cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of vascular responsiveness of myometrial and omental small resistance arteries in late-gestation sheep.

Abstract Objective: We determined whether local regulation by vasoactive agents differs in the myometrial and omental vascular beds in the pregnant sheep. Specifically, we hypothesized that there would be blunting of in vitro responses to constrictor agonists, enhancement of sensitivity to dilator agonists, or both in myometrial compared with omental resistance arteries. Study Design: We compared in vitro responsiveness of small resistance intramyometrial and omental arteries from near-term pregnant ewes to the vasoconstrictor agents norepinephrine, U46619 (a thromboxane sympathomimetic), and potassium and the vasodilator agents acetylcholine and bradykinin. Results: The vascular sensitivity and the maximum response of intramyometrial small arteries to U46619 was attenuated compared with that of omental arteries. There were no significant differences between the intramyometrial and omental arteries in response to norepinephrine, potassium, acetylcholine, or bradykinin. Conclusions: These results support regional heterogeneity of regulation of function in different maternal vascular beds during pregnancy. The relative insensitivity of the myometrial arteries to the thromboxane mimetic indicates the existence of decreased constrictor function that may facilitate preservation of uterine blood flow in vivo. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;181:663-8.)
Age of initiation of collision between India and Asia: A review of stratigraphic data

Abstract The collision of India with Asia is perhaps the most profound tectonic event to have occurred in past 100 Ma. It is responsible for the uplift of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau and has been argued to have been responsible for geological, geochemical, and climatological consequences of global extent. Yet the age of initiation of this collision remains poorly constrained. The literature is replete with estimates that range from the Late Cretaceous (> 65 Ma) to latest Eocene (
Cell Cycle Arrest by Vpr in HIV-1 Virions and Insensitivity to Antiretroviral Agents

Expression of human immunodeficiency virus–type 1 (HIV-1) Vpr after productive infection of T cells induces cell cycle arrest in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. In the absence of de novo expression, HIV-1 Vpr packaged into virions still induced cell cycle arrest. Naturally noninfectious virus or virus rendered defective for infection by reverse transcriptase or protease inhibitors were capable of inducing Vpr-mediated cell cycle arrest. These results suggest a model whereby both infectious and noninfectious virions in vivo, such as those surrounding follicular dendritic cells, participate in immune suppression.
Temperature dependence of the critical current of superconducting microbriges near Tc

Abstract High accuracy measurements of temperature dependence of the critical current of indium microbridges were made; the nonlinear behavior near Tc is in satisfactory agreement with a theoretical prediction based on the Ginzburg-Landau equations.
A Comparison of Rational Versus Empirical Methods in the Prediction of Psychotherapy Outcome.

Recent studies have shown that providing feedback to therapists based on comparing their clients' progress to a set of rational, clinically derived algorithms delineating various categories of progress has enhanced outcomes for clients predicted to show poor treatment outcomes (signal-alarms). One prior study indicated that an empirically derived method more accurately predicts outcome than the rational method. The present study replicated the comparison of empirical and rational methods, while adding an additional layer of effect size analyses to further clarify predictive accuracy. The two methods were approximately equivalent in their accurate detection of cases that had a final negative outcome. However, the rational method had significantly lower overall predictive accuracy due to its high percentage of false negative predictions. Further, progressively more optimistic predictions based on the empirical method were associated with greater improvement for the average client. This was not the case for the rational method. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The peritoneal absorption of insulin in diabetic man: a potential site for a mechanical insulin delivery system.

Abstract The potential of the peritoneum as a site for an “artificial beta cell” was studied. Three 14-hr studies were performed in an insulin-dependent diabetic male maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis. All studies were performed between dialyses and throughout three standard American Diabetes Association (ADA) 600 calorie meals. The degree of insulin absorption from the peritoneal space was assessed by measuring the changes in plasma-free insulin concentration during these studies. The results of this study demonstrate that normalization of plasma insulin profiles may be observed with the administration of insulin into the peritoneal space. This absorbed insulin exerts hypoglycemic activity that suppresses the meal-induced rise in plasma glucose concentration. Thus, the peritoneal space may be a feasible route into which insulin may be delivered by an artificial beta cell.
Insensitivity of the elastic proton–nucleus reaction to the neutron radius of 208Pb

Abstract The sensitivity—or rather insensitivity—of the elastic proton–nucleus reaction to the neutron radius of 208 Pb is investigated using a non-relativistic impulse-approximation approach. The energy region ( T lab = 500 MeV and T lab = 800 MeV ) is selected so that the impulse approximation may be safely assumed. Therefore, only free nucleon–nucleon scattering data are used as input for the optical potential. Further, the optical potential includes proton and neutron ground-state densities that are generated from accurately-calibrated models. Even so, these models yield a wide range of values (from 0.13 fm to 0.28 fm ) for the poorly known neutron skin thickness in 208 Pb. An excellent description of the experimental cross section is obtained with all neutron densities. We have invoked analytic insights developed within the eikonal approximation to understand the insensitivity of the differential cross section to the various neutron densities. As the diffractive oscillations of the cross sections are controlled by the matter radius of the nucleus, the large spread in the neutron skin among the various models gets diluted into a mere 1.5% difference in the matter radius. This renders ineffective the elastic reaction as a precision tool for the measurement of neutron radii.
Functional heterogeneity in the zinc fingers of metalloregulatory protein metal response element-binding transcription factor-1.

