cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning for Identifying Incident Stroke From Electronic Health Records: Algorithm Development and Validation.

Background: Stroke is an important clinical outcome in cardiovascular research. However, the ascertainment of incident stroke is typically accomplished via time-consuming manual chart abstraction. Current phenotyping efforts using electronic health records for stroke focus on case ascertainment rather than incident disease, which requires knowledge of the temporal sequence of events. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a machine learning–based phenotyping algorithm for incident stroke ascertainment based on diagnosis codes, procedure codes, and clinical concepts extracted from clinical notes using natural language processing. Methods: The algorithm was trained and validated using an existing epidemiology cohort consisting of 4914 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with manually curated incident stroke events. Various combinations of feature sets and machine learning classifiers were compared. Using a heuristic rule based on the composition of concepts and codes, we further detected the stroke subtype (ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack or hemorrhagic stroke) of each identified stroke. The algorithm was further validated using a cohort (n=150) stratified sampled from a population in Olmsted County, Minnesota (N=74,314). Results: Among the 4914 patients with AF, 740 had validated incident stroke events. The best-performing stroke phenotyping algorithm used clinical concepts, diagnosis codes, and procedure codes as features in a random forest classifier. Among patients with stroke codes in the general population sample, the best-performing model achieved a positive predictive value of 86% (43/50; 95% CI 0.74-0.93) and a negative predictive value of 96% (96/100). For subtype identification, we achieved an accuracy of 83% in the AF cohort and 80% in the general population sample. Conclusions: We developed and validated a machine learning–based algorithm that performed well for identifying incident stroke and for determining type of stroke. The algorithm also performed well on a sample from a general population, further demonstrating its generalizability and potential for adoption by other institutions.
Covering a compact space by fixed-radius or growing random balls

Simple random coverage models, well studied in Euclidean space, can also be defined on a general compact metric space. By analogy with the geometric models, and with the discrete coupon collector's problem and with cover times for finite Markov chains, one expects a "weak concentration" bound for the distribution of the cover time to hold under minimal assumptions. We give two such results, one for random fixed-radius balls and the other for sequentially arriving randomly-centered and deterministically growing balls. Each is in fact a simple application of a different more general bound, the former concerning coverage by i.i.d. random sets with arbitrary distribution, and the latter concerning hitting times for Markov chains with a strong monotonicity property. The growth model seems generally more tractable, and we record some basic results and open problems for that model.
Programmable Mechanically Active Hydrogel-Based Materials

Programmable mechanically active materials (MAMs) are defined as materials that can sense and transduce external stimuli into mechanical outputs or conversely that can detect mechanical stimuli and respond through an optical change or other change in the appearance of the material. Programmable MAMs are a subset of responsive materials and offer potential in next generation robotics and smart systems. This review specifically focuses on hydrogel-based MAMs because of their mechanical compliance, programmability, biocompatibility, and cost-efficiency. First, the composition of hydrogel MAMs along with the top-down and bottom-up approaches used for programming these materials are discussed. Next, the fundamental principles for engineering responsivity in MAMS, which includes optical, thermal, magnetic, electrical, chemical, and mechanical stimuli, are considered. Some advantages and disadvantages of different responsivities are compared. Then, to conclude, the emerging applications of hydrogel-based MAMs from recently published literature, as well as the future outlook of MAM studies, are summarized.
Aqueous Electrodeposition of SmCo Alloys: II. Direct Current Studies.

Previously, we reported the aqueous electrodeposition of rare earth - iron group alloys. A key factor was the complexation of the metal ions with various coordination compounds (e.g., aminoacetic acids), without which only the ferrous metal and rare earth hydroxides/oxides are deposited. In this work, samarium cobalt (SmCo) alloys were synthesized using direct current (DC) aqueous electrodeposition. The basic electrolyte solution consisted of 1 M samarium sulfamate, 0.05 M cobalt sulfate, and 0.15 M glycine, resulting in deposits containing >30 at% Sm at 60°C with current density of 500 mA/cm2. Supporting electrolytes (i.e., ammonium salts) decreased the Sm content in the deposit. Crystallinity of deposited films altered from nanocrystalline to amorphous as the Sm content increased. Deposits with high Sm content (32 at%) became isotropic with reduction in magnetic saturation (Ms) and coercivity (Hc). A deposition mechanism involving stepwise reduction of the complexed Sm-Co ions by depositing hydrogen atoms was proposed.
Clinical connectivity map for drug repurposing: using laboratory results to bridge drugs and diseases.

