cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ratiometric fiber optic sensors for the detection of inter- and intra-cellular dissolved oxygen

A sensor platform was developed for the detection of inter- and intra-cellular dissolved oxygen, using a fiber optic probe. The design and fabrication of the oxygen fiber optic sensor are based on the excellent luminescence quenching properties of the near-infrared oxygen sensitive platinum(II) octaethylporphine ketone (PtOEPK) dye. Together with a reference dye, octaethyl porphyrin (OEP) or bodipy maleimide 577/618, the dye was entrapped, in an easily renewable liquid polymer matrix, made of polyvinyl chloride, including the plastisizing agent bis(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate (DOS). Multi-mode fibers were pulled down to submicron dimensions and a dip coating procedure was used to apply the sensing membrane film to the tip. This sensor was fully characterized and exhibits excellent reversibility, minimal photobleaching and leaching, and fast response times. The resulting oxygen sensor is one of the most sensitive optical oxygen sensors to date, with good linearity in the Stern–Volmer plot calibrations. This sensor is ultimately intended for biological inter- and intra-cellular measurements.
Cytosine arabinoside induced changes in natural killer and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity functions in multiple sclerosis patients.

AbstractFive multiple sclerosis patients were treated weekly with cytosine arabinoside (araC) on an escalating dose schedule. The dose was initiated at 50mg/M2 and then increased once each week by 50mg/M2 (unless toxicity caused delay). Dosage decisions were based on whether or not the antibody-dependent cellular-cytotoxicity (ADCC) or natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity levels had been reduced to a level more than 2 standard deviations below the control range. Cytosine arabinoside treatment was discontinued in 2 of 5 subjects at doses of 500mg/M2 due to toxicity. The 3 remaining patients demonstrated sustained reductions in the percentage of FcR+ cells in their peripheral blood. The maximum percentage reductions from the baseline values ranged from 50% to 76%. Concomitant reductions in the NK activity at the same doses ranged from 65% to 83%. ADCC activity in all 3 patients, however, was relatively resistant to suppression. The nadirs for the ADCC activity were only 16% to 44% below the baseline minimums. A...
Properties of the methylene group in 1,4-Dienes. I. Catalytic polymerization of 1,4-Pentadiene

Attempts to obtain 1,3-pentadiene from the uncatalyzed or catalyzed isomerization of 1,4-pentadiene at 200–250° were not successful. Dimers and higher polymers were formed, presumably by conjugation and addition reactions. The activity of several catalysts was measured by the yields of polymer. Sodium hydroxide was most effective, followed by sulfur dioxide,beta-chloroanthraquinone, anthraquinone-beta-carboxylic acid, and anthraquinone in order of decreasing activity. In 1,4 and 1,3-pentadiene mixtures, anthraquinone and sulfur dioxide catalyze slightly the formation of high polymers, but sodium hydroxide catalyzes both total polymer and dimer. The quinones are believed to function in 1,4 to 1,3-diene isomerization by a free radical mechanism, sulfur dioxide and sodium hydroxide by polar mechanisms. These results are related to the polymerization of non-conjugated drying oils.
Health Services Technology/Assessment Text (HSTAT)

Health Services Technology/Assessment Text (HSTAT), an online collection of documents pertaining to clinical practice guidelines, HIV/AIDS treatment information, and health care decision making, was recently introduced by the National Library of Medicine. Access to HSTAT is available through the NLM Full-Text Retrieval System (FTRS), a document search and retrieval system developed by the Information Technology Branch of NLM. Internet FTP, Gopher, and World Wide Web clients may also be used to obtain documents from the HSTAT collection.
Frameless rendering: double buffering considered harmful

The use of double-buffered displays, in which the previous image is displayed until the next image is complete, can impair the interactivity of systems that require tight coupling between the human user and the computer. We are experimenting with an alternate rendering strategy that computes each pixel based on the most recent input (i.e., view and object positions) and immediately updates the pixel on the display. We avoid the image tearing normally associated with single-buffered displays by randomizing the order in which pixels are updated. The resulting image sequences give the impression of moving continuously, with a rough approximation of motion blur, rather than jerking between discrete positions.We have demonstrated the effectiveness of this frameless rendering method with a simulation that shows conventional double-buffering side-by-side with frameless rendering. Both methods are allowed the same computation budget, but the double-buffered display only updates after all pixels are computed while the frameless rendering display updates pixels as they are computed. The frameless rendering display exhibits fluid motion while the double-buffered display jumps from frame to frame. The randomized sampling inherent in frameless rendering means that we cannot take advantage of image and object coherence properties that are important to current polygon renderers, but for renderers based on tracing independent rays the added cost is small.
Intraepithelial and stromal lymphocytes in the normal human prostate

