cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Women and Inheritance in Japan's Early Warrior Society

In the second half of the Kamakura age (1190–1333), Japan's elite warrior society began to undergo a gradual but radical structural transformation. The outline of this change was the shift from a divided to a unitary inheritance practice, with a progressive consolidation of family property and authority into one “chief” (sōryō), to the exclusion of his brothers and sisters. Kinship relations changed accordingly. As in the twelfth-century Mâcon described by Georges Duby, there was a progressive emphasis on lineal solidarity, along with a trend toward multiplication of independent branch lines. Through this shift, each warrior family sought territorial and organizational cohesion—a requirement for survival in an atmosphere of intensified social unrest and competition.
The good, the bad and the ugly

The Eclipse of Darwinism: Anti-Darwinian Evolution Theories in the Decades around 1900. By Peter J. Bowler. Johns Hopkins University Press: 1983. Pp.291. £19.50, $25.
Novel approach for quantification of hepatitis C virus in liver cirrhosis using real-time reverse transcriptase PCR.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects nearly 3% of the population worldwide and is a major cause of acute and chronic infections leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current laboratory diagnosis of HCV is based on specific antibody detection (anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV)) in serum. As HCV replicates in the liver cells, detection and localization of HCV RNA in liver tissue are vital for diagnosis. Ten biopsy samples diagnosed for cryptogenic liver cirrhosis, negative for the presence of anti-HCV and serum HCV RNA, were studied for analyzing presence of viral nucleic acid in liver tissues. Qualitative screening for HCV was done through ELISA while the nucleic acid analysis was performed through COBAS Amplicor. Detection of HCV RNA in liver tissue biopsies was performed following standard protocol of HCV detection kit (Shenzhen PG Biotech) with modifications using Light Cycler 2.0 (minimum detection limit 10 copies/ml). Quantitative detection in liver biopsies following the modified method showed the presence of HCV RNA in three samples out of the ten studied. The results indicate that using Light Cycler 2.0, following the modified technique described, constitutes a reliable method of quantitative detection and localization of HCV in tissue in “serosilent” HCV infection.
Predictive regions for geochemical compositional data of volcanic systems

Abstract In this contribution, the theoretical basis to define predictive regions on multivariate compositional data is applied to, volcanological, geochemical data. The method defines a predictive region based on the calculation of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the covariance matrix of a logratio-transformed data set to circumvent the issue of singularity of the covariance matrix of the raw data due to the closure problem. Principal components have been used to reduce dimensionality and produce a 2-D display of the transformed data and the confidence ellipse. The method was tested in a well studied volcanic sequence from Stromboli volcano (The Vancori period) and in the tholeiitic differentiation of Thingmuli volcano represented in the AFM diagram. Results of the first example are strongly consistent with previous works, suggesting that the methodology reproduces the conventional patterns and potentially could help in the search of hidden patterns in noisy data. Results of the second example depict a useful approach for the treatment of volcanic geochemical data when plotted in a ternary diagram.
Beam-tube design for the high-flux beam reactor

Abstract The Brookhaven High-Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) is being constructed primarily to satisfy a need for neutron beams that are more intense than those available from other research reactors. The design principles chosen have also made it possible to provide neutron beams that are tailored to the requirements of individual experiments. That is, each beam will emphasize some region of the neutron energy spectrum, with an associated reduction of emission of neutrons of unwanted energies, and also of γ-rays. Special discrimination is provided against the very high-energy neutrons which are health hazards, and which add to background problems. The reactor is not designed solely for neutron beam users. Two irradiation thimbles will make possible the exposure of small samples (such as single crystals) to an intense and relatively pure flux of high-energy neutrons. These facilities will permit radiation damage studies at temperatures near that of liquid helium. Two irradiation thimbles in a region of somewhat poorer quality neutron flux can also be used in experiments of this kind. Three isotope irradiation facilities will be placed in regions where the thermal neutron flux is large and the fast flux contamination is small. To a greater extent than has been common in the past, the design of this reactor is based on experiment. Critical experiments have not only established the necessary core size, but they also have been relied on for much additional information normally found by theoretical methods. Experiments have been especially valuable in setting the design of the experimental facilities. The combination of unusual neutronic properties and of complex geometry made it necessary to make this departure from customary design practice.
Characterization of desirable properties of general database decompositions

The classical theory of acyclicity of universal relational schemata identifies a set of “desirable” properties of such schemata, and then shows that all of these properties are equivalent to one another, and in turn equivalent to certain acyclicity characterizations of a hypergraph underlying the schema. The desirable properties include the simplicity of constraints, the correctness of certain efficient query evaluation algorithms, and the complexity of maintaining the integrity of a decomposed database. The principal result of this paper is to show that the essence of this result may be extended to a much more general setting; namely, that in which database schemata are just sets and database mappings just functions. Rather than identifying a single “desirability” class, our work shows that there are several, all of which collapse to a common group when restricted to the universal relational setting. Particularly, the classical notions of “pairwise consistency implies global consistency” and “hypergraph acyclicity” are not equivalent in the general case, but rather are independent of each other, and may be considered separately or in combination, to yield varying strengths of desirability.
How reliable is amino acid sequence homology in predicting similarity of structure and function of c-myc and Ad12 E1A oncogenic proteins?

