cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiolucent Triangle as a Positioning Tool to Simplify Prone Ankle Fracture Surgery.

Prone positioning affords significant benefits for the fixation of trimalleolar ankle fractures and has been the long-time standard for treatment of these injuries. However, 2 primary disadvantages hamper its utility. First, access to the medial ankle is impeded by the contralateral limb and inability to rotate the operative leg to the extent that is possible in other positions. Second, lateral fluoroscopic imaging of the ankle can be cumbersome and often necessitates physically elevating the ankle for a radiograph then placing it back on the operative table. We describe a simple and cost-conscious technique for overcoming these obstacles of prone positioning in ankle fracture surgery. Judicious placement of a radiolucent triangle under the nonoperative leg in the prone position allows for unobstructed access to the medial ankle in conjunction with simplified lateral fluoroscopic imaging. An alternative technique is to place the radiolucent triangle under the operative leg with the bed in reverse Trendele...
Successful Fetal Tele-Echo at a Small Regional Hospital

Abstract Background: Prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease (CHD) has been shown to improve newborn outcomes. The rate of prenatal diagnosis and access to fetal echocardiography vary widely across the United States. Introduction: A clinical fetal tele-echo service was established at King's Daughters Medical Center (KDMC) in Ashland, KY, a region in eastern Kentucky that is 3 h from the nearest congenital heart surgeon. The aim of this study was to determine if fetal tele-echo utilizing local sonographers at a small regional hospital can accurately and efficiently identify fetuses with complex CHD. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for all mother–infant pairs who had fetal tele-echoes performed at KDMC and interpreted by University of Louisville pediatric cardiology between March 2011 and December 2013. Findings on fetal tele-echo were compared to newborn echo and clinical course, and divided into four groups: (1) Correct—no difference between fetal tele-echo and newborn echo, (2) Like...
New Perspectives in Leadership: Inspirational Innovation

It is not easy to be seen as a leader when you are new to a field and being (relatively) young doesn’t help either. However, it is possible to lead early in one’s career. With innovative thinking, passion, determination, and diligent work, creative leadership can inspire others to follow. Of course, it is easier to attract followers if you show that you are not only knowledgeable, but also have a good understanding of the situation you’re hoping to change or improve. Another key is the ability to explain to stakeholders how the change will benefit them and the library’s patrons.
Bridging and Bonding: How Social Diversity Influences Organizational Performance

Although many organizations aspire to be socially diverse, diversity’s consequences for organizational performance remain unclear. Social bridging theories argue that diverse organizations will per...
An Adaptive Ellipsoid Searching Filter for Airborne Single-Photon Lidar

Recent light detection and ranging (lidar) systems using photon-counting technology are able to collect data with significantly higher efficiency compared with the current commercially available linear-mode lidar systems. However, the high quantum sensitivity of single-photon lidar (SPL) systems results in noisy point clouds due to the influence of solar noise and dark count returns. Therefore, an effective noise removal algorithm is required to interpret SPL data. The uneven distribution of noise returns and the removal of noise close to signal returns are two significant challenges for SPL filtering. In this letter, a novel adaptive ellipsoid searching (AES) method is proposed. The AES uses a spherical noise density estimation model and a morphing ellipsoid determined by local principal components. The proposed method was tested on Sigma Space high-resolution quantum lidar system (HRQLS) SPL data sets and the results were compared with voxel-based filtering of the same data. Independent comparisons of each filtered result with coincident linear-mode airborne lidar data were also undertaken. We find that the root mean square error of the AES results on solid planes is 0.09 versus 0.11 m for voxel-based, 0.12 versus 0.14 m for bare ground, and 2.07 versus 2.55 m for vegetation canopy. We also used manually selected solid planar surfaces as a reference and find that the proposed method successfully removed twice as many noise points as the voxel-based method.
Electrosurgery Induced Damage to Ti-6Al-4V and CoCrMo Alloy Surfaces In Orthopedic Implants In Vivo and In Vitro

Abstract Background Recent observations of specific metal damage patterns on retrieved total joint implants implied a cellular origin and was termed inflammatory cell-induced (ICI) corrosion. Although ICI corrosion continues to present a potential damage source for metallic biomaterials surfaces, an alternate source of some damage patterns may arise from electrosurgery instruments in total joint arthroplasty. Methods To characterize electrosurgically-induced damage patterns on metal implants, a model system of highly polished CoCrMo and Ti-6Al-4V disks and commercial electrosurgical generator was evaluated in various modes and power settings using monopolar and bipolar configurations. Surfaces were tested dry, wet with phosphate-buffered saline, or covered with known thicknesses of hydrated 5% agarose hydrogel. Results In all cases, surface damage was generated on both alloy surfaces, directly resulting from plasma discharge interacting with the metal. Direct surface contact caused pitting and oxide buildup at the contact area. Damage was produced through 3 mm thickness of hydrogel on the surface and across metal-metal junctions representing modular tapers. Damage patterns on wetted surfaces were highly consistent with damage patterns observed on retrieved total joint implants; circular, ruffled areas with centralized pits, occasionally presenting trail- and weld-like features. Conclusion Surgeons using electrosurgical systems in proximity to metallic implants should exercise caution. Discharge of electrical energy through implants can induce localized surface damage and may result in other adverse outcomes. Although these results show some damage reported to be ICI corrosion is indeed the result of electrosurgery, there remains damage observed in retrievals not explained by this process.
Powering retailers’ digitization through analytics and automation

