cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subcutaneous Nerve Activity and Spontaneous Ventricular Arrhythmias in Ambulatory Dogs

Background Stellate ganglion nerve activity (SGNA) is important in ventricular arrhythmogenesis. However, because thoracotomy is needed to access the stellate ganglion, it is difficult to use SGNA for risk stratification. Objective The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that subcutaneous nerve activity (SCNA) in canines can be used to estimate SGNA and predict ventricular arrhythmia. Methods We implanted radiotransmitters to continuously monitor left stellate ganglion and subcutaneous electrical activities in 7 ambulatory dogs with myocardial infarction, complete heart block, and nerve growth factor infusion to the left stellate ganglion. Results Spontaneous ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) was documented in each dog. SCNA preceded a combined 61 episodes of VT and VF, 61 frequent bigeminy or couplets, and 61 premature ventricular contractions within 15 seconds in 70%, 59%, and 61% of arrhythmias, respectively. Similar incidence of 75%, 69%, and 62% was noted for SGNA. Progressive increase in SCNA [48.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 39.3–58.5) vs 61.8 (95% CI 45.9–77.6) vs 75.1 (95% CI 57.5–92.7) mV-s] and SGNA [48.6 (95% CI 40.9–56.3) vs 58.5 (95% CI 47.5–69.4) vs 69.0 (95% CI 53.8–84.2) mV-s] integrated over 20-second intervals was demonstrated 60 seconds, 40 seconds, and 20 seconds before VT/VF ( P P Conclusion SCNA can be used as an estimate of SGNA to predict susceptibility to VT and VF in a canine model of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.
Clinical outcomes in pediatric hemodialysis patients in the USA: lessons from CMS' ESRD CPM Project.

Although prospective randomized trials have provided important information and allowed the development of evidence-based guidelines in adult hemodialysis (HD) patients, with approximately 800 prevalent pediatric HD patients in the United States, such studies are difficult to perform in this population. Observational data obtained through the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Clinical Performance Measures (CPM) Project have allowed description of the clinical care provided to pediatric HD patients as well as identification of risk factors for failure to reach adult targets for clinical parameters such as hemoglobin, single-pool Kt/V (spKt/V) and serum albumin. In addition, studies linking data from the ESRD CPM Project and the United States Renal Data System have allowed evaluation of associations between achievement of those targets and the outcomes of hospitalization and death. The results of those studies, while unable to prove cause and effect, suggest that the adult ESRD CPM targets may assist in identifying pediatric HD patients at risk for poor outcomes.
Adverse events associated with lay emergency response programs: The public access defibrillation trial experience

Summary The adverse event (AE) profile of lay volunteer CPR and public access defibrillation (PAD) programs is unknown. We undertook to investigate the frequency, severity, and type of AE's occurring in widespread PAD implementation. Design A randomized-controlled clinical trial. Setting One thousand two hundred and sixty public and residential facilities in the US and Canada. Participants On-site, volunteer, lay personnel trained in CPR only compared to CPR plus automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Intervention Persons experiencing possible cardiac arrest receiving lay volunteer first response with CPR + AED compared with CPR alone. Main outcome measure An AE is defined as an event of significance that caused, or had the potential to cause, harm to a patient or volunteer, or a criminal act. AE data were collected prospectively. Results Twenty thousand three hundred and ninety six lay volunteers were trained in either CPR or CPR + AED. One thousand seven hundred and sixteen AEDs were placed in units randomized to the AED arm. There were 26,389 exposure months. Only 36 AE's were reported. There were two patient-related AEs: both patients experienced rib fractures. There were seven volunteer-related AE's: one had a muscle pull, four experienced significant emotional distress and two reported pressure by their employee to participate. There were 27 AED-related AEs: 17 episodes of theft involving 20 devices, three involved AEDs that were placed in locations inaccessible to the volunteer, four AEDs had mechanical problems not affecting patient safety, and three devices were improperly maintained by the facility. There were no inappropriate shocks and no failures to shock when indicated (95% upper bound for probability of inappropriate shock or failure to shock = 0.0012). Conclusions AED use following widespread training of lay-persons in CPR and AED is generally safe for the volunteer and the patient. Lay volunteers may report significant, usually transient, emotional stress following response to a potential cardiac arrest. Within the context of this prospective, randomized multi-center study, AEDs have an exceptionally high safety profile when used by trained lay responders.
Magnetic resonance microscopy of iron in the basal forebrain cholinergic structures of the aged mouse lemur

Increased non-heme iron levels in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients are higher than the levels observed in age matched normal subjects. Iron level in structures that are highly relevant for AD, such as the basal forebrain, can be detected post mortem with histochemistry. Because of the small size of these structures, in vivo MR detection is very difficult at conventional field magnets (1.5 and 4 T). In this study, we observed iron deposits with histochemistry and MR microscopy at 11.7 T in the brain of the mouse lemur, a strepsirhine primate which is the only known animal model of aging presenting both senile plaques and neurofibrillary degeneration. We also examined a related species, the dwarf lemur. Iron distribution in aged animals (8 to 15 years old) agrees with previous findings in humans. In addition, the high iron levels of the globus pallidus is paralleled by a comparable contrast in basal forebrain cholinergic structures. Because of the enhancement of iron-dependent contrast with increasing field strength, microscopic magnetic resonance imaging of the mouse lemur appears to be an ideal model system for studying in vivo iron changes in the basal forebrain in relation to aging and neurodegeneration.
Crystal structures of Flavobacterium glycosylasparaginase. An N-terminal nucleophile hydrolase activated by intramolecular proteolysis.

