cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Status and Antihypertensive Therapy in Older Adults: A New Perspective on Old Data.

BACKGROUND Functional status may be useful for identifying older adults who benefit from lower blood pressure. We examined whether functional status modifies the effect of antihypertensive treatment among older adults. METHODS Post hoc analyses of the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP), a randomized trial of antihypertensive therapy vs. placebo (1985-1991) in 4,736 adults aged 60 years or older with isolated systolic hypertension. Outcomes were all-cause death, cardiovascular (CV) death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, falls, and symptoms of hypotension. The effect modifier of interest was functional status, assessed by self-reported physical ability limitation (PAL). RESULTS Among persons with no PAL, those receiving treatment had a lower rate of death, CV death, and MI compared with placebo (4.0, 2.9, and 4.2 per 1,000 person-years lower, respectively). In contrast, among persons with a PAL, those receiving treatment had a higher rate of death, CV death, and MI compared with placebo (8.6, 5.3, and 2.7 per 1,000 person-years higher, respectively). These patterns persisted in Cox models, although interaction terms did not reach statistical significance. Treatment remained protective for stroke regardless of functional status. The rate of falls associated with treatment differed by functional status; incidence-rate ratio = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (0.66, 0.99), and 1.32, 95% CI = (0.87, 2.00) in participants without and with a PAL, respectively, in models adjusted for demographics and baseline blood pressure (P-value for interaction, 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Functional status may modify the effect of antihypertensive treatment on MI, mortality, and falls, but not stroke, in older adults. Functional status should be examined in other trial settings.
Patterns of MHC Class II Molecules and mRNA Expression in Acute Myelogenous Leukemias

The occurrence of class II molecules on early normal and leukemic myelogenous cells suggests a novel function for these structures distinct from antigen presentation (1). Of particular interest the cell surface expression of DR, DP, and DQ molecules on hematopoietic cells is discordant. The particular pattern of expression is a marker of differentiation stage and lineage (2,3). HLA DR molecules are on myeloid and erythroid progenitors but, with the exception of monocytes and macrophages, not on their mature progency. DP is reported to be on a proportion of progenitor cells, whereas DQ is expressed on monocyte-macrophage cells but at very low levels, if at all, on myeloid progenitors.
Effect of Salt Level and Nitrite on Toxin Production by Clostridium botulinum Type E Spores in Smoked Great Lakes Whitefish

The effect of salt level and nitrite on botulinal safety of smoked whitefish was investigated. An average water-phase (wp) salt concentration of 4.4% inhibited outgrowth of Clostridium botulinum type E spores (103 spores/g) for over 35 d in temperature-abused (27°C) smoked whitefish. Incorporation of nitrite (220 mg/kg) during brining to the smoked salted (4.4%, wp) whitefish inhibited toxin production for 56 d at 27°C. An average salt concentration of 6.2% (wp), with or without nitrite, totally inhibited toxin production for the duration of the study (83 d). The effect of pH and water activity in temperature-abused smoked whitefish as a means of controlling toxin production by C. botulinum type E spores was evaluated.
Effects of automotive paint spray technology on the paint transfer efficiency – a review:

Automotive spray painting is among the most sophisticated and controlled industrial painting operations currently performed. Nevertheless, improvements in it are still sought in efforts to minimize...
Feasibility of capturing radiation oncology quality metrics in a large integrated oncology practice.

83Background: Metrics to assess quality are important to improve processes of care. While such capture and reporting are common in medical oncology practices, it is less common with radiation oncology. As part of a large integrated oncology practice with more than 400 physicians and 57 radiation oncologists, we explored the feasibility of capturing and reporting a bundle of metrics at each of 52 radiation oncology practice sites. Methods: At the beginning of each quarter, the first 20 charts were sampled at each rad onc site of service to capture the following metrics: performance status at the start of radiation therapy, pain level at the start of XRT for patient with bone metastasis, cancer staging documented, dose limits to normal tissue tissues established and clearly documented for IMRT cases, and adherence to the 2015 US Oncology Breast Cancer XRT Pathways. Pathways adherence was captured via physician attestation. Beginning in the second quarter, Breast Cancer Pathways concordance with the final de...
IN)VISÍVEL SOB A CIDADE

O projeto Entre Rios e Ruas procura refletir acerca das relacoes entre cidade, meio ambiente e individuo, tendo como ponto de partida a relacao que Belo Horizonte estabeleceu desde sua fundacao e estabelece ainda hoje com os rios e corregos presentes em seu territorio. Composto por desenhos, fotografias, objetos, videos, instalacoes e performances, Entre Rios e Ruas quer tornar novamente visiveis os rios que correm sob a cidade e, ao explicitar o tracado desses corregos na malha urbana, repensar nossa relacao com o que esta a nossa volta. A ocupacao do espaco urbano e sua relacao com o meio ambiente e uma questao que perpassa todos os trabalhos. Busca-se, por meio da metafora, da participacao do espectador e da experiencia espacial, uma proposta de recriacao da cidade, ativada pela arte e sua forca de invencao.
Interventions That are CURRES: Cost-Effective, Useful, Realistic, Robust, Evolving, and Sustainable

