cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in comorbid sickle cell disease among stroke patients.

Abstract Background Stroke is a major complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). In an era of chronic red cell transfusions for stroke prophylaxis in children and greater life expectancy, nationwide data on stroke rates among pediatric and adult patients with SCD are scarce. We evaluated recent time trends in stroke hospitalization among children (0–17 years) and adults (> 17 years) with SCD in the United States. Methods Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Pediatric (n = 26,380) and adult (n = 9,638,507) patients admitted to hospitals between 1997 and 2006 with a primary stroke discharge diagnosis (identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision procedure codes) were included. Time trends in the proportion of stroke patients with SCD were computed. Results Pediatric stroke patients with co-morbid SCD constituted 8.7% in 1997 vs. 4.8% in 2006 (p = 0.04), with 81 fewer actual hospitalizations. Adult stroke patients with SCD were 0.3% in 1997 vs. 0.5% in 2006 (p = 0.01), with 157 more actual hospitalizations. Factors that changed substantially and significantly across the decade among pediatric stroke patients with SCD included a drop in ischemic stroke type (74.2% vs. 56.3%) and a rise in comorbid hypertension (1.5% vs. 11.5%), while among adult stroke patients with SCD there was a rise in other stroke type (20.4% vs. 35.6%). Conclusions In an era of increasing prophylactic red cell transfusions, the proportion of SCD diagnoses among pediatric stroke patients significantly decreased in the United States. The rise in SCD diagnoses among adult stroke patients is possibly due to a cohort effect, but further study is needed.
Say the right thing: Apologies, reputability, and punishment

Abstract This research investigates how and when apologies work. Findings from three studies suggest that apologies influence punishment decisions, but not by reducing concerns about recidivism or perceptions of bad intentions. The extent to which future expectancies or perceived intent mediates the effects of apologies on punishment depends on the offender's reputability. However, the perceived appropriateness of the response fully mediates the effect of apologies on punishment, regardless of the offender's reputability. Overall, the findings suggest that saying the right thing helps those who do the wrong thing, but not by influencing others' beliefs about their past intentions or future behaviors.
Gasfield development: reservoir and production operations planning

Efficient development of natural-gas reservoirs requires the participation of many engineering planning and implementation disciplines. When development involves large, remote, offshore gas reservoirs with high H/sub 2/S and CO/sub 2/ content, planning and coordination problems increase rapidly. This paper discusses the time/planning relationships in the evaluation and definition phases of a generalized major gas project typical of resources currently being evaluated in many locations. Project development planning requires an extensive drilling appraisal program to define gas in place, gas productivity, and gas quality. With this information, marketing potentials can be established, and the interrelated planning and design steps to define commercial feasibility can be undertaken. These steps include gas process optimization studies necessary for project definition and continued reservoir assessments, progressing into early multidimensional analyses. This effort assists in establishing well count, well spacing, and platform siting to yield production performance consistent wth equipment constraints and delivery requirements. This study does not discuss the execution phase of the project, but it does stress the importance of having a qualified, multidiscipline project organization to complete the evaluation and definition phases and to serve as the basis of the fully staffed project management team necessary to complete the detailed design and constructionmore » phases of the project.« less
A scalable, numerically stable, high-performance tridiagonal solver using GPUs

In this paper, we present a scalable, numerically stable, high-performance tridiagonal solver. The solver is based on the SPIKE algorithm for partitioning a large matrix into small independent matrices, which can be solved in parallel. For each small matrix, our solver applies a general 1-by-1 or 2-by-2 diagonal pivoting algorithm, which is also known to be numerically stable. Our paper makes two major contributions. First, our solver is the first numerically stable tridiagonal solver for GPUs. Our solver provides comparable quality of stable solutions to Intel MKL and Matlab, at speed comparable to the GPU tridiagonal solvers in existing packages like CUSPARSE. It is also scalable to multiple GPUs and CPUs. Second, we present and analyze two key optimization strategies for our solver: a high-throughput data layout transformation for memory efficiency, and a dynamic tiling approach for reducing the memory access footprint caused by branch divergence.
Set mechanism in the lithium aluminum deuteride reduction of chloroadamantanes, and its induction by remote substituents

Abstract The title reduction may lead to very incomplete isotopic substitution as a result of SET intrusion and the related intermediacy of radicals and hydrogen abstraction from the solvent, even though the halogen to be replaced is chlorine. Two examples are reported. In one of them, this mechanism is shown to be induced through five single bonds by an ether substituent separated from the chlorine by a rigid W-chain of saturated carbons.
Wound recurrence following laparoscopic colon cancer resection : Results of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Laparoscopic Registry

