cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in use of herbal and nutritional supplements in cardiovascular patients

Background: Use of herbs and nutritional supplements (known as naturoceuticals) is increasing in the USA, with about 50% of Americans taking naturoceuticals and spending over $10 billion per year for them. This raises concerns regarding their use instead of proven therapies, their side effects, and drug interaction potential. Hypothesis: The study sought to characterize cardiology patients who used supplements and to examine whether their use was diagnosis or doctor dependent, whether it affected patients' compliance, and what supplements were used. Methods: In all, 187 patients attending our cardiology clinic were interviewed, examined, and followed for up to 1 year. The users and nonusers of naturoceuticals were compared. Results: Supplements were used in 106 patients (an average of 3.1 naturoceutical per patient). There were no significant differences in their use by gender, age, primary care doctor specialty, or cardiovascular medications prescribed (except for statins). Patients with a history of myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, hyperlipidemia, and a family history of coronary artery disease were more likely to use the supplements. Average low-density lipoprotein (106 vs. 108 mg/dl), average blood pressure (132/77 vs. 138/78 mmHg), and average hemoglobin (Hb)A1c (8.7 vs. 7.7%) showed no statistically significant differences between users and nonusers. Patients most commonly took multivitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B, folate, garlic, calcium, coenzyme Q10, and gingko. Conclusion: This study indicates that naturoceutical use is widespread among cardiovascular patients and it is difficult to predict clinically who the users are. Fortunately, according to our limited compliance measures, it appears that the naturoceutical use has not affected patients' compliance with traditional medications. Also, possibly a detrimental interaction potential between traditional medications and naturoceuticals has been demonstrated.
Electrochemistry of Monolayer Assemblies at the Air/Water Interface

The sections in this article are Langmuir and Gibbs Monolayers at the Air/Water Interface Horizontal Touch Electrochemical Characterization of Monolayer Films at the Air/Water Interface Two-dimensional Electrochemistry Fabrication and Characterization of Line Microelectrodes 2D Electrochemical Investigations of Langmuir Monolayer Films Dynamics of the Lateral Diffusion of Surfactants on the Water Surface Measurements of the LE/G Phase Transitions and their Critical Temperature Kinetics of Electron Hopping in Langmuir Monolayers Acknowledgments
Teaching an introductory computer graphics course using OpenGL

In the past, introductory graphics courses focused traditionally on algorithms for drawing points, lines and polygons using low-level or system specific commands. This approach has become dated with the introduction of OpenGL and other high level 3D graphics application programming interfaces (API). OpenGL is an API that provides access to graphics hardware through functions common to 3D graphical applications. This tutorial focuses on using OpenGL to teach a junior/senior level elective course in computer graphics. Both OpenGL programming techniques and the design of a high level 3D graphics API such as OpenGL will be covered.
Possible mechanisms of action of an anti-Pasteurella pestis factor.

Abstract Anti-Pasteurella pestis factor (APF) inhibited bacterial growth, but there was no evidence that APF from either mouse or guinea pig or selected fatty acids physically disrupted the cell wall. The fatty acids selected were representative of those found in APF. APF inhibited oxidation of β-d-glucose but not oxidation of glucose-6-phosphate, whereas fatty acids inhibited the oxidation of glucose-6-phosphate but not oxidation of β-d-glucose. The oxidation of 6-phosphogluconic acid was inhibited by both APF and free fatty acids. Furthermore, APF and potassium laurate inhibited 6-phosphogluconic dehydrogenase in a cell-free extract of P. pestis strain E.V. 76. No evidence of β-d-glucose or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases was found in the cell-free extract. The results suggested that APF and fatty acids may kill P. pestis by inactivating 6-phosphogluconic acid dehydrogenase. The effects of these agents on other enzyme systems were not excluded.
Contributions of general internal medicine teaching units: a national survey.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and describe general internal medicine teaching units and their educational activities.
Emile G. McAnany, Saving the World: A Brief History of Communication for Development and Social Change

Communications for development is a trendy, fast-changing focus of policy and theoretical attention. Rather than rushing to keep up with new initiatives, this short volume by Emile G. McAnany seeks to document the historical role of communications for social change and development, assess the current state of ICT and interpersonal relations for development and social change, and lay down markers for determining the success of failure of these efforts. The misleadingly titled Saving the World is the most recent offering in the longrunning “History of Communication” series edited by Robert McChesney and John Nerone. McAnany is at his best when he looks backward to the intellectual forefathers of communication for development (c4d, which is now more commonly referred to as information and communication technologies for development—ICT4D, or simply ICTD).
Examining the match between assessed eating disorder recovery and subjective sense of recovery: preliminary findings.

