cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Neutral Vaginal pH in Mice That Is Typical of Most Mammalian Species Should Not Deter Research Using Experimental Murine Models of Candida Vaginitis.

For over three decades, investigators have used estrogen-dependent rodent animal models to study pathogenesis of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) or test promising antifungal drugs. One disparity not well publicized is that rodents maintain near neutral vaginal pH, which is in contrast to the acidic vaginal pH in women. In this issue of Infect. Immun., Peters and co-workers have addressed the topic with an elegant study that not only confirms the near neutral vaginal pH in mice, but also reveals a stable vaginal pH that is not influenced by exogenous reproductive hormones or C. albicans vaginal colonization (1)(IAI00550-20). More importantly, they make a convincing argument that the neutral vaginal pH should not deter using the model for research purposes. This commentary further emphasizes the points made and attempts to provide a more global perspective on this interesting property of the animal model.
The spiral flap: A novel approach to scalp closure in children.

Abstract Background The spiral rotational advancement flap is a single-stage technique that has been described for the closure of nasal ala defects and in nipple reconstruction. Herein we present our experience using the spiral flap for closure of moderately sized defects of the scalp vertex in children. Compared to other scalp reconstructive approaches, such as a simple rotational flap or primary linear closure, the spiral flap design offers improved cosmesis through recreation of the natural whorl pattern within the hair-bearing scalp. Scar camouflage is especially important in the pediatric population, as increased skin elasticity and continued cranial growth impart a high risk of scar widening in children. Methods The electronic patient database at a single, urban, academic, tertiary pediatric otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery practice was queried to identify children who had undergone scalp reconstruction. The medical records of three children who had undergone spiral rotational advancement flap closure by a single surgeon were reviewed. Indications for scalp reconstruction in these patients were limited to the excision of benign, congenital lesions, such as infantile hemangioma unresponsive to propranolol and hypertrophic scarring and alopecia from aplasia cutis congenita A case example of a 15-month-old boy with scarring of the scalp, secondary to aplasia cutis congenita, is chosen for demonstration of the spiral flap design in step-by-step instructional video. Results A spiral rotational advancement flap was conceived for multi-layer repair in three pediatric patients. By reproducing the main elements of the logarithmic spiral flap design, the apex of the flap is rotated in on itself to complete a spiral closure pattern. There were no operative or post-operative complications. At various post-operative timepoints, the wounds appeared well-healed without evidence of flap necrosis, skin discoloration, or residual alopecia. Conclusion We report satisfactory results using the spiral rotational advancement flap to address moderately sized defects of the scalp vertex in three pediatric patients. Although this flap has primarily been used in the reconstruction of the nasal ala in adults, we feel that this technique is ideally suited for scalp reconstruction, particularly in young children with highly elastic tissues in areas with decreased pliability. This approach has the added advantage of simulating the natural hair whorl in a cosmetically sensitive region and may serve as an effective alternative to linear reconstruction methods. The technique described can be added to the armamentarium of the pediatric plastic surgeon.
Excluded Areas as the limit of the political: the murky boundaries of Scheduled Areas in India

This paper outlines how entrenched ideas such as ‘state of nature’ and ‘traditional societies’, as outlined primarily in the political thought of liberal imperialists such as John Locke and Henry M...
Predictors of survival in paediatric mitral valve replacement.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of death and of reintervention after mitral valve replacement (MVR) in children. METHODS A single-centre retrospective study was performed including 115 patients under the age of 18 undergoing MVR between 1982 and 2019. For all patients, the ratio of prosthetic valve size (diameter in mm) to weight (kg) at surgery was calculated and long-term result was assessed. The primary outcome was freedom from mitral valve (MV) re-replacement. The composite secondary outcome was freedom from death or transplant. RESULTS Fifty-four patients had a previous surgical attempt to MV repair. The median age at surgery was 5.5 years (interquartile range 1.21-9.87). Death/transplant-free survival was 77 ± 4% at 5 years and 72 ± 5% at 10 years. Univariate analysis showed a size/weight ratio higher than 2 and age <2 years as significant risk factors for death or transplant. Freedom from MV re-replacement at 5 and 10 years was 90 ± 3% and 72 ± 6%, respectively. Biological prosthesis implanted at first replacement (P = 0.007) and size/weight ratio higher than 2 (P = 0.048) were predictors of reoperation. Significant upsizing (P < 0.0001) of mitral prosthesis was observed at re-replacement. CONCLUSIONS MVR is a viable strategy in children with unrepairable MV disease. Mortality can be predicted based on size/weight ratio and age <2 years. MV re-replacement can be performed with low morbidity and mortality and a larger-size prosthesis can often be placed at the time of redo.
The Relationship Between Social Media Use and Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation

Numerous studies find associations between social media use and beliefs in conspiracy theories and misinformation. While such findings are often interpreted as evidence that social media causally promotes conspiracy beliefs, we theorize that this relationship is conditional on other individual-level predispositions. Across two studies, we examine the relationship between beliefs in conspiracy theories and media use, finding that individuals who get their news from social media and use social media frequently express more beliefs in some types of conspiracy theories and misinformation. However, we also find that these relationships are conditional on conspiracy thinking––the predisposition to interpret salient events as products of conspiracies––such that social media use becomes more strongly associated with conspiracy beliefs as conspiracy thinking intensifies. This pattern, which we observe across many beliefs from two studies, clarifies the relationship between social media use and beliefs in dubious ideas.
Case-control study of neuropsychiatric symptoms following COVID-19 hospitalization in 2 academic health systems

Abstract Neuropsychiatric symptoms may persist following acute COVID-19 illness, but the extent to which these symptoms are specific to COVID-19 has not been established. We utilized electronic health records across 6 hospitals in Massachusetts to characterize cohorts of individuals discharged following admission for COVID-19 between March 2020 and May 2021, and compared them to individuals hospitalized for other indications during this period. Natural language processing was applied to narrative clinical notes to identify neuropsychiatric symptom domains up to 150 days following hospitalization. Among 6,619 individuals hospitalized for COVID-19 drawn from a total of 42,961 hospital discharges, the most commonly documented symptom domains between 31 and 90 days after initial positive test were fatigue (13.4%), mood and anxiety symptoms (11.2%), and impaired cognition (8.0%). In models adjusted for sociodemographic features and hospital course, none of these were significantly more common among COVID-19 patients; indeed, mood and anxiety symptoms were less frequent (adjusted OR 0.72 95% CI 0.64-0.92). Between 91 and 150 days after positivity, most commonly-detected symptoms were fatigue (10.9%), mood and anxiety symptoms (8.2%), and sleep disruption (6.8%), with impaired cognition in 5.8%. Frequency was again similar among non-COVID-19 post-hospital patients, with mood and anxiety symptoms less common (aOR 0.63, 95% CI 0.52-0.75). Neuropsychiatric symptoms were common up to 150 days after initial hospitalization, but occurred at generally similar rates among individuals hospitalized for other indications during the same period. Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 thus may benefit from standard if less-specific treatments developed for rehabilitation after hospitalization. Funding R01MH120227, R01MH116270 (Perlis)
Mobility Assessment in Older Adults.

Mobility Assessment in Older Adults A change in mobility or walking speed may indicate frailty and a risk of falls, especially in an older person. This video demonstrates a focused mobility assessm...
Surveillance Echocardiograms Have Minimal Clinical Utility in Pediatric Patients with Isolated Secundum Atrial Septal Defects

Purpose Secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs) are among the most common forms of congenital heart disease. Hemodynamically significant ASDs cause right-sided enlargement and may precipitate atrial arrhythmias and pulmonary hypertension in adulthood. Most patients with ASDs are asymptomatic, and elective closure is planned between 2-5 years of age. Transthoracic echocardiography is the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment planning. Herein, we evaluated the clinical utility of surveillance echocardiograms on clinical management on pediatric patients diagnosed with isolated secundum ASDs. Methods An IRB-approved retrospective study was completed on pediatric …
Analyzing patterns of community interest at a legacy mining waste site to assess and inform environmental health literacy efforts

Understanding a community's concerns and informational needs is crucial to conducting and improving environmental health research and literacy initiatives. We hypothesized that analysis of community inquiries over time at a legacy mining site would be an effective method for assessing environmental health literacy efforts and determining whether community concerns were thoroughly addressed. Through a qualitative analysis, we determined community concerns at the time of being listed as a Superfund site. We analyzed how community concerns changed from this starting point over the subsequent years, and whether: 1) communication materials produced by the USEPA and other media were aligned with community concerns; and 2) these changes demonstrated a progression of the community's understanding resulting from community involvement and engaged research efforts. We observed that when the Superfund site was first listed, community members were most concerned with USEPA management, remediation, site-specific issues, health effects, and environmental monitoring efforts related to air/dust and water. Over the next five years, community inquiries shifted significantly to include exposure assessment and reduction methods and issues unrelated to the site, particularly the local public water supply and home water treatment systems. Such documentation of community inquiries over time at contaminated sites is a novel method to assess environmental health literacy efforts and determine whether community concerns were thoroughly addressed.
Modelling neuroinflammatory phenotypes in vivo

