cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interpreting Activation Mapping of Atrial Fibrillation: A Hybrid Computational/Physiological Study

Atrial fibrillation is the most common rhythm disorder of the heart associated with a rapid and irregular beating of the upper chambers. Activation mapping remains the gold standard to diagnose and interpret atrial fibrillation. However, fibrillatory activation maps are highly sensitive to far-field effects, and often disagree with other optical mapping modalities. Here we show that computational modeling can identify spurious non-local components of atrial fibrillation electrograms and improve activation mapping. We motivate our approach with a cohort of patients with potential drivers of persistent atrial fibrillation. In a computational study using a monodomain Maleckar model, we demonstrate that in organized rhythms, electrograms successfully track local activation, whereas in atrial fibrillation, electrograms are sensitive to spiral wave distance and number, spiral tip trajectories, and effects of fibrosis. In a clinical study, we analyzed n = 15 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation that was terminated by limited ablation. In five cases, traditional activation maps revealed a spiral wave at sites of termination; in ten cases, electrogram timings were ambiguous and activation maps showed incomplete reentry. By adjusting electrogram timing through computational modeling, we found rotational activation, which was undetectable with conventional methods. Our results demonstrate that computational modeling can identify non-local deflections to improve activation mapping and explain how and where ablation can terminate persistent atrial fibrillation. Our hybrid computational/physiological approach has the potential to optimize map-guided ablation and improve ablation therapy in atrial fibrillation.
Reputation and the league standing effect: the case of a split season in minor league baseball

Split season league design resets standings at the midpoint of the season, thus allowing for two periods in which a team can potentially achieve success in a single season. This context allows us t...
Time-Domain Lifetime Measurements

Time-resolved measurements are widely used in fluorescence spectroscopy, particularly for studies of biological macromolecules. This is because time-resolved data frequently contain more information than is available from the steady-state data. For instance, consider a protein which contains two tryptophan residues, each with a distinct lifetime. Because of spectral overlap of the absorption and emission, it is not usually possible to resolve the emission from the two residues. However, the time-resolved data may reveal two decay times, which can be used to resolve the emission spectra and relative intensities of the two tryptophan residues. Then one can question how each of the tryptophan residues is affected by the interactions of the protein with its substrate or other macromolecules. Is one of the tryptophan residues close to the binding site? Is a tryptophan residue in a distal domain affected by substrate binding to another domain? Such questions can be answered if one measures the decay times associated with each tryptophan residue.
Barriers to Technology Implementation in Community College Mathematics Classrooms

Algebra has been called the gatekeeper to higher level mathematics, college success, and higher wages, but many community college students struggle to pass college-level mathematics courses. The National Educational Technology Plan for higher education (U.S. Department of Education 2017b) calls for the integration of technology, such as real-time formative assessments, to support student learning. Community college faculty, however, struggle to implement technology to support student learning. The purpose of this ethnographic study is to describe barriers to technology implementation from the perspectives of mathematics community college instructors. A rural community college in the southeastern United States had a goal of increasing student success rates in developmental and college algebra courses by engaging in professional development to incorporate classroom connectivity technology, the Texas Instruments Navigator system coupled with the Nspire calculator, within their algebra sequence. Over the course of 3 years, mathematics faculty participated in 27 professional development days, provided input for lesson creation and revision, and had ongoing classroom support. Faculty interviews were conducted postintervention and analyzed using a grounded theory approach (Charmaz 2006). Barriers to the implementation of classroom connectivity technology at the instructor level included faculty beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning and about students’ abilities. Other findings included lack of time for planning, inadequate technical support, lack of agency related to the college’s quality enhancement plan, and the perception of misalignment between the activities and the state-mandated curriculum. Implications for supporting technology implementation in higher education will be discussed.
Valve‐Enabled Sample Preparation and RNA Amplification in a Coffee Mug for Zika Virus Detection

The recent outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection represent a public health challenge. Rapid, cost-effective, and reliable diagnostic tools for ZIKV detection at the point of care (POC) are highly desirable, especially for resource-limited nations. To address the need, we have developed an integrated device to achieve sample-to-answer ZIKV detection. The device features innovative ball-based valves enabling the storage and sequential delivery of reagents for virus lysis and a paper-based unit for RNA enrichment and purification. The paper unit is placed in a commercially available coffee mug that provides a constant temperature for reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), followed by colorimetric detection by naked eye or a cellphone camera. Using the device, we demonstrated the reproducible detection of ZIKV in human urine and saliva samples.
High-Value Care Culture Among the Future Physician Workforce in Internal Medicine

PurposeTraining in high-spending regions correlates with higher spending patterns among practicing physicians. This study aimed to evaluate whether trainees’ exposure to a high-value care culture differed based on type of health system in which they trained.MethodIn 2016, 517 internal medicine resid
Tired blood. Part 2.

