cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: Multi-System Electronic Health Record–Based Computable Phenotype Derivation and Validation Study

Background: Deploying accurate computable phenotypes in pragmatic trials requires a trade-off between precise and clinically sensical variable selection. In particular, evaluating the medical encounter to assess a pattern leading to clinically significant impairment or distress indicative of disease is a difficult modeling challenge for the emergency department. Objective: This study aimed to derive and validate an electronic health record–based computable phenotype to identify emergency department patients with opioid use disorder using physician chart review as a reference standard. Methods: A 2-algorithm computable phenotype was developed and evaluated using structured clinical data across 13 emergency departments in 2 large health care systems. Algorithm 1 combined clinician and billing codes. Algorithm 2 used chief complaint structured data suggestive of opioid use disorder. To evaluate the algorithms in both internal and external validation phases, 2 emergency medicine physicians, with a third acting as adjudicator, reviewed a pragmatic sample of 231 charts: 125 internal validation (75 positive and 50 negative), 106 external validation (56 positive and 50 negative). Results: Cohen kappa, measuring agreement between reviewers, for the internal and external validation cohorts was 0.95 and 0.93, respectively. In the internal validation phase, Algorithm 1 had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.96 (95% CI 0.863-0.995) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.98 (95% CI 0.893-0.999), and Algorithm 2 had a PPV of 0.8 (95% CI 0.593-0.932) and an NPV of 1.0 (one-sided 97.5% CI 0.863-1). In the external validation phase, the phenotype had a PPV of 0.95 (95% CI 0.851-0.989) and an NPV of 0.92 (95% CI 0.807-0.978). Conclusions: This phenotype detected emergency department patients with opioid use disorder with high predictive values and reliability. Its algorithms were transportable across health care systems and have potential value for both clinical and research purposes.
First spectral measurements of light attenuation in Greenland Ice Sheet bare ice suggest shallower subsurface radiative heating and ICESat-2 penetration depth in the ablation zone

Abstract. Light transmission into bare glacial ice affects surface energy balance, bio-photochemical cycling, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) laser elevation measurements but has not previously been reported for the Greenland Ice Sheet. We present in-ice solar irradiance measured over the spectral range 350–900 nm and 12–77 cm depth collected at a site in the western Greenland ablation zone. The acquired spectral irradiance measurements are used to calculate flux attenuation coefficients using an exponential decay Bouguer law model and are compared to values calculated from two-stream radiative transfer theory. Relative to asymptotic two-stream theory, our empirical attenuation coefficients are up to one order of magnitude larger in the range 350–530 nm, suggesting light absorbing particles embedded in ice enhance visible light absorption at our field site. The empirical coefficients accurately describe light attenuation in the ice interior but underestimate light attenuation near the ice surface. Consequently, Bouguer’s law overestimates transmitted flux by up to 50 % depending on wavelength. Refraction is unlikely to explain the discrepancy. Instead, vertical variation in the ice microstructure and the concentration of light absorbing particles appears to enhance near-surface attenuation at our field site. The magnitude of this near-surface attenuation implies that optical penetration depth is lower by up to 19 cm (28 %) at wavelengths relevant to visible-wavelength lidar altimetry of ice surface elevation (e.g. 532 nm for the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2) than is suggested by e-folding depths inferred from two stream theory for optically pure glacier ice. This enhanced near-surface attenuation implies shallower light transmission and therefore lower subsurface light availability for subsurface radiative heating and bio-photochemical cycling. We recommend radiative transfer models applied to bare ice in the Greenland Ice Sheet ablation zone account for vertical variation in light attenuation due to the vertical distribution of light absorbing particles and ice microstructure, and we provide new values of flux attenuation, absorption, and scattering coefficients to support model validation and parameterization.
Osseodensification drilling vs conventional manual instrumentation technique for posterior lumbar fixation: Ex-vivo mechanical and histomorphological analysis in an ovine model

Lumbar fusion is a procedure associated with several indications, but screw failure remains a major complication, with an incidence ranging 10% to 50%. Several solutions have been proposed, ranging from more efficient screw geometry to enhance bone quality, conversely, drilling instrumentation have not been thoroughly explored. The conventional instrumentation (regular [R]) techniques render the bony spicules excavated impractical, while additive techniques (osseodensification [OD]) compact them against the osteotomy walls and predispose them as nucleating surfaces/sites for new bone. This work presents a case-controlled split model for in vivo/ex vivo comparison of R vs OD osteotomy instrumentation in posterior lumbar fixation in an ovine model to determine feasibility and potential advantages of the OD drilling technique in terms of mechanical and histomorphology outcomes. Eight pedicle screws measuring 4.5 mm × 45 mm were installed in each lumbar spine of eight adult sheep (four per side). The left side underwent R instrumentation, while the right underwent OD drilling. The animals were killed at 6- and 12-week and the vertebrae removed. Pullout strength and non-decalcified histologic analysis were performed. Significant mechanical stability differences were observed between OD and R groups at 6- (387 N vs 292 N) and 12-week (312 N vs 212 N) time points. Morphometric analysis did not detect significant differences in bone area fraction occupancy between R and OD groups, while it is to note that OD showed increased presence of bone spiculae. Mechanical pullout testing demonstrated that OD drilling provided higher degrees of implant anchoring as a function of time, whereas a significant reduction was observed for the R group.
A Tight Lower Bound for Uniformly Stable Algorithms.

