cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utility of M-Mode Echocardiography for Early Identification of Infants with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn

The clinical syndrome of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) still carries high mortality in spite of improved neonatal care. The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the utility of M-mode echocardiography for the early identification of infants with PPHN prior to clinical deterioration. Echocardiograms of 51 infants who needed fractional inspiratory oxygen (FIO2) greater than or equal to 0.25 to maintain adequate PaO2 within 36 hours of life were compared to those of 115 healthy full-term and preterm newborns. Of the 51 infants, ten had elevated systolic time interval ratios of both ventricles simultaneously (ventricular pre-ejection period to ventricular ejection time [RPEP/RVET greater than or equal to 0.50, LPEP/LVET greater than 0.38]). All of these newborns had PPHN that was manifest clinically by 11 to 30 hours of age. The echocardiographic findings preceded clinical deterioration by at least one to five hours in all cases. The other 41 infants had clinical courses consistent with uncomplicated pulmonary disease. These data indicate that systolic time interval ratios, although not accurate measures of pulmonary arterial pressure and/or pulmonary vascular resistance, permit early identification of infants with PPHN and separation from others with uncomplicated pulmonary disease.
U.S. Monetization Policy: Recommendations for Improvement

With more than one billion hungry people in the world, U.S. food aid programs are a critical tool for feeding those in need and working to improve food security on a global scale. For more than fifty years, the United States food aid programs have helped save or improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Yet today, as the global need continues to grow and the resources to address it become ever scarcer, the United States must take a hard look at how its food aid programs are delivered.The practice of monetization, or the selling of donated food into overseas markets by private voluntary organizations (PVOs), has become widespread, absorbing approximately 60 percent of nonemergency food aid each year. While monetization provides needed funds for these organizations to operate their programs, it wastes millions in U.S. taxpayer dollars with typical returns of only 50 to 70 cents on the dollar.that might otherwise help save many more lives. In addition to being highly inefficient, monetization has also been proven harmful to regional markets and poor farmers in recipient countries and sometimes to U.S. producers. The practice has been liminated by most other donor countries and the World Food Program, and even some PVOs have turned down funds generated through monetization.While most experts agree that monetization is generally ineffective, the trend toward monetizing ever greater amounts of U.S. food aid has been difficult to stop. Key stakeholders including some U.S. producers and processors, who count on the procurement of food for food aid programs; some PVOs, who count on the revenues generated through monetization; and many in the U.S. shipping industry, who count on sustained volumes of food aid for shipping.all stand in strong opposition to a change in the status quo.Nevertheless, as the U.S. government crafts a food security strategy to end the global scourge of hunger and extreme poverty, it must adapt U.S. food aid policies to current realities and use its scarce resources wisely. Following are two recommendations, meant to be implemented in combination, for scaling back the practice of monetization while addressing the needs of stakeholders. Neither of the recommendations requires changes to existing legislation on food assistance delivery.
Silurian Chitinozoans from Florida Well Samples: ABSTRACT

End_Page 2036------------------------------Chitinozoans of Silurian age were recovered from four wells in Florida: Cone No. 1, Tillis No. 1, Hilliard No. 1, and Kie Vining No. 1. An attempt was made to establish a correlation between the four wells using the chitinozoan evidence, and the results are presented. The youngest assemblage probably is of Ludlovian age; the oldest is of late Llandoverian age. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2037------------
Counterpoints of Penitence: Reading Anne Lock's “A Meditation of a Penitent Sinner” through a Late-Medieval Middle English Psalm Paraphrase

Anne Lock's “A Meditation of a Penitent Sinner,” the first sonnet sequence written in English, consists of five prefatory sonnets that reflect the sinner's penitence and twenty-one sonnets that par...
Closed-Loop Calculations Using a Chiral-Invariant Lagrangian

Using Feynman rules derived from the chiral-invariant Lagrangian for pions, explicit evaluation is made of all contributions to all Feynman amplitudes in the limit of zero external 4-momenta, through order ${{f}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. These calculations are formal in that they involve divergent integrals. For all except the tree-graph diagrams, the results depend explicitly upon the pion "gauge," or Weinberg's function $f({\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2})$. However, we show that through order ${{f}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ there is a unique choice of gauge for which, notwithstanding the divergences, the amplitudes vanish in the soft-pion limit in accord with the soft-pion theorems. We conjecture concerning further application of this special gauge for the removal of divergences.
Reverberations of Hebbian thinking

Cortical reverberations may induce synaptic changes that underlie developmental plasticity as well as long-term memory. They may be especially important for the consolidation of synaptic changes. Reverberations in cortical networks should have particular significance during development, when large numbers of new representations are formed. This includes the formation of representations across different sensory modalities.
Thin Thermoelectric Generator System for Body Energy Harvesting

