cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining Tobacco Outlet Concentration in New Jersey: Does Income and Ethnicity Matter?

This study examined the geographic association between tobacco outlet density and the demographic indicators of median household income and percentage of Hispanic residents in New Jersey. Tobacco outlet density was assessed by examining all tobacco retailers licensed in 2004 in New Jersey, and demographic variables were based on the 2000 United States Census. Results indicated that the percentage of Hispanic residents and median household income were both salient predictors of tobacco outlet density. We also observed that income level moderated the relationship between the percentage of Hispanics residents and tobacco outlet density. Implications for environmentally based tobacco prevention and control initiatives are discussed.
Ammonia Exposure While Pumping Diesel Exhaust Fluid

In 2001 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) set emission standards for heavy-duty diesel-powered trucks that include the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) that were to be est...
Tobacco cessation program implementation-from plans to reality: skill building workshop-group model.

The following article describes highlights from the skill building workshop “Program implementation—from plans to reality”. This workshop was conducted by Sallie Dacey, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, and Rise Krejci, Pacific Health Systems. Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (GHC) is a not-for-profit, group model, consumer governed health maintenance organisation (HMO). GHC serves over 450 000 enrollees at 29 medical centres, two hospitals, and three specialty centres in the state of Washington, primarily in the Puget Sound area. The cooperative employs 900 physicians, more than 40% of whom are primary care providers. GHC reorganised its quality implementation structure in the early 1990s into a framework called the “clinical roadmap”. This population and evidence based approach was designed to identify and improve systematically key clinical processes, and then embed them into everyday care. Tobacco use was one of the first areas to receive such attention. In 1992, reduction of tobacco use in the adult population became GHC's primary prevention priority as well as one of the initial four key clinical roadmaps. Using the National Cancer Institute's recommendations as a base, GHC set the goal of decreasing tobacco prevalence to 12.5% by the year 2000. In support of this goal, intermediate process goals were set, including: (1) status identification of tobacco use on 95% of all charts; (2) chart documentation of intervention in at least 45% of identified smokers during their last clinical encounter; (3) increased participation in “Free & Clear”, GHC's behavioural tobacco cessation program; and (4) achievement of less than 10% fair/poor rating in satisfaction surveys of patients who were offered individual support and counselling on tobacco use by their providers. After more than a decade of implementing and regularly improving GHC's tobacco reduction program, these intermediate process goals have been met and GHC's tobacco prevalence has decreased from approximately …
Technical note: antimicrobial action of glass-ionomer lining cement on S. sanguis and S. mutans.

There are a number of glass-ionomer lining cements available to the profession. It is generally agreed that the glass-ionomer cements demonstrate reasonably good biocompatibility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of six glass-ionomer cements on S. sanguis and S. mutans. Forty-eight plates of TSA-SRBC (10%), each with 3.0-mm-diam. wells, were divided into two groups (1 and 2) of 24 each. Group 1 was inoculated with S. sanguis (10558) and Group 2 with S. mutans (6715-13 w.t.). Each well was filled with 4.0 mg of one of the following liners: Glassic (A), Shofu lining cement (B), GC lining cement (C), Ever Bond (D), Gingiva Sea (E), and Ketac Bond (F); the empty wells served as control. Plates were incubated under microaerophilic conditions at 37°C, and checked daily over seven days for inhibition zones. Average inhibition zones (mm) at 7 days were as follows: Group 1 − 1A = 10.00, 1B = 7.83, 1C = 18.50, 1D = 13.00, 1E = 8.67 and 1F = 9.33; Group 2–2A = 3.08, 2B = 10.25, 2C = 12.75, 2D = 15.58, 2E = 8.83, and 2F = 3.20. All control wells were 0.0. GC liner and Ever Bond showed significantly greater overall inhibition of microbial growth than did other tested liners (p < 0.5). A one-way ANOVA and SNK test showed that all tested liners were significantly more toxic toward S. sanguis than toward S. mutans (p < 0.05).
Concentration-modulated voltammetry

Abstract A differential voltammetric technique based on measurements of the differences between currents with the sample and blank solutions flowing alternately through an electrochemical cell while the applied potential is scanned linearly, is described. In this way, the current of interest can be separated from unwanted currents, such as those from double-layer charging, surface transient, and oxygen reduction background components. The effective isolation of the desired current allows a detection limit of 2 × 10 -8 M dopamine. A flow cell with a wall-jet glassy carbon disk working electrode was employed for these studies. Well defined current—potential curves are obtained for dopamine, ascorbic acid, homovanillic acid, chlorpromazine, and hexacyanoferrate(II) and (III) at the micromolar and submicromolar concentration levels. The modulated response was evaluated with respect to reproducibility, concentration dependence, detection limit, and other variables. The method is simple and suitable for automated on-line monitoring.
Predicting EPA's forthcoming CO standards in light of new clinical evidence.

