cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Significant parameters for surgery in adult intussusception.

INTUSSUSCEPTION is defined as the telescoping of a proximal segment of bowel into the lumen of the adjacent distal segment. It was first reported in 1674 by Barbette of Amsterdam and remains a relatively rare entity in the adult population. Only 5% of all intussusceptions are found in adults and they comprise 1--5% of all cases of intestinal obstructions. The exact mechanism precipitating an intussusception is still unknown. It is believed that any lesion in the bowel wall or irritant within the bowel lumen may alter the normal peristalsis pattern and cause an invagination leading to intussusception. The diagnosis is difficult as the symptoms may be nonspecific. Therefore, radiographic imaging, particularly computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been the mainstay of diagnosis. The clinical significance of a radiographic finding of intussusception is unknown. Findings can be due to true intussusceptions with leadpoints verified on exploration or to transient intestinal telescoping without clinical sequelae at all. Often, these radiographic findings are discovered during imaging for unrelated reasons. Deciding how to manage these patients on the basis of a radiographic finding is a clinical dilemma. This study examines the clinical outcomes of patients found to have intussusception on CT. We identified those clinical factors which may be associated with true intussusception and the need for prompt surgical intervention, and aim to establish guidelines for management of adult intussusception (AI).
Effect of exposure to the aroma of a preload on subsequent intake of a food with the same aroma

We tested the hypothesis that exposure to an aroma through a food or beverage in the first part of a meal (preload) would reduce the consumption of a food with the same aroma in the second portion of the meal, because of olfactory-specific satiety. In a first experiment, 35 young, normal-weight adults participated in 2 lunch sessions during which they consumed a fixed preload of either ranch-flavored or plain potato chips and sparkling water, followed by ad libitum consumption of a pasta salad with ranch dressing and sparkling water. In the second experiment, 33 subjects consumed a fixed preload of either lemon-flavored or plain sparkling water and pasta salad with ranch dressing, followed by ad libitum consumption of lemon-flavored yogurt and plain sparkling water. No difference was observed in the amount of food consumed (corrected for session order effects) as a function of prior exposure to ranch flavor in the chips or lemon flavor in the water. We conclude that exposure to a preload aroma may not have a significant effect on subsequent intake of a food with the same aroma.
A non-enzymatic method for isolating human adipose tissue-derived stromal stem cells

Abstract Background aims The isolation of human adipose stromal/stem cells (ASCs) currently relies on the use of the enzyme collagenase, which digests the triple helix region of peptide bonds in the collagen of adipose tissue. Collagenase is an expensive reagent derived from a bacterial source, and its use in isolating ASCs is a time-consuming procedure. This experiment evaluated the extraction of ASCs without an enzymatic digest. Methods We used a simple method of washing adipose tissue to isolate and characterize the cells and compared this method with the enzymatic procedure in terms of processing time, stem cell yield, differentiation potential and immunophenotype. Results Based on fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis, the stromal vascular fractions isolated with the washing method displayed a distinct and potentially favorable immunophenotype relative to the collagenase digestion. This difference may reflect the absence of chemical alteration of the cells by collagenase digestion. Independent of the isolation procedure, the resulting passaged ASCs were comparable based on immunophenotype and adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation potential. Conclusions Although using collagenase substantially increases cell yield, the two methods yield a similar cell product.
Measurements of spin observables in pseudo-scalar meson photo-production using polarized neutrons in solid HD

A measurement of psuedo-scalar meson photo production from longitudinally polarized solid HD has been carried out with the CLAS at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jlab) with circularly and linearly polarized photon beams. Its aim is to measure a complete set of spin observables for the neutron simultaneously from the same experiment. As a polarized neutron, deutron in HD was used. Preliminary asymmetries are shown for the π− channel.
Nicotinic excitatory postsynaptic potentials in hippocampal CA1 interneurons are predominantly mediated by nicotinic receptors that contain α4 and β2 subunits

In the hippocampus, activation of nicotinic receptors that include α4 and β2 subunits (α4β2*) facilitates memory formation. α4β2* receptors may also play a role in nicotine withdrawal, and their loss may contribute to cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known about their cellular function in the hippocampus. Therefore, using optogenetics, whole cell patch clamping and voltage-sensitive dye (VSD) imaging, we measured nicotinic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in hippocampal CA1. In a subpopulation of inhibitory interneurons, release of ACh resulted in slow depolarizations (rise time constant 33.2 ± 6.5 ms, decay time constant 138.6 ± 27.2 ms) mediated by the activation of α4β2* nicotinic receptors. These interneurons had somata and dendrites located in the stratum oriens (SO) and stratum lacunosum-moleculare (SLM). Furthermore, α4β2* nicotinic EPSPs were largest in the SLM. Thus, our data suggest that nicotinic EPSPs in hippocampal CA1 interneurons are predominantly mediated by α4β2* nicotinic receptors and their activation may preferentially affect extrahippocampal inputs in SLM of hippocampal CA1.
Kinetic analysis of the dehydration and linkage isomerization of potassium hexanitronickelate(II) hydrate

