cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric Ophthalmology Provider and Staff Attitudes and Patient Satisfaction in Telehealth Implementation During COVID-19.

Purpose: Describe a comprehensive overview of a telehealth implementation process that highlights attitudes and satisfaction scores toward telehealth from patients, providers, and staff in an acade...
Universal corrections to non-extremal black hole entropy in \( \mathcal{N}\ge 2 \) supergravity

We embed general solutions to 4D Einstein-Maxwell theory into $$ \mathcal{N}\ge 2 $$ super-gravity and study quadratic fluctuations of the supergravity fields around the background. We compute one-loop quantum corrections for all fields and show that the c-anomaly vanishes for complete $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ multiplets. Logarithmic corrections to the entropy of Kerr-Newman black holes are therefore universal and independent of hole parameters.
Wear modes active in angular contact ball bearings operating in liquid oxygen environment of the Space Shuttle turbopumps

Extensive experimental investigation has been carried out on used flight bearings of the high pressure oxidizer turbopumps (HPOTP) of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) in order to determine the dominant wear modes, their extent, and causes. The paper presents the methodology, various surface analysis techniques used, results, and discussion. The mode largely responsible for premature bearing wear has been identified as adhesive/shear peeling of the upper layers of bearing balls and rings. This mode relies upon the mechanisms of scale formation, breakdown, and removal, all of which are greatly enhanced by the heavy oxidation environment of the HPOTP. Major causes of the high wear rates appear to be lubrication and cooling, both inadequate for the imposed conditions of operation. Numerous illustrations and evidence are provided.
The Role of Ground Water in Generating Streamflow in Headwater Areas and in Maintaining Base Flow

The volume and sustainability of streamflow from headwaters to downstream reaches commonly depend on contributions from ground water. Streams that begin in extensive aquifers generally have a stable point of origin and substantial discharge in their headwaters. In contrast, streams that begin as discharge from rocks or sediments having low permeability have a point of origin that moves up and down the channel seasonally, have small incipient discharge, and commonly go dry. Nearly all streams need to have some contribution from ground water in order to provide reliable habitat for aquatic organisms. Natural processes and human activities can have a substantial effect on the flow of streams between their headwaters and downstream reaches. Streams lose water to ground water when and where their head is higher than the contiguous water table. Although very common in arid regions, loss of stream water to ground water also is relatively common in humid regions. Evaporation, as well as transpiration from riparian vegetation, causing ground-water levels to decline also can cause loss of stream water. Human withdrawal of ground water commonly causes streamflow to decline, and in some regions has caused streams to cease flowing.
Do the foreign exchange rates really follow a random walk?: An empirical question revisited

Abstract The random walk behavior of nominal exchange rates using daily, weekly and monthly data and of real exchange rates using monthly data is investigated for seven major currencies and fails to be confirmed, but fails less frequently for the post-1979 period.
Contrasting effects of systemic monocyte/macrophage and CD4+ T cell depletion in a reversible ureteral obstruction mouse model of chronic kidney disease.

Using a reversible UUO model (rUUO), we have demonstrated that C57BL/6 mice are susceptible to development of CKD after obstruction-mediated kidney injury while BALB/c mice are resistant. We hypothesized that selective systemic depletion of subpopulations of inflammatory cells during injury or repair might alter the development of CKD. To investigate the impact of modification of Th-lymphocytes or macrophage responses on development of CKD after rUUO, we used an anti-CD4 antibody (GK1.5) or liposomal clodronate to systemically deplete CD4+ T cells or monocyte/macrophages, respectively, prior to and throughout the rUUO protocol. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry confirmed depletion of target cell populations. C57BL/6 mice treated with the GK1.5 antibody to deplete CD4+ T cells had higher BUN levels and delayed recovery from rUUO. Treatment of C57BL/6 mice with liposomal clodronate to deplete monocyte/macrophages led to a relative protection from CKD as assessed by BUN values. Our results demonstrate that modulation of the inflammatory response during injury and repair altered the susceptibility of C57BL/6 mice to development of CKD in our rUUO model.
Fast Approximate Search in Text Databases

We present an index structure that, for a given keyword T and a tolerance value k, can find all documents in the database that contain the keyword T or other words that match T approximately (We say that two words match each other approximately if the edit distance between them does not exceed the tolerance value k). Let M denote the sum of the lengths of all words in the vocabulary and z the number of words in the vocabulary. The index takes O(M log z) time to construct and occupies O(M) storage. The locations of all the documents in the database that contain the keyword T or words that match T approximately, can be found in O(n(log z + on)) expected time where n is the length of the keyword T, z the number of words in the vocabulary, and o the number of words in the vocabulary that match T with an edit distance of at most k.
Isolation of Old Yellow Enzyme in Free and Complexed Forms

Abstract A new method for the isolation of electrophoretically homogeneous old yellow enzyme (NADPH2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.1) from brewer's bottom yeast is described. Old yellow enzyme, as isolated by this method, is bound in a charge transfer complex to an unidentified compound of low molecular weight. This complex can be dissociated by dialysis of the reduced enzyme, and the complex is reformed upon addition of the dialysate to the oxidized enzyme. Preliminary studies on the chemical nature of the material bound to old yellow enzyme are described, and similar charge transfer complexes formed by the enzyme with quinoline derivatives are reported. Amino acid analysis data are reported for the purified, uncomplexed old yellow enzyme.
In vivo clearance of low density lipoprotein in pigeons occurs by a receptor-like mechanism that is not down-regulated by cholesterol feeding.