Abstract Metal response element-binding transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) is a unique, zinc-inducible transcription factor that binds to metal response elements in the metallothionein promoter and activates transcription in response to metals and oxidative stress. MTF-1 contains six zinc fingers of the Cys2-His2 type. It was previously shown that MTF-1 is reversibly activated to bind DNA in response to changes in zinc status, unlike other zinc finger transcription factors, which do not appear to be reversibly activated by zinc in the cellular environment. Here we show that zinc fingers 2–4 constitute the core DNA-binding domain, whereas fingers 5 and 6 appear to be unnecessary for DNA binding in vitro. Deletion of finger 1 resulted in a protein that bound DNA constitutively in vitro. Furthermore, transfer of MTF-1 finger 1 to a position immediately preceding the three zinc fingers of Sp1 resulted in a chimeric protein that required exogenous zinc to activate DNA binding in vitro, unlike native Sp1, which binds DNA constitutively. Transient transfection experiments demonstrated that intact MTF-1 activated a reporter 2.5–4-fold above basal levels after metal treatment in mouse MTF-1 knockout cells, Drosophila SL2 cells, and yeast. However, the metal response was lost in all three systems when finger 1 was deleted, but was unaffected by deletion of fingers 5 and 6. These data suggest that finger 1 of MTF-1 constitutes a unique metal-sensing domain that, in cooperation with the transactivation domains, produces a zinc-sensing metalloregulatory transcription factor.
Operative management of intrauterine device complications: a case series report.

Abstract Background There is limited information about the number of intrauterine device (IUD) users requiring operative intervention for device-related complications. This is an evaluation of cases requiring in-hospital operative intervention for IUD perforations, removals and pregnancy-related complications. Study Design Large retrospective case series of patients who received operative management of IUD complications. Results Charts of patients from 15 hospitals in two health care systems from 2000 to 2007 were reviewed and outcomes of 276 women are reported. There were 95 operative IUD removals for perforations (including 60 levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems), 157 operative procedures for inability to remove an IUD in the office, and 42 pregnancy-related complications that were managed in the operating room. Ectopic pregnancy was the most common diagnosis among pregnant women (23 of 42 pregnant women, 54.8%). Conclusion The majority of operative procedures were performed for intrauterine IUDs, most of which were appropriately positioned IUDs with missing or short strings. In-office techniques for obtaining analgesia and dilation as well as appropriate devices for removal of T-shaped IUDs should make this practice rare.
Interpopulation variation in nectar production in Aconitum columbianum (Ranunculaceae).

In Aconitum columbianum there are extreme interpopulation differences in rates of nectar secretion per flower. Since nectar sugar concentration varies little among populations, increased nectar secretion results in a greater mass of sugar per flower for pollinator attraction. These differences in the amount of reward offered per flower account at least in part for observed higher levels of pollinator activity in populations with high nectar production. Nectar production is correlated also with nectary depth, i.e., flowers in populations with deep nectaries have higher rates of nectar secretion than those with shallow nectaries. Nectary depth differences adapt populations to different pollinator-types. Populations with deeper nectaries are adapted to pollination by bumblebees with longer tongues and more specialized foraging behaviors. In conclusion, there are basic differences in pollination ecology among geographical races of a. columbianum, which are indicated by correlated interpopulution differences in (1) nectar production, (2) level of pollinator activity, (3) nectar depth, and (4) pollinator-type.
The Life and Times of the Hubble Space Telescope

This talk will review past science highlights of the Hubble Space Telescope and describe planned improvements that will significantly enhance the science return of the observatory.
A meta-analysis of educational interventions designed to enhance cultural competence in professional nurses and nursing students

Summary Objectives Increasing professional nurses' and nursing students cultural competence has been identified as one way to decrease the disparity of care for vulnerable and minority groups, but effectiveness of training programs to increase competence remains equivocal. The purpose of this project is to synthesize educational interventions designed to increase cultural competence in professional nurses and nursing students. Design A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize all existing studies on increasing cultural competence. Data sources A comprehensive search and screen procedures was conducted to locate all cultural competence interventions implemented with professional nurses and nursing students. Review methods Two independent researchers screened and coded the included studies. Effect sizes were calculated for each study and a random-effects meta-analysis was conducted. Results A total of 25 studies were included in the review. Two independent syntheses were conducted given the disparate nature of the effect size metrics. For the synthesis of treatment–control designed studies, the results revealed a non-statistically significant increase in cultural competence ( g ¯ =.38, 95% CI: −.05, .79, p =.08). Moderator analyses indicated significant variation as a function of the measurements, participant types, and funding source. The pretest–posttest effect size synthesis revealed a significant increase in overall cultural competence ( g ¯ =.45, 95% CI: .24, .66, p Conclusions Interventions to increase cultural competence have shown varied effectiveness. Greater research is required to improve these interventions and promote cultural competence.
Utilization of DBS within drug discovery: development of a serial microsampling pharmacokinetic study in mice