Glycosylasparaginase (GA) is a member of a novel family of N-terminal nucleophile hydrolases that catalytically use an N-terminal residue as both a polarizing base and a nucleophile. These enzymes are activated from a single chain precursor by intramolecular autoproteolysis to yield the N-terminal nucleophile. A deficiency of GA results in the human genetic disorder known as aspartylglycosaminuria. In this study, we report the crystal structure of recombinant GA fromFlavobacterium meningosepticum. Similar to the human structure, the bacterial GA forms an αββα sandwich. However, some significant differences are observed between theFlavobacterium and human structures. The active site ofFlavobacterium glycosylasparaginase is in an open conformation when compared with the human structure. We also describe the structure of a mutant wherein the N-terminal nucleophile Thr152 is substituted by a cysteine. In the bacterial GA crystals, we observe a heterotetrameric structure similar to that found in the human structure, as well as that observed in solution for eukaryotic glycosylasparaginases. The results confirm the suitability of the bacterial enzyme as a model to study the consequences of mutations in aspartylglycosaminuria patients. They also suggest that further studies are necessary to understand the detail mechanism of this enzyme. The presence of the heterotetrameric structure in the crystals is significant because dimerization of precursors has been suggested in the human enzyme to be a prerequisite to trigger autoproteolysis.
Biogeochemistry of organic matter—II Thermal reaction kinetics and transformation products of amino compounds

Abstract The following ninhydrin-reactive products were identified in 0.01 M solutions of single amino acids pyrolysed in the absence of oxygen: gamma-aminobutyric acid from glutamic acid; methylamine from glycine; ethylamine from alanine; glycine, alanine and ethanolamine from serine; glycine from threonine; phenethylamine and benzylamine (?) from phenylalanine; glycine and alanine from methionine; and proline from arginine. R f values are listed for unidentified ninhydrin-reactive products that arose from pyrolysed solutions of leucine, isoleucine, valine, histidine, tyrosine and lysine. Aspartic acid yielded only malic acid and ammonia on pyrolysis and neither proline nor hydroxyproline yielded ninhydrin-reactive products. In terms of increasing order of relative thermal stability at temperatures between 216 and 280°C the amino acids studied fell into the following four groups: (1) aspartic acid, cystine, threonine, serine, arginine-HCl; (2) lysine-HCl, histidine-HCl, methionine; (3) tyrosine, glycine, valine, leucine, isoleucine; (4) alanine, proline, hydroxyproline (?), glutamic acid. It is suggested that part of the glycine, proline and alanine in fossil materials may bo diagenetic and not original. Pyrolytic experiments on equimolar mixtures of amino acids in aqueous solution showed the relative stability order predicted on the basis of experiments with single amino acids to remain unchanged; however, glycine,alanine and phenylalanine were observed to decompose more rapidly in mixtures than when present alone. Alanine was shown to be much more liable during pyrolysis in the presence of glucose than in its absence, the kinetics increasing with the concentration of glucose. Arrhenius equations describing the reaction rates of four amino acids present singly in 0.01 M solutions were found to be: pyroglutamic acid, k = 2 × 10 9 e − 35,800 RT ; phenylalanine, k = 2 × 10 8 e −30,800/RT ; threonine, k = 2 × 10 12 e −35,800/RT and serine, k = 4 × 10 9 −29,350/RT . Using these equations and old data obtained for alanine by Abelson (1954), a table was constructed showing the predicted amounts of each amino acid remaining after the application of time temperature combinations between 0.1 million years at 10°C and 5000 million years at 100°C. Applications of the data to geothermometry are illustrated and a case is made for the possible development of a new method in geothermometry based on selective destruction of certain amino acids.
A new purification procedure for bovine milk xanthine oxidase: effect of proteolysis on the subunit structure.