Anemia, "tired blood," with all the accompanying symptoms, such as fatigue, dyspnea, dizziness, muscle weakness, altered brain function, decreased gastrointestinal function, and cardiac stress, is not a disease. Rather, anemia is a sign that something has interfered with the red blood cell transport system that carries hemoglobin-containing oxygen to all bodily tissues (National Anemia Action Council [NAAC], 2002). In part 1 of this discussion (May/June issue of Orthopaedic Nursing), anemias related to interference with red blood cell development were addressed. In this section, anemias related to hemoglobin abnormalities (microcytic hypochromic anemia) and anemias related to premature erythrocyte destruction (hemolytic anemia) are discussed. Treatment approaches and selected pharmacological interventions are identified.
Experimentation with Full-Duplex Wireless in the COSMOS Testbed

In order to support experimentation with full-duplex (FD) wireless, we integrated the FlexICoN Gen-2 wideband FD radio with the city-scale PAWR COSMOS testbed [1]. In particular, the implemented FD radio consists of an antenna, a customized Gen-2 RF self-interference (SI) canceller box, a USRP software-defined radio (SDR), and a compute node. The RF canceller box includes an RF SI canceller implemented using discrete components on a printed circuit board (PCB), which emulates its RFIC canceller counterpart. The Gen-2 RF SI canceller achieves 50dB RF SI cancellation across 20MHz bandwidth using the technique of frequency-domain equalization (FDE) [2]. In this abstract, we present the design and implementation of the remotely accessible Gen-2 wideband FD radio integrated with the COSMOS sandbox at Columbia University. We also present an example real-time wideband FD wireless link demonstration using the GNU Radio software.
Successful Outcomes following Repair of a Type A Aortic Dissection during Pregnancy

Type A aortic dissections during pregnancy are rare but lethal events, with reported mortalities as high as 60%. Unique changes in hemodynamics, hormone-related alterations in aortic tissue, and preexisting risk factors place patients at an elevated risk for dissection. We report a successful repair of a Type A aortic dissection at 32 weeks of gestation, with excellent outcomes in both mother and child. This report highlights the importance of gestational age and multidisciplinary effort.
To Give or Not to Give: The Challenge of Pharmaceutical Coupons

Diabetes is epidemic and many people cannot afford insulin, a lifesaving medication, as its price has increased by almost 160 percent in the past five years.1 To help subsidize the cost of insulin, one of the staff members at my hospital would like to give patients copayment coupons provided to her by pharmaceutical companies. I advised my colleague to stop distributing these branded coupons, as they promote particular pharmaceutical companies. This practice is not consistent with the policy on interaction with industry established by the Johns Hopkins Health System. Yet at the same time, I want my patients to be able to afford their insulin so they can treat their diabetes. I truly believe in utilitarianism. Would temporarily subsidizing patients' insulin make me and my staff better healthcare providers? Would this minimize my patients' financial burden? Would giving away medications coupons help pharmaceutical companies influence me as a prescriber? This challenge created a personal internal debate and profound moral distress.
Trends in Gender Disparities Among High-Achieving Students in Mathematics: An Analysis of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC):

Using the test scores of more than 2,250,000 students who participated in the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) from 2009 to 2019, this study examined the direction and magnitude of the trend...
The economics of territory selection

Abstract Territorial behavior is a fundamental and conspicuous behavior within numerous species, but the mechanisms driving territory selection remain uncertain. Theory and empirical precedent indicate that many animals select territories economically to satisfy resource requirements for survival and reproduction, based on benefits of food resources and costs of competition and travel. Costs of competition may vary by competitive ability, and costs of predation risk may also drive territory selection. Habitat structure, resource requirements, conspecific density, and predator distribution and abundance are likely to further influence territorial behavior. We developed a mechanistic, spatially-explicit, individual-based model to better understand how animals select particular territories. The model was based on optimal selection of individual patches for inclusion in a territory according to their net value, i.e., benefits (food resources) minus costs (travel, competition, predation risk). Simulations produced predictions for what may be observed empirically if such optimization drives placement and characteristics of territories. Simulations consisted of sequential, iterative selection of territories by simulated animals that interacted to defend and maintain territories. Results explain why certain patterns in space use are commonly observed, and when and why these patterns may differ from the norm. For example, more clumped or abundant food resources are predicted to result, on average, in smaller territories with more overlap. Strongly different resource requirements for individuals or groups in a population will directly affect space use and are predicted to cause different responses under identical conditions. Territories are predicted to decrease in size with increasing population density, which can enable a population's density of territories to change at faster rates than their spatial distribution. Due to competition, less competitive territory-holders are generally predicted to have larger territories in order to accumulate sufficient resources, which could produce an ideal despotic distribution of territories. Interestingly, territory size is predicted to often show a curvilinear response to increases in predator densities, and territories are predicted to be larger where predators are more clumped in distribution. Predictions consistent with empirical observations provide support for optimal patch selection as a mechanism for the economical territories of animals commonly observed in nature.
Neurological Intensive Care: Past Lessons, Current Accomplishments, Future Directions

