cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A single center 10‐year clinical experience with superior vena cava retrievable filters

PURPOSE To report a 10-year clinical experience with superior vena cava (SVC) retrievable filters. METHODS A retrospective review of patients with SVC filters was performed between 2008 and 2018 in a single tertiary medical center. Patient demographics, indications for filter placement, type of filter placed, and clinical evolution were recorded. Complications during placement, retrieval, and follow-up were determined. RESULTS Fifty patients ages 17-89 years (average 54) underwent SVC retrievable filter placement. Main indication for filter placement was deep venous thrombosis of the major upper extremity and/or internal jugular veins with contraindications to anticoagulation. Complications during placement included inadvertent filter placement in the right brachiocephalic vein in two patients, another patient had a leg of the filter entrapped in the tip of a hemodialysis catheter that required filter reposition and line exchange. Thirteen patients had attempted retrieval with 12 filters successfully removed 7-420 days after placement (mean 170). On follow-up images available in 24 patients, 13 filters were noted to be significantly tilted and 10 filters had evidence of leg penetration. No other serious late complications were noted. CONCLUSION The use of retrievable SVC filters in patients with upper extremity DVT is highly questionable. There is a high incidence of filter malposition, filter tilting, and leg penetration.
Surgical Skills Across the Spectrum: Comparing Surgical Skill Based on Surgical Experience Using a Standardized, High-Fidelity Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Model

Study Objective To determine differences in surgical skills and confidence in the completion of a standardized total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) between Ob-Gyns with different levels of training and expertise. Design Prospective, single-blinded, case-control study. Setting Simulated operating room. Patients or Participants Four categories of Ob-Gyns: (1) graduating residents (n=13), (2) graduating FMIGS fellows (n=11), (3) generalists (n=15), and (4) fellowship-trained MIGS specialists (n=19), totaling 58 participants. Interventions All participants completed pre-simulation questionnaires assessing laparoscopic surgical confidence. They then performed a video-recorded TLH on a standardized 250 gram novel biologic model developed by Gynesim and completed a post-simulation questionnaire. Measurements and Main Results The procedures were randomized and scored by blinded expert reviewers in MIGS and Gynecology Oncology using the validated Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS). The surgery was divided into 5 standardized segments: (1) adnexa, (2) broad ligament, bladder flap, vascular pedicles, (3) colpotomy, (4) cuff closure, and (5) tissue extraction. Highest score = 35. Specialists (average 8.9 years in practice) scored highest in all categories (mean scores 30.95, 31.16, 32.21, 31.37 and 33.26, respectively [p Conclusion When performing a TLH on a standardized 250g uterus, fellowship-trained experts achieved higher OSATS in all areas and completed all procedural components faster. Recent MIGS fellowship graduates performed similarly to generalists practicing an average of 20 years.
Revisiting the Faces of Whiteness in the Distinguished Scholars Controversy

This essay deals with a controversy that erupted in June 2019 surrounding the National Communication Association and a decision made by its Executive Committee to change procedures for selecting Distinguished Scholars (DS). In the aftermath of this decision, a series of responses, letters, and public posts to a discipline-specific listserv (CRTNET) emerged from many of the DS, as well as a vast array of scholars within the discipline. In this essay, I revisit John T. Warren and Kathy Hytten9s “faces of whiteness” and propose a fifth problematic face of whiteness that I argue is readily identifiable within the discourse of multiple DS.
No-drain Technique in Abdominal Closure for Breast Reconstruction: Lower Complication Rate, Shorter Hospitalization Stay.

Background Progressive tension suture (PTS) technique in cosmetic abdominoplasty is safe in terms of seroma rates. This was extrapolated to deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap donor site closure. No study to our knowledge has analyzed the PTS technique alone without drains in transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap donor sites. We aim to show that no-drain closure has similar complication rates and this may be applied to TRAM flaps safely even though they have higher drain output. Methods A single-center, single-surgeon retrospective study was performed over 4 years. Patients undergoing breast reconstruction with an abdominal flap were included. Data collected included patient's demographics, type of flap, usage of drains or PTS technique, drain output, date of fitness for discharge, date of discharge, and seroma rates. The outcomes studied were drain volumes, seroma rates, and duration of hospital stay. Results Fifty patients were recruited. The first 25 patients (13 DIEP and 12 TRAM) underwent conventional closure. The subsequent 25 patients (17 DIEP and 8 TRAM) underwent PTS technique. TRAM flaps had higher drain volume (785.6 mL) compared to DIEP flaps (366.2 mL) (P = 0.047). No patients developed a seroma. Patients who underwent the PTS technique had lower abdominal-specific complications (P = 0.021). Patients without drains were discharged faster at 5.4 versus 8.2 days (P ≤ 0.001). Conclusions Patients who underwent the PTS technique had lower complication rates, faster time to fitness for discharge and shorter hospitalization stay. The PTS technique may be applied to TRAM flaps safely.
How We Manage Hypertension in a Patient with a Recent Stroke.