The contribution of receptor-dependent and receptor-independent mechanisms for low density lipoprotein (LDL) clearance in vivo was determined in White Carneau and Show Racer pigeons fed either cholesterol free or cholesterol containing diets. The methylation of pigeon LDL resulted in the inhibition of recognition by the LDL receptor which allowed its use as a tracer of receptor-independent clearance. The fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of radiolabeled LDL in 20 control pigeons (means +/- S.E., 0.277 +/- 0.013 pools/h) was approximately seven times faster than for methylated LDL indicating that 86% of the total LDL clearance occurred by a receptor-mediated process. Total LDL clearance was reduced by 27% (FCR = 0.202 +/- 0.012 pools/h) in 14 cholesterol-fed pigeons, but receptor-mediated mechanisms were still responsible for 80% of the total LDL clearance. LDL uptake by individual tissues was measured using the residualizing label 125I-tyramine cellobiose. The liver was the primary site of LDL clearance in both control and cholesterol-fed birds. LDL receptors were active in every tissue examined and accounted for over 85% of the LDL clearance in the liver and over 90% in the adrenal gland. Consistent with the whole body LDL clearance findings, cholesterol-feeding did not significantly reduce receptor-mediated clearance of 125I-tyramine cellobiose-LDL by the liver or any of the other tissues. Hepatic sterol synthesis, however, was reduced by greater than 90% in cholesterol-fed animals. These data are consistent with the conclusion that LDL clearance in vivo in pigeons is mediated primarily by an LDL receptor-like mechanism that shows little down-regulation with hypercholesterolemia even though cholesterol synthesis is efficiently down-regulated.
Alpha-amanitin resistant transcription of protein coding genes in insect and bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei.

Abstract The variant cell surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene expression sites of the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei are transcribed by an unusual alpha-amanitin resistant RNA polymerase. All other protein coding genes of T.brucei examined to date are transcribed by an alpha-amanitin sensitive RNA polymerase, presumably RNA polymerase II. We now show that transcription of protein coding genes by alpha-amanitin resistant RNA polymerases is not unique to the bloodstream form expressed VSG gene expression sites, but also occurs in insect form trypanosomes, which do not express VSG genes. In insect form trypanosomes transcription of the procyclin or PARP genes is resistant to alpha-amanitin to a degree comparable with that of VSG and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Comparison of the alpha-amanitin resistantly transcribed PARP and VSG gene families shows that they both produce one of the most abundant mRNAs [1-3% of poly(A)+] and they both encode the major cell surface proteins of their respective life cycle stages. Transcription of a subset of functionally comparable protein coding genes is thus mediated by an RNA polymerase which differs from the regular RNA polymerase II.
A suboptimal receiver with turbo block coding for ultra-wideband communications

In this paper, the performance of adaptive equalization and turbo product coding is investigated for pulse-based UWB communications in short-range indoor environments. The sensitivity of adaptive LMS linear and nonlinear (decision-feedback) equalizers with respect to the number of training symbols and number of taps is considered. To reduce the error performance variation with respect to changing channel conditions, a turbo product code (TPC) with two component (31,26,3) Hamming codes is proposed. We report simulation results showing that channel coding not only improves error performance, but also reduces significantly the sensitivity of UWB systems in short-range indoor wireless communications.
Sovereignty and Sustainability in Mohegan Ethnobotanical Literature

This commentary contends that sustainability can be most useful if understood not as an endpoint or condition, but as an epistemology that attends to continually evolving interactions among ecological and human systems. My case study is a carefully delimited Native American literary tradition: the writing of medicine people from the Mohegan tribal nation, located in what is now Connecticut. I present this body of work neither to romanticize “ecological Indians,” nor to explicate the texts’ ethnobotanical content. Rather, I observe that Mohegan medicine people have used, extended and subverted the conventions of post-Enlightenment ethnobotany. They have used writing to preserve their traditional ecological knowledge, but not in ways that simply document that knowledge, which would render it vulnerable to theft and misuse. Instead, these texts emphasize relations of reciprocity—between text and orality, between Mohegans and non-Mohegans, between humans and plants.
Plasma Corticosterone Response of Turkeys to Adrenocorticotropic Hormone: Age, Dose, and Route of Administration Effects