For the past several years, the EPA has been monitoring clinical studies on the adverse health effects of heart patients' exposure to carbon monoxide. This paper examines the impact of three such studies (including the multi-center CO study organized by the Health Effects Institute) on the forthcoming EPA standards for carbon monoxide. Eleven peer-nominated specialists with expertise in environmental science and public policy were interviewed according to a specific protocol. Overall, the experts felt that the HEI study would receive greater weight than the other two studies in the regulatory process for a variety of technical reasons. Weighting each expert opinion equally, the authors conclude that there is about a 0.69 probability that the CO standards will be retained at their present levels, a 0.28 probability that the standards will be tightened, and a 0.03 probability that the standards will be relaxed. When asked to imagine that the HEI data were never collected and then asked to reassess their probability judgments, the mean probability judgment that the standards will be relaxed rose to 0.11, while the mean probability judgment that the standards will be tightened fell to 0.20. A modest degree of variability in expert opinion is reported in themore » paper. While the HEI study may receive relatively great weight in the regulatory process, it increases only slightly the probability that EPA's CO standards will be changed. 22 references.« less
Effects of antiinsulin receptor antibodies on amino acid uptake by cultured rat hepatocytes.

The effects of two antiinsulin receptor antisera (AIRA) on ±-amino-2-[14C]isobutyric acid ([14C]AIB) uptake by and [125I]insulin binding to cultured rat hepatocytes were examined. Diluted 1:100, both antisera inhibited insulin binding by 75–80%, mainly by decreasing available high affinity insulinbinding sites. Diluted 1:500, they decreased insulin binding and high affinity binding sites by 35–40%. Neither antiserum had an effect on basal [14C]AIB uptake, but decreased insulin-stimulated AIB uptake by 83% (dilution, 1:100; 24-h incubation) and 25% (dilution, 1:500; 24-h incubation), respectively. Insulin stimulation of AIB uptake correlated positively (r = 0.96; P < 0.01) with insulin binding to high affinity recdptors on hepatdcytes incubated with normal serum or AIRA. We conclude that: 1) insulin stimulation of amino acid uptake by hepatocytes was mediated through insulin receptors, especially high affinity binding sites, and was inhibited by AIRA in parallel with receptor blockade; and 2) AIRA had no i...
Plasmids related to the broad host range vector, pRK290, useful for gene cloning and for monitoring gene expression

Derivatives of plasmid pRK290 that are useful for cloning and for analyzing gene expression in a wide variety of Gram-negative bacteria are described. A smaller broad host range plasmid derived from RK2, with properties similar to that of pRK290, is also described.
Institutional Sanitation: Principles and Technics

(1960). Institutional Sanitation: Principles and Technics. Hospital Topics: Vol. 38, No. 9, pp. 40-44.
Small bowel obstruction following restorative proctocolectomy: affected by a laparoscopic approach?

Background Total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the gold standard surgical treatment for chronic ulcerative colitis. More recently, this procedure is being performed laparoscopically assisted. Postoperatively, small bowel obstruction (SBO) is one of the more common associated complications. However, it is unknown whether the addition of a laparoscopic approach has changed this risk. This study aims to assess and compare the incidence of SBOs after both open and laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy. Methods All subjects who underwent restorative proctocolectomy from 1998–2008 were identified from a prospective Colorectal Surgery Database. Medical records were reviewed for all cases of SBO, confirmed by a combination of clinical symptoms and radiologic evidence. Comparisons were made between laparoscopic and open approaches. The incidence of SBO was also subdivided into pre-ileostomy takedown, early post-ileostomy takedown (30 d post), and late post-ileostomy takedown (30 d to 1 y post). Several potential risk factors were also evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing Fisher’s exact (for incidence) or t-tests (for means). Significance was defined as P Results A total of 290 open cases and 100 laparoscopic cases were identified during this time period. The overall incidence of SBO at 1 y post-ileostomy takedown was 14% ( n = 42) in the open group and 16% ( n = 16) laparoscopic ( P = NS). In the pre-ileostomy takedown period the incidence of SBO was 7% ( n = 21) open and 13% ( n = 13) laparoscopic ( P = NS). While in the post-takedown period, the early incidence was 4% ( n = 12) open and 1% ( n = 1) laparoscopic and late incidence was 3% ( n = 9) open and 2% ( n = 2) laparoscopic ( P = NS). Factors associated with an increased risk of SBO include coronary artery disease, prior appendectomy and W and J pouch configurations. Conclusions The burden of postoperative small bowel obstruction after restorative proctocolectomy is not changed with a laparoscopic approach. Most cases occur in the early postoperative period, especially prior to ileostomy reversal.
Cells transmit spatial information by orienting collagen fibers