I wish to offer some perspective on new brain sparing and brain resuscitation therapies. In the end, we all must ask, “What does this mean for the patient”? Many experimental therapies undoubtedly protect the brain, but practical limitations in their administration, timing, and the need for careful patient selection will probably be more important determinants of clinical success than a drug’s biological activity.
Scaling exact inference for discrete probabilistic programs

Probabilistic programming languages (PPLs) are an expressive means of representing and reasoning about probabilistic models. The computational challenge of probabilistic inference remains the primary roadblock for applying PPLs in practice. Inference is fundamentally hard, so there is no one-size-fits all solution. In this work, we target scalable inference for an important class of probabilistic programs: those whose probability distributions are discrete. Discrete distributions are common in many fields, including text analysis, network verification, artificial intelligence, and graph analysis, but they prove to be challenging for existing PPLs. We develop a domain-specific probabilistic programming language called Dice that features a new approach to exact discrete probabilistic program inference. Dice exploits program structure in order to factorize inference, enabling us to perform exact inference on probabilistic programs with hundreds of thousands of random variables. Our key technical contribution is a new reduction from discrete probabilistic programs to weighted model counting (WMC). This reduction separates the structure of the distribution from its parameters, enabling logical reasoning tools to exploit that structure for probabilistic inference. We (1) show how to compositionally reduce Dice inference to WMC, (2) prove this compilation correct with respect to a denotational semantics, (3) empirically demonstrate the performance benefits over prior approaches, and (4) analyze the types of structure that allow Dice to scale to large probabilistic programs.
Sparsifying networks by traversing Geodesics.

The geometry of weight spaces and functional manifolds of neural networks play an important role towards 'understanding' the intricacies of ML. In this paper, we attempt to solve certain open questions in ML, by viewing them through the lens of geometry, ultimately relating it to the discovery of points or paths of equivalent function in these spaces. We propose a mathematical framework to evaluate geodesics in the functional space, to find high-performance paths from a dense network to its sparser counterpart. Our results are obtained on VGG-11 trained on CIFAR-10 and MLP's trained on MNIST. Broadly, we demonstrate that the framework is general, and can be applied to a wide variety of problems, ranging from sparsification to alleviating catastrophic forgetting.
Darwin's vexing contrivance: a new hypothesis for why some flowers have two kinds of anther

Heteranthery, the presence of two or more anther types in the same flower, is taxonomically widespread among bee-pollinated angiosperms, yet has puzzled botanists since Darwin. We test two competing hypotheses for its evolution: the long-standing 'division of labour' hypothesis, which posits that some anthers are specialized as food rewards for bees whereas others are specialized for surreptitious pollination, and our new hypothesis that heteranthery is a way to gradually release pollen that maximizes pollen delivery. We examine the evolution of heteranthery and associated traits across the genus Clarkia (Onagraceae) and study plant-pollinator interactions in two heterantherous Clarkia species. Across species, heteranthery is associated with bee pollination, delayed dehiscence and colour crypsis of one anther whorl, and movement of that anther whorl upon dehiscence. Our mechanistic studies in heterantherous species show that bees notice, forage on and export pollen from each anther whorl when it is dehiscing, and that heteranthery promotes pollen export. We find no support for division of labour, but multifarious evidence that heteranthery is a mechanism for gradual pollen presentation that probably evolved through indirect male-male competition for siring success.
Robust Bayesian Choice

A major concern with the Bayesian approach is the use of a unique probability measure to quantify all relevant uncertainty. Specifying a unique probability with extreme precision when only vague or fragmentary information is available may not be feasible. This would be less of a concern under a form of prior robustness, i.e. when a minor variation in the prior would lead to decisions with similar value. This paper studies prior robustness as a form of continuity of the value of a decision problem under uncertainty. I show that this notion of robustness can be characterized by a form of stable choice over a sequence of perturbed decision problems, i.e. decision problems in which the available acts are perturbed in a precise fashion. I then study a measure of prior robustness that captures the sensitivity of the value under perturbations of the prior. Finally, I consider applications to portfolio choice and a consumption-savings problem.
The 4Es and the 4As (Affect, Agency, Affordance, Autonomy) in the Meshed Architecture of Social Cognition

This chapter builds on the model of a meshed architecture introduced by (Christensen et al., Mind & Language 31:37–66, 2016) to explain skilled performance. The model, as it has been developed, explains how higher-order cognitive elements are integrated with lower-order, automatic motoric processes during performance, mapping out a vertical-hierarchical integration. A more complex, enhanced model of the meshed architecture is developed here, introducing (1) intrinsic control features which are not reducible to automatic processes, (2) affective factors that modulate both cognitive and motoric processes, and (3) a horizontal integration of environmental, social, and cultural-normative factors, consistent with 4E (embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive) approaches in cognitive science. This enhanced model is then applied to the analysis of social cognition, understood as a social interactive performance, in order to show how we can think of the meshing of various semiotic factors in communicative and social interactions.
A surrogate mixture and kinetic mechanism for emulating the evaporation and autoignition characteristics of gasoline fuel

