cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of Drug-induced Injury in Mucosal Biopsies From the Tubular Gastrointestinal Tract

The use of prescription and over-the-counter medications is on the rise in the US population, especially among those aged 65 and over, with over 46% of the population taking at least 1 prescription medication. Given the frequency of medication use, and that the majority of these medications are taken orally, it has become increasingly relevant for pathologist examining endoscopically obtained gastrointestinal tract mucosal biopsies to consider and recognize patterns of mucosal injury associated with various drugs. Reports on injuries associated with certain classes of drugs can be scattered among different sources, making a comprehensive view of various injury patterns and the drugs known to cause them difficult to obtain. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the drugs known to cause mucosal injuries in the tubular gastrointestinal tract organized by the organ involved and the prominent pattern of injury.
Analysis of Array Sparsity in Active Incoherent Microwave Imaging

A recently developed active incoherent imaging technique uses noise waveforms and spatial frequency sampling to reconstruct images in the microwave frequency range. By transmitting spatially incoherent noise signals, a scene can be reconstructed using Fourier processing on data measured by a small set of receiving antennas formed in a sparse array layout, with less bandwidth and faster imaging time than passive Fourier-domain imagers. In this letter, the ability to significantly reduce the number of elements in the receiving antenna array is analyzed. A 5.85-GHz experimental 1-D imaging system is used to determine the effects of reducing the number of elements in the array on image reconstruction. The experimental system utilized 80-MHz signals captured in 10- $\mu \text{s}$ segments to generate 1-D images of two reflecting cylinders. Three array thinning techniques were analyzed: uniform element removal, random element removal, and minimum baseline redundancy design. The sparsity analysis shows that image reconstruction can be accomplished with a 75% reduction in elements compared to a filled linear array, with root-mean-square error (RMSE) degradation of less than 5%.
The Burning of Biocrusts Facilitates the Emergence of a Bare Soil Community of Poorly-Connected Chemoheterotrophic Bacteria With Depressed Ecosystem Services

Wildfires destabilize biocrust, requiring decades for most biological constituents to regenerate, but bacteria may recover quickly and mitigate the detrimental consequences of burnt soils. To evaluate the short-term recovery of biocrust bacteria, we tracked shifts in bacterial community form and function in Cyanobacteria/lichen-dominated (shrub interspaces) and Cyanobacteria/moss-dominated (beneath Artemisia tridentata) biocrusts one week, two months, and one year following a large-scale burn manipulations in a cold desert (Utah, USA). We found no evidence of the burned bacterial community recovering to a burgeoning biocrust. The foundational biocrust phyla, Cyanobacteria, dominated by Microcoleus viginatus (Microcoleaceae), disappeared from burned soils creating communities void of photosynthetic taxa. One year after the fire, the burned biocrust constituents had eroded away and the bare soils supported the formation of a convergent community of chemoheterotrophic copiotrophs regardless of location. The emergent community was dominated by a previouly rare Planococcus species (family Planococcaceae, Firmicutes) and taxa in the Cellulomonadaceae (Actinobacteria), and Oxalobacteraceae (Betaproteobacteria). Previously burnt soils maintained similar levels of bacterial biomass, alpha diversity, and richness as unburned biocrusts, but supported diffuse, poorly-interconnected communities with 75% fewer species interactions. Nitrogen fixation declined at least 3.5-fold in the burnt soils but ammonium concentrations continued to rise through the year, suggesting that the exhaustion of organic C released from the fire, and not N, may diminish the longevity of the emergent community. Our results demonstrate that biocrust bacteria may recover rapidly after burning, albeit along a different community trajectory, as rare bacteria become dominant, species interconnectedness diminishes, and ecosystem services fail to rebound.
Role of electronic and magnetic interactions in defect formation and anomalous diffusion in δ-Pu

Abstract Previous experimental work has shown self-irradiation in Pu solids produces point defect populations that correlate with increases in local disorder, long-range structural changes, induced magnetic moments, and other thermo-physical property changes. Thermally activated kinetic processes drive these defects to diffuse and interact toward either damage evolution or lattice recovery. Using DFT and cNEB, as implemented in VASP, barriers for mono-vacancy and split-interstitial diffusion and Frenkel pair recombination were calculated in fcc δ-Pu. The results indicate the migration barrier of a monoclinic mono-vacancy is lower when compared to the migration barrier of a tetragonal split-interstitial in δ-Pu, contrary to typical fcc metal point defect migration. This fundamentally different diffusion mechanism is a result of local symmetry breaking induced by electronic and magnetic interactions leading to the development of Pu–Pu short bonds (
Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī: A Philosopher for All Seasons: by Sayeh Meisami, Cambridge, Islamic Texts Society, 2019, 128 pp., £12.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-911141-23-5

In recent years only a few works have been produced that analyse the views of individual Shīʿī thinkers, with an even lesser amount accessible to readers at the undergraduate level. Sayeh Meisami i...
VNS Stopping Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis-Triggered Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus.

