cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic Liver Disease in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patient

There are an estimated 40 million HIV infected individuals worldwide, with chronic liver disease being the 2nd leading cause of mortality in this population. Elevated liver functions are commonly noted in HIV patients and the etiologies are varied. Viral hepatitis B and C, fatty liver and drug induced liver injury are more common. Treatment options for viral hepatitis C are rapidly evolving and are promising, but treatments are limited for the other conditions and is primarily supportive. Opportunistic infections of the liver are now uncommon. Irrespective of etiology, management requires referral to specialized centers and with due diligence mortality can be reduced.
Poison-ivy and poison-oak dermatitis

Abstract Poison-ivy and poison-oak dermatitis are entities well-known to all primary care physicians, dermatologists, and most of the general populace in this country. Much has been written about this problem—probably the commonest of all allergic diseases in the United States. It is a significant occupational affliction in agriculture, estimated, in the past, to account for 0.11% of workmen's compensation. 1 This chapter will review important aspects of the allergen(s), clinical manifestations of the disease, and therapy. The family Anacardiaceae includes plants that probably cause more cases of allergic phytodermatitis than all other plant families combined. The genus Toxicodendron is the most notorious of the family, containing the plants which cause dermatitis: poison ivy ( Toxicodendron radicans, Toxicodendron rydbergii ), poison oak ( Toxicodendron direrxilobum, Toxicodendron toxicarium ), and poison sumac ( Toxicodendron vernix ). 2 The identification and geographic distribution of these species are detailed in chapter 16.
Diazinon reduction and partitioning between water, sediment and vegetation in stormwater runoff mitigation through rice fields.

BACKGROUND: Contamination of surface waters by pesticides is a concern in the United States and around the world. Innovative mitigation strategies are needed to remediate this potential environmental contaminant. One potential solution is to divert pesticide-laden drainage or surface water through agricultural rice fields. With a hydroperiod, hydrosoil and hydrophyte (rice), these systems serve essentially as a type of constructed wetland. In both summer and fall experiments, diazinon-amended water was diverted through two rice ponds at the University of Mississippi Field Station. Likewise, a non-vegetated control pond was amended with diazinon-laden water. Water, sediment and plant samples were taken spatially and temporally to determine the distribution of diazinon within systems. RESULTS: Outflow diazinon concentrations decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from inflow in both vegetated ponds for both preharvest and post-harvest experiments. Although sorption to rice plants was minimal in the overall mass distribution of diazinon (1–3%), temporal data indicated that diazinon concentrations reached the outflow sediment of the non-vegetated control twice as fast as in either vegetated (rice) system. In both vegetated systems, sediment diazinon concentrations decreased (77 and 100%) from inflow to outflow, while a decrease of <2% was noted in the non-vegetated control. CONCLUSIONS: Diversion of pesticide-contaminated water through rice fields demonstrated potential as a low-cost, environmentally efficient mitigation practice. Studies on these systems are continuing to evaluate the optimal chemical retention time for rice field mitigation, as well as diazinon transfer to rice grain seeds that may be used as a food source. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MR in mouse models of cardiac disease

Transgenic and knockout mice can be used to study the genes and basic mechanisms involved in heart disease, and have therefore assumed a central role in modern cardiac research. MRI and MRS techniques have recently been developed for mice that enable the quantitative or semi-quantitative in vivo assessment of cardiac anatomy, function, perfusion, infarction, Ca(2+) influx, and metabolism. With these techniques, the normal mouse heart has been shown to be well suited as a model of human cardiac disease. The roles of individual genes in normal cardiac physiology have recently been studied by MR, including the role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in beta-adrenergic stimulation, the roles of the inducible nitric oxide synthase and myoglobin in function, dilation, and energetics, and the role of cardiac troponin I in contractility. Furthermore, with a mouse model of myocardial infarction, the roles of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor, xanthine oxidase inhibitors, blood coagulation factor XIII, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in post-infarct function and remodeling have been further elucidated. Non-invasive in vivo MRI and MRS in mice provide a unique and powerful means for phenotyping genetically engineered mice and can improve our understanding of the roles of specific genes and proteins in cardiac physiology and pathophysiology.
Surveillance of the Surgical Wound

Postoperative wound infections remain a major source of morbidity and, less frequently, a source of mortality in the surgical patient.' Their occurrence nationally is estimated to be more than 500,000 per year, or about 2.8 per 100 operations performed.2 This incidence varies from surgeon to surgeon, from hospital to hospital, from surgical procedure to surgical procedure and, most importantly, from patient to patient. The increased cost attributable to these wound infections depends primarily on whether prolonged hospitalization or rehospitalization is necessary.3 Major complications, such as deep sternal wound infections, have a grave impact, increasing the duration of hospitalization as much as 20-fold and the cost of hospitalization five-fold.4 Traditional surveillance of the surgical wound, practiced widely in the 1970s, depended primarily on infection control personnel searching for positive cultures from the microbiology laboratory. Finding a positive culture of wound drainage or exudate triggered a review of the patient's chart and of the patient, if still hospitalized. Errors in this approach were caused by inadequate and widely varying definitions of surgical wound infection, in addition to missing clinical infections when cultures were not done or were falsely negative. Using a representative sample of U.S. general hospitals (Study of the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control [SENIC] Project), the efficacy of infection surveillance and control in preventing nosocomial infections was established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 1985.5 A 32% reduction in nosocomial infections was noted from 1970 through 1976 in the participating hospitals where the essential components of the intensive
A CT-compatible version of the Fletcher system intracavitary applicator: clinical application and 3-dimensional treatment planning.

