cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CARDIAC RUPTURE DURING MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION. A REVIEW OF 44 CASES

Forty-four cases of myocardial infarction with cardiac rupture, 88 cases of unruptured myocardial infarction, and 88 cases without myocardial infarction were studied retrospectively. The incidence of cardiac rupture in cases with acute myocardial infarction alone was 5.5% while in hearts having both healed and acute myocardial infarction the incidence was 2.3%. One instance of cardiac rupture was encountered in a heart having only a healed myocardial infarction with subsequent aneurysmal dilation of the healed infarct. Although females represented only 37% of the population having acute myocardial infarction in this institution, they accounted for 55% of the cases of cardiac rupture. On the average the hearts which ruptured following myocardial infarction were lighter and thinner than in the control group of patients having infarction without rupture. Among the clinical correlates possibly associated with postinfarction rupture the most significant finding in the present study is the presence of postinfar...
The Content of L1 and L2 Students' Lecture Notes and Its Relation to Test Performance.

The lecture notes of 129 Ll and L2 students were examined in terms of five indexes for the content of notes: (a) the total number of words and notations, (b) the number of information units, (c) the number of test questions answerable from the notes, (d) the completeness of the notes, and (e) the efficiency of the notes. Three stepwise multiple regression analyses of the data were conducted to identify which of the indexes predicted achievement on the postlecture quiz covering lecture concepts and details for (a) the Li note takers and the L2 note takers as a group, (b) the L1 note takers, and (c) the L2 note takers. Results suggest that L1/L2 note takers who scored high on the recognition measure compacted a large amount of the lecture material into propositional pieces of information and detected and recorded information that subsequently appeared on the postlecture quiz. Implications of the findings for pedagogy and note-taking research are suggested. Taking lecture notes is widely accepted as a useful strategy for augmenting student attention and retention of academic discourse. Note taking is intuitively appealing to both learner and lecturer alike and is generally viewed as one class of mathemagenic activity (Rothkopf, 1970) that facilitates the process of learning and retaining lecture material. The facilitative effect of note taking is thought to derive from one or both of two postulated functions: (a) the encoding function and (b) the external storage function (Di Vesta & Gray, 1972). Encoding (the process) supposedly aids learning and retention by activating attentional mechanisms and engaging the learner's cognitive processes of coding, integrating, synthesizing, and transforming the aurally received input into a personally meaningful form. The external storage function of note taking is seen as important because the notes (the product) serve as an external repository of information
Enhancement of tight junctional barrier function by micronutrients: compound-specific effects on permeability and claudin composition.

Amid an increasing number of reports in the literature concerning epithelial barrier enhancement by various nutrient compounds, there has never been a study performing side-by-side comparisons of these agents in a single epithelial model. We compare five nutrient compounds (previously reported in various epithelial models to enhance barrier function) regarding their ability to increase transepithelial electrical resistance (Rt) and decrease transepithelial mannitol permeability (Jm) across LLC-PK1 renal epithelial cell layers. The effects of these nutrients on the abundance of various tight junctional proteins are also compared. In the overall group of nutrients tested - zinc, indole, quercetin, butyrate and nicotine - only nicotine failed to improve barrier function by either parameter. Nicotine also was without effect on tight junctional proteins. Quercetin simultaneously increased Rt and decreased Jm. Zinc, butyrate and indole only exhibited statistically significant enhancement of Rt. Each of these four effective nutrient compounds had unique patterns of effects on the panel of tight junctional proteins studied. No two compounds produced the same pattern of effects. This unique pattern of effects on tight junctional complex composition by each compound establishes the chance for additive or even synergistic improvement of barrier function by combinations of compounds. A synergistic effect of the combination of quercetin and zinc on Rt is shown.
Thermal performance of Landsat-7 ETM+ instrument during first year in flight

Landsat-7 was successfully launched into orbit on April 15, 1999. After devoting three months to the bakeout and cool-down of the radiative cooler, and on-orbit checkout, the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) began the normal imaging phase of the mission in mid-July 1999. This paper presents the thermal performance of the ETM+ from mid-July 1999 to mid-May 2000. The flight temperatures are compared to the yellow temperature limits, and worst cold case and worst hot case flight temperature predictions in the 15-orbit mission design profile. The flight temperature predictions were generated by a thermal model, which was correlated to the observatory thermal balance test data, The yellow temperature limits were derived from the flight temperature predictions, plus some margins. The yellow limits work well in flight, so that only several minor changes to them were needed. Overall, the flight temperatures and flight temperature predictions have good agreement. Based on the ETM+ thermal vacuum qualification test, new limits on the imaging time are proposed to increase the average duty cycle, and to resolve the problems experienced by the Mission Operation Team.
Children and Income in Negro Families

