cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The evolutionary history of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) along the US Pacific Coast: Developing a conservation strategy using genetic diversity

Changes in genetic variation across a species range may indicate patterns of population structure resulting from past ecological and demographic events that are otherwise diYcult to infer and thus provide insight into evolutionary development. Genetic data is used, drawn from 11 microsatellite loci amplified from anadromous steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) sampled throughout its range in the eastern Pacific Ocean, to explore population structure at the southern edge in California. Steelhead populations in this region represent less than 10% of their reported historic abundance and survive in very small populations found in fragmented habitats. Genetic data derived from three independent molecular systems (allozymes, mtDNA, and microsatellites) have shown that the southernmost populations are characterized by a relatively high genetic diversity. Two hypothetical models supporting genetic population substructure such as observed were considered: (1) range expansion with founder-flush eVects and subsequent population decline; (2) a second Pleistocene radiation from the Gulf of California. Using genetic and climatic data, a second Pleistocene refugium contributing to a southern ecotone seems more feasible. These data support strong conservation measures based on genetic diversity be developed to ensure the survival of this uniquely diverse gene pool. ? 1999 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
Group III metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated modulation of the striatopallidal synapse.

The globus pallidus (GP) is a key GABAergic nucleus in the basal ganglia (BG). The predominant input to the GP is an inhibitory striatal projection that forms the first synapse in the indirect pathway. The GP GABAergic neurons project to the subthalamic nucleus, providing an inhibitory control of these glutamatergic cells. Given its place within the BG circuit, it is not surprising that alterations in GP firing pattern are postulated to play a role in both normal and pathological motor behavior. Because the inhibitory striatal input to the GP may play an important role in shaping these firing patterns, we set out to determine the role that the group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs) play in modulating transmission at the striatopallidal synapse. In rat midbrain slices, electrical stimulation of the striatum evoked GABAA-mediated IPSCs recorded in all three types of GP neurons. The group III mGluR-selective agonist l-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (l-AP4) inhibited these IPSCs through a presynaptic mechanism of action. l-AP4 exhibited high potency and a pharmacological profile consistent with mediation by mGluR4. Furthermore, the effect of l-AP4 on striatopallidal transmission was absent in mGluR4 knock-out mice, providing convincing evidence that mGluR4 mediates this effect. The finding that mGluR4 may selectively modulate striatopallidal transmission raises the interesting possibility that activation of mGluR4 could decrease the excessive inhibition of the GP that has been postulated to occur in Parkinson's disease. Consistent with this, we find that intracerebroventricular injections of l-AP4 produce therapeutic benefit in both acute and chronic rodent models of Parkinson's disease.
Export of Virulence Genes and Shiga Toxin by Membrane Vesicles of Escherichia coli O157:H7

Membrane vesicles released by Escherichia coli O157:H7 into culture medium were purified and analyzed for protein and DNA content. Electron micrographs revealed vesicles that are spherical, range in size from 20 to 100 nm, and have a complete bilayer. Analysis of vesicle protein by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrates vesicles that contain many proteins with molecular sizes similar to outer membrane proteins and a number of cellular proteins. Immunoblot (Western) analysis of vesicles suggests the presence of cell antigens. Treatment of vesicles with exogenous DNase hydrolyzed surface-associated DNA; PCR demonstrated that vesicles contain DNA encoding the virulence genes eae, stx1 and stx2, and uidA, which encodes for β-galactosidase. Immunoblot analysis of intact and lysed, proteinase K-treated vesicles demonstrate that Shiga toxins 1 and 2 are contained within vesicles. These results suggest that vesicles contain toxic material and transfer experiments demonstrate that vesicles can deliver genetic material to other gram-negative organisms.
The Development of Community Information Systems to Support Neighborhood Change

“Community information systems” are becoming an increasingly common way to distribute administrative data from local governments. These Web-based systems are using these administrative data to create and distribute valuable community and social indicator data to concerned individuals, social service organizations, community development professionals, and planners. Using the infrastructure provided by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and the Internet, these systems distribute important and detailed neighborhood data via maps, tables, and sometimes downloadable files. Some also provide analysis tools for users to manipulate or extract key neighborhood indicator data. Such systems have become popular in some municipal agencies because they are inexpensive and don’t require desktop GIS software or expertise (Hillier, McKelvey, and Wernecke, forthcoming).
Understanding Law and Race as Mutually Constitutive: An Invitation to Explore an Emerging Field

This article argues that law and race coconstruct each other. The idea that race is socially constructed has become widely accepted, and studies increasingly have explored law's role in shaping racial categories, racial conflict, racial ideology, and the racial order. Fewer studies have utilized a well-developed concept of race to examine how it has affected legislation, legal processes, legal ideology, and so forth. To explore how law and race are mutually constitutive, I draw on examples from a dozen monographs (all but one published since 1999) that are in-depth case studies of how law and race have interacted in diverse geographical regions over the past 400years. Cumulatively, they present new insights about how law and race are coconstructed to reproduce and transform racial inequality in society. They represent an emerging genre of sociolegal studies that reveals how law and race shape each other in an ongoing, dialectic process.
Combined use of various passive radar techniques and angle of arrival using music for the detection of ground moving objects

