cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Updated meta analysis of closure of patent foramen ovale versus medical therapy after cryptogenic stroke

Abstract Background Among patients with cryptogenic stroke, PFO closure has remained controversial. We hypothesized that with the cumulative number of subjects in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), there is now sufficient power to ascertain whether PFO closure in patients with cryptogenic stroke improves the risk of stroke. Methods We performed an updated meta-analysis by including newer RCTs that examined the benefit of PFO closure compared with medical therapy for improvement in risk of stroke. We utilized random effects models to compute the association and performed subgroup analyses by medical therapy, shunt size and presence/absence of atrial septal aneurysm. Results Overall, 6 RCTS were included with 1839 patients that underwent PFO closure and 1671 patients that received medical therapy and were followed for a period of 2–6 years. The incidence of recurrent stroke was 1.52% among PFO closure group and 3.94% among medical therapy group. There was decreased risk of stroke in PFO closure group (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15–0.79, p = 0.012). Patients with larger shunt size derived more benefit from PFO closure than smaller or moderate sized shunts. There was no difference in outcomes by presence or absence of atrial septal aneurysm or type of medical therapy used i.e. antiplatelet therapy only vs. antiplatelet + anticoagulant therapy. Conclusion This meta-analysis of 6 RCTs demonstrated benefits of PFO closure for secondary prevention of stroke among patients with cryptogenic stroke and small increase in risk of new onset atrial fibrillation.
Divalent Carbon Transfer Reactions

The use of α-haloorganomercury compounds as divalent carbon transfer reagents is an important recent development in organic synthesis. Since the first reported reaction of this type in 1962 by Seyferth and co-workers [1], a large number of these compounds have been prepared and their application in organic synthesis explored. Their unique properties have made them particularly valuable as reagents in cyclopropane formation, ring expansion reactions, and the synthesis of organometallic and heteroatom-containing compounds. These topics have been the subject of earlier reviews [2–5], but they will be discussed in greater detail here.
Structural simulations of nanomaterials self-assembled from ionic macrocycles.

Recent research at Sandia has discovered a new class of organic binary ionic solids with tunable optical, electronic, and photochemical properties. These nanomaterials, consisting of a novel class of organic binary ionic solids, are currently being developed at Sandia for applications in batteries, supercapacitors, and solar energy technologies. They are composed of self-assembled oligomeric arrays of very large anions and large cations, but their crucial internal arrangement is thus far unknown. This report describes (a) the development of a relevant model of nonconvex particles decorated with ions interacting through short-ranged Yukawa potentials, and (b) the results of initial Monte Carlo simulations of the self-assembly binary ionic solids.
Experience Design for Reporting Human Trafficking

The ethnographic research study titled Operation Compass is focused on the development of design-led interventions to combat human trafficking. Phase one was focused on the question, how could a modified form of technology enable truck drivers to report suspected instances of human trafficking at a higher rate? The collection of primary research was guided by grounded theory with the goal of developing a theory from social patterns to explain why truck drivers were not reporting suspected cases of human trafficking. The study identified three key factors: their fear of safety, the necessity for timely delivery of cargo, and the lack of understanding on how to identify human trafficking. Since these had previously stopped truck drivers from reporting suspected cases of human trafficking, our design goal was to create a reporting process that mitigated these concerns to the point that they could be overcome. That is, reporting had to be anonymous, convenient, safe, integrated into the technology truck drivers prefer to use, ease of use to report a suspected case of human trafficking, and the ability to recognize human trafficking. The first five could be addressed with the Operation Compass smartphone mobile application; the last required an education campaign.
Relationship between General and Sport-Related Drinking Motives and Athlete Alcohol Use and Problems.

Objective: Alcohol use (and adverse consequences due to alcohol use) among college student-athletes is a common occurrence and consequently garners attention as a health concern within athletic dep...
Protective Effects of Curcumin in High Fat Diet (HFD)-Induced Obesity Include Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Adipose Tissue and Changes in Gut Microbiome (P06-075-19)

Objectives Curcumin, a traditionally used spice in Asia has several health-protecting effects. However, its role on gut microbiota and obesity-associated inflammation is still poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine whether the protective effects of curcumin in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity are mediated by reduced white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation and changes in gut bacteria.
Overall and Disease-Free Survival Prediction of Postoperative Breast Cancer Patients using Machine Learning Techniques

Cancer is a disease which is caused by continual unrestrained proliferation of tissues. Breast cancer is a fatal disease commonly found in females. Breast cancer cure is possible with timely diagnosis, prediction of survivability and its treatment. Prediction of survival from breast cancer on basis of patient historical record is a challenging task. The primary goal of this research is to predict the overall survival (OS) and number of years a patient can survive without any symptoms of breast cancer called disease free survival (DFS). For the experimentation, data set of female patients of Pakistan diagnosed with breast cancer have been considered. Six (6) machine learning classifiers have been trained on the data gathered from INMOL hospital of Pakistan. The classifiers include Naive Bayes, J48 decision tree, SVM, Random forest, AdaBoost and JRip. To the best of our knowledge no such work has been done on the Pakistani female breast cancer data. From the results of experimentation, it has been found that the performance of JRip for both OS and DFS is much better than the others. This prediction will be helpful for patients and paramedical staff (doctors) to foresee and predict the situation which may befall.
Further Evaluation of the Link between Perceived Containment and Proactive and Reactive Functions of Aggression among Detained Youth

There is evidence to suggest differential associations between perceived containment (one’s belief about the influence of adult authority on behavior) and proactive and reactive functions of aggres...
Emotional Content of Comics Drawn by Medical Students and Residents.

