cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Secondary metabolite and antipyretic effects of Maja ( Crescentia cujete L.) in fever-induced mice

Objectives Fever is a condition when the body experiences an increase in average body temperature above normal level. Maja fruit (Crescentia cujete L.) contains chemical compounds including alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, and terpenoid, suspected as potential antipyretics. Methods The study aimed to determine the antipyretic activity of ethanol extract of Maja fruit. A total of 25 male white mice of the DDY strain (20-30 g). These treatments divided into three groups with a dose extract of 125, 250, 500 mg/kg BW, standard groups of ibuprofen 400 mg/kg BW, and control groups of CMC-Na 1%. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with 0.1 cc of DPT vaccine-induced. Observations were made by measuring the rectal temperatures of mice using a digital thermometer before DPT vaccine injected or average temperatures, at 0 min (after DPT vaccine injected), 60, 120, 180, and 240 min after administering the test material. The differences between the positive control group, test group, and the negative control group were compared using statistical analysis using one-way variance analysis (ANOVA). The results were considered statistically when the value is (p Results The above phytochemical screening results showed that alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins were present in the Maja fruit powder and extract (C. cujete L.). Based on the results of the statistical analysis obtained, i.e., Group II was not significantly different from Group III and Group IV (p≤0.05) and was significantly different from Group I and Group V. Group I was significantly different from Group II, Group III and Group IV and was not significantly different from Group V (p≥0.05). Conclusions The study showed that Maja fruit mice's antipyretic behavior at doses of 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg BW was confirmed as a result in reducing the body temperature of male mice. The 500 mg/kg BW dosage of Maja fruit extract (C. cujete L) effectively reduced fever.
Effects of categorization and self-report bias on estimates of the association between obesity and mortality.

Abstract Purpose The health consequences of obesity are often assessed using categorical, self-reported data on body mass index (BMI). This article investigates the combined effects of categorization and self-report bias on the estimated association between obesity and mortality. Methods We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–2008) linked to death records through 2011. Cox models and age-standardized death rates were used to evaluate the effects of categorization and self-report bias on the mortality risks and percent of deaths attributable to obesity. Results Despite a correlation between measured and self-reported BMI of 0.96, self-reports miscategorized 20% of adults. Hazard ratios using self-reports were overstated for the obese 1 (BMI, 30–35 kg/m 2 ) and obese 2 (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m 2 ) categories. The bias was much smaller using a continuous measure of BMI. In contrast, the percent of deaths attributable to excess weight was lower using self-reported versus measured data because self-reports led to systematic downward bias in the BMI distribution. Conclusions Categorization of BMI and self-report bias combine to produce substantial error in the estimated hazard ratios and percent of deaths attributable to obesity. Future studies should use caution when estimating the association between obesity and mortality using categorical self-reported data.
Translating Thomas Mann

Tief ist der Brunnen der Vergangenheit, he writes, and looks at the sen tence, clears his throat, and grins as he feels the tide beginning to well up behind the six words. It is the onset of that thorough and entire throat-clearing which he will later call simply Hoellenfahrt, Passage to Hell, the fifty page introduction to his longest book. It is truly a passage to hell for the innocent reader. Deep is the well of the past, I write, and my troubles begin, for my translation has killed the melody. Brunnen has two syllables, Vergangenheit, the German word for past, has four, and the line is a loose iambic pentameter. But meter is less worrisome than the music of association. For Brunnen can mean one of two things, well but also spring, and so it carries the burble of a running stream in its initial br and its trippling n's, even when it stands, as it does here, for a partially filled shaft of still water, sunk into an arid hill above Hebron in Canaan, while Vergangenheit expresses the com plexity of completed process, not our blunt and noncommittal past; gangen means gone, and the entire four-syllable package something like finished-having-gone-itude. His next three sentences are each as long as the one I've just written, and he is only warming up, for his second page has no periods in it at all; unlike Faulkner's monsters, though, this one has grammatical bones and indeed, an articulated ceremonial structure; it is an invocation, an incantation to Joseph, and gives the writer, composing it, that surge of self-admiration, those passionate yet mischievous giggles that will cause him to write, later, to a friend, that he has never enjoyed work as much as this "work of playful science," as he calls his biblical epic, allud ing, almost certainly, to Nietzsche's "joyful wisdom," which is, in turn...
Educational Reform, Modernity, and Pragmatism

Modern times! This phrase has been used for satire, irony, metaphor, and, often, has been spoken in frustration. Many people who admire and follow film might quickly associate it with Charlie Chaplin’s movie Modern Times. Here is how Mick Martin and Marsha Porter (1994) described the film.
Biochemical studies of bacterial sporulation and germination. IX. Ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases in nuclear fractions of vegetative cells and spores of Bacillus megaterium.