Currently, the United States is the Single largest financial contributor to a prevention research portfolio, spending about $4 billion annually on psychosocial research (Kobor et al. 2002). The National Institutes of Health sets criteria for reviewers on which to evaluate newly proposed interventions (NIMH 2002; Public Health Service 2003). The primary criteria are that the intervention is theory-based (usually a social cognitive theory), innovative, has a solid research design with a detailed implementation plan, is led by competent researchers with a track record to implement the project, follows ethical principles, and has a reasonable budget. These criteria and a set of norms operating among review panels, government staff, and the research community structure a research portfolio with a set of characteristics. Our goals are to: (a) review the existing norms regarding “good” interventions, (b) suggest alternative criteria, and (c) examine the implications of the new criteria for the conduct of intervention research.
Pregnancy Counseling with College Women

A model for treatment is described that focuses on the life situation as the basic problem, rather than on the unwanted pregnancy or on the person
Gamete Fusion in Mammals

Publisher Summary This chapter gives a preview of gamete fusion in mammals. Sperm–egg fusion is the culmination of gametogenesis. The known topology of sperm–egg fusion suggests that there is considerable specificity as to which regions of the sperm and egg plasma membrane can fuse. The fertilizing sperm makes initial contact, via its inner acrosomal membrane (IAM), with the microvillar surface of the egg. The region of the egg plasma membrane that has a low concentration of microvilli, the cortical granule-free region, generally does not participate in sperm binding or fusion. The inner acrosomal membrane of mammalian sperm does not fuse with the egg plasma membrane, but is taken up into the egg cytoplasm, along with a piece of the egg plasma membrane. The engulfment of the inner acrosomal membrane has been described as a type of phagocytotic process. A major difference from classical phagocytosis in terms of the morphology is that the “phagosome” is surrounded by a hybrid membrane that includes sperm IAM and egg plasma membrane. In mammals various somatic cell types also exhibit cell-cell fusion. These include fusion of cytotrophoblasts to produce a protective nutritive layer in the placenta; fusion of myoblasts to form myotubes; fusion of monocytes to form osteoclasts; and fusion of macrophages to produce “multinucleated giant cells”. In general, less is known about these somatic cell-cell fusion systems than about gamete fusion. This chapter concludes that new strategies, particularly gene knockout and structural analysis of sperm protein–egg protein complexes, may prove to be effective in providing deeper insight into the molecular basis of gamete fusion.
Organ and Metabolic Complications — Abnormal Endocrine Function in Chronic Renal Failure

Endocrine function is often abnormal in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF); these disturbances, though not life-threatening, diminish the quality of life and make interpretation of endocrine function tests difficult. The pathogenesis of these derangements are multi-factorial and complex in nature and can be classified as follows: - Hormonal deficiency due to the absence of functioning renal mass — erythropoietin, 1,25 vitamin D3, renin and osteogenic or bone morphogenic protein, a bone growth promoting factor (1) - Hormonal deficiency due to uremia — Testosterone - Hormonal excess due to increased production — Parathyroid hormone (PTH), prolactin and growth hormone (GH) - Hormonal excess due to decreased degradation — GH, prolactin, insulin and glucagon - Altered feedback regulation — gonadal dysfunction and excess GH and prolactin production - Altered hormone metabolism — impaired conversion of thyroxine to triiodothyronine - Altered end organ responsiveness — insulin and PTH resistance
Formal Methods of Solution and Approximations

We shall now discuss formally several standard methods of solving the scattering problem. These amount to procedures for constructing the complete Green’s function, or the resolvent. Although they are in principle exact, they give rise in a natural manner to approximation methods.
Sparsity-Promoting Photoacoustic Imaging with Source Estimation

Photoacoustics has emerged as a high-contrast imaging modality that provides optical absorption maps inside of tissues, therefore complementing morphological information of conventional ultrasound. The laser-generated photoacoustic waves are usually envelope-detected, thus disregarding the specific waveforms generated by each photoabsorber. Here we propose a sparsity-promoting image reconstruction method that allows the estimation of each photoabsorber's source-time function. Preliminary studies showed the ability to reconstruct the optical absorption map of an in silico vessel phantom. By using a sparsity-promoting imaging method, absorption maps and source-time functions can still be recovered even in situations where the number of transducers is decreased by a factor of six. Moreover, the recovery is able to attain higher resolution than conventional beamforming methods. Because our method recovers the source-time function of the absorbers, it could potentially also be used to distinguish different types of photoabsorbers, or the degree of aggregation of exogenous agents, under the assumption that these would generate different source-time functions at the moment of laser irradiation.
On waiting