Abstract A new purification procedure for bovine milk xanthine oxidase is reported. The enzyme so obtained is of the highest purity and shows little evidence of degradation. The enzyme displays a single protein band on either polyacrylamide gels or on sodium dodecyl sulfate-urea polyacrylamide gels. Sedimentation equilibrium studies indicate a native molecular weight of 303,000 and a subunit molecular weight of approximately 150,000. The latter value is in good agreement with the minimum molecular weight of 157,000 calculated from dry weight determination and flavin analysis. In contrast, purification of xanthine oxidase from pancreatin-treated cream yields a protein which displays two subunits corresponding to molecular weights of 92,000 and 39,000 as determined by dodecyl sulfate-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Pancreatinized enzyme has a greater mobility than unproteolyzed enzyme on polyacrylamide gels. Exposure of milk xanthine oxidase to pancreatin before isolation or after purification yields the same result.
Physicochemical changes in degrading polylactide films

—It has been suggested in the literature that 'large' size bioabsorbable aliphatic polyester devices degrade heterogeneously when exposed to an aqueous environment. That is, following saturation, the material degrades preferentially from the center to the exterior due to an auto catalytic effect. Oriented absorbable films were developed using a new solid state method in order to assess the influence of molecular orientation on degradation pattern. The method entails uniaxial deformation and thus is referred to as solid state uniaxial orientation (SS-UO). This work examines solely the physicochemical changes occurring in the degrading polylactide film and their relevance to changes in key molecular parameters, as part of a broad based study on the effect of orientation on absorption. The results indicate that the orientation has a large effect on the glass transition temperature and the heat of fusion.
An investigation of the state of carbon dioxide in human saliva

Abstract In order to assess the state of carbon dioxide in human saliva thirty-three samples of stimulated whole saliva and thirty-one samples of stimulated parotid saliva were collected from five individuals without exposure to air. The samples were analysed for total CO 2 , pH, Pco 2 and ionic strength. Apparent first dissociation constants of carbonic acid were calculated on the basis of the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and on the basis of ionic strength according to Harned and Owen . It was reasoned that if the values of p K 1 ∥ were similar in these two independent determinations, the total CO 2 could be accounted for as components of the inorganic carbonic acid system. Good agreement was found between the determinations of p K 1 ∥ and it was concluded that the total CO 2 in both whole saliva and parotid saliva could be accounted for as physically dissolved CO 2 plus bicarbonate.
Microscopic Theory of Exciton Annihilation: Application to the LH2 Antenna System

The multiexciton density matrix theory is utilized to achieve a microscopic description of exciton−exciton annihilation (EEA). We apply the theory to the 18 bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) molecules of the B850 ring of the light-harvesting complex LH2 of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The simulation of the EEA process reproduces the intensity-dependent transient absorption kinetic experiments very well, and insight is obtained on microscopic parameters such as the internal conversion rate of BChl in LH2. The exciton dynamics and the different relaxation processes are visualized by constructing a multiexciton spectrogram.
Financing congressional earmarks: Implications for transport policy and planning

Abstract This research documents the primary strategies used by the US Congress to fund transportation earmarks from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. It draws on careful analysis of funding bills and primary and secondary sources including government reports, industry and policy newsletters, scholarly articles, and publicly available data on earmarks. It is also informed by interviews with transportation stakeholders involved with earmarks at federal, state, and regional levels. By detailing how Congress pays for earmarks, I show that earmarks do more to redistribute than add to existing transportation resources, and that the intricacy of Congressional funding maneuvers can make earmarks’ fiscal impacts hard to discern. Several implications follow for transportation policy and practice. First, critiques that earmarks increase federal transportation spending are misplaced. While such claims make it easy to discredit national investment in transportation, skepticism is in order when earmarks are invoked to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Second, earmarks’ true costs are related not to increased deficits but rather to opportunity costs incurred when unplanned earmarks replace other investments, particularly projects identified through regional and state planning or competitive selection by an executive agency. Finally, this work suggests productive directions for future earmark reform, such as limiting earmarks to projects in regional or state plans and making explicit for any earmarks in a bill the funding mechanisms that support them. Such steps could lessen the opportunity costs (and administrative inefficiencies) of earmarks, increase transparency in earmarking, and potentially make the practice less objectionable if used to facilitate passage of the long overdue surface transportation authorization bill.
Contribution of Lipids to Volatiles Generation in Extruded Corn-Based Model Systems

Volatile compounds generated by model systems of zein, corn amylopectin and corn oil extruded at barrel temperatures of 120°C and 165°C were analyzed by GC and GU/MS. The largest quantities of lipid oxidation products were detected in systems containing all three components. In each system, the quantity of 2,4-decadienal was low relative to the quantities of hexanal, heptanal, and benzaldehyde. Identification of the Maillard reaction products, 2-methyl-3(or 6)-pen-tylpyrazine, 2-methyl-3(or 6)-hexylpyrazine, and 2,5-dimethyl-3-pen-tylpyrazine, suggested that lipid-derived aldehydes might be involved in the formation of substituted pyrazines.
Effect of bleaching on tooth discolouration from food colourant in vitro.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of bleaching on tooth discolouration from neutral food colourant media (NFCM). Methods Freshly extracted human molar teeth ( n = 32) were divided into four groups ( n = 8): non-bleached treatment-NBT, non-bleached control-NBC, bleached treatment-BT and bleached control-BC. Bleached teeth specimens were subjected to 20% carbamide peroxide bleaching agent for 10 h. Colour measurements (pre-test) were done using a non-contact spectroradiometer. The teeth specimens were immersed in a neutral buffer solution. NBT and BT groups had 0.025% red food colour (Red 40) added to the buffer solution. The immersed specimens were incubated for 4 h at 37 °C. Colour was again measured after immersion/incubation (post-test) and after subsequent polishing using plain-pumice slurry (post-polish). Differences in CIE a* (redness parameter) were analysed by repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni-corrected t -tests for the pairwise comparisons of interest. Results Tooth discolouration was measured as total stain (mean difference in a* between post-test minus pre-test), extrinsic stain (mean difference in a* post-polish minus post-test) and intrinsic stain (mean difference in a* post-polish minus pre-test) A statistically significant difference in the mean Δ a* was observed ( P = 0.009) between staining treatment for bleached and non-bleached teeth. Also, a statistically significant difference ( P Conclusions Bleaching resulted in total and extrinsic tooth discolouration by the NFCM. Clinical significance It might be beneficial to avoid highly pigmented foods immediately following bleaching in order to optimize the effects of tooth whitening.
Toward Universal Definitions for Direct and Indirect Assessment

