cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Diuretics in Chronic Renal Disease and Nephrotic Syndrome

Publisher Summary Diuretics are important therapeutic tools in the management of chronic renal failure. Reductions in kidney function or nephrotic syndrome result in inability to excrete sodium appropriately, leading to increases in extracellular fluid (ECF) volume, increases in blood pressure, and edema. All of these conditions can be improved with appropriate diuretic therapy. Although a variety of diuretics are available for use, patients with chronic renal insufficiency may not respond to diuretics appropriately, making achievement of an adequate natriuresis difficult. Additionally, some classes of diuretics are inappropriate for use in chronic renal failure. Osmotic diuretics are of limited value in chronic renal failure because they further expand ECF volume and require adequate glomerular filtration for their entry into the renal tubule. Mannitol is also extremely difficult to remove from the body in the absence of renal function. Thus, symptomatic increases in vascular volume induced by this agent are difficult to correct. Mannitol has found some use in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis to prevent hypotension and alleviate muscle cramps. However, osmotic diuretics should probably be avoided in patients with chronic renal insufficiency in most circumstances. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors enhance water and salt excretion through inhibition of sodium bicarbonate. Thus, loop diuretics, which may achieve natriuretic effect equivalent to 20%–25% of the filtered sodium load, are the agents of choice for the treatment of symptoms of sodium excess in chronic renal failure.
Applications of the Theory of Characters

This chapter discusses the applications of the theory of characters. A simple inspection of the character table of a finite group, present in the chapter, can reveal the presence of a normal subgroup. There is also a nontrivial normal subgroup. An inspection of the character table of a group G gives at once a normal subgroup, which is the kernel of an irreducible representation. A permutation group is transitive if for every pair of symbols there is a permutation that takes any one of them into the other. The chapter also presents a few results from the theory of characters.
Combining model checking and symbolic execution for software testing

Techniques for checking complex software range from model checking and static analysis to testing. Over the years, we have developed a tool, Symbolic PathFinder (SPF), that aims to leverage the power of systematic analysis techniques, such as model checking and symbolic execution, for thorough testing of complex software. Symbolic PathFinder analyzes Java programs by systematically exploring a symbolic representation of the programs' behaviors and it generates test cases that are guaranteed to cover the explored paths. The tool also analyzes different thread inter-leavings and it checks properties of the code during test generation. Furthermore, SPF uses off-the-shelf decision procedures to solve mixed integer-real constraints and uses "lazy initialization" to handle complex input data structures. Recently, SPF has been extended with "mixed concrete-symbolic" constraint solving capabilities, to handle external library calls and to address decision procedures' incompleteness. The tool is part of the Java PathFinder open-source tool-set and has been applied in many projects at NASA, in industry and in academia. We review the tool and its applications and we discuss how it compares with related, "dynamic" symbolic execution approaches.
Is Disney Disabling

AbstractThis article discusses ongoing lawsuits against Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., brought by people with autism and their families. These lawsuits illuminate an ethical dilemma about the appro...
Lung Transplantation for Late-Onset Pulmonary Hypertension in a Patient with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Lung hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in association with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) may cause fatal respiratory failure. Lung transplantation (Ltx) may represent an option for CDH-related end-stage pulmonary failure. The aim of this study is to report a patient with CDH who underwent Ltx or combined heart-lung transplantation (H-Ltx). Our patient was born at 33 weeks of gestation, with a prenatally diagnosed isolated left CDH. Twenty-four hours after birth, she underwent surgical repair of a type D defect (according to the CDH Study Group staging system). Postoperative course was unexpectedly uneventful, and she was discharged home at 58 days of life. Echocardiography before discharge was unremarkable. Periodic follow-up revealed gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and initial scoliosis. At the age of 10, she was readmitted for severe PH. Lung function progressively deteriorated, and at the age of 14, she underwent H-Ltx due to end-stage respiratory failure. After discharge, she developed recurrent respiratory tract infections, severe malnutrition, and drug-induced diabetes. Scoliosis and GER progressed, requiring posterior vertebral arthrodesis and antireflux surgery, respectively. Bronchiolitis obliterans further impaired her respiratory function, and though she had a second Ltx, she died at the age of 18, 4 and 1.5 years after the first and the second Ltx, respectively. Late-onset PH is an ominous complication of CDH. From our patient and the six further cases collected from the literature, Ltx may be considered as a last-resource treatment in CDH patients with irreversible and fatal respiratory failure, although its prognosis seems unfair.
Ileal pouch anal anastomosis in women of childbearing age: The impact of surgery upon sexual function, fertility, pregnancy, and mode of delivery

Abstract Proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the mainstay of surgical management for medically refractory ulcerative colitis as well as familial adenomatous polyposis. These procedures are often performed on women of childbearing age and therefore have significant potential impact on future childbearing for these patients. Specifically, IPAA may result in variable changes in sexual function and a well-documented decrease in fertility, likely secondary to distortion of fallopian anatomy and adhesions after dissection. Knowledge of these aspects of IPAA are important for colorectal surgeons as they counsel patients preoperatively and for both colorectal surgeons and obstetricians as they advise their patients with IPAA post-operatively on matters related to sexual function, reproductive health, and delivery.
Viral abundance and diversity vary with depth in a southeastern United States agricultural ultisol