Wearable thermoelectric generators (TEGs) harvest thermal energy generated by the body to generate useful electricity. The performance of these systems is limited by (1) the small working temperature differential between the body and ambient, (2) the desire to use natural air convection cooling on the cold side of the generator, and (3) the requirement for thin, lightweight systems that are comfortable for long-term use. Our work has focused on the design of the heat transfer system as part of the overall thermoelectric (TE) system. In particular, the small heat transfer coefficient for natural air convection results in a module thermal impedance that is smaller than that of the heat sink. In this heat-sink-limited regime, the thermal resistance of the generator should be optimized to match that of the heat sink to achieve the best performance. In addition, we have designed flat (1 mm thickness) copper heat spreaders to realize performance surpassing splayed pin heat sinks. Two-dimensional (2-D) heat spreading exploits the large surface area available in a wristband and allows patterned copper to efficiently cool the TE. A direct current (DC)/DC converter is integrated on the wristband. The system generates up to 28.5 μW/cm2 before the converter and 8.6 μW/cm2 after the converter, with 30% efficiency. It generates output of 4.15 V with overall thickness under 5 mm.
A Zyxin-Mediated Mechanism for Actin Stress Fiber Maintenance and Repair

To maintain mechanical homeostasis, cells must recognize and respond to changes in cytoskeletal integrity. By imaging live cells expressing fluorescently tagged cytoskeletal proteins, we observed that actin stress fibers undergo local, acute, force-induced elongation and thinning events that compromise their stress transmission function, followed by stress fiber repair that restores this capability. The LIM protein zyxin rapidly accumulates at sites of strain-induced stress fiber damage and is essential for stress fiber repair and generation of traction force. Zyxin promotes recruitment of the actin regulatory proteins α-actinin and VASP to compromised stress fiber zones. α-Actinin plays a critical role in restoration of actin integrity at sites of local stress fiber damage, whereas both α-actinin and VASP independently contribute to limiting stress fiber elongation at strain sites, thus promoting stabilization of the stress fiber. Our findings demonstrate a mechanism for rapid repair and maintenance of the structural integrity of the actin cytoskeleton.
Scintillation Arcs: Probing Turbulence and Structure in the ISM

Multi-path scattering through inhomogeneities in the interstellar medium causes many related effects. In this review, I concentrate on the phenomenon of scintillation arcs, which are parabolic patterns in the secondary spectrum caused by interference between different angular components of the scatter-broadened image of a pulsar. Scintillation arcs are now fairly well understood. The measured curvature of the arc, together with proper motion and distance information about the pulsar, can be used to determine the location of thin scattering screens along the line of sight to the object. Some recent work of this type is presented. The puzzle of substructure in the power distribution of scintillation arcs is poorly understood, however, and is commented on as an open puzzle. In particular, some inferred physical structures in the ISM are small scale (~ 1 AU) and over-dense with respect to the background medium. Finally, an application of scintillation arc studies to the correction of high-precision pulsar timing is presented.
Distinct protistan assemblages characterize the euphotic zone and deep sea (2500 m) of the western North Atlantic (Sargasso Sea and Gulf Stream).

Summary Protistan diversity was characterized at three locations in the western North Atlantic (Sargasso Sea and Gulf Stream) by sequencing 18S rRNA genes in samples from euphotic (≤ 125 m) and bathypelagic depths (2500 m). A total of 923 partial-length protistan sequences were analysed, revealing 324 distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs) determined by an automated OTU-calling program set to 95% sequence similarity. Most OTUs were comprised of only one or two sequences suggesting a large but rare pool of protistan diversity. Many OTUs from both depth strata were associated with recently described novel alveolate and stramenopile lineages while many OTUs from the bathypelagic were affiliated with Acantharea, Polycystinea and Euglenozoa and were not observed in euphotic zone libraries. Protistan assemblages from the euphotic zone and the deep sea were largely composed of distinct OTUs; only 28 of the 324 protistan OTUs were detected in both shallow and deep sea clone libraries. The diversity of protistan assemblages in the deep sea was distinctly lower than the diversity of euphotic zone assemblages. Protistan assemblages from the Gulf Stream were the most diverse for either depth strata. Overall, protistan assemblages from different stations but comparable depths were more similar than the assemblages from different depths at the same station. These data suggest that particular groups of protistan OTUs formed distinct ‘shallow’ and ‘deep-sea’ assemblages across widely spaced oceanic locales.
Effects of prolactin and growth hormone on growth and metamorphosis of tadpoles of the frog, Rana pipiens.

Mammalian prolactin at doses of l-50 pg/day promoted growth (increased wet weight, dry weight and body length) in Rana pipiens tadpoles. Mammalian growth hormone (GH) promoted growth only at the higher doses (50 pg/day and above) and was not so effective as prolactin. Prolactin also inhibited metamorphosis (at doses of 5 pg/day and above). Inhibition of metamorphosis did not appear to be due to reduction in tissue sensitivity to thyroxine since prolactin-treated tadpoles metamorphosed in response to exogenously administered thyroxine (4-100 #g/liter) to the same extent as controls. Prolactin promoted further growth in tadpoles in which the thyroid level had been reduced with thiouracil or by thyroidectomy. This indicates that growth promotion caused by prolactin is not just the result of thyroid inhibition, although it is possible that a portion of the growth stimulation is due to t?i8 sntithvroid action of prolactin. .,. ‘. ,, < _::. The pituitary gland of amphibians has been thought to be necessary for normal growth in anuran tadpoles since the early work of Allen (1916) and Smith (1916) with hypophysectomized tadpoles. The suggestion that prolactin may be the pituitary hormone necessary for normal growth in amphibians is more recent (Etkin and Lehrer, 1960). Etkin and Lehrer found that R. pipiens tadpoles that had had their pituitary transplanted to the tail grew larger than control tadpoles, and suggested that the transplant might be releasing a growth factor in excess which was inhibited when the pituitary was in its normal location. Since mammalian pituitaries are known to
A Scintillation Camera for High Energy Physics

