cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrocardiographic manifestations of severe hyperkalemia

Severe hyperkalemia is a hazardous condition that warrants urgent intervention. In critically ill patients, the electrocardiogram (ECG) can be the most immediately available diagnostic tool in identifying patients with potentially lethal hyperkalemia. Peaking of the T waves, the most widely appreciated ECG sign, is actually rarely a manifestation of life-threatening hyperkalemia. In this review, we provide several clinical-electrocardiographic manifestations that can help identify those patients with hyperkalemia who require prompt intervention.
The Molecular Mechanisms of Cellular Potentials

Water, proteins, and potassium ions are the three most abundant components of the living cells. According to the membrane-pump theory, intracellular water and K+ exist largely in the free state. This theory has provided the theoretical framework for a great number of brilliant achievements, including the theory of cellular potentials of Bernstein (1912), Hodgkin and Huxley (1952), and many others.
Symptoms of Neurogenic-Arterial Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Commonly the symptoms associated with neurogenic compression are pain, paresthesias, numbness, tingling, and, occasionally, weakness of the hand muscles of the involved arm. Less frequently, associated arterial compression may produce paleness of the arm particularly when it is elevated to 90° or 180° of abduction [1–11]. These symptoms may be present for months or sometimes even years without producing any complications. As the symptoms progress, however, the entire hand and sometimes part of the forearm may become involved. Over 85 % of patients with advanced disease complain of pain, numbness, and tingling of the hand and fingers [8, 9, 12–14]. All of them, however, will complain of a throbbing type of pain involving the entire arm, including the forearm and the hand, when the arm is abducted 90° to the shoulder level, or above that level (i.e., when they try to reach over their heads). Many times the patients cannot raise the arm over their head because of the tightening and pain experienced not only around the forearm but also around the shoulder, extending on occasion to the back at the base of the neck. As the symptoms become more severe patients may have difficulty driving their vehicles because they are unable to maintain their arms on the steering wheel preferring to keep them in their laps. Discomfort of this severity is present in 100 % of cases and causes most patients to seek medical attention. The patients who suffer concomitantly from subclavian artery compression demonstrate immediate paleness of the hand upon elevation of the arm over their heads which rapidly returns to normal as it is lowered.
Meta-theory and Meta-analysis: The Possible Contribution to Measurement and Evaluation

This article addresses the problem of how assessment can become a more valid tool in the hands of the psychologist. The author suggests that testing is one form of assessment, but that the over ide...
Abstract WMP33: Real-World Clinical Outcomes of Ruptured Intracranial Arterial Aneurysm Treatment

Introduction: Comparison of real world clinical outcomes between clipping and coiling for ruptured aneurysm is challenging, mainly due to confounding case severity and variation in physician expert...
Radiation response of Ti2AlC MAX phase coated Zircaloy-4 for accident tolerant fuel cladding

Abstract A Ti2AlC MAX phase material was deposited on Zircaloy-4 substrate using the cold spray process, with the goal of enhancing the accident tolerance of zirconium-alloy fuel cladding in light water reactors. The samples were annealed up to 923 K to study the intermetallic phase formation between the coating and Zircaloy-4 substrate. Three interface compounds, ZrAl2, ZrAl, and Zr3Al, were identified and the activation energy of the interfacial intermetallic compound growth was determined. The radiation response of the coating material and interfacial intermetallic compounds after 3.5 MeV Zr2+ ion irradiation was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and nanoindentation. Ion irradiation disrupted the nanolamellar structure of the Ti2AlC coating while amorphization was observed some of the intermetallic compounds. Nanoindentation revealed overall hardening of the Ti2AlC coating and Zr3Al phase, with no significant change observed in the ZrAl2 and ZrAl phases.
The Design of a Collaborative Social Network for Watershed Science

There is a strong and persistent demand amongst scientists, citizen scientists and the general public for hydrologic data such as NEXRAD imagery and stream gauge time-series. Despite this interest, basic analysis tools are available only through specialized scientific software that is accessible to a small cadre of users. Furthermore, hydrologic data, while highly available, has not been integrated in a single system and no system exists to facilitate collaboration for scientists, citizen scientists, and the general public. This paper presents the design of the Watershed Science Network which is a collaborative social network aimed at multiple user groups who are focused on hydrology and watershed science. More specifically, we present a lightweight system that can analyze large datasets quickly and efficiently, while allowing users to interact with one another and perform collaborative analysis. This online gathering spot will allow citizens to post photos of local conditions, data providers to post announcements to users, and field scientists to view station data in the field. Users of the system can subscribe to watersheds of interest and automatically receive updates of recent analysis, visualization, and discussion activity regarding the watershed.
Brand disclosure and source partiality affect native advertising recognition and media credibility

This study explores how textual characteristics of native advertising affected audiences’ advertising recognition and perceived message credibility and media channel credibility. Findings show that...
Reduction of early inpatient transfers and rapid response team calls after implementation of an emergency department intake huddle process.