families. It was suggested by Dr. Woofter to the senior author of this article that an analysis be made of data on Negro families in the southern region. This article undertakes such an analysis of nonfarm Negro families. In Table 1 there is presented a comparison of the situation regarding children and income in nonwhite (practically all Negro) families and all the families in the southern region.2 The first fact of importance is that among Negroes 51 percent of the families as compared with 37 percent of all the families in the South have no children. Although the disparity is not as great, the percentage of Negro families with 1, 2, and 3 or more children is smaller in each instance than in the entire population. As the size of the Negro families increases, the differences between the percentage of Negro families and all familes in each category decreases. When the entire child population is considered, the percentage of children in Negro families with 1 or 2 children is smaller than the percentage for the entire child population of the South. But in Negro families with 3 or more children, one finds 65 percent of the children as compared with 58 percent for all families in the South. Thus it results that, though a smaller percentage of Negro families have 1, 2, and 3 or more children, a much higher percentage of Negro children is to be found in the families with 3 or more children than in the population as a whole. In less than a fifth of the Negro families there are nearly two-thirds of the Negro children in the South. In Table 1 the median family unit income of Negro families is 44 percent less than that for all families in the South.3 But when we compare TABLE 1
Manned spaceflight activity planning with knowledge-based systems

An on-board expert system, capable of assisting with crew-activity planning and platform-status monitoring, could provide unprecedented autonomy to the crew of a permanently manned space station. To demonstrate this concept's feasibility, an existing knowledge-based system is adapted to support Space Shuttle crew-activity timeline planning. Proposed timeline changes are to be checked for compliance with crew capabilities and mission operating guidelines, so that a nonexpert can be guided through a successful plan modification. Early lessons that have been learned about the scope of the adaptation needed to achieve this objective are presented.
A note on Nei's measure of gene diversity in a substructured population.

The decomposition of the total gene diversity in a substructured population into its components is presented when the sizes on the subpopulations are not necessarily equal. The effect of unequal subpopulation sizes on the coefficient of gene diversity is also discussed. The sampling variance of this index of subdivision, derived here, can be used to measure the extent of the effect of subdivision more objectively.
An orthotropic flow rule for superplastic Ti-6A1-4V

Abstract During uniaxial testing of rolled Ti-6Al-4V in the superplastic regime, the initially round cross sections of the test specimens became oval. The relationship between this macroscopic anisotropy and the microstructure was modeled by assuming that the lateral flow during uniaxial tests depends on the α phase grain shape in the lateral plane but is independent of the directional grain size parallel to the axis of deformation. With this assumption, the behavior can be generalized to determine the full, multiaxial compliance in terms of the α grain shape. Therefore, with no additional requirements for material testing and only one additional material parameter, uniaxial superplastic constitutive relations can be extended to estimate anisotropic flow.
Differences between Athletes and Non-Athletes in Risk and Health Behaviors in Graduating High School Seniors

Background: High school students involved in athletics may face additional stressors and engage in more problematic behaviors, such as drinking, dieting, and gambling, than non-athletes, especially...
Systemic endotoxin increases steady-state gene expression of hypothalamic nitric oxide synthase: comparison with corticotropin-releasing factor and vasopressin gene transcripts

Abstract The enzyme responsible for nitric oxide (NO) formation, NO synthase (NOS), is found in hypothalamic neurons that control ACTH secretion. This led to the hypothesis that brain NO may modulate the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) axis to various stimuli. We tested this hypothesis by measuring changes in constitutive (c) NOS mRNA levels in the hypothalamus of rats systemically injected with endotoxin, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that releases endogenous cytokines, and analyzed these results in the context of the appearance of ACTH-releasing secretagogues such as corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and vasopressin (VP), as well as CRF receptors type A (CRF-R A ). We purposefully chose doses of LPS thought to only minimally disrupt the blood-brain barrier and not be accompanied by an endotoxin shock, so that the results we obtained did not primarily stem from abnormal passage of compounds into the brain, or non-specific stress. Three to four hours following LPS injection (100 μg/kg, i.v.), cNOS mRNA levels increased in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. LPS treatment also upregulated PVN CRF gene transcription (measured by CRF heteronuclear RNA) and increased steady-state gene expression of the immediate early genes (IEG) c fos and NGFI-B, with the first changes noted 1–2 h after treatment. Transcripts of CRF receptors type A were present in the hypothalamus 6 h after endotoxin treatment. On the other hand, no alterations in cytoplasmic VP mRNA levels were noted in rats injected with LPS. Because the dose of LPS we used stimulates ACTH secretion within 30 min, our results suggest that systemic LPS acts first within the median eminence, where it stimulates peptidic nerve terminals. Neuronal activation of hypothalamic cell bodies takes place later, and whether this phenomenon is due to the production of brain neurotransmitters and/or cytokines, or whether it primarily results from increased demand on the synthetic machinery, remains to be established. These studies extend prior work showing that systemic LPS increases the neuronal activity of hypothalamic regions known for their involvement in the responses of the HP axis, and bring forth two important additional points. First, increases in CRF primary nuclear transcripts are delayed with regard to the temporal release of ACTH. This suggests, though it does not demonstrate, that under the experimental conditions we used, the first site of action of LPS is the median eminence. Second, the observation of increased cNOS gene expression following LPS treatment, and the presence of this enzyme in neurons that regulate ACTH secretion, bring support to the hypothesis that this gas plays an important function in mediating the HP axis response to an immune challenge.
Age of marginal Wisconsin drift at corry, northwestern Pennsylvania