Adenovirus E1A and c-myc genes are known to be capable of transforming primary rat cells when they occur in combination with either polyoma middle-T or T24 Harvey-ras 1 genes. There was a low level of amino acid sequence homology between the nuclear adenovirus-12 (Ad12) E1A protein product (289 amino acids) and the c-myc protein based on optimal alignment and percentage identity. In contrast to others [Ralston R, Bishop JM (1983) Nature 306:803–806], we concluded that this low level of amino acid sequence homology was not significant, since rabies glycoprotein (RGP), which has no transforming function and localizes to the cell surface, had a similar low level of amino acid sequence homology to the c-myc protein. Furthermore, dot-matrix analysis, when used to test the overall level of amino acid sequence homology, showed no significant homology between c-myc and Ad12 E1A, E1B, or RGP. Thus, low levels of amino acid sequence homology between two proteins may not be sufficient to predict structural and functional similarities between them reliably, even if the two proteins appear to share a common function.
Systemic Immunosuppressive Therapy and the Occurrence of Malignancy in Patients with Ocular Inflammatory Disease

Purpose: To compare the occurrence of malignancy in patients with severe ocular inflammatory disease treated with systemic corticosteroids alone or with systemic immunosuppressive drugs with or without systemic corticosteroids. Methods: The clinical records of 543 patients with ocular inflammatory disease treated with systemic corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive chemotherapy were reviewed in a retrospective cohort study. Characteristics of patients treated with corticosteroids alone were compared with characteristics of patients treated with immunosuppressive agents with or without preceding corticosteroid treatment. The rates of malignancy after initiation of drug therapy were compared using an exact test for incidence rate data. Results: Compared with patients treated with corticosteroids alone, patients treated with immunosuppressants with or without corticosteroid treatment were older and had more severe systemic disease. During a total of 1261 person-years of follow-up, a malignancy developed in five patients. The rate of malignancy in the immunosuppressant group (4 malignancies during 968 person-years of follow-up) was not significantly different from the rate in the corticosteroids alone group (1 malignancy during 293 person-years of follow-up) ( P >0.90, exact test for incidence rate data). Conclusion: These findings do not support the hypothesis of an increased risk of malignancy in patients with severe ocular inflammatory disease who are treated with systemic immunosuppressive agents compared with patients treated with systemic corticosteroids.
Excitation-secretion coupling in the release of catecholamines from the in vitro frog adrenal: effects of K+, Ca2+, hypertonicity, Na+ and Ni2+.

Abstract 1. 1. The in vitro frog adrenal has been used to study excitation-secretion coupling in catecholamine release. 2. 2. Quantitative relations between release rates and [K + ] 0 and [Ca 2+ ] 0 are presented. 3. 3. Hypertonic solutions do not appear to alter spontaneous or stimulated release rates. 4. 4. When Ca 2+ is replaced with Ni 2+ there is an enhanced release of epinephrine, without obvious changes in norepinephrine release. 5. 5. When the NaCl in the Ringer is replaced with sucrose, the response to acetylcholine is greatly diminished, while the response to high K + -Ringer is unchanged. 6. 6. There are substantial differences between the effects of these variables on the adrenals and their effects on the motor nerve terminal or on excitation-contraction coupling.
The distorting effects of acquisitions and dispositions on net operating cash flow

The cash flow statement is the third principal financial statement in a corporate financial report. It presents the cash inflows and outflows for the period, together with certain net cash flow sub...
An Empirical Validation of Bipolar Risk Perception Scaling Methods1

Bipolar rating scales (e. g., semantic differentials) are a common tool for gathering perceptions about attributes of persons, events, or activities. Researchers have questioned, however, whether individual responses are methodologically constrained when bipolar scales are used. Comparing both bipolar and unipolar scales, the present study investigates previous research findings on perceptions of risk by Fischhoff, Slovic, Lichtenstein, Read, and Combs (1978). The subjects in the current study (N= 94) rated the same 30 technologies, substances, and activities as in the Fischhoff et al. (1978) study but used unipolar scales. Correlational analysis indicated that some presumed antagonistic adjective pairs were indeed opposites, while others were not. On the other hand, factor analyses indicated that the same factors described by Fischhoff et al. (1978) were uncovered in the present study. However, the use of a unipolar methodology allowed us to refine the interpretations of both factors.
Chemistry of the cloacal sac secretion of the blind snake Leptotyphlops dulcis