BACKGROUND The distribution and significance of lymphocytes in the normal human prostate is uncertain. It may be important as a determinant of the immune response, playing a role in hyperplasia and carcinogenesis. METHODS We studied 28 normal autopsy prostates from patients between 1 and 64 years of age. Cases with nodular hyperplasia, intraepithelial neoplasia, cancer, and florid prostatitis were excluded. Each prostate was routinely processed to paraffin and immunohistochemically stained for CD20, CD45, and CD45RO. Three frozen samples obtained from these cases were stained for CD8 and CD4. One low power field (25× magnification, 50 mm2) was randomly chosen for examination from each anatomic zone of the prostate, namely the peripheral, transition, and central zone. Lymphocytes were visually counted in the stroma and epithelium of each zone. Lymphocyte counts were converted to number of cells per square millimeter based on the area of the slide per field and the percentage of field that was glandular. RESULTS Stromal lymphocytes were more numerous than epithelial lymphocytes (mean, 7.32 and 2.04 cells/mm2, respectively). They were mostly T cells (stromal lymphocytes: 93% CD45RO +; epithelial lymphocytes: 99% CD45RO +). Helper/inducer (CD4 +) T cells predominated in the stroma, whereas those in epithelium were chiefly cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8 +). No difference was found in the number of stromal and epithelial T or B cells according to patient age, race, or location within the prostate (peripheral, central, and transition zones) (all P > 0.05), although the number of lymphocytes in the peripheral zone tended to exceed that in the other zones after correcting for gland:stroma ratio. CONCLUSIONS The immune response in the prostate is primarily cell-mediated. Cell distribution is constant according to patient age, race, and anatomic zonal location within the prostate. The greatest concentration is in the stroma with a small but significant number of intraepithelial cells. The inverted CD4/CD8 ratio in the intraepithelial compartment suggests that cytotoxic/suppressor T cells are the first line of defense against luminal foreign agents reaching the prostate through retrograde flow. Prostate 55: 187–193, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
DIFFERENCE METHODS FOR THE INVISCID AND VISCOUS EQUATIONS OF A COMPRESSIBLE GAS.

Abstract In this paper we examine several second-order accurate schemes for the solution of one-dimensional flows containing discontinuities. Two problems of shock interactions have been considered, and two generalizations of these schemes have been used for the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations.
Iterative multiuser receivers for CDMA channels: an EM-based approach

Maximum-likelihood detection for the multiuser code-division multiple-access (CDMA) channel is prohibitively complex. This paper considers new iterative multiuser receivers based on the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm and related, more powerful "space-alternating" algorithms. The latter algorithms include the SAGE algorithm and a new "missing parameter" space-alternating algorithm that alternately updates individual parameter components or treats them as probabilistic missing data. Application of these EM-based algorithms to the problem of discrete parameter estimation (i.e., data detection) in the Gaussian multiple-access channel leads to a variety of convergent receiver structures that incorporate soft-decision feedback for interference cancellation and/or sequential updating of iterative bit estimates. Convergence and performance analyses are based on well-known properties of the EM algorithm and on numerical simulation.
Ensuring vitamin D supplementation in nursing home patients--a quality improvement project

