cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patients with single ventricle physiology undergoing noncardiac surgery are at high risk for adverse events

SummaryBackground Patients with single ventricle physiology are at increased anesthetic risk when undergoing noncardiac surgery. Objective To review the outcomes of anesthetics for patients with single ventricle physiology undergoing noncardiac surgery. Methods This study is a retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent a palliative procedure for single ventricle physiology between January 1, 2007 and January 31, 2014. Anesthetic and surgical records were reviewed for noncardiac operations that required sedation or general anesthesia. Any noncardiac operation occurring prior to completion of a bidirectional Glenn procedure was included. Diagnostic procedures, including cardiac catheterization, insertion of permanent pacemaker, and procedures performed in the ICU, were excluded. Results During the review period, 417 patients with single ventricle physiology had initial palliation. Of these, 70 patients (16.7%) underwent 102 anesthetics for 121 noncardiac procedures. The noncardiac procedures included line insertion (n = 23); minor surgical procedures such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or airway surgery (n = 38); or major surgical procedures including intra-abdominal and thoracic operations (n = 41). These interventions occurred on median day 60 of life (1–233 days). The procedures occurred most commonly in the operating room (n = 79, 77.5%). Patients’ median weight was 3.4 kg (2.4–15 kg) at time of noncardiac intervention. In 102 anesthetics, 26 patients had an endotracheal tube or tracheostomy in situ, 57 patients underwent endotracheal intubation, and 19 patients had a natural or mask airway. An intravenous induction was performed in 77 anesthetics, an inhalational induction in 17, and a combination technique in 8. The median total anesthetic time was 126 min (14–594 min). In 22 anesthetics (21.6%), patients were on inotropic support upon arrival; an additional 24 patients required inotropic support (23.5%), of which dopamine was the most common medication. There were 10 intraoperative adverse events (9.8%) including: arrhythmias requiring treatment (n = 4), conversion from sedation to a general anesthetic (n = 2), difficult airway (n = 1), inadvertent extubation with desaturation and bradycardia (n = 1), hypotension and desaturation (n = 1), and cardiac arrest (n = 1). Postoperative events (<48 h) included ST segment changes requiring cardiac catheterization (n = 1), and cardiorespiratory arrest (n = 1). Age, size, gender, type of cardiac palliation, patient location, procedure location, and type of procedure were not associated with adverse outcome. After 62 anesthetics (60.8%), patients went postoperatively to the cardiac ICU. There were no deaths at 48 h. Conclusion We observed no mortality during or after noncardiac surgery in a high-risk subgroup of palliated cardiac patients with single ventricle physiology. However, 11.8% of patients had an adverse event associated with their anesthetic.
Inelastic scattering of 61 MeV protons by pb-207

Differential cross sections for the excitation of the first four neutron-hole states and the doublet at 2.61 MeV by 61.2 MeV protons were measured. The data are analyzed in terms of both a purely collective model description and a microscopic model supplemented by macroscopic core polarization. A realistic two-body interaction is used and knock-on amplitudes are included. Core polarization is found to be important but represents a relatively smaller contribution than in most nuclei previously studied. A parallel analysis of similar data at lower proton bombarding energies reveals a surprisingly strong energy dependence of the reaction mechanisms.
Synaptic potentials in the central terminals of locust proprioceptive afferents generated by other afferents from the same sense organ

Afferent neurons from a proprioceptor [the femoral chordotonal organ (FCO)] at the femoro-tibial joint of a locust hindleg carry patterns of spikes to the CNS in which information is coded about the positions and movements of the tibia. Intracellular recordings from the afferents of this organ as they enter the CNS reveal spikes and depolarizing post- synaptic potentials (PSPs) during voluntary or imposed movements of the joint. Some of these PSPs are generated as a result of spikes in other FCO afferents, and can be evoked experimentally by electrical stimulation of the nerve from the organ. One afferent does not appear to synapse directly on another, but instead activates reliable pathways involving other central neurons. Current clamping of individual afferents in isolated ganglia shows that the PSPs are increased in amplitude by hyperpolarizing currents injected into an afferent, and decreased by depolarizing ones. They reverse at about -68 mV (n = 5). At the normal resting potential of the afferents, -72 mV (+/- 0.42 SE, n = 57), the PSPs are therefore depolarizing, and are associated with an increased conductance of the membrane. The changes in membrane potential and conductances associated with the PSPs can be mimicked by pressure injection of GABA into the regions of neuropil that contain the terminals of the afferents. The potential evoked by GABA is associated with an increased conductance of the membrane and reverses at the same potential as the PSPs. GABA also reduces the PSPs evoked in the terminals, either by movements of the FCO or by electrical stimulation of its nerve. The PSPs and the effects of the GABA-evoked potentials are mimicked by the GABA agonist muscimol. The PSPs are blocked reversibly by picrotoxin. The PSPs and the GABA-evoked potentials both alter the excitability of an afferent terminal by reducing the ability of the membrane to support an action potential. It is suggested that the PSPs are depolarizing, inhibitory potentials generated in the terminals of the afferents by central neurons that release GABA, and that their role is to change the efficacy of the afferent spikes at their first output synapses in the CNS. These interactions could form a graded, gain control mechanism for synaptic transmission at the afferent output synapses that is directly dependent on the features of the mechanical movements of the joint.
Predicting success in the undergraduate hybrid business ethics class: Conscientiousness directly measured

