cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric Parotidectomy: Do Surgical Indications Affect Outcomes?

BACKGROUND Parotid gland pathologies requiring resection present with varying effects on surrounding tissue architecture, and we hypothesize that this spectrum of indications confers different risks of adverse events. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the complication profiles of parotidectomy in children across a spectrum of pathologies requiring parotid resection. METHODS The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric data set was queried for parotidectomies performed from 2012 through 2017. Indications were subclassified based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and Tenth Revision codes. Complications, readmissions, and reoperations were analyzed with appropriate statistics. RESULTS Parotidectomies in children (n = 208) were mostly performed for neoplasms (47.6%), followed by inflammatory conditions (24.0%). Total parotidectomies took significantly longer (P 0.209). Parotidectomy performed for vascular malformations had significantly increased risk of bleeding requiring transfusion (P < 0.001; OR, 14.9) and surgical complications (P < 0.001; OR, 9.2). Bleeding requiring transfusion was significantly related to longer surgical procedures (P < 0.001; 409 vs 191 minutes). CONCLUSIONS Parotidectomy in pediatric patients for malignant neoplasms is associated with a significantly higher risk of nerve injury compared with parotidectomy for benign neoplasms. Parotidectomy for vascular malformations has a significantly higher risk of bleeding requiring transfusion, whereas parotidectomy for lymphatic malformations is associated with the lowest risk of medical and surgical complications.
Helicobacter suis and Helicobacter pylori infection in a colony of research macaques: characterization and clinical correlates.

Introduction. Helicobacter suis (Helicobacter heilmannii type 1) commonly infects nonhuman primates but its clinical importance is in question.Aim. To characterize H. suis infection in a colony of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) used in cognitive neuroscience research.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Inquiries into the nature of Helicobacter suis in nonhuman primates are required to further define the organism's virulence and the experimental animal's gastric microbiome.Methodology. Animals with and without clinical signs of vomiting and abdominal pain (n=5 and n=16, respectively) were evaluated by histology, culture, PCR amplification and sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and serology. Three of the five animals with clinical signs, an index case and two others, were evaluated before and after antimicrobial therapy.Results. The index animal had endoscopically visible ulcers and multifocal, moderate, chronic lymphoplasmacytic gastritis with intraglandular and luminal spiral bacteria. Antimicrobial therapy in the index animal achieved histologic improvement, elimination of endoscopically visible ulcers, and evident eradication but clinical signs persisted. In the other treated animals, gastritis scores were not consistently altered, gastric bacteria persisted, but vomiting and abdominal discomfort abated.Nineteen of 21 animals were PCR positive for H. suis and five animals were also PCR positive for H. pylori. Organisms were detected by FISH in 17 of 21 animals: 16S rRNA sequences of two of these were shown to be H. suis. Mild to moderate lymphoplasmacytic gastritis was seen in antrum, body and cardia, with antral gastritis more likely to be moderate than that of the body.Conclusion. No clear association between the bacterial numbers of Helicobacter spp. and the degree of inflammation was observed. H. suis is prevalent in this colony of Macaca mulatta but its clinical importance remains unclear. This study corroborates many of the findings in earlier studies of H. suis infection in macaques but also identifies at least one animal in which gastritis and endoscopically visible gastric ulcers were strongly associated with H. suis infection. In this study, serology was an inadequate biomarker for endoscopic evaluation in diagnosis of H. suis infection.
Telemedicine in long-term elderly care facilities as “social accountability” in the context of Covid-19

Abstract: Introduction: The World Health Organization defined the compulsory need to redirect all educational, research and public health service activities of medical schools to meet all priority health needs, attributing to them this social responsibility role. Due to the emergency situation in the public health system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as a measure of social accountability, remote medical care services and online education were adopted in order to continue following the curricular program and to provide assistance to local city governments. Experience report: Two months before graduation, medical students followed-up on the monitoring of residents and COVID-19 healthcare professionals of forty-three ILPIs (Long-Term Elderly Care Facilities) in the city of Sao Jose do Rio Preto, state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The medical students made daily telephone calls to all these ILPI units, requesting information, generally from the head nurses and owners, about the main COVID-19 symptoms that were detected in the residents and employees of these facilities. All the collected information was discussed daily with the teacher in charge of mentoring the program, fed into an online database and into a work schedule chart, then relayed to the local Municipal Health Secretariat. A COVID-19 contingency plan was devised by the team, authorized by the Local Health Secretariat and then presented to the ILPIs, aiming to offer them the best guidance throughout the pandemic. Discussion: the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the Health Education System’s fragilities, limitations and capacity to adapt to this crisis, thus largely contributing to improving the training of new medical doctors. During the program, medical students faced many challenges, especially regarding the difficulty to contact some ILPIs by telephone, omitted or erroneous information provided by employees in these facilities and delays in reporting suspected cases. In spite of this scenario, daily contact with these facilities allowed the team to identify the ILPIs that were more adequately prepared and the ones that needed auditing and further supervision. Also, this daily contact established a bond between the team and the ILPIs. Conclusion: During the pandemic, it was possible to perform actions according to the logic of social accountability, demonstrating that remote online medical practice is a tool capable of both maintaining interns in contact with the practical aspects of medical care and providing medical assistance to the community and to the local government.
Does artificial shelter have a place in Diadema antillarum restoration in the Florida Keys? Tests of habitat manipulation and sheltering behavior

