cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxygen toxicity: Loss of lung macrophage function without metabolite depletion

Hyperoxia inhibited concanavalin A stimulated O−2 release (respiratory burst) of alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from rats. After 36 h of normobaric 100% O2, a partial reversal (48%) of the inhibition was produced by addition of glucose. Since oxidant-induced, reversible NADPH depletion correlates with reversible inhibition of the respiratory burst, intracellular NADPH was assayed to determine whether irreversible inhibition of the respiratory burst was related to persistent changes in this metabolite. The cellular concentrations of ATP, glutathione, and ascorbate were also measured. After 36 h of hyperoxia, NADPH concentration in alveolar macrophages rose slightly while ATP and glutathione content remained at control levels. Ascorbate levels fell significantly but were not responsible for respiratory burst inhibition. Thus, irreversible loss of cellular function in hyperoxia is not due to persistent alterations in these metabolites. Significant amounts of both glutathione and ascorbate were found in extracellular of lung washings, indicating high concentrations in the aqueous subphase in the lung fluid lining. There was no change in total content of these extracellular antioxidants following O2 exposure.
Impact of performance modeling on nano-satellite mission design

This paper describes the purpose, methodology, and conclusions of a performance analysis characterization for a nano-satellite mission. The mission concept includes two key requirements which are critical for mission success, collection capacity and data latency. An analytical toolset was developed to evaluate mission performance against these key requirements. Models of the spacecraft data storage system, power system, and primary payload were developed in addition to the communications architecture. A simple collection and downlink scheduler was implemented to evaluate collection capacity and latency. Initial results indicated that the mission design was flawed as the communications architecture was vastly undersized for the amount of mission data capable of being collected. Trade studies were conducted to determine a communications architecture that supported the spacecraft collecting at peak operation levels. Identification of a modified architecture along with the supporting analysis was critical in properly focusing efforts to maximize mission utility.
Thermal analysis of transmissive elements in high-average-power laser beam delivery systems

We describe a computer code that aids in the thermal, structural, and optical analysis of laser optical systems. Inputs to the computer model include energy absorption by coatings and substrates, thermal diffusion, expansion, and heat removal parameters. The program performs steady-state thermal and structural analyses based on geometrical ray traces through the optical system. We show examples to illustrate how this capability can assist in the optical system design process.
Influences of individual-level characteristics on risk perceptions to various categories of environmental health and safety risks

Over the last five decades, social science researchers have examined how the public perceives the risks associated with a variety of environmental health and safety (EHS) hazards. The body of literature that has been emerged diverse both in the methodology employed to collect and analyze data and in the subject of study. The findings have confirmed that risk perceptions vary between groups of individuals as well as between categories of EHS risks. However, the extant literature on EHS risk perceptions has failed to provide empirical insights into how risk perceptions can be best explained according to the interplay of both (1) the category of EHS hazard appraised and (2) the prominent individual-level characteristics that best explain observed risk perception differences. This study addresses this deficiency in the literature by providing insights into the individual and cumulative roles that various individual-level variables play in characterizing risk perceptions to various categories of EHS risks incl...
Calcium release from rod outer segments: evidence for a cGMP-sensitive calcium binding protein.

Abstract Numerous studies investigating the cGMP-gated cation conductance in rod disk membranes have purported to measure efflux of Ca2+ entrapped in rod disk membrane vesicles. We have utilized sonication and osmotic shock as additional tests for sensitivity of cGMP- and A23187-induced Ca2+ release to elimination of the transvesicular Ca2+ gradient. We find that 1) Treatment with sonication or osmotic shock in low Ca2+ medium does not release Ca2+ from either native cGMP Ca 2+ -loaded vesicles or solubilized, reconstituted “Ca2+-loaded” vesicles, 2) 70–100% of the cGMP-induced “flux” and 90–100% of the A23187-induced Ca2+ “flux” is insensitive to elimination of the Ca2+ gradient by sonication or osmotic shock in low Ca2+ medium, and 3) total amount of releasable Ca2+ is related to membrane surface area rather than vesicle entrapment volume. We conclude that 1) A23187 disrupts binding of Ca2+ to proteins and phospholipids as well as releasing entrapped Ca2+ and 2) a large fraction of the cGMP-induced release observed in rod disk vesicles is due to release of bound Ca2+.
On the distinguished role of the multivariate exponential distribution in Bayesian estimation in competing risks problems

Abstract In a companion paper, Neath and Samaniego (1996) derive the limiting posterior estimate of the multiple decrement function (MDP), relative to a Dirichlet process prior. It is noted there that, due to the nonidentifiability of the MDF in competing risks problems, the limiting posterior estimate can be inferior to the estimate of the MDF based on the prior distribution alone. This leads, among other things, to the search for distinguished parameter values, or models, for which Bayesian updating necessarily improves upon one's prior estimate. In this article, it is shown that when the true multiple decrement function is bivariate exponential and the parameter measures of the Dirichlet process prior is also bivariate exponential, the posterior estimates of marginal survival functions are uniformly better than the prior estimates; thus, Bayesian updating is uniformly efficacious under these latter conditions.
USE OF HYDRODYNAMIC PRESSURE PROCESSING AND BLADE TENDERIZATION TO TENDERIZE TOP ROUNDS FROM BRAHMAN CATTLE

