cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of triiodothyronine on graft function in a model of heart transplantation.

Background. Brain death is associated with neuroendocrine changes that result in impaired metabolism, reduced myocardial energy stores, and deteriorating cardiac function. As a result of these changes, a substantial number of normal human hearts are not considered suitable for transplantation. In the hope of preventing these complications and stabilizing the condition of cardiac donors, we compared the function of transplanted hearts from brain-dead rats that received triiodothyronine (T 3 ) (n = 6) with that of hearts from a group that received a placebo (n = 5). Methods. This experiment was designed to be both blinded and randomized. Brain death was achieved by bilateral carotid ligation and inflation of an intracranial balloon. Triiodothyronine or placebo was administered in a blinded, randomized fashion. The brain-dead donors were then supported with conventional techniques for 2 hours after which time heterotopic transplantation was performed using hypothermic preservation and a working heart model. Hemodynamics of the transplanted hearts were assessed 48 hours postoperatively. Results. The hearts from donors that had been pre-treated with T 3 were found to have a significantly higher ( p p 3 -treated group (5.2 ± 2.2 mm Hg) compared with the placebo-treated group (6.9 ± 0.5 mm Hg). There was also a significantly higher ( p = 0.03) maximal first derivative of left ventricular pressure in the T 3 -treated group compared with the placebo-treated group (4,876 ± 1,348 mm Hg/s versus 3,344 ± 1,016 mm Hg/s). Finally, the cardiac output in the group given T 3 was 93 ± 16 mL/min compared with 61 ± 22 mL/min in the group given the placebo ( p Conclusions. Hearts from brain-dead rats that had received T 3 before transplantation showed improved postoperative function. The experimental design of pre-donation brain death, cold immersion storage, and transplantation in a working heart model should make these data more relevant clinically than those previously reported.
What determines alumni generosity

Abstract Alumni giving is correlated with institutional characteristics, such as quality and development efforts, and student characteristics, such as quality and wealth. Empirical analysis is complicated by the expected correlation between institutional quality and student wealth, and the possible endogeneity between institutional expenditures on education (one common measure of quality) and the level of alumni support the institution receives. This paper uses a two-stage least squares approach with data on quality and variables correlated with student wealth to address these issues. Quality variables are found to have a positive impact on the average alumni gift, with that impact most significant for private universities and liberal arts colleges. Wealth variables also have a positive impact on the average gift, with the estimated coefficients most significant for public universities. Development effort is very important in determining the level of giving for all three types of institutions.
What is most important to patients when deciding about colorectal screening

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening can be administered through tests with varied characteristics and is a preference-sensitive decision.
Modeling SN2 and E2 Reaction Pathways and Other Computational Exercises in the Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory

Computational chemistry techniques have become increasingly important tools for chemists seeking to address scientific questions. As such, it is important that undergraduate chemistry students develop competence in this emerging field of chemistry. One strategy to gain proficiency involves exposing students to computational methods of increasing depth and complexity during each year of their laboratory curriculum, rather than solely at late stages of their education. The computational chemistry exercises described herein are designed to be completed in one introductory-level organic chemistry laboratory period, and they build upon concepts covered in traditional organic lecture and lab curricula. Students generate electrostatic potential maps for substituted acetic acids to analyze bond polarity and pKa, model acetate to explore resonance, and conduct conformation searches for monosubstituted cyclohexanes to examine the influence of sterics on conformational preference. They also generate reaction coordin...
Documenting clinical performance problems among medical students: feedback for learner remediation and curriculum enhancement.

Introduction : We operationalized the taxonomy developed by Hauer and colleagues describing common clinical performance problems. Faculty raters pilot tested the resulting worksheet by observing recordings of problematic simulated clinical encounters involving third-year medical students. This approach provided a framework for structured feedback to guide learner improvement and curricular enhancement. Methods : Eighty-two problematic clinical encounters from M3 students who failed their clinical competency examination were independently rated by paired clinical faculty members to identify common problems related to the medical interview, physical examination, and professionalism. Results : Eleven out of 26 target performance problems were present in 25% or more encounters. Overall, 37% had unsatisfactory medical interviews, with ‘inadequate history to rule out other diagnoses’ most prevalent (60%). Seventy percent failed because of physical examination deficiencies, with missing elements (69%) and inadequate data gathering (69%) most common. One-third of the students did not introduce themselves to their patients. Among students failing based on standardized patient (SP) ratings, 93% also failed to demonstrate competency based on the faculty ratings. Conclusions : Our review form allowed clinical faculty to validate pass/fail decisions based on standardized patient ratings. Detailed information about performance problems contributes to learner feedback and curricular enhancement to guide remediation planning and faculty development. Keywords: OSCE; performance problems; skills remediation; faculty ratings; checklist vs global ratings (Published: 22 July 2013) Citation: Med Educ Online 2013, 18 : 20598 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v18i0.20598
Quinidine as a cause of sudden death.

