cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RS3PE Presenting in a Unilateral Pattern: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Objectives To review the clinical features and pathophysiologic implications of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS 3 PE) presenting in a unilateral manner. Methods We identified and characterized an index case of RS 3 PE presenting in a unilateral pattern. We subsequently performed a systematic literature search to identify other reports of patients with unilateral RS 3 PE. Results The index case was a 76-year-old male with a prior history of right hemiparesis owing to a cerebrovascular accident 25 years prior, who developed a classic picture of RS 3 PE involving hand (metacarpophalageal and wrist joint) arthritis and dorsal pitting edema, accompanied by an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, but only in the nonhemiparetic hand. The condition responded rapidly to low-dose prednisone. Our literature search identified 5 other cases of unilateral RS 3 PE, including 2 presented only in the Italian or German literature. Of the 5 cases, 2 were in patients with preexisting neurologic disease, in which the neurologically affected side was spared. One additional case initially presented as unilateral disease but rapidly progressed to bilaterality. Two cases presented in a fully unilateral manner despite no reported neurologic abnormalities on the unaffected sides. Conclusions While RS 3 PE is almost always a symmetric disease of the upper extremities, it may rarely present in a unilateral fashion. The apparent ability of neuropathic changes to protect against the expression of RS 3 PE in an extremity suggests a role for neural and possibly other local factors in the genesis/modulation of the onset or maintenance of RS 3 PE.
Role of echocardiography in patients with intravascular hemolysis due to suspected continuous-flow LVAD thrombosis.

Objectives: This study sought to characterize the echocardiographic findings of patients presenting with intravascular hemolysis (IVH) due to suspected continuous-flow left ventricular assist devic...
Bladder Dysfunction in Patients with Diabetes

With diabetes mellitus (DM) reaching epidemic proportions, the identification of voiding dysfunction as a common and burdensome complication of this disease is critical. Research into diabetic voiding dysfunction significantly lags behind other complications of DM, such as retinopathy and nephropathy. Recent studies have revealed that DM predisposes patients to a wide range of lower urinary tract dysfunction, from the classic diabetic cystopathy of incomplete emptying to urgency incontinence. In this review, we discuss the current concepts of diabetic voiding dysfunction with a critical analysis of the available evidence.
LYMPHOCYTE STIMULATION BY HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS (HSV) ANTIGENS IN HSV-1 OR HSV-2 INFECTED NEWBORNS AND CHILDREN

LYMPHOCYTE STIMULATION BY HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS (HSV) ANTIGENS IN HSV-1 OR HSV-2 INFECTED NEWBORNS AND CHILDREN
Spinal accessory neuropathy after deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

We report a man with Parkinson’s disease who developed right spinal accessory neuropathy after right subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulator and infraclavicular pulse generator implantation. He comp
Field response of the Glycine-Bradyrhizobium symbiosis to modified early-nodule occupancy

Abstract A 2 yr field study was conducted to monitor the response of the Glycine-Bradyrhizobium symbiosis to high initial levels of nodulation by selected strains of B. japonicum when grown in soil containing indigenous soybean bradyrhizobia. Nodulated soybean seedlings were prepared under greenhouse conditions and transplanted to 15 N-amended field microplots when ca 23 days old. The population of indigenous bradyrhizobia at the study site was ca 7 × 10 5 g −1 soil. Inoculation treatments included strains USDA 122 (a superior N 2 fixer), USDA 94 (a strong rhizobitoxine producer), and a soil suspension containing a mixture of strains indigenous to the study site. Occupancy of root nodules was monitored serologically with an ELISA and morphologically by colony type on yeast extract-mannitol agar. The frequencies of serogroups 122 and 94 in early-formed (tap root) nodules of plants receiving USDA 122 and 94 as inocula dropped from 99.5 and 94.5% during vegetative growth to 55.0 and 28.5% during seedfill, respectively. The incidence of B. japonicum DNA homology Group II increased during host development for those plants initially treated with the soil suspension. Relative to the soil control treatment, inoculation with USDA 122 significantly increased soybean seed yield by 32%, N 2 fixation by 29% and total shoot N content by 30%. Conversely, USDA 94 decreased the magnitude of these variables by 39, 44 and 42%, respectively. These results demonstrate that the successful introduction of contrasting strains of B. japonicum into early-formed nodules can modify soybean productivity despite subsequent nodulation by indigenous soybean bradyrhizobia.
Recent trials in hypertension: compelling science or commercial speech?

