cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extrapleural pneumonolysis with lucite ball plombage.

1) Extrapleural lucite ball plombage has been used 72 times in 64 patients. 2) There have been two deaths, one postoperatively three days after operation from extensive flare-up of disease, and one from recurrent tuberculous meningitis several months after pulmonary plombage. No other complications have developed. 3) In 64 patients 54.7 per cent have negative sputa and none has been made worse. If the patients with bilateral disease are separated from those with unilateral disease the results are better. In 36 patients with unilateral disease 86.1 per cent have negative sputa. The patients have been followed six to 24 months after operation. 4) Factors are discussed that will undoubtedly bring about better end results. 5) Extrapleural lucite ball plombage has a definite place in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis and probably will be used more extensively in the future.
Erosive osteoarthritis: a current review of a clinical challenge

Erosive osteoarthritis, a less common subtype of osteoarthritis, is often described as a more severe form. This combination of cartilage degeneration with pathologic features suggestive of inflammatory synovial changes generally manifests in women around the time of menopause and hormonal levels as well as genetics are thought to play a role in its onset. The hands are most often involved with the sudden onset of palpable pain and swelling of the distal interphalangeal joints and proximal interphalangeal joints most frequently, but other joints have been reported. Phalangeal deformities appearing as wavy or subluxed as well as Heberden and Bouchard nodes can be seen clinically. Laboratory tests for systemic inflammation are usually normal but small studies looking at markers of bone resorption have shown increased levels in these patients. Radiographs reveal central joint erosions implying an inflammatory process which has been described in synovial specimens. Treatment options that have been tried include those utilized for general osteoarthritis as well as those for rheumatoid arthritis. Since prolonged disability in hand function can occur, further studies looking at its pathogenesis and targeted treatment options are needed.
Nature on the Move II: Contemplation Becomes Speculation

As the second installation of this triptych, this essay addresses the broader historical trajectories and cultural manifestations of Nature on the Move. In it I argue that recent forms of nature for speculation are discursively and visually rooted in an older, and more widely recognized, nature for contemplation. As it emerged alongside the industrial revolution, nature for contemplation already embodied qualities amenable to the production of a moving commodity nature: forgetting, abstraction, reification, and exchangeability. At the same time, however, it was popularly presented as immutable, immovable, and beyond capitalist value production. It took a great deal of cultural and intellectual labor for this nature's proto-commodity qualities to be realized and presented as a fait accompli. This has been achieved in large part by the mediation of relationships by images, or what Guy Debord (1995[1967]) called spectacle. "As the indispensable decoration of objects as the are produced today," (ibid: thesis 15) spectacle provides the aesthetic articulation for what I call "eco-functional nature" -- a nature that appears as though it can be moved around to optimize ecosystem health and economic growth. Production of this seemingly unassailable vision happens at a diversity of interconnected sites, where it is also often vigorously opposed. These constitute the micro-political milieus of decentered and apparently unrelated struggles over what nature is and what nature will be.
Longer food chains and crowded niche space: effects of multiple invaders on desert stream food web structure

Tributaries of the Colorado River Basin, historically home to a complex of endemic omnivores collectively referred to as the 'three species'; flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), bluehead sucker (C. discobolus) and roundtail chub (Gila robusta), have experienced the establishment of numerous non-native fish species. In this study, we examine the impacts of the trophic ecology of non-native fishes on the 'three species' in the San Rafael River, Utah, USA. We employ a suite of abundance comparisons, stable isotope techniques and size-at-age back-calculation analyses to compare food web structure and growth rates of the 'three species' in study areas with and without established populations of non-native species. We found that the 'three species' are more abundant in areas with few non-native fishes present, regardless of habitat complexity. Stable isotope analyses indicate non-native fishes lengthen the food chain by 0.5 trophic positions. Further, the trophic niche spaces of the native fishes shift and are narrower in the presence of non-native fishes, as several non-native species' trophic niche spaces overlap almost entirely with each of the 'three species' (bluehead sucker and flannelmouth sucker 100%, roundtail chub 98.5%) indicating strong potential for competition. However, the 'three species' demonstrated no evidence of reduced growth in the presence of these non-native fishes. Collectively, these results suggest that while non-native fishes alter the food web structure presenting novel sources of predation and competition, mechanisms other than competition are controlling the size-structure of 'three species' populations in the San Rafael River.
Running Wheel Activity Prevents Hyperphagia and Obesity in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty Rats: Role of Hypothalamic Signaling

Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats lacking cholecystokinin-A receptors are hyperphagic, obese, and diabetic. Although exercise attenuates OLETF rats' obesity, the mechanisms underlying the effects of exercise are unclear. In this study, we determined the effects of running wheel activity on patterns of body weight gain, food intake, and hypothalamic gene expression. We demonstrate that voluntary running activity beginning at 8 wk of age normalized meal patterns, food intake, body weight, and plasma levels of glucose and leptin in OLETF rats. During the initial exercise period, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA expression was significantly elevated in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) but not in the paraventricular nucleus in both OLETF and control Long-Evans Tokushima rats. In response to long-term exercise, arcuate nucleus (Arc) neuropeptide Y (NPY), and proopiomelanocortin as well as DMH NPY and CRF mRNA expression were increased in Long-Evans Tokushima rats. In contrast, whereas exercising OLETF rats had increased Arc NPY and DMH CRF expression, Arc proopiomelanocortin and DMH NPY mRNA levels were not elevated. Finally, we demonstrate that the effects of exercise on body weight in OLETF rats were long lasting. Although food intake and body weight were increased in OLETF rats when running wheels were locked, weights did not return to those of sedentary OLETF rats. Together, these data suggest that the elevation of DMH CRF expression may mediate the short-term feeding inhibitory effects of exercise and that exercise limits the elevation of DMH NPY expression to account for the overall prevention of OLETF rats' obesity.
Dental eruption schedules of wild and captive baboons.

Dental eruption schedules previously used to age wild baboons have in the past derived from studies of captive animals housed under standard conditions and fed standard laboratory diets. This paper reports for the first time eruption schedules derived from wild baboons, the yellow baboons (Papio hamadryas cynocephalus) of Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, and compares these schedules with those of other baboon subspecies inhabiting both similar and dissimilar environments. Eighteen males and twelve females from the Viramba groups, ranging in age from 21 to 103 months, were trapped, and dental impressions and notes were made of the state of eruption of each tooth. Eruption of all teeth were delayed at Mikumi relative to the baboon standards derived from the captive animals at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, Texas. Teeth of the canine-premolar 3 complex and third molars were most delayed, erupting up to a year and a half later than their counterparts from captive animals. Comparison with data on hamadryas baboons from Erer-Gota in Ethiopia revealed that both the hamadryas and yellow subspecies of baboons, with different genetic backgrounds and living under markedly different environmental conditions, followed the same schedule. This constancy of developmental schedules suggests that these Mikumi data may reasonably be used as standards for other wild baboon populations and that acceleration of dental maturation, as well us maturation of other somatic systems in captivity, is another manifestation of the short-term adaptive plasticity of the baboon species as a whole.
Frontiers in therapeutic development of allopregnanolone for Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

Allopregnanolone (Allo), a neurosteroid, has emerged as a promising promoter of endogenous regeneration in brain. In a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, Allo induced neurogenesis, oligodendrogenesis, white matter generation and cholesterol homeostasis while simultaneously reducing β-amyloid and neuroinflammatory burden. Allo activates signaling pathways and gene expression required for regeneration of neural stem cells and their differentiation into neurons. In parallel, Allo activates systems to sustain cholesterol homeostasis and reduce β-amyloid generation. To advance Allo into studies for chronic human neurological conditions, we examined translational and clinical parameters: dose, regimen, route, formulation, outcome measures, and safety regulations. A treatment regimen of once per week at sub-sedative doses of Allo was optimal for regeneration and reduction in Alzheimer’s pathology. This regimen had a high safety profile following chronic exposure in aged normal and Alzheimer’s mice. Formulation of Allo for multiple routes of administration has been developed for both preclinical and clinical testing. Preclinical evidence for therapeutic efficacy of Allo spans multiple neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, Niemann-Pick, diabetic neuropathy, status epilepticus, and traumatic brain injury. To successfully translate Allo as a therapeutic for multiple neurological disorders, it will be necessary to tailor dose and regimen to the targeted therapeutic mechanisms and disease etiology. Treatment paradigms conducted in accelerated disease models in young animals have a low probability of successful translation to chronic diseases in adult and aged humans. Gender, genetic risks, stage and burden of disease are critical determinants of efficacy. This review focuses on recent advances in development of Allo for Alzheimer’s disease that have the potential to accelerate therapeutic translation for multiple unmet neurological needs.
Condensation of silanol groups in porous methylsilsesquioxane films using Supercritical CO/sub 2/ and alcohol cosolvents