Abstract Gasoline direct-injection spark-ignition engines and gasoline direct-injection compression-ignition engines have received attention due to their higher fuel economy with respect to conventional port fuel injected internal combustion spark-ignition engines. Combustion modeling of these types of engines requires a fuel surrogate that mimics both physical (e.g., evaporation) and chemical (e.g., combustion) characteristics of the gasoline fuel. In this work, we propose a novel methodology for the formulation of a gasoline surrogate based on the essential physical and chemical properties of the target gasoline fuel. Using the proposed procedure, a surrogate with seven components has been identified to emulate the physical and chemical characteristics of a real non-oxygenated gasoline fuel, RD387. A surrogate kinetic mechanism was developed by combining available detailed kinetic mechanisms from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory library. The modeling results for distillation curve, ignition delay and laminar flame speed were validated against available experimental data in the literature. The surrogate and gasoline fuels display similar physical/chemical properties, including distillation curve, H/C ratio, density, heating value, and ignition behavior and flame propagation over a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and equivalence ratios.
Growth of Coliphage T7 in Salmonella typhimurium

A mutant of Salmonella typhimurium was found to be sensitive to killing by coliphage T7 because of an alteration in its surface properties. However, the infections were abortive and studies with (32)P-labeled T7 grown in Escherichia coli B (T7.B) indicated that the phage DNA was restricted by S. typhimurium. When a mutant T7 which survived the restriction and produced plaques on Salmonella (T7.S) was passed through one cycle of growth in E. coli B, its ability to grow in Salmonella was lost, indicating that host-controlled restriction and modification are operative in this system. Restrictionless S. typhimurium mutants were isolated that permit the growth of not only T7.S but also T7.B and coliphage T3. The physiology of T7 production in the restrictionless host is nearly identical to that in Escherichia coli.
A multi-model nesting approach for simulating deep ocean dynamics and topographic interactions

This paper describes a nesting approach for ocean models that is useful when the numerical model for the inner nest differs from the that used for the outer model. The typical use of nested grids in ocean modeling is to refine the horizontal resolution in a certain region, and often the same numerical model is employed for the outer and inner nests. In the application described here, a refinement of the vertical as well as the horizontal resolution is desired, and the structure of the vertical grid for the inner nest is necessarily different than that used in the outer model. In particular, this study is focused on simulation of bottom-intensified small-scale intense currents traveling along the Sigsbee Escarpment, a steep topographic feature found between roughly 1500–3000m depth in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) is used to simulate large-scale upper ocean circulation features in the Gulf of Mexico, and a very-high resolution nest is applied using the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) with a new quasi-vanishing sigma vertical coordinate over the Sigsbee Escarpment region.
Staphylococcal endocarditis: Laboratory and clinical basis for antibiotic therapy

Antibiotic therapy for staphylococcal endocarditis is based on in vitro susceptibility, antibiotic efficacy in experimental endocarditis, and clinical experience. Native valve endocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus in non-addicts is treated with four to six weeks of a penicillinase-resistant penicillin, a cephalosporin, or vancomycin. An aminoglycoside can be added for the initial three to five days, but longer-term multiple-drug therapy (adding an aminoglycoside and rifampin) is reserved for unresponsive infection. Right-sided native valve endocarditis in addicts usually responds to less vigorous therapy than that for native valve endocarditis in non-addicts. Vancomycin is the drug of choice for endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Intrinsic methicillin-resistance in Staphylococcus epidermidis is often cryptic, requiring special tests for detection. Methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis is the major cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis. Vancomycin, rifampin, and gentamicin therapy for two weeks, followed by vancomycin plus rifampin, is recommended for treating this infection. Despite potent antimicrobial therapy, surgery is important in the therapy of complicated endocarditis, particularly prosthetic valve endocarditis.
Mutation of a consensus purine nucleotide binding site in the adeno-associated virus rep gene generates a dominant negative phenotype for DNA replication.

Abstract Adeno-associated virus (AAV) contains a multifunctional nonstructural gene, rep, which is required for AAV DNA replication and has pleiotropic effects on positive and negative regulation of gene expression. All of the parvovirus nonstructural genes contain a region of highly conserved amino acid homology. Within this conserved region is the consensus sequence for a purine nucleotide binding site. We constructed a mutant AAV having a mutation in this site by converting lysine 340 to histidine. The resulting mutant AAV genome, pNTC23, overproduced the mutant Rep proteins, indicating that these proteins are autoregulated. Furthermore, the mutant gene was unable to replicate but was able to inhibit in trans wild-type AAV DNA replication. Thus, pNTC23 represents a dominant negative mutant of AAV. These results suggest that rep has separate functional domains important for DNA replication.
Sovereignty in World Ecopolitics