Each year in the United States, nearly 800,000 people experience a stroke, which can cause detrimental effects on functional status, independence, and quality of life. Approximately 25% of these strokes are recurrent strokes with a case mortality rate of 41% (versus 22% for an initial stroke) ([1][1
SLA as a mechanism to manage risks related to chatbot services.

Intelligent Chatbot services become one of the mainstream applications in user help and many other areas. Apart from bringing numerous benefits to users these services may bring additional risks to the companies that employ them. The study starts with the review of the scale of chatbot industry and common use cases by focusing on their applications & industry tendencies. Review of functionality and architecture of typical chatbot services shows the potential risks associated with chatbots. Analysis of such risks in the paper helped to build a checklist that security managers can use to assess risks prior to chatbot implementation. The proposed checklist was tested by reviewing a number of Service Level Agreements (SLA) of real chatbot providers.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections Induce Hypermetabolism in Pediatric Upper Airways

To determine whether respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) regulates human metabolism, we used positron emission tomography (PET) of patient lungs along with bioenergetics and metabolomics of patient upper airway cells and fluids. We previously found a significant negative monotonic relationship between glucose uptake and respiratory viral infection in 20 pediatric patients (e.g., 70% of infected patients had glucose uptake within 0–3 days). In our recent study, 3 out of 4 patients positive for glucose uptake at later times (>5 days) were positive for RSV infection. At present, the bioenergetics of upper respiratory cells (URCs) from nasal pharyngeal aspirates have not been investigated, and in vitro studies indicate RSV reduces metabolism in cell lines. To define metabolic changes in RSV-infected pediatric patients, we acquired fresh aspirates from 6 pediatric patients. Immediately following aspiration of URCs, we measured the two major energy pathways using an XFe flux analyzer. Glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration were significantly increased in URCs from RSV-infected patients, and mitochondrial respiration was operating at near maximal levels, resulting in loss of cellular capacity to increase respiration with impaired coupling efficiency. Metabolomics analysis of metabolites flushed from the upper airways confirmed a significant increase in TCA cycle intermediates. Taken together, these studies demonstrate RSV induces significant hypermetabolism in pediatric patients’ lungs and respiratory tract. Thus, hypermetabolism is a potential anti-viral drug target and reveals RSV can regulate human metabolism. Contributions to the field Metabolic changes in humans in response to viral infection are largely unknown. In this brief clinical report, we find metabolism is markedly increased in live upper respiratory cells from infants infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) concomitant to changes in metabolites in their upper airway fluids. This sheds light on viral induced hypermetabolism in the airways and offers potential biomarkers for RSV. In addition, this identifies potential therapeutic targets for host directed therapies of aberrant metabolism in RSV. This work has clinical impact as biomarkers and therapeutics for RSV are needed for this pervasive virus that causes infections with long term consequence for some children. Further, advancements in molecular mechanisms underpinning RSV infection biology are constrained by the difficulties in translating model systems to humans as well as relating human studies in adults to infants ([Mestas and Hughes, 2004][1]; [Papin et al., 2013][2]). ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. [1]: #ref-32 [2]: #ref-39
Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition and the Reverse Contributes to Heart Failure and Recovery Thereafter

Introduction Previous studies have demonstrated Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EndMT) in heart failure (HF) and it likely contributes to cardiac fibrosis. The reverse phenomenon of Mesenchymal to Endothelial Transition (MET) has not been well described in the setting of reversal of fibrosis. We aim to evaluate the occurrence of such cell transitions in mouse model of non-ischemic HF and recovery from HF. Hypothesis Endothelial to Mesenhcymal transitions contribute to heart failure while the reverse contributes to the recovery from HF. Methods HF is induced in C57BL/6 mice by exposure to water containing L-NAME and NaCL and implantation of an osmotic pump delivering Angiotensin II, which induces HF in 5 weeks. At 5 weeks the pump runs out of Angiotensin II and the water is changed back to normal water. Previous observations have shown a reduction of heart failure markers over an additional 14 weeks (19 week total). In the current experiment we decided to focus during the maximum reversal of fibrosis based on previous data and hence stopped the recovery phase at Week 9. Dual immunohistochemical staining was applied using antibodies to α-SMA (fibroblast cell marker) and CD31 (endothelial cell marker) to identify cells under transition. Results In line with previous observations the HF phenotype peaks at week 5 and reverses through week 9. (Figure 1B). Dual staining cells have a double peak during Week 3 and Week7 suggesting cell transitions to contribute to both heart failure and recovery. Conclusions While endothelial to mesenchymal transition contributes to the fibrotic state of heart failure, the reverse transitions could be playing a role in the remodeling of the heart in recovery.
Quantifying production of hot firebrands using a fire-resistant fabric