Abstract The dehydration of K4 [Ni(NO2)6] · xH2O has been studied by TG and DSC in a highly replicated study. Mass loss data indicate that the material used in this work contained 2.685% water, and this is consistent with the compound being formulated as K4[Ni(NO2)6] · 0.75H2O. Out of 128 combinations of the α,T data sets from TG experiments, the Reich and Stivala procedure gave the best fit with the A2 rate law 55 times and with the A1.5 rate law 41 times. Out of 48 combinations of α,T data sets obtained from DSC experiments, the A2 rate law fitted best in 29 cases and the A1.5 in 8 cases. In contrast to previous studies, there is no evidence that the reaction follows a first-order process but rather the dehydration appears to be best considered as following an Avrami rate law with an index of 1.5–2.
On the concavity of island biogeographic rate functions

Abstract The concavity of the curves for colonization and extinction of species as a function of the species number on an island follows simply and directly from the assumption that there be dispersion in the specific probabilities of colonization and extinction, probabilities which are assumed independent of the total number and identities of the resident species on the island. Thus, a non-interactive model of the behaviors of individual species can account for the gross features of island biogeographic systems.
Observation Medicine in Emergency Medicine Residency Programs

Objective: To evaluate observation unit (OU) prevalence, emergency medicine (EM) resident exposure in observation medicine (OM), EM faculty/residency director (RD) OM training, and RD attitudes toward OM. Methods: Information was obtained from residency programs by telephone during a four-month period. Results: Survey respondents indicated that 36.1% have OUs and 44.9% plan to have an OU. Observation medicine resources include textbooks 32.0%, articles 45.9%, lectures 36.9%, fellowships 2.5%, and research 26.2%. Observation medicine patient care occurs: 1) during residency: 25.4% of RDs, 11.3% of entire faculty; 2) as an attending: 45.1% of RDs. Conclusions: Nearly two-thirds of EM programs have or are planning an OU. Resources are lagging behind. This survey describes current OM education strategies to teach OM.
Tiberius and the Heavenly Twins

This paper aims to illustrate the practical application of myth in public life under the early Principate. It begins by sketching the deep historical affection of the people of Rome for the twins Castor and Pollux, and the great posthumous popularity of Nero Claudius Drusus for generations after his death in 9 b.c. Concentrating on the dedicatory inscription of the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome, the paper argues that Tiberius Caesar, notoriously addicted to mythology, crafted a potent public association between the heavenly twins and himself and his brother Drusus, and it goes on to examine the effect of that association.
PIRATE: pediatric imaging response assessment and targeting environment

By combining the strengths of various imaging modalities, the multimodality imaging approach has potential to improve tumor staging, delineation of tumor boundaries, chemo-radiotherapy regime design, and treatment response assessment in cancer management. To address the urgent needs for efficient tools to analyze large-scale clinical trial data, we have developed an integrated multimodality, functional and anatomical imaging analysis software package for target definition and therapy response assessment in pediatric radiotherapy (RT) patients. Our software provides quantitative tools for automated image segmentation, region-of-interest (ROI) histogram analysis, spatial volume-of-interest (VOI) analysis, and voxel-wise correlation across modalities. To demonstrate the clinical applicability of this software, histogram analyses were performed on baseline and follow-up 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) PET images of nine patients with rhabdomyosarcoma enrolled in an institutional clinical trial at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In addition, we combined 18 F-FDG PET, dynamic-contrast-enhanced (DCE) MR, and anatomical MR data to visualize the heterogeneity in tumor pathophysiology with the ultimate goal of adaptive targeting of regions with high tumor burden. Our software is able to simultaneously analyze multimodality images across multiple time points, which could greatly speed up the analysis of large-scale clinical trial data and validation of potential imaging biomarkers.
THE ARGININE AND PREARGININE GROUPS IN EDESTIN

The author corroborates the data of Schmidt showing that the dissociation index of the third group of arginine is pK3' = 12.5. New titration data of edestin have been obtained in very alkaline solutions and show that there is a corresponding group with a titration index of pG' = 12.0, but present in much less quantity than can account for the arginine found on hydrolysis. The data support the theory that the combination of strong base or strong acid with proteins is produced by the formation of salts with the "extra groups" of those trivalent amino acids which can be isolated from the protein, with the exception of arginine. Arginine contributes to the titration curve in much smaller amount than is found on hydrolysis. This deficiency in the arginine group may be accounted for by the basic group in proteins having a titration index of pG' = 3.8 to 4.6 (depending on the protein), which apparently yields arginine on hydrolysis, and may properly be called prearginine .
The Power of Biography