INTRODUCTION: Multiple case reports have suggested that laparoscopic resection of colon cancer may alter the pattern or incidence of cancer recurrence. All reports lack a significant denominator to evaluate the incidence of surgical wound recurrence. We hypothesized that wound recurrence incidence is not increased by laparoscopic resection of colon cancer. METHODS: A prospective registry was initiated under the auspices of The American Society of Ccolon and Rectal Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons in 1992. Patients having laparoscopic colon resection were voluntarily entered and followed until June 1995. Recurrences were evaluated by the primary surgeon and reported to the registry. RESULTS: A total of 504 patients treated for cancer were identified in the registry. A minimum follow-up of one year was obtained for 480 of 493 evaluable patients (97.4 percent). Wound recurrence was identified in five patients (1.1 percent). Recurrence status was unknown in 18 patients (3.8 percent). CONCLUSION: Wound recurrence rates appear to be low. Although length of follow-up is limited, patterns of recurrence from previous studies suggest that 80 percent of recurrences should have occurred within one year. Given the limitations of a Phase II study, the hypothesis that recurrence rate is low is supported. However, prospective randomized trials are needed to establish if any difference in wound recurrence rates after laparoscopic or open resection of colorectal cancer exists.
Sources of Fluoride Intake in Children

Wide variations in fluoride intake among children make estimating fluoride intake difficult. This paper discusses the various sources of fluoride intake among children, beginning with a review of the fluoride concentrations of water and other beverages, foods, and therapeutic fluoride products. A review of previous studies' estimates of fluoride intake from diet, dentifrice, fluoride supplements, fluoride mouthrinses, and gels, as well as total fluoride intake also is presented. Then, estimates of fluoride intake among young children of different age groups are summarized, and examples demonstrating the high level of variability of fluoride intake, both from individual sources and in total, are presented. Lastly, this paper discusses the implications of our current level of knowledge of children's fluoride intake, and presents recommendations for the use of fluoride for children in light of this current knowledge. The major recommendations are that: (1) the fluoride content of foods and beverages, particularly infant formulas and water used in their reconstitution, should continue to be monitored closely in an effort to limit excessive fluoride intake; (2) ingestion of fluoride from dentifrice by young children should be controlled, and the use of only small quantities of dentifrice by young children should be emphasized; and (3) dietary fluoride supplements should be considered a targeted preventive regimen only for those children at higher risk for dental caries and with low levels of ingested fluoride from other sources.
Family Secrets and Family Functioning: The Case of Donor Assistance

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between adult offspring's perception of family functioning and of parental use of topic avoidance to maintain secrecy regarding the use of donor assistance to conceive. A cross-sectional design was used to study a convenience sample of 69 young adult donor offspring who completed a demographic questionnaire, a topic avoidance scale relative to each of their rearing parents, and the Beavers Self Report Family Instrument. Findings indicated that participants perceived both parents as avoiding the topic of donor assistance more than other topics, mothers as avoiding all topics less than fathers, and topic avoidance was negatively associated with family functioning. Mothers' general topic avoidance was the strongest predictor of family functioning. Parents' disclosing together was predictive of higher family functioning. Implications for practice and future research are suggested.
Erratum to: Treatment Considerations for Recurrent MRSA Bacteremia Leading to Cholecystitis

Erratum to: J Gen Intern Med DOI: 10.1007/s11606-011-1634-8 On page 2 of the original publication, the caption for Figure 1 reads: “Figure 1. CT scan of the abdomen showing two large stones (thick arrow) in the gallbladder (thin arrow) and evidence of thickening of the gallbladder wall.” The revised version below clarifies that each arrow points to a stone, rather than that the thin arrow points to the gallbladder itself. The revised caption should read: “Figure 1. CT scan of the abdomen showing two large stones (thick arrow, thin arrow) in the gallbladder and evidence of thickening of the gallbladder wall.”
Nocturnal swimming, aggregation at light traps, and mass spawning of scissurellid gastropods (Mollusca: Vetigastropoda)

. Thousands of minute scissurellid gastropods (Vetigastropoda: Scissurellidae) were observed and collected at floating light traps in Moorea, French Polynesia, where a mass spawning event occurred on November 11, 2002. More than 20,000 live snails were recovered from the traps, and epidemic spawning continued in the laboratory, where clouds of white sperm and red-orange eggs were broadcast into the water. No aggregations of this magnitude have been reported previously in vetigastropods, nor is the capacity for sustained swimming known from other vetigastropod taxa. Snails had emerged from a local benthic habitat of coral sand and swum through ≥2 m of water to reach the traps. Scanning electron micrographs of the ornate shells confirm the identity of the most abundant species as Scissurella spinosa, with lesser numbers of Sinezona plicata. Our observations indicate that scissurellids are not exclusively benthic and that they are not rare, even though they have seldom been collected and studied alive. Because little is known about the basic biology and anatomy of scissurellids and because their position within the basal Gastropoda is poorly resolved, we include information on the design and construction of inexpensive light traps to promote comparative investigation of other poorly known species.
The rapidly increasing usefulness of social media in urogynecology.

