cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative assays of tissue plasminogen activator in myometrium, cervix, and fibromyomas of the human uterus

Abstract Uterine tissue specimens comprised of myometrium, cervix, and fibromyomas of different anatomical locations were investigated for their content of plasminogen activator. The average activator concentration was markedly higher in the fundal region than in the cervical region close to the external os. Samples from above and below the fibromuscular junction fluctuated considerably in activator content, though the mean values tended to decrease caudally. In intramural fibromyomas, the average concentration of plasminogen activator corresponded to about 60 per cent, and in subserous (including pedunculated) fibromyomas it was about 20 per cent of the myometrial activator concentration. The findings compare well with differences reported in composition and vascularization of normal and fibromatous uterine tissue.
The reversible oxidation of vicinal SH groups in 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase. Probes of conformational changes.

4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase is inactivated by pre-incubation with iodosobenzoate at pH 7. The reaction of 2 SH residues/dimer resulted in formation of an oligomeric species of Mr = 100,000 detectable by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The subunits crosslinked via a disulfide bond are dissociated by addition of 2-mercaptoethanol which also restores full catalytic activity. The substrate α-ketoglutarate prevents inactivation of the enzyme by iodosobenzoate and the subsequent formation of one disulfide bond. It is postulated that the catalytic site of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase is situated in a deep cleft at the subunit interface.
NetworkReduction BCU Method and its Theoretical Foundation

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Reduced-State System Analytical Results Static and Dynamic Relationships Dynamic Property (D3) A Conceptual Network-Reduction BCU Method Concluding Remarks
Examination of the intersubunit interaction between glutamate-48 and lysine-168 of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase by site-directed mutagenesis.

The active site of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase is constituted from domains of adjacent subunits and includes an intersubunit electrostatic interaction between Lys 168 and Glu48, which has been recently identified by x-ray crystallography (Andersson, I., Knight, S., Schneider, G., Lindqvist, Y., Lundqvist, T., Branden, C.-I., and Lorimer, G.H. (1989) Nature 337, 229-234; Lundqvist, T., and Schneider, G. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 7078-7083). To examine the structural and functional requirements for this interaction, we have used site-directed mutagenesis to replace Lys168 of the homodimeric enzyme from Rhodospirillum rubrum with arginine, glutamine, or glutamic acid. All three substitutions result in mutant enzymes with less than or equal to 0.1% of wild-type activity. The nonconservative substitution of Lys168 with a glutamyl residue precludes the formation of a stable dimer, explaining the consequential abolition of enzymic activity. Both the Arg168 and Gln168 mutant proteins are isolated as stable dimers, even though the latter obviously lacks an electrostatic interaction present in the wild-type enzyme. Despite the absence of overall carboxylase activity, these two mutant proteins serve as catalysts for the enolization of ribulose bisphosphate, as measured by exchange of the C3 proton with solvent. These observations, as well as ligand-binding properties of the mutant proteins, are consistent with Lys168 facilitating a catalytic step subsequent to enolization.
Cascadia tremor spectra: Low corner frequencies and earthquake!like high!frequency falloff

The discovery of non-volcanic tremor (NVT) has opened a new window to observe major Earth plate boundaries. However, the spectral characteristics of NVT have not been well studied due to poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on individual seismograms. We estimate the spectral content of Cascadia tremor between 2.5 and 20 Hz by suppressing noise using array analysis, and compute empirical path corrections using nearby small earthquakes. We demonstrate that the displacement spectra of the Cascadia tremor have corner frequencies around 3–8 Hz and fall off at f−2 to f−3 at higher frequencies. Our results have the following implications. (1) The high-frequency falloff of tremor agrees with the observations of regular earthquakes, suggesting that tremor can be analyzed using standard spectral models. Prior analyses that have shown a tremor spectral falloff proportional to f−1 may reflect only the spectral behavior over a limited frequency band. (2) Tremor may be no different from a swarm of microearthquakes with abnormally small stress drops on the order of kPa, likely due to the presence of fluids. Alternatively the low corner frequencies of tremor may reflect abnormally slow ruptures. (3) Fitting a standard Brune (1970) spectral model implies a moment release rate of Cascadia tremor of 3.8 × 1010 N·m/s assuming the tremor signals are P waves (or 1.4 × 1010 N·m/s assuming S-waves). This implies that a typical 20-day long tremor episode releases moment equivalent to Mw 5.1 (P-wave) or Mw 4.9 (S-wave), although these may be underestimates if the spectra deviate substantially from the Brune model at very low frequencies.
Integrating electrical test into final assembly

This paper describes a set of projects that combine integrated circuit assembly steps. The completed set of projects will allow direct shipment of devices to customers from the end of the trim and form press. The integrated process steps include strip inspection, device mark, mark inspection, dambar removal, lead trim, final test, device form, device singulation, coplanarity inspection, reject sort and final package. The core change in assembly philosophy is to eliminate final test as a separate process step by performing the final test function earlier in the product flow. >
Application and evaluation of a snowmelt runoff model in the Tamor River basin, Eastern Himalaya using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) data assimilation approach