Abstract A new acrylic version of the familiar Fletcher intracavitary applicator, the Ann Arbor (AA) applicator, has been developed. This new device eliminates the problem of “streak” artifacts on CT images, but unlike other plastic applicators the ability to shield portions of the bladder and rectum is retained through the use of tungsten alloy shields which are afterloaded with the radioactive sources. To minimize changes in placement geometry and to take advantage of the wide clinical experience with the Fletcher system, the new applicator nearly duplicates the physical dimensions of the Fletcher applicator. With the Ann Arbor applicator in place, dummy sources are easier to locate on standard radiographic simulations. CT scans are free of artifact and provide clear, detailed visualizations of cross-sectional anatomy. The new applicator thus allows CI' images to be used to their potential in evaluating crucial anatomic relationships and in performing 3-D dosimetry with dose volume analysis. Using a treatment planning system with 3-D capabilities, solid surface graphic display of applicator, cervix, rectum, bladder, and treatment isodose volume has been performed. In addition, dose volume histograms can be generated to obtain precise measurements of the volume of cervix, rectum, or bladder receiving specified doses.
Mercury in wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri, from offshore waters of the southeastern United States and the Bahamas.

Wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri, are predatory oceanic fish that occur and are harvested in all tropical and subtropical oceans. Total mercury concentrations analyzed in dorsal muscle tissue of 208 wahoo from offshore waters of the southeastern United States and the Bahamas ranged from 0.021 to 3.4 mg/kg (wet weight), with a mean of 0.50 mg/kg (± 0.595 SD). Analyses indicated significant positive linear relationships between mercury and length, as well as, age of wahoo. The piscivorous nature, generally high trophic position, fast growth rate, and associated high metabolism of wahoo within tropical offshore pelagic environments may lead to comparatively higher concentrations of mercury over relatively short time periods. Mercury in wahoo, a highly mobile species consisting of one world-wide population, is regionally influenced by large-scale spatial differences in available mercury in selected prey fish species - many of which have been found to contain relatively high concentrations of mercury.
Epidemiology, resistance, and outcomes of Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia treated with imipenem-cilastatin or ampicillin-sulbactam.

Study objective To evaluate epidemiology, resistance, and treatment outcomes of Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia treated with imipenem-cilastatin or ampicillin-sulbactam for 72 hours or longer. Design Retrospective analysis. Setting University teaching hospital. Patients Forty-eight patients with A. baumannii bacteremia. Intervention Evaluation of susceptibility and clinical data from 48 patients treated with either ampicillin-sulbactam or imipenem-cilastatin from 1987-1999. Measurements and main results Comparing ampicillin-sulbactam and imipenem-cilastatin, there were no differences between days of bacteremia (4 vs 2 days, p=0.05), days to resolution of temperature or white blood cell count, success or failure during or at end of treatment, or intensive care unit total or antibiotic-related length of stay (13 vs 10 days, p=0.05). Patients treated with ampicillin-sulbactam had significantly decreased antibiotic treatment costs (1500 dollars vs 500 dollars, p=0.004). Conclusion Ampicillin-sulbactam is at least as effective as imipenem-cilastatin based on clinical response at days 2, 7, and end of treatment and is a cost-effective alternative for treatment of A. baumannii infections.
CORRELATIONS AND THE NUCLEAR MAGNETIC MOMENT

Correlation structure can be introduced into the shell model by means of a product of pair correlation functions, each of which vanishes within the repulsive core radius and then approaches unity with a short range dependent only on the Fermi momentum and the relative energy of the pair. Correlations of this type are independent of the state of a particule within a given shell-model orbit. The additional effect of such scalar, state-independent correlations on the magnetic moment of a "closed shell plus one" nucleus is shown to vanish, leaving only the shell-model value. The proof can be extended to correlations having a scalar spin dependence and to certain more complicated symmetries. The effect of residual state-dependent correlations due to terms in the relative momentum of the correlated pair and to the space-exchange part of the attraction as it appears in the correlations is estimated for ${\mathrm{O}}^{17}$ as a correction to the magnetic moment of 0.002 magneton. There is no modification to the magnetic moment operator due to velocity dependence of the correlation functions, and the expectation value of the ordinary space exchange operator coming from the exchange part of the Hamiltonian is shown to be the same as given by the shell model.
On Tests of Trend in a Weakly Stationary Time Series

