cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reading the Comments: Likers, Haters, and Manipulators at the Bottom of the Web

In an age where online and real life nearly constantly collide, it is especially useful to have ways to process and understand what happens to us when we interact via the Internet. Reading the Comm...
Statin Therapy Improves Multiple Myeloma (MM) Specific Surviva

Abstract Background: Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) are widely used for treatment of dyslipidemia and prevention of coronary heart disease. Recently, a multicenter clinical trial found discontinuation of statin therapy in patients with estimated survival of Methods: We identified patients diagnosed with MM in the Veterans Administration Cancer Registry from September 1, 1999 to December 31, 2009 and followed them through October 2014. We excluded patients who did not receive MM directed therapy within 6 months of diagnosis or who died within 6 months of diagnosis. We defined statin use as the presence of any prescription for a statin on or after the date of MM diagnosis. To standardize statin utilization, we calculated the defined daily dose (DDD), which allows normalization of dose and potency amongst differing statins. The DDD is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication. To reduce immortal time bias, we assessed statin use as a time varying covariate. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling assessed the association between statin use, overall mortality, and cause-specific mortality, while controlling for known MM prognostic factors. Propensity score analyses balanced baseline differences between statin users and non-users. Results: The cohort included a total of 3,069 patients, of whom 1,334 received statin therapy. Statin use was associated with a significant decrease in all-cause mortality (adjusted HR (aHR) 0.81, 95% CI: 0.73-0.90). Stratifying statin use by DDD, MM patients receiving Conclusion: In this cohort of patients with MM, statin therapy was significantly associated with a reduction in both all-cause and MM-specific mortality. These findings argue against discontinuing statin therapy in patients with MM, including those with a prognosis of Disclosures Sanfilippo: Amgen: Speakers Bureau.
Intermediate- to Long-Term Results of Combined Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation.

Background:Cartilage injury associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures is common; however, relatively few reports exist on concurrent cartilage repair with ACL reconstruction. Autolo...
Litmus test or destination systemic therapy? Trends in referral for surgery after initial systemic therapy in metastatic kidney cancer.

502Background: With nine new targeted and immunotherapeutic agents for metastatic kidney cancer (mRCC) since 2005, there is no randomized data supporting sequencing cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) and newer systemic therapies (ST). Increased disease control with ST engenders concern that CN may shorten life or delay therapy. Thus, in all the best prognostic candidates, initial ST as a “litmus” test may be advocated prior to CN. We evaluated use of CN after initial ST, hypothesizing receipt of deferred CN to be associated with increased survival time, markers of increased performance status, less rapid disease, and socioeconomic status. Methods: The National Cancer Database was screened for adult patients with biopsy-proven mRCC treated with initial systemic therapy between 2006-2013. Covariates included demographic, oncologic, hospital-level, and geographic variables. Unadjusted and multivariable logistic regression was performed, identifying factors associated with CN after initial ST. Results: Of 14,651 ...
Decreased pulmonary arterial proportional pulse pressure is associated with increased mortality in group 1 pulmonary hypertension.

Background This study evaluated the utility of a novel index, pulmonary arterial (PA) proportional pulse pressure (PAPP; range 0–1, defined as [PA systolic pressure – PA diastolic pressure] / PA systolic pressure), in predicting mortality in patients with World Health Organization group 1 pulmonary hypertension (PH). Hypothesis Low PAPP is associated with increased 5-year mortality independent of a validated contemporary risk-prediction equation (Pulmonary Hypertension Connection [PHC] equation). Methods In a group of 262 patients in the National Institutes of Health Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (NIH-PPH) Registry, PAPP and the PHC risk equation were used to predict mortality during 5 years of follow-up using Cox proportional hazards models. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to compare mortality among PAPP quartiles, and significance was tested using the log-rank test. Results Patients in the lowest quartile (PAPP ≤0.47) had a significantly higher 5-year mortality than did patients in higher quartiles (log-rank P = 0.016). In a Cox model adjusted for the PHC equation, PAPP remained significantly associated with 5-year mortality (hazard ratio: 0.74 per 0.10 increase in PAPP, 95% confidence interval: 0.61-0.90). The χ2 statistic for the single PAPP covariate in this model was 8.8 (P = 0.003), which compared favorably with the χ2 statistic of 15.2 (P < 0.0001) for the multivariable PHC equation. Conclusions PAPP, an index of ventricular-arterial coupling, is independently associated with survival in World Health Organization group 1 PH. The use of this easily measurable index for guiding risk stratification needs further investigation.
Incoherent Texts: The Chronotope of the Superhero

