cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peppermint Oil Yield and Composition from Mini and Industrial Distilleries

ABSTRACT Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) oil yield and composition from miniature research distillation equipment were compared to that from large commercial distilleries. The mini-stills process small, 4 kg samples in contrast to the 8 Mg tubs used by industry. Experimental samples were collected from a 0.81 ha field of peppermint, cultivar ‘Black Mitcham,’ prior to harvest in 1992 and 1993 at 38 and 59 locations, respectively. In 1992, the mean oil yield of the samples (48.2 kg/ha) agreed closely with the whole-field yield (46.3 kg/ha). The samples had a high coefficient of variability (CV) in dry matter (33 percent) and oil yield (25 percent). In 1993, mean oil yield (61.4 kg/ha) also agreed closely with the whole-field yield (61.9 kg/ha). The average 1992 oil constituents for all 38 samples were compared against a composite of the same samples and against the single whole-field measurement from the large distillery. Unlike yield, oil composition was different between the whole field and small samples,...
Non-PBC, Non-PSC autoimmune cholangiopathy

The most challenging aspect of determining the appropriate treatment for patients with an autoimmune cholangiopathy is often establishing the diagnosis. In particular, discerning between autoimmune cholangitis (AIC)/ anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA)-negative primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) can be difficult because of occasional overlapping histological and serological features. This distinction, however, has important therapeutic implications because the appropriate therapy for the former is ursodiol, whereas for AIH it is corticosteroids. Diagnosis of these two entities in difficult cases can be facilitated by use of a published scoring system for AIH [1,2]. In the end, it is up to the clinician to determine the predominant syndrome and initiate therapy accordingly. When in doubt, ursodiol is better tolerated as a long-term therapy than corticosteroids. Consequences of chronic cholestasis, such as pruritus, osteoporosis, hyperlipidemias, and vitamin deficiencies, are best monitored and treated in the same manner as for patients with AMA-positive PBC until further clinical studies are completed.
Transesophageal echocardiographic assessment of right atrial appendage anatomy and function: comparison with the left atrial appendage and implications for local thrombus formation.

Objectives We sought to define right atrial appendage (RAA) anatomic and functional parameters in a consecutive series of participants and to compare these measures with left atrial appendage (LAA) indices among patients with in sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation (AF). Background With AF, both atria are fibrillating, yet the vast majority of thrombi are located within the LAA. Transesophageal echocardiography provides anatomic and functional information regarding both the LAA and the RAA. Methods In a consecutive series of 92 patients (48 men; age 61 ± 17 years) referred for transesophageal echocardiography, RAA and LAA anatomy (width, length, area) and ejection velocity were measured at two orientations (RAA, 90 and 135 degrees; LAA, 0 and 90 degrees). Results RAA anatomic measures were similar for both imaging planes, whereas LAA area was larger at 90 degrees. There was a modest correlation between RAA and LAA anatomic measures (area: r = 0.58, P = .001). RAA neck width was substantially greater than LAA neck width ( P P = not significant) and RAA neck width/area was greater than LAA neck width/area ( P P = .006 vs sinus), but similar anatomic remodeling was not found for the RAA ( P = not significant vs sinus). Conclusion In this consecutive series of patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography, RAA anatomic and functional parameters were found to be independent of imaging plane, with anatomic measures demonstrating a correlation with LAA measures. Although AF is associated with depressed RAA and LAA ejection velocities, anatomic RAA remodeling appears to be absent. The larger RAA width and lack of anatomic remodeling may partially explain the substantially lower prevalence of RAA thrombus found among patients with AF.
Paperless society? What a load of scrap

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into issues encountered in maintaining library technologies on a limited budget and with limited personnel.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses real‐world experiences and data to report on the costs associated with the provision of high‐volume print capabilities in an active academic computing area in a large university library.Findings – While advances in technology have changed higher education greatly, students and instructors alike still depend heavily on the printed page. Moreover, easy access to high‐volume printers seems to encourage indiscriminate printing and wasteful behavior.Originality/value – This paper offers insights and real world experiences encountered in an active computing facility. It presents data on printing and provides some suggestions for reining‐in waste associated with unnecessary printing.
Strain- and age-dependent hippocampal neuron sodium currents correlate with epilepsy severity in Dravet syndrome mice