A scintillation camera has been developed for use as a triggerable vertex detector in high energy physics experiments. The device consists of a NaI(Tl) target viewed by a gated four-stage magnetically focussed image intensifier. Photographic film is used as the recording medium. In tests for use in an experiment to study charm, an interaction rate of 1.5 · 104/s was used, the resolution measured to be as good as 5 ?m RMS, and the hit density found to be 4/mm.
Acetate metabolism during hemodialysis.

We infused acetate into normal human subjects and performed kinetic analysis of the plasma and urine values obtained before, during, and after the infusion. The data were best fitted by a first-order elimination process with a mean metabolic clearance rate of 2.3 L/min. Gotch and Sargent had previously suggested that during dialysis, acetate metabolism was zero order. We performed kinetic modeling of acetate concentrations during dialysis. The data were best fitted to a Michaelis-Menton model (i.e., first-order metabolism at low concentrations and saturated at high concentrations). The mean Km for acetate in the dialysis patients was 8.5 mM and the mean Vmax was 18 mmol/min. Patients with a Vmax less than 7 mmol/min usually had a fall in plasma bicarbonate during dialysis while patients with a Vmax greater than 14 mmol/min usually had a rise in bicarbonate during dialysis. It is concluded that during high-surface-area dialysis, the capacity for acetate metabolism will affect acid-base homeostasis. Kinetic modeling will be useful to define acetate-intolerant patients and may be used to predict patients who will benefit from bicarbonate hemodialysis.
Superficial mycotic infections of the skin: diagnosis and therapy.

Abstract Superficial fungi are widespread and stubborn pathogens. The diseases they produce are not fatal but are frequently disabling. During World War II, dermatophytosis was the second most common cause of admission to the hospital for dermatologic disease among men and women in the Armed Forces, eczema being the first. Classification of the superficial fungi on an etiologic basis is unsatisfactory, as a single species may cause a variety of clinical manifestations in different parts of the body or in different individuals. On the other hand, the same clinical picture may be produced by different species of fungi. In the following discussion, fungus infections will be considered according to the topography of the body involved.
Characterization of a Human Core-specific Lysosomal α1,6-Mannosidase Involved in N-Glycan Catabolism

Abstract In humans and rodents, the lysosomal catabolism of core Man3GlcNAc2 N-glycan structures is catalyzed by the concerted action of several exoglycosidases, including a broad specificity lysosomal α-mannosidase (LysMan), core-specific α1,6-mannosidase, β-mannosidase, and cleavage at the reducing terminus by a di-N-acetylchitobiase. We describe here the first cloning, expression, purification, and characterization of a novel human glycosylhydrolase family 38 α-mannosidase with catalytic characteristics similar to those established previously for the core-specific α1,6-mannosidase (acidic pH optimum, inhibition by swainsonine and 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-mannitol, and stimulation by Co2+ and Zn2+). Substrate specificity studies comparing the novel human α-mannosidase with human LysMan revealed that the former enzyme efficiently cleaved only the α1-6mannose residue from Man3GlcNAc but not Man3GlcNAc2 or other larger high mannose oligosaccharides, indicating a requirement for chitobiase action before α1,6-mannosidase activity. In contrast, LysMan cleaved all of the α-linked mannose residues from high mannose oligosaccharides except the core α1-6mannose residue. α1,6-Mannosidase transcripts were ubiquitously expressed in human tissues, and expressed sequence tag searches identified homologous sequences in murine, porcine, and canine databases. No expressed sequence tags were identified for bovine α1,6-mannosidase, despite the identification of two sequence homologs in the bovine genome. The lack of conservation in 5′-flanking sequences for the bovine α1,6-mannosidase genes may lead to defective transcription similar to transcription defects in the bovine chitobiase gene. These results suggest that the chitobiase and α1,6-mannosidase function in tandem for mammalian lysosomal N-glycan catabolism.
Mapping of psoralen cross-linked nucleotides in RNA.