Medical students and residents face high rates of burnout. Drawing comics may help trainees process their experiences and feel both valued and connected to those who read their work. In this study, the authors sought to elucidate the predominant emotions and themes conveyed in medical students’ and residents’ comics about stressful situations. In 10 different sessions, medical trainees drew “something stressful in medicine”. Collected comics were analyzed by three coders, who applied emotional adjectives. Differences were resolved through discussion, with one to two final codes per comic. Codes coded based on items objectively seen in the comic and were encouraged not to project what they would feel in that situation. Two hundred ninety comics were analyzed by our research group. “Overwhelmed” was the most common final code (101 comics, 34.8%). Other common adjectives used by our coders to describe the comics were “inadequate” (24, 8.2%), “frustrated” (21, 7.2%), and “helpless” (16, 5.5%). Twelve of the comics (4%) were considered non-codable because of difficulty deciphering the theme or print. Brief comic exercises allowed medical trainees to convey what it is like to be “stressed out” in medical training—with trainees most often showing that they are/feel “overwhelmed,” “inadequate,” “frustrated,” and “helpless.” This demonstrates that medical students and residents convey these same emotions when reflecting on individual stressful experiences throughout their training. More research on whether graphic medicine for emotional and cognitive processing of stress makes an impact on burnout and satisfaction is warranted.
Nonsmooth Hessenberg differential-algebraic equations

Abstract Hessenberg differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) of size ν with nonsmooth right-hand side functions are studied. Well-posedness theory established in this article includes consistent initialization robust to parametric perturbations, and local existence and uniqueness of solutions in the classical senses. The aforementioned results follow from “regularity” of initial data, which is stated in terms of participating functions determining a Lipschitz homeomorphism. Said regularity implies the nonsmooth Hessenberg DAEs have (local) generalized differentiation index ν, and can be verified with matrix-theoretic conditions involving, for example, Clarke Jacobian projections. Regular solutions on an interval of interest are shown to have maximal continuations and to be lexicographically smooth with respect to problem parameters. Consequently, lexicographic directional differentiation can be applied to yield an auxiliary, nonsmooth “high-index” sensitivity system whose solution characterizes generalized derivative information of the reference solution of interest with respect to parameters. This theory is computationally relevant as the parametric sensitivity functions can be evaluated in a tractable way due to recent progress in nonsmooth automatic/algorithmic differentiation, and can be supplied to dedicated nonsmooth numerical equation-solving or optimization methods. This allows for numerically implementable dynamic optimization methods; open-loop optimal control theory is given which provides subdifferential elements of objective functions via solving a nonsmooth equation system involving the parametric sensitivity functions. As a corollary of the results in this article, foundational theory for smooth Hessenberg DAEs having classical differentiation index ν is established in a rigorous manner.
OGA Inhibition Alters Energetics and Nutrient Sensing in Alzheimer's Disease Cytoplasmic Hybrids.

BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) features reductions in key bioenergetic fluxes and perturbed mitochondrial function. Cytoplasmic hybrids (cybrids) generated through the transfer of AD subject mitochondria to mtDNA-depleted SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells recapitulate some of these features in an in vitro setting. OBJECTIVE For this study, we used the AD cybrid model to assess the impact of a nutrient-excess like-state via increasing O-GlcNAcylation on whole cell and mitochondrial homeostasis. METHODS We induced increased O-GlcNAc by treating AD and control cybrid cell lines with Thiamet G (TMG), an inhibitor of the O-GlcNAcase enzyme that mediates removal of the nutrient-dependent O-GlcNAc modification. RESULTS Relative to control cybrid cell lines, AD cybrid lines showed a blunted response to TMG-induced O-GlcNAcylation. At baseline, AD cybrid cell line mitochondria showed partial activation of several proteins that help maintain bioenergetic homeostasis such as AMP-Regulated Kinase suggesting that AD mitochondria initiate a state of nutrient stress promoting energetic compensation; however, this compensation reduces the capacity of cells to respond to additional nutrient-related stresses such as TMG treatment. Also, TMG caused disruptions in acetylation and Sirtuin 3 expression, while lowing total energetic output of the cell. CONCLUSION Together, these findings suggest that modulation of O-GlcNAc is essential for proper energetic function of the mitochondria, and AD mitochondrial capacity to handle nutrient-excess is limited.
Cybersecurity Scenario Builder and Retrieval Toolkit

Our ever-increasing dependence on information technology brings us to new crossroads and challenges confronting national security protection. Both private and public entities recognized these issues and are currently making progress toward addressing the problems of cybersecurity. A major component of cybersecurity, or any technical program, is effective training that could alleviate, if not eliminate, the threat imposed by the adversarial entities.
Dynamic factor analysis of seasonal variation in daily physical activity in individuals with heart failure and implanted cardiac devices.

