cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A EVOLUÇÃO DA LITERATURA FANTÁSTICA DE "AS ROSAS”, DE JÚLIA LOPES DE ALMEIDA A “AS FLORES”, DE AUGUSTA FARO

This article aims to discuss the construction of a traditional and a contemporary fantasy narrative in Julia Lopes de Almeida’s As rosas, which integrates the work Ânsia eterna (2019), and Augusta Faro’s As flores, from A friagem (1999). This a bibliographical research goes through the theoretical grounds of classical fantasy provided by Todorov (2017) and Bessiere (2012), and contemporary fantasy, also known as neo fantastic, such as Alazraki (1990) and Roas (2014). We intend to analyse the fantastic aspects in Julia Lopes de Almeida’s work and the evolution of this literary style in Augusta Faro’s narrative. Besides, it is essential to bring Almeida’s writings to light, since she is an important figure in the 19th century who was forgotten by literary historiography. This also happened to Faro, whose alegoric prose is hardly mentioned in the current scenery.
Implications of behavioral teratology for assessing the risks posed by environmental and therapeutic chemicals

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the implications of behavioral teratology for assessing the risks posed by environmental and therapeutic chemicals. Neurobehavioral teratology is a discipline that is attained a crucial role in predicting the health risks of drugs and environmental chemicals. For its findings to be translated into reasonable policies, investigators must be sensitive to the ways in which toxicological data become embodied into risk assessment. To understand how toxicological findings are translated into policy decisions, consider the implications of terms such as the No Observable Effect Level (NOEL). NOEL, based on experimental animal data gathered from chronic treatment is multiplied by a neither safety nor uncertainty factor to provide an adequate margin of protection for humans. Crude behavioral assays, typically joined with high-dose toxicology, also blunt the usefulness of experimental observations. The impact of even small differences, such as changes in psychological test performance correlated with low-level lead exposure, can be seen when risk is viewed in societal rather than individual terms.
Microstructural Characterization of the U-9.1Mo Fuel/AA6061 Cladding Interface in Friction-Bonded Monolithic Fuel Plates Irradiated in the RERTR-6 Experiment

Low-enrichment (235U < 20 pct) U-Mo monolithic fuel is being developed for use in research and test reactors. The earliest design for this fuel that was investigated via reactor testing consisted of a nominally U-10Mo fuel foil encased in AA6061 (Al-6061) cladding. For a fuel design to be deemed adequate for final use in a reactor, it must maintain dimensional stability and retain fission products throughout irradiation, which means that there must be good integrity at the fuel foil/cladding interface. To investigate the nature of the fuel/cladding interface for this fuel type after irradiation, fuel plates were fabricated using a friction bonding process, tested in INL’s advanced test reactor (ATR), and then subsequently characterized using optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Results of this characterization showed that the fuel/cladding interaction layers present at the U-Mo fuel/AA6061 cladding interface after fabrication became amorphous during irradiation. Up to two main interaction layers, based on composition, could be found at the fuel/cladding interface, depending on location. After irradiation, an Al-rich layer contained very few fission gas bubbles, but did exhibit Xe enrichment near the AA6061 cladding interface. Another layer, which contained more Si, had more observable fission gas bubbles. In the samples produced using a focused ion beam at the interaction zone/AA6061 cladding interface, possible indications of porosity/debonding were found, which suggested that the interface in this location is relatively weak.
Excitatory and inhibitory amino acids and synaptic transmission in the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on glutamate and γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) and glutamate-mediated neurotransmission in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which has involved immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy, molecular biology, calcium imaging, and electrophysiology. The studies of the neuroanatomical organization of GABA and glutamate systems in the SCN, plus their pharmacology and physiology, are fundamental in understanding the cellular substrates of SCN function as a circadian clock that can entrain to environmental light cycles. The fundamental theme in the chapter is that GABA plays crucial roles in neurotransmission to the SCN. As in other regions of the medial hypothalamus, many other neurotransmitters are found in the SCN, but it appears that the primary role of these other neuroactive agents may be to modulate GABA- and glutamate-mediated neurotransmission and/or membrane excitability. Multiple lines of experimental evidence suggest that GABAergic neurons are involved in local circuit interactions within the SCN. Future research would profit from evaluating how fundamental mechanisms of neural interaction play a role in the hypothalamic integration of circadian rhythms.
Biodetection and Biointervention: Cytokine Pathways as a Rationale for Anti-cytokine Interventions Post-Radiation