Even in our inbred academic world, one rarely has the chance to write a review of a book authored by a close personal friend. Promotion and recommendation letters are one thing, readers' reports another, blurbs yet another. But book reviews are something special. To my mind, however, this case is special. I was barely acquainted with Pnina Lahav, an Israeli law professor at Boston University, when I agreed to read her book in draft. We became friends because I flipped over the manuscript and liked what it showed me of the author so much I wanted to get to know her. How often does that happen? That is not to say I can promise objectivity in this review. In fact, I have written a blurb for Judgment in Jerusalem, which I include for the sake of full disclosure: "This is the best biography I have ever read. Pnina Lahav brilliantly uses the life of Simon Agranat to illuminate the history of Zionism, the history of Israel, the history of law in Israel, and the history of justice. The result is riveting." Nor can I offer the kind of expertise one often expects of a reviewer. Because I am Jewish, I am interested in Zionism and Israel, but I am no authority on either. If you are looking for the kind of review that questions the author's presentation of facts, stop reading. I am on stronger ground in discussing biography because I have written one of Abe Fortas. Though I consider it political biography, it is technically
Experimental study of the projections of the nucleus of the tractus solitarius and the area postrema in the cat.

Projections from the area postrema and adjacent parts of the medial solitary nucleus are demonstrated with the Nauta method following lesions limited exclusively to these structures. Experiments are controlled with lesions involving adjacent bulbar regions, cerebellum, and spinal cord. Ascending pathways in the dorsal and lateral columns of the spinal cord project ipsilaterally to the area postrema and bilaterally to a para-alar nucleus in the ventral periphery of the nucleus gracilis. Neurons in the area postrema project mainly inspilaterally to the dorsal and medial regions of the medial solitary nucleus. Neurons in the posterior half of the medical solitary nucleus project ipsilaterally to the lateral solitary nucleus, dorsal vagal nucleus, ambigus, retrofacial nucleus, and dorsal and lateral bulbar reticular formation. Projections to nuclei intercalatus and prepositus hypoglossi, bilaterally, and to the ipsilateral dorsal tegmental nucleus by way of the dorsal longitudinal fasciculus are also shown. No direct projections to the diencephalon are demonstrated. Control lesions in the dorsal column nuclei reveal projections to the contralateral inferior olive and thalamic reticular and ventrobasal nuclei, but not to the projection sites of the solitary nucleus. Evidence is given to support the hypothesis that ascening visceral pathways are interruped in the bulbar reticular formation and dorsal tegmental nucleus before reaching the diencephalon. Correlations are suggested with functional aspects of the central autonomic and reticular activating systems.
Using National Survey Respondents as Consumers in an Agent-Based Model of Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Adoption

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) offer the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, if vehicle consumers are willing to adopt this new technology. Consequently, there is much interest in exploring PHEV market penetration models. In prior work, we developed an agent-based model (ABM) of potential PHEV consumer adoption that incorporated several spatial, social, and media influences to identify nonlinear interactions among potential leverage points that may impact PHEV market penetration. In developing that model, the need for additional data to properly inform both the decision-making rules and agent initialization became apparent. To address these issues, we recently conducted and analyzed an extensive consumer survey; in this paper, we modify the ABM to reflect the survey findings. A unique aspect is a one-to-one correspondence between agents in the model and survey respondents, and thus yielding distributions and cross correlations in agent attributes that accurately reflect the survey population. We also implement a used-PHEV market, and allow agents to purchase new or used compact PHEVs or vehicles of their current type. Based on our prior survey response analysis, our modified model includes a PHEV-technology threshold component, a multinomial logistic prediction of willingness to consider a compact PHEV based on dynamically changing attitudes, and agent-specific delay discounting functions that predict the amount agents are willing to pay up front for greater fuel savings. We thus independently account for agents’ discomfort with the new PHEV technology, their desire to drive a more environmentally friendly vehicle, and their willingness to pay a higher sticker price for a PHEV. Results of ten survey-based ABM scenarios are reported with implications for policy-makers and manufacturers. We believe close integration of the design of consumer surveys and the development of ABMs is a key step in developing useful decision-support models; this paper serves as an example of one way to achieve that.
Length of the global plate boundary at 2.4 Ga

Phanerozoic data show that during continental dispersal the total length of the global plate boundary is directly related to the size distribution and the surface area of continental fragments. We use this observation to test theories about the length of ancient plate boundaries and how the increased mantle heat production in the Precambrian was manifested by the crust. Using Monte Carlo simulations of plate boundaries on a sphere, we calculate estimates of global plate-boundary length. For the present-day continents and plates, the mean plate-boundary lengths are within 1% of each other; 3.40 x 10 5 km and 3.43 x 10 5 km. From the size distribution and normalized area of Archean cratons, estimates of the length of plate boundary at 2.4 Ga range from ≤1.7 to 2.7 times the present length; the preferred mean value is 2.2 times the present length. This result favors a model of sea-floor tectonics in which global plate velocities and sea-floor spreading rates were about 16% slower than at present, and in which the oceanic crust was more than 20 km thick.
Intestinal glutamine metabolism and nutrition

