cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hepatotoxicity to both erythromycin estolate and erythromycin ethylsuccinate

Two patients experienced hepatotoxicity associated with erythromycin estolate (ilosone®) usage, followed 13 and 15 years later by an hepatotoxic reaction with administration of erythromycin ethylsuccinate (E.E.S.®). These cases provide further evidence for erythromycin ethylsuccinate-associated hepatotoxicity and demonstrate erythromycin crosssensitivity after previous erythromycin estolate liver injury. Hepatotoxicity to both estolate and ethylsuccinate preparations of erythromycin stimulates speculation regarding the potentially hepatotoxic moiety of the erythromycin molecule. Furthermore, these cases suggest that all erythromycin preparations should be avoided or used only with careful monitoring in patients with previous erythromycin-associated liver injury.
AN EXPANDED MODEL OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACCEPTANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Abstract Despite the widespread use of eHR systems, surveys show that there may be a number of problems associated with their design and implementation [CedarCrestone (2007). CedarCrestone 2007–2008 HR systems survey: HR technologies, service delivery approaches, and metrics. Available at www.cedarcrestone.com/research.php . Retrieved July, 2008]. In an effort to overcome these problems we expanded the model of eHR acceptance and effectiveness developed by Stone, Stone-Romero, & Lukaszewski [Stone, D. L., Stone-Romero, E. F., & Lukaszewski, K. (2006). Factors affecting the acceptance and effectiveness of electronic human resource systems. Human Resources Management Review, 16, 229-244]. The expanded model provides a more detailed discussion of the communication processes underlying these systems including the effects of media and message characteristics. In addition, we offer a number of testable hypotheses based on the model that can be used to guide future research on eHR systems.
Multicentric breast carcinomas: Clinical‐radiographic‐pathologic whole organ studies and 10‐year survival

Selection of breast cancer patients with microscopically limited disease but with excess mortality or women with regional disease and lessened mortality has remained an unsolved and critical challenge. The many usual histologic features such as tumor size, stage of disease or tumor differentiations were found reduced to lessened significant prognostic factors by the presence of multicentricity of tumors and multiplicity of histologic types of carcinoma. This observation was noted upon review of 161 clinical, radiographic and histopathologic whole breast studies on 156 patients with follow-up from 11–15 years. Epidemiologic, clinical, and radiographic data had been compiled prospectively prior to diagnosis. Women with a single site and single type of carcinoma had a better prognosis (2.5% mortality per year) than those with multiple sites and multiple types (15% mortality per year) even though the stage of the disease may be similar. When the latter groups contained a scirrhous type duct carcinoma, the annual mortality rate appraoched 25%.
Passive ultrasonics using sub-Nyquist sampling of high-frequency thermal-mechanical noise.

Monolithic integration of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer arrays with low noise complementary metal oxide semiconductor electronics minimizes interconnect parasitics thus allowing the measurement of thermal-mechanical (TM) noise. This enables passive ultrasonics based on cross-correlations of diffuse TM noise to extract coherent ultrasonic waves propagating between receivers. However, synchronous recording of high-frequency TM noise puts stringent requirements on the analog to digital converter's sampling rate. To alleviate this restriction, high-frequency TM noise cross-correlations (12–25 MHz) were estimated instead using compressed measurements of TM noise which could be digitized at a sampling frequency lower than the Nyquist frequency.
Effects of prochlorperazine on experimental nephrotoxicity

In early studies of the antitumor drug 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(4-methylcyclohexyl)-1nitrosourea (methyl-CCNU), animal models consistently predicted that the compound would be nephrotoxic in humans. Nephrotoxicity in cancer patients who had received methyl-CCNU was not confirmed until about 6 years after clinical trials began. We have investigated the possibility that prochlorperazine, a commonly used antiemetic, might affect the development of nephrotoxicity. Prochlorperazine (1, 2, 5, and 8 mg/kg IP on days 1-3) produced a dose-related reduction in the concentrations of plasma urea nitrogen in mice that received nephrotoxic doses of methyl-CCNU (42, 52, or 63 mg/kg IP on day 1). The frequency and severity of renal lesions evaluated histopathologically were reduced significantly as the prochlorperazine dose increased. To study further this apparent protective activity of prochlorperazine, we chose a second nephrotoxin, mercuric chloride (HgCl2, 1 mg/kg IP on day 1) and a rodent species used more commonly as a model for nephrotoxicity, the rat. Prochlorperazine (2.5 or 10 mg/kg IP on days 1-5) inhibited HgCl2-induced urinary excretion of N-acetylglucosaminidase and leucine aminopeptidase. Urinary excretion of these enzymes on day 1 reflected proximal tubular epithelial degeneration and necrosis in rats that received HgCl2 alone. The severity of HgCl2-induced renal lesions evaluated histopathologically on day 16 was significantly reduced by combination treatment with prochlorperazine. Phenothiazines have numerous pharmacologic properties that might account for this observation, and additional studies will be required to establish the mechanism of this protective effect of prochlorperazine against acute nephrotoxicity in rodents.
Religion Generalized and Naturalized

