cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asymmetric addition to chiral naphthalenes 5. An approach to the chlorothricolide system

Abstract The asymmetric synthesis of several analogs of the so-called bottom half of chlorothricolide has been accomplished. The key reaction involves addition of a pentenyl lithium to the chiral naphtyl oxazoline 2 followed by methyl iodide quench to afford the quaternary tetralin system 3 . Further elaboration and Birch reduction gave the hexahydro- naphthalene 9 which readily transformed into the bottom-half analogs 15 , 18 , 22 , and 24 . Unfortunately, none of these corresponded to the correct stereochemical configuration of the natural bottom half degradation product. Extensive NMR studies confirmed the stereochemistry of the products analogues to the latter and showed that the metal-ammonia reductions or the catalytic hydrogenation studies were inappropriate methods to reduce aromatic or dihydro analogs to the natural configuration.
Self‐concept and verbal behavior in a small‐group social situation

The problem addressed in this exploratory research study was whether any correlational relationship existed between a selection of personality and demographic variables (considered as aspects of the self-concept construct) and selected subjective and objective measurements of verbal behavior. The purpose of the study was to achieve a better understanding of the dynamic monitoring process of the self-concept and the possible relationship that may exist between it and certain quantifiable verbal behaviors. The conclusion of this study is that the self-concept construct does appear to be an influencing factor upon verbal behavior. It is considered that individuals are consistently interacting with their social environment to obtain feedback in order to test the self's perceptions of the social environment and its relationship to its environment.
Alterations in microsomal cytochrome P-450-catalyzed reactions as a function of chlordecone (Kepone) induction

Abstract The effects of chlordecone treatment on the hepatic microsomal monooxygenase system of male rats were investigated. Chlordecone increased the microsomal content of cytochrome P -450, NADPH-cytochrome P -450 ( c ) reductase and, to a lesser extent, cytochrome b 5 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The content of NADH-cytochrome b 5 ( c ) reductase was reduced. The turnover of seven substrates was studied in detail and, with the exception of aniline, was found to be increased between 1.3- and 2.2-fold. The apparent K m 's for these substrates were increased 2.1- to 16.7-fold. In addition, zoxazolamine paralysis time was reduced as a result of chlordecone treatment. These kinetic changes are explained on the basis of alterations in the cytochrome P -450 pool together with residual chlordecone acting as an inhibitor of substrate turnover. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein pattern of microsomes isolated from chlordecone-treated rats more closely resembled that of microsomes isolated from untreated rats than that of microsomes isolated following phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene treatment.
Management of flexible manufacturing: An international comparison

Abstract The purpose of this paper is (1) to examine the current status of flexible manufacturing in the United States and Sweden, (2) to survey the historical reasons for existing differences, and (3) to explore the impact of flexibility on various aspects of performance, particularly international competitiveness. The most recent data on the use of certain hardware associated with flexibility, such as numerically controlled machine tools, industrial robots, and flexible manufacturing systems, are presented for several industrial countries. An analysis is made of organizational structure and management practices (‘software’) relating to flexibility in manufacturing in the United States and Sweden. This analysis is based on firm interviews, supplemented with recent findings in the literature. The historical analysis traces the evolution of manufacturing technology over the last century. The discussion of the impact of flexibility on economic performance is based upon recent research findings.
Follicular fluid insulin-like growth factor binding protein profiles in polycystic ovary syndrome

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) are believed to modulate the actions of IGF-I and IGF-II at the cellular level. We have examined, by Western ligand blot analysis, the IGFBP profiles in follicular fluid (FF) from patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (a disorder of ovarian folliculogenesis), compared to FF from atretic and developing (estrogenic) follicles from normally cycling women. IGFBPs with apparent mol wts (Mr) of 41.5, 38.5, 31, 28, and 24kDa were detected in PCOS FF. The profile of IGFBPs in PCOS FF was indistinguishable from that seen in atretic follicles in cycling women. However, higher levels of the 31, 28, and 24kDa IGFBPs were observed in PCOS FF, compared to healthy, estrogenic follicles. Using specific antisera, the 41.5 and 38.5kDa IGFBPs were identified as IGFBP-3, and the 31kDa IGFBP as IGFBP-2. IGFBP-1, however, was not appreciably detectable in PCOS FF, by Western ligand blotting. Endoglycosidase F treatment of FF decreased the Mr of the 28kDa IGFBP to 24kDa, ...
AN EFFICIENT SINGULAR SUPERPOSITION TECHNIQUE FOR CAVITY DETECTION AND SHAPE OPTIMIZATION

A method is presented for the efficient solution of the inverse geometric problem of detection of subsurface cavities and flaws using thermographic techniques. Here, a superposition of clusters of sources/sinks with a boundary-element solution of the forward problem offers a numerical scheme that does not require remeshing of the interior geometry as the inverse problem is solved iteratively to detect the flaw or cavity. The approach offers tremendous advantage in reducing the computational burden involved in remeshing and presents a promising technique for three-dimensional applications.
Laparoscopic Nephrectomy and Adrenalectomy

