cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Education in Neurosurgery: Part 2 of a Systematic Review.

Background Increasing focus has been placed on patient education to optimize care. In the second part of a 2-part systematic review, we characterize the scope of interventions specifically created to improve neurosurgery patient education, assess the effectiveness of these interventions, and extract features of existing interventions that may be incorporated into future patient education interventions. Our findings may help promote the creation of effective, patient-centered educational interventions. Methods A 2-part systematic review was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. Titles and abstracts were read and selected for full text review. Studies meeting prespecified inclusion criteria were reviewed in full and analyzed for study design, aim, population, interventions, and outcomes. Results Of 1617 resultant articles, 33 were included. Print materials, electronic materials, models, and interventions using multiple modalities improved patient knowledge, decreased anxiety, and increased satisfaction. Electronic materials were preferred. Interventions using multiple modalities engaging multiple sensory systems were reported most beneficial. Video was rated the most effective medium for reinforcing spoken conversation between neurosurgeons and patients. Three-dimensional models decreased the time required for preoperative patient conversation but could be perceived as emotionally confronting. Virtual reality was preferred to patient models. Conclusions Electronic interventions using multiple modalities in concert with each other may be most effective. Interventions should incorporate baseline knowledge and health literacy and address patient concerns and needs in a manner that is valid cross-contextually, uses clear communication, and is continuous. These interventions will improve the patient-friendliness of discussions with patients.
Can face masks offer protection from airborne sneeze and cough droplets in close-up, face-to-face human interactions?-A quantitative study

Day-to-day observations reveal numerous medical and social situations where maintaining physical distancing is either not feasible or not practiced during the time of a viral pandemic, such as, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). During these close-up, face-to-face interactions, a common belief is that a susceptible person wearing a face mask is safe, at least to a large extent, from foreign airborne sneeze and cough droplets. This study, for the first time, quantitatively verifies this notion. Droplet flow visualization experiments of a simulated face-to-face interaction with a mask in place were conducted using the particle image velocimetry setup. Five masks were tested in a snug-fit configuration (i.e., with no leakage around the edges): N-95, surgical, cloth PM 2.5, cloth, and wetted cloth PM 2.5. Except for the N-95 mask, the findings showed leakage of airborne droplets through all the face masks in both the configurations of (1) a susceptible person wearing a mask for protection and (2) a virus carrier wearing a mask to prevent the spreading of the virus. When the leakage percentages of these airborne droplets were expressed in terms of the number of virus particles, it was found that masks would not offer complete protection to a susceptible person from a viral infection in close (e.g., <6 ft) face-to-face or frontal human interactions. Therefore, consideration must be given to minimize or avoid such interactions, if possible. This study lends quantitative support to the social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines proposed by the medical research community.
Epigenetic changes by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Abstract Increasing studies are examining per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) induced toxicity and resulting health outcomes, including epigenetic modifications (e.g., DNA methylation, histone modification, microRNA expression). We critically reviewed current evidence from human epidemiological, in vitro, and animal studies, including mammalian and aquatic model organisms. Epidemiological studies identified the associations between perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure and epigenetic changes in both adult populations and birth cohorts. For in vitro studies, various cell types including neuroblasts, preadipocytes, and hepatocytes have been employed to understand epigenetic effects of PFAS. In studies with animal models, effects of early life exposure to PFAS have been examined using rodent models, and aquatic models (e.g., zebrafish) have been more frequently used in recent years. Several studies highlighted oxidative stress as a key mediator between epigenetic modification and health effects. Collectively, previous research clearly suggest involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in PFAS induced toxicity, though these efforts have primarily focused on specific PFASs (i.e. mainly PFOS and PFOA) or endpoints (i.e. cancer). Additional studies are necessary to define specific linkages among epigenetic mechanisms and related biomarkers or phenotypical changes. In addition, future research is also needed for understudied PFAS and complex mixtures. Studies of epigenetic effects elicited by individual PFAS and mixtures are needed within an adverse outcome pathways framework, which will advance an understanding of PFAS risks to public health and the environment, and support efforts to design less hazardous chemicals.
Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity in dual-porosity soils: Percolation theory

Abstract Modeling fluid flow in dual-porosity media with bi-modal pore size distributions has practical applications to understanding transport in agricultural soils. Dual-porosity soils are typically formed of two domains: (1) structure and (2) texture. The former mainly incorporates macropores, while the latter contains micropores. In 2013, Hunt and his coworkers proposed a bi-fractal capillary pressure curve model and applied concepts from critical path analysis (CPA) to estimate unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, K(Sw), in dual-porosity soils. By comparing with eight experiments, they found K(Sw) underestimations at intermediate and low water saturations. In this study, we revisit their capillary pressure curve model and demonstrate that the modified bi-fractal model results in more accurate K(Sw) estimations, particularly at the dry end. For this purpose, we use two datasets collected under two different cultivation conditions: (i) conventional tillage (CT) and (ii) no-tillage (NT). Each dataset consists of 13 soil samples for which capillary pressure curve and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity were determined over a wide range of water saturation. We estimate the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity from the measured capillary pressure curve using the CPA approach in combination with: (1) the original capillary pressure curve model, and (2) the modified power-law capillary pressure curve model proposed in this study, both adapted for dual-porosity media. Comparing the theoretical estimations with the experimental measurements shows that CPA in combination with the modified capillary pressure curve model resulted in more accurate K(Sw) estimations than CPA in combination with the original capillary pressure curve model. estimations. Results also show that CPA estimates K(Sw) for the CT samples more accurately than that for the NT samples. We demonstrate that the precise estimation of K(Sw) via CPA requires the accurate characterization of the capillary pressure curve and correct determination of the crossover point separating the structure domain from the texture one.
Performance Bounds for Subband Coding

