cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cervical Spinal Cord Infarction After Cervical Spine Decompressive Surgery

Objective To report five patients who underwent cervical decompressive surgeries and developed persistent postoperative neurologic deficits compatible with spinal cord infarctions and evaluate causes for these rare complications. Methods The clinical courses and imaging studies of five patients were retrospectively analyzed. Imaging findings, types of surgeries, vascular compromise or risk factors, hypotensive episodes, intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials, concomitant brain infarctions, and clinical degree and radiographic extent of spinal cord infarction were studied. The presence of spinal cord infarction was determined by clinical course and imaging evaluation. Results All five patients had antecedent cervical cord region vascular compromise or generalized vascular risk factors. Four patients developed hypotensive episodes, two intraoperatively and two postoperatively. None of the four patients with hypotensive episodes had imaging or clinical evidence of concomitant brain infarctions. Conclusions Neuroimaging evaluation of spinal cord infarction after decompressive surgery is done to exclude spinal cord compression, to ensure adequate surgical decompression, and to confirm infarction by imaging. Antecedent, unrecognized preoperative vascular compromise may be a significant contributor to spinal cord infarction by itself or in combination with hypotension.
On Engels' metaphysical dialectics: A foundation of orthodox “Marxism”

The philosophical foundations of what has come to be known as orthodox Marxism were laid not by Marx but by Engels in Anti-Duhring and Ludwig Feuerbach and the Outcome of Classical German Philosophy. Here is to be found the first formulation of that conception of Marxism as 'dialectical materialism' ? an all-embracing materialist ontology, which dominated the thinking of the Second Inter? national and even more of Soviet Marxism [ 1 ]. Anti-Duhring appeared first as a series of articles in the new official journal of the German Social Democratic Party Vorw?rts, beginning in 1877. In 1876, for political reasons, Engels had decided to settle accounts with Eugen Duhring who was competing with Marx for the theoretical leadership of the German party. Only after its publication did a real Marxian school develop in Germany. Anti-Duhring became the key formative book for the leaders of the Second International. While it met much opposition within the party, it convinced Kautsky, Bebel, Bernstein, Plekhanov, and others of the superiority of Marxism [2]. This gave Marxism a foothold in the German labor movement which would eventually lead to its official incorporation in the party's Erfurt program of 1891. The leaders of the German party assumed that Engels' views were a faith? ful presentation of Marx's and began to ascribe to them the status of Marxian orthodoxy.
A National Study on the Development of Visual Attention Using the Cognitive Assessment System

Objective: Developmental changes in the performance of children and adolescents are studied using the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) which is an individually administered test of 4 basic cognitive processes. Method: The test measures the Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive (PASS) processes as a theory of intelligence that can provide the framework for an alternative to traditional IQ tests. The CAS, which includes a scale of attention comprising 3 subtests, each of which is presented visually, provides an opportunity to study the development of visual attention for 2,200 children and adolescents aged 5- to 17-years-old who participated in the national standardization sample. A subsample (n = 1,395) is also administered the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement – Revised (WJ-R). Results: On all 3 CAS attention subtests, the mean scores improve with age, and the rate of change between adjacent age groups is moderate-to-large up to 15-yearsold. At all ages the CAS Attention standard score is moderately related to WJ-R Achievement Cluster scores. Conclusion: The results are discussed in light of conclusions about the development of attention based on the standardization sample of the NEPSY–A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment. (J. of Att. Dis. 2009; XX(X) xx-xx)
Seizures in patients with multiple sclerosis: Epidemiology, pathophysiology and management

Seizures have been recognized to occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) since early descriptions of the disease. Various studies have attempted to determine the incidence and prevalence of seizures in MS; although they differ in the reported prevalence, seizures do appear to be more common in MS cohorts than in the general population. The pathological underpinning of seizures in MS remains indeterminate. Cortical and subcortical demyelination and inflammation may explain the increased frequency of seizures in MS, although this hypothetical correlation remains to be proven. Management of seizures in MS is similar to the management of seizures in other patients. Consideration of the underlying neurological deficits related to MS may be necessary, and dosages of antiepileptic drugs should be adjusted if increased sensitivity to the adverse effects of these agents or interaction with other centrally acting medications is suspected. The prognosis of epilepsy in patients with MS remains uncertain, with some studies suggesting a more favourable prognosis than others.
Turbulent dissipation on the margins of the South China Sea

