cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Benefit of coronary reperfusion before intervention on outcomes after primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction

Primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has become the preferred reperfusion strategy for acute myocardial infarction in most institutions with interventional facilities and experienced operators. The benefit of establishing coronary reperfusion, with or without pharmacologic therapy, before primary angioplasty has not been established. Consecutive patients (n = 1,490) with acute myocardial infarction treated with aspirin and heparin followed by primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were followed for 13 years. Follow-up angiography was obtained in 737 patients at 7.7 months. Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 2 to 3 flow in the infarct artery at initial angiography was present in 18.3% of patients, and TIMI 0 to 1 flow in 81.7% of patients. Baseline variables were similar between the 2 groups, except patients with initial TIMI 2 to 3 flow had significantly less cardiogenic shock (1.7% vs 9.4%, p <0.0001) and a lower incidence of depressed ejection fraction <40% (12.6% vs 19.9%, p = 0.007). Procedural success was better in patients with initial TIMI 2 to 3 flow (97.4% vs 93.8%, p = 0.02), and catheterization laboratory events were less frequent. Patients with initial TIMI 2 to 3 flow had lower peak creatine kinase values (1,328 vs 2,790 IU/L, p <0.0001), higher acute ejection fraction (54.3% vs 51.6%, p = 0.05), higher late ejection fraction (59.2% vs 54.9%, p = 0.004), and lower 30-day mortality (4.8% vs 8.9%, p = 0.02). These data indicate that when reperfusion occurs before primary angioplasty, outcomes are strikingly better with less cardiogenic shock, improved procedural outcomes, smaller infarct size, better preservation of left ventricular function, and reduced mortality. This should encourage new strategies to establish reperfusion before "primary" angioplasty with "catheterization laboratory friendly" platelet inhibitors and/or low-dose thrombolytic drugs.
Interaction of convergent pathways that inhibit N-type calcium currents in sensory neurons

Abstract Norepinephrine and GABA inhibit ω-conotoxin GVIA-sensitive (N-type) calcium current in embryonic sensory neurons by separate pathways. We have investigated the mechanisms that limit the modulation of N current by varying the level of activation for a single pathway or simultaneously activating multiple pathways. Calcium currents were measured with tight-seal, whole-cell recording methods. Simultaneous application of the two transmitters at saturating concentrations produced a larger inhibition of the current than either transmitter by itself, but the maximal inhibition was not linearly additive. Maximal, direct activation of GTP-binding proteins by intracellular application of guanosine 5′-(3- O -thio)-triphosphate (GTPγS) resulted in a similar limit to the inhibition; furthermore, GTPγS did not enhance the maximal inhibition produced by co-application of transmitters. Interventions downstream in the modulatory pathway (e.g. direct activation of protein kinase C or inhibition of protein phosphatases) were also unable to alter the maximal limit for inhibition. These results suggest that transmitter-mediated inhibition is not limited by receptor number, levels of G-protein or protein kinase C activation, or degree of phosphorylation; rather, the extent of inhibition may be limited by the structural properties of the N channels themselves.
Certiorari and Compliance in the Judicial Hierarchy: Discretion, Reputation and the Rule of Four

I develop a formal model of the interaction between auditing by the Supreme Court (certiorari) and compliance by the lower courts, presenting three challenges to the existing literature. First, I show that even discretionary certiorari (the Court can choose which cases to hear) only goes so far in inducing compliance. Second, the literature often treats the Court as a unitary actor, ignoring the Rule of Four (only four votes are needed to grant certiorari). This rule is generally assumed to limit majoritarian dominance - this is a puzzle given that the rule itself is subject to majority control. I show that it actually increases majority power by increasing lower court compliance. Finally, while sincere behavior is often taken for granted at the Supreme Court level, I show that potential non-compliance creates heretofore unrecognized incentives for the justices to conceal their true preferences, so as to induce greater compliance. They can exploit even minimal uncertainty to manipulate asymmetric informat...
MR findings in Shone's complex of left heart obstructive lesions

Background. Shone's complex is a series of four obstructive or potentially obstructive left-sided cardiac lesions (supravalvular mitral ring, parachute deformity of the mitral value, subaortic stenosis, and coarctation of the aorta). Both the complete form (all four lesions) and incomplete forms (less than four lesions) have been described. Objective. To determine which abnormalities of Shone's complex could be characterized by MR. Materials and methods. MR examinations in three patients (one complete, two incomplete) were retrospectively reviewed. Results. A supravalvular mitral ring, found at surgery in one patient, was not identified. Regurgitant and stenotic flow across the mitral valve, abnormal motion of the valve leaflets and abnormalities of the papillary muscles were identified. Individual chordal attachments were difficult to resolve. Narrowing in the subaortic region and abnormal flow from the subaortic region through the valve plane were demonstrated. A discrete subaortic diaphragm in one patient was not resolved. Both focal and diffuse types of coarctation of the aorta were well characterized. Conclusion. MR imaging is suited to evaluation of patients with Shone's complex. Individual chordal attachments and thin diaphragms of the mitral and aortic valves were difficult to resolve.
Percutaneous Deployment of a Valved Bovine Jugular Vein in the Swine Venous System: A Potential Treatment for Venous Insufficiency