Three trials were conducted to investigate plasma corticosterone (B) levels in Large White turkey hens in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) injections at different ages, doses, and routes of administration. In Trial 1, hens were subjected to one of the following treatments at 10, 15, and 20 wk of age: cold water immersion (5 C for 1 min), ACTH injection (10 IU/kg), or saline injection. The plasma B responses to ACTH and cold water immersion followed the same general pattern in all three age groups. Plasma B levels of hens in the ACTH treatment were depressed below control B levels until 6 h postinjection, when they became elevated. Plasma B levels of hens in the cold water treatment were either similar to or increased above those of controls by 2 h posttreatment and were depressed below control levels at .5 h posttreatment at 10 and 15 wk of age. In Trial 2, three dose levels of ACTH (1, 5, and 10 IU/kg) were injected either intramuscularly (IM) or intravenously (IV) in 10-wk-old hens. There was both a dose and route of administration effect. Of the IM-injected hens, only those in the 1-IU ACTH treatment group had significantly (P less than .05) increased plasma B levels and this occurred 4 h postinjection. However, plasma B levels of the 1 and 5-IU IV-ACTH treatment hens were significantly (P less than .05) elevated at .5 h postinjection. Plasma B of the 10-IU IM and IV-ACTH treatments were consistently, but not significantly, lower than controls through 4 h postinjection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The associations between life satisfaction and health-related quality of life, chronic illness, and health behaviors among U.S. community-dwelling adults

The primary purpose of this article was to examine the associations between life satisfaction level and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), chronic illness, and adverse health behaviors among adults in the U.S. and its territories. Data were obtained from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing, state-based, random-digit telephone survey of the noninstitutionalized U.S. population aged ≥18 years. An estimated 5.6% of U.S. adults (about 12 million) reported that they were dissatisfied/very dissatisfied with their lives. As the level of life satisfaction decreased, the prevalence of fair/poor general health, disability, and infrequent social support increased as did the mean number of days in the past 30 days of physical distress, mental distress, activity limitation, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, sleep insufficiency, and pain. The prevalence of smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and heavy drinking also increased with decreasing level of life satisfaction. Moreover, adults with chronic illnesses were significantly more likely than those without to report life dissatisfaction. Notably, all of these associations remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Our findings showed that HRQOL and health risk behaviors varied with level of life satisfaction. As life satisfaction appears to encompass many individual life domains, it may be an important concept for public health research.
Clinical Research: Comparing Alternatives to an Extensive Hydrolyzed Protein Formula in Feeding Premature Infants Following Gastrointestinal Resection and Enterostomy Placement

Objective: Parenteral nutrition and extensive protein hydrolysates (EPH) are standard nutrition therapy for infants after gastrointestinal (GI) resection and enterostomy placement. This retrospective, nonrandomized study compared feeding regimens in this population of infants. Methods: Thirty-five premature infants with GI resections between 1 and 74 cm and enterostomy placement were fed fortified human milk (FEBM), preterm formula, or EPH. Feeding tolerance, growth, and biochemical indicators of nutritional status were monitored. Results: Study groups were dissimilar in birth weight. However, growth and feeding tolerance were consistent among groups. More alkaline phosphatase and serum phosphorus values were outside the reference range in the FEBM group. Sixty percent of all infants studied thrived on enteral feedings. Conclusions: These findings suggest no increased risks for premature infants fed preterm formula as the feeding regimen postintestinal resection. We also demonstrated that it is possible t...
Istanbul on Fire: End-of-Empire Melancholy in Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul

This article discusses the depiction of Ottoman ruins in Orhan Pamuk's 2003 memoir about Istanbul. The charred ruins of Ottoman palaces lining the Bosporus, the article argues, evoke in Pamuk's Istanbul a post-imperial melancholy that connects the Ottoman past to the Turkish present. In his book, Pamuk portrays huzun, a form of melancholy, as a collectively produced, constitutive element of Istanbulites' daily life. Huzun is not merely a sentiment emanating from individual literary or visual representations of Istanbul, he points out, but a specific cultural idiosyncrasy. Pamuk is one of the few contemporary Turkish authors who recognizes the ethical and political significance of the Ottoman imperial legacy—something that is denied in official parlance even to this day. This article suggests, however, that in attempting to reconnect the Ottoman past to the Turkish present, Pamuk elevates huzun to a form of collective and national affect. By dignifying imperial melancholy in this way, Pamuk glosses over th...
Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients with Cancer

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a common neurological emergency in patients with cancer, typically occurring late in the disease course, although it occasionally heralds the cancer diagnosis. ICH in these patients often occurs from unique mechanisms, especially intratumoral hemorrhage or coagulopathy, whereas hypertensive hemorrhage is rare. Lung, melanoma, breast, and glioblastoma multiforme are the most commonly associated solid tumors, partly because of their ubiquity and frequent brain involvement, whereas leukemia is the most commonly associated hematological cancer. Patients typically present with focal neurological deficits, headache, and encephalopathy, and their initial diagnostic evaluation and management should follow standard guidelines, although steroids and/or surgical resection should be strongly considered in those with intratumoral hemorrhage. Short-term outcomes are comparable to ICH in the community, whereas long-term outcomes are generally poor, corresponding to the prognosis of the underlying cancer. This review focuses on the recent advances and special considerations in cancer-related intracranial hemorrhage.
Social media for lifelong learning