Abstract A method is described for using the cross-linking reagent 4'-(hydroxy-methyl)-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (HMT) to map base paired regions and higher-order structure within RNA molecules. Applying this method to yeast tRNAPhe, we have specifically identified cross-links within the acceptor stem between U6 X U68, in the D-stem between C11 X C25, and in the T psi-stem between U50 X C63 and U52 X C63. We have also identified a unique cross-link between U8 X C48 which are trans pyrimidines in the core region due to tertiary interactions between U8:A14 and C48:G15. The precise point of cross-linking was deduced in every case by using purine-specific U2 ribonuclease along with cytidine-specific CL3 ribonuclease which will anomalously cleave after photoreversed pyrimidines. The ability to map the precise point of cross-linking should prove invaluable in identifying nucleotides in close proximity within the tertiary structure of other RNA molecules.
Carcinoid tumor of the thymus with multiple endocrine adenomatosis

Summary A rare case of carcinoid tumor of the thymus in a male patient aged 32 with multiple endocrine adenomatosis type I is reported. The histologic features, the diagnostic criteria and the pathogenesis of the tumor are briefly discussed.
Protein-based bioplastics and their antibacterial potential

The use of conventional petroleum-based plastics in many applications poses the risk of contamination, potentially causing infection when used in medical applications, and contamination when used in food packaging. Nontraditional materials such as protein are being examined for their potential use in the production of bioplastics for applications that require uncontaminated materials. The proteins of albumin, soy, and whey provide possible sources of raw material for bioplastic production, as they have already been utilized in the area of edible films and low-stress applications. We conducted this study to investigate the thermal, viscoelastic, and antibacterial properties of the albumin, soy, and whey bioplastics with the use of three plasticizers—water, glycerol, and natural rubber latex (NRL). Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli were utilized as Gram (+) and Gram (−) species, respectively, for antimicrobial analysis. Albumin and whey bioplastics exhibited similar thermal and viscoelastic properties, whereas soy bioplastics had varied viscoelastic properties based on the plasticizer used. In terms of antibacterial activity, the albumin–glycerol and whey–glycerol were the best bioplastics, as no bacterial growth was observed on the plastics after 24 h of inoculation. In terms of the future impact of this research, the aim will be to scale up production of the bioplastics for use in food packaging as well as biomedical applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41931.
Special-purpose slide rules as exemplified by a rule for maintaining a constant exposure in successive autoradiographs with iodine-131.

WHENEVER a particular type of calculation is to be repeated frequently, the use of slide rules, nomograms or graphs eliminates a major part of the time required. This is frequently the case in problems involving isotopes of short half-life. Because radioactive decay is exponential, the conventional mechanical calculator is of little help. An ordinary slide rule is far from ideal, and its use requires familiarity with the mathematics of exponential decay. Therefore a simple special purpose rule has been devised to solve a specific problem. The utility of this rule should make it of general interest and may encourage the development of other rules for special purposes.
Understanding spectator expectations: an analysis of niche sports

In order to provide an experience that meets or exceeds a spectator’s expectations, it is important to understand customers’ expectations. Given sport consumers may have experience with similar service providers or similar products, it is important for sport managers to understand which sporting events spectators may be comparing when constructing their expectations. Results from this study suggest spectators may base their expectations on sports they are most familiar with and other sports competing at a similar level. Further, results suggest spectators’ attendance intentions are more likely to be based on predictive expectations when spectators have direct experience with a sport, but based on ideal expectations when experience is limited.
Synthesis, DNA affinity, and antiprotozoal activity of fused ring dicationic compounds and their prodrugs.

Dicationic guanidine, N-alkylguanidine, and reversed amidine derivatives of fused ring systems (9a−d, 12a−c, 13a, and 13b) have been synthesized from their corresponding bis-amines. DNA binding studies suggest that the diguanidines and the N-alkyl diguanidines fluorenes bind in the minor groove in a manner similar to that of the previously reported dicationic carbazole derivatives. The diguanidines and the N-alkyl diguanidines showed promising in vitro activity against both Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Plasmodium falciparum. Promising in vivo biological results were obtained for the dicationic N-isopropylguanidino-9H-fluorene (12c), giving 4/4 cures of the treated animals in the STIB900 animal model for African trypanosomiasis. The N-methyl analogue (12a) showed high activity as well. In addition, with the goal of enhancing the oral bioavailability, two novel classes of potential guanidine prodrugs were prepared. The N-alkoxyguanidine derivatives (12d) and (12e) were not effective as prodrugs. In co...
Diffuse mesothelioma of the peritoneum: a pathological study of 64 tumours treated with cytoreductive therapy