PURPOSE To develop a system for potential use in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency by using percutaneous techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS A segment of a glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine external jugular vein with valves was trimmed and sutured to a nitinol stent. Animals were premedicated and anesthetized ( n = 11). Venography of the right external jugular vein, inferior vena cava (IVC), and common iliac vein was performed. Deployment was accomplished via a sheath (12–24 F) with use of fluoroscopic guidance. Eleven bioprostheses were deployed in 11 animals. Bioprostheses were deployed in the IVC ( n = 3) or right external iliac vein ( n = 6). Animals were killed immediately after deployment ( n = 7) at 1 week ( n = 1) or at 2 weeks ( n = 2). One animal was found dead in the cage. At necropsy, each bioprosthesis ( n = 4) was explanted and histopathologic analysis was performed. RESULTS Deployments of the bioprostheses were successful in nine of 11 swine. Two deployments were unsuccessful (one accidental deployment in the right renal vein, one deployment in the IVC caused rupture of the vein). Postdeployment venography ( n = 9) confirmed no reflux (in the recumbent position of the swine) of the valve leaflets and patency of the vein inferior to the level of the bioprostheses. in the first group of animals ( n = 5), valve leaflets were normal and competent. In the survival animal group ( n = 4), the bioprostheses remained patent without evidence of thrombus formation by ascending and descending venography. Gross inspection of the explanted bioprostheses ( n = 4) demonstrated grossly normal valves that fully occluded the lumen. Complications included hemarthrosis ( n = 1), death ( n = 1), and bioprosthesis thrombosis immediately after deployment ( n = 1). Histopathologic analysis showed endothelial cells covering the luminal surfaces. The wall of the bioprostheses had granulomatous response and foreign body reaction. Bacterial contamination was noted in one bioprosthesis. CONCLUSIONS Deployment of a glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine vein sutured to a self-expanding nitinol stent in the swine iliac vein or IVC is technically feasible. Development of a venous bioprosthesis that can be placed percutaneously may have important clinical applications as an endovascular treatment for chronic venous insufficiency when it is due to valvular incompetence.
Type 1 HERV-K genome is spliced into subgenomic transcripts in the human breast tumor cell line T47D.

Abstract Two types of HERV-K genomes exist which differ in the absence (type 1) or the presence (type 2) of a sequence of 292 nucleotides between the putative pol and env genes. Previously published results from teratocarcinoma cell studies had firmly concluded that the type 1 HERV-K genome was defective in splicing and that only the nondeleted type 2 HERV-K genome containing the 292-nucleotide sequence was capable of being spliced. We now show that in the T47D human breast tumor cell line it is the type 1 HERV-K genome, and not the type 2, which is spliced to subgenomic transcripts.
Fully symmetric interpolatory rules for multiple integrals over hyper-spherical surfaces

Fully symmetric interpolatory integration rules are constructed for multidimensional integrals over Un, the surface of an n-dimensional hyper-sphere. Explicit formulas for the weights are given for odd degrees 3-13. The new rules are efficient and only moderately unstable. Two randomization methods are described.
Evolving optimal histogram parameters for object recognition

3D color histograms are introduced as an effective means of object recognition. No globally optimal set of color histogram parameters is known, and the choice of data-set specific parameters is far from obvious due to the size of the search space involved. Evolution Strategies (ES), a form of Evolutionary Computation, are introduced as a method of optimizing histogram parameters specific to a known data set. An ES is implemented on a 22-object, 110 image database, and a 93 percent recognition rate achieved, a significant improvement over the 86 percent recognition rate of standard histogram axes. The results demonstrate the efficacy of ES and underscore the importance of the assumptions that histogram-based recognition methods are built upon.
An overview of pediatric oncology as a model for interdisciplinary care

The management of childhood brain tumors is highly complex. There are now various treatment options available. The role of the pediatric neurosurgeon has not diminished in the care of children with brain tumors. However, surgical intervention must be viewed as a component, although a crucial component, of modern management.
3-transpositions in infinite groups

Let G be a group. A subset D will be called a set of 3-transpositions if | x | = 2 for x e D and | xy | = 3 whenever x, yeD do not commute. We will call the set D closed if xDx −1 = D for each xeD . For each xeD , let For each subset X of D , we denote by [ X ] the graph with vertex set X where two elements x, yeX are joined by an edge whenever they commute. We denote by ( X ) the complement graph; thus two elements x, yeX are joined by an edge of ( X ) whenever they do not commute.
The Iowa State University Direct Sampling L-Band Digital Radiometer

This paper describes a polarimetric-capable L-band radiometer that has been built for Iowa State University (ISU) by The University of Michigan. It is a 'direct sampling digital radiometer' (DSDR), in which most of the operations are performed digitally and mixer stages are eliminated. The system is to be used for soil moisture retrieval studies. It could provide supportive data for future L-band missions and is reconfigurable for radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation purposes
Sort-of symbols?