Sudden death and arterial embolism are unpredictable hazards of quinidine therapy for atrial fibrillation that act as deterrents to its most effective use. In this paper an attempt is made to determine the incidence of these accidents as reported in the literature. The mechanism of sudden death is also examined. The difficulty of determining the role of quinidine in producing these accidents in seriously ill patients is clarified.
Geometric analysis of optical frequency conversion and its control in quadratic nonlinear media

We analyze frequency conversion and its control among three light waves using a geometric approach that enables the dynamics of the waves to be visualized on a closed surface in three dimensions. It extends the analysis based on the undepleted-pump linearization and provides a simple way to understand the fully nonlinear dynamics. The Poincare sphere has been used in the same way to visualize polarization dynamics. A geometric understanding of control strategies that enhance energy transfer among interacting waves is introduced, and the quasi-phase-matching strategy that uses microstructured quadratic materials is illustrated in this setting for both type I and II second-harmonic generation and for parametric three-wave interactions.
Live-Cell Imaging of the Association of STAT6-GFP with Mitochondria

The transcription factor STAT3 has been previously reported to be associated with mitochondria. However, we have been unable to visualize an association of STAT3-GFP, STAT3-DsRed or STAT3-Flag with mitochondria in human Hep3B hepatocytes thus far even though an association of these molecules with other cytoplasmic organelles (endosomes) was readily demonstrable. We then addressed the broader question of a possible association of other STAT-family of proteins with mitochondria by first using immunolocalization assays in Hep3B and human pulmonary arterial endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Strong anti-STAT6-immunolocalization with mitochondria was apparent in fluorescence and electron microscopy assays of cells first washed with a digitonin-sucrose buffer to remove bulk soluble STAT proteins. In live-cell imaging studies, STAT6-GFP, but not N1-GFP, was observed to constitutively colocalize with MitoTracker- and tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester (TMRE)-positive mitochondria, and with mitochondrial F1-ATPase when assayed by immunofluorescence after fixation. This association was Tyr-phosphorylation independent in that a STAT6 truncated protein (STAT61-459-GFP) which lacked the SH2 domain (517–632) and the cytokine-activated Y641 phosphorylation site also accumulated in MitoTracker-positive mitochondria. This was consistent with the unexpected discovery that anti-STAT6-immunofluoresence also associated with mitochondria in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) from both wild-type and the STAT6SH2-/SH2- mouse. MEFs from the latter mouse, which had been engineered in 1996 to be deleted in the STAT6 SH2 domain (amino acids 505–584) expressed an immune-specific ∼50 kDa protein detectable in whole cell and mitochondria-enriched fractions. Taken together, the present data provide the first definitive evidence of the association of any STAT-protein family member with mitochondria - that of STAT6.
An enantioselective synthesis of the C1C9 segment of antitumor macrolide peloruside A

A stereocontrolled synthesis of the C1-C9 segment of the marine natural product peloruside A is described. The key steps involve Sharpless's catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction, a chelation-controlled reduction of chiral β-alkoxy ketones to elaborate the syn-1,3-diol functionality and a ring-closing olefin metathesis of a homoallylic alcohol-derived acrylate ester to form an α,β-unsaturated δ-lactone.
Brazil's liberal neo-developmentalism: New paradigm or edited orthodoxy?

ABSTRACT Is Brazil's economic policy regime a mere tinkering of the Washington Consensus? The evidence suggests that Brazilian governments institutionalized a hybrid policy regime that layers economically liberal priorities originating in the Washington Consensus and more interventionist ones associated with neo-developmentalist thinking. To capture this hybridity, the study calls this regime ‘liberal neo-developmentalism’. While defending the goal of macroeconomic stability and sidelining full employment, Brazilian governments also reduced reliance on foreign savings and employed a largely off-the-books stimulus package during the crisis. Brazil experienced important privatization, liberalization and deregulation reforms, but at the same time the state consolidated its role as owner and investor in industry and banking while using an open economy industrial policy and a cautious approach to the free movement of capital. Finally, while conditional cash transfers fit the Washington Consensus, Brazil's stea...
How Virtue Ethics Informs Medical Professionalism

We argue that a turn toward virtue ethics as a way of understanding medical professionalism represents both a valuable corrective and a missed opportunity. We look at three ways in which a closer appeal to virtue ethics could help address current problems or issues in professionalism education-first, balancing professionalism training with demands for professional virtues as a prerequisite; second, preventing demands for the demonstrable achievement of competencies from working against ideal professionalism education as lifelong learning; and third, avoiding temptations to dismiss moral distress as a mere "hidden curriculum" problem. As a further demonstration of how best to approach a lifelong practice of medical virtue, we will examine altruism as a mean between the extremes of self-sacrifice and selfishness.
Is «subcortical dementia» a recognizable clinical entity?