Much of contemporary scholarly opinion rejects the attempt to construct a general theory of religion (that is, its origin, structure, and functions). This view says that particular religious traditions are unique, sui generis, incommensurable, and cannot therefore be generalized. Much of contemporary opinion also rejects the attempt to explain religious phenomena using the categories and concepts of the natural and social sciences. This view says that the phenomena of religion cannot be understood apart from a recognition of “the sacred,” or some element of transcendence, implying that religion cannot be naturalized. This article begins to show how the phenomena of religion can be both generalized and naturalized.
The relations between cognition and the independent living skill of shopping in people with schizophrenia.

A great deal of interest has developed regarding the impact of cognitive deficits on the everyday functioning of people with schizophrenia. This study examined the relationships between cognitive functioning and the performance of a specific independent living skill (grocery shopping) in a sample of 73 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Cognitive variables included tests of verbal memory, executive functioning, verbal fluency, sustained attention and visual motor skill. Functional outcome was measured with the Test of Grocery Shopping Skills, which is an ecologically based performance measure that requires participants to shop for 10 items within an actual grocery store. Accuracy on the shopping task was significantly associated with fewer perseverative responses on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, better verbal memory and faster processing speed. Shopping efficiency (i.e. less redundancy) was associated with better performance on several cognitive tasks, including verbal memory, verbal fluency, sustained attention and executive functioning. Results of this study extend previous research by examining the relation between cognition and the actual performance of daily living skills under natural circumstances.
Fine fraction filtration test to assess geotextile filter performance

Abstract The proper design of the openings of a geotextile filter requires a balance between providing upstream soil particle retention and avoiding excessive geotextile clogging. While this balance can be reasonably achieved quite well for most soil types and hydraulic conditions, it is different when the flowing liquid is turbid (containing a large amount of suspended particles) and/or under high, or dynamic, hydraulic gradients. This paper presents a test method to assess the behavior of individual soil particles in a slurry form as they approach, encounter and interact with a geotextile filter. The paper describes the concept and details of the test method, called the fine fraction filtration ( F 3 ) test, and presents data on five different geotextiles which were evaluated using three different soil types. It was seen that soils with particle sizes larger than the geotextile's opening structure can build a stable upstream network; soil with particle sizes smaller than the geotextile's opening structure can pass through the geotextile; and intermediate particle size conditions can give rise to excessive clogging. An additional series of tests were conducted using the same five geotextile filters but now using a pre-placed upstream soil filter above the geotextiles. Clogging conditions generally occurred albeit within the soil column rather than within the geotextile. The F 3 test is felt to be a meaningful test for those conditions where the upstream soil particles are not in intimate contact with the geotextile filter. In such cases, the test method can probably be considered to be a performance test. For other, more typical soil placement conditions, the test method can be considered to be a very challenging indext test.
Infrared Planetary Nebulae in the NRAO VLA Sky Survey

In order to construct a sample of planetary nebulae (PNe) unbiased by dust extinction, we first selected the 1358 sources in the IRAS Point Source Catalog north of J2000 declination δ = -40° having measured S(25 μm) ≥ 1 Jy and colors characteristic of PNe: detections or upper limits consistent with both S(12 μm) ≤ 0.35S(25 μm) and S(25 μm) ≥ 0.35S(60 μm). The majority are radio-quiet contaminating sources such as asymptotic giant branch stars. Free-free emission from genuine PNe should make them radio sources. The 1.4 GHz NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) images and source catalog were used to reject radio-quiet mid-infrared sources. We identified 454 IRAS sources with radio sources brighter than S ≈ 2.5 mJy beam-1 (equivalent to T ≈ 0.8 K in the 45'' FHWM NVSS beam) by positional coincidence. They comprise 332 known PNe in the Strasbourg-ESO Catalogue of Galactic Planetary Nebulae and 122 candidate PNe, most of which lie at very low Galactic latitudes. Exploratory optical spectroscopic observations suggest that most of these candidates are indeed PNe optically dimmed by dust extinction, although some contamination remains from H II regions, Seyfert galaxies, etc. Furthermore, the NVSS failed to detect only 4% of the known PNe in our infrared sample. Thus it appears that radio selection can greatly improve the reliability of PN candidate samples without sacrificingcompleteness.
Differential fertility as a major mode of selection