Abstract Viruses shape microbial communities and associated processes across ecosystems. However, soil viral ecology remains poorly understood, and in particular, the vertical distribution and diversity of viruses and virus-host interactions in soils remain underexplored. In this study, 16S rRNA gene amplicon and virome sequencing were applied to investigate bacterial and viral diversity and provide insight on virus-bacterium interactions in different depths of soil profiles. The results show that bacterial community composition varied with soil depth, driven by an increase in the relative abundance of Chloroflexi and a decline in the relative abundance of Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria. Additionally, landscape position, depth, and virus abundance had the strongest correlation with the bacterial community structure. Virus abundance decreased with soil depth, and bacterial community diversity correlated positively with viral abundance (P
B-School Religion: Hindu Theology in the Neo-Liberal Cityscape

AbstractIn the industrial sector of Kolkata’s Salt Lake township, the spires, shikaras and domes of religious sites that are interspersed throughout the city proper are absent, and high-rise glass ...
Decentralized Voltage Control Using Fast Community Detection Algorithm and Eigen Decomposition

Voltage and Frequency control are the two fundamental control problems in power systems. Unlike frequency control, voltage control is complicated by the fact that reactive power cannot travel far distances from its source. Due to this distributed nature of reactive power, voltage control is usually performed in a decentralized manner. This paper presents an optimal decentralized secondary voltage control. First, a large system is decomposed into small subsystems called voltage control areas (VCAs) using the Fast Community Detection algorithm. Each VCA is self-sufficient in satisfying its reactive power demand. Second, a load bus, called pilot bus, is selected in each VCA as a representative of the voltage profile of the whole area. Third, Eigen Value Decomposition of Fast Decoupled Load Flow (FDLF) Jacobian is used to optimally control the voltages of these pilot buses. The presented approach is tested on a 39-Bus power system.
Exploring the Perceived Spectrum of Plagiarism: a Case Study of Online Learning

Scholarship on faculty and student perceptions of plagiarism is plagued by a vast, scattered constellation of perspectives, context, and nuance. Cultural, disciplinary, and institutional subtitles, among others in how plagiarism is defined and perspectives about it tested obfuscate consensus about how students and faculty perceive and understand plagiarism and what can or should be done about those perspectives. However, there is clear consensus that understanding how students and faculty perceive plagiarism is foundational to mitigating and preventing plagiarism. This study takes up the challenge of investigating its own institution’s student and faculty perspectives on plagiarism by testing whether students and instructors differentiate between different kinds or genres of plagiarism, and measuring differences in their perception of seriousness or severity of those genres. Using a device modified from the ‘plagiarism spectrum’ published by Turnitin®, the researchers implemented a campus-wide survey of faculty and student perceptions, and analyzed the data using two different methodologies to ensure results triangulation. This study demonstrates both students and faculty clearly differentiate between kinds of plagiarism, but not on their severity. This study demonstrates both students and faculty clearly differentiate the severity between kinds of plagiarism, but not on the specific rank or order of their severity. Further, this study’s novel methodology is demonstrated as valuable for use by other academic institutions to investigate and understand their cultures of plagiarism.
Email Address Mutation for Proactive Deterrence Against Lateral Spear-Phishing Attacks

Email spear-phishing attack is one of the most devastating cyber threat against individual and business victims. Using spear-phishing emails, adversaries can manage to impersonate authoritative identities in order to incite victims to perform actions that help adversaries to gain financial and/hacking goals. Many of these targeted spear-phishing can be undetectable based on analyzing emails because, for example, they can be sent from compromised benign accounts (called lateral spear-phishing attack).
The hollow: A theory on workplace bullying in nursing practice

Background Incivility and bullying within the profession of nursing remains a problem within the workplace. As a result, healthcare workplaces can become unhealthy and difficult for nurses to function within. Work productivity is impacted and patients' healthcare is placed at risk when nurses are emotionally and physically affected by workplace incivility and bullying. Clinical nurse leaders (CNLs) applying theoretical reasoning and nursing competencies' in addressing bullying and incivility within the workplace, can provide an organized and effective organizational approach to addressing bullying and incivility in work environments. Methods Theoretical reasoning and nursing competencies in addressing bullying and incivility within the workplace, will be examined as a means to identify nurses exhibiting signs and symptoms of bullying and incivility in work environments. The theory of The Hollow will identify the origins of affected nurses' behaviors and the physiological and psychological impact of bullying and incivility. The CNL role will be used as a facilitator of change at the microsystem level. And competencies for addressing behaviors associated with bullying and incivility will be addressed. Approach Innovation adapted from prior research and literature developed by the author, extrapolated from the literature on workplace bullying and incivility in nursing practice. Outcomes Bullying and incivility can be resolved in the workplace when competencies are set forth by nursing leaders to educate and empower nursing staff on expectations of healthy work environments. Conclusion Healthy workplaces are achievable when nurse leaders, such as CNLs, educate and empower nurses to have the expectation of healthy work environments not only for themselves, but for all nurses.
High School Sports During the CoVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Sport Participation on the Health of Adolescents.