Tenderization effects of hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP), blade tenderization (BT) and a combination of BT followed by HDP (BT + HDP) were evaluated with 12 top rounds from Brahman cattle selected for toughness. Warner–Bratzler shear testing was performed on the day of treatment (D0) and after storage (D7). On D0, BT and HDP increased tenderness by 18% and BT + HDP yielded a 14% improvement over control steaks. Tenderness increased (P < 0.05) for HDP and BT + HDP treatment between D0 and D7, whereas tenderness did not change for BT treatment. Control samples increased (P < 0.05) in tenderness because of aging alone (20% improvement). Overall tenderness improvements for BT + HDP and HDP (D7) versus control (D0) were 37 and 29%, respectively. BT provided instant tenderization but without additional improvement during aging. HDP and BT + HDP resulted in instantaneous tenderization that also increased over time and provided the greatest amount of overall improvement in tenderness.
Automated Negotiation Using Semantic Rules

With the extensive adaptation of Web service based applications in dynamic businesses applications including on demand computing, highly configurable virtual solutions and cloud computing based systems demand automated tools for composing and managing these services in composite systems. The use of standard protocols for publishing, discovery, invocation, process definition and SLA definition etc. (e.g. UDDI, WSDL, SOAP, BPEL, WS-Agreement, WS-Policy) has made it possible to compose highly usable composite systems with minimal efforts. On the other hand the existence of a number of functionally equivalent service provide the system designers with the flexibility of choosing the most appropriate services for the system. Hence, automated negotiation among Web services provides an effective way for the services to bargain for their optimal customizations and allow the discovery of overlooked potential solutions. In this paper, we present a Web service negotiation framework that would be used by both the customer and providers of Web services for conducting automated negotiations for quality of service properties of Web services. Our proposed framework is highly flexible, protocol independent and supports participant polices for communication, negotiation and service level agreement creation. We further extend our approach by extending WS-Negotiation and WS-Renegotiation to model multi-round negotiation for multiple attributes of negotiated services in a multi-service and multi-party negotiation scenarios. We also describe a semantic web rules based approach for converting compatible participant policies for mutual comprehension of Web service. We describe in detail the process of negotiating service level agreements using the semantic web rules based approach.
On the mechanism of linolenic acid inhibition in Photosystem II.

Abstract Recent studies in our laboratory have reexamined the interaction of the unsaturated fatty acid, linolenic acid, with Photosystem II and have documented two principal regions of inhibition: one associated with the donor complex (Signal 2 f or D 1 ) to the reaction center, and the other located on the reducing side between pheophytin and Q a (Golbeck, J.H. and Warden, J.T. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 767, 263–271). A further characterization of fatty acid inhibition of secondary electron transport in Photosystem II at room and cryogenic temperatures is presented in this paper. These studies demonstrate that linolenic acid, and related fatty acid analogs, (1) eliminate the transient absorption increase at 320 nm, attributed to Q − a ; (2) abolish the production, either chemically or photochemically, of the ESR signal (Q − Fe) associated with the bound quinone acceptor, Q − a ; and (3) prevent the photooxidation of Signal 2 1t (D 1 ) at cryogenic temperature. Linolenic-acid-treated samples are characterized by a high initial fluorescence yield ( F i ) equivalent to the maximum level of fluorescence ( F max ); however, the spin-polarized triplet, associated with the reactioncenter electron donor, P-680, is observed only in inhibited samples that have been prereduced with sodium dithionite. These results suggest the presence of an additional acceptor intermediate between pheophytin and Q a . The donor-assisted photoaccumulation of pheophytin anion in Photosystem II particles, as monitored by the decline of fluorescence yield, is inhibited by linolenic acid. Redox titrations of the fluorescence yield in control and inhibited preparations demonstrate that the midpoint potential for the primary acceptor for Photosystem II is insensitive to the fatty acid ( E m ≈ −583 mV) and thus indicate that primary photochemistry is functional during linolenic-acid inhibition. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that unsaturated fatty acids inhibit secondary electron transport in Photosystem II via displacement of endogenous quinone from quinone-binding peptides.
Involvement of Osteopontin in the Matrix-Degrading and Proangiogenic Changes Mediated by Nicotine in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Substantial evidence indicates that exposure to cigarette smoke is associated with an elevated risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of nicotine on the development or progression of PDA remain to be investigated. Previously, we showed that nicotine promotes the expression of osteopontin c (OPNc), an isoform of OPN protein that confers on cancer cells a migratory phenotype. In this study, we explored the potential prometastatic role of nicotine in PDA through studying its effect on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and evaluated the role of OPN in mediating these effects. MMP-9 and VEGF mRNA and protein were analyzed in PDA cells treated with or without nicotine (3–300 nM). Transient transfection and luciferase-labeled promoter studies evaluated the effects of OPNc and OPN protein on the transcription and translation of MMP-9 and VEGF. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the mRNA expression levels and localization of OPN, MMP-9, and VEGF proteins in matched invasive human PDA and surrounding nonmalignant tissues. Nicotine significantly enhanced the expression of MMP-9 and VEGF mRNA and protein in PDA cells. Blocking OPN with siRNA or OPN antibody prevented the nicotine-mediated increase of both MMP-9 and VEGF. Transient transfection of OPNc gene in PDA cells or their treatment with recombinant OPN protein significantly (p < 0.05) increased MMP-9 and VEGF mRNA expression levels and induced their promoter activities. In invasive PDA lesions, MMP-9 mRNA levels were significantly (p < 0.005) higher in smokers vs. nonsmokers. VEGF protein co-localized with MMP-9 and OPN in the malignant ducts and correlated well with their higher levels in invasive PDA lesions. Our data show for the first time that cigarette smoking and nicotine may contribute to PDA metastasis through inducing MMP-9 and VEGF and suggest that OPN plays a central role in mediating these effects. The presence of OPN as a downstream effector of nicotine that is capable of mediating its prometastatic effects in PDA cells is novel and could provide a unique therapeutic target to control pancreatic cancer aggressiveness, especially in the cigarette-smoking population.
Oil spill studies: A review of ecological effects

