cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coronary bypass in vascular patients: A relatively high-risk procedure

A premise of cardiac risk stratification is that the added risk of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is offset by the improved safety of subsequent vascular reconstruction (VR). We questioned if elective CABG is patients with severe peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a relatively high-risk procedure. A cohort study of 680 elective CABG patients from January 1993 to December 1994 was performed using three mutually exclusive outcomes of complication-free survival, morbidity, and mortality. Patient characteristic, operative, and outcome data were prospectively collected. Retrospective review determined that 58 patients had either a standard indication for or a history of VR. Overall CABG mortality was 2.5%, with statistically similar but relatively higher rates for PVD as compared to non-PVD patients. In contrast, major morbidity occurred at rates 3.6-fold higher in PVD patients (39.7%) than in disease-free patients (16.7%) after adjustment for the effects of patient and operative variables (odds ratio [OR] 3.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.93-6.99). CABG morbidity in the PVD patient was most likely in those patients with aortoiliac (OR 9.51, CI 3.20-28.27) and aortic aneurysmal (OR 5.24, CI1.28-21.41 ) disease types. CABG in PVD patients is associated with significant major morbidity. Such morbidity may preclude or alter the timing of subsequent VR. (Ann Vasc Surg 1997; 11:612-619.)
A {3,2}-order bending theory for laminated composite and sandwich beams

A higher-order bending theory is derived for laminated composite and sandwich beams. This is accomplished by assuming a special form for the axial and transverse displacement expansions. An independent expansion is also assumed for the transverse normal stress. Appropriate shear correction factors based on energy considerations are used to adjust the shear stiffness. A set of transverse normal correction factors is introduced, leading to significant improvements in the transverse normal strain and stress for laminated composite and sandwich beams. A closed-form solution to the cylindrical elasticity solutions for a wide range of beam aspect ratios and commonly used material systems. Accurate shear stresses for a wide range of laminates, including the challenging unsymmetric composite and sandwich laminates, are obtained using an original corrected integration scheme. For application of the theory to a wider range of problems, guidelines for finite element approximations are presented.
Factors influencing transient gene expression in electroporated tall fescue protoplasts

Abstract For the rapid establishment of optimal conditions for a genetic transformation system for tall fescue, several factors influencing transient gene expression were studied in protoplasts, after the reporter β-glucuronidase gene was introduced by electroporation. In a time-course study of transient gene expression, GUS activity peaked at 24 h after electroporation. Among the different field strength conditions tested, maximum GUS activity was observed at 750 V/cm. Increases in the amount of plasmid DNA to 80 μg/ml led to increased GUS activity. GUS activities increased in linear fashion with increasing protoplast densities up to 2 × 10 6 /ml. Age of suspension cells from which protoplasts were derived influenced transient expression with maximum GUS activity obtained in 3- and 5-day-old suspensions. These results show that monocot and dicot protoplasts respond similarly in electroporation.
Turbulent diffusion phase transition is due to singular energy spectrum

Abstract The phase transition for turbulent diffusion, reported by Avellaneda and Majda [Avellaneda, M. & Majda, A. J. (1994) Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London A 346, 205-233, and several earlier papers], is traced to a modeling assumption in which the energy spectrum of the turbulent fluid is singularly dependent on the viscosity in the inertial range. Phenomenological models of turbulence and intermittency, by contrast, require that the energy spectrum be independent of the viscosity in the inertial range. When the energy spectrum is assumed to be consistent with the phenomenological models, there is no phase transition for turbulent diffusion.
Insulin resistance increases PAI-1 in the heart.

Abstract To determine whether insulin resistance increases expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) in the heart, studies were performed in 22 mice with and 38 without myocardial infarction. Insulin resistance in transgenic animals genetically rendered insulin resistant was confirmed with the use of intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests. Myocardial infarction was induced by coronary ligation, verified echocardiographically, and quantified by assay of depletion of creatine kinase (CK) from the left ventricle 2 weeks later. PAI-1 increased markedly in zones of infarction to 10.4 ± 2.1 (SF) and significantly more to 27.3 ± 3.6 in normal and insulin resistant mice compared with 0.45 ± 0.04 and 0.50 ± 0.03 in normal myocardium. Thus, insulin resistance induced accumulation of PAI-1 in the heart, particularly in zones of infarction. Such increases may contribute to fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction typical late after infarction in patients with insulin resistance.
Intracapillary events in osmotic weight transients.

