cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypertonic saline: Current research and clinical implications

Summary Resuscitation using HTS provides a transient but remarkable recovery of cardiovascular function. During the recovery, blood pressure, cardiac output, and organ blood flow rapidly increase because of an osmotic redistribution of fluid into the intravascular compartment. The term “small-volume resuscitation” is used since hypertonic solutions provide equal circulatory improvement at less than one fifth the volume of the conventional crystalloids. In addition to its promising role as an initial resuscitative fluid in both the prehospital setting and the emergency room, small-volume resuscitation using HTS offers certain advantages in resuscitation at the battlefield situation or the clinical management of mass casualty patients. Hypertonic solutions are efficacious, inexpensive, readily available, and have long shelf lives, which make them attractive resuscitative fluids, particularly when large-volume resuscitation is unavailable or contraindicated. Hypertonic saline also reduces bacterial translocation, suggesting that it may be beneficial in critically ill patients who are at risk of developing multiple organ failure. Importantly, HTS has been shown to restore immune function and provide protection from sepsis in an animal model. These recent data provide a plausible explanation for the reduction in the incidences of adult respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis in patients resuscitated with HTS. Future clinical studies are warranted to examine the role of HTS in the restoration of immune function.
The structure of the ground state and low excited states of quantum fluids

Abstract The structure of the ground state of a quantum fluid is described in terms of the pair correlation function and pair-pair correlation function, which are the response functions to first and second order scattering respectively. Results are presented for the pair-pair correlation function of liquid 4 He obtained using two methods: a Monte Carlo simulation and a hypernetted chain approximation. These results are used to obtain the solution of the Euler-Lagrange equation for the optimum Jastrow function for the ground state of liquid 4 He. The Monte Carlo calculation is in good agreement with the augmented HNC approximation. General properties of the pair correlation function are discussed in terms of its Fourier transform, the liquid structure function. A critical review is given of the present status of the Jastrow theory (and its generalizations) of the ground state of boson and fermion quantum fluids. The recent extension of the Jastrow theory to include three-body factors by Pandharipande is compared to the earlier theory of Campbell, along with a parallel discussion of the theories of the low excited states of the boson fluid by Feynman and Cohen and by Jackson and Feenberg. The importance of the three-body factors to the quantitative agreement between the theoretical and experimental phonon-roton spectrum of liquid 4 He is discussed.
A novel technique of vascular anastomosis to prevent juxta-anastomotic stenosis following arteriovenous fistula creation

Objectives Juxta-anastomotic stenosis (JAS) is one of the predominant causes of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure, with the reported incidence as high as 65%. We hypothesized that technical modification to alter the outflow vein configuration using the novel piggyback Straight Line Onlay Technique (pSLOT) would prevent JAS and improve AVF maturation. Methods Intention-to-treat analysis of the outcomes of consecutive distal radiocephalic (RC) fistulas performed by a single operator with three different anastomotic techniques using a prospectively maintained database. Traditional end-to-side technique (ETS), side-to-side straight-line onlay technique (SLOT, STS) and pSLOT in RC AVF created in 125 consecutive patients between 1/2004 and 12/2007 were compared. AVF maturation was evaluated by ultrasonography at 4 to 6 weeks and use for dialysis. Results The mean age of the study group was 53.1 ± 20.7 years, the male-to-female ratio was 61:64, and the races studied were African American (66; 52.8%) and Caucasian (54; 43.2%). The primary disease for renal failure was hypertension (54; 43.2%) and diabetes (51; 40.8%). Brachial artery flow at maturation was 1103 ± 531 mL/min. Incidence of early JAS was 9.8% and late 14.6%. The clinico-demographic variables between ETS (n = 57), STS (n = 12), and pSLOT (n = 54) were similar. The median follow-up between three groups: ETS (19 months), STS (12 months), and pSLOT (19 months; P = .1), was similar. There was a significant decrease in JAS development in pSLOT patients (P = .04). pSLOT patients also revealed decreased overall fistula failure (ETS 40.3%, STS 33.3%, pSLOT 16.7%; P = .01). Conclusions There was significant reduction in JAS and improvement in AVF maturation with pSLOT. This study provides evidence highlighting the role of outflow vein configuration in AVF maturation. Minimal alteration of vein wall configuration and avoidance torsion using pSLOT technique improves AVF maturation.
Prestin up-regulation in chronic salicylate (aspirin) administration: An implication of functional dependence of prestin expression

Salicylate (aspirin) can reversibly eliminate outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility to induce hearing loss. Prestin is the OHC electromotility motor protein. Here we report that, consistence with increase in distortion product otoacoustic emission, long-term administration of salicylate can increase prestin expression and OHC electromotility. The prestin expression at the mRNA and protein levels was increased by three- to four-fold. In contrast to the acute inhibition, the OHC electromotility associated charge density was also increased by 18%. This incremental increase was reversible. After cessation of salicylate administration, the prestin expression returned to normal. We also found that long-term administration of salicylate did not alter cyclooxygenase (Cox) II expression but down-regulated NF-κB and increased nuclear transcription factors c-fos and egr-1. The data suggest that prestin expression in vivo is dynamically up-regulated to increase OHC electromotility in long-term administration of salicylate via the Cox-II-independent pathways.
Temperature and precipitation estimates through the last glacial cycle from clear lake, california, pollen data.