Waiting is the activity of maintaining selected aspects of a current situation over some period of time in order that certain goal-related actions can be performed in the future. Initial steps toward the formalization of notions relevant to waiting are presented. Conditions and information pertinent to waiting decisions are defined.
Standards for Competence in Braille Literacy Skills in Teacher Preparation Programs

This article reports on a descriptive study of standards and criteria for competence in braille literacy within teacher preparation programs and the specific role played in the achievement of profi...
The moral aporia of race in international relations

Drawing on recent scholarship on race, post-colonialism, and ethics in the field of international relations, I return to the ‘first debate’ in the field regarding realism versus liberalism to highl...
Gender Representation at Neurological Surgery Conferences.

Background Women constitute a minority (9.2%) of academic neurosurgeons. We previously found that women in academic medicine are disadvantaged in funding and career advancement opportunities. We hypothesized that women are also underrepresented at neurosurgical society conferences. Methods Programs from the 2014–2018 meetings of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), American Association of Neurological Surgery (AANS), and North American Skull Base Society (NASBS) were analyzed. Demographic data, including name, gender, and geographic region of practice, were collected for speaker, moderator, or leadership positions. χ2 statistical analysis was performed for difference in gender representation across all opportunity spots. Results In the period 2014–2018, there was no female presidents or honored guest at any academic meetings analyzed; 53.8% of executive committees comprised all men. Women often constituted a minority ( Conclusions In 2014–2018, underrepresentation of women in national neurosurgical conferences either matched or exceeded the baseline gender disparity seen in academic neurosurgery. We discussed potential causes of and strategies to address these findings.
Age versus American society of anesthesiologists – Examining 30-day mortality and morbidity in elderly patients undergoing colectomy from the American college of surgeons national surgical quality improvement program

Background: As the percentage of the population that is elderly increases, colorectal operations performed in this age group are becoming more common. This study examined the use of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Classification System (class) as a predictor of 30-day morbidity and mortality in patients ≥90 years old. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of ASA classification in elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery to determine whether it is an accurate predictor of perioperative risk. Design and Setting: This was a retrospective database review. Patients and Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all colectomies, coloproctectomies, and proctectomies performed from 2005 to 2009. Demographic and perioperative information including class and 30-day outcomes were assessed. A multiple logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds of 30-day morbidity and mortality correlated with age, class procedure type (open vs. minimally invasive), and do not resuscitate (DNR) status. Main Outcome Measures: 30-day mortality and 30-day morbidity. Sample Size: The sample size included 73,974 patients. Results: A total of 73,974 patients were identified including 1276 patients ≥90 years old. Across all patients, multiple logistic regression demonstrated higher odds of 30-day mortality with increase in class (P
Effects of Rate of Drying, Life History Phase, and Ecotype on the Ability of the Moss Bryum Argenteum to Survive Desiccation Events and the Influence on Conservation and Selection of Material for Restoration

