cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cognitive impairment in the intensive care unit

Delirium is a frequent complication in older patients in the ICU and often persists beyond their ICU stay. Delirium in older persons in the ICU is a dynamic and complex process. There is a high prevalence of pre-existing cognitive impairment in patients who are admitted to the medical ICU. This pre-existing cognitive impairment is an important predisposing risk factor for the development of delirium during and after the ICU stay. Given the high rates of delirium in the ICU that range from 50% to 80% (see references [27, 28, 34]), future studies are urgently needed to examine risk factors for delirium in the ICU setting, such as examining the impact of psychoactive medication use on delirium rates and persistence in the ICU setting. Moreover, studies that examine the impact of delirium prevention in the ICU on rates of delirium, duration and persistence of delirium, and long-term cognitive and functional outcomes post-ICU stay are greatly needed.
Somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the glomerulus of rat kidney

Abstract Somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the glomerulus of rat kidney. It has been shown that somatostatin inhibits the antidiuretic action of vasopressin in toad urinary bladder in vitro and in dogs and rats in vivo. The presence of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) in the urinary bladder and kidney of the toad has suggested the possibility that somatostatin may act as a local paracrine hormone modulating the effect of vasopressin in the toad; however, the inability to localize SLI in mammalian kidney has raised doubt about the physiological role of somatostatin in the mammalian renal function. We identified SLI in rat kidney. Chromatography of rat kidney extracts of Sephadex G50 superfine revealed a single peak of SLI that co-eluted with somatostatin-14. Using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase conjugate technique, we localized SLI exclusively to small cells in the glomerulus with an estimated number of four to eight cells per glomerulus. Functional significance of somatostatin in the mammalian kidney is to be determined. Immunoreactivite de type somatostatine dans le glomerule de rein de rat. Il a ete montre que la somatostatine inhibe l'action anti-diuretique de la vasopressine dans la vessie de crapaud in-vitro, et chez des chiens et des rats in-vivo. La presence d'une immunoreactivite de type somatostatine (SLI) dans la vessie et le rein du crapaud a suggere la possibilite que la somatostatine pourrait agir comme une hormone paracrine locale modulant l'effet de la vasopressine chez le crapaud; neanmoins, l'impossibilite de localiser la SLI dans le rein de mammifere a remis en question le role physiologique de la somatostatine dans la fonction du rein de mammifere. Nous avons identifie une SLI dans le rein de rat. La chromatographie d'extraits de reins de rats sur un Sephadex G50 tres fin a revele un pic unique de SLI qui co-migrait avec la somatostatine-14. En utilisant une technique par un conjugue avidinebiotine peroxidase, nous avons localise le SLI exclusivement dans de petites cellules du glomerule, avec un nombre estime de quatre a huit cellules par glomerule. La signification fonctionnelle de la somatostatine dans le rein de mammifere reste a determiner.
In honor of Kerry Kelts: Kerry’s dreams

Kerry Kelts loved everything about lake sediments, from muddy hands during coring operations to the smell of ink from freshly published scienti¢c papers about lakes. His contributions to the science are well known and documented. Impressed with the treatment that marine sediment cores received both on board drilling ships (he was aboard the Glomar Challenger in 1978 at DSDP site 480 when the hydraulic piston core was ¢rst deployed) and in marine laboratories, Kerry determined to create an facility on land for equivalent treatment of lake cores. He established, equipped, manned, and promoted the core laboratory at the Limnological Research Center at the University of Minnesota, where he served as director. He placed great value on basic ‘initial core descriptions’ (ICDs), including logging, photography, physical description, smear slide analyses, and more. He advocated careful, project-wide sampling protocols and the ‘sampling parties’ that ensued. He promoted detailed geochemical and mineralogical analyses and, although he left the biological components of lake sediments to others, he never underestimated their value. But Kerry was perhaps happiest when tinkering with coring gear: rafts, A-frames, winches, piston mechanisms, core-catchers. He was constantly redesigning existing corers, including the venerable Kullenberg and Livingstone corers, and designing new ones, such as the Multi-Use Coring Kit (MUCK). ‘Lighter, simpler, better’ were his bywords. Although his declining health prevented him from active involvement in the international efforts toward a lake-drilling initiative, he kept a close eye on proceedings. These included many meetings and workshops among groups such as IGBP-PAGES (International Geosphere^Biosphere Programme) and ICDP (International Continental Drilling Program) for the development of a lake-sediment drilling system. Our initial attempts to design a lake-drilling system suffered from the attempt to serve all drilling needs in all lakes; it quickly ran into a predictable ¢nancial stone wall. Many of us, including Kerry, began to rethink the options. We guessed that in the majority of lakes, the upper 200 m of sediment, in contrast with the easily accessible upper 20 m, would serve to address most of the important paleoclimate questions articulated by groups such as PAGES. This concept was a perfect place for Kerry’s ‘lighter, simpler, better’ philosophy. With his penchant for puns and acronyms, Kerry began to call the proposed system GLAD 20^200 (Global LAke Drilling, 20^200 m). In September 1998, Kerry hosted a critical meeting at the University of Minnesota, at which the 20^200 concept was presented to engineers from DOSECC (Drilling Observation, and Sampling of the Earth’s Continental Crust). The meet-
Indirect carotid-cavernous fistula following minor head trauma treated with incomplete radiographic endovascular occlusion