Modern pollen surface samples from six lake and marsh sites in the northern California Coast Ranges establish a linear relation between elevation and the oakl(oak + pine) pollen ratio. Modern temperature and precipitation lapse rates were used to convert variations in the pollen ratio into temperature and precipitation changes. Pollen data from two cores from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, spanning the past 40,000 and 130,000 years were used to estimate temperature and precipitation changes through the last full glacial cycle. The maximum glacial cooling is estimated to be 7 ° to 8 ° C; the last full interglacial period was about 1.5 ° C warmer than the Holocene, and a mid-Holocene interval was warmer than the present. The estimated precipitation changes are probably less reliable than the estimated temperature changes .
Functional Properties of Extrudates from High Starch Fractions of Navy and Pinto Beans and Corn Meal Blended with Legume High Protein Fractions

High protein fractions (HPF) of navy and pinto beans were mixed with high starch fraction (HSF) or corn meal and extrusion-cooked. HSF of pintos blended with hull fractions was extruded at 132°C. Expansion index (EI), density, color, water absorption (WAI), water (WSI) and nitrogen solubility (NSI), oil absorption (OAC) and emulsification (OEC) were evaluated. Extruded blends had lower EI and OAC, higher protein density and OEC than extruded corn or HSF. WAI and WSI were variable. EI decreased with increased protein. Scanning electronic microscopy showed protein level had pronounced influence on microstructure, size of air cells and smoothness of cell walls. Hull fraction added to HSF, caused decreases in EI, WAI, WSI while NSI, OAC and OEC were unaffected.
d-Methionine protects against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity in cortical networks

Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent widely used for the treatment of various types of cancer. Patients undergoing cisplatin treatment often suffer from a condition known as "chemobrain", ototoxicity, peripheral neuropathy, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, nephrotoxicity, seizures, hearing loss and tinnitus. d-Methionine (d-Met), a sulfur-containing nucleophilic antioxidant, has been shown to prevent cisplatin-induced side effects in animals without antitumor interference. In this study, we have used an in vitro model of cortical networks (CNs), enriched in auditory cortex cells; to quantify cisplatin neurotoxicity and the protective effects of d-Met. Dissociated neurons from auditory cortices of mouse embryos were grown on microelectrode arrays with 64 transparent indium-tin oxide electrodes, which enabled continuous optical and electrophysiological monitoring of network neurons. Cisplatin at 0.10-0.25 mM induced up to a 200% increase in spontaneous spiking activity, while concentrations at or above 0.5mM caused irreversible loss of neuronal activity, accompanied by cell death. Pretreatment with d-Met, at a concentration of 1.0mM, prevented the cisplatin-induced excitation at 0.10-0.25 mM, caused sustained excitation without occurrence of cell death at 0.5mM, and delayed cell death at 0.75 mM cisplatin. l-Methionine, the optical isomer, showed lower potency and less efficacy than d-Met, was less protective against 0.1mM cisplatin, and proved ineffective at a concentration of 0.5mM cisplatin. Pre-exposure time of d-Met was associated with the protective effects at 0.1 and 0.5mM cisplatin, with longer pre-exposure times exhibiting better protection. This study quantifies as a function of concentration and time that d-Met protects central nervous system tissue from acute cisplatin toxicity.
Recrystallization of 110 K high-Tc Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox superconducting phase from the molten state and characterizations

Abstract We report the formation of the 110 K (Bi, Pb)SrCaCuO superconducting phase from a molten state via rapid thermal melt processing techniques. Sintered superconducting specimens were melted at 1200 ° C for 2 min using a rapid thermal furnace. Following the melting, the specimens were heat treated at 861 ° C for different periods of time in order to optimize recrystallization conditions. We achieved a zero transition temperature of 105 K with a Δ T c of 10 K for an annealing time of 240 h. The J c of melt-grown samples is twice the value of conventionally sintered samples. An increase in the bulk density from 4.75 to 5.60 g/cm 3 has been achieved using this process.
Better protestant than prostitute: A social portrait of a 19th-century reform school for girls

