cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Pregnancy With Recurrence of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Among Women With Prior Coronary Artery Dissection

Importance Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a notable cause of acute coronary syndrome in women of childbearing age. Objective To test the hypothesis that pregnancy after SCAD is associated with recurrent SCAD. Design, Setting, and Participants Three study designs were implemented: a case series of women with pregnancy after SCAD; a nested case-control study comparing patients with recurrent SCAD to matched controls without recurrent SCAD; and a cohort study. Women with SCAD who were of childbearing potential and enrolled into the Mayo Clinic SCAD Registry from August 30, 2011, to April 4, 2019, were included in the study. Patients with coronary dissections associated with iatrogenesis, trauma, or atherosclerosis were not enrolled. Exposures Pregnancy after SCAD. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was SCAD recurrence, defined as an acute coronary syndrome or cardiac arrest due to new SCAD. Other demographic measures collected included age, year of SCAD occurrence, and comorbidities. Results The cohort included 636 women of childbearing potential. Twenty-three of those women had a total of 32 pregnancies after SCAD. The median (interquartile range) age of women with pregnancy after SCAD was 38 years (34-40 years), and 20 (87%) were White. In the nested case-control study, 92 cases of recurrent SCAD were matched to 158 controls. There was no significant difference in exposure to subsequent pregnancies in the women with recurrent SCAD as compared with matched controls (2 of 92 [2%] vs 13 of 158 [8%];P = .06). In the overall cohort of 636 patients, recurrent SCAD was present in 122 patients with a Kaplan-Meier 5-year SCAD recurrence estimate of 14.8%. The Cox analysis showed no significant association between subsequent pregnancy and SCAD recurrence with a nonsignificant hazard ratio of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.09-1.6) when controlling for age at first SCAD, year of first SCAD, and fibromuscular dysplasia. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that most women tolerated pregnancy and lactation after SCAD without evidence for increased risk of SCAD recurrence when compared with women with a history of SCAD who did not experience pregnancy. Although this study is reassuring and indicates complex contributors to SCAD recurrence, the results need to be interpreted prudently because of study selection bias and the small total number of women who became pregnant after SCAD. The notable hemodynamic changes that occur with pregnancy and severe presentation of pregnancy-associated SCAD are reasons for concern when considering pregnancy after SCAD.
Wavelength-Thick ENZ ITO Metafilm for near IR Photonic Devices

We are reporting wavelength-thick ITO films in ENZ regime around optical telecommunications wavelength, which permit the design of new ENZ photonic devices. Non-uniform optical behavior has been studied and presented in this paper.
Genome editing mediated by SpCas9 variants with broad non-canonical PAM compatibility in plants

Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) is the most widely used genome editing tool in plants. The editing induced by SpCas9 strictly requires a canonical NGG protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM), significantly limiting its scope of application. Recently, five SpCas9 variants, SpCas9-NRRH, SpCas9-NRCH, SpCas9-NRTH, SpG, and SpRY, were developed to recognize non-canonical PAMs in human cells. In this study, these variants were engineered for plant genome editing, and their targeted mutagenesis capabilities were comprehensively examined at various canonical and non-canonical PAM sites in rice (Oryza sativa) by stable transformation. Moreover, both cytosine base editors using a rat APOBEC1 or a human APOBEC3a and adenine base editors using a directly evolved highly compatible TadA∗-8e deaminase were developed from these SpCas9 variants. Our results demonstrated that the developed SpCas9 variants-based base editors readily generated conversions between C∙G and T∙A in the target sites with non-canonical PAMs in transgenic rice lines. Collectively, the toolbox developed in this study substantially expands the scope of SpCas9-mediated genome editing and will greatly facilitate gene disruption and precise editing in plants.
The Effect of Fiscal Programs with Money Financing and Yield Curve Control

We study monetary policy in a model where long-term interest rate variability dampens the fiscal multiplier. A fixed money supply limits this variability. Moreover, a flexible money supply rule that only responds to government spending, and is otherwise fixed, further amplifies the fiscal multiplier and improves household welfare. Yield curve control, or reserve management by the central bank to reduce long-term rate variability, is most effective when the money supply responds endogenously to support a Taylor rule interest rate policy. In the fixed and flexible money supply cases, there is limited fiscal multiplier amplification at the zero lower bound.
Factors Impacting Elementary General Music Teachers’ Career Decisions: Systemic Issues of Student Race, Teacher Support, and Family:

The purpose of this study was to examine factors that may influence the projected career plans of elementary general music teachers. Survey participants (N = 972) completed a questionnaire designed...
Arbitral Contractualism in Transnational Bankruptcy

When a multinational corporation files for bankruptcy, which nation has jurisdiction over the proceedings and which nation’s law applies? There is no clear international norm governing the issue, so parties and states are left to inefficient and unpredictable jockeying for authority and advantage. The article proposes that arbitration clauses governing bankruptcy in corporate charters are the best way to give corporations and their creditors the flexibility and certainty they need to structure efficient lending terms.
Towards a reading coach that listens: automated detection of oral reading errors