Abstract The Diadema antillarum population in the Florida Keys has not recovered since the Caribbean-wide mass mortality event of the early 1980s. Concomitantly, coral reefs have degraded to the point that there has been a loss of habitat complexity and thus of refuge from predation, possibly creating a bottleneck to the recovery of D. antillarum. With interest rising in using D. antillarum in coral reef ecosystem restoration, we initiated this study to investigate some factors that may limit the survival of D. antillarum. First, we conducted a field experiment to determine whether D. antillarum survival was size-specific by tethering urchins from four size classes (test diameters: 21–30 mm, 31–40 mm, 41–50 mm, and ≥51 mm) on a degraded, offshore reef. We found that size did not offer any protection against predation as there was no difference in survival among size classes. Next, we tethered another set of urchins, approximately 60 mm in test diameter, at the same location but provided half with artificial shelter in the form of halved terracotta flowerpots. We found that urchins that were provided artificial shelter had significantly higher survival than those that did not have access to artificial shelter. Finally, because certain behaviors in D. antillarum are density-dependent, we conducted a laboratory experiment to evaluate whether D. antillarum sheltering behavior was also density dependent. This experiment showed that sheltering behavior decreased significantly as stocking density increased. Our results indicate that restoration practitioners must be cognizant of and facilitate urchin behaviors that maximize survival (e.g., shelter use) and, more importantly, that successful restoration of D. antillarum in Florida will require that suitable refuge be available, either in the form of overhead cover provided by highly rugose reef habitat or by enhancing degraded habitat with artificial shelter. Thus, we suggest that incorporating artificial shelter into the dual-pronged approach of simultaneous urchin and coral restoration may facilitate the recovery of Florida’s reefs.
Whole Genome Assembly and Annotation of Northern Wild Rice, Zizania palustris L., Supports a Whole Genome Duplication in the Zizania Genus

ABSTRACT Northern Wild Rice (NWR; Zizania palustris L.) is an aquatic grass native to North America that is notable for its nutritious grain. This is an important species with ecological, cultural, and agricultural significance, specifically in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Using long- and short-range sequencing, Hi-C scaffolding, and RNA-seq data from eight tissues, we generated an annotated whole genome de novo assembly of NWR. The assembly is 1.29 Gb, highly repetitive (∼76.0%), and contains 46,421 putative protein-coding genes. The expansion of retrotransposons within the genome and a whole genome duplication prior to the Zizania-Oryza speciation event have both led to an increase in genome size of NWR in comparison with O. sativa and Z. latifolia. Both events depict a genome rapidly undergoing change over a short evolutionary time. Comparative analyses revealed conservation of large syntenic blocks with Oryza sativa L., which were used to identify putative seed shattering genes. Estimates of divergence times revealed the Zizania genus diverged from Oryza ∼26-30 million years ago (MYA), while NWR and Zizania latifolia diverged from one another ∼6-8 MYA. Comparative genomics confirmed evidence of a whole genome duplication in the Zizania genus and provided support that the event was prior to the NWR-Z. latifolia speciation event. This high-quality genome assembly and annotation provides a valuable resource for comparative genomics in the Oryzeae tribe and provides an important resource for future conservation and breeding efforts of NWR.
Deaths from Hepatocellular Carcinoma are More Likely to Occur in Medical Facilities than Deaths from Other Cancers, 2003-2018.

Place of death is a key indicator of quality of end-of-life care, and most people with a terminal diagnosis prefer to die at home. Home has surpassed the hospital as the most common location of all-cause and total cancer-related deaths in the United States. However, trends in place of death due to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is uniquely comanaged by hepatologists and oncologists, have not been described. We analysed US death certificate data from 2003 to 2018 for the proportion of deaths over time at medical facilities, nursing facilities, hospice facilities and home, for HCC and non-HCC cancer. The proportion of deaths increased from 0.6% to 15.2% in hospice facilities (P trend < 0.0001) but did not change at home. In multivariable analysis, persons with HCC were more likely than persons with non-HCC cancer to die in medical facilities, while persons with HCC were less likely to die at home.
A mechanistic study of drug mass transport from supersaturated solutions across PAMPA membranes