Marl began to accumulate about 14,000 years ago, as determined by radiocarbon dating, in a pond in a kettle hole in Kent drift at Corry, Pa., 9 miles inside the Wisconsin drift margin. This radiocarbon age represents the minimum time since the disappearance of the ice from Corry and confirms an assignment of Cary age to the drift.
Outcome of patients with injection drug use-associated endocarditis admitted to an intensive care unit.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to study the outcome of patients with injection drug use–associated infective endocarditis (IDU-IE) admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Material and Methods A retrospective review of medical records of 33 consecutive patients with IDU-IE admitted to ICU was conducted. Results Main indications for admission to ICU were as follows: severe sepsis or septic shock (36%), respiratory failure (33%), and neurologic deterioration (18%). Staphylococcus aureus was found in 94% of patients, and 15% had polymicrobial infection. Fifteen (45%) patients had septic emboli to 1 or more organs, including 12 (36%) to lungs and 7 (21%) to central nervous system. In-hospital mortality was 27%, and in univariate analysis, previous history of endocarditis (odds ratio [OR], 11.2; P = .03), respiratory failure (OR, 7; P = .03), neurologic failure (OR, 6.25; P = .03), and high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (OR, 1.21; P = .016) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (OR, 1.25; P = .01) increased risk of death. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, previous history of endocarditis and high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score were independently associated with poor survival. Conclusions Complicated IDU-IE necessitating admission to ICU is associated with high mortality. In addition to consequences of sepsis, septic embolization to central nervous system and lungs contributes to development of organ failure. Increased severity of illness and prior history of endocarditis are associated with poor outcome.
On the Role of Counterfactuals in Inferring Causal Effects

Causal inference in the empiricalsciences is based on counterfactuals. The mostcommon approach utilizes a statistical model ofpotential outcomes to estimate causal effectsof treatments. On the other hand, one leadingapproach to the study of causation inphilosophical logic has been the analysis ofcausation in terms of counterfactualconditionals. This paper discusses and connectsboth approaches to counterfactual causationfrom philosophy and statistics. Specifically, Ipresent the counterfactual account of causationin terms of Lewis's possible-world semantics,and reformulate the statistical potentialoutcome framework using counterfactualconditionals. This procedure highlights variousproperties and mechanisms of the statisticalmodel.
A negative test of aneurysmal proportions.

A46-year-old African American man presented to the emergency department with severe chest pain that awakened him from sleep. The pain was substernal, radiated to the neck and back, and was continuous, lasting approximately 1 hour. It was associated with nausea, diaphoresis, and dizziness. The patient denied dyspnea, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, dysphagia, odynophagia, vomiting, fever, chills, or headache. He denied recent recreational drug use. He works as a landscaper.
A Computerized Research Microdensitometer for Spectrographic Data Analysis

A research grade microdensitometer has been modified and updated with a linear optical encoder to monitor and control accurately photographic plate position and digitized read out of density data. This measurement system is fully interfaced to a Data General time-shared computer network. Plate position is controlled to within ±0.0001 in. (0.0025 mm) via a closed-loop computer, stepper motor, and incremental linear optical encoder system. Plate movement and density sampling are under computer control with resulting data stored on disc memory for later analysis. Program techniques, including error analysis, have been developed to determine unknown wavelengths to within ±0.006 A from spectral dispersion data fit to third-order polynomials. Analytical implications, especially relating to sequential multi-element analysis, are discussed. The completed instrument may be applied to a variety of spectroscopic and nonspectroscopic problems.
Some Thoughts on Wesley Salmon’s Contributions to the Philosophy of Probability

Wesley Salmon provided three classic criteria of adequacy for satisfactory interpretations of probability. A fourth criterion is suggested here. A distinction is drawn between frequency‐driven probability models and theory‐driven probability models and it is argued that single case accounts of chance are superior to frequency accounts at least for the latter. Finally it is suggested that theories of chance should be required only to be contingently true, a position which is a natural extension of Salmon’s ontic account of probabilistic causality and his own later views on propensities.
The effect of institution mission drift on STEM faculty career advancement at a striving university

Barriers women of color (WoC) (i.e., African American, Latina American, and Native American) faculty face in the pursuit of their career in STEM disciplines at predominately white colleges and universities in the United States are well documented. However, heretofore, the challenge of mission drift [10] was never identified. Two focus groups, consisting largely of tenure-track WoC STEM faculty (three from science, three from technology and one from math), were conducted at RIT during the spring of 2013. The participants were at RIT for an average of four years. Analysis of the data collected, using the constant-comparative method [12], reveals that institution mission drift presents a significant barrier to RIT WoC STEM faculty's career advancement.
Fluctuations in Calcium Concentration Alter the Temporal Dynamics of Calcium-Dependent Signaling Cascades