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTAnalysis of a Time Series represented by an error model frequently leads to familiar procedures in regression analysis. The statistical models we consider are applicable if the underlying population which generates the data has a substantial change in trend at some point. We are interested in testing hypotheses if this change is significant. Two test statistics are introduced and their distributions are derived under the assumption of weak stationarity. It is proved that these tests are unbiased and their power functions are monotonic. With correlated residuals, the linear test statistic does not give a UMP test. It is shown that a certain quadratic test statistic gives a more powerful test.
Parabolic equations with VMO coefficients in Sobolev spaces with mixed norms

Abstract An L q ( L p ) -theory of divergence and non-divergence form parabolic equations is presented. The main coefficients are supposed to belong to the class VMO x , which, in particular, contains all measurable functions depending only on t. The method of proving simplifies the methods previously used in the case p = q .
MB-31MicroRNA EXPRESSION PATTERNS IN TISSUE AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID AID IN MOLECULAR CLASSIFICATION OF PEDIATRIC MEDULLOBLASTOMA

BACKGROUND: Recent progress in medulloblastoma biology has confirmed the presence of 4 clinically and molecularly distinct subgroups. MicroRNAs are dysregulated in cancer, including pediatric central nervous system tumors. We aim to determine if microRNA expression can aid in the molecular classification of medulloblastoma in tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). METHODS: RNA purification from 41 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded primary medulloblastoma samples was performed. TaqMan® miRNA assays were used to quantify the levels of 762 mature miRNAs from each sample using the Applied Biosystems 7900HT Fast Real-Time PCR system. Molecular subgrouping using established gene sets was performed using the Nanostring® platform. Clinical, pathologic and outcome data was collected on all patients. In a separate cohort of patients with medulloblastoma, expression of circulating miRNA was quantified in CSF at the time of diagnosis. RESULTS: Molecular subgrouping by gene expression classified tumors into WNT (n = 6), Shh (n = 5), Group 3 (n = 11) and Group 4 (n = 19) tumors. Clinical and outcome data was consistent with previously published cohorts. Consensus clustering by microRNA expression is not sufficient for molecular subgrouping. Independent of subgroup, the presence of metastatic disease at diagnosis was associated with high levels of miR-373 (p = 0.003) and miR-213 (p = 0.003) and expression of miR-497 was associated with poor overall survival (p = <.001). Highly expressed, subgroup specific miRNAs including miR-9 and miR-409-3p (WNT), miR-10a and miR-10b (Shh), miR-497 (Group 3) and miR 181a-2 (Group 4) were identified. CSF of newly diagnosed patients with medulloblastoma (n = 7) revealed high expression of tumor specific microRNAs. CONCLUSIONS: MicroRNA expression patterns alone are not sufficient for molecular subgrouping in pediatric medulloblastoma. However, over-expression of individual microRNAs are associated with presence of metastatic disease and overall survival. Subgroup specific microRNAs may aid in classification and serve as circulating biomarkers of disease.
Knowledge dissemination and use in science and mathematics education: A literature review

A synthesis of the literature on knowledge dissemination and use in education, notably in science and mathematics, is presented. Perspectives have changed in the ways in which knowledge and products are seen to reach potential users. From the top-down, linear models, we have come closer to bottom-up approaches and to the crucial role of linking agents. At present, the most influential approach is a "constructivist" one, whereby research and other kinds of specialized knowledge is exchanged between researchers and professionals in a mutually constructed social context. While there is still debate over the best predictors of successful knowledge use, the scope of the field has been considerably enlarged by including users' perspectives. To some extent then, specialists in this field are now working in a new paradigm.
IMMUNIZATION OF ADOLESCENTS FOR HEPATITIS B USING A 0,2,4 MONTH DOSING SCHEDULE. † 36

Universal Hepatitis B vaccination of adolescents has been recommended by the American College of Physicians. Logically, efforts to mass immunize adolescents have been implemented in the school systems. A shorter dosing schedule of the hepatitis B vaccine has been initiated in order to accommodate the academic year, although the efficacy is undocumented.Objectives: 1) To verify the immunity induced by a 0,2,4 month dosing schedule of the hepatitis B vaccine for adolescents and 2) to identify rates of hepatitis B infection in an adolescent population considered eligible for hepatitis B vaccination. Method: Adolescents from two general teen clinics in urban settings were randomly recruited to participate in receiving the hepatitis B vaccine series on a 0,2,4 month dosing schedule. Serologies for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb), and hepatitis B surface antigen antibody (HBsAb) were obtained at time 0 and at least 4 weeks after the third vaccination. Participants completed a one page risk behavior and demographic questionnaire.Results: 160 adolescents enrolled in the study. Of this group no known prior exposure or infection with hepatitis B was reported. Two subjects showed evidence of chronic hepatitis B infection, (HBcAb positive (+), IgM HBcAb negative (-) HBsAg +, HBsAb -) and one subject had evidence of past hepatitis B infection, (HBcAb +, HBsAb +, and HBsAg -). All three subjects were immigrants from the East Asia. Two had reported having sexual intercourse. Currently, 35 subjects have completed the study. 100% of the susceptible participants developed protective levels of antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen with a geometric mean antibody titer of 1235 mIU. One subject with chronic hepatitis B showed no response to the hepatitis B vaccine. Conclusion: Our preliminary data shows that the 0,2,4 month vaccination schedule of hepatitis B is adequate to produce an appropriate immune response for hepatitis B in an adolescent population. However, the identification of chronic hepatitis B in this population raises the concern of inadequate detection of'at risk' groups. More evaluation of hepatitis B screening in adolescents may be necessary.
Mercury adsorption on PdAu, PdAg and PdCu alloys

