cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incidence of Management Changes at the Postoperative Day One Visit After Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Retinal Detachment.

Purpose To evaluate the incidence of unexpected management changes on the first day after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for retinal detachment repair. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods The medical and billing records of a large academic private practice were electronically queried for all cases of PPV for retinal detachment performed between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017. All cases of PPV for rhegmatogenous or tractional retinal detachment with completed postoperative day 1 (POD1) and postoperative week 1 (POW1) visits were included. The preoperative consultation, operative report, and POD1 and POW1 (postoperative days 5-14) visits were reviewed. Main outcome measures were incidence of unexpected management changes (change in or extended positioning, additional procedure, change in drop regimen, or shortened interval follow-up) at the POD1 visit after uncomplicated PPV for retinal detachment. Results Overall, 418 surgeries from 364 eyes and 355 patients were included. Eleven cases (2.6%) had an intraocular pressure (IOP) over 30 mm Hg at POD1. IOP-lowering drops were prescribed for 30 cases (7.2%). Silicone oil tamponade was positively associated with high IOP at POD1 (relative risk = 3.23, 95% confidence interval 0.96-10.84, P = 0.06). No additional management changes were made besides treating elevated IOP. Conclusions Management changes on POD1 after vitrectomy for retinal detachment repair are relatively uncommon and were solely IOP related in this patient group. There may be flexibility regarding the type of POD1 encounter necessary, including an IOP check with an ophthalmic technician or non–retinal eye care provider. Larger, prospective studies are needed to better determine the most efficient follow-up routine.
dame-flame: A Python Library Providing Fast Interpretable Matching for Causal Inference.

dame-flame is a Python package for performing matching for observational causal inference on datasets containing discrete covariates. This package implements the Dynamic Almost Matching Exactly (DAME) and Fast Large-Scale Almost Matching Exactly (FLAME) algorithms, which match treatment and control units on subsets of the covariates. The resulting matched groups are interpretable, because the matches are made on covariates (rather than, for instance, propensity scores), and high-quality, because machine learning is used to determine which covariates are important to match on. DAME solves an optimization problem that matches units on as many covariates as possible, prioritizing matches on important covariates. FLAME approximates the solution found by DAME via a much faster backward feature selection procedure. The package provides several adjustable parameters to adapt the algorithms to specific applications, and can calculate treatment effects after matching. Descriptions of these parameters, details on estimating treatment effects, and further examples, can be found in the documentation at this https URL
The effect of mentee and mentor gender on scientific productivity of applicants for NIH training fellowships

Several studies have suggested that women in science are less productive than men, and that this gap contributes to their under-representation in the ranks of senior researchers. However, few studies have examined the role of mentoring, and in particular mentor gender, on the productivity of female scientists early in their careers. Such efforts are limited by the difficulties of unambiguously linking mentees to their mentors and measuring the research productivity resulting from those relationships. Here we use our novel author disambiguation solution to investigate the role of self-identified gender in mentorship of 12,932 trainees who either successfully or unsuccessfully applied to the National Institutes of Health for research fellowships between fiscal years 2011 and 2017, applying a multi-dimensional framework to assess productivity. We found that, after normalizing for the funding level of mentors, the productivity of female and male mentees is indistinguishable; it is also independent of the gender of the mentor, other than in measures of clinical impact, where women mentored by women outperform other mentee-mentor dyads.
Neuroglial heterotopia of the middle ear: A case series and systematic literature review

Background The differential diagnosis for mass forming lesions of the middle ear is broad. While uncommon, neuroglial heterotopias can occur in the middle ear and can be a source of diagnostic confusion for clinician, radiologist, and pathologist alike. Methods We identified three cases of neuroglial heterotopia of the middle ear in our institutional archives from 2000 to 2020 and performed extensive histological and immunohistochemical characterization of the three lesions. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify 27 cases published in the English literature between the years 1980 and 2020. Only cases with histological verification of neuroglial heterotopia specifically involving the middle ear were included. We compiled the clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings for all 30 cases. Results Patients most frequently presented with chronic otitis media (40%), hearing loss (40%), or prior history of ear surgery or trauma (13%). The median age at surgery was 49 years with a male predominance (M:F 2:1); however, a bimodal age distribution was noted with an earlier onset (11 years or younger) in a subset of patients. Immunohistochemical characterization showed mature neuronal and reactive glial populations with low Ki67 proliferation index and chronic inflammatory infiltrates. There was no neuronal dysplasia or glial atypia, consistent with benign, nonneoplastic, mature glioneuronal tissue. Conclusion Immunohistochemical characterization of these lesions and clinical follow-up confirms their benign natural history. Potential etiologies include developmental misplacement, trauma, and chronic inflammation/ reactive changes resulting in sequestered encephalocele.
Why undermining evolutionary debunkers is not enough