Abstract Parallel orientation of large cell populations occurs when cells are cultured on thin collagen films if and only if a gel is restrained at two or more edges. The direction in which cell bodies orient is determined by the geometry of the gel. It can be shown that tension exerted by cells on a collagen gel leads to reorientation of collagen fibers in a direction determined by the initial geometry of the collagen gel. Hence, tension generated by cells leads to collagen fiber orientation which, in turn, determines the spatial orientation and morphology of cells. Thus, without cell-to-cell contact, cells can communicate with each other by applying tension to collagen fibers in their extracellular matrix. Information concerning the shape of the environment can be transmitted via such long range forces.
Comparison of one and two-neutron transfer near the coulomb barrier for the27Al(18O,16O)29Al,27Al(180,17O)28Al and27Al(13C,12C)28Al reactions

Total reaction cross sections for the transfer reactions27Al(18O,16O)29Al,27Al(18O,17O)28Al and27Al(13C,12C)28Al are reported for center-of-mass energies between 13 and 20 MeV for18O projectiles and between 11 and 17.5 MeV for13C projectiles. The reaction products,29Al and28Al, beta decay to29Si and28Si, respectively, and the subsequentγ decays of29Si and28Si were measured. Due to the relatively long beta decay half lives, data were taken in a beam-off mode, resulting in very clean spectra. Total cross sections were calculated and compared with a theoretical model for barrier penetration proposed by C.Y. Wong. Differences between18O induced one and two-neutron total transfer reaction cross sections are discussed.
Effects of dimethylhydrazine on Zn, C, and H doping of GaP

Abstract Surfactants are beginning to be used during vapor-phase growth to provide control of the materials characteristics of epitaxial layers. This paper reports the effects of utilizing N, from pyrolysis of dimethylhydrazine (DMHy), as a surfactant during the organometallic vapor-phase epitaxial growth of GaP. Nitrogen is isoelectronic with the group V host element; thus, it generates no free carriers. Additionally, due to its small size, N is strongly rejected from the solid, so little incorporation is expected. This is confirmed by the determination of the very low N distribution coefficient (3.2×10 −5 ). Using secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis, we observe an increase in the distribution coefficient of the acceptor Zn when DMHy is added during growth, resulting in an increase in the doping efficiency by nearly an order of magnitude. Furthermore, the Zn doping efficiency increases linearly with the amount of DMHy added during growth over the range of partial pressures from 2.83×10 −4 to 2.20×10 −3 atm. The increase of doping for Zn is believed to be mainly a N surfactant effect. The addition of DMHy also leads to increases in both H and C incorporation. The concentrations of both are linear functions of DMHy concentration. Both H and C incorporation most likely arise mainly from pyrolysis of the DMHy. We propose a simple mechanism for the surfactant effect due to an increase in the Zn incorporation coefficients at the step edge induced by the presence of N (and probably H) on the surface.
On Lucas Sequences Computation

This paper introduces an improvement to a currently published algorithm to compute both Lucas "sister" sequences Vk and Uk. The proposed algorithm uses Lucas sequence properties to improve the running time by about 20% over the algorithm published in [1].
SAM—a computer aided design tool for specifying and analyzing modular, heirarchical systems

This paper presents SAM, a computer aided design tool for specifying and analyzing modular, hierarchical systems. SAM is based on Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS) and it uses generic components for specifying coupling relationships among components. The objectives of this design tool are to provide an environment for a user to specify and design systems with ease, and to allow the reuse of previously specified models to build new ones. The later promulgates increased productivity and the applicability of modular approach in the development of complex systems. Furthermore, the design tool analyses a specified system for interface errors which facilitates early testing of the specification before the model is translated into a simulator. The paper discusses how the objectives of SAM are achieved and what are the implementation issues involved. It is envisioned that the specification produced by SAM will be used to map the model onto a network of processors for distributed simulation.
Medical students in a time of HIV: education and the duty to treat.

SUMMARY This article concerns medical education about the ethics of professional duties and treatment of HIV-infected patients. The issue at hand is not whether medical students have a duty to treat HIV-infected patients, since it is a matter of consensus that they do. Medical schools have reasserted that risks are inherent in medicine, and that medical school admission should be based on the willingness to accept some risks, in addition to intelligence and personal skills. Those who wish to avoid risks are free to enter other professions. While it is imperative to assert a duty to treat, this requires thoughtful explanation to match the understandably high anxiety levels of many medical students.
Subthreshold Electron Transport Properties of Ultrascaled Phase Change Memory

This letter investigates the subthreshold electron transport properties of ultrascaled phase change material (PCM) GeTe, which is sandwiched by TiN electrodes, by using ab initio molecular dynamics, density functional theory, and Green's function. Our purely ab initio simulations reproduce the measured current-voltage curve characteristics of crystalline (c-) and amorphous (a-) PCM. The ON/OFF ratio and the underlying electron transport mechanism are explained. The electron transport properties of ultrascaled c-PCM are dominated by metal-induced gap states, and the measured linear and exponential shapes of the subthreshold current-voltage curve of ultrascaled a-PCM are a consequence of both the bias window enlarging and the biasinduced change of transmission.
The effect of albumin resuscitation for shock on the immune response to tetanus toxoid.