The purpose of this chapter is to present some tutorial material in information theory which is pertinent to the subject of subband coding and to develop this material further in order to gain insight into the superior performance realized in subband coding systems. Except for the well-known result that PCM coding of subbands outperforms direct PCM coding of the full-band original (see [7]), which is known to be generally inefficient, there have been hardly any theoretical analyses which have shown a mean-squared error improvement for subband coding. The superior results of subband coding systems are largely empirical in nature and they have indeed been impressive in coding of images. In this chapter these superior results are quantified in formulas, which have not yet appeared in print elsewhere.
PROTEIN-WATER INTERACTIONS

Water is one of the most important molecules necessary to sustain life. It is the only substance found in all three physical states. The interaction of water with other substances is critical to most chemical and biological reactions. Proteins also play an important role in many life processes. They provide structure to living cells and regulate many cellular functions. The interaction of these two important molecules plays an important role in determining the functional properties of many food ingredients. The focus of this chapter is to discuss the types of bonding which occur between water and protein molecules and to relate the interaction between water and protein molecules to the functional properties of proteins in foods.
DAMI cell line.

To the Editor: It has come to our attention that samples of the DAMI cell line originally deposited by us in the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) and subsequently distributed to members of the scientific community may share some unique genetic markers with the HEL cell line. We do not know
Abstract 14722: Dual-Targeted Microbubbles Improve the Detection of Previously Ischemic Myocardium by Echocardiography

Introduction: Echocardiography using targeted microbubbles (MB) has been shown to detect previously-ischemic regions of myocardium by molecularly targeting cell adhesion molecules that are displayed on the activated endothelial surface after ischemia/reperfusion injury. We hypothesized that the accuracy and sensitivity of detection could be improved by constant infusion and dual-targeting, respectively. Methods: Ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced in 8 male C57BL/6 mice with 15-min LAD occlusions. After 2h of reperfusion, hearts of the closed-chest mice were imaged in long-axis with a Sequoia 15L8 transducer at 14 MHz. Each mouse received 3 of 4 MB preparations in random order: Sialyl Lewis X MB (MBX), anti-VCAM MB (MBV), Sialyl Lewis X + anti-VCAM MB (MBD), and isotype control MB (MBI). MB concentrations were approximately 200x10^6/mL, and 100 μL were infused at a constant rate of 25 μL/min via tail vein catheter. After imaging, mouse hearts were excised and stained with TTC/Phthalo blue dye to assess area at risk, and compared to regional time intensity curve (RTIC) retrieved from video data (Panel A). Results: Example RTIC for MBD shows enhanced MB signals during and after MB infusion in the anterior apical region of the heart (Panel A). In Panel B, normalized intensities are significantly higher for MBD, MBX, and MBV, compared to MBI (p<0.05). Furthermore, normalized intensity for MBD is higher than both MBX and MBV (p<0.05). Receiver operating curve analysis using blue dye as the gold standard showed accurate detection of both ischemic and non-ischemic regions using MBD (AUC = 0.90), MBX (AUC = 0.89), and MBV (AUC = 0.97). Conclusions: Molecular imaging of endothelial cell adhesion molecules in closed-chest mice is possible using constant infusion of MB. Dual-targeted MB yield greater MB signals than single-targeted MB when delivered using constant infusion, improving both the sensitivity and accuracy of this technique to measure risk regions in intact mice. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Correlations of Excited Electrons

This progress report descends from the report on doubly excited states of atoms presented at the first of these Conferences. 1 It develops the trend introduced at Belgrade last year2 toward a descriptive treatment of electron correlations by summarizing the results on doubly excited He and H obtained by one of us.3 It will also outline, in the initial section, the background problems of excitation dynamics which have lent special interest to the theory of doubly excited states from its very beginning.4 The progress achieved thus far encourages us to articulate such broader problems, the more so as we are now beginning to discern how our approach to double excitation may eventually encompass the Wannier theory of threshold ionization and the transition to the Born and impulse approximations which are characteristic of higher-energy collisions. Remarks on this aspect will be made in a concluding section.
Projecting High-Dimensional Parametric Uncertainties for Improved State Estimation Error Confidence

