cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with the development of persistently depressed cardiac output during the first year after cardiac transplantation

The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with the development of a persistently depressed cardiac output during the first year after cardiac transplantation. With this aim in mind, the records of 133 consecutive patients undergoing orthotopic cardiac transplantation and surviving for > or = 1 year after transplantation were reviewed. For each patient, the mean cardiac index for each of the 3-month periods, 0-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 months after transplantation was calculated. Of the 133 patients, 19 (14%) had a mean cardiac index or = 3 of these 3-month periods. The pre- and post-transplantation clinical, immunologic, and hemodynamic data of these 19 patients (study group) were compared with the remaining 114 patients (control group). Compared with the control group, the patients in the study group were older (56 +/- 5 vs. 46 +/- 15 years; p = 0.0001), more frequently had ischemic heart disease as the original diagnosis (58 vs. 37%; p < 0.05), had a lower preoperative cardiac index (1.91 +/- 0.53 vs. 2.71 +/- 1.0 l/min/m2; p = 0.0001), more frequently did not receive perioperative anti-T cell therapy (47 vs. 25%; p = 0.046), and had a greater median number of infections during the first year after transplantation (5 vs. 3; p = 0.027). However, only one factor--a low preoperative cardiac index--emerged as an independent predictor of the development of a persistently depressed cardiac index during the first year after transplantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Detection of a bulk water structure related conformational change in horse heart cytochrome c in Cl- -H2O solutions utilizing spectrofluoroelectrochemical techniques.

Abstract Utilizing the ratio of the fluorescence intensities of the reduced and oxidized forms of horse heart cytochrome c (cyt c ), it is possible to monitor conformational changes of the protein upon reduction. The temperature dependence from 25 to 50°C of the ratio is sigmoidal in nature, indicative of a conformational transition with the midpoint being 43°C in 0.10 m NaCl, 0.10 m PO 4 buffer, pH 7.0, solution. This transition is consistent with the previously postulated biphasic model used to explain the nonlinearity in E O ′ vs T in Cl − −H 2 O solutions [ C. W. Anderson, H. B. Halsall, W. R. Heineman, and G. P. Kreishman (1977) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 76 , 339–344]. In addition, the chemical shift of the bulk water proton in tetramethylammonium chloride solution shows a nonlinearity at 42°C and it is postulated that the conformational changes of cyt c are the result of the behavior of the bulk water structure.
Methotrexate: an active drug in bladder cancer.

Forty-nine patients with transitional urothelial tract tumors received methotrexate: 0.5-1.0 mg/kg I.V. Q W (40 patients) or 250 mg/M2 in a 2-hour infusion with citrovorum factor rescue 24 hours later (nine patients). Eleven (26%, 95% confidence limits 13-39%) of 42 patients with bidimensionally measurable metastases achieved partial remission. Most responses occurred within 2-3 weeks and persisted for a median duration of six months (range, 2-20). Response rates were increased to 38% (6/16 patients, 95% confidence limits 18-65%) in patients who had no prior chemotherapy, and a 90-100% performance status (50, 5/10 patients, 95% confidence limits 22-78%) compared with 19% (5/26, 95% confidence limits 8-37%) in patients who had prior chemotherapy and a less than or equal to 80% performance status (19%, 6/32 cases, 95% confidence limits 9-32%). Toxicity included mucositis and myelosuppression. A review of the literature coupled with the present data suggest that methotrexate is as active as cisplatin in the treatment of patients with advanced urinary bladder cancer.
Protic acid-catalyzed polymerization of β-lactones for the synthesis of chiral polyesters

Chiral poly(β-hydroxybutyrate) was prepared with retention of configuration from (R)-β-butyrolactone by ring-opening polymerization catalyzed by triflic acid in an aprotic solvent. At higher temperatures, triflic acid could also be used to depolymerize chiral poly(hydroxybutyrate) to form enantiopure β-hydroxybutyric acid building blocks.
Distortion-Free Single-Prism/Grating Ultrashort Laser Pulse Compressor

We introduce an ultrashort laser pulse compressor that uses a single-prism and a single-grating. It is compact and automatically aligned and compensates for significant second- and third-order material dispersion. This design inherently has unity beam magnification and automatically contributes zero spatiotemporal distortions to the pulse, thus avoiding spatial chirp, angular dispersion, pulse-front tilt, and all other first-order spatiotemporal distortions common to pulse compressors. It is comprised of only four elements: a prism, a diffraction grating, a corner cube, and a roof mirror. It can provide large amounts of negative group-delay dispersion with small translations of the corner cube. Unlike conventional compressors, the device can operate on pulses with both large and small bandwidths by varying the corner cube position. Using this compressor, we demonstrate compensation of 12 m of optical fiber for 800-nm pulses with 30 nm of bandwidth.
Circadian locomotory rhythm and the influence of moulting in Australian field cricket nymphs