Normal tissue tolerance limits the dose of radiation that can be used to treat most malignancies [78]. Despite the fact that many cancers present as large masses that require high doses of radiation to control, physicians are forced to limit the dose and volume irradiated in order to prevent the development of potentially serious, life threatening or fatal complications. Consequently, cure rates for some of these malignancies, such as lung cancers or malignant brain tumors, are distressingly low. Recent advances in our understanding of the molecular events underlying the pathogenesis of radiation-induced normal tissue injury has opened up the possibility of biologicallybased interventions to prevent, mitigate or treat these complications. This work has also stimulated efforts to develop strategies to stratify patients according to risk of injury as a means to individualize therapy and improve the therapeutic ratio.
Primary structure of c-kit: relationship with the CSF-1/PDGF receptor kinase family-oncogenic activation of v-kit involves deletion of extracellular domain and C terminus

The protein kinase domains of v-kit, the oncogene of the acute transforming feline retrovirus HZ4-FeSV (HZ4-feline sarcoma virus), CSF-1R (macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor) and PDGFR (platelet derived growth factor receptor) display extensive homology. Because of the close structural relationship of v-kit, CSF-1R and PDGFR we predicted that c-kit would encode a protein kinase transmembrane receptor (Besmer et al., 1986a; Yarden et al., 1986). We have now determined the primary structure of murine c-kit from a DNA clone isolated from a brain cDNA library. The nucleotide sequence of the c-kit cDNA predicts a 975 amino acid protein product with a calculated mol. wt of 109.001 kd. It contains an N-terminal signal peptide, a transmembrane domain (residues 519-543) and in the C-terminal half the v-kit homologous sequences (residues 558-925). c-kit therefore contains the features which are characteristic of a transmembrane receptor kinase. Comparison of c-kit, CSF-1R and PDGFR revealed a unique structural relationship of these receptor kinases suggesting a common evolutionary origin. The outer cellular domain of c-kit was shown to be related to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The sites of expression of c-kit in normal tissue predict a function in the brain and in hematopoietic cells. N-terminal sequences which include the extracellular domain and the transmembrane domain as well as 50 amino acids from the C-terminus of c-kit are deleted in v-kit. These structural alterations are likely determinants of the oncogenic activation of v-kit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Implications of Social Security's Long-Range Financial Projections

A major shift is projected in the demographic structure of the population, leading, among other things, to serious financing problems for the nation's public pension and health financing systems. This brief explores the demographic and economic assumptions that underlie the current Social Security financing projections and notes some of their implications for Social Security reform. The financing problem comes virtually entirely from a projected increase in the ratio of beneficiaries to workers. Although the retirement of the baby boom generation contributes, at least temporarily, this demographic trend is projected to continue long after the last of the baby boom generation has moved through the system. The projection is the result of assumptions about future trends in birth rates, death rates, and disability incidence. In fact, some 60 percent of the entire projected 75-year Social Security deficit can be traced to the assumption that people will live longer in the future and that the incidence of disability will increase, neither of which has any direct relationship to the baby boom's retirement. Much of the current debate about financing options focuses on the possible role of individual accounts and faster economic growth and ignores the fact that the major cause of the financing shortfall is the increase in life expectancy and disability incidence. As a practical matter, the fiscal implications of these two changes can be addressed through one or a combination of three basic adjustment strategies: (1) reductions in monthly benefits of some 17 to 20 percent, (2) increases in aggregate program revenues of some 20 to 25 percent, or an increase in the retirement age to roughly age 69. Accelerating economic growth will have little impact on future Social Security costs because rising real wage levels will also produce rising real retirement benefits (although faster growth may make future workers more willing to bear the tax increases required to maintain currently scheduled benefits). Taken by itself, switching to a system of individual, defined contribution accounts also will not close the financing gap. Such a change is likely, however, to cause most of the adjustment to longer life spans to occur through reductions in monthly retirement incomes rather than one of the other two types of changes; that result is less likely if the current collective, defined benefit approach to the program is preserved.
From Autarky to Integration: Imitation, Foreign Borrowing, and Growth

The effects on growth of the integration of an autarkic country into the world economy are analyzed, focusing on the differing roles of imitation and innovation in human capital accumulation. The country initially concentrates on imitation of foreign knowledge; subsequently, as it approaches the knowledge frontier, innovation plays a greater role. Late developers catch up with the rest of the world more rapidly than early developers, reflecting the relatively large imitation opportunity available to them. Restrictions on foreign borrowing reduce the speed of adjustment to the steady state and lower growth and welfare for the country that imposes them.
Lipoprotein levels are associated with incident hypertension in older adults.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between baseline measures of serum lipoproteins and incident hypertension in older adults. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, site of Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP). Participants: One hundred eighty-seven men and women (mean age 71.3), normotensive (systolic blood pressure (SBP) <160 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) <90 mmHg) at baseline, were followed annually over 8 years as an ancillary study to the SHEP. Measurements: Hypertension development, defined as initiation of antihypertensive therapy or SBP greater than 160 mmHg or DBP greater than 90 mmHg. Lipoprotein measures included total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), HDL2-C, HDL3-C, triglycerides, and apolipoproteins 1, 2, and B. Results: Over 8 years, 44 participants developed hypertension, for a Kaplan-Meier cumulative incidence rate of 31% (95% confidence interval (CI)=23–39%). Cumulative incidence rates were highly associated with baseline SBP, ranging from 8% in those with baseline SBP less than 120 mmHg to 70% in those with SBP of 140 to 159 mmHg. Other univariate associations included higher DBP, pulse pressure (P < .01 for both), triglycerides (P=.03), apolipoprotein B (P=.03), and lower HDL-C (P=.04) and HDL3-C (P=.02). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, higher baseline SBP (relative risk (RR)=1.8 per 10 mmHg, 95% CI=1.5–2.3) and lower HDL3-C (RR=0.8 per 5 mg/dL, 95% CI=0.42–1.0) remained significant independent predictors of time to hypertension. Conclusion: Older adults with abnormal serum lipoproteins are at increased risk of developing hypertension. Clinical trials exploring the effects of the modification of lipoprotein levels on hypertension incidence rates are needed.
DNA and RNA in normal human endometrium

