cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NONCIRCULAR SLIDING SURFACES

Previous analyses have failed to analytically determine the critical location of general slip surfaces in finite homogeneous earth slopes or to assess the possible importance of shape in computing factors of safety. A numerical procedure is developed to minimize the factor of safety with respect to the shape of the sliding body. The results obtained, except for a few cases, generally confirm the reliability of established procedures using a circular sliding surface. Critical shapes are presented and new data are compared with that obtained from the conventional slip circle analysis. The results are expressed in concise dimensionless form.
Species- and stage-specific barnacle larval distributions obtained from AUV sampling and genetic analysis in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA

Abstract A new method to autonomously collect larvae and environmental variables such as temperature, salinity, and circulation is described. A large volume in situ pumping system, recently developed for discrete biogeochemical sample collection in deep-sea environments, was adapted and mounted to the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) REMUS 600 for autonomous larval and environmental sampling in coastal waters. To assess the performance of this system, the distribution of barnacle larvae was assessed in March 2014 with two transects perpendicular to the coastline (~ 9.9 and 11.2 km) in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA. The second transect included a complex sampling mission through a relatively deeper channel, and sampling at discrete depth intervals. In this deployment, nearshore and surface waters were fresher, with distinct vertical stratification due to salinity. Barnacle larvae were classified into early nauplii, late nauplii, and cyprid stages, and the mitochondrial COI barcode marker was sequenced to identify individual larvae of different stages. In an analysis of 164 barcode sequences, larvae belonging to Amphibalanus sp., Semibalanus balanoides, and Chthamalus fragilis were found, with Amphibalanus sp. the most abundant larval taxon overall. In the second deployment, early and late nauplii were relatively more abundant near the bottom. However, there was no obvious pattern relative to depth with cyprids, and there were no clear cross-shore distributional patterns for nauplii and cyprids. While additional deployments are necessary to corroborate these observations, the results demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. Autonomous vehicle based sampling has the potential to collect larvae of other invertebrates as well as zooplankton, and together with genetic identifications, overcomes many existing limitations and will provide valuable new insight in understanding larval distributions and transport dynamics.
TRUSTING AND JOINING? An Empirical Test of the Reciprocal Nature of Social Capital

This article tests a key hypothesis of the social capital literature: voluntary memberships and generalized trust reproduce one another. Panel data from the Michigan Socialization Studies from 1965 to 1982 are used to test the contemporaneous and lagged effects of interpersonal trust on joining groups and the contemporaneous and lagged effects of joining groups on interpersonal trust. We find no evidence supporting the hypothesis that interpersonal trust encourages group memberships and only limited evidence suggesting that belonging to groups makes individuals more trusting.
Mutual Interference Drag on Signs and Luminaires

Wind tunnel tests were conducted to determine the increase in drag on flat plate and luminaire models due to the proximity of nearby models of like shape. Test results showed drag increases of up to twenty percent due to interference between the flows around the two bodies. The maximum interference drag generally occurred at a spacing of about 20% of a single model width. Several models exhibited a pronounced dip in the data where interference drag first decreased and then increased again. On the luminaire model this resulted in an optimum spacing where the interference drag went to zero.
Channel order estimation for multichannel blind image recovery

Several algorithms have been proposed for multichannel blind deconvolution of images. Many of these algorithms are critically dependent on accurate estimates of the sizes of the unknown filters-wrong estimates can result in catastrophic failure. In this paper we present a residual-based technique for order estimation that is based on the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT). The performance of the algorithm is shown to be far superior to subspace rank-based methods typically used for the purpose. We conjecture that the algorithm fails only when the data is corrupted to an extent that makes any kind of reconstruction infeasible.
Black and White Americans and Latino Immigrants: A Preliminary Look at Attitudes in Three Southern Cities

Immigration into the United States soared between the 1990 and 2000 censuses and continued during the 2000 to 2007 period, resulting in significant demographic shifts in some regions of the country. Latino immigration accounts for much of this increase with the South receiving the largest demographic shift. A number of Southern states, such as North Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia, reported substantial increases in the size of their Latino populations from 1990 to 2000 (U. S. Census 1990, 2000). Many experienced even greater growth in Latino residents between 2000 and 2007. Research in the area of the effects of Latino immigration on intergroup relations in the South is very recent and not extensive (McClain et al. 2006, 2007; Marrow 2008, 2009; Winders 2008a, 2008b). This paper will provide a glimpse at the context in which racial intergroup relations will be developed in three Southern locations - Durham, NC; Memphis, TN; and Little Rock, AR. These locations represent different Southern environments: Memphis is a majority black city, Durham holds nearly equal numbers of blacks and whites and Little Rock is a majority white city.
Initiation of decay of Bacillus subtilis trp leader RNA

