cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric sarcomas occurring in adults

Sarcomas arise in any part of the body, in any age group. Some sarcomas have a particular predilection for the pediatric population, and often bear specific chromosomal translocations. These “pediatric” sarcomas still occur in adults, often times with higher risk of dying of disease compared to children with a comparable diagnosis. The management of some of these rare tumors is discussed herein, including osteogenic sarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2008;97:360–368. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Adsorption of Amphiphilic Copolymers on Hydrophobic Particles in Aqueous Media

ABSTRACT The adsorption properties of two rake-type polydimethylsiloxane-graft-polyether copolymers and two poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO–PPO–PEO) block copolymers (Pluronic F108 and F127) on carbon black (CB) nanoparticles dispersed in water have been investigated. The adsorption on CB obeys the Langmuir isotherm at low filtrate concentrations (below CMC). At higher filtrate concentrations, a sharp increase in adsorbed amount is observed for both siloxane copolymers considered here. The adsorbed layer thickness was determined by dynamic light scattering. The adsorbed layer thickness of the copolymers is influenced by the copolymer concentration. Temperature also plays an important role in determining the adsorbed layer thickness and structure in the case of Pluronic block copolymers. Below CMC or CMT the added copolymer molecules contribute to an increase in the adsorbed layer thickness by forming a monolayer. Above CMC or CMT, SANS experiments, performed under cont...
Emotionally Disturbed, Adopted Adolescents: Early Patterns of Family Adaptation

This article focuses on the development of compatibility or goodness-of-fit within adoptive families and on the possible contribution of such problems to emotional disturbance of adolescents. Subjects included 50 adopted adolescents in residential treatment (mean age = 14.96) and their families, and 50 nonadopted adolescents in treatment (mean age = 14.90) and their families. The child, both parents, and the child's caseworker were interviewed. Three distinctive interactional patterns presenting adaptational challenges are discussed: the family's adaptation to the child's hyperactivity, the family's adaptation to the child's avoidance of contact and cuddling from early infancy, and perceived incompatibility between the child's personality and the parents' style. Results are discussed in terms of behavioral and attributional contributions of both the child and parents to the development of compatibility. Implications for clinicians are discussed.
PC-STATISTICS, version 2.5

Abstract PC-STATISTICS, Version 2.5 is a package of general-purpose programs designed to perform a number of statistical analyses. The copy of the package reviewed includes two 3.5′ 720K diskettes and a 246-page manual. The purpose of the package is “to provide students and researchers with a powerful tool in learning and using statistics” (p.v). The author of the package proposed that the software “may be used independently or as a supplement to books in an introductory or advanced level course in statistics…(or) used by a broad base of researchers in business, economics, education, psychology, sociology, government and engineering” (p.v). The focus of this review will be on the general features of the software, its usefulness as a tool for researchers in education and psychology, and its usefulness as a supplement to a course in statistics typically offered in education and psychology.
Re‐Examination of the Polymorphism of Dicalcium Silicate

Samples of Ca2SiO4 were prepared by three different methods. These samples were examined by differential thermal analysis, high-temperature X-ray diffraction, and air quenching of pellets. It was found that the β modification, during cooling, converted completely and rapidly to the γ modification and “dusted” only if it had been heated above 1420†± 10† C. If the sample was not heated above this critical temperature, a mixture of the β and γ forms always resulted at room temperature. The addition of 0.5 weight % of CaO, SiO2, Al203, Fe203, or MgO had no effect on the sequence of phases for samples cooled from above the critical temperature. When, however, these same samples were cooled from below 1410†C, the final room-temperature product was not the same for all samples. On the other hand, the additional 0.5% of Na20, K2O, Cr2O3, or B203 prevented the formation of the β modification regardless of the temperature from which the sample was cooled. The critical heating temperature correlated with the transformation temperature for the α-α inversion. A theory relating this inversion to the completeness of the β→γ transformation is presented.
Customer Need Driven Function-Behavior Platform Formation

Product platform formation has long been considered as an effective method to meet challenges set forth by mass customization. To cater to the changes in customer need driven functional requirements and technological advancements, product platforms have to be robust for a given planning horizon from the manufacturer’s point of view. To date, most of the product platform research is directed towards developing approaches that maximize the usage of common physical structures (such as sub-assemblies and components), amongst product variants. We argue that there is a need to start thinking about platforms at a higher level of abstraction than just at the physical structure level because after all, the physical structures are the end result of the mapping process that starts with the customer needs, cascades to the functional requirements and the behaviors (aka working principle/behavior) that will be used to realize the functions. The Function-Behavior-Structure approach discussed by Gero and Kannengiesser (2003) deals with such an approach. In this paper, we present a methodology called the Function-Behavior Ant Colony Optimization (FB-ACO), to determine a higher abstract level platform at the FB level. The proposed approach can be used to provide critical decisions related to the planning of the advent and egress of a product or the use of a behavior, configuration of the function-behavior platform and the number of such platforms to be considered at a particular time. The FB platform can then be used to develop the detailed design for the family of products under consideration. We demonstrate our proposed approach using the example of a computer mouse product family.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Gravitational and magnetic field effects on the dynamical diffraction of neutrons

