cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New‐onset atrial fibrillation and outcomes following isolated coronary artery bypass surgery: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Prior meta-analyses have shown that new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) occurs in up to 40% of patients following cardiac surgery and is associated with substantial major adverse cardiovascular events. The stroke and mortality implications of NOAF in isolated CABG without concomitant valve surgery is not known. We thought that NOAF would be associated with increased risk of stroke and mortality, even in patients undergoing isolated CABG. A blinded review of studies from MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science was done by two independent investigators. Stroke, 30-day/hospital mortality, long-term cardiovascular mortality, and long-term (>1 year) all-cause mortality were analyzed. We used Review Manager Version 5.3 to perform pooled analysis of outcomes. Of 4461 studies identified, 19 studies (n = 129 628) met inclusion criteria. NOAF incidence ranged from 15% to 36%. NOAF was associated with increased risk of stroke (unadjusted OR 2.15 [1.82, 2.53] [P < .00001]; adjusted OR 1.88 [1.02, 3.46] [P = .04]). NOAF was associated with increased 30-day/hospital mortality (OR 2.35 [1.67, 3.32] [P < .00001]) and long-term cardiovascular mortality (OR 2.04 [1.35, 3.09] [P = .0007]) NOAF was associated with increased long-term all-cause mortality (unadjusted OR 1.79 [1.63, 1.96] [P < .00001]; adjusted OR 1.58 [1.24, 2.00] [P = .0002]). We found that the incidence of NOAF following isolated CABG is high and is associated with increased stroke rate and mortality. Early recognition and management of NOAF could improve outcomes.
Macular Hole Closure with Medical Treatment.

ABSTRACT Here we present a case series of full thickness macular holes (FTMHs) that closed with topical medical therapy. We see this technique as a promising alternative to surgery, especially in small FTMHs with cystoid hydration.
The association between hemodynamics and wall characteristics in human intracranial aneurysms: a review

Hemodynamics plays a key role in the natural history of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). However, studies exploring the association between aneurysmal hemodynamics and the biological and mechanical characteristics of the IA wall in humans are sparse. In this review, we survey the current body of literature, summarize the studies' methodologies and findings, and assess the degree of consensus among them. We used PubMed to perform a systematic review of studies that explored the association between hemodynamics and human IA wall features using different sources. We identified 28 publications characterizing aneurysmal flow and the IA wall: 4 using resected tissues, 17 using intraoperative images, and 7 using vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Based on correlation to IA tissue, higher flow conditions, such as high wall shear stress (WSS) with complex pattern and elevated pressure, were associated with degenerated walls and collagens with unphysiological orientation and faster synthesis. MRI studies strongly supported that low flow, characterized by low WSS and high blood residence time, was associated with thicker walls and post-contrast enhancement. While significant discrepancies were found among those utilized intraoperative images, they generally supported that thicker walls coexist at regions with prolonged residence time and that thinner regions are mainly exposed to higher pressure with complex WSS patterns. The current body of literature supports a theory of two general hemodynamic-biologic mechanisms for IA development. One, where low flow conditions are associated with thickening and atherosclerotic-like remodeling, and the other where high and impinging flow conditions are related to wall degeneration, thinning, and collagen remodeling.
Evaluation of Time to Administration, Benzodiazepine Use, and Safety of Intravenous Push Levetiracetam in a Neuro-Spine Intensive Care Unit.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the time to medication administration, clinical effect, and safety of a recent Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee-approved change in the administration of levetiracetam from intravenous piggyback (IVPB) over 15 min to undiluted intravenous push (IVP) over 2–5 min at a large academic medical center. The primary outcome was the time from order verification to the administration of IVP levetiracetam versus IVPB levetiracetam. The secondary outcome was any benzodiazepine administered in the time between levetiracetam order verification and administration in both groups. Adult patients admitted to the neuro-spine intensive care unit in the 6 months prior to and after the policy change, and who received at least one dose of 1000 mg or higher of IVP or IVPB levetiracetam for active seizures, were included in this retrospective, observational, institutional review board-approved study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2, and the Mann–Whitney U-test as appropriate. Of the 2055 hospital-wide levetiracetam doses ordered within the study period, 316 doses were screened for enrollment and 160 were enrolled with 60 and 100 patients assigned to the IVP and IVPB groups, respectively. There were no differences between the groups at baseline. The majority of the population was male, 57 years old, had no significant renal dysfunction (defined as a creatinine clearance of less than 60 ml/min), and had a seizure etiology of malignancy or traumatic brain injury. A significant reduction in the time to administration of levetiracetam was found with IVP compared with IVPB administration (28 vs. 80 min, p < 0.0001). A subsequent reduction in patients who received benzodiazepines in the interim of levetiracetam order verification and administration was also associated with IVP compared with IVPB (2% vs. 13%, p = 0.042). There were no differences found in the rates of adverse effects between groups. Administration of levetiracetam doses up to 2000 mg via IVP is a safe method of administration that results in a reduction of time to medication administration and a reduction of benzodiazepine use.
Are Preference Reversals Due to Decision Contexts or Elicitation Procedures? A Theoretical Reconciliation