Denying the conclusion of a valid argument is not generally permissible if one suspends on one premise of the argument and believes the other premise(s). This can happen when one’s only critique of an argument is to undermine one premise. There is incoherence there. Here I examine how this is relevant to the debate on evolutionary debunking of our moral knowledge. I argue that one significant line of response to the debunker is unsuccessful: merely undermining the debunker’s empirical claim. It is not rational to respond this way and believe one has moral knowledge. First I present evidence that prominent critics of the debunking argument merely undermine the debunker’s empirical claim. Then I argue for two premises: (1) merely undermining a premise can only justify a middling amount of doubt towards the premise and (2) we should have no more doubt about the conclusion of a valid argument than we do about the premises. Implications of the argument are explored.
Characteristics of colorectal cancers among Alaska Native people before and after implementing programs to promote screening.

Abstract Background Alaska Native (AN) people have the highest rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) globally. Increasing CRC screening has been effective in reducing CRC-related morbidity and mortality in other populations. Objective To examine recent descriptive epidemiology and longer-term CRC trends among AN people. To determine any changes in the descriptive epidemiology of CRC among AN people concurrent with increases in screening prevalence. Methods: We estimated age-specific CRC incidence and mortality rates 2000−2017. To examine longer-term trends in incidence and mortality 1990–2017, we conducted Joinpoint regression analyses of three-year rolling average incidence and mortality rates. We calculated descriptive statistics for two time-periods: 2000−2008, and 2009−2017. Finally, we examined five-year survival probability. Results CRC incidence increased over time (1990–2017) among AN people aged less than 50 years, while there were modest declines in AN people older than 50 years old since 2000. Overall, AN CRC mortality rates declined between 1990 and 2004, but have been increasing steadily since that time. Comparing 2000−2008 with 2009−2017 we observed no difference in CRC incidence and mortality, age at diagnosis, tumor size, tumor location, or stage distribution. Survival analyses indicated no change in hazard of death between 2004−2008 and 2009−2017 (HR 1.02, 95 % CI: 0.74, 1.38, P = 0.93). Conclusions Colorectal cancer prevention and control efforts across the Alaska Tribal Health System have not yet resulted in reduced mortality rates, or induced earlier stage migration. Policy summary statement Intensified efforts will be necessary to reduce the burden of CRC among this high-risk population. Continued and increased focus on primary and secondary prevention efforts is warranted.
The Formation and Implementation of Closed Captioning Policy in the United States

This study investigates the formation and implementation of FCC regulations regarding closed captioning of television programming in the United States. The analysis consists of three parts. First, we explore the history of closed captioning policy in the United States, making note of the influence of multiple stakeholders (especially the National Association for the Deaf, the broadcasting industry, and Congress). Second, we analyze the implementation of these policies by reporting on qualitative interviews with 22 media professionals from captioning companies, cable networks, and local broadcast stations. Through these interviews, we sought to examine how the industry has understood the federal captioning mandates and its compliance strategies. Finally, we report on a survey of 203 closed captioning users, including deaf, hard-of-hearing, and English as a second language (ESL) viewers to address the impact of these implementation strategies on the public. The primary questions addressed by the audience survey were: Have these captioning rules resulted in the provision of captions to the public that were envisioned in the policy? To what extent do the audiences intended to benefit from closed captioning feel their needs and interests are being served by captioning? Although the federal captioning requirements are relatively unambiguous – 100% of all new television and cable programs were to be captioned by 2006 – the implementation of closed captioning reveals a more complex picture of compliance with these requirements. The history and current implementation of closed captioning in the U.S. highlights the continual struggle between the public service obligations of television providers to serve all audiences (in this case, deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans) and the market pressures which encourage obedience only to the desires of the majority. Our interviews with media professional revealed that, despite efforts of the broadcasting industry to provide captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, a number of technical, logistical, and financial challenges remain. The closed captioning users surveyed in this research overwhelmingly regarded them as crucial lifelines, particularly for local and national news programs. However, 55% of those surveyed identified serious problems with the captions, including misspellings, pacing, and interruptions of service. Many users did not know where to turn when captions were interrupted or illegible. In our conclusion, we argue that future research into the implementation of media policy should consider multiple stakeholders in the policy and address the complexities of institutional structures.
An experimental analysis of side effects and response maintenance of a modified overcorrection procedure: The case of the persistent twiddler

A 3- and 5-min modified overcorrection procedure was used to suppress a high-frequency hand stereotypic behavior, twiddling, exhibited by a 10-year-old autistic youngster. As demonstrated through the use of an ABCB design, both durations of overcorrection were immediately successful in reducing twiddling to near 0 levels during 20-min classroom training sessions. Neither overcorrection procedure resulted in a great deal of response maintenance during a 10-min, free-play probe period immediately following the training sessions. Approach and proximity to the trainer were also assessed during the free-play probe sessions. Neither of these behaviors varied significantly from baseline measures when the overcorrection procedures were instituted. The 3-min overcorrection duration (B), however, produced slightly more response maintenance than the 5-min duration (C). This small effect reversed when the 3-min duration was reinstated.
Insect Lipovitellin CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A YOLK PROTEIN FROM THE OVARIES OF LEUCOPHAEA MADERAE

