the photopeak energy is approximately 41% that of the LaBr3 coupled directly to the phototube. The light decay time of LYSO events is unchanged in this phoswich configuration and the gain for LYSO scintillation events is moderately reduced to about 70% of the value measured with the LYSO crystal alone. Here, we describe experiments that confirm and characterize this effect. We conclude with an explanation consistent with these results.
Differential Diagnosis of Wegener's Granulomatosis from Other Small Vessel Vasculitides

Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) is an uncommon autoimmune disease characterized by small vessel inflammation, most often involving the respiratory or renal systems. Although the etiology is currently unknown, evidence suggests that environmental factors and a genetic predisposition interact to create an inappropriate autoimmune response. Wegener’s granulomatosis is characterized by the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), which have long been suspected of involvement in disease pathology. This suspicion is supported by ongoing research, although much remains to be done in identifying risk factors for developing WG and elucidating all factors contributing to the disease pathophysiology. This manuscript will review basic information about WG, ANCA production, and their role in WG pathology, and discuss differential diagnosis based on common presentation symptoms and clinical laboratory testing results.
Effect of high-frequency electrical stimulation of the stomach on gastric myoelectric activity in gastroparetic patients

Previous studies have demonstrated that gastric electrical stimulation (GES) with a high-frequency (12 cycles/min) is able to significantly improve nausea and vomiting in patients with severe gastroparesis. As no consistent effect on gastric emptying rate was observed, the mechanisms underlying symptomatic improvement remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of GES on gastric myoelectric activity and to identify possible mechanisms that could help explain how high-frequency GES Is effective in treating nausea and vomiting associated with refractory gastroparesis. Two-channel serosal recordings of gastric myoelectric activity before and during GES were measured in 15 gastroparetic patients who received high-frequency GES therapy for at least 3 months. Power spectral and cross correlation analyses revealed that possible explanations identified are increased propagation velocity, enhanced amplitude of postprandial slow waves, and reduced tachygastria after chronic GES.
CMOS Integrated LC RF Bandpass Filter with Transformer-Coupled Q-Enhancement and Optimized Linearity

A loss-compensated second-order radio frequency (RF) bandpass filter with tunable quality factor, Q, is implemented in a 0.18 mum standard digital CMOS process. This filter utilizes an integrated resonant tank comprised of an on-chip transformer along with parasitic and designed capacitors. The design incorporates a novel method of controlled positive feedback via the integrated transformer and a single transistor, providing an adjustable quality factor for the inherently lossy on-chip resonator. The circuit transformer feedback and the unique Q-enhancement technique facilitate increased voltage swing across the resonator and subsequent linearity improvement. The filter has a measured center frequency, fo, of 2.14 GHz, a maximum gain of 5 dB (~10dB unbuffered), and a tunable Q of 3 to 29. With the filter adjusted for the maximum quality factor and gain, the input compression point, P1dB, is measured at -3.5 dBm with a power dissipation of 143.1 mW and a measured input referred noise power of -144.3 dBm at a spot bandwidth of 1 Hz. As a prospective Bluetooth receiver input stage, dynamic range is measured at 59.6 dB and 80.8 dB over the filter operational and channel bandwidths of 132 MHz (84timespi/2 MHz) and 1 MHz.
Diagnosis of engine sensor, actuator and component faults using a bank of adaptive nonlinear estimators

A challenging problem in aircraft engine health management (EHM) system development is to detect and isolate faults in system components (i.e., compressor, turbine), actuators, and sensors. Existing nonlinear EHM methods often deal with component faults, actuator faults, and sensor faults separately, which may potentially lead to incorrect diagnostic decisions and unnecessary maintenance. Therefore, it would be ideal to address sensor faults, actuator faults, and components faults under one unified framework. This paper presents a systematic and unified nonlinear adaptive framework for detecting and isolating sensor faults, actuator faults, and component faults for aircraft engines. The fault detection and isolation (FDI) architecture consists of a parallel bank of nonlinear adaptive estimators. Adaptive thresholds are appropriately designed such that, in the presence of a particular fault, all components of the residual generated by the adaptive estimator corresponding to the actual fault type remain below their thresholds. If the faults are sufficiently different, then at least one component of the residual generated by each remaining adaptive estimator should exceed its threshold. Therefore, based on the specific response of the residuals, sensor faults, actuator faults, and component faults can be isolated. The effectiveness of the approach was evaluated using the NASA C-MAPSS turbofan engine model, and simulation results are presented. 1 2
Toxicological benchmarks for screening contaminants of potential concern for effects on freshwater biota