The concept of "subcortical dementia" is controversial, lacking clinical validation and having only a questionable pathological basis. Over 100 patients with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Huntington's disease, subdivided into three functional disability stages, were given a brief quantitative neuropsychological assessment. Patients with Huntington's or Parkinson's disease were less intellectually impaired than those with Alzheimer's disease at each functional stage. Criteria for dementia were present in all of the Alzheimer's patients but in only half of the Huntington's and Parkinson's disease groups. Patients with similar overall intellectual function scores had no distinct pattern of neuropsychological test performance. Depression, absent in patients with Alzheimer's disease, was present in half the patients with Huntington's and Parkinson's disease and was correlated with intellectual decline. The concept of subcortical dementia is misleading. The pattern of neuropsychological impairment is not distinct, and the neuropathological basis of dementia in these diseases may result from a combination of cortical and subcortical degeneration.
Exome sequencing to find rare variants causing neurologic diseases

The genetic basis of many neurologic disorders, those inherited in Mendelian patterns and those that are complex traits, remains unknown despite intense scientific efforts. Exome sequencing (ES), a transformative tool that targets protein coding exons using next-generation DNA sequencing (technologies that rapidly …
Follow the Money: Engineering at Stanford and UC Berkeley during the Rise of Silicon Valley.

A comparison of the engineering schools at UC Berkeley and Stanford during the 1940s and 1950s shows that having an excellent academic program is necessary but not sufficient to make a university entrepreneurial (an engine of economic development). Key factors that made Stanford more entrepreneurial than Cal during this period were superior leadership and a focused strategy. The broader institutional context mattered as well. Stanford did not have the same access to state funding as public universities (such as Cal in the period under consideration) and some private universities (such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Johns Hopkins University in their early histories). Therefore, in order to gather resources, Stanford was forced to become entrepreneurial first, developing business skills (engaging with high-tech industry) at the same time Cal was developing political skills (protecting and increasing its state appropriation). Stanford’s early development of entrepreneurial business skills played a crucial role in the development of Silicon Valley.
Incorporating Origin and Process in Migration-Fertility Frameworks: The Case of Puerto Rican Women

Using life history data from both origin and destination areas, we examine the relationship between migration andfertility amongPuerto Rican women. Our analysis extends previous research by including origin data; by measuringprecisely the timing of migration, fertility, and time-varying covariates; and by including single women in the analysis. Results reveal that single U.S.-born nonmigrants have significantly higher rates of transition to first birth than nonmigrants in Puerto Rico, while married and cohabiting U.S.-born nonmigrants have significantly lower rates. Selection effectsfor both single and married/cohabiting women indicate that migration to the U.S. is an integral part of the family formation process. Our results highlight the need for a broadening of the traditional migration-fertilityframework to encompass a wider range offamilyformation processes, including nonmaritalfertility and union formation. Research examining the relationship between immigration and fertility in the
Static analysis of moving jointed objects

The problem of interpreting images of moving jointed objects is considered. Assuming the existence of a connectedness model, an algorithm is presented for calculating the rigid part lengths and motion of the jointed objects just from the positions of the joints and some depth information. The algorithm is proved correct.
Guest Editorial-The Instrumentation Of Environmental Optics: Remote Studies Of The Atmosphere

From the viewpoint of the optical and instrumentation engineer, the instrumentation of environmental optics has two outstanding features: it challenges the instrumentation state of the art, and if successful it is exceedingly useful.
Solid-state random lasers: small size, broad variety

The paper reviews the history and the state of the art of random lasers, simplest miniature sources of stimulated emission without cavity.
On the breaking of chiral gauge symmetry

Abstract It is conjectured that the lack of chiral gauge symmetry-preserving regulator is signalling a genuine quantum effect which breaks chiral gauge symmetries and generates masses for gauge bosons. This idea is applied to an SU(3) C ×SU(2) L ×U(1) Y model. It is shown that the dynamics of chiral fermions can generate masses for the W and Z bosons with the correct mass ratio. Chiral gauge theories without elementary scalars are found to be related to effective gauge theories with group element valued scalar fields. Furhtermore, massless fermions can exist in such theories.
EVALUATION OF BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR TEACHING FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT SELECTION SKILLS TO PARENTS

Scant research has addressed the issue of teaching parents to conduct a functional assessment and design a treatment for problem behavior. The present study utilized behavioral skills training to teach parents how to conduct ABC recording, write a summary statement based on the data collected, and make appropriate treatment choices. Eight parents participated in one 3-h class in which a trainer used instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback to teach these three skill sets. Prior to class, during class, directly after class training, and 1 to 2 weeks following class, the participants viewed videos showing a problem behavior serving a different function in the context of a parent child interaction. The percentage of correct responding for each dependent variable (ABC recording, summary statement, and treatment choices) was calculated, and baseline and post-treatment scores were compared via a multiple baseline across participants design. The results showed an increase in the percentage correct for most skills for most participants. These results show that it is possible to teach parents to conduct a functional assessment and choose proper treatment strategies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Upwelling and the condition and diet of juvenile rockfish: A study using 14C, 13C, and 15N natural abundances