Desiccation stress is frequently experienced by the moss Bryum argenteum and can influence survival, propagation and niche selection. We attempted to disentangle the interacting factors of life history phase (five categories) and rate of desiccation (time allotted for induction of desiccation tolerance) for thirteen ecotypes of B. argenteum. Using chlorophyll fluorescence as a stress index, we determined how these parameters influenced desiccation tolerance. Rate of drying and life phase significantly affected desiccation tolerance. The reaction norms of desiccation tolerance displayed by the thirteen ecotypes showed a substantial degree of variation in phenotypic plasticity. We observed differences in survival and fluorescence between rapid and slow drying events in juveniles. These same drying applications did not produce as large of a response for adult shoots (which consistently displayed high values). Some juvenile and protonemal ecotypes, such as those from the southwest United States, possessed higher innate tolerance to rapid drying, and greater resilience compared to ecotypes sourced from mesic localities in the United States. These results show a complex nuanced response to desiccation with ecotypes displaying a range of responses to desiccation reflecting both inherently different capacities for tolerating desiccation as well as variation in capacity for phenotypic plasticity. Our results suggest that we should expect few short-term effects of climate change due to high desiccation tolerance of adult shoots, but significant adverse long-term effects on colony establishment due to low tolerance of protonema and juvenile shoots. Further, we would recommend that future studies using mosses for habitat restoration of aridlands consider the desiccation tolerance capacity of individual ecotypes used for cultivation and later re-introduction. Understanding how mosses respond to desiccation is essential to interpret ecological roles, habitat preferences, selective pressures, and responses to climate change, and to estimate the potential effects of climate changes on bryophyte species and populations.
Three-Dimensional Exoscopic Temporal Bone Resections for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Objectives The three-dimensional (3D) exoscope has several advantages over the operative microscope (OM) but has not been extensively reported for its use in malignant temporal bone resections (TBR). We sought to demonstrate the feasibility of performing TBR, both lateral (LTBR) and subtotal (STBR), using the 3D exoscope for head and neck cancers. Design present study is a retrospective chart review from August 2016 until August 2019. Setting The study was conducted at a tertiary care center. Participants Patients were undergoing TBR with the Karl Storz VITOM 3D exoscope. Main Outcome Measures Demographics, tumor and surgical characteristics, patient outcomes were the primary measurements of this study. Results Fifty-five patients underwent 3D exoscopic TBR from 2016 through 2019 of which 18% (n = 10) underwent STBR. The 3D exoscope was used uninterruptedly in all procedures with no intraoperative complications. Most tumors were primarily T3 (42%, n = 23) or T4 (55%, n = 30) and of cutaneous (62%, n = 34) and parotid (27%, n = 15) origin. These TBR were often accompanied by infratemporal fossa resections (87%, n = 48), auriculectomies (47%, n = 26), mandibulectomies (53%, n = 29), and parotidectomies (96%, n = 53). On final pathology, 24% (n = 13) had microscopically positive margins. Over the study period, 20% (n = 11) of patients had recurrences with a median recurrence time of 5 months (range: 2–30 months). Conclusion In the largest case series of LTBR and STBR under exclusive 3D exoscopic visualization to date, we demonstrate the 3D exoscope is a feasible alternative to the operative microscope for LTBR and STBR. While oncologic outcomes remain to be clarified, it carries significant potential for use in complex oncologic procedures.
Prolonged Length of Stay After Robotic Prostatectomy: Causes and Risk Factors.

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) can generally be performed with 1–2 nights of postoperative monitoring before discharge from the hospital. Little is known about what causes individual patients to remain in hospital beyond the second postoperative day. Data for RARPs performed between 2013 and 2015 were extracted from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. The fraction of cases with prolonged length of stay (PLOS) that can be reasonably attributed to complications was examined. Logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for PLOS in the overall population and separately in the population of patients with PLOS without any perioperative complications. Of 11,440 patients, 10,342 (90.4%) were discharged on postoperative days 0–2; 80.6% (887/1101) of patients with PLOS did not experience any perioperative complications. The most common complication was bleeding requiring transfusion, but this was present in only 5.6% (62/1101) of patients with PLOS. Logistic regression identified predictors of PLOS as age, race, wound class, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, smoking, diabetes, dyspnea, dependent functional health status, congestive heart failure, operative time, and pelvic lymph node dissection. Results of this regression were insensitive to the exclusion of patients who experienced no perioperative complications. This study utilizes logistic regression on NSQIP data to identify risk factors for PLOS after RARP and, in particular, to evaluate the role of postoperative complications in PLOS. The analysis shows that postoperative complications account for a small minority of cases of PLOS after RARP.
Chapter 1 – Three Eras

Publisher Summary The evolution of American television over the five decades since its introduction divides roughly, but unambiguously, itself into three eras. This chapter labels them the early years, from the late 1940s through the 1950s; equilibrium, from 1960 through the 1970s; and transition, from 1980 to the present. In 1949, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) imposed a freeze on the granting of licenses for television stations. The equilibrium period was marked by a substantial increase in the number of stations, the consolidation of television's initial success with the public, a variety of technological advances, including the advent of color as the industry and household standard, and the creation of public television as it operates. By the end of the 1950s, there were only about 35 stations in operation. Many confined their programming to the courses and other offerings of the educational institutions with which they were affiliated. By the late 1990s, there were about 1200 commercial and about 365 noncommercial standard-power television stations in operation. These represent vast increases of more than 60% and about 40%, respectively, over the totals at the end of the 1970s. In each case, a majority would be ultra high frequency (UHF). The most significant aspect has been the enormous increase in the number of channels offered to the viewers. This was the result of the further diffusion of television technology—the increase in the number of stations, the rise in cable subscriptions, and the swift adoption of the videocassette recorder.
Evolutionary innovation using EDGE, a system for localized elevated mutagenesis

