cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Basal lamina assembly

From studies of the 'classical' components, models for the assembly and structure of an idealized basal lamina have been developed. In particular, the evidence supports the concept of enmeshed collagen and laminin polymers, in which nidogen/entactin acts as a bridge between these molecules and provides anchorage for diverse matrix components. Different basement membranes, however, possess different members of the basic basal lamina families, such as the newly described alpha 6 (IV) collagen, alpha 2 (merosin) laminin, and beta 3 laminin (in kalinin/nicein) chains. Even though these members share homologous domains and sequences, and are likely to share certain functions, they also possess unique characteristics that are expected to provide for basal lamina heterogeneity. A combination of genetic, recombinant and biochemical approaches are now being applied to elucidate the special roles of both old and new components.
La necesidad de determinar la mejor alternativa para personas con esquizofrenia que no responden al tratamiento

i t y e L d t c a a i Un comentario reciente en la revista Nature publicaba 10 prioridades de investigacion orientadas al paciente en la esquizofrenia, y que fueron el resultado de un proceso que supuso aportaciones de pacientes, medicos y otros cuidadores1. Una colaboracion de la James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (en honor al medico escoces del siglo xviii que demostro que los citricos curaban el escorbuto) identifico areas de incertidumbre en el tratamiento de la esquizofrenia, que luego se trasladaron a temas de investigacion prioritaria. Es interesante, pero no sorprendente, que solo 4 prioridades esten relacionadas con la medicacion, lo que refleja la importante brecha entre la actual investigacion de tratamientos y las necesidades y deseos de pacientes, sus familias y de otros cuidadores. Este comentario se refiere a la prioridad numero 1: ? Cual es la mejor manera de tratar a personas con esquizofrenia que no responde al tratamiento? La esquizofrenia, tal y como se define y entiende en la actualidad, se caracteriza por sintomas en multiples dominios: delirio, alucinaciones, desorganizacion, sintomas negativos, sintomas afectivos y sintomas cognitivos que conducen a trastornos sociales y funcionales. El tratamiento mas basico de la esquizofrenia supone un medicamento antipsicotico y el manejo farmacologico por parte del profesional que lo ha prescrito. Sintomas que persisten en cualquiera de los dominios pueden conducir a la administracion de medicacion adicional.
The effect of Phenytoin (DPH) on the Conversion of Testosterone(T) to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in vitro

Diminished or absent virilization of male external genitalia is an occasional feature of the fetal hydantoin syndrome. We have studied the effect of DPH on the conversion of 14C-testosterone to its 5α reduced metabolites in skin of male infants. Neonatal foreskins obtained at circumcision were incubated for two hours with 14C-testosterone in buffer, with glucose, penicillin, and supra-pharmacological concentrations of DPH. Using thin layer chromatography, the incubation mixture was assayed for T and androstenedione plus the 5α reduced metabolites, DHT, androstanedione, androstanediol, and androsterone. Testosterone metabolites formed were expressed as nanomoles/100 mg tissue/hour with and without DPH. There was a significant nonlinear decrease in the amount of both DHT and total 5α reduced metabolites formed with increasing amounts of DPH, with minimal production at 4,400 nanomoles of DPH. This result was comparable to that obtained under identical experimental conditions following addition of progesterone, a known 5α reductase inhibitor. These in vitro results may explain the mechanism of abnormal phenotypic sexual differentiation of the male fetus exposed to DPH in utero.
Disappearance rate of exogenous thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in man.

ABSTRACT Bovine TSH was injected intravenously in 24 tests in 23 patients. Plasma samples obtained at appropriate intervals were assayed for TSH activity. The rate of disappearance of TSH usually followed predominantly first order kinetics with an apparent distribution volume 1.38 times the plasma volume. Eumetabolic individuals had a half-time of 35.4 ± 3.38 minutes; hypermetabolic patients had a half-time of 26.8 ± 4.05 minutes; hypometabolic patients had a half-time of 97.9 ± 29.1 minutes. One patient with severe renal disease had a prolonged disappearance rate. It was calculated that the TSH secretion rate in normal individuals is about 260 mu./day, increasing to 2,500 mu./day in hypothyroidism and to 35,000 mu./day in hyperthyroidism.3 The major role of renal tissue, the negligible role of thyroid tissue and the possible role of pituitary tissue in TSH metabolism are discussed.
Investigation of the impact of the common animal facility contaminant murine norovirus on experimental murine cytomegalovirus infection.