This study examined how individuals clinically assessed as fully or partially recovered from an eating disorder subjectively perceived themselves in terms of stage of change in the recovery process. Individuals formerly seen for an eating disorder at a Midwestern clinic were recruited. Using validated definitions of recovery, 18 were fully recovered (physical, behavioral, and psychological recovery) and 15 were partially recovered (only physical and behavioral recovery); these groups were compared on overall stage of change and confidence related to this stage, dieting stage of change, and internality of motivation. The fully and partially recovered groups endorsed being fully recovered (overall and for dieting) at similar rates. There were trends for the fully recovered group seeking change primarily for themselves and being more confident in their stage of change choice. Results have implications for approaches when a client's assessed recovery stage does not match her subjective sense of recovery and for better understanding recovery from an eating disorder.
Ang Usaping Pang-Wika sa Bagong Yugto ng Pantayong Pananaw: Ang Panloob na Hamon ng Pluralismo

This essay engages the language debates in the Philippines as they play out within the politics of an intellectual movement in the Philippine academy called Pantayong Pananaw. Roughly translated as a “for-us, of-us, and by-us perspective,” the movement’s goal is to create the conditions for the possibility of a closed circuit of communication (the context of “us speaking among ourselves” vs. “us speaking with others”) among Filipinos deemed crucial for the democratic constitution of a national polity of speakers able to share a vision of the common good. Key to the success of this national(izing) project is the advocacy of a common medium of communication: in this case, F/Pilipino/Tagalog. In this study, I push back on Pantayong Pananaw in its singular focus on national unity and raise issue with its seeming lack of vision—if not in theory, in practice—for the role that the plural languages and cultures in the country might play in its envisioned “national community.” Cast as the interlocutor in this regard is a growing ethnonationalist movement among a number of regional ethnolinguistic communities who fear marginalization of their respective cultures, languages, and identities through what they call the oppresssive hegemony of one region (Manila) and its ultimately assimilationist policy. How to make sense of the opposing imperatives of a nationalizing agenda, on the one hand, and of ethnonationalist survival and thriving, on the other, is the problematic being wrestled here. The stakes are spelled out and the larger political context mapped out, but in the end, both nationalist and ethnonationalist projects are challenged to take seriously not only the promise, but also the limits, of their respective visions.
On the symmetric square: unstable local transfer*

We prove the “fundamental lemma” for spherical functions with respect to the natural (induction) lifting fromPGL(2) toPGL(3) which appears as the unstable counterpart of the stable symmetric-square lifting fromSL(2) toPGL(3) (see [IV] for an introduction to this project, and [VI] for the final results). Thus spherical functions onPGL(2) andPGL(3) which correspond to each other by satisfying an elementary representation theoretic relation are shown to have matching orbital integrals. The proof of this local statement is based on an application of the global trace formula.
Positional Information within the Mu Transposase Tetramer: Catalytic Contributions of Individual Monomers

Abstract The strand cleavage and strand transfer reactions of Mu DNA transposition require structural/catalytic contributions from separate polypeptide domains of individual transposase (MuA) monomers within the functional MuA tetramer. Based on catalytic complementation between two inactive MuA variants, we have derived certain rules by which the physical location of a MuA monomer within the transposition complex specifies its role in DNA breakage and transfer. During strand transfer, MuA monomers contributing domain II to the reaction occupy R1 (the subsite proximal to the strand-transferred nucleotide), while those contributing domain IIIα occupy R2. The positions of the monomers contributing these two domains appear to be reversed during DNA cleavage.
An Continuous Wavelet Transform-Based Detection Approach to Traffic Anomalies

Anomalous traffic often has a significant impact on network activities and lead to the severe damage to our networks because they usually are involved with network faults and network attacks. How to detect effectively network traffic anomalies is a challenge for network operators and researchers. This paper proposes a novel method for detecting traffic anomalies in a network, based on continuous wavelet transform. Firstly, continuous wavelet transforms are performed for network traffic in several scales. We then use multi-scale analysis theory to extract traffic characteristics. And these characteristics in different scales are further analyzed and an appropriate detection threshold can be obtained. Consequently, we can make the exact anomaly detection. Simulation results show that our approach is effective and feasible.
On the energetics of flickering contrast observed in TEM images of an aged 53Cu45Mn2Al damping alloy

Abstract Video imaging techniques were applied to transmission electron microscope images in order to investigate the motion of the spatially consistent and repetitive contrast variations (termed flickering) observed in an aged CuMnAl dampig alloy. A fiber optic light sensing probe was coupled with a spectrum analyzer to determine the frequency characteristics of the flickering activity directly from a video screen connected to the TEM. The effects of specimen temperature and TEM beam current were studied. Certain flickering sites exhibit peaks in the magnitude of contrast change at specific frequencies. The peaks in the frequency spectrum vary in amplitude and, to a lesser extent, in frequency, with specimen temperature and with TEM beam current. Detailed examination of the real-time behavior at the flickering sites suggests that the underlying mechanism which produces the contrast change is a gradual crystallographic transition, typical of a second order phase transition. As well, the patterns of change which comprise the flickering contrast display many of the characteristics of “chaotic vibrations”.
A life cycle costing methodology for the assessment of process heat generation by solar energy