Identifying the number of firebrands generated during wildfires is an important aspect of understanding their propagation. A key challenge in quantifying the number of firebrands released is to distinguish those that are ‘hot’ and could lead to further fire spread from the total number released. Recently, a fire-resistant fabric was used to quantify the number of ‘hot’ firebrands released from different species of trees (based on char marks). However, information regarding the temperatures of the firebrands leaving the char marks was not reported. In this paper, we demonstrate a methodology for characterising the charring behaviour of fire-resistant fabrics and illustrate how the fabric can be used for firebrand generation studies. The results established a minimum temperature (300°C) for char mark formation. The sensitivities of charring to temperature and time of contact between the fabric and heater are reported. A first-order analysis estimated the char mark area to be an exponential function of the temperature, power input and time of exposure. Illustrating the usefulness of the approach, the fire-resistant fabric was deployed to study hot firebrand production rates for trees treated with and without a fire retardant. The number of hot firebrands produced was lower for trees coated with fire retardant.
THE NORMALIZATION EFFECT OF NEUTRAL B0 MESON ASYMMETRY

In the study of CP violation asymmetry in CPLEAR, the decay rate of neutral meson is normalized and its experimental analysis has been well established, while normalization effect has been considered in B physics. After investigation on the normalization effect in BABAR, we conclude that it can be justified to neglect this effect due to the suppressed decays that are contributed from both B0 and $\bar B^0$.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Disability, and the Injustice of Misrecognition

This article makes the case that the normative aspirations of recognition politics are worth pursuing as a dimension of disability politics— although the tactics need to be revised— through an interpretation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein . Specifically, I read Frankenstein's Creature as a visibly disabled subject, as someone who is misrecognized and mistreated due to his body's physical features, in order to analyze the tragedy of the novel: how the not-so-monstrous Creature can never see himself as anything other than a monster since he is never afforded the positive recognition he desires. The article concludes by considering how the tragedy could have been avoided in an attempt to envision a better path toward social justice for people with disabilities and other victims of identity-based subordination. More broadly, this article attempts to bring Mary Shelley into the political theory canon, casting her as a progressive social critic who believed that misrecognition creates monsters out of those who are negatively labelled as such.
Diversity and the timing of preference in hiring decisions

Abstract We consider a hiring procedure in which candidates are evaluated in sequence by two agents of the firm. We illustrate how one agent’s interest in enhancing diversity can indirectly influence the other agent’s hiring decisions. Where there is an unequal interest in diversity across the two decision makers, this can be sufficiently offsetting that even highly productive candidates who also enhance diversity are less likely to be hired. In an experimental setting, we first establish that incentivizing subjects to choose females (males) induces them into choosing females (males). Importantly, then, we establish that when subjects who screen candidates in an earlier stage know about this pending incentive they systematically avoid forwarding females (males) when they jeopardize the candidacy of higher-ranking male (female) candidates.
Los intérpretes de lenguas en las Nuevas Poblaciones de Sierra Morena y Andalucía durante el siglo XVIII

In the second half of the 18th century, promoted by the Enlightened government of King Charles III of Spain, an experiment of agrarian colonization was launched in the south of the Iberian Peninsula employing families from Central Europe. Initially, the new settlers only spoke their mother tongues (German, French and Italian, mostly), so the figure of the language interpreter was essential to facilitate communication. However, this function, like those who performed it, has not been analyzed until now; indeed, this article explores the figure of the interpreter in these new settlements during their first years of their existence.
The Theory of the Rayleigh Distribution and Some of Its Applications

The first part of the paper deals with the mathematical properties of the Rayleigh distribution, including but not limited to the density function, the moment generating function, the maximum likelihood estimator, confidence intervals, and the bivariate Rayleigh distribution. The second part deals with applications of the Rayleigh distribution to the analysis of the response of marine vehicles to wave excitation. These applications are illustrated with regard to ocean waves, short-and long- term bending moment responses of a ship, and the "target problem" applied to the relationship between wind speed, wave height, and stress.
Telomeres, Telomerase, Chromosome Stability, and Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer exhibits diverse clinical behavior, a phenotypic reflection of the heterogeneous genetic and epigenetic aberrations underlying this disease. Recent work indicates that short, dysfunctional telomeres may be responsible for much of this genetic damage. Telomeres are essential DNA elements located at the ends of each chromosome. Telomeres shorten because of cell division and damage from reactive oxygen species, such as those elaborated by the inflammatory response. Recent studies indicate that abnormal telomere shortening occurs in the earliest phase of prostate tumorigenesis, at the pre-invasive prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) stage, and that telomeres remain short in the majority of prostate adenocarcinomas. Thus, it is likely that telomere dysfunction plays a key role in both the initiation and progression of prostate cancer and evidence indicates that telomere length may have prognostic value.
The silicon lateral trench detector in multi-Gb/s receiver systems

