cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of diabetes on the outcomes of surgical and nonsurgical treatment of patients in the spine patient outcomes research trial.

Study design A secondary analysis comparing diabetic patients with nondiabetic patients enrolled in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT). Objective To compare surgical outcomes and complications between diabetic and nondiabetic spine patients. Summary of background data Patients with diabetes are predisposed to comorbidities that may confound the diagnosis and treatment of patients with spinal disorders. Methods Baseline characteristics and outcomes of 199 patients with diabetes were compared with those of the nondiabetic population in a total of 2405 patients enrolled in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial for the diagnoses of intervertebral disc herniation (IDH), spinal stenosis (SpS), and degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). Primary outcome measures include the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Health Status questionnaire and the Oswestry Disability Index. Results Patients with diabetes were significantly older and had a higher body mass index than nondiabetic patients. Comorbidities, including hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and joint disease, were significantly more frequent in diabetic patients than in nondiabetic patients. Patients with diabetes and IDH did not make significant gains in pain and function with surgical intervention relative to diabetic patients who underwent nonoperative treatment. Diabetic patients with SpS and DS experienced significantly greater improvements in pain and function with surgical intervention when compared with nonoperative treatment. Among those who had surgery, nondiabetic patients with SpS achieved marginally significantly greater gains in function than their diabetic counterparts (SF-36 physical function, P = 0.062). Among patients who had surgery for DS, diabetic patients did not have as much improvement in pain or function as did the nondiabetic population (SF-36 bodily pain, P = 0.003; physical function, P = 0.002). Postoperative complications were more prevalent in patients with diabetes than in nondiabetic patients with SpS (P = 0.002). There was an increase in postoperative (P = 0.028) and intraoperative (P = 0.029) blood replacement in DS patients with diabetes. Conclusion Diabetic patients with SpS and DS benefited from surgery, though older SpS patients with diabetes have more postoperative complications. IDH patients with diabetes did not benefit from surgical intervention.
Risk of 30-Day Hospital Readmission Among Patients Discharged to Skilled Nursing Facilities: Development and Validation of a Risk-Prediction Model.

Abstract Objectives Patients discharged to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) for post-acute care have a high risk of hospital readmission. We aimed to develop and validate a risk-prediction model to prospectively quantify the risk of 30-day hospital readmission at the time of discharge to a SNF. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Ten independent SNFs affiliated with the post-acute care practice of an integrated health care delivery system. Participants We evaluated 6032 patients who were discharged to SNFs for post-acute care after hospitalization. Measurements The primary outcome was all-cause 30-day hospital readmission. Patient demographics, medical comorbidity, prior use of health care, and clinical parameters during the index hospitalization were analyzed by using gradient boosting machine multivariable analysis to build a predictive model for 30-day hospital readmission. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was assessed on out-of-sample observations under 10-fold cross-validation. Results Among 8616 discharges to SNFs from January 1, 2009, through June 30, 2014, a total of 1568 (18.2%) were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. The 30-day hospital readmission prediction model had an AUC of 0.69, a 16% improvement over risk assessment using the Charlson Comorbidity Index alone. The final model included length of stay, abnormal laboratory parameters, and need for intensive care during the index hospitalization; comorbid status; and number of emergency department and hospital visits within the preceding 6 months. Conclusions and implications We developed and validated a risk-prediction model for 30-day hospital readmission in patients discharged to a SNF for post-acute care. This prediction tool can be used to risk stratify the complex population of hospitalized patients who are discharged to SNFs to prioritize interventions and potentially improve the quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of care.
Oil prices, growth, and remittance outflows from the Gulf Cooperation Council