Abstract There is an increasing shift from dissolution testing to dissolution-permeation testing of formulations during formulation development and this has led increasing application of permeability measurements using parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) membranes. However, there is a lack of thorough analysis of the impact of variabilities in the PAMPA setup on the mass flow rate outcomes, particularly for complex solubility-enabling formulations. In this study, we investigated the impact of amorphous drug-rich nanodroplets, formed in supersaturated solutions by liquid-liquid phase separation, on membrane transport by measuring mass flow rate across PAMPA membranes. In addition, we explored the impact of PAMPA variants such as lipid composition, hydrophobicity and pore size of the filter support, as well as receiver sink properties on membrane mass flow rates of solutions containing amorphous nanodroplets. Filter properties and lipid composition did not show a notable influence on the mass flow rates for lipophilic molecules, while a marked impact was observed for hydrophilic molecules. High sink conditions in the receiver compartment, arising from addition of micellar surfactant, altered the membrane integrity for lipid-impregnated hydrophilic membranes. In contrast, no such effect was observed for a hydrophobic filter support. Membrane integrity tests also suggested that monitoring water transport may be an improved approach over using Lucifer yellow. Furthermore, high sink conditions in the receiver compartment resulted in an increase in the overall mass flow rate. This was due to the effect of asymmetric conditions, generated across the membrane, on mass transport kinetics. Linearity between mass flow rate and donor concentration was observed until the donor concentration reached the amorphous solubility. Above the amorphous solubility, a gradual increase in mass flow rate was observed i.e., with an increasing number of nanodroplets in the solution. This was attributed to decrease in the permeability barrier across unstirred water layer due to reduction of the concentration gradient as nanodroplets dissolved to replenish absorbed drug. Observations made in this study provide insights into the mechanisms associated with mass transport of supersaturated solutions across PAMPA membranes, which are critical for improved evaluation of enabling formulations.
Thermally-Enabled Transmission Line Laser Model with Arbitrary Sampled Gain Spectra

In this paper we demonstrate a directly coupled opto-electro-thermal (OET) transmission line laser model (TLLM) for edge emitting laser simulations and its comparison to physical simulations and measurements. Our results show that the OET TLLM has comparable computational efficiency to the standard opto-electronic (OE) TLLM and can include self-heating effects with good accuracy. As such OET TLLM can be used as a flexible tool for reduced order physical modeling, as well as for photonic integrated circuit (PIC) simulation, including thermal and external feedback effects.
Electrophysiology of Hippocampal Neurons

There is perhaps more information available today regarding the properties of hippocampal pyramidal cells than of any other CNS cell type except the spinal cord motoneuron. The hippocampus, with the associated dentate granule cell region, has been studied intensively with electrophysiological techniques. The reasons for such interest and study are several, ranging from the technical accessibility of hippocampal neurons to their hypothesized role in learning and memory (see Isaacson and Pribram, 1975; Swanson et al. 1982; Seifert, 1983).
Intramembrane and Intermembrane Lipid Transport

Cells maintain distinct lipid compositions in organelles, and these different lipid compositions are important for carrying out specific functions. The lipid identity of organelles is maintained by a combination of processes including targeted nonvesicular transport of lipids by lipid transfer proteins, sorting of lipids during vesicle budding, and enzymatic modification of lipids on specific organelles. At present, we have only partial understanding of how these processes are regulated at the molecular level and how they are orchestrated to provide appropriate levels of lipids in various organelles. In addition, most organelles have different lipid compositions in the two leaflets of the bilayer, and these differences also play essential biological roles. We have some understanding of active flipping of lipids by ATP-dependent enzymes (flippases and floppases), but in many cases the molecular basis for transbilayer movement of lipids is not understood.
Web Mirror Sites

SUMMARY Libraries can play a key role in ensuring permanent access to primary legal information, both domestic and international. Web mirror sites present a particularly efficient and cost-effective way to collect, disseminate, preserve, and ensure accessibility to information far into the future. Through partnerships with the issuing governments and organizations, databases of official information can be loaded on a local server, updated directly from the issuing site, and captured at regular intervals to get a snapshot of the status of legal instruments as of a certain date. The result is similar to adding the various editions of a print book. The Cornell Law Library has recently made freely available two Web mirror sites for researchers and the public. These are the ILO (International Labour Organization) and the ICJ (International Court of Justice) mirror sites. The Law Library is archiving these sites every six months, thereby providing access to previous versions of a treaty article, or other inform...
Scheduling Aircraft to Reduce Controller Workload

We address a problem in air traffic management: scheduling flights in order to minimize the maximum number of aircraft that simultaneously lie within a single air traffic control sector at any time $t$. Since the problem is a generalization of the NP-hard no-wait job-shop scheduling, we resort to heuristics. We report experimental results for real-world flight data.
National gambling experiences in the United States: will history repeat itself?