Abstract Studies on the normal human endometrium using Bertalanffy's fluorescent microscopic technique were made. Our results revealed that DNA and RNA exist in rather constant amount in nonovulatory, proliferative, and secretory endometrium.
Concepts of Normality in Clinical Biochemistry

Publisher Summary A population is a collection of individuals or items having something in common. Populations may be finite or infinite in size. A population can be described by quantifiable characteristics frequently called observations or measures. If it is possible to record an observation for all members in the population, one can most likely demonstrate that not all members of the population have the same value for the given observation. This reflects the inherent variability in populations. For a given measure, the list of possible values, which can be assumed with the corresponding frequency with which each value appears in the population relative to the total number of elements in the population, is referred to as the “distribution of the measure” or “observation in the population.” Distributions can be displayed in tabular or graphical form or summarized in mathematical expressions. Distributions are classified as discrete distributions or continuous distributions on the basis of the values that the measure can assume. Measures with a continuous distribution can assume essentially an infinite number of values over some defined range of values, whereas those with a discrete distribution can assume only a relatively few values within a given range, such as integer values.
Chapter 8 – The CO2-Concentrating Mechanism and Carbon Assimilation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses CO2 concentrating mechanisms.Photosynthetic carbon metabolism, photorespiratory metabolism, and acetate metabolism are described to emphasize the metabolism of carbon assimilation. CCMs represent an evolutionary adaptation acquired by microalgae and cyanobacteria in response to increased O2 and decreased CO2 availability, especially in aquatic environments. Photosynthetic organisms absorb CO2 as the major substrate to support photosynthesis, the beginning of energy flow into living organisms and one of the primary processes comprising the global carbon cycle. Therefore, changes in CO2 concentrations can have a profound impact on photosynthesis and many related processes in carbon metabolism, which subsequently influence the biotic environment of earth. In addition to a variable supply from respiratory sources, equilibration of CO2 between aqueous environments and the atmosphere is relatively slow, which can result in a depletion of the aqueous CO2 during active photosynthesis. Adding a further challenge, the roughly 104-fold slower diffusion of CO2 in water versus air greatly exacerbates the problem of CO2 supply to Rubisco.
Fasting downregulates renal water channel AQP2 and causes polyuria

Starvation causes impairment in the urinary concentrating ability. The mechanism of this defect, however, remains unknown. We tested the possibility that food deprivation might affect the expressio...
Paleoseismic interevent times interpreted for an unsegmented earthquake rupture forecast

[1] Forecasters want to consider an increasingly rich variety of earthquake ruptures. Past occurrence is captured in part by paloeseismic observations, which necessarily see three-dimensional ruptures only at a point. This has not been a problem before, because forecasts have assumed that faults are segmented, and that repeated ruptures occur uniformly along them. A technique is now required to calculate paleo-earthquake rates at points that may be affected by multiple recurrence processes, and that is consistent with an all-possible-ruptures forecast. Dating uncertainties are addressed by bootstrapping across event time windows, and the resulting distributions are transformed into log space as f(ln(T)) where T is interevent time. This takes advantage of a property of time-dependent recurrence distributions in which their logarithms are normally distributed. Paleoseismic series necessarily have a finite number of observations such that the true long-term mean interevent time (μ) is hard to estimate. However the mode (most frequent value) is easier to identify. Since the mode is equal to the mean of a normal distribution, μ can thus be found at the mode (m) of f(ln(T)) as μ = em. The point μ − σ occurs where 32% of a folded (half) normal distribution is found in the interval between ln(T) = 0 and m. The μ + σ value is identified by symmetry, which overcomes the difficulty of absent long intervals in the record. Tests are conducted with complex synthetic interevent distributions, and applications to real data from the Hayward and Garlock faults in California are shown.
Advances in Antibacterial Therapy