Over the last three decades, the number of international environmental agreements into which states have entered has proliferated enormously. In the 1970s it was commonly assumed that the cumulative impact of such agreements would be to undermine the institution of state sovereignty. Recent evidence, however, suggests that the trend toward international cooperation in the face of “the seamless web of nature” has resulted in something more subtle but perhaps equally profound: a shift in the practices and norms of sovereignty. This essay looks at the impact of international environmental problem solving on state sovereignty. As a prelude, it reviews recent literature from international relations theory that substantiates a more differentiated view of sovereignty, separating it into three components: authority, control, and legitimacy. With this more complex notion of sovereignty as a backdrop, the review argues that the proliferation of environmental agreements has in fact led to a complex web of “sovereignty bargains” through which states have increased their sovereignty vis-a-vis certain dimensions even as they have suffered losses of sovereignty vis-a-vis others. Although more research remains to be done, environmental cooperation appears to have indeed altered the nature and practice of sovereignty in the contemporary world.
SMAS Debulking for Management of the Thick-Skinned Nose

Introduction Oneof the greatest challenges in cosmetic rhinoplasty is the overly thicknasal skin envelope. In addition toexacerbatingunwantednasalwidth, thicknasal skin is amajor impediment to aesthetic refinement of the nose. Owing to its bulk, noncompliance, and tendency to scar, overly thick skin frequently obscures topographic definition of the nasal framework, thereby limiting or negating cosmetic improvements. Maskingof the skeletal contour is usuallymostevident followingaggressive reduction rhinoplasty where overly thick and noncompliantnasal skin fails toshrinkandconformtothesmallerskeletal framework. The result is excessive subcutaneous dead space leading to further fibrotic thickening of the already bulky nasal covering. Despite the decrease in nasal size, the resulting nasal contour is typically amorphous, ill-defined and devoid of beauty and elegance. Tooptimizecosmetic results in thick-skinnednoses, contourenhancement is best achieved by elongating and projecting the skeletal framework whenever possible (Figure 1). Skeletal augmentation not only reduces dead space tominimize fibrotic thickening, it also stretches and thins the outer soft-tissue covering for improved surface definition. However, in noses in which the nasal framework is already too large, skeletal augmentation is not a viable option, and the overly thick skin envelope must be surgically thinned to achieve better skin contractility and improved cosmetic outcomes. Histologicexaminationofoverly thicknasal tip skin reveals comparatively little dermal thickening or increased adipose content but ratherasubstantial increaseinthicknessofthesubcutaneousfibromuscular tissues.1Dubbed the “nasal SMAS” layer,2 the fibromuscular tissue layer lies just beneath the subdermal fat andmay account for an additional2 to3mmofskin flapthickness.OwingtoadiscretedissectionplaneseparatingthenasalSMAS layer fromtheoverlyingsubdermal fat, surgical excisionof thehypertrophicnasal SMAS layer canbe performedsafely inhealthycandidatesusingtheexternal rhinoplasty approach.3However,theoverlyingsubdermalplexus(containedwithin the subdermal fat)must be carefully protected.3-5 Similarly, inadvertentdisruptionof thepaired lateralnasal arteries—major feedingvessels to the subdermal plexus—must alsobeavoided, and special care should be exercisedwhenworking near the alar crease.3-5 SMASdebulking is also contraindicated in skin less than 3-mm thick because overlyaggressivesurgicaldebulkingmayleadtounsightlyprominence oftheskeletal topography.However, intheappropriatepatient,SMAS debulkingcanreduceskinenvelopethicknessbyasmuchas3.0mm, with greater reductions common in revision rhinoplasty caseswhen vascularity permits.6
Structure activity relationship among fibrin-targeted PET probes

240 Objectives Thrombosis is implicated in a number of cardiovascular diseases and there remains a need to better detect thrombosis. In this study, we describe the optimization of a fibrin-targeted PET probe with respect to thrombus uptake, biodistribution, and metabolic stability. Methods A series of fibrin-specific peptides conjugated to various Cu-64-chelates as PET reporters was prepared. Peptides were synthesized using standard solid phase techniques, chelates coupled to the N- and C-termini using various linkers, and probes were prepared by labeling using standard Cu-64 radiochemistry. In vitro fibrin affinity was assayed in the presence and absence of plasma. A crush injury model was used to induce thrombosis in the right carotid artery of Wistar rats. Imaging was performed with a clinical 3.0-T MR imager with a MR-compatible human PET imager. Serial blood draws were used to determine plasma clearance and metabolic stability. The biodistribution of Cu-64 was determined ex vivo, 2 hours after injection by well counting. Results Probes maintained in vitro fibrin affinity after being derivatized with chelates, however in vitro affinity did not always correlate with in vivo efficacy. These differences were traced to metabolic stability of the probes with respect to peptide degradation and/or copper release. The thrombus was visible on PET imaging as a region of high activity and simultaneous MR angiography localized this area of high activity to the right carotid artery at the site of the crush injury. For the best probes, the second highest Cu-64 concentration, after the kidney, was in the thrombus. Conclusions Hybrid PET/MR imaging with fibrin-specific PET probes enables detection of arterial thrombus in a rat model. Judicious modification of the charge, linker and Cu-64-chelate of fibrin-specific probes enables enhanced in vivo thrombus uptake and metabolic stability. Research Support NIH: 5T32CA009502 and R01HL10944
Cardiac and skeletal muscle mitochondria have a monocarboxylate transporter MCT1