“Discontinuities and Multiplicities,” complicates the exploration of superhero revision by examining the genre in terms of narrative temporality. Eco’s famous description of the genre’s sense of time as oneiric is supplemented by approaches drawn from several narrative theorists as well as more superhero-specific scholarship. This approach elucidates significant shifts in the role that revision has played in the construction of superhero texts in the years following Eco’s observations, particularly in the wake of the generic transition from what Henry Jenkins has identified as a paradigm of continuity to one of multiplicity. While this transition has been accompanied by corporate and narrative restrictions limiting radical content, modes of superhero revision have emerged that challenge generic orthodoxies and resist the imposition of continuity and cohesion as ultimate goals.
A New American Freak Show

This chapter provides a historical framework for the rest of the book by tracing the history of the freak show in Europe and America, focusing on the latter, from antiquity through its decline in the early twentieth century. The chapter develops a theoretical framework that includes a discussion about the viewer’s relationship to the freak show, and how and why we look at unusual bodies. Because this project exists at the intersection of many different areas—including cultural studies, film and media studies, and gender and disability—the chapter outlines the key terms and concepts from each area that are immediately relevant to the book’s argument.
Searching for chaos in laser time series

Solid state lasers are complex systems that sometimes display unstable aperiodic output. This behavior may be due to a deterministic low dimensional chaos. In this paper we show the results of a MATLAB based algorithm that implements nonlinear dynamics theory directly from a raw osciloscope trace and determines if the system is chaotic or not and characterizes its underlying attractor.
A Qualitative Analysis of the National Football League’s “Together We Make Football” Contest Submissions

In 2013, the National Football League (NFL) announced an online contest entitled “Together We Make Football”. With five trips to Super Bowl XLVIII (48) as grand prizes, over 5000 participants submitted online essays or videos explaining the impact that football has had on their lives. We took a systematic random sample of these submissions for the purposes of our qualitative study. Using the process of Constant Comparison, all data were systematically categorized and separated until major themes could be identified. All data were processed using NVIVO Qualitative Research Software. As the data were analyzed, themes were identified; predominately in the form of benefits and assets from football. Individual and familial benefits such as physical fitness, intrinsically and extrinsically motivated personal achievement, and the strengthening of family were common. Assets, in line with Social Capital Theory, were also prevalent in the study. Football was commonly identified as a vehicle for a community to build social capital. In the midst of adversity, football was also used to bring normalcy to a community in pain. Finally, the multi-tiered hierarchy of players, coaches, parents, and spectators provided a fascinating look into meaningful community-building. Whether through mentorship, community identity, overcoming adversity or team achievement, football provides countless individual and community benefits and assets. These were clearly present in the data analyzed from the “Together We Make Football” submissions.
Sidman Goes to College: A Meta-Analysis of Equivalence-Based Instruction in Higher Education

Equivalence-based instruction (EBI) is a pedagogy based on the principles of stimulus equivalence for teaching academically relevant concepts. This self-paced and mastery-based methodology meets many of the instructional design standards suggested by Skinner (1968), adds generative learning by programming for derived stimulus–stimulus relations, and can be particularly useful in the context of a college course in which students must learn numerous concepts. In this article, we provide the first meta-analysis of EBI in higher education. The authors conducted a systematic literature search that identified 31 applied, college-level EBI experiments across 28 articles. Separate meta-analyses were conducted for single-subject and group design studies. Results showed that EBI is more effective than no instruction and an active control and that studies comparing EBI variants show differences between training variants. Future research should increase internal, external, and statistical conclusion validity to promote the mainstream use of EBI in classrooms.
Adolescent Substance Abuse and Internalizing Disorders

Clinical observation suggests that anxiety and affective disorders are important in the development and course of psychoactive substance abuse in some adolescents. These internalizing disorders sometimes precede and may contribute to the development of psychoactive substance-use disorders. Screening for internalizing disorders, suicide risk, and trauma history is important in the clinical evaluation of all adolescents with psychoactive substance- use disorders. Depression and anxiety symptoms may be caused, however, by chronic alcohol or drug consumption or withdrawal. Therefore, a period of abstinence and reevaluation should precede specific treatments. Specific treatment for anxiety disorders or depression may be appropriate in some substance-abusing adolescents. Focused psychotherapeutic techniques or psycho- pharmacologic treatments can sometimes be useful adjuncts to psychoactive substance-abuse programs.
Protein Kinase C in Neuronal Cell Growth and Differentiation

Protein kinase C (PKC) system is particularly predominant in nervous tissue compared to other tissues as indicated by a high level of the enzyme activity (Kuo et al., 1980) or amount (Girard et al., 1986; Yoshida et al., 1988) and by an abundant occurrence of its substrate proteins (Wrenn et al., 1980). It is likely, therefore, that PKC plays a pivotal role in neuronal function and regulation. In this chapter, I summarized some of our work on immunocytochemical localization of PKC and phosphorylation of endogenous proteins in brain and neuroblastoma cells as they are related to development and differentiation.
Reproductive Ecology of Female Muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides)