This paper examines in detail the effect of an external force field on the diffraction of neutrons by a perfect crystal. The theoretical connection of this problem with the propagation of x rays in a strained crystal, and with the motion of band electrons in a crystal under the influence of an applied electric field is described. Two methods of solution are utilized: (a) an eikonal (WKB) approach which is analogous to the method used by Kato in discussing the x-ray strain problem, and (b) a coupled-partial-differential-equation approach, which is analogous to the Takagi-Taupin method of solving the x-ray strain problem. Extensive numerical examples are given.
The bafilomycin/concanamycin binding site in subunit c of the V-ATPases from Neurospora crassa and saccharomyces cerevisiae

The vacuolar H+-ATPase is inhibited with high specificity and potency by bafilomycin and concanamycin, macrolide antibiotics with similar structures. We previously reported that mutation at three residues in subunit c of the vacuolar ATPase from Neurospora crassa conferred strong resistance to bafilomycin but little or no resistance to concanamycin (Bowman, B. J., and Bowman, E. J. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 3965-3972). We have identified additional mutated sites in subunit c that confer resistance to bafilomycin. Furthermore, by subjecting a resistant mutant to a second round of mutation we isolated strains with increased resistance to both bafilomycin and concanamycin. In all of these strains the second mutation is also in subunit c, suggesting it forms at least part of the concanamycin binding site. Site-directed mutagenesis of the gene encoding subunit c in Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that single mutations in each of the residues identified in one of the double mutants of N. crassa conferred resistance to both bafilomycin and concanamycin. Mutations at the corresponding sites in the VMA11 and VMA16 genes of S. cerevisiae, which encode the c' and c" subunits, did not confer resistance to the drugs. In all, nine residues of subunit c have been implicated in drug binding. The positions of these residues support a model in which the drug binding site is a pocket formed by helices 1, 2, and 4. We hypothesize that the drugs inhibit by preventing the rotation of the c subunits.
Potential vorticity balances and horizontal divergence along particle, trajectories in Gulf Stream meanders east of Cape Hatteras

Abstract Trajectories of 37 isopycnal RAFOS floats launched in the Gulf Stream off Cape Hatteras have been analyzed to examine the dynamics of meanders from a Lagrangian viewpoint. Using the float data in conjunction with information on the structure of horizontal velocity shear from the PEGASUS study (Halkin and Rossby), variations in planetary, curvature, and shear vorticity have been estimated along the float trajectories. Changes in fluid layer thickness were then inferred assuming potential vorticity is conserved following the floats. This analysis shows that curvature vorticity changes are typically 10%–20% of f (planetary vorticity) as fluid parcels travel between meander troughs and crests. Lateral shear changes on the order of 20%–30% of f are common as parcels move laterally relative to the jet axis between meander extrema. Although changes in these two terms are usually of opposite sign and tend to compensate, significant layer thickness changes do occur, with some parcels exhibiting 30% change...
Alterations in levels and interrelations of plasma apolipoproteins induced by diet

Abstract Diets high in carbohydrates increase the rates of hepatic secretion of VLDL in man. VLDL particles are secreted in greater numbers; they also tend to contain more triglycerides and to be larger in size. Comparable changes in intestinal secretion of chylomicrons and VLDL accompany fat absorption. We studied the metabolism of the ApoC apoproteins under these circumstances because in vitro studies suggest that these apoproteins may play important roles in the catabolism of VLDL. ApoA-I and ApoB were also examined because of their importance in HDL and VLDL structure, respectively. The fasting plasmas of 16 normolipemic young adults were examined before and after they had been fed high carbohydrate diets for 4–5 days. ApoA-I and ApoB were measured by radio-immunoassay. The relative proportions of ApoC-II and ApoC-III in VLDL were determined by disc gel electrophoresis. Lipids in plasma and in individual lipoproteins were determined chemically. Lipoproteins were isolated by ultracentrifugal and precipitation methods. VLDL-TG and VLDL-chol and VLDL-protein rose by factors of 2.4, 1.67, and 1.88, respectively. (Final value divided by initial value.) Since TG rose more than the others, VLDL became enriched by TG. LDL-chol fell by a factor of 0.78 while LDL-TG and LDL-ApoB remained constant, i.e., LDL became relatively enriched in TG and ApoB. HDL-TG rose by 1.42 and HDL-chol fell by 0.74, i.e., HDL too became TG enriched. Plasma ApoA-I fell by 0.84. Thus, there were alterations in both the levels and compositions of all lipoproteins. The proportion of ApoC-II relative to ApoC-III in VLDL increased in each subject on the carbohydrate diet (mean rise was 1.55-fold). The increases in ApoC were detectable after as little as 48 hr of diet, and the same results were obtained in two people who were each tested twice on two separate occasions several months apart. Thus, the changes in ApoC were reproducible. Proportions of ApoC-II were greater in SF > 400 than in SF 20–400 subfractions of VLDL on ad lib diets. Proportions of ApoC-II rose in both density subfractions on carbohydrate diets. The changes in both subfractions suggest that rises of ApoC-II in the total VLDL (SF > 20) fraction were not due solely to the accumulation of SF > 400 particles of unaltered ApoC composition in postdiet plasma. The changes following carbohydrate could have been due to secretion of altered lipoproteins or due to diet induced alterations in apoprotein catabolism. Three subjects were given 150 gm of corn oil to drink. Lipoproteins were analyzed, as above, at 0 and 3–12 hr after the drink. In spite of several-fold rises in the SF > 20 TG and proteins, the relative proportions of ApoC-II and ApoC-III remained constant. Thus, an acute dietary fat load and 2–4 days of carbohydrate diets provoked different responses. The fluctuations in the levels and relative proportions of ApoC support the notion that the ApoC group may have importance in vivo in the metabolism of VLDL.
Regioselective One-Pot Bromination of Aromatic Amines1

