cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A randomized controlled trial of two dialysate sodium concentrations in hospitalized hemodialysis patients

Background Several large dialysis organizations have lowered the dialysate sodium concentration (DNa) in an effort to ameliorate hypervolemia. The implications of lower DNa on intra-dialytic hypotension (IDH) during hospitalizations of hemodialysis (HD) patients is unclear. Methods In this double-blind single center randomized controlled trial, hospitalized maintenance HD patients were randomized to receive higher (142 mmol/L) or lower (138 mmol/L) DNa for up to six sessions. Blood pressure (BP) was measured in a standardized fashion pre-HD, post-HD and every 15 minutes during HD. The endpoints were: 1) the average decline in systolic BP (pre-HD minus lowest intra-HD; primary endpoint); and 2) the proportion of total sessions complicated by IDH (drop of ≥20 mmHg from the pre-HD systolic BP; secondary endpoint). Results A total of 139 patients completed the trial, contributing 311 study visits. There were no significant differences in the average SBP decline between the higher and lower DNa groups (23 ±16 vs. 26 ±16 mmHg; P = 0.57). The proportion of total sessions complicated by IDH was similar in the higher DNa group, compared with the lower DNa group (54% vs. 59%; OR 0.72; 95%CI 0.36 to 1.44; P = 0.35). In post-hoc analyses adjusting for imbalances in baseline characteristics, higher DNa was associated with 8 mmHg (95%CI 2 to 13 mmHg) less decline in SBP, compared with lower DNa. Patient symptoms and adverse events were similar between groups. Conclusions In this RCT for hospitalized maintenance HD patients, we found no difference in the absolute SBP decline between those who received higher versus lower DNa in intention-to-treat analyses. Post-hoc adjusted analyses suggested a lower risk of IDH with higher DNa - thus, larger multi-center studies to confirm these findings are warranted.
Combined small-cell lung carcinoma: An institutional experience.

Background The purpose of this study is to determine prognostic factors and survival in patients who present with combined small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Methods A retrospective review of combined SCLC histology in patients treated between1995–2010 was undertaken. Demographics, diagnostic information, disease characteristics, treatment modality, and survival were captured. Survival estimates were performed using Kaplan Meier analysis. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. Results Forty-one patients were identified, and 35 records were available for analysis. Median age at diagnosis was 68 (range 50–85). The study included 20 (57%) women and 15 (43%) men; and 94% had a current or former history of smoking. Histology was SCLC/large cell carcinoma not otherwise specified in 28 (80%), and SCLC/adenocarcinoma or SCLC/squamous cell carcinoma in seven (20%). Cardiac or pulmonary comorbidities were present in 80% of patients, and 24 patients had metastatic disease at presentation. Twenty-eight patients received treatment of chemotherapy (n = 24), cranial radiotherapy (n = 5), or thoracic radiotherapy (n = 7). Staging was as follows: stage I-III (n = 11), stage IV (n = 24). Median survival was 15.4 months (range <1–53 months) and 3.4 months (range <1–21.9 months) for American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage I-III and stage IV, respectively. Estimated overall six and 12 month survival was 82%, 55%, 37%, and 17% for stage I-III and stage IV, respectively. An improved overall survival rate was found for patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of <2, and no weight loss (P < 0.05). Conclusion Akin to SCLC, advanced stage combined SCLC portends a poor prognosis. Perhaps novel chemotherapeutic drugs or targeted agents may improve outcomes for future patient populations.
Multiplicity of Leucine Transport Systems in Escherichia coli K-12

The major component of leucine uptake in Escherichia coli K-12 is a common system for l-leucine, l-isoleucine, and l-valine (LIV-I) with a Michaelis constant (Km) value of 0.2 μM (LIV-I system). The LIV-binding protein appears to be associated with this system. It now appears that the LIV-I transport system and LIV-binding protein also serve for the entry of l-alanine, l-threonine, and possibly l-serine. A minor component of l-leucine entry occurs by a leucine-specific system (L-system) for which a specific leucine-binding protein has been isolated. A mutant has been obtained that shows increased levels of the LIV-I transport activity and increased levels of both of the binding proteins. Another mutant has been isolated that shows only a major increase in the levels of the leucine-specific transport system and the leucine-specific binding protein. A third binding protein that binds all three branched-chain amino acids but binds isoleucine preferentially has been identified. The relationship of the binding proteins to each other and to transport activity is discussed. A second general transport system (LIV-II system) with a Km value of 2 μM and a relatively low Vmax can be observed in E. coli. The LIV-II system is not sensitive to osmotic shock treatment nor to growth of cells in the presence of leucine. This high Km system, which is specific for the branched-chain amino acids, can be observed in membrane vesicle preparations.
Refugees as Weapons of the Weak

