cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of surgical margin status on prostate-cancer-specific mortality.

UNLABELLED Study Type--Diagnostic (exploratory cohort) Level of Evidence 2b. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Surgical margin status at radical prostatectomy (RP) has been shown to be a predictor of disease progression and the strongest predictor of benefit from adjuvant therapy, but the impact of a positive surgical margin (PSM) on long-term prostate-cancer-specific survival is unknown. The PSM rate is dependent on the pathological stage of the cancer. In a recent multicentre nomogram for 15-year prostate-cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) after RP, PSM was not significantly associated with PCSM, while Gleason score and pathological stage were the only significant predictors. This has not been validated in a single centre, and PSM has been shown to vary greatly with surgical technique. This is the first study on the impact of PSM on PCSM in a single surgeon's cohort. In other centres, the decision to administer adjuvant therapy may be influenced by surgical margin status. In this cohort, men routinely did not receive adjuvant therapy, affording the unique opportunity to study the long-term implications of a PSM. OBJECTIVE • To examine the relative impact of a positive surgical margin (PSM) and other clinicopathological variables on prostate-cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) in a large retrospective cohort of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP). PATIENTS AND METHODS • Between 1982 and 2011, 4569 men underwent RP performed by a single surgeon. • Of the patient population, 4461 (97.6%) met all the inclusion criteria. • The median (range) age was 58 (33-75) years and the median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was 5.4 ng/mL; RP Gleason score was ≤ 6 in 2834 (63.7%), 7 in 1351 (30.3%), and 8-10 in 260 (6.0%) patients; PSMs were found in 462 (10.4%) patients. • Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the impact of a PSM on PCSM. RESULTS • At a median (range) follow-up of 10 years (1-29), 187 men (4.3%) had died from prostate cancer. • The 20-year prostate-cancer-specific survival rate was 75% for those with a PSM and 93% for those without. • Compared with those with a negative surgical margin, men with a PSM were more likely to be older (median age 60 vs 58 years) and to have undergone RP in the pre-PSA era (36.6% vs 11.8%). Additionally, they were more likely to have a higher PSA level (median 7.6 vs 5.2 ng/mL), a Gleason score of ≥ 7 (58.7% vs 33.7%), and a non-organ-confined tumour (90.9% vs 30.6% [P < 0.001 for all]). • In a univariate model for PCSM, PSM was highly significant (hazard ratio [HR] 5.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.7-6.7, P < 0.001). • In a multivariable model, adjusting for pathological variables and RP year, PSM remained an independent predictor of PCSM (HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.9, P = 0.036) with a modest effect relative to RP Gleason score (HR 5.7-12.6) and pathological stage (HR 2.2-11.0 [P < 0.001]). CONCLUSION • Although a PSM has a statistically significant adverse effect on prostate-cancer-specific survival in multivariable analysis, Gleason grade and pathological stage were stronger predictors.
Measurable Security through Isotropic Channels (Transcript of Discussion)

I may be in trouble because I actually wrote my talk, but I wrote it on the aeroplane so maybe that gives me some credit.
Effect of Molybdenum Starvation and Tungsten on the Synthesis of Nitrogenase Components in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae M5a1 grows well in the presence or absence of molybdenum in media containing excess NH4+. However, growth on N2 is completely dependent on the presence of molybdenum in the medium. Tungstate competes with the molybdate requirement during growth on N2. In molybdenum-depleted medium, neither protein component of nitrogenase is active and neither component can be detected antigenically. These data provide evidence that molybdenum is an inducer of nitrogenase synthesis.
Williams and Doney receive 2000 James B. Macelwane medal

Quentin C. Williams and Scott C. Doney were awarded the James B. Macelwane Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, which was held on December 17, 2000 in San Francisco, California. The medal recognizes significant contributions to the geophysical sciences by a young scientist of outstanding ability.
Development and implementation of an in-house healthcare program for university-level performing artists.

Objectives: Performing Arts Medicine (PAM) specializes in providing healthcare to performing artists. Participation in the performing arts can cause injury and impair performing artists' art and livelihood. While healthcare is often available for professionals, university-level students remain underserved. Therefore, our objective was to describe the successful development and implementation of the George Mason University university-level PAM program as a possible template for other institutions. Participants: Collaborations among the Athletic Training Education Program, the Department of Dance, and the University Central Administration. Methods: An athletic trainer provided free healthcare services that included preventive care, acute emergency and non-emergency injury care, assessment and referral, and rehabilitation to the students. Results: Nearly 100 different injuries and 300 assessment and treatment healthcare sessions were provided in the first year of the program. Program benefits included improved healthcare for dancers, increased learning opportunities for students, research opportunities, and enhanced university recognition. Conclusions: The PAM program offers primary injury prevention by implementing performing artists specific interventions and secondary prevention to improve their health outcomes. Overall, we hope the program's success encourages other institutions to provide in-house healthcare to their students, eventually helping improve healthcare status of all university-level performing artists.
Isaac Kerstenetzky: social scientist