Laparoscopic surgery is a rapidly evolving technique in minimally invasive surgery. In the 1970s and 1980s, the greatest advances in laparoscopy were achieved by the gynecologists. Urologist, however, have used the laparoscope for many diagnostic as well as therapeutic procedures. The initial urological procedures performed included the localization of undescended testicles. Following this, procedures such as pelvic lymphadenectomy and varix ligation became common. This paper will review the current applications of laparoscopic nephrectomy and adrenalectomy.
Flattening Drosophila cells for high-resolution light microscopic studies of mitosis in vitro

Here we briefly review techniques used to flatten cells that otherwise round in culture, so that their division can be more clearly analyzed in vitro by high resolution light microscopy. We then describe an agar overlay procedure for use with isolated Drosophila neuroblasts, which promotes their long-term viability while also allowing for correlative studies of the same cell in the living and fixed state. This same procedure can also be used to obtain high temporal and spatial resolution images of mitosis and cytokinesis in cultured Drosophila Schneider S2 cells, which are a popular model for RNAi studies. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 56:141–146, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Altered skeletal muscle metabolic response to exercise in chronic heart failure. Relation to skeletal muscle aerobic enzyme activity.

BACKGROUNDExertional fatigue, which frequently limits exercise in patients with chronic heart failure, is associated with early anaerobic metabolism in skeletal muscle. The present study was designed to examine the skeletal muscle metabolic response to exercise in this disorder and determine the relation of reduced muscle blood flow and skeletal muscle biochemistry and histology to the early onset of anaerobic metabolism in patients.METHODS AND RESULTSWe evaluated leg blood flow, blood lactate, and skeletal muscle metabolic responses (by vastus lateralis biopsies) during upright bicycle exercise in 11 patients with chronic heart failure (ejection fraction 21 +/- 8%) and nine normal subjects. In patients compared to normal subjects, peak exercise oxygen consumption was decreased (13.0 +/- 3.3 ml/kg/min versus 30.2 +/- 8.6 ml/kg/min, p less than 0.01), whereas peak respiratory exchange ratio and femoral venous oxygen content were not different (both p greater than 0.25), indicating comparable exercise end p...
Urban ethnic politics in the post‐modern city: Comparing Miami and Toronto

Abstract This paper synthesises variants of post‐modern political theory in order to examine contemporary urban ethnic politics in Miami, Florida, and Toronto, Ontario. Cities in general, and Miami and Toronto in particular, are conceptualised not as foundational entities to be excavated in search of pre‐given data, but as texts—configurations of signs, symbols and codes to be read, interpreted and analysed. The focus is on race and ethnicity as socially constructed and political contested imageries, but the approach, aptly described as empirical post‐modernism, has even broader implications for the study of power and identity politics in contemporary world cities.
A comparison of the relative chemosensitivity of human gliomas to tamoxifen and n-desmethyltamoxifen in vitro.

Tamoxifen has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of human gliomasin vitro. This inhibition is independent of tamoxifen's known anti-estrogenic properties. Tamoxifen is an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), a calcium- and phospholipid-dependent serine kinase which plays a critical role in the proliferation of certain cell lines. Gliomas overexpress PKC, and their growth rate is coupled to the level of this key enzyme. As such, the effect of tamoxifen may be mediated by its inhibitory effect on PKC. To further investigate this possibility, we compared the chemosensitivity of cultured glioma lines to both tamoxifen and N-desmethyltamoxifen (DMT). DMT is the major metabolite of tamoxifen in humans and is a ten-fold more potent inhibitor of PKC. Seven lines were tested using the standard MTT assay, which quantitates metabolically active cells colorimetrically using a tetrazolium dye. Four of the seven lines were also tested using a tritiated thymidine uptake assay. In the MTT assay, all seven lines showed significantly greater sensitivity to DMT, while three of the four lines tested in the thymidine uptake assay were more sensitive to DMT. Correlation between the two assays was good. The dose of tamoxifen required to produce a 50% inhibition of optical absorbance or thymidine uptake (ID50) was typically five- to ten-fold greater than the ID50 for DMT, approximating the relative strength of the two compounds as PKC inhibitors. In addition to providing some support for the ypothesis that triphenylethylenes inhibit gliomas via PKC inhibition, these findings have clinical significance. Levels of DMT in serum, brain and brain metastases are about twice the comparable levels of tamoxifen during chronic therapy. DMT achieved complete inhibition of all seven glioma lines at concentrations of 200 ng/ml. Levels as high as 2000 ng/g can be achieved in tumor tissue, suggesting that chronic tamoxifen therapy may have some role in the therapy of these aggressive tumors.
Pineal gland: evidence for an influence on ethanol preference in male Syrian hamsters.