How does a decline in oil prices and its impacts on growth affect remittance outflows from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries? This paper carries out an empirical analysis of the relationship between oil prices, oil‐ and non‐oil GDP, and remittances outflows from the GCC. The findings of our paper are three folds. First, we find that non‐oil GDP is a key determinant of remittance outflows and that oil GDP is a significant driver of non‐oil GDP in the GCC only in the long term. Second, we document that historically oil prices and remittances tend to broadly move in the same direction but that remittances have been much less volatile than oil prices. An analysis of the past large oil price declines shows that remittance flows to major remittance recipients in Mashreq, Pakistan, and Yemen fell only modestly following large declines in oil prices and recovered quickly in line with oil prices. Finally, we estimate the elasticity of remittance outflows with respect to non‐oil GDP in the GCC using various techniques. Estimates of short‐term elasticity vary between 0.5 and 0.8, while estimates of long‐term elasticity vary between 0.6 and 1.1. We find that construction and government services are two non‐oil GDP components that are strongly associated with remittance outflows.
Incidence of Febrile Neutropenia in Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Recipients on levofloxacin prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients are not uniformly considered as "high risk" enough to receive fluoroquinolone (FQ) prophylaxis. The risks versus benefits of FQ prophylaxis in autologous HSCT require further investigation. METHODS A retrospective chart review of patients > 19 years old who received an autologous HSCT at Nebraska Medicine analyzed two time periods (period 1: no prophylaxis [2013-2015] versus period 2: levofloxacin prophylaxis [2015-2016]) to characterize the clinical impact of levofloxacin prophylaxis on autologous HSCT recipients. RESULTS A total of 224 autologous HSCT were screened with 214 included. Febrile neutropenia (FN) developed in 101/113 (89%) versus 60/101 (59%) patients in the no prophylaxis (NPx) versus prophylaxis (Px) group (P < .01). Time to onset of FN was a median 6 versus 7 days (P = .01), and total bloodstream infections (BSI) were 33/113 (29%) versus 7/101 (7%) (P < .01) in NPx and Px groups, respectively. Gram-negative BSI were absent in the Px group. Viridans group streptococci were the most common Gram-positive BSI overall, with FQ-resistance more common in Px recipients. Rates of Clostridium difficile infections, length of hospital stay, or death at 100 days post-HSCT did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis introduced into autologous HSCT care at our institution in 2015 resulted in prevention of Gram-negative BSI, decreased rates of FN, microbiologically documented infections, and a delay in time to onset of FN compared with the prior NPx. FQ prophylaxis in autologous HSCT recipients should be evaluated per individual institution.
Oxaliplatin-induced Pulmonary Toxicity: A Rare but Serious Complication

The FOLFOX regimen (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil) is FDA approved for use in patients with colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal malignancies. The initial phase III randomized controlled trials that led to FDA approval of oxaliplatin with leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil showed a less than 1% incidence of pulmonary fibrosis and grade IV pulmonary toxicities. Here we describe two cases of pulmonary toxicity in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with FOLFOX and briefly review the literature regarding oxaliplatin-induced pulmonary toxicity.
[Contagiousness and secondary attack rate of 2019 novel coronavirus based on cluster epidemics of COVID-19 in Guangzhou]

Objective: To analyze the contagiousness and secondary attack rate of 2019 novel coronavirus in cluster epidemics in Guangzhou and provide evidence for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Methods: All the individuals identified to be infected with 2019-nCoV in Guangzhou, including confirmed cases and asymptomatic cases, were included and classified as imported cases and local cases. The first case of each cluster epidemic was defined as index case, and the number of subsequent infections was calculated to evaluate the contagiousness and secondary attack rate of 2019 novel coronavirus in the shortest incubation period of 1-3 days. Results: As of 18 February, 2020, a total of 349 cases of 2019-nCoV infection, including 339 confirmed cases (97.13%) and 10 asymptomatic cases (2.87%) were reported in Guangzhou. There were 68 clusters involving 217 2019-nCoV infection cases (210 confirmed cases and 7 asymptomatic cases). The median number of subsequent infections caused by an index case in a cluster epidemic was 3, among which 2 were confirmed cases and 1 was asymptomatic cases, respectively. The average number of contagiousness was 2.18 in shorted incubation period of 1-3 days (The average number of infected cases were 2.18 cases by the index case in a cluster epidemic), the average infection number in family members was 1.86, and the infection ratio of family member transmission was 85.32% (1.86/2.18). The secondary attack rate in close contacts with shortest incubation period of 1-3 days was 17.12%-18.99%, the secondary attack rate in family members was 46.11%-49.56%. Conclusions: The cluster epidemic of COVID-19 in Guangzhou mainly occurred in families, the contagiousness was high. It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control to reduce the community transmission of COVID-19.
Quark spin and orbital angular momentum from proton generalized parton distributions

We calculate the leading-twist helicity-dependent generalized parton distributions (GPDs) of the proton at finite skewness in the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). From these (and previously calculated helicity-independent GPDs) we obtain the spin decomposition of the proton, including predictions for quark intrinsic spin and orbital angular momentum. The inclusion of multiple species of diquarks is found to have a significant effect on the flavor decomposition, and resolving the internal structure of these dynamical diquark correlations proves essential for the mechanical stability of the proton. At a scale of ${Q}^{2}=4$ ${\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$ we find that the up and down quarks carry an intrinsic spin and orbital angular momentum of ${S}_{u}=0.534$, ${S}_{d}=\ensuremath{-}0.214$, ${L}_{u}=\ensuremath{-}0.189$, and ${L}_{d}=0.210$, whereas the gluons have a total angular momentum of ${J}_{g}=0.151$. The down quark is therefore found to carry almost no total angular momentum due to cancellations between spin and orbital contributions. Comparisons are made between these spin decomposition results and lattice QCD calculations.
Role of Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging in Detecting Retinal Hemorrhages in Children with Head Trauma