When I began my studies of the Brazilian economy, I first tumed to the country's national accounts, since I felt that the best way to get a general picture of an economy was to examine the national product and its components and how these changed over time. So when I first carne to Brazil, I was naturally anxious to know more about the methodology behing the data, which were then estimated and published by the Fundacao Getulio Vargas. In the latter place I was referred to Isaac Kerstenetzky, one of the principal developers and interpreters of the national accounts. My flrst meeting with Isaac was to be an important event in my !ife. Not only was he extremely helpful and patient in explaining the country's national accounts, but it did not take very long for me to discover that I was in the company of a very erudite and profound thinker, a man of inflnite intellectual curiosity, who considered a country's national accounts, and economics in g~neral, as only the starting point in understanding a society. I was fortunate to develop a professional and personal friendship, which would last until his passing. But to me Isaac was more than just a friend. He was my teacher, and through conversations and occasional collaboration on papers, he taught me how to think about socio-economic problems, how to relate economics to other disciplines and to regard elegant theoretical constructs and quantitative techniques with both respect and a proper dose of skepticism. Isaac was well acquainted with the ways of producing quantitative information about a society. He was instrumental in developing a set of national accounts from the relative small arnount of information available in the 1950s and early 1960s. He was also well versed in existing techniques of statistical analysis and he was the senior partner in a joint paper we wrote onBrazil's growthprospects, using the then new technique ofthe two-gap mode!. Ever since I knew Isaac, he was interested in ways in which statistical information could ultimately help the policy-maker in planning the allocation of resources so as to maximize economic growth, subject to the constraints of an adequate concern for equity. It was fortunate for the country that he becarne president of IBGE, which enabled him to influence the development of new statistical information necessary for the country' s policy-makers who where faced with an increasingly complex economy .
On the partitioning of mantle heat loss below oceans and continents over time and its relationship to the Archaean paradox

Summary The Archaean paradox stems from the fact that while certain lines of evidence suggest that Archaean continental geotherms were similar to those at present, other lines of evidence suggest that the average mantle heat flux was considerably greater. The simplest qualitative solution, which holds that a greater proportion of heat loss was carried by the creation and subduction of oceanic lithosphere in the Earth’s past, has lacked a clear physical basis. At a fundamental level, it requires that the ratio of mantle heat loss below oceans to that below continents be an increasing function of overall convective vigour and, to date, no self-consistent model has been used to suggest a means by which this could be so. A simple means is suggested by models that allow accumulations of chemically light near-surface material, analogues to continents, to form within the upper thermal boundary layer of a thermally convecting and chemically dense fluid, an analogue to the mantle. The physical properties of continental crust cause the thermal coupling condition between a model continent and the convectively unstable mantle below to be different from that which exists at the interface between mantle and oceans. For the latter, a spatially constant temperature condition holds due to (1) the participation of oceanic crust in convective mantle overturn and (2) the large effective thermal conductivity of oceans relative to the mantle. For the former, a spatially near-constant equilibrium heat flux condition holds due to (1) the long-term stability of continental crust against remixing into the mantle and (2) the comparable thermal conductivities of distinct rock types. This leads to a laterally variable thermal condition at the surface of the convecting mantle, which, in turn, leads to different local mantle heat flux behaviour in continental versus oceanic regions. As a result, heat flux below continents can increase at a slower rate, with increasing convective vigour, than it does elsewhere. Model heat-flux scalings are used to assess the degree to which continental geotherms can be time-stabilized by this means. Results suggest that the thermal surface heterogeneity imposed on the mantle by the presence of continental crust can prevent wide-scale crustal melting in the Archaean by forcing oceans to carry a greater proportion of the Earth’s heat-loss load in the past.
Dietary Excess of Vitamin B-6 Affects the Concentrations of Amino Acids in the Caudate Nucleus and Serum and the Binding Properties of Serotonin Receptors in the Brain Cortex of Rats

Vitamin B-6 is a cofactor in many reactions of nitrogen metabolism. Deficiency alters tissue amino acid concentrations but effects of excess vitamin B-6 have not been well described. We fed female rats (218 g, 7 per group) 1 (control), 10, 100, 175 or 250x) the National Research Council recommended level of pyridoxine HCl (7 mg/kg) for 10 wk and measured serum amino acids, amino acids and neurotransmitters in brain regions and the binding properties of serotonin receptors in the cerebral cortex using a ketanserin binding assay. Rats were decapitated, and unheparinized blood was obtained. In the caudate nucleus, concentrations of glutamate, threonine, taurine, methionine, gamma-amino-butyric acid and the sum of the essential amino acids in groups 10X and 100X were approximately 130 to 180% of control levels (P < 0.05); groups 1X, 175X and 250X were not different. A similar pattern was seen in the serum for serine, glycine, aspartate and ornithine; the latter two amino acids increased to over 200% of control in group 100X. In the ketanserin binding assay, both the antagonist binding affinity and the maximal number of binding sites were higher for group 100X than for 1X, 175X and 250X, and were higher for 10X than for 1X. Norepinephrine in the raphe nucleus followed a similar biphasic pattern. Excess dietary pyridoxine affected brain and serum concentrations of some amino acids and binding properties of cortical serotonin receptors in a biphasic pattern over the range of concentrations fed in this study.
Silanized-silicon/epoxy nanocomposites for structural capacitors with enhanced electrical energy storage capability