Background Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (ANRE) is a rare autoimmune neurologic disorder characterized by encephalitis and a constellational of symptoms, including seizures, psychiatric disturbances, autonomic instability, and respiratory insufficiency. It is caused by the anti-NMDA receptor antibody. The most common etiologies for ANRE include malignancy and infection. Ovarian teratoma is the most commonly associated malignancy. Case Description We describe the first reported case to our knowledge of ovarian teratoma causing ANRE resulting in nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), which was terminated with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Conclusions This case report provides a temporal correlation suggesting that VNS significantly altered the natural history of this patient's NCSE-ANRE. As more data are collected, and the VNS treatment modality more liberally used to treat NCSE, especially in the situation of ANRE, stronger layers of evidence will emerge to fill the gaps of understanding beyond this case report.
Supporting Students with Mental Health Challenges in the Classroom.

Statistics on K–12 students with mental health challenges almost guarantee that teachers will encounter these students in their classrooms. Educators will be more prepared and successful if they ha...
Holocaust Education und schulische politische Bildung

Wer sich mit Gedenkstatten beschaftigt, setzt sich automatisch mit dem damaligen politischen System auseinander und gleicht die gemachten Eindrucke mit der eigenen Position ab. Es werden Themen wie Grund- und Menschenrechte, Veranderungsprozessen der (politischen) Institutionen und der Gesellschaft angeschnitten, die sowohl in der historischen wie politischen Bildung eine Rolle spielen und diese miteinander verbinden. Gedenkstatten konnen daher als Schnittstellen beider Disziplinen einen Beitrag bezuglich historisch-politischer Bildung leisten. Im Folgenden geht der Autor auf mogliche Anknupfungspunkte, aber auch Risiken ein. Auserdem erlautert er die zugrundeliegenden Prinzipien und daraus folgenden Ziele historisch-politischer Bildung und ihren Beitrag zur Global Citizenship Education.
Eye of the Beholder: Improved Relation Generalization for Text-based Reinforcement Learning Agents.

Text-based games (TBGs) have become a popular proving ground for the demonstration of learning-based agents that make decisions in quasi real-world settings. The crux of the problem for a reinforcement learning agent in such TBGs is identifying the objects in the world, and those objects' relations with that world. While the recent use of text-based resources for increasing an agent's knowledge and improving its generalization have shown promise, we posit in this paper that there is much yet to be learned from visual representations of these same worlds. Specifically, we propose to retrieve images that represent specific instances of text observations from the world and train our agents on such images. This improves the agent's overall understanding of the game 'scene' and objects' relationships to the world around them, and the variety of visual representations on offer allow the agent to generate a better generalization of a relationship. We show that incorporating such images improves the performance of agents in various TBG settings.
The impact of party conflict on executive ascendancy and congressional abdication in US foreign policy

The Constitution’s division of powers from which E. Corwin famously asserted an “invitation to struggle” in the making of US foreign policy (1957, 171) has become overshadowed by partisan conflict in the contemporary era. Although much of the extant literature points to Congress’s subsidiary role in foreign policy relative to the presidency-centered model, the appeal of partisanship has worked to further deepen congressional abrogation and extend presidential unilateralism (Lindsay in Congress and the politics of U.S. Foreign Policy. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1994; Kriner in After the rubicon: congress, presidents, and the politics of waging war. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2010; Potter in Pres Stud Quart 46(4):849–867, 2016). Our analysis illustrates a puzzle. On one hand, there are growing levels of majority support in the USA for political leadership on the world stage. But on the other hand, our analysis of congressional behavior such as voting, lawmaking, and oversight shows relatively clear patterns of congressional decline—Congress no longer exercises much of its power in foreign affairs, neither in form or substance. Partisan incentives for congressional abdication to the presidency carry at least one additional risk we point to: Congressional capitulation from its constitutional duty places democracy in the jeopardy that the Framers’ design was intended to prevent.
Long-Read Sequencing of the Zebrafish Genome Reorganizes Genomic Architecture

Nanopore sequencing technology has revolutionized the field of genome biology with its ability to generate extra-long reads that can resolve regions of the genome that were previously inaccessible to short-read sequencing platforms. Although long-read sequencing has been used to resolve several vertebrate genomes, a nanopore-based zebrafish assembly has not yet been released. Over 50% of the zebrafish genome consists of difficult to map, highly repetitive, low complexity elements that pose inherent problems for short-read sequencers and assemblers. We used nanopore sequencing to improve upon and resolve the issues plaguing the current zebrafish reference assembly (GRCz11). Our long-read assembly improved the current resolution of the reference genome by identifying 1,697 novel insertions and deletions over 1Kb in length and placing 106 previously unlocalized scaffolds. We also discovered additional sites of retrotransposon integration previously unreported in GRCz11 and observed their expression in adult zebrafish under physiologic conditions, implying they have active mobility in the zebrafish genome and contribute to the ever-changing genomic landscape.
Optical Scanning Holography – A Tutorial and an Overview of Recent Advances