Background: Dried blood spots (DBS) are rapidly gaining a foothold in the pharmaceutical industry. However, applications in exploratory drug discovery are limited mainly owing to method development time. The development of a generic DBS assay is presented with its application in serial microsampling from mice. Results: A generic ‘fit-for-purpose’ assay was developed on FTA® Elute, which allowed 90% of compounds tested to reach sensitivity levels of 1 ng/ml. A ten-time point serial mouse pharmacokinetic study was conducted using 20-µl microsamples and DBS. Application of generic ‘fit-for-purpose’ approach did not compromise data delivery or quality. Conclusions: Serial microsampling and DBS in exploratory mouse pharmacokinetic has been shown to provide superior data quality when compared with traditional plasma-based composite studies.
The adaptive value of tool‐aided defense against wild animal attacks

Throughout history humans have faced the persistent threat of attacks by wild animals, and how humans respond to this problem can make the difference between survival and death. In theory, the use of tools to fend off animal attacks would be more effective than resisting bare-handed, yet evidence for the advantage of tool-aided defense is scarce and equivocal. Two studies of news accounts of wild animal attacks against humans were conducted to test the hypothesis that tool-aided defense is indeed associated with reductions in injuries and deaths. Results of both Study 1 (N=172) and Study 2 (N=370) supported the hypothesis. The observed survival advantage of tool-aided defense for modern humans suggests that this tactic also would have worked for human ancestors who lived more closely to dangerous wild animals. Aggr. Behav. 34:633–638. 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Solving incremental quantity discounted transportation problems by vertex ranking

Logistics managers often encounter incremental quantity discounts when choosing the best transportation mode to use. This could occur when there is a choice of road, rail, or water modes to move freight from a set of supply points to various destinations. The selection of mode depends upon the amount to be moved and the costs, both continuous and fixed, associated with each mode. This can be modeled as a transportation problem with a piecewise-linear objective function. In this paper, we present a vertex ranking algorithm to solve the incremental quantity discounted transportation problem. Computational results for various test problems are presented and discussed.
The Predual and Second Predual of Wa

Abstract We identify the predual and second predual of the space Wα. When α = 0,Wα = BMOA. Our results are similar to Fefferman′s and Sarasons duality theorems. The study of boundedness and compactness of Hankel operators on Dirichiet type spaces is the key to our approach. A new result for the Schatten p-class of this operator is also indicated.
The influence of perceived source reward value on attributions of deception

Nonverbal expectancy violations theory was used to predict a relationship between attributions of deceptiveness and source reward value. Eighty‐five participants watched one of two simulated video‐dating service interview tapes showing a female message source presented as either high or low level of reward value. Reward level was manipulated by varying the quality of the source's appearance. In both videotapes the message source displayed behaviors stereotypically associated with deceptiveness. The low reward message source was rated as significantly more deceptive than the high reward source. Implications for nonverbal expectancy violations theory and deception research are discussed.
Effect of Process and Temperature During Storage on Ultra-High Temperature Steam-Injected Milk

Abstract Milk (3.25% fat) was processed by ultra-high temperature steam injection at 138°C for 20.4s, 149°C for 3.4s, and was packaged aseptically. The ultra-high temperature milk was stored at 24 and 40°C. Fat soluble alkanals were analyzed at start, 8, and 24 wk. Dissolved oxygen content and acid degree values were measured at 4-wk intervals for 24 wk Methanal, propanal, butanal, and nonanal were identified in the two ultra-high temperature samples at start. These compounds decreased during storage at both 24 and 40°C. Dissolved oxygen content increased linearly in samples stored at 24°C but decreased and remained at a minimum in samples stored at 40°C. Acid degree values increased in all samples.
Resolution and determination of the enantiomeric purity and absolute configurations of α-aryl-α-hydroxymethanephosphonates

Abstract The enantiomers of each of a series of α-aryl-α-hydroxymethanephosphonates have been found to be easily separable by liquid chromatography on a chiral stationary phase, C S P 1, and to elute in the order expected from mechanistic considerations. The dextro- enantiomer of each of the compounds listed in Table 1 is preferentially retained by the (3 R , 4 S )-WHELK-O 1 stationary phase and is assigned the (+)-( R )-configuration. The presence of an ortho- substituent interferes with the recognition process, reduces the separation factor for the enantiomers, and possibly alters their elution order.
Far field somatosensory evoked potentials in the cat