Retailers face significant pressure to improve revenue, margins and market share by applying price optimisation models. These are mathematical models that calculate how demand varies at different p...
Water Structure of PEG Solutions by Differential Scanning Calorimetry Measurements

As this volume attests, poly(ethylene glycol) or PEG is a material of growing importance in the biomedical world. It has been used in free solution as an agent for cell fusion1 and protein precipitation.2 It has also been conjugated to proteins and drugs to reduce immunological responses and control pharmacodynamics.3 Finally, it has been used in biocompatible materials, either as a coating or incorporated into a hydrogel.4 These surfaces are expected to be highly biocompatible because protein adsorption to them is low.4,5 Both the amount of protein adsorption and the magnitude of other biochemical events, such as platelet adhesion, rapidly decline as the PEG molecular weight rises.6,7 This decline is most marked at molecular weights up to 1000, after which the biointeractions tend to level out gradually.
Mobile Technology in Tele-education

Mobile communication has revolutionized the way of business and the practice of medicine alike. The smartphone has become an indispensable tool for healthcare providers by offering resources and tools helping to improve medical care, diagnostics, patient education, and personal productivity. In this chapter, we (1) summarize the history of smartphones and their impact on the field of tele-medicine; (2) showcase some of the software applications (apps) available on the smartphone for ophthalmologists, vision researchers, and patients; and (3) present the emerging use of the smartphone as research and diagnostic tools. We conclude that smartphones can significantly increase productivity in the clinical and laboratory setting and have great potential to become portable research and diagnostic tools.
Determination of Telomerase Activity and Telomere Length

Telomerase is an enzyme that has been attracting much attention in recent years because its activities are so central to the processes of malignant transformation. It is a reverse transcriptase enzyme that can synthesize telomeric DNA using its own RNA component as a template. Without telomerase, telomeres will shorten until, at a critical length, cells enter senescence and die. The low level or absence of telomerase activity in most nonneoplastic tissues and somatic cells, and its presence in almost all malignant tumors is thus of great interest for potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications in the management of human cancer. It has been documented that high telomerase activity and short telomere length correlate with poor prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma, and antitelomerase therapy has become a novel therapeutic approach for the disease. Thus, determination of telomerase activity and telomere length is essential in the study of cancer. In this chapter, we provide a standard telomeric repeat amplification protocol for telomerase activity assay and a Southern blot terminal restriction fragment protocol for telomere length assay. We also discuss comparison with related assay methods.
Developmental biology of glomerular basement membrane components.

The main components of basement membranes are collagen IV, laminin, entactin/nidogen, and proteoglycans. In the past few years, new basement membrane components have been discovered, including new collagen i.v. alpha chains, new laminin alpha, beta, and gamma chains, and new proteoglycans. Most of these are expressed in the kidney, a virtual treasure chest of molecularly and functionally distinct basement membranes. One well characterized renal basement membrane is the glomerular basement membrane, the primary filtration barrier of the kidney. Immunohistochemical studies have shown not only that the glomerular basement membrane is molecularly distinct from other renal basement membranes, but also that as it develops, there is a complex series of defined transitions in the basement membrane components that are deposited there. This review summarizes these transitions and discusses their relevance in our understanding of the pathogenesis of renal disease.
Automatic Proof of Theta-Function Identities

This is a tutorial for using two new MAPLE packages, thetaids and ramarobinsids. The thetaids package is designed for proving generalized eta-product identities using the valence formula for modular functions. We show how this package can be used to find theta-function identities as well as prove them. As an application, we show how to find and prove Ramanujan’s 40 identities for his so called Rogers–Ramanujan functions G(q) and H(q). In his thesis Robins found similar identities for higher level generalized eta-products. Our ramarobinsids package is for finding and proving identities for generalizations of Ramanujan’s G(q) and H(q) and Robin’s extensions. These generalizations are associated with certain real Dirichlet characters. We find a total of over 150 identities.
Publication rate of podium presentations from the orthopaedic research society annual meeting.