Weapons of Mass Migration. By M. Greenhill Kelly. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2010. 342 pp., $35.00 hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-8014-4871-3). Until recently, International Relations (IR) scholars hardly paid attention to migration and refugee flows as serious subjects of study. Refugees were considered to be the unfortunate by products of war and political violence rather than central to the dynamics of conflict within and between states. In Weapons of Mass Migration, Kelly Greenhill offers a superbly written and thoroughly researched analysis of a phenomenon that has barely received scholarly attention: coercive engineered migration. As opposed to refugee flows that are rooted in domestic conflicts, without regard for their external consequences, coercive engineered migration is a deliberate attempt by a state or nonstate actor to extract concessions from a foreign target(s), using forced displacement as a weapon. Hosting refugee communities can be quite financially or political costly for governments, and weak actors can threaten to impose these costs by creating migration crises. Greenhill is not the first to point out that migration has often been used as a weapon of the weak or as a tool of foreign policy. Myron Weiner (1995) was among the first to recognize that migration has important consequences for international security and can be used strategically by sending states. James Hollifield (2000) further urged IR scholars to pay greater attention to the security consequences of migration flows. However, Weapons of Mass Migration is the most theoretically developed and …
Post-Marketing Surveillance of Prescription Drug Safety: Past, Present, and Future

In the aftermath of the scandal surrounding the pain killer rofecoxib (Vioxx), commentators began questioning whether the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) remains capable of ensuring both the eff...
DIVERGENT PATTERNS OF INTEGRATION AND REDUCED CONSTRAINT IN THE HUMAN HIP AND THE ORIGINS OF BIPEDALISM

When compared to other hominids—great apes including humans—the human pelvis reveals a fundamental reorganization of bony morphology comprised of multiple trait-level changes, many of which are associated with bipedal locomotion. Establishing how patterns of integration—correlations and covariances among traits—within the pelvis have evolved in concert with morphology is essential to explaining this evolutionary transition because integration may facilitate or constrain morphological evolution. Here, we show that the human hip bone has significantly lower levels of integration and constraint overall when compared to other hominids, that the focus of these changes is on traits hypothesized to play major functional roles in bipedalism, and we provide evidence that the human hip was reintegrated in a pattern distinct from other members of this group. Additionally, the evolutionary transition from a nonhuman great ape-like to human hip bone morphology was significantly easier to traverse using the human integration pattern in each comparison, which suggests hominin patterns may have evolved to facilitate this transition. Our results suggest natural selection for bipedalism broke down earlier hominid integration patterns, allowing relevant traits to respond to separate selection pressures to a greater extent than was previously possible, and reintegrated traits in a way that could have facilitated evolution along the vector specifying ancestral hominid and hominin morphological differences.
Souse the mouse

Alcohol is the most common drug of abuse, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that excessive alcohol intake is responsible for 88,000 deaths per year in the United States. Behavioral interventions are the mainstay for alcohol dependence treatment, and existing medications have modest efficacy at best and are rarely used. In a recent study, Wang and colleagues investigated the dorsomedial striatum, a brain region important in reward-directed behaviors, in a mouse model of alcohol use. The dorsomedial striatum primarily consists of neurons that express either dopamine receptor type 1 (DR1) or dopamine receptor type 2 (D2R). In the first experiment, daily doses of intraperitoneal alcohol increased AMPA-induced currents in D1R-expressing neurons, but not in D2R-expressing neurons. The investigators developed a new strain of mouse through crossbreeding that consumed higher quantities of alcohol (16 versus 5 g/kg/day). Following 8 weeks of intermittent heavy alcohol use—in a model of excessive consumption and withdrawal in which there was 24 hours of access to alcohol on each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday—the authors observed increased AMPA-induced currents in the D1R-expressing neurons of the dorsomedial striatum but saw no change in the D2R-expressing neurons. Morphological examination revealed an increase in dendritic arborization and the density of mature dendritic spines in D1R-expressing neurons, but not in D2R-expressing neurons. Infusion of a D1R antagonist called SCH 23390 reduced alcohol intake, whereas a D2R antagonist did not affect alcohol intake. These results imply that alcohol intake induces morphological changes in D1R-expressing neurons and increases D1R-mediated synaptic activity, which increases alcohol-seeking behaviors, and that blocking D1R decreases alcohol intake. Prior studies have examined the contribution of dopamine pathways to alcohol intake in animal models and in humans. However, they have primarily focused on D2R-mediated pathways, or have used medications that nonselectively affect D1R, D2R, and other dopamine receptor activity. This study suggests that specifically targeting D1R is a better strategy for a more effective medical treatment of alcohol abuse. J. Wang, et al. , Alcohol elicits functional and structural plasticity selectively in dopamine D1 receptor-expressing neurons of the dorsomedial striatum. J. Neurosci. 35 , 11634–11643 (2015). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.jneurosci.org/content/35/33/11634.abstract
Electron-impact detachment from the H- and O- negative ions.