Objective: We assessed the availability and quality of urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse information in social medias and the growth of such information in the past 13 months. Methods: We focused on the most popular social medias (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube) to evaluate the key words ‘‘urogynecology,’’ ‘‘pelvic organ prolapse,’’ ‘‘stress incontinence,’’ ‘‘urge incontinence,’’ and ‘‘incontinence.’’ Initial evaluation included top 30 search results for key word ‘‘incontinence’’ to compare with our study in 2010, followed by a secondary search using the top 100 items. Results were classified as useful or not useful and then further categorized by health care providers, others, commercial, or humorous in intent. Results with the intent of providing information were presumed to be informative. Results: Comparative search over a 13-month period showed a stable amount of useful information, 40% to 39%, but an increase in the number of health professionals (22% vs 13%). However, of the 817 search results, 406 (50%) were medically useful. Only 28% were written by health professionals, but of the informative results, 56% were written by health professionals. Finally, specific search terms provided the highest relevant and useful information, but also limited the number of search items found. Conclusions: Over 13 months, there was an increase in useful information presented from health professionals. These changes may reflect the medical community’s growing awareness of the usefulness of social media. If these trends continue, we predict the use of these medias for medical purposes will continue to increase among medical professionals.
Cartilage Repair With or Without Meniscal Transplantation and Osteotomy for Lateral Compartment Chondral Defects of the Knee: Case Series With Minimum 2-Year Follow-up

Background:Treatment decision making for chondral defects in the knee is multifactorial. Articular cartilage pathology, malalignment, and meniscal deficiency must all be addressed to optimize surgi...
Reactions to blatantly contradictory information.

In two experiments, subjects were shown a complex event and were later exposed to misinformation about that event. In addition, some subjects received a piece of blatantly contradictory misinformation. Blatant misinformation both was rejected by subjects and caused them to be more resistant to other misinformation that they would ordinarily have been inclined to accept the “spillover” effect. However, delaying the blatant misinformation until the other pieces of false information had already been processed destroyed its ability to make subjects immune to such “ordinary” misinformation. These results are consistent with the idea that subjects incorporate new information into memory at the time it is initially introduced and use this information to update an existing memorial representation.
Assembly time modelling through connective complexity metrics

This paper presents an approach for the development of surrogate models predicting the assembly time of a system based on complexity metrics of the physical system architecture when detailed geometric information is unavailable. A convention for modelling physical architecture is presented, followed by a sample of 10 analysed systems used for training and three systems used for validation. These systems are evaluated on complexity metrics developed from graph theoretic measures. An example model is developed based on a series of regressions of trends observed within the sample data. This is validated against the systems that are not used to develop the model. The model developed uses average path length, part count and path length density to approximate assembly time within the standard deviation of the subjective variation possible in Boothroyd and Dewhurst design for assembly DFA analysis. While the specific example model developed is generalisable only to systems similar to those in the sample set, the capability to develop mappings between physical architecture and assembly time in early-stage design is demonstrated.
Making psychology indispensable

Abstract Following description of peculiar historical conditions that gave rise to the rapid growth of professional psychology in the United States and expression of concern about the future of the field, questions about the central purposes and basic identity of professional psychology are considered. Two conceptions are delineated. The currently dominant conception of practice as applied science is disputed, and the conception of professional service as disciplined inquiry is advanced as an alternative. The latter conception, but not the former, encourages systematic address of urgent social needs and organized cooperation among practitioners and researchers in developing effective practices to meet those needs.
Control and function of arm swing in human walking and running

We investigated the control and function of arm swing in human walking and running to test the hypothesis that the arms act as passive mass dampers powered by movement of the lower body, rather than being actively driven by the shoulder muscles. We measured locomotor cost, deltoid muscle activity and kinematics in 10 healthy adult subjects while walking and running on a treadmill in three experimental conditions: control; no arms (arms folded across the chest); and arm weights (weights worn at the elbow). Decreasing and increasing the moment of inertia of the upper body in no arms and arm weights conditions, respectively, had corresponding effects on head yaw and on the phase differences between shoulder and pelvis rotation, consistent with the view of arms as mass dampers. Angular acceleration of the shoulders and arm increased with torsion of the trunk and shoulder, respectively, but angular acceleration of the shoulders was not inversely related to angular acceleration of the pelvis or arm. Restricting arm swing in no arms trials had no effect on locomotor cost. Anterior and posterior portions of the deltoid contracted simultaneously rather than firing alternately to drive the arm. These results support a passive arm swing hypothesis for upper body movement during human walking and running, in which the trunk and shoulders act primarily as elastic linkages between the pelvis, shoulder girdle and arms, the arms act as passive mass dampers which reduce torso and head rotation, and upper body movement is primarily powered by lower body movement.
Patients with stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma at postoperative risk for local recurrence, distant metastasis, and death: implications related to the design of clinical trials