Transcription termination in the leader region of the Bacillus subtilis trp operon is regulated by binding of the 11-mer TRAP complex to nascent trp RNA, which results in formation of a terminator structure. Rapid decay of trp leader RNA, which is required to release the TRAP complex and maintain a sufficient supply of free TRAP, is mediated by polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). Using purified B. subtilis PNPase, we showed that, when TRAP was present, PNPase binding to the 3′ end of trp leader RNA and PNPase digestion of trp leader RNA from the 3′ end were inefficient. These results suggested that initiation of trp leader RNA may begin with an endonuclease cleavage upstream of the transcription terminator structure. Such cleavage was observed in vivo. Mutagenesis of nucleotides at the cleavage site abolished processing and resulted in a 4-fold increase in trp leader RNA half-life. This is the first mapping of a decay-initiating endonuclease cleavage site on a native B. subtilis RNA.
Enzymatic Saccharification and Viscosity of Sawdust Slurries Following Ultrasonic Particle Size Reduction

Results in a previous study showed up to a 55% increase in saccharification rates when the initial particle size range decreased from 590 < x < 850 μm down to 33 < x < 75 μm. The smaller particle sizes also lowered the viscosity of the slurry 50-fold (for an equivalent initial solids concentration). In this study, ultrasonic irradiation was employed to further reduce the particle size of sawdust slurries below the ranges in the previous study in an attempt to further increase enzymatic saccharification rates and lower the slurry viscosity. Average particle sizes were reduced to less than 1 μm under the conditions tested. Surprisingly, the amount and rates of sugar released in this study with the ~1 μm particles is comparable (maximum glucose release of 30%) to, but no better than that seen for particle sizes in the range of 33 ≤ x ≤ 75 μm (maximum glucose release of 31%). Also surprisingly, the viscosity increased as the average particle sizes in the slurries decreased, which is opposite to the trend in the previous study. For example, there was an approximately threefold increase in the viscosity between unsonicated samples with a range of 10 ≤ x ≤ 75 μm and sonicated samples with a range of 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 12 μm. This is attributed to the variations in surface characteristics of the particles which were characterized here using X-ray diffraction profiles and SEM pictures.
The progress in water gas shift and steam reforming hydrogen production technologies – A review

Hydrogen has been widely considered a clean fuel of the future, with the highest mass based energy density of known fuels. Water gas shift (WGS) and steam reforming (SR) are the major reactions used for hydrogen production, and improved catalysts are essential to the future of the WGS and SR processes. Much progress in the different aspects of these fields has been made recently, which includes approaches to preparation and characterization, doping and promotion, as well as evaluation of catalysts, especially nanocatalysts. Significant improvements have been realized in increasing the stability of the catalysts, the overall conversion of raw materials, and the hydrogen production selectivity. This review aims to introduce these hydrogen production processes, to present developments in these areas, and discusses recent improvements that have made noteworthy impacts.
Repeated assessment of orthotopic glioma pO2 by multi-site EPR oximetry: A technique with the potential to guide therapeutic optimization by repeated measurements of oxygen

Tumor hypoxia plays a vital role in therapeutic resistance. Consequently, measurements of tumor pO(2) could be used to optimize the outcome of oxygen-dependent therapies, such as, chemoradiation. However, the potential optimizations are restricted by the lack of methods to repeatedly and quantitatively assess tumor pO(2) during therapies, particularly in gliomas. We describe the procedures for repeated measurements of orthotopic glioma pO(2) by multi-site electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry. This oximetry approach provides simultaneous measurements of pO(2) at more than one site in the glioma and contralateral cerebral tissue. The pO(2) of intracerebral 9L, C6, F98 and U251 tumors, as well as contralateral brain, were measured repeatedly for five consecutive days. The 9L glioma was well oxygenated with pO(2) of 27-36 mm Hg, while C6, F98 and U251 glioma were hypoxic with pO(2) of 7-12mm Hg. The potential of multi-site EPR oximetry to assess temporal changes in tissue pO(2) was investigated in rats breathing 100% O(2). A significant increase in F98 tumor and contralateral brain pO(2) was observed on day 1 and day 2, however, glioma oxygenation declined on subsequent days. In conclusion, EPR oximetry provides the capability to repeatedly assess temporal changes in orthotopic glioma pO(2). This information could be used to test and optimize the methods being developed to modulate tumor hypoxia. Furthermore, EPR oximetry could be potentially used to enhance the outcome of chemoradiation by scheduling treatments at times of increase in glioma pO(2).
Storm track response to ocean fronts in a global high-resolution climate model

Synoptic atmospheric eddies are affected by lower tropospheric air-temperature gradients and by turbulent heat fluxes from the surface. In this study we examine how ocean fronts affect these quantities and hence the storm tracks. We focus on two midlatitude regions where ocean fronts lie close to the storm tracks: the north-west Atlantic and the Southern Ocean. An atmospheric climate model of reasonably high resolution (~50 km) is applied in a climate-length (60 year) simulation in order to obtain stable statistics. Simulations with frontal structure in the sea surface temperature (SST) in one of the regions are compared against simulations with globally smoothed SST. We show that in both regions the ocean fronts have a strong influence on the transient eddy heat and moisture fluxes, not just in the boundary layer, but also in the free troposphere. Local differences in these quantities between the simulations reach 20–40 % of the maximum values in the simulation with smoothed SST. Averaged over the entire region of the storm track over the ocean the corresponding differences are 10–20 %. The effect on the transient eddy meridional wind variance is strong in the boundary layer but relatively weak above that. The potential mechanisms by which the ocean fronts influence the storm tracks are discussed, and our results are compared against previous studies with regional models, Aquaplanet models, and coarse resolution coupled models.
Population-level toxicity of the insecticide, spinosad and the nonylphenol polyethoxylate, R-11, to the cladoceran species Ceriodaphnia dubia Richard