Abstract In osmotic transient experiments on perfused organs the time course of the concentrations of both test and resident buffer solutes within the capillary must be known in order to give an adequate description of the underlying events leading to the observed weight changes. In accompanying papers ( G. Bloom and J. A. Johnson, 1981 , Microvasc. Res. 22, 64–79, J. A. Johnson and G. Bloom, 1981 , Microvasc. Res. 22, 80–92), we describe a model for osmotic transients based on the assumption that both test and buffer solute concentrations within the capillary are constant. In this paper we determine the magnitude and time course of solute concentration changes within the capillary and show the effect of inserting these values into our model in place of the previously assumed constant concentrations. In particular we show what effect these changes in solute concentration have on our estimates of capillary osmotic reflection coefficients (σ) and permeability coefficients ( P ) for inulin and sodium chloride. A mathematical analysis is presented which describes the concentration as a function of time as the new solution moves through the following segments of the fluid pathway preceding the heart capillaries: (1) the tubing conduits to the heart; (2) the mixing chamber of the aortic bulb; (3) the precapillary vascular system. This analysis is combined with that of J. A. Johnson and T. A. Wilson (1966 , Amer. J. Physiol. 210, 1299–1303) on the axial profile of capillary concentration caused by solute movement across the capillary wall. A mathematical analysis of the intracapillary buffering which could arise due to sieving of resident solute at the capillary wall is presented in an appendix. We find that perfusion rates similar to those that we employ in our experimental system enable us to obtain valid estimates of PA and σ. Significantly lower perfusion rates do not yield valid results.
Racial differences in metabolic predictors of obesity among postmenopausal women.

NICKLAS, BARBARA S., DORA M. BERMAN, DAWN C. DAVIS, C. LYNNE DOBROVOLNY, AND KAREN E. DENNIS. Racial differences in metabolic predictors of obesity among postmenopausal women. Ober Res. Objective: This study determined whether there are racial differences in resting metabolic rate (RMR), fat oxidation, and maximal oxygen consumption (VO,max) in obese [body mass index (BMI = 34±2 kg/m2)], postmenopausal (58±2 years) women. Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty black and 20 white women were matched for fat mass and lean mass (LM), as determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. RMR and fat oxidation were measured by indirect calorimetry in the early morning after a 12-hour fast using the ventilated hood technique. VO2max was measured on a treadmill during a progressive exercise test to voluntary exhaustion. Results: RMR, adjusted for differences in LM, was 5% higher in white than black women (1566±27 and 1490±26 kcal/day, respectively; p<0. 05); and fat oxidation rate was 17% higher in white than black women (87±4 and 72±3 g/day, respectively; p<0. 01). VO2max (L/minute) was 150 mL per minute (8%) higher (p<0. 05) in white than black women. VO2max correlated with LM in black (r = 0. 44, p = 0. 05) and white (r=0. 53, p<0. 05) women, but the intercept of the regression line was higher in white than black women (p<0. 05), with no significant difference in slopes. In a multiple regression model including race, body weight, LM, and age, LM was the only independent predictor of RMR (r2 = 0. 46, p<0. 0001), whereas race was the only independent predictor of fat oxidation (r2 = 0. 18,p<0. 05). The best predictors of VO,max were LM (r2 = 0. 22, p<0. 05) and race (cumulative r2 = 0. 30, p<0. 05). Discussion: These results show there are racial differences in metabolic predictors of obesity. Determination of whether these ethnic differences lead to, or are an effect of, obesity status or other lifestyle factors requires further study.
A developmental study of long-term memory in the perception of apparent movement

The long-term influence of prior experience with either apparent movement or nonmovement upon the later perception of movement was studied with groups of Ss aged 6–9, 9–9, 12–9, and 19–7. Significant differences owing to type of prior experience were found within each age group. A form previously seen as moving continued to be seen as moving when later presented in sequence with a dissimilar form, a condition in which apparent movement is not usually seen. A form previously seen as stationary continued to be seen as stationary when later presented in sequence with an identical form, a condition in which apparent movement is usually seen. No developmental trends were present.
Activity of a DNA topoisomerase (nicking-closing enzyme) during sea urchin development and the cell cycle.

Abstract An activity which removes superhelical turns from supercoiled DNA has been detected in sea urchin embryo nuclei. It has properties characteristic of eukaryotic DNA topoisomerases (nicking-closing enzymes) and appears to be tightly bound to the chromatin. Total topoisomerase activity per embryo increases in approximate proportion to cell number from fertilization to the prism stage, which suggests that a large store of active enzyme is not present in the unfertilized egg. No activity could be detected in the sperm nucleus. Nuclear topoisomerase activity per unit DNA varies during the synchronous cell cycles of early cleavage, increasing during S phase and then declining through G2 and M. Possible functions of the enzyme are discussed.
A model for the Cl (609 μm) emission of Orion

Abstract A model for the energy balance and chemical equilibrium of the gas in photodissociation regions at the edge of molecular clouds, which are illuminated by strong FUV fields (6 eV ≦ hv ≦ 13.6 eV), has been developed. This model is used to calculate the emergent intensities in the fine structure lines of OI (63 μm, 145 μm), CI (609 μm, 370 μm), and CII (158 μm) and in the low-lying rotational transitions of CO. The numerical results show that column densities in the range 2 × 10 17 to 2 × 10 18 cm 2 can be expected from the C + /C/CO transition region at the edge of molecular clouds. This difference with previous chemical calculations is partly due to a higher assumed carbon abundance, partly due to the charge exchange reactions of C + with S and SiO, and partly due to carbon self-shielding which is taken into account. A detailed model is constructed for the Orion photodissociation region, which explains the observed OI (63 μm, 145 μm), CII (158 μm), CI (609 μm), and CO emission. In this model the CI (609 μm) emission originates in the warm (50°K) molecular gas behind Θ 1 C Ori but near the surface of OMCI.
The Br and I analogues of ReCl(H2)(PMePh2)4; crystal structures of ReBr(H2)(PMePh2)4 and the [ReO2(Py)4]+ cation; possible solution state evidence of Re–H⋯H⋯N(Py) interactions as evident in T1 measurements