Inflammation of the central nervous system is an important but poorly understood part of neurological disease. After acute brain injury or infection there is a complex inflammatory response that involves activation of microglia and astrocytes and increased production of cytokines, chemokines, acute phase proteins, and complement factors. Antibodies and T lymphocytes may be involved in the response as well. In neurodegenerative disease, where injury is more subtle but consistent, the inflammatory response is continuous. The purpose of this prolonged response is unclear, but it is likely that some of its components are beneficial and others are harmful. Animal models of neurological disease can be used to dissect the specific role of individual mediators of the inflammatory response and assess their potential benefit. To illustrate this approach, we discuss how mutant mice expressing different levels of the cytokine transforming growth factor β-1 (TGF-β1), a major modulator of inflammation, produce important neuroinflammatory phenotypes. We then demonstrate how crosses of TGF-β1 mutant mice with mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) produced important new information on the role of inflammation in AD and on the expression of different neuropathological phenotypes that characterize this disease.
Fatal rhabdomyolysis following influenza infection in a girl with familial carnitine palmityl transferase deficiency

Severe rhabdomyolysis following an influenza B infection developed in a previously well 13-year-old girl. There was no history of trauma. Her course was complicated by episodes of severe hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and myoglobinuria. Renal failure, hypertension, and life-threatening arrhythmias developed; she died. Muscle biopsy revealed that this girl had carnitine palmityl transferase deficiency. An asymptomatic sister was demonstrated to have the same disorder. Although carnitine palmityl transferase deficiency is usually associated with mild bouts of rhabdomyolysis that become apparent only in adulthood, severe forms of this disorder may be seen in children. Life-threatening rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria may follow any infection associated with decreased intake. If carnitine palmityl transferase deficiency is diagnosed in a proband, other siblings should be evaluated so that proper preventative measures can be undertaken to help prevent the development of symptoms in susceptible individuals who have not been recognized to have the disease.
Assessing Critical Thinking in Higher Education: Current State and Directions for Next-Generation Assessment

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills deemed necessary for college graduates to become effective contributors in the global workforce. The first part of this article provides a comprehensive review of its definitions by major frameworks in higher education and the workforce, existing assessments and their psychometric qualities, and challenges surrounding the design, implementation, and use of critical thinking assessment. In the second part, we offer an operational definition that is aligned with the dimensions of critical thinking identified from the reviewed frameworks and discuss the key assessment considerations when designing a next-generation critical thinking assessment. This article has important implications for institutions that are currently using, planning to adopt, or designing an assessment of critical thinking.
Intense negative bays inside the auroral zone—II: Indented positive bay

Intense negative bays occurring in auroral zone in early evening hours explained by westward extension of polar electrojet
A micromachined free-space integrated optical disk pickup head

Summary form only given. In summary, a novel free-space integrated micro-optical disk pickup head has been realized using surface-micromachining techniques. A focal spot with the FWHM equal to 2.6 /spl mu/m/spl times/6.7 /spl mu/m is obtained. This new integrated optical disk pickup head can significantly reduce its size and weight as well as improve the transfer rate of optical data storage systems. The freespace micro-optical bench technology can be extended to many other micro-optics systems.
Computing network reliability of redundant MINs

A reliability analysis technique for MINs (multistage interconnection networks) is discussed. The technique obtains a reliability expression in two steps. Step 1 enumerates paths that are responsible for maintaining one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many connections in a MIN. Step 2 modifies the path information into an equivalent reliability expression. For both step methods techniques that are straightforward, general, and efficient are presented. Examples are used to illustrate the underlying concepts. >
Does Financial Openness Affect Economic Growth in Asian Economies? A Case Study in Selected Asian Economies, 1980-2010

In recent decades, financial liberalization has been one of the most important strategies for Asian countries to promote growth. However, debate emerges following several financial crises on whether liberalizing financial markets and allowing for free access to international capital markets, would benefit or impede economic development. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of financial openness on select seventeen Asian economies and answer the three questions: 1. Is there any linkage between financial openness and economic growth for these seventeen Asian countries? 2. Does any of the financial openness pose positive or negative effects? 3. If no direct impact revealed, can financial openness still have growth effect under certain fundamental or institutional conditions? Our main findings are as follows: 1. By employing both de jure and de facto indicators of financial openness, our empirical results indicate that the de facto indicators are associated with growth of Asian economies but de jure indicator does not show statistically significant impact on growth across three methodologies. 2.Furthermore, these growth effects vary among the de facto indicators. According to our empirical results, out of the four de facto financial openness measurements, only one of them, foreign direct investment inflows, influences growth positively whereas three other measures, including foreign direct investment outflows, portfolio investment inflows and outflows exert negative impact on growth. In terms of the view that the growth effect of the financial openness depends on macroeconomic foundations or institutional conditions of an economy, our findings do not support this view due to the estimation results are not robust across five financial openness proxies.
Observations on real-time simulation design and experimentation

