cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disconnect between community testing and hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection

Many have called for more nasopharyngeal swab severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (NP-PCR) testing in re...
Knockout of reactive astrocyte activating factors slows disease progression in an ALS mouse model

Reactive astrocytes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including a non-cell autonomous effect on motor neuron survival in ALS. We previously defined a mechanism by which microglia release three factors, IL-1α, TNFα, and C1q, to induce neurotoxic astrocytes. Here we report that knocking out these three factors markedly extends survival in the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model, providing evidence for gliosis as a potential ALS therapeutic target. Astrocyte activation may contribute to neurodegenerative disease. Here the authors show that the combined knockout of three factors known to promote astrogliosis, IL-1α, TNFα and C1qa, leads to improved survival in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS.
Incidence of varicella and herpes zoster after inclusion of varicella vaccine in national immunization schedule in Turkey: time trend study.

The aim of the study was to investigate changes in the incidences of Varicella and Herpes Zoster (HZ) following introduction of single dose Varicella vaccine (VV) in Turkey. Changes in the incidenc...
Evaluation of Retail Markets and the Perception and Potential of Marketing Cultured Bait Shrimp

Of the total economic impact generated by the marine recreational fishing industry in the United States, the state with the largest contribution is Florida. Bait purchases can be a large portion of marine recreational angler expenditures. Despite this well-established industry, development of marine bait shrimp aquaculture to supply this significant market has been slow. Descriptive market information necessary to shape production and marketing strategies is lacking. The objectives of this project were to evaluate and describe the market for live marine bait shrimp in Florida and to assess the potential market for cultured bait shrimp. A survey instrument was designed and distributed to 224 bait shrimp retailers in 35 coastal counties of Florida. Surveys were developed to be concise and succinct, while still soliciting salient information vital to market evaluation. Bait shrimp retailer survey questions focused on business location, shortcomings of wild shrimp, preferred bait shrimp characteristics, quantities of bait shrimp sold, bait shrimp wholesale purchase prices, purchasing patterns as related to season and size, perceived bait shrimp market demand by region, perception of aquaculture, and interest in purchasing aquaculture-produced bait shrimp. A total of 98 surveys representing 31 counties were returned for a 43.8% response rate. Almost all respondents (95.9%) marketed live marine bait shrimp. The overall perception of aquaculture as a means to produce bait shrimp was 24.7% positive, 19.4% somewhat positive, 40.8% unknown, 9.7% somewhat negative, and 5.7% negative. Analysis of demand data by season for live marine bait shrimp suggests seasonal shortages exist for various size classes, with 50.6% of respondents saying they could sell more if supplied. These supply shortages could provide market share to aquaculture producers to supply retailers and possibly develop favorable pricing strategies during shortages. Compared with previous surveys conducted in Florida, the wholesale market price of live bait shrimp about tripled from 1997 to 2014. These survey results provide critical information to potential shrimp aquaculture producers seeking to enter the live marine bait shrimp market in Florida.
By Lack of Reciprocity: Positioning Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Organizational Field of Higher Education.

This study examines social closure processes in the organizational field of higher education and their implications with respect to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Using insti...
Incentivizing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Purchases with Fresh Produce in Corner Stores to Reduce Food Inequity in Underserved Areas of Washington DC.

Purpose: Maintaining a healthy eating pattern plays a key role in ensuring optimal health outcomes, yet, in areas considered “food deserts” and lower-income neighborhoods where the accessibility of...
Epidemiologic Investigation of Dairy Herd Lameness

Lameness in dairy cattle can lead to weight loss, reduced milk production and reproductive problems. In an effort to investigate a lameness problem in a Pennsylvania dairy herd, a form was developed to objectively assess herd management and cow disease status that could be used to investigate the outbreak of herd lameness. Use of these forms, coupled with Dairy Herd Improvement Association production records and ration evaluations can be used to generate hypotheses for causes of herd lameness problems.
High Fluid Velocity and Narrow Channels Enhance the Influences of Particle Shape on Colloid Retention in Saturated Groundwater Systems Under Favorable Deposition Conditions

Many particulate pollutants in the environment exist in non-spherical shape, but the influences of particle shape on pollutant migration and removal in groundwater systems are not well understood. In this work, we simulated the three-dimensional translational and rotational motions of rod-shaped colloids in simple flow channels characterizing groundwater flow paths, with an aim to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for rod retention. Through an investigation of the interplay of multiple factors (e.g., aspect ratio, particle size/density, flow shear, channel dimension and orientation relative to gravity), we determined under what conditions particle shape has the most pronounced impact on transport and retention under favorable deposition conditions (i.e., lacking repulsive energy barriers). Our results showed that in many cases, medium sized rods of ~ 0.4 - 2 μm in equivalent volume diameter exhibited much improved retention compared to equal-volume spheres, since for that size range, particle rotation from shape-induced fluid hydrodynamics and rotational diffusion were both important, which caused rods to drift considerably across flow streamlines to intercept collector surfaces. Particle rotation also allowed rods to travel farther downstream along flow channels for retention compared to spheres. The differences in retention between rods and spheres were more evident at relatively high fluid velocity, narrow flow channel, or when flow direction aligned with gravity. Our findings demonstrated that the effect of particle shape on pollutant transport and migration in groundwater systems was essential and provided important guidelines in optimizing parameter designs to utilize particle shape effect for better pollutant removal.
Phase transition in a power-law uniform hypergraph