Leveraging algorithmic stability to derive sharp generalization bounds is a classic and powerful approach in learning theory. Since Vapnik and Chervonenkis [1974] first formalized the idea for analyzing SVMs, it has been utilized to study many fundamental learning algorithms (e.g., $k$-nearest neighbors [Rogers and Wagner, 1978], stochastic gradient method [Hardt et al., 2016], linear regression [Maurer, 2017], etc). In a recent line of great works by Feldman and Vondrak [2018, 2019] as well as Bousquet et al. [2020b], they prove a high probability generalization upper bound of order $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(\gamma +\frac{L}{\sqrt{n}})$ for any uniformly $\gamma$-stable algorithm and $L$-bounded loss function. Although much progress was achieved in proving generalization upper bounds for stable algorithms, our knowledge of lower bounds is rather limited. In fact, there is no nontrivial lower bound known ever since the study of uniform stability [Bousquet and Elisseeff, 2002], to the best of our knowledge. In this paper we fill the gap by proving a tight generalization lower bound of order $\Omega(\gamma+\frac{L}{\sqrt{n}})$, which matches the best known upper bound up to logarithmic factors
Siblings and Discordant Eligibility for Gene Therapy Research: Considering Parental Requests for Non-Trial "Compassionate Use”:

Deciding whether to grant an expanded access request for a child whose sibling is enrolled in a gene therapy trial involves a number of complex factors: considering the best interests of the child,...
Differential Impact of ALK Mutations in Neuroblastoma

PURPOSEThe tyrosine kinase receptor anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) can be abnormally activated in neuroblastoma, and somatic ALK mutations occur in 6%-10% of patients. The differential clinical i...
Why macroeconomics needs experimental evidence

This paper discusses how macroeconomics can and already has begun to make use of controlled experimental methods to address the assumptions and predictions of macroeconomic models as well as to evaluate the impacts of macroeconomic policy interventions. Specific issues addressed include rational expectations and alternatives, intertemporal optimization with an application to household consumption and savings decisions and the efficacy of various monetary policies.
Out-of-pocket health expenditures and healthcare services use among older Americans with cognitive impairment: Results from the 2008-2016 Health and Retirement Study.

Background and objectives The evidence base on health services use and cost burdens associated with transition to severe cognitive impairment (SCI) and dementia is underdeveloped. We examine how change in cognitive impairment status influences nursing-home use, hospitalizations, and out-of-pocket expenditures (OOP). Research design and methods We use prospective data from the Health and Retirement Study (2007/08-2015/16) on adults 70-years and older meeting research criteria for cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND) at baseline (Unweighted N=1,692) to fit two-part models testing how reversion to normal cognition, stability (CIND maintenance), and transition into SCI/dementia influence change in yearly nursing-home use, hospitalizations, and OOP. Results Over 8-years, 5.9% reverted, 15.9% remained CIND, 14.9% transitioned to SCI/dementia, and 63.3% died. We observed substantial increases in the propensity of any nursing home use that were particularly pronounced among those that transitioned or died during follow-up, and similar but less pronounced differences in patterns of inpatient hospitalizations. Average baseline OOP spending was similar among reverters ($1156 [95% confidence interval=832;1,479]), maintainers ($1,145 [993;1,296]), and transitioners ($1,385 [1,041;1,730]). Individuals that died during follow-up spent $2,529 [2,101;2,957]. By the 8th year of follow-up, spending among reverters increased to $1,402 [869;1,934], and $2,188 [1,402;2,974], and $8,988 [5,820;12,157] for maintainers and transitioners, respectively. Average spending at the wave preceding death was $7,719 [4,345;11,094]. Estimates were only partly attenuated through adjustment to covariables. Discussion and implications A better understanding of variations in health services use and cost burdens among individuals with mild cognitive impairment can help guide targeted care and financial planning.
Mutations in pathways depending on BRCA1 and BRCA2 may increase cancer risks from an environmental carcinogen