Juvenile Sebastes jordani individuals sampled in late spring 1995, 1996, and 1997 near Monterey Bay, California, were analyzed for Δ 14 C, δ 13 C, and δ 15 N. As anticipated, a strong negative correlation was found between mean annual juvenile rockfish Δ 14 C and the preceding 3-month average Bakun upwelling index for this region. The sensitivity of this isotopic response by juvenile rockfish to upwelling variations was similar to that previously observed in surface-water inorganic carbon in nearby Half Moon Bay (Robinson 1981). This indicates that the Δ 14 C of surface-dwelling marine fish can be used as a measure of fish feeding in freshly upwelled 14 C-depleted water. However, we found no correlation between this parameter and fish somatic condition as measured by deviations in the regressions of individual fish (1) weight on length, (2) otolith size on fish length, or (3) total lipid content on dry weight. This questions the role upwelling plays in affecting juvenile rockfish condition. Also unrelated to fish condition were fish δ 13 C and δ 15 N, implying that the condition of juvenile S. jordani is unaffected by variation in the consumption of specific, isotopically discernible food resources.
A Cognitive Model of Improvisation in Emergency Management

An enduring characteristic of emergencies is the need for near-simultaneous development and deployment of new management procedures. This need can arise with the onset of highly novel problems and the need to act quickly-factors that reduce opportunities for extensive planning in managing the emergency. As a result, decision makers in emergencies must be prepared to improvise. By understanding the cognitive processes in improvisation, organizations can better learn how to plan for, manage, and learn from improvised action. To help create this understanding, this paper reviews and synthesizes prior results on improvisation in the art of jazz, exploring how these results may be applied to improvisation in emergency management. A theory of improvisation in emergency management is then developed and expressed as a cognitive model. The modelpsilas implementation in computer-executable code is then reviewed, along with an illustration of how the model improvises in an emergency situation. Finally, implications of this model and opportunities for future research are presented.
Electrophoretic patterns of proteins in the blastocoelic fluid of the rabbit following ovariectomy.

A total of 286 blastocysts were recovered 6 to 8 days post coitum (p.c.) from untreated or ovariectomized rabbits. The weight of the blastocyst and the volume of the blastocoelic fluid increased at a linear rate from seven to seven and one-half days p.c., thereafter they increased more rapidly. The weight of the embryonic tissue did not change appreciably between seven and eight days p.c. The appearance of protein in the fluid was dependent on the stage of development, albumin being first detectable at six days p.c. Seven days p.c., β-globulin was detectable, followed by α- and γ-globulins (seven and one-quarter days p.c.) and fibrinogen (seven and one-half days p.c.). Seven and one-half days p.c., the electrophoretic distribution of proteins was qualitatively similar to that of the maternal serum and peritoneal fluid, however, quantitatively different. Ovariectomy at six days p.c. had no effect 24 hours later on blastocyst growth or blastocoelic fluid volume. In contrast, ovariectomy at six and one-half days p.c. had a negative effect 24 hours later on blastocyst growth, blastocoelic fluid enhancement and albumin accumulation in the fluid. These latter three phenomena were alleviated by administration of progesterone.
An investigation of visualization techniques for SNMP traffic traces

The network management area is currently dealing with huge amounts of information. Researchers and network administrators are frequently supported by information visualization techniques in the task of analyzing these large data sets. The simple network management protocol (SNMP) is the de facto standard for TCP/IP networks management. Despite its importance, there are no specific visualizations defined for SNMP traffic traces. In this paper we present a study on techniques for visualizing SNMP trace files, motivated by the fact that general purpose network traffic visualizations available today are not suitable for SNMP observation. Our proposed techniques have been prototyped in a software tool called management traffic analyzer.
Characterization of a cellular RNA that activates PKR in 3T3-F442A cells

The double-stranded RNA dependent eIF-2 alpha kinase (PKR) has been implicated in the regulation of a number of cellular processes including cell growth and differentiation. Previous studies using embryonic mouse 3T3-F442A cells have indicated that PKR undergoes phosphorylation and activation in vivo. This activation of PKR has been attributed to a subset of poly(A)(+)-rich cellular RNA (R-RNA) having sufficient secondary structure to interact with the kinase. To characterize the R-RNA activity, a cDNA was prepared which, when transcribed in vitro, gave rise to an RNA transcript that retained its property to activate PKR. The ability of the transcript to activate PKR was sensitive to ribonuclease V1 and was abolished by the addition of high concentrations of poly(I).poly(C). The cloned cDNA was utilized for liquid RNA/DNA hybridization experiments, which disrupted the secondary structure of the R-RNA and for Northern blot analysis. The results from these studies indicated that the measurable RRNA activity was represented in a specific cellular RNA which was responsible for the activation of PKR. Furthermore it was found that the R-RNA was specifically associated with PKR and that this complex could be detected directly in cell extracts. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA was determined. We propose that this novel cellular RNA may play a critical role in regulating the activation of PKR and thus be an important component in the control of cell growth and differentiation.
Using Geogrids for Base Reinforcement as Measured by Falling Weight Deflectometer in Full-Scale Laboratory Study

