cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reproducibility of Differential Gene Detection across Multiple Microarray Studies

Although expression profiling of various diseases to identify interesting genes is a well-established methodology, it still faces many challenges. Labs often have difficulty reproducing results on different microarray platforms. Microarray manufacturers use different clones to represent similar genes on various platforms. Consequently, researchers struggle to integrate data published in literature and databases. Even results from identical microarray platforms may not correlate due to technical variability between labs. We seek some degree of congruity between the same microarray platforms implemented at multiple test sites. We analyze two prostate cancer datasets from commercially synthesized oligonucleotide arrays (Affymetrix HG-U95v2). Our analysis focuses on determining reproducibility in identifying differentially expressed genes using fold change and t-tests. We use p-values to compare specificity and sensitivity of the methods applied to each dataset. Findings indicate that, even though both datasets use the same microarray platform, differences in experimental design and test conditions result in variations when detecting differentially expressed genes.
EFFECT OF THYROXINE ON THE INACTIVATION OF THYROTROPHIN‐RELEASING HORMONE BY RAT AND HUMAN PLASMA

SUMMARY The inactivation of synthetic [3H]thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) by plasma was studied in rats treated with propylthiouracil (PTU) alone or with PTU and thyroxine. 48 h after the onset of treatment with thyroxine, the capacity of rat plasma to inactivate [3H]TRH was significantly increased. The percentage of deamidation of TRH to TRH-free acid was increased 2-fold after 4 days of administration of thyroid hormone. The inactivation of TRH by plasma from hypothyroid patients was compared to that obtained from hyperthyroid patients. Extraction of human plasma incubated with [3H]TRH, followed by thin-layer electrophoresis, showed that transformation of [3H]TRH into TRH-free acid was 44% higher in plasma from hyperthyroid than from hypothyroid patients (P < 0.05). These data suggest that the inactivation process of TRH by blood proteins could be an important factor in the regulation of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-thyroid axis in rat and man.
γ-H2AX Foci after Low-Dose-Rate Irradiation Reveal Atm Haploinsufficiency in Mice

Abstract Kato, T. A., Nagasawa, H., Weil, M. M., Genik, P. C., Little, J. B. and Bedford, J. S. γ-H2AX Foci after Low-Dose-Rate Irradiation Reveal Atm Haploinsufficiency in Mice. Radiat. Res. 166, 47–54 (2006). We have investigated the use of the γ-H2AX assay, reflecting the presence of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), as a possible means for identifying individuals who may be intermediate with respect to the extremes of hyper-radiosensitivity phenotypes. In this case, cells were studied from mice that were normal (Atm+/+), heterozygous (Atm+/−), or homozygous recessive (Atm−/−) for a truncating mutation in the Atm gene. After single acute (high-dose-rate) exposures, differences in mean numbers of γ-H2AX foci per cell between samples from Atm+/+ and Atm−/− mice were clear at nearly all sampling times, but at no sampling time was there a clear distinction for cells from Atm+/+ and Atm+/− mice. In contrast, under conditions of low-dose-rate irradiation at 10 cGy/h, appreciable differences in the levels of γ...
Clinical measures associated with FEV1 in persons with asthma requiring hospital admission

Abstract Objective We sought to determine the association of select clinical measures of asthma severity with percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one-second (%FEV1). Methods We studied a prospective cohort of adult subjects (N= 129) with asthma exacerbations requiring hospital admission. Clinical data was acquired, including medical and social history, symptoms, vital signs, physical assessment, and spirometry. Predictor variables for this study included manually determined pulsus paradoxus (PP), percent predicted peak expiratory flow rate (%PEFR) and accessory muscle use. The outcome measure was %FEV1. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine the independent associations between predictor variables and %FEV1. Results In univariate analysis, %PEFR correlated with %FEV1 (rho = 0.77, P P P = .004). In multivariable analysis including the covariates %PEFR, accessory muscle use, PP, age, sex, heart rate and respiratory rate, %PEFR ( P P = .003) remained significantly associated with %FEV1, whereas PP did not ( P = .52).
Identification of defective CMOS devices using correlation and regression analysis of frequency domain transient signal data

Transient signal analysis is a digital device testing method that is based on the analysis of voltage transients at multiple test points and on I/sub DD/ switching transients on the supply rails. We show that it is possible to identify defective devices by analyzing the transient signals produced at test points on paths not sensitized from the defect site. The small signal variations produced at these test points are analyzed in the frequency domain. Correlation analysis shows a high degree of correlation in these signals across the outputs of defect-free devices. We use regression analysis to show the absence of correlation across the outputs of bridging and open drain defective devices.
Whole-grain intake and insulin sensitivity: the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study.