What skill is more important to teach than reading? Unfortunately, millions of Americans cannot read. Although a large body of educational software exists to help teach reading, its inability to hear the student limits what it can do. This paper reports a significant step toward using automatic speech recognition to help children learn to read: an implemented system that displays a text, follows as a student reads it aloud, and automatically identifies which words he or she missed. We describe how the system works, and evaluate its performance on a corpus of second graders' oral reading that we have recorded and transcribed.
Reflections On Teaching Chinese Language Films At American Colleges

“Film Studies” has become one of the fastest developing disciplines at liberal arts colleges in the United States since the early 1990s. Many factors have contributed to the growth of this new teaching field, among which is the fact that new generations of college students are more accustomed than ever before to visual learning due to the influence of media technology. Also with the growth of global studies, “film” is widely used as “cultural text” through which students learn about other national histories, cultures, and customs in a visualized way that is different from conventional text-reading. Chinese language cinema, with perspectives and content distinctive from Western films, has become an innovative point in the development of Chinese studies curricula. China’s fast-paced economic development and the emergence of the Chinese cinematic movements (so-called “New Waves”) of the mid-1980s have also played critical roles in drawing increased attention to Chinese cinema in classrooms in the United States.
Comparison of airway responses following tracheal or esophageal acidification in the cat

To determine a possible mechanism for the association between gastroesophageal reflux and obstructive pulmonary disease, we quantitatively compared the short latent airway response after acid infusion into the trachea or esophagus in 13 anesthetized adult cats. Total lung resistance was calculated from synchronous measurements of air flow and intrapleural pressure differences from those at end expiratory level. Tracheal infusion of as little as 0.05 ml of 0.2 N HCl evoked an average 4.65-fold increase in total lung resistance from baseline in all animals tested (p less than 0.005). Intratracheal saline had no effect. The response to intratracheal acid infusion was rapidly adapting, pH dependent, and vagally mediated. Infusion of a much larger volume of 10 ml of 0.2 N HCl into the esophagus produced an average 1.47-fold increase in total lung resistance from baseline (p less than 0.05). No change was seen with intraesophageal saline. In contrast to intratracheal acid infusion, a clearly significant increase in resistance was seen in only 8 of 13 animals tested after intraesophageal acidification. When it occurred, the response was sustained for at least 60 s after acid infusion. The magnitude of the response was not augmented by the presence of severe esophagitis. These studies strengthen the concept that reflex pathways in the trachea and esophagus may explain a causal relationship between gastroesophageal reflux and obstructive pulmonary diseases. The results support the view that microaspiration into the trachea is a much more likely mechanism for bronchospasm associated with gastroesophageal reflux than simple acid reflux into the esophagus.
Fatigue in Adolescents With Cancer Compared to Healthy Adolescents

Background Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most pervasive and debilitating side-effects of cancer treatment and adolescents consistently rate cancer-related fatigue as one of the most distressing aspects of treatment. Because fatigue is also high in adolescents without cancer, the current study aims to describe fatigue in adolescents with cancer relative to a control group and to identify associates of such fatigue. Knowing this is important for understanding the extent of the problem in adolescents with cancer relative to healthy adolescents and for understanding who is most at risk for fatigue and related distress. Procedure Adolescents with cancer and their caregivers (n = 102) and adolescents without a history of chronic health conditions and their caregivers (n = 97) completed the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale and measures of depression, quality of life (QoL), affect, coping, and family functioning. Results Adolescents with cancer and their caregivers reported significantly more adolescent fatigue across all domains (with the exception of adolescent reports of cognitive fatigue) relative to adolescents without chronic health conditions. Higher fatigue was significantly related to adolescent report of more symptoms of depression, poorer QoL, higher negative affect, less positive affect, and behavioral disengagement coping style. Fatigue was not related to active coping or family functioning. Conclusions Adolescents with cancer experience significantly more fatigue than peers without chronic health conditions. Reports of fatigue are closely related to multiple indicators of psychosocial well-being, suggesting that fatigue may be an important cancer-related symptom to assess and manage to improve adolescent QoL. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1902–1907. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
What Drives the Psychological Effects of Power? A Comparison of the Approach/Inhibition and Social Distance Theories