We reviewed seven particularly well known and/or studied oil spills that have occurred since the National Academy of Sciences 1975 report, “Petroleum in the Marine Environment” or that occurred prior to that report but about which significant new information has since been acquired. The spills studied were from the bargeFlorida, and tankersArrow, Argo Merchant, Amoco Cadiz, andTsesis and blowouts from the Bravo and Ixtoc I platforms.
Comparison of the relationships of Southern bean mosaic virus and the cowpea strain of tobacco mosaic virus with the bean leaf beetle

Abstract Bean leaf beetles, Cerotoma trifurcata , transmitted southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV) but not the cowpea strain of tobacco mosaic virus (CP-TMV) when fed on infected tissue or injected with purified virus. Both viruses were found in hemolymph and induced regurgitant obtained from fed or injected beetles, and both were recovered from leaf surfaces in the areas where beetles had fed. Apparently, despite extensive feeding activities and the presence of virus in the vicinity of damaged tissues, SBMV but not CP-TMV was deposited at the proper site for infection to occur.
Photosensitization Of Model Membranes By HPD: Implications For Photodynamic Therapy

The photosensitizing properties of hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) have been investigated using egg phosphatidylcholine liposomes and resealed bovine erythrocyte membranes (ghosts) as model membranes. The results demonstrate that incorporated HPD photosensitizes lipid peroxidation in liposome and ghost membranes and protein cross-linking in ghosts via the Type 2, singlet oxygen mechanism.
How Well Do Self-Monitored Capillary Glucose Measurements Predict the Mean Blood Glucose from 24-Hour Continuous Monitoring in Endocrine Practice?

Objective: The mean blood glucose (MBG) level obtained from self-monitored capillary glucose (SMCG) data is a readily available metric of glycemic control for patients and their physicians. However...
Federalism, Preemption, and Implementation of the 1996 Telecommunications Act

This essay provides a positive analysis of regulatory federalism in the dynamic telecommunications industry since the 1996 federal Telecommunications Act. While the 1996 legislation clarified some contentious issues, and established a framework for resolving others, implementation by the FCC has not been as smooth as many participants originally assumed. State regulators have continued to play an important role in the industry, which court decisions have often upheld. As some jurisdictional issues do get resolved, others that were not anticipated in the legislation are emerging, largely related to regulation of Internet services.
A Hybrid Method for the Planning and Scheduling

We combine mixed integer linear programming (MILP) and constraint programming (CP) to solve planning and scheduling problems. Tasks are allocated to facilities using MILP and scheduled using CP, and the two are linked via logic-based Benders decomposition. Tasks assigned to a facility may run in parallel subject to resource constraints (cumulative scheduling). We solve minimum cost problems, as well as minimum makespan problems in which all tasks have the same release date and deadline. We obtain computational speedups of several orders of magnitude relative to the state of the art in both MILP and CP.
Bile Acids and the Gut Microbiome

Purpose of the review We examine the latest research on the emerging bile acid-gut microbiome axis and its role in health and disease. Our focus revolves around two key microbial pathways for degrading bile salts, and the impact of bile acid composition in the gut on the gut microbiome and host physiology.
Collapsible graphs and matchings