Background: Increased intake of whole-grain foods has been related to a reduced risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. One underlying pathway for this relation may be increased insulin sensitivity. Objective: We assessed the relation between dietary intake of whole grain–containing foods and insulin sensitivity (SI). Design: We evaluated data from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS Exam I, 1992–1994). Usual dietary intakes in 978 middle-aged adults with normal (67%) or impaired (33%) glucose tolerance were ascertained by using an interviewer-administered, validated food-frequency questionnaire. Whole-grain intake (servings per day) was derived from dark breads and highfiber and cooked cereals. SI was assessed by minimal model analyses of the frequently sampled intravenous-glucose-tolerance test. Fasting insulin was measured by using a radioimmunoassay. We modeled the relation of whole-grain intake to log(SI 1) and to log(insulin) by using multivariable linear regression. Results: On average, IRAS participants consumed 0.8 servings of whole grains/d. Whole-grain intake was significantly associated with SI ( 0.082, P 0.0005) and insulin ( 0.0646, P 0.019) after adjustment for demographics, total energy intake and expenditure, smoking, and family history of diabetes. The addition of body mass index and waist circumference attenuated but did not explain the association with SI. The addition of fiber and magnesium resulted in a nonsignificant association that is consistent with the hypothesis that these constituents account for some of the effect of whole grains on SI. Conclusion: Higher intakes of whole grains were associated with increases in insulin sensitivity. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78:965–71.
Distinguishing Sluggish Cognitive Tempo from ADHD in Children and Adolescents: Executive Functioning, Impairment, and Comorbidity.

Controversy continues as to whether sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is a subtype of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or a distinct disorder. This study examined differences between these disorders in demographics, executive functioning (EF), impairment, and prior professional diagnoses to address the issue. There were 1,800 children 6 to 17 years of age of both sexes from various U.S. ethnic backgrounds who were divided into four groups: (a) high SCT but not ADHD (N = 41), (b) high ADHD but not SCT (N = 95), (c) high in both SCT and ADHD (N = 61), and (d) the control group (N = 1,603). Besides providing demographics, parents completed scales assessing ADHD and SCT symptoms, EF deficits, and psychosocial impairment and reported their child's history of professional diagnoses. SCT symptoms formed two distinct but interrelated factors separate from those for ADHD. SCT differed from ADHD in demographics (age, sex ratio, parental education, income). ADHD was associated with more severe and pervasive EF deficits than SCT, whereas SCT was chiefly associated with mild deficits in Self-Organization. ADHD contributed far more variance to EF deficits than did SCT. Both disorders were impairing, but ADHD was more severely and pervasively so than SCT, especially in Home-School domains; SCT was most impairing in Community-Leisure domains. Different patterns of comorbidity were evident between SCT and ADHD. SCT showed less comorbidity and was particularly associated with depression. SCT may comprise a distinct disorder from ADHD but both may coexist in 39% to 59% of cases each.
In utero repair of myelomeningocele with autologous amniotic membrane in the fetal lamb model

article i nfo Article history: Received 21 September 2013 Accepted 30 September 2013 Background: Despite advances in prenatal repair, myelomeningocele (MMC) still produces devastating neurologic deficits. The amniotic membranes (AM) are a biologically active tissue that has been used anecdotally for human fetal MMC repair. This study evaluated the use of autologous AM compared to skin closure in an established fetal MMC model. Methods: Seven fetal lambs underwent surgical creation of MMC at gestational age of 75 days followed by in utero repair at gestational age of 100 days. Lambs were repaired with an autologous AM patch followed by skin closure (n = 4) or skin closure alone (n = 3). Gross necropsy and histopathology of the spinal cords were performed at term to assess neuronal preservation at the lesion. Results: An increase in preserved motor neurons and a larger area of spinal cord tissue were seen in AM- repaired lambs, as was decreased wound healing of the overlying skin. Loss of nearly all spinal cord tissue with limited motor neuron preservation was seen in skin only-repaired lambs. Conclusions: AM-repaired lambs showed increased protection of spinal cord tissue compared to skin only- repaired lambs, but the overlying skin failed to close in AM-repaired lambs. These results suggest a potential role for AM in fetal MMC repair that warrants further study.
Induction of embryonic hematopoietic and endothelial stem/progenitor cells by hedgehog-mediated signals.