At the time of its publication, the Approach/Inhibition Theory of Power (Keltner, Gruenfeld, & Anderson, 2003) was a major advance in the study of power, and it has generated many empirical discoveries. The theory states that by reducing one’s dependence on others, high power activates approach tendencies and a focus on rewards, whereas low power activates inhibitory tendencies and a focus on threats. Smith and Trope (2006) proposed a different mechanism, based on psychological distance, to account for the tendency of high-power individuals to engage in higher level construal than low-power individuals. We build on Smith and Trope’s ideas to develop the Social Distance Theory of Power and propose that it can explain much more than the relationship between power and construal level. In fact, many of the recent results attributed to the Approach/Inhibition Theory would also be predicted by the Social Distance Theory. Focusing on mechanisms, we identify and review the domains in which both theories could explain the major findings and also point out key areas where they make divergent predictions. We conclude by proposing a research agenda that would simultaneously deepen our understanding of the social psychology of power and test the predictive validity of both theories.
Rule Developing Experimentation in Consumer‐Driven Package Design

The article describes an approach to consumer-driven optimization of package design, particularly based on conjoint analysis. It allows for dynamic creation and testing of a large number of conceptual design prototypes with consumers and finding optimal solutions on an aggregated, segmented (pattern-based latent mind-set segmentation), and individual basis. The approach extends the consumer insights-driven process, Rule Developing Experimentation (RDE), developed under the guidance of the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania), to graphical concepts. The empirical study findings suggests that marketers should be more specific with the fat content shown on the package. The yogurt package message with numerical value of the fat content (“50% less fat”) consistently is more efficient in driving purchase intent than its verbal equivalent (“half the fat”) or a more abstract “light with less fat” across all the subgroups. The approach could help marketers efficiently create better packages that consumers like, and facilitate differentiation of their products from the competition. The article demonstrates that consumer research could and should be a central part not only at the final stages of the package design but at the initial stage as well. The steps of fitting the research into the package design process that include consumers in the early stages of package design are shown. Keywords: package design; package design optimization; rule developing experimentation; conjoint analysis; experimental design; regression analysis
Clusters of Galaxies in the SDSS

I review here past and present research on clusters and groups of galaxies within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). In particular, I discuss the C4 algorithm which is designed to search for clusters within a 7-dimensional data-space, i.e., simultaneous in both color & space. The C4 catalog has a well defined selection function based on mock SDSS galaxy catalogs constructed from the Hubble Volume simulation, and is >90% complete, with 10^14 Msolar at z<0.14. Furthermore, the observed summed r-band luminosity of C4 clusters is linearly related to M200 with <30% scatter at any given halo mass. I also briefly review the selection and observation of Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs) and demonstrate that these galaxies have a similar clustering strength as clusters and groups of galaxies. I outline a new collaboration planning to obtain redshifts for 10,000 LRGs at 0.4<z<0.7 using the SDSS photometric data and the AAT 2dF instrument. Finally, I review the role of clusters and groups of galaxies in the study of galaxy properties as a function of environment. In particular, I discuss the ``SFR--Density'' and ``Morphology--Radius'' relations for the SDSS and note that both of these relationships have a critical density (or ``break'') at a projected local galaxy density of ~1 h_75^2 Mpc^-2 (or between 1 to 2 virial radii). One possible physical mechanism to explain this observed critical density is the stripping of warm gas from the halos of in-falling spiral galaxies, thus leading to a slow strangulation of star-formation in these galaxies. This scenario is consistent with the recent discovery (within the SDSS) of an excess of ``Passive'' or ``Anemic'' spiral galaxies located within the in-fall regions of C4 clusters.
Proteases and Human Disorders

Cells use proteases to cleave proteins to accomplish a variety of specific functions, particularly activation or inactivation of the target protein. Mutations resulting in altered proteolysis are implicated in a growing list of human diseases. Keywords: angelman syndrome; hemophilia; epilepsy; protease; proteasome; proteolysis; thrombophilia; ubiquitin
American Sociology as Moral Life

The authors of this book cue us into its general thrust by quoting from Harold Bloom's 1973 essay on "The Anxiety of Influence," which states that our "precursors flood us, and our imaginations can die by drowning in them, but no imaginative life is possible if such inundation is wholly evaded." Enough history but not so much as to petrify or drown us. Just enough to foster a "richer knowing." So we are told this book is "neither a history nor an exegesis but is concerned with establishing the links between the religious roots of nineteenth century thought and the central concepts of contemporary sociology" (xi). Its major purpose is to remind the discipline of "that part of its religious past that continues to affect its intellectual perspective" today (xi). A reminder, I might add, that some sociologists-especially older ones-will find unwelcome, resuscitating memories long since repressed, which they would prefer to evade. The subtitle refers to "the intellectual and moral problems that the social sciences confront when their concepts are transvalued from religious into secular terms" (xi), a process which started early in the century when:
Brief Report: Narratives of Personal Events in Children with Autism and Developmental Language Disorders: Unshared Memories

