cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The association between U.S. Poison Center assistance and length of stay and hospital charges.

AbstractContext. Poison centers (PCs) play an important role in poison prevention and treatment. Studies show that PCs reduce system-wide cost by reducing the number of unnecessary visits to emergency departments and by providing improved patient management. However, there remains a debate regarding the impact of PCs on patient outcomes at the hospital level. Objective. To evaluate the impact of PC involvement on length of hospitalization and total hospital charges. Materials and methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of inpatient cases treated in Illinois hospitals in 2010. We linked the Illinois Poison Center database with an Illinois hospital billing dataset and controlled for important patient-level and facility-level covariates. Results. In the multivariable model, length of hospitalization among PC-assisted patients was 0.58 days shorter than that of patients without PC assistance (p < 0.001). Hospital charges for PC-assisted patients in the lower quintiles were significantly higher than pat...
A Measurement Tool for Simulation-Based Training in Emergency Medicine: The Simulation Module for Assessment of Resident Targeted Event Responses (SMARTER) Approach

The use of simulation in graduate medical education affords unique opportunities for increasing the quality of a resident's educational experiences. Additionally, simulation poses a set of challenges that must be met to realize the full potential on learning and assessment practices. This article presents a methodology for creating simulation scenarios and accompanying measurement tools that are systematically linked in a direct and explicit manner to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies. This method, the Simulation Module for Assessment of Resident's Targeted Event Responses (SMARTER), is an 8 step process that addresses the critical challenges of performance measurement in simulations and the need to document Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competency based learning outcomes. The SMARTER methodology is discussed in detail and 3 examples of scenario content and measurement tools generated with the SMARTER approach are provided. Additionally, results from an initial evaluation of the practicability and utility of the SMARTER measurement tools are discussed.
Historical Trends in the Use of Radiation Therapy for Pediatric Cancers: 1973-2008

Purpose This study was undertaken to assess historical trends in the use of radiation therapy (RT) for pediatric cancers over the past 4 decades. Methods The National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database of the 9 original tumor registries (SEER-9) was queried to identify patients aged 0 to 19 years with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, bone and joint cancer, cancer of the brain and nervous system, Hodgkin lymphoma, neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, soft tissue cancer, Wilms tumor, or retinoblastoma from 1973 to 2008. Patients were grouped into 4-year time epochs. The number and percentage of patients who received RT as part of their initial treatment were calculated per epoch by each diagnosis group from 1973 to 2008. Results RT use for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and retinoblastoma declined sharply from 57%, 57%, and 30% in 1973 to 1976 to 11%, 15%, and 2%, respectively, in 2005 to 2008. Similarly, smaller declines in RT use were also seen in brain cancer (70%-39%), bone cancer (41%-21%), Wilms tumor (75%-53%), and neuroblastoma (60%-25%). RT use curves for Wilms tumor and neuroblastoma were nonlinear with nadirs in 1993 to 1996 at 39% and 19%, respectively. There were minimal changes in RT use for Hodgkin lymphoma, soft tissue cancer, or acute myeloid leukemia, roughly stable at 72%, 40%, and 11%, respectively. Almost all patients treated with RT were given external beam RT exclusively. However, from 1985 to 2008, treatments involving brachytherapy, radioisotopes, or combination therapy increased in frequency, comprising 1.8%, 4.6%, and 11.9% of RT treatments in brain cancer, soft tissue cancer, and retinoblastoma, respectively. Conclusions The use of RT is declining over time in 7 of 10 pediatric cancer categories. A limitation of this study is a potential under-ascertainment of RT use in the SEER-9 database including the delayed use of RT.
The feasibility and validity of studies comparing orthopedists and non-orthopedists caring for musculoskeletal injuries: results of a pilot study.

Objective. To review care provided by orthopedists and non-orthopedists for a variety of common acute injuries to the shoulder, knee, and ankle; and to evaluate the difficulties in assessing results from diagnostic data collected for administrative reporting by comparing these data with data collected by medical record abstraction for the same patients. Methods. The Rochester Epidemiology Project database was used to identify new cases of Colles fracture, knee sprain, ankle sprain, and shoulder sprain/rotator cuff injury among Olmsted county residents >18 years of age, who were evaluated between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1992. Data were collected from an administrative database and medical records. Results. Although the diagnoses recorded in the administrative database and those obtained from medical record review were the same in 94% of the 500 cases reviewed, only 270 (67.7%) actually represented acute injuries. Medical record review showed that (for the shoulder and ankle) injury severity was highly correlated with treatment specialty: 13 of 15 severe injuries were cared for by orthopedists, while 64 of 68 mild injuries were treated by non-orthopedists. Diagnostic uncertainty was more common among non-orthopedists; in 21 of the 149 patients treated by non-orthopedists (15.1%), the final (i.e., recorded for coding) diagnosis was different from the initial diagnosis. In 14 of these cases, an orthopedist made the final diagnosis. None of the diagnoses made by orthopedists were revised. Conclusion. Current diagnostic coding does not capture injury acuity, severity, or diagnostic uncertainty. Studies that limit themselves to such data for diagnostic information are likely to suffer from biases which can skew results in unpredictable ways. Conclusions drawn from such studies are likely to be flawed.
Phase noise in inverter-based & differential CMOS ring oscillators