Drug repurposing, the process of identifying additional therapeutic uses for existing drugs, has attracted increasing attention from both the pharmaceutical industry and the research community. Many existing computational drug repurposing methods rely on preclinical data (e.g., chemical structures, drug targets), resulting in translational problems for clinical trials. In this study, we propose a novel framework based on clinical connectivity mapping for drug repurposing to analyze therapeutic effects of drugs on diseases. We firstly establish clinical drug effect vectors (i.e., drug-laboratory results associations) by applying a continuous self-controlled case series model on a longitudinal electronic health record data, then establish clinical disease sign vectors (i.e., disease-laboratory results associations) by applying a Wilcoxon rank sum test on a large-scale national survey data. Eventually, a repurposing possibility score for each drug-disease pair is computed by applying a dot product-based scoring function on clinical disease sign vectors and clinical drug effect vectors. During the experiment, we comprehensively evaluate 392 drugs for 6 important chronic diseases (include asthma, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, and stroke). The experiment results not only reflect known associations between diseases and drugs, but also include some hidden drug-disease associations. The code for this paper is available at: https://github.com/HoytWen/CCMDR The proposed clinical connectivity map framework uses laboratory results found from electronic clinical information to bridge drugs and diseases, which make their relations explainable and has better translational power than existing computational methods. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed framework, further case analysis also proves our method can be used to repurposing existing drugs opportunities.
Potential Uses and Applications of Saint to the Analysis of Quality Control Systems

Variables affecting human perception, vigilance, and decision-making are important in the design and installation of inspection stations for industrial production systems. The purpose of the research reported in this paper was to apply SAINT to the investigation of the operational and economic effects of factors affecting the performance of industrial inspectors both in detecting defects and in identifying acceptable products. Potential uses of SAINT in relating the results of perceptual and behavioral research to the design of quality control systems are also discussed. It is evident that many currently fragmented but well documented principles and models can be related in a dynamic way through the application of SAINT. It appears that SAINT can be used as a powerful research tool in applied settings to predict and then to evaluate trade-offs among variables affecting the performance of the inspector and of the quality control system as a whole.
A Concise History of Spain: Diversity in medieval Spain

The fall of the Visigothic monarchy marked the beginning of the Islamic phase of Spain's history. From 711 to 1492, Muslims controlled varying portions of Iberia, and their long presence had a profound influence on Spanish culture long after they lost political control. From their origins in the Arabian Peninsula during the time of the prophet Muḥammad ( c . 570–632), the Muslims spread quickly and widely throughout the Middle East and across North Africa. They conquered cities as they went, fighting when they had to and making deals with local authorities when they could. People who came under Muslim authority had the option of converting to Islam, but they did not have to do so to live peaceably under their new overlords. Christians and Jews, considered “People of the Book” or fellow monotheists, could retain their religion and customs if they refrained from proselytizing, if they paid special taxes, and if they agreed to political restrictions preventing them from having authority over Muslims. The historical sources, both Christian and Muslim, for the end of the Visigothic monarchy and the conquest and establishment of Islamic Spain are not abundant and come from later periods. Contemporary accounts are not available, and later ones are contradictory and contain legendary accretions. Nonetheless, scholars generally agree on the main outlines of the early years of Muslim consolidation in Spain.
Micronutrients, Trace Elements

Trace element micronutrients is a term that refers to the metals (inorganic elements) in the diet that are essential for specific cellular processes and are required in only small amounts (mg or less) daily. In mammals, required dietary trace elements include Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, and Zn. They perform catalytic, regulatory, and/or structural roles related to gene expression. Zinc has a major role in maintaining conformations (i.e. zinc fingers) necessary for proteins to bind to specific DNA sequences (regulatory elements) or protein–protein interactions required for specific cellular functions. Zinc can also influence transcription through metal-binding proteins (metal-responsive transcription factors) that, during metal occupancy, initiate translocation to the nucleus for binding to specific DNA sequences (metal response elements) in the promoter/enhancer region of genes. Regulation of gene expression by iron can occur through metal-requiring, RNA-binding proteins. These metal-binding proteins influence translation of specific mRNAs via nucleotide sequences in the untranslated regions. Trace element micronutrients have potential applications in medicine and biotechnology either directly as signaling molecules for regulation of existing or chimeric genes or indirectly as therapeutic agents by targeting specific metal-binding sites in regulatory factors. Keywords: Iron regulatory Protein (IRP); Iron-responsive Element (IRE); Metal-responsive Element (MRE); Metal-responsive Transcription Factor (MTF); Metalloenzyme; Trace Element Micronutrient; Zinc Finger
Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced disulfide-linked dimerization of PDGF receptor in living cells

Abstract It is well established that epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are able to induce noncovalent dimerization of their surface receptors. It is thought that receptor dimerization plays an important role in activation of the tyrosine kinase function and in the process of receptor autophosphorylation. Here we show that the addition of either PDGF-BB or PDGF-AA to intact 3T3 cells induces formation of 400- and 430-kDa species, respectively, recognized by either anti-PDGF receptor antibodies or anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. Interestingly, the 400- and the 430-kDa species are detected in nonreducing gels but not in reducing gels. Moreover, an alkylating agent, N-ethylmaleimide, inhibits PDGF-induced formation of high-molecular-mass species. Comparisons of V8 protease peptide maps of [35S]methionine-labeled PDGF receptors and high-molecular-mass proteins indicate that they represent dimers of PDGF receptors. It appears therefore that in addition to noncovalent dimerization, PDGF receptors undergo ligand-dependent disulfide-linked dimerization.
Step-forward randomization in multicenter emergency treatment clinical trials.