Treatment of aniline with n-butyllithium and then trimethyltin chloride gave the tin amide (PhNH-SnMe3) in situ. Without isolation of the tin amide, reaction with bromine and workup with aqueous fluoride ion gave p-bromoaniline in 76% yield, with no dibromoaniline or o-bromoaniline. Application of this sequence to 11 different aromatic amines gave selective bromination in 36−91% yields, without formation of dibromides. This constitutes a good general method for the regioselective bromination of aromatic amines.
A case of severe cutaneous, GI and liver GVHD in a patient with multiple myeloma, status-post-second auto-SCT

A case of severe cutaneous, GI and liver GVHD in a patient with multiple myeloma, status-post-second auto-SCT
Understanding Aging and Disability Perspectives on Home Care: Uncovering Facts and Values in Public-Policy Narratives and Discourse

Tous les problemes ayant trait aux politiques gouvernementales peuvent etre delimites par leur dimension empirique (les faits) et leur dimension normative (les valeurs), et par l’interrelation entre ces deux dimensions. Le lien entre les faits et les valeurs sur lesquels repose le debat politique sur les soins a domicile dans le systeme de sante canadien est examine par la lorgnette d’un schema analytique fonde sur la « narration ». La documentation formee de rapports et de recommandations sur la politique concernant les soins a domicile est examinee en vertu de cette structure conceptuelle – en particulier, les publications et les rapports du gouvernement federal, d’organisations canadiennes et des milieux du vieillissement et de l’incapacite. Enfin, des observations et une conclusion sur la portee du discours politique sur les soins a domicile, et sur les differences entre les spheres du vieillissement et de l’invalidite dans ce debat, sont proposees pour guider le lecteur dans le dedale de l’elaboration des politiques publiques. Every public-policy problem can be defined in terms of its empirical (‘‘facts’’) and normative (‘‘values’’) dimensions and the interrelationship between them. An understanding of the connection between facts and values at the foundation of the home care policy debate in the Canadian health-care system is developed through the application of an analytical framework based on the concept of ‘‘narrative frame’’ analysis. The literature on home care policy reports and recommendations is examined within this conceptual structure – including especially publications and reports from the federal government, national organizations, and the aging and disability communities. Finally, observations and conclusions about the significance of home care policy discourse, and of the differences between the aging and disability constituencies in this debate, are offered as a guide for deconstructing the public-policy process.
The Relevance of Scientific Practice to The Problem of Coordination

In his early work on the problem of coordination, Hans Reichenbach introduced axioms of coordination to describe the relationship between theory and observation. His insistence that these axioms are determinable a priori, however, causes him to ignore the normative dimensions of scientific inquiry and, in turn, generates a misleading interpretation of the theory-observation relationship. In response, I propose an alternative approach that describes this relationship through the framework of scientific practices. My argument will draw on two examples that have not been explored by the philosophical literature in the context of coordination problems: the clinical definition of death and Stanley Prusiner’s prion hypothesis.
Radiative capture by 19F: The giant dipole resonances in 20Ne

Abstract The radiative capture of protons by 19 F has been studied over the range of proton bombarding energies from 2.88 MeV to 12.80 MeV. The most intense capture gamma rays are γ 0 to the ground state and γ 1 to the first excited state in 20 Ne. The yield curves for both γ 0 and γ 1 are dominated by the E1 giant resonance with the γ 1 giant resonance displaced upward in excitation energy from the γ 0 giant resonance. Strong, well correlated structure is present in the yield curves; the structure has a characteristic width of about 175 keV. Extensive angular-distribution measurements showed that the angular distributions do not vary greatly with energy. The angular distributions are incompatible with γ 0 and γ 1 emanating from the same levels of the compound nucleus. The integrated yields, structure and angular distributions are compared with the results of other (p, γ) studies of the E1 giant resonance and some of the features of this and other radiative-capture experiments are discussed in terms of the shell model.
Ultra-low-drift, sub-microvolt low-frequency fiber optic voltage sensor

We demonstrate a fiber optic interferometric dc and low frequency voltage sensor based on the electrostrictive effect in lead magnesium niobate (PMN) transducers. The sensor exhibits ultra-low drift and has a noise floor of 35 nV/?Hz at 10 mHz and 20 nV/?Hz at 1 Hz.
Oleate stimulation of diacylglycerol formation from phosphatidylcholine through effects on phospholipase D and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase.