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use data available through the hybrid (blended online and face to face) learning environment to explore both a direct behavioral measure of conscientiousness and gender in predicting hybrid classroom performance. Design/methodology/approach – Variables measuring both student conscientious behavior, in the hybrid classroom, and gender were examined to determine their relationship to student final grades (i.e. success) in hybrid undergraduate business ethics courses. Findings – The author finds that: first, conscientiousness continues to be a solid predictor of academic success; second, gender continues to be an insignificant predictor of success in the online/hybrid environment; third, using direct behavioral measures of conscientiousness yields results consistent with prior research that linked inventory-based conscientiousness levels to academic performance; and finally, the archiving and data-collection functions of the hybrid classroom represent a rich trove of...
Traveling wave slot array power combiner at 74 GHz

Power splitters/combiners have been investigated for applications in microwave and millimeter wave frequencies with the use of distributed amplifiers instead of a single high power source. Waveguide power dividers and combiners have been studied in standing wave and traveling wave modes, because of their high efficiencies [R. Bashirullah et al., IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., July 2000 and X. Jiang et al., IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Jan. 2003]. Standing wave power splitters/combiners are efficient but have limited bandwidth. In order to realize reasonable bandwidth in such a system, the array has to be divided into many sub-arrays, thereby resulting in a complicated feed network. Traveling wave arrays provide a greater return loss bandwidth with a small sacrifice in efficiency because of the power dissipated in the load. Traveling wave antenna arrays suffer from beam squint with frequency. In power splitters/combiners, there is no such limitation.
GPU-accelerated preconditioned iterative linear solvers

This work is an overview of our preliminary experience in developing a high-performance iterative linear solver accelerated by GPU coprocessors. Our goal is to illustrate the advantages and difficulties encountered when deploying GPU technology to perform sparse linear algebra computations. Techniques for speeding up sparse matrix-vector product (SpMV) kernels and finding suitable preconditioning methods are discussed. Our experiments with an NVIDIA TESLA M2070 show that for unstructured matrices SpMV kernels can be up to 8 times faster on the GPU than the Intel MKL on the host Intel Xeon X5675 Processor. Overall performance of the GPU-accelerated Incomplete Cholesky (IC) factorization preconditioned CG method can outperform its CPU counterpart by a smaller factor, up to 3, and GPU-accelerated The incomplete LU (ILU) factorization preconditioned GMRES method can achieve a speed-up nearing 4. However, with better suited preconditioning techniques for GPUs, this performance can be further improved.
Rapid Evolution of the Solar Atmosphere during the Impulsive Phase of a Microflare Observed with the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer aboard Hinode: Hints of Chromospheric Magnetic Reconnection

We obtained rapid cadence (11.2 s) EUV stare spectra of a solar microflare with the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer aboard Hinode. The intensities of lines formed at temperatures too cool to be found in the corona brightened by factors around 16 early during this event, indicating that we observed a site of energy deposition in the chromosphere. We derive the density evolution of the flare plasma at temperature around 2 MK from the intensity ratio of Fe XIV lines at 264.789 A and 274.204 A. From both lines we removed the bright pre-flare quiescent emission, and from 274.204 we removed the blended emission of Si VII λ274.180 based on the Si VII λ274.180/275.361 intensity ratio, which varies only slightly with density. In this way the flare electron density is derived with emission from only the flare plasma. The density increased by an order of magnitude from its pre-flare quiescent average of (3.43 ± 0.19) × 109 cm–3 to its maximum impulsive phase value of (3.04 ± 0.57) × 1010 cm–3 in 2 minutes. The fact that this rapid increase in density is not accompanied by systematic, large upward velocities indicates that the density increase is not due to the filling of loops with evaporated chromospheric material, but rather due to material being directly heated in the chromosphere, likely by magnetic reconnection. The density increase may be due to a progression of reconnection sites to greater depths in the chromosphere, where it has access to larger densities, or it may be due to compression of 2 MK plasma by the 10 MK plasma as it attempts to expand against the high-density chromospheric plasma.
Type I phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 4-phosphatase regulates stress-induced apoptosis.