This study was carried out to evaluate the utility of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in demonstrating retinal hemorrhages (RH) in pediatric head trauma. Over a period of 7 years 67 children (age 0–4 years) with head trauma and MRI were included as either abusive head trauma (AHT) (n = 23), non-abusive head trauma (NAHT) (n = 38), or indeterminate (n = 6). Two pediatric neuroradiologists jointly reviewed the MR images for the presence of RH and sensitivity and specificity of SWI and T2WI were calculated. The dilated fundoscopic examination (DFE) was positive for RH in 18/23 (78.3%) of the AHT group, 5/38 (13.2%) in the NAHT group, and 4/6 (66.7%) in the indeterminate group. Regarding the SWI MRI findings, SWI was positive for RH in 13/23 (%56.5), while T2WI was positive in 6/23 (%26.1) of the AHT group. Based on utilizing DFE as a standard, the sensitivity and specificity of SWI in the detection of RH was 63% and 100%, respectively and 30% and 100%, respectively on T2WI. Our results suggest that SWI is a useful diagnostic tool for detection of RH in pediatric head trauma in whom DFE is difficult to perform.
The Engaged Health Sciences Library Liaison

The Engaged Health Sciences Library Liaison assembles case studies from US and Canadian academic and medical institutions that highlight the unique yet diverse roles and responsibilities of a health sciences library liaison.
Phase Shifting at 94 GHz using Bulk Crystals

In recent years there has been increased interest in electrically-controlled phase shifters in the near-millimeter spectral region for use in phased array radar systems. Past work in millimeter-wave phase shifters has made use of the electrically controlled conductivity of semiconductors such as silicon. The semiconductor can be used in the form of a dielectric waveguide, with carriers injected along one wall (either electrically [1] or optically [2]), or the sample (in the form of a diode) can be inserted along one wall of a hollow metallic waveguide [3]. In these experiments large phase shifts (on the order of 50–100 degrees) have been observed, but the devices are limited in speed by the carrier recombination time (10−6–10−5 seconds) and are complicated structurally.
Real-Time Low-Cost Drift Compensation for Chemical Sensors Using a Deep Neural Network With Hadamard Transform and Additive Layers

In this paper, we propose a computationally efficient deep learning framework to address the issue of sensitivity drift compensation for chemical sensors. The framework estimates the underlying drift signal from sensor measurements by means of a deep neural network with a multiplication-free Hadamard transform based layer. In addition, we propose an additive neural network which can be efficiently implemented in real-time on low-cost processors. The temporal additive neural network structure performs only one multiplication per “convolution” operation. Both the regular network and the additive network can have Hadamard transform based layers that implement orthogonal transforms over feature maps and perform soft-thresholding operations in the transform domain to eliminate noise. We also investigate the use of the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and compare it with the Hadamard transform. We present experimental results demonstrating that the Hadamard transform outperforms the DCT.
Detecting subtle change from dense Landsat time series: Case studies of mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle disturbance

Abstract In contrast to abrupt changes caused by land cover conversion, subtle changes driven by a shift in the condition, structure, or other biological attributes of land often lead to minimal and slower alterations of the terrestrial surface. Accurate mapping and monitoring of subtle change are crucial for an early warning of long-term gradual change that may eventually result in land cover conversion. Freely accessible moderate-resolution datasets such as the Landsat archive have great potential to characterize subtle change by capturing low-magnitude spectral changes in long-term observations. However, past studies have reported limited success in accurately extracting subtle changes from satellite-based time series analysis. In this study, we introduce a supervised framework named ‘PIDS’ to detect subtle forest disturbance from a comprehensive Landsat data archive by leveraging disturbance-based calibration sites. PIDS consists of four components: (1) Parameter optimization; (2) Index selection; (3) Dynamic stratified monitoring; and (4) Spatial consideration. PIDS was applied to map the early stage of bark beetle infestations (i.e., a lower per-pixel fraction of trees cover that show visual signs of infestation), which are a typical example of subtle change in conifer forests. Landsat Analysis Ready Data were used as the time series inputs for mapping mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle disturbance between 2001 and 2019 in Colorado, USA. PIDS-detection map assessment showed that the overall performance of PIDS (namely ‘F1 score’) was 0.86 for mountain pine beetle and 0.73 for spruce beetle, making a substantial improvement (> 0.3) compared to other approaches/products including COntinuous monitoring of Land Disturbance, LandTrendr, and the National Land Cover Database forest disturbance product. A sub-pixel analysis of tree canopy mortality percentage was performed by linking classified high-resolution (0.3- and 1-m) aerial imagery and 30-m PIDS-detection maps. Results show that PIDS typically detects mountain pine beetle infestation when ≥56% of a Landsat pixel is occupied by red-stage canopy mortality (one year after initial infestation), and spruce beetle infestation when ≥55% is occupied by gray-stage mortality (two years after initial infestation). This study addresses an important methodological goal pertinent to the utility of event-based reference samples for detecting subtle forest change, which could be potentially applied to other types of subtle land change.
Public Health Emergencies: Reconciling TRIPS and IHR (2005)