Blood and vascular endothelial cells form in all vertebrates during gastrulation, a process in which the mesoderm of the embryo is induced and then patterned by molecules whose identity is still largely unknown. ‘Blood islands’ of primitive hematopoietic cell clusters surrounded by a layer of endothelial cells form in the yolk sac, external to the developing embryo proper. These lineages arise from a layer of extraembryonic mesoderm that is closely apposed with a layer of primitive (visceral) endoderm. Despite the identification of genes such as Flk1, SCL/tal-1, Cbfa2/Runx1/AML1 and CD34 that are expressed during the induction of primitive hematopoiesis and vasculogenesis, the early molecular and cellular events involved in these processes are not well understood. Recent work has demonstrated that extracellular signals secreted by visceral endoderm surrounding the embryo are essential for the initiation of these events. A member of the Hedgehog family of signaling molecules (Indian hedgehog) is produced by visceral endoderm, can induce formation of blood and endothelial cells in explant cultures and can reprogram prospective neurectoderm along hematopoietic and endothelial cell lineages. Hedgehog proteins also stimulate proliferation of definitive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. These findings may have important implications for regulating hematopoiesis and vascular development for therapeutic purposes in humans and for the development of new sources of stem cells for transplantation and gene therapy.
Retrospective determination of natal habitats for an estuarine fish with otolith strontium isotope ratios

We investigated the ability of strontium isotope ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) in otolith cores to record the natal habitats of juvenile delta smelt Hypomesus transpacificus from the San Francisco Estuary, USA. Young delta smelt (<60 days old) were collected during the California Department of Fish and Game 20-mm Survey in May and June of 1999 at several potential natal areas: Napa River, Suisun Marsh, West Delta, North Delta, Central Delta, South Delta and East Delta. The core region of sagittal otoliths was assayed with laser ablation-multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The laser ablation technique provided precise estimates of 87 Sr : 86 Sr ratios with relative standard deviation of 0.003% (one sigma). Isotope ratios ranged from 0.7065 to 0.708 and were different among natal habitats. However, natal habitats within the delta region were not discernable among each other, and reflect the mixing of the two major rivers, Sacramento River and San Joaquin River within the delta. We will therefore be able to determine natal habitats for delta smelt by assaying the core region of the otoliths. The application of strontium isotope ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) in fish otoliths will greatly improve conservation efforts for this protected species.
From Coalition to Constraint: Modes of Thought in Contemporary American Conservatism

We advocate a relational approach to understanding contemporary conservatism in the United States. Our approach suggests that conservatism provides a cultural repertoire for adherents to use in adapting to new or changed political situations. We provide evidence based on public opinion data that conservatism is neither a single, monolithic ideology nor a mere coalition of convenience among disparate interest groups. Instead, conservatism should be understood as an amalgam of overlapping but distinct styles of thought, held together through a cultural identification with conservative identity.
Emotion recognition in disturbed and normal children: a research note.

SUMMARY The identification of facial expressions of emotion was studied in three groups of psychiatrically disturbed children and it control group of normal children, The results showed that schizophrenic children were significantly less accurate than unsocialized-aggressive. anxious-depressed, and normal children in their identification of the emotions. Anxious-depressed children showed less pronounced emotion recognition deficits than schizophrenics; however, they also made significantly more errors than the controls. The unsocialized-aggressive children did not differ from the normal controls, The results are discussed in light of the implications of emotion recognition for interpersonal functioning.
Potential and Emerging Treatment Options for Ebola Virus Disease

Objective: To describe the current Ebola virus epidemic and the potential options for treatment and prevention of Ebola virus disease. Data Sources: A PubMed literature search (1976 through October 20, 2014) was conducted using the search term Ebola. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Animal and human studies published in English were selected. Studies published within the past 5 years were the primary focus of this review. Data Synthesis: The current Ebola virus epidemic has primarily been contained in West Africa though it has subsequently spread to other areas, including the United States. The first patient in the United States infected with Ebola virus was diagnosed, treated, and expired in Texas. Two nurses caring for this patient also were diagnosed with Ebola virus and have been successfully treated. Treatment options for patients infected with Ebola virus are limited. Supportive therapy is centered on fluid resuscitation, electrolyte imbalance correction, treating complicating infections, and pr...
Analysis of an implicit finite-difference scheme for a third-order partial differential equation in three dimensions

Abstract Am implicit finite-difference scheme approximating a third-order partial differential equation in three dimensions is examined. The scheme is derived, shown to be consistent and second-order accurate, and a discussion of its stability properties is begun. The partial differential equation has application in the propagation of sound underwater.
Model order reduction for contact dynamics simulations of manipulator systems

Dynamic simulation of manipulators doing contact tasks with stiff and complex contact interfaces is time consuming because very small integration step sizes have to be used for numerical stability. Existing model order reduction techniques cannot be readily applied due to high nonlinear nature of contact dynamics. A new method of model order reduction is proposed to deal with this problem. The method identifies the "stiffness" and "damping" terms by linearizing the contact force model and add them to those of the manipulator. Then the existing modal analysis and truncation technology is applied. An example is presented to demonstrate the significant gain in computational efficiency and unproved output results.
Review of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Antimicrobial Agents

Pharmacokinetics is a science that has long been used in ascertaining the appropriate antimicrobial dose. It refers to the disposition of drugs in the body and includes absorption, bioavailability, distribution, protein binding, metabolism, and elimination. Pharmacodynamics is a newer science that relates to the interaction between the drug concentration at the site of action over time and the desired antimicrobial effect. This article reviews the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics as well as the clinical application of these two sciences to design antimicrobial dosing regimens for optimal results in individual patients.
Haldane and the first estimates of the human mutation rate

