cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preoperative dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with increased mortality in patients who undergo orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Chronic vasodilatory state and poor exercise tolerance in patients with end-stage liver disease make dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) preferred for preoperative evaluation of CAD prior to OLT. We studied the incidence of positive DSE results and the association between DSE results and perioperative and longer-term events. HYPOTHESIS DSE results pre-OLT will predict short and long term outcomes. METHODS We studied 460 patients who underwent DSE within 1 year prior to OLT between 2004 and 2011. Primary events included death and MI at 30 days post-OLT. We also recorded longer-term deaths. RESULTS Four patients (0.9%) had an ischemic response to DSE, 360 (78%) were normal, and 96 (21%) were nondiagnostic. Fourteen patients (3%) had a primary event at 30 days following OLT (13 deaths and 1 NSTEMI), and there were 108 (24%) deaths at 4.6±2 years of follow-up. No patient with ischemia on DSE had a 30-day event. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of DSE that was not normal (ie, ischemic or nondiagnostic response) to predict 30-day post-OLT events were 76%, 14%, 78%, 2%, and 97%, respectively. On Cox survival analysis, only baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (HR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85-0.96, P < 0.001) was associated with longer-term deaths. CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing pre-OLT DSE have very low incidence of an ischemic response on DSE, and it has no association with 30-day events.
Density functional theory investigation of mechanisms of degradation reactions of sulfonated PEEK membranes with H radicals in fuel cells: addition–elimination bond-breaking reactions in a model molecule

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells are expected to continue to play a role in the development of alternative energy sources. Sulfonated polyether (ether) ketone, or sulfonated PEEK (sPEEK), membranes are one possible candidate for fuel cell membranes. In this work, the reactivity of the sPEEK polymer molecule with H radicals is studied by M062X hybrid density functional calculations. The energetics of relevant reaction paths were computed in both gas phase and a water environment as modeled by polarized continuum model calculations. Results suggest a simple degradation process in which the addition of H radicals to aromatic rings within the polymer is followed by bond-breaking processes within the polymer chain.
Rehabilitation of Hand and Wrist Injuries in Sports

This article discusses injuries to the hand and wrist as seen in the sports population. Patterns and risks of injuries and distribution of injuries by specific sports are discussed. Acute and chronic injuries to bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, neurovascular structures, and integument are addressed. The importance of accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment and return to play criteria in the immediate postinjury phase and after adequate rehabilitation are emphasized.
The use and action of drugs in analyzing mitosis.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the use of drugs in studies of mitosis and their mode of action at a biochemical/mechanistic level and present general guidelines for using the drugs as tools. The chapter presents a brief overview of microtubule assembly dynamics and summarizes the current understanding of (i) the binding of vinblastine, colchicine, nocodazole, and taxol to tubulin and microtubules; (ii) the effects of the drugs on microtubule polymerization and dynamics in vitro and in cells; (iii) the levels and kinetics of cellular accumulation and loss of the compounds; (iv) the drug concentration dependence for effects on mitotic spindle organization; and (v) the advantages and disadvantages of using a particular drug for the study of microtubule assembly and dynamics. The chapter also describes the methods for measuring drug uptake into cultured cells, and summarizes some practical guidelines for drug use. First of all, one has to determine the effects of the drug on spindle microtubule organization and mitosis over a range of concentrations in the cells of choice. One should also ensure that the drug is completely solubilized and should determine the effects of varying the duration of drug incubation.
Energy Performance Evaluation of an Educational Facility: The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

This final report gives findings from NREL's energy performance evaluation of the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio.
Zeros of certain combinations of Eisenstein series of weight 2k,3k, and k + l

Abstract We locate the zeros of the modular forms E k 2 ( τ ) + E 2 k ( τ ) , E k 3 ( τ ) + E 3 k ( τ ) , and E k ( τ ) E l ( τ ) + E k + l ( τ ) , where E k ( τ ) is the Eisenstein series for the full modular group SL 2 ( Z ) . By utilizing work of F.K.C. Rankin and Swinnerton-Dyer, we prove that for sufficiently large k , l , all zeros in the standard fundamental domain are located on the lower boundary A = { e i θ : π / 2 ≤ θ ≤ 2 π / 3 } .
A state of suspended animation: Urban sanitation and water access in Nogales, Sonora