Abstract A lipoglycoprotein fraction extracted and purified from the ovaries of the cockroach, Leucophaea maderae, contains two components with sedimentation constants s20,w = 28.1 S and s20,w = 14.5 S. The lipid moiety consists of phospholipid and represents about 6.9% of the total weight. The carbohydrate is made up of mannose and hexosamine comprising 6.4 to 7.0% and about 1.6%, respectively, of the total weight. The hexosamine is primarily glucosamine but a trace of a second hexosamine was detected. The amino acid composition of each component is the same. The molecular weights determined by sedimentation equilibrium are 5.59 x 105 for the 14 S component and 1.59 x 106 for the 28 S component. The large fraction can be disaggregated under mild alkaline conditions and by temperatures of 65° to give several fragments, one of which has sedimentation characteristics similar to those of the 14 S component. The data support earlier work which suggested that the 28 S component was formed somewhere in the follicle from the 14 S component.
Party Pursuits and The Presidential-House Election Connection, 1900–2008

Part I. Election Patterns and Interpretive Frameworks: 1. Disconnecting and reconnecting presidential-House election results 2. The study of presidential-House elections 3. Reconsidering conclusions: a critique 4. Explaining change: the role of party pursuits Part II. Explaining a Changing Relationship: 5. The Democratic pursuit of the North 6. Expanding the Democratic base 7. Republican and Democratic pursuits of new constituents 8. The consequences of changing electoral bases 9. Regional patterns of change 10. Realignment and converging election results 11. Party pursuits and American democracy Appendix I. Presidential-House election data by House districts Appendix II. The presidential-House relationship and uncontested House races Appendix III. Alternative explanations of change.
Phenotypes of Bacillus subtilis mutants altered in the precursor-specific region of sigma E.

Abstract sigma E is a sporulation-specific sigma factor of Bacillus subtilis that is synthesized from an inactive precursor protein (P31). The structural gene (sigE) for P31 was reengineered by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to encode sigma E directly. The sequence specifying the first amino acid of sigma E (GGC) was placed immediately downstream of the initiating codon (ATG) of P31. The resulting sigE allele (sigE delta 84) encodes a sigma E-like protein which differs from the "processed product" by a single Met residue at its amino terminus. B. subtilis strains which carried this allele were Spo- and contained no detectable sigma E. The sigE delta 84 allele generated a product in Escherichia coli which, by quantitative Western immunoblot analysis, was present at 10 to 20% of the level of product (P31) obtained from a wild-type allele. A sigma E-like product was also not detected in two B. subtilis strains with missense mutations in the sequence encoding the processed region of P31. These results suggest that sigma E is a highly labile protein that is stabilized during its synthesis by an element of the precursor sequence. A mutant allele (sigE delta 48) which made an active sigma E-like protein in B. subtilis was isolated. This gene specified a product in which five amino acids, not derived from the P31 processed region, were joined to P31 at a position eight amino acids upstream of the processing site. The sigE delta 48 product was not processed, but it activated the sigma E -dependent spoIID promoter in vivo. The sigE delta 48 product therefore lost both an essential target for processing and a region which inhibited sigma sigma E activity. Cells which carried sig E delta 48 were Spo-. The basis of the sigE delta 48-dependent defect in sporulation is unknown, but the sigma E delta 48 activity appeared to persist beyond the time in development (4 h after onset sporulation) when wild-type sigma E activity declines. Thus, it may interfere with the proper regulation of late sporulation genes.
The coming epidemic of obesity in elderly Americans.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of obesity in elderly Americans in 2010 and to discuss the health and economic implications of these estimates. Design: Three methods of generating future point-prevalence estimates using data from consecutive cross-sectional studies. Setting: All regions of the United States. Participants: Estimates were based on five nationally representative surveys of the adult population of the United States, conducted from 1960 to 2000, and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Measurements: Changes in obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2) and normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m2) prevalence for men and women by 10-year U.S. birth cohorts were examined. The prevalence of obesity and normal weight in the elderly in 2010 was estimated under three different scenarios of obesity prevalence change. Results: It was estimated that the prevalence of obesity in adults aged 60 and older will increase from 32.0% in 2000 to 37.4% in 2010 (range 33.6–39.6%). The number of obese adults aged 60 and older will increase from 14.6 to 20.9 million (range 18.8–22.2 million). Similarly, it was estimated that the prevalence of normal weight among adults aged 60 and older will decrease from 30.6% in 2000 to 26.7% in 2010 (range 31.0–24.7%). Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity in elderly Americans will likely continue to increase, challenging healthcare delivery and financing systems in the United States.
Applying stage-gate processes in concurrent engineering