Abstract Purpose: Patients with pathologically staged American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I (T1 N0 or T2 N0) non-small cell lung cancer have a favorable prognosis after complete surgical resection compared with patients with more advanced stages. Benefits of adjuvant therapy in this setting are unproved. However, there may be subgroups of patients with stage I disease at high enough risk for local recurrence to prompt consideration of adjuvant or neoadjuvant radiation therapy. Likewise, there may be subgroups of patients at high enough risk for distant metastasis to justify the evaluation of chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: From 1987 through 1990, 370 patients undergoing gross total resection of non-small cell lung cancer had stage I disease and received no chemotherapy or radiation therapy as part of their primary treatment. These patients were the subject of a retrospective review to separate patients into high-, intermediate-, and low-risk groups with respect to freedom from local recurrence (FFLR), freedom from distant metastasis (FFDM), and overall survival by using a regression tree analysis. Results: The 5-year rates of FFLR, FFDM, and survival were 85%, 83%, and 66%, respectively. Regression analyses revealed that the factors independently predicting for a poorer FFLR rate included fewer than 15 lymph nodes dissected and pathologically evaluated ( p = 0.002) and the presence of a T2 tumor ( p = 0.04). Factors independently predicting for a poorer FFDM rate included a maximal dimension greater than 5 cm ( p = 0.02) and nonsquamous histology ( p = 0.03). Factors independently predicting for a poorer survival rate included fewer than 15 lymph nodes dissected and pathologically evaluated ( p = 0.001) and a maximal dimension greater than 3 cm ( p = 0.003). Regression tree analyses were used to separate patients into risk groups. Conclusion: Incorporating the aforementioned factors into regression tree analyses, three risk groups were identified with respect to FFLR. Two each were identified for FFDM and for survival. For each of these three end-points, the differences in outcomes for each risk group were found to be both statistically and clinically significant. These risk groups may be useful in the future design of phase III trials evaluating the use of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the stage I setting.
Identical twins with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia concordant for cerebrovascular arteriovenous malformations

Central nervous system arteriovenous malformations are uncommon in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. Identical twins are described with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and concordance for central nervous system arteriovenous malformations identified by angiography. One twin had a central nervous system hemorrhage in the seventh month of pregnancy and also had a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. The other was asymptomatic. A previously reported association between HLA type A2 BW17 and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia was not confirmed. Two recombinations were identified between the loci for HLA and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. The loci for HLA and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia are not closely linked. Stroke in a young person should prompt an inspection for manifestations of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
On the structure of complete simply connected embedded minimal surfaces

The helicoid and the plane are the only known complete simply connected minimal surfaces without self-intersections. In this paper we make an analytic study of this class of surfaces by first deforming them continuously into surfaces with self-intersections. Next, we study the (backward) time evolution of the set of self-intersections and see what geometric conditions must prevail in order for the self-intersections to rush off to infinity in finite time. As a result of this program it is shown that any surface of the type considered above has to satisfy at least one of five geometric possibilities. The first two of these alternatives are pathological, the third one is satisfied by the plane, and the next two are satisfied by the helicoid.
INFERCNMR: a 13C NMR interpretive library search system.

INFERCNMR is an automated 13C NMR spectrum interpretation aid for use either as a stand-alone program or as a component of a comprehensive, computer-based system for the characterization of chemical structure. The program is an interpretive library search which requires a database of assigned 13C NMR spectra. An interpretive library search does not require overall structural similarity between an unknown and a library entry in order to retrieve a substructure common to both. Input consists of the chemical shift and one-bond proton-carbon multiplicity of each signal in the spectrum, and the molecular formula of the unknown. Program output is one or more substructures predicted to be present in the unknown, each of which is assigned an estimated prediction accuracy.
When Congress Gives Two Hats, Which Do You Wear? Choosing Between Domestic Industry Protection and IP Enforcement in Section 337 Investigations