A recently discovered phosphatidylinositol monophosphate, phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate (PtdIns-5-P), plays an important role in nuclear signaling by influencing p53-dependent apoptosis. It interacts with a plant homeodomain finger of inhibitor of growth protein-2, causing an increase in the acetylation and stability of p53. Here we show that type I phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 4-phosphatase (type I 4-phosphatase), an enzyme that dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns-4,5-P2), forming PtdIns-5-P in vitro, can increase the cellular levels of PtdIns-5-P. When HeLa cells were treated with the DNA-damaging agents etoposide or doxorubicin, type I 4-phosphatase translocated to the nucleus and nuclear levels of PtdIns-5-P increased. This action resulted in increased p53 acetylation, which stabilized p53, leading to increased apoptosis. Overexpression of type I 4-phosphatase increased apoptosis, whereas RNAi of the enzyme diminished it. The half-life of p53 was shortened from 7 h to 1.8 h upon RNAi of type I 4-phosphatase. This enzyme therefore controls nuclear levels of PtdIns-5-P and thereby p53-dependent apoptosis.
Soil morphology and organic matter dynamics under cheatgrass and sagebrush-steppe plant communities

Widespread cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) invasion represents a major shift in species dominance that may alter ecosystem processes across much of the western US. To investigate differences following such conversion, soil morphology and organic matter under cheatgrass-dominated and native shrub-steppe vegetation were compared by standard soil analysis procedures at seven paired sites in Idaho and Utah. Results suggest that, following conversion to cheatgrass dominance, increased porosity and labile organic inputs enhance microbial decomposition in near-surface horizons beneath cheatgrass compared to adjacent soils under native vegetation. Enhanced decomposition could result in depletion of long-term SOM, leading to impoverished sites difficult to restore to native perennial vegetation.
Dietary retinoic acid affects song maturation and gene expression in the song system of the zebra finch

Vitamin A, an essential nutrient, is required in its acidic form (retinoic acid) for normal embryogenesis and neuronal development, typically within well-defined concentration ranges. In zebra finches, a songbird species, localized retinoic acid synthesis in the brain is important for the development of song, a learned behavior sharing significant commonalities with speech acquisition in humans. We tested how dietary retinoic acid affects the development of song behavior and the brain's system for song control. Supplemental doses of retinoic acid given to juveniles during the critical period for song learning resulted in more variable or plastic-like songs when the birds reached adulthood, compared to the normal songs of vehicle-fed controls. We also observed that several genes (brinp1, nrgn, rxr-α, and sdr2/scdr9) had altered levels of expression in specific nuclei of the song system when comparing the experimental and control diet groups. Interestingly, we found significant correlations between gene expression levels in nuclei of the anterior forebrain pathway (lMAN and area X) and the degree of variability in the recorded songs. We observed, however, no major morphological effects such as changes in the volumes of song nuclei. Overall, our results lend further support to a fundamental role of retinoic acid in song maturation and point to possible molecular pathways associated with this action. The data also demonstrate that dietary content of Vitamin A can affect the maturation of a naturally learned complex behavior. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008
Multiplicative noise in the Vinen equation for turbulent superfluid He 4

We have studied the effects of multiplicative noise in the counterflow velocity on the Vinen phenomenological description of vortex-line turbulence in superfluid helium using the Fokker-Planck equation. The principal result is that the noise pushes the critical velocity for the onset of turbulence toward higher values. We discuss a noise-induced phase transition which is not likely to be physically observable in turbulence experiments.
Orthotopic liver transplantation from a donor with a history of schistosomiasis

The shortage of liver donors and the increasing number of patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation have led to a widening of the definition of suitable liver donors. In this case report, we describe transplantation of a liver from a 20-year-old brain-dead donor with a past history of schistosomiasis. Careful evaluation for schistosomiasis-related hepatic complications using hepatic function tests, clinical assessment for manifestations of portal hypertension, as well as abdominal ultrasound, and liver biopsy were performed. At 7 months follow-up, the recipient is doing well with normal liver function. Liver transplantation from a donor with a history of schistosomiasis is acceptable in carefully screened cases.
Varicella-Zoster Virus-Induced Transformation of Mammalian Cells in Vitro

A mixture of varicella-zoster virus-infected human embryonic lung fibroblasts and hamster embryo cells produced foci of morphologically transformed cells after several weeks of incubation. These transformed cells exhibited virus-specific antigens by immunofluorescence and developed surface Fc receptors. They induced aggressive fibrosarcomas when injected back into inbred hamsters. Cells derived from hamster tumor tissue exhibited similar properties. The tumor-bearing hamsters develop antibodies specific for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antigens. Cell lines derived from both the original transformants and explanted hamster tumor tissue have varying growth properties. All maintain indefinite growth. All eventually lose varicella-zoster virus-specific immunofluorescence. None retain VZV-specific DNA sequences as determined by dot blot and Southern blot hybridization using radiolabeled whole VZV DNA and cloned VZV DNA fragments as a probe. A few transformed and tumor cell lines frozen relatively soon after isolation and stored in liquid nitrogen were also thawed, replicated to mass culture, and analyzed for VZV-specific DNA sequences. Hybridization with radiolabeled whole VZV DNA initially suggested that some of these cell lines did contain virus-specific DNA sequences. However, hybridization with cloned VZV DNA fragments radiolabeled in vitro and representing greater than 95% of the virus genome was negative. Karyotyping of these "positive" transformed cells indicated that they are of human and not hamster origin. The positive hybridization with whole VZV DNA therefore most likely represented contamination of the probe by host DNA sequences. The cells that survived freezing then were predominantly transformants of human origin. Attempts to repeat the transformation of hamster embryo and baby hamster kidney cells with laboratory-passaged VZV strains have been unsuccessful. Similarly, we have been unable to transform cells with whole VZV DNA or cloned VZV DNA fragments, although whole VZV DNA is demonstrably infectious. Apparently, transformation of cells by the varicella-zoster virus is a very rare event and one that may require a recent clinical isolate. Fresh clinical isolates of varicella-zoster virus are seemingly able to transform mammalian cells in vitro. The transformed cells have malignant properties and are capable of indefinite growth. Although VZV gene function can be detected early after transformation, there is no evidence that a VZV-specific protein product is required. Transformation of mammalian cells by varicella-zoster virus apparently occurs through a "hit-and-run" mechanism.
Continuum three-body decays of 9 Be(5/2 − )