We report the unusual case of a patient with an indirect carotid-cavernous fistula treated with only partial angiographic embolisation of the fistula; however, by 8 weeks postembolisation, she was found to have both symptomatic and angiographic cure. This case highlights the potential for treating indirect carotid-cavernous fistulas with partial embolisation as a means of achieving angiographic and symptomatic cure by altering flow dynamics to attain spontaneous thrombosis.
Rules of Peak Multiplicity and Peak Alignment in Multiexcitonic Spectra of (In,Ga)As Quantum Dots

A simple model---the single-configuration perturbation theory---has traditionally been used to explain the main features of the multiexcitonic spectra of quantum dots, where an electron and a hole recombine in the presence of other ${N}_{e}\ensuremath{-}1$ electrons and ${N}_{h}\ensuremath{-}1$ holes. The model predicts the $({N}_{h},{N}_{e})$ values for which such spectra consist of a single line or multiple lines and whether singlet lines of different $({N}_{h},{N}_{e})$ values are energetically aligned. Here we use a nonperturbative, correlated approach that shows when such simple rules work and when they fail, thereby establishing a basis for the appropriate use of such rules.
Higher Modified Beck Depression Inventory Scores are Associated with Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparisons but Decreased Exercise Amounts

Summary.—Previous research has indicated that exercise can lead to decreased depression symptoms. The relationship of depression with right frontal lobe activity and self-image (body, eating, and exercise) were investigated as reasons why depressive symptoms might lead to decreased exercise. 120 college students (79 women) completed design fluency tasks followed by a set of questionnaires on depression and exercise. High (M = 23.03, SD = 5.92) and low quartiles (M = 3.11, SD = 1.59) were created using the Modified Beck Depression Inventory (mBDI) for primary analyses. The group with higher mBDI scores produced fewer unique designs (suggesting lower right frontal activity) and was more likely to make comparisons based on body shape, eating, and exercise. The group with higher mBDI scores reported significantly less strenuous and moderate exercise. These findings indicate that the relationship between exercise and depression could work in both directions. While exercise can be used as a potential treatment ...
Pathologic changes secondary to radiation.

In order to be effective in the treatment of disease, especially neoplastic disease, radiation necessarily needs to be given in large doses. When treating tumors with high radiosensitivity in tissue of relatively low radiosensitivity, few complications of therapy occur. Frequently, however, the differential of sensitivity to radiation between the neoplasm and normal tissues exposed is small and the incidence of radiation injury to normal tissues becomes significant. Nowhere is this more apparent than in treatment of neoplasms during which the alimentary canal is heavily radiated. The following discussion will describe the pathologic changes that occur in the various units of the exposed alimentary tract and in various components of those units during and especially months or years after radiation therapy. The usual rapid and effective regeneration of the rapid-renewal cell system after injury will be noted. The serious delayed manifestations of injury to the fibrovascular tissues with resulting delayed complications of ulcerations, stenoses, fistula formation, and obstructing adhesions will be emphasized. Brief discussions of several other organ systems injured by radiation will be presented.
Electrons and phonons in amorphous pyramidally bonded solids

Abstract Electronic and phonon state densities of amorphous pyramidally bonded solids are calculated with As as a prototype. Using a Bethe-lattice, the Greaves-Davis random network model and the Cluster-Bethe-lattice method, the results show: (1) the phonon states are isomorphic to, and obtained from, the p-like electron states, (2) the photoemission and infrared measurements are easily interpreted, and (3) the electronic and phonon state densities are extremely sensitive to the local topology.
Factors affecting performance on the American Board of Surgery in-training examination.

Abstract Background: Surgical programs use the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) in several ways, including for promotion and retention decisions. The purpose of this study was to identify the combination of factors that explain residents' successful performance on the ABSITE. Methods: Fifty-one surgical residents completed questionnaires, and information was gathered about their previous ABSITE performance, anxiety, probationary status, amount of study, amount of sleep before examination, confidence, and attendance at conference. Results: An analysis of the data for those with experience taking the examination (n = 34) indicated that the combination of conference attendence (26.3%), previous performance (16.5%), probationary status (10.4%), amount of sleep (9.8%), and amount of study (8%) were significant in explaining a total of 71% of the variance in ABSITE scores. Amount of study (+0.32, P = 0.011), confidence (+0.36, P = 0.005), and conference attendence (+0.51, P = 0.001) were significantly correlated with ABSITE performance. Conclusions: Several factors contribute to residents' successful ABSITE performance. These findings may lead to improved examination performance and application of knowledge, both during residency and throughout their career.
Combined administration of a non-neurotoxic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine analogue with amphetamine produces serotonin neurotoxicity in rats