CONTEXT: During the fall of 2020, some high schools across the US allowed their students to participate in interscholastic sports while others cancelled or postponed their sport programs due to concerns regarding COVID-19 transmission. It is unknown what effect this has had on the physical and mental health of adolescents. OBJECTIVE: Identify the impact of playing a sport during the COVID-19 pandemic on the health of student athletes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Sample recruited via email. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 559 STATE-XXX high school athletes (age=15.7±1.2 yrs., female=44%) from 44 high schools completed an online survey in October 2020. A total of 171 (31%) athletes played (PLY) a fall sport, while 388 (69%) did not play (DNP). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Demographics included: sex, grade and sports played. Assessments included the General Anxiety Disorder-7 Item (GAD-7) for anxiety, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item (PHQ-9) for depression, the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (PFABS) for physical activity, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL) for quality of life. Univariable comparisons between the two groups were made via t-tests or chi-square tests. Means for each continuous outcome measure were compared between the groups by ANOVA models that controlled for Age, Sex, Teaching method (Virtual, Hybrid, or In-person), and the % of students eligible for free lunch. RESULTS: PLY group participants were less likely to report moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety (PLY=6.6%, DNP=44.1%, p<0.001) and depression (PLY=18.2%, DNP=40.4%, p<0.001). PLY athletes reported higher (better) PFABS scores (mean: [95%CI]), (PLY=23.2[22.0,24.5], DNP=16.4[15.0,17.8], p <0.001) and higher (better) PedsQL total scores (PLY=88.4[85.9,90.9], DNP=79.6[76.8,82.4], p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents who played a sport during the COVID-19 pandemic reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as higher physical activity and quality of life scores compared to adolescent athletes who did not play a sport.
Online Advertising as Passive Search

Standard search models assume that consumers actively decide on the order, identity, and number of products they search. We document that online, a large fraction of searches happen in a more passive manner, with consumers merely reacting to online advertisements that do not allow them to choose the timing or the identity of products to which they will be exposed. Using a clickstream panel data set capturing full URL addresses of websites consumers visit, we show how to detect whether a click is ad-initiated. We then document that ad-initiated clicks account for more than half of all website arrivals, are more concentrated early on in the consumer search process, and lead to less in-depth searches and fewer transactions, consistent with the passive nature of these searches. To account for these systematic differences between active and passive searches, we propose and estimate a simple model that accommodates both types of searches, and describe the estimation bias arising in models that incorrectly treat all searches as active. Finally, we use our model’s estimates to describe consumer substitution patterns across websites under different advertising scenarios.
Advanced Non-Permanent-Magnet Reluctance Machines for Traction Applications: A Review

Permanent magnet machines have been widely adopted in electric vehicle traction systems. However, they face several challenges such as price fluctuation and availability of rare-earth magnets. Reluctance machines are attractive candidates to eliminate PMs. This paper presents a review of advanced non-PM reluctance machines for traction applications, including synchronous reluctance machines, switched reluctance machines, and newly developed variable flux reluctance machines.
International Equity Markets after the Introduction of the Euro: Divergence or Convergence?

The introduction of the euro as the official currency of the European monetary union on January 1, 1999 demonstrated the results of a long legal and political process to establish a European Union (EU) currency. This paper explores whether the relationship between European, United Kingdom, and United States equity markets have been altered by the introduction of the euro and specifically, whether this development has isolated the United Kingdom equity markets from those of Europe. Using monthly observations from 1994 2003 on equity index data for the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States we find that there has been an increase in the correlation coefficient of major European countries and the United States and the United Kingdom. Moreover, the volatility of the major equity markets has also increased over the last five-year period, while three of the five smaller markets have declined. * Mr. Wynne is an Associate Professor of Finance and Economics at Pace University. He can be contacted at 861 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, New York 10570 or kwynne@pace.edu. ** Mr. Filante is an Associate Professor of Finance and Economics at Pace University. He can be contacted at 861 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, New York 10570 or rfilante@pace.edu. 1 Wynne and Filante: International Equity Markets after the Introduction of the Euro: Published by Scholarly Commons at Hofstra Law, 2004 INTERNATIONAL EQUITY MARKETS AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EURO: DIVERGENCE OR CONVERGENCE?
BUOYS FOR ECCENTRIC EXISTENCE