Narrative analysis of personal events provides an opportunity for identifying autism specific issues related to language and social impairments. Eight personal events were elicited from three groups of schoolage children: 14 high-functioning with Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFA), 12 non-autistic with developmental language disorders (DLD), and 12 typically developing matched for chronological age and non-verbal IQ. The coding focused on narrative format (constituents) and style (coherence). The analyses indicate basic knowledge of conventional narrative format in all groups but a consistent lack of high-point in HFA children’s stories interpreted as a consequence of their lack of social understanding of narrative. The results suggest novel interventions to foster autobiographical memory in HFA children which may assist in their self-awareness development.
Development of selection criteria for advanced EMT trainees

The results of a standard psychological profile and test of awareness, in conjunction with biographical data and personal interviews, are used to select 21 persons from 142 candidates to attend an advanced emergency medical technician course. All 21 completed the 280-hour course and examination. Of a second group of 21 students, with less promising test scores, 8 failed to complete the course requirements. The data suggest that standard psychological tests may be valuable adjuncts to biographical data and interviewing for selection of students for Adv-EMT training.
Patients' Reasons for Refraining from Discussing Internet Health Information with Their Healthcare Providers

This exploratory study examined factors that constrain patients from discussing Internet health information with their healthcare providers. Participants (N = 714) were asked to list reasons why they have not talked with their providers about Internet health information they had found. Factors (N = 767) included patient attributions about the information, systems or circumstances, fear of treading on the provider's turf, face-saving concerns, and patient perceptions of provider attributions about the information. Comparisons between those who had and those who had not talked to their healthcare providers about their Internet research revealed significant differences in types of constraining factors indicated. Issues concerning an increasingly Internet-savvy public and provider–patient relationships are considered in the discussion within the framework of the goals, planning, action theory. Continued efforts in provider and patient education can help to overcome barriers that restrict communication concern...
Stretch-induced upregulation of VEGF gene expression in murine pulmonary culture: A role for angiogenesis in lung development

Abstract Background/Purpose: The authors' have shown pulmonary alveolarization (capillary and alveolar growth) both after fetal tracheal occlusion and postnatal pulmonary distension. The trophic and developmental mechanisms responsible for this growth remain largely unknown; however, experimental systems have defined an enhanced expression of angiogenic proteins in response to tissue stretch. The authors hypothesize that the stimulation of pulmonary alveolarization after stretch is secondary to upregulation of the potent endothelial cell mitogen vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and that the endothelial cell represents the central stimulus of parenchymal growth. Methods: A mixed primary pulmonary cell culture obtained by enzymatic digestion of fetal, neonatal, and adult mouse lung was plated on Bioflex elastomer bottom plates, grown to confluence, rendered quiescent, and subjected to continuous cycles of stretch-relaxation with nonstretched cells as controls. Cells were harvested at time-points 0, 30 minutes, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 24 hours. RNA was extracted and VEGF gene expression analyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Similar cell groups were harvested, processed, and analyzed utilizing Western Blot techniques. VEGF PCR of mRNA isolated from fetal sheep subjected to surgical creation of diaphragmatic hernia both with (DH-TL) and without (DH) tracheal ligation also was analyzed. Results: VEGF mRNA isoforms 120, 164, and 188 showed increased expression in all stretched groups, which was noted by 30 minutes with maximal expression seen at 2 to 4 hours and a return to baseline expression by 24 hours. VEGF protein was similarly elevated in all stretched cell groups. In preliminary studies, DH/TL sheep showed upregulation of VEGF compared with DH sheep alone. Conclusions: These data show in an in vitro system that "pulmonary stretch" upregulates VEGF mRNA and protein expression supporting the role of angiogenesis in the stretch-induced pulmonary alveolarization. The authors speculate that such angiogenic activity is a rate-limiting factor in stimulating alveolar epithelial development, and as a treatment modality, therapeutic angiogenesis may provide a noninvasive method with which to treat pulmonary hypoplasia. J Pediatr Surg 35:906-913. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Mechanisms and constitutive relevance

This paper will examine the nature of mechanisms and the distinction between the relevant and irrelevant parts involved in a mechanism’s operation. I first consider Craver’s account of this distinction in his book on the nature of mechanisms, and explain some problems. I then offer a novel account of the distinction that appeals to some resources from Mackie’s theory of causation. I end by explaining how this account enables us to better understand what mechanisms are and their various features.
Zirconium coordination change upon the pressure-induced amorphization of cubic ZrW 2 O 8 and ZrMo 2 O 8

Extended x-ray-absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) were used to examine cubic ${\text{ZrW}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{8}$ and cubic ${\text{ZrMo}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{8}$ that had been pressure amorphized at 7.5 and 5 GPa, respectively, in a multianvil press and recovered to ambient conditions. Data were taken at the $\text{W}\text{ }{\text{L}}_{\text{III}}$ and ${\text{L}}_{\text{I}}$ or $\text{Mo}\text{ }K$ edges, as well as at the $\text{Zr}\text{ }K$ edge. They indicate an increase in the average coordination number of tungsten in ${\text{ZrW}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{8}$ and a less pronounced increase in that of molybdenum in ${\text{ZrMo}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{8}$, in agreement with previous work. Notably, the $\text{Zr}\text{ }K$-edge XANES and EXAFS analyses provide strong evidence for a previously unreported change in the average Zr coordination from 6 to $\ensuremath{\sim}7$ during the amorphization of both compounds.
Outcomes of hip resurfacing in a professional dancer: A case report

