cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fertility Preferences and Cognition: Religiosity and Experimental Effects of Decision Context on College Women

Better models of culture and cognition may help researchers understand fertility and family formation. We examine cognition about fertility using an experimental survey design to investigate how fertility preferences of college women are affected by two prompts that bring to mind fertility-relevant factors: career aspirations and financial limitations. We test the effects of these prompts on fertility preferences and ask how effects vary with respondent religiosity, an aspect of social identity related to fertility preferences. We find significant effects of treatment on fertility preferences when accounting for religiosity: less religious women who considered their career aspirations or financial limitations reported smaller desired family size, but this effect was attenuated for more religious women. Our study demonstrates how fertility preferences are shaped by decision contexts for some socio-demographic groups. We discuss how the findings support a social-cognitive model of fertility.
Epidemiology of Multiple Myeloma and Related Plasma Cell Disorders: An Analytic Review

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an analytical review of epidemiology of multiple myeloma and related plasma cell disorders. A variety of etiologic factors may contribute to the development of multiple myeloma and related dyscrasias. The major risk indicator is age, with myeloma being especially common at older ages. Similarly, BMG also manifests a parallel old-age pattern, which may be etiologically related. In the postulated two hit mutation model, BMG may be one manifestation of the first hit, representing the controlled proliferation of a clone of plasma cell synthesizing the M-spike. The second hit occurs when another mutation leads to uncontrolled malignant proliferation. An age-dependent loss of regulatory cell function may be involved in the first hit by increasing the pool of terminally differentiated, immunoglobulin-secreting cells potentially available for malignant transformation. This old-age determinant may also help explain why an excess has not been found in some occupational and high-risk cohort studies which are limited in extent of long-term follow-up. Race is another important determinant. The higher rate and earlier age of onset of myeloma in Blacks suggests an inborn susceptibility, although environmental factors cannot be excluded. This may correlate with racial differences in baseline immunoglobulin levels 40 and with altered patterns of in vitro cellular response to mitogens in Blacks.
Physical Insight, Mathematical Modeling and Asymptotics

We review several problems in fluid mechanics to demonstrate how physical insight of a problem leads to a simplified mathematical model, which specifies the choice of the proper scalings, the small parameters and the expansion scheme. The mathematical model in turn gives a more precise description of the insight. It defines the conditions under which the model is not applicable and the necessary refinement of the model. The model allows for a systematic derivation of the leading and higher order system of equations, identifies the initial and or/boundary conditions needed for the simplified system and derives the missing condition(s) of the leading order system of equations, if any, from the compatibility condition(s) on the next order. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of formulating the correct mathematical model relevant to the physical insight and the understanding of the physical implications.
Endocrine consequences of weight loss in obese, hyperandrogenic, anovulatory women *†

Objective To determine whether weight loss in obese, hyperandrogenic, anovulatory women is associated with resumption of ovulation and/or with changes in insulin, androgen, and gonadotropin concentrations. Design Prospective, randomized, controlled study. Setting University research center. Patients Twelve obese, hyperandrogenic, anovulatory women. Interventions Twelve-week weight loss program in treatment (n = 6); 12-week “waiting list” in control group (n = 6). Main Outcome Measures [1] Ovulation; [2] fasting insulin and glucose measurements; [3] sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), total and non-SHBG T concentrations; [4] LH pulse frequency, amplitude, and concentration; and [5] FSH concentration. Results In contrast with the control group who showed no change in weight, ovulation status, or hormone levels, women in the treatment group lost an average of 16.2 kg and showed a significant increase in SHBG, a significant decline in non-SHBG T, and a decline (though nonsignificant) in fasting insulin. Four of six subjects resumed ovulation. However, no changes were evident in LH pulse frequency or amplitude or in mean LH and FSH concentrations. Conclusions Weight loss in obese, hyperandrogenic, anovulatory women appears to reduce insulin and non-SHBG T concentrations despite the absence of a change in gonadotropin secretion and may lead to resumption of ovulation.
Influence of method of alveolar air collection on results of breath tests

The influence of the method alveolar air collection on measurements of trace gas concentration has received little attention. We measured the concentrations of H2, CH4, CO, and CO2 in sequential fractions of alveolar air collected with and without breath-holding. Without breath-holding, the concentration of these gases increased appreciably as increasing quantities of alveolar air were expelled. Twenty seconds of breath-holding markedly reduced this nonhomogeneity of alveolar air. Prediction of the excretion rate of trace gases from measurements of their concentration relative to CO2 and literature values for resting CO2 excretion underestimated the true excretion rate. We conclude that breath-holding prior to sample collection enhances the reproducibility of trace gas measurements. When calculating the rate of excretion of trace gases, the use of literature values for resting ventilation or CO2 excretion may result in appreciable underestimations of the true rate.
Iodine-125 Episcleral Plaque Brachytherapy for AJCC T4 Posterior Uveal Melanoma: Clinical Outcomes in 158 Patients