[1] Measurements of turbulence along the continental slope, shelfbreak, and shelf of the northern South China Sea are presented from a 10-day measurement program during April 2005. The shelfbreak region was characterized by a deep stratification that appears to be typical of the late winter-monsoon. This appears to shift the wave field at the shelfbreak from the soliton-like depression anomalies observed in previous years to a more complex wave field, supporting high-frequency waves in both upper and lower depth-intervals of the water column. On average, 30% of the depth-integrated turbulent dissipation occurs within 10 m of the bottom, where baroclinic energy is preferentially dissipated. Dissipation levels, reaching 50 mW/m2, are an order of magnitude larger than those attainable through frictional dissipation of the local barotropic tide, and an order of magnitude larger than levels typical in the open ocean.
A comparison of maximum likelihood models for fatigue strength characterization in materials exhibiting a fatigue limit

Abstract In this study, various probabilistic models were considered to support fatigue strength design guidance in the ultra high-cycle regime (beyond 108 cycles), with particular application to Ti-6Al-4V, a titanium alloy common to aerospace applications. The random fatigue limit model of Pascual and Meeker and two proposed simplified models (bilinear and hyperbolic) used maximum likelihood estimation techniques to fit probabilistic stress-life curves to experimental data. The bilinear and hyperbolic models provided a good fit to large-sample experimental data for dual-phase Ti-6Al-4V and were then applied to a small-sample data set for a beta annealed variant of this alloy, providing an initial probabilistic estimate of beta annealed Ti-6Al-4V fatigue strength in the gigacycle regime. The bilinear and hyperbolic models are recommended for use in estimating probabilistic fatigue strength parameters in support of very high-cycle design criteria for metals with clearly defined fatigue limits and fairly constant scatter in fatigue strength.
Techniques for Multicore Thermal Management: Classification and New Exploration

Power density continues to increase exponentially with each new technology generation, posing a major challenge for thermal management in modern processors. Much past work has examined microarchitectural policies for reducing total chip power, but these techniques alone are insufficient if not aimed at mitigating individual hotspots. The industry's current trend has been toward multicore architectures, which provide additional opportunities for dynamic thermal management. This paper explores various thermal management techniques that exploit the distributed nature of multicore processors. We classify these techniques in terms of core throttling policy, whether that policy is applied locally to a core or to the processor as a whole, and process migration policies. We use Turandot and a HotSpot-based thermal simulator to simulate a variety of workloads under thermal duress on a 4-core PowerPCTMprocessor. Using benchmarks from the SPEC 2000 suite we characterize workloads in terms of instruction throughput as well as their effective duty cycles. Among a variety of options we find that distributed controltheoretic DVFS alone improves throughput by 2.5X under our test conditions. Our final design involves a PI-based core thermal controller and an outer control loop to decide process migrations. This policy avoids all thermal emergencies and yields an average of 2.6X speedup over the baseline across all workloads.
Sequestration and secretion of insulin-like growth factor-I by bovine aortic endothelial cells.

Endothelial cells elaborate growth promoting activities in culture medium that support limited smooth muscle cell and fibroblast growth in vitro in the absence of serum. We investigated whether insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) was synthesized and secreted by bovine aortic endothelial cells in vitro. Subconfluent endothelial cell cultures in serum-free medium secreted severalfold higher IGF-I levels than confluent cultures by acid-sizing chromatography and IGF-I radioimmunoassay. The IGF-I secretory level was not sustained during a second serum-free incubation. In contrast, secretion of IGF binding proteins persisted and was maintained at constant levels throughout the same observation periods. Analysis of poly (A+)RNA by northern blots revealed hybridization of an IGF-I cDNA to a 7.5- to 7.0-kb transcript and superinduction of the 7.5–7.0-kb mRNA by the translational inhibitor, cyclohexamide. However, no endogenously labeled IGF-I was detected in conditioned media after incubation of cultures with [35S]cysteine or [3H]leucine. When cultures were incubated in the presence of serum supplemented with IGF-I, subconfluent cultures sequestered and released more IGF-I than confluent cultures. We concluded that the majority of IGF-I secreted in vitro was sequestered from serum. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Shape-Driven Three-Dimensional Watersnake Segmentation of Biological Membranes in Electron Tomography

Due to the significant complexity of membrane morphology and the generally poor image quality in electron tomographic volumes, current automatic methods for segmentation of membranes perform poorly. Users must resort to manual tracing of recognized patterns on 2-D slices of the volume, a method that suffers from subjectivity and is very labor intensive, preventing quantitative analyses of tomographic data that require comparative analyses of many volumes. To overcome these limitations, we develop an automatic 3-D segmentation method that fully exploits the prior knowledge about the shape of the membranes as well as the 3-D information provided by the tomograms, and systematically combines this knowledge with the image data to improve segmentation results. The method is based on the watersnake framework. By mathematically reformulating the traditional watershed segmentation as an energy minimization problem, the watersnake inherits the many strengths of the watershed method while overcoming the limitations of the traditional energy-based segmentation methods. In our previous work (H. Nguyen et al., 2003), the original watersnake model was successfully modified by incorporating smoothness into watershed segmentation. In this work, we further extend that model to incorporate into the energy function various constraints representing our prior knowledge about the global shape of the cellular features to be segmented. Segmentation can, therefore, be accomplished via minimization of the energy function subject to the shape prior constraints. Finally, the mathematical framework is further extended from 2-D to 3-D so that segmentation can be carried out in 3-D to take advantage of the additional information provided by the tomograms. We apply this method for the automatic extraction of biological membranes of varying complexities including those of bacterial walls and mitochondrial boundaries.
Comparison of the O-Log and GOAT as measures of posttraumatic amnesia.