Abstract The surface treatment of Si nanoparticles (nano-Si) by silane coupling agents is shown to contribute to improved dispersion of nano-Si in an epoxy matrix, leading to a 25% increase of dielectric breakdown strength, a 38% increase in dielectric constant, and no significant increase in loss tangent at 10 wt.% silanized-Si loading, compared to neat epoxy, over a wide temperature range. The extremely low loss tangent of these polymer-matrix nanocomposites is observed over a wider frequency range (10−2 to 106 Hz) than previously reported. The silanization of Si nanoparticles also doubles the maximum filler loading and simplifies the fabrication process of the nanocomposite. Additionally, silanized-Si imparts a higher dielectric breakdown strength (Ebr) than that of the pristine Si filled nanocomposite at the same nanofiller loading, contributing to an increased energy storage capability. Furthermore, the introduction of 10 wt.% silanized nano-Si increases the storage modulus of epoxy by 40% at 30 °C and the glass transition temperature shows preserved thermal stability. Silanized Si/epoxy nanocomposites can therefore be regarded as promising candidates for structural capacitors in engineering systems.
ANALYZING PROCESSES WITH HANQ

We view a process as a network of activity nodes that each take time and consume resources. Products and information flow between the nodes. Hands-on Analytic Network Queuing (HANQ) is an approach and a computational tool to analyze the performance of such processes. Currently HANQ is a set of computational blocks implemented as a library for the Extend™ simulation language product. HANQ is based on a new computational paradigm (analytic risk evaluation and analytic queuing) that overcomes several of the limitations of discrete event simulation. Using HANQ one can compute the risk of an overall process's time, resource utilization, and costs (expressed as probability distributions) given the risks of the individual activities. Deterministic solutions simplify sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. HANQ supports activity based costing (ABC) and can handle time varying workloads and service rates. HANQ integrates performance, cost, and risk in a single model.
XIAP regulates cytosol-specific innate immunity to Listeria infection.

The inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family has been implicated in immune regulation, but the mechanisms by which IAP proteins contribute to immunity are incompletely understood. We show here that X-linked IAP (XIAP) is required for innate immune control of Listeria monocytogenes infection. Mice deficient in XIAP had a higher bacterial burden 48 h after infection than wild-type littermates, and exhibited substantially decreased survival. XIAP enhanced NF-κB activation upon L. monocytogenes infection of activated macrophages, and prolonged phosphorylation of Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) specifically in response to cytosolic bacteria. Additionally, XIAP promoted maximal production of pro-inflammatory cytokines upon bacterial infection in vitro or in vivo, or in response to combined treatment with NOD2 and TLR2 ligands. Together, our data suggest that XIAP regulates innate immune responses to L. monocytogenes infection by potentiating synergy between Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and Nod-like receptors (NLRs) through activation of JNK- and NF-κB–dependent signaling.
Some Considerations Regarding the Persistence of the Economic Elite in Mexico in the First Half of the Twentieth Century

This article presents an analysis of some of the most important works on the persistence of the economic elite in Mexico during the first half of the twentieth century. The study seeks to answer the following question: How did the formation and character of the Mexican economic elites change during this period? It examines the effect of events such as the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920) and the agrarian reform programmes, as well as political instability and institutional uncertainty, on the persistence or weakening of the landowning and industrial elite who had consolidated their power during the Porfiriato period (1876–1911).
Resistance network-based thermal conductivity model for metal foams

Abstract A network model for the estimation of effective thermal conductivity of open-celled metal foams is presented. A nodal network representation of three aluminum foam samples from DUOCEL – 10 ppi, 20 ppi and 40 ppi – is constructed out of X-ray microtomography data obtained by computed tomography (CT) scanning of the samples using a commercial CT scanner. Image processing and 3D skeletonization are performed with commercially available image processing software. The effective thermal conductivity is estimated through a 1D conduction model, representing individual ligaments as an effective thermal resistance using the topological information from the scan data. The effective thermal conductivity data thus obtained are compared with the Lemlich theory and other pore-based models. Further, microstructural characterization of foam features – pore size, ligament thickness, ligament length and pore shapes – is performed. All the three foam samples are observed to have similar pore shapes and volumetric porosity, while the other features scale with the pore size. For a given porosity the computed permeability is found to scale as the square of the pore diameter, as also noted by previous researchers.
Comparison of nucleon form factors from lattice QCD against the light front cloudy bag model and extrapolation to the physical mass regime