Under specific conditions, sorbent materials such as activated carbon, metal oxides, metal sulfides and pure metals can effectively capture mercury (Hg). Among these materials activated carbon is one of the most widely-used sorbents because of its high removal capacity. Unfortunately, activated carbon can hinder the recycling of particulate matter for concrete manufacturing because it prevents concrete from meeting the freeze-thaw requirements. The use of a sorbent material that can capture Hg efficiently but is also concrete-friendly would allow for the increased sale of waste materials, ultimately oversetting landfill costs. In this work, density functional theory calculations have been used to predict the binding mechanism of Hg on the binary alloys PdAu(111), PdAg(111), PdCu(111) which are potential candidates for concrete-friendly sorbents. Although bulk Pd surfaces are more reactive than bare Au, Ag and Cu surfaces, the addition of small amounts of Au, Ag and Cu alloyed with the Pd acts to increase ...
The GATT and Environmental Policy: An Analysis of Potential Conflicts and Policy Reforms

The emergence of a worldwide environmental movement in the early 1960s accompanied an international expansion of economic activity and applied technology. The principal medium through which this expansion progressed was trade. In 1947, following World War II, a series of international agreements were negotiated to regularize international relations in finance, monetary policies, and trade. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was negotiated without anticipation of an international environmental movement and new policies at the national level that did not reflect, and might be inconsistent with, economic values. Conflict between policies for freedom of trade and environmental protection did not immediately emerge. With the adoption of numerous environmental protection measures in the United States and many other countries after 1969, the incompatibility of some trade and environmental policies became political issues. Trade policies are not confined to economic changes. Policy issues developing around the agreement and environmental protection are complex, and frequently involve technological issues, as in the Mexican tuna controversy discussed in this paper.
‘Christmas Time’ and the Struggles for the Household in the Countryside: Rethinking the Cultural Geography of Migrant Labour in South Africa

In this paper, I take advantage of a space of interdisciplinary research that has emerged at the intersection of human and social sciences since the advent of radical revisionist scholarship in South African Studies in the 1980s. Within this space, I argue for a rethinking of the geography of cultures of migrancy. By focusing attention on rural (rather than urban) contexts of the cultures of mobility that accrue with migrancy, I argue that we can look at migrant labour as a constellation of cultural arguments in much the same way that recent scholarship has analysed media such as radio, newspapers and schooling, all of which similarly connect the ‘local’ with the national and the global. In particular, I look at how a gendered culture of migrancy, reflected discursively, materially and performatively, orchestrates struggles over the household.
Retinopathy of prematurity in extremely premature infants.

Introduction The incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in extremely premature infants have not been reported since publication of the Early Treatment of ROP study results. The survival rate of these infants continues to increase. We sought to determine the characteristics of ROP in a group of surviving infants Methods Retrospective review of infants born prior to 27 weeks EGA between January 2003 and July 2007 at a level-3 nursery at a regional academic medical center. Results A total of 231 medical records were reviewed and found to have analyzable data. Of 79 infants Conclusions Extremely premature infants are more likely to develop ROP and type 1 ROP, but the incidence may be lower than previously reported. Birth weight may not influence the incidence of type 1 ROP in this group of infants. Type 1 ROP does not develop at an earlier postmenstrual age in the extremely premature infant.
Phytohydrography, Gulf Stream rings, and herbivore habitat contrasts

Abstract The Gulf Stream constitutes a major ecological discontinuity separating two distinct phytohydrographic provinces: the Slope Water and the Northern Sargasso Sea. Differences between phytoplankton assemblages are maximal above well-established seasonal thermoclines. Due to systematic differences in the composition, quantity, distribution, and variability of their phytoplankton assemblages, the upper euphotic zones of the Slope Water and the Northern Sargasso Sea represent very different herbivore habitats. Although the Northern Sargasso Sea has been thought to be a relatively monotonous biogeographic province, within its geographic boundaries Gulf Stream cold core rings constitute largescale floral non-homogeneities. The rings observed differed markedly in species composition from both the Slope Water and the Northern Sargasso Sea. Although species groups isolated by correspondence analysis were not strictly confined to one or another phytohydrographic province they represented ecotypes differing in their apparent ‘responsiveness’ to variation in nutrient concentration.
Automated border detection on contrast enhanced echocardiographic images