Mutations arising across the whole genome can hinder the emergence of evolutionary innovation required for adaptation because many mutations are deleterious. This trade-off is overcome by elevated mutagenesis to localized loci. Examples include phase variation and diversity-generating retroelements. However, these mechanisms are rare in nature; and all have narrow mutational spectra limiting evolutionary innovation. Here, we engineer a platform of Experimental Designed Genic Evolution (EDGE) to study the potential for evolutionary novelty at a single locus. Experimental evolution with EDGE shows that bacterial resistance to a novel antibiotic readily evolves, provided that elevated mutagenesis is focused on a relevant gene. A model is proposed to account for the cost and benefit of such single loci to adaptation in a changing environment and explains their high mutation rates, limited innovation, and the rarity of localized mutagenesis in nature. Overall, our results suggest that localized mutation systems can facilitate continuing adaptive evolution without necessarily restricting the spectrum of mutations. EDGE has utility in dissecting the complex process of adaptation with its localized, efficient evolution.
Genome-wide epigenetic analyses in Japanese immigrant plantation workers with Parkinson’s disease and exposure to organochlorines reveal possible involvement of glial genes and pathways involved in neurotoxicity

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a disease of the central nervous system that progressively affects the motor system. Epidemiological studies have provided evidence that exposure to agriculture-related occupations or agrichemicals elevate a person’s risk for PD. Here, we sought to examine the possible epigenetic changes associated with working on a plantation on Oahu, HI and/or exposure to organochlorines (OGC) in PD cases. We measured genome-wide DNA methylation using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip array in matched peripheral blood and postmortem brain biospecimens in PD cases (n = 20) assessed for years of plantation work and presence of organochlorines in brain tissue. The comparison of 10+ to 0 years of plantation work exposure detected 7 and 123 differentially methylated loci (DML) in brain and blood DNA, respectively (p < 0.0001). The comparison of cases with 4+ to 0–2 detectable levels of OGCs, identified 8 and 18 DML in brain and blood DNA, respectively (p < 0.0001). Pathway analyses revealed links to key neurotoxic and neuropathologic pathways related to impaired immune and proinflammatory responses as well as impaired clearance of damaged proteins, as found in the predominantly glial cell population in these environmental exposure-related PD cases. These results suggest that distinct DNA methylation biomarker profiles related to environmental exposures in PD cases with previous exposure can be found in both brain and blood.
Correlation of Computed Tomography Test Bolus Dynamics and Conventional Computed Tomography Parameters With Pulmonary Vascular Resistance in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

OBJECTIVE Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is a measurement obtained with invasive right heart catheterization (RHC) that is commonly used for management of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is also done as part of the workup for PAH in some cases. The aim of our study was to assess the correlation of contrast dynamic changes in the main pulmonary artery (MPA) on CTPA with PVR obtained with RHC. METHODS This is an IRB-approved retrospective study performed in two separate institutions (Medical College of Wisconsin and University of Alabama) between January 2010 and December 2013. During CTPA done as test bolus, serial images are acquired at the level of MPA after intravenous injection of contrast to determine timing of the CT acquisition. Since the PVR changes with the degree of PAH, we hypothesize that will be reflected in the contrast kinetics in MPA. A correlation of standard CT metrics (MPA diameter, right pulmonary artery [PA] diameter, left PA diameter, MPA/aorta ratio, and right ventricle/left ventricle [RV/LV] ratio) and dynamic (full width at half maximum) CTPA parameters in patients with known PAH was performed with PVR obtained from RHC done within 30 days. Statistical analysis was performed by Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS Among 221 patients in our database, 37 patients fulfilled the selection criteria. There was a strong correlation between full width half maximum (FWHM) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) (r=0.69, p value<0.00001), PVR (r=0.8, p value<0.00001) and indexed PVR (PVRI) (r=0.75, p value<0.00001). CONCLUSION FWHM obtained from CTPA strongly correlates with RHC parameters and is potentially more helpful than static measurements for follow-up of patients with known PAH to assess response to treatment or progression.
Emerging Technologies for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a global health problem affecting 422 million people worldwide, of which 34.2 million live in the United States alone. Complications due to diabetes can lead to considerable morbidity and mortality related to both microvascular and macrovascular disease. While glycosylated hemoglobin testing is the standard test utilized to evaluate glycemic control, emerging targets like "time in range" and "glycemic variability" often provide more accurate assessments of glycemic fluctuations and have implications for diabetes complications and quality of life. Patients with diabetes face considerable burdens of self-care including frequent glucose monitoring, multiple insulin injections, dietary management, and the need to track daily activities, all of which lead to reduced adherence and psychological burnout. From the provider perspective, limited patient data and access to self-management tools lead to treatment inertia and a reduced ability to help patients achieve and maintain their glycemic goals. In the past few decades, there have been considerable advances in treatment-based technology and technological applications designed to help reduce patient burden and provide tools for better self-management. These advances make real-time clinical data available for clinicians to make necessary changes in treatment regimens. In this review, we discuss the latest emerging technologies available for the management of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Feasibility study for echocardiography-guided lead insertion for permanent cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Background Permanent cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are traditionally implanted with the assistance of fluoroscopy. While clinically effective, this technique exposes both patients and providers to radiation which is associated with adverse health effects and represents an occupational hazard. In this study, we investigate the safety and feasibility of permanent CIED placement under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). There is also increasing interest in use of non-fluoroscopic options for noninvasive cardiac electrophysiologic procedures. Methods Fifteen patients consecutively consented for initial implant of CIEDs, specifically dual chamber pacemakers (DCPM) and dual chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (DCICDs). Patients were excluded if they had previous implants, abandoned leads, or anatomic anomalies including congenital and known persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). We used TTE to guide and implant atrial and ventricular leads. Results Eleven patients received DCPMs and four patients received DCICDs. The procedure duration was 49.3 min for DCICD and 52.3 min for DCPM, p = .807. The average number of right atrial lead attempts was 1.6 for DCPMs and 1.8 for DCICD, p = .860. The average number of right ventricular lead attempts for DCPMs was 2.2 and 1.0 attempt for DCICDs, p = .044. There were no complications at 90-day follow-up. Conclusion We demonstrate the feasibility of TTE-guided DCPM/DCICD implantation without use of fluoroscopy. We present this method as a safe alternative for permanent CIED placement that may reduce risk of radiation exposure and cost while maintaining safety and efficacy. No operators wore lead aprons during the procedure.
An analysis of publication trajectory in plastic surgery across the decades.

