cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ICD lead proarrhythmia cured by lead extraction.

Background Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) reduce mortality in patients at risk for sudden cardiac death. However, clinical trials report higher rates of appropriate ICD therapies in implanted patients than untreated patient mortality rates would predict. Objective This study sought to describe a newly recognized form of ventricular proarrhythmia related to the mechanical presence of the ICD. Methods Four ICD patients were referred for management of recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) refractory to medications and catheter ablation. All were treated with lead extraction and followed prospectively for arrhythmia recurrence. Results Two patients received ICDs for primary prevention because of a family history of sudden death and nonischemic cardiomyopathy, respectively. Episodes of VT with ICD therapies began 2 months and 1 year after implantation, and continued for 3 months and 5 years, respectively, until referral. Two secondary prevention ICD patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy developed incessant VT within 1 day and 3 days after implantation with multiple ICD shocks. VT was not suppressed by antiarrhythmic drugs, and catheter ablation failed in 2 patients. In all patients, spontaneous VT's had a QRS morphology similar to the paced morphology from the ICD leads, raising suspicion of lead-related proarrhythmia. After lead extraction, primary prevention ICD patients remained free of VT during follow-up periods of 17 and 21 months, and VT storm was controlled in the secondary prevention patients. Conclusions ICD leads can cause uncontrollable VT until the lead is extracted, suggesting a mechanical effect. In contrast to transient ectopy that occurs early after implantation, this proarrhythmia can be chronic. Recognition is important because lead extraction is curative and can prevent unnecessary ICD shocks, antiarrhythmic medications, and catheter ablation.
Traumatic dental injuries in children from private and public schools.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze, by age and sex, (a) the prevalence of traumatic injuries to permanent incisors and canines, and (b) their distribution according to type in children from private and public schools. The samples consisted of 1,200 children aged 7–16 yr old enrolled in 12 private and public schools from the city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Garcia-Godoy's classification for traumatic injuries was used. The prevalence of injuries in private schools was 21.3% and in public schools 16.3% (P < 0.05). The higher prevalence in private schools is mainly due to the enamel fractures. All together, more boys injured their teeth than girls. The most common type of injury in both sexes in private and public schools was the enamel fracture followed by the enamel-dentin fracture without pulp exposure.
From Brahmagupta to Euler: on the formula for the area of a cyclic quadrilateral

A formula for the area of a cyclic quadrilateral in terms of its sides was first stated without proof by the early seventh-century Indian mathematician Brahmagupta. As early as the late tenth century, the Persian mathematician al-Shannī provided a proof of the Indian's claim. In this paper I discuss al-Shannī's derivation and compare it with two other derivations. The first of these is by the Kerala mathematician and astronomer Jyeṣṭhadeva (sixteenth century), while the second is a forgotten proof by the Dutch mathematical practitioner Abraham de Graaf that was published in 1706. I conclude with a discussion of Euler's much better known derivation of 1748.
An ab initio study of the stability and electronic structure of univalent magnesium salts

Abstract Large basis and well-correlated ab initio electronic structure calculations have been performed on the simple Mg(I) salts, Mg2F2 and Mg2Cl2. The electron withdrawing power of the halogens gives rise to significant metal-metal bonding and consequently these as yet unobserved, univalent salts are calculated to be 10–12 kcal more stable than if the second magnesium atom were absent from the molecule. With this stability, these species provide an energetically more accessible Mg atom for subsequent reaction than does solid magnesium where the atomization energy is 35 kcal. Thus, formal univalency of magnesium affords a route to activated magnesium.
DICKENS'S LITTLE WOMEN; OR, CUTE AS THE DICKENS

Accounting for the prevalence of enmity in nineteenth-century Western culture, Peter Gay evinces some surprise at the tenacious grip of the meek upon their aggression, which appears to satisfy a basic necessity of life. Uriah Heep alone attests to the harmony between Charles Dickens's social imagination and Gay's critical assessment that the Victorians had cause to treat their self-effacing neighbors with as much caution as the bellicose. But what about the more resignedly “umble” and solemnly self-diminishing denizens of Dickens's fictional world: the good girls at the center of so many novels? Why do aggression and resentment seem less compatible with their humility than with Heep's? Because, I would suggest, they are little. Littleness is certainly an idealized quality of girls in Dickens's novels. In particular, Nell Trent and Amy Dorrit share the epithet “little” as an indication of their preciousness, physical smallness, modesty, and, most importantly, self-abnegation in service of others. As a number of critics have observed, this selflessness takes many forms, including starvation, over-work, and self-erasure. Such extremes of compassionate resolve and willful self-limitation, however, intimate the strictness of the nice girl and the difficulty of measuring up to her (as a) standard. Dickens himself set this bar – if not precisely high, at so low a level as to require painstaking self-contortion to pass under it – in an 1847 speech to the Mechanics’ Institution at Leeds where he described women as “those who are our best and dearest friends in infancy, in childhood, in manhood, and in old age, the most devoted and least selfish natures that we know on earth, who turn to us always constant and unchanged, when others turn away” (Fielding 83). This definition of the best feminine endowments recognizes no difference between girls and women, because the female half of the human population remains “constant and unchanged” in service of male needs. Although Dickens calls upon women to be the bigger person in a moral sense, for girls, growing up appears a matter of remaining little, selfless, “constant.” For good self-effacing Victorian girls like Little Nell and Little Dorrit, aggression thus is necessary because enforcing self-negation requires enormous will power, but also perhaps because aggression guards the last modicum of selfhood belonging to those for whom selflessness is socially prescribed.
Wärmeleitfähigkeitsdetektor mit Transistoren