An important early step in the assessment of ecological risks at contaminated sites is the screening of chemicals detected on the site to identify those that constitute a potential risk. Part of this screening process is the comparison of measured ambient concentrations to concentrations that are believed to be nonhazardous, termed benchmarks. This article discusses 13 methods by which benchmarks may be derived for aquatic biota and presents benchmarks for 105 chemicals. It then compares them with respect to their sensitivity, availability, magnitude relative to background concentrations, and conceptual bases. This compilation is limited to chemicals that have been detected on the US Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) and to benchmarks derived from studies of toxic effects on freshwater organisms. The list of chemicals includes 45 metals and 56 industrial organic chemicals but only four pesticides. Although some individual values can be shown to be too high to be protective and others are too low to be useful for screening, none of the approaches to benchmark derivation can be rejected without further definition of what constitutes adequate protection. The most appropriate screening strategy is to use multiple benchmark values along with background concentrations, knowledge of waste composition, andmore » physicochemical properties to identify contaminants of potential concern.« less
Research advances in the understanding and treatment of addiction

The likelihood of developing an addictive disorder is a function of multiple simultaneous, pharmacologic, genetic, and environmental variables, such as the pharmacology of the drug, the route of administration, the personality of the individual, and the availability of the drug. There is increasing evidence that long-lasting changes in the brain result from the progression of casual user to addict. Moreover, the course of the progression of addiction is similar to that of other chronic diseases. In this paper, strategies for effective treatment of addiction, including long-term relapse management and new pharmacological therapies such as naltrexone and acamprosate, are discussed.
Intractable Epistaxis Associated with Topiramate Administration

Objective:To report a case of a patient who experienced serious, intractable epistaxis warranting emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admission after initiation of topiramate therapy.Case Summary:A 61-year-old woman with significant cardiovascular disease was started on topiramate 25 mg daily for lower extremity neuropathy. After 7 days of treatment, she began to experience severe, intractable epistaxis that lasted 8 days, warranting an ED visit. The epistaxis resolved 1 week after topiramate discontinuation. Topiramate was restarted 3 months later, and the patient again developed intractable epistaxis. After 2 days of epistaxis, she returned to the ED with significant anginal pain and was admitted to the hospital, where she received 2 units of packed red blood cells. One week after stopping topiramate, the epistaxis stopped. At the time of writing, she had exhibited no epistaxis for 6 months. According to the Naranjo probability scale, topiramate was the probable cause of epistaxis.Discussion:T...
Post-translational modifications of mitochondrial outer membrane proteins

The mitochondrial outer membrane surrounds the entire organelle. It is composed of a phospholipid bilayer with proteins either embedded into or anchored to the bilayer and mediates the interactions between mitochondria and the rest of the cell. Most of the proteins present in the mitochondrial outer membrane are highly hydrophobic with one or more transmembrane segments. These proteins in conjunction with proteins localized in the inner membrane catalyse energy exchange reactions, the flux of small molecules such as ions, the activation and uptake of long chain fatty acids, import of proteins into the mitochondria, and elimination of biogenic amines among others. In addition, some outer membrane proteins serve as docking sites for non-resident enzymes such as hexokinase and other kinases of signal transduction. All these processes require an intact outer membrane and are highly regulated. One level of regulation with physiological/pathophysiological relevance involves post-translational modification of outer membrane proteins, either by phosphorylation, acetylation or other type of reversible covalent modification. Post-translational modification such as nitration and carbonylation becomes significant under disease states that are associated with increased oxidative stress, i.e. inflammation and ischemia. This review examines the different post-translational modifications of mitochondrial outer membrane proteins and discusses the physiological relevance of these modifications.
Hemoglobin A1c measurements over nearly two decades: sustaining comparable values throughout the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial and the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications study.

Background: Clinical trials require assays that provide consistent results during the course of a study. The hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) assay, a measure of chronic glycemia, is critical to the study of diabetes control and complications. Methods: The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and its follow-up study, the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC), required 20 years of consistent HbA1c results, measured by three different ion-exchange HPLC procedures. To maintain and document consistent HbA1c results measured in the DCCT and EDIC Central Biochemistry Laboratory, a backup laboratory used frozen hemolysates as long-term calibrators and a HPLC method with a single lot of Bio-Rex 70 resin. Results: Over 20 years, long-term quality-control values have remained constant. Four studies of nondiabetic ranges produced nearly identical values [mean (SD), 5.1 (0.5)%, 4.9 (0.3)%, 5.0 (0.4)%, and 5.0 (0.3)%]. Conclusion: The overall consistency of the HbA1c assays during the 20-year course of the DCCT and EDIC has been critical in establishing the benefits of intensive therapy and in understanding the relationship between long-term glycemia and the development and progression of the complications of diabetes.
Searching for Clinical Prediction Rules in MEDLINE

