cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating Health and Diabetes Perceptions Among Hmong American Children, 9–18 Years of Age

After immigrating to the United States (US), obesity and diabetes have increased among the Hmong. Therefore, this study investigated how Hmong children perceive health and diabetes risk so that appropriate interventions may be planned. Hmong children (N = 335), ages 9–18 years participated in this study. A survey used Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as the theoretical framework and silhouette drawing instrument. Heights and weights were measured and body mass indexes (BMIs) were calculated. About half of the children were either overweight (BMI ≥ 85th < 95th percentile) or obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile). About 75% chose average sized silhouettes as healthiest and heaviest silhouettes as diabetic shape. Environmental influences including food availability, parents, and media influenced children’s health perceptions. Results suggest a need for culturally appropriate interventions, aiming towards a child’s environment and educating them about risks associated with obesity and diabetes.
Effect of azithromycin on small bowel motility in patients with gastrointestinal dysmotility.

Abstract Objective. To investigate the effect of azithromycin (AZI) on small bowel activity in patients with gastrointestinal dysmotility (GID). Material and methods. Manometric data on a consecutive series of 21 patients was reviewed. Only those patients with gastroparesis and small bowel dysmotility as defined by antroduodenal manometric criteria were included. Pressure profiles were recorded in three stages: baseline period, fed state and postprandial after administration of erythromycin (ERY) and AZI. The measured parameters included the number and characteristics of activity fronts and migrating motor complexes (MMCs) including duration, amplitude and frequency of contractions. The data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance for comparison of each medication. Results. AZI induced more MMCs in the duodenum with origin of activity fronts in the antrum than did ERY (18 patients with AZI, 10 patients with ERY). No significant difference between AZI and ERY was seen with respect to the...
The utility of the composite cascode in analog CMOS design

This work demonstrates the utility of the composite cascode stage by considering its use (1) as a high-gain amplifying stage; (2) as a high-impedance load for an amplifying stage; and (3) as a low-impedance, high-frequency summing circuit. A simulation of the summing circuit using 0.18 µm channel lengths leads to a rise time of less than 30 ps and good linearity. When used as a high-gain amplifier, both devices of the active cascode stage must be biased into the active region. In the summing circuit, one device is biased into the triode region whereas the second device must operate in the active region. Guidelines for achieving proper bias with a single bias source are provided in this work.
Synthesis and reactivity of a very strong reducing agent containing a quadruple bond: structures of W2(hpp)4 and W2(hpp)4Cl2·4CH2Cl2

Abstract The preparation and structural characterization of the very strong reducing agent W2(hpp)4, hpp = the anion of 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine, 1, has been accomplished. It has a short distance of 2.1617(4) A for the quadruply-bonded W24+ unit. Compound 1 is very reactive and gives the triple bonded W 2 ( hpp ) 4 Cl 2 ·4 CH 2 Cl 2 , 2 ·4 CH 2 Cl 2 , upon crystallization after mere contact with the haloalkane CH2Cl2. The change in electronic configuration from the σ2π4δ2 in 1 to the σ2π4 system in 2 increases the W–W distance by ca. 0.09 to 2.2497(8) A. W2(hpp)4 also reduces C60 and 7,7′, 8,8′-tetracyanoquinodimethide, TCNQ. The latter is reduced to the TCNQ2− anion while the W24+ unit is oxidized to the W26+ state.
Delayed and forgone care for children with special health care needs in New York State.

Objective: To identify characteristics associated with delayed/forgone care for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in New York State (NYS) as reported by their parents. Methods: Data come from NYS participants in the 2000–2002 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. Data were analyzed using weighted bivariate and multivariate regression models. The dependent variable was report of delayed/forgone routine health care. Independent variables included illness characteristics, potential and actual access to care, and provider care characteristics. Results: In NYS, 8.4% reported delayed/forgone health care for their child. Parents of children with delayed/forgone care were more likely to report that their child was uninsured (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–11.8), had experienced interrupted health insurance (aOR 3.9, 95% CI 1.5–9.7), or their child’s insurance was not adequate for CSHCN (aOR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4–9.1). Further, these parents were more likely to report that providers never spend adequate time (aOR 6.3, 95% CI 1.2–34.4), provide sufficient information (aOR 8.0, 95% CI 2.5–25.0), act as partners in care (aOR 6.7, 95% CI 2.3–19.7), or display cultural sensitivity (aOR 5.4, 95% CI 1.2–24.3). Conclusions: An estimated 40,771 NYS CSHCN experience delayed/forgone routine health care. Their families report two noteworthy barriers: inadequate or discontinuous insurance coverage and poor communication with health-care providers. Access to care for CSHCN can be improved by increasing consistent comprehensive insurance coverage and increasing sensitivity in relationships between health care providers and families of CSHCN.
Monitoring of electrical peoperties during cartilage reshaping