Abstract With the current upward trend of fossil fuel costs, along with a potential depletion of supply or reduced availability of oil in the near future, industries utilizing significant quantities of process heat are expected to develop increasing interest in solar energy systems. This paper develops methodologies that can be used in a general way to analyze and evaluate process heat generation based upon solar energy.
Interactions in the Solid State I: Interactions of Sodium Bicarbonate and Tartaric Acid Under Compressed Conditions

The interaction of NaHCO3 and tartaric acid in powder mixtures and compressed tablets has been studied. It has been found that in an open system the reaction is simply a decarboxylation of NaHCO3 and that the effect of compression on the reaction rate can be attributed to the brittle fracture (and subsequent surface area increase) that occurs on compaction. In a closed system the decomposition of the mixture is an interaction between the acid and the base, and it is mediated by the amount of moisture in the system. This latter is a product of reaction, and a suitable kinetic scheme is described for this. It is shown that “curing” the sodium bicarbonate by heating it to, e.g., 90°C stabilizes the system by virtue of the formation of surface Na2CO3, which acts as a moisture scavenger.
Impact finite-element analysis of slip-base sign support mechanism

The slip-base-design mechanism is used to support signs and luminaries in highways and is designed to break away in crashes with vehicles. This mechanism is intended to minimize occupant injuries by providing reduced resistance to the impacting vehicles. The slip-base mechanism could be sensitive to many design parameters. Conventional design and evaluation of safety performance of these systems by trial and error and crash testing is inefficient, as well as cost prohibitive. Therefore, finite-element (FE) models that can accurately simulate the performance of the slip-base system in various crash scenarios are of essential value. This paper describes dynamic FE models of a slip-base sign support system and its crash performance with vehicles using DYNA3D code. The geometric features, as well as several physical phenomena of components of the slip-base mechanism, e.g., sliding friction, clamping forces, bolt-plate interactions, and plate rupture, are modeled and verified in simulation. The FE modeling methods for the required features are described in detail. A validated model of Bogie and its honeycomb material is used as the impacting vehicle. FE crash simulations of Bogie with flexible honeycomb nose impacting the slip-base sign support are validated using the corresponding instrumented crash tests. The simulation model reveals the correct behavior of the break away system response upon impact. The slipping mechanism and Bogie acceleration and velocity responses are accurate as compared with actual crash test results. The FE approach and this validated model can be exercised in numerous crash scenarios for design optimization of other variations of slip-base systems in size, orientation, etc., or for performance evaluation of impacts with various vehicles.
Moisture Induced Changes in Fabric Structure as Evidenced by Air Permeability Measurements

Air permeability measurements over the range of 0 to 95% relative humidity indicate that changes in fiber dimensions caused by moisture absorption lead to changes in fabric structural parameters su...
Serial Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from Patients with AIDS Differ in Virulence for Mice

Serial isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from patients with chronic infection can exhibit minor karyotype changes as a result of chromosome length polymorphism (CLP). This study investigated whether serial C. neoformans isolates with CLP from 4 patients with AIDS exhibited biologic and phenotypic differences. CLP permits the identification of serial isolates in murine mixed infection. The parameters studied were virulence in mice, capsule size, colony morphology, melanization, protease production, MICs of antifungal drugs, and growth rates in vitro. Two parameters of virulence in mice were studied: persistence in tissue and survival time after lethal infection. Serial C. neoformans isolates were shown to differ in ability to persist in vivo, virulence in a murine infection model, in vitro growth rates at 37 degreesC, and capsule size. Melanin and protease production and MICs of antifungal drugs were comparable for serial isolates. These observations suggest microevolution of C. neoformans during human infection. This process may allow the fungal population to change, escape eradication by the immune system, and thus cause chronic infections.
Topoisomerase I/II inhibition by a novel naphthoquinone containing a modified anthracycline ring system

Abstract In an attempt to create more effective chemotherapeutic compounds, the naphthoquinone adduct 12,13-dihydro-N-methyl-6,11,13-trioxo-5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]naphthalen-5,12-imine (hereafter called TU100) was synthesized. Cell viability studies revealed TU100 is specific for eukaryotes and induces cell death. Based on its structural similarities to the anthracyclines and isoquinolines, the ability of TU100 to inhibit topoisomerase I and II was examined. TU100 was an effective inhibitor of both enzymes, as indicated by its ability to prevent topoisomerase-mediated relaxation of supercoiled plasmid DNA. The mechanism of action does not involve TU100 intercalation into DNA, unlike anthracyclines. Pre-incubation of topoisomerase with TU100 dramatically decreased the IC 50 , suggesting the drug is a novel slow acting topoisomerase inhibitor that works in the absence of DNA. Taken together these results indicate the novel naphthoquinone adduct TU100 is a dual topoisomerase I/II inhibitor with a unique mechanism of action and chemotherapeutic potential.
Solution of the complete symmetric eigenproblem in a virtual memory environment