Optical scanning holography (OSH) is a single-pixel digital holographic recording technique. Applications of the technique include optical scanning cryptography, 3-D microscopy, 3-D pattern recognition, 3-D holographic TV, and 3-D optical remote sensing. In this tutorial, I will first provide the basic principle of OSH. I will then give an overview of some of the recent advances that have been made on OSH.
Evidence of Spermatogenesis in the Presence of Hypothalamic Suppression and Low Testosterone in an Adolescent Transgender Female: A Case Report

Objective: To report a novel case of semen cryopreservation after testicular sperm extraction in an adolescent transgender female without cessation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist ...
Can High Income Consumers Increase Within-Industry Wage Inequality?

High income consumers make up a growing portion of the US domestic consumer base. This study asks whether dependence on high income consumers can increase wage inequality in the industries that serve them. High income consumers bid up high status products, and reward small differences in producer output. If successful producers share rents, or pay more for talented workers, these tendencies could skew elite-oriented industries toward unequal wage structures. I examine the relationship between industry revenue dependence on consumers making more than $150,000 per year, and wage inequality within industries. I find that industry dependence on elite consumers is associated with increased within-industry wage inequality, even after removing variation in wages due to occupations, education, and industry-level characteristics. These findings suggest a new channel through which income inequality can become self-perpetuating: as the US economy becomes more dependent on high income consumers, this dependence could further polarize the wage structure.
A parallel numerical algorithm on a reconfigurable multi-ring network

A reconfigurable network termed as the reconfigurable multi-ring network (RMRN) is described. The RMRN is shown to be a truly scalable network in that each node in the network has a fixed degree of connectivity and the reconfiguration mechanism ensures a network diameter of O(log2 N) for an N-processor network. Algorithms for the two-dimensional mesh and the SIMD or SPMD n-cube are shown to map very elegantly onto the RMRN. Basic message passing and reconfiguration primitives for the SIMD/SPMD RMRN are designed for use as building blocks for more complex parallel algorithms. Elsewhere, the RMRN is shown to be a viable architecture for image processing and computer vision problems. In this paper, the RMRN is proved to be very useful for the implementation of numerical algorithms. We describe the implementation of a nontrivial numerical scheme on the RMRN. This numerical scheme is based on the inverse scattering transform and is used to study the role of nonlinear terms in Korteweg---de Vries like equations.
Classical Tools in Structural Optimization

Classical optimization tools used for finding the maxima and minima of functions and functionals have direct applications in the field of structural optimization. The words classical tools are implied here to encompass the classical techniques of ordinary differential calculus and the calculus of variations. Exact solutions to a few relatively simple unconstrained or equality constrained problems have been obtained in the literature using these two techniques. It must be pointed out, however, that such problems are often the result of simplifying assumptions which at times lack realism, and result in unreasonable configurations. One would hasten to question if the consideration of such problems is purely an academic exercise; it is quite the contrary.
Building synthetic antibodies as adhesive ligands for integrins

An antibody engineering strategy was employed to build high affinity ligands and antagonists of integrins alpha v beta 3 and alpha IIb beta 3. Previously, we inserted the integrin recognition motif, RGD, into the antigen binding site of a human antibody and selected the optimal flanking sequences from a phage-display library (Barbas, C. F., Languino, L. R., and Smith, J. W. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 10003-10007). The resulting antibody, Fab-9, blocked the function of integrin alpha v beta 3 but also bound to the ligand binding site of platelet integrin alpha IIb beta 3. In this report, the antibody engineering effort has been extended by 1) redesigning Fab-9 to achieve specificity for platelet integrin alpha IIb beta 3, 2) building non-RGD-containing antibodies that bind the ligand binding site of both beta 3-integrins, and 3) testing the hypothesis that peptides derived from complementarity determining regions (CDR) can be used to emulate the activity of the parent synthetic antibody. These goals were accomplished by subjecting the original antibody, Fab-9, to a "motif optimization" (MTF). A phage library was constructed in which the residues flanking the RGD motif in Fab-9 were maintained, but the RGDX sequence was randomized. This library was panned on purified alpha IIb beta 3 to identify high affinity binders. Four function-blocking antibodies lacking RGD, but with specificity for alpha IIb beta 3, were characterized. The antibody with the highest preference for alpha IIb beta 3, MTF-10, had an adhesion sequence of KGDN. This sequence is similar in primary structure to the active sequence within the disintegrin barbourin, which also antagonizes alpha IIb beta 3 (Scarborough, R. M., Rose, J. W., Hsu, M. A., Phillips, D. R., Fried, V. A., Campbell, A. M., Nannizzi, L., and Charo, I. F. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 9359-9362). MTF-10 had a 70-fold higher affinity for alpha IIb beta 3 than alpha v beta 3. Through our selection strategy, we also identified several antibodies that lack RGD but still blocked ligand binding to both integrins with high affinity. Therefore, the RGD sequence is not necessary for a high affinity interaction with the ligand binding site of beta 3-integrins. Further investigation showed that the activity of inhibitory antibodies could be emulated by synthetic peptides derived from the protein sequences of the antibody's HCDR3. CDR-derived peptides blocked ligand binding to integrins and maintained essentially the same specificity as the parent antibody.
On an isomorphism problem for endomorphism near-rings