Hydrolysis of exogenous phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) to 1,2-diacylglycerol by rat liver plasma membranes was stimulated by oleate concentrations as low as 0.1 mM. In the presence of 75 mM ethanol, the fatty acid also enhanced phosphatidylethanol (PtdEtOH) formation from PtdCho. These effects were also observed with linoleate and arachidonate, but not with saturated fatty acids or detergents, and were minimal in microsomes or mitochondria. Release of [3H]choline form exogenous Ptd[3H]Cho was stimulated by oleate, whereas phosphory1[3H]choline formation was inhibited. Oleate and other unsaturated, but not saturated, fatty acids also stimulated the conversion of exogenous [14C]phosphatidic acid to [14C]diacylglycerol. These data are consistent with stimulatory effects of these fatty acids on both phospholipase D and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase in liver plasma membranes. The stimulatory effect of guanosine 5′-O-[3-thio]triphosphate) (20 μM) on PtdEtOH and diacylglycerol formation from PtdCho was enhanced by low concentration of oleate. Phospholipase A2 also stimulated PtdEtOH and diacylglycerol formation from exogenous PtdCho. It is proposed that unsaturated fatty acids may play a physiological role in the regulation of diacylglycerol production through activation of phospholipase D and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase.
MK-801 and phencyclidine act at phencyclidine sites that are not linked to N-methyl-d-aspartate activity to inhibit behavioral sensitization to kainate

Sensitization to the behavioral effects of intrathecal kainate in mice depends on an accumulation of the N-terminus of substance P in the spinal cord and may reflect similar synaptic activity as that underlying pain transmission. The purpose of this study was to determine whether kainate sensitization, like pain, is sensitive to inhibition by phencyclidine ligands. Doses that selectively inhibit the behavioral response to a single injection of N-methyl-D-aspartate, but not kainate, were established for two non-competitive antagonists, dizocilpine (MK-801) and phencyclidine, as well as two competitive antagonists, D-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid and (+/-)-3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid, of N-methyl-D-aspartate. Using these doses, we found that 1 nmol of MK-801 or 3 nmol of phencyclidine blocked sensitization to four injections of 25 pmol of kainate administered at 2 min intervals. In contrast, 1.48 nmol of D-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid and 0.5 nmol of (+/-)-3)2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid failed to alter sensitization to kainate, indicating that activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors is not necessary for kainate sensitization. Haloperidol (1 nmol), a sigma receptor ligand, also failed to inhibit sensitization to kainate, suggesting that the actions of MK-801 and phencyclidine were not produced by a non-selective effect at sigma sites. Together, these data suggest that MK-801 and phencyclidine inhibit behavioral sensitization to kainate via phencyclidine receptors that are not linked to the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mission sizing and trade studies for low ballistic coefficient entry systems to Venus

The U.S and the U.S.S.R. have sent seventeen successful atmospheric entry missions to Venus. Past missions to Venus have utilized rigid aeroshell systems for entry. This rigid aeroshell paradigm sets performance limitations since the size of the entry vehicle is constrained by the fairing diameter of the launch vehicle. This has limited ballistic coefficients (β) to well above 100 kg/m2 for the entry vehicles. In order to maximize the science payload and minimize the Thermal Protection System (TPS) mass, these missions have entered at very steep entry flight path angles (γ). Due to Venus' thick atmosphere and the steep-γ, high-β conditions, these entry vehicles have been exposed to very high heat flux, very high pressures and extreme decelerations (upwards of 100 g's). Deployable aeroshells avoid the launch vehicle fairing diameter constraint by expanding to a larger diameter after the launch. Due to the potentially larger wetted area, deployable aeroshells achieve lower ballistic coefficients (well below 100 kg/m2), and if they are flown at shallower flight path angles, the entry vehicle can access trajectories with far lower decelerations (∼50–60 g's), peak heat fluxes (∼400 W/cm2) and peak pressures. The structural and TPS mass of the shallow-γ, low-β deployables are lower than their steep-γ, high-β rigid aeroshell counterparts at larger diameters, contributing to lower areal densities and potentially higher payload mass fractions. For example, at large diameters, deployables may attain aeroshell areal densities of 10 kg/m2 as opposed to 50 kg/m2 for rigid aeroshells. However, the low-β, shallow-γ paradigm also raises issues, such as the possibility of skip-out during entry. The shallow-γ could also increase the landing footprint of the vehicle. Furthermore, the deployable entry systems may be flexible, so there could be fluid-structure interaction, especially in the high altitude, low-density regimes. The need for precision in guidance, navigation and control during entry also has to be better understood. This paper investigates some of the challenges facing the design of a shallow-γ, low-β entry system.
Chemisorption of oxygen on aluminum surfaces

Abstract A critical review of the oxygen—aluminum system is presented. The primary emphasis concerns the electronic properties of aluminum surfaces exposed to oxygen. The chemisorption and oxidation aspects are considered. Cluster and slab model calculations are discussed fully and the results are related to relevant experimental data. Some of the unresolved issues are listed. A comprehensive guide to the oxygen—aluminum literature is provided.
Pharmacological approaches to the treatment of eating disorders.

The treatment of Anorexia Neruosa and bulimia through the use of pharmacological approaches is described, using a variety of case studies.
Hormonal activity of the rat placenta in the absence of dietary protein.

