cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Depressive Symptom Outcomes in Hospitalized Adult Cancer Patients Receiving Music Therapy or Massage Therapy.

Abstract Context Depressive symptoms are prevalent and associated with greater healthcare utilization among hospitalized adults with cancer. Music therapy and massage therapy are available at many National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers and recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology for depressive symptoms, but a paucity of studies have compared these two therapies. Objectives We conducted a retrospective, multi-method program evaluation of single, first-time music therapy and massage therapy sessions delivered to hospitalized adults with cancer. Methods The study was conducted at an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center between February 2018 and October 2019. We assessed depressive symptoms with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) depression item. We also invited patients to provide free-text comments describing their treatment experience. Results Among 1764 patients (61.2% women, 72.7% white), 350 received music therapy and 1414 received massage therapy; music therapy was associated with a 0.4 point greater reduction (95% 0.3 to 0.6, P Conclusion Among hospitalized adult cancer patients, both music therapy and massage therapy were associated with reduced depressive symptoms, but music therapy was associated with a greater reduction than massage therapy.
Chemistry of the moon's surface

The chemical composition of the lunar surface is discussed on the basis of analyses of Apollo samples. Three new minerals, armalcolite, pyroxferroite and tranquillityite, high abundances of Ti, Zr, Sr, Y, Nb, U and Th, and a predominance of radiogenic isotopes of Pb are noted as the prominent features unraveled by sample analysis. Evidence is indicated to support the conclusion that the lunar rocks investigated are products of partial fusion and magmatic crystallization modified in much of the material by mechanical breakup and shock melting, and containing a small amount of meteoritic material. It is inferred from the results that the surface rocks are igneous in origin and that the moon has been a passive object since 3000 million years ago.
Experiences with co-array fortran on hardware shared memory platforms

When performing source-to-source compilation of Co-array Fortran (CAF) programs into SPMD Fortran 90 codes for shared-memory multiprocessors, there are several ways of representing and manipulating data at the Fortran 90 language level. We describe a set of implementation alternatives and evaluate their performance implications for CAF variants of the STREAM, Random Access, Spark98 and NAS MG & SP benchmarks. We compare the performance of library-based implementations of one-sided communication with fine-grain communication that accesses remote data using load and store operations. Our experiments show that using application-level loads and stores for fine-grain communication can improve performance by as much as a factor of 24; however, codes requiring only coarse-grain communication can achieve better performance by using an architecture's tuned memcpy for bulk data movement.
Viscous damping of Alfven normal modes in non-uniform plasmas

The Alfven normal mode in a nonuniform, viscous plasma is investigated. Because the ideal hydromagnetic equation is singular in a nonuniform magnetic field, viscosity is included in order to regularize the equation, analogous to the removal of the singular point by resistivity (Mok and Einaudi, 1985). The eigenvalue equation is then solved numerically for a particular magnetic configuration. The real part of the frequency of this viscous normal mode is found to be similar to the one in the resistive case, while the damping is shown to be comparable, and sometimes to exceed, the resistive effect under certain conditions in which the Lundquist number is sufficiently large. The damping rate is evaluated for various plasma conditions corresponding to different parts of the solar atmosphere. The effects of viscosity are found to dominate resistivity in the quiet sun corona and solar wind.
Explaining intermittent concurrent bugs by minimizing scheduling noise

A noise maker is a tool for testing multi-threaded programs. It seeds shared memory accesses and synchronization events (concurrent events) with conditional context switches and timeouts during runtime, in order to increase the likelihood that a concurrent bug manifests itself. However, an instrumented program with many seeded events may not be useful for debugging; events have been seeded all over the source code and provide almost no information regarding the bug. We argue that for many bug patterns only a few relevant context switches are critical for the bug. Based on the observation that bugs involve only a small set of critical events, we develop a randomized algorithm to reduce the scheduling noise and discover these events related to the bug. To evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we experiment with debugging of industrial code, known open source code software, and programs representing known concurrent bugs. Our results demonstrate that this simple technique is in many cases very powerful, and significantly helps the user locating and understanding concurrent bugs.
Characteristics of underserved women who did and those who did not use a free/low‐cost voucher as part of a mammography screening program

Abstract Background. Several programs have been designed to improve mammography screening participation in high‐risk populations. The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to assess factors related to participation in a low‐cost mammography screening voucher program. Methods. The methods involved mailing a standardized survey to 101 participants in a low‐cost mammography screening voucher program. The survey was designed to yield responses about the use of free mammography vouchers, women's knowledge of breast cancer, their perceptions of their risk of getting the disease, the usefulness of mammography and breast self‐examinations, their information‐seeking patterns, and general demographic information. Results. Though knowledge and perceptions did not differ significantly between those who did and did not use the vouchers, voucher users were significantly older (47 versus 40) and were more likely to have established patterns of previous mammography use. Conclusion. Voucher programs can influence wome...
Application of Water-Insoluble Complexes of Klininogenases, Inhibitors and Kininases to Kinin Research.