Abstract Averaged somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) after forepaw stimulation were recorded from skull electrodes in the cat. The cortical component of the SEP was preceded by four far-field potentials (Component I, II, III, IV). A study of these components suggests that: (1) Component I originates in the cervical spinal cord; (2) Component II is generated in the nucleus cuneatus and/or medial lemniscus; (3) Component III-A recorded widely over the skull probably reflects activity in the cerebellum and/or cerebellar pathways; (4) Component III-B seen over the somato-sensory area results from superposition of component III-A and activity in the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus and (5) Component IV originates in the sensory radiation with some contribution from the thalamus.
Inheritance of hyper-duality in imprimitive Bose-Mesner algebras

We prove the following result concerning the inheritance of hyper-duality by block and quotient Bose-Mesner algebras associated with a hyper-dual pair of imprimitive Bose-Mesner algebras. Let M and [email protected]? denote Bose-Mesner algebras. Suppose there is a hyper-duality @j from the subconstituent algebra of M with respect to p to the subconstituent algebra of [email protected]? with respect to [email protected]?. Also suppose that M is imprimitive with respect to a subset I of Hadamard idempotents, so [email protected]? is dual imprimitive with respect to the subset @J(I) of primitive idempotents, where @J:M->[email protected]? is the formal duality associated with @j. Let B denote the block Bose-Mesner algebra of M on the block containing p, and let [email protected]? denote the quotient Bose-Mesner algebra of [email protected]? with respect to @J(I). Then there is a hyper-duality from the subconstituent algebra of B with respect to p to the subconstituent algebra of [email protected]? with respect to [email protected]?.
Role of epigenetic modifications in normal globin gene regulation and butyrate-mediated induction of fetal hemoglobin.

Butyrate is a prototype of histone deacetylase inhibitors that is believed to reactivate silent genes by inducing epigenetic modifications. Although butyrate was shown to induce fetal hemoglobin (HbF) production in patients with hemoglobin disorders, the mechanism of this induction has not been fully elucidated. Our studies of the epigenetic configuration of the β-globin cluster suggest that DNA methylation and histone H3 acetylation are important for the regulation of developmental stage-specific expression of the β-like globin genes, whereas acetylation of both histones H3 and H4 seem to be important for the regulation of tissue-specific expression. These studies suggest that DNA methylation may be important for the silencing of the β-like globin genes in nonerythroid hematopoietic cells but may not be necessary for their silencing in nonhematopoietic cells. Furthermore, our studies demonstrate that butyrate exposure results in a true reversal of the normal developmental switch from γ- to β-globin expression. This is associated with increased histone acetylation and decreased DNA methylation of the γ-globin genes, with opposite changes in the β-globin gene. These studies provide strong support for the role of epigenetic modifications in the normal developmental and tissue-specific regulation of globin gene expression and in the butyrate-mediated pharmacologic induction of HbF production.
Age differences in body size stereotyping in a sample of preschool girls.

Researchers have demonstrated that societal concerns about dieting and body size have led to an increase in negative attitudes toward obese people and that girls as young as 3 years old endorse similar body size stereotypes as have been previously found with adults. Few studies, however, have examined age differences in their participants. A sample of 102 girls (3–5-years-old) completed measures of body size stereotyping. Results indicate that while body-size stereotyping is present by age 3, pro-thin beliefs may develop prior to anti-fat beliefs. Implications and future directions for research with preschool children are discussed.
Thermal decomposition of Fe(III) nitrate and its aerosol

The thermal analyses of iron nitrate in stagnant and flowing air using different heating rates were conducted to establish the intermediate phases and reactions during its decomposition. In view of the thermal results, the degree of pyrolysis of the aerosol formed by atomizing ferric nitrate aqueous solution was studied. Hollow spherical particles were obtained and varied from noncrystalline to crystalline materials, depending on the pyrolysis temperature used. The decomposition efficiency of resulting particles increased with the pyrolysis temperature.
Evaluation of Hydride-Based Stationary Phases for LC/MS

Two hydride-based stationary phases (cholesterol and bidentate C18) are evaluated for use in chromatographic analyses with mass spectroscopic detection. The stability of the bonded moieties and the background signal in the effluent from these columns are investigated. Separations of steroids and catecholamines are used to characterize these separation materials. Peak symmetries and efficiencies can provide additional insights into the effectiveness of the two phases. In one case a small column configuration directly connected to the mass spectrometer inlet is also tested.
Effect of Bose--Einstein statistics on multiplicity distributions and correlations in multiparticle production processes at high energies

It is shown that only a small number of elementary cells in phase space are populated in a multiparticle production reaction even at high energy (g 100 GeV), leading to occupancy numbers for identical bosons in individual cells which are not small. It follows that quantum-statistical fluctuations are of significant magnitude. The effects on multiplicity distributions and integral correlation functions of $\ensuremath{\pi}$ mesons produced in high-energy interactions are derived. Comparison with experimental results at incident energies above 100 GeV indicates that Bose-Einstein fluctuations may be a principal source of broadening of the multiplicity distribution and of positive short-range correlations among identical particles. The effect is nondynamical and nonkinematical in the usual sense, but is due to identical-particle symmetry, and is the counterpart of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss effect in the electromagnetic field.
Self-Reported Adolescent Health Status of Extremely Low Birth Weight Children Born 1992–1995