The electron-impact detachment from the H{sup {minus}} and O{sup {minus}} negative ions is calculated in lowest-order distorted-wave theory. The cross sections are found to be quite sensitive to the choice of polarization potential. Reasonable agreement between the distorted-wave theory and recent ion storage ring experiments for both H{sup {minus}} and O{sup {minus}} is obtained. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Spin transfer coefficients for pp elastic scattering at 200 MeV: Implications for the πN N coupling constant

Abstract A series of precision measurements of the spin-transfer coefficients that characterize pp elastic scattering at 200 MeV has been completed recently at IUCF. These new data span a kinematic regime chosen specifically to maximize sensitivity to the value of the neutral πN N coupling constant. The data provide strong support for modern potential models of the N N interaction in which a weaker pion coupling ( g 0 2 4π ≈ 13.6 ) is employed. Moreover, calculations within the framework of the Full Bonn potential suggest that a reduction in g 0 2 4π from 14.4 to 13.6 would significantly improve agreement between model predictions and our new results.
Twenty-five years of convoluted health reforms in Mexico.

Nuria Homedes and Antonio Ugalde discuss 25 years of reform to the Mexican health care system and argue that although costs and accessibility have increased, health inequities, efficiency, productivity, and quality of care have not improved.
Inter-population variation among Ceratitis capitata flies in host acceptance pattern

Significant inter-populational differences in propensity to attempt boring into (accept) various types of fruit for oviposition were found among Ceratitis capitata females from two wild sources and one laboratory source. Evidence suggests that (a) fruit size had a strong influence whereas fruit taxonomic status had little influence on the acceptance pattern of each population, and (b) at least a portion of the inter-populational variation had a genetic basis. Zusammenfassung Unterschiede in der Art der Wirtsannahme zwischen Populationen von Ceratitis capitata-Imagines Bei zwei Wildherkunften und einem Laboratoriumsstamm von Ceratitis capitata wurden Weibchen auf ihre Neigung zur Probebohrung in Fruchte vor der Eiablage untersucht; dabei ergaben sich gesicherte Unterschiede zwischen den Populationen. Die Resultate deuten drauf hin, (a) dass die Fruchtgrosse einen grossen, und die taxonomische Stellung der Fruchte einen kleinen Einfluss auf das Annahmemuster der Populationen ausubt, und (b) dass mindestens ein Teil der Unterschiede zwischen den Populationen genetisch bedingt ist.
Systemic contact-type dermatitis due to drugs

Abstract Ordinarily allergic eczematous contact dermatitis is produced by external exposure of the skin to an allergen. Occasionally, however, in sensitized individuals a systemically administered allergen may reach the skin via the circulatory system and produce a hematogenous contact-type dermatitis. Although the eczematous condition is produced by systemic administration, the first sensitizing exposure to the allergen may have been by topical application. In such instances, an eczematous contact-type of eruption may be produced not only by the sensitizing allergen, but also by the allergens that are immunochemically related. 1 Previous ingestion of an allergen can also have an influence on later contact sensitization in man. Ingestion of an allergen by a person previously sensitized by contact may result in a variety of reactions. Most frequent reactions are focal flares at sites of previous dermatitis. Occasionally, dyshidrotic eruptions can occur as well as generalized eruptions. Sometimes, such flares may even occur from inhalation of the allergen.
A killer theorem

Opening a copy of The Mathematical Intelligencer you may ask yourself uneasily, “What is this anyway—a mathematical journal, or what?” Or you may ask, “Where am I?” Or even “Who am I?” This sense of disorientation is at its most acute when you open to Colin Adams’s column. Relax. Breathe regularly. It’s mathematical, it’s a humor column, and it may even be harmless.
Modeling, optimization, and comparative analysis of trivalent chromium electrodeposition from aqueous glycine and formic acid baths

Trivalent chromium electrodeposition has been studied as an alternative to hazardous hexavalent chromium electroplating. Although limited by inability to deposit thick coatings with acceptable quality, it is useful for decorative chromium electroplating. In the present work, we illustrate the application of statistical design of experiments (DOE) in empirical modeling and optimization of electrodeposition of trivalent chromium from baths of chromium complexed with glycine. DOE shows that variations in current efficiency with glycine and chromium chloride concentrations can be explained by a quadratic model. The composition of the bath was optimized with respect to current efficiency to obtain faster deposition. We compare the effects of process parameters (pH, temperature, current density, and pulsed current) on current efficiency and deposit characteristics for both glycine and formic acid-containing baths. Experiments reveal that whether pulsed current increases or decreases current efficiency is determined by how current density influences current efficiency, and the range of lower and upper current density levels.
Permeability changes of the blood-labyrinth barrier measured in vivo during experimental treatments.

Abstract The communication between blood and cochlear perilymph was investigated using the tracer ion trimethylphenylammonium (TMPA). TMPA can be detected in micromolar concentrations by ion-selective microelectrodes, allowing it to be used as an almost ideal marker to study intercommunication between fluid compartments. TMPA-sensitive electrodes were sealed into the cochlear scalae, using procedures which avoided the artifactual displacement of perilymph by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). TMPA was infused intravenously at a low rate to produce a plasma concentration of approximately 0.5,mM. The time course of entry into perilymph of scala tympani (ST), scala vestibuli (SV) and into CSF were compared. After 90 min infusion, the mean CSF concentration reached 14.3% of that measured in plasma. The TMPA concentrations measured in ST and SV perilymph were significantly lower than those recorded in CSF, only reaching an average of 6.5% and 3.7% of the plasma concentration respectively after 90 min. The slow entry of TMPA confirms the existence of a tight blood-labyrinth barrier, equivalent to the blood-brain or blood-CSF barriers. The rate of TMPA entry into perilymph was increased by epinephrine-induced hypertension or by simultaneous administration of histamine and prostaglandin E2. These treatments are presumed to increase the permeability of the blood-labyrinth barrier. Characterization and manipulation of blood-labyrinth barrier permeability could be important to our understanding cochlear pathology.
Contribution of Glycosylation to T Cell Responses Stimulated by Recombinant Cryptococcus neoformans Mannoprotein