We explore the possibility of extrapolating state of the art lattice QCD calculations of nucleon form factors to the physical regime. We find that the lattice results can be reproduced using the light front cloudy bag model by letting its parameters be analytic functions of the quark mass. We then use the model to extend the lattice calculations to large values of ${Q}^{2}$ of interest to current and planned experiments. These functions are also used to define extrapolations to the physical value of the pion mass, thereby allowing us to study how the predicted zero in ${G}_{E}({Q}^{2})/{G}_{M}({Q}^{2})$ varies as a function of quark mass.
Characterization of Phthalate Exposure among Pregnant Women Assessed by Repeat Air and Urine Samples

Phthalates are a class of synthetic compounds used widely in polyvinyl chloride plastics, in cosmetics, and in building materials. Biomonitoring data suggest that > 75% of the U.S. population is exposed to phthalates, including di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP), and diethyl phthalate (DEP) (Silva et al. 2004a). When urinary concentrations of secondary metabolites of DEHP [e.g., mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP)] are measured, this estimate increases to 95% (Kato et al. 2004). It is assumed that the general population is exposed to some phthalates mainly through ingestion of foods contaminated during processing and packaging (Schettler 2006; Wormuth et al. 2006). Dermal contact with products containing phthalates, inhalation of indoor air, and inhalation or ingestion of household dust also contribute to widespread exposures. Once a pregnant woman is exposed, phthalates can cross the placenta and enter fetal circulation (Mose et al. 2007). Phthalates have been detected in physiologically relevant compartments within pregnant women and the developing fetus, such as maternal urine (Adibi et al. 2003; Swan et al. 2005), cord blood (Latini et al. 2003), meconium (Kato et al. 2006), placenta (Mose et al. 2007), and amniotic fluid (Silva et al. 2004b). Previous studies on the reproducibility of phthalate metabolite concentrations in urine samples among nonpregnant individuals have shown a wide range of estimates of within-person variability (Fromme et al. 2007; Hauser et al. 2004; Hoppin et al. 2002; Teitelbaum et al. 2007), leading to concerns regarding the approach of relying on a single sample to characterize exposure. In addition, these studies may not accurately represent what happens during pregnancy when a woman’s physiology is dramatically altered. The primary aim of the current study was a) to use biomarkers of exposure (i.e., metabolites measured in urine) to evaluate variability in phthalate concentrations in pregnant women; and b) to evaluate variability in measures of phthalates in their external environment (i.e., indoor air). As a secondary aim, we evaluated correlations between phthalate metabolite concentrations measured in maternal and newborn urine. Finally, we evaluated the correlation between phthalate levels in personal/indoor air and urinary metabolite concentrations.
Neuronal Locus Specificity: Trans-Repolarization of Xenopus Embryonic Retina After the Time of Axial Specification

Signaling within an embryonic Xenopus eye comprised of two fused eye fragments can reprogram, in turn, the anteroposterior and dorsoventral axes of one of the fragments. The responding fragment, subsequently isolated and allowed to round up and innervate the brain, shows corresponding inversions in its retinotectal map. This is the first evidence of trans-repolarization of presumptive retina and provides an assay system for analysis of positional signaling within the retinal field.
Corrosion, Passivation, and the Effect of Water Addition on an n-GaAs(100)/Methanol Photoelectrochemical Cell

A combination of picosecond photoluminescence and electrochemical studies reveals information about the GaAs/methanol interface. The electrochemistry occurring at the solid/nonaqueous liquid junction is found to have a strong influence on the observed photoluminescence as seen by photoluminescence vs voltage (PL−V) scans and by trends in the time-resolved photoluminescence decays. The effect of corrosion of the cell on the PL−V profile is examined in detail. It is found that the inclusion of the redox couple gives some protection from corrosion, but the addition of a small amount of water to the nonaqueous cell gives even more. Further water additions lead the cell back to a state that is conducive to corrosion and eventually leads to Fermi level pinning of the GaAs.
Effects of Incorporating Memory Confidence Ratings and Language Handicap Modifications on Intracarotid Amobarbital Procedure (Wada Test) Memory Asymmetry Scores