Using a simple model based on a parallel plate approximation it is shown, as expected, that a PIN base receiver can outperform an LTD analog but that the advantages of monolithic integration can in many cases make up for that difference. For bandwidths in excess of 3GHz the cost advantages of a monolithic silicon technology might still make the LTD the detector of choice in many applications especially for short haul high speed links for computer interconnects.
Evolving robot vision: increasing performance through shaping

Automated methods for designing robot controllers based on machine-learning techniques have shown great promise when applied to simple robot tasks, but in order to 'scale up' to more complicated problems they will require assistance from human experts, a process that is often called 'robot shaping'. In this paper, the difficult problem of learning how to visually track moving objects is examined. It is shown that through the use of shaping techniques, this intractable learning problem can be made solvable. Controllers are evolved in simulation and then transferred to a real robot.
Kuna Yala, Tierra de Mar. Ecología y Territorio Indígena en Panamá (Mónica Martínez Mauri)

Antes de comentar esta valiosa obra etnografica, considero necesario retomar las preguntas que hace Guber en su libro “La etnografia, metodo, campo y reflexividad”, “?Acaso vale la pena escribir un volumen sobre trabajo de campo etnografico en los albores del siglo XXI? ?Por que alentar una metodologia artesanal en la era de la informatica, las encuestas de opinion y el Internet solo para conocer de primera mano como viven y piensan los distintos pueblos de la Tierra?”
Conditions necessary for capillary hysteresis in porous media: Tests of grain size and surface tension influences

[1] Hysteresis in the relation between water saturation and matric potential is generally regarded as a basic aspect of unsaturated porous media. However, the nature of an upper length scale limit for saturation hysteresis has not been previously addressed. Since hysteresis depends on whether or not capillary rise occurs at the grain scale, this criterion was used to predict required combinations of grain size, surface tension, fluid-fluid density differences, and acceleration in monodisperse systems. The Haines number (Ha), composed of the aforementioned variables, is proposed as a dimensionless number useful for separating hysteretic (Ha 15) behavior. Vanishing of hysteresis was predicted to occur for grain sizes greater than 10.4 ± 0.5 mm, for water-air systems under the acceleration of ordinary gravity, based on Miller-Miller scaling and Haines' original model for hysteresis. Disappearance of hysteresis was tested through measurements of drainage and wetting curves of sands and gravels and occurs between grain sizes of 10 and 14 mm (standard conditions). The influence of surface tension was tested through measurements of moisture retention in 7 mm gravel, without and with a surfactant (sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS)). The ordinary water system (Ha = 7) exhibited hysteresis, while the SDBS system (Ha = 18) did not. The experiments completed in this study indicate that hysteresis in moisture retention relations has an upper limit at Ha = 16 ± 2 and show that hysteresis is not a fundamental feature of unsaturated porous media.
Untreated endocervical gonorrhea and endometritis following elective abortion

Abstract A matched-pair analysis of 228 cases of endometritis occurring over a two-year period in 4,823 elective abortion patients was carried out. Patients with postabortal endometritis were matched with control subjects for age, parity, race, pay status, time of abortion, and type of abortion procedure. The prevalence of endocervical gonorrhea was 2.7 per cent in the entire group seeking abortion, with 14.7 per cent of patients with gonorrhea subsequently developing endometritis. The matched-pair analysis detected a threefold increased risk for endometritis in patients with untreated gonoccocal endocervicitis when compared with control subjects (p
Osler–Weber–Rendu Syndrome

Osler–Weber–Rendu syndrome, also known as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, is an autosomal dominant hereditary disorder characterized by mucocutaneous and visceral telangiectasias and multiorgan arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Neurological manifestations of the disease result from right-to-left pulmonary shunting from portosystemic encephalopathy caused by hepatic AVMs and from AVMs affecting the brain and spinal cord.
Inclusion of Organometallics in Zeolite Host Structures

An overview is given on new synthetic strategies to stabilize organometallic fragments in the cage system of large-pore zeolites. A common theme is the utilization of intrazeolite bridged hydroxyl groups as reactive centers for surface chemistry. The intracavity chemistry of [CpFe(CO)2]2 (Fp2), COTFe(CO)3 (COT), CpFe(CO)2CH3 and ferrocene in different acid forms of zeolite Y has been studied with EXAFS, in situ FTIR, and TPD-MS spectroscopies. Depending on the stoichiometry of zeolite protons vs. the amount of starting complex, different reaction routes are observed, including oxidative cleavage or protonation of Fp2 and ligand rearrangement of COT. The stability of all complexes is influenced by the intracavity concentration of the zeolite bridged hydroxyl groups. Upon treatment at higher temperatures under vacuum, carbonyl and other ligands split off from the complexes and the remaining fragments attach to the zeolite host structure via oxygen coordination. These fragments are stabilized against migration and agglomeration.
Upsilon Production at CDF

We report on measurements of the Upsilon(1S), Upsilon(2S) and Upsilon(3S) differential and integrated cross sections in pp(bar) collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV. The three resonances were reconstructed through the decay Upsilon-->mu(+)mu(-). The cross section measurements are compared to theoretical models of direct bottomonium production.
Tadalafil for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Japanese Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Results from a 12-week Placebo-controlled Dose-finding Study with a 42-week Open-label Extension.