Mannoproteins are major antigens driving T cell responses to the opportunistic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. To investigate the role played by mannosylation, an immunoreactive cryptococcal mannoprotein was expressed recombinantly in E. coli and Pichia pastoris, resulting in unglycosylated and mannosylated proteins, respectively. The Pichia-derived antigen stimulated stronger major histocompatibility class II-restricted T cell responses. Moreover, responses were potently inhibited if the antigen was chemically deglycosylated or if mannose receptors were blocked with mannans. Thus, mannosylation is critical for optimal T cell responses to a fungal antigen and should be taken into account when vaccines to protect against mycoses are designed.
Impact of rock uplift on rates of late Cenozoic Rocky Mountain river incision

[1] The high relief of the modern Rocky Mountain landscape formed in the late Cenozoic by downcutting of a fluvial network that links a series of easily eroded sedimentary basins across relatively resistant crystalline cores of adjacent ranges. Using a numerical model of fluvial erosion and the flexural isostatic response to the associated unloading, we first calculate the expected pattern and pace of incision caused by rock uplift related to migration of the Yellowstone hot spot and to growth of the northern portion of the Rio Grande rift. Calculated incision rates are <60 m/Myr, and total depth of erosion of sedimentary basins is <300 m, well below the long-term incision rates and amounts of erosion interpreted from the geologic record. Broad-scale tilting of the region toward the east, accomplished by a gradient in rock uplift of ∼1 km along the north-south axis of the central Rockies, declining to zero 1000 km to the east, can account for the additional erosion needed to match observations. In each modeling scenario, stream incision is nonsteady, with rock uplift outpacing erosion for <1 Myr in perimeter basins and 1–5 Myr in interior basins. Three factors dominate the spatial and temporal pattern of regional landscape evolution: (1) the time since uplift began, (2) the uplift pattern, and (3) the distribution of relatively resistant bedrock within the region. Our results suggest that the spatial variability in late Cenozoic exhumation can be explained by a long-lived transience in the stream network response to these various late Cenozoic geophysical events.
The deep earthquakes of 1997 in western Brazil

We report here on three 1997 deep earthquakes in Western Brazil, which extend the Northern end of the Peru–Brazil deep cluster and close the spatial gap with the deep shocks of 1921–1922, previously studied by Okal and Bina (1994) (hereafter Article I). Deep seismicity in South America has been described by many authors, most recently Kirby et al. (1995). It is characterized by significant lateral heterogeneity in the along-strike direction (generally north–south), with the activity arranged in clusters (see Figure 1). In particular, prior to the great 1994 Bolivian earthquake, no deep earthquakes were known between the southern termination of the Peru–Bolivia cluster at 13.5°S, 69.3°W and the northern end of the central Bolivia cluster at 16.8°S, 64.4°W. The great event of 09 June 1994, its aftershocks, and the subsequent earthquakes on 08 August 1994, 14 March 1995, and 28 November 1997 mapped an essentially continuous line along the Bolivian jog in the Benioff Zone, suggesting that the slab in that region is warped, rather than torn and fragmented (Kirby et al., 1995). To the north, we described in Article I the three major shocks of 18 December 1921, 17 January 1922, and 31 July 1970 as isolated, with a gap of 265 km between the northern end of the Peru–Brazil cluster (then mapped at 6.67°S; 71.82°W) and the 1921–1922 hypocenters, and a further 238 km between the latter and the 1970 event to the North. The 1997 shocks essentially close the first of those two gaps. Figure 1. Map of South American deep seismicity ( h > 400 km). The open circles are NEIC epicenters (1963 to present), complemented by the relocations of the 1921–22 shocks (Article I). The triangles show the great Bolivian …
Stereometric Analysis In The Field Of Anatomy

The anatomical sciences have traditionally relied primarily upon descriptive terms in analyzing the form and shape of various parts of the body. Although much insight has been gained by this approach as to the functional and dynamic roles of the various body components, the lack of quantitative data in defining these same structures has become a definite hindrance in attempting to understand more precisely their mechanisms of action. The application of photogrammetry to the analysis of body form and shape provides us for the first time with an opportunity to represent any external portion of the body as a system of coordinate points of the X, Y and Z axes. Thus, with appropriate mathematical manipulations, these values permit one to calculate the volume of a given structure and make comparisons of position and symmetry between different structures of the body as well as members of various sized populations of people. Some specific examples of this application carried out to date by Dr. Herron and his associates include the determination of the volume of amputated stumps of either the upper of lower extremity as an aid in fitting prostheses, the efficacy of various modes of therapy for lymphedema as a result of surgical removal of the breast, and the early detection of changes in the curvature of the spine of children in anticipation of preventing the development of idiopathic scoliosis.© (1971) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Coupling the lattice-Boltzmann and spectrin-link methods for the direct numerical simulation of cellular blood flow