Aims The aim of this paper is to offer an account of the history and current status of gambling research in the United States. Methods A review of the literature. Results Gambling has been a part of society in the United States since its early history. However, it was not until 1980 that the medical profession in the United States first recognized pathological gambling as a psychiatric disorder. Today, it is still rarely diagnosed or treated, and relatively little federal funding is available to support research in this area. With the upcoming fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, pathological gambling is likely to be included alongside substance use disorders as the first non-substance-related addictive disorder. This change may represent an opportunity to expand research on gambling and treatment of pathological gambling. Conclusions We provide 10 suggestions for reducing societal and personal harm associated with this disorder.
Ammonia sources in the California South Coast Air Basin and their impact on ammonium nitrate formation

[1] Observations from the NOAA WP-3D aircraft during CalNex in May and June 2010 are used to quantify ammonia (NH3) emissions from automobiles and dairy facilities in the California South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) and assess their impact on particulate ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) formation. These airborne measurements in the SoCAB are used to estimate automobile NH3 emissions, 62 ± 24 metric tons day−1, and dairy facility NH3 emissions, 33 ± 16 to 176 ± 88 metric tons day−1. Emission inventories agree with the observed automobile NH3:CO emission ratio, but substantially underpredict dairy facility NH3 emissions. Conditions observed downwind of the dairy facilities were always thermodynamically favorable for NH4NO3 formation due to high NH3 mixing ratios from the concentrated sources. Although automobile emissions generated lower NH3 mixing ratios, they also can thermodynamically favor NH4NO3 formation. As an aerosol control strategy, addressing the dairy NH3 source would have the larger impact on reducing SoCAB NH4NO3 formation.
Persuasiveness of preference elicitation processes in destination recommendation systems

Destination recommendation systems not only recommend but also persuade. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential influences of the relevance, transparency of and effort required by the preference elicitation process on the perceived fit of a destination recommendation, while simultaneously considering user perceptions of the elicitation process (perceived enjoyment and personalization). The findings indicate that the relevance, transparency and length of the preference elicitation process serve as important cues for personalization, which in turn, influences enjoyment with the process and the perceived fit of the recommendation with one's preferences.
Electron microscopy with reduced beam damage to the specimen: a retractable image intensifier.

A simple image intensifier located in the viewing chamber of the electron microscope is used to select and focus the specimen field. The intensifier is then retracted from the electron beam to allow a photographic plate to be exposed by the usual means. Micrographs made in this way reveal specimen details that are normally destroyed by the electron beam before they can be recorded on a plate.
Communicating evidence for participatory decision making

ContextInformed patients are more likely to actively participate in their care, make wiser decisions, come to a common understanding with their physicians, and adhere more fully to treatment; however, currently there are no evidence-based guidelines for discussing clinical evidence with patients in the process of making medical decisions.ObjectiveTo identify ways to communicate evidence that improve patient understanding, involvement in decisions, and outcomes.Data Sources and Study SelectionSystematic review of MEDLINE for the period 1966-2003 and review of reference lists of retrieved articles to identify original research dealing with communication between clinicians and patients and directly addressing methods of presenting clinical evidence to patients.Data ExtractionTwo investigators and a research assistant screened 367 abstracts and 2 investigators reviewed 51 full-text articles, yielding 8 potentially relevant articles.Data SynthesisMethods for communicating clinical evidence to patients include nonquantitative general terms, numerical translation of clinical evidence, graphical representations, and decision aids. Focus-group data suggest presenting options and/or equipoise before asking patients about preferred decision-making roles or formats for presenting details. Relative risk reductions may be misleading; absolute risk is preferred. Order of information presented and time-frame of outcomes can bias patient understanding. Limited evidence supports use of human stick figure graphics or faces for single probabilities and vertical bar graphs for comparative information. Less-educated and older patients preferred proportions to percentages and did not appreciate confidence intervals. Studies of decision aids rarely addressed patient-physician communication directly. No studies addressed clinical outcomes of discussions of clinical evidence.ConclusionsThere is a paucity of evidence to guide how physicians can most effectively share clinical evidence with patients facing decisions; however, basing our recommendations largely on related studies and expert opinion, we describe means of accomplishing 5 communication tasks to address in framing and communicating clinical evidence: understanding the patient's (and family members') experience and expectations; building partnership; providing evidence, including a balanced discussion of uncertainties; presenting recommendations informed by clinical judgment and patient preferences; and checking for understanding and agreement.
β-VLDL accumulation in familial dysbetalipoproteinemia is associated with increased exchange or diffusion of chylomicron lipids to apo B-100 containing triglyceride-rich lipoproteins