Es wird uber einen Warmeleitfahigkeitsdetektor berichtet, der nicht — wie ublich — mit Hitzdraht oder Thermistor sondern mit einem Transistor betrieben wird. Der Transistor dient als temperaturempfindliches Meselement; er wird fremdbeheizt. Die erreichbaren Empfindlichkeiten sind theoretisch $$ > 500.000 [\frac{{mV}}{{mg/ml}}]$$ ; praktisch konnten mit einer provisorischen Anordnung $$160.000 [\frac{{mV}}{{mg/ml}}]$$ erhalten werden. Da der Storpegel mit dem des Hitzdrahtdetektors vergleichbar war, resultiert daraus eine ca. 20 x kleinere Nachweisgrenze. Der Temperaturbereich dieses Detektors erstreckt sich bis ca. 200°C.
Cholesterol sulfotransferase of newborn mouse epidermis.

Recent studies of the epidermis in patients with recessive X-linked ichthyosis indicate that cholesterol sulfate is an important endogenous substrate for steroid sulfatase in the stratum corneum. We report here that cholesterol sulfotransferase, which converts cholesterol to cholesterol sulfate, is present in the lower living epidermis. Epidermal cytosol also sulfates phenols and some steroids, and such reactions may be important in defending against compounds absorbed percutaneously and in modulating the pharmacologic activity of topical medicaments. Sodium salicylate and sodium citrate inhibit the sulfotransferase activity noncompetitively, and inhibition of cholesterol sulfate formation may be important in the desquamative action of these topical "keratolytics."
A novel AT-rich DNA binding protein that combines an HMG I-like DNA binding domain with a putative transcription domain

There is growing evidence that AT-rich promoter elements play a role in transcription of plant genes. For the promoter of the nuclear gene for chloroplast glutamine synthetase from pea (GS2), the deletion of a 33-bp AT-rich sequence (box 1 native) from the 5' end of a GS2 promoter-beta-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion resulted in a 10-fold reduction in GUS activity. The box 1 native element was used in gel shift analysis and two distinct complexes were detected. One complex is related to the low-mobility complex reported previously for AT-rich elements from several other plant promoters. A multimer of the box 1 sequence was used to isolate a cDNA encoding an AT-rich DNA binding protein (ATBP-1). ATBP-1 is not a high-mobility group protein, but it is a novel protein that combines a high-mobility group I/Y-like DNA binding domain with a glutamine-rich putative transcriptional domain.
Activation of astrocytes in brain of conscious rats during acoustic stimulation: acetate utilization in working brain.

To evaluate the response of astrocytes in the auditory pathway to increased neuronal signaling elicited by acoustic stimulation, conscious rats were presented with a unilateral broadband click stimulus and functional activation was assessed by quantitative autoradiography using three tracers to pulse label different metabolic pools in brain: [2-14C]acetate labels the ‘small’ (astrocytic) glutamate pool, [1-14C]hydroxybutyrate labels the ‘large’ glutamate pool, and [14C]deoxyglucose, reflects overall glucose utilization (CMRglc) in all brain cells. CMRglc rose during brain activation, and increased activity of the oxidative pathway in working astrocytes during acoustic stimulation was registered with [2-14C]acetate. In contrast, the stimulation-induced increase in metabolic activity was not reflected by greater trapping of products of [1-14C]hydroxybutyrate. The [2-14C]acetate uptake coefficient in the inferior colliculus and lateral lemniscus during acoustic stimulation was 15% and 18% (p < 0.01) higher in the activated compared to contralateral hemisphere, whereas CMRglc in these structures rose by 66% (p < 0.01) and 42% (p < 0.05), respectively. Calculated rates of brain utilization of blood-borne acetate (CMRacetate) are about 15–25% of total CMRglc in non-stimulated tissue and 10–20% of CMRglc in acoustically activated structures; they range from 28 to 115% of estimated rates of glucose oxidation in astrocytes. The rise in acetate utilization during acoustic stimulation is modest compared to total CMRglc, but astrocytic oxidative metabolism of ‘minor’ substrates present in blood can make a significant contribution to the overall energetics of astrocytes and astrocyte–neuron interactions in working brain.
Management of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Babies