We describe and discuss various three-body decay mechanisms for 9Be(5/2−). We find that its decay to n+ 8Be(2+) is a small fraction of the total decay. Disciplines Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Physics Comments Fortune, H. T. & Sherr, R. (2013). Continuum three-body decays of 9Be(5/2−). Physical Review C, 87(1), 014306. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevC.87.014306 ©2013 American Physical Society This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/physics_papers/293 PHYSICAL REVIEW C 87, 014306 (2013) Continuum three-body decays of 9Be(5/2−)
Time domain modeling of tunable response of graphene

We present a causal numerical model for time domain simulations of the optical response of graphene. The dielectric function is approximated with a conductivity term, a Drude term and a number of the critical points terms.
Lack of effect of diphenylhydantoin ingestion on vesical transitional epithelium in the rat.

Seizure-prone patients may be chronically treated with diphenylhydantoin, a mitogenic agent excreted in the urine. Chronic ingestion of diphenylhydantoin by 64 rats failed to demonstrate vesical epithelial tumor formation under conditions which demonstrate the tumorigenicity of other vesical carcinogens. Vesical neoplasms occurring in patients chronically ingesting diphenylhydantoin are probably co-incidental.
Electric quadrupole oscillator strengths of helium

Using a set of explicitly correlated trial wave functions that describe the three lowest singlet and triplet states of the helium atom with symmetry S, P, and D, we calculate the electric quadrupole oscillator strengths for all possible 1S-1D, 1P-1P, 1D-1D, 3S-3D, 3P-3P, and 3D-3D transitions and compare their accuracy to our earlier calculations of the electric dipole oscillator strengths. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008
Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Deficiency Exacerbates Ischemic Brain Damage Under Hyperglycemic Conditions by Altering Autophagy

Both preischemic hyperglycemia and suppression of SOD2 activity aggravate ischemic brain damage. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of SOD2 mutation on ischemic brain damage and its relation to the factors involved in autophagy regulation in hyperglycemic wild-type (WT) and heterozygous SOD2 knockout (SOD2–/+) mice subjected to 30-min transient focal ischemia. The brain samples were analyzed at 5 and 24 h after recirculation for ischemic lesion volume, superoxide production, and oxidative DNA damage and protein levels of Beclin 1, damage-regulated autophagy modulator (DRAM), and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3). The results revealed a significant increase in infarct volume in hyperglycemic SOD2–/+ mice, and this was accompanied with an early (5 h) significant rise in superoxide production and reduced SOD2 activity in SOD2–/+ mice as compared to WT mice. The superoxide production is associated with oxidative DNA damage as indicated by colocalization of the dihydroethidium (DHE) signal with 8-OHdG fluorescence in SOD2–/+ mice. In addition, while ischemia in WT hyperglycemics increased the levels of autophagy markers Beclin 1, DRAM, and LC3, ischemia in hyperglycemic, SOD2-deficient mice suppressed the levels of autophagy stimulators. These results suggest that SOD2 knockdown exacerbates ischemic brain damage under hyperglycemic conditions via increased oxidative stress and DNA oxidation. Such effect is associated with suppression of autophagy regulators.
Beyond Initial Disclosure: The Role of Prognosis and Symptom Uncertainty in Patterns of Disclosure in Relationships

This study is framed in Greene's (2009) health disclosure decision-making model (DD-MM) and explores the role of prognosis and symptom uncertainty in patterns of disclosure in a close relationship. Toward this end, an uncertainty and disclosure model is hypothesized in which prognosis and symptom uncertainty and relational quality are expected to predict perceived partner support, communication efficacy, and the depth, breadth, and frequency of disclosure to a partner about a chronic health condition. Patients with diagnosed heart-related conditions visiting a private medical office were recruited to complete anonymous surveys. Results indicated that (1) the key mechanisms identified in the DD-MM are associated with the depth, breadth, and frequency of disclosure to a partner about a health condition, and (2) uncertainty plays a prominent role in people's communication with their partner about the heart-related condition. The findings and implications of the study are discussed.
Colocalization of Natriuretic Peptide and Estrogen Receptor Immunoreactivities in Preoptic Nuclei in the Female Rat