Placentas were removed from protein-deficient and control rats on day 10 or 11 of pregnancy and assayed in suitably prepared immature female hypophysectomized recipient rats for luteotropic and mammotropic activities. Luteotropic potency was determined by the deciduoma reaction, and mammotropic activity by lobulo-alveolar growth in the right mammary gland of recipient rats. Minimal effective doses (MED) of luteotropic and mammotropic activities were 1 placenta and $ placenta, respectively, for day 11 placentas from both protein-deficient and control rats. MEDs of day 10 placentas from protein-deficient and control donors also were comparable, both for luteotropic activity (2 placentas) and for mammotropic content (1 placenta). It is suggested that the endocrine function of the rat placenta is not impaired by the absence of dietary protein. (Endocrinology 82: 266, 1968)
Optimizing the protein nutrition of growing-finishing pigs

Abstract Growing-finishing pigs should consume each day the minimum amounts of energy and amino acids needed for maximum lean deposition. This should optimize performance traits, carcass leanness, and N excretion. These ideal conditions are difficult to achieve under experimental or farm conditions due to the factors affecting amino acid requirements and feed intake on a daily basis. Lean deposition rate and sex are two of the major factors affecting amino acid needs. If possible, maximum lean deposition rates should be determined for each herd in order to customize feeding programs, and split-sex feeding will improve N utilization. Amino acid requirements have been determined empirically and by the factorial method. The latter is preferred if the efficiency of use of absorbed amino acids can be accurately determined. Development of computer models will likely be needed to accomplish this. Apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids is the most practical means of estimating amino acid absorption at present, although it likely overestimates amino acid availability for some amino acids. Crystalline amino acids can be used to improve amino acid balance and reduce excessive intake of protein which should improve feed efficiency. A portion of the high-quality protein feeds in pig diets can be replaced by synthetic amino acids without sacrificing performance, but the effects of these substitutions on carcass merit is uncertain. Excretion of N, and the concomitant reduction of N in manure that has to be disposed of, can be manipulated nutritionally by increased use of crystalline amino acids to lower dietary protein, by use of highly digestible feedstuffs and by precise matching of amino acid needs to amino acid supply. Use of these factors could lead to a reduction in total N wastes of 20–30%.
Zonisamide as Adjunctive Therapy for Adults with Partial-Onset Epileptic Seizures: An Efficacy and Safety Review:

Purpose: To provide a review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the efficacy and safety of zonisamide as an adjunctive treatment for partial-onset seizures in epilepsy patients ages 12 years and above. Methods: Medline literature search for published double-blind RCTs involving zonisamide as adjunctive treatment for simple partial, complex partial, and secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Results: Four RCTs comprising a total of 841 patients with medically-intractable simple partial, complex partial and secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures were published between the years 1993 and 2005. Zonisamide doses included 0, 100, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mg/day. Median change in frequency of all partial seizures compared to baseline was a 26.9%–51.3% decrease at zonisamide doses of 400–600 mg/day compared to a 4.7% increase to 18.1% decrease with placebo. Responder rates (>50% reduction) for all partial seizures was 26.9%–52.5% for zonisamide at these doses versus 9.8%–22% reduction for placebo. A dose-response relationship was noted up to 500 mg/day. Seizure free rates during the double blind treatment phases were 5%–6.2% for full-dose zonisamide versus 2% for placebo in two of the RCTs. Side effects were mostly CNS in type: somnolence, fatigue, dizziness and ataxia. Mild weight loss and anorexia were reported. Symptomatic renal calculi and serious rashes were not reported, but a few cases of possible stones seen transiently on ultrasound occurred, in these 4 RCTs. Four deaths occurred: none were taking zonisamide, and two appeared to be related to suffocation during seizures. Suicidal ideation and behavior occurred equally in placebo- and ZNS-treated subjects. Post-approval information suggests the rare occurrences of metabolic acidosis, oligohydrosis and hyperthermia, more commonly in children. Conclusion: Zonisamide at a daily dose up to 600 mg is effective and generally well tolerated as adjunctive therapy in adolescents and adults with refractory partial-onset seizures.
1142 DECREASED GLUCOSE UTILIZATION WITHOUT INCREASED PRODUCTION FOLLOWING STIMULATION OF EPINEPHRINE IN CHILDREN

The hyperglycemic effect of epinephrine is commonly attributed to increased glucose production. After infusion of physiological amounts of epinephrine in adults, glucose production transiently increases without a change in utilization. In the present studies in children, glucose production and utilization rates were estimated after stimulation of endogenous epinephrine with 2-deoxyglucose (50 mg/kg, i.v. over 30 min). In 4 control children plasma epinephrine increased 13 fold to 1330 ± 430 (SE) pg/ml and glucose increased by 39 ± 11 mg/dl during 60 min following 2-deoxyglucose. Glucose production, measured by primed constant infusion of 6,6-2H2-glucose, was initially 6.1 ± 1.1 mg/kg min and did not change. The increase in plasma glucose was accounted for by a decrease in glucose utilization of 2.0 ± 0.6 mg/kg min. This was not a direct effect of 2-deoxyglucose, because in 4 epinephrine deficient children plasma epinephrine and glucose did not increase . In another study 6 control and 6 epinephrine deficient children were given glucose (500 mg/kg, i.v. in 1 min) which was repeated 2 hrs after 2-deoxyglucose. In the controls the disappearance rate of glucose decreased from 2.7 ± 0.4 to 1.4 ± 0.1%/min after 2-deoxyglucose (p<0.01); in the epinephrine deficient subjects the rate did not change (2.1 ± 0.3 %/min). These data indicate that in children the hyperglycemic effect of increased endogenous epinephrine is due to decreased glucose utilization.
How the Question Is Asked Makes a Difference in the Assessment of Depressive Symptoms in Older Persons