The absence of universally accepted definitions for direct and indirect assessment motivates the purpose of this article: to offer definitions that are literature-based and theoretically driven, meeting K. Lewin's (1945) dictum that, “There is nothing so practical as a good theory” (p. 129). The authors synthesize the literature to create new definitions of direct and indirect assessment that are evaluated and refined, versus existent literature-based definitions by assessment experts. They conclude by discussing applications of the proposed definitions.
Comparison of Spectrophotometric and HPLC Methods to Quantify Betacyanins

Quantitative data for betacyanins determined by a spectrophotometric method and a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method were compared. Pigment solutions at pH 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 were heat treated under a nitrogen atmosphere and analyzed for pigment losses at appropriate intervals. Fresh, blanched and canned beets were measured for pigment content by the two methods. Quantitative determinations of pigment in all purified or undegraded samples compared well when analyzed by either method. Discrepancies between results of the two procedures occurred and increased up to 15% with extended heat treatment of the pigment. The differences were: attributed to formation of degradation products or interfering substances. Of the two, the HPLC method is preferred when interfering substances are present.
Wound integrity of clear corneal incisions closed with fibrin and N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate adhesives.

Purpose: To compare the integrity of clear corneal incisions closed with fibrin (Tisseel®) and n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl®) tissue adhesives to those closed with conventional sutures. Methods: Four replicate experiments were performed on porcine eyes with each of the following conditions: three limbal clear corneal incision sizes (3.0 mm, 4.5 mm, and 6.0 mm), three incision closure techniques (fibrin adhesive, n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate adhesive, and 10-0 interrupted nylon sutures)—1, 2, and 3 sutures at the 3.0-mm, 4.5-mm, and 6.0-mm incision sizes, respectively. Wound integrity was then measured by elevating the intraocular pressure of the eye to the point where wound leakage (IOPL) occurred. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the IOPL data. Results: Incision closure technique and incision size showed significant interaction in the ANOVA model (p = 0.0008). Fibrin adhesive demonstrated higher IOPL compared to suture closure at the 3.0-mm incision size (p < 0...
Effects of an infusion of dopamine on the cardiopulmonary effects of Escherichia coli endotoxin in anaesthetised horses.

Abstract Horses with colic may be endotoxaemic and subsequently develop hypotension during anaesthesia for surgical operation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of dopamine as a means to improve cardiovascular function in anaesthetised endotoxaemic horses. Nine horses (five in group 1 and four in group 2) were anaesthetised with thiopentone and guaifenesin and anaesthesia was maintained with halothane. After approximately one hour, facial artery pressure, heart rate, pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac output, temperature, pHa, P a co 2 , P a o 2 , base excess, packed cell volume, plasma protein concentration and white cell count were measured (time 0). Escherichia coli endotoxin was infused intravenously over 15 minutes in both groups. Group 2 horses were given an intravenous infusion of dopamine (5 μg kg −1 min −1 ) starting five minutes after the start of the endotoxin infusion and continuing for 60 minutes. Measurements were made at 15 minute intervals for 120 minutes. In group 1, one horse died during the endotoxin infusion and in two other horses mean facial artery pressures decreased to 50 mm Hg. Total pulmonary vascular resistance and packed cell volume were significantly increased. Cardiac output, cardiac index and change in mean arterial pressure were significantly greater in group 2 horses than in group 1 horses. Conversely, diastolic pulmonary artery pressure, total vascular resistance and total pulmonary resistance were significantly less in group 2 than in group 1. P a o 2 , base excess and white blood cell count were significantly decreased in both groups. It was concluded that dopamine improved cardiovascular function in the presence of endotoxaemia and attenuated the rate of haemoconcentration, but had no effect on the development of decreased P a o 2 or metabolic acidosis.
HARE: Hardware assisted reverse execution

