cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medication Nonadherence and Effectiveness of Preventive Pharmacological Therapy for Kidney Stones

Purpose: Among patients with kidney stones rates of adherence to thiazide diuretics, alkali citrate therapy and allopurinol, collectively referred to as preventive pharmacological therapy, are low. This lack of adherence may reduce the effectiveness of secondary prevention efforts, leading to poorer clinical health outcomes in patients with kidney stones. To examine the impact that medication nonadherence has on the secondary prevention of kidney stones, we compared clinical health outcomes between patients who adhered to their regimen and those who did not.Materials and Methods: Using medical and pharmacy claims data we identified adult patients with a physician coded diagnosis for kidney stones. Among the subset with a prescription fill for a preventive pharmacological therapy agent, we then measured adherence to therapy within the first 6 months of initiating treatment using the proportion of days covered formula. We defined adherence as a proportion of days covered value of 80% or greater. Finally, we...
Ecosystem Linkages Between Lakes and the Surrounding Terrestrial Landscape in Northeast Iceland

Despite a recent emphasis on understanding cross-habitat interactions, few studies have examined the ecological linkages between lakes and surrounding terrestrial habitats. The current paradigm of land–lake interactions is typically unidirectional: the view is that nutrients and matter are transported downslope from the surrounding watershed to their ultimate lacustrine destination. Emergent aquatic insects, which spend their larval stages in lake sediments and emerge as adults to mate over land, can act as vectors of material, energy and nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial habitats. In this study, we document a gradient of midge (Diptera: Chironomidae) infall rates into terrestrial habitats (measured as g dw midges m−2 d−1) surrounding eight lakes in Northern Iceland (≈66°N latitude). Lakes ranged from having virtually no midge infall (for example, Helluvaðstjorn, 0.03 g m−2 d−1) to extreme levels (for example, Mývatn, 19 g m−2 d−1) with abundances of midges decreasing logarithmically with distance from shore. Annual midge input rates are estimated as high as 1200–2500 kg midges ha−1 y−1. As midges are approximately 9.2% total N, this can result in a significant fertilization effect of terrestrial habitats with consequences for plant quality and community structure. In addition, we used naturally-occurring δ13C and δ15N isotopes to examine food web structure and diet sources of terrestrial arthropod consumers surrounding lakes with differing amounts of midge input. Terrestrial arthropods showed increased utilization of aquatic-derived (that is, midge) C relative to terrestrial sources as midge infall increased. This pattern was particularly pronounced for predators, such as spiders and opiliones, and some detritivores (Collembola). These findings suggest that, despite being largely ignored, aquatic-to-terrestrial linkages can be large and midges can fuel terrestrial communities by directly serving as resources for predators and decomposers.
Factors Affecting the Relative Proportion of Reason and Preference Statements During Problem-Solving Group Discussion

The exchange of information and of member preferences are two different avenues for social influence during group discussion with potentially differing implications. The goal of the study was to evaluate the impact of three factors proposed to influence the relative proportion of preference and reason statements during group problem-solving discussion. As hypothesized, groups beginning in consensus discussed relatively more preferences than groups beginning in disagreement. Contrary to expectation, judgmental and intellective tasks did not differ in proportions of preference and reason statements. Opposite of prediction, the opportunity to form a pre-discussion preference resulted in a smaller proportion of preference statements than the absence of this opportunity.
Identification and characterization of recombinant subgroup J avian leukosis viruses (ALV) expressing subgroup A ALV envelope.

Three recombinant avian leukosis subgroup J viruses, ADOL 5701A, ADOL 5701ADelta, and ADOL 6803A, carrying a subgroup A envelope have been isolated and characterized. These viruses were identified by their ability to replicate in DF-1/J, a recombinant chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell line expressing the subgroup J envelope that is resistant to subgroup J replication. Flow cytometric analysis of DF-1/J cells infected with ADOL 5701 and ADOL 6803, two subgroup J isolates, indicated cross-reactivity with subgroup A chicken polyclonal serum. Based on published sequences of subgroups A and J isolates, we designed a series of primers to PCR amplify the envelope and LTR of these viruses. PCR products were obtained when the forward primer was specific for subgroup A gp85 envelope protein gene and the reverse primer was specific for subgroup J LTR. Sequence analysis of the PCR products indicated that these viruses had a subgroup A gp85, a subgroup E gp37, and a subgroup J LTR. Interestingly, these viruses had previously been propagated in CEF from the alv6 chicken line, a line that carries a replication defective recombinant endogenous virus expressing a subgroup A envelope (RAV 0-A(1)). Sequence analysis of RAV 0-A(1) gp85 and gp37 envelope proteins indicated that they were almost identical to those of the recombinants ADOL 5701A and ADOL 6803A. These results indicate that these three recombinant viruses arose by recombination between exogenous subgroup J isolates and a recombinant defective endogenous virus with subgroup A envelope.
EFFECTS OF SEVERE HYPOXIA ON DILATOR PROSTAGLANDIN SYNTHESIS