The navigation of vehicles oftentimes involves the use of key environment and vehicle parameters in the forward evolution of the state estimate and its associated uncertainty. Given the objective of achieving precision navigation, it is critical that the full effect of the parameters, including their uncertainties, is taken into account in the estimation process. When the parameter set is of high dimension, the computational complexity involved in projecting the parametric uncertainties into state uncertainties can make the navigation solution intractable for onboard computation. A method is presented that projects the uncertainties in the parameters through an equivalent process-noise structure leading to real-time computations supporting precision navigation. Having first shown that the procedure works for linear systems, the method is applied to generating a process-noise-like term that accounts for the uncertainty present in the spherical harmonics coefficients of a high-order gravitational accelerati...
MISS: Medicine Information Support System in the Smart Home Environment

The Smart Home uses different technology to facilitate the lives of the resident and is especially useful for assisting the elderly and persons with special needs. One area where this population would benefit is managing their prescribed medications. This paper presents the Medicine Information Support System (MISS) which integrates the patient's information to assist with the prescriptions management. The system checks for conflicting medicines, health conditions and food items. The data generated is used to feed other subsystems in the Smart Home such as the reminder and medicine inventory. A formal model is introduced for conflicts checking. The three main entities: doctor, pharmacy and Smart Home use this model to detect their particular set of conflicts which ensures that conflicts involving the entire context will eventually be detected. The design uses this model as its basis for conflict checking. The prototyped implementation of the entire system is based on Java.
Language integration in the common language runtime

The Common Language Runtime (CLR) is language and platform-neutral, and provides the underlying infrastructure for the Microsoft .NET Framework. A key innovation in the CLR is its support for multiple programming languages, enabling programming language integration at the runtime level to a much greater degree than is currently possible.
Awake abnormalities of control of breathing and of the upper airway. Occurrence in healthy older men with nocturnal disordered breathing.

We hypothesized that preexisting diminished chemical control of breathing and narrowing of the upper airway are associated with sleep-related disordered breathing (SRDB) in healthy older men. Twenty-six subjects, aged 55 to 70, were studied. An SRDB episode was a decrease in arterial oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ) of at least 4 percent. Some of these episodes occurred while airflow continued ( ie , nonapneic episodes), and the rest occurred with apnea. Sixteen subjects had >12 SRDB episodes per hour of sleep (SRDB subjects) and ten subjects had 2 during sleep correlated with the magnitude of the hypercapnic response. We conclude that SRDB occurs commonly in otherwise healthy older men with preexisting abnormalities of control of breathing or of the upper airway.
Oxidative Stability of Restructured Beef Roasts As Affected by Cooking Temperature

Restructured beef roasts (2.5 kg) were cooked in a water bath at 70, 85, and l00°C to an internal temperature of 65°C, then stored at 4°C for 0 and 3 days. Storage increased (p ≤ 0.05) oxidation; after 3 days storage, roasts cooked at higher temperatures had higher (p ≤ 0.05) TBA values. Sensory panelists detected more (p ≤ 0.05) warmedover flavor (WOF) due to storage; however, after 3 days there was less (p ≤ 0.05) WOF in samples cooked at 70°C than in samples cooked at 85 or 100°C. Interaction (p ≤ 0.05) between cooking temperature and storage indicated oxidation proceeded more rapidly with higher cooking temperatures during refrigerated storage. Cook yield decreased as cooking temperature increased and expressible moisture was lower (p ≤ 0.05) at 100°C than at 70°C.
Disposition and pharmacological effects of m-Chlorophenylpiperazine in rats

Abstract 1-(m-Chlorophenyl)piperazine (CPP) was a potent inhibitor of [3H]-serotonin binding to membrane receptors from rat brain in vitro, its Ki being 138 nM. It had less effect on [3H]-lysergic acid diethylamide binding (Ki = 300 nM), the relative Ki, values indicating CPP to be a serotonin receptor agonist. A dose-related decrease in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) concentration in rat brain in vivo, was caused by CPP, with no effect on serotonin concentration, and CPP reduced the rate of 5-HIAA accumulation after probenecid. Also, CPP caused a dose-related increase in corticosterone concentration in rat serum, as did'fluoxetine (an inhibitor of serotonin uptake). Milk-drinking was suppressed by CPP in non-fasted rats, whereas fluoxetine had no effect; the effect of CPP was doserelated and was antagonized by metergoline. These results are consistent with the idea that CPP acts principally as a direct serotonin agonist rather than as a serotonin uptake inhibitor in vivo. The half-life of CPP in brain was just over 1 hr in control rats and about 3hr in rats pretreated with iprindole, an inhibitor of aromatic ring hydroxylation. In iprindole-treated rats, the dose-response curve for lowering the concentration of 5-HIAA CPP at 4hr was shifted to the left, and the duration of 5-HIAA concentration lowering by a 10 mg/kg dose of CPP was prolonged. 1-(p-Chlorophenyl)piperazine had a longer half-life in rat brain than did CPP and caused almost as much serotonin receptor stimulation in vivo as did CPP due to the higher drug levels, despite its lower affinity for serotonin receptors in vitro. In iprindole-treated rats, CPP was more potent than in control rats in elevating serum corticosterone and prolactin. 1-(m-Chlorophenyl)piperazine is a known metabolite of the antidepressant drug trazodone and may contribute to or account for some of the in vivo effects of trazodone.
A cross-disciplinary approach to teaching data literacy and proportionality

