cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Factors Predict Failure of Nonsurgical Management of a Lumbar Surgical Site Infection

ABSTRACT Background: One of the most frequent complications of invasive lumbar spine surgery is postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs). Although there are absolute criteria for surgical intervention (progressive neurologic deficit, sepsis, failure of medical management), the treatment of routine, uncomplicated SSIs remains somewhat unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of a series of patients with postoperative surgical site infections who were treated with or without surgical intervention. The primary clinical outcome was the assessment of whether medical management alone would be sufficient to eradicate the infection. Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent lumbar surgery complicated by spine infection between 2011 and 2017 was performed in order to determine what factors, if any, resulted in the need for additional surgical management. Medical records were reviewed for various demographic (e.g., age), clinical (e.g., organism), and surgical (e.g., presence of instrumentation) factors. A regression analysis was performed to identify what variables significantly increased the risk for SSI. Results: During the 6-year period studied, a total of 74 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. There were 13 patients who failed medical management and required additional surgical management, which included irrigation and debridement. Thus, overall, medical management alone was effective in 82% of patients. In the final multivariate logistic regression analysis model, revision primary surgery had the strongest association with SSI that would require a washout. In addition, diabetes had a strong association with the occurrence of an infection. Conclusions: Identification of risk factors associated with the need for additional surgical management may benefit from aggressive antibiotic therapy to reduce the likelihood of reoperation. Clinicians should be aware of the identified risk factors, which may help with postoperative management in at-risk individuals
Using Physiological Linkage for Patient State Assessment In a Competitive Rehabilitation Game

Competitive rehabilitation games can enhance motivation and exercise intensity compared to solo exercise; however, since such games may be played by two people with different abilities, game difficulty must be dynamically adapted to suit both players. State-of-the-art adaptation algorithms are based on players’ performance (e.g., score), which may not be representative of the patient’s physical and psychological state. Instead, we propose a method that estimates players’ states in a competitive game based on the covariation of players’ physiological responses. The method was evaluated in 10 unimpaired pairs, who played a competitive game in 6 conditions while 5 physiological responses were measured: respiration, skin conductance, heart rate, and 2 facial electromyograms. Two physiological linkage methods were used to assess the similarity of the players’ physiological measurements: coherence of raw measurements and correlation of heart and respiration rates. These linkage features were compared to traditional individual physiological features in classification of players’ affects (enjoyment, valence, arousal, perceived difficulty) into ‘low’ and ‘high’ classes. Classifiers based on physiological linkage resulted in higher accuracies than those based on individual physiological features, and combining both feature types yielded the highest classification accuracies (75% to 91%). These classifiers will next be used to dynamically adapt game difficulty during rehabilitation.
Fashion Exhibitions as Scholarship: Evaluation Criteria for Peer Review:

Curated exhibitions are places where research practice, creative design, storytelling, and aesthetics converge. In this article, we use the term “fashion exhibition” to refer to the organized displ...
L-Classes of Stratified Spaces

In this chapter we explain how the duality pairing on the middle-perversity intersection homology groups and its associated signature invariant can be used to construct characteristic L-classes in the singular setting.
Dissemination of MHV4 (Strain JHM) Infection Does Not Require Specific Coronavirus Receptors

In this report, we demonstrate the syncytial spread of MHV4 (strain JHM) infection through non-murine cell cultures which lack a specific MHV4 receptor and are therefore resistant to infection by free virions. This was achieved by allowing infected murine cells to settle onto confluent monolayers of non-murine cells in a straightforward infectious center assay. Receptor-independent syncytium formation induced by cells expressing the MHV4 spike (S) from recombinant vaccinia viruses (VV) indicated that spread was mediated by this coronavirus glycoprotein. We conclude that the S protein of MHV4 is so potently fusogenic that it does not require prior binding to a virus-specific surface receptor to induce fusion of closely-opposed plasma membranes.
Clinical outcomes and adherence to topical corticosteroid therapy in women with vulvar lichen sclerosus: A retrospective cohort study.

Background Vulvar lichen sclerosus is a progressive dermatitis with significant itching, pain, and sexual dysfunction. Objective To investigate topical steroid use and clinical improvement across multiple specialties. Methods Retrospective cohort study at dermatology, gynecology, and vulvovaginal specialty clinics from 2012 to 2017. Descriptive statistics and panel logistic regression were performed. Results A total of 333 women attended 1525 visits (median 6/patient; range, 1-24 visits). Patients used steroids exactly as prescribed at 66% of visits, less than prescribed at 26%, and not at all at 8%. Versus no use, exact use improved symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 4.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-9.6) and physical examination findings (OR, 6.9; 95% CI, 2.7-17.6) more than infrequent steroid use (symptoms: OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.4; physical examination findings: OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.6-11.0). Sexual activity status was noted in 93% of vulvovaginal, 29% of gynecology, and 0% of dermatology visits. At intake, 42% of women were sexually inactive because of pain; of these, 37% became sexually active after steroid treatment. Steroid adherence was not associated with change in sexual activity. Conclusions Women with vulvar lichen sclerosus improve more when topical steroids are used exactly as prescribed, although some improvement occurs with imperfect use. Sexual activity documentation is inconsistent, limiting quality of life follow-up.
Inhibitory effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene on human colon cancer cells: a side‐by side comparison

Resveratrol (REV) and pterostilbene (PTS) are structurally related stilbene compounds found in fruits such as grapes and blueberries. We compared their effects on three human colon cancer cells (HT...
Degree of Self-Reported Facial Impairment Correlates with Social Impairment in Individuals with Facial Paralysis and Synkinesis.