A new non-thermal method of altering the shape of cartilage to create mechanically stable new morphologies was developed using low DC voltage electric fields (electroforming). In cartilage electroforming, voltage is applied to the surfaces of cartilage specimens held in mechanical deformation by a jig made of two large surface area electrodes for 2-5 minutes. Following removal of the specimen from the jig, permanent shape change is observed. Electric resistance and mechanical stress were monitoring during electroforming. Strong correlation between resistance and stress was observed suggesting that the mechanism of stress relaxation is electrically mediated and may provide a mean to monitor electroforming.
Role of the pharmacist in palliative care

AbstractPharmacists are uniquely positioned to provide expert medication advice and education, thus creating a specialised role within the team providing end-of-life care dedicated to rational medication use. The role of pharmacists varies among different palliative care practice settings; however, all pharmacists participate in providing pharmaceutical care. Countries vary greatly in the accepted definitions to describe pharmaceutical care and in the scope of pharmacy practice. Activities of pharmacists can include detecting and resolving drug-related problems, advising providers on appropriate medication use, medication reconciliation, creating medication guidelines, education and many more. Pharmacy organisations support pharmacists as key members of interdisciplinary care, and there is growing recognition of the value of their contribution. This review will explore the role of the pharmacist and available literature supporting outcomes associated with pharmacy involvement in palliative care. Pharmacis...
Physiological tolerance to hyperthermia and hypoxia and effects on species richness and distribution of rockpool fishes of Loggerhead Key, Dry Tortugas National Park

Rockpools on Loggerhead Key in the Dry Tortugas National Park experience cyclic tidal changes in water quality and physical dimension resulting in ichthyofaunal assemblages that differ markedly from the adjacent coral reef. Within the beach rock formations and areas transitioning to the nearby reef, we observed 45 fish species; however, only four species – schoolmaster, Lutjanus apodus, French grunt, Haemulon flavolineatum, cocoa damsel, Pomacentrus variabilis, and frillfin goby, Bathygobius soporator – were found in all rockpools. All fishes were transient juveniles except for frillfin goby, which was a pool resident. High temperature tolerance, (Critical Thermal Maxima), and low oxygen tolerance, (Critical Oxygen Minima) for schoolmaster, French grunt, cocoa damsel, and frillfin goby were 40.9, 36.2, 37.6, 40.9 °C and 0.56, 0.77, 0.50, and 0.27 mg/L, respectively. All four species demonstrated thermal and hypoxia tolerance values similar to those published for species traditionally noted as abiotic specialists. Although fish distribution patterns in rockpools were likely influenced by structural complexity and spatial limitations, the relationship between pool morphology and species richness was weak, suggesting that physiological tolerance to high temperature and low oxygen among reef fishes may be more influential in determining which species inhabit the rockpools. Harsh thermal and oxic conditions that cannot be exploited by less tolerant species may be beneficial for some Loggerhead Key reef fishes in providing refuge from predators, foraging grounds, or potential nursery areas.
The kinetics of the acid-base equilibrium of 4-carboxybenzophenone ketyl radical. A pulse radiolysis study

Abstract Pulse radiolysis of nitrogen saturated aqueous solutions of 4-carboxybenzophenone below pH 8 has been used to generate the 4-carboxybenzophenone ketyl radical anion to allow the direct observation of the protonation of this radical in neutral and moderately acidic solutions. A transient absorption band with λ max = 650 nm (assigned to the ketyl radical anion) was observed immediately after the pulse which was subsequently converted to an absorption band with λ max = 570 nm (assigned to the ketyl radical). The kinetics of this conversion was of pseudo-first-order with a rate constant linearly dependent on the H + concentration. These findings are interpreted in terms of a protonation of the ketyl radical anion by water (CB- · + H 2 O → CBH · + OH - ) and by protons (CB-· + H + → CBH · ). The respective rate constants are: 2.5 × 10 2 dm 3 mol -1 s -1 and 6.8 × 10 10 dm 3 mol -1 s -1 . The rate constants for the reverse reactions are: k (CBH · + OH - ) = 8.7 × 10 9 dm 3 mol -1 s -1 and k (CBH · → CB- · + H + ) = 430 s -1 .
Acridine orange metachromasia for characterization of leukocytes in leukemia, lymphoma, and other neoplasms.

The green nuclear and red cytoplasmic fluorescence of individual leukocytes in whole blood stained with acridine orange can be measured rapidly and simultaneously at the two wave lengths of maximum emission by use of a flow-through cytophotometer. Prior studies on normal individuals showing consistent differences in the amplitude of red emission from lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes have been extended here to investigate patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and a variety of other neoplasms. The measurements obtained are presented and discussed. Both nuclear and cytoplasmic fluorescence of leukemic cells was found to vary greatly when compared with normal leukocytes, except in the case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Sequential examinations of blood from leukemia patients under treatment show very striking changes due to the treatment, with measurements returning to normal as the leukemia goes into remission. Most patients with lymphomas, carcinomas, and other neoplasms had essentially normal patterns of measurement, but, in a few cases, there were cells with increased amplitude of green fluorescence that could have resulted from hyperdiploid or nucleic acid synthesizing cells in the peripheral blood. It is not known whether these represented tumor cells or immature cells from the marrow.
The hawk/goose experiment: sources of variability

