cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LOCAL ANESTHETIC AGENTS IN COMBINATION WITH VASOCONSTRICTORS PART I, EPINEPHRINE†

UMMARY By use of the Trypan-Blue leak-out test and by later studies of local tissue necrosis at the site of injection, we have found a distinct correlation between tissue irritancy, tissue necrosis, and the combined use of the more potent local anesthetics and epinephrine. We believe this action to be due not to the vasoconstrictor primarily, but rather to retention of the local anesthetic in one tissue area. The vasoconstrictor permits a high mass-volume-time action allowing a 1 % or 2 % local anesthetic concentration, in reality, to act as a 6 % or even higher concentration. Ideally one would desire just that amount of vasoconstrictor necessary to delay absorption of the local agent permitting an adequate saturation of nerve tissue without over-retention of the irritating local anesthetic drug. More studies are in progress in order to determine the effects of other vasoconstrictors when combined with the more potent local anesthetics and the possible translation of our data to man. Whatever the results in experimental animals, the importance of any study is as it pertains to man. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Mit Hilfe des Trypan-Blau-Sickertestes und durch spatere Untersuchungen von lokalen Gewebsnekrosen an der Stelle der Injektion konnten wir eine deutliche Correlation zwischen der Gewebsreizung, Gewebsnekrose und der kombinierten Anwendung starkerer Lokalanaesthetica mit Epinephrin fest-stellen. Wir glauben, dass diese Wirkung nicht so sehr in erster Linie durch den Vasokonstriktor sondern vielmehr durch die Retention des Lokalana-estheticums in einer bestimmten Gewebsregion bedingt ist. Der Vasokonstriktor fuhrt zu einer hohen Massen-Volums-Zeit-Wirkung, indem er eine 1– oder 2%ige L.A.-Konzentration in Wirklichkeit in eine 6%ige oder noch hohere Konzentration umwandelt. Idealerweise wurde man wunschen, dass nur so viel Vasokonstriktor vorhanden ist, dass durch die verzogerte Absorption des Lokanaestheticums dieses sich am Nervengewebe zwar in ausreichender Sattigung anlagert, jedoch nicht zu einer irritierenden Uberkonzentration fuhrt. Es sind noch weitere Untersuchungen notwendig, um die Wirkungen anderer Vasokonstriktoren festzustellen, wenn diese mit starken Lokalanaestheticis kombiniert werden. Auch die Ubertragung unserer Befunde auf den Menschen muss noch studiert werden. Denn was immer das Resultat am Versuchstier ist, es kommt schliesslich doch im Wesentlichen darauf an, wie weit die Untersuchung auch fur den Menschen Gultigkeit hat.
Barriers to implementation of evidence-based addiction treatment: A national study

Prior studies have identified that working in an addiction treatment unit with higher levels of organizational capacity is a factor associated with positive staff attitudes about evidence-based addiction treatment practices (EBPs). The study presented here explored whether staff perceptions about the organizational capacity of their treatment unit are also associated with staff experience of barriers to implementing EBPs. Multivariate regression methods examined the relationship between the clinical staff (n = 510) and director (n = 296) perceptions of organizational capacity (Texas Christian University Organizational Readiness for Change [TCU ORC]-staff and TCU ORC-director) and level of barriers experienced when implementing a new EBP controlling for a range of treatment unit characteristics, staff characteristics, and type of EBP implemented. For both samples, reporting higher levels of stress in their organizations was significantly associated with reporting higher levels of barriers when implementing a new EBP. For clinical staff only, experiencing lower levels of program needs in their organization, working in a program that had been in existence for a shorter period, and implementing motivational interviewing techniques compared with other EBPs were all factors significantly associated with experiencing lower levels of barriers with EBP implementation.
THE REAL‐BALANCE EFFECT: ASPECTS AND EVIDENCE*

POSTKEYNESLAN MONETARY THEORY has explained the effect of changes in the real money supply in three basic ways. They may be termed the "net-wealth effect" (generally called the real-balance effect), the portfolio-balance effect, and the Cambridge effect. According to the net-wealth effect, an increase in the money supply increases the assets of the private sector but not its liabilities, since fiat money is a liability of the government. As a result of this increase in wealth, private spending increases. Since government spending is assumed constant, total spending for goods and services increases as a result of the increase in the net wealth of the private sector. The result of the increase in net wealth, assuming full employment, is an equiproportional rise in the price level.' According to the portfolio effect, variations in an area's stock of money affect expenditures when real balances bear a proportion to the value of the portfolio which is different from the proportion desired by money holders. Rearrangement of portfolios takes place through additional spending or additional accumulation, processes which drive prices either up or down and restore the actual value of money holdings to the desired value. Finally, the Cambridge effect views individual decisions about money holdings as depending upon yearly income. If money holdings represent a fraction of yearly income that is larger (say) than people desire, they remedy the situation by increasing their rate of expenditure, causing an increase in the price level. It is our contention that the only realistic way in which to make the real-balance effect (RBE) a useful concept with which to analyze the workings of the economy is to define it as the set of all changes in spending behavior resulting from a change in the real stock of money and to include, as aspects of the RBE, the three effects mentioned above. Moreover, there should be a recognition of the fact that excess supply of money may imply an excess demand for financial instruments as well as for commodities. In other words, an overall view of the effect of changes in real balances must admit that changes in the money supply affect interest rates, investment, and incomes, as in the Keynes effect. Hence, we also include this as the indirect aspect of the RBE. In our view, an increase in the real money supply increases spending for both consumption goods and financial instruments, with the ultimate increase in spending stemming not only from whatever wealth argument enters the consumption function, but also from whatever extra income is generated through increased investment and lower interest rates.
Optic disk topography after medical treatment to reduce intraocular pressure