There is a higher incidence of delayed closure of the patent ductus arteriosus in premature babies with respiratory distress syndrome. From July, 1975, to December, 1977, 57 small, preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus were diagnosed at our neonatal intensive care unit. From July, 1975, until September, 1976 (first period), 23 patients were diagnosed, and 11 underwent surgical ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus. There were 3 early deaths. From October, 1976, until December, 1977, out of a total of 34 patients with diagnosed patent ductus, 18 were treated with indomethacin, and only 3 required ligation. Our present policy for patent ductus arteriosus with respiratory distress syndrome in the premature baby is to initiate early treatment with indomethacin. If this treatment fails and the infant's status deteriorates, we perform early surgical ligation of the ductus in order to minimize the time on mechanical ventilation and lessen the chances of the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
WHEN A PICTURE TAINTS A THOUSAND WORDS: TRUE IMAGES OF DIET‐INDUCED DIAPAUSE IN A POLYPHAGOUS INSECT HERBIVORE (ERRATUM)

In the June 1997 issue of this journal, serious errors were introduced into one of the articles (Hunter and McNeil 1997) during the production process. Although final proofs were correct when they left the publications office of the Ecological Society of America, the version printed in the journal had mislabeled figures. The managing editor of Ecology has kindly offered me the opportunity to present the correct figures and to describe the context in which they should be interpreted. In addition, the printer has provided corrected reprints of the original article, and these are available from the author upon request. All scientific conclusions remain unchanged from the original article. In our paper, J. N. McNeil and I provided evidence that host-plant quality influences the induction of larval diapause and subsequent voltinism in the polyphagous insect herbivore Choristoneura rosaceana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). This species has either one or two generations per year in the Quebec City area where our experiments took place. Larvae overwinter as second or third instars, emerge from hibernaculae following leaf-flush in spring, and complete development, pupating in early June. The first adult cohort emerges in mid/late June and eggs are laid shortly afterward. Neonates emerge after about two weeks, and larval dispersal on silk threads appears to be the dominant mode of dispersal and host choice. Larvae in this cohort either enter diapause (second or third instar) until the following spring or continue development for a second generation; the progeny of any one female includes diapausing and nondiapausing individuals. Individuals that continue development produce a second cohort of adults that emerge in mid/late August. The progeny of these adults emerges and feeds for a few weeks before entering diapause (second or third instar) until the following spring. Our manipulative field experiments demonstrated that the proportion of larvae entering diapause differed among four host-plant species common at our field site. Larvae feeding on chokecherry were more likely to continue development and produce a second generation than were larvae feeding on red maple or black ash: paper birch was intermediate in diapause induction (Fig. 1). The effect of host quality on diapause induction was much more evident during the typical spring weather of 1994 (Fig. lb) than during the very cold spring of 1993 (Fig. la). In laboratory experiments under constant long-day conditions (20TC, 16:8 h light: dark), we observed the same results using excised foliage: diapause was more common on red maple and black ash than on paper birch or chokecherry (Fig. 2a). From these data, we concluded that, under conditions of sufficient day length, host-plant quality has a direct effect on diapause induction in C. rosaceana. We confirmed these con-
Laboratory evaluation of mobility and sorption for the veterinary antibiotic, tylosin, in agricultural soils

Veterinary medicines, including antibiotics, are utilized in large quantities in intensive livestock farming. It is evidenced that tylosin, one of the most frequently used antibiotics, is only partially metabolized in animals and not completely degraded in the manure storage stage before application to the farmland. In order to assess the mobility of tylosin in soil, a soil-column leaching study and a simple batch sorption experiment were conducted in the laboratory. Tylosin had strong sorption to various soils, with sorption distribution coefficients ranging from 42 to 65 ml/g. The range of concentrations in leachate was detected from non-detectable to 0.27 ng/mL after four simulated rainfall events in one month, and leachability of tylosin is dependent on soil properties and manure amendment. Percentage of clay, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and manure amendment were positively correlated with sorption, and negatively correlated with mobility of tylosin in soil. The majority of tylosin was not recovered in the testing system, indicating that tylosin was most likely mineralized, or irreversibly bound to solid particles since no major degradation products were detected. Some trace level tylosin residues from manure-applied farmlands may be the major source to surface water systems through soil erosion and preferential flow processes.
Giovanni Antonio Dosio: The Roman Years

The career of Giovanni Antonio Dosio (1533–1610) spanned the entire second half of the sixteenth century and included major commissions in Rome, Florence, and Naples. Although we may place Dosio in the second rank of artists of the period, his patrons, the Farnese, the Gaddi, the Niccolini, and the Medici among others, were distinctly first class, and thus his works are likely to tell us a good deal about the taste, style, and attitude of the late cinquecento.
Flanker recall and the flanker validity effect may reflect different attentional processes.