Reproductive seasonality, or the clustering of reproductive events, is well-documented among New World primates, and has been associated, in part, with the effects of seasonal rainfall on food availability (Lindberg, 1987). Food availability may influence the optimal timing of conceptions and births depending on the energetic and nutritional requirements of mothers and infants during the critical periods of gestation, lactation, and weaning (Crockett and Rudran, 1987; Bercovitch and Harding, 1993). It has been difficult, nonetheless, to identify consistent relationships between food availability and reproduction because ecological conditions and nutritional requirements may vary across species, different populations of the same species, and different years in the same population. For example, although some populations of both Ateles and Alouatta exhibit birth peaks, in Ateles births are concentrated during the early wet season when preferred fruits required by lactating mothers are most abundant (Chapman and Chapman, 1990). In Alouatta, by contrast, the avoidance of early wet season births has been attributed to the importance of food availability during the weaning period (Crockett and Rudran, 1987).
Profile of the α-bungarotoxin-binding regions on the extracellular part of the α-chain of Torpedo californica acetylcholine receptor

The continuous alpha-neurotoxin-binding regions on the extracellular part (residues 1-210) of the alpha-chain of Torpedo californica acetylcholine receptor were localized by reaction of 125I-labelled alpha-bungarotoxin with synthetic overlapping peptides spanning this entire part of the chain. The specificity of the binding was confirmed by inhibition with unlabelled toxin and, for appropriate peptides, with unlabelled anti-(acetylcholine receptor) antibodies. Five toxin-binding regions were localized within residues 1-10, 32-41, 100-115, 122-150 and 182-198. The third, fourth and fifth (and to a lesser extent the first and second) toxin-binding regions overlapped with regions recognized by anti-(acetylcholine receptor) antibodies. The five toxin-binding regions may be distinct sites or, alternatively, different 'faces' in one (or more) sites.
Articulating Values to Inform Decision Making: Lessons from Family Firms Around the World

Both the popular and the academic press stress that management grounded in values is fundamental to decision-making. High performance companies know that clarity about values is key to getting the job done. However, many family-owned firms do not adequately articulate their core values into a workable orientation for the business. As a result, they are in danger of seriously impairing their decision-making. The authors analyzed family business mission statements from around the world to identify the core values expressed therein. The authors also analyzed how efficiently these values were articulated. They propose that family businesses can make their decision making more effective by identifying and including their core values in the business's mission statement.
Abstract WP549: GRK5-Mediated Inhibitory Phosphorylation of the Mineralocorticoid Receptor Protects Against Aldosterone`s Stroke-Promoting Vascular Effects

Introduction: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the Western world. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonism is a potential therapy for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients, sinc...
Exploring School Counselor Advocacy in the Career Development of Undocumented Latino Youth

School counselors working on career development objectives with undocumented Latino youth have unique challenges that can inform and improve advocacy efforts within the counseling profession. With approximately two million undocumented Latino students in the U.S. public education system (Passel, 2006; Passel and Cohn, 2011), school counselors are faced with unique challenges in providing and advocating for career services to this marginalized group. This qualitative study explored the experiences of 16 school counselors providing career counseling to undocumented Latino students within six states with the highest populations of undocumented Latinos. Using grounded theory methodology (Patton, 2002, Corbin and Strauss, 2008) results generated salient themes in how school counselors understand the barriers facing undocumented Latino youth and provided important insights into how the school counseling profession can improve advocacy for this population.
Pd-Catalyzed Alkene Difunctionalization Reactions of Enolates for the Synthesis of Substituted Bicyclic Cyclopentanes.

Palladium-catalyzed alkene difunctionalization reactions between alkenes bearing tethered aryl or alkenyl triflates and enolate nucleophiles are described. The transformations form two C–C bonds, a...
The third nuclear age

Since the end of the Cold War, the bipolar competition and cooperation between the United States and Russia have sustained global strategic stability in the second nuclear age. However, destabilizi...
Displacement- and Strain-Based Discrimination of Head Injury Models across a Wide Range of Blunt Conditions