The implementation of a spectrin-link (SL) red blood cell (RBC) membrane method coupled with a lattice-Boltzmann (LB) fluid solver is discussed. Details of the methodology are included along with subtleties associated with its integration into a massively parallel hybrid LB finite element (FE) suspension flow solver. A comparison of the computational performance of the coupled LB–SL method with that of the previously implemented LB–FE is given for an isolated RBC and for a dense suspension in Hagen–Poiseuille flow. Validating results for RBCs isolated in shear and parachuting in microvessel flow are also presented. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Competing pressures for human resource investment

Abstract Since the late 1970s, many organizations have professed to view human resources as valued assets rather than liabilities, and the investment in human resources as strategically imperative to corporate competitiveness. However, over the past fifteen years, there has been considerable variability in the extent to which corporate America has embraced and implemented this new view. This article brings agency, resource dependence, and institutional theories to bear in an effort to understand the variability in emphasis that organizations place on human resources investment. The argument is made that the pressures exerted on organizations by stockholders for short-term financial performance will have consequences which are to the detriment of investment in human resources and of long-term corporate competitiveness and viability.
Effects of neurotoxic doses of methamphetamine on potassium and amphetamine evoked overflow of dopamine in the striatum of awake rats.

The effects of neurotoxic doses of methamphetamine on basal and evoked overflow of dopamine in the striatum were examined in awake rats using microdialysis. Male Fischer-344 rats were administered methamphetamine (5 mg/kg s.c.) or saline four times in 1 day at 2-h intervals. Microdialysis experiments were carried out 1 week later. Basal levels of dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and homovanillic acid were reduced in the striatum of the methamphetamine-treated animals. Local application of excess potassium (100 mM) and amphetamine (100 microM), and intraperitoneal injection of amphetamine (1.5 mg/ kg), led to increased levels of extracellular dopamine in the striatum of both methamphetamine- and saline-treated rats. However, the increase was significantly less in the methamphetamine-treated animals. Tissue levels of dopamine and metabolites were reduced in the striata of rats treated with methamphetamine. These results indicate that treatment with neurotoxic doses of methamphetamine can lead to functional changes in dopamine release in the striatum of Fischer-344 rats.
Codon binding and translational properties of an isoaccepting lysine tRNA peculiar to virus-transformed Cells.

Isoaccepting lysyl-tRNAs from virus-transformed cells in culture were fractionated in the RPC-5 system into peaks 1, 2, 4, 5a, 5, and 6. tRNA 6 Lys previously was found predominantly associated with transformed cells. The codon response of each peak was determined in an E. coli ribosomal binding assay. tRNA 1 Lys , tRNA 2 Lys , and tRNA 4 Lys are highly specific for the 5′AAG3′ codon. tRNA 5 Lys and tRNA 5a Lys preferentially bind in response to AAA. tRNA 6 Lys binds in response to AAA 3-fold better than in response to AAG. The presence of thiolated nucleosides in the anticodon regions of tRNA 5a Lys , tRNA 5 Lys , and tRNA 6 Lys is indicated by I2-inactivation of aminoacylation ability with no effect on the other isoacceptors. Functional abilities of the isoacceptors were compared in a wheat germ translational system with tobacco mosaic virus RNA as messenger. All of the isoacceptors function about equally well in translation except for tRNA 6 Lys , which is only 14 to 24% as effective as the other isoacceptors.
Evaluation of Mean Recurrence Intervals of Wind Effects for Tall Building Design

AbstractMean recurrence intervals (MRIs) of wind effects for the strength design (SD) of flexible buildings by the wind-tunnel method are based on estimates of total uncertainties that do not accou...
Gas‐liquid chromatographic analysis of chlorthal‐dimethyl herbicide and its degradates in turfgrass thatch and soil using a solid‐phase extraction technique

Abstract An analytical technique for analysis of dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate herbicide and two degradates (monomethyl tetrachloroterephthalate and tetrachloroterephthalic acid) residues in turfgrass thatch and soil has been developed. It involves solid‐phase extraction/purification and final gas‐liquid chromatographic determination with electron capture detection. The degradates are determined as ethyl esters. The method is sensitive for dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate to 0.01 and 0.02 ppm for thatch and soil, 0.01 and 0.01 ppm for monomethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, and 0.02 and 0.01 ppm for tetrachloroterephthalic acid, for thatch and soil, respectively.
A Critical Discourse Analysis of Black Masculinity in NBA Game Commentary

The National Basketball Association (NBA) offers a unique opportunity to analyze the representation of racial identity, nationality, and masculinity. While less than 15% of Americans are Black, nea...
Ultrasound of the extrahepatic bile duct: issues of size.