Abstract PURPOSE: We examined changes in optic disk topography using confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy after reducing intraocular pressure with administration of latanoprost. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension were imaged using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph before and after the administration of latanoprost to decrease intraocular pressure. Average time between pretreatment and posttreatment imaging was 2.7 ± 1.8 weeks. Heidelberg Retina Tomograph software–measured parameters were mean height of contour, cup area, cup volume, mean cup depth, maximum cup depth, cup shape, rim area, rim volume, cup-to-disk ratio, and retinal nerve fiber thickness. RESULTS: Average intraocular pressure decreased significantly (mean ± SD) by 7.2 ± 5.4 mm Hg (25 ± 16% decrease). No statistically significant changes in measured topographic parameters were found. When data from patients with decreases in intraocular pressure of 7 mm Hg or greater were analyzed separately (mean intraocular pressure decrease=10.79 ± 4.32 mm Hg, 36 ± 8% decrease), cup area ( P = .005), cup volume ( P = .002), and cup-to-disk ratio ( P = .005) decreased significantly, and rim area ( P = .005) increased significantly. Linear regression analysis of the data from all subjects showed that a change in intraocular pressure after latanoprost administration accounted for 12% or more of the variance in two measured topographic parameters (mean cup depth and cup shape). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, in some patients, moderate decreases in intraocular pressure may affect disk topography, as measured by Heidelberg Retina Tomograph. Intraocular pressure should be considered when analyzing consecutive confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy images for glaucomatous progression.
Driver Approach Speed and Its Impact on Driver Yielding to Pedestrian Behavior at Unsignalized Crosswalks

This study evaluated the effect of motor vehicle speed on yielding rates to pedestrians in marked crosswalks. The experimental design was to measure the 85th percentile speed at nine locations and then to run to 100 tests at each of nine locations to check for motorist yielding at various speeds. The 85th percentile speed was calculated, and the AASHTO guidelines were used to calculate stopping sight distance. Then a cone was placed at the calculated stopping sight distance away from the marked crosswalk, and a pedestrian was asked to step into the street to test yielding behavior in a staged experiment. Data were collected on site and recorded for analysis. Overall, there was an inverse correlation: the higher the motor vehicle speed was, the lower the yield rate was. Of the eight two-lane roadways, the range was from a 75% yield rate for the 20 mph street to a 17% yield rate for the 37 mph street, a significantly lower yield rate. The one street that was four lanes wide had only a 9% yield rate. The res...
Estimates of Larval‐Fish Abundance: Diurnal Variation and Influences of Sampling Gear and Towing Speed

Abstract The influence of net-towing speed on estimates of the abundance of larval Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus, spot Leiostomus xanthurus, pinfish Lagodon rhomboides, and Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus was studied in nearshore and estuarine areas of North Carolina. A modified Miller high-speed sampler was towed at speeds ranging from 2 to 12 m/second. In one series, catch increased monotonically with increasing tow speed up to 7 m/second; in a second series, catch increased with speed up to 8 m/second but decreased at higher speeds, possibly because larvae were extruded through the net or deflected by the pressure wave. In additional studies, a slowly towed (2 m/second) 20-cm bongo net was compared to the high-speed sampler during daylight; day and night samples from the high-speed sampler also were compared. These data imply that visual avoidance by larval fish biases estimates of both their abundance and their vertical distribution. The data from all three studies suggest the need to...
Organization‐public relationships and consumer satisfaction: The role of relationships in the satisfaction mix

Scholars and practitioners long have debated the influence that public relations activities have on consumers. Recently Ledingham and Bruning (1998) reported that the organization‐public relationship variables of trust, openness, involvement, investment, and commitment can be used to predict consumer behavior. The current investigation examined these organization‐public relationship variables in relation to customer satisfaction and found that customer satisfaction is influenced by the relationship that exists between an organization and its key publics. The authors suggest that the relationship between an organization and its key publics should be considered when developing customer satisfaction initiatives and should be included in future models of satisfaction research. Conclusions and future directions for research also are presented.
Use of the Chiral Pharmaceutical Propranolol to Identify Sewage Discharges into Surface Waters