Annual scientific meetings serve as a forum for dissemination of new research findings. Presentations should be of high scientific quality as they have the potential to impact future research projects and current clinical practice. The publication rate of podium presentations at an annual meeting can be used to assess the quality of the research presented. The purpose of this study was to determine the publication rate of podium presentations at the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) annual meeting. All podium presentations from the 2012 to 2014 annual ORS meetings were identified. Abstracts were categorized into an orthopaedic topic. A PubMed search was performed to determine if an abstract reached publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The publication rate was determined for each year. Of the 1063 podium presentations identified, 640 (60.2%) reached publication in a peer-reviewed journal. No significant differences were observed in the publication rate between the orthopaedic topics (p = 0.3414). The majority (75.9%) of published abstracts reached publication within 2 years of presentation and the average time to publication was 17.0 months. Abstracts were published in 151 different journals with an average impact factor of 4.46. Time to publication varied significantly by journal (p = 0.025). Journal of Orthopaedic Research, Journal of Biomechanics, PLoS ONE, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, and Bone were the most common publication journals. This study provides insight into the quality of podium presentations at the ORS annual meeting. The ORS annual meeting compares favorably to other orthopaedic surgery meetings. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:288-292, 2019.
Metaphor in Homer: Time, Speech, and Thought

How are time, speech, and thought presented in the Iliad and Odyssey? What role does metaphor play in these portrayals? How might metaphor have aided the poet in the production of his song? In this book, Andreas T. Zanker considers these and other questions from the perspective of conceptual metaphor theory, investigating the commonalities and differences between the ancient and modern conceptualizations of, for example, the passing of time, communication of information, and internal dialogue. In so doing, he takes a stance on broader questions concerning the alleged 'primitive' quality of the Homeric conceptual system, the process of composition in performance, and the categories of the literal and the figurative. All Greek is translated, and readers in disciplines beyond classics and cognitive linguistics will find something of interest in this investigation of the conceptual metaphors lodged within a corpus of extremely early poetry.
The health and climate impacts of carbon capture and direct air capture

Data from a coal with carbon capture and use (CCU) plant and a synthetic direct air carbon capture and use (SDACCU) plant are analyzed for the equipment's ability, alone, to reduce CO2. In both plants, natural gas turbines power the equipment. A net of only 10.8% of the CCU plant's CO2-equivalent (CO2e) emissions and 10.5% of the CO2 removed from the air by the SDACCU plant are captured over 20 years, and only 20–31%, are captured over 100 years. The low net capture rates are due to uncaptured combustion emissions from natural gas used to power the equipment, uncaptured upstream emissions, and, in the case of CCU, uncaptured coal combustion emissions. Moreover, the CCU and SDACCU plants both increase air pollution and total social costs relative to no capture. Using wind to power the equipment reduces CO2e relative to using natural gas but still allows air pollution emissions to continue and increases the total social cost relative to no carbon capture. Conversely, using wind to displace coal without capturing carbon reduces CO2e, air pollution, and total social cost substantially. In sum, CCU and SDACCU increase or hold constant air pollution health damage and reduce little carbon before even considering sequestration or use leakages of carbon back to the air. Spending on capture rather than wind replacing either fossil fuels or bioenergy always increases total social cost substantially. No improvement in CCU or SDACCU equipment can change this conclusion while fossil fuel emissions exist, since carbon capture always incurs an equipment cost never incurred by wind, and carbon capture never reduces, instead mostly increases, air pollution and fuel mining, which wind eliminates. Once fossil fuel emissions end, CCU (for industry) and SDACCU social costs need to be evaluated against the social costs of natural reforestation and reducing nonenergy halogen, nitrous oxide, methane, and biomass burning emissions.
Assessing the Performance Impact of using an Active Global Address Space in HPX: A Case for AGAS

In this research, we describe the functionality of AGAS (Active Global Address Space), a subsystem of the HPX runtime system that is designed to handle data locality at runtime, independent of the hardware and architecture configuration. AGAS enables transparent runtime global data access and data migration, but incurs a an overhead cost at runtime. We present a method to assess the performance of AGAS and the amount of impact it has on the execution time of the Octo-Tiger application. With our assessment method we identify the four most expensive AGAS operations in HPX and demonstrate that the overhead caused by AGAS is negligible.
Reduced-dose craniospinal irradiation for central nervous system relapsed neuroblastoma