Objectives: Clinical prediction rules have been advocated as a possible mechanism to enhance clinical judgment in diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic assessment. Despite renewed interest in the their use, inconsistent terminology makes them difficult to index and retrieve by computerized search systems. No validated approaches to locating clinical prediction rules appear in the literature. The objective of this study was to derive and validate an optimal search filter for retrieving clinical prediction rules, using the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE database. Design: A comparative, retrospective analysis was conducted. The "gold standard" was established by a manual search of all articles from select print journals for the years 1991 through 1998, which identified articles covering various aspects of clinical prediction rules such as derivation, validation, and evaluation. Search filters were derived, from the articles in the July through December issues of the journals (derivation set), by analyzing the textwords (words in the title and abstract) and the medical subject heading (from the MeSH Thesaurus) used to index each article. The accuracy of these filters in retrieving clinical prediction rules was then assessed using articles in the January through June issues (validation set). Measurements: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and positive likelihood ratio of several different search filters were measured. Results: The filter "predict$ OR clinical$ OR outcome$ OR risk$" retrieved 98 percent of clinical prediction rules. Four filters, such as "predict$ OR validat$ OR rule$ OR predictive value of tests," had both sensitivity and specificity above 90 percent. The top-performing filter for positive predictive value and positive likelihood ratio in the validation set was "predict$.ti. AND rule$." Conclusions: Several filters with high retrieval value were found. Depending on the goals and time constraints of the searcher, one of these filters could be used.
Piroxicam, Mitoxantrone, and Coarse Fraction Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder in 10 Dogs: A Pilot Study

Ten dogs with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder were treated with a combination of once-weekly coarse fraction radiation therapy (six weekly fractions of 5.75 Gray [Gy]), mitoxantrone chemotherapy, and piroxicam. All dogs completed the radiation therapy protocol, and only minimal side effects were observed. Only two (22%) dogs achieved a measurable partial response; however, 90% of the dogs had amelioration of their urinary clinical signs. The median survival time for all dogs was 326 days. While this treatment protocol was well tolerated, the response rate and overall survival duration was not superior to reports using mitoxantrone and piroxicam without radiation therapy in dogs with TCC.
Temporal characteristics of V1 cells arising from synaptic depression

Neurons in the primary visual cortex (VI) exhibit response characteristics qualitatively different from their LGN afferents. Some of these characteristics, such as the oriented structure of simple cell receptive fields, can be explained as arising from linear combinations of LGN receptive fields.1 However, many aspects of VI responses, especially in the temporal domain, reflect underlying nonlinear mechanisms. Here we study the idea that synaptic depression may give rise to many of these nonlinearities. Synaptic depression is observed in intracortical3–5 as well as thalamocortical6,7 synapses and has been proposed as a possible mechanism for contrast adaptation and direction selectivity.2,9 We construct a model VI simple cell and explore the effects of synaptic depression on the temporal dynamics of its responses. Our results indicate that synaptic depression may play an important role in the enhancement of responses to transient stimuli, direction selectivity, and contrast adaptation.
Evaluation of Pharmacist Medication Education and Post-discharge Follow-up in Reducing Readmissions in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI)

Background: Hospital readmissions have been shown to contribute to both patient morbidity and rising health care expenditures across a number of disease processes. Adherence to a cardioprotective drug regimen is particularly important after ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) because it is an acute condition associated with high patient morbidity and mortality. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacist intervention with regard to reduction in hospital readmissions and improvement in medication adherence and literacy. Methods: This was a prospective single-center study in which patients admitted with STEMI who received stents between January 2015 and April 2015 were included. Pharmacist intervention included medication reconciliation, medication education, facilitation of the delivery of discharge medications, and post-discharge telephone calls within 48 to 72 hours. A retrospective review of historical STEMI patients who did not have pharmacist tr...
The Role of International Stakeholders in Genomics and Public Health

This chapter analyzes both the theoretical and the practical challenges that the stakeholder involvement raises when making public health decisions are made at an international level. The interconnected nature of scientific research and the global scale of the challenges that public health concerns raise are only likely to increase the international dimension of genomics and public health activities. Moreover, differences in the cultural values, legal frameworks and political goals of the various stakeholders may have a negative impact on future development. How do we acknowledge the international dimension of genomics research and develop strategies that aim to foster international dialogue among the key actors? What groups should be represented? Who can legitimately speak for each group? How to reconcile conflicting interests? What process of involvement would ensure both efficiency and fairness? The chapter aims to answer all these questions.
Notes on Corynelia Oreophila (Speg.) Starb. and Closely Related Species

(1951). Notes on Corynelia Oreophila (Speg.) Starb. and Closely Related Species. Mycologia: Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 437-444.