The U.S. International Trade Commission has become a major player in patent litigation through its Section 337 authority. It has jurisdiction over imported articles when producers and importers employ "unfair methods or acts" such as intellectual property rights infringement. When a violation is proved, the ITC grants a limited or general exclusion order which prevents infringing articles from entering the United States. The ITC recently revealed its conclusions about two important issues. First, the ITC held in Coaxial Cable Connectors that litigation costs alone relating to IP licensing may satisfy the trade law’s domestic industry requirement for bringing a Section 337 complaint. Second, the ITC signaled that the exclusion order is sufficiently different from an equitable permanent injunction such that federal court determinations under eBay to refuse an injunction do not apply to the ITC. The Federal Circuit affirmed this determination. The result is that entities which hold but do not practice their IP rights may exclude articles following an ITC investigation for which they most likely would not receive a permanent injunction in the federal courts following eBay. This prospect was a real possibility in the 2010 Hybrid Electric Vehicles investigation, which settled before the ITC reached a conclusion in the case. Given globalization and complicated technologies, an ITC exclusion order can have devastating effects on the domestic economy, thereby contravening its original mandate to protect domestic industry as it instead protects IP rights. To explain how we came to this point, this paper briefly explains the roots of the ITC's domestic industry protection mandate and the most recent legal changes which open the ITC to entities that do not practice their IP rights. It explains why, in investigations based on Section 337(a)(3)(C)’s exploitation activities, it is the respondent that always exhibits the traditional domestic industry characteristics that the ITC was meant to protect. It further concludes that invoking the ITC’s statutory public interest discretion is a poor solution in these instances because it would leave IP rights unprotected. The paper suggests modest reform to the relationship between the ITC and the district courts and calls for a public discussion on the interaction between IP rights protection and U.S. industry protection.
Translating the frontiers of brain repair to treatments: starting not to break the rules.

The field of neural repair in stroke has identified cellular systems of reorganization and possible molecular mechanisms. Conceptual barriers now limit the generation of clinically useful agents. First, it is not clear what the causal mechanisms of neural repair are in stroke. Second, adequate delivery systems for neural repair drugs need to be determined for candidate molecules. Third, ad hoc applications of existing pharmacological agents that enhance attention, mood or arousal to stroke have failed. New approaches that specifically harness the molecular systems of learning and memory provide a new avenue for stroke repair drugs. Fourth, combinatorial treatments for neural repair need to be considered for clinical therapies. Finally, neural repair therapies have as a goal altering brain connections, cognitive maps and active neural networks. These actions may trigger a unique set of “neural repair side effects” that need to be considered in planning clinical trials.
Evaluation of a D-Q-0 Frame Average Model for Multiple Single-Phase PFC Converters

This paper presents a d-q-0 frame average model for multiple single-phase power-factor-correction (PFC) converters. The model is based on a three-phase four-wire load of equivalent per-phase PFC converters, characterized using an extended PWM switch model in order to eliminate the passive diode rectifying stage, thus extending the validity region of the proposed model to half of the switching frequency. The paper presents the complete derivation of the model, as well as a thorough evaluation in the time and frequency domains using simulations and quasi-stationary small-signal analysis. The results obtained show the effectiveness of the proposed model to perform direct d-q-0 frame simulations of multiple single-phase PFC converters, as well its capability to predict dynamic interactions - under balanced and unbalanced conditions - between filtering stages and the PFC converters.
Register minimization in DSP data format converters

The author addresses register minimization in design of digital signal processing (DSP) data format converter architectures. Systematic lifetime analysis is used to calculate the minimum number of registers needed for any arbitrarily specified data format converter. The minimum number of registers can be used to design a data format converter architecture using a novel forward-backward register allocation scheme. The number of registers needed in the scheme is about half of that needed in the forward register allocation scheme. Examples of converters presented include matrix transposers, and general (m, d/sub 1/) to (n, d/sub 2/) data format converters. The (m, d/sub 1/) to (n, d/sub 2/) converter inputs m words and d/sub 1/ bits per word in one input cycle and outputs n words and d/sub 2/ bits per word in one output cycle (d/sub 1/ and d/sub 2/ lie between 1 and the word-length w). >
The Role of Galactography in Patients with Postoperative Nipple Discharge

: Spontaneous nipple discharge presenting temporally after breast surgery may be due to ductal communication with the biopsy site or to a second abnormality in the breast. Galactography is useful in excluding an intraductal lesion and documenting a communication between the discharging duct and the biopsy site, in cases where the discharge persists for more than a few weeks after surgery. In this clinical setting, galactography averted a second surgical procedure.
Acoustic Cues for Sound Source Distance and Azimuth in Rabbits, a Racquetball and a Rigid Spherical Model