Purpose In patients with high-risk neuroblastoma, there is an increased recognition of relapse in the central nervous system (CNS). Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) has been an effective treatment but carries significant long-term complications. It is unclear whether reducing the CSI dose from 21 to 18 Gy can achieve similar CNS tumor control. Patients and methods A retrospective review of pediatric patients with CNS-relapsed neuroblastoma treated with CSI and boost to parenchymal lesions between 2003 and 2019 was performed. The goal was to assess CNS control comparing 18 Gy and 21 Gy regimens. Results Ninety-four patients with CNS-relapsed neuroblastoma were treated with CSI followed by intraventricular compartmental radioimmunotherapy. Median age at the time of CNS disease was 4 years (range 1-13 years). Forty-one patients (44%) received 21 Gy CSI prior to an institutional decision to lower the dose; 53 patients (56%) received 18 Gy CSI. Seventy-nine patients (84%) received additional boosts. With a median follow up of 4.1 years for surviving patients, 2-year CNS relapse-free survival was 74% for 18 Gy group versus 77% for 21 Gy group, and 5-year CNS relapse-free survival was 66% for 18 Gy versus 72% for 21 Gy group, respectively (P = .40). Five-year overall survival rate was 43% in 18 Gy group versus 47% in 21 Gy group (P = .72). Conclusion For patients with CNS-relapsed neuroblastoma, CNS disease control is comparable between 18 Gy and 21 Gy CSI dose regimens, in conjunction with radioimmunotherapy and CNS penetrating chemotherapy. More than 65% of the patients remain CNS disease free after 5 years. The findings support 18 Gy as the new standard CSI dose for CNS-relapsed neuroblastoma.
Communities of practice as purveyors of instructional communication during crises

This study focuses on the critical role instructional communication plays in effective risk and crisis communication. More specifically, we examined efforts made by the United States’ swine industr...
Nanomechanical properties of hardened 60NiTi

Abstract The nanomechanical properties of hardened 60NiTi were studied using nanoindentation. The hardened 60NiTi consists of two regions: the NiTi + Ni4Ti3 region, which is composed of a B2 NiTi matrix and nanoscale Ni4Ti3 precipitates, and the globular Ni3Ti precipitates. Blind nanoindentation was first performed on 60NiTi using a diamond Berkovich without differentiating the regions. The two regions were then selectively indented using a diamond cube corner nanoindenter. The results show that the elastic modulus and hardness of the NiTi + Ni4Ti3 region were similar to those of bulk 60NiTi. The Ni3Ti phase was found to have an elastic modulus that is more than double that of bulk 60NiTi and the NiTi + Ni4Ti3 region. The hardness was also found to be significantly higher. This study not only provides the first quantitative measurements of the mechanical properties of Ni3Ti precipitates within 60NiTi but also suggests that the presence of large amounts of easily imaged Ni3Ti could serve as a good indication of reduced amounts of Ni4Ti3, which could lead to lower overall hardness of the material.
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Voice: An Updated Readability Analysis.

Summary Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate whether voice-related patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) developed and validated since 2011 meet the recommendation by health literacy experts that such materials be written at a fifth-to-sixth grade reading level. Method A readability analysis of eight voice-related PROMs was conducted. Readability formulas utilized were the Coleman-Liau index, Flesch-Kincaid reading ease, FORCAST, simple measure of Gobbledygook index, and Gunning-Fog score. Result Three-fourths of the PROMs exceeded the recommended fifth- to sixth-grade reading level. Conclusion Although awareness of health literacy has grown, voice-related PROMs continue to be developed without full consideration of their reading grade level. Researchers should consider revising or developing PROMs with consideration to reading grade level as well as other features to enhance readability.
The Relation Between New Production, as Estimated by Exported Nitrogen and total Primary Production

Under steady-state conditions, the f-ratio (new:total primary production), should be equivalent whether calculated with new production measured from allochthonous nitrogen uptake, or from particulate nitrogen export from the euphotic zone. In comparing several marine sites; Monterey Bay, the eastern equatorial Pacific, and the central north Pacific gyre, the f-ratios based on PON fluxes and Redfield ratio-converted 14C-uptake primary production exhibit a direct relation to primary production; in general, higher f-ratios are found with the higher primary production and vice versa. However, some data sets show significant variation. At times, (early upwelling in Monterey Bay, likely a non steady-state) this relation does not hold, and over much of the year, primary production and the f-ratio are inversely related.
Evaluation in the Organized Camp Setting

(1980). Evaluation in the Organized Camp Setting. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 51, Including Leisure Today, pp. 46-47.
Kripke, Cartesian Intuitions, and Materialism

In his influential "Naming and Necessity/'1 Saul Kripke has deployed a new sort of analytical apparatus in support of the classical Cartesian argument that minds and bodies must be distinct because they can be imagined separately. In the initial section of this paper, I shall first paraphrase Kripke's version of that argument, and then suggest a way in which even one who accepts all of its philosophical presuppositions may avoid its conclusion. In the second section, I shall defend this suggestion against some of the possible objections to it.2
Star Formation in the Galactic Center and Nearby Nuclei