Abstract The syntheses of the Br and I analogues of ReCl(H2)(PMePh2)4 are reported together with their characterizations by NMR, and in the case of the Br analogue, FABMS and a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. The minimum T1 for the metal bonded hydrogen atoms in the Br and I analogues was determined to be 62 and 101 ms at 400 MHz, respectively. A decrease of 9 ms in the room temperature T1 measurement of ReCl(H2)(PMePh2)4 was observed upon addition of pyridine to the NMR tube. This is suggestive of an interaction between the dihydrogen ligand and the lone pair of electrons on the N-atom in py. The crystal structure of ReBr(H2)(PMePh2)4 revealed that the structure consisted of a trans dihydrogen to halide arrangement and was disordered with respect to the locations of the dihydrogen ligand and the halide in the crystal. The crystal structure of the trans-[ReO2(Py)4]+ cation is also reported.
Globalisation, Growth and Crises: The View from Latin America

In this paper I analyse the role of openness and globalisation in Latin America's economic development. The paper is divided into two distinct parts: I first (Sections 2 to 4) provide an analysis of 60 years of the region's economic history, that go from the launching of the Alliance for Progress by the Kennedy administration in 1961, to the formulation and implementation of the market oriented reforms of the Washington Consensus in the 1990s and 2000s. I conclude that Latin America's history has been characterised by low growth, high inflation and recurrent external crises. In Section 5 I deal formally with the costs of crises and I estimate a number of variance component models of the dynamics of growth. I find that external crises have been more costly in Latin America than in the rest of the world. I also find that the cost of external crises has been inversely related to the degree of openness.
1-Palmitoyl-2-thiopalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, a highly specific chromogenic substrate of phosphol ipase A2

Abstract 1-Palmitoyl-2-thiopalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (2-thioPC), a structurally modified phospholipid analog is specifically hydrolyzed by phospholipase A2 to liberate 2-thiolysophosphatidylcholine and palmitic acid. The sulfhydryl group of the product is readily trapped by 5,5′-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) allowing continuous spectrophotometric monitoring of the enzymatic reaction. The rates of hydrolysis by bee-venom phospholipse A2 have been determined in a series of Triton X-100 containing mixed micelles. At 1 mM 2-thioPC increasing the concentration of Triton X-100 from 4 to 16 mM changes the specific activity of bee-venom phospholipase A2 from 96.9 to 17.9 μmol/min/mg, about one order of magnitude lower than dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis in micelles of similar composition. The chromogenic substrate is the first phospholipid analog exhibiting absolute specificity for phospholipase A2 and should be applicable to spectrophotometric detection and kinetic characterization of both water soluble and membrane-bound forms.
Pharmacology and reflex responsiveness of the heart in the giant garden slug, Limax maximus☆

1. 1. The anatomy and innervation of the heart in the slug Limax maximus are described. 2. 2. The heart is myogenic and is reflexively modulated by tactile stimulation of the body surface. 3. 3. Pharmacological data suggest that cardioexcitation is serotoninergic and cardioinhibition cholinergic, although both ACh and 5-HT have biphasic effects depending on concentration. 4. 4. Cardioexcitatory and cardioinhibitory areas of the visceral ganglion were identified and modulation of heart rate by single cells demonstrated.
Simulation of a vertical reactor for high pressure organometallic chemical vapor deposition

The suitability of a vertical cylindrical reactor with highly constrained radial flow from a central gas injection port past a set of heated substrate wafers that are embedded in the top channel wall has been evaluated in the context of organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) at elevated pressure. Numerical simulations showed that, in addition to the limitation on the channel height necessary for preventing buoyancy driven recirculation, negotiating the ninety-degree bend at the inlet is problematic and also constrains the channel height below a critical value, at which the radial flow area after the inlet bend is equal to the cross-sectional area of the central gas injection port. Restricting the channel height poses the danger of heating of the channel wall opposite to the substrate wafers causing potential problems with deposition of decomposition products and competitive polycrystalline film growth at this location. These problems can be avoided by actively cooling the channel wall opposite to the substrate and by keeping the retention time of the source vapor molecules and fragments thereof in the wafer location below a critical value.
Chronic headaches and insomnia: working toward a biobehavioral model.

Background: Sleep disturbances are consistently associated with chronic headaches, yet the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. One potential barrier to generating new hypotheses...
Testing by artificial intelligence: computational alternatives to the determination of mutagenicity.