Heterozygous loss-of-function SCN1A mutations cause Dravet syndrome, an epileptic encephalopathy of infancy that exhibits variable clinical severity. We utilized a heterozygous Scn1a knockout (Scn1a(+/-)) mouse model of Dravet syndrome to investigate the basis for phenotype variability. These animals exhibit strain-dependent seizure severity and survival. Scn1a(+/-) mice on strain 129S6/SvEvTac (129.Scn1a(+/-)) have no overt phenotype and normal survival compared with Scn1a(+/-) mice bred to C57BL/6J (F1.Scn1a(+/-)) that have severe epilepsy and premature lethality. We tested the hypothesis that strain differences in sodium current (INa) density in hippocampal neurons contribute to these divergent phenotypes. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recording was performed on acutely-dissociated hippocampal neurons from postnatal days 21-24 (P21-24) 129.Scn1a(+/-) or F1.Scn1a(+/-) mice and wild-type littermates. INa density was lower in GABAergic interneurons from F1.Scn1a(+/-) mice compared to wild-type littermates, while on the 129 strain there was no difference in GABAergic interneuron INa density between 129.Scn1a(+/-) mice and wild-type littermate controls. By contrast, INa density was elevated in pyramidal neurons from both 129.Scn1a(+/-) and F1.Scn1a(+/-) mice, and was correlated with more frequent spontaneous action potential firing in these neurons, as well as more sustained firing in F1.Scn1a(+/-) neurons. We also observed age-dependent differences in pyramidal neuron INa density between wild-type and Scn1a(+/-) animals. We conclude that preserved INa density in GABAergic interneurons contributes to the milder phenotype of 129.Scn1a(+/-) mice. Furthermore, elevated INa density in excitatory pyramidal neurons at P21-24 correlates with age-dependent onset of lethality in F1.Scn1a(+/-) mice. Our findings illustrate differences in hippocampal neurons that may underlie strain- and age-dependent phenotype severity in a Dravet syndrome mouse model, and emphasize a contribution of pyramidal neuron excitability.
Electroglottography and Vocal Fold Physiology

The electroglottogram (EGG) is known to be related to vocal fold motion. A major hypothesis undergoing examination in several research centers is that the EGG is related to the area of contact of t...
Localization of nonlinear dispersive waves in weakly random media

By multiple–scale expansions we show that the envelope equation for the propagation of slowly modulated waves in random media can be derived straightforwardly. The combined effects of weak nonlinearity, dispersion and random irregularities lead to a nonlinear Schroodinger equation with a complex damping term. Analytical and numerical results are presented. Both analytical and numerical solutions are discussed to examine the effects of randomness on this simple, yet typical, weakly nonlinear dispersive wave.
Hallucinations and Sensory Overrides

Hallucinations are a vivid illustration of the way culture affects our most fundamental mental experience and the way that mind is shaped both by cultural invitation and by biological constraint. The anthropological evidence suggests that there are three patterns of hallucinations: experiences in which hallucinations are rare, brief, and not distressing; hallucinations that are frequent, extended, and distressing; and hallucinations that are frequent but not distressing. The ethnographic evidence also suggests that hallucinations are shaped by learning in at least two ways. People acquire specific representations about mind from their local social world, and people (particularly in spiritual pursuits) are encouraged to train their minds (or focus their attention) in specific ways. These two kinds of learning can affect even perception, this most basic domain of mental experience. This learning-centered approach may eventually have something to teach us about the pathways and trajectories of psychotic illness.
Clarifying the roles of kinetics and diffusion in activated sludge filamentous bulking

We hypothesized that the growth rates of filaments and floc formers in activated sludge are affected by the combination of kinetic selection (Lou and de los Reyes, Biotechnol Bioeng 92(6): 729-739, 2005b) and substrate diffusion limitation (Martins et al., Water Res 37:2555-2570, 2003). To clarify the influence of these factors in explaining filamentous bulking, a conceptual framework was developed in this study. The framework suggests the existence of three different regions corresponding to bulking, non-bulking, and intermediate regions, based on substrate concentration. In the bulking and non-bulking regions, kinetic growth differences control the competition process, and filaments or floc formers dominate, respectively. In the intermediate region, substrate diffusion limitation, determined by the floc size, plays the major role in causing bulking. To test this framework, sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were operated with influent COD of 100, 300, 600, and 1,000 mg/L, and the sludge settleability was measured at various floc size distributions that were developed using different mixing strengths. The experimental data in the bulking and intermediate regions supported the proposed framework. A model integrating the two factors was developed to simulate the substrate concentrations at different depths and floc sizes under intermittently feeding conditions. The modeling results confirmed that substrate diffusion limitation occurs inside the flocs at a certain range of activated sludge floc sizes over the operation cycle, and provided additional support for the proposed framework.
Cyclization of natural products.

Enzymatic cyclization of the linear polyketide chain to form a macrolactone is a key step in the biosynthesis of type I polyketide natural products. Structural biology and inhibitor design were used to gain insight into the mechanism and specificity of this enzymatic process.
Documentation and reimbursement of home physical therapy services

Documentation has long been the basis for reimbursement decisions by third party payers. Al though reimbursement is not the sole or primary reason for good documentation, it has an influ ence on what physical therapists document. Key documentation components need to be ad dressed to insure that Medicare requirements for home physical therapy services are met. Traditional documentation often lacks sufficient reference to functional status and skilled needs of the patient, and such deficient documentation provokes denial of the claim. Physical therapy claims are selected for Medicare review based on numerous factors, such as diagnosis, number of visits or duration of care. However, the claims are judged on the basis of submitted documentation. With the implementation of non-traditional methods of documentation, such as focus charting and charting by exception, the key elements of documentation must still be evi dent to the reviewer. Regardless of payer source or charting method, complete, thorough and accur...
Distributed tracking in multi-hop networks with communication delays and packet losses