Barsalou's elision of the personal and sub-personal levels tends to conceal the fact that he is, at best, providing the “specs” but not yet a model for his hypothesized perceptual symbols.
CROSS‐KINGDOM CROSS‐TALK: HORMONES SHARED BY PLANTS AND THEIR INSECT HERBIVORES

Dynamic defense responses plants exhibit when attacked by insects are probably as important ecologically as constitutive defenses were once thought to be. Plants recognize and respond to interspecific differences among insects and microbes, and some insects appear to manipulate plant signaling and response systems. These interactions are based on an exchange of signals among plant, insect, and microbes. Many of these signals are hormones, and a surprising number are common to both kingdoms. Fatty-acid-based hormones provide a particularly good example, and preliminary data suggesting that plant defense responses can be mediated by common insect hormones and signals (prostaglandins) are presented. The evolutionary and ecological implications of shared signals and signal-stealing are diverse and can greatly improve our understanding of plant–pest interactions.
Training in bibliography and information techniques for the soviet student

For comparative purposes this paper presents a translation of the outline of a sixteen-hour course designed to introduce Soviet students in higher educational institutions to sources of scientific and technical information. The plan provides for lecture and practice in the study of Soviet and foreign bibliography, adaptation to specialties, and an introduction to mechanized techniques.
ASEXUAL DIAPAUSE INDUCED BY FOOD LIMITATION IN THE ROTIFER SYNCHAETA PECTINATA

In some clones of Synchaeta pectinata, females parthenogenetically produce two types of eggs: thin-shelled, subitaneous eggs and thicker-shelled eggs that undergo a brief diapause. The stimulus for producing diapausing eggs is food limitation, either throughout the life-span or for short intervals during early adult life. Inductive food concentrations are well above the threshold food concentration (where rm = 0). Even when severely food limited, some females produce only subitaneous eggs, and some produce a mixture of subitaneous and diapausing eggs. Production of both types of eggs may be a risk-spreading strategy: diapausing eggs provide a refuge from short periods of very low food availability, and subitaneous eggs permit some population growth as long as food availability remains above the threshold food concentration. While prolonged food limitation reduces the birth rate, the diapause response is not always associated with, and thus probably is not directly caused by, a decreased birth rate. This s...
On adaptive sampling rules for stochastic recursions

We consider the problem of finding a zero of an unknown function, or optimizing an unknown function, with only a stochastic simulation that outputs noise-corrupted observations. A convenient paradigm to solve such problems takes a deterministic recursion, e.g., Newton-type or trust-region, and replaces function values and derivatives appearing in the recursion with their sampled counterparts. While such a paradigm is convenient, there is as yet no clear guidance on how much simulation effort should be expended as the resulting recursion evolves through the search space. In this paper, we take the first steps towards answering this question. We propose using a fully sequential Monte Carlo sampling method to adaptively decide how much to sample at each point visited by the stochastic recursion. The termination criterion for such sampling is based on a certain relative width confidence interval constructed to ensure that the resulting iterates are consistent, and efficient in a rigorous (Monte Carlo canonical) sense. The methods presented here are adaptive in the sense that they "learn" to sample according to the algorithm trajectory. In this sense, our methods should be seen as refining recent methods in a similar context that use a predetermined sequence of sample sizes.
Listening to Teacher Lore: The Challenges and Resources of Korean Heritage Language Teachers.

Abstract In this paper, we present a study on the experiences of four Korean heritage language teachers in the United States, specifically the challenges they face and the resources they draw upon for their teaching. We situate our work within the conceptual framework of teacher lore ( Ayers & Schubert, 1994 ) that accentuates the importance of putting teachers at the center of teacher knowledge. Our findings point to the importance of positioning heritage language teachers as bearers of funds of knowledge ( Mercado & Moll, 1997 ) and to the importance of listening to their voice.
Multidimensional Mechanism Design: Finite-Dimensional Approximations and Efficient Computation