OBJECTIVES: To compare the self-reported health of extremely low birth weight (ELBW, METHODS: One hundred sixty-eight ELBW children and 115 NBW controls of similar gender and sociodemographic status completed the Child Health and Illness Profile–Adolescent Edition at age 14 years. It includes 6 domains: Satisfaction, Comfort, Resilience, Risk Avoidance, Achievement, and Disorders. At age 8 years, the children had completed the Child Health and Illness Profile–Child Edition. Results were compared between ELBW and NBW subjects adjusting for gender and sociodemographic status. RESULTS: ELBW adolescents rated their health similar to that of NBW adolescents in the domains of Satisfaction, Comfort, Resilience, Achievement and Disorders but reported more Risk Avoidance (effect size [ES] 0.6, P P P CONCLUSIONS: ELBW adolescents report similar health and well-being compared with NBW controls but greater risk avoidance. Both ELBW and NBW children rate their general health to be poorer at age 14 than at age 8 years, possibly due to age-related developmental changes.
Multiple scattering theory beyond the muffin-tin approximation

Multiple scattering theory appears to be the most efficient means of extracting the chemical and physical implications of the density functional method developed by Slater and by Hohenberg, Kohn and Sham for the study of inhomogeneous many-electron systems. The implications of this approach to electronic exchange and correlation have been obscured by the almost universal use of the muffin-tin approximation in the application of multiple scattering theory. This paper contends that an understanding of the sources of the efficiency of multiple scattering theory leads directly to a particular method of eliminating the muffin-tin approximation.
Substituent effects on the reactivity of benzo-1,2-dithiolan-3-one 1-oxides and their possible application to the synthesis of DNA-targeting drugs.

The efficiency of polysulfane product generation has been investigated for n-propyl thiol reactions with ortho- and para-substituted benzo-1,2-dithiolan-3-one 1-oxides in acetonitrile−water (7:3) mixtures. The reaction is facilitated by reducing the electron density at the para position or by placing substituents bearing lone pair electrons ortho to the dithiolanone-oxide (S1) reaction center. Through-space and through-bond effects both contribute to the conversion of polysulfane products.
Sublaminate-based lamination theory and symmetry properties of textile composite laminates

Textile composites have distinct mechanical characteristics different from those of unidirectional composites. Several common weave patterns, 5-harness or 8-harness satin weaves, for example, lack certain symmetry properties common to composites composed of unidirectional layers. The lack of symmetry of woven fabric composites can be drastically reduced, but not totally eliminated, if a laminate consists of one or more flipped pairs, each with one normal layer placed symmetrically about the laminate mid-plane to the flipped layer. To explore more possible combinations in a more general way, a systematic approach is presented by considering a single fabric layer as a sublaminate characterized by a set of stiffness parameters. Mechanical properties of laminates constructed from such sublaminates are obtained by combining the sublaminate stiffness matrices and force and moment resultants. The effects of operations like 90° rotation, flipping, mirroring and their combinations on a sublaminate are discussed. The symmetry properties of weave patterns are classified based on the type of operation necessary for the patterns to be equivalent before and after the operation. The classification of fabric patterns and their coupling coefficients of plate stiffness matrices are found to be dependent on the distribution of crimped regions, or more specifically, the skewness of that distribution. Techniques for achieving symmetry and balance by constructing laminates from flipped and/or rotated pairs are then discussed and found to be, to a certain extent, dependent on the type of equivalence of the weave pattern. It is shown in this study that perfect symmetry cannot be achieved for weave patterns, such as 8-harness satin weaves, with only rotation-flip equivalence. Perfect symmetry and balance can be achieved using as few as four layers, within cell alignment errors, for weave patterns with only mirror-rotation equivalence, like 5-harness satin weaves.
Infrainguinal Occlusive Disease: Endovascular Intervention is the First Line Therapy