Summary: Purpose: Intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) memory asymmetry scores are often considered in determining lateralization of temporal lobe seizure foci. Additionally, these scores sometimes influence treatment plans for epilepsy surgery candidates. We examined the effects of two scoring modifications on IAP asymmetry scores: incorporating memory confidence ratings (MC), and use of a language handicap (LH) (i.e., adding a point to the memory score with anesthetization of the language-dominant hemisphere), both of which could be applied to most IAP protocols despite variations in testing methods among epilepsy surgery programs. Methods: Sixty-nine consecutive unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with subsequent good surgical outcomes (Engel I or II) underwent bilateral IAP testing. Confidence ratings were obtained for all memory responses. The incorporation of confidence ratings and the application of a language handicap for dominant-hemisphere injections were applied to memory asymmetry scores in all combinations, resulting in four scoring methods. Results of the four methods were compared with respect to the proportion of patients lateralized accurately by each method. Results: No patients were falsely lateralized with any method. Percentage of patients correctly lateralized with each scoring method is shown in Table 2. The results obtained with MC and with MC + LH (67% and 64% of patients accurately lateralized, respectively) were significantly better than results obtained with LH (55%, p < 0.05). No other differences were significant. Conclusions: Although not statistically superior to standard methods, these results suggest that incorporating memory confidence ratings into IAP protocols may increase the likelihood of obtaining asymmetry scores that accurately lateralize to the hemisphere of seizure onset. In contrast, inclusion of a language handicap for scores obtained with the languagedominant ICA injection were not helpful and may even decrease the probability of obtaining clinically useful lateralizing data. These scoring modifications can be applied to most IAP protocols.
A Rhetorical and Sociolinguistic Model for the Analysis of Narrative

In this paper, the rhetorical theory of Kenneth Burke and the sociolinguistic method of William Labov, are synthesized to derive a formal and functional analytical framework for the study of narrative. The resulting framework provides for the identification of narrative style and performance in any sub-genre of narrative.
Almitrine increases plasma fibrinolytic activity through the release of prostacyclin from lungs into circulation.

Summary Almitrine (Vectarion R ) — a potent respiratory stimulant induced the release of a PGI 2 -like substance into circulation of rabbits. This release was accompanied by activation of euglobulin fibrinolytic system. Fibrinolytic effect of almitrine could be matched by an intravenous infusion of authentic prostacyclin. Pretreatment of rabbits with indomethacin inhibited almitrine-induced fibrinolytic activity. It is postulated that chemoreceptor stimulants activate plasma fibrinolytic systems via the release of endogenous prostacyclin. The release of endogenous prostacyclin by drugs presents an alternative approach to the therapy of thrombotic disorders with synthetic prostacyclin.
Phe-308 and Phe-312 in transmembrane domain 7 are major sites of α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist binding: Imidazoline agonists bind like antagonists

Although agonist binding in adrenergic receptors is fairly well understood and involves residues located in transmembrane domains 3 through 6, there are few residues reported that are involved in antagonist binding. In fact, a major docking site for antagonists has never been reported in any G-protein coupled receptor. It has been speculated that antagonist binding is quite diverse depending upon the chemical structure of the antagonist, which can be quite different from agonists. We now report the identification of two phenylalanine residues in transmembrane domain 7 of the α1a-adrenergic receptor (Phe-312 and Phe-308) that are a major site of antagonist affinity. Mutation of either Phe-308 or Phe-312 resulted in significant losses of affinity (4–1200-fold) for the antagonists prazosin, WB4101, BMY7378, (+) niguldipine, and 5-methylurapidil, with no changes in affinity for phenethylamine-type agonists such as epinephrine, methoxamine, or phenylephrine. Interestingly, both residues are involved in the binding of all imidazoline-type agonists such as oxymetazoline, cirazoline, and clonidine, confirming previous evidence that this class of ligand binds differently than phenethylamine-type agonists and may be more antagonist-like, which may explain their partial agonist properties. In modeling these interactions with previous mutagenesis studies and using the current backbone structure of rhodopsin, we conclude that antagonist binding is docked higher in the pocket closer to the extracellular surface than agonist binding and appears skewed toward transmembrane domain 7.
The role of operations for distantly metastatic well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Abstract Background. The role of operations for distantly metastatic well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is poorly defined. We review the indications for operation for metastatic DTC. Methods. This study consists of 260 patients treated between 1941 and 2000 for metastatic DTC, of which 59 (23%) underwent operations. Median follow-up was 7 years (range, 1 to 49 years). Metastases were identified clinically in 157 (60%) and radiologically in 103 (40%) patients. The disease-specific survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Results. Twenty-four patients (9%) were disease-free with resection. Palliative resection was indicated for painful bone metastasis, pathologic fracture, or symptomatic spinal cord involvement (35/260, 14%). Patients who could undergo complete metastasectomy survived longer than those having incomplete/palliative resection or nonoperative treatment for metastatic DTC (5-year disease-specific survival, 78% vs 43% vs 46%, P = .03). Conclusions. Solitary distant metastasis of DTC amenable to complete resection is infrequent. Complete metastasectomy may be associated with improved survival for localized distant disease. Palliative resection is indicated to improve quality of life for symptomatic distant metastasis. (Surgery 2002;131:636-43.)
Control software and user interface for the Canarias Infrared Camera Experiment (CIRCE)

The Canarias InfraRed Camera Experiment (CIRCE) is a near-infrared visitor instrument for the 10.4-meter Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). This document shows CIRCE software. It will have two major functions: instrument control and observatory interface. The instrument control software is based on the UFLIB library, currently used to operate FLAMINGOS-1 and T-ReCS (as well as the CanariCam and FLAMINGOS-2 instruments under development in the University of Florida). The software interface with the telescope will be based on a CORBA server-client architecture. Finally, the user interface will consist of two java-based interfaces for the mechanism/detector control, and for quick look and analysis of data.
Mainstream Economics' Flight from Complexity