A prior prospective random study showed that supplemental albumin led to a significant (P ⩽ 0.05) fall in immunoglobulin (Ig) content of IgG, IgM, and IgA; no measurement was made on the immune response to a known antigen. Therefore, the immune response to tetanus toxoid, measured by antibody precipitation, was studied in 43 nonalbumin patients and 22 albumin patients from whom frozen sera were available. The 65 patients received an average of 16 units blood during resuscitation and 0.5 ml tetanus toxoid. Using single radial immunodiffusion technique, duplicate double-blind measurements of precipitants formed by the patients tetanus toxoid antibody and purified tetanus toxoid (TTA) incorporated in 1% agarose gel were made. TTA levels in the 22 albumin patients were compared with all nonalbumin patients and with two subgroups of 22 patients—one randomly chosen; the other matched for number of transfusions. TTA was also correlated with time after injury. TTA was significantly less in albumin patients (215 ± 100 units) than in the nonalbumin patients (387 ± 233 units) and both subgroups of nonalbumin patients. TTA correlated directly with time after injury in the nonalbumin patients (slope = −0.4). Albumin resuscitation for shock results not only in a fall in Ig content but also a reduction in the immune response to tetanus toxoid.
Turbo decoding for distributed source coding with combined distortion

Abstract Turbo codes are a promising technique for distributed source coding (DSC) in sensor networks because of their simple encoding implementation and high decoding performance. However, different from a conventional channel decoding scenario, decoding in DSC generally involves different types of distortion from physical and virtual channels. In this letter, we adapt the turbo decoding to handle data mixed with two types of distortion simultaneously. By adjusting the channel reliability values and the calculation of extrinsic information, it will be shown to what extent the decoding with the adaptation outperforms one considering single type of distortion only. Moreover, the adaptation, matching well with the realistic DSC scenario, only requires a slight change for an existing turbo decoding hardware unit.
Growth of connective tissue progenitor cells on microtextured polydimethylsiloxane surfaces.

Growth of human connective tissue progenitor cells (CTPs) was characterized on smooth and microtextured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces. Human bone-marrow-derived cells were cultured for 9 days under conditions promoting osteoblastic differentiation on smooth PDMS surfaces and on PDMS post microtextures that were 6 μm high and 5, 10, 20, and 40 μm in diameter, respectively. Glass tissue-culture dishes were used as controls. The number of viable cells was determined, and an alkaline phosphatase stain was used as a marker for osteoblastic phenotype. CTPs attached, proliferated, and differentiated on all surfaces. Cells on the smooth PDMS and control surfaces spread and proliferated as colonies in proximity to other cells and migrated in random directions, with cell process lengths of up to 80 μm. In contrast, cells on the PDMS post microtextures grew as sparsely distributed networks of cells, with processes, occasionally up to 300 μm, that appeared to interact with the posts. Cell counts revealed that there were fewer (50%) CTPs on the smooth PDMS surface than were on the glass control surfaces. However, there were consistently more (>144%) CTPs on the PDMS post textures than on the controls. In particular, the 10-μm-in-diameter posts (268%) exhibited a significantly (p < 0.05) greater cell number than did the smooth PDMS. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 62: 499–506, 2002
NMR spectroscopy of hydrogen adsorption on single-walled carbon nanotubes after exposure to high pressure

Abstract Hydrogen storage properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) after exposure to a pressure of 14.3 MPa are studied by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The nanotubes were carefully pre-characterized using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. We have shown previously that at ambient temperature in the pressure range from 0 to 1.5 MPa, hydrogen adsorption is fast and reversible and must be described as physisorption. However, exposure to a much higher pressure (14.3 MPa) of hydrogen leads to slower desorption kinetics where longer exposure causes greater hydrogen uptake. Our data suggest that interstitial sites and the tube interior may be identified as these strong adsorption sites.
Inclusion of Women in Clinical Trials: A Historical Overview of Scientific Ethical and Legal Issues

During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic shift in scientific, ethical, and legal perspectives regarding the inclusion of women in clinical trials conducted in the United States. A historical overview of why women previously were excluded from clinical trials is presented, and the reasons for current policy changes are discussed. The clinical necessity for testing drugs in specific populations (e.g., women) to ensure appropriate dose regimens and to minimize the likelihood of adverse effects is discussed. The difficult issue of prescribing drugs for pregnant women is highlighted.
Aluminum coprecipitates with Fe (hydr)oxides: Does isomorphous substitution of Al3+ for Fe3+ in goethite occur?