Modeling and simulation provides a convenient way for evaluating operability of designed systems (e.g., Network-on-Chip) in their desired target environments. Where applicable, real-time modeling with real-time simulation extends logical-time M&S capabilities by evaluating the degree to which system requirements can be satisfied in actual operational scenarios. Simulations can be directly observed and evaluated in realistic settings. This brings about a well-known challenge -- simulation experimentations are never without computational cost. This leads to real-time simulation (adversely) affecting simulation results, sometimes drastically, if not carefully designed for. In this paper, in view of finite computational resources for executing simulations in real-time, new observations on data collection and evaluations are described for the Action-Level Real-Time DEVS (ALRT-DEVS) simulator. Simple and complex example real-time models are developed in selected simulators, experiments with varying degrees of data collection volume are conducted, and results are discussed.
Fouling of the Sandy Beaches of Nahant Bay (Massachusetts, USA) by an Abnormal Free-Living Form of the Macroalga Pilayella Littoralis (Phaeophyta). I. Habitat Characteristics

Nahant Bay is a 15 sq km rectangular embayment located 17 km northeast of Boston on the Massachusetts coast (Fig.l). It does not receive substantial freshwater inflows and thus is coastal marine, rather than estuarine, in character. Its shoreline consists of a combination of rocky outcroppings and white sandy beaches devoted almost exclusively to residential and recreational usages. The sandy shoreline, totalling 8 km in length, consists of five beaches, namely, Little Nahant (Short), Nahant-Lynn (Long), Kings, Fishermans, and Whales (Fig. 2). Stretching inland from these beaches are large year-round residential populations housed in high-rise buildings and homes overlooking the bay. The two largest beaches, Nahant and Kings, typically attract warm-weather recreational crowds of 25,000 per day on weekends and 10,000 per day on weekdays (C.P. Wilkinson, personal communication).
A History of Neuroanatomical Mapping

Publisher Summary This chapter outlines the history of neuroanatomical mapping. The first useful stain for nervous tissue, carmine, significantly increased the contrast in histological sections so that neuronal cell bodies were more distinct when viewed under the microscope. With the gradual realization that neurotransmission is mediated chemically, and with the identification of the molecules involved, histological techniques were developed to determine the cellular distribution of neurotransmitters and their receptors. The development of histofluorescence methods for biogenic amines led to a series of classic brain mapping studies that defined a whole new class of unexpected neural systems—noradrenergic, adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic cell groups with very widespread, “diffuse” projections more reminiscent of the sympathetic system than the apparently simple sensory and motor pathways so familiar and comfortable to neuroanatomists. Even though histochemical methods for localizing acetylcholinesterase and the biogenic amines were very important and influential, they were not general in the sense that they could not be applied to a wide range of molecules. Their success was based instead on the specificity of chemical reactions taking place within tissue sections. The introduction of immunohistochemistry revolutionized chemoarchitectonics because in principle any antigenic molecule could now be localized at the cellular level by applying antibodies to tissue sections.
8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder: Effective Strategies from Therapeutic Practice and Personal Experience

8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder: Effective Strategies from Therapeutic Practice and Personal Experience was co-authored by Carolyn Costin and Gwen Schubert Grabb. Both authors are psycho...
The Pregnancy-Related Dreams Of Pregnant Women

Background: This study examined the frequency and nature of pregnancy-related dreams in pregnant women in a family practice center and assessed the extent such dreams were discussed with providers of prenatal care. Methods: Pregnant women 18 years of age or older who were receiving prenatal care at the University of Missouri–Columbia Family Medical Care Center responded to a two-page self-administered questionnaire. The major variables measured were frequency of pregnancy-related dreams, frequency of frightening dreams, content of dreams, and discussion of dreams. Health professionals providing prenatal care to these women were also surveyed. Results: Eighty-eight pregnant women, 41 family physicians, and 3 nurse practitioners participated in the study. Dreams about their pregnancy or baby were reported by 59 (67 percent) of 88 pregnant women, of whom 22 had experienced at least one frightening dream. Seventeen women reported being upset by a dream. The frequency of dreams increased with advancing gestational age. The content of the most common dream involved conflict with the father of the baby. Most women had talked to another person about their dreams, usually the baby’s father. Only 2 women told their physicians about the pregnancy-related dream. One-half of the providers of prenatal care reported discussing pregnancy-related dreams with a pregnant patient at least once during their careers. Conclusion: Dreams about their pregnancy or baby occurred frequently in pregnant women and could be a neglected source of information about the psychological state of the patient.
Effects of cold disinfectants on the mechanical properllies and the surface topography of nickel-titanium arch wires