The authors present a new centralized randomization method for multicenter emergency treatment clinical trials. With this step-forward method, treatment randomization for the next subject is performed immediately after the enrollment of the current subject. This design ensures the readiness of the treatment assignment for each subject at the point of study enrollment, and it simultaneously provides effective control on treatment assignments balance and distributions of covariates. The authors also discuss procedures of the step-forward randomization method along with its implementation for two National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke–funded multicenter acute stroke trials, one double-blinded and one open-labeled. Advantages and limitations are presented based on experience gained in these two trials. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:659–665 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Chapter 10 NF‐κB as a Determinant of Distinct Cell Death Pathways

Abstract The NF‐κB signaling system has important and distinct roles in determining cell fate decisions, such as cell proliferation and cell death. Specifically, recent evidence indicates that NF‐B regulates several types of programmed cell death, such as apoptosis, necroptosis, necrosis, as well as cellular senescence, but its precise role in these is not fully understood. Distinguishing these cell fates experimentally is therefore important, and several techniques are available to researchers. We summarize experimental strategies and protocols that reveal changes in nuclear morphology and cell shrinkage, exposure of phosphatidylserine, compromised membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, and altered mitochondrial membrane potential. Together, these may discriminate distinct cell death pathways and lead to a better understanding of the underlying regulatory mechanisms.
Phase-sensitive detection methods for resolving fluorescence emission signals and directly quantifying lifetime.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses phase-sensitive detection methods for resolving fluorescence emission signals and directly quantifying lifetime. A new flow cytometry (FCM) approach, based on phase-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy methods that provides unique capabilities for separating signals from multiple overlapping emissions in fluorochrome-labeled cells as they pass across a modulated excitation source, has been developed. The measurement of fluorescence lifetime also is of importance because it provides additional information about fluorochrome/cell interactions. An important advantage of lifetime measurements is that lifetimes in some cases can be considered as absolute quantities. However, the lifetime of dye molecules bound to cellular macromolecules can be influenced by physical and chemical factors near the binding site, such as solvent polarity, cations, pH, energy transfer, excited-state reactions, and quenching. Spectroscopic methods also have been developed to record fluorescence emission spectra on each cell in real time and to resolve multiple emission spectra signals using computational methods. If fluorochromes cannot be resolved by these means, but have separated excitation spectra, multiple excitation sources can be employed to sequentially excite cells and spatially resolve the spectrally overlapping fluorescence signals.
Clinical Implications of Tapering Chronic Opioids in a Veteran Population

Objective To determine if patients receiving chronic opioid therapy can be tapered to lower opioid doses without a subsequent increase in pain. Design Retrospective and prospective chart review at a VA Medical Center. Methods Patients were included in the review if they were prescribed opioids chronically for at least 90 consecutive days and if a plan to taper opioid doses was agreed upon. Patients 89 years of age and older, patients with cancer, and patients exhibiting aberrant behavior were excluded. The primary endpoint was to determine the percent reduction of morphine equivalents (ME) over a 12-month period. Secondary endpoints included percent reduction of ME at 3 and 6 months, change in pain perception at 3, 6, and 12 months, and change in the number of adjuvant medications prescribed at 3, 6, and 12 months. Data were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics. Results A total of 50 patient charts were included in the study. The average percent reduction of opioid doses was 46% over a 12-month period. Seventy percent of patients either experienced no change in pain or had less pain when comparing baseline to 12 months. An equal percentage of patients either had no change in the number of adjuvant medications prescribed or had more adjuvant medications prescribed when comparing baseline to 12 months. Conclusions Patients in the population studied can be successfully tapered to lower opioid doses and may not necessarily experience more pain.
Aufwuchs Protozoa and Bacteria on the Gills of the Rock Crab, Cancer irroratus Say: A Survey by Light and Electron Microscopy1

