cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
359 ICSI and activation of oocytes recovered from transitional and cycling mares.

Ovarian follicular development in mares during the transitional period before the breeding season leads to an accumulation of antral follicles of various sizes. The quality of oocytes at this stage may be compromized until the first seasonal ovulation. In this study, we evaluated the developmental competence of oocytes recovered from transitional and cyclic mares, and the effect of zygote activation after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment consisting of oocytes from transitional and cyclic mares, two follicle sizes (10 to 20 and 20+ mm), and two treatments (control and activated) was conducted. Follicular oocytes of 14 mares were aspirated in March and April (transitional) and May to July (cyclic) five times per each period at 10-day intervals, without use of hCG. Oocytes aspirated from mares were matured in vitro in a defined medium similar to SOF plus FSH, LH, epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), estradiol (E2), prostaglandin (P4) and 10% FCS, for 30 ± 1 h under 5% CO2 in air at 38.5°C; oocytes with a first polar body were used for ICSI. Motile sperm from frozen-thawed semen were used for sperm injection with a piezo-driven pipet. For activation after ICSI, presumptive zygotes were cultured in G1.3 containing 0.02 µM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 2 h, and then in 2 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) for 3 h under 6% CO2 in air at 38.5°C. Zygotes were cultured in 50 µL drops of DMEM/F12 containing 10% FCS for 9 days at 38.5°C in 5% CO2/5% O2/90% N2. Medium was replaced every 3 days. Cleavage and blastocyst rates were calculated based on non-degenerating injected oocytes. Data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test. A total of 115 and 78 oocytes were recovered from cyclic and transitional mares. Average maturation rates to MII in the respective groups were 76.5 and 65.4%, respectively (P 0.05). The average cleavage rate in cyclic mares was higher than in transitional mares, and that of the activated group averaged over follicle sizes was higher than that of controls (P < 0.05; Table 1); those of 10 to 20 and 20+ mm follicle groups were not different (P < 0.05; Table 1). Blastocyst rates per oocyte within main effects were not different (P < 0.05; Table 1). Oocytes from transitional mares had lower cleavage rates than those of cyclic mares, but blastocyst development was similar. Activation of zygotes clearly improved cleavage rates of in vivo-derived immature equine oocytes after ICSI. Table 1. Main effect means of responses after ICSI
A methodology to explore the impact of policy changes on insurgencies

This study proposes a methodology to model the flow of a population into and out of an insurgency as a way of assessing counter-insurgency strategy and government policy. The causes, means and capacity of insurgencies are fluid, but the influence of government policy can be constant. Therefore, exploring the impact of policy change on insurgencies is valid and useful. This research provides a historical analysis of insurgency to provide a set number of variables that affect population behaviour in what are traditional insurgency activities. It then progresses to a specific case study, Colombia, a state that is now waging its insurgency as part of the Global War on Terrorism. A system dynamics approach will capture the model and represent the complex interdependencies of the variables influencing the system. The result is a model that portrays the effects of policy change in the state of Colombia.
Laboratory measurements of the (2,0) B2Δ5/2-X2Δ5/2 transition of nickel hydride using intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy This article is part of a Special Issue on Spectroscopy at the University of New Brunswick in honour of Colan Linton and Ron Lees.

The (2,0) band of the B2Δ5/2-X2Δ5/2 transition has been recorded with rotational resolution using intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy. The gas phase NiH molecules were produced in an electric discharge using a nickel hollow cathode in a pure hydrogen atmosphere at 2–3 torr total pressure. Peak positions for the NiH isotopologues are presented for these transitions. Large isotopologue splittings are observed for B2Δ5/2-X2Δ5/2 (2,0) transitions. A strong perturbation is observed in the excited state at Jf′ = 6.5. NiH isotopologue ratios in stellar spectra can be used to determine the neutron to proton ratio, with a view to probing models of supernovae and star formation.
BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURE: A CAWG SAGA

The Tipster Architecture --- a standardized interface for providing document management, document retrieval, and information extraction services --- is one of the major products of Phase II of the Tipster program. The architecture was developed by the Contractors' Architecture Working Group (CAWG) over the past two years. It has been refined through feedback from the demos developed by the CAWG for the 6-month and 12-month Tipster meetings, and from the Tipster-compliant systems now being implemented.
Return to activity among athletes with a symptomatic bipartite patella: a systematic review.