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, goniometry, and electrical measurements were used to investigate the effect of adding alcohol and carboxylic acid cosolvents to supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO/sub 2/) to condense silanol groups in blanket porous methylsilsesquioxane (p-MSQ) films (JSR LKD 5109). The aliphatic C1-C6 alcohols removed approximately 50% more hydrogen-bonded silanol (SiO-H) groups than pure scCO/sub 2/, leaving isolated silanol groups on the surfaces of the pores. Acetic acid removed H-bonded silanols but left fewer isolated moieties. On a molar basis, n-propanol, isopropanol, and n-butanol removed the largest percentage of silanols per molecule of cosolvent. These cosolvents were also among the lowest vapor pressure cosolvents studied, making them the most environmentally acceptable. As-received ashed ultralow-k MSQ had a contact angle of less than 10/spl deg/ and a dielectric constant of 3.5/spl plusmn/0.1. After processing in a mixture containing 7% n-propanol and scCO/sub 2/, the contact angle was 15/spl deg/ and the dielectric constant decreased to 3.2 /spl plusmn/ 0.1. The surface was hydrophilic after processing in mixtures of cosolvents and scCO/sub 2/ because of the isolated silanol groups on the surface. A comparison of the trends across the alcohol series indicates that cosolvent addition to scCO/sub 2/ increased the solubility of water in the supercritical fluid mixture compared to pure scCO/sub 2/. Within the same class of molecules, the solubility of the cosolvent in the supercritical fluid is a more important selection criterion than the solubility of water in the cosolvent.
Corrigendum to “Scientific overview: 2013 BBC plenary symposium on tobacco addiction” [Drug Alcohol Depend. 141 (2014) 107–117]

Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA Department of Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Arthritis associated with jejunoileal bypass

Arthritis is a common complication of small bowel bypass, occurring in 5-20% of the postsurgical patients. Thirteen patients with arthritis related to jejunoileal bypass were studied. These patients had a symmetrical polyarthritis, and 8 also had extraarticular connective tissue disease manifestations. Immunologic evaluations were done on these patients and on a control group of 12 age- and sex-matched postintestinal bypass patients without arthritis. The incidence of positive ANA, rheumatoid factors, immune complexes, and antibodies to intestinal flora was the same in both groups. Patients in both groups showed similar changes in numbers of circulating T and B lymphocytes. More patients in the group with arthritis than in the control group had elevated IgA levels (38% versus 8%), but the difference was not significant (P less than 0.05). This study demonstrates that immunologic abnormalities occur after jejeunoileal bypass irrespective of the onset of arthritis or related symptoms. No specific immunologic abnormalities could be associated with the arthritis occurring after small bowel bypass.
User Collaborative Semantic Web Service Matching for Legacy Application Integration A Case Study

In this paper we present the results of a case study on the application of our semantic Web service matching system to a real-world legacy application integration problem. Experimental results on our initial data sets indicate that the system on its own is able to achieve close to an average of 50% recall and 54% precision measures in matching the parameters that define the interfaces of business applications. Additional performance enhancements of up to 95% recall and 72% precision measures were achieved with the usage of domain ontologies created by an expert. Therefore, we believe a user working with a semantics-based intelligence tool could gain significant productivity enhancements in IT projects rather than working alone. These productivity enhancements can be quickly translated into savings in time and money in business process integration projects.
Rap's Unruly Body The Postmodern Performance of Black Male Identity on the American Stage

In response to the question, Does rap bear any “social message,” Ice Cube was careful to make a distinction between the occasions when rappers are “just having fun” and when they are performing a more serious “social message.” “Gansta rap” or “reality rap” are self-conscious performances of the complexities and commodifications of black male identity in America. Gangsta rap, the most theatrical style of rap, comments on the place of black masculinity in the American value system, and imagines alternative spaces where the power structures may be redefined.
Fidelity of DNA synthesis in a mammalian in vitro replication system.

We have used the simian virus 40 (SV40)-based shuttle vector pZ189 in a forward-mutation assay to determine the fidelity of DNA replication in the in vitro DNA replication system developed by J.J. Li and T.J. Kelly (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:6973-6977, 1984). We find that very few base substitution errors (approximately 1/180,000 bases incorporated) are made during in vitro replication of the pZ189 vector in a system derived from CV-1 monkey cells. This replication is completely dependent on added SV40 T antigen and presumably reflects synthesis that is initiated at the SV40 replication origin. The observed level of fidelity is far greater than that reported for in vitro replication of DNA by conventionally purified eucaryotic DNA polymerases alpha and beta. Thus, there must be additional cellular factors in the crude in vitro system that serve to enhance the fidelity of DNA replication.
On aggregating information in actor networks

This paper provides a way to think formally about the aggregation processes that take place in networks where individual actors (whether sensors, robots, or people) possess data whose value may decay over time. The various actors use data to make decisions: the larger the value, the better (i.e. more informed) the decision. At every moment, individual actors have the choice of making a decision or else to defer the decision to a later time. However, the longer they wait, the lower the value of the data they hold. To counter-balance the effect of time discounting, we define an algebraic operation that we call aggregation, whereby two or more actors integrate their data in the hope of increasing its value. Our main contribution is a formal look at the value of time-discounted information and at the algebra of its aggregation. We allow aggregation of time-discounted information to proceed in an arbitrary, not necessarily pairwise, manner. Our model relates aggregation decisions to the ensuing value of information and suggests natural thresholding strategies for the aggregation of the information collected by sets of network actors. Extensive simulations have confirmed the accuracy of our theoretical predictions.
Maximal aerobic performance of deer mice in combined cold and exercise challenges