Summary Background Diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma (DPM) forms a spectrum of indolent surface tumours to malignant invasive cancers. There are few pathological series that span well and poorly differentiated lesions that show diffuse peritoneal spread. Methods Sixty-four DPM treated by initial cytoreductive therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Tumours were classified by surface and invasive growth pattern and correlated with riskfactors, peritoneal cancer index (PCI) and completeness of cytoreduction (CCR). Degree of invasion was quantitated as absent (0), into stroma (I), into fat (II), and into adjacent structures (III) and was correlated with cytological features. Selected immunohistochemical stains were performed. Results There were three well differentiated papillary mesotheliomas (WDPM; type A), four multicystic mesothelioma (type B), 22 tubulopapillary epithelioid mesotheliomas (type C), and 35 poorly differentiated epithelioid mesotheliomas with solid or sarcomatoid growth (Type D). Seven type D tumours had prominent sarcomatoid areas, 12 deciduoid areas, and four lymphohistiocytoid features. Risk factors were present in all groups except type A, and included prior abdominal surgery ( n = 24), asbestos exposure ( n = 5) and radiation ( n = 2). Extra-pleural mesothelioma was present in all groups except type B (total n — 7, 11%). Two type A and eight type C tumours lacked invasion; only type D showed level III invasion. The invasive portion of one type A tumour and two type B tumours showed adenomatoid features. PCI and CCR were greater in type D compared to the other groups ( p— 0.02), as well as mitotic rate, degree of necrosis, and nuclear pleomorphism ( p 0.001). Degree of invasion was strongly correlated with CCR (p — 0.007), necrosis ( p 0.0001), nuclear grade ( p 0.0001), and mitotic rate (p — 0.001), but not PCI (p — 0.1). Immuno- histochemical results were similar across groups, with frequent positivity for CA125 (94%), EGFR (94%) and calretinin (93%), followed by p16 (85%), cytokeratin 5,6 (76%), D2-40 (71%) and WT-1 (47%). PAX-8 was negative in all tumours, except one type A tumour that showed diffuse nuclear positivity. Conclusions Diffuse peritoneal mesotheliomas can be classified into four groups that reflect invasive potential, degree of adverse histological features, and amenability for CCR. Noninvasive tumours include both type A and type C tumours.
Gemini Surfactants with Acetylenic Spacers

A total of 24 dicationic geminis surfactants were synthesized, having a 2-butynyl spacer and chain lengths varying from 8 to 18 carbons. Geminis with more flexible butyl spacers were also synthesiz...
Macroinvertebrate Response and Internal Phosphorus Loading in a Michigan Lake after Alum Treatment

Alum treatment is a lake restoration technique that is used to address internal phosphorus (P) loading. We evaluated the macroinvertebrate density and P release rates from sediment cores in Spring Lake, Michigan, 5 yr after an alum treatment and compared the findings with conditions before and 1 yr after application. Total macroinvertebrate density recovered to the near pre-alum level after the decline that was measured in 2006. Community structure also shifted, with the dominant group changing from oligochaetes before alum treatment to chaoborids in 2010. Chironomid density in 2010 was similar to pre-alum density, but this represented a decline from an elevated density measured in 2006. Ceratopogonid density increased in 2010 compared with the prior samplings, but absolute densities were very low compared with other macroinvertebrate groups. Maximum P release rates from sediment cores in 2010 averaged from 1.68 to 2.81 mg P m d under anoxic conditions. These rates are an order of magnitude lower than before alum was applied, indicating the alum application was still effectively reducing P release rates from sediments in Spring Lake. However, the release rates have increased since 2006, suggesting that alum efficacy may be declining. The NaOH-extractable soluble reactive P fraction has increased since 2006, suggesting that the aluminum hydroxide floc is successfully binding P in the sediments. Despite the low release rates of P from the sediment, water column P and chlorophyll concentrations remain elevated in Spring Lake. This points to the continued need for reductions in external P loads to Spring Lake.
The Case | Best not shaken or stirred! Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and hyperkalemia.

A 79 year old male with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) presented to the emergency department with sepsis. Five days prior to presentation he was treated with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, rituximab and prednisone for progressive CLL, as noted on a bone marrow biopsy performed the previous week. (Figure 1) He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and empirically treated with cefepime, ciprofloxacin and vancomycin. Blood cultures revealed E. coli sensitive to cefepime, and the antibiotics were altered appropriately. During his ICU stay his serum potassium ranged from 3.5–4.9 mmol/l. Upon transfer to the floor his serum potassium was noted to be 5.6 mmol/l at 1300. When rechecked at 1900 it was 6.5 mmol/l. The next morning at 0500 it was 6.4 mmol/l. Later that day, at 1215, it was 7.1 mmol/l. An electrocardiogram obtained did not demonstrate signs of hyperkalemia (peaked t-waves or sine waves).
Vacuum-assisted socket suspension compared with pin suspension for lower extremity amputees: effect on fit, activity, and limb volume.