Abstract In order to develop methods for evaluating the predictive performance of computer-driven structure—activity methods (SAR) as well as to determine the limits of predictivity, we investigated the behavior of two Salmonella mutagenicity data bases: (a) a subset from the Genetox Program and (b) one from the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP). For molecules common to the two data bases, the experimental concordance was 76% when “marginals” were included and 81% when they were excluded. Three SAR methods were evaluated: CASE, MULTICASE and CASE/Graph Indices (CASE/GI). The programs “learned” the Genetox data base and used it to predict NTP molecules that were not present in the Genetox compilation. The concordances were 72, 80 and 47% respectively. Obviously, the MULTICASE version is superior and approaches the 85% interlaboratory variability observed for the Salmonella mutagenicity assays when the latter was carried out under carefully controlled conditions.
Understanding the Routine Expression of Deceptive Affection in Romantic Relationships

Studies suggest that individuals regularly communicate inauthentic affectionate messages to their romantic partners. Yet, most studies do not describe this process, what constitutes deceptive affection, or the functions involved. The study involved a 7-day diary in which participants recorded what they lied about, why they lied, and how they used affection to deceive their romantic partners. Results indicate that participants lied about their own feelings, feelings about their partners, or feelings about the situation. They communicated deceptive affection using verbal messages of confirmation or avoidance, and incorporated nonverbal cues of haptics, proxemics, and kinesics. Motives for the deception included face-saving, conflict management/avoidance, and emotion management. This study provides a clearer picture of how deceptive communication may support and maintain romantic relationships.
Use of dietary supplements by pregnant and lactating women in North America

Nutrient requirements increase during periods of growth and development such as pregnancy and lactation. In response, many clinicians recommend dietary supplements during these important periods of the life cycle. Although there exist some recommendations concerning the need for a limited number of nutrients in supplemental form (eg, iron, folic acid, and iodine), there is a relative paucity of data concerning the use of dietary supplements during pregnancy and lactation. Limited data suggest, however, that usage is dependent on demographic, sociologic, and economic factors. Thus, it is possible that the nation's most at-risk populations may be those who are least likely to comply with these recommendations. As researchers continue to study what is meant by “optimal nutrition” during pregnancy and lactation, it is likely that additional recommendations concerning dietary supplements will emerge. For example, it is possible that increased consumption of some of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy or lactation may impart a benefit to infant health. Understanding better the population dynamics related to supplement use during these periods will be critical in implementation of campaigns designed to encourage appropriate use—and discourage inappropriate use—of dietary supplements during these important phases of human reproduction. The purpose of this article is to briefly review what is known about the use of dietary supplements in North America and, more specifically, in pregnant and lactating women. In addition, information concerning barriers to supplement use is discussed as are current recommendations for dietary supplement consumption during these periods of the life cycle.
Smallest Space Analysis: A Method for Relating Empirical Observation of Use of Space to Housing Design

Smallest space analysis, a statistical technique for creating a spatial representation of data, is examined to assess its usefulness for analyzing use-of-space data. The assumptions and the logic of the technique are discussed. This technique is illustrated with an application to use-of-space data. Smallest space analysis is found to be a promising technique for analyzing use-of-space data, lead ing to direct implications for housing design. In addition, this technique is useful in analyzing a wide variety of data in other fields of home economics.
Methods for Testing Population Signal-to-Noise Ratio

This article considered several test statistics for testing the population signal-to-noise ratio based on parametric, nonparametric, and modified methods. To compare the performance of the proposed...
Charge Requirements of Lipid II Flippase Activity in Escherichia coli

Peptidoglycan (PG) is an extracytoplasmic glycopeptide matrix essential for the integrity of the envelope of most bacteria. The PG building block is a disaccharide-pentapeptide that is synthesized as a lipid-linked precursor called lipid II. The translocation of the amphipathic lipid II across the cytoplasmic membrane is required for subsequent incorporation of the disaccharide-pentapeptide into PG. In Escherichia coli, the essential inner membrane protein MurJ is the lipid II flippase. Previous studies showed that 8 charged residues in the central cavity region of MurJ are crucial for function. Here, we completed the functional analysis of all 57 charged residues in MurJ and demonstrated that the respective positive or negative charge of the 8 aforementioned residues is required for proper MurJ function. Loss of the negative charge in one of these residues, D39, causes a severe defect in MurJ biogenesis; by engineering an intragenic suppressor mutation that restores MurJ biogenesis, we found that this charge is also essential for MurJ function. Because of the low level of homology between MurJ and putative orthologs from Gram-positive bacteria, we explored the conservation of these 8 charged residues in YtgP, a homolog from Streptococcus pyogenes. We found that only 3 positive charges are similarly positioned and essential in YtgP; YtgP possesses additional charged residues within its predicted cavity that are essential for function and conserved among Gram-positive bacteria. From these data, we hypothesize that some charged residues in the cavity region of MurJ homologs are required for interaction with lipid II and/or energy coupling during transport.
Hierarchical Mum Effect: A New Investigation of Organizational Ethics