We propose a power-law $m$-uniform random hypergraph on $n$ vertexes. In this hypergraph, each vertex is independently assigned a random weight from a power-law distribution with exponent $\alpha\in(0,\infty)$ and the hyperedge probabilities are defined as functions of the random weights. We characterize the number of hyperedge and the number of loose 2-cycle. There is a phase transition phenomenon for the number of hyperedge at $\alpha=1$. Interestingly, for the number of loose 2-cycle, phase transition occurs at both $\alpha=1$ and $\alpha=2$.
Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Syndrome in Revision Arthroplasty for a Prosthetic Knee Infection: A Case Report.

Case A 51-year-old woman underwent stage I of a 2-stage revision for a prosthetic knee infection with a vancomycin-impregnated articulating cement spacer followed by IV vancomycin and ceftriaxone. Four weeks later, she developed fevers, a diffuse cutaneous eruption, lymphadenopathy, transaminitis, and acute renal tubular necrosis before being diagnosed with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic syndrome (DRESS). Conclusion DRESS is a rare, potentially life-threatening adverse drug reaction with cutaneous manifestations and multiorgan involvement. Although rare, its incidence in orthopaedic patients is likely to increase with the aging population. It must be recognized early to minimize end-stage organ dysfunction and mortality.
Indications and Contraindications for Exoskeletal-Assisted Walking in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Adopting appropriate eligibility criteria for research and clinical programs in which powered exoskeletal-assisted walking devices are used remains a challenge to avoid risk of injury and to encourage the successful use of these devices. Reducing the risk of fracture is a primary concern when establishing eligibility criteria. Evidence from a three-site clinical trial supports the use of screening criteria for bone mineral density at the knee to permit safe use of exoskeletal devices.
Interference control training for PTSD: A randomized controlled trial of a novel computer-based intervention

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic and debilitating condition characterized by persistent intrusive memories. Although effective treatments exist for PTSD, there is a need for development of alternative treatments. Diminished ability to control proactive interference may contribute to re-experiencing symptoms and may be a novel intervention target. The present study tested an intervention designed to modify proactive interference control clinicaltrials.gov identifier: (NCT02139137). Forty-two women with PTSD were randomly assigned to a computerized cognitive training or a control condition. The impact of these programs on cognitive performance and symptoms was assessed. PTSD re-experiencing symptoms and interference control performance improved significantly more for individuals in the training group relative to those in the control group. Other PTSD and general distress symptoms improved equally over time in both groups. Cognitive training of this type may hold promise as a novel intervention for reducing PTSD symptoms, although the mechanism of action and implications for models of PTSD requires future study.
The Influence of personal variables on salesperson selling orientation

Customer oriented selling, defined as practicing the marketing concept at the level of the individual salesperson and customer (Saxe and Weitz 1982), is important in selling situations yet has received relatively little attention from marketers. As such, job tenure, gender, organizational commitment, work involvement, and supervisory support are all examined as potential antecedent variables to customer oriented selling. The study, conducted on two different samples of sales personnel, revealed that organizational commitment is significantly related to selling style. However, the significance of the other variables differed among these two groups, suggesting that the antecedents of a customer oriented selling approach may indeed be product/service specific, job specific, or some combination thereof.
Body Representation in the First Year of Life

Like faces, bodies are significant sources of social information. However, research suggests that infants do not develop body representation (i.e., knowledge about typical human bodies) until the second year of life, although they are sensitive to facial information much earlier. Yet, previous research only examined whether infants are sensitive to the typical arrangement of body parts. We examined whether younger infants have body knowledge of a different kind, namely the relative size of body parts. Five- and 9-month-old infants were tested for their preference between a normal versus a proportionally distorted body. Nine-month-olds exhibited a preference for the normal body when images were presented upright but not when they were inverted. Five-month-olds failed to exhibit a preference in either condition. These results indicate that infants have knowledge about human bodies by the second half of the first year of life. Moreover, given that better performance on upright than on inverted stimuli has been tied to expertise, the fact that older infants exhibited an inversion effect with body images indicates that at least some level of expertise in body processing develops by 9 months of age.
What Factors Account for State-to-State Differences in Food Security?