Multidimensional mechanism design problems have proven difficult to solve by extending techniques from the one-dimensional case. This paper considers mechanism design problems with multidimensional types when the seller's cost function is not separable across buyers. By adapting results obtained by Border [Border, K. 1991. Implementation of reduced form auctions: A geometric approach. Econometrica59 1175--1187], we transform the seller's problem into a representation that only involves “interim” variables and eliminates the dimensionality dependence on the number of buyers. We show that the associated infinite-dimensional optimization problem posed by the theoretical model can be approximated arbitrarily well by a sequence of finite-dimensional linear programming problems. We provide an efficient---i.e., terminating in polynomial time in the problem size---method to compute the separation oracle associated with the Border constraints and incentive compatibility constraints. This implies that our finite-dimensional approximation is solvable in polynomial time. Finally, we illustrate how the numerical solutions of the finite-dimensional approximations can provide insights into the nature of optimal solutions to the infinite-dimensional problem in particular cases.
A two-dimensional approach to assessing affective states in good and poor sleepers

SUMMARY This study examined a two-dimensional approach to assessing affective states among good and poor sleepers using the self-assessment manikin (SAM), a brief non-verbal self-report measure of affective states with separate ratings of valence and arousal. A sample of 286 undergraduate students completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the SAM. Participants were classified post hoc as either good (PSQI £ 5) or poor sleepers (PSQI > 5) using the PSQI and used the SAM to rate their current affective states (day) and their affective state at bedtime (night) the previous night. Compared to good sleepers, poor sleepers reported more negative affect and arousal at night and more negative affect during the day. Among poor sleepers, lower sleep quality and shorter sleep duration on the components of the PSQI were associated with more negative daytime valence. Among good sleepers, higher scores on the sleep medication and daytime dysfunction components of the PSQI were associated with more negative daytime valence. These findings indicate that the SAM appears to detect differences between good and poor sleepers on both valence and arousal of current daytime and retrospective night-time emotional states. This approach could be useful for the assessment of affective states related to sleep disturbance.
Dose-Response Effect of Elevated Plasma Free Fatty Acid on Insulin Signaling

The dose-response relationship between elevated plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels and impaired insulin-mediated glucose disposal and insulin signaling was examined in 21 lean, healthy, normal glucose-tolerant subjects. Following a 4-h saline or Liposyn infusion at 30 (n = 9), 60 (n = 6), and 90 (n = 6) ml/h, subjects received a 2-h euglycemic insulin (40 mU . m(-2) . min(-1)) clamp. Basal plasma FFA concentration ( approximately 440 micromol/l) was increased to 695, 1,251, and 1,688 micromol/l after 4 h of Liposyn infusion and resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (R(d)) by 22, 30, and 34%, respectively (all P < 0.05 vs. saline control). At the lowest lipid infusion rate (30 ml/h), insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase activity associated with IRS-1, and Akt serine phosphorylation were all significantly impaired (P < 0.05-0.01). The highest lipid infusion rate (90 ml/h) caused a further significant reduction in all insulin signaling events compared with the low-dose lipid infusion (P < 0.05-0.01) whereas the 60-ml/h lipid infusion caused an intermediate reduction in insulin signaling. However, about two-thirds of the maximal inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal already occurred at the rather modest increase in plasma FFA induced by the low-dose (30-ml/h) lipid infusion. Insulin-stimulated glucose disposal was inversely correlated with both the plasma FFA concentration after 4 h of lipid infusion (r = -0.50, P = 0.001) and the plasma FFA level during the last 30 min of the insulin clamp (r = -0.54, P < 0.001). PI 3-kinase activity associated with IRS-1 correlated with insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (r = 0.45, P < 0.01) and inversely with both the plasma FFA concentration after 4 h of lipid infusion (r = -0.39, P = 0.01) and during the last 30 min of the insulin clamp (r = -0.43, P < 0.01). In summary, in skeletal muscle of lean, healthy subjects, a progressive increase in plasma FFA causes a dose-dependent inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal and insulin signaling. The inhibitory effect of plasma FFA was already significant following a rather modest increase in plasma FFA and develops at concentrations that are well within the physiological range (i.e., at plasma FFA levels observed in obesity and type 2 diabetes).
School Mobility and Developmental Outcomes in Young Adulthood