The abundant gas in the central molecular zone of our Galaxy is forming stars at at about the same pace, per unit mass of gas, as the disk of the Galaxy, despite the very different physical conditions in the central environment: a strong dipole magnetic field, strong tidal forces, and a large internal velocity dispersion within the abundant molecular clouds. There are at least two pronounced differences in the properties of the stars that form near the center, as compared with the disk, however. First, among the stars which form near the Galactic center, the abundance of those with higher masses is relatively large, compared to the initial mass function elsewhere. Second, an important fraction of the stars that form near the center has recently been born into massive stellar clusters. I discuss these findings and argue that the same considerations apply to most, if not all gas-rich spiral galaxies. In the mass budget of the Galactic center, star formation is apparently the dominant sink.
The Irony of Making Materiality of Consequence

I worry that in our continued enthusiasm to embrace dynamics (INGness) we have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Most unfortunately that baby is all of us because the consequences of our actions fade into a soft humanistic yet indistinguishable stew. For me materiality gives us the means to see durability and not just dynamics; accumulations and not just activities; outcomes and not just process; consequences and not just change. But this essay is just words and the irony I see may go unnoticed; at least until the next attempt.
Optimal Price Regulation for Natural and Legal Monopolies

Optimal price regulation for natural and legal monopolies is an impossible task. The still difficult .task of good price regulation can be systematized by considering separately price level and price structure of the regulated firm. Various methods of price level and price structure regulation are evaluated and then considered for the regulation of electricity transmission, both in the context of an independent transmission company and of vertical integration between transmission and most of the generation capacity. The regulatory approach suggested uses price caps defined on two-part tariffs. This way, flexibility for short-term capacity utilization can be combined with incentives for investments in new transmission capacity.
Fermi surface of YBCO by DHVA

These proceedings demonstrate how far we have come in the last four years of high temperature superconductivity. Knowledge of the energy bands and Fermi surfaces from experiment has come rather late. Photoemission, which was presented at this workshop by Tobin and by Shen, first showed proof of the validity of the energy band calculations. Positron annihilation, presented by West, after a rough start, is now giving evidence of the Fermi surface. Both of these techniques involve electronic excitations and hence, although they show the Fermi surface, do not put as severe a constraint on various models for superconductivity as does the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) effect. This is a true measurement of the electronic ground state in an applied magnetic field where the frequency of oscillatory magnetization yields extremal cross-sectional areas of the Fermi surface.1 We have already reported some of our Fermi surface work at two conferences2,3 but present here discussion of several more important aspects of the work.
The consent process and children

Traditionally, recommendations and procedures for obtaining consent and assent from children to participate in research have varied somewhat from institution to institution. At least some of this inconsistency can be attributed to a lack of consensus on what consent means when applied to individuals less than 18 years of age. Developmental theories provide some rationale for reconsidering the arbitrary age limit of 18 years for informed consent. In this article, the concepts of consent and assent are discussed relative to developmental characteristics of children and adolescents and implications for consent and assent procedures are discussed.
Drawing evaluation into design for mobile computing: a case study of the Renwick Gallery’s Hand Held Education Project

We present a detailed case study of the design, launch, and evaluation of a handheld mobile computing guide for visitors to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery. Of particular emphasis is integrating methods and tools of evaluation into the process of designing for new visitor experiences. Using a method of reflective design and evaluation incorporating interviews, surveys, observation, and clickstream analysis, we uncover assumptions and hypothesis for further testing. Finally, we discuss the cross-over between physical navigation of museum spaces and information navigation of online museum data.
Susceptibility of Trichoplusia ni, Heliothis zea (Noctuidae), and Manduca sexta (Sphingidae) to a nuclear polyhedrosis virus from Galleria mellonella (Pyralidae)

Several alternate hosts were tested for their relative susceptibility to an isolate of Galleria mellonella nuclear polyhedrosis virus. Neonate Trichoplusia ni, Heliothis zea, and Manduca sexta were all susceptible to per oral administration of purified polyhedra. Of the three alternate species tested, T. ni was the most susceptible, and exhibited the most variable mortality response over the dose range tested, while M. sexta was the least susceptible. We believe this represents the first report of a lethal virus infection in a sphingid species, and useful parameters for the successful inoculation of alternate hosts are discussed.
Relative timing of last glacial maximum and late-glacial events in the central tropical Andes