Algorithms for the complete symmetric eigenproblem are studied from the viewpoint of performance in a virtual memory environment. The preferred algorithm is based on tridiagonalization and the implicit QR algorithms. Implementation factors that affect execution time are discussed.
On the best mean-square approximation of a real nonnegative finite continuous function of two variables by the modulus of a double Fourier integral. II

We study the nonlinear problem of mean-square approximation of a real finite nonnegative continuous function of two variables by the modulus of a double Fourier integral depending on two parameters. The solution of this problem is reduced to the solution of a nonlinear two-dimensional integral equation of the Hammerstein type. Numerical algorithms for determination of branching lines and branched solutions of equation are constructed and substantiated. Some numerical examples are given.
On computing Voronoi diagrams by divide-prune-and-conquer

Using a divide, prune, and conquer approach based on geometric partitioning, we obtain: (1) An output sensitive algorithm for computing a weighted Voronoi diagram inR4 (the projection of certain polyhedra inR5) that runs in time O((n+ f) log3 f) where n is the number of sites and f is the number of output cells; and (2) a deterministic parallel algorithm in the EREW PRAM model for computing an algebraic planar Voronoi diagram (in which bisectors between sites are simple curves consisting of a constant number of algebraic pieces of constant degree) that runs in time O(log2 n) using optimal O(n logn) work. The first result implies an algorithm for the problems of computing the convex hull of a point set and the intersection of a set of halfspaces inR5, and computing the Euclidean Voronoi diagram in R4. The second result implies both sequential and parallel work-optimal deterministic algorithms for a number of Voronoi diagram problems (including line segments in the plane), and other non-Voronoi diagram problems that can fit in the framework (including the intersection of equal radius balls in R3 and some lower envelope problems inR3).
In-betweenness and crumbled hopes in Palestine: the global in the local of the occupied territories

Critical discussions among some in Palestinian studies describe foreign involvement in NGO development in the Occupied Territories since the 1990s as having been detrimental to Palestinian collective aspirations, and even a tool of imperialism. In the 1970s and 1980s, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip mobilized their own civilian organizations to build an infrastructure of resistance to the Israeli Occupation that gave birth to the Intifada Uprising in December 1987. Foreign governments and organizations were drawn to their struggle and in the 1990s billions of dollars of foreign aid from more than 40 nations and over two dozen multilateral organizations flowed through hundreds of local and foreign NGOs. But this investment in the “peace process” did not stop a worsening occupation, and a second al Aqsa Intifada began in the fall 2000. Palestinian civil society suffered crippling blows and foreign actors were reduced to disaster relief and harm reduction. This article presents three ethnographic portraits from 1992, 1995 and 2002, that examine these changes in Palestinian civil society and the scholarly criticisms of foreign involvement. This article argues that such involvement could put Palestinian participants in a dangerous in-between social position, but that these positions of contradiction are often preferable to the destruction of militarism.
Encapsulation of high frequency organic Schottky diodes

Abstract Both operational lifetime and shelf-life of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) based high frequency Schottky diodes have been studied in this work. Thin films of amorphous Si ( a -Si) and polychloro-(para-xylylene) (parylene C) are deposited as a barrier layer using low temperature chemical vapor deposition to improve the lifetime of the CuPc Schottky diodes. The CuPc Schottky diodes encapsulated with the barrier layer exhibit at least 6 × longer operational lifetime under both DC and AC voltage stress. Encapsulation does not significantly improve the shelf-life of the organic Schottky diodes.
Questioning the costs and benefits of non-invasive prenatal testing

Prenatal testing for Down syndrome through the use of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has been increasingly implemented in clinical practice and a recent cost analysis suggests that NIPT is cost effective when compared to other screening modalities in high risk populations. However, this anaylsis makes many assumptions regarding uptake of testing and pregnancy termination, which cannot be applied to all populations in the United States. Additionally, this cost analysis, which hinges on fewer Down syndrome births, does not align with the goals of prenatal testing to support autonomous and value consistent decisions. NIPT is an expensive new technology and more careful analysis is needed to determine the impact of NIPT on outcomes and overall healthcare costs.
A decentralized approach to space deconfliction

This paper presents a decentralized approach to path planning for large numbers of autonomous vehicles in sparse environments. Unlike existing approaches, which are either computationally expensive or communication intensive, the presented approach allows large numbers of vehicles to plan independently with low communication overhead. The key to the algorithm is to observe that, in sparse environments, collisions are exceptional and that most of the time vehicles will simply not hit each other. Hence, it is reasonable to allow vehicles to plan independently and then resolve the small number of conflicts. We operationalize this by having each vehicle send their planned paths to a small number of their team mates via tokens. Each team member is required to check for conflicting paths that they have been informed about via a token and inform those involved when any conflict is detected. Both analytic and empirical results show that the approach has very high probability of detecting all potential collisions for large numbers of vehicles in both 2D and 3D environments.
Experimental analysis and model-based optimization of microalgae growth in photo-bioreactors using flue gas