Given the small number who either rose above their previous station or fell into disrepute, it seems that the girls took an indirect route to the place one might have expected them to be in their adulthood. A large majority remained in the class into which they had been born. They were employed in predictable positions and lived in predictable ways with the sorts of husbands one might have expected them to marry had they not been sent to Lancaster. The school thus seemed to provide a waystation for the adolescent daughters of the poor. Would they have fared the same regardless of their stay at Lancaster? We cannot tell. However, Lancaster may have acted as an employment agency for many of the 16-year-olds whose families found it difficult to place them in service. It seemed to have provided a pleasant place where poor girls were given adequate shelter and supervision: a home where their families and society could be assured that they were not exposed to vice and corruption. And, indeed, most of the girls remained poor, but respectable.
Abuse-Related Post-Traumatic Stress, Coping, and Tobacco Use in Pregnancy

pregnancy cessation PTSD abuse coping ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the relationship between trauma history, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), coping, and smoking in a diverse sample of pregnant women, some of whom are active smokers. Design: Secondary analysis from a prospective study on PTSD and pregnancy outcomes. Setting: Maternity clinics at three health systems in the midwestern United States. Participants: Women age 18 or older (1,547) interviewed at gestational age fewer than 28 weeks. Methods: Participants were classified at nonsmokers, quitters (stopped smoking during pregnancy), and pregnancy smokers. Demographic, trauma, and pregnancy factors, substance use, and use of tobacco to cope were compared across groups. Logistic regression assessed the influence of these factors on being a smoker versus a nonsmoker and a quitter versus a pregnancy smoker. Results: Smokers differed from nonsmokers on all demographic risk factors (being African American, being preg- nant as a teen, having lower income and less education, and living in high-crime areas), had higher rates of current and lifetime PTSD, and were more likely to report abuse as their worst trauma. Pregnancy smokers had lower levels of education, were more likely to classify their worst trauma as ''extremely troubling,'' and were more likely to exhibit PTSD hyperarousal symptoms. In regression models, smoking ''to cope with emotions and problems'' doubled the odds of continuing to smoke while pregnant even after accounting for several relevant risk factors.
A simple implementation of optical Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Spectroscopy

We demonstrate a simple experimental technique to perform optical Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Spectroscopy. This technique derives from a modified pump-probe geometry with a pair of collinear, phase-locked pump pulses.
Coarse Slip Bands in a Single-Crystalline Aluminum Alloy

The effect of crystal orientation on the discontinuous deformation and coarse slip bands in aluminum single crystals has been investigated by finite element simulation. The numerical analysis is based on a rate-dependent crystal plasticity model recently formulated by us with modifications made here that explicitly accounts for the three strain hardening stages and the effect of the interaction of dislocations and alloying elements on setting the hardening rules on the individual slip systems of the aluminum alloy crystal. The dependence of the magnitude of the serrations of tensile stress-strain curves on orientation and its evolution over the three strain hardening stages of Al-0.3%Mg single crystals observed experimentally has been successfully explained in this investigation.
Racial Redistricting and Ideological Polarization in Southern U.S. House Delegations

This study consists of an analysis of representation from southern states to determine if the creation of majority-minority districts resulted in more ideologically polarized southern U.S. House delegations. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis of Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) scores indicate that the standard deviation of ADA scores are larger in the eight states that engaged in racial redistricting. The influx of conservative Republicans and African-American Democrats in 1992 created the more polarized patterns. Polarization was still present after the 1996 elections, although the redistricting effect was muted as other southern states picked up Republican representatives after both the 1994 election and Louisiana's substantial modification of one of its black majority districts prior to the 1996 election. Racial redistricting would seem to make centrist coalition building more difficult, but in some states it also weakens the increasingly conservative voting patterns experienced by most of the South in the 1990s.
Stem cell repair of physeal cartilage

Abstract To evaluate the ability of cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to repair physeal defects, MSC-matrix constructs with 5% gelatin (group A), 10% gelatin/Gelfoam (Pharmacia, Peapack, NJ) (group B), and MSC grown in the presence of TGF-β3 with Gelfoam (group C) were implanted in proximal tibial physeal defects created in 20 immature rabbits. Control groups (untreated partial defect and partial defect treated with Gelfoam) showed bony bar formation with varus deformities of 30° and 28°, respectively. Group A had an average 23° varus deformity with bony bridge formation, and group B had mild varus angulation (average 14°) of the proximal tibia. In group C, there was no significant varus deformity (average 9°), and histologic examination showed that some of the columnation areas interspersed with chondrocytes were irregularly arranged in the matrix. These findings suggest that repair of physeal defects can be enhanced by the implantation of MSC cultured with TGF-β3.
A Usage‐Based Account of Constituency and Reanalysis