ABSTRACT. Evidence is presented for a circadian control of locomotory activity in the larval stadia of the cricket, Teleogryllus commodus Walker. Under light—dark cycles (LD), maximal activity occurs around the L/D transition and/or in the hours preceding it. Free-running rhythm patterns longer than 24 h are observed in constant light. Re-entrainment to phase advances in the LD cycle is also accompanied by several transient cycles. However, free-running rhythms under constant darkness or transients when exposed to LD cycle delays were not found. LD cycles during the eighth stadium set the phase of a free-running rhythm in the adult, even if the nymph does not show a rhythm. Nymphal activity is often erratic and is disrupted periodically by the moulting cycle, but moulting does not interrupt the operation of the circadian system. The daily timing of the moult itself is not under circadian control.
Acute abdomen in the hemodialysis patient population.

Background. The cause and frequency of the acute abdomen in patients undergoing hemodialysis are not well reported. Previous studies associate bowel infarction with hemodialysis, but dialysis generally is not implicated as a risk factor for mesenteric ischemia. Methods. The records of 567 patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis during the period from July 1988 to June 1993 were retrospectively reviewed. Results. Twelve patients (2.1% of the hemodialysis population) were admitted with acute abdominal pain or sepsis. They were demographically no different than their counterparts who did not have an acute abdomen. The final diagnoses were bowel infarction in 11 patients and acute pancreatitis in one. Principal areas of involvement were equally divided between large and small intestine and were due to nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia in all cases. Six patients had an occluded hemodialysis fistula on admission, suggesting hypotension and/or hypovolemia as a possible etiologic factor. Overall, mortality and major morbidity rates were 50% and 25%, respectively. Conclusions. An acute abdomen is a relatively uncommon problem in the hemodialysis population but is associated with a high mortality. Mesenteric infarction is the most common cause and should be the presumptive diagnosis until proven otherwise.
Organizational Climate Factors of Successful and Not Successful Implementations of Workforce Innovations in Voluntary Child Welfare Agencies

This study advances research on implementing innovations in child welfare organizations, confirming the association between a positive organizational climate and successful change initiative implementation. Administrators and child welfare workers from six agencies were surveyed using independent samples t-and OLS regressions. The organizational climate dimensions found significant were organization, job and role, indicating the three agencies that fully implemented a change initiative enjoyed a more positive organizational climate. The organization dimension was also significant for administrators, indicating a more positive climate perception than workers. Supervisor dimension was not significant, indicating no association whether or not the change initiative was implemented.
Effects of Potassium on Chlorophyll, Acidity, ascorbic Acid, and Carbohydrates of Ananas Comosus (L.) Merr

A study concerned with the effects of iron on chlorophyll, acidity, ascorbic acid, and carbohydrate fractions of Ananas comosus was reported in a previous publication (35). Also, the effects of different amounts of potassium on growth and ash constituents of the same plants were reported in a former paper of this series (36). This study is concerned with the effects of potassium on chlorophyll, acidity, ascorbic acid, and different carbohydrate fractions of the same plants. The literature pertaining to the effects of potassium on chlorophyll emphasizes the fact that potassium deficiency may cause chlorophyll breakdown with the subsequent development of brown spots and leaf necrosis comparable to those observed in A. comosus. Wall (46) has recognized in tomatoes two types of potassium deficiency symptoms : the first stage marked by a stunted, hard, yellow plant was associated with a high carbohydrate content; and the second, in which the carbohydrate content had greatly diminished, the plant began to grow, turned green, became soft, and at the same time the lower leaves commenced to die progressively up the stem. Richards and Templeman (31) claim that symptoms of potassium deficiency in barley may either be a light yellow color of leaves associated with succulence and rapid death of the leaves or a dark green associated with white or brown spots on the leaves. According to Rohde (32), leaves of plants adequately supplied with potassium are yellowish green, while those deficient in potassium are deep green and contain more chlorophyll. No yellow color was observed in the leaves of A. comosus supplied with the low amounts of potassium indicated in this study, but instead a deep green color with a few brown spots and leaf tip necrosis was extensive in old leaves. Our information pertaining to the effects of potassium on ascorbic acid is meager. However, ascorbic acid and total carboxylic acid reserves were closely associated with the chlorophyllose tissues of the plant (35, 37, 39). Comparable relationships between ascorbic acid and chlorophyllose tissues were shown by Giroud (6, 7, 8) for other plants. Ascorbic acid, according to Guha and Ghosh (11), is synthesized in Phaseolus mungo from mannose by an enzyme at pH 5.8 but not at 7.4. Ascorbic acid in the fruit of A. sativus, a synonym of A. comosus (L.) Merr., described as a reducing factor first by Szent-Gy?rgyi (42), was reported to occur in fair concentrations ? Published with the approval of the Acting Director as -Technical Paper no. 161 of the Pineapple Research Institute, University of Hawaii.
An implantable telemetry device to measure intra-articular tibial forces.