Abstract Iron (hydr)oxides are common in natural environments and typically contain large amounts of impurities, presumably the result of coprecipitation processes. Coprecipitation of Al with Fe (hydr)oxides occurs, for example, during alternating reduction-oxidation cycles that promote dissolution of Fe from Fe-containing phases and its re-precipitation as Fe–Al (hydr)oxides. We used chemical and spectroscopic analyses to study the formation and transformation of Al coprecipitates with Fe (hydr)oxides. In addition, periodic density functional theory (DFT) computations were performed to assess the structural and energetic effects of isolated or clustered Al atoms at 8 and 25 mol% Al substitution in the goethite structure. Coprecipitates were synthesized by raising the pH of dilute homogeneous solutions containing a range of Fe and Al concentrations (100% Fe to 100% Al) to 5. The formation of ferrihydrite in initial suspensions with ⩽20 mol% Al, and of ferrihydrite and gibbsite in initial suspensions with ⩾25 mol% Al was confirmed by infrared spectroscopic and synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction analyses. While base titrations showed a buffer region that corresponded to the hydrolysis of Fe in initial solutions with ⩽25 mol% Al, all of the Al present in these solutions was retained by the solid phases at pH 5, thus indicating Al coprecipitation with the primary Fe hydroxide precipitate. In contrast, two buffer regions were observed in solutions with ⩾30 mol% Al (at pH ∼2.25 for Fe3+ and at pH ∼4 for Al3+), suggesting the formation of Fe and Al (hydr)oxides as two separate phases. The Al content of initial coprecipitates influenced the extent of ferrihydrite transformation and of its transformation products as indicated by the presence of goethite, hematite and/or ferrihydrite in aged suspensions. DFT experiments showed that: (i) optimized unit cell parameters for Al-substituted goethites (8 and 25 mol% Al) in clustered arrangement (i.e., the formation of diaspore-like clusters) were in good agreement with available experimental data whereas optimized unit cell parameters for isolated Al atoms were not, and (ii) Al-substituted goethites with Al in diaspore-like clusters resulted in more energetically favored structures. Combined experimental and DFT results are consistent with the coprecipitation of Al with Fe (hydr)oxides and with the formation of diaspore-like clusters, whereas DFT results suggest isomorphous Al for Fe substitution within goethite is unlikely at ⩾8 mol% Al substitution.
Theory to Guide Organizational Training in Schools

We do not believe that the T-group is a vital tool for refurbishing organizational life. We present theoretical reasons for believing that organizational training to improve organizational functioning must help participants to function more effectively as components of working bodies carrying out specific tasks in a particular job-setting. We present a sequence of three steps useful in interventions, drawing upon actual examples of interventions in schools.
Adsorbed layers formed from mixtures of proteins

Abstract Recent developments in experimental and theoretical studies on competitive adsorption, thermodynamic incompatibility of mixing of proteins, and phase separation in mixed proteins films at interfaces are reviewed. A critical analysis of these data indicates that a basic understanding of protein–water interactions in the interfacial regions of fluid–fluid interfaces is essential to understanding various physicochemical properties of protein films, in general, and mixed protein films, in particular, at interfaces and their impact on the stability of protein-stabilized food colloidal dispersions.
COPING AS A MEDIATOR OF INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG YOUNG ADULT SEXUAL MINORITY WOMEN.

Sexual minorities have higher rates of depression and anxiety than their heterosexual counterparts. This elevated risk of psychological distress has generally been hypothesized to be a result of the effects of discrimination including internalized negative beliefs about sexual minorities. However, little research has examined the role of various types of coping in mediating between internalized homophobia and mental health. We tested the direct relationship between internalized homophobia and psychological distress and evaluated general and sexual minority-specific coping strategies as potential mediators using structural equation modeling. Data are from a national sample of 1,099 young adult sexual minority women who were on average 20.86 (SD= 2.12) years old, participating in a study on mental health and substance use. The model demonstrated acceptable fit, χ2 (83) = 402.9, p <.001, CFI=.94, TLI=.92, SRMR= .07, and RMSEA=.06, accounting for 73% of variance in psychological distress. Greater use of maladaptive coping and less use of sexual minority-specific coping were associated with higher psychological distress. Although maladaptive coping mediated the relationship between internalized homophobia and psychological distress, sexual minority-specific coping did not. Our findings support previous studies that have demonstrated the impact of internalized homophobia on psychological distress as well as the role of coping as a protective/risk factor in this relationship.
Inversion effect for faces in split-brain monkeys

Inverting facial stimuli disrupts recognition in human subjects more severely than does inversion of other objects normally seen upright. Furthermore, this disruption affects mechanisms in the right hemisphere, which is the hemisphere preeminent for face processing, more than mechanisms in the left. To determine the extent of these effects in monkeys we retrained each hemisphere of 20 split-brain rhesus monkeys on eight upright facial discriminations they had previously learned. As a group, the monkeys again performed better with the right hemisphere than with the left in remembering these problems, confirming the right hemispheric advantage previously found. As soon as a particular discrimination was relearned to criterion with one hemisphere, the same discrimination was presented inverted. The monkeys learned the inverted facial discriminations with each hemisphere but as a group no longer showed a right hemispheric advantage. Thus, the monkeys, like people, show a greater inversion effect for faces with the right hemisphere than with the left. This result indicates that monkeys normally process faces configurally using holistic mechanisms in the right hemisphere but, when required by the nature of the stimuli, can utilize piecemeal processing of specific features with either hemisphere.
Use of a Counterpulsation Balloon as a Substitute for the Pulmonic Valve: A New Application