The effects of the natural insecticide, spinosad, and the agricultural adjuvant, R-11, were evaluated on populations of the water flea, Ceriodaphnia dubia after chronic 8-day exposures. The number of individuals used to start the chronic exposure studies (founders) and the number of offspring/surviving female were significantly reduced after exposure to spinosad concentrations ≥ 2.5 μg/L. The final number of individuals was significantly reduced after exposure to spinosad concentrations ≥ 1.0 μg/L. Population growth rate was significantly reduced after exposure to spinosad concentrations ≥ 1 μg/L. Extinction occurred (defined as negative population growth rate) after exposure to spinosad concentrations of 10 μg/L. Therefore, negative effects were observed in C. dubia after exposure to spinosad at a concentration near the chronic expected environmental concentration (EEC) of 2.3 μg/L. R-11 was much less toxic to C. dubia than spinosad. The number of founders was not significantly reduced until C. dubia were exposed to 12,000 μg/L. The number of offspring/surviving female, final number of individuals, and population growth rate were significantly reduced after exposure to R-11 concentrations ≥ 5,000 μg/L. Extinction occurred after exposure to R-11 concentrations of 12,000 μg/L which was above the EEC of 790 μg/L. These results indicate that spinosad and R-11 both have lethal and sublethal effects on C. dubia. However, spinosad appears to affect C. dubia at or near the EEC while R-11 does not negatively affect this species until concentrations are much higher than the EEC.
Glycomechanics of the Metastatic Cascade: Tumor Cell–Endothelial Cell Interactions in the Circulation

Hydrodynamic shear force plays an important role in the leukocyte adhesion cascade that involves the tethering and rolling of cells along the endothelial layer, their firm adhesion or arrest, and their extravasation or escape from the circulatory system by inducing passive deformation, or cell flattening, and microvilli stretching, as well as regulating the expression, distribution, and conformation of adhesion molecules on leukocytes and the endothelial layer. Similarly, the dissemination of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the primary tumor sites is believed to involve tethering, rolling, and firm adhesion steps before their eventual extravasation which leads to secondary tumor sites (metastasis). Of particular importance to both the leukocyte adhesion cascade and the extravasation of CTCs, glycoproteins are involved in all three steps (capture, rolling, and firm adhesion) and consist of a variety of important selectin ligands. This review article provides an overview of glycoprotein glycosylation associated with the abnormal glycan expression on cancer cell surfaces, where well-established and novel selectin ligands that are cancer related are discussed. An overview of computational approaches on the effects of fluid mechanical force on glycoprotein mediated cancer cell rolling and adhesion is presented with a highlight of recent flow-based and selectin-mediated cell capturing/enriching devices. Finally, as an important branch of the glycoprotein family, mucins, specifically MUC1, are discussed in the context of their aberrant expression on cancer cells and their role as cancer cell adhesion molecules. Since metastasis relies heavily on glycoprotein interactions in the bloodstream where the fluid shear stress highly regulates cell adhesion forces, it is important to study and understand the glycomechanics of all relevant glycoproteins (well-established and novel) as they relate to the metastatic cascade.
The effects of sodium sulfate, glycosaminoglycans, and Congo red on the structure, stability, and amyloid formation of an immunoglobulin light-chain protein.

Light-chain amyloidosis (AL) is characterized by immunoglobulin light-chain fragments aggregating into amyloid fibrils that deposit extracellularly in vital organs such as the kidney, the heart, and the liver, resulting in tissue degeneration and organ failure, leading to death. Cardiac involvement is found in 50% of AL patients and presents the most severe cases with a life expectancy of less than a year after diagnosis. In this study, we have characterized the variable domain of a cardiac AL patient light chain called AL-09. AL-09 folds as a β-sheet and is capable of forming amyloid fibrils both in the presence of sodium sulfate and in self-seeded reactions under physiological conditions. Glycosaminoglycans such as dermatan sulfate and heparin promote amyloid formation of self-seeded AL-09 reactions, while the glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulfate A stabilized oligomeric intermediates and did not elongate the preformed fibrils (nucleus) present in the reaction. Finally, the histological dye Congo red, known to bind to the cross β-sheet structure of amyloid fibrils, inhibits AL-09 amyloid fibril formation in the presence of sodium sulfate and in self-seeded reactions. This paper provides insight into the impact of different reagents on light-chain stability, structure, amyloid fibril formation, and inhibition.
Bond stretch in diatomic vibrotors with fues potential