The Thinking with Data project (TWD) expands on current notions of data literacy by (1) focusing on proportional reasoning as key to data literacy and (2) leveraging the non-mathematics disciplines to engage students in deep thinking about the context of data and the application of proportionality. A set of four 2-week, sequential modules for cross-disciplinary implementation in seventh-grade classrooms was designed and evaluated. Using a quasi-experimental approach, we found that student data literacy was increased through the focused integration of social studies, mathematics, science, and English language arts. In this article, we describe our theoretical approach to designing and implementing the modules, report on student learning gains in mathematics, and describe teacher reactions to the materials. In sum, our study provides evidence that the TWD approach has the potential to build data literacy while also allowing students to learn core discipline-based content standards.
Unusual metastatic sites of colonic and rectal carcinoma: Report of four cases.

A report of two unusual metastatic sites in four patients with colonic and rectal carcinoma is presented. Two patients developed metastases to the nose and two others to the vagina. Eventually the two patients with metastases to the nose developed hepatic metastases and died of disease.
Practical aspects of hormone replacement therapy

Menopause is an endocrinopathy characterized by hypoestrogenism. Estrogen can be replaced easily. Available preparations can be taken by mouth, intramuscularly, transdermally, or transvaginally. Unoposed estrogens increase the risk of endometrial cancer, which can be overcome by the concomitant administration of a progestin agent. The progestin can be administered cyclically either every month, resulting in a monthly menses, or every 3 months, resulting in menses every 3 months. The progestin can also be administered every day, which achieves amenorrhea in over half of the patients; the remainder have break-through bleeding. Abnormal bleeding can be assessed by either endometrial biopsy or transvaginal ultrasound.
Rime length, stress, and association domains

Every regular Chinese syllable has a syllable tone (the tone we get when the syllable is read in isolation). In some Chinese languages, the tonal pattern of a multisyllabic expression is basically a concatenation of the syllable tones. In other Chinese languages, the tonal pattern of a multisyllabic expression is determined solely by the initial syllable. I call the formerM-languages (represented by Mandarin) and the latterS-languages (represented by Shanghai). I argue that there is an additional difference in rime structures between the two language groups. In S-languages, all rimes are simple, i.e., there are no underlying diphthongs or codas. In M-languages, all regular rimes are heavy. I further argue that a syllable keeps its underlying tones only if it has stress. Independent metrical evidence tells us that heavy rimes may carry inherent stress. Thus, in M-languages, all regular syllables are stressed and retain their underlying tones (which may or may not undergo further changes). In contrast, in S-languages, regular rimes do not carry inherent stress; instead, only those syllables that are assigned stress by rule can keep their underlying tones and hence head a multisyllabic tonal domain. The present analysis has theoretical implications for the analysis of contour tones, the tone bearing unit, and the interplay between stress and tone.
Aortic root dilatation may alter the dimensions of the valve leaflets

Objective: Valve-sparing surgery can be used in patients with dilated aortic roots and aortic insufficiency (AI) but has not become a common practice, in part because the spared valve may be incompetent. Our goal was to study how the dimensions of the aortic root and leaflets have changed in such patients. Methods: Fourteen patients with dilated aortic root and AI were examined by transesophageal echocardiography. The annulus diameter, sinotubular junction (STJ) diameter, sinus height, leaflet free-edge length, and leaflet height were measured. Correlations among these dimensions and with the AI grades were explored. Measurements were also made in 19 normal human aortic valves from silicone molds. Results: There was no evident change in the average diameter of the annulus between the normal valves and those in the dilated aortic roots. The STJ diameter was obviously increased in the dilated aortic roots; the aortic sinuses also appeared to be taller and the leaflets larger than normal. The leaflet free-edge length, the leaflet height, and the sinus height were found to increase with the dilated STJ diameter. The degree of AI was not found to correlate well with any of the dimensions measured. Conclusions: The dimensions of the leaflets may change parallel to aortic root dilatation with AI. Therefore, during valve sparing, it may be necessary to correct both the dilatation of the root and the leaflet free-edge length to achieve a competent valve. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Generalized coherent states and the statistics of two-photon lasers☆

Abstract Stimulated two-photon emission is proposed as a possible mechanism for the generation of “generalized coherent states”, which have useful quantum properties not available in ordinary coherent states.
Characterizing and predicting amphotericin B-associated nephrotoxicity in bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant recipients.