Estrogen is known to play an important role in regulating reproductive function in female rats through actions exerted at the preoptic area, a part of the brain that is markedly sexually dimorphic and which contains abundant estrogen receptors. A critical question to our understanding of estrogen's action on the brain is to identify the types of neurons that contain estrogen receptors (ER). Previous studies have shown that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is in abundance in the preoptic area, and that ANP and other natriuretic peptides are capable of regulating gonadotropin secretion. In an effort to determine whether ERs are present in natriuretic peptide-immunoreactive (NP-ir) neurons in the preoptic area of the rat, double label immunocytochemistry was performed. Since ER-ir, as demonstrated with antibody H222 is known to be localized predominantly in cell nuclei, while NP-ir is present in the cytoplasm, single cells can be double labeled. Diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride was used for localization of NP-ir neurons, while nickel-enhanced diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride was used for localization of ER-ir. The results revealed that many nuclei throughout the preoptic area contained neurons that were ER-ir or NP-ir and that a substantial number were double labeled. Cell counts in selected preoptic nuclei and components, including the anteroventral periventricular nucleus, periventricular preoptic nucleus, medial part of the medial preoptic nucleus, and central part of the medial preoptic nucleus revealed that 13.6%, 11.1%, 13.5%, and 24.4%, respectively, of the NP-ir neurons in these nuclei also contained ER-ir. Collectively, a total of 14.9% of the NP-ir neurons in these nuclei also contained ER-ir. These results support the hypothesis that estrogen may regulate the activity of NP-ir cells in the preoptic area and thereby may be capable of altering functions associated with NPs in this region of the brain, including not only regulation of gonadotropin secretion, but also control of blood pressure and fluid balance.
Chemical and Biological Studies on 1,2-Dihydro-s-triazines XVIII: Synthesis of 1-(5,6- and 5,'7-Dichloro-2-naphthyl) Derivatives and Related Compounds as Candidate Antimalarial and Antitumor Agents

4,6-Diamino-1,2-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-s-triazines with 5,6- and 5,7-dichloro-2-naphthyl groups at position 1 were synthesized and evaluated for biological activity. The 5,6-dichloro compound caused moderate inhibition of Streptococcus faecium and of human epidermal carcinoma (KB cells) in vitro, as well as a moderate increase in mean survival of mice bearing P1534 leukemia in the ascitic form. The 5,7-dichloro analog was active against Plasmodium gallinaceum in chicks.
Inhibition of RNA and protein synthesis in isolated cerebellar cells by in vitro and in vivo methyl mercury.

Cerebellar perikarya isolated from neonatal rats were exposed to 0–20 μM methyl mercury to simultaneously compare the effect on RNA and protein synthesis. Although 50% inhibition was found at ∼8 μM for both [3H]uridine and [3H]phenylalanine incorporation, lower concentrations of methyl mercury produced 10–15% greater inhibition of RNA than protein synthesis. In vivo methyl mercury experiments also indicated a greater sensitivity of RNA synthesis in isolated cerebellar perikarya. The observed inhibition of RNA synthesis was not caused by a defect in cellular [3H]uridine uptake or by increased degradation of RNA. Both of these activities were altered by less than 10% at concentrations of methyl mercury that produced greater than 60% inhibition of RNA synthesis. Experiments showing that the specific activity of cerebellar cell RNA synthesis peaks and remains high between 4 and 10 d of age, whereas the specific activity of protein synthesis declines rapidly emphasize the potential importance of transcriptional perturbation in neonatal rats.
Far-Side Occupant Kinematics in Low Speed Lateral Sled

Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the far-side occupant kinematics in low-speed lateral pulses with and without a seatbelt system. Methods. The kinematics responses of three volunteers and a Hybrid III were compared in three low-to-moderate lateral pulses. The parameters evaluated were pulses and belt usage. A total of 24 tests were carried out in a side-impact sled. The subjects consisted of two 50th-percentile males (Vol 1 & 2), one 5th-percentile female (Vol 3), and a Hybrid III 50th-percentile male (ATD). All subjects were seated in a far-side impact. Three low speed pulses were used: Pulse 1: a 4 g at 6 km/h, Pulse 2: 4 g/8 kph followed by a -2.5 g pulse to simulate a low curb impact, and Pulse 3: a 4 g's pulse at 10 km/h. In addition, the kinematics result from Pulse 2 was used to assess the performance of a human model. The human model was developed by TNO. Results. For all three pulses, the peak head lateral displacement was greater with the 5th female (Vol 3) than the male vo...
Screening for congenital hypothyroidism in Finland

In Finland thyroid screening was started in October 1979 and stepwise expanded to cover the whole country by mid-1980. Other metabolic defects worth neonatal screening are unknown in our country. Hence we can use the earliest possible screening, and cord serum samples are mailed to this laboratory from the whole country. Until October 1980 all infants with TSH >45mU/1 were placed on thyroxin substitution immediately after drawing a second blood sample and clinical examination. If TSH was normal in the second sample the therapy was discontinued. Among 33500 infants screened 12 sure or propable cases of hypothyroidism were detected (0.036% or 1/2790). 0.21% were false positives. To decrease this figure we then elevated the (primary alarm) limit to 60 mU/1 and started determining T4 from the samples with TSH level between 45 and 60 mU/1, giving alarm in cases with T4 <120 nmol/1 (secondary alarm limit). Of 30510 infants so screened by April 1981 8 were hypothyroid by the primary limit and one by the secondary limit (0.029% or 1/3390). 0.06% were false positives. We are aware of one "false negative" case; it was due to maintenance of euthyroidism by foeto-foetal transfusion. Our median age at start of therapy is 5 days (TSH limit) or 8 days (T4 limit).
Structural, Mechanical, and Biochemical Insights into the Mechanism of Myosin Force Sensing

