cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gestational diabetes. Incidence, maternal characteristics, and perinatal outcome.

Accurate estimates of the incidence of abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy are virtually nonexistent. Screening select populations of women with risk factors for the condition and the nonrandom, nonpopulation-based nature of most studies have given rise to wide variances in reported incidence. We analyzed data from the states of Mississippi and Washington and from the National Natality and Fetal Mortality Surveys conducted in 1980 in an attempt to provide more accurate population-based estimates of the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In the national surveys GDM was noted (screening and diagnostic criteria were unavailable) as a complication in 0.38% of all sampled pregnancies; overt (type I and type II) diabetes was noted in 0.78%. Mean maternal age for the GDM group was 28.4 yr; 85% were white (81% controls) and 15% non-white (19% controls). Prepregnancy weights were higher in the GDM group by an average of 20 Ib. However, mean weight gain was less in this group than in controls (23 versus 29 Ib). Perinatal mortality was noted in approximately 2.8% (1.3% in controls) of the offspring in GDM-complicated pregnancies and congenital malformations in 6.4% (7.9% in controls). Methodologic problems were encountered and included lack of screening and diagnostic criteria, underreporting, and underrecording.
Factors related to the emotional responses of intubated patients to being unable to speak

Abstract OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among the intensity of intubated patients' negative emotional responses to being unable to speak and selected personal and situational variables. DESIGN: Prospective correlational. SETTING: Four intensive care units in a midwestern, university-affiliated medical center. PATIENTS: A convenience sample of 48 patients intubated for 24 or more hours, alert and oriented to person, place, and situation. OUTCOME MEASURES: Emotional responses (anger and worry/fear) to being unable to speak. RESULTS: Multiple regression showed that self-esteem, severity of illness, difficulty with communication, and the number of days intubated at data collection were significantly associated with patients' emotional responses. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study extend prior research and support the need for nurses to facilitate communication and to support self-esteem in patients receiving ventilatory assistance, particularly in the early days of intubation. Implications for future research are discussed.
Vision-Based Autopilot Implementation Using a Quadrotor Helicopter

A monocular vision-based pose estimation and stabilization system for a quadrotor helicopter is proposed. The goal of this project is to enable the helicopter to hover in place using a vision-based autopilot. The method consists of a single camera onboard the helicopter that is used to estimate the attitude and the position of the vehicle, except for the altitude, which is controlled manually from a joystick. These parameters are calculated using three dark colored targets mounted on a white wall. An algorithm processes the video frames to extract the necessary information, which is evaluated for errors and then passed to the control algorithm. The control signal for the helicopter is output via the audio port and driven through a custom-made circuit to eliminate noise and convert it to the necessary format. The results from flight tests are presented with the system’s advantages, limitations, and drawbacks discussed.
Emotion-based control of cooperating heterogeneous mobile robots

Previous experiences show that it is possible for agents such as robots cooperating asynchronously on a sequential task to enter deadlock, where one robot does not fulfil its obligations in a timely manner due to hardware or planning failure, unanticipated delays, etc. Our approach uses a formal multilevel hierarchy of emotions where emotions both modify active behaviors at the sensory-motor level and change the set of active behaviors at the schematic level. The resulting implementation of a team of heterogeneous robots using a hybrid deliberative/reactive architecture produced the desired emergent societal behavior. Data collected at two different public venues illustrate how a dependent agent selects new behaviors (e.g., stop serving, move to intercept the refiner) to compensate for delays from a subordinate agent (e.g., blocked by the audience). The subordinate also modifies the intensity of its active behaviors in response to feedback from the dependent agent. The agents communicate asynchronously through knowledge query and manipulation language via wireless Ethernet.
EMERSON: AMERICA'S FIRST PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL?

As most readers of this journal will already know, 2003 marked the bicentennial of Ralph Waldo Emerson's birth in Boston on May 25, 1803. The occasion did not generate quite the hoopla that characterized the celebration of the centennial of his birth; then, as Lawrence Buell notes in his own generous tribute to Emerson, children in Concord were let out of school for the day, and there were major celebrations both there and in Boston. To the chagrin of some of Emerson's admirers, the bicentennial passed without official recognition: as one complained on a website, “It's Emerson's 200th Birthday—and there's no postage stamp,” an important indicator of cultural currency in the United States. In 1967, for example, the Post Office issued a stamp to commemorate the mere 150th anniversary of the other most famous Transcendentalist, Henry Thoreau. Nonetheless, like Thoreau, Emerson retains a tenacious foothold in American popular culture, though he is probably known there primarily for the inspirational aphorisms—usually collected under headings such as “action,” “confidence,” and “conformity”—on websites with names like Brainy Quote and Wisdom Quotes. Despite challenges from both the left and the right, Emerson also remains a central figure in American literary and cultural history; and he has been the focus of sustained scholarly attention, especially since the so-called “Emerson Renaissance,” the resurgence of interest in his life and writings beginning around 1980.
Older Hispanics' Explanatory Model of Depression