Successful validation of a head injury model is critical to ensure its biofidelity. However, there is an ongoing debate on what experimental data are suitable for model validation. Here, we report that CORrelation and Analysis (CORA) scores based on the commonly adopted relative brain-skull displacements or recent marker-based strains from cadaveric head impacts may not be effective in discriminating model-simulated whole-brain strains across a wide range of blunt conditions. We used three versions of the Worcester Head Injury Model (WHIM; isotropic and anisotropic WHIM V1.0, and anisotropic WHIM V1.5) to simulate 19 experiments, including eight high-rate cadaveric impacts, seven mid-rate cadaveric pure rotations simulating impacts in contact sports, and four in vivo head rotation/extension tests. All WHIMs achieved similar average CORA scores based on cadaveric displacement (~ 0.70; 0.47–0.88) and strain (V1.0: 0.86; 0.73–0.97 vs. V1.5: 0.78; 0.62–0.96), using the recommended settings. However, WHIM V1.5 produced ~ 1.17–2.69 times strain of the two V1.0 variants with substantial differences in strain distribution as well (Pearson correlation of ~ 0.57–0.92) when comparing their whole-brain strains across the range of blunt conditions. Importantly, their strain magnitude differences were similar to that in cadaveric marker-based strain (~ 1.32–3.79 times). This suggests that cadaveric strains are capable of discriminating head injury models for their simulated whole-brain strains (e.g., by using CORA magnitude sub-rating alone or peak strain magnitude ratio), although the aggregated CORA may not. This study may provide fresh insight into head injury model validation and the harmonization of simulation results from diverse head injury models. It may also facilitate future experimental designs to improve model validation.
Transfacet Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion With an Expandable Interbody Device-Part II: Consecutive Case Series.

BACKGROUND Advances in operative techniques and instrumentation technology have evolved to maximize patient outcomes following minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF). The transfacet MIS-TLIF is a modified approach to the standard MIS-TLIF that leverages a bony working corridor to access the disc space for discectomy and interbody device placement. OBJECTIVE To evaluate clinical and radiographic results following transfacet MIS-TLIF using an expandable interbody device. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent transfacet MIS-TLIF for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Patient-reported outcome measures for pain and disability were assessed. Sagittal lumbar segmental parameters and regional lumbopelvic parameters were assessed on upright lateral radiographs obtained preoperatively and during follow-up. RESULTS A total of 68 patients (61.8% male) underwent transfacet MIS-TLIF at 74 levels. The mean age was 63.4 yr and the mean follow-up 15.2 mo. Patients experienced significant short- and long-term postoperative improvements on the numeric rating scale for low back pain (-2.3/10) and Oswestry Disability Index (-12.0/50). Transfacet MIS-TLIF was associated with an immediate and sustained reduction of spondylolisthesis, and an increase in index-level disc height (+0.71 cm), foraminal height (+0.28 cm), and segmental lordosis (+6.83°). Patients with preoperative hypolordosis (<40°) experienced significant increases in segmental (+9.10°) and overall lumbar lordosis (+8.65°). Pelvic parameters were not significantly changed, regardless of preoperative alignment. Device subsidence was observed in 6/74 (8.1%) levels, and fusion in 50/53 (94.3%) levels after 12 mo. CONCLUSION Transfacet MIS-TLIF was associated with clinical improvements and restoration of radiographic sagittal segmental parameters. Regional alignment correction was observed among patients with hypolordosis at baseline.
Effect of shorter time to treatment on survival in rural patients with breast cancer.

7027Background: Rural cancer care in the United States has unique challenges from variable access to care. This study examined differences in time to first treatment (TTT), a potential surrogate fo...
Adult mouse hippocampal transcriptome changes associated with long-term behavioral and metabolic effects of gestational air pollution toxicity.

Gestational exposure to air pollution increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder and cognitive impairments with unresolved molecular mechanisms. This study exposed C57BL/6J mice throughout gestation to urban-derived nanosized particulate matter (nPM). Young adult male and female offspring were studied for behavioral and metabolic changes using forced swim test, fat gain, glucose tolerance, and hippocampal transcriptome. Gestational nPM exposure caused increased depressive behaviors, decreased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, and increased glucose tolerance in adult male offspring. Both sexes gained fat and body weight. Gestational nPM exposure induced 29 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in adult hippocampus related to cytokine production, IL17a signaling, and dopamine degradation in both sexes. Stratification by sex showed twofold more DEGs in males than females (69 vs 37), as well as male-specific enrichment of DEGs mediating serotonin signaling, endocytosis, Gαi, and cAMP signaling. Gene co-expression analysis (WCGNA) identified a module of 43 genes with divergent responses to nPM between the sexes. Chronic changes in 14 DEGs (e.g., microRNA9-1) were associated with depressive behaviors, adiposity and glucose intolerance. These genes enriched neuroimmune pathways such as HMGB1 and TLR4. Based on cerebral cortex transcriptome data of neonates, we traced the initial nPM responses of HMGB1 pathway. In vitro, mixed glia responded to 24 h nPM with lower HMGB1 protein and increased proinflammatory cytokines. This response was ameliorated by TLR4 knockdown. In sum, we identified transcriptional changes that could be associated with air pollution-mediated behavioral and phenotypic changes. These identified genes merit further mechanistic studies for therapeutic intervention development.
The New Stability.