Importance: Facial paralysis leads to both aesthetic and functional deficits placing patients at risk for sociopsychological sequelae and social impairment. Objective: To examine the effect of faci...
Dynamic orientation control of bimolecular electron transfer at charged micelle surfaces

Visible light excitation of the neutral complex [RuII(phen)2(bps)]0 (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, bps = 4,7-biphenylsulfonate-1,10-phenanthroline) results in the formation of a triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer excited state with a lifetime, τo, of 4.6 µs, where the promoted electron is localized on the bps ligand, 3*[RuIII(phen)2(bps•−)]0. The complex is dynamically quenched by di-n-heptyl-viologen, C7C7V2+, in solution and when the acceptor is embedded into negatively charged and neutral micelles. Addition of NaCl to solutions containing C7C7V2+ bound to negatively charged dodecyl sulfate sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles results in a monotonic increase in the quenching rate constant from kq = 6.0 × 107 to 1.7 × 109 M−1 s−1. In contrast, kq was independent of [NaCl] and diffusion limited in water and neutral micellar solution. Activated rate constants, kact, revealed that electron transfer was slowed by a factor of 450 when occurring in negatively charged micelle solution relative to neutral octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E8) micelles. In the 3*[RuIII(phen)2(bps•−)]0 excited state, the bps ligand is oriented away from the anionic micelle surface potential, −141 ≤ ψ ≤ −67 mV, due to a Frumkin effect operative in the deceleration of kact. Frumkin corrected rate constants were within a factor of three of those measured in C12E8 solution. Distance-dependent reorganization energies resulting from the orientation vary from 0.47 eV to 0.35 eV, while electronic coupling decreases by a factor of 10. The collective data show that orientation control over bimolecular rate constants in micellar solution can be achieved by screening micellar surface charges.
A Lipid Transfer Protein has Antifungal and Antioxidant Activity and Suppresses Fusarium Head Blight Disease and DON Accumulation in Transgenic Wheat

Trichothecene mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON) are virulence factors of Fusarium graminearum, which causes Fusarium head blight, one of the most important diseases of small grain cereals. We previously identified a nonspecific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP) gene, AtLTP4.4, which was overexpressed in an activation-tagged Arabidopsis line resistant to trichothecin, a type B trichothecene in the same class as DON. Here we show that overexpression of AtLTP4.4 in transgenic wheat significantly reduced F. graminearum growth in 'Bobwhite' and 'RB07' lines in the greenhouse and reduced fungal lesion size in detached leaf assays. Hydrogen peroxide accumulation was attenuated on exposure of transgenic wheat plants to DON, indicating that AtLTP4.4 may confer resistance by inhibiting oxidative stress. Field testing indicated that disease severity was significantly reduced in two transgenic 'Bobwhite' lines expressing AtLTP4.4. DON accumulation was significantly reduced in four different transgenic 'Bobwhite' lines expressing AtLTP4.4 or a wheat nsLTP, TaLTP3, which was previously shown to have antioxidant activity. Recombinant AtLTP4.4 purified from Pichia pastoris exhibited potent antifungal activity against F. graminearum. These results demonstrate that overexpression of AtLTP4.4 in transgenic wheat suppresses DON accumulation in the field. Suppression of DON-induced reactive oxygen species by AtLTP4.4 might be the mechanism by which fungal spread and mycotoxin accumulation are inhibited in transgenic wheat plants.
Adolescent Birth Rates and Rural-Urban Differences by Levels of Deprivation and Health Professional Shortage Areas in the United States, 2017-2018.