By the late 1800s, Walras' mathematical model of a market system and Marshall's detailed description of individual markets captured the thought processes of most economists, and since then the quest for mathematical precision and the emphasis on mechanics over realism have further narrowed the scope of economic analysis. This paper examines several specific cases where overly simplistic and unrealistic models dominate despite evidence that the real world is more complex and fundamentally different from what the models suggest. For example, macroeconomists simplify their analysis by requiring mathematically tractable microfoundations of macroeconomic outcomes. Econometric practice has shifted toward single equation estimation models and away from systems of equations, often arbitrarily using instrumental variables to isolate simple relationships from systemic influences. Even economic growth theory uses static aggregate equilibrium models to explain inherently complex dynamic relationships. Among the proba...
Butyrate Suppression of Colonocyte NF-κB Activation and Cellular Proteasome Activity

Butyrate is derived from the microbial metabolism of dietary fiber in the colon where it plays an important role in linking colonocyte turnover and differentiation to luminal content. In addition, butyrate appears to have both anti-inflammatory and cancer chemopreventive activities. Using confocal microscopy and cell fractionation studies, butyrate pretreatment of a human colon cell line (HT-29 cells) inhibited the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced nuclear translocation of the proinflammatory transcription factor NF-κB. Butyrate inhibited NF-κB DNA binding within 30 min of TNF-α stimulation, consistent with an inhibition of nuclear translocation. IκB·NF-κB complexes extracted from butyrate-treated cells were relatively resistant to in vitro dissociation by deoxycholate, suggesting a change in cellular IκB composition. Butyrate treatment increased p100 expression, an IκB that was not degraded upon TNF-α treatment. Butyrate also reduced the extent of TNF-α-induced IκB-α degradation and enhanced the presence of ubiquitin-conjugated IκB-α. The suppression of IκB-α degradation corresponded with a reduction in cellular proteasome activity as determined by in vitro proteasome assays and the increased presence of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins. The butyrate suppression of IκB-α degradation and proteasome activity may derive from its ability to inhibit histone deacetylases since the specific deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A had similar effects. These results suggest a potential mechanism for the anti-inflammatory activity of butyrate and demonstrate the interplay between short chain fatty acids and cellular proteasome activity.
Evaluation of NMDA receptor models of schizophrenia: divergences in the behavioral effects of sub-chronic PCP and MK-801.

The hypothesis of hypo-functionality of NMDA receptors in schizophrenia originates from the observation that administration of the NMDA antagonist phencyclidine (PCP) induces psychotic states that closely resemble schizophrenic symptoms and that persist after drug discontinuation. A large number of animal studies have used PCP and the NMDA antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801) almost interchangeably to model schizophrenia. However, PCP interacts with pharmacological targets other than NMDA receptors that are not affected by MK-801. In addition, although acute administration of either compound produces similar effects in animals, there is little information whether withdrawal from chronic MK-801 causes behavioral deficits that mimic schizophrenia symptoms as in the case of PCP. To clarify this issue, we compared the following behaviors in rats subjected to withdrawal from sub-chronic administration (2 × 7 days) of either PCP (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or MK-801 (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.): (1) working memory in a variable-delayed alternation task in a T-maze, (2) social interaction, and (3) motor activity in response to a (a) novel environment, (b) mild stressor, and (c) d-amphetamine challenge. Withdrawal from sub-chronic PCP caused a delay-dependent impairment of working memory, reduced social interaction and enhanced d-amphetamine-induced motor activity. These results were not replicated in animals sub-chronically treated with MK-801, which displayed only a slight decrease in social interaction. These data suggest that pharmacological antagonism at NMDA receptors is not sufficient to explain the full spectrum of PCP psychotomimetic properties.
Effects of ovariectomy and mating on the activity of the corpora allata in adult female Blattella germanica (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

Summary In adult female cockroaches, the ovary greatly affects the synthesis of Juvenile Hormone (JH) by the corpora allata, and in females of some cockroach species, removal of the ovaries results in a permanent depression of JH synthesis. We report that the corpora allata in ovariectomised, adult virgins of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), increase and then decrease in activity, as they do in intact females. Moreover, the distal tubules in the left colleterial glands of ovariectomised females accumulate abundant protein, the production of which is regulated by JH. In both ovariectomised and sham-operated females, the activity of the corpora allata more than tripled between days 1 and 4 of adulthood, during which the oocytes of sham-operated females grew considerably in length. The corpora allata of sham-operated females produced even more JH on day 7, but very little on day 10, by which time all females had oviposited. The glands of ovariectomised females, by constrast, produced a similar amount of JH on day 7 as on day 4, but much less on day 10. Beginning on day 13, the activity of the corpora allata increased again in ovariectomised females, an increase that did not occur until day 22 in sham-operated females. Mating of ovariectomised females on day 6 resulted in a significant increase in the activity of the corpora allata by day 10. We conclude that both the ovary and mating stimulate the synthesis of JH early in the reproductive cycle, but that neither is needed for the occurrence of a complete cycle of JH synthesis.
Interactions of the Amino-terminal Noncollagenous (NC1) Domain of Type VII Collagen with Extracellular Matrix Components A POTENTIAL ROLE IN EPIDERMAL-DERMAL ADHERENCE IN HUMAN SKIN