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is present in 10% to 20% of people in the United States; the prevalence increases with age and the presence of diabetes, hypertension, and lipid disorders [1,2]. The majority of patients are asymptomatic. Moreover, the natural history in many patients is benign. Sixty-six percent do not have clinical manifestations 5 years after the diagnosis of asymptomatic PVD despite evidence of angiographic progression [3]. The two primary conditions associated with PVD are claudication and or limb-threatening conditions evidenced by rest pain, ulceration, or necrosis. The prevalence of claudication increases with age. The frequency ranges from 1% in 55 to 60 year olds to greater than 5% in those older than 80 [4]. The rate of progression from intermittent claudication to critical limb ischemia (CLI) is approximately 2% per year [5]. Many of these patients are diabetic and have disease at multiple levels of the arterial circulation. Diabetics are five times more likely to suffer limb loss than their nondiabetic counterparts [6]. The vessels that can be potentially affected by atherosclerosis are the aorta, iliac, femoral, popliteal, or tibial arteries. The anatomy of atherosclerotic lesions may range from focal stenoses to long-segment occlusions. Moreover, disease may be confined to one vascular bed or to multiple levels. The location of disease can vary depending on the patient population. Young smoking men often present with aortoiliac disease, whereas patients with diabetes often present with disease involving the tibial vessels. Treatment of PVD depends on the symptoms. Regardless of symptoms, however, medical management is essential and includes cholesterol modification, smoking cessation, blood pressure control, and tight control of diabetes, if present [2]. There has been recent widespread enthusiasm for screening patients to identify asymptomatic lower extremity vascular disease because the presence of atherosclerosis in this location can be a marker of hidden
Multivalent display of DNA conjugates on semiconductor quantum dots utilizing a novel conjugation method

One of the most prominent research areas in nanotechnology is the development of nanoparticle systems for biomedical applications. This is founded upon the expectation that such species could ultimately be imbued with multiple simultaneous functions, such as the presentation of a therapeutic payload or diagnostic sensor for in vivo trafficking to desired cell types. In recent years, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been actively explored as novel display systems, because of their unique photophysical properties. Using an aniline-mediated hydrazone coupling, a polyhisitidine-appended peptide was derivatized with a DNA strand and successfully self-assembled to QDs, yielding nanoparticles displaying up to approximately 15 peptide/DNA conjugates. This ligation method is a viable chemistry for displaying biomolecules, because of the orthogonality of the ketone and hydrazine moieties to most biological functionality and the reaction can be performed under mild conditions in aqueous media. The modified QDs were further characterized by gel electrophoresis, and microarray studies; showing the self-assembly was successful and the DNA strands were still available for hybridization with a complement sequence.
Prevalence and Determinants of Anticholinergic Medication Use in Elderly Dementia Patients

People with dementia are sensitive to cognitive side effects of anticholinergic drugs. However, little is known about the prevalence of anticholinergic medications and its predictors in a nationally representative sample of community-based elderly dementia patients in the USA. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence and predictors of anticholinergic drugs use in elderly dementia patients. The study involved retrospective analysis of the 2005–2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys (MEPS), a nationally representative sample of the non-institutionalized US population. The study evaluated annual prevalence of anticholinergic drug use during the study period and factors associated with the use of anticholinergics among community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older with dementia. The anticholinergic drugs were identified using the Anticholinergic Drug Scale (ADS). Multiple logistic regression within the conceptual framework of the Anderson Behavioral Model was performed to identify predictors associated with clinically significant anticholinergic drug (ADS level 2 or 3) use. According to the MEPS, there were a total of 1.56 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.34, 1.73] million elderly dementia patients annually during the study period. Approximately, 23.3 % (95 % CI 19.2, 27.5) of elderly dementia patients used clinically significant anticholinergic agents (ADS level 2 or 3). Among the need factors, elderly dementia patients having mood disorders [odds ratio (OR) 2.19; 95 % CI 1.19, 4.06] and urinary incontinence (OR 6.58; 95 % CI 2.84, 15.29) were more likely to use drugs with clinically significant anticholinergic activities. Of the enabling factors, the odds of receiving higher-level anticholinergic drugs were significantly lower for patients who resided in the West region (OR 0.41; 95 % CI 0.17, 0.95) compared to the reference group, Northeast. Over one in five elderly dementia patients used drugs with clinically significant anticholinergic effects. Mood disorder, urinary incontinence, and region were significantly associated with use of these drugs. Concerted efforts are needed to improve the quality of medication use by focusing on clinically significant anticholinergic agents.
Convex and Linear Orientations of Polytopal Graphs

This paper examines directed graphs related to convex polytopes. For each fixed d -polytope and any acyclic orientation of its graph, we prove there exist both convex and concave functions that induce the given orientation. For each combinatorial class of 3 -polytopes, we provide a good characterization of the orientations that are induced by an affine function acting on some member of the class.
The use of luminex assays to measure cytokines

INTRODUCTION Cytokines are small, soluble peptides or proteins that are produced by a variety of cells that participate in the immune response, including T cells, B cells, macrophages, mast cells, fibroblasts, and stromal cells, and are important immune mediators that constitute the communication network of the immune system. Cytokines regulate the responsiveness and maturation of particular cell populations, modulate the balance between cellular and humoral immune responses, and are important determinants of health and disease (O’Shea and Murray, 2008). The cytokine milieu provides important insights into physiological and pathological processes and can potentially serve as biomarkers for various diseases (Paczesny et al., 2009; Suh and Kim, 2008). Therefore, determining the relative balance of cytokines is important in elucidating the biological pathways that lead to inflammation, sepsis, and disease because dysregulation of these complex signaling pathways is often the earliest marker of a pathologic response (Bozza et al., 2007; Chun et al., 2007). In recent years, the Luminex assay has become an important tool in cytokine detection and quantification because of its capacity to measure multiple different cytokines simultaneously in a single run of the assay with small sample size requirements. Thus, this technology enables patterns of numerous cytokines to be examined within and between experiments, which provides a more inclusive and comprehensive depiction of disease than measurement of individual cytokines—an approach that was not previously possible using conventional technologies such as ELISA (Tighe et al., 2013).
Model of Pionic Hyperon Decay