Background/Aims The aim of this study is to report the burden of ocular morbidity following iodine-125 episcleral plaque brachytherapy (EPBT) in the treatment of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) T4-staged posterior uveal melanoma (PUM). Methods Clinical records of patients with T4-staged PUM treated with 125I EPBT were analyzed for incidence of treatment failure and radiation-induced complications. Results Cumulative incidence of local treatment failure was 9% (95% CI 5-15%) at 5 years and was associated with decreased tumor height (HR = 0.78; p = 0.01). Cumulative incidence of enucleation at 5 years was 21% and was correlated with worsening baseline visual acuity (HR = 1.42; p = 0.05). Increasing patient age was associated with higher rates of vitreous hemorrhage (HR = 1.03; p = 0.02) and cataract surgery (HR = 1.05; p < 0.001). Increased tumor height was associated with higher rates of neovascular glaucoma (HR = 1.16; p = 0.03) and vitreous hemorrhage (HR = 1.23; p < 0.001). Conclusion 125I EPBT is an effective treatment for T4-staged PUM and achieves high rates of local control. Treatment failure appears to be more common among minimally elevated tumors. Other causes of ocular morbidity were associated with increasing tumor height, patient age, and baseline visual acuity.
Retail Sector Concentration, Local Economic Structure, and Community Well-Being

The rise and expansion of large retail firms mark a significant shift in economic organization across communities in the United States. In this article, we describe this shift and discuss implicati...
Management and Prevention of Skin Infections

The cumulative incidence of skin and soft tissue infections in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients is estimated at 50–80%; therefore it is crucial for transplant specialists to familiarize themselves with the most common etiologies of these infections [1–3]. The focus of this chapter is to review relevant viral, bacterial, and fungal infections affecting the skin in SOT recipients and to provide a concise practical approach to their evaluation, management, and prevention. The clinical clues that will allow clinicians to construct a differential diagnosis include type of SOT, pre-transplant serologies, time after transplantation (Fig. 20.1), acuity of the presentation, type of primary lesion (Table 20.1), distribution of the lesions (Fig. 20.2), associated symptoms, net state of immunosuppression, and epidemiological risk factors.
Curious behavior of three-dimensional lattice Dirac operators coupled to a monopole background

We numerically investigate the effect of regulating fermions in the presence of singular background fields in three dimensions. For this, we couple free lattice fermions to a background compact U(1) gauge field consisting of a monopole-antimonopole pair of magnetic charge $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}Q$ separated by a distance $s$ in a periodic ${L}^{3}$ lattice and study the low-lying eigenvalues of different lattice Dirac operators under a continuum limit defined by taking $L\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ at fixed $s/L$. As the background gauge field is parity even, we look for a twofold degeneracy of the Dirac spectrum that is expected of a continuumlike Dirac operator. The naive-Dirac operator exhibits such a parity doubling but breaks the degeneracy of the fermion-doubler modes for the $Q$ lowest eigenvalues in the continuum limit. The Wilson-Dirac operator lifts the fermion doublers but breaks the parity doubling in the $Q$ lowest modes even in the continuum limit. The overlap-Dirac operator shows parity doubling of all the modes even at finite $L$ that is devoid of fermion doubling and is singled out as a properly regulated continuum Dirac operator in the presence of singular gauge field configurations, albeit with a peculiar algorithmic issue.
Artificial intelligence–assisted detection of diabetic retinopathy on digital fundus images: concepts and applications in the National Health Service

Abstract Diabetic retinopathy (DR), one of the most devastating manifestations of diabetes, is a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. World Health Organization predicts the prevalence of diabetes to increase substantially in the future, leading to an increasing pressure on public health services. In the context of smart healthcare, DR screening has been widely adopted by utilizing fundus imaging with manual input. In this chapter, we review the potential of artificial intelligence enabled automated screening for the detection and classification of DR in the context of the National Health Service. We propose an integrated multimodal approach to enable the combination of manual (through human graders) and automated DR screening. Furthermore, we discuss how this multimodal approach can be enhanced by the integration of additional modalities such as optical coherence tomography. Artificial intelligence in that setting can complement and upskill human graders by acting in an assistive way rather than replacing their role.
De novo NMR pulse sequence design using Monte-Carlo optimization techniques.