Previous studies have drawn attention to substantial hydrological changes taking place in mountainous watersheds where hydrology is dominated by cryospheric processes. Modelling is an important tool for understanding these changes but is particularly challenging in mountainous terrain owing to scarcity of ground observations and uncertainty of model parameters across space and time. This study utilizes a Markov Chain Monte Carlo data assimilation approach to examine and evaluate the performance of a conceptual, degree-day snowmelt runoff model applied in the Tamor River basin in the eastern Nepalese Himalaya. The snowmelt runoff model is calibrated using daily streamflow from 2002 to 2006 with fairly high accuracy (average Nash-Sutcliffe metric approx. 0.84, annual volume bias <3%). The Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach constrains the parameters to which the model is most sensitive (e.g. lapse rate and recession coefficient) and maximizes model fit and performance. Model simulated streamflow using an interpolated precipitation data set decreases the fractional contribution from rainfall compared with simulations using observed station precipitation. The average snowmelt contribution to total runoff in the Tamor River basin for the 2002-2006 period is estimated to be 29.7+/-2.9% (which includes 4.2+/-0.9% from snowfall that promptly melts), whereas 70.3+/-2.6% is attributed to contributions from rainfall. On average, the elevation zone in the 4000-5500m range contributes the most to basin runoff, averaging 56.9+/-3.6% of all snowmelt input and 28.9+/-1.1% of all rainfall input to runoff. Model simulated streamflow using an interpolated precipitation data set decreases the fractional contribution from rainfall versus snowmelt compared with simulations using observed station precipitation. Model experiments indicate that the hydrograph itself does not constrain estimates of snowmelt versus rainfall contributions to total outflow but that this derives from the degree-day melting model. Lastly, we demonstrate that the data assimilation approach is useful for quantifying and reducing uncertainty related to model parameters and thus provides uncertainty bounds on snowmelt and rainfall contributions in such mountainous watersheds.
Plasma estradiol, thyroid hormones, and liver lipid content in laying hens fed different isocaloric diets

Two experiments were conducted with laying hens fed a corn-soy basal diet or diets containing fish meal, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) or torula yeast formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous with the basal diet. One half of the hens were kept at a temperature range of 13-24 degrees and the other half at 24-35 degrees for 49 days in experiment 2. Liver lipid content was significantly lower in hens fed DDGS (experiment 1) and DDGS or fish meal (experiment 2) than in hens fed the corn-soy basal diet, but it was not influenced by environmental temperature. Feeding DDGS or fish meal reduced lipoprotein lipase activity in adipose tissue. High temperature reduced plasma estradiol level but not thyroid hormone levels. Plasma estradiol in the hens fed DDGS or fish meal (experiment 1) and DDGS, fish meal or torula yeast (experiment 2) an plasma thyroxine and triiodothyronine in hens fed the DDGS or fish meal at 24-35 degrees in experiment 2 were significantly lower than that of hens fed the corn-soy basal diet. Significant correlations were observed between liver lipid content and plasma estradiol or thyroxine concentrations. These findings show that plasma estrogen and thyroxine levels were influenced by diet composition and that these hormones have a close relation to induction of fatty livers in laying hens.
Erosion Measurements in a Low-Power Cusped-Field Plasma Thruster

Results from a long duration test of a cusped-field plasma thruster operating at an anode power of 165 W are presented and discussed. Profile measurements of the boron nitride insulator were performed before and after the 204 h test, enabling the quantification of average erosion rates over a large portion of the interior. Unlike most Hall thrusters, the lifetime is not limited by erosion near the exit plane, due to the positioning of magnetic circuit elements. Additionally, the maximum erosion rate is found to be lower than rates measured in low-power Hall thrusters. The lifetime of this laboratory prototype is estimated at 920–1220 h based on the time needed to erode through the insulator in one of the ring cusps. However, as an indicator of the potential for cusped-field thruster designs to obtain longer lifetimes, the low erosion rate measurements are more significant. For example, fortifying cusps with additional or more durable material could increase lifetime. A summary of long duration tests and e...
S(‐)‐Nornicotine Increases Dopamine Release in a Calcium‐Dependent Manner from Superfused Rat Striatal Slices

: The present study demonstrates that S(-)-nornicotine evoked a concentration-dependent increase in dopamine (DA) release from superfused rat striatal slices. The increase in DA release was indicated by an S(-)-nornicotine-induced overflow of endogenous 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetic acid (DOPAC) in the striatal superfusate and by an S(-)-nornicotine-induced increase in tritium overflow from striatal slices preloaded with [3H]DA. Low concentrations (0.01–1.0 μM) of S(-)-nornicotine, which did not evoke endogenous DOPAC overflow, also were unable to modulate electrically evoked DOPAC overflow. The increase in DOPAC overflow induced by S(-)-nornicotine was compared with that produced by S(-)-nicotine. Comparing equimolar concentrations (0.1-100 μM) of S(-)-nornicotine and S(-)-nicotine, superfusion with S(-)-nornicotine resulted in a significantly greater DOPAC overflow. In contrast to the effect of S(-)-nicotine, S(-)-nornicotine evoked a sustained increase in DOPAC over-flow for the entire period of S(-)-nornicotine exposure. Furthermore, DOPAC overflow evoked by S(-)-nornicotine in control Krebs buffer was inhibited by superfusion with a low-calcium buffer. Moreover, in the low-calcium buffer, DOPAC overflow induced by 30 and 100 μM S(-)-nornicotine was not different from that with no S(-)-nornicotine. The results indicate that S(-)-nornicotine, a constituent of tobacco products and a known metabolite of S(-)-nicotine, increases DA release in a calcium-dependent manner in superfused rat striatal slices. It is interesting that unlike S(-)-nicotine, there does not appear to be desensitization to this effect of S(-)-nornicotine.
Program portfolio selection for reducing prioritized security risks