Myosin-Is are widely expressed molecular motors that comprise the second largest myosin family in vertebrates with eight isoforms. Myosin-Is participate in a host of cellular processes including vesicular trafficking, membrane dynamics, and nuclear transcription. The question thus arises, how can these motors with similar biochemical properties give rise to such diversity of function? The answer appears to lie in the biochemical and mechanical diversity of the isoforms. Our biophysical studies demonstrate that Myo1b is exquisitely sensitive to tension, where forces >0.5 pN cause the motor to transform from a low duty ratio motor with attachment lifetimes 50 s. Our studies also reveal that the isoform Myo1c has a very different response to force despite its similar unloaded kinetics to Myo1b. Myo1c is far less sensitive to force than Myo1b, enabling it to power motility over a range of forces, consistent with it serving a role as a transporter rather than as a tension-sensitive anchor. To better understand the molecular basis for these differences in force sensing, we have determined the crystal structure of Myo1b's motor domain and first IQ-motif with bound calmodulin. The structure reveals novel interactions between the light-chain binding domain and the N-terminus of the motor domain, a region that shows substantial sequence variability among myosin-I isoforms. We propose that these interactions facilitate communication between the lever arm and the ATP binding site, modulating the chemomechanical properties of the motor. Supported by the NIH (GM057247).
Surface proteins on Cloudman melanoma cells

Abstract Lactoperoxidase-catalyzed cell surface radioiodination was used to study the size distribution and physiological characteristics of cell surface proteins of Cloudman melanoma cells maintained in vivo (An cell) or in vitro (TC cells). Slight qualitative and quantitative differences were observed between detergent-extracted radiolabeled membrane proteins obtained from An and TC cells when the proteins were resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Striking differences were observed in the membrane residence times of radioiodinated proteins of the An and TC cells when labeled cells were cultured 24 hr. Many labeled surface proteins are lost more rapidly from An cells than from TC cells. The possibility that the release of surface proteins from tumor cell membranes may be an important factor which determines the nature of the host immune response against incipient cancers is considered.
A novel, high-resolution, high-speed fiber-optic temperature sensor for oceanographic applications

A novel fiber-optic thermometer based on a thick silicon Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) realized on the tip of a cleaved single-mode fiber has been designed and implemented, in order to achieve high resolution and high sampling rate necessary for studying underwater turbulent microstructures. The choice of silicon for its large thermal-optic coefficient and thermal expansion coefficient enables a high sensitivity of 84 pm/°C. A new data processing method, using average wavelength tracking, is proposed to reduce the wavelength noise. The high sensitivity along with the low wavelength noise results in a temperature resolution as high as 0.0009 °C. Furthermore, the good thermal conductivity of silicon endows the proposed sensor with a response time ~ 2 ms, which allows a sampling frequency of 500 Hz. By further optimizing the sensor structure, e.g. size of the silicon FPI, a better temperature resolution and quicker response can be expected. This novel temperature sensor significantly augments underwater sensing capabilities, especially those related to microstructure turbulence mixing process in the ocean. A preliminary experimental demonstration is presented, where the sensor was used to measure the highly dynamic temperature variations induced by a sharp thermo-gradient underwater.
Automatic mesh generation allowing for efficient a priori and a posteriori mesh refinement

Abstract The need for fully automatic finite element mesh generators capable of dealing with general geometries and mesh gradations is discussed. A specific approach to fully automatic two- and three-dimensional mesh generation that meets these needs for meshes with bounded h -type of mesh refinements is presented. These procedures, based on hierarchic spatial decompositions, allow for efficient a priori and a posteriori mesh refinements. An approach capable of producing coarse meshes with the unbounded exponential mesh gradations as desired for optional h - p refinements is also outlined.
Finding common ground: choose, assert, and assume

At present, the “testing community” is on good speaking terms, but typically lacks a common language for expressing some computational ideas, even in cases where such a language would be both useful and plausible. In particular, a large body of testing systems define a testing problem in the language of the system under test, extended with operations for choosing inputs, asserting properties, and constraining the domain of executions considered. While the underlying algorithms used for “testing” include symbolic execution, explicit-state model checking, machine learning, and “old fashioned” random testing, there seems to be a common core of expressive need. We propose that the dynamic analysis community could benefit from working with some common syntactic (and to some extent semantic) mechanisms for expressing a body of testing problems. Such a shared language would have immediate practical uses and make cross-tool comparisons and research into identifying appropriate tools for different testing activities easier. We also suspect that considering the more abstract testing problem arising from this minimalist common ground could serve as a basis for thinking about the design of usable embedded domain-specific languages for testing and might help identify computational patterns that have escaped the notice of the community.
Bayesian Fraud Risk Formula for Financial Statement Audits