Abstract Klute GK, Berge JS, Biggs W, Pongnumkul S, Popovic Z, Curless B. Vacuum-assisted socket suspension compared with pin suspension for lower extremity amputees: effect on fit, activity, and limb volume. Objective To investigate the effect of a vacuum-assisted socket suspension system as compared with pin suspension on lower extremity amputees. Design Randomized crossover with 3-week acclimation. Setting Household, community, and laboratory environments. Participants Unilateral, transtibial amputees (N=20 enrolled, N=5 completed). Interventions (1) Total surface–bearing socket with a vacuum-assisted suspension system (VASS), and (2) modified patellar tendon–bearing socket with a pin lock suspension system. Main Outcome Measures Activity level, residual limb volume before and after a 30-minute treadmill walk, residual limb pistoning, and Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire. Results Activity levels were significantly lower while wearing the vacuum-assisted socket suspension system than the pin suspension ( P =.0056; 38,000±9,000 steps per 2wk vs 73,000±18,000 steps per 2wk, respectively). Residual limb pistoning was significantly less while wearing the vacuum-assisted socket suspension system than the pin suspension ( P =.0021; 1±3mm vs 6±4mm, respectively). Treadmill walking had no effect on residual limb volume. In general, participants ranked their residual limb health higher, were less frustrated, and claimed it was easier to ambulate while wearing a pin suspension compared with the VASS. Conclusions The VASS resulted in a better fitting socket as measured by limb movement relative to the prosthetic socket (pistoning), although the clinical relevance of the small but statistically significant difference is difficult to discern. Treadmill walking had no effect, suggesting that a skilled prosthetist can control for daily limb volume fluctuations by using conventional, nonvacuum systems. Participants took approximately half as many steps while wearing the VASS which, when coupled with their subjective responses, suggests a preference for the pin suspension system.
Review: Optimizing outcomes with alosetron hydrochloride in severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder that causes a range of symptoms. Currently, alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex®), a selective serotonin type 3 receptor antagonist, is the only medication approved for the treatment of severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) in women who have inadequately responded to conventional therapy. Alosetron has demonstrated efficacy compared with placebo in clinical trials and has been shown to improve overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, rare instances of ischemic colitis and severe complications of constipation have been reported. As a result, in 2000 alosetron was voluntarily withdrawn from the market but was reintroduced in 2002 with a more restricted indication and a requirement that clinicians and patients follow a prescribing program. Although the efficacy and benefit of alosetron has been clearly demonstrated, it has been used sparingly since its reintroduction. This brief review describes the history of alosetron, efficacy of alosetron in the treatment of IBS, the impact of severe IBS on HRQoL, safety considerations, the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy program under which alosetron is now prescribed, and an update on postmarketing surveillance data.
Magnesium depletion impairs myocardial carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and cardiac bioenergetics and raises myocardial calcium content in-vivo: Relationship to etiology of cardiac diseases

This study examines the effects of Mg depletion on myocardial bioenergetic, carbohydrate, lipid and phospholipid metabolism. Rats were studied after long-term (12 week) selective dietary restriction of Mg (20% normal dietary intake). Myocardial biopsy samples were examined for glucose 6-phosphate and glycogen to evaluate carbohydrate pathways and for glycerol phosphate and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and phospholipid contents to evaluate lipid and phospholipid turnover. Dietary Mg deficiency resulted in falls in myocardial glycogen, glucose-6-phosphate, glycerol phosphate, as well as the contents of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), diphosphatidyl glycerol (DPG), phosphatidyl inositol (PI) and total phospholipid phosphorus. These observations demonstrate impaired phospholipid metabolism, probably at the biosynthetic level. The mitochondrial oxidation of long-chain fatty acids was also impaired after Mg depletion. Mg depletion (serum Mg fell 60%) also resulted in significant falls in myocardial [ATP], phosphocreatine (PCr), and Mg with a concomitant rise in myocardial Ca content. These observations are consistent with the tenet that prolonged low [Mg2+]zero can result in marked reduction in oxygen and substrate delivery to the cardiac myocytes, with concomitant changes in membrane phospholipids (potentially resulting in a pro-oxidant state) probably as a result of coronary vasoconstriction.
Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Season of 2007

Abstract The hurricane season of 2007 in the eastern North Pacific Ocean basin is summarized, individual tropical cyclones are described, and a forecast verification is presented. The 2007 eastern North Pacific season was not an active one. There were 11 tropical storms, of which only 4 became hurricanes. Only one cyclone became a major hurricane. One hurricane struck Mexico and one tropical storm made landfall near the Guatemala–Mexico border. The 2007 National Hurricane Center forecast track errors were lower than the previous 5-yr means at all forecast lead times, and especially so for the 72-, 96-, and 120-h periods when the errors were 16%, 22%, and 20% lower, respectively. The official intensity forecasts had only limited skill.
The good architect and the bad parent: on the formation and disruption of a canonical image

This essay explores the canonical image of the architect to emerge in the wake of women's entry into the profession at the turn of the twentieth century, analysed through the lens of writings on women architects published in Germany between 1900 and 1920. Disseminated broadly to a professional and general audience, this discourse addressed the proper qualities of the architect and assessed whether women were fit for the job. The gendered canonical image to emerge from these debates resisted the feminine and the maternal, and female architects at the time responded by adopting or challenging these exclusions. Recent films depicting ‘good’ architects as bad parents suggest the tenacity of fin-de-siecle stereotypes, raising the question of how old myths frame new narratives that continue to limit and proscribe.
Initial-value problems for Rossby waves in a shear flow with critical level

The time-dependent evolution of sheared Rossby waves starting from an initial disturbance is studied for the simple case in which the shear is uniform. The uniform-shear assumption allows explicit solutions to be obtained which are useful in addressing the issue of the long-time asymptotic approach to normal modes and in assessing the relative importance of viscosity, nonlinearity and time-dependence in the evolution of Rossby waves in the presence of critical layers.
Underground banks in NYC, their main clientele and operators: The perspective of Chinese illegal immigrants