Patients admitted to the hospital and requiring a subsequent transfer to a higher level of care have increased morbidity, mortality and length of stay compared with patients who do not require a transfer during their hospital stay. We identified that a high number of patients admitted to our intermediate care (IMC) unit required a rapid response team (RRT) call and an early (
Pre-operative Nomogram to Predict Risk of Peri-operative Mortality following Liver Resections for Malignancy

Introduction The majority of liver resections for malignancy are performed in older patient with major co-morbidities. There is currently no pre-operative, patient-specific method to determine the likely peri-operative mortality for each individual patient. The aim of this study was to develop a pre-operative nomogram based on the presence of co-morbidities to predict risk of peri-operative mortality following liver resections for malignancy.
Abstract 261: Improving Hypertension Control Among an Underserved Urban Patient Population

Needs and Objectives: Poorly-controlled hypertension is associated with increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and thus is an important healthcare quality metric for primary care practic...
Effect of skew on the minimum support length requirements of single-span bridges with seat-type abutments:

Skew bridges are known to be susceptible to girder unseating during earthquakes, and empirical equations for minimum support length are used in their design. To determine the degree of conservatism...
Neighborhood Deprivation Shapes Motivational-Neurocircuit Recruitment in Children

Implementing motivated behaviors on the basis of prior reward is central to adaptive human functioning, but aberrant reward-motivated behavior is a core feature of neuropsychiatric illness. Children from disadvantaged neighborhoods have decreased access to rewards, which may shape motivational neurocircuits and risk for psychopathology. Here, we leveraged the unprecedented neuroimaging data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study to test the hypothesis that neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage shapes the functional recruitment of motivational neurocircuits in children. Specifically, via the ABCD study's monetary-incentive-delay task (N = 6,396 children; age: 9-10 years), we found that children from zip codes with a high Area Deprivation Index demonstrate blunted recruitment of striatum (dorsal and ventral nuclei) and pallidum during reward anticipation. In fact, blunted dorsal striatal recruitment during reward anticipation mediated the association between Area Deprivation Index and increased attention problems. These data reveal a candidate mechanism driving elevated risk for psychopathology in children from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
But This Time IS Different-COVID Recession

Earlier this year, the US economy dropped from historical highs to a severe downturn almost overnight due to the government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic affected all sectors of the economy, including the MBS market. Historically, there has been a direct link between an economic downturn and the fundamentals of the financial markets leading up to the downturn. As we saw in the Great Recession, the exuberance in the mortgage market, poor mortgage loan underwriting quality, and the exponential leverage resulting from the derivative markets contributed to financial disaster. The recent economic downturn resulted not from overleverage and the kind of ‘wild west’ behavior observed in the early to mid-2000s, but from the deliberate shut down of the US economy in an effort to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Unlike the Great Recession and the Great Depression, the events leading to the current economic downturn were exogenous to the market. As a result, the economy and the MBS market rebounded quickly. TOPICS:MBS and residential mortgage loans, financial crises and financial market history Key Findings • The forced shutdown of the economy resulted in an economic downturn paralleling the Great Depression. • Delinquency rates on residential mortgages and forbearance requests rose quickly, with a knock-on effect on MBS pricing and prepayment speeds. • Due to the strength of the economy and the MBS market pre-COVID, the time to recovery has been shorter than in previous downturns.
Seasons, Clocks and Mood

Tendency to experience the seasonal changes in mood and behaviour is manifested to a different degree in individuals, ranging from the patients with mood disorder through milder forms to the normal. In addition, clinical data have demonstrated abnormalities in the circadian rhythms in patients with mood disorders. Inside a cell, the key molecular events and mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythms have been elucidated. Thus, circadian clock gene variants are a fruitful target for elucidation of the pathogenesis of mood disorders. In humans, there are about 20 key genes of the circadian transcription-to-translation feedback loops which generate and maintain the circadian rhythms. The findings which have gained support thus far indicate that genetic variants of certain, but not all, circadian clock genes contribute to the pathogenesis of depressive episodes emerging from seasonal affective disorder, major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. The circadian genes encoding proteins for repression of transcription, as “the breaks” of the circadian transcription-to-translation feedback loops, are essential to the functions of circadian clocks. Here, the cryptochrome circadian regulator proteins CRY1 and CRY2 are keys, as they are strategically positioned to modulate not only circadian rhythms of a cell, but also to influence emotional reactions and mood of the individual.
Osimertinib-induced rapid regression of large metastatic tumor to the pituitary in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma.