A model road was constructed in a laboratory. The road consisted of asphalt over a crushed rock base and a silty sand and gravel subbase. The silty sand and gravel were placed in a very loose state to simulate a thaw-weakened, poor-quality subbase. The water table was kept at 152 mm (6 in.) below the bottom of the asphalt. The model road was divided into three sections. A geogrid was installed at the bottom of the base course material in two of the test sections, and the third was left as a control section. A falling weight deflectometer was used to measure the dynamic response of the pavement structure. The traffic benefit ratio is defined as the expected life (equivalent single-axle loads) of one section divided by the expected life of another section. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities asphalt pavement design procedure and the NCHRP pavement design procedure were used to compare the test sections. The results from the two procedures were very similar. By using either procedur...
Health Impacts of Coal: Facts and Fallacies

Coal has contributed enormously to the advance of civilization by providing an abundant, inexpensive, and convenient source of energy. Concurrent with its contributions, coal has extracted a high cost in terms of environmental damage and human health impacts. Coal will remain a key component of the global energy mix for decades to come as well as a major source of global pollutants. Despite its high media profile, misconceptions about coal abound, especially with regard to its human health impacts. Coal also provides several excellent examples of how a geologic material and human health intersect in a variety of surprising ways. Unfortunately, the links between coal use and human health are distorted by a great deal of ignorance and misinformation. This paper discusses the facts and fallacies of the direct health impacts caused by coal (1, 2). There are a number of important health issues caused by coal that fall outside the scope of this review. The health impacts of particulates emitted from coal combustion have received substantial attention since the groundbreaking work of Wilson et al. (3), and through the recent discussions by Davis (4) and Freese (5). The indirect health impacts of coals through their contributions to global climate change, respirable particulates, acid rain, and acid mine drainage are also beyond the scope of this review. Greb et al. provide an excellent general overview of the environmental impacts of coal (6). The potential for health impacts caused by exposure to trace elements has received considerable attention for the past quarter of a century. The US Environmental Protection Agency conducted an extensive study of this issue and concluded (7) that, with the possible exception of mercury, there was no compelling evidence of health impacts caused by the emission of trace elements from coal-burning electric generating utilities. Nevertheless, documented examples do exist of health impacts caused by trace elements emitted by coal combustion. Bencko and Symon (8) described hearing problems in children living near a power plant burning high arsenic coal in the former Czechoslovakia. But, perhaps the most significant example of health impacts caused by trace element release from coal use occurs in Guizhou Province, southwest China, where millions of people suffer from dental and skeletal fluorosis and thousands suffer from arsenic poisoning due to mobilization of these elements by burning mineralized coals in unvented or poorly vented stoves (Figs. 1a and b).
Prosecutorial Discretion in an Adversary System

The purpose of this article is to examine the prosecutorial function from the perspective of the prosecutor. The specific context for this examination will be the prosecutor's charging decision, which is the most significant aspect of the prosecutorial function. The issue is whether, and to what extent, a prosecutor's personal assessment of a defendant's guilt should affect those charging decisions. The article examines the extent to which the model of all lawyers as adversaries for the interests of their clients does, and should, influence a prosecutor's charging decision.
How to prove hybrid systems and why that matters

This invited talk provides a brief exposition how hybrid systems proving works, why hybrid systems verification is an important device to ensure the safety of complex systems, and gives an idea where that technology is successful.
Expression profiling and interferon-beta regulation of liver metastases in colorectal cancer cells.

Liver metastasis is the major cause of death among colorectal cancer patients. Many gene products have been associated with the colon cancer cells' ability to metastasize to the liver, including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and mucins. In this study we examined changes in expression of 384 genes in a model of human colorectal cancer metastasis in nude mice. Using DNA microarrays, we compared expression between MIP-101 cells, a poorly metastatic human colon cancer cell line, with an interferon-beta (IFN-β) resistant subline of MIP-101 (β-MIP) that is metastatic to the liver. Treatment of β-MIP cells with increasing concentrations of IFN-β caused a reversion to the non-metastatic phenotype. The array data showed down-regulation of genes involved in apoptosis in β-MIP cells and their return to the MIP-101 pattern upon IFN-β treatment. Cluster analysis also showed involvement of genes belonging to cell cycle, angiogenesis and invasion pathways. Selected genes were chosen to validate the microarray data by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Association between gene expression pattern and metastatic phenotype was verified by intra-splenic injection in nude mice. The number of genes examined in this study was small, but carefully selected. Significant changes associated with cell growth and survival were observed, which gave the metastatic cells an advantage to grow in the liver. This information may help identifying new markers for colorectal cancer prognosis as well as aid the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Exogenous xanthine promotes neutrophil adherence to cultured endothelial cells