The discharge of relatively small volumes of untreated sewage is a source of wastewater-derived contaminants in surface waters that is often ignored because it is difficult to discriminate from wastewater effluent. To identify raw sewage discharges, we analyzed the two enantiomers of the popular chiral pharmaceutical, propranolol, after derivitization to convert the enantiomers to diastereomers. The enantiomeric fraction (the ratio of the concentration of one of its isomers to the total concentration) of propranolol in the influent of five wastewater treatment plants was 0.50 ± 0.02, while after secondary treatment it was 0.42 or less. In a laboratory study designed to simulate an activated sludge municipal wastewater treatment system, the enantiomeric fraction of propranolol decreased from 0.5 to 0.43 as the compound underwent biotransformation. In a similar system designed to simulate an effluent-dominanted surface water, the enantiomeric fraction of propranolol remained constant as it underwent biotran...
The oxygen uptake efficiency slope is reduced in older patients with heart failure and a normal ejection fraction

The oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) response has not been characterized in heart failure (HF) patients with a normal ejection fraction (NEF). Fifty-nine subjects with systolic HF, 59 with HF-NEF and 28 healthy age-matched controls participated in this analysis. The OUES (systolic HF: 1.23 ±0.41 vs. HF-NEF: 1.22 ±0.30 vs. controls: 1.51 ±0.49) was significantly reduced in both HF groups compared to controls (p<0.001). Compared to healthy controls, the OUES is reduced in HF-NEF patients to a similar degree as those with systolic HF. Thus, as in systolic HF, the OUES may provide clinically useful information in patients with HF-NEF.
The Ranking of the Goods at Philebus 66a-67b

At the very end of Plato’s Philebus Socrates and Protarchus place the goods of a human life in a hierarchy (66a-67b). Previous interpretations of this passage have concentrated upon its relevance to the good human life, including the allowance of (true and pure) pleasures. This view picks up Plato’s metaphor of a mixture of reason and pleasure, but the ranking of the goods is emphatically a vertical stratification and not a mixture in which all elements are equally fundamental. In this article I argue that each and all of the higher ranked goods are necessary conditions for the goods of the level immediately below. The ranking represents an attempt to identify as far as possible what is responsible for the characteristics of the good in human life, and therefore to narrow down the definition of the good itself.
Physiological relevance of the changing subunit composition and regulatory properties of the 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase isozyme pools during heart and muscle development

During postnatal development, the subunit compositions of the 6-phosphofructo-l-kinase isozyme pools of heart and skeletal muscle are known to change. The isozyme pools from fetal muscle were composed of the L-type (60%), and M-type (36%) and C-type (4%) subunits and the isozymes from fetal and early neonatal heart contain nearly equal amounts of all three subunits. During postnatal development of both tissues, the proportion of the M-type subunit increases until it is the only type present in adult muscle and the major subunit in adult heart (7507o). The isozyme pool from fetal muscle exhibit a decreased affinity for fructose-6-P and a greater susceptibility to ATP inhibition compared to the M-rich isozymes which are subsequently present. The isozyme pools from fetal and early neonatal heart, if compared to the M-rich isozymes which are present later during heart development and to the fetal muscle isozymes, exhibited the least affinity for fructose-6-P and the greatest susceptibility to ATP inhibition. Comparison of the isozyme pools containing little or no C-type subunit with those from fetal and early neonatal heart clearly indicates that the presence of substantial levels of the C-type subunit imposed a decreased ability for fructose-2,6-P2 to both lower affinity for fructose-6-P and antagonize sensitivity to ATP inhibition. Although still not thoroughly appreciated, it appears that the changing nature of the isozyme pools in these tissues permits regulation of glucose metabolism in a manner which allows efficient utilization of nutritional opportunities and which adequately meets the energy requirements of each tissue at different stages of development.
Kimbasines A and B, novel hexacyclic norsesterterpene alkaloids from the sponge Igernella notabilis☆

Abstract Two novel hexacyclic norsesterterpene alkaloids, kimbasines A and B, have been isolated from cytotoxic extracts of the sponge Igernella notabilis . The structures, related as butyrate and acetate esters, were solved by analyses of spectral data of kimbasine A and comparison of data for kimbasine B with those of kimbasine A. Biological testing data for kimbasine A are presented.
A weakly singular form of the hypersingular boundary integral equation applied to 3-D acoustic wave problems