Abstract Spores of Bacillus megaterium, opened by lysozyme, released an inner globular mass which was visible by phase contrast microscopy. Ruptured spores were observed, by whole mount electron microscopy, to be connected by thin filaments which could be removed by deoxyribonuclease, whereas the globular mass was relatively insensitive to this treatment. A nuclear fraction, isolated from cells and spores by differential sedimentation, contained most of the DNA as well as the DNA and RNA polymerases but relatively little RNA or protein. The polymerases resemble other bacterial polymerases except for template dependence. Only after DNase treatment did the RNA polymerase, previously in a tight complex with DNA, show a requirement for DNA or polyuridylate. The DNA polymerase responded to exogenous template, even in the nuclear fraction. The nuclear fraction isolated from spores was virtually indistinguishable from that obtained from growing vegetative cells. However, the amounts of protein, RNA, and DNA per cell did differ in the several stages of growth and sporulation.
Extreme Kerr throat geometry: A vacuum analog of AdS 2 × S 2

We study the near-horizon limit of a four-dimensional extreme rotating black hole. The limiting metric is a completely nonsingular vacuum solution, with an enhanced symmetry group $\mathrm{SL}(2,R)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{U}(1).$ We show that many of the properties of this solution are similar to the ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{2}{\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{S}}^{2}$ geometry arising in the near-horizon limit of extreme charged black holes. In particular, the boundary at infinity is a timelike surface. This suggests the possibility of a dual quantum mechanical description. A five-dimensional generalization is also discussed.
Structure of the Chondroitin 4-Sulfate-Protein Linkage Region ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DISACCHARIDE 3-O-β-d-GLUCURONOSYL-d-GALACTOSE

Abstract A disaccharide composed of glucuronic acid and d-galactose has been isolated from chondroitin 4-sulfate and chondroitin 4-sulfate glycopeptides. Its structure has been determined in the following way. (a) Reduction with borohydride demonstrated that galactose constitutes the reducing end of the disaccharide; (b) digestion with β-glucuronidase cleaved the disaccharide into glucuronic acid and galactose, demonstrating a β linkage; (c) periodate oxidation of the disaccharide methylglycoside resulted in no loss of galactose; and (d) oxidation of the disaccharide with lead tetraacetate degraded the galactose moiety to lyxose. This establishes the structure of the disaccharide as 3-O-β-d-glucuronosyl-d-galactose.
Elevated monoclonal and polyclonal serum immunoglobulin free light chain as prognostic factors in B- and T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The serum immunoglobulin free light chain (FLC) assay quantitates free kappa (κ) and lambda (λ) light chains. FLC elevations in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are associated with an inferior survival. These increases in FLC can be monoclonal (as in myeloma) or polyclonal. The goal was to estimate the frequency of these elevations within distinct types of B-cell and T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and whether the FLC measurements are associated with event-free survival (EFS). We studied serum for FLC abnormalities using normal laboratory reference ranges to define an elevated κ or λ FLC. Elevations were further classified as polyclonal or monoclonal. 492 patients were studied: 453 B-cell and 34 T-cell NHL patients. 29% (142/453) had an elevated FLC of which 10% were monoclonal elevations. Within B-cell NHL, FLC abnormalities were most common in lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (79%), MCL (68%) and MALT (31%); they were least common in FL (15%). The hazard ratio (HR) for EFS in all patients was 1.41 (95% CI; 1.11–1.81); in all B-cell NHL the HR was 1.44 (95% CI 1.11–1.96); in all T-cell NHL the HR was 1.17 (95% CI 0.55–2.49). FLC abnormalities predicted an inferior OS (HR = 2.75, 95% CI: 1.93–3.90, p<0.0001). The serum FLC assay is useful for prognosis in both B-cell and T-cell types of NHL. In B-cell NHL further discrimination between a monoclonal and polyclonal elevation may be helpful and should be analyzed in prospective clinical trials.
El hombre de maíz y la plasticidad humana

Una de las manifestaciones mas obvias de la maleabilidad humana es la enorme variabilidad en estatura. A principios de este siglo la estatura media de una poblacion fue considerada como un indicador genetico. Por ejemplo los Maya de Guatemala, siendo de baja estatura, tendrian en este sentido una capacidad genetica de crecimiento distinta a la de europeos y americanos. Los americanos eran los mas altos del mundo, con una estatura media de 168 cm en varones. Actualmente, este "premio" pertenece a los holandeses con una estatura media de 180 cm en varones, mientras que el promedio de los americanos es de 177 cm. Al respecto debe notarse que hace escasos 100 anos los holandeses fueron los europeos de mas baja estatura. Para entender lo que sucedio con la estatura de holandeses y americanos tenemos que pensar en hombres y mujeres de maiz, es decir, en una especie que pueda adaptarse a los cambios ambientales por medio de modificaciones morfologicas en vez de esperar siglos para que ocurran cambios geneticos.
Role of the omega loop in specificity determination in subsite 2 of the D-alanine:D-alanine (D-lactate) ligase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides: a molecular docking study.