AbstractUltrasound is a pivotal study for evaluation of the biliary tree. In particular, the size of the extrahepatic bile duct is a critical measurement and has been a contentious issue since the early days of diagnostic ultrasound. This article reviews the history and ongoing issues regarding sono
Characterizing Manure and Litter Properties and Their Carbon Dioxide Production in an Aviary Laying-Hen Housing System

Abstract. Contribution of carbon dioxide (CO2) production from manure or litter can be significant relative to animal metabolic CO2 production in housing systems with less frequent excretion removal. Such CO2 contribution should be accounted for in order to improve the accuracy of estimating building ventilation rate (VR) and animal bioenergetics based on CO2 mass balance. The objective of this study was to investigate the thermal conditions (temperature and relative humidity, or RH), production, moisture content (MC), and CO2 production of laying-hen manure on collection belts and on litter in an aviary house. Hens spent about 15.25 h day-1 in the aviary colony where their manure was deposited on the belts, and the remaining 8.75 h day-1 on the litter floor where manure was deposited on belt or litter. Manure belts were operated 1/3 of their length each day. Results show that temperature and RH were, respectively, 1.8 ± 9.3EsC (mean ± standard deviation) and 79 ± 14% for ambient air, 18.5 ± 1.7EsC and 76 ± 16% for air near manure on belt, and 19.8 ± 1.5EsC and 80 ± 17% for air near the litter. The overall daily manure production was 35.8 ± 1.4 g hen-1 day-1 on dry basis, with 90.9% deposited on manure belt and 9.1% on litter floor. MC of manure on belt was 66.4 ± 5.8%, which was significantly higher than 14.6 ± 2.4% for the litter. The combined moisture production from manure on belt and litter was estimated to be 22.6 g day-1 hen-1. The CO2 production from as-is manure was 0.10 ± 0.06 ml s-1 kg-1 (or 0.32 ± 0. 20 ml s-1 kg-1 on dry basis), whereas CO2 production from as-is litter was much lower, 0.02 ± 0.02 ml s-1 kg-1 (or 0.03 ± 0.02 ml s-1 kg-1 on dry basis). Without litter removal, CO2 production from manure and litter could amount to as high as 8.1% of the henâ€™s respiration CO2 at 60 week of age. This potentially significant contribution should be considered when estimating VR or animal bioenergetics using CO2 mass balance method in aviary housing systems.
Tracing nitrate in watersheds

Plants need nitrogen to grow, and nitrate is a common fertilizer ingredient, but high levels of nitrate contamination in drinking water sources can cause health problems. It is generally known that nitrogen flows through watersheds from upslope areas down to streams, but the relationships between upslope soil solution or groundwater nitrate concentrations and stream water nitrate levels—and the ways in which land use changes may alter this relationship—are not fully understood.
Pediatric Articles: Needle Tract Seeding After Percutaneous Biopsy of Wilms Tumor

ABSTRACTWe report a case of tumor implantation along the needle tract after percutaneous biopsy of Wilms tumor. This is a rare but important complication in the management of Wilms tumor.
Chemisorption bonding and bond lengths on transition metal surfaces: Effect of coordination and valency saturation

Abstract A smooth correlation between the determined chemisorption bond lengths, for O, S, Se and Te on Ni (001) and for sulphur on Ni (110) and Ni (111) as well, and Pauling's resonating bond ionicity is demonstrated, when the latter are calculated with due regard for the coordination and valency saturation effects. Pauling's bond length-bond number relation is used to provide (i) an independent estimate of the Ni-O bond length on Ni (001), which is found capable of discriminating among the reported values, and (ii) estimates of the bond lengths for O, S, Se and Te on Ni (111) and Ni (110) by using the determined bond lengths on Ni (001). Agreement with the determined values for sulphur is surprisingly good.
Determination of fuzzy decision fusion system parameters by genetic algorithms

This paper describes a decision fusion method based on fuzzy logic and genetic algorithms. For the fusion process the generalized mean aggregation connective is used. The optimal parameters of the generalized mean are found by a genetic algorithm both with elitist and nonelitist strategy. The results of both strategies are compared. The decision fusion method proposed is tested on a vibration monitoring problem. The decisions from multiple sensors to be fused are obtained by neural networks. First vibration spectra are compressed by recirculation networks. Next classification of compressed signatures is performed for each sensor separately by backpropagation networks. The output of backpropagation networks is the input to the fuzzy fusion center performing the generalized mean operation.
Extended delivery of an anionic drug by contact lens loaded with a cationic surfactant.

Drug eluding contact lenses can be very effective vehicles for ophthalmic drug delivery, but are incapable of releasing drug for more than a few hours. We propose to optimize the interactions of the polymer matrix of the contact lens with the hydrophobic tails of ionic surfactants to adsorb the surfactant molecules on the polymer with high packing and thus create a high surface charge. Ionic drugs can then adsorb on the charged surfactant coated surfaces with high affinity to reduce the transport rates, leading to extended release. Specifically, we show control release of an anionic drug dexamethasone 21-disodium phosphate from poly-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (p-HEMA) contact lenses by utilizing cationic surfactant (cetalkonium chloride). The partition coefficient of the drug increase exponentially with surfactant loading in the gel in at least qualitative agreement with the Debye-Huckel theory. The drug adsorbs on the surfactant covered polymer, and can also diffuse along the surface with diffusivity lower than that for the free drug, leading to a reduction in the effective diffusivity, which is the weighted combination of the free and surface diffusivities. The addition of surfactant did not impact transparency of lenses, and had additional benefits of increase in wettability and significant reduction in protein absorption. With a surfactant loading of about 10%, the drug release duration was increased from about 2 h to 50 h in 1-day ACUVUE(®) contact lenses, proving the viability of using surfactant for increasing drug release durations.
A critical review of Korman's self-consistency theory of work motivation and occupational choice