Objectives: To examine the efficacy, safety, and dose response of tadalafil once daily in Japanese men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH-LUTS). Methods: Men ≥45 years with moderate-to-severe BPH-LUTS were randomized to once-daily placebo (N = 140), tadalafil 2.5 mg (N = 142), or tadalafil 5.0 mg (N = 140), in a 12-week double-blind phase, followed by a 42-week, tadalafil 5.0 mg open-label extension (OLE) phase (N = 394). The primary outcome was total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) change from baseline to last available observation in the double-blind phase. Results: The least squares (LS) mean difference between placebo and tadalafil in total IPSS change from baseline was −0.7 (P = 0.201) and −1.1 (P = 0.062) for tadalafil 2.5 and 5 mg, respectively (ANCOVA; a dose-dependent improvement in placebo-adjusted total IPSS for tadalafil 5 mg versus 2.5 mg of 57%). Repeated-measures analyses identified a significant total IPSS change for tadalafil 5 mg (LS mean difference between placebo and tadalafil 5 mg: −1.2; P = 0.035), but not tadalafil 2.5 mg, at week 12. Significant improvements for tadalafil 5 mg were demonstrated (ANCOVA) for IPSS obstructive subscore (P = 0.033) and IPSS quality of life index (P = 0.022). Numerical improvements in IPSS scores were maintained over the OLE phase. Tadalafil was well tolerated with no unexpected adverse events. Conclusion: Tadalafil (5.0 mg) had a favorable benefit-to-risk profile, supporting further investigation of tadalafil (5.0 mg) in Japanese men with BPH-LUTS.
System of Systems Integration: Key Considerations and Challenges

As systems are called on to participate on demand within system-of-systems SoS, system-of-systems integration SoSI has become a key concern. This capability is especially important in defense and aerospace where systems are increasingly required to interoperate on demand to satisfy mission requirements. SoSI is also becoming increasingly important in healthcare and energy domains. SoSI involves interfacing and enabling the interactions of component systems to create the needed SoS capability to accomplish mission or business goals. SoSI, which is part of the overall SoS development life cycle, increases in complexity when there are legacy systems that need to be integrated, and when humans are tasked to perform in various capacities within the SoS. An added layer of complexity is introduced when the SoS has to exhibit certain quality attributes such as adaptability and resilience in the face of contingencies and disruptions in the operational environment. This paper addresses key considerations and challenges in SoSI.
Sedation and Analgesia in Critically Ill Children

The interplay of pain, discomfort, and fear can cause agitation in critically ill children. Therefore, sedation and analgesia are essential components in the intensive care unit setting and are best managed with a multidisciplinary team approach. No one standard approach exists to assess and manage pain and anxiety. Many tools are available for the assessment of pain and sedation, but each tool has its advantages and disadvantages. Clinicians should consider adopting a validated tool for routine continuous assessment. Multiple pharmacological therapies are available to manage pain, anxiety, fear, and agitation. Dosing of these agents can be influenced by age-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes. Agents should be selected on the basis of the child’s disease state, desired level of sedation, and cardiac and respiratory status.
Follow-up of a family group suffering from ichthyosis hystrix type Curth-Macklin.

A family examined by Curth and Macklin in 1952 and found to suffer from generalized or localized forms of ichthyosis, was reexamined in 1970. The concept that the disorder had been conditioned by a dominant gene which manifested itself with varying degrees of severity in the various family members, seemed proved again.
Transsynaptic Control of Presynaptic Ca2+ Influx Achieves Homeostatic Potentiation of Neurotransmitter Release

Summary Given the complexity of the nervous system and its capacity for change, it is remarkable that robust, reproducible neural function and animal behavior can be achieved. It is now apparent that homeostatic signaling systems have evolved to stabilize neural function [1–3]. At the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of organisms ranging from Drosophila to human, inhibition of postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptor function causes a homeostatic increase in presynaptic release that precisely restores postsynaptic excitation [4]. Here we address what occurs within the presynaptic terminal to achieve homeostatic potentiation of release at the Drosophila NMJ. By imaging presynaptic Ca 2+ transients evoked by single action potentials, we reveal a retrograde, transsynaptic modulation of presynaptic Ca 2+ influx that is sufficient to account for the rapid induction and sustained expression of the homeostatic change in vesicle release. We show that the homeostatic increase in Ca 2+ influx and release is blocked by a point mutation in the presynaptic CaV2.1 channel, demonstrating that the modulation of presynaptic Ca 2+ influx through this channel is causally required for homeostatic potentiation of release. Together with additional analyses, we establish that retrograde, transsynaptic modulation of presynaptic Ca 2+ influx through CaV2.1 channels is a key factor underlying the homeostatic regulation of neurotransmitter release.
Partial rescue of defects in Cited2-deficient embryos by HIF-1α heterozygosity