Constituent structure is considered to be the very foundation of linguistic competence and often considered to be innate, yet we show here that it is derivable from the domain-general processes of chunking and categorization. Using modern and diachronic corpus data, we show that the facts support a view of constituent structure as gradient (as would follow from its source in chunking and categorization) and subject to gradual changes over time. Usage factors (i.e., repetition) and semantic factors both influence chunking and categorization and, therefore, influence constituent structure. We take as our example the complex prepositions of English, for instance, on top of, in back of, and in spite of, whose internal constituent structure has been much debated. From observing strong (but not absolute) usage trends in the corpus data, we find that these complex preposition sequences display varying degrees of emerging constituency. We conclude that constituent reanalysis, like language change generally, proceeds gradually.
3D Plant Cell Architecture of Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) Using Focused Ion Beam–Scanning Electron Microscopy

Premise of the study: Focused ion beam–scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) combines the ability to sequentially mill the sample surface and obtain SEM images that can be used to create 3D renderings with micron-level resolution. We have applied FIB-SEM to study Arabidopsis cell architecture. The goal was to determine the efficacy of this technique in plant tissue and cellular studies and to demonstrate its usefulness in studying cell and organelle architecture and distribution. Methods: Seed aleurone, leaf mesophyll, stem cortex, root cortex, and petal lamina from Arabidopsis were fixed and embedded for electron microscopy using protocols developed for animal tissues and modified for use with plant cells. Each sample was sectioned using the FIB and imaged with SEM. These serial images were assembled to produce 3D renderings of each cell type. Results: Organelles such as nuclei and chloroplasts were easily identifiable, and other structures such as endoplasmic reticula, lipid bodies, and starch grains w...
The Last Jewish Generalist

Why has the death of Salo Wittmayer Baron on November 25, 1989 at the age of ninety-four elicited so little comment? No chorus of tributes, memories, or evaluations erupted at the passing of this century's most erudite and prolific Jewish historian, whose standard of excellence almost singlehandedly opened the American university to the field of Jewish studies. The silence, I suspect, tells us as much about the present state of Jewish studies as about the limitations of his work. It is surely not related to the magnitude of his scholarly legacy or its unrelieved and often maddening thematic mode of discourse or even its frequently inelegant style. Sadly, Professor Baron had fallen out of sync with his time long before he died, in part because the one-sidedness of the final ten volumes of the second edition of his Social and Religious History of the Jews abandoned the balance and integration of external and internal events vital to his own understanding of Jewish history.
Where are the women geoscientist professors

Nearly 50 geo- and social scientists recently gathered in Washington, D.C., for a workshop on women in the geosciences. The two-fold purpose was to compile data on the status of women in the geosciences and to arrive at a consensus on strategies to increase the proportion of women and their diversity in the field. Participants spanned 4 decades of experience, including both genders, and represented many types of academic institutions, from high school to private, bachelors degree-granting colleges to public and private Research I institutions. Two social scientists who specialize in women-in-science issues also participated.
Treating obstructive sleep apnea: the case for surgery.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic, progressive, and potentially life-threatening disorder that can be effectively treated with surgery. It is also a condition that orthodontists see in their offices every day; thus, they are ideally suited to diagnose and treat it. OSA is related to an anatomic obstruction of the upper airway; surgical correction of the obstruction is effective and definitive, and should be considered for appropriate patients with mild, moderate, or severe OSA. OSA is a multifactorial condition, and diagnosis and treatment must be individualized, with multidisciplinary management. The definitive diagnosis and treatment plan is formulated after a comprehensive medical and dental history and examination. Adjunctive diagnostic studies such as cone-beam computerized tomographic imaging for airway analysis, fiber-optic nasopharyngoscopy, polysomnography, and 3-dimensional cephalometrics are included in the workup. OSAoccursduringsleepasaresultofanobstruction or partial collapse of the upper airway. Signs and symptoms include tiredness or sleepiness during the day, memory loss, irritability, depression, decreased libido, and headache. If OSA is not treated, it can cause diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and sudden death while asleep. 1 Exacerbating factors include a high body mass index (.34). 2 Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is currently considered the gold standard for the treatment of OSA. 3,4 Positive airway pressure can be divided into continuous (CPAP), bilevel, and auto titrating modes, through a nasal, oral, or oronasal interface during sleep. Unfortunately, compliance with CPAP is variable for numerous reasons including social stigma, feelings of claustrophobia, and complaints of inability to sleep peacefully. 5 Side effects include nasal congestion, thickening of the soft tissues with prolonged use, skin ulceration, and eye irritation. 6 CPAP failure because of poor compliance has been reported to be as high as 25% to 50%. 7,8 OSA is most severe during deeper sleep; thus, patients using CPAP for less the 4 hours a night still suffer from the consequences of OSA.
Detection of a blaSHV Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase in Salmonella enterica Serovar Newport MDR-AmpC