Abstract The synthesis of d -ala- d -lactate in Leuconostoc mesenteroides is catalyzed by d -alanine: d -alanine ( d -lactate) ligase (ADP). The ability to assemble this depsipeptide as well as d -ala- d -ala provides a mechanism for the organism's intrinsic resistance to vancomycin. Mutation of Phe261 to Tyr261 in the Ω-loop of this ligase showed a complete loss of the ability to make d -ala- d -lactate (Park and Walsh, J. Biol. Chem. 272 (1997) 9210–9214). Phe261 is a key specificity determinant in the α-helical cap of the Ω-loop when folded into the closed conformation. A molecular docking study of the closed ligase using AutoDock 4.2 defines additional specificity constraints promoted by the Ω-loop capping the catalytic center. Attaining productive orientations of d -lactate with favorable ligation chemistry requires the flexibilities of Phe261 and Arg301 in the docking protocol. These are in addition to the optimization of van der Waals contacts with Lys260, Met326, and Ser327. The location of Phe261 and Lys260 in the α-helical cap of the Ω-loop over subsite 2 is an essential part of the folding process ensuring depsipeptide formation in the hydrophobic environment of the catalytic center. The importance of the F261Y mutation suggests that the hydroxyl of Tyr261 plays an instrumental role in determining non-productive docking orientations of d -lactate. Two of these are presented: (A) d -lactate-OH as an H-bond donor to the Tyr261-OH; (B) d -lactate as an H-bond donor to the phosphoryl of the intermediate d -alanyl phosphate, and the d -lactate-COO − as an H-bond acceptor for the Tyr261-OH. Neither orientation, A or B, show the bifurcated H-bonding with Arg301 recently proposed for the activation of the nucleophilic d -lactate for d -ala- d -lactate formation. Insights into the role of the Ω-loop and its K(F/Y) signature provide additional background for inhibitor design targeted to subsite 2 of the d -alanine: d -alanine ( d -X) ligases.
Novel C-Terminal Hsp90 Inhibitor for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer (HNSCC) with in vivo Efficacy and Improved Toxicity Profiles Compared with Standard Agents

Background Current therapies for HNSCC, especially platinum agents, are limited by their toxicities and drug resistance. This study evaluates a novel C-terminal Hsp90 inhibitor (CT-Hsp90-I) for efficacy and toxicity in vitro and in vivo in an orthotopic HNSCC model. Our hypothesis is that C-terminal inhibitors exhibit improved toxicity/efficacy profiles over standard therapies and may represent a novel group of anticancer agents.
Molecular assessment of translocation and management of an endangered subspecies of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Translocations are an effectual management strategy for the reestablishment and reconnection of en- dangered populations and species. However, knowledge about the evolution and ecology of the populations and species of interest are critical so that informed decisions can be made about source populations and reestablishment areas. We employed 614 base pairs of the mitochondrial control region and 15 microsatellite loci to investigate genetic variation, contemporary connectivity, and inter- specific hybridization in the two remaining populations of the endangered Columbian white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus leucurus) through comparisons with the closest subspecies, O. v. ochrourus. Our data revealed the dubious taxonomic status of O. v. leucurus, and that O. virginianus in the Pacific Northwest originated from a single historic gene pool. Further the results identified that populations are currently genetically isolated and depauperate, and un- covered historic introgression with O. hemionus colum- bianus. These results suggest that translocations are a viable approach for reestablishing populations throughout the historic range to increase genetic diversity in the fragmented populations. Despite the taxonomic ambiguity, our study revealed the presence of unique genetic variation within each population which supports ongoing conserva- tion efforts.
4-Trimethylammonium antipyrine: a quaternary ammonium nonradionuclide marker for blood-brain barrier integrity during in vivo microdialysis.

Abstract The well-controlled microdialysis (MD) study of substance permeation into brain extracellular fluid (ECF) and cerebrospinal fluid requires consideration of blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, which might be compromised by microdialysis probe implantation. Others have assessed BBB integrity with radionuclide markers. A nonradionuclide marker may be desirable in many studies. A charged antipyrine analogue may be useful to determine BBB integrity with concomitant antipyrine characterization of probe efficiency (Yokel et al., 1992, J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 27: 135–142), and may not require another analytical technique. We synthesized, validated, and evaluated 4-trimethylammonium antipyrine (4TMA-AP) as a BBB integrity marker. BBB permeation was determined by calculation of a BBB integrity percentage (P i ) from brain/blood concentrations. The P i s of Evan's blue, which does not permeate the intact BBB, and 4TMA-AP were not significantly different in rats without known BBB disruption, suggesting a lack of 4TMA-AP permeation through the intact BBB. When MD probes were slowly implanted into the frontal cortex, 4TMA-AP P i s were usually zero. Intracarotid oleic acid injection to open the BBB significantly increased 4TMA-AP P i s, suggesting that 4TMA-AP entered brain ECF when the BBB was compromised. Rapid probe implantation produced increased 4TMA-AP P i s, suggesting BBB disruption. The predicted appearance of 4TMA-AP in brain ECF suggests that it is a BBB integrity marker.
Properties of the pyramidal system in the cat