Tibial forces are important because they determine polyethylene wear, stress distribution in the implant, and stress transfer to underlying bone. Theoretic estimates of tibiofemoral forces have varied between three and six times the body weight depending on the mathematical models used and the type of activity analyzed. An implantable telemetry system was therefore developed to directly measure tibiofemoral compressive forces. This system was tested in a cadaver knee in a dynamic knee rig. A total knee tibial arthroplasty prosthesis was instrumented with four force transducers located at the four corners of the tibial tray. These transducers measured the total compressive forces on the tibial tray and the location of the center of pressure. A microprocessor performed analog-to-digital signal conversion and performed pulse code modulation of a surface acoustic wave radio frequency oscillator. This signal was then transmitted through a single pin hermetic feed-through tantalum wire antenna located at the tip of the stem. The radio frequency signal was received by an external antenna connected to a receiver and to a computer for data acquisition. The prosthesis was powered by external coil induction. The tibial transducer accurately measured both the magnitude and the location of precisely applied external loads. Successful transmission of the radio frequency signal up to a range of 3 m was achieved through cadaveric bone, bone cement, and soft tissue. Reasonable accuracy was obtained in measuring loads applied through a polyethylene insert. The implant was also able to detect unicondylar loading with liftoff.
A global disability indicator

Abstract Disability is difficulty performing roles and activities due to health problems. It is largely experienced by older persons as they accumulate progressive chronic conditions. To measure functional status of individuals and populations, contemporary surveys include sets of detailed items about disability. Little effort has gone into developing global indicators of disability that cover the concept briefly but well. A global disability indicator is a compact and inexpensive device for public health surveillance and scientific study of disablement. I present and critique items that have been used in North American surveys. Good candidates are selected for methodological study. Both laboratory-based cognitive studies and large-scale statistical studies are recommended; the first will reveal meanings of items and responses and the second, items' systematic structure and prediction ability. The ultimate goal is to identify one or a few fine indicators for widespread inclusion in population health surveys .
Protein quantitative trait loci identify novel candidates modulating cellular response to chemotherapy.

Annotating and interpreting the results of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) remains challenging. Assigning function to genetic variants as expression quantitative trait loci is an expanding and useful approach, but focuses exclusively on mRNA rather than protein levels. Many variants remain without annotation. To address this problem, we measured the steady state abundance of 441 human signaling and transcription factor proteins from 68 Yoruba HapMap lymphoblastoid cell lines to identify novel relationships between inter-individual protein levels, genetic variants, and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. Proteins were measured using micro-western and reverse phase protein arrays from three independent cell line thaws to permit mixed effect modeling of protein biological replicates. We observed enrichment of protein quantitative trait loci (pQTLs) for cellular sensitivity to two commonly used chemotherapeutics: cisplatin and paclitaxel. We functionally validated the target protein of a genome-wide significant trans-pQTL for its relevance in paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. GWAS overlap results of drug-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity for paclitaxel and cisplatin revealed unique SNPs associated with the pharmacologic traits (at p<0.001). Interestingly, GWAS SNPs from various regions of the genome implicated the same target protein (p<0.0001) that correlated with drug induced cytotoxicity or apoptosis (p≤0.05). Two genes were functionally validated for association with drug response using siRNA: SMC1A with cisplatin response and ZNF569 with paclitaxel response. This work allows pharmacogenomic discovery to progress from the transcriptome to the proteome and offers potential for identification of new therapeutic targets. This approach, linking targeted proteomic data to variation in pharmacologic response, can be generalized to other studies evaluating genotype-phenotype relationships and provide insight into chemotherapeutic mechanisms.
Thermochemistry of molybdenum tricarbonyl complexes of arenes and cyclic polyolefins

The heats of reaction of arene, cycloheptatriene, and cyclooctatetraene complexes of molybdenum tricarbonyl with pyridine yielding (py)3Mo(CO)3 have been measured by solution calorimetry. Reaction of toluene molybdenum tricarbonyl with cyclopentadiene yielding HMo(CO)3C5H5 and with tetrahydrofuran yielding (THF)3Mo(CO)3 have also been studied thermochemically. These measurements yield accurate values for the enthalpy of arene exchange in methylene chloride solution for a number of organomolybdenum complexes. The order of stability: benzene < toluene < cyclooctatetraene < mesitylene < hexamethylbenzene < cycloheptatriene < (tris)-tetrahydrofuran < η5-cyclopentadienylhydrido < (tris)-pyridine spans a range of 31 kcal/mol. The enthalpy of isomerization of cycloheptatriene to toluene is reduced by 7.1 ± 1.2 kcal/mol upon coordination to molybdenum tricarbonyl, indicative of a loss of “resonance” energy for the complexed arene. The MoH bond strength in HMo(CO)3C5H5 is estimated as 66 ± 8 kcal/mol. The importance of entropic factors in arene exchange is discussed.
Cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate in human blood platelets. IV. Regulatory role of cyclic amp in platelet function.