The effects of severe hypoxia on dilator prostaglandin (PG) synthesis were studied in a neonatal rat model. Immediately after birth successively delivered rat pups were paired and randomly assigned to either a hypoxic (3% O2) environment or room air. The pups in the hypoxic environment were visibly cyanotic by the end of the 1 hour study period. At this time the pairs were sacrificed concurrently and blood was collected for PG radioimmunoassay. Samples were pooled within a litter such that each litter would yield one pooled sample of "hypoxic" blood and one pooled sample of "normoxic" blood. Samples from 7 litters were assayed for PGE2 and 6-keto PGF1α. Both PG's decreased under severe hypoxia: mean PGE2 levels were decreased by about 80%, while mean 6-keto PGF1α levels were decreased by only 34%. Thus severe hypoxia in the rat pup decreases both PGE2 and 6-keto PGF1α, however, the degree of suppression is different (p<0.05). In this model, therefore, under conditions of severe hypoxia 6-keto PGF1α becomes the predominant circulating dilator prostaglandin.
Photoluminescent properties of Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphors prepared via urea precipitation in non-aqueous solution

Europium-doped yttrium oxide phosphors were obtained by firing precursors prepared by urea precipitation in ethanol and ethylenediamine. The precipitation in non-aqueous solution was carried out in an autoclave at 150°C to allow the decomposition of urea. The photoluminescent intensities of the phosphors prepared in ethanol and ethylenediamine increased by about 30% compared to that of the phosphor prepared by the conventional urea homogeneous precipitation in aqueous solution. Amorphous carbonates and amorphous hydroxides/carbonates mixtures were identified as precursors from ethanol and ethylenediamine, respectively. The morphology and particle size were studied by SEM and dynamic laser scattering method.
Effects of temperature and prey size on predator–prey interactions between bluefish and bay anchovy

Little is known about the behavioral responses of fishes at low temperatures. Of particular interest are predator–prey interactions because feeding at low temperature is necessary for the overwinter survival of many species. This experiment examined how low temperatures affect behavioral interactions between bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix L.) and two sizes of bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli V.) prey. Temperature had an effect on multiple responses of predator–prey encounters including the approach distance of bluefish towards prey, attack and escape speeds, and prey handling time. The reaction distance of prey was important in determining the outcome of an attack; anchovy reacting at a greater distance from an attacking bluefish escaped more often. However, temperature did not have an effect on either reaction distance or bluefish capture success. The influence of prey size depended on how capture success was defined. Bluefish ability at catching prey was not affected by anchovy size, but larger prey were ingested less frequently due to a greater incidence of prey being dropped in trials with large anchovy. Further, bluefish had greater difficulty handling and ingesting prey at lower temperatures, especially for larger prey. At the lowest temperature treatment small anchovy were readily consumed, but no attacks were made on larger prey. This shows that bluefish modify prey size-selectivity behavior based on temperature, which probably results from a perceived inability to handle and ingest large prey at low temperatures. These results suggest that at low winter temperatures bluefish are restricted to smaller prey.
‘The waiter speaks’: Stella Miles Franklin and the Chicago garment workers' strike, 1910–1911

Synopsis This paper focuses on Australian feminist novelist Stella Miles Franklin's unpublished one-act play ‘The Waiter Speaks’, previously unremarked by Franklin scholars. Written during Franklin's work as secretary for the National Women's Trade Union League, the play addresses the 1910–1911 Chicago garment workers' strike, a massive conflict that shaped union history through its precedent for arbitration and a female leadership that crossed class and ethnic lines. Franklin was in charge of League publicity for the strike and provided commentary on the conflict through the League's journal Life and Labor. Such experiences provided narrative authority for her protest play that sought to educate and provide a ‘call to arms’. The paper contributes to U.S. women's history and Australian literary studies by giving voice to this long-forgotten play of a notable feminist author, contextualising it in labour history and in the literary traditions that shaped Franklin's writing during this period.
Pseudoreplication in playback experiments, revisited a decade later

Correspondence: D. E. Kroodsma, Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, U.S.A. (e-mail: kroodsma@bio.umass.edu). About 10 years ago, several papers in Animal Behaviour addressed the quality of experimental designs in ‘playback’ experiments (Kroodsma 1989a, b, 1990a, 1992; Searcy 1989; Weary & Mountjoy 1992), and this debate culminated in a consensus report by McGregor et al. (1992). The key issue was ‘pseudoreplication’, defined by Hurlbert (1984, page 187) as ‘the use of inferential statistics to test for treatment effects with data from experiments where either treatments are not replicated (though samples may be) or replicates are not statistically independent’. McGregor et al. (1992, page 2) offered their own simplified definition, ‘the use of an n (sample size) in a statistical test that is not appropriate to the hypothesis being tested’. McGregor et al. agreed that pseudoreplication was a serious issue, and that designing and implementing good experimental designs was a worthy and attainable goal. What effect did the debate and subsequent consensus report have on the quality of experimental designs used in animal behaviour? To answer that question, we surveyed the designs used in 50 papers published during the last several years. The papers were chosen by searching electronic databases for 25 papers that cited a key paper on pseudoreplication and for 25 other ‘playback’ papers that did not explicitly cite or address pseudoreplication issues. We reasoned that these two samples of papers should provide an index to the experimental designs and logic currently being used by investigators in animal behaviour. (Note: we chose not to review playback experiments that used synthetic stimuli. Although use of synthetic stimuli may solve some problems (e.g. see McGregor et al. 1992), we encountered a number of papers in which we felt that interpretations based on large sets of synthesized playback variants exceeded the permitted inferential space.)
An analysis of team performance in high school programming contests

