cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy During Elective Hernia Repair in a Patient With Previously Resected Pheochromocytoma.

THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE in detection of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome) since its initial description. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy has been reported in the presence of various physiologic stressors such as noncardiac surgery, pneumothorax, alcohol withdrawal, hypoglycemia, and myasthenic crisis. Emotional and/or physiologic stress, chest pain, ST elevation on electrocardiogram (ECG), elevated troponins, left ventricular (LV) apical hypokinesis/ ballooning, and absence of any coronary arterial lesion have been used as clinical criteria for diagnosis. Female predominance (85%) has been noted along with increasing risk with age. Differentiation of Takotsubo from acute coronary syndromes has proven problematic without cardiac catheterization. ECG findings have been studied, and while reciprocal T wave changes in Takotsubo are less common than in acute coronary syndrome, they still occur in a significant portion of cases. The authors present case details and review literature on intraoperative Takotsubo, especially as it pertains to patients with a history of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma.
Developing adaptable software architectures using design patterns: an NFR approach

Just about everything changes, and so should a software system accordingly in order to survive and succeed. But how can we develop such a software system? Lately, a growing number of practitioners have shown great interests in using design patterns towards the development of an adaptable system, since design patterns represent high-level abstractions that reflect the experience of no other than skilled practitioners themselves. According to a given format, design patterns describe the context, problems, solutions and consequences of making specific design decisions. This paper presents, Proteus--a framework which is intended to support the development of adaptable software architectures using design patterns. The main concepts of Proteus are illustrated by way of a home appliance control system.
The Workforce Investment Act and the Labor Movement

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, the national government's employment policy, is predicated on the assumption that education and skills training reduces poverty and produces high-wage jobs. Challenging the WIA's assumption, Worthen argues that job training does not create stable, safe, and well-paying jobs. To create well-paying employment, labor unions must actively participate in the process of job creation. However, the author observes that organized labor does not participate in the initial stages or frequently is excluded from the process of job creation.
Broadband and Spectral Emissivities (2–18 μm) of Some Natural Soils and Vegetation

Abstract Broadband and spectral emissivities of several soil types, grass and tree leaves are reported for wavelengths between 2 and 18 μm. Broadband measurements were made in situ with an 8–14 μm bandpass radiometer, and spectral measurements were made in the laboratory with a dual beam Fourier transform spectrometer. Broadband emissivity was nominally 0.89–0.92 for sands, 0.96 for clay, and 0.97–0.99 for peat, muck and grass. The emissivity spectra indicated near-greybody behavior for vegetation but marked departures near 9–10 μm for the sands.
GPS SIGNAL AVAILABILITY IN LAND MOBILE APPLICATIONS

This paper summarizes the results of a series of direct measurements conducted to characterize the GPS signal environment in land vehicular operations for a variety of highway, city, and railroad situations. The basic instrumentation for these observations consisted of a NAVCORE I (TM) GPS receiver configured to output key measurements to a microcomputer as a data recording device. The results of these tests are presented in tables of the percentages of distance traveled in which one or more and two or more satellite outages were encountered, and in histograms of the outage probabilities as functions of the distance durations of the outages. The equipment was installed both in a van-type vehicle for highway and city street tests, and in a “Hy-Rail” vehicle for operation on railroad tracks.
Dopamine Release and Uptake Impairments and Behavioral Alterations Observed in Mice that Model Fragile X Mental Retardation Syndrome

In this study we evaluated the relationship between amphetamine-induced behavioral alterations and dopamine release and uptake characteristics in Fmr1 knockout (Fmr1 KO) mice, which model fragile X syndrome. The behavioral analyses, obtained at millisecond temporal resolution and 2 mm spatial resolution using a force-plate actometer, revealed that Fmr1 KO mice express a lower degree of focused stereotypy compared to wild type (WT) control mice after injection with 10 mg/kg (ip) amphetamine. To identify potentially related neurochemical mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, we measured electrically-evoked dopamine release and uptake using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at carbon-fiber microelectrodes in striatal brain slices. At 10 weeks of age, dopamine release per pulse, which is dopamine release corrected for differences in uptake, was unchanged. However, at 15 (the age of behavioral testing) and 20 weeks of age, dopamine per pulse and the maximum rate of dopamine uptake was diminished in Fmr1 KO mice compared to WT mice. Dopamine uptake measurements, obtained at different amphetamine concentrations, indicated that dopamine transporters in both genotypes have equal affinities for amphetamine. Moreover, dopamine release measurements from slices treated with quinpirole, a D2-family receptor agonist, rule out enhanced D2 autoreceptor sensitivity as a mechanism of release inhibition. However, dopamine release, uncorrected for uptake and normalized against the corresponding pre-drug release peaks, increased in Fmr1 KO mice, but not in WT mice. Collectively, these data are consistent with a scenario in which a decrease in extracellular dopamine levels in the striatum result in diminished expression of focused stereotypy in Fmr1 KO mice.
Kinetics of chemisorption: An examination of the Elovich equation

where t,, = llab, and when t >> t, a plot of q vs log t is linear. Nonlinear behavior has been found in many systems and several explanations have been advanced: (a) an empirical value of to has been chosen to linearize a q vs log (t + t,) plot (5), (b) small linear segments with different values of a and b (1,6), (c) a quantity of gas, q,,, that has been adsorbed “instantaneously,” i.e., at t = 0 (I), and Eq. (2) becomes
Point and line source laser generation of ultrasound for inspection of internal and surface flaws in rail and structural materials