Abstract To gain more insight into the accumulation of β -very low density lipoprotein ( β -VLDL) in familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (FD), we followed the courses of the levels of retinyl palmitate (rp), α -tocopherol ( α -T) and apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 in various lipoprotein fractions for up to 48 h in eight patients with FD and six normolipidemic control subjects after an oral fat load (50 g fat/m 2 containing 150 000 IU of rp and 5000 IU of α -T). α -T was added because of its rapid transfer to other lipoproteins. Fasting apo B-48 concentration in FD was normal to strongly elevated, dependent on the fasting lipid concentrations. 3 h after fat loading, total apo B-48 content did not abnormally increase; while the apo B-100 content in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction remained stable. The levels of both vitamins increased considerably, especially in the remnant fraction (Sf 15–100), which in due course exclusively contained apo B-100 in most hyperlipidemic patients. This, together with the observation that peaks for rp and α -T were observed 3–6 h later than for apo B-48 strongly suggests that both vitamins transfer or diffuse rapidly towards the apo B-100 containing VLDL. RP is thus more a marker for this process, which also comprises chylomicron lipids, than a specific marker for chylomicrons. This process, first described here, appears decisive in the pathogenesis of FD.
Impact of Intrahepatic Hepatitis B DNA and Covalently Closed Circular DNA on Survival After Hepatectomy in HBV-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection induces persistent but ineffective immune activation that contributes to necroinflammation, fibrosis, and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to determine the relationship of intrahepatic total HBV (ih HBV) DNA and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) with necroinflammation and fibrosis, and their impact on prognosis after resection in HBV HCC patients. Data are from 111 patients treated with primary liver resection for HBV HCC at Mount Sinai, New York (1991–2008). ih HBV DNA and cccDNA were quantitated by real-time PCR. Necroinflammation was graded according to histologic activity index (HAI), and liver fibrosis was staged by the modified Ishak method. A total of 106 (95 %) and 89 patients (80 %) had detectable ih HBV DNA and cccDNA, respectively, while 43 % had detectable serum HBV DNA. cccDNA made up a small proportion of ih HBV DNA (median cccDNA/ih HBV DNA ratio = 0.022). Higher levels of ih HBV DNA were associated with higher HAI and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), while a lower ratio of cccDNA/ih HBV DNA was associated with higher HAI, ALT, and Ishak fibrosis stage. ih HBV and cccDNA were not associated with survival, but the lowest quintile of cccDNA/ih HBV DNA ratio (<0.0024) was independently associated with poor overall survival. A lower cccDNA/ih HBV DNA ratio was associated with greater necroinflammation and liver fibrosis, and was independently associated with poor overall survival. Thus, intracellular virus loads and relative proportions of virus DNA reflect histologic damage in the liver and influence the clinical outcome of HBV HCC patients.
Feeding Tube Placement Verification Using Gastric pH Measurement

The importance of nutrition in hospitalized patients cannot be underestimated. Proper nutrition is necessary for wound healing, recovery, reduction in morbidity, and consequent reductions in lengths of stay and mortality. Enteral nutrition, preferred over parenteral nutrition because of decreased bacterial translocation and reduced expense, is frequently delivered via a feeding tube. However, improper position of the feeding tube may result in pulmonary aspiration. Many of the methods currently employed in the verification of feeding tube placement are unreliable.
Further identities for the Wishart distribution with applications in regression

Matrix analogues are given for a known scalar identity which relates certain expectations with respect to the Wishart distribution. (The scalar identity was independently derived by C. Stein and L. Haff.) The matrix analogues are more aptly called “matrix extensions.” They can be derived by using the scalar identity; nevertheless, they are seen (in quite elementary terms) to be more general than the latter. A method of doing multivariate calculations is developed from the identities, and several examples are worked in detail. We compute the first two moments of the regression coefficients and another matrix arising in regression analysis. Also, we give a new result for the matrix analogue of squared multiple correlation: the bias correction of Ezekiel (1930), a result often used in model building, is extended to the case of two or more dependent variables.
Reoperative techniques for complications after arterial switch.

Background The purpose of this study is to review our experience with late reoperations after the arterial switch operation (ASO) and to introduce reparative solutions adapted from previous techniques. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 23 patients who underwent late reoperations after ASO between 1983 and 2010. Eighteen patients were from our concomitantly reported cohort of 258 ASO patients and 5 came from distant referrals. Results Twenty-seven reoperations on 23 patients were performed for lesions relating to coronary arteries (9 procedures, 7 patients), the neoaortic root (12 procedures, 10 patients), and the right ventricular outflow tract (6 procedures, 6 patients). Four patients died: 1 from an exsanguinating gastric ulcer 4 years after prosthetic valve replacement; 1 from coronary occlusion one month postoperatively from an unroofed intramural left main coronary artery; and 2 after supravalvar pulmonary artery stenosis repair complicated by coexisting left ventricular dysfunction from the original ASO. Conclusions The ASO remains the treatment of choice for transposition of the great arteries and its variants. While the incidence of late reintervention is low, a subset of patients will require operations that extend the principles of myocardial revascularization, left ventricular outflow tract reconstruction, and relief of pulmonary stenosis.
Calpain-dependent clearance of the autophagy protein p62/SQSTM1 is a contributor to ΔPK oncolytic activity in melanoma.