Simple but precise expressions are derived for jitter, and thus for phase noise, in inverter-based and differential ring oscillators. White and flicker noise are included. The expressions are validated by measurement and simulation.
Efficient utilization of multiple channels between two switches in ATM networks

Studies the problem of efficiently multiplexing virtual circuits over multiple channels between switches in high-speed networks. Since cells in parallel channels can bypass each other, reordering is required. The authors study the performance improvement yielded by different multiplexing strategies relative to the case when no multiplexing is performed. In addition they examine the delay and loss behavior for both, bursty and constant bit-rate, traffic. They show that significant performance improvements are obtained by multiplexing.
An on-chip smart memory for a data-flow CPU

Register Alias Table (RAT) is a smart memory that is embedded in HPSm (High-Performance Substrate), a Berkeley data-flow CPU. It is a multiport memory that has content addressability and support for branch prediction and exception handling, in addition to conventional read and write operations. An experimental 1240-b smart memory chip is implemented in a 1.6- mu m double-metal scalable CMOS process. This memory performs 15 operations within a cycle time of 100 ns, has 34658 transistors, occupies an area of 3.8 mm*5.2 mm, and dissipates 0.51 W. >
Relationship of channel steepness to channel incision rate from a tilted and progressively exposed unconformity surface

We examine the relationship of channel steepness to incision rate from channels eroding into a previously tilted, planar, and progressively exhumed unconformity surface. Channel and unconformity slopes are measured from a suite of channels developed on erosionally resistant Paleozoic limestone exhumed by the removal of Cenozoic sediments from the Baybeiche Range bordering the Naryn basin in the western Tian Shan. The compiled data set, sampling 5 orders of magnitude of upstream drainage area (0.03 to 227 km2), is used to derive the exponent, n, relating channel steepness to channel incision rate and the ratio, K/V, of the rate constant for channel incision of the resistant substrate, K, to the erosion rate, V, of the cover strata. We show that for a typical value of intrinsic concavity (slope-area exponent, θ=0.5), erosion rates that are proportional to specific stream power (n=1) satisfy the data set. However, valley width data suggest that the intrinsic concavity is higher (θ=0.8) and that incision data can also be fit if erosion is proportional to basal shear stress (n=2/3). Our results do not support values of n significantly greater than one. Using36Cl exposure age dating of the unconformity surface, we independently demonstrate that the Cenozoic cover strata have been progressively stripped downward from the unconformity surface at a vertical rate of 1 to 2 m/kyr. Using V=1 m/kyr, we constrain the rate constant, K, to between 6 ± 1 and 9 ± 2 ×10 -4kyr-1 for incision of resistant limestone bedrock in this field setting. Key Points Channel incision relation to steepness calibrated from tilted bedrock surface Chlorine-36 exposure age-dating shows bedrock surface exhumed at 1 to 2 m/kyr Low n values, consistent with shear stress (n=2/3) satisfy field data ©2014. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
Early Evaluation of the Cray X1

Oak Ridge National Laboratory installed a 32 processor Cray X1 in March, 2003, and will have a 256 processor system installed by October, 2003. In this paper we describe our initial evaluation of the X1 architecture, focusing on microbenchmarks, kernels, and application codes that highlight the performance characteristics of the X1 architecture and indicate how to use the system most efficiently.
County-level characteristics as predictors of dentists’ ECC counseling in the USA: a survey study

Background: Transmission of Streptococcus mutans from mother-to-child can lead to Early Childhood Caries. A previous study identified characteristics and beliefs of general dentists about counseling pregnant women to reduce risk of infection and Early Childhood Caries. This study extends those findings with an analysis of county level factors. Methods: In 2006, we surveyed 732 general dentists in Oregon, USA about dental care for pregnant women. Survey items asked about individual and practice characteristics. In the present study we matched those data to county level factors and used multinomial logistic regression to test the effects of the factors (i.e., dentist to population ratio, percentage of female dentists, percentage of females of childbearing age, and percentage of individuals living in poverty) on counseling behavior. Results: County level factors were unrelated to counseling behavior when the models controlled for dentists' individual attitudes, beliefs, and practice level characteristics. The adjusted odds ratios for no counseling of pregnant patients (versus 100 percent counseling) were 1.1 (95% CI .8-1.7), 1.0 (1.0-1.1), 1.2 (.9-1.5), and 1.1 (1.0-1.2) for dentist/population ratio, percent female dentists, percent females of childbearing age, and percent in poverty, respectively Similar results were obtained when dentists who counseled some patients were compared to those counseling 100 percent of patients. Conclusions: Community level factors do not appear to impact the individual counseling behavior of general dentists in Oregon, USA regarding the risk of maternal transmission of Early Childhood Caries.
Osteology of the Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur Tatenectes laramiensis , with Comments on the Taxonomic Status of the Cimoliasauridae