In this language production experiment, working adults (N = 226) were asked to respond to unethical business requests. Our objective was to advance a communicative understanding of unethical organizational behaviors by analyzing the linguistic adjustments workers employ to deny unethical requests. Specifically, we measured responses to unethical requests on a continuous coding scheme, which captured degrees of denial directness. We hypothesized that command structures produce a hierarchical mum effect in which subordinates are more indirect in denying an unethical request than supervisors and coworkers. Results confirmed the presence of a hierarchical mum effect; data also indicated that females, younger workers, and those with the least work experience are most indirect in denying an unethical request.
“x logic”: Repositioning Nintendo in children's lives

Marsha Kinder, Playing With Power in Movies, Television and Video Games: From Muppet Babies to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991. Eugene F. Provenzo Jr., Video Kids: Making Sense of Nintendo. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1991.
Exploiting agent and database technologies for biological data collection

Web data sources constitute an important resource for biological research. A simple tool that can retrieve information from different Web sites through a single interface and store the extracted data in a standardized format for efficient future use is critical to scientific discovery. We discuss an approach that combines agent and database technologies for biological data integration. To illustrate this, we employ two software tools: WinAgent, for building agents, and dbXML, for XML data management. WinAgent learns from its users by recording a browsing session on Web sites and successive data extraction from regions of interest on retrieved Web pages. The results are stored in a XML document and can be managed, queried and updated using a native XML database system such as dbXML. This approach is currently being evaluated at the Brain Tumor Cancer Unit of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, Arizona.
Interaction of evaporated palladium and titanium films with single-crystal silicon

Abstract Silicide formation with electron-gun-evaporated films of titanium and palladium was studied using MeV 4 He + backscattering spectrometry, glancing angle X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. For samples with the structure (single-crystal) Si/Pd/Ti it was found that titanium silicides grew on top of Pd 2 Si at temperatures above 500 °C. For the temperature range 530–650 °C the growth rate of this titanium silicide layer on 〈111〉-oriented substrates was compared with that observed for titanium films evaporated directly onto 〈111〉 silicon; it was found that the growth rates were highest when an interposing palladium layer was present. For samples with the structure 〈100〉 Si/Pd/Ti annealing at above 550 °C yielded very laterally non-uniform layers. A model for this phenomenon is presented. Samples with the structure 〈100〉 Si/Ti/Pd yielded compound formation between the titanium and the palladium and no observed silicide formation (after annealing at 550 °C for 30 min) when the ratio Ti:Pd was greater than 1:1. Samples with a Ti:Pd ratio of about 1:3 gave laterally non-uniform silicide formation (after annealing at 550 °C for 30 min).
Coming to terms with management.

Abstract This article postulates that clinicians need to understand the nature of the management role in substance abuse agencies, even if they have no aspirations to occupy a management role, because it profoundly affects their conditions of work as clinicians. The article aims to demystify the management role, breaking it down into three major areas of related functions: clinical management, business management, and agency management. A crucial and much misunderstood aspect of the management role, especially at the agency level, is the dimension of power or the management of organizational politics. Lastly we note several advantages that the former clinician has a manager.
A Comparative Policy Analysis of Coalition Strategies: Case Studies of Nuclear Energy and Forest Management in India

AbstractThe Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) has long argued that the choice of coalition strategies in pursuit of additional allies and resources to influence policy change is a crucial part of the policy process. However, scholars are only beginning to understand the underlying forces that impact on coalition behavior. Using case studies of nuclear energy and forest management subsystems in India, this article explores how coalition opportunity structures (COS) at the subsystem level impact on coalition strategies. It analyzes how coalitions function within different institutional and policy contexts and why they choose one strategy over another. Findings indicate that centralized policy subsystems with restricted access to decision-making venues lead coalitions to adopt confrontational strategies designed to disrupt the subsystem status quo, whereas decentralized policy subsystems with increased access to decision-making lead coalitions to adopt assimilative strategies designed to work within the sub...
An experiment in common sense: education at blood pressure screening.

Abstract This study compared the impact of three educational messages about hypertension used at a worksite blood pressure screening program. The messages sought to change beliefs and health behaviors related to hypertension. Each participant who had either been previously diagnosed as hypertensive or had an elevated blood pressure at screening was randomly assigned to view one of three slide/tape messages about high blood pressure: (1) a standard (control) message, and one of two experimental messages; (2) a standard message combined with action plans or (3) a standard plus action plan message combined with information on “wellness thinking” as opposed to relying on the presence of symptoms to monitor blood pressure level. Self-report measures obtained immediately after viewing the slide/tapes, 1 week and 9 months later included intentions to change behavior, reports of changes made in health behaviors, and beliefs about the reliance on symptoms to monitor blood pressure level. Both experimental messages containing action plan information led to stronger reported intentions and reported behavior change up to 9 months later, but few differences were statistically significant. Subjects who received “wellness thinking” information were less likely to attribute symptoms to high blood pressure up to one week later, but these differences disappeared at the nine month follow-up. Results suggest that effective education about hypertension should include specific information on strategies for reducing blood pressure.
Superconducting Metastable Compounds.