With its hilly terrain and fast-paced growth, Nogales, Sonora, located on the US-Mexico border, is an extremely challenging place for sanitation and potable water provision wherein access to basic services is highly uneven. The labor demands of maquiladoras (typically, foreign-owned assembly plants) draw a steady influx of newcomers to the city, many of whom must turn to land “invasion” to create spaces for affordable housing. With tacit government approval, invasions occur on inexpensive, often topographically precarious land. Officials tend to frame these spaces as “illegal,” and, by extension, those who inhabit them, as existing outside the realm of formal governance. Despite such views, in this paper we understand the distinctions drawn between so-called formal and informal urban governance to unfold along two key axes: regularization of informal land titles and piped water and sanitation. We show how colonia residents feel caught in a state of suspended animation between hope for full urban service provision and trepidation that it will ever reach them. This ambiguity is visible in residents' and government officials' interactions with each other and the public services landscape, and in the unevenness of services provision. We critique the claim that such ambiguousness reflects an instrumental approach within official planning. Instead, we draw from state theory within political geography and political ecology to show how ‘the state’ is an emergent effect of the processes of inclusion and exclusion, an effect constantly destabilized by Nogales's precarious physical geography and uneven urban services grid. Reconceptualizing authority and ambiguity holds quite different implications for the struggle for urban services provision.
Pretreatment Efficacy and Lignin Solubility of Organic Solvents on Juvenile Slash Pine Chips for Lignin Value Prior to Pulping

Organic solvent treatment of wood chips can be a key to converting pulp mills into pulp-producing biorefineries. Choosing an optimal solvent requires screening of numerous industrially relevant solvents. This work considers the delignification efficacy of several aqueous organic solvents for juvenile slash pine chips and correlates this efficacy to the lignin solubility. No correlation was shown between the pretreatment efficacy and solubility of ethanol-extracted lignin in organic solvents. At least 10% (v/v) water and 10% (v/v) organic solvent are required for effective delignification, and the different solvent delignification profiles for aqueous mixtures of 1,6 hexamethylene diamine, ethanol, 1-methylimidazole, tetrahydrofuran, and ethylene glycol were determined experimentally. No correlations were found between lignin solubility, Hansen solubility parameters, and delignification. Therefore, solubility measurements should not be a screen for lignin value prior to pulping. However, a 50% (v/v) organic solvent pretreatment at 200 °C for 2 h is a valuable screen to rank the delignification efficacy of organic solvents for further optimization.
4CPS-134 Prevalence analysis of patients treated with triptans at risk of developing medication overuse headache and development of a prescription optimisation strategy

Background and importance Medication overdose headache (MOH) is a secondary headache disorder occurring on 15 or more days per month developing as a consequence of regular overdose of headache medication for more than 3 months. The prevalence of MOH is approximately 1–2% and is higher in women than in men. Many medications used to treat headaches have the potential for causing MOH. Currently, MOH secondary to triptans is increasing and leads to MOH sooner than with other medications. Anxiety and depression may be risk factors for the evolution of migraine into MOH. Aim and objectives To determine the prevalence of patients treated with triptans at risk of MOH (regular intake for ≥10 days/month for >3 months) and the profile in our health area; to identify and communicate to the prescribers those patients with overuse of triptans; and to inform all clinicians about MOH: aetiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment. Material and methods We analysed the dispensation records of all patients treated with triptans over 3 months (June 2019–September 2019). Data collected were sex, age, monthly intake frequency and co-medication. We alerted prescribers by email, including management and de-prescription recommendations for MOH. We posted content about MOH in our blog. Results The prevalence of patients treated with triptans was 0.50%; 47 of 538 patients taking triptans (8.7%) were at risk of MOH. Their median age was 55 years and most were women (79%). Median monthly intake was 16 doses (10–48). Thirty patients (64%) had prescriptions for anxiety and/or depression and 13 patients (28%) had preventive therapy prescriptions for headache. Twenty-nine prescribers were notified by email. Dispensation record history, co-medication, MOH management guide and patient education leaflets were attached. Conclusion and relevance MOH is a common problem in clinical practice that needs to be properly managed to increase the likelihood of successful chronic daily headache treatment. The results obtained in our population were similar to published studies, both in prevalence and in patient profile. However, the MOH rate was still lacking as it needs a clinician diagnosis. In 6 months we will collect information about the evolution of these patients, and we expect that our intervention will lead to treatment optimisation, better use of triptans and headache relief. References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.
Teleophthalmology: Evaluation of Phone-based Visual Acuity in a Pediatric Population.

Purpose With the recent rise of teleophthalmology due to coronavirus disease, health care needs accurate and reliable methods of checking visual acuity remotely. The visual acuity as measured by the GoCheck Kids application was compared with that of the Amblyopia Treatment Study (ATS) and the authors' clinic protocol. Design This was a prospective, comparison of visual acuity assessment methods. Methods Established patients (3-18 years of age) in the practice of a single pediatric ophthalmologist were eligible. Visual acuity was measured 1) by GoCheck Kids mobile application, by the patient's family member; 2) by HOTV-ATS, by study personnel; and 3) by regular clinic protocol, by an ophthalmic technician. To assess agreement between measurement of acuity, intraclass correlations with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed. Results A total of 53 children participated. The mean differences between GoCheck Kids and HOTV-ATS acuities (0.094) were significantly different (P Conclusions GoCheck Kids as checked by a family member provided a modest correlation of visual acuity compared to the chart screen and a fair correlation of visual acuity compared to HOTV-Amblyopia Treatment Study protocol, although most were within 1 line.
Relation of chemical and physical processes in two-phase detonations