Background Metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to the pituitary (NSCLC-PitM) is rare and often presents with visual field deficits. Surgical resection for the decompression of the optic apparatus has been the treatment of choice in such cases. Osimertinib is a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) approved for the treatment of patients with NSCLC with an epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation though its role in the treatment of NSCLC-PitM that remains unclear. We present a case of NSCLC-PitM with optic chiasm compression and visual deficits that were successfully treated with osimertinib alone without surgical intervention. Case description A 43-year-old male presented with pleuritic chest pain, fatigue, and visual deficits found to have NSCLC and a sellar mass with suprasellar extension and optic chiasm compression. Visual field testing demonstrated associated visual field deficits. Molecular testing was positive for EGFR exon 19 deletion. The patient was started on osimertinib with complete resolution of pituitary lesion and visual deficits at 4 weeks. Conclusion Osimertinib is a third-generation EGFR-TKI that has demonstrated promising results among patients with metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC. While surgery is the mainstay of treatment in patients with a sellar mass, optic compression, and visual deficits, those with EGFR-mutated NSCLC-PitM may benefit from early initiation of such systemic therapies, rather than surgical intervention, with good ophthalmologic results.
Stages of a Grief Collection: Creating a Focused Section in a Hospital Library

A consumer health/patient education library in a cancer hospital created a separate Grief/End of Life section within its larger book collection. This process happened in several stages. First, book...
A Novel Methodology for Fault Identification of Multi-stage Manufacturing Process Using Product Quality Measurement

Data-driven modeling and fault detection of multi-stage manufacturing processes remain challenging due to the increasing complexity of the manufacturing process, the lack of structural data, data multi-dimensionality, and the additional difficulty when dealing with large data sets. The implementation of add-on sensors and establishing data acquisition, transfer, storage and analysis has the potential to facilitate advanced data modeling techniques. However, besides the associated costs, dealing with high-volume multi-dimensional data sets can be a major challenge. This paper presents a novel methodology for early fault identification of multi-stage manufacturing processes using a statistical approach. The major advantage of the proposed methodology is its reliance on only the product quality measurements and basic product manufacturing records, given the presence of peer sets. This leads to a feasible faultidentification solution in a sensor-less environment without investing costly data collection systems. The developed methodology transforms the end-of-process quality measurements to a process performance metric based on a density-based statistical approach and a peer-to-peer comparison of the machines at one stage of the process. This approach allows one to be more proactive and identify the problematic machines that could be affecting product quality. A case study in an actual multi-stage manufacturing process is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed methodology.
Risk of Symptomatic Kidney Stones During and After Pregnancy.

Rationale & objective There are several well-known anatomical and physiological changes during pregnancy that could contribute to kidney stone formation, but evidence that they increase the risk of kidney stones during pregnancy is lacking. We determined whether there was an increased risk of a first-time symptomatic kidney stone during and after pregnancy. Study design A population-based matched case-control study. Setting & participants 945 female first-time symptomatic kidney stone formers aged 15-45 years and 1,890 age-matched female controls in Olmsted County, MN, from 1984-2012. The index date was the date of onset of a symptomatic kidney stone for both the case and her matched controls. Exposure The primary exposure was pregnancy with assessment for variation in risk across different time intervals before, during, and after pregnancy. Medical records were manually reviewed to determine the conception and delivery dates for pregnancies. Outcome Medical record-validated first-time symptomatic kidney stone. Analytical approach Conditional and unconditional multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results Compared with nonpregnant women, the odds of a symptomatic kidney stone forming in women was similar in the first trimester (OR, 0.92; P=0.8), began to increase during the second trimester (OR, 2.00; P=0.007), further increased during the third trimester (OR, 2.69; P=0.001), peaked at 0 to 3 months after delivery (OR, 3.53; P 1year ago) was also associated with a first-time symptomatic kidney stone (OR, 1.27; P=0.01). Limitations Observational study design in a predominantly White population. The exact timing of stone formation cannot be determined. Conclusions Pregnancy increases the risk of a first-time symptomatic kidney stone. This risk peaks close to delivery and then improves by 1 year after delivery, though a modest risk of a kidney stone still exists beyond 1 year after delivery.
A Pilot Study to Assess the Circulating Renin-Angiotensin-System in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Failure.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is fundamental to COVID-19 pathobiology, due to the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) co-receptor for cellular entry. The prevailing hypothesis is that SARS-CoV-2-ACE2 interactions lead to an imbalance of the RAS, favoring pro-inflammatory Ang II related signaling at the expense of the anti-inflammatory Ang-(1-7) mediated alternative pathway. Indeed, multiple clinical trials targeting this pathway in COVID-19 are underway. Therefore, precise measurement of circulating RAS components is critical to understand the interplay of the RAS on COVID-19 outcomes. Multiple challenges exist in measuring the RAS in COVID-19 including improper patient controls, ex-vivo degradation and low concentrations of angiotensins, and unvalidated laboratory assays. Here, we conducted a prospective pilot study to enroll thirty-three moderate and severe COVID-19 patients and physiologically matched COVID-19 negative controls to quantify the circulating RAS. Our enrollment strategy led to physiologic matching of COVID-19 negative and positive moderate hypoxic respiratory failure cohorts, in contrast to the severe COVID-19 cohort which had increased severity of illness, prolonged ICU stay and increased mortality. Circulating Ang II and Ang-(1-7) levels were measured in the low picomolar (pM) range. We found no significant differences in circulating RAS peptides or peptidases between these three cohorts. The combined moderate and severe COVID-19 positive cohorts demonstrated a mild reduction in ACE activity compared to COVID-19 negative controls (2.2±0.9x105 vs. 2.9±0.8x105 RFU/mL, p=0.03). These methods may be useful in designing larger studies to physiologically match patients and quantify the RAS in COVID-19 RAS augmenting clinical trials.
Quantification and the Associated Costs of Lameness on Today's Dairies