In nature, animals frequently need to deal with several physiological challenges simultaneously. We examined thermoregulatory performance (body temperature stability) and maximal oxygen consumption of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) during intense exercise at room temperature, acute cold exposure, and exercise during cold exposure. Results with exercise and cold exposure alone were consistent with previous studies: there was little difference between maximal metabolism elicited by exercise alone or cold exposure alone in warm-acclimated mice; after cold acclimation (9 weeks at 5 °C), maximal exercise metabolism did not change but maximum thermogenic capacity increased by >60%. Warm acclimated animals did not increase maximal oxygen consumption when exercise was combined with moderate cold (0 °C) and had decreased maximal oxygen consumption when exercise was combined with severe cold (−16 °C). Combined cold and exercise also decreased thermoregulatory performance and exercise endurance time. Cold acclimation improved thermoregulatory performance in combined cold and exercise, and there was also a slight increase in endurance. However, as for warm-acclimated animals, maximal exercise metabolism did not increase at low temperatures. We interpret these results as an indication of competition between thermoregulatory and locomotor effectors (brown adipose tissue and skeletal muscle) under the combined challenges of cold exposure and maximal exercise, with priority given to the locomotor function.
Crystal structures of human GAR Tfase at low and high pH and with substrate beta-GAR.

Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GAR Tfase) is a key folate-dependent enzyme in the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway and, as such, has been the target for antitumor drug design. Here, we describe the crystal structures of the human GAR Tfase (purN) component of the human trifunctional protein (purD−purM−purN) at various pH values and in complex with its substrate. Human GAR Tfase exhibits pH-dependent enzyme activity with its maximum around pH 7.5−8. Comparison of unliganded human GAR Tfase structures at pH 4.2 and pH 8.5 reveals conformational differences in the substrate binding loop, which at pH 4.2 occupies the binding cleft and prohibits substrate binding, while at pH 8.5 is permissive for substrate binding. The crystal structure of GAR Tfase with its natural substrate, β-glycinamide ribonucleotide (β-GAR), at pH 8.5 confirms this conformational isomerism. Surprisingly, several important structural differences are found between human GAR Tfase and previously reported E. coli GAR Tfase st...
Business Incubation in Chile: Development, Financing and Financial Services

Business incubation in Chile is still in its nascent stages, with approximately 27 incubators supported primarily by a coalition of government and universities. Chilean business incubators tend to capitalize on regional resource strengths and have a strategic focus on high growth, high innovation, high impact businesses as a result of a government mandate to focus on developing business with high potential for economic development and job creation. The government’s efforts to create the framework conditions for entrepreneurship by investing in business incubators, organizing risk capital for early stage ventures to fill capital market gaps and support for angel networks as well as incubator funding are discussed. Policy implications for the continued growth of the incubation industry are provided.
WriteOn: A Tool to Support Teaching Software Engineering

In this paper, we discuss an advance in technology-aided instruction. Not limited as in the past to PowerPoint-based or white board-centered electronic ink applications, the new tool, WriteOn, allows the instructor to use electronic ink to annotate on top of any application visible on the tablet PC display screen. WriteOn has been successfully used in the teaching of program design and development techniques in introductory computer engineering and computer science classes. This paper describes the experience of the lecturer as well as the students in using WriteOn in a class that teaches the fundamentals of software engineering to computer science and computer engineering students.
Mental status changes and stroke.

A retrospective analysis at a tertiary referred center was done to determine the frequency with which an acute confusional state is caused by a stroke and to evaluate the usefulness of performing computed tomography in this setting. We reviewed 127 neurology consultations requested for patients presenting with acute and apparently isolated mental status changes. The mean age was 62. Nine of 127 (7%) were thought to have suffered mental status changes as a result of an acute stroke: one subarachnoid hemorrhage and eight ischemic strokes. There was no intracerebral hemorrhage. The locations of the infarcts were right frontoparietal (four patients), bilateral occipital (two patients), bilateral frontal (two patients), and right pontine (one patient, in whom the causality of the stroke was uncertain). Of those nine strokes presenting with isolated mental symptoms, six (66%) had some focal abnormality on neurological examination. Only three of the 109 patients (2.7%) with no focal findings were ultimately diagnosed as strokes, and one of these had a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Stroke was a relatively rare cause of acute confusional syndrome. The neurological examination had a very high negative predictive value (97%) and was reliable in selecting patients who should undergo an imaging study.
Regulation of two insulin granule populations within the reserve pool by distinct calcium sources