Both physical and chemical factors influence combusion instabilities and explosions in two-phase systems consisting of fuel liquid drops in a gaseous oxidizer. It is generally agreed that in two-phase detonations, fuel drops are broken up via a mass stripping mechanism and form combustible mixtures of fuel micromist and hot gaseous oxidizer in the wake of each parent drop. The large surface area between the micromist (micron size drops) and the hot oxidizer enable chemical reactions to proceed at a rapid enough rate to support the incident shock front. Therefore, the detonability of two-phase mixtures is affected by both the fuel drop breakup and the chemical energy release rate. An experimental study was undertaken to elucidate the relative importance of the roles of chemical and physical processes. Additives were employed to alter the physical properties (such as viscosity) and the chemical properties (such as ignition delay) of the fuel. In addition, fuel drop size was systemically varied, since this also affects breakup time. The sensitivity of a hydrocarbon fuel drop-air mixture to detonate was significantly increased by using additives which alter the chemical energy release rate and by decreasing the initial fuel drop size.
Prediction of cell viability in dynamic optical projection stereolithography-based bioprinting using machine learning

Stereolithography (SLA)-based bioprinting can fabricate three-dimensional complex objects accurately and efficiently. However, the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in the SLA-based bioprinting process is a significant challenge, which may damage the cells. Physics-based models are not able to predict cell viability with high accuracy because of the complexity of cell biological structures and cell recovery. To overcome this challenge, we developed a predictive model using machine learning to predict cell viability. We designed a set of experiments considering the effects of four critical process parameters, including UV intensity, UV exposure time, gelatin methacrylate concentration, and layer thickness. These experiments were conducted under varying bioprinting conditions to collect experimental data. An ensemble learning algorithm combining neural networks, ridge regression, K-nearest neighbors, and random forest (RF) was developed aiming at predicting cell viability under various bioprinting conditions. The performance of the predictive model was evaluated based on three error metrics. Finally, the importance of each process parameter on cell viability was determined using RF. The predictive model has been demonstrated to be able to predict cell viability with high accuracy as well as determine the significance of each process parameter on cell viability in SLA-based 3D bioprinting.
Locoregional Therapy: Cancer Interventions with and Without Radionuclides

Interventional oncology has joined surgical, radiation, and medical oncology as a pillar of cancer care. Minimally invasive treatment options have expanded with improvements in image guidance and novel low-profile devices that allow for targeted cancer therapy without the morbidity of open surgery or the diffuse toxicity of systemic chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This chapter reviews the most common interventional oncology treatments for locoregional tumor control. Therapies covered include the endovascular techniques of chemotherapy infusion, chemoembolization, and radioembolization for hepatic tumors, as well as the percutaneous techniques of thermal ablation for hepatic, renal, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal tumors.
Physician Workflow in Two Distinctive Emergency Departments: An Observational Study.

Objectives We characterize physician workflow in two distinctive emergency departments (ED). Physician practices mediated by electronic health records (EHR) are explored within the context of organizational complexity for the delivery of care. Methods Two urban clinical sites, including an academic teaching ED, were selected. Fourteen physicians were recruited. Overall, 62 hours of direct clinical observations were conducted characterizing clinical activities (EHR use, team communication, and patient care). Data were analyzed using qualitative open-coding techniques and descriptive statistics. Timeline belts were used to represent temporal events. Results At site 1, physicians, engaged in more team communication, followed by direct patient care. Although physicians spent 61% of their clinical time at workstations, only 25% was spent on the EHR, primarily for clinical documentation and review. Site 2 physicians engaged primarily in direct patient care spending 52% of their time at a workstation, and 31% dedicated to EHRs, focused on chart review. At site 1, physicians showed nonlinear complex workflow patterns with a greater frequency of multitasking and interruptions, resulting in workflow fragmentation. In comparison, at site 2, a less complex environment with a unique patient assignment system, resulting in a more linear workflow pattern. Conclusion The nature of the clinical practice and EHR-mediated workflow reflects the ED work practices. Physicians in more complex organizations may be less efficient because of the fragmented workflow. However, these effects can be mitigated by effort distribution through team communication, which affords inherent safety checks.
Resolving a Paradox: Retail Trades Positively Predict Returns but are Not Profitable

Retail order imbalance positively correlates with returns in the days following trades. However, in aggregate, retail investor trades lose money over these same periods. Why? 1) While order imbalance tests value or equally weight stocks, retail purchases are concentrated in stocks earning large negative abnormal returns. 2) Order imbalance tests ignore losses on the day of trade. Our results reconcile the literatures on the performance of retail investors, the predictive content of retail order imbalance, and attention-induced trading and returns. We also find evidence that trades by retail investors with less knowledge, experience, and wealth are more likely to underperform.
FDA Oncology Center of Excellence landscape analysis of real-world data submissions for oncology drugs.

e18787Background: Aligning with 21st Century Cures legislation, the FDA is exploring trial design modernization and methodology to advance appropriate uses of Real World Data (RWD) to generate Real...
Women’s Divergent Union Transitions After Marital Dissolution in the United States