Abstract This study tested the growth of three algal species (Chlorella sp., Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and Tetraselmis suecica) using flue gas (generated by natural gas combustion). All the cultures showed poor biomass growth if they were exposed to continuous flue gas. To optimize the flue gas utilization in algal photo-bioreactors, we performed both model simulations and experimental analysis. First, we employed an un-segregated Monod-based model to describe the microalgal growth in response to CO2 in the photo-bioreactor. Via the dynamic optimization approach (DOA), the model profiled time-dependent CO2 concentrations (volume fraction ranging from 0.1 to 0.6%) to support maximal biomass growth. Second, we designed an on–off flue gas pulse mode to reduce CO2 inhibition (a volume fraction up to 15% CO2) to the algal cells. Based on the reported algal kinetic parameters, our model predicted that gas-on (∼10 s CO2 pulse) and gas-off (5–9 min) could achieve over 90% of the maximum theoretical algal growth rate predicted by the DOA. Third, we used mass flow controllers to apply on–off flue gas pulses in photo-bioreactors, and the experimental results verified that the flue gas pulses could reduce flue gas inhibition and improve Chlorella growth compared to cultures exposed to atmospheric CO2.
The relationship between prenatal care, personal alcohol abuse and alcohol abuse in the home environment.

Aims: Nearly one-fourth of African-American women receive no prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy. The aim of the current study is to identify factors that underlie inadequate prenatal care among African-American women. Maternal alcohol abuse has been examined as one risk factor for inadequate prenatal care, but findings have been inconsistent, perhaps because (a) alcohol use during pregnancy is substantially under-reported and (b) studies have not considered the wider social network in which maternal alcohol use takes place. The current study attempts to clarify relationships between personal alcohol use, alcohol use in the home environment, and prenatal care in a sample of post-partum women.Methods: Participants were 107 low-income, primarily African-American women. All participants completed a computer-based screening which assessed personal and environmental alcohol use, prenatal care and mental health.Findings: Environmental alcohol use was related to delayed prenatal care while pers...
Prosthetic mitral valve replacement in children

Nine children with severe mitral valvular disease of varied etiologies had replacement oftheir valve with a Starr-Edwards ball-cage prosthesis. There was one death in the immediate postoperative period due to clot formation within the prosthesis, and one late death of unknown cause. The survivors have had dramatic symptomatic and objective evidence of postoperative improvement. The causes of mitral valvular disease in childhood are discussed, and the hazards of artificial valve implantation are weighed against the benefits of the procedure.
Passing as Tragedy: Philip Roth's The Human Stain, the Oedipus Myth, and the Self-Made Man

(2005). Passing as Tragedy: Philip Roth's The Human Stain, the Oedipus Myth, and the Self-Made Man. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction: Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 101-112.
Practical theory, practical art, and the pragmatic‐systemic account of inquiry

Practical theory, as distinct from applied theory, is based on the notion of inquiry developed in human systems research and pragmatism. It rejects the practitioner-theorist dualism and treats theory as formalizations aiding inquirers' efforts to join with human systems to improve them, rather than as propositional maps of social reality. This article offers criteria for evaluating such theories and discusses the way practical theory establishes reliability, validity, and generality.
A Characterization of Scalable Shared Memories

The traditional consistency requirements of shared memory are expensive to provide both in large scale multiprocessor systems and in distributed systems that implement a shared memory abstraction. As a result, several memory systems have been proposed that enhance performance and scalabil ity by providing weaker consistency. The differing models used to describe such memories make it difficult to relate and compare them. We develop a simple non-operational model and identify parameters that can be varied to de scribe existing memories and to identify new ones. We show how a uniform framework makes it easy to compare and relate various memories.
Cardiovascular adjustments to rhythmic handgrip exercise: relationship to electromyographic activity and post-exercise hyperemia.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association among electromyographic (EMG) activity, recovery blood flow, and the magnitude of the autonomic adjustments to rhythmic exercise in humans. To accomplish this, 10 healthy subjects (aged 23–37 y) performed rhythmic handgrip exercise for 2 min at 5, 15, 25, 40, and 60% of maximal voluntary force. Heart rate and arterial blood pressure were measured at rest (control), during each level of exercise, and for 2 min following exercise (recovery). The rectified, filtered EMG activity of the exercising forearm was measured continuously during each level of exercise and was used as an index of the level of central command. Post-exercise hyperemia was calculated as the difference between the control and the average recovery (2 min) forearm blood flows (venous occlusion plethysmography) and was examined as a possible index of the stimulus for muscle chemoreflex activation. Heart rate, arterial pressure, forearm EMG activity, and post-exercise hyperemia all increased progressively with increasing exercise intensity. The magnitudes of the increases in heart rate and arterial pressure from control to exercise were directly related to both the level of EMG activity and the degree of post-exercise hyperemia across the five exercise intensities (Δheart rate vs EMG activity:r=0.99; Δarterial pressure vs EMG activity:r=0.99; Δheart rate vs hyperemia:r=0.99; and Δarterial pressure vs hyperemia:r=0.98; allp<0.01). Furthermore, the level of EMG activity was directly related (r=0.99) to the corresponding degree of hyperemia. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that central command is a primary mechanism by which tachycardia is mediated during submaximal, rhythmic exercise.
Developmental study of rat brain glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase.

Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities were measured in whole rat brains at selected ages from birth to adulthood. On a wet weight basis glutathione peroxidase activity increased 70% during development and glutathione reductase activity increased 160%. On a protein basis glutathione peroxidase declined slightly in activity during the first two weeks of life and then maintained the 14-day activity into adulthood while glutathione reductase showed a 30% increase in activity. While less than the developmental changes in many enzymes involved in aerobic glycolysis or catecholamine metabolism, these increases do suggest a role in CNS metabolism.
Long-term outcomes of acute kidney injury.

Purpose of review The goal of this review is to summarize the recent plethora of data that relate to long-term outcomes after acute kidney injury (AKI). Recent findings Surviving patients with AKI are still at high risk for long-term adverse outcomes, even if serum creatinine returns to normal. After adjusting for potential confounders, many recent studies have demonstrated that AKI is independently associated with chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and premature death. Unfortunately, definitive evidence from randomized controlled trials demonstrating that prevention or treatment of AKI prevents long-term adverse outcomes is not yet available. Summary AKI is clearly a prognostic marker for poor long-term outcomes, but more studies will be needed to determine whether AKI is truly causal and whether or not the risk is modifiable.
Dual models and spontaneous symmetry breaking

Abstract The stability of the vacuum of the orbital dual model with zero intercept with respect to spurion emission is investigated. Although the model is not fully satisfactory because of the presence of negative norm states, it serves as a simplified laboratory for the more realistic (and more complicated) models. Feynman rules for the calculation of the effective potential are developed, and the problem of finding the Goldstone minimum is reduced to a non-linear integral equation. The propagator of the model is also determined, and trajectories are shown to remain linear.
Geology and petrology of Mahukona Volcano, Hawaii

The submarine Mahukona Volcano, west of the island of Hawaii, is located on the Loa loci line between Kahoolawe and Hualalai Volcanoes. The west rift zone ridge of the volcano extends across a drowned coral reef at about-1150 m and a major slope break at about-1340 m, both of which represent former shoreines. The summit of the volcano apparently reached to about 250 m above sea level (now at-1100 m depth) did was surmounted by a roughly circular caldera. A econd rift zone probably extended toward the east or sutheast, but is completely covered by younger lavas from the adjacent subaerial volcanoes. Samples were vecovered from nine dredges and four submersible lives. Using subsidence rates and the compositions of flows which drape the dated shoreline terraces, we infer that the voluminous phase of tholeiitic shield growth ended about 470 ka, but tholeiitic eruptions continued until at least 435 ka. Basalt, transitional between tholeiitic and alkalic basalt, erupted at the end of tholeiitic volcanism, but no postshield-alkalic stage volcanism occurred. The summit of the volcano apparently subcided below sea level between 435 and 365 ka. The tholeiitic lavas recovered are compositionally diverse.
Certain Metallic Soao-Petrolatum Ointment Bases*

Eight metallic soaps have been used to produce ointment bases by gelling the following vehicles: (a) white petrolatum, liquid petrolatum, anhydrous lanolin; (b) white petrolatum, liquid petrolatum, and (c) liquid petrolatum. The bases were studied at 8°, room temperature, and 45°. Penetration results indicate that gels of metallic soaps with heavy liquid petrolatum produced the most desirable preparations. Consistency changes were very slight over the above temperature extremes. These ointment bases are superior to white petrolatum both in thermo-stability and elegance. Anhydrous lanolin in these newly developed bases provides water-absorption capacity with no incompatibility. These new metallic soap gels proved to be superior or equal to other liquid petrolatum gels currently advocated as ointment bases. One hundred seventy-six ointments were prepared for compatibility observations. They represent eleven different medicaments tested with the various soap gels. A vast majority of the ointments prepared from metallic soap bases did not show the loss of homogeneity associated with white petrolatum base ointments. With the proper selection of the metallic soap gel ointment base, any of the eleven medicaments studied can be successfully compounded.
Fabrication and characterisation of 2NDPA-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microspheres for explosive safety