A number of metastable phases, germanides and tellurides of gold and silver, have been prepared, analyzed by x-ray diffraction, and investigated for superconductivity. The new superconductors and their transition temperatures are AgTe_3 (2.6°K), Ag4Ge (0.85°K), Au_3Te_5 (1.62°K), and Au_(1-x)Ge_x (0.99°K-1.63°K) where (0.27 ≤ x ≤ 0.60). Au-Ge compositions with other values of x do not superconduct above 0.32°K.
Effect of exogenous lipids on rat brain cholesterol ester hydrolases

The three cholesterol ester hydrolases in rat brain were activated by varying degrees when a mixture of whole brain lipids was added to the respective assay systems. The lipid mixture could not replace the detergents present in the standard assay systems for the myelin-localized (pH 7.2) and the microsomal (pH 6.0) cholesterol ester hydrolases. However, the lipid mixture not only could replace the detergent in the pH 4.2 hydrolase assay system but also markedly activated the enzyme when the detergent was omitted. Exogenous phosphatidylserine, GM1-ganglioside, stearic acid, and oleic acid all showed distinct and widely varying effects on each of the measured activities of the three cholesterol ester hydrolases. While the mechanism of activation or inhibition of these enzymes by exogenous lipids is not clear at present, these observations suggest potential importance of various lipids in the in vivo metabolic regulation of brain cholesterol ester metabolism.
Leukocytic epinephrine receptors of normal and asthmatic individuals.

Abstract To determine if the hypothesized beta adrenergic blockade in asthma, is located at the level of the hormone receptor, we have compared the number and binding affinity of leukocytic epinephrine receptors in normal and asthmatic subjects. Human leukocytes, but not human erythrocytes, possess low-affinity epinephrine receptors. When saturated, each leukocyte binds approximately 1.0 × 10 6 molecules of epinephrine. Binding of 3 H dl-epinephrine was largely inhibited by excess unlabeled l-epinephrine. The binding was reversible and involved both the d and l forms of 3 H dl-epinephrine. Inhibition studies with nonradioactive isoproterenol, norepinephrine, propranolol, and tolazoline produced results consistent with the interpretation that the leukocytes contained both alpha and beta adrenergic receptors. Two procedures, subcellular fractionation of lymphocytes and incubation of leukocytes in 0.1 per cent trypsin, permitted the demonstration that most of the catecholamine binding occurred at the plasma membrane. Thin-layer chromatography of the bound 3 H dl-epinephrine after its extraction from the leukocytes permitted the interpretation that the hormone had fully retained its chemical structure. In addition, epinephrine binding was associated with cAMP production. Leukocytic epinephrine receptors of 10 asthmatic and 9 normal individuals were compared and found not to be substantially different in number or binding affinity.
On the value of temporary carbon: a comment on Kirschbaum

A recent paper by Miko Kirschbaum (Mitigat Adapt Strategies Glob Change 11(5–6):1151–1164, 2006) argues that temporary carbon (C) storage has “virtually no climate-change mitigation value.” However, temporary carbon has value in delaying global warming that needs to be recognized in carbon accounting methodologies. The conclusions reached are very sensitive to any value that is attached to time. Basing analysis exclusively on the maximum temperature reached within a 100-year time frame ignores other important impacts of global warming that also need to be included when mitigation strategies are assessed. The relative weightings for long-term versus short-term impacts represent policy choices that result in a greater or a lesser value being attributed to temporary carbon, but that value should not be zero. Global warming is too formidable an enemy to allow us the luxury of discarding part of our arsenal in fighting against it. Both reducing fossil-fuel combustion and increasing biosphere carbon stocks are needed.
Scaffold attachment factor B1 functions in development, growth, and reproduction.

Scaffold attachment factor B1 (SAFB1) is a multifunctional protein that can bind both DNA and RNA and is involved in RNA processing and stress response. In addition, SAFB1 contains a transcriptional repression domain and can bind certain hormone receptors and repress their activity. To assess the role of SAFB1 in vivo, we generated SAFB1 mutant mice through targeted deletion in embryonic stem cells. While viable homozygous mutant (SAFB1−/−) mice were obtained, genotypic distribution indicated that homozygous deficiency resulted in both prenatal and neonatal lethality. Mice lacking SAFB1 exhibited dwarfism, as a result of in utero growth retardation, and had low serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) levels. In agreement with the previous characterization of SAFB1 as a corepressor for hormone receptors, we found that SAFB1−/− mice displayed dramatic defects in the development and function of the reproductive system. Male SAFB1 null mice were infertile, apparently because of low circulating levels of testosterone. SAFB1−/− testes were small and showed progressive degeneration of the germinal epithelium, increased apoptosis of germ cells, and Leydig cell hyperplasia. SAFB−/− female mice were subfertile and showed progressive infertility, in part because of defects in oviductal transport and reduced numbers of follicles. Immortalized SAFB1−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts showed cell-intrinsic defects including increased transcriptional estrogen receptor α activity and enhanced responsiveness to IGF1. Together, these in vivo findings establish a critical role for SAFB1 in development, growth regulation, and reproduction.
Perceived unfairness at work, social and personal resources, and resting blood pressure.