Randomized controlled trials have shown that adequate vitamin D supplementation in nursing home (NH) residents reduces the rates of falls and fractures. In our NH, review of medication administration records of all patients (n = 101) revealed that only 34.6% of the patients were currently prescribed adequate doses of vitamin D, revealing a need for intervention. We designed a Quality Improvement (QI) project with the objective of improving the vitamin D prescription rate in our NH. We used the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) approach to implement this QI project. Patients not currently prescribed an adequate dose of vitamin D were identified and started on a daily dose of 800 IU of vitamin D. Additionally, patients who were experiencing falls while on an adequate dose of vitamin D for 3 months were examined for the possibility of vitamin D deficiency and were started on 50,000 IU of vitamin D per week for 12 weeks if they were found to be vitamin D-deficient based on blood levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D below 30 ng/mL. We found that with several PDSA cycles over a period of 5 months, the prescription rate for vitamin D was increased to 86%, surpassing our initial goal of 80%. In conclusion, we found that a multidisciplinary QI program utilizing multiple PDSA cycles was effective in reaching target prescription rates for vitamin D supplementation in a population of NH patients.
Threshold photoelectron spectrum of O2 by electron attachment

Abstract The threshold photoclectron spectrum of O 2 is studied by tlie technique of threshold photoelectron spectroscopy by electron attachment (TPSA) Autoionization-enhanced vibrational excitation up to high v ' is observed in the O + 2 ground X 2 Ilg state, and to lovier v ' in the a 4 Π u , A 2 Π u and b 4 σ − g states.
Use of magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound in the antenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta.

Objective: To determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) are effective methods for diagnosing placenta accreta, increta, or percreta antenatally. Methods: We retrospecti...
Improving soil moisture retrievals from a physically-based radiative transfer model

Abstract Near surface soil moisture is being estimated from space-borne passive microwave observations through inverting a physically-based radiative transfer model (RTM), the land surface microwave emission model (LSMEM) at Princeton University for the past several years. The existing retrieval scheme utilizes only the horizontal ( H ) polarization measurement from a single channel (10.65 GHz). This physically-based approach requires a relatively large number of parameters, and it generally suffers from large biases/errors due to the difficulty in determining the correct parameters. This study characterizes these errors in order to improve the retrieval performance. Through model sensitivity analysis, this study finds that a dual polarization approach (using both horizontal and vertical polarizations) is needed to infer the correct vegetation opacity and correct polarization mixing measured by the space-borne sensor. Revisions are then made to the LSMEM formulations and soil moisture retrieval algorithm by 1) combining two vegetation parameters and one roughness parameter into one effective vegetation optical depth (VOD) value; and 2) providing an additional model equation that estimates the effective VOD from both polarizations and an initial guess of soil moisture value. The new retrieval algorithm is implemented to produce a daily 0.25° gridded soil moisture dataset based on observations from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E). Validations are performed globally against land surface model simulations and at local/point scale against in-situ data within the continental United States. The new retrievals are shown to have good and robust performance over most parts of the world in terms of reproducing the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil moisture.
Iterated logarithm inequalities.

1. Introduction—Let x,x 1, x 2 … be a sequence of independent, identically distributed random variables with mean 0, variance 1, and moment generating function ϕ(t) = E(etz) finite in some neighborhood of t= 0, and put S n = x 1, + … + x n, \(\bar x\) n = S n/n. For any sequence of positive constants a n, n ≥ 1, let P m = P(|\(\bar x\) n| ≥ a n for some n ≥ m).
Reactions to the family of the suicide.

The present study investigated reactions to the survivors of a family member's suicide. One hundred and twenty seven adults, members of a large urban Protestant church, responded to a newspaper account of a suicide in which the following factors were systematically varied: sex of the suicide, causal locus of the suicide, and whether the cause was prior or immediate to the suicide. The design was a 2 (sex of respondent) x 2 (sex of suicide) x 2 (locus of cause internal or external to the individual) x 2 (temporally remote cause or immediate cause). Results indicated a slight tendency for males to be somewhat more socially accepting of the surviving spouse of a suicide. There was also a significant interaction between sex of respondent x sex of the suicide, such that respondents indicated they would feel less tension in talking with the surviving family of a suicide of the same sex. Language: en
p300 Coactivates the Adipogenic Transcription Factor CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein α