Abstract An inflatable, 3-ml balloon positioned within the distal right ventricular outflow tract was used to restore pulmonic valve function in 8 dogs that had undergone open-chest valvectomy. Balloon inflation and deflation were accomplished with a counterpulsation console. Valvectomy produced loss of the pulmonic incisura, a decrease in pulmonary artery diastolic pressure (PADP; mean ± standard error) (9.5 ± 1.3 versus 4.4 ± 0.6 mm Hg, p p p is not significant). Properly timed counterpulsation restored the pulmonic incisura, raised the PADP from 6.1 ± 0.8 to 9.5 ± 0.8 mm Hg ( p p p −5 ( p p p p p
Nitric oxide in inflammation and pain associated with osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease involving chondrocytes, cartilage and other joint tissues, and has a number of underlying causes, including both biochemical and mechanical factors. Although proinflammatory factors including nitric oxide (NO) are associated with OA, there is recent evidence suggesting that NO and its redox derivatives may also play protective roles in the joint. However, the mechanisms that underlie the development and progression of OA are not completely understood. Experiments have demonstrated that NO plays a catabolic role in the development of OA and mediates the inflammatory response, is involved in the degradation of matrix metalloproteinases, inhibits the synthesis of both collagen and proteoglycans, and helps to mediate apoptosis. However, there is also evidence that in cultured chondrocytes the addition of exogenous NO may inhibit proinflammatory activation by preventing the nuclear localization of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, whereas the presence of peroxynitrite – a redox derivative of NO – appears to enhance the inflammatory response by sustaining the nuclear localization of nuclear factor-κB. In addition, under some conditions exogenous NO can stimulate collagen synthesis in cultured rat fibroblasts and human tendon cells. The protective roles of NO in multiple cell types, along with the opposing activities in cultured chondrocytes, suggest that NO may play additional protective roles in chondrocyte function. NO and its derivatives have a similarly complicated involvement in nociception and pain, which may contribute to the functional disability of OA. Further research may help to elucidate a potential role for NO-donating agents in the management of OA.
Fluphenazine treatment reduces CSF somatostatin in patients with schizophrenia: Correlations with CSF HVA

CSF somatostatin and homovanillic acid (HVA) were measured in 14 schizophrenic patients while they were drug-free and during chronic fluphenazine treatment. CSF somatostatin was significantly reduced and CSF HVA was significantly elevated (p < 0.002) during fluphenazine treatment. There was a trend toward correlation between CSF somatostatin and CSF HVA in the 14 schizophrenic patients when drug-free (r = 0.49, p < 0.07) and fluphenazine-treated (r = 0.47, p < 0.08). When examined in a larger group (n = 46) of drug-free schizophrenics, this relationship was highly significant (r = 0.59, p < 0.001). These clinical data are consistent with preclinical evidence indicating a functional interaction between CMS somatostatin and dopamine systems.
Antinociceptive effect of ambroxol in rats with neuropathic spinal cord injury pain.

Abstract Symptoms of neuropathic spinal cord injury (SCI) pain include cutaneous hypersensitivity and spontaneous pain below the level of the injury. Riluzole, an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has been demonstrated to attenuate neural excitotoxicity by blocking the effects of the excitatory amino acid glutamate on glutamate receptors and by inhibiting voltage-gated Na+ and Ca2+ channels. Neuropathic pain in rat models of SCI is thought to be mediated by dysfunctional ion channels and glutamate receptors expressed on CNS neurons. Thus riluzole's mechanism of action could be relevant in treating neuropathic SCI pain. The current study evaluated the antinociceptive potential of riluzole in rats following a SCI. Four weeks after a brief compressive injury to the mid-thoracic spinal cord, rats displayed significantly decreased hind paw withdrawal thresholds, suggestive of below-level cutaneous hypersensitivity. A single systemic dose of riluzole (8 mg/kg) injected intrap...
Stereotypical conceptions and criminal processing: The case of the victim-offender relationship

This study examines the impact of the victim-offender relationship on case processing and sentencing decisions. After discussing the stereotypical imagery surrounding the victim-offender relationship, several hypotheses about the main, conditional, and context-specific effects of a prior relationship are tested. The victim-offender relationship is found to have a significant impact on various dispositional decisions primarily because it invokes multiple crime scripts. In contrast to other criminal conceptions, however, these auxiliary images not only appear to be the basis for differential treatment between known offenders and strangers, but also contribute to notable differentiation within each category of the victim-offender relationship. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for further research on stereotypical conceptions and criminal processing.
Big Bang, Big Data, Big Iron: Fifteen Years of Cosmic Microwave Background Data Analysis at NERSC