Objectives. To examine the differences in adolescent birth rates by deprivation and Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in rural and urban counties of the United States in 2017 and 2018.Meth...
p solutions of reflected backward stochastic differential equations with jumps

Given p ∈ (1, 2), we study 𝕃p -solutions of a reflected backward stochastic differential equation with jumps (RBSDEJ) whose generator g is Lipschitz continuous in (y , z , u ). Based on a general comparison theorem as well as the optimal stopping theory for uniformly integrable processes under jump filtration, we show that such a RBSDEJ with p -integrable parameters admits a unique 𝕃p solution via a fixed-point argument. The Y -component of the unique 𝕃p solution can be viewed as the Snell envelope of the reflecting obstacle 𝔏 under g -evaluations, and the first time Y meets 𝔏 is an optimal stopping time for maximizing the g -evaluation of reward 𝔏.
Creating Critical Literacy Praxis: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice:

Although research in critical literacy has long been conducted in English as a second language contexts, a modicum of critical literacy research in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts in w...
Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) related data analytics in the Hybrid Aerial Underwater Robotic System (HAUCS)

This paper investigates Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) related data analytics. MAS is used for modeling complex, decentralized, and real-world tasks such as package delivery by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, security, disaster management, UAS Traffic Management (UTM) among others. Fish farming is one such area, where the deployment of UAS platforms could drastically improve the current labor-intensive and resource-constraint operations. This research addresses the design of mission control and path planning strategies for UASs deployed on the fish farm. The proposed strategy enables periodic monitoring of mission-critical parameters. A control strategy is designed to address the tracking control of the UAS under wind conditions.
Distinct Alterations in Cerebellar Connectivity with Substantia Nigra and Ventral Tegmental Area in Parkinson’s Disease

In Parkinsons disease (PD), neurodegeneration of dopaminergic neurons occurs in the midbrain, specifically targeting the substantia nigra (SN), while leaving the ventral tegmental area (VTA) relatively spared in early phases of the disease. Although the SN and VTA are known to be functionally dissociable in healthy adults, it remains unclear how this dissociation is altered in PD. To examine this issue, we performed a whole-brain analysis to compare functional coupling in PD to healthy adults using resting-state fMRI data compiled from three independent datasets. Our analysis showed that across the sample, the SN had greater coupling to the precuneus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and areas of the occipital cortex, partially replicating our previous work in healthy young adults. Notably, we also found that, in PD, VTA-right cerebellum coupling was higher than SN-right cerebellum coupling, whereas the opposite trend occurred in healthy controls. This double dissociation may reflect a compensatory role of the cerebellum in PD and could provide a potential target for future study and treatment.
Associations of Suicidality Trends With Cannabis Use as a Function of Sex and Depression Status.

Importance During the past decade, cannabis use among US adults has increased markedly, with a parallel increase in suicidality (ideation, plan, attempt, and death). However, associations between cannabis use and suicidality among young adults are poorly understood. Objective To determine whether cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) are associated with a higher prevalence of suicidality among young adults with or without depression and to assess whether these associations vary by sex. Design, Setting, and Participants This survey study examined data from 281 650 adults aged 18 to 34 years who participated in the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Data were collected from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2019. Exposures Prevalence of past-year daily or near-daily cannabis use (≥300 days in the past year), CUD, and major depressive episode (MDE). Past-year CUD and MDE were based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Main Outcomes and Measures Past-year suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt. Results Among the 281 650 adults aged 18 to 34 (men, 49.9% [95% CI, 49.6%-50.2%]; women, 50.1% [95% CI, 49.8%-50.4%]) included in the analysis, past-year suicidal ideation and plan along with daily cannabis use increased among all examined sociodemographic subgroups (except daily cannabis use among current high-school students), and past-year suicide attempt increased among most subgroups. National trends in adjusted prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt varied by daily and nondaily cannabis use and CUD among adults with or without MDE. After controlling for MDE, CUD, cannabis use status, and potential confounding factors, the adjusted prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt increased 1.4 to 1.6 times from the 2008-2009 to 2018-2019 periods (adjusted risk ratio [ARR] for suicidal ideation, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.3-1.5]; ARR for suicide plan, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.5-1.9]; ARR for suicide attempt, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.2-1.7]), with 2008 to 2009 as the reference period. Past-year CUD, daily cannabis use, and nondaily cannabis use were associated with a higher prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt in both sexes (eg, among individuals without MDE, prevalence of suicidal ideation for those with vs without CUD was 13.9% vs 3.5% among women and 9.9% vs 3.0% among men; P < .001), but significantly more so in women than men (eg, suicide plan among those with CUD and MDE was 52% higher for women [23.7%] than men [15.6%]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance From 2008 to 2019, suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt increased 40% to 60% over increases ascribed to cannabis use and MDE. Future research is needed to examine this increase in suicidality and to determine whether it is due to cannabis use or overlapping risk factors.
Experimental Evidence on Which Academic Outcomes Nudging Can Shift for First-Year College Students from High-FRL Schools

Administrators are increasingly focused on at-risk student performance/persistence. Informational campaigns to shift behavior are tempting, given widely-publicized successes by nudges regarding college access. However, there is minimal evidence on the effectiveness of nudges on college success. We provide results from a low-cost two-arm experimental-assignment nudging campaign for first-year students at a high-research university; showing persistence effects (12 percentage-point) for one treatment arm, and treatment estimates on cumulative GPA and credits earned that align in magnitude with the most-similar other intervention (Castleman & Meyer, 2020). Our work can inform the design of future nudging interventions for college performance and persistence.
Muscle-directed AAV gene therapy rescues the maple syrup urine disease phenotype in a mouse model