Abstract Background A bipartite patella is typically rare, but can become symptomatic during overuse activities such as those performed during athletic events. Therefore, this anomaly typically presents in the young, athletic population, often inhibiting athletic activities. Multiple treatment options exist, with nonsurgical management frequently adopted as the initial treatment of choice. Purpose To determine the most effective intervention in returning athletes with symptomatic bipartite patella to their prior activity levels. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed using PRISMA guidelines to identify studies reporting outcomes of athletes' ability to return to activity following treatment for a symptomatic bipartite patella. The type of intervention, type of bipartite classification, outcomes, and complications were recorded. Results Twenty articles with a total of 125 patients and 130 knees were identified and included in this review. A total of 105 athletes made a full return to athletic activity following treatment for their painful bipartite patella. One hundred athletes (85.5%) that underwent surgical treatment were able to make a full return to their sport without symptoms, although this varied by surgical procedure performed. Excision of the painful fragment produced the best results in returning athletes to sport, with 91% returning without symptoms and nine percent returning but with residual symptoms. Conclusion Surgical treatments for symptomatic bipartite patellae are successful at returning athletes to their same level of play, and best outcomes are with excision of the fragment. These results are limited, however, due to the poor quality of original data given the rarity of the anomaly and the underrepresented conservative treatment group.
Slow translocon gating causes cytosolic exposure of transmembrane and lumenal domains during membrane protein integration

Integral membrane proteins are cotranslationally inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum via the protein translocation channel, or translocon, which mediates the transport of lumenal domains, retention of cytosolic domains and integration of transmembrane spans into the phospholipid bilayer. Upon translocon binding, transmembrane spans interact with a lateral gate, which regulates access to membrane phospholipids, and a lumenal gate, which controls the translocation of soluble domains. We analyzed the in vivo kinetics of integration of model membrane proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using ubiquitin translocation assay reporters. Our findings indicate that the conformational changes in the translocon that permit opening of the lumenal and lateral channel gates occur less rapidly than elongation of the nascent polypeptide. Transmembrane spans and lumenal domains are therefore exposed to the cytosol during integration of a polytopic membrane protein, which may pose a challenge to the fidelity of membrane protein integration.
203 Spectral analysis of intracardiac and surface electrocardiograms to determine the need for right atrial ablation in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation

Background It is not clear when to perform right atrial (RA) ablation in patients with chronic AF (CAF). The objective of this study was to compare the clinical and spectral characteristics of AF to identify predictors of RA ablation to terminate AF. Methods In 12 patients (age 65 ± 6 years) with CAF, antral pulmonary vein isolation and ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs) were performed until AF terminated (within 120 minutes of radiofrequency energy application). In this retrospective analysis, patients were categorized in 3 groups: Group 1) Termination of AF with left atrial (LA) ablation only (n = 3); Group 2) termination of AF with left and right atrial ablation (n = 4); and Group 3) No termination after left and right atrial ablation (n = 5). Clinical characteristics and dominant frequency (DF) were compared at baseline and 1 min before termination of AF. Results The 3 groups were similar for all clinical variables, except for prior AF ablation which was more frequent in Group 2. (p = 0.02). At baseline, DF in V1 and CS were comparable in the 3 groups (Table). Only DF in the CS before termination was significantly different among the 3 groups (p = 0.04) and may be predictive of the need for RA ablation in these patients with chronic AF. Conclusion Higher prevalence of repeat ablation procedures in patients who needed right atrial ablation may indicate that, right atrial drivers are under recognized during initial ablation. Therefore, right atrial drivers should be sought after during redo procedures for AF. Baseline V1 CS Termination with LA ablation 5.0 ± 1.0 5.6 ± 0.5 Termination with LA + RA ablation 4.4 ± 1.0 6.0 ± 0.5 No termination 5.3 ± 1.0 4.8 ± 1.2 p 0.4 0.3 Before termination V1 CS Termination with LA ablation 5.1 ± 1.0 4.8 ± 0.4 Termination with LA + RA ablation 4.8 ± 1.6 5.5 ± 0.5 No termination 4.4 ± 0.8 4.3 ± 0.7 p 0.7 0.04
Access to Disease Treatment Among Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Asthma or Hypertension

Abstract Background Asthma and hypertension are common among Emergency Department (ED) patients. Primary care providers are integral in managing these conditions, yet these patients are often in the ED. Objective To determine access to care among ED patients with asthma or hypertension and the association with sociodemographic factors and disease acuity. Methods This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of ED patients at an urban county hospital conducted between June 4 and August 31, 2008. Consenting patients were surveyed, and peak flow or blood pressure measured as appropriate. Access to disease treatment was defined as self-reported access to a primary care provider or current prescription for asthma or hypertension, or both. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were used to analyze data. Results There were 2303 patients enrolled; 283 had asthma, 543 had hypertension, and 187 had both. Seventy-one patients (25.1%) with asthma, 151 patients (27.8%) with hypertension, and 19 patients (10.2%) with both had poor access to disease treatment. Seeking ED medical attention was related to having poor access to treatment for patients with both asthma and hypertension. Females with asthma had poor access to treatment. In hypertension patients, good access to treatment was associated with excellent/good health status, housing status, and decreasing age. Poor access to treatment was associated with increasing blood pressure. Conclusions Poor access to disease treatment and aspects of socioeconomic status were associated with seeking care in the ED. Changes in access to treatment may affect the number of patients seeking ED care, but not the severity of the presenting illness.
Effect of Statin Use on Acute Kidney Injury Risk Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of cardiovascular surgery. Although some nonexperimental studies suggest that statin use may reduce postsurgical AKI, methodologic differences in study designs leave uncertainty regarding the reality or magnitude of the effect. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of preoperative statin initiation on AKI after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using an epidemiologic approach more closely simulating a randomized controlled trial in a large CABG patient population. Health care claims from large, employer-based and Medicare insurance databases for 2000 to 2010 were used. To minimize healthy user bias, patients were identified who underwent nonemergent CABG who either newly initiated a statin <20 days before surgery or were unexposed for ≥200 days before CABG. AKI was identified <15 days after CABG. Multivariate-adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Poisson regression. Analyses were repeated using propensity score methods adjusted for clinical and health care utilization variables. A total of 17,077 CABG patients were identified. Post-CABG AKI developed in 3.4% of statin initiators and 6.2% of noninitiators. After adjustment, a protective effect of statin initiation on AKI was observed (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.96). This effect differed by age, with an RR of 0.91 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.20) for patients aged ≥65 years and an RR of 0.62 (95% CI 0.45 to 0.86) for those aged <65 years, although AKI was more common in the older group (7.7% vs 4.0%). In conclusion, statin initiation immediately before CABG may modestly reduce the risk for postoperative AKI, particularly in younger CABG patients.
Observations of Pc 1–2 waves in the outer magnetosphere