Insulin granule trafficking is a key step of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. Using quantitative live cell imaging, we examined insulin granule movements within the reserve pool upon secretory stimulation in betaTC3 cells. For this study, we developed a custom image analysis program that permitted automatic tracking of the individual motions of over 20,000 granules. This analysis of a large sample size enabled us to study micro-populations of granules that were not quantifiable in previous studies. While over 90% of the granules depend on Ca2+ efflux from the endoplasmic reticulum for their mobilization, a small and fast-moving population of granules responds to extracellular Ca2+ influx after depolarization of the plasma membrane. We show that this differential regulation of the two granule populations is consistent with localized Ca2+ signals, and that the cytoskeletal network is involved in both types of granule movement. The fast-moving granules are correlated temporally and spatially to the replacement of the secreted insulin granules, which supports the hypothesis that these granules are responsible for replenishing the readily releasable pool. Our study provides a model by which glucose and other secretory stimuli can regulate the readily releasable pool through the same mechanisms that regulate insulin secretion.
The Role Of Awareness And Communications In Information Security Management: A Health Care Information Systems Perspective

The purpose and intent of this research study is to understand and interpret the perception of stakeholders in healthcare organizations concerning security awareness and communications. The data is analyzed using the demographic characteristics of age, gender, education, and relevant work experience in order to determine if there are any significant differences between the groups regarding the state of awareness and the communication functions in a health care environment. The statistical results are presented in tabular form with descriptive analysis applied to each of the categories. Data-based conclusions are drawn and future research directions are indicated and discussed.
Propagation, Synchrony, and Impact of Introduced and Native Laricobius spp. (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) on Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Virginia

Synchrony and impact of the predators Laricobius nigrinus Fender and Laricobius rubidus LeConte, on hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, were studied in an eastern hemlock Þeld insectary in Virginia. First, a Þeld insectary for propagation of the introducedL. nigrinus was established by planting hemlocks in 2001, infesting them with hemlock woolly adelgid in 2002 and 2003, followed by releasing 258 L. nigrinus in 2003. Initial sampling showed that the native L. rubidus was present in the area. Hemlock woolly adelgid and both Laricobius species populations increased annually, from which 305 F3 L. nigrinus adults were collected and redistributed to forests in 2007. Second, the phenology of hemlock woolly adelgid and Laricobius spp. life cycles were monitored in 2005 and 2006. Adult L. nigrinus (F2) and L. rubidus were active on hemlock from fall through mid-spring and overlapped with second-instar sistentes nymphs through progredientes eggs. The predatorsO eggs were oviposited and larvae developed (i.e., F3 L. nigrinus) from late winter to mid-spring on progredientes eggs, indicating synchrony with suitable prey life stages. Third, a predator exclusion experiment was used to examine the relationships between the predators and prey in 2005 and 2006. When exposed toL.nigrinus (F2 adults and F3 larvae) andL.rubidus, hemlock woolly adelgid survival and ovisac density were lower and ovisac disturbance was higher than hemlock woolly adelgid protected in cages. The establishment and production of L. nigrinus at a Þeld insectary, synchroni- zation with, and impacts on hemlock woolly adelgid after a small release 2 yr earlier makes it an important potential biological control agent of hemlock woolly adelgid.
Metabolic, Biogenetic, Seizure, and Neuromotor Disorders of Childhood

Various metabolic, biogenetic/chromosomal, seizure and neuromotor disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy) are the focus of this chapter. These neurological disorders frequently result in accompanying neuropsychological, social/emotional, and behavioral difficulties that place stress on the child, family, and school. As with other neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, the pediatric neuropsychologist needs to be particularly sensitive to these stressors when assessing and planning intervention programs. Study of these variables is just beginning, but clinical practice indicates that children with these various disorders require support in all environments: home, school, and social. A transactional approach to the deficits experienced by children with these disorders would be most ecologically valid while also providing information for the most appropriate interventions. A number of select metabolic, biogenetic, seizure, and neuromotor disorders will be discussed in this chapter, with attention not only to the neuropsychological assessment of deficits, but also to the contributions of the family and school for remediating these difficulties. Research on intervention outcome is sparse and is sorely needed. For each of these disorders, a review of the literature indicates that more knowledge is needed, not only concerning the neuropsychology of the disorder, but also in planning for these children throughout the life span. The demarcation of biogenetic, neurocutaneous, and metabolic disorders is one of convenience and does not imply that a biogenetic basis underlies all of these conditions. The demarcations are used only for ease of discussion.
Measurement of K/sup 0//sub L/. -->. pi. /sup +/. pi. /sup -/. pi. /sup 0/ decay parameters. [Branching ratio, isospin, decay amplitude]