The detection of ground moving targets, such as humans and ground vehicles is important for border security. Using the data received from a passive radar system, an algorithm was developed to pinpoint the location of ground moving objects over a fixed area. The algorithm combines the data from cross-correlation range-Doppler techniques with the data from angle of arrival Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) techniques. The extracted time-delay values from the derived ambiguity function are converted into ellipse ranges and then joined with MUSIC'S derived target angles; the intersection point between the range ellipses and angle of arrival (AOA) lines provides estimation of the target location. By combining the derived intersection points from all the various still images of a moving target, a target tracking plot was generated. These algorithms were tested theoretically in both free space and in the presence of artificial background noise particles. The system and algorithm was also tested experimentally using a 1-GHz cell phone antenna (emitting a BPSK signal) as the source, dipole antennas as the receivers, and a conducting cylinder as the target. This experiment was conducted in an outdoor environment to simulate noisy and realistic conditions.
Hypoglycemia increases the sensitivity of the cat electroretinogram to hypoxemia

Kang Derwent and Linsenmeier (2000) reported that the a- and b-waves of the cat electroretinogram (ERG) are resistant to hypoxemia, at least for P a O 2 above 40 mm Hg. The a-wave may be resistant because the photoreceptor can increase glycolysis during hypoxemia. This hypothesis was tested by making the animal hypoglycemic, which should minimize the ability of the photoreceptor to switch to glycolysis. The ERG of dark-adapted anesthetized cats was recorded between an Ag/AgCl electrode in the vitreous humor and a reference electrode near the eye. Responses to bright flashes of diffuse white light were recorded at 3-min intervals during hypoxic episodes at three levels of blood glucose. The moderate hypoglycemia (50 to 70 mg/dl) had a relatively small effect on the a-wave amplitude. Furthermore, the a-wave amplitude increased transiently by 16 ± 7% within 30-40 min of the start of severe hypoglycemia (20 to 40 mg/dl), before recovering to near normal. Severe hypoglycemia alone decreased the b-wave amplitude by 15 ± 13%. Combined hypoxemia and hypoglycemia decreased the b-wave amplitude more than the a-wave amplitude. At all levels of blood glucose, b-wave decreases began at a higher P a O 2 than the a-wave changes. For both the a- and b-waves, hypoxemic effects began at higher P a O 2 when the animal was hypoglycemic. The increased sensitivity to hypoxemia during severe hypoglycemia suggests that a switch from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism ordinarily protects the retina from moderate hypoxemia. Because the a- and b-waves were affected to different degrees and at different P a O 2 s, it is unlikely that inner retinal changes are caused completely by changes in the photoreceptor.
5-Lipoxygenase Reaction Products Modulate Alveolar Macrophage Phagocytosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae

The leukotrienes are potent lipid mediators of inflammation formed by the 5-lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxidation of arachidonic acid. Although the effects of leukotrienes on neutrophil chemotaxis and activation have been established, their role in modulating innate host defense mechanisms is poorly understood. In a previous study (M. Bailie, T. Standiford, L. Laichalk, M. Coffey, R. Strieter, and M. Peters-Golden, J. Immunol. 157:5221–5224, 1996), we used 5-lipoxygenase knockout mice to establish a critical role for endogenous leukotrienes in pulmonary clearance and alveolar macrophage phagocytosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae. In the present study, we investigated the role of specific endogenous leukotrienes in phagocytosis of K. pneumoniae and explored the possibility that exogenous leukotrienes could restore phagocytosis in alveolar macrophages with endogenous leukotriene synthesis inhibition and enhance this process in leukotriene-competent cells. Rat alveolar macrophages produced leukotriene B4 (LTB4), LTC4, and 5-hydoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) during the process of phagocytosis, and the inhibition of endogenous leukotriene synthesis with zileuton and MK-886 dramatically attenuated phagocytosis. We also observed a reduction in phagocytosis when we treated alveolar macrophages with antagonists to the plasma membrane receptors for either LTB4, cysteinyl-leukotrienes, or both. In leukotriene-competent cells, LTC4 augmented phagocytosis to the greatest extent, followed by 5-HETE and LTB4. These 5-lipoxygenase reaction products demonstrated similar relative abilities to reconstitute phagocytosis in zileuton-treated rat alveolar macrophages and in alveolar macrophages from 5-lipoxygenase knockout mice. We conclude that endogenous synthesis of all major 5-lipoxygenase reaction products plays an essential role in phagocytosis. The restorative and pharmacologic effects of LTC4, LTB4, and 5-HETE may provide a basis for their exogenous administration as an adjunctive treatment for patients with gram-negative bacterial pneumonia.
A TEST OF THE CURVILINEAR HYPOTHESIS WITH FACES II AND III