Abstract Background Accurate determination of left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF) is of paramount importance in the evaluation of patients with cardiovascular disease. Quantitative techniques for the automated calculation of EF exist however, the robustness of these techniques is dependent on adequate endocardial border definition and therefore are difficult to use in patients with limited images. We sought to combine the endocardial border enhancing effects of contrast echocardiography with an automated border detection technique to provide quantitative and accurate determination of LV EF. Methods Thirty-nine consecutive patients referred to nuclear cardiology for EF determination underwent radionuclide angiography followed by echocardiographic imaging using prototype software that allowed automated border detection during contrast infusion. Results Adequate LV cavity opacification with contrast was possible in 38/39 patients. The mean radionuclide EF was 50±16% (range 19–73). There was no statistically significant difference between the mean nuclear EF and averaged echocardiographically determined EF (51±18%). The mean bias was 0.6 with limits of agreement that were +15 and −14. Conclusion This study demonstrated that prototype software successfully tracked the contrast enhanced endocardial border allowing accurate calculation of LV EF.
Modeling of multicomponent mass transfer across polymer films using a thermodynamically consistent formulation of the Maxwell–Stefan equations in terms of volume fractions

Abstract The advantages of the Maxwell–Stefan (MS) formulation over Fick’s law to describe multicomponent mass transfer are well recognized. However, in its original form, the MS equations are written in terms of mole fractions, which are ill-defined if one of the components is a polymer. To overcome this problem, a revised formulation of the MS equations written in terms of volume fractions is proposed. The resulting equations satisfy the Gibbs–Duhem restriction and are fully consistent with the multicomponent Flory–Huggins theory in the sense that we avoid any assumption regarding the size of the penetrants or of the polymer segments. This formulation is combined with the Flory–Huggins model to derive general expressions for modeling steady-state mass transfer across polymer films for both pure components and binary mixtures. The proposed MS formulation is used to analyze the separation of carbon dioxide/ethane mixtures by a cross-linked poly(ethylene oxide) membrane. For this particular system, at T ≥ 25 o C , mixed-gas permeability coefficients can be predicted with an average deviation of less than 5% without any input from multicomponent permeation data.
Neutrophils contribute to TNF induced myocardial tolerance to ischaemia.

Abstract Sublethal endotoxin (ETX) pretreatment of rats induces protection from cardiac ischaemia-reperfusion injury. This protective state is associated with increased endogenous myocardial catalase activity. Since tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is one mediator of ETX effects, we hypothesized that (TNF) pretreatment of the rat (30 μg/kg ip) 36 h prior to cardiac ischaemia-reperfusion could induced myocardial protection. We found that TNF administration increased both myocardial tolerance to ischaemia reperfusion injury (modified Langendorff, buffer perfusion, global, normothermic ischaemia) and myocardial catalase activity at 36 h. Moreover, we found that 6 h after TNF administration, myocardial hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 , assessed by aminotriazole-H 2 O 2 inactivation of catalase) and myocardial neutrophil accumulation (assessed by histology) were both increased. When neutrophil function was inhibited either by neutrophil depletion (vinblastine) or by ibuprofen treatments of the rat before TNF, the protection previously apparent at 36 h was blocked. We conclude that TNF can induce myocardial resistance to ischaemia reperfusion injury. This protection is related to prior tissue neutrophil accumulation and concomitant increases in H 2 O 2 levels.
Advances in fiber lasers for nonlinear microscopy

Advances that will enable the demonstration of fiber lasers for nonlinear microscopy will be described, with a focus on the parameters appropriate to CARS microscopy.
Comments on the paper by Zinoviev and Bies "On acoustic radiation by a rigid object in a fluid flow"

In a recent paper by Zinoviev and Bies in this Journal, the authors have claimed that the well-known theoretical results of Curle and Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) are incorrect. This claim is categorically refuted below and serious errors are pointed out.
Peri‐operative hyperglycemia is associated with delayed graft function in deceased donor renal transplantation

Increasing evidence indicates that recipient diabetes is a risk factor for delayed graft function (DGF) after renal transplant and that peri-operative hyperglycemia increases ischemia-reperfusion injury. To evaluate whether peri-operative hyperglycemia as measured in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) after transplant is a risk factor for DGF, we retrospectively reviewed 976 adult recipients of deceased donor renal transplants between January 1, 1997 and December 1, 2004. Logistic regression was used to evaluate risk factors for DGF. In our final multivariate model, recipient blood glucose level in the PACU (odds ratio [OR] 1.10 per 25 unit increase, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-2.46, p = 0.03) was a statistically significant predictor of DGF along with donor age (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03, p 30% (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.20-3.05, p = 0.01). We conclude that recipient blood glucose measured in the PACU is associated with DGF and begs the question of whether improved peri-operative glucose control will decrease the incidence of DGF.
Target classification using morphological features