Murine norovirus (MNV) is a recently discovered pathogen that has become a common contaminant of specific pathogen-free mouse colonies. MNV-1 induces a robust interferon-β response and causes histopathology in some mouse strains, suggesting that it may impact other mouse models of infection. Despite many concerns about MNV-1 contamination, there is little information about its impact on immune responses to other infections. This study addresses whether MNV-1 infection has an effect on a model of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection. Exposure to MNV-1 resulted in a decreased CD8 T cell response to immunodominant MCMV epitopes in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. However, MNV-1 did not impact MCMV titers in either mouse strain, nor did it stimulate reactivation of latent MCMV. These data suggest that while MNV-1 has a mild impact on the immune response to MCMV, it is not likely to affect most experimental outcomes in immunocompetent mice in the MCMV model.
Acetylcholine epilepsy: Modification of DC shift in chronically undercut cat cortex ☆

Abstract 1.1. Cortical depth penetrations were made with DC recording during Ach induced epileptiform activity in a series of cats with undercut suprasylvian gyrus acute to 82 days chronic. 2.2. This epileptiform acitivity consists of rhythmic oscillations (bursts) superimposed on a sudden DC shift with periods of electrocorticographic "silence" (suppression) in between. 3.3. Whereas in acutely undercut preparations, the surface DC shift was negative, in the chronic preparations it was positive. 4.4. Histologica reconstruction of electrode tracts showed that the bursts in acute and chronic preparations, and the DC shift in chronic preparations reversed phase in cortical layers II–III and became maximally negative near layer IV. 5.5. The appearance of the superficial positive DC shift in the chronics has led to an hypothesis concerning a supragranular inhibitory system in the genesis of Ach induced epileptiform activity. It has not provided further explanation in our analysis for the seizure propensity of chronically undercut cortex. 6.6. Current density analysis using the second derivative of voltage with respect to depth (−α 2 V/αZ 2 ) reveals that there is a superficial source and deep sink in both acute and chronic preparations which has a similar laminar depth distribution for both DC shift and burst components. Unit analysis would implicate neuronal depolarization in deeper layers in the genesis of the deep sink for both the DC shift and the bursts. The superficial source may be a passive phenomenon.
Laser Smoothing of the Load/Unload Tabs of Magnetic Recording Head Gimbal Assemblies

A novel technology to smooth the metal tab surfaces using a pulsed laser beam is applied to reduce the wear of the load/ unload ramps used in disk drives that employ load/unload technology. The laser pulse length, pulse energy and the pulse repetition rate are so chosen that they cause the surface layer of the load/unload tab, approximately 2-3 um deep, to melt and refreeze quickly. As the surface layer melts, the surface tension of the melt removes most of the micro roughness and a smooth surface is obtained. The reduction in the micro surface roughness is confirmed by the AFM traces and a sharp decrease in the light scattered from the tab surface. In wear tests, such tabs show a remarkable improvement in the wear of the plastic load/unload ramps, allowing 5-10 X more load/unload cycles for a given amount of ramp wear.
Effects of age on learning ability: contributions from the animal literature

For both ethical and practical reasons, animal subjects are becoming increasingly important tools for life span developmental researchers. Selected studies from the animal literature which have important implications for the study of learning in a life span context are reviewed. Specific issues discussed include task difficulty, genotype effects on life span learning processes, perseveration, and early versus later experience. It was concluded that 1) the hypothesis that task difficulty has a greater effect on senescent animals relative to younger animals generally is supported by the current literature, 2) genotype is a highly relevant variable for life span developmental research, but little work has been dirrected toward how genotype affects behavior within specific environmental contexts, 3) perseveration is very likely an important factor in poorer performance among aged subjects, but it has not been adequately studied in relation to physiological correlates, earlier precursors, or genotype, 4) the issue of the importance of early versus later experience has not been resolved, but research in this area promises much information with regard to potential modifiers of a decline in learning ability with increasing age.
X-ray Structure of Translation Initiation Factor eIF2γ: Implications for tRNA and eIF2α binding

Abstract The x-ray structure of the γ-subunit of the heterotrimeric translation initiation factor eIF2 has been determined to 2.4-A resolution. eIF2 is a GTPase that delivers the initiator Met-tRNA to the P site on the small ribosomal subunit during a rate-limiting initiation step in translation. The structure of eIF2γ closely resembles that of EF1A·GTP, consisting of an N-terminal G domain followed by two β-barrels arranged in a closed configuration with domain II packed against the G domain in the vicinity of the Switch regions. The G domain of eIF2γ has an unusual zinc ribbon motif, not previously found in other GTPases. Structure-based site-directed mutagenesis was used to identify two adjacent features on the surface of eIF2γ that bind the α-subunit and , respectively. These structural, biochemical, and genetic results provide new insights into eIF2 ternary complex assembly.
The Perinatal Patient Safety Nurse: A New Role to Promote Safe Care for Mothers and Babies