Although a variety of methods have been available for coupling proteins with water-insoluble carriers, the impetus to our experiments was given by a publication of Levin et al. (1). They coupled trypsin to the copolymer of maleic anhydride and ethylene (EMA) using hexamethylenediamine as cross-linking agent. The proposed mechanism of action involves the binding of the enzyme covalently via the e-amino group of lysine in the protein. (Presumably the other protein binding agents used in our studies also acted this way or by linking tyrosines of proteins.) Levin’s method was successfully applied by Fritz et al. (2, 3), who used it for purification of enzymes and inhibitors. By coupling plasmin or trypsin to EMA and subsequently reacting them with inhibitors present in crude extracts, they separated and purified the inhibitors. The purification of kallikrein was achieved by adsorbing the enzyme on an EMA-Trasylol column and subsequently eluting it with guanidine solution.
Cardiac KATP channels in health and disease

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are evolutionarily conserved plasma-membrane protein complexes, widely represented in tissue beds with high metabolic activity. There, they are formed through physical association of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel pore, most typically Kir6.2, and the regulatory sulfonylurea receptor subunit, an ATP-binding cassette protein. Energetic signals, received via tight integration with cellular metabolic pathways, are processed by the sulfonylurea receptor subunit that in turn gates the nucleotide sensitivity of the channel pore thereby controlling membrane potential dependent cellular functions. Recent findings, elicited from genetic disruption of channel proteins, have established in vivo the requirement of intact KATP channels in the proper function of cardiac muscle under stress. In the heart, where KATP channels were originally discovered, channel ablation compromises cardioprotection under ischemic insult. New data implicate the requirement of intact KATP channels for the cardiac adaptive response to acute stress. KATP channels have been further implicated in the adaptive cardiac response to chronic (patho)physiologic hemodynamic load, with KATP channel deficiency affecting structural remodeling, rendering the heart vulnerable to calcium-dependent maladaptation and predisposing to heart failure. These findings are underscored by the identification in humans that defective KATP channels induced by mutations in ABCC9, the gene encoding the cardiac sulfonylurea receptor subunit, confer susceptibility to dilated cardiomyopathy. Thus, in parallel with the developed understanding of the molecular identity and mode of action of KATP channels since their discovery, there is now an expanded understanding of their critical significance in the cardiac stress response in health and disease.
Elevation of vitreous leptin in diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment.

Purpose Leptin is a cytokine that regulates energy metabolism and is linked to diabetes mellitus through its metabolic actions. Leptin is angiogenic and promotes wound healing, and therefore this investigation was conducted to determine whether leptin is associated with neovascular and fibrotic complications of diabetes and other retinopathies. Methods Serum and vitreous samples were collected from patients classified by the presence and type of diabetic retinopathy or other ocular diseases. Leptin was measured in serum and vitreous by radioimmunoassay, and leptin and leptin receptor were localized in epiretinal membranes immunohistochemically. Results Leptin levels in serum and vitreous were higher in patients with diabetes than in those without, and vitreous leptin concentrations were especially elevated in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy or retinal detachment. Leptin and leptin receptor were detected in fibrovascular epiretinal membrane of patients with diabetes. Conclusions Leptin in human vitreous is elevated in proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment and is present in fibrovascular epiretinal tissue. These data suggest an involvement of leptin in retinal disease.
Instrumentalism and Intervening Variables

The scientific legitimacy of explanatory variables in psychology was a central debate among behavioral theorists beginning in the 1930s. In 1948, MacCorquodale and Meehl proposed a useful distinction between intervening variables and hypothetical constructs. Hypothetical constructs entail the existence of unobservable entities or processes, whereas intervening variables are merely convenient labels used to describe the relationship between environmental stimuli and behavioral responses and do not imply the existence of any unobservable entity or process. Philosophical issues associated with each type of variable are discussed. Keywords: Meehl, Paul; Tolman, Edward; behaviorism; positivism; reductionism
Contemporary NGO–Journalist Relations: Reviewing and Evaluating an Emergent Area of Research

Long recognized as key players in international politics, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) increasingly assume important roles in the provision of news. By hiring photographers, staffing online departments and funding reporting trips, NGOs act in ways that overlap with the actions of professional journalists. This article reviews and evaluates an emerging area of research – the study of NGO–journalist relations – that analyzes these developments. It proceeds in four parts: First, it overviews changes in the NGO and journalism sectors that drive growing scholarly interest in the topic. Second, it summarizes the findings of the available research. Third, it suggests some of the ways in which this research connects with concerns in the sociology of media and communication. Fourth, it evaluates the findings in light of various normative frameworks of public discourse. It concludes by suggesting that NGO–journalism scholarship can benefit from further attention by sociologists working in the areas of media and communication.
Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders

The self-administration of chemical substances that alter mood or thinking has been a widespread practice for centuries. When the use of such substances deviates from societal norms or is deemed harmful to physical or mental health, substance use may merge into substance abuse and dependence. There are wide cultural variations in acceptable substance use. According to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), a substance use disorder is characterized by regular use of psychoactive substances leading to symptoms and maladaptive behavioral changes that would be viewed as undesirable in almost all cultures. These disorders are categorized as either substance dependence or substance abuse.
A Political and Economic Climate of Crisis?: Perceptions of the Academe at ALA-Accredited LIS Schools.