The methodology presented here solves an R&D program portfolio selection problem that arises in critical infrastructure protection and similar security risk reduction problems. It requires priorities to be assigned to the risks, existing risk levels to be assessed, and the effectiveness of alternative risk reduction programs to be estimated. A lexicographic optimization procedure involving mixed integer programming with preemptive priorities is developed and illustrated, and extensions are discussed.
Mediation of footshock sensitivity by serotonergic projection to hippocampus.

Abstract The present experiments assessed the effects of changes in serotonergic function on footshock sensitivity, as determined by a quantified version of the flinch-jump assessment method. In Experiment 1, depletion of telencephalic serotonin by PCPA injection, medial forebrain bundle lesion, or septal lesion, produced increases in reactivity which were correlated with reductions in telencephalic serotonin levels. In all cases, this increased sensitivity was reversed by injections of d, 1–5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) which restored telencephalic serotonin levels to normal. This effect of 5-HTP had not previously been demonstrated in septal lesioned animals, and overall levels of reactivity of septal animals to other stimuli were also reduced by 5-HTP. Experiment 2 tested the effects of hippocampal lesion on the 5-HTP effect in animals with serotonin depletion produced by either PCPA or septal lesion. Hippocampal lesion, while not increasing footshock sensitivity further, significantly attenuated the effectiveness of 5-HTP in restoring sensitivity to normal. The results suggest that hippocampus may be an important site of action of serotonin in modulating reactivity to footshock, and that failure of raphe lesions to increase reactivity may be due to failure to adequately deplete hippocampal serotonin.
The epidemiology of diabetes in psychotic disorders

Diabetes is highly prevalent in people with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. Exact prevalence is difficult to estimate, since diabetes is often underdiagnosed in people with psychosis. Results of several studies show that the prevalence of diabetes exceeds that in the general population, with documented prevalence in those with psychosis ranging from 1·26% to 50% across studies (median 13%). The association between diabetes and psychosis is complex and multifactorial. Many of the traditional risk factors for disease have increased prevalence in patients with psychotic disorders. In addition to these traditional risk factors, people with psychosis have unique risks that might have additive or even synergistic effects. These risks include the use of antipsychotic medication, the effects of adverse social determinants of health, and genetic loading. Despite evidence that rates of diabetes are increased in individuals with psychosis, many of these patients are not diagnosed or treated, resulting in increased diabetes-associated morbidity and mortality. Specific patient factors, provider issues, and systems-level factors contribute to the treatment gap. Interventions at both the clinical and public health levels are needed to successfully address this problem.
Infinity goes up on trial: The questioning of psychedelic art at the whitney museum

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City (originally organized by the Tate Liverpool Museum) You need not have worn flowers in your hair to attend the Whitney Museum’s exhibition, “Summer of L...
RTOG 0017: A phase i trial of concurrent gemcitabine/carboplatin or gemcitabine/paclitaxel and radiation therapy ("ping-pong trial") followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with favorable prognosis inoperable stage IIIA/B non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose: The optimal dose of gemcitabine that can be used with concurrent radiation therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer has not been well defined. This trial addresses this question in an alternating sequence “ping-pong” design trial to find the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for gemcitabine/carboplatin (Sequence A) or gemcitabine/paclitaxel (Sequence B) and thoracic radiation therapy followed by adjuvant gemcitabine/carboplatin chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: Thirty-five patients with histologically confirmed Stage IIIA/B non-small cell lung cancer were entered into two separate sequences, each with multiple cohorts. A dose level was considered acceptable if, of the first six eligible patients on each cohort, fewer than three experienced dose limiting toxicities. Results: Sequence B of this 2 sequence “ping-pong” trial closed early due to toxicity in cohort 2 (gemcitabine 300 mg/m 2 /wk and paclitaxel 30 mg/m 2 /wk). On Sequence A, the MTD was the cohort 5 dose: gemcitabine 450 mg/m 2 /wk and carboplatin 2 area under curve (AUC) concurrently with thoracic radiation. Cohort 7 (gemcitabine 600 mg/m 2 /wk and carboplatin 2 AUC) showed 4 dose limiting toxicities: 2 grade 3 esophagitis; one grade 3 febrile neutropenia; and one grade 4 neutropenia. Conclusion: Concurrent gemcitabine/paclitaxel chemoradiation regimen followed by adjuvant gemcitabine/carboplatin produced excessive toxicity at the lowest tested dose combination and was not suitable for further study in this trial. Meanwhile, the MTD of concurrent gemcitabine/carboplatin chemoradiation was determined to be gemcitabine 450 mg/m 2 and carboplatin AUC-2. This combination was found to be tolerable. Although not a primary end point, survival results are summarized as well.
X-Ray Emission from the Local Supercluster: Possible Evidence for Hot, Diffuse Gas