In recent years, companies have invested heavily in new management tools and techniques for controlling projects more effectively in a highly complex and dynamic business environment. Two of the very popular techniques are concurrent engineering and stage gate processes. However few companies can implement these techniques just by issuing a policy or management directive. They must link the selected tools or techniques with the business process. This involves careful integration of the new concept with the various physical, informational, managerial, and psychological subsystems of the enterprise and its cultures and values, to minimize the risk of rejection.
Renal insufficiency as an independent predictor of mortality among women with heart failure

Objectives: We sought to explore the association between renal insufficiency and mortality among women with heart failure (HF) and to evaluate this risk by the presence of preserved or depressed sy...
The influence of GABRA2, childhood trauma, and their interaction on alcohol, heroin, and cocaine dependence.

Background The GABRA2 gene has been implicated in addiction. Early life stress has been shown to alter GABRA2 expression in adult rodents. We hypothesized that childhood trauma, GABRA2 variation, and their interaction would influence addiction vulnerability. Methods African-American men were recruited for this study: 577 patients with lifetime DSM-IV single and comorbid diagnoses of alcohol, cocaine, and heroin dependence, and 255 control subjects. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was administered. Ten GABRA2 haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped. Results We found that exposure to childhood trauma predicted substance dependence ( p p p p Conclusions Our results suggest that at least in African-American men, childhood trauma, GABRA2 variation, and their interaction play a role in risk-resilience for substance dependence.
Visfatin in pregnancy: proposed mechanism of peptide delivery

Visfatin is a newly identified 52 kD adipocytokine that appears to have insulinomimetic properties. We examined visfatin expression in visceral fat from lean and pregnant women. Visfatin gene expression was seven times higher in omental fat of pregnant women than in lean women. Both immunohistochemistry and immunoblot confirmed that visfatin protein was much higher in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. However, serum visfatin was 20.8 ± 7.7 ng/ml (n = 7) in lean women as compared to only a slight increase to 40.3 ng/ml in pregnant women (n = 4). We measured visfatin mRNA content of human placenta and found that placenta expresses high levels of visfatin mRNA and protein. At a concentration of 2 nM, visfatin and insulin produced nearly identical increase in glucose transport. The discrepancy between the elevated visfatin expression and tissue visfatin compared to only a small increase in serum visfatin is a matter of controversy. The data on serum visfatin concentrations are replete with contradictory data. Taken together, we suggest that visfatin is not a hormone. Instead, we propose that visfatin acts in either a paracrine or autocrine mode. This hypothesis would explain what various laboratories have found widely discrepant values for serum visfatin. Since visfatin potently and efficaciously induced glucose transport in a cell culture model, any hypothetical role for visfatin in pregnancy should include the possibility that it may play a role in maternal/fetal glucose metabolism or distribution and that it may do so by acting locally.
Type II Protein C Deficiency in a 16-Year-Old Girl With Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

Purpose To report a case of central retinal vein occlusion in the setting of type II protein C deficiency, and to describe the appropriate tests for detecting this clotting abnormality. Design Observational case report. Methods Retrospective review of clinical examination and laboratory findings. Results A 16-year-old girl was evaluated for progressive monocular vision loss occurring over a period of one month. Dilated fundus examination and fluorescein angiography revealed the presence of a central retinal vein occlusion. Hypercoagulable work-up demonstrated normal protein C antigen levels, but a marked reduction in protein C function, confirming a type II protein C deficiency. Conclusions Central retinal vein occlusion may be associated with type II protein C deficiency. Testing for protein C antigen levels and function is necessary for detection of both type I and type II protein C deficiency.
Antecedents of employees' mental health—The role of career and work satisfaction

Abstract It was hypothesized that individual and situational variables, as a whole, will show stronger relationships with work-related attitudes than with mental health indices. Work-related attitudes, on the other hand, were expected to contribute more strongly to mental health than the individual and situational variables. Results obtained from two groups of staff professionals and retail store managers, using primarily questionnaire data, supported these hypotheses. Career and work satisfaction emerged as the strongest contributors to mental health. Situational variables such as job characteristics, supervisory style, and pay related more strongly to the attitudinal variables than to mental health. This pattern suggests that career and work satisfaction may serve as intervening variables in the relationship between situational variables and mental health.
Nanoscale characterization of DNA conformation using dual-color fluorescence axial localization and label-free biosensing