Mutation is the ultimate source of genetic no velty. As such, the rate at which new mutations arise is a central i ssue in gene tics, with profound implications for both ev olution and human health. Haldane’s 1935 paper (reprinted in this issue, pages 235–244) was the first to provide a careful estimate of the mutation rate in h umans. In fact, previous studies had already provided est imates of mutation rates in other organism s (Muller 1928; Stadler 1932). The chief difficulty confronting exper imentalists was the fact that mutations occur at a very low rate. Muller (1928) was able to measure mutation rates in Drosophila melanogaster using a scheme of balanced lethals. By workin g with flies, he was also able to breed many individuals and score large numbers of progeny easily. Stadler (1932), working with maize, was able to count millions of seeds to arrive at mutation rates mostly between 10 –4 and 10 –6 for eight different genes. These approaches were clearly not available in humans, and it was recognized that measures of the mutation rate had to come from other methods. Haldane (1927) was the first to develop the fo rmal theory for equilibrium frequencies of alleles in mut ation– selection balance, and these calculations later formed the basis for the indirect estimates of mutation rate in his 1935 paper. Haldane suggested that if selection acts against deleterious alleles it must be balanced by mut ation pressure to generate observ ed allele frequencies in a population. This provided a straightforwar d way to est imate the mutation rate for deleterious alleles: if the fr equency of an allele could be measured and if the strength of selection could be estimated, it should be po ssible to calculate the mutation rate. Since most mutations in genes are harmful, the mutation rate for deleterious a lleles will be only a slight underestimate of the total mut ation rate. For autosomal dominant mutations, the equilibrium allele frequency, q, is simply µ/s, where µ is the mutation rate and s is the selection coefficient associated with the del eterious mutant. This well-known result can now be found in any population genetics textbook (e.g. Crow and K imura
Sickle Cell Trait from a Metabolic, Renal, and Vascular Perspective: Linking History, Knowledge, and Health

Sickle cell trait (SCT) is at the intersection of genetics, social policy, and medicine. SCT occurs in three-hundred million people worldwide and in approximately 8 % of African-Americans. There has been great debate about the influence of SCT on health. Yet data exist, albeit controversial, which suggest that SCT is associated with metabolic derangements that can lead to sudden death after vigorous physical activity, renal dysfunction, thromboembolic events, and stroke. In addition, it has even been postulated that SCT might enhance the vascular complications of diabetes. This review focuses on (a) the scientific breakthroughs that led to the discovery of hemoglobin S, sickle cell disease, and SCT, (b) the history of screening programs in the United States, (c) the incidence and etiology of exercise-related sudden death in military personnel and athletes with SCT, and (d) the data examining the potential chronic disease consequences of SCT from a metabolic, renal, and vascular perspective.
Academic AI and Video Games: A Case Study of Incorporating Innovative Academic Research into a Video Game Prototype

Artificial intelligence research and video games are a natural match, and academia is a fertile place to blend game production and academic research. Game development tools and processes are valuable for applied AI research projects, and university departments can create opportunities for student-led, team-based project work that draws on students' interest in video games. The Digital Media Collaboratory at the University of Texas at Austin has developed a project in which academic AI research was incorporated into a video game production process that is repeatable in other universities. This process has yielded results that advance the field of machine learning as well as the state of the art in video games. This is a case study of the process and the project that originated it, outlining methods, results, and benefits in order to encourage the use of the model elsewhere.
The Effects of Implementing Recitation Activities on Success Rates in a College Calculus Course.

Over a period of six years, three different types of recitation sessions were implemented into the large enrollment section of a college calculus course. During the fall semesters, the results on the departmental final examination, the DFW rates, and the one-year retention rates of students as STEM majors were examined by the type of recitation session used with the large enrollment section. The three types of recitation sessions studied were: (1) optional mentoring sessions at the Math Assistance Center conducted by undergraduate students (peer mentors), (2) required mentoring sessions conducted by graduate students, and (3) required VGNA (Verbal, Graphical or Geometric, Numeric, and Algebraic) Concept activities, which were also coupled with mentoring sessions conducted by graduate students. The success of the students in the large enrollment section of the course, which included one of the three different types of recitation sessions, was compared to the success of students in the small enrollment sections of the course (enrollments less than 50 students). The effects of using each type of recitation session on raising departmental final examination scores, lowering DFW rates, and raising one-year retention rates is presented. The results of this study demonstrate methods of raising student success rates in large enrollment (lecture-format) courses.
Evolution of Long Planetary Wave Packets in a Continuously Stratified Ocean