States differ in the extent to which their residents are food secure - meaning that they have consistent access to enough food for active, healthy living. The prevalence of food security in a State depends not only on the characteristics of households in the State, such as their income, employment, and household structure, but also on State-level characteristics, such as average wages, cost of housing, levels of participation in food assistance programs, and tax policies. Taken together, an identified set of household-level and State-level factors account for most of the State-to-State differences in food security. Some State-level factors point to specific policies that are likely to improve food security, such as policies that increase the supply of affordable housing, promote the use of Federal food assistance programs, or reduce the total tax burden on low-income households.
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion

The depletion of ozone in the stratosphere by man-made chlorine compounds poses a significant risk to human health. Although the basic chemistry of ozone depletion has been understood since the 1970s, the physical and chemical processes controlling depletion in different parts of the atmosphere are complicated. This article reviews some statistical analyses of surface and satellite observations of ozone concentrations. Keywords: chlorofluorocarbons; Montreal Protocol; spatial–temporal models; stratospheric ozone depletion; ultraviolet radiation
Just How Humanitarian are Interventions? Peacekeeping and the Prevention of Civilian Killings during and after Civil Wars

Does the presence of a peacekeeping force reduce violence against civilians during or after civil war? Does it matter whether that peacekeeping force acts under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) or a regional security organization? Are observer, traditional peacekeeping, multidimensional, and enforcement missions equally effective or does mandate affect levels of violence? Much ink has been spilled on related questions in the peacekeeping literature, but almost all existing research has focused on whether peacekeeping operations (PKOs) help maintain peace after civil wars, concentrated on the resumption of civil war between factions, and either focused entirely on UN PKOs or conflated UN with non-UN-led operations.
Antizyme Overexpression in Transgenic Mice Reduces Cell Proliferation, Increases Apoptosis, and Reduces N-Nitrosomethylbenzylamine-induced Forestomach Carcinogenesis

Antizyme (AZ) is known to be a regulator of polyamine metabolism that inhibits ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine transport, thus restricting polyamine levels. Transgenic mice with AZ expression targeted to the basal cell layer of the forestomach epithelium by the keratin 5 promoter were used to investigate whether AZ overexpression inhibited uncontrolled cell proliferation in zinc-deficient (ZD) mice and reduced their susceptibility to forestomach carcinogenesis by N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA). Four-week-old keratin 5/AZ and wild-type (Wt) littermates were placed on ZD or zinc-sufficient (ZS) diets to form four groups: ZD:AZ, ZD:Wt, ZS:AZ, and ZS:Wt. After 5 weeks, 27-45 mice in each group were treated twice with NMBA and sacrificed 14 weeks later. Independent of zinc intake, AZ mice had significantly lower forestomach tumor incidence and tumor multiplicity than respective Wt littermates (P < 0.001): 21% of ZD:AZ versus 76% of ZD:Wt mice and 3% of ZS:AZ versus 33% of ZS:Wt mice developed tumors. Spermidine content was reduced in NMBA-treated ZD:AZ forestomachs. Zinc deficiency increased the forestomach cell proliferation in Wt mice, but this effect was blocked by AZ. Conversely, apoptosis was substantially higher in control and NMBA-treated ZD:AZ than respective ZD:Wt forestomachs. The restored ZD:AZ forestomach epithelium displayed strong expression of Bax, a proapoptotic protein, and weak staining of cyclin D1 and its catalytic partner Cdk4, key regulatory proteins controlling G(1) to S progression. In contrast, proliferative ZD:Wt forestomach showed strong expression of Bcl-2, an antiapoptotic protein, and overexpression of cyclin D1/Cdk4. Treatment of ZD:Wt mice with alpha-difluoromethylornithine, an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, had similar results to AZ in reducing tumor incidence, spermidine content, decreasing cell proliferation, and increasing apoptosis. These results demonstrate that AZ may act as a tumor suppressor gene stimulating apoptosis and restraining cell proliferation, thereby inhibiting forestomach tumor development. Although effects of AZ on functions other than polyamine metabolism are possible, alterations in polyamines are the most likely explanation for the reduction in tumors, supporting the use of strategies to modulate polyamine levels for cancer chemoprevention in individuals at high risk of developing malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract.
Household Vulnerability to Employment Shocks, 1997-1998

This paper studies the vulnerability of Filipino households to employment shocks that were brought on by the Asian financial crisis and the El Nino dry spells of 1997 and 1998. Using a panel data set of households culled from eight consecutive quarters of the Labor Force Surveys and the 1997 Family Income and Expenditures Survey, it explores the correlates of employment-shock vulnerability from among a select set of household characteristics. It finds that the factors affecting vulnerability are different in different quarters. Moreover, the statistically significant variables are different for male and female workers. JEL classification: D10, E24
Ferroelectric-Mode Motion in KD 2 PO 4