Oxidants generated by endothelial xanthine oxidase (XO) can help trigger free radical-mediated tissue injury. An important event in oxidant-mediated tissue injury is neutrophil-endothelial adhesion. Although activation of endothelial XO increases adhesion, little is known about xanthine in the adhesive effect of XO. This study examined administered xanthine on the adhesion of neutrophils. Endothelial [human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)] monolayers were exposed to xanthine (15 min), and neutrophils were allowed to adhere to HUVEC in an adhesion assay. Adhesion was dose dependently increased by xanthine (3-100 microM). Either catalase (1,000 U/ml), oxypurinol (XO inhibitor; 100 microM), or platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist (WEB 2086; 10 microM) reduced neutrophil adhesion. Superoxide dismutase (1,000 U/ml) had no effect. Pretreatment of HUVEC with 50 microM tungsten also blocked xanthine-induced adherence. Adhesion was also inhibited by preincubation with 100 U/ml heparin. Finally, anti-P-selectin antibody (PB1.3; 20 micrograms/ml) attenuated adhesion. Our results indicate that xanthine may promote neutrophil-endothelial adhesion via a hydrogen peroxide- and PAF-mediated P-selectin expression.
Nursing Home Provider Perceptions of Telemedicine for Reducing Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations.

Abstract Objective Potentially avoidable hospitalizations (PAHs) of nursing home (NH) residents are common, costly, and can have significant economic consequences. Telemedicine has been shown to reduce emergency department and hospitalization of NH residents, yet adoption has been limited and little is known about provider's perceptions and desired functionality for a telemedicine program. The goal of this study was to survey a nationally representative sample of NH physicians and advanced practice providers to quantify provider perceptions and desired functionality of telemedicine in NHs to reduce PAHs. Design/Setting/Participants/Measurement We surveyed physicians and advanced practice providers who attended the 2015 AMDA–The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Annual Conference about their perceptions of telemedicine and desired attributes of a telemedicine program for managing acute changes of condition associated with PAHs. Results We received surveys from 435 of the 947 conference attendees for a 45.9% response rate. Providers indicated strong agreement with the potential for telemedicine to improve timeliness of care and fill existing service gaps, while disagreeing most with the ideas that telemedicine would reduce care effectiveness and jeopardize resident privacy. Responses indicated clear preferences for the technical requirements of such a program, such as high-quality audio and video and inclusion of an electronic stethoscope, but with varying opinions about who should be performing the consults. Conclusion Among NH providers, there is a high degree of confidence in the potential for a telemedicine solution to PAHs in NHs, as well as concrete views about features of such a solution. Such consensus could be used to drive an approach to telemedicine for PAHs in NHs that retains the theoretical strengths of telemedicine and reflects the needs of facilities, providers, and patients. Further research is needed to objectively study the impact of successful telemedicine implementations on patient, provider, and economic outcomes.
Proof that If Voting is Perfect in One Dimension, then the First Eigenvector Extracted from the Double-Centered Transformed Agreement Score Matrix Has the Same Rank Ordering as the True Data

Let q be the number of non-unanimous roll call votes with q > 0 and let the cutpoint for the jth roll call be Zj. Voting is perfect. That is, all legislators are sincere voters and all legislators to the left of a cutpoint vote for the same alternative and all legislators to right of a cutpoint vote for the oppositive alternative. For example, if all legislators to the left of Zj vote "Nay", then all legislators to the right of Zj vote "Yea". Without loss of generality we can assume that every legislator to the left of Zj votes "Yea" and every legislator to the right of Zj votes "Nay". That is, the "polarity" of the roll call does not affect the analysis below.
Decadal-scale changes in the community structure of coral reefs of St. John, US Virgin Islands

Most coral reefs differ from those visited by explorers in the 15th century and described by ecologists in the 1950s, and reports of degraded reefs and hypotheses regarding the implications of the changes abound. Tests of these hypotheses require decadal-scale ecological analyses, yet data to support these efforts remain rare. In this study, 25 yr of time-series analyses from 3 habitats in St. John, US Virgin Islands, revealed changes in coral community structure that are spatially and temporally heterogeneous, only loosely coupled with local disturbances, and equivocal in terms of the coral community structure that can be projected from the recent past. In a near-shore habitat at 7 to 9 m depth, coral cover remained ~4% between 1992 and 2011, and variation in benthic community structure was driven mostly by Agaricia. In an Orbicella annularis (formerly Montastraea annularis)-dominated habitat at 9 m depth, coral cover declined from 45% in 1987 to 7% in 2011, and varied among decades. In a second O. annularis-dominated habitat at 14 m depth, coral cover increased from 32% in 1987 to 49% in 2002, but then declined to 29% in 2011. The density of small corals also changed between 1994 and 2011, beginning with a density (colonies per 0.25 m2) of 3.5 in 1992, rising to 4.9 in 2005, but declining to 3.0 in 2011. Each genus of small corals responded in dissimilar ways over time, with genera waxing and waning in abundance on multiple occasions and in asynchronous patterns. The reefs of St. John have changed markedly since 1987, but the present results show how adjacent habitats and sympatric coral taxa translate similar environmental signals into discordant community trajectories that suggest that these coral communities will not disappear in the short term.
Influencing Factors of Full-Term Infants with Low Birth Weight in a District of Shanghai