Calcium signaling is often localized in spatially restricted “microdomains,” which may involve only 1-100 calcium ions. Fluctuations in the local calcium concentration can arise from calcium influx and association/dissociation with calcium buffers [Weinberg and Smith. Biophys J 106(12): 2693 (2014)]. However it is unclear to what extent these fluctuations alter calcium-dependent signaling cascades. We construct a Markov model of a calcium-dependent signaling cascade and compare the first hitting time distribution for a Markov model that accounts for calcium fluctuations, a phase-type distribution that can be calculated from the infinitesimal generator matrix, with the corresponding model that neglects these fluctuations. In general, when calcium fluctuations are much faster than the characteristic time for the signaling cascade, the distributions for the two processes are similar. However, when the time scale of calcium fluctuations is on the same order as the signaling cascade or slower, the mean and variance of the hitting time is increased, in particular when the number of calcium ions is small, a consequence of a long-tailed hitting time distribution. These “rare events” comprising the long tail can be significant and have a physiological impact. We further study calcium fluctuations in two settings: calcium-dependent synaptic vesicle release [Bollmann et al. Science 289, 953 (2000)] and a calcium-release site model composed of calcium-activated calcium channels [DeRemigio and Smith. Cell Calcium 38: 73 (2005)]. In these models, we demonstrate the conditions for which calcium fluctuations alter the distribution, mean, and variance of the timing for synaptic vesicle release and calcium-release site activation, respectively. Under physiological conditions, the mean hitting time can be increased orders of magnitude when calcium fluctuations are accounted for, demonstrating a significant influence on intracellular signaling.
Searching across paths

Observations of developers indicate that developers try to answer a variety of questions by searching across control flow paths through a program for statements matching search criteria. We believe that tools that better support this activity can help developers answer these questions more easily, quickly, and accurately.
Comparison of the spectra of 18O and 18F calculated with Woods-Saxon and harmonic-oscillator wave functions

Abstract The low-lying levels or 18O and 18F were calculated using both harmonic-oscillator and Woods-Saxon wave functions. The effective interaction consisted of the bare G-matrix (GB) for the Tabakin potential supplemented by the core-polarization correction (G3plh).
Coesite-bearing eclogite from the Dabie Mountains in central China

Coesite and Coesite pseudomorphs are recognized in eclogite from the Dabie Mountains, a collision zone between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze cratons in central China. This third known occurrence of Coesite in deep crustal rocks is within an Archean gneiss terrane and is the first locality where Coesite has been identified as an inclusion in both omphacite and garnet crystals at the same location. Coesite-bearing eclogite is estimated to form at pressures of >28 kbar and temperatures from 600 to 710 °C. The Dabie Mountains eclogite underwent retrograde metamorphism to amphibolite facies after its formation. The preservation of Coesite in eclogite is found to be strongly controlled by the pressure-temperature-time path that coesite- bearing eclogite followed during its uplift and retrograde metamorphism.
TH(1)- and TH(2)-TYPE cytokine expression by activated t lymphocytes from the lung and spleen during the inflammatory response to respiratory syncytial virus.

RSV is an important cause of lower respiratory tract illness in infants and the elderly worldwide. The components involved in immunity and those that contribute to inflammation of RSV-induced disease are not clearly understood. To address the relationship between activation antigen and cytokine expression, intracellular levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma were determined for CD3, CD44, CD49d, CD54, CD62L and CD102 lymphocytes from the bronchoalveolar lavage and spleen. To examine activation at the DNA level, lymphocytes expressing IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 or IFN-gamma were analysed for G2+M DNA content or phosphatidylserine expression (apoptosis). Trafficking of lymphocytes to the BAL was detected at day 5 p.i., peaked day 7 p.i., and predominately involved CD54(+)and CD102(+)lymphocytes expressing high levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma. Lymphocytes expressing CD44(+), CD49d(+)and CD62L(lo)were also observed, however they expressed these cytokines to a lesser extent. DNA analysis of lymphocytes expressing IL-2 or IFN-gamma revealed higher G2'M levels compared to lymphocytes expressing IL-4 or IL-5, suggesting greater activation of Th(1)-type lymphocytes in the lung. These data demonstrate that RSV-induced pulmonary inflammation involves extensive cellular activation and cytokine expression, particularly by CD54(+)and CD102(+)lymphocytes in the lung.
Shock-induced subgrain microstructures as possible homogenous sources of hot spots and initiation sites in energetic polycrystals