The classic canonical publication trajectory for academicians has been well-described by a rapid increase followed by a slower decrease in productivity, leading to a plateau. This trajectory has not been investigated in plastic surgery. In this communication, we aimed to: (1) visualize the publication trajectory per decade for plastic surgeons certified from 1980 to 2010, and (2) characterize and quantify the changes in publishing trends across decades. A list of plastic and reconstructive surgeons board certified between 1980 and 2010 was obtained. Number of publications per year was recorded for each plastic surgeon. The median cumulative publication trajectory was graphed for each decade. Kruskal-Wallis analysis was performed to determine whether there were differences in number of publications across generations. The trajectory for a surgeon from the 1980s follows the established canonical trajectory. Surgeons from the 1990s and 2000s had significantly more publications by board certification than those from the 1980s (7 and 8 vs. 5, respectively, p < 0.01). Surgeons from the 2010s on average achieved 8 publications by board certification. It is clear that the publication arc for plastic surgeons from successive generations has greatly changed. Over the last 40 years, there has been a trend for increasing productivity and involvement in research at a much earlier stage in career, potentially due to increasing demands for matching into residency programs.
Video Streaming and SMIL: Technologies for Teaching

The purpose of this technical note is to call the attention of the IS community to two technologies: synchronized multimedia integration language (SMIL) and video streaming that deliver video and audio effectively through the Internet. This note • describes the technololgies • shows how these technologies improve education • presents the results of a multinational survey of small groups of students from in Hong Kong, in Seoul, and at the author's institution in the U.S to assess the value of these technologies as an instructional tool. The survey results confirm the usefulness of the technologies.
Patronage and Personal Bonds in the Early Nineteenth Century Green Standards

By 1840, a cohort of Chinese officers with strong personal bonds, forged through shared experiences of war and the patronage of a powerful commander named Yang Yuchun (1762-1837), had come to dominate the upper ranks of the Green Standards, the largely Chinese branch of the Qing (1644-1911) military. This article looks at how these bonds emerged during the Miao Revolt (1795) and White Lotus War (1796-1804) and then were consolidated during Yang Yuchun’s lengthy tenures as provincial commander-in-chief of Guyuan and then Shaan-Gan governor-general. It also explores the discourse through which officers validated the cultivation of personal bonds in the face of a military system designed to prevent the formation of personal loyalties. The article argues that the image of the Green Standards as a largely impersonal military force, in contrast with the “personal armies” of the Taiping War period (1850-1864), needs to be reconsidered.
Predicting the use of imagery as a mediation strategy

One of the central concerns of American educators has been to individualize instruction. Educators have been searching for an equitable means of moving from what Glaser (1972) called our present selective educational system to an adaptive one. The difference between a selective and an adaptive system is determined by noting who or what adapts-the student or the instructional environment. In a selective system the student will be successful only if his particular abilities are suited for the instructional environment, or if he is able to adapt his abilities to suit the environment. In an adaptive system, on the other hand, the instructional environment is determined individually based upon a number of factors; personality, abilities, interests, and past experience (Nunney & Hill, 1972). Although early research comparing the learning of individuals differing in imagery ability was equivocal, recent evidence suggests that learning can be affected by imagery ability. Kuhlmann (1907) and Fracker (1908) found that recall of colors and shapes was enhanced by imagery ability, while Thorndike (1907) and Carey (1915) reported conflicting results. Later, David (1932) found correlations between
Racial Emotion in the Workplace