Using a phenomenological $V+A$ coupling for the weak vertex $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}N+\ensuremath{\pi}$, a simple model of the decays $\ensuremath{\Sigma}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}N+\ensuremath{\pi}$ is constructed under the assumption of odd $\ensuremath{\Sigma}\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ parity. The model predicts that ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{0}\ensuremath{\approx}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ and that the decay ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}n+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}({\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}n+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+})$ is essentially pure s wave (p wave).
Foodborne enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli: Identification and enumeration on nitrocellulose membrane by enzyme immunoassay

Abstract A solid-phase enzyme immunoassay capable of direct enumeration of Escherichia coli that produce heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) has been developed. Pure or mixed cultures of bacteria or artificially contaminated foods were plated on nitrocellulose membranes placed on semisynthetic agar containing lincomycin. After overnight growth, the colonies were lysed in situ and were reacted with rabbit antiserum to LT. The presence of rabbit IgG in a colony was detected by goat antirabbit IgG peroxidase conjugate. Results of 71 strains tested by this method were in complete accord with LT assays performed by the mouse Y-1 adrenal cells. Three foods, namely, oysters, raw milk and Brie cheese, containing 2 × 106, 1.3 × 105 and 3.9 × 106 total plate count, respectively, were artificially contaminated with known levels of toxigenic E. coli. Upon analysis of membrane filters on which a range of 1 × 103 to 104 cells was deposited, 1 to 10 LT+E. coli could be enumerated with a recovery greater than 85%. The test on foods can be completed in approximately 30 h. The test is sensitive enough to visualize 1 ng of pure LT contained in 1 mm2 area of the membrane.
Real time and the virtual outcrop improve geological field mapping

New off-the-shelf technologies are providing a quick way for geologists to “capture” observations in the field digitally and may become the standard tools of the early 21st century. A fully contained digital field system capable of decimeter-level accuracy is available now for less than $10,000 and, since the technologies are rapidly evolving, it should become even more functional, accurate, portable, and cost effective. This system relies on the Global Positioning System (GPS) at various levels of accuracy. Reflectorless laser rangefinders with anglemeasuring capabilities are used to remotely position geologic features with accuracy from centimeters to decimeters relative to the GPS positions. The laser rangefinder can also be used to reference oblique digital photography of outcrops. Data capture with lasers and GPS, integrated with digital photographs and conventional outcrop information, provide a “virtual” outcrop that is fully constrained geometrically and geographically.
Financial Planning Where the Firm's Demand for Funds is Nonstationary and Stochastic

The incentive for a firm to engage in planning prearranging for its future financing derives from the interaction of uncertainty concerning the amount and timing of future needs and the cost of negotiating and terminating contracts in capital markets. Three conditions on relative costs and probability distributions are identified under which no financial slack should be raised. If those conditions are not met, then under one set of reasonable assumptions the optimum amount of slack will be more than the largest possible future need. The model allows for surprises which can cause upward or downward in contrast to EOQ models revisions in the future regarding the optimal level of slack to continue to carry.
DNA length and concentration dependencies of anisotropic phase transitions of DNA solutions

Critical concentrations for the isotropic to cholesteric phase transitions of double-stranded DNA fragments in simple buffered saline (0.1 M NaCl) solutions were determined as a function of DNA contour length ranging from approximately 50 nm to 2700 nm, by solid-state 31P NMR spectroscopy and polarized light microscopy. As expected for semirigid chains, the critical concentrations decrease sharply with increasing DNA length near the persistence length in the range from 50 to 110 nm, and approach a plateau when the contour length exceeds 190 nm. The biphasic region is substantially wider than observed for xanthan, another semirigid polyelectrolyte approximately twice as stiff as DNA, primarily because of low critical concentrations for first appearance of the anisotropic phase, C(i)*, in DNA samples > or =110 nm (320 base pairs) long. The limiting C(i)* for DNA > or =490 nm long is exceptionally low (only 13 mg/ml) and is substantially lower than the C(i)* of approximately 40 mg/ml reported for the stiffer xanthan polyelectrolyte. The much higher values of the critical concentrations, C(a)*, for the disappearance of the isotropic DNA phase (> or =67 mg/ml) are modestly higher than those observed for xanthan and are predicted reasonably well by a theory that has been applied to other semirigid polymers, if a DNA persistence length in the consensus range of 50–100 nm is assumed. By contrast, the broad biphasic region and low C(i)* values of DNA fragments > or =190 nm long could only be reconciled with theory by assuming persistence lengths of 200–400 nm. The latter discrepancies are presumed to reflect some combination of deficiencies in current theory as applied to chiral, strong polyelectrolytes such as DNA, and sequence-dependent variations in DNA properties such as flexibility, curvature, or interaction potential. The propensity of DNA to spontaneously self-order at low concentrations well in the physiological range may have biological significance.
Spontaneous regeneration of older dystrophic muscle does not reflect its regenerative capacity.