Cultural variations in the perception of depression make it difficult to recognize the disorder resulting in older Hispanics not being diagnosed and not receiving appropriate treatment. This study used a mixed-method design to explore older Hispanics' explanatory model of depression. Depression was recognized as the result of life stressors and personal weaknesses. Terms used for depressed people included “crazy, worry, bored, and nerves.” These culturally coded terms may confound diagnosis among many Hispanics who find depression a shameful condition. Findings can be used to inform the adaptation of culturally relevant approaches to better serve the Hispanic community in this country.
Buddhism in Russia: challenges and choices in the post-Soviet period

This paper considers the position of Buddhism in contemporary Russia, with a focus on the three national republics where Buddhism is historically practised: Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva. I provide a brief overview of the history of Buddhism in each of the three regions. Turning to the current situation, I then review religion–state and intrafaith relations within Russia’s Buddhist republics. Of particular interest are the politics surrounding the pastoral visits of the 14th Dalai Lama to Russia. Since his last visit in 2004, the Russian government has consistently denied solicitations for visas for the Dalai Lama. I draw on interviews and focus groups conducted in Kalmykia and surveys from both Kalmykia and Buryatia to underscore the importance of such a visit both to Buddhists in these republics and to the larger Buddhist community in the Russian Federation. The paper concludes by reiterating the Dalai Lama’s opinion that Russia and Russia’s Buddhists will play a pivotal role in the development and preser...
Rab38 Modulates Proteinuria in Model of Hypertension-Associated Renal Disease

We previously reported that the fawn-hooded hypertensive (FHH) rat is a natural Rab38 knockout, supported by a congenic animal (FHH.BN-Rab38) having less proteinuria than FHH animals. Because these congenic animals contain Brown Norway (BN) alleles for five other named genes; however, a causal role for Rab38 in the FHH phenotype remains uncertain. Here, we used transgenic and knockout models to validate Rab38 and to exclude other genes within the 1.5 Mb congenic region from involvement in causing the FHH phenotype. Transgenic rats homozygous for the wild-type Rab38 BN allele on the FHH background exhibited phenotypic rescue, having 43% lower proteinuria and 75% lower albuminuria than nontransgenic FHH littermates. Conversely, knockout of the Rab38 gene on the FHH.BN-Rab38 congenic line recapitulated a proteinuric phenotype indistinguishable from the FHH strain. In addition, in cultured proximal tubule LLC-PK1 cells, knockdown of Rab38 mRNA significantly decreased endocytosis of colloidal gold-coupled albumin, supporting the hypothesis that Rab38 modulates proteinuria through effects on tubular re-uptake and not by altering glomerular permeability. Taken together, these findings validate Rab38 as a gene having a causal role in determining the phenotype of the FHH rat, which models hypertension-associated renal disease. Furthermore, our data suggest that Rab38 affects urinary protein excretion via effects in the proximal tubule.
Development of low-viscosity benzoxazine resins and their polymers

With unsubstituted phenol, formaldehyde, and primary aromatic amines as the starting materials, a series of monofunctional benzoxazine resins with low viscosities at room temperature were developed. The polymerization behavior of these resins into thermosetting materials was monitored by differential scanning calorimetry. Stress relaxation of the obtained polybenzoxazines revealed these polymers to be chemically crosslinked networks.
Economic evaluation of blind rehabilitation for veterans with macular diseases in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Purpose: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Low Vision Intervention Trial (LOVIT) developed an outpatient low-vision programme for patients with macular diseases providing low-vision rehabilitation comparable to VA inpatient blind rehabilitation centres (BRCs). This programme targets veterans who do not need or chose not to participate in a comprehensive inpatient blind rehabilitation programme. We examined costs and consequences using veterans in LOVIT and comparable veterans in an inpatient BRC. Methods: We compared costs and consequences between treatment patients who participated in LOVIT, a two-site randomized clinical trial, and a sample of comparable patients who received treatment at a VA inpatient BRC. We measured consequences as the change in functional visual ability from baseline to follow-up (LOVIT: 4 months after randomization; BRC: 3 months after discharge) using the VA Low Vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VA LV VFQ-48). Results: There were 55 LOVIT and 121 BRC patients for our...
Dynamic subfield analysis of disciplines: an examination of the trading impact and knowledge diffusion patterns of computer science