We describe distributed tracking of a linear dynamical system via networked sensors. The networked sensors communicate with each other by means of a multi-hop protocol over a communication network. MMSE-optimal solution is Kalman filtering when measurements are available centrally, but new methods are required to account for communication constraints. We derive optimal algorithms to deal with arbitrary network topology and then extend these results to account for communication delays and packet losses. The proposed techniques differ from related techniques proposed in two important aspects: a) there is no designated leader/fusion node and each sensor attempts to optimally track the system trajectory based on its local observations and time-dependent information available from other sensors in the network; b) the message computation at each sensor is structurally identical, where the computed message from each sensor is the innovation in the state conditioned on all the information available upto that time at each sensor. Consequently, the sensor network can be queried at any time and at any node to obtain optimal estimates for the state of the dynamical system
Zinc uptake contributes to motility and provides a competitive advantage to Proteus mirabilis during experimental urinary tract infection.

Proteus mirabilis, a Gram-negative bacterium, represents a common cause of complicated urinary tract infections in catheterized patients or those with functional or anatomical abnormalities of the urinary tract. ZnuB, the membrane component of the high-affinity zinc (Zn2+) transport system ZnuACB, was previously shown to be recognized by sera from infected mice. Since this system has been shown to contribute to virulence in other pathogens, its role in Proteus mirabilis was investigated by constructing a strain with an insertionally interrupted copy of znuC. The znuC::Kan mutant was more sensitive to zinc limitation than the wild type, was outcompeted by the wild type in minimal medium, displayed reduced swimming and swarming motility, and produced less flaA transcript and flagellin protein. The production of flagellin and swarming motility were restored by complementation with znuCB in trans. Swarming motility was also restored by the addition of Zn2+ to the agar prior to inoculation; the addition of Fe2+ to the agar also partially restored the swarming motility of the znuC::Kan strain, but the addition of Co2+, Cu2+, or Ni2+ did not. ZnuC contributes to but is not required for virulence in the urinary tract; the znuC::Kan strain was outcompeted by the wild type during a cochallenge experiment but was able to colonize mice to levels similar to the wild-type level during independent challenge. Since we demonstrated a role for ZnuC in zinc transport, we hypothesize that there is limited zinc present in the urinary tract and P. mirabilis must scavenge this ion to colonize and persist in the host.
Assessing Health Related Benefit after Reconstruction for Urinary and Fecal Incontinence in Children: A Parental Perspective

Purpose: We sought to evaluate health related benefit in children undergoing surgical reconstruction for urinary and fecal incontinence from a parental perspective.Materials and Methods: A health related benefit instrument was mailed to the parents or guardians of 300 consecutive patients who had undergone reconstruction for urinary and/or fecal incontinence at our institution between 1997 and 2011. We assessed parent reported health related benefit using the validated Glasgow Children’s Benefit Inventory and satisfaction with 6 supplemental questions. One-sample t-tests as well as exploratory univariate and multivariate linear regressions were performed for statistical analysis.Results: Response rate was 40.0% at a mean of 5.5 years (range 0.6 to 13.8) after reconstruction. Spina bifida was the most common primary diagnosis (48 patients, 56.5%). Mean total Glasgow Children’s Benefit Inventory score and subscores for each domain were positive, indicating an improved health related benefit after reconstruc...
Generation of dynamic chemical signals with pulse code modulators

The on-chip generation of dynamic chemical signals in a flow stream via pulse code modulation (PCM) is demonstrated. In this chip the output signal concentration is determined by dispersion and averaging of a serial stream of digitally encoded plugs of concentrated solute and pure solvent as the plugs flow through a long dispersive capillary. A two-bit PCM chemical signal generator was fabricated in two-level PDMS technology. The chip was capable of generating 31 distinct output levels with 10-plug cycles. Several example chemical waveforms (sawtooth and cosine) were generated at flow rates of 43.2 nL s−1, and plug frequencies of up to 15 Hz, with maximum output signal bandwith of up to about 1 Hz. The modulator chip was also used to synthesize physiological signals emulating intracellular β-cell cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations, extracellularβ-cell insulin release and rat-striatum dopamine release.
Temporal Changes in Periprocedural Events in the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial

Background and Purpose—Post-hoc, we hypothesized that over the recruitment period of the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial (CREST), increasing experience and improved patient selection with carotid stenting, and to a lesser extent, carotid endarterectomy would contribute to lower periprocedural event rates. Methods—Three study periods with approximately the same number of patients were defined to span recruitment. Composite and individual rates of periprocedural stroke, myocardial infarction, and death rate were calculated separately by treatment assignment (carotid stenting/carotid endarterectomy). Temporal changes in unadjusted event rates, and rates after adjustment for temporal changes in patient characteristics, were assessed. Results—For patients randomized to carotid stenting, there was no significant temporal change in the unadjusted composite rates that declined from 6.2% in the first period, to 4.9% in the second, and 4.6% in the third (P=0.28). Adjustment for patien...
HIV seroconversion without infection after receipt of adenovirus-vectored HIV type 1 vaccine.