We demonstrate the microencapsulation of a double-base (DB) rocket propellant stabiliser, 2-nitrodiphenylamine (2-NDPA), that can potentially increase the shelf life of DB rocket propellants. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microspheres loaded with 2-NDPA were prepared using the oil-in-water emulsion technique. The microsphere size was found to be inversely related to the mixing rate. It was also found that a higher theoretical loading of 2-NDPA resulted in larger microspheres. In addition, a Rosin Rammler distribution function gave an accurate representation of the microsphere size distribution, and the release rate 2-NDPA from PLG microspheres was found to be size dependent. We show that parameters such as the stirring speed and the percent loading of 2-NDPA can be varied to tailor the release of 2-NDPA from PLG microspheres. In addition, we have shown that temperature has a dramatic effect on the release of 2-NDPA from PLG microcapsules.
Role of Climate Feedback in El Niño–Like SST Response to Global Warming

AbstractUnder global warming from the doubling of CO2, the equatorial Pacific experiences an El Nino–like warming, as simulated by most global climate models. A new climate feedback and response analysis method (CFRAM) is applied to 10 years of hourly output of the slab ocean model (SOM) version of the NCAR Community Climate System Model, version 3.0, (CCSM3-SOM) to determine the processes responsible for this warming. Unlike the traditional surface heat budget analysis, the CFRAM can explicitly quantify the contributions of each radiative climate feedback and of each physical and dynamical process of a GCM to temperature changes. The mean bias in the sum of partial SST changes due to each feedback derived with CFRAM in the tropical Pacific is negligible (0.5%) compared to the mean SST change from the CCSM3-SOM simulations, with a spatial pattern correlation of 0.97 between the two. The analysis shows that the factors contributing to the El Nino–like SST warming in the central Pacific are different from t...
Controlling procedural modeling programs with stochastically-ordered sequential Monte Carlo

We present a method for controlling the output of procedural modeling programs using Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC). Previous probabilistic methods for controlling procedural models use Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), which receives control feedback only for completely-generated models. In contrast, SMC receives feedback incrementally on incomplete models, allowing it to reallocate computational resources and converge quickly. To handle the many possible sequentializations of a structured, recursive procedural modeling program, we develop and prove the correctness of a new SMC variant, Stochastically-Ordered Sequential Monte Carlo (SOSMC). We implement SOSMC for general-purpose programs using a new programming primitive: the stochastic future. Finally, we show that SOSMC reliably generates high-quality outputs for a variety of programs and control scoring functions. For small computational budgets, SOSMC's outputs often score nearly twice as high as those of MCMC or normal SMC.
optimal foragers or political actors? ecological analyses of a New Jersey fishery

Recent trends in ecological anthropology are described and applied in an analysis of a New Jersey fishery. The difficulty of identifying environmental problems becomes apparent when trying to describe the temporal variability, pollution, restrictions on access, and depletion that characterize the marine environment of “Shoal Harbor,” a diversified community of bay men and inshore fishermen not far from New York City. A set of hypotheses derived from optimization theories in evolutionary ecology proves helpful in suggesting the ecological rationale for certain aspects of the Shoal Harbor fishery; but practical, methodological, and theoretical qualifications limit its usefulness. Another ecological approach, the “economics of flexibility,” is used to open the analysis to the political dimensions of one aspect of Shoal Harbor behavior—illegal fishing. A concluding discussion of the problem of overfishing indicates the importance of balancing ecological approaches with just consideration of social, cultural, and political reality. [ecological anthropology, evolutionary theory, anthropological theory, maritime communities, foraging strategies]
A Bayesian framework for understanding texture segmentation in the primary visual cortex

This paper presents a mathematical theory for understanding the computations involved in texture segmentation in the primary visual cortex. We propose that texture segmentation is a part of the early visual system's overall strategy to infer surfaces of objects in a visual scene. Based on this insight, we use the Bayesian inference paradigm to formulate the texture segmentation problem into a maximum a posteriori surface inference problem. The dynamical system for finding the optimal solution of this problem can be characterized by two concurrent and interactive processes: a gradual sharpening of the boundary signals and a simultaneous smoothing of the surface signals. The behavior of these dynamical processes was studied using both analytical and computational methods. We present some computational results and mathematical predictions. This theory suggests a novel framework for understanding the functional roles of the complex cells in the primary visual cortex.
Increased plant uptake of nitrogen from 15N-depleted fertilizer using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

Abstract Harmful environmental effects resulting from fertilizer use have spurred research into integrated nutrient management strategies which can include the use of specific micro-organisms to enhance nutrient use efficiency by plants. Some strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been reported to enhance nutrient uptake by plants, but no studies with PGPR have used 15 N isotope techniques to prove that the increased N in plant tissues came from the N applied as fertilizer. The current study was conducted to demonstrate that a model PGPR system can enhance plant uptake of fertilizer N applied to the soil using different rates of 15 N-depleted ammonium sulfate. The experiments were conducted in the greenhouse with tomato using a mixture of PGPR strains Bacillus amyloliquefaciens IN937a and Bacillus pumilus T4. Results showed that PGPR together with reduced amounts of fertilizer promoted tomato growth compared to fertilizer without PGPR. In addition, atom% 15 N per gram of plant tissue decreased as the amount of fertilizer increased, and PGPR inoculation resulted in a further decrease of the atom% 15 N values. The atom% 15 N abundance in plants that received 80% fertilizer plus PGPR was 0.1146, which was significantly lower than 0.1441 for plants that received 80% fertilizer without PGPR and statistically equivalent to 0.1184 for plants that received 100% fertilizer without PGPR. The results demonstrate that increased plant uptake of N applied in fertilizer could be achieved with PGPR as indicated by the differences in 15 N uptake. Strains of PGPR that lead to increased nutrient uptake by plants should be evaluated further as components in integrated nutrient management systems.
BK virus nephropathy in the native kidneys of a pediatric heart transplant recipient