A new surgical option (hip resurfacing arthroplasty) is now available for younger patients with hip osteoarthritis. A more aggressive rehabilitation program than the typical total hip arthroplasty protocol is needed for active individuals. This case report describes interventions used to maximize function in a 46-year-old professional dancer after hip resurfacing with a progressive therapeutic exercise program. Exercise choices were selected to address dance-specific requirements while respecting healing of the posterior capsular incision. Strengthening focused on hip abduction, extension, and external rotation. Precautions included avoiding gluteal stretching until 6 months. Pelvic alignment and weight-bearing distribution were emphasized.The patient was able to return to rehearsal by 7 months, at which time strength was equivalent to the unaffected leg. Range of motion reached unaffected side values at week 8 for internal rotation, week 11 for extension, week 13 for adduction, and week 28 for flexion. E...
Concurrent function evaluations in local and global optimization

Abstract This paper discusses some basic opportunities for the use of multiprocessing in the solution of optimization problems. We consider two fundamental optimization problems, unconstrained optimization and global optimization, in the important case when function evaluation is expensive and gradients are evaluated by finite differences. First we discuss some simple parallel strategies based upon the use of concurrent function evaluations to evaluate the finite difference gradient. These include the speculative evaluation of the gradient concurrently with the evaluation of the function before it is known whether the gradient value at this point will be required. We present examples that indicate the effectiveness of these parallel strategies for unconstrained optimization. We also give experimental results that show the effect of using these strategies to parallelize each of the multiple local minimizations within a recently proposed concurrent global optimization algorithm. We briefly discuss several parallel optimization strategies that are related to these approaches but make more fundamental changes to standard sequential optimization algorithms.
A COMPARISON OF VOLUNTARY AND INVOLUNTARY MEASURES OF ELECTROMECHANICAL DELAY

Electromechanical delay (EMD) is a measurement used to assess the mechanical lag between muscle activation onset and force production. EMD measurements may be performed by voluntary or electrically evoked muscle activation. This study compared gastrocnemius EMD during voluntary and involuntary contractions and assessd the intrasession reliability of each set of measurements. Subjects were 15 volunteers (age 21 +/- 2 years, ht 171.8 +/- 10.0 cm, mass 76.1 +/- 13.4 kg). EMD measurements were recorded from the medial head of the gastrocnemius of each subject during voluntary and involuntary contractions. Order was counterbalanced between subjects. Subjects stood with the dominant leg on a force plate, the nondominant next to the force plate, and with their hands in contact with a bar in front of them. A supramaximal percutaneous stimulus was applied to the tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa for involuntary (electrically evoked) contractions. For voluntary contractions, subjects were instructed to rise up on the toes as quickly as possible. Four trials were collected for each condition with 30 s of rest between each. Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed for each condition to calculate an ICC (2,1). Means of the 4 trials for each condition were used to detect differences between groups. EMD was greater in the voluntary condition (22.8 +/- 8.2 ms) compared to the involuntary condition (9.7 +/- 3.1 ms; p < .001). Intrasession reliability for each condition was very strong (involuntary ICC (2,1) = .977; voluntary ICC (2,1) = .972). EMD measured during a single leg stance is much shorter when measured during an electrically evoked (voluntary) contraction. The difference in EMD between conditions is likely the result of differences in recruitment during the two types of contractions. Reliability within a measurement session was very strong for each of the conditions.
Gas chromatographic determination of malonaldehyde formed by lipid peroxidation.

Abstract Gas chromatographic (GC) methods for the determination of malonaldehyde (MA) all require formation of a stable derivative of MA since free MA is not suitable for direct GC analysis. Most reported GC methods give a total measure of free MA and its bound forms because their assay conditions are sufficient to hydrolyze or decompose bound MA during sample preparation. In this paper, GC methods that provide a measure of total MA (free plus bound) are reviewed. A recently developed capillary GC method that allows determination of free MA apart from other forms is also discussed. The method involves derivatization of MA to N-methylpyrazole under milder reaction conditions than with other GC methods. The method represents an advantage over existing techniques for these MA determination because capillary GC offers the highest efficiency of separation among chromatographic methods thus allowing a more specific and accurate measure of MA.
The prevalence of dermatophyte infection in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Background It is not known whether human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with an increased susceptibility to dermatophytes. Methods In this study, we determined the prevalence of cutaneous fungal infection in a cohort of HIV-infected patients and HIV-negative controls, and examined the factors associated with an increased risk of infection. Results Using a multiple regression analysis, we found that the strongest independent predictor of cutaneous fungal infection in both groups was a self-reported history of homosexual sex. There was no relationship between HIV infection or reduced CD4 count and the prevalence of dermatophyte infection. Conclusions HIV infection is not independently associated with an increased risk of cutaneous fungal disease.
Contrast Enhancement for in Vivo Visible Reflectance Imaging of Tissue Oxygenation