Abstract Recent TOPEX/Poseidon observations show an enhanced (weakened) westward propagation of long planetary Rossby waves at extratropics (Tropics) and they usually propagate faster in the western basin than in the eastern basin in all major oceans. The evolution of a long planetary wave packet in a continuously stratified ocean in response to the various forcing functions is analytically investigated using the wave packet theory. For a wave packet with a large vertical scale, the stratification variation and the vertical shear of the mean zonal current act in concert, causing the wave packet to propagate directly against the mean zonal current—called the counter-Doppler-shift (CDS) effect. It is found that the speed ratio between the zonal baroclinic zonal current and the classic theory increases with the latitude, the eastward zonal current, and the local vertical scale. The vertical scale of a wave packet plays a critical role in the propagation, the structure, and spatial-scale development of a wave...
Overcoming Economic Insecurity

What the world urgently needs is a more integrated policy approach to the challenge of economic insecurity which mixes stronger regulations, particularly in financial markets, redistribution measures, improved risk management techniques to better cope with the consequences of shocks and crises and more universal social policies. Each country will need to experiment and find the configuration of institutions and conventions that will work best within its national conditions and that will meet the expectations of its population. All such efforts require significant long-term investments (including by the public sector) in physical, human and social capital which can only be achieved through much more active policy interventions.
Hospital Record Entries

This article will discuss the recurring issues that arise when an attorney is seeking to have admitted an entry in a hospital record under CPLR 4518(a). Initially, it addresses what information in a hospital record is potentially admissible under the statute. This is followed by a discussion of the two foundation requirements that generate most of the problems - "regular course of business" and "Johnson v. Lutz". Lastly, there is a brief discussion of the method to satisfy foundational requirements for the admissibility of the entry.
Ultrafiltration of highly concentrated antibody solutions: Experiments and modeling for the effects of module and buffer conditions

Although ultrafiltration is currently used for the concentration and formulation of nearly all biotherapeutics, obtaining the very high target concentrations for monoclonal antibody products is challenging. The objective of this work was to examine the effects of the membrane module design and buffer conditions on both the filtrate flux and maximum achievable protein concentration during the ultrafiltration of highly concentrated monoclonal antibody solutions. Experimental data were obtained using both hollow fiber and screened cassettes and in the presence of specific excipients that are known to alter the solution viscosity. Data were compared with predictions of a recently developed model that accounts for the complex thermodynamic and hydrodynamic behavior in these systems, including the effects of back-filtration arising from the large pressure drop through the module due to the high viscosity of the concentrated antibody solutions. Model calculations were in good agreement with experimental data in hollow fiber modules with very different fiber length and in screened cassettes having different screen geometries. These results provide important insights into the key factors controlling the filtrate flux and maximum achievable protein concentration during ultrafiltration of highly concentrated antibody solutions as well as a framework for the development of enhanced ultrafiltration processes for this application. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:692-701, 2016.
Painless Jaundice Caused by Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Distal Common Bile Duct

A 69-year-old man was admitted for painless jaundice and a 2-week history of pruritus, dark urine, and acholic stools. Computed tomography (CT) showed a left renal mass with multiple lesions to the chest and reteroperitoneum suspicious for metastatic disease. There was intraand extrahepatic biliary dilation with gallbladder distention secondary to common bile duct (CBD) calculus. Physical examination revealed jaundice and scleral icterus. Leukocyte count was 5,800 cells/mm3, total serum bilirubin was 19.8 mg/dL, alkaline phosphatase was 855 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase was 446 U/L, alanine aminotransferase was 313 U/L, lipase was 538 U/L, and CA 19-9 was 45 U/mL.
A MELUS Interview: Jim Barnes

Jim Barnes was born in Summerfield, Oklahoma, December 22, 1933. After ten years as a lumberjack in Oregon, he returned to Oklahoma to go to college and "learn to write." As he says in the following interview, he didn't "learn a damn thing about writing," but he did begin writing poetry and he has never stopped. His poems have appeared in over 100 magazines and twenty-six anthologies. He is an associate professor at Northeast Missouri State University where he teaches world literature and contemporary literature and edits The Chariton Review, a journal of poetry, fiction, and translation. Barnes is descended from Welsh, English, and Choctaw peoples, a heritage that has influenced who he is and how he is identified by others. But, as he makes clear in this interview, he is, above all, a poet. It is with the sensibility and sensitivity of a poet that he speaks and writes. He looks for the universals that speak to all people, for he believes that the poet's function is to seek out the common ground and through art to help others discover similarities rather than differences.
Darwinian Models of Culture: Toward Replacing the Nature/Nurture Dichotomy