Study Objective. To characterize amphotericin B-associated nephrotoxicity and to determine the variables associated with it that can be used to identify, a priori, at-risk patients. Design. Retrospective analysis. Setting. University hospital. Patients. A homogeneous population of 69 recipients of a bone marrow (BMT) or peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) with multiple myeloma and who received at least two doses of amphotericin B deoxycholate from January 1, 1992–January 1, 1995. Intervention. Data on demographics, prior and concomitant nephrotoxic drug therapy, daily laboratory values, and amphotericin B dosing were collected serially from medical and pharmacy records. Measurements and Main Results. Forward stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed on the data from the first day of therapy to characterize and determine variables related to amphotericin B-associated nephrotoxicity. Nephrotoxicity occurred in 30 patients (43%) and developed rapidly. Patients who developed nephrotoxicity were similar to those who did not in many aspects associated with their treatment. However, baseline estimated creatinine clearance, cyclosporine therapy, nephrotoxic drug therapy within 30 days of starting amphotericin B, and the number of concomitant nephrotoxic drugs were significant predictors of amphotericin B-associated nephrotoxicity. Conclusion. Recipients of a BMT or PBSCT who have multiple myeloma and are receiving cyclosporine or multiple nephrotoxic drugs at the start of amphotericin B therapy should be considered at high risk for developing amphotericin B-associated nephrotoxicity. Also, because amphotericin B-associated nephrotoxicity develops rapidly, clinicians should be aware of the rapid changes in serum creatinine and electrolyte levels that can occur.
Inhibition of tension development and actomyosin ATPase activity in barnacle muscle by the Ca2+-indicator dye antipyrylazo III

We have investigated the effects of the Ca2+-indicator dye antipyrylazo III on: (1) tension development in myofibrillar preparations from barnacle depressor muscle; and (2) actomyosin ATPase activity in myofibrils/native actomyosin isolated from barnacle muscle and in actomyosin hybrids prepared from pure (unregulated) rabbit F-actin and purified barnacle myosin. In all solutions, pCa was either heavily buffered with suitable [CaEGTA]/[EGTA] and/or measured with a calcium-electrode so as to offset the appreciable Ca2+-buffering effects of the dyes. Antipyrylazo III produced a rapid, reversible and concentration-dependent inhibition of: (1) tension development by isolated barnacle myofibrils; (2) calcium-regulated ATPase activity in barnacle myofibrils and native actomyosin; and (3) calcium-independent actin-activated ATPase activity in hybrid actomyosins prepared from purified barnacle myosin and rabbit actin. This latter observation indicated that the inhibitory effect of the dye on calcium-regulated tension and ATPase in intact myofibrils is due to specific repression of active crossbridge formation rather than modification of calcium-regulatory mechanisms. The hypothesis that antipyrylazo III specifically represses active crossbridge formation was supported by the observation that the dye had no effect on rigor tension development. Specific and saturable binding of the dye to these myofibrils was characterized by a maximum capacity of 1.3 µmol dye g−1 myofibrillar protein, consistent with a calculated 1 dye: 1 myosin stoichiometry. These various biological effects were observed with both commercially available antipyrylazo III and highly purified dye preparations. Preliminary studies using myofibrillar preparations from rabbit psoas muscle, guinea-pig portal vein smooth muscle, and scallop adductor muscle have indicated that contractile function in these muscle types does not appear to be inhibited by antipyrylazo III.
DISCHARGE INITIATION OF ACE INHIBITORS OR ARBS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER 30-DAY ALL-CAUSE READMISSION IN HOSPITALIZED OLDER PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE AND REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of 30-day all-cause readmission, the reduction of which is a goal of the Affordable Care Act. Prior studies (AHA 2013) suggest that beta-blockers and aldosterone antagonists may not lower 30-day all-cause readmission in HF and reduced EF (HFrEF). In the
Colonization of Potato Roots and Stolons by Colletotrichum coccodes from Tuberborne Inoculum

The rate of colonization by Colletotrichum coccodes was quantified on roots and stolons of the potato cultivar Russet Burbank. Greenhouse grown plants arising from seed-tubers infected with C. coccodes were observed. The distance that C. coccodes colonized potato roots was measured from the seed tuber to the distal edge of microsclerotial development along the roots starting at 21 days after plant emergence and continued at 14 day intervals until crop death. Visual assessment of disease progress was confirmed by isolation from diseased and non-diseased tissues onto nutrient agar. Expansion of C. coccodes foci along the roots in two independent trials resulted in a linear growth model of 1 mm/day (Trial 1 P < 0.011, R2 = 0.84; Trial 2 P < 0.007, R2 = 0.87). Colonization radiated from the seed-tuber to form compact foci of infected tissue that was rotationally symmetrical; no secondary foci were observed. The results suggested that C. coccodes expanded linearly from an inoculum source and that for multiple disease foci to develop on a root system, multiple primary infections must occur from sclerotia in the soil.
Association of lung perfusion disparity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis awaiting lung transplantation.