Learning is ongoing, and can be considered a social activity. In this paper we aim to provide a review of the use of social media for lifelong learning. We start by defining lifelong learning, draw...
Strength improvements in toughened epoxy composites using surface treated GnPs

Nanographitic materials are gaining enormous interest as a new class of reinforcement for nanocomposites, promising revolutionary electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. However, the progress has been quite limited especially in terms of mechanical properties. Here we report a significant leap, >2× increases in tensile strength and modulus of an epoxy composite using surface treated graphite nanoplatelets (GnPs). This corroborated by increases in Tgs as well as the presence of oxygen-functionalized groups verified by XPS, suggest improved distribution and chemical interaction at the filler-to-matrix interface. Toughness values also showed increases with concentration, without compromising the strength or failure strain. However, if solvent levels during degassing were not reduced sufficiently, negligible contributions to strength and stiffness were observed with GnP loading. Subsequent elevated temperature treatments increased the strength of the composite due to cure enhancement of the matrix material, yet did not provide mechanical enhancements due to the incorporation of the filler. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40802.
Do We Really Believe in The Bill of Rights

It is customary to view the Bill of Rights as an exalted document, a statement of values basic to the political mores of the United States. The first ten amendments to our Constitution proclaim principles of legal justice which were by 1789 already the heritage of English-speaking peoples: the right to freedom of religion, speech, and of the press; the right to security against illegal arrest, search, and seizure; the right to public trial by a jury of one's peers; the right to be presumed innocent of a crime until
Identity construction environments: supporting a virtual therapeutic community of pediatric patients undergoing dialysis

We describe a five-month pilot project conducted in the dialysis unit at Boston's Children's Hospital. Pediatric patients with renal disease used the Zora graphical multi-user environment while facing hemodialysis. Zora is an identity construciton environment specifically designed to help young people explore issues of identity, while engaging in a participatory virtual community. This paper presents the experience and evaluates the feasibility and safety of using Zora in a hospital setting. It describes how Zora facilitated explorations of identity and mutual patient support and interaction. Finally it also presents design recommendations for future interventions of this kind. More generally, this paper explores the potential of technology specifically designed with therapeutic purposes to help patients cope with their illness.
Individual and job characteristics as predictors of industrial accidents

This study asks whether individual or job characteristics are better predictors of industrial accidents. Data include a subset of employees drawn from the nationally-based Panel Study of Income Dynamics for 1978 and 1979. Individuals are classified as suffering a new accident if they began receiving workers' compensation during the study year. Evidence is produced that job characteristics such as frequent overtime, operative or laborer occupational categories, length of time with the job and hazardous working conditions are better predictors of industrial accidents than are personal characteristics such as age, marital status and schooling.
The calcium-sensing receptor regulates PTHrP production and calcium transport in the lactating mammary gland

Abstract Lactating mammals must supply large amounts of calcium to the mammary gland where it is transported across mammary epithelial cells and into milk. This demand for calcium is associated with transient loss of bone mass, triggered, in part, by the secretion of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) from the mammary gland into the circulation. The calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) is a G-protein-coupled receptor that signals in response to extracellular calcium ions. It is responsible for coordinating calcium homeostasis by regulating parathyroid hormone secretion in the parathyroid glands and by regulating calcium handling in the renal tubules. Previous studies had shown that the CaR is expressed on mammary epithelial cells during lactation, and it had been suggested that CaR signaling in the mammary gland helps to coordinate its production of PTHrP and calcium transport into milk. In this study, we examined mammary gland PTHrP production and calcium transport in CaR+/− mice, a genetic model of CaR insufficiency. We found that haploinsufficiency for the CaR resulted in increased PTHrP production both in vivo and in vitro. In contrast, CaR haploinsufficiency impaired calcium transport into milk in vivo and transepithelial calcium transport by mammary epithelial cells in vitro. These data provide genetic confirmation that the CaR regulates PTHrP production and calcium transport in the lactating mammary gland. This allows the mammary gland to become a calcium-sensing organ and to participate in systemic calcium homeostasis during lactation.
Hook and shifted hook numbers