There are numerous studies measuring the transfer functions representing signal transformation between a source and each ear canal, i.e., the head-related transfer functions (HRTFs), for various species. However, only a handful of these address the effects of sound source distance on HRTFs. This is the first study of HRTFs in the rabbit where the emphasis is on the effects of sound source distance and azimuth on HRTFs. With the rabbit placed in an anechoic chamber, we made acoustic measurements with miniature microphones placed deep in each ear canal to a sound source at different positions (10–160 cm distance, ±150° azimuth). The sound was a logarithmically swept broadband chirp. For comparisons, we also obtained the HRTFs from a racquetball and a computational model for a rigid sphere. We found that (1) the spectral shape of the HRTF in each ear changed with sound source location; (2) interaural level difference (ILD) increased with decreasing distance and with increasing frequency. Furthermore, ILDs can be substantial even at low frequencies when distance is close; and (3) interaural time difference (ITD) decreased with decreasing distance and generally increased with decreasing frequency. The observations in the rabbit were reproduced, in general, by those in the racquetball, albeit greater in magnitude in the rabbit. In the sphere model, the results were partly similar and partly different than those in the racquetball and the rabbit. These findings refute the common notions that ILD is negligible at low frequencies and that ITD is constant across frequency. These misconceptions became evident when distance-dependent changes were examined.
The acute phase response is associated with retinoid X receptor repression in rodent liver.

The acute phase response (APR) is associated with decreased hepatic expression of many proteins involved in lipid metabolism. The nuclear hormone receptors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and liver X receptor (LXR) play key roles in regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism. Because heterodimerization with RXR is crucial for their action, we hypothesized that a decrease in RXR may be one mechanism to coordinately down-regulate gene expression during APR. We demonstrate that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces a rapid, dose-dependent decrease in RXRα, RXRβ, and RXRγ proteins in hamster liver. Maximum inhibition was observed at 4 h for RXRα (62%) and RXRβ (50%) and at 2 h for RXRγ (61%). These decreases were associated with a marked reduction in RXRα, RXRβ, and RXRγ mRNA levels. Increased RNA degradation is likely responsible for the repression of RXR, because LPS did not decreaseRXRβ and RXRγ transcription and only marginally inhibited (38%) RXRα transcription. RXR repression was associated with decreased LXRα and PPARα mRNA levels and reduced RXR·RXR, RXR·PPAR and RXR·LXR binding activities in nuclear extracts. Furthermore, LPS markedly decreased both basal and Wy-14,643-induced expression of acyl-CoA synthetase, a well characterized PPARα target. The reduction in hepatic RXR levels alone or in association with other nuclear hormone receptors could be a mechanism for coordinately inhibiting the expression of multiple genes during the APR.
Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Virions Depleted of Cyclophilin A by Natural Endogenous Reverse Transcription Restores Infectivity

We have previously shown that virions with nef deleted can be restored to wild-type infectivity by treatment to induce natural endogenous reverse transcription (NERT). Since Nef and cyclophilin A (CyPA) appear to act in similar ways on postentry events, we determined whether NERT treatment would restore infectivity to virions depleted of CyPA. Our results show that the infectivity of virions depleted of CyPA by treatment with cyclosporine A could be restored by NERT treatment, while mutants in the CyPA binding loop of capsid could only be partially restored. These results suggest that CyPA is involved in some aspect of the uncoating process.
Pazopanib therapy for cerebellar hemangioblastomas in von Hippel–Lindau disease

von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease is a genetically acquired multisystem tumor syndrome of the viscera and central nervous system (CNS). The most common tumors associated with this disease are histologically benign, slow-growing CNS hemangioblastomas affecting the retina, cerebellum, brainstem, spinal cord or nerve roots. With mean age at diagnosis of 30 years, CNS hemangioblastomas are usually the first manifestation of the disease. Ongoing clinical and radiological surveillance is required, with symptomatic lesions necessitating treatment. As tumor growth is inevitable during the lifetime of most VHL patients, and the multiplicity of tumors may preclude surgical cure, the search for effective therapies is ongoing. Here we provide the first report demonstrating clinical and radiological anti-tumor response using pazopanib, a small molecule multi-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in a patient with treatment-refractory VHL-associated CNS hemangioblastoma. Treatment initiation with daily oral pazopanib (800 mg/day) resulted in significant neurologic improvement and radiologic tumor volume reduction.
Development of a Small-Group Intervention for Stimulant-Using Men Who Have Sex With Men

Use of methamphetamine and cocaine has been shown to contribute to risky sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM). Intensive research is under way to develop behavioral interventions to reduce sexual risk behavior among MSM stimulant users. We developed a 10-session small-group intervention based on social-cognitive theory and group process techniques and with a healthy sexuality curriculum. We conducted an uncontrolled pilot study with 87 men who had had unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) while using stimulants within the past 6 months. Of the 70 men who attended at least 1 session intervention, 64% attended 6 or more sessions. Significant declines were seen between baseline and follow-up in both stimulant use and UAI while using stimulants. In the absence of pharmacological therapies for stimulant addiction, and given the difficulty in breaking the association between stimulant use and sex, group interventions are a promising approach for reducing risky sex and stimulant use.
JEFFREY ALEXANDER AND THE CULTURAL TURN IN SOCIAL THEORY

This paper traces developments in Jeffrey Alexander’s cultural sociology. The aim is to introduce the reader to the key components of this theory as it developed from a functionalist focus on societal values through semiotics and linguistic structuralism to a theory of cultural trauma and collective performance.
Antenatal renal vein thrombosis after accidental electric shock in a pregnant woman.