The cosmic microwave background (CMB) consists of photons created in the Big Bang and cooled by the subsequent expansion of the universe to an almost perfectly uniform 3-Kelvin sky signal today. These photons experience the entire history of the universe, and each epoch has left its imprint as tiny fluctuations in their temperature and polarization. Decoding these provides unique insight into the history of the universe, constraining the fundamental parameters of both cosmology and high-energy physics. The faintness of these fluctuations requires us "researchers" to gather huge datasets and analyze them on supercomputers. For 15 years, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) has provided the resources for the CMB community's most computationally challenging analyses. In this article, the authors describe how their analysis algorithms and implementations have evolved over this time, driven by both the growth in CMB data volumes and the changes in high-performance computing architectures.
Social Support in Couples: Marriage as a Resource in Times of Stress

What Is Social Support, and What Makes You Think You Have It? Gender Related Differences in Social Support and Coping Giving and Taking Support A Complicated Process The Interplay between Conflict and Social Support Do Positive Behaviors Really Matter? In Sickness and in Health When One Partner Has a Serious Illness Social Support Therapy with Couples Future Research Directions
Stabilization and functional studies of high-molecular-weight murine lymphotoxins.

Abstract High levels of lymphotoxin-like activity (LT) were found in supernatants from secondarily stimulated immune mouse splenocytes activated with concanavalin A (Con A) in vitro . Splenocytes obtained from C57Bl/6 mice immune to the P815 mastocytoma were restimulated in vitro with mitomycin C-treated P815 cells, and then stimulated with Con A. High levels of unstable LT activity are rapidly (2–4 hr) released by these lectin-stimulated splenocytes. The introduction of a crosslinking agent, glutaraldehyde, was found to stabilize this LT activity and allowed us to perform more defined biochemical studies and to examine the functional activities of the LT classes. The lytic activity in these supernatants resided in the high-molecular-weight classes, termed Complex (Cx > 200,000 daltons) and alpha-heavy ( α H 130,000–160,000 daltons). It was found that the Cx and α H LT classes from the secondarily stimulated immune splenocytes cause lysis of allogeneic target cells, P815 and EL-4, in a 16-hr 75 Semethionine release assay, and in some cases, this lysis was specific for the sensitizing target cell.
Promoting Parental Use of Distraction and Relaxation in Pediatric Oncology Patients During Invasive Procedures

Treatment of children with cancer involves many painful procedures. Invasive procedures such as bone marrow aspiration and lumbar punctures can be very traumatic, painful, and anxiety-producing for both parents and child. The use of distraction and relaxation techniques is a nonpharmacologic strategy to promote comfort and decrease anxiety and procedural pain. This article describes the development of a parent education booklet that promotes the use of distraction and relaxation techniques during invasive procedures across pediatric oncology inpatient and outpatient settings. Promoting parents' use of these techniques with their child can add to the parent and child's repertoire of coping skills that can be used throughout the course of their treatment or during other painful procedures. These techniques in combination with traditional methods of practice enhance quality patient care and significantly decrease the cost and risk associated with performing these procedures under general anesthesia.
Multi-temperature moment theory of Ag+ ion motion and reaction with D2 in ion traps

A theoretical calculation is reported of the time and space dependence of the reaction rate coefficient in a stretched quadrupole ion trap. The system consists of Ag+ ions moving in trace amounts through a dilute gas consisting primarily of He or Ar buffer gas, but with a small amount of a reactive neutral, D2. These systems were chosen because there are available now accurate potential energy curves for Ag+ ions interacting with He and Ar gas and because the cross section for Ag+ reaction with D2 is known over a wide range of collision energy.
Relationship between carotenoids and cancer. The multiple risk factor intervention trial (MRFIT) study

We evaluated the baseline serum levels of beta carotene, total carotenoids, vitamin A and E, and retinol-binding protein among 156 initially healthy men who participated in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT) and who subsequently died of cancer and 311 controls individually matched for age, smoking status, randomization group, date of randomization, and clinical center. Both total carotenoids and beta carotene levels were lower in the 66 lung cancer cases than in their matched controls. For all cancer deaths combined, there were no significant differences in total carotenoids or beta carotene between cases and controls. The relationship between lower serum carotenoid levels and lung cancer persisted after adjusting for the number of cigarettes, alcohol intake, serum thiocyanate levels, and cholesterol levels in the blood. Serum levels of retinol, alpha tocopherol, and retinol-binding protein were not related to any cancer site. The results of this study provide further evidence for a possible protective effect of beta carotene against lung cancer among cigarette smokers.
Transport equation for weakly localized electrons.

The weak-localization regime is usually cited as an example of the breakdown of the Boltzmann equation. Using the techniques of quantum transport theory, we generalize the Boltzmann equation to include the coherent backscattering associated with weak localization. The new transport equation includes, in addition to the usual impurity scattering, a backscattering which occurs on the time scale of the phase-coherence lifetime. All the standard weak-localization magnetoresistance results can be reproduced by properly modifying this term. One effect which is nonlinear in the electric field is also calculated.
Evidence that norepinephrine influences responses to male courtship song and activity within song control regions and the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus in female European starlings.