Preference reversals across decision contexts (e.g., acquisition versus forfeiture) and elicitation procedures (e.g., choice versus willingness-to-pay; WTP) provide foundational evidence that consumers’ preferences are constructed––not revealed––in the decision-making process. We examine the interplay of decision context and elicitation effects. We find that preference reversals are mostly driven by decision context effects on choice, not on preference elicitations requiring monetary valuation, like WTP. In three classic paradigms––intertemporal tradeoffs, acquisition versus forfeiture, and the attraction effect––decision-context effects more often induced preference reversals when preferences were elicited through choice than when preferences were elicited through Willingness-to-Pay or Willingness-to-Accept (WTP/WTA), even with real money at stake. Preference reversals between decision contexts were less prevalent in WTP/WTA than in choice because attribute compatibility effects made market relevant attributes, that is, value relevant information, more salient and weighted heavily in WTP/WTA than in choice. The results (eight experiments; N=3,544) change our understanding of preference reversals and challenge the use of choice as the gold standard for preference elicitation.
Medieval Andalusian Courtly Culture in the Mediterranean: Hadîth Bayâd wa Riyâd

Medieval Andalusian Courtly Culture discusses the unicum manuscript of the Hadith Bayâd wa Riyâd, the only illustrated manuscript known to have survived for more than eight centuries of Muslim and Arabic-speaking presence in present-day Spain. The manuscript is of paramount importance as it contains the only known surviving version, both in terms of text and of image, of the love story of Bayâd wa Riyâd. This study will place this manuscript within the context of late medieval Mediterranean courtly culture, offering: an annotated translation into English of the entire text reproductions of its images an analysis of both text and images in a series of progressively broader contexts including that of al-Andalus(Arabic-speaking); of "reconquista" Iberia; and the larger Mediterranean world. Cynthia Robinson broadens understanding of the Mediterranean region during the Middle Ages, making this text an invaluable resource for scholars with interests in Medieval Spain, art and Mediterranean courtly culture.
Introduction to the B-Cell Lymphomas

The human body contains a vast array of B cells, with phenotypes ranging from the naive B cell to the centrocyte, centroblast, immunoblast, plasmablast, and plasma cell. Each of these B-cell subsets has different functional, proliferative, and migratory capacities, and the diversity of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (CBCL) reflects the variety of non-neoplastic B-cell counterparts. The WHO-EORTC classification [1] recognizes four cutaneous B-cell lymphomas: primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma (pcMZL or MALT lymphoma), primary cutaneous follicle-center lymphoma (pcFCL), primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg-type (pcDLBCL), and intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (ivLBCL). Here we offer a schema for understanding and distinguishing these lymphomas. Each lymphoma is addressed individually in subsequent chapters.
Issues in the Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on Agriculture

As the title of this special issue suggests, the commonality of the papers included herein is a focus on the interaction of agriculture with climate variability and change in the southeastern United States. The range of topics covered is considerable, from climate modeling to remote sensing to economics. All papers result from two major projects funded by NASA MTPE and the U.S. EPA NCQERA. In addition, the USDA-ERS funded part of one study concerning economics of agriculture under climate change.
How to Pray in Kazakhstan: The Fortress of the Muslim and Its Readers

In this article, I describe the ways that Islamic presses associated with the piety movement attempt to help Kazakhs develop virtues such as patience and faith by publishing a book of supplications called The Fortress of the Muslim . Members of the piety movement attempt to follow these presses’ instructions and often report that they have become more patient or mindful of God. Members of Ata Zholy, another Islamic movement in Kazakhstan, learn a different ideology of supplication on pilgrimages where they seek God’s help in conjunction with the blessings of saints. Members of Ata Zholy use The Fortress of the Muslim in heterogeneous ways, many of which contradict the ideology of the piety movement. The various tactics that members of Ata Zholy use while reading The Fortress illustrate the ways that readers unassociated with the piety movement in Kazakhstan use the products of a dominant Islamic movement for their own purposes.
The interplay of structure and dynamics: Insights from a survey of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase crystal structures