ABSTRACT Recent field work in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming has recovered significant new material of the plesiosaur Tatenectes laramiensis. The majority of cryptocleidoid plesiosaurs have been recovered from Middle and Upper Jurassic units (Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays, respectively) in the United Kingdom, but Tatenectes laramiensis is one of at least two cryptocleidoids known from the Upper Sundance Member of the Sundance Formation (Oxfordian) of North America. Although poorly known, they bear directly on both the phylogeny and biogeography of the cryptocleidoid plesiosaurs. Here we describe new fossil material of Tatenectes, and reevaluate the phylogenetic position of this genus based on all known material. New material includes a partial skeleton comprising cranial elements, axial column, and a partial pectoral girdle, as well as an isolated humerus and vertebrae. The pectoral girdle closely resembles that of Muraenosaurus belodis from the Oxford Clay, but is even shorter anteriorly. The cervical vertebra...
Characterization of immunoreactive insulin in human saliva: evidence against production in situ.

The presence of insulin immunoreactivity in extrapancreatic tissues and fluids suggests multiple sites of insulin production. Immunoreactive insulin occurs in human saliva and concentrations increase after oral glucose ingestion. The goal of these experiments was to determine whether the presence of immunoreactive insulin in this extra-pancreatic site is independent of pancreatic production or merely represents the accumulation of circulating pancreatic insulin. The mean ±SEM concentration of extracted salivary immunoreactive insulin in five normal volunteers increased during an oral glucose tolerance test from basal values of 36±3.0 to 291±40pmol/l; however, the peak occurred 45–90 min later than in serum. On this basis, it was not possible to distinguish between the stimulation (by increased blood glucose concentrations) of insulin synthesis in the saliva glands from the accumulation of blood insulin. Therefore, we studied a group of five volunteers during intravenous infusion of insulin (1 and 10 mU·kg−1·min−1, sequentially) and glucose (euglycaemic clamp). Under these conditions, salivary immunoreactive insulin concentrations increased significantly from 254±100 to 1919±437 pmol/l (p<0.05), while simultaneous mean plasma C-peptide concentrations were unchanged. Thus, the concentration of salivary immunoreactive insulin was clearly related to the amount of insulin in the blood and not to the plasma glucose concentration. Physico-chemical and immunological characterization of salivary immunoreactive insulin by dilution in radioimmunoassay, gel filtration and polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the majority of it was indistinguishable from insulin standards. We conclude that salivary insulin is accumulated from the blood and there is no reason to suggest that it is synthesized elsewhere than in the pancreas.
Gauss-Markov random fields (CMrf) with continuous indices

Gauss-Markov random fields (GMrfs) play an important role in the modeling of physical phenomena. The paper addresses the second-order characterization and the sample path description of GMrf's when the indexing parameters take values in bounded subsets of /spl Rfr//sup d/, d/spl ges/1. Using results of Pitt (1994), we give conditions for the covariance of a GMrf to be the Green's function of a partial differential operator and, conversely, for the Green's function of an operator to be the covariance of a GMrf. We then develop a minimum mean square error representation for the field in terms of a partial differential equation driven by correlated noise. The paper establishes for GMrf's on /spl Rfr//sup d/ second-order characterizations that parallel the corresponding results for GMrf's on finite lattices.
EFFECTS OF HIGH LEVELS OF DNA ADENINE METHYLATION ON METHYL-DIRECTED MISMATCH REPAIR IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

Two methods were used in an attempt to increase the efficiency and strand selectivity of methyl-directed mismatch repair of bacteriophage lambda heteroduplexes in E. coli. Previous studies of such repair used lambda DNA that was only partially methylated as the source of methylated chains. Also, transfection was carried out in methylating strains. Either of these factors might have been responsible for the incompleteness of the strand selectivity observed previously. In the first approach to increasing strand selectivity, heteroduplexes were transfected into a host deficient in methylation, but no changes in repair frequencies were observed. In the second approach, heteroduplexes were prepared using DNA that had been highly methylated in vitro with purified DNA adenine methylase as the source of methylated chains. In heteroduplexes having a repairable cI/+ mismatch, strand selectivity was indeed enhanced. In heteroduplexes with one chain highly methylated and the complementary chain unmethylated, the frequency of repair on the unmethylated chain increased to nearly 100%. Heteroduplexes with both chains highly methylated were not repaired at a detectable frequency. Thus, chains highly methylated by DNA adenine methylase were refractory to mismatch repair by this system, regardless of the methylation of the complementary chain. These results support the hypothesis that methyl-directed mismatch repair acts to correct errors of replication, thus lowering the mutation rate.
Research in Hybrid Intelligent Systems