Recently, the President’s Cancer Panel [2008-2009] protested that preventive action is not taken when uncertainty exists about potential harm from a chemical, because the US regulatory approach demands that a hazard be incontrovertibly demonstrated. It is now incontrovertible that formaldehyde increases risks for leukemias. Evidence is also strong that formaldehyde causes some types of DNA damage in humans that are known to require repairs mediated by BRCA1/2 containing pathways. Homologous recombination repairs require BRCA1/2, Fanconi and ATM proteins in these pathways. Biallelic BRCA2 mutations interfere with these repairs and are clearly associated with leukemias, especially myeloid leukemias. Fanconi anemia homozygotes have very high risks for acute myeloid leukemias. Disabling BRCA1/2 related DNA repair processes prevents repair of formaldehyde related DNA damage in laboratory cells. DNA-protein cross links result in the accumulation of DNA double strand breaks in homologous recombination-deficient but not homologous recombination -proficient cells. ATM heterozygotes have increased risks for some leukemias that have been linked to formaldehyde in normal individuals. Weaker evidence suggests increased risk for rare nasopharyngeal or sinonasal cancers in heterozygous BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and in ATM mutation carriers.Formaldehyde is a pervasive environmental carcinogen that is theoretically more likely to cause malignancy in carriers of mutations that disable protective repair pathways. Because of this potential for harm, it is prudent for mutation carriers to immediately avoid formaldehyde, especially high level exposure. The EPA recommends four basic “Steps to Reduce Exposure” for everyone.
Rapid bioassessment of intermittent streams in the Upper Brazos River watershed

Many drainage systems of the American Southwest contain streams characterised by intermittent rather than perennial (constant) flow. These streams are essential to the normal function of their ecosystems; yet, they have received less study than perennial streams [1]. Within the watershed of the Upper Brazos River system of Texas, intermittent streams prevail, and within that part of the drainage system included in this study (the Hubbard Creek watershed) all streams are intermittent.
An Overview and Glimpse at the Future of the Ecology of the Brain

Less than a quarter of a century has passed since the first clear demonstration of the ecological nature of the brain. Within that time, however, the field has grown remarkably, both in terms of its data, and its overlap and convergence with other fields, and in terms of recognition of its broader implications. The ecology of the brain clearly represents a nodal point for the interaction of a variety of research fields and of much new thinking.
Population Change and Economic Development: What Have We Learned from the East Asia Experience?

The twentieth century was a period of unprecedented demographic change. The global population increased nearly fourfold, growing from 1.6 billion in 1900 to 6 billion in 2000 (Cohen 1995, App. 2, 400–401; UN 1998). Population growth rates accelerated, particularly in the developing world, during the first part of the century, reaching a peak in the late 1960s. The response to rapid population growth was also unprecedented. Motivated by concerns about the environmental and economic effects of population growth, the United Nations, bilateral foreign aid agencies, multilateral institutions, and private foundations invested billions of dollars in population programs. Many developing-country governments, especially in Asia, vigorously pursued policies aimed at slowing population growth. The countries of East Asia were among the first and most active proponents of population policy. 2 Beginning in the 1960s, many East Asian developing countries abandoned pro-natalist policies, identified population stabilization as a national development objective, and adopted comprehensive programs intended to slow population growth. At first glance, the East Asian experience appears to provide strong support for the value of population stabilization policies. Childbearing and population growth rates dropped more rapidly there than in any other region of
Decision making using a multi-criteria approach in a wholesale electrical power market

In this paper, we formulate a multi-criteria decision problem using a reproducing kernel Hilbert space approach to stochastic processes applied to a wholesale electrical power market. Our approach provides an alternative to stochastic, robust optimization commonly used in recent years in that we consider a range of uncertainty rather than just the most likely case or worst case scenario. In particular, we model operation of the electricity market of the ISO New England, an independent Regional Transmission Organization serving the New England area, using hourly zonal data for the last five years. Alternative investments in production or infrastructure must be evaluated in an environment of risk and Knightian uncertainty. Assuming that performance is modeled as a random function of deterministic but uncertain demand allows risk to be measured by value at risk curves over a range of uncertain demand. The preferred investment is determined by a preference rule defined on the set of value at risk curves, a standard multi-criteria approach.
The Neuroscience of Religious Experience: Neurology of Religious Experiences