Bacterial resistance is still a major concern in antibiotic therapy, especially for immunocompromised and transplantation patients. New therapeutic options are, therefore, needed to overcome the onset of antibiotic resistance. This article reviews the potential role of some antibiotics recently marketed or in clinical development, with a focus on their potential use in transplant recipients.
A small animal model utilizing salivary drug excretion for pharmacokinetic determinations

Abstract The use of small laboratory animals for pharmacologic research is well established. The need for more and varied information demands extensive data from these small animal experiments. Pharmacokinetic investigations, in particular, require frequent sampling of various biological fluids for drug level information. Such multiple/sequential sample collection has heretofore been possible only in larger animals and humans. The method presented here allows sequential collection of whole blood, parotid saliva, and cardiovascular information in a small animal model. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the usefulness of such a model for investigating drug interactions resulting from competition at plasma protein binding sites. Male Wistar rats received pentobarbital anesthesia and underwent a surgical procedure to facilitate stimulation and collection of parotid salivary secretions. Saliva and simultaneously collected whole blood samples were analyzed for pentobarbital content in the presence and absence of phenylbutazone, a highly competitive protein binding agent. In addition, arterial blood pressure was monitored to determine the effects of such drug displacement interactions on the cardiovascular system. Results indicate that pentobarbital levels in plasma decrease, while levels in saliva increase, following intravenous infusion of phenylbutazone. This effect was attributed to a displacement of pentobarbital from plasma protein binding sites by the more highly bound phenylbutazone. This shift in drug concentration correlated well with depressions in arterial blood pressure noted after phenylbutazone administration. It is apparent from these findings that phenylbutazone causes a relative increase in the free (nonprotein bound) levels of pentobarbital in plasma that are immediately available for transport to peripheral tissues, including the salivary glands and the central nervous system, where it depresses cardiovascular tone. We believe that this model provides a reliable mechanism for the study of a variety of problems that require multiple and/or sequential sampling of biological fluids in small animals. Additionally, this method is particularly useful in investigations requiring cardiovascular data to supplement drug level information. Possible applications of our method include bioassay and bioavailability studies of cardiotonic drugs, pressor and depressor agents. Of special interest is the ability of this method to elucidate mechanisms of drug interactions in vivo as demonstrated in our experiment.
Multi-step Sequential and Accelerated Sequential Methodologies for a Replicable Linear Model

Abstract We consider a sequence of observable p-dimensional independent and identically distributed N p (A θ, Σ) observations X l, X 2, … where A p × q is a known matrix with rank q(1<q<p), θ q × 1 consists of unknown regression parameters, and Σ is an unknown positive definite matrix. Chatterjee (Chatterjee, S.K. Multi-step sequential procedures for a replicable linear model with correlated variables. In Probability Statistics and Design of Experiments (Proceedings of the R. C. Bose Symposium 1988); Bahadur R.R., Ed.; Wiley Eastern: New Delhi, 1990; 217–226) gave a multi-step sequential methodology to construct a fixed-size confidence region for θ. This methodology used the largest characteristic root of an appropriate conditional dispersion matrix. We propose new multi-step sequential and accelerated methodologies, which are more efficient in lowering the oversampling rate substantially. Accelerated versions of these estimation techniques further reduce sampling operations and these preserve crucial ...
CD21 signaling via C3 regulates Purkinje cell protein 4 expression

Complement receptor proteins CR2 (CD21) and CR1 (CD35) have been identified as components of the murine B cell co-receptor complex. Gene expression profiles between naive WT, C3-/-, and CD21/35-/- B cells demonstrate enhanced expression of a Ca(2+)-modulating gene, Pcp4, in WT mice compared to the complement-deficient animals. Increased expression of Pcp4 is also coincident with B cell maturation into end stage phenotypes. Prolonged activation of B cells via cross-linking of the BCR (but not CR1/CR2 alone) leads to increased expression of Pcp4 and suppressed Ca(2+) release. In total these data demonstrate that the expression of Pcp4 in naive resting mature B cells is dependent upon tonic stimulation from the CR1/CR2 proteins via a C3 ligand, and that antigen specific B cell activation can also elevate Pcp4 expression that is coincident with suppression of calcium-dependent responses.
Analysis of Urea Hydrolysis by Immobilized Urease in Urea-Sensing Electrodes

Urea hydrolysis in an enzyme electrode that is sensitive to urea concentration has been analyzed with a theoretical model. The model incorporates nonlinear product-inhibited, pH-dependent kinetics, Nernst-Planck diffusion, and ionic equilibria of product and buffer species. Simulation results indicate that film resistance can significantly reduce the detection range of the electrode and a Biot number (the ratio of characteristic internal to external mass transfer resistance) greater than 75 is necessary to minimize the film resistance. The electrode response depends on a balance between the reaction-generated pH changes and the membrane diffusion resistances that sustain such pH shifts. The Damkohler number (the ratio of characteristic rate of reaction to that of diffusion) should be between one and five to maximize electrode sensitivity. The model has been used to demonstrate the effects of acetate, phosphate, and Tris buffers on electrode response. The carbonate concentration of dialysate solution is sufficient to shift the detection range of the electrode and reduce the sensitivity of the electrode by an order of magnitude. Tris buffer reduces the pH response of the electrode for buffer concentrations greater than 2 mM, because the pK of Tris falls within the range of the reaction-generated pH shift.
Nonstomatal versus Stomatal Uptake of Atmospheric Mercury