To evaluate the potential role of monocarboxylate transporter-1 (MCT1) in tissue lactate oxidation, isolated rat subsarcolemmal and interfibrillar cardiac and skeletal muscle mitochondria were probed with an antibody to MCT1. Western blots indicated presence of MCT1 in sarcolemmal membranes and in subsarcolemmal and interfibrillar mitochondria. Minimal cross-contamination of mitochondria by cell membrane fragments was verified by probing for the sarcolemmal protein GLUT-1. In agreement, immunolabeling and electron microscopy showed mitochondrial MCT1 in situ. Along with lactic dehydrogenase, the presence of MCT1 in striated muscle mitochondria permits mitochondrial lactate oxidation and facilitates function of the “intracellular lactate shuttle.”
A study of a Malthusian parameter in relation to some stochastic models of human reproduction

Abstract The paper is divided into six sections and is devoted to a study of a Malthusian parameter in relation to some stochastic models of human reproduction. In Section 1, some of the motivations underlying the study are discussed, and in Section 2 some literature on the stochastic model of population growth underlying the foundations of the paper is briefly reviewed. Section 3, which lays the foundations for the study of a more complicated model in Section 4, is devoted to the study of the Malthusian parameter in relation to a stochastic model of human reproduction formulated as a terminating renewal process. In Section 4 the Malthusian parameter is studied in relation to a terminating Markov renewal model of human reproduction, stemming from the work of Perrin and Sheps (1964) . Among the mathematical results of independent interest in this section is a complete spectral decomposition of the Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the semi-Markov transition matrix in the model of Perrin and Sheps. Section 5 is devoted to the discussion of a mathematical method which allows accomodating in the model the time taken by an individual to reach reproductive age, and Section 6 ends the paper by supplying bounds for the Malthusian parameter which are valid under quite general conditions. Possible applications of the results in evaluating what influences a population policy may have on population growth are also discussed.
Ecological distinctions between sympatric species of Saguinus and Sciurus

Tamarins are small New World monkeys that have been described as "squirrellike." Squirrels, along with bats and birds, are the taxa most likely to utilize resources similar to those used by primates in the tropical forest canopy. In this paper we compare differences in ecology, diet, locomotion, and habitat utilization between sympatric populations of tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) and tree squirrels (Sciurus granatensis) in Panama. Data presented indicate that although there is some degree of resource overlap, patterns of habitat utilization differ significantly. Rather than being "squirrellike," the Panamanian tamarin exhibits a pattern of locomotor and feeding behavior consistent with that found in other arboreal primates.
Creep behavior of extruded Al–6Mg–1Sc–1Zr–10 vol.% SiCp composite

Abstract Creep tests were performed on a fine-grained Al–6Mg–1Sc–1Zr–10 vol.% SiC particulate composite in the temperature range of 423–533 K. The composite exhibited a high value of apparent stress exponent and apparent activation energy for creep at low temperatures. The flow behavior of this composite was characterized by the presence of a threshold stress. Incorporation of threshold stress into analysis reduces the high values of apparent stress exponent and activation energy to those anticipated from the creep of solid solution alloys. The result showed increased creep resistance in the composite compared to the unreinforced alloy.
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A SERIES OF LIPOPHILIC CISPLATIN ANALOGS WITH PIPERIDINE AS NONLEAVING AMINE LIGAND

Abstract A series of lipophilic platinum(II) complexes of the type cis-[Pt(PIP)2 L 2] where PIP = piperidine and L = acetate, propionate, butanoate, pentanoate, hexanoate, heptanoate, octanoate, nonanoate, decanoate, undecanoate, laurate, tridecanoate, myristate, pentadecanoate, palmitate, heptadecanoate, stearate, nonadecanoate and eicosanoate has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, and by infrared, 13C and 195Pt nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques. The complexes have been prepared as potential antitumor agents for liposome entrapment.
Generation–recombination noise and photo-induced transient conductivity in epitaxial CdHgTe long wavelength infrared detectors

Abstract Measurements are described of I – V characteristics, resistance versus T −1 , noise and photoresponse for frequencies of 10 Hz to 1 MHz in the temperature range 300–50 K for cadmium-mercury telluride long-wavelength infrared detectors having 12 μ epitaxial layers on wide band gap material. The noise consists of 1/ f noise and one or two Lorentzians, attributed to shallow hole traps, probably associated with Hg vacancies. The results are discussed and analyzed after a brief resume of g–r noise. The PICTS response curves are attributed to tunneling to interface states.
Alterations in Talar Morphology Associated with Adult Flatfoot