Abstract Attempts to repeat the original reports by Lorenz (1939, Zool. Anz. Suppl. , 12 , 69–109) and Tinbergen (1948, Wilson Bull. , 60 , 6–52) that goslings respond more to moving hawk silhouettes than to moving goose shapes have yielded mixed results. The combination of rearing and testing conditions was critical in obtaining a difference between reactions to the two models. In particular, group-reared birds tested in groups responded primarily by crouching, whereas individually tested birds (regardless of rearing) reacted mostly by running and calling. The response to goose models habituated faster than the reaction to hawk models.
We Do Not Yet Know What the Law Can Do

A recurrent problem in Spinoza's ethical and political philosophy is what beings can do, what their affects are, and how these affects may be diminished or enhanced. This paper focuses on Spinoza's Theological-Political Treatise to examine how natural and positive law engages a constitutive relationship with our affective capacity or, in Spinoza's language, our modal power and conatus. This paper begins with a critique of interpretations of Spinoza as a precursor of liberal political and juridical philosophies, and proceeds to argue that far from grounding a stable polity in individual right, law and natural right, Spinoza establishes a political landscape without finalist significance and in pursuit of an embodied activity of establishing new affects. Law in Spinoza will be seen not as a duty or a constraint but as a measure and an exercise of affectivity and power, a productive and phenomenological force that casts human affects into creative and unforeseeable figurations.
Book review: Phase transitions and critical phenomena

This 12th volume of the series on phase transitions and critical phenomena provides and excellent selection of reviews. The results discussed present a variety of active research topics that are rapidly developing and stimulating the use of innovative techniques, both theoretical and experimental. The volume opens with Dietrich's comprehensive review of wetting phenomena (with an emphasis on statics) and their relevance to nucleation and melting. Major results are interpreted in the light of mean-field theories or exactly solved models of wetting, drawing particular attention to their importance in designing real experiments. More recent theoretical developments elaborate on solid-on-solid models and yield new evidence of the potentialities of surface phenomena in probing the molecular interactions in (bulk) systems. 1 The article by den Nijs concentrates on the modern understanding of two-dimensional commensurate-incommensurate phase transitions. A detailed, rather technical, analysis of the critical behavior driven by domain wall excitations is reported, motivated by specific examples in physisorption. Global predictions outside the scope of the single-domain wall approximation rely on recent studies of finite-size scaling and await refined simulations and theoretical tools able to isolate chiral melting transition lines from regions of competing disorder. Studies of real substrate properties wilt provide further insight into the critical nature of the domain wall fluctuations. From the era of "No more fractals!" and proliferating log-log plots and magic jargon, Meakin's work rethinks the excitement of fractal
Developmental regulation of multiple forms of UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase of Dictyostelium.

Abstract Uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase (UTP:α- d -glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.9) is a developmentally regulated enzyme in Dictyostelium discoideum essential for the completion of its life cycle. During vegetative growth and the early stages of differentiation the specific activity of the enzyme remains constant. However, it increases threefold by the time fruiting bodies are formed. We have identified a developmentally specific form of uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase, altered in both isoelectric point and apparent molecular weight, by resolving crude extracts of cells on two-dimensional denaturing polyacrylamide gels, renaturing the protein in situ, and localizing active enzyme with a histochemical stain. Quantitation of the amount of enzyme stain deposited in the gels shows that the activity in the new form can account for the increase observed in development. The appearance of the developmental form of the enzyme requires de novo protein synthesis since it is inhibited by cycloheximide. Immunoprecipitation of uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase from in vivo and in vitro synthesized proteins has revealed heterogeneity not previously detected in the enzyme from both vegetative and developed cells. Two different proteins are synthesized in vitro by mRNA from either vegetative or developed cells. These two proteins are also found in vivo in developed cells. Only one of the two proteins is found in vegetative cells. Enzyme protein synthesized in vivo appears to be modified after translation. Therefore, the observed heterogeneity in uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase found in vivo appears due both to post-translational modification and to synthesis of two polypeptides from one or more species of mRNA.
Catalytic Water Oxidation by Single-Site Ruthenium Catalysts

A series of monomeric ruthenium polypyridyl complexes have been synthesized and characterized, and their performance as water oxidation catalysts has been evaluated. The diversity of ligand environments and how they influence rates and reaction thermodynamics create a platform for catalyst design with controllable reactivity based on ligand variations.
Exposure Geometry And Film Contrast Differences As Bases For Incomplete Cancellation Of Irrelevant Structures In Dental Subtraction Radiography