Abstract 1. 1. If adult male hamsters kept in light: dark cycles of 14: 10 are given a choice to drink water or 5% ethanol, they show a preference for the alcohol solution. Hamsters that are pinealectomized exhibit a reduced preference for ethanol. 2. 2. Blinded hamsters show an exaggerated ethanol preference which is also reduced by either pinealectomy or decentralization of the superior cervical ganglia. 3. 3. Daily melatonin injections of subcutaneously implanted melatonin-beeswax pellets do not influence ethanol preference in hamsters.
Ballistic transport in short channel field effect transistors

The feature sizes of short channel Si MOSFETs and FINFETs are now in the range, where ballistici or quasi-ballistic transport is dominant. In this regime, conventional notion of electron mobility becomes invalid, and electrons lose energy and momentum in the contacts rather than in the device channel. In these devices, electron inertia plays an important role, and oscillations of the electron density (called plasma oscillations) enable the device response at THz frequencies. At THz and sub-THz frequencies, electron inertia effects, which are the signature of the ballistic transport, are pronounced even in FETs with feature sizes as large as 1 micron. Due to these effects, the device impedance becomes an oscillatory function of frequency.ii Plasma wave THz detectors using oscillations of the electron density in device channels are expected to outperform more conventional THz detectors. Fig. 1 shows the calculated Si MOSFET THz detector responsivity versus frequency. Achieving their full potential of plasma wave electronics might require using grating gate structures and/or “plasmonic crystals implemented as 2D or 3D arrays of coherently operating plasmonic FETs.iii
Screening for colorectal cancer using the hemoccult II stool guaiac slide test

Following a series of educational spots on colorectal cancer shown on a local television news program, stool guaiac slide kits (Hemoccult II; Smith Kline Diagnostics) were distributed in shopping malls in Erie County, New York during a 3-day period in February 1982. The tests kits were sold for $1.00 a piece. A total of 8711 persons purchased test kits and 3822 persons (44%) returned slides for testing. One or more slides were positive in 107 persons (2.8%). Ninety of the 107 positive screenees (84%) saw a physician for further evaluation after screening. Eighteen positive screenees had no evidence of pathology which could cause blood in their stool when evaluated by a physician, yielding an overall false-positive rate of less than 0.5%. Seven new cases of colorectal cancer were found through screening. Five of the seven cancers (71%) detected were localized disease (Dukes' Stage A, B1 or B2), and four cases had no symptoms of disease prior to diagnosis. The findings from this study suggest that screening for fecal occult blood using the stool guaiac slide test is effective in detecting some colorectal cancers at an early stage of disease, often before symptoms appear.
Endovascular management of iliac artery occlusions: extending treatment to TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus class C and D patients.

Objective The preferential use of endovascular techniques to treat complex aortoiliac disease has increased in recent years. The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes and durability of recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting for iliac occlusions based on the patient's TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) stratification. Methods Between 1998 and 2004, more than 628 patients with a clinical diagnosis of aortoiliac atherosclerotic disease underwent arteriography. The endovascular treatment of 89 consecutive patients (mean age, 66 years; 58% male) with symptomatic iliac occlusions (TASC-B, -C, and -D) was the basis for this study. Original angiographic imaging was evaluated for lesion grade and runoff. Electronic and hard copy medical records were reviewed for demographic data, clinical variables, and noninvasive vascular laboratory testing. Kaplan-Meier estimators were used to determine patency rates according to Society for Vascular Surgery criteria. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. P values of Results Recanalization and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty/stenting (total, 178 stents) of occluded iliac arteries was technically successful in 84 (91%) of 92 procedures. Patients in the TASC-C and -D groups often required multiple access sites (50%) and femoral artery endarterectomy/patch angioplasty for diffuse disease (24%). The mean ankle-brachial index increased from 0.45 to 0.83. Distal embolization led to major amputation and eventual death in one patient. Two other deaths occurred in the perioperative period secondary to cardiorespiratory causes. Three-year primary patency, secondary patency, and limb salvage rates were 76%, 90%, and 97%, respectively, and progression of infrainguinal disease led to late limb loss in two patients. Diabetes as a risk factor was significantly associated with decreased primary patency (57% vs 83%; P = .049). Critical ischemia at presentation was associated with decreased patency rates as well (P = .002), but TASC classification did not significantly alter patency rates. Conclusions Complex long-segment and bilateral iliac occlusions can be safely treated via endovascular means with high rates of symptom resolution. Initial technical success, low morbidity, and mid-term durability are comparable to results with open reconstruction. A liberal posture to open femoral artery reconstruction extends the ability to treat diffuse TASC-C and -D lesions via endovascular means.
Hairy cell leukemia presenting as a palpable breast mass