The emerging need for hybrid intelligent systems is currently motivating important research and development work. The individual technologies represent the various aspects of human intelligence that are necessary for enhancing decision making in computing systems. In addition to the practical aspect, systems that perform a variety of intelligent tasks are interesting also for expanding the artificial intelligence effort to gain a better understanding of human cognition.
Polyacrylamides Bearing Pendant α-Sialoside Groups Strongly Inhibit Agglutination of Erythrocytes by Influenza Virus: The Strong Inhibition Reflects Enhanced Binding through Cooperative Polyvalent Interactions

An ELISA assay is described for measuring the binding of influenza virus A-X31 to α-sialoside groups that are linked to biotin-labeled polyacrylamides. The efficacy of these polymers in inhibiting the adhesion of influenza virus to erythrocytes (as measured by a hemagglutination assay) was shown to be directly related to the binding affinity of the polymers for the viral surface: the differences in inhibitory efficacy among the polymeric inhibitors and monomeric α-methyl sialoside, among fractions of a polymeric, polyvalent inhibitor with narrow molecular weight ranges, and among polymeric inhibitors prepared by copolymerization or modification of a preformed polymer chain, all correlated with differences in the affinity of the inhibitors for the surface of the virus. The polymeric inhibitors studied had affinities for the viral surface that ranged between 103 and >106 greater than α-methyl sialoside, on the basis of total sialic acid groups in solution. The role of steric stabilization in the mechanism ...
Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer: Systemic Chemotherapy and a System Problem

Castrate resistant prostate cancer remains a significant problem, despite the introduction of many new anticancer agents in recent years. Of importance, establishing true castration resistance, confirmed biochemically, is a sine qua non of effective management. It should also be recognized that stage migration has occurred, with more patients being offered treatment for PSA-only castration-resistant disease, and with the increased radiological surveillance of patients after definitive local treatment, and the goal posts have widened due to increased emphasis on patient-reported outcomes and progression-free survival. That said, it is clear that, in addition to established cytotoxic agents, several new options of systemic therapy are active in castrate resistant prostate cancer, including ixabepilone, cabazitaxel, cabozantanib, and the current focus seems to be shifting somewhat from cytotoxic to targeted therapeutics.
Substrate Specificity and Aspects of Deamination Catalyzed by Rabbit Muscle 5'-Adenylic Acid Aminohydrolase

Abstract A total of 24 nucleotides were examined as substrates for 5'-AMP aminohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.6). The following nucleotides were deaminated at the indicated maximum velocity relative to AMP (100): adenosine 5'-phosphoramidate (73), N6-methyl-AMP (20), dAMP (18), adenosine 5'-monosulfate (13), adenosine (1), and ADP (1). Other substrates for which maximum velocities were not determined included N6-ethyl6-AMP, formycin 5'-monophosphate, 2'-O-methyl-ADP, and α,β-methylene-ADP. 3'-AMP, 3',5'-AMP, and 3-β-d-ribofuranosyladenine 5'-phosphate were not deaminated but were effective inhibitors. The pH optimum for ADP deamination was more acidic (pH 5.0 to 5.5) than the optima for AMP or adenosine (pH 6.3 to 7.0). Heat inactivation data and the concurrent elution of the activity for AMP and ADP from cellulose phosphate are consistent with a single enzyme being responsible for the multiple activities. Aspects of the mechanism are discussed.
Foresight, Insight, Oversight, and Hindsight in Scientific Discovery: How Sighted Were Galileo's Telescopic Sightings?

Galileo Galilei’s celebrated contributions to astronomy are used as case studies in the psychology of scientific discovery. Particular attention was devoted to the involvement of foresight, insight, oversight, and hindsight. These four mental acts concern, in divergent ways, the relative degree of “sightedness” in Galileo’s discovery process and accordingly have implications for evaluating the blind-variation and selective-retention (BVSR) theory of creativity and discovery. Scrutiny of the biographical and historical details indicates that Galileo’s mental processes were far less sighted than often depicted in retrospective accounts. Hindsight biases clearly tend to underline his insights and foresights while ignoring his very frequent and substantial oversights. Of special importance was how Galileo was able to create a domain-specific expertise where no such expertise previously existed—in part by exploiting his extensive knowledge and skill in the visual arts. Galileo’s success as an astronomer was founded partly and “blindly” on his artistic avocations. The investigation closes by briefly discussing Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s similar creation of microscopic biology. This parallel case indicates that Galileo’s telescopic astronomy was probably not unique as an illustration of how scientific discovery works in practice.
Using SiGe HBT technology for extreme environment electronics

"Extreme environment" electronics represents an important emerging niche market, and entails the operation of electronic components in surroundings outside the domain of conventional commercial, or even military, specifications. Such extreme environments include operation to very low temperatures (e.g., to 77.3 K or even 4.2 K), operation to very high temperatures (e.g., to 200 or even 300/spl deg/C), and operation in a radiation-intense setting (e.g., space). We argue that the unique bandgap-engineered features of SiGe HBTs offer great potential to simultaneously satisfy all three extreme environment applications, with little or no process modification, ultimately providing compelling cost advantages at both the IC and system levels.
Interaction of Circadian Oscillators and the Cell Developmental Cycle in Euglena