Abstract Separated Local Field (SLF) experiments have been routinely used for measuring 1H-15N heteronuclear dipolar couplings in oriented-sample solid-state NMR for structure determination of proteins. In the on-going pursuit of designing better-performing SLF pulse sequences (e.g. by increasing the number of subdwells, and varying the rf amplitudes and phases), analytical treatment of the relevant average Hamiltonian terms may become cumbersome and/or nearly impossible. Numerical simulations of NMR experiments using GPU processors can be employed to rapidly calculate spectra for moderately sized spin systems, which permit an efficient numeric optimization of pulse sequences by the Monte Carlo Simulated Annealing protocol. In this work, a computational strategy was developed to find the optimal phases and timings that substantially improve the 1H-15N dipolar linewidths over a broad range of dipolar couplings as compared to SAMPI4. More than 100 pulse sequences were developed de novo and tested on an N-acetyl Leucine crystal. Seventeen distinct pulse sequences were shown to produce sharper mean linewidths than SAMPI4. Overall, these pulse sequences have more variable parameters (involving non-quadrature phases) and do not involve symmetry between the odd and even dwells, which would likely preclude their rigorous analytical treatment. The top performing pulse sequence, termed ROULETTE-1, has 18% sharper mean linewidths than SAMPI4 when run on an N-acetyl Leucine crystal. This sequence was also shown to be robust over a broad range of 1H carrier frequencies and various crystal orientations. The performance of such an optimized pulse sequence was also illustrated on 15N Leucine-labeled Pf1 coat protein reconstituted in magnetically aligned bicelles. For the optimized pulse sequence the mean peak width was 14% sharper than SAMPI4, which in turn yielded a better signal to noise ratio, 20:1 vs. 17:1. This method is potentially extendable to de novo development of a variety of NMR experiments.
Empirical mode decomposition with shape-preserving spline interpolation

Abstract Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is a popular, novel, user-friendly algorithm to decompose a given signal into its constituting components, utilizing spline interpolation. In this paper, we equip EMD with a shape-preserving interpolation scheme based on quadratic B-splines. Using numerical experiments, we show that our scheme, which we coin Geometric EMD, or GEMD, outperforms the original EMD, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
A tale of three French interventions: Intervention entrepreneurs and institutional intervention choices

What factors explain the institutional shape of military interventions spearheaded by France? This article suggests that Intervention Entrepreneurs are the deciding agents. To secure the viability ...
Functional, textural, and sensory properties of milk protein concentrate-based supercritical fluid extrudates made with acid whey

The worldwide Greek yogurt market is a growing multi-billion-dollar industry in need of a solution for its environmentally problematic acid whey byproduct. This study evaluated the effects of conce...
Prolactin, gonadotropin, and hair shedding responses to daily sulpiride administration in geldings in winter.

This experiment was designed to determine 1) the efficacy of daily s.c. injections of a dopamine antagonist, sulpiride, for increasing prolactin secretion in geldings in winter and 2) whether increasing prolactin concentrations would hasten the onset of hair shedding or enhance gonadotropin secretion. Five geldings each received vehicle (vegetable oil) or sulpiride (100 mg in vehicle) daily from February 8 through March 29. On February 8 and every 7 d thereafter through March 29, blood samples were drawn around treatment injections and hair samples were collected. On March 30, all geldings received an injection of GnRH and thyrotropin-releasing hormone. Over the 8-wk sampling period, prolactin response to sulpiride varied in a quadratic manner (P .1) after injection or over the 8-wk period. Weight of hair pulled from sulpiride-treated geldings did not peak as sharply or as high as that from control gelding (P .25). In conclusion, even though prolactin concentrations were increased by sulpiride, the effects on gonadotropin secretion and hair shedding were minor and opposite of those expected.
The Symptom Structure of Seasonal Affective Disorder: Integrating Results from Factor and Network Analyses in the Context of the Dual Vulnerability Model

Research on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has produced several etiological models of SAD symptomatology, including a common cause model that conceptualizes symptoms as the result of a single underlying disease process and the Dual Vulnerability Model (Young et al., Journal of Affective Disorders, 22, 191–197 1991) which posits that cognitive/affective symptoms of depression are responses to vegetative symptoms (fatigue, hypersomnia, increased appetite) in individuals with a cognitive vulnerability to these seasonal changes. This study used exploratory factor analysis and network analyses to examine 22 symptoms of winter SAD in 177 adults at the start of a randomized SAD treatment trial (Rohan et al., American Journal of Psychiatry, 172, 862–9 2015). The factor analysis supported a novel four-factor model that included Negative Cognition, Loss of Vitality, Increased Appetite/Weight and Dysregulation across symptom domains. The results of the network model of interacting symptoms paralleled those of the factor analysis in producing four clusters of inter-correlated symptoms. A directed acyclic graph was constructed to model possible causal relations between symptom factors/clusters. Results suggest that vegetative symptoms (Loss of Vitality and Appetite/Weight) contribute to Dysregulation and that Loss of Vitality and Dysregulation contribute to Negative Cognition, supporting the overall structure of the Dual Vulnerability Model but with greater symptom differentiation. Findings have implications for how SAD should be researched (e.g., clusters vs. diagnosis or individual symptoms), opportunities for intervention, and the expected course of onset and remission.
Icelandic V3 orders with temporal adjuncts: Investigation into prosodic breaks and syntactic parsing