Concerning the Gods, there are those who deny the very existence of the Godhead; others say that it exists, but neither bestirs nor concerns itself nor has forethought for anything. A third party attribute to it existence and forethought, but only for great and heavenly matters, not for anything that is on earth. A fourth party admit things on earth as well as in heaven, but only in general, and not with respect to each individual. A fifth, of whom were Ulysses and Socrates, are those that cry: I move not without Thy knowledge! – Epictetus, The Golden Sayings of Epictetus . No. 38; The Harvard Classics (1909–1914) Introduction God is interested in the individual Self. The religious individual assumes this fact and cries out with Ulysses and Socrates, “I move not without thy knowledge!” For some people like Ulysees, Socrates, and Epictetus, apparently, the Self is constituted by and lives in direct relationship to the god. For many people, then, Self and God are intimately connected at the cognitive and psychological levels. That level of experience, the relationship between Self and God, can be measured to some extent by looking at brain and cognitive mediation of religious experience. When we examine the available data on brain mediation of religious experience, the most important issue we will be attempting to decide is if religious experience is associated with a consistent set of brain sites and activation patterns.
Deductive and Active Databases: Two Paradigms or Ends of a Spectrum?

This position paper considers several existing relational database rule languages with a focus on exploring the fundamental differences between deductive and active databases. We find that deductive and active databases do not form two discernible classes, but rather they delineate two ends of a spectrum of database rule languages. We claim that this spectrum also corresponds to a notion of abstraction level, with deductive rule languages at a higher level and active rule languages at a lower level.
Structural and functional analytics for community detection in large-scale complex networks

Community structure is thought to be one of the main organizing principles in most complex networks. Big data and complex networks represent an area which researchers are analyzing worldwide. Of special interest are groups of vertices within which connections are dense. In this paper we begin with discussing community dynamics and exploring complex network structural parameters. We put forward structural and functional models for analyzing complex networks under situations of perturbations. We introduce modified adjacency and modified Laplacian matrices. We further introduce network or degree centrality (weighted Laplacian centrality) based on modified Laplacian, weighted micro-community centrality. We discuss its robustness and importance for micro-community detection for social and technological complex networks with overlapping communities. We also introduce ’k-clique sub-community’ overlapping community detection based on degree and weighted micro-community centrality. The proposed algorithms use optimal partition of k-clique sub-community for modularity optimization. We establish relationship between degree centrality and modularity. This proposed method with modified adjacency matrix helps us solve NP-hard problem.
Van Hove exciton-cageons and high-Tc superconductivity: VIIID. Solitons and nonlinear dynamics

Abstract The low-temperature orthorhombic (LTO) phase transition in La 2−χ Sr χ CuO 4 can be interpreted as a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect, in which the degenerate electronic states are associated with the large densities of states at the two van Hove singularities. The equations describing this phase are strongly nonlinear. This paper illustrates some consequences of the nonlinearity, by presenting a rich variety of exact nonlinear wave solutions for the model. Of particular interest are soliton lattice solutions: arrays of domain walls separating regions of local-low temperature tetragonal (LTT) symmetry. These arrays have a macroscopic average symmetry higher than LTT. These lattices can display either orthorhombic (“orthons”) or tetragonal (“tetrons”) symmetry, and can serve as models for a microscopic description of the dynamic JT LTO and high-temperature tetragonal phases, respectively.
The Determinants of Corporate Debt Mix

We examine the drivers of the choice among non-bank private (144A) debt, bank loans, and public debt made by 988 non-financial firms during 1993-2007. We document new evidence that, besides firm-level variables, macroeconomic factors are important determinants of changes in corporate debt mix. Our findings highlight the importance of macroeconomic variables on firms’ borrowing decisions as predicted by Diamond (1991). Most importantly, we find that the majority of the drivers of changes in corporate debt mix vary over time and across economic conditions, which would address the concern of Denis and Mihov (2003) about their sample’s inability to examine the pattern of debt mix over time. We also find strong evidence that private debt and public debt are substitutes as widely hypothesized, which is inconsistent with Rauh and Sufi (2010).
Robust regression on image manifolds for ordered label denoising

In this paper, we present a computationally efficient and non-parametric method for robust regression on manifolds. We apply our algorithm to the problem of correcting mislabeled examples from image collections with ordered (e.g., real-valued, ordinal) labels. Compared to related methods for robust regression, our method achieves superior denoising accuracy on a variety of data sets, with label corruption levels as high as 80%. For a diverse set of widely-used, large-scale, publicly-available data sets, our approach results in image labels that more accurately describe the associated images.
Alienated Politics: Labour Insurgency and the Paternalistic State in China

Is there a labour movement in China? This contribution argues that China does not have a labour movement, but that contestation between workers, state and capital is best characterized as a form of ‘alienated politics’. Widespread worker resistance is highly effective at the level of the firm because of its ability to inflict losses on capital and disrupt public order. But authoritarian politics in China prevent workers from formulating political demands. Despite the spectacular repressive capacity of the state, the central government has in fact responded to highly localized resistance by passing generally pro-labour legislation over the past decade. The consequence of this is that worker unrest has produced important political shifts at the national level, but these have come about without workers’ direct involvement in the process. In other words, workers are alienated from the political object that they themselves have produced. As a consequence, when the state intervenes in labour politics, it appears to be doing so of its own accord, i.e. paternalistically. This framework helps us to understand how worker unrest in China has become highly antagonistic towards employers and the local state, while maintaining the stability of the system as a whole.
On a connection between the non-central χ2 distribution and Bessel diffusions