Quantitative determination of the density and conformation of DNA molecules tethered to the surface can help optimize and understand DNA nanosensors and nanodevices, which use conformational or motional changes of surface-immobilized DNA for detection or actuation. We present an interferometric sensing platform that combines (i) dual-color fluorescence spectroscopy for precise axial co-localization of two fluorophores attached at different nucleotides of surface-immobilized DNA molecules and (ii) independent label-free quantification of biomolecule surface density at the same site. Using this platform, we examined the conformation of DNA molecules immobilized on a three-dimensional polymeric surface and demonstrated simultaneous detection of DNA conformational change and binding in real-time. These results demonstrate that independent quantification of both surface density and molecular nanoscale conformation constitutes a versatile approach for nanoscale solid-biochemical interface investigations and molecular binding assays.
Eosinophilic Bacterial Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Background: A subset of Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients are those with eosinophilic CRS (ECRS). These patients remain the most refractory to medical and surgical intervention, and are thought to reflect an inflammatory process arising from a variety of causes. Recently the role of fungus in ECRS, defined as the presence of fungi in the eosinophilic mucin of CRS, has been proposed as causal in many cases. Other proposed causes of ECRS include bacterial superantigen induction of inflammation and aspirin sensitivity. Design: Retrospective review. Methods: Histopathology from patients with previously diagnosed ECRS was prospectively re-reviewed for bacterial and fungal presence and correlated with patients' demographic data. The study population was comprised of 55 specimens with ECRS from 34 patients, over a 3-year period from a single investigator at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Results: Histologic presence of bacteria was shown in 34 of 55 (62%) of all ECRS specimens. Specimens with fungal colonization were more often associated with bacterial presence than without bacteria (17 of 22 [77%] vs. 5 of 22 [23%], P < .02). Conclusion: Bacteria were present in almost two-thirds of all specimens, and most cases of fungal presence were accompanied by bacterial presence, potentially providing support for bacteria as a source of superantigen. Other possible reasons for the high rate of bacterial and fungal colonization of ECRS include increased pathogen exposure, or failure to eliminate pathogens.
The Role of Community Health Workers in Diabetes: Update on Current Literature

Community health worker (CHW) interventions have been found to be a promising strategy for improving diabetes outcomes, especially among low-income and racial and ethnic minority populations. This review serves as an update of the literature published since 2011 on CHWs’ role in diabetes care. In our review of the most current literature, we noted several key areas of advancement. These areas include community-based participatory research approaches to intervention development and evaluation, analyses of the cost effectiveness of CHW interventions, evaluation of sustainability through integrated team-based approaches, thorough descriptions of characteristics and training of CHWs, and delineation of the scope of practice and most effective roles for CHWs.
Chemical modification of P84 copolyimide membranes by polyethylenimine for nanofiltration

Abstract This study involved preparation of positively charged nanofiltration membranes by chemical modification of P84 copolyimide asymmetric membranes using branched polyethylenimine (PEI). Optimized membrane performance was shown to be 50.9 ± 5.1% salt rejection to a 2.0 g/L NaCl solution with a flux of 1.2 ± 0.1 m3 m−2 day−1 at 13.8 bar and room temperature. The rejection sequence of CaCl2 > NaCl > Na2SO4 indicates a positive charge at the membrane surface, which may be attributed to amine groups remaining after the reaction between PEI and polyimide. Upon modification, the pores of the membranes were filled with PEI molecules so as to cause the membranes to exhibit nanofiltration properties. The PEI-modified polyimide membranes likely have a highly cross-linked structure which makes these membranes stable in various operating environments including high temperature (100 °C), organic solvents, and mild acid and base (2 ≤ pH ≤ 10). These membranes showed efficient removal of multivalent heavy metal ions (>95%) and may potentially be used for treatment of industrial wastewater.
Future therapies: Early trials and basic science.

Pharmacotherapeutic options for overactive bladder (OAB) include antimuscarinics and the beta3-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist mirabegron. Research and development of novel therapeutic options for OAB continues to be an active field. This review summarizes recent research with the existing therapies as well as the most promising agents in development.
Mechanisms of aluminium fluoride- and insulin-stimulated p33 mRNA accumulation in rat hepatoma cells: Involvement of a G protein and kinase action and demonstration of effects on mRNA turnover

Abstract The insulin signalling pathway to control nuclear p33 gene expression was examined. An AlF4-stimulated pertussin toxin-insensitive G protein was shown to be involved. The action of AlF4− was completely blocked by deferoxamine. Insulin action was markedly stimulated in the presence of AlF4−. cAMP and diacylglycerol concentrations were examined as possible regulators but no increases were detected. The effects of AlF4− and of insulin were completely inhibited by the general kinase inhibitor H-7. A second calcium calmodulin protein kinase inhibitor, W-7, had no detectable effect. Insulin and AlF4− were shown to stabilize p33 mRNA.
The uneven globalization of civil society organizations and the consequences for cross‐national disparities in human development