The atomic motions of the ferroelectric soft mode in K${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$P${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ have been determined by neutron tripleaxis spectrometry. Kaminow and Damen have investigated the ferroelectric mode in K${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$P${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ and find it is overdamped, and Buyers et al. find the mode in K${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$P${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ to be extremely overdamped. We have carried out an extensive study of this mode throughout both the [010] and [001] zones of the reciprocal lattice, and an energy analysis has indicated an inelasticity of less than 0.2 meV. The mode is not directly observable, as it superposes the Bragg peak, but a careful study of the temperature dependence of the compatible over-damped ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{2}$ optic branch permitted an accurate determination of the ferroelectric mode intensity at the $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ points of 60 Brillouin zones. A least-squares calculation of the inelastic structure factors fits the intensities well, and this permitted an evaluation of the relative atomic movements. The model fit consisted of a linear combination of the seven modes spanning the ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{3}$ representation as determined by Shur. The movement consists of K, P, and D atomic motions as proposed by Cochran from the structural studies of Bacon and Pease. In addition, a large $z$ motion for the deuterium atoms and a large distortional motion in the $x\ensuremath{-}y$ plane of the oxygen tetrahedra are observed.
Accounting Numbers and Information Asymmetry: Evidence from Loss Firms

This paper studies whether firms reporting losses subsequently experience higher levels of information asymmetry among investors relative to firms reporting profits. Using bid-ask spreads as a measure of information asymmetry, I test whether loss firms have higher bid-ask spreads than profit firms after controlling for determinants of bid-ask spreads as identified by previous literature. I also differentiate between loss firms based on the history of losses and test whether multiple loss firms experience higher bid-ask spreads than single loss firms. The results show that, on average, loss firms have higher bid-ask spreads than profit firms and multiple loss firms have higher bid-ask spreads than single loss firms. Furthermore, the documented positive association between losses and bid-ask spreads is not driven by firms in financial distress. These results suggest that losses may affect the efficient functioning of capital markets through higher levels of information asymmetry.
Bombay Cinema: An Archive of the City, by Ranjani Mazumdar

The prodigious Hindi-language film industry based in Bombay (Mumbai since 1996) presents itself as a producer of “national” cinema. While most film scholars critique the typically exclusionary poli...
Letting the Counties Decide: Voter Turnout and the All‐Mail Option in the State of Washington

This research examines county-level voter turnout in the state of Washington—a state where a majority of its counties have chosen to adopt an all-mail electoral format over the past decade. Using the nearest neighbor match method to control for demographic and partisan variation among counties, this analysis of turnout in eight general and primary elections from 2004 to 2008 suggests that vote-by-mail has resulted in a modest boost in voter turnout during presidential election years and for special elections, but has little or no effect in congressional off-year elections. Este estudio examina la concurrencia de votantes a nivel condado en el estado de Washington—un estado donde la mayoria de sus condados han elegido adoptar un formato electoral por correspondencia durante la ultima decada. Usando el metodo estadistico NNS para controlar por variaciones demograficas y partidistas entre los condados, este analisis de concurrencia electoral en ocho elecciones generales y primarias de 2004 a 2008 sugiere que el voto por correo ha resultado en un incremento modesto en el numero de votantes durante los anos de elecciones presidenciales y en elecciones extraordinarias, pero ha tenido poco o nulo efecto en elecciones congresionales.
Rounding up the usual suspects: Varieties of Kantian constructivism in ethics

Some commentators have attributed constructivism to Kant at the first-order level; others cast him as a meta-ethical constructivist. Among meta-ethical constructivist interpretations I distinguish between ‘atheistic’ and ‘agnostic’ versions regarding the existence of an independent moral order. Even though these two versions are incompatible, each is linked with central Kantian doctrines, revealing a tension within Kant's own view. Moreover, among interpretations that cast Kant as rejecting substantive realism but embracing procedural realism, some (i.e., those that are ‘constructivist’) face charges of indeterminacy or relativism, while others (practical reasoning views) face ‘daunting rationalism’ objections. I close with some objections to interpreting Kant as a meta-ethical constructivist.
Large-scale concurrent mapping and localization