The New Stability The morning you die, I don’t want to be there — like most mornings now, when I rise against my will and crawl dejectedly into scrubs. I don’t want to be a plague doctor or a hero ...
Contesting the place of protest in migrant caravans

Restrictions on assembly, all of which disproportionately target Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, demonstrate that the freedom to assemble depends on state-defined temporal, behavioral, and ...
An Archaeology of the Contemporary Era: Alfredo González-Ruibal: An Archaeology of the Contemporary Era. Routledge, London, 2019, 250 pp. ISBN 9781138338432

Alfredo Gonzalez-Ruibal’s book is either a manifesto in the guise of a textbook, or a textbook in the guise of a manifesto. Like any good textbook, the book approximates a comprehensive compilation...
Low Rates of Urologic Side Effects Following Coronavirus Disease Vaccination: An Analysis of the Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify and describe urologic adverse events and symptoms after vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We queried the FDA Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for all reported symptoms following the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines as of February 12th, 2021. All urologic symptoms were isolated and the reported adverse events associated with each symptom were reviewed. RESULTS: Out of 15,785 adverse event reports, only 0.7% (113) described urologic symptoms. A total of 156 urologic symptoms were described amongst the 113 adverse event reports. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was responsible for 61% of these reports and the Moderna vaccine was responsible for 39%. These symptoms were grouped into five different categories: Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (n = 34, 22%), Hematuria (n = 22, 14%), Urinary Infection (n = 41, 26%), Skin and/or Soft Tissue (n = 16, 10%), and Other (n = 43, 28%). The median age of the patients reporting urologic symptoms was 63 years (IQR 44-79, Range: 19-96) and 54% of the patients were female. CONCLUSION: Urologic symptoms reported after COVID-19 vaccination are extremely rare. Given the common prevalence of many of these reported symptoms in the general population, there does not appear to be a correlation between vaccination and urologic symptoms, but as the vaccination criteria expands, further monitoring of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System is needed.
Food Security Status among U.S. Older Adults: Functional Limitations Matter.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between food security and health outcomes among older adults (age 65+) in the U.S. We used a pooled sample (2011-2015, N = 37,292) from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and ordered logit models to assess characteristics associated with food security including health conditions (diabetes and hypertension) and functional activity limitations. We estimated that 1.3 million individuals aged 65+ in the U.S. had low/very low food security. Having at least one functional limitation (OR = 1.717, 95% CI = 1.436, 2.054) was significantly associated with low/very low food security. Having fair or poor health status (OR = 3.315, 95% CI = 2.938, 3.739) was also a significant factor for food security among older adults, while having health insurance coverage (OR = 0.467, 95% CI = 0.341, 0.64) was negatively associated with food insecurity. Demographics and socioeconomic characteristics were significantly related to food insecurity among seniors. Seniors with functional limitations and poor health status are at risk for food insecurity. Interventions at the clinical site of care may be useful in addressing food security issues for older adults.
Comparison of Window Glasses by Isotope Dilution Spark Source Mass Spectrometry

Comparison of glass fragments in forensic work is commonly done by measurements of refractive index and density. These methods are particularly well-suited for flat glass such as in windows. Further differentiation has been shown feasible by elemental analysis. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) [1], spark source mass spectrometry (SSMS) [2], and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDX) [3] have all been successful in differentiating window glasses having identical physical properties.
Operating characteristics of single-phase capacitor motors driven from variable frequency supplies

The analysis presented shows that a variable frequency power supply can be used for speed control of single-phase induction motors which are equipped with auxiliary windings and capacitors. Using the standard scalar control technique for three-phase induction motors on the capacitor motor works best at relatively high frequencies, but the torque must be derated below about 50% of base frequency to yield a sufficient margin from breakdown torque and to prevent overheating the machine. The torque performance of the capacitor motors can be enhanced by altering the voltage-frequency control law. One method that provides good results is to control the voltage such that the internal power dissipation in the motor is held constant. >
Complement-fixing donor-specific antibodies identified by a novel C1q assay are associated with allograft loss.

Sutherland SM, Chen G, Sequeira FA, Lou CD, Alexander SR, Tyan DB. Complement-fixing donor-specific antibodies identified by a novel C1q assay are associated with allograft loss. Pediatr Transplantation 2012: 16: 12–17. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Long-term outcomes following renal transplantation remain disappointing. Recently, interest has focused on the antibody-mediated component of allograft injury and the deleterious effects of DSA. We applied a novel C1q solid-phase assay in parallel with the standard IgG SAB assay to identify DSA with the potential to activate complement by binding C1q. Among 193 consecutive renal transplants at our center, 19.2% developed de novo DSA following transplantation. Of the patients with DSA, 43% had antibodies that bound C1q in vitro [C1q(+) DSA]. Patients with C1q(+) DSA were more likely to develop allograft loss than patients with DSA that did not bind C1q (46.7% vs. 15%; p = 0.04); patients with C1q(+) DSA were nearly six times more likely to lose their transplant than those with C1q(−) DSA. Additionally, patients with C1q(+) DSA who underwent allograft biopsy were more likely to demonstrate C4d deposition (50% vs. 8%; p = 0.03) and meet criteria for acute rejection (60% vs. 17%; p = 0.02) when compared with patients with DSA that did not bind C1q. These data suggest that DSA with the ability to activate complement, as determined by this novel C1q assay, are associated with greater risk of acute rejection and allograft loss.
Kimura, Motoo (1924–94)