In utero RVT is not commonly suspected in the differential diagnosis of a renal mass in the fetus. To date, only six antenatal cases have been published. While the causes are diverse and the pathophysiologic mechanisms unclear, antenatal RVT is frequently associated with fetal distress. We report a new case of antenatal RVT, revealed by ultrasonography performed at 36 weeks' gestation for fetal distress, after an accidental electric shock 2 weeks earlier.
Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia in a Breast Cancer Patient Post-Radiation Therapy: A Case Report

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is a syndrome associated with nonspecific pulmonary and atopic manifestations, chest imaging findings suggestive of peripheral alveolar opacities, and alveolar and blood eosinophilia.[1][1] Onset is insidious, with symptoms lasting up to 2–4 weeks. It is
Detection of leukocoria using a soft fusion of expert classifiers under non-clinical settings

Leukocoria is defined as a white reflection and its manifestation is symptomatic of several ocular pathologies, including retinoblastoma (Rb). Early detection of recurrent leukocoria is critical for improved patient outcomes and can be accomplished via the examination of recreational photography. To date, there exists a paucity of methods to automate leukocoria detection within such a dataset. This research explores a novel classification scheme that uses fuzzy logic theory to combine a number of classifiers that are experts in performing multichannel detection of leukocoria from recreational photography. The proposed scheme extracts features aided by the discrete cosine transform and the Karhunen-Loeve transformation. The soft fusion of classifiers is significantly better than other methods of combining classifiers with p = 1.12 × 10-5. The proposed methodology performs at a 92% accuracy rate, with an 89% true positive rate, and an 11% false positive rate. Furthermore, the results produced by our methodology exhibit the lowest average variance. The proposed methodology overcomes non-ideal conditions of image acquisition, presenting a competent approach for the detection of leukocoria. Results suggest that recreational photography can be used in combination with the fusion of individual experts in multichannel classification and preprocessing tools such as the discrete cosine transform and the Karhunen-Loeve transformation.
Electron densities in search of Hamiltonians

By utilizing the knowledge that a Hamiltonian is a unique functional of its ground-state density, the following fundamental connections between densities and Hamiltonians are revealed: Given that ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}, {\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\beta}},\dots{},{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\omega}}$ are ground-level densities for interacting or noninteracting Hamiltonians ${H}_{1}, {H}_{2},\dots{},{H}_{M}$ ($M$ arbitrarily large) with local potentials ${v}_{1}$,${v}_{2}$,$\dots{}$,${v}_{M}$, but given that we do not know which $\ensuremath{\rho}$ belongs with which $H$, the correct mapping is possible and is obtained by minimizing $\ensuremath{\int}d\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}} [{v}_{1}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}}){\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}})+{v}_{2}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}}){\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\beta}}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}})+\ensuremath{\cdots}{v}_{M}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}}){\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\omega}}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}})]$ with respect to optimum permutations of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$'s among the $v$'s. A tight rigorous bound connects a density to its interacting ground-state energy via the one-body potential of the interacting system and the Kohn-Sham effective one-body potential of the auxiliary noninteracting system. A modified Kohn-Sham effective potential is defined such that its sum of lowest orbital energies equals the true interacting ground-state energy. Moreover, of all those effective potentials which differ by additive constants and which yield the true interacting ground-state density, this modified effective potential is the most invariant with respect to changes in the one-body potential of the true Hamiltonian. With the exception of the occurrence of certain linear dependencies, $a$ density will not generally be associated with any ground-state wave function (is not wave function $v$ representable) if that density can be generated by a special linear combination of three or more densities that arise from a common set of degenerate ground-state wave functions. Applicability of the "constrained search" approach to density-functional theory is emphasized for non-$v$-representable as well as for $v$-representable densities. In fact, a particular constrained ensemble search is revealed which provides a general sufficient condition for non-$v$ representability by a wave function. The possible appearance of noninteger occupation numbers is discussed in connection with the existence of non-$v$ representability for some Kohn-Sham noninteracting systems.
Giant acquired reactive perforating collagenosis in a patient with diabetes mellitus and metastatic breast carcinoma

Acquired reactive perforating collagenosis (ARPC) is a type of perforating disorder that is often associated with underlying systemic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, renal failure, or malignancy. Giant variants of ARPC may reach up to 2 cm in size and have been reported in only a handful of cases. We present a patient with giant ARPC in the setting of metastatic breast cancer and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.
Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Productivity of U.S. Dairies