By drawing from theoretical perspectives suggesting that unfair conditions threaten fundamental psychological needs, perceived unfairness at work was proposed and tested as a predictor of resting blood pressure. As part of the Midlife Development in the United States Biomarkers project, participants completed questionnaires measuring perceived unfairness, self-esteem and coworker support. Resting blood pressure readings were also recorded as part of a larger physical examination. Results indicate that perceived unfairness at work was associated with higher resting diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Perceived unfairness was most strongly related to diastolic and systolic blood pressure among women with low levels of coworker support. Contrary to predictions, self-esteem did not moderate the association between perceived unfairness and blood pressure. These results suggest that high blood pressure may be a mechanism linking unfairness to negative health outcomes and point to coworker support as a moderator of the perceived unfairness–blood pressure relationship among women. Further research is needed exploring the mediating mechanisms linking unfair treatment at work to blood pressure and health. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Checklist of Lichens Collected During the 2007 Blomquist Foray in Southern Alabama, U.S.A.

Abstract. A checklist of 195 lichens and lichenicolous and related fungi collected in south-central Alabama during the 2007 Blomquist Foray is presented. A total of 36 taxa are reported as new to the state.
Risk and resiliency in posttraumatic stress disorder: Distinct roles of anxiety and disgust sensitivity.

Although anxiety sensitivity and disgust sensitivity have been shown to predict adverse reactions to traumatic events, it remains unclear whether these traits are best conceptualized as risk or resilience factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the present study, veterans with PTSD (n 21), trauma-exposed veterans without PTSD (n 16), and healthy nonveteran controls (n 22) completed measures of anxiety sensitivity, disgust sensitivity, and emotion regulation. The findings showed that veterans with PTSD reported significantly higher levels of anxiety sensitivity than veterans without PTSD and healthy nonveteran controls. However, veterans without PTSD and healthy nonveteran controls did not significantly differ in anxiety sensitivity. In contrast, veterans without PTSD reported significantly lower disgust sensitivity than veterans with PTSD and healthy nonveteran controls. Furthermore, veterans with PTSD and healthy nonveteran controls did not significantly differ from each other in disgust sensitivity. These distinct patterns of differences in anxiety sensitivity and disgust sensitivity remained significant when controlling for group differences in expressive emotion suppression. These preliminary findings suggest that anxiety sensitivity and disgust sensitivity may differ in the extent to which they represent risk or resilience factors for the development of PTSD.
Fractal Analysis of Multiscale Spatial Autocorrelation among Point Data

The analysis of spatial autocorrelation among point-data quadrats is a well-developed technique that has made limited but intriguing use of the multiscale aspects of pattern. In this paper are presented theoretical and algorithmic approaches to the analysis of aggregations of quadrats at or above a given density, in which these sets are treated as multifractal regions whose fractal dimension, D, may vary with phenomenon intensity, scale, and location. The technique is illustrated with Matui's quadrat house-count data, which yield measurements consistent with a nonautocorrelated simulated Poisson process but not with an orthogonal unit-step random walk. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of such analysis for multiscale geographic analysis systems.
Impact of home-based, supervised exercise on congestive heart failure

Abstract Aims Comparison of supervised home-based exercise program as adjunctive therapy, with comprehensive disease management alone, on symptoms and quality of life in congestive heart failure patients. Methods 8 women and 11 men were enrolled in a randomized trial. The mean subject age was 69 (±4.44) in the controls and 70 (±4.05) in the intervention group. Baseline and 3, 6, and 12-month evaluations consisted of the Chronic Heart Failure Questionnaire (CHFQ), measuring perceived functional capacity (perceived symptoms of dyspnea, fatigue, and emotional function) and the Yale Physical Activity Survey (YPAS). A stress test was given at baseline and 12months. Results and conclusions The home-based exercise intervention caused a significant change in perceived fatigue between study groups ( p =0.015), after 6months of study participation, with the control group feeling less fatigued than the intervention group. After 12months of participation, there were no significant differences in perceived functional capacity. Home-based exercise was well tolerated and favorably evaluated. This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of studying home-based exercise in patients with moderate congestive heart failure. Larger and longer studies will be required to determine treatment effects.
Performance of an automated real-time ST-segment analysis program to detect coronary occlusion and reperfusion