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare mature B cell malignancy that typically involves the bone marrow, peripheral blood, and spleen. Clinically detectable lymph node infiltration occurs in a minority of patients, and extranodal tissue involvement of sites such as the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and skin is uncommon. Consequently, the vast majority of patients with HCL present with pancytopenia and splenomegaly but without lymphadenopathy or soft tissue masses. Herein we present a unique case of HCL presenting as a palpable breast mass without concomitant marrow or peripheral blood involvement and without radiologic evidence of other sites of disease. Several features of the tumor cell infiltrate (ample pale cytoplasm, nested appearance) evoked other entities that would more typically involve breast tissue such as the alveolar or solid variants of invasive lobular carcinoma. However, the immunophenotypic and molecular characteristics of the tumor cells were indistinguishable from classic HCL. The significant challenge in this case was recognizing this entity outside of its usual clinical and anatomic context. Although rare, HCL should be a diagnostic consideration in tumors arising at extramedullary/extranodal sites including the breast.
Numerical simulation of liquid absorption in paper-like swelling porous media

The work is built on a previous research by Wiryana and Berg, in which wicking into four wet-formed paper stripes, consisting of cellulose fibers and four different percentages of the powdered carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) superabsorbent, was studied experimentally. Because of the swelling of cellulose fibers and CMC powder on contact with water, the wicking was accompanied by a swelling of the matrix. A finite element/control volume (FE/CV)-based computer program is used for the first time to model the wicking in such swelling porous medium. The simulation used a novel form of continuity equation, which included the effects of liquid absorption and matrix swelling, in conjunction with the Darcy’s law to model the single-phase flow behind a clearly defined liquid-front. A new method of estimating the timevarying permeability of the paper, based on the absorbed liquid-mass vs. time plots, is also proposed. Later, this timedependent permeability is used in the numerical simulation to change the permeability in elements behind the moving liquid-front as a function of the time that the element has been wetted by the liquid, since the passage of the liquid-front. The numerical prediction of the wicking-front location as a function of time compares well with the reported experimental data. VC 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 2536–2544, 2012
New physics in fusion plasma confinement

In the past two decades, the picture of fusion plasmas has changed. Once analogous to an obscure work of abstract art, it is now more like a landscape full of comprehensible features.
MPEG2 4:2:2@ML-from concept to an implementation

There is a growing interest in using MPEG2 in the studio and post production environment. We describe Tektronix' contribution to the standard, starting from the introduction of the concept of 4:2:2 Profile@Main Level, all the way to a hardware realization of 4:2:2 Profile@Main Level. Operating up to 50 Mb/s, MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile@ML provides higher quality to support multigeneration and digital special effects, in addition to providing higher spatial and chroma resolution.
Effect of transitory hyperuremia on LDH levels in selected marine elasmobranchs and chimaeras: An apparent urea requirement

Abstract 1. 1. Urea and lactic dehydrogenase (rate reaction) levels were assayed in nervous system associated fluids and several relevant tissues in selected, mostly primitive, marine fishes both in vivo and in vitro at varying times subsequent to single injections of supplemental urea. 2. 2. Serum clearance times were generally more rapid for most teleosts than the more primitive elasmobranchs and chimaeras. Depletion patterns are compared in various species. 3. 3. The highest urea levels were observed in ratfish extra-brain fluid, and coelacanth ventricular fluid. 4. 4. LDH was detectable in “old” frozen coelacanth fluids. LDH levels were relatively high in elasmobranchs, chimaeras and salmon brain-associated fluids. 5. 5. Tolerance of supplemental urea, based on LDH levels after the addition of supplemental urea was the most, absolutely, in S. acanthias and H. colliei , and high proportionally in the salmon and sole in the fluids studied. 6. 6. The implications of these enzyme level “enhancements” are discussed both in view of primitive fish physiology, and the relevance to human physiological disease processes and certain current therapeutic practices.
The Referees' Assessment of Faraday's Electromagnetic Induction Paper of 1831

Faraday’s discovery of electromagnetic induction in August 1831 has been recognized as one of his great achievements, as well as a discovery of immense importance in understanding electromagnetism. John Tyndall, one of Faraday’s early biographers, surmised that ‘this discovery of magneto-electricity is the greatest experimental result ever obtained by an investigator. It is the Mont Blanc of Faraday’s own achievements.’ Thomas Martin, the editor of Faraday’s laboratory notes, remarked that Faraday’s discovery of induction, ‘was one of the most important experiments in the history of physical science . . .’ The phenomenon Faraday had demonstrated was the generation of an electric current (‘electricity in motion’) in a wire forming a closed circuit by the change of the current in an adjacent wire as well as by the wire either being in the presence of a changing magnetic force or moving through a region of magnetic force. The effect provided the anticipated converse of Oersted’s demonstration in 1820 that an electric current produced a magnetic force. The importance of the phenomenon in the development of electromagnetism may be seen in the pivotal role it played in Maxwell’s dynamical approach to electromagnetism.
Black–white differences in positive outcome expectancies for crime: A study of male federal prison inmates

Abstract Purpose This study was designed to assess whether black inmates hold more positive outcome expectancies for crime than white inmates in an effort to inform the debate on the nature of well documented differences in criminal involvement between blacks and whites. Methods Positive outcome expectancies for crime were measured in 393 black male inmates and 154 white male inmates housed in a medium security federal correctional institution using the Outcome Expectancies for Crime (OEC: Walters, 2003b) inventory. Results Black inmates reported significantly stronger positive outcome expectancies for crime than white inmates after controlling for preexisting group differences in age, education, marital status, confining offense, response style, general criminal thinking, and negative outcome expectancies for crime. Anticipation of social benefits for crime in the form of love, respect, and security were particularly salient in distinguishing between black and white inmates. Conclusions It is speculated that an interaction of motivational (high achievement motivation), structural (blocked economic opportunities), and cultural (peer reinforcement) factors may be responsible for black–white differences in crime with important implications for theory, research, and clinical practice.
Hematologic manifestations of an allergic nature.