Suppose R and S are endomorphism near-rings generated by groups of automorphisms containing the inner automorphisms of two respective finite perfect groups G and H. In this note we show that if R and S are isomorphic, then G/Z(G) and H/Z(H) are isomorphic.
The impact of AIRS data on weather prediction

Observing system simulation experiments (OSSE) conducted prior to the launch of AIRS indicated significant potential for AIRS temperature soundings to improve numerical weather prediction (NWP), provided that cloud effects could be cleared effectively. Since the launch of AIRS aboard the AQUA satellite, a detailed geophysical validation of AIRS data has been performed. This included collocations of AIRS temperatures with in situ observations and model analyses, and observing system experiments (OSEs) to evaluate the actual impact of AIRS data on NWP. At the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, we are evaluating AIRS data in several different forms, and are performing impact studies using multiple data assimilation systems. In general, the results of the OSE confirm the results of the earlier simulation experiments in that a meaningful positive impact of AIRS data is obtained and this impact depends strongly upon the assimilation of partially cloudy AIRS data.
Mechanism of the Hydrogen Chlorine Combination

THE object of the present note is to describe some work in progress here on an attempt to test directly the Nernst theory (Zeit. Electrochem., 24, 335, 1918) for the very wide deviation of the hydrogen chlorine combination from the Einstein photochemical equivalence law. Nernst postulated that the primary action of the light was to split up the chlorine into atoms, and that these were able to react with hydrogen molecules according to the equation, and that the atomic hydrogen formed again reacted with chlorine, and that this cycle was repeated over and over. Hence I quantum of light energy was able to cause a very great amount of combination. He showed that all these reactions proceeded with a free energy decrease and hence were possible reactions.
The antidepressant quandary--considering suicide risk when treating adolescent depression.

Dr. Gregory Simon writes that physicians who are considering the treatment of depression in a child or adolescent must make recommendations to patients and families in an environment of substantial risk and uncertainty. Nevertheless, some specific recommendations are possible.
Endovascular Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm: Transluminal Balloon Angioplasty, Intra-Arterial Papaverine, and Intra-Arterial Nicardipine

Cerebral vasospasm is still one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality from subarachnoid hemorrhage. Vasospasm refractory to medical management can be treated with endovascular therapies, such as transluminal balloon angioplasty or infusion of intra-arterial vasodilating agents. In our review of clinical series reported in the English language literature, transluminal balloon angioplasty produced clinical improvement in 62% of patients, significantly improved mean transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocities(P <.05), significantly improved cerebral blood flow (CBF) in 85% of patients as studied by (133)Xenon techniques and serial single photon emission computerized tomography,and was associated with 5.0% complications and 1.1% vessel rupture. Intra-arterial papaverine therapy produced clinical improvement in 43% of patients but only transiently,requiring multiple treatment sessions (1.7 treatments per patient); significantly improved mean TCD velocities (P <.01) but only for less than 48 hours; improved CBF in 60% of patients but only for less than 12 hours; and was associated with increases in intracranial pressure and 9.9% complications. Intra-arterial nicardipine therapy produced clinical improvement in 42% of patients, significantly improved mean TCD velocities (P <.001) for 4 days, and was associated with no complications in our small series. We have adopted a treatment protocol at our institution of transluminal balloon angioplasty and intra-arterial nicardipine therapy as the endovascular treatments for medically refractory cerebral vasospasm.
Electrical and optical properties of alkoxide-derived lithium niobate thin layers

Sol-gel processing methods were investigated for the preparation of lithium niobate optical layers. Two alkoxide systems, ethanol and 2-methoxyethanol, were studied. The methods resulted in either randomly oriented polycrystalline layers on silicon or grain-oriented layers on sapphire and platinum substrates. Data are reported for the electrical and optical properties of the layers. In addition to stoichiometric lithium niobate layers, Ti:LiNbO was prepared by the addition of titanium alkoxides to the solutions. Optical data are presented for the Ti:LiNbO3 layers as a function of titanium content.
The Structure of Apolipoprotein A-I in High Density Lipoproteins