Abstract The composite boundary integral equation (BIE) formulation, using a linear combination of the conventional BIE and the hypersingular BIE, emerges as the most effective and efficient formula for acoustic wave problems in an exterior medium which is free of the well-known fictitious eigen-frequency difficulty. The crucial part in implementing this formulation is dealing with the hypersingular integrals. Various regularization procedures in the literature give rise, in general, to integrals which are still difficult and/or extremely time consuming to evaluate or are limited to the use of special, usually flat, boundary elements. In this paper, a general form of the hypersingular BIE is developed for 3-D acoustic wave problems, which contains at most weakly singular integrals. This weakly singular form can be derived by employing certain integral identities involving the static Green's function. It is shown that the discretization of this weakly singular form of the hypersingular BIE is straightforward and the same collocation procedures and regular quadrature as that used for conventional BIEs are sufficient to compute all the integrals involved. Computing times are only slightly longer than with conventional BIEs. The C 1 smoothness requirement imposed on the density function for existence of the hypersingular BIEs and the possibility of relaxing this requirement are discussed. Three kinds of boundary elements, having different smoothness features, are employed. Numerical results are given for scattering from a rigid sphere at the fictitious frequencies, for values of wavenumber from π to 5π. In essence, with the methodology in this paper the fictitious eigenfrequency difficulty, long associated with the BIE for exterior problems, should no longer be a troublesome issue.
Possible causes inhibiting the purchase of Chinese grocery own brands: a preliminary study

Abstract The aim of this preliminary study is to identify the possible causes inhibiting consumers from purchasing Chinese own brands. In view of the absence of literature on this aspect of commerce in Asia, a review of Western literature was conducted. The data for this study is from semi-structured in-depth interviews with Chinese retail consultants and grocery shoppers in Shanghai, China. The results of the study show that negative low price image, low perceived own brand quality, and the importance of “face” in Chinese culture are the key factors resulting in negative sentiment toward Chinese grocery own brands. The results of this investigation are expected to provide a basis for making recommendations for the use of both international and Chinese retailers when building Chinese grocery own brands. The findings of this study have been generated from a small group of interviewees in a single city and thus cannot be considered conclusive. Therefore further research in other cities of China and other As...
Continuous biohydrogen production from liquid swine manure supplemented with glucose using an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

Abstract Liquid swine manure supplemented with glucose (10 g/L) was used as substrate for hydrogen production using an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor at 37 ± 1 °C and pH 5.0 under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs). Decreasing HRT from 24 to 8 h caused an increasing hydrogen production rate from 0.05 to 0.15 L/h/L. Production rates of both total biogas and hydrogen were linearly correlated to HRT with R2 being 0.993 and 0.997, respectively. The hydrogen yield ranged between 1.18 and 1.63 mol-H2/mol glucose and the 12 h HRT was preferred for high production rate and efficient yield. For all the five HRTs examined, the glucose utilization efficiency was over 98%. The biogas mainly consisted of carbon dioxide and hydrogen (up to 43%) with no methane detected throughout the experiment. Ethanol and organic acids were the major aqueous metabolites produced during fermentation, with acetic acid accounting for 56–58%. The hydrogen yield was found to be related to the acetate/butyrate ratio.
Thermal sprayed nanostructured WC/Co hardcoatings

Hardcoatings of WC/Co, produced by high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) and air plasma spray (APS) deposition, have been studied. During HVOF deposition, nanostructured powder experiences more decarburization than conventional powder, whereas in APS deposition, just the opposite effect occurs This is explained in terms of the influence of the highly porous, spherical-shell morphology of the nano-WC/Co particles on their melting characteristics and reaction kinetics. In particular, heterogeneous melting and localized superheating of the high-surface-area powder is considered to be a controlling factor in decarburization. The situation is further complicated in APS deposition by high-temperature vaporization of Co and C.
Books, not bombs: teaching peace since the dawn of the Republic

Books, not bombs: teaching peace since the dawn of the Republic is an invaluable and extremely comprehensive account of the evolution of peace education in the USA beginning with the Iroquois Feder...
Spatial interactions in rapid pattern discrimination

We measured reaction times (RTs) for identification of a target among distracters under stabilized image conditions in which the positions of the target and the distracters were constant within a single experimental session. Under these conditions, the observer need not search for the target because its position is known. We nevertheless found that the presence of even a single distracter could elevate RTs. The magnitude of this effect depended on the distance of the distracter from the target and, for some observers, the distance of the distracter from the fovea. When we added not one but six background elements in a ring around the target, RT increased even more. If, apart from these neighboring distracters, the target was surrounded by more distracters located beyond the nearest neighbors, RT was, in general, not increased further. These findings suggest that adding background elements in a search task can elevate RTs in ways that are not dependent on the positional uncertainty of the target.
Assessing Organizational Culture: Strategies for the External Consultant

Organizational culture provides a mechanism for controlling the actions of the members of the organization by informally approving or prohibiting certain behaviors. Additionally, it serves an integrative function by generating commitment to the goals of the organization and by providing a framework for shared understanding of the meaning of events that occur within the organization (Smircich, 1983). Organizational theorists suggest that culture plays a particularly important role in those organizations that operate under conditions of high uncertainty and complexity and that strive to achieve outcomes that are difficult to measure (Bolman & Deal, 1984; Wilkins & Ouchi, 1983). Today's healthcare delivery agencies clearly fit this category of organizations. By taking the culture of these organizations into consideration when making recommendations, the nurse consultant can minimize the potential for resistance to the consultation process and maximize the potential for successful consultative outcomes.
Preconcentration and differential pulse voltammetry of butylated hydroxyanisole at a carbon paste electrode