The objective of this research is to examine the dynamic impact and diffusion patterns at the subfield level. Using a 15-year citation data set, this research reveals the characteristics of the subfields of computer science from the aspects of citation characteristics, citation link characteristics, network characteristics, and their dynamics. Through a set of indicators including incoming citations, number of citing areas, cited/citing ratios, self-citations ratios, PageRank, and betweenness centrality, the study finds that subfields such as Computer Science Applications, Software, Artificial Intelligence, and Information Systems possessed higher scientific trading impact. Moreover, it also finds that Human–Computer Interaction, Computational Theory and Mathematics, and Computer Science Applications are among the subfields of computer science that gained the fastest growth in impact. Additionally, Engineering, Mathematics, and Decision Sciences form important knowledge channels with subfields in computer science.
Modeling pulsed excitation for gas-phase laser diagnostics

Excitation dynamics for pulsed optical excitation are described with the density-matrix equations and the rate equations for a two-level system. A critical comparison of the two descriptions is made with complete and consistent formalisms that are amenable to the modeling of applied laser-diagnostic techniques. General solutions, resulting from numerical integration of the differential equations describing the excitation process, are compared for collisional conditions that range from the completely coherent limit to the steady-state limit, for which the two formalisms are identical. This analysis demonstrates the failure of the rate equations to correctly describe the transient details of the excitation process outside the steady-state limit. However, reasonable estimates of the resultant population are obtained for nonsaturating (linear) excitation. This comparison provides the laser diagnostician with the means to evaluate the appropriate model for excitation through a simple picture of the breakdown of the rate-equation validity.
Dinosaurs: The flowering of the Mesozoic

Chapter objectives Introduce large-scale patterns of dinosaur evolution Develop a deeper understanding of climate in the Mesozoic Era Introduce a few important Mesozoic plants Introduce dinosaur–plant co-evolution Dinosaurs in the Mesozoic Era Throughout much of this book, we have considered dinosaurs as individuals; who they were, what they did, and how they did it. Now we'll step back and take a look at the large-scale ebb and flow of dinosaur evolution. Before we can do that, though, we need to think about what might be missing . Preservation Table 13.1 shows the distribution of dinosaurs among the continents through time. The paucity of dinosaur remains from Australia and Antarctica, however, is surely more a question of local preservation and inhospitable conditions today for finding and collecting fossils, than defining where dinosaurs actually lived. Into this mix must be factored geological preservation; some time intervals simply contain more rocks than others. For example, the terrestrial Middle Jurassic is not well represented by rocks, with the result that it artificially appears to have been a time of very low tetrapod diversity (Box 13.1, p. 278). The Late Cretaceous is rather the opposite, with the happy result that we have a rich record of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs. Several methods of estimating the completeness of fossil preservation have been developed to mitigate these problems (Box 13.2, page 280).
Skeletal muscle growth and fiber composition in mice are regulated through the transcription factors STAT5a/b: linking growth hormone to the androgen receptor

In skeletal muscle, STAT5a/b transcription factors are critical for normal postnatal growth, whole-animal glucose homeostasis, and local IGF-1 production. These observations have led us to hypothesize that STAT5a/b are critical for maintenance of normal muscle mass and function. To investigate this, mice with a skeletal muscle-specific deletion of the Stat5a/b genes (Stat5MKO) were used. Stat5MKO mice displayed reduced muscle mass, altered fiber-type distribution and reduced activity. On a molecular level, gene expression in skeletal muscle of Stat5MKO and control mice was analyzed by microarrays and real-time PCR, both in the presence and absence of growth hormone (GH) stimulation. Expression of several genes involved in muscle growth and fiber type were significantly changed. Specifically, in the quadriceps, a muscle almost exclusively composed of type II fibers, the absence of STAT5a/b led to increased expression of several genes associated with type I fibers and the de novo appearance of type I fibers. In addition, it is shown here that expression of the androgen receptor gene (Ar) is controlled by GH through STAT5a/b. The link between STAT5a/b and Ar gene is likely through direct transcriptional regulation, as chromatin immunoprecipitaion of the Ar promoter region in C2C12 myoblasts was accomplished by antibodies against STAT5a. These experiments demonstrate an important role for STAT5a/b in skeletal muscle physiology, and they provide a direct link to androgen signaling.
Effects of difluoromethylornithine chemoprevention on audiometry thresholds and otoacoustic emissions

Objectives To determine the effects of long-term, low-dose difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) on audiometric thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) levels in humans. Design A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial of DFMO in participants with a prior adenomatous colonic polyp. Setting Academic tertiary care referral center. Participants One hundred twenty-three volunteer subjects with colorectal polyps and normal hearing for the frequencies 250 through 2000 Hz. Interventions Subjects were randomized to receive placebo or oral DFMO at daily dosages between 0.075 and 0.4 g/m2of body surface area for 12 months. Outcome Measures Pure-tone audiometric thresholds for the frequencies 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz and DPOAE levels were measured at baseline and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after starting treatment with DFMO or placebo and 3 months after cessation of treatment if there was a suggestion of possible changes at the 12-month measurement. Results At these low dosages, there was little evidence for shifts in auditory pure-tone thresholds, and there were no statistically significant shifts in DPOAE levels. For auditory pure-tone thresholds, there was a subtle, approximately 2- to 3-dB hearing level decrease in hearing sensitivity for the 2 higher DFMO dosages, but only at the 2 lowest frequencies, 250 and 500 Hz. Conclusions Administration of low-dose DFMO for 12 months did not produce hearing loss, in contrast to prior studies that used higher dosages.
Enhanced interval trees for dynamic IP router-tables