Abstract Continuously updated ST-segment recovery analysis has been shown to accurately predict infarct-related artery patency. Salient principles were converted into algorithms and incorporated into a portable ST monitor for optimal application. This study tested the automated program's ability to detect occlusion and reperfusion during balloon angioplasty. ST-segment recordings during 78 balloon occlusions in 31 patients were analyzed. The program requires at least one electrocardiogram with ST elevation of 200 μV or greater in the recording, caused by the current occlusion or by a previous occlusion, before it will yield a patency prediction. All 35 inflations causing peak ST elevation of 200 μV or more were indeed detected. All five inflations causing less than 200 μV ST elevation preceded by an inflation causing 200 μV or higher ST elevation were also detected. Occlusion was detected a median of 40 seconds after inflation, and reperfusion a median of 17 seconds after deflation. Peak ST elevation greater than 200 μV occurred in 19 of 26 left anterior descending artery inflations (73%), 1 of 22 left circumflex artery LCX inflations (5%), and 15 of 30 right coronary artery inflations (50%). Five different leads identified peak ST elevation through 12-lead surveillance. In this model of coronary occlusion during angioplasty balloon inflation, the automated patency assessment program appears to detect coronary angioplasty balloon occlusion and reperfusion within seconds in all occlusions causing a peak ST elevation of 200 μV or greater. Testing this automated patency assessment program as a noninvasive triage tool in myocardial infarction patients seems warranted.
Carbon‐Free TiO2 Battery Electrodes Enabled by Morphological Control at the Nanoscale

This article describes the carbon-free titania composite battery electrodes constructed from anisotropic, rod-shaped nanocrystals has very high and stable capacities, as well as outstanding rate capability, when compared to carbon-contg. counterparts. Monodisperse anatase titania nanorods are obtained by low-temp. base-catalyzed hydrolysis of titanium tetraisopropoxide and monodisperse nanospheres are synthesized in solvothermal conditions. Com. available 25 nm and 300 nm titania particles are used for comparison purposes. The voltage-capacity, specific capacity-cycle no. and electrochem. impedance characteristics of titania electrodes are evaluated.
Simplified Use Case Driven Approach (SUCADA) for Conversion of Legacy System to COTS Package

The conversion of a legacy system to a system based on a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) package demands a dedicated guidance. The assumption that it is just a matter of adopting a selected package may prove disastrous and even more expensive than building the system in house and from scratch. Building a software solution based on a COTS package not only has its risks, but it is also different from a custom development effort, and it needs to follow a rigorous methodology for a successful implementation. Therefore, it is necessary to define how to solve some of the challenges that this type of project presents, and how to balance customer requirements with the features offered by the COTS package. To successfully and efficiently convert a legacy system into a new system based on COTS package, we developed and present a methodology that utilizes a general process flow chart, simplified use cases, and a mapping to the COTS package functionality. We also present the findings of a case study on the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed methodology for the conversion of a legacy laboratory information management system (LIMS).
Sufentanil-midazolam anesthesia for coronary artery surgery.

Abstract The combination of benzodiazepines and high-dose narcotics has been reported to produce hypotension in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery. This study was performed to evaluate the cardiovascular effects of lower doses of the narcotic sufentanil administered with the benzodiazepine midazolam. Thirty adult patients with good ventricular function undergoing elective coronary revascularization received sufentanil, 2.5 μg/kg, and midazolam, 0.1 mg/kg, followed by infusions of sufentanil; 0.7 to 1.5 μg/kg/h, and midazolam, 0.07 to 0.15 mg/kg/h. Overall, stable hemodynamics were achieved before and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients who were not receiving preoperative β-adrenergic blockade (n = 15) had increases from baseline heart rate and rate-pressure product after sternotomy, during aortic dissection, and after CPB that were not clinically significant. Five patients developed hypertension (increases greater than 20% over the baseline value), which was controlled with additional sufentanil or a vasodilator. Hypertension requiring vasodilator therapy did not occur in patients taking β-adrenergic blockers. Blood pressure decreases exceeding 20% of the baseline value did not occur. Two of 15 patients receiving β-blockers, versus 3 of 15 not receiving β-blockers, developed ischemic electrocardiographic changes before CPB (NS): one of these patients without β-blockade had a postoperative myocardial infarction. The results of this study show that the infusion of low doses of sufentanil with midazolam provides a hemodynamically safe and stable anesthetic for coronary artery surgery and avoids the hypotension seen when a high-dose narcotic is combined with a benzodiazepine.
Delta-Like 4 Induces Notch Signaling in Macrophages Implications for Inflammation

Background— Activated macrophages contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Although Notch signaling participates in various aspects of immunity, its role in macrophage activation remains undetermined. Methods and Results— To explore the role of Notch signaling in inflammation, we examined the expression and activity of Notch pathway components in human primary macrophages in vitro and in atherosclerotic plaques. Macrophages in culture express various Notch pathway components including all 4 receptors (Notch1 to Notch4). Notch3 selectively increased during macrophage differentiation; however, silencing by RNA interference demonstrated that all receptors are functional. The ligand Delta-like 4 (Dll4) increased in macrophages exposed to proinflammatory stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide, interleukin-1β, or minimally-modified low-density lipoprotein in a Toll-like receptor 4– and nuclear factor-κB–dependent fashion. Soluble Dll4 bound to human macrophages. Coincubation ...