David Kelsey's Eccentric Existence argues that what we need is a “systematically unsystematic” account of human existence, a set of “buoys” or non-negotiable convictions articulated on the basis of canonical Scriptures, leaving abundant room for philosophers and other non-theologians to make their contributions. Embodied persons themselves/ourselves are constituted in three irreducibly complex canonically biblical narratives as creatures, reconciled, and consummated—although it is not always clear what aspects of these narratives are “buoys” and which are more negotiable. The God who constitutes embodied persons is the triune God of Nicaea (like a triple helix) who operates as one but in irreducibly distinct ways as Father and Son and Spirit—and cannot be mere instrument of human purposes. Kelsey intentionally leaves a number of Trinitarian and Christological questions open for further treatment, creating remarkable challenges for traditionalists and modernists alike.
The Effects of Fluid Type and Viscosity on the Steady-State and Advancing Front Permeability Behavior of Textile Preforms

The effects of fluid type and viscosity on the permeability of both saturated and dry preforms were investigated. Fluids used were water, corn oil, and Epon 815, an epoxy resin. Preforms tested included style 162 E-glass, a plain weave E-glass fabric, and IM7/8HS, an eight harness satin carbon fabric. Two methods were used to measure the permeability of the textile preforms. The first, known as the steady-state method, measures the permeability of a saturated preform under constant flow rate conditions. The second, denoted the advancing front method, measures the permeability of a dry preform to an advancing fluid. Results from the two methods showed that fluid viscosity had no significant influence on the permeabilities of the two fabrics. Steady-state and advancing front permeabilities for the warp direction of the two fabrics were similar. In addition, advancing front permeability values were found to be similar for different fluids over a wide range of values for the capillary number. Contact angle measurements indicated that Epon 815 wets both fibers better than the corn oil. In addition, E-glass has lower contact angles with both fluids.
Accurate theoretical fits to laser-excited photoemission spectra in the normal phase of high-temperature superconductors

Accurate theoretical fits to laser-excited photoemission spectra in the normal phase of high-temperature superconductors
TOWARD AN APPRAISAL OF THE FMHA FARM CREDIT PROGRAM: A CASE STUDY OF THE EFFICIENCY OF BORROWERS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

A production frontier methodology is used to measure the overall efficiency of a sample of farms obtaining credit from the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) compared to nonparticipants. The study did not find evidence that the efficiency of FmHA farms improved between 1981 and 1984. Results indicate that the overall efficiency of FmHA borrowers is associated with selected financial characteristics of the farms.
Factors contributing to patient satisfaction with breast reconstruction using silicone gel implants

Recently, concerns have been raised about risks and benefits of silicone gel implants for breast reconstruction. Using a survey conducted during the silicone controversy that began in 1990, this study examines patient satisfaction in 174 women with silicone breast implants. Overall satisfaction was
The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: A Focus on Student Strengths and Interests:

This article includes an introduction to the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), with its three components: a total talent portfolio for each child, curriculum differentiation and modification, and enrichment opportunities from the Enrichment Triad Model. Also included is a brief history of the SEM and a summary of 30 years of research underlying this programming model in gifted education and talent development. Exciting new directions in SEM are introduced, including Renzulli Learning, an internet-based tool that identifies students' interests, learning styles, and expression styles that subsequently matches students with thousands of differentiated resources.
Regulation of Mast Cell Responses in Health and Disease

Mast cells are multifunctional cells that initiate not only IgE-dependent allergic diseases but also play a fundamental role in innate and adaptive immune responses to microbial infection. They are also thought to play a role in angiogenesis, tissue remodeling, wound healing, and tumor repression or growth. The broad scope of these physiologic and pathologic roles illustrates the flexible nature of mast cells, which is enabled in part by their phenotypic adaptability to different tissue microenvironments and their ability to generate and release a diverse array of bioactive mediators in response to multiple types of cell-surface and cytosolic receptors. There is increasing evidence from studies in cell cultures that release of these mediators can be selectively modulated depending on the types or groups of receptors activated. The intent of this review is to foster interest in the interplay among mast cell receptors to help understand the underlying mechanisms for each of the immunological and non-immunological functions attributed to mast cells. The second intent of this review is to assess the pathophysiologic roles of mast cells and their products in health and disease. Although mast cells have a sufficient repertoire of bioactive mediators to mount effective innate and adaptive defense mechanisms against invading microorganisms, these same mediators can adversely affect surrounding tissues in the host, resulting in autoimmune disease as well as allergic disorders.
Induction of Human T Cells That Coexpress CD4 and CD8 by an Immunomodulatory Protein Produced by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Abstract Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, a gram-negative, capnophilic bacterium, is associated with several human diseases and is the suspected etiologic agent in certain forms of periodontal disease. We have previously shown that this organism produces an immunosuppressive factor (ISF) which is capable of inhibiting both T- and B-cell activation. Furthermore, these effects appear to be associated with the activation of a population of suppressor cells. We now report that the ISF induces a unique population of CD4+CD8+ dual-positive T-cells. By utilizing multiparameter flow cytometric analysis, we were able to detect the presence of dual-positive cells in cultures of human T-cells treated with PHA and ISF. The cells appeared within 48 hr and their induction was dependent upon the presence of both CD4 and CD8 cells in the culture. Dual expression of CD4 and CD8 was stable in that the cells continued to express both surface proteins after being sorted and cultured for an additional 24 hr. Phenotypic analysis indicates that these cells are also CD3+, CD2+, CD5+, TCRαβ+, CD45RA+ (and RO+), and CD29+. The dual-positive cells express surface markers associated with Tcell activation: CD25+, CD69+, CD71+, and HLA-DR+. In contrast, the cells were negative for CD34, CD57, CD56, and CD16. Cell cycle analysis indicates that >80% of the dual-positive cells were in the S phase. Finally, functional analyais of these cells indicates that they are capable of suppressing the proliferative response of autologous T-cells to PHA.
A Novel Immunofluorescence Flow Cytometry Technique Detects the Expansion of Brown Tides Caused by Aureoumbra lagunensis to the Caribbean Sea