We develop an enhanced interval tree data structure that is suitable for the representation of dynamic IP router tables. Several refinements of this enhanced structure are proposed for a variety of IP router tables. For example, the data structure called BOB (binary tree on binary tree) is developed for dynamic router tables in which the rule filters are nonintersecting ranges and in which ties are broken by selecting the highest-priority rule that matches a destination address. Prefix filters are a special case of nonintersecting ranges and the commonly used longest-prefix tie breaker is a special case of the highest-priority tie breaker. When an n-rule router table is represented using BOB, the highest-priority rule that matches a destination address may be found in O(log/sup 2/n) time; a new rule may be inserted and an old one deleted in O(logn) time. For general ranges, the data structure CBOB (compact BOB) is proposed. For the case when all rule filters are prefixes, the data structure PBOB (prefix BOB) permits highest-priority matching as well as rule insertion and deletion in O(W) time, where W is the length of the longest prefix, each. When all rule filters are prefixes and longest-prefix matching is to be done, the data structure LMPBOB (longest matching-prefix BOB) permits longest-prefix matching in O(W) time; rule insertion and deletion each take O(logn) time. On practical rule tables, BOB and PBOB perform each of the three dynamic-table operations in O(logn) time and with O(logn) cache misses. The number of cache misses incurred by LMPBOB is also O(logn). Experimental results also are presented.
Photo-injected carrier distributions in metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors imaged by photoluminescence microscopy

The effects of size and transparency of fingers on the spatial distribution of radiative recombination of photoinjected carriers in metal-semiconductor-metal photodiodes have been investigated using photoluminescence microscopy. Investigations of detectors having fingers and spaces of 20 /spl mu/m showed a depletion region width which varies with bias voltage in a quasi-one-dimensional Schottky diode functional form. Regions of non-uniform electric field were observed in the corners of titanium-gold electrode devices and underneath indium-tin-oxide electrodes. Photodiodes with 3 /spl mu/m wide fingers were found to have a depletion region which did not behave in a quasi-one-dimensional manner. >
Satisfaction With Outpatient Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate high-risk older adults' satisfaction with outpatient geriatric evaluation and management (GEM). Community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (n = 522) age 70 years and older who had a high probability of repeated admission to hospitals (P ra > .40) were randomly assigned to receive either usual care or GEM for six months. Despite the stresses imposed by outpatient GEM (e.g., new relationships with providers, frequent office visits and changes in treatments), the mean satisfaction scores of the recipients of GEM were 9% higher than those of the recipients of usual care (4.31 vs 3.96, p < .001). The primary physicians of GEM recipients were also highly satisfied with GEM care.
The Whistle Repertoire of the North Atlantic Pilot Whale (Globicephala melaena) and Its Relationship to Behavior and Environment

Very little is known about the normal sounds and behavior of the North Atlantic pilot whale, Globicephala melaena, or of other pilot whales. Schevill (1964) stated that the whistles of Globicephala melaena range from 0.5 to 5.0 kHz in sound frequency, while those of G. macrorhynchus range from 2 to 12 kHz. Busnel et al. (1971) described double clicks produced by Globicephala. Busnel and Dziedzic (1966) presented a detailed report on a single hour-long encounter with a school of 11 pilot whales. During the encounter one animal was harpooned. The authors described and figured five signal types and several variants. In addition, they noted abrupt frequency shifts and amplitude variations.
The surprising relationship between indecisiveness and impulsivity

Abstract We explore the relationship between indecisiveness and impulsivity using a variety of individual difference measures for each construct. We observe a positive, rather than negative, correlation between traditional measures of indecisiveness and impulsivity. Further analysis demonstrates that standard measures of indecisiveness are positively correlated specifically with dysfunctional impulsivity, and negatively correlated with functional impulsivity. Moreover, indecisiveness is positively and strongly associated specifically with impulsive urgency and lack of perseverance, but not with impulsive sensation-seeking or a lack of premeditation. Finally, we find that particular forms of indecisiveness, including maximizing due to ‘high standards’ and various ‘perfectionistic’ behaviors, do correlate negatively with standard measures of impulsivity. These findings provide insight into the multi-dimensional nature of both indecisiveness and impulsivity, and suggest divergent underlying mechanisms producing different forms of indecisive and impulsive behavior.
Myocardial Hypoxia in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Is it Just a Matter of Supply and Demand?