Abstract Background The purpose of the present study was to determine the presence and magnitude of seasonal variation in daily physical activity (PA) in those with heart failure (HF). Methods Retrospective study and dynamic factor analysis (DFA) of Patient Activity data from Medtronic implanted cardioverter defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization devices (ICD/CRTs). Results In a data set of 435 patients, distinct states/trends were identified by DFA including a classic, sinusoidal pattern of seasonal variation and a pattern of decline over the course of 12 months, which were associated with specific clinical characteristics. Overall, model fitting was good. Conclusions Those with low comorbidities, better NYHA Class, higher BMI, no hospitalization, and male sex demonstrated greater seasonal variation of at least 40 min per day between winter (lowest PA) and spring/summer (highest PA). Those with female sex and hospitalization demonstrated overall downward trajectories of approximately 40 and 80 min, respectively, over the course of the year.
The Impact of Human Trafficking Training on Healthcare Professionals' Knowledge and Attitudes

Objectives:The objective of this study was to evaluate a CME-accredited human trafficking didactic and discussion-based training for healthcare professionals by comparing participant knowledge and ...
Introducing the ‘Psychosomatic Screening Questionnaire - 29’ (PSSQ-29): Reliability and Validity in an Epidemiological Sample of 1,158 Participants in Greece during the COVID-19 Domestic Lockdown

Background: Although the field of psychosomatics is one of the oldest in behavioral health science, there may be a total absence of a self-reported psychometric scale that measures simultaneously mental and somatic symptoms. Thus, the present study introduces a new 29-item psychometric tool, named ‘Psychosomatic Screening Questionnaire - 29’ (PSSQ-29). Aim: PSSQ-29 was designed in order to provide a reliable and valid scale that measures both mental and somatic symptoms in a single questionnaire. Methods & Materials: Research methods were employed and statistical analysis was performed to test ‘face validity’, ‘content validity’, ‘internal validity’, ‘construct validity’ and ‘predictive validity’ of PSSQ-29, while a ‘factor analysis’ also took place. The rest materials that were used in this study include the Greek versions of the ‘Nicholson McBride Resilience Questionnaire’ and the ‘Acute Stress Disorder Scale’. Results: The highlights of the analysis include a 95.5% reliability ratio, a strong correlation with ‘psychological resilience’ and ‘acute stress disorder’, while 59% of variance of PSSQ-29 was predicted by the levels of acute stress of the same sample at the same time. Discussion: The findings of this study support the use of PSSQ-29 by health professionals and researchers in the foreseeable future. What is more, PSSQ-29 may provide much assistance in research regarding multi-morbid conditions in Behavioral Medicine. Conclusion: Finally, PSSQ-29 was found both reliable and valid in the Greek population. Amongst many proposed ways of use, it is highly recommended to be used at any new ‘mass panic’ situation in Greece.
On wavelength assignment in optical burst switched networks

A fundamental assumption underlying most studies of optical burst switched (OBS) networks is that full wavelength conversion is available throughout the network. In practice however, economic and technical considerations are likely to dictate a more limited and sparse deployment of wavelength converters in the optical network. Therefore, we expect wavelength assignment policies to be an important component of OBS networks. In this paper, we explain why wavelength selection schemes developed for wavelength routed networks are not appropriate for OBS. We then develop a suite of adaptive and non-adaptive policies for OBS switches. We also apply traffic engineering techniques to reduce wavelength contention through traffic isolation. Our performance study indicates that, in the absence of full conversion capabilities, intelligent choices in assigning wavelengths to bursts at the source can have a profound effect on the burst drop probability in an OBS network.
Compressive flow between parallel disks:: I. Newtonian fluid with a transverse viscosity gradient

Abstract Compressive flow between parallel disks when a transverse viscosity gradient exists is studied numerically and analytically. There are two distinct flow regimes, depending on the group = ηmaxH2/ηminR2. Whe is small, parallel squeezing occurs and the maximum velocity is in the high viscosity “core” fluid. For large values of , parallel squeezing does not occur, the velocity maximum occurs in the low viscosity fluid near the disks, and the low viscosity material is preferentially expelled. Both flow regimes have been reported in compression molding experiments on sheet molding compounds.
Model predictive excitation control for constrained frequency and voltage stabilization