Atmospheric constituents may be deposited to and incorporated into plant leaves, with gases entering via stomata, and gas and particles being sorbed at the surface and in some cases traversing the cuticle, possibly reaching the epidermis. Plants are known to be a sink for atmospheric mercury (Hg), and the current paradigm is that uptake of gaseous elemental Hg occurs by way of the stomata. Four plant species, Rudbeckia hirta, Sorghastrum nutans, Andropogon gerardii, and Populus tremuloides, were exposed to air from different sources and with different Hg and CO2 concentrations in light and dark within a gas exchange chamber at ∼25% relative humidity. Data showed that Hg concentration and air source had a significant effect (p < 0.001) on leaf-atmosphere Hg flux, with more deposition to the leaf occurring in elevated-Hg air, and in scrubbed air compared to ambient air. Deposition also occurred during dark and elevated CO2 exposures, when stomatal conductance was reduced. These observations and the fact tha...
Mapping Software Architecture Specification to Rewriting Logic (Short Paper)

In this paper we present a systematic translation algorithm that maps a software architecture model to rewriting logics. We consider a nowadays typical component-based software architecture model - SAM. SAM is a formal software architecture model that integrates two formalisms - Petri nets and temporal logic. Our goal is to effectively describe the component based software architecture model SAM using a rewriting based semantics. This algorithm is implemented in Maude, a high performance declarative programming language that supports membership and rewriting logics. The contribution of this paper is we defined the translation algorithm to rewriting logic to show an interleaving semantic matching between the behavior model Petri net and rewriting logic.
Structure-property relationship of L-tyrosine-based polyurethanes for biomaterial applications

The structure-property relationship of L-tyrosine-based polyurethanes was demonstrated by using different polyols and diisocyanates. L-tyrosine-based chain extender, desaminotyrosyl tyrosine hexyl ester (DTH), was used to synthesize a series of polyurethanes. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) or poly caprolactone diol (PCL) was used as the soft segment and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) or dicyclohexylmethane 4,4′-diisocyanate (HMDI) was used with DTH as the hard segment. The polyurethanes were characterized to investigate the effect of structure on different polyurethane properties. From FTIR and DSC, these polyurethanes exhibit a wide range of morphology from phase-mixed to phase-separated structure. The decreasing molecular weight of the PEG soft segment leads to relatively more phase mixed morphology whereas for PCL-based polyurethanes the extent of phase mixing is less with decreasing PCL molecular weight. Results show that PCL-based polyurethanes are mechanically stronger than PEG-based polyurethanes but PCL-based polyurethanes degrade slower and absorb less water compared with PEG-based polyurethanes. The HMDI-based polyurethanes are less crystalline and comparatively more hydrophobic than HDI-based polyurethanes. The characterization results show that the polyurethane properties are directly related to the structure and can be varied easily for a different set of properties that are pertinent for biomaterial applications. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Inactivation of barotolerant strains of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 by ultra high pressure and tert-butylhydroquinone combination.

Antimicrobial efficacy of ultra-high-pressure (UHP) can be enhanced by application of additional hurdles. The objective of this study was to systematically assess the enhancement in pressure lethality by TBHQ treatment, against barotolerant strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Two L. monocytogenes Scott A and the barotolerant OSY-328 strain, and two E. coli O157:H7 strains, EDL-933 and its barotolerant mutant, OSY-ASM, were tested. Cell suspensions containing TBHQ (50 ppm, dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide) were pressurized at 200 to 500 MPa (23±2°C) for 1 min, plated on tryptose agar and enumerated the survivors. The TBHQ-UHP combination resulted in synergistic inactivation of both pathogens, with different degrees of lethality among strains. The pressure lethality threshold, for the combination treatment, was lower for E. coli O157:H7 (≥ 200 MPa) than for L. monocytogenes (> 300 MPa). E. coli O157:H7 strains were extremely sensitive to the TBHQ-UHP treatment, compared to Listeria strains. Interestingly, a control treatment involving DMSO-UHP combination consistently resulted in higher inactivation than that achieved by UHP alone, against all strains tested. However, sensitization of the pathogens to UHP by the additives (TBHQ in DMSO) was prominently greater for UHP than DMSO. Differences in sensitivities to the treatment between these two pathogens may be attributed to discrepancies in cellular structure or physiological functions.
A retrospective chart review of a symptom-triggered alcohol withdrawal protocol versus previous standard of care at a veterans hospital