Quantifying the amount of lameness in a herd requires data from the observations of hoof trimmers, veterinarians and farm workers. The quality and accessibility of this data varies widely across dairies. Opinions and historical recall of past circumstances are of little value in management decisions. The incidence rates for treated cases can be determined from hard data, and are the only reliable means of quantifying herd problems. Three categories of disease, infectious or claw horn lesions or overwear/trauma, are important in formulating control strategies as each occurs from different risk factors. The prevalence of lameness is measured by locomotion scoring. Simple systems that classify cows as lame or not lame are preferred. Prevalence depends on both the incidence and the management of treated cases. Herds with aggressive detection and intervention practices may have low prevalence of lameness regardless of incidence. The financial losses associated with lameness have been estimated for current economic circumstances in the US, and are about $378 per case. Clearly different diseases result in differing costs. Insufficient data has been collected and analyzed to be much more specific in assigning losses to each disease. Sole ulcer and footrot appear to be the most costly common problems, and digital dermatitis the least costly on a per case basis.
Assessment of Pain in the Intensive Care Unit

The pain response, an evolutionary adaptation which promotes tissue integrity and survival, is prevalent in patients with critical illness or injury. However, pain in the intensive care unit (ICU) can be maladaptive by increasing suffering and contributing to physiologic perturbations, agitation, ventilator dyssynchrony, and impaired mobility. The accurate assessment of pain and precise targeting of analgesic therapy is therefore a fundamental goal of intensive care medicine. Here, we review pain assessment tools which have been developed and/or validated for use in the ICU. Direct pain evaluation in critically ill patients is challenged by barriers to assessment such as intubation, sedation, brain dysfunction or injury, and, more recently, paralysis for management of severe ARDS due to COVID-19. In these instances, pain assessment is relegated to indirect measurement tools whose validity and reliability are not well established. Protocol-based pain surveys in the ICU have been associated with reductions in pain scores, opioid requirements, duration of mechanical ventilation, and ICU length of stay. Research aiming to test and validate specific and sensitive pain biomarkers could lay the foundation for more precise, effective, and safe treatment of pain in the ICU.
Parallel Computation of Gröbner Bases on a Graphics Processing Unit

Solving polynomial systems of equations of both many degrees and variables is not a simple computation. A method of solving these systems is to transform them into a Grobner basis. Grobner bases have desirable mathematical properties that make it possible to solve systems of polynomial equations. The computations necessary to compute Grobner bases are many and can sometimes take days if not longer. Existing implementations are unable to handle the high degree polynomial systems necessary for specialized applications. Graphics Processing Units specialize in fast parallel computations by means of using many (several hundred to a couple thousand) computing cores. Utilizing these cores in parallel allows difficult problems to be solved quickly, versus using a Central Processing Unit, when optimized properly. The goal of this project is to implement a Grobner basis algorithm that is optimized for GPUs which in turn will allow for faster computations of Grobner bases.
Modeling Dynamic Systems

Many of the physical and technological processes that are of importance in our society are difficult to describe in terms of their behavior. The cause and effect relationships are not easily discernable; there are many important variables which may play a role in the dynamic characterization of the process; the interactions between these variables may be critical. In short, many physical processes whose dynamic characterization need to be well understood are sufficiently complex that a formal approach must be followed. This formalism is best expressed in the language of mathematics. With few exceptions, our intuition, without some imposed formalism, is not capable of making sense out of the response characteristics of complex physical processes. Our objective here is to present a formal mathematical approach that is extremely useful in gaining such an understanding for a whole range of physical processes. This mathematical approach is emphasized throughout, but it is important to keep in mind that it is a tool that may be helpful in the basic task of understanding a particular physical process. Thus, the mathematical approach is by no means to be divorced from the physical process to which it is applied.
A Well-Determined State Set