Abstract On the basis of a review of research testing Korman's self-consistency theory, chronic self-esteem and situational self-esteem appear to be important determinants of performance, choice, and satisfaction. Further, the findings of some studies support Korman's predictions that high self-esteem persons will perform more effectively and show higher correlations between task liking and success, between reward expectancy and performance, between need fulfillment and satisfaction, and between self-implementation and occupational choice. However, one cannot conclude on the basis of this research that “man is self-consistent and not self-enhancing,” since self-enhancement theory is a viable alternative explanation for most of the findings. A major source of ambiguity is that researchers have not tested the crucial self-consistency prediction that low self-esteem persons would seek consistency even at the cost of a dissatisfying occupation, failure, and other negative consequences. Several methodological and conceptual improvements are suggested for future applications of self-consistency theory to work motivation.
Overflow and Containment in the Aftermath of Disaster

In reflecting on Hurricane Katrina, so soon after it struck the Gulf Coast,I want to consider what one might expect from the public inquiries andofficial investigations of the disaster. Prediction, whether of meteorologicalor social phenomena, is a risky business, but by now the field of scienceand technology studies (STS) has produced a substantial literature on theinvestigations and official inquiries that follow in the wake of notable dis-asters, accidents, technological failures, and other breakdowns of socio-technical order. This literature is diffuse and the interests and theoreticalperspectives of various authors differ, but the relevant work includes stud-ies of knowledge-making in the aftermath of such failures as the Windscalenuclear accident, the Bhopal disaster, the Challenger explosion, the bovinespongiform encephalitis (BSE) episode, and the debacle of the Florida votein the 2000 US Presidential election.
Hyaluronan synthases: fascinating glycosyltransferases from vertebrates, bacterial pathogens, and algal viruses

Hyaluronan (or hyaluronic acid or hyaluronate; HA) is a polysaccharide found in the extracellular matrix of vertebrate tissues and in the surface coating of certain Streptococcus and Pasteurella bacterial pathogens. At least one algal virus directs its host to produce HA on the cell surface early in infection. HA synthases (HASs) are the enzymes that polymerize HA using uridine diphospho-sugar precursors. In all known cases, HA is secreted out of the cell; therefore, HASs are normally found in the outer membranes of the organism. In the last 6 years, the HASs have been molecularly cloned from all the above sources. They were the first class of glycosyltransferases identified in which a single polypeptide species catalyzes the transfer of two different monosaccharides; this finding is in contrast to the usual ‘single enzyme, single sugar’ dogma of glycobiology. There appear to be two distinct classes of HASs based on differences in amino acid sequence, topology in the membrane, and reaction mechanism. This review discusses the current state of knowledge surrounding the molecular details of HA biosynthesis and summarizes the possible evolutionary history of the HASs.
Psycholegal process and issues in international adoption

Abstract International adoption is a process that transports and incorporates children cross-racially and cross-culturally into US families. This article examines related psychological issues from the adoptees' perspective and legal aspects from the parents' perspective. Although outcome research on international placements has generally shown positive results, attention needs to be given to the life process of the adoptees at different developmental phases of their experience.
On the phosphate content of rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase purified by hydrophobic chromatography.

Abstract Rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase purified by hydrophobic chromatography has been found to contain significantly less protein-bound phosphate than enzyme purified by more conventional procedures. Studies with purified hydroxylase of defined phosphate content suggest that phosphorylated species of phenylalanine hydroxylase possess a higher affinity for the hydrophobic matrix than does the non-phosphorylated form. This selectivity may account for the lower phosphate content in phenylalanine hydroxylase purified by hydrophobic chromatography.
Oxidation and grafting of benzyl and ethyl cellulose

The preparation of graft copolymers of benzyl and ethyl cellulose was attempted through the initiation of vinyl polymerization by the cellulose ether hydroperoxides. The benzyl and ethyl cellulose ether hydroperoxides were prepared in solution by oxidizing with air. The polymer underwent severe chain degradation concurrently with hydroperoxide formation. The relative rates of these reactions differed for the benzyl and ethyl cellulose ether and also depended on the nature of the solvent. As a result, the hydroperoxide content of the polymer could be increased by lengthening the oxidation time, but the number of hydroperoxide groups per chain increased much more slowly. With the use of ethyl cellulose hydroperoxide as initiator, a kinetic study of styrene polymerization was made. Rates of hydroperoxide decomposition were also measured so that the efficiency as initiator could be determined. These rate data indicated an efficiency of 60–90% and considerable chain transfer to the hydroperoxide groups. In the preparation of graft copolymer the amount of actual graft was determined to be very small. Poor yields of graft copolymer were attributed to an unfavorable competition in the reactions of initiation and chain transfer and to the degraded chain length of the cellulose ether hydroperoxide. Substantiating evidence for the occurrence of nongrafting initiation and transfer reactions came from an infrared study of low molecular weight polystyrene initiated with α-isobutoxyethylhydroperoxide.
Hsp104 Suppresses Polyglutamine-Induced Degeneration Post Onset in a Drosophila MJD/SCA3 Model