Salmonella enterica serovar Newport MDR-AmpC expressing TEM-1b and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase SHV-12 was isolated from affected animals during an outbreak of salmonellosis that led to a 3-month closure of one of the largest equine hospitals in the United States.
Formation and Geochemistry of Oil and Gas

This chapter is concerned with the utilization of geochemical techniques to investigate the origin and history of crude oils and natural gas and the source rocks from which they were formed. The chapter covers the source of the organic material responsible for crude oil formation and the various depositional environments favorable for its preservation and the ultimate production of crude oils and natural gas. Once the oils are formed and migrate to the reservoirs, molecular geochemistry is used to characterize the oils in terms of their source, maturity, depositional environments, level of biodegradation if any, geologic age, and relationship with specific source rocks. In a similar manner, natural gas and its relationship with source rocks are investigated through the utilization of stable isotopes and compositional analyses. The ultimate goal of the chapter is to demonstrate the added value of organic geochemistry in terms of improving the success of petroleum exploration efforts and understanding the origin and history of crude oils and natural gas.
Multiplex Assays with Fluorescent Microbead Readout: A Powerful Tool for Mutation Detection

After the completion of the Human Genome Project, the goal for biomedical research is to apply genomic approaches for the improvement of human health (1). The study of human DNA variation promises to have a great impact on understanding how genetic factors contribute to human disease, conferring susceptibility or resistance; it is also expected to help uncover the reasons that individuals respond differentially to therapeutics. Technologies for mutation detection can be classified into methods for the detection of unknown mutations and methods for the detection of known mutations (2). Methods for the detection of unknown mutations (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8), also known as screening or scanning methods, are used during the discovery phase. Once a new mutation associated with a genetic disease has been characterized and validated, it is usually detected over and over in many DNA samples by specific, cost-efficient, and easy-to-use methods (9)(10)(11)(12)(13), also known as “diagnostic methods” (14). Typically, genotyping assays for known mutations start with sample preparation followed by amplification of the target DNA sequence containing the mutation to be tested. This latter step is most commonly accomplished by use of the PCR, but other amplification strategies are available (15)(16)(17). Subsequently, the presence or absence of the mutation is determined by allele-specific biochemical reactions. The selected allele-specific method largely determines the specificity, accuracy, and reproducibility of the genotyping assay. The discriminating power of DNA ligases (13)(15) and DNA polymerases (10)(11)(12), as well as the difference in thermodynamics between matched and mismatched DNA duplexes (9), has been extensively exploited for mutation detection. The final step of a genotyping approach is the detection of the signal resulting from the allele-specific assay and …
Codebook: Social networking over code

Social networking systems help people maintain connections to their friends, enabling awareness, communication, and collaboration, especially at a distance. In many studies of coordination in software engineering, the work artifacts, e.g. code, bugs, specifications, are themselves the objects that link engineers together. In this paper, we introduce Codebook, a social networking web service in which people can be “friends” not only with other people but with the work artifacts they share with them. Providing a web interface to the graph of these connections will enable software engineers to keep track of task dependencies, discover and maintain connections to other teams, and understand the history and rationale behind the code that they work on and use.
Structural Sizing for Buckling Critical Body Structure of Advanced Aircraft

Conclusions A new computational aeroelastic technique that incorporates a nonlinear von Karman plate model has been applied to the simulation of LCOs of a cropped delta wing. In a previous work, computations for the this delta wing were accomplished using an aeroelastic solver that employed a linear modal structural represen- tation for the wing structure. In these simulations the development of a leading-edge vortex provided the nonlinear mechanism lead- ing to the LCOs. The amplitude of the resulting limit cycle was signie cantly higher than the experimental measurements, however. Computations for the same case with the present aeroelastic model that incorporates structural nonlinearities result in limit cycles with amplitudes similar to the experimental measurements, albeit with a slower rate of growth as dynamic pressure is increased. No leading- edge vortex or well-dee ned supersonic e ow develops on the wing during these LCOs. In this case, the geometric structural nonlinear- ities provide the physical mechanism leading to the development of the LCO. Further modie cations to the nonlinear structural model may be required to capture more accurately the growth of the am- plitude of the LCO. Acknowledgments This work was produced with the Air Force Ofe ce of Scien- tie c Research sponsorship under task 2304IW monitored by W. Hilbun and T. Beutner. This work was also supported in part by a grant of high performance computing (HPC) time from the Depart- ment of Defense HPC Shared Resource Centers at the U.S. Naval OceanographicOfe ce.Theauthor gratefully acknowledges thehelp of Robert Fithen of Arkansas Technical University in developing the e nite element model for the plate. The author also wishes to thank Earl Dowell for his comments regarding the use of loosely and rigidly clamped boundary conditions for the delta wing plate model.
Hamster Thecal Cells Express Muscle Characteristics