In the United States, high marital instability calls for more research on union transitions after marital dissolution. Previous studies focus on remarriage and pay little attention to rising post-dissolution cohabitation. In this study, I apply marital search theory to examine the level, pace, and differentials of repartnering (remarriage or cohabitation vs. staying single) and the exit from cohabitation (remarriage or dissolution vs. staying cohabiting). Adopting union history data from the pooled National Survey of Family Growth (2011–2017), I track union transitions among a sample of N = 2129 women. Analyses based on life tables and discrete-time event history analyses reveal important findings. First, most women repartner after marital dissolution. Compared to remarriage, cohabitation occurs more frequently and shows a quicker pace. Second, post-dissolution cohabitation is short-lived, and its transition to remarriage is more common than to dissolution. Third, these union transitions differ by demographic and socioeconomic predictors, including age, race and ethnicity, and education. Overall, I reveal that post-dissolution union transition is a divergent and unequal process, and I further discuss the implications on theory and family inequality.
The mobility of small, over-pressurized helium bubbles in tungsten at 2000 K

Abstract Fusion reactor environments inevitably lead to the formation of high-pressure helium bubbles whose nucleation, growth, and diffusion strongly impact the performance of plasma-facing components. This research describes a diffusion mechanism of over-pressurized bubbles via a sequence of Frenkel pair nucleation, self-interstitial migration, and Frenkel pair annihilation. Molecular dynamics was used to simulate the diffusion of small bubbles in tungsten at 2000 K with helium-per-vacancy ratios in the range of 4.5 to 7. The diffusion coefficients are calculated and their dependence on helium content, number of vacancies, and number of attached self-interstitials is characterized. It is found that bubbles are most mobile when the nucleation/annihilation rates of Frenkel pairs are nearly equal and when the bubbles nucleate and annihilate a single self-interstitial. All bubbles experience a peak diffusivity, which can be as high as 10 − 11 m 2 /s decreasing with bubble size. The calculated diffusion coefficients provide valuable insight into the mobility of small, high-pressure bubbles, and can be used as input parameters in mesoscale models to improve predictions of plasma-surface interactions. (LA-UR-21-21881)
Hormones and Behaviour

Summary AninterestingissuerelatestothefactthatmanyhormonesonthemarkettodayarenotregulatedbytheFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)therebymakingthepurityofthesehormonesquestionableandthedosesvariable.Onemightwonderwhysomehomonesaretermed‘dietarysupplements’andarenotregulatedbytheFDA,whileothersarestrictlyregulatedandsoldonlywithprescrip-tionsfrommedicaldoctors.Dietarysupplementsareproductsintendedfordigestionasasupplementtothediet.Theseincludevitamins,minerals,herbsandmanyotherplant-derivedsubstances.Theseagentsmaynotbesoldastreatmentsorcures,butmaybesoldasdietarysupplements.Althoughtermeddietarysupplements,thesefoodadditivescanbeidenticaltohormonesknowntocirculateinthebody.FurtherinformationonthistopicisavailablefromtheFDA.Thefocusoftheprecedingdiscussionhasbeenonthehormonalsystemsthathavebeenwellcharacterized.Whilesome evidence of the interactions among hormonalsystemshasbeenpresented,thisisacomplextopiclyingatthebordersofourknowledge.Recently,therehavebeennumerousreportsadvocatingtheuseofhormonaltreat-mentsfordisordersrangingfromreducedsexdrive(e.g.DHEA)tojetlag(e.g.melatonin).Thenewsmediabroadcasts‘miracle’curespromotingtheuseofhormonestoenhanceimmunefunction,slowdowntheageingprocessandincreasesexdrive.Becausehormonesarecapableoftravellinginthebloodtositesalloverthebody,theseagentscanhaveabroadimpactthroughoutthebody;thus,itisimpossibletofocushormoneadministrationsolelyontheproblem(e.g.jetlag)oneistryingtocombat.Someaspectsofresearchonhormonaltreatmentsare‘immature’:often,long-termsideeﬀectsofthesesub-stanceshavenotbeenevaluated.Medicaldoctorswhoadvocatetheuseofhormones,suchasmelatonin,maycitethefactthatextremelyhighdosesofmelatoninwillnotkilllaboratoryanimals.Certainly,one’scriteriafortreatmentshouldnotsimplybewhetherornotadministrationofthedrugwill leadto death;thus, one should resist thetemptationtousehormonesunnecessarilyuntillong-termclinicalstudiesareconductedtodeterminewhetheranyunforeseensideeﬀectsresultfromtheiruse.Inadditiontounanticipatedlong-termsideeﬀects,onehormonalsystemtypicallyinteractswithotherhormonalsystems;forexample,hormonesoftheimmunesystem,calledcytokines,interactwithnumerousotherhormones,includinggonadalsteroids,glucocorticoids,prolactinandthyroidhormone.Thus,alteringonehormoneconcentra-tiontypicallyhasfar-rangingeﬀectsonnumerousotherhormonalsystems.Unforeseensideeﬀectsofself-treat-mentwithhormonescanbearesult.Theknowledgeofhowhormonesaﬀectthebody,fromtheprecedingsections,togetherwiththesecautionarynoteswillhopefullyprovideatheoreticalframeworkwithinwhichthereadercanevaluateongoingresearchinbehaviouralendocrinology.
The possible loces of lightness contrast