In this paper, a novel controller based on the combination of differential flatness property and model predictive technology for the generator excitation system is proposed. Such controller will maintain the terminal voltage of the generator within physical limits by better utilizing the existing excitation control. This eliminates the need for adding new fast storage. One preliminary real-world system is used to show the effectiveness of the proposed controller, and the results are compared with the performance of earlier proposed high-gain feedback linearizing excitation controller.
Investigating the pharmacokinetics and biological distribution of silver-loaded polyphosphoester-based nanoparticles using 111Ag as a radiotracer

Purified (111) Ag was used as a radiotracer to investigate silver loading and release, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution of polyphosphoester-based degradable shell crosslinked knedel-like (SCK) nanoparticles as a comparison to the previously reported small molecule, N-heterocyclic silver carbene complex analog (SCC1) for the delivery of therapeutic silver ions in mouse models. Biodistribution studies were conducted by aerosol administration of (111) Ag acetate, [(111) Ag]SCC1, and [(111) Ag]SCK doses directly into the lungs of C57BL/6 mice. Nebulization of the (111) Ag antimicrobials resulted in an average uptake of 1.07 ± 0.12% of the total aerosolized dose given per mouse. The average dose taken into the lungs of mice was estimated to be 2.6 ± 0.3% of the dose inhaled per mouse for [(111) Ag]SCC1 and twice as much dose was observed for the [(111) Ag]SCKs (5.0 ± 0.3% and 5.9 ± 0.8% for [(111) Ag]aSCK and [(111) Ag]zSCK, respectively) at 1 h post administration (p.a.). [(111) Ag]SCKs also exhibited higher dose retention in the lungs; 62-68% for [(111) Ag]SCKs and 43% for [(111) Ag]SCC1 of the initial 1 h dose were observed in the lungs at 24 h p.a.. This study demonstrates the utility of (111) Ag as a useful tool for monitoring the pharmacokinetics of silver-loaded antimicrobials in vivo.
Task-Driven Comparison of Topic Models

Topic modeling, a method of statistically extracting thematic content from a large collection of texts, is used for a wide variety of tasks within text analysis. Though there are a growing number of tools and techniques for exploring single models, comparisons between models are generally reduced to a small set of numerical metrics. These metrics may or may not reflect a model's performance on the analyst's intended task, and can therefore be insufficient to diagnose what causes differences between models. In this paper, we explore task-centric topic model comparison, considering how we can both provide detail for a more nuanced understanding of differences and address the wealth of tasks for which topic models are used. We derive comparison tasks from single-model uses of topic models, which predominantly fall into the categories of understanding topics, understanding similarity , and understanding change . Finally, we provide several visualization techniques that facilitate these tasks, including buddy plots , which combine color and position encodings to allow analysts to readily view changes in document similarity.
Spatial heterogeneity of low-density populations of Melanoplus sanguinipes (Orthoptera: Acrididae) associated with grazing and vegetation treatments

Nous avons tente de determiner si la repartition spatiale de Melanoplus sanguinipes F., l'espece de criquet la plus abondante dans la zone de pâturage du sud de l'Idaho, varie annuellement en fonction des fluctuations du broutage et comment la vegetation affecte la repartition spatiale des populations de criquets de faible densite a des echelles importantes pour la plupart des operations d'amenagement des pâturages. Une grille de 72 sites a ete creee dans neuf pâturages couvrant environ 5000 ha. A chaque site, nous avons estime la densite des criquets, le pourcentage de terrain couvert par les diverses especes de plantes et le pourcentage de brout utilise par le betail, deux fois par annee durant 4 ans, de 1991 a 1994, en juin, durant la nymphose de M. sanguinipes, et en aout, au stade adulte du criquet. Des analyses de variance spatiales ont servi a evaluer l'influence du broutage et du type de vegetation sur la densite des criquets. Chaque annee en aout, la densite des criquets s'est averee moins forte aux sites tres broutes qu'aux sites peu broutes, sauf en 1993 alors que la tendance inverse s'est produite. Les precipitations au-dessus de la moyenne en 1993 ont donne lieu a une production abondante des herbes autres que les graminees et a une repoussee des plantes broutees. La repartition des nymphes en juin de 1993 et 1994 refletait les patterns de broutage de l'ete precedent. La densite des M. sanguinipes a ete plus faible dans les habitats de cretes a agropyrons que dans les prairies annuelles a chaque periode d'echantillonnage de juin 1991 a juin 1993, apres quoi nous n'avons plus observe de differences. Ces resultats semblent indiquer que les effets du broutage sur les populations de M. sanguinipes de faible densite sont fonction des conditions climatiques; par temps sec, les habitats broutes sont moins favorables a M. sanguinipes, alors que durant les etes relativement frais et humides, le broutage cree des conditions qui lui sont plus favorables.
Temperature depeddence of the microwave surface resistance of YBCO thin films from microstrip resonator measurements