Evidence which bears on the hypothesis that agents that increase platelet cyclic adenosine 35 monophosphate (cAMP) tend to inhibit platelet aggregation whereas agents whose action is to induce or augment platelet aggregation are associated with a decrease in platelet content of this cyclic nucleotide is reviewed. Using radiolabeled cAMP in incubation with various agents it was found that caffeine colagen thrombin prostaglandins E1 and E2 and phosphodiesterase inhibitors are all agents that increase platelet cAMP and inhibit platelet aggregation.
Use of Liquid carbon dioxide to remove hexane from soybean oil

Liquid carbon dioxide (L-CO2) was investigated as a means to separate hexane from the mixture of soybean oil (SBO) and hexane resulting from the hexane extraction of soybeans. Using a fractionation tower, 5 vol of CO2 (i.e., 100, 200, 300, 500, and 1000 L expanded gas) were passed through 50 mL of two concentrations of n-hexane (i.e., 10 and 25% w/w) in SBO. After passing through the hexane/SBO mixture, the expanded CO2 was passed through a chilled collection flask to capture extracted hexane and SBO. The raffinate SBO was removed from the column and analyzed for residual hexane using International Organization for Standardization Method 9832:2002. Residual hexane decreased as the amount of L-CO2 used increased and was less than 20 ppm after 200 L of CO2. The amount of SBO extracted increased with the volume of CO2 used. Significantly more SBO and hexane were collected from the 25% sample than the 10% sample. During the extraction of the mixture, the CO2 selectively carried over TG with lower M.W. This research demonstrates the ability to use L-CO2 to remove haxane from mixtures of hexane and SBO at both low pressures and temperatures.
Heterogeneity and Certainty in Candidate Evaluations

While perceptions of candidate character traits are believed to be an important predictor of vote choice, very little research attempts to explain where these perceptions come from. There is also a remarkable inconsistency in the literature about which voters use traits and which use issues in voting-with completely contradictory results common. The solution to the inconsistency developed here is to focus on the relationship between issues and traits as opposed to just these attitudes' direct effect on candidate evaluations. By positing that the relationship between issues and trait perceptions depends on the citizen's certainty about the candidate's issue positions the theory develop here answers questions about the nature of trait perceptions and the heterogeneity of voter decisionmaking. The theory is tested using evaluations of ten different presidential candidates from five National Election Studies.
Ligand-induced Conformational Change Within the CD2 Ectodomain Accompanies Receptor Clustering: Implication for Molecular Lattice Formation

CD2 mediates interaction between T cells and their cognate partners through its CD58-binding membrane-distal adhesion domain (D1) facilitating T cell receptor (TCR) triggering. A neoepitope defined by anti-CD2R monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has suggested structural alteration within the CD2 ectodomain during T cell activation. Here, we map CD2R to the flexible CD2 linker region between D1 and the membrane-proximal extracellular domain (D2) and show that exposure of this conformational site is independent of temperature and metabolic energy. Co-ligation of CD2 and CD58 molecules on opposing cells within a conjugate pair induces CD2R and redistributes CD2 to the region of cell-cell contact. These CD2R+ molecules, in contrast to the CD2R-molecules, are tightly clustered on the T cell surface. Hence, a ligand-mediated increase in the D1-D2 interdomain angle apparently exposes CD2R, facilitates packing of CD2 molecules in a clustered array and is linked to CD2-mediated adhesion and activation events. Conformational alteration of this type may be generally important in ordered lattice formation involving surface receptors.
Ultrastructure of the y-organs of Cancer antennarius in normal and de-eyestalked crabs.

The paired Y-organs of crustaceans control the molting process. In males of C. antennarius, these glands are opalescent, lobulated, epithelioid structures embedded in brown fatty tissue. Cells in the periphery extend processes to the connective tissue capsule, an arrangement that suggests increased surface area for metabolic exchange. The processes contain mitochondria and are tipped distally with electron dense material. The cytoplasm, scarce relative to nuclear volume, contains vesicles, polymorphic mitochondria with tubular cristae, and numerous free ribosomes, but little in way of smooth or rough endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi complexes. Progressing from intermolt to the premolt stage, mitochondria, as well as vesicles, and electron-dense particles in peripheral processes increase somewhat in number. Also, heterochromatin masses concentrate adjacent to the nuclear envelope. Eyestalk removal, which induces premolt stages in some species, did not produce consistent change in Y-organ substructure in C. antennarius. Although evidence is accumulating that Y-organs secrete a steroid molting hormone during late intermolt-premolt, the substructure of the glands exhibits neither (a) striking changes with the molt cycle, nor (b) all the characteristics typical of vertebrate steroid hormone synthesizing glands. Nevertheless, the structural features, respectively, are consistent with biochemical evidence that Y-organs (a) rapidly take up and convert sterol precursor and secrete a product without its accumulation or change in total sterol pool size, and (b) apparently cannot synthesize the sterol precursor. Y-organ cytology closely resembles that of some vertebrate steroid hormone secreting glands in which this synthetic capacity is minimal.
The geopolitics of ‘Enclavisation’and the demise of a two-stateSolution to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict

Abstract This paper argues that Israel's military strategy since the outbreak of the second Intifada, in September 2000, has been one not merely of ‘security’ or ‘counter-terror’ but part of a longer-term strategy of spatial demolition and strangulation. This strategy seems predicated on two aims: unilateral separation from the Palestinian population, and its concomitant territorial dismemberment. Withdrawal from a totally controlled and isolated Gaza, in effect the latter's enclavisation, is part of this strategy. Such an enclave will in effect be functionally and spatially sundered from another chain of Palestinian enclaves in the West Bank. From an Israeli perspective, driven by its own distinctive territorial imperative, such separation will ensure Israeli control of and sovereignty over the best land and water resources, and control of all borders and border areas. It is further argued that the policy of unilateral separation and strangulation, the destruction and planned enclavisation of Gaza, and c...
Ultrastructure of opossum oocyte investing coats and their sensitivity to trypsin and hyaluronidase

Abstract Ovulated opossum oocytes are surrounded by a zona pellucida, but not by cumulus cells. Opossum sperm carry at least four acrosomal hydrolases (hyaluronidase, acrosin, N -acetylhexosaminidase, and arylsulfatase); the functions of these enzymes in opossum fertilization are uncertain. To identify possible substrates for these hydrolases, the ultrastructure of opossum oocytes was examined after fixation in the presence of ruthenium red which stabilizes extracellular matrices. This oocyte is unusual in having a wide perivitelline space containing a highly structured extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM is comprised of granules and filaments, and it resembles matrices known to contain hyaluronic acid in other systems. Hydrolases, known to be present in opossum acrosomes, were tested for their effect on the ultrastructure of the zona pellucida and matrix of the perivitelline space. Trypsin dissolved the zona pellucida and decreased the size of the granules in the perivitelline space. Streptomyces hyaluronidase, which specifically attacks hyaluronic acid, removed only matrix filaments. Arylsulfatase, N -acetylhexosaminidase, and β-glucuronidase did not affect the zona pellucida or ECM in our assay. These observations are consistent with the ideas that (1) opossum sperm must penetrate two oocyte investments, the zona pellucida and ECM of the perivitelline space; (2) the ECM contains hyaluronic acid (filaments) and protein (granules); (3) opossum sperm acrosin may function in penetration of the zona pellucida and ECM; and (4) opossum sperm hyaluronidase may function in penetration of the ECM by degrading hyaluronic acid (filaments). Dissolution of the granules and filaments from oocyte microvilli is probably necessary to permit close apposition and fusion of the sperm and oocyte membranes. The evolutionary significance of these results is discussed.
Metal-Binding and Redox Properties of Substituted Linear and Cyclic ATCUN Motifs

The amino-terminal copper and nickel binding (ATCUN) motif is a short peptide sequence found in human serum albumin and other proteins. Synthetic ATCUN-metal complexes have been used to oxidatively cleave proteins and DNA, cross-link proteins, and damage cancer cells. The ATCUN motif consists of a tripeptide that coordinates Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions in a square planar geometry, anchored by chelation sites at the N-terminal amine, histidine imidazole and two backbone amides. Many studies have shown that the histidine is required for tight binding and square planar geometry. Previously, we showed that macrocyclization of the ATCUN motif can lead to high-affinity binding with altered metal ion selectivity and enhanced Cu(II)/Cu(III) redox cycling (Inorg. Chem. 2013, 52, 2729-2735). In this work, we synthesize and characterize several linear and cyclic ATCUN variants to explore how substitutions at the histidine alter the metal-binding and catalytic properties. UV-visible spectroscopy, EPR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry indicate that cyclization can promote the formation of ATCUN-like complexes even in the absence of imidazole. We also report several novel ATCUN-like complexes and quantify their redox properties. These findings further demonstrate the effects of conformational constraints on short, metal-binding peptides, and also provide novel redox-active metallopeptides suitable for testing as catalysts for stereoselective or regioselective oxidation reactions.
Ephedrine in treatment of urinary incontinence

Patients with urinary incontinence caused by various urologic disorders were evaluated and treated with oral ephedrine sulfate. The drug was found to improve continence in those patients with mild degrees of wetting due to urethral dysfunction regardless of cause. The failures occurred in severely damaged posterior urethras or denervated bladders and urogenital diaphragms.
Poster Abstract #3: mGluR5 Activation Reduces Microglial-Mediated Neurotoxicity in Vitro and Improves Outcome After Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury

In traumatic brain injury, neuronal cell death continues long after the initial insult; persistent activation of microglial cells may contribute to this process. Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are G-protein coupled receptors. Group I mGluRs modulate neuronal cell death: mGluR1 activation enhances necrotic cell death and mGluR5 activation inhibits apoptosis. We have found that microglia strongly express mGluR5 but not mGluR1, and speculated that they may serve to modulate microglial-mediated inflammation and neuronal toxicity. We explored this question using both primary rat microglial cultures and a mouse microglial cell line (BV2). Stimulation of BV2 microglia by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and nitric oxide production, a key inflammatory signaling molecule. Pretreatment with the mGluR5 agonist CHPG significantly attenuated these responses, which were reversed by the mGluR5 antagonist MTEP. LPS stimulation also increased the expression of p22PHOX, a component of the NADPH oxidase enzyme complex that generates reactive oxygen species; both p22PHOX and reactive oxygen species were attenuated by CHPG. Conditioned media from LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia significantly increased neuronal cell death, which was blocked by CHPG pretreatment. Similar observations were made using primary microglial cultures. After controlled cortical impact injury, mice received intracerebroventricular injection of either CHPG or vehicle at 30 minutes after injury. CHPG significantly reduced lesion volume (by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging) at 3 weeks and improved motor function and spatial learning performance when compared to vehicle-treated mice; each of the effects was blocked by MTEP. Moreover, at 21 days post injury, the CHPG-treated mice showed a marked reduction in ED1 expression, a marker of activated microglia. These data support a potential therapeutic role of mGluR5 agonists for inhibiting microglial activation and related neurotoxicity. Given the important proposed role of neuroinflammation in acute and chronic neurodegeneration, these observations may have broader implications for many neurological disorders.
The perceived structure of social attitudes

The purpose of this study was to determine the multidimensional structure of perceived social attitudes. Forty-five Ss described approximately 10 different persons they knew by selected attitude statements from a list supplied by E. A measure of statement concurrence for each pair of statements was derived from these data and was used in Kruskal’s multidimensional scaling program. The fit for the 3-dimensional configuration fell in the “fair” range with additional dimensions adding little to the goodness of fit. This configuration was interpreted by finding axes in the configuration which corresponded to independently measured psychological properties of the statements. These axes were located by multiple-regression techniques. Liberal-conservative and moderate-extreme provided a satisfactory description of two of the three dimensions. The third dimension was uninterpretable.
Stool detection in colonoscopy videos

Colonoscopy is the accepted screening method for detection of colorectal cancer or its precursor lesions, colorectal polyps. Indeed, colonoscopy has contributed to a decline in the number of colorectal cancer related deaths. However, not all cancers or large polyps are detected at the time of colonoscopy, and methods to investigate why this occurs are needed. One of the main factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy of colonoscopy is the quality of bowel preparation. The quality of bowel cleansing is generally assessed by the quantity of solid or liquid stool in the lumen. Despite a large body of published data on methods that could optimize cleansing, a substantial level of inadequate cleansing occurs in 10% to 75% of patients in randomized controlled trials. In this paper, a machine learning approach to the detection of stool in images of digitized colonoscopy video files is presented. The method involves the classification based on color features using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. Our experiments show that the proposed stool image classification method is very accurate.
Vaccination and perinatal infection prevention practices among obstetrician-gynecologists

Abstract Objective To assist efforts to improve adult vaccination coverage by characterizing vaccination and infectious disease screening practices of obstetrician–gynecologists. Methods A written survey of demographics, attitudes, and practices was mailed to 1063 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Fellows, including the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network (n = 413) and 650 randomly sampled Fellows. Results Seventy-four percent of Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network members and 44% of nonmembers responded. A majority (Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network members: 60%; nonmembers: 49%) considered themselves primary care providers. Fewer than 60% routinely obtained patient vaccination or infection histories. Most screened prenatal patients for hepatitis B surface antigen (89%) and rubella immunoglobulin G antibody (85%). Sixty-four percent worked in practices that offered at least one vaccine; the most common were rubella (52%) and influenza (50%). Ten percent worked in practices that offered all major vaccines recommended for pregnant or postpartum women. Despite recommendations to provide influenza vaccine to pregnant women during influenza season, only 44% did so; among those who did not, 14% reported a belief that pregnant women do not need influenza vaccine. Provision of vaccine was associated with working in a multispecialty practice (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6, 4.1) and identifying as a primary care provider (adjusted OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3, 2.7). The most common reasons for not offering vaccines were cost (44%) and a belief that vaccines should be provided elsewhere (41%). Conclusion The high proportion of obstetrician–gynecologists who do not offer vaccines or screen for vaccine and infection histories suggests missed opportunities for prevention of maternal and neonatal infections.
Comparison of iterative methods for AC analysis in PISCES-IIB

The implementation of an improved small-signal AC simulation capability in the general-purpose device simulator PISCES-IIB is described. The preconditioned generalized conjugate residual (GCR) algorithm has been implemented, which allows AC simulations to be performed up to any frequency without convergence problems, although at great computational expense. The current implementation of PISCES-IIB uses the block successive overrelaxation algorithm for AC simulations. This algorithm fails at high frequencies, thus making it impossible to determine accurately the cutoff frequency and switching speed of high-frequency devices. The preconditioned GCR algorithm has been implemented using two different preconditioners. A comparison of the three methods shows that they are most efficient at different frequency ranges, allowing programming of an automatic switching algorithm that chooses the most efficient simulation method. >
Interactive questioning in critical care during handovers: a transcript analysis of communication behaviours by physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners

Objective Although there is a growing recognition of the importance of active communication behaviours from the incoming clinician receiving a patient handover, there are currently no agreed-upon measures to objectively describe those behaviours. This study sought to identify differences in incoming clinician communication behaviours across levels of clinical training for physicians and nurses. Methods Handover observations were conducted during shift changes for attending physicians, resident physicians, registered nurses and nurse practitioners in three medical intensive care units from July 2011 to August 2012. Measures were the number of interjections from the incoming clinician and the communication mode of those interjections. Each collaborative cross-check, a specific type of interactive question, was subsequently classified by level of assertiveness. Results 133 patient handovers were analysed. Statistical differences were found in both measures. Higher levels of training were associated with fewer interjections, and a higher proportion of interactive questioning to detect erroneous assessments and actions by the incoming provider. All groups were observed to use the least assertive level of a collaborative cross-check, which contributed to misunderstandings. Nurses used less assertive collaborative cross-checks than physicians. Conclusions Differences across clinician type and levels of clinical training were found in both measures during patient handovers. The findings suggest that training could enable physicians and nurses to learn communication competencies during patient handovers which were used more frequently by more experienced practitioners, including interjecting less frequently and using interactive questioning strategies to clarify understanding, and assertively question the appropriateness of diagnoses, treatment plans and prognoses. Accompanying cultural change initiatives might be required to routinely employ these strategies in the clinical setting, particularly for nursing personnel.
A computational pipeline for protein structure prediction and analysis at genome scale

Traditionally, protein 3D structures are solved using experimental techniques, like X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). While these experimental techniques have been the main workhorse for protein structure studies in the past few decades, it is becoming increasingly apparent that they alone cannot keep up with the production rate of protein sequences. Fortunately, computational techniques for protein structure predictions have matured to such a level that they can complement the existing experimental techniques. In this paper, we present an automated pipeline for protein structure prediction. The centerpiece of the pipeline is a threading-based protein structure prediction system, called PROSPECT, which we have been developing for the past few years. The pipeline consists of seven logical phases, utilizing a dozen tools. The pipeline has been implemented to run in a heterogeneous computational environment as a client/server system with a web interface. A number of genome-scale applications have been carried out on microbial genomes. Here we present one genome-scale application on Caenorhabditis elegans.
“Motivation” and Routine Activities Theory

ABSTRACT This study examines the motivation aspect of routine activities theory as it pertains to sex offenders. Using logistic regression, data from 163 convicted sex offenders who participated in treatment programs between 1982 and 2000 were analyzed to determine if demographic, abuse histories, sex abuse histories, drug/alcohol use, and other “motivating” variables were predictive of in and out of the home offending. Results indicate abuse and drug use are predictive of home sex offenses while alcohol use is indicative of community offending. While the results and differences were modest, they warrant further exploration of the motivation aspect of routine activities theory.
"Winds of change", the NSCAT CD-ROM

NASA now requires every project have a public and educational outreach component. The educational side of this outreach must be based on the needs and requirements of the educational community. The NASA Scatterometer project, NSCAT, is one of the projects that has led the way in this approach to outreach. This was a major departure from what had been done before at JPL. NSCAT was the first JPL project to develop what they have called a "high density" educational product. The "density" of Winds of Change will become self-evident in the reading of this paper. The NSCAT project came to the JPL Educational Affairs Office (EAO) to form a partnership in the development of this CD-ROM and associated plans.
Calcite-Cemented Concretions in Cretaceous Sandstone, Wyoming and Utah, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT Spheroidal (cannon ball) calcite-cemented concretions, some of gigantic size, were studied from three Cretaceous shelf sandstone units: Ferron, Frontier, and Second Frontier. The concretions have diameters between 2 cm and 6 m; those larger than 40 cm in diameter in the Ferron and Frontier have septarian structure. Rare concretions in the Second Frontier with cone-in-cone also have septaria. The pattern of carbon and oxygen isotopic data and intergranular volume (IGV) data across concretions indicate that concretion growth was complex; not all concretions grew progressively from their centers toward their edges. In many concretions displacive fascicular-optic high-Mg calcite (FOC) precipitated simultaneously throughout the concretions (pervasive growth pattern), although the earliest cementation was concentrated in and near their centers. Remaining pores were subsequently filled by poikilotopic calcite of lower Mg content. Displacive FOC cement in the bodies of concretions and in cone-in-cone structure, and the large IGV values, indicate that these carbonate phases formed at burial depths no greater than tens of meters. IGV values indicate that spar cement continued to depths of at least 50 m and possibly deeper. The association of organic matter and microbial structures, or microbial byproducts, with displacive FOC and cone-in-cone calcite raises the possibility that biogenic processes were responsible for the apparently rapid growth of the displacive calcite. The oxygen isotope composition of pore waters was fairly uniform (in the range of 18O of -4 to -6‰ SMOW) during 80% of concretion growth but became even more depleted in 18O during the last stage of growth and during septarian fracture filling, ranging into values as depleted as -14‰ SMOW. 13C in calcite is negative (-4 to -18‰ V-PDB) but variable, reflecting a range of microbial processes under both oxidizing and reducing conditions. Earlier calcites fall mostly in the range of -10 to -16‰ V-PDB; relatively later calcite, in veins and on concretion margins, is more enriched in 13C. Fe and Mn concentrations in calcites have a rough positive correlation with higher 13C values. The concentration of Mg, derived from seawater and altered volcanic rock fragments, covaries positively with the degree of meteoric influence: lower Mg contents correlate positively with relatively depleted 18O values. 87Sr/86Sr values are typical of Sr derived from coeval seawater or marine skeletal debris. Growth of concretions 4 to 6 m in diameter, apparently in < 5 My, requires some spatial localization of growth sites by a self-organization process, and probably a large supply of carbonate shells in the original sediment. Elongation of larger concretions in the plane of bedding suggests that advective rather than diffusive supply of cement components dominated late in concretion growth history. Concretions formed close to the tops of parasequence boundaries.
Management of Cancer-Treatment–Induced Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women Undergoing Adjuvant Breast Cancer Therapy: A Z-FAST Update