95% CI, 0.44-0.76), and total mortality (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.81-0.99). Compared with placebo, -blockers— primarily atenolol, which had been used in many of the trials—wereassociatedwithreducedrisksofstroke(RR,0.71; 95%CI,0.59-0.86)andheartfailure(RR,0.58;95%CI,0.400.84) but not of coronary heart disease (RR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.80-1.09) or total mortality (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.841.07). 4 The results of recent meta-analyses by Carlberg et al 5 andLindholmetal 6 haveconfirmedthese-blockerfindings, although heart failure was omitted as an outcome of interest. 6 The importance of -blocker therapy in patients with heart failure was also clearly defined in the 1990s. 7 For -blocker therapy, an unanticipated finding was the disparity between its clear mortality benefit in the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease regardless of hypertension status 8 and its apparent inability to prevent coronaryheartdiseaseinthetreatmentofpatientswithhigh blood pressure. In the meta-analyses of placebo-controlled trials in hypertension, 4-6 the reductions in coronary heart disease risk associated with -blockers have been modest, with 95% CIs that include 1.0. Severalexplanationsarepossible.Inlow-riskasymptomatic populations receiving -blockers for hypertension, a withdrawal syndrome precipitating coronary syndromes in
It Is Tough to Be the Second Toughest Guy in a Tough Town: Ask the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

The eternal conflict between justice and violence is the theme of director John Ford's last great film, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. In the world of the American West where Ford's story is set, justice does not just happen; it is a work of manly courage that encompasses a willingness—in extreme cases—to kill those men, such as Liberty Valance, who challenge law and order. Justice will require, as Plato said, a rightly ordered soul, but it will be a soul that must do violence to realize justice in a world that too often resembles a Hobbesian state of nature. In Ford's view, the truth of these violent origins of justice are more likely to be obscured than illuminated by the civilized historian's account of this truth. And we do violence not merely to justice but also to truth itself if we fail to respect the hard reality that civilization requires such measures.
Modelling a disc I/O system a queue network approach

Abstract The object of study is the modelling of a particular disc I/O system. A simple model in the form of an open queue network with blocking has been developed. All service times as well as inter-arrival times are assumed exponentially distributed. The model is in general applicable to disc I/O systems which have low disc utilization. It is a useful model for future disc I/O configuration development.
Three-dimensional echocardiography: limitations of apical biplane imaging for measurement of left ventricular volume.

A new three-dimensional echocardiographic system creates a "line of intersection" display to allow precise and known positioning of echocardiographic images. Our purpose was to determine whether use of the line-of-intersection display will improve positioning of the apical four-chamber and apical two-chamber views and thereby improve the agreement between estimates of left ventricular volume by apical biplane echocardiography and cineventriculography. Unguided and line of intersection-guided apical biplane views were obtained in 31 patients immediately before cardiac catheterization and single-plane cineventriculography. In 15 patients the line-of-intersection display was used to measure the position of the image plane in studies of unguided and guided methods. Linear regression and limits of agreement analysis were used to assess the agreement between cineventriculographic volumes and echocardiographic volumes determined from each set of images. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare guided and unguided image positioning. The line-of-intersection display improved four-chamber and two-chamber view positioning closer to the center of the ventricle and rotation closer to orthogonal positioning. Guided-image positioning was not able to correct displacement of the ultrasound beam anterior to the ventricular apex without deterioration of image quality in most patients. Despite improvements in image plane positioning, the agreement between echocardiographic and cineventriculographic volumes was unchanged. For end-diastole views, the unguided images had an r value=0.84, standard error of the estimate of ±23.0 cc, and limits of agreement of ±62.4 cc. Corresponding values for the guided images at end diastole were r =0.85, standard error of the estimate of ±22.9 cc, and limits of agreement of ±60.8 cc. At end systole the unguided results were r =0.94, standard error of the estimate of 14.5 cc, limits of agreement of ±49.0 cc, and the guided results were r =0.94, standard error of the estimate of 16.8 cc, and limits of agreement of ±52.2 cc. The line-of-intersection guiding of image plane positioning can improve apical image positioning but does not improve the agreement between apical biplane echocardiographic and cineventriculographic left ventricular volumes. The optimal apical imaging window is frequently occluded by the rib cage, resulting in a decrease in image quality. This reduction of image quality, combined with assumptions of left ventricular geometry, limit the accuracy of estimates of left ventricular volume from apical biplane echocardiography.
Trace contamination of anesthetic gases: a brief review.

Data have been reported to indicate that dentists exposed to trace amounts of anesthetic gases may be subject to various health risks, but epidemiologic studies have not dealt with specific exposure to nitrous oxide. The literature relating to exposure to anesthetic gases in general is briefly reviewed. Data have been reviewed relevant to the effects of chronic exposure to trace quantities of inhalation anesthetic agents. Much circumstantial evidence exists indicating a probable hazard to the clinician administering these agents. However, all previous studies in man have not identified the potential hazard of nitrous oxide without the presence of other contaminating agents.
Adenine riboswitches and gene activation by disruption of a transcription terminator.