Abstract Recent theoretical work on the processes of cultural evolution helps to provide a clearer picture of the relationship between genetic and cultural influences on human behavior. The theory uses methods borrowed from evolutionary biology to study the unique properties of culture, but in a framework that permits a direct analysis of how genes and culture interact. The different scholars contributing to this program of research have rather different hypotheses regarding the relative importance of the processes that operate to cause cultural evolution. Some human sociobiologists propose that cultural evolution is very strongly constrained by the decision‐making of individuals. If so, human behavior can in principle be predicted rather directly from considerations of genetic fitness maximization. We are more impressed by the dynamic complexities introduced by a second system of inheritance. The difference between these hypotheses turns on the extent to which information is costly to acquire. When it is...
Effects of vasoactive agents on uptake of immunoglobulin G complexes by mesangial cells

Mesangial handling of immune complexes may be important in immune injury. We examined whether vasoactive agents, independent of hemodynamic effects, could directly influence uptake of immunoglobuli...
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Ureterovesical Junction after Renal Transplantation

AbstractA case of squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder occurring at the ureterovesical junction in a renal transplant recipient is presented. References are made to ureteral obstruction in transplanted kidneys, the broader field of squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder in non-transplanted patients and the relationship of malignancy to transplantation. We anticipate that an ever increasing number of these unusual cases will be forthcoming in the urological literature as renal transplantation develops.
Second Messengers in Neuronal Growth and Degeneration

Just as different animal and plant species are identifiable by their particular shapes and sizes, different cell types also have identifying forms. For example, in the nervous system different types of nerve cells and glial cells are easily discriminated (Figure 1). The shapes of all animal cells are determined largely by two interacting systems, the cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane. In general, the molecular compositions of these cellular building blocks are quite similar from cell type to cell type and from animal to animal. Thus, from yeast to man, cytoskeletal microfilaments are composed of essentially the same actin protein, and cell membranes possess similar phospholipid molecules. This conversion of cell structural components raises an intriguing question: If the building blocks of different cells are similar, then what accounts for the great diversity of cell shapes? One answer is that mechanisms exist for controlling the structural building blocks, and moulding them into their cell type-specific arrangements. The topic of this chapter concerns the intracellular signalling mechanisms that control the architecture of the fundamental cellular unit of the nervous system, the neuron.
Review of Romance Languages and Linguistic Theory 2005. Edited by Sergio Baauw, Frank Drijkoningen & Manuela Pinto (2007). Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 291. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

This book constitutes a very useful collection of papers primarily on the acquisition of syntax and, to a lesser extent, on theoretical syntax and its interfaces with semantics, phonology and morphology. As it is often the case for book collections on Romance linguistics, the papers explore primarily Spanish, French and Italian (as a notable exception, three of the ten acquisition papers investigate Portuguese).
TGFβ1 Regulates the Gating Properties of Intermediate-Conductance KCa Channels in Developing Parasympathetic Neurons

The developmental expression of Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa) in chick ciliary ganglion (CG) neurons is regulated by a target-derived avian isoform of TGFβ1, which evokes a robust increase in the number of functional large-conductance (BK) KCa channels but which produces no change in their kinetics. However, CG neurons express multiple KCa channel subtypes. Here we show that TGFβ1 regulates the gating properties of intermediate-conductance (IK) KCachannels in developing CG neurons. IK channels in inside-out patches excised from control E9 CG neurons became active on exposure to 1–5 μM free Ca2+ but then remained active on return to Ca2+-free salines. In contrast, IK channels in TGFβ1-treated cells became active on exposure to 1–5 μM Ca2+, but became quiescent immediately on return to Ca2+-free salines. In contrast to its effects on BK channels, TGFβ1 had no effect on the mean number of IK channels detected in excised patches. IK channels were not activated in cell-attached patches on E9 neurons depolar...
The Pharynx in Achalasia

Achalasia is a well-known if uncommon abnormality of the lower esophageal sphincter, first appearing in the medical literature in 1674 [1]. The radiographic findings in this condition are well known [2], with failure of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, poor or absent peristalsis in the body of the esophagus, and an air-fluid level in the erect position.
Hospitalization Outcome Metrics Based On Payer Status In Myeloma Patients That Receive Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (ASCT)