Abstract Background: The risk of death for patients with end-stage cystic fibrosis awaiting lung transplantation remains high and most patients succumb to respiratory failure. This study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of ventilation-perfusion scintillation scans, obtained during the pre-transplant period, to identify patterns that predict prognosis while on the waiting list. These patterns were compared with other pulmonary physiologic markers of ventilation and perfusion obtained from pulmonary function and cardiopulmonary exercise tests. Methods: From November 1990 to January 1999, 46 patients with cystic fibrosis were listed for bilateral lung transplantation. Fourteen (30.4%) died while waiting for a transplant (Group 1), whereas 32 were transplanted successfully or remain alive and waiting (Group 2). Mean arterial blood gas values, Brasfield radiograph scores, cardiopulmonary exercise data and the degree of scintillation scan abnormalities between lungs were compared for each group. Results: Mean survival for Group 1 was 10.2 ± 1.7 months, and for Group 2 was 23.5 ± 3.0 months ( p Conclusions: The results suggest that severe, unilateral perfusion abnormalities seen on scintillation scans in patients with cystic fibrosis are associated with an increased risk of dying while on the lung transplant waiting list and may be helpful in identifying patients who should be considered for early or living-donor transplantation.
Pharmacists and pharmacogenetics.

The recent New Practitioners Forum article by Cromer et al.[1][1] provided a great framework for establishing relationships between pharmacists and physicians. Indeed, pharmacists have paved the way for collaboration by providing valuable services in anticoagulation, disease management, and
Concurrent multimodality image segmentation by active contours for radiotherapy treatment planning

Multimodality imaging information is regularly used now in radiotherapytreatment planning for cancer patients. The authors are investigating methods to take advantage of all the imaging information available for joint target registration and segmentation, including multimodality images or multiple image sets from the same modality. In particular, the authors have developed variational methods based on multivalued level set deformable models for simultaneous 2D or 3D segmentation of multimodality images consisting of combinations of coregistered PET,CT, or MR data sets. The combined information is integrated to define the overall biophysical structure volume. The authors demonstrate the methods on three patient data sets, including a nonsmall cell lungcancer case with PET/CT, a cervix cancer case with PET/CT, and a prostate patient case with CT and MRI.CT,PET, and MR phantom data were also used for quantitative validation of the proposed multimodality segmentation approach. The corresponding Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was 0.90 ± 0.02 ( p 0.0001 ) with an estimated target volume error of 1.28 ± 1.23 % volume. Preliminary results indicate that concurrent multimodality segmentation methods can provide a feasible and accurate framework for combining imaging data from different modalities and are potentially useful tools for the delineation of biophysical structure volumes in radiotherapytreatment planning.
Incidence of antibiotic-resistant infection in long-term residents of skilled nursing facilities

Background Information regarding the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infection in residents of skilled nursing facilities is lacking. Methods The incidence and predictors of antibiotic-resistant infection were investigated in 56,182 long-term residents of 3314 skilled nursing facilities in California, Florida, Michigan, New York, and Texas. Results The annual incidence was 12.7 cases per 1000 long-term residents overall, which varied by state (highest incidence, New York) and type of admitting facility (highest incidence, rehabilitation hospital). The incidence was greater in younger residents, males, and residents with paraplegia, quadriplegia, peripheral vascular disease, or diabetes mellitus. Dialysis, urinary catheterization, feeding tubes, tracheostomy, and use of intravenous medications were associated with elevated risk. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were greatest in residents with paraplegia (OR = 2.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.67 to 4.89) and those receiving dialysis (OR = 2.84; 95% CI = 1.84 to 4.37). Conclusion There is significant variation in the risk of antibiotic-resistant infection by admitting diagnosis, device use, and facility characteristics.
Should a patient with a treated cancer be offered an open heart operation

The unknown but presumably reduced life expectancy of patients with malignant neoplasms may dissuade surgeons from performing necessary coronary and valvular heart operations. There is also concern for recrudescence of cancer as a result of an impaired immune system after cardiopulmonary bypass. We analyzed the records of 2,190 patients who underwent cardiac operations requiring extracorporeal circulation between 1988 and 1990. Of these, 46 patients had previously been treated for malignancy other than nonmelanoma skin cancer. Open heart operations were performed in patients with cardiac symptoms only in the absence of tumor recurrence. Tumor staging indicated reduced life expectancy in all patients. Thirty-eight patients (82.7%) had myocardial revascularization; 8 patients (17.3%) underwent valve operations. Postoperatively, all but 2 patients were free from complications. In-hospital mortality was 4.3% (2/46). One patient died of cardiogenic shock after combined aortic and mitral valve replacement; the second patient succumbed to pulmonary embolism after reoperative coronary artery bypass grafting. Actuarial survival at 3 years was 96%, and all patients reported a satisfactory quality of life. This experience suggests that cardiac operations in selected patients with previously treated cancer are safe and offer clinical improvement at a reasonable operative risk.
Faradaic reactions not governed by electrode collision frequencies