Background. We analyzed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroresponses from 3 phase I HIV-1 vaccine trials to assess the frequency of vaccine-induced seroconversion. Methods. HIV-1 and HIV-2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed during trials of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5)-vectored clade B HIV-1 monovalent gag and trivalent gag/pol/nef vaccines given to HIV-seronegative adults. Doses were administered at day 1, week 4, and week 26. Results were analyzed by vaccine formulation and dose and were stratified by baseline Ad5 titer. ELISA-positive samples were reflexively tested by Western blotting. Results. Overall, 165 (41%) of 406 evaluable vaccine recipients had positive ELISA results but negative PCR results by week 78. Seroconversion rates were directly related to vaccine dose, were inversely related to baseline Ad5 titer, and were unaffected by vaccine valency. One hundred (89%) of 113 evaluable patients with low baseline Ad5 antibody titers (≤200) who were given ≥1 dose of vaccine with ≥1 X 10 10 gag-containing Ad5 particles per dose experienced seroconversion. Of 163 vaccine recipients who had positive ELISA results and available Western blot results, 150 (92%) had indeterminate results of Western blot, typically involving bands at p24, p40, and/or p55. Thirteen uninfected patients (8%) had equivocally positive Western blot results, usually because of an additional weak glycoprotein 41 band. Env-specific enzyme immunoassay results were falsely positive for 2 uninfected vaccine recipients. Conclusions. Positive ELISA results were similarly common for monovalent and trivalent vaccine recipients. Vaccine dose and baseline Ad5 immunity were major determinants of vaccine-induced seroconversion rates. Corresponding Western blots characteristically showed bands directed only at Gag proteins, which helped to distinguish HIV-uninfected vaccine recipients who experienced seroconversion from true HIV-infected patients. If available, an enzyme immunoassay exclusively targeting proteins not expressed by the vaccine should be the screening test of first choice for vaccine recipients.
Growing an Embryo from a Single Cell: A Hurdle in Animal Life

A requirement that an animal be able to feed to grow constrains how a cell can grow into an animal, and it forces an alternation between growth (increase in mass) and proliferation (increase in cell number). A growth-only phase that transforms a stem cell of ordinary proportions into a huge cell, the oocyte, requires dramatic adaptations to help a nucleus direct a 10(5)-fold expansion of cytoplasmic volume. Proliferation without growth transforms the huge egg into an embryo while still accommodating an impotent nucleus overwhelmed by the voluminous cytoplasm. This growth program characterizes animals that deposit their eggs externally, but it is changed in mammals and in endoparasites. In these organisms, development in a nutritive environment releases the growth constraint, but growth of cells before gastrulation requires a new program to sustain pluripotency during this growth.
Employing a combinatorial expression approach to characterize xylose utilization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fermentation of xylose, a major constituent of lignocellulose, will be important for expanding sustainable biofuel production. We sought to better understand the effects of intrinsic (genotypic) and extrinsic (growth conditions) variables on optimal gene expression of the Scheffersomyces stipitis xylose utilization pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by using a set of five promoters to simultaneously regulate each gene. Three-gene (xylose reductase, xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH), and xylulokinase) and eight-gene (expanded with non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway enzymes and pyruvate kinase) promoter libraries were enriched under aerobic and anaerobic conditions or with a mutant XDH with altered cofactor usage. Through characterization of enriched strains, we observed (1) differences in promoter enrichment for the three-gene library depending on whether the pentose phosphate pathway genes were included during the aerobic enrichment; (2) the importance of selection conditions, where some aerobically-enriched strains underperform in anaerobic conditions compared to anaerobically-enriched strains; (3) improved growth rather than improved fermentation product yields for optimized strains carrying the mutant XDH compared to the wild-type XDH.
Childhood Maltreatment and Cluster B Personality Pathology in Female Serious Offenders

The authors examined early maltreatment among serious female offenders at a maximum-security correctional facility, contrasting the maltreatment histories of inmates with and without Cluster B pers...
Liberating Reason From the Passions Overriding Intuitionist Moral Judgments Through Emotion Reappraisal