Many scholars and practitioners consider development to be as much an institutional and organizational phenomenon as it is an economic one. Among other elements, civil society is a key determinant of a country’s level of social capital. Important links appear to exist between a robust associational milieu and the effective operation of democracy. However, the role of civil society organizations in human development has only recently gained attention.
NOTES ON THE RELATION OF IODINE TO GOITRE

Since it was clearly shown by Marine that iodide is a prophylactic against goitre in children, there has been a great deal of interest expressed in the subject, but owing to the length of life in man, the observations have necessarily been imperfect. The observations of Marine and Kimball did not show one hundred per cent protection. The accompanying diagram (Fig. 1) shows results of continuation of Marine’s work in Switzerland. The most wholesale study has been made in the comparison of Swiss military statistics of goitre in the cantons of Vaud (Waadt) and Freiburg. Each of these cantons has a government salt monopoly. The canton of Vaud owns the salt mines of Bex, and several analyses of the salt of Bex in former times showed the presence of about as much iodine as is now put in the Swiss iodized salt. That did not entirely eliminate goitre in Vaud but enormously reduced it. We might attribute the small amount of goitre remaining to immigration.
Amazon capims (floating grassmats): a source of 13C enriched methane to the troposphere

The C-13 isotopic composition of methane emitted to the troposphere from Amazon capims (floating grassmats) ranged from -36.9 to -48.0, per mil averaging -44.4 + or - 4.2 per mil. All pools of methane associated with the grassmats were enriched; methane withdrawn from plant stems ranged from -39 to -49 per mil while bubbles stirred from the root mat averaged -41.4 per mil. As the CH4 flux from these habitats makes up some 40 percent of the total flux from the Amazon floodplain, methane emissions from the region as a whole must be enriched in.
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and cardiovascular disease

Epidemiological studies on Greenland Inuits in the 1970s and subsequent human studies have established an inverse relationship between the ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids [C20–22ω 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)], blood levels of C20–22ω 3 PUFA, and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). C20–22ω 3 PUFA have pleiotropic effects on cell function and regulate multiple pathways controlling blood lipids, inflammatory factors, and cellular events in cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells. The hypolipemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arrhythmic properties of these fatty acids confer cardioprotection. Accordingly, national heart associations and government agencies have recommended increased consumption of fatty fish or ω 3 PUFA supplements to prevent CVD. In addition to fatty fish, sources of ω 3 PUFA are available from plants, algae, and yeast. A key question examined in this review is whether nonfish sources of ω 3 PUFA are as effective as fatty fish-derived C20–22ω 3 PUFA at managing risk factors linked to CVD. We focused on ω 3 PUFA metabolism and the capacity of ω 3 PUFA supplements to regulate key cellular events linked to CVD. The outcome of our analysis reveals that nonfish sources of ω 3 PUFA vary in their capacity to regulate blood levels of C20–22ω 3 PUFA and CVD risk factors.
A Possible Mechanism of Neurosecretion: Release of Vasopressin by Depolarization and its Dependence on Calcium

IT is recognized that the various influences, nervous and osmotic, which bring about release of the hormones vasopressin and oxytocin from the neuroseeretory terminals in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland act through the parent cells in the supra-optic and paraventricular nuclei. Such a scheme demands that these cell bodies in the hypothalamus regulate release of hormone from their terminals a considerable distance away and it is simplest to suppose that this regulation is effected by action potentials propagated down the supra-opticohypophysial tract. In this view the cells of the supra-opticohypophysial system possess the characteristic property of neurones—the propagation of action potentials–as well as the characteristic property of endocrine organs–the liberation of hormones into the blood stream1,2.
Therapeutic targeting of VEGF in the treatment of glioblastoma.

Introduction: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive type of primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Despite therapy with maximal safe surgical resection, radiation and temozolomide, prognosis remains poor at 14.6 months. Hence, there is an urgent need for developing novel therapeutic agents. In GBMs, the balance of angiogenic growth factors is skewed toward pro-angiogenesis and VEGF is identified as the key growth factor responsible for neovasculature. Targeting angiogenesis is hypothesized to arrest tumor growth and hence VEGF is an attractive therapeutic target. Areas covered: The purpose of this review is to discuss VEGF pathway inhibitors, their efficacy as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs, the effects on the radiographic response/assessment for GBMs, mechanisms of resistance and associated biomarkers. A short summary of angiogenesis and of the biological characteristics of angiogenesis will also be provided to enhance the understanding of VEGF pathway inhibitors. Expert ...
Nanostructured PtVFe catalysts: Electrocatalytic performance in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

This paper reports new findings of an investigation of the electrocatalytic performance of nanostructured PtVFe catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). The membrane electrode assembly was prepared using nano-engineered PtVFe nanoparticles with controlled composition and size supported on carbon as the cathode electrocatalysts. The results reveal that the PtVFe/C catalysts exhibited excellent fuel cell performance, better than that using the commercial Pt/C catalyst. This finding provides the first example demonstrating the viability of the PEMFC application of the nanostructured trimetallic catalysts.
Magnetostrictive Vibration Control Systems