A class of riboswitches that recognizes guanine and discriminates against other purine analogs was recently identified. RNAs that carry the consensus sequence and structural features of guanine riboswitches are located in the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of numerous prokaryotic genes, where they control the expression of proteins involved in purine salvage and biosynthesis. We report that three representatives of this riboswitch class bind adenine with values for apparent dissociation constant (apparent Kd) that are several orders of magnitude lower than those for binding guanine. Because preference for adenine is attributable to a single nucleotide substitution, the RNA most likely recognizes its ligand by forming a Watson-Crick base pair. In addition, the adenine riboswitch associated with the ydhL gene of Bacillus subtilis functions as a genetic 'on' switch, wherein adenine binding causes a structural rearrangement that precludes formation of an intrinsic transcription terminator stem.
A Method for Predicting System Downtime

A system whose components, upon failure, are repaired or replaced is considered. Only two system states, the ``operating'' state and the ``failed'' state, are distinguished. The system is by defined a reliability network and by the failure rate and repair rate of each component. The time to failure and the time to repair of the components are assumed to be exponentially distributed. A criterion of system worth is the random variable ``downtime,'' denoted by D(t), which is defined as the time the system is down during the time interval (0, t). The following questions are answered: 1) What is the distribution function of D(t)? 2) What are the mean and the variance of D(t)? 3) What is the asymptotic behavior of D(t) for large values of t? 4) How can one make approximate probability statements about D(t)? It is shown that the beta distribution is a suitable approximation for the conditional distribution of D(t)/t, given that at least one failure has occurred, and that for t greater than 20 mean failure times the distribution of D(t) is practically normal.
Anandamides inhibit binding to the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor.

Loss of memory and cholinergic transmission are associated with both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and marijuana use. The human brain muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR), which is involved in memory function and is inhibited by arachidonic acid, is also inhibited by anandamides. Two agonists of the cannabinoid receptor derived from arachidonic acid, anandamide (AEA) and R-methanandamide, inhibit ligand binding to the mAChR. Binding of the mAChR antagonist [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) is inhibited up to 89% by AEA (half-maximal inhibition at 50 µM). Binding of the more polar antagonist [N-methyl-3H] scopolamine ([3H]NMS) is inhibited by AEA up to 76% (half-maximal inhibition at 44 µM). R-methanandamide inhibits more than 90% of both [3H]QNB binding (I50=34 µM) and [3H]NMS binding (I50=15 µM) to the mAChR. Both AEA and R-methanandamide stimulate mAChR binding of the agonist [3H]oxotremorine-M at low concentrations (25–75 µM), but significantly inhibit agonist binding at higher concentrations (I50=150 µM). The cannabinoid antagonist SR141716A did not alter AEA or R-methanandamide inhibition of [3H]NMS binding to the mAChR, even at concentrations as high as 1 µM. Further, the cannabinoid agonist WIN 55212-2 does not alter antagonist binding to the mAChR. This demonstrates that mAChR inhibition by the anandamides is not mediated by the cannabinoid receptor. Since AEA and R-methanandamide are structurally similar to arachidonic acid, they may interact with the mAChR in a similar manner to inhibit receptor function.
Bryostatin/ionomycin-activated T cells mediate regression of established tumors.

Abstract We have shown that adoptive transfer of tumor-sensitized lymphocytes activated in vitro with bryostatin-1 and ionomycin (B/I), and expanded in culture, can induce regression of small established tumors. We set out to determine whether similar treatment would be effective against larger tumors and what cells mediate this effect. We also attempted to shorten the ex vivo culture period with the ultimate aim of developing a more clinically useful protocol. BALB/c mice were injected in one footpad with IL-2-transfected 4T07 mammary tumor cells. Ten days later, popliteal draining lymph nodes (DLN) were harvested and activated with B/I for 18 h. Mice with either 3-day or 10-day 4T07 flank tumors were treated with cyclophosphamide (100 mg/ kg ip, CYP) alone or CYP followed the next day by infusion of either B/I-activated lymphocytes transferred immediately or activated cells that had been expanded in vitro for 3 or 10 days. In some experiments, mice were also treated with rat anti-mouse CD4 monoclonal antibody (GK1.5) or anti-CD8 antibody (2.43). All mice receiving CYP alone or CYP + sensitized, nonactivated DLN cells demonstrated progressive tumor growth. One hundred percent (6/6) of mice treated with CYP + AIT with B/I-activated,10-day expanded cells had complete regression of 3-day flank tumors. Treatment with activated, nonexpanded cells, induced tumor regression in a majority of mice, but was not as reliable as AIT with expanded cells. We developed a protocol with a shortened expansion period (3-day) that was efficacious for treatment of 4T07 when adoptively transferred to either 3 or 10 day tumor-bearing mice. In vivo depletion of CD4+ cells had no effect on regression of 3-day tumors, but treatment with anti-CD8 antibody abrogated the effect of immunotherapy. Adoptive transfer of B/I-activated cells, with or without long-term expansion, induced regression of early and late stage 4T07 tumors and is dependent on CD8+ but not CD4+ T cells.
Browser-independent accessible math