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder characterized by a dysfunctional mitochondrial enzyme complex, branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH), which catabolizes branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Without functional BCKDH, BCAAs and their neurotoxic alpha-keto intermediates can accumulate in the blood and tissues. MSUD is currently incurable and treatment is limited to dietary restriction or liver transplantation, meaning there is a great need to develop new treatments for MSUD. We evaluated potential gene therapy applications for MSUD in the intermediate MSUD (iMSUD) mouse model, which harbors a mutation in the dihydrolipoamide branched-chain transacylase E2 (DBT) subunit of BCKDH. Systemic delivery of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector expressing DBT under control of the liver-specific TBG promoter to the liver did not sufficiently ameliorate all aspects of the disease phenotype. These findings necessitated an alternative therapeutic strategy. Muscle makes a larger contribution to BCAA metabolism than liver in humans, but a muscle-specific approach involving a muscle-specific promoter for DBT expression delivered via intramuscular (IM) administration only partially rescued the MSUD phenotype in mice. Combining the muscle-tropic AAV9 capsid with the ubiquitous CB7 promoter via IM or IV injection, however, substantially increased survival across all assessed doses. Additionally, near-normal serum BCAA levels were achieved and maintained in the mid- and high-dose cohorts throughout the study; this approach also protected these mice from a lethal high-protein diet challenge. Therefore, administration of a gene therapy vector that expresses in both muscle and liver may represent a viable approach to treating patients with MSUD.
Cytogenetic aberrations in osteosarcomas. Nonrandom deletions, rings, and double-minute chromosomes.

Relatively few karyotypes have been reported from short-term cultures and/or direct harvests of osteosarcomas. We describe clonal aberrations in 17 high-grade osteosarcoma specimens and in one low-grade osteosarcoma. The high-grade osteosarcomas were karyotyped after direct harvest (four cases) or after short-term culture periods of qter, 9p21-->pter, chromosome 10, chromosome 13, 17p12-pter, and chromosome 20. Ring chromosomes were detected in three cases, and double-minute (dmin) chromosomes were detected in six. All high-grade osteosarcomas had numerous nonclonal chromosome aberrations superimposed on complex clonal events. The single low-grade osteosarcoma was characterized by a balanced, nonconstitutional, t(5;10) (p13;p14-15), together with an addition to the short arm of chromosome X. This is the first translocation reported in low-grade osteosarcoma, and the simplicity of the karyotype contrasts strikingly with those in the high-grade osteosarcomas.
The Female Athletic Triad: Disordered Eating, Amenorrhea, and Osteoporosis

The female athlete triad is defined as the interrelationships among energy availability, menstrual function, and bone mineral density. These dynamic components may transcend towards various clinical manifestations including eating disorders, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. The occurrence of low energy availability, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis, alone or in combination, poses deleterious health risks to physically active girls and women. Deficits in energy intake may be acquired through excessive energy expenditure; however, disordered eating habits have been a tremendous concern and a risk factor for the female athlete triad. Therefore, clinicians and health care professionals must be highly aware of its prevalence for prevention. Low energy availability, with or without disordered eating, disrupts physiological function by suppressing the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis leading to functional amenorrhea. Additionally, recent literature has shown disturbances in endothelial function and may compromise the cardiovascular system. The prevalence of stress fractures has been linked to poor bone health and a severe risk factor for osteoporosis. The appropriate diagnosis and management is crucial to ameliorate health and quality of life. Recommendations have been made by various leading organizations, such as the American College of Sports Medicine, to successfully manage this syndrome. However, specific evidence-based guidelines are still being conducted. Nevertheless, solid background knowledge of the interrelationships of the various components of the triad is necessary for the allied health professional.
Making a Change: The Role of External Coaches in School-Based Communities of Practice

External coaches, provided by intermediary organizations, are being utilized to support and develop principals, teachers, and schools and bring about substantive change through communities of practice (CoPs). These coaches provide an external perspective and are integral to the reform process. HRD recognizes the value of coaching in organizational improvement and change, yet understanding the use of external coaches in CoP is lacking in the literature. This article seeks to address this gap by presenting the results from a qualitative case study exploring the roles and experiences of three coaches, in seven elementary–middle schools implementing the Together Initiative (TI) school reform. Researchers' fieldwork consisted of informal site visits and 155 formal interviews with stakeholders involved in the Together Initiative, a reform aimed at improving urban public schools. This study provides a new context for understanding the role of coaching in supporting organizational change.
AN AMERICAN LOOKS AT EUROPEAN CHILD HEALTH

In View of the ferment today in the United States in our search for new ways and means to organize the delivery of high quality, comprehensive health care to children and families on a community basis, Dr. Miller9s report of a survey of "Health Services for Children in some Western European Countries: Their Significance for the United States," published elsewhere in this issue of Pediatrics1 is of timely interest. Pediatricians and others responsible for the delivery of maternity care and health care to children and families, and especially those involved in the planning and administration of programs (public or voluntary) through which combined and comprehensive preventive and curative services are delivered to families on a community basis, will find this report of more than passing interest and should also give their attention to the more detailed appendix material that will be available with reprints.
Unimodal Properties of Generalized Ball Bases