Contraction of the follicular wall about the time of ovulation appears to be a coordinated event; however, the cells that mediate it remain poorly studied. We examined the theca externa cells in the wall of hamster follicles for the presence of a functional actomyosin system, both in developing follicles and in culture. We used a monoclonal antibody (HHF35) that recognizes the alpha and gamma isoelectric variants of actin normally found in muscle, but not the beta variant associated with non-muscle sources, to evaluate large preovulatory follicles for actin content and composition. Antibody staining of sectioned ovaries showed intense circumferential reactivity in the outermost wall of developing follicles. Immunoblots from two-dimensional gels of theca externa lysates demonstrated the presence of the two muscle-specific isozymes of actin. Immunofluorescence of cultured follicular cells pulse-labeled with [3H] thymidine (for autoradiographic detection of DNA replication) revealed the presence, in many dividing cells, of actin filaments aligned primarily along the longitudinal axis of the cells. In cultures exposed to the calcium ionophore A23187 (10(-4) M) for varying periods (5 min to 1 h), contraction of many individual muscle-actin-positive cells was observed. Immunofluorescence of these cells, fixed immediately after ionophore-induced contraction, revealed compaction of the actin filaments. Our findings demonstrate that the cells of the theca externa contain muscle actins from an early stage and that these cells are capable of contraction even while proliferating in subconfluent cultures. They suggest that follicular growth may include a naturally occurring developmental sequence in which a contractile cell type proliferates in the differentiated state.
Monitoring of midmyocardial and subendocardial pH in normal and ischemic ventricles.

Midmyocardial and subendocardial pH monitoring was used as an indirect method for continuous evaluation of regional canine myocardial ischemia. Left ventricular midmyocardial pH (pHm) at 4 mm. depth was monitored in 10 dogs, under resting conditions, by means of a 5 mm. Beckman pH probe. pHm was 6.96±0.03, recorded at myocardial temperatures of 35 to 37°C. Ischemia was then produced by snare occlusion of the proximal left main coronary artery for 2 minutes. pHm decreased to 6.87±0.03 (p
Another Turn with Turner

In its latest Estate of Turner opinion, the Tax Court decided whether a pecuniary formula marital deduction clause could shield the inclusion of family limited partnership assets in the decedent's estate.
Where Is This Tweet From? Inferring Home Locations of Twitter Users.

We present a new algorithm for inferring the home locations of Twitter users at different granularities, such as city, state, or time zone, using the content of their tweets and their tweeting behavior. Unlike existing approaches, our algorithm uses an ensemble of statistical and heuristic classifiers to predict locations. We find that a hierarchical classification approach can improve prediction accuracy. Experimental evidence suggests that our algorithm works well in practice and outperforms the best existing algorithms for predicting the location of Twitter users.
Placement of the Gravital Line in Antero-Posterior Standing Posture

Abstract The study was undertaken to locate the gravital line in relation to the various body segments…in particular, the ankle and knee joints. It is at these joints where there is a divergence of expert opinion on the location of the gravital line. The line was found to lie a mean distance of 0.95 cm. in front of the anterior border of the tibia at the ankle. In the majority of cases it ran through the patella, anterior to the acromion process and through the ear lobe. More study is needed on the location of the gravital line in relation to the head.
The Role of Functional Prion-Like Proteins in the Persistence of Memory

Prions are a self-templating amyloidogenic state of normal cellular proteins, such as prion protein (PrP). They have been identified as the pathogenic agents, contributing to a number of diseases of the nervous system. However, the discovery that the neuronal RNA-binding protein, cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein (CPEB), has a prion-like state that is involved in the stabilization of memory raised the possibility that prion-like proteins can serve normal physiological functions in the nervous system. Here, we review recent experimental evidence of prion-like properties of neuronal CPEB in various organisms and propose a model of how the prion-like state may stabilize memory.
Web of resistance: Deleuzian digital space and hacktivism

This article argues that the Internet possesses the potential to challenge corporate and Statist domination of digital space. Mapping Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s concepts of the rhizome, smooth/striated space, and the nomad onto the idea of digital connectivity, I show how hacktivism can initiate change both online and off. In the first section, I argue that the Internet is characteristic of a rhizome. As a rhizome, the Internet’s structure affords it a flexible, morphological, and ultimately a vibrantly powerful configuration. As a result of its connective and generative power, corporate and State entities seek to control digital space. These controlling institutions stratify, segment, and claim ownership over the flat, smooth space. The second section, then, shows how the Internet becomes striated through corporate and State interests. As a remedy, the third section advocates for hacktivism as a form of nomadic action. In this section, I focus on the Distributed Denial of Service attack as a for...
Botanical signatures of water storage duration in a Hohokam reservoir