The decay K/sup 0//sub L/ ..-->.. ..pi../sup +/..pi../sup -/..pi../sup 0/ has been studied in an experiment using the Argonne 12-ft hydrogen bubble chamber exposed to a K/sup 0//sub L/ beam of momentum 550 +- 35 MeV/c. After radiative corrections to the data, a fit using a matrix element of the form vertical-bar M vertical-bar/sup 2/ proportional 1 + g (s/sub 3/ - s/sub 0/)/m/sub ..pi../ + /sup 2/ +h((s/sub 3/ - s/sub 0/)/m/sub ..pi../ + /sup 2/)/sup 2/ +k((s/sub 1/ - s/sub 2/)/m/sub ..pi../ + /sup 2/)/sup 2/ gives g = 0.681 +- 0.24, h = 0.095 +- 0.032, and k = 0.024 +- 0.010. The branching ratio GAMMA (K/sup 0//sub L/ ..-->.. ..pi../sup +/..pi../sup -/..pi../sup 0/)/GAMMA (K/sup 0//sub L/ ..-->.. charged) was measured to be 0.163 +- 0.003. These results, when compared to those obtained in other K/sup 0//sub L/ and K/sup plus-or-minus/ decay experiments, indicate a substantial ..delta..I > 1/2 contribution to the K/sup 0//sub L/ decay amplitude.
Transmission Electron Microscopy of Commercial Filamentary Nb-Ti Superconducting Composites

The diversity and scale of present applications of Nb-Ti superconductors have raised the questions of what is a reasonable minimum specification of critical current density and whether the present standard U. S. alloy Nb-46.5 wt.% Ti, at least as currently processed, is always the best alloy. This particular alloy attains high values of critical current density, J c (about 1800 to 2000 AJmm2 at 5 T and 4.2 K) when extensively cold worked and is, therefore, less suitable when large filament sizes or strip conductors are desired. Historically, the high-titanium alloys, such as Nb-65 wt.% Ti (Ti-22 at.% Nb), were the first to be developed [1]. Good current density figures can be obtained with little or no cold work in these alloys, since α-titanium precipitation can provide the flux-pinning sites [2]. These alloys, however, have acquired a reputation for being difficult to fabricate and are no longer commercially available. More recently, very high J 3 values (about 3500 AJmm2 at 5 T and 4.2 K) have been reported for experimental Nb-50 wt.% Ti alloys, where controlled precipitation in the cold-worked structure is claimed to give a very high density of flux-pinning sites [3]. These high J c values are of particular interest in the design of superconducting magnetic energy storage units, where Nb-Ti is 15 to 20% of the total capital cost of practical units [4].
The Nature and Role of Surface Charge in Ceramics

The recognition by Mott and Littleton1 and Frenkel2, that the energies of formation of cation and anion vacancies in ionic solids are different, led to the conclusion that unequal numbers of these defects can exist in a crystal. In the standard sense of a neutral reference state for the perfect ionic lattice, these defects, as well as interstitials, dislocation jogs, and surface kinks carry net charges. Since surfaces act as sources or sinks for vacancies, the inequality in the number of oppositely charged vacancies would lead to the formation of a surface charge. Compensation for this charge comes from oppositely charged defects residing in a region adjacent to the surface. This region, termed the Debye-Huckel layer, screens the charge on the surface from the bulk of the crystal which is neutral. Lehovic3, Eshelby et al.4 Kliewer5, 6, and Kliewer and Koehler7 extended the theoretical work of Frenkel and included an analysis for impurity-containing crystals. Moreover, since an edge dislocation acts as a source or sink for vacancies, it should also aquire a charge and have a compensating cylindrical region surrounding the dislocation line.
Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia and Patient Safety: Update of an Evidence-Based Analysis

In 2010, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine9s evidence-based medicine assessment of ultrasound (US)-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) analyzed the effect of this nerve localization technology on patient safety. That analysis focused on 4 important regional anesthesia complications: peripheral nerve injury, local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST), hemidiaphragmatic paresis (HDP), and pneumothorax. In the intervening 5 years, further research has allowed us to refine our original conclusions. This update reviews previous findings and critically evaluates new literature published since late 2009 that compares the patient safety attributes of UGRA with those of traditional nerve localization methods. As with the previous version of this exercise, analysis focused on randomized controlled trials that compared UGRA with an alternative neural localization method and case series of more than 500 patients. The Jadad score was used to grade individual study quality, and conclusions were graded as to strength of evidence. Of those randomized controlled trials identified by our search techniques, 28 compared the incidence of postoperative nerve symptoms, 27 assessed LAST parameters, 7 studied HDP, and 9 reported the incidence of pneumothorax. The current analysis strengthens our original conclusions that US guidance has no significant effect on the incidence of postoperative neurologic symptoms and that UGRA reduces the incidence and intensity of HDP but does so in an unpredictable manner. Conversely, emerging evidence supports the effectiveness of US guidance for reducing LAST across its clinical presentation continuum. The predicted frequency of pneumothorax has grown smaller in tandem with increased experience with US-guided supraclavicular block. This evidence-based review summarizes both the power and the limitations of UGRA as a tool for improving patient safety. What9s New Since the original 2010 publication of this analysis, evidence has continued to support the concept that ultrasound (US) guidance does not meaningfully affect the incidence of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) associated with regional anesthesia. Similar confirmatory evidence attests to US guidance reducing the incidence and intensity of hemidiaphragmatic paresis (HDP) but not eliminating it. Literature published since late 2009 reports the effective role of US guidance in reducing the incidence of local anesthetic systemic toxicity and allows calculation of a lower predicted frequency of pneumothorax associated with US-guided supraclavicular blocks.
Treatment of delirium tremens. A comparative evaluation of four drugs.