Despite the knowledge that CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) plays an important role in preadipocyte differentiation, our understanding of how C/EBPalpha interacts with nuclear proteins to regulate transcription is limited. Based on the hypothesis that evolutionarily conserved regions are functionally important and likely to interact with coactivators, we compared the amino acid sequence of C/EBPalpha from different species (frog to human) and identified four highly conserved regions (CR1-CR4) within the transactivation domain. A series of amino-terminal truncations and internal deletion constructs were made creating forms of C/EBPalpha which lack single or multiple conserved regions. To determine which regions of the C/EBPalpha transactivation domain are important in its ability to induce spontaneous differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, we infected preadipocytes with expression vectors encoding the C/EBPalpha conserved region mutants and observed their ability to induce differentiation. We found that CR2 fused to the DNA binding domain is able to induce spontaneous differentiation independent of the other conserved regions. However, CR2 was not necessary for the adipogenic action of C/EBPalpha because a combination of CR1 and CR3 can also induce adipogenesis. Because the transcriptional coactivator p300 participates in the signaling of many transcription factors to the basal transcriptional apparatus, we examined whether functional interaction exists between C/EBPalpha and p300. Cotransfection of p300 with p42C/EBPalpha results in a synergistic increase in leptin promoter activity, indicating that p300 acts as a transcriptional coactivator of C/EBPalpha. Analyses using C/EBPalpha conserved region mutants suggest that multiple regions (CR2 and CR3) of the C/EBPalpha transactivation domain functionally interact with p300.
Transportation Policy: Precedent-Breaking Choices over Five Decades

Dramatic changes in transport policy have occurred since publication of the inaugural issue of Transportation Journal . Paramount among these changes is economic deregulation. It brought to a vestige the once-comprehensive structure of control over business behavior in transport markets that had endured since its 19th-century starting point. As economic regulation receded, environmental, safety, and security regulation of transport burgeoned, driven more strongly by political than by economic calculations. Determination of whether its benefi ts exceed its costs will require a longterm horizon rather than a short-run one. Emerging political currents portend contraction of both publicly funded transport services, and infrastructure quality and capacity. Looking ahead, crafting and implementation of means for adequate funding—and for economically rational safety, security, and environmental standards—stand as prime transport policy challenges between the Golden and Diamond Anniversaries of the Transportation Journal .
Selective and nonselective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors and experimental fracture-healing. Reversibility of effects after short-term treatment.

Background: Cyclooxygenase-2-specific anti-inflammatory drugs (coxibs) and nonspecific nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to inhibit experimental fracture-healing. The present study tested the hypothesis that these effects are reversible after short-term treatment.Methods: With use
N-Chloroacetyl-[125I]iodotyramine: An alkylating agent with high specific activity

Abstract The preparation of iodinated N -chloroacetyltyramine and its evaluation as a specific sulfhydryl reagent are described. N -Chloroacetyltyramine was synthesized by a carbodiimide-mediated condensation of chloro- or iodoacetic acid and tyramine·HCL, and the crystalline product was iodinated in a reaction with chloramine T to yield either a 3,5-[ 125 I]diiodotyramine derivative, or a trace-iodinated product when carrier-free 125 I was employed. These iodinated derivatives react specifically with sulfhydryl groups, as judged by their ability to label reduced but not unreduced ribonuclease A and immunoglobulin E. Specific activities of 1 Ci/mmole in 125 I or 131 I can be readily achieved with both the diiodinated and trace-iodinated (carrier-free) derivatives, and the specific activity of the former can be used directly to quantitate sulfhydryl groups in subnanomolar quantities of protein. N -Chloroacetyl 125 I-labeled tyramine prepared by trace iodination with carrier-free 125 I is more useful when very high specific activities (100–1000 mCi/μmol) are required. The utility of these reagents is discussed.
Solvent Cage Effects in Organocobalt Corrinoid Chemistry: Thermal Homolysis of alpha- and beta-(Cyanomethyl)cobinamides(1).

The equilibrium constant for the thermal isomerization of the diastereomeric α- and β-(cyanomethyl)cobinamides (NCCH2Cbi+'s) has been measured over the temperature range 70−95 °C. Although the β di...
Splenic infarct presenting as acute abdominal pain in an older patient

A 67-year-old female presented to the Emergency Department with a several hour history of severe pain in the left upper quadrant. A computed tomographic study (CT scan) of the abdomen demonstrated a splenic infarct. The patient was subsequently found to have a patent foramen ovale, with a small right-to-left shunt. This patient's splenic infarct is considered to be embolic in etiology, either from the patent foramen ovale or severe atherosclerotic disease. Patients with left upper quadrant pain who do not have the etiology differentiated by initial testing should be considered to have the potential for splenic infarction. This case illustrates the uncommon occurrence of splenic infarction, presenting as left upper quadrant pain.
1685 UPPER AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION (UAO) DURING SLEEP: A CLINICAL SPECTRUM