Abstract Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and other tocopherols are shown to accumulate very strongly onto carbon paste, with the surface species retaining their characteristic electroactivity. This accumulation serves as a preconcentration step which improves the voltammetric measurement with respect to the sensitivity and selectivity. After 5-min preconcentration, a detection limit near 2 × 10 −8 M BHA is obtained. Enhanced selectivity is achieved if the electrode is transferred into an electrolytic blank solution between the preconcentration and measurement steps. The accumulated analyte can then be quantified in the presence of a 10 3 -fold amount of a solution species with similar redox potential. The differential pulse stripping response is evaluated with respect to concentration dependence, reproducibility, preconcentration period, detection limit, and other variables. The preconcentration/medium exchange approach is exploited for selective detection of BHA in a flow injection system. Applicability to various real samples is illustrated.
Temperature and rate dependent fracture in glass-filled polystyrene

The rate and temperature dependent fracture behavior of glass-filled polystyrene has been investigated over the crack speed range of 1013 to 1 mm/sec and in the temperature range 283 to 396°K for three environmental conditions: (i) air; (ii) water; and (iii) hot water exposure at 363°K and subsequent drying. Relationships between fracture toughness (Kc), crack speed and temperature have been obtained experimentally and analysed according to the concepts of fracture mechanics and reaction rate theories. Crack propagation in air is shown to be controlled by a β-relaxation process associated with crazing. Activation energies of 200 ∼ 210 kj/mole in air and 80 ∼ 120 kj/mole in water are reported. At a given temperature and crack speed, the glass-filled polystyrene is shown to display smaller crack propagation resistances in a water environment when compared with the air results. Specimens subjected to hot water exposure and then tested after drying also possess less cracking resistance. This toughness degradation phenomenon is a result of the damaging effects of the water which penetrates into the glass-filled composite.
Using Six Psychometric Criteria to Determine a Final Food Behavior Checklist for Low-Income Women

Abstract Previous studies identified the psychometrics of 41 items on a proposed food behavior checklist characterizing food patterns of low-income women. The purpose of this paper is to examine those data to select food behavior items that meet six criteria for inclusion on a final short checklist. This final checklist will be a valuable evaluation tool for nutrition education programs. We developed and tested behavior questions among 132 English-speaking, Food Stamp eligible women. The six criteria used for item selection in order of priority are 1). Criterion validity using serum carotenoids; 2.) Criterion validity using the mean of three recalls; 3.) Stability (test-retest reliability); 4.) Validity by race; 5.) Lack of baseline differences by race and 6.) Sensitivity to detect change. Nine items met the six criteria. Twelve additional items met the six criteria in "race specific" cases e.g. whites but not African Americans. The items cover these food behaviors: fruit, vegetables, fat/cholesterol, fiber, calcium, diet quality, shopping, and food security. Four items require additional research. Sixteen items were rejected because they were not sufficiently valid and/or reliable. A valid and reliable short checklist is available as an evaluation tool for whites and African Americans.
Glacioeustatic changes in the early and middle Eocene (51–42 Ma): Shallow-water stratigraphy from ODP Leg 189 Site 1171 (South Tasman Rise) and deep-sea δ18O records

Sequence boundary ages determined in shallow-water sediments obtained from ODP (Ocean Drilling Program) Leg 189 Site 1171 (South Tasman Rise) compare well with other stratigraphic records (New Jersey, United States, and northwestern Europe) and δ 1 8 O increases from deep-sea records, indicating that significant (>10 m) eustatic changes occurred during the early to middle Eocene (51-42 Ma). Sequence boundaries were identified and dated using lithology, bio- and magnetostratigraphy, water-depth changes, CaCO 3 content, and physical properties (e.g., photospectrometry). They are characterized by a sharp bioturbated surface, low CaCO 3 content, and an abrupt increase in glauconite above the surface. Foraminiferal biofacies and planktonic/benthic foraminiferal ratios were used to estimate water-depth changes. Ages of six sequence boundaries (50.9, 49.2, 48.5-47.8, 47.1, 44.5, and 42.6 Ma) from Site 1171 correlate well to the timings of δ 1 8 O increases and sequence boundaries identified from other Eocene studies. The synchronous nature of sequence boundary development from globally distal sites and δ 1 8 O increases indicates a global control and that glacioeustasy was operating in this supposedly ice-free world. This is supported by previous modeling studies and atmospheric ρCO 2 estimates showing that the first time ρCO 2 levels decreased below a threshold that would support the development of an Antarctic ice sheet occurred at ca. 51 Ma. Estimates of sea-level amplitudes range from ∼20 m for the early Eocene (51-49 Ma) and ∼25 m to ∼45 m for the middle Eocene (48-42 Ma) using constraints established for Oligocene δ 1 8 O records.
Psychophysiological correlates of the spontaneous K-complex.