Primary objective: To compare PTA severity and duration assessments made by Orientation Log (O-Log) and the Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) and the relationship of data yielded by these assessments to rehabilitation outcomes.Research design: Retrospective study.Methods and procedures: O-Log, GOAT, demographic, length of stay, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) data among 83 inpatient subjects with recent TBI requiring inpatient care were reviewed.Main outcomes and results: PTA severity and duration as assessed by the O-Log and the GOAT are statistically similar and correlate similarly with rehabilitation LOS and discharge total FIM score. Simple linear regression models suggest that O-Log scores better predict rehabilitation outcomes than GOAT scores.Conclusions: Although the O-Log and GOAT perform similarly as measures of PTA severity and duration, PTA assessments using the O-Log offers better prediction of rehabilitation outcomes. Further study of the O-Log as an alternate assessmen...
SPEED, ACCELERATION AND MANOEUVRABILITY OF TWO TELEOST FISHES

SUMMARY (1) Speed, acceleration rate and turning radius were measured for rainbow trout (Salmogairdneri; length 25-7 cm) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu; length 23-6cm) attacking live minnows. The observations sampled a range of values for each kinematic variable up to the limits of maximum performance. (2) Minimum turning radius was independent of speed and acceleration rate. Expressed as a ratio of total length, L, minimum radii were 0-18 ±0-2L for trout and 0-1 l±0-02 L for bass (X± 2S.E.). (3) Differences in minimum turning radius, R, between trout and bass were attributed to differences in the volume of the body and entrained water, V, and projected lateral surface area of the body and median fins, A. For subcarangiform swimmers, the dimensionless minimum specific turning radius R/L = 2V/AL. Since V is numerically equal to the mass of the body, M, and added water mass (approximately 0-2M) for neutrally buoyant fish, R/L can be calculated from two easily measured morphological parameters, M and A.
Blackness, the Racial/Spatial Order, Migrations, and Miss Ecuador 1995-96

The author argues that blackness in Ecuador must be viewed in terms of personal, social, cultural, political, and economic processes embedded in particular time/space contexts. The official imagination of national identity constructed by white and white-mestizo elites imposes a racist reading on the map of national territory, conceiving rural areas as racially inferior, indolent, backward, and culturally deprived, constituting burdens and challenges to the full development of the nation. In the logic of this racial/spatial order, the migration of blacks to urban centers threatens white-mestizo society, which can no longer ignore the presence of Afro-Ecuadorians.
Anterior tibial translation during a maximum quadriceps contraction: Is it clinically significant?

Quadriceps exercises are used sparingly in the early rehabilitation of ACL reconstructions because of concern about prematurely stretching the ACL graft. The aim of this study was to determine if a maximum isometric quadriceps contraction significantly translates the tibia anteriorly at 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 75 degrees of flexion. Secondly, the role of the ACL in knee stability was analyzed by comparing the amount of tibial translation in normal, ACL deficient, and reconstructed knees. Thirdly, the location in the motion arc where a quadriceps contraction produces anterior tibial translation was determined. Anterior tibial translation was measured using an arthrometer (KT-1000) during an 89 N and manual maximum translation applied to the knee at rest. The manual maximum translation test determines the magnitude of anterior tibial translation produced by a high anterior force applied directly to the proximal calf. These translations were compared to the tibial translation intrinsically induced by a quadriceps contraction. Testing was performed in normal (N = 22), ACL deficient (N = 10), and reconstructed (N = 10) knees. Anterior tibial translation produced by a maximum quadriceps contraction was measured at 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 75 degrees of flexion. The extension exercise resulted in less anterior tibial displacement than an 89 N drawer and half the translation produced by a manual maximum translation (P less than 0.001). Instrumented laxity testing produced greater anterior translation of the tibia than a maximum isometric quadriceps contraction. Anterior tibial translation was the same during maximum isometric knee extension in all tested knees.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
DIFFERENTIAL PRODUCTION OF FECES AND PSEUDOFECES BY THE OYSTER CRASSOSTREA ARIAKENSIS WHEN EXPOSED TO DIETS CONTAINING HARMFUL DINOFLAGELLATE AND RAPHIDOPHYTE SPECIES