In this chapter we extend the definition of a well-defined state with the concept of a control configuration. A control configuration allows for taking into account the actuator outputs the PC uses to act upon the plant. Thus, the effect of a control action is described in terms of a particular actuator output which in turn is expected to produce certain plant output. In this context, a plant formula is now a pair consisting of: (i) a configuration formula, describing an actuator output due to a control action, and (ii) a proper plant formula, describing the expected plant output due to an actuator output. Recall here, that a plant formula, as introduced in Chapter 3, does not reflect explicitly this distinction between actuator and plant outputs, but is in fact an aggregated representation of these two different types of outputs. A representation of a state which makes explicit the distinction between actuator and plant outputs allows us to formulate a number of constraints on the state set S. The so constrained state set imposes further constraints on the allowable transitions and state transitions which in turn eliminate the presence of non-optimal goal paths. Under these constraints, we show in Chapter 5 that a de-synchronization due to VOA can be distinguished from de-synchronizations due to unexpected external actions and ill represented states. Thus, the goal of the present chapter is to introduce the control configuration related notions of states, transitions and goal paths which will be used in Chapter 5 and 6 .
Contribution of the carotid body chemoreceptors to the modulation of heart rate variability (873.6)

We tested the hypothesis that administering low-dose dopamine (2 mcg/kg/min) to desensitize the carotid body chemoreceptors would alter metrics of heart rate variability (HRV). Electrocardiogram (E...
A rapidly deployable manipulator system

A rapidly deployable manipulator system combines the flexibility of reconfigurable modular hardware with modular programming tools, allowing the user to rapidly create a manipulator which is custom-tailored for a given task. This article describes two main aspects of such a system, namely, the reconfigurable modular manipulator system (RMMS) hardware and the corresponding control software.
Female Sexual Dysfunction

Female sexual dysfunction is an important clinical condition affecting millions of women and couples each year. Because the underlying cause may vary, from vascular, to neurologic, to hormonal, surgical, and/or psychological, it is important to perform a thorough evaluation in all women with FSD. The first step for the physician is to ask the question. It is important that physicians treat sexual dysfunction like any other disease process and remember that FSD can occur at any age and may be the first sign of other underlying disease. It is also paramount to understand that no single treatment option is right for everyone. At Cleveland Clinic Florida, we have found that a multidisciplinary approach is extremely effective in dealing with the various issues facing the woman or couple with sexual dysfunction. This typically includes the urologist, gynecologist, primary care physician, sex therapist, and various other specialists and health care providers. By talking to all patients about their sexual health, by encouraging communication with the woman and her partner, and by educating women and their partners regarding successful treatment alternatives, physicians can go a long way to improving women’s sexual health and the overall quality of life for the couple.
FeII Lines in the Ultraviolet Spectra of Type I Supernovae

A synthetic-spectrum technique applied previously to the interpretation of the optical spectra of Type I supernovae has been extended to the maximum-light near-ultraviolet spectrum. Spectral features in the interval 2750–3450 A are suggested to be complex blends of P Cygni profiles produced by nunerous FeII and CoII lines. This interpretation of the spectrum provides further evidence for radial composition mixing in classical Type I supernovae (Type Ia), and conflicts with suggestions that explosions of Wolf Rayet stars are responsible for the recently emphasized supernova subclass, Type Ib.
Genetic Analysis of a Large-Cell, Radiation-Resistant Strain of Escherichia coli

Abstract A genetic analysis of Escherichia coli P6, a large-cell, radiation-resistant strain of E. coli, established that it originated as the result of a mutational event. The gene responsible for the complex P6 phenotype was located at 61 ± 0.5 min on the E. coli linkage map. The close resemblance of conjugal and transductional recombinants to one or the other parent without indication of an intermediate class suggests that only a single gene may be involved.
Provider-caregiver-child discussions about risks associated with asthma control medications: content and prevalence.

Summary Objectives The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe the extent to which general pediatric providers discuss risks associated with asthma control medications with families, and (2) examine factors that are associated with risk discussions. Study Design This study was a cross-sectional secondary analysis of audio taped medical visits involving 35 pediatric providers and 248 children with asthma with their caregivers. Transcripts of the visits were coded for discussions about asthma medication risks. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data. Results Providers discussed asthma control medication risks during 23% of visits. Risks were more likely to be discussed when the visit was longer and when the provider prescribed a new asthma control medication. When providers discussed asthma control medication risks, they were most likely to ask the family general questions and make general statements. Across all of the visits, caregivers asked a total of 16 questions and made a total of 20 statements about risks associated with asthma medications; children asked a total of 3 questions and made two statements about risks associated with asthma control medications. Conclusion Providers discussed risks associated with asthma control medications in less than one-quarter of medical visits. Providers should involve families in discussions about risks associated with medications during every visit to assess potential barriers to medication adherence. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:727–733. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Review of the 1996–98 Nonpathogenic H7N2 Avian Influenza Outbreak in Pennsylvania