Abstract The noncentral χ2 random variable can be written as the sum of two independent random variables one of which is a (central) χ2 random variable and the other is known as the χ2 random variable with zero d.f. We give a probabilistic proof of this by using properties of the square of a Bessel diffusion.
PEPFAR’s Support For Orphans And Vulnerable Children: Some Beneficial Effects, But Too Little Data, And Programs Spread Thin

Sixteen million children in developing and middle-income countries have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and at least another million children per year are rendered vulnerable by parental HIV/AIDS-related illness. Since 2003 the US government has provided approximately $1.6 billion to give four million of these children care and support through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). We conducted five studies to evaluate the effectiveness of PEPFAR’s interventions for such children in East Africa and southern Africa. We found evidence of beneficial changes in school enrollment rates and on the psychosocial well-being of children. However, we could not demonstrate empirically the impact of most of the PEPFAR initiatives that we examined, primarily because of a lack of baseline data and clear outcome and impact indicators. We also found that many programs were spread so thin across a vulnerable population that little in the way of services actually reached beneficiaries, which raises questions ab...
A comparative trial of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor and dexamethasone, separately and in combination, for the mobilization of neutrophils in the peripheral blood of normal volunteers.

BACKGROUND: The clinical utility of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) transfusion therapy has been compromised, in part, by the inability to obtain sufficient quantities of functional neutrophils from donors. To define the optimal conditions for mobilization of PMNs in granulocyte donors, the effects of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and dexamethasone, separately and in combination, on PMN counts in normal volunteers were compared. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Five normal subjects were randomly assigned to each of the following single-dose regimens in 5 consecutive weeks: 1) G-CSF, 300 micrograms given subcutaneously; 2) G-CSF, 600 micrograms subcutaneously: 3) dexamethasone, 8 mg given orally; 4) G-CSF, 300 micrograms subcutaneously, plus dexamethasone, 8 mg orally; and 5) G-CSF, 600 micrograms subcutaneously, plus dexamethasone 8 mg orally. Venous blood was collected at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours after drug administration for the determination of absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs). RESULTS: Maximal ANC was achieved at 12 hours after each regimen, except dexamethasone alone (maximum, 24 hours). Dexamethasone significantly increased the maximal ANC induced by either dose of G-CSF alone (p < 0.05). The greatest mobilization of PMNs occurred after the administration of G-CSF (600 micrograms) and dexamethasone (8 mg); the ANC increased from a mean baseline value of 3,594 per microL to 43,017 per microL at 12 hours. All of the drug regimens were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone significantly increases the level of neutrophilia induced in normal subjects by G-CSF. The combination of dexamethasone and G-CSF (at the dosages used in this study) is a convenient, well-tolerated regimen for the mobilization of PMNs in the peripheral blood of granulocyte donors. Moreover, the optimal quantitative yield of PMNs is likely to be achieved by leukapheresis 12 hours after drug administration.
Predicted Outcome Value During Initial Interactions A Reformulation of Uncertainty Reduction Theory

This article presents an expansion and reformulation of uncertainty reduction theory. Past research indicates that support for the basic axioms of the uncertainty perspective is weak, especially with regard to initial interaction processes. It is suggested that uncertainty reduction is not the primary concern of individuals during this entry phase, as previously posited. Rather, uncertainty reduction is cast as subordinate to the more central concern of increasing positive relational outcomes. During initial interactions, uncertainty reduction is expected to enhance individuals perceived ability to forecast future relational outcomes. Important initial interaction behaviors and decisions are presumed to follow from the values these forecasted outcomes take. Several major revisions of uncertainty axioms and theorems are generated.
Low latitude storm time ionospheric electrodynamics

The response of the low latitude ionosphere to high latitude convection has long been the subject of considerable interest. Radar, ionosonde, magnetometer, and satellite measurements have been extensively used for studying the time-dependent characteristics of low-latitude disturbance electric fields and currents, and their coupling to the high latitude convection. Several global convection models have been used to explore the relationship between inner magnetospheric processes, and mid- and low-latitude ionospheric electrodynamic effects during geomagnetically active times. Recently, significant progress has been made in quantifying the average storm time-dependent responses of low latitude electrodynamic plasma drifts and currents to changes in the high latitude convection, and in the validation of global convection and ionospheric disturbance models. However, there are several fundamental questions dealing mostly with the large variability of the disturbance electric fields. In this review, we examine the latest progress in these studies and discuss a number of outstanding problems.
The beneficial effect of amrinone on acute drug-induced heart failure in the anaesthetised dog.