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase is a critical drug target for HIV treatment, and understanding the exact mechanisms of its function and inhibition would significantly accelerate the development of new anti-HIV drugs. It is well known that structure plays a critical role in protein function, but for reverse transcriptase, structural information has proven to be insufficient – despite enormous effort – to explain the mechanism of inhibition and drug resistance of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. We hypothesize that the missing link is dynamics, information about the motions of the system. However, many of the techniques that give the best information about dynamics, such as solution NMR and molecular dynamics simulations, cannot be easily applied to a protein as large as reverse transcriptase. As an alternative, we combine elastic network modeling with simultaneous hierarchical clustering of structural and dynamic data. We present an extensive survey of the dynamics of reverse transcriptase bound to a variety of ligands and with a number of mutations, revealing a novel mechanism for drug resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Hydrophobic core mutations restore active-state motion to multiple functionally significant regions of HIV-1 RT. This model arises out of a combination of structural and dynamic information, rather than exclusively from one or the other.
Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Vanilla-Flavored Soy and Dairy Products Stored at 8°C

The survival of Listeria monocytogenes V37 in vanilla-flavored yogurt (low-fat and nonfat) and soy milk (low-fat and Plus) stored at 8 degrees C for 31 days was investigated. Commercial samples of yogurt and soy milk were used. These samples were inoculated with either 10(4) or 10(7) CFU of L. monocytogenes per ml. Sampling was carried out every 3 to 4 days initially and was then carried out weekly, for a total storage time of 31 days. Each time a sample was collected, the pH of the sample was measured. After 31 days, low-fat plain, low-fat vanilla, and nonfat plain yogurt samples inoculated with 10(4) CFU/ml showed 2.5-log reductions in viable cell populations, and nonfat vanilla yogurt showed a 3.5-log reduction. For yogurt inoculated with 10(7) CFU/ml, reductions of 2.5 log CFU/ml were observed for plain low-fat and nonfat yogurts, and reductions of 5 log CFU/ml were observed for vanilla-flavored low-fat and nonfat yogurts. In vanilla-flavored and plain low-fat and Plus soy milk samples, cell counts increased from 10(4) and 10(7) CFU/ml to 10(9) CFU/ml at 7 and 3 days of storage, respectively, at 8 degrees C. Coagulation in soy milk samples was observed when the cell population reached 10(9) CFU/ml. In soy milk, the L. monocytogenes population did not change for up to 31 days. Vanillin had an inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes in yogurt but not in soy milk.
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Pathogenic Missense Mutations

Research has identified there is a multiplicity of plausible molecular effects caused by human genetic differences that may lead to human diseases. Although human deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) variations and rare mutations may be manifested at different levels and different magnitudes, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to a missing chromosome or a single amino acid mutation to a truncated protein, the pathological effect is the malfunction of the cell or the corresponding organ. It is pointed out that pathological DNA defects can cause more than one phenotypic change to the wild-type macromolecular characteristics, for example, alterations of macromolecular stability and a variation in the ability to interact with macromolecular partners. The main obstacles to predicting pathogenic DNA variations are the complexity of biological reactions and the difficulty of assessing the threshold of the change that will make it pathogenic. Although some small deviations from the wild-type properties of a particular biomolecule or a network may be harmless and result in natural differences between individuals, the deviations of the same magnitude occurring in different molecule or network can be pathogenic. These diverse molecular mechanisms that induce the malfunctions are the primary focus of this review. Key Concepts: Molecular mechanisms of pathogenic mutations refer to the disease-causing change of the wild-type properties of the corresponding macromolecules and networks. It could be an effect altering a particular characteristic, for example, stability, but could also be a combination of several factors affecting normal function of the cell. The magnitude of change of the wild-type characteristics alone cannot be used to predict whether a mutation is pathogenic. In some cases, a small deviation from the wild-type properties can be deleterious, whereas in others, much larger changes are observed without a disease-causing effect. Frequently, a detailed knowledge of the biological reactions that are involved is needed to discriminate the pathogenic mutations from harmless variations. Personalised medicine provides personalised or individualized medical care on the basis of an individual's DNA. The knowledge of an individual's DNA is emerging as a powerful tool for selecting the most efficient drug among several alternative drugs available in the market. A DNA defect in a particular gene may not be pathogenic if there is a compensatory mechanism accounting for dysfunctional product and if the dysfunctional product is not toxic for the cell. Keywords: human DNA variations; single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP); disease-causing mutations; pathogenic mutations; personalised medicine; personalised diagnostics
Ben's Grille

Summary Advantages of computer-based alcohol education over traditional written materials in improving alcohol related behavior are presented in this article. The program, “Ben's Grille” was created to promote public awareness of issues relating to the use and abuse of alcohol The program is described in detail along with directions for use. One component of the program, an interactive drama, is the focus of this article. Characters from which a play can select to play are described. Methods used in obtaining feedback about the game are specified. The author concludes that both students and teachers have had positive reactions to the program.
What does the cryotherapy preliminary report mean

The dispassionate numbers in the preliminary report of the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity (CRYO-ROP)1 fail to convey the excitement I feel as a physician who now, for the first time, has a tested intervention to offer the infant with serious retinopathy of prematurity. Infants with retinopathy of prematurity at the study9s threshold of severity have a 43% incidence of an unfavorable outcome in that eye, eg, retinal detachment or a fold across the macula. Either of these outcomes means severely reduced vision for life. Cryotherapy reduces the chances of an unfavorable outcome to 22%. The preliminary report, however, has left many questions unanswered.
VVD: VCR operations for video on demand