The Asian oyster, Crassostrea ariakensis, is being evaluated for its potential success in the restoration of oyster populations in Chesapeake Bay. Critical to an understanding of its potential success is knowledge of the impacts of common harmful algae in its diet; blooms of such algae are common in Chesapeake Bay. In these experiments, C. ariakensis were exposed to a standard algal diet, Isochrysis sp., alone, and in combination with the harmful dinoflagallates Prorocentrum minimum and Karlodinium veneficum and the raphidophytes Heterosigma akashiwo and Chattonella subsalsa. Two experiments were run, with varying proportions of Isochrysis to the test algal species. Feces and pseudofeces were examined microscopically and by high- performance liquid chromatography for changes in diagnostic pigments relative to the initial diet and for production of degradation pigments of chlorophyll. All species were cleared from suspension to varying degrees by the oysters. In the Isochrysis control and in the Isochrysis + P. minimum treatment, intact, solid feces were produced, and the highest proportion of chlorophyll degradation pigments were found in the Isochrysis control diet suggesting algal digestion. Thin, ''ropey'' feces and pseudo-feces were observed in the K. veneficum + Isochrysis treatment. Virtually no degradation pigments were found for oysters fed a diet containing K. veneficum, suggesting lack of digestion and assimilation of algal food. With the raphidophytes, reduced production of feces and pseudofeces was evident, and these contained a lower proportion of recognizable harmful algal cells, and higher proportion of degradation pigments than found with the other test species. Amorphous and cellular material that appears to be partly derived from the oyster digestive system was evident in the feces of oysters exposed to K. veneficum, H. akashiwo, and C. subsalsa; this was particularly pronounced in oysters exposed to H. akashiwo and suggests damage to the oyster gut. The impact of the presence of harmful algae in the diet of the oysters thus varied by algal species, but in all cases oyster digestion was altered relative to the control diet.
Proteolytic stability of amphipathic peptide hydrogels composed of self-assembled pleated β-sheet or coassembled rippled β-sheet fibrils

Hydrogel networks composed of rippled β-sheet fibrils of coassembled D- and L-Ac-(FKFE)2-NH2 amphipathic peptides exhibit proteolytic stability and increased rheological strength compared to networks of self-assembled L-Ac-(FKFE)2-NH2 pleated β-sheet fibrils. Modifying the ratios of l and d peptides in the coassembled rippled β-sheet fibrils alters the degradation profiles of these hydrogel networks.
On higher-order diffraction concepts applied to a conducting strip

The derivation emphasizing cylindrical-wave diffraction is given for a high-frequency approximation to the diffraction of a plane wave by a conducting strip. The resulting formulation is basically the same as the formulations of Karp and Russek. The range of usefulness of this formulation has apparently been unrecognized. The validity of the approximation presented here is checked by comparison with the exact solution for strip diffraction; the backscattered field for normal incidence is in good agreement for strip widths larger than 0.55\lambda and in fair agreement for widths as narrow as 0.125\lambda . This approximation and Keller's geometrical theory of diffraction, which uses plane-wave diffraction coefficients, are compared with measurements made by Ross. Diffraction patterns and echo widths for various incidence angles are calculated for various strip widths.
Fate and transport of pcbs at the new bedford harbor superfund site

A unique, holistic modeling approach, combining theoretical, empirical, and deterministic elements, was developed to define the ambient background transport of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) from New Bedford Harbor, to provide a baseline for remediation assessment of this Superfund site. Both empirical and deterministic elements characterized sediment processes. The deterministic section employed experimental data to describe flocculation through fluid shear, differential settling, and Brownian motion mechanisms, yielding a sediment settling velocity. The empirical portion of the model used this settling velocity, along with suspended solids, and flow field data to characterize sediment action. The remaining PCB transport mechanisms (volatilization and sorption) are theoretically considered to give a complete contaminant transport assessment. The PCBs in New Bedford Harbor tend to volatilize at the rate of 5.9 g/d; or sorb, with sorption coefficients increasing with percent chlorination from 10{sup {minus}2.2} to 10{sup {minus}0.4} m{sup 3}/g for Aroclors 1016 and 1260, respectively, rather than stay in solution. The deterministic model showed that fluid shear was the most significant flocculation mass removal mechanism contributing to the settling velocity calculation. From the empirical model, the dominant sediment action mechanisms, resuspension and deposition, were driven by the change in suspended solids concentration and tides. The cycling of PCB-ladenmore » sediment, indicated by the PCB sorption tendency and the presence and dominance of resuspension, and subsequent transport from the site, can lead to PCB contamination of the water column, atmosphere, or downstream (marine) areas.« less
Profound Protection against Respiratory Challenge with a Lethal H7N7 Influenza A Virus by Increasing the Magnitude of CD8+ T-Cell Memory