The purpose of this work is to assess the feasibility of a homogeneous—or defect-free—initiation mechanism for high energetic materials in which initiation is a direct consequence of the heterogeneity of crystal plasticity at the subgrain scale. In order to assess the feasibility of these mechanisms, we develop a multiscale model that explicitly accounts for three scales: (i) the polycrystalline structure at the macroscale, (ii) single-crystal plasticity—including subgrain microstructure formation—at the mesoscale, and (iii) chemical kinetics at the molecular scale. An explicit construction gives the effective or macroscopic behavior of plastically deforming crystals with microstructure, and enables the reconstruction of optimal microstructures from the computed macroscopic averages. An intrinsic feature of the optimal deformation microstructures is the presence of highly localized regions of plastic deformation or slip lines. Temperatures, strain rates, and pressures in these slip lines rise well in excess of the average or macroscopic values. Slip lines thus provide a plentiful supply of likely initiation sites, or hotspots, in defect-free crystals. We have assessed this initiation mechanism by simulating a PETN plate impact experiment and comparing the resulting predictions with experimental pop-plot data. The computed characteristic exponents are in the ballpark of experimental observation
Surgical treatment of renovascular hypertension.

Arterial hypertension is one of the most common disorders of man, and its incidence appears to be increasing as average life span becomes longer. Renovascular hypertension resulting from narrowing of one or both renal arteries is one of the surgically curable forms of this disorder. Application of revascularization techniques that both conserve the kidney and cure hypertension has provided intense interest in the surgical treatment of renovascular hypertension and has demonstrated a far higher incidence of this condition than was previously recognized. Currently there is no simple and completely reliable screening study for renovascular hypertension, and final evaluation must be based on arteriographic demonstration of the renal arteries. Physiologic alterations associated with renal artery stenosis may point the way to a renovascular etiology in the hypertensive patient. For example, 30% of patients have abnormal excretory pyelograms with discrepancy in renal size or delayed contrast excretion, 60% have depression in the
Ionic Mass Transfer and Concentration Polarization at Rotating Electrodes

Rates of ionic mass transfer at nickel electrodes rotating about their axes in the center of stationary electrodes were studied using the ferri‐ferrocyanide couple in alkaline solutions. A general mass transfer correlation was found to apply equally well to dissolution rates of rotating solids and to rates of ionic mass transfer at rotating electrodes. This correlation takes into account physical properties of the system as well as geometric and hydrodynamic factors. The correlation allows prediction of limiting currents and concentration polarization at rotating electrodes under a wide range of conditions.The nature of polarization involved in reduction of and oxidation of was also investigated. Polarization was found to depend strongly on the presence of electrode poisons. With freshly prepared solutions, under exclusion of light, and with cathodically treated nickel electrodes, relatively small chemical polarizations were determined. For rotational speeds not exceeding Reynolds number 11,000, chemical polarization was found to be negligible in comparison with concentration polarization. Under such conditions, the ferro‐ferricyanide couple can be conveniently used to obtain mass transfer rates for various hydrodynamic conditions, or conversely, to verify the validity of mass transfer equations by a comparison of experimental and calculated values of limiting currents and concentration polarization.The rotating electrode model was found to be most suitable for studying the nature of electrolytic polarization phenomena because of uniformity of the current distribution and the hydrodynamic diffusion layer at the electrode surface.
Defining the peptide nucleic acids (PNA) length requirement for PNA binding-induced transcription and gene expression

Induction of gene expression has great potential in the treatment of many human diseases. Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) as a novel DNA-binding reagent provides an ideal system to induce gene-specific expression. In our recent studies, we have demonstrated that PNA bound to double-stranded DNA targets and, therefore, generated single-stranded D-loops and induced transcription of target genes both in vitro and in vivo. Most importantly, we have demonstrated that treatment of cultured human cells with PNAs led to expression of an endogenous target gene. Therefore, the study of the molecular mechanism of PNA binding-induced gene expression will have great implications for the gene therapy of many human diseases. In the current study, we have investigated the PNA length requirement for PNA binding-induced transcription initiation. Using a series of PNAs with different lengths, we have determined that PNAs with lengths of 16 approximately 18 nt induce very high levels of transcription in a HeLa nuclear extract in vitro transcription system. Transfection of the PNA-bound GFP reporter gene plasmid into human normal fibroblast (NF) cells led to a similar result. Gel-mobility shift assays revealed very strong binding affinities of these PNAs. DNA footprinting analysis further demonstrated the specificity of PNAs binding to the targets. These results lead to important understanding of the molecular mechanism of transcription initiation and highly valuable information in PNA design, especially for PNA binding-induced, gene-specific expression.
Adaptation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii High CO2-Requiring Mutants to Limiting CO2

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and other unicellular green algae use an energy-requiring, CO2-concentrating system, inducible by limiting inorganic carbon (Ci) concentrations, to increase intracellular CO2 concentrations (1). Operation of the CO2-concentrating system results in a high affinity for Ci in photosynthesis. Increased intracellular CO2 also reduces photorespiration and O2 inhibition of photosynthesis by competitive inhibition of RuBP oxygenase. The CO2-concentrating system involves active transport of Ci and includes CA as a component. This system apparently is only fully functional when cells adapt to low CO2 (air-adapted cells), since cells exhibit much lower affinity for Ci when grown at 5% CO2 (CO2-enriched cells).
Precise Localization of the Motor Nerve Branches to the Hamstring Muscles: An Aid to the Conduct of Neurolytic Procedures