Objective The authors examined whether older adults respond comparably to two standard depression instruments rating symptoms by frequency/duration or degree of severity/"bother." Methods Data for this cross sectional analysis of a prospective cohort came from 699 community-dwelling individuals within the communities of Durham, North Carolina, and New Haven, Connecticut. Differences in response between the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression (CES–D) survey, emphasizing symptom frequency, were compared with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) subscale, emphasizing bother or discomfort related to those symptoms. Socioeconomic, demographic, and clinical characteristics for subjects with the greatest difference between standardized scale scores were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression. Results Older persons differed in their responses between the two instruments, despite similar content. Individuals in the highest quartile of difference between the two scales (indicating more bother than symptom frequency) had significantly more education, higher income, and were less often African American, with no differences in health conditions. Moreover, these specific socioeconomic and ethnic characteristics remained significant in multivariable analyses. Conclusions Older persons not only differed significantly in their responses between depression instruments based on one dimension or the other, although with similar content, but response was significantly associated with specific subject characteristics. The heterogeneity of older patient populations suggests that recognition of depressive symptoms should include both constructs of symptom-associated discomfort and symptom frequency to achieve more accurate assessment.
Reflectivity and scattering measurements of an Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility test coating sample.

Reflectivity and scattering profile measurements were made on a gold-coated witness sample produced to evaluate mirror coatings for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility program. Reflectivity measurements were made at Al K, Ti K, and Cu K energies as a function of incident graze angle. The results are fit to a model that includes the effects of roughness, particulate and organic contamination layers, and gold-coating density. Reflectivities are close to theoretical, with the difference being well accounted for by 4.1 A of roughness at spatial frequencies above 4 μm−1, a gold-coating density equal to 0.98 bulk, and a surface contaminant layer 27 A thick. Scattering measurements extending to ±35 arcmin of the line center were obtained by the use of Al K x rays and incidence angles from 0.75° to 3°. The scattering profiles imply a power spectral density of surface-scattering frequencies that follows a power law with an index of −1.0 and a total surface roughness for the spatial frequency band between 0.05 μm−1 and 4 μm−1 of 3.3 A. Combining the roughnesses derived from both the reflectivity and scattering measurements yields a total roughness of 5.3 A for scattering frequencies between 0.05 μm−1 and 15,000 μm−1.
Low-Profile UWB 2-Port Antenna With High Isolation

We present a collocated pair of antennas, operating from 700 to 2700 MHz. The antenna structure consists of two wideband dipole elements placed at height 0.093 λlow above a 0.47 λlow×0.54 λlow ground plane. The dipoles achieve an isolation of about 40 dB using orthogonal polarization arrangement with resistive sheets (R-card) placed between the antenna pair. The configuration is suitable for sidewall mounting and is easy to fabricate with integrated baluns on a single two-sided printed circuit board (PCB). This antenna pair should be useful for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems and simultaneous transmit/receive applications in several common wireless communication bands.
Engineering Cardiac Contractility from the Sarcomere to Tissue-Scale

Engineering myocardium with specific contractile properties is a major goal of cardiac regenerative medicine, both for in vivo therapy and in vitro disease models. Yet maintaining the multiscale coupling and uniaxial orientation from nanometer-scale actin-myosin motors to centimeter-scale muscle tissue remains a major obstacle. Inspired by the collagen fibrillar network and capillary beds in myocardium, we hypothesized that these microscale heterogeneities act as boundary conditions that direct cardiomyocyte alignment and functional coupling. Specifically, our interest is the role these boundary conditions play in the sub-cellular alignment of the sarcomeres. To tackle this problem we developed a cardiac tissue engineering methodology that allows us to control and quantify sub-micron sarcomere orientation and measure macroscale contractile force and electrical conduction. We evaluate the deformation of 2-dimensional (2D) myocardial sheets that mimic the lamellar layers of the ventricular wall. Cardiomyocytes are grown onto a free-standing film of polydimethylsiloxane elastomer, referred to as a muscular thin film (MTF). Microscale heterogeneities are created using microcontact printing to direct 2D myogenesis, either (i) isotropic with no cell or sarcomere alignment, (ii) anisotropic with uniaxial cell and sarcomere alignment or (iii) an array of 20 micrometer wide myocardial strands with enhanced uniaxial cell and sarcomere alignment. For contractility experiments, MTFs are fashioned into cantilevers, mounted in an organ bath and electrically stimulated at 0.5 Hz. Results demonstrate that isotropic myocardium generates ~1 kPa peak systolic stress. In stark contrast the anisotropic myocardium generates an order-of-magnitude greater peak systolic stress of ~10 kPa. The 1D myocardial strands generate the greatest peak systolic stress of ~17 kPa, or ~35 kPa when normalized for muscle mass. This demonstrates that microscale heterogeneities can have a profound effect on sarcomere alignment and muscle contractility, defining new strategies for optimizing electro-mechanical function in engineered muscle.
Universal reconfigurable optical logic with silicon-on-insulator resonant structures