Alcohol is a commonly abused substance, and it is important that healthcare facilities properly manage alcohol withdrawal. Studies have found that the most efficient way to manage alcohol withdrawal is to use a symptom-triggered approach and only administer medications if symptoms surpass a specific threshold determined by a clinician administered rating scale. Alternatively, a standard fixed-dose medication regimen can be utilized. This study assessed if a new symptom-triggered protocol, utilizing the Clinical Institute Withdrawal for Alcohol, Revised (CIWA-Ar) scale for the assessment of symptoms, resulted in the anticipated patient outcomes of decreased length of hospital stay, less benzodiazepine administered per patient, and a shorter administration time from first dose of benzodiazepine given to last dose, when compared to the previous standard of care. A retrospective chart review was performed for 70 patients who had been treated for alcohol withdrawal. Patients who were treated with the symptom-t...
Physical mapping and expression of gene families encoding the N‐acetyl d‐galactosamine adherence lectin of Entamoeba histolytica

Adherence of the enteric protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is mediated by an N-acetyl D-galactosamine (GalNAc)-specific lectin, a heterodimer of heavy (170 kDa) and light (35/31 kDa) subunits. The gene families encoding the lectin subunits were characterized using clamped homogeneous electric field (CHEF) gel electrophoresis in the strain HM1:IMSS. The heavy subunit was shown to be encoded by a family of five hgl genes, which were physically mapped to five distinct HindIII restriction fragments. The light subunit was shown to be encoded by a family of lgl genes located at six loci in the genome. Heavy and light subunit genes did not appear to be linked. Partial sequences of new members of the hgl and lgl gene families were obtained. Several different strains of E. histolytica were found to contain multiple hgl loci in their genomes. Expression of hgl and lgl genes in HM1:IMSS trophozoites was examined under different growth conditions using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). mRNA transcripts were detected from three hgl genes and three lgl genes, with no significant differences between cultured amoebae and amoebae from liver abscesses. The complexity of GalNAc lectin gene expression observed suggests distinct biological functions for the products of the individual genes during pathogenesis.
Implicit representation of generalized variable upper bounds in linear programming

In certain linear programs, especially those derived from integer programs, large numbers of constraints may have very simple form. Examples are:x ij ≤ 1 (simple upper bounds [SUB]),Σ i x ij = 1 (generalized upper bounds [GUB]) andx ij ≤ y i (variable upper bounds [VUB]). A class of constraints called generalized VUB [GVUB] is introduced which includes GUB and VUB as special cases. Also introduced is a method for representing GVUB constraints implicitly within the mechanics of the simplex method.
SUPPRESSION OF AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC FAECAL FLORA IN NEWBORNS RECEIVING PARENTERAL GENTAMICIN AND AMPICILLIN

. The immediate effect of parenteral antibiotic treatment (gentamicin and ampicillin) on the aerobic and anaerobic faecal flora of 14 infants with suspected or proven neonatal septicaemia was studied. Eight infants of similar gestational and postnatal age were studied for comparison. All control infants showed an abundant growth of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria as early as the first 2 weeks of life. The treated infants generally had lower counts of aerobic and especially of anaerobic bacteria; in 10 of 16 cultures no anaerobes were isolated. In relation to aerobic strains E. coli dominated in untreated infants and Klebsiella pneumoniae in treated ones.
Case 61: Tongue mass in an infant

A 6-week-old Hispanic male was referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sugery at the University of IIIinios by his pediatrician for evaluation of a tongue mass. The patient's mother stated that she had noticed the lesion upon bringing the infant home from the hospital. No mention was made of the lesion in the report of the routine postnatal physical examination. There was apparently no difficulty in feeding, no bleeding from the lesion, and no clear history regarding change in the size of the lesion. Physical examination revealed an otherwise healthy 6-week-old infant who was well developed, well nourished, and in no apparent distress. Intraoral examination revealed a pedunculated lesion, I em long, on the midline of the dorsum of the tongue, at the anterior aspect of the posterior third (Fig. I). The lesion appeared to have a normal mucosal covering, and it was freely movable. There was no blanching of the lesion on compression, and no lymphadenopathy was present. Results of the remainder of the physical examination was within normal limits, as were the results of all routine laboratory studies and the chest radiograph. The infant was admitted to the hospital for further diagnostic procedures and treatment of the lesion.
Characterization of Hair Morphology in Families Tayassuidae and Suidae with Scanning Electron Microscopy

Surface scale patterns, cross- and longitudinal-sections, and sanded hairs from selected species and subspecies of the families Tayassuidae and Suidae were examined with scanning electron microscopy. Tayassu and Catagonus hairs have cortical layers of varying thickness, radial ribs, and spongy areas which have minor variations between genera and species. Dorsal scapular hairs of Sus scrofa domesticus, S. s. scrofa , and Phacochoerus appear similar in cross section, but different morphological characteristics are evident when the hairs are cut longitudinally or sanded. Surface scale patterns of the taxa studied in these two families did not differ significantly when observed with scanning electron microscopy.
Behavior and Energy Policy