Academia is an ever-evolving institution. Where once it was viewed as a body primarily charged with educating students, many instances universities now consider research to be their primary raison d’etre. This research surveyed library and information science (LIS) faculty members employed at institutions accredited by the American Libraries Association (ALA) in order to discern their views and opinions regarding contemporary academe and the expectations placed upon them. 140 tenured or tenure-track professors responded to an online questionnaire that concerned topics such as perceptions of academia, job duties, and the institutional expectations that were placed upon them. Respondents generally agreed that they were very satisfied with their jobs, even as they raised doubts as to the manner in which they were evaluated. In addition, the responding faculty members indicated that they were generally highly motivated to perform research, despite reports of changing and increasing pressures on higher education, generally, and LIS education, specifically. The results can be used to inform the further refinement of higher education and its rewards. This will provide an opportunity for educating prospective LIS academics about the expectations that will be placed upon them and to build appropriate career support.
Differentiating fragmented human and nonhuman long bone using osteon circularity

Distinguishing between human and nonhuman bone is important in forensic anthropology and archeology when remains are fragmentary and DNA cannot be obtained. Histological examination of bone is affordable and practical in such situations. This study suggests using osteon circularity to distinguish human bone fragments and hypothesizes that osteons will more closely resemble a perfect circle in nonhumans than in humans. Standard histological methods were used, and circularity was determined using an image analysis program, where circularity was controlled for by Haversian canal measurements. Homogeneity was first tested for multiple variables within human and nonhuman samples. No significant differences were found between human sexes (p = 0.657) or among nonhuman species (p = 0.553). Significant differences were found among intraskeletal elements of both humans (p = 0.016) and nonhumans (p = 0.013) and between pooled samples of humans and nonhumans (p < 0.001). Results of this study indicate that osteon circularity can be used to distinguish between fragmented human and nonhuman long bone.
Must International Studies Be a Science

Must international studies be a science? No. By which I mean: the investigation of the cross-boundary-encounter aspect(s) of things need not be organised so as to categorically privilege epistemic ways of knowing (even though there is a multiplicity of such ways, merely epistemic diversity is insufficient). Other flavours of knowing are equally valuable, and should be celebrated in their distinctness, rather than being forcibly assimilated to impersonal, factual knowing-that. That previous paragraph will likely make little sense without some unpacking and some elaboration. International Studies Grammatically speaking,2 it is not possible to answer the question: ‘Must international studies be a science?’ without some notion of what we mean by ‘international studies’. This is a treacherous domain, since there are multiple incompatible understandings of the field/discipline floating around, even using different names for the endeavour. Depending on which authority one consults, ‘we’ are a group of scholars held together by our ‘great debates’,3 by our concern with the implications of inter-state anarchy,4 by our implication in a (neo)colonial project of establishing European hegemony,5 by a set of so-called ‘paradigms’ which almost no one claims to adhere to any longer6 even though we keep organising our introductory textbooks and courses according to them,7 etc. There is no consensus on whether ‘international political economy’ is part of some larger whole or an autonomous domain,8 on whether the discipline/field even exists outside of ‘the West’,9 or whether the whole project, whatever ‘it’ is, has any life left in it.10 I do not propose to resolve this controversy here. Instead, I will circumvent it by simply elucidating what I mean by ‘international studies’ so that my answer to my initial question becomes clearer. I am using a deliberately broad term both because it is no part of my …
Bubble collapse and rebound in a diagnostic ultrasonic field

The influence of the finite-amplitude distortion of a driving diagnostic ultrasonic field on the collapse and rebound of a gas-filled spherical microbubble in a compressible liquid is investigated. It is noted that one of the mechanisms for cavitation damage comes from the very large gas pressures generated at bubble collapse and in the subsequent pressure wave formed by bubble rebound. Numerical results show that the strength of the pressure spikes radiated by the rebounding bubble depends on (i) the acoustic frequency, (ii) the initial bubble size, and (iii) the magnitude of the pressure amplitude of the fundamental in a Fourier series description of the distorted pulse. As the pressure spikes propagate outward from the bubble wall, their strength is attenuated as the reciprocal of the distance from the center of collapse. >
Comparative ease of separation of mixtures of selected nuisance anions (nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, phosphate) using Octolig.