In this article we extend the work of Loebbecke et al. (1989) and illustrate the use of an evidential reasoning approach for developing fraud risk analysis models under the Bayesian framework. New formulations facilitating fraud risk assessments are needed because decision tree approaches previously used to develop analytical models are not appropriate in complex situations involving several interrelated variables. To demonstrate the evidential reasoning approach, a fraud risk assessment formula is derived and illustrated. The fraud risk formula captures the impact of the presence or absence of and interrelationships between the three ‘fraud triangle’ risk factors: Incentives, Attitude and Opportunities. The formula includes the impact of risks and controls related to these three fraud risk factors as well as the impact of forensic audit procedures and relevant analytical and other procedures that provide evidence for the presence or absence of fraud. This formula may be used in audit practice both to help plan the audit and to assess fraud risk sequentially as audit evidence is obtained.
HgCdTe on sapphire — A new approach to infrared detector arrays

Some of the limitations imposed by bulk CdTe substrates on epitaxial HgCdTe, such as wafer size, fragility, and uniformity, have led to the development of an alternate substrate to CdTe for epitaxial HgCdTe growths. Described here are the synthesis and some of the properties of an alternate hybrid CdTe/sapphire substrate, and the material and device properties of liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) grown HgCdTe on CdTe/sapphire substrates. Devices made in LPE grown HgCdTe layers on CdTe/sapphire have shown excellent electrical and optical properties and superior uniformity in diode-to-diode D* in midwave infrared (MWIR) focal planes at low temperature when compared to devices fabricated in HgCdTe grown on CdTe substrates. Diodes have typical resistance area product values of ⩾ 10 Ω cm2 at 195 K (cutoff wavelength λc = 4.2 μm), ⩾ 3 x 104 Ω cm2 at 120 K (λc = 4.45 μm) and ⩾ 1 x 106 Ω cm2 at 77 K (λc = 4.6 μm). Typical quantum efficiencies are 60–80% without anti-reflection coating. Analysis of the detectivity of a 1024 element MWIR hybrid focal plane array shows that the number of defective elements, even under low-to-moderate photon backgrounds (high 1012 photons cm-2 s-1), is less than 5%.
Mitosis: taking the measure of spindle length.

Summary Recent studies have investigated the mechanisms responsible for setting spindle length — and how spindle length changes over the course of development.
Detection of Candida Antigenemia by Counterimmunoelectrophoresis in Patients with Invasive Candidiasis

Because of the difficulty in diagnosis of invasive candidiasis, an assay that makes use of counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) was developed to detect candida antigen. A cell-wall polysaccharide of Candida was extracted with hot formamide, ethanol precipitation, and gel filtration. Rabbit antiserum was tested by CIE against sera from 20 healthy individuals, 15 patients with mucosal candidiasis, and 48 compromised patients with cultures positive for Candida. Antigen was detected in sera from 13 patients by CIE; eight of these patients were eventually proven to have invasive disease. None of the antigen-negative patients for whom autopsy was performed had evidence of invasive candidiasis. Healthy individuals and patients with superficial mucosal candidiasis were also antigen-negative. The detection of candida antigenemia by CIE is specific for invasive disease and serves as a guide in initiation and follow through of antifungal therapy.
Giant cell arteritis presenting as interstitial lung disease.

A 58-year-old woman had a clinical history compatible with polymyalgia rhenmatica but with an unexplained interstitial lung disease. Evaluation, including biopsy specimens of temporal artery, lung, and gastrocnemius muscle, was consistent with giant cell arteritis. This case identifies giant cell arteritis as a cause of interstitial lung disease.
Oxidation of m-chlorobenzoic acid by Mn(V)O complexes

Abstract Manganyl [Mn(V)O] complexes have garnered considerable attention over the past 15 years as the reactive species in asymmetric olefin epoxidation, as catalysts for green chemistry and as possible intermediates in photosynthetic water oxidation chemistry. One method of preparing Mn(V)O complexes is by the reaction of an oxo-transfer oxidant with a precursor Mn(III) compound. Different oxidants have been employed to serve this function including sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), iodosylbenzene (PhIO) and meta -chloroperbenzoic acid ( m -CPBA). In this report we present the reactivity of high valent manganese complexes with meta -chlorobenzoate ( m -CBA) and show that these manganese compounds are capable of carrying out single electron oxidations of the oxidant to form m -CBA radicals. This organic radical is unstable and decomposes to form carbon dioxide and, ultimately, m -chlorophenol. Two manganyl compounds are shown to carry out this chemistry including one containing the oxidation resistant ligand [Mn(V)O(HMPAB)] − (where H 4 HMPAB=1,2-bis(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanamido)benzene) and [Mn(V)O(salen*)] + (where H 2 salen*=[( R , R )-(−)- N , N ′-bis(3,5-di- tert -butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine]) which has been a catalyst in Katsuki–Jacobsen chiral epoxidation reaction. We demonstrate that both Mn(V) complexes are unstable in the presence of m -CBA in favor of lower valent Mn compounds.
Measurements and Calculations of Shock Propagation in Dry Desert Alluvium