The HEAO 1 A2 full sky, 2-10 keV X-ray map was searched for emission correlated with the plane of the Local Supercluster of galaxies. After removing strong point and moderately extended sources (e.g., the core of the Virgo cluster), there remained a statistically significant component of "diffuse" X-rays in the plane of the supercluster. Fitting this diffuse component with a simple "pillbox" model of the local supercluster implies a volume X-ray emissivity of eX = 3.0 ± 0.3 × 1039(RSC/20 Mpc)-1 ergs s-1 Mpc-3, where RSC is the radius of the supercluster and the error is photon counting noise only. If one considers fluctuations in the X-ray background as an additional component of noise, then the detection is reduced considerably to 2.3 σ. However, the significance level implied by this value (i.e., 99%) is consistent with the distribution of fits to the model obtained by rotating the original data. If the source of the X-ray emission is bremsstrahlung from a uniformly distributed plasma with temperature Te, then the implied electron number density is Ne = 2.5 × 10-6(RSC/20 Mpc)-1/2(kTe/10 keV)-1/4 cm-3. This value is about an order of magnitude larger than the average baryon number density implied by nucleosynthesis and is consistent with a collapse factor of 10. A search for similar structure in the COBE 53 GHz microwave background map yielded a marginal detection with an amplitude of ~-17 ± 5 μK (statistical error only), which is consistent with the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect expected from 10 keV gas. This latter value is comparable to the amplitude of intrinsic large-scale fluctuations in the microwave background and should be considered to be a 1 σ result at best.
Direct toxic effects of aqueous extract of cigarette smoke on cardiac myocytes at clinically relevant concentrations.

Abstract Aims Our goal was to determine if clinically relevant concentrations of aqueous extract of cigarette smoke (CSE) have direct deleterious effects on ventricular myocytes during simulated ischemia, and to investigate the mechanisms involved. Methods CSE was prepared with a smoking chamber. Ischemia was simulated by metabolic inhibition (MI) with cyanide (CN) and 0 glucose. Adult rabbit and mouse ventricular myocyte [Ca2+]i was measured by flow cytometry using fluo-3. Mitochondrial [Ca2+] was measured with confocal microscopy, and Rhod-2 fluorescence. The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) was detected by TMRM fluorescence and myocyte contracture. Myocyte oxidative stress was quantified by dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence with confocal microscopy. Results CSE 0.1% increased myocyte contracture caused by MI. The nicotine concentration (HPLC) in 0.1% CSE was 15 ng/ml, similar to that in humans after smoking cigarettes. CSE 0.1% increased mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, and increased the susceptibility of mitochondria to the MPT. CSE 0.1% increased DCF fluorescence in isolated myocytes, and increased [Ca2+]i in paced myocytes exposed to 2.0 mM CN, 0 glucose (P-MI). These effects were inhibited by the superoxide scavenger Tiron. The effect of CSE on [Ca2+]i during P-MI was also prevented by ranolazine. Conclusions CSE in clinically relevant concentrations increases myocyte [Ca2+]i during simulated ischemia, and increases myocyte susceptibility to the MPT. These effects appear to be mediated at least in part by oxidative radicals in CSE, and likely contribute to the effects of cigarette smoke to increase myocardial infarct size, and to decrease angina threshold.
Human placental tissue expresses a novel 22.7 kDa apolipoprotein A-I-like protein.

Since apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) and HDL stimulate the expression of the placental hormone human placental lactogen (hPL), experiments were performed to determine whether the human placenta synth...
Distinct Domains of CD98hc Regulate Integrins and Amino Acid Transport

CD98 is a cell surface heterodimer formed by the covalent linkage of CD98 heavy chain (CD98hc) with several different light chains to form amino acid transporters. CD98hc also binds specifically to the integrin β1A cytoplasmic domain and regulates integrin function. In this study, we examined the relationship between the ability of CD98hc to stimulate amino acid transport and to affect integrin function. By constructing chimeras with CD98hc and a type II transmembrane protein (CD69), we found that the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains of CD98hc are required for its effects on integrin function, while the extracellular domain is required for stimulation of isoleucine transport. Consequently, the capacity to promote amino acid transport is not required for CD98hc's effect on integrin function. Furthermore, a mutant of CD98hc that lacks its integrin binding site can still promote increased isoleucine transport. Thus, these two functions of CD98hc are separable and require distinct domains of the protein.
Utilizing E-coded data for nonfatal injury surveillance in the pediatric emergency department setting: a literature review and recommendations.