A variational procedure related to the differential form of the Hellmann-Feynman theorem to calculate various expectation values is applied to the exactly solvable Fues potential problem of the non-rigid diatomic vibrator-rotator. Results obtained from the exact solution of the radial term of the Schrodinger equation are used to derive an expression for the expectation value of the bond stretch due to rotational-vibrational coupling.
Optical spectra of high-temperature superconductors

The concept of 'free' electrons which yields the Drude description of the conductivity works surprisingly well in conventional metals. By contrast, the infrared reflectivity of the cuprate superconductors deviates dramatically from Drude behavior and thus challenges theory to explain the origin of the anomalous electron damping and the related mass divergence which has implications for the existence of a Fermi surface. The controversial key issue of the carrier concentration in cuprates needs to be resolved by a conserving analysis of the puzzling conductivity. Raman spectra of cuprates also exhibit unconventional electronic contributions over a wide frequency range up to 1 eV, and recent data provide evidence for the symmetry of the superconducting energy gap. A microscopic theory for both the optical conductivity and the Raman anomalies in cuprates derives a linear frequency variation of the damping from electron-electron collisions on a 'nested' Fermi surface that refers to nearly parallel segments of an electron trajectory. Thus the nesting theory links the cuprate anomalies to phenomena in chromium and rare earth metals. Nesting also yields a novel mechanism for d-wave superconductivity that requires a Coulomb repulsion of intermediate strength and key nesting features that distinguish high Tc cuprates from other materials.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Comparative Marketing Measures of Societal Quality of Life: Substantive Dimensions in 186 Countries:

Annual ratings of seven comparative marketing measures of societal quality of life (QOL) in 186 countries were analyzed to understand the nature of QOL related to commerce. Confirmatory factor analyses and other multivariate analyses showed evidence for three substantive dimensions of QOL: benefits, costs, and sustainability.
Revisiting Whittaker & Sidner's "email overload" ten years later

Ten years ago, Whittaker and Sidner [8] published research on email overload, coining a term that would drive a research area that continues today. We examine a sample of 600 mailboxes collected at a high-tech company to compare how users organize their email now to 1996. While inboxes are roughly the same size as in 1996, our population's email archives have grown tenfold. We see little evidence of distinct strategies for handling email; most of our users fall into a middle ground. There remains a need for future innovations to help people manage growing archives of email and large inboxes.
Reduction of intimal thickening in canine coronary bypass vein grafts with dipyridamole and aspirin

The potential benefit of platelet inhibitor drugs on coronary arterial bypass vein grafts was assessed in dogs with magnification-corrected angiographic luminal measurements and quantitative histologic evaluation of the vein grafts. There were 11 control animals and 11 animals treated with dipyridamole, 55 mg/day, plus aspirin, 325 mg/day. Eighteen animals with patent grafts were studied when electively killed 2, 4 or 6 months after grafting. At 14 days, there was greater angiographic narrowing in the most distal 1 cm of vein grafts in control than in treated dogs (P < 0.01). This same angiographic narrowing persisted in control dogs until they were killed (P < 0.03). Computer-assisted measurements of the entire area of intimal thickening were done on vein graft cross sections taken 1 cm from the distal anastomosis. The circumference of the vein grafts at the intimal-media junction was measured from the same section and the potential maximal luminal area calculated. The calculated luminal narrowing due to intimal thickening was greater in control than in treated dogs (P < 0.03). These data correlate well with the demonstrated angiographic narrowing. The findings indicate that the degree of early intimal thickening that persists 2 to 6 months postoperatively in canine coronary bypass vein grafts may be reduced by the platelet inhibitor combination of dipyridamole plus aspirin.
Evanescent fiber-optic chemical sensor for monitoring volatile organic compounds in water.

The transport of trichloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and toluene in aqueous solutions through a polydimethylsiloxane film was modeled using a Fickian diffusion model to fit data obtained from an evanescent fiber-optic chemical sensor (EFOCS). The resultant diffusion coefficients for these analytes were respectively 3 × 10-7, 5 × 10-7, and 1 × 10-7 cm2/s. Inclusion of an interfacial conductance term, defined as the ratio of the mass transport coefficient across the polymer surface and the analyte diffusion coefficient in the polymer, was required to accurately model the data. It was determined that the interfacial conductance terms were generally of the same order of magnitude for the analytes examined, suggesting a constant transport mechanism for the analytes. Linear chemometric algorithms were used to model the EFOCS response to aqueous mixtures of the three analytes with individual analyte concentrations between 20 and 300 ppm. Both partial least-squares and principal component regression algorit...
Transonic wall interference assessment and corrections for airfoil data from the 0.3-meter TCT adaptive wall test section

The wall interference assessment/correction code presented is nonlinear, involves four walls, and is applicable to transonic airfoil data from wind tunnels with shaped, solid top and bottom walls. Attention is given to its application to data from the NASA 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel Adaptive Test Section, for two sizes of a NACA 0012 airfoil and to simulated data for an inviscid two-dimensional full-potential code. This study indicates that while adaptive wall wind tunnels significantly reduce some aspects of wall-interference effects (by comparison to straight solid and slotted wall wind tunnels), residual wall and other interference effects are present.
Mercury(II) Site-Selective Binding to a DNA Hairpin. Relationship of Sequence-Dependent Intra- and Interstrand Cross-Linking to the Hairpin-Duplex Conformational Transition.