One of the principal obligations for a government is safe- guarding the public’s health, and in dire circumstances such as an epidemic emergency this commitment converts from a passive duty to an urgent necessity. The global community, and its avatar in the World Health Organization, has taken measures to bolster national and international disease response mechanisms so as to prepare for and respond to future outbreaks stemming from their legal commitments under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR (2005)) to do just that. Meanwhile, and intertwined, governments have a strong incentive towards ensuring that researchers into new drugs and products – essential weapons in combating current and future health threats – have their intellectual property rights respected and enforced. The Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Agreement (TRIPS), governed through the World Trade Organization, seeks to create a global standard for intellectual property rights among its membership. The recent formal adoption of an amendment for to the agreement regarding compulsory licenses is purposed with helping resolve some of the questions that emerge when public health emergencies intersect with intellectual property rights, particularly in regards to ensuring adequate and affordable supplies of an essential but patented product are available in outbreak response. This paper contends that interpreting the amendment to TRIPS through IHR (2005) requires governments who are members to both international legal instruments to adopt legislation facilitating compulsory licenses in response to public health emergencies.
Probabilistic Evaluation of Null Models for West Nile Virus in the United States

Null models provide a useful baseline for the development of new models. A variety of options for null models exist. These options have become more sophisticated with the advent of probabilistic modeling approaches. Here, we evaluate 10 different null models for West Nile virus, a primarily mosquito-borne disease introduced to the United States in 1999. The Historical Null was significantly better than all models other than the Negative Binomial. We recommend the use of either of these models as a baseline when developing new models to predict spatial and temporal dynamics of West Nile virus at the county-annual scale. We expect these results to be scale-dependent, and a future direction is to examine performance of null models at finer spatial and temporal scales.
Cusp forms

LetG andH ⊂G be two real semisimple groups defined overQ. Assume thatH is the group of points fixed by an involution ofG. Letπ ⊂L2(H\G) be an irreducible representation ofG and letf eπ be aK-finite function. Let Γ be an arithmetic subgroup ofG. The Poincare seriesPf(g)=ΣH∩ΓΓf(γ{}itg) is an automorphic form on Γ\G. We show thatPf is cuspidal in some cases, whenH ∩Γ\H is compact.
Radiation Dose: A Primer of Units and Limits

The increasing use of CT, especially in the last decade, has forced us to look at the issue of dose. A recent study from the National Academy of Sciences, examining a wealth of data accumulated over 10 years, announced that there is no threshold below which radiation is safe. Several months ago a governmental report indicated that radiation was a toxin. Whether you accept these two statements is probably beside the point. Despite disclaimers by several leaders in our specialty, the issue has now been raised to public consciousness. Increasing CT use will undoubtedly be accompanied by increasing surveillance of the possible ill effects of that use with respect to the induction of genetic damage, the instigation of cancers and the elaboration of vascular changes [1].
Improving Undergraduate Computer Instruction: Experiments and Strategies

Today, undergraduate students enter college with increasingly more sophisticated computer skills compared to their counterparts of 20 years ago. However, many instructors are still using traditional instructional strategies to teach this new generation. This research study discusses a number of strategies that were employed to teach a college-level introductory computer literacy class. The strategies included a hands-on computer skills assessment, the introduction of a flexible attendance policy, elimination of the required textbook, and the use of learning teams. We explored alternative teaching methodologies in an effort to close the gap between classroom practice and real-world application and improve student learning.
Microarray analysis of bacterial pathogenicity.

Abstract The DNA microarray, a surface that contains an ordered arrangement of each identified open reading frame of a sequenced genome, is the engine of functional genomics. Its output, the expression profile, provides a genome wide snap-shot of the transcriptome. Refined by array-specific statistical instruments and data-mined by clustering algorithms and metabolic pathway databases, the expression profile discloses, at the transcriptional level, how the microbe adapts to new conditions of growth - the regulatory networks that govern the adaptive response and the metabolic and biosynthetic pathways that effect the new phenotype. Adaptation to host microenvironments underlies the capacity of infectious agents to persist in and damage host tissues. While monitoring the whole genome transcriptional response of bacterial pathogens within infected tissues has not been achieved, it is likely that the complex, tissue-specific response is but the sum of individual responses of the bacteria to specific physicochemical features that characterize the host milieu. These are amenable to experimentation in vitro and whole-genome expression studies of this kind have defined the transcriptional response to iron starvation, low oxygen, acid pH, quorum-sensing pheromones and reactive oxygen intermediates. These have disclosed new information about even well-studied processes and provide a portrait of the adapting bacterium as a ‘system’, rather than the product of a few genes or even a few regulons. Amongst the regulated genes that compose this adaptive system are transcription factors. Expression profiling experiments of transcription factor mutants delineate the corresponding regulatory cascade. The genetic basis for pathogenicity can also be studied by using microarray-based comparative genomics to characterize and quantify the extent of genetic variability within natural populations at the gene level of resolution. Also identified are differences between pathogen and commensal that point to possible virulence determinants or disclose evolutionary history. The host vigorously engages the pathogen; expression studies using host genome microarrays and bacterially infected cell cultures show that the initial host reaction is dominated by the innate immune response. However, within the complex expression profile of the host cell are components mediated by pathogen-specific determinants. In the future, the combined use of bacterial and host microarrays to study the same infected tissue will reveal the dialogue between pathogen and host in a gene-by-gene and site- and time-specific manner. Translating this conversation will not be easy and will probably require a combination of powerful bioinformatic tools and traditional experimental approaches - and considerable effort and time.
Agricultural production v climate protection: An emerging conflict in the 1990s?