Abstract The immunologic nature of certain hematologic disorders has been reviewed and discussed. These include transfusion reactions, Rh isosensitization, acquired hemolytic anemias, purpuras (anaphylactoid and thrombocytopenic), agranulocytosis, and aplastic anemia. Possible mechanisms of pathogenesis and indications for treatment are briefly considered.
Meta-analysis of contribution of genetic polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing enzymes or transporters to axitinib pharmacokinetics

Purpose Axitinib, an orally administered inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor 1, 2 and 3, is primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4/5 but is also a substrate for CYP1A2, CYP2C19, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)1A1 and the drug transporters P-glycoprotein (encoded by the ABCB1 gene) and OATP1B1 (encoded by SLC01B1). The potential contribution of polymorphisms in genes encoding these enzymes and transporters to axitinib pharmacokinetic variability was assessed.
The α-Subunit of the Arabidopsis Heterotrimeric G Protein, GPA1, Is a Regulator of Transpiration Efficiency

Land plants must balance CO2 assimilation with transpiration in order to minimize drought stress and maximize their reproductive success. The ratio of assimilation to transpiration is called transpiration efficiency (TE). TE is under genetic control, although only one specific gene, ERECTA, has been shown to regulate TE. We have found that the α-subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), GPA1, is a regulator of TE. gpa1 mutants, despite having guard cells that are hyposensitive to abscisic acid-induced inhibition of stomatal opening, have increased TE under ample water and drought stress conditions and when treated with exogenous abscisic acid. Leaf-level gas-exchange analysis shows that gpa1 mutants have wild-type assimilation versus internal CO2 concentration responses but exhibit reduced stomatal conductance compared with ecotype Columbia at ambient and below-ambient internal CO2 concentrations. The increased TE and reduced whole leaf stomatal conductance of gpa1 can be primarily attributed to stomatal density, which is reduced in gpa1 mutants. GPA1 regulates stomatal density via the control of epidermal cell size and stomata formation. GPA1 promoter::β-glucuronidase lines indicate that the GPA1 promoter is active in the stomatal cell lineage, further supporting a function for GPA1 in stomatal development in true leaves.
Control of Water Balance in Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Role of Endogenous Vasopressin

ABSTRACT. Babies with chronic bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) can sometimes develop pallor, systemic and pulmonary edema, oliguria, and hyponatremia not attributable to cardiopulmonary or renal impairment. These signs and symptoms might, however, be explained by inappropriate control of vasopressin secretion. To test this hypothesis, we measured plasma vasopressin and osmolality, serum sodium and potassium concentrations, urine output and osmolality, and free water clearance in 26 normoxic infants with BPD aged 1–4 months. All of these infants required supplemental oxygen (FiO2 0.41 ± 0.03, mean ± 1 SE) to maintain O2 saturation of > 88%, and six infants also required mechanical ventilation. As controls, 10 infants of similar age but without BPD were also studied. None of the infants had been discharged from the nursery and was receiving any medications, and all were clinically stable when studied. Compared to control infants, infants with BPD had significantly elevated plasma vasopressin concentrations (control 5.2 ± 0.9 pg/ml; BPD 42.4 ± 5.1; mean ± SE, p > 0.05). Moreover, infants with BPD had hyponatremia and hypotonic plasma, and both urine output and free water clearance were significantly reduced. These data suggest that some infants with chronic BPD have elevated vasopressin levels that are functionally significant. We speculate that excessive stimulation of vasopressin secretion may explain some of the pulmonary and nonpulmonary signs and symptoms in infants with chronic BPD.
An Introduction to Multilevel Modeling for Social and Personality Psychology

Multilevel modeling is a technique that has numerous potential applications for social and personality psychology. To help realize this potential, this article provides an introduction to multilevel modeling with an emphasis on some of its applications in social and personality psychology. This introduction includes a description of multilevel modeling, a rationale for this technique, and a discussion of applications of multilevel modeling in social and personality psychological research. Some of the subtleties of setting up multilevel analyses and interpreting results are presented, and software options are discussed.
Contrast-enhanced Duplex surveillance after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: Improved efficacy using a continuous infusion technique