Young dystrophic (dy) murine muscle is capable of ( spontaneous) regeneration (i.e., regeneration in the absence of external trauma); however, by the time the mice are 8 weeks old, this regeneration ceases. It has been suggested that the cessation of regeneration in dystrophic muscle may be due to exhaustion of the mitotic capability of myosatellite cells during the early stages of the disease. To test this hyptothesis, orthotopic transplantation of bupivacaine treated, whole extensor digitorum longus muscles has been performed on 14 to 16-week-old 129 ReJ/++ and 129 ReJ/dydy mice. The grafted dystrophic muscle is able to produce and maintain for 100 days post-transplantation 356 ± 22 myofibers, a number similar to that found in age-matched dystrophic muscle. The ability of old dystrophic muscle to regenerate subsequent to extreme trauma indicates that the cessation of ( spontaneous) regeneration is due to factor(s) other than the exhaustion of mitotic capability of myosatellite cells. Moreover, there is no significant difference in myosatellite cell frequencies between grafted normal and dystrophic muscles (100 days post-transplantation). Myosatellite cell frequencies in grafted muscles are similar to those in age-matched, untraumatized muscles. While grafting of young dystrophic muscle modifies the phenotypic expression of histopathological changes usually associated with murine dystrophy, grafts of older dystrophic muscle show extensive connective-tissue infiltration and significantly fewer myofibers than do grafts of age-matched normal muscle. As early as 14 days post-transplantation, it is possible to distinguish between grafts of old, normal and dystrophic muscles. It is suggested that the connective tissue stroma, present in the dystrophic muscle at the time of transplantation, may survive the grafting procedure.
The political process and the use of debt financing by state governments

Empirical evidence offered in this study suggests that decisions by state government officials to effect debt-financed spending depend in part on the state's gubernatorial election cycle. More specifically, the results reveal relative increases in state debt issues in anticipation of elections, and furthermore, they reveal that such increases are more significant for states characterized by high interparty political competition. While theoretical limitations preclude a definitive explanation for these results, the evidence is consistent with a view of state political markets where incumbent parties manipulate public policy so as to enhance the probability of success in pending elections. This insight is significant in that it suggests a relationship between public policy decisions and election cycles in a context heretofore unexplored.
Diaper Choice: Too Costly to Bury

Diaper choice (cloth vs. disposable) has become a controversial issue with increased public concern for the environment. One hundred and twenty-four consecutive mothers were surveyed during the postpartum period about diaper choice. Six percent reported physician/nurse discussion of diaper choice during prenatal care. Seventy-seven percent planned to use disposable diapers only. Twenty-two percent planned to use cloth diapers or a combination of cloth and disposable diapers. Major reasons for choice of disposables included convenience, avoidance of safety pins and cleanliness. Mothers selecting cloth or a combination cited environmental concerns, low cost and cleanliness as reasons for their choice. Factors found to be significantly associated with choice of cloth or combination were older maternal age, use of cloth with other children, and perception that disposables are more expensive. No significant association could be demonstrated between diaper choice and several demographic variables, breastfeeding, or knowledge of the environmental impact of disposables. An educational intervention promoting the use of cloth diapers did not influence diaper choice at two months. Most mothers have made a diaper choice by the time an infant is born. Providers of prenatal care seldom discuss diaper choice with pregnant women. An educational intervention to promote choice of cloth diapers had no effect on the diaper choices made by our population.
Simulation of the mobility of metal-EDTA complexes in groundwater: the influence of contaminant metals.

Reactive transport simulations were conducted to model chemical reactions between metal−EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) complexes during transport in a mildly acidic quartz−sand aquifer. Simulations were compared with the results of small-scale tracer tests wherein nickel−, zinc−, and calcium−EDTA complexes and free EDTA were injected into three distinct chemical zones of a plume of sewage-contaminated groundwater. One zone had a large mass of adsorbed, sewage-derived zinc; one zone had a large mass of adsorbed manganese resulting from mildly reducing conditions created by the sewage plume; and one zone had significantly less adsorbed manganese and negligible zinc background. The chemical model assumed that the dissolution of iron(III) from metal−hydroxypolymer coatings on the aquifer sediments by the metal−EDTA complexes was kinetically restricted. All other reactions, including metal−EDTA complexation, zinc and manganese adsorption, and aluminum hydroxide dissolution were assumed to reach equilib...