School mobility has been shown to increase the risk of poor achievement, behavior problems, grade retention, and high school dropout. Using data over 25 years from the Chicago Longitudinal Study, we investigated the unique risk of school moves on a variety of young adult outcomes including educational attainment, occupational prestige, depression symptoms, and criminal arrests. We also investigated how the timing of school mobility, whether earlier or later in the academic career, may differentially predict these outcomes over and above associated risks. Results indicate that students who experience more school changes between kindergarten and 12th grade are less likely to complete high school on time, complete fewer years of school, attain lower levels of occupational prestige, experience more symptoms of depression, and are more likely to be arrested as adults. Furthermore, the number of school moves predicted outcomes above and beyond associated risks such as residential mobility and family poverty. When timing of school mobility was examined, results indicated more negative outcomes associated with moves later in the grade school career, particularly between 4th and 8th grades.
Krackow Locking Stitch Versus Nonlocking Premanufactured Loop Stitch for Soft-Tissue Fixation: A Biomechanical Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to biomechanically compare the Krackow stitch, an established locking stitch, with a new nonlocking premanufactured stitch for soft-tissue fixation. We evaluated suture construct elongation under loading and load to failure to compare the 2 stitches. Methods: Twenty porcine Achilles tendons were randomly assigned to receive the locking Krackow stitch with No. 2 FiberWire or the nonlocking SpeedWhip stitch with No. 2 FiberLoop (Arthrex, Naples, FL). Each prepared tendon was mounted in a servohydraulic load frame, and the 2 free suture strands were knotted over the bar of the machine. Each tendon was pretensioned to 100 N to simulate the removal of slack, preloaded to 50 N to simulate tension applied clinically with suture tying over the post, and cyclically loaded at 200 mm/min to 200 N for 200 cycles. Total elongation of both suture strands was measured at each stage. Each tendon was loaded to failure. Results: During preloading, the SpeedWhip group elongated significantly more than the Krackow group (65.6 ± 22.5 mm v 14.9 ± 5.9 mm, P v 11 ± 4.5 mm, P = .02). The load to failure for the Krackow and SpeedWhip groups was not significantly different (376.2 ± 39.8 N and 337.3 ± 103.8 N, respectively; P = .65). With load to failure, suture breakage at the knot occurred in every specimen without further pullout of the suture. Conclusions: The nonlocking stitch applied in a manner consistent with manufacturer guidelines was significantly less secure than the locking Krackow stitch in a porcine Achilles tendon model. Clinical Relevance: On the basis of these findings, the Krackow stitch remains the preferred method for suture fixation of soft-tissue grafts.
Black middle-class neighborhoods

The black middle class received little scholarly attention from the 1960s through the 1980s, when the emphasis was on studying the black urban poor. Recently, however, there has been an increase in attention to this group and their residential environs. This review covers the topics of racial and class segregation, the comparative well-being of black middle-class neighborhoods, and residential preferences, with some attention to black suburbanization and black gentrification. Research findings clearly show that middle-class blacks in the United States have more favorable residential outcomes than poor blacks but still live in poorer neighborhoods than the majority of whites on all measures. Ethnographic studies explore this marginal position in more depth. I argue that if racial integration is the remedy to various racial disparities, then the more fruitful endeavor may be to study the ideologies, practices, and cultures of white neighborhoods, rather than black ones.
Prevention and treatment of MS: studying the effects of vitamin D

Observational studies suggest that adequate vitamin D nutrition may reduce the risk of MS and affect the course of the disease. Inherent limitations in these studies, however, preclude a causal interpretation. Randomized controlled clinical trials are the next step to addressing whether vitamin D prevents MS or can favorably affect the course and progression of MS. Here we briefly review the current literature on vitamin D and MS, both as a risk factor and potential treatment for MS with a focus on the issues and challenges in designing prevention and treatment clinical trials.
Generation of resting membrane potential

This brief review is intended to serve as a refresher on the ideas associated with teaching students the physiological basis of the resting membrane potential. The presentation is targeted toward f...
CDK7-Dependent Transcriptional Addiction in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive form of breast cancer that exhibits extremely high levels of genetic complexity and yet a relatively uniform transcriptional program. We postulate that TNBC might be highly dependent on uninterrupted transcription of a key set of genes within this gene expression program and might therefore be exceptionally sensitive to inhibitors of transcription. Utilizing kinase inhibitors and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, we show here that triple-negative but not hormone receptor-positive breast cancer cells are exceptionally dependent on CDK7, a transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinase. TNBC cells are unique in their dependence on this transcriptional CDK and suffer apoptotic cell death upon CDK7 inhibition. An “Achilles cluster” of TNBC-specific genes is especially sensitive to CDK7 inhibition and frequently associated with super-enhancers. We conclude that CDK7 mediates transcriptional addiction to a vital cluster of genes in TNBC and CDK7 inhibition may be a useful therapy for this challenging cancer.
A survey of U.S. prosthodontists and dental schools on the current materials and methods for final impressions for complete denture prosthodontics.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to survey members of The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) to evaluate current materials and methods for final impressions for complete denture prosthodontics in the United States. In addition, those methods were compared with methods and materials taught in U.S. dental schools via a second survey sent to the chairpersons of prosthodontic/restorative departments. Materials and Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was mailed to all 1762 active ACP members in the United States in 2003. A slightly modified questionnaire was also distributed to chairpersons of prosthodontic/restorative departments in the 54 U.S. dental schools. Data analysis was performed via frequency distribution and chi-square statistics. Results: Nine hundred and forty-five questionnaires were returned by members of the ACP (54% return rate) and 42 questionnaires were returned by the U.S. dental schools (78% return rate). The majority of the reporting prosthodontists (88%) and dental schools (98%) use a border-molded custom tray for final impressions for complete denture prosthodontics. The most popular material for border molding was plastic modeling compound (67% of reporting ACP members, and 95% of the responding dental schools). Variability of the materials used for final impressions was observed, with the most popular materials being polyvinylsiloxane for the ACP members (36%) and polysulfide for the dental schools (64%). Statistically significant differences were found in the materials used for border molding by prosthodontists based on the time elapsed since completion of prosthodontic training. No differences were found in the materials used for impression of edentulous arches based on years of experience. Geographic location did not influence the materials and methods used by prosthodontists for complete denture final impressions. Conclusions: There was variability of the materials and techniques used for final impressions by ACP members and dental schools; however, overall there was an agreement on the materials and techniques used by prosthodontists and dental schools. Distinct trends for increasing use of polyvinylsiloxane and polyether for border molding procedures and impressions of edentulous arches were observed both in members of the ACP and in the U.S. dental schools.
No-search approach in linguistic geometry: state space chart