Type VII collagen, the major component of anchoring fibrils, consists of a central collagenous triple-helical domain flanked by two noncollagenous domains, NC1 and NC2. The NC1 domain contains multiple submodules with homology to known adhesive molecules including fibronectin type III-like repeats and the A domain of von Willebrand factor. In this study, we produced the entire NC1 domain of human type VII collagen in the stably transfected human kidney 293 cell clones and purified large quantities of the recombinant NC1 protein from serum-free culture media. The recombinant NC1 formed interchain disulfide-bonded dimers and trimers and was N-linked glycosylated. Tunicamycin inhibited the cellular secretion of NC1, suggesting that N-linked glycosylation may play a role in NC1 secretion. The recombinant NC1 was indistinguishable from the authentic NC1 obtained from human amnions or WISH cells with respect to N-linked sugar content, electrophoretic mobility, rotary shadow imaging, and binding affinity to type IV collagen. Purified recombinant NC1, like authentic NC1, also bound specifically to fibronectin, collagen type I, and a laminin 5/6 complex. Both monomeric and trimeric forms of NC1 exhibited equal affinity for these extracellular matrix components, suggesting that the individual arms of NC1 can function independently. The multiple interactions of NC1 with other extracellular matrix components may support epidermal-dermal adhesion.
Effect of trauma center designation on outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Objective To determine the association of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) designation with outcomes in patients, specifically those with severe traumatic brain injuries. Design A retrospective review. Logistic regression was performed for mortality, complications, and progression of initial neurologic insult. Setting Data from the National Trauma Data Bank. Patients A total of 16 037 patients with isolated severe head injury (head acute injury score, ≥3 and other body region abbreviated injury score, Results Patients admitted to a level 2 center had higher mortality rates (13.9% vs 9.6%; P P P P P P Conclusion Patients with severe traumatic brain injury treated in ACS-designated level 1 trauma centers have better survival rates and outcomes than those treated in ACS-designated level 2 centers.
Characterization of the interaction of pentazocine and tripelennamine: drug discrimination and mu-receptor binding assay

Abuse of the combination of pentazocine (P) and tripelennamine (T) reputedly produces an opiate-like euphoria not obtainable from either drug alone. To determine if this effect is related to interactions at the behavioral or receptor levels we tested this combination in rats trained to discriminate morphine from saline and in mu-receptor binding assays. Displacement of 3H-DHM was compared in morphine-naive, dependent and withdrawn states to determine the importance of prior morphine exposure. The morphine training cue (3 mg/kg) generalized to P but not to T. Combinations of T (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) with "no effect" doses of P (1 and 3 mg/kg) resulted in greater than additive increases in morphine-like responding. 3H-DHM was displaced by P but not T in naive, dependent and withdrawn states. Specific dose combinations of T (1 nM) with P (1 nM, 10 nM, 100 nM) resulted in enhanced displacement of 3H-DHM and was not related to prior morphine exposure. We conclude that the addition of T to P increases the mu-like subjective effects of P and this effect may be due to enhanced affinity of P for the mu-receptor.
Thermally induced chemical artifacts in lichens

Abstract Unsuspected thermal degradation of secondary products in lichens prior to chemical study, although probably uncommon, can lead to mistaken conclusions and taxonomic error. Thermally induced artifacts were found in the chemistries of Hypotrachyna partita from a site of volcanic activity in Costa Rica and in the type of H. prolongata from Haiti that had been dried for the herbarium with heat. In the Southern Appalachian Mountains normal material of H. prolongata has been considered a chemically different species. Thermal stability of secondary products may be an important factor in the chemical evolution of lichens inhabiting extreme environments.
IMMUNIZATION OF SALMONIDS AGAINST THE FISH PATHOGEN, Aeromonas salmonicida

An avirulent strain of Aeromonas salmonicida was shown to lack “A-layer” protein exterior to the outer cell membrane, but was still immunogenic in fish. After bacteria were inactivated with chloroform, whole cells, soluble antigen and combined whole cell plus soluble antigen vaccines were prepared. Those brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) that were vaccinated by a 60-second immersion in the combined whole cell plus soluble antigen vaccine were protected against experimental challenges. Further immersion vaccinations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in the combined vaccine indicated that protection conferred by immunization was highly significant, efficacious, and reproducible. In field situations, mortality in brown trout (S. trutta) immersion-vaccinated in this preparation was 2.1% whereas that in control fish was 28.9% after natural challenge.
Cyclic Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate Response Element Binding Protein (CREB) and Related Transcription-Activating Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Binding Proteins*