Although Icelandic is a verb second language (V2), it sometimes allows for V3 orders. In this paper, I focus on a type of Icelandic V3 which consists of an adverbial adjunct occurring in front of wh-questions and present the results of a pilot study that investigated the effects of the length of prosodic break and clause type in relation to V3 structures. Participants were presented with an adverbial clause sandwiched between two sentences (A and B), of which the latter varied between a wh-question and a subject-initial sentence. The breaks between the adverbial and the sentences varied in length. The task was to judge which sentence (A or B) was longer, with the response reflecting which sentence the adverbial clause was parsed with. The results indicate that both the clause type of the B sentence and the length of the prosodic break between the adverbial and the B sentence had a significant effect on how the sentences were parsed.
Experimental investigation of refrigerant condensation in circular and square micro- and mini- channels

Abstract Microchannel condensers have the potential to improve system level efficiency by increasing the heat transfer coefficient because of the small hydraulic diameters. In addition, they offer a high surface area-to-volume ratio, reducing the overall system size and fluid inventory. Understanding condensation in microchannels is essential for efficient component design, especially with the need for new low Global Warming Potential (GWP) working fluids. Condensation of refrigerants R134a, R245fa and R1234ze(E) in circular (Dh = 1.55 mm) and square (Dh = 0.98 mm) microchannels over a range of mass fluxes (50
Establishing a Relationship Between VOMS Performance and Changes in EEG Signatures for a Rapid Assessment and Diagnosis of Concussions

This study aims to discover a possible relationship between electroencephalogram (EEG) signature changes as physiological indicators of one’s current state, and performance on the Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) assessment. A Muse 2 generated a baseline EEG scan for each participant, allowing for the collection of data associated with one’s brain activity. The subjects were then taken through several VOMS domain tests with a continued recording by the device. A comparable analysis was conducted between the participant’s baseline recording and VOMS recording with an intent to identify the consistent correlations in between. In conclusion the findings of this study show potential for characteristic brain activity patterns dependent upon what VOMS domain is being tested. Therefore, when any deviations from those features are observed, the likelihood of the presence of a concussion is much greater.
Resonant pattern formation in achemical system

A periodic force applied to a nonlinear pendulum can cause the pendulum to become entrained at a frequency that is rationally related to the applied frequency, a phenomenon known as frequency-locking1. A recent theoretical analysis showed that anarray of coupled nonlinear oscillators can exhibit spatial reorganization when subjected to external periodic forcing2. We present here experimental evidence that reaction–diffusion processes, which govern pattern evolution and selection in many chemical and biological systems3, can also exhibit frequency-locking phenomena. For example, periodic optical forcing of the light-sensitive Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction transforms a rotating spiral wave4 to a labyrinthine standing-wave pattern (Fig. 1). As the forcing frequency is varied, we observe a sequence of frequency-locked regimes, analogous to the frequency-locked ‘tongues’ of a driven nonlinear pendulum, except that in the reactor different frequencies correspond to different spatial patterns. Resonant interactions leading to standing-wave patternshave not been observed previously in chemical or biological media, but periodic forcing (such as circadian rhythm) is abundant in nature and may lead to similar pattern-forming phenomena.
Differential expression of a novel C-terminally truncated splice form of SMAD5 in hematopoietic stem cells and leukemia

SMADs are evolutionarily conserved transducers of the differentiation and growth arrest signals from the transforming growth factor/BMP (TGF/BMP) family of ligands. Upon receptor activation, the ligand-restricted SMADs(1-35) are phosphorylated in the C-terminal MH2 domain and recruit the common subunit SMAD4/DPC-4 gene to the nucleus to mediate target gene expression. Frequent inactivating mutations of SMAD4, or less common somatic mutations of SMAD2 seen in solid tumors, suggest that these genes have a suppressor function. However, there have been no identified mutations of SMAD5, although the gene localizes to the critical region of loss in chromosome 5q31.1 (chromosome 5, long arm, region 3, band 1, subband 1) in myelodysplasia (MDS) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). A ubiquitously expressed novel isoform, SMAD5beta, encodes a 351 amino acid protein with a truncated MH2 domain and a unique C-terminal tail of 18 amino acids, which may be the functional equivalent of inactivating mutations. The levels of SMAD5beta transcripts are higher in the undifferentiated CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells than in the terminally differentiated peripheral blood leukocytes, thereby implicating the beta form in stem cell homeostasis. Yeast 2-hybrid interaction assays reveal the lack of physical interactions between SMAD5beta and SMAD5 or SMAD4. The expression of SMAD5beta may represent a novel mechanism to protect pluripotent stem cells and malignant cells from the growth inhibitory and differentiation signals of BMPs. (Blood. 2000;95:3945-3950)
Optimality, Efficiency, and Equity: A Comparative Analysis of Australia’s Healthcare System

With entitlement spending dramatically increasing, poised for further increases, healthcare has been placed at the forefront of economic domestic policy. In surveying the international landscape, few countries have successfully sustained an efficient and equitable healthcare industry. In this sense, nexus question in the health care debate becomes balancing the desire for cost-effectiveness & efficiency with equity. As such, this article will describe the historical and economic developments that contributed to the development of the American medical system. The article will also examine the success of Australia’s two tiered health care system and provide policy recommendations based on the findings.
Segmentation and analysis of emission-computed-tomography images