Summary It is shown theoretically that at least one class of faradaic reactions exists for which formal exchange currents are characterizable and for which no obvious necessity of rate governed by collision frequency with the electrode is obvious. This implies that upper limits to the rate constants for faradaic processes proposed by previous workers need not generally exist. It is suggested that the effect of finite collision frequency should manifest itself in the mass transfer impedance rather than the charge transfer impedance of the faradaic process.
Vers un respect durable de la législation: résultats des modèles d'inspection du travail au Brésil

Resume. Peut-on concilier les droits des travailleurs et la protection sociale avec la competitivite et la productivite des entreprises? Se demarquant de la doctrine en vogue, qui prone la dereglementation et la «flexibilisation» de la protection du travail, l'auteur analyse le debat sur les styles reglementaires et suggere que les differentes pratiques d'inspection du travail influent sur les resultats obtenus dans le respect de la legislation. Son enque te permet de constater que les inspecteurs du travail bresiliens ont su elaborer des solutions assurant un respect durable de la reglementation sans nuire a la productivite des entreprises, en utilisant des methodes faisant appel a la fois aux sanctions et a la pedagogie.
Accelerated heavy particles and the lens. V. Theoretical basis of cataract enhancement by dose fractionation.

That accelerated heavy ions are highly cataractogenic is indisputable. The basis of heavy particle effectiveness and the augmentation by fractionation, as recently demonstrated, remains less clear. There is no question, however, that these are tied to the ‘track structure’ and densely ionizing nature of the radiation. The unique energy deposition characteristics relating to charge and track structure are now being explored to begin to dissect the cellular response of the lens epithelium to radiation exposure. The elucidation of the basis of the cataractogenic effect of accelerated heavy ions is important not only to risk assessment, but also in the consideration of theories of radiation action and the mechanism of cortical opacification arising from a myriad of cataractotoxic agents.
A comparison of the inhibition of deacetylase in primary cultures of rat and human hepatocytes effecting metabolism and DNA-binding of 2-acetylaminofluorene.

The metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) in primary cultures of rat and human hepatocytes was investigated to determine if the activation of this well-studied chemical carcinogen proceeds via similar routes of metabolism between species. The total level of AAF metabolite(s) bound to hepatocellular DNA was determined in the presence of deacetylase inhibitors, diethyl(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate (paraoxon) or bis(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate (BPNPP). These compounds are known to inhibit deacetylase and to decrease the mutagenicity of AAF. Experiments with rat and human hepatocytes demonstrated inhibition in the deacetylation of AAF (5×10−4 M) with paraoxon or BPNPP. The BPNPP (5×10−4 M inhibited 99% of the AF formation in the human hepatocytes and 88% inhibition in the rat hepatocytes. Paraoxon at 10−4 M demonstrated a 98% inhibition of deacetylation with humans and a 92% inhibition with rats. The rat hepatocytes also showed a 53% decrease in DNA binding in the presence of paraoxon. In contrast with human hepatocytes, while paraoxon decreased the AF metabolite by > 97%, there was no change in total DNA binding.
Protein tyrosine phosphorylation as a mechanism of signalling in mast cells and basophils.

Abstract Tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins is a mechanism of signalling for different receptors and is important for cell growth and differentiation. Mast cells and basophils are secretory cells that play a role in inflammatory and immediate allergic reactions. The activation/aggregation of different surface receptors on these cells induces tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins. Because these signals are essential for the function of basophils and mast cells, characterizing these pathways could provide methods to specifically regulate the function of these cells. Here we discuss the signals generated by three receptors: the high affinity IgE receptor (FcϵRI), the growth factor receptor, Kit, and integrins.
The theory of diffusion in microemulsion

Abstract A formulation of diffusional fluxes in microemulsions is developed. A drop model is considered in which both the fluctuations of the microstructure and the obstruction of the Brownian movement of molecules in the continuous phase by the slower moving aggregates are included. The flux expressions are shown to reduce to a particularly simple form when applied to tracer studies not involving concentration gradients. It is also shown that the electrical conductivity is represented by the formulation.
Protein-based organelles in bacteria: carboxysomes and related microcompartments

Bacterial microcompartments consist of a protein shell that encapsulates enzymes to form an 'organelle'. Recent structural analyses have begun to provide insights into how one of these microcompartments, the carboxysome, which houses ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) and carbonic anhydrase, is built. This Review describes the structure and function of bacterial microcompartments by focusing on carboxysomes. Many bacteria contain intracellular microcompartments with outer shells that are composed of thousands of protein subunits and interiors that are filled with functionally related enzymes. These microcompartments serve as organelles by sequestering specific metabolic pathways in bacterial cells. The carboxysome, a prototypical bacterial microcompartment that is found in cyanobacteria and some chemoautotrophs, encapsulates ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) and carbonic anhydrase, and thereby enhances carbon fixation by elevating the levels of CO2 in the vicinity of RuBisCO. Evolutionarily related, but functionally distinct, microcompartments are present in diverse bacteria. Although bacterial microcompartments were first observed more than 40 years ago, a detailed understanding of how they function is only now beginning to emerge.
Safety of abciximab in patients with chronic renal insufficiency who are undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions.