Not long ago, high density lipoproteins (HDL)2 were second class citizens with regard to therapeutic strategies for lowering the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). To date, most successful approaches have focused on the better understood pathways of cholesterol synthesis and low density lipoprotein (LDL) production, the “forward” cholesterol transport pathway. For example, the statin class of cholesterol synthesis inhibitors significantly reduces LDL levels resulting in a less atherogenic plasma lipoprotein profile. However, the relatively modest improvements in mortality conferred by these drugs suggest that other factors also play significant roles in defining CAD risk. The recent discoveries of HDL-interacting cell surface proteins such as scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) and ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 (ABCA1) and G1 (for recent reviews see Refs. 1 and 2) have helped define the steps of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), i.e. the movement of cholesterol from the periphery to the liver for catabolism (3, 4). Additionally, there is growing evidence that HDL anti-inflammatory properties may contribute significant protective effects (5), apparently via specific cell signaling pathways (6). These discoveries have fueled a new interest in HDL as a target for CAD treatment (7). Unfortunately, a complete understanding ofHDL function has been hampered by a lack of information on its structure and the molecular basis of its interactions with other proteins. This review summarizes the latest efforts in understanding the structure of the defining protein component of HDL, apoA-I, in the various stages of the RCT pathway.
Choosing Optimal Parameters in Iterative Processes

Abstract We consider the problem of choosing optimal parameters in certain iterative procedures. Specifically, we are interested in finite-step processes for which it is possible to estimate the computational cost and the error relaxation in terms of the process parameters. The problem of finding the optimal process that provides the required error relaxation with a minimal total computational cost is defined and studied. To solve the problem, it is generally necessary to solve a series of mathematical programming problems with rapidly increasing dimension. We suggest two ways to avoid that difficulty. The first is to find a process that is close to the optimal process, by solving only one mathematical programming problem. The second is to define optimal processes in some special cases when this problem can be simplified. We define conditions under which processes with geometrically decreasing error are optimal or asymptotically optimal. The methods of finding parameters of such processes are also provided. We illustrate our ideas with two examples: the bilevel gradient method for unconstrained function minimization and the iterative process for solving an optimal design problem.
Time-Resolved Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence in C70 and 1,2-C70H2

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TDF) emission from C70 and 1,2-C70H2 has been time-resolved to provide thermodynamic and kinetic information on excited electronic states. The energy gap between S1 and T1 states was deduced from the temperature dependence of initial TDF intensities and independently from the ratio of TDF intensity to time-integrated prompt fluorescence. S1−T1 gaps were found to be approximately 2470 cm-1 for C70 and 2180 cm-1 for 1,2-C70H2, with relative uncertainties of 2−3%. Time-resolved TDF measurements from fullerene samples immobilized in PMMA films revealed lifetimes for triplet state decay unaffected by bimolecular deactivation processes. The intrinsic triplet lifetimes at 298 K were found from both TDF and transient absorption measurements to be 24.5 ± 1.5 ms for C70 and 1.95 ± 0.1 ms for 1,2-C70H2.
Chronic Administration of Methylmalonic Acid (MMA) to Rats Causes Proteinuria and Renal Tubular Injury • 1815

Children with methylmalonic acidemia frequently develop chronic renal insufficiency, for reasons unknown. We administered MMA chronicaally to rats to test the hypothesis that MMA is nephrotoxic. Methods: 3-wk-old Sprague-Dawley rats received MMA (pH 7.2-7.4), 20mg/100g BW daily by SQ injection X 6 wks (N=6), then in drinking water (40mg/100g BW/day) for 6 more wks. Two rats received MMA in drinking water from the outset (20mg/100g BW/day X 4 wks, 40mg/100g BW/day X 8 wks). Five rats received saline injections twice daily X 6 wks. Urine and blood were collected every 2 wks. Renal biopsy was performed at 6 wks and necropsy at 12 wks. Urinary MMA was measured by stable isotope dilution gas chromatography- mass spectometry. Results: MMA-treated rats and controls were similar in food and water intake, weight gain, serum creatinine and BUN. SQ or oral MMA produced high urinary MMA levels (e.g., 1646 μM/mM creatinine at 6 wks (mean), vs. 8.26 in controls). Six of 8 MMA-treated rats had proteinuria, that was first detected at 2 wks and thereafter increased (Table). After 12 wks of MMA, glomeruli appeared normal but tubules of proteinuric rats were variably dilated (especially in the renal medulla) with proteinaceous casts and flattened epithelium. By EM, tubular epithelium showed variable mitochondrial swelling and disorganization of cristae, dilated smooth endoplasmic reticulum, dilatation of basolateral intercellular spaces, and more secondary lysosomes than controls. Conclusions: Chronic administration of MMA rats causes renal injury, which histologically appears to predominantly affect tubular epithelial cells. These findings suggest that chronic renal insufficiency associated with methylmalonic acidemia results from nephrotoxicity of MMA.
The effect of plasma volume expansion on the response to carotid occlusion in the non-human primate.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plasma volume expansion on the cardiac and peripheral components of the baroreceptor reflex. Nine male Rhesus monkeys were chronically instrumented to measure arterial pressure and aortic blood flow. The aortic arch was denervated at the time of surgery. Bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCO) was used to elicit the carotid sinus reflex both before and after 25% plasma volume expansion with an iso-osmotic dextran solution. The BCO elicited significant increases in heart rate (HR, 29.8 ± 5.3 bpm) mean arterial pressure (MAP, 55.0 ± 8.2 mm Hg) and total peripheral resistance (TPR, 0.076 ± 0.01 mm Hg/ml/min) coupled with a significant reduction in mean aortic flow (AF, −246.9 ± 55.3 ml/min) and stroke volume (SV, −2.86 ± 0.36 ml). Volume expansion significantly attenuated the HR (15.2 ± 5.8 bpm), MAP (30.4 ± 4.4 mm Hg) and TPR (0.036 ± 0.006 mm Hg/ml/min) response to carotid sinus hypotension. The changes in mean AF and SV elicited by BCO, however, were not significantly different between the control and volume expansion conditions. These data suggest that plasma volume expansion significantly attenuates the baroreceptor reflex control of circulation with a similar reduction in both the peripheral resistance and heart rate components of the response.
Characterization of U2AF6, a Splicing Factor Related to U2AF35