Current Video on Demand (VoD) systems do not provide for interactive VCR-like scan operations such as rewind or fast- forward. Pre-storing the entire movie on a set-top box for implementation of such operations is currently neither practical nor feasible. Other approaches to VCR-like controls are either computationally complex or the server or consume large amounts of bandwidth during the operation. This paper proposes a novel technique, VVD, for real-time implementation of VCR-like operations, supporting multiple scan speeds, for Video on Demand with low latency and overhead. VVD uses multi-level compression of movie files to encode the same movie at a hierarchy of playout rates. Depending on the rate at which a scan operation is requested, the corresponding compressed movie file is transmitted. Frame dropping and repetition are used to provide smooth speed transitions among the multiple levels. The overhead of this scheme can be controlled to be less than 100% of the movie storage size.
Effects of fluence rate on cytoxicity during photodynamic therapy

Production of 1 O 2 during PDT may be limited as a consequence of tissue oxygen depletion by the photodynamic process. This may in turn limit cytotoxicity during PDT. One possible way of controlling oxygen consumption during treatment is through modification of fluence rate. We have studied the impact of fluence rate (30 and 150 mW/cm 2 ) on tumor oxygenation and direct PDT cytotoxicity using the RIF (radiation induced fibrosarcoma) murine tumor and the photosensitizer Photofrin® (5 mg/kg). Both fluence rates caused an acute (within 1 min) decrease in tumor pO 2 to severely hypoxic levels (median pO 2 <1 mm Hg). With 150 mW/cm 2 light median pO 2 remained low during prolonged exposure (20-50 J/cm 2 ), while with 30 mW/cm 2 light median pO 2 values recovered to above control levels. When tumors treated with 135 J/cm 2 at each fluence rate were tested for cell survival in a clonogenic assay, 30 mW/cm 2 significantly decreased both cell clonogenicity and plating efficiency compared to light-only controls. Slight but insignificant decreases were found with 150 mW/cm 2 . During in vitro PDT the fluence rate of light delivery had no effect on cell survival. In summary, we have found that low fluence rate improves tumor oxygenation and direct cell effects during PDT.
Partitioning of hydrophobic pesticides within a soil–water–anionic surfactant system

Surfactants can be added to pesticide-contaminated soils to enhance the treatment efficiency of soil washing. Our results showed that pesticide (atrazine and diuron) partitioning and desorbability within a soil-water-anionic surfactant system is soil particle-size dependent and is significantly influenced by the presence of anionic surfactant. Anionic surfactant (linear alkylbenzene sulphonate, LAS) sorption was influenced by its complexation with both the soluble and exchangeable divalent cations in soils (e.g. Ca2+, Mg2+). In this study, we propose a new concept: soil system hardness which defines the total amount of soluble and exchangeable divalent cations associated with a soil. Our results showed that anionic surfactant works better with soils having lower soil system hardness. It was also found that the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) sorbed onto the LAS-divalent cation precipitate, resulting in a significant decrease in the aqueous concentration of HOC. Our results showed that the effect of exchangeable cations and sorption of HOC onto the surfactant precipitates needs to be considered to accurately predict HOC behavior within soil-water-anionic surfactant systems.
Is serotonin transporter genotype associated with epigenetic susceptibility or vulnerability? Examination of the impact of socioeconomic status risk on African American youth

We hypothesized that presence of the short allele in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter would moderate the effect of early cumulative socioeconomic status (SES) risk on epigenetic change among African American youth. Contrasting hypotheses regarding the shape of the interaction effect were generated using vulnerability and susceptibility frameworks and applied to data from a sample of 388 African American youth. Early cumulative SES risk assessed at 11-13 years based on parent report interacted with presence of the short allele to predict differential methylation assessed at age 19. Across multiple tests, a differential susceptibility perspective rather than a diathesis-stress framework best fit the data for genes associated with depression, consistently demonstrating greater epigenetic response to early cumulative SES risk among short allele carriers. A pattern consistent with greater impact among short allele carriers also was observed using all cytosine nucleotide-phosphate-guanine nucleotide sites across the genome that were differentially affected by early cumulative SES risk. We conclude that the short allele is associated with increased responsiveness to early cumulative SES risk among African American youth, leading to epigenetic divergence for depression-related genes in response to exposure to heightened SES risk among short allele carriers in a "for better" or "for worse" pattern.
Dynamic oxidation of a Cu—30vol.%Cr coating on a copper-based alloy