Medical malpractice premiums and costs of obstetric claims, settlements, and jury awards are at an all-time high. This article describes one professional liability company's initiative to promote safer perinatal care and decrease costs of claims, including the development of the perinatal patient safety nurse role. The primary responsibility of the perinatal patient safety nurse is to promote safe care for mothers and babies by keeping patient safety as a focus of all unit operations and clinical practices.
Connecting with the readership

I want to use the editor’s column of this issue to introduce to myself and also to share with you a little about my working philosophy, which I hope to bring to the journal. However, I want to also...
Electromotive force studies in aqueous solutions at elevated temperatures—XIV: The thermodynamic properties of HClKClCaCl2 mixtures

Abstract E.m.f. measurements of the cell Pt  H 2 ( p = 1)|HCl( m 2 ), KCl( m 3 ), CaCl 2 ( m 4 )|AgCl, Ag have been combined with isopiestic measurements of the system KClCaCl 2 to calculate the activity coefficients of each of the electrolytes in aqueous HClKClCaCl 2 mixtures. The activity coefficient behavior in this system is compared and contrasted to that observed in the previously studied HClNaClMgCl 2 and HClCsClBaCl 2 systems.
Stimulatory effects of chlordane on hepatic microsomal drug metabolism in the rat.

Abstract Technical chlordane, a halogenated hydrocarbon insecticide, and one of its pure isomers, γ-chlordane, were shown to have stimulatory effects on hepatic microsomal enzyme activity for the metabolism of certain drugs. Adult and weanling rats were injected intraperitoneally with both a single dose and three consecutive daily doses of chlordane at dose levels of 10, 25, and 100 mg/kg. Drug enzyme activity was determined on livers from these rats at 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 days after the last injection. dl -Ethionine inhibited the increases in enzyme activity, keeping this activity at control levels. It was postulated that the latent and prolonged stimulatory effects of chlordane or its metabolites were due to its storage in body fat and subsequent gradual release. Chlordane is stimulatory to drug enzyme activity only when administered to the animal. Addition of chlordane to liver homogenates or particulate fractions incubated in vitro does not affect drug enzyme activity.
CLIP: Circuit Level IC Protection Through Direct Injection of Process Variations

The disaggregation of the semiconductor design and manufacturing process has resulted in integrated circuit (IC) piracy becoming an important concern to the semiconductor industry. To address this concern, we present a method for achieving robust IC protection at the circuit level through direct injection of process variations. In the proposed approach, the circuit is enhanced by including process variation (PV) sensors and modifying the design during synthesis to inject the outputs of the PV sensors into the logic at carefully selected nodes. As a result, each fabricated IC is rendered inoperative unless a unique per-chip unlocking key is applied. After fabrication, the response of each chip to specially generated test vectors is used to construct the correct per-chip unlocking key. We propose a methodology to automatically modify circuits by identifying pairs of injection and correction points, while avoiding delay penalty and minimizing area overheads. We propose the use of a cryptographic preprocessor to separate the internal key used from the external unlocking key, further enhancing the resistance of the proposed approach against several attacks. Our methodology is scalable to the key size and requires only a small area overhead to achieve reasonable security levels (e.g., 7% for 64-bit keys in a 8 k gate design). We analyze the security of the proposed technique under several attack scenarios and believe that it offers robust protection against a wide range of attacks.
Alcohol Availability and Neighborhood Characteristics in Los Angeles, California and Southern Louisiana

The objective of this study was to examine the associations between alcohol availability types and community characteristics in randomly selected census tracts in Southern California and Southeastern Louisiana. Outlet shelf space and price by beverage type was collected from all off-sale alcohol outlets in 189 census tracts by trained research personnel. Three aspects of alcohol availability at the census tract level were considered—outlets per roadway mile, shelf space, and least price by beverage type. Using multivariate analyses, we examined the associations between census tract socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and alcohol availability types. Fifteen measures of alcohol availability were calculated—total shelf space and shelf space by beverage types (beer, malt liquor, and distilled spirits); outlets per roadway mile, per tract, and per capita; and least price by beverage type (including wine). In multivariate analyses controlling for state, male unemployment rate was inversely associated with total shelf space (p = 0.03) and distilled spirit shelf space (p = 0.05). Malt liquor shelf space was inversely associated with percent White (p = 0.02). Outlets per roadway mile was positively associated with household poverty (p < 0.0001), whereas percent African American was inversely associated with outlets per roadway mile (p = 0.03). Beverage-specific least prices were not associated with any socioeconomic or demographic community characteristics. Alcohol availability types, but not least price, were associated with some community characteristics. More research exploring how alcohol availability types vary by community and their relationship to alcohol-related harms should be conducted.
Tunable diode laser spectral diagnostic studies of a pressure modulator radiometer