High flanker recall in the correlated flanker task suggests a failure of selective attention. We used a dissociation approach to examine the role of attentional processing of the flankers' identities in the flanker validity effect (FVE). In three experiments, flanker recall decreased as flanker duration de­ creased, but the FVE was not affected by flanker duration. Masking also produced a dissociation, in that masking decreased flanker recall but the FVE was not affected. Examination of on-line flanker identification suggested that flanker recall was an adequate measure of attentional processing of the flankers' identities on most trials. The results suggest that attentional processing ofthe flankers' iden­ tities is not related to the magnitude of the FVE and is not necessary for it to obtain. Because there is a failure of selective attention, the dissociations suggest that flanker recall and the FVE may reflect dif­ ferent attentional processes.
Giant plexiform neurofibroma of the back

Complete excision of a giant neurofibroma can be technically difficult. Thorough preoperative planning with magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and arteriography are indicated to define the extent of the mass and to facilitate operative planning. By following the treatment guidelines discussed in this case report, the authors feel that these tumors can be excised safely with minimal morbidity.
Dietary Bitter Melon Seed Increases Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Gene Expression in Adipose Tissue, Down-Regulates the Nuclear Factor-κB Expression, and Alleviates the Symptoms Associated with Metabolic Syndrome

The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which bitter melon seed (BMS) alleviates the symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome and elucidate the mechanism by which BMS exerts beneficial effects. Three-month-old female Zucker rats were assigned to following groups: lean control (L-Ctrl), obese control (O-Ctrl), and obese + BMS (O-BMS). The control groups were fed AIN-93M purified rodent diet, and the O-BMS group was fed AIN-93M diet modified to contain 3.0% (wt/wt) ground BMS for 100 days. After 100 days of treatment, BMS supplementation in the obese rats lowered the total serum cholesterol by 38% and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels by about 52% and increased the ratio of serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol to total cholesterol compared to the O-Ctrl group. The percentage of total liver lipids was about 32% lower and serum triglyceride levels were 71% higher in the O-BMS group compared to the O-Ctrl group. Serum glucose levels were significantly lowered partly because of the increase in the serum insulin levels in the BMS-based diet groups. BMS supplementation increased the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) in the white adipose tissue of the obese rats significantly (P < .05) and down-regulated the expression of PPAR-γ, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and interferon-γ mRNA in heart tissue of the obese rats. The findings of this study suggest that BMS improves the serum and liver lipid profiles and serum glucose levels by modulating PPAR-γ gene expression. To our knowledge, this study for the first time shows that BMS exerts cardioprotective effects by down-regulating the NF-κB inflammatory pathway.
Polarographic determination of ruthenium

A method for the polarographic determination of ruthenium is discussed using basic sodium gluconate as the supporting electrolyte. The half-wave potential is --0.67v veisus the saturtred calomel electrode for 0.1 F sodium gluconate at pH 14. For these conditions the diffusion current constant, I, is 1.18 (maximum rather than average current). This constant is applicable for ruthenium concentrations from 1 x 10/sup -4/ to 5 x 10/sup -3/ F; analyses in this concentration range have an average deviation of 2.1%. This procedure and precautions for sample preparation are discussed. Platinum causes serious interference, but low concentrations of palladium and osmium can be tolerated. Iridium and rhodium do not interfere. (auth)
INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION AND STATUS MOBILITY: THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE FIELD OF FINANCE

This work reports on a study that investigated how the transformation of institutional logics—the tearing down of old logics and the construction of new ones—opens up possibilities for actors to ma...
Adult type I choledochal cyst resection

Type I choledochal cysts are characterized by fusiform dilatation of the common bile duct, commonly associated with an anomalous pancreatobiliary duct junction. Most are diagnosed in childhood, but the diagnosis may be delayed until adulthood. All type I choledochal cysts should be resected because of the risk of malignant degeneration. The steps for resecting a type I choledochal cyst are described. Through a right subcostal incision, the cyst is exposed and transected distally as it narrows within the pancreatic parenchyma. A total transmural excision of the extrahepatic biliary tree is performed. A retrocolic Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy restores biliary-enteric continuity. Thirty-day mortality is low and long-term outcomes are excellent.
Enhanced adrenergic neurotransmission in diabetic rabbit carotid artery