Hg(II) interacted site selectively with only one of three deoxyribooligonucleotides examined; these "oligos" each had a different number of unmatched T residues. Thus, Hg(II) formed an intrastrand T-Hg-T cross-link between the first and fourth T residues of the hairpin, d(GCGCTTTTGCGC) (T4). The DNA strand formed a loop around the Hg, as if the Hg atom had been lassoed. The interactions of Hg(II) with two other oligos, d(ATGGGTTCCCAT) (T2) and d(GCGCTTTGCGC) (T3), were less specific. Previously, we found that at high DNA and salt concentrations, T2 was a mixture of hairpin and duplex forms while T3 and T4 had the hairpin form; modeling studies showed that in the free T4 hairpin the two T's at the ends of the (T)(4) loop form a T.T wobble base pair. Only in T4 are the T residues positioned to form an intrastrand cross-link readily. The Hg(II)-oligo adducts formed as a function of added Hg(II) were investigated by titrations monitored by UV, CD, and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The appearance of a new set of (1)H signals with the concomitant decay of the free oligo (1)H signals indicated that 1:1 Hg(II):T2, 1.5:1 Hg(II):T3, and 1:1 Hg(II):T4 adducts were formed with Hg(NO(3))(2). In H(2)O, these adducts all had spectra with very downfield signals for the exchangeable TN(3)H and GN(1)H groups, a characteristic of base-paired regions. All upfield N(3)H signals from the (T)(2) and (T)(3) sequences of the free oligo disappeared in the spectra of the 1:1 Hg(II):T2 and 1.5:1 Hg(II):T3 adducts. The disappearance of the NH signals, the UV spectral changes, and the stoichiometries (1:1 Hg(II):T2 and 1.5:1 Hg(II):T3) indicate that these adducts are duplexes containing two and three T-Hg-T interstrand cross-links for T2 and T3, respectively. The (1)H and (13)C signals of the 1:1 Hg(II):T4 adduct in D(2)O were nearly completely assigned by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The spectrum of the adduct in H(2)O had only two of the four original TN(3)H signals from the (T)(4) sequence present in the spectrum of T4; this result is consistent with the presence of a TN3-Hg-TN3 cross-link. The (13)C chemical shift changes upon Hg(II) binding indicated that the TN3-Hg-TN3 cross-link was between the T's at each end of the (T)(4) loop. The NOESY, CD, and UV spectra were all consistent with a hairpin conformation for the 1:1 Hg(II):T4 adduct. A hairpin conformation also appeared reasonable from molecular modeling calculations. In conclusion, the length of the central (T)(n)() sequence influenced the type of T-Hg-T cross-link formed and, in turn, the conformation of the adducts. For (T)(2) and (T)(3), interstrand T-Hg-T cross-linking favored the duplex form. In contrast, for (T)(4), intrastrand T-Hg-T cross-linking stabilized the hairpin form.
The effect of upright posture on right ventricular volumes in patients with and without heart failure.

Abstract The effects of posture on stroke volume, right ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, cardiac output, and heart rate were studied in subjects without heart disease and patients with congestive heart failure. Cardiac catheterization was performed, and right ventricular volumes were measured by combining a direct Fick cardiac output determination with a thermodilution technique, while the subjects were supine and after they had been tilted to a 60-degree upright position. In the normal subjects, upright tilting resulted in a profound fall in stroke volume, an increase in heart rate, and a significant decrease in the size of the right ventricle, although the residual fraction increased. In contrast, in subjects with congestive heart failure, tilting to the upright position caused no significant changes.
A comparison of surgical outcomes for noncirrhotic and cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma patients in a Western institution.

Background Although cirrhosis is common among Western hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, a substantial proportion are not cirrhotic. Studies examining surgical outcomes in noncirrhotic patients primarily evaluate Asian populations and liver resections. We describe cirrhotic and noncirrhotic HCC patients undergoing resection and transplantation at a Western institution. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 188 HCC patients treated surgically from 2000 to 2011 at a single Western institution. The primary endpoint was recurrence. Secondary endpoints included time to recurrence and overall survival. Results We evaluated 138 cirrhotic and 50 noncirrhotic patients with a median follow-up of 33.8 months. Noncirrhotics mostly underwent liver resection (90%), whereas cirrhotics primarily underwent transplantation (67%). Hepatitis B was the most common underlying liver disease for noncirrhotics (64%), whereas hepatitis C (55%) and alcohol abuse (32%) predominated among cirrhotics. Pathologic evaluation demonstrated tumors in noncirrhotics that were fewer in number, larger, less differentiated, and more likely to have vascular invasion. Recurrence was more common for noncirrhotics (36 vs 18%; P = .008) and more common after resection compared with transplantation. Overall median survival was 46.9 months for both groups. After resection, noncirrhotics had longer survival times than did cirrhotics (41.6 vs 32.9 months; P = .04). Vascular invasion was an independent predictor for recurrence; tumor size was a predictor of mortality. Conclusion Noncirrhotics in our Western cohort had higher risk pathologic features, more frequently underwent resection, and suffered more recurrences than did cirrhotics. Overall survival was similar for both groups. Prospective studies of noncirrhotic HCC patients in Asia and Western countries may inform surveillance and treatment.
Age and Growth of Red Drum from a Saltwater Marsh Impoundment in South Carolina