The essential splicing factor U2AF (U2 auxiliary factor) is a heterodimer composed of 65-kDa (U2AF(65)) and 35-kDa (U2AF(35)) subunits. U2AF(35) has multiple functions in pre-mRNA splicing. First, U2AF(35) has been shown to function by directly interacting with the AG at the 3' splice site. Second, U2AF(35) is thought to play a role in the recruitment of U2AF(65) by serine-arginine-rich (SR) proteins in enhancer-dependent splicing. It has been proposed that the physical interaction between the arginine-serine-rich (RS) domain of U2AF(35) and SR proteins is important for this activity. However, other data suggest that this may not be the case. Here, we report the identification of a mammalian gene that encodes a 26-kDa protein bearing strong sequence similarity to U2AF(35), designated U2AF(26). The N-terminal 187 amino acids of U2AF(35) and U2AF(26) are nearly identical. However, the C-terminal domain of U2AF(26) lacks many characteristics of the U2AF(35) RS domain and, therefore, might be incapable of interacting with SR proteins. We show that U2AF(26) can associate with U2AF(65) and can functionally substitute for U2AF(35) in both constitutive and enhancer-dependent splicing, demonstrating that the RS domain of the small U2AF subunit is not required for splicing enhancer function. Finally, we show that U2AF(26) functions by enhancing the binding of U2AF(65) to weak 3' splice sites. These studies identify U2AF(26) as a mammalian splicing factor and demonstrate that distinct U2AF complexes can participate in pre-mRNA splicing. Based on its sequence and functional similarity to U2AF(35), U2AF(26) may play a role in regulating alternative splicing.
Effect of load, area of contact, and contact stress on the wear mechanisms of a bonded solid lubricant film

A pin on disk type of friction and wear apparatus was used to study the effect of load, contact stress and rider area of contact on the friction and wear properties of polyimide bonded graphite fluoride films. Different rider area contacts were obtained by initially generating flats (with areas of 0.0035, 0.0071, 0.0145, and 0.0240 cm) on 0.476-cm radius hemispherically tipped riders. Different projected contact stresses were obtained by applying loads of 2.5- to 58.8-N to the flats. Two film wear mechanisms were observed. The first was found to be a linear function of contact stress and was independent of rider area of contact. The second was found to increase exponentially as the stress increased. The second also appeared to be a function of rider contact area. Wear equations for each mechanism were empirically derived from the experimental data. In general, friction coefficients increased with increasing rider contact area and with sliding duration. This was related to the build up of thick rider transfer films.
Coping with sports injuries: an examination of the adolescent athlete ☆

Forty-eight injured adolescent athletes completed questionnaires over 3 months after injury to assess psychosocial outcomes. Depressive symptoms decreased over time, and the lack of positive stress and high athletic identity were associated with early depressive symptoms after accounting for injury severity. Increased social support was associated with lower initial depressive symptoms.
Elimination of temporal bone cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea using hydroxyapatite cement.

Objective: This report introduces a new method to control cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea using hydroxyapatite cement (HAC) via a transmastoid approach. This technique eliminates the need for a transmastoid or middle cranial fossa approach with soft tissue repair and prolonged hospitalization caused by lumbar drainage. Study Design: Retrospective review. Methods: Thirteen cases of transmastoid repairs of CSF otorrhea using HAC from August 1996 to February 1999 were reviewed. Results: The CSF leak was controlled in every patient using HAC through a transmastoid approach. The reconstruction involved eight tegmen defects, three posterior fossa dural plate defects, and two congenital inner ear fistula secondary to Mondini malformation. Postoperative wound infection in one patient was the only complication that occurred. The average hospital stay was 48 hours. Follow-up ranged from 12 to 44 months with no recurrence of CSF otorrhea. Conclusion: The successful use of HAC to control CSF otorrhea through a transmastoid approach reduces patient morbidity by obviating the need for middle cranial fossa approaches, donor soft tissue sites, and spinal drainage.
Forebrain monoamines and associative learning: I. Latent inhibition and conditioned inhibition