Population genetic models have focused Primarily on the differential survival of genotypes as the vehicle through which selection can lead to evolutionary change. A growing body of diverse evidence suggests that differential fertility is an equally important mode of selective action. Laboratory studies with Drosophila and field studies in natural populations of plants and animals have provided direct demonstrations. Experimental ecology and reproductive biology have offered indirect but compelling evidence for the importance of differential fertility. Selection through differential fertility is not always interchangeable with selection through differential survival: the genetic dynamics can be far more complicated and can lead to unpredictable results when driven by fertility differences. The study of fertility selection in natural populations poses several problems: selection differentials can be difficult to estimate; they are likely to be very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, and when generations overlap the fertility differential cannot be estimated correctly without demographic data. Describing the role of differential fertility in natural populations represents an emerging challenge for theoreticians and empiricists alike.
An Information Modeling Methodology for Sustainability Standards

Standards and regulations are developed and introduced in the market to meet the needs of specific domains. As standards are usually developed by experts within a particular domain, the modeling requirements necessary to represent the information associated with these standards are often not well understood. The lack of clear understanding of information requirements creates an environment where information models can become difficult to produce from standards, and the criteria for complying with these standards may be obscure. The variety of challenges encountered in codifying standards using information models necessitates a carefully devised methodology that takes all areas of the whole enterprise into consideration. This paper presents a methodology for the development of information models to complement and support standards based on the Zachman framework for enterprise architecture. In this paper, we will discuss some of the challenges encountered in modeling information for standards and regulations related to sustainability, and subsequently describe how our approach can be used to address these challenges. We will illustrate our approach by developing an example information model to support RoHS (Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment). This work could lead to the development of software tools and environments for computer aided standards development. Finally, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of our methodology.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Patient-centric, multi-role, and multi-dimension information exploration on online healthcare forums

Online healthcare forums provide a valuable platform for people to share medical information and support each other. However, currently the rich information shared on healthcare forums has not been fully explored. In this work, we first motivate the need for patient-centric, multi-role, and multi-dimension information exploration. We then present our patient-centric information exploration prototype system and show its effectiveness with preliminary experiment evaluation. We have also identified some potential techniques for multi-role and multi-dimension information exploration.
Optimal radiographic techniques for digital mammograms obtained with an amorphous selenium detector

Traditional film/screen mammograms are obtained using Molybdenum or Rhodium target x-ray tubes. The energy spectrum from these sources matches the limited latitude of film/screen systems. For digital imaging systems, the latitude is linear over a wide range of exposures and arbitrary H&D curves can be obtained with image processing. This allows the recorded contrast to noise ratio (CNR) to be optimized by considering a wide range of radiographic techniques. For this work, we modeled the radiographic process for a digital (amorphous selenium) mammography system. The optimal CNR relative to dose was determined for several target/filter combinations, for a wide range of kVp values, and for varying breast thickness. The target/filter combinations included: Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh, Rh/Rh, W/Al, W/Mo, W/Ag, and W/Sn. As breast thickness increased, the use of a tungsten target with a tin filter resulted in a 34% improvement in CNR for the same dose to the breast when compared to the use of a Molybdenum target with a Molybdenum filter. Notably, the W/Sn target/filter combination resulted in a significantly lower mA-s for the same breast dose (2/3 to 1/5 lower for a breast thickness from 4 to 8cm). In mammography applications, use of a Tungsten tube rather than the traditional Molybdenum tube should lead to significant reductions in exposure time and tube heat while maintaining similar image quality and dose.
Echocardiography can predict which patients will develop severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy

Objectives. Using two-dimensional echocardiography, we sought to identify features that are associated with severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy and combine them into a predictive score. Background. Severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy is a major complication carrying an adverse prognosis that, to date, has not been predictable in advance. Methods. In a consecutive series of 566 patients who underwent percutaneous mitral valvulotomy, 37 (6.5%) developed severe mitral regurgitation (assessed by angiography) after the procedure, 31 of whom had an echocardiogram available before percutaneous mitral valvulotomy. These 31 patients were matched by age, gender, mitral valve area and degree of mitral regurgitation before valvulotomy with 31 randomly selected patients who did not develop severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy. An echocardiographic score was developed on the basis of the pathologic studies of valves of patients who developed severe regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy (leaflet rupture of relatively thin portions of nonhomogeneously thickened leaflets in the presence of commissural and subvalvular calcification) and evaluated uneven distribution of thickness in the anterior and posterior mitral leaflets, degree of commissural disease and subvalvular disease involvement, with each component graded from 0 to 4 (total, 0 to 16). Intraobserver and interobserver variability for score assessment were 6% and 7%, respectively. Results. The total mitral regurgitation echocardiographic score was significantly greater in the severe mitral regurgitation group (11.7 ± 1.9 [mean ±SD] vs. 8.0 ± 1.2, p Conclusions. This new mitral regurgitation echocardiographic score can predict the development of severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy and can be useful in the selection of patients for this technique.
Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Help Seeking for Alcohol Problems