The effects of disinfectants on the mechanical properties and surface topographies were determined for 0.017 x 0.025-inch Nitinol and Titanal wires. Three disinfectants approved by the American Dental Association were tested at maximum antimicrobial concentrations: 2% acidic glutaraldehyde, chlorine dioxide, and iodophor. Bending and tensile tests were evaluated to determine whether the stiffness, strength, or range of the wires changed after disinfectant treatment. Laser spectroscopy was used to detect surface changes from corrosion or tarnish after treatment. No detrimental changes were detected in the mechanical properties or surface topography of either wire product after disinfectant treatment. Nitinol was found to be stronger and stiffer than Titanal. On average, Titanal exhibited five times more specular reflectivity than Nitinol.
Illustration of the additional value of real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography to conventional transthoracic and transesophageal 2-dimensional echocardiography in imaging muscular ventricular septal defects: does this have any impact on individual patient treatment?

Objective We sought to answer the question of whether the additional morphologic details obtained by real-time 3-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic (RT3DE) imaging of muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD) has any significant impact on treatment options of individual patient. Background Muscular VSD can be safely and effectively closed by interventional catheterization procedure using VSD devices under transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) guidance. Recent application of RT3DE has shown great promise for imaging VSD with better display of the exact geometry, size, and location of the defect. Methods Nineteen patients with different types of VSDs were imaged with RT3DE matrix-array transducer; there were 6 cases with muscular VSD. Based on standard transthoracic echocardiographic and TEE imaging, one patient was considered a good candidate for perventricular VSD device occlusion, three patients were considered for surgical closure, and in two patients no intervention was deemed necessary. Results RT3DE successfully displayed the exact morphology of the VSD in all 6 patients, whereas transthoracic echocardiography and TEE showed the defect as a dropout with variable diameter in different views. Such planer images did not accurately predict the exact morphology in the patient in whom device occlusion was considered and the device embolized to the left ventricle in a few heartbeats. Surgical circular patch was used in two patients and primary suture was used in two patients in agreement with the 3D morphology. In two patients the 3D morphology of the VSD was small enough that no intervention was considered. Conclusions RT3DE imaging of muscular VSD can accurately display the exact geometry of the defect, which can have significant impact on treatment strategies of individual patients. This new imaging modality should be an important adjunct to the standard transthoracic echocardiographic and TEE imaging of these defect before any intervention.
An event analysis of industrial timberland sales on shareholder values of major U.S. forest products firms

Abstract We used an event study to investigate the impact of industrial timberland sales from 1997 to 2007 on shareholder values of major U.S. forest products firms. Cross-sectional regression analysis and Capital Asset Pricing Model were used to examine factors influencing changes in market capitalization and systematic risk before and afterward. The average cumulative abnormal rates of returns associated with the timberland sales were found to be positive for all firms, and the resulting change in capitalization was related to these firms' total asset and debt. The systematic risk for these firms changed little or increased slightly after the timberland sales.
Low-temperature phases of the solid electrolyte Ag26I18W4O16

Abstract Single crystal X-ray diffraction photographs taken with a Buerger precession camera, at temperatures 250, 214, and 122 K, corroborate the existence of three low-temperature phases of Ag26I18W4O16. These phases are labeled α′, β, and γ in order of decreasing temperature. The α′ phase is monoclinic, space group P21, Z = 2; the β phase is triclinic, space group P 1 or P1, Z = 2; and the γ phase is triclinic, space group P1, Z = 1. Lattice constants at the aforementioned temperatures are given. Twins in the β and γ phases are related by the albite and pericline laws, as are twins in the feldspars. The highest symmetry known to be attained by the (W4O16)8− entity is 2(C2), which, strictly, it must lose at the transition to the α′ phase.
Detecting Wear and Migration of Solid-Film Lubricants Using Simultaneous Exoelectron Emission

This study was carried out to see if solid-lubricant films on metal surfaces wear monotonically, or if there is occasional migration from a region on the wear track with copious lubricant to one from which the lubricant has been worn away. To facilitate this study, a new pin-on-disk apparatus was constructed with the capability of continuously measuring the friction and the exoelectron emission from tile wear track. Sliding tests were carried out using a circular wear track which, initially, traversed a path partly on an unlubricated surface and partly on a surface covered by a solid-lubricant film. It was found that lubricant films of rubbed graphite and molybdenum disulfide showed no spreading of the lubricant along the wear track, but polytetrafluoroethylene had some capability for migration and, hence, healing of a denuded wear track. Presented at the 37th Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 10–13, 1982
Transport of nucleosides in Trypanosoma lewisi

Abstract 1. 1. Transport of nucleosides have been studied in blood stream forms of Trypanosoma lewisi. 2. 2. Thymidine and uridine are transported by a dual mechanism. Active transport is observed at low concentrations. At high concentrations, the nucleosides enter the cells by diffusion. Partially competitive inhibition of thymidine by uridine suggest specific as well as common sites for these nucleosides. 3. 3. The uptake of both thymidine and uridine increase in the presence of thymine.
The Use of Land for Roadways in a Growing Mills-de Ferranti Urban Area