Objective: The aim was to examine the effects of diabetes mellitus on adrenergic neurotransmission and smooth muscle responsiveness in the densely innervated carotid artery from six-week alloxan diabetic rabbits. Methods: Rings of carotid arteries were isolated from normal and diabetic rabbits and isometric tension was measured in response to stimulation of adrenergic nerves, α adrenoceptors, and activation by calcium. Results: Basal content and stimulated overflow of endogenous noradrenaline were reduced by approximately 25% in arteries from diabetic as compared to normal rabbits. In contrast, responses to endogenous noradrenaline released from adrenergic nerves by electrical stimulation or tyramine displacement were not different between arteries from normal and diabetic groups. Neuronal uptake blockade using cocaine caused a significantly smaller leftward shift in the contractions produced by electrical stimulation and exogenously applied noradrenaline in arteries from diabetic rabbits. The tonic, but not phasic, contractions caused by phenylephrine were larger in arteries from diabetic rabbits. Calcium-induced contractions caused by readdition of calcium to a calcium-free medium containing potassium (15 mmol · litre−1) were also significantly larger in arteries from diabetic rabbits. BAY K 8644, a calcium channel activator, caused an increase in calcium induced contractions and abolished the difference between the two groups. Conclusions: Although neurogenic contractions of diabetic carotid artery are normal, there is inefficient or reduced neuronal uptake as well as increased activity of calcium channels in the smooth muscle which increase contractions to α adrenoceptor agonists.
A technique for calculating the influence of thin inhomogeneities on charged particle beams

A method has been developed for calculating the fluence and dose perturbations which occur in the shadow of inhomogeneous structures exposed to beams of charged particles. It is shown that differences in scattering power in adjacent portions of irradiated material can give rise to fluence perturbations which, in turn, are responsible for dose perturbations. A quantitative analysis of this process is developed which permits calculation of both the perturbed primary fluence and dose distributions. Results of these calculations are given for a square-faced edge discontinuity. The analytic technique, however, can be applied to more complicated interfaces and the general formulae are developed in this paper. They include provisions for the important modifying effects of beam divergence, of overlying or underlying homogeneous material, and of nonuniform beam profiles. In a companion paper, more complex geometries are analyzed and comparisons between calculations and experiments are presented.
Thermal stability of a reactive spherical shell

Abstract The conditions required for the spontaneous ignition of a volatile fuel drop suddenly exposed to a hot oxidizing environment have been investigated theoretically using a simplified model of the physical situation. Analysis of the model, a reactive spherical shell with unequal boundary temperatures, defined the conditions consistent with thermal stability of the shell. Two types of reaction rate were used, one with a simple Arrhenius form, and a second explicitly involving radial distance as well as a temperature dependence in Arrhenius form.
Differential effects of interleukin-3, interleukin-7, interleukin 15, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the generation of natural killer and B cells from primitive human fetal liver progenitors

Abstract Objective The regulatory roles of a number of early-acting growth factors on the generation of natural killer (NK) cells and B cells from primitive progenitors were studied. Experiments focused on the contributions of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulates factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) to the regulation of the early events of lymphopoiesis. Materials and Methods Two progenitor populations isolated from human fetal liver were studied, CD38 − CD34 ++ lineage − (Lin − ) cells (candidate hematopoietic stem cells [HSCs]) and the more mature CD38 + CD34 ++ Lin − cells. The effects of different cytokines on the generation of CD56 + CD3 − NK cells and CD19 + B cells were studied in serum-deprived cultures in the absence of stroma. Results NK cells generated in vitro were able to kill NK-sensitive target cells, expressed NK-associated marker CD161 (NKR-P1A), but exhibited little or no expression of CD2, CD8, CD16, CD94/NKG2A, or killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIRs). Among the cytokine combinations tested, kit ligand (KL) and IL-15 provided the best conditions for generating CD56 + NK cells from CD38 + CD34 ++ Lin − cells. However, either flk-2/flt3 ligand (FL), GM-CSF, IL-3, or IL-7 could partially substitute KL. All of these cytokines also supported the growth of NK-cell progenitors from candidate HSC, with the combination of IL-15, KL, GM-CSF, and FL generating the greatest number of CD56 + cells. B cells were generated from both progenitor populations in response to the combined effects of KL, FL, and IL-7. Both B and NK cells were generated with the further addition of IL-15 to these cultures. The in vitro generated B cells were CD10 + , CD19 + , HLA-DR + , HLA-DQ + , and some were CD20 + , but no cytoplasmic or surface immunoglobulin M expression was observed. In contrast with NK lymphopoiesis, GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-15 had no effect on the generation of B cells from CD38 − CD34 ++ Lin − cells, and GM-CSF inhibited B-cell generation from CD38 + CD34 ++ Lin − progenitors. Conclusion These findings indicate a differential regulation of NK and B lymphopoiesis beginning in the early stages of hematopoiesis as exemplified by the distinctive roles of IL-7, IL-15, GM-CSF, and IL-3.
Caffeine accelerates recovery from general anesthesia