Linguistic geometry includes mathematical models and tools for knowledge representation and reasoning about multiagent discrete pursuit-evasion games. A new approach to solving a class of search problems without search is shown on the example of a aircraft war game. The paper includes a problem statement and the first part of the solution construction, a decomposition of the state space in the form of the state space chart based on the expansion of the terminal sets. This decomposition allows us to navigate the agents through the state space.
Deterministic pilot sequences for sparse channel estimation in OFDM systems

This paper examines the problem of multipath channel estimation in single-antenna orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. In particular, we study the problem of pilot assisted channel estimation in wideband OFDM systems, where the time-domain (discrete) channel is approximately sparse. Existing works on this topic established that techniques from the compressed sensing literature can yield accurate channel estimates using a relatively small number of pilot tones, provided the pilots are selected randomly. Here, we describe a general purpose procedure for deterministic selection of pilot tones to be used for channel estimation, and establish guarantees for channel estimation accuracy using these sequences along with recovery techniques from the compressed sensing literature. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure in practice.
Use of a combined MR imaging and interventional radiology suite for intraprocedural monitoring of uterine artery embolization.

Purpose The optimal embolic endpoint for uterine artery embolization (UAE) is unknown. It is difficult to quantify substasis endpoints with the use of conventional x-ray interventional radiology (IR) guidance. Although magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can detect perfusion changes, intraprocedural perfusion changes within targeted uterine leiomyomas and the remaining uterine wall remain unknown. A hybrid MR/IR unit was used to test the hypothesis that MR imaging can detect changes in uterine perfusion–dependent signal enhancement immediately after UAE. Materials and Methods In this prospective study, UAE was performed in a hybrid MR/IR unit in women with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas. This MR/IR unit contains a wide-bore 1.5-T MR scanner connected by a sliding table to an adjacent x-ray digital subtraction angiography unit. Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging was performed before and after UAE. Relative signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was measured within each tumor and the adjacent uterine wall, and mean relative SNR changes were compared before and after UAE with the paired t test (α = 0.05). Results UAE was technically successful in all six women, in whom 10 tumors were assessed (seven intramural, two submucosal, one subserosal). Mean relative SNR of the tumors before UAE was 62.2 ± 25.0 and was reduced to 41.1 ± 17.7 after UAE ( P P Conclusions Immediate reductions in perfusion-dependent enhancement in targeted uterine leiomyomas and the adjacent uterine wall can be detected during UAE with the use of a hybrid MR/IR unit. Further studies are now warranted to compare long-term clinical outcomes versus immediate changes in perfusion at the time of UAE.
Development of an instrument to assess maternal childhood injury health beliefs and social influence.

Unintentional home related injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children under the age of five years. Injury incidence in homes for these children continues at high levels despite injury prevention education programs for their caregivers. This article reports the development of an instrument that assesses injury prevention health beliefs and social influence perceptions in mothers of young children. Based on the Health Belief Model, the tool is composed of six scales that measure injury susceptibility and seriousness, benefits and barriers of injury prevention, self efficacy of injury prevention performance, and social influence. Reliability measurements showed that all scales produced high Cronbach alphas (.83 to .98) and significant test-retest correlations (.30 to .62, p Language: en
Antibacterial properties of lidocaine