Abstract In a 1977 paper by J. Herman and F. Chung, several families of counterexamples to the conjecture that a tableau shape is uniquely determined (up to reflection, i.e. conjugation) by its multiset of hook numbers were presented. They also showed that by extending the definition of hook length a tableau shape is uniquely determined (up to conjugation) by its extended multiset of hook numbers. Here we provide an infinite family of counterexamples to the conjecture that a shifted tableau shape is uniquely determined by its multiset of shifted hook numbers. Regarding this uniqueness question, there is a great contrast between tableau shapes and shifted tableau shapes. Indeed, the first author had conjectured that there was just one example of nonuniqueness (the two shifted shapes consisting of three cells given by the partitions (2,1) and (3)) in the shifted case. It was the view of the second author that this conjecture was quite unlikely. The fact is that in the first five million cases, there is only one other pair of examples and there seems to be reason to believe that the next example of nonuniqueness follows after just about a mole (about 6×1023) of distinguishable cases. This statement is based on our construction of an infinite family of pairs of shifted shapes possessing the property that for each pair the shapes are different but the multiset of hook numbers are the same, and the fact that a computer search revealed no further examples. It is for these reasons that the conjecture, which seemed unlikely (and indeed was false), should be thought all the more remarkable for being so very nearly true. We are lead to push our luck and conjecture once again that no additional examples exist. The result (Theorem 6) of Section 6 is in this direction.
An inherent problem in certain constant-current stimulators

A basic and potentially dangerous problem that may occur in the use of triggered constant-current generators for stimulation is discussed in the general case. A solution with schematic illustration is presented for one specific constant-current generator, the CCS-1A manufactured by Electronics of Life Sciences, Inc.
Effect of storage on lipids of fish protein concentrate

Fish protein concentrates (FPC) made from pout, alewife and Gulf menhaden were stored for 6 months at temperatures of 37 C and 50 C with no attempt to control humidity. When the amount of extractable lipid was 0.1% or less there were small changes in the lipid pattern: a small decrease in the amount of neutral lipid-free fatty acid fraction and larger decreases in the long chain, unsaturated fatty acids (C20:5, C22:6 for pout and C20:5 for alewife). In the FPC sample containing residual lipid of about 0.5% there were decreases in the amount of lipid extractable after 6 months, appreciable in the 37 C sample, and greater in the sample stored at 50 C. These samples also showed decreases in the neutral lipid plus free fatty acid fractions and decreases in the long chain, unsaturated fatty acids C20:5 and C22:6.
Location of Treponema hyodysenteriae and synergistic anaerobic bacteria in colonic lesions of gnotobiotic pigs

Colonic tissues of gnotobiotic pigs inoculated with Treponema hyodysenteriae, in combination with Bacteriodes vulgatus or Fusobacterium necrophorum or both, were examined by fluorescent antibody (FA), selective culture or histologic methods. Location of the organisms was determined by microscopic examination of frozen sections stained with FA and counterstained with Evans blue, and by examination of formalin-fixed sections stained by the Warthin-Starry method. Good correlation was noted between cultural, FA and histologic detection of T. hyodysenteriae, and between cultural and FA detection of B. vulgatus and F. necrophorum. Bacteriodes vulgatus and F. necrophorum were detected by FA on only mucosal surface epithelium, whereas T. hyodysenteriae was found both on surface epithelium and in the crypts of Lieberkuhn.
News and noise: do investors react to stock split announcements differently during periods of high and low market volatility?

In this paper, we find evidence that stock split announcements have a greater wealth effect when market volatility, as measured by the VIX index, is low. This effect is driven primarily by small firms. These results support the hypothesis that when market volatility is high, signals sent by small firms are more likely to be obscured by noise than when market volatility is low.
Intracellular accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin inhibits phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferation and interleukin-2 production of human lymphocytes

Decreased immune responses have been documented in hyperbilirubinemic patients. This study investigates the effects of intracellular bilirubin accumulation on lymphoproliferative response to phytohemagglutin A (PHA). Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were preincubated with unconjugated bilirubin dissolved in bovine albumin solution at pathological levels seen in clinical hyperbilirubinemia (0-12 mg/dl), washed, and further cultured with PHA. DNA synthesis was measured by [3H]thymidine uptake. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) activity was determined by the CTLL proliferation assay. The amount of intracellular bilirubin and expression of cell surface antigens were analyzed by flow cytometry. In vitro exposure of normal PBMNC to bilirubin resulted in the accumulation of intracellular bilirubin and a decrease in DNA synthesis after PHA stimulation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Addition of autologous untreated monocytes could not correct the decreased DNA synthesis of bilirubin-treated lymphocytes. IL-2 production by bilirubin-treated PBMNC after PHA stimulation was significantly decreased compared to bilirubin-untreated PBMNC. However, addition of exogenous IL-2 to pretreated PBMNC could not correct the decreased DNA synthesis. Expression of Tac antigen and transferrin receptor on bilirubin-treated lymphocytes after PHA stimulation was not significantly different from bilirubin-untreated cells. These results suggest that decreased PHA-induced T-lymphocyte proliferation following bilirubin-pretreatment may result from impairment of proliferation at a step beyond transferrin receptor expression. These observations may help explain the increased susceptibility to infection often observed in hyperbilirubinemic patients.
Restraint stress-induced oxidative damage and its amelioration with selenium