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 12, pp. 8092–8094, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
OVERVIEW: MECHANISMS OF THE REGULATION OF HEMOGLOBIN SYNTHESIS AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL

The concept that has emerged from our experiments and those of others is that erythroid stem cells are committed to undergo a program of erythroid differentiation with respect to the ultimate hemoglobin phenotype of their progeny erythrocytes. A clear distinction can be drawn between the switch from Hb A (or Hb F) to Hb C in sheep and the switch from Hb F to adult hemoglobin in humans. The former appears to be regulated in a relatively late erythroid stem cell with characteristics of CFU-E. In contrast, the CFU-E found in adult sheep bone marrow from animals that lack the beta C gene appear to be preprogrammed to produce only adult hemoglobin. Fetal stem cells may be induced to synthesize Hb C within a time frame that is similar to that seen in cultures of adult bone marrow. Thus, a common mechanism modulating the potential for expression of this gene and commitment of erythroid stem cells with respect to Hb C production in progeny erythroblasts seems quite likely. Again fetal CFU-E and BFU-E in animals lacking the beta C gene appear to be, for the most part, committed toward producing erythroblasts making Hb F. Further analysis will be required to determine at exactly which stage of stem cell differentiation this programming occurs and also the factors that are important in modulating the potential for fetal and adult hemoglobin synthesis.
Patterns in prey use among fur seals and seabirds in the Pribilof Islands

Abstract We explored correlation in diet trends for five piscivorous predators that reproduce on the Pribilof Islands as illustrative of the shifting structure of the Bering Sea ecosystem. We evaluated the size and species of prey consumed by adult female and juvenile northern fur seals ( Callorhinus ursinus ) and adults and chicks of black-legged kittiwakes ( Rissa tridactyla ), red-legged kittiwakes ( Rissa brevirostris ), thick-billed murres ( Uria lomvia ), and common murres ( Uria aalge ) from data collected between July and October 1960–2000. Sample sources included stomachs from seals and seabirds collected on pelagic foraging grounds in the eastern Bering Sea, seal scats from rookeries and seabird regurgitations and whole prey from nest sites on St. Paul and St. George Islands of the Pribilof Island archipelago. Typical prey included small fish and invertebrates (⩽20 cm for seals and ⩽12 cm for seabirds) that concentrate along frontal boundaries of the continental shelf/slope and in the epi-pelagic zone. Squids and fishes including walleye pollock ( Theragra chalcogramma ), capelin ( Mallotus villosus ), and sand lance ( Ammodytes hexapterus ) were variably important in the diet of all five predators. Some prey, such as capelin, were principal in predator diets during the 1960s (seals) and into the early 1980s (seabirds), but declined or disappeared from all predator diets thereafter while others, such as walleye pollock, occurred with increasing frequency from the 1970s forward. As the number of individuals consuming walleye pollock increased, the overall volume of pollock in seabird diets declined. This decline was coincident with a decrease in the age and body size of pollock consumed by both seabirds and fur seals. Squid and pollock were negatively correlated in the diets of their primary consumers, northern fur seals (Pearson's coefficient −0.71, p =0.016) and thick-billed murres (Pearson's coefficient=−0.74, p =0.015) from the 1970s forward. Inter-island variation in diet was evident to varying degrees for all predators, with a prevalence of fish on St. Paul Island and invertebrates on St. George Island. Bayesian time-series analysis of synthesized data described significant temporal cross-correlation in diet among northern fur seals, red- and black-legged kittiwakes, and thick-billed murres. For all correlated predators except common murres, beta-binomial modeling indicated that trends in the occurrence of four of the five primary prey (sand lance, capelin, squid, and pollock) evaluated, were significantly associated with eastern Bering Sea time-series trends in sea surface temperature, ice retreat or a combination of both. Data synthesis highlighted potential competition and a scenario for the effects of an altered prey field on the population stability of predators. The association between correlated diet changes among predators and indices of oceanographic shifts in the 1970s and the 1990s allow scrutiny of hypotheses concerning causal mechanisms in population declines.
Meningioangiomatosis: A rare presentation with progressive cortical blindness