Laser-based ultrasound and air-coupled ultrasound test methods were used for the inspection of flowed rail, internal, and surface-breaking cracks in railroad tracks. Signals were generated with an infrared pulse laser and detected with a micromachined capacitive air-coupled transducer. A comparison is presented between point source and line source laser-generated signals and their effectiveness in detecting surface flaws. The experiments demonstrate the flexibility and capability of a laser—air hybrid ultrasonic technique to detect cracks using test procedures that are not possible with current contact inspection techniques. The noncontact and remote nature of these methods renders such tests suitable for in-service applications.
Executive control of thought and action

Abstract In addition to processing information about stimuli in the environment, the cognitive system performs executive functions to control and coordinate the processes that deal with environmental stimuli. Several executive functions may be distinguished: (1) Making choices about alternative strategies for processing environmental stimuli; (2) constructing or instantiating a version of the chosen strategy to enable performance on the task; (3) controlling and coordinating execution of the strategy during real-time performance on the task; and (4) disabling or disengaging the strategy in response to changes in goals or changes in the task environment that make the current strategy inappropriate. This paper presents a selective review of research addressing each of these executive functions, focusing on the time and resources used to accomplish each one.
SUBSIDIES AND INEFFICIENCY: STOCHASTIC FRONTIER APPROACH

U.S. urban transit systems receive operating and capital subsidies from various levels of government. Each firm minimizes its cost net of subsidies subject to its production function. The first order conditions from this minimization give a set of equations that are estimated using a stochastic frontier approach. From the results are calculated technical and allocative inefficiencies. The allocative inefficiencies are further decomposed among two sources, subsidies and factors internal to the firm. The analysis reveals large allocative inefficiencies between labor, fuel, and capital. Furthermore, it finds that subsidies lead to excess use of labor relative to capital and excess use of fuel relative to capital and labor. Also, most allocative inefficiencies in firms are due to internal factors and not subsidies, and the sizes of the inefficiencies vary substantially among transit firms.
Treatment modalities for narcolepsy

Narcolepsy, a lifelong disorder, requires long-term management of symptoms. Interventions may be nonpharmacologic, such as lifestyle changes, and pharmacologic for relief of daytime sleepiness. Pharmacologic treatment of narcolepsy has depended on the use of CNS stimulants to increase wakefulness, vigilance, and performance. The medications considered effective in the treatment of narcolepsy include dextroamphetamine, pemoline, methylphenidate, methamphetamine, and modafinil; only methylphenidate hydrochloride and dextroamphetamine are approved for use in the United States. The currently available stimulants are associated with sympathomimetic side effects, limitations in efficacy, and negative effects on nighttime sleep. This has led to the development of alternative agents. Modafinil, a new wake-promoting agent, has been shown to be effective in reducing daytime sleepiness in patients with narcolepsy. The results of a United States 18-center randomized, placebo-controlled, 9-week trial of modafinil in the treatment of patients with narcolepsy has recently been reported. Patients receiving modafinil demonstrated significant improvement in all subjective and objective measures of sleepiness. Treatment with modafinil 200 mg and 400 mg daily significantly reduced mean scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale compared with baseline and placebo (p < 0.001) and significantly increased mean scores on the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (p < 0.001) and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (p < 0.001) compared with baseline and placebo. More improvement, as recorded on the Clinical Global Impression of Change scale, was seen in the modafinil group than in the placebo group at all time points (p < 0.001). Modafinil was well tolerated, with headache the only adverse event to occur significantly more often in the active treatment group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that modafinil is an important new therapeutic option for the treatment of narcolepsy.
Aerospace Benefits to Engineering Anthropometry Applications

In the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs, critical weight, volume, and cost factors have led to new engineering applications of previously obtained data on body dimensions. They have also resulted in the generation of new data, pointed the way to new research needs, and produced a maturing of approaches in the field of anthropometric applications. Typical problems and solutions, resulting in present and projected benefits from these programs, are presented in this paper, which includes an organization of anthropometric procedures, a prediction of future population body dimensions, a description of improved drafting manikins and improved prediction and measurement of center of mass locations, and a discussion of approaches that account for the effects of changing gravitation and acceleration loads. It also presents some improvements in mockup evaluation techniques and an example of new design criteria development: an unusual location for an electronic rotational hand controller between the pilot's knees. These and other aerospace benefits are now available to the human factors/ergonomics fields, to hardware designers, and to product manufacturers and users. Language: en
Effects of pretreatment with benzo[a]pyrene on the stereochemical selectivity of metabolic activation of benzo[a]pyrene to DNA-binding metabolites in hamster embryo cell cultures