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) initiates key cellular and tissue responses to physiological and pathological hypoxia. Evidence from in vitro and structural analyses supports a critical role for Cited2 in down-regulating HIF-1-mediated transcription by competing for binding with oxygen-sensitive HIF-1alpha to transcriptional co-activators CBP/p300. We previously detected elevated expression of HIF-1 target genes in Cited2(-/-) embryonic hearts, indicating that Cited2 inhibits HIF-1 transactivation in vivo. In this study, we show for the first time that highly hypoxic cardiac regions in mouse embryos corresponded to the sites of defects in Cited2(-/-) embryos and that defects of the outflow tract, interventricular septum, cardiac vasculature, and hyposplenia were largely rescued by HIF-1alpha haploinsufficiency. The hypoxia of the outflow tract and interventricular septum peaked at E13.5 and dissipated by E15.5 in wild-type hearts, but persisted in E15.5 Cited2(-/-) hearts. The persistent hypoxia and abnormal vasculature in the myocardium of interventricular septum in E15.5 Cited2(-/-) hearts were rescued with decreased HIF-1alpha gene dosage. Accordingly, mRNA levels of HIF-1-responsive genes were reduced in Cited2(-/-) embryonic hearts by HIF-1alpha heterozygosity. These findings suggest that a precise level of HIF-1 transcriptional activity critical for normal development is triggered by differential hypoxia and regulated through feedback inhibition by Cited2.
Behavioral intention formation : the interdependency of attitudinal and social influence variables

Flshbein and Ajzen have proposed a theory in which behavioral intention formation is a function of the separable effects of attitude and the social norm. A variable network is deduced from their writings that explicitly models complex variable interdependencies not previously subjected to empirical testing. The findings from an experimental test support a model in which normative variables mediate the effects of both cognitive and normative information on behavioral intentions. Implications for the theory's central equations and for information processing in general are discussed.
Replicating high-quality medical care organizations.

MOST AGREE ON THE NEED FOR RESTRUCTURING the US health care delivery system and increasing the capacity to provide coordinated care across the illness continuum in a patientcentered fashion. There is strong interest in developing accountable care organizations that have the capacities to (1) monitor meaningfully patient needs and outcomes, (2) use performance indicators for assessment of physicians and other professionals, and (3) implement new forms of reimbursement that result in improved quality while constraining increases in cost. A range of exemplary models are commonly used as examples including the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser-Permanente, and Geisinger Health System but these examples are poorly matched to the existing distribution of medical practices and their small sizes. In 2005-2006, almost half of all physicians practiced by themselves or in partnerships and only 9% were in groups of 11 or more. Group organization in primary care was much the same. The notion that the organizational structures and cultures of the exemplary models can be replicated in even a decade seems unlikely. Major changes in reimbursement can expedite structural changes and aggregation of physicians into larger entities but changing the culture and developing new shared norms of professional responsibility and practice, effective teamwork, and an evidence-based and patientcentered perspective will be a more enduring challenge. Data from the Dartmouth Atlas and related studies suggest that many of these models offer care at more modest expenditure levels than typical of high-cost areas. As the advocacy and reasoning goes, transferring the successful approaches used by these settings will substantially improve care and lead to large savings that bend the cost curve downward. The problem is that an established approach for doing so is lacking, potentially leading to resistance and practical problems. A point often overlooked is that the culture of these exemplary centers and care systems developed over time (in some cases over a century or more), and in no case quickly; and the organizations that are admired are the successful entities, often with extraordinary leadership, and not those that failed or faltered along the way. In this mix, Kaiser Permanente is a relative newcomer, first sponsored by Kaiser industries in the late 1930s as an industrial health care program for their construction, shipyard, and industrial workers. Expenditures can be reduced by payment constraints on health care organizations and clinicians and by increasing patient cost sharing. But such crude constraints do not distinguish between appropriate and wasteful care seeking among patients. Nor do they prevent manipulation of reimbursement by health organizations and physicians such as risk avoidance, shifting responsibility to others, increasing volume, or up coding. The changes needed to realistically reorganize the provision of care requires reconstituting the norms and culture of the work of physicians and other professionals through their buy-in and centrality in change efforts.
The rate of respiration of potato tubers during storage. 2. Results of experiments in 1972 and 1973 1,2