A 58-year-old man presented with a 6-month history of headaches, progressive left homonymous hemianopia, and right-sided paresthesias. MRI revealed bilateral parietal and occipital enhancing lesions ([figure 1, A–C][1]) suggestive of cerebritis or posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome due
Blitzkrieg Ethnography: On the Transformation of a Method into a Movement

In retrospect, it seems rather inevitable. What had been a quiet and perhaps peripheral aspect of educational research has moved rapidly to center stage. Ethnographic research on American education has heretofore been the activity of a small band of researchers, overwhelmingly trained in the disciplines of sociology and anthropology. But at present, it is finding widespread application among researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. And with this newfound popularity has come the mutation of both its epistemological underpinnings and its methodological applications.
Reply to the comment on “Lifetimes of vibrational levels in the B̃ 2A′ state of HCO”

Abstract The preceding Comment by Bitto and Carter objects to our interpretation of the weak quantum beats observed for particular rovibrational states of B 2 A′ HCO in the title article and postulates that the observed beats are anisotropic hyperfine quantum beats. We concur with their Comment, acknowledge the conceptual errors in our initial interpretation, and provide additional evidence in support of their new interpretation. The other results and conclusions of the title article remain unchanged.
The metabolism of taurine to isethionate

Abstract The biosynthesis of isethionate from taurine in mammalian tissue has been reexamined. In vivo metabolism of taurine to isethionate was demonstrated but it was shown that a number of acyltaurine metabolites also behave like isethionate on the conventional dual column ion-exchange chromatographic analytical system. Hydrolysis of these column effluates coupled with high-voltage electrophoresis resolves this ambiguity. In vivo formation of isethionate from taurine in mammals seems to occur from gut microorganism metabolism since: (a) germ-free mice could not convert taurine to isethionate, (b) gut anaerobes were able to metabolize taurine, (c) in vitro rat and mouse tissue failed to metabolize taurine to isethionate. These findings are in conflict with earlier reports.
Effects of lidocaine on the electrophysiological properties of subendocardial Purkinje fibers surviving acute myocardial infarction

Abstract An electrophysiologic study was conducted in vitro on the surviving subendocardial Purkinje fibers of the canine left ventricle 20 to 24 h after coronary occlusion. The surviving Purkinje cells displayed a low maximum diastolic potential, reduced action potential amplitude, depressed maximal rate of upstroke and a prolonged action potential duration. Spontaneous discharges of high frequency and induced repetitive activity are consistently observed in the infarcted zone but are rarely seen in the normal tissue. Superfusion of lidocaine hydrochloride in concentrations of 1 × 10 −5 to 1 × 10 −4 m slowed or abolished spontaneous and induced firings. The effective refractory period and effective refractory period relative to the total action potential duration were consistently prolonged by lidocaine in the ischemic fibers. Membrane response curves of ischemic fibers were shifted farther to the right than those of normal fibers. Lidocaine exhibited a differential effect on maximul rate of upstroke ( dV d t ) of ischemic Purkinje fibers while causing minor change in the normal fibers. It is suggested that lidocaine exerts its antiarrhythmic effect by selectively depressing the already depressed conducting fibers in the infarcted heart.
Interference of carotene with colorimetric determination of copper in whole milk.

Abstract Colorimetric determinations of copper in whole milk by a rapid method were found to vary with the fat content of milk. Subsequent investigations revealed that carotene (or fat) extracted with the copperarazate complex contributed to the variation in results. These results show that carotene concentrations similar to those in milk products may significantly influence copper determinations by the rapid procedure.
A new type of hollow cathode discharge gun used in ion beam coating apparatus and theory analysis

Abstract In recent years, the hollow cathode discharge gun has been widely used in the metallurgical coating field. However, the design of its electromagnetic field is unreasonable, the gun body is large, its structure is intricate and its operation is not convenient. In order to overcome these shortcomings, through many years of study, the authors have developed a new type of hollow cathode discharge gun which is characterised by a simple structure, steady efficiency, propitious examination, etc. This gun uses only one magnet as a focusing and deflective pole instead of the normal four magnetic focusing poles. The electron beam can strike just to the centre position of the crucible by controlling the distance between the gun and the crucible and the electromagnetic field density. The new type of gun has been successfully applied to industry.
Anomalously low ozone over the Arctic

Total ozone observations from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instruments during March 1997 reveal an extensive region of low column densities in the Arctic region centered near the north pole. Values were below 250 Dobson units for nearly a two week period during this period, and were correlated with the position of the northern lower stratospheric polar vortex. The March 1997 average total ozone column densities were more than 30% lower than the average of column densities observed during the 1979–1982 March period.
Axenic rearing of the boll weevil on defined diets: amino acid, carbohydrate, and mineral requirements.