High time resolution measurements made inside the magnetopause from L = 7 to L = 14 by the flux gate magnetometer aboard the Ogo 5 satellite, which demonstrate that the Pc 1-2 magnetic field oscillations are present in the outer magnetosphere, are examined. The solar wind dynamic pressure and the magnetospheric cold plasma were enhanced, and the IMF had a southward component 2 hours before the events, but there was no significant correlation between the time of the events and either storm recovery phase or substorm onset. The magnetic field perturbations in each event were transverse to the ambient field with amplitudes from 2 to 8 gamma, and most of the transverse perturbations showed left-handed polarization. Excursions into the magnetosheath during two events revealed a disturbed magnetic field with significant power in frequencies of minimum 0.1 Hz, and although the magnetosheath was a source of free energy for waves at Pc 1-2 frequencies, the data within the magnetosphere suggest that the observed pulsations were ion cyclotron waves generated at the geomagnetic equator at large radial distances.
Occupational risk of Lyme disease in endemic areas of New York State.

Although Lyme disease (LD) is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States, little is known about the frequency of and risk factors for infection with Borrelia burgdorferi in occupational groups. In 1986, we recruited primarily outdoor workers from six employee groups in southeastern New York where LD is endemic. Of 414 participants who completed questionnaires and had blood samples tested for antibodies against B. burgdorferi by ELISA and Western immunoblot, 27 (6.5%) were seropositive, but only 14 of the 27 reported previous symptoms of LD. Persons who spent more than 30 hours per week outdoors during leisure were 2.5 times more likely to be seropositive than those who did not (p = .02). Those with a history of outdoor employment were twice as likely to be seropositive as those without such a history, although this finding was not statistically significant (p = .70). However, the seroprevalence rate for the employees was 5.9 times higher than the rate for a comparison group of anonymous blood donors from the same region of New York (p less than .001). These results suggest that there was a relatively high rate of seropositivity for the employee groups and that infection was frequently asymptomatic and associated with outdoor exposure.
Some aspects of wedge impact on granular layers and attendant flows

We observed and measured impacts of steel wedges on layers of 200 μ m solid glass spheres and the subsequent response with the ultimate aim to establish the effectiveness of these materials for blast panels and energy absorption. The success of the layers to absorb and dissipate energy is quantified, especially as regards the unconfined free surface of the granular material and its ability to dissipate and redirect momentum laterally through wave-like motion. Experiments were conducted with two granular layer depths; two drop elevations; and three wedge angles. As expected, as the wedge included-angle increases the peak force increases significantly, whereas the period associated with the response is much-reduced. It was shown that with a reduction in layer thickness, the bed can be forced to vacate locally, and subsequently the wedge strikes the reservoir bottom causing a rapid rise to a very large peak force. It was seen that the included-angle 180° wedge caused predominantly solid-like response (i.e. compaction); the 102° wedge generated mostly viscous/fluid-like behavior (i.e. similar to a Newtonian fluid); and as might be expected the 141° wedge exhibited both fluid-like and solid-like behavior. High-speed imaging of the surface response for the viscous-like motion showed breaking wavelike characteristics. In addition granular material was forced upward in a thin free sheet with hexagonal structure. Lastly we quantified the peak force ratio, the impulse, and the energy dissipation in the underlying load cells for the 102° wedge impacting the 16.36 cm bed versus the same test with no bed in place. For this last comparison the peak force ratio exceeded 15; the impulse was about a third less for the granular bed; and the ratio of energy dissipation in the load cells was more than 200.
Localized deformation modes and non-Schmid effects in crystalline solids. Part II. deformation patterns