Two areas of intense current research, optical logic and silicon photonics, can be combined to create optical logic in silicon substrates. We describe a generic (universal) optical logic gate based on silicon components that can be programmed electronically to perform any logical operation on light beams confined in a silicon waveguide under control of the silicon electronics on the same chip. The effect is to create enhanced integration between optics and electronics.
Benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-induced 9p21 aberrations associated with genetic predisposition to bladder cancer.

CDKN2A, 9p21, encodes two alternatively spiked, functionally distinct, tumor-suppressor proteins, P16INK4A and P14ARF, which play active roles in the RB1 and TP53 pathways, respectively. Deletion of 9p is one of the most frequent genomic alterations in bladder cancer. In addition, alterations of 9p21 and P16 are frequently seen in the epithelial cells of chronic smokers. This pilot study evaluated whether 9p21 aberrations induced by exposure in vitro to benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE), the metabolic product of benzo[a]pyrene, a constituent of tobacco smoke, were more common in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 61 bladder cancer patients compared to 64 matched controls. Our hypothesis was that 9p21 sensitivity to BPDE reflects the susceptibility of a specific locus to damage from carcinogens in tobacco smoke. We found that BPDE-induced chromosome band 9p21 aberrations were significantly higher in lymphocytes of bladder cancer cases (24.97 ± 5.26 per 1,000) than in controls (20.72 ± 4.51 per 1,000; P < 0.0001). However, no difference was observed for CEP9, a control locus. After adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, and smoking status, 9p BPDE sensitivity had an odds ratio (OR) of 9.01 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.75, 21.67] for bladder cancer. We further observed a gradient of elevated bladder cancer risk associated with increasing chromosomal damage. The adjusted ORs for subjects in the second, third, and highest quartiles of BPDE-induced 9p21 aberrations relative to the first quartile were 0.48 (0.04, 5.69), 5.14 (1.12, 23.59), and 21.51 (4.75, 97.34), respectively, providing increasing dose–response evidence of the locus-specific alterations. Thus, 9p21 may be a molecular target for BPDE-induced damage in bladder cancer cases. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
ApoE4 disrupts sterol and sphingolipid metabolism in Alzheimer's but not normal brain.

Abstract The ɛ4 allele of ApoE is associated with an earlier onset and faster progression of Alzheimer's disease in patients with the familial form of this neurodegenerative condition. Although ApoE4 has been repeatedly associated with altered sphingomyelin and cholesterol levels in tissue culture and rodent models, there has not been a direct quantification of sphingomyelin or sterol levels in the brains of patients with different forms of ApoE. We measured the sphingolipid and sterol content of human brain tissues and found no evidence of perturbed sterol or sphingolipid biochemistry in the brains of individuals expressing ApoE4 who did not have a preexisting neurodegenerative condition. Nevertheless, ApoE4 was associated with gross abnormalities in the sterol and sphingolipid content of numerous brain regions in patients with Alzheimer's diseaase. The findings suggest that ApoE4 may not by itself alter sterol or sphingolipid metabolism in the brain under normal conditions, but that other neuropathologic changes of Alzheimer's are required to unmask the effect of ApoE4, and to perturb sterol and sphingolipid biochemistry.
Erratum to: What is Life? Defining Life in the Context of Emergent Complexity

Erratum to: Orig Life Evol Biosph (2010) 40:221-229DOI 10.1007/s11084-010-9203-4The statement in our paper that the replication reaction is "an extreme expression of kineticcontrol, in which thermodynamic requirements play a supporting rather than a directingrole" and the idea that teleonomy derives from that extreme expression of kinetic control,were taken from an earlier publication by Pross (2003) and should have been cited. Weapologize for this oversight.Reference
The beam-driven chromospheric evaporation model of solar flares - A model not supported by observations from nonimpulsive large flares

Most large solar flares exhibit hard X-ray emission which is usually impulsive, as well as thermal soft X-ray emission, which is gradual. The beam-driven chromospheric evaporation model of solar flares was proposed to explain the origin of the soft X-ray emitting flare plasma. A careful evaluation of the issue under discussion reveals contradictions between predictions from the theoretical chromospheric evaporation model and actual observations from a set of large X- and M-type flares. It is shown that although the soft X-ray and hard X-ray emissions are a result of the same flare, one is not a result of the other.
Histomorphometric analysis of a cell-based model of cartilage repair