Abstract Response characteristics of 833 neurons in the pericruciate cortex of the cat were studied to find which sent axons into the medullary pyramids. The traditional criteria for classifying cortical neurons as pyramidal tract neurons were examined and found to be adequate. The population behavior of these neurons was then analyzed. The population was found to segregate into two groups on the basis of both antidromic and orthodromic response properties. A group of early-firing neurons was scattered throughout the cortex, but was concentrated at the level of layer V. A second group of later-firing neurons was found in the upper parts of the cortex, concentrated at the level of layer III. Two distinct afferent inputs appeared to underlie the orthodromic group segregation: Both inputs bombarded the early-firing neurons, but only one of them bombarded the late-firing neurons. A similar grouping of these neurons was observed following stimulation of the ipsilateral forepaw and of both hindpaws. The patterns of activity of these neurons are related to certain properties of the reflex corticofugal discharge recordable from the medullary pyramids.
The National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Hybrid Power Systems Program

The United States Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (US DOE NETL) through the Strategic Center for Natural Gas (SCNG) recognizes the potential and benefits offered by the hybrid power system. In order to pursue this opportunity NETL manages a fuel cell turbine hybrid program. This program is designed to address the reduction of system costs through the resolution of technical issues and technology demonstrations. This paper reports on the status of the NETL fuel cell turbine hybrid program and the market opportunities for these systems.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Psoralen photobiology and photochemotherapy: 50 years of science and medicine

In 1998 it is appropriate to commemorate the 50th anniversary of el Mofty's use of purified 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) in the treatment of vitiligo (el Mofty AM. A preliminary clinical report on the treatment of leukoderma with Ammi majus linn. J R Egypt Med Assn 1948,31:651 65. el Mofty AM, el Sawalhy H, el Mofty M. Clinical study of a new preparation of 8-methoxypsoralen in photochemotherapy. Int J Dermatol 1994;8:588 92). Two young American dermatologists (Aaron Lerner and Thomas Fitzpatrick) were intrigued by the potency of this material. After Lerner determined that artificial long wavelength ultraviolet (320-400 nm, UVA) radiation was the most efficient for activating 8-MOP. the development of artificial sources enabled the efficient delivery of these photons to skin containing 8-MOP. Their initial studies for vitiligo led to further development of this therapy for the treatment of psoriasis (Parrish JA, Fitzpatrick TB, Tannenbaum L, et al. Photochemotherapy of psoriasis with oral methoxsalen and long-wave ultraviolet light. New Engl J Med 1974;291:1207-11. Honigsmann H, Fitzpatrick TB, Pathak MA, et al. Oral photochemotherapy with psoralen and UVA (PUVA): principles and practice. In: Fitzpatrick TB, Eisen AZ, Wolf K, editors. Dermatology in General Medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1987:1728-54). This photochemotherapy came to be called 'PUVA' (psoralen + UVA). The position PUVA holds today as one of the most common procedures performed in dermatology can be traced to their initial curiosity and their subsequent ingenuity. Further developments in more recent years capitalized on their seminal work. The therapy met with unprecedented success from the outset, leaving little perceived need to understand underlying science. However, in recent years there has been a new found interest in the basic aspects of psoralen photobiology and molecular mechanistic events contributing to therapeutic responses as well as to the development of skin cancers in PUVA patients. These will be surveyed in this review commemorating the 50 years of modern psoralen photobiology and photomedicine.
CATALYTIC BEHAVIOR OF GRAPHITE NANOFIBER SUPPORTED NICKEL PARTICLES. 1. COMPARISON WITH OTHER SUPPORT MEDIA

The hydrogenation of 1-butene and 1,3-butadiene has been carried out over a series of supported nickel catalysts at 80 °C and atmospheric pressure. It was found that not only the activity but also the selectivity of nickel crystallites could be dramatically altered when the metal was dispersed on graphite nanofibers compared to the performance obtained with more conventional support materials, such as active carbon and γ-alumina. Transmission electron microscopy examinations showed that the metal was evenly distributed over the graphite nanofiber surfaces, and in general the particles adopted a well-defined thin flat hexagonal shape. In contrast, the crystallites formed on active carbon and γ-alumina did not acquire the same well-defined morphological features; however, on average, they were considerably smaller than those generated on the nanofiber surfaces. The most dramatic feature was the fact that in the oxide supported nickel system the average particle size was about 5 times smaller than that for t...
Roughness-Induced Instability in a Hypersonic Laminar Boundary Layer

A cylindrical roughness element was used to introduce instabilities into a laminar nozzle-wall boundary layer in the Purdue Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel. A pitot probe, hot-wire probes, and wall-mounted pressure sensors were used to detect an instability in the wake of the roughness. This is the first such instabilitymeasured at hypersonic speeds. The instability was observed to grow downstream of the roughness and was strongest off the wake centerline at a height near the roughness height. Computations have confirmed the presence of the instability, which originates upstream of the roughness in the separation region. Further characterization of this instability can assist development and validation of physics-based prediction methods for roughness-induced transition.
Exaggerated Natriuretic and Calciuric Responses to Hydrochlorothiazide in Renal Hypercalciuria but not in Absorptive Hypercalciuria