Introduction Currently, postoperative endoleak surveillance after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) is primarily done by computed tomography (CT). The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography scans to detect endoleaks by using a novel infusion method and compare these findings with those of CT angiography (CTA). Methods Twenty male patients (mean age, 70.4 years) underwent surveillance utilizing both CTA and contrast-enhanced color Duplex imaging. One 3-mL vial of Optison (Perfluten Protein A microspheres for injection) and 57 mL normal saline, for a total of 60 mL, were administered to each patient as a continuous infusion at 4 mL/min via a peripheral vein. Each study was optimized with harmonic imaging, and a reduced mechanical index of 0.4 to 0.5, compression of 1 to 3, and a focal zone below the aorta to minimize microsphere rupture. One minute was allowed from the time of infusion to the appearance of contrast in the endograft. Flow was evaluated within the lumen of the graft and its components, as was the presence or absence of endoleaks. Findings were compared with standard color-flow Duplex imaging and CT utilizing CTA reconstruction protocols. Results All patients evaluated had modular endografts implanted for elective aneurysm repair. Contrast-enhanced duplex scans identified nine endoleaks: one type I and eight type II. No additional endoleaks were seen on CTA. However, CTA failed to recognize three type II endoleaks seen by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. The continuous infusion method allowed for longer and more detailed imaging. An average of 46.8 mL of the contrast infusion solution was used per patient. Conclusions Contrast enhanced Duplex ultrasonography accurately demonstrates endoleaks after EVAR and may be considered as a primary surveillance modality. Continuous infusion permits longer imaging time.
Aspartic acid racemization and amino acid composition of the organic endoskeleton of the deep-water colonial anemone Gerardia : Determination of longevity from kinetic experiments

An age of 250 (±70) yr is estimated for a specimen of the colonial anemone Gerardia collected alive from 630 m depth off the Bahamas. This age is calculated from (1) the difference in aspartic acid (Asp) racemization measured in the outermost (youngest) and innermost (oldest) layers of the trunk of the organic endoskeleton of the specimen and (2) the estimated rate of Asp racenlization, as extrapolated from heating experiments. A progressive increase in D/L Asp values was observed from the outermost (0.052) to the innermost (0.099) layer of the trunk. Asp racemization rates determined at 60, 80, and 100°C in the laboratory were used to determine the Arrhenius parameters, from which the rate at present ambient temperature (12.5°C) was calculated. The activation energy of Asp racemization was estimated to be 29.1 kcal/mol. The estimated age (250 yr) is much younger than that suggested by radiocarbon measurements of the specimen (ca. 1800 yr). The amino acid composition of the endoskeleton of Gerardia is unusual, with histidine comprising 30% of the total. The composition resembles proteins of the endoskeleton of antipatharians (black corals).
Low-power design for embedded processors

Minimization of power consumption in portable and battery powered embedded systems has become an important aspect of processor and system design. Opportunities for power optimization and tradeoffs emphasizing low power are available across the entire design hierarchy. A review of low-power techniques applied at many levels of the design hierarchy is presented, and an example of low-power processor architecture is described along with some of the design decisions made in implementation of the architecture.
Priming a Cross-Category Brand Alliance: The Moderating Role of Attribute Knowledge and Need for Cognition

Firms often enter cross-category advertising brand alliance strategies with the goal to increase their market share by association with popular but noncompeting brand allies. However, firms are often not aware of the effects of these alliances on consumer perceptions of participating brands. This research explores the factors moderating brand attribute inferences following exposure to a cross-category advertising brand alliance. It is proposed that attributes of a brand ally may serve as anchors that produce assimilation effects and move perceptions of a target brand toward the ally’s attribute value, or as standards of comparison that produce contrast. This work provides evidence that attribute judgments in a cross-category advertising brand alliance are moderated by attribute knowledge and individual differences in information processing motivation as reflected in self-reported need for cognition (NFC) ratings. C
Directed evolution of bright mutants of an oxygen-independent flavin-binding fluorescent protein from Pseudomonas putida

Fluorescent reporter proteins have revolutionized our understanding of cellular bioprocesses by enabling live cell imaging with exquisite spatio-temporal resolution. Existing fluorescent proteins are predominantly based on the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and related analogs. However, GFP-family proteins strictly require molecular oxygen for maturation of fluorescence, which precludes their application for investigating biological processes in low-oxygen environments. A new class of oxygen-independent fluorescent reporter proteins was recently reported based on flavin-binding photosensors from Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida. However, flavin-binding fluorescent proteins show very limited brightness, which restricts their utility as biological imaging probes. In this work, we report the discovery of bright mutants of a flavin-binding fluorescent protein from P. putida using directed evolution by site saturation mutagenesis. We discovered two mutations at a chromophore-proximal amino acid (F37S and F37T) that confer a twofold enhancement in brightness relative to the wild type fluorescent protein through improvements in quantum yield and holoprotein fraction. In addition, we observed that substitution with other aromatic amino acids at this residue (F37Y and F37W) severely diminishes fluorescence emission. Therefore, we identify F37 as a key amino acid residue in determining fluorescence. To increase the scope and utility of flavin-binding fluorescent proteins as practical fluorescent reporters, there is a strong need for improved variants of the wild type protein. Our work reports on the application of site saturation mutagenesis to isolate brighter variants of a flavin-binding fluorescent protein, which is a first-of-its-kind approach. Overall, we anticipate that the improved variants will find pervasive use as fluorescent reporters for biological studies in low-oxygen environments.
The meaning of a minuscule ribozyme