OBJECTIVES: Injury surveillance in the pediatric emergency department (PED) has the potential to be an important part of program planning and clinical management. However, a lack of data has been identified as one of the critical limitations in the field of pediatric emergency services research. The aims of this article were to investigate how injury surveillance has been attempted in the PED and to develop an understanding of why E-coding has not met its full potential as an injury surveillance tool in this setting. METHODS: We conducted a literature review for E-coding in the PED as well as for injury surveillance more generally in the PED. PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Academic Search Elite were used. Inclusion criteria were applied for each search. RESULTS: Two reports on E-coding in the PED met the criteria and were reviewed. Five articles on PED injury surveillance were reviewed. The most common mechanism of surveillance was a review of emergency department logs (n = 4). The second most common mechanism of surveillance was a physician-administered questionnaire (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: Two of the 5 injury surveillance articles collected injury data from questionnaires completed by physicians, which is not a long-term, sustainable approach to injury surveillance. An ideal injury surveillance system for the PED should be designed with at least 3 main elements: minimal economic and resource burden, substantial practical uses, and measures to ensure data quality. Language: en
Effect of Rhamnolipids on the Dissolution, Bioavailability, and Biodegradation of Phenanthrene

Biodegradation rates for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the environment are limited by their low solubility and sorption to solid surfaces. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of biosurfactants on the dissolution, bioavailability, and biodegradation of a slightly soluble PAH, phenanthrene, in a series of batch solution studies. A mathematical model that describes the combined effects of solubilization and biodegradation, including description of bioavailability within surfactant micelles, was used to analyze the experimental results. Two forms of the biosurfactant, a monorhamnolipid and a dirhamnolipid, were tested; it was found that both surfactants increased the solubility and enhanced the rate of phenanthrene biodegradation. Monorhamnolipid was more effective than dirhamnolipid for solubilization; however, overall rates of mineralization were essentially the same. This seems to result from variable bioavailability of substrate: phenanthrene within monorhamnolipid micelles w...
A Distributed Parameter Cohort Personnel Planning Model That Uses Cross-Sectional Data

The two types of mathematical manpower planning models that appear in the literature involve either longitudinal or cross-sectional formulations. Despite the high degree of realism achieved, the use of longitudinal models is limited because the implementation requires the knowledge of a large amount of historical personnel data that is often unavailable. The value of cross-sectional models requiring a minimal amount of data is diminished due to 1 the difficulty in transferring cross-sectional results into cohort information, and 2 an assumption implicit in the structure of these models stating that the movement of an individual from one grade in the organization to another is independent of that person's organizational age. In this paper, we present a cohort longitudinal personnel planning model solved using distributed parameter optimal control theory that requires only cross-sectional data. We derive the optimal hiring, promotion, separation and retirement policies of an organization as functions of time and a person's organizational age and grade. In response to changing goal levels of manpower, we observe changes in the optimal policies and their subsequent effect on the career paths of cohort groups over time.
Comparative Laboratory Evaluation of Antiseborrheic Dermatitis Preparations

Twenty-four pharmaceutical formulations suggested for the control of seborrheic dermatitis were tested for antibacterial activity, antifungal activity, and cellular toxicity. Under the test conditions, the highest lethality to microbial cells was demonstrated by povidone iodine, mercurials, and 4,6-dichlorophenol. Of all of the agents tested, only bis-laurel trimethylammonium polythionate, colloidal sulfur, coal tar, and povidone iodine were less toxic to mammalian cells than to microbial cells.
Concurrent photoacoustic markers for direct three-dimensional ultrasound to video registration

Fusion of video and other imaging modalities is common in modern surgical procedures to provide surgeons with additional information that can provide precise surgical guidance. An example of such uses interventional guidance equipment and surgical navigation systems to register the tools and devices used in surgery with each other. In this work, we focus explicitly on registering three-dimensional ultrasound with a stereocamera system. These surgical navigation systems often use optical or electromagnetic trackers. However, both of these tracking systems have various drawbacks leading to target registration errors of approximately 3mm. Previous work has shown that photoacoustic markers can be used to register three-dimensional ultrasound with video resulting in target registration errors which are much lower than the current state of the art. This work extends this idea by generating multiple photoacoustic markers concurrently as opposed to the sequential method used in the previous work. This development greatly enhances the acquisition time by a factor equal to the number of concurrently generated photoacoustic markers. This work is demonstrated on a synthetic phantom and an ex vivo porcine kidney phantom. The resulting target registration errors for these experiments ranged from 840 to 1360 μm and standard deviations from 370 to 640 μm.
Diffusion-controlled cluster formation in 2—6-dimensional space