Mechanisms proposed to control algal and microbial cell division cycles (CDC) often include the notion of timers and clocks (Edmunds, 1984a). Various types of autonomous biochemical and macromolecular oscillators have been proposed to underlie mitosis and other “landmarks” comprising the CDC (see Edmunds, 1984b, 1986; Edmunds & Laval-Martin, 1984). These range from those of the relaxation type, in which a single continuous variable accumulates or declines, triggering some event in the CDC when it reaches a critical threshold and then resetting to a baseline so that the cycle starts again, to those exhibiting limit cycle dynamics (Edmunds & Adams, 1981). In the latter, a central clock, characterized by a self-sustained oscillation of at least two continuously varying biochemical species, would maintain stable periodic behavior and coordinate the timing of events comprising the CDC despite transient perturbations in phase? it would continue to function even if mitosis and division were blocked. Circadian oscillators (CO’s) may underlie the persisting circadian rhythms (CR’s) of cell division or of “hatching”, having longer periods of 20–28 h, frequently observed in populations of algae, fungi and protozoa (Edmunds, 1984b; Edmunds & Adams, 1981; Edmunds & Laval-Martin, 1984). Our goal is to determine the biochemical nature of the oscillator(s) presumed to couple to and interact with the CDC and to generate these overt rhythmicities.
Is Diabetes Mellitus a Cardiovascular Disease Risk Equivalent for Fatal Stroke in Women? Data From the Women’s Pooling Project

Background and Purpose— Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for stroke and is associated with a 1.8- to ≈6-fold increased risk compared with nondiabetic subjects. Recent guidelines have classified diabetes as a coronary heart disease risk equivalent. Whether diabetes is a cardiovascular disease risk equivalent for stroke is not established. Methods— Data were pooled from 9 prospective epidemiological studies in the United States. We followed up 27 269 women (8.5% diabetic, 2.9% with prior myocardial infarction, 2.3% with prior stroke) for an average of 8.3 years, during which 238 stroke deaths were observed. Results— Both diabetic subjects without cardiovascular disease and nondiabetic subjects with history of prior stroke had a significantly increased risk of 10-year stroke mortality compared with nondiabetic subjects without prior cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio [HR], 6.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.56 to 10.05; HR, 3.37; 95% CI, 2.38 to 4.77). History of prior myocardial infarcti...
Multiple Annies Feminist Poststructural Theory and the Making of a Teacher

Feminist poststructural theories of subjectivity posit a notion of the self as a site of disunity and conflict that is always in process and constructed within power relations. In teacher education...
Anti-oncogenic role of the endoplasmic reticulum differentially activated by mutations in the MAPK pathway.

Anti-oncogenic role of the endoplasmic reticulum differentially activated by mutations in the MAPK pathway
Social Aggression on Television and Its Relationship to Children's Aggression in the Classroom

A survey was conducted with over 500 children in grades K-5 to examine whether exposure to socially aggressive content was related to children’s use of social aggression. The results of the survey revealed a significant relationship between exposure to televised social aggression and increased social aggression at school, but only for girls and not for boys. Although this relationship was dependent on the sex of the child, the study is the first to provide evidence that viewing social aggression on television is related to an increased tendency for elementary school children to perpetrate such behaviors in the classroom. The findings are discussed in terms of social cognitive theory and information processing theory.
The Iowa Prospective Longitudinal Study of Recent-Onset Psychoses

In this article, the methods of a prospective longitudinal study of recent-onset psychoses are described. Methodological issues that may be common to studies employing a similar design are discussed in the context of the rationale behind this study's strategies. Particular attention is paid to statistical strategies that maximally exploit longitudinal data.
Glyphosate-Resistant Soybean Cultivar Yields Compared with Sister Lines

Herbicide-resistant crops like glyphosate resistant (GR) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] are gaining acceptance in U.S. cropping systems. Comparisons from cultivar performance trials suggest a yield suppression may exist with GR soybean. Yield suppressions may result from either cultivar genetic differentials, the GR genelgene insertion process, or glyphosate. Grain yield of GR is probably not affected by glyphosate, Yield suppression due to the GR gene or its insertion process (GR effect) has not been reported. We conducted a field experiment at four Nebraska locations in 2 yr to evaluate the GR effect on soybean yield. Five backcross-derived pairs of GR and non-GR soybean sister lines were compared along with three high-yield, nonherbicide-resistant cultivars and five other herbicide-resistant cultivars. Glyphosate resistant sister lines yielded 5% (200 kg ha -1 ) less than the non-GR sisters (GR effect). Seed weight of the non-GR sisters was greater than that of the GR sisters (in 1999) and the non-GR sister lines were 20 mm shorter than the GR sisters. Other variables monitored were similar between the two cultivar groups. The high-yield, nonherbicide-resistant cultivars included for comparison yielded 5% more than the non-GR sisters and 10% more than the GR sisters.
Beneficial results of pentoxifylline (‘Trenta’) therapy in arteriosclerosis obliterans: possible mechanism of action