Abstract In the present study, a central serotonin neurotoxicity was induced by combining a non-neurotoxic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine analogue, 5-methoxy-6-methyl-2-aminoindan (MMAI), with the non-vesicular dopamine (DA) releaser, S-(+)-amphetamine (Amp). With the multiple dosing regimen utilized neither drug alone resulted in any changes in serotonergic parameters, including 5-HT, 5-HIAA and the number of 5-HT uptake sites. However, MMAI (10 mg/kg) in combination with Amp (2×2.5 mg/kg) did result in a long-term 20% decrease in cortical serotonergic parameters. The same dose of Amp plus 20 mg/kg MMAI resulted in a 50 to 60% reduction. Effects in the hippocampus and caudate nucleus were similar. These data support the hypothesis that DA release plays a critical role in the serotonin neurotoxicity of substituted amphetamines.
Pleasant Odors and Congruency: Effects on Approach Behavior

Ninety subjects between the ages of 18 and 35 viewed 24 slides when the testing room was scented with no odor or one of two pleasant scents (baby powder or chocolate). Six slides were of babies, six were of chocolate items and 12 were control slides of pine trees or the Orient. In pilot testing the chocolate slides were rated as being congruent with the chocolate scent and incongruent with the baby powder scent ; the baby slides were rated as being congruent with the baby powder scent and incongruent with the chocolate scent. Subjects viewed the slides at their own pace while a computer recorded how long each slide was viewed. During a second viewing, subjects rated the slides and answered questions about their own mood and health. Congruency did not play a role in the findings. Pleasant odors had certain effects compared to no odor (i.e. longer looking time, better mood and lower hunger ratings), while other effects were related to specific odors (i.e. arousal was highest in the chocolate condition and there were fewer health symptoms reported in the baby powder condition). These findings suggest that pleasant odors may have some general effects due to their hedonic value, while associations individuals have with particular pleasant odors may influence other variables.
Complete arthroscopic visualization of the menisci

Abstract Arthroscopic examination of the knee through the standard anterolateral and anteromedial portals is relatively comprehensive but does not completely visualize the menisci. In particular, the posterior horn of the medial meniscus is often inadequately observed in the "tight" knee, resulting in missed diagnoses of meniscal tears. This report examines the difficulties associated with viewing the anterior and posterior horns of the menisci through the standard anterior joint line portals and presents the accessory portals and specialized techniques that have been developed to address those instances when complete visualization of the menisci is needed.
Profiling student use of calculators in the learning of high school mathematics

Abstract Using data from the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress, students' use of calculators in the learning of high school mathematics was profiled based on their family background, curriculum background, and advanced mathematics coursework. A statistical method new to educational research – classification and regression trees – was applied to analyses of type-specific, function-specific, and test-specific calculator use. Type-specific calculator use was related to Algebra II and pre-calculus. Timing of mathematics coursework was important to type-specific and test-specific calculator use. Other main characteristics of the profiles included that (a) female students who avoided Algebra II used calculators more frequently for checking mathematics homework than their male peers, and (b) White students used calculators for mathematics tests and quizzes more frequently than non-White students.
XI.—Descriptions and records of bees.—CXXII

(1930). XI.—Descriptions and records of bees.—CXXII. Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Vol. 5, No. 25, pp. 156-163.
Transcriptional Activation of the Ovine Follicle-Stimulating Hormone-β Gene by Gonadotropin- Releasing Hormone Involves Multiple Signal Transduction Pathways

GnRH regulates gonadotrope cells through GnRH receptor activation of the PKC-, MAPK-, and calcium-activated signaling cascades. Due to the paucity of homologous model systems expressing FSHbeta, little is known about the specific mechanisms involved in transcriptional regulation of this gene by GnRH. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that the gonadotrope-derived LbetaT2 cell line expresses FSHbeta mRNA. In the present study we characterized the mechanisms involved in GnRH regulation of the FSHbeta promoter using this cell model. Using transfection assays, we show that GnRH regulation of the ovine FSHbeta promoter involves at least two elements, present between -4152/-2878 and -2550/-1089 bp, in association with one or several elements within the proximal region of the promoter. Surprisingly, the two activating protein-1 sites previously shown to be involved in the FSHbeta response to GnRH in heterologous cells do not play a role in GnRH responsiveness in the gonadotrope cell model. Here we demonstrate that calcium influx itself is not sufficient to confer the response, but it is necessary for both 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and GnRH induction of the FSHbeta gene. Moreover, we show that GnRH regulation of FSHbeta gene expression is mediated by PKC and establish the presence of multiple PKC isozymes in LbetaT2 cells. Interestingly, GnRH and TPA induce activity of the FSHbeta promoter through different, although possibly overlapping, pools of PKC isoforms. This is further supported by the use of a MAPK inhibitor, which abolishes the induction of FSHbeta by GnRH, but not by TPA. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that calcium, PKC, and MAPK signaling systems are all involved in the induction of FSHbeta gene expression by GnRH in the LbetaT2 mouse gonadotrope cell model.
Electron-beam-induced deposition of platinum from a liquid precursor.