I. Introduction THE COMPLEX metabolic activities of cells respond to environmental cues by sensing transmitter substances known as ligands or hormones. The mechanisms of such sensing involves the activation of signaling pathways resulting in changes in gene expression and cellular metabolism (1, 2). Small hydrophobic molecules such as steroid and thyroid hormones and retinoids readily traverse the plasma membrane of the cell and bind to and activate their cognate cytoplasmic or nuclear receptors (reviewed in Refs. 3–7). More complex ligands, however, such as peptide hormones, are unable to enter the cell directly and instead recognize and bind to receptors located on the surface of the cell. Thereby the receptor serves as the communicative link between the outside and inside of the cell. In addition to binding its specific ligand the receptor has the important function of activating signal transduction pathways by way of coupling to GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) (8, 9) or to autophosphorylate itself i...
The Magnetic Interaction of a Valence Electron with Inner Shells

The magnetic interaction terms between two electrons are well known. By using antisymmetric wave functions the diagonal terms of the energy matrix for this interaction are calculated for an electronic configuration consisting of a valence electron and a closed shell. From the diagonal elements the doublet separation is easily obtained by applying the energy sum rule. The direct integrals, that is, terms which would occur even though the wave functions were not symmetrized for the Pauli principle, yield the expected contribution to the doublet separation; namely the interaction of the spin of the valence electron with the electric field produced by the closed shell. The exchange integrals give a contribution which decreases the doublet separation in the cases examined. They have been evaluated for the $f$ terms of Cs I. Their effect is much too small to explain the inversion of the doublets in this spectrum.
High body mass index in muscular patients and flank position are risk factors for rhabdomyolysis: case report after laparoscopic live-donor nephrectomy.

Background and Purpose: Rhabdomyolysis is well known after traumatic crush injuries or ischemia involving muscles. Postoperatively, it most likely is secondary to surgical positioning and patient muscle mass. We report a case after laparoscopic live-donor nephrectomy. Case Report: A muscular 35-year-old man underwent elective left laparoscopic live-donor nephrectomy in a 70° flank position with four ports. He was in the right-side lying position with hip flexion (flank position) for approximately 4 hours. A kidney bridge had been placed between the iliac crest and the rib cage. Postoperatively, the patient had light-pinkish urine and low urine output. There was marked induration of the buttocks and significant pedal and scrotal edema. With judicious use of alkalinization and diuretics, the patient did not require dialysis, and renal function returned to base level by postoperative day 20. The recipient of the kidney had a normal postoperative course. Conclusion: Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome of muscle necr...
Modeling the Mental Health Workforce in Washington State: Using State Licensing Data to Examine Provider Supply in Rural and Urban Areas.

: Context: Ensuring an adequate mental health provider supply in rural and urban areas requires accessible methods of identifying provider types, practice locations, and practice productivity. Purpose: To identify mental health shortage areas using existing licensing and survey data. Methods: The 1998-1999 Washington State Department of Health files on credentialed health professionals linked with results of a licensure renewal survey, 1990 US Census data, and the results of the 1990-1992 National Comorbidity Survey were used to calculate supply and requirements for mental health services in 2 types of geographic units in Washington state—61 rural and urban core health service areas and 13 larger mental health regions. Both the number of 9 types of mental health professionals and their full-time equivalents (FTEs) per 100,000 population measured supply in the health service areas and mental health regions. Findings: Notable shortages of mental health providers existed throughout the state, especially in rural areas. Urban areas had 3 times the psychiatrist FTEs per 100,000 and more than 1.5 times the nonpsychiatrist mental health provider FTEs per 100,000 as rural areas. More than 80% of rural health service areas had at least 10% fewer psychiatrist FTEs and nonpsychiatrist mental health provider FTEs than the state ratio (10.4 FTEs per 100,000 and 306.5 FTEs per 100,000, respectively). Ten of the 13 mental health regions were more than 10% below the state ratio of psychiatrist FTEs per 100,000. Conclusions: States gathering a minimum database at licensure renewal can identify area-specific mental health care shortages for use in program planning.
The Postmenopausal Estrogen/Breast Cancer Controversy

To the Editor. —As Dr Henrich 1 persuasively points out, there remains no compelling evidence that use of postmenopausal estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) places women at increased risk for the development of breast cancer. While criteria for the rational administration of estrogen are being defined for the general population of postmenopausal women who may benefit from ERT during the latter decades of their lives, guidelines do not exist for the growing number of women who have had the diagnosis of breast cancer at some point before the development of menopause. Postmenopausal estrogen deficiency places all women, including those who have been treated for breast cancer, at increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. However, because of theoretical concerns that estrogen may adversely affect the course of breast cancer, ERT has not been considered appropriate for this latter group of patients. 2 Thus, an ever-increasing number of young, postmenopausal women with