ABSTRACT The recall of CD8+ T-cell memory established by infecting H-2b mice with an H1N1 influenza A virus provided a measure of protection against an extremely virulent H7N7 virus. The numbers of CD8+ effector and memory T cells specific for the shared, immunodominant DbNP366epitope were greatly increased subsequent to the H7N7 challenge, and though lung titers remained as high as those in naive controls for 5 days or more, the virus was cleared more rapidly. Expanding the CD8+ memory T-cell pool ( 10%) by sequential priming with two different influenza A viruses (H3N2→H1N1) gave much better protection. Though the H7N7 virus initially grew to equivalent titers in the lungs of naive and double-primed mice, the replicative phase was substantially controlled within 3 days. This tertiary H7N7 challenge caused little increase in the magnitude of the CD8+ DbNP366+ T-cell pool, and only a portion of the memory population in the lymphoid tissue could be shown to proliferate. The great majority of the CD8+ DbNP366+ set that localized to the infected respiratory tract had, however, cycled at least once, though recent cell division was shown not to be a prerequisite for T-cell extravasation. The selective induction of CD8+ T-cell memory can thus greatly limit the damage caused by a virulent influenza A virus, with the extent of protection being directly related to the number of available responders. Furthermore, a large pool of CD8+ memory T cells may be only partially utilized to deal with a potentially lethal influenza infection.
Discounting and Patience in Optimal Stopping and Control Problems

The optimal stopping time of any pure stopping problem with nonnegative termination value is increasing in \patience," understood as a partial ordering of discount functions. When utility depends on some Markov state controlled by the agent, the result holds in a \continuation{domain" sense. When utility is increasing in the state, and the state is a one{dimensional diusion, the result also holds in a \time-domain" sense, and the entire state path is increasing in patience. In all cases, the expected value of the agent is increasing in patience. We extend our concept of patience to study the impact of stochastic discounting and of time{inconsistency on the results and identify, as a by-product, new properties of these environments. For example, we nd
Does Early Initiation of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Affect Outcome: Experience in a Tertiary Care Center

AbstractBackground: Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring dialysis commonly occurs in critically ill patients and is associated with high mortality. Factors impacting outcomes of individuals with AKI who underwent continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), including early versus late initiation and duration of CRRT, were examined. Methods: Survival and recovery of renal function for patients with AKI in the intensive care unit were retrospectively examined over a 7-year period. Factors associated with mortality and renal recovery were analyzed based on severity of illness as defined by Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) score. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis with backward elimination was performed to determine the most significant risk factors. Results: Of patients who underwent CRRT, 230/330 met inclusion criteria. During index admission 112/230 (48.7%) patients died. Median survival was 15.5 days [95% confidence interval (12.0, 18.0)]. Among survivors, renal recovery occurred in ...
Genealogies of the Text: Literature and hospitality: Klossowski's Hamann

On several occasions, Walter Benjamin, in his letters of 1936, acknowledges his delight at the talent of Pierre Klossowski, then embarked on a translation of his essay, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” It was a task that was to leave its mark on the Frenchman's later work. For Benjamin's celebrated meditation on the “revolutionary” esthetic import of photography, an art whose very mode of production is inseparable from a technique of reproduction, furnishes several motifs of the almost Baudelairean prose poem on photography in La Revocation de l'Edit de Nantes . Octave, in his journal (in that novel), praises the blessed days when Daguerre “fixait la vie quotidienne d'alors sur le point d'etre atteinte par l'austerite enlaidissante des premieres industries …” (p. 47). The nostalgic phase, however, is eclipsed by a rhetorical explosion attempting to convey the energy unleashed by the new technique (“centuplant les intentions agressives de la pensee … desarticulant les structures”) and whose upshot is that painting itself (in the figure of van Gogh) is no longer the same. That retroactive effect of photography on all of art, the “primary question” of Benjamin's essay, furnishes the conclusion of Klossowski's prose poem: “La photographie a libere la peinture du besoin d'imiter la nature …” (p. 47). The essential relation to presence, in Klossowski as in Benjamin, is the principal casualty of photographic technique. Painting/photography: the split around which Benjamin's article is organized reproduces a crucial division between the first and second volumes of Klossowski's novelistic trilogy, Les Lois de l'hospitalite .
N-Methyl­imidazolidinetrione

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C4H4N2O3, the packing is dominated by inter­molecular carbon­yl–carbon­yl inter­actions and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
Work in Progress - Issues for Faculty in Using the Internet to Effectively Present Course Content

The drive to effectively use the Internet is in full swing. Students who are used to using the Web feel entitled to access to any information at any time - day or night. Short of all-night office hours, these "needs" of students can only be addressed using the Internet. The Internet should add value for students. The online material must add to the body of knowledge, show appropriate demonstrations/examples/projects, offer assistance to and supply meaningful feedback to students. In short, the online material should do at least as much as an instructor in the classroom; not just refer to the textbook. The author has successfully put courses on the Internet and developed extensive Internet based content for courses presented on campus and for off campus customers. This paper will describe issues faculty should consider when posting content online
Effect of glucagon on alimentary lipemia.