A classic problem in moral psychology concerns whether and when moral judgments are driven by intuition versus deliberate reasoning. In this investigation, we explored the role of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that involves construing an emotion-eliciting situation in a way that diminishes the intensity of the emotional experience. We hypothesized that although emotional reactions evoke initial moral intuitions, reappraisal weakens the influence of these intuitions, leading to more deliberative moral judgments. Three studies of moral judgments in emotionally evocative, disgust-eliciting moral dilemmas supported our hypothesis. A greater tendency to reappraise was related to fewer intuition-based judgments (Study 1). Content analysis of open-ended descriptions of moral-reasoning processes revealed that reappraisal was associated with longer time spent in deliberation and with fewer intuitionist moral judgments (Study 2). Finally, in comparison with participants who simply watched an emotion-i...
Near Real-Time Monitoring of Organophosphate Pesticides in the Aqueous-Phase Using SH-SAW Sensors Including Estimation-Based Signal Analysis

The sensor response times for the absorption of organophosphate pesticides (phosmet and parathion) from aqueous solution into partially selective coatings [poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH) and polyurethane (PU)], are investigated using guided shear horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) devices on LiTaO3 as the sensing platform. A study of the response time (absorption time constant) reveals that it is possible to decrease the sensor response time by increasing temperature and/or decreasing film thickness. However, these approaches reduced device sensitivity. A second approach involving nonlinear estimation-based sensor signal analysis is also investigated in an attempt to decrease the time required for identification and quantification without decreasing sensitivity. Specifically, the extended Kalman filter is employed for online analysis of the sensor data during the detection process. To achieve this, the sensor response was first represented by a state-space model which includes all relevant contributions to the polymer-coated device response. This allows for the steady-state sensor response and absorption time constant to be extracted online well before the steady-state is reached, thus reducing the time required for quantification. Extracting the absorption time, which is often unique to a class of analyte-coating pairs, will make it possible to improve analyte recognition in sensor array design.
Biological Planning for High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy: Application to Cervical Cancer Treatment

Cervical cancer has a high mortality rate approximately 35 percent in the United States and is difficult to treat successfully. One promising treatment is high-dose-rate brachytherapy, which entails delivering high-dose radiation to the tumor via the temporary implantation of radioactive seeds. This treatment promises to be particularly effective in eradicating tumors while preserving the organs. Yet, major obstacles to successful treatment remain, especially 1 determining the best seed type, spatial configuration of seeds, and seed dwelling time, and 2 improving the probability that the treatment will eliminate all malignant cells. We developed an advanced planning model to simultaneously address both of these issues. To permit taking advantage of the best available information, our model works with inputs from positron emission tomography. We begin with a multiobjective, nonlinear, mixed-integer programming model that is initially intractable. To solve the model, we introduce an original branch-and-cut and local-search approach that couples new polyhedral cuts with matrix reduction and intelligent geometric heuristics. The result has been accurate solutions that are obtained rapidly. Clinical trials at Rush University Medical Center demonstrated superior medical outcomes. These analytical techniques are applicable not only to cervical cancer, but also to other types of cancer, including breast, lung, and prostate cancer.
Single-Cell Detection Using Optofluidic Intracavity Spectroscopy

Optofluidic intracavity spectroscopy was used to realize label-free detection of single biological cells, including yeast cells and human blood cells, as well as polystyrene spheres in a microfluidic Fabry-Perot cavity. The design, fabrication, and testing of the cavities are discussed, along with the sensing mechanism. The resonant conditions of the microfluidic cavity were modified by the cells and microspheres inside the cavity due to the effective refractive index profile of the cells. Transmission spectra of single cells in the cavity, measured using a customized microscope system, exhibited cell-type specific higher order transverse mode features, including the number of transverse modes, mode shape, and the relative mode spacing. A correlation method for the cell-induced spectra is reported and provides a preliminary demonstration that some types of single cells can be differentiated. After further development, the method may provide a useful label-free optical technique for recognizing cells in a microfluidic environment
Alternative medicine as a carve-out in managed care.

Abstract A major philosophical shift continues to occur in how health care is delivered in the United States. Traditional western medicine continues to develop new technologies that require new delivery systems, however, other factors are affecting this shift as well. Alternative medicine is one of these factors and is rapidly gaining attention. Alternative medicine is comprised of homeopathy, chiropractic, naturopathy, and cultural beliefs and practices such as those of the Native Americans or the Mexican Folk healers. Several managed care plans are now including alternative medicine as part of their product lines. Employers are moving from a passive role to an aggressive one in the selection of health care services available to their work force. This is in response to the changing demographics of the United States and the increased sensitivity to diversity in the workplace. Managed care companies have a marketing opportunity to increase their share of the market by looking at alternative medicine as a n...
A cell based super low power CMOS crystal oscillator with 'on chip' tuning capacitors

The author presents a cell based, super low power CMOS crystal oscillator with no external components. this oscillator provides a typical dynamic current of 200 nano amps at 3.0 volts battery. The oscillator tuning is accomplished by programming the 'on chips' variable input capacitors. It is totally nonvolatile with over ten years of operation from a single 3.0 volt lithium battery. It has been fabricated in both 3 mu , p- well and 1.5 mu , n-well technologies. >
A New Radioligand Binding Assay to Measure the Concentration of Drugs in Rodent Brain Ex Vivo