MathPlayer has been re-architected so that any assistive technology (AT) can use it to read math in any browser or other application. This new version enhances many of MathPlayer's existing features and adds unique navigation capabilities and braille math code support.
Existence of Staff Barriers to Partner Violence Screening and Screening Practices in Military Prenatal Settings

Objective: To identify, from a provider's perspective, the existence of staff barriers and the frequency of partner violence screening. Design: Quantitative descriptive design. Setting: Data were collected at two United States Army Community Hospitals. Participants: Department of Defense physicians and family nurse practitioners that provide prenatal care completed a 26-item questionnaire. Results: Military health care providers are aware of partner violence screening barriers, with the biggest perceived barriers being lack of time (80%) and lack of education (72%). Screening practices exceeded research expectation, with 93% of the providers performing partner violence screening. Seventy-four percent of participants had received partner violence education and training, with 1 2% having received greater than 5 hours of training. Conclusion: Perceived barriers to partner violence screening do exist in military prenatal settings but do not significantly affect screening practices. Most providers are screening prenatal patients for partner violence and are aware of resources available to assist victims of partner violence.
Flexible electrochromic devices based on crystalline WO3 nanostructures produced with hot-wire chemical vapor deposition

article i nfo Crystalline WO3 nanoparticles are employed in the development of flexible electrochromic (EC) devices. The nanoparticles are synthesized at high-density with a hot-wire chemical vapor deposition process where the hot filament provides the source of the tungsten metal. Polyethylene terephthalate coated with indium tin oxide is employed as a transparent flexible substrate. A simple electrophoresis technique is employed to deposit the WO3 nanoparticles on the polymer, resulting in a uniform thin film. The EC performance is optimized for WO3 particles that were baked at ~300 °C for 2 h prior to electrode fabrication. The transmittance is modulated between ~94% and ~28% without degradation for 100 cycles.
Phase-sensitive amplification in optical fibers

We describe the progress in fiber-based phase-sensitive parametric amplifiers in both frequency-degenerate and frequency-nondegenerate configurations. We discuss their applications for phase regeneration, as well as for lumped and distributed noiseless amplification.
Fully automatic calibration of LIDAR and video streams from a vehicle

This work describes a fully automatic technique to calibrate a geometric mapping between lidar and video feeds on a mobile ground-based platform. This data association is a crucial first step for any multi-modal scene understanding system which aims to leverage the complementary information of the two sensors. While several systems have been previously described which use hand-calibration or specific scenery to achieve this goal, the system described here is fully automatic and generates an accurate association without user intervention or calibration objects. The estimated parameters include the 7 classical camera parameters for a linear pinhole model, i.e., rotation, position, and focal length parameters, as well as an estimation of the radial distortion. The system uses a multi stage process to bootstrap difficult parameters based on robust estimates of easier ones. The calibration algorithm is tested empirically using free online data supplied as part of the DARPA Urban Challenge autonomous vehicle competition [14]. Experiments are performed to illustrate the stability, and computation cost of the algorithm.
WebinSitu: a comparative analysis of blind and sighted browsing behavior

Web browsing is inefficient for blind web users because of persistent accessibility problems, but the extent of these problems and their practical effects from the perspective of the user has not been sufficiently examined. We conducted a study in situ to investigate the accessibility of the web as experienced by web users. This remote study used an advanced web proxy that leverages AJAX technology to record both the pages viewed and the actions taken by users on the web pages that they visited. Our study was conducted remotely over the period of one week, and our participants used the assistive technology and software to which they were already accustomed and had already configured according to preference. These advantages allowed us to aggregate observations of many users and to explore the practical effects on and coping strategies employed by our blind participants. Our study reflects web accessibility from the perspective of web users and describes quantitative differences in the browsing behavior of blind and sighted web users.
Abundance of Native and Non-Native Lady Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Different Habitats in Maine

Several studies suggest the possibility that non-native lady beetles may have replaced native lady beetles in some agricultural habitats. There is relatively little information, however, about lady beetle species composition outside of agricultural habitats. Evans (2004) suggested that native species have retreated to nonagricultural habitats in response to the arrival of non-native lady beetles (habitat compression hypothesis). To test this hypothesis, a survey of lady beetles was conducted in 2004 and 2005 in different habitats in Maine. From May to October, lady beetles were sampled in a variety of agricultural and nonagricultural habitats. In total, 3,487 and 2,903 lady beetles were collected in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Non-native lady beetles were found in a variety of habitats, including the habitats that would have likely served as a refuge for native species if the habitat compression hypothesis applied to the surveyed areas. Native species were found in a higher proportion in agricultural habitats compared with nonagricultural habitats and in very low numbers in all of the habitats surveyed. Hippodamia tredecimpunctata tibialis (Say) and Coccinella transversoguttata Brown, the two native species that were once dominant here, made up only 1.09 and 0.07% of the total lady beetles collected, respectively. In this survey, we failed to detect evidence that native lady beetles have retreated to nonagricultural habitats in response to the arrival of non-native lady beetles.
ERECT WING, the Drosophila member of a family of DNA binding proteins is required in imaginal myoblasts for flight muscle development