Abstract The proportions of individual benzo[a]pyrene(BaP)-DNA adducts present in rodent embryo cell cultures change with the length of time of exposure to BaP; the major alteration is an increase in the proportion of (+)- anti -7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydroBaP (BaPDE)-deoxyguanosine (dG) adduct (Sebti et al., Cancer Res., 45 (1984) 1594–1600). To determine if this change in the BaP-DNA adducts could result from the induction of enzymes involved in oxidation of BaP, hamster embryo cell cultures were exposed to acetone or BaP for 24 h and then the medium was replaced with fresh medium containing [ 3 H]BaP. After 5 h the BaP-pretreated cells had a 30% higher level of binding of BaP to DNA and formed a greater proportion of (+)- anti -BaPDE-dG adduct than the acetone-pretreated control group. Cells pretreated for 24 h with BaP and then exposed to [ 3 H]BaP and Actinomycin D for 5 h had a lower level of binding of BaP to DNA and a lower amount of (+)- anti -BaPDE-deoxyguanosine adduct than cells pretreated with acetone and exposed to [ 3 H]BaP for 5 h. In contrast, pretreatment for 24 h with BaP plus Actinomycin D followed by a 5-h exposure to [ 3 H]BaP resulted in a decrease in overall binding of BaP to DNA but had no effect on the amount of (+)- anti -BaPDE-deoxyguanosine adduct. Actinomycin D treatment had no significant effect on either the total amount of BaP metabolized, the formation of primary and water-soluble BaP metabolites, or cell viability, but reduced [ 3 H]uridine incorporation into RNA by more than 65% at all times. These results suggest that induction of specific isozymes of cytochrome P -450 may be involved in the time-dependent increase in the proportion of (+)- anti -BaPDE-DNA adducts in BaP-treated cells. The state of induction of specific isozymes of cytochrome P -450 and the ability of the BaP dose applied to induce them may be major factors in determining the proportion of BaP metabolized to (+)- anti -BaPDE, the most carcinogenic stereoisomer of BaPDE.
The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy Debuts in the AGU Blogosphere

A new blog, The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy, has joined the AGU blog family to provide a platform to discuss the intersection of science and policy with the public and decision makers. The Bridge, written by AGU Public Affairs staff and guest posters, debuted as part of the 2013 Science Policy Conference and was so successful that the Public Affairs team kept posting after the conference.
Anticipation of the switch-off and delay of the switch-on of a laser with a swept parameter

Abstract The behavior of a CO 2 laser brought from below to above threshold and back by modulating the cavity losses, is studied experimentally and theoretically. It is shown that the usual delay of the switch-on is followed by an anticipation of the switch-off. The competition of the delay and anticipation leads to positive and negative hysteresis cycles. Using numerical simulations we demonstrate that these phenomena always occur for lasers whose decay rate for the population inversion is smaller than the decay rate for the field.
The anniversary of birth trauma: failure to rescue.

Background: The reported prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder secondary to birth trauma ranges from 1.5% to 5.6%. Serious ramifications of birth trauma are beginning to be recognized, such as impaired mother. infant interaction. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the essence of mothers' experiences regarding the anniversary of their birth trauma. Methods: Colaizzi's method of phenomenology was used to guide the study. Participants were recruited via the Internet through a charitable trust located in New Zealand called Trauma and Birth Stress. Thirty-seven women sent attachment stories describing their experiences of the anniversary of their traumatic childbirths. Results: Four themes revealed the essence of women's experiences of the anniversary of their birth trauma: (a) The prologue: An agonizing time; (b) The actual day: A celebration of a birthday or the torment of an anniversary; (c) The epilogue: A fragile state; and (d) Subsequent anniversaries: For better or worse. Discussion: Based on the findings of this study on the anniversary of traumatic childbirths, the time seems right to broaden the use of the term failure to rescue to these childbearing women. Not only clinicians but also family and friends failed to rescue mothers during the period surrounding the anniversary of their birth trauma.
Headache Symptoms, Depression, and Suicidal Preoccupation

Of 125 undergraduates, those who reported greater frequency of the symptoms of both tension and of migraine headaches obtained higher scores on Beck's self-report depression inventory but were not more suicidal.
Goldstone bosons in the P 2 3 superfluid phase of neutron matter and neutrino emission