SummaryA study was carried out in 17 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans to assess the effectiveness of treatment with pentoxifylline (‘Trental’) and to investigate its possible mechanism of action. Patients received pentoxifylline on a combined intravenous/oral dosage regimen for 3 weeks and then were maintained on 800 mg orally for a further 2 weeks. The results showed that there was clinical improvement in 16 patients which was evident as a significant increase in the pain-free walking distance and blood flow in ischaemic legs, and the disappearance of rest pain. These changes were seen as soon as 1 week after the start of treatment. At the same time, an increase was observed in platelet sensitivity to the anti-aggregatory action of endogenous PGI2 as well as an activation of fibrinolysis in blood. After 5 weeks of treatment, further improvement was observed; however, platelets were no more hypersensitive to PGI2, and fibrinolytic activity of blood returned to the previous value. In experiments e...
Nineteen-Millimeter Bioprosthetic Aortic Valves Are Safe and Effective for Elderly Patients With Aortic Stenosis

Background Replacing a stenotic aortic valve with 19-mm bioprostheses remains controversial owing to potential patient-prosthesis mismatch concerns. We report a single-center 10 year experience with 19-mm bioprosthetic valves implanted in elderly patients. We hypothesized patients would have acceptable in-hospital and long-term outcomes. Methods Between January 2002 and December 2011, 257 patients underwent aortic valve replacement with a 19-mm prosthesis, of whom 182 had available follow-up echocardiographic studies. Mean age was 77.4 ± 8.4 years, and 10 of 257 (4%) were male. Outcomes of interest included early and late mortality, peak and mean aortic valve gradients, and left ventricular mass regression. Results Operative mortality was 3.5% (9 of 257). Median postoperative echocardiographic time was 16 months. On follow-up echocardiography, mean peak aortic valve gradient decreased from 76 ± 27 mm Hg preoperatively to 32 ± 13 mm Hg and the mean gradient decreased from 46 ± 17 mm Hg to 18 ± 8 mm Hg (both p p p = 0.607). Conclusions In a series of elderly patients with aortic stenosis who were implanted with 19-mm bioprosthetic valves, long-term follow-up showed significant left ventricular mass regression and peak and mean aortic valve gradient reductions. The use of 19-mm aortic valves is safe and efficacious for elderly patients with a small aortic root.
A Qatari Barchan Dune: Is It A Mobile Island Habitat For Scincus Mitranus?

This study was made possible by the Best Environment Research Award granted to NPRP 09-546-2-206 at the QF Annual Research Forum in 2011. The disappearing Barchan dunes are the sole habitat to the eastern sandfish Scincus mitranus in Qatar. We hypothesized that each dune represents its own self-contained ecosystem, acting as an island habitat to the S. mitranus. For the first time in Qatar, a total of 108 sandfish were captured and tagged from 5 terrestrial and 3 coastal Barchan dunes in the south-eastern part of Qatar over a period of 10 months. DNA from the tails of 62 individuals was extracted for genetic analysis. The length of sandfish observed in the Barchans ranged from 6 to 29 cm, with a weight range of 2-47 g. Recapture data showed that there was no migration between dunes over 10 months, possibly indicating that each dune represents its own self-contained ecosystem. In contrast, based on the phylogenetic analyses performed using the genes 12S rRNA, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the composite (multi-locus) made of these 2 genes together, we conclude that there is no geographic clustering separation based on dune location. This indicates that dunes do not act as islands. Sandfish may move, procreate and cross-recruit among the dunes over a period greater than our survey time (>10 months) or when dunes collide and separate over longer time periods. We also found that Qatar sandfish form distinct and well separated clusters from the outgroup gene sequences of the Madagascar S. mitranus (COI gene) and the Saharan S. mitranus (12S rRNA gene). This is the first effort to characterize the ecology of the Scincus mitranus in Qatar through field surveys and metagenomic analyses and as such it serves as a baseline to future studies on this unique species.
Home range size and population dynamics in the prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster

The relationship between fourteen demographic variables and home range size of three age classes (adults, subadults and juveniles) was studied in two live-trapped populations of Microtus ochrogaster in eastern Kansas, USA. There was a linear negative association between home range size and density for adult females. There was no correlation between these two variables for other age classes. Home range size of adult and subadult males was positively associated with dispersal rate. A Stepwise Multiple Regression and Principal Component Analysis indicated that different demographic variables were important in a statistical sense in explaining variation in home range size for each age class. The interaction between dispersal and home range size is discussed in the context of population regulation of microtine rodents.
Early growth response-1 gene: Potential radiation response gene marker in prostate cancer