Abstract 1. 1. The cloacal sac secretion of the blind snake Leptotyphlops dulcis is composed primarily of a mucus-like glycoprotein in which are suspended free fatty acids. 2. 2. The glycoprotein, which contains seventeen amino acids and two amino sugars, lacks any detectable tyrosine. 3. 3. Palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids constitute over 90 per cent of the available free fatty acids. 4. 4. The possible functions of the glycoprotein and fatty acids in the biology of L. dulcis are discussed.
Gender Differences in the Psychological Symptomatology and Coping Strategies of Young Adolescents

This study examined gender differences in 298 seventh and ninth graders' self-reported psychological symptoms, coping strategies, and the relation between psychological symptoms and coping strategies. The most notable gender differences occurred in the area of symptomatology. For boys, the most frequently reported symptom was "Feeling uneasy when people are watching or talking about you"; for girls, it was "Worrying too much about things." Six symptoms were common to the 10 most frequent symptoms reported by boys and by girls. For both boys and girls, the most frequently endorsed coping strategies were "Listen to music" and "Watch TV." Five other strategies were among the 10 most frequent strategies reported by both boys and girls. For both boys and girls, frequent use of ventilation as a coping strategy was positively but weakly related to psychological symptomatology.
Homoclinic orbits in slowly varying oscillators

We obtain existence and bifurcation theorems for homoclinic orbits in three-dimensional flows that are perturbations of families of planar Hamiltonian systems. The perturbations may or may not depend explicitly on time. We show how the results on periodic orbits of the preceding paper are related to the present homoclinic results, and apply them to a periodically forced Duffing equation with weak feedback.
Jezebel at the Welfare Office: How Racialized Stereotypes of Poor Women’s Reproductive Decisions and Relationships Shape Policy Implementation

Current welfare scholarship lacks an analysis of how caseworkers discuss sexuality-related issues with clients. Seventy-two of 232 transcribed welfare interviews in three states included discussion of reproductive decisions and relationships. Overall, caseworkers' language reflected negative myths regarding African American women's sexuality and motherhood. By virtue of their status as welfare recipients, regardless of their individual races, clients were placed into racialized myths through workers' talk. This analysis demonstrates that though not present in every welfare interview and often veiled in bureaucratic language, negative ideas about poor women's sexuality persist in welfare policy and are deeply embedded in its day-to-day implementation.
The New Policy World of Cybersecurity

As government agencies, private sector corporations, the military, and even retail shoppers shift their activities to the Internet, cybersecurity becomes increasingly important. Past presidential administrations recognized that cybersecurity necessitates a comprehensive national policy to protect electronically transmitted and stored information from intrusion. But so far, development of a coherent cybersecurity policy has proven to be a daunting task. A feasible policy framework that systematically arrays the issues and specifies parameters of constraints is lacking, and articulated policies and strategies are narrowly focused and implemented incrementally. The authors argue that recent government documents related to cyberspace form a positive foundation on which to build a comprehensive policy. Despite the incremental nature of cybersecurity progress, these key documents represent a cumulative process on which to build future policy.
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Characterization of Point Defects

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy identifies, counts, and monitors point defects in a wide variety of materials. Unfortunately, this powerful tool has faded from the literature in recent years. The present trend away from fundamental studies and towards technological challenges, and the need for fast diagnostic tools for use during and after materials growth has weakened the popularity of magnetic resonance tools. While admittedly the use of EPR in industrial laboratories for routine materials characterization is limited, EPR spectroscopy can be, and has been, successfully used to provide reams of information directly relevant to technologically significant materials.
FuzzyCLIPS and neuro-fuzzy term rewriting for power network control

FuzzyCLIPS has been used in several commercial systems to allow for a rule based expert system shell that will also provide fuzzy reasoning capability. We discuss the use of FuzzyCLIPS and neuro-fuzzy term rewriting to define the network model in the distribution management system (DMS) for the Indonesian State Power system (PLN). Although, DMS is currently implemented by a mixed CLIPS/C++ system, the rules defining the behavior of the system are developed using the framework of object-oriented term-rewriting (OOTR) to guarantee the asynchronous characteristics of the program's execution. Another advantage of using OOTR is that we describe both the power propagation in the network and the alarm conditions, which have to be monitored in a uniform fashion. We show how implementing a fuzzy solution will not only provide a more intuitive approach to the propagation problem, but also a more accurate solution.
COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING

The decision whether to launch a screening program in asymptomatic patients of average risk for colorectal cancer and the selection of the appropriate protocol for screening are complex issues. There are still many unanswered questions. Many organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for the Prevention of Colorectal Cancer, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute advocate screening with annual Hemoccult tests and screening with flexible sigmoidoscopy every 3 to 5 years in patients more than 50 years of age. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Canadian Task Force on Periodic Health Examination, and the International Union Against Cancer have not recommended screening asymptomatic average-risk patients for colorectal cancer. One study showed a small but significant benefit (3 per 1000) of the rehydrated annual Hemoccult test in reducing mortality from colorectal cancer. To embark on a mass screening strategy as recommended, however, would require significant costs, increases in physician training, improved access to the requisite technology, and enhancements in patient and physician compliance. Furthermore, the high false-positive rates of the rehydrated Hemoccult tests would lead to many unnecessary tests, causing greater expense as well as patient discomfort and anxiety. It is, therefore, premature to recommend mass screening for colorectal cancer in asymptomatic individuals at this time. Further research is needed to identify risk factors (such as genetic markers) better and to develop and evaluate screening strategies targeted at those with high risk for colorectal cancer. In the meantime, efforts at primary prevention for the general population should be increased (through nutrition and exercise). Patients over the age of 50 who desire screening should be given information of the benefits and risks of screening and together with their physicians decide on a screening strategy that suits their needs and values.
A Survey of Business Historians on America's Greatest Entrepreneurs

We surveyed fifty-eight professors of history and management to develop a ranking of the greatest entrepreneurs and businesspeople in American history. The goal of this research is to begin an ongoing conversation about what constitutes “greatness” in American business history, and, in particular, how academics perceive greatness among business leaders. The results were predictable: Henry Ford topped the list, followed by Bill Gates, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and Thomas Edison. We also surveyed these scholars regarding greatest female and most underrated entrepreneur or businessperson in American history to make the exercise more interesting.
A Unicontrol Radio Receiver for Ultra-High Frequencies Using Concentric Lines as Interstage Couplers

A new type of radio receiver for frequencies between 100 and 300 megacycles per second is described. This receiver differs from conventional designs in that it utilizes quarter-wave concentric transmission lines as coupling impedances between amplifier stages. A method of using a single line per stage and means for varying the effective line length for unicontrol tuning is shown. The deviation of the line length from the actual full quarter-wave length over the frequency range of the receiver is given. Measurements showed an amplification of the order of two per stage at 300 megacycles, six per stage at 200 megacycles, and nine per stage at 175 megacycles. With four stages of radio-frequency amplification and a detector, an effective over-all amplification of the order of 100,000 may be expected at 200 megacycles. The paper gives the circuit arrangement for a receiver consisting of four stages of radio-frequency amplification and a detector. This receiver uses four concentric lines with ganged tuning plungers for varying the effective line lengths in unison. The lines are arranged with their major axes about a common center.
Bacillus subtilis GlnR contains an autoinhibitory C‐terminal domain required for the interaction with glutamine synthetase

The Bacillus subtilis GlnR transcription factor regulates gene expression in response to changes in nitrogen availability. Glutamine synthetase transmits the nitrogen regulatory signal to GlnR. The DNA-binding activity of GlnR is activated by a transient protein-protein interaction with feedback-inhibited glutamine synthetase that stabilizes GlnR-DNA complexes. This signal transduction mechanism was analysed by creating mutant GlnR proteins with partial or complete truncations of their C-terminal domains. The truncated GlnR proteins were found to constitutively repress gene expression in vivo. This constitutive repression did not require glutamine synthetase. Purified mutant GlnR proteins bound DNA in vitro more tightly than wild-type GlnR protein and this binding was not activated by feedback-inhibited glutamine synthetase. While full-length GlnR is monomeric, the truncated GlnR proteins contained significant levels of dimers. These results indicate that the C-terminal region of GlnR acts as an autoinhibitory domain that prevents GlnR dimerization and thus impedes DNA binding. The GlnR C-terminal domain is also required for the interaction between GlnR and feedback-inhibited glutamine synthetase. Compared with the full-length GlnR protein, the truncated GlnR proteins were defective in their interaction with feedback-inhibited glutamine synthetase in cross-linking experiments.
Factors Predictive of Outcome After Use of the Ponseti Method for the Treatment of Idiopathic Clubfeet