Diffusion-controlled cluster formation has been simulated on lattices of dimensionality 2-6. For the case of a sticking probability of 1.0 at nearest-neighbor sites, we find that the radius of gyration (${R}_{g}$) of the cluster is related to the number of particles ($N$) by ${R}_{g}\ensuremath{\sim}{N}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}$ (for large $N$). The exponent $\ensuremath{\beta}$ is given by $\frac{\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\sim}6}{5d}$, where $d$ is the classical (Euclidean) dimensionality of the lattice. These results indicate that the Hausdorff (fractal) dimensionality ($D$) is related to the Euclidean dimensionality ($d$) by $D\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{5d}{6}$ ($d=2\ensuremath{-}6$). Similar results can be obtained from the density-density correlation function in two-dimensional simulations. Nonlattice simulations have also been carried out in two- and three-dimensional space. The radius-of-gyration exponents ($\ensuremath{\beta}$) obtained from these simulations are essentially equal to those obtained in the lattice model simulations. We have also investigated the effects of sticking probabilities ($S$) less than 1.0 on diffusion-limited cluster formation on two- and three-dimensional lattices. While smaller sticking probabilities do lead to the formation of denser clusters, the radius-of-gyration exponents are insensitive to sticking coefficients over the range $0.1\ensuremath{\le}S\ensuremath{\le}1.0$.
Adderall Abuse on College Campuses: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Prescription stimulant abuse has dramatically increased over the past 10 years, but the amount of research regarding college students and illicit prescription stimulant use is still very limited. This has important implications for college mental health professionals and higher education administrators. In this comprehensive literature review the author explores factors contributing to illicit use, self-medication, and recreational use of controlled prescription stimulants; discusses the potential consequences for those students abusing stimulants; and provides recommendations for educating, combating, and assisting students who illicitly use prescriptions stimulants on college campuses.
Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Profile of Autoimmune Pancreatitis Presenting with Features of Acute or Chronic Pancreatitis

Background & Aims Little is known about how many patients with features of acute pancreatitis (AP) or chronic pancreatitis (CP) have autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP); most information comes from case reports. We explored the clinical profiles and relationship between these diseases. Methods We evaluated 178 patients presenting to our Pancreas Clinic between January 2005 and June 2006 for evaluation of the etiology of their suspected pancreatitis; AIP was diagnosed when patients met HISORt ( H istology, I maging features, S erology, O ther organ involvement and R esponse to steroid t reatment) criteria. In a separate cohort of patients with AIP from our database, we identified patients who presented with features of AP (≥2 of abdominal pain, increased pancreatic enzymes, pancreatic inflammation determined by imaging analyses) or CP (≥1 of pancreatic calcification, irregular main pancreatic duct dilation, or marked atrophy) and determined their clinical profile. Results Only 7/178 (3.9%) patients evaluated for etiology of suspected pancreatitis had AIP. Among 63 AIP patients in our database, 22 (34.9%) had features of AP (n = 15) or CP (n = 7) at presentation (average age 53.4 ± 19.0 years, all males). Patients with AIP and pancreatitis were characterized by presence of obstructive jaundice (59.1%), increased levels of liver enzymes (81.8%), increased levels of serum immunoglobulin G4 (80.9%), and other organ involvement (69.1%). All 19 patients presenting with pancreatitis who were treated with steroids responded to treatment. Conclusions While AIP is an uncommon etiology for acute or chronic pancreatitis, >33% of AIP have features of acute or chronic pancreatitis at presentation.
The recognition of social alliances by vervet monkeys

Abstract Vervet monkeys ( Cercopithecus aethiops ) are significantly more likely to threaten a particular individual if they have previously been involved in a fight with that individual's close kin. They thus show evidence of recognizing that certain individuals associate regularly with each other. Vervets over the age of 3 years are also significantly more likely to threaten a particular individual if that individual's close kin and their own close kin have previously been involved in a fight. It therefore seems possible that adult vervets can recognize, from experience, that certain sorts of relationships share similar characteristics, regardless of the individuals involved.
Scheduling Renewal of Water Pipes While Considering Adjacency of Infrastructure Works and Economies of Scale

Much research effort has been dedicated to the development of optimal strategies for rehabilitation and/or replacement of water mains. Some of the methods are intended for high-level planning of groups or cohorts of pipes, while others address low-level scheduling of individual water mains. This paper focuses on the latter aspect. An approach is proposed for the efficient scheduling of individual water mains for replacement in a short to medium predefined planning period and subject to various budgetary constraints. This approach also accounts for economies of scale considerations as well as harmonization with other known infrastructure works. A multiobjective genetic algorithm scheme is used as a tool to search a vast combinatorial solution space, comprising various combinations of pipe replacement schedules.
Rational intuition: Bealer on its nature and epistemic status

Critique de la conception de la connaissance philosophique developpee par G. Bealer dans son article intitule «On the possibility of philosophical knowledge» («Philosophical perspectives», 10). L'A. apporte une reponse positive aux questions: 1) de la phenomenologie de l'intuition, 2) du statut de cette intuition definie comme source de l'evidence, 3) de la defense de l'intuition contre ceux qui veulent l'exclure par principe
Imperceptible Simplification on Mobile Displays