Programming contests are used by educational institutions as a way to attract high school students to computing degrees. While there has been some analysis of the artifacts and process of programming contests including complexity of algorithms and the impact of teamwork strategies on team success, there has been little work investigating the impact of programming language and team submission pattern on team performance. This paper presents the results of an analysis of five years of contest results for the Western New England University high school programming contest. The analysis looks at the frequency of submissions, types of errors that occurred, and languages used by winning teams. Results appear to indicate that Python and Java have the highest success rate and that the most frequent type of error is incorrect output.
Cellular Interactions and Signaling in neuroAIDS: Emerging Issues Colloquium

On May 23, 2013 scientific leaders in the neuroAIDS community met at the University of Nebraska Medical Center to discuss cellular interaction and signaling for the third annual human immunodeficiency virus and neuroAIDS colloquium. The meeting continues a series of contemporary scientific issues related to how virus effects the nervous system. In 2011 the focus was on animal models and in 2012 in biomarkers. Here, our 2013 meeting featured ten presentations from outstanding scientists examining how inter- and intra-cellular processes contribute to neuropathogenesis. Talks highlighted emerging issues, findings, and potential therapies, followed by a panel discussion in which controversies in the field and gaps in our current knowledge were identified. The panel discussion was transcribed into the article and published as a field perspective. A link is available where all of the presentations and the concluding discussion can be seen and heard. The third annual University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) colloquium on current issues in neuroAIDS was held on May 23, 2013. Following the presentations, which can be viewed at http://www.unmc.edu/pharmacology/CISN.htm. A panel discussion ensued. This discussion raised important topical issues. To disseminate this information, a transcript is provided below.
Sequential Phosphorylation Mediates Receptor- and Kinase-induced Inhibition of TREK-1 Background Potassium Channels

Background potassium channels determine membrane potential and input resistance and serve as prominent effectors for modulatory regulation of cellular excitability. TREK-1 is a two-pore domain background K+ channel (KCNK2, K2P2.1) that is sensitive to a variety of physicochemical and humoral factors. In this work, we used a recombinant expression system to show that activation of G alpha(q)-coupled receptors leads to inhibition of TREK-1 channels via protein kinase C (PKC), and we identified a critical phosphorylation site in a key regulatory domain that mediates inhibition of the channel. In HEK 293 cells co-expressing TREK-1 and either the thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor (TRHR1) or the Orexin receptor (Orx1R), agonist stimulation induced robust channel inhibition that was suppressed by a bisindolylmaleimide PKC inhibitor but not by a protein kinase A blocker ((R(p))-cAMP-S). Channel inhibition by agonists or by direct activators of PKC (phorbol dibutyrate) and PKA (forskolin) was disrupted not only by alanine or aspartate mutations at an identified PKA site (Ser-333) in the C terminus, but also at a more proximal regulatory site in the cytoplasmic C terminus (Ser-300); S333A and S300A mutations enhanced basal TREK-1 current, whereas S333D and S300D substitutions mimicked phosphorylation and strongly diminished currents. When studied in combination, TREK-1 current density was enhanced in S300A/S333D but reduced in S300D/S333A mutant channels. Channel mutants were expressed and appropriately targeted to cell membranes. Together, these data support a sequential phosphorylation model in which receptor-induced kinase activation drives modification at Ser-333 that enables subsequent phosphorylation at Ser-300 to inhibit TREK-1 channel activity.
Self-organized micro/nano structures in metal surfaces by ultrafast laser irradiation

Abstract Ultrafast laser pulse interaction with matter, leading to formation of self-organized conical micro/nano structures in various metals like Ti, Al, Cu, and stainless steel have been observed. Influence of laser parameters such as fluence, number of shots, and gaseous environments on micro/nano structure formation have been investigated. The critical fluence required for well-developed structure formation is dependent on the optical and thermo-physical properties of the materials. By changing the number of laser shots to generate micro/nano structures, surface reflectance of Ti surface could be tailored from their original value (over 50%) to near zero over the wavelength range of 500–1000 nm. Also, we have demonstrated that arrays of micro/nano holes could be formed in thin Ti foils by direct laser treatment.
Tuberculosis risk after exposure on airplanes