We have developed a new radioligand binding assay method to measure the concentration of nonradiolabeled drugs in the brain ex vivo. This new method fuses the concepts of standard competition and saturation binding assays and uses a transformed version of the Cheng-Prusoff equation (Biochem Pharmacol 22:3099-3108, 1973) to calculate the drug concentration. After testing the validity of this method, we demonstrated its utility by measuring the brain concentration of sazetidine-A, a newly developed nicotinic receptor ligand, and its elimination rate after a single subcutaneous administration. Our results indicate that sazetidine-A reaches brain concentrations that are known to occupy and desensitize the majority of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding sites. Furthermore, using this method, we estimated the half-life of sazetidine-A in the rat brain to be ∼65 min. It is important to note that the method described here to measure sazetidine-A in brain should be generalizable to other drugs acting at any receptor that can be reliably measured with a radiolabeled ligand.
The impact of blood pressure cuff location on the accuracy of noninvasive blood pressure measurements in obese patients: an observational study.

Obesity presents many challenges to the anesthesiologist, including poorly fitting blood pressure (BP) cuffs due to the conical shape of the upper arm. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of noninvasive BP readings, obtained from a noninvasive BP cuff using various cuff locations and wrapping techniques, compared with invasive intra-arterial BP readings. Thirty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-III obese (body mass index > 30 kg·m−2) individuals undergoing non-cardiac surgery were enrolled in this observational study. Serial oscillometric noninvasive BP (NIBP) measurements were taken in the patients’ forearm and upper arm with two different wrapping formations (one following the contour of the upper arm, the other keeping cuff edges parallel). These NIBP measurements were compared with invasive arterial blood pressure (ABP) measurements taken from the ipsilateral radial artery. The precision and bias of the NIBP and ABP measurements were determined using Bland-Altman analysis. Analysis of variance and Welch’s t test were used to determine between-group differences in bias. There was poor agreement between the ABP measurements and all types of NIBP measurements. Each of our study participants had a least one NIBP parameter (mean arterial pressure, systolic BP, or diastolic BP) that was > 10 mmHg different than the corresponding ABP parameter. Upper arm BP measurements showed a statistically insignificant trend toward underestimating ABP. For all cuff positions and wrapping techniques, systolic BP offered the best agreement between NIBP and ABP measurements. All the forms of NIBP cuff orientation studied had unacceptable precision and bias compared with invasive ABP measurements. When patient and/or surgical conditions necessitate accurate BP monitoring, direct arterial measurement should be considered over NIBP measurements in obese patients.
An Econometric Analysis of African Stock Market: Annual Returns Analysis, Day-of-the-Week Effect and Volatility of Returns

This paper investigates the presence of day-of-the-week effect, returns volatility and analyzes the annual returns of five African stock markets. A set of parametric and non-parametric tests is used to test equality of mean returns and standard deviations of the returns across the-days-of-the-week. To supplement this analysis, graphical representation of the indexes annual percentage changes was explored and their correlation determined. The results contradict the presence of the-day-of-the- week but indicate insignificant daily returns volatility in most of these Markets. The stock exchanges experienced enormous growth between 1997 and 2004. There was a high positive correlation of market gains and declines among the markets.
Declassifying the Classified

Despite the prevalence of staggered boards, only lately have they become the focus of corporate debate, and the literature on them is still limited. Scholars assume that staggered boards by definition mean a guaranteed term of office, unless cause for removal is present. They further believe that staggered boards contribute to corporate stability, long-term planning, and the board's independence from management. They primarily debate the desirability of staggered boards in takeovers, some suggesting that staggered boards coupled with poison pills have become the most effective way to prevent hostile takeovers. Scholars also note that overwhelmingly shareholders are powerless to undo staggered boards without the board's consent and that state legislatures are unlikely to amend the statutes in favor of shareholders. This article argues that we can safely sever the link between staggered boards and entrenchment in office. It suggests that the traditional rationales supporting entrenched staggered boards are no longer valid. In fact, a Delaware statute, protecting staggered boards against removal without cause, was based on a misreading of a judicial opinion, which was not even good law at the time it was enacted. The article draws an analogy from agency law to contend that the law should not tolerate the irrevocability of staggered terms in quasi-agency relationships of the kind that exist between shareholders and directors, notwithstanding contractual provisions to the contrary. Indeed, other countries with similar statutory protections require only monetary damages for unjustified removals. They treat shareholders' removal power as mandatory and unwaivable. A look at independent agencies, the closest constitutional analogy, shows that there, too, staggered terms and removal protection warrant only compensatory damages, not reinstatement. This article thus argues for similar treatment of staggered boards and removal-for-cause protections, which would resolve one of the most difficult problems in corporate governance today. By permitting only monetary damages, not entrenchment, to directors removed without cause, their entitlement to office is transformed from a property rule to a liability rule, which is fully justified under the contractual theory of efficient breach and restores shareholder power to its intended potency.
A crash course in spinal cord injury.