A graph G is collapsible if for every even subset R ⊆ V(G), there is a spanning connected subgraph of G whose set of odd degree vertices is R. A graph is reduced if it does not have nontrivial collapsible subgraphs. Collapsible and reduced graphs are defined and studied in [4]. In this article, we obtain a lower bound on the size of a maximum matching in a reduced graph. As an application, we verify and strengthen the Benhocine, Clark, Kohler, and Veldman conjecture [1], when restricted to 3-edge-connected graphs, by showing that for n large, a simple graph G with order n and with k′(G) ≥ 3 is collapsible or is contractible to the Petersen graph if for each edge uv ∈ E(G), d(u) + d(v) ≥ (n/5) − 2. We also characterize the extremal graphs. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Guijin Therapist and the Nature of Therapeutic Truth: A Relational Perspective

The professional literature is replete with examples of the benefits of the client–clinician dyad being of the same ethnic group. Noted advantages include a perceived implicit understanding of the client’s subjective experience and a furthering of the therapist’s personal and professional growth as a result of the therapeutic interaction. This paper suggests that there are also benefits to the clinician being considered a guijin or “outsider” to the client’s culture of origin. Utilizing a relational perspective with an emphasis on multiple self-state theory, this paper will discuss the advantages of being perceived as an outsider when working with an Asian bicultural client.
Collaborative indoor sensing with the sensorfly aerial sensor network

The SensorFly is a novel, low-cost, miniature (29g) controlled-mobile aerial sensor networking platform. Mobility permits a network of SensorFly nodes, unlike fixed networks, to be autonomous in deployment, maintenance and adapting to the environment, as required for emergency response situations such as fire monitoring or survivor search.We demonstrate the ability of the SensorFly system to collaboratively sense the environment (floor temperature) in a demonstration scenario. The SensorFly nodes are tasked to explore the area and transmit sensed data back to a base station. The system partitions tasks among SensorFly nodes based on their capabilities (location, sensors, energy) to achieve concurrent and faster coverage. The real-time sensor data is presented to the user on a display terminal at the base station.
Two-dimensional echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis: experience in 117 consecutive patients.

Abstract Pericardiocentesis guided by 2-dimensional echocardiography has been used at the Mayo Clinic since April 1980. The 2-dimensional examination localizes the pericardial fluid. Particular note is made of the place on the body wall closest to the fluid. An entry track that permits puncture of the pericardial sac without damage to any vital structure is then selected for the pericardiocentesis needle. Between April 1980 and March 1984, 132 consecutive pericardiocenteses in 117 patients were done by this technique. The volume of fluid obtained ranged from 75 to 1,700 ml (mean 650). Seventy percent of the taps were done for therapy, 21% for diagnosis, and 9% for both therapy and diagnosis. A Teflon®-sheathed “intracath” needle was used to complete 80% of the pericardiocenteses. In the other 20%, a large catheter was secondarily introduced and connected to a closed drainage system. There were no deaths related to the procedure. One symptomatic pneumothorax occurred. There were 3 minor complications. Two-dimensional echocardiographic imaging of the heart and pericardial fluid permits a safe and effective means of performing pericardiocentesis.
The transition field on the surface of a slot-excited conical antenna

A previous derivation of the transition field on the surface of a slot-excited conical antenna is corrected, and the new result as well as the tip-diffraction coefficient are checked by a calculation involving only the exact normal-mode series.
Tail pinch and handling facilitate feeding behavior in Aplysia

This study investigated whether nonfood stimuli can facilitate feeding behavior in Aplysia . A tail-pinch stimulus resulted in a reduction of the latency of several indices of feeding behavior evoked by seaweed presented 4 min after the tail pinch. Handling similarly reduced subsequent feeding latencies. The effect of handling was found to be time dependent. Compared to nonhandled animals, animals tested immediately after handling showed increased latencies to respond to food, whereas animals tested 4 min after handling showed significantly reduced feeding latencies. The findings are consistent with a model in which a variety of stimuli can converge on a food-arousal system, which then exerts divergent actions on several motor systems.
The absorption of sound waves in perfect dielectric crystals

Abstract The attenuation of ultrasonic waves in a perfect dielectric crystal has been calculated by the method of thermodynamic Green's functions. The calculation is valid for all values of ωt (ω sound wave frequency, τt average thermal phonon lifetime) but is limited to the case kθD>kTω, where T is the absolute temperature and θD is the Debye temperature.
The Role of Voice Therapy in the Management of Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion, Chronic Cough, and Laryngospasm

This article describes the assessment and behavioral treatment for paradoxical vocal fold motion disorder (PVFM), chronic cough, and laryngospasm. Behavioral treatment for these disorders is coordinated by the speech-language pathologist. Assessment of PVFM involves a detailed behavioral analysis of the triggers for the conditions and incorporation of the medical findings as they relate to the symptoms. Treatments developed originally by the group at the National Jewish Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and then expanded by others have been shown to reduce or eliminate the symptoms and improve overall quality of life in patients who have these diagnoses.
Biblio of object-oriented system development