Abstract The boll weevil ( Anthonomus grandis Boheman) was reared from egg to adult on defined diets composed of amino acids, sugars, fatty acids, cholesterol, choline, inositol, B vitamins, mineral salts, agar, and water. Yields and weights of adults and their rates of development were similar to those obtained from casein diet. In deletion experiments, the amino acids, arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine were found to be indispensable for growth. Among sugars tested fructose and sucrose produced the best growth. Maltose, cellobiose, starch, lactose, and glucose were less effective, and poor development occurred with mannose, melibiose, galactose, and ribose. Larvae died without dietary carbohydrate. Dietary fatty acids or the lack of them had no effect on development of the boll weevil to the adult stage. Tests were conducted on the effects on growth by omitting certain minerals from the diet. Magnesium was the only one indispensable for proper growth. Insects matured in diets without added sodium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, and iodine salts. Deficiencies of potassium and phosphate ions were not studied. The effects of changes in kinds and concentrations of nutrients are discussed.
Effect of Deuteration on the Growth and Antibiotic Production of a Number of Strains of Penicillium

Thirteen strains of two species of Penicillium were surveyed for their ability to grow and produce antibiotic in a medium of high concentrations of heavy water. Mycelial dry weights, pH variation, and penicillin potency were noted over a 90-day study period. In the deuterio cultures autolysis and penicillin degradation did not occur. Phenylacetic acid was found to stimulate penicillin production in both the protio and deuterio cultures.
Liver-directed therapy for hepatic metastases in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy: A dual-center analysis

Objectives:To analyze the perioperative and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing liver-directed therapy after pancreaticoduodenectomy in a large dual-center cohort of patients.Background:Although aggressive liver-directed therapy may be beneficial, liver-directed therapy may be associated with
Efficient and sparse feature selection for biomedical text classification via the elastic net

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted To date, ICU mortality prediction has relied on structured clinical features.However, clinical free text features seem to perform just as well, or better.Existing clinical NLP methods largely do not rely on feature selection techniques.Applying regularization can aid discovery of important features in these problems.Indeed, only a small fraction of all features are needed to predict mortality well. Background and significanceSparsity is often a desirable property of statistical models, and various feature selection methods exist so as to yield sparser and interpretable models. However, their application to biomedical text classification, particularly to mortality risk stratification among intensive care unit (ICU) patients, has not been thoroughly studied. ObjectiveTo develop and characterize sparse classifiers based on the free text of nursing notes in order to predict ICU mortality risk and to discover text features most strongly associated with mortality. MethodsWe selected nursing notes from the first 24h of ICU admission for 25,826 adult ICU patients from the MIMIC-II database. We then developed a pair of stochastic gradient descent-based classifiers with elastic-net regularization. We also studied the performance-sparsity tradeoffs of both classifiers as their regularization parameters were varied. ResultsThe best-performing classifier achieved a 10-fold cross-validated AUC of 0.897 under the log loss function and full L2 regularization, while full L1 regularization used just 0.00025% of candidate input features and resulted in an AUC of 0.889. Using the log loss (range of AUCs 0.889-0.897) yielded better performance compared to the hinge loss (0.850-0.876), but the latter yielded even sparser models. DiscussionMost features selected by both classifiers appear clinically relevant and correspond to predictors already present in existing ICU mortality models. The sparser classifiers were also able to discover a number of informative - albeit nonclinical - features. ConclusionThe elastic-net-regularized classifiers perform reasonably well and are capable of reducing the number of features required by over a thousandfold, with only a modest impact on performance.
Improvement in a quantitative measure of bradykinesia after microelectrode recording in patients with Parkinson's disease during deep brain stimulation surgery

It is widely accepted that patients with Parkinson's disease experience immediate but temporary improvement in motor signs after surgical implantation of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulating electrodes before the electrodes are activated, although this has never been formally studied. Based on anecdotal observations that limb mobility improved just after microelectrode recording (MER) during deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures, we designed a prospective study to measure upper extremity bradykinesia using a quantitative measure of angular velocity. Measurements were made pre- and post-MER and during intraoperative DBS. Analysis of 98 STN DBS procedures performed on 61 patients showed that MER did not create adverse clinical symptoms despite concerns that MER increases morbidity. Quantitative upper extremity bradykinesia improved after MER alone, and further improvement was seen during intraoperative DBS. Electrophysiological data from each case were then compared to the improvement in bradykinesia post-MER alone and a significant correlation was found between the improvement in arm bradykinesia, the number of passes through the STN with somatosensory driving, and also with the number of arm cells with somatosensory driving in the STN, but not with total number of passes, total number of passes through the STN, or total number of cells with somatosensory driving in the STN. This study demonstrates that there is a significant improvement in upper extremity bradykinesia just after MER, before inserting or activating the DBS electrode in patients with Parkinson's disease who undergo STN DBS. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society