Chlordiazepoxide, paraldehyde, perphenazine and sodium pentobarbital all produced similarly favorable results in the treatment of uncomplicated delirium tremens. Drugs that are cross-dependent with...
Abstract 3341: Chronic TNFα treatment enhances cancer stem cell-like phenotype via Notch1 activation in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

Although there is an increasing evidence of chronic inflammation-associated tumorigenesis, the molecular and cellular mechanisms linking chronic inflammation to tumorigenesis have not yet been fully understood. Recent studies have uncovered and validated the pathophysiological role of self-renewing cells, named cancer stem cells (CSC; also called tumor-initiating cells), in long-term sustenance of cancers. In this study, we investigated the effect of chronic inflammation on CSC phenotype of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells (OSCC). We treated OSCC cell lines with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), a major proinflammatory cytokine, for extended periods and examined the effect of chronic TNFα on CSC characteristics, i.e., undifferentiated tumor sphere forming ability, stem cell-associated genes expression and chemo-radioresistance. Chronic treatment of OSCC with TNFα enhanced CSC phenotype, which is shown by increased tumor sphere forming ability, greatly increased tumorigenicity and chemo-radioresistance, and increased expression of stemness-related genes. Moreover, activation of Notch1 signaling was detected in the TNFα treated cell, and suppression of Notch1 signaling inhibited CSC phenotype. Furthermore, we demonstrated that inhibition of Hes-1, the downstream target of Notch1, led to suppression of CSC phenotype. Taken together, the data suggest that proinflammatory cytokine exposure can generate or/and enrich OSCC CSC population, in part, by activation of the Notch1 signaling pathway. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3341. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3341
A Species Comparison of Serum Proteins and Enzymes by Starch Gel Electrophoresis.

SummaryThe occurrence and distribution of serum enzymes and proteins in 7 mammalian species have been studied by means of starch gel electrophoresis and appropriate staining technics. Species differences were observed with respect to the presence, number, mobility, and concentration of components exhibiting various enzymatic activities. Similar observations were also made with respect to bands staining for protein.The technical assistance of Carl Howell and John A. Cogswell is gratefully acknowledged.
Observation on the intervening effect of health education on controlling endemic fluorosis in Baiyun,suburban of Gniyang

Objective To explore the effect of the intervening health education on controlling endemic fluorosis.Methods 3 villages of Han,Miao and Buyi minorities in three different areas were chosen.Baseline survey was conducted on the general conditions of the villagers,the coal-burning habit and the risk factors inducing endemic fluorosis.Propaganda materials were made for the intervention of health education to induce the changes into correct use of coal.Finally,their awareness of the disease and their behaviors were evaluated,fluoride content in their staple foodstuff,chili pepper and urine in the children was measured.Results Along with their awareness of endemic fluorosis significantly improved,the residents abandoned their unhealthy behaviors.The contents of fluoride in the staple food,corn,chili pepper as well as in the urine decreased significantly after the intervention. Conclusions It is effective to implement health education to ensure in the correct use of coal,thus to prevent endemic fluorosis caused by domestic coal-burning pollution.
Sensitivity Tuning through Additive Heterogeneous Plasmon Coupling between 3D Assembled Plasmonic Nanoparticle and Nanocup Arrays

Plasmonic substrates have fixed sensitivity once the geometry of the structure is defined. In order to improve the sensitivity, significant research effort has been focused on designing new plasmonic structures, which involves high fabrication costs; however, a method is reported for improving sensitivity not by redesigning the structure but by simply assembling plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) near the evanescent field of the underlying 3D plasmonic nanostructure. Here, a nanoscale Lycurgus cup array (nanoLCA) is employed as a base colorimetric plasmonic substrate and an assembly template. Compared to the nanoLCA, the NP assembled nanoLCA (NP-nanoLCA) exhibits much higher sensitivity for both bulk refractive index sensing and biotin–streptavidin binding detection. The limit of detection of the NP-nanoLCA is at least ten times smaller when detecting biotin–streptavidin conjugation. The numerical calculations confirm the importance of the additive plasmon coupling between the NPs and the nanoLCA for a denser and stronger electric field in the same 3D volumetric space. Tunable sensitivity is accomplished by controlling the number of NPs in each nanocup, or the number density of the hot spots. This simple yet scalable and cost-effective method of using additive heterogeneous plasmon coupling effects will benefit various chemical, medical, and environmental plasmon-based sensors.
Qualitative analysis of RFID technology applications for healthcare management