Bidirectional execution is a powerful debugging technique that allows program execution to proceed both forward and in reverse. Many software-only techniques and tools have emerged that use checkpointing and replay to provide the effect of reverse execution, although with considerable performance overheads in both forward and reverse execution. Recent hardware proposals for checkpointing and execution replay minimize these performance overheads, but in a way that prevents checkpoint consolidation, a key technique for reducing memory use while retaining the ability to reverse long periods of execution. This paper presents HARE, a hardware technique that efficiently supports both checkpointing and consolidation. Our experiments show that on average HARE incurs <3% performace overheads even when creating tens of checkpoints per second, provides reverse execution times similar to forward execution times, and reduces the total space used by checkpoints by a factor of 36 on average (this factor gets better for longer runs) relative to prior consolidation-less hardware checkpointing schemes.
Non-equilibrium kinetics of a microwave-assisted jet flame: Global model and comparison with experiment

Developing a systematic understanding of plasma driven chemical reaction pathways is difficult due to the stiffness and non-linear processes inherent with the involved physics. In the context of microwave-coupled plasmas within atmospheric pressure nozzle geometries, we have developed a kinetic global model (KGM) framework designed for quick exploration of parameter space. Our final goal is understanding key reaction pathways within non-equilibrium plasma assisted combustion (PAC), and their roles in the combustion process; of primary importance is the ability to determine possible system dependent reaction mechanism augmentation and specific reaction selectivity. In combination with a Boltzmann equation solver, kinetic plasma and gas-phase chemistry are coupled with a compressible gas flow model and solved with iterative feedback to match observed bulk conditions from experiments. We use a non-equilibrium electron energy distribution function (EEDF) to define electron-impact processes, allowing for demonstration of variation in reaction pathways due to changes in the EEDF shape. An Eulerian approach was developed as a purely steady-state flow model, followed by a Lagrangian time-dependent approach requiring knowledge of spatial electromagnetic field and flow profiles. Spatial profiles are converted into time-dependent envelopes affecting system parameters. The KGM is first applied to argon and air (N2-O2, N2-O2-Ar) systems as a means of assessing the soundness of the assumptions inherent in any global model. The simplified nature of the gas-phase chemistry and the availability of cross-sectional data reduce the sources of uncertainty in the model, which can be validated against the experimental measurements of electron density, emission spectrum and gas temperature. The test with air greatly increases the complexity by incorporating a plethora of excited states, providing new energy sink mechanisms (e.g. translational and vibrational excitation) and reaction pathways. The KGM is then applied to plasma driven combustion mechanisms (e.g. H2 or CH4 with an oxidizer source), which increases the importance of flow treatment and the range of gas-phase chemistry time-scales. As the reaction mechanisms become more complex, the limits of available data will begin to hinder model physicality, requiring analytical and/or empirical treatment of gaps in data to maintain completeness of the reaction mechanisms. Due to the relative simplicity of simulations with global models, the KGM can also be used to provide a sensitivity analysis to errors and variations within available data.
Fat distribution and insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women: influence of hormone replacement.

Objective: To examine cross-sectionally the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the relationship between body composition and insulin sensitivity (Si). Research Methods and Procedures: Subjects were 57 early postmenopausal white women, 33 receiving HRT and 24 controls. Body composition was estimated using DXA and computed tomography scans at the abdomen and mid-thigh. Si was assessed by a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test with minimal model analysis. Results: Compared with nonusers, HRT users had lower visceral adipose tissue, fasting serum glucose, and fasting insulin. Total body fat and unadjusted Si did not differ between groups. Visceral adipose tissue mass (VATM) was the only body-fat compartment significantly associated with Si (r2 = 0.43, p < 0.0001) in a model including total-body fat, upper-trunk fat, subcutaneous abdominal fat mass, leg fat, and mid-thigh low-density lean tissue. Lean body mass was positively correlated with Si among HRT users and tended to be negatively correlated among nonusers. HRT status also affected the relationship between VATM and Si such that, relative to nonusers, HRT users had lower Si across lower VATM levels, but higher Si across higher VATM. Discussion: These results suggest that in postmenopausal women, VATM is uniquely related to Si. HRT affects the relationship between VATM and Si and between lean body mass and Si. These interactions should be considered in future studies.
International Migrations: A Framework for Directing Research.

Current, large-scale, cross-cultural migrations offer promising research targets for the study of human adaptations. The opportunities for such research, however, remain substantially unused in the mainstream of psychology. The purpose here is to provide a framework encompassing components of the migration experience to aid such research. Contextual factors in the sending and receiving societies impinge on the components of the migration experience: social networks, socioeconomic status, and culture. The components, treated as intertwining transitional experiences in migration, should be juxtaposed in research to examine their effects. Gender and age mediate the effects. The framework aims to benefit research that implicates, directly or heuristically, the experiences of persons exposed to rapid sociocultural change and the consequences of such changes in their lives.
Exposure and communications training in the treatment of agoraphobia.