Amrinone, a positive inotropic-vasodilator agent, was administered to anaesthetised dogs in an attempt to reverse heart failure induced by drugs possessing negative inotropic properties. Propranolol, a (β-adrenergic blocker; verapamil, a calcium slow-channel blocker procainamide, a type 1 antiarrhythmic agent; or sodium pentobarbital, a barbituate; administered as a bolus injection and/or infusion, produced a sustained depression in canine cardiac function. Cardiac depression was characterised by a greater than 40% reduction in cardiac contractile force (CF) and maximum left ventricular pressure development (LV dp/dtmax), a 30 to 50% reduction in cardiac output (CO) and concomitant increases in mean central venous or mean right atrial blood pressures (CVP, RAP, respectively). Amrinone, when administered intravenously as a bolus injection (1 or 3 mg·kg−1) plus an infusion (0.03 or 0.1 mg·kg−1·min−1) reversed the depression in cardiac function by increasing CF, CO and LV dp/dtmax and decreasing preload CVP or RAP in all four drug-induced failure models. Due to the vasodilator properties of amrinone, afterload, total peripheral resistance (TPR), was reduced in verapamil and procainamide failures as well as in propranolol failure, the only model where TPR increases. In another model of heart failure, in which ouabain-induced arrhythmias preceded procainamide toxicity, amrinone was also an effective cardiotonic agent. Ouabain's inotropic effect was studied in propranolol-induced heart failure. Although an increase in LV dp/dtmax and a decrease in CVP were noted, ouabain (40 μg·kg−1iv) increased TPR and had little effect on the depression in CF and CO. Drug-induced models of heart failure were useful pharmacological tools for evaluating the cardiotonic agent's ability to overcome severe cardiac depression. In propranolol-, verapamil-, procainamide-, and pentobarbital-induced cardiac toxicity, amrinone could be of therapeutic value.
Significance of microvascular thrombosis in renal allografts : role of ex vivo thrombolytic therapy

: Background: Microvascular thrombosis is an uncommon pathologic finding in cadaveric kidneys. It is associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation most frequently associated with head injuries and massive blood transfusions. The high rate of non-function published in the literature portends an ominous significance for transplanted organs, which have been discarded by many transplant centers. Methods: In this report, we document the effectiveness of ex vivo thrombolytic therapy with activase®, a plasminogen activator, injected intra-arterially in 12 kidneys with extensive histologic intraglomerular microvascular thrombosis prior to transplantation. All cold stored cadaveric kidneys were flushed for 50 min with 50 mg of activase® diluted in University of Wisconsin solution. Pre-flush and post-flush wedge biopsies were performed on the allografts. Results: All biopsies showed complete resolution of the intraglomerular microthrombi following activase® flush. One kidney clotted in the third week. Three patients developed delayed graft function (25%) of which one experienced allograft thrombosis following one month after transplantation. All remaining grafts are still functioning at a mean follow up of 55.1 months (range: 23–71) with a mean serum creatinine of 1.8 mg/dL (range: 0.8–2.5). Conclusions: Back table flush with activase® rapidly lyses severe intraglomerular microthrombi making them successfully transplantable. Pre-treatment with activase seems to be an effective therapeutic intervention for kidneys with massive intraglomerular thrombosis.
Learning Control for Autonomous Machines

Today's industrial machines and manipulators have no capability to learn by experience. Performance and productivity could be greatly enhanced if a machine could modify its operation based on previous actions. This paper presents a learning control scheme that provides the ability for machines to utilize their past experiences. The objective is to have machines mimic the human learning process as closely as possible. A data base is formulated to provide the machine with experience. An optical infrared distance sensor is developed to inform the machine about objects in its working space. A learning control scheme is presented that utilizes the sensory information to enhance machine performance in the next trial. An adaptive scheme is proposed for the modification of learning gain matrices, and is implemented on an industrial robot. Experimental results verify the potentials of the proposed adaptive learning scheme, and illustrate how it can be used for improvement of different manufacturing processes.
Plasmodium falciparum-infected Red Blood Cells Selected for Binding to Cultured Syncytiotrophoblast Bind to Chondroitin Sulfate A and Induce Tyrosine Phosphorylation in the Syncytiotrophoblast