Mixtures of sodium salts of nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, and phosphate were prepared in relative amounts present in atomic waste containers with a view to effect removal by chromatography over Octolig®, commercially available material with polyethylenediamine moieties covalently attached to high-surface area silica gel. Separation was attempted using aqueous solutions and column chromatography with Octolig®. It is presumed that this material is capable of removing the anions by means of encapsulation. Matrix effects were tested by varying the relative concentrations. Rates of elution were varied 5-fold without adverse effect. The order of selectivity was found to be phosphate > sulfate > nitrite > nitrate through experiments altering the volume and relative concentrations. Quantitative removal of all anions (375 ppm of each) could be achieved given reasonable volumes of Octolig®. An effort at regeneration by altering the pH of the eluant indicated the stability of the encapsulated anions.
Electrokinetic Properties of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Obtained from Reconstitution Studies

Electrophoretic mobility data of SR vesicles reconstituted with uncharged and two mixtures of charged and uncharged lipids (Brethes, D., Dulon, D., Johannin, G., Arrio, B., Gulik-Krzywicki, T., Chevallier, J. 1986. Study of the electrokinetic properties of reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Arch. Biochem. Biophys.246:355–356) were analyzed in terms of four models of the membrane-water interface: (I) a smooth, negatively charged surface; (II) a negatively charged surface of lipid bilayer covered with an electrically neutral surface frictional layer; (III) an electrically neutral lipid bilayer covered with a neutral frictional layer containing a sheet of negative charge at some distance above the surface of the bilayer; (IV) an electrically neutral lipid bilayer covered with a homogeneously charged frictional layer. The electrophoretic mobility was predicted from the numerical integration of Poisson-Boltzmann and Navier-Stokes equations. Experimental results were consistent only with predictions based on Model-III with charged sheet about 4 nm above the bilayer and frictional layer about 10 nm thick. Assuming that the charge of the SR membrane is solely due to that on Ca++-ATPase pumps, the dominant SR protein, the mobility data of SR and reconstituted SR vesicles are consistent with 12 electron charges/ATPase. This value compares well to the net charge of the cytoplasmic portion of ATPase estimated from the amino acid sequence (-11e). The position of the charged sheet suggests that the charge on the ATPase is concentrated in the middle of the cytoplasmic portion. The frictional layer of SR can be also assigned to the cytoplasmic portion of Ca++-ATPase. The layer has been characterized with hydrodynamic shielding length of 1.1 nm. Its thickness is comparable to the height of the cytoplasmic portion of Ca++-ATPase.
Ultrashort Lagguere-Gaussian Pulses With Angular and Group Velocity Dispersion Compensation

Coherent optical vortices are generated from ultrashort 6.4 fs pulses with carrier envelope phase control. The properties of angular dispersion and temporal chirp compensated pulses are consistent with a monochromatic Laguerre-Gaussian beam.
Profiles of Obesity, Weight Gain, and Quality of Life in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri)

Purpose Obesity and weight gain are known risk factors for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH; or pseudotumor cerebri). The authors examined profiles of body mass index (BMI) and patterns of weight gain associated with IIH. They also examined vision-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in newly diagnosed IIH patients and explored the relative contribution of obesity and weight gain to overall HRQOL in this disorder. Design Matched case-control study. Methods Female patients with newly diagnosed IIH (n = 34) and other neuro-ophthalmologic disorders (n = 41) were enrolled in a case-control study to assess patterns of self-reported weight gain. The HRQOL was examined using the 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and the SF-36 Health Survey (Physical Components Summary and Mental Components Summary [MCS]). Results Higher BMIs were associated with greater risk of IIH ( P = .003, logistic regression analysis adjusting for case–control matching), as were higher percentages of weight gain during the year before symptom onset ( P = .004). Moderate weight gain (5% to 15%) was associated with a greater risk of IIH among both obese and nonobese patients. Obesity and weight gain influenced the relation between HRQOL and IIH only for subscale scores reflecting mental health (SF-36 MCS). The NEI-VFQ-25 and SF-36 subscale scores were lower in IIH compared with other neuro-ophthalmologic disorders and published norms. Conclusions Higher levels of weight gain and BMI are associated with greater risk of IIH. Even nonobese patients (BMI
Benzo(a)pyrene-4,5-oxide hydratase: Assay, properties, and induction