Abstract A rate-dependent multiple slip model incorporating non-Schmid effects and thermal deformation, developed by Dao and Asaro (1993), is implemented into finite element codes to study deformation patterns before and after the shear band initiation in single crystals. Simulations using different hardening rates and different non-Schmid effects show that non-Schmid effects provide a consistent explanation for the formation of coarse slip bands (CSB), and that high hardening rates, typical of single crystals, can cause localization to not persist. Serrated flow is found accompanying the development of CSB's even with significant strain hardening. Elastic anisotropy has important influences on the onset of shear bands that form in single slip. Whether macroscopic shear bands (MSB) form first on directions that are close to what would be the primary slip plane or conjugate slip plane in a single crystal test, depends on the slip system geometry with respect to the loading orientation and the hardening function (self hardening and latent hardening). The transition from coarse slip bands to macroscopic shear bands is simulated and analyzed in detail, showing the importance of non-Schmid effects and the hardening function. Geometric effects, especially non-uniform lattice rotations, play important roles in the formation of both coarse slip bands and macroscopic shear bands. Consistency between the calculations and the theory predictions of the critical conditions of localization in Part I of this series (Dao and Asaro, 1996) as well as the existing experimental evidences are found.
Reaction of Triethylaluminum with Bis(Diphenylphosphinoyl)Methane. Synthesis and Molecular Structure of [Al(C2H5)][(Ph2P(O))2C]2[Al(C2H5)2]2

Abstract Reaction of triethylaluminum with bis(diphenylphosphinoyl)methane in toluene/heptane affords the crystalline condensation product [Al(C2H5)][(Ph2P(O))2C]2[Al(C2H5)2]2. The title compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with unit cell parameters a = 26.157(9), b= 10.261(3), c = 24.607(9) A, β = 120.48(2)[ddot], V = 5691.65 A3 and ρ = 1.23 g cm−3 for Z = 4. Full-matrix least-squares refinement based on 2778 observed reflections converged at R = 0.051, R w = 0.068. During the course of the reaction both of the central methylene C-H bonds of each ligand were cleaved, along with four Al-Et bonds, thereby eliminating four units of ethane, and resulting in a five-coordinate aluminum atom residing in a trigonal bipyramidal environment at the core of the molecule.
Reactions of phenyl radicals with ethene, ethyne, and benzene

In a low pressure flow reactor, rates for the displacement of H atoms from unsaturated molecules by phenyl radicals have been measured relative to phenyl radical recombination. Assuming a rate constant for the latter process of 109.5 M−1 s−1, the rate constants at 1030 K for displacement reaction from ethyne, ethene, and benzene are: P h * + C 2 H 4 = P h C 2 H 3 + H k = 1.2 × 10 8 M − 1 s − 1 P h * + C 2 H 2 = P h C 2 H + H k = 1.6 × 10 8 M − 1 s − 1 P h * + P h H = P h − P h + H k = 3.0 × 10 7 M − 1 s − 1 The role of the reversibility of the formation of the initial radical-molecule complex is investigated by determining D-displacement rates for deuterated ethyne and benzene. Reversibility is important in the latter case, but not in the former.
7143 Gastrointestinal manifestations in patients with classical and hypermobile ehlers-danlos syndrome.

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a heterogeneous group of inheritable connective tissue disorders. Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations including giant epiphrenic diverticula, mega-esophagus, GI bleeding and spontaneous bowel perforation have been reported without specification of EDS type. There has been minimal systematic evaluation of GI symptomatology in patients with EDS, and no evaluation of GI symptomatology specifically in the subgroup with classical or hypermobile EDS. Aim: To prospectively evaluate GI symptoms of patients with classical or hypermobile EDS referred to the GI service at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Methods: Overall, 23 patients with classical or hypermobile EDS from NIH EDS protocol were evaluated by the GI service between July 1998 and December 1999. Endoscopic evaluation was performed in consenting patients. Ten patients underwent EGD, 7 underwent colonoscopy, and 3 underwent catheter ultrasound (CUS) during endoscopy.Wall thickness of both bowel and descending aorta was assessed by CUS. GI symtomatology are as follows: (see table.)Results: Of patients undergoing EGD, 3 had a hiatal hernia (30%), 1 had antral erosions, and 2 had esophageal inflammation. On colonoscopy, 3 (43%) were reported to have a redundant colon, 1 had colonic inflammation, and 1 had submucosal vascular inflammation. Average wall thickness at CUS (total thickness/ muscularis propria in mm) was as follows: esophagus (2.9/2.2), gastric antrum (3.6), duodenum (2.1/1.1), descending colon (2.9/1.5), sigmoid (2.7/1.2), rectum (2.9/1.0). The average size of the descending aorta in the thorax at CUS was 18mm (largest one was 24 mm), and its average size in the abdomen was 12.8mm. Conclusion: Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in patients with classical or hypermobile EDS. The most common symptoms are probably related to GERD or IBS. Mucosal findings occur in this symptomatic population but are not frequent. Hiatal hernias, redundant colon, and thickening of the intestinal wall (especially the muscularis propria) may occur. This study is ongoing.
Preservation of inorganic arsenic species in groundwater.