This paper describes a statistical model for reconstruction of emission computed tomography (ECT) images. A distinguishing feature of this model is that it is parameterized in terms of quantities of direct physiological significance, rather than only in terms of grey-level voxel values. Specifically, parameters representing regions, region means, and region volumes are included in the model formulation and are estimated directly from projection data. The model is specified hierarchically within the Bayesian paradigm. At the lowest level of the hierarchy, a Gibbs distribution is employed to specify a probability distribution on the space of all possible partitions of the discretized image scene. A novel feature of this distribution is that the number of partitioning elements, or image regions, is not assumed known a priori. In contrast, any other segmentation models (e.g., Liang et al., 1991, Amit et al., 1991) require that the number of regions be specified prior to image reconstruction. Since the number of regions in a source distribution is seldom known a priori, allowing the number of regions to vary within the model framework is an important practical feature of this model. In the second level of the model hierarchy, random variables representing emission intensity are associated with each partitioning element or region. Individual voxel intensities are assumed to be drawn from a gamma distribution with mean equal to the region mean in the third stage, and in the final stage of the hierarchy projection data are assumed to be generated from Poisson distributions with means equal to weighted sums of voxel intensities.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Abstract 1057: LPA stimulates EMT of ovarian cancer cells via gip2 and gep oncogenes

Ovarian cancer is currently the most fatal gynecological cancer with a 5-year survival rate of only 45%. Recent studies have identified a critical role for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in the genesis and the progression of ovarian cancer. In order to identify transcription factors that are induced by LPA, a commercial pathway reporter array was used. Hypoxia induced factor 1 (HIF-1α) induction was the most prominent response showing more than 150 fold transcriptional activation compared with control. LPA treatment under normoxic and hypoxic (1% O2) conditions increased HIF-1α protein level, which leads to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the ovarian cancer cell line OVCA432. We also found that stimulation of the OVCA432 cells with LPA at normoxic and hypoxic conditions led to a significant increase of the mRNA and protein expression of the EMT transcription factor Twist. Immunofluorescent imaging confirmed that Twist levels were significantly up-regulated and that Twist was translocated to the nucleus as early as 4 hours after stimulation with LPA in both a normoxic and hypoxic environment. Additionally, immunofluorescent imaging showed that expression of E-cadherin on the periphery of the cell as well as in the whole cell was greatly reduced when cells were stimulated with LPA in normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Finally, our study demonstrated that LPA-mediated induction of EMT required both gip2 and gep oncogenes. Overall, our study indicated that the downstream components regulated by oncogenic G-proteins could potentially be targeted in the future to prevent EMT in ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Ji Hee Ha, Jeremy Ward, Danny N. Dhanasekaran. LPA stimulates EMT of ovarian cancer cells via gip2 and gep oncogenes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1057. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1057
Web-based viewing of picture archiving and communications systems images—Part II: The effect of compression on speed of transmission

Now that picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) has matured, our challenge is to make the images available to the referring physician and, in a teaching institution, to make these images available for conferences and rounding. One solution is the distribution of the images using web-based technology. We investigated a web-based add-on to our PACS to determine the characteristics of the personal computer that will make this technology useful and affordable. We found that images can be viewed easily through a web-based system. We found that the optimal system to view these images at a reasonable speed and a reasonable cost is on with a medium-range processor (200 to 300 MHz) and a large amount of inexpensive RAM, at least 64 Mb.
Size assessment in simulated territorial encounters between male green frogs (Rana clamitans)

We examined the ability of male green frogs to assess the size of an opponent based on the dominant frequency of their advertisement call, which is negatively correlated with size, using synthetic stimuli to simulate intruders of different sizes. In one field playback experiment, we broadcast a pair of stimuli representing a small and a large male; in a second experiment, we broadcast calls of a medium and a large male. In both experiments, males produced calls with significantly lower dominant frequencies in response to each stimulus. Contrast analyses revealed that males lowered the dominant frequency of their calls more in response to the large-male stimulus than in responses to the small- and medium-male stimuli. In the second experiment, males also responded to the large-male stimulus by calling at higher rates. There were no differences in mean note duration or the number of moves made toward or around the playback speaker in response to any stimulus. Thus, the frequency of an opponent's calls elicits a differential modification of calling behavior, primarily in the form of differential dominant frequency alteration, suggesting that males use dominant frequency to assess the size of opponents during aggressive encounters.
United States' Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System

This article describes the Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS) service being developed in the United States and the enormous benefits to federal agencies, state governments, and the general public. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Continuous hydralazine infusion for afterload reduction.