Stress is a state of threatened cellular homeostasis which results in free radical generations and subsequent oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of selenium on restraint stress-induced oxidative damage in hippocampus, striatum and frontal cortex. Rats were pre-treated with sodium selenite (0.3 mg/kg; intraperitoneally) for 15 days and divided into six groups (n=8). Rats were then subjected to restraint stress for 1 h and 4 h. Lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) and activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and catalase were evaluated in the frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus. Restraint stress-induced for 1 h and 4 h caused a significant decrease (P<0.001) in intracellular GSH content and the activity of Se-GPx, GR, GST and catalase with a significant increase (P<0.001) in the level of lipid peroxidation in all 3 regions of the brain. Selenium pre-treatment exhibited restoration of antioxidant enzymes activity, GSH content and decrease in the level of lipid peroxidation in hippocampus, striatum and frontal cortex in both 1 h and 4 h restraint stress groups. Protective effect of selenium pre-treatment was found to be more pronounced in 4 h restraint stress group as compared to 1 h restraint stress group. Selenium per se had no effect on GSH, lipid peroxidation level or activities of antioxidant enzymes in hippocampus, striatum and frontal cortex. In conclusion, selenium pre-treatment protected the brain against restraint stress-induced oxidative damage at 4 h in hippocampus, striatum and frontal cortex.
Reading fluency: implications for the assessment of children with reading disabilities

The current investigation explored the diagnostic utility of reading fluency measures in the identification of children with reading disabilities. Participants were 50 children referred to a university-based clinic because of suspected reading problems and/or a prior diagnosis of dyslexia, where children completed a battery of standardized intellectual, reading achievement, and processing measures. Within this clinical sample, a group of children were identified that exhibited specific deficits in their reading fluency skills with concurrent deficits in rapid naming speed and reading comprehension. This group of children would not have been identified as having a reading disability according to assessment of single word reading skills alone, suggesting that it is essential to assess reading fluency in addition to word reading because failure to do so may result in the under-identification of children with reading disabilities.
Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts Reaction of Indoles with Trifluoroacetaldehyde Catalyzed by Cinchona Alkaloids

The first direct asymmetric synthetic preparation of trifluoro-1-(indol-3-yl)ethanols (TFIEs) is described by an enantioselective organocatalytic method from indoles and inexpensive trifluoroacetaldehyde methyl hemiacetal. The reaction is catalyzed by hydroquinine to produce TFIEs in an almost quantitative yield and with enantioselectivities up to 75% at room temperature. The enantioselectivity is strongly dependent on the concentration of substrates and catalyst due to the competitive noncatalyzed reaction. Chirality, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Improved flow and pressure capabilities of the Datex-Ohmeda SmartVent anesthesia ventilator.

Abstract Study Objective: To compare the flow and pressure capabilities of the Datex-Ohmeda SmartVent (Ohmeda 7900, Datex-Ohmeda, Madison, WI) to previous Ohmeda (7810 and 7000, Datex-Ohmeda, Madison, WI) anesthesia ventilators. To determine airway pressure and minute ventilation thresholds for intraoperative use of a critical care ventilator. Design: Three anesthesia ventilators and one critical care ventilator (Siemens Servo 900C, Siemens, Solna, Sweden) were studied in a lung model. Retrospective medical record review. Setting: Research Laboratory and Critical Care Unit of a Level I Trauma Center. Patients: 145 mechanically ventilated patients treated for acute respiratory failure who underwent 200 surgical procedures. Interventions: The effect of increasing pressure on mean inspiratory flow was determined by cycling each ventilator through increasing restrictors. Maximum minute ventilation was measured at low compliance (10–30 mL/cm H 2 O), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) (0–20 cm H 2 O), and increased airway resistance (∼19 and ∼36 cm H 2 O/L/sec) in a mechanical lung model. Measurements and Main Results: Flow, volume, and pressure were measured with a pulmonary mechanics monitor (BICORE CP-100, Thermo Respiratory Group, Yorba Linda, CA). Preoperative peak airway pressure and minute ventilation (V E ) were extracted from the medical record. Mean inspiratory flow declined with increasing pressure in all anesthesia ventilators. The SmartVent and the 7810 produced greater mean inspiratory flow than did the 7000 ventilator. As compliance progressively decreased, the Siemens, the SmartVent, and the 7810 ventilators maintained V E compared to the 7000 ventilator. The Siemens and the SmartVent maintained V E with PEEP, compared to the 7810 and 7000 ventilators. During increased airway resistance, maximal V E was lower for all ventilators. The SmartVent met the ventilation requirements in 90% of the patients compared to 67% of patients with the 7000 ventilator. Conclusion: The improved pressure and flow capabilities of the SmartVent increase the threshold for using a critical care ventilator intraoperatively to a peak airway pressure >65 cm H 2 O and/or V E >18 L/min.
Causal Inference Through Potential Outcomes and Principal Stratification: Application to Studies with “Censoring” Due to Death