The objective of this research was to develop a robust preservation method for stabilizing inorganic As(III/V) species in synthetic and actual groundwaters. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), H2SO4, H3PO4, and EDTA−acetic acid (HAc) were evaluated in synthetic groundwater containing 3 mg/L Fe(II) in the pH range 6.5−8.4 and Eh range −100 to +200 mV at room temperature. In the absence of strong UV light, only EDTA−HAc was found to be an effective preservative under all the experimental conditions tested. A total of 89 samples (including 16 samples in triplicate) from 55 drinking water wells in Minnesota, California, and North Dakota were preserved with a combination of EDTA−HAc and speciated to evaluate its effectiveness for preserving inorganic arsenic species in actual groundwater samples. The preserved and field-speciated samples were repeatedly speciated and analyzed in the laboratory for up to 85 days after collection. Field-speciated As(III) concentrations were compared with the As(III) concentr...
The Effect of Air on Human Corneal Endothelium

We evaluated the effect of air on human corneal endothelium by allowing the anterior chamber to fill completely with air during cataract extraction in 16 patients. These patients had an average loss of endothelial cells of 18.5% a control group of ten patients had an 8.5% loss. In three patients, there was a "peau d'orange" endothelium postoperatively. This disappeared with resorption of the air bubble.
Pyruvate kinase and creatine phosphokinase during development of the chicken with muscular dystrophy.

Abstract Pyruvate kinase and creatine phosphokinase activities in breast muscle extracts and in serum, and protein content of the muscle extracts were determined during the first eight weeks of development of control and dystrophic chickens. In the dystrophic chicken serum enzyme levels were significantly greater than, and muscle protein content and enzyme activities on a gram wet weight basis were significantly less than control values, by the second week after hatching and thereafter. For both muscle and serum the relative differences between control and dystrophic groups was greater for pyruvate kinase than crearine phosphokinase. On a specific activity basis only pyruvate kinase levels in dystrophic muscle were significantly less than control values in 2–8-week-old chickens.
Direct observations of growth of magnetization in excitation of triplet states

Abstract The time derivative of magnetization subsequent to excitation of triplets is osbserved through the electromotive force generated in a coil surrounding the sample and coaxial with the external magnetic field.
Divergences in American psychiatry during the Depression: somatic psychiatry, community mental hygiene, and social reconstruction.

The differences between somatic psychiatrists and mental hygienists, already apparent earlier, became much more pronounced during the Depression years, partly as a consequence of their different perspectives on this social crisis. Somatic psychiatrists, emboldened by the apparent success of new medical treatment methods, reasserted the central position of the mental hospital within psychiatry, attempted to improve the discipline's position within medicine, and promoted basic research. Mental hygienists, following the ideal of prevention, proposed far-reaching programs of community mental hygiene to alleviate widespread mental distress. A small group of mental hygienists embraced socialism and advocated measures of radical social reconstruction.
The energy density and pressure in SU(3) lattice gauge theory at finite temperature

Extensive numerical simulations of SU(3) lattice gauge theory on such thermodynamical observables as energy density, pressre and the quantity Δ=(ϵ−3P)T4 have been performed on the Columbia supercomputers While drawing the complete pictures of these quantities in a wider range of couplings, particular attention has been devoted to studying their behavior near the phase transition point on lattices 163 × Nt and 243 × Nt (Nt=4,6) with very high statistics.
The electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram in tricuspid atresia. Correlation with pathologic anatomy

Abstract The electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic findings of 29 patients with tricuspid atresia were related to the coexistent cardiac abnormalities and the status of pulmonary blood flow. Certain electrovectorcardiographic features were found to permit distinction between those patients with tricuspid atresia who had diminished pulmonary blood flow and those who had increased flow. Lead V6 of patients with tricuspid atresia, subpulmonary stenosis and diminished pulmonary blood flow generally revealed shallow Q waves and small R waves. The vectorcardiograms of these patients revealed narrow QRS vector loops in each plane and were posteriorly related. Among the patients with tricuspid atresia without subpulmonary stenosis or with coexistent transposition of the great vessels, tall R waves, frequently in association with deep Q waves, were present in lead V6. Likewise, the QRS vector loops in each plane encompassed a large area. Most patients had left axis deviation, as anticipated. A normal axis, when present, was usually related to coexistent transposition of the great vessels. The patients with subpulmonary stenosis had right atrial enlargement in infancy but left atrial enlargement when older; those without pulmonary stenosis frequently had left or combined atrial enlargement even in infancy. The origin of the left axis deviation in these patients is uncertain. Histologic studies of the myocardium failed to reveal abnormalities that might explain the alteration.
Viscosities of concentrated polyvinyl acetate solutions in various solvents