Previous research has not supported the validity of Olson's “curvilinear hypothesis.” Convergent validity studies of the FACES I and II have indicated that the “cohesion” and “adaptability” dimensions have a linear relation with healthy family functioning. It is not clear, however, whether these findings are due to the measurement of the FACES' constructs or to the curvilinear theory. This study tested the “curvilinear hypothesis” in terms of these theoretical and measurement issues. The results indicate that FACES II and III do not adequately operation-alize the “curvilinear hyothesis.” However, an item consistent with the “curvilinear hypothesis” utilizing a bipolar item response format did adequately opera-tionalize the theory. The use of a bipolar item response format is suggested in the measurement of “cohesion” and “adaptability.”
Testosterone and hypothalamic vasopressin expression in the hyponatremic rat

Abstract The level of serum osmolality is known to influence the expression of the arginine vasopressin (AVP) gene in the rat hypothalamus. Accumulation of AVP messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is enhanced by sustained hypernatremia and diminished by sustained hyponatremia. We recently reported that gonadal steroid hormones modify the accumulation of hypothalamic AVP mRNA during sustained hypernatremia (12). Gonadectomized (gdx) hypernatremic male rats failed to increase AVP mRNA abundance, and testosterone (T) restored the response. Therefore, we questioned whether the decreased accumulation of AVP mRNA in experimentally-induced hyponatremic male rats is influenced, in part by circulating concentrations of T, and determined if AVP mRNA accumulation would differ in the hypothalamus of gdx vs intact hyponatremic animals. Decreased accumulation of AVP mRNA was found in both intact and gdx hyponatremic animals compared to normanatremic animals. The level of AVP mRNA accumulation was not correlated with serum T concentrations. We conclude that diminished AVP in the hypothalamus of hyponatremic male rats occurs independent of circulating T concentrations.
Improved 240-GHz subharmonically pumped planar Schottky diode mixers for space-borne applications

Low-noise broad intermediate frequency (IF) band 240-GHz subharmonically pumped planar Schottky diode mixers for space-borne radiometers have been developed and characterized. The planar GaAs Schottky diodes are fully integrated with the RF/IF filter circuitry via the quartz-substrate upside-down integrated device (QUID) process resulting in a robust and easily handled package. A best double-sideband-mixer noise temperature of 490 K was achieved with 3 mW of local-oscillator power at 2-GHz IF. Over an IF band of 1.5-10 GHz, the noise temperature is below 1000 K. This state-of-the-art performance is attributed to lower parasitic capacitance devices and a low-loss waveguide circuit. Device fabrication technology and the resulting RF mixer performance obtained in the 200-250-GHz frequency range will be described.
A Navier–Stokes Solver for Turbomachinery Applications

A computer code for solving the Reynolds-averaged full Navier-Stokes equations has been developed and applied using H- and C-type grids. The Baldwin-Lomax eddy-viscosity model is used for turbulence closure. The integration in time is based on an explicit four-stage Runge-Kutta scheme. Local time stepping, variable coefficient implicit residual smoothing, and a full multigrid method have been implemented to accelerate steady-state calculations. A grid independence analysis is presented for a transonic rotor blade. Comparisons with experimental data show that the code is an accurate viscous solver and can give very good blade-to-blade predictions for engineering applications.
Replica plating and indirect selection of bacterial mutants: isolation of preadaptive mutants in bacteria by sib selection.

Commentaires critiques et historiques sur la methode de replication par placage pour l'obtention de bacteries mutantes et sur la selection parentale
Yahoo! And Customer Privacy (a)

This case explores the larger context of competition among Internet companies for market share globally, especially in the emerging Chinese economy, as well as concerns about advancing the core values of the company including user privacy. Specifically, it concerns the decision facing Yahoo! CEO Jerry Yang when he is confronted with a request by the Chinese government to release the name of one of its users for alleged violations of Chinese law.
Deconvoluting Subensemble Chemical Reaction Kinetics of Platinum–Sulfur Ligand Exchange Detected with Single-Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy

The subensemble kinetics of a platinum–sulfur covalent chemical reaction at the solution/surface interface of a model industrial catalyst support was examined using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy (SMFM) and was found to exhibit biexponential first-order kinetic behavior. The observed kinetics was a convolution of the observation probability and chemical reaction rate. These results suggest that deconvolution strategies may be broadly important for obtaining accurate chemical reaction kinetics with SMFM.
Studies on cyromazine in the house fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae).