Summary1. In 4 of 6 normal subjects, the intravenous injections of 0.03 mg of glucagon per kg body weight 2 1/2 hours after the ingestion of a standard fat breakfast caused a reduction of serum triglyceride concentration either toward or to the postabsorptive levels within half an hour. Of the 2 exceptions one failed to display any rise in concentration of triglycerides following the fat meal, prior to glucagon injection. The second failed to have a hyperglycemic response to glucagon. The rise in concentration of his serum triglycerides could be prevented by glucagon only when he was fed additional glucose with the fat meal. 2. Concentration of nonesterified fatty acids, measured in the sera of 2 subjects decreased following glucagon administration. 3. It was concluded that the effect of glucagon on serum lipids is secondary to its hyperglycemic effect.
Interstitial duplication of the short arm of chromosome 1 in a newborn with congenital heart disease and multiple malformations

Interstitial duplications of chromosomes 1p are rare, with only 14 cases previously reported in the literature, and those have not revealed a unique syndrome. The phenotypes include multiple congenital abnormalities and both intra- and extra-uterine growth retardation. In general, the patients do poorly and do not survive beyond the age of several months. We report a newborn male with karyotype 46, XY, inv dup(1)(qter→ p34.3::p34.3→p32.3::34.3→pter) with multiple congenital abnormalities including congenital heart disease and co-existing portal and pulmonary hypertension. The chromosome 1 origin of the extra material was confirmed with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Review of the GDB [Human Genome Database, 1990] reveals that the duplicated region includes the locus EDN2 that encodes endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictor, making genetic overdosage of this protein a likely etiology of the pulmonary hypertension. The diffuse abnormalities show effects in multiple cell lines and suggest that this region of chromosome 1p could be involved in determining cell migration and/or differentiation during organogenesis. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Conformational dynamics data bank: a database for conformational dynamics of proteins and supramolecular protein assemblies

The conformational dynamics data bank (CDDB, http://www.cdyn.org) is a database that aims to provide comprehensive results on the conformational dynamics of high molecular weight proteins and protein assemblies. Analysis is performed using a recently introduced coarse-grained computational approach that is applied to the majority of structures present in the electron microscopy data bank (EMDB). Results include equilibrium thermal fluctuations and elastic strain energy distributions that identify rigid versus flexible protein domains generally, as well as those associated with specific functional transitions, and correlations in molecular motions that identify molecular regions that are highly coupled dynamically, with implications for allosteric mechanisms. A practical web-based search interface enables users to easily collect conformational dynamics data in various formats. The data bank is maintained and updated automatically to include conformational dynamics results for new structural entries as they become available in the EMDB. The CDDB complements static structural information to facilitate the investigation and interpretation of the biological function of proteins and protein assemblies essential to cell function.
Esterification of Hemins with Trimethyloxonium Tetrafluoroborate

A procedure has been developed for the methylation of hemins using trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate. The method is rapid and selective for carboxyl groups, and it can be used to methylate polar and nonpolar hemins under neutral and basic conditions. Esterifications of protohemin IX, hematohemin. and heme a have been accomplished in high yield. Esterification of naturally occurring hemins and porphyrins is often a prerequisite for structural studies of these compounds. Porphyrins and hemins are in general more easily purified as their esters than as the free carboxylic acids. In addition, esterification is the most feasible procedure for preparing derivatives of tetrapyrroles for studies by mass spectrometry. The most convenient and frequently employed method for hemin and porphyrin esterification has been treatment with an alcohol and mineral acid. Although this method is highly successful in derivatizing the carboxyl group, bond cleavage or rearrangement of various acid-labile tetrapyrroles may result from the strongly acidic conditions, and derivatization of other functional groups may occur. For example, treatment of heme a with methanol-sulfuric acid results in partial methylation of both the formyl and hydroxyl groups (1). Although porphyrins can be esterified with diazomethane, this reaction may very well modify side chains and is completely unsuitable for hemin carboxylic acids (2). Conversion of an acid-labile hemin to its porphyrin methyl ester by way of the free porphyrin is not feasible since removal of iron from the hemin requires acid conditions. Recent studies in this laboratory have been directed toward determining the structure of the unique formylhemin prosthetic group of a green hemeprotein isolated from human and bovine erythrocytes (3.4). The very labile character of the isolated hemin has led us to suspect the presence of a moiety which can be cleaved or derivatized in acid. An acid-labile group has likewise been postulated to be a component of the hemin prosthetic group of cytochrome oxidase (5). Thus, a method of esterification which would selectively derivatize carboxyl groups of
Effects of Chemical Enhancers on Human Epidermal Membrane: Structure-Enhancement Relationship Based on Maximum Enhancement (Emax)