The successful application of high-resolution tunable diode laser spectroscopy to the diagnostic measurement of a pressure modulator radiometer (PMR) is reported, and recorded line transmission profiles for a single N2O line at 1272/cm are presented. PMR measurements obtained for mean cell pressures of about 10, 20, and 30 Torr were found to be consistent with theoretical predictions. The validity of single-pressure and two-pressure approximation representations of the mean and modulated PMR transmission spectra has been verified.
Bilateral internal derangements of temporomandibular joint: Evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging

Two hundred eleven patients with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) internal derangements were referred for magnetic resonance imaging. Both TMJs of each patient were routinely evaluated in this prospective investigation. With 422 joints examined, 29% (61) of the patients had bilaterally normal findings, 21% (45) of the patients had one normal side and one abnormal side, and 50% (105) of the patients showed bilateral internal derangements. This clinical study demonstrated a high likelihood of bilateral internal derangements in patients with symptoms of TMJ internal derangements.
Influence of analysis conditions on low pressure adsorption measurements and its consequences in characterization of energetic and structural heterogeneity of microporous carbons

Nitrogen adsorption isotherms on nonporous and microporous carbons were thoroughly studied at low relative pressures. For nonporous carbons low pressure measurements seem to be unaffected by analysis conditions. However, these measurements on microporous solids may be affected by analysis conditions at relative pressures below 10−4. It was shown that selection of proper equilibration time is crucial for correct measurements of equilibrium pressures during adsorption on microporous carbons. The isotherm shift induced by insufficient equilibration of the system may affect the surface heterogeneity and microporosity analysis. A comparison of the adsorption energy and pore volume distribution functions calculated from low pressure nitrogen adsorption isotherms measured at different equilibration times on a microporous carbon shows that this effect is smaller than it was expected.
Electrical and band-gap properties of amorphous zinc–indium–tin oxide thin films

Abstract Zinc–indium–tin oxide (ZITO) films were grown by pulsed-laser deposition. Three different material compositions were investigated: ZITO-30, ZITO-50 and ZITO-70 in which 30%, 50% and 70%, respectively, of the indium in the In 2 O 3 structure was replaced by substitution with zinc and tin in equal molar proportions (co-substitution): In 2−2 x Zn x Sn x O 3 , where x =0.3, 0.5, 0.7. All ZITO films grown at room temperature were amorphous. The first evidence of crystallinity was observed at higher deposition-temperature as the degree of co-substitution was increased. A decrease in mobility and conductivity was also observed as the degree of co-substitution was increased. The highest mobility for ZITO-30 and ZITO-50 was observed at deposition temperatures just prior to crystallization. The effect of deposition temperature on carrier concentration was minor compared to the effect of oxygen partial pressure during deposition.
Primary central nervous system lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) comprises approximately 5 % of all primary brain tumors. During the past two decades the incidence of PCNSL has increased, and as a result clinical research to determine the optimal treatment for PCNSL patients also has increased. Diagnosis is based on histopathologic findings traditionally established by biopsy only. More recent data raise controversy and challenges this biopsy-only paradigm, showing a potential advantage for surgical resection with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Using high-dose intravenous (IV) methotrexate-based chemotherapy alone or as part of a regimen can lead to disease cure. The role of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) remains controversial and more frequently is omitted to avoid potential delayed neurocognitive effects, especially in patients older than age 60 years. Newer data from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) using five cycles of Rituximab, Methotrexate, Vincristine, and Procarbazine (R-MVP) followed by low-dose WBRT (2,340 cgy), and then two cycles of Ara-C had excellent disease control with low neuro-toxicity and is now the basis of an ongoing RTOG (Radiation Treatment Oncology Group) trial comparing early versus delayed WBRT. Other chemotherapeutics and novel treatments, such as autologous stem cell transplantation, are being studied for potential use in PCNSL. Unlike many other primary brain tumors seen in adults, PCNSL is potentially curable; therefore, balancing treatment decisions with long-term neurocognitive effects and toxicities is crucial.
Controlled clinical trials in emergency medicine

In this first article of a series on controlled clinical trials in emergency medicine, an overview of the structure of such studies and the relevant issues related to study design, data generation, statistical analysis, and reporting are presented. The importance of precise patient selection, randomization and stratification, blinding, and equivalent therapeutic intervention in study design has been discussed. In addition, precise outcome and measurement criteria, assessor qualifications, deficiencies in data, appropriate sample-size selection, and reporting are also presented. Although an idealized framework for the conduct and analysis of a controlled clinical trial is provided, it should be appreciated that design and analytical compromises may at times be difficult to avoid in clinical research. Future articles in this series will discuss randomization in clinical trials, alternatives to randomization, beta error and sample-size determination, the statistical and analytical issues related to imperfections in the execution of a trial, and issues related to the reporting of clinical trials.
Factors affecting entrapment in escalating conflicts: The importance of timing☆