Subtraction radiography for longitudinal studies requires both reproducible imaging geometry and film contrast characteristics to permit perfect alignment of the radiographs, and achieve good cancellation of diagnostically irrelevant background structures. The standard deviation (SD) of gray levels about the mean in a subtraction image was used as a relative measure of the residual structured noise. In order to estimate the effects of improperly standardized radiographs on SD in the subtraction image, both the imaging angle and film exposure time were systematically varied. The results showed that SD changed linear for small misalignment angles of the central beam, the variance attributable to this error source reaching about the same magnitude as the variance due to anatomical differences for angulation errors within ±20. The SD increase due to large film contrast disparity could be partly reverted for angulation errors within this bound by using a quadratic transformation which matched the first two moments of the gray level distributions in the two parent radiographs. Therefore, in order to use some of the retrospective data obtained under less stringent standardizations for subtraction imagery, it appears possible to adjust for differences in film contrast, and, perhaps, correct for geometric misalignment by a separate algorithm.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Differential effects of phenothiazines on hexose phosphate dehydrogenases.

Abstract Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from beef adrenal were inhibited by a variety of substituted phenothiazines. With similar enzymes isolated from rat brain tissue only glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was affected. Kinetic studies with the brain enzyme gave no evidence of competitive inhibition. Results with imipramine, including kinetic studies, were in most instances similar to those obtained with the phenothiazines.
Research on methods for determining optical disk media life expectancy estimates

Methodologies for determining extrapolated life expectancy values for optical disk media were investigated at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). These investigations showed that the life expectancy values of optical disk media vaiy greatly due to several factors, including the method used to derive the value of the quality parameter (the byte error rate), the areas measured in the disks, the written patterns used and the criteria for data analysis. Vendor's life expectancy claims can be properly assessed by prospective users if standard methods for calculating and reporting extrapolated life expectancy values are implemented.
AR Pad: an interface for face-to-face AR collaboration

The AR Pad is a handheld display with a Spaceball and a camera, which can be used to view and interact with Augmented Reality models in collaborative setting.
A direct finite element implementation of the gradient-dependent theory

The enhanced non-local gradient-dependent theories formulate a constitutive framework on the continuum level that is used to bridge the gap between the micromechanical theories and the classical (local) continuum. They are successful in explaining the size effects encountered at the micron scale and in preserving the well-posedeness of the (I) BVP governing the solution of material instability triggering strain localization. This is due to the incorporation of an intrinsic material length scale parameter in the constitutive description. However, the numerical implementation of these theories is not a direct task because of the higher order of the governing equations. In this paper a direct computational algorithm for the gradient approach is proposed. This algorithm can be implemented in the existing finite element codes without numerous modifications as compared to the current numerical approaches (Int. J. Solids Struct. 1988; 24:581–597; Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng 1992; 35:521–539; Eng. Comput. 1993; 10:99–121; Dissertation, 1994; Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng 1996; 39:2477–2505; Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng 1996; 39:3731–3755; Comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Eng. 1998; 163:11–32; Comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Eng. 1998; 163:33–53; Euro. J. Mech. – A/Solids 1999; 18:939–962; Int. J. Solids Struct. 2000; 37:7481–7499). A predictor–corrector scheme is proposed for the solution of the non-linear algebraic problem from the FEM. The expressions of the continuum and consistent tangent matrices are provided. The method is validated by conducting various numerical tests. As a result, pathological mesh dependence as obtained in finite element computations with conventional continuum models is no longer encountered. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The behavior of the singlet and triplet spin states of methylene-bridged 1,8-naphthoquinodimethane with O2

Abstract It has been shown that thermolysis of naphthocyclopropane 8 yields the singlet 1,8-naphthoquinodimethane 7 by disrotatory ring opening. In fluid solution the singlet biradical prefers to ring close to regenerate the starting material rather than under a 1,2-hydrogen shift to yield phenalene ( 9 ). It has been demonstrated that the singlet 7 does not react with O 2 or undergo intersystem crossing to ground state triplet 7 . It has also been shown by an intricate set of experiments that triplet 7 is produced on photolysis of 8 and that it reacts with O 2 . Unfortunately, it was not possible to elucidate unequivocally the mechanism by which triplet 7 reacts with O 2 .
Rapid Gas Chromatographic Determination of Ethylene Oxide, Ethylene Chlorohydrin, and Ethylene Glycol Residues in Rubber Catheters

Isothermal gas chromatography with flame ionization detection was used to determine residual ethylene oxide (EtO), ethylene chlorohydrin, and ethylene glycol in soft rubber catheters that had been sterilized with EtO. Catheter samples were extracted by shaking with carbon disulfide, and the extract was analyzed on a 3% Carbowax 20M on 80-100 mesh Chromosorb 101 column, using nitrogen as the carrier gas. Ten replicate injections of a mixed standards solution gave coefficients of variation of 1.91, 1.23, and 4.74% for EtO, ethylene chlorohydrin, and ethylene glycol, respectively. A linear response was obtained with concentrations ranging from 1.0 to 7.9 micrograms EtO, 14.0 to 88.0 micrograms ethylene chlorohydrin, and 31.0 to 98.5 micrograms ethylene glycol. The proposed method detected as little as 0.5, 5.0, and 16.5 ng EtO, ethylene chlorohydrin, and ethylene glycol, respectively.
"Hey #311, Come Clean My Street!": A Spatio-temporal Sentiment Analysis of Twitter Data and 311 Civil Complaints