Evidence that the magnitude of simultaneous contrast depends upon retinal orientation of a stimulus configuration is presented in two experiments. More specifically, the magnitude of contrast was found to be greater for stimuli presented horizontally and vertically than for stimuli presented obliquely. These results were interpreted in terms of a cortical analysis of simultaneous contrast.
Multiple courses of high-dose total skin electron beam therapy in the management of mycosis fungoides

Purpose : A retrospective analysis was undertaken to determine the indications for, the efficacy of, and the long-term complications of two courses of total skin electron beam therapy for mycosis fungoides. Methods and Materials : A retrospective analysis of 15 patients with the pathologic diagnosis of mycosis fungoides treated in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Stanford University Medical Center between 1968 and 1990 was performed. All patients received two courses of high-dose electron beam therapy to the skin. The mean dose for the total skin treatment for the first course was 32.6 Gy and 23.4 Gy for the second course of treatment. Results : Following the first course of total skin electron beam therapy, 11 of 15 had a complete response, with a mean duration of 11.6 months. All patients received adjuvant therapies between the first and second courses of high-dose total skin electron beam therapy. The mean interval between the first and the second courses of therapy was 41.3 months. Patients were restaged prior to commencement of their second course of high-dose total skin electron beam therapy, resulting in upstaging in six. The second course of therapy resulted in six complete responses and nine partial responses. Twelve of these patients have since died, 1 is lost to follow-up, and 2 are living with disease. The long-term side effects in the two living patients include pigmentation changes, alopecia, and diffuse xerosis. Conclusion : Delivery of two courses of total skin electron beam therapy is technically feasible, tolerable, and efficacious. The dose to the total skin was reduced for the second course of therapy in all cases. The criteria used to screen patients included initial good response to total skin electron treatment, long disease-free interval, exhaustion of other therapeutic modalities, and generalized skin involvement at relapse. Long-term toxicities were mild in severity and generally consisted of generalized xerosis, scattered telangiectasias, pigmentation changes, and partial alopecia.
An Ergot Alkaloid Biosynthesis Gene and Clustered Hypothetical Genes from Aspergillus fumigatus

The ergot alkaloids are a family of indole-derived mycotoxins with a variety of significant biological activities. Aspergillus fumigatus, a common airborne fungus and opportunistic human pathogen, and several fungi in the relatively distant taxon Clavicipitaceae (clavicipitaceous fungi) produce different sets of ergot alkaloids. The ergot alkaloids of these divergent fungi share a four-member ergoline ring but differ in the number, type, and position of the side chains. Several genes required for ergot alkaloid production are known in the clavicipitaceous fungi, and these genes are clustered in the genome of the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea. We investigated whether the ergot alkaloids of A. fumigatus have a common biosynthetic and genetic origin with those of the clavicipitaceous fungi. A homolog of dmaW, the gene controlling the determinant step in the ergot alkaloid pathway of clavicipitaceous fungi, was identified in the A. fumigatus genome. Knockout of dmaW eliminated all known ergot alkaloids from A. fumigatus, and complementation of the mutation restored ergot alkaloid production. Clustered with dmaW in the A. fumigatus genome are sequences corresponding to five genes previously proposed to encode steps in the ergot alkaloid pathway of C. purpurea, as well as additional sequences whose deduced protein products are consistent with their involvement in the ergot alkaloid pathway. The corresponding genes have similarities in their nucleotide sequences, but the orientations and positions within the cluster of several of these genes differ. The data indicate that the ergot alkaloid biosynthetic capabilities in A. fumigatus and the clavicipitaceous fungi had a common origin.
Unterminated Small-Signal Behavioral Model of DC–DC Converters

The “black-box” modeling of dc–dc converters has always been an attractive topic widely used in engineering practice. However, in order to obtain unterminated model of dc–dc converter, the one had to be removed from the original environment and connected to the high-bandwidth voltage source and current sink for easier decoupling of the source and the load dynamics. This paper addresses an online dc–dc converter characterization procedure where converter under test can remain working in the original environment, at the particular operating point, and be connected to any type of the source and the load while the terminated frequency response characteristics are obtained. The source and the load dynamics can then be decoupled from the measured frequency responses using here proposed linear transformation matrix. The verification and validation of the proposed technique will be both presented in this paper.
Should treatment for depression be based more on patient preference