Abstract The financial link of the process of illegal immigration is an unexplored area in previous studies. This current work is the first qualitative study to deal with this concern. The study examines the nature of Chinese-operated informal fund transfer systems in the U.S. by investigating the main clientele, operators or owners, location, and operation style of Chinese underground banks. The primary source of data came from in-depth interviews with thirty illegal immigrants in New York City and Philadelphia. The findings show that the emergence of underground banks in the U.S. coincided with the largest tide waves of Abstract: The financial link of the process of illegal immigration is an unexplored area in previous studies. This current work is the first qualitative study to deal with this concern. The study examines the nature of Chinese-operated informal fund transfer systems in the U.S. by investigating the main clientele, operators or owners, location, and operation style of Chinese underground banks. The primary source of data came from in-depth interviews with thirty illegal immigrants in New York City and Philadelphia. The findings show that the emergence of underground banks in the U.S. coincided with the largest tide waves of Chinese illegal immigrants smuggled into the U.S. They served as a preferred means of fund transfers among Chinese illegals due to the unique service they offered, not necessarily because of the clients' illegal status, or coercive means by smuggling groups. The evidence generated from this research provides support for the illegal enterprise perspective. Chinese illegal immigrants smuggled into the U.S. They served as a preferred means of fund transfers among Chinese illegals due to the unique service they offered, not necessarily because of the clients' illegal status, or coercive means by smuggling groups. The evidence generated from this research provides support for the illegal enterprise perspective.
“I Click and Post and Breathe, Waiting for Others to See What I See”: On #FeministSelfies, Outfit Photos, and Networked Vanity

This article critically examines the political uses and potential of “networked vanity.” While popular online practices of self-regard and self-promotion have been disparaged as examples of “digita...
Is reduced SERCA2a expression detrimental or beneficial to postischemic cardiac function and injury? Evidence from heterozygous SERCA2a knockout mice.

Recent studies have demonstrated that increased expression of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) 2a improves myocardial contractility and Ca2+ handling at baseline and in disease cond...
Development and validation of a simple exercise test score for use in women with symptoms of suspected coronary artery disease.

Abstract Background Recently revised American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for exercise electrocardiography (ExECG) have suggested that ExECG scores be used to assist in management decisions in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods We used 442 women who underwent both ExECG and coronary angiography (CAD ≥1 lesion with ≥50% stenosis; CAD prevalence was 32%) to derive an ExECG score including clinical and ExECG variables. By use of logistic regression analysis, variables were selected and relative weights were determined. Variable codes multiplied by respective weights were summed to produce a final ExECG score. The score was validated in separate populations concerning angiographic as well as prognostic end points. Results Clinical variables selected and their weights included age (5), symptoms (2), diabetes (2), smoking (2), and estrogen status (1). ExECG variables selected and their weights included ST depression (2), exercise heart rate (4), and Duke Angina Index (3). For the validation group, score ranges are shown with the prevalence of CAD: 70 = 7/7 or 100%. Frequency of death within 3 predetermined subgroups was as follows: low 60 = 4/54(7%); P Conclusion A simple ExECG score was developed for use specifically in women. When evaluated in separate cohorts, the score stratified women with suspected coronary disease into groups with a gradually increasing frequency of coronary disease and death. (Am Heart J 2002;144:818-25.)
Thermal stability of Pb‐alloy Josephson junction electrode materials. I. Effects of film thickness and grain size of Pb‐In‐Au base electrodes

Pb‐alloy Josephson devices are attractive for potential use as active elements in high‐speed computers. Failures occur in some Pb‐alloy junctions during repeated thermal cycling between 300 and 4.2 K. The failures are believed to be primarily caused by rupture of the ultrathin tunnel barrier oxide between base and counter electrodes when strain in the electrode films induced by thermal‐expansion‐coefficient mismatch between film and substrate is relaxed. The strain relaxation can cause microstructure changes such as grain rotation and hillock formation that can lead to device failure. The effects of film thickness h and grain size g on the strain behavior and microstructure of Pb‐12 wt. % In‐4wt. % Au films similar to those used for a Josephson junction base electrode were studied by x‐ray diffraction, and by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Films with various combinations of h and g were prepared by evaporation onto oxidized Si substrates at room or liquid‐nitrogen temperature. In the prese...
Prolonged environmental stress via a two step process selects mutants of Escherichia, Salmonella and Pseudomonas that grow at 54°C

A prolonged incubation of Escherichia, Salmonella or Pseudomonas at 48°C with nalidixic acid selected mutants (T48) able to grow at 48°C. A prolonged incubation at 54°C of the T48 mutants selected mutants (T54) able to grow at 54°C. These mutants were susceptible to the same bacteriophages as the original mesophilic strains. Auxotrophic phenotypes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium mesophilic parents were demonstrated by these mutants if they were cultivated on minimal agar with cellobiose at 48°C or 54°C or on a minimal agar with glucose at 37°C. The T48 alleles mapped in the gyrA region of E. coli or S. typhimurium chromosome. In S. typhimurium the T54 alleles, which permit growth at 54°C, were shown by cotransductional analysis to be linked to gyrA.
Effects of inactivity on myosin heavy chain composition and size of rat soleus fibers