Histological examination of gills of the rock crab (Cancer irroratus Say, 1917) taken from specimens collected in polluted and nonpolluted areas indicated that gill discoloration was not directly related to the degree of microbial fouling. Light microscope studies demonstrated that bacteria, peritrich and suctorian ciliates, and some naviculoid diatoms were the principal members of the fouling community. Examination of the bacteria by electron microscopy showed that several distinct types were present, and that some of these were attached to the gill by holdfast structures while others were enmeshed in a filamentous slime layer. An unusual small marine flagellate and an unidentified amoeba were also examined ultrastructurally.
Surgical Correction of Angular and Torsional Metatarsal Deformity With Cylindrical Osteotomy and Locking Compression Plates in a Calf

Objective To report successful surgical correction of concurrent angular and torsional metatarsal deformities in a calf using a cylindrical osteotomy and locking compression plate (LCP) technology. Study Design Case report. Animals A 10-week-old composite bull calf. Methods Using Paley's principles of angular limb deformity correction, a cylindrical osteotomy was performed to concurrently correct varus deformity and external torsion of the metatarsus. The limb was aligned and stabilized using two 3.5 mm broad LCP with locking head screws. Results The calf was immediately weight bearing after surgery and did not experience any postoperative complications. Follow-up radiographs 5 months postoperatively revealed complete osteotomy healing and remodeling. The limb was in good alignment, the calf was fully weight bearing, and client satisfaction was very high. Telephone follow-up with the owner 16 months after surgery revealed continued full use of the operated limb and the bull was being used in a pasture breeding program. Conclusions Cylindrical osteotomy with LCP stabilization can provide a favorable outcome in angular and torsional metatarsal deformity correction in cattle.
Use of Power Mobility for a Young Child With Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Background and Purpose. Young children with severe motor impairments, such as spinal muscular atrophy, are often unable to move around their environment independently; therefore, they may be at risk for delays in areas of development not directly related to their motor limitations. Power mobility is an intervention that provides young children a means of independent movement and enables them to independently explore their environment. Case Description. The participant was a 20-month-old girl with type II spinal muscular atrophy. Intervention. The authors provided the child with a power wheelchair and gave her mother and physical therapist general guidelines to encourage her use of the power wheelchair. Outcomes. Within 6 weeks after receiving the power wheelchair, the child operated the wheelchair independently. She showed developmental gains in all domains of the Battelle Developmental Inventory and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory over 6 months. The authors conducted an interview with the child's mother before and after intervention. She reported that the child was more independent after receiving the power wheelchair. Discussion. The power wheelchair may have been associated with the changes in the child's mobility and her developmental changes over 6 months.
Probabilistic fugacity analysis of Lake Pontchartrain pollution after Hurricane Katrina

After Hurricane Katrina passed through the US Gulf Coast in August 2005, floodwaters covering New Orleans were pumped into Lake Pontchartrain as part of the rehabilitation process in order to make the city habitable again. The long-term consequences of this environmentally critical decision were difficult to assess at the time and were left to observation. In the aftermath of these natural disasters, and in cases of emergency, the proactive use of screening level models may prove to be an important factor in making appropriate decisions to identify cost effective and environmentally friendly mitigation solutions. In this paper, we propose such a model and demonstrate its use through the application of several hypothetical scenarios to examine the likely response of Lake Pontchartrain to the contaminant loading that were possibly in the New Orleans floodwaters. For this purpose, an unsteady-state fugacity model was developed in order to examine the environmental effects of contaminants with different physicochemical characteristics on Lake Pontchartrain. The three representative contaminants selected for this purpose are benzene, atrazine, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The proposed approach yields continuous fugacity values for contaminants in the water, air, and sediment compartments of the lake system which are analogous to concentrations. Since contaminant data for the floodwaters are limited, an uncertainty analysis was also performed in this study. The effects of uncertainty in the model parameters were investigated through Monte Carlo analysis. Results indicate that the acceptable recovery of Lake Pontchartrain will require a long period of time. The computed time range for the levels of the three contaminants considered in this study to decrease to maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) is about 1 year to 68 years. The model can be implemented to assess the possible extent of damage inflicted by any storm event on the natural water resources of Southern Louisiana or similar environments elsewhere. Furthermore, the model developed can be used as a useful decision-making tool for planning and remediation in similar emergency situations by examining various potential contamination scenarios and their consequences.
Linking mass spectrometers to provide continuing monitoring during system failure.