Arteriovenous difference measurements in dogs in the late 1960's indicated a substantial net uptake of glutamine by the portal-drained viscera. Subsequent studies demonstrated that the mucosa of the small intestine plays the dominant role in this process. ~ More recently, glutamine has become of considerable interest to clinicians and nutritionists because intestinal glutamine metabolism may be impaired during critical illness, and that this impairment may be associated with altered intestinal function.: The small intestine is the principal organ of glutamine uptake and metabolism in the body. The majority of studies that have measured in vivo glutamine utilization by the bowel have employed regional flux techniques using indwelling acutely or chronically placed arterial and portal venous catheters. Such studies quantitate the net exchange of substrate by the tissue, but do not provide information about the specific metabolic events or the specific cells that contribute to the total net rate of glutamine utilization. Thus, while regional flux studies are hampered by the disadvantage that only a net exchange measurement is calculated, they are also a valuable tool for the investigator interested in learning how organ utilization of a particular substrate changes in vivo during pathophysiologic states. Combined with the other methods that are commonly used to study intestinal glutamine transport and metabolism, in vivo measurements have substantially increased our knowledge of how intestinal glutamine utilization changes during disease states and how these changes are regulated. In this review the author summarizes the importance of glutamine for gut metabolism and discusses the techniques used to study glutamine utilization by the gut mucosa. In addition, the changes in intestinal glutamine metabolism that
Packaging of Gas Turbines Type 7 and Type S 7

A few years ago, Sulzer introduced two new gas turbines to the market, namely the 9-MW single-shaft type 7 and split-shaft type S 7 machines. Twenty-six units have been delivered to date, and over 100,000 field operating hours accumulated. The positive experience with this machine has allowed an uprating to 10 MW. Changes in the structure of the market, particularly the importance of platform installations, have caused Sulzer to redesign the machine’s auxiliaries, which have been, to a great extent, integrated into the gas turbine package. Flexibility in the application of the machine, easy maintainability, and ruggedness were maintained by reducing the required space to less than half the ground area. The main purpose of this paper is to describe the improved turbine of today. The prototype is briefly described and operating experience is listed. The main part of the paper is devoted to a comprehensive description of the redesigned gas turbine package and its new auxiliary system.Copyright © 1976 by ASME
The Impact of the National Healthcare Safety Network Mucosal Barrier Injury Laboratory-confirmed Bloodstream Infection Definition on a Hematology Oncology Unit

ISSUE: Our 28 bed Hematology Oncology (Heme-Onc) unit has had an unacceptably high central line assosciated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate. This patient population with various hematologic malignancies, including stem cell transplants, is at high risk for neutropenia, mucositis and graft-versus-host disease. Despite aggressive prevention efforts with implementation of multiple evidence-based CLABSI interventions over a 3 year period, no significant reduction in the CLABSI rate was achieved. PROJECT: Applying the new January 2013 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) mucosal barrier injury laboratoryconfirmed bloodstream infection (MBI-LCBSI) definition, we identified that 80% of the CLABSIs on our Heme-Onc unit met the MBI-LCBSI definition for the first quarter of 2013. To determine if this finding was new, all CLABSIs from 2012 on this Heme-Onc unit were retrospectively reviewed applying the 2013 NSHN MBILCBI definition. Tracking of the CLABSI rate excluding the MBI-LCBSIs continued in 2013. Chi square tests were performed to determine if the overall CLABSI rate was significantly different than the CLABSI rate excluding MBI-LCBIs for both 2012 and 2013. RESULTS: The overall CLABSI rate in 2012 was 4.07 BSI/1,000 device days. 67.6% of the CLABSIs in 2012met the definition for MBI-LCBSI. The CLABSI rate, excluding MBI-LCBSIs, was 1.32 BSI/1,000 device days. For the first eleven months of 2013, the overall CLABSI rate was 3.6 BSI/1,000 device days. 77.8 % of the CLABSIs met the MBI-LCBSI definition in 2013. The CLABSI rate, excluding the MBI-LCBIs, was 0.8 BSI/1,000 device days. There was a significant difference between the rates in 2012, (c2 (1) 1⁄4 11.72, p < .01) as well as in 2013, (c2 (1) 1⁄4 13.33, p < .01).
Correlates of contrast word associations: Developmental trends

A word-association task and word-pair task were used to evaluate McNeill's hypothesis that the paradigmatic shift is related to changes with age in S s' knowledge of featural properties of words. The S s were kindergarteners, second and fourth graders, and college students. The number of paradigmatic responses produced was positively related across grades to the number of nominal reasons but negatively related to the number of perceptual reasons given to nouns. For adjectives, the number of paradigmatic responses produced was positively related across grades to the number of opposite and dimensional reasons given but negatively related to the number of example reasons. Results were interpreted as supporting McNeill's hypothesis.
Rheology of synthetic latex. I. Test of some flow equations