Abstract Background Patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) have worse outcomes during and after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Abciximab reduces complications, but may cause excessive bleeding in patients with CRI. Therefore, we sought to determine the safety of abciximab in patients with CRI. Methods Patients (n = 4158) undergoing PCI at the Mayo Clinic since abciximab became available were analyzed according to their estimated creatinine clearance (≥70, 50–69, or 15%. Minor bleeding was defined as a decrease in the hematocrit level of 10% to 15% with an identifiable site of bleeding. Results CRI was associated with increased bleeding in patients who received abciximab and patients who did not. However, there was only a trend toward an interaction between creatinine clearance and major bleeding with abciximab (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; P = .06) and no interaction with minor bleeding (OR, 1.01; P = .94) or any bleeding (OR, 1.10; P = .15). Conclusion CRI is associated with an increased risk of bleeding complications after PCI. Although abciximab increases the risk of bleeding in all patients, the increase in relative risk is not significantly greater in patients with CRI. Thus, abciximab may be given safely in patients with CRI who are undergoing PCI.
Preliminary measurements of uranium atom motion on corbon films at low temperatures

Conclusion We have presented here the first heavy atom micro graphs taken with the specimen below room temperature (−40 °C and −100 °C). Successive pictures indicate that uranium atoms on a carbon substrate still move around appreciably: 60% have moved >3 A after 15 s. at −40 °C and 26% at −100 °C. This gives jump frequencies of 4.0 × 10−2/s and 1.8 × 10−2/s respectively, Of those atoms which do move the average distance in 15 s is 5.7 A. Atoms which do not move from the first to the second scan have a higher probability of remaining fixed in the future than those that move. This indicates that different affinity binding sites exist. The small factor of 2.2 in jump frequency between −40 °C and −100 °C calls into question any simple eEa/kT temperature dependence for atom motion. Our measurements differ substantially from predictions made by room temperature studies (see fig. 5), and no satisfactory reconciliation exists at this time. Additional experiments are necessary to delineate the underlying mechanisms. While the results with UO2Cl2 on a carbon film show more motion than expected at these temperatures, less motion may occur if the heavy atom is chemically bound or encased in a large biomolecule. Again such questions await further experimentation to be answered. In any case, a decrease in atom motion of even a factor of 4–100 in going to liquid nitrogen temperatures may prove important in certain applications.
Seismic tomography of the Colorado Rocky Mountains upper mantle from CREST: Lithosphere–asthenosphere interactions and mantle support of topography

Abstract The CREST experiment (Colorado Rocky Mountains Experiment and Seismic Transects) integrated the EarthScope USArray Transportable Array with portable and permanent stations to provide detailed seismic imaging of crust and mantle properties beneath the highest topography region of the Rocky Mountains. Inverting approximately 14,600 P- and 3600 S-wave arrival times recorded at 160 stations for upper mantle V p and V s structure, we find that large V p perturbations relative to AK135 of 7% and V s variations of 8% take place over very short (approaching tens of kilometers) lateral distances. Highest heterogeneity is observed in the upper 300 km of the mantle, but well resolved low velocity features extend to the top of the transition zone in portions of these images. The previously noted low velocity upper mantle Aspen Anomaly is resolved into multiple features. The lowest V p and V s velocities in the region are found beneath the San Juan Mountains, which is clearly distinguished from other low velocity features of the northern Rio Grande Rift, Taos/Latir region, Aspen region, and below the Never Summer Mountains. We suggest that the San Juan anomaly, and a similar feature below the Taos/Latir region of northern New Mexico, are related to delamination and remnant heat (and melt) beneath these sites of extraordinarily voluminous middle-Cenozoic volcanism. We interpret a northeast–southwest grain in velocity structure that parallels the Colorado Mineral belt to depths near 150 km as being reflective of control by uppermost mantle Proterozoic accretionary lithospheric architecture. Further to the north and west, the Wyoming province and northern Colorado Plateau show high velocity features indicative of thick (∼150 km) preserved Archean and Proterozoic lithosphere, respectively. Overall, we interpret the highly heterogeneous uppermost mantle velocity structure beneath the southern Rocky Mountains as reflecting interfingered chemical Proterozoic lithosphere that has been, is currently being, replaced and modified by upwelling asthenosphere. Low velocity features resolved here indicate that this process may be sourced as deeply as the top of the mantle transition zone at 410 km. One driving mechanism for this is upper mantle interaction between upwelling hydration-induced partial melt and destabilized downwelling lithosphere in the deeper upper mantle. Tomographic imaging of mantle seismic velocity and crustal thickness results and modeling from the CREST experiment indicate that the highest elevations of the Colorado Rocky Mountains are substantially supported by the mantle, and strong correlations between low velocity mantle and thin crust/high topography are noted across the region. This, along with rich upper mantle seismic heterogeneity, suggests that mantle buoyancy and dynamics are central to present day topographic support and recent geomorphic evolution of the region.