Twitter data has been applied to address a wide range of applications (e.g., Political election prediction and disease tracking), however, no studies have been conducted to explore the interactions and potential relationships between twitter data and social events available from government entities. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach to investigate the spatio-temporal relationships between the sentiment aspects of tweets and 311 civil complaints recorded in the 311 Case Database, which is freely available from the City of San Francisco. We also present results from two supporting tasks: (1) We apply sentiment analysis techniques to model the emotional characteristics of five metropolitan areas around the globe, allowing one to gain insight into the relative happiness across cities and neighborhoods within a city, and (2) we quantify the performance of several open-source machine learning algorithms for sentiment analysis by applying them to large volume of twitter data, thereby providing empirical guidelines for practitioners. Major contributions and findings include (1) We have developed a system for the relative ranking of happiness of a geographical area. Our results show that Sydney, Australia is the happiest of the five cities under study, (2) We have found a counterintuitive positive correlation between 311-report frequency and local sentiment, and (3) When performing sentiment analysis of tweets, the inclusion of emoticons in the training dataset can lead to model over fitting, whereas NLP-based features seem to have a great potential to improve the classification accuracy.
Long-Term Care and Federal Policy

A major deficiency of national health care policy is the lack of a structured and comprehensive system of long-term care. A review of existing federal programs reveals that substantial resources are being expended to care for the elderly. Program structures and requirements, however, are frequently skewed toward institutional care to the exclusion of more appropriate home- and community-based services. A recent federal study highlighted the dimensions of the long-term-care problem and proposed a compelling remedy, but a consensus continues to elude policymakers, and the prospects for fundamental reform are uncertain.
Biological activities and secondary structures of variant forms of human salivary cystatin SN produced in Escherichia coli.

Using an Escherichia coli expression system, pGEX-2T, that expresses foreign sequences as fusion proteins with a glutathione S-transferase (GST) carrier, we have produced several recombinant human salivary cystatin SN (reCsnSN) variants. These include a N-terminal-truncated form (aa 17-121), a C-terminal-truncated form (aa 1-102) and two deletion mutants (delta 12-16 and delta 56-60). A large amount of the insoluble fusion protein (approx. 15 mg/l) was produced in each case. These were solubilized with urea and refolded by dialysis. The GST carrier was then cleaved with thrombin and the reCsn variants (except delta 56-60) were purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The CysP inhibitory activities against papain, and bovine and human cathepsin B, and secondary structures of the reCsnSN variants were determined and compared to natural salivary CsnSN. The full-length reCsnSN, the N-truncated and the delta 12-16 variants inhibited the CysP activity of papain and displayed circular dichroism (CD) spectra similar to that of natural CsnSN. On the other hand, the delta 56-60 mutant and the C-truncated variant exhibited very little inhibitory activity towards papain. The CD spectrum of the C-truncated variant indicated a change in the secondary structure (e.g., a decrease in beta-sheet and an increase of an alpha-helical content). Neither, the natural nor the full-length reCsnSN or the delta 12-16 mutant exhibited any inhibitory activity towards bovine and human cathepsin B.
DMSS: a computer-based diabetes monitoring system

This paper describes a microcomputer-based decision support system (DSS) for diabetes monitoring. The system's basic functions include a patient management subsystem, an electronic logbook, a nutrition and exercise module, a dictionary for diabetes-related terminology, a diabetic-physician data transfer module and an on-line help capability. DMSS (Diabetes Monitoring Support System) provides a data capturing capability, trend analysis, and nutrition/exercise decision support to improve the monitoring and maintenance of diabetes. It was designed to be used by both a physician and a patient and can also serve as a useful teaching aid for a new diabetic. Its basic advantages lie in its comprehensiveness and flexibility. It is also user-friendly, easy to operate, and does not require any previous computer experience.
Direct Medical Costs Attributable to Acute Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke in Cohorts with Atherosclerotic Conditions

Background: The cost of acute ischemic events in persons with established atherosclerotic conditions is unknown. Methods: The direct medical costs attributable to
Recent Advances in Pathophysiology and Treatment of Hypercalcemia of Malignancy