We demonstrate here the first focused electron-beam-induced deposition (EBID) of nanostructures using a liquid precursor. We have deposited sub-50 nm platinum (Pt) wires and dots from a dilute, aqu...
Effect of Governance Characteristics on the State of the Firm after an Initial Public Offering

I examine firm characteristics available to investors at a firm's initial public offering date to determine whether they predict the firm's survival, acquisition, or failure. Firms survive more often than they are acquired when they are venture-backed, the chief executive officer is the original founder, and an outside blockholder is present. The presence of an outside director does not increase the probability of survival. Firms that are more likely to survive than fail include large firms and those with longer board tenure.
Coupling Strongly, Discretely

The fields of electronics and mechanics have made impressive progress toward true quantum mechanical devices. Through improvements in device performance and measurement techniques, nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) have enabled high-sensitivity detection of charge, mass, and spin, and have steadily approached the quantum limit of mechanical motion ( 1 ). Similarly, the ability to manipulate individual electrons in quantum dots has led to developments in solid-state quantum computing ( 2 ). On pages 1107 and 1103 of this issue, Lassagne et al. ( 3 ) and Steele et al. ( 4 ) bring together these two fields to study the influence of charge transport on nanomechanical motion in high-performance carbon nanotube mechanical resonators that simultaneously act as quantum dots. They find that the resonant frequency and dissipation in the nanotubes are both highly sensitive to the charge state at the level of single electrons.
Cardiac iron deposition in idiopathic hemochromatosis: Histologic and analytic assessment of 14 hearts from autopsy

In each heart taken from autopsies of 14 men with idiopathic hemochromatosis, the conduction system, atria and 10 sites in the ventricles were histologically graded for stainable iron. Stainable iron was exclusively sarcoplasmic; none was observed in the interstitium. The histologic grade for the same anatomic site varied among hearts and among different anatomic sites in the same heart. Ten hearts had stainable iron in all ventricular sites; one of the three hearts from patients who had undergone therapeutic phlebotomy had no iron at any site. Seven hearts had iron in the atria but at a lesser grade than that found in the ventricles; six hearts had mild focal iron deposition in the atrioventricular conduction system. None of the 14 hearts had stainable iron in the sinus node. Elemental iron was quantitated by atomic absorption spectroscopy in ventricular specimens contiguous to those studied histologically and also in age-matched control hearts. Elemental iron content was markedly increased in hearts with idiopathic hemochromatosis compared with control hearts (p The sarcoplasmic location of the iron indicates that cardiac involvement in idiopathic hemochromatosis represents a storage disease and not an infiltrative process; this finding is consistent with the normal ventricular wall thicknesses observed.
Sage, guide, both, or even more? An examination of instructor activity in online MBA courses

This study examined faculty characteristics and behaviors in 46 MBA courses conducted over a two-year period. We found that both formal instructor activities, referred to in the online learning literature as teaching presence, and informal instructor activities, known as immediacy behaviors, were positive predictors of student perceived learning and satisfaction with the educational delivery medium. We also found that instructor login intensity, the average amount of time spent per login session, was a negative predictor of perceived learning. Collectively, these findings suggest the need for instructors to structure and organize their courses beforehand so they can focus on efficient engagement with their students while the class is in session. Although teaching presence and instructor immediacy were significant predictors of delivery medium satisfaction, they explained only 6% of the variance. This finding should help instructors avoid taking unnecessary responsibility for students' attitudes toward online learning. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for training of online instructors and the appropriate use of multilevel analytical tools in online learning and education research.
Methodological problems in ecologic studies of the asbestos--cancer relationship.

Abstract Past researchers dealing with worker populations and, rarely, populations residing around sites where asbestos is mined or manufactured, have shown a relationship between such exposure and mesothelioma. These studies have dealt mainly with males, and have not replicated those findings in a couple of studies that asbestos increased risk of lung, stomach, and large bowel cancer. In order to extend the knowledge of the effects of asbestos further and to consider another type of exposure, residential, we examined the incidence of all sites of cancer, studied separately, in the asbestos-mining counties of Quebec, the first-ring counties surrounding them, the other rural counties, and the urban counties of Quebec. As have previous studies, we found higher risks of mesothelial tumors, and in addition, an added risk for cancer of the lip, salivary gland, and small instestine for males. The females showed higher risk for cancer of the pleura, lip, kidney, salivary gland, and melanoma. Risks increased in a dose-response fashion with an increase in proximity to the mines. We caution that these findings are limited by deriving from an ecological design, and that cancers appearing now are probably the result of a long latent period, during which time the kinds of exposures may have changed markedly because of changes in mining techniques and air pollution controls.
Effect of post-treatment processing on copper migration from Douglas-fir lumber treated with ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate

Migration of heavy metals into aquatic environments has become a concern in some regions of the world. Many wood preservatives are copper based systems that have the potential to migrate from the wood and into the surrounding environment. Some wood treaters have developed "best management practices" (BMPs) that are designed to reduce the risk of migration, but there are few comparative studies assessing the efficacy of these processes. The potential for using various heating combinations to limit copper migration was assessed using ammoniacal coper zinc arsenate treated Douglas-fir lumber. Kiln drying and air drying both proved to be the most effective methods for limiting copper migration, while post-treatment steaming or hot water immersion produced more variable results. The results should provide guidance for improving the BMP processes.
Advances in Percutaneous Electrode Systems

In the past eight years, developing a percutaneous electrode system has advanced to a successful, yet simple, method to transmit electrical signals, overcoming the serious problems of excessive mechanical irritation at the skin interface. Experience with over 50–74% in the clinical applications of 1) chronic pain relief; 2) contracture correction; and 3) sensory feedback.
Smart multi-dimensional gas chromatography

A novel gas chromatography (GC) design, called smart multi-channel multi-dimensional GC, is first introduced and then demonstrated in 2- and 3-dimensional configurations by our lab recently. In this work, its performance is analyzed in comparison with the conventional GC design, showing distinct advantages in terms of total peak capacity and peak capacity efficiency. This smart GC provides a promising technology platform for portable GC devices that are potentially capable of carrying out rapid in-situ analysis of hundreds of volatile organic compounds.
INEFFICIENT INFORMATION AGGREGATION AS A SOURCE OF ASSET PRICE BUBBLES

This paper presents a new theory of bubbles, or discrepancies between the market clearing price and the fundamental value of an asset. In our setting, Bayesian traders, oriented towards long-term gains, receive private information (‘news’) and also make inferences from noisy price signals. Price exhibits higher variance than fundamental value (the latter defined as fully-aggregated expected value) especially when news is informative but infrequent. The corresponding bubbles are self-limiting but may exhibit momentum and overshooting. A parametric example, involving the exponential/gamma conjugate families, is provided. We don't have any penetrating explanations of yesterday's stock market, but we certainly believe that stocks do not fall 86½ points for nothing. The general case for a drop in the market after its recent record highs is clear enough. The Fed…,… the tax bill. None of this, though, was any different on Thursday than it was with the market at its peak six sessions ago. News…and rumors yesterday…were certainly negative but scarcely dramatic. Some market pros believe this kind of a drop is merely the market catching up with what it already knew. We doubt it. Our hunch is that something changed between Wednesday and Thursday, and that eventually we'll learn what it was (Wall Street Journal Editorial, Friday, September 12, 1986).
Centenary of the first correct antemortem diagnosis of coronary thrombosis by Adam Hammer (1818--1878): English translation of the original report.

Abstract William Heberden (1710–1801), in 1768, described angina pectoris, the classic symptom of ischemic heart disease, 150 years after the discovery of the coronary circulation by William Harvey (1578–1657). Another 110 years had elapsed before the first antemortem diagnosis (confirmed at autopsy) of coronary thrombosis was reported by Adam Hammer in 1878. The patient was a 34 year old man who died some 19 hours after a sudden collapse. Although the patient's clinical features were atypical (such as the absence of angina and the presence of complete heart block) and the autopsy showed a vegetative aortic endocarditis that appeared to be causally related to the thrombotic coronary occlusion, Hammer's astute and carefully reasoned bedside diagnosis was history-making and deserves to be so recognized.
The Role of C-terminal Tyrosine Phosphorylation in the Regulation of SHP-1 Explored via Expressed Protein Ligation

The protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 plays a variety of roles in the "negative" regulation of cell signaling. The molecular basis for the regulation of SHP-1 is incompletely understood. Whereas SHP-1 has previously been shown to be phosphorylated on two tail tyrosine residues (Tyr(536) and Tyr(564)) by several protein-tyrosine kinases, the effects of these phosphorylation events have been difficult to address because of the intrinsic instability of the linkages within a protein-tyrosine phosphatase. Using expressed protein ligation, we have generated semisynthetic SHP-1 proteins containing phosphotyrosine mimetics at the Tyr(536) and Tyr(564) sites. Two phosphonate analogues were installed, phosphonomethylenephenylalanine (Pmp) and difluorophosphonomethylenephenylalanine (F(2)Pmp). Incorporation of Pmp at the 536 site led to 4-fold stimulation of the SHP-1 tyrosine phosphatase activity whereas incorporation at the 564 site led to no effect. Incorporation of F(2)Pmp at the 536 site led to 8-fold stimulation of the SHP-1 tyrosine phosphatase activity and 1.6-fold at the 564 site. A combination of size exclusion chromatography, phosphotyrosine peptide stimulation studies, and site-directed mutagenesis led to the structural model in which tyrosine phosphorylation at the 536 site engages the N-Src homology 2 domain in an intramolecular fashion relieving basal inhibition. In contrast, tyrosine phosphorylation at the 564 site has the potential to engage the C-Src homology 2 domain intramolecularly, which can modestly and indirectly influence catalytic activity. The finding that phosphonate modification at each of the 536 and 564 sites can promote interaction with the Grb2 adaptor protein indicates that the intramolecular interactions fostered by post-translational modifications of tyrosine are not energetically strong and susceptible to intermolecular competition.
Modern surgical treatment of massive pulmonary embolism: results in 47 consecutive patients after rapid diagnosis and aggressive surgical approach.