Although multipatient monitoring with a timeshared mass spectrometer provides considerable cost advantages, failure of one component in a shared system can disrupt gas monitoring at all sites. We describe a simple method for linking two central mass spectrometer systems to provide continual monitoring during failure of one unit, without the need for time-consuming reconfiguration of individual patient sample line and display connections.
Ionospheric disturbances by severe tropospheric weather storms

Abstract Radio observations made near Gainesville, Florida, are reported. Wavelike ionospheric disturbances were observed when thunderstorms with tops (radar heights) in excess of about 40,000 ft occurred within a radius of 250 km about the radio reflection (middle) point in the ionosphere. It appears that the nighttime storms are more efficient in exciting the ionospheric waves. These waves have periods ranging between 1 and 5 min and were detected as Doppler shifts in the ionospheric radio echoes. The spectral content of the ionospheric wave varies from one storm to another. Even for a given storm, the spectral characteristics of the ionospheric response varied from hour to hour. Such an hour-hour variability may not be explicable on the basis of the atmospheric filtering action. It is, therefore, suggested that the observed periods were characteristics of the acoustic sources in thundercloud cells. Smearing of the Doppler records was very common during the occurrence of the (summer) afternoon storms. It is suspected that the smearing may be a manifestation of a different form of ionospheric effect of these clouds.
Histone demethylase JMJD2C is a coactivator for hypoxia-inducible factor 1 that is required for breast cancer progression

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) activates transcription of genes encoding proteins that play key roles in breast cancer biology. We hypothesized that interaction of HIF-1 with epigenetic regulators may increase HIF-1 transcriptional activity, and thereby promote breast cancer progression. We report that the histone demethylase jumonji domain containing protein 2C (JMJD2C) selectively interacts with HIF-1α, but not HIF-2α, and that HIF-1α mediates recruitment of JMJD2C to the hypoxia response elements of HIF-1 target genes. JMJD2C decreases trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 9, and enhances HIF-1 binding to hypoxia response elements, thereby activating transcription of BNIP3, LDHA, PDK1, and SLC2A1, which encode proteins that are required for metabolic reprogramming, as well as LOXL2 and L1CAM, which encode proteins that are required for lung metastasis. JMJD2C expression is significantly associated with expression of GLUT1, LDHA, PDK1, LOX, LOXL2, and L1CAM mRNA in human breast cancer biopsies. JMJD2C knockdown inhibits breast tumor growth and spontaneous metastasis to the lungs of mice following mammary fat pad injection. Taken together, these findings establish an important epigenetic mechanism that stimulates HIF-1–mediated transactivation of genes encoding proteins involved in metabolic reprogramming and lung metastasis in breast cancer.
The endemic spring snail Pyrgulopsis montezumensis in a high CO2 environment: Importance of extreme chemical habitats as refugia

1. We examined the distribution of the endemic spring snail, Pyrgulopsis montezumensis, along a gradient of dissolved free CO2 and on selected substrata in the collapsed travertine springmound of Montezuma Well, Arizona, U.S.A. 2. Dissolved CO2 concentration ranged from 480 (SE ± 56) mg L−−1 near the bottom spring vents in the limnetic zone (12 m deep) of the well to < 20 mg L−−1 in an irrigation canal about 1400 m downstream from the well outlet. Spring snails occurred in habitats with 110–315 mg L−−1 dissolved CO2. 3. Laboratory experiments showed that P. montezumensis tolerated a dissolved CO2 concentration up to about 400 mg L−−1 for 11 days, but displayed 40% (SE ± 4) mortality after 3 days at 728 mg L−−1 and 100% mortality after 24 h at 1200 mg L−−1. We also measured 100% mortality after 10 days at ambient concentrations (< 10 mg L−−1) of dissolved CO2. 4. Although the concentration of dissolved CO2 was within the tolerance range for spring snails in the irrigation canal, inadequate substrata and increased predation probably restricted their distribution in the lower reaches of the canal. Both field measurements and laboratory selection experiments showed a significant (P < 0.001) preference for limestone substrata over submerged vegetation and fine sediments. 5. We propose that springs with high dissolved CO2 may provide refugia from invertebrate and/or vertebrate predators not physiologically adjusted to the extreme chemical environment. These extreme chemical habitats probably reduce competition for resources and predation and allow resistant populations like P. montezumensis to attain high density.
Studies on Dental Caries: XII. Comparison of the Caries Susceptibility of the Various Morphological Types of Permanent Teeth

Clinical experience has long made it apparent that the several morphological types of permanent teeth differ in their tendency to be attacked by caries. However, available data (1-6) do not provide a fully quantitative exposition of these differences. On analysis, this situation may be shown to arise out of the fact that comparisons of the susceptibility of the several types of teeth have not, heretofore, taken complete account of differences among the teeth in the length of time they are exposed (after eruption) to the risk of attack by caries. Values for this variable, which has been designated by the term "posteruptive tooth age" have recently been obtained. These values are used in the present study to identify and compare the orders of susceptibility of the different morphological types of permanent teeth.
Precordial contrast echocardiographic detection of patent ductus arteriosus in small preterm infants

Clinical detection of patent ductus arterious (PDA) remains an important and challenging problem in the small preterm infant with respiratory distress. In this study, PDA was diagnosed in 28 small preterms using an improved contrast echocardiographic method. In these infants, the injection of saline into the aorta generated echoes which were imaged at the pulmonary valve. This was accomplished using a conventional M-mode ultrasound transducer applied at the usual precordial position. Contrast echo studies were compared with the degree of ductal patency shown by single film aortography. Ductal patency was detected by contrast echo in 29 of 31 instances of aortographically proven PDA.
Design and implementation of a video browsing system for the Internet