At the high densities present in the interior of neutron stars, the neutrons are condensed into the $^{3}{P}_{2}$ superfluid phase. While this condensation has little impact on the equation of state, it can have an important role in determining the low-temperature energy-momentum transport properties. The spontaneous breaking of baryon number by the condensate gives rise to the familiar Goldstone boson, but in addition, the spontaneous breaking of rotational invariance by the condensate gives rise to three Goldstone bosons, in general, one for each broken generator of rotations. These Goldstone bosons, which couple to ${Z}^{0}$, provide a new mechanism for neutrino emission. Using a low-energy effective field theory to describe the dynamics of these Goldstone bosons we estimate the neutrino emissivity of dense neutron matter and show that their annihilation is the dominant energy-loss mechanism over a range of temperatures.
Experimental design approach to development of a CVD ZrN coating

A design of experiments (DOE) approach has been used for the study of CVD ZrN coatings on cemented carbide substrates. DOE maximizes information gained from a set of experiments through statistical methods of design and analysis. A full factorial matrix of twenty experiments was designed using the variables (A) pressure, (B) temperature, (C) H 2 /ZrCl 4 and (D) N 2 /ZrCl 4 . Pressure ranged from 100 to 300 torr, temperature from 900 to 1050 °C, H 2 /ZrCl 4 from 20 to 60 and N 2 /ZrCl 4 from 5 to 25. The response for deposition rate is compared with theoretical prediction based on thermodynamic modeling of the system. A normal probability distribution was used to identify the variables that had a significant effect on deposition rate. These were found to be (B) temperature and (C) H 2 /ZrCl 4 . Interaction plots for (B) and (C) generated by the software clearly show this effect. These results are in agreement with the thermodynamic analysis and are similar to results for TiN coating. Other responses such as color, surface morphology, texture, adhesion and friction are reported.
High rate flame synthesis of highly crystalline iron oxide nanorods

Single-step flame synthesis of iron oxide nanorods is performed using iron probes inserted into an opposed-flow methane oxy-flame. The high temperature reacting environment of the flame tends to convert elemental iron into a high density layer of iron oxide nanorods. The diameters of the iron oxide nanorods vary from 10 to 100 nm with a typical length of a few microns. The structural characterization performed shows that nanorods possess a highly ordered crystalline structure with parameters corresponding to cubic magnetite (Fe3O4) with the [100] direction oriented along the nanorod axis. Structural variations of straight nanorods such as bends, and T-branched and Y-branched shapes are frequently observed within the nanomaterials formed, opening pathways for synthesis of multidimensional, interconnected networks.
Spectral envelope coding in cat primary auditory cortex: linear and non-linear effects of stimulus characteristics

Electrophysiological studies in mammal primary auditory cortex have demonstrated neuronal tuning and cortical spatial organization based upon spectral and temporal qualities of the stimulus including: its frequency, intensity, amplitude modulation and frequency modulation. Although communication and other behaviourally relevant sounds are usually complex, most response characterizations have used tonal stimuli. To better understand the mechanisms necessary to process complex sounds, we investigated neuronal responses to a specific class of broadband stimuli, auditory gratings or ripple stimuli, and compared the responses with single tone responses. Ripple stimuli consisted of 150-200 frequency components with the intensity of each component adjusted such that the envelope of the frequency spectrum is sinusoidal. It has been demonstrated that neurons are tuned to specific characteristics of those ripple stimulus including the intensity, the spacing of the peaks, and the location of the peaks and valleys (C. E. Schreiner and B. M. Calhoun, Auditory Neurosci., 1994; 1: 39-61). Although previous results showed that neuronal response strength varied with the intensity and the fundamental frequency of the stimulus, it is shown here that the relative response to different ripple spacings remains essentially constant with changes in the intensity and the fundamental frequency. These findings support a close relationship between pure-tone receptive fields and ripple transfer functions. However, variations of other stimulus characteristics, such as spectral modulation depth, result in non-linear alterations in the ripple transformation. The processing between the basilar membrane and the primary auditory cortex of broadband stimuli appears generally to be non-linear, although specific stimulus qualities, including the phase of the spectral envelope, are processed in a nearly linear manner.
Perceptions of Librarians Regarding Semantic Web and Linked Data Technologies

In recent years, a growing level of attention has focused on Semantic Web technology and its potential application to the library catalog. Despite growing interest in the topic, it is unclear where perceptions currently are regarding the Semantic Web and linked data in the academic library community. This paper aims to ascertain levels of understanding of key concepts and attitudes regarding the Semantic Web and its role in the library catalog, with the hope of highlighting directions to move forward for advocates of the technology. To find the attitudes and perceptions of academic librarians, a survey of academic library catalogers and technical services professionals was created and distributed online. This paper found that an understanding of key terms and interest in the development of a Semantic Web catalog are high among the queried group, but barriers such as financial scarcity and lack of Semantic Web best practices may slow future development.
Tocolysis with oral magnesium