The rates of respiration of potato tubers in storage were determined with a number of commercial cultivars and breeding lines in 1972 and, in a more systematical way, with six commercial cultivars in 1973. The ranges of respiration rates in mg CO2 kg−1 h−1 during the main storage period were 1.5–4.0 at 2.5°C, 1.5–2.5 at 5.0°C, 1.0–2.0 at 7.5°C, 1.0–3.0 at 10.0°C, 1.5–5.5 at 12.5°C and 2.5–12.5 at 15.0°C. At the start of the storage season, the rates, particularly at 2.5 and 5.0°C, were higher than during the main storage period. During late winter and early spring the rate of respiration of the tubers stored at the highest temperatures increased considerably. The minimum rates of respiration were found in December, except at 2.5°C when the minimum was in February. The rate of respiration was a clear characteristic of the cultivar, independent form both earliness in the field and length of dormant period. The rate of respiration increased noticeably when sprouts were at least 1 cm long.
Effect of Gutai Decoction on the abortion rate of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Objective: To study the effect of Chinese herbal medicine Gutai Decoction (GTD) on the abortion rate ofin vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).Methods: Observed were two hundred and forty-seven women having received IVF-ET and with β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) > 25 IU/L on the 14th day after transferring. All were treated conventionally with progesterone 20 –80 mg per day after transferring and if necessary the treatment was supplemented with Progynova 2 –4 mg per day, with the medication withdrawn gradually from the 9th week of pregnancy till stopped completely. Among them 131 cases received GTD medication additionally, for 109 cases of whom the medication started from the 2nd day of transferring (taken as Group A) and for the other 22 cases from the 14th day after transferring (taken as Group B), the other 116 cases with no additional GTD treatment given were taken as the control group, with the medication lasting to the 12th week. The abortion rate in them was observed.Results: The abortion rate in Group A, Group B and the control group was 12.84%, 13.64% and 23.28%, respectively, the difference between the GTD treated groups and the control group was significant (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Chinese medicine GTD could reduce abortion rate in women receiving IVF-ET.
Cushing's syndrome and avascular necrosis of bone associated with carcinoid-islet cell tumor of the pancreas.

A 69-year-old woman with Cushing's syndrome due to ACTH production by a pancreatic tumor had hypokalemia, osteoporosis, muscle wasting, and avascular necrosis of the humeral heads. She had an excellent response to bilateral adrenalectomy. These and other clinical and pathophysiologic aspects of the ectopic ACTH syndrome are discussed. The pancreatic tumor was histologically compatible with either an islet cell or a carcinoid tumor. The evidence for the histologic and functional overlap of these two types of tumor is reviewed.
Entertainment television as a healthy sex educator: the impact of condom-efficacy information in an episode of Friends.

Context. Television is often decried as a negative influence on the sexual attitudes and behavior of America’s adolescents. However, television occasionally includes messages about the risks of having sex that may have a positive effect on youth. Objective. To assess the impact of condom-efficacy messages in an episode of Friends on teens. Design, Setting, and Participants. A national sample of 506 adolescents 12 to 17 years old who had been regular viewers of Friends the previous year were surveyed by telephone shortly after the episode aired. Outcome Measures. Viewership of the Friends episode, recall of the condom-efficacy message, beliefs about condoms, self-reported change in condom knowledge, and discussions of condom efficacy with parents. Results. At least 27% of the sample saw the episode, and 65% of these viewers recalled its depiction of condom failure resulting in pregnancy. Forty percent of the viewers watched with an adult. Ten percent of viewers talked to an adult about condom efficacy as a result of the show. Compared with other viewers, youth who talked with an adult were more likely to report learning about condoms from the episode and appeared less likely to reduce their perceptions of condom efficacy after the episode. Conclusions. Entertainment television can serve as a healthy sex educator and can work in conjunction with parents to improve adolescent sexual knowledge.
Triggering pulse durations in transferred electron devices

Pairs of 1.0 ps optical pulses, each focused onto a different region of a planar GaAs transferred electron device, were separated by a variable delay time τ to initiate and then inhibit dipole domain formation. The minimum pulse durations which could trigger domains were thus observed; the minimum value of τ which generated domains in the device studied was 7 ± 3 ps.
Growth, Food Conversion and Survival of Fingerling Tilapia aurea Fed Differing Levels of Dietary Beef Tallow

Abstract Tilapia aurea fingerlings offered isonitrogenous (32% protein), isocaloric (3600 kcal/kg) semipurified diets for 12 weeks grew significantly larger (P < 0.05) on a 12% beef tallow diet than on a fat-free diet. No significant growth differences were found between the above diets and others which contained 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 14% beef tallow. Feed conversion ratio patterns (g dry feed offered/g weight gain) were similar to those for growth. Best food conversion (1.9) occurred in fish fed 12% beef tallow, while poorest (2.8) occurred in fish fed the fat-free diet. Survival was greater than 90% in all treatments, with most losses attributable to escapement. The results of this experiment indicate that beef tallow is a poor dietary lipid source for T. aurea. The generally poor growth may have been due to the relatively low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids available in the diets.
The Flower of Cuba: Rhetoric, Representation, and Circulation at the Outbreak of the Spanish-American War