An increasing number of articles and books is being published in the area of object-oriented system development (OOSD). A need for collection, classification and evaluation of the available material is already evident. This is why we decided to collect a bibliography when we started our research project on comparison of object-oriented analysis and design methods.Most of the included items do not attack the whole problem of OOSD but together they represent work done on many aspects of the problem. Some are related to the system design using various object-oriented programming languages. Also a few items have been included that deal with object-oriented principles in general. There are even some which are "comments" or "discussions" on the topic. The items were chosen on the basis that they should have some direct reference to object-oriented system development.This bibliography contains material in the field that has been published before Spring 1990. It is by no means supposed to be complete. If any references of particular significance have been omitted, the author would appreciate hearing about them. I hope this bibliography will help those planning to build object-oriented systems, or those who are working on new OOSD methods.
An siRNA screen identifies the GNAS locus as a driver in 20q amplified breast cancer.

Poor-prognosis oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is characterised by the presence of high-level focal amplifications. We utilised a focused small interfering RNA screen in 14 breast cancer cell lines to define genes that were pathogenic in three genomic regions focally amplified in oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, 8p11-12, 11q13 and 20q. Silencing the GNAS locus, that encodes the G protein alpha stimulatory subunit Gαs, specifically reduced the growth of 20q amplified breast cancer cell lines. Examination of a publically available small hairpin RNA data set confirmed GNAS silencing to be selective for 20q amplified cancer cell lines. Cell lines with 20q amplification were found to overexpress specifically the extra long Gαs splice variant (XLαs). Overexpression of XLαs induced cAMP levels to a greater extent than Gαs, suggesting that amplification of the GNAS locus, and overexpression of the XLαs variant in particular, enhanced cAMP signalling. GNAS silencing in amplified cell lines reduced extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation, and conversely overexpression of exogenous XLαs in a non-amplified cell line increased MEK–ERK1/2 phosphorylation, identifying one potential downstream consequence of enhanced cAMP signalling. Our data indicate that amplification of the GNAS locus may contribute to the pathogenesis of breast cancer, and highlight a previously unrecognised role for the GNAS XLαs variant in cancer.
Survival after recurrence in early-stage high-risk epithelial ovarian cancer: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Abstract Objective This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcome of recurrent early-stage high-risk epithelial ovarian cancer patients. Methods Demographic and clinicopathological data were collected from women enrolled in GOG 157 who underwent surgical staging and had recurrent disease. Survival probability was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method, and hazard ratio of death was analyzed using Cox regression model. Results Of 74 women with recurrent early-stage high-risk ovarian cancer, the median age at recurrence was 63 years; 93% were White, 2.7% were Black, 2.7% were Asian, and 1.4% were Others. Fifty-eight percent had stage I, and the remainder had stage II disease. Clear cell, serous, endometrioid, mucinous, and other tumors consisted of 28.4%, 25.7%, 24.3%, 16.2%, and 5.4% of patients, respectively; in addition, 36.5% had ascites, 33.8% had positive cytology, and 43.2% had ruptured tumors. Fifty-eight percent underwent three cycles, and 42% had six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin. Recurrence was diagnosed clinically in 46% and radiographically in 54% of women. The median time from completion of primary chemotherapy to recurrence (treatment-free interval, TFI) was 21 months. Overall, median survival after recurrence was 24 months. Patients with longer (>24 months) TFI had a higher median survival after subsequent treatment at 35 months compared to only 10 months in those who recurred ≤24 months ( p =0.003). Conclusions Although patients with primary early-stage high-risk ovarian cancer have an overall favorable prognosis, survival after recurrence is poor and comparable to those with recurrent advanced-stage disease. Novel therapeutic modalities are warranted in these high-risk patients.
Stimuli responsive self-folding using thin polymer films

The ability to manipulate the curvature of thin films in response to a specific stimulus such as light, heat, pH, electric fields or chemicals can be utilized to create a variety of smart three dimensional (3D) materials. Because of the high structural and chemical variability of polymers that can be created by synthetic approaches, thin films composed of polymers are especially useful in creating a wide range of stimuli-responsive structures. Moreover, since polymer thin films can be patterned by a number of planar techniques such as photolithography, molding, or imprinting, a variety of precisely patterned 2D precursors can be used to fold-up functional structures such as tubular, spherical and polyhedral capsules, biomimetic actuators and even microsurgical tools. This article reviews recent advances and highlights future challenges.
BEHAVIOR AND DESIGN OF CONCENTRICALLY LOADED PULTRUDED ANGLE STRUTS