Abstract Seventeen patients in whom uterine activity responded favorably to parenteral magnesium sulfate were given oral magnesium gluconate for continued tocolysis. The mean serum magnesium level before therapy was 1.44 ± 0.22 mg/100 ml, whereas 2 hours after initiation of oral magnesium it was 2.16 ± 0.32 mg/100 ml (p
Use of obliquely rotated principal component analysis to identify coherent structures

Principal component analysis (PCA) with oblique rotation is applied to Large Eddy Simulation (LES) results to discern and quantify coherent structures within the convective boundary layer (CBL). Sensitivity tests are first conducted on a moderately convective LES run. Once the ability of PCA to generate robust results is verified, the method is applied to LES runs spanning a range of stability regimes. Interregime similarities and differences in the coherent structures are discussed. For the moderately convective LES run, three-dimensional convective cells are arrayed in two-dimensional bands aligned with the geostrophic wind. The resulting gravity waves in the free atmosphere and convective inflow and outflow in the boundary layer are also captured by the PCA. Convective modes are more sensitive to the ratio of w* to u* than are the dynamic modes.
SnoRNA Snord116 (Pwcr1/MBII-85 ) Deletion Causes Growth Deficiency and Hyperphagia in Mice

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is the leading genetic cause of obesity. After initial severe hypotonia, PWS children become hyperphagic and morbidly obese, if intake is not restricted. Short stature with abnormal growth hormone secretion, hypogonadism, cognitive impairment, anxiety and behavior problems are other features. PWS is caused by lack of expression of imprinted genes in a ∼4 mb region of chromosome band 15q11.2. Our previous translocation studies predicted a major role for the C/D box small nucleolar RNA cluster SNORD116 (PWCR1/HBII-85) in PWS. To test this hypothesis, we created a ∼150 kb deletion of the >40 copies of Snord116 (Pwcr1/MBII-85) in C57BL/6 mice. Snord116del mice with paternally derived deletion lack expression of this snoRNA. They have early-onset postnatal growth deficiency, but normal fertility and lifespan. While pituitary structure and somatotrophs are normal, liver Igf1 mRNA is decreased. In cognitive and behavior tests, Snord116del mice are deficient in motor learning and have increased anxiety. Around three months of age, they develop hyperphagia, but stay lean on regular and high-fat diet. On reduced caloric intake, Snord116del mice maintain their weight better than wild-type littermates, excluding increased energy requirement as a cause of hyperphagia. Normal compensatory feeding after fasting, and ability to maintain body temperature in the cold indicate normal energy homeostasis regulation. Metabolic chamber studies reveal that Snord116del mice maintain energy homeostasis by altered fuel usage. Prolonged mealtime and increased circulating ghrelin indicate a defect in meal termination mechanism. Snord116del mice, the first snoRNA deletion animal model, reveal a novel role for a non-coding RNA in growth and feeding regulation.
CEN plasmid segregation is destabilized by tethered determinants of Ty 5 integration specificity: a role for double-strand breaks in CEN antagonism

The yeast retrotransposon Ty5 integrates preferentially into heterochromatin at the telomeres and HM loci. Target specificity is mediated by a six amino acid sequence motif (the targeting domain, TD) of integrase that interacts with Sir4p, a structural component of heterochromatin. When tethered to CEN plasmids as part of a Gal4p DNA binding domain (GBD) fusion protein, TD destabilizes plasmid segregation in a manner similar to that observed for CEN + HM or CEN +TEL antagonism. This instability is caused by the ability of TD to nucleate components of heterochromatin on the CEN plasmid, because CEN +TD antagonism is abrogated by sir2, sir3 and sir4 mutations and by TD mutations that prevent interaction with Sir4p. In strains that acquire resistance to CEN +TD antagonism, the CEN plasmid has either recombined with a 2 μ plasmid or sustained deletions in sequences required to bind GBD-TD. CEN +TD and CEN + HM antagonism is exacerbated by mutations in components of the Ku-mediated non-homologous end-joining pathway. These observations suggest that CEN antagonism is caused by DNA breaks that result from competition between CEN - and Sir-specific segregation pathways.
The Canalith Repositioning Procedure for the Treatment of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective To compare the canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) with a sham maneuver for the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Patients and Methods We recruited 50 patients with a history of positional vertigo and unilateral positional nystagmus on physical examination (Dix-Hallpike maneuver). Patients were randomized to either the CRP ( n =24) or a sham maneuver ( n =26). Measured outcomes included resolution of vertigo and positional nystagmus at follow-up examination. Results The mean duration or toltow-up was l0 days for both groups. Resolution of symptoms was reported by 12 (50%) of the 24 patients in the CRP group and by 5 (19%) of the 26 patients in the sham group ( P =.02). The results of the Dix-Hallpike maneuver were negative for positional nystagmus in 16 (67%) of 24 patients in the CRP group and in 10 (38%) of 26 patients in the sham group ( P =.046). Conclusion The CRP is effective treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, and this procedure can be performed by general internists on outpatients with this disorder.
An algorithm for minimizing a differentiable function subject to box constraints

A quasi-Newton algorithm for minimizing a function subject to box constraints is described. Since our original motivation came from the optimization of electrical circuits, this algorithm is designed to tolerate errors in the function and gradient evaluations. Theorems are given to support the use of the symmetric rank one update.
Impaired Glucocorticoid Synthesis in Preterm Infants Who Develop Chronic Lung Disease (CLD)

Impaired Glucocorticoid Synthesis in Preterm Infants Who Develop Chronic Lung Disease (CLD)
Current Contents of Theoretical Scientific Papers.