Two experiments evaluated the effects of depletion of forebrain norepinephrine (NE) or serotonin (5-HT) on two forms of internal inhibition. Experiment 1 examined the role of NE and 5-HT depletion on latent inhibition: rats with dorsal bundle or raphe lesions or vehicle control rats were trained to one of two pre-exposure conditions (single vs multiple stimuli) or to a non-pre-exposure control prior to conditioning. The results of this experiment showed that latent inhibition was attenuated under either condition of pre-exposure following depletion of 5-HT but that attenuation was present in NE depleted rats only when pre-exposed to multiple stimuli. Experiment 2 assessed the rate at which a conditioned inhibitor was established following NE or 5-HT depletion. The results of Experiment 2 indicated that the formation of a conditioned inhibitor was unimpaired following depletion of either NE or 5-HT. The results of Experiment 1 demonstrate that 5-HT and NE have different effects on associative processes: 5-HT apparently affects a habituation-like process, whereas NE is an important influence on more complex mechanisms involving the comparison of new with previously acquired information. The findings of Experiment 2 are consistent with behavioral investigations which show that conditioned inhibition affects output processes rather than the salience of stimuli.
Effectiveness of Burr Holes for Indirect Revascularization in Patients with Moyamoya Disease—A Review of the Literature

Objective Moyamoya disease (MMD) has inspired the development and refinement of numerous surgical techniques to induce revascularization in hypoperfused territories. Over the last 3 decades, the use of burr hole surgery has progressively gained popularity. Used either in combination with another direct or indirect procedure or as the sole method for revascularization, burr hole surgery can be tailored to each patient's specific needs. We reviewed the conceptual progress, the technical evolution, and the clinical and radiological data following burr hole surgery. Methods Pubmed and Medline databases were searched for publications from 1970 to 2012 relating to the use of burr holes in the surgical management of MMD. The reference sections of each article were reviewed, and pertinent articles were identified. Results A review of case reports and case series using burr hole surgery for MMD testifies to the progressive refinement in the decision process and key technical aspects of this procedure. Favorable clinical and angiographic results have been documented in the pediatric and adult MMD population after burr holes, used either in combination with direct or indirect revascularization techniques, or more recently alone in the setting of multiple burr holes. The superficial temporal artery and middle meningeal artery have both been found to contribute to revascularization via burr holes. Conclusions Burr hole surgery is an important and versatile tool in the armamentarium of surgeons treating children and adults with MMD, allowing tailoring of the revascularization. Further studies should help to determine factors that may help predict optimal revascularization from this surgical technique.
Numerical approximation of the Smagorinsky model by a two‐level method

A two-level method for discretizing the Smagorinsky model for the numerical simulation of turbulent flows is proposed. In the two-level algorithm, the solution to the fully nonlinear coarse mesh problem is utilized in a single-step linear fine mesh problem. When modeling parameters are chosen appropriately, the error in the two-level algorithm is comparable to the error in solving the fully nonlinear problem on the fine mesh. We provide an a priori error estimate for the two-level method, which yields appropriate scalings between the coarse and fine mesh-sizes (H and h, respectively), and the radius of the spatial filter used in the Smagorinsky model (δ). In addition, we provide an algorithm in which a coarse mesh correction is performed to further enhance the accuracy. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Jacobi ring catheter treatment of Bartholin's abscesses.

Abstract Objective We tested a rubber ring catheter (the Jacobi ring) in the treatment of Bartholin's abscesses and compared it with the Word catheter in a controlled trial. Methods Emergency department patients presenting with Bartholin's abscesses who consented to participate were randomized to treatment with either the ring catheter or a Word catheter. Physicians rated the ease of placement at the initial visit. Patients returned for follow-up at 3 weeks, when the catheters were removed, and were asked to indicate their satisfaction with the device. The recurrence rate at 6 months was determined by telephone follow-up. The primary outcome was successful placement of the catheter and resolution of the abscess. Secondary outcomes included ease of insertion, patient satisfaction, and recurrence at 6 months. Results A total of 38 patients enrolled in the study, 25 were randomized to the ring catheter and 13 to the Word catheter. All patients had successful placement of the catheter and resolution of the abscess. No patient had a recurrence at 6 months. Ease of insertion was similar for the 2 devices. Patient satisfaction was higher in patients treated with the ring catheter. Conclusion The Jacobi ring is effective in treating Bartholin's abscess and may be better tolerated than the Word catheter.
Characteristics of thermal stresses in Al(Cu) fine lines. II. Passivated line structures

The effects of oxide confinement on the thermal stress and yield behavior of passivated Al(Cu) line structures have been studied as a function of linewidth to submicron dimensions using a bending‐beam technique. Principal stresses in the passivated line structures were deduced based on a micromechanical analysis of the curvatures of periodic line structures with lines oriented parallel and perpendicular to the beam direction. Results from the passivated Al(Cu) lines show that with decreasing linewidth, the magnitude of the principal stress components become higher until the line aspect ratio approaching one, then decreased. This behavior is consistent with theoretical predictions by analytical methods and finite element analyses. The stress behavior of the oxide passivation has also been deduced and its magnitude depended on the oxide morphology at the sidewall of the lines. Our result indicates a high level of stress in the sidewall which may cause crack formation during thermal cycling.
Development of an academic productivity scale for departments of physical medicine and rehabilitation