Eighty years ago Tennant and Wiggers1 made the seminal observation that coronary artery occlusion lead to systolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction laying the foundation for the current well-accepted physiological paradigm of tight coupling between myocardial blood flow (MBF) and systolic function. The link between MBF and function is oxygen, which serves as the final electron acceptor in oxidative phosphorylation, the primary process for generating cellular ATP. Consequently, myocardial health and thus normal LV function is dependent on a balance between oxygen supply and demand. In contrast to other vascular beds, the resting myocardial extraction of oxygen is high, ≈75% of the arterial oxygen content. Thus, the ability of the myocardium to further increase oxygen extraction is limited. As a consequence, the demands for increased myocardial oxygen are met via increases in oxygen delivery, which is determined by MBF and arterial oxygen content. The major determinants of the myocardial oxygen demand or consumption are heart rate, wall stress, and LV contractility with wall stress being directly related to systolic blood pressure and LV diameter and inversely related to wall thickness. Thus, under normal conditions where oxygen supply and demand are balanced, oxygen extraction will not change, whereas during ischemia where oxygen supply is inadequate to meet demand, oxygen extraction will increase, albeit modestly. Article see p 1088 The LV dysfunction of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by abnormalities in resting MBF, vasodilator function as evidenced by impaired MBF reserve (peak MBF/rest MBF in response to vasodilator stress) and impaired energetics.2–4 On the basis of the aforementioned discussion on the tight linkage of MBF and LV function, it would be reasonable to surmise that in DCM myocardial oxygenation must be inadequate resulting in tissue hypoxia. Indeed, the induction hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, which functions as a master regulator …
Ushering the Era of Non-Implant Specific Instruments for Knee Arthroplasty

Current projections point to a large increase in the number of arthroplasty surgeries over the next 20 years. Implant manufacturers typically offer each hospital multiple sets of instruments dedicated to one of their implant system models. Each set includes over 100 mechanical alignment and other instruments (jigs), typically housed in multiple trays. These instruments increase engineering and production costs to the manufacturer, the training burden for surgeons, and increase costs for the hospital for sterilization, training and other logistics. Patient specific instruments addresses some of this burden but involve scaleability, potential liability and speed challenges in that some of the custom jigs design and all its manufacture is delayed and removed from the surgeon, and cannot be changed during surgery. This talk is about a revolutionary freehand navigated bone cutting technology for joint replacement surgery without implant specific mechanical jigs, without expensive and cumbersome robots, and optionally also even without external navigation tracker equipment. It facilitates navigated freehand bone cutting with real-time 3D graphical feedback. It transforms the traditional orthopaedic power instruments (eg. sagittal saws, drills) into “smart instruments” which can track themselves in 3D around the surgical scene, and optionally prevent the surgeon from deviating from the planned cuts. In bench experiments, this cutting-edge technology promises faster, cheaper, easier and more accurate bone cuts. It assists the surgeon naturally with miniaturized electronics and intelligence on-board the same powered bone cutting instruments they are highly used to. Joint replacement surgery is highly successful currently, but this technology is intended to make it easier, faster, cheaper and better. A solution that increases benefits to the patient and surgeon alike, while reducing infection risks and costs, may transform patient care in an overburdened field which is expected to grow in the coming years.
Court Again Considers Estate Tax Implications of an FLP

The Fifth Circuit in Strangi III upholds the Service's use of Section 2036(a)(1) to attack Family Limited Partnerships ("FLPs") as valuation discount vehicles, but leaves open the question of whether Section 2036(a)(2) may also be used. The prior decision in the Strangi series (Strangi II) overshadowed all former decisions in its expansive interpretation of Section 2036(a)(2). The most recent decision (Strangi III) holds that the transferred assets were properly included under Section 2036(a)(1), and therefore the court did not need to reach the Service's alternative contention under Section 2036(a)(2). Does that foreclose the Service from raising Section 2036(a)(2) in circumstances in which Section 2036(a)(1) or the bona fide sale exception contained in Section 2036(a) do not apply? This article closely analyzes Strangi III in light of the protracted and complex history surrounding this long-awaited decision and identifies possible practitioner responses.
BUTTERFLY WING MARKINGS ARE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS DURING HANDLING THAN DURING THE INITIAL STRIKE OF AN AVIAN PREDATOR.