Chemical penetration enhancers are widely used in transdermal pharmaceuticals as well as cosmetic products. Selection of suitable enhancers in topical formulations requires an understanding of the mechanism of action of these enhancers. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the enhancement effects of a number of commonly known enhancers and cosmetic ingredients on permeation across human epidermal membrane (HEM). The potencies of these chemical enhancers—maximum enhancement, Emax—were compared at their highest thermodynamic activity in equilibrium with HEM (i.e., solubility equilibrium). This was achieved by the treatment of HEM with the enhancer or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) saturated with the enhancer. Passive transport experiments were then conducted with a model permeant corticosterone to determine the effects of these enhancers on the lipoidal pathway of HEM. The results suggest that Emax of an enhancer is related to its octanol/water partition coefficient and its solubility in the HEM lipid domain. A relationship between enhancer Emax and its solubility in silicone elastomer was also observed, suggesting the use of silicone solubility to predict enhancer potency. Based on the Emax results, some common topical ingredients were found to be more potent enhancers than a number of well-known chemical enhancers.
Hot plate welding of polypropylene. Part I: Crystallization kinetics

The crystalline structure formation in the heat affected zone during hot plate welding has a great influence on the performance of the welded semi-crystalline polymers. The quiescent and flow induced crystallization of polypropylene was investigated experimentally. A simplified, phenomenological crystallization model was developed, which can describe the crystal formation from completely melted and partially melted polymer. Predictions obtained from the model were compared with experimental results.
Sovereign Immunity and Government Liability

The focus of this chapter is on the question of whether and to what extent government should be required to pay damages to compensate persons who were injured by its actions. The debate over sovereign immunity, as the relevant doctrine is called, dates from English common law. American law incorporates both a sovereign immunity defense to lawsuits and the allowance of damages in situations for which the defense has been waived. However, if the action being complained of was the formulation of policy rather than a failure by officials to adhere to clearly established rules, recovery can be blocked on that basis. In other words, when plaintiffs seek money damages against the government, there must be a waiver of sovereign immunity for the lawsuit to be allowed. And even if there is a waiver, the lawsuit may be dismissed if the actions being complained of were discretionary or policymaking decisions by government officials.
2. Bradyarrhythmias, Sick Sinus Syndrome & Carotid Sinus Syndrome

Sinus node activation (SNA) was characterized in 34 patients (pt) by analyzing isopotential maps (IPM) and unipolar electrograms (UEG) recorded with noncontact array catheters. Initial activation IPM were defined as broad (>15mm diameter) or discrete (<15mm). UEG were analyzed for morphology and dV/dT (rapid v slow). Results In 13 pt initial SNA was localized to the superior and mid crista terminales (CT). IPM had a discrete initiation with a monophasic QS UEG with rapid dV/dT. Endocardial breakout site was at the initial activation site. In 21 pt initial SNA was at the SVC-RA junction superior to the CT. IPM had initial broad low voltage UEG with a biphasic slurred QS with slow initial dV/dT preceding rapid dV/dT. Endocardial breakout was remote from initial activation inferiorly along the CT. Breakout UEG had a rapid dV/dT. Isoproterenol increased dV/dT and activation shifted superiorly. Conclusions SNA originates at 2 sites. A superior site is consistent with midmyocardial activation and anisotropic conduction to a distant endocardial breakout. Inferior CT sites are consistent with subendocardial activation. These findings may be important for SN ablation.
Noninvasive Ventilation in Premature Neonates.

Background The use of noninvasive ventilation is a constantly evolving treatment option for respiratory disease in the premature infant. The goals of these noninvasive ventilation techniques are to improve gas exchange in the premature infant's lungs and to minimize the need for intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation. Purpose The goals of this article are to consider various uses of nasal interfaces, discuss skin care and developmental positioning concerns faced by the bedside nurse, and discuss the medical management aimed to reduce morbidity and mortality. This article explores the nursing role, the advances in medical strategies for noninvasive ventilation, and the team approach to noninvasive ventilation use in this population. Search strategy Search strategy included a literature review on medical databases, such as EBSCOhost, CINAHL, PubMed, and NeoReviews. Findings Innovative products, nursing research on developmental positioning and skin care, and advanced medical management have led to better and safer outcomes for premature infants requiring noninvasive ventilation. Implications for practice The medical focus of avoiding long-term mechanical ventilation would not be possible without the technology to provide noninvasive ventilation to these premature infants and the watchful eye of the nurse in terms of careful positioning, preventing skin breakdown and facial scarring, and a proper seal to maximize ventilation accuracy. Implications for research This article encourages nursing-based research to quantify some of the knowledge about skin care and positioning as well as research into most appropriate uses for noninvasive ventilation devices.
ADMINISTRATION OF ERYTHROPOIETIN IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: GOOD OR NOT?