Patients with hypercalciuria have been reported to have an exaggerated response to hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), implying a renal tubular defect in solute reabsorption. To determine whether this disturbance is generalized or unique to a particular pathogenetic type of hypercalciuria, we measured the increments in urinary sodium (Δ Na), calcium (Δ Ca), and magnesium after a 100-mg dose of oral HCTZ in 10 normal subjects and 31 patients with different types of hypercalciuric nephrolithiasis. Eleven patients with renal hypercalciuria had significantly greater Δ Na (P < 0.005) and Δ Ca (P < 0.005) than the normal subjects. Ten patients with absorptive hypercalciuria and 10 patients with fasting hypercalciuria without parathyroid stimulation had Δ Na and Δ Ca indistinguishable from those of normal subjects. In all groups, urinary HCTZ and basal 24-h urinary Na did not differ. The results suggest that the unique natriuretic and calciuric responses to HCTZ occur only in renal hypercalciuric patients with secondary...
Prepositions in object and adverbial constructions

Abstract We shall assume that adverbials may be represented in underlying structure as prepositional phrases, the adverbs being pro-forms (see Steinitz 1969). There are two kinds of adverbials, one inside VP and the other possibly directly dominated by S. I will further try to show that direct objects as well as indirect objects are underlying noun phrases and that the notion “indirect object” is only relevant in surface structure. There are however different kinds of objects in underlying structure, one of which may be called dative object. Furthermore I will give some reasons why one should postulate that not all prepositions are derived from underlying verbs or adjectives. If some of these assumptions are true, it should be obvious that “adverbial” is a notion very much like “object” and cannot be treated as a syntactic category. The discussion follows the lines of the so-called standard theory. The conclusion is that much information concerning our problem has to be stated in the lexical entry of the verb. If possible, the examples are taken from French; if not, I switch to Spanish or German.
Supercritical fluid extraction and chromatography of emulsifiers

Selected emulsifiers, which included acetylated monoglycerides, lactylated monoglycerides, hexaglycerol distearate, triglycerol mono/dioleate and decaglycerol decaoleate, were separated with capillary supercritical fluid chromatography on a 25% cyanopropyl stationary phase with a mobile phase of CO2 at 100–150°C. In general, the density/pressure programs that produced the best separations were those with reduced pressure/density ramp rates, which encompassed the largest possible pressure or density range. Samples of acetylated monoglycerides were placed in a supercritical fluid extraction cell on a glass bead bed and extracted for 15 min at 50°C at 340, 408, 544 and 680 atm with CO2. At 544 atm, 103.6 ± 1.0% of the emulsifiers was extracted. Acetylated monoglycerides were added during twin-screw extrusion of cornstarch (3% w/w emulsifier/corn starch). The acetylated monoglycerides were extracted from the cornstarch extrudate for 15 and 45 min, at 544 and 646 atm and 50–120°C with 0 and 5% added methanol. The percent acetylated monoglyceride extracted after 45 min at 120°C and 646 atm was 60.0 ± 5.7%, while the amount extracted during a 7.5-h Soxtec extraction ranged from 17.9 to 29.4%, depending upon the solvent used.
An institutional analysis of fiscal reform in postcommunist Europe

The fiscal systems of postcommunist states in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are undergoing fundamental transformations. The old mechanisms of revenue extraction and expenditure, based on central planning, are breaking down and being replaced by new ones that are better suited to market economies. Of course, it will take several years for these new fiscal institutions to develop fully. The problem is that although postcommunist states need to pursue fiscal policies in order to facilitate structural change, economic growth, equity, and other socioeconomic goals, these efforts are being hobbled by the lack of well-developed fiscal institutions.1 An especially important manifestation of this dilemma is a tendency to incur severe budget deficits and, at worst, fiscal crises where deficits are so large and hard to manage that states encounter great difficulty performing their basic duties.2
Rapid sequence intubation: Is rocuronium an alternative?

Summary In summary, the difference in efficacy between succinylcholine and rocuronium as facilitators of RSI is small. Overall, succinylcholine will provide slightly superior intubating conditions and a probability of success a few percentage points greater than rocuronium. The use of rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg after induction of anesthesia with propofol 2.0 to 2.5 mg/kg and alfentanil ≥20 μg/kg will provide conditions for RSI similar to those after a classic thiopental-succinylcholine sequence. If doses of intravenous anesthetic drugs are smaller than those stated, the dose of rocuronium needs to be at least 1.0 mg/kg and may have to be as high as 2.0 mg/kg. Rocuronium can be considered a suitable alternative to succinylcholine for RSI in most clinical situations. The exceptions to this conclusion might be when the clinical situation demands the absolute optimization of intubating conditions or when the longer duration of action of rocuronium is contraindicated.
The Relationship Between the Distributions of Slot-Jet-Impingement Convective Heat Transfer and the Temperature in the Cooled Solid Cylinder

A conjugate heat transfer investigation was conducted to better understand the effects of an impinging radial slot jet cooling device on both the heat transfer rates and temperature fields in the fluid, and especially in the cylindrical solid cooled by this device. The study used numerical methods to model a configuration in which a set of four radially positioned slot jets cooled a cylindrical steel target using air with a jet Reynolds number of 20,000. A steady-state v 2 f Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes model was used with a representative two-dimensional section of the axisymmetric target and flow domain. Boundary conditions, heat intensity, target wall thickness, and thermal conductivity were varied to study the effects of the impingement cooling on the temperature distribution in the solid. For Biot (Bi) numbers between 0.0025 and 0.073, temperatures in the solid were clearly affected by lateral conduction, and temperature variation in the solid was an order of magnitude smaller than the variation i...
Transient neurological deficit following midthoracic decompression for severe stenosis: a series of three cases.