Abstract In this Viewpoint the author examines rising greenhouse gas emissions in the context of changes in the land uses which produce them. The clearing of forested land and associated burning of biomass account for as much as 30% of global CO 2 emissions. Rice agriculture and domestic animals are major producers of methane, and significant N 2 O emissions derive from the use of nitrogen fertilizer. These activities are closely associated with efforts to increase food production, especially in the developing countries. Urgent international attention must be given to these problems if conflict is to be avoided.
Transgressive Masculinities in Selected Sword and Sandal Films

In the ancient film epic, even in incarnations which were conceived as patriarchal and hetero-normative works, small and sometimes large bits of transgressive gender formations appear. Many overtly hegemonic films still reveal the existence of resistive structures buried within the narrative. Film criticism has generally avoided serious examination of this genre, and left it open to the purview of classical studies professionals, whose view and value systems are significantly different to those of film scholars. This paper examines significant films in the ancient epic canon from a queer theoretical viewpoint, to survey the extent of atypical gender formations within the genre. Working with the studies of Judith Butler and Michel Foucault, augmented with critiques by Steve Neale and Ina Rae Hark, the extent of such trangressions became clear. The ancient epic film displayed the traits of transgressive gender construction and the homoerotic display of the male first noted in Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden's classically themed tableaux of nude males. Classicism was then, and remains today, a trompe l'oeuil which misleads the spectator, tricking him into accepting the unthinkable.
Regulatory impact on insect biotechnology and pest management

The application of insect biotechnology is promising for the development of environmentally compatible pest management solutions. As we have refined and enhanced genetic engineering techniques in several insect species that cause significant economic loss and public health injury, it has become clear that insect biotechnology will move forward as one of the key tools of pest management in agriculture and in the human environment. Well characterized genetic elements can be manipulated toward specific aims and maintain a viable insect, albeit one with diminished capacity to exchange genetic material, vector a virus or bacterium, or complete its life cycle. Despite this degree of knowledge and precision, there remain unanswered questions regarding environmental fate, release and public acceptance of this technology. The uncertainty surrounding any novel technology inevitably increases the level of regulatory scrutiny associated with its use. Although the term “insect biotechnology” has many connotations, it certainly includes the genetic modification of symbiotic or commensally associated microbes as a means of delivering a trait (e.g. a toxin) to manage plant and human diseases and insect pests. The distinction between this paratransgenic approach and direct genetic modification of insect pests is an important one biologically as well as from a regulatory standpoint. The regulatory framework for microbial applications to agriculture is in many instances in place; however, we must strive to forge the development of guidelines and regulations that will foster deployment of insect biotechnologies.
Lucy Hutchinson's Revisions of Conscience

AbstractIn the Memoirs of the Life of Colonel Hutchinson, Lucy Hutchinson claims authorship of her husband's written recantation to the Speaker of the House of Commons, delivered to Parliament in May 1660. Although scholars focusing on the Hutchinsons as stalwart republicans accept her tale of forgery, its veracity has been called into question on several occasions by critics who argue for his complicity in the matter. In agreement with the latter, this essay examines the use of the word “conscience” in the recantation and in the Memoirs to show how Lucy Hutchinson strives to recover her husband's reputation as a republican. John Hutchinson twice maintains in his recantation that it was for his conscience's sake that he had returned his loyalties to Charles II and repented his role in the regicide. This language of conscience makes the Colonel's petition more credible (he was pardoned after its delivery) and sullies his reputation as a republican. In the Memoirs, Lucy Hutchinson creates for her husband a ...
Individual decision-making experiments with risk and intertemporal choice

Many decisions require tradeoffs over time and in the presence of risk. To examine interactions between risk and intertemporal effects we developed a laboratory experiment. In the experiment, subjects choose between payoffs that take place at different points in time. We find that very few subjects are consistently risk averse or risk loving. Instead, we find that subjects are less patient in the presence of risk. We also find that increased risk decreases subjects’ patience levels. However, we do not find evidence that the effect of risk on the intertemporal decision depends on the length of the temporal delay.
Relationship between Maximum Walking Speed and Sensory Disturbance in Hemiparetic Patients