Background: The nonoperative technique for the treatment of idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot) described by Ponseti is a popular method, but it requires two to four years of orthotic management. The purpose of this study was to examine the patient characteristics and demographic factors related to the family that are predictive of recurrent foot deformities in patients treated with this method. Methods: The cases of fifty-one consecutive infants with eighty-six idiopathic clubfeet treated with use of the Ponseti method were examined retrospectively. The patient characteristics at the time of presentation, such as the severity of the initial clubfoot deformity, previous treatment, and the age at the initiation of treatment, were examined with use of univariate logistic regression analysis modeling recurrence. Demographic data on the family, including annual income, highest level of education attained by the parents, and marital status, as well as parental reports of compliance with the use of the prescribed orthosis, were studied in relation to the risk of recurrence. Results: The parents of twenty-one patients did not comply with the use of orthotics. Noncompliance was the factor most related to the risk of recurrence, with an odds ratio of 183 (p < 0.00001). Parental educational level (high-school education or less) also was a significant risk factor for recurrence (odds ratio = 10.7, p < 0.03). With the numbers available, no significant relationship was found between gender, race, parental marital status, source of medical insurance, or parental income and the risk of recurrence of the clubfoot deformity. In addition, the severity of the deformity, the age of the patient at the initiation of treatment, and previous treatment were not found to have a significant effect on the risk of recurrence. Conclusion: Noncompliance and the educational level of the parents (high-school education or less) are significant risk factors for the recurrence of clubfoot deformity after correction with the Ponseti method. The identification of patients who are at risk for recurrence may allow intervention to improve the compliance of the parents with regard to the use of orthotics, and, as a result, improve outcome. Level of Evidence: Prognostic study, Level II-1 (retrospective study). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma as a bridge to liver transplantation

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) can be a definitive treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Prolonged waiting times for cadaveric livers, however, may lead to dropout from the waiting list or worsened post-OLT prognosis as a result of interval tumor progression. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is widely used for local control of small unresectable HCC, but its pretransplant role remains unclear. We studied the outcome of 52 consecutive patients accepted for OLT bearing 87 HCC nodules and treated with percutaneous RFA. On initial staging, the tumor burden exceeded the Milan criteria in 10 patients. Complete tumor coagulation was observed in 74 of 87 (85.1%) nodules based on postablation imaging. After a mean of 12.7 months (range: 0.3-43.5) on the waiting list, 3 of 52 patients (5.8%) had dropped out due to tumor progression. Forty-one patients had undergone transplantation, with 1- and 3-year post-OLT survival rates of 85% and 76%, respectively. No patient developed HCC recurrence. There were three major complications in 76 RFA procedures (hepatic arterial hemorrhage, small bowel perforation, and liver decompensation salvaged by OLT), without resultant death or dropout. In conclusion, percutaneous RFA is an effective bridge to OLT for patients with compensated liver function and safely accessible tumors. Tumor-related dropout rate and post-OLT outcome compared favorably with published controls of patients with early-stage disease. This can be attributed to the efficacy of RFA in producing local cure or curbing tumor progression during the waiting period.
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension in a Child With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked, recessively inherited disorder characterized by progressive weakness attributable to the absence of dystrophin expression in muscle. In multiple studies, the chronic administration of corticosteroids slowed the loss of ambulation that develops in mid to late childhood. Corticosteroids, however, frequently produce unacceptable side effects, including Cushingoid appearance and weight gain. Deflazacort, an oxazoline analogue of prednisolone, produces equivalent benefits on muscle with fewer reported Cushingoid side effects. We present a 9-year-old boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who developed morbid obesity and subsequent idiopathic intracranial hypertension after 2 years of receiving deflazacort. Although deflazacort is typically thought to produce less obesity than prednisone, severe Cushingoid side effects may occur in some individuals. To our knowledge, this description is the first of idiopathic intracranial hypertension complicating chronic corticosteroid treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Design and implementation of a high-fidelity AC metering network

We present the architecture, design, and preliminary evaluation of ACme, a wireless sensor and actuator network for monitoring AC energy usage and controlling AC devices in a large and diverse building environment. The ACme system consists of three tiers: the ACme node which provides a metering and control interface to a single outlet, a network fabric which allows this interface to be exported to arbitrary IP endpoints, and application software that uses this networked interface to provide various power-centric applications. The ACme node integrates an Epic core module with a dedicated energy metering IC to provide real, reactive, and apparent power measurements, with optional control of an attached load. The network comprises a complete IPv6/6LoWPAN stack on every node and an edge router that connects to other IP networks. The application tier receives and stores readings in a database and uses a web server for visualization. Nodes automatically join the IPv6 subnet after being plugged in, and begin interactions with the application layer. We evaluate our system in a preliminary green building deployment with 49 nodes spread over several floors of a Computer Science Building and present energy consumption data from this preliminary deployment.
Time-space continuity of daily maps of fractional snow cover and albedo from MODIS