Abstract Twenty-one agoraphobics participated in a 6-month study designed to (a) compare imaginal flooding under high- (no sedation) and low- (sedation used) anxiety conditions: (b) examine the long-term effects of imaginal flooding in the absence of further exposure treatment; and (c) explore the impact of communications training on chronic anxiety and panic attacks. A reevaluation of the effects of sedation is presented in this report. Imaginal flooding without sedation was, on the whole, superior to the attention control placebo and imaginal flooding with sedation on therapists' and clients' ratings of fear and avoidance. However, the superiority of the non-drug flooding group cannot be attributed (as was concluded in an earlier report) to higher levels of anxiety across flooding sessions. Rather the drug (methohexitone sodium) appears to have impeded across-session habituation, perhaps by interfering with long-term memorial processes. The effects of imaginal flooding without sedation were stable over 4 months without further exposure treatment. These clients did receive training in solving important interpersonal problems through self monitoring and increased expressiveness. Contrary to hypotheses, not only was no further improvement obtained on fear and avoidance with this treatment, but also anxious mood and panic attacks remained unaffected. It is surprising to note that in-vivo treatment was no more effective than imaginal flooding on fear and avoidance. These and other findings suggest imaginal flooding well warrants further study.
Nuclear Particles in the Cosmic Radiation

A series of balloon flights employing proportional counters has been carried out. In these flights the instrument measures the number of events liberating more than an assignable minimum of ionization in the instrument. The contribution due to each of several types of such events is evaluated, the effect of large showers is considered and instrumental errors are discussed. It is found that alpha-particle counts due to slow-neutron-induced boron disintegrations may account for about one-third of the discharges observed with B${\mathrm{F}}_{3}$ counters. Counters in which other gases are used permit an estimate to be made of the flux of highly ionizing particles, mostly protons, which is found to be about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ per sq. cm per sec. These data permit the calculation of the rate of production of protons, which is found to be of the same order as that of neutrons, namely about 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ per gram per sec. at the altitude corresponding to 2 meters of water equivalent below the top of the atmosphere. The energy distribution, the amount of the flux and the altitude dependence suggest that both protons and neutrons are produced about equally by a process or processes connected with the soft component of the radiation.
A Kinetic Model for the Binding of Ca2+ to the Regulatory Site of Troponin from Cardiac Muscle

The kinetics of the binding of Ca2+ to the single regulatory site of cardiac muscle troponin was investigated by using troponin reconstituted from the three subunits, using a monocysteine mutant of troponin C (cTnC) labeled with the fluorescent probe 2-[(4'-(iodoacetamido)anilino]naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid (IAANS) at Cys-35. The kinetic tracings of binding experiments for troponin determined at free [Ca2+] > 1 microM were resolved into two phases. The rate of the fast phase increased with increasing [Ca2+], reaching a maximum of about 35 s-1 at 4 degrees C, and the rate of the slow phase was approximately 5 s-1 and did not depend on [Ca2+]. Dissociation of bound Ca2+ occurred in two phases, with rates of about 23 and 4 s-1. The binding and dissociation results obtained with the binary complex formed between cardiac troponin I and the IAANS-labeled cTnC mutant were very similar to those obtained from reconstituted troponin. The kinetic data are consistent with a three-step sequential model similar to the previously reported mechanism for the binding of Ca2+ to a cTnC mutant labeled with the same probe at Cys-84 (Dong et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 688-694). In this model, the initial binding in the bimolecular step to form the Ca2+-troponin complex is assumed to be a rapid equilibrium, followed by two sequential first-order transitions. The apparent bimolecular rate constant is 5.1 x 10(7) M-1 s-1, a factor of 3 smaller than that for cTnC. The rates of the first-order transitions are an order of magnitude smaller for troponin than for cTnC. These kinetic differences form a basis for the enhanced Ca2+ affinity of troponin relative to the Ca2+ affinity of isolated cTnC. Phosphorylation of the monocysteine mutant of troponin I by protein kinase A resulted in a 3-fold decrease in the bimolecular rate constant but a 2-fold increase in the two observed Ca2+ dissociation rates. These changes in the kinetic parameters are responsible for a 5-fold reduction in Ca2+ affinity of phosphorylated troponin for the specific site.
On estimation of linear transformation models with nested case-control sampling.

Nested case–control (NCC) sampling is widely used in large epidemiological cohort studies for its cost effectiveness, but its data analysis primarily relies on the Cox proportional hazards model. In this paper, we consider a family of linear transformation models for analyzing NCC data and propose an inverse selection probability weighted estimating equation method for inference. Consistency and asymptotic normality of our estimators for regression coefficients are established. We show that the asymptotic variance has a closed analytic form and can be easily estimated. Numerical studies are conducted to support the theory and an application to the Wilms’ Tumor Study is also given to illustrate the methodology.
Rapid heating of the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet

Many 'hot Jupiter' extrasolar planets are known. Their properties vary, but virtually all are thought to be spin-synchronized, so that the same hemisphere faces the parent star at all times. HD 80606b breaks that mould. It is a hot Jupiter with an extremely eccentric orbit and is not spin-synchronized. This makes it a tempting target for observation: the planet experiences a near-1,000-fold increase in heating at periastron, its closest brush with the host star. Observations at periastron using the Spitzer Space Telescope provide a first glimpse of time-varying 'weather' on an extrasolar planet. Its 8-µm (near-infrared) brightness temperature rose from 800 to 1,500 K in six hours. The detection of a secondary eclipse helped fix the planetary mass at about four times that of Jupiter. This paper reports 8-µm photometric observations of the planet HD 80606b during a 30-hour interval bracketing the periastron passage of its extremely eccentric 111.4 day orbit. As the planet received its strongest irradiation its 8-µm brightness temperature increased from ∼800 K to ∼1500 K over a six-hour period. The radiative time constant at the planet's 8-µm photosphere is ∼4.5 hours, as compared to 3–5 days in Earth's stratosphere. Near-infrared observations of more than a dozen ‘hot-Jupiter’ extrasolar planets have now been reported1,2,3,4,5. These planets display a wide diversity of properties, yet all are believed to have had their spin periods tidally spin-synchronized with their orbital periods, resulting in permanent star-facing hemispheres and surface flow patterns that are most likely in equilibrium. Planets in significantly eccentric orbits can enable direct measurements of global heating that are largely independent of the details of the hydrodynamic flow6. Here we report 8-μm photometric observations of the planet HD 80606b during a 30-hour interval bracketing the periastron passage of its extremely eccentric 111.4-day orbit. As the planet received its strongest irradiation (828 times larger than the flux received at apastron) its maximum 8-μm brightness temperature increased from ∼800 K to ∼1,500 K over a six-hour period. We also detected a secondary eclipse for the planet, which implies an orbital inclination of i ≈ 90°, fixes the planetary mass at four times the mass of Jupiter, and constrains the planet’s tidal luminosity. Our measurement of the global heating rate indicates that the radiative time constant at the planet’s 8-μm photosphere is ∼4.5 h, in comparison with 3–5 days in Earth’s stratosphere7.
Plasticity: A New Materialist Approach to Policy and Methodology.

AbstractThis article examines Catherine Malabou’s philosophical concept of plasticity as a new materialist methodology. Given that plasticity simultaneously maintains the ability to receive, give, and annihilate form, plasticity and plastic readings offer material-discursive possibilities for educational research. This article begins by discussing the evolution of plasticity, applications thereof, and its location within new materialist philosophy. To then demonstrate the possibilities of plasticity, this article takes the example of educational policy reform in relation to technology-centered models of education. A plastic reading of ongoing policy discourses argues that conceptualizing policy, stakeholders, and technology as plastic contribute new scholarly understandings regarding the shape and movement of educational policy formation. Significantly, the methodology of plastic readings provides an ideal lens through which to approach educational policy development as a series of entangled ideas and int...
IMRT dose escalation for positive para-aortic lymph nodes in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer while reducing dose to bone marrow and other organs at risk

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of dose-escalated para-aortic lymph node (PALN) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in reducing the dose to bone marrow, bowel, spinal cord, and kidneys, compared with conventional radiation techniques of PALNs in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer and PALN metastases. Methods and materials Computed tomography scans and MRI studies of 5 cervical cancer patients with PALN involvement were transferred to an IMRT treatment planning workstation (Eclipse/Helios) for image fusion and definition of target volumes and critical structures. The positive PALNs identified on fused computed tomography–magnetic resonance images were defined as the gross target volume (GTV), and the PALN region was defined as the planning target volume. There were 2 distinct treatment regions: the PALN region superior to the isocenter and the whole-pelvis region inferior to the isocenter. Three treatment planning techniques were compared: AP/PA (both regions), 4-field box (both regions), and PALN-IMRT with 4-field box to the whole-pelvis field. With IMRT, the radiation dose to the GTV was escalated from the conventional 45 Gy to 60 Gy (2.4 Gy/fraction), whereas the planning target volume and whole-pelvis region received 45 Gy. The treatment planning isocenter was placed at the L4–L5 vertebral body interspace, and this allowed the two treatment regions to be abutted using independent jaws. Results This study has demonstrated the feasibility of escalating the dose delivered to grossly positive PALNs to 60 Gy (2.4 Gy/fraction) with a 95.6% median GTV coverage, concomitantly with conventional treatment of the whole-pelvis region. PALN-IMRT significantly reduced V 40 bone marrow compared to the AP/PA and 4-field box techniques with a median of 21.3%, 98%, and 49.7%, respectively. The PALN-IMRT and 4-field box techniques showed a reduction in V 45 bowel over the AP/PA technique, but a level of statistical significance was not reached. The spinal cord received a significantly higher maximum dose when PALNs were treated with AP/PA fields. Alternatively, the use of the 4-field box technique yielded a significant increase in V 22 kidney on both sides. The placement of the treatment planning isocenter at the L4–L5 interspace allowed the PALN-IMRT and whole-pelvis regions to be treated with a relatively uniform dose at the abutment region. Conclusion In this dosimetric analysis, we demonstrated that dose-escalated PALN-IMRT with conventional whole-pelvis radiotherapy is feasible with significant sparing of critical normal structures compared to PALN conventional radiation techniques.
THE ROLE OF LINEAR AND NON-LINEAR DOSE-RESPONSE MODELS IN PUBLIC DECISION-MAKING (WHAT TO DO WHEN UNCERTAINTY AFFECTS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CHOICES)