The "false head" hypothesis states that due to the posterior ventral wing markings of certain butterflies which resemble a "false head," visually hunting predators, such as birds, are deceived into attacking the hind wing area rather than the true head of the butterfly. In the laboratory, six groups of artificially marked dead cabbage butterflies, Pieris rapae, were presented to Blue Jays, Cyanocitta cristata. Of the six "false head" markings, only the eyespot significantly influenced the point of attack. All of the "false head" markings, however, led to a greater proportion of attacks to the hind wing area of the butterfly. In the course of prey handling following an initial attack, each of the six "false head" markings significantly directed predator handling strikes away from the true head of captive butterflies to the anal angle of the hind wing. In a second experiment, live P. rapae with "false head" markings were mishandled and thus escaped, significantly more frequently than controls. Therefore, "false head" markings may confer a selective advantage by increasing the probability of escape, particularly during handling.
Privacy through identity management

The migration of web applications to Cloud computing platform has raised concerns about the privacy of sensitive data belonging to the consumers of cloud services. The traditional form of security tokens like username/password used to access cloud services are prone to phishing attacks and hence do not provide complete security. In this work we propose to extend the Microsoft's CardSpace identity management tool, to include more robust security tokens using the zero knowledge proof concept. These security tokens are in the form of SAML token supported by Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and hence can prove interoperable with the existing security platforms.
[Fine structure of neuronal and glial processes in neuropathology, a personal historical note]

Neurons and glia are characterized by their well formed processes and by cell-to-cell relationships. Neurons show cylindrical processes, which form synaptic junctions. On the other hand, the peripheral parts of the glial cells are sheet-like in nature. Thus, the oligodendroglial cells form shovel-shaped myelin sheets around axons. The astrocytes also form delicate sheet-like processes, which separate the central nervous system from the mesodermal tissue and surround neuronal soma, dendrites and synapses. Fine structural studies in neuropathological material provide many interesting new findings on neuronal and glial processes. This communication highlights my exciting experience studying neuropathology for over 50 years.
Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Prostate Following Intravesical Therapy for Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

AbstractFrom 1983 to 1986, 63 male patients received various regimens of intravesical therapy for superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Of these 63 patients 10 were subsequently diagnosed as having transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate. Five of the 10 patients had no tumor remaining in the bladder at diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate. In 3 patients tumor in the prostate was more invasive than tumor in the bladder. In 2 patients tumor involvement was greater in the bladder than in the prostate.Patients undergoing treatment with intravesical therapy for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, especially those receiving multiple courses for prolonged periods, should be monitored closely for the development of transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate.
Orbital angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in thyroid eye disease: an analysis of vascular growth factors with clinical correlation

Purpose The human orbit is an environment that is vulnerable to inflammation and edema in the setting of autoimmune thyroid disease. Our study investigated the tenet that orbital adipose tissue lacks lymphatic vessels and analyzed the clinicopathologic differences between patients with acute and chronic thyroid eye disease (TED). The underlying molecular mediators of blood and lymphatic vessel formation within the orbital fat also were evaluated. Design Retrospective cohort study. Participants The study included fat specimens from 26 orbits of 15 patients with TED undergoing orbital decompression. Orbital fat specimens from patients without TED as well as cadaveric orbital fat served as controls. Methods Tissue specimens were processed as formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections or frozen cryosections for immunohistochemistry. Total RNA was extracted and analyzed via quantitative (real-time) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Clinicopathologic correlation was made by determining the clinical activity score (CAS) of each patient with TED. Main Outcome Measures Samples were examined for vascular and lymphatic markers including podoplanin, lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1), and cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) by immunohistochemistry, as well as for mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptors, semaphorin 3F, neuropilin 1, neuropilin 2, podoplanin, and LYVE-1 by quantitative (real-time) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results Clinicopathologic correlation revealed increased staining of CD31-positive blood vessels in patients with acute TED with a CAS more than 4, as well as rare staining of podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessels within acutely inflamed orbital fat tissue. Additionally, quantitative (real-time) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated increased expression of VEGF receptor (VEGFR) 2 as well as VEGF signaling molecules VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D. Conclusions In acute TED, compared with chronic TED and control orbital fat, there is increased blood vessel density, suggesting neovascularization and rare lymphatic vessels suggestive of limited lymphangiogenesis. This proangiogenic and prolymphangiogenic microenvironment is likely the result of the increased expression of VEGFR-2, VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D. These findings imply that orbital edema in acute TED may be mediated, in part, by both the formation of new, immature blood vessels and the formation of lymphatic capillaries that are functionally incapable of draining interstitial fluid.
Noninvasive Evaluation of Bladder Wall Mechanical Properties as a Function of Filling Volume: Potential Application in Bladder Compliance Assessment.