Classification of 3D objects is becoming an increasingly important research area due to cheap and innovative sensor technology. Shadows, noise, viewing direction, and distance from the sensor all directly affect the quality and amount of surface information provided by the sensor. The recognition approach described in this paper converts surface information, a set of (x,y,z) points, into a discrete 3D binary image. This conversion step processes the surface points using a fuzzy technique to mitigate the effects of noise and minor distortions. These images are then processed by sequences of one or two randomly selected morphological operators. Each of the sequences' output is then fed into a simple transducer to obtain a set of scalar feature values. The feature values are classified using a K nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier that is trained using a sparse number of training samples. Experiments were conducted using the Air Force Research Laboratory's E3D data and experimental protocol. Experimental results for the tank classification problem using 10 tanks and 26 confusers are presented. The results show the combination of morphological processing and KNN classifier produced consistently good performance under variations in noise, viewing angle, or distance.
Effects of a procedural/belief intervention on breast self‐examination performance

The purpose of this study was to test the effect of a theoretically based nurse-delivered intervention on BSE behavior. A 2 × 2 prospective, randomized, factorial design yielded four groups: control, belief intervention, procedural intervention, and procedural/belief intervention. A total of 301 women were randomly selected from a target population. One year following intervention, significant differences in self-reported proficiency, observer-rated proficiency, and sensitivity (lump detection) were found between the Procedural and Control Group and the Procedural/Belief and Control Group. Significant increases were found on observer-rated proficiency and sensitivity for the Procedural/Belief Group when compared to the Belief Group. In addition, a significant increase was found in the Procedural/Belief Group on nodule detection, when compared to the Procedural Group alone. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
SPIN POLARIZATION AND QUANTUM-STATISTICAL EFFECTS IN ULTRACOLD IONIZING COLLISIONS

We have measured ultracold ionizing collision rates for three bosonic ${(}^{132}\mathrm{Xe},{}^{134}\mathrm{Xe},$ and ${}^{136}\mathrm{Xe})$ and two fermionic ${(}^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ and ${}^{131}\mathrm{Xe})$ isotopes of xenon in the $6s[3/2{]}_{2}$ metastable state, for both spin-polarized and unpolarized samples. For unpolarized samples at temperatures above the p-wave centrifugal barrier $(\ensuremath{\sim}39 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}),$ we find that collision rates for all isotopes are identical. Quantum-statistical effects forbid s-wave collisions for spin-polarized fermions, giving rise to significant differences between bosonic and fermionic isotopes below the p-wave barrier. We present a technique for measuring collision rates at temperatures below $1 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K},$ and find that the ratio of polarized to unpolarized collision rates for fermions decreases by a factor of 2 at low temperatures, while the ratio for bosons increases by $50%.$ We find no evidence of an overall reduction in the collision rate for spin-polarized samples, as has been observed in metastable helium. These results are explained using a simple theoretical model of transmission and quantum reflection off long-range interatomic potentials.
Dispersed Spatial Price Equilibrium

The concept of a spatial price equilibrium has dominated the network-based models of spatial competition ever since Samuelson's (1952) formulation of this concept as a mathematical program. In practice, however, this model has often been a poor predictor of interregional flows and regional commodity prices. In this paper an extension of the spatial price equilibrium model is presented, in which attempts are made to overcome the poor predictive capabilities of this model by imbedding it within a gravity model representation of interregional flows. After the conceptual framework of this model is stated, a variational inequality formulation is presented and this formulation is then used to derive a convex mathematical programming statement of this model. Solution algorithms and sensitivity analysis of the equilibrium solution are discussed, and in the conclusion to the paper a discussion of the extensions of this model are presented which incorporate multiple commodities and imperfect competition in the regi...
Adult Student Satisfaction in an Accelerated RN-to-BSN Program: A Follow-Up Study

This mixed-method study revealed accelerated RN-to-BSN (bachelor of science in nursing) students' levels of satisfaction with a wide range of college services in a small university. Building on seminal research on the topic [Boylston, M. T., Peters, M. A., & Lacey, M. (2004). Adult student satisfaction in traditional and accelerated RN-to-BSN programs. Journal of Professional Nursing, 20, 23-32.], the Noel-Levitz Adult Student Priorities Survey (ASPS) and qualitative interview data revealed primary factors involved in nontraditional (adult) accelerated RN-to-BSN student satisfaction. The ASPS assesses both satisfaction with and importance of the following factors: academic advising effectiveness, academic services, admissions and financial aid effectiveness, campus climate, instructional effectiveness, registration effectiveness, safety and security, and service excellence. Of these factors, participants considered instructional effectiveness and academic advising effectiveness as most important and concomitantly gave high satisfaction ratings to each. In contrast, convenience of the bookstore, counseling services, vending machines, and computer laboratories were given low importance ratings. The participants cited convenience as a strong marketing factor. Loss of financial aid or family crisis was given as a reason for withdrawal and, for most students, would be the only reason for not completing the BSN program. Outcomes of this investigation may guide faculty, staff, and administrators in proactively creating an educational environment in which a nontraditional student can succeed.
Window brokers: Collaborative display space control