Abstract The nonpathogenic avian influenza (AI) outbreak in Pennsylvania began in December 1996 when there was a trace back from a New York live bird market to a dealer's flock. A total of 18 commercial layer flocks, two commercial layer pullet flocks, and a commercial meat turkey flock were diagnosed with nonpathogenic AI (H7N2) viral infection with an economic loss estimated at between $3 and $4 million. Clinical histories of flocks infected with the disease included respiratory disease, elevated morbidity and mortality throughout the house, egg production drops, depression, and lethargy. A unique gross lesion in the commercial layers was a severe, transmural oviduct edema with white to gray flocculent purulent material in the lumen. Layer flocks on two separate premises were quarantined but permitted to remain in the facilities until cessation of virus shed was determined through virus isolation. Several months later, clinical AI appeared again in these flocks. It is not known whether the recurrence of...
Vibrational modes of vitreous As2O3

Abstract The positions and polarization properties of seven bands observed in the low temperature Raman and depolarization spectra of vitreous As 2 O 3 are successfully calculated using a modified molecular model. Nonnegligible intermolecular coupling must be invoked to account for the other two observed Raman bands.
An effective lagrangian for multiphoton processes and a non-linear Born-Infeld lagrangian

Abstract An effective lagrangian for multiphoton processes (of Euler-Heisenberg type) is computed for an electromagnetic field interacting with massive scalar, fermion and vector particles. It is found that if the charges gI, masses mI and numbers NI of massive particles satisfy the “supersymmetric” conditions, NSmS4+3NVmV4−2NFmF4=0 and gI2/mI4 is I-independent, where I=S, F, V stands for scalars, fermions and vectors respectively, then not only quartic divergences (poles at n=0 in dimensional regularization) proportional to constant terms cancel out but also maximally helicity changing interaction terms vanish in the effective lagrangian. A possibility to relate a non-linear Born-Infeld lagrangian to the effective lagrangian is examined.
Stereocontrolled Synthesis of (+)-Boronolide

Boronolide was synthesized stereoselectively from hydroxyacetylfuran 5 and valeraldehyde 6 using a novel dizinc aldol catalyst. Ring closing metathesis provides the lactone ring. The synthesis requires 12 steps and proceeds in 26% overall yield.
Capture and release of partially zipped trans-SNARE complexes on intact organelles

Soluble N-ethyl-maleimide sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are hypothesized to trigger membrane fusion by complexing in trans through their membrane-distal N termini and zippering toward their membrane-embedded C termini, which in turn drives the two membranes together. In this study, we use a set of truncated SNAREs to trap kinetically stable, partially zipped trans-SNARE complexes on intact organelles in the absence of hemifusion and content mixing. We show that the C-terminal zippering of SNARE cytoplasmic domains controls the onset of lipid mixing but not the subsequent transition from hemifusion to full fusion. Moreover, we find that a partially zipped nonfusogenic trans-complex is rescued by Sec17, a universal SNARE cochaperone. Rescue occurs independently of the Sec17-binding partner Sec18, and it exhibits steep cooperativity, indicating that Sec17 engages multiple stalled trans-complexes to drive fusion. These experiments delineate distinct functions within the trans-complex, provide a straightforward method to trap and study prefusion complexes on native membranes, and reveal that Sec17 can rescue a stalled, partially zipped trans-complex.
The Kazhdan–Lusztig Basis and the Temperley–Lieb Quotient in Type D

Let H be a Hecke algebra associated with a Coxeter system of type D, and let TL be the corresponding Temperley–Lieb quotient. The algebra TL admits a canonical basis, which facilitates the construction of irreducible representations. In this paper, we explain the relationship between the canonical basis of TL and the Kazhdan–Lusztig basis of H.
Rheological studies of the contractile force within platelet-fibrin clots: effects of prostaglandin E1, dibutyryl-cAMP and dibutyryl-cGMP.

Abstract Platelet-fibrin contractile force and the rate and extent of platelet-fibrin clot relaxation were measured in a Weissenberg rheogoniometer following recalcification of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Following recalcification of PRP, there was a rapid increase in platelet-fibrin contractile force. Maximum platelet-fibrin contractile force was reduced by 40–80% in recalcified normal PRP following 50 minute pre-incubation with DBcAMP (5×10 −4 and 4×10 −3 M). In the presence of PGE 1 (1.4×10 −4 M), maximum platelet-fibrin contractile force was reduced by 50% in recalcified factor VIII-deficient PRP (in which less thrombin is generated). Rapid relaxation of contracted platelet-fibrin clots occurred in the presence of either PGE 1 or DBcAMP. No effect of DBcGMP was detected on platelet-fibrin interaction, contraction or relaxation in the rheogoniometer. These data on dynamic platelet-fibrin viscoelastic properties indicate that compounds which increase platelet cAMP levels inhibit platelet contractility.
Photoelectric Fringe Signal Information and Range in Interferometers with Moving Mirrors