Abstract Objective: To identify the precise locations of the motor branches and motor points to the hamstring musculature and define these locations in relation to bony landmarks. Design: Descriptive study of adult cadaver limb dissection. The number, location, and course of the motor branches and motor points to each hamstring muscle from the sciatic nerve were defined relative to bony landmarks. Setting: Department of anatomy at a university school of medicine. Participants: Anatomic dissection of 30 adult cadaver limbs (17 individuals) was completed. Adult cadavers were selected randomly without regard to gender, age, and race. Exclusion criteria included femoral fracture, surgery, inability to obtain neutral position, and posterior thigh trauma. Main Outcome Measure: A descriptive anatomic study based on linear measures in centimeters from bony landmarks. Results: Two zones located along a line from the ischial tuberosity to the lateral femoral condyle were observed to exist. Zone one, containing the first motor branch to the biceps long head and semitendimosus, is found at approximately 20% (6.9cm ± 1.8 and 7.1cm ± 2.2 from the ischial tuberosity, respectively) of femur length along the stated line. Zone two, containing the primary branch to the semimembranosus and the secondary branches to the biceps and semitendinosus, is found at approximately 33% (13.1cm ± 3.6, 12.6cm ± 3.9, and 14.3cm ± 3.9 from the ischial tuberosity, respectively) of femur length. Conclusions: The drawing of one surface line, when combined with our anthropometric observations, should increase the ease and accuracy with which motor branch blocks to the hamstrings are performed.
The personal computer: Missing link to the electronic journal/

Scientific publishing has evolved over three centuries of technological change. It now faces problems that include rapid growth, literature scatter, increasing costs, and excessive delays in publication. This article examines technical solutions to increasing delays and costs and explores new ways of disseminating research information. Noting developments in computer networking and microcomputer applications, the author contends that the widespread use of personal computers will accelerate the development of electronic publishing.
Breaking into the plate: A 7.6 Mw fracture-zone earthquake adjacent to the Central Indian Ridge

[1] On 15 July 2003 an extremely large (7.6 Mw) strike-slip earthquake initiated on or near the end of an active transform along the northern Central Indian Ridge. The event propagated away from the plate boundary along the typically inactive fracture zone, with a sense of slip that opposes the active transform slip direction. Seismically and hydroacoustically determined aftershock locations delineate a 210 ± 25 km long mainshock rupture. The seismic moment and rupture dimensions imply a stress drop of 4.5-6.5 MPa and a mean slip of 3.0 ± 0.5 m. The largest aftershock (5.6 Nw) occurred on the active portion of a neighboring transform at a distance of ∼160 km, where mainshock-induced static stress changes are predicted to promote failure. Near-axis fracture-zone earthquakes may promote and inhibit ridge-parallel diking along different spreading segments, perhaps contributing to inter-segment variability in the rate and asymmetry of spreading.
Chemoimmunotherapy of stage III breast carcinoma with BCG and a live allogeneic tumor cell vaccine

Ten women with metastatic breast carcinoma were treated with CMF, BCG, and a live TCV in a phase I study to determine whether viable allogeneic tumor cells can safely be given to women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Side effects of fatigue, nausea, vomiting, alopecia, and myelosuppression were attributable to chemotherapy. Side effects of BCG therapy were malaise, fever, and pruritis at the injection site, as previously described. Four patients developed hepatitis B due to viral contamination of the human agamma serum in which the tumor cells were grown. This complication has now been eliminated by omitting human sera, and hence the possibility of hepatitis B virus, from tumor cell growth media. No local tumor growth was observed in any patient. Results of this study show that live TCV is safe for patients receiving chemotherapy, and could be tested in combination with BCG and chemotherapy for control of micrometastases from breast cancer following mastectomy.
Lithium carbonate in the treatment of cluster headaches

Twenty-one patients with cluster headaches participated in an open trial to assess the effectiveness of lithium carbonate in the acute treatment and prevention of cluster headaches. Three women and 18 men ranging from 28 to 70 years of age were divided into episodic cluster [8] and chronic cluster [12]. One patient was in his first cluster. The chronic cluster group was further subdivided into primary chronic (5 patients) and secondary chronic (5 patients). In 11 patients there was absolute improvement, in 5 patients there was partial improvement and in 5 patients there was either no response or the improvement was not sustained. Beneficial results were obtained with dosages lower than those used for effective treatment of bipolar illness. It appears that lithium can be a useful drug in the treatment of cluster headaches provided drug levels and renal function are carefully monitored. No serious side effects were noted.
Regulation of cell cycle progression and gene expression by H2A deubiquitination