The inhibitory effect of lidocaine and lidocaine plus methylparaben as a preservative was studied with 25 strains of bacteria. The tested strains were mixed with each topical anesthetic preparation, and quantitative cultures were performed on aspirates at 0, 30, 60, and 120 minutes. Results were compared to counts obtained in a lactated Ringer's solution, which were sampled at the same intervals. Lidocaine (1 percent solution) reduced quantitative counts after 120 minutes of contact by over one log for only six of the 25 strains tested. Lidocaine plus methylparaben reduced quantitative counts to a somewhat greater extent; nevertheless, all strains except Bacteroides melaninogenicus were recovered in relatively high concentrations at each sampling interval. Numerous previous studies have shown that topical anesthetic agents are toxic to bacteria. The results of this study show that this toxic effect is not sufficiently severe to prevent the recovery of most pathogens of the lower respiratory tract in bronchoscopic aspirates.
Dissolved oxygen as a constraint on daytime deep scattering layer depth in the southern California current ecosystem

Abstract Climate change-induced ocean deoxygenation is expected to exacerbate hypoxic conditions in mesopelagic waters off the coast of southern California, with potentially deleterious effects for the resident fauna. In order to understand the possible impacts that the oxygen minimum zone expansion will have on these animals, we investigated the response of the depth of the deep scattering layer (i.e., upper and lower boundaries) to natural variations in midwater oxygen concentrations, light levels, and temperature over time and space in the southern California Current Ecosystem. We found that the depth of the lower boundary of the deep scattering layer (DSL) is most strongly correlated with dissolved oxygen concentration, and irradiance and oxygen concentration are the key variables determining the upper boundary. Based on our correlations and published estimates of annual rates of change to irradiance level and hypoxic boundary, we estimated the corresponding annual rate of change of DSL depths. If past trends continue, the upper boundary is expected to shoal at a faster rate than the lower boundary, effectively widening the DSL under climate change scenarios. These results have important implications for the future of pelagic ecosystems, as a change to the distribution of mesopelagic animals could affect pelagic food webs as well as biogeochemical cycles.
Carbon Nanotube and Asbestos Exposures Induce Overlapping but Distinct Profiles of Lung Pathology in Non-Swiss Albino CF-1 Mice:

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are emerging as important occupational and environmental toxicants owing to their increasing prevalence and potential to be inhaled as airborne particles. CNTs are a concern because of their similarities to asbestos, which include fibrous morphology, high aspect ratio, and biopersistence. Limitations in research models have made it difficult to experimentally ascertain the risk of CNT exposures to humans and whether these may lead to lung diseases classically associated with asbestos, such as mesothelioma and fibrosis. In this study, we sought to comprehensively compare profiles of lung pathology in mice following repeated exposures to multiwall CNTs or crocidolite asbestos (CA). We show that both exposures resulted in granulomatous inflammation and increased interstitial collagen; CA exposures caused predominantly bronchoalveolar hyperplasia, whereas CNT exposures caused alveolar hyperplasia of type II pneumocytes (T2Ps). T2Ps isolated from CNT-exposed lungs were found to have upregulated proinflammatory genes, including interleukin 1s (IL-1s), in contrast to those from CA exposed. Immunostaining in tissue showed that while both toxicants increased IL-1s protein expression in lung cells, T2P-specific IL-1s increases were greater following CNT exposure. These results suggest related but distinct mechanisms of action by CNTs versus asbestos which may lead to different outcomes in the 2 exposure types.
Nucleation of p-Type Microcrystalline Silicon on Amorphous Silicon for n-i-p Solar Cells Using B(CH3)3 And BF3 Dopant Source Gases

Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) has been applied to identify optimal conditions for the nucleation and growth of 120 A microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) p-layers by rf plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 200°C on amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) i-layers in the n-i-p solar cell configuration. Analysis of the RTSE data provide the bulk p-layer dielectric function (2.5-4.3 eV), whose amplitude and shape yield insights into the structural quality and crystallinity of the p-layer. Among the deposition parameters varied include the underlying i-layer surface treatment, the p-layer plasma power flux, and the p-layer dopant source gas and flow ratio. Here we focus on the differences between p-layer deposition using trimethyl boron, B(CH3)3, and boron trifluoride, BF3, source gases. We find significant differences attributed to the differing effects of F and CH3radicals in the plasma on silicon crystallite growth.
Positive surgical margins in renal cell carcinoma: translating tumor biology into clinical outcomes.