Abstract Viscosity measurements are reported on concentrated solutions of polyvinyl acetate in 1,2,3-trichloropropane, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, and diisopropyl ketone. The logarithm of the viscosity is not a linear function of the square root of either the weight or the volume concentration, although the deviation from linearity is not great for either. When the viscosities are compared directly at equal weight concentrations, the dependence on solvent is enormous; when the relative viscosities are compared at equal volume concentrations, the dependence on solvent is slight. The logarithm of the viscosity is a linear function of the reciprocal absolute temperature within a limited temperature range; the calculated heat of activation increases approximately linearly with concentration and it increases slightly with molecular weight. The derivative of the logarithm of the viscosity with respect to the square root of the volume concentration is of the order of 10 (g./cc.)−2 and does not vary much for a number of polymer-solvent pairs reported in the literature. It appears to depend primarily on the chain length rather than on the chemical nature of either polymer or solvent.
Age-related GABAA receptor changes in rat auditory cortex

Auditory cortex (AI) shows age-related decreases in pre-synaptic markers for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and degraded AI neuronal response properties. Previous studies find age-related increases in spontaneous and driven activity, decreased spectral and directional sensitivity, and impaired novelty detection. The present study examined expression of GABA(A) receptor (GABA(A)R) subunit message, protein, and quantitative GABA(A)R binding in young, middle-aged, and aged rat AI, with comparisons with adjoining parietal cortex. Significant loss of GABA(A)R α(1) subunit message across AI layers was observed in middle-aged and aged rats and α(1) subunit protein levels declined in layers II and III. Age-related increases in GABA(A)R α(3) subunit message and protein levels were observed in certain AI layers. GABA(A)R subunits, including β(1), β(2), γ(1), γ(2s), and γ(2L), primarily, but not exclusively, showed age-related declines at the message and protein levels. The ability of GABA to modulate [(3)H]t-butylbicycloorthobenzoate binding in the chloride channel showed age-related decreases in peak binding and changes in desensitization kinetics. Collectively, age-related changes in GABA(A)R subunit composition would alter the magnitude and temporal properties of inhibitory synaptic transmission and could underpin observed age-related functional changes seen in the elderly.
Halothane, an inhalational anesthetic agent, increases folding stability of serum albumin.

Abstract Inhalational anesthetic agents are known to alter protein function, but the nature of the interactions underlying these effects remains poorly understood. We have used differential scanning calorimetry to study the effects of the anesthetic agent halothane on the thermally induced unfolding transition of bovine serum albumin. We find that halothane (0.6–10 mM) stabilizes the folded state of this protein, increasing its transition midpoint temperature from 62 to 71°C. Binding of halothane to the native state of serum albumin thus outweighs any non-specific interactions between the thermally unfolded state of serum albumin and halothane in this concentration range. Based on the average enthalpy change Δ H for unfolding of 170 kcal/mol, the increase from 62 to 71°C corresponds to an additional Gibbs energy of stabilization (ΔΔ G ) due to halothane of more than 4 kcal/mol. Analysis of the dependence of ΔΔ G on halothane concentration shows that thermal unfolding of a bovine serum albumin molecule is linked to the dissociation of about one halothane molecule at lower halothane concentrations and about six at higher halothane concentrations. Serum albumin is the first protein that has been shown to be stabilized by an inhalational anesthetic.
Time-dependent codeine hypoalgesia and hyperalgesia in domestic fowl.

Abstract Recent research demonstrated that codeine produced hypoalgesia and morphine produced hyperalgesia against a noxious thermal stimulus in young domestic fowl. The bidirectional effects of these opiate agonists on nociception are inconsistent with the notion that codeine's algesic effects result through in vivo demethylation of codeine to yield morphine. In Experiment 1, the temporal pattern (15,30,60 and 120 min) of codeine (30 mg/kg) effects on thermal nociception and respiration were examined in 15-day-old cockerels. Codeine produced a time-dependent biphasic response: hypoalgesia at 15 min and hyperalgesia at 60 and 120 min. Respiration was depressed by codeine at all test intervals. To assess for opioid specificity, Experiment 2 examined the action of naloxone (5 mg/kg) on the temporal pattern (15 and 60 min) of codeine effects (30 mg/kg) on thermal nociception and respiration. Bidirectional codeine algesic effects were observed at the 15- and 60-min test intervals. Naloxone increased the codeine jump latency scores at the 15-min interval and decreased codeine jump latency scores at the 60-min interval. These suggest that codeine engages opposed nonopioid-mediated hypoalgesic and opioid-mediated hyperalgesic nociceptive systems in this animal model. Codeine depressed respiration at both the 15- and 60-min test intervals and this respiratory depression was reversed by naloxone. These findings support the notion that codeine respiratory effects are mediated by opioid system activity.
Effect of Feeding Thyroactive Iodocasein to Barred Rock Cockerels