[Objective] To evaluate the effect of health and behavior relevant influencing factors during pregnancy on newborn's weight. [Methods] Pregnant women from a district of Shanghai with less than 20 gestation weeks were enrolled in a cohort study. A total of 2 768 pregnant women gave birth to single live full-term neonates. The relationships between second-hand smoke(SHS) exposure, educational level, and economic status and low birth weight were analyzed by χ2 test and logistic regression model. [Results] Of the 2 768 pregnant women studied, 1 284(46.4%) were exposed to SHS at least in the first or third trimester. Maternal short stature(Model 1: OR=0.9, 95%CI 0.840-0.996; Model 2: OR=0.9, 95%CI 0.860-0.998) and suffering from diseases during pregnancy(Model 1: OR=2.7, 95%CI 1.1-6.5; Model 2: OR=2.7, 95%CI 1.1-6.5) increased the risk of low birth weight. No significant difference was identified in newborn's low birth weight between maternal SHS exposure or not in the first or third trimester. [Conclusion] There is no evidence suggesting an association between mother's SHS exposure during pregnancy and newborn's low birth weight.
Leveraged exchange-traded funds: admissible leverage and risk horizon

This paper provides a quantitative risk analysis of leveraged exchange-traded funds (LETFs) with a focus on the impact of leverage and investment horizon. From the empirical returns of several major LETFs based on the S&P 500 index, theperformanceofLETFsgenerallydeclinesastheinvestmenthorizonincreases, compared with the unleveraged ETF on the same index. The value erosion is more severe for highly leveraged ETFs. To better understand the risk impact of leverage, we introduce the admissible leverage ratio induced by a risk measure, forexample,value-at-risk(VaR)andconditionalVaR.Thisideacanhelpinvestors excludeLETFsthataredeemedtoorisky.Moreover,wealsodiscusstheconceptof admissible risk horizon so that the investor can control risk exposure by selecting an appropriate holding period. In addition, we also compute the intrahorizon risk, which leads us to evaluate a stop-loss/take-profit strategy for LETFs. Lastly, we investigate the impact of volatility exposure on the return of different LETF portfolios.
Protein patterns template arrays of magnetic nanoparticles

Controlling the morphology of magnetic nanoparticles and their spatial arrangement is crucial for manipulating their functional properties. The commonly available inorganic processes for the synthesis of uniform magnetic nanoparticles typically require extreme reaction conditions such as high temperatures or harsh reagents, rendering them unsuitable for making functionalized magnetic nanoparticles with tunable properties controlled by biomolecules. Biomimetic procedures, inspired by the production of uniform magnetite and greigite crystals in magnetotactic bacteria, provide an alternative method, which can allow synthesis and spatial arrangement under ambient conditions. Mms6, an amphiphilic protein found in magnetosome membranes in Magnetospirillum magneticum strain AMB-1, can control the morphology of magnetite nanoparticles, both in vivo and in vitro. In this work, we have demonstrated the patterning of Mms6 and the formation of patterns of magnetic nanoparticles on selective regions of surfaces by directed self-assembly and control over surface chemistry, enabling facile spatial control in applications such as high density data storage and biosensors. Using microcontact printing we have obtained various patterns of 1-octadecane thiol (ODT) and protein resistant poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether thiol (PEG) layers on gold surfaces. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescence microscopy studies show the patterning of Mms6 on the ODT patterns and not on the PEG regions. Magnetic nanoparticles were grown on these surfaces by a co-precipitation method over immobilized protein. AFM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show the localized growth of magnetic nanocrystals selectively on the Mms6 template, which in turn was determined by the ODT regions. Magnetic force measurements were conducted to assess the localization of magnetic nanoparticles on the pattern.
The Variable Success of Managing Bleeding Disorder Related Menorrhagia: A Multicenter Study within the Hemophilia Treatment Center Network.