Objectives This study retrospectively reviews an aggressive multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of massive pulmonary embolism, centering on rapid diagnosis with contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the chest to define the location and degree of clot burden and transthoracic echocardiography to document right ventricular strain followed by immediate surgical intervention when appropriate. Methods Between October 1999 through February 2004, 47 patients (30 men and 17 women; median age, 58 years; age range, 24–86 years) underwent emergency surgical embolectomy for massive central pulmonary embolism. The indications for surgical intervention were (1) contraindications to thrombolysis (21/47 [45%]), (2) failed medical treatment (5/47 [10%]), and (3) right ventricular dysfunction (15/47 [32%]). Preoperatively, 12 (26%) of 47 patients were in cardiogenic shock, and 6 (11%) of 47 were in cardiac arrest. Results There were 3 (6%) operative deaths, 2 with preoperative cardiac arrest; 2 of these 3 patients required a right ventricular assist device. In 38 (81%) patients a caval filter was placed intraoperatively. Median length of stay was 11 days (range, 3–75 days). Median follow-up was 27 months (range, 2–50 months); follow-up was 100% complete in surviving patients. There were 6 (12%) late deaths, 5 of which were from metastatic cancer. Actuarial survival at 1 and 3 years' follow-up was 86% and 83%, respectively. Conclusion An aggressive approach to large pulmonary embolus, including rapid diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention, has improved results with surgical embolectomy. We now perform surgical pulmonary embolectomy not only in patients with large central clot burden and hemodynamic compromise but also in hemodynamically stable patients with right ventricular dysfunction documented by means of echocardiography.
Issue Definition in State Economic Development Policy

This paper examines whether an “issue definition” perspective developed by Baumgartner and Jones (1993) can account for the dynamics of state economic development policy. The analysis centers on a case study of Louisiana, and shows that efforts to redefine tax exemptions as a threat to the environment were only partially successful in leading to policy change. I speculate on the reasons for this failure, concluding with the fact that special conditions made it harder to redefine the economic development issue there. I argue further that the dynamics of issue redefinition differ by issue type and according to the level of government responsible for a particular policy.
Electromagnetic fields and health: DNA-based dosimetry.

We propose a biologically based measure of EMF radiation to replace the energy-based “specific absorption rate” (SAR). A wide range of EMF frequencies has been linked to an increased risk of cancer...
Crossmodal attention alters auditory contrast sensitivity

We examined the influence of covert, endogenous, crossmodal attention on auditory contrast sensitivity in a two-interval forced-choice dual-task paradigm. Attending to a visual stimulus has been found to alter the visual contrast response function via a mechanism of contrast gain for sustained visual attention, or a combination of response gain and contrast gain for transient visual attention (Ling and Carrasco, 2006). We examined if and how auditory contrast sensitivity varied as a function of attentional load, the difficulty of a competing visual task, and how such effects compared to those found for the influences of attention on visual processing. In our paradigm, subjects listened to two sequential white noise stimuli, one of which was amplitude modulated. Subjects reported which interval contained the amplitude modulated auditory stimulus. At the same time a sequence of 5 letters was presented, in an rsvp stream at central fixation, for each interval. Subjects judged which interval contained the visual target. For a given block of trials, subjects judged which interval contained white letters (easy visual task) or, in a separate block of trials, which interval had more target letters ‘A’ (difficult visual task). We found that auditory thresholds were lower for the easy compared to the difficult visual task and that the shift in the auditory contrast response function was reminiscent of a contrast gain mechanism for visual contrast. Importantly, we found that the effects of crossmodal attention on the auditory contrast response function diminished with practice.
Deep Tissue Fluorescence Imaging

In vivo Fluorescence imaging holds the key to many research fields in biomedical research. The limited optical imaging depth in tissues is the major obstacle. Here we discuss our recent progress on deep tissue imaging.
Technical Note-Threshold Probabilities when Searching for a Moving Target

Pollock has examined a model of search for a target whose transitions between two regions are described by a two-state stationary Markov chain. The minimum-search policy is characterized by a threshold probability π* that determines which region to search next. This note presents a simple recursive procedure for calculating π*.
Safety in iron management

Intravenous (IV) iron therapy has become an integral part of hemodialysis management during the past several decades, and the National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines recognize that most patients undergoing hemodialysis will require IV iron therapy on a regular basis to reach target hemoglobin (Hgb) levels. There now are three IV iron compounds available in the United States: iron dextran, sodium ferric gluconate, and iron sucrose. Although all have been proven effective for increasing Hgb/hematocrit levels, recent data show differences in their relative safety profiles. During the past two decades, more than 30 deaths have been attributed to the use of IV iron dextran. The two newer compounds available in the United States, sodium ferric gluconate and iron sucrose, have more favorable safety profiles, with the largest prospective safety comparison to date showing sodium ferric gluconate to be similar to placebo in the incidence of serious anaphylactoid-type reactions. This article reviews safety data surrounding the IV iron therapies.
Use and Appropriateness of Transthoracic Echocardiography in an Academic Medical Center: A Pilot Observational Study