General anesthetics inhibit neurotransmitter release from both neurons and secretory cells. If inhibition of neurotransmitter release is part of an anesthetic mechanism of action, then drugs that facilitate neurotransmitter release may aid in reversing general anesthesia. Drugs that elevate intracellular cAMP levels are known to facilitate neurotransmitter release. Three cAMP elevating drugs (forskolin, theophylline, and caffeine) were tested; all three drugs reversed the inhibition of neurotransmitter release produced by isoflurane in PC12 cells in vitro. The drugs were tested in isoflurane-anesthetized rats. Animals were injected with either saline or saline containing drug. All three drugs dramatically accelerated recovery from isoflurane anesthesia, but caffeine was most effective. None of the drugs, at the concentrations tested, had significant effects on breathing rates, O2 saturation, heart rate, or blood pressure in anesthetized animals. Caffeine alone was tested on propofol-anesthetized rats where it dramatically accelerated recovery from anesthesia. The ability of caffeine to accelerate recovery from anesthesia for different chemical classes of anesthetics, isoflurane and propofol, opens the possibility that it will do so for all commonly used general anesthetics, although additional studies will be required to determine whether this is in fact the case. Because anesthesia in rodents is thought to be similar to that in humans, these results suggest that caffeine might allow for rapid and uniform emergence from general anesthesia in human patients.
Immunohistochemical Detection of Uroplakin III, Cytokeratin 7, and Cytokeratin 20 in Canine Urothelial Tumors

Immunohistochemistry for uroplakin III (UP III), cytokeratin 7 (CK 7), and cytokeratin 20 (CK 20) using commercially available antibodies was done in normal canine urinary bladder and 72 canine urinary bladder tumors that had been fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin. Prolonged fixation (3-28 days) did not significantly alter the immunostaining for UP III. There was moderate reduction in the intensity for CK 7 and CK 20 after 1 week of fixation. UP III was detected in superficial (umbrella) cells and some intermediate cells of the normal urinary bladder, 7 of 7 transitional cell papillomas (TCPs), 50 of 55 transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs), and 4 of 5 metastatic TCCs. Staining was typically outlined in the plasma membrane, but diffuse or focal cytoplasmic staining was also observed. Intracytoplasmic lumina were usually positive for UP III. One squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder, 4 nonepithelial bladder tumors, and 285 nonurothelial tumors from different nonurinary locations were negative for UP III. CK 7 was detected in 7 of 7 TCPs, 53 of 54 TCCs, and 5 of 5 metastatic TCCs. The staining for CK 7 was diffuse cytoplasmic. CK 20 was detected in 1 of 7 TCPs, 37 of 54 TCCs, and 1 of 5 metastatic TCCs. The staining with CK 20 was cytoplasmic and weaker than with antibodies to UP III or CK 7. There was concurrent expression of UP III, CK 7, and CK 20 in 36 of 54 TCCs. UP III is a specific and sensitive marker for canine transitional epithelial (urothelial) neoplasms, detecting 91% of TCCs. Negative results may be observed with anaplastic tumors.
Chemotherapy and targeted molecular therapies for brain metastases

As therapy for systemic cancers improves, an increasing number of patients are developing brain metastases. Although conventional therapy with surgery, radiation therapy and radiosurgery has improved the outcome of a significant number of patients, many develop multiple lesions that are not amenable to standard treatments. In this review, the current role of chemotherapy and targeted molecular agents for brain metastases is summarized and future directions are discussed.
Traditional heart failure medications and sudden cardiac death prevention: a review.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is still a major public health issue with an estimated annual incidence ranging from 184,000 to > 400,000 per year. The ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 guidelines define SCD as “death from an unexpected circulatory arrest, usually due to a cardiac arrhythmia occurring within an hour of the onset of symptoms”. A recent study of sudden cardiac death using multiple sources of ascertainment found that coronary artery disease was present in more than 50% of patients older than 35 years who died suddenly and underwent autopsy. Antiarrhythmic drugs have failed to show any mortality benefit even when compared to placebo or implantable cardiovertor defibrillators (ICDs). While patients with systolic heart failure are at higher risk of dying suddenly, most of the patients experiencing sudden cardiac death have left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > 50%. β-blockers, Angiotensin enzymes (ACE) inhibitors as well as aldosterone antagonists prevent ischemia and remodelling in the left ventricle especial...
Preventive misconception and adolescents’ knowledge about HIV vaccine trials

Objective Adolescents have had very limited access to research on biomedical prevention interventions despite high rates of HIV acquisition. One concern is that adolescents are a vulnerable population, and trials carry a possibility of harm, requiring investigators to take additional precautions. Of particular concern is preventive misconception, or the overestimation of personal protection that is afforded by enrolment in a prevention intervention trial. Methods As part of a larger study of preventive misconception in adolescent HIV vaccine trials, we interviewed 33 male and female 16–19-year-olds who have sex with men. Participants underwent a simulated HIV vaccine trial consent process, and then completed a semistructured interview about their understanding and opinions related to enrolment in a HIV vaccine trial. A grounded theory analysis looked for shared concepts, and focused on the content and process of adolescent participants’ understanding of HIV vaccination and the components of preventive misconception, including experiment, placebo and randomisation. Results Across interviews, adolescents demonstrated active processing of information, in which they questioned the interviewer, verbally worked out their answers based upon information provided, and corrected themselves. We observed a wide variety of understanding of research concepts. While most understood experiment and placebo, fewer understood randomisation. All understood the need for safer sex even if they did not understand the more basic concepts. Conclusions Education about basic concepts related to clinical trials, time to absorb materials and assessment of understanding may be necessary in future biomedical prevention trials.
The SDC silicon tracker