Sleep disturbance (SD) is often the presenting complaint in children who have UAO of various etiologies. We recently evaluated 9 children who presented with symptoms of SD and/or signs of UAO during sleep. They were studied with noninvasive techniques including sleeping airway fluoroscopy, respiratory gas exchange, airflow and impedance pneumography for evidence of UAO and apnea.
Some fibrocystic breast change may be caused by sexually transmitted H. pylori during oral nipple contact: supporting literature and case report of resolution after gut H. pylori eradication treatment.

Summary Objectives To briefly review previously published evidence for Helicobacter pylori (Hp), colonization of extra-intestinal sites and suggest an hypothesis that breast acini and ducts be added to this list, concluding such breast colonization is not rare and is a sexually transmitted infection. Methods PubMed literature search and review with a case report. Conclusions (1) Evidence indicates oral Hp is common and can remain in the mouth after successful eradication in stomach and duodenum. (2) Evidence indicates that the breast is also occasionally colonized by Hp. (3) Hp may be injected retrograde up into ducts of the breast during oral nipple stimulation during sexual activity and this Hp may give rise to some cases of fibrocystic breast change. (4) A case of painful fibrocystic change that had been present for two years in a 27 year old female, resolved after gastrointestinal Hp treatment.
A Computer Assisted Method for Guide-Wore and Catheter Evaluation

We developed a method for testing guide wires and catheters that realistically evaluates the forces applied to anatomical structures by these instruments during urological procedures. The placement of guide wires and catheters to gain access to the upper urinary tract can induce undesirable stresses on the tissues. Previous studies have characterized wire/catheter performances base on their physical properties such as stiffness and friction coefficient. However, the results of these studies do not directly quantify their effect on the tissues. Additionally, individual physical properties do not entirely characterize the behavior of the wire/catheter ensemble. Our model utilizes a computer-controlled test stand that simulates the urological environment by including a tortuous path and a stone obstruction. Experimental results indicate that the method shows significant promise in reflecting wire/catheter performance data in congruence with reliable real-life measures of stress upon relevant anatomical structures. Furthermore, due to the modularity of the approach, the model can be easily reconfigured to simulate environments from other medical fields
Elementary Teachers' Use of Graphical Representations in Science Teaching.

The purpose of this study was to obtain data on United States K-5 elementary school teachers’ self-reported instructional practices with graphical representations. Via an electronic survey, 388 elementary teachers, from throughout the US, reported about their teaching of the interpretation and the production of graphics within science. The main findings indicate that: (1) pointing to or referring to graphical representations in books (92% of respondents) was the most frequently used instructional practice across the disciplines and grade levels; (2) five of nine graphical representations (over 90%) were more frequently used in science instruction than in other content areas, and (3) students’ graphical productions involving drawings, labeling, and oral and written explanations were very infrequent. The findings indicate that while teachers may tacitly use graphics within science instruction, they may not be explicitly teaching about this visual form of communication.
A common FGFR3 gene mutation is present in achondroplasia but not in hypochondroplasia

Achondroplasia is the most common type of genetic dwarfism. It is characterized by disproportionate short stature and other skeletal anomalies resulting from a defect in the maturation of the chondrocytes in the growth plate of the cartilage. Recent studies mapped the achondroplasia gene on chromosome region 4p16.3 and identified a common mutation in the gene encoding the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3). In an analysis of 19 achondroplasia families from a variety of ethnic backgrounds we confirmed the presence of the G380R mutation in 21 of 23 achondroplasia chromosomes studied. In contrast, the G380R mutation was not found in any of the 8 hypochondroplasia chromosomes studied. Furthermore, linkage studies in a 3-generation family with hypochondroplasia show discordant segregation with markers in the 4p16.3 region suggesting that at least some cases of hypochondroplasia are caused by mutations in a gene other than FGFR3.
Histrionicotoxin and alkylguanidine interactions with the solubilized and membrane-bound muscarinic acetylcholine receptor from porcine atria.