Abstract This paper examines the socially optimal allocation of land to roadways in a growing urban area, assuming that roadway sections, once in place, cannot be widened subsequently. Roadways are used by workers who commute to a central business district. As the urban area expands due to population growth, existing roadway sections become congested. At each time, a government planner chooses the fraction of land to allocate to roadways at the current boundary of the urban area, taking into consideration the levels of traffic anticipated in the future, in order to minimize the present discounted value of costs, including commuting costs and the agricultural opportunity costs of urban land. An explicit solution is possible if the population of the urban area grows linearly over time.
The incision of choice for pregnant women with appendicitis is through McBurney’s point

Abstract Background: There is uncertainty over the optimal incision for gravid patients with appendicitis. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2000, on 374 women of childbearing age who underwent appendectomies. Of these, 23 gravid patients were evaluated. Results: Eighteen incisions were made over McBurney’s point and five were created superior to McBurney’s point. Patients in the third trimester of pregnancy all received incisions over McBurney’s point. The appendix was located without difficulty in all 4 of the third trimester patients. The appendix was easily located in 94% of the incisions made through McBurney’s point and 80% of the incisions made above McBurney’s point. Conclusions: Our clinical experience indicates that the incision for the removal of the appendix in pregnant patients in all trimesters can be successfully made over McBurney’s point.
Oral propranolol treatment in infants and children

To determine the effectiveness of oral propranolol in children, we administered 0.5 to 4.0 mg/kg/day of the drug to 64 children (age one day to 20 years): 41 with cardiac dysrhythmias, six with idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, and 17 with paroxysmal hypoxemic spells associated with right ventricular infundibular obstruction. A new liquid form of propranolol (10 mg/ml) was administered to 37 of the younger patients, and tablets were given to the other 27. Propranolol improved the dysrhythmia in 31 of 41 patients, being notably effective in supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia associated with a prolonged QT interval. The drug also eliminated symptoms attributed to IHSS in six of six patients and abolished hypoxemic spells in 12 of 17. The liquid and tablets were equally effective; and the liquid had the advantage of allowing for accurate dose changes in younger children. We conclude that oral propranolol is as excellent drug for use in pediatric patients with certain types of cardiac disease.
Autopoiesis: The organizational closure of social systems

The attempt to define living systems in terms of goal, purpose, function, etc. runs into serious conceptual difficulties. The theoretical biologists Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela realized that any such attempt cannot capture what is distinctive about them: Their autonomy and unity. Goal, purpose, etc. always define the system in terms of something extrinsic, whereas living systems are unique because they maintain their unitary continuity of pattern despite the ceaseless turnover of their components. So, system-closure is a prerequisite of their adequate conceptual comprehension. Maturana and Varela themselves found that system-closure pertains exclusively to their organization, i.e. the set of relations among system-components which unify them. For living systems this comprises the relation between the system-components and the processes which they undergo. This relation is self-referential because it is closed, i.e. it essentially (re)produces itself. While this model worked very well in the biological domain, attempts to extend it to the social domain met with serious conceptual obstacles. The reason for this is that Maturana did not make a consistent enough application of it. He understood the components of social systems biologically (individuals, persons, etc.) and the relations between them socially (language). This inconsistency ruptured the system's organizational closure. Consequently organizational closure (autopoiesis) can be maintained only when both the components of social systems and their processes are of the same type: Social. This interpretation can be found in the work of Niklas Luhmann who recognizes that the components of social systems are not persons, individuals, actors or subjects but communicative actions themselves. This preserves the organizational closure of the system and permits the concept of autopoiesis to be used as a powerful instrument of social analysis.
Instance-based prediction of real-valued attributes

Instance-based representations have been applied to numerous classification tasks with some success. Most of these applications involved predicting a symbolic class based on observed attributes. This paper presents an instance-based method for predicting a numeric value based on observed attributes. We prove that, given enough instances, if the numeric values are generated by continuous functions with bounded slope, then the predicted values are accurate approximations of the actual values. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by comparing it with a standard approach for value prediction. The instance-based approach requires neither ad hoc parameters nor background knowledge.
Spinal Dysraphism: A Review of Clinical Manifestations and Surgical Treatment Options