Background Few studies have examined the use of echocardiography in relation to recently released appropriateness criteria for echocardiography. Methods By using the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Society of Echocardiography appropriateness criteria, we examined transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) ordering on the general medicine service at a tertiary referral center. Results During the 35-day study period, 351 TTE orders in the queue were placed by residents. Of the 274 eligible TTEs, a large majority (86%) were appropriate. The 4 most common indications were heart failure (23%), known or suspected endocarditis (16%), syncope (14%), and arrhythmia (10%). Suspicion of endocarditis was the most common misuse, with 22% of this indication and 13% of the total studied either inappropriate or unclear. Conclusion Medical house officers at Massachusetts General Hospital are typically using TTE appropriately. Future studies are needed to characterize ordering behavior in various settings and to refine the appropriateness criteria for specific, common indications.
Vetiver oil and nootkatone effects on the growth of pea and citrus

Abstract Studies have indicated that vetiver oil and one of its components, nootkatone, possess insecticidal and herbicidal activities. The compounds appear to be good candidates as novel pesticides for substrate (soil, wood, and mulch) treatments. Phytotoxicity is a concern for substrate treatment agents against soil dwelling organisms. Using treated potting media the phytotoxic effect of vetiver oil and nootkatone was evaluated on the pea plants ( Pisum sativum L.; cv, “Kelvedon Wonder”) in the laboratory and on citrus trees ( Citrus unshiu Marcovitch) under field conditions. All the tested chemicals at various concentrations (20, 500, and 2000 μg/g soil) reduced the pea plant growth (plant height, root length, dry weight). Nootkatone treatments had the lowest inhibitory effect on growth, followed by vetiver oil and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (Tim-bor ® ), a registered pesticide with known phytotoxicity. The most inhibitive and injurious effects occurred with Tim-bor ® at concentrations of 500 and 2000 μg/g soil, causing plant mortality of up to 38.9%. No pea plant mortality was observed in nootkatone and vetiver oil treatments. Vetiver oil and nootkatone treatments at the rates of 30 and 100 μg/g potting media had no adverse effect on the citrus plant growth rates. These results support the possible usage of the two chemicals around buildings and in nurseries for the management of termites, ants, and weeds; or in the nursery industry where quarantines may be in place to prevent the movement of invasive pests.
Ontogeny and morphology of the fertile flowers of Hydrangea and allied genera of tribe Hydrangeeae (Hydrangeaceae)

The monophyletic Hydrangeeae (Hydrangeaceae) consists of the cladeCardiandra +Deinanthe and its sister, the Hydrangea clade, which includes the paraphyleticHydrangea as well as Broussaisia, Decumaria, Dichroa, Pileostegia,Platycrater and Schizophragma. The plesiomorphic imbricate corolla aestivation and polystemony ofCardiandra and Deinanthe distinguish these two genera from most members of the Hydrangea clade.Deinanthe has postgenitally fused styles and cushion-like, dorsally positioned stigmas. The Hydrangea clade is notable because most species of Hydrangea share a floral morphology characterized by small size; tetramerous-pentamerous perianths; inconspicuous sepals; reflexed petals; diplostemony; stamens that are longer than the styles; completely inferior ovaries; separate styles; terminal, papillate stigmas; and dimerous-tetramerous gynoecia. This suite of states is termed the «Hydrangea floral syndrome» (HFS). Various members of the Hydrangea clade lack the HFS, including (1)Platycrater ; (2) Hydrangea anomala; (3) H. paniculata+H. heteromalla; (4) theSchizophragma clade (Schizophragma, Pileostegia and Decumaria); and (5) the macrophylla clade (H. macrophylla, H. scandens, H. hirta, Dichroa and Broussaisia). The meristic uniqueness of Decumaria reflects mutations observed in Arabidopsis (clavata) and Lycopersicon (fasciated) that cause organ number increases because of changes in meristem capital. The modification of early perianth development to form a prominent corolline torus at a point when sepals are diminutive is present in H. anomala andHydrangea section Cornidia and may be synapomorphic for them. Various transformations in the perianth, androecium, and gynoecium lie behind the floral diversity of Hydrangeeae. Some morphological transformations have been homoplastic, including shifts to polystemony, calyptrate corollas, and synstyly.
Impact behavior of modified PVC for outdoor applications

A systematic study was conducted to determine the optimum polyvinylchloride (PVC) molecular weight and impact modifier concentration blend for the construction or outdoor application. This application called for a material with superior impact and weathering properties as well as cost efficiency. Three different molecular weights of PVC have been used in the present study. Impact modifier was blended with the PVC at various concentrations to improve its impact properties. The blends were extruded, pelletized, and injection molded for testing. Three types of impact tests, including the lzod, the Gardner, and the Dynatup impact tests, were conducted, all of which followed the ASTM Standards. A cost analysis was also conducted based on the relationship of the blend impact properties and their respective cost. The optimum blend developed has a molecular weight of 61,000 with an impact modifier concentration of six parts per hundred.
A note on the ε entropy of monotone functions in the levy norm