Recent advances in multimedia processing technologies, internet-working technologies, and the World Wide Web phenomenon have resulted in a vast creation and use of digital videos. Due to this reason, an efficient technique to locate and retrieve a desired video from a remote video archive is needed. A trial-and-error approach popularly used in current Web search engines is not applicable for searching for a desired video segment since the technique incurs intolerable delays. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a video browsing system that lets the user view a summary of a selected video and search within the video while being downloaded so that the user can determine the relevance of the video as early as possible. The system is inexpensive and scalable, making it suitable for large-scale distributed systems such as the Internet. The browsing system consists of two major software components: a video server, and a video browser and player called VideoCenter implemented using Microsoft DirectShow multimedia development kit. The implementation of VideoCenter enables us to assess the ease of use of DirectShow as well as its drawbacks in developing multimedia applications. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biochemical characterization of mIgM- variants of the murine B-cell lymphoma, WEHI 279.1.

The membrane immunoglobulin M (m1gM) of a B lymphocyte serves as a receptor for its cognate antigen. Our aim is to elucidate the structure and function of this membrane-bound receptor. The first step is to determine the requirements for proper membrane placement of IgM. We have used mIgM-positive B lymphocyte tumors from which we isolated mIgM negative variants by immunoselection. We report here the initial characterization of mIgM-variants isolated by repeated cycles of selection of the murine B lymphoma, WEHI 279.1, with goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin (GαMIg) and complement. These particular variants were chosen from a pool of more than 150 variants originally isolated because they resulted from several selection schemes and clearly had different origins. By analysis of their proteins, we have found three major phenotypes that do not produce mIgM: reduced μm, μs and L chain levels within cells, loss of μm and μs but retention of L chain synthesis, and loss of μm but retention of reduced amounts of μs and L chain. The defects underlying these phenotypes produce complex changes in the synthesis, turnover, and secretion of the μ or L chains involved. We performed experiments comparing the effects of the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin on variants with reduced p and L levels with its effects on variants with L but no μ chains. These experiments suggested that μ and L chain synthesis are controlled coordinately at the level of protein synthesis. We have not yet isolated any variants lacking L chain synthesis or any appearing to have gross structural defects in the μs protein. This analysis is the first phase of the detailed characterization of the requirements for proper synthesis, processing, tetramer formation, and membrane display of mIgM on B lymphoma tumors in mice.
Further characterization of refractoriness in Aedes aegypti (L.) to infection by Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy)

Abstract Factors which control the expression of the refractory or susceptible condition to infection with Dirofilaria immitis in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, were investigated using three protocols. (1) Microfilariae and prelarvae were injected into the hemocoel of susceptible A. aegypti. Some microfilariae and prelarvae developed to the L1 larval stage but they failed to complete development to the infective stage. (2) Enema of microfilariae and prelarvae from infected susceptible and refractory donor females were given into the midgut of uninfected susceptible and refractory recipient females. The results indicate that the conditions which inhibit the initiation of development are present in the Malpighian tubules and not in the midgut of the refractory mosquitoes. (3) Transplants of infected Malpighian tubules from susceptible and refractory donor females were made into the abdominal hemocoel of uninfected susceptible and refractory recipient females. The results showed that the refractory condition depends on the genetic makeup of the donor, not the recipient, mosquito. The above results taken as a whole indicate that the factors which control refractoriness are not present in the midgut but are present in the Malpighian tubule cells of refractory A. aegypti.
Variation in Social Structure: the Effects of Sex and Kinship on Social Interactions in Three Lemur Species

The effects of sex and kinship on agonistic and affinitive interactions in Lemur catta, Eulemur fulvus, and Eulemur coronatus were examined to provide information on the social structure of these primates. All adult males and females of three captive forest-living groups served as focal animals for one year. In contrast to many anthropoid primates, social interactions in these lemurs are characterized by predominantly competitive relations among closely related females, with low overall rates of polyadic conflicts. In L. catta, same-sexed dyads and pairs of closely related individuals had higher proximity-corrected frequencies of agonistic interactions than male-female and non-kin dyads. Grooming interactions, on the other hand, occurred significantly more often than expected in male-female pairs and between unrelated animals. The top-ranking male monopolized the majority of male-female interactions. In E. fulvus, neither sex nor kinship had significant effects on the distribution of grooming and agonistic interactions. Unlike L. catta, grooming and conflicts were observed in all dyads, resulting in more complex social relationships. Male-female relationships in E. fulvus were characterized by strong affiliative relations between individual male-female pairs. Social relationships in E. coronatus were generally similar to those in E. fulvus, except for a significant sex effect on the distribution of interactions, but small sample size precluded a final characterization of this rare species. Collectively, these results suggest that there may be intense competition among individual female lemurs for group membership, even among close relatives in the same matriline. Moreover, interspecific contrasts in male-male and intersexual relationships indicate fundamentally different male roles in these species. This study revealed that patterns of agonistic and affinitive interactions are not generally predictable from sexual selection theory and interspecific differences in life histories, indicating a need for more quantitative descriptions of social relationships in diverse taxa to identify other ecological and social determinants of social structure.
d-Space problem and solution set: Relearning to walk after a stroke