Background Myeloma patients have experienced great survival benefits in the last decade due to the use of novel agents and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Prior studies report a complex interplay between payer status and the receipt of ASCT. We have evaluated if the payer status affects outcome metrics of length of stay (LOS), in-hospital mortality rate (IHM), and total hospitalization charges in the context of survival benefit of myeloma with this procedure. Methods We used the NIS (Nationwide Inpatient Sample) 2001-2010 database (part of the HCUP database) to obtain the patient data. Using private insurance as the reference group, we performed multivariate logistic regression to understand the association of payer status with LOS, IHM, hospitalization charges. We adjusted our model for age, race and the presence or absence of co-morbidities. Comorbidites were identified using comorbidity software that created measures reported by Elixhauser et al. Results From 01/2001 until 12/2010, 25656 admissions for ASCT as principal procedure for the principal diagnosis of multiple myeloma were included in our analysis. The IHM rate during this period based on payer status was 3.04%, 1.56%, 1.20% and 0.4% for medicare, medicaid, private insurance and others, respectively. Median LOS for medicaid and medicare were 17 days while private insurance and other insurances had a median LOS of 16 days. Medicare patients undergoing ASCT had higher likelihood of IHM compared to private insurance [Odds ratio: 2.62 ( 95%CI 1.46 – 4.72)]; while medicaid patients had non-significant increase. LOS in medicaid patients was longer compared to private insurance [(Odds ratio: 1.53 ( 95%CI 1.16-2.02)]. Conclusion Myeloma patients with medicare undergoing ASCT had higher likelihood of in-hospital death compared to patients with private insurance. Medicaid patients had a lengthier in-hospital stay but there seems to be no significant difference in hospitalization charges in the different payer groups. However, the acceptable overall cumulative mortality rate suggests that myeloma patients can continue to enjoy the survival benefits associated with ASCT despite payer status. Further studies evaluating long-term outcomes outside the hospital admission would be required to better understand the association of payer status with overall survival benefits of ASCT. View this table: Table 1 Hospitalization metrics by payer status Disclosures: Kaufman: Onyx: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Millenium: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding. Boise: Onyx: Consultancy. Lonial: Millennium: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy; Onyx: Consultancy.
Ethical issues for persons with aphasia and their families.

Ethical issues frequently arise in the care of patients with aphasia and their families. The family is often the most important group with whom an individual interacts and with whom crucial life decisions are made following brain injury. For individuals with aphasia, who may have trouble understanding information and communicating their wishes, the patient's role and thefamily's rolewith decision making may be particularly complex. This article discusses (a) patient self-determination, (b) evaluation ofthe patient's decision-making capacity,
Role of Social Norms and Social Identifications in Safety Behavior of Construction Workers. II: Group Analyses for the Effects of Cultural Backgrounds and Organizational Structures on Social Influence Process

AbstractThe roles of perceived management norm, perceived workgroup norm, and project identity in construction workers’ safety behavior were described in the companion paper. That paper found that ...
Science in the Social Media Age: Profiles of Science Blog Readers:

Science blogs have become an increasingly important component of the ecosystem of science news on the Internet. Through a survey of 2,955 readers of 40 randomly selected science blogs, we created p...
The Effect Of High Intensity Interval Run Training On Cross Sectional Area Of The Vastus Lateralis In Untrained College Students

Aerobic cycling has been repeatedly shown to induce hypertrophy in skeletal muscle across a variety of populations, while there has been a lack of investigation into the impact of running upon hypertrophy. An increasingly popular model of aerobic exercise is high-intensity interval training (HIIT); in addition to its positive impact upon cardiovascular health, HIIT may be sufficient for inducing significant muscular hypertrophy. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of a high-intensity interval running protocol upon hypertrophy of the vastus lateralis in an untrained, young population. Twelve recreationally active university students (Male: 2; Female: 10; 19.9±0.5 yr.; 169.8±1.9 cm; 63.8±2.3 kg; VO2max: 42.1±1.6 ml•kg-1min-1) completed 24.5±0.6 sessions of high-intensity interval run training over 10 weeks. The protocol consisted of four sets of 4 minutes running at 90-95% HRmax followed by 3 minutes active rest at 70% HRmax. Relative and absolute aerobic capacity increased 5.2±2.2% and 6.0±2.3% respectively as a result of the intervention (p< 0.05). Cross-sectional area (CSA) of the vastus lateralis was measured via panoramic ultrasound imaging pre- and post-intervention. Following the protocol, CSA of the intervention group was 10.6±2.7% greater (p< 0.05), while that of the control group did not change. This is the first data to demonstrate hypertrophy of the vastus lateralis in a young population following a running protocol. These data support the existing body of evidence suggesting aerobic exercise to be an effective mode of improving cardiorespiratory fitness as well as increasing whole muscle size of the quadriceps.
Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prophylaxis in Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery

This case presentation describes an elderly patient with osteoarthritis undergoing hip replacement and reviews risks and benefits of the various options for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis. Evidence-based guidelines are reviewed as well as patient-specific and institution-specific factors that influence selection of therapy for VTE prophylaxis for this type of surgery.
The Safety and Efficacy of Anabolic Steroid Precursors: What is the Scientific Evidence?