Purpose To report three cases of transient perioperative neurological deficit in the absence of direct cord insult following decompression of the severely stenotic thoracic spine.
Bilateral median nerve bifurcation with an accessory compartment within the carpal tunnel

Abstract A case is reported in which the median nerves bifurcated bilaterally, with the radial segment of each nerve passing through an accessory ligamentous compartment within the carpal tunnel.
Aging and regulated protein degradation: who has the UPPer hand?

Summary In all cells, protein degradation is a constant, ongoing process that is critical for cell survival and repair. The ubiquitin/proteasome pathway (UPP) is the major proteolytic pathway that degrades intracellular proteins in a regulated manner. It plays critical roles in many cellular processes and diseases. Disruption of the UPP is particularly relevant to pathophysiological conditions that provoke the accumulation of aberrant proteins, such as in aging as well as in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. For unknown reasons, most of these neurodegenerative disorders that include familial and sporadic cases exhibit a late onset. It is possible that these neurodegenerative conditions exhibit a late onset because proteasome activity decreases with aging. Aging-dependent impairment in proteolysis mediated by the proteasome may have profound ramifications for cell viability. It can lead to the accumulation of modified, potentially toxic proteins in cells and can cause cell injury or premature cell death by apoptosis or necrosis. While it is accepted that aging affects UPP function, the question is why does aging cause a decline in regulated protein degradation by the UPP? Herein, we review some of the properties of the UPP and mechanisms mediating its age-dependent impairment. We also discuss the relevance of these findings leading to a model that proposes that UPP dysfunction may be one of the milestones of aging.
Executive Dyscontrol in Normal Aging: Normative Data, Factor Structure, and Clinical Correlates

Although there is ample evidence of frontal system dysfunction in old age, the clinical significance of these impairments has not been well studied. In this article, we examine the factor structure of putative executive measures in a sample of well elderly subjects. Three stable factors emerged, but only one was associated with measures of functional status. This factor was most strongly associated with relatively simple bedside executive measures that might prove useful in dementia screening. In contrast, a second factor, dominated by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, was weakly associated with disability. These data suggest that certain executive measures may be more relevant to functional outcomes, and hence dementia case finding, than others. Moreover, associations with functional status should not be casually extrapolated from regional frontal clinical correlations, particularly with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Scale Pattern Analysis of Selected Scale Characteristics and the First Annulus for Distinguishing Wild and Hatchery Steelhead in the Hood River, Oregon

Abstract Resource managers need an accurate, reliable means of distinguishing hatchery-origin steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss from wild stocks. We evaluated the effectiveness of scale pattern analysis at distinguishing between wild and hatchery (progeny of wild broodstock) winter steelhead collected at Powerdale Dam in the Hood River basin. The characteristics within the freshwater zone of hatchery (n = 126) and wild (n = 428) scales were quantified to determine whether the improved growth experienced in the hatchery environment would facilitate discrimination between hatchery and wild steelhead. Scale measurements that depended on the location of the first freshwater annulus were the most effective at distinguishing between hatchery and wild steelhead. Linear discriminant function analysis of key scale characteristics correctly classified a maximum of 73.9% of a blind-sampled population (n = 92) of known-stock winter steelhead. On average, estimates of the proportion of wild fish in known-origin test group...
The relation of smoking to waist-to-hip ratio and diabetes mellitus among elderly women.

Background.Smoking is associated with lower body weight, but an increased risk of diabetes in some studies. Because smoking may increase waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), a risk factor for diabetes, we postulated that the relation between smoking and diabetes may be mediated in part by smoking-associated differences in body fat distribution. Methods.We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 9,435 elderly nonblack women enrolled in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Data were collected by self-report and physical examination. Linear and logistic models were used to determine the relation of smoking to WHR and prevalence of self-reported diabetes. Results.Current and past smokers had greater WHRs compared with never smokers. In multivariate models that adjusted for body mass index, the prevalence of diabetes was lower among smokers of ≤10 cigarettes/day [odds ratio (OR) = 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31–1.03] and higher among smokers of >10 cigarettes/day (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 0.99–1.92) compared with never smokers. The relation of smoking <10 cigarettes/day to prevalence of diabetes was slightly attenuated after further adjustment for WHR. Conclusions.Smoking-associated differences in WHR may mediate, at least in part, the prevalence of diabetes among smokers of >10 cigarettes/day. The decreased prevalence of diabetes that we observed among smokers of ≤10 cigarettes/day was not explained by differences in obesity and requires confirmation.
Characterization of liquid-phase epitaxially grown HgCdTe films by magnetoresistance measurements