Purpose We propose a novel method to monitor bladder wall mechanical properties as a function of filling volume, with the potential application to bladder compliance assessment. The proposed ultrasound bladder vibrometry (UBV) method uses ultrasound to excite and track Lamb waves on the bladder wall from which its mechanical properties are derived by fitting measurements to an analytical model. Of particular interest is the shear modulus of bladder wall at different volumes, which we hypothesize, is similar to measuring the compliance characteristics of the bladder.
Human sirtuin 2 localization, transient interactions, and impact on the proteome point to its role in intracellular trafficking

Human sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) is an NAD+-dependent deacetylase that primarily functions in the cytoplasm, where it can regulate α-tubulin acetylation levels. SIRT2 is linked to cancer progression, neurodegeneration, and infection with bacteria or viruses. However, the current knowledge about its interactions and the means through which it exerts its functions has remained limited. Here, we aimed to gain a better understanding of its cellular functions by characterizing SIRT2 subcellular localization, the identity and relative stability of its protein interactions, and its impact on the proteome of primary human fibroblasts. To assess the relative stability of SIRT2 interactions, we used immunoaffinity purification in conjunction with both label-free and metabolic labeling quantitative mass spectrometry. In addition to the expected associations with cytoskeleton proteins, including its known substrate TUBA1A, our results reveal that SIRT2 specifically interacts with proteins functioning in membrane trafficking, secretory processes, and transcriptional regulation. By quantifying their relative stability, we found most interactions to be transient, indicating a dynamic SIRT2 environment. We discover that SIRT2 localizes to the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC), and that this recruitment requires an intact ER-Golgi trafficking pathway. Further expanding these findings, we used microscopy and interaction assays to establish the interaction and coregulation of SIRT2 with liprin-β1 scaffolding protein (PPFiBP1), a protein with roles in focal adhesions disassembly. As SIRT2 functions may be accomplished via interactions, enzymatic activity, and transcriptional regulation, we next assessed the impact of SIRT2 levels on the cellular proteome. SIRT2 knockdown led to changes in the levels of proteins functioning in membrane trafficking, including some of its interaction partners. Altogether, our study expands the knowledge of SIRT2 cytoplasmic functions to define a previously unrecognized involvement in intracellular trafficking pathways, which may contribute to its roles in cellular homeostasis and human diseases.
Psychological Factors in Adolescent Headache

Seventy high school students between 16 and 18 years of age reporting a headache frequency of once a week or more were compared with a headache-free control group and were studied by questionnaires for psychosocial, health-behavior, and medical problems at the Dept of Child and Youth Psychiatry, University Hospital of Uppsala, Sweden.
Do obsessive beliefs predict body image disturbance

Abstract The controversial re-classification of body dysmorphic disorder with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders chapter of the latest diagnostic statistical manual was based primarily on neuropsychological research and theory. However, little research has examined the extent to which cognitive variables known to be important in the development and maintenance OCD (e.g., “obsessive beliefs”) are related to body image disturbance (BID). The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that obsessive beliefs uniquely predict BID after controlling for other related variables. A total of 601 participants completed a battery of self-report measures of BID severity, obsessive beliefs, OCD symptoms, general distress, and pathological eating attitudes. As predicted, BID was positively correlated with all three obsessive belief domains. Contrary to hypotheses, only the need for perfectionism/certainty obsessive belief domain emerged as a significant unique predictor of BID. Limitations and potential implications for understanding, assessing, and treating BID-related conditions are discussed.
Draft Genome Sequences of Lactobacillus animalis Strain P38 and Lactobacillus reuteri Strain P43 Isolated from Chicken Cecum.

ABSTRACT Here, we present the genome sequence of Lactobacillus animalis strain P38 and Lactobacillus reuteri strain P43, both isolated from the cecum content of a 4-week old chicken fed a diet supplemented with the prebiotic β(1-4)galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS). These indigenous Lactobacillus isolates are potential probiotic organisms for poultry.
In Vitro lipolysis is associated with whole-body lipid oxidation and weight gain in humans.

Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Sympathetic Nerve Activity Promotes Cardiomyocyte Cell-Cycle Arrest And Binucleation

Adult mammalian hearts typically have little capacity to regenerate after injuries such as myocardial infarction. In contrast, neonatal mice during the first week of life possess an incredible ability to regenerate their hearts, though this capacity is lost shortly after birth. The physiological triggers mediating this transition remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that sympathetic nerve activity promotes cardiomyocyte cell-cycle arrest and binucleation. In mice hearts lacking sympathetic nerve inputs, we observe increased mononucleated cardiomyocyte numbers and elevated cardiomyocyte proliferation. Additionally, increased cardiomyocyte mononucleation and proliferation are observed in mice with genetic and pharmacological inhibition of β-adrenergic receptors (βARs), which mediate sympathetic nerve signaling. Using in vitro cultures of neonatal cardiomyocytes, we demonstrate that activation of β-adrenergic receptors results in decreased cardiomyocyte proliferation that is mediated through cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) signaling. Taken together, these results suggest that sympathetic nerve activity may play a role in limiting the ability of mammalian hearts to regenerate by restricting cardiomyocyte proliferation and promoting cytokinesis failure leading to multinucleation.
Optical properties of semiconductor-core fibers for mid-IR transmission (Conference Presentation)