The complex management issues related to spinal cord injury traditionally have been the purview of physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists. However, changes in the healthcare system now offer primary care physicians an expanded role in helping affected patients live a healthier and more functional life. With proper understanding of the mechanisms of spinal cord injury, primary care physicians can become important members of the medical management team. Dr Yu presents a comprehensive overview of medical care issues and common complications in spinal cord injury. Language: en
The Abnormal High Pressure Features in Western Sichuan Sag and Origin Analyses

The abnormal high pressures of the Upper Triassic Series foreland basin in western Sichuan have its peculiar distribution features.Through the analyses on some kinds of possible origin mechanisms of lack of compacting action,hydrocarbon generation and increasing compacting action,clay mineral dehydration increasing compaction action and structural squeezing action,it is thought that the structural squeezing in Xishan time is the main control factor of forming and maintaining abnormal high pressures' present patter in the Upper Triassic of Zitong sag.The discrepancy sediment action between the north and south in Shaximiao group of western Sichuan foreland basin makes the north have a high densification level of the Upper Triassic formation and the south a low one,which causes the discrepancy of origin mechanism between the north and south areas.
Polychlorinated biphenyls in seafood and tidal-flat environment of south of Hangzhou Bay

Objective To study polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) pollution level in seafood and tidal-flat environment of the south of Hangzhou Bay.Methods Seven kinds of seafood and tidal-flat sediments were collected from six tidal-flat farms in south of Hangzhou Bay from 2010 to 2011.The contents of PCBs were determined with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(GC-MS/MSO) and the correlation between PCBs and seafood and tidal-flat pollution was analyzed.Results Concentration ranges of PCBs in 880 samples of 7 kinds of seafood were 43.69-147.14 μg/kg.Concentration ranges of PCBs in tidal-flat sediments were 8.41-25.87 μg/kg.There were significant differences in the content of PCBs of seafoods and tidal-flat sediments from different tidal-flat farm areas(P 0.05).The content of PCBs in seafood was significantly correlated with tidal-flat sediments(P 0.047) and the enrichment of PCBs in biological systems was observed.Conclusion Residues of PCBs are detectable in seafoods and tidal-flat sediments from the south of Hangzhou Bay and the PCBs pollution of seafoods is correlated to that of tidal-flat.
Dilated esophagus and tracheal compression secondary to a slipped Nissen fundoplication: a case report

We describe the case of a 20-month-old girl with a gastrostomy tube who presented with stridor, daily emesis, stertor, and mild neck retractions. Endoscopic and radiologic investigations revealed a dilated esophagus, an associated tracheal compression, and a paraesophageal hernia secondary to a slipped Nissen fundoplication. The patient underwent a revision fundoplication, and her stridor, stertor, and neck retractions subsided significantly. She tolerated tube feeding without emesis and was discharged home. We recommend a careful evaluation of fundoplication in patients who have undergone the procedure who present with stridor and frequent emesis. Esophageal dilation and associated tracheal compression should be considered in the differential diagnosis, and in such a case, revision of the gastric wrap should alleviate the problem.
Micromirrors for Adaptive-Optics Arrays

We present a micromachined mirror array for use in adaptive optics. Piston motions of more than 6 µm as well as tip/tilt motions of 11 mrad (0.65°) are demonstrated. Single-crystal-silicon mirrors are assembled onto electrostatic parallel-plate actuators. The actuators lift off the substrate after microstructure release as a consequence of residual stresses in nickel-polysilicon bimorph flexures. The assembled mirrors provide fill factors of 95%. Peak-to-valley surface variations are smaller than 30 nm over a 464 µm-diameter (vertex-to-vertex) mirror segment.
Modeling Pulverized-Coal Reaction Processes

In this chapter, a generalized model of coal reaction processes, including devolatilization, char oxidation, gas-phase oxidation, and gas—particle interchange, is presented. Coal and gas physical properties are also summarized. The resulting generalized model, which describes the response of a coal particle to its thermal, chemical, and radiative environment, is required for the modeling of propagating coal-dust flames (Chapter 13) and performance of combustors and gasifiers (Chapters 13 and 14).
The Neuropsychological Profiles of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Epilepsy

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core deficits in social communication and reciprocity as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. ASD and epilepsy co-occur at high rates with up to 30% of individuals with either a primary diagnosis of ASD or epilepsy experiencing a co-occurring disorder. Research has described the independent contribution of epilepsy and autism to neuropsychological deficits or weakness, but relatively little research has examined the neuropsychological sequela of these co-occurring disorders. A critical review of the research reveals that individuals with co-occurring disorders demonstrate more difficulties with language functioning, verbal abilities, nonverbal cognitive abilities, daily living skills, motor skills, and more problematic behavior when compared with children with ASD alone. Although there is a great deal yet to be examined in this population, the clinical implications and the need for thorough neuropsychological evaluations within this population are clear. This article provides a brief review of the neuropsychological findings in ASD and epilepsy alone as well as an in depth review of the literature on outcomes in patients with co-occurring disorders. Research in neuropsychological profile of two genetic causes of ASD and epilepsy are reviewed as an example of the utility of this research and clinical evaluation in guiding treatment and intervention recommendations and expectations.
Iron protoporphyrin IX (Hemin) but not tin or zinc protoporphyrin IX can stimulate gene expression in K562 cells from enhancer elements containing binding sites for NF-E2