In this paper, we demonstrate that measurements of the magnetoresistance can be used as a valuable alternative to conventional characterization tools to study transport properties of advanced semiconducting materials, structures, or devices. We have measured magnetoresistance on two different systems, namely, three liquid-phase epitaxially grown HgCdTe films and two GaAs-based high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) structures. The results are analyzed by using a two-carrier model as a reference in the context of the reduced-conductivity-tensor scheme. The HEMT data are in quantitative agreement with the two-carrier model, but the HgCdTe data exhibit appreciable deviations from the model. The observed deviations strongly indicate a mobility spread and material complexity in the HgCdTe samples which are probably associated with inhomogeneities and the resulting anomalous electrical behavior.
First‐time‐users' impressions of continuing education using the internet

Purpose – The paper's aim is to describe the first experiences of, opinions and attitudes toward, continuing education using the internet of a group of Puerto Rican pharmacists after an online course.Design/methodology/approach – This is a descriptive study using a focus group of practicing pharmacists who participated in continuing education using the internet for the first time.Findings – The participants' descriptions and impressions with regard to online continuing education (CE) experiences were both emphatic and covered all aspects of the process, from accessing the CE site to selecting a topic to reading the content and answering the questions. Pharmacists recognized the importance and advantages of online CE, but demonstrated preference for live CE. Lack of technical skills is still a limitation, especially the lack of internet navigation skills.Research limitations/implications – The recruiting methodology did not result in a sufficient number of participants for the two sessions that were planne...
Tuning between crystallographically aligned carbon nanotube growth and graphene etching

Abstract The catalytic activity of nanoparticles to form either crystallographically oriented etch tracks or carbon nanotubes on top of few-layer graphene is tuned through the application of a methane feedstock gas. The catalytic activity for these two processes is found to vary at different rates as a function of the amount of applied feedstock gas. These differences provide a window of growth parameters in which nanotubes can be grown on the surface of few-layer graphene without significant formation of etch tracks. Since this surface growth results in nanotubes which can be crystallographically aligned to the underlying graphene layers, this development could lead to improved electrical interfaces between nanotubes and graphene without the deleterious consequences of catalytic etching. Such improved interfaces could prove to be useful in applications benefiting from low interfacial electrical resistances between one-dimensional and two-dimensional materials, such as in supercapacitor applications.
Formation of asteroid satellites and doublet craters by planetary tidal forces

APPROXIMATELY ten per cent of the impact structures on the Earth and Venus are doublets—pairs of craters formed by the near-simultaneous impact of asteroids of comparable size. It has been suggested that these doublet craters form from asteroid fragments dispersed by aerodynamic forces during atmospheric entry, or from asteroids that were tidally disrupted by gravitational forces shortly before impact. But to form a doublet, the progenitors of the craters must have been well separated before final impact, which poses problems for both mechanisms. Here we argue that a hitherto undetected population of well separated binary asteroids can explain the occurrence of doublet craters. By modelling asteroids as weak, gravitationally bound aggregates ('rubble piles'), we show that the tidal forces experienced during close encounters with the Earth can generate binary asteroids, in a process similar to that which fragmented the comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 (ref. 7) as it passed by Jupiter. Although the resulting binary asteroids may eventually separate or coalesce before colliding with a planet, repeated close encounters with the Earth maintain a steady-state population that is sufficiently large to explain the observed number of doublet craters.
Subpicosecond gain and index nonlinearities in InGaAsP diode lasers

Abstract Studies of active waveguides with short optical pulses provide information about fundamental carrier dynamics and nonlinear processes relevant to high speed modulation, amplification, and switching. We describe recent investigations of the gain and index nonlinearities in InGaAsP optical amplifiers operating in the 1.5 μm region of the spectrum. We have measured the group velocity dispersion, -λd 2 n eff /dλ 2 , for these diodes using time domain reflectometry. We have used a novel heterodyne pump- probe technique to study the gain and refractive index nonlinearities; and we have performed short pulse saturation measurements that confirm predictions derived from these time-domain studies. Nonlinear gain compression is found to be due mainly to carrier heating and two-photon absorption. A small portion of the total response has been attributed to spectral hole burning. The index nonlinearities are dominated by carrier heating and by the instantaneous optical Kerr effect. We discuss how these time domain results, for both the real and imaginary parts of χ (3) , can be related to other experimental determinations of diode nonlinearities. In addition, we include results that go beyond the perturbational limit and show large rapid gain and index nonlinearities for high pump powers. These results will be discussed in the context of all-optical switching in active semiconductor waveguides.
Predictors of Seclusion or Restraint Use Within Residential Treatment Centers for Children and Adolescents