Abstract The interaction of alkylguanidines and decahydrohistrionicotoxin with the membrane-bound and solubilized muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAcChR) from porcine atria was described. Alkylguanidines with alkyl chain lengths from one to ten carbons displaced l -[ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ( l -[ 3 H]QNB) competitively from a single class of sites for the membrane-bound mAcChR. From a plot of −ln K i versus alkyl carbon chain number, a value of −(473 ± 30) cal/mol was estimated as the energetic contribution per methylene group to the total binding energy. The binding of alkylguanidines to the digitonin/cholate solubilized mAcChR was complex in nature resulting in titration curves that did not obey the law of mass action for simple competitive inhibition at higher alkyl carbon numbers and a sigmoidal plot of −ln K i versus carbon number. Decahydrohistrionicotoxin bound in a competitive manner versus l -[ 3 H]QNB to both the membrane-bound ( K i = (6.9 ± 1.4) × 10 −6 M) and the solubilized ( K i = (1.5 ± 0.3) × 10 −5 M) preparations.
Application of solid state fermentation techniques to dispose of chlorpyrifos and metolachlor

Abstract Small-scale farm operators have a pressing need for methods to dispose of unused concentrated and dilute formulated pesticide suspensions or solutions such as rinsate. The suitability of solid state fermentation (SSF) techniques to dispose of chlorpyrifos and metolachlor was evaluated. Pesticides were added to bioreactors containing either sphagnum peat moss, steam-exploded wood (SEW), or a wheat straw-horse manure mixture. Sorbent material was sampled periodically to determine pesticide content. In peat, SEW, and wheat straw-horse manure filled bioreactors containing chlorpyrifos at a loading rate of 1.0 g kg −1 (dry wt. basis), solvent extractable levels of pesticide decreased to 0.5, 24, and 0.6% of starting levels in 290, 270, and 290 days of bioreactor operation, respectively. In peat, SEW, and wheat straw-horse manure filled bioreactors containing metolachlor at a loading time of 2 g kg −1 (dry wt. basis), solvent extractable levels of pesticide decreased to 23, 49, and 0.3% of starting levels within 315, 315, and 120 days of reactor operation, respectively. Soil column leaching studies were conducted using peat and wheat straw-horse manure sorbents following bioreactor shutdown, to assess the potential environmental hazard of land applying spent sorbent materials. The amount of chlorpyrifos and metolachlor leached from peat was greater than that from wheat straw-horse manure. Based on leachability studies, the wheat straw-horse manure was superior to peat as a disposal matrix material. The use of SSF techniques to dispose of pesticide waste may prove a viable alternative to other disposal methods that are either too expensive or technically sophisticated.
Nanosecond two-dimensional imaging using tomographic techniques

Several fast, single transient data imaging systems have been developed for time-resolved imaging of pulsed radiation sources. Both MCP intensified solid-state, two-dimensional framing cameras and streak cameras/solid-state camera systems are used.** The streak camera system yields small, two-dimensional images with limited spatial resolution (< 150 spatial points) and ≤ 0.5 nsec exposure. It is those streak camera systems developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that are used for obtaining time-resolved, tomographically reconstructed, two-dimensional images of electron and x-ray beams.© (1987) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
How Well Are We Preparing Them?: An Assessment of First-Year Library Student Assistants’ Information Literacy Skills

Most libraries have fully integrated cadres of student assistants into their daily operations, including helping at points of service. As libraries rely more and more on student assistants, we must maintain exceptional customer service to our users. This requires our student assistants to possess information literacy skills that exceed those of our users. This assessment investigates the information literacy skills of first-year library student assistants when compared to the general first-year student population, and it examines if first-year library student assistants’ information literacy skills increase more than those of their peers during their first semester at college.
Opioids act centrally to modulate stress-induced decrease in luteinizing hormone in the rat.