The erect wing locus of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster encodes a protein, EWG, that shares extensive homology with the P3A2 DNA binding protein of sea urchin and a recently identified mammalian transcription factor. Loss-of-function erect wing alleles result in embryonic lethality. Viable alleles of erect wing cause severe abnormalities of the indirect flight muscles. We have analyzed the spatial pattern of erect wing expression in the developing indirect flight muscles during postembryonic development. EWG is detected, 10 hours after puparium formation, in myoblasts that will form the indirect flight muscles. The early events of muscle development are normal in ewg mutants. However, a few hours after the onset of erect wing expression in myoblasts, defects are seen in the developing indirect flight muscles which subsequently degenerate. We present results that show that the normal development of the indirect flight muscles requires erect wing expression in the progenitor myoblasts themselves. Finally, we examine the role of target muscles in the arborization of motor axons by studying the developing innervation to the flight muscle in erect wing mutants. Our study demonstrates, for the first time, a role for a regulatory gene expressed in imaginal myoblasts in Drosophila.
Two-photon double ionization of the hydrogen molecule

Cross sections for the removal of both electrons of the hydrogen molecule by two photons are presented at 30 eV photon energy using the time-dependent close-coupling method. Our approach allows detailed information about the dynamics of the ionization process to be extracted, including angular distributions for the outgoing electrons. Analysis of our calculations reveals some similarities to the analogous process of two-photon double ionization of helium, but also uncovers some purely molecular effects. For example, we find that the differential cross sections vary with the kinetic energy released to the outgoing protons if the molecule is parallel to the polarization direction, but do not vary if the molecule is perpendicular to the polarization direction.
Measuring the nutritional status of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis using the bioelectrical impedance method

Objective. To assess the nutritional status of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) using anthropometric measurements and bioelectrical impedance. Methods. Twenty-two consecutive JIA patients (seven pauciarticular, 15 polyarticular) attending the rheumatology clinic at Booth Hall Children’s Hospital were compared with 22 age- and sex-matched controls attending the accident and emergency department of the same hospital. There were no patients with systemic-onset JIA in the cohort. Height, weight, head circumference and skinfold thickness at four sites (biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac) were measured. Regression equations were used to calculate body fat as a percentage of weight, and arm muscle circumference. In addition, bioelectrical impedance measurements were made using a Holtain body composition analyser. These measurements were then used to calculate the total body water, which could be used as an indirect estimate of the lean body mass. Results. Of the JIA patients, 22.7% were below the third centile for height, 18.1% had a weight less than the third centile. Mid-arm circumference was below the fifth centile in 36.4% of the patients. Patients with polyarticular disease showed significantly more signs of malnutrition than patients with pauciarticular disease. In the polyarticular group, comparison with controls revealed significant P values for reduction in height (0.047), weight (0.045), mid-arm circumference (0.002), arm muscle circumference (0.012), percentage body fat (0.008) and total body water (0.031). Conclusions. In view of the findings of lower total body water, indicating lower lean mass, in more nutritionally deprived JIA patients (as deduced by the other physical parameters measured), we conclude that bioelectrical impedance is a useful adjunct to anthropometric measures in assessing nutritional status in JIA.
Modeling and optimization of via formation in dielectrics by laser ablation using neural networks and genetic algorithms

Laser ablation is an effective process for forming vias in dielectric layers during the fabrication of multilayer substrates in microsystems packaging. In this paper, vias with diameters of 10-50 /spl mu/m are ablated in DuPont Kapton E polyimide using an Anvik HexScan 2150 SXE excimer laser operating at 308 nm. A statistical experiment employing a 2/sup 5-1/ fractional factorial design is conducted to determine the significance of laser fluence, shot frequency, number of pulses, and the vertical and horizontal positions of the debris removal system on the ablated thickness of the dielectric, top via diameter, via wall angle, and via resistance. Resistance measurements on metal deposited in ablated vias are performed to characterize via quality. Neural networks (NNs) are trained using the error back-propagation algorithm to model the ablation process using the measurement data collected from the experiment. Genetic algorithms are then utilized in conjunction with the NN models to derive optimized process recipes for achieving target responses. The recipes identified are subsequently verified by experiment. These optimized recipes are found to improve ablation results by as much as 40% for the ablated film thickness, 30% for via diameter, 9% for via wall angle, and more than 100% for via resistance.
Surprising Differences in the Variability of Y Chromosomes in African and Cosmopolitan Populations of Drosophila melanogaster