Cyromazine (CGA72662)( N -cyclopropyl-l,3,5-triazine-2,4-6-triamine) showed excellent growth-inhibiting properties against house fly larvae ( Musca domestica L.). It was more effective on early stages of insect development than on later stages. Effect of cyromazine was similar on both susceptible and organophosphorus insecticide-resistant house fly strains, indicating no cross-resistance. Using radioactive cyromazine, we showed that that compound penetrated slowly into house fly larvae. Investigating the mode of action of cyromazine, we observed that cyromazine did not inhibit house fly dihydrofolate reductase in vivo. Neither was inhibition observed in vitro when chicken liver or house fly dihydrofolate reductase were incubated with cyromazine at its maximum water solubility. Because addition of folic acid to the medium did not reverse inhibition of larva growth by cyromazine, it appeared to have no direct effect on folic acid metabolism. Exposure of house fly larvae to cyromazine-treated medium decreased tyrosinase activity in vivo. No inhibition of tyrosinase activity was observed in vitro when the enzyme was incubated with cyromazine at its maximum water solubility, indicating that cyromazine is not a direct tyrosinase inhibitor, but that it or its metabolites may have an effect on biosynthesis of the enzyme. When cyromazine was injected or fed to adult house flies, the parent compound was excreted rapidly and a small amount of cyromazine was metabolized to melamine and excreted.
Thermophilic fungi in sun-heated soils.

Thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi were isolated from soils of south-central Indiana (U.S.A.) in the following order of decreasing frequency: Myriococcum albomyces Cooney et Emerson, Aspergillus fumigatus Fres., Talaromyces thermophilus Stolk, Humicola lanuginosa (Griff. et Maubl.) Bunce, Allescheria terrestris Apinis, Malbranchea pulchella var. sulfurea (Miehe) Cooney et Emerson, Thielavia heterothallica Klopotek, Mucor pusillus Lindt, Chaetomium thermophile var. dissitum Cooney et Emerson, Thielavia minor (Rays et Borut) Malloch et Cain, Thermoascus aurantiacus Miehe sensu Apinis, Mucor miehei Cooney et Emerson, Torula thermophila Cooney et Emerson, Humicola stellata Bunce, Acrophialophora nainana Edward, Thielavia sepedonium Emmons, Dactylomyces thermophilus Sopp, and Talaromyces emersonii Stolk. Four unidentified thermophilic fungi were also isolated. Thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi were isolated most frequently from sun-heated soil, less so from grass-shaded soil, and still less so from tree-shaded soil. Isolates were more frequently obtained from a depth of 0-5 cm than from 10-20 cm. Data concerning numerical values for population numbers and soil pH, moisture, temperature, and percent organic matter are given for samples from the two soil levels for each of 15 consecutive months. Results of special procedures for enrichment of thermophilic and theromotolerant fungi are described, as well as results of air sampling.
A ketogenic diet increases transport and oxidation of ketone bodies in RG2 and 9L gliomas without affecting tumor growth.

Background The dependence of tumor cells, particularly those originating in the brain, on glucose is the target of the ketogenic diet, which creates a plasma nutrient profile similar to fasting: increased levels of ketone bodies and reduced plasma glucose concentrations. The use of ketogenic diets has been of particular interest for therapy in brain tumors, which reportedly lack the ability to oxidize ketone bodies and therefore would be starved during ketosis. Because studies assessing the tumors' ability to oxidize ketone bodies are lacking, we investigated in vivo the extent of ketone body oxidation in 2 rodent glioma models. Methods Ketone body oxidation was studied using (13)C MR spectroscopy in combination with infusion of a (13)C-labeled ketone body (beta-hydroxybutyrate) in RG2 and 9L glioma models. The level of ketone body oxidation was compared with nontumorous cortical brain tissue. Results The level of (13)C-beta-hydroxybutyrate oxidation in 2 rat glioma models was similar to that of contralateral brain. In addition, when glioma-bearing animals were fed a ketogenic diet, the ketone body monocarboxylate transporter was upregulated, facilitating uptake and oxidation of ketone bodies in the gliomas. Conclusions These results demonstrate that rat gliomas can oxidize ketone bodies and indicate upregulation of ketone body transport when fed a ketogenic diet. Our findings contradict the hypothesis that brain tumors are metabolically inflexible and show the need for additional research on the use of ketogenic diets as therapy targeting brain tumor metabolism.
Monitoring results of cholera in Hunan from 2010 to 2013

Objective To analyze the results of cholera monitoring in Hunan province from 2010 to 2013 and provide thescientific basis for cholera control and prevention. Methods The data of case-based surveillance and the environmentalmonitoring of cholera from 2010 to 2013 were collected. After chlolera outbreak,the case surveys were conducted and thespecimens were collected. The serological detection,susceptibility testing,cholera toxin gene testing and PFGE were carriedout. Results The 15 cholera outbreaks were reported in Hunan province from 2010 to 2013,28 cases and 13 carriers weredetected. Results of routine monitoring showed that 170 of 142 047 samples were positive with the positive rate of 0.12%,167 of 62 753 aquatic product samples were positive with the positive rate of 0.27%. Drug sensitivity test showed that the Vibriocholera stains were sensitive to norfloxacin,ciprofloxacin,amikacin and amoxicillin clavulanate,but resistant to cotrimoxazole.The detection of CT toxin gene showed 96 of 185 strains were positive. The PFGE showed the strains were basically same inHunan province,and the strains in Hunan Province were homologous with those in Shanghai,Zhejiang and Sichuan.Conclusion The contaminated aquatic product were main cause of cholera outbreak in Hunan province. The supervision of aquatic products and guidance of consumption be strengthened.
The effect of chloroquine on the enzymatic hydrolysis of nucleic acids.