Results are presented illustrating a straightforward algorithm to be used for real-time monitoring of oxygenation levels in blood cells and tissue based on the visible spectrum of hemoglobin. Absorbance images obtained from the visible reflection of white light through separate red and blue bandpass filters recorded by monochrome charge-coupled devices (CCDs) are combined to create enhanced images that suggest a quantitative correlation between the degree of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in red blood cells. The filter bandpass regions are chosen specifically to mimic the color response of commercial 3-CCD cameras, representative of detectors with which the operating room laparoscopic tower systems are equipped. Adaptation of this filter approach is demonstrated for laparoscopic donor nephrectomies in which images are analyzed in terms of real-time in vivo monitoring of tissue oxygenation.
Neuroimmunology I: Immunoregulation in neurological disease.

Aberrations in immune function that ultimately result in disease states may involve three aspects of immune regulation: (1) regulatory T cells, which both suppress and induce immune responses; (2) idiotype-antiidiotype networks, which serve as internal regulatory networks during generation of an immune response; and (3) immune response genes, which determine genetic differences in an individual's immune response. Three major diseases of the nervous system, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and acute inflammatory polyneuropathy (Guillain-Barre syndrome), are classified as "autoimmune" in nature and may be due to underlying disorders of immunoregulation. In multiple sclerosis there is a loss of suppressor T cells in the peripheral blood during attacks, in myasthenia gravis there are thymic abnormalities and antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor, and in acute inflammatory polyneuropathy, macrophage-mediated destruction of peripheral nerve myelin occurs in the context of sensitized T cells and is usually associated with a preceding viral illness. In each of these diseases the following central questions must be answered: (1) against what antigen (or antigens) of the nervous system is the autoimmune response directed? (2) what is the mechanism of immune damage? and (3) what initiates, or triggers, the autoimmune response?
Microscopic Calculation of Fission-Fragment Anisotropies for Nuclei Exhibiting a Double Barrier

At moderate excitation energies fragment angular distributions are determined by an effective moment of inertia characteristic of the saddle-point deformation. We have performed a microscopic calculation which shows that at low excitation energy the experimentally deduced effective moment of inertia corresponds to the outer barrier. This is consistent with recent theoretical calculations showing that the inner barrier is unstable with respect to distortions destroying axial symmetry of the nuclear shape. At higher excitation energies the effective moment of inertia becomes characteristic of the liquid-drop-model saddle deformation. The transition is expected to occur at a fairly high excitation energy and may provide an explanation for the observation that the effective moment of inertia continues to increase at excitation energies well above that where pairing effects have disappeared.
Sexual media use and relational satisfaction in heterosexual couples

This study assessed how sexual media use by one or both members of a romantic dyad relates to relationship and sexual satisfaction. A total of 217 heterosexual couples completed an Internet survey that assessed sexual media use, relationship and sexual satisfaction, and demographic variables. Results revealed that a higher frequency of men’s sexual media use related to negative satisfaction in men, while a higher frequency of women’s sexual media use related to positive satisfaction in male partners. Reasons for sexual media use differed by gender: Men reported primarily using sexual media for masturbation, while women reported primarily using sexual media as part of lovemaking with their partners. Shared sexual media use was associated with higher relational satisfaction compared to solitary sexual media use.
Aprotinin in ischemia-reperfusion injury: flap survival and neutrophil response in a rat skin flap model.

Multiple drugs have been used in experimental skin flap models to reduce the effects of reperfusion ischemia. The effects of antiproteases, however, have not been studied. A skin flap ischemia reperfusion model was developed in the rat to study the effects that aprotinin, a broad-spectrum antiserine protease, would have on skin flap viability. Thirty-two male rats underwent elevation of a ventral pedicled skin flap based on the superficial inferior epigastric artery. The flaps were subjected to 10 hr of warm ischemia by clamping the neurovascular pedicle followed by reperfusion. Aprotinin or saline (control) was administered systemically via the contralateral femoral vein either before or after the ischemic insult. Full-thickness skin biopsies were obtained at 1, 8, and 24 hr into reperfusion. Biopsies were evaluated for neutrophil concentration (using a myeloperoxidase [MPO] assay) and thromboxane B2 [TxB2] content. Flap survival was calculated at 1 week using standardized photography and computer-assisted digital imaging. Aprotinin given before an ischemic insult significantly improved flap survival compared to saline controls (52.3% alive vs. 29.6%, P = 0.0132, unpaired t-test). Aprotinin given after ischemia did not significantly influence flap survival (28.8% vs. 34.4% in saline controls, P = 0.708). MPO levels in the aprotinin preischemia treatment group were significantly less at 1 and 8 hr into reperfusion, indicating decreased neutrophil numbers. No statistical difference in TxB2 levels was noted in either group at any time after reperfusion. Aprotinin significantly improves skin flap survival when given prior to but not after an ischemic insult. Aprotinin appears to lower the concentration of neutrophils in skin flaps pretreated with the drug. Reperfused skin flap levels of thromboxane B2 are unaffected by the pre- or postischemic administration of aprotinin. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 18:354–361, 1998
Sociometric Status and After-School Social Activity of Children with Learning Disabilities