To gain a better understanding of the anatomy of the factors contributing to symptomatic flatfoot, we compared the shape of the talus in feet that were flat to that in control tali from feet with a normal arch. Computed tomographic (CT) scans were performed on 9 adult patients with 10 symptomatic flatfoot deformities. CT scans of 10 feet being evaluated for acute trauma not involving the talus were randomly selected as controls. Flatfoot tali tended to be of greater overall length than the control tali, and this difference was not statistically significant. Statistically significant differences were found when comparing ratios of talar length with talar width (P = 0.011), talar length with talar height (P = 0.001) (they were long relative to their height and width), and head length with head width (P = 0.001) for individual tali from the two groups.The tali from the flatfoot group were narrower in width and shorter in height when compared with overall length and had heads that were more elongated in the t...
Hybrid treatment of aortic and mitral paravalvular leaks: A novel approach

Abstract Paravalvular leak (PVL) is a well-recognized complication of prosthetic valve replacement. Peri-prosthetic regurgitation is clinically significant in 1–5% of patients with PVL causing symptoms of congestive heart failure and/or hemolysis. Traditionally, cardiac reoperation and surgical re-replacement of the valve has been the treatment of choice. Reoperations carry higher risks than primary operations and tissue fragility may make successful prosthetic valve re-replacement difficult. Percutaneous closure of PVL is a newer and less invasive technique, gaining popularity especially in high-risk surgical patients. However, the long-term efficacy is unknown, and the technique is limited by the size of the PVL. In the case of multiple PVLs in high-risk patients, another viable alternative is to employ a hybrid strategy. This combination of surgical and percutaneous approaches has not been reported previously. Our report describes the use of a hybrid strategy in the management of multiple PVLs in a high-risk patient. This synergy relies on the Heart Team concept, and may result in improved outcomes with PVLs in high-risk or non-surgical candidates.
Reply to comment by F. A-M. Bender on “A multi-data comparison of shortwave climate forcing changes”

(1) The manuscript by Bender (2006) (hereinafter re- ferred to as Bender06), suggests that the conclusions by Palleet al. (2005) (hereinafter referred to as Palle05), are undermined by limitations in their data. In particular, they criticize the data for not being global. We agree with Bender06 that all the albedo measurements suffer deficien- cies at some level, but we do not agree with her interpre- tation of our results. We show here how, 4 of the 5 data sets used by Palle05 can be considered global and that there is plenty of evidence for decadal variability in the shortwave part of the Earth's radiation budget. (2) Truly global albedo observations from satellite plat- forms are available during 1985-1989 from ERBE data and 2000-present from CERES. The comparison of these two data sets already shows a large change in albedo of about
3-D crustal velocity structure at the rift tip in the western Woodlark Basin

We present a three-dimensional (3-D) crustal velocity model for part of the western Woodlark Basin in the SW Pacific, where rifting of a continental arc transitions to seafloor spreading. Velocities to ∼14 km depth are constrained by regularized inversion of first arrival traveltimes recorded at 14 ocean bottom instruments from a network of airgun profiles within an 80 km × 80 km area. The 3-D velocity model images the axis and flanks of the rift basin adjacent to the westernmost spreading segment. Velocity contours that dip north at ∼10° parallel seismic reflectors from within a thick ophiolitic basement. High velocities (7.5 km/s) at the base of our model and preliminary analysis of earthquake P-wave arrival times are consistent with an average crustal thickness of 15–20 km. Anomalously shallow upper mantle (8 km/s) velocities occur 6 km south of the spreading center at a depth of 3 km below the seafloor, and in the western part of the model, ∼30 km east of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, at a depth of 6 km below the seafloor.
Spiritual Well-Being, Social Desirability and Reasons for Living: Is there a Connection?

In order to explore the relationship between spirituality, social desirability, and reasons for living, 100 individuals completed the Reasons for Living Inventory (RFL), the Spiritual Well-being Sc...
Naturalism vs. positivism: Debates over coercive protection of human rights in Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo

This essay analyzes the largely political causes behind the incipient norm for enforcing human rights protection, what is often called ‘collective humanitarian intervention’, that has emerged in the peacemaking and peacekeeping missions in Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo. It does not take a legal approach to determining what is or should be this new international law. Rather, three political science paradigms are used to explain why Western states have adopted a natural law approach to humanitarian intervention, rather than defer to a consensus understanding of the text of the UN Charter's rules on the use of force. This new trend away from positivism is crucial because humanitarian intervention is likely to be the more frequent kind of war that most NATO states are likely to fight. NATO leaders did not undertake, indeed they probably tried to avoid, debates over the UN Charter and international jurisprudence. Yet, international law is based on how states behave. The natural law proclivities of NATO leaders, to ...
Phase II trial of ifosfamide and mesna in leiomyosarcoma ofthe uterus: A Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Summary OBJECTIVE : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of ifosfamide (isophosphamide) inpatients with advanced or recurrent leiomyosarcoma not previously exposed to chemotherapy STUDY DESIGN : This is a phase II groupwide study of the Gynecologic Oncology Group. Thirty-fivepatients were treated with ifosfamide 1.5 gm/m2 daily intravenously for 5 days with mesna (mercaptoethane sodium sulfonate). Fifty-six patients had received prior abdominal hysterectomy and 15 prior radiotherapy. The dose was reduced to 1.2 gm/m2 daily in patients who had received prior radiotherapy. RESULTS : Gynecologic Oncology Group grade III or IV granulocytopenia occurred in 4 (11%) patients,and none had grade IV thrombocytopenia. One (2.8%) patient had grade IV neurotoxicity. Partial responses were observed in 6 of 35 (17.2%) patients. The 95% confidence interval for response was 6.6% to 33.7%. CONCLUSION : These results indicate that ifosfamide has modest activity in patients with advanced orrecurrent leiomyosarcomas of the uterus. (AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1992;166:556-9.)
Developmental characteristics of brain catecholamines and tyrosine hydroxylase in the rat: effects of 6‐hydroxydopamine

Summary 1 Brain noradrenaline, dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase were found in rat brain a few days before birth and increased progressively until reaching adult values. The most rapid period of growth for these substances seemed to occur between 7 and 18 days. 2 The intracisternal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine to rats 7 days of age reduced concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine, and tyrosine hydroxylase by 72 hours. 3 The concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine or tyrosine hydroxylase in rats that received 6-hydroxydopamine at 7 or 14 days of age remained markedly reduced when determined at adulthood, indicating that fibres did not continue to develop after the administration of this compound. The rats treated at 7 days also showed diminished concentrations of noradrenaline in heart. 4 Rats injected with 6-hydroxydopamine at 7 days had reduced body weight as well as a reduction of some organ weights. This growth deficit was not observed in animals that received this drug at 14 days of age. 5 The administration of ovine growth hormone to rats that received 6-hydroxydopamine at 7 days did not reverse the growth deficiency in these animals.
Phase Equilibria in the System CaO-Iron Oxide in Air and at 1 Atm. O2 Pressure

Phase equilibrium data, obtained by the quenching technique, are presented for mixtures in the iron oxide-rich part of the system CaO-iron oxide in air and at 1 atm. O2 pressure. Present data are combined with data available in the literature to construct phase diagrams comprising the region from liquidus temperatures to temperatures slightly below the solidus.
Summer jobs reduce violence among disadvantaged youth

Every day, acts of violence injure more than 6000 people in the United States. Despite decades of social science arguing that joblessness among disadvantaged youth is a key cause of violent offending, programs to remedy youth unemployment do not consistently reduce delinquency. This study tests whether summer jobs, which shift focus from remediation to prevention, can reduce crime. In a randomized controlled trial among 1634 disadvantaged high school youth in Chicago, assignment to a summer jobs program decreases violence by 43% over 16 months (3.95 fewer violent-crime arrests per 100 youth). The decline occurs largely after the 8-week intervention ends. The results suggest the promise of using low-cost, well-targeted programs to generate meaningful behavioral change, even with a problem as complex as youth violence.
Locomotor activity of the blowfly as a function of feeding and starvation

Abstract The effect of feeding and starvation on locomotor activity in Phormia regina Meigen was studied. It was found that flies fed glucose, fucose, or mannose were much less active than were flies that had been starved for 24 hr. Immediately after feeding flies were less active than at any other time, but activity increased progressively thereafter. Metabolic state and blood sugar concentration were shown not to be determinants of activity; nor was the mechanism involved in the control of activity identical with that by which feeding and starvation control taste threshold. Evidence was given that locomotor activity is some function of crop volume and hence, perhaps, of the rate of crop emptying. Injections greatly decreased activity, partly by means of a wound factor type of action.
Porous acrylic cement.

The use of acrylic bone cement has a number of shortcomings, viz., high curing temperatures that can cause thermal necrosis, release of toxic monomer, and a less than perfect cement-to-bone bond. However, by modifying the cement composition through the addition of a soluble, nontoxic filler such as sucrose or tricalcium phosphate which does not impair the workability of the material during surgery, a significant improvement in the performance of the cement can be achieved. Because the filler replaces part of the acrylic components, less heat is generated during curing while the filler itself acts as a heat sink. Also, less monomer, proportional to the amount replaced by the filler, diffuses from the implant site. Upon elution of the filler, a porous cement will be obtained provided that a critical minimum percentage loading is exceeded so that the filler crystals will make physical contact with each other. The value of this percentage depends on both crystal modification and size. In the 125–175 μm sucrose crystal size range, the critical minimum percentage lies in the range of 20–28 wt % loading. Above 30%, the interconnecting pore size increases sharply to a value which allows good tissue ingrowth into the pores. The introduction of filler and pores causes a drop in strength, but the diametral tensile strength of modified cement containing up to 40% pores and sucrose lies between .7 and 1.5 kg/mm2, respectively, which is still in the same range as that of bone.