Author Posting. © American Society for Microbiology, 2014. This article is posted here by permission of American Society for Microbiology for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology 80 (2014): 4947-4957, doi:10.1128/AEM.00888-14.
RESOLUTION AND RECONSTITUTION OF ION‐TRANSPORT SYSTEMSfn1

1. Oxidative phosphorylation was reconstituted with a mitochondrial proton pump (oligomycin-sensitive ATPase) and segments of the oxidation chain (cytochrome oxidase or DPNH-Q1 reductase). A proton pump of bacteriorhodopsin substituted for the respiratory chain components, giving rise to light-induced ATP formation. 2. Since oxidative phosphorylation has thus become a special case of the problem of ion translocation in general, we have investigated and reconsituted other pumps. The reconstituted Ca++ pump of sarcoplasmic reticulum consists of two factors, the Ca++-dependent ATPase and a heat-stable coupling factor. 3. Other information obtained from reconstitution experiments include the role of asymmetry in organized membranes and the specificity of protein-phospholipid interaction. 4. Purified preparations of Ca++-ATPase catalyze the formation of ATP from Pi and ADP in a stepwise reaction stoichiometric with the enzyme and dependent on Ca++.
Primary carcinoma of the jejunum.

1. Seven cases of carcinoma originating in the jejunum have been presented. 2. The clinical features of pain, vomiting, and anemia are late in appearance and are not diagnostic in themselves. 3. “Routine” gastrointestinal x-ray study may frequently fail to disclose a small intestinal lesion. The clinician must more often suspect the small bowel as a source of trouble and request special radiographic study. 4. Resection with attempt to cure is the therapeutic method of choice. The possibility of greater salvage with “second look” operation is suggested. 5. The prognosis is poor. The 5-year cure rate is 20 to 25 per cent, and average survival is less than 3 years. 6. A plea is registered for the steps leading to earlier diagnosis of this condition.
Usefulness of an elevated B-type natriuretic peptide in predicting survival in patients with aortic stenosis treated without surgery.

Patients with aortic stenosis (AS) may remain asymptomatic with good prognoses for many years but have poor prognoses once they develop symptoms. Because the presence of symptoms is subjective, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) may provide a more objective indication of the prognoses of patients with AS. We evaluated 124 patients with AS (valve area 190 pg/ml. Survival was significantly influenced by the presence of symptoms (relative risk [RR] 7.5, p 819 pg/ml. No patients with BNP <100 pg/ml died. The combination of BNP and symptoms provided a better prediction of survival than symptoms alone (chi-square 13.6, p <0.001). BNP significantly (RR 2.8, p <0.01) influenced survival after correction for other univariate predictors (coronary artery disease, symptoms, functional class, ejection fraction, and aortic valve area). In conclusion, elevated BNP indicates progressively worse survival in patients with AS treated medically. Thus, the measurement of BNP supplements the evaluation of symptoms in determining the prognoses of patients with AS.
Chemoselective Metal-Free Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation in Lignin

An efficient organocatalytic method for chemoselective aerobic oxidation of secondary benzylic alcohols within lignin model compounds has been identified. Extension to selective oxidation in natural lignins has also been demonstrated. The optimal catalyst system consists of 4-acetamido-TEMPO (5 mol %; TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl) in combination with HNO3 and HCl (10 mol % each). Preliminary studies highlight the prospect of combining this method with a subsequent oxidation step to achieve C–C bond cleavage.
Induction and inhibition of hydroxyapatite formation by rat dentine phosphoprotein in vitro.