This article discusses the typical form and content of forty theoretical scientific papers. These papers were chosen from the 400 most-cited papers in the Science Citation Index for the period 1945-1988 (reported by Eugene Garfield in a series of recent essays appearing in Current Contents). It was found that the typical form for these papers is similar to that for experimental and methods papers, but the content differs substantially. In brief, the content follows the logical sequence: problem or need, assumptions made in attempting to solve problem or meet need, theorem derived from those assumptions and additional considerations, proof of theorem by logical reasoning or validation by comparison with what is established or establishable, conclusions from previous discussion, and recommendations on future experimental or theoretical work
Optimization of a reverse osmosis system using nonlinear programming

Abstract This report develops a mathematical model of a reverse osmosis system for desalination of brackish water. The system is similar to the Coalinga Pilot Plant. A nonlinear programming problem was formulated with the objectives of maximizing product flux and determining the optimal arrangement of assemblies with respect to fabrication temperature. The solution of this problem pointed out a number of important things; most significant of which is that by using modern computing machines and optimization techniques, substantial gains can be made in reducing the size of reverse osmosis systems and thus reducing the cost of the water produced.
Central insulin inhibits hypothalamic galanin and neuropeptide Y gene expression and peptide release in intact rats

The central actions of insulin, on galanin (GAL) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain, are examined in intact satiated rats. Ventricular injections of insulin reduce both GAL and NPY gene expression and immunoreactivity in different hypothalamic areas but have no effect in extra-hypothalamic sites. Insulin applied to medial hypothalamic fragments in vitro significantly reduces GAL and NPY release. This evidence suggests that insulin acts centrally and directly on hypothalamic peptide activity under normal feeding conditions.
Survey of patient-oriented total hip replacement information on the World Wide Web

The author conducted an informal survey of materials relating to diseases of the hip and total hip replacement as they appeared on the World Wide Web. The results varied depending on the key words used: hip and replacement yielded 1818 matches; total hip replacement yielded 1740 matches; hip replacement yielded 4565 sites; and hip surgery yielded 1073 sites. The number of sites for total hip replacement was observed to increase with time, having found an additional 30 sites from an identical search performed only 6 weeks earlier. The nature and quality of these sites varied from well-organized and informative, to personal testaments, to obvious commercial endeavors. Overall, this survey found an abundance of material regarding the hip and hip replacements on the World Wide Web, but orthopaedic societies need to take a more active role in constructing, maintaining, and monitoring these sites to best serve the needs of their patients and their members.
Deep ocean water transport by acoustic-gravity waves

Acoustic-gravity waves are compression-type waves propagating with amplitudes governed by the restoring force of gravity. They are generated, among others, by wind-wave interactions, surface waves interactions, and submarine earthquakes. We show that acoustic-gravity waves contribute to deep ocean currents and circulation; they cause chaotic flow trajectories of individual water parcels, which can be transported up to a few centimeters per second.
The vitamin D endocrine system: Manipulation of structure‐function relationships to provide opportunities for development of new cancer chemopreventive and immunosuppressive agents

Biological responses mediated by vitamin D occur as a consequence of the integrated actions of the vitamin D endocrine system. The vitamin D endocrine system is characterized by the sequential two-step metabolism of vitamin D to 1α,25(OH)2D3 by the liver and kidney, and by the ability to generate biological responses in over 30 target tissues through nuclear receptor (nVDR) regulation of gene transcription and nongenomic pathways. It is now clear that the vitamin D endocrine system embraces many more target tissues than simply the intestine, bone and kidney. Notable additions to this list of tissues containing the nVDR include pancreatic B cells, pituitary gland, breast tissue, placenta, lymphocytes, keratinocytes, colon, and prostate, as well as many cancer cell lines. In addition to the classical actions of 1α,25(OH)2D3 on mediating calcium homeostasis, this seco steroid has been identified as a potent stimulator of cell differentiation as well as an inhibitor of proliferation. Over the past decade at least 400 analogs of 1α,25(OH)2D3 have been chemically synthesized and their biological properties systematically explored in a variety of assays which quantified both their calcemic effects and cell differentiating potential. The objective has been to identify new analogs devoid of the classical calcemic consequences of high does of 1α,25(OH)2D3, namely hypercalcemia, soft tissue calcification and nephrocalcinosis. As a consequence, several analogs of 1α,25(OH)2D3 have recently been identified and are discussed in this paper for consideration as possible chemotherapeutic agents for acute promyelocytic leukemia, breast, colon, and prostate cancer, or as immunosuppressive agents with possible beneficial structure-activity profiles for use in cardiac allografts, autommune graft rejection, lupus erthematosus and psoriasis.
Cell density and intracellular translocation of glucocorticoid receptor-immunoreactive neurons in the kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka kennerlyi) brain, with an emphasis on the olfactory system.