脳卒中軽度片麻痺患者を対象とし，歩行能力と感覚障害との関連を調べるため，感覚障害別に分類した2群間で退院時最大歩行速度・歩行率・重複歩距離と立位バランスを比較検討した。 今回の観察結果より，軽度麻痺患者において，感覚障害は最大歩行速度の低下を招き，その理由として歩行率の低下が示された。また，歩行率は立位バランス能力の状態に影響され，今回対象とした軽度麻痺患者では，staticな立位バランス能力が，dynamicな立位バランス能力を反映し得ることが判明した。このことより，単．脚立位検査が，歩行機能を反映し得る可能性が伺えた。今後，重度麻痺患者での観察を行い，検討していきたい。
Neurologic Events After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Early trials involving transcatheter aortic valve replacement raised concerns for an elevated risk of neurologic events compared to surgical AVR. Contemporary studies suggest declining rates with better patient selection, improved operator experience, and newer generation devices. Events are usually embolic in nature, occur in the periprocedural period, and can lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Current investigations are focused on developing embolic protection devices for intraprocedural use and optimizing antiplatelet and anticoagulant regimens. These efforts aim to further reduce the incidence of stroke, which is particularly important as the technology expands to include intermediate and possibly low surgical risk populations.
LAR receptor tyrosine phosphatases and HSPGs guide peripheral sensory axons to the skin.

Summary Background Peripheral axons of somatosensory neurons innervate the skin early in development to detect touch stimuli. Embryological experiments had suggested that the skin produces guidance cues that attract sensory axons, but neither the attractants nor their neuronal receptors had previously been identified. Results To investigate peripheral axon navigation to the skin, we combined live imaging of developing zebrafish Rohon-Beard (RB) neurons with molecular loss-of-function manipulations. Simultaneously knocking down two members of the leukocyte antigen-related (LAR) family of receptor tyrosine phosphatases expressed in RB neurons, or inhibiting their function with dominant-negative proteins, misrouted peripheral axons to internal tissues. Time-lapse imaging indicated that peripheral axon guidance, rather than outgrowth or maintenance, was defective in LAR-deficient neurons. Peripheral axons displayed a similar misrouting phenotype in mutants defective in heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) production and avoided regions in which HSPGs were locally degraded. Conclusions HSPGs and LAR family receptors are required for sensory axon guidance to the skin. Together, our results support a model in which peripheral HSPGs are attractive ligands for LAR receptors on RB neurons.
A patient with extreme variation in number and size of small marker chromosomes.

We describe extensive variation in the morphology and number of small marker chromosomes in a young girl whose most significant clinical findigns were pulmonic stenosis, neek webbing, proptosis, camptodactyly, and developmental delay. Many of the markers had a ring structure. Some were clearly rod-shaped chromosomes with varying arm ratios and others were so small that we could not determine their structure.
On the stability of rapid granular flows

Numerical simulations of rapid granular flows in large periodic domains have demonstrated the existence of an ‘inelastic microstructure’ characterized by agglomerations of particles into clusters. In the present work the phenomenon of particle clustering is considered to be a manifestation of hydrodynamic instability of the equations governing the dynamics of rapid granular flows. A linear stability analysis of the simple shear flow of smooth, slightly, inelastic disks and spheres is carried out utilizing the governing equations formulated by the kinetic theory. The results indicate that disturbances of large wavelengths initially grow at an exponential rate for any value of the restitution coefficient. The results also demonstrate that this phenomenon will not be exposed in numerical simulations within small periodic domains, because the range of possible disturbance wavelengths is limited by the size of the periodic domain.
Perceptions of Women Condom Proposers Among Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and European Americans1

This study was a comparison of the judgments made about a sexually active female condom proposer by men and women of 3 ethnic groups: Chinese Americans, European Americans, and Japanese Americans. Results indicate that Chinese Americans reacted more negatively to the female condom proposer than did European Americans. Japanese Americans could not be distinguished between either of the groups on most measures. However, Japanese Americans did perceive the female condom proposer to be less sexually attractive than did the other 2 groups. These findings underscore the importance of distinguishing among subgroups of Asian Americans, especially when considering issues related to gender and sexuality.
DRY ICE IN VARIOUS SHIPPING BOXES FOR CHILLED POULTRY: EFFECT ON MICROBIOLOGICAL AND ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITY

SUMMARY– Comparisons were made of dry ice and weter ice in shipping boxes for chilled chickens. Three types of boxes were tested: wax-resin-coated corrugated fiberboard, expanded polystyrene foam, and wirebound wood-veneer. Microbial counts, CO2 concentration, and off-odor development were determined. Microbial counts on poultry stored at 0.5°C for up to 9 days were not significantly different as a function of box type or coolant. Counts on poultry stored at 4.4°C were significantly greater at 9 days on poultry stored in fiberboard boxes with dry ice than on poultry with water ice in fiberboard boxes or polystyrene boxes with dry ice; at 3 and 6 days there were no significant differences. At 5.2°C, counts were significantly smaller in polystyrene boxes with dry ice than in either wirebound boxes with water ice or fiberboard boxes with dry ice. An off-odor not characteristic of spoilage odor could develop in CO2 atmosphere storage earlier than spoilage odor in an air atmosphere if storage temperature was low (0.5°C). At higher temperature (5.2°C), spoilage odor in air occurred earlier than Co2-related off-odor in Co2 atmosphere.
Stereotaxic Implantation of Electrodes in the Human Brain: A Method for Long-Term Study and Treatment