Graphics on mobile devices is becoming popular because untethered computing is convenient and makes workers more productive. Mobile displays have a wide range of resolutions that affect the scene Level-of-Detail LoD that users can perceive: smaller displays show less detail, therefore lower resolution meshes and textures are acceptable. Mobile devices frequently have limited battery energy, low memory and disk space. To minimize wasting limited system resources, the authors render mobile graphics scenes at the lowest LoD at which users do not perceive distortion due to simplification. This is called LoD the Point of Imperceptibility PoI. Increasing the mesh or texture resolution beyond the PoI wastes valuable system resources without increasing perceivable visual realism. The authors propose a perceptual metric that can easily be evaluated to identify the LoD corresponding to a target mobile display's PoI and accounts for object geometry, lighting and shading. Previous work did not directly compute changes in the PoI due to target screen resolution. The perceptual metric generates a screen-dependent Pareto distribution with a knee point that corresponds to the PoI. We employ wavelets for simplification, which gives direct access to the mesh undulation frequency that we then use to parameterize the CSF curve.
White blood cell and lymphocyte populations following interleukin-2 administration in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

The immune system has been linked to the pathogenesis of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Recently interleukin-2 has been reported to inhibit the development of hypertension in the SHR, but no measures of different lymphocyte populations were made. To test the effect of interleukin-2 we repeated the protocol in the report by injecting forty two day old, male SHR and WKY rats, and in addition, analyzed lymphocyte subpopulations. Untreated, age matched rats of the same strain were used as a control. At three and four months of age blood was drawn from all animals. Monoclonal antibodies were used to fluorescently label different lymphocyte subpopulations. The populations examined were the total T-cells, T-nonhelper cells, T-helper cells and B-cells. Total numbers of lymphocytes and white blood cells were also examined. Blood pressures were measured in conscious, restrained animals at two and four months of age. The results showed no attenuation of blood pressure in the interleukin-2 ...
Nuclear excitation by neutral weak currents

Abstract The use of neutrino excitation of nuclear levels to study weak neutral currents is examined.
Occlusive dressings and wound healing

Abstract Over the last 15 years, there has been explosive growth in the use of occlusive dressings as an aid to wound healing. In 1980 synthetic wound dressings were rarely sold, whereas in 1987 it was estimated that $350 million was spent on these dressings. 1 The number and variety of dressings on the market have also increased dramatically over the past decade to the point where more than 70 different brands exist today (Table 1). A dressing is said to be "occlusive" if a moist wound surface is maintained when the dressing is in place. Occlusive dressings prevent wound desiccation by inhibiting the transmission of water vapor from the wound surface to the atmosphere. A dressing that transmits moisture vapor at a rate lower than the rate of production of moisture by the underlying tissue creates a moist wound environment. Besides increasing the rate of epithelialization of wounds, other benefits of occlusive dressings are improving the granulation tissue in chronic wounds, providing a means of painless, autolytic debridement of necrotic ulcers, 2 and protecting the wound bed from environmental toxins and microorganisms. These dressings reduce wound pain and help produce a better cosmetic appearance, that is, a less noticeable scar. Finally, occlusive dressings may be cost effective in the treatment of certain wounds by decreasing the nursing time required for wound care. In this review, we discuss the numerous types and uses of occlusive dressings. The proposed mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of wound occlusion and the microbiology of occluded wounds are also explored.
Modeling non-CO2 Greenhouse Gas Abatement

Although emissions of CO2 are the largest anthropogenic contributor to the risks of climate change, other substances are important in the formulation of a cost-effective response. To provide improved facilities for addressing their role, we develop an approach for endogenizing control of these other greenhouse gases within a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the world economy. The calculation is consistent with underlying economic production theory. For parameterization it is able to draw on marginal abatement cost (MAC) functions for these gases based on detailed technological descriptions of control options. We apply the method to the gases identified in the Kyoto Protocol: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexaflouride (SF6), the perflourocarbons (PFCs), and the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Complete and consistent estimates are provided of the costs of meeting greenhouse-gas reduction targets with a focus on “what” flexibility – i.e., the ability to abate the most cost-effective mix of gases in any period. We find that non-CO2 gases are a crucial component of a cost-effective policy. Because of their high GWPs under current international agreements they would contribute a substantial share of early abatement.
Nuclear data sheets for A = 72

Abstract The 1966 version of the Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 72 has been revised on the basis of experimental data received before September 15, 1973. Experimental data, arguments for Jπ assignments, and detailed level schemes are presented. Uncertainties and inconsistencies are noted throughout the Data Sheets.
A NEAR MISS

This essay is about loss. Yesterday night, while on duty, I sat on a patient with pneumococcal meningitis for six hours before tapping him. He’s ok, but I (and he) had a near miss. As physicians we all have near misses from time to time. Some are our doing (“fault” is so harsh, so Old Testament). Some aren’t. Near misses serve a purpose, if you look at them right. They’re like messengers from the gods: “Stop driving so fast!” “ Stop flirting with-. Leave your marriage alone!” “ Stop working so hard!” I’m still not sure what this messenger is trying to tell me. I think it has something to do with loss, but I’m not sure. I plan to think aloud about it for a few paragraphs. The man was nineteen and sitting in a wheelchair. His father and mother brought him in about one AM, saying that he hadn’t walked or eaten for four days. I looked at him sitting in the admitting area and was impressed with how strange he was acting. He was reserved, not talking, and had a glassy look in his eyes that smacked of drugs or psychosis. When I entered his room a few minutes later, his chart told me that his vital signs were normal, that he had “NKA” (no known allergies), and that he was on ear drops. I looked at him. He lay screaming and writhing on the bed complaining of leg cramps. He begged me to give him something for pain. His father sternly but lovingly told him to behave, that the doctor was trying to help him, reminding me of the patient-family-physician interactions in William Carlos Williams’s “The Use of Force.“’ John did very little talking, even when he wasn’t
Kinetics of α-globin binding to α-hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP) indicate preferential stabilization of hemichrome folding intermediate.