Abstract Objectives: The primary aim of this study is to determine the association between intimate partner violence, alcohol problems, and help seeking behaviors for alcohol problems. In addition, the study was conducted to examine ethnic differences in the reporting of intimate partner violence, alcohol problems and treatment or help seeking for alcohol problems. Methods: A probability sample (n = 1468) of White, Black and Hispanic couples 18 years of age or older in the U.S. household population was interviewed in 1995 with a response rate of 85%. Help seeking was defined as talking to someone or seeking treatment for an alcohol problem; therefore, the bivariate and multivariate analyses exclude lifetime abstainers. Results: Multivariate analysis controlling for ethnicity, gender, age, education, and income indicated that those with alcohol problems and intimate partner violence together were 1.5 (95% CI = 0.8-2.6) times more likely to seek help than those reporting alcohol problems alone. Conclusions:...
The Effect of Three Orchestra/ School Partnerships on Students' Interest in Instrumental Music Instruction

This study is an examination of the influence of three orchestra/school partnerships on students' interest in instrumental music. A vocational choice survey was used to assess students' interest in...
Cellular mechanisms of a synchronized oscillation in the thalamus

Spindle waves are a prototypical example of synchronized oscillations, a common feature of neuronal activity in thalamic and cortical systems in sleeping and waking animals. Spontaneous spindle waves recorded from slices of the ferret lateral geniculate nucleus were generated by rebound burst firing in relay cells. This rebound burst firing resulted from inhibitory postsynaptic potentials arriving from the perigeniculate nucleus, the cells of which were activated by burst firing in relay neurons. Reduction of gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor-mediated inhibition markedly enhanced GABAB inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in relay cells and subsequently generated a slowed and rhythmic population activity resembling that which occurs during an absence seizure. Pharmacological block of GABAB receptors abolished this seizure-like activity but not normal spindle waves, suggesting that GABAB antagonists may be useful in the treatment of absence seizures.
Safety in numbers: shoal size choice by minnows under predatory threat

Larger animal groups often provide greater protection from predators. An individual might therefore be expected to join the larger of two groups. To test this, we hypothesized that fathead minnows would choose to associate with the larger of two shoals and that the presence of a predatory largemouth bass would influence their shoal size choice. Individual minnows were presented with a series of choices between two shoal sizes, ranging from 1 to 28 fish, both with and without a predator present. Although responses were highly variable, minnows displayed an ability to choose between shoal sizes even when size differences were small, preferring the larger shoal whenever a size preference was shown. In the presence of a predator, minnows made quicker shoaling decisions and showed a strong tendency to avoid very small shoals.
The Learning Support Model: Personnel Policy Beyond the Traditional Model

There is increasing interest in achieving quality through effective management and use of human resources in public administration. What is the appropriate personnel policy that will assure this qu...
Parallel free-space optical interconnect based on arrays of vertical-cavity lasers and detectors with monolithic microlenses.

We investigate the use of low-threshold 980-nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers for free-space optical interconnects. The vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and backilluminated detectors are monolithically integrated with microlenses on the back sides of the growth substrates to eliminate the necessity of external optics. With a channel pitch of 250 μm, an interconnect length between boards of the order of 5 to 10 mm with a ±50-μm lateral alignment tolerance can be achieved without external relay optics. The complete link is modeled to predict the system’s efficiency and maximum bit rate. Data transmission at 500 Mbits/s per channel is demonstrated. The data rate was limited by parasitics, not the inherent bandwidth of the laser diodes.
In-vitro study of the effects of Congo Red on the ablation of atherosclerotic plaque

The possible application of the vital dye Congo Red to enhance the selective ablation of plaque was investigated. Fresh healthy human aorta samples and samples with varying degrees of atherosclerotic disease were incubated for 3 minutes in a 0.25 mg/ml solution of Congo Red in saline, washed and then irradiated either in air or under saline using an argon laser ((lambda) equals 488 and 514.5 nm, spotsize equals 1.1 mm). The experiments were repeated with undyed healthy and diseased tissue samples. The effect of Congo Red staining on ablation was evaluated by comparing the minimum irradiance and the average amount of time needed to create ablation onset, which was defined as a 'pop' sound followed by carbonization of tissue in air. Ablation thresholds in air for dyed normal tissue, fatty and fibrous plaque were lowered by 42, 60 and 66% respectively. The average time to start ablation dropped from 40 to 2 s, 13 to 1 s and 20 to 14 s respectively. When tissue samples were submerged under saline, Congo Red paradoxically reduced the difference between the ablation threshold of healthy tissue and fatty threshold. During the initial irradiation a concentration of dye around the irradiation spot was observed. This unusual finding may be due to the transport of dye during irradiation. This may explain the observed effect that tissue adjacent to the initial irradiation site had a lowered ablation threshold. By examining the complex mechanisms involved in dye enhanced ablation in may be possible to select a combination of dye and irradiation parameters to achieve selective ablation of plaque.
Initial Neurite Outgrowth in Drosophila Neurons Is Driven by Kinesin-Powered Microtubule Sliding