A necessary and sufficient condition is derived for a sequence of functions b 0 (t), ..., b n (t) to be unimodal in an interval [a, b]. This condition is applied to show that the Generalized Ball basis of degree n is always unimodal whenever n is odd and is never unimodal whenever n is even except for the cases n = 2, 4. A new proof of the unimodality of the Bernstein basis is also provided.
Polyamines and ornithine decarboxylase during repair of duodenal mucosa after stress in rats

This investigation shows whether polyamines and ornithine decarboxylase have a role in duodenal mucosal repair following stress-induced microscopic damage. Rats were fasted for 22 hours, placed in restraint cages, and immersed in water to the xiphoid process for 6 hours. Animals were killed either immediately after the period of stress or at 2-hour intervals up to 24 hours thereafter. Duodenal mucosa was examined histologically, and ornithine decarboxylase and polyamine levels were measured. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was increased significantly up to 6 hours following stress, peaking at 4 hours at a level 10 times the prestress control. By 8 hours, enzyme activity had returned to near normal. Increases in mucosal putrescine, spermidine, and spermine content paralleled the changes in ornithine decarboxylase activity and peaked 4 hours after stress. Stress resulted in microscopic damage evidenced by a nearly complete absence of villi. Significant macroscopic lesions were not present following stress. Mucosal repair was evident 12 hours after stress and almost complete by 24 hours, although the restituted villi were short and blunted. The decreases in mucosal DNA, RNA, and protein content caused by stress were restored and reached near-normal levels 12 hours after the period of stress. In animals given the specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, alpha-difluoromethylornithine, increases in duodenal mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine levels were inhibited and mucosal repair was almost completely prevented following stress. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine also prevented the recovery of DNA, RNA, and protein content of the duodenal mucosa. These results indicate that duodenal mucosal damage following stress is repaired rapidly; the repair process is accompanied by significant increases in ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine levels; and the increases in ornithine decarboxylase and polyamines are absolutely required for the normal repair of the mucosa.
Tn916 insertional inactivation of multiple genes on the chromosome of Streptococcus mutans GS-5.

Streptococcus mutans GS-5 was transformed with the Escherichia coli plasmid pAM150 containing the cloned streptococcal transposon Tn916. Southern blot analyses with the tetracycline-resistant determinant of Tn916 showed that Tn916 was inserted into the chromosome of S. mutans at a variety of different sites. Tn916 insertions resulted in the inactivation of genes that code for various steps in the biosynthesis of several different amino acids. Two auxotrophs which contained a single copy of Tn916 were shown to revert to prototrophy at frequencies of about 10(-8). All of the revertant prototrophs were susceptible to tetracycline, indicating regeneration of the functional gene by excision of Tn916. Images
Ultraviolet Radiation A-induced Precursors of Cutaneous Melanoma in Monodelphis domestica

Two groups of 30 dorsally shaved opossums (Monodelphis domestica) were exposed three times per week for 81 weeks to 250 J/m2 of UV radiation from FS40 sunlamps (approximately 150 J/m2 of UV radiation B; UV-B), or to 2.5 x 10(4) J/m2 of UV radiation A (UV-A) from filtered F40BLB fluorescent lamps (black lights). Animals were monitored for the appearance of nonmelanoma skin tumors (NMSTs) and melanocytic hyperplasia (MH). After 81 weeks of exposures, the prevalence of NMSTs was 71% and 4% for animals exposed to UV-B and UV-A, respectively. The difference between the treatment groups was statistically significant (P 0.05). Thus, a dose of UV-A that was relatively ineffective in producing NMSTs, compared to UV-B, was as effective as UV-B in the induction of MH. If, as shown previously, MH is the precursor lesion for melanoma in this model, these results suggest that the action spectra for the induction of melanoma and NMSTs in the opossum are different.
Male germ-line cells are at risk following direct-injection retroviral-mediated gene transfer in utero.

Abstract The recent observation of vector sequences in the semen of men undergoing clinical gene therapy for hemophilia has highlighted the need to evaluate the risk of inadvertent germ-line transduction in a clinically relevant animal model. In the present study, we used three different approaches to investigate whether the germ line is at risk of inadvertent alteration following in utero retroviral gene transfer in the clinically relevant, random-bred sheep model. First, we conducted breeding studies. All organs from the 10 resultant offspring were devoid of proviral DNA, suggesting that the germ line had not been altered. As a second approach, we performed PCR on gradient-enriched, forensically purified sperm cells from in utero -transduced rams. The purified sperm cells from 6 of 19 of these rams were PCR positive for provirus, providing compelling evidence that the germ line had been transduced. As a third approach, we performed immunohistochemistry on sections of the testis from in utero -transduced sheep. Numerous somatic cells and very low levels of germ cells within the male reproductive tissues were transduced. In conclusion, our analysis on over 3 × 10 9 sperm cells suggests that the direct-injection approach employed in these studies may result in the inadvertent transduction of very low numbers of male germ cells.
Model reduction in limited time and frequency intervals