Calpain-dependent clearance of the autophagy protein p62/SQSTM1 is a contributor to ΔPK oncolytic activity in melanoma
Cultural Understanding and World Peace: the Roles of Private Institutions in the Interwar Years

International cultural understanding was a prominent aspect of the peace movement in the interwar years. Private institutions such as philanthropies, religious groups, and educational organizations played a unique role in promoting cultural internationalism by establishing new educational and cultural programs to foster international goodwill. Their efforts not only asserted American democratic and Christian values as important ingredients of world peace but also made private institutions an indispensable force in advancing cultural relations between the United States and other nations. In their endeavor, the peace advocates encountered challenges of racial integration, religious freedom, and nationalism, which motivated them to work for social reform. This article examines their educational peace efforts, their challenges, and their contribution to the peace movement.
The benefits of prophylactic treatment with APCC in patients with haemophilia and high‐titre inhibitors: a retrospective case series

Summary. Prophylactic infusion of factor concentrates is a safe, effective intervention for preventing arthropathy in patients with haemophilia; on-demand treatment is insufficient to prevent the orthopaedic complications and subsequent haemophilic arthropathy that stem from recurrent joint haemorrhages. The usefulness of prophylaxis in haemophilia patients without inhibitors suggests that patients with haemophilia and inhibitors could derive similar benefits. In patients with haemophilia and high-titre (>5 BU mL−1) inhibitors, bleeding episodes are treated with bypassing agents such as activated prothrombin complex concentrates (APCCs) and recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa, NovoSeven®; Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark). It is possible to administer bypassing therapy regularly to prevent haemorrhages, with the goal of limiting arthropathy and serious life- and limb-threatening bleeding. The data evaluating the efficacy and safety of this approach in patients with inhibitors are limited, consisting of results from one prospective trial and retrospective case reports. This report describes our experience with the prophylactic use of the APCC Factor Eight Inhibitor Bypassing Activity, Anti-Inhibitor Coagulant Complex, Vapor Heated (FEIBA™; Baxter AG, Vienna, Austria). Data from patients at one treatment centre were retrospectively evaluated. Case records of six patients with haemophilia A or B and high-titre inhibitors were identified. When APCC was administered regularly, most patients exhibited a reduction in the numbers of haemorrhages, an improvement in orthopaedic status, and an improvement in quality of life. Prophylaxis with APCC can reduce haemorrhages and halt further joint deterioration in patients with haemophilia and inhibitors.
Effect of Pt and Gd on Coke Formation and Regeneration During JP-8 Cracking Over ZSM-5 Catalysts

Abstract Pt and Gd loaded ZSM-5 catalysts were synthesized by ion exchange method to investigate the effect of metal promoters on catalyst activity, coking and regeneration during military aviation fuel (JP-8) cracking into petroleum gas (PG) at 723 K. Multiple cracking and regeneration cycles were performed over the ZSM-5 based catalysts and their crystalline structure, oxidation profile, coke band and acidity were characterized. It was revealed that addition of Gd metal to the ZSM-5 catalyst prevented formation of complex aromatic coke and increased the number of Lewis acid sites, while Pt promoted ZSM-5 catalyst showed a decrease in the coke oxidation temperature. The effect of Pt and Gd promoters enhanced the coke burn-off ability, formed hydrogen rich carbon species and reduced oxidation temperature of coke substantially. Furthermore, agglomeration of Pt particles was partially impeded by coexisting Gd metal on the regenerated ZSM-5 catalyst. Synergetic effects of Pt and Gd promoters stabilized the PG yield and product distribution over the Pt–Gd/ZSM-5 catalyst during the cracking and regeneration cycles.
Mechanisms and benefits of granule cell latency coding in the mouse olfactory bulb

Inhibitory circuits are critical for shaping odor representations in the olfactory bulb. Individual olfactory bulb granule cells can respond to brief stimulation with extremely long (up to 1000 ms), input-specific latencies that are highly reliable. However, the mechanism and function of this long timescale activity remain unknown. We sought to elucidate the mechanism responsible for long-latency activity, and to understand the impact of widely distributed interneuron latencies on olfactory coding. We used a combination of electrophysiological, optical, and pharmacological techniques to show that long-latency inhibition is driven by late onset synaptic excitation to granule cells. We also provide evidence that tufted cells, which have intrinsic properties that favor longer latency spiking than mitral cells are the major source of this excitation. Using computational modeling, we show that widely distributed interneuron latency can increase the discriminability of similar stimuli. Thus, long-latency inhibition in the olfactory bulb requires a combination of circuit- and cellular-level mechanisms that function to improve stimulus representations.
A matrix isolation study of the reactions of OVCl3 with a series of silanes

Abstract The reactions between OVCl 3 and a series of silanes have been investigated using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy. Twin-jet co-deposition of the two reagents into argon matrices at 14 K followed by irradiation with light of λ>300 nm led to the growth of a number of new bands. These have been assigned to the appropriate silanol species formed by oxygen insertion into the Si–H bond, complexed to VCl 3 . The structures and vibrational frequencies of these complexes have been characterized by high-level theoretical calculations. These calculations also support the relative preference for the insertion reaction compared to other possible pathways.
Single-electron/muon signature for heavy leptons and W gauginos at the CERN pp-bar collider.