Remarkably, forces within a neuron can extend its axon to a target that could be meters away. The two main cytoskeleton components in neurons are microtubules, which are mostly bundled along the axon shaft, and actin filaments, which are highly enriched in a structure at the axon distal tip, the growth cone. Neurite extension has been thought to be driven by a combination of two forces: pushing via microtubule assembly, and/or pulling by an actin-driven mechanism in the growth cone. Here we show that a novel mechanism, sliding of microtubules against each other by the microtubule motor kinesin-1, provides the mechanical forces necessary for initial neurite extension in Drosophila neurons. Neither actin filaments in the growth cone nor tubulin polymerization is required for initial outgrowth. Microtubule sliding in neurons is developmentally regulated and is suppressed during neuronal maturation. As kinesin-1 is highly evolutionarily conserved from Drosophila to humans, it is likely that kinesin-1-powered microtubule sliding plays an important role in neurite extension in many types of neurons across species.
The continous kernel of a nonsquare rational matrix function

Abstract An m -by- n matrix has a nontrivial kernel if m n . When the entries of the matrix are rational functions of a complex parameter, then there is a minimal polynomial basis for the continously varying part of the kernel. We present a formula for a polynomial basis for the continous kernel of a nonsquare rational matrix function, and discuss the minimality of this basis.
The Birth of Immunopathology: How I went to Paris and met Julius Cruse

This essay honors the lifetime achievements of Julius Cruse. It relates some of my personal experiences of the past and my views of the future in two areas in which Professor Cruse has made lasting contributions—the history of science and scientific communication. We can best chart the future by understanding the past.
The interaction of botanicals and AMPK signaling in the inhibition of castrate-resistant prostate cancer

Materials and methods CWR22Rv1 cells (a castrate-resistant human PCa cell line) were treated with a polyherbal mixture of botanicals (PHBs) consisting of 10 herbal extracts [1] and we investigated whether inhibition of cell proliferation was linked to the activity of 5’adenosine monophosphate (AMP)activated protein kinase (AMPK), a potential tumor suppressor protein that functions as a central energy sensor within the cell. In addition, we investigated whether this inhibition was also the result of synergy among the bioactives as determined by the Chou-Talalay method [2].
CHANGES IN SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, CATALASE AND GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITIES OF RABBIT ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES: INDUCED BY POSTNATAL MATURATION AND/OR IN VITRO HYPEROXIA

— The total superoxide dismutase activity of rabbit alveolar macrophages (AM) increased twofold during the first postnatal week. This increase in superoxide dismutase activity was primarily mitochondrial and paralleled the increase in the number of mitochondria in these cells which has been previously reported. The superoxide dismutase activity of AM in culture for 18 h was significantly increased by hyperoxia; catalase activity in hyperoxic conditions was slightly adversely affected; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was increased but not significantly over control values. Hyperoxic cultures beyond 42 h decreased the total number of viable cells and the superoxide dismutase activity expressed per viable cell; the disappearance of catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities in this period, however, was more rapid in control alveolar macrophages than those under hyperoxia.
Cartilage-retaining Wafer Resection Osteotomy of the Distal Ulna

Ulnar-sided wrist pain resulting from ulnar impaction is common. We describe a new cartilage-retaining wafer resection osteotomy designed to keep the cartilage intact and decompress the ulnocarpal articulation without requiring internal fixation. We retrospectively reviewed seven patients with ulnar impaction who had the procedure. The minimum followup was 14 months (mean, 30 months; range, 14–38 months). The mean change in ulnar variance was −1.29 mm. Patients showed radiographic healing by a mean of 11 weeks. Our preliminary results suggest the cartilage-retaining wafer resection osteotomy may be an effective way to unload the ulnocarpal joint without requiring internal fixation or destruction of the distal ulna cartilage.
Relationship between the harvard group scale of hypnotic susceptibility and the stanford hypnotic susceptibility scale: Form c

Abstract 3 subgroups of 20 Ss with high, medium, or low scores on a slightly modified, tape-recorded version of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A) of Shor and E. Orne (1962) were later administered the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) of Weitzenhoffer and Hilgard (1962). HGSHSrA and SHSSrC correlated .59 which is lower than would be predicted by scale reliabilities. This, together with other data based on item characteristics, indicates that the 2 scales are not equivalent, but in part measure different aspects of hypnotic performance. Scores on HGSHSrA for low Ss are predictive of SHSS:C scores, but the stability of performance between HGSHS:A and SHSS:C is not as marked for medium and high Ss on HGSHS:A. This is partly a result of the failure of passive motor (primary) suggestibility to discriminate between levels of susceptibility, although challenge items do. The 2 clusters of items correlate .23 and .43 in HGSHS:A and SHSS:C respectively. The p...
Engineering autogenous cartilage in the shape of a helix using an injectable hydrogel scaffold.