The nonrecombining Drosophila melanogaster Y chromosome is heterochromatic and has few genes. Despite these limitations, there remains ample opportunity for natural selection to act on the genes that are vital for male fertility and on Y factors that modulate gene expression elsewhere in the genome. Y chromosomes of many organisms have low levels of nucleotide variability, but a formal survey of D. melanogaster Y chromosome variation had yet to be performed. Here we surveyed Y-linked variation in six populations of D. melanogaster spread across the globe. We find surprisingly low levels of variability in African relative to Cosmopolitan (i.e., non-African) populations. While the low levels of Cosmopolitan Y chromosome polymorphism can be explained by the demographic histories of these populations, the staggeringly low polymorphism of African Y chromosomes cannot be explained by demographic history. An explanation that is entirely consistent with the data is that the Y chromosomes of Zimbabwe and Uganda populations have experienced recent selective sweeps. Interestingly, the Zimbabwe and Uganda Y chromosomes differ: in Zimbabwe, a European Y chromosome appears to have swept through the population.
Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β Regulates Growth, Calcium Homeostasis, and Diastolic Function in the Heart

Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3beta is a negative regulator of stress-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. It is not clear, however, if GSK-3beta plays any role in regulating normal cardiac growth and cardiac function. Herein we report that a transgenic mouse expressing wild type GSK-3beta in the heart has a dramatic impairment of normal post-natal cardiomyocyte growth as well as markedly abnormal cardiac contractile function. The most striking phenotype, however, is grossly impaired diastolic relaxation, which leads to increased filling pressures of the left ventricle and massive atrial enlargement. This is due to profoundly abnormal calcium handling, leading to an inability to normalize cytosolic [Ca2+] in diastole. The alterations in calcium handling are due at least in part to direct down-regulation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA2a) by GSK-3beta, acting at the level of the SERCA2 promoter. These studies identify GSK-3beta as a regulator of normal growth of the heart and are the first of which we are aware, to demonstrate regulation of expression of SERCA2a, a critical determinant of diastolic function, by a cytosolic signaling pathway, the activity of which is dynamically modulated. De-regulation of GSK-3beta leads to severe systolic and diastolic dysfunction and progressive heart failure. Because down-regulation of SERCA2a plays a central role in the diastolic and systolic dysfunction of patients with heart failure, these findings have potential implications for the therapy of this disorder.
Method for whole mount antibody staining in chick.

The chick embryo is a valuable tool in the study of early embryonic development. Its transparency, accessibility and ease of manipulation, make it an ideal tool for studying antibody expression in developing brain, neural tube and somite. This video demonstrates the different steps in whole-mount antibody staining using HRP conjugated secondary antibodies; First, the embryo is dissected from the egg and fixed in paraformaldehyde. Second, endogenous peroxidase is inactivated; The embryo is then exposed to primary antibody. After several washes, the embryo is incubated with secondary antibody conjugated to HRP. Peroxidase activity is revealed using reaction with diaminobenzidine substrate. Finally, the embryo is fixed and processed for photography and sectioning. The advantage of this method over the use of fluorescent antibodies is that embryos can be processed for wax sectioning, thus enabling the study of antigen sites in cross section. This method was originally introduced by Jane Dodd and Tom Jessell 1.
Gradient modeling of conifer species using random forests

Landscape ecology often adopts a patch mosaic model of ecological patterns. However, many ecological attributes are inherently continuous and classification of species composition into vegetation communities and discrete patches provides an overly simplistic view of the landscape. If one adopts a niche-based, individualistic concept of biotic communities then it may often be more appropriate to represent vegetation patterns as continuous measures of site suitability or probability of occupancy, rather than the traditional abstraction into categorical community types represented in a mosaic of discrete patches. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the high effectiveness of species-level, pixel scale prediction of species occupancy as a continuous landscape variable, as an alternative to traditional classified community type vegetation maps. We use a Random Forests ensemble learning approach to predict site-level probability of occurrence for four conifer species based on climatic, topographic and spectral predictor variables across a 3,883 km2 landscape in northern Idaho, USA. Our method uses a new permutated sample-downscaling approach to equalize sample sizes in the presence and absence classes, a model selection method to optimize parsimony, and independent validation using prediction to 10% bootstrap data withhold. The models exhibited very high accuracy, with AUC and kappa values over 0.86 and 0.95, respectively, for all four species. The spatial predictions produced by the models will be of great use to managers and scientists, as they provide vastly more accurate spatial depiction of vegetation structure across this landscape than has previously been provided by traditional categorical classified community type maps.
Increasing Rates of Gastroenteritis Hospital Discharges in US Adults and the Contribution of Norovirus, 1996–2007