A pilot study covering three nights and two studies were carried out to investigate the psychophysiological correlates of the spontaneous K-complex in relation to intense psychotherapy. The pilot study produced evidence that the K-complex was not consistent and stable within or across nights and that its variability might be sensitive to psycho-emotional influences. In the first major study 2 subjects were recorded non-consecutively over a 3-wk. period during experience of intensive therapy while in the second 6 subjects were studied before and after two therapeutic sessions. Results indicated that nights after therapy differed significantly from baseline nights and a significant interaction took place between subjects and therapy on one or more variables of the K-complex and several eye movement indices. Some relationship to length of time in therapy was also noted. These findings were interpreted to indicate a possible relationship between complete expression of feeling and the occurrence of phasic even...
Successful long-term treatment of hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase I deficiency and a novel mutation.

Summary: Individuals with carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I) deficiency cannot metabolize long-chain fatty acids and can develop life-threatening hypoglycaemia. We present a boy with CPT-I deficiency maintained on a very low-fat diet with nighttime uncooked cornstarch feedings for 5 1/2 years with good success. He has had normal growth and no episodes of hypoglycaemia or adverse side-effects. We found that he was homozygous for a previously undescribed mutation, T314I, in the CPT1A protein.
Breast cancer–associated antigen, DF3/MUC1, induces apoptosis of activated human T cells

Given the plethora of well–documented breast carcinoma–associated antigens in humans including MAGE–1, –2 and –3, mutated p53, p21ras, HER–2/neu and DF3/MUC–1, coupled with evidence that humoral and cytotoxic T–cell responses against these antigens exist1–6, the central dilemma facing tumor immunologists is why the host immune response is so inefficient. One possibility is that tumor cells themselves are either inefficient or ineffective antigen–presenting cells (APCs). The failure of tumor cells to function as APCs may be due to their inability to process and present the antigen, the absence or insufficient numbers of adhesion and costimulatory molecules or, potentially, the secretion of inhibitory cytokines. Therefore, we sought to determine whether human breast cancer cell lines could function as APCs and, if not, to identify mechanism(s) responsible for this defect. Here, we show that human breast cancer cell lines fail to present alloantigen. This defect does not reside in their inherent capacity to present antigen but rather is due to apoptosis of activated T cells induced by exposure to the breast carcinoma–associated mucin antigen, DF3/MUC1. These results support the hypothesis that DF3/MUC1 may contribute to the paucity of clinically significant anticarcinoma–specific immune responses.
Power to detect linkage with heterogeneity in samples of small nuclear families.

Computer simulation methods were used to investigate the power of genetically homogeneous or heterogeneous samples of nuclear families to detect linkage of a rare dominant disease allele to flanking DNA markers (three-point analysis, admixture text). Phase was assumed to be unknown (no grandparents available), and unaffected siblings were not considered. A sample of 95 families with an ill parent and two ill offspring, or 45 families with three ill offspring, demonstrated 90% power to detect a lod score of 3.0 when 50% of families were assumed to be segregating for a disease allele located midway between two DNA markers (PIC = .70) that were .05 M apart. When the proportion of linked families (alpha) = .25, 90% power required 380 and 160 families, respectively. For alpha < .25, samples size requirements become prohibitive. Issues are reviewed concerning the use of the admixture test in the case of more complex disease models. Screening of the genome with adequate sample sizes for low values of alpha is likely to require multiple large collaborative efforts.
Estimate of herpetofauna depredation by a population of wild pigs

Abstract Herpetofauna populations are decreasing worldwide, and the range of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is expanding. Depredation of threatened reptile and amphibian populations by wild pigs could be substantial. By understanding depredation characteristics and rates, more resources can be directed toward controlling populations of wild pigs coincident with threatened or endangered herpetofauna populations. From April 2005 to March 2006 we used firearms to collect wild pigs (n = 68) and examined stomach content for reptiles and amphibians. We found 64 individual reptiles and amphibians, composed of 5 different species, that were consumed by wild pigs during an estimated 254 hours of foraging. Primarily arboreal species (e.g., Anolis carolinensis) became more vulnerable to depredation when temperatures were low and they sought thermal shelter. Other species (e.g., Scaphiopus holbrookii) that exhibit mass terrestrial migrations during the breeding season also faced increased vulnerability to depredation by wi...
A rapid twofold dilution method for microbial enumeration and resuscitation of uninjured and sublethally injured bacteria