The smallest ribozyme that carries out a complex group transfer is the sequence GUGGC-3′, acting to aminoacylate GCCU-3′ (and host a manifold of further reactions) in the presence of substrate PheAMP. Here, I describe the enzymatic rate, the characterization of about 20 aminoacyl-RNA and peptidyl-RNA products and the pathways of these GUGGC/GCCU reactions. Finally, the topic is evolution, and the potential implications of these data for the advent of translation itself.
A prediction model for manufacturer warranty reserves

A model for predicting warranty reserves for manufactured units having exponential failures is extended for more general failure distributions. The model allows for discounting. Sample calculations are provided.
Recommendations regarding technical standards for follow-on biologics: comparability, similarity, interchangeability

AbstractBackground: Policy makers around the world are currently considering the creation of a regulatory pathway for follow-on biologics (FOB), which will have to account for the substantial technical challenges associated with FOB development. These challenges will likely involve more complexity than comparability assessments of process changes made by the same manufacturer. The history of industry–regulator comparability discussions helps explain why the same degree of testing and flexibility now applied to change-control within a manufacturer's own process, at this time, cannot be extrapolated to the observed and possibly unknown differences between two manufacturing processes that are independently developed by different (non-collaborating) parties.Objectives: This commentary provides recommendations on the technical aspects that should be considered in the creation of an approval pathway for FOB products.Conclusions: In the authors’ view, analytical methodology in its current state cannot alone prov...
Distributing the frontend for temperature reduction

Due to increasing power densities, both on-chip average and peak temperatures are fast becoming a serious bottleneck in processor design. This is due to the cost of removing the heat generated, and the performance impact of dealing with thermal emergencies. So far microarchitectural techniques to control temperature have mainly focused on the processor backend (in particular the execution units), whereas the frontend has not received much attention. However, as the temperature of the backend remains controlled and the processor throughput increases, the heat dissipated by the frontend becomes more significant, and one of the major contributors to the total average temperature. This paper proposes and evaluates a distributed frontend for clustered microarchitectures that is able to reduce power density and temperature. First, a distributed mechanism for renaming and committing instructions is proposed. Second, a sub-banked trace cache with a bank hopping mechanism is presented. Finally, a method to improve the sub-banking is proposed based on a biased mapping function to distribute bank accesses to balance temperature.
Positive Definiteness via Off-diagonal Scaling of a Symmetric Indefinite Matrix

Indefinite symmetric matrices that are estimates of positive definite population matrices occur in a variety of contexts such as correlation matrices computed from pairwise present missing data and multinormal based theory for discretized variables. This note describes a methodology for scaling selected off-diagonal rows and columns of such a matrix to achieve positive definiteness. As a contrast to recently developed ridge procedures, the proposed method does not need variables to contain measurement errors. When minimum trace factor analysis is used to implement the theory, only correlations that are associated with Heywood cases are shrunk.
Comparison of culture methods for monitoring Legionella species in hospital potable water systems and recommendations for standardization of such methods.

A lack of standardization of environmental monitoring techniques for Legionella spp. complicates the interpretation of results and comparisons of results from different institutions. A comparative assessment of techniques recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Hygiene Institute (Graz, Austria), and our laboratory was performed. Variables investigated were sampling method (swabbing and collection of water samples [250 ml] before and after swabbing), method of concentration (none, filtration, and centrifugation), acid buffer treatment (no acid treatment, treatment for 3 min, and treatment for 15 min), and choice of medium (five formulations of buffered charcoal yeast extract agar with glycine, vancomycin, polymyxin B, anisomycin, or cycloheximide). Thirty-three sites in seven hospital buildings were studied. Recovery by swab correlated with recovery from water after swabbing (P
Homologs of genes expressed in Caenorhabditis elegans GABAergic neurons are also found in the developing mouse forebrain

In an effort to identify genes that specify the mammalian forebrain, we used a comparative approach to identify mouse homologs of transcription factors expressed in developing Caenorhabditis elegans GABAergic neurons. A cell-specific microarray profiling study revealed a set of transcription factors that are highly expressed in embryonic C. elegans GABAergic neurons. Bioinformatic analyses identified mouse protein homologs of these selected transcripts and their expression pattern was mapped in the mouse embryonic forebrain by in situ hybridization. A review of human homologs indicates several of these genes are potential candidates in neurodevelopmental disorders. Our comparative approach has revealed several novel candidates that may serve as future targets for studies of mammalian forebrain development.
Between structure and agency: assassination, social forces, and the production of the criminal subject