The controllability and observability gramians in limited time and frequency intervals are studied, and used for model reduction. In balanced and modal coordinates, a near – optimal reduction procedure is used, vielding the reduction error (norm of the different between the output of the orginal system and the reduced model) almost minimal. Several examples are given to illustrate the concept of model reduction in limited time or/and frequency intervals, for continuous- and discrete-time systems, as well as stable and unstable systems. In modal coordinates, the reduced model obtained from a stable system is always stable. In balanced coordinates it is not necessarily true, and stability conditions for the balanced reduced model are presented. Finally, model reduction is applied to advanced supersonic transport and a flexible truss structure.
Nanotube mechanics – Recent progress in shell buckling mechanics and quantum electromechanical coupling

Abstract In this article, we present recent progress in selected areas of carbon nanotube mechanics. First, we present the authors’ experimental work on shell buckling mechanics of multi-walled carbon nanotubes using nanoindentation. A comparison with existing elastic theories showed that the shell theories under-predict the buckling loads by as much as 50%. We then present an investigation of electromechanical coupling in carbon nanotubes by focusing on phonon frequency shifts as a result of charge injection. Raman spectroscopic measurements of the electromechanical couplings under varied but controlled charge injection conditions are analyzed, and the close agreement between the model results and the measured Raman peak shifts suggests that geometrical changes of charged carbon nanotubes previously observed or speculated in different experiments can indeed originate from the simple quantum effects described herein.
Thy-1 antigen expression by cells in the osteoblast lineage

Identification of surface markers involved in osteoblast differentiation provides a method to isolate osteoblasts at various stages of maturation. In this study, we examined expression of the T lymphocyte differentiation antigen, Thy-1, by osteoblastic cells from different species. Murine skeletal progenitor, neonatal calvarial, and adult bone cells (ABCs) were selected to represent osteoblasts at distinct stages of maturation. Flow cytometric analysis showed that Thy-1 expression was undetectable on the progenitor cells (mouse limb bud clones 14 and 17), appeared on calvarial cells (45%+), and was decreased on ABCs (< 10%+). Thy-1 was also detected in situ on osteoblastic cells in mouse calvariae. Thy-1 mRNA expression correlated with cell surface expression. Antigen expression was markedly increased during the cells' proliferative phase in culture. Furthermore, examination of primary rat and human osteoblast-like cells revealed that significant levels of Thy-1 were also expressed on those cells derived from subconfluent culture. This study indicates that osteoblasts express Thy-1 antigen and that its expression is maximal at their earliest stage of maturation, during the proliferative phase, and then declines as the cells mature. In a role similar to the one it plays in the hematopoietic system, Thy-1 antigen may be useful as a differentiation marker in following the development of the osteoblast.
Value and exchange: Two windows for economic theorizing

This essay introduces a symposium on value and exchange as alternative organizing concepts for the pursuit of economic theorizing. These concepts pertain to two distinct conceptual windows through which economic phenomena can be examined. The immediate inspiration for this symposium was the articulation of Kohn (2004) of the distinction, a distinction that, in turn, was central to the articulation of Buchanan (1964). Furthermore, this distinction is central to the divergent orientations toward economic theorizing that were set forth in the early 1870s by Carl Menger (1971) and Leon Walras (1874).
The effect of benztropine mesylate on the prolactin response to haloperidol.

The interaction between cholinergic and dopaminergic systems in regulating prolactin responses was investigated in normal men by administration of haloperidol (0.5 mg IM), with and without benztropine (1.0 and 2.0 mg IM). The acute prolactin response (at 30, 45, and 60 min) to haloperidol plus benztropine was significantly delayed compared to the response to haloperidol alone, in the same subjects. However, between 90 and 120 min after drug administration, prolactin responses achieved were similar in the three drug conditions. The results suggest a modest cholinergic-dopaminergic antagonism in the tuberoin-fundibular system, apparent at low doses of neuroleptic and high doses of anticholinergic drugs.
Reducing CO2 using room-temperature ionic liquids

Ionic liquids—imidazolnium salts which are molten near room temperature—have been demonstrated for the low-temperature synthesis of metals and alloys, such as aluminum and titanium-aluminum alloys, and also for the recycling of aluminum composites and scrap. These processes help reduce CO 2 emissions from metallurgical processes. Similar approaches are being followed worldwide. A review on the use of ionic liquids in the electrodeposition of metals and semi-conductors was published in 2002. The interesting polar properties of these ionic liquids are being utilized in other applications of chemical synthesis as well. A. Fadeev and M. Meagher, who described the use of ionic liquids as extractants in biofuel production, noted that the room-temperature ionic liquids have potential as extractants in recovery of butyl alcohol from fermentation broth. Water solubility in ionic liquid is an important factor affecting selectivity of butyl alcohol extraction from aqueous solutions.
Cell permeable peptide conjugated nanoerythrosomes of fasudil prolong pulmonary arterial vasodilation in PAH rats.