Almost everyone in the United States is likely to experience or have experienced racial emotion in the workplace. One person feels uncomfortable making conversation with her co-workers of a different race, for fear that she will use the wrong name or say something that is perceived as biased or offensive; another is anxious that his colleague will judge him as less intelligent than the whites on his team. One feels anger at the telling or emailing of a racial joke; another feels frustrated when a colleague raises concerns about bias during a post-interview debriefing. These emotions — and the behaviors that give rise to them and respond to them — are sometimes difficult to describe. We lack a language of racial emotion in the workplace, in no small part because many of us (especially whites) prefer not to see it. But racial emotion does exist, and we ignore it to the detriment not only of our individual relationships, but of our visions and efforts for equality.Drawing on a rich body of social science research on emotion and interracial interaction, this Article pushes beyond the recent cognitive turn in understanding discrimination to expose racial emotion as a source of discrimination at work. It uncovers the ways that the law (through Title VII of the Civil Rights Act) and organizations currently close racial emotion out of antidiscrimination discourse and close space for developing positive racial emotion at work. By theorizing racial emotion and the relationships that result as a potential source of discrimination, the Article positions the law to better see and address workplace discrimination and to set normative and regulatory grounding for organizations to open space and develop conditions for positive racial emotion and interracial relationships at work. To this end, the Article proposes several specific doctrinal changes, particularly around behavior of “racial assault,” in individual disparate treatment, hostile work environment, and retaliation law. It resists, however, calls for greater policing of all racial behavior through these laws, urging instead legal regulation of discrimination at the systemic level as a way of directing organizational attention toward developing work conditions that will foster conversation and learning across difference.
A 1.4G samples/sec comb filter design for decimation of sigma-delta modulator output

A new architecture of high-speed comb filter is proposed and simulated. The proposed architecture takes advantage of the concept of carry-save adder and binary signed-digit to minimizes the carry propagation. It has a highly modular architecture and can be used for any order and any word length of comb filter. Also the concept can be applied to the optimization of a general high-speed adder or accumulator. The simulation of the proposed filter can process 1.4G samples/sec when it is designed using a 0.18/spl mu/m standard CMOS process. The chip area is 360/spl mu/m by 140/spl mu/m. The same architecture can run at 120M samples/sec using a 1.5/spl mu/m CMOS process and takes 3360/spl mu/m by 1630/spl mu/m in chip area. Discussion and suggestion related to the common comb filter algorithm is also presented.
Forensic Practice in the Helping Professions: Advocate and Adversary Roles as a Threat to Therapeutic Alliances and Fiduciary Relations

Abstract This paper considers the impact of the adversary system on forensic social work and asks the question, can social workers establish an authentic therapeutic alliance and fiduciary relation in the forensic context? The adversary process of the judicial system presents challenges that are affecting forensic social workers in unique ways. For example, because of the quasi-coercive situations in the forensic setting, interpersonal attributes such as empathy, warmth and genuineness, which are the essential components of therapeutic alliance, cannot be truly or positively attained. Therapeutic alliance and fiduciary or trusting relationship are central to social work practice. However, the challenge and intricacies of maintaining therapeutic alliance in the forensic setting are concerns that have been largely ignored in the professional literature. The dual roles of advocate and adversary present a paradox with some important implications for all helping professions.
CCD Optimisation Methods at LICK Observatory

Many kinds of scientific CCDs, such as MIT / Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) CCDs, SITe CCDs, Orbit Semiconductor CCDs and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) high resistivity CCDs, have been tested and optimised in the Lick Observatory CCD laboratory. In response to common problems and defects in CCDs and to operate the CCDs at their best performance, some methods of CCD optimisation have been developed and remarkable successes have been achieved. Many of these techniques have been used in the scientific CCD cameras of Lick and Keck telescopes. Some CCD problems occur only in individual CCDs, but some are common problems for many kinds of CCDs. This paper describes these “common” problems and presents the results of some of the methods developed to address those problems
Respiration, Wing-Beat and Ultrasonic Pulse Emission in an Echo-Locating Bat

1. The relationship between respiration (by telemetry), wing-beat (by cinematography) and ultrasonic pulse emission (by telephony) was studied in the echo-locating bat, Phyllostomus hastatus , at rest and when flying in a large enclosure. 2. In resting bats echo-locative pulses were produced at almost any point in the respiratory cycle, in flying bats more frequently near the beginning and/or end of expiration. 3. During flight the respiratory cycle showed a one-to-one relationship with the wing-beat cycle, both having a frequency of about 10 c/sec. Expiration was associated with the upward recovery stroke of the wings. 4. Both resting and flying bats emitted up to four pulses per respiratory cycle. Grouping of pulses was prominent during flight, the first pulse in each group being normally emitted at the start of expiration, with the last pulse and the silent period between groups being associated with inspiration. 5. Momentary inflexions in the respiratory signal associated with pulse production may represent momentary reversals in the direction of air flow, or ‘mini-breaths’, to permit vocalization. This and other evidence suggests that the production of pulses during the inspiratory phase is probably accompanied by a very brief expiration.
Implications of human value shift and persistence for biodiversity conservation