As users travel from place to place, they can encounter display servers, that is, machines which supply a collaborative content-sharing environment. Users need a way to control how content is arranged on these display spaces. The software for controlling these display spaces should be consistent from display server to display server. However, display servers could be controlled by institutions which may not allow for the control software to be installed. This article introduces the window broker protocol which allows users to carry familiar control techniques on portable personal devices and use the control technique on any display server without installing the control software on the display server. This article also discusses how the window broker protocol mitigates some security risks that arise from potentially malicious display servers.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF CATION TRANSPORT IN PLANTS

This review summarizes current knowledge about genes whose products function in the transport of various cationic macronutrients (K, Ca) and micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) in plants. Such genes have been identified on the basis of function, via complementation of yeast mutants, or on the basis of sequence similarity, via database analysis, degenerate PCR, or low stringency hybridization. Not surprisingly, many of these genes belong to previously described transporter families, including those encoding Shaker-type K+ channels, P-type ATPases, and Nramp proteins. ZIP, a novel cation transporter family first identified in plants, also seems to be ubiquitous; members of this family are found in protozoa, yeast, nematodes, and humans. Emerging information on where in the plant each transporter functions and how each is controlled in response to nutrient availability may allow creation of food crops with enhanced mineral content as well as crops that bioaccumulate or exclude toxic metals.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone Are Not Associated With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness or Plaque in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Objective— Observational evidence supports independent associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) with cardiovascular risk. A plausible hypothesis for these associations is accelerated development of atherosclerosis. Approach and Results— We evaluated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of 25-OHD and PTH with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaques among 3251 participants free of cardiovascular disease in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. 25-OHD and PTH were measured at baseline by mass spectrometry and immunoassay, respectively. All subjects underwent a carotid ultrasound examination at baseline and 9.4 years later (median, range 8–11.1 years). Multivariable linear and logistic regressions were used to test associations of 25-OHD and PTH with the extent and progression of IMT and the prevalence and incidence of carotid plaque. Mean (SD) 25-OHD and PTH were 25.8 ng/mL (10.6) and 44.2 pg/mL (20.2), respectively. No independent associations were found between 25-OHD or PTH and IMT at baseline (increment of 1.9 μm [95% confidence interval, −5.1 to 8.9] per 10 ng/mL lower 25-OHD; increment of 0.8 μm [95% confidence interval, −3.2 to 4.8] per 10 pg/mL higher PTH) or progression of IMT (increment of 2.6 μm [95% confidence interval, −2.5 to 7.8] per 10 ng/mL lower 25-OHD, increment of 1.6 μm [95% confidence interval, −1.9 to 5.2] per 10 pg/mL higher PTH). No associations were found with the baseline prevalence of carotid plaque or the incidence of new plaques during the study period. We did not observe any interaction by race or ethnicity (White, Chinese, Black, and Hispanic). Conclusions— The consistent lack of association of vitamin D and PTH with carotid IMT and plaque suggests that these hormones may influence cardiovascular risk through pathways not reflected by carotid atherosclerosis.
Idiotype vaccination strategies in myeloma: how to overcome a dysfunctional immune system.

In this issue of Clinical Cancer Research , Hansson et al. vaccinated 28 patients (IgG myeloma, Salmon-Durie stages I and II) with autologous myeloma idiotype protein and assessed the effect of adding either granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) alone or the combination of GM-CSF
KB-R7943 Prevents Acute, Atrial Fibrillation–Induced Shortening of Atrial Refractoriness in Anesthetized Dogs

Background— To test the hypothesis that Ca2+ influx via Na+/Ca2+ exchange (NCX) underlies atrial fibrillation (AF)–induced shortening of atrial effective refractory period (AERP), we examined the potential of KB-R7943 (KB), a selective inhibitor of Ca2+-influx mode NCX, to attenuate this effect. Methods and Results— Studies were performed in 41 isoflurane-anesthetized dogs. In sinus rhythm dogs, peak AERP changes resulting from intravenous KB infusion ranged from (mean±SEM) 4.4±0.4% (1 mg/kg) to 14.8±2.6% (5 mg/kg; ED50=1.9 mg/kg). AERP was maximally prolonged between 5 and 10 minutes after beginning of KB infusion and returned to baseline values within 30 minutes thereafter. Rapid atrial pacing–induced AF reversibly shortened AERP (P 0.05). We measured cardiac tiss...
Visualizing SNP statistics in the context of linkage disequilibrium using LD-Plus