This Special Issue contains several articles that use theoretical and empirical findings about causation at low doses in an attempt to provide useful methodological insights to those concerned with making choices about the tolerable level of danger posed by carcinogens and toxic agents at very low exposures. The reason for our concern with the soundness of choices dealing with those exposures has been most vividly and tragically shown by the two natural events — earthquake and resulting tsunami — that caused the catastrophes that so greatly affect Japan. The nuclear power plans suffered failures that have had an almost immediate impact on the future of energy production and policies of countries that depend or consider on nuclear energy. Once again, the development and safety of nuclear power is questioned, in part because of the belief that very low exposure to the radionuclides emitted in those accidents causes cancers, regardless of dose. The question then is: Is there evidence—rather than either dogma or assumption or both—that low levels of exposure cause detriment to human health? Clearly, there is no argument that much larger exposures do cause cancer or can kill in very short order. In regulatory risk analysis, causation, through dose-response models, is part of the legal basis for justifying the reduction of exposures to hazardous agents likely to cause cancer. When a sufficiently large population is exposed to a very low (near-background) dose, even nearly infinitesimal excess individual risks can in principle cause a substantial number of additional cancer cases. In the aggregate, the overall expected number of cancer cases, while large, may still be generally undetectable, given the large background number of cancers in a population. To set environmental and occupational standards, the law couples legal causation and the “best science” about cause and effect to regulatory policy-making. The potential
ARCONS: a 1024 pixel superconducting integral field spectrograph

ARCONS, the Array Camera for Optical to Near-infrared Spectrophotometry, was recently commissioned at the Coude focus of the 200-inch Hale Telescope at the Palomar Observatory. At the heart of this unique instrument is a 1024-pixel Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID), exploiting the Kinetic Inductance effect to measure the energy of the incoming photon to better than several percent. The ground-breaking instrument is lens coupled with a pixel scale of 0.23"/pixel, with each pixel recording the arrival time (< 2 _μsec) and energy of a photon (~10%) in the optical to near-IR (0.4-1.1 microns) range. The scientific objectives of the instrument include the rapid follow-up and classi_cation of the transient phenomena.
Polycystic kidney disease: Polycystin-1 and polycystin-2--it's complicated.

Mutations in the genes that encode polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 are the principal cause of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. These proteins form a receptor–ion-channel complex and were thought to regulate tubule luminal diameter in a codependent manner. However, new data suggest a more antagonistic relationship between the proteins.
Longevity of outstanding chess players.

(1969). Longevity of Outstanding Chess Players. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 115, No. 1, pp. 143-148.
Interactions in processing segmental and suprasegmental features of speech.

A speeded classification task was used to determine the nature of the dependency relation that exists during the processing of a segmental distinction in vowel quality and a suprasegmental distinction in pitch (Experiment 1) or loudness (Experiment 2) in a consonantvowel syllable. In both experiments, evidence was found for a mutual, symmetrical dependency between the processes underlying the analysis of the segmental and suprasegmental information in the syllable. This type of interaction pattern contrasts with the pattern of unidirectional dependency previously found for the analysis of a consonantal distinction and a suprasegmental distinction, in which the analysis of the consonantal information was found to be dependent on the analysis of the suprasegmental information (e.g., Wood, 1974). Together with these earlier findings, the present results clearly indicate that the form of the interaction between processes responsible for segmental and suprasegmental analysis is a function of the type of segmental information being analyzed. Future research must determine whether the distinct interaction patterns found thus far for consonants and vowels are due to a difference in phonetic class per se, i.e., consonant vs. vowel, or to a difference in the nature of the acoustic information specifying the consonant and vowel.
Phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) in platinum and paclitaxel-resistant ovarian and primary peritoneal cancers: A Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Abstract Objective. To evaluate the activity of single agent weekly paclitaxel in patients with both platinum and paclitaxel (delivered every 3 weeks)-resistant ovarian cancer. Methods. Forty-eight patients with platinum and paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer (defined as progression during, or recurrence Results. In this chemoresistant population, the objective response rate was 20.9%. Serious adverse events were relatively uncommon (neuropathy-grade 2: 21%; grade 3: 4%; and grade 3 fatigue: 8%). Conclusion. The weekly administration of paclitaxel can be a useful management approach in women with both platinum and paclitaxel (given every 3 weeks)-resistant ovarian cancer. It would be appropriate to directly compare weekly to every 3-week paclitaxel delivery in the setting of primary chemotherapy of advanced ovarian cancer.