Abstract A simple, rapid and sensitive assay is described for benzo(a)pyrene-4,5-oxide hydratase, an enzyme converting benzo(a)pyrene-4,5-oxide to benzo(a)pyrene-4,5-dihydro-4, 5-diol. The amount of the diol formed is constant with time and protein concentration and is equal to the oxide consumed. The enzyme has no requirements for oxygen or NADPH and is inhibited by 1,1,1-trichloropropylene oxide. The intact enzyme is highly resistant to destruction by proteases, but becomes susceptible to pronase digestion after treatment with detergent. The enzyme is inducible by phenobarbital but not by 3-methylcholanthrene, both inducers of aryl hydrocarbon(benzo(a)pyrene)hydroxylase, which demonstrates the ability to alter the ratio of hydratase to the coupled mixed-function oxygenase. A changed ratio of these two activities may result in altered benzo(a)pyrene metabolism.
Plasma Etching of Copper Thin Film over a Dielectric Step and Electromigration Failure Mechanism

Process and electromigration issues of the copper line over a dielectric step etched with a new plasma-based process have been studied. The N2 and CF4 additive gas effects on the line profile, undercut, and “neck” formation at the cusp area were investigated with respect to changes of the plasma phase chemistry and ion bombardment energy. The sidewall passivation layer hindered the excessive attack of the cusp region. The undercut of the photoresist pattern caused the residue formation. The lifetime of the etched copper was related to the line shape and the film topography, which directly affected the local current density and stress. With the proper control the plasma phase chemistry and ion bombardment energy, the Cu film over a topographic surface can be etched into fine lines with a long electromigration lifetime.
Forced convection heat transfer from a circular cylinder in crossflow to air and liquids

Abstract Local and average heat transfer by forced convection from a circular cylinder is studied for Reynolds number from 2 × 103 to 9 × 104 and Prandtl number from 0.7 to 176. For subcritical flow, the local heat transfer measurement indicates three regions of flow around the cylinder: laminar boundary layer region, reattachment of shear layer region and periodic vortex flow region. The average heat transfer in each region is calculated and correlated with the Reynolds number and the Prandtl number. The Nusselt number in each region strongly depends on the Reynolds number and the Prandtl number with different power indices. An empirical correlation for predicting the overall heat transfer from the cylinder is developed from the contributions of heat transfer in these three regions.
Adapting Corporate Presentation Skills Training Practices for Use in a University Classroom

Both corporate and university sectors are engaged in the teaching of communication courses. As someone who has taught in both settings, I believe that trainers and profes sors have much to gain from pooling ideas. With this in mind, I first observed and then participated in a week- long "Presentation Skills" workshop taught in a Fortune 500 company to determine what aspects of that program might be transplanted to a traditional university public speaking course. I then took ideas gained from the work shop and applied them to the public speaking classes I taught at a western university. This article is an examina tion and discussion of this process.
Mechanism of cellular drug resistance.

CELLULAR resistance to drugs or chemicals, which can be “natural”1–4 or “acquired”5,6, is important particularly in the treatment of infectious diseases by antibiotics and of tumour cells by cancer chemotherapeutic drugs. I have investigated the mechanism of cellular drug resistance using mammalian cell lines resistant to actinomycin D. In murine leukaemias7, HeLa cells8 and bacteria9 this resistance has been related to membrane permeability barriers which prevent the interaction of actinomycin D with deoxyguanosine residues in DNA, stopping its pharmacological action. Earlier I had found that L5178Y (mouse lymphoma cell line) and L5178Y/D (actinomycin D-resistant subline) glycosidase10 and glycoprotein: glycosyl transferase11 activities, which are important in membrane glycoprotein catabolism and anabolism, were altered in the resistant lines. I have now shown that surface membranes are affected, particularly the glycoproteins and glycolipids and their synthesis in the cells resistant to actinomycin D. In this article I shall develop the hypothesis that acquired drug resistance occurs through selection of cells with altered membranes and altered membrane synthetic apparatus, and that such membrane changes decrease drug permeability and thus increase drug resistance.
Textures of polymer-dispersed chiral liquid crystal microdroplets

We have microscopically observed the texture of very large droplets of chiral liquid crystal in a polymer matrix under the influence of an electric field. The dielectric anisotropy of the liquid crystal is negative and the pitch is made very long so that a fingerprint-like texture can be observed within the droplet. Without the field, the droplets appear to be in a spherulite texture: the helical axis lies everywhere along a radius and a disclination line extends from the center to the periphery of the droplet. As an electric field is applied, the droplet undergoes a transition to the planar texture, the texture first occurring near the center of the droplet and increasing in radius as the field is increased. The zero-field texture will be discussed in terms of the Frank-Pryce spherulite model. Implication for a polymer-dispersed chiral liquid crystal (PDCLC) display will be reviewed.
Nucleolar grading of prostatic adenocarcinoma: Light microscopic correlation with disease progression

Thirteen patients who had adenocarcinoma of the prostate with micrometastasis to pelvic lymph nodes were treated with radical retropubic prostatectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, but no adjuvant hormonal therapy, and were followed until the documented appearance of metastasis to bone or soft tissue. Sections from the initial lesion, stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined under the light microscope, revealed that the nucleoli in the primary Gleason pattern were "prominent" or "intermediate" (regardless of the Gleason grade) in nine cases; and the mean interval to progression was shorter in this group than in the group of four in whom nucleoli were judged to be "not prominent" (P = 0.015). Since the number of cases is small, the findings should be considered preliminary and their interpretation speculative; but the study is continuing.
Antibiotics and peptides with agonist and antagonist chemotactic activity.