Abstract The surface resistance of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x (YBCO thin films were obtined from measuring the Q -factor of inverted microstrip resonators at 6–7 GHz over the temperature range of 16–80 K. The inverted microstrip which included a sapphire spacer between the YBCO line and a YBCO ground plane has lower dielectric loss than of regular microstrips since sapphire has a much lower tangent than that of the film substrate. This enables the determination of R s to a much higher sensitivity. We have examined good quality epitaxial YBCO films fabricated by several techniques; ion beam sputtering, pulsed-laser deposition, and off-axis magneton sputtering. Most films have T c 's of 85–90 K and J c of 0.5−2×10 6 A/cm 2 at 77 K. The loaded Q -factors were 2500–4800 at 77K increasing up to 77 000 at 16 K, which, to our knowledge, is the highest Q measured for a high- T c microwave planar resonator. We have found that the surface resistances of the YBCO films of comparable T c and J c have similar values at relatively high temperatures ( T >70 K) even though these films were grown by different techniques. The surfaces resistance, scaled to 10 GHz was in the range 0.44−0.7 Ωm at 77 K and as low as 37 μΩ at 16 K.
Cutaneous manifestations of antiretroviral therapy

Abstract The pandemic created by HIV, a retrovirus, has stimulated increased research in viral diseases and has generated greater interest in the development of antiretroviral medications. These new medications are presently divided into 3 categories: protease inhibitors (PIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). These antiretroviral agents carry their own risk for causing adverse reactions, as well as drug interactions. The most recently approved class of antiretrovirals, PIs have been associated with lipodystrophy syndrome, hypersensitivity reactions, urticaria, morbilliform eruptions, and a large number of drug interactions. NNRTIs have resulted in various cutaneous eruptions, as well as a hypersensitivity syndrome. NRTIs have resulted in alterations of the nails, nail and mucocutaneous pigmentation, hair changes, vasculitis, and morbilliform eruptions. This article focuses on the cutaneous manifestations of antiretroviral therapy to help dermatologists recognize them. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;46:284-93.)
Electron microscopic analysis of RNA transcription in preimplantation rabbit embryos.

We have examined directly RNA synthesis in several stages of preimplantation rabbit embryos by electron microscopic analysis of chromatin spreads. DNA/chromatin packing ratios were determined for non-transcribing regions (2.0) and for regions active in RNA synthesis (1.1). Significant amounts of RNA transcription were observed in all embryonic stages examined. Lengths of transcribed regions were calculated and range from 1.1 to 10.9 Kb of B-form DNA. The frequency of chromatin-associated ribonucleoprotein (RNP) fibrils was greatly reduced in samples prepared from embryos treated with α-amanitin indicating that the RNPs observed were growing chains. The frequency of single and multiple RNP fibrils attached to chromatin is the same at all stages examined implying the absence of extensive modulation of RNA chain initiation. These results are discussed in relation to the biochemical data on RNA synthesis in preimplantation rabbit embryos.
Oxidative pathways for glucose in eggs of the sea urchin.

Abstract 1. 1. The 14 CO 2 produced from glucose-1- 14 C, glucose-2- 14 C, or glucose-6- 14 C by Arbacia eggs and embryos has been measured for a 2 hour period. The ratios of 14 CO 2 from glucose-2- 14 C to that from glucose-1- 14 C and from glucose-6- 14 C to glucose-1- 14 C were, respectively: for unfertilized eggs, 0.31 and 0.07; for eggs fertilized 25 minutes at start of incubation, 0.52 and 0.13; for 24 hours embryos, 0.42 and 0.28. These observations, in conjuntion with those of previous papers, indicate that glucose oxidation during the early stages of cleavage of the Arbacia egg is predominantly via the TPN shunt, with the glycolytic pathway becoming quantitatively more important as development proceeds. 2. 2. Incorporation of radioactivity into the acid-insoluble and the barium fractions insoluble in water and insoluble in alcohol was also determined. It was found that rate of incorporation into the acid-insoluble fraction, containing nucleoprotein, was not increased just after fertilization, but did increase very markedly in later development.
Binding of Polychlorinated Biphenyls to Aquatic Humic Substances: The Role of Substrate and Sorbate Properties on Partitioning

Two ortho- (2,2{prime},5 and 2,2{prime}5,6{prime}) and a non-ortho- (3,3{prime},4,4{prime}) substituted polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were used to study the effects of sorbate structure in binding processes to two lacustrine fulvic acids. Binding constants were determined by solubility enhancement of the solutes by the fulvic acids. The binding of the ortho-trichlorobiphenyl was significantly less than the non-ortho-substituted tetrachlorobiphenyl to both fulvic acids. Surprisingly, the measured ortho-trichlorobiphenyl binding constant to both fulvic acids was approximately the same as the ortho-substituted tetrachlorobiphenyl. The effect of the chlorines in the ortho position inhibits free rotation around the 1,1{prime} carbon bond, thereby making the molecule less able to interact effectively with the fulvic acid substrate relative to its non-ortho-substituted congeners. Finally, binding of all three PCBs to the Great Dismal Swamp fulvic acid was significantly higher than for the Pony Lake sample. This observation is attributable to the former substrate`s higher degree of aromaticity and polarizability, which can potentially interact more favorably with the PCBs through an increase in van der Waals type interactions.
Cerebral ptosis with contralateral arteriovenous malformation: A report of two cases

We describe two patients with chronic unilateral ptosis and contralateral hemispheric arteriovenous malformations. Both patients were brought to our attention after a subacute or acute neurological deterioration. Analysis of prior photographs showed the ptosis progressed up to the time of presentation and significantly resolved following surgical removal of the arteriovenous malformation. The partially reversible and chronic nature of the ptosis in these two patients represents a particularly unusual forms of cerebral ptosis.
Women and Minorities in Animal Science: Do Issues Exist?