Extensive testing has proven that recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO; EPOGEN [epoetin alfa], AMGEN Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA) corrects the anemia of end-stage renal disease and eliminates the need for transfusions in virtually all patients. Patients whose hematocrit levels are less than 0.30 or who are transfusion dependent are candidates for therapy. A dosage of 50 to 150 U/kg body weight intravenously three times a week produces an increase in hematocrit by approximately 0.01 to 0.02 per week. Once the hematocrit reaches 0.30 the dose is adjusted so that a target hematocrit of 0.32 to 0.38 is maintained. Eighty percent of patients need maintenance doses of r-HuEPO of less than or equal to 150 U/kg; the other 20% of patients require larger doses. Reasons for poor responses include iron deficiency, inflammation due to surgery or infection, and osteitis fibrosa. Most patients require iron supplementation to prevent functional iron deficiency. BP increased in one third of patients, and in 3% seizures occurred during the initial phase of therapy, often associated with a sudden increase in BP. This hypertension can be controlled with medication. Increased dialyzer clotting may occur, which is prevented when heparin doses are adjusted, and dialyzer solute clearances may decrease slightly. Treatment with r-HuEPO does not elicit an antibody response. The mechanism of action of r-HuEPO is identical to that of natural erythropoietin, and therefore is an appropriate therapy for the long-term management of anemia in chronic renal failure.
Innocent Murmurs A Parent’s Guide

Murmurs are sounds or noises made by blood as it flows through the heart and blood vessels of the body. Murmurs can be caused by abnormal flow patterns that occur when there are abnormalities of the heart valves, holes within the heart, or abnormal communications between blood vessels or between blood vessels and the heart. In infants and children, most murmurs originate through normal flow patterns, however, and are referred to as innocent, physiological, or normal murmurs. By innocent , we mean that there are no structural (anatomic) or functional (physiological) abnormalities of the heart and that the murmur comes from normal flow within a normal heart. Innocent is the preferred term because it strongly conveys that nothing is wrong, as opposed to the older term functional , which is not always clearly understood as being normal by parents and patients. Although murmurs termed innocent may be heard in virtually anyone, they are most often heard in childhood. Although innocent murmurs may be prevalent mostly in childhood, the presence of murmur does not imply the presence of structural heart disease. Congenital heart defects, which are responsible for most of the heart problems in children in the developed world, are structural abnormalities caused by errors in the development of the heart while the child is still in the womb. The heart starts out as a single tube and, during the first eight …
Regional cerebral hemodynamics during migraine and cluster headaches measured by the 133Xe inhalation method.

SYNOPSIS Measurements of noninvasive regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were made by the 133Xe inhalation method in 71 patients with different types of headache and 32 age matched normal controls. Flow gray (Fg) was calculated by two compartmental analysis from the x-ray subtracted gamma curves, and extracerebral flow indices (EFI) were calculated as an estimate of the percentage contribution by extracerebral tissues.During the headache phase, mean Fg in a group (N = 13) with classic and common migraine was significantly higher compared to a comparable group (N = 12) measured in the headache-free interval. Serial measurement made during progression in the severity of the migraine headaches showed accompanying increases in the mean Fg as the headache worsened. In 24 patients with severe migraine studied 2-48 hours after the headache subsided, the mean Fg values remained significantly increased during this immediate post-headache interval compared with patients who were headache-free for six days or longer. Serial measurements made during and after the headache showed progressive reduction of mean Fg values to normal within six days after the headache subsided. Marked cerebral dysauto-regulation was present during the migraine headache and showed progressive recovery as the headache subsided. Reduction of the head pain by administration of codeine decreased hemispheric Fg values but did not change the high flows in the basilar artery territory. Conversely, administration of ergotamine did not change hemispheric Fg values but reduced rCBF in brain stem-cerebellar regions. Significant regional reductions of Fg correlating with the neurological deficit was measured during the prodrome of classic migraine and during the headache and post-headache intervals of complicated migraine. During cluster headaches, mean Fg values were also significantly increased and the extracerebral flow indices showed marked increases with highest values recorded at the site of the headache. It was concluded that cerebral hyperperfusion during migraine headaches is mainly due to post-ischemic reactive hyperemia but may be compounded by functional hyperemia due to the head pain itself.
δ8 desaturationin vivo of deuterated eicosatrienoic acid by mouse liver

In vitro evidence has been reported for an alternate pathway that involves δ8 desaturation of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The present study was designed to allow detection of δ8 desaturationin vivo and to provide an estimation of the relative contribution of δ8 desaturation to thein vivo synthesis of n-3 fatty acids. Male adult ICR mice were fed a semisynthetic fat-free diet for eight days, and then the diets were supplemented for three days with deuterated 11,14,17-eicosatrienoic acid (20:3-d8) labeled at the 3,3,4,4,8,8,9,9 carbon positions. Analysis of liver total lipid by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy indicates that the total deuterated fatty acids contained 22.3% 20:3n-3-d8 and 28.9% of metabolites formed by elongation and δ5 desaturation of 20:3n-3-d8. Deuterated metabolites resulting from retroconversion to 18:3-d6 and subsequent metabolism by classical pathways represented 35.3% of the total deuterated fatty acids. The retroconversion product (18:4n-3-d6) of 20:4n-3-d6 and/or-d8 was 9.0% of the total. A minor percentage (4.4%) of the products identified (20:4n-3-d6, 20:5n-3-d6, 22:5n-3-d6, 22:6n-3-d5 and 24:6n-3-d5) were formed by δ8 desaturation. This study provides the first clear evidence of δ8 desaturationin vivo in the mouse liver. Whether δ8 desaturation would have a greater importancein vivo when the δ6 desaturase pathway is disrupted remains to be determined.
Applying critical theories to children's literature