Abstract Setting: Domestic and international air-flights. Objective: To estimate the risk of tuberculosis (TB) transmission aboard aircraft. Design: A contact investigation of passengers and crew from two flights was conducted following identification of a fellow passenger with pulmonary TB. Immediate post-exposure and follow-up tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) were obtained. Results: Of 120 contacts, 86 (72%) had a negative TST ( P P Conclusion: The positive TST reactions and conversions suggest boosting from BCG vaccination or prior exposure in TB-endemic countries. Since two positive contacts had no other identified risk factor, TB transmission on board the aircraft could not be excluded. Contact investigation of exposed aircraft passengers should be considered on a case-by-case basis, with consideration of the infectiousness of the ill passenger and the flight circumstances.
The transpubic approach for the correction of complex anorectal and urogenital malformations

Abstract Background The transpubic approach has been used mainly to treat urethral injuries and prostate cancer. There are no reports describing this approach in anorectal malformations. Methods Forty-two patients who underwent a transpubic approach for their genitourinary/colorectal reconstruction were reviewed. Indications, complications, and follow-up were analyzed. A midline infraumbilical incision was used. The pubic cartilage was divided with needle cautery. Institutional review board approval was obtained (IRB# 2008-1317). Results The cases included complex malformations (16), covered exstrophy (15), long urogenital sinus with normal rectum (6), and reoperations in cloacas which had been left with persistent fistulae between vagina and urinary tract with normal rectum (5). Excellent exposure was achieved in all cases, allowing successful anatomical reconstruction. Functional results varied depending on the specific type of defect but were not expected to be good due to severe congenital or acquired anatomic defects. There were 3 complications related to the transpubic approach: pubic dehiscence, suspected osteomyelitis, and bleeding. Conclusion The transpubic approach should be considered for the repair of complex anorectal and urogenital malformations, especially when adequate exposure cannot be achieved with an abdominal, perineal, or posterior sagittal approach. Another ideal indication is in patients with a normal rectum who were born with a complex urogenital sinus or underwent a failed attempted repair but were left with problems requiring reoperation in a scarred and fibrotic pelvis.
Kinetics of nonenzymatic browning in dried skim milk

Abstract The kinetics of nonenzymatic browning (NEB) of skim milk samples containing 3.5 to 50% moisture was measured in the temperature range of 35 °–130 °C. The kinetic data were used to develop a model for describing the rate of NEB in skim milk as a function of temperature and moisture content. It was found that the browning rate was zero order after an initial lag period and that the temperature dependency of NEB satisfied the Arrhenius relationship. The NEB rate increased as temperature increased, as exposure time to heat treatments increased, and as moisture content increased to a certain browning-critical moisture (7% dry wt).
Repetitive bibliographical information in relational databases

Bibliographical databases frequently have a few long, repetitive strings such as the recurring names of voluminous authors. Potter [Library Trends. 30(1): 21–39; 1981] observed this characteristic of bibliographical databases in his sample from the University of Illinois library catalog. This article presents a solution to the problem of loading repetitive bibliographical information in a microcomputer‐based relational database‐management system. Normalization theory does not explicitly address the characteristics of bibliographical relational databases. The representational redundancy design saves space in relational database tables by removing long, frequently occurring strings to separate tables where they can be referenced by shorter surrogates in a main table. This design was suggested by some reflections by Kent (Data and Reality, Basic Assumptions in Data Processing Reconsidered. Amsterdam: North‐Holland; 1978) and by the example of MERLIN [Program. 10(4): 123–134; 1976]. Telephone‐book data and the library‐catalog data of Potter was used to illustrate the economies achieved in representing repetitive bibliographical information in relational databases. © 1988 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An architecture for distributed scenario building and evaluation

A Web portal can support collaborative learning and help individuals and organizations plan for an uncertain future.
An Improved Min-Cut Algonthm for Partitioning VLSI Networks

Recently, a fast (linear) heuristic for improving min-cut partitions of VLSI networks was suggested by Fiduccia and Mattheyses [6]. In this-paper we generalize their ideas and suggest a class of increasingly sophisticated heuristics. We then show, by exploiting the data structures originally suggested by them, that the computational complexity of any specific heuristic in the suggested class remains linear in the size of the network.
Managing plasma cell leukemia.

Plasma cell leukemia represents a unique subset of patients with multiple myeloma. The definition requires that: (i) for a blood leukocyte count of >10 000/µl, at least 2000/µl are circulating plas...
Seasonal oxidative phosphorylation by turtle heart mitochondria

Abstract 1. 1. Seasonal variations of oxidative phosphorylation by turtle heart mitochondria have been demonstrated. 2. 2. The capacity to mediate oxidative phosphorylation by these cardiac mitochondria is highest in July and August and lowest in late spring and the month of November.
Purulent Pericarditis Leading to Constriction

We report a case of a previously healthy 61-year-old immunocompetent male who was found to have purulent bacterial pericarditis. The patient was initially diagnosed with pneumococcal pneumonia and bacteremia after presenting with chest pain and a productive cough. He was found to have a purulent pericardial effusion and underwent surgical washout and creation of a pericardial window. In short time he developed signs of right heart failure and a cardiac MRI revealed a severely thickened pericardium with evidence of constrictive pericarditis. The patient subsequently underwent pericardiectomy where the diagnosis of constriction was confirmed. Our patient recovered well and had no clinical evidence of heart failure on follow-up. This case demonstrates the importance of rapid identification of bacterial pericarditis and the high likelihood of progression to constriction.
Sound propagation along an impedance plane