Abstract A Cu—30vol.%Cr coating produced by co-evaporation of Cu and Cr was evaluated in an electric arc-heated wind tunnel. The wind tunnel generated high-velocity, dissociated air containing atomic oxygen. The coating provided good oxidation protection for the copper alloy substrate under dynamic environment at 650–760°C. The oxide morphologies of the coating under dynamic conditions were distinct from those of static oxidation. The atomic oxygen in the gas stream accelerated the oxidative evaporation of Cr metal resulting in the formation of a porous layer of Cu-oxides on the coating surface. Oxidation resistance of the coating derived from a continuous layer of Cr 2 O 3 formed underneath the external Cu-oxides so that the Cr 2 O 3 scale was shielded from the hostile dynamic oxidation/atomic oxygen environment.
Foreign body granuloma mimicking intracranial meningioma: case report and review of the literature.

Objective and importance Intracranial foreign body granulomas are rare. We describe a case of an intracranial foreign body granuloma found in a 17-year-old female patient 9 years after she underwent a craniotomy for a tumor of unknown type. Postoperative imaging of patients who have undergone neurosurgical procedures can often reveal enhancing masses, and foreign body granuloma should be included in the differential diagnosis. Clinical presentation The patient presented with a history of developmental delay, panhypopituitarism, and chronic headache. Admission resulted from an acute increase in the severity of her headache. Intervention Imaging studies, including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, demonstrated a 1.5 x 2 cm round, enhancing anterior interhemispheric mass, appearing to arise from the falx and causing mild mass effect. A nonenhancing cystic mass was also noted in the suprasellar region but was without mass effect. The patient underwent a craniotomy and removal of the anterior mass without complication, and her headache resolved. A pathological examination of the specimen confirmed the diagnosis of foreign body granuloma. Conclusion Although rare, foreign body granuloma should be included in the differential diagnosis of previously operated intracranial masses. The importance of accurate historical information and guidelines that may assist in diagnosis are discussed.
Evidence for the acceptability of an injectable hormonal method for men.

Research has been conducted for more than 20 years in both developed and developing countries in the attempt to develop a safe effective and reversible hormonal method of contraception for men. A variety of hormonal compounds and contraceptive delivery systems including injections pills implants and patches are therefore currently being investigated. Limited funding and a lack of commercial interest in regulating male fertility have however slowed progress. It seems that pharmaceutical companies doubt the existence of a market for hormonal contraceptives for men and fear the potential for litigation. Clinical trials supported by the World Health Organization of a hormonal method have nonetheless yielded encouraging results. One multicenter study injected men weekly with testosterone enanthate to induce azoospermia. A second study investigated whether the state of complete azoospermia induced by the injections was necessary for contraceptive efficacy. Testosterone enanthate demonstrated its potential application as a hormonal method of contraception for men but the frequent injections required over the course of 3-4 months to achieve oligozoospermia are impractical. In addition above normal levels of testosterone result immediately after injection. Testosterone enanthate in future trials will be combined with another hormone to shorten the time needed to achieve a contraceptive effect or a new formulation which requires less frequent injections and does not produce a physiological peak. A newly formulated product could be ready for introductory trials by 2000. The author presents information from focus group discussions and questionnaires completed by men who volunteered for the trials. Their feedback adds to the limited body of evidence indicating the potential acceptance of a hormonal method of contraception for men.
Three-pulse photon echo of finite numbers of molecules: single-molecule traces.

In conventional bulk nonlinear spectroscopy, the contribution from molecules with different environmental conditions sometimes conceals the properties of interest and prevents the assessment of the heterogeneity of complex systems. This is especially true when exploring mechanisms of coherence loss in multicomponent systems [Ishizaki and Fleming, J. Phys. Chem. B 2011, 115, 6227]. To avoid this drawback of ensemble measurements and evaluate single-molecule behavior, a quantum theory is proposed to study the three-pulse photon echo signal of a two-level system in a bath and reveal the fluctuations inherent to single molecules. The current method takes advantage of the coherent state representation to understand the photon echo experiment in a wave function formalism rather than the reduced density matrix. Information regarding the environmental degrees of freedom (DoF) is explicitly encoded in the initial state of the system plus bath. The thermal fluctuations of the initial states induce variation of the ...
Requirement for phosphorylation of cyclin B1 for Xenopus oocyte maturation.