An enzyme, Ubp-M, is identified that removes the ubiquitin modification from histone H2A. Depletion of Ubp-M leads to slower cell growth and abnormal chromosome segregation in mitosis. In addition, depletion of Ubp-M causes defects in development and dysregulation of Hox gene expression. Post-translational histone modifications have important regulatory roles in chromatin structure and function1,2,3. One example of such modifications is histone ubiquitination, which occurs predominately on histone H2A and H2B. Although the recent identification of the ubiquitin ligase for histone H2A has revealed important roles for H2A ubiquitination in Hox gene silencing4,5,6 as well as in X-chromosome inactivation7,8, the enzyme(s) involved in H2A deubiquitination and the function of H2A deubiquitination are not known. Here we report the identification and functional characterization of the major deubiquitinase for histone H2A, Ubp-M (also called USP16). Ubp-M prefers nucleosomal substrates in vitro, and specifically deubiquitinates histone H2A but not H2B in vitro and in vivo. Notably, knockdown of Ubp-M in HeLa cells results in slow cell growth rates owing to defects in the mitotic phase of the cell cycle. Further studies reveal that H2A deubiquitination by Ubp-M is a prerequisite for subsequent phosphorylation of Ser 10 of H3 and chromosome segregation when cells enter mitosis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Ubp-M regulates Hox gene expression through H2A deubiquitination and that blocking the function of Ubp-M results in defective posterior development in Xenopus laevis. This study identifies the major deubiquitinase for histone H2A and demonstrates that H2A deubiquitination is critically involved in cell cycle progression and gene expression.
Subordination by Reduplication in Wetan

L'A. presente d'abord l'usage de la reduplication en tant qu'element de subordination grammaticalise et determine ensuite les fonctions et les formes de cet usage par rapport aux autres elements de subordination et aux autres fonctions de la reduplication en wetan, une langue austronesienne parlee dans l'archipel de Babar, region sud-est de Maluku, Indonesie orientale
Bioengineering Anembryonic Human Trophoblast Vesicles

Introduction: Trophoblast cells in vivo form a 3-dimensional structure that promotes complex cell-to-cell interactions that cannot be studied with traditional monolayer culture. We describe a 3-dimensional trophoblast bioreactor to study cellular interactions. Methods: Nonadhesive agarose hydrogels were cast from molds using computer-assisted prototyping. Trophoblast cells were seeded into the gels for 10 days. Morphology, viability, and vesicle behavior were assessed. Results: Trophoblast cells formed uniform spheroids. Serial sectioning on days 3, 7, and 10 revealed central vacuolization with a consistent outer rim 12.3-μ thick. The vesicle configuration has been confirmed with confocal imaging. Electron Microscopic (EM) imaging revealed its ultrastructure. The vesicles migrate across a fibronectin-coated surface and invaded basement membrane. Conclusions: Trophoblast cells cultured in a novel substrate-free 3-dimensional system form trophoblast vesicles. This new cell culture technique allows us to bet...
Outcomes and toxicities of stereotactic body radiation therapy for non-spine bone oligometastases

Abstract Purpose Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is being applied more widely for oligometastatic disease. This technique is now being used for non-spine bony metastases in addition to liver, spine, and lung. However, there are few studies examining the toxicity and outcomes of SBRT for non-spine bone metastases. Methods and Materials Between 2008 and 2012, 74 subjects with oligometastatic non-spine bony metastases of varying histologies were treated at the Mayo Clinic with SBRT. A total of 85 non-spine bony sites were treated. Median local control, overall survival, and progression-free survival were described. Acute toxicity (defined as toxicity Results The median age of patients treated was 60 years. The most common histology was prostate cancer (31%) and most patients had fewer than 3 sites of disease at the time of simulation (64%). Most of the non-spine bony sites lay within the pelvis (65%). Dose and fractionation varied but the most common prescription was 24 Gy/1 fraction. Local recurrence occurred in 7 patients with a median time to failure of 2.8 months. Local control was 91.8% at 1 year. With a median follow-up of 7.6 months, median SBRT specific overall survival and progression-free survival were 9.3 months and 9.7 months, respectively. Eighteen patients developed acute toxicity (mostly grade 1 and 2 fatigue and acute pain flare); 9 patients developed grade 1-2 late toxicities. Two patients developed pathologic fractures but both were asymptomatic. There were no late grade 3 or 4 toxicities. Conclusions Stereotactic body radiation therapy is a feasible and tolerable treatment for non-spine bony metastases. Longer follow-up will be needed to accurately determine late effects.
A Russia that can say “no”?