Abstract The sound field due to a point source above a plane boundary with a constant normal impedance is obtained by a double saddle point method of integration. Variations in previous studies by Ingard, by Lawhead and Rudnick and by Wenzel are clarified.
Dexamethasone regulates glutamine synthetase expression in rat lung

Abstract Since the lungs play a central role in maintaining glutamine homeostasis in normal and catabolic disease states, we studied the regulation of glutamine synthetase (GS) expression by dexamethasone in rat lung. Adult rats received saline (controls) or dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg). Lung total RNA was extracted for Northern hybridization and labeled with an α- 32 P rat GS cDNA probe. The mRNA of the constitutively expressed gene β-actin was the control for RNA loading. GS transcripts were measured by laser densitometry and normalized to actin, and GS specific activity was also determined. Following a single injection of dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg), lung GS activity increased by 40% at 4 hours and by 75% at 8 hours. The dexamethasone-mediated increase in GS activity was associated with a marked increase in GS mRNA levels, which preceded the increase in enzyme activity by approximately 2 hours. Serial daily dexamethasone administration for 3 and 6 days caused an even greater increase in GS mRNA levels and specific activity. No effect was seen on β-actin levels, demonstrating that the expression of GS was not part of a global response to steroids. Therefore, glucocorticoids stimulate GS expression in rat lung. This regulation appears to be one mechanism by which lung glutamine release is augmented during critical illness.
Dental radiologic survey of Virginia and Florida

The results of a survey of 2,257 dental offices recording dental radiology practices are presented and compared to earlier surveys. In many practices patients were exposed to radiographs at predetermined intervals; the variables of manual processing are not well controlled, and darkrooms had excessive light.
A Comparative Analysis of Professional Forums in the United States Army and Hybrid Communities of Practice in the Civilian Sector

Communities of practice (COPs) have been around since the founding of the first social networks many millennia ago. Organizations around the world over the last two decades have leveraged COPs as tools in the knowledge management (KM) toolkit; however, the rules of the game have changed as the ubiquity of the Internet in organizations has led to profound changes in KM practices, including the rise of hybrid communities of practice (HCoPs), which combine both virtual and real world interaction between members. Whereas civilian organizations have adopted HCoPs and the adapted business unit structural changes associated with global collaboration, many have wondered how these changes would affect the U.S. military and the Army in particular. This paper is a comparative analysis of HCoPs in the Army and civilian organizations around the world. Based on a review of HCoP typologies in civilian organizations, it classifies four Army HCoPs and compares them with civilian HCoPs and their associated challenges, strategies, and practices. The study shows that the Army's implementation of HCoPs converges with that of the civilian sector, despite differences in organizational cultures, strategies, missions, and practices. As has been the case throughout history, best practices are seldom kept secret; the Army and civilian organizations share best HCoP practices and learn from each other.
The attributive logic of "human-like" characteristics.

In her thoughtful essay, Monika Piotrowska (2014) asks us to imagine two mice that manifest “the same ‘human-like’ characteristics,” one of which has been treated with cells taken from Homo sapiens...
Ultra low power PVT independent sub-threshold gm-C filters for low frequency biomedical applications

An ultra low power gm-C filter for low cut-off frequency bio-medical implantable applications is presented in this paper. The design is based on a novel trans-conductance stage operating in the sub-threshold region with a PVT independent fixed replica gm biasing circuit. The significant variation in gm with respect to temperature due to channel length modulation is corrected using a parallel combination of two gm blocks of different value. The circuit performance remains nearly constant for a supply voltage range of 1.1---1.7 V. A general biquad filter has been implemented and simulations show about 1% variation in the 3-dB bandwidth (in the range of few hertz) for a temperature range of ?30 to 110°C. The circuit has been implemented using 0.5 μm CMOS technology with a nominal supply voltage of 1.2 V and power consumption for each gm block is 55.3 nW.
Chloride sensing via suppression of excited state intramolecular proton transfer in squaramides

A new design strategy is described for chloride ion sensors based on suppression of excited state intramolecular proton transfer in squaramides as a fluorescence “turn on” mechanism.
Molecular Schrödinger Equation. IX. Square and Rectangular States of H4 and the Molecular Ions H43+ and H42+

Our method for the solution of the molecular Schrodinger equation has been further developed and extended to the case of the four‐electron system. Ab initio calculations are presented which lead to the electronic wavefunctions and energies of square and rectangular forms of H4. As a preliminary to the four‐electron studies, the energies and wavefunctions for a number of states of the ions H43+ and H42+ are calculated. Complete contour maps for the potential energy surfaces of these systems are reported and the H4 surface is discussed in connection with the bimolecular isotope exchange reaction H2+D2→2HD. Contour maps for the electron density distribution in square and rectangular H4 are presented and discussed.
Residual F-terms and the Affleck-Dine mecahnism for baryogenesis