Objective Previous successful efforts to tissue engineer cartilage for an auricle have used an immunocompromised nude mouse xenograft model. Subsequent efforts in an immunocompetent autogenous animal model have been less successful because of an inflammatory response directed against the foreign scaffold polymer used to provide an auricular shape. We studied an alternative polymer material and surgical technique to engineer autogenous cartilage in the shape of a human ear helix using injectable hydrogel scaffolding, Pluronic F-127 (polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide). Subject Yorkshire swine. Material and Methods Fresh autogenous chondrocytes were suspended in a biodegradable, biocompatible co-polymer hydrogel, Pluronic F-127, at a concentration of 3 × 107 cells/mL. To support the contour of the implant, a skin fold channel in the shape of the helix of a human ear was created in the skin in three sites on the ventral surface of the animal. The cell-hydrogel suspension was injected through the skin fold channel. For controls, injections were made into identical channels using either cells alone or the Pluronic F-127 without cells. After 10 weeks, the specimens were excised and examined both grossly and histologically. Results Grossly, all implants retained a helical-like shape. Excised specimens possessed flexible characteristics consistent with elastic cartilage. The specimens could be folded and twisted and on release of mechanical pressure would instantly return to the original shape. Histological evaluation of the implants using H&E, Safranin O, trichrome blue, and Verhoeff's stains demonstrated findings consistent with mature elastic cartilage. Control injection of hydrogel alone demonstrated no evidence of cartilage formation and control injection of chondrocytes alone showed evidence only of disassociated elastic cartilage. Conclusion Injection of autologous porcine auricular chondrocytes suspended in a biodegradable, biocompatible hydrogel of Pluronic F-127 resulted in the formation of cartilage tissue in the approximate size and shape of a human ear helix. This preliminary method extends the concept of auricular tissue engineering from an immunocompromised xenograft animal model to an immunocompetent autologous animal model.
HOW OFTEN DO FISHES "RUN ON EMPTY"?

We used a large data set of African, Neotropical, and North American fishes to examine the frequency with which fishes have empty stomachs (nspecies 5 254; nindividuals 5 36 875). Mean percentage of empty stomachs was low across all fishes (16.26 1.2%) but varied from 0% to 79.4% among individual species. Nocturnal fishes had empty stom- achs more frequently than diurnal fishes. Trophic classification was strongly associated with the percentage of empty stomachs, a pattern also revealed from an intraspecific analysis. Fishes appear to adjust their feeding intervals relative to the energy density, conversion efficiency, and particle size of their food. Piscivorous fishes seem to be the only trophic group that regularly experience long periods of empty stomachs, with species that consume prey whole and those that provide extended parental care having the highest proportions of empty stomachs. Activity patterns and life histories of some piscivorous species probably have evolved in partial response to energetic benefits of large, energy-rich food resources.
Absorption, Excretion, and Tissue Distribution of Orally and Intravenously Administered Radiocerium as Affected by EDTA

Abstract Three pairs of calves fed 0, 1.35, or 13.5g ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) per calf by capsule daily and one pair fed 13.5g EDTA in milk through nipple pails were given intravenous 141 Ce and oral 144 Ce as simultaneous single doses. Oral 144 Ce could not be detected in blood and intravenous 141 Ce cleared rapidly with less than 16 and 0.6% remaining in blood 1 and 24 hours after dosing. Urinary 144 Ce increased from 0.01% of the oral dose for controls to 0.21% when 1.35g EDTA was fed. Percentages of the 144 Ce dose in urine were further increased to 0.56 for calves fed 13.5g EDTA by capsule and 1.21% for calves fed 13.5g by nipple pail. Urinary 141 Ce was raised slightly from 1.2% of the intravenous dose for controls to 1.6 by 1.35g EDTA, to 5.27% by 13.5g in gelatin capsules, and to 9.75% by 13.5g given through nipple pails. Entry of intravenous 141 Ce into the digestive tract occurred primarily in the small intestine. Fecal excretions and tissue distributions of both oral and intravenous doses were not statistically significantly changed by EDTA. Average 72-hour fecal excretions totaled 94 and 2% for oral and intravenous doses. Tissue 141 Ce, expressed as percentages of the intravenous dose per 100g, averaged: heart, 0.04; femur, 0.41; kidney, 0.23; liver, 2.60; lung, 0.75; rib, 0.13; and spleen, 0.67. Oral 144 Ce was not detected in any tissue except the liver, which averaged 0.7% of the oral dose compared to 36.7% of the intravenous dose.
Chemical tailoring of teicoplanin with site-selective reactions.