Background Diarrhea remains an important cause of morbidity, but until the mid 1990s, hospital admissions for diarrhea in the US adult population were declining. We aimed to describe recent trends in gastroenteritis hospitalizations and to determine the contribution of norovirus. Methods We analyzed all gastroenteritis-associated hospital discharges during 1996-2007 from a nationally representative data set of hospital inpatient stays. Annual rates of discharges by age were calculated. Time-series regression models were fitted using cause-specified discharges as explanatory variables; model residuals were analyzed to estimate norovirus- and rotavirus-associated discharges. We then calculated the annual hospital charges for norovirus-associated discharges. Results Sixty-nine percent of all gastroenteritis discharges were cause-unspecified and rates increased by ≥ 50% in all adult and elderly age groups (≥ 18 years of age) from 1996 through 2007. We estimate an annual mean of 71,000 norovirus-associated hospitalizations, costing $493 million per year, with surges to nearly 110,000 hospitalizations per year in epidemic seasons. We also estimate 24,000 rotavirus hospitalizations annually among individuals aged ≥ 5 years. Conclusions Gastroenteritis hospitalizations are increasing, and we estimate that norovirus is the cause of 10% of cause-unspecified and 7% of all-cause gastroenteritis discharges. Norovirus should be routinely considered as a cause of gastroenteritis hospitalization.
The weak patch test for nonhomogeneous materials modeled with graded finite elements

Functionally graded materials have an additional length scale associated to the spatial variation of the material property field which competes with the usual geometrical length scale of the boundary value problem. By considering the length scale of nonhomogeneity, this paper presents the weak patch test (rather than the standard one) of the graded element for nonhomogeneous materials to assess convergence of the finite element method (FEM). Both consistency (as the size of elements approach zero, the FEM approximation represents the exact solution) and stability (spurious mechanisms are avoided) conditions are addressed. The specific graded elements considered here are isoparametric quadrilaterals (e.g. 4, 8 and 9-node) considering two dimensional plane and axisymmetric problems. The finite element approximate solutions are compared with exact solutions for nonhomogeneous materials.
Menstrual extraction: Review of 400 procedures at the women's services, New York, New York

Abstract Four hundred menstrual extractions were performed at the Women's Services, a free-standing non-profit clinic. Menstrual history, pelvic examination and Pregnosticon-Dri-Dot test determined the presence and duration of pregnancy. The menstrual extraction was defined as a miniabortion under seven weeks of gestation. The procedure was performed between the 5th to 20th day after the missed cycle under local anesthesia, with standard 700 mg Hg suction, and the 5 or 6 mm Karman cannula. Twenty percent of this group were not pregnant showing only proliferation and secretory endometrium, while the remainder demonstrated either chorionic or decidual tissue. Blood loss was less than 100 cc and uterine perforation did not occur. Postoperative febrile episodes developed in ten instances, all of which were readily controlled by oral antibiotics. The pregnosticon test for 10 patients remained positive 14 days after the procedure requiring repeat suction. Menstrual extraction in this group was 98% successful for the completion of these miniabortions.
An estimation algorithm for vision-based exploration of small bodies in space

This paper summarizes a methodology for designing on-board state estimators in support of spacecraft exploration of small bodies such as asteroids and comets. This paper focuses on an estimation algorithm that incorporates two basic computer-vision measurement types: a landmark table and a paired feature table. Several innovations are developed to incorporate these measurement types into the on-board state estimation algorithm. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach.
Implications of the Recent Reductions in Natural Gas Prices for Emissions of CO2 from the US Power Sector

CO2 emissions from the US power sector decreased by 8.76% in 2009 relative to 2008 contributing to a decrease over this period of 6.59% in overall US emissions of greenhouse gases. An econometric model, tuned to data reported for regional generation of US electricity, is used to diagnose factors responsible for the 2009 decrease. More than half of the reduction is attributed to a shift from generation of power using coal to gas driven by a recent decrease in gas prices in response to the increase in production from shale. An important result of the model is that, when the cost differential for generation using gas rather than coal falls below 2–3 cents/kWh, less efficient coal fired plants are displaced by more efficient natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) generation alternatives. Costs for generation using NGCC decreased by close to 4 cents/kWh in 2009 relative to 2008 ensuring that generation of electricity using gas was competitive with coal in 2009 in contrast to the situation in 2008 when gas prices we...
The Effect of the Social Security Earnings Test on Male Labor Supply New Evidence from Survey and Administrative Data

Despite numerous empirical studies, there is surprisingly little agreement about whether the Social Security earnings test affects male labor supply. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the labor supply effects of the earnings test using longitudinal administrative earnings data and more commonly used survey data. We find that the response to the earnings test in survey data is obfuscated by measurement error and labor market rigidities. Accounting for these factors, our results suggest a consistent and substantial response to the earnings test, especially for younger men.
TIME-RESOLVED SOOT PARTICULATES IN DIESEL SPRAY COMBUSTION

Experiments have been made to study the soot particulates formed at different stages of combustion of a simulated diesel spray by applying a newly developed laboratory combustor in which the following two essential characteristics of diesel spray combustion are reproduced: intermittency and autoignition. The combustor is designed so that the fuel is injected by using a diesel fuel injection system into a steadily flowing high temperature air stream resulting in autoignition and combustion. Soot particulates have been collected at different stages of combustion by applying an inert gas quenching technique. The mass concentration, diameter, number and carbon-to-hydrogen ratio of soot particulates, oxygen concentration and temperature in the flame as a function of the time from the start of fuel injection have been obtained. Mutagenic activity of the time-resolved soot particulates has been determined by using the bacterial mutagenesis test. Thus, some factors affecting time-resolved characteristics of soot particulates have been studied. Theoretical analysis is also made of the physical mechanism for soot particulates formation.
Avoid "Cannot Exclude": Make a Diagnosis.