Abstract Objective: To determine which factors related to departments of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR scholarly productivity; equipment and facilities; quality of the training program for resident physicians; continuing education efforts in research methodologies and professional organizational participation; and departmental leadership. Rasch analysis was applied to evaluate a new outcome instrument to measure academic productivity in PM&R departments. Results: Twenty-eight of the original 42 questions survived the Rasch analysis and were retained. Questions were dropped either because they did not fit the Rasch analysis (4 of 42 questions) or because application of the Rasch analysis demonstrated that they were inappropriately or outstandingly easy (10 of 42 were inappropriately or outstandingly easy). Conclusion: This shortened instrument of 28 questions fits the Rasch analysis, has questions that evenly range from easy to very difficult, and addresses six measurable categories that are correlates of PM&R departmental influences on the academic productivity of the PM&R teaching staff.
Two systems drive attention to rewards

How options are framed can dramatically influence choice preference. While salience of information plays a central role in this effect, precisely how it is mediated by attentional processes remains unknown. Current models assume a simple relationship between attention and choice, according to which attention should uniformly bias preference towards the attended item over the whole time-course of a decision between similarly valued items. To test this prediction we considered how framing alters attention during a simple choice between two options, using eye movements as a sensitive online measure of attention. In one condition participants selected the less preferred item to discard and in the other, the more preferred item to keep. We replicated the well-known observation that gaze gravitates towards the item ultimately selected, but did not observe the effect to be uniform over time. Instead, we found evidence for distinct early and late processes that guide attention according to preference in the first case and task demands in the second. We conclude that multiple time-dependent processes govern attention during choice, and that these may contribute to framing effects in different ways.
Studies of violent and nonviolent male parolees: II. Laboratory and psychometric measurements of impulsivity

Male parolees were recruited into a laboratory study to determine the relationship between their previous aggression history, psychometric measures of aggression, and behavioral measures of aggressive responding using a laboratory methodology: the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm. Subjects were assigned to a violent or nonviolent group based upon their criminal history. Subjects participated in sessions in which they were given three response options defined as: (1) nonaggressive responding which earned money, (2) aggressive responding which ostensibly subtracted money from another fictitious person, (This responding was defined as aggressive since it resulted in the ostensible delivery of an aversive stimulus (subtraction of money) to another person), and (3) escape which protected the subject's earnings from subtractions initiated by the other person. Results indicated that the violent subjects emitted significantly more aggressive responses than subjects in the nonviolent group. The number of aggressive responses parolees emitted was significantly correlated with most psychometric measures of aggression. This study provides external validity for our laboratory measurement of human aggressive responding, since aggressive responding was directly related to violent criminal histories.
Signal transduction inhibition: changing paradigms in cancer care.

The development of the targeted signal transduction inhibitor imatinib mesylate (formerly STI571, [Gleevec]; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp, East Hanover, NJ) has prompted new ways of thinking about the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, other sensitive solid tumors such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and malignancies in general. The stresses associated with the extraordinary pace of testing and approval of imatinib mesylate provide lessons to government regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical companies, university researchers, professional societies, and the media in terms of their approach to cancer care, drug development, and dissemination of information. Such medical breakthroughs can generate an enormous, and occasionally overwhelming, volume of new information to be assimilated; misinformation and exaggeration should be avoided. Furthermore, in today's Internet age of information, a large fraction of a patient's medical knowledge and/or opinions may have been obtained and forged online, with input from other patients, and patients are clearly more informed about their illnesses and their options than in the past. The availability of imatinib mesylate has already profoundly changed the nature and sequence of treatment recommendations for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, but a great deal still remains to be learned and new clinical trials must be designed to address numerous questions about the optimal use of this powerful new medication.
Computer simulation of the structure, torsional potentials, excited state dynamics, and spectra of conjugated π-electron systems

We present a theoretical-computational method for studying the excited structure and dynamics of conjugated (pi) -electron systems using spectra calculations, a normal mode analysis and a theoretical derivation of the correct Hamiltonian for constrained systems. We illustrate the method for the example of benzophenone. It is possible to reproduce very well the S1 implied by S0 absorption spectrum using a model with only four active modes, which we identify as (nu) 64, (nu) 62, (nu) 27, and (nu) 25. We present compelling evidence for the activity of a symmetric bending mode ((nu) 62) with frequency of approximately 140 cm-1 in the excited state. This result contrasts previous work based on models with activity in the asymmetric twist with frequency of approximately 70 or 100 cm-1. We analyze the effects of deuteration and fluorine substituents, and show how the results could be used for an experimental test of the identity of the optically active modes.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.