Chloroquine stimulates the hydrolysis of soluble RNA by pancreatic ribonuclease and micrococcal nuclease, enzymes that are primarily endonucleases. The addition of MgCl2, at low concentrations relative to the concentrations of RNA nucleotides, does not appreciably affect the extent of the stimulation. Stimulation by chloroquine does not appear to be due to a change induced by the drug in the tertiary structure of soluble (on transfer) RNA, since the hydrolysis of the single-stranded copolymer of riboadenylate and ribocytidylate is also stimulated by chloroquine. Chloroquine inhibits the hydrolysis of soluble RNA and polyadenylate by spleen phosphodiesterase, an exonuclease. Chloroquine also inhibits the hydrolysis of native (double-stranded) and heat-denatured (single-stranded) DNA by micrococcal nuclease and, in agreement with other reports, hydrolysis by pancreatic deoxyribonuclease.
Involvement of nitric oxide and nitrosothiols in relaxation of pulmonary arteries to peroxynitrite

Peroxynitrite (ONOO-) is an inflammatory cell-derived oxidant, formed by the reaction of superoxide anion (O2-) with nitric oxide (NO), which was recently reported to relax vascular tissues. In the present study, the potential role of NO in the mechanism of relaxation in isolated bovine endothelium-denuded pulmonary arterial smooth muscle rings to ONOO- was evaluated. Potassium-preconstricted pulmonary arterial rings rapidly relaxed for a prolonged period of time on exposure to ONOO- (0.01-0.1 mM). The relaxation after 1 min of exposure to ONOO- (0.1 mM) was reduced 49 and 87%, respectively, by inhibitors of the stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase, methylene blue, and LY-83583. In contrast, a scavenger of hydroxyl radicals, dimethyl sulfoxide, did not alter this response. Decomposed 0.1 mM ONOO- (which is primarily nitrite) and 0.1 mM nitrite caused a relaxation of pulmonary artery, which slowly developed over 15 min. Small quantities of NO were detected by chemiluminescence quantification methods when ONOO- was added to buffer. Exposure of pulmonary arterial tissue or buffer containing glutathione (GSH) to ONOO- caused a time-dependent increase in the observed generation of NO, whereas decomposed ONOO- produced 10% of the NO generated by ONOO- on incubation with pulmonary arterial tissue. Treatment with diethyl maleate, an agent that depletes tissue GSH, reduced both the relaxation and the formation of NO detected from pulmonary artery on exposure to ONOO-. GSH solutions treated with ONOO- appear to have generated a nitrosothiol-like vascular relaxant compound. Thus ONOO- appears to relax vascular tissue, in part, by nitrosylating tissue GSH (or other thiols), which subsequently releases NO over prolonged time periods.
Evaluating the dark matter contribution to galactic synchrotron radiation

Currently, a significant effort is underway to observe indirect evidence of dark matter annihilation in our galaxy. One interesting finding was an unexpected synchrotron haze (the "WMAP haze") with a similar intensity and morphology to those predicted by dark matter models. This might also be connected to another recent puzzle in cosmic ray physics: the excess of high energy positrons reported by the Pamela satellite. We create models of the synchrotron component expected from dark matter annihilation and compare these with the observed WMAP excesses. We further analyze the expected Fermi signal stemming from these models, and place constraints on the magnetic fields necessary to match these multi-wavelength observations.
Transradial access mitigates bleeding benefit offered by bivalirudin over heparin in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from meta-analysis of randomized and observational studies

Abstract Objective Recent randomized control trials (RCTs) showed conflicting efficacy and safety between bivalirudin and heparin during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We aimed to perform an updated meta-analysis, including real-world and trial data to examine the factors affecting their risk–benefit ratio. Methods We searched Medline, the Cochrane library, and meeting abstracts for studies comparing bivalirudin versus heparin during PCI. Random-effect meta-analyses for MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events), stent thrombosis (ST) and major bleeding were performed. p-Value Results Meta-analysis of 20 RCTs and 31 observation studies (n=165,835) showed that bivalirudin and heparin were similar in the risk of MACE in RCTs (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.97–1.13) and observational studies (OR 0.94, 95% 0.81–1.10). Major bleeding was lower with bivalirudin in both RCTs (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.51–0.70) and observational studies (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.47–0.68). However, in the metaregression analysis, every 10% increase of transradial access decreased the bleeding benefit of bivalirudin by 4.9% (p=0.046, adjusted for GPI and heparin loading dose). ST with bivalirudin was higher with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in RCTs (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.15–1.99) but not in observational studies (p=0.65). Conclusions In this large meta-analysis, bivalirudin is associated with a lower risk of bleeding compared to heparin in both RCTs and observational studies, however, transradial PCI mitigated most of this bleeding benefit. Heparin should be the preferred agent in transradial PCI given its lower cost and comparable outcomes.
Aztec Maidens in Satin Gowns