Abstract Highly phosphorylated rat incisor phosphoprotein (PP-H) was purified and covalently attached to agarose beads. The beads were incubated for 24 h in solutions having an ionic strength of 0.165, a molar Ca P ratio of 1.67, and a pH of 7.4. The calcium-phosphate concentration products ([Ca][P]) in the stable incubation solutions ranged from 1.0 to 1.8 mM2, from which no spontaneous precipitation occurred. In a timed series mineral formation was monitored by SEM and X-ray diffraction. The inhibitory capacity of PP-H, free solution, was also studied. The first mineral appeared after 10 min at a [Ca][P] product as low as 1.2 mM2; X-ray diffraction showed that the mineral was (hydroxy)apatite. Thus small amounts of PP-H attached to a surface are capable of inducing mineral formation in vitro at comparatively low supersaturation, whereas PP-H is a mineral inhibitor when free in solution.
Sexual Assault as a Crime Against Young People

Evidence based on almost 300,000 sexual assaults from the National Incident-Based Reporting System showed that the modal age of victims was 15 years, regardless of the age of the offender, the gender of the offender, or the gender of the victim. We suggest that adolescents have the highest risk of victimization because of their sexual attractiveness, vulnerability, and exposure to motivated offenders. As a result of these factors, sexual assault is as much an offense against young people as it is against women. The sexual attractiveness of young people also has implications for the age of offenders. Older men have much higher rates of offending than one would expect, given the age–desistance relationship. Thus, we found that older men have much higher rates of sexual assault than physical assault. Finally, evidence suggested that homosexual men were at least as likely as heterosexual men to commit sexual assault. The pattern suggests that the tendency for sexual assaults to involve male offenders and female victims reflects male sexuality rather than attitudes toward women.
Comparison of foliar composition of eucalyptus globulus and quercus agrifolia growing together

Abstract Foliage of each species was sampled at 26 paired locations in the San Francisco Bay area. Eucalyptus globulus had significantly higher concentrations of Mn, Ca and Na, but significantly lower concentrations of Cu, Fe, Zn, P, NO3‐N and Kjeldahl‐N than did Quercus agrifolia. Concentrations of K and Mg did not differ between species. The relative concentration series for the species were similar: N>Ca>K>Mg>Na>P>Mn>Fe for Q. agrifolia and Ca>N>K> Mg>Na>Mn>P>Fe for E. globulus. Correlations between species were statistically significant for concentrations of Fe and Ca only. Thus, for these elements analysis of one species could be used as an indicator of the other.
The acid mucopolysaccharides of embryonic skin.

Abstract Acid mucopolysaccharides from embryo skin have been isolated and identified. It was found that embryo skin contained only very small amounts of chondroitin sulfate B, in the presence of relatively large amounts of hyaluronic acid, while adult pig skin contains considerably more chondroitin sulfate B than hyaluronic acid. In addition, ambryo skin was found to contain a relatively large amount of chondroitin sulfate C.
Toxin Inhibition of Antimicrobial Factors Induced by Bacillus anthracis Peptidoglycan in Human Blood

Here, we describe the capacity of Bacillus anthracis peptidoglycan (BaPGN) to trigger an antimicrobial response in human white blood cells (WBCs). Analysis of freshly isolated human blood cells found that monocytes and neutrophils, but not B and T cells, were highly responsive to BaPGN and produced a variety of cytokines and chemokines. This BaPGN-induced response was suppressed by anthrax lethal toxin (LT) and edema toxin (ET), with the most pronounced effect on human monocytes, and this corresponded with the higher levels of anthrax toxin receptor 1 (ANTXR1) in these cells than in neutrophils. The supernatant from BaPGN-treated cells altered the growth of B. anthracis Sterne, and this effect was blocked by LT, but not by ET. An FtsX mutant of B. anthracis known to be resistant to the antimicrobial effects of interferon-inducible Glu-Leu-Arg (ELR)-negative CXC chemokines was not affected by the BaPGN-induced antimicrobial effects. Collectively, these findings describe a system in which BaPGN triggers expression of antimicrobial factors in human WBCs and reveal a distinctive role, not shared with ET, in LT's capacity to suppress this response.
The Toxicity of Liver Directed Yttrium-90 Microspheres in Primary and Metastatic Liver Tumors

Background: Selective Internal Radiation (SIR) therapy with yttrium-90 microspheres has become an alternative approach to treat hepatic tumors. Methods: A single institution retrospective chart review was performed to assess the safety of SIR microspheres in twenty-one patients with hepatic malignancies. The yttrium-90 radiation dose was dependent upon the percentage of tumor involvement of the liver, with a dose modification (reduction) adjusted for macroaggregated albumin (MAA) shunted to the lung. Results: Twenty-one patients underwent twenty-five treatments with SIR microsphere therapy for primary and metastatic liver tumors. One mortality was secondary to fulminant hepatic failure after developing radiation hepatitis. Morbidities included radiation hepatitis () and peptic ulcer disease (). Conclusions: The application of SIR microspheres has been utilized for a variety of liver tumors. Although it has been a useful treatment option in selected patients, safety still remains an issue.
Fundable Knowledge: The Marketing of Defense Technology