We discuss the baryon production by the Affleck-Dine (A-D) mechanism. It is found that the residual F-terms which appear in the low-energy effective potential could lower the baryon production. However, for instance, in a minimal supersymmetric SU(5) with three generations of matter fields and CP violation, the A-D mechanism could produce enough baryon asymmetry.
Effects of nonsuppressible insulin-like activity and insulin on glucose oxidation and lipolysis in the isolated adipose cell

Abstract Nonsuppressible insulin-like activity (NSILA), like insulin, blocked ACTH-induced lipolysis in isolated adipose tissue cells, in the absence of glucose in the medium. The antilipolytic action of insulin is used as a basis for the most sensitive in vitro bioassay for insulin and insulin-like activity described thus far. Using the parameters of glucose oxidation and inhibition of lipolysis, dose response curves with NSILA resembled those with insulin. It is suggested that these two substances may operate on the isolated fat cell by a similar mechanism independent of glucose transport.
Functional activity patterns in the forebrain of swimming rats: a 5 min 2-deoxyglucose study

Effects of 5 min of swimming on functional activity patterns in the rat forebrain were examined by high resolution autoradiographic assessment of [14C]2-deoxyglucose ([14C]2-DG) uptake. In autoradiograms made from swimming rats, the isocortex displayed a columnar pattern in which columns of high optical density, oriented perpendicularly to the cortical surface, were separated by columns of low optical density of similar orientation. Increased [14C]2-DG uptake in swimming rats compared to resting rats was also apparent in the lateral septal nucleus, globus pallidus, and endopiriform nucleus. The results demonstrate that 2-DG can be used in short survival uptake experiments to gain insight into neuroanatomical patterns of functional activity.
Mixed mode fracture in power law hardening materials near Mode I

Mixed mode fracture in power law hardening materials near mode I loading conditions is investigated for the case of plane strain. It is demonstrated by application of full-field finite element analysis and two-parameter asymptotic analysis that the asymptotic mixed mode solution of Shih (1974), where the effects of arbitrary loading combine to enter the leading term of the asymptotic series, does not apply close to mode I. Instead, a `mode I dominant' higher order asymptotic form applies, where the leading term is the pure mode I symmetric HRR solution and the second term is antisymmetric. The significant difference between the two asymptotic solutions is the singular nature of the antisymmetric part of the stresses and strains. Therefore, near mode I the antisymmetric part of the local fields does not contribute to the J-integral. The transition from the mixed mode asymptotic solution to this two-term solution occurs when the ratio of the radial stress on the upper crack surface to that on the lower crack surface, i.e., σrr(r,+π)/σrr(r,−π), for the limit as r approaches zero, switches from −1 to +1. Budiansky and Rice (1973) predicted this change in sign somewhere between mode I and mode II. This sign change corresponds to the singular nature of the antisymmetric fields switching from the leading HRR eigenvalue to a weaker second term eigenvalue. Based on full-field finite element results, the far-field loading for which this `jump' occurs is very difficult to identify, as it originates deep within the plastic zone at unrealistically small distances from the crack tip. At the physical length scale on the order of the crack tip opening displacement, the transition from the mode II dominant asymptotic solution to the mode I dominant solution appears to be continuous, not abrupt. Identification of this transition is estimated from the full-field results by making use of the two asymptotic solutions. These results identify a breakdown in the HRR theory for the representation of the antisymmetric part of the stresses for mixed mode fracture near mode I. This breakdown is explained by the switching from a mixed mode solution to a higher order solution. Unfortunately, the practical application of this higher-order solution is limited to hardening powers of approximately 2<n<3.
Functional Interaction of Hepatic Nuclear Factor-4 and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Coactivator 1α in CYP7A1 Regulation Is Inhibited by a Key Lipogenic Activator, Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein-1c

Insulin inhibits transcription of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (Cyp7a1), a key gene in bile acid synthesis, and the hepatic nuclear factor-4 (HNF-4) site in the promoter was identified as a negative insulin response sequence. Using a fasting/feeding protocol in mice and insulin treatment in HepG2 cells, we explored the inhibition mechanisms. Expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), an insulin-induced lipogenic factor, inversely correlated with Cyp7a1 expression in mouse liver. Interaction of HNF-4 with its coactivator, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha), was observed in livers of fasted mice and was reduced after feeding. Conversely, HNF-4 interaction with SREBP-1c was increased after feeding. In vitro studies suggested that SREBP-1c competed with PGC-1alpha for direct interaction with the AF2 domain of HNF-4. Reporter assays showed that SREBP-1c, but not of a SREBP-1c mutant lacking the HNF-4 interacting domain, inhibited HNF-4/PGC-1alpha transactivation of Cyp7a1. SREBP-1c also inhibited PGC-1alpha-coactivation of estrogen receptor, constitutive androstane receptor, pregnane X receptor, and farnesoid X receptor, implying inhibition of HNF-4 by SREBP-1c could extend to other nuclear receptors. In chromatin immunoprecipitation studies, HNF-4 binding to the promoter was not altered, but PGC-1alpha was dissociated, SREBP-1c and histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2) were recruited, and acetylation of histone H3 was decreased upon feeding. Adenovirus-mediated expression of a SREBP-1c dominant-negative mutant, which blocks the interaction of SREBP-1c and HNF-4, partially but significantly reversed the inhibition of Cyp7a1 after feeding. Our data show that SREBP-1c functions as a non-DNA-binding inhibitor and mediates, in part, suppression of Cyp7a1 by blocking functional interaction of HNF-4 and PGC-1alpha. This mechanism may be relevant to known repression of many other HNF-4 target genes upon feeding.
A scintillation spectrometer for high energy beta decays