Summary: Often in human genetic analysis, multiple tables of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) statistics are shown alongside a Haploview style correlation plot. Readers are then asked to make inferences that incorporate knowledge across these multiple sets of results. To better facilitate a collective understanding of all available data, we developed a Ruby-based web application, LD-Plus, to generate figures that simultaneously display physical location of SNPs, binary SNP attributes (such as coding/non-coding or presence on genotyping platforms), common haplotypes and their frequencies and continuously scaled values (such as Fst, minor allele frequency, genotyping efficiency or P-values), all in the context of the D′ and r2 linkage disequilibrium structures. Combining these results into one comprehensive figure reduces dereferencing between figures and tables, and can provide unique insights into genetic features that are not clearly seen when results are partitioned across multiple figures and tables. Availability: LD-Plus is freely available for non-commercial research institutions. For full details see http://chgr.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ritchielab/ldplus. Contact: ritchie@chgr.mc.vanderbilt.edu
Perturbed Gaussian modes of an unbalanced antiresonant-ring laser cavity*

We present an analysis of the perturbed Gaussian transverse modes of an antiresonant-ring laser cavity useful for cavity dumping, mode locking, and other applications. A plane-wave analysis of the antiresonant ring with a 50-50 beam splitter indicates that the coupling out the output port of the ring should be identically zero. A perturbed Gaussian mode analysis of a stable antiresonant-ring cavity shows, however, that if the ring is not optically symmetric (in the sense that the paraxial ray matrix is not symmetric in the two directions around the ring) then the modes of the cavity consist of a perturbed mixture of stable Gaussian modes, with a significant interference output or leakage from the output port of the ring. The existence of this leakage output has also been confirmed experimentally and by numerical Fox and Li calculation of the lowest mode of the unbalanced ring. This represents an unusual situation in which there is transverse mode discrimination without there being any diffractive output coupling.
Perimysium thickness as an indicator of beef tenderness

Eight bovine muscles were evaluated to determine if perimysium thickness (PT) differed among muscles and carcasses and was affected by electrical stimulation (ES). In addition, the effect of PT on Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) of steaks divided into tenderness groups was evaluated. Muscle and carcass affected (P<0.05) PT, but PT was not significantly affected by ES. Correlation coefficients revealed that PT would be a poor indicator of WBS when used alone (r=0.13). When analyzed within electrical stimulation treatment, PT was correlated (P<0.05) to WBS of NES (r=0.21) carcasses and not significantly related to WBS of ES carcasses. Within tenderness groups, PT accounted for 4.5%, 9.5%, 20.0%, and 4.0% of the variation in WBS force at 3, 7, 14, and 21 d, respectively. These results indicate that PT can be used in conjunction with other myofibrillar components of tenderness to account for some variation in WBS values of cooked beef steaks.
Source localization in the spinal cord: a modeling study

Intraspinal microstimulation of the spinal cord is being investigated as a means of eliciting coordinated motor responses for restoration of function. However, detailed maps of the neuroanatomy of the human spinal cord are lacking, and thus it is not clear where electrodes should be implanted. We are developing a method to map motor nuclei in the spinal cord using potentials recorded from the surface of the spinal cord and model-based optimization. We modeled this localization approach using an analytical volume conductor of the spinal cord and a two-step optimization algorithm. As a first approximation, neural activity was modeled as a current point source within the gray matter region of the volume conductor. Several recording arrays with various numbers of electrodes and electrode densities were implemented in the model. The results of the study indicate that the reconstruction approach is feasible, even in the presence of noise, using 16 appropriately positioned recording electrodes.
Testing for diffusion limitations in salt-activated enzyme catalysts operating in organic solvents.

The dramatic activation of serine proteases in nonaqueous media resulting from lyophilization in the presence of KCl is shown to be unrelated to relaxation of potential substrate diffusional limitations. Specifically, lyophilizing subtilisin Carlsberg in the presence of KCl and phosphate buffer in different proportions, ranging from 99% (w/w) enzyme to 1% (w/w) enzyme in the final lyophilized solids, resulted in biocatalyst preparations that were not influenced by substrate diffusion. This result was made evident through use of a classical analysis whereby initial catalytic rates, normalized per weight of total enzyme in the catalyst material, were measured as a function of active enzyme for biocatalyst preparations containing different ratios of active to inactive enzyme. The active enzyme content of a given biocatalyst preparation was controlled by mixing native subtilisin with subtilisin preinactivated with PMSF, a serine protease inhibitor, and lyophilizing the enzyme mixture in the presence of different fractions of KCl and phosphate buffer. Plots of initial reaction rates as a function of percent active subtilisin in the biocatalyst were linear for all biocatalyst preparations. Thus, enzyme activation (reported elsewhere to be as high as 3750-fold in hexane for the transesterification of N-Ac-L-Phe-OEt with n-PrOH) is a manifestation of intrinsic enzyme activation and not relaxation of diffusional limitations resulting from diluted enzyme preparations. Similar activation is reported herein for thermolysin, a nonserine protease, thereby demonstrating that enzyme activation due to lyophilization in the presence of KCl may be a general phenomenon for proteolytic enzymes.