Patient treatment preferences are of growing interest to researchers, clinicians, and patients. In this review, an overview of the most commonly recommended treatments for depression is provided, along with a brief review of the evidence supporting their efficacy. Studies examining the effect of patient treatment preferences on treatment course and outcome are summarized. Existing literature on what treatment options patients tend to prefer and believe to be helpful, and what factors may affect these preferences, is also reviewed. Finally, clinical implications of research findings on patient preferences for depression management are discussed. In summary, although our knowledge of the impact of patient preferences on treatment course and outcome is limited, knowing and considering those preferences may be clinically important and worthy of greater study for evidence-based practice.
Genetic Testing for Potentially Lethal, Highly Treatable Inherited Cardiomyopathies/Channelopathies in Clinical Practice

The molecular millennium has bestowed researchers with the essential tools to identify the underlying genetic substrates for thousands of genetic disorders, most of which are rare and follow mendelian inheritance patterns. The genetic bases of potentially lethal and heritable cardiomyopathies and cardiac channelopathies, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), left ventricular noncompaction, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), long-QT syndrome (LQTS), short-QT syndrome (SQTS), catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), Brugada syndrome (BrS), and familial atrial fibrillation, have been identified and are now better understood. Marked genetic heterogeneity and clinical heterogeneity are hallmark features of these disorders, with multiple genes and allelic variants subserving their underlying pathogenic mechanisms. To date, thousands of gene mutations at the single-nucleotide level have been discovered for this group of divergent cardiovascular disorders of the heart. Most mutations represent pathogenic disease-causing mutations only discovered in disease cohorts, whereas others are common or rare genetic polymorphisms identified in disease and in health that may or may not provide the precise pathogenic substrate. Genetic testing for several of these heritable cardiomyopathies and channelopathies has made its transition from discovery through translation, with clinical genetic tests now available commercially. The purpose of the present review is to provide the reader with a foundational understanding of genetic testing in clinical practice. Here, we will present some general principles of genetic testing, the need for careful interpretation of genetic testing results, the importance of genetic counseling, and some points on the ethical, legal, and societal implications of genetic testing. We will conclude by reviewing the state of clinical genetic testing for 4 of the principal cardiomyopathies/channelopathies: HCM, LQTS, CPVT, and BrS. ### Mutation Types in Human Genetic Disease Genes contain an encrypted genetic message for the assembly of polypeptides or proteins that serve the biological function of the cell. Polypeptides or proteins are polymers of linear repeating units …
The regulation of intracellular calcium and the release of neurotransmitters in the mussel, Mytilus edulis

1. 1. Lateral ciliary activity was studied on isolated visceral ganglion/branchial nerve/gill preparations of Mytilus edulis. 2. 2. Branchial nerve stimulation with 5 pulses per sec and perfusion with serotonin each accelerated ciliary beating. 3. 3. Branchial nerve stimulation with 50 pulses per sec and perfusion with dopamine each inhibited ciliary activity. 4. 4. A decrease in external free calcium ion concentration or interference with calcium membrane permeability blocks nerve stimulation (low and high frequency) and subsequent endogenous release of neurotransmitters. Exogenous application of serotonin and dopamine is not blocked by manipulation of calcium concentrations or calcium membrane interactions. 5. 5. Calcium plays a critical role in the regulation of presynaptic nerve terminal release of serotonin and dopamine.
Sphingosine Kinase from Swiss 3T3 Fibroblasts: A Convenient Assay for the Measurement of Intracellular Levels of Free Sphingoid Bases

Sphingoid bases are important for diverse cellular processes. This paper describes the development of a simple and rapid enzymatic method to quantify mass levels of free long-chain sphingoid bases in cellular lipid extracts. The assay is based on the ability of sphingosine kinase from Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts to phosphorylate sphingoid bases, predominantly sphingosine. To quantitatively determine cellular levels of sphingosine or other long-chain sphingoid bases, it was necessary to solubilize cellular lipids by sonication and to generate standard curves in the presence of lipid extracts containing at least 50 nmol of phospholipids. The assay conditions were optimized to allow quantification of sphingosine over a broad range from 25 to 1,000 pmol. Using this method we were able to obtain reproducible measurements of free sphingoid bases in various cell types and to detect increases in intracellular sphingoid base levels after treatment with exogenous sphingosine or stimulation with fetal bovine serum.
Sufficient condition for convergence of a relaxation algorithm in actual single-layer neural networks

Application of the contraction mapping theorem to single-layer feedback neural networks of a gradient-type is discussed. The sufficient condition for stability of a relaxation algorithm in actual continuous-time networks is derived and illustrated with an example. Results showing the stability of a numerical solution obtained with the relaxation algorithm are presented. >
The application of the polybromide yield in the estimation of methyl arachidonate in methyl ester mixtures

1. The preparation of and analytical data on three specimens of methyl arachidonate are described; these data include determinations of thiocyanogen number. 2. By a standard procedure polybromide yields are reported on five specimens of methyl arachidonate over a wide range of amounts of arachidonate brominated. 3. The empirical nature of the polybromide yield is demonstrated. 4. It is proposed to estimate methyl arachidonate in methyl ester mixtures by the interpolation from a standard curve which is drawn from bromide-arachidonate data over a wide range of values. 5. The use of the proposed method along with the spectroscopic procedure is discussed.
MEMS-Based Spatial and Temporal Thermal Management of High Heat Flux Electronics