D . H . K A N G A N D G . R . S I R A G U S A . 2001. Aims: A rapid and simple method for enumerating uninjured and sublethally injured bacterial cells, the twofold dilution method (2FD), was developed and evaluated. Methods and Results: Following twofold serial dilution of samples in a 96 well microtiter plate, double strength selective broth or nonselective broth was added to each well. For resuscitation of heat-injured (55∞C for 10 min) coliforms, the selective broth was added to the wells after 3 h preresuscitation time in buffered peptone water. The results of the 2FD were compared to plating methods for total and coliform plate counts from mixed cultures and beef carcass surface tissue samples. Conclusions: The 2FD method results were not significantly different for uninjured cells (P >0 AE05) from those obtained using Petrifilm and standard plating. Correlation of the scatterplot of spread plating and 2FD indicated a high level of agreement between these two methods (R 2 a 0AE98 for total counts and R 2 a 0AE96 for coliforms from mixed cultures; R 2 a 0AE98 for total cell counts and R 2 a 0AE94 for coliforms from faeces inoculated beef carcasses). Significance and Impact of the Study: The twofold dilution method recovered significantly higher numbers of heat-injured coliforms compared to conventional plating methods (P <0 AE05).
The Brain's "New" Science: Psychology, Neurophysiology, and Constraint

There is a strong philosophical intuition that direct study of the brain can and will constrain the development of psychological theory. When this intuition is tested against case studies on the neurophysiology and psychology of perception and memory, it turns out that psychology has led the way toward knowledge of neurophysiology. An abstract argument is developed to show that psychology can and must lead the way in neuroscientific study of mental function. The opposing intuition is based on mainly weak arguments about the fundamentality or objectivity of physics or physiology in relation to psychology.
A novel grid-robust higher order vector basis function for the method of moments

A set of novel, grid-robust, higher order vector basis functions is proposed for the method-of-moments (MoM) solution of integral equations for three-dimensional (3-D) electromagnetic (EM) problems. These basis functions are defined over curvilinear triangular patches and represent the unknown electric current density within each patch using the Lagrange interpolation polynomials. The highlight of these basis functions is that the Lagrange interpolation points are chosen to be the same as the nodes of the well-developed Gaussian quadratures. As a result, the evaluation of the integrals in the MoM is greatly simplified. Additionally, the surface of an object to be analyzed can be easily meshed because the new basis functions do not require the side of a triangular patch to be entirely shared by another triangular patch, which is a very stringent requirement for traditional vector basis functions. The proposed basis functions are implemented with point matching for the MoM solution of the electric-field integral equation, the magnetic-field integral equation, and the combined-field integral equation. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the higher order convergence and the grid robustness for defective meshes using the new basis functions.
Initial Laparoscopic Access Using an Optical Trocar Without Pneumoperitoneum Is Safe and Effective in the Morbidly Obese

Obtaining access to the peritoneal cavity in laparoscopic surgery is more difficult in morbidly obese people. The aim of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of accessing the peritoneal cavity using an optical, bladeless trocar without previous pneumoperitoneum in morbidly obese patients. The patients' characteristics and outcomes with consecutive and preferential use of an optical, bladeless, first trocar insertion without previous pneumoperitoneum in morbidly obese patients (body mass index > 35 kg/m2) was reviewed. A total of 208 morbidly obese patients were included. The trocar insertion technique was used in 196 patients. No bowel or major abdominal vessel injuries occurred. Ninety-eight patients (50%) had previous abdominal operations. Trocar-related injuries occurred in 3 patients: a superficial mesenteric laceration in 2 and a laceration of a greater omentum vessel in 1. The direct first trocar insertion technique provides safe entry into the peritoneal cavity in morbidly obese patients.
Verification of invertibility of complicated functions over large domains

A new method to decide the invertibility of a given high-dimensional function over a domain is presented. The problem arises in the field of verified solution of differential algebraic equations (DAEs) related to the need to perform projections of certain constraint manifolds over large domains. The question of invertibility is reduced to a verified linear algebra problem involving first partials of the function under consideration. Different from conventional approaches, the elements of the resulting matrices are Taylor models for the derivatives of the functions. The linear algebra problem is solved based on Taylor model methods, and it will be shown the method is able to decide invertibility with a conciseness that often goes substantially beyond what can be obtained with other interval methods. The theory of the approach is presented. Comparisons with three other interval-based methods are performed for practical examples, illustrating the applicability of the new method.
Treatment of nonunited scaphoid fractures by pulsed electromagnetic field and cast

Thirty-five of 44 nonunited scaphoid fractures that were at least 6 months old healed in a mean time of 4.3 months during pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) treatment using external coils and a thumb spica cast. The mean time from the onset of the fracture to treatment was 40 months. No concurrent operation was performed. Follow-up time averaged 8.4 months. Eight of nine fractures with avascular necrosis healed. Five of eight fractures in the proximal third healed. Twelve (75%) of 16 patients treated in short-arm thumb spica casts and PEMF healed versus 22 (92%) of 24 patients treated initially in long-arm thumb spica casts and PEMF. We have found PEMF to be a reliable alternative method of treating nonunited scaphoid fractures. Because of the low risk, simplicity of use, and reliability, we recommend its consideration in the treatment of undisplaced, nonunited fractures without carpal instability less than 5 years after the injury. Treatment should initially begin with a long-arm cast.
Modal dispersion and attenuation measurements of silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride waveguides using a streak camera