The signatures of several hypothetical fermions in the electron-plus-missing-transverse-energy channel at the CERN pp\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} collider are studied. A new sequential lepton and a new lepton with V+A coupling to the W boson, i.e., a ``mirror'' fermion, are studied in detail for several values of the lepton mass. The backgrounds of W decay through e+\ensuremath{\nu}${\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}_{e}$ and \ensuremath{\tau}+\ensuremath{\nu}${\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e\ensuremath{\nu}${\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}_{e}$${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$\ensuremath{\nu}${\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$ will dominate a sequential lepton; however, a mirror lepton will be distinguishable at forward angles and moderate ${p}_{T}$ for a lepton mass up to 50 GeV. The possibility of observing the supersymmetric decay of the W through W gaugino plus photino is also discussed. Subsequent W gaugino decay into photino + electron (or muon) + neutrino offers a signature differing only slightly from heavy-lepton decay due to the inherent mixing of V\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}A couplings as determined by detailed mass mixing in the theory. If microvertex electronics and/or triggering on hadronic decay modes of the \ensuremath{\tau} effects the isolation of the W\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\tau}${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$ background (and by universality, the W\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ background), then the single-electron signature discussed here can reveal the existence of any new fermion produced in W decay.
Transfemoral repositioning of malpositioned central venous catheters.

Purpose To determine the efficacy of the transfemoral vein approach to repositioning malpositioned central venous catheters.
Synthesis of phosphoglycerides

The synthesis of phosphoglycerides is reviewed. Emphasis is placed upon precursor and intermediate compounds, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl serine, monoacylphosphoglycerides, purification and proof of structure. Suggestions are made for large scale synthesis of phosphoglycerides based upon our experience.
Alterations in regional myocardial distribution and arrhythmogenic effects of aprindine produced by coronary artery occlusion in the dog

Little information exists regarding the effects of coronary artery occlusion on the distribution and actions of antiarrhythmic agents. We administered aprindine to dogs before, 5 min after, and 24 h after one-stage left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion. Coronary artery occlusion performed after aprindine administration slowed the rate of disappearance of aprindine from the ischaemic zone compared with the normal zone, so that ischaemic zone aprindine concentrations averaged more than twice normal zone aprindine concentrations 1 h after LAD occlusion. When LAD occlusion was performed before aprindine administration, ischaemic zone aprindine concentrations were initially less than 15% of normal zone aprindine concentrations and increased with time to approach half of normal zone aprindine concentrations 70 min after LAD occlusion. Seventeen of 35 dogs (49%) receiving aprindine before LAD occlusion experienced sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, compared with 5/34 (14%) receiving aprindine immediately after LAD occlusion (P < 0.01), 1/10 (10%) undergoing LAD occlusion without receiving aprindine (P < 0.05) and 0/16 receiving aprindine without LAD occlusion (P < 0.01). Aprindine administered 24 h after CO reduced premature ventricular complexes from a mean of 35 to 12 per 100 beats (P < 0.01). These studies indicate the temporal relationship between aprindine administration and LAD occlusion importantly modifies the regional myocardial distribution of aprindine and its effects on ventricular arrhythmias after coronary artery occlusion.
Myofilament Dysfunction in the Infarct Border Zone

Introduction: Soon after myocardial infarction, a poorly contracting border zone forms adjacent to the infarct. Myocardium in the infarct border zone remains normally perfused with blood, and the cause of border zone dysfunction is unclear. Goal: Investigate the role of myofilament dysfunction in the impaired contraction of the infarct border zone. Methods: We studied sheep hearts, 2 or 8 weeks after infarction of the apex of the heart and non-operated controls. Myofilament contraction was assessed using in-vitro contractions of skinned cardiac muscle fibers. Muscle fiber bundles were dissected from the infarct border zone and from multiple regions ranging up to 6 cm from the infarct. Skinned fiber force development was referenced to several measures of the content of contractile material within the samples. Results: In the border zone immediately adjacent to the infarct, maximal force development (Fmax) was reduced by 38 ± 2% (n=7, P<0.001) compared with Fmax of myocardium remote from the infarct. Fmax for remote zone myocardium was similar to that for uninjured myocardium (∼90 mN/mm2). The width of the border zone was defined by a decreased Fmax that extended up to 5-6 cm away from the infarct. Fmax rose in a linear gradient between the infarct and the remote zone. There were no differences between border zone and remote zone in: histological staining for collagen; the area fraction of myocardium occupied by myofilbrils (or mitochondria); or in the abundance of myosin. Therefore, depressed border zone Fmax was not explained by decreased content of contractile material. Moreover, treatment of skinned fibers with protein phosphatase 1 did not affect border zone Fmax, suggesting that myofilament protein phosphorylation was not involved in border zone dysfunction. Conclusions: Myofilament dysfunction contributes to impaired contraction in the infarct border zone.
Time scales of diffusive re-equilibration in bi-mineralic systems with and without a fluid or melt phase