OBJECTIVE Anabolic steroid precursors have gained widespread popularity as ergogenic supplements. Advertisements for these supplements claim that they increase endogenous testosterone production and protein synthesis, resulting in increased lean body mass and strength during training. At this time scientific support is limited, but the potential for serious side effects exists and the popularity of these supplements continues to grow. This review provides rationales for the ergogenic claims regarding steroid precursors and compares claims with data from scientifically controlled investigations. DATA SOURCES A search of MEDLINE and SPORT Discus from 1960 to 2001 using the key words dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, and androstenediol in combination with testosterone, estrogen, exercise, performance, and side effects. DATA SYNTHESIS Although fairly new to the athletic community, steroid precursors have been used as ergogenic or anabolic agents for quite some time. Suggested gains in strength and lean body mass are attributed to an increase in the endogenous production of testosterone and enhanced protein synthesis. Most of the scientific data, however, do not support manufacturers' ergogenic claims, and the potential for serious side effects, such as decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased estrogen concentrations, has been associated with precursor use. Thus, the safety and efficacy of these supplements must be questioned. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS It appears that the risks associated with the use of anabolic steroid precursors outweigh any possible ergogenic benefits. Furthermore, these supplements are banned by most athletic organizations. Thus, it is extremely important that athletic trainers are able to educate athletes on these issues so they can continue to perform at an optimum level in a safe and healthy manner.
Risky behaviour in older school children

Abstract The aim of the study is to introduce selected characteristics of risky behaviour associated with addictive substances within all urban primary schools in the regional capital Ceske Budějovice in order to capture the development of these pathologies in the population of older school children. The research was carried out as a quantitative survey designed as a descriptive and comparative study. The data (N = 1172) were obtained using a mass-administered questionnaire for all the pupils of the 6th and the 9th grades of primary schools in Ceske Budějovice run by the municipality. The study focuses on the consumption of alcohol, nicotine, illegal drugs, energy drinks, medical drugs (especially analgesics), and the impact of a risky environment – risky behaviour in the family and visits to night parties and discos by the teenagers. The survey describes the current status of this subpopulation and the development within the sixth and ninth-grade pupils. It also compares the results with nationwide studies, and tests the relationships between risky behaviour and leisure activities. It was found that the described group as a whole showed a lower level of risky behaviour than in the comparative study conducted within the South Bohemian Region and the whole of the Czech Republic. Within the sub-variables, a growing trend was found in the use of analgesics and energy drinks by age. The results also show the relationship between substance abuse and leisure activities (especially discos) and higher smoking prevalence, as well as between the time spent on a computer and the consumption of energy drinks.
An Infant with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in the Setting of Hydranencephaly

An infant of 37 weeks' gestation was born with signs and symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Upon further investigation, he was found to have congenital hydranencephaly, a condition in which the forebrain is absent. In this case report, we explore the mechanisms of NAS and hydranencephaly, and why an infant without a forebrain can still experience NAS symptoms.
Traces and Visions of In-Betweenness

This chapter explores the shift to video and experimental filmmaking in the 1980s and early 1990s, as embraced by two Asian American artists. It discusses the work of Theresa Hak-Kyung Cha and Trinh T. Minh-ha in their resonating trajectories. The author embraces a feminist, postcolonial perspective, arguing that the two artists offer a uniquely transnational sensibility: they do not present themselves as simply Asian American. Their work poses questions on Asianness in the West, questions of gender, marginality and colonialism. The chapter concludes that Trinh and Cha embrace a poetic based on “becoming other,” short-circuiting fixed identities like ethnicity and nationality, while escaping a celebratory cosmopolitanism through an ontological and aesthetic shift.
The first record of Wormian bones in lizards

Wormian bones are accessory bones found between cranial elements. These rare bones vary greatly in size, shape and placement. Wormian bones are well-known in mammals, notably in humans and chimpanz...
Safe spacecraft swarm deployment and acquisition in perturbed near-circular orbits subject to operational constraints

Abstract This paper presents a set of deployment and formation acquisition procedures for spacecraft swarms in perturbed near-circular orbits subject to operational constraints. Specifically, two open-loop command sequences are developed that allow a mothership to deploy a large number of deputies into passively safe formations. These formations guarantee a user-specified minimum separation between all spacecraft in either the orbit plane or the plane perpendicular to the flight direction. Following the open-loop deployment sequence, all deputies are required to passively drift for a specified time in order to accommodate commissioning operations such as de-spin and sensor and actuator calibration. At the end of the commissioning phase, a nonlinear low-thrust control law is engaged to acquire the desired formation and counteract any errors introduced in the deployment sequence. Additionally, analytical lower bounds on the duration of the passively safe relative motion after deployment are derived as functions of deployment uncertainty parameters. These bounds can be used to define requirements for the deployment system and specify the duration of the commissioning phase to ensure passive collision avoidance until actuation capabilities are established. The proposed deployment and formation acquisition procedures are validated through simulations using a high-fidelity numerical orbit propagator. The results of these simulations demonstrate that the proposed procedures provide a means of safely initializing swarm formations at low delta-v cost in low earth orbit.
Use of Neutron Noise to Detect BWR-4 In-Core Instrument Tube Vibrations and Impacting

Noise analysis was used to investigate in-core instrument tube vibrations in boiling water reactor-4 (BWR-4)-type reactors. Neutron noise signals from in-core fission chambers and acoustic noise si...