Measurements made with both concentric cylinder and capillary viscometers show that type III synthetic latex is Newtonian at concentrations below ca. 25% solids, and non-Newtonian above. Analysis of the data demonstrates the absence of either a yield point at low shearing stresses or a limiting viscosity at high, ruling out Bingham body behavior. The linearity of logarithmic plots of the data indicates the applicability of the exponential flow equation of Farrow, Lowe, and Neale for the conversion of experimental observables to rate of shear—shearing stress values. However, above ca. 45% solids, separate exponential flow equations must be used at high and low shearing stresses. A composite rate of shear—shearing stress plot, including values obtained from three capillaries and the concentric cylinder viscometer, yields a single smooth curve, confirming the validity of the conversion procedure. Comparison of values of the two constants of the exponential equation, as determined independently using the capillary and concentric cylinder instruments, shows agreement between the two types of viscometer. Similar results have been observed for other latices, both synthetic and natural.
Building the AgNIC Resource Database Using Semi-Automatic Indexing of Material

This article describes the procedures used in the computer-aided semi-automatic indexing of records using the National Agricultural Library (NAL) Thesaurus. It provides step-by-step instructions that will be useful for anyone wishing to follow the procedures to assist them in their indexing efforts to submit material to the Agriculture Network Information Collaborative (AgNIC) portal. The method automatically checks the specified fields against the NAL Thesaurus to identify the number of times a word from the Thesaurus appears in the document. This process mainly serves as a first step in assigning the NALT Subjects, Top Concepts, and Categories. These then must be verified by an indexer to decide which of the terms are most applicable to be included in the metadata for the record. The procedures described are not only limited to the NAL Thesaurus. They can be used in a similar manner utilizing any machine readable thesaurus and any number of fields described in the metadata.
Allostasis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: implications for risk assessment.

Allostasis, a concept of anticipatory physiological regulation in response to external and internal challenges, was originally developed in the context of neuroendocrinology and behavioral medicine. Allostasis preserves function under changing conditions by abandoning physiological set points and developing new ones. Allostatic load refers to the aggregate effect of adaptation throughout life, and corresponds to the wear and tear associated with this process. In response to chronic stress, allostatic load may accumulate faster than expected if sustained activation of regulatory systems exceeds optimum operating ranges; this results in increased risk of disease. Used in a broader sense, the allostatic model of adaptive responses, trade-offs, feed-forward cycles, and collateral damage provides a framework for assessing the involvement of environmental–genetic interactions and co-morbidities in the course of chronic disease and developing a comprehensive score for personalized risk prediction. The utility of this approach is illustrated for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a prevalent condition with common and less common outcomes.
Franz-Keldysh effect in a single quantum well structure

Abstract The photo reflectance spectrum in a single quantum well structure was investigated theoretically. Numerical results are presented for 100 A and 300 A GaAs wells.
Ab initio calculations on large molecules using molecular fragments. Initial studies on open shell systems

Abstract An ab initio procedure, designed for investigation of large molecules and based upon studies of molecular fragments, is extended to open shell systems using the unrestricted Hartree-Fock method. Investigated initially are the ethyl and vinyl radicals, and the ethylene triplet state.
Evidence for the potential influence of cyclic nucleotides on maintenance of or reactivation from latency of herpes simplex virus in trigeminal ganglionic neurons

Herpes simplex virus infections are epidemic throughout developed countries, and recurrent herpes simplex keratitis is the most common cause of corneal blindness in these countries, NIH (1973). No available antiviral agent is capable of eradicating the state of viral ganglionic latency, and hence no effective treatment currently exists for prevention of viral re-activation from latency, with resultant recurrent infectious viral clinical manifestations. Putative triggers of re-activation include stress, sunburn, menses, trauma, and fever. These ‘triggers’ seem to share at least one common characteristic: the potential ability to influence intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels through the action of such first order messengers as catacolamines (stress, trauma) and/or ara-chadonic acid metabolites (sunburn, fever, trauma, and menses). We exploited an in vitro model of HSV ganglionic latency, and developed a model of in vitro organ culture ganglionic viral reactivation from latency. We then examined the effect of a variety of agents on this model. We found that agents which have been shown to elevate cyclic AMP levels consistently produce increased viral shedding (compared to control, spontaneous reactivation rate) in our model of viral reactivation from latency. In contrast, agents which have been shown to depress c-AMP levels and/or to elevate c-GMP levels inhibit viral reactivation from latency in this in vitro model. We conclude that intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels may influence events which control herpes simplex genome transcription.
Corporate Governance: A Critical Survey of Key Concepts, Issues, and Recent Reforms in the US