A stereotaxic method for placement of electrodes in the human brain is described. Radiographic visualization of subcortical targets are discussed and error correction formulas are developed. Electrodes and fixation methods for long-term human implantation are described. Multiple stainless steel or silver bail electrodes have been implanted in 75 patients with schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, Parkinson's disease, narcolepsy, and intractable pain. The silver ball electrode is more satisfactory for recording and stimulation. Biphasic 0.25-ms duration currents from 2-7 mA have been applied to animals and humans without evidence of structural damage.
Parameterized Radiation Transport Model for Neutron Detection in Complex Scenes

There is interest in developing the ability to rapidly compute the energy dependent neutron flux within a complex geometry for a variety of applications. Coupled with sensor response function information, this capability would allow direct estimation of sensor behavior in multitude of operational scenarios. In situations where detailed simulation is not warranted or affordable, it is desirable to possess reliable estimates of the neutron field in practical scenarios which do not require intense computation. A tool set of this kind would provide quantitative means to address the development of operational concepts, inform asset allocation decisions, and exercise planning. Monte Carlo and/or deterministic methods provide a high degree of precision and fidelity consistent with the accuracy with which the scene is rendered. However, these methods are often too computationally expensive to support the real-time evolution of a virtual operational scenario. High fidelity neutron transport simulations are also time consuming from the standpoint of user setup and post-simulation analysis. We pre-compute adjoint solutions using MCNP to generate a coarse spatial and energy grid of the neutron flux over various surfaces as an alternative to full Monte Carlo modeling. We attempt to capture the characteristics of the neutron transport solution. We report on the results of brief verification and validation measurements which test the predictive capability of this approach over soil and asphalt concrete surfaces. We highlight the sensitivity of the simulated and experimental results to the material composition of the environment.
Grammatical morphology deficits in Spanish-speaking children with specific language impairment.

The focus of this study was the use of grammatical morphology by Spanish-speaking preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI). Relative to both same-age peers and younger typically developing children with similar mean lengths of utterance (MLUs), the children with SLI showed more limited use of several different grammatical morphemes. These limitations were most marked for noun-related morphemes such as adjective-agreement inflections and direct object clitics. Most errors on the part of children in all groups consisted of substitutions of a form that shared most but not all of the target’s grammatical features (e.g., correct tense and number but incorrect person). Number errors usually involved singular forms used in plural contexts; person errors usually involved third person forms used in first person contexts. The pattern of limitations of the children with SLI suggests that, for languages such as Spanish, additional factors might have to be considered in the search for clinical markers for ...
Temporal correlation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha release, upregulation of pulmonary ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, neutrophil sequestration, and lung injury in diet-induced pancreatitis.

Lung injury is a major cause of patient morbidity in acute pancreatitis. The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanism of pulmonary infiltration and lung injury in acute pancreatitis. Mice were fed a choline-deficient/ethionine-supplemented (CDE) diet for 144 hours to induce severe acute pancreatitis. Serum samples were collected for measurement of biochemical markers of disease and for the detection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Cell surface adhesion molecule expression was quantified by the sensitive radiolabeled dual monoclonal antibody technique. Neutrophil sequestration in lung tissue was measured by the myeloperoxidase assay. Lung injury was determined histologically and lung edema was assessed by wet/dry ratios. Pancreatic injury was demonstrated to occur in all CDE-fed mice, which developed significant hyperamylasemia and hypoglycemia by 48 hours (P <0.0001). Serum TNF-a levels increased significantly by 48 hours over baseline values (P < 0.02). E x p ression of intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) in pulmonary endothelia was significantly increased above baseline by 30% at 48 hours (P < 0.02) and peaked at 120 hours by 100% (P < 0.000l). Vascular cellular adhesion molecule (XXVI-l) was constitutively expressed at baseline and was upregulated threefold by 48 hours (P < 0.000l). Neutrophil infiltration increased gradually 24 hours after ICAM- and VCAM-1 were upregulated with significant elevation of myeloperoxidase activity over baseline at 72 hours (7.2 ±1.2 vs. 18.1 ±2.2 activity units/gram tissue; P < 0.05). Neutrophil infiltration peaked at 144 hours (26.24 ±10.49 activity units/gram tissue P <0.000l), and its kinetics correlated with the onset and progression of morphologic injury as well as increased lung edema. These results show that acute pancreatitis is associated with a systemic release of inflammatory cytokines, followed by increased expression of pulmonary ICAM- and VCAM-1, neutrophil infiltration, and histologic lung injury. The adhesion molecule axis may be a potential target for practical intervention to ameliorate lung injury and morbidity in acute pancreatitis.
New Genes in Drosophila Quickly Become Essential