This presentation describes the development of EDIFICE: E mbedded D roplet I mpingement F or I ntegrated C ooling of E lectronics. The EDIFICE project seeks to develop an integrated droplet impingement cooling device for removing chip heat fluxes over 100 W/cm2 , employing latent heat of vaporization of dielectric fluids. Micro-manufacturing and MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) will be discussed as enabling technologies for innovative cooling schemes recently proposed. Micro-spray nozzles are fabricated to produce 50–100 micron droplets coupled with surface texturing on the backside of the chip to promote droplet spreading and effective evaporation. A novel feature to enable adaptive on-demand cooling is MEMS sensing (on-chip temperature, remote IR temperature and ultrasonic dielectric film thickness) and MEMS actuation. EDIFICE is integrated within the electronics package and fabricated using advanced micro-manufacturing technologies (e.g., Deep Reactive lon Etching (DRIE) and CMOS CMU-MEMS). The development of EDIFICE involves modeling, CFD simulations, and physical experimentation on test beds. This lecture will then examine jet impingement cooling of EDIFICE with a dielectric coolant and the influence of fluid properties, micro spray characteristics, and surface evaporation. The development of micro nozzles, micro-structured surface texturing, and the system integration of the evaporator is discussed. Results of a prototype testing of swirl nozzles with dielectric fluid HFE-7200 on a notebook PC are presented. This paper also reviews liquid and evaporative cooling research applied to thermal management of electronics. It outlines the challenges to practical implementation and future research needs.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Recognition of the Different Structural Forms of the Capsid Protein Determines the Outcome following Infection with Porcine Circovirus Type 2

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) capsid protein (CP) is the only protein necessary for the formation of the virion capsid, and recombinant CP spontaneously forms virus-like particles (VLPs). Located within a single CP subunit is an immunodominant epitope consisting of residues 169 to 180 [CP(169-180)], which is exposed on the surface of the subunit, but, in the structural context of the VLP, the epitope is buried and inaccessible to antibody. High levels of anti-CP(169-180) activity are associated with porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the immune response to monomer CP in the development of PCVAD. The approach was to immunize pigs with CP monomer, followed by challenge with PCV2 and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). To maintain the CP immunogen as a stable monomer, CP(43-233) was fused to ubiquitin (Ub-CP). Size exclusion chromatography showed that Ub-CP was present as a single 33-kDa protein. Pigs immunized with Ub-CP developed a strong antibody response to PCV2, including antibodies against CP(169-180). However, only low levels of virus neutralizing activity were detected, and viremia levels were similar to those of nonimmunized pigs. As a positive control, immunization with baculovirus-expressed CP (Bac-CP) resulted in high levels of virus neutralizing activity, small amounts of anti-CP(169-180) activity, and the absence of viremia in pigs following virus challenge. The data support the role of CP(169-180) as an immunological decoy and illustrate the importance of the structural form of the CP immunogen in determining the outcome following infection.
Molecular cloning of the canine CD44 antigen cDNA

Abstract Molecular cloning of the dog homologue of the human CD44 was achieved using RT/PCR. A 1055 bp cDNA has a deduced amino acid sequence of 351 residues, 338 of them correspond to the mature protein. Nine conserved cysteine residues were found. The extracellular region contains a single link superfamily domain on the N-terminal part and potential post-translational modification sites as: N - and O -linked glycosylation sites and chondroitin sulfate attachment sites. Three mRNAs of 2.2, 3.8 and 4.4 kb were identified on Northern blot analysis and Western blot hybridization revealed a 85–90 kDa protein expressed in lymph node tissue.
Contrasting Actions of Naloxone in Experimental Spinal Cord Trauma and Cerebral Ischemia: A Review

Endorphins have been implicated in the pathophysiology of both spinal cord injury and cerebral ischemia. This review examines the nature of the experimental evidence to support this hypothesis. Present studies suggest that naloxone administration improves neurological function and outcome in the setting of the spinal cord trauma by centrally inhibiting an opiate receptor-mediated diminution of spinal cord flow. In the setting of spinal shock, naloxone administration is associated with improvement in vital sign and cardiovascular parameters as measured by mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, body temperature, and ventilation. Experiments using a variety of animal stroke models similarly support the notion that naloxone improves neurological function in the setting of cerebral ischemia by a stereospecific opiate receptor-mediated effect, but this improvement does not seem to be accompanied by augmentation of blood flow to affected areas of the brain or by any improvement in vital signs or cardiovascular parameters as seen in spinal cord trauma. A variety of mechanisms are discussed to explain these observations. The therapeutic implications of administering opiate agonists and antagonists in the setting of neurological deficits are outlined for the neurosurgeon.
Fairness in human resource management, social exchange relationships, and citizenship behavior: Testing linkages of the target similarity model among nurses in the United States