Abstract Adult and juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellata (Linnaeus), confined to a saltwater marsh impoundment at South Island, Georgetown County, South Carolina, were studied to determine their length-weight relationship, age according to otoliths, and the time of annulus formation in the otoliths. The equation log W = −1.29596 + 2.74031 log L was determined for the relationship of length to weight. Sectioned otoliths revealed no annulus formed in fish up to 1,070 g and 38.5 cm in standard length, suggesting that no annulus was formed the first spring after hatching in September through November. Annuli were formed in spring (April-May). The largest fish belonged to the 1966 and 1967 year classes, which were in the marsh when the impoundment was formed in May 1968. Reading otoliths before they were cut produced erroneous results.
Intramolecular charge transfer in di-tert-butylaminobenzonitriles and 2,4,6-tricyanoanilines: A computational TDDFT study

Abstract The time-dependent DFT calculations for the low-lying excited electronic states of 4- and 3-di- tert -butylaminobenzonitrile, and 2,4,6-tricyano- N , N -dimethylaniline and 2,4,6-tricyanoaniline have been performed to investigate the mechanism of photo-induced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). In addition, CC2-RI calculations were performed for TCDMA. For di- tert -butylaminobenzonitriles, we found evidence for the π σ ∗ -state mediated mechanism associated with the sequential state-switches: π π ∗ → π σ ∗ → ICT . It is predicted that 2,4,6-tricyano- N , N -dimethylaniline (TCDMA), but not 2,4,6-tricyanoaniline, possesses two ICT states, one of which shows the ICT-characterized quinoidal geometry and lies below the initially photo-excited S 1 ( π π ∗ ) state. The π π ∗ → ICT formation in TCDMA feasibly occurs in accord with the observed time-resolved excited-state absorption spectra and the biexponential fluorescence decay from the mixed S 1 ( π π ∗ ) /ICT state of TCDMA.
Factors Which Influence the Assay of the Antilactobacillus Agent in Saliva

Demonstration of the antilactobacillus agent is dependent on the amount present in saliva specimens. The medium employed in performing the tests, Rogosa's medium, gave the best reproducible results. Variation in sensitivity of lactobacillus species and the occurrence of resistant mutants were determined.
Facility location on a grid with a diagonal line

This article extends the traditional median problem on a grid to include a diagonal line (e.g., a street). In contrast to the traditional median problem, this generalized problem is nonconvex and nonseparable, invalidating some of the properties on which well-known median-seeking algorithms are based. This work presents an algorithm for finding the median on this generalized grid and discusses the relationship between it and the traditional median.
The charybdotoxin receptor of a Shaker K+ channel: Peptide and channel residues mediating molecular recognition

Charybdotoxin (CTX) is a peptide of known structure that inhibits Shaker K+ channels by a pore-blocking mechanism. Point mutagenesis of all 30 solvent-exposed residues identified the part of the CTX molecular surface making contact with the receptor in the K+ channel. All close-contact residues are clustered in a well-defined interaction surface; the shape of this surface implies that the outer opening of the Shaker channel conduction pore abruptly widens to a 25 x 35 A plateau. A mutagenic scan of the S5-S6 linker sequence of the Shaker K+ channel identified those channel residues influencing CTX binding affinity. The Shaker residues making the strongest contribution to toxin binding are located close to the pore-lining sequence, and more distant residues on both sides of this region influence CTX binding weakly, probably by an electrostatic mechanism. Complementary mutagenesis of both CTX and Shaker suggests that Shaker-F425 contacts a specific area near T8 and T9 on the CTX molecular surface. This contact point constrains Shaker-F425 to be located at a 20 A radial distance from the pore axis and 10-15 A above the "floor" of the CTX receptor.
Geriatric nutrition. Part IV: The role of fiber in the diet.

lhe widespread use of fiber (particularly bran) as an additive to breakfast cereals and bread, as promoted by nutritionists and manufacturers, draws dentists’ attention to this element. Water is an essential nutrient, responsible for the optimal health of skin, muscle, secretions of eyes, saliva, and mucous membranes. Xerostomia, a manifestation of dehydration, adversely affects the oral mucous membrane and tongue, predisposes to rampant dental caries, and impairs the ability of patients to form a bolus of food with artificial dentures.’ It is well documented that hydrophilic fiber in the diet holds water and is therefore essential to prevent tissue dehydration in the elderly.2-4 This article attempts to clarify what is known about the role of fiber in the nutrition of elderly patients and to enhance dietary management of these patients.
Angiogenesis inhibitors in clinical oncology