The best-known English dramatization of the conquest of Mexico is John Dryden’s The Indian Emperour (1665).1 It is not an easy play from which to argue for the dialogical nature of the theatre. For Dryden’s play is written throughout in heroic couplets. All the characters - priests, soldiers, nobility, men, women, Aztecs and Spaniards - speak the same language. Every trace of popular comedy or carnivalesque disruption is excluded,2 and, like Dryden’s other heroic dramas, it reflects Dryden’s conservatism in matters of political and moral theory.3 Moreover, although it was popular in its day, it has enjoyed only a short history of subsequent interpretative performances. The most graphic indication of the difficulties involved in the search for dialogism in The Indian Emperour, however, may perhaps be found in a painting, William Hogarth’s The Conquest of Mexico (1732) (see Plate I).
Measuring Endocrine (Cortisol) Responses of Zebrafish to Stress

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly becoming a popular model species in stress and neuroscience research. Their behavior, robustly affected by environmental and pharmacological manipulations, can be paralleled by physiological (endocrine) analysis. Zebrafish have a hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis, which is homologous to the human hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. While mice and rats use corticosterone as their main stress hormone, both humans and zebrafish utilize cortisol. This protocol explains the whole-body cortisol extraction procedure and the use of the human salivary cortisol ELISA kit to measure the amount of cortisol in each zebrafish sample. The ability to correlate physiological data from individual fish with behavioral data provides researchers with a valuable tool for investigating stress and anxiety, and contributes to the utility of zebrafish neurobehavioral models of stress.
“Rural Architecture”: Local Lyric and Cumbrian Culture in William Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads (1800)

A critically neglected short poem that focuses on the ancient custom of stone giant building in Cumbria, William Wordsworth's “Rural Architecture” avoids the monumental permanence and transcendent universality so often associated with Lyrical Ballads. An expressly opaque “local lyric” that refuses to preach, this poem reimagines the provincial form of the Cumbrian riddle to figure the habitual rebuilding of these giants as an emblem of regional resistance. At a time when Cumbria was increasingly depicted as an uncolonized remnant of a savage English past, “Rural Architecture” marshals Cumbrian dialect, tradition, architecture, temporality, and history to question both the exploitation of the Lake District's natural resources and the British Empire's developmental narratives relating to industrialization, urbanization, commercialization, and militarization. While emphasizing the difficultly involved in capturing an authentic understanding of the Cumbrian custom of giant building, the poem also attempts to relay this local practice intelligibly to a metropolitan reading community whose only likely knowledge of the region's traditions in the early 1800s came from eighteenth-century architectural studies and tourist guides. The enigmatic qualities of this lyric, however, have frequently made it hard for readers unacquainted with Cumbrian culture to recognize the ethical significance of the turbulent local history that informs the apparently inconsequential regional practice that the poem depicts. Paying close attention to the persistence of a Cumbrian custom that has undergone considerable mutation over the centuries prompts us to rethink “Rural Architecture” itself as a local phenomenon whose distinguishing character rests in its anachronistic desire to survive in a hostile imperial framework.
High Dose Cyclophosphamide (CY) for Severe Aplastic Anemia (SAA): Safety and Long Term Follow-Up.

Abstract Background: Acquired SAA is a potentially life-threatening bone marrow failure disorder that is usually immune-mediated. SAA can be effectively treated with bone marrow transplantation (BMT), immunosuppressive therapy (IST), or CY. BMT can cure the disease but ideally requires a matched sibling donor. IST has a high response rate, but up to 50% of patients relapse, become dependent on cyclosporine, or develop secondary clonal disease such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) or myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We previously showed that CY induces durable remissions in the majority of SAA patients, but concern has been raised about the safety of this approach. Methods: Since 1996, we treated 38 previously untreated, and 17 IST failed, SAA patients with CY (50 mg/kg/d x 4) followed by daily G-CSF (5 ug/kg/day) until the neutrophil count (ANC) reached 1000/dl. Response was defined as ANC > 1000/dl and transfusion independence without growth factor support for > 3 months. Relapse was defined as no longer meeting criteria for response. PNH was monitored by flow cytometry. Results: The median age of the newly diagnosed patients was 40 (range 2–68) years. With a median follow-up of 41 (range, 6 – 111) months, 33/38 patients survive (actuarial survival of 86%, 95% CI 72–95%) with 28 (74%, 95% CI 58–85%) achieving remission, most being complete. Median time to ANC of 500, last platelet and red cell transfusion was 50, 99, and 181 days, respectively. Before treatment, 15 patients met criteria for very (v) SAA (ANC Conclusions: Cy is safe and highly effective therapy for both untreated and relapsed SAA. Relapses after CY are rare and progression to PNH or MDS in previously untreated patients has not been observed in this series with now 15 patients out beyond 5 years. The presence of a PNH population may be a favorable risk factor, perhaps by excluding non-immune mediated forms of SAA. Download : Download high-res image (89KB) Download : Download full-size image
Perioperative Strategies for Decreasing Infection