Abstract Using reflectance values from the seven MODIS “land” bands with 250 or 500 m resolution, along with a corresponding cloud product, we estimate the fraction of each 500 m pixel that snow covers, along with the albedo of that snow. The daily products have data gaps and errors because of cloud cover and sensor viewing geometry. Rather than make users interpolate and filter these patchy daily maps without completely understanding the retrieval algorithm and instrument properties, we use the daily time series to improve the estimate of the measured snow properties for a particular day. We use a combination of noise filtering, snow/cloud discrimination, and interpolation and smoothing to produce our best estimate of the daily snow cover and albedo. We consider two modes: one is the “predictive” mode, whereby we estimate the snow-covered area and albedo on that day using only the data up to that day; the other is the “retrospective” mode, whereby we reconstruct the history of the snow properties for a previous period.
The Use of Inpatient Mental Health Services by Hispanic Women

Concern has been expressed about underrepresentation of Hispanics in mental health facilities, but little has been done to examine Hispanic gender differences in the use of such facilities. This descriptive study provides a broader and more detailed profile of Hispanic women's use of selected inpatient mental health facilities than is currently available. It presents gender differences in number, percent, and rate per 100,000 population for Hispanic and nonHispanic inpatient admissions with respect to age, marital status, and diagnosis. Results suggest that women use these inpatient facilities less than men, and this gender difference is greater for Hispanics. This greater gender difference in admissions among Hispanics was found across age and marital status categories, but not in all diagnoses. Regardless of ethnicity, men had higher admission rates for schizophrenia and alcohol-related disorders, but not for affective disorders. Marital status was related to diagnosis differently for Hispanics and nonH...
Looks like a Stroke, Acts like a Stroke, but It's More than a Stroke: A Case of Cerebral Mucormycosis

Mucormycosis is a fungus that exhibits angiocentric growth and can cause a thrombotic arteritis. Infection with this organism is uncommon and cerebral involvement is most often secondary to direct invasion through the paranasal sinuses. Here, we present a case of mucormycosis with cerebral involvement without sinus disease, which resulted in ischemic stroke with rapid progression resulting in death.
Sequential primed kinases create a damage-responsive phosphodegron on Eco1

Sister-chromatid cohesion is established during S phase when Eco1 acetylates cohesin. In budding yeast, Eco1 activity falls after S phase due to Cdk1-dependent phosphorylation, which triggers ubiquitination by SCF(Cdc4). We show here that Eco1 degradation requires the sequential actions of Cdk1 and two additional kinases, Cdc7-Dbf4 and the GSK-3 homolog Mck1. These kinases recognize motifs primed by previous phosphorylation, resulting in an ordered sequence of three phosphorylation events on Eco1. Only the latter two phosphorylation sites are spaced correctly to bind Cdc4, resulting in strict discrimination between phosphates added by Cdk1 and by Cdc7. Inhibition of Cdc7 by the DNA damage response prevents Eco1 destruction, allowing establishment of cohesion after S phase. This elaborate regulatory system, involving three independent kinases and stringent substrate selection by a ubiquitin ligase, enables robust control of cohesion establishment during normal growth and after stress.
EXIT charts for turbo trellis-coded modulation

In this letter, we extend the previously proposed extrinsic information transfer charts (EXIT) method to the analysis of the convergence of turbo codes to turbo trellis-coded modulation (TTCM) schemes. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through examples. The proposed method provides a convenient way to systematically compare between schemes and thus can be used as a tool in the design of TTCM.
Right ventricular systolic and diastolic function as assessed by speckle-tracking echocardiography improve with prolonged isolated left ventricular assist device support.

Abstract Background Right ventricular (RV) failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Whether RV function deteriorates with prolonged LVAD support is unknown. Speckle-tracking echocardiography provides a sensitive, noninvasive, reproducible, and quantitative assessment of RV systolic and diastolic function. Methods Echocardiograms were retrospectively reviewed from before and after implantation of a Heartmate II LVAD. Speckle-tracking analysis was performed to measure RV longitudinal systolic strain, strain rate, and diastolic strain rate for each patient at baseline and over discrete time periods after LVAD implantation. Results Seventeen patients were included in the analysis, with an average follow-up after LVAD implantation of 234 ± 125 days. RV systolic strain improved in 15 patients, decreasing from −7.4 ± 2.3% to −9.7 ± 3.3% after LVAD (P = .026). Systolic strain rate improved in 11 patients, decreasing from −0.67 ± 0.25%/s to −0.96 ± 0.36%/s (P = .011). RV diastolic strain rate improved in 12 patients, increasing from 0.70 ± 0.33%/s to 1.02 ± 0.40%/s (P = .016). Conclusions Chronic LVAD support improves RV systolic and diastolic function in LVAD patients who did not require an RV assist device. Speckle-tracking echocardiography may offer a noninvasive technique for identifying and monitoring improvements in RV function in LVAD patients.
A curve fitting procedure to derive inter-annual phenologies from time series of noisy satellite NDVI data