Abstract This study tested the hypothesis that neurons in olfactory regions of the kokanee salmon brain contain glucocorticoid receptors. Distribution and neuronal number of glucocorticoid receptor-like immunoreactive (GRir) neurons were identified in the kokanee salmon brain using immunohistochemistry with an antibody to GR (polyclonal rabbit anti-human, dilution 1:1500; and monoclonal mouse, dilution 5 μg/ml). Distribution of GRir neurons similar to the mammalian pattern was observed in the brains of sexually immature ( n = 8; 4 female and 4 male) as well as spawning ( n = 8; 4 female and 4 male) salmon. Olfactory-related areas containing GRir positive neuronal bodies included the internal cell layer of the olfactory bulb, ventral-lateral and lateral parts of the dorsal telencephalon (homologue of the mammalian hippocampus), ventral area of the telencephalon (homologue of the mammalian amygdala), glomerulosus complex of the thalamus, the preoptic area, and inferior lobe of the hypothalamus. The pattern of GRir neuronal distribution in sexually immature and spawning fish was similar. However, spawning fish brains, compared to sexually immature brains, exhibited a significantly greater GRir neuronal number in several olfactory regions in paired immunohistochemical runs. There also were differences in intraneuronal location of GRir in olfactory regions, with staining being predominantly cytoplasmic in sexually immature fish but nuclear in spawning fish. These results are consistent with a role for cortisol in olfactory-mediated homing in kokanee salmon. Although GRir were identified in many nonolfactory regions, the focus of this study is on GRir present in brain regions involved in olfaction.
Why reproduce sexually

Abstract There is reason to believe that intense selection, such that only a small minority at the top of the fitness distribution has any appreciable chance of survival, can sometimes give sexual reproduction an immediate (one-life-cycle) advantage over asexual. The advantage must be great enough to balance the 50% loss of genetic material in meiosis.One model shows the advantage to be frequency-dependent in life cycles in which there are several asexual generations and one sexual. The observed frequency of sexual reproduction in such a life cycle is explained as an evolutionary equilibrium by this model. In another model the optimum frequency of asexual reproduction drops to zero as fecundity and competition increase. This explains the exclusively sexual reproduction of such fecund organism as elms and oysters. Once lost, asexual reproduction may be difficult to evolve secondarily. This explains the presence of such exclusively sexual, low-fecundity organisms as the higher vertebrates.
Kinetic studies on the inactivation of 5-lipoxygenase by 5(S)-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid.

The oxygenation of arachidonic acid (AA) by guinea-pig neutrophil 5-lipoxygenase terminates prematurely at a substrate utilization of only 50%. In the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT), reaction progress continues longer but still terminates prematurely, at about 70% substrate turnover. The addition of more substrate during the first 60 seconds of the initial reaction resulted in continued product formation. However, at times after 120 seconds, the addition of more AA could not produce additional product formation. Together, these results indicate a time-dependent (t12 = 0.5–1.0 min), irreversible loss of enzyme activity. To determine if the product 5-hydroperoxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-HPETE) mediates the inactivation, it was tested for its ability to irreversibly inhibit the enzyme and found to inactivate 5-lipoxygenase with Ki = 0.05 ± 0.01 μM and ki = 1.4 ± 0.4 min−. DTT changed the apparent affinity of 5-HPETE (Ki = 0.33 ± 0.09 μM) but had no effect on the rate of inactivation (ki = 1.26 ± 0.62 min−1). In contrast, the hydroxy derivative of 5-HPETE, 5-hydroxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE), is a reversible, time-independent inhibitor with K = 6.3 ± 0.9 μM regardless of DTT. The ability of thiols to protect 5-lipoxygenase from production inactivation is due, at least in part, to a non-enzymatic reaction between DTT and 5-HPETE that converts the hydroperoxy acid to a material that can no longer inactivate the enzyme.
Knowledge Gap in Characterization of Reinforcing Fillers, Structure-Processability Relation of Agglomerates

The ultimate objective of mixing rubber and reinforcing filler is the achievement of a desired degree of the filler dispersion. Therefore, an ease of breakdown of the agglomerates into aggregates r...
Controlled turn-on thyristors