The current study tests key linkages of the target similarity model by examining relationships among multifoci justice, social exchange, and supervisor ratings of employee citizenship behavior. We found support for the model when examining three different workplace targets simultaneously (i.e., the organization as a whole, supervisors, and workgroup members) using a sample of hospital nurses in the United States. Specifically, we found that: (1) employee perceptions of workgroup fairness, supervisor fairness, and organizational fairness differentially and positively predicted perceived workgroup support (PGS), perceived supervisor support (PSS), and perceived organizational support (POS), respectively and (2) PGS, PSS, and POS differentially and positively predicted citizenship behavior toward the workgroup, toward the supervisor, and toward the organization, respectively. Theoretical and practical implications for the strategic management of human resources are discussed, as are limitations of the study ...
Dynamic market definition: an international marketing perspective

Starting from the premise that market definition is critical to developing effective and efficient market entry strategies, shows that current approaches to market definition are unable to meet these challenges, that their deficiency is compounded for multinational entry strategies, and that the crux of their weakness is reliance on a static interpretation of a dynamic construct – time. Next, advances the proposition that accounting for the time‐based effects can improve the strategic planning process, and then, following the percepts of diffusion theory, develops a framework that conceptualizes multinational markets in terms of their media availability and economic development, key variables that reflect an innovation's rate of adoption at distinct stages of the diffusion process. Finally, applies the framework to data that illustrate its ability to help marketing managers achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency from their global, market expansion strategies.
Mainstream television, adolescent homosexuality, and significant silence

The treatment of adolescent subjects on network television is exceedingly heterosexist; continuing adolescent characters are always heterosexual and the adolescent audience is addressed as if it were composed exclusively of heterosexual viewers. This symbolic annihilation of gay and lesbian youth exhibited by network television in the extreme, and by most mass media in general, can contribute to a dysfunctional isolation that is supported by the mutually reinforcing invisibility of homosexual adolescents on the television screen and in the real world. Such isolation and invisibility can be examined as a spiral of silence phenomenon. Spiral of silence theory—in conjunction with the third‐person effect, the distinctiveness postulate, and the concept of symbolic annihilation—outlines the reciprocal communication‐based conditions through which the oppression of gay and lesbian youth may be achieved. The social‐psychological mechanism of the spiral of silence also partially accounts for the inefficacy of oppos...
Chromium(V) is produced upon reduction of chromate by mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes

Incubation of chromate with isolated rat liver submitochondrial particles under anaerobic conditions in vitro results in reduction of chromium(VI) and formation of chromium(V). In the presence of NADH, submitochondrial particles (SMPs) were active in reducing chromate as shown by UV-vis spectroscopic studies, and forming a chromium(V) species which was detectable by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In the presence of succinate, SMPs were less effective in reducing chromate and forming chromium(V) relative to their NADH-dependent activity. However, SMPs showed a higher rate of oxygen depletion with NADH as compared to succinate as substrate, suggesting that differences in the NADH-dependent versus succinate-dependent chromate-reductase activity of SMPs is probably due to differences in efficiency of electron donation by succinate and NADH. The use of specific electron transport chain inhibitors allowed the sites of chromium(VI) reduction and chromium(V) formation in SMPs to be determined. Rotenone, antimycin and cyanide all produced approximately 40% inhibition of the NADH-dependent chromate-reductase activity. Thus, complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) appears to be responsible for the inhibitor-insensitive, and complex IV (ferrocytochrome c:oxygen oxidoreductase) for the inhibitor-sensitive NADH-dependent chromium(VI) reduction and chromium(V) formation. Cyanide and antimycin produced approximately 50% inhibition of the succinate-dependent chromate-reductase activity of SMPs, while no detectable inhibition was observed with rotenone. These results confirm the chromate-reductase activity of complex IV, and suggest that complex II (succinate:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) is responsible for the inhibitor-insensitive succinate-dependent chromate-reductase activity of SMPs. Since chromium(VI) is effectively metabolized by electron transport chain complexes of the mitochondrial inner membrane in vitro, and chromium(V) is formed as an intermediate in the process, mitochondria may play a role in chromium(VI) carcinogenesis.
Singularities in Motion and Displacement Functions for the RCRCR Linkage

Singularites du mouvement et fonctions de deplacement d'un mecanisme a trois articulations de rotation et deux articulations cylindriques
The Liberty Dimension of Historic and Contemporary Segregation

Rereading Plessy v. Ferguson 1 invites reflection on historic and ongoing racial segregation in the United States. This essay pursues an enriched understanding of what was — and is — wrong with racial segregation by developing a diagnosis of segregation as an infringement of basic liberties. Justice Harlan’s dissent in Plessy criticized the requirement of segregation that blacks and whites sit in separate train cars in exactly these terms: “The fundamental objection ... to the statute is that it interferes with the personal freedom of citizens.”2