To investigate the origin and evolution of essential genes, we identified and phenotyped 195 young protein-coding genes, which originated 3 to 35 million years ago in Drosophila. Knocking down expression with RNA interference showed that 30% of newly arisen genes are essential for viability. The proportion of genes that are essential is similar in every evolutionary age group that we examined. Under constitutive silencing of these young essential genes, lethality was high in the pupal stage and also found in the larval stages. Lethality was attributed to diverse cellular and developmental defects, such as organ formation and patterning defects. These data suggest that new genes frequently and rapidly evolve essential functions and participate in development.
NEOPLASIA IN A CORAL

Anomalous growths of the colonial, deep-water coral Madrepora kauaiensis are interpreted as neoplasia. Since tissue was not preserved, evidence is derived solely from skeletal examination and consists of unusually rapid growth and progressively disordered growth of skeletal structures.
Lhermitte Sign After Chemo-IMRT of Head-and-Neck Cancer: Incidence, Doses, and Potential Mechanisms

Purpose We have observed a higher rate of Lhermitte sign (LS) after chemo–intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) of head-and-neck cancer than the published rates after conventional radiotherapy. We hypothesized that the inhomogeneous spinal cord dose distributions produced by IMRT caused a “bath-and-shower” effect, characterized by low doses in the vicinity of high doses, reducing spinal cord tolerance. Methods and Materials Seventy-three patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx participated in a prospective study of IMRT concurrent with weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel. Of these, 15 (21%) reported LS during at least 2 consecutive follow-up visits. Mean dose, maximum dose, and partial volume and absolute volume (in milliliters) of spinal cord receiving specified doses (≥10 Gy, ≥20 Gy, ≥30 Gy, and ≥40 Gy), as well as the pattern of dose distributions at the “anatomic” spinal cord (from the base of the skull to the aortic arch) and “plan-related” spinal cord (from the top through the bottom of the planning target volumes), were compared between LS patients and 34 non-LS patients. Results LS patients had significantly higher spinal cord mean doses, V 30 , V 40 , and absolute volumes receiving 30 Gy or more and 40 Gy or more compared with the non-LS patients ( p 40 and higher cord volumes receiving 40 Gy or more ( p ≤ 0.007). There was no evidence of larger spinal cord volumes receiving low doses in the vicinity of higher doses (bath-and-shower effect) in LS compared with non-LS patients. Conclusions Greater mean dose, V 30 , V 40 , and cord volumes receiving 30 Gy or more and 40 Gy or more characterized LS compared with non-LS patients. Bath-and-shower effects could not be validated in this study as a potential contributor to LS. The higher-than-expected rates of LS may be because of the specific concurrent chemotherapy agents or more accurate identification of LS in the setting of a prospective study.
Machine phase fullerene nanotechnology

Recent advances in fullerene science and technology suggest that it may be possible, in the distant future, to design and build atomically precise programmable machines composed largely of functionalized fullerenes. Large numbers of such machines with appropriate interconnections could conceivably create a material able to react to the environment and repair itself. This paper reviews some of the experimental and theoretical work relating to these materials, sometimes called machine phase, including the fullerene gears and high-density memory recently designed and simulated in our laboratory.
Population-based family history-specific risks for colorectal cancer: a constellation approach.

Background & Aims Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk estimates based on family history typically include only close relatives. We report familial relative risk (FRR) in probands with various combinations, or constellations, of affected relatives, extending to third-degree. Methods A population-based resource that includes a computerized genealogy linked to statewide cancer records was used to identify genetic relationships among CRC cases and their first-, second-, and third-degree relatives (FDRs, SDRs, and TDRs). FRRs were estimated by comparing the observed number of affected persons with a particular family history constellation to the expected number, based on cohort-specific CRC rates. Results A total of 2,327,327 persons included in ≥3 generation family histories were analyzed; 10,556 had a diagnosis of CRC. The FRR for CRC in persons with ≥1 affected FDR=2.05 (95% CI, 1.96–2.14), consistent with published estimates. In the absence of a positive first-degree family history, considering both affected SDRs and TDRs, only 1 constellation had an FRR estimate that was significantly >1.0 (0 affected FDRs, 1 affected SDR, 2 affected TDRs; FRR=1.33; 95% CI, 1.13–1.55). The FRR for persons with 1 affected FDR, 1 affected SDR, and 0 affected TDRs was 1.88 (95% CI, 1.59–2.20), increasing to FRR=3.28 (95% CI, 2.44–4.31) for probands with 1 affected FDR, 1 affected SDR, and ≥3 affected TDRs. Conclusions Increased numbers of affected FDRs influences risk much more than affected SDRs or TDRs. However, when combined with a positive first-degree family history, a positive second- and third-degree family history can significantly increase risk.