The prevention of cancer-treatment-induced bone loss (CTIBL) in long-term adjuvant breast cancer therapy is a high priority. Postmenopausal women with cancer, already at increased risk of bone loss because of age-related estrogen deficiency, face accelerated bone loss with the use of estrogen-depleting therapies such as third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs). Although effective in reducing cancer recurrence rates in the adjuvant setting, AIs are associated with bone loss and an increased risk of fractures. Bisphosphonates, which act by inhibiting osteoclastic bone resorption, have been shown to increase bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce fracture risk in postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis. Furthermore, the potent bisphosphonate zoledronic acid has been shown to be efficacious in reducing bone loss in premenopausal women receiving combination adjuvant hormone therapy (goserelin, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, plus either an AI or tamoxifen). The use of zoledronic acid to prevent CTIBL in postmenopausal women receiving adjuvant AI therapy with letrozole is currently being investigated in the Zometa/Femara Adjuvant Synergy Trial (Z-FAST). Postmenopausal women with stage I-IIIa estrogen-receptor-positive and/or progesterone-receptor-positive breast cancer starting letrozole are randomized to receive either upfront zoledronic acid or delayed zoledronic acid. At 6 months, assessable women in the upfront group showed a mean increase of 1.55% in lumbar spine (L1 - L4) BMD, compared with a mean decrease of 1.78% in women in the delayed group, resulting in a difference of 3.33% between groups; moreover, women in the former group showed a mean increase of 1.02% in total hip BMD, compared with a mean decrease of 1.40% in those in the latter group, resulting in a significant difference of 2.42% between groups (P <.001). Thus, the Z-FAST BMD results show that upfront zoledronic acid prevents CTIBL in postmenopausal women receiving adjuvant letrozole therapy for early breast cancer. Combining the anticancer efficacy of letrozole with the bone-protective effect of zoledronic acid may be a successful treatment in this setting.
A dynamic threshold method for obtaining cloud cover from satellite imagery data

Errors in cloud cover derived by using a fixed threshold applied to imagery data depend not only on the fractional cover but also on cloud size. As a result, a fixed threshold applied to two scenes having the same cloud cover will produce different estimates of the cover when the clouds in the two scenes have different sizes. To allow for this influence due to cloud size, a dynamic threshold method is presented. In this method an infrared threshold is adjusted to achieve the highest correlation between the threshold-derived cloud cover and the mean emitted radiance for mesoscale-sized subregions within the scene. For single-layered cloud systems this threshold achieves a cancellation of errors in the cloud cover for the subregions so that the resulting cloud cover for the region and the associated estimates of cloud properties are in fair agreement with estimates obtained using the spatial coherence method. The agreement illustrates the validity of the layered cloud model used in different ways by the two methods. The performance of the dynamic threshold method is contrasted with that of a fixed threshold applied to the same data in order to illustrate the merits of applying a scene-dependent threshold.
MR of intracranial neuroblastoma with dural sinus invasion and distant metastases.

Primary cerebral neuroblastoma is a rare entity that has been classified within the broader category of primitive neu­ roectodermal tumors (PNET). We present a case of primary cerebral neuroblastoma that had invaded the dural sinuses and metastasized to the lungs at the time of diagnosis. MR imaging provided an excellent means of localizing the extent of the primary tumor as well as identifying cases at risk for systemic metastases.