Managing facilities effectively is crucial for healthcare organisations. Acquisition of relevant data from the facilities is essential not only for reliable building operations but can also help in monitoring of various tasks which are associated with the health and safety management of the patients. The usage of evolving technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) offers comprehensive solutions in information tracking for operations and maintenance works for improved services in the healthcare sector. RFID systems along with other communication technologies increase effectiveness in healthcare operations by reducing costs. Researchers around the globe have presented various solutions based on RFID technology to assist the healthcare professionals in monitoring their patients and assets in the hospital environment remotely to ensure safety and enhancing the working efficiency of healthcare centers' staff. A qualitative analysis of RFID enabled management systems has been presented in this paper along with a brief introduction of operating principles, advantages and limitations of the RFID technology. This paper also outlines the major barriers to RFID adoption in healthcare environments.
SU-F-T-219: Verification of the Accuracy of a Relative Stopping Power (RSP) to Hounsfield Unit (HU) Calibration Curve Produced for Proton Treatment Planning Using EBT3-Gafchromic Film Dosimetry

Purpose: Accuracy of a RSP-HU calibration curve produced for proton treatment planning is tested by comparing the treatment planning system dose grid to physical doses delivered on film by a Mevion S250 double-scattering proton unit. Methods: A single batch of EBT3 Gafchromic film was used for calibration and measurements. The film calibration curve was obtained using Mevion proton beam reference option 20 (15cm range, 10cm modulation). Paired films were positioned at the center of the spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) in solid water. The calibration doses were verified with an ion chamber, including background and doses from 20cGy to 350cGy. Films were scanned in a flatbed Epson-Expression 10000-XL scanner, and analyzed using the red channel. A Rando phantom was scanned with a GE LightSpeed CT Simulator. A single-field proton plan (Eclipse, Varian) was calculated to deliver 171cGy to the pelvis section (heterogeneous region), using a standard 4×4cm aperture without compensator, 7.89cm beam range, and 5.36cm SOBP. Varied depths of the calculated distal 90% isodose-line were recorded and compared. The dose distribution from film irradiated between Rando slices was compared with the calculated plans using RIT v.6.2. Results: Distal 90% isodose-line depth variation between CT scans was 2mm on average, and 4mm at maximum. Fine calculation of this variation was restricted by the dose calculation grid, as well as the slice thickness. Dose differences between calibrated film measurements and calculated doses were on average 5.93cGy (3.5%), with the large majority of differences forming a normal distribution around 3.5cGy (2%). Calculated doses were almost entirely greater than those measured. Conclusion: RSP to HU calibration curve is shown to produce distal depth variation within the margin of tolerance (±4.3mm) across all potential scan energies and protocols. Dose distribution calculation is accurate to 2–4% within the SOBP, including areas of high tissue heterogeneity.
Representation Theory of Rings with Identity

This chapter discusses the representation theory of kings with identity. This chapter presents the proof of a number of results needed in the development of the theory. The lemmas concern the components of a representation and particularly of the regular representation. The chapter presents an assumption as per which a ring, R , is a ring with an identity and the right ideal R 1 is a direct summand. If ρ was an operator homomorphism of R 1 into an R -module N and if v was an operator homomorphism of another R -module M onto N , then there exists an operator homomorphism τ: R 1 → M, such that ρ = τν.
Faith as Knowledge

I HAVE argued for the view of faith as the interpretative element within religious experience and as having the function of preserving our cognitive freedom in relation to God; and I have argued that the language in which the faith-awareness of God is expressed is cognitive in character, so that such statements as “God created the world” and “God loves mankind” are factually true-or-false assertions.
Sirtuins as Regulators of Cardiac Hypertrophy and Heart Failure

Sirtuins are emerging as key regulators of a number of biological functions ranging from cell growth, differentiation to longevity. Mammalian genome encodes seven sirtuins isoform (SIRT1–SIRT7), which are distributed in different compartment of the cells. Sirtuins need NAD+ for their enzymatic reaction. Because of their dependency on NAD, they can respond to energy need of the cells and modulate key enzymatic pathways relevant to the maintenance of cellular health. Throughout the evolution, from prokaryotes to mammals, sirtuins are mainly valued for their ability to bestow cells with efficient adaptation to stress conditions. Sirtuins target histone and nonhistone proteins to ameliorate varied pathophysiologic conditions by controlling gene transcription and fitness of mitochondria. Many sirtuin isoforms have been also studied for their roles in regulating cardiac development and protecting the heart from pathological stress. In this review, we will discuss impact of sirtuins in overall health of the cardiovascular system.