This study was undertaken to determine whether the transcription factor EGR-1 expression: (1) in the primary tumor, correlates with radiation response in terms of complete local tumor control with no evidence of disease or recurrence and no evidence of metastasis; (2) in the postirradiated biopsies correlates with residual tumor; and (3) correlates with the expression of Egr-1 target genes such as TP53, pRB, and Bax. The authors analyzed: (1) 25 pretreated surgically resected paraffin-embedded primary adenocarcinomas of the prostate for the presence of EGR-1 expression and mutation, and correlated this with clinical endpoints such as serum prostate-specific antigen levels and current clinical status; (2) 27 postirradiated biopsies of prostate for the presence of EGR-1 expression, and correlated these findings to the residual tumor status; and (3) 12 prospective prostate tumor specimens for EGR-1 expression and its target genes. EGR-1 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry and mutations were screened in two regions of the Egr-1 gene (trinucleotide AGC repeats in transactivation domain [TD] and poly A tract in 3'UTR) by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism analysis. Of 25 patients, 18 patients showed expression of EGR-1. EGR-1 overexpression correlated with treatment failure. No correlation with EGR-1 overexpression and its target genes was found, which may indirectly suggest that overexpressed EGR-1 may lack transactivation function. In , EGR-1 overexpression in the mutant form may provide an indication of clinical failure (local recurrence or metastasis).
Autonomic Dysfunction in Dementia with Lewy Bodies, a Case Series (P6.237)

Objective: To review the spectrum and severity of autonomic dysfunction in Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). Background: DLB is among a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by intracellular accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates (alpha-synucleinopathies). Among these disorders, autonomic involvement has been well-described in Parkinson9s disease (PD) and Multi-Systems Atrophy (MSA), occurring independently of motor manifestations, though similar systematic evaluation has not been conducted in DLB. Methods: We present a case series of clinically diagnosed DLB patients and a review of the literature, with the aim of illustrating the clinical significance of autonomic dysfunction in this group. Chart-documented clinical course and quantitative clinical and laboratory characteristics were reviewed, including autonomic symptoms (COMPASS-31) and function testing (CASS). Chart review included: orthostatic intolerance/hypotension (OI/OH), syncope, falls, urinary incontinence/retention, constipation, sudomotor changes, sicca syndrome, erectile dysfunction. Results: Four patients (ages 70-76; 50[percnt] female) with clinically diagnosed DLB (diagnosed as possible/probable DLB by a movement disorder specialist) underwent comprehensive autonomic evaluation. OI, urinary incontinence and constipation were the most prominent symptoms of autonomic involvement. All 4 patients had at least moderate cardiovagal and moderate-severe adrenergic dysfunction and orthostatic hypotension on tilt table testing (mean CASS 5.7; range 4-8).Two had supine hypertension on tilt testing. Mean autonomic symptom (COMPASS-31) score was 36.8 (range 24-55). Most notably, all patients were minimally symptomatic despite marked orthostatic hypotension on head-up tilt. Conclusions: The degree of autonomic dysfunction in this case series of DLB patients was substantial, with multi-domain symptom and function scores congruent with moderate to severe autonomic failure. Autonomic dysfunction is likely under-appreciated, and importantly possibly subclinical in the presence of marked OH. The clinical recognition of this aspect of DLB is important, considering potential fall related morbidity. Further prospective studies are needed to better characterize this component of autonomic dysfunction and limit morbidity associated with these features. Disclosure: Dr. Heiry has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cortez has nothing to disclose.
Robust X-Ray Phase Ptycho-Tomography

Synchrotron-based soft X-ray ptychography has enabled the reconstruction of both the phase and attenuation projections of samples relevant to the physical and biological sciences. The phase projection images typically have higher fidelity and hence are used for tomographic reconstruction. In practice, three-dimensional tomographic reconstruction can be challenging because the measurements may have outliers, a fluctuating background and may be restricted to a limited angular range of sample rotations. Thus, conventional reconstruction algorithms such as filtered back projection can result in reconstructions with strong artifacts. In this paper, we present a robust model-based iterative reconstruction algorithm for X-ray ptychography-based phase tomography. Our method casts the reconstruction as a regularized inverse problem, involving a novel data fitting term that accounts for noise, the fluctuating background as well as outliers, combined with an image model term that enforces regularity on the volume to be reconstructed. We use a majorization–minimization strategy to find a minimum of the formulated cost function. Reconstructions on a simulated as well as a real dataset show that it is possible to acquire high-quality phase reconstructions compared to the typically used filtered-back projection algorithm as well as conventional regularized inversion approaches.
Ligation of the middle third of the superior sagittal sinus and its veins in rabbits for establishment of model

Objective To establish a new model by ligating the middle third of the superior sagittal sinus and its veins in rabbits for offering an experimental base for surgery of the superior sagittal sinus.Methods The middle third of the superior sagittal sinus in rabbit was exposed enough under the microscope,ligated with 9-0 non-injured suture line,and all the veins with a diameter over 0.8 mm were ligated.The changes of behavior and histopathology of the brain tissue were evaluated in all the experimental animals,and the water content of the brain tissue was detected.Results Most of the rabbits can live for a long-term after the middle third of the superior sagittal sinus and its veins ligation with symptoms and signs of neural system such as hemiplegia and hypomyotonia.The histopathological changes of brain tissue include neuronal degeneration,edema of nerve cell and gliacyte,the obfuscation of chondriosome structure,dilation of endoplasmic reticulum and brain edema of the cerebral cortex,which can gradually recover.Conclusion The rabbit model of ligating the middle third of the superior sagittal sinus and its veins is stable,easily established and controlled with good reproducibility and low death rate,thus being ideal for studying the superior sagittal sinus.
SuperResolution-aided Recognition of Cytoskeletons in Scanning Probe Microscopy Images