Abstract Despite existing laws aiming to prohibit gender and race based wage and employment discrimination, there is a disparity in numbers of minorities and women represented in higher ranking positions and wage earnings in all types of industry including academia. We designed a survey to assess the roles that gender and race/ethnicity play in hiring and promotion practices in the Animal Sciences, and the perceptions of ADSA/ASAS members in regards to hiring, salary, promotion, and collaboration with colleagues in relation to race/ethnicity, gender, and/or child rearing. The survey was published using Perseus Survey Solutions for the Web, and distributed to ADSA/ASAS members via email list serve with a link to survey URL. There were 1490 respondents. Seventy percent of respondents were male, 30% female, 85% nonminority and 15% minority. Average salary for males was $66,738, for females $45,968, for nonminorities $63,134, and for minorities $46,816. Stepwise regression and analysis of variance indicated no significant difference in salary between genders after age, position, and degree were accounted for; however there was a significant difference in salaries between nonminorities and minorities ( P
Bombesin-induced grooming in the golden hamster.

Abstract Lateral cerebroventricular injection of the peptide bombesin (0.01–1.0 μg) promptly elicited excessive grooming and scratching behaviors in home-caged male and female golden hamsters. Bombesin-induced grooming persisted throughout a 60-min observation period at doses of 0.1–1.0 μg. Grooming with forepaws and mouth was more consistently increased than hindleg scratching behaviors. Dependence of this neuropeptide effect on grooming on muscarinic cholinergic activity was assessed by injecting scopolamine (0.001–1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally 15 min prior to 0.1 μg bombesin. Excessive grooming induced by centrally administered bombesin was abolished by 0.1 and 1 mg/kg scopolamine, although basal level of grooming was not significantly affected. The findings indicate a cross-species generality of the dependence of bombesin-induced grooming on muscarinic cholinergic activity, and species-specific differences among rodents in the components of excessive grooming elicited by bombesin.
Autoimmune liver disease and rheumatic manifestations.

Purpose of reviewTo review studies that clarify the rheumatic manifestations of autoimmune hepatitis, elucidate shared pathogenic pathways, and encourage innovative site-specific therapies.Recent findingsAutoimmune hepatitis has clinical manifestations, serological markers, pathogenic mechanisms, ge
SU‐E‐J‐129: Dosimetric Impact of Interfractional Anatomy Changes On Breast Radiotherapy Based On Accumulative Dose: IMRT Versus 3DCRT

Purpose: Interfractional anatomy changes (e.g., changes in breast shape and volume) in breast radiotherapy (RT) can be significant and cannot be fully accounted for by the current IGRT repositioning practice. This work aims to quantify dosimetric impact of these changes based on accumulative dose for IMRT and 3DCRT. Methods: Daily CT data acquired using a CT‐on‐Rails (CTVision, Siemens) during IGRT for 5 representative breast cancer patients treated in prone position were analyzed. Each daily CT was registered with corresponding planning CT by aligning the lumpectomy cavity, mimicking the IGRT repositioning. Contours of breast, lumpectomy PTV and critical structures on daily CTs were generated using an auto‐segmentation tool (ABAS, Elekta) based on deformable image registration. For each patient, plans for IMRT and 3DCRT with wedge were developed, and were applied to each registered daily CT set to reconstruct the daily doses with the deformation fields from ABAS which were used to compute the accumulative dose. Results: Daily variations in D95 (dose received by 95% of treated breast volume) and D50 were not significantly different between 3DCRT and IMRT plans (within 0.5–2%). Variation of daily dose maximum for IMRT was statistically significantly higher than that for the 3DCRT plans, with some fractions increased by up to 15–20%. However, the variations of the accumulated doses from the original plans for both 3DCRT and IMRT plans are comparable. Conclusion: Although daily doses from IMRT are more sensitive to the interfractional anatomy changes than those from 3DCRT, the variations of the accumulated doses from the original plans are comparable, as the higher variation in the hot spots for IMRT were “washed out” due to the random interfractional changes.
The Validity of Traditional Cognitive Measures and of Scales of the Study Attitudes and Methods Survey in the Prediction of the Academic Success of Educational Opportunity Program Students.