Contents: Editor's Introduction. Preface. Glossary of Acronyms. Introduction: Mapping the Territory. Going Ballistic. Part I: Coming to Terms I. The Knowledge in Defense Technology. The Dynamics of Knowledge Production. Part II: Coming to Terms II. Heavy Hands on the Market. The Color of the Money. Customers and Vendors: Dyads in a Dance. Marketing and the Co-Production of Knowledge. Part III: Coming to Terms III. The Paper Trail: Transactional Genres. Formulating the Fundable Problem. Capability Statements: The Truth But Not the Whole Truth. The Knowledge Cycle. Part IV: Coming to Terms IV. Reaching Out. Appendix: Defense Critical Technologies.
Health professionals: leaving their countries to migrate to the United States and Canada

Background The United States and Canada are experiencing an increased demand for licensed health professionals; currently both have shortages and maldistribution of licensed health professionals. The factor having the greatest impact in creating the shortage is the increased demand for services due to an aging population. The demand for technological advancements and too few licensed health professionals being trained also contribute to the increased demand. The health professional shortage is forecast to last at least 15 years. Neither country’s educational pipeline currently projects enough new graduates to meet the demand. Simultaneously, a majority of countries around the world also are experiencing a shortage and can ill afford to lose any of their licensed health professionals. However, health professionals from other countries continue to be relied on to meet part of the demand.
The reactionary principle: inaction for public health

Commentary on the editorial by Martuzzi (see page 569) Martuzzi’s commentary on the precautionary principle is welcome and timely.1 I will make a few largely supportive comments while perhaps anticipating and addressing some concerns that readers may have. The 1998 Wingspread consensus statement characterised the precautionary principle this way: “when an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically”.2 The statement went on to list four central components of the precautionary principle: 1. taking preventive action in the face of uncertainty; 2. shifting the burden of proof to the proponents of an activity; 3. exploring a wide range of alternatives to possibly harmful actions; and 4. increasing public participation in decision-making. A skeptical reader may ask: isn’t this just a fancy new name for what any responsible public health scientist has always done? On the contrary, precaution brings important new insights into occupational and environmental health …
Corporate takeovers, stockholder returns and executive rewards

Various motives for making corporate acquisitions have been forwarded in the managerial economics literature. Two that have received a lot of attention are the maximization of stockholder wealth and the maximization of senior management's utility. These two alternative views can lead to different acquisition decisions. The paper examines the returns to senior management and the returns to stockholders following corporate takeovers in the United Kingdom. The evidence suggests that if shareholders profit from takeovers then so do the senior' management. Of more interest, however, is the finding that if acquisitions result in a reduction in stock market value for the acquiring firm, their senior management appear to gain. In particular, senior management remuneration increases substantially after an acquisition. This evidence is consistent with the maximization of senior management's utility being an important motive in many corporate-acquisition decisions.
Scaling a neyman-pearson subset selection approach via heuristics for mining massive data

Feature subset selection is an important step towards producing a classifier that relies only on relevant features, while keeping the computational complexity of the classifier low. Feature selection is also used in making inferences on the importance of attributes, even when classification is not the ultimate goal. For example, in bioinformatics and genomics feature subset selection is used to make inferences between the variables that best describe multiple populations. Unfortunately, many feature selection algorithms require the subset size to be specified a priori, but knowing how many variables to select is typically a nontrivial task. Other approaches rely on a specific variable subset selection framework to be used. In this work, we examine an approach to feature subset selection works with a generic variable selection algorithm, and our approach provides statistical inference on the number of features that are relevant, which may be unknown to the generic variable selection algorithm. This work extends our previous implementation of a Neyman-Pearson feature selection (NPFS) hypothesis test, which acts as a meta-subset selection algorithm. Specifically, we examine the conservativeness of the NPFS approach by biasing the hypothesis test, and examine other heuristics for NPFS. We include results from carefully designed synthetic datasets. Furthermore, we demonstrate the NPFS's ability to perform on data of a massive scale.
Beta adrenergic receptor function in depression and the effect of antidepressant drugs.

Abstract: It has been suggested that alterations of monoamine receptor sensitivity in the central nervous system may be associated with some forms of affective illness. It has been observed by several investigators that chronic treatment with antidepressant drugs causes down regulation of NE receptor coupled adenylate cyclase and beta adrenergic receptor binding in rat brain. This observation has led to the suggestion that the therapeutic effects of antidepressant drugs may be related to the changes in the responsivity of beta adrenergic receptors. In order to examine if depressive illness may be associated with altered beta adrenergic function, we studied adenylate cyclase and its responsiveness to norepinephrine and isoproterenol in the leukocytes obtained from patients with psychiatric illness and normal controls as an index of beta adrenergic receptor function. We also studied the effects of antidepressant drugs, in vitro, on isoproterenol sensitive leukocyte adenylate cyclase. We observed that norepinephrine and isoproterenol sensitive leukocyte adenylate cyclase in depressed patients are significantly decreased as compared to normal controls. Our results appear to have been replicated by another group of investigators. We also observed that certain antidepressnt drugs potentiate isoproterenol stimulated accumulation of cyclic AMP in human leukocytes. This potentiation was most pronounced in the case of iprindole. These results thus indicated a decreased beta adrenergic receptor function in patients with depressive illness. Whether or not such decreased receptor function is associated with depressive illness or is a manifestation of some other changes unrelated to the illness is not clear. Our results also indicate that some antidepressant drugs may enhance adrenergic transmission by potentiating the effects of neurotransmitters on beta adrenergic receptors.
Environmental aging and stress‐cracking of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The environmental stress-cracking behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, has been studied by exposing PET sheet samples to a stress-cracking liquid, at constant stress, for various periods of time. Samples evaluated are of equivalent molecular weights but vary in copolymer concentrations. The characterization of exposed samples includes examination of craze formation and density changes, measurement of tensile mechanical properties, and evaluation of changes in their enthalpies of relaxation by differential scanning calorimetry, DSC. Data analysis includes the correlation between the number of crazes formed as a function of exposure time and the nature of tensile failure. The relationship between measured enthalpy of relaxation and brittle vs. ductile failure is also established. Among the conclusions to be discussed are: (1) Samples with large numbers of crazes do not necessarily exhibit brittle failure during tensile evaluation; and (2) Brittle failure may be associated with crazing, but it must be caused by other factors.
Toward Synthesis of Arbitrary Optical Waveforms