Abstract It has been found that the polypeptide antibiotics gramicidin S, tyrocidin and bacitracin, containing Leu-Phe or Ile-Phe sequences, are chemoattractants for neutrophils. Related synthetic pentapeptides containing the sequence Leu-Phe have stronger biological activities, provided the N-terminal residue is acylated. The formylated peptide f-L-Phe-D-Leu-L-Phe-D-Leu-L-Phe is a potent agonist (4 × 10 −9 M) whereas the t-butyloxycarbonyl analog is a good antagonist (8 × 10 −7 M).
Quantitative Radionuclide Angiocardiography Determination of Qp : Qs in Children

A new method of determining pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratios (Qp/Qs) in patients with left-to-right shunts using radionuclide angiocardiography is described. It involves the analysis of pulmonary time-activity histograms using a gamma-variate model. It appears to be simple, relatively atraumatic, and superior to the methods using C2/C1 ratios because, in addition to accurately detecting the presence of left-to-right shunts, it permits precise quantitation. In the 35 patients studied, it was found that Qp/Qs 1.2 and that when the Qp/Qs is between 1.2 and <3 the shunts could be accurately quantified.
Cannabilactones: a novel class of CB2 selective agonists with peripheral analgesic activity.

The identification of the CB2 cannabinoid receptor has provided a novel target for the development of therapeutically useful cannabinergic molecules. We have synthesized benzo[c]chromen-6-one analogs possessing high affinity and selectivity for this receptor. These novel compounds are structurally related to cannabinol (6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-benzo[c]chromen-1-ol), a natural constituent of cannabis with modest CB2 selectivity. Key pharmacophoric features of the new selective agonists include a 3-(1′,1′-dimethylheptyl) side chain and a 6-oxo group on the cannabinoid tricyclic structure that characterizes this class of compounds as “cannabilactones.” Our results suggest that the six-membered lactone pharmacophore is critical for CB2 receptor selectivity. Optimal receptor subtype selectivity of 490-fold and subnanomolar affinity for the CB2 receptor is exhibited by a 9-hydroxyl analog 5 (AM1714), while the 9-methoxy analog 4b (AM1710) had a 54-fold CB2 selectivity. X-ray crystallography and molecular mo...
An introduction to the set theoretical language SETL

Abstract The problem of programming is discussed and a two-stage approach to programming is proposed. This approach would first produce abstract algorithms ignoring efficiency considerations; then it would produce concrete algorithms by the addition of data structuring. The settheoretic language (SETL) is introduced as a suitable vehicle for the formulation of abstract algorithms. An extensive description of SETL and examples of its use are included.
Short-Term Fe Cycling during Fe(II) Oxidation: Exploring Joint Oxidation and Precipitation with a Combinatorial System

The net oxidation of Fe(II)aq by dioxygen initiates a suite of reactions including the oxidation of multiple Fe(II) complexes, generation of secondary oxidants, Fe(III) reduction, and precipitation of insoluble products. This work reports application of a multifactorial strategy to describe the oxidation of Fe(II) under conditions that correspond to those found where Fe(II)-rich groundwaters mix rapidly with overlying oxygenated waters. Response surfaces were constructed describing the relationship of the net oxidation process with mixtures of the common ligands chloride (Cl−), bromide (Br−), total carbonate (CO32−), Fe(II), and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM) at pH 8.00. Response surfaces were generated in the presence and absence of added phosphate, representing conditional end members corresponding to geographical locations where Fe(III) precipitation is respectively forced and unconstrained. Comparison of net Fe(II) oxidation rates in the presence and absence of phosphate then enabled re...
Vancomycin tolerance, a potential mechanism for refractory gram-positive bacteremia observational study in patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND The clinical significance of infections caused by vancomycin-tolerant (Vt) Gram-positive organisms in patients with cancer remains unclear. METHODS Twenty-five patients with nonenterococcal Gram-positive bloodstream infection, which was refractory to vancomycin therapy, were identified by reviewing the Infectious Diseases consultation database at the tertiary care cancer center. Among these, 8 patients in whom vancomycin-tolerance was documented are described. Antibiotic tolerance was defined as a >32 times increase in minimum bactericidal concentration compared with minimum inhibitory concentration. RESULTS Eight patients with persistent fever and bacteremia of >72 hours' duration after the initiation of vancomycin therapy were treated. The median age of these patients, which included 3 men and 5 women, was 44 years ± 11 years. Solid tumors were more common (6 patients) and 2 patients had acute leukemia. Six patients (75%) were neutropenic (absolute neutrophil count <500/mm3), including 2 breast cancer patients who had undergone autologous stem cell transplantation. The causative organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 3 patients), group G streptococci (n = 2 patients), and Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mitis, and Streptococcus sanguis (1 patient each). All isolates demonstrated a minimum bactericidal concentration for vancomycin that was at least 32 times greater than the minimum inhibitory concentration. Rapid defervescence (≤24 h) and resolution of bacteremia occurred with the addition of gentamicin (4 patients) or gentamicin plus rifampin (4 patients). None of these infections recurred after discontinuation of therapy. CONCLUSIONS Lack of clinical and/or microbiologic response to vancomycin should raise the suspicion of possible infection due to Vt Gram-positive bacteria, and alternative bactericidal therapy should be instituted early, especially in patients with underlying immune suppression. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Value of information for climate observing systems