Because endogenous opioid peptides (EOP) and CRF are activated during stress and decrease LH levels when injected centrally, we have explored the roles of these peptides in the stress-induced inhibition of LH secretion. Three opioid peptide systems [i.e. endorphin (END), enkephalin, dynorphin (DYN)], are present in the hypothalamus, acting on different opiate receptor subtypes (i.e. μ, §, K). We first evaluated which EOP might be involved in the stress-induced decrease of LH levels. Immunoneutralization of EOP and pharmacological blockade of opiate receptors were used to reverse the decrease in LH induced by inescapable intermittent footshock in castrated male rats. Anti-β-END and anti-DYN-A serum (intracerebroventricularly [icv]) or pretreatment with β-END antagonist, β-human END-(6–31) (2 and 5 nmol, icv), or with K-antagonists, Mr1452 MS and Mr2266 BS (10 mg/kg BW, ip), reversed electroshock-induced decrease in LH concentrations. β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA), an irreversible μ1-opiate receptor antagonist, ...
Treatment of pediatric Grade II spinal ependymomas: a population-based study

OBJECT Grade II spinal cord ependymomas occurring in pediatric patients are exceptionally rare neoplasms. In this paper the authors use a national cancer database to determine patient demographics, treatment patterns, and associated outcomes of this cohort. METHODS The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was used to analyze subjects younger than 18 years with histologically confirmed diagnoses of Grade II spinal cord ependymoma from the years 1973 to 2008. Descriptive data on the demographic characteristics of this cohort and the associated treatment patterns are shown. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years. RESULTS This cohort comprised 64 pediatric subjects with Grade II spinal ependymoma. The median age was 13 years, nearly half of the patients were male, and most were white (84%). The median follow-up was 9.2 years. Overall survival at 5 and 10 years was 86% and 83%, respectively. Gross-total resection was achieved in 57% of subjec...
Outcomes of Patients With Stable Heart Failure Undergoing Elective Noncardiac Surgery

OBJECTIVE To evaluate modern surgical outcomes in patients with stable heart failure undergoing elective major noncardiac surgery and to compare the experience of patients with heart failure who have reduced vs preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively studied 557 consecutive patients with heart failure (192 EF ≤40% and 365 EF >40%) and 10,583 controls who underwent systematic evaluation by hospitalists in a preoperative clinic before having major elective noncardiac surgery between January 1, 2003, and March 31, 2006. We examined outcomes in the entire cohort and in propensity-matched case-control groups. RESULTS Unadjusted 1-month postoperative mortality in patients with both types of heart failure vs controls was 1.3% vs 0.4% ( P =.009), but this difference was not significant in propensity-matched groups ( P =.09). Unadjusted differences in mean hospital length of stay among heart failure patients vs controls (5.7 vs 4.3 days; P P 40% ( P P =.43). CONCLUSION Patients with clinically stable heart failure did not have high perioperative mortality rates in association with elective major noncardiac surgery, but they were more likely than patients without heart failure to have longer hospital stays, were more likely to require hospital readmission, and had a substantial long-term mortality rate.
Within population variation in the demography of Speyeria mormonia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

The adult demography of a population of Speyeria mormonia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) near Gothic, Colorado USA was studied for four years. Values of demographic parameters, including survival, dispersal and sex ratio, varied yearly, without major changes in density. Shift in sex ratio with constant population numbers entails variation in effective population size among years. Flight period, catchability, relationship between body size and eclosion date, and significance of correlation between weather and daily survival rates differed between the sexes. Sexual dimorphism in correlation of wheather with survival rate may partially explain the lack of yearly variation in total population size. There was no significant sexual dimorphism in large scale habitat use, or in dispersal, except in 1982. The demography of this insect is compared to that of related species of Argynnis and heliconiines, from the old world temperate zone and new world tropics, respectively. While some differences are observed which can be ascribed to differences in length of the growing season, many patterns are similar. This implies conservation of demographic traits, even across broad habitat and geographic areas.
The Emergence of Technical Communication in China—Yi Jing (I Ching) The Budding of a Tradition

To promote intercultural understanding in technical communication, this article studies Yi Jing as a technical instructions manual, the first technical communication book in China. After examining ...
Experimental Assessment of Affective Processing in Fibromyalgia