Large-scale change in human values and associated behavior change is believed by some to be the ultimate solution to achieve global biodiversity conservation. Yet little is known about the dynamics of values. We contribute to this area of inquiry by examining the trajectory of values affecting views of wildlife in North America. Using data from a 19-state study in the United States and global data from the Schwartz Value Survey, we explored questions of value persistence and change and the nature of attitudinal responses regarding wildlife conservation issues. We found support, based on subjects' ancestry, for the supposition that domination is a prevalent American value orientation toward wildlife that has origins in European Judeo-Christian traditions. Independent of that effect, we also found indications of change. Modernization is contributing to a shift from domination to mutualism value orientations, which is fostering attitudes less centered on human interests and seemingly more consistent with a biocentric philosophy. Our findings suggest that if value shift could be achieved in a purposeful way, then significant and widespread behavior change believed necessary for long-term conservation success may indeed be possible. In particular, greater emphasis on mutualism values may help provide the context for more collaborative approaches to support future conservation efforts. However, given the societal forces at play, it is not at all clear that human-engineered value shift is tenable. Instead of developing strategies aimed at altering values, it may be more productive to create strategies that recognize and work within the boundaries of existing values. Whereas values appear to be in a period of flux, it will be difficult to predict future trends without a better understanding of value formation and shift, particularly under conditions of rapid social-ecological change.
EFFECT OF ANTI-BOVINE LUTEINIZING HORMONE(LH)AND ANTI-RAT PRO-LACTIN(PRL)SERA UPON THE SECRETION OF LH IN INTACT ADULT MALE RATS

Antisera to bovine LH and rat PRL prepared in rabbits were administered s.c. to intact adult male rats daily for 10 days. Control animals received non-immune rabbit serum. Animals were sacrificed by decapitation without anesthesia 24 hrs. after the last injection. Serum and pituitary LH levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. LH data are expressed in terms of NIAMDD Rat LH-RP-1. Testicular and ventral prostate weights were significantly (p < 0.01) reduced in animals who had received anti-bovine LH serum. There were no effects of anti-bovine LH serum upon body, pituitary or adrenal weights. Pituitary LH concentration was significantly higher in anti-bovine LH serum-treated animals than in control rats (31.2±6.5(SD) μg/mg pituitary vs 22.7±6.8 μg/mg, p<0.02). Serum LH levels were higher in animals who had received anti-bovine LH serum than in control rats. Anti-rat PRL serum had no significant effect upon body, pituitary, testicular, ventral prostate or adrenal weights or upon pituitary LH content or concentration. Serum LH concentrations in anti-rat PRL serum-treated animals were higher than in control animals. Inhibition of gonadotropln activity by anti-LH serum resulted in compensatory increase in LH secretion. Data suggest that anti-PRL serum may also interfere with hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular function.
"Live" Case Study/Journal Record in Adolescent Psychology

Case study and journal record methods are described and positive outcomes for learners are noted. A "live" case, along with journal records, was used in teaching adolescent psychology. Evaluation indicates benefits to both college students and involved teenagers. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Hybrid Integrated Optics in Volume Holographic Photopolymer

Traditional planar lightwave circuits fabricated from lithographically-patterned waveguides in glasses, semi-conductors or polymers cannot accommodate the wide range of materials required by typical optical devices. In addition, such waveguides are nearly always defined in the material surface and thus can support only a limited density of interconnects and suffer poor performance at waveguide crossings. Furthermore, the inflexibility of lithographic approaches -- including both waveguides and "silicon-bench" methods -- requires optical sub-components with unreasonable and expensive tolerances. We propose an alternative integrated optics platform based on 3D direct-write lithography into an optically addressable encapsulant. Arbitrary micro-optics are first embedded in a liquid monomer which is then cured into a semi-solid pre-polymer. It is essential that this step take place with minimal shrinkage to avoid stresses. A scanning confocal microscope then nondestructively identifies the component locations and their tolerances. The controller customizes the circuit design to accommodate these tolerances and then scans a 0.3 to 0.6 NA focus within the volume of the holographic polymer to create waveguides, lenses or other passive interconnects with one micron resolution. A final incoherent exposure cures and solidifies the polymer, finishing the process. The resulting hybrid optoelectronic circuits contain 3D routed waveguides interconnecting active and passive micro-optic devices in environmentally robust, hermetically sealed packages. A feature of particular interest is the ability to write waveguides directly off of the tips of embedded fibers, passively interfacing the circuits to fiber. We show that polymers developed for holographic data storage have the properties required for this application.