Data obtained on shock propagation from underground explosive detonations are often “contaminated” at larger distances by surface reflections and spall signals. This is a result of the usual placement of instrumentation vertically above the detonation point in a single satellite hole; the use of multiple satellite holes that would permit measurement near the detonation horizon being prohibitively expensive. A recent underground nuclear detonation in alluvium utilized a large diameter device emplacement hole and the entire instrumentation array was installed in the backfill material. No significant spall or surface reflections were noted in the data obtained in this large cased hole and the shock structure was clearly detailed to locations close to the surface.
Love thy neighbor? Recessions and interpersonal trust in Latin America

Abstract Trust is critical during times of institutional crisis, but intuition is ambiguous with regards to economic calamity: would a scarcer supply of goods cause greater animosity, or does a worsening economic climate constitute a common foe against which people can unite? This study investigates the relationship between the experience of recent recessionary years and levels of interpersonal trust, specifically in Latin America. First, we find that as the number of recessionary years grows larger, the strength of interpersonal trust increases; the results are generally robust to the effects of time and alternate measurements of recession. Second, levels of trust are positively correlated with confidence in the central government but negatively with corruption, robust to political ideology. Finally, we refute the assertion that Catholicism hinders economic growth through strong vertical trust channels. Instead, we find that religiosity, especially Catholicism, increases levels of interpersonal trust. Understanding such relationships opens doors for policy tools which can utilize strong central government or community-level efforts without sacrificing levels of trust in the alternate measure, in addition to options which take a hybrid approach.
Increased moisture and methanogenesis contribute to reduced methane oxidation in elevated CO2 soils

Awareness of global warming has stimulated research on environmental controls of soil methane (CH4) consumption and the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) on the terrestrial CH4 sink. In this study, factors impacting soil CH4 consumption were investigated using laboratory incubations of soils collected at the Free Air Carbon Transfer and Storage I site in the Duke Forest, NC, where plots have been exposed to ambient (370 μL L−1) or elevated (ambient + 200 μL L−1) CO2 since August 1996. Over 1 year, nearly 90% of the 360 incubations showed net CH4 consumption, confirming that CH4-oxidizing (methanotrophic) bacteria were active. Soil moisture was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the 25–30 cm layer of elevated CO2 soils over the length of the study, but soil moisture was equal between CO2 treatments in shallower soils. The increased soil moisture corresponded to decreased net CH4 oxidation, as elevated CO2 soils also oxidized 70% less CH4 at the 25–30 cm depth compared to ambient CO2 soils, while CH4 consumption was equal between treatments in shallower soils. Soil moisture content predicted (p < 0.05) CH4 consumption in upper layers of ambient CO2 soils, but this relationship was not significant in elevated CO2 soils at any depth, suggesting that environmental factors in addition to moisture were influencing net CH4 oxidation under elevated CO2. More than 6% of the activity assays showed net CH4 production, and of these, 80% contained soils from elevated CO2 plots. In addition, more than 50% of the CH4-producing flasks from elevated CO2 sites contained deeper (25–30 cm) soils. These results indicate that subsurface (25 cm+) CH4 production contributes to decreased net CH4 consumption under elevated CO2 in otherwise aerobic soils.
A concept of optimality in differential games

A new concept of optimality in zero-sum, two-player differential games ia presented and studied. This concept consists of a ’ local semipermeable condition ’ and a ’ global reprisal condition ’. The latter is introduced to overcome certain difficulties which arise in differential games in which there exist strategy pairs which yield paths which do not meet the terminal surfaco (or set) It is shown that when specified conditions are satisfied, distinct optimal strategies yield the same value function, optimal strategies are interchangeable, and the resulting value function satisfies Isaacs’ equation. Furthermore, in games of finite duration or other ’ all-terminating ’ games, this concept reduces to tho classical saddle-point formulation.
Unsupervised detection of abnormalities in medical images using salient features

In this paper we propose a new method for abnormality detection in medical images which is based on the notion of medical saliency. The proposed method is general and is suitable for a variety of tasks related to detection of: 1) lesions and microcalcifications (MCC) in mammographic images, 2) stenoses in angiographic images, 3) lesions found in magnetic resonance (MRI) images of brain. The main idea of our approach is that abnormalities manifest as rare events, that is, as salient areas compared to normal tissues. We define the notion of medical saliency by combining local patch information from the lightness channel with geometric shape local descriptors. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method by applying it to various modalities, and to various abnormality detection problems. Promising results are demonstrated for detection of MCC and of masses in mammographic images, detection of stenoses in angiography images, and detection of lesions in brain MRI. We also demonstrate how the proposed automatic abnormality detection method can be combined with a system that performs supervised classification of mammogram images into benign or malignant/premalignant MCC's. We use a well known DDSM mammogram database for the experiment on MCC classification, and obtain 80% accuracy in classifying images containing premalignant MCC versus benign ones. In contrast to supervised detection methods, the proposed approach does not rely on ground truth markings, and, as such, is very attractive and applicable for big corpus image data processing.