Abstract Entrapping conflicts are those in which individuals continue to invest their resources—even in seemingly losing propositions-in large part to justify previous unfilled expenditures. It has been demonstrated that individuals define their motivation for investing very differently at the various stages of an entrapping conflict. One implication of this motivational dynamic is that various factors may differentially affect degree of entrapment (i.e., amount invested), depending upon the point in time at which they are introduced. The present studies were designed to test this notion. All subjects were given an initial monetary stake and had the opportunity to win more by taking part in an entrapping investment situation. In Experiment 1, half the subjects were provided with a payoff chart that made salient the costs associated with investing (Highcost salience condition) whereas half were not (Low-cost salience condition). Moreover, for half of the subjects the payoff chart was introduced before they were asked to invest (Early condition) whereas for the other half it was introduced after they had invested a considerable portion of their resources (Late condition). Entrapment was lower in the High salience-Early than in the Low salience-Early condition. However, there was no difference between groups in the Late condition. In Experiment 2, the perceived presence of an audience interacted with personality variables related to face-saving to effect entrapment. When the audience was described as “experts in decision making,” subjects high in public self-consciousness (or social anxiety) became less entrapped than those low on these dimensions. When the audience consisted of individuals who “wished simply to observe the experimental procedure,” however, high public self-consciousness (or social anxiety) individuals were significantly more entrapped than lows. Moreover, these interaction effects occurred when the audience was introduced late, but not early, into the entrapment situation. Taken together, these (and other) findings suggest that economic factors are more influential determinants of behavior in the earlier stages of an entrapping conflict, whereas face-saving variables are more potent in the later phases. Alternative explanations are discussed.
Neural correlates of message tailoring and self-relatedness in smoking cessation programming

Background Smoking leads to illnesses including addiction, cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Different intervention programs have become available. In the past decade, providing tailored smoking cessation messages has been shown to be more effective in inducing smoking cessation than one-size-fits-all interventions. However, little is known about the brain responses of smokers when they receive tailored smoking cessation messages. Methods A neuroimaging study using blocked and event-related designs examined neural activity in 24 smokers exposed to high-tailored and low-tailored smoking cessation messages. Results In both blocked and event-related conditions, rostral medial prefrontal cortex and precuneus/posterior cingulate were engaged more during the processing of high-tailored smoking cessation messages than low-tailored smoking cessation messages. Conclusions The activation patterns of smokers to tailored cessation messages show involvement of brain areas commonly implicated in self-related processing. Results seem to add support to the suggested role of self-relevance in tailored cessation programs, where previous studies have shown a potential mediating role of self-relevance on smoking abstinence. The findings are relevant to understanding the cognitive mechanisms underlying tailored message processing and might point to new directions for testing response to health communications programming.
Hyperglycemia regulates thioredoxin-ROS activity through induction of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) in metastatic breast cancer-derived cells MDA-MB-231

Background We studied the RNA expression of the genes in response to glucose from 5 mM (condition of normoglycemia) to 20 mM (condition of hyperglycemia/diabetes) by microarray analysis in breast cancer derived cell line MDA-MB-231. We identified the thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), whose RNA level increased as a gene product particularly sensitive to the variation of the level of glucose in culture media. We investigated the kinesis of the TXNIP RNA and protein in response to glucose and the relationship between this protein and the related thioredoxin (TRX) in regulating the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in MDA-MB-231 cells.
Dynamic adaptive chemistry for turbulent flame simulations

The use of large chemical mechanisms in flame simulations is computationally expensive due to the large number of chemical species and the wide range of chemical time scales involved. This study investigates the use of dynamic adaptive chemistry (DAC) for efficient chemistry calculations in turbulent flame simulations. DAC is achieved through the directed relation graph (DRG) method, which is invoked for each computational fluid dynamics cell/particle to obtain a small skeletal mechanism that is valid for the local thermochemical condition. Consequently, during reaction fractional steps, one needs to solve a smaller set of ordinary differential equations governing chemical kinetics. Test calculations are performed in a partially-stirred reactor (PaSR) involving both methane/air premixed and non-premixed combustion with chemistry described by the 53-species GRI-Mech 3.0 mechanism and the 129-species USC-Mech II mechanism augmented with recently updated NO x pathways, respectively. Results show that, in the...
Thermomagnetic and Galvanomagnetic Effects in Arsenic