Causal inference is best understood using potential out- comes. This use is particularly important in more complex settings, that is, observational studies or randomized experiments with compli- cations such as noncompliance. The topic of this lecture, the issue of estimating the causal effect of a treatment on a primary outcome that is "censored" by death, is another such complication. For example, sup- pose that we wish to estimate the effect of a new drug on Quality of Life (QOL) in a randomized experiment, where some of the patients die before the time designated for their QOL to be assessed. Another example with the same structure occurs with the evaluation of an ed- ucational program designed to increase final test scores, which are not defined for those who drop out of school before taking the test. A fur- ther application is to studies of the effect of job-training programs on wages, where wages are only defined for those who are employed. The analysis of examples like these is greatly clarified using potential out- comes to define causal effects, followed by principal stratification on the intermediated outcomes (e.g., survival).
Identity imposition and its role in a stereokinetic effect

Lines of constant curvature, a circle or a straight line, have no distinguishable parts. Yet they are perceived as if they did. When they move and intersect, they are perceived to slide across each other as if one of them had parts that can be seen to move in relation to the other line. With no such parts present in stimulation, they are products of perception. It was found that a third line of constant curvature, the helix, is also seen to slide when two helixes intersect and are in motion. Another manifestation of perceived identical parts is that rotating circles and similar shapes are perceived not to rotate even when cues for rotation are present. Furthermore, changes between merely perceived identical parts can result in apparent depth. Evidence is presented that such depth, known as the stereokinetic effect, results from kinetic depth-effects that are based on perceived identical parts instead of on actually identical parts, and that depth is seen when the intervals between such perceived parts change length and orientation simultaneously.
Down's Syndrome with Alzheimer's Disease-Like Pathology: What Can It Teach Us about the Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis?

Down's syndrome (DS, trisomy 21) represents a complex genetic abnormality that leads to pathology in later life that is similar to Alzheimer's disease (AD). We compared two cases of DS with APOE 𝜀3/3 genotypes, a similar age at death, and comparable amyloid-beta 42 peptide (A𝛽42) burdens in the brain but that differed markedly in the severity of AD-like pathology. One exhibited extensive neurofibrillary pathology whereas the other showed minimal features of this type. Comparable loads of A𝛽42 could relate to the cases' similar life-time accumulation of A𝛽 due to trisomy 21-enhanced metabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP). The cases' significant difference in AD-like pathology, however, suggests that parenchymal deposition of A𝛽42, even when extensive, may not inevitably trigger AD-like tau pathology (though it may be necessary). Thus, these observations of a natural experiment may contribute to understanding the nuances of the amyloid cascade hypothesis of AD pathogenesis.
Metacognition: Relevance to Instructional Design.

Research in the field of cognitive psychology has led to evidence that proficient learners or performers have an awareness of their own cognition that manifests itself in strategic control of behavior. These findings are of particular significance to instructional designers because of their promising impact on instructional theories and models. Instruction can be enhanced through the incorporation of metacognitive aspects in the instruction and the resultant effects on the learner should be positive in terms of motivation and overall performance.
A multi-institutional review of outcomes of endometrial stromal sarcoma

Abstract Objective. To compare the clinical behavior and outcomes of low- and high-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas (LGESS and HGESS), respectively. Methods. Patients with endometrial stromal sarcoma from five different institutions were identified and reviewed for clinicopathologic variables, surgical management and outcomes. Statistical calculations including Chi-square, t -test and survival using the Kaplan–Meier method with the log rank test were performed. Results. One hundred and five patients were identified with 72 having LGESS, 31 with HGESS and 2 having unclassified tumors. The mean age was 50 years for patients with LGESS and 64 years for those with HGESS ( p p =0.002). The median overall survival was 53 months for HGESS and had not yet been reached in LGESS with 87.8% alive at 80 months ( p p =0.007). The impact of cytoreduction was not seen in LGESS patients with extrauterine disease with 82.1% alive at 78 months. Conclusions. Low-grade and high-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas represent two distinct clinical entities and should be treated as such. Survival in patients with high-grade tumors appears to be related to amount of residual disease at the completion of initial surgery and would suggest the need for aggressive cytoreduction. The role of surgical staging and optimal adjuvant therapy remains unclear.
Energy Savings for Silent Camp™ Hybrid Technologies

In military base camp operations, the standard method of power generation is via the use of diesel generators. Unfortunately, these generators are often noisy and inefficient. Base camps could benefit from a "silent camp™" operation, in which power is supplied via low-noise, low-impact methods such as fuel cells. Base camps have a variable load profile (they use more power during peak hours than at other times), and low loading levels (their generators' rated capacity is normally much greater than the load). Consequently, the generators only operate at peak efficiency for short, intermittent intervals. Under these conditions, the generators'fuel use is less than optimal, they require frequent maintenance, and their life cycle is shortened. Approximately 60-70% of maintenance problems for diesel generators are directly attributable to "wetstacking," which occurs when these generators are operated at less than 50% of their rated capacity (Commerce Business Daily, Feb. 16, 2000). One solution to address these issues is to institute a hybrid power system, consisting of: a fuel cell (with inverter), an electrolyzer, and a metal hydride storage system, all coupled and packaged with a diesel generator. This system would enable the generator to operate at peak efficiency while increasing the capabilities of the power generation system. Such a system could offer numerous benefits over the base case stand alone generator as follows: (1) the ability for Silent Camp™ operation (by using the fuel cell output exclusively); (2) potential for reduced fuel consumption; (3) reduced instances of "wetstacking, " thereby decreasing generator maintenance costs; (4) the ability to have backup power from fuel cells; (5) refueling capability for hydrogen devices or vehicles; and (6) reduced environmental impact in terms of pollutant, acoustic, and thermal emissions.
Laminar flow and heat transfer in a finned tube annulus