Abstract Over the past 5 years the clinical applications of anti-angiogenic strategies have grown exponentially. This past year was no exception with the rapid development and introduction into practice of two multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. The development of TKIs for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors in particular validates this target further in its role in angiogenesis and suggests further mechanisms that may complement previously established neutralizing antibodies to VEGF and similar strategies. Ongoing studies will combine these and other agents in what may be further advances in angiogenesis inhibition in the years to come.
Adaptive versus rational expectations and the Fisher effect

Substantial controversy remains over the causes of interest rate fluctuations. This controversy frequently focuses on the role of expected inflation. The theoretical determinats of the nominal rate are examined usig the IS&/LM/AS model and it is shown that the augmented Fisher equation is sensitive to the expectations generating mechanism. The model assumes that the nominal rate ceteris paribuschanges one-for-one with expected inflation. The total impact, however, may take any value from zero to one. The empirical analysis sequentially estimates reduced form equations based on adaptive and rational expectations. The results confirm prior findings that nominal rates do not adjust one-for-one with inflation. The results also yield some insight on the applicability of the assumption of rational versus adaptive expectations.
Diminished muscle growth in the obese Zucker rat following overload is associated with hyperphosphorylation of AMPK and dsRNA-dependent protein kinase

Previous data have suggested that insulin-resistant skeletal muscle may exhibit a diminished ability to undergo hypertrophy and that this result may be mediated, at least in part, from decrements i...
Determination of the global secondary structure of proteins by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

In the development of new foods or in the control of traditional process, protein functionality plays a paramount role. It has long been theorized that changes in protein structure can alter functionality, but there has been a lack of reliable methodologies for observing protein structural changes in ‘real-world’ food samples. Here, a technique for determination of the global secondary structure of proteins using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in H2O instead of D2O is assessed and contrasted with other methodologies for structural determinations. A quantitative procedure is presented for preparing and analysing FTIR spectra of proteins for the determination of their global secondary structural components. As an example, an analysis of the FTIR spectra of egg-white lysozyme is presented and correlated with global secondary structure values calculated from its X-ray crystallographic structure. Other examples of FTIR analyses of food proteins are presented with consideration given to qualitative procedures for more rapid structural analysis of processed samples.
Sex, gender, and pharmaceutical politics: From drug development to marketing

Abstract Background: Biological sex differences and sociocultural gender norms affect the provision of health care products and services, but there has been little explicit analysis of the impact of sex differences and gender norms on the regulation of pharmaceutical development and marketing. Objectives: This article provides an overview of the regulation of pharmaceuticals and examines the ways that regulatory agencies account for sex and gender in their review of scientific data and marketing materials. Methods: The primary focus is on the US context, but information is also included about regulatory models in Europe, Canada, and Japan for comparative purposes. Specific examples show how sex differences and gender norms influence scientific and policy decisions about pharmaceuticals. Results: The United States and Canada were found to be the only countries that have explicit requirements to include women in clinical trials and to perform sex-based subgroup analysis on study results. The potential influence of politics on regulatory decisions may have led to an uneven application of standards, as seen through the examples of mifepristone (for abortion) and sildenafil citrate (for erectile dysfunction). Three detailed case studies illustrate the importance of considering sex and gender in pharmaceutical development and marketing: Phase I clinical trials; human papillomavirus quadrivalent vaccine; and tegaserod, a drug for irritable bowel syndrome. Conclusions: Sex and gender play important roles in pharmaceutical regulation, from the design of clinical trials and the approval of new drugs to advertising and postmarketing surveillance. However, regulatory agencies pay insufficient attention to both biological sex differences and sociocultural gender norms. This disregard perpetuates inequalities by ignoring drug safety problems that predominate in women and by allowing misleading drug marketing that reinforces gender stereotypes. Recommendations have been made to improve the regulation of pharmaceuticals in regard to sex and gender.
STUDIES ON THE APPLICATION OF THE COULTER ELECTRONIC COUNTER IN ENUMERATION OF PLATELETS

The use of the Coulter Blood Cell Counter for counting of platelets in the blood is discussed. Threshold settings for counting separated platelets were determined and coincidence error was calculated. A method was developed for separation of platelets from red cells. Anticoagulant fixatives were developed that prevented adhesion and fragmentation of the platelets. A practical clinical method for platelet counting is outlined. (M.C.G.)
Benzocycloarene hydroxylation by P450 biocatalysis