In the United States, the incidence of small renal masses continues to increase, largely due to the increased use of cross-sectional imaging.1 Thus, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2011 ranked kidney and renal pelvis cancer seventh and ninth among male and female cancer patients, respectively.1 The National Cancer Institute estimates that there will be 63,920 new cases in 2014.2 Radical nephrectomy (RN) has been the mainstay of treatment for malignant renal masses; however, partial nephrectomy (PN) is now widely accepted as the current “gold standard” for T1 renal masses.3 Although long-term oncologic outcomes are equivalent by both techniques, PN has several advantages.4,5 The widespread adoption of PN came largely from the observation that RN places the patient at substantial risk of progression to chronic renal insufficiency and end-stage renal disease, with consequent increased overall mortality. Nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) not only has a much lower risk of renal failure and its attendant need for dialysis but also provides a significantly better quality of life to the patient.6 This new emphasis has led to the pioneering of surgical advances in NSS that maximize nephron retention through optimization of the precision of PN and the reduction of ischemia time. Nonetheless, the permissible minimal extent of parenchymal margin and the safe warm ischemia time are still actively contested. The optimal surgical technique in elective and imperative NSS has not been established. Wedge resection, enucleoresection within a rim of healthy parenchyma, and pure enucleation all have been used.7 Hence, the issue of optimal margins in NSS is still controversial.8 A distance of 10 mm of uninvolved kidney between the tumor and the surgical margin has been accepted as the norm for NSS5; however, margins of 10 mm may represent an …
Reflections on PPGIS: A View from the Trenches

The Community Geography Project is a Ford Foundation-funded program that provides training in Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and asset mapping methods to community-based nonprofit organizations in partnership with K-12 schools. The primary goal of the Project is to empower citizens, and it is hoped that the partnership between community-based groups and schools will be able to sustain technical and analytical expertise at the grassroots level. Although an overview of the lessons we have learned regarding access to hardware, software, and data are provided, this article focuses on questions regarding GIS training as related to citizen empowerment and provides examples of the iterative training process that the Project has developed. municate spatially derived data, as professionals in geography, planning, environmental science, business, and the military have known for some time. Our work has focused on the question of whether or not that power can be effectively understood and utilized by the nonprofessional user, young or old, to empower community members to promote grassroots agendas and to build community. Our involvement with Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) began some years ago with requests to offer training to grassroots organizations from community-based organizations that understood the value of GIS technology and asset mapping (a community-building method not necessarily linked to geography) (Kretzmann and McKnight 1993). None of these communitybased organizations could afford to pay for professional services. Because of our mission to provide a neutral forum, to increase understanding of the metropolitan area of strategic value to citizens, and to focus on citizen empowerment, we were concerned at the outset about creating dependent community groups whose questions would inevitably be filtered through our lens. If we were to provide GIS and asset mapping training, we would also have to build the capacity within neighborhoods to enable community groups to have the freedom to explore the questions they care about most. We quickly became aware that building this capacity within many community-based organizations was problematic because of overworked staff and the fluidity of the adult volunteer workforce. If we were truly going to build the capacity to do GIS and asset mapping in, for, and by the community, the expertise would have to be able to be sustained by embedding it into a communitybased infrastructure (Leitner et al. 2002). Our proposed remedy is to promote partnerships between community-based organizations and K-12 schools to explore community-based issues together. With the rapid increase in the use of GIS technology across the professional and geographic worlds, the simplification and decreased cost of the technology, as well as an increased emphasis
Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Highlights from a Review of the 2015 Literature.

Numerous publications contributed to the expanding knowledge base about drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in 2015. New findings from the US Drug Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) in their most recently updated registry include a 1- to 3-week delay in the appearance of acute DILI from short-course antibiotics such as cefazolin. They corroborated the finding that acute DILI in patients with underlying liver disease was far more severe and potentially fatal than in patients without liver disease. The only drug that seemed to have an increased risk of hepatotoxicity in these patients was azithromycin. While nearly one in six patients with acute DILI had persistently elevated liver tests at 6 months, and results for 75 % of these patients continued to be abnormal at 12 months, most of these “chronic” injury cases were relatively minor and the result of cholestatic hepatotoxins. Newly described DILI agents include tolvaptan, as well as some new direct-acting antiviral protease inhibitors for chronic hepatitis C. The latter have been associated with serious acute hepatitis, hyperbilirubinemia, and decompensation. Herbal hepatotoxicity continues to be increasingly reported, although applying causality assessment to these cases can, in fact, be more challenging than with prescription drugs. As important as cases with DILI, the class of PCSK9 inhibitors used to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol have not been associated with significant liver injury, in contrast with other lipid-lowering agents. With respect to pharmacologic DILI risk factors, new data show that drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes had a nearly four times higher likelihood of causing DILI. Interestingly, high lipophilicity, which was previously felt to be a risk factor for DILI, was not found to be associated, although more study is needed to confirm this observation. While human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotypes have been linked to several specific agents, the role of such testing in the general population remains undefined due to the currently low positive and negative predictive values of the available tests. New DILI biomarkers, specifically microRNA-122 and keratin-18, among others, appear to have the necessary predictive value to determine the prognosis and outcome of patients with paracetamol (acetaminophen [AAP])-induced acute liver failure (ALF), and may be of great benefit in deciding who requires N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and for what duration. Treatment options for other forms of DILI remain limited; no firm conclusions can currently be drawn for the use of NAC in non-AAP ALF.