Many countries devote substantial public resources to research and development (R&D) for energy-efficient technologies. Energy efficiency, however, depends on both these technologies and the choices of the user. Policies to affect these choices focus on price changes (e.g., subsidies for energy-efficient goods) and information disclosure (e.g., mandated energy-use labels on appliances and autos). We argue that a broader approach is merited, one that draws on insights from the behavioral sciences. Just as we use R&D to develop “hard science” into useful technological solutions, a similar process can be used to develop basic behavioral science into large-scale business and policy innovations. Cost-effectiveness can be rigorously measured using scientific field-testing. Recent examples of scaling behaviorally informed R&D into large energy conservation programs suggest that this could have very high returns.
Analysis of melanocyte precursors in Nf1 mutants reveals that MGF/KIT signaling promotes directed cell migration independent of its function in cell survival.

Neural crest-derived melanocyte precursors (MPs) in avian and murine embryos emerge from the dorsal neural tube into a migration staging area (MSA). MPs subsequently migrate from the MSA on a dorsolateral pathway between the dermamyotome and the overlying epithelium. In mouse embryos, MPs express the receptor tyrosine kinase, KIT, and require its cognate ligand, Mast cell growth factor (MGF), for survival and differentiation. Prior to the onset of MP migration, MGF is expressed on the dorsolateral pathway at some distance from cells in the MSA and appears to be required for normal MP development. To learn if MGF is required solely for MP survival on this pathway, or if it also provides directional cues for migration, we uncoupled survival from chemoattractive or motogenic functions of this ligand using mice that carry a targeted mutation at the Neurofibromin (Nf1) locus and consequently lack RAS-GAP function. We show that Nf1-mutant MPs survive in the absence of MGF in vitro and in vivo and that Nf1-mutant MPs disperse normally on the lateral migration pathway in the presence of MGF. In contrast, Nf1-mutant MPs persist in the location of the MSA but are not observed on the lateral migration pathway in double-mutant mice that also lack MGF. We conclude that MGF/KIT function provides a signal required for directed migration of the MPs on the lateral pathway in vivo, independent of its function in survival. We further suggest that the MGF mediates MP migration through a signaling pathway that does not involve RAS.
A framework for integrated pediatric palliative care: being with dying.

Recent studies highlight the need for an integrated model for palliative and end-of-life pediatric care. About 55,000 children die each year in the United States and, on any given day, about 8,600 children could benefit from care that acknowledges their limited life expectancy and severity of illness. Two case studies of children illustrate different approaches—one that aggressively applies all possible technologies to maximize chances of survival and another that focuses on the patient's overall quality of life and on healing rather than curing. The cases highlight characteristics of an integrated model of palliative care to address clinical, moral, and ethical uncertainties. This model integrates being with doing , provides for developing attunement and presence as capacities for being with children and their parents, and addresses challenges in the healthcare environment. Strategies for integrating palliative care into pediatric practice include listening, fostering respect for the child and parents across the organization, nurturing collaborative connections, managing uncertainty, tolerating ambiguity, making peace with conflict, and committing to self-care. Every pediatric nurse can play a role in making the vision of palliative care a reality integrated into the fabric of pediatric practice.
Effects of exsanguination and sodium nitroprusside on compliance of the spinal canal during aortic occlusion

Abstract To evaluate the effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and partial exsanguination (EXS) on systemic hemodynamics and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, we monitored proximal and distal blood pressure (BP), cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), spinal cord perfusion pressure (SCPP), and compliance of the spinal canal (CSC) in 10 mongrel dogs during aortic cross-clamping of the descending thoracic aorta. CSC was measured by serial injections of 2 ml of saline solution into the cisterna cerebellomedullaris via a percutaneously placed catheter with simultaneous measurements of CSFP. Data were acquired at baseline (BL), during aortic cross-clamping with proximal hypertension (AXC), and after control of proximal hypertension with EXS and SNP. During the cross-clamp interval, mean proximal aortic pressure (PxBP) rose from 114 ± 6 to 150 ± 3 mm Hg (P 0.05). Mean distal aortic pressure (DsBP) decreased from systemic values to 21.5 ± 1.9 mm Hg during AXC, and to 12.4 ± 1.0 and to 8 ± 0.8 mm Hg during EXS and SNP, respectively (P 0.05; AXC vs BL, P > 0.05). This study shows that the decrease in SCPP caused by SNP is caused by an increase in CSFP and a decrease in DsBP: however, the rise in CSFP does not appear to be caused solely by a decrease in CSC. The effects of reduction in CSFP observed with EXS are associated with an increase in CSC. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that the beneficial effects of EXS on SCPP may be mediated by an improvement in CSC.
The excitation of plasma waves by a current source moving in a magnetized plasma: The MHD approximation