Mid-infrared (IR) fibers have been extensively investigated due to their applicability in chemical sensing and remote laser delivery, among others. Materials such as chalcogenides and fluoride glasses transmit mid-IR wavelengths with low practical losses. However, their low glass transition temperatures make them chemically unstable, even at room temperatures, resulting in performance degradation over time. Semiconductors, such as germanium, have a wide transmission window in the mid-IR region, and offer significantly improved chemical stability. In this research, germanium-core, borosilicate-cladded fibers were drawn by a ‘rod in tube’ method using a mini draw tower assembled in-house at 1000°C, which is significantly lower than the drawing temperatures of 2000-2200°C for conventional silica fibers. Typical drawn fibers had a 40 μm core diameter and 177 μm cladding diameter. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that diffusion of oxygen and silicon from the cladding to the core during the drawing process was minimal, with diffusion distances of the order of 10s of nm. This is encouraging for mid-IR transmission, since the presence of oxygen in the fiber core is known to increase transmission losses in the mid-IR spectrum. This low diffusivity is presumably due to the relatively low drawing temperature. Transmission losses through the fibers were measured with a quantum cascade laser (QCL) and the losses were found to be in the 3-9 dB/cm range in the spectral range of 5.75-6.3 μm.
Manipulation of sensory input can improve stretching outcomes.

The primary purpose of our study was to assess the influence of modulating sensory input with either transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) or self-massage with therapy balls on the max...
Prolactinoma through the female life cycle

Prolactinomas are the most common secretory pituitary adenoma. They typically occur in women in the 3rd-6th decade of life and rarely in the pediatric population or after menopause. Most women present with irregular menses and/or infertility. Dopamine (DA) agonists, used in their treatment, are safe during pregnancy, but in most cases are discontinued at conception with close monitoring for signs or symptoms of tumor growth. Breastfeeding is safe postpartum, provided there was no significant growth during pregnancy. Some women will experience normalization of prolactin levels postpartum. Menopause may also decrease prolactin levels and even those with macroprolactinomas may consider discontinuing their DA agonist with close follow-up. Prolactinomas may be associated with decreased quality of life scores in women, and play a role in bone health and cardiovascular risk factors. This review discusses the current literature and clinical understanding of prolactinomas throughout the entirety of the female life cycle.
Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: Helping Patients Make Informed Choices

Using direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT), individuals can order a genetic test, collect and submit a saliva sample, and obtain results about their genetic risk for a variety of traits and health conditions without involving a healthcare provider. Potential benefits of DTCGT include personal control over genetic information and health management decisions, whereas potential risks include misinterpretation of results, psychosocial distress, and lack of informed consent. Oncology nurses can provide education, support, and advocacy to enable patients to truly understand the positives and negatives associated with DTCGT. .
Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: National Practice Patterns, Outcomes, and Predictors of Survival.

This study of a large, contemporary national database evaluated management patterns, outcomes, and prognostic factors of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) in the USA. The National Cancer Data Base was queried for newly diagnosed nonmetastatic MPM. Patients were divided into five cohorts: observation, chemotherapy alone, cytoreductive surgery (CRS) alone, CRS/chemo [referring to any non-hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) chemotherapy], and CRS/HIPEC. Statistics included multivariable logistic regression, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and Cox proportional hazards modeling. Of 1514 patients, 379 (25%) underwent observation, 370 (24%) received chemotherapy only, 197 (13%) CRS alone, 352 (23%) CRS/chemo, and 216 (14%) CRS/HIPEC. No major temporal trends in management were noted. Factors predictive of CRS administration included younger age, female gender, insurance status, residence in educated areas, living farther from treating institutions, and treatment at academic centers (p < 0.05 for all). Compared with epithelioid histology, those with sarcomatoid and biphasic histology were less and more likely to undergo CRS, respectively (p < 0.05 for both). In all CRS patients, 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0.8 and 1.2%, respectively. At median follow-up of 50 months, median OS in the respective groups was 6, 17, 21, 52, and 61 months (p < 0.001). Poor prognostic factors included advanced age, male gender, uninsured/Medicaid insurance, and sarcomatoid/biphasic histology (p < 0.05 for all). In the USA, MPM is treated using a wide variety of strategies. Many factors impact the type of treatment delivered, including age, sociodemographics, geography, histology, and facility type. Although these data do not imply causation, combined-modality management seems associated with the longest OS.
Functional Characterization of Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Polymerase by inVitroTranscription-Translation of Cloned Genes

We have had a long-standing interest in EBV DNA polymerase because of the interaction between this enzyme and antiviral drugs. Since EBV DNA polymerase is essential for viral replication, the study of this enzyme should provide information useful for the rational design of drugs for antiviral chemotherapy and a deeper understanding of the control mechanism of EBV replication.