Spinal dysraphism is used to describe a group of developmental abnormalities in which there is defective closure of the neural tube. The authors review the clinical manifestations and surgical treatment of occult and open spinal dysraphism.
Role of p38 MAPK in CYP2E1-dependent arachidonic acid toxicity.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid (AA) play an important role in alcohol-induced liver injury. AA promotes toxicity in rat hepatocytes with high levels of cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) and in HepG2 E47 cells, which express CYP2E1. The possible role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) members in this process was evaluated. SB203580, a p38 MAPK inhibitor, and PD98059, an ERK inhibitor, but not wortmannin a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, prevented AA toxicity in pyrazole hepatocytes and E47 cells. SB203580 prevented the enhancement of AA toxicity by salicylate. SB203580 neither lowered the levels of CYP2E1 nor affected CYP2E1-dependent oxidative stress. The decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential produced by AA was prevented by SB203580. Treating CYP2E1-induced cells with AA activated p38 MAPK but not ERK or AKT. This activation was blocked by antioxidants. AA increased the translocation of NF-κB to the nucleus. Salicylate blocked this translocation, which may contribute to the enhancement of AA toxicity by salicylate. SB203580 restored AA-induced NF-κB translocation, which may contribute to protection against toxicity. In conclusion, AA toxicity was related to lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, and to the activation of p38 MAPK, as a consequence of CYP2E1-dependent production of reactive oxygen species. Activation of p38 MAPK by AA coupled to AA-induced oxidative stress may synergize to cause cell toxicity by affecting mitochondrial membrane potential and by modulation of NF-κB activation.
PHENIX on-line distributed computing system architecture

Abstract PHENIX is one of the two large experiments at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) currently under construction at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The detector consists of 11 subdetectors, that are further subdivided into 29 units (“granules”) that can be operated independently, which includes simultaneous data taking with independent data streams and independent triggers. The detector has 250 000 channels and is read out by front-end modules, where the data is buffered in a pipeline while awaiting the level 1 trigger decision. Zero suppression and calibration is done after the level 1 accept in custom built data collection modules (DCMs) with DSPs before the data is sent to an event builder (design throughput of 2 Gb/sec) and higher level triggers. The On-line Computing Systems Group (ONCS) has two responsibilities. Firstly, it is responsible for receiving the data from the event builder, routing it through a network of workstations to consumer processes and archiving it at a data rate of 20 MB/sec. Secondly, it is also responsible for the overall configuration, control and operation of the detector and data acquisition chain, which comprises the software integration for several thousand custom built hardware modules. The software must furthermore support the independent operation of the above mentioned granules, which includes the coordination of processes that run in 60–100 VME processors and workstations. ONCS has adapted the Shlaer—Mellor Object Oriented Methodology for the design of the top layer software. CORBA is used as communication layer between the distributed objects, which are implemented as asynchronous finite state machines. We will give an overview of the PHENIX online system with the main focus on the system architecture, software components and integration tasks of the On-line Computing group ONCS and report on the status of the current prototypes.
Characterization and application of a liquid crystal beam steering device

Optical Phased Array technology promises to reduce the size, weight, and power consumption of optical pointing and steering systems by replacing complex mechanically gimballed mirrors with small, lightweight, nonmechanical devices. This paper develops and describes several diagnostic techniques that can be used to evaluate the performance of Optical Phased Arrays (OPAs) and demonstrates their use by applying them to the evaluation of a commercially available liquid crystal device. Finally, the operation of this device is demonstrated by integrating it into a steered imaging system.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Critical Behavior of a Binary Mixture of Protein and Salt Water

Evidence is presented for the existence of a critical mixing point of a protein and saltwater binary mixture. The asymptotic behavior of the osmotic isothermal compressibility and the long-range correlation length near the critical mixing point is consistent with the scaling laws predicted by the mean-field theory. The dynamic behavior of concentration fluctuations is not described by the mode-coupling theory.
Simple examples of nonrealizable CR hypersurfaces

A new proof is provided of a nonrealizability result due to Hill, Penrose, and Sparling. This result is then generalized to higher dimensions: Each OVcohomology class in H0,1(Ai) can be used to define a nonrealizable CR structure on ti x R2. Consider an example due to Hill, Penrose, and Sparling (P) as formulated by Eastwood (E). Let M be a three-dimensional hypersurface in C2 with Lewy operator L. Define a CR structure on M x C by taking
Subjective outcomes following sural nerve harvest.