We present below some of the work done toward the design of a large silicon tracker for the SDC experiment. This includes the geometrical layout chosen, the physics philosophy governing the layout, and the expected physics performance. Technical solutions for the detection elements for such a tracker are discussed. >
Early work as a source of developmental discontinuity during the transition to adulthood

From a developmental perspective, work has been considered as both a deleterious and salutary experience. According to one prominent view, part-time work places adolescents at risk because it limits participation in more developmentally beneficial activities and confronts them with stressors for which they are not yet ready. If this were the case, teenage part-time work would be "stress sensitizing," lowering thresholds of reactivity to subsequent stressors and increasing the risk of poor young-adult mental health. As a result, early work experience could interfere with adequate preparation for adulthood. A more optimistic perspective, shared by some social scientists and most parents, is that employment for the young person signifies progress in moving toward adulthood and promotes adaptation to the work environment. Challenges at work are considered to be "steeling," fostering coping resources that alleviate the detrimental effects of subsequent stressors, especially those encountered in the workplace. These processes would promote resilience and psychological well-being in early adulthood. This research examines these alternatives, using data from the Youth Development Study (1988--2000) covering the period from adolescence (age 14-15) to early adulthood (age 26-27). The analysis indicates that the character of their teenage work experience is a source of resilience as young adults make the transition from school to work.
The Validity of Self-Reported Grade Point Averages, Class Ranks, and Test Scores: A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature

Self-reported grades are heavily used in research and applied settings because of the importance of grades and the convenience of obtaining self-reports. This study reviews and meta-analytically summarizes the literature on the accuracy of self-reported grades, class ranks, and test scores. Results based on a pairwise sample of 60,926 subjects indicate that self-reported grades are less construct valid than many scholars believe. Furthermore, self-reported grade validity was strongly moderated by actual levels of school performance and cognitive ability. These findings suggest that self-reported grades should be used with caution. Situations in which self-reported grades can be employed more safely are identified, and suggestions for their use in research are discussed.
Complicating Common Ideas about Medical Tourism: Gender, Class, and Globality in Yemenis' International Medical Travel

Abstract Three cases of international medical travelers from Yemen, a capital‐poor country in the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula, help to counter misconceptions within discussions of medical tourism. These misconceptions include the suggestion of leisure in medical tourism, the role of gender and class, and the ease with which we dismiss the health concerns of wealthy individuals. Instead, this article proposes, we should uncover commonalities and differences within international medical travel while avoiding slipping into generalities and stereotypical portrayals.
Relying on Surveys to Understand Abortion Behavior: Some Cautionary Evidence

Objectives. The reliability of abortion self-reports has raised questions about the general usefulness of surveys in research about abortion behavior; however, the extent of underreporting remains a subject of some debate. This study sought to examine abortion reporting in a sample of welfare mothers and to determine factors in underreporting. Methods. In New Jersey, which covers abortions requested by welfare recipients under its Medicaid program, the responses of a randomly drawn sample of 1236 welfare mothers about abortion events were compared with the Medicaid claims records of these women. Results. Only 29% of actual abortions were self-reported by the women in the sample. This finding varied dramatically by race, with substantially higher rates of underreporting by Blacks than by Whites or Hispanics. Conclusions. Although race is the most consistent predictor of underreporting behavior, attitudinal factors and survey technology also help in explaining abortion reporting behavior.
CPG ISLAND HYPERMETHYLATION AND LUNG CANCER INVASION AND METASTASIS

Invasion and metastasis are biological hallmarks of malignant tumors, and metastases are the major cause of cancer deaths. Invasion and destruction of BM is the earliest step in the multi-step process of metastases and it is the earliest morphological feature of invasive tumors. Disruption of organization or integrity of the basement membrane (BM) is a key histologic marker of the transition of a tumor from an in situ carcinoma to an invasive carcinoma. A fundamental and important question is what causes in situ cancers to become invasive even though cancer cells at the preinvasive and invasive stages are morphologically similar. One of the well-established mechanisms for invading and destroying BMs is by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are up regulated during invasion and metastasis. Developing molecular markers that mark the transition of in situ cancers to invasive cancer are very important because they may predict cancer for those who are at highest risk or those with early invasive cancers. It is logical to presume that disruption of all the homotypic and heterotypic cell adhesion junctions occurs in invasive cells, and that the loss of the involved protein components as well as loss of substances that inhibit tissue invasion may mark the transition from in situ to invasive cancers. This chapter reviews the different cell adhesion junctions and candidate invasion genes, which are inactivated by aberrant promoter methylation and their potential use as molecular markers.
The structure and evolution of neurotransmitter receptors (alpha- and beta-adrenergic, dopaminergic and muscarinic cholinergic).