“Cannot exclude” is a catchphrase in radiology reports. It sneaks into the impression of the report after the radiologist gives a diagnosis that is most likely. The phrase follows for several reasons. The alternative diagnosis “cannot be excluded” because of poor visualization related to technique or artifact, the imaging study performed is not sufficient to enable the radiologist to make the diagnosis, imaging appearances of the alternative diagnosis can be identical to the more likely diagnosis [1], or the radiologist lacks the confidence to put himself or herself on the line. However, the phrase “cannot exclude” has another meaning for referring physicians. It has been so casually used, so often, that the referring physician may roll his or her eyes and assume the radiologist is being defensive, listing a comprehensive differential diagnosis of “cannot excludes” that existed before the examination was performed, and not taking responsibility [1,2]. Instead of using the phrase in a report, the radiologist should review the patient’s history and other examination results to appreciate the clinical context and consider whether the alternative diagnosis needs to be mentioned. If so, the radiologist should advise on whether further imaging is indicated to make the diagnosis. For example, “Findings most likely represents pneumonia. Given the known risk factors for malignancy, a repeat study in 6 weeks would help identify an underlying mass.” This statement is lengthier than “cannot exclude malignancy,” but it describes the radiologist’s concerns and limitations more precisely and adds value to patient care. In conclusion, radiologists should avoid using the phrase “cannot exclude.” It is overused, does not add value to patient care, and can harm the referring physician’s perceptions of the radiologist’s report. Radiologists should list only pertinent differential diagnostic considerations and advise on the need for further imaging needed to confirm a diagnosis. Radiologists’ skills aremost valuable when they are used to make diagnoses, not exclude them.
Suicide among social workers in Rhode Island.

Cause-specific mortality patterns, by occupation, were examined among Rhode Island residents who died during the period 1968-1978, using the age-standardized proportionate mortality ratio (PMR) method. Occupation was determined from the usual occupation statement on the death certificate. A noteworthy finding was an elevated PMR for suicide among both male (PMR = 470, observed deaths = 5, P less than .01) and female (PMR = 510, observed deaths = 4, P less than .05) social workers. This is the first report of a high risk of suicide among social workers. Stress, which is associated with social work, may be a risk factor. Due to the relatively small numbers upon which this report is based and the limitations of death certificate data and the PMR method, this should be viewed as an exploratory investigation requiring further follow-up. Language: en
Re-evaluation of thermosphere heating by solar extreme ultraviolet and ultraviolet radiation

This paper presents a new calculation of neutral gas heating by solar extreme ultraviolet and ultraviolet radiation with updated solar irradiances and photochemistry. It is found that the heating rate of the neutral gas is significantly different from some previous determinations. Neutral gas heating arises from the many exothermic chemical reactions that take place from the ions and excited species created by energetic electrons. The calculations show that less than half the energy initially deposited ends up heating the neutral gases. The rest is radiated or lost in the dissociation of O2 because the O atoms do not recombine in the thermosphere above 100 km. At high altitudes, the heating rates are sensitive to the thermal electron density and long-lived species. The calculations show that, while most of the energy is deposited at low altitudes, the heating per neutral particle is greatest at high altitudes. This paper also examines the consequences of different thermal electron cooling rates to O2 vibration and O fine structure. Although there are large differences between the individual rates, the overall cooling rates have similar magnitudes and there is little effect on the calculated electron temperature. The concept of the neutral gas heating efficiency is a useful way of capturing the flow of energy in the thermosphere and was used in early global models to reduce computation. It is defined at a particular altitude as the rate of energy transferred to the neutral gas divided by the energy deposited rate at that altitude. The heating efficiency peaks at about 0.5 just below 200 km altitude. The heating efficiency is relatively insensitive to the solar input and thermosphere conditions when plotted against pressure rather than altitude coordinates and when thermal electron heating is calculated separately.
Blood and Liver Glutathione During Protein Deprivation.

SummaryA protein-free diet reduced liver glutathione in rats to about 40% of its normal value within 1 to 2 days, but did not deplete blood glutathione. The labile 60% of the liver glutathione was lost completely before the liver xanthine oxidase was reduced more than 50%; the residual 40% of the liver glutathione was then retained while the remainder of the xanthine oxidase was lost. 85-90% of the glutathione in rat liver was present in the soluble supernatant fraction obtained by centrifuging an homogenate at 30000 x g.