By measuring short pulse propagation in silicon nitride and oxynitride waveguides fabricated on silicon, it has been possible to characterize both attenuation and group velocity dispersion accurately for the different modes that propagate. The method is self-calibrating, using the ratio between scattered light from forward and backward traveling pulses at a particular point on the waveguide. In principle, the group velocity data can be used to calculate the phase velocities for the different modes using known dispersion relations. The phase velocities were measured independently using a prism coupling technique, and the group velocities that could be derived from them matched the experimental data within a few percent. The resolution of the technique is limited mainly by amplitude fluctuations of the laser. The full-width-half-maximum resolution was at best about 12 ps but should be extendable to better than 5 ps. >
PPARα activation elevates blood pressure and does not correct glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in humans

Fibrates, activators of the nuclear receptor PPARalpha, improve dyslipidemia, but their effects on insulin resistance and vascular disease are unresolved. To test the hypothesis that PPARalpha activation improves insulin resistance and vascular function, we determined the effects of fenofibrate in healthy adults with insulin resistance induced by short-term glucocorticoid administration. Eighteen normal-weight subjects were studied in four stages: at baseline, after 21 days of fenofibrate (160 mg/day) alone, after 3 days of dexamethasone (8 mg/day) added to fenofibrate, and after 3 days of dexamethasone added to placebo (dexamethasone alone). Dexamethasone alone caused hyperinsulinemia, increased glucose, decreased glucose disposal, and reduced insulin-induced suppression of hepatic glucose production as determined by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and increased systolic blood pressure as determined by ambulatory monitoring, features associated with an insulin-resistant state. Fenofibrate improved fasting LDL and total cholesterol in the setting of dexamethasone treatment but had no significant effect on levels of insulin or glucose, insulin-stimulated glucose disposal, or insulin suppression of glucose production during clamps, or ambulatory monitored blood pressure. In the absence of dexamethasone, fenofibrate lowered fasting triglycerides and cholesterol but unexpectedly increased systolic blood pressure by ambulatory monitoring. These data suggest that PPARalpha activation in humans does not correct insulin resistance induced by glucocorticoids and may adversely affect blood pressure.
Classes of Individual Growth Trajectories of Religious Coping in Older Adulthood: Patterns and Predictors

For many individuals, religion provides important cognitive resources for coping with stressors, especially in older adulthood. Although older adults are thought to make more use of these coping strategies than those at younger ages, less is known about how patterns of use change during the span of older adulthood. In a largely Christian sample of U.S. older adults, positive and negative religious coping were measured between 2 and 5 times over a period of 11 years (N = 1,075). Growth mixture modeling extracted latent classes of growth. The optimal solution for positive coping indicated a five-class structure (high, stable; high, declining moderately; high, declining rapidly; low, increasing; and low, stable) and the optimal negative coping solution had three classes (low, declining; low, increasing; and high, declining). Nominal logistic regression examined the relationship of individual characteristics with latent class. Education, religious commitment, religious attendance, and religious doubt were related to positive coping trajectory class. Only religious doubt was related to negative coping class.
Do PCAOB Inspection Reports Influence Corporate Executives' Perceptions of Audit Quality and the Likelihood of Switching Auditors?

ABSTRACT: The PCAOB conducts inspections of public company auditors to improve audit quality and build investors' confidence in the quality of financial reporting (PCAOB 2010f). While there is some...
Expression of regulator of G protein signaling-2 in rat myometrium during pregnancy and parturition.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the potential physiologic roles of myometrial regulator of G protein signaling-2 (RGS2), a G protein-associated GTPase, by the analysis of the changes in RGS2 messenger RNA expression during pregnancy and parturition and to examine factors that regulate these changes. Study Design: Myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA levels were analyzed by Northern blotting in rats (1) during pregnancy, parturition, and in the postpartum period; (2) with preterm-induced and delayed, postterm delivery; (3) that were ovariectomized and treated with either estradiol, progesterone, or both; and (4) with unilateral uterine pregnancies. Results: RGS2 messenger RNA was almost undetectable until day 5 of pregnancy, when it rose sharply and remained elevated up to and including day 19, at the time that progesterone withdrawal occurs. The expression of myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA on day 22 did not differ between rats either before or during delivery. Onapristone caused preterm delivery and a premature fall in RGS2 messenger RNA levels. In contrast, progesterone treatment prolonged pregnancy beyond day 25 and attenuated the decline in RGS2 messenger RNA levels. Simulation of the first 5 days of pregnancy resulted in a 3-fold rise in RGS2 messenger RNA expression. The levels of RGS2 in nonimplanted horns were approximately one half that of pregnant horns. Conclusion: Sex steroids, in particular progesterone, and the presence of the conceptus play a role in the regulation of myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA expression. Although the elevated myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA expression corresponds to the period during pregnancy when the uterus is relatively quiescent and the down-regulation of RGS2 messenger RNA at the end of pregnancy may be related to the timing of parturition, the specific role of myometrial RGS2 remains unknown. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:973-7.)