Abstract Laminar flow and heat transfer magnitudes in a finned tube annulus are obtained numerically. External circular fins on the inner tube are periodic. Pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of the fins are obtained in the periodically fully developed region by varying geometric and flow parameters. Geometric parameters are annulus radius ratio (0.3 to 0.5), fin height/annular gap (0.33 to 0.67) and fin spacing/annular gap (2 to 5). Flow parameters are Reynolds number (100 to 1000) and Prandtl number (1 to 5). Comparisons are made with a plain tube annulus having the same length, heat transfer surface area, volume flow rate, and Reynolds number. The entire inter-fin space was found to be occupied by recirculating flow except at Reynolds numbers less than 500. A major contribution to heat transfer is made from the fin side at the downstream end. At Prandtl numbers less than 2, the use of fins may not be justified because the increase in pressure drop is more pronounced than the increase in heat transfer. At a Reynolds number of 1000 and A Prandtl number of 5, the heat transfer increases by a factor of 3.1, while the pressure drop increases by a factor of 2.3.
Electrophysiologic analysis of the response of the caudal neurosecretory system of Tilapia mossambica to osmotic manipulations.

Abstract Microelectrode recordings (extracellular) from caudal neurosecretory units have been utilized to determine the reactivity of the caudal (urophysial) system to various osmotic and ionic changes. Detection of the neurosecretory units for recording of electrical activity was based on their long-duration action potentials. Results of intravenous injection of hypotonic (Na + -free) and hypertonic (NaCl, NaNO 3 , Na 2 SO 4 , sucrose, choline chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride) solutions indicate the presence of two kinds of differentially responsive neurosecretory units: those activated by high Na + concentration and those activated by Na + -free solutions. A small group of neurosecretory fibers and all non-neurosecretory fibers tested failed to respond to any osmotic manipulation. Our results indicate that it is not change in osmotic pressure per se which alters the electrical activity of caudal neurosecretory units, but rather changes in Na + concentration regardless of the accompanying anion. Transection of the spinal cord demonstrates that the caudal neurosecretory neurons are synaptically controlled by a center located probably in the brain. A feedback loop is proposed in an attempt to delineate the possible role of the caudal neurosecretory system in ionoregulation.
Gentamicin Toxicity in the Primate Retina

• To study the toxic effect of aminoglycoside antibiotics in the primate retina, gentamicin sulfate was injected into the center of the vitreous cavity of Cebus navrigatus monkeys. At a dose of 1000 to 3000 μg, a picture consistent with apparent macular infarction appeared on fundus examination and fluorescein angiography by three days and gradually faded by 21 days. While light and electron microscopic examination of the retina showed no primary vascular lesions, striking damage to the inner retinal layers, mainly the nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, and the inner plexiform and nuclear layer, was seen. Less severe effects in the outer retinal layers and the retinal pigment epithelium occurred. These observations suggest that the neurotoxic effect of intravitreal gentamicin was sufficient to cause a complete shutdown of the regional blood flow, perhaps by the mechanism of granulocytic plugging of the capillary bed. Although this toxic effect occurred at doses considerably in excess of what has been recommended for clinical use in humans, the "safe" dose of intravitreal gentamicin, nevertheless, remains to be established unequivocally.
Effects of 3-aminobenzamide on DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression in Chinese hamster ovary cells

3-Aminobenzamide (3AB), an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, is a potent inducer of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs). Because of the possible relation between SCEs and DNA synthesis, the effects of 3AB on DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were examined. Unlike all other SCE-inducing agents whose effects on DNA synthesis have been studied, short term exposures (30-120 min) of 3AB did not inhibit the overall rate of DNA synthesis and this result was independent of the amount of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in the DNA. Longer exposure times (greater than 24 h) did result in an extended S phase, but this was not due to an effect on the rate of DNA chain elongation. 3AB also delayed the entry of cells into S phase. The overall cell cycle delay was dose dependent, approaching 9 h after a 54 h exposure to 10 mM 3AB. Earlier reports that 3AB is neither mutagenic nor cytotoxic were confirmed. Thus 3AB acts to increase SCE frequency by a mechanism distinct from that which causes cytotoxicity and mutagenicity, and does not involve any inhibition in the rate of DNA chain growth.