A discrete formalism, d-spaces, developed for analyzing complex movements, can be used to construct modes in which a stroke patient may relearn to walk. A specific example is sketched. The analogy between movement dissonance and quantum incompatibility is explored, along with an observationally-based distinction between dissonant and nonfunctional movement.
Opening the TRPML gates.

The intracellular TRPML channels have multiple biological roles, but the physiological stimuli that open them remained unknown. In a previous issue of Chemistry & Biology , Grimm et al. report a high-throughput chemical screen that identified a plethora of selective activators of TRPML3 that should open the way to fully characterize these channels and their physiological roles.
Socioeconomic or Race Differences? Explaining Black and White Adolescent Females' Plans for Education

This study analyzed data from a national sample of 4,573 high school senior females in the class of 1980. Females from high-income families have the highest levels of education plans. However, when compared to White females, Black females (a) in all family income categories are less likely to plan to terminate education with high school graduation, (b) in families with incomes less than $25,000 are more likely to plan graduate education, and (c) in families with incomes greater than $25,000 are more likely to plan a doctoral degree. Multiple regression analysis supported the notion that a female is more likely to plan higher education if she has a mother with higher education, is from a higher-income family, is Black, and lives in a mother-only family. Although the impact of socioeconomic factors on female educational aspirations is significant, the effect of race cannot be discounted.
Effect of a standardized complex mixture derived from coal tar on the metabolic activation of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human cells in culture.

A complex mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) extracted from coal tar, standard reference material (SRM) 1597, has been shown to initiate tumor formation in mouse initiation−promotion assays in our laboratory [(2001) Carcinogenesis 22 (7), 1077−1086]. To determine the effects of SRM 1597 on PAH activation in human cells, we investigated the PAH−DNA adduct formation in the human mammary carcinoma-derived cell line MCF-7. We examined the effects of SRM 1597 on the metabolic activation to DNA binding derivatives of two carcinogenic PAHs, the bay region containing benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and the more carcinogenic fjord region containing dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P). PAH−DNA adduct analysis by 33P-postlabeling and reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography revealed a significant decrease in the levels of both B[a]P and DB[a,l]P DNA adduct formation on cotreatment with SRM 1597 in comparison to cells exposed to B[a]P or DB[a,l]P alone. However, the inhibition of PAH−DNA adduct formation...
Effect of inotropic agents on the localized dyskinesis of acutely ischemic myocardium. An experimental ultrasound study.

The response of the segmental dyskinesis of acutely ischemic myocardium to inotropic agents has not been well characterized. We studied this in detail in open-chest anesthetized dogs. Acute myocardial ischemia was produced by coronary ligation and confirmed by histologic studies. Ultrasound recordings obtained by direct reflection off the ischemic posterior wall revealed characteristic dyskinesis: aneurysmal bulging during isometric contraction and markedly reduced mean posterior wall velocity (PWVm), and excursion during ventricular ejection. Isoproterenol (I), norepinephrine (N), ouabain (O), glucagon (G), and propranolol (P) were then administered intravenously in graded doses. The response to these agents consisted of two discordant elements. There was a significant (P < 0.01) increase in aneurysmal bulging during isometric contraction with isoproterenol (5 ± 0 to 6 ± 0 mm) and ouabain (4 ± 0 to 5 ± 0 mm). However, during the ventricular ejection phase PWVm increased with isoproterenol (12 ± 1 to 26 ±...
Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Season of 1997

Abstract The hurricane season of the eastern North Pacific basin is summarized and individual tropical cyclones are described. The number of tropical cyclones was near normal. Hurricane Pauline’s rainfall flooding killed more than 200 people in the Acapulco, Mexico, area. Linda became the strongest hurricane on record in this basin with 160-kt 1-min winds.
Sex and drug risk behavior pre- and post-emigration among Latino migrant men in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.