In the United States, climate change is likely to increase average daily temperatures and the frequency of heat waves, which can reduce meat and milk production in animals. Methods that livestock producers use to mitigate thermal stress-including modifications to animal management or housing-tend to increase production costs. We use operation-level economic data coupled with finely-scaled climate data to estimate how the local thermal environment affects the technical efficiency of dairies across the United States. We then use this information to estimate the possible decline in milk production in 2030 resulting from climate change-induced heat stress under the simplifying assumptions that the production technology, location of production, and other factors are held constant. For four climate model scenarios, the results indicate modest heat-stress-related production declines by 2030, with the largest declines occurring in the southern states.
DNA Adduct Formation from Metabolic 5′-Hydroxylation of the Tobacco-Specific Carcinogen N′-Nitrosonornicotine in Human Enzyme Systems and in Rats

N′-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is carcinogenic in multiple animal models and has been evaluated as a human carcinogen. NNN can be metabolized by cytochrome P450s through two activation pathways: 2′-hydroxylation and 5′-hydroxylation. While most previous studies have focused on 2′-hydroxylation in target tissues of rats, available evidence suggests that 5′-hydroxylation is a major activation pathway in human enzyme systems, in nonhuman primates, and in target tissues of some other rodent carcinogenicity models. In the study reported here, we investigated DNA damage resulting from NNN 5′-hydroxylation by quantifying the adduct 2-(2-(3-pyridyl)-N-pyrrolidinyl)-2′-deoxyinosine (py-py-dI). In rats treated with NNN in the drinking water (7–500 ppm), py-py-dI was the major DNA adduct resulting from 5′-hydroxylation of NNN in vivo. Levels of py-py-dI in the lung and nasal cavity were the highest, consistent with the tissue distribution of CYP2A3. In rats treated with (S)-NNN or (R)-NNN, the ratios of formation of (R...
Central opiate mu-receptor-mediated suppression of tissue protein synthesis

We determined the dose-dependent effects of central mu-opioid receptor stimulation on rates of tissue protein synthesis. Chronically catheterized conscious rats received an intracerebroventricular injection of [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4,Gly5-ol]enkephalin (DAGO, 0.5, 2, or 8 nmol/rat) or water (5 microliters) 45 min before determination of protein synthesis by the flooding dose technique. DAGO produced a significant decrease in tissue protein synthesis in liver (57%), spleen (54%), gut mucosa (36%), gut serosa (23%), kidney (48%), gastrocnemius (33%), and plantaris muscle (27%), but it did not alter rates of protein synthesis in the brain, heart, and soleus muscle. DAGO produced an acute dose-dependent respiratory depression 30 min after intracerebroventricular injection; this depression resulted in acidosis, hypoxia, and hypercapnia (pH 7.19 +/- 0.04, arterial partial O2, pressure 44.2 +/- 3.4 Torr, arterial O2 saturation 65.3 +/- 5.5%, and PCO2 66.3 +/- 4.4 Torr). Intracerebroventricular DAGO increased circulating levels of catecholamines, corticosterone, and growth hormone but did not alter those of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I. Significant positive correlations between protein synthesis and pH were observed in the tissues studied (i.e., liver protein synthesis vs. pH, P < 0.0001, r = 0.902; gastrocnemius protein synthesis vs. pH, P < 0.0001, r = 0.830). Our results indicate that mu-receptor stimulation inhibits tissue protein synthesis, and this effect appears to be secondary to respiratory depression and the resulting acidosis and/or hypoxia. Furthermore, our findings suggest differential sensitivity in tissue response to alterations in pH, hypoxia, and stress hormone elevation.
Reflections from the Jury Pool

This article details the author’s recent jury duty service and reflects on how attorneys perceive jury members.
Chapter 7 – Case Studies

Chapter 7 presents six case studies that should provoke the reader to delve more into the particulars of each incident. Specifically, the chapter provides details on the Sverdlovsk anthrax incident (1979); the Rajneeshee Salmonella incident (1984); the Surat, India pneumonic plague outbreak (1994); the Fallen Angel ricin incidents (2003–04); Amerithrax (2001); and the outbreak of Ebola virus in West Africa (2014–15). Each of these incidents help illustrate the difference between an unusual natural outbreak and one due to an intentional act. In addition, each case study presented herein shows how confounding these outbreaks can be to public health officials and how fear, panic, and social disruption may ensue.
Staphylococcal enterotoxin: increased vomiting incidence in monkeys following subemetic doses of dihydroergotamine.

SummarySubcutaneous injection of subemetic dose of dihydroergotamine methane-sulfonate increases the number of Macaca mulatta which vomit following oral administration of staphylococcal enterotoxin...