The Interagency Working Group Memo on the social cost of carbon is used to compute the value of information (VOI) of climate observing systems. A generic decision context is posited in which society switches from a business as usual (BAU) emissions path to a reduced emissions path upon achieving sufficient confidence that a trigger variable exceeds a stipulated critical value. Using assessments of natural variability and uncertainty of measuring instruments, it is possible to compute the time at which the required confidence would be reached under the current and under a new observing system, if indeed the critical value is reached. Economic damages (worldwide) from carbon emissions are computed with an integrated assessment model. The more accurate observing system acquires the required confidence earlier and switches sooner to the reduced emissions path, thereby avoiding more damages which would otherwise be incurred by BAU emissions. The difference in expected net present value of averted damages under the two observing systems is the VOI of the new observing system relative to the existing system. As illustration, the VOI for the proposed space-borne CLARREO system relative to current space-borne systems is computed. Depending on details of the decision context, the VOI ranges from 2 to 30 trillion US dollars.
Drug Development in Serious Diseases: The New “Breakthrough Therapy” Designation

The US Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) was signed on 9 July 2012. This law created a new "breakthrough therapy" (BT) designation program for investigational drugs and biologics intended to treat a serious disease and having "preliminary clinical evidence [that] indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial clinical improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints."(1) Many questions have been posed about the impact of this new program on drug development.
Interstate migrants in the United States: some social-economic differences by type of move;.

U.S. interstate migrants (over a five-year period) are separated into three groups: (a) those leaving state of birth; (b) those returning to state of birth; and (c) those outside state of birth at the beginning of the period and moving on to a third state by the end. Evidence is presented suggesting that the third group is particularly selective of persons with high social and economic status. The findings are linked to certain hypotheses about the changing role and function of migration in a highly developed country where the transition from a rural society based on agriculture has essentially been completed.
Wind-driven circulation in a Spanish estuary

Abstract The Ria de Arosa, located on the Atlantic coast of northwest Spain (Galicia), is highly productive of mussels. The nutrients required to support this fishery apparently are supplied to the estuary by an inflow of oceanic water ( S ∼- 35·6‰ ) along the bottom while surface waters are being blown out to sea by northeasterly winds. Salinity, which has been observed (K. R. Tenore, personal communication) to correlate positively with the abundance of nutrients within the estuary, is used as a tracer. The salinities observed in two seasons at various locations in the estuary are shown to vary with the wind flow as indicated by weather maps and by an assessment of topographical influence.
Phytoremediation of lead with green onions (Allium fistulosum) and uptake of arsenic compounds by moonlight ferns (Pteris cretica cv Mayii)

Abstract Phytoremediation has been investigated as an alternative to excavation to remediate contamination in soil. In this work, Allium fistulosum (green onions) and Pteris cretica cv Mayii (moonlight ferns) were investigated for phytoremediation. Green onions were planted in lead-spiked soil, and chelating agents were introduced to enhance the uptake of lead by the plants. Lead uptake was low in the absence of chelating reagents. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) significantly enhanced the concentration of lead in the stems of green onions, while propylenediaminetetraacetic acid (PDTA) did not induce lead absorption. Moonlight ferns (P. cretica cv Mayii) were planted in a hydroponic system to which arsenic (III), arsenic (V), and monomethylarsenate (MMA) were added with hydroponic solution. Ferns exposed to arsenic (III) showed the highest extraction of arsenic followed by ferns exposed to arsenic (V). The extraction of arsenic by the ferns was higher when arsenic (III) was mixed with arsenic (V) than the combination of arsenic (III) and MMA. These results suggest that inorganic arsenic is phytoextracted preferentially to MMA.
Prevention of fumonisin B1-induced neural tube defects by folic acid