In a one or more amplified stage thyristor design it is possible to control the peak current level of all but the final stage with impedance built into the p-base zone. This impedance reduces both the current and the duty cycle of the protected amplifying stage effectively protecting it from undesirable temperature rises during turn-on. A further bonus and perhaps equally important is the fact that the amplifying stage and its current control impedance can be used to reduce and essentially fix the voltage level at which the following stage turns on. This results in a lower voltage, lower stress turn-on of the following stage, and a device essentially protected from di/dt turn-on failure. This paper describes several aspects of controlled turn-on in the context of a 2.6- and 6-kV light triggered thyristor. In particular we discuss selection of the resistor value, the problem of unwanted current control resistor modulation by device current as well as some factors affecting the proper wattage of such resistors. We also discuss the role current control resistors can play in controlling avalanche current from known locations on the device.
Quantitative Benefit-Risk Analysis for Evaluating Drug Therapies

Despite the fact that benefit–risk analysis is a necessary component of the review of new drugs for potential regulatory approval in the presence of known adverse side effects, and of the review of already-approved drugs for possible withdrawal from the market when unanticipated adverse events are discovered, formal quantitative tools for benefit–risk analysis are few. This paper proposes a quantitative method that utilizes receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to find an optimal dose of a drug that maximizes the differential between the benefit of the intended effect and the risk of adverse side effects, where costs associated with lack of benefit and risk can be incorporated. The method can be applied separately to subpopulations of different sensitivities and to different adverse events to give a full picture of the trade-offs between the benefit afforded by the drug and the risk it incurs, and potentially to allow the drug to be approved only selectively for specific subpopulations, or at dif...
Lifetime of a black hole

We study the constraints placed by quantum mechanics upon the lifetime of a black hole. In the context of a moving-mirror analog model for the Hawking radiation process, we conclude that the period of Hawking radiation must be followed by a much longer period during which the remnant mass (of order ${m}_{P}$) may be radiated away. We are able to place a lower bound on the time required for this radiation process, which translates into a lower bound for the lifetime of the black hole. Particles which are emitted during the decay of the remnant, like the particles which comprise the Hawking flux, may be uncorrelated with each other. But each particle emitted from the decaying remnant is correlated with one particle emitted as Hawking radiation. The state which results after the remnant has evaporated is one which locally appears to be thermal, but which on a much larger scale is marked by extensive correlations.
Polarization of counterions in polyelectrolytes

A theory of the polarization of counterions bound to a polyion, such as a DNA, in low and high electric field strengths is developed using statistical mechanics of inhomogeneous systems. For low fields, one finds that the polarizability p is (Zq)2rho0betaL3/(12[l + Lrho0sigma(L, b, xi, Z, I, rho0)]), where sigma = integral1 0(lambda' - lambda0) ?dc(lambda - lambda')/dlambda?lambda = lambda0 dlambda']), Z and L are the valence and the length of the polyion, respectively, q is the proton charge, beta = 1/kBT, T is the temperature, kB is the Boltzmann constant, I is the ionic strength, lambda = x/L and lambda0 = x0/L are scaled distances, x0 is a reference point such that the inhomogeneous counterion density at x0 is equal to rho0--the uniform density in the absence of an electric field E--and c(x) is the direct correlation function of the homogeneous counterion-polyion phase, which includes attractive and repulsive interactions. If Lsigma(L, ...) is much less than one, then the polarizability is proportional to L3. If the term Lsigma(L, ...) is much larger than one, the polarizability scales as L2. The induced dipole moment saturates and its value is the same as that of Mandel-Manning theories. The onset of the saturation, however, depends critically on the direct correlation function and hence polyelectrolyte effects. In the formalism, the polarization of the counterions is the equilibrium response to an electric field provided E is less than Esaturated. A dynamical scheme that incorporates the fact that in high fields the bound counterions conduct is discussed.
Stormwater runoff from highways

During four rain events, stormwater runoff samples from Interstate Highway 95 in Rhode Island were collected and analyzed for petroleum hydrocarbons, 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and a variety of trace metals. The concentrations were variable throughout the storm events and some of the components responded similarly and others differently depending on the source and form of the component in the runoff. Loading factors as a function of area and traffic volume were developed from the concentration and flow data. Application of the highway runoff loading factors to the Pawtuxet River adjacent to this interstate highway suggests that highway runoff could be the source of over 50% of the annual pollutant loads of solids, PAHs, Pb, and Zn entering this river. It is recommended that highways as a source of non-point pollution to receiving waterbodies should be included as a part of any river and estuarine water quality management planning exercise.
Interactive relay coordination using microcomputer graphics

Abstract A computer procedure is presented which enables the power system designer to interactively determine tap and time dial settings of overcurrent relays for the protection of industrial power systems. The user enters data about the power system, and a fault analysis is performed. Current transformer ratios, relay types, and load currents are then input to the program and the user selects tripping times or coordinating time intervals. Computer graphics techniques are then used to display the coordination curves and settings may be changed, if necessary, until the desired protection characteristics are achieved. An example of protection design for a sample industrial power system is provided to show the procedures for program use and demonstrate its capabilities.