Surgical site infections associated with orthopaedic surgical procedures are devastating complications. They increase morbidity, mortality, and cost and result in outcomes that are worse than those in uninfected cases1. Decreasing the incidence of surgical site infections is not only of interest to patients and surgeons, it is also a major focus of several groups of interested parties. These range from payers, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS, Baltimore, Maryland), to institutions represented by the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP), a multiple-institution partnership between major public and private health-care organizations, including the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois). Decreasing the incidence of surgical site infections is, and will continue to be, a major focus in medicine. To effectively prevent surgical site infections, the clinician must consider preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors and interventions. Preoperative strategies for reduction of infection rates include identification of high-risk patients, screening and decolonization of patients with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization, preoperative preparation of the patient with chlorhexidine gluconate, utilization of proper hair-removal techniques, and addressing preexisting dental and nutritional issues prior to surgery. There are a variety of perioperative strategies that can and should be employed to decrease the risk of surgical site infections. Intraoperative interventions that have been shown to decrease surgical site infection rates include the proper selection, timing, and doses of prophylactic antibiotics and utilization of best practices for hand hygiene and surgical site preparation. Maintaining a sterile operating-room environment by decreasing operating-room traffic, monitoring for breaks in sterile technique, and decreasing the use of flash sterilization is vital. Finally, postoperative strategies for the reduction of surgical site infection rates include the proper use and duration in situ of urinary catheters and surgical drains; standardization of wound care; use of …
Diagnostics for the Cox model

The most popular regression model for the analysis of time-to-event data is the Cox proportional hazards model. While the model specifies a parametric relationship between the hazard function and the predictor vari-ables, there is no specification regarding the form of the baseline hazard function. A critical assumption of the Cox model, however, is the proportional hazards assumption: when the predictor variables do not vary over time, the hazard ratio comparing any two observations is constant with respect to time. Therefore, to perform cred-ible estimation and inference, one must first assess whether the proportional hazards assumption is reasonable. As with other regression techniques, it is also essential to examine whether appropriate functional forms of the predictor variables have been used, and whether there are any outlying or influential observations. This article reviews diagnostic methods for assessing goodness-of-fit for the Cox proportional hazards model. We illus-trate these methods with a case-study using available R functions, and provide complete R code for a simulated example as a supplement.
Accounting Firm Association Membership and Audit Firm Growth

In this study, we explore a topic of primary concern to small audit firms – attracting new clients. A potential avenue available to small audit firms to enhance their visibility and legitimacy among potential audit clients is to join an association of accounting firms. We examine whether small audit firms with accounting association membership have greater clientele growth than their peer audit firms without association membership. We separately explore growth in private and public clientele. Using hand-collected data, we find that, on average, small audit firms with accounting association membership have private (public) client growth over a two-year period of approximately 35 (4) percentage points more than those without association membership. We find that this growth is due to both gaining new entrants into the audit market and winning over clients from competitors. Further, we find that the reputation of an association positively affects the clientele growth seen by member firms. We find consistent results for public client growth of association members over a longer time period using Audit Analytics and Compustat Capital IQ data.
Single-voxel and multi-voxel spectroscopy yield comparable results in the normal juvenile canine brain when using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging.

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of canine brain diseases are often nonspecific. Single- and multi-voxel spectroscopy techniques allow quantification of chemical biomarkers for tissues of interest and may help to improve diagnostic specificity. However, published information is currently lacking for the in vivo performance of these two techniques in dogs. The aim of this prospective, methods comparison study was to compare the performance of single- and multi-voxel spectroscopy in the brains of eight healthy, juvenile dogs using 3 Tesla MRI. Ipsilateral regions of single- and multi-voxel spectroscopy were performed in symmetric regions of interest of each brain in the parietal (n = 3), thalamic (n = 2), and piriform lobes (n = 3). In vivo single-voxel spectroscopy and multi-voxel spectroscopy metabolite ratios from the same size and multi-voxel spectroscopy ratios from different sized regions of interest were compared. No significant difference was seen between single-voxel spectroscopy and multi-voxel spectroscopy metabolite ratios for any lobe when regions of interest were similar in size and shape. Significant lobar single-voxel spectroscopy and multi-voxel spectroscopy differences were seen between the parietal lobe and thalamus (P = 0.047) for the choline to N-acetyl aspartase ratios when large multi-voxel spectroscopy regions of interest were compared to very small multi-voxel spectroscopy regions of interest within the same lobe; and for the N-acetyl aspartase to creatine ratios in all lobes when single-voxel spectroscopy was compared to combined (pooled) multi-voxel spectroscopy datasets. Findings from this preliminary study indicated that single- and multi-voxel spectroscopy techniques using 3T MRI yield comparable results for similar sized regions of interest in the normal canine brain. Findings also supported using the contralateral side as an internal control for dogs with brain lesions.
Burning it in? Nietzsche, Gender, and Externalized Memory