The relationship between sociometric status in school and participation in after-school activities was examined in a sample of 28 elementary-school age boys with learning disabilities. A sociometric questionnaire measured both popularity and acceptance in school. A 21-item parent questionnaire measured after-school activity. Both popularity and acceptance in school were related to getting together informally with friends. Popularity, though, was not related to participating in structured programs, while acceptance was inversely related.
Thermodynamic Behavior of Particle/Diblock Copolymer Mixtures: Simulation and Theory

We investigate the influence of hard nanoparticles on the phase behavior of diblock copolymers. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we obtain phase diagrams as a function of the nanoparticle size and concentration. When the size of the nanoparticles becomes comparable to the radius of gyration of the minority (A) block, we observe the formation of new superstructures, where the particles self-assemble inside the copolymer micelles. We develop a theoretical model, based on the strong segregation limit approximation, and show that these self-assembled structures can be either stable or metastable, depending on the particle size and volume fraction. The formation of such phases is due to the interplay between the particle−particle excluded-volume interactions, preferential particle/block-A interactions, and the enthalpic and stretching interactions within the diblock.
Identification of capsaicin-sensitive rectal mechanoreceptors activated by rectal distension in mice

Rodents detect visceral pain in response to noxious levels of rectal distension. However, the mechanoreceptors that innervate the rectum and respond to noxious levels of rectal distension have not been identified. Here, we have identified the mechanoreceptors of capsaicin-sensitive rectal afferents and characterized their properties in response to circumferential stretch of the rectal wall. We have also used the lethal spotted (ls/ls) mouse to determine whether rectal mechanoreceptors that respond to capsaicin and stretch may also develop in an aganglionic rectum that is congenitally devoid of enteric ganglia. In wild type (C57BL/6) mice, graded increases in circumferential stretch applied to isolated rectal segments activated a graded increase in firing of slowly-adapting rectal mechanoreceptors. Identical stimuli applied to the aganglionic rectum of ls/ls mice also activated similar graded increases in firing of stretch-sensitive rectal afferents. In both wild type and aganglionic rectal preparations, focal compression of the serosal surface using von Frey hairs identified mechanosensitive "hot spots," that were associated with brief bursts of action potentials. Spritzing capsaicin (10 microM) selectively onto each identified mechanosensitive hot spot activated an all or none discharge of action potentials in 32 of 56 identified hot spots in wild type mice and 24 of 62 mechanosensitive hot spots in the aganglionic rectum of ls/ls mice. Each single unit activated by both capsaicin and circumferential stretch responded to low mechanical thresholds (1-2 g stretch). No high threshold rectal afferents were ever recorded in response to circumferential stretch. Anterograde labeling from recorded rectal afferents revealed two populations of capsaicin-sensitive mechanoreceptor that responded to stretch: one population terminated within myenteric ganglia, the other within the circular and longitudinal smooth muscle layers. In the aganglionic rectum of ls/ls mice, only the i.m. mechanoreceptors were identified. Both myenteric and i.m. mechanoreceptors could be identified by their immunoreactivity to the anti-TRPV1 antibody and the vesicular glutamate transporter, Vglut2. Myenteric mechanoreceptors had a unique morphology, consisting of smooth bulbous nodules that ramified within myenteric ganglia. In summary, the rectum of wild type mice is innervated by at least two populations of capsaicin-sensitive rectal mechanoreceptor, both of which respond to low mechanical thresholds within the innocuous range. These findings suggest that the visceral pain pathway activated by rectal distension is likely to involve low threshold rectal mechanoreceptors that are activated within the normal physiological range.
Spatial Orientation as a Component of Presence: Insights Gained from Nonterrestrial Environments