Whether or not tropical climate fluctuated in synchrony with global events during the Late Pleistocene is a key problem in climate research. However, the timing of past climate changes in the tropics remains controversial, with a number of recent studies reporting that tropical ice age climate is out of phase with global events. Here, we present geomorphic evidence and an in-situ cosmogenic 3 He surface-exposure chronology from Nevado Coropuna, southern Peru, showing that glaciers underwent at least two significant advances during the Late Pleistocene prior to Holocene warming. Comparison of our glacialgeomorphic map at Nevado Coropuna to mid-latitude reconstructions yields a striking similarity between Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Late-Glacial sequences in tropical and temperate regions. Exposure ages constraining the maximum and end of the older advance at Nevado Coropuna range between 24.5 and 25.3 ka, and between 16.7 and 21.1 ka, respectively, depending on the cosmogenic production rate scaling model used. Similarly, the mean age of the younger event ranges from 10 to 13 ka. This implies that (1) the LGM and the onset of deglaciation in southern Peru occurred no earlier than at higher latitudes and (2) that a significant Late-Glacial event occurred, most likely prior to the Holocene, coherent with the glacial record from mid and high latitudes. The time elapsed between the end of the LGM and the Late-Glacial event at Nevado Coropuna is independent of scaling model and matches the period between the LGM termination and Late-Glacial reversal in classic mid-latitude records, suggesting that these events in both tropical and temperate regions were in phase.
Targeting calcium cycling proteins in heart failure through gene transfer.

Our understanding of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling has improved significantly over the last 10 years. Furthermore, defects in the various steps of excitation-contraction coupling that characterize cardiac dysfunction have been identified in human and experimental models of heart failure. The various abnormalities in ionic channels, transporters, kinases and various signalling pathways collectively contribute to the ‘failing phenotype.’ However, deciphering the causative changes continues to be a challenge. An important tool in dissecting the importance of the various changes in heart failure has been the use of cardiac gene transfer. To achieve effective cardiac gene transfer a number of obstacles remain, including appropriate vectors for gene delivery, appropriate delivery systems, and a better understanding of the biology of the disease. In this review, we will examine our current understanding of these various factors. Gene transfer provides not only a potential therapeutic modality but also an approach to identifying and validating molecular targets.
A note on the relation between area and intensity in taste

Taste thresholds as a function of area previously published [Hara, 1955) are reanalyzed and found to be described better by the hyperbolic relation C×An=k than an exponential equation. The exponent. n, and the constant, k, were found to differ among taste compounds.
Goal directed design of serial robotic manipulators

Computing the optimal geometric structure of manipulators is one of the most intricate problems in contemporary robot kinematics. Robotic manipulators are designed and built to perform certain predetermined tasks. It is therefore important to incorporate such task requirements during the design and synthesis of the robotic manipulators. Such task requirements and performance constraints can be specified in terms of the required end-effector positions, orientations along the task trajectory. In this work, we define, develop and test a methodology that can generate optimal manipulator geometric structures based on the task requirements. Another objective of this work is to guarantee task performance under user defined joint constraints. Using this methodology, task-based optimal manipulator structures can be generated that guarantee task performance under set operating constraints.
The importance of climatic factors and outliers in predicting regional monthly campylobacteriosis risk in Georgia, USA

Incidence of Campylobacter infection exhibits a strong seasonal component and regional variations in temperate climate zones. Forecasting the risk of infection regionally may provide clues to identify sources of transmission affected by temperature and precipitation. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess temporal patterns and differences in campylobacteriosis risk among nine climatic divisions of Georgia, USA, (2) compare univariate forecasting models that analyze campylobacteriosis risk over time with those that incorporate temperature and/or precipitation, and (3) investigate alternatives to supposedly random walk series and non-random occurrences that could be outliers. Temporal patterns of campylobacteriosis risk in Georgia were visually and statistically assessed. Univariate and multivariable forecasting models were used to predict the risk of campylobacteriosis and the coefficient of determination (R2) was used for evaluating training (1999–2007) and holdout (2008) samples. Statistical control charting and rolling holdout periods were investigated to better understand the effect of outliers and improve forecasts. State and division level campylobacteriosis risk exhibited seasonal patterns with peaks occurring between June and August, and there were significant associations between campylobacteriosis risk, precipitation, and temperature. State and combined division forecasts were better than divisions alone, and models that included climate variables were comparable to univariate models. While rolling holdout techniques did not improve predictive ability, control charting identified high-risk time periods that require further investigation. These findings are important in (1) determining how climatic factors affect environmental sources and reservoirs of Campylobacter spp. and (2) identifying regional spikes in the risk of human Campylobacter infection and their underlying causes.
Evidence for a hallucinogen dependence syndrome developing soon after onset of hallucinogen use during adolescence