The ϵ entropy of the class F∗ of real-valued monotone functions from [0, 1] to [0, 1] in the usual Chebyshev norm is infinite, due to the discontinuities in some of the f ϵ F∗. One of the class of norms introduced by P. Levy for analyzing the convergence of distribution functions gives finite ϵ entropy ∼(1ϵ). (There is an obvious extension to the class F∗AB of monotone functions from [0, A] to [0, B].
Peripheral mechanisms of fatigue in muscles of normal and dystrophic mice.

Abstract We evaluated the contribution of different processes to fatigue of normal and dystrophic mouse muscles using an in vitro electromyography chamber. Fatigue was induced by repetitive nerve stimulation at 30 Hz for 0.5 s, every 2.5 s until tension decreased by about 50%. We monitored the compound nerve action potential (AP), compound muscle AP, and isometric tension responses to nerve stimulation, and compound muscle AP and tension responses to direct muscle stimulation. In normal mice, about 50% reduction in nerve-evoked tension occurred by 2.4 min in extensor digitorum longus (EDL), 4.8 min in diaphragm, and 9 min in soleus. Analysis of the responses revealed that the fatigue was caused by failure of more than one process in all muscles, and failure of nerve conduction did not contribute to fatigue in any muscle. Failure of neuromuscular transmission, muscle membrane excitation, and excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling and contractility accounted for 55, 45, and 0%, respectively, of the fatigue in EDL, for 21, 74, and 5% of the fatigue in diaphragm, and for 2, 54, and 44% of the fatigue in soleus. In dystrophic mice, while about 50% reduction in nerve-evoked tension occurred by 8.1 min in EDL and 5.6 min in diaphragm, only 29% reduction in tension occurred by 80 min in soleus. Failure of neuromuscular transmission, muscle membrane excitation, E-C coupling and contractility accounted for 22, 63 and 15% of the fatigue in EDL, for 21, 79, and 0% of the fatigue in diaphragm, and for 15, 59, and 26% of the fatigue in soleus. The proportion of slow-twitch oxidative fibers was more than normal in dystrophic EDL, but the same as normal in dystrophic diaphragm and soleus. The slower onset of fatigue was attributable to lesser failure of neuromuscular transmission in dystrophic EDL, and to lesser failure of E-C coupling and contractility in dystrophic soleus.
Phonetics and phonology in Gallo‐Romance palatalisation

Palatalisation of the velars /k, in Gallo-Romance applied not just before the usual front vowels /i, e, ɛ/ but also, famously, before the low vowel /a/. Various scenarios have been proposed regarding the phonetic realisation of /a/ and its relation to palatalisation. I argue that /a/ was allophonically fronted to [ae] in stressed open syllables, where the vowel eventually merged with /ɛ, e/. Here the palatalisation was phonetically motivated. But due to the relationship of fronted [ae] to the phonemic category /a/, the triggering environment was extended to other tokens of /a/, including non-fronted instances in closed syllables. Here the motivation was the abstract phonological connection between the different surface realisations of /a/.
A modified goldfrank sniffing bar improves accuracy in identifying simulated toxins in a case-based teaching model.

Objective To determine if olfactory analysis of toxin proxies aid in the identification of poisons when compared to case histories alone. Methods: A convenience sample of 42 emergency medicine residents participated in a prospective single-blind observational study using a sniffing bar designed with the technique described by Goldfrank et.al. Each subject received 12 written cases describing a patient with a chemical exposure. Ten chemicals with odors corresponding to a specific case history and 2 chemical case controls with no odor comprised the sniffing bar. Each subject was asked to identify the toxin first by reading the case history alone, then again after smelling the corresponding odor. All subjects were asked to record their level of confidence for each case before and after the addition of the sniffing bar using a 5-point Likert scale. Percentages correct before and after the sniffing bar intervention were calculated and two-tailed p-values and 95% confidence intervals were measured. Continuous comparative variables such as the means of the Likert scale confidence measurements were analyzed with the two-tailedt-test. Results: Median percentage of toxins correctly identified was 64.3% (range 9.5–97.6) when based on case description alone and 86.9% (range 9.5–95.2) with addition of the sniffing bar. The percentage of initially incorrect identification reversed after additional data provided by the sniffing bar was 11.5% (range 0–14). Of the 10 actual toxins, correct identification of 6 achieved statistical significance after introduction of the sniffing bar (p = 0.0017; 95% CI 4.6–11.4). There was no association between level of training and improved accuracy with use of the sniffing bar, and overall confidence did not improve significantly after addition of the sniffing bar. Conclusion: Diagnostic accuracy of poisons in case-based scenarios is improved with the use of a sniffing bar. The sniffing bar is a useful adjunct to a traditional case-based emergency medicine toxicology teaching curriculum.