The goal of concurrent mapping and localization (CML) is to enable a mobile robot to build a map of an unknown environment, while simultaneously using this map to navigate. This paper discusses some of the challenges that are encountered in the development of practical real-time implementations of CML for one or more autonomous mobile robots operating in large-scale environments.
Impact of Acute Illness on Nutritional Status of Infants and Young Children With Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract Objective To evaluate changes in growth, nutritional status, body composition, and energy and nutrient intakes during illness and usual state of health in infants and young children with sickle cell disease. Design Sixteen children, aged 0.4 to 5.6 years, with SS type sickle cell disease (SCD-SS) were assessed at the time of hospital admission for an acute illness episode and during an 18-hour overnight follow-up visit 2 to 6 weeks after the acute illness episode when in a state of usual health. Main outcome measures included growth in height and weight compared with reference standards, body composition determined by the skinfold thickness technique and total body electrical conductivity, and dietary intake determined by 24-hour recall during hospital admission and at follow-up. Results Height, weight, and weight-for-height z scores did not differ from national reference data; triceps skinfold thickness and arm fat area z scores were less. Mean ±standard error body fat was 15.6±2.1% at the time of hospital admission, as measured by total body electrical conductivity, and was not significantly different from the follow up value (16.2±2.2%). Mean energy intake was 44±9% of Recommended Dietary Allowances at the time of admission and differed significantly from the follow-up value of 90±9% ( P Applications Infants and children with sickle cell disease appear to be at nutritional risk during an acute illness episode, as indicated by body fat measures and inadequate intakes of energy and macronutrients. Energy intake may be suboptimal for several days surrounding an admission for an acute illness in children with sickle cell disease. Physicians and other health practitioners should be alert to inadequate nutrient intakes of their patients during this time period and may consider supplemental energy to avoid a potential net negative energy balance. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000; 100:330-334.
Suspended solids flux between salt marsh and adjacent bay: A long-term continuous measurement

The beneficial roles of coastal salt marshes have been well identified as a storm surge protector, a nursery for young fish and a natural filter for pollutants. However, the vectors of nutrients and suspended solids exchanges between the salt marsh and the adjacent bay are not completely known. In this study, suspended solids flux between a salt marsh at Tuckerton, New Jersey, U.S.A. and Great Bay was continuously measured for an extended period of time by an improved monitoring methodology. A field infrared nephelometric turbidimeter was deployed to measure turbidity continuously at the mouth of the tidal creek, and the measured turbidity data were used to derive suspended solids concentrations. Current velocity and water surface elevation were measured concurrently at the same location. During the monitoring period from March to October 1996, suspended solids were found to be imported into the salt marsh from the adjacent bay. The small net import appeared to be inadequate for wetlands areal viability when compared to the relative sea-level rise rates. Results of this study suggested that a minimum of five water sample sets were needed to establish a reasonably good overall TSS-turbidity regression relationship in terms of flux quantification.
Experimental Investigation of Condensation Heat Transfer in Annular Helicoidal Pipes at Different Orientations

Experimental investigations were conducted on condensation of R134a in annular helicoidal pipes with three orientations, 0°, 45° and 90°. The experimental results indicated that the refrigerant heat transfer coefficients increased with the increase of cooling water temperature, mass flow rates of refrigerant and cooling water, and decreased with the increase of saturation temperature of R134a. When the orientation increased from 0° to 90°, the refrigerant Nusselt number increased around 11% at refrigerant Reynolds number of 80, and around 16% at 200, the percentage increase of refrigerant Nusselt number from 0° to 45° accounted for more than two times of that from 45° to 90°. The performance of annular helicoidal pipe was evaluated by comparing with equivalent smooth straight pipe and identical helicoidal pipe.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A new framework for clustering algorithm evaluation in the domain of functional genomics

Clustering algorithms are widely used in the computational analysis of microarray data. However, due to the lack of domain knowledge, it is often difficult to judge their performance. In this paper, we introduce a new framework for the evaluation of clustering algorithms in application to regulatory pathway reconstruction. A pilot study was conducted on the hierarchical clustering algorithm for which we obtained qualitative characterizations of the number of samples needed as well as the denseness of the subnetwork required to achieve accurate partition. For experimental scientists, this evaluation framework provides a method to select and calibrate clustering algorithms. It can also provide a confidence measure to the results of a clustering algorithm when certain restrictions on the experimental setup, such as the number of samples available, are known in advance.
Effect of sodium carboxymethylcellulose on the blood cells.

1. A large daily dose of sodium carboxymethylcellulose was given to a group of patients for a six month period. 2. Careful study of the effect on the blood cell constituents was made. 3. No significant effect on the blood cell constituents could be ascertained as resulting from the administration of sodium carboxymethylcellulose. Bone marrow was also unaltered in a small group of patients in which such study was done. 4. Many of the patients tolerated much larger doses than are ordinarily used therapeutically without ill effect.
Self-organization in growth of quantum dot superlattices.