Thermomagnetic and galvanomagnetic effects\char22{}The following coefficients expressed in absolute e.m.u. are determined at 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C in a single plate of arsenic distilled in vacuum:\char22{}specific resistance, 4.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{4}$; thermal conductivity, 3.68\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{6}$; Peltier heat against lead, 3.80\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{5}$; Thomson heat, 3.33\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{3}$; Hall coefficient, 4.52\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$; Nernst coefficient, 2.25\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$; Ettingshausen coefficient, 1.75\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$; Righi-Leduc coefficient, 4.15\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$. Between 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 170\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C the temperature coefficient of resistance is 0.00435 and the thermal e.m.f. against copper is $+(7.91 t+0.051 {t}^{2})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ volts. None of these coefficients shows variation with magnetic field strength. Thermodynamic relations between different effects are checked as to order of magnitude but the difference between observed and computed values often differs by a factor of two. The thermomagnetic and galvanomagnetic effects of arsenic, antimony and bismuth show increase with atomic number; the thermal conductivity decreases. The thermal and electrical conductivity of arsenic deviates markedly from the Wiedemann-Franz ratio. When a longitudinal temperature gradient of 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C/cm existed in the plate, a field of 8000 gauss caused a drop in temperature of 0.4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. This temperature change is proportional to the square of both temperature gradient and field strength.
Dielectrically Nontrivial Closures for the RISM Integral Equation

We report three new closures to the reference interaction site method (RISM) integral equation. The formulation of the closures is motivated by an analogy with an alternative form of the Ornstein−Zernike hypernetted-chain closure for a simple ionic mixture. Unlike other RISM integral equation closures proposed to date, the closures reported here predict nontrivial results for the dielectric constant e0 of model polar fluids. Interestingly, we find that, for models of polar fluids comprising molecules with only two nonequivalent interaction sites (such as dipolar dumbbells or the popular three-site representations of water), all of the new closures give simple analytical formulas for e0. These simple analytical results indicate that only one of the closures is based on a relation that can account for the dependence of e0 upon the thermodynamic state parameters of the liquid and the features of the molecular model (size and shape) separately, rather than in the ubiquitous dipolar strength parameter combinat...
A Common Switch used by Plants and Animals

Comparisons of plant and animal development usually highlight their differences. The discovery that a kinase of the MAPKK class plays a key role in cell specification at the first division of the Arabidopsis embryo suggests that there may be similarities based on a common logic.
Valuing Changes in Mortality Risk: Lives Saved Versus Life Years Saved

AbstractThis paper provides theoretical background for a symposium on whether the monetary value of changes in mortality risk resulting from environmental policy is best summarized in terms of a ‘v...
Magnesium levels in cardiac arrest victims: Relationship between magnesium levels and successful resuscitation

Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate significant differences between electrolytes, serum magnesium, and successful resuscitation in cardiac arrest victims in a prospective controlled study. Twenty-two- cardiac arrest victims having ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia, electromechanical dissociation, or asystole were compared with 19 matched controls with no ventricular arrhythmias. Of the control group, one was hypermagnesemic (5%), 17 normomagnesemic (90%), and one hypomagnesemic (5%). In the arrest group, eight were hypermagnesemic (36%), nine normomagnesemic (41%), and five hypomagnesemic (23%). Thirteen of 22 cardiac arrest victims (59%) had an abnormal serum magnesium level. All hypermagnesemic and hypomagnesemic patients expired (100%). In the normomagnesemic group, four out of nine (44%) were successfully resuscitated. A positive correlation was identified between normomagnesemia and successful resuscitation ( P P > .05).
Delay-independent Stability of Uncertain Control Systems

This paper will provide a study of the delay-independent stability of uncertain control systems, represented by a family of quasipolynomials with single time-delays. The uncertain systems that are considered here are delay differential systems whose parameters are known only by their lower and upper bounds. The results are given in the form of necessary and sufficient conditions along with the assumptions for the quasipolynomial families considered. The conditions are transformed into convenient forms, which provide analytical expressions that can be easily checked by commercially available computing tools. For uncertain systems represented by families of quasipolynomials, it is shown that the delay independent stability for the extreme values of parameters is not sufficient for the delay independent stability of the entire family. In addition, the family must satisfy some conditions for the interior values of each parameter within specially constructed frequency ranges. The implementation of the theorem that is suggested is demonstrated on an example system that includes a single degree of freedom system with an active vibration absorber, namely the Delayed Resonator.
Electrospinning fabrication and electrochemical properties of lithium cobalt nanofibers for lithium battery cathode

In the present work, we have successfully fabricated nanostructured LiCoO 2 fibers using electrospinning technique from a viscous solution of lithium acetate/cobalt acetate/PVP (Polyvinylpyrrolidone), XRD (X-ray diffraction) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) were performed to investigate the phase and microstructures of the electrospinning fibers respectively. Furthermore CV (cyclic voltammetry) and charge-discharge experiments were applied to characterize the electrochemical properties of LiCoO 2 nanofibers. It is noteworthy that the nanostructured cathode offers a higher charge-discharge capacity compared with conventional powder or film cathodes, thus LiCoO 2 nanofiber cathode may become a promising candidate for the construction of microscale lithium ion batteries due to its larger surface to volume ratio.
Mrs. Posner's Smile