Did nineteenth-century newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst manipulate representations of Evangelina Cosio y Cisneros, a young Cuban woman, in order to spark the Spanish-American War? Hearst's arguments for American intervention in Cuba represented a deceptively uncomplicated public opinion, a consensus that only appeared to have been attained through rational deliberation. Situating this event in public spheres studies, this article demonstrates how the Hearst Corporation used representations of Cisneros to disrupt boundaries between political and commercial realms.
Monitoring, loan renegotiability, and firm value: The role of lending syndicates

Abstract The positive response in capital markets to announcements of private financings is well documented and typically rationalized as a reflection of valuable monitoring and screening services provided by banks and other private lenders. This paper investigates the hypothesis that the capacity to renegotiate private debt contracts relatively inexpensively complements monitoring as a source of value to borrowers. The context for our study is lending by syndicates of private lenders. As the number of lenders increases, contracting costs increase and the value associated with the capacity to renegotiate should decline. Our evidence supports this hypothesis. We conduct additional tests to determine whether our results are robust to alternative interpretations, such as information leakage or the prospect that syndicate size proxies for information-related variables. Syndicate size remains related to the scale of the market's reaction, after taking various borrower and loan characteristics into account.
Stable isotopic results from paleosol carbonate in South Asia: Paleoenvironmental reconstructions and selective alteration

article i nfo We measured δ 18 O and δ 13 C values of paleosol carbonate nodules from a variety of sedimentary units in southern Asia in order to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions and to evaluate for possible diagenetic alteration. Paleosol carbonate nodules were collected from Lower to Upper Cretaceous strata exposed in two locations in southern Tibet, and from Lower to Middle Miocene strata in northern India and Nepal. Additional samples were collected from stratigraphically adjacent marine carbonate units to test for possible resetting of stable isotope values. Based on the implausibly low δ 18 O values ( ∼− 13‰) of most of the marine carbonate samples, we interpret the δ 18 O values of the associated paleosol carbonate nodules as being reset, and therefore unreliable for paleoenvironmental or paleoelevation reconstruction. Importantly, the δ 18 O values of 13 C values of marine carbonate rocks fall within the expected primary
Conceptualizing the European Union as an International Actor: Narrowing the Theoretical Capability-Expectations Gap

This article identifies relevant explanatory concepts of European foreign policy (EFP) and organizes those concepts into a heuristically useful model that depicts the stimuli, processes and effects of EFP decision-making. A cadre of scholars has worked on conceptualizing the European Union (EU) as an international actor, but explanations are still at the pretheoretical stage. Although theorists are developing new and reworking old explanatory concepts, these concepts are not linked in any meaningful way to an overall analytical model. The article begins on a sober note concerning the problems associated with conceptualizing the European Union external identity, but ends on a more sanguine one about the potential for progress not thought possible a short time ago. Scholars are developing explanatory concepts more balanced, rounded, finessed and nuanced than those of their predecessors, and they are moving beyond establishing the existence of EFP to assessing its outcomes.
Control of Cell Membrane Ecto-ATPase by Oligomerization State: Intermolecular Cross-Linking Modulates ATPase Activity†

The extracellular ATPase (ecto-ATPase) is a divalent cation-dependent nucleoside triphosphatase with an unusually high specific activity. Monoclonal antibodies, described previously [Stout, J. G., Strobel, R. S., & Kirley, T. L. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 11845−11850], and newly generated polyclonal antibodies, both raised against the chicken gizzard ecto-ATPase, were evaluated for their ability to cross-react with mammalian ecto-ATPases and were used as specific immunochemical probes to identify non-cross-linked and cross-linked ecto-ATPase. Unlike previous results obtained with the rabbit skeletal muscle ecto-ATPase enzyme, cross-linking the chicken gizzard smooth muscle ecto-ATPase with 3,3‘-dithiobis(sulfosuccinimidylpropionate) (DTSSP) and dithiobis(succinimidylpropionate) (DSP) increased the activity of the enzyme which corresponded to an increase in a ≈130 kDa immunoreactive band, proposed to be a ecto-ATPase homodimer, and a concomitant decrease in a ≈66 kDa immunoreactive band, the ecto-ATPase mo...
Linking Conservation and Development: An Analysis of Local People’s Attitude Towards Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal

Factors influencing local people’s attitudes towards conservation of the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) are analyzed using an ordered logit model. The results indicate that households living closer to the KTWR are more likely to reveal negative attitude towards conservation. Similarly, respondents from larger households tend to show negative conservation attitude. Educated respondents and farmers are likely to demonstrate a positive conservation attitude. The results consistently show that households with poor socioeconomic status and greater dependence on the KTWR for firewood, fodder, and raw materials are likely to possess a more negative attitude towards conservation. Poor households may not necessarily be less concerned about conservation, although institutional settings and abject poverty near protected areas appear to affect their attitudes. Sustainable management of protected areas and local support for natural resource conservation would require socioeconomic development.