This paper critically surveys basic corporate governance concepts and theories, assesses recent international empirical support of theories, and analyzes the impact of major, recent corporate governance reforms in the US. Comparing representative economies identifies the essential features of different corporate governance systems. Therefore, the corporate governance structures of a few countries (England, US, Germany, and Japan) are explored. In second part of the paper, some emergent issues of corporate governance such as the impact of block holders and emergent market regulatory changes are assessed. Finally, the effectiveness of the Sarbanes-Oxley act is evaluated.
The U.S. and Ethiopia: The Politics of Military Assistance:

This article concerns the military assistance relationship between the United States and Ethiopia, especially during the early years of the Ethiopian revolution, from 1974 to 1977. The interaction ...
Muscarinic agonists in Alzheimer's disease

As therapeutic agents, M1 agonists in the short-term may palliate symptoms of AD and improve memory function. In the long-term, M1 agonists have the potential to modify the underlying pathophysiology of AD, and thereby prevent or retard the course of dementia.
Simultaneously Increased TxA2 Activity in Isolated Arterioles and Platelets of Rats With Hyperhomocysteinemia

Abstract —We aimed to elucidate the effect of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) on the synthesis of prostaglandins in rat skeletal muscle arterioles and platelets. Male Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups: (1) control rats, with plasma Hcy levels of 6.5±0.5 μmol/L (n=50) and (2) rats with HHcy, induced by daily intake of 1 g/kg body weight methionine in the drinking water for 4 weeks (plasma Hcy levels were 20.6±3.0 μmol/L, P <0.01 versus controls; n=50). Arterioles (diameter ≈130 μm) were isolated from the gracilis muscle, cannulated, and pressurized (at 80 mm Hg), and changes in their diameters were followed by video microscopy. Constrictions to bradykinin (BK; 10−10 to 10−7 mol/L) were significantly greater in HHcy than in control rat arterioles (at 10−9 mol/L BK, changes were 11±3% in control and 41±9% in HHcy rats). The cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10−5 mol/L), the prostaglandin H2/thromboxane A2 (PGH2/TxA2) receptor antagonist SQ 29,548 (10−6 mol/L), or the TxA2 synthase inhibitor furegrelate (5×10−6 mol/L) significantly decreased constrictions to BK in both groups but more so in HHcy arterioles, thus eliminating the difference between responses of HHcy and control arterioles. Constrictions to U46619 (a TxA2 analogue) were significantly greater in HHcy than in control arterioles (at 10−8 mol/L U46619, values for controls were 33±2% and 54±3% for HHcy). Endothelium removal or indomethacin treatment attenuated constrictions to U46619 in HHcy arterioles and eliminated the difference in responses. Also, aggregation of platelets from HHcy rats to collagen and ADP was significantly enhanced compared with controls (with 5 μg/mL collagen: controls, 23±5%; HHcy, 49±5%; with 10−7 mol/L ADP: controls, 25±3%; HHcy, 35±3%). Indomethacin or SQ 29,548 caused greater inhibition of aggregation of HHcy platelets compared with controls, thereby eliminating the differences between the 2 groups. Thus, HHcy enhances TxA2 synthesis both in the arteriolar endothelium and platelets. By promoting vascular constriction and platelet aggregation simultaneously, these alterations are likely to contribute to the atherothrombotic vascular diseases described in HHcy.
"We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto" or quality lessons from the Land of OZ

Any time an organization changes the way it does business, whether through ISO 9000, TQM, or JIT, it needs the infrastructure and culture to support both the change and the new organization. By using The Wizard of Oz story (L.F. Baum, Grossert & Dunlap,..
Temporalis muscle transfer: a vascular bed for autogenous dermis, fat orbital implantation

Nine patients with contracted avascular sockets who were unable to wear prostheses, and whose prospects for maintaining viable autogenous dermis-fat grafts were diminished, underwent temporalis muscle transfer into the orbit through a window in the lateral orbital wall. The temporalis transposition was used as a vascular bed for dermis-fat orbital implantation. Postoperatively, seven of nine patients were able to wear satisfactory prostheses and four of nine patients had amelioration of their superior sulcus deformities.
Plasma neurochemistry in juvenile offenders.

Abstract Plasma dopamine- β -hydroxylase activity, platelet monoamine oxidase activity, and whole blood serotonin (5-HT) were measured in 27 male adolescents at a juvenile detention center and in 17 male adolescents at a community mental health clinic. The subjects at the mental health clinic were diagnosed as suffering from an anxiety or depressive disorder but did not meet criteria for attention deficit or conduct disorder. All subjects at the detention center met criteria for conduct disorder. They were further subtyped in two ways: (1) presence or absence of an anxiety or depressive disorder and (2) "violent" or "non-violent" according to arrest record. Plasma dopamine- β -hydroxylase and platelet monoamine oxidase activities were not different across any of the groups. 5-HT was significantly lower in the group of adolescents with depressive or anxiety disorders alone relative to the detention subjects; 5-HT was correlated positively with clinician ratings of conduct symptoms and negatively with such ratings of anxiety symptoms. There was trend for the violent offenders to have higher whole blood 5-HT.
Update-by-dialogue: an interactive approach to database modification