Photoelectric receptors and electronics have greatly increased the accuracy and simplicity of interferometric measurements. Theoretical and experimental investigations of instrumental and light source conditions required to ensure adequate information content and “visibility” of fringe signals have been made. Mirror parallelism requirements needed to maintain maximum signal modulation and to reduce apparent local displacement errors, for use with equal inclination interferometers, are expressed by the fractional number of equal thickness fringes within the mirror aperture, the sensitivity to varying rotation along the mirror traverse being reducible by decreasing this aperture and ensuring best local parallelism. The “effective” length per fringe, determined by photoelectric flux integration over an angular range within the source angular radius αs is approximately (λ/n)/2(1−αs2/4). Theoretical expressions obtained for the fringe “visibility” with simple single isotope lines of Gaussian shape are in good accord with experiments, showing that the fringe amplitude with perfectly adjusted continuously moving interferometers is governed by an expression of the form exp[-4π2l2σ2n2][sin(πlαs2n/λ)/(πlαs2n/λ)]×[cos{[2πl(1-αs2/4)]/[(λ/n)/2]}],usable for estimating interferometric range with such sources as the green Hg 198 line with an effective Gaussian width of about two Doppler widths at room temperatures. The further extension of interferometric range with measurement precisions of 1 part in 108 over traverses exceeding 300 mm appears feasible.
Non-invasive estimation of myocardial infarction by means of a heart-model-based imaging approach: a simulation study.

In the study, a new myocardial infarction (MI) estimation method was developed for estimating Ml in the three-dimensional myocardium by means of a heart-model-based inverse approach. The site and size of Ml are estimated from body surface electrocardiograms by minimising multiple objective functions of the measured body surface potential maps (BSPMs) and the heart-model-generated BSPMs. Computer simulations were conducted to evaluate the performance of the developed method, using a single-site Ml and dual-site Ml protocols. The simulation results show that, for the single-site Ml, the averaged spatial distance (SD) between the weighting centres of the ‘true’ and estimated Mls, and the averaged relative error (RE) between the numbers of the ‘true’ and estimated infarcted units are 3.0±0.6/3.6±0.6 mm and 0.11±0.02/0.14±0.02, respectively, when 5μV/10μV Gaussian white noise was added to the body surface potentials. For the dual-site Ml, the averaged SD between the weighting centres of the ‘true’ and estimated Mls, and the averaged RE between the numbers of the ‘trus’ and estimated infarcted units are 3.8±0.7/3.9±0.7 mm and 0.12±0.02/0.14±0.03, respectively, when 5μV/10μV Gaussian white noise was added to the body surface potentials. The simulation results suggest the feasibility of applying the heart-model-based imaging approach to the estimation of myocardial infarction from body surface potentials.
Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Variables Are Compound- and Class-Specific Correlates of Urine Phytoestrogen Concentrations in the U.S. Population

Isoflavones and lignans are plant-derived dietary compounds generally believed to be beneficial to human health. We investigated the extent to which sociodemographic (age, sex, race-ethnicity, education, and income) and lifestyle variables (smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI, physical activity, and dietary supplement use) were correlates of spot urine concentration for daidzein (DAZ), genistein (GNS), O-desmethylangolensin (DMA), equol (EQU), enterodiol (ETD) and enterolactone (ETL) in the US population ≥20 y (NHANES 2003–2006). We performed correlation analyses with continuous variables and calculated stratified unadjusted geometric means for each sociodemographic and lifestyle variable. We used bivariate significance testing and covariate adjustment by use of multiple regression models to identify influential variables, and used beta coefficients to estimate relative effects. Urine creatinine was also included in our analyses because of its use in correcting for variable dilution in spot urine samples. We observed many statistically significant (P 6% higher urine ETL concentrations. Dietary supplement use was not significantly associated with any of the urine phytoestrogens. Overall, we found that relationships between sociodemographic and lifestyle variables and urine phytoestrogen concentration were highly compound- and class-specific.
Clinical Aspects of Bacteremia after Manipulation of the Genitourinary Tract

The incidence of bacteremia in 300 patients undergoing four different urologic procedures has been studied. The highest incidence (31% ) was seen in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate. The major source of organisms causing bacteremia was preexisting urinary-tract infection. In the absence of a positive urine culture, other sources include prostatitis and the normal urethral flora. Other factors influencing the likelihood of bacteremia include duration of the procedure and, probably, surgical technique. Presumptive specific diagnosis of bacteremia after manipulation might be obtained early in patients by routine culture of urine (and perhaps prostatic fluid) on the day before surgery. This study suggests the desirability of a controlled investigation of the possible effectiveness of individualized prophylactic therapy appropriate for the specific organisms in urine (and possibly prostatic secretion) before manipulation.
The Photochemistry of Racemic and Optically Active 2-Iodooctane in Acetonitrile–Water Mixtures:

Racemic, optically active, and 2-deuterio-2-iodooctane were photolyzed in mixtures of acetonitrile (AN) and water ranging from 95% to 50% AN by volume. The major products in all cases were 1-, (E)-...
Rapid muscle atrophy response to unloading: pretranslational processes involving MHC and actin.