The growing awareness to screen women with menorrhagia for an underlying bleeding disorder has led to an increase in enrollment of identified cases in Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTCs). However, the outcome of menorrhagia management in these women has not been well-described. Objective : To determine the efficacy/outcome of the management of bleeding disorder-related menorrhagia in patients enrolled within the HTC network. Patients and Methods : Registry study of initial data collection of retrospective obstetrical and gynecological events with prospective yearly follow-up for 5 years for new obstetrical and gynecological events. Results : 99 women from five HTCs in New York-New Jersey Region II have been registered to date, mean age 38±16.3, median age 40. Diagnoses are: von Willebrand disease (VWD) in 71%; thrombocytopathy in 6%; factor deficiency in 23%. Menstrual status and outcomes presently: ⇒32/99 (32%) are not menstruating due to hysterectomy or post/peri-menopausal status; 13/99 have undergone a hysterectomy (n=10) or endometrial ablation (n=3) for menorrhagia control; in 7/10 of the women undergoing a hysterectomy for menorrhagia control, the diagnosis of VWD was previously established; 6/7of these women attempted medical treatment prior to hysterectomy ⇒68/99 (68%) are presently menstruating. Of those menstruating, menstrual status is as follows: Normal menses: 23.5% (16/68) Menorrhagia under control: 23.5% (16/68); of these patients; 11/16 have achieved control with oral contraceptive(OC), the remaining 5 patients have achieved control with intranasal DDAVP or Amicar Menorrhagia presently: 53% (36/68); 22/36 (61%) have undergone a course of ineffective menorrhagia treatment including intranasal DDAVP in 17/22 Conclusions : The majority of women with menorrhagia enrolled in HTCs have persistent menorrhagia despite evaluation and management within the HTC network. Only a small proportion have menorrhagia control due to intranasal DDAVP use and a proportion still necessitate hysterectomy for menorrhagia control. The value in United States HTCs of hemostatic measures alone such as intranasal DDAVP in the management of bleeding disorder related menorrhagia is uncertain at this time. Further study of combined therapy (intranasal DDAVP and Amicar ± OC) and novel approaches (levonorgestrel-intrauterine device) is warranted as are efforts to procure tranexamic acid for use in the U.S.
Differential impact of minimal residual disease negativity according to the salvage status in patients with relapsed/refractory B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

BACKGROUND Minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment predicts survival for patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Its significance in relapsed/refractory ALL is less clear. METHODS This study identified 78 patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell ALL who achieved a morphologic response with inotuzumab ozogamicin (n = 41), blinatumomab (n = 11), or mini-hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and doxorubicin plus inotuzumab (n = 26) during either salvage 1 (S1; n = 46) or salvage 2 (S2; n = 32) and had undergone an MRD assessment by multiparameter flow cytometry at the time of remission. RESULTS MRD negativity was achieved in 41 patients overall (53%). The MRD negativity rate was 57% in S1 and 47% in S2. Among patients in S1, achieving MRD negativity was associated with longer event-free survival (EFS; median, 18 vs 7 months; 2-year EFS rate, 46% vs 17%; P = .06) and overall survival (OS; median, 27 vs 9 months; 2-year OS, 52% vs 36%; P = .15). EFS and OS were similar in S2, regardless of the MRD response. Among MRD-negative patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT), EFS and OS were superior for those who underwent SCT in S1 rather than S2 (P = .003 and P = .04, respectively). Patients in S1 who achieved MRD negativity and subsequently underwent SCT had the best outcomes with a 2-year OS rate of 65%. CONCLUSIONS Patients with relapsed/refractory ALL who achieve MRD negativity in S1 can have long-term survival. Patients in S2 generally have poor outcomes, regardless of their MRD status. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Managing “Cataclysmic Money”: How Financial Regulation Matters for the Future of U.S. Housing Policy

“Shadow-world cataclysmic money is filling the gap left behind conventional money.”—Jane Jacobs ([1961] 1993, p. 302).Deep subsidies for residential housing credit constitute one of the most distin...
Dramatic effects of a new antimicrobial stewardship program in a rural community hospital

Background New Joint Commission antimicrobial stewardship requirements took effect on January 1, 2017, promoted as a central strategy for coping with the emerging problems of antimicrobial resistance and Clostridium difficile infection. Our objective was to measure the effects of a new antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in a rural community hospital with no prior ASP, in the context of having a new infectious disease specialist on staff. Methods An ASP team was formed to implement a prospective audit with health care provider feedback and targeting 12 antimicrobial agents in a rural hospital in Georgia. An educational grand rounds lecture series was provided before implementation of the ASP to all prescribers. After implementation, algorithms to aid the selection of empirical antibiotics for specific infectious disease syndromes based on local antibiograms were provided to prescribers to improve this selection. Rates of C difficile infections, total targeted antimicrobial costs, and drug utilization rates were calculated for 1 year pre-ASP implementation (2013) and 1 year post-ASP implementation (October 2014-December 2015). Results The patient safety metric of C difficile infections decreased from 3.35 cases per 1,000 occupied bed days (OBDs) in 2013 to 1.35 cases per 1,000 OBDs in 2015. Total targeted antimicrobial costs decreased 50% from $16.93 per patient day in 2013 to $8.44 per patient day in 2015. Overall antimicrobial use decreased 10% from before the ASP initiative to 1 year after it. Annualized savings were $280,000 in 1 year, based on drug savings only. Conclusions Judicious use of antimicrobials and resources can improve a patient safety metric and decrease costs dramatically in rural institutions where the average hospital census is