(1999). Applying critical theories to children's literature. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 38, Expanding the Worlds of Children's Literature, pp. 147-154.
Permian brachiopods from the SelongXishan section, Xizang (Tibet), China Part 1: Stratigraphy, Strophomenida, Productida and Rhynchonellida

Abstract A brachiopod fauna containing some 42 brachiopod species of 30 identified genera and 2 unidentifiable genera is recorded from the Selong Group of the Selong Xishan section in southern Xizang (Tibet). Various species of Strophomenida, Productida and Rhynchonellida from this fauna are described and revised in this paper. New taxa include Neochonetes (Sommeriella) regularis nov. sp., Taeniothaerus densipustulatus nov. sp., Krotovia inflata nov. sp., Retimarginifera xizangensis nov. sp., Costatumulus tazawai nov. sp. and Neopsilocamara laevis nov. gen. et sp. Brachiopods from the Selong Group and the basal 0.07 m of the Kangshare Formation indicate an age ranging from Capitanian to Changhsingian in terms of the lates three-fold Permian timescale. Three brachiopod assemblages at the Selong Xishan section are recognised. The Marginalosia-Composita Assemblage in the lower part of the Selong Group is considered to be of Capitanian to Wuchiapingian age. The brachiopods in the Chonetella nasuta Assemblage suggest a Wuchiapingian to possibly early Changhsingian correlation. The Martinia-Waagenites Assemblage in the basal part of the Kangshare Formation is late Changhsingian in age. The brachiopod succession of the Selong Xishan section indicates that there is no major hiatus present within the Selong Group and the Permian-Triassic boundary beds.
Does Green Mean Healthy? Nutrition Label Color Affects Perceptions of Healthfulness

The food industry has recently implemented numerous front-of-package nutrition labels to readily convey key aspects a food product's nutritional profile to consumers (e.g., calories and fat content). Although seemingly well-intentioned, such labels might lead consumers to perceive relatively poor nutrition foods in a healthier light. The present research explores whether one underresearched aspect of nutrition labels-namely, their color-might influence perceptions of a product's healthfulness. In Study 1, participants perceived a candy bar as healthier when it bore a green rather than a red calorie label, despite the fact that the labels conveyed the same calorie content. Study 2 examined the perceived healthfulness of a candy bar bearing a green versus white calorie label and assessed individual differences in the importance of healthy eating. Overall, results suggest that green labels increase perceived healthfulness, especially among consumers who place high importance on healthy eating. Discussion focuses on implications for health-related judgment and nutrition labeling.
The effect of specific therapy in primary tuberculosis of the child.

Summary 1. Sixty-nine children with roentgenologically positive uncomplicated primary tuberculosis in two groups (1 to 3 years and 3 to 10 years) were alternately treated with specific antituberculous agents for at least nine months. 2. The results with specific therapy in the group 1 to 3 years of age would seem suggestive enough to warrant further investigation of the desirability of therapy in this age group. 3. Specific therapy does not seem to alter the clinical or roentgen course of uncomplicated primary tuberculosis.
Renal Cell Carcinoma in Young and Old Patients—Is There a Difference?

Purpose: Renal cell carcinoma is rare in patients younger than 40 years and conflicting data regarding presentation and outcome are present in the literature. We reviewed our experience with young patients with renal cell carcinoma and compared them to their older counterparts.Materials and Methods: We identified 1,720 patients 18 to 79 years old who were treated with partial or radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma between 1989 and 2005. Patients were grouped according to age and outcome analysis was performed.Results: Of the 1,720 patients with renal cell carcinoma 89 (5%), 672 (39%) and 959 (56%) were younger than 40, 40 to 59 and 60 to 79 years old, respectively. There were no significant differences in sex, tumor size, TNM stage or multifocality by age group. However, patients younger than 40 years were significantly more likely to present with symptomatic tumors (p = 0.028). Additionally, there were significant differences in histology by age (p <0.001), that is chromophobe histology decrease...
Educated Caring: The Emergence of Professional Identity Among Nurses

This article examines the formation of occupational identity in a nursing program. The normative and ideological dimensions of this process are revealed in the program’s goals and the views of educators and students through qualitative data from observations and 30 in-depth interviews. Educators seek to socialize students toward professionalism to raise the occupation’s status by emphasizing the scientific and technical basis of nursing. Yet students uphold a gendered discourse by identifying a normative dimension of caring as central to their occupational identity. The dilemma between professionalism and caring is reconciled as students construct an occupational identity based on “educated caring,” where these two dimensions are equally valuable and significant.
Yet another approach to the dwell-time omission problem of single-channel analysis.