High rates of sex and drug risk behaviors have been documented among Latino migrant men in the US. Whether these behaviors were established in the migrants’ home countries or were adopted in the US has not been described and has implications for prevention strategies. Quarterly surveys were conducted to gather information on selected sex and drug risk practices of Latino migrant men who arrived in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina seeking work. Both kappa scores and McNemar’s tests were performed to determine if practice of these behaviors in home country was similar to practice post-emigration to the US. Female sex worker (FSW) patronage, same sex encounters (MSM), and crack cocaine use was more likely to occur post- rather than pre-emigration. Of those who ever engaged in these selected behaviors, most adopted the behavior in the US (i.e., 75.8 % of FSW patrons, 72.7 % of MSM participants, and 85.7 % of crack cocaine users), with the exception of binge drinking (26.8 %). Men who were living with a family member were less likely to adopt FSW patronage OR = 0.27, CI = 0.10–0.76, whereas men who earned >$465 per week were more likely to adopt crack cocaine use OR = 6.29 CI = 1.29, 30.57. Interventions that facilitate the maintenance of family cohesion and provide strategies for financial management may be useful for reducing sex and drug risk among newly arrived migrants.
Contributions of heterosis and epistasis to hybrid fitness.

Abstract: Early‐generation hybrid fitness is difficult to interpret because heterosis can obscure the effects of hybrid breakdown. We used controlled reciprocal crosses and common garden experiments to distinguish between effects of heterosis and nuclear and cytonuclear epistasis among morphotypes and advanced‐generation hybrid derivative populations in the Piriqueta caroliniana (Turneraceae) plant complex. Seed germination, growth, and sexual reproduction of first‐generation hybrids, inbred parental lines, and outbred parental lines were compared under field conditions. Average vegetative performance was greater for hybrids than for inbred lines, and first‐season growth was similar for hybrids and outbred parental lines. Hybrid survival surpassed that of inbred lines and was equal to or greater than outbred lines’ survival, and more F1 than parental plants reproduced. Reductions in hybrid fitness due to Dobzhansky‐Muller incompatibilities (epistasis among divergent genetic elements) were expressed as dif...
Degree maximal graphs are Laplacian integral

Abstract An integer sequence ( d ) = ( d 1 , d 2 ,…, d n ) is graphic if there is a graph whose degree sequence is ( d ). A graph G is maximal if its degree sequence is majorized by no other graphic sequence. The Laplacian matrix of G is L ( G ) = D ( G ) - A ( G ), where D(G) is the diagonal matrix of vertex degrees and A(G) is the (0,1) adjacency matrix. The article contains an explicit (algorithmic) construction of all maximal graphs, from which it follows, e.g., that, apart from 0, the Laplacian spectrum of a maximal graph is the conjugate of its degree sequence.
ELECTROCHEMICAL GENERATION OF SOLUTION LUMINESCENCE—III.: EFFECT OF OXYGEN ON QUANTUM YIELD AND KINETICS OF LUMINOL

-The growth and decay of light emission were examined for luminol as a funtion of oxygen concentration in aqueous alkaline solutions during and after the application of a controlled potential, square-wave electrochemical pulse. The results indicate that, in the rise portion of the light, the rate of electrochemical oxidation of luminol governs the light emission rate; while in the decay portion, the rate is first order and is independent of oxygen concentration. Quantum yields based on integration of the total light emitted also appear to be independent of oxygen above a threshold value. These results are consistent with evidence that the emitting state is an excited singlet.
Second Malignant Neoplasms (SMNs) after Treatment for Hodgkin Disease in Childhood or Adolescence

Second Malignant Neoplasms (SMNs) after Treatment for Hodgkin Disease in Childhood or Adolescence
Academic achievement and nonverbal intelligence in public school hearing-impaired children

The K-ABC Nonverbal scale, the WISC-R Performance scale, the Reading/Decoding and Reading/Understanding Achievement subtests of the K-ABC, and the WRAT-R were administered to 48 prelingually deaf children (M = 9.3 years) enrolled in public school self-contained hearing-handicapped programs. Consistent with past research, the achievement scores were one standard deviation or more below the normative mean, whereas the mean performance on the IQ measures demonstrated average intellectual abilities. The correlations of the K-ABC Nonverbal IQ with the WRAT-R and the K-ABC Achievement subtests, ranging from 5.1 to.65, equaled the correlations commonly reported for normal populations. Results support the use of the K-ABC Nonverbal scale as a measure to assist in the interpretation of individual achievement differences with hearing-impaired children.
Toxins Best Paper Award 2015

In order to recognize outstanding papers related to biotoxins and toxinology that have been published in Toxins, the Editorial Board established an annual “Toxins Best Paper Award”. We are pleased to announce the first “Toxins Best Paper Award” for 2015. Nominations were selected by the Editorial Board members, with all papers published in 2011 eligible for consideration. Reviews and original research articles were evaluated separately. Following review and voting by the Toxins Best Paper Award Committee, the following three papers have won Toxins Best Paper Awards for 2015:[...]