Purpose The goal of this study was to assess subjective patient recovery of donor site sensory deficit following sural nerve harvest for trigeminal nerve repair surgery. Patients and Methods A review of 42 consecutive sural nerve graft patient records yielded 26 patients, at least 20 months following sural nerve grafting for trigeminal nerve repair, who participated in a telephone questionnaire survey to assess subjective outcomes. The association between donor site outcome and other factors, including nerve graft recovery, age, gender, pain, cold sensitivity, scar cosmesis and tactile sensitivity, and legal involvement were analyzed, and presurgical and present levels of donor and nerve graft site sensibility were compared. Results The perceived area of donor site sensory deficit decreased significantly over time. Postoperative donor site pain and cold sensitivity at low levels were reported by few patients, and the majority have completely resolved. Most patients reported no problems with scar cosmesis or pain. There was a moderate agreement between donor site recovery and nerve graft recovery (κ = 0.32). Few patients reported satisfaction with one site and not the other or complete dissatisfaction with both sites. Other factors such as age, gender, or legal involvement were not found to correlate with satisfaction level. Conclusions The use of a questionnaire for subjective assessment of neurosensory recovery following nerve graft repair yields outcomes information that is generally not considered in the traditional clinical patient assessment. The majority of patients tolerate sural nerve harvest without significant donor site morbidity.
The β-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase complex as a target for therapeutic intervention in heart failure

In the human heart the beta-adrenergic pathways are the primary means of increasing cardiac performance in response to acute or chronic stress. Control of beta pathway function is achieved by changes in the receptors themselves, and to a lesser degree by adjustments in the inhibitory G protein (Gi). In heart failure myocardial beta-receptor function is substantially reduced, but the beta-receptor pathways are so powerful that they remain capable of supporting inotropic function. Certain therapeutic interventions that improve exercise performance in heart failure can partially restore beta-receptor pathway function to normal; these interventions include beta-blocker therapy and treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Other types of therapy, such as chronic administration of beta-adrenergic agonists, may produce undesirable effects by increasing beta-receptor subsensitivity; however, the effects of beta-agonists on beta-receptor function are somewhat unpredictable and certain beta-agonists do not appear to produce much desensitization. Finally, the failing human heart is in effect partially denervated due to depletion of neuronal norepinephrine, and consequently in advanced heart failure beta-agonists that possess an indirect component of action will be less effective than exclusively direct-acting agents. These observations indicate that the baseline status and the intervention-associated behaviour of the human myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor systems need to be considered in developing therapeutic strategies in congestive heart failure.
12‐Lipoxygenase Products Attenuate the Glutamate Release and Ca2+ Accumulation Evoked by Depolarization of Hippocampal Mossy Fiber Nerve Endings

Presynaptic correlates of evoked neurotransmitter release include a rise in cytosolic free calcium level and the calcium-dependent liberation of unesterified arachidonic acid. It has been proposed that lipoxygenase metabolites produced from arachidonic acid may constitute an endogenous feedback system for the modulation of neurotransmitter release. The results of the present study are in agreement with this hypothesis. It was demonstrated that membrane depolarization evoked the release of endogenous glutamate from hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomes, as well as the accumulation of intraterminal free calcium. The presence of 12-lipoxygenase products attenuated both the induced release of glutamate and the increase in calcium content, whereas 5- or 15-lipoxygenase metabolites were ineffective. A role for lipoxygenase products in the negative modulation of mossy fiber secretion processes was further indicated by the observations that low concentrations of the lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (0.1-10 microM) potentiated the glutamate release and calcium accumulation induced by membrane depolarization. Therefore, we suggest that 12-lipoxygenase metabolites provide a presynaptic inhibitory signal that limits neurotransmitter release from hippocampal mossy fiber terminals.
Epitope optimization of a DNA vaccine targeting SSX-2 leads to PD-1 upregulation on antigen-specific CD8 T cells and PD-L1 upregulation on tumor cells

Background Recent groups have shown that the immunological efficacy of vaccines could be increased by encoding targeted mutations that enhance the binding affinity between the encoded epitopes and the MHC-TCR complex. In this study, we sought to examine the anti-tumor efficacy of a DNA vaccine targeting SSX-2, a cancer-testis antigen (CTA) expressed by prostate tumors, containing mutations designed to enhance the affinity of the reactive epitopes for the MHC. Methods A mouse sarcoma line engineered to express human HLAA2 and SSX-2 was subcutaneously implanted into the hind flanks of C57BL/6 mice engineered to express HLA-A2 and not express mouse MHC types (HHDII-DRI mice). Mice were then treated with either a control DNA vaccine, a plasmid encoding the native SSX-2, or a plasmid encoding SSX-2 with optimized HLA-A2-binding epitopes, and tumor growth was followed. Results
Learning the causal graph of Markov time series

This paper considers a natural and widely prevalent setting where a collection of one dimensional time series evolve in a causal manner, and one is interested in inferring the graph governing the causality between these processes in a high dimensional setting. We consider this problem in the special case where variables are discrete and updates are Markov. We develop a new algorithm to learn causal graph structure based on the notion of directed information, and analytically and empirically demonstrate its performance. Our algorithm is an adaptation of a greedy heuristic for learning undirected graphical models, with modifications to leverage causality. Analytically, the challenge lies in determining sample complexity, given the dependencies between samples.