Semisynthesis of natural product derivatives combines the power of fermentation with orthogonal chemical reactions. Yet, chemical modification of complex structures represents an unmet challenge, as poor selectivity often undermines efficiency. The complex antibiotic teicoplanin eradicates bacterial infections. However, as resistance emerges, the demand for improved analogues grows. We have discovered chemical reactions that achieve site-selective alteration of teicoplanin. Utilizing peptide-based additives that alter reaction selectivities, certain bromo-teicoplanins are accessible. These new compounds are also scaffolds for selective cross-coupling reactions, enabling further molecular diversification. These studies enable two-step access to glycopeptide analogues not available through either biosynthesis or rapid total chemical synthesis alone. The new compounds exhibit a spectrum of activities, revealing that selective chemical alteration of teicoplanin may lead to analogues with attenuated or enhance...
Lithium – Back to the elements

A patient recently asked me, “Why are you starting me on lithium? Isn’t that what’s in batteries? If I’m supposed to be getting my mood stabilized, isn’t this going to make me like the Energizer® Bunny...?” I really couldn’t blame him for asking such questions. Why are we using battery contents to flatten out mood episodes? Why is a deadly former salt-substitute now doled out in prescription bottles? With its many and varied uses medicinally and non-medicinally as well as the urban legends surrounding lithium and its side effects, it’s no wonder there is a bit of mystery and maybe even mistrust surrounding lithium on the part of patients and providers alike.
The period of total population.

In the periodic Leslie model the asymptotic period of total population is a divisor of the asymptotic period of the population vector. Under reasonable circumstances these periods are identical.
Designing On-Road Vehicle Test Programs for the Development of Effective Vehicle Emission Models

Mobile source emission models for years have depended on laboratory-based dynamometer data. Recently, however, portable emission measurement systems (PEMS) have become commercially available and in widespread use, and make on-road real-world measurements possible. As a result, the newest mobile source emission models (e.g., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mobile vehicle emission simulator) are becoming increasingly dependent on PEMS data. Although on-road measurements are made under more realistic conditions than laboratory-based dynamometer test cycles, they introduce influencing variables that must be carefully measured for properly developed emission models. Further, test programs that simply measure in-use driving patterns of randomly selected vehicles will result in models that can effectively predict current-year emission inventories for typical driving conditions. However, when predicting more aggressive transportation operations than current typical operations (e.g., higher speeds, accelerations), the model predictions will be less certain. In this paper, various issues associated with on-road emission measurements and modeling are presented. Further, an example on-road emission data set and the reduction in estimation error through the addition of a short aggressive driving test to the in-use data are examined. On the basis of these results, recommendations are made on how to improve the on-road test programs for developing more robust emission models.
PRODUCT ION NODES IN MS/MS

Abstract The transmission of ions through an RF-only quadrupole collision cell is affected by both the frequency and voltage applied to the quadrupole. With a change in the RF-only quadrupole collision cell voltage (viz, the collision energy) ion intensities for both parent and product ions determined by a final mass-analyzing quadrupole vary in a modulated fashion. This pattern of ion intensities has been described as quadrupole “nodes”. Ion transmission through the RF-only quadrupole has been carefully investigated here using energy-resolved mass spectrometry with variations in the collision cell pressure and the mass of the ions. A theory is developed to explain the presence of product ion nodes that focuses on ion velocity as the critical parameter in their production.
Perceptions of Community College Adjunct Faculty and Division Chairpersons: Support, Mentoring, and Professional Development to Sustain Academic Quality

The fabric of higher education has changed dramatically in recent years with a sudden increase in the presence of part-time, nontenured faculty. Adjunct faculty have a significant presence in higher education institutions and need opportunities available to them so they feel like an important part of academic culture and are prepared to teach. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the similarities and differences in perceptions between three division chairpersons and 15 adjunct faculty members from three separate departments regarding teaching support, mentoring, and professional development opportunities at one community college. It was found that chairs and mentors appeared to be the most valuable individuals in supporting, acclimating, and retaining adjunct faculty according to the participants in this study. Without the roles chairs and mentors assumed, adjunct faculty could flounder and teaching quality could be hindered.
College students with and without ADHD: comparison of self-report of medication usage, study habits, and academic achievement.

Objective: To examine the relationship between ADHD medications, study habits, and academic achievement of ADHD-diagnosed undergraduates. Method: A total of 92 students with a self-reported ADHD diagnosis and a current prescription for ADHD medication were compared with 143 control students in a survey of academic performance. Results: Most ADHD students took stimulant medication and said the drugs helped them, yet believed they were worse than other students at planning and completing assignments and avoiding distractions. Although most study habits of ADHD students did not differ from controls, their high school and college GPA (grade point average), and ACT scores were significantly lower, and they withdrew from significantly more classes than did control students. Interestingly, preliminary data suggested that good study habits alone, even without stimulants, could overcome the achievement disparity of ADHD students. Conclusion: As previously shown for children and adolescents, stimulant medications a...
Estrogen-induced changes in the ribonucleic acid metabolism of chicken livers.