Annual, inter-annual and long-term trends in time series derived from remote sensing can be used to distinguish between natural land cover variability and land cover change. However, the utility of using NDVI-derived phenology to detect change is often limited by poor quality data resulting from atmospheric and other effects. Here, we present a curve fitting methodology useful for time series of remotely sensed data that is minimally affected by atmospheric and sensor effects and requires neither spatial nor temporal averaging. A two-step technique is employed: first, a harmonic approach models the average annual phenology; second, a spline-based approach models inter-annual phenology. The principal attributes of the time series (e.g., amplitude, timing of onset of greenness, intrinsic smoothness or roughness) are captured while the effects of data drop-outs and gaps are minimized. A recursive, least squares approach captures the upper envelope of NDVI values by upweighting data values above an average annual curve. We test this methodology on several land cover types in the western U.S., and find that onset of greenness in an average year varied by less than 8 days within land cover types, indicating that the curve fit is consistent within similar systems. Between 1990 and 2002, temporal variability in onset of greenness was between 17 and 35 days depending on the land cover type, indicating that the inter-annual curve fit captures substantial inter-annual variability. Employing this curve fitting procedure enhances our ability to measure inter-annual phenology and could lead to better understanding of local and regional land cover trends.
The sinotubular junction does not progressively dilate four years after modified subcoronary freestyle stentless tissue aortic valve replacement

Background and aim of the study Aortic root dilation at the sinotubular junction (STJ) results in aortic regurgitation associated with normal valves and with a complete subcoronary stentless aortic bioprosthesis. The study aim was to assess for progressive aortic root dilation following modified subcoronary Freestyle aortic valve replacement (AVR), and to compare for differences between implant techniques. Methods Aortic root diameter was measured at the annulus, sinuses of Valsalva, STJ and tubular aorta on post-pump transesophageal echocardiograms and on early (3-month) and late (>2 years) transthoracic echocardiograms among 16 patients after modified subcoronary Freestyle valve replacement, 16 after root inclusion, and three after total root replacement. Results Mean follow up was 3.9 +/- 0.8, 3.3 +/- 0.7 and 3.5 +/- 1.1 years for modified subcoronary, root inclusion and total root patients, respectively. The aortic annulus, sinuses and STJ increased in diameter to similar extents between surgery and three months after modified subcoronary and root inclusion surgery, with no further increase at late follow up (modified subcoronary STJ 18.4 +/- 3.7, 21.1 +/- 3.7 and 20.5 +/- 4.4 mm on intraoperative, early and late echocardiography, respectively; root inclusion STJ 21.8 +/- 3.9, 25.4 +/- 4.6 and 24.4 +/- 4.4 mm, respectively). There were no changes in aortic root diameter after total root replacement (STJ 23.7 +/- 1.2 and 25.7 +/- 6.0 on intraoperative and late follow up, respectively). Aortic regurgitation prevalence was low, and similar between groups. Conclusion Small but significant increases in aortic root dimensions were seen during the first three months after modified subcoronary and root inclusion surgery, with no subsequent change. The early changes were likely caused by resorption of paravalvular edema and hematoma transiently affecting aortic root measurements in the perioperative period. There was no evidence of progressive STJ dilation at 3.9 years after modified subcoronary Freestyle AVR.
A photometric invariant and shape constraints at parabolic points

Using rigorous methods the authors have shown that the invariant direction of isophotes at parabolic points is the projection of the principal direction of zero curvature onto the image plane. They have gone beyond considering the limited case of pure orthographic projection and have shown under what conditions this photometric invariance property breaks down and is best approximated in perspective images, and for a nondistant light source. In addition to giving experimental evidence supporting their claim about how isophotes are parallel to the direction of zero curvature at parabolic points, the authors suggest possible applications of this geometric cue to determination of orientation and curvature at parabolic points. The best advantage taken from this geometric cue is when constraint information can be obtained, knowing absolutely nothing about the reflectance map. The true power of a physical invariant is the information it gives under the most generic conditions possible, in this case any type of smooth reflectance map. >
Densities of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Tidal Waters of the Ballona Wetlands, Los Angeles County, California

Abstract Densities of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) represented by total coliforms, E. coli and enterococci were measured within tidal channels of the Ballona Wetlands (Los Angeles County) to see if the wetlands act as a sink or source for these bacteria and to measure increases in FIB densities during wet weather. Samples were collected on 10 days over a 1-yr period beginning February 2003 at four sites within the wetlands and one site in Ballona Creek opposite the west tide gate. Incoming flood and outgoing ebb tides were sampled during each sampling event at each station. Water from Ballona Creek may be a significant source of indicator bacteria in the wetlands. Within the tidal channels, densities for total coliforms typically ranged from 103–104 MPN/100 ml, but ranged up to 106 during runoff events. Densities of E. coli and enterococci were orders of magnitude less than those measured for total coliforms, generally ranging from 101–104 for E. coli, and 101–105 for enterococci; greater densities were...
Nd:YAG LASER treatment of a complex airway venous malformation in a child