Skeletal muscles, especially weight-bearing muscles, are very sensitive to changes in loading state. The aim of this paper was to characterize the dynamic changes in the unloaded soleus muscle in vivo following a short bout of hindlimb suspension (HS), testing the hypothesis that transcriptional events respond early to the atrophic stimulus. In fact, we observed that after only 1 day of HS, primary transcript levels of skeletal α-actin and type I myosin heavy chain (MHC) genes were significantly reduced by more than 50% compared with ground control levels. The degree of the decline for the mRNA expression of actin and type I MHC lagged behind that of the pre-mRNA levels after 1 day of HS, but by 2 and 7 days of HS, large decreases were observed. Although the faster MHC isoforms, IIx and IIb, began to be expressed in soleus after 1 day of HS, a relatively significant shift in mRNA expression from the slow MHC isoform type I toward these fast MHC isoforms did not emerge until 7 days of HS. One day of HS was sufficient to show significant decreases in mRNA levels of putative signaling factors serum response factor (SRF), suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3), and striated muscle activator of Rho signaling (STARS), although transcription factors yin-yang-1 (YY1) and transcriptional enhancing factor-1 (TEF-1) were not significantly affected by HS. The protein levels of actin and type I MHC were significantly decreased after 2 days of HS, and SRF protein was significantly decreased after 7 days HS. Our results show that after only 1 day of unloading, pre-mRNA and mRNA expression of muscle proteins and muscle-specific signaling factors are significantly reduced, suggesting that the downregulation of the synthesis side of the protein balance equation that occurs in atrophying muscle is initiated rapidly.
Characteristics and hormonal control of some glycoprotein glycosyl-transferase reactions in male reproductive organs

Abstract UDP-galactose: glycoprotein galactosyltransferase and GDP-focuse: glycoprotein fucosyltransferase activities were found to be exceptionally high in homogenates of rat ventral prostate and certain other male secondary sexual organs. Nearly all of the intracellular forms of these glycosyltransferases in prostate were associated with readily sedimentable membranous structures and were maximally active only in the presence of non-ionic detergents. Rat and human prostatic secretions, and especially human seminal plasma, also are strikingly rich, in comparison with blood serum, in glycoprotein galactosyl-transferases that are present in these fluids in soluble forms that are not activated by detergents. Very little galactosyltransferase is associated with spermatozoa. The properties of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma galactosyl-transferases are very similar to those of the enzyme present in mammary gland and milk, although functional modifier proteins resembling α-lactalbumin appear to be absent from male genital glands and their fluids. The glycoprotein galactosyltransferase and fucosyltransferase activities of rat prostate decline fairly slowly after orchiectomy and are gradually enhanced in castrates by androgen treatment in a manner which suggests that their levels vary coordinately with elaboration of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi membranes in this tissue. Prolactin does not affect prostatic galactosyltransferase in hypophysectomized animals or its enhancement by androgens.
Three Dimensional Visualization of the Nuclear Membrane in Vertebrate Oocytes

In vertebrate oocytes the presence of a nuclear membrane can be established in fresh as well as in fixed materials studied by light and electron microscopy. Using various techniques the membrane can be demonstrated in three dimensions as an in vivo entity of such cells. The evidence presented supports the conclusion that a morphological nuclear membrane is present in all cells but can be demonstrated only by using specific techniques suitable to the specific cell.The author wishes to thank Drs. S. T. Piliero and Dr. E. L. House of New York Medical College for there critical reading of this paper and Mrs. House for technical assistance rendered as well as Mr. E. Harbilas for executing the drawing of Fig. 10.
Acute effects of smoking on digital artery blood flow in humans

Smoking induces several immediate physiologic changes in the distal arteries of the human upper extremity. We examined the hemodynamic effects of cigarette smoking on blood flow in normal human digital arteries using 20 MHz pulsed ultrasonic Doppler velocimeter methods. In each of nine subjects, two presmoke measurements and six postsmoke measurements were collected over a 30-minute period. Maximum velocity and volumetric flow data were averaged. Although no statistical differences were present between presmoke and postsmoke variables, maximum velocity decreased 14% and volumetric flow decreased 60% in the first postsmoke measurement interval. These observations suggest that smoking produces increased vascular resistance in the fingers and an overall reduction in both volumetric blood flow through arteries and tissue perfusion.