Abstract A scintillation spectrometer has been developed for application to beta decays having end point energies of 3 MeV or more. The spectrometer uses a large plastic scintillator on which the betas are incident from an external source. The beam of betas is restricted to a narrow cone to insure that virtually the total energy is absorbed within the scintillator. Spectra are recorded with a multi-channel pulse height analyzer. The pulse height scale is calibrated in terms of energy by means of the end points of known beta spectra and the edges of Compton recoil electron distributions from gamma rays. The relationship between pulse height and energy is found to be linear up to 13 MeV. End point energies of spectra can be assigned to an accuracy of 1–2% on the basis of the calibration. The response of the spectrometer to monoenergetic electrons for the energies below 3 MeV is found to be essentially Gaussian. Spectra of the beta decays from Ce 144 Pr 144 , Al 28 , F 20 and B 12 compare favorably with those obtained by magnetic analysis.
Glutaraldehyde Fixation of Bovine Humeral Head Articular Cartilage Maintains Functional Frictional Response

Hemiarthroplasty is a surgical procedure that replaces the injured half of a diarthrodial joint (such as the hip or shoulder) with a smooth impermeable metal surface, leaving the apposing healthy cartilage layer intact. In 2006, more than 260,000 hip and shoulder hemiarthroplasties were performed in the United States alone [1]. Hemiarthroplasties are often revised to total arthroplasties, due in part to premature erosion of the intact, initially healthy cartilage [2]. Recent theoretical and experimental studies [3, 4] have shown that the low friction and wear of healthy diarthrodial joints depend critically upon sustained, elevated pressure of the interstitial water within the porous cartilage. Because this fluid pressure is continuous across the porous-permeable cartilage contact interface, the impermeable bearing surface implanted in hemiarthroplasty may substantially disrupt the natural lubrication of the apposing healthy cartilage [5]. Motivated by the established clinical success of implanting glutaraldehyde-treated porcine and bovine heart valves and pericardial grafts in humans, the objective of this study was to investigate whether a novel bioprosthetic hemiarthroplasty, utilizing a glutaraldehyde-treated cartilage xenograft, can reproduce the sustained low friction of a healthy natural diarthrodial joint. The specific aim of this study was to measure and compare the 24 h in-vitro frictional response of a bovine shoulder joint with that of a bioprosthetic hemiarthroplasty consisting of a glutaraldehyde-treated humeral head and an untreated, native cartilage glenoid.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
New bioactive polyphenols from Theobroma grandiflorum ("cupuaçu").

Activity-guided fractionation of Theobroma grandiflorum (“cupuacu”) seeds resulted in the identification of two new sulfated flavonoid glycosides, theograndins I (1) and II (2). In addition, nine k...
Relaxation Processes in Metastable Beta Titanium Alloys.

Abstract Extensive observations have been made on an internal friction peak in a series of binary titanium alloys containing Mo and V. The compositions of the alloys ranged from 8 to 16 at.% Mo and from 15 to 50 at.% V, respectively. The peak was observed depending on alloy compositions in temperature ranges of 120°K to 140°K at 104 Hz and 153°K to 210°K at 107 Hz, respectively. In both alloy systems, the peak strength passed through a maximum with increasing alloy content at or near the upper compositional bound for athermal omega formation. The peak persisted well beyond the composition associated with the peak strength maximum, although its strength was greatly diminished. The peak structure was not disturbed by 15 per cent room temperature plastic deformation. The peak strength was severely reduced by annealing in the temperature range of thermal omega precipitation. Activation parameters of Q = 0.2 eV andτ0 = 2 × 10−14 sec were observed for both Ti-10 Mo and Ti-20 V. The results of this work are compared to the properties of a similar internal friction peak reported earlier in Ti and Zr base alloys, and discussed in conjunction with a reciprocal lattice streaking phenomenon also known to occur in these metastable beta titanium alloys. It is suggested that the atomistic mechanism responsible for the internal friction peak is the same “atom shuffle” process proposed by de Fontaine, Paton and Williams to explain reciprocal lattice streaking. Limited observations on a lower temperature relaxation (T ≤ 25°K at 104 Hz) in the Ti-V alloy system are also reported.
Cervical cancer screening among college students in ghana: knowledge and health beliefs.