Abstract In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a cell permeable peptide, CARSKNKDC (CAR), conjugated nanoerythrosomes (NERs) containing fasudil, a rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, produces prolonged pulmonary preferential vasodilation. CAR conjugated NERs containing fasudil were prepared by hypotonic lysis and extrusion method, and optimized for various physicochemical properties in-vitro . The formulations were then used to study the hemodynamic efficacy in a monocrotaline-induced rodent model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). CAR-NERs-Fasudil was spherical in shape with an average vesicle size and entrapment efficiency of 161.3 ± 1.37 nm and 48.81 ± 1.96%, respectively. Formulations were stable for ∼3 weeks when stored at 4 °C and the drug was released in a controlled fashion for >48 h. The uptake of CAR-NERs-Fasudil by TGF-β activated pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell was ∼1.5-fold greater than the uptake of NERs-Fasudil. CAR-NERs-Fasudil inhibited ROCK activity and 5-hydroxytryptamine induced cell proliferation. In terms of reduction of pulmonary arterial pressure, intratracheal administration of CAR-NERs-Fasudil was ∼2-fold more specific to the lungs compared with plain fasudil. Overall, CAR peptide grafted nanoerythrosomes offers a new platform for improving the therapeutic efficacy of a rho-kinase inhibitor, fasudil, without affecting peripheral vasodilation.
Salesperson Performance, Pay, and Job Satisfaction: Tests of a Model Using Data Collected in the United States and Japan

A causal model of salesperson performance and satisfaction is tested using data collected in Japan and the United States. The model seems to work well for both cultural groups, that is, comparable levels of variance are explained. However, the data appear to fit the model differently across samples; culture appears to moderate the relationships among constructs. Pay and valence for pay play a more central role for the Americans than the Japanese. Value congruence has a strong influence on job satisfaction for the Japanese, but not the American sales representatives. These findings confirm both the conventional wisdom that financial incentives are crucial in the United States, and the anecdotal evidence that closer supervision and corporate culture will be more useful sales management tools in Japan.
DIVERSITY OF SHOOT ORGANIZATION IN THE ARACEAE

Morphological units in the Araceae are discussed and defined. The fundamental unit is the segment (an intemode and its leaf or leaves), of which there are two basic types, the monopodial segment and the branching segment. Segments are assembled into chains to form articles (also called axes), which terminate in inflorescences, and are the product of the activity of a single apical meristem. Successive articles are assembled into chains which are physiognomically unbranched shoots. Shoot organization in the Araceae is discriminated into types on the basis of five characteristics: whether the shoot is renewed after flowering, whether renewal axes are proleptic or sylleptic, whether renewal axes develop from an axillary position, whether renewal axes have a variable or a constant number of leaves, and the number of leaves on renewal axes with a constant leaf number. The types of growth are described, illustrated, and organized into a hierarchical scheme, and a terminology is provided. A list of species representing each of the types is given.
Biodynamic response of human fingers in a power grip subjected to a random vibration.

Background. Knowledge of the biodynamic response (BR) of the human hand-arm system is an important part of the foundation for the measurement and assessment of hand-transmitted vibration exposure. This study investigated the BR of human fingers in a power grip subjected to a random vibration. Method. Ten male subjects were used in the experiment. Each subject applied three coupling actions to a simulated tool handle at three different finger grip force levels. Results and Conclusions. The BR is practically independent of the hand coupling actions for frequencies at or above 100 Hz. Above 50 Hz, the BR is correlated to finger and hand sizes. Increasing the finger coupling force significantly increases the BR. Therefore, hand forces should be measured and used when assessing hand-transmitted vibration exposure. The results also show that under a constant-velocity vibration, the finger vibration power absorption at frequencies above 200 Hz is approximately twice that at frequencies below 100 Hz. This suggests that the frequency weighting specified in the current ISO 5349-1 (2001) may underestimate the high frequency effect on vibration-induced finger disorders.
A numerical investigation of the mechanics of swelling-type intramedullary hip implants

The novel concept of swelling-type intramedullary hip implants that attain self-fixation by an expansion-fit mechanism resulting from controlled swelling of the implant (by absorption of body fluids) was examined in detail using a finite element model of the implant-femur system. Some of the potential advantages of this technique over traditional techniques include enhanced fixation, lower relative micromotions, improved bony ingrowth, and elimination of acrylic cement. The finite element model created in this study incorporated: (i) the major aspects of the three-dimensional geometry of the implant and femur, (ii) the anisotropic elastic properties of bone and implant materials and the changes in orientation of the principal axes of anisotropy along the length of the implant-femur system, (iii) a layer of cancellous bone between the implant and cortical bone in the proximal femoral region, and (iv) frictional sliding between the bone and implant. The model was used to study quantitatively the parametric influence of various material design variables on the micromotions and stress fields in the bone-swelling-type implant system. The results of the finite element analyses were used to establish material behavior goals and provide targets for a material development study.
Multiple-pulse sequences for precise transmitter phase alignment