Many genes whose transcription is erythroid-specific contain enhancer or promoter elements that bind the transcription factor NF-E2. Hemin induction increases the expression of globin genes in the human erythroleukemia cell line K562, and increases the expression of reporters gene regulated by an enhancer elements containing binding sites for NF-E2. The failure of metalloporphyrins other than hemin to stimulate the transient expression of a CAT reporter gene linked to an enhancer element containing a binding site for NF-E2 was correlated with their failure to induce benzidine-positive K562 cells and increase the steady-state level of gamma-globin mRNA. This study suggests that elevated levels of zinc protoporphyrin IX found in the anemia of chronic disease, iron deficiency, and lead poisoning may contribute to a decrease in globin gene expression by interfering with the transcriptional activity of enhancer elements containing binding sites for NF-E2.
Registration of segmented attenuation and emission data in PET

Estimates of patient motion between acquisition of attenuation and emission data in PET can be used to align the emission and attenuation data and sets of time-binned emission data. A two-region maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm (Costa et al., 1993) was developed to estimate rigid motion parameters between segmented attenuation and emission images. The authors previously reported that this algorithm produces registration parameter estimates which are biased toward the position of the object in the attenuation data used to weight the emission data before reconstruction. The performance of the two-region likelihood algorithm is evaluated using images of a homogeneous elliptical phantom reconstructed without attenuation correction. This results in unbiased estimates of the registration parameters. However, the two-region ML registration algorithm returns biased estimates of the registration parameters for a more clinically relevant torso phantom. For comparison, an alternative algorithm similar to that described by Watanabe et al. (1992) is also applied to the torso phantom. This algorithm estimates the registration parameters more accurately, but its precision is hindered by the existence of local maxima in the merit function maximized to obtain the registration parameters. >
Principles of Multi-Enzyme Purification by Affinity Chromatography

Following our previous reports on the use of 8-substituted adenine nucleotide derivatives as general ligands for affinity chromatography (1–3), several important new principles have been developed regarding multi-enzyme purifications from crude extracts by general ligand affinity chromatography.
Role of Microparticles in Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Abstract SCI-10 Microparticles (MPs) (also known as or microvesicles) are submicron plasma membrane vesicles released from activated or apoptotic cells. Current estimates indicate that MPs are ∼200 nm in diameter. They are formed as membrane blebs and have phosphatidylserine exposed on the surface due to a loss of membrane asymmetry. MPs containing tissue factor (TF) are highly procoagulant. We recently developed an assay to measure TF activity of MPs isolated from plasma. We found that healthy individuals contain low levels of TF+ MPs, but levels are increased in many pathological conditions associated with thrombosis, such as sepsis, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. We have analyzed the role of TF+ MPs in various murine models of thrombosis and in different patient populations. Work in collaboration with Bruce and Barbara Furie demonstrated that leukocyte-derived TF+ MPs contributed to microvascular thrombosis in a model of laser injured cremaster arterioles using healthy mice. Further studies have been performed using different murine models of disease. Arterial thrombosis is mostly caused by rupture of atherosclerotic plaques and leads to myocardial infarction and stroke. In hypercholesterolemic LDLR−/− mice we observed increased levels of hematopoietic cell-derived TF+ MPs that were associated with a prothrombotic state. These TF+ MPs may enhance thrombosis after plaque rupture. Indeed, we observed more fibrin deposition in the laser injury model of thrombosis in hypercholesterolemic mice than controls. Importantly, we found that simvastatin reduced TF expression in mononuclear cells and levels of TF+ MPs in the plasma in these hypercholesterolemic mice. Venous thrombosis occurs without significant damage to the vessel wall and is associated with embolization of clot fragments that can block pulmonary arteries. Venous clots appear to form due to changes in the vessel wall, stasis, and/or increased coagulability of the blood. We have analyzed levels of TF+ MPs in murine cancer models and cancer patient samples. We and other have found that tumors release TF+ MPs into the circulation. In one study, we found that pancreatic patients with the highest levels of MP TF activity develop thrombosis. These results suggest that TF+ MPs may enhance venous thrombosis in cancer patients by binding to activated endothelium. Further studies are needed to determine if levels of TF+ MPs in the circulation can be used to identify patients at risk for thrombosis. Disclosures: Mackman:Merck: Consultancy; Daiichi: Consultancy; Daiichi: Research Funding.