Abstract Impedance reduction with a continuous infusion of hydralazine was evaluated in 20 patients following cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients were selected for therapy when the cardiac index (CI) was less than 2.2 L/m 2 /min, when the systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) was greater than 2,500 dyne sec cm −5 , or when both conditions were present. No other vasoactive or cardiotonic drugs were used intraoperatively or postoperatively. Responses were measured at 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes and compared with control measurements. Significant responses appeared by 15 minutes in the mean arterial pressure, CI, and SVRI, which were maximal by 2 hours. At 4 hours, the SVRI was 1,520 ± 276 dyne sec cm −5 (control, 3,235 ± 222) and pulmonary vascular resistance index, 365 ± 102 dyne sec cm −5 (control, 592 ± 71). The CI was 3.20 ± 0.29 L/m 2 /min (control, 1.96 ± 0.16) and mean arterial pressure, 75 ± 2.3 mm Hg (control, 92 ± 2.4). Left atrial, pulmonary artery diastolic, and right atrial pressures increased from control but not significantly: 11.4 ± 0.8 to 13.3 ± 1.2 mm Hg, 13.6 ± 1.6 to 17.2 ± 1.5 mm Hg, and 6 ± 1.6 to 9.4 ± 1.7 mm Hg, respectively. In 16 patients, hydralazine was continued for 24 hours and in 11, the transition to oral therapy was made. Hydralazine by infusion effectively reduces after-load, avoids the fluctuations of bolus therapy, and allows the transition to oral therapy if needed.
MRI Detects Myocardial Iron in the Human Heart

Iron-induced cardiac dysfunction is a leading cause of death in transfusion-dependent anemia. MRI relaxation rates R2(1/T2) and R2*(1/T2*) accurately predict liver iron concentration, but their ability to predict cardiac iron has been challenged by some investigators. Studies in animal models support similar R2 and R2* behavior with heart and liver iron, but human studies are lacking. To determine the relationship between MRI relaxivities and cardiac iron, regional variations in R2 and R2* were compared with iron distribution in one freshly deceased, unfixed, iron-loaded heart. R2 and R2* were proportionally related to regional iron concentrations and highly concordant with one another within the interventricular septum. A comparison of postmortem and in vitro measurements supports the notion that cardiac R2* should be assessed in the septum rather than the whole heart. These data, along with measurements from controls, provide bounds on MRI-iron calibration curves in human heart and further support the clinical use of cardiac MRI in iron-overload syndromes.
The Moral Basis of Humanitarian Intervention

This article discusses the moral principles underlying the idea of humanitarian intervention. The analysis is in two parts, one historical and the other philosophical. First, the article examines arguments made in late medieval and early modern Europe for using armed force to punish the violation of natural law and to defend communities from tyranny and oppression, regardless of where they occur. It seeks to understand how moralists writing before the emergence of modern international law conceived what we now call humanitarian intervention. In the context of international law, humanitarian intervention is usually understood to be an exception to the nonintervention principle. However, the natural law tradition regards international law as less important than the moral imperative to punish wrongs and protect the innocent. Second, the article considers how humanitarian intervention is justified within the reformulation of the natural law tradition displayed in recent efforts to theorize morality along Kantian lines. In this reformulation, humanitarian intervention is a product of the duty of beneficence and, more specifically, of the right to use force to protect the innocent. The article draws upon the biblical injunction “Thou shalt not stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor,” which has become a centerpiece of the modern reformulation, and briefly explores its application to humanitarian intervention in the context of international relations today. This reformulation of natural law explains why, despite modern efforts to make it illegal, humanitarian intervention remains, in principle, morally defensible.
Profile-driven code unloading for resource-constrained JVMs

Java virtual machines (JVMs) have become increasingly popular for execution of a wide range of applications on mobile and embedded devices. Most JVMs for such devices execute programs using interpretation. However, JVMs that use dynamic compilation have been shown to enable significant performance improvements. A disadvantage of a compile-only approach in resource-constrained environments is that it uses more memory than interpretation to store compiled code for reuse.In this paper, we address this limitation with techniques that attempt to automatically unload dead or infrequently used native code to reduce the memory footprint of a compile-only JVM. We describe a number of profile-based strategies that identify unloading candidates. Our empirical evaluation, using a number of common benchmarks, indicates that dynamic code unloading can reduce code size significantly with negligible overhead. When memory is highly constrained, this reduction translates into significant execution time benefits for the benchmarks, JVM, and JVM configuration that we investigated.
Cyanobacteria and BMAA exposure from desert dust – a possible link to sporadic ALS among Gulf War veterans

Abstract Veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War have been reported to have an increased incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared to personnel who were not deployed. An excess of ALS cases was diagnosed in Gulf War veterans younger than 45 years of age. Increased ALS among Gulf War veterans appears to be an outbreak time-limited to the decade following the Gulf War. Seeking to identify biologically plausible environmental exposures, we have focused on inhalation of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins carried by dust in the Gulf region, particularly Qatar. Cyanobacterial crusts and mats are widespread in the deserts of Qatar, occupying up to 56% of the available area in some microhabitats. These cyanobacterial crusts, which help bind the desert sands, are dormant throughout most of the year, but during brief spring rains actively photosynthesize. When disturbed by vehicular traffic or other military activities, the dried crusts and mats can produce significant dust. Using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. (HPLC/FD) an amino acid analyzer, ultraperformance liquid chromatograpy/mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS), and triple quadrupole liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), we found that the dried crusts and mats contained neurotoxic cyanobacterial toxins, including -N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and 2,4 diaminobutyric acid (DAB). If dust containing cyanobacteria is inhaled, significant exposure to BMAA and other cyanotoxins may occur. We suggest that inhalation of BMAA, DAB, and other aerosolized cyanotoxins may constitute a significant risk factor for the development of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Reduction of sympathetic activity via adrenal-targeted GRK2 gene deletion attenuates heart failure progression and improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction.