Maturation-promoting factor, consisting of cdc2 protein kinase and a regulatory B-type cyclin, is a universal regulator of meiosis and mitosis in eukaryotes. In Xenopus, there are two subtypes of B...
Gene expression and protein levels of the stationary phase sigma factor, RpoS, in continuously-fed Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

Bacteria growing in biofilms experience gradients of environmental conditions, including varying levels of nutrients and oxygen. Therefore, bacteria within biofilms may enter distinct physiological states, depending on the surrounding conditions. In this study, rpoS expression and RpoS levels were measured as indicators of stationary phase growth within thick continuously-fed Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. The level of rpoS expression in a 3-day-old biofilm was found to be three-fold higher than the average expression in stationary phase planktonic culture. RpoS levels in biofilms, indicated by immunoblot analysis, were similar to levels in stationary phase planktonic cultures. In planktonic cultures, oxygen limitation did not lead to increased levels of RpoS, suggesting that oxygen limitation was not the environmental signal causing increased expression of rpoS. These results suggest that bacteria within P. aeruginosa biofilms may exhibit stationary phase characteristics even when cultured in flow conditions that continually replenish nutrients.
Occluder Disruption of Wada-Cutter Valve Prosthesis

Abstract Total detachment and embolization of the hinged, tilting occluder of the Wada-Cutter prosthetic heart valve was the proved cause of death in 2 of 25 patients who had these devices implanted at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center in 1969–70. In addition, there were 8 late deaths without postmortem examination, 2 of which were sudden and 4 of which followed rapidly progressive congestive heart failure over a period of hours to days. Prosthetic malfunction appears to be a possible mechanism of death in the majority of these patients. The 2 additional late deaths were unrelated to valve malfunction. Regurgitant murmurs have been identified during late follow-up examination in 17 patients. Two patients had prosthetic replacement for hemodynamically significant leaks through the valve mechanism and were found to have no perivalvular leak. Six additional patients had prophylactic replacement of the Wada-Cutter valve. Measurements on 7 available occluders that were removed showed variable degrees of material movement at the hinge. This experience has caused us to recommend elective replacement of remaining Wada-Cutter valves.
Protein phosphorylation mediates effects of isoproterenol on adenylate cyclase activity in rat cortical membranes.

The effect of (−)-isoproterenol on adenylate cyclase activity were studied in rat cerebral cortical membranes prepared and assayed in the presence of calcium ions. In assays carried out in the presence of high Mg2+ concentrations (5–10 mM) and of Ca2+ in the micromolar range, addition of 1–100 μM (−)-isoproterenol caused over 50% inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity. Since these conditions are optimal for supporting endogenous phosphorylative activity in synaptic membranes, we tested whether the observed effects are mediated by changes in the phosphorylation of specific proteins in these membranes. This was done by preincubation of lysed synaptosomes under phosphorylating conditions in the presence and absence of isoproterenol followed by extensive washes and analysis of cyclic AMP formation in resuspended membranes. Addition of (−)-isoproterenol to the preincubation resulted in a 30% decrease of adenylate cyclase activity in the reincubation. Inclusion of [γ-32P]ATP in the preincubation and examination of the phosphorylation state of specific proteins in membranes entering the reincubation revealed that (−)-isoproterenol inhibited the phosphorylation of a specific protein band with apparent molecular weight of 47,000 (designated band F). These results support the hypothesis that alterations in membrane protein phosphorylation induced by neurotransmitters play a role in the regulation of adenylate cyclase activity.
Sexual Assault in the Workplace

Women are sexually assaulted at an alarming rate, and the workplace is a frequent arena for assault. However, in recent decades, attention has been given to improving responses to sexual assault. Sexual assault is a frequent cause of injury and death for women in the United States. One in five American women admit they have experienced a completed rape during their lifetime. These estimates are conservative because sexual assault and sexual violence are both underreported and underprosecuted. Fear of job loss and discrimination are frequent reasons women do not report sexual assault in the workplace. Women are entering the workplace in greater numbers due in part to more single parent families and the depressed economy. Also, women are entering work environments that have traditionally been the domain of male workers: corporate headquarters, semi trucks, health care providers' offices, rural farms, and rural factories. Employers must have a plan to protect female employees and effectively address any incidents of sexual assault or violence. Occupational health nurses and nurse practitioners can assist both employees and employers to prevent sexual assault and resolve the aftermath of sexual assault. However, to accomplish this goal, occupational health nurses and nurse practitioners must be trained in sexual assault and violence response as well as preventive interventions.
Thin layer chromatography of erythrocyte membrane glycolipids from type A and type B cats

Erythrocyte membrane glycolipids from blood type A and type B cats were examined by thin layer chromatography. The results indicate that the major erythrocyte membrane glycolipid of type A cats is NeuGc-NeuGc-Galactose-Glucose-Ceramide ([NeuGc]2GD3), where NeuAc represents N-glycolyl-neuraminic acid. In contrast, the major erythrocyte membrane glycolipid of type B cats is NeuAc-NeuAc-Galactose-Glucose-Ceramide ([NeuAc]2GD3), where NeuAc represents N-acetylneuraminic acid. These major erythrocyte membrane glycolipids may be the blood group antigens for type A and type B cats, respectively. All type A cats may have enzymes to synthesise erythrocyte membrane glycolipids with terminal NeuAc, whereas type B cats may lack the gene for N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase, the enzyme that converts NeuAc into NeuGc.
Sequential injection separation and sensing