Myosin heavy chain (MHC) and fiber size properties of the adult rat soleus were determined after 4-60 days of complete inactivity, i.e., lumbar spinal cord isolation. Soleus atrophy was rapid and progressive, i.e., 25% and 64% decrease in weight and 33% and 75% decrease in fiber size after 4 and 60 days of inactivity, respectively. Changes in MHC occurred at a slower rate than the atrophic response. After 15 days there was de novo expression of type IIx MHC (approximately 10%). By 60 days, type IIx MHC accounted for 33% of the total MHC content, and 7% of the fibers contained only type IIx MHC. The relative amount of type I MHC was reduced from 93% in control to 49% after 60 days of inactivity. Therefore, the effects of 60 days of inactivity suggest that during this time period at least 75% of fiber size and approximately 40% of type I MHC composition of the adult rat soleus can be attributed to activation-related events.
Epidemiology, classification, mechanism, and tolerance of human cervical spine injuries

A review of published research is presented to examine human cervical spine injury epidemiology, classification, mechanism, and tolerance. Synthesis of the literature identifies several areas of cervical spine injury biomechanics in which the current understanding is greater than that suggested by individual investigations. Specifically, epidemiologic studies show an age dependent variation in the location of cervical spine injury. A classification scheme is developed on the basis of published work, in which the classes are defined by the resultant force acting at the site of injury. Further, for compression injuries it appears that a compression force tolerance criterion exists, and that eccentricity of the compressive force can be used to predict the type of cervical injury produced. However, to date, prediction of location of injury within the cervical spine has not been attempted. In particular, a compressive tolerance criterion is suggested between 2.75 and 3.44 kN for the adult cervical spine. In contrast, tolerance criteria for cervical injuries in other forms of loading are less well characterized. Review of the literature on spinal cord injury biomechanics and pediatric cervical spine injury reinforces the need for continued investigation in these areas.
Tocainide for refractory ventricular arrhythmias of myocardial infarction

Abstract Oral tocainide was used as a long-term antiarrhythmic in patients with symptomatic high-grade ventricular ectopic activity refractory to conventional antiarrhythmic agents. Eleven of the 22 patients had a previous myocardial infarction (three patients had a ventricular aneurysm). Unacceptable side effects precluded long-term use of tocainide in two patients. Long-term tocainide was effective in six of the remaining patients for periods of 9 days to 42.5 months (mean 15.2 months). Eight of these nine patients responded to intravenous lidocaine prior to tocainide therapy.
Narrative and the Re/production of Transsexual: The Foreclosure of an Endured Emergence of Gender Multiplicity:

In some autobiographical narratives, transsexual has been narrated outside the gender binary. These narratives have the propensity to reconceptualize multiplicity of genders. However, the re/production of transsexual appears not only to be a function of how the subject position is represented but also a function of the structure of narrative. If this is so, then the following questions arise: What is the relation between the representation of a subject position in a narrative and the structure of narrative? and how does this relation function in the re/production of transsexual and gender multiplicity? In an analysis of one autobiographical interview, the author reads male-to-female transsexual as a subject position grounded in dichotomous gender that was disrupted only where ambiguity is allowed in the narrative structure, and this disruption was foreclosed through how the subject was represented and/or the structure of the narrative.
Binocular rivalry and dichoptic masking: suppressed stimuli do not mask stimuli in a dominating eye.

Reaction time was used to gauge the sensitivity of an eye during its dominant and suppressed phases of binocular rivalry. During dominance, performance was uniformly good in detecting both stimuli that were spatially identical to the suppressed stimulus and those that were different in spatial frequency. When suppressed eyes were tested, performance was poor when the stimulus was different from the dominating stimulus, but even worse when the test stimulus and the dominating stimulus were spatially identical. The results favor the view that suppression operates nonselectively on a monocular visual channel, prior to the point at which dichoptic pattern masking occurs. Language: en
Quality of Retail Florida-Packed Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice as Determined by Consumers and Physical and Chemical Analyses

Six commercial Florida-packed frozen concentrated orange juice samples drawn from the U.S. retail market on a monthly basis for 1 yr were evaluated for sensory attributes, color (by colorimeter), Brix, acid, and bottom pulp. Consumers rated flavor “like moderately” on a 9-point hedonic scale for every sample. The degree of sweetness and tartness of samples was “just right;” bitterness was somewhat excessive and color was somewhat too light (P < 0.05). Generally, as the °Brix to % acid ratio increased, the flavor improved, and the closer to “just right” was the degree of sweetness, tartness, and bitterness. A significant amount of bitterness was perceived as tartness or lack of sweetness (P < 0.01). Plant-to-plant variation was found in ratings of flavor and colorimeter color and °Brix to % acid ratios.