An important pathogenic complication of malaria during human pregnancy is sequestration of Plasmodium-infected red blood cells (iRBCs) in the placental intervillous spaces. This sequestration is thought to be mediated in part by binding of the iRBCs to receptors expressed on the syncytiotrophoblast (ST) membrane. We report here the use of a dynamic system to study the consequences of this cytoadherence on ST function using human syncytiotrophoblast and the choriocarcinoma cell line, BeWo. Laboratory isolates of Plasmodium falciparum were selected for their ability to bind to ST and used to investigate binding-induced cellular changes in the ST. Treatment of the ST cells with chondroitinase ABC suggested that the selected parasites bind predominantly to chondroitin sulfate A, but other receptors for parasite binding may be involved. Intracellular signaling in the ST induced by iRBCs binding was investigated by assessing tyrosine phosphorylation of ST proteins following iRBC binding. We demonstrate for the first time that iRBC cytoadherence to syncytiotrophoblast enhances tyrosine phosphorylation of a series of proteins in these cells. This approach will be useful in further studies of ST function in the malaria-infected placenta, the dynamics of selection of syncytiotrophoblast-binding parasites, and the identification of new receptors for parasite cytoadherence in the placenta.
Online instruction and site assessment

Online instruction is a rapidly developing phenomenon in higher education and it presents many opportunities and challenges to criminal justice educators. One area deserving attention is the meaningful utilization of the numerous web sites available. This paper reports on the effort to integrate a site evaluation instrument into course structure in order to assist students in their assessment of web sites. The device used to accomplish this objective was a site survey form presented to two online classes. The criteria used by students to assess the quality of web sites was identified, and the highest and lowest rated sites for two classes were recognized.
Reading the Literature and Developing a Hypothesis1

As you are starting your investigation, as a surgical resident you have certain advantages in pursuing clinical and basic science research that you may have not considered, despite the potential lack of formal research training. As a clinician, you know what problems are relevant to delivering care to your patients. You understand the natural history of the disease processes for which you intervene, and the current limitations of the standard of care in improving the health and quality of life of your patients. Most importantly, if you are a surgical resident, you are a high-energy individual! All these are important factors contributing toward your ultimate success. As you are exploring opportunities to spend time in research, it is important to identify from the outset what period of time you will be able to leave the clinical responsibilities of your residency. Many mentors believe that the 1-year experience is too short, and a 3-year experience is too long. You need to identify what the focus of your research experience will be: basic science, clinical, or research focused on education. Start thinking about these issues at least 1 year in advance. Identify the local investigators with laboratories or projects that you could join. It is a good idea to attend a laboratory meeting to learn how the individuals in the laboratory interact and the direction of the laboratory. Through this, you will develop an understanding of the focus of the program and may identify ongoing projects that you could join. You may be able to determine if resources are available to start a new project that you are interested in pursuing.
Subclinical pretreatment sensory deficits appear to predict the development of pain and numbness in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing chemotherapy.

Purpose Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a major complication in the treatment for cancer, including multiple myeloma (MM). Patients may develop painful and non-painful (e.g., numbness) neuropathy symptoms that impair function and often persist after therapy is terminated. This study tested the hypothesis that baseline subclinical neuropathy, as assessed by sensory thresholds, is related to the development of neuropathy symptoms (e.g., pain and numbness) in patients with MM undergoing treatment with chemotherapy.
Quantum magnetotransport theory for bound-state electrons in lateral surface superlattices.

The magnetoresistivities as well as the associated conductivities are calculated for a lateral surface superlattice. Our studies show that with strong potential modulation there is a giant peak in the Hall conductivity and many peaks in its resistivity in the quantum regime. For strong modulation, the suppression of the transverse conductivity along with the oscillations in its resistivity are also found. Interestingly, a giant low-field peak in the transverse resistivity is predicted as a consequence of the anisotropic correlation in the system. Many peaks in the longitudinal conductivity are observed, which are accompanied by a threshold in its resistivity. The effect of impurity scattering is included in a self-consistent Born approximation.
Trait self-control and the avoidance of temptation

High trait self-control has been traditionally described as a keen ability to resist temptation. The present research suggests that high trait self-control is linked to avoiding, rather than merely resisting, temptation. People high in trait self-control reported engaging in behaviors thought to minimize (or avoid) temptation to a greater extent than people low in trait self-control (Study 1). People high in trait self-control were more likely than those low in trait self-control to choose to work in a distraction-free environment rather than in a distracting, yet appealing, one (Studies 2 and 3).
Ubiquitination of a Novel Deubiquitinating Enzyme Requires Direct Binding to von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein

von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a hereditary cancer syndrome caused by germline mutations of theVHL gene. Recent studies suggest that VHL protein (pVHL) is a component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase, but the detailed biological function of pVHL remains to be determined. To further elucidate the biological functions of pVHL, we searched pVHL-interacting proteins using yeast two-hybrid screening. A novel protein named VHL-interacting deubiquitinating enzyme 1 (VDU1) was identified as being able to directly interact with pVHL in vitro and in vivo. We have determined the full-length cDNA of this enzyme, which includes two putative subtypes. Type I consists of 942 amino acids, and type II consists of 911 amino acids with predicted molecular masses of 107 and 103 kDa, respectively. We have also cloned a mouse homologue of this enzyme. Sequence analysis reveals that this protein is conserved between human and mouse and contains the signature motifs of the ubiquitin-specific processing protease family. Enzymatic function studies demonstrate its deubiquitinating activity. We have determined that the VDU1-interacting region in pVHL is located in its β-domain, and several naturally occurring mutations located in this domain disrupt the interaction between pVHL and VDU1 protein. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrates that VDU1 can be recruited into the pVHL-elongin C-elongin B complex. Finally, we demonstrate that VDU1 is able to be ubiquitinated via a pVHL-dependent pathway for proteasomal degradation, and VHL mutations that disrupt the interaction between VDU1 and pVHL abrogate the ubiquitination of VDU1. Our findings indicate that VDU1, a novel ubiquitin-specific processing protease, is a downstream target for ubiquitination and degradation by pVHL E3 ligase. Targeted degradation of VDU1 by pVHL could be crucial for regulating the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway.
Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor is differentially regulated by progesterone and estradiol in rat uterine epithelial and stromal cells

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) cDNA was isolated from a subtracted cDNA library that selected for progesterone-induced transcripts from rat uterine stromal cells. In this study, the effects of progesterone and estradiol on the expression of HB-EGF in mature rat uterine epithelial and stromal cells have been examined. RNase protection assays and in situ hybridization demonstrated that progesterone stimulated expression of HB-EGF in rat uterine stromal cells, but repressed levels of HB-EGF mRNA in luminal and glandular epithelial cells. In contrast, estradiol treatment strongly enhanced HB-EGF expression in epithelial cells, but had no effect on mRNA levels for this growth factor in stromal cells. Progesterone treatment followed by estradiol injection stimulated HB-EGF expression in stromal cells and repressed expression in luminal and glandular epithelium. Stimulation of HB-EGF expression in stromal cells by progesterone was not inhibited by treatment with cycloheximide, demonstrating that HB-EGF mRNA expression is a primary response of stromal cells to progesterone. These results reveal that expression of HB-EGF is stimulated in epithelial and stromal cells in vivo under the same hormonal conditions that induce cell proliferation in each of these cell types and strongly suggest that HB-EGF may mediate the mitogenic effects of steroid hormones in the rat uterus.
A precise 87Rb87Sr age and initial 87Sr86Sr for the Colomera iron meteorite

Abstract Rb-Sr analyses of silicates from the Colomera iron meteorite show a wide range in Rb/Sr and give 87 Sr 86 Sr values ranging from 0.699 to 8.45. These analyses define a precise linear array on the Rb-Sr evolution diagram yielding an age of 4.61 ± 0.04 × 109yr. A highprecision analysis of a whitlockite separate having very low Rb/Sr yields an initial ( 87 Sr 86 Sr ) I = 0.69940 ± 0.00004 . An upper limit of 48 ± 7 million years can be set for the time interval between dispersion of the silicate in the metal phase and final Sr isotopic equilibration, if we assume that Colomera silicate formed from a parent material which had the same initial 87 Sr 86 Sr as Ca-rich achondrites. The data are consistent with a simple evolutionary history in which Colomera differentiated from a parent material of chondritie Rb Sr ratio at a time 39 million years after the parent material had the initial 87 Sr 86 Sr of Ca-rich achondrites and 35 million years before the final Sr equilibration in the Guarena chondrite.
Intellectual inheritances: Cultural diagnostics and the state of poverty knowledge

What factors influence the scholarly field of vision, its illuminations and omissions? Reflexive interventions have typically addressed this question via analyses of knowledge producers and their institutional contexts. In contrast, this article foregrounds the inherited cultural infrastructures that enable and constrain knowledge production. I propose a ‘cultural diagnostics’ approach to identify and explain the persistence of what I label ‘ontological myopias’, a type of intellectual constriction rooted in assumptions about the content and composition of the social world. To illustrate the purchase of this analytic strategy, I examine the case of the emerging cultural sociology of poverty. Cultural diagnostics reveal that recent works have, with few exceptions, inherited an underlying presumption of earlier cultural approaches, namely that the ‘poor’ and their lifeworlds should constitute the principal empirical object of poverty research. This myopic focus hinders the creation of a comprehensive and relational approach to the cultural study of poverty and inequality. Ultimately, this article provides grounds to rethink the ontological foundations of contemporary poverty knowledge, and presents, more broadly, a reflexive cultural approach that can be profitably applied to other fields of scholarship.