Waveform generation underlies the operation of many electronic devices, especially those used in broadcasting and signal processing. Electronic waveform generators produce a prescribed series of voltages or currents as a function of time, which may then be used as an input for a variety of circuits. The simplest versions of these devices, known as function generators, are used in undergraduate classes to produce the familiar sinusoidal, square, or sawtooth voltage waveforms seen on oscilloscopes. Arbitrary waveform generators (called synthesizers) that can create almost any pulse shape are now a common piece of equipment (and often used by graduate students to test misbehaving electronic equipment). By comparison, synthesizing optical waveforms, in which the electric and magnetic fields of light waves are not simply oscillatory but are specified functions of time, has proved to be difficult. This task has been a long-standing goal of physicists since the invention of the laser in 1960 provided a source of coherent light. On page 1165 of this issue, Chan et al. ( 1 ) demonstrate an important step toward synthesizing and characterizing arbitrary waveforms in the optical domain.
Characterization of iron catalysts prepared by chemical vapor deposition on nonzeolitic supports.

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of FeCl3 has been used to deposit Fe3+ ions on the surface of sulfated zirconia (SZ) and silica−alumina (SA). Upon exposure to FeCl3 vapor most Bronsted acid sites and silanol groups are replaced by Fe, as evidenced by IR. With SZ the concentration of the acid sites and thus the retention of Fe increase with the sulfate loading up to ∼45% of a monolayer, followed by an abrupt decrease at higher loadings. This indicates condensation of sulfate groups to polysulfates, which is in line with a lower number of Bronsted sites per sulfate. Release of HCl due to the reaction of Bronsted sites with FeCl3 peaks at 85 °C for SZ but only at 345 °C for SA. After replacing Cl- by OH- and calcining, the materials were tested as De-NOx catalysts and characterized by temperature-programed reduction (TPR) with H2 or CO. Mononuclear and dinuclear oxo-ions of Fe coexist with Fe oxide particles in calcined Fe/SA, resulting in a low selectivity for NOx reduction. During reduction of Fe/SA up to ...
Coherence Length in the Isotropic Phase of a Room-Temperature Nematic Liquid Crystal

The polarized (${I}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$) and depolarized (${I}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$) scattered light intensity by fluctuations of the order parameter $Q$ near the isotropic-nematic phase transition of para-methoxybenzylidene para-$n$-butylaniline has been measured as a function of the scattering angle over a range of temperatures above the phase-transition temperature ${T}_{p}$ by means of two different incident wavelengths. Our results are in excellent agreement with the phenomenological theory of de Gennes. We also find the elastic constants ${L}_{1}\ensuremath{\gg}{L}_{2}$ while ${L}_{1}$ depends upon temperature.
Correlates of the Hemodynamic Determinants of Blood Pressure

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of sex, race, lean body mass, and fat mass with the hemodynamic determinants of blood pressure, including stroke volume, heart rate, and total peripheral vascular resistance. The study included 201 subjects aged 6 to 17 years, 105 of whom were male and 98 of whom were black. Lean body mass and fat mass were both significant ( P
Ultrastructural analysis of nematocyte removal in Hydra.

Abstract A consecutive series of ultrathin sections through the distal one-third of a Hydra tentacle has revealed at least four categories of nematocytes: (1) normal, mounted nematocytes, in specific arrangements within the battery cells; (2) degenerating nematocytes, within the battery cells; (3) mature nematocytes, enclosed within endodermal cells; (4) a mature nematocyte, in the enteric cavity. The degenerating nematocytes within the battery cells and the nematocytes in the endoderm and enteric cavity appeared to be aging nematocytes undergoing death and removal. The results provide the first ultrastructural evidence for nematocyte degeneration within battery cells and also suggest phagocytosis of mature nematocytes by endodermal cells.