Experimental and theoretical studies of the hydroxylation of a family of benzocycloarene compounds [benzocyclobutene, benzocyclopentene (indan), benzocyclohexene (tetralin), and benzocycloheptene] by wild type and Y96F mutant P450cam were performed in order to understand the factors affecting product distribution, catalytic rate and cofactor utilization. The products of all reactions except that of benzocycloheptene were regiospecifically hydroxylated in the 1-position. Reaction energetics predominated over active site steric constraints in this case so that quantum mechanical calculations (B3LYP/6-31G*) comparing the energetics of all possible radical intermediates successfully predicted hydroxylation at the 1- and 3-positions of benzocycloheptene, and at the 1-position for the other three compounds. However, the fact that the ratio of 1-alcohol to 3-alcohol changes significantly between wild type and Y96F mutant P450cam indicates that active site geometry and composition also play a significant role in determining BCA7 product regiospecificity. The indan and tetralin reaction products were stereoselective for the R enantiomer (88 and 94%, respectively). Steric constraints of the active site were confirmed by molecular dynamics calculations (locally enhanced sampling dynamics) to control enantiomer distribution for tetralin hydroxylation. NADH coupling, binding affinity, and product turnover rates were dramatically higher for Y96F P450cam, showing that the removal of the active site hydroxyl group on tyrosine makes the enzyme better suited for oxidation of these hydrophobic compounds. NADH coupling, binding affinity and product turnover rate for each enzyme generally increased with arene ring size. For both enzymes, NADH coupling and product turnover rates were correlated with the extent of high-spin shift upon substrate binding as determined by the shift in Soret absorption bands at 417 and 391 nm.
Promotive Tension: The Basis of Prosocial Behavior from a Lewinian Perspective1

Three categories of tension are identified as potential correspondents of psychological forces: tension arising from own needs, from induced needs, from the need to satisfy impersonal demands. To these, a fourth is added in which tensions are coordinated to someone else's desire to locomote toward or away from a region in his life space. From this Lewinian perspective, altruism and other less dramatic forms of prosocial behavior are part of a general theoretical question: What conditions determine whether individuals develop tension systems coordinated to another's goal attainment? The process by which tension is coordinated to another person's goal attainment is here called promotive tension arousal. Conditions that determine whether promotive tension arousal produces behavior that facilitates or hinders another's goal attainment are discussed.
Cancer stage knowledge and desire for information: mismatch in Latino cancer patients?

Having more health knowledge has a crucial and positive impact on cancer outcomes. Patients’ cancer knowledge influences their ability to participate actively in decision-making processes for medical care and in treatment choices. The purpose of this study was to determine the demographic and medical correlates of lack of cancer stage knowledge and desire for information among Latino cancer patients. The sample included 271 underserved Latino cancer patients recruited from four cancer clinics in New York City. Participants completed a needs assessment survey in their preferred language, which included sociodemographic and health-related questions. Close to two-thirds of the sample (65 %) had no knowledge of their stage, and 38 % were unaware of the metastatic state of their tumor. Only 15 % of the patients expressed that they would like additional information about their diagnosis and/or treatment. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, being an immigrant with limited English proficiency and monolingual in Spanish were predictors of stage unawareness and less desire/need for cancer information. Patients needing interpretation for health care were less likely to know whether their tumor had metastasized and their cancer stage and to desire information about their cancer diagnosis and/or treatment. This study shows considerably low levels of stage awareness among Latinos diagnosed with cancer. This lack of knowledge might adversely impact their treatment decisions and disease management. Future studies should focus on identifying barriers to acquisition of disease information and other disease-specific informational deficits.
Use of pulmonary artery catheters in advanced heart failure.

Purpose of reviewRandomized trials have demonstrated that use of the pulmonary artery catheter does not improve outcomes in patients with critical illness. Despite this, pulmonary artery catheters continue to be used, especially in heart failure. This review addresses recent clinical trials evaluati
The use of alpha-2 agonists in peripheral nerve blocks: a review of the history of clonidine and a look at a possible future for dexmedetomidine

Many additives to local anesthetics to prolong the duration of peripheral nerve blocks have been investigated throughout the years. Clonidine, an alpha-2 agonist, has shown efficacy with all local anesthetics in a variety of peripheral nerve block techniques. In vitro and in vivo laboratory animal studies indicate a direct action on the peripheral nerve by clonidine, which is not mediated via the alpha-2 receptor. Dexmedetomidine (Precedex ® ) is a newer alpha-2 agonist that has shown some promise in a limited number of regional anesthesia investigations. The following article reviews the available clinical peripheral nerve block studies using clonidine, laboratory animal in vitro and in vivo studies on the effect of perineural clonidine, and studies using dexmedetomidine in regional anesthesia.
The role of expectations in arms acquisition processes: The U.S.‐U.S.S.R. case

Recent empirical studies of arms races have led to the disturbing conclusion that for several important arms races, particularly the U.S.‐U.S.S.R. case, there appears to be no interaction. Instead arms acquisition appears to be driven only by internal factors. A number of interpretations for these results have been provided. They include, inappropriate model specification, inappropriate operationalization of military threat, and error ridden military expenditure data. Recent results, coupled with our more descriptive understanding of arms processes, suggest that expectations of current and future arms expenditures by the opponent are relevant to an understanding of current arms expenditures. This implies that such expectations must be taken into account in the arms modeling process. In this paper several alternative expectations mechanisms are formulated and tested for the U.S.‐U.S.S.R. case. The extent of measurement error in Soviet military expenditures and its effect on the empirical tests of the expec...