This paper presents the results of a study pertaining to the short-term behavior of concentrically loaded single angle members made of pultruded fiber-reinforced polymeric materials. Seven E-glass/polyester and 18 E-glass/vinylester angle specimens having slenderness ratios ranging from 30 to 105 and leg width-to-thickness ratios of 8, 10.7, 12, 16, and 24 were tested. Tests have shown that under compression loading, pultruded angles reinforced with E-glass roving and nonwoven E-glass strand mats buckle in either flexural or flexural-torsional modes. These experimentally observed buckling modes were also predicted analytically, based on derived mathematical models that describe the buckling behavior of a specially orthotropic, centrally loaded, equal-leg angle section. Compression and in-plane shear coupon tests were conducted to characterize the material. The results were analyzed statistically to obtain the 95% lower confidence limit on the 5th percentile strength and modulus values, which in turn were ...
The plutonium-oxygen system

The crystallographic, thermodynamic, and physical properties of Pu-O compounds with varying oxygen-toplutonium ratios are presented and discussed relative to the construction of a phase equilibria diagram for this system. Property determinations included melting and dissociation temperatures, thermal expansion, lattice constants, and electrical resistivity. The most unusual feature of the diagram is a two-phase solid immiscibility region at low temperatures for oxygen-to-plutonium ratios between 1.70 and 1.98. Certain portions of the diagram are still uncertain because of the experimental difficulties associated with the ease with which PuO/sub 2.00/ loses oxygen at high temperatures and suboxides gain oxygen. (auth)
Evidence for a Phorbol Ester-insensitive Phosphorylation Step in Capacitative Calcium Entry in Rat Thymic Lymphocytes

Experiments were undertaken to investigate the regulation of capacitative Ca2+ entry by phorbol ester-sensitive protein kinase C and serine/threonine protein phosphatase activity. The thapsigargin-activated Ca2+ entry pathway was probed in control cells and cells treated with phosphatase type 1/2A inhibitors, okadaic acid and calyculin A, or with the phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The permeability state of this pathway was monitored in the presence or absence of these agents using fluorometric measurements of intracellular Ca2+ concentration, unidirectional Mn2+ entry, and membrane potential and unidirectional measurements of Ca2+ uptake using 45Ca2+. The results of these studies demonstrate that modification of the phosphorylation state of target protein(s) on serine/threonine amino acid residues by inhibition of phosphatase type 1/2A inhibits the capacitative Ca2+ entry pathway in rat thymic lymphocytes. Importantly, the capacitative Ca2+ entry pathway in rat thymic lymphocytes is not modulated by activation of phorbol ester-sensitive protein kinase C.
Quality Improvement Initiatives for Urinary Incontinence in Nursing Homes

Clinical practice guidelines based on research data and expert opinion provide more than adequate guidance for NHs to implement an incontinence quality improvement initiative that will meet the expectations laid out in the federal surveyor guidance for Tag F 315. All quality improvement initiatives take time, effort, leadership support, and coordination by a champion who is dedicated to program success. Simple policies, procedures, and documentation tools can be of critical value in improving the quality of incontinence care. While incontinence management may not be the highest priority for clinicians who care for NH residents suffering from numerous geriatric syndromes and medical conditions, a basic approach to assessment and targeted treatment can improve the quality of life of incontinent residents, prevent complications, improve family satisfaction with care, and facilitate the efficient use of staff resources for this labor intensive condition.
The effect of β-bungarotoxin on acetylcholine and choline content of vertebrate tissues

Abstract We have investigated the effects of intraventricularly or i.p. administered β-bungarotoxin on the tissue content of acetylcholine and choline in three vertebrate species. A gas chromatographic mass spectrometric assay was used to measure acetylcholine and choline. Intraventricular administration of β-bungarotoxin (1 μg, 105 min) in rats raised the acetylcholine content of hippocampus and striatum but not of cortex. Choline was significantly increased in all three brain regions. Injection of the toxin i.p. (5 μg, 90 min) in rats caused variable increases of the acetylcholine content of diaphragm, tongue, temporalis muscle and adrenal gland, but no significant change was seen in heart atrium, eye, ileum or superior cervical ganglion. Significant increases of choline content were seen in heart and adrenal. The toxin caused the same degree of increase of acetylcholine in mouse diaphragm as in the rat. No alteration of sartorius muscle or tongue acetylcholine was observed after i.p. injection of β-bungarotoxin (5 μg) in frog. Results with 125I-labelled β-bungarotoxin (rats, i.p.) suggest that the observed differences in response to β-bungarotoxin cannot be accounted for by the distribution of toxin alone. From these data we make suggestions regarding the variable effects of β-bungarotoxin on tissue acetylcholine and choline content and the implication of these findings for the mechanism of action of the toxin.
Cell‐cycle arrest and inhibition of G1 cyclin translation by iron in AFT1‐1up yeast