BK virus is a human polyoma virus that may cause nephropathy in immunosuppressed patients. It is a well-recognized cause of renal allograft dysfunction and allograft loss in renal transplant recipients, but it is an infrequent cause of nephropathy outside this setting. There are a few case reports of BK virus nephropathy in the native kidneys of immunosuppressed adult patients with non-renal transplants, but so far it has not been reported in pediatric non-renal solid organ transplant recipients. We report a case of a seven-yr-old heart transplant patient who was diagnosed with BK virus nephropathy, eight months after his second heart transplant. Despite intervention, his renal dysfunction progressed to renal failure. He is currently receiving maintenance hemodialysis and awaiting renal transplantation. It is important to recognize BK virus infection as a possible cause of renal dysfunction in immunosuppressed children who are non-renal transplant recipients.
Improving the image of delicate and complex biological surfaces

An initial thermal evaporative coating with Au/Pd protects delicate biological surfaces from thermal damage caused by diode sputtering, allowing additional coating if necessary by the quicker and more complete sputtering method. Additional coating by either method (1) reduces charging and bright areas, (2) improves the physical stability of entire samples and of delicate cell features, and (3) may provide sharper images at high magnification by reducing subtle specimen drift. Most consistent elimination of charging occurred when 10 nm or more of Au/Pd was sputtered on specimens showing charging when previously coated with 30 nm of Au/Pd by thermal evaporation. Aquatic microcommunities, particularly those laden with silt, were characterized by extensive interstitial space so that adequate electrical conductivity required several additional sputter coatings.
The Management of Gestational Trophoblastic Tumors with Etoposide, Methotrexate, and Actinomycin D

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of etoposide, methotrexate, and actinomycin D (EMA) as primary and secondary therapy for gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT). Methods: In a retrospective study, the medical records of all patients with middle-risk metastatic GTT or nonmetastatic choriocarcinoma receiving primary EMA and patients with GTT resistant to single-agent regimens treated with secondary EMA were reviewed. Hematologic toxicity was graded using WHO criteria. Results: Seven patients received primary EMA with 5 (67%) achieving remission. Twenty-two patients with resistance to single-agent regimens received secondary EMA with 21 (95%) achieving remission. The most acute hematologic toxicity was grade 1 or 2. Only 2 of 90 EMA cycles were associated with grade 4 toxicity requiring hospital admission. Conclusion: Although EMA effectively induces remission with minimal acute hematologic toxicity in the primary and secondary therapy of GTT, recently published data regarding secondary tumors associated with etoposide exposure should restrict its use to patients who absolutely require etoposide to achieve remission.
Mutagenic effects of brief exposure to bromodeoxyuridine on mouse FM3A cells

The time- and dose-dependency of the mutagenic effects of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), a thymidine analogue used for cell kinetics studies in vivo and in vitro, were investigated in FM3A cells. Cells incubated with 50-1000 microM BrdU for 72 h showed some inhibition of growth. Cells cultured in BrdU-free medium for 3 d after a 30 min or 2 h exposure to BrdU showed no growth inhibition, while those previously exposed for 24 h to BrdU showed retarded growth. After a 30 min exposure, 60% of cells were labelled with BrdU; after 2 h 70%; and after 24 h almost 100%. After incubation in BrdU-free medium for 3 d (the time required for this cell line to express mutation), cells previously treated for 30 min or 2 h showed reduced BrdU positivity, whereas almost 100% of those treated for 24 h remained BrdU positive. The mutation rate, determined by the number of colonies resistant to ouabain (2 mM) and 6-thioguanine (10 microM) 3 d after exposure to BrdU, was not affected by a 30 min treatment with up to 1000 microM BrdU. Cells treated for 1 or 2 h showed increased resistance to ouabain after exposure to BrdU at concentrations above 100 microM; cells treated for 12 or 24 h showed an increased mutation rate at BrdU concentrations above 50 microM. The number of colonies resistant to 6-thioguanine did not increase in cells treated with BrdU at concentrations up to 1000 microM for 1, 12 or 24 h. We cannot conclude with certainty that brief exposure to BrdU does not modulate DNA to the point of mutation. This study may serve as a guideline for limiting the dose and time of exposure to BrdU for cell kinetics studies in vivo and in vitro.