Abstract Diffusion is a fundamental mass transfer process in magmatic and metamorphic systems. Simple recipes for evaluating time scales for diffusive re-equilibration of a trace element in bi-mineralic aggregates with and without the presence of intergranular fluid or melt are obtained through approximate solutions to diffusion equations. Diffusive re-equilibration times for the trace element depend on average grain sizes of the two minerals, diffusion coefficients and partition coefficients for the element in the two minerals, and volume fractions or volume fluxes of the minerals and fluid or melt in the system. There are two time scales for diffusive re-equilibration in fluid-bearing bi-mineralic systems. The fast time scale is proportional to fluid fraction and dominated by the mineral that has a faster diffusion rate. The slow time scale is bounded by the time scales of diffusion in the two minerals and determines the overall time scale of diffusive re-equilibration for the system. Presence of small amount of fluid or melt does not lead to a reduction in the time scale of diffusive re-equilibration for the bi-mineralic aggregate. Percolation of fluid or melt drives the system further away from equilibrium and increases the length and time scales for diffusive re-equilibration in the system. The time scales for subsolidus re-equilibration in bi-mineralic aggregates are determined by the minor’s rule: the mineral that contains a lesser amount of the trace element of interest in the system contributes more to the overall diffusive time. Applications to REE redistribution between clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene and between plagioclase and orthopyroxene highlight the importance of REE diffusion and partitioning in pyroxene and plagioclase. The time scales for subsolidus re-equilibration of REE in noritic rocks are dominated by light REE diffusion in orthopyroxene and by middle and heavy REE diffusion in plagioclase. The time scales for subsolidus re-equilibration of REE in two-pyroxene bearing rocks are controlled primarily by REE diffusion in orthopyroxene. The time scales for diffusive re-equilibration of REE in melt-bearing two-pyroxene aggregates are determined by diffusion in clinopyroxene for light REE and by diffusion in orthopyroxene for middle to heavy REE. Presence of melt flow further expands the role of clinopyroxene. This contrasting behavior in diffusive time scale may provide a simple explanation for the ubiquitous chemical disequilibrium in light REE between clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene observed in mantle peridotites from a wide range of tectonic settings.
Some requirements and problems in tissue interfacing

Interfacing biologic material with foreign substances is a problem common to all implantable devices. This paper discusses these problems with respect to degradation of the material used in fabrication and the body's reaction to the foreign substance. The requirements dictate the type of tissue reaction sought and this in turn determines the base material. A nonreactive material may be ideal for one set of needs but tissue reactivity would be required for another. The specialized tissue “blood” is given special emphasis.
Terminal degeneration and glial reactions in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the squirrel monkey after eye removal.

Young adult squirrel monkeys were subjected to unilateral or bilateral enucleation, and allowed to survive for varying periods of time. Transneuronal degeneration confirms previous studies that the homogeneous parvocellular mass actually has four hidden laminae. Electron microscopic studies show that the retinal (RL) terminals undergo three stages of degenerative changes after enucleation: neurofilamentous hyperplasia; increased electron density; and phagocytosis by glial elements. The time course of these changes is correlated with those of the Glees and the Nauta preparations. The other types of axons remain normal. Three types of neuroglial cells are found in the normal and degenerating LGN: Oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and a phagocytic glial cell type. The oligodendrocytes do not appear to participate actively in phagocytosis. The astrocytes undergo a filamentous hyperplasia during degeneration; they may engulf some degenerating terminals, and contribute to the formation of gliosis. The phagocytic glial cells proliferate during the degenerative process, and actively phagocytose both the dense terminals and the degenerating myelinated axons.
Hybrid distributed/local connectionist architectures

Summary form only given, as follows. A class of neural network architectures is described that uses both distributed and local representation. The distributed representations are used for input and output, thereby enabling associative, noise-tolerant interaction with the environment. Internally, all representations are fully local. This simplifies weight assignment and makes the networks easy to configure for specific applications. These hybrid distributed/local architectures are especially useful for applications where structured information needs to be represented. Three such applications are briefly discussed: a scheme for knowledge representation, a connectionist rule-based system, and a knowledge-base browser. >