Results are presented summarizing dynamic per formance capabilities for three different magnetostrictive actuators with demonstration of magnetostriction used for control of struc tural vibrations ...
Normalization in OODB design

When we design an object-oriented database schema, we need to normalize object classes as we do for relations when designing a relational database schema. However, the normalization process for an object class cannot be the same as that of a relation, because of the distinct characteristics of an object-oriented data model such as complex attributes, collection data types, and the usage of object identifiers in place of relational key attributes. We need only one kind of dependency proposed here -- the object functional dependency -- which specifies the dependency of object attributes with respect to the object identifier. We also propose the object normal form of an object class, for which all determinants of object functional dependencies are object identifiers. There is no risk of update anomalies as long as all object classes are in the object normal form.
DISTRIBUTED STRUCTURAL ACTUATION WITH ELECTROSTRICTORS

Abstract In this paper a non-linear framework is developed of the dynamic behaviour of a system with distributed electrostrictive coupling. A framework for the derivation of the governing equations is presented which is sufficiently general to model the dynamics of a broad range of non-linear systems. The constitutive relations for electrostrictors are developed in terms of the standard quadratic function and the hyperbolic tangent squared function of the applied electric field. Non-linear coupled equations of motion are derived by introducing the constitutive relations into Hamilton's Principle. Approximate system equations are derived using the assumed mode method. Experimental validation of the equations is accomplished by examining the static and dynamic response of a cantilevered beam actuated with a distributed electrostrictive actuator.
Equations for InsP3 receptor-mediated [Ca2+](i) oscillations derived from a detailed kinetic model: A Hodgkin-Huxley like formalism

The nine-variable De Young-Keizer model (1992) for [Ca2+]i oscillations mediated by InsP3 receptor channels in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane is analyzed and reduced to a two-variable system. The different time scales in the three basic channel gating processes, namely InsP3 regulation, Ca2+ activation, and Ca2+ inactivation, are revealed and characterized. The method of multiple scales is used in solving the equations on a succession of faster time scales and reducing them to a 2D system. The reduced system, (Vcy/fcy) dC/dt = -PIP3Rm3∞h3 (C - CO) - PL (C - CO ) - Jpump(C); dh/dt = (h∞ - h)/τh, is analogous in form to the Hodgkin-Huxley equations for plasma membrane electrical excitability. [Ca2+]i dynamics in this model thus involve ER membrane-associated excitability. The reduced system has a bifurcation diagram almost identical to that of the original system and retains the most important dynamic features of the latter. The analysis also shows that the reduced system becomes simpler when the different gating processes are more independent from each other, i.e. when the rates for Ca2+ binding at the site associated with one gating process are independent of occupancy at the other two binding sites. Assuming further that binding of InsP3 does not depend on Ca2+ occupancy at the inactivation site, we obtain a "minimal" form yet retain significant ability to reproduce experimental observations.
Eggs and larvae of Nototheniops larseni from the Spongocoel of a Hexactinellid sponge near Hugo island, Antarctic Peninsula

A mass of adhesive fish eggs was found within the spongocoel of a hexactinellid (glass) sponge, Rosella nuda, collected by bottom trawl near Hugo Island, Antarctic Peninsula in early September. Eggs were hatched in the ship's laboratory and the larvae identified as Nototheniops larseni (Lonnberg). Eggs and early larvae are described. Potential implications of the use of sponges by antarctic fishes as refuges and spawning sites are discussed.
Wealth, health, and the moderating role of implicit social class bias

Subjective social status (captured by the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status) is in many cases a stronger predictor of health outcomes than objective socioeconomic status (SES). The study aims to test whether implicit beliefs about social class moderate the relationship between subjective social status and inflammation. We measured implicit social class bias, subjective social status, SES, and baseline levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker of inflammation, in 209 healthy adults. Implicit social class bias significantly moderated the relationship between subjective social status and levels of IL-6, with a stronger implicit association between the concepts “lower class” and “bad” predicting greater levels of IL-6. Implicit social class bias moderates the relationship between subjective social status and health outcomes via regulation of levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. High implicit social class bias, particularly when one perceives oneself as having low social standing, may increase vulnerability to inflammatory processes.
A Survey of Technologies for Parsing and Indexing Digital Video1