Abstract Nd:YAG LASER therapy is traditionally used for the treatment of superficial cutaneous and mucosal venous malformations. Venous malformations of the endolaryngeal airway may complex and difficult to manage given the sensitivity and access to this anatomic area. Nd:YAG LASER, may be a good modality to be included in management of these rare lesions with its versatility in delivery systems and hemostatic properties. We reviewed the presentation and response to treatment with Nd:YAG LASER in a 10-year-old child with extensive venous malformation involving the larynx.
Metabolism of the Brain a Measure of Cellular Function in Aging

Because of the close relationships between cerebral functional activity and measures of cerebral blood flow and metabolism, investigators have used these measures to gain information about altered function in various experimental and pathologic states. This chapter reviews information regarding the associations between cerebral metabolism, blood flow, and function. Also reviewed are results from in vitro studies of oxidative metabolism and glucose metabolism in aging animals. Techniques for assessment of cerebral blood flow and oxidative metabolism in vivo are described, as are results obtained in animal and human studies of age differences in these parameters. The possible advantage of performing measurements on subjects in activated states, rather than the resting state, is discussed.
Polyamines modulate transcription but not posttranscription of c-myc and c-jun in IEC-6 cells

The goal of the current study was to examine whether polyamines are involved in the regulation of transcription and posttranscription of the protooncogenes c-myc and c-jun in intestinal epithelial ...
Sensitivity of the quidel sofia fluorescent immunoassay compared with 2 nucleic acid assays and viral culture to detect pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09

To confirm a diagnosis of influenza at the point of care, healthcare professionals may rely on rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs). RIDTs have low to moderate sensitivity compared with viral culture or real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). With the resurgence of the influenza A (Flu A; subtype H1N1) pandemic 2009 (pdm09) strain in the years 2013 and 2014, we evaluated the accuracy of the United State Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Sofia Influenza A+B Fluorescent Immunoassay to detect epidemic Flu A(H1N1)pdm09 in specimens from the upper-respiratory tract. During a 3-month period, we collected 40 specimens that tested positive via PCR and/or culture for Flu A of the H1N1 pdm09 subtype. Of the 40 specimens, 27 tested positive (67.5%) via Sofia assay for Flu A. Of the 13 specimens with a negative result via Sofia testing, 4 had coinfection, as detected by the GenMark Diagnostics eSensor Respiratory Viral Panel. This sensitivity of the RIDT Sofia assay to detect Flu A(H1N1) pdm09 was comparable to previously reported sensitivities ranging from 10% to 75% for older RIDTs.
Prosodic and phonemic awareness in children’s reading of long and short words

Phonemic and prosodic awareness are both phonological processes that operate at different levels: the former at the level of the individual sound segment and the latter at the suprasegmental level across syllables. Both have been shown to be related to word reading in young readers. In this study we examine how these processes are differentially related to reading monosyllabic and multisyllabic words. Participants were 110 children in grades four and five who were asked to read monosyllabic and three- and four-syllable words matched for frequency. Phonemic awareness was assessed via a phoneme elision task; prosodic awareness was assessed by a task asking participants to identify the syllable bearing primary stress in a spoken word. Results showed that phonemic and prosodic awareness were independent predictors of short word reading, and both phonological factors made independent contributions to multisyllabic word reading, showing that phonemic and prosodic awareness are complementary but not redundant processes. Only prosodic awareness survived control for simple decoding ability in the reading of long words, suggesting that suprasegmental phonology gives added value to our understanding of reading multisyllabic words.
A sialyl Lewis(x)-containing carbohydrate reduces infarct size: role of selectins in myocardial reperfusion injury

Previous studies have implicated the selectins (P- and L-selectin) in the acute phase of myocardial reperfusion injury. However, it is unclear whether these adhesion molecules are involved in the p...
First Passage of Nonstationary Random Processes

A two-state Markov process for barrier passage statistics provides a more realistic model than the traditional Poisson process, especially for the response of a lightly-damped oscillator to broad-bank excitation. For high barrier levels the two give similar results. With the Markov model, first passage probability depends on the first three area moments of the process power spectral density. The concept of a time-dependent power spectrum conveniently describes the frequency decomposition of the response of an oscillator suddenly exposed to broad-band stationary excitation. Analytical expressions for time-dependent spectral moments lead to an evolutionary power spectral density shape parameter and improved first-passage results, especially for lightly-damped oscillators and short durations.