Automated microfluidic analysis has historically been carried out by flow injection analysis techniques. Sequential injection analysis represents a more versatile method for automated fluid handling. We have explored the use of sequential injection analysis for performing microcolumn separations. These separations can be used as part of a microanalytical procedure, or for sample preparation. In addition, with detection of retained species on the microcolumn, sequential injection separation represents a technique for sensing. Recently, it has been demonstrated that sequential injection separation can be carried out with renewable separation columns--the beads with interactive surfaces can be delivered to the microcolumn, used for processing the sample, and discarded after each measurement. Delivery of new beads for each measurement provides a method for renewable surface separation and renewable surface sensing. Applications in environmental analysis and bioanalytical chemistry will be presented.
Unexpected interaction between beta-adrenergic blockade and heart rate variability before and after myocardial infarction. A longitudinal study in dogs at high and low risk for sudden death.

BACKGROUNDHeart rate (HR) variability is a marker of tonic cardiac autonomic activity and contributes in assessing risk for sudden death after myocardial infarction. Recent clinical observations have indicated that attenuation of HR variability, which occurs after myocardial infarction, may be transient. This study addresses the issue of whether autonomic control of heart rate recovers at different rates after myocardial infarction in subjects at high and low risk for ventricular fibrillation (VF).METHODS AND RESULTSThirty dogs, 22 with myocardial infarction and 8 sham-prepared animals, completed the study. Changes and recovery in cardiac autonomic activity after myocardial infarction were examined by measuring HR variability before and at defined intervals during the first 30 days after infarction. Each HR variability measurement was made before and after beta-blockade in dogs at high (n = 10) and low (n = 12) risk for VF. Arrhythmia risk was determined on the basis of development of VF during exercise a...
Beyond being (t)here: the social and personal implications of making music at a distance

This literature review discusses the social phenomena that surround and affect the process of making music with a distant collaborator, and probes future directions for this area known as "computer supported collaborative music" [3]. Articles were sampled by searching the SCOPUS, EBSCOHOST, IIMP, ACM Digital Library and Google Scholar for abstracts that included the keywords "collaborative music" or "networked music". From this group of article the author highlights studies that have reported factors that altered the experience of collaborative composition. Preliminary results indicate that novices to music composition can use metaphors, (present in tools that do not replicate face to face interaction) to compose pieces with others without formal music training.
Reduced neural activation during an inhibition task is associated with impaired fear inhibition in a traumatized civilian sample.

Abstract Introduction Impaired inhibition of fear in the presence of safety cues and a deficiency in the extinction of fear cues are increasingly thought to be important biological markers of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Other studies have suggested that there may be altered neural activation during behavioral inhibition tasks in subjects with PTSD. The current study aimed to see whether neural activation during inhibition was reduced in a highly traumatized civilian population, and whether atypical activation was associated with impaired fear inhibition. Methods The participants were 41 traumatized women (20 PTSD+, 21 PTSD−) recruited from Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA. We used a Go/NoGo procedure with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a high-resolution 3T scanner. Participants were instructed to press a button whenever an “X” or “O” appeared on the screen, but not if a red square appeared behind the letter. Participants were assessed for trauma history and PTSD diagnosis, and completed a fear-potentiated startle and extinction paradigm. Results We found stronger activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in traumatized subjects without PTSD compared to those with PTSD in the NoGo greater than Go contrast condition. Activation in the vmPFC was negatively correlated with fear-potentiated startle responses during safety signal learning (p = .02) and fear extinction (p = .0002). Conclusions These results contribute to understanding of how the neural circuitry involved in inhibitory processes may be deficient in PTSD. Furthermore, the same circuits involved in behavioral inhibition appear to be involved in fear inhibition processes during differential fear conditioning and extinction.
Experiments on the small-strain behaviour of crosslinked natural rubber: 1. Torsion

The torsional behaviour of 1, 3 and 5 phr peroxide crosslinked natural rubber has been characterized over a range of strains from near the undistorted state (γ ≈ 0.017) to γ ≈ 1.0. Isochronal measurements of both torque and normal force were used to calculate values of the derivatives of the strain energy function W with respect to the first and second stretch invariants I1 and I2. In the course of our work we found that, contrary to many reports in the literature, ∂W∂I1 was affected significantly by the amount of crosslinking. Finally for the 1 phr peroxide crosslinked rubber it was found that, while ageing for 14 months at ambient conditions did not significantly affect the small-strain torsional modulus, G = 2(∂W∂I1 + ∂W∂I2), it did significantly affect the individual derivatives ∂W∂I1 and ∂W∂I2.
Desynchronization and re-synchronization of reproduction by Astragalus scaphoides, a plant that flowers in alternate years