Human α-hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP) is a conserved mammalian erythroid protein that facilitates the production of Hemoglobin A by stabilizing free α-globin. AHSP rapidly binds to ferrous α with association (k′AHSP) and dissociation (kAHSP) rate constants of ≈10 μm−1 s−1 and 0.2 s−1, respectively, at pH 7.4 at 22 °C. A small slow phase was observed when AHSP binds to excess ferrous αCO. This slow phase appears to be due to cis to trans prolyl isomerization of the Asp29-Pro30 peptide bond in wild-type AHSP because it was absent when αCO was mixed with P30A and P30W AHSP, which are fixed in the trans conformation. This slow phase was also absent when met(Fe3+)-α reacted with wild-type AHSP, suggesting that met-α is capable of rapidly binding to either Pro30 conformer. Both wild-type and Pro30-substituted AHSPs drive the formation of a met-α hemichrome conformation following binding to either met- or oxy(Fe2+)-α. The dissociation rate of the met-α·AHSP complex (kAHSP ≈ 0.002 s−1) is ∼100-fold slower than that for ferrous α·AHSP complexes, resulting in a much higher affinity of AHSP for met-α. Thus, in vivo, AHSP acts as a molecular chaperone by rapidly binding and stabilizing met-α hemichrome folding intermediates. The low rate of met-α dissociation also allows AHSP to have a quality control function by kinetically trapping ferric α and preventing its incorporation into less stable mixed valence Hemoglobin A tetramers. Reduction of AHSP-bound met-α allows more rapid release to β subunits to form stable fully, reduced hemoglobin dimers and tetramers.
Heparin and enoxaparin enhance endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor-α production in human monocytes

Objective To determine whether heparin or the low-molecular-weight heparin enoxaparin alter lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced monocyte activation. Summary background data Heparin is widely used in clinical practice to inhibit the coagulation cascade. However, heparin also is a naturally occurring glucosaminoglycan and a pleiotropic immunomodulator that binds to a variety of proteins. LPS is a component of gram-negative bacteria and is thought to be responsible for many of the deleterious effects seen in sepsis. The binding of LPS to CD14 induces a signaling cascade that results in the release of many inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Methods Monocytes from healthy volunteers were isolated and cultured in the presence of saline, LPS (10 ng/ml), heparin (0.1 to 1000 microg/ml), or enoxaparin (0.1 to 1000 microg/ml). In blocking experiments, cells were pretreated for 60 minutes with the monoclonal anti-CD14 antibody MY4 (10 microg/ml) or with isotype-matched control IgG2 (10 microg/ml). TNF-alpha values were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significance was assessed with analysis of variance. Results Heparin (10 to 1000 microg/ml) and enoxaparin (1000 microg/ml) significantly enhanced LPS-induced TNF-alpha release. Heparin (1000 microg/ml) or enoxaparin (1000 microg/ml) did not produce TNF-alpha in the absence of LPS. Blockade of CD14 abrogated both LPS-induced TNF-alpha release and the effect of heparin or enoxaparin to enhance LPS-induced TNF-alpha release. Conclusions The effect of heparin to enhance LPS-induced TNF-alpha release is a biologic phenomenon that reveals a novel and potentially important host defense mechanism during endotoxemia and sepsis. Binding of LPS to CD14 is necessary to induce this phenomenon, suggesting that both heparin and enoxaparin induce signaling mechanisms that are downstream from the initial binding of LPS on CD14.
Elimination problems in logic: a brief history

A common aim of elimination problems for languages of logic is to express the entire content of a set of formulas of the language, or a certain part of it, in a way that is more elementary or more informative. We want to bring out that as the languages for logic grew in expressive power and, at the same time, our knowledge of their expressive limitations also grew, elimination problems in logic underwent some change. For languages other than that for monadic second-order logic, there remain important open problems.
Young Adolescent Boys and Dating Violence The Beginning of Patriarchal Terrorism

This study investigated gender and age differences in the perceptions of dating violence using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Focus groups were conducted to develop culturally appropriate questionnaires consisting of dating scenarios that may lead to dating violence. The participants were asked to provide their perceptions and behavioral reactions to the dating scenarios. The study found that young adolescent boys were significantly more likely to respond aggressively toward dating partners than were young adolescent girls, women, and men. These findings have implications for practitioners who are charged with preventing dating violence among adolescents, specifically boys.