Distortion of the open-time or closed-time distributions of single channel currents, due to limited time resolution of the recording system, has been addressed by many authors. The calculation of the modified distributions generally involves the numerical inversion of a Laplace transform and is difficult to apply in fitting multistate kinetic schemes to data. Our approach is to introduce "virtual states" into the kinetic scheme, as suggested by Blatz and Magleby (1986. Biophys. J. 49:967–980) to account for missed events. To simplify the assignment of rate constants in multistate schemes we make use of Kienker's (1989. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 236:296–309) theory to first transform schemes to uncoupled form. Our approach provides a good approximation to the exact solution, while allowing the observable dwell-time distributions, and also the second-order probability density functions, to be computed by standard matrix techniques.
The associations of bone mineral density and bone turnover markers with osteoarthritis of the hand and knee in pre- and perimenopausal women.

Objective To determine whether Caucasian women ages 28–48 years with newly defined osteoarthritis (OA) would have greater bone mineral density (BMD) and less bone turnover over time than would women without OA. Methods Data were derived from the longitudinal Michigan Bone Health Study. Period prevalence and 3-year incidence of OA were based on radiographs of the dominant hand and both knees, scored with the Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) scale. OA scores were related to BMD, which was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and to serum osteocalcin levels, which were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results The period prevalence of OA (K/L grade ≥2 in the knees or the dominant hand) was 15.3% (92 of 601), with 8.7% for the knees and 6.7% for the hand. The 3-year incidence of knee OA was 1.9% (9 of 482) and of hand OA was 3.3% (16 of 482). Women with incident knee OA had greater average BMD (z-scores 0.3–0.8 higher for the 3 BMD sites) than women without knee OA (P 60%; P = 0.02) or knee OA (20%; P not significant). The average change in absolute serum osteocalcin levels was not as great in women with incident hand OA or knee OA as in women without OA (P < 0.02 and P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion Women with radiographically defined knee OA have greater BMD than do women without knee OA and are less likely to lose that higher level of BMD. There was less bone turnover among women with hand OA and/or knee OA. These findings suggest that bone-forming cells might show a differential response in OA of the hand and knee, and may suggest a different pathogenesis of hand OA and knee OA.
Integral equation theory of polydisperse colloidal suspensions using orthogonal polynomial expansions.

A procedure is described for the calculation of the generalized pair distribution function g(r,s,s8), where s is a molecular random variable with distribution f (s), using generalized integral equations familiar from simple liquid theory. The method is based on expansions of all s-dependent functions in the orthogonal polynomials p j(s) associated with the weight f (s) and is computationally efficient. To illustrate the procedure, calculations are made for a charge-stabilized, polydisperse colloidal suspension with Schulz distribution of diameters s. The method can be immediately generalized to fluids with internal degrees of freedom, for which f (s) must itself be self-consistently determined. @S1063-651X~96!12610-6#
Enzymes of Arginine Metabolism

In mammals, L-arginine is classified as a semiessential or conditionally essential amino acid, depending on the developmental stage and health status of the individual. It can be derived from proline or glutamate, with the ultimate synthetic step catalyzed by argininosuccinate lyase. L-arginine is catabolized by arginases, nitric oxide synthases, arginine:glycine amidinotransferase, and possibly also by arginine decarboxylase, resulting ultimately in the production of urea, proline, glutamate, polyamines, nitric oxide, creatine, or agmatine. There is considerable diversity in tissue-specific and stimulus-dependent regulation of expression within this group of enzymes, and the expression of several of them can be regulated at transcriptional and translational levels by changes in the concentration of L-arginine itself. Consequently, the interplay among these enzymes in the regulation of specific aspects of arginine metabolism can be quite complex. For example, nitric oxide production can be affected by the interplay between nitric oxide synthases, arginases, and argininosuccinate synthetase. This metabolic complexity can pose challenges for analyses of arginine metabolism not only because L-arginine is a substrate for several different enzymes but also because ornithine and citrulline, key products of arginine metabolism, can each be produced by multiple enzymes. This overview highlights key features of the arginine metabolic enzymes and their interactions.
The physiologic effects of eight weeks of aerobic dance with and without hand-held weights

There are few reports concerning the physiologic alterations that occur following a specified period of aerobic dance. Further, no data exist to describe the physiologic changes or potential risk associated with using hand-held weights during aerobic dance. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and body composition following 8 weeks of aerobic dance using hand-held weights (Heavyhands, AMF, Jefferson, IA). Twenty-eight college females volunteered for the study. All subjects were given a preoxygen and postoxygen uptake (VO2 max) treadmill test. Body composition was measured by taking the sum of five skinfold sites and determining the percent change following training. Subjects were randomly assigned to a hand-held weight or nonhand-held weight group. No significant differences (P less than 0.05) existed between groups for VO2 max and body composition after 8 weeks of training. However, a significant improvement (P less than 0.05) in VO2 max was found within the hand-held weight (37.7 to 42.6) and in the nonhand-held weight group (36.5 to 41.9). Complaints from subjects included transient aches and pains in the shoulder area during the first 3 weeks as a result of hand-held weight use. These findings suggest that hand-held weights may be used safely but do not increase the work load sufficiently above that of aerobic dance alone to significantly modify VO2 max or body composition.