For a sample of approximately 100 Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) university students who had been admitted to a special summer preparedness program at a major metropolitan campus in the California State University College system, validity coefficients of traditional cognitive measures and of the scales of the Study Attitudes and Methods Survey (SAMS) were calculated with respect to each of three criterion measures of academic success. The most valid predictor was the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills, (Reading Vocabulary) measure, although high school grade point average and college entrance examination scores yielded statistically significant validity coefficients. In two of three stepwise multiple regression analyses, the SAMS—Academic Drive-Conformity and SAMS— Alienation scales provided the second and third greatest proportions of statistically reliable variance to the prediction of the academic criterion measure in question.
A comparative study of the bone-restorative efficacy of anabolic agents in aged ovariectomized rats.

Introduction The study was designed to compare the bone anabolic effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a selective agonist for prostaglandin E receptor subtype EP4, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in aged ovariectomized (OVX) rats with severe cancellous osteopenia.
Do Caucasian and black adolescents differ at psychiatric intake

Abstract A large sample of adolescents brought for psychiatric evaluation to a public University based facility are the subjects of the study. Material incorporated in a DSM-III multiaxial formulation plus symptoms constituted the dependent variables. Analyses concentrated on ethnic differences, with variation associated with gender and social class controlled statistically. Caucasians showed comparatively greater clinical morbidity: higher number of Axis I definite diagnoses and level of symptoms. Eating disorder diagnoses were more common in Caucasians. There were no significant differences pertaining to level of stress or social impairment. Blacks showed higher levels of symptoms scored as "social aggression" and diagnosed as conduct disorders. The pattern of results raised the question of a possible referral bias, with blacks shunted to the psychiatric facility with lower levels of standard clinical psychopathology, but higher levels of social oppositional behavior. Further research is needed to verify if such a bias does exist.
An Accurate Procedure for the Analysis of Azithromycin in Ferret Feces Using Solid Phase Extraction and HPLC

Abstract Azithromycin has become one of the most widely prescribed macrolide antibiotics due to the pharmacokinetic profile and broad spectrum of activity. A method for determining the level of azithromycin in ferret feces involving drying, methylene chloride extraction, solid phase extraction (SPE) clean-up, and HPLC analysis was developed. The method was linear from 0.8 to 3.2 mg/mL with a mean recovery of 97% (0.6% RSD for 50 mg spiked simulated feces). The analysis was developed to quantitate approximately 50 mg of azithromycin in approximately 0.6g of dried feces. The HPLC method uses a pH 7.5 phosphate buffered mobile phase with a conventional C18 column and UV detection at 205 nm. The HPLC system is robust and column life is at least 1 month (∼ 200 injections).
Neuromodulation versus neurotoxin for the treatment of refractory detrusor overactivity: for neurotoxin.

In this second Viewpoint on the treatment of detrusor overactivity, the authors describe the preclinical and clinical data that support the use of botulinum neurotoxin in patients with detrusor overactivity, and highlight the benefits of botulinum neurotoxin over the use of sacral nerve modulation.
Excitation‐contraction coupling in skeletal muscle fibers injected with the InsP3blocker, heparin

Heparin, an inhibitor of inositol trisphosphate (InsP3)-induced Ca2+ release in smooth muscle and non-muscle cells, was injected into intact frog skeletal muscle fibres. Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum was elicited by the normal action potential mechanism and monitored by both fura-2 fluorescence and an intrinsic birefringence signal. Both optical signals, and hence Ca2+ release, were unaffected by high concentrations of heparin. This result argues against a major physiological role of InsP3 as a chemical messenger of excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle.
Solidification processes in saline solutions

Abstract A numerical study, using a “front tracking” finite element method, has been performed to investigate, in conjunction with the Mullins-Sekerka stability criteria, the stability of a one-dimensional planar phase change interface (ice-water) during the solidification of a binary aqueous-saline solution, for various thermal initial and boundary conditions and various initial solute concentrations. Transient heat and mass transfer equations were solved in the solid and liquid regions. The forced convection caused by change in density between ice and water was considered. The results indicate that the proposed method can be employed to determine the morphology of a phase change interface as a function of exterior thermal boundary conditions and to determine the transition between a stable planar front and an unstable (perturbed) front.
Ab initio modeling of water-semiconductor interfaces for direct solar-to-chemical energy conversion

We perform extensive density-functional theory total-energy calculations and ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the stability and reactivity of surface oxides and hydroxides of InP(001) for photoelectrochemical water cleavage. In order to achieve maximal accuracy, our simulations include the full interface between the semiconductor surface and liquid water. Certain oxide contaminants are found to have a dramatic impact on the surface reactivity, pointing to the importance of surface oxide and hydroxide intermediates in facilitating the water-dissociation component of the hydrogen evolution process. Our results are used to relate the chemical activity of the surface towards water dissociation to the oxygen bond topology. The importance of the liquid hydrogen-bond network near the interface is discussed, particularly in relation to the generation of local configurations favorable for dissociative water adsorption on InP(001).
Treatment of a giant carotid ophthalmic artery aneurysm by intravascular balloon embolization therapy