Abstract PARKER (1943) fed graded amounts of thyroactive iodocasein to five lots of Rhode Island Red chicks during a period of 12 weeks. At the optimum level a slightly greater rate of growth was observed in comparison to the controls and a rather marked stimulation of feather growth. Irwin, Reineke and Turner (1943) confirmed these results using White Plymouth Rock chicks. The effect of thyroactive iodocasein, hereafter referred to as protamone ** on certain gland and organ weights was also reported. In this experiment it was noted that the carcass of the protamone-fed chicks at 12 weeks contained decidedly less fat than the control chicks, indicating that the growth process was being stimulated at the expense of fat deposition. Further, the feeding of protamone had caused a marked suppression of the thyroid gland weight and probably its function. It seemed of interest to determine the effects on body weight, fattening, and gland . . .
Prevention of Root Caries1

Primary prevention of root caries should focus on preventing periodontitis and the concomitant loss of gingival attachment. This requires a regimen of plaque control consisting of scrupulous oral hygiene, supplemented, if necessary, by antimicrobial agents. Once gingival recession has occurred, available data from human and animal studies indicate that to prevent root caries, patients should limit their dietary sucrose intake both in amount and frequency. The cornerstone of any preventive regimen for patients at high risk for caries is some mode of topical fluoride therapy. No controlled clinical data exist that show one agent (sodium fluoride versus stannous fluoride) or one vehicle (gel versus rinse) as more effective than another. When used daily at home, these topical fluoride agents reduce caries in patients with xerostomia. Some reports claiming efficacy are anecdotal, but ethical considerations preclude the use of an untreated control group. As no studies exist documenting an effect of topical fluoride in controlling root caries per se, current recommendations are based on extrapolation from studies of these xerostomic patients. Limited studies, both in humans and animals, indicate that drinking fluoridated water helps in reducing root caries. Progression of early root caries lesions can be arrested by a combination of mechanical/chemical therapy, recontouring and smoothing the roots, and applying topical fluoride to these surfaces.
Racial differences in orofacial pain

This study investigated racial differences in the subjective report of orofacial pain in a stratified sample of adults dwelling in the community. The subjects were 724 participants in the Florida Dental Care Study, a longitudinal study of oral health among dentate adults aged 45 years and older at baseline. Pain prevalence and subjective ratings were assessed for a range of orofacial pain sites by means of a standardized telephone interview. The results suggest that white respondents were more likely to report painful oral sores than were black respondents (19.0% vs 6.3%). As was consistent with findings from patients seeking health care and laboratory-based experimental pain studies, a higher percentage of black subjects rated pain as severe enough to have an impact on behavior for temperature sensitivity (59.6% vs 30.3%), pain when chewing (70.0% vs 40.0%), and painful oral sores (53.8% vs 27.9%). These racial differences were most apparent within male sex for temperature sensitivity, pain when chewing, and toothache pain, with black men rating pain as more severe than white men. For jaw joint pain and painful oral sores, both black and white women rated pain as more severe than did white men. This study has documented race by sex interactions in the impact from orofacial pain across multiple symptoms in a community-based sample.
Modernizing the systematic review process to inform comparative effectiveness: tools and methods.

Systematic reviews are being increasingly used to inform all levels of healthcare, from bedside decisions to policy-making. Since they are designed to minimize bias and subjectivity, they are a preferred option to assess the comparative effectiveness and safety of healthcare interventions. However, producing systematic reviews and keeping them up-to-date is becoming increasingly onerous for three reasons. First, the body of biomedical literature is expanding exponentially with no indication of slowing down. Second, as systematic reviews gain wide acceptance, they are also being used to address more complex questions (e.g., evaluating the comparative effectiveness of many interventions together rather than focusing only on pairs of interventions). Third, the standards for performing systematic reviews have become substantially more rigorous over time. To address these challenges, we must carefully prioritize the questions that should be addressed by systematic reviews and optimize the processes of research synthesis. In addition to reducing the workload involved in planning and conducting systematic reviews, we also need to make efforts to increase the transparency, reliability and validity of the review process; these aims can be grouped under the umbrella of ‘modernization’ of the systematic review process.
Hepatic vascular tumors

The most common hepatic vascular tumor in the pediatric population is the infantile hepatic hemangioma. Although these lesions have a spectrum of presentations, there are three main subtypes that have been described-focal, multifocal, and diffuse. An algorithm on the workup, treatment, and follow-up of these lesions can be based on this categorization. Recent shifts in the management of hemangiomas with beta-blockers (propranolol) have also influenced the treatment of hepatic hemangiomas. This article reviews the current understanding of hepatic hemangiomas and protocols in the management of these patients.
Developmental anatomy of the fifth shoot-borne root in young sporophytes of Ceratopteris richardii