Alfven waves are important in natural-space phenomena, and studies of these waves have been conducted by performing active experiments in space plasma. One method to study these waves involves the use of an electrodynamic tether. The electrodynamic tether consists of a subsatellite with a conducting outer surface connected to the Space Shuttle by an insulator-clad, conducting wire about 20 kilometers in length. The emf generated by the motion of the tether across the geomagnetic field will act to drive a current through the tethered system. It is pointed out that this current in the tether acts as a source for exciting the shear-Alfven wave. In the present investigation it is shown that fringing effects play a dominant role in determining the radiation pattern for currently envisioned deployments of the tether. The current paper is the first of three papers concerned with the excitation of low-frequency waves arising from a current source moving through a cold, magnetized plasma.
The Privileges of Past Communist Party Membership in Russia and Endogenous Switching Regression

Abstract By now a large literature testifies to the enduring advantages ex-members of the Communist Party enjoy in post-communist countries. Most researchers argue that formal or informal institutional mechanisms explain this persistence. Gerber's (2000) alternative explanation contends that not institutions but certain durable personal characteristics give ex-party members a leg up. He uses endogenous switching regression (ESR) to test his theory. We argue that Gerber's own model does not show that the ex-party members' economic advantage is psychological rather than institutional. Then we demonstrate that Gerber's model is incomplete and once we add missing variables in the selection equation the model reduces to simple Analysis of Covariance Regression suggesting no selection effect. Finally, we voice more general doubts about ESR.
Cooperative LTP can map memory sequences on dendritic branches.

Abstract Hebbian synaptic learning requires co-activation of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. However, under some conditions, information regarding the postsynaptic action potential, carried by backpropagating action potentials, can be strongly degraded before it reaches the distal dendritic synapse. Can these synapses still exhibit Hebbian long-term potentiation (LTP)? Recent results show that LTP can indeed occur at synapses on distal dendrites of hippocampal CA1 neurons, even in the absence of a postsynaptic somatic spike. Instead, local dendritic spikes contribute to the depolarization required to induce LTP. Here, a dendritically constrained synaptic learning rule is proposed, which suggests that nearby synapses can encode temporally contiguous events.
Cellular control in two clicks

If complex tissues are to be engineered, synthetic materials will be needed that provide cells with precisely located molecular cues. A method that attaches such cues to specific areas of a gel could be the answer.
The effect of chronic luteinizing hormone treatment on adult rat Leydig cells

We investigated the chronic effects of luteinizing hormone (LH) treatment on adult rat Leydig cell structure and function. Two groups of sexually mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were used; controls and rats implanted subdermally with LH-filled Alzet miniosmotic pumps (delivers 24 micrograms of LH per day). After 2 weeks of LH treatment, testes of these rats were fixed by 2.5% glutaraldehyde in cacodylate buffer and processed and embedded in epon-araldite for light and electron microscopy and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. Using light microscopic stereology, Leydig cell volume density, number of Leydig cells per testis, and the average volume of a Leydig cell were determined. Additionally, the organelle volumes per Leydig cells were quantified by electron microscopic stereology. Sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP2) and catalase in Leydig cells were immunolocalized via the Protein A gold method. Isolated and purified Leydig cells were used to determine the LH-stimulated (100 ng/ml) testosterone secretory capacity per Leydig cell in vitro and to compare the SCP2 and catalase content in equal numbers of Leydig cells using immunoblot analysis. After 2 weeks of LH-treatment, Leydig cell number per testis and the average volume showed a two-fold increase. All organelles tested, except the lipid droplets, were significantly (P < 0.05) increased two-fold in volume per Leydig cell. Testosterone secretory capacity per Leydig cell was increased approximately six-fold in the LH-treated group. Immunolabeling studies showed that the intraperoxisomal SCP2 content was significantly greater (P < 0.05) and the catalase content was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in LH-treated rats compared to to controls. Immunoblots showed that the total SCP2 content per cell is greater and the catalase content per cell is similar in Leydig cells of LH-treated rats compared to controls. In summary, chronic LH treatment produced hyperplasia, hypertrophy and increased testosterone secretory capacity in leydig cells of adult rats. However, the increase in the testosterone secretory capacity per Leydig cell exceeds the degree of Leydig cell hypertrophy, which cannot be explained by a generalized increase in volumes of all Leydig cell organelles in the LH-treated rats. These results also suggested that chronic LH treatment induces differential synthesis of peroxisomal proteins, i.e. an increase in SCP2 synthesis and no change in catalase synthesis. This resulted in peroxisomes rich in SCP2 and lower in catalase. Significance of these effects in relation to the increased steroidogenic capacity of Leydig cells remains to be determined.