Abstract We show that arbitrary RF phase shifts can be measured precisely using the nuclear spins to monitor the phase of the RF field. Other imperfections like resonance offset, RF inhomogeneity, or symmetric phase transients are removed by the action of the multiple-pulse sequence and have little influence on the measurements. Phase shifts can be trimmed to the desired value with an uncertainty of less than 10 millidegrees in favorable cases.
Gliomatosis cerebri: 20 Years of experience at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

BACKGROUND. Gliomatosis cerebri (GC) is a rare and typically fatal glial neoplasm of the central nervous system. In this report, the authors describe the largest cohort of children to date with GC and explore relations between potential prognostic factors, treatment, and survival. METHODS. Imaging, pathologic, and outcome data were reviewed from 13 patients who were diagnosed with GC and were treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) between 1982 and 2005. All patients had GC confirmed by biopsy. Twelve patients received cranial irradiation, and 8 of those patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. A single patient age 1 year received chemotherapy alone. A review of the literature identified 51 pediatric patients with GC. RESULTS. The progression-free survival rate in this study was 13% (range, 1.5–43 months), and the overall survival (OS) rate was 64% (range, 6.5–67 months) at 2 years. OS was significantly shorter for patients who presented in the first decade of life (P = .04). The time to progression was prolonged significantly for patients who had no evidence of tumor enhancement on imaging studies (P = .03). When survival data from patients reported in the literature were combined with the CHOP cohort, treatment prolonged OS significantly (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS. The outcome of pediatric patients with GC was extremely poor; however, the current results indicated that treatment may prolong OS. Age < 10 years and contrast enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging studies at diagnosis may be risk factors for shorter survival in pediatric patients with GC. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Control issues during Shuttle resupply of liquids on-orbit

Space Shuttle on-orbit servicing missions will involve the transferring betwen vehicles of such fluids as water and liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrazine, and nitrogen tetroxide propellants. Attention is given to the novel microgravity conditions in which attitude control jet firings will affect fluid orientation and motion during transfer. Simple equations are presented which may be used to estimate control system constraints on thruster activity for the case of capillarry acquisition fluid transfer systems.
Cell and Molecular Biology of Human Olfaction

Progress in our understanding of olfactory receptor physiology has progressed greatly over the past 10 years. It has become clear that many anatomical and molecular features of the peripheral aspect of the olfactory system have remained highly conserved across diverse species. Yet, this structure is responsible for conveying a wide variety of information about the environment that is necessary to the successful location of food, mates, and avoidance of danger, and it is thus not surprising that specializations have also evolved to suit the differing needs of different species. While the basic anatomical features reflect those of other mammals, functional studies of human olfactory receptor neurons have revealed physiological features both similar to and differing from those of other mammalian species. This review presents an overview of both the anatomical and physiological data describing the cell and molecular biology of the peripheral human olfactory system and how it functions in health and disease.
Trends in Utilization Rates of the Various Imaging Modalities in Emergency Departments: Nationwide Medicare Data From 2000 to 2008

Purpose To study utilization trends in the various imaging modalities in emergency departments (EDs) over a recent multiyear period. Methods The nationwide Medicare Part B databases for 2000 to 2008 were queried. Medicare's location codes were used to identify imaging examinations done on ED patients. All diagnostic imaging Current Procedural Terminology ® codes were grouped by modality. For each code, the database provides procedure volume; utilization rates per 1,000 beneficiaries were then calculated. Medicare's physician specialty codes were used to determine provider specialty. Utilization trends were studied between 2000 and 2008. Results The overall utilization rate per 1,000 beneficiaries for all imaging in EDs increased from 281.0 in 2000 to 450.4 in 2008 (+60%). The radiography utilization rate rose from 227.3 in 2000 to 294.3 in 2008 (+29%, 67 accrued new studies per 1,000). The CT rate rose from 40.0 in 2000 to 130.7 in 2008 (+227%, 90.7 accrued new studies per 1,000). The ultrasound rate rose from 9.6 in 2000 to 18.7 in 2008 (+95%, 9.1 accrued new studies per 1,000). Other modalities had much lower utilization. In 2000, CT constituted 14% of all ED imaging, but by 2008, it constituted 29%. In 2008, radiologists performed 96% of all ED imaging examinations. Conclusions The rate of utilization of imaging is increasing in EDs. Growth is by far the most pronounced in CT, in terms of both the growth rate itself and the actual number of accrued new studies per 1,000 beneficiaries. Radiologists strongly predominate as the physicians of record for all ED imaging.