Although iron is an essential nutrient, it is also a potent cellular toxin, and the acquisition of iron is a highly regulated process in eukaryotes. In yeast, iron uptake is homeostatically regulated by the transcription factor encoded by AFT1. Expression of AFT1-1(up), a dominant mutant allele, results in inappropriately high rates of iron uptake, and AFT1-1(up) mutants grow slowly in the presence of high concentrations of iron. We present evidence that when Aft1-1(up) mutants are exposed to iron, they arrest the cell division cycle at the G1 regulatory point Start. This arrest is dependent on high-affinity iron uptake and does not require the activation of the DNA damage checkpoint governed by RAD9. The iron-induced arrest is bypassed by overexpression of a mutant G1 cyclin, cln3-2, and expression of the G1-specific cyclins Cln1 and Cln2 is reduced when yeast are exposed to increasing amounts of iron, which may account for the arrest. This reduction is not due to changes in transcription of CLN1 or CLN2, nor is it due to accelerated degradation of the protein. Instead, this reduction occurs at the level of Cln2 translation, a recently recognized locus of cell-cycle control in yeast.
PQP1: LESSONS LEARNED FROM DEVELOPING A PSYCHOMETRICALLY BASED SEDATION QUESTIONNAIRE IN PHARMACOLOGICALLY PARALYZED CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE: To share lessons learned from developing a reliable and valid questionnaire for adequacy of sedation in pharmacologically paralyzed critically ill patients. METHODS: In phase 1, seven experts listed 21 characteristics describing anxiety in pharmacologically paralyzed patients. In phase 2, two scenarios were created illustrating the experience of paralysis: one with and one without receiving a sedative. A convenience sample of 30 people evaluated scenarios to determine the importance of characteristics obtained from phase 1 using a five-point scale. Items were reduced to the 10 most important characteristics (mean 3). Based on these results, the final instrument consisted of 12 questions: 2 categorical addressing memory of the experience and 10 referred to characteristics of anxiety. In phase 3, two groups of critically ill patients were administered the questionnaire: 1) sedated only and 2) sedated and pharmacologically paralyzed. The questionnaire was administered twice for reliability. Questionnaire results were compared to subjective and objective sedation monitoring tools for validity. Calculated sample size was 20 for each group. RESULTS: During six months, 21 patients consented to participate. Twelve patients died and nine patients (6 sedated, 3 sedated/paralyzed) were administered questionnaires. Five patients (3 sedated, 2 sedated/paralyzed) did not remember the intensive care unit experience. Two of three patients in the sedated group who answered the questionnaire found it difficult to remember over time. One sedated/paralyzed patient who answered the questionnaire received a sedative without amnesic properties and felt anxious during therapy. The distressful feeling of this patient was comparable to findings of the objective sedation tool. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality in this critically ill patient population was high. Due to amnestic properties of sedatives most patients did not remember the experience. Of patients who remembered, their memory deteriorated over time. Based on lessons learned, it may require 2–3 years to achieve the necessary sample size.
Researchers advance continental drilling for paleoclimate records

Paleoclimate records can be used to achieve truly global reconstructions of past climates. They reveal changes on time and spatial scales that are pertinent to human activities and provide a record of how climate change has affected landscapes, fauna, and vegetation. An international group of scientists representing 15 countries met in Potsdam, Germany, from June 30 to July 2,1995, to discuss continental drilling for paleoclimate records. The participants agreed that now is the time to energize and organize the continental paleoclimate community. As climate-simulation models become more advanced and marine and ice core records improve, a network of high-quality, continental paleoclimate records is especially important.
Management of Dyslipidemia in Women in the Post–hormone Therapy Era

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for women in the United States and is largely preventable. The American Heart Association has recently released evidence-based guidelines for the prevention of CVD in women; these include gender-specific recommendations for the management of dyslipidemia. This article reviews these recommendations and the evidence supporting them. DESIGN: This was a qualitative review of a systematic literature search related to lipid guidelines for women and discussion of rationale and evidence for new clinical recommendations. MAIN RESULTS: Lifestyle modifications are the cornerstone of lipid management. Substantial evidence from randomized clinical trials supports the use of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-lowering therapy (primarily statins) in all high-risk women and the use of niacin or fibrates when high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is low or non-highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol is elevated. Fewer data are available for women at lower or intermediate risk. CONCLUSIONS: Encouragement of lifestyle modification and appropriate use of lipid-altering therapy will have a substantial impact on reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease in women.
Coastal pollution mitigation with lime and zero valent iron

The Taiwan Strait region has many miles of coastline, and the Taiwan Straits Tunnel (TST) project faces many potential pollution problems as construction proceeds through sensitive areas. Conventional approaches for pollution mitigation require further examination. The recent development of nanoscale particle technology has shown distinct advantages for contaminant attenuation and ground improvement. This paper is focused on trace metals and is part of the overall effort to develop the nanoscale particle technology. Trace metals in ground and surface waters represent a continued threat to human and ecological health. One of the difficulties in removing toxic concentrations of trace metals from solution is the variable oxidation state and amphoteric nature of multiple constituents. In particular, while cationic metals (e.g., Pb2+, Cd2+, Ni2+) may be rendered less mobile under high pH conditions, anionic metals (e.g., AsO4 3−, CrO4 2−, SeO4 2−)may become more mobile. The objective of this research was to ev...
High dose deferoxamine in intracerebral hemorrhage (HI-DEF) trial: rationale, design, and methods.