We investigate the growth of multilayer arrays of coherently strained islands, which may serve as ``quantum dots'' in electronic devices. A simple model reproduces the observed vertical correlation between islands in successive layers. However, the arrangement of islands is not simply repeated from layer to layer. Instead, the island size and spacing grow progressively more uniform. In effect, the structure ``self-organizes'' into a more regular three-dimensional arrangement, providing a possible route to obtain the size uniformity needed for electronic applications of quantum dot arrays.
Nitrous oxide anxiolysis for elective cesarean section

Abstract Study Objective To determine if inhaled 40% nitrous oxide (N 2 O) via facemask is an effective anxiolytic in women undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Study Design Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. Setting Tertiary-care women's hospital. Patients Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II patients scheduled for elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Interventions Patients were randomized to 2 groups to receive either 100% O 2 via facemask or 40% N 2 O in O 2 via facemask. Measurements Vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) and measured variables (visual analog scale [VAS] anxiety, VAS pain, and sedation scores) were obtained at specific periods during the procedure (preoperatively, entering the operating room, spinal injection, skin incision, uterine incision, delivery, and at the conclusion of the surgical procedure). In addition, surgical time and delivery time, mean dose and percentage of patients requiring ephedrine or phenylephrine boluses, the emesis rate, and Apgar scores were measured. Main Results No differences were noted with respect to maternal mean blood pressure, heart rate, pulse-oximeter oxygen saturation, and sedation or VAS pain scores during the measured periods. No differences were noted in surgical and delivery times, mean dose, or percentage of patients who required ephedrine or phenylephrine to maintain maternal blood pressure, the emesis rate, or 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores. Mean anxiety scores for the N 2 O group were significantly lower at the time of spinal injection, skin incision, and uterine incision. Multivariate analysis of variance for high-anxiety patients (≥50 VAS) revealed significantly lower VAS scores in the N 2 O group, compared with the O 2 group again at spinal injection, skin incision, and uterine incision. Conclusions Inhaled 40% N 2 O via facemask provides effective anxiolysis in women undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia in patients with high anxiety (≥50 VAS) at the time of spinal injection, skin incision, and uterine incision.
O-015 Cost-effectiveness of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty vs non-surgical management for symptomatic vertebral compression fractures in the USA

Introduction and Purpose Vertebroplasty (VP) and Kyphoplasty (KP) are minimally invasive surgical procedures which can relieve the pain of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) and increase the functionality of patients, as supported by a number of recent randomized controlled trials. VCFs can present with debilitating back pain, uncontrolled by pain medications, that can seriously impede activities of daily living and lead to additional morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing VP, KP, and non-surgical management (NSM or conservative medical therapy) for US patients with painful VCFs. Materials and Methods A Markov transition state model was created with three treatment strategies: VP, KP, and NSM. A hypothetical cohort of 70-year-old men and women was followed for 30 years or until death. Inputs for the model originated from the published medical literature. Health outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life years. The economic outcome measure of the model was the difference in healthcare costs among the three treatment strategies. Deterministic 1-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model. Results VP and KP both dominated NSM. When VP and KP were compared, VP was preferred with an incremental cost savings of US$75 000 per quality-adjusted life years gained. Overall, VP was the preferred treatment strategy for symptomatic VCFs. 1-way sensitivity analyses comparing NSM to VP and NSM to KP showed that the cost of physical therapy after NSM was the variable most sensitive to the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. At willingness to pay of US$50 000, VP was the preferred strategy with probability of 100%. This preference extended to willingness to pay US$25K and US$100K, respectively. Conclusion The balance of costs and effectiveness favors Vertebroplasty. This favors, from a societal perspective, VP as the preferred treatment strategy for painful osteoporotic VCFs.
Functional imaging of the human trigeminal system: opportunities for new insights into pain processing in health and disease

Peripheral inflammation or nerve damage result in changes in nervous system function, and may be a source of chronic pain. A number of animal studies have indicated that central neural plasticity, including sensitization of neurons within the spinal cord and brain, is part of the response to nervous system insult, and can result in the appearance of altered sensation, including pain. It cannot be assumed, however, that data obtained from animal models unambiguously reflects CNS changes that occur in humans. Currently, the only noninvasive approach to determining objective changes in neural processing and responsiveness within the CNS in humans is the use of functional imaging techniques. It is now possible to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure CNS activation in the trigeminal ganglion, spinal trigeminal nucleus, the thalamus, and the somatosensory cortex in healthy volunteers, in a surrogate model of hyperalgesia, and in patients with trigeminal pain. By offering a window into the temporal and functional changes that occur in the damaged nervous system in humans, fMRI can provide both insight into the mechanisms of normal and pathological pain and, potentially, an objective method for measuring altered sensation. These advances are likely to contribute greatly to the diagnosis and treatment of clinical pain conditions affecting the trigeminal system (e.g., neuropathic pain, migraine).
DETERMINATION OF THE SLEEP AID INGREDIENTS DIPHENHYDRAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND DOXYLAMINE SUCCINATE IN PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS BY QUANTITATIVE HPTLC