Abstract In response to estrogen, chicken livers synthesize egg-yolk materials, including phosvitin. When roosters are treated with estrogen, the response is accompanied by the following changes in the RNA metabolism: 1. Two hours after estrogen-treatment there is increased synthesis of heterogeneous nuclear RNA, as shown by analysis of the RNA on methylated albumin kieselguhr and by RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei. 2. Changes in the rate of RNA synthesis are paralleled by changes in the template activity of purified chromatin, as measured by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. 3. Four to six hours after estrogen treatment the synthesis of phosvitin becomes temporarily insensitive to inhibition by actinomycin D, although the actual synthesis of phosvitin does not begin until about 18 h after estrogen treatment.
A policy maker's guide to controlling delinquency and crime through family interventions

For the past two decades, the trend in juvenile justice has been toward more punitive policies and laws. Implicit in these policies is a belief that children are cognizant of and wholly responsible for their behaviors, and therefore deserve the punitive responses they receive. The actions of people and institutions who surround children, however, play vital roles in their development. Therefore families appear to be a crucial, potentially productive point of intervention at which to reduce the likelihood of delinquency. This paper explores the relationship of family life to delinquency and derives five policy strategies to reduce delinquency: 1) prenatal and early childhood health care, 2) early intervention, 3) comprehensive family policy, 4) family treatment for troubled youths, and 5) parent training.
The Self- and Other-Interest Inventory.

Five studies develop and validate the Self- and Other-Interest Inventory, an individual-difference measure of the motivation to act in one's own interest and the motivation to act in another's interest that measures these motivations at the level of self-beliefs. Study 1 demonstrates that self- and other-interest can be measured reliably and validly, as independent constructs, with a self-report measure. Study 2 develops a version of the Self- and Other-Interest Inventory for use with a general population and demonstrates systematic changes in the relation between self- and other-interest scores with age. Study 3 shows that self- and other-interest scores vary independently, as a function of the accessibility of related values. Study 4 provides evidence that self-interest scores predict behaviors that benefit the self and that other-interest scores predict behaviors that benefit another person. Finally, Study 5 demonstrates that in situations that involve a trade-off between the pursuit of self-interest and the pursuit of other-interest, such as the prisoner's dilemma, self- and other-interest scores contribute independently to behavioral prediction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)
Shock-wave structure via nonequilibrium molecular dynamics and Navier-Stokes continuum mechanics

A strong steady dense-fluid shock wave is simulated with 4800-atom nonequilibrium molecular dynamics. The resulting density, stress, energy, and temperature profiles are compared with corresponding macroscopic profiles we derive from Navier-Stokes continuum mechanics. The differences found are relatively small.
Using Positive Behavior Support Procedures in Head Start Classrooms to Improve School Readiness: A Group Training and Behavioral Coaching Model

Social-emotional competence is an important determinant of school readiness. School readiness, in turn, sets the stage for school success. There is clear longitudinal evidence that school success, attachment and bonding to the schooling process, and full engagement of schooling can, in combination, operate as a protective factor against a host of long-term health risk behaviors and negative outcomes. Herein, we describe an experimental study of an evidence-based model of early intervention. Head Start teachers and assistants in 13 centers participated in the study. Centers were randomly assigned either to a wait-list control condition or the intervention. This universal intervention was based, respectively, upon the emerging bodies of knowledge in Positive Behavior Support and Behavioral Coaching. The intervention program's application was associated with medium to large effect size improvements in participating students' overall social competence (as an essential school readiness skill) as measured throu...
Diagnosis of anastomotic leak: Electrolyte detection versus barium fluoroscopy

Abstract Background We recently described a new method of diagnosing anastomotic leak using the detection of electrical changes induced by electrolyte extravasation from a surgically created gastric leak site in experimental rats. We sought to compare the sensitivity and specificity of anastomotic leak detection for this method to that of upper gastrointestinal (GI) barium fluoroscopy. Methods Experimental rats with a surgically created gastric leak site and controls were interrogated as to the presence of leak using either the electrolyte-gated leak detection method or upper GI barium fluoroscopy. The sensitivity and specificity of leak detection for the two methods were compared. Results The sensitivity and specificity of electrolyte-gated leak detection were both 100% (95% confidence interval 69–100%). Barium upper GI fluoroscopy misidentified one leak as a control and one control as a leak, for a sensitivity and specificity of 80% each (95% confidence interval 37–97%). No statistically significant difference was seen between electrolyte-gated leak detection and barium upper GI fluoroscopy in terms of the sensitivity and specificity of anastomotic leak detection. Conclusions Electrolyte-gated leak detection was similarly sensitive and specific for anastomotic leak detection as upper GI barium fluoroscopy, the current standard. The electrolyte-gated method has the advantages of an inert contrast agent (normal saline) and the possibility of performing leak interrogation at the bedside. Electrolyte-gated leak detection might represent a plausible alternative to upper GI barium fluoroscopy for routine postoperative anastomotic leak surveillance after esophagectomy or other foregut surgery.