In this paper, we discuss the possibility to adopt SuperResolution (SR) methods as an important preparatory step to Pattern Recognition, so as to improve the accuracy of image content recognition and identification. Actually, SR mainly deals with the task of deriving a high-resolution image from one or multiple low resolution images of the same scene. The high-resolved image corresponds to a more precise image whose content is enriched with information hidden among the pixels of the original low resolution image(s), and corresponds to a more faithfully representation of the imaged scene. Such enriched content obviously represents a better sample of the scene which can be profitably used by Pattern Recognition algorithms. A real application scenario is discussed dealing with the recognition of cell skeletons in Scanning Probe Microscopy images. Results show that the SR allows us to detect and recognize important information barely visible in the original low-resolution image.
DMET™ Microarray Technology for Pharmacogenomics-Based Personalized Medicine

Human genome sequence variation in the form of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as well as more complex structural variation such as insertions, duplications, and deletions underlies each individual's response to drugs and thus the likelihood of experiencing an adverse drug reaction. The ongoing challenge of the field of pharmacogenetics is to further understand the relationship between genetic variation and differential drug responses, with the overarching goal being that this will lead to improvements in both the safety and efficacy of drugs. The Affymetrix DMET Plus Premier Pack (DMET stands for Drug Metabolizing Enzymes and Transporters) enables highly multiplexed genotyping of known polymorphisms in Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Elimination (ADME)-related genes on a single array. The DMET Plus Panel interrogates markers in 225 genes that have documented functional significance in phase I and phase II drug metabolism enzymes as well as drug transporters. The power of the DMET Assay has previously been demonstrated with regard to several different drugs including warfarin and clopidogrel. In a research study using an earlier four-color version of the assay, it was demonstrated that warfarin dosing can be influenced by a cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4F2 variant. Additionally, the assay has been used to demonstrate that CYP2C19 variants with decreased enzyme activity led to lower levels of the active clopidogrel metabolite, resulting in a decreased inhibition of platelets and a higher rate of cardiovascular events when compared to noncarriers of the DNA variant. Thus, highly multiplexed SNP genotyping focused on ADME-related polymorphisms should enable research into development of safer drugs with greater efficacy.
Accountable care organizations.

This installment of Law and the Public's Health examines accountable care organizations (ACOs) and their role in Medicare and health system reform. In particular, it considers the potential impact of ACOs to achieve greater integration of health care and public health. Sara Rosenbaum, JD The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Health Policy, Washington, DC
Implications of employer coverage of contraception: Cost-effectiveness analysis of contraception coverage under an employer mandate

Abstract Objectives Mandatory employer-based insurance coverage of contraception in the US has been a controversial component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Prior research has examined the cost‐effectiveness of contraception in general; however, no studies have developed a formal decision model in the context of the new ACA provisions. As such, this study aims to estimate the relative cost‐effectiveness of insurance coverage of contraception under employer-sponsored insurance coverage taking into consideration newer regulations allowing for religious exemptions. Study design A decision model was developed from the employer perspective to simulate pregnancy costs and outcomes associated with insurance coverage. Method-specific estimates of contraception failure rates, outcomes and costs were derived from the literature. Uptake by marital status and age was drawn from a nationally representative database. Results Providing no contraception coverage resulted in 33 more unintended pregnancies per 1000 women (95% confidence range: 22.4; 44.0). This subsequently significantly increased the number of unintended births and terminations. Total costs were higher among uninsured women owing to higher costs of pregnancy outcomes. The effect of no insurance was greatest on unmarried women 20–29 years old. Conclusions Denying female employees' full coverage of contraceptives increases total costs from the employer perspective, as well as the total number of terminations. Implications Insurance coverage was found to be significantly associated with women's choice of contraceptive method in a large nationally representative sample. Using a decision model to extrapolate to pregnancy outcomes, we found a large and statistically significant difference in unintended pregnancy and terminations. Denying women contraception coverage may have significant consequences for pregnancy outcomes.
Möbius shell: a command-line interface for möbius

The Mobius modeling environment is a mature, multi-formalism modeling and solution tool. Mobius provides a user-friendly graphical interface for creating discrete-event models, defining metrics, and solving for the metrics using a variety of solution techniques. For certain research needs, the graphical interface can become a limiting use pattern. This paper describes recent work that adds a comprehensive text-based interface for interacting with the Mobius tool, called the Mobius Shell. The Mobius Shell provides an interactive command shell and scriptable command language that can leverage all the existing and future features of Mobius.