Although large-scale canal irrigation technology is commonly associated with the prehistoric Hohokam (A.D. 200–1450) of south-central Arizona, earthen reservoirs were essential for domestic water storage in areas of the Sonoran Desert away from perennial streams. Interpretations of seasonal water storage in prehistoric Hohokam reservoirs are often based on direct analogy with the historic Tohono O'odham (formerly called the Papago). This assumption of seasonal water storage is a hypothesis that should be tested rather than uncritically accepted by archaeologists. Sediments recovered with a hand-driven bucket auger from an earthen reservoir at a large Classic-period (ca. A.D. 1200–1450) Hohokam site (AZ AA:3:32 [ASM]) yielded uncarbonized seeds of an aquatic plant belonging to the genus Lemna (duckweed). The high number of Lemna seeds indicates that water may have been stored on a long-term, perhaps perennial, basis. Analyses of sediments from other reservoirs should generate further discoveries of uncarbonized seeds or other biological remains (e.g., pollen, phytoliths, diatoms, snails) and refine our understanding of prehistoric water storage facilities throughout the world.
Causality Analysis of fMRI Data Based on the Directed Information Theory Framework

This paper aims to conduct fMRI-based causality analysis in brain connectivity by exploiting the directed information (DI) theory framework. Unlike the well-known Granger causality (GC) analysis, which relies on the linear prediction technique, the DI theory framework does not have any modeling constraints on the sequences to be evaluated and ensures estimation convergence. Moreover, it can be used to generate the GC graphs. In this paper, first, we introduce the core concepts in the DI framework. Second, we present how to conduct causality analysis using DI measures between two time series. We provide the detailed procedure on how to calculate the DI for two finite-time series. The two major steps involved here are optimal bin size selection for data digitization and probability estimation. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of DI-based causality analysis using both the simulated data and experimental fMRI data, and compare the results with that of the GC analysis. Our analysis indicates that GC analysis is effective in detecting linear or nearly linear causal relationship, but may have difficulty in capturing nonlinear causal relationships. On the other hand, DI-based causality analysis is more effective in capturing both linear and nonlinear causal relationships. Moreover, it is observed that brain connectivity among different regions generally involves dynamic two-way information transmissions between them. Our results show that when bidirectional information flow is present, DI is more effective than GC to quantify the overall causal relationship.
Holding African states to task on gender and violence: Domesticating UNSCR 1325 in the Sierra Leone National Action Plan

This article assesses efforts to combat sexual violence in Sierra Leone through its National Action Plan (SILNAP) passed in 2010 to implement UN Resolution 1325. The article examines specifically pillars two and three, which address protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence and prevention of violence against women through strengthening women’s legal rights and supporting women’s local peace initiatives. In spite of legislative measures and sustained activism by women’s NGOs, efforts to promote gender equality and reduce institutionalized violence affecting women’s daily lives are limited. Failure to account for structural inequalities such as poverty, illiteracy, income disparities, violence against women in private and public spheres, and limited budget allocation to implement the plan are contributing factors. The article is informed by feminist scholarship on sexual violence and implementation of UNSCR 1325 in national action plans. Implementation mechanisms, monitoring, evalu...
Ulinastatin and pulse-activating injection in elderly patients with acute abdomen in perioperative period

】Objective To evaluate the therapy effect of Ulinastatin and pulse-activating injection in elderly patients with acute abdomen in perioperative period.Methods Forty eight elderly patients with acute abdomen undergoing emergency surgery were randomly divided into 3 groups.Before surgery(T0) and 3 days after surgery(T2),group Ⅰ received routine treatment with Sodium Chloride m.t.d.,group Ⅱ was treated with Ulinastatin i.v,and group Ⅲ received Ulinastatin i.v.combined with pulse-activating injection intravenously.Interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),alanine transaminase(ALT),creatinine(Cr),serum urea nitrogen(SUN),MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase(CK-MB),cardiac troponin(cTnI) were measured at T0,and 1(T1),3(T2),7(T4) days after operation.Meanwhile,usage of vasoactive drugs,incidence of shock,incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS),mortality,ICU treatment time,length of stay were compared among different groups.Results The concentration of IL6 and TNF-α were lower in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ(lowest) than those in group Ⅰ at T1,T2 and T3(P 0.05).The concentration of ALT,BUN and Cr at T1 and T2 increased obviously in group Ⅰ.After operation,the concentration of CK-MB and cTnI increased in three groups.The increase in group Ⅲ was significantly lower than that in group Ⅰ and Ⅱ(P 0.05).And the increase in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ was significantly lower than that in group Ⅰ at T1,T2 and T3(P 0.05).Incidence of shock and usage of vasoactive drugs in group Ⅲ decreased significantly compared with those in other two groups(P 0.05).The length of stay and ICU treatment time in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ were shorter than those in group Ⅰ,at the same time the incidence of mortality and MODS in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ were significantly lower than those in group Ⅰ(P 0.05).Conclusions Perioperative application of Ulinastatin can help elderly patients with acute abdomen to improve systemic inflammatory response,protect function of important organs,reduce incidence of complications,and shorten treatment time.The use of pulse-activating injection can further inhibit the release of inflammatory mediators,protect myocardial function,and reduce the incidence of shock and usage of vasoactive drugs.
One Half the World was Hungry