Abstract A rather consistent picture of Russian domestic politics and foreign policy in Putin's second presidential term emerges from the four works discussed. Elements of authoritarian rule, welcome or at least acceptable to large segments of a public weary of the political and economic disorder of Yeltsin's time, combine with Russia's growing energy-driven economic strength to provide a stable environment, and broad support for the regime. These strengths are expressed externally in a more assertive foreign policy, whose manifestations in both trade and security areas pose challenges for the US, and its EU and NATO allies.
A Characterization of Hypergeometric Distributions

Abstract A theorem, that mixtures with binomial mixing distribution which are themselves binomial characterize the hypergeometric family of distributions, is displayed in various forms (the theorem and three equivalent restatements). These exhibit the fact that the property in question is related in a fundamental way to properties of moment sequences for distributions on the unit interval and is in fact equivalent to an identity on the space of the first N moments for distributions on the unit interval where N is the sample size parameter of the binomial mixing distributions.
Influence of the soil matrix on the availability of trace elements to plants.

Soils play a vital role in determining the availability of trace elements to plants. The uptake of trace elements by plants constitutes an important link in the food chain of man. There are two important parameters in soils that influence the availability of an element to plants. One of these is the intensity factor or the concentration of an element in the soil solution. The other is the capacity factor or the ability of the solid phases of soils to replenish an element as it is depleted from solution. In soils, trace elements are present in several forms including ions in solution, adsorbed ions, solid phase minerals, and soil organic matter. Recently an extractant was developed for the simultaneous determination of available Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu in soils. 10 references, 3 figures, 1 table.
Corporate Disclosure and Operational Strategy: Financial vs. Operational Success

We introduce a simple game between two rival firms--a leader and a follower, where the leader moves first and makes an operational choice under uncertainty. The leader's disclosure of its resulting financial success or failure may in turn give the follower a competitive advantage by informing its operational choice. When this occurs, the leader reacts by sometimes making an operational choice that it knows to be less likely to produceoperational success than the alternative. This makes the financial report less useful to the follower and expectedfinancial success more likely for the leader. Alternatively, when the financial report does not provide useful information to the follower (e.g., the financial report aggregates many activities in addition to the activity the follower is interested in), it may be the follower rather than the leader who makes the choice less likely to be operationally successful. We document that when trading off operational success for financial success, the leader's aim is operational unpredictability, while the follower's aim is coordination. As such, this paper highlights the intricate interplay between internal operational decisions, public inferences concerning those decisions, and different forms of success under intense competition.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the tumor metastasis factor p37.

P37, an outer-membrane bacterial protein from Mycoplasma hyorhinis, is a molecule whose presence on the surface of many tumor cells correlates highly with increased neoplastic invasivity and metastasis. P37 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified by affinity chromatography and crystallized. Useful single crystals for X-­ray diffraction structural studies have been grown by oil-immersion methods from a solution of 40% PEG 4000, 0.1 M ammonium bromide in a 0.1 M citrate buffer at pH 4.0. X-ray diffraction data were collected at the F2 beamline at CHESS with a crystal-to-CCD detector distance of 150 mm, collecting 1° oscillation slices with an exposure time of 30 s per frame. A 212° sweep of data (99.8% completeness) were collected from a single crystal under cryoconditions, with a maximal useful diffraction pattern to 1.8 A resolution. The crystals are shown to be monoclinic and have been assigned to space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 50.02, b = 67.26, c = 59.89 A, β = 108.29° and a scaling Rsym of 0.076 for 34 882 unique reflections. Packing considerations indicate that there is one molecule per asymmetric unit. It is expected that in the near future the structure of p37 will be obtained using phases from traditional heavy-atom isomorphous replacement and/or halide-soak methods. Elucidation of the structure of p37 may be paramount to producing new antibody-based anticancer therapeutic agents.
CD8(+) T cell-mediated injury in vivo progresses in the absence of effector T cells.

Tissue injury is a common sequela of acute virus infection localized to a specific organ such as the lung. Tissue injury is an immediate consequence of infection with lytic viruses. It can also result from the direct destruction of infected cells by effector CD8+ T lymphocytes and indirectly through the action of the T cell–derived proinflammatory cytokines and recruited inflammatory cells on infected and uninfected tissue. We have examined CD8+ T cell–mediated pulmonary injury in a transgenic model in which adoptively transferred, virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) produce lethal, progressive pulmonary injury in recipient mice expressing the viral target transgene exclusively in the lungs. We have found that over the 4–5 day course of the development of lethal pulmonary injury, the effector CTLs, while necessary for the induction of injury, are present only transiently (24–48 h) in the lung. We provide evidence that the target of the antiviral CD8+ T cells, the transgene expressing type II alveolar cells, are not immediately destroyed by the effector T cells. Rather, after T cell–target interaction, the type II alveolar cells are stimulated to produce the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein 1. These results reinforce the concept that, in vivo, the cellular targets of specific CTLs may participate directly in the development of progressive tissue injury by activating in response to interaction with the T cells and producing proinflammatory mediators without sustained in vivo activation of CD8+ T cell effectors.
Radon inversion of plasma emission

Abstract An analytical inversion of plasma spectral emission using the Radon transform is discussed for a plasma with a constant coefficient of absorption and a model displaced gaussian as the spatial distribution of its coefficients of emission.