The world she inhabited was fleeting, stitched together extemporaneously from some retained repository of information. Yet, something essentially human had been preserved.
Thrombin-platelet interactions investigated with the calcium electrode

Abstract The thrombin-induced release reaction of human platelets is studied using a calcium ion electrode to follow the release of calcium. A continuous tracing of the time course of calcium release shows three phases: 1) an initial lag phase of variable length, which is dependent on the thrombin concentration; 2) an exponential phase during which most of the calcium is released; 3) a final linear phase of slow calcium release which starts 90–120 sec after the addition of thrombin. The calcium yield (the amount of calcium released 90 sec after thrombin addition) is directly related to the thrombin concentration and platelet number. The release of calcium is inhibited by preincubation of the platelets with dibutyryl cyclic AMP, but this inhibition is overcome by additional thrombin. Results obtained with varying platelet number and thrombin concentration suggest that platelets stimulated by a low concentration of thrombin release only a portion of their releasable calcium. If thrombin is added in two increments rather than in a single increment, a second release of calcium is observed; the final calcium yield, however, decreases as the time interval between thrombin additions increases. The indication that platelets may undergo a partial release reaction without complete impairment of their hemostatic effectiveness suggests that platelets may be perceived as homeostatic as well as hemostatic cells, with implications for the maintenance of vascular integrity by circulating platelets.
Photoelectric Mixing of Incoherent Light

Beats have been obtained between incoherent light sources by mixing Zeeman components of a visible spectral line at a photosurface. Periodicity in emission was observed through the excitation of a 3-cm cavity. Because of incoherence between the spectral lines and incoherence between the beats from different photocathode areas, the signal-to-shot-noise ratio at the cavity is only 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ but the beats were modulated optically, while maintaining constant total intensity and our receiver was able to yield a signal-to-noise ratio of two at the indicator. The basic idea is that, in the photoelectric process, the emission probability for electrons is proportional to the square of the resultant electric field amplitude, implying an interference between light originating in independent sources. This is a point of view which does not appear to be tested in any other experiment involving quantum effects. The experiment also demonstrates that any time delay between photon absorption and electron release must be significantly less than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ second.
Voice asymmetries in ERISA litigation

ERISA’s equitable remedies limit employees’ access to the courts. The law fails to protect workers with short tenure and low wages, for example female workers, because trial costs often exceed damages. In single-employer plans, unions improve access, but in multiemployer plans they do not. The reason is that in single-employer plans unions bargain at arm’s length with plan sponsors while in multiemployer plans they do not. Plaintiffs’ win rates are approximately 50 percent in singleemployer union ERISA cases but are significantly below 50 percent in nonunion and multiemployer cases.
Maternal contributions to infant regulation of arousal

Abstract The purpose of the current study was to longitudinally examine the relations between general characteristics of maternal behavior and the degree to which infants demonstrate an ability to regulate arousal. Thirty-two infant-mother dyads were visited at home and videotaped in two 3-min episodes of face-to-face interaction at 1 and 4 months infant age. Infant gaze behavior, head orientation, and facial expressions provided a composite index of infant arousal regulation. Results revealed positive within- and across-time associations between maternal interactive behaviors and infants' arousal-regulating abilities. Two features of 1-month maternal beahavior—state and physical activity—were highlighted in the prediction of 4-month infant arousal regulation. More specifically, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that these 1-month maternal behaviors accounted for a significant percent of the variance in 4-month infant arousal regulation, whereas earlier infant arousal regulation and concurrent maternal behaviors made insignificant contributions.
Pluralistic Ignorance among Assembled Peers

Sociologists have long been interested in pluralistic ignorance—situations where a majority of individuals assume that most of their peers think differently than themselves when, in fact, their att...
Improving computer security using extended static checking

We describe a method for finding security flaws in source code by way of static analysis. The method is notable because it allows a user to specify a wide range of security properties while also leveraging a set of predefined common flaws. It works by using an automated theorem prover to analyze verification conditions generated from C source code and a set of specifications that define security properties. We demonstrate that the method can be used to identify real vulnerabilities in real programs.
NMR microscopy of tissue in organic and mixed solvents

The use organic and mixed solvents for nuclear magnetic resonance microscopy of fixed tissue is proposed as a means for improving image infor- mation content. NMR properties of some standard solvents (methanol, acetone or DMSO) and solvents in use for tissue processing in pathology (xylenes, paraffin, "Clearify") have been measured, reviewed and analyzed. It was found that DMSO and paraffin are very useful solvents that provide images of better quality than those obtained in water (neutralized formalin buffer). This is illus- trated on formalin-fixed mouse brain sections imaged at 16.4 T (700 MHz).
Natural killer activity in the peritoneal exudates of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes: characterization of the natural killer cells by using a monoclonal rat anti-murine macrophage antibody (M1/70).