Objectives To assess the effects of intravenous erythropoietin (EPO) administration in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database through June 2011. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials of intravenous EPO administration in AMI patients with follow-up duration equal to or longer than 1 month. Results A total of 10 trials involving 1270 participants were identified. Over a weighted mean (SD) follow-up of 3.27 (0.25) months, standard medical care together with EPO significantly reduced infarct size (SMD −0.35, 95% CI −0.68 to −0.02; p=0.04) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) (SMD −0.59, 95% CI −1.04 to −0.14; p=0.009) while improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (SMD 1.47, 95% CI: 0.51 to 2.42; p=0.003). And EPO administration did not add death, reinfarction, stroke and thrombosis events. Meta-regression showed a statistically significant association between infarct size decrement and age and follow-up duration (both p Conclusions EPO administration in acute MI patients was safe and effective.
Are we sending the wrong message when we ask health care workers to wash their hands

When asking healthcare workers to wash their hands, perhaps a better message would be to ask them not to transmit diseases. This changes the emphasis from a single act of adherence to a concept of behavior change. Proper hand hygiene, proper use of personal protective equipment, and cough etiquette are the means to an end, to stop the transfer to organisms and disease, but not the ultimate goal itself. The ultimate goal is to stop the transmission of diseases and ultimately to decrease the occurrence of healthcare associated infections.
Measurement of the excited-state molecular polarizability of C60

We use −30 ps pulses at 532 run to measure the complex excited-state molecular polarizability αe in a C60/benzene solution. We determine the imaginary part of αe by measuring the excited-state absorption cross-section in a pump-probe experiment. In a degenerate-four-wave-mixing (DFWM) experiment, we find that in delayed probing of the complex index gratings formed by -30 ps pulses, the thermal and the excited-state polarizability changes both contribute to these transient gratings.
Elastic Stability of Concentric Tube Robots Subject to External Loads

Concentric tube robots, which are comprised of precurved elastic tubes that are concentrically arranged, are being developed for many medical interventions. The shape of the robot is determined by the rotation and translation of the tubes relative to each other, and also by any external forces applied by the environment. As the tubes rotate and translate relative to each other, elastic potential energy caused by tube bending and twisting can accumulate; if a configuration is not locally elastically stable, then a dangerous snapping motion may occur as energy is suddenly released. External loads on the robot also influence elastic stability. In this paper, we provide a second-order sufficient condition, and also a separate necessary condition, for elastic stability. Using methods of optimal control theory, we show that these conditions apply to general concentric tube robot designs subject to arbitrary conservative external loads. They can be used to assess the stability of candidate robot configurations. Our results are validated via comparison with other known stability criteria, and their utility is demonstrated by an application to stable path planning.
Conclusion: Implicit Attitudes and Explicit Politics

We have arrived at the end of my investigative journey, as it were. But what is one to conclude from the various layers of results paraded across the previous chapters? The lessons are many. The objective behind this concluding chapter, therefore, is to bring order to this potentially unwieldy prospect by discussing the larger meaning of implicit attitudes for the study of immigration politics, specifically, and non-immigration politics, more generally. To effectively accomplish this task, I revisit – ever so briefly – the primary theoretical current running through this book, and the main tributaries of evidence on which it now draws. Against this backdrop, I discuss the implications of these findings for political scientists, especially those who study mass public opinion. This discussion forms the core of this chapter, and I organize it around five main points. First, I consider what my results suggest about the nature of public opposition to illegal and legal immigration, given the indelible role played by implicit attitudes toward Latinos in contemporary times. Second, I clarify how and why the evidence in this book establishes the viability of implicit attitudes and their corresponding measures for political science research. Third, I discuss the connection between implicit attitudes and ongoing debates over the nature of public opinion. Fourth, I explain the relationship between implicit attitudes and the idealized democratic citizen. And fifth, I spell out the implications of implicit attitudes for the political prospects of immigration reforms. Let's begin this effort by first reviewing my claims and evidence. Bottom Lines I defined implicit attitudes as basic affective evaluations of political objects. As such, they reflect citizens’ learned but unspoken judgments of political objects as good or bad , favorable or unfavorable , or pleasant or unpleasant . I explained that implicit attitudes are steeped in automaticity. They are spontaneously activated, hard to control, and can operate outside of immediate awareness. Implicit attitudes, I pointed out, arise from people's mental capacity for associative reasoning. Even as part of our mind deliberates and reflects on political information, another part of our brain is engaged in identifying broad, but stable representations of what is typical in our environments. This part of our mind is geared toward uncovering, learning, and storing recurring patterns in information we encounter. And it is based on these patterns that we develop implicit attitudes toward political objects.