Chronic heart failure (HF) is characterized by sympathetic overactivity and enhanced circulating catecholamines (CAs), which significantly increase HF morbidity and mortality. We recently reported that adrenal G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) is up-regulated in chronic HF, leading to enhanced CA release via desensitization/down-regulation of the chromaffin cell α2-adrenergic receptors that normally inhibit CA secretion. We also showed that adrenal GRK2 inhibition decreases circulating CAs and improves cardiac inotropic reserve and function. Herein, we hypothesized that adrenal-targeted GRK2 gene deletion before the onset of HF might be beneficial by reducing sympathetic activation. To specifically delete GRK2 in the chromaffin cells of the adrenal gland, we crossed PNMTCre mice, expressing Cre recombinase under the chromaffin cell-specific phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) gene promoter, with floxedGRK2 mice. After confirming a significant (∼50%) reduction of adrenal GRK2 mRNA and protein levels, the PNMT-driven GRK2 knock-out (KO) offspring underwent myocardial infarction (MI) to induce HF. At 4 weeks post-MI, plasma levels of both norepinephrine and epinephrine were reduced in PNMT-driven GRK2 KO, compared with control mice, suggesting markedly reduced post-MI sympathetic activation. This translated in PNMT-driven GRK2 KO mice into improved cardiac function and dimensions as well as amelioration of abnormal cardiac β-adrenergic receptor signaling at 4 weeks post-MI. Thus, adrenal-targeted GRK2 gene KO decreases circulating CAs, leading to improved cardiac function and β-adrenergic reserve in post-MI HF. GRK2 inhibition in the adrenal gland might represent a novel sympatholytic strategy that can aid in blocking HF progression.
Do Cardioselective β-Adrenoceptor Antagonists Reduce Mortality in Diabetic Patients with Congestive Heart Failure?

The relative benefits of cardioselective β-adrenoceptor antagonists (CSB) among patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetes mellitus are not firmly established. To determine whether diabetic patients with CHF accrue the same mortality benefit from CSB therapy as non-diabetic patients. Between October 1999 and November 2000 consecutive patients with CHF at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Indianapolis, IN, USA, were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial and prospectively followed for 5 years. Disease severity and CHF-specific functional status were obtained from patients at baseline. Medical records were accessed for data regarding co-morbidities, medications, and mortality. Propensity-score analysis was used to balance co-variates because of the observational nature of CSB use, given this was a post hoc analysis. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare survival between diabetic and non-diabetic patients stratified by whether they were or were not receiving CSB therapy. Of the 412 evaluable patients, 222 (54%) had diabetes and 212 (51%) were taking a CSB. At 5-year follow-up, 186 (45%) patients had died. In the multivariate analysis, using propensity scores to balance covariates, CSB therapy was an independent predictor of survival in patients without diabetes (hazard ratio 0.60; p =0.054) only. These results extend prior observations that patients with diabetes and CHF may not accrue the same mortality benefit from CSB therapy as patients without diabetes, and warrant further prospective investigation.
Genetic analysis of factors for resistance to downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) in species of lettuce (Lactuca sativa and L. serriola)

Simultaneous genetic analysis of resistance in species of lettuce (Lactuca sativa and L. serriola) and a virulence in Bremia lactucae were made to characterize the genetic basis of resistance to downy mildew in 11 host cultivars and accessions. Four new downy mildew resistance genes (Dm13, Dm14, Dm15 and Dm16) were characterized. Other resistance phenotypes were conditioned by combinations of these or previously described Dm genes. New resistance genes, Dm 16 (from LSE/18), Dm14 (from Gelber Winterkonig) and Dm15 (from PIVT 1309), mapped to Dm linkage group I (Dm1, Dm2, Dm3 and Dm6) while Dm13 from Pennlake segregated independently of the three previously characterized linkage groups and therefore belongs to a fourth linkage group. Characterization of new resistance genes requires simultaneous consideration of host and pathogen genetics.
Caffeic acid attenuates the decrease of cortical BDNF transcript IV mRNA induced by swim stress in wild-type but not in 5-lipoxygenase-deficient mice