This report describes the successful treatment by detachable balloon embolization therapy of a giant aneurysm arising at the left carotid-ophthalmic artery junction. Two previous surgical attempts to clip the aneurysm were unsuccessful and the aneurysm continued to enlarge leading to complete loss of light perception. After the placement of two detachable balloons within the aneurysm, there was thrombosis of the aneurysm with diminished mass effect. After 2 months the patient regained light perception and was able to count fingers in the nasal hemifield of her right eye. Detachable balloon embolization therapy may offer a form of alternative treatment for surgically difficult and inaccessible intracranial aneurysms.
Effects of caffeine on vascular resistance, cardiac output and myocardial contractility in young men

The mechanisms by which caffeine typically elevates blood pressure (BP) in humans have not been previously examined using a placebo-controlled design. Accordingly, oral caffeine (3.3 mg/kg body weight, equivalent to 2 to 3 cups of coffee) was given on 2 days and a placebo was given on 1 day to 15 healthy young men using a double-blind, crossover procedure. All 3 test sessions were held during a week of caffeine abstinence. Multiple measurements were made on subjects at rest (baseline values) and over a 45-minute interval after ingestion of caffeine for BP, heart rate, systolic time intervals and thoracic impedance measures of ventricular function. Baseline measurements were highly reliable for each subject across all sessions and yielded means for placebo vs caffeine days that were not different. Caffeine increased systolic and diastolic BP (p less than 0.01) and decreased heart rate (p less than 0.05). The pressor effect was due to progressively increased systemic vascular resistance and resulted in greater stroke work (p less than 0.01). There was no indication that caffeine increased cardiac output or contractility. These actions of caffeine were replicable when each caffeine day was tested separately against the placebo day. These results suggest that caffeine use by persons with cardiovascular diseases should be examined to determine whether caffeine's enhancement of vascular resistance may contribute to systematic hypertension and/or create excessive demands for cardiac work.
Determination of quantum-state-specific gas—surface energy transfer and adsorption probabilities as a function of kinetic energy

Abstract We describe a molecular beam technique for the determination of energy transfer and adsorption probabilities as a function of kinetic energy for specific quantum states of a molecule beam tailored to have a broad spread of energies. The beam is mechanically chopped into short pulses at a large distance from the surface, so that velocity dispersion in the beam causes a spread in the arrival times at the surface. Time-of-flight distributions are then recorded using state-specific laser ionization detection at points immediately before and after the beam scatters from the surface. Comparison of these two distributions then provides information on the loss or gain of molecules in the chosen quantum state as a function of kinetic energy. The method is illustrated by application to the H2(D2)/Cu(111) system. In this case we have observed loss of incident flux due to dissociative chemisorption and gain of molecules in the first vibrationally excited state due to vibrational excitation of ground state molecules.
The clustering of acetylcholine receptors and formation of neuromuscular junctions in regenerating mammalian muscle grafts.

The present investigation was undertaken to study the rela- tionship between acetylcholine receptor (AchR) clustering and endplate for- mation within regenerating skeletal muscle grafts. Silver staining of nerves was combined with rhodamine-alpha-bungarotoxin labeling of AchR clusters in heterotopic grafts of the rat soleus muscle. Two major graft procedures were used: whole muscle grafts and grafts which lacked the zone of original motor endplates (MEP-less grafts). These categories were subdivided into standard grafts, where subsequent innervation was allowed, and noninnervated grafts, which were experimentally deprived of innervation. Grafting brought about the death and removal of muscle fibers, followed by regeneration of myotubes within surviving basal lamina sheaths. A transient population of small extra- junctinal AchR clusters spontaneously appears shortly after myotube forma- tion in all four muscle graft types. Early myotubes of whole muscle grafts (both innervated and standard grafts, prior to the time of innervation) also develop presumptive secondary synaptic clefts and large, organized aggregations of AchRs at original synaptic sites. At later times, nerves regenerating into standard whole muscle and MEP-less grafts lead to the formation of numerous ectopic endplates. In whole muscle grafts, endplates may also form at original synaptic sites. Functional graft innervation is achieved in whole muscle and MEP-less grafts as early as 20 days postgrafting. The results of this study support the existence of still-unknown factors associated with the original synaptic site which can direct postsynaptic differentiation independent of in- nervation. They also demonstrate that functional endplates may form in mam- malian muscle grafts at both original synaptic sites and ectopic locations, thus indicating that the zone of original synaptic sites is not necessary for the establishment of numerous functional and morphologically well-differentiated endplates.
Partial reconfiguration logic synthesis by temporal slicing

Partial reconfiguration technology of programmable devices, such as FPGA, enables the virtualization of hardware circuit by temporal multiplexing of active parts (logic slices). An immediate consequence of virtualization is the increase in cardinality of the don't care set associated with a logic slice. In this paper, we present a logic slicing methodology that exploits the enhanced don't care set to optimize the hardware circuit for reduction in area. We show that reduced area dynamic reconfigurable slices can be generated for combinational circuits with minimal effect on the critical path. The results reported for MCNC logic synthesis benchmark circuits show an average 40% reduction in area for logic slices.