Background Hemoglobin degradation products, in particular iron, have been implicated in secondary neuronal injury following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The iron chelator Deferoxamine Mesylate (DFO) exerts diverse neuroprotective effects, reduces perihematoma edema (PHE) and neuronal damage, and improves functional recovery after experimental ICH. We hypothesize that treatment with DFO could minimize neuronal injury and improve outcome in ICH patients. As a prelude to test this hypothesis, we conducted a Phase I, open-label study to determine the tolerability, safety, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of DFO in patients with ICH. Intravenous infusions of DFO in doses up to 62 mg/kg/day (up to a maximum of 6000 mg/day) were well-tolerated and did not seem to increase serious adverse events (SAEs) or mortality. We have initiated a multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase II clinical trial (High Dose Deferoxamine [HI-DEF] in Intracerebral Hemorrhage) to determine if it is futile to move DFO forward to Phase III efficacy evaluation.
Methodological Review: The role of emotion in decision-making: A cognitive neuroeconomic approach towards understanding sexual risk behavior

Models of decision-making usually focus on cognitive, situational, and socio-cultural variables in accounting for human performance. However, the emotional component is rarely addressed within these models. This paper reviews evidence for the emotional aspect of decision-making and its role within a new framework of investigation, called neuroeconomics. The new approach aims to build a comprehensive theory of decision-making, through the unification of theories and methods from economics, psychology, and neuroscience. In this paper, we review these integrative research methods and their applications to issues of public health, with illustrative examples from our research on young adults' safe sex practices. This approach promises to be valuable as a comprehensively descriptive and possibly, better predictive model for construction and customization of decision support tools for health professionals and consumers.
Risk factors for wound complications in morbidly obese women undergoing primary cesarean delivery.

Objective: To determine factors influencing separation and infectious type wound complications (WCs) in morbidly obese women undergoing primary cesarean delivery (CD). Methods: Retrospective cohort study evaluating infectious and separation WC in morbidly obese (body mass index [BMI] > 35 kg/m2) women undergoing primary CD between January 1994 and December 2008. Chi-square, Fisher’s exact and Student’s t tests used to assess associated factors; backward logistic regression to determine unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios. Results: Of 623 women, low transverse skin incisions were performed in 588 (94.4%), vertical in 35 (7%). Overall WC rate was 13.5%, which varied by incision type (vertical 45.7% vs. 11.6% transverse; p < 0.01), but not BMI class. Incision type and unscheduled CD were associated with infection risk, while incision type, BMI, race and drain use were associated with wound separation. Conclusion: In morbidly obese women both infectious and separation type WC are more common in vertical than ...
Walking speed as a basis for normal and abnormal gait measurements

Abstract Gait observations of normal subjects and patients with knee disabilities are presented. Time-distance measurements and ground reaction force parameters are reported in relation to walking speed. Regression analysis is used to establish simple functional relations between ground reaction force amplitudes and walking speed. It is shown that basic time distance measurements observed over a range of walking speeds can be useful indicators of gait abnormalities associated with knee disabilities. For example, clinical improvement after treatment is found to be consistent with changes in these gait parameters. These results indicate the usefulness and importance of considering gait measurements in relation to walking speed when attempting to classify gait abnormalities.
Art and Migraine: Researching the Relationship Between Artmaking and Pain Experience

This research project extends a previous study (Vick & Sexton-Radek, 1999) in examining the relationship between artmaking and pain among 127 migraine sufferers. A basic overview of migraine sympto...
Online construction of surface light fields

We present a system for interactively capturing, constructing, and rendering surface light fields by incrementally building a low rank approximation to the surface light field. Each image is incorporated into the lighting model as it is captured, providing the user with real-time feedback. This feedback enables the user to preview the lighting model and direct the image acquisition towards undersampled areas of the object. We also provide a novel datadriven quality heuristic to aid the user in identifying undersampled regions. Our system is an order of magnitude faster than previous systems, and reduces the time necessary to capture the images and construct a surface light field from hours to minutes.
The science and technology of micro-machines: development of an undergraduate course

The technological foundations of microelectronics provide the basis for the emerging science and technology of micro-machines. Most instruction in micro-machines has occurred at the graduate level, leaving a relative void in the undergraduate curriculum. With industrial and governmental support, we have incorporated hands-on fabrication and foundry-based device design into a comprehensive undergraduate course.