A quantitative method, using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) with automated sample application and UV-absorption scanning densitometry, was developed for the determination of diphenhydramine hydrochloride and doxylamine succinate in pharmaceutical sleep aid products. Separation was performed on high performance silica gel plates, and the analytes were detected as fluorescence-quenched zones under 254 nm UV light. Three pharmaceutical products containing diphen-hydramine hydrochloride as an active ingredient, and three containing doxylamine succinate as an active ingredient, were analyzed to test the applicability of the method. Precision was validated by replicate analyses of samples and accuracy by analysis of spiked samples. The percent diphenhydramine hydrochloride in the tested pharmaceutical samples ranged from 97.9% to 113% compared to label values; precision ranged from 0.69% to 2.36% relative standard deviation, and the errors in standard addition experiments used to test accura...
A randomized prospective study of microdose leuprolide versus ganirelix in in vitro fertilization cycles for poor responders

Forty-eight patients who met the criteria of poor response during prior gonadotropin stimulation were enrolled in a randomized prospective study comparing a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol, using ganirelix acetate, with a microdose GnRH agonist protocol for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). This pilot study contributes to the literature of poor response IVF treatment protocols because the use of ganirelix appears to be as effective as the microdose protocol and may be a superior choice in terms of cost and convenience for the patient.
Stable Single-Domain to Superparamagnetic Transition During Low-Temperature Oxidation of Oceanic Basalts

Recent experimental data on synthetic titanomaghemites indicate that oxidation is accompanied by a decrease in magnetocrystalline anisotropy K1 as well as a decrease in the saturation magnetization σs. Theory of relaxation times predicts that the decrease of σs and K1 with oxidation will cause single-domain titanomagnetite grains with initially low blocking temperatures to become superparamagnetic as they are oxidized to titanomaghemite. For titanomagnetites (Fe3−x TixO4) of composition x = 0.4 and x = 0.5 the affected blocking temperature range is approximately 200° and 125°K below the Curie point, respectively. However, for x = 0.6 titanomagnetites the blocking temperature range affected is within 80°K of the Curie point and spans a temperature interval from 325° to as high as 380°K, depending on the degree of oxidation. The rapid quenching of oceanic pillow lavas (average composition x ≅ 0.6) produces efficient thermoremanence carriers but will also result in a significant grain size and blocking temperature distribution. Thus low-temperature oxidation of oceanic basalts could cause a significant portion of the originally stable carriers of natural remanence to become superparamagnetic. This mechanism could aid in explaining the large natural remanent magnetization intensity decrease of dredged basalts with distance from the mid-Atlantic ridge.
The meaning of drawing-completion stimuli: new guidelines for projective interpretation.

Summary The study investigated whether the eight gestalt stimuli used in Kinget's Drawing-Completion Test (DCT) can be defined by the eight word-concepts Mundy hypothesized to “name” them and to reflect their meaning. Thirty college students made semantic differential ratings. The 4,320 ratings analyzed show some correspondence between stimuli and their respective meanings, suggesting new guidelines for interpreting such drawing completions.
Hormone-fuel metabolism during exercise of insulin-dependent diabetic patients treated with an artificial B-cell unit.

The effects of restoration of glucose homeostasis on hormone-fuel metabolism of diabetic individuals during exercise (40% maximal O2 consumption) were determined by monitoring fuel oxidation rates and levels of substrates and hormones in nine normal subjects and five insulin-dependent diabetic patients while on conventional insulin therapy and after 3 days on artificial B-cell directed glucose regulation. The non-protein respiratory quotient (npRQ) and carbohydrate oxidation rate of the conventionally-treated diabetic subjects (0.908±0.002 and 538±5 mg/m2·min) were lower and the lipid oxidation rate (101±2 mg/m2·min) was significantly higher than those of the normal group during the bicycle exercise (0.937±0.004, 582±8, and 70±4 mg/m2·min, respectively). After 3 days of artificial B-cell insulin therapy, the npRQ and carbohydrate oxidation rate of the exercising diabetics significantly increased to 0.965±0.004 and 693±13 mg/m2·min, while the lipid oxidation rate declined to 39±4 mg/m2·min (p<0.001). We conclude that artificial B-cell directed insulin therapy increases carbohydrate oxidation and decreases lipid oxidation in exercising insulin-dependent diabetic subjects. However, if restoration of metabolic response identical to that of exercising normals is desired, the excess in carbohydrate oxidation coincident with elevated blood lactate and pyruvate levels suggest that the artificial B-cell therapy may not have been completely optimal, probably due to the hyperinsulinization of the diabetic patients.
Endoscopic repair of gastrogastric fistula after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a less-invasive approach