This study uses latent class methods and multiple regression to shed light on hypothesized hallucinogen dependence syndromes experienced by young people who have recently initiated hallucinogen use. It explores possible variation in risk. The study sample, identified within public-use data files of the 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), consists of 1186 recent-onset hallucinogen users, defined as having initiated hallucinogen use within 24 months of assessment (median elapsed time since onset of use -12 to 13 months). The recent-onset users in this sample were age 12 to 21 at the time of assessment and were between the ages of 10 and 21 at the time of their first hallucinogen use. The NHSDA included items to assess seven clinical features often associated with hallucinogen dependence, which were used in latent class modelling. Latent class analysis, in conjunction with prior theory, supports a three-class solution, with 2% of recent-onset users in a class that resembles a hallucinogen dependence syndrome, whereas 88% expressed few or no clinical features of dependence. The remaining 10% may reflect users who are at risk for dependence or in an early stage of dependence. Results from latent class regressions indicate that susceptibility to rapid transition from first hallucinogen use to onset of this hallucinogen dependence syndrome might be influenced by hallucinogenic compounds taken (for example, estimated relative risk, RR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.6, 7.6 for users of MDMA versus users of LSD). Excess risk of rapid transition did not appear to depend upon age, sex, or race/ethnicity.
Age differences in cardiovascular reactivity under active coping conditions.

This study investigated whether age and parental history of hypertension were related to increases in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure during an active coping task. The latter consisted of a 21-trial reaction-time task in which electric shock and monetary incentive were contingent upon adequate performance. Subjects consisted of 60 normotensive male volunteers aged 15–55 yrs. Results showed that age yielded a significant inverse relationship with increases in heart rate, accounting for 8% of the variance. However, no age association was found for increases in either systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Subjects with a parental history of hypertension showed greater responsivity in heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure than subjects without a hypertensive parent. Results are discussed in terms of methodological considerations and potential mechanisms accounting for the age-related decline in heart rate during active coping.
Expression of the Human Poliovirus Receptor/CD155 Gene during Development of the Central Nervous System: Implications for the Pathogenesis of Poliomyelitis

The gene for the human poliovirus receptor (hPVR/CD155) is the founding member of a new family of genes encoding proteins belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. To determine whether CD155 is expressed during mammalian development, we have made use of the previously characterized promoter of the CD155 gene and generated mice transgenic for a CD155 promoter-driven beta-galactosidase reporter gene. Expression of the reporter gene in transgenic embryos was observed during midgestation in anterior midline structures of the developing central nervous system and in the neuroretina. During that period, reporter gene expression appeared within the notochord and floor plate along the entire spinal cord reaching into the caudal diencephalon. In addition, transgene expression was observed in axonal projections emanating from retinal ganglion cells forming the optic nerve to reach the future region of the optic chiasm. Analysis of expression of CD155 during human embryonic development confirmed the distribution of reporter gene expression specified by CD155 promoter activity. The anatomical distribution of CD155 promoter activity during embryogenesis matches that of transacting factors previously identified to regulate transcription of the CD155 gene. Expression of CD155 within embryonic structures giving rise to spinal cord anterior horn motor neurons may explain the restrictive host cell tropism of poliovirus for this cellular compartment of the CNS.
Coping and adaptation: A longitudinal study

A longitudinal study of high school boys who varied in their copingpreferences (exploration) revealed differences in adaptations. Documentation of the joint contribution o f different environments and personal coping preferences on adaptations required longitudinal analyses that disclosed significant effects on positive view of other students, on participation in extracurricular activities, on school satisfaction, and on school identification. While minimal support was gained for person-environment transaction theory, advances need to be made in theory and research to develop stronger predictive models.
Structural determination of alginic acid and the effects of calcium binding as determined by high-field n.m.r.

Abstract The nature of the solution conformations of the alginic acid components d -mannuronan (poly-ManA) and l -guluronan (poly-GulA) from Azotabacter vinelandii were investigated by both one- and two-dimensional n.m.r. methods. Unequivocal proton assignments for both polymers as well as their constituent monomer units were made based on chemical-shift theory, coupling constant analysis, and nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements. These data were used to investigate the interactions of poly-GulA and poly-ManA with Ca2+ ion in aqueous medium. Based on relative crosspeak integrals measured in two-dimensional phase-sensitive NOESY spectra of free and calcium-bound polymer, a model for calcium binding is proposed.
Exploring the Development and Maintenance Practices in the Gene Ontology

The Gene Ontology (GO) is one of the most widely used and successful bio-ontologies in biomedicine and molecular biology. What is special about GO as a knowledge organization (KO) system is its collaborative development and maintenance practices, involving diverse communities in collectively developing the Ontology and controlling its quality. Guided by Activity Theory and a theoretical Information Quality Assessment Framework, this study conducts qualitative content analysis of GO’s curation discussions. The study found that GO has developed various tools and mechanisms to gain expert feedback and engage various communities in developing and maintaining the Ontology in an efficient and less expensive way. The findings of this study can inform KO system designers, curators, and ontologists in establishing functional requirements and quality assurance infrastructure for bioontologies and formulating best practices for ontology development.
Infant sleep-wake characteristics: relation to neurological status and the prediction of developmental outcome