Exudates induced by i.p. injection of five listeria monocytogenes (LM) constituted a rich source of CBA/J murine natural killer (NK) cells. Maximum expression of NK activity was seen from day 2 through day 6 after initial exposure to LM. When nylon wool nonadherent peritoneal exudate cells were examined by a single-cell cytotoxicity assay, the number of cells binding to YAC-1 target cells increased after infection as did their individual lytic capacity. A monoclonal rat anti-murine macrophage antibody (M1/70), previously shown by our group to recognize human NK cells, can also be used as a marker for murine NK cells. Utilizing M1/70 and the fluorescence-activated cell sorter, selection of M1/70-labeled mononuclear cells led to the enrichment of both NK and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. These M1/70-positive cells had a distinctive morphology and contained granules on Wright-Giemsa staining. They were not phagocytic, did not contain nonspecific esterase, and lacked surface I-Ak, IgM determinants, complement receptors, and high levels of Thy 1.2.
Splenic artery aneurysm presenting as left renal mass

A case of splenic artery aneurysm presenting as a left upper quadrant mass represents a diagnostic challenge due to its paucity of clinical signs and symptoms. The condition must be distinguished from urologic pathology. Celiac angiography is necessary for diagnostic confirmation. Surgical resection is advised for most patients.
AIDS-Related Malignancies

Immunodeficiency alters the risk of cancer. Specific types of immune dysfunction are associated with different tumor risks, but most tumors are related to oncogenic viruses. In acquired immunodeficiency due to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), HIV itself rarely directly causes cancer; rather, it provides the immunologic background against which other viruses can escape immune control and induce tumors. The most common malignancies are Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This chapter discusses the pathophysiologic background of these tumors, how they have been affected by the use of anti-HIV medications, and their clinical management.
Weighing the value of memory loss in the surgical evaluation of left temporal lobe epilepsy: A decision analysis

SUMMARY Objectives: Anterior temporal lobectomy is curative for many patients with disabling medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, but carries an inherent risk of disabling verbal memory loss. Although accurate prediction of iatrogenic memory loss is becoming increasingly possible, it remains unclear how much weight such predictions should have in surgical decision making. Here we aim to create a framework that facilitates a systematic and integrated assessment of the relative risks and benefits of surgery versus medical management for patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods: We constructed a Markov decision model to evaluate the probabilistic outcomes and associated health utilities associated with choosing to undergo a left anterior temporal lobectomy versus continuing with medical management for patients with medically refractory left temporal lobe epilepsy. Three base-cases were considered, representing a spectrum of surgical candidates encountered in practice, with varying degrees of epilepsy-related disability and potential for decreased quality of life in response to post-surgical verbal memory deficits. Results: For patients with moderately severe seizures and moderate risk of verbal memory loss, medical management was the preferred decision, with increased quality-adjusted life expectancy. However, the preferred choice was sensitive to clinically meaningful changes in several parameters, including quality of life impact of verbal memory decline, quality of life with seizures, mortality rate with medical management, probability of remission following surgery, and probability of remission with medical management. Significance: Our decision model suggests that for patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy, quantitative assessment of risk and benefit should guide recommendation of therapy. In particular, risk for and potential impact of verbal memory decline should be carefully weighed against the degree of disability conferred by continued seizures on a patient-by-patient basis.
Hepatorenal Syndrome: A Critical Update

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in cirrhotic patients with ascites. Although not the primary etiology of AKI in cirrhotic patients, hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a unique form of AKI that develops only in cirrhotic patients. Intense renal vasoconstriction is the hallmark of HRS. Different mechanisms contribute to renal vasoconstriction, with splanchnic vasodilatation and reduced effective blood volume playing a central role. Diagnostic criteria for HRS have been developed and were recently modified, but diagnosing HRS and differentiating it from other causes of AKI in cirrhotic patients continues to be a difficult task in some patients. Given its overall dismal prognosis, strategies to prevent HRS have been developed and proved to be effective in reducing HRS prevalence among cirrhotic patients. Liver transplantation is the ultimate treatment, but more than one treatment modality can be utilized as a bridge to transplantation. This review provides an update on our current understanding of HRS with emphasis on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms involved, difficulties in diagnosis, and different treatment modalities.
Triton-proton elastic scattering and spin-dependent nucleon-nucleon forces☆

Abstract Angular distributions of the differential cross section and analyzing power At have been measured for 1H( t , t)1H scattering at center-of-mass energies Ec.m. = 1.26, 1.68, 2.19, 2.70, 3.21 and 3.71 MeV. At the highest energies, large differences are observed between At and the analyzing powers Ap for 3H( p , p)3H scattering. It is shown that the experimental results can yield detailed information on the odd-l spin-orbit and odd-l tensor nucleon-nucleon forces.