Spatial orientation is a substantial component of the sense of presence in real and virtual environments. Virtual environments have amazing versatility in terms of the possible modes of “entering” them, the positions occupants can take up within or in relation to them, and the ways virtual environments can be embedded within real ones. A virtual environment that differs too sharply in these respects from the normal terrestrial environment may challenge users' abilities to develop spatial orientation and a sense of presence within it, and to acquire spatial training that will transfer to real situations. We learned this fact while analyzing spatial orientation and presence in a variety of real experimental environments, including ones involving nonterrestrial gravitoinertial force backgrounds. One environment we investigated was “microgravity,” in which subjects can free float and be exposed to unique visual perspectives and patterns of touch and pressure cues on the body surface. A second was a rotating “artificial gravity” environment embedded within the larger context of a stationary laboratory complex. Our observations emphasize visual, vestibular, and somesthetic cues in construction of spatial representations of familiar environments. However, we have found that multiple levels of such representations exist, which interact with larger spatial constructs. The cognitive map of an environment depends on its represented embedding within associated environments and the directionality of modes of access between them. This dependency is reflected in the “wrong door phenomenon” that results when an individual enters a familiar environment from a nonfamiliar access position and becomes disoriented.
Clonal characterization of fibroblasts in the superficial layer of the adult human dermis.

The dermis of adult human skin contains a physiologically heterogeneous population of fibroblasts that interact to produce its unique architecture and that participate in inflammatory and wound repair functions in vivo. This heterogeneity has been well documented for fibroblasts located in the superficial papillary dermis and the deep reticular dermis. However, the existence of diverse fibroblast subpopulations within a given region of the dermis has not been explored. In this study, fibroblast cultures have been established from the superficial dermis following enzymatic dissociation of the tissue. These fibroblasts have been cloned by limiting dilution and initially selected on the basis of morphology and proliferation kinetics. Fibroblasts in some of the clones selected for study express α-smooth muscle actin, a myofibroblast characteristic. Significant differences for fibroblast clones obtained from the same piece of skin have been observed with regard to their rate of collagen lattice contraction, their ability to organize a fibronectin matrix, their release of specific growth factors/cytokines into culture medium, and their response to interleukin-1α. These differences in both morphological and physiological characteristics indicate that the superficial papillary dermis contains a heterogeneous population of fibroblasts. This heterogeneity might indicate that diverse subpopulations of fibroblasts are required to interact in both homeostatic and pathological situations in skin.
Beyond postnormal times: The future of creativity and the creativity of the future

Abstract Creativity and imagination are the most important ingredients for coping with post-normal times, according to Sardar. This paper looks at the way creativity itself is being transformed in the West, from the individualistic/atomistic view of Modernity towards a more contextual, collaborative, complex approach. It explores the potential and possibilities for this more participatory creativity to help go beyond the “crisis of the future,” and argues that the centrality of creativity must go beyond the mythology of genius and inspiration to inform philosophy, ethics, and action. Philosophical reflection and the imagination of desirable futures can emerge from a creative ethic that stresses the value of generative interactions and contexts that support creativity.
New Insights into the Mechanism of Initial Transcription: THE T7 RNA POLYMERASE MUTANT P266L TRANSITIONS TO ELONGATION AT LONGER RNA LENGTHS THAN WILD TYPE *

RNA polymerases undergo substantial structural and functional changes in transitioning from sequence-specific initial transcription to stable and relatively sequence-independent elongation. Initially, transcribing complexes are characteristically unstable, yielding short abortive products on the path to elongation. However, protein mutations have been isolated in RNA polymerases that dramatically reduce abortive instability. Understanding these mutations is essential to understanding the energetics of initial transcription and promoter clearance. We demonstrate here that the P266L point mutation in T7 RNA polymerase, which shows dramatically reduced abortive cycling, also transitions to elongation later, i.e. at longer lengths of RNA. These two properties of the mutant are not necessarily coupled, but rather we propose that they both derive from a weakening of the barrier to RNA-DNA hybrid-driven rotation of the promoter binding N-terminal platform, a motion necessary to achieve programmatically timed release of promoter contacts in the transition to elongation. Parallels in the multisubunit RNA polymerases are discussed.
Model Specification for Composites for Civil Engineering Structures

A model specification for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials for use in civil engineering structural systems was developed. The model specification provides a classification system for FRP materials, describes admissible constituent materials, and specifies limits on selected constituent volumes. The specification provides procedures for qualifying FRP composite laminates and for accepting FRP composite parts constructed of qualified laminates. Test methods to obtain mechanical and physical properties were devised, along with stipulation of limiting values for selected properties for both laminates and parts. Based on the Arrhenius model, a protocol was outlined for predicting long-term property values subjected to accelerated aging.
The therapeutic effect of cortisone, somatotrophic hormone, and hesperedin methyl chalcone in suppressing experimental moniliasis in mice.

Female mice infected with moniliasis and treated with a mixture of cortisone, somatotrophic hormone, and hesperedin methyl chalcone showed a marked reduction in the severity of the infection; male mice similarly infected and treated were apparently unaffected. Factors such as the severity of the infection, sex of the animal, and particular doses and proportions used in influencing the response of the infected animal to this mixture are discussed.