[[agencyassassinationLeon Czolgoszsocial forcesstructure ]] Assassins are often regarded as ahistorical figures of evil. In this article, I contest this view by analysing the assassination of President William McKinley by Leon Czolgosz in 1901. There are two purposes to this article. The first is to situate McKinley’s assassination within the history and development of the social sciences, principally sociology, rather than assume that the assassin is a trans-historical representation of willful irresponsibility. The second is to describe and critique the discourse that made Czolgosz into a rational agent once he entered history as an assassin.
Environmental Factors Governing Field Reliability of Plastic Transistors and Integrated Circuits

This paper describes results of tests performed under field conditions and compares these results with data obtained from accelerated laboratory testing. A model is developed for plastic encapsulated semiconductors relating failure rate and the sum of temperature and relative humidity. With this relationship, accelerated temperature-humidity tests can be applied to predict field failure rates of plastic encapsulated transistors and integrated circuits.
Clinical integration and how it affects student retention in undergraduate athletic training programs.

Context : A better understanding of why students leave an undergraduate athletic training education program (ATEP), as well as why they persist, is critical in determining the future membership of ...
How the Body Manages Therapeutic Drugs: An Introduction to Pharmacokinetics

The scientific discipline of pharmacokinetics has expanded dramatically during the past two decades as technology and data analysis methods have advanced. Laboratory professionals performing therapeutic drug monitoring analyses, which are based on pharmacokinetics, should understand the basic principles of this discipline. Pharmacokinetics uses mathematical models to describe drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination. Pharmacokinetic principles have many important clinical applications. Knowledge of a drug’s pharmacokinetic parameters is critical in developing patient-individualized drug dosage regimens that optimize therapeutic benefit and minimize toxicity.
Effect of Pituitrin Injection in Rabbits on Serum Osmotic Pressure and Blood Picture

Dodds and Noble1 reported that a single massive subcutaneous dose of pituitrin in rabbits resulted in a severe anemia on the 4th to 5th day after injection. This anemia was macrocytic, hyperchromic and accompanied by a marked leucocytosis, reticulocytosis, and an increase in bile. Dodds and Noble are inclined to entertain the possibility “that the control of blood destruction by the reticuloendothelial system may be vested outside the system and may reside in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland.”In view, however, of the well-known antidiuretic action of pituitrin, and the high water content of a rabbit's normal diet, it was thought that this anemia might well be due to serum osmotic changes resulting from water retention, rather than to a “hemoclastic principle” of the posterior pituitary.In over 20 preliminary experiments on 15 healthy adult rabbits, pituitrin was injected subcutaneously in the dose reported by Dodds, 200 units/kg. of body weight (10 cc. pituitrin∗ per kilo). The animals were kept ...
Discordant Development: Global capitalism and the struggle for connection in Bangladesh

Katy Gardner opens her book Discordant Development: Global Capitalism and the Struggle for Connection in Bangladesh with a variation on that anthropological classic, an ethnographic vignette that c...
Sedation for the Mechanically Ventilated Patient

This article discusses the potential benefits of sedation for the mechanically ventilated patient. These benefits include the alleviation of anxiety and pain, which may result in a reduction of oxygen consumption. Other advantages include improved synchronization of a patient's breathing pattern with ventilator settings and better patient care, comfort, and safety. The patient's clinical situation, such as respiratory failure caused by right-to-left shunt, cardiovascular problems, elevated intracranial pressure, hepatic disease, and renal failure, needs to be considered when selecting a sedative agent.
Characterizing rapid capacity fade and impedance evolution in high rate pulsed discharged lithium iron phosphate cells for complex, high power loads

Abstract Three 26650 LiFePO4 (LFP) cells are cycled using a 40 A pulsed charge/discharge profile to study their performance in high rate pulsed applications. This profile is used to simulate naval pulsed power loads planned for deployment aboard future vessels. The LFP cells studied experienced an exponential drop in their usable high-rate recharge capacity within sixty cycles due to a rapid rise in their internal resistance. Differential capacitance shows that the voltage window for charge storage is pushed outside of the recommended voltage cutoff limits. Investigation into the state of health of the electrodes shows minimal loss of active material from the cathode to side reactions. Post-mortem examination of the anodic surface films reveals a large increase in the concentration of reduced salt compounds indicating that the pulsed profile creates highly favorable conditions for LiPF6 salt to break down into LiF. This film slows the ionic movement at the interface, affecting transfer kinetics, resulting in charge buildup in the bulk anode without successful energy storage. The results indicate that the use of these cells as a power supply for high pulsed power loads is hindered because of ionically resistant film development and not by an increasing rate of active material loss.
Nonepileptic Seizures During Sleep

Nonepileptic (psychogenic or pseudo) seizures (NESs) were documented by video-electroencephalographic monitoring during apparent sleep in 12 patients reported from New York University School of Medicine.
Shaun Larcom, Legal dissonance: the interaction of criminal law and customary law in Papua New Guinea

The Independent State of Papua New Guinea, like many other countries, struggles with serious problems of law and order. Murder, robbery, carjacking, and sexual and domestic abuse are just a few of ...