Abstract Background Gastrogastric fistulas (GGFs) are a well-known complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Surgical repair of such fistulas is technically difficult, with significant associated morbidity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic GGF closure at a university hospital in the United States. Methods Patients with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and confirmed GGFs on esophagogastroduodenoscopy or barium study. Endoscopic repair was performed with the EndoCinch suturing system (group 1) or clips (group 2). All patients were followed up in the outpatient clinic or interviewed by telephone at 1, 6, and 18 months after the procedure, then as indicated by symptoms. Results A total of 95 patients were included in the present series (group 1, n=71, 75%; group 2, n=24, 25%). The mean GGF size was significantly larger in group 1 than in group 2 (14.5 ± 8.7 versus 7.7 ± 6, P = .01). An average of 2.2 sutures or 3 clips (range 2–7) was used. Complete initial GGF closure was achieved in 90 patients (95%), with reopening in 59 (65%) an average of 177 ± 202 days. The average follow-up was 395 ± 49 days, with 22 patients lost to follow-up. Two significant complications were reported (bleeding and an esophageal tear). None of the GGFs with an initial size >20 mm remained closed during the follow-up period compared with 10 (32%) of the 31 fistulas ≤10 mm in diameter remained closed. Conclusion Peroral endoscopic repair of postbariatric GGFs is technically feasible and safe but with limited durability. The fistula size predicted for long-term outcomes, with the best results seen in fistulas ≤10 mm in diameter.
Equilibrium calculations on systems of biochemical reactions at specified pH and pMg.

Abstract The use of G′ in discussing the thermodynamics of biochemical reactions at a specified pH and pMg is justified by use of a Legendre transform of the Gibbs energy G. When several enzymatic reactions occur simultaneously in a system, the standard transformed Gibbs energies of reaction ΔrG′0 can be used in a computer program to calculate the equilibrium composition that minimizes the transformed Gibbs energy at the specified pH and pMg. The calculation of standard transformed Gibbs energies of formation of reactants at pH 7 and pMg 3 is described. In addition a method for calculating the equilibrium concentrations of reactants is illustrated for a system with steady state concentrations of some reactants like ATP and NAD.
Transcription of a Drosophila tRNAArg gene in yeast extract: 5′-flanking sequence dependence for transcription in a heterologous system

The Drosophila tRNA gene encoded on pArg is efficiently transcribed in extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but the efficiency is 5'-flanking sequence dependent: deletion to between positions -21 and -17 (relative to position +1 of the mature coding sequence) reduces transcription to a very low level. This demonstrates that requirement for wild-type 5'-flanking sequence exists in the case of a heterologous combination of a tRNA gene and transcription extract. Expression of pArg in vivo in S. cerevisiae is also dependent on the wild-type 5'-flanking sequence, but only with deletion to between -17 and -11 is the steady-state level of pArg transcripts reduced to near zero. The 5'-flanking sequence requirement in S. cerevisiae extract is similar to that found in Drosophila Kc cell extract. However, transcription kinetics distinguish S. cerevisiae extract from that of Drosophila Kc cells. tRNA genes added to S. cerevisiae extract exhibit a lag phase before initiation of active transcription, but this lag is much shorter and much less temperature dependent than is the lag phase in Drosophila Kc cell extract.
Selective toxicity of pyrethroid insecticides to arthropod natural enemies and pests of agricultural crops

Data on the toxicity and selectivity of synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) to arthropod natural enemies and their host or prey are reviewed with emphasis on cotton, apple, alfalfa, cereal and vegetable inhabiting species. Generally, SPs are variably toxic and selective (in relation to their hosts or prey) to species within most families of natural enemies. Exceptions are low to moderate toxicity and favorable selectivity to most hemipteran predators, and high toxicity and unfavorable selectivity to virtually all phytoseiid mites in comparison to their prey. In North America, SPs are more favorably selective to cotton natural enemies over their prey or host than to apple inhabiting species. These differences may be due to intrinsic levels of susceptibility (preselection levels) between the types of natural enemies exploited on both crops in IPM programs (i.e. hemipteran species on cotton versus phytoseiid mites on apple) and/or to tolerances or resistances differences due to previous patterns of chemical use on these crops. Possible means of increasing selective use of SPs in future IPM systems based on ecological and physiological selectivity including the development of SP-resistant predators are discussed.
Hydrodynamics of winds from irradiated companion stars in low-mass X-ray binaries

We study the hydrodynamics of evaporative winds driven by X-rays and/or soft gamma-rays irradiating the outer layers of companion stars in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). We consider several irradiating fluxes and spectra for LMXBs with white dwarf and main-sequence companion stars. The thermal structure of the base of the coronal region, the position of the sonic point, and the value of the mass-loss rate are calculated in the case of spherical geometry. We consider photospheric and coronal heating from both X-ray photoionization and Compton scattering of X-rays and soft gamma-rays with energy about 1 MeV possibly irradiating the companion star in LMXBs. Evaporative winds may play a relevant role for the evolution of a special class of radiation-driven LMXBs, and this study is a step toward a quantitative understanding of the mechanism driving LMXB evolution.