Mast seeding, the synchronous seed production by plants at irregular intervals, has been widely studied from the perspective of its fitness benefits, but much less is known about the proximate factors that cause plants to reproduce synchronously. In this article, I follow up on more than two decades of research investigating proximate mechanisms of mast seeding by Astragalus scaphoides, an iteroparous perennial forb. We use long-term monitoring in relation to two environmental manipulations to evaluate the importance of exogenous environmental factors versus endogenous feedbacks for synchrony in this species. Our past research showed that synchrony in this species is explained by the pollen-coupling hypothesis: plants that flower synchronously set seed and deplete stored resources, whereas plants that happen to flower asynchronously are pollen limited, set fewer seeds, and do not deplete resources, and flower again until they are resynchronized. Continued monitoring of two experimental manipulations, water addition, and flower removal, provides additional support for this model, and also reveals subtle effects of water availability on synchrony. Water addition decreased flowering, rather than increasing it as expected based on simple correlations with weather variables, suggesting that precipitation does not synchronize reproduction. Exogenous drivers are generally considered to be the primary synchronizing factors in plant reproduction. Our work in this system suggests that endogenous feedbacks may be more important than has been previously assumed.
Student Learning Styles: Assessing Active Learning in the Hospitality Learners Model

A conceptual model for hospitality education is presented with a focus on testing an active learning theory by using the Felder-Soloman (2001) Index of Learning Styles (ILS). The ILS and the four dimensions, active–reflective, sensing–intuitive, visual–verbal, and sequential–global, are discussed. A total of 365 participants responded to the ILS and overall results found that the students were active learners. The outcomes of the ILS were active, sensing, visual, and sequential learners. Once the results were completed, it could then be applied to the Green and Sammons (2013) Hospitality Learners Model. The model, which includes several different “layers”—andragogy, instructional design systems, learning theories (peer, active, and experiential), technology, and evaluation—is discussed.
Treatment With Insulin Uncovers the Motogenic Capacity of Nitric Oxide in Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells Dependence on Gab1 and Gab1-SHP2 Association

Contrary to the antimotogenic effect of NO in dedifferentiated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), we have reported that NO stimulates the motility of differentiated cultured VSMC isolated from adult rats. This process involves upregulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2, followed by downregulation of RhoA activity. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that insulin alters the motogenic phenotype of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells exposed to NO from inhibition to stimulation of cell motility. We demonstrate for the first time that NO stimulates the motility of VSMCs cultured for several days in the presence but not the absence of insulin. Moreover, we show that NO blocks PDGF-induced cell motility in insulin-naive but not in insulin-treated cells. We also demonstrate that the scaffold adapter protein Gab1, considered a physiological activator of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2, increases cell motility in the presence but not the absence of insulin. In cells cultured in the presence of insulin, overexpression of Gab1 mimics, whereas a dominant-negative allele of Gab1 (Gab1YF) blocks, the motility-stimulatory effect of NO. Cotransfection experiments with dominant-negative Gab1 and wild-type SHP2 or wild-type Gab1 and dominant-negative SHP2 indicate that the two proteins work together as a functional unit to induce motility. Because chronic insulin can increase the levels of phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3) kinase in several models of hyperinsulinemia, we also tested the potential involvement of this enzyme in mechanisms leading to increased cell motility. We found that the motogenic effect of NO, Gab1, and SHP2 was blocked by the selective PI3 kinase inhibitor LY294002, suggesting a requirement of PI3 kinase in mediating motogenesis. These observations may be relevant to molecular mechanisms related to the pathogenesis of vascular disease in hyperinsulinemic diabetes. The full text of this article is available online at http://www.circresaha.org.
Health Insurance Coverage Predicts Lower Childbearing Among Near-Poor Adolescents

Abstract Purpose The impact of health insurance on adolescent childbearing takes on increased salience in the context of the ongoing United States health care debate. Health insurance coverage is important for accessing health care services, including reproductive health services, yet prior research has not examined the association between insurance coverage and childbearing. Consequently, the role of insurance in the prevention of adolescent childbearing has been unclear. Methods Using three panels (2001, 2004, and 2008) of the nationally representative Survey of Income and Program Participation data, hierarchical multilevel logistic regression models test the association between pre-pregnancy health insurance coverage and childbearing for a sample of 7,263 unmarried adolescent women (aged 16–19 years), controlling for known correlates of adolescent childbearing. Analyses examine variations in the association based on family income. Results The odds of reporting childbearing were almost twice as great for adolescents who were uninsured compared with those who were insured before a pregnancy occurred. Interaction models demonstrate this effect for near-poor adolescents (who are less likely to have health insurance coverage) compared with poor and more advantaged adolescents. Conclusions The findings of the current nationally representative study suggest that health insurance coverage is associated with a lower probability of childbearing for near-poor adolescents. Future research should examine potential mechanisms through which insurance coverage influences adolescent childbearing.