Caffeic acid is a natural compound that inhibits 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). In mice, caffeic acid produces antidepressant-like effects and attenuates the decrease in cortical brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA induced by forced swimming. We used wild-type and 5-LOX-deficient mice and found that swimming reduced the cortical content of BDNF exon IV but not exon I mRNA. The BDNF transcript IV decrease was attenuated by caffeic acid in wild-type but not in 5-LOX-deficient mice, suggesting a role for 5-LOX in BDNF regulation.
Viaje a través del tiempo: anacronismo y distopía en La antena (2007), de Esteban Sapir

En los ultimos anos la critica latinoamericanista ha recurrido con frecuencia creciente al concepto de realismo para designar cierta tendencia etico-estetica dentro del cine contemporaneo. Basandose en relecturas del teorico frances Andre Bazin, una serie reciente de monografias, articulos y conferencias se ha concentrado en volver a examinar la realidad en la practica cinematografi ca y, de manera mas amplia, audiovisual.1 La revalorizacion de lo real permite a los criticos enfrentarse con problemas sociales contemporaneos (por ejemplo, la brecha creciente entre ricos y pobres en el neoliberalismo) y a la vez tomar distancia de las peliculas explicitamente intervencionistas de momentos anteriores. En este contexto, el cine de Esteban Sapir parece fuera de lugar. Tanto en su abierta critica al mercado como en el lenguaje vanguardista que cita de manera continua y apasionada, se trata de un cine claramente anti-realista; al mismo tiempo –a pesar o quizas debido a la abundancia de sus citas– da la impresion de ser extranamente “nuevo”. La pregunta que subyace en la ultima pelicula de Sapir, La Antena (2008), es la siguiente: ?es posible crear un lenguaje critico y rupturista a traves del anacronismo? En lo que sigue, examino las formas en las que La Antena establece un vinculo entre la ciencia-fi ccion y los aspectos formales de las primeras decadas del cine, aprovechando las preocupaciones que ambos comparten con respecto a la relacion entre tecnologia, modernidad y experimentacion artistica. En lugar de proponer una vision del futuro mediante la construccion de un mundo posible, Sapir vuelve su mirada hacia la primera mitad del siglo XX, con el fi n de recuperar las posibilidades fracasadas del cine de esa epoca; de esta manera, pone en cuestion los idiomas cada vez mas hegemonicos de lo televisivo y, en un segundo momento, de lo digital.
Computational Dispersion Properties of Horizontal Staggered Grids for Atmospheric and Ocean Models

The computational dispersion properties of horizontally and time-horizontally staggered grids utilizing corresponding centered-difference techniques for approximation of the adjustment, or gravity wave equations, are examined in terms of their group velocity characteristics. Results are acquired for oceanic and atmospheric models, the former being characterized by a much smaller Rossby radius of deformation. For all grids considered additional filtering is required to control and even eliminate waves with poor computational dispersion characteristics. Computational dispersion properties along with other computational characteristics and requirements give some guidance for an optimal selection of an appropriate grid for an ocean or atmospheric model.
To See or Not to See: Prestimulus α Phase Predicts Visual Awareness

We often fail to see something that at other times is readily detectable. Because the visual stimulus itself is unchanged, this variability in conscious awareness is likely related to changes in the brain. Here we show that the phase of EEG alpha rhythm measured over posterior brain regions can reliably predict both subsequent visual detection and stimulus-elicited cortical activation levels in a metacontrast masking paradigm. When a visual target presentation coincides with the trough of an alpha wave, cortical activation is suppressed as early as 100 ms after stimulus onset, and observers are less likely to detect the target. Thus, during one alpha cycle lasting 100 ms, the human brain goes through a rapid oscillation in excitability, which directly influences the probability that an environmental stimulus will reach conscious awareness. Moreover, ERPs to the appearance of a fixation cross before the target predict its detection, further suggesting that cortical excitability level may mediate target detection. A novel theory of cortical inhibition is proposed in which increased alpha power represents a “pulsed inhibition” of cortical activity that affects visual awareness.
Aggregate formation from 3-alkylindoles: amphiphilicmodels for interfacial helix anchoring groups

Indole can function as an amphiphile headgroup, but the counter-intuitive observation that 3-substituted indoles form less stable aggregates than the N-substituted isomers has been addressed by use of a Langmuir–Blodgett trough.
Synthesis and Characterization of 1‐, 2‐, and 3‐Dimensional Bimetallic UO22+/Zn2+ Phosphonoacetates (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 8/2010)

The cover picture shows three bimetallic UO22+/Zn2+ phosphonoacetates that have been prepared under hydrothermal conditions. The phosphonate linker was generated in situ by the hydrolysis of triethyl phosphonoacetate, as efforts to prepare uranyl/zinc bimetallic phases from the direct reaction of the metal salts with the acid form of the ligand were unsuccessful. These compounds exhibit diverse topologies and dimensionalities that can be attributed to polymerization of the UO22+ sites, oligomerization of Zn2+ octahedra, and degree of Zn2+–ligand coordination; structural features are related to temperature. Details are discussed in the article by K. E. Knope and C. L. Cahill on p. 1177 ff.