Young sporophytes of the homosporous fern Ceratopteris richardii produce a single shoot-borne root below each leaf. The developmental anatomy of the fifth sporophyte root is described using scanning electron microscopy and histological techniques. Three merophyte orthostichies in the body of the root originate from three proximal division faces of a tetrahedral root apical cell. Eight or nine divisions occur in a relatively regular sequence within each merophyte and produce a characteristic radial anatomical pattern in the root. The exact number of early divisions within a merophyte depends on the merophyte’s position within the root as a whole. Predictable inter-merophyte differences arise because a 2-fold (diarch) anatomical symmetry that is characteristic of mature roots is superimposed on a 3-fold radial symmetry that originates behind the apical cell. Before early formative divisions within a merophyte are completed, additional proliferative divisions begin to increase the number of cells within previously established tissue zones. The cellular parameters of early fifth root development in C. richardii are relatively invariant, and are reminiscent of patterns previously described for the heterosporous fern Azolla. Young sporophytes of C. richardii provide a useful model to further investigate the genetic regulation of root development in a non-seed plant, where the anatomy of meristem organization differs from that seen in flowering plant species.
Polarized Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Monolayers Have Higher Resistance to Oxidative Stress-Induced Cell Death Than Nonpolarized Cultures

Oxidative stress-mediated injury to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a major factor involved in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived RPE cells are currently being evaluated for their potential for cell therapy in AMD patients through subretinal injection of cells in suspension and subretinal placement as a polarized monolayer. To gain an understanding of how transplanted RPE cells will respond to the highly oxidatively stressed environment of an AMD patient eye, we compared the survival of polarized and nonpolarized RPE cultures following oxidative stress treatment. Polarized, nonpolarized/confluent, nonpolarized/subconfluent hESC-RPE cells were treated with H2O2. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling stains revealed the highest amount of cell death in subconfluent hESC-RPE cells and little cell death in polarized hESC-RPE cells with H2O2 treatment. There were higher levels of proapoptotic factors (phosphorylated p38, phosphorylated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, Bax, and cleaved caspase 3 fragments) in treated nonpolarized RPE—particularly subconfluent cells—relative to polarized cells. On the other hand, polarized RPE cells had constitutively higher levels of cell survival and antiapoptotic signaling factors such as p-Akt and Bcl-2, as well as antioxidants superoxide dismutase 1 and catalase relative to nonpolarized cells, that possibly contributed to polarized cells’ higher tolerance to oxidative stress compared with nonpolarized RPE cells. Subconfluent cells were particularly sensitive to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that implantation of polarized hESC-RPE monolayers for treating AMD patients with geographic atrophy should have better survival than injections of hESC-RPE cells in suspension.
Privacy-preserving genomic computation through program specialization

In this paper, we present a new approach to performing important classes of genomic computations (e.g., search for homologous genes) that makes a significant step towards privacy protection in this domain. Our approach leverages a key property of the human genome, namely that the vast majority of it is shared across humans (and hence public), and consequently relatively little of it is sensitive. Based on this observation, we propose a privacy-protection framework that partitions a genomic computation, distributing the part on sensitive data to the data provider and the part on the pubic data to the user of the data. Such a partition is achieved through program specialization that enables a biocomputing program to perform a concrete execution on public data and a symbolic execution on sensitive data. As a result, the program is simplified into an efficient query program that takes only sensitive genetic data as inputs. We prove the effectiveness of our techniques on a set of dynamic programming algorithms common in genomic computing. We develop a program transformation tool that automatically instruments a legacy program for specialization operations. We also demonstrate that our techniques can greatly facilitate secure multi-party computations on large biocomputing problems.
MCP-1 overexpressed in tuberous sclerosis lesions acts as a paracrine factor for tumor development

Patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) develop hamartomatous tumors showing loss of function of the tumor suppressor TSC1 (hamartin) or TSC2 (tuberin) and increased angiogenesis, fibrosis, and abundant mononuclear phagocytes. To identify soluble factors with potential roles in TSC tumorigenesis, we screened TSC skin tumor-derived cells for altered gene and protein expression. Fibroblast-like cells from 10 angiofibromas and five periungual fibromas produced higher levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA and protein than did fibroblasts from the same patient's normal skin. Conditioned medium from angiofibroma cells stimulated chemotaxis of a human monocytic cell line to a greater extent than conditioned medium from TSC fibroblasts, an effect blocked by neutralizing MCP-1-specific antibody. Overexpression of MCP-1 seems to be caused by loss of tuberin function because Eker rat embryonic fibroblasts null for Tsc2 (EEF Tsc2(-/-)) produced 28 times as much MCP-1 protein as did EEF Tsc2(+/+) cells; transient expression of WT but not mutant human TSC2 by EEF Tsc2(-/-) cells inhibited MCP-1 production; and pharmacological inhibition of the Rheb-mTOR pathway, which is hyperactivated after loss of TSC2, decreased MCP-1 production by EEF Tsc2(-/-) cells. Together these findings suggest that MCP-1 is an important paracrine factor for TSC tumorigenesis and may be a new therapeutic target.
Argon laser treatment of angiokeratomas.

. The argon laser, used in either a pulsed or continuous fashion, is highly effective for treatment of angiokeratomas. Local anesthesia is usually not required. Because energy deposition is well localized, wounds heal rapidly with excellent cosmetic results.