In recent years a great deal of work has been devoted to the design of interactive database query systems suitable for 'end users'. By contrast, there appears to be little comparable work on interactive facilities for database modification. This is surprising for two reasons. Firstly, update operations are of great practical significance. Users of transaction processing systems often spend a greater proportion of their time modifying a database than retrieving information from it. Secondly, update is a hard problem. It is vital to safeguard database consistency, and that implies a thorough understanding of the semantics of the data in question. A quick glance at the facilities for maintaining consistency in many current database management systems is enough to demonstrate that this is not a trivial matter.This paper describes an interactive approach to database modification which exposes the semantic problems and overcomes them. Four conceptually simple update operations - insert, delete, change and copy-are formulated in terms of a model of database consisting of entity sets and mappings. These operations lead naturally to the idea of update-by-dialogue: a system in which each of them is implemented as an interactive dialogue. The user is guided in each operation, relieving him of the burden of remembering how the database is structured and also avoiding the effects of negligence. Furthermore, the dialogues are driven from a stored description of the database structure and thus are completely general. They can be applied to any database and are even immune to changes in the database structure.
The Effects of Father Visitation on Preschool-Aged Witnesses of Domestic Violence

Fifty preschool children with varying amounts of visitation with their previously violent fathers were studied to determine if the amount of father visitation was related to their behavioral functioning. The possible association of the severity of violence witnessed and the quality of the mother-child relationship on child behaviors was also assessed. There was a significant negative relationship between internalizing and externalizing behaviors, as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist, and frequency of father visitation. Children who saw their fathers less frequently evidenced higher internalizing and externalizing scores. More severe levels of violence perpetrated by the father significantly predicted increased externalizing behavior scores but not internalizing scores. Severity of violence was more predictive of externalizing behaviors than frequency of father visitation.
The Impact of Islamic Thought upon Political Ideology and Behavior

The Reign of the Ayatollahs: Iran and the Islamic Revolution. By Shaul Bakhash. (New York: Basic Books, 1984. Pp. x, 276. $18.95.) Islamic Iran: Revolution and Counter Revolution.By Asaf Hussain. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1985. Pp. ix, 225. $27.50.) The States and Social Revolution in Iran: A Theoretical Perspective. By Farrokh Moshiri. (New York: Peter Lang, 1985. Pp. xvii, 232.) Government and Politics in Islam. By Tareq Y. and Jacqueline S. Ismael. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1985. Pp. viii, 177. $27.50.) Islam in the World. By Malise Ruthven. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1984. Pp. 400.)
Biological Weapons Defense: Infectious Diseases and Counterbioterrorism

This insightful text, complete with an eBook version on CD-ROM, is edited by 3 scientists from the Department of Defense (DOD) and includes 58 contributors and forewords by David Franz and Mathew Meselson. The 25 chapters are divided into 4 sections: 1) Preparation and Military Support for a Possible Bioterrorism Incident, 2) Medical Countermeasures and Decontamination, 3) Emerging Threats and Future Preparation, and 4) Diagnostic Development for Biowarfare Agents. Threats discussed include plague, glanders, Q fever, filoviruses (as a specific example of "a world aswarm with viral zoonoses"), anthrax, smallpox, brucellosis, botulism, and ricin. Information is also provided on genetically-engineered protein toxins, as well as genetic fingerprinting for forensic studies and the use of genomics for the agents of tularemia, brucellosis, and clostridial gas gangrene. Notably, several chapters are devoted to critical topics that are often not found in other books. For example, 2 chapters on aerosol pathogenesis and "Biological Weapons Defense: Effect Levels" are particularly relevant given the US Cities Readiness Initiative that involves planning for an aerosol attack with anthrax or another agent in US metropolitan areas. Similarly valuable is the chapter on decontamination because it provides insight on how to respond to the challenge of recreating a safe environment in which to live and work after a biological attack. The 25-page chapter on the Global Emerging Infections System (GEIS) of the DOD as it applies to biodefense is well written. Surveillance systems used by DOD-GEIS are described, from the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics to newer systems, along with ways to integrate DOD and civilian surveillance systems. Other particularly useful chapters that encompass multiple present and potential future biological threats include those on diagnostics. These 3 chapters focus on explaining biological threat identification systems, DNA-based pathogen identification, and immune response–based assays. Taken together, the 25 chapters of this book are a welcome addition to the growing field of counterbioterrorism and complement well the mostly clinical publications already in print.
Chemopreventive and Anti-cancer Efficacy of Silibinin against Growth and Progression of Lung Cancer