Background The mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) inhibits sphingolipid synthesis, blocks folate transport, and has been associated with increased incidences of cancer and neural tube defects. Results from reproductive studies in animal models in vivo and in vitro have demonstrated toxicity in some cases, but no specific terata after fumonisin exposure. No information is available about folic acid's potential to protect against this toxicity. Methods Neurulating mouse embryos were exposed to fumonisin or folinic acid in whole embryo culture and assessed for effects on growth and development. Results Fumonisin exposure inhibited sphingolipid synthesis, reduced growth, and caused cranial neural tube defects in a dose dependent manner. Supplemental folinic acid ameliorated the effects on growth and development, but not inhibition of sphingolipid synthesis. Conclusion Fumonisin has the potential to inhibit embryonic sphingolipid synthesis and to produce embryotoxicity and neural tube defects. Folic acid can reverse some of these effects, supporting results showing that fumonisin disrupts folate receptor function. Teratology 66:169–176, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Unobtrusive biomedical data-input systems☆

Abstract The data-input phase of clinical record systems necessarily involves medical and paramedical personnel who are unenthusiastic about interacting with computers. One strategy for dealing with the troublesome problems of biomedical data-input is to develop unobtrusive systems. The performance of such a system (TICES: Type-In Coding and Editing System) shows that unobtrusive data-input systems, based on natural-language computing principles, are now feasible.
Phase equilibrium in binary alloy crystallites

Abstract The role of internal phase boundaries on the stability of two-phase binary crystallites is examined theoretically. It is found that for particles of size 200 A or less, the critical temperature can be lowered drastically. In particular, an equilibrated alloy particle could be made to remain a single phase at temperatures of interest in catalysis despite the prediction of immiscibility from the bulk-phase diagram. A comparison of experimental results using codeposited alloy films with this prediction from the simple theoretical model is favorable.
Deanol acetamidobenzoate inhibits the blood-brain barrier transport of choline

Competition by deanol (dimethylaminoethanol) with choline for uptake from the bloodstream into the brain was demonstrated by simultaneous intracarotid administration of carbon 14-labeled choline with deanol (plus tritiated water and indium 113m, to calculate a brain uptake index) and by measuring the brain uptake of 14C-labeled choline mixed with sera from rats pretreated with deanol (300 or 500 mg/kg 8 or 30 minutes earlier). The inhibition constant for inhibition of choline uptake by deanol (159 micrograms) was actually lower than the Michaelis constant for choline itself (442 micrograms); hence, the affinity of the carrier mechanism for deanol is at least as great as it is for choline. Deanol administration also elevated blood choline levels; thus, the effect of the drug on brain choline (and acetylcholine) levels is the result of the increase it produces in blood choline and the suppression it causes in choline uptake. These findings may explain discrepant results from laboratories seeking increases in brain acetylcholine or clinical improvement in patients with tardive dyskinesia after deanol treatment.
Neighborhood Connections, Physical Disorder, and Neighborhood Satisfaction in Las Vegas

This study helps to disentangle the mutual effects of neighborhood disorder and social cohesion on how residents evaluate their neighborhoods. We draw upon data from the 2009 Las Vegas Metropolitan...
Effects of dietary macronutrient composition on exogenous neuropeptide Y’s stimulation of food intake in chicks

Abstract In mammalian models it is well documented that the potent orexigenic factor, neuropeptide Y (NPY) causes preferential intake of high carbohydrate and fat diets; however, information on this is limited in non-mammalian species. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of dietary macronutrient composition on NPY’s orexigenic effect in chicks. Three isocaloric diets were formulated: high carbohydrate, fat and protein. In Experiment 1, chicks were fed the three diets and received intracerebroventricular injections of 0.2 or 2.0 nmol NPY. Chicks that consumed the high carbohydrate and protein diets had a non-dose dependent similar magnitude of increased food intake after NPY injection, but those on the high fat diet had a dose dependent food intake increase. In Experiment 2, when chicks were given free access to all three diets, injection of 0.2 nmol NPY caused preferential increase in intake of only the high protein diet whereas 2.0 nmol NPY caused preferential increases in of both high carbohydrate and protein diets. Neither dose affected high fat diet intake. In Experiment 3, chicks were raised on one of the three diets and then switched to the others. When chicks were raised on the high fat and protein diets and then switched to the other diets, stimulation of food intake occurred for the same duration, 180 min. However, when chicks were raised on the high carbohydrate and then switched to high fat, NPY injection caused a sustaining increase in cumulative food intake that lasted the entire observation period. These results suggest that NPY has selective effects on consumption of carbohydrate, fat and protein in chicks, and that diet in turn affects the NPY-mediated response in food intake, with a high fat diet enhancing NPY sensitivity that is associated with a greater magnitude and duration of feeding response. In turn, NPY caused preferential protein and carbohydrate intake instead of fat intake (in this order of preference), when chicks had the opportunity to select their diet. Finally, these results reinforce that NPY increases food intake independent of diet.