This study examined the morphology of chondrocytes in an established model of articular cartilage repair. Articular cartilage was harvested from young sheep and seeded onto pieces of devitalized sheep cartilage. The seeded pieces were stacked in pairs and wrapped in fibrin glue, and then implanted subcutaneously in the dorsum of athymic mice. Samples were harvested after 6 weeks and examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or by light microscopy. TEM revealed that the cells in direct apposition to the devitalized cartilage were elongated, with an enlarged cytoplasm, and a ruffled border. TEM of cells far from the interface with scaffold tissue revealed rounded cells with large nuclei that appeared similar to normal chondrocytes. Quantitative morphometry of histologic specimens revealed that cell area, relative amount of cytoplasm, cell aspect ratio, and relative nuclear displacement were all higher in cells near the interface with the scaffold tissue, and decreased with distance from the interfa...
Urogenital anomalies in fetal rats produced by the anticancer agent 4(5)-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno) imidazole-4-carboxamide

Pregnant Wistar rats injected intraperitoneally on gestational day 12 with single doses (100–1,000 mg/kg) or 600 mg/kg of 4(5)–(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (DIC) were autopsied on day 21 (100–1,000 mg/kg) or at 24-hour intervals on days 13–20 (600 mg/kg). Controls received CMC on the same schedule. All fetuses were weighed and examined for urogenital system (UGS) malformations. Those given 600 mg/kg were also studied histologically. DIC produced significant growth retardation at all doses on day 21 (18–72%). UGS malformations occurred in 27–67% of the fetuses at 200–400 mg/kg and in 100% of those given 600 mg/kg or more of DIC. Abnormalities included renal growth inhibition, fusion, ectopia, and ureteropelvic dilatation. At 600 mg/kg renal and body weights were reduced 40 and 55%, respectively. Ureteropelvic dilatation was common, and cortical glomeruli, nephric collecting tubules, and papillae were retarded in development. The juxtamedullary glomeruli were well developed. Proximal nephric tubular mitotic activity was 85% greater than in control animals (day 17). On the basis of pertinent morphological and physiological data, it is postulated that the dilated upper urinary tracts represent functional hydronephrosis incident to severe renal retardation and its resultant compensatory response.
Improved Morphology and Performance from Surface Treatments of Naphthalenetetracarboxylic Diimide Bottom Contact Field-Effect Transistors

We report bottom contact organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with various surface treatments based on n-channel materials, specifically, 1,4,5,8-naphthalene-teracarboxylic diimides (NTCDIs) with three different fluorinated N-substituents, systematically studied with a particular emphasis on the interplay between the morphology of the organic semiconductor films and the electrical device properties. The morphological origins of the improvements were directly and dramatically visualized at the semiconductor-contact interface. As a result of a series of treatments, a large range of performances of bottom contact side-chain-fluorinated NTCDI OFETs (mobility from 1 x 10(-6) to 8 x 10(-2) cm(2)/(V s), on/off ratio from 1 x 10(2) to 1 x 10(5)) were obtained. The surface treatments enabled systems that had shown essentially no OFET activity without electrode modification activity to perform nearly as well as top contact devices made from the same materials. In addition, for the fresh bottom contact NTCDI device, the effect of gate bias stress on the tens-of-minutes time scale, during which the threshold voltage (V(t)) shifted and relaxed with similar time constants, was observed.
Backtracking in a multiple-window hypertext environment

Multi-window interfaces allow users to work on logically independent taks simultaneously in different sets of windows and to move among these logical tasks at will (e.g., through selecting a window in a different task). Hypertext backtracking should be able to treat each logical task separately. Combining all traversals in a single chronological history log would violate the user's mental model and cause disorientation. In this paper we introduce task-based backtracking, a technique for backtracking within the various logical tasks a user may be working on at any given time. We present a preliminary algorithm for its implementation. We also discuss several ramifications of multi-window backtracking including the types of events history logs must record, deleting nodes from history logs that appear in multiple logical tasks, and in general the choices hypermedia designers face in multi-window environments.
Mechanically Assisted Ventilation in a Community Hospital: Immediate Outcome, Hospital Charges, and Follow-up of Patients

• In 100 consecutive patients undergoing mechanically assisted ventilation, we prospectively determined immediate survival, hospitalization charges, and subsequent one-year outcome. Sixty percent of the patients survived the episode of assisted ventilation. This survival decreased to 50% at the time of hospital discharge and to 33% one year after hospitalization. There were no posthospitalization deaths in patients less than age 50 years. In those patients older than 70 years, however, 51% were dead by the time of hospital discharge and 73% died by one year following discharge. Comparison of features that reflect the magnitude of intensive respiratory care, such as hours of ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, disclosed no statistically significant differences between survivors and nonsurvivors at discharge. Hospitalization charges averaged $10,968 per patient. The total charge for respiratory therapy services (including arterial blood gas determinations) averaged $2,200. Respiratory care service charges were only marginally different between survivors and nonsurvivors. By contrast, total charges and total length of stay were greater for the survivors. Resource use in the intensive care setting as reflected by hours of mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay was similar in both survivors and nonsurvivors, with the larger total cost for survivors relating primarily to care outside the ICU. Also, we confirm that prognosis is excellent in patients less than 50 years of age who survive mechanically assisted ventilation for acute respiratory failure and that extubation in elderly patients is not necessarily indicative of a good prognosis. ( Arch Intern Med 1985;145:235-239)