Abstract In the future we.envision systems that will provide video information delivery services to customers on a very large scale. These systems must provide customers with mechanisms to select programs of their choice from live broadcasts. Customers should also be provided with easy means of browsing and accessing prerecorded digital data (e.g., distributed digital multimedia libraries), and downloading data from other information sources. To be viable for such large information sets, these systems must understand customer preferences and tailor the available information to the customer's needs. To support this vision, a number of issues must be addressed and obstacles overcome. Intuitive interfaces, powerful query formulation and evaluation techniques, comprehensive data models, and flexible presentation functionalities must be developed. To realize these components, an effective query evaluation engine with the capabilities of query resolution in different content-specific formats (e.g., by graphics, by image, by sound) and in different domain-specific models (e.g., database of movies, database of newsclips) should be present. Additionally, the digital video database will require an efficient indexing system for easy access to the stored information. In this paper we discuss existing research trends in this area and requirements for future data delivery systems. An overview of video indexing is presented followed by a discussion on current indexing techniques.
An Evaluation of the Response of Some Portable, Direct-Reading 10.2 eV and 11.8 eV Photoionization Detectors, and a Flame Ionization Gas Chromatograph for Organic Vapors in High Humidity Atmospheres

Three portable, direct-reading instruments were tested to evaluate their ability to detect organic vapors in high humidity atmospheres. The instruments included two photoionization detectors (10.2 eV and 11.8 eV), and an organic vapor analyzer with a flame ionization detector. The organic vapors used were hexanes, 1,1-dichloroethane, chloroform, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, benzene, toluene and chloro-benzene. Relatively impervious gas bags were used to contain atmospheres of low (zero) and high (90 percent) relative humidities for comparisons. The response of the organic vapor analyzer was practically independent of humidity. The responses of the photoionization detectors were influenced by high humidity even though the 10.2 eV lamp did not detect water vapor itself. The photoionization detectors were adjudged to be unsuitable for quantitative sampling of humid confined spaces since the 11.8 eV lamp was sensitive to water vapor and the 10.2 eV lamp showed unpredictable response factors in high h...
Double- and Triple-minorities in the International Relations Classroom

When a female minority professor struggles to establish authority in the classroom, the first question that comes to her mind is, “Is it me?” By surveying more than a dozen female minority professors, we reach the conclusion that those professors face a unique position and particularly demanding tasks in universities as they face challenges of systemic institutional and social underpinning of universities.
An update on bi-level geometric programming: A new optimization model

Abstract This short note is an addendum and corrigendum to a previous article that presented mathematical formulations for a new class of nonlinear optimization models called bi-level geometric programming (BLGP) problems. These problems are not necessarily convex and thus not solvable by standard nonlinear programming techniques. This short note corrects the optimality conditions for BLGP earlier presented by noting that these can only be used for those BLGP problems that are convex, and the optimization algorithm that is based on the method of branch-and-bound can only be used for BLGP problems that are nonconvex. Convergence criteria of the latter are discussed. The paper is further amended by presenting the mathematical formulation of the bi-level dual form for the geometric programming (GP) problem and its applications, as well as an example, and its relationship to future research directions.
Retrievability of the recovery vena cava filter after dwell times longer than 180 days.

PURPOSE Permanent and optional (retrievable) inferior vena cava (IVC) filters reduce pulmonary embolism (PE) risk. Maximum safe dwell times for retrievable devices have not been defined. This retrospective multicenter analysis evaluated the feasibility of retrieval of the Bard Recovery filter after dwell times longer than 180 days. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen patients from three U.S. institutions were included. The patients ranged in age from 21 to 70 years (mean, 46.2 y); six were male, seven female. All filters were removed via the right internal jugular vein. Data were collected on filter position and condition, fluoroscopy time, complications, and IVC abnormality. RESULTS The filter dwell times ranged from 181 to 419 days (mean, 254.2 ± 79.7 d). All filters were retrieved successfully without difficulties. The mean fluoroscopy time was 5.78 ± 3.39 minutes (range, 3.12–16.0 min). Two of 13 filters had a tilt of more than 10°, but no filter was embedded into the IVC wall. No filter migration or thrombus within the filter was observed. On 11 of 13 venograms, the arms projected outside the IVC in a parallel fashion, likely tenting the vessel. In one case, one leg and one arm pointed outside the IVC, likely penetrating the vessel. Venographic findings after retrieval were normal in all but one patient, who had a mild narrowing of the IVC (stenosis CONCLUSION Retrievals of the Recovery filter with dwell times beyond 180 days appear feasible and were performed without complication in this series.
South Texas Mexican American Use of Traditional Folk and Mainstream Alternative Therapies

A telephone survey was conducted with a large sample of Mexican Americans from border (n = 1,001) and nonborder (n = 1,030) regions in Texas. Patterns of traditional folk and mainstream complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use were analyzed with two binary logistic regressions, using gender, self-rated health, confidence in medical doctors, income, education, and acculturation as predictors. Approximately 45% of respondents were CAM users within the last 12 months. Users of both types of CAM were likely to be women and to have a high education level. Compared to nonusers, traditional folk CAM users were found to have lower self-rated health, less confidence in medical doctors, and lower acculturation. Mainstream CAM users had higher income and self-rated health than nonusers.