This study identified predictors of seclusion or restraint use among licensed and/or accredited residential treatment centers (RTCs) for children and youth in the United States responding to a federally-sponsored survey of mental health services. 693 licensed and/or accredited child and adolescent RTCs responded to questions about the demographic and admission status of clients served on an identified date, services offered, size, ownership, funding, and their use of seclusion or restraint practices within the preceding 12 months. Logistic regression was used to determine factors predicting facility use of seclusion or restraint. A large majority of licensed and/or accredited child and adolescent RTCs (82 %) reported using seclusion or restraint in the prior year. Contrary to prior research, individual patient characteristics (percent of males, minorities, and involuntary admissions) did not predict the use of coercive techniques. Instead facility and funding variables accounted for approximately 27 % of the variance in the use of seclusion or restraint. Larger, privately-owned RTC’s funded primarily through public monies and which offered medication and programming for SED youth were more likely to endorse having used seclusion or restraint in the previous year. Despite visible policy and advocacy efforts to reduce seclusion and restraint use over the past decade, a majority of licensed and/or accredited RTCs for children and adolescents report using such practices. Findings emphasize the importance of examining facility-level variables in predicting their use, and highlight the disconnect between nationally espoused goals and current practices regarding coercive techniques in child and adolescent RTCs.
Fabrication and use of a simple implant placement guide

Proper placement and orientation of dental implants is a requirement for optimum function and esthetics to be obtained with the definitive restoration. This article describes an acrylic resin implant placement guide which is simple to fabricate and easy to use. This device guides the surgeon in the precise position and angulation planned for the implant, yet allows for some flexibility in the event slight adjustments are necessary during surgery.
Mechanistic Aspects and Reaction Pathways for Oxidative Coupling of Methane on Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 Catalysts

Kinetic and isotopic methods were used to determine the identity, rate constants, and reversibility of elementary steps for primary and secondary reactions involved in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) on Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2. We provide evidence in this study for parallel C−H bond activation pathways, in which H-abstraction is mediated by either oxygen species on surfaces or by OH radicals formed via H2O/O2 equilibration on catalyst surfaces. OCM rates and C2+ yields are higher when H2O is present and OH-mediated pathways prevail, because of the high reactivity of OH radicals and of their lesser sensitivity to the energy of the C−H bond containing the hydrogen abstracted. These coupled homogeneous-catalytic sequences account for all observed kinetic effects of O2, CH4, and H2O on rates and selectivities for both CH4 conversion and for subsequent reactions of C2H6, C2H4 and C3 products; they are also consistent with measured kinetic and thermodynamic isotope effects for C−H bond activation mediated by sur...
The effect of temperature and strain rate on the super-plastic behaviour of P/M in-100 superalloy

Abstract IN-100 is a very important superalloy, used in such industrial high-temperature, high-strength, applications as gas turbine blades, nozzles and wheels. Such parts are normally produced from cast alloy and complex heat-treatment is required to obtain the desirable fine-grained structure. An alloy of superior microstructure can be produced by powder metallurgy techniques. This greatly simplifies subsequent processing and enhances the hot ductility of the alloy within a certain range of temperature and strain rate. This paper reports the results of an investigation designed to establish the optimum range of conditions within which a low-carbon P/M IN-100 superalloy is superplastic. Enhanced hot ductility of the alloy is of considerable practical importance since it extends the range of possible manufacturing techniques to such precision processes as pressing, extrusion and forging.
Copper deficiency inhibits Ca2+-induced swelling in rat cardiac mitochondria.

Abstract Cu deficiency disrupts the architecture of mitochondria, impairs respiration, and inhibits the activity of cytochrome c oxidase — the terminal, Cu-dependent respiratory complex (Complex IV) of the electron transport chain. This suggests that perturbations in the respiratory chain may contribute to the changes in mitochondrial structure caused by Cu deficiency. This study investigates the effect of Cu deficiency on Ca2+-induced mitochondrial swelling as it relates to changes in respiratory complex activities in cardiac mitochondria of rats. Male weanling rats were fed diets containing either no added Cu (Cu0), 1.5 mg Cu/kg (Cu1.5), 3 mg Cu/kg (Cu3) or 6 mg Cu/kg (Cu6). The rate of Ca2+-induced mitochondrial swelling in the presence of succinate and oligomycin was reduced, and the time to reach maximal swelling was increased only in the rats consuming Cu0 diet. Cytochrome c oxidase activity was reduced 60% and 30% in rats fed Cu0 and Cu1.5, respectively, while NADH:cytochrome c reductase (Complex I+ComplexIII) activity was reduced 30% in rats consuming both Cu0 and Cu1.5. Mitochondrial swelling is representative of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) formation and the results suggest that Ca2+-induced MPTP formation occurs in cardiac mitochondria of Cu-deficient rats only when cytochrome c oxidase activity falls below 30% of normal. Decreased respiratory complex activities caused by severe Cu deficiency may inhibit MPTP formation by increasing matrix ADP concentration or promoting oxidative modifications that reduce the sensitivity of the calcium trigger for MPTP formation.
Improved, Single Flash, Continuum Source for Use below 2000 A*

A high-intensity, low-energy flash lamp for use below 2000 A is described. The radiation from a single flash, at 4000 v and 15 mfd, produces an emission continuum to 1500 A which is of sufficient intensity to be used with either photographic or photomultiplier techniques. A densitometer trace of the Schumann-Runge O2 absorption band system is shown. Also, oscilloscope traces are presented which were taken at 1700 A. These show attenuation of the signal as a function of oxygen concentration.