Background: Cervical cancer is the most incident cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality in women in Ghana. Currently, little is known about Ghanaian women9s knowledge and beliefs about cervical cancer screening, yet this information is essential to the success of cervical cancer screening programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the knowledge and beliefs of female university college students in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional survey among college women in a university in Ghana elicited information about sociodemographics, knowledge and beliefs, and acceptability of cervical cancer screening, screening history, and sexual history. Bivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with screening. Results: One hundred forty women were recruited; the age range was 20 to 35 years. The prior Papanicolaou (Pap) screening rate was 12.0%. The women were unaware of local screening initiatives, and only 7.9% were aware of the link between human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. The most prevalent barriers were lack of awareness that the purpose of Pap screening is to diagnose cancer, concerns about what others may think, and lack of information about how to obtain screening services. Although women perceived the benefits of screening, only about half perceived themselves to be at risk. Women received few screening cues. Three barriers were negatively associated with screening in bivariate analyses: lack of belief that cancer is diagnosed by cervical screening, belief that Pap test is painful, and belief that the test will take away virginity. Conclusion: New screening programs in Ghana should address these barriers and increase screening cues to the public.
The Formation and Chemistry of New Functionally Substituted η5-Cyclopentadienyl-Metal Compounds: Routes to New Vinyl Monomers

Abstract Reactions of cyclopentadienylsodium with ethyl formate, methyl or ethyl acetate, or dimethyl carbonate in THF solution have produced high yields of the functionally substituted organosodium compounds [C5H4, C(O)R]− Na+, Where R = H, CH3, or OCH3. These organosodium reagents have proved to be valuable intermediates in the formation of functionally substituted cobaltocene, nickelocene, etc., sandwich complexes as Well as for other η5-cyclopenta-dienyl-metal systems such as (η5-C5H4CHO)M(CO)2 (M = Co, Rh) and (n 5-C5H4, CHO)W(CO)3, CH3, The latter aldehydes can be readily converted into corresponding acrylate and vinyl derivatives. The polymerization chemistry of these neu organometallic monomers has been initiated.
Is laparoscopic better than open appendectomy

Laparoscopic appendectomy is becoming increasingly popular as surgeons strive to manage surgical problems via minimally invasive techniques. We reviewed our early experience in 38 patients with laparoscopic appendectomy and compared it to open appendectomies done during the same time period. We found no difference in hospital costs, stay, or wound infection rate. There was a significant difference in OR time: the laparoscopic approach took longer. We conclude that this new approach is not clearly superior to open appendectomy despite theoretical advantages. Newer instruments and further studies are needed.
FPH: first-class polymorphism for Haskell

Languages supporting polymorphism typically have ad-hoc restrictions on where polymorphic types may occur. Supporting "firstclass" polymorphism, by lifting those restrictions, is obviously desirable, but it is hard to achieve this without sacrificing type inference. We present a new type system for higher-rank and impredicative polymorphism that improves on earlier proposals: it is an extension of Damas-Milner; it relies only on System F types; it has a simple, declarative specification; it is robust to program transformations; and it enjoys a complete and decidable type inference algorithm.
Leukemic cells with membrane properties of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes in a case of Sézary's syndrome: Morphologic and immunologic studies

Abstract The abnormal lymphocytes of a patient with Sezary's syndrome have membrane markers which differ from those recognized on other leukemic cells. They form rosettes with sheep erythrocytes and lack complement receptor sites and surface immunoglobulin. We show that this combination of markers is possessed by a distinct population of normal lymphocytes, which evidence indicates are T cells.
The long-term effect of experimental beta-radiation therapy on the human cornea.

Abstract Background Radiation treatment of the human eye has been utilized in the United States since the early 1900s. Beta-radiation therapy was generally accepted by the medical community as a treatment option for a wide variety of anterior and posterior segment conditions from 1930 to the early 1950s. By the 1960s, beta-radiation therapy had fallen out of favor due to dangerous side effects; however an updated radiation procedure is now in use in ophthalmology to treat anterior and posterior segment disease. Case report A 64-year-old Caucasian female presented for a routine eye examination with a history of experimental beta-radiation treatments to the eyes as a teenager. A high astigmatic refractive error was present and best corrected visual acuity was 20/40 OD, 20/30 OS. Slit lamp examination showed severe disruption throughout the lower third of both corneas, appearing densely calcified with inferior vascularization. The left eye had a central descemetocele. The patient's ocular and visual conditions were relatively stable and required no special treatment as of the writing of this report, decades after her original treatments. Conclusion This patient is one example of the long-term effect of beta-radiation treatment on the eye. Ongoing care is needed to monitor the ocular health and vision of these individuals as radiation effects may necessitate observation and/or care throughout the patient's lifetime. Follow-up on more patients who underwent beta-radiation treatment decades ago, should it be possible to do so, would provide further insight into the long-term anterior segment changes that can occur as a result of such treatment.