AbstractNobel Prize winner Doris Lessing’s novels illustrate a number of different intersections between food and culture that increase in urgency over the years as her tone moves from observation to critique to polemic. An early semi-autobiographical work, In Pursuit of the English, portrays a working-class Italian woman’s ingenuity in producing a Mediterranean diet in London during 1950s rationing. A mid-career feminist novel, The Summer Before the Dark, satirizes the globalization of food and international food agencies. Her final work, Alfred and Emily, a memoir of her parents and her childhood in Africa, combines her memories of African agricultural abundance with an impassioned plea for an ecological approach to land and an ethical distribution of food.
Use of Hplc Techniques and Monoclonal Antibodies in the Study of Lemur Hemoglobins

Abstract Comparisons of the structures of hemoglobins from various primate species have been fundamental to furthering our understanding of the process of evolution at the molecular level. We have isolated the chains of Lemur hemoglobins using weak cation exchange HPLC and characterized the chains by both urea-agarose and urea-cellulose acetate electrophoresis. We also used size-exclusion HPLC to isolate peptides from the Lemur hemoglobin chains. Monoclonal antibodies, which were produced against Lemur catta hemoglobin and Lemur variegatus β-chain, have been characterized using immunoblotting techniques and HPLC purified peptides. We also show that monoclonal antibodies can be used to stain hemoglobins on cellulose acetate after alkaline electrophoresis.
Abstract 234A: Aberrant sodium current contributes to constitutive mTOR activity in malignant melanoma cells

Transformation from disciplined melanocytes to untamed melanoma cells remains an enigma. Our previous studies have demonstrated that melanoma cells are more resistant to oxidative stress and melanoma cells exhibit constitutive mTOR activity. Surprisingly, further studies have failed to present the expression and activity of EGFR using conventional anti-EGFR antibodies. We hypothesized that constitutive mTOR activity in melanoma cells may be due to mutated EGFR variants and membrane channel activities. Using patch clamping technique, we have shown that melanoma cells (WM 266-4) but not human skin melanocytes exhibit Na+ current which is blocked by TTX. Interestingly, mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, blocks Na+ current. Western blot and confocal microscopy data further revealed that Na+/Ca2+ exchanger blocker KB-R7943 (KBR), and L-type Ca2+ channel blocker Nifedipine (NIF) inhibits mTOR activity in melanoma cells in a dose dependent manner. To further characterize Na+ channels, we used commercially available channel antibodies. Western blot analysis data showed that melanoma cells but not human melanocytes express Na+ v1.5 and Na+ v1.6 and NCX3. Functional studies also indicated that KBR and NIF inhibit melanoma cell proliferation and migration. Taken all together, our data suggest that aberrant Na+ current contributes to constitutive mTOR activity in melanoma cells and channel blockers may be potential for the treatment of melanoma. Citation Format: Benjamin Gallant, Nicole Lizza, Ryan Garrity, Audrey Madigan, Zachary Jost, Alfredo Gonzalez, Jeanine Justiniano, An Xie, Yinsheng Wan. Aberrant sodium current contributes to constitutive mTOR activity in malignant melanoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 234A.
Ultrafast nonlinearities owing to Coulomb interaction of virtual carriers in quantum-well structures

Recent work in the area of ultrafast nonlinearities resulting from virtual carriers (VC’s) in semiconductor heterostructures has generated significant interest among researchers. It has been shown1 that excitons in quantum wells (QW’s) behave much like conventional two-level atoms, and, therefore, fast coherent phenomena usually associated with two-level systems may occur in excitonic QW transitions. Indeed, the dynamic (ac) Stark effect in QW’s has been demonstrated.2-3
Chiasmatic/Hypothalamic Gliomas

Twenty-four children with progressive chiasmatic/hypothalamic glioma (CHG) have been treated with actinomycin D and vincristine combination chemotherapy without radiotherapy and followed for a median of 4.3 yrs at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA.
The Murder/Burglary Rate Correlation as a Proxy for Drug Abuse

Murder and burglary rates are very strongly correlated: much more so than any other crimes recorded by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports program. This paper asks if both of these crimes are so strongly correlated because both are proxies for drug abuse, and suggests that this relationship may justify more examination of a causal connection by researchers with more statistical skills.