Abnormalities in infant sleep and wake state characteristics have been linked to aberrant central nervous system function. We present an overview of the development of normative sleep-wake state characteristics in fullterm infants, and atypical state characteristics as presented in several clinical populations including: preterm infants, infants at risk for sudden infant death syndrome, autistic children, and people with other developmental disabilities. We review and critique the research literature on the usefulness of infant state parameters in the prediction of developmental outcome of infants with biological risk, and offer suggestions regarding future research in this area.
Two N-ortho-nitro­benzene­sulfonyl α,α-disubstituted amino acid adducts

The carboxy group of 2-methyl-N-[(2-nitrophenyl)sulfonyl]­alanine, C10H12N2O6S, forms centrosymmetric hydrogen-bonded dimers with an O⋯O distance of 2.629 (2) A and an intramolecular N—H⋯O(nitro) hydrogen bond N⋯O distance of 2.823 (2) A. 1-[(2-Nitro­phenyl)­sulfonyl­amino]­cyclo­hexane­carboxyl­ic acid, C13H16N2O6S, has Z′ = 2 and forms similar interactions.
Prolonged nausea and vomiting after high dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation in the treatment of high risk breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND Nausea and vomiting immediately after chemotherapy is a well recognized complication of cancer drug treatment; it is usually short-lived and controllable by modern antiemetics. The authors report a high incidence of prolonged nausea and vomiting after high dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation (PSCT) in the treatment of high risk breast carcinoma patients. METHODS Patients with high risk breast carcinoma were conditioned with high dose carmustine, cisplatin, and cyclophosphamide followed by autologous PSCT. In Part I of the study, patients who received PSCT at UCLA Medical Center were identified if they were either readmitted with dehydration secondary to nausea and vomiting or referred to a gastroenterology specialist for the treatment of intractable nausea and vomiting. In Part II of the study, the authors examined a series of 38 women treated at UCLA Medical Center in 1993 for high risk breast carcinoma to determine the incidence of prolonged postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting (PPNV) after PSCT. These women were followed at 2-week intervals with a quality of life evaluation that included questions about nausea and vomiting. RESULTS In Part I of the study, the authors identified 9 women with more than 1 month of significant nausea and vomiting after PSCT without evidence of obstruction or mucositis. Hospitalization was frequently required for hydration. Gastroparesis was found in all four patients who underwent gastric emptying studies. The nausea and vomiting responded to the promotility drug cisapride and high dose corticosteroids. In Part II of the study, the authors found that PPNV was frequent; 24% of patients had significant nausea and 18% had significant vomiting 6 weeks after PSCT, despite treatment with standard antiemetics. CONCLUSIONS PPNV is a frequent complication of high dose chemotherapy with the aforementioned regimen. It may be due to gastroparesis and represents a form of gastrointestinal toxicity to chemotherapy not previously reported. Cancer 1997; 79:1698-702. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering on uniform platinum-group overlayers: preparation by redox replacement of underpotential-deposited metals on gold.

The preparation of Pt-group metal films on roughened gold electrodes by utilizing spontaneous redox replacement of an underpotential-deposited (upd) copper or lead monolayer with a Pt-group metal cation solute is described. The resulting films display intense surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for adsorbates bound to the overlayer and free from substrate interferences. This strategy provides a useful alternative, at least for platinum, to the constant-current electrodeposition method commonly utilized to prepare SERS-active Pt-group metal films (Zou, S.; Weaver, M. J. Anal. Chem. 1988, 70. 2387). Similarly to related earlier studies, the film uniformity (specifically, the absence or otherwise of residual Au “pinhole” sites) was tested by employing carbon monoxide, and also ethylene, as “probe” chemisorbates, since they yield vibrational frequencies on Au that are blue-shifted from the corresponding bands for adsorbate bound to Pt-group metal sites. While a single redox replacement of upd Cu with Pt(...
Breakdown of the soliton-gas phenomenology for the classical statistical mechanics of the sine-Gordon model

It is shown that the soliton-gas phenomenology breaks down for the classical statistical mechanics of the sine-Gordon model. As a main cause of the breakdown, it is pointed out that the solitons and breathers in the gas phenomenology do not precisely represent the total degrees of freedom of the system.
Herpes Zoster in Older Adults

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a common condition among older adults, manifested by pain and the classic presentation of a unilateral rash that follows a dermatomal distribution and does not cross the midline of the body. It is caused by reactivation of the virus that caused chickenpox during an earlier infection. In many cases, acute HZ is followed by a severe and disabling complication known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), characterized by pain that persists for months or even years after the HZ rash heals. Using an individual example, this article provides information on the clinical manifestations, evidence-based treatment recommendations for, and prevention of HZ and PHN through use of the zoster vaccine Zostavax, licensed in the United States in 2006.