This laboratory has studies underway on the molecular characterization of the major receptors of the autonomic nervous system, as well as the slow inward calcium channel of cardiac and smooth muscle (1). The receptors under investigation include α1, α2, β1 and β2-adrenergic, muscarinic cholinergic and dopaminergic types. To date we have made substantial progress with the complete purification of α1, βl and β2 adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors and have molecular size information on α2-adrenergic and D2 dopaminergic receptors (Table I).
Effect of Citrus Bud Mite (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Lemon Yields

The effect of high population densities of citrus bud mite, Aceria sheldoni (Ewing), on the quantity and quality of lemon yields was studied for 4 yr in four commercial groves in coastal southern California. There were two treatments in each grove: treated plots where bud mite was suppressed with acaricide treatments whenever infestation levels increased markedly, and untreated plots where bud mite was not controlled. Average percentage of axillary buds infested with citrus bud mite was 7-15% in treated plots and 45-70% in untreated plots over the 4-yr period. Citrus bud mite feeding results in distortion of fruit shape which can result in commercial downgrading. Citrus bud mite control significantly reduced fruit distortion in all four groves and significantly improved commercial packout in three of the four groves. However, significantly less distortion in fruit was not detected in treated trees until harvests ≥10-13 mo after the initial acaricide treatment (lemons in coastal California are harvested three or four times per year). This supports the hypothesis that distortion in fruit is caused by citrus bud mite feeding on embryonic fruit tissue in the buds; once fruit set, they are unaffected by further citrus bud mite feeding. Up to 21 mo after the first acaricide treatments, the cumulative yield did not differ significantly between treated and untreated plots. In two of the four groves, in the eight harvests between 24 and 48 mo after the first acaricide treatments, the cumulative yield was often significantly greater (9-13% greater) from treated than from untreated trees. The other two groves showed no significant differences in cumulative yield between treated and untreated trees up to the time of the last harvest (28 and 49 mo after the first acaricide treatment). In two groves, economic loss justified the cost of bud mite suppression, and in two groves, the cost of suppression exceeded the economic benefit of suppression.
Literature & Medicine: Literary Advocacy and Library Programming in the Hospital Setting

This article examines the role of the hospital librarian in organizing a Literature & Medicineprogram. Successfully running in many hospitals in Maine, Literature & Medicineis an innovative project in which healthcare workers come together to discuss fiction and nonfiction related to health, and discuss implications for their professions. The purposes of the project are detailed and participants' enthusiastic reviews of the experience are examined. Benefits for the librarian in managing this program are outlined along with details for organizing and funding the program. Literature & Medicineoffers a unique opportunity to librarians to promote literature and foster communication and understanding among coworkers.
Understanding Water Transport in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells Using Coupled Continuum and Pore-Network Models

Water management remains a critical issue for polymer electrolyte fuel cell performance and durability, especially at lower temperatures and with ultrathin electrodes. To understand and explain experimental observations better, water transport in gas diffusion layers (GDLs) with macroscopically heterogeneous morphologies was simulated using a novel coupling of continuum and pore-network models. X-ray computed tomography was used to extract GDL material parameters for use in the pore-network model. The simulations were conducted to explain experimental observations associated with stacking of anode GDLs, where stacking of the anode GDLs increased the limiting current density. Through imaging, it is shown that the stacked anode GDL exhibited an interfacial region of high porosity. The coupled model shows that this morphology allowed more efficient water movement through the anode and higher temperatures at the cathode compared to the single GDL case. As a result, the cathode exhibited less flooding and hence better low temperature performance with the stacked anode GDL.
A Missing Link in Physical Distribution System Design

Spatial concepts of system design have outlived their usefulness, says the author of this article.He holds that a more useful framework for future analysis can be based on temporal measures—that it...
Motivating Learning in the Age of the Adaptive Tutor

My research is rooted in improving K-12 education through novel approaches to motivation and individualization via adaptive tutoring systems. In an attempt to isolate best practices within the science of learning, I conduct randomized controlled trials within ASSISTments, an online adaptive tutoring system that provides students with immediate feedback and teachers with powerful assessment. This paper examines two facets of my research: the optimization of feedback delivery and the provision of student autonomy. For each tenet, the basis for research is examined, contributions thus far are presented, and directions for future work are outlined.
Congenital hydronephrosis with ipsilateral adrenal neuroblastoma: a case report.

AbstractA case of right flank mass owing to congenital hydronephrosis and coexisting with an ipsilateral adrenal neuroblastoma in a 21-day-old female newborn is reported.