In this article, I extend the feminist use of Friedrich Nietzsche’s account of memory and forgetting to consider the contemporary externalization of memory foregrounded by transgender experience. Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morals argues that memory is “burnt in” to the forgetful body as a necessary part of subject-formation and the requirements of a social order. Feminist philosophers have employed Nietzsche’s account to illuminate how gender, as memory, becomes embodied. While the account of the “burnt in” repetitions of gender allows us to theorize processes of embodied identity on an individual level, analyzing gender today requires also accounting for how gender is externalized. I take up this question through the specific examples of identity documents and sex-segregated bathrooms. Returning to Nietzsche’s call to practice a resistant forgetting, I conclude by exploring the distinct strategies required to disrupt externalized memory. These strategies include contesting the use of past gender assignments in data collection and rewriting architectural reminders of gender.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Aplastic Anemia: Pathologic and Immunologic Implications

of bone marrow diseases of uncertain etiology characterized by a variable degree of cytopenias, predominantly but not exclusively anemia that is often macrocytic (1). The cytopenias reflect both ineffective hematopoiesis (marrow dysplasia or accelerated apoptosis) and increase in marrow leukemic blasts (2). In 85% of cases the marrow is normo to hypercellular but in 15% the marrow cellularity can be below 30% and, on occasion, below 15%, which raises the differential diagnosis with acquired aplastic anemia (3). In such instances it is necessary to depend on the morphologic identification of significant dysplasia of one or more of the myeloid cell lines or the identification of small clusters of blasts on a bone marrow biopsy. Over 50% of all cases occur in patients over the age of 70 years. Each year some 15,000 individuals will be diagnosed with MDS, although this may well be an underestimate. In a recent national survey of elderly patients with anemia (4) some 17% met the criteria for unexplained anemia and leucopenia or thrombocytopenia. This would amount to a prevalence of 163,000 individuals who might have MDS with a more careful evaluation. Approximately 50% of patients have acquired chromosomal aberrations. The most common include; +8; del5q; −7 and 20q− (5). The median survival is about 3 years but can range from less than 6 months to over 10 years. Thirty percentage will progress to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. This is much more common when the initial percentage of blasts exceeds 5% compared to less than 5% blasts. Therefore, close to 70% of patients will suffer from complications of cytopenias without disease progression to AML. For these latter patients effective treatment of the marrow failure without the use of cytotoxic drugs should offer a more desired form of treatment, without the complications of chemotherapy. There is strong evidence that in some cases MDS is the result of an intrinsic, presumably acquired, genetic defect in hematopoietic stem cells. Chapter 7
Ureteral pseudodiverticulosis and urothelial cell carcinoma: rethinking the association

To compare frequency of new and recurrent urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) among patients with and without pseudodiverticulosis on imaging. This retrospective case–control study compared all 113 sequential patients with ureteral pseudodiverticulosis on radiographic urography between 1/1/2002 and 12/31/2012. Six patients were lost to follow-up. 107 patients without pseudodiverticulosis were matched by imaging modality, clinical indication, and tumor grade. Known UCC and primary outcome of new or recurrent UCC were determined through pathology on cystoscopy or clinical follow-up. Nearly half of patients with pseudodiverticulosis had known UCC at the time of imaging (49/107, 46%). Mean cystoscopy follow-up was 7.0 and 4.6 years for pseudodiverticulosis cases with and without known UCC, respectively, and 7.5 and 7.3 years for controls, respectively. Mean clinic follow-up was 7.5 and 6.0 years for pseudodiverticulosis cases with and without known UCC, respectively, and 6.4 and 7.6 years for controls, respectively. Among patients with known UCC at the time of imaging, similar rates of recurrent UCC were demonstrated on follow-up among patients with pseudodiverticulosis (6/49, 12%) and without (7/49, 14%). Among patients with no known history of UCC at the time of imaging, no patients with pseudodiverticulosis developed UCC on follow-up and 5% (3/58) of patients without pseudodiverticulosis developed UCC. Although half of patients with ureteral pseudodiverticulosis have a known diagnosis of UCC, the presence of pseudodiverticulosis did not signify an increased likelihood of developing new or recurrent UCC over the follow-up period.
Value of inventory information in allocating a limited supply of influenza vaccine during a pandemic.

Objective To understand the value of information on vaccine inventory levels during an influenza pandemic, we propose a simulation study to compare vaccine allocation strategies using: (i) only population information (pro-rata, or population-based, PB), (ii) both population and vaccine inventory information (population and inventory-based, PIB). Methods We adapt an agent-based simulation model to predict the spread of the disease both geographically and temporally. We study PB and PIB when uptake rates vary geographically. The simulation study is done from 2015 to 2017, using population and commuting data from the state of Georgia from the United States census. Findings Compared to PB under reasonable scenarios, PIB reduces the infection attack rate from 23.4% to 22.4%, decreases the amount of leftover inventory from 827 to 152 thousand, and maintains or increases the percentage of vaccinated population. Conclusions Our results indicate the need for greater vaccine inventory visibility in public health supply chains, especially when supply is limited, and uptake rates vary geographically. Such visibility has a potential to decrease the number of infections, help identify locations with low uptake rates and to motivate public awareness efforts.