There are no effective therapeutics that antagonize or reverse the protein-misfolding events underpinning polyglutamine (PolyQ) disorders, including Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type-3 (SCA3). Here, we augment the proteostasis network of Drosophila SCA3 models with Hsp104, a powerful protein disaggregase from yeast, which is bafflingly absent from metazoa. Hsp104 suppressed eye degeneration caused by a C-terminal ataxin-3 (MJD) fragment containing the pathogenic expanded PolyQ tract, but unexpectedly enhanced aggregation and toxicity of full-length pathogenic MJD. Hsp104 suppressed toxicity of MJD variants lacking a portion of the N-terminal deubiquitylase domain and full-length MJD variants unable to engage polyubiquitin, indicating that MJD-ubiquitin interactions hinder protective Hsp104 modalities. Importantly, in staging experiments, Hsp104 suppressed toxicity of a C-terminal MJD fragment when expressed after the onset of PolyQ-induced degeneration, whereas Hsp70 was ineffective. Thus, we establish the first disaggregase or chaperone treatment administered after the onset of pathogenic protein-induced degeneration that mitigates disease progression.
Intermolekulare Wechselwirkung zwischen Glyzerin und Katalase. Einfluß auf die Strahlenempfindlichkeit des Enzyms

Die Inaktivierung von Katalase durch Rontgenstrahlen in Gegenwart von Glyzerin wurde untersucht. Sehr geringe Glyzerinmengen (0,0004 Vol.%) ergaben schon eine ausgezeichnete, maximale Schutzwirkung. Aus den Ergebnissen wird geschlossen, das die Ursache fur den Schutzeffekt eine Komplexbildung zwischen Glyzerin und Eisenzentren im Enzymmolekul ist.
Letter: Recognition of structural domains in globular proteins.

Abstract The polypeptide chain of many globular proteins is folded into two or more structural domains which are spatially separated from one another and are frequently based on different architectural principles. The conformation of such structural domains is, in general, conserved more faithfully (assuming divergent evolution) than the amino acid sequence. The preservation of structure may originate in the three-dimensional requirements for the conservation of essential functions. A method is discussed for the recognition and comparison of structural domains.
The Origin of Plagues: Old and New

Viruses and bacteria emerge in new and old forms to cause disease epidemics. Some microorganisms recur when changing life-styles (including increased international travel) offer new opportunities; others arise from new genetic variations. These various epidemics connect the future with the past, offering lessons for guarding the health of generations to come--lessons learned from diseases such as tuberculosis, toxic shock syndrome, Lyme disease, streptococcal infection, influenza, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The public must be vigilant to the possibility of new epidemics, learn more about the biology and epidemiology of microbes, and strengthen systems of surveillance and detection.
Design-adaptive Nonparametric Regression

Abstract In this article we study the method of nonparametric regression based on a weighted local linear regression. This method has advantages over other popular kernel methods. Moreover, such a regression procedure has the ability of design adaptation: It adapts to both random and fixed designs, to both highly clustered and nearly uniform designs, and even to both interior and boundary points. It is shown that the local linear regression smoothers have high asymptotic efficiency (i.e., can be 100% with a suitable choice of kernel and bandwidth) among all possible linear smoothers, including those produced by kernel, orthogonal series, and spline methods. The finite sample property of the local linear regression smoother is illustrated via simulation studies. Nonparametric regression is frequently used to explore the association between covariates and responses. There are many versions of kernel regression smoothers. Some estimators are not good for random designs, such as in observational studies, and ...
BIOLOGY AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS

Stem cell populations are found in most adult tissues and, in general, their differentiation potential may reflect the local cell population. Hematopoietic, epidermal, mesenchymal, neural and hepatic stem cells have been described. It may be that, in the adult, these cells are the reservoirs of reparative cells that are mobilized following injury and migrate to the wound site where, in cooperation with local cells, they participate in the repair response. Mesenchymal stem cells, isolated from the bone marrow, have the capacity to differentiate into cells of connective tissues. Some striking examples of the therapeutic use of MSCs have been reported recently in applications such as coronary artery disease, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's Disease, and liver regeneration. In orthopaedic medicine, MSC therapy has been applied in bone and cartilage repair and in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The question of the host response to implanted MSCs is critical as these cells are being evaluated in clinical applications. There are several aspects to the implanted cell-host interaction that need to be addressed as we attempt to understand the mechanisms underlying stem cell therapies. These are (1) the host immune response to implanted cells, (2) the homing mechanisms that guide delivered cells to a site of injury, and (3) differentiation of implanted cells under the influence of local signals.