The use of systemic chemotherapeutic drugs and molecular-targeted therapies in the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic lung cancer has its limitations due to the associated acute and cumulative dose limiting toxicities and acquisition of drug resistance. Prevention and therapeutic intervention by dietary agents including nutraceuticals which are non-toxic, cost-effective, and physiologically bioavailable, are emerging approaches in lung cancer management. In this regard, silibinin, a natural flavonolignan, has been rigorously evaluated for the prevention and growth control of lung cancer through extensive in vitro and in vivo studies. Successful studies conducted so far, have established that silibinin is effective both alone and in combination with other agents (e.g., chemotherapeutic and epigenetic agents) in significantly inhibiting the growth of lung cancer cells. In vivo, its effects have been shown to be mediated through inhibition of proliferation, angiogenesis and epigenetic-related events. Therefore, the present review focuses on encompassing the efficacy and mechanisms of silibinin against lung cancer.
A Vicious Cycle: RNA Silencing and DNA Methylation in Plants

If RNA silencing evolved as a host defense mechanism against RNA viruses, why would a DNA component be built into the system? The DNA component could perhaps guard against reverse-transcribed viral segments that find their way into the host genome. In this scenario, the invading sequence could potentially insert downstream of an endogenous promoter and continue to exert deleterious effects even in the absence of the original infecting virus. However, because the system is designed so that the invading sequence is efficiently marked with methylation by viral RNAs, its continued expression from an upstream endogenous promoter would lead to aberrant transcripts, siRNA production, and RNA silencing. An additional benefit in this situation is that the preexisting viral siRNAs generated from the integrated viral sequence could “immunize” the host plant against reinfection with the same virus. With increasing plant genomic sequence resources, it might be possible to identify integrated viral segments and obtain experimental support for this hypothesis.Whether animal RNA silencing systems also trigger methylation and chromatin changes remains ambiguous. Some of the best-characterized animal systems, such as nematode worms, lack genomic methylation machineries, so a direct comparison with plant RNA silencing-induced methylation changes cannot be made. And even animals like mice that do have genomic methylation lack the ability to efficiently propagate the non-CG methylation pattterns associated with RNA silencing in plants. Superficially, these methylation differences suggest that RNA-directed DNA methylation might be unique to plants. In this case, animals might have evolved a different mechanism for marking integrated RNA virus segments, or they might have dispensed with this silencing reinforcement mechanism entirely. However, because the underlying chromatin changes associated with RNA-directed methylation in plants are currently unknown, it could be that animals make the same chromatin changes in response to RNA silencing despite differences in methylation patterning. In fact, the possibility of RNA-silencing-associated chromatin changes in nematode worms is suggested by the observation that some mutations that block RNA silencing also activate the movement of previously encrypted transposable elements (Ketting et al., 1999xKetting, R.F., Haverkamp, T.H.A., van Luenen, H.G.A.M., and Plasterk, R.H.A. Cell. 1999; 99: 133–141Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (530)See all References(Ketting et al., 1999). Clearly, an exciting and challenging direction for the field is dissecting the factors that associate with genomic targets of RNA silencing in both plants and animals. Perhaps RNA-directed methylation in plants is pointing us toward a new layer of genome defense against invasive sequences.
“A JOINT ECONOMIC-LOT-SIZE MODEL FOR PURCHASER AND VENDOR”: A COMMENT*

Banerjee [1] developed a joint economic-lot-size model for the case where a vendor produces to order for a purchaser on a lot-for-lot basis under deterministic conditions. The assumption of lot-for-lot bases is restrictive in nature. In this note, a more general joint economic-lot-size model is suggested and it is shown to provide a lower or equal joint total relevant cost as compared to the model of Banerjee.
Early signaling events by endotoxin in PC12 cells: involvement of tyrosine kinase, constitutive nitric oxide synthase, cGMP-dependent protein kinase, and Ca2+ channels.

We studied the effects of endotoxin from Escherichia coli (E. coli) on Ca2+ channel activity in PC12 cells using the cell-attached patch clamp technique. Endotoxin (1–100 ng/ml) decreased channel availability (n · P0) to about one third of control values, an effect that required 3.5 ± 1 min (mean ± SD; n = 13) to reach steady state. The biophysical properties of the channel, including slope conductance (22 pS; 40 mM Ba2+), voltage dependence of n · P0, and open times (τ1 = 0.78 ms, τ2 = 8.9 ms) for the two open states at 0 mV, were not altered. The effect of endotoxin was blocked by polymyxin-B, indicating involvement of the lipid-A moiety of lipopolysaccharide, and by the tyrosine kinase (tk) inhibitor, tyrphostin. The effect of endotoxin was mimicked by 8-bromo-cGMP (100 μM), and was blocked by the inhibitor of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), H-8, suggesting involvement of the cGMP/PKG pathway. The effect of endotoxin also was blocked by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine monoacetate, suggesting involvement of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The rapidity of the effect of endotoxin on Ca2+ channel activity suggested that constitutive NOS (cNOS) was involved, in accordance with our finding that endotoxin-induced transcriptional induction of NOS, as measured by nitrite production, required >6 hr. We conclude that early signaling events by endotoxin in PC12 cells involve tk, cNOS, cGMP/PKG, and Ca2+ channels. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.