Abstract Little is known about the neural regulation of female responses to male courtship displays. Female European starlings use attributes of male song to assess potential mates and can be highly motivated to approach nest boxes broadcasting male song. The catecholamine norepinephrine (NE) regulates attention and arousal and has recently been implicated in motivated/goal-directed behaviors, suggesting a role for NE in female responses to male song. In the present study, treating females with the noradrenergic neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine hydrochloride (DSP-4) increased the number of times females were observed on or near a nest box broadcasting sexually motivated male song, suggesting an inhibitory role for norepinephrine in the regulation of female responses to male song. DSP-4 treatment reduced immunolabeling for the immediate early gene ZENK within area X, a region involved in song learning and possibly discrimination, and the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, a region involved in female sexual behavior. Furthermore, female responses to male song and numbers of ZENK-labeled cells within area X related positively in DSP-4-treated birds but not controls. Female responses to male song and the density of dopamine-β-hydroxylase in area X and another song nucleus LMAN related positively exclusively in DSP-4-treated birds. Similar trends were consistently observed for the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. These data suggest roles for area X, LMAN, and the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus in female responses to male song and highlight norepinephrine as an important neuromodulator of this behavior.
Influence of grain size on the irradiation embrittlement of stainless steel at elevated temperatures

Abstract It has recently been found that irradiation produces embrittlement in stainless steels when the deformation is carried out at temperatures above about 550° C. This irradiation-induced embrittlement at elevated temperatures is associated with the grain-boundary fracture process. The influence of grain size in the range of ASTM 3 to 10 on the postirradiation ductility of stainless steels is the subject of this paper. The strain at fracture for irradiated and unirradiated material has been analyzed in terms of grain-boundary sliding, slip within the grain matrix, and the strain attributable to widening of cracks. We have found that the ductility of irradiated materials may be increased significantly by reducing the grain size. A stainless steel having a grain size of ASTM 8 to 10 is at least twice as ductile as a material having a grain size of ASTM 3. We have also observed that irradiated materials fracture at strains for which no grain boundary sliding can be detected.
Inhibition of Placental Amino Acid Uptake in Rats Following Acute and Chronic Ethanol Exposure

The effects of acute and chronic maternal ethanol consumption on in vitro placental uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), cycloleucine, L-alanine (Ala), L-leucine (Leu), and L-lysine (Lys) were determined. Ethanol (4 g/kg. po) administered 2 hr prior to sacrifice, reduced (p less than 0.05) placental villous net uptake of cycloleucine and Ala by 29%. Prior chronic ethanol consumption depressed (p less than 0.05) placental uptake of AIB (38%), cycloleucine (45%), Ala (35%), Leu (25%), and Lys (34%). In vitro exposure of previously untreated villous fragments for 2 hr to 2 mg/ml of ethanol reduced (p less than 0.05) the net uptake of AIB and cycloleucine by 24% and 31%, respectively, whereas the minimum concentration of acetaldehyde required to cause a significant inhibition was 310 microM for AIB and 465 microM for cycloleucine. Ethanol (3 mg/ml) had no effect on AIB or cycloleucine net uptake if sodium was omitted from the incubation media. The efflux of AIB (10(-6)M) and cycloleucine (10(-6)M) from villous tissue was unaffected (p less than 0.05) by either ethanol (3 mg/ml) or acetaldehyde (600 microM) and obeyed first order kinetics. It was concluded that acute, and especially chronic, maternal ethanol consumption can depress the placental uptake of a variety of amino acids in the rat and, in the acute setting, the effect was on a sodium-dependent system involved in amino acid influx into placental cells.
LANELOK: an algorithm for extending the lane sensing operating range to 100-feet

The LaneLok algorithms use a monochrome CCD video camera to detect lane markers on the road. These algorithms also estimate the lane boundary position the vehicle heading error the lateral offset and the look-ahead road curvature. The current LaneLok algorithms can identify lane markers and some obstacles up to only 40 feet. The lane control and collision warning functions of advanced automotive systems need a range of at least 100 feet for robust performance. A new algorithm was developed for extending this range to 100 feet using data from a single camera. Image data from the extended range was centered around the vertical vanishing point coordinate and enlarged in size using image processing techniques. A template matching algorithm was used to estimate lane boundaries of the near range (40 feet) and of the enlarged image. The two lane boundaries were then concatenated by a polynomial fit at the end points thus extending the lookahead range to 100 feet. For realtime implementation new edge detectors were developed for saving processing time and electronic hardware.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Clinical management of proliferative vitreoretinopathy: an update.

Background:Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) remains the most significant obstacle to successful retinal reattachment surgery. Preclinical studies continue to add insights into the complex molecular events leading to PVR development, helping to identify new targets for potential prophylactic or