Abstract Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain disorder associated with widespread musculoskeletal pain, tenderness, and fatigue. Additionally, correlational research suggests negative affect (eg, depression, anxiety) and deficits in positive affect may contribute to FMS symptomatology. However, well-controlled, experimental research is necessary to ascertain whether patients with FMS have problems in affective processing. The present study used a well-validated picture-viewing paradigm to evoke emotional responses in 17 patients with FMS and 17 sex- and age-matched healthy control participants. Each participant viewed pleasant (erotica), neutral, and unpleasant (attack related) pictures, and abrupt white noises were delivered during two-thirds of the pictures to evoke startle eyeblinks. Appetitive and defensive responding was assessed from subjective (valence/pleasure and arousal ratings) and physiological (corrugator EMG, heart rate, skin-conductance response, startle-reflex modulation) reactions to pictures. Results suggested FMS was associated with greater defensive activation (displeasure, subjective arousal, corrugator EMG) to the unpleasant, threat-related pictures, but not deficits in appetitive activation to erotic pictures. Although preliminary, these data suggest individuals with FMS have deficits in affective processing, but this dysregulation may be limited to defensive activation. Implications for treatment and future research are discussed. Perspective Fibromyalgia is a debilitating disease associated with affective distress. Results from the present study suggest that FMS is associated with enhanced defensive activation to nonpainful threat-related stimuli, but not deficits in appetitive reactions to erotic stimuli. These findings have implications for the treatment and study of FMS.
Compartment- and model-independent linear plateau principle of drugs during a constant-rate absorption or intravenous infusion

A simple general equation is derived to show the linear plateau principle under various conditions during or after a constant or changing rate of absorption or intravenous infusion. The time required to cause a certain fraction (ft) of the total shift or change between the two steady-state plasma concentrations is equal to the time required for the cumulative (from time zero) plasma area, AUC0→t, to reach the same fraction of AUC0→∞ assumed to be obtained after an instantaneousintravenous dosing. The role of the terminal biological half-life and the importance of the earlydistribution phase and its exponential half-life or lives in the plateau principle are discussed.Clinical implications and applications to multiple dosage regimens are also discussed.
Utility of a focused vancomycin-resistant enterococci screening protocol to identify colonization in hospitalized children

Screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is controversial, and disagreement exists on policy implementation. This study investigated the likelihood of a positive test using 1, 2, or 3 rectal screenings for VRE colonization. In this descriptive study of positive VRE screening cultures, a total of 1211 VRE screens identified 41 positive results. The mean age of these positive patients was 5.7 years. Thirty-nine of the 41 had a chronic illness, and only 2 were healthy. Diagnoses included pulmonary disease in 11 patients and chronic gastrointestinal abnormality in 7. Six patients had been born preterm, and 12 had been treated in a neonatal intensive care unit within the previous 6 months. Thirty-six of the 41 positive results were identified on the first screen. The likelihood of subsequently having a positive screen after a negative screen was 0.43% (95% confidence interval, 0.15%-1.02%). The cost of cultures plus isolation was $50,000 for the study period. Our data show that the likelihood of detecting a positive VRE culture after an initial negative was low, particularly in otherwise healthy children.
A Nonsynonymous Mutation in the Transcriptional Regulator lbh Is Associated with Cichlid Craniofacial Adaptation and Neural Crest Cell Development

Since the time of Darwin, biologists have sought to understand the origins and maintenance of life’s diversity of form. However, the nature of the exact DNA mutations and molecular mechanisms that result in morphological differences between species remains unclear. Here, we characterize a nonsynonymous mutation in a transcriptional coactivator, limb bud and heart homolog (lbh), which is associated with adaptive variation in the lower jaw of cichlid fishes. Using both zebrafish and Xenopus, we demonstrate that lbh mediates migration of cranial neural crest cells, the cellular source of the craniofacial skeleton. A single amino acid change that is alternatively fixed in cichlids with differing facial morphologies results in discrete shifts in migration patterns of this multipotent cell type that are consistent with both embryological and adult craniofacial phenotypes. Among animals, this polymorphism in lbh represents a rare example of a coding change that is associated with continuous morphological variation. This work offers novel insights into the development and evolution of the craniofacial skeleton, underscores the evolutionary potential of neural crest cells, and extends our understanding of the genetic nature of mutations that underlie divergence in complex phenotypes.
Identification and management of orthostatic hypotension in older and medically complex patients.

Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure (BP) of at least 20 mmHg or of diastolic BP of at least 10 mmHg within 3 min of standing. It is uncommon in the healthy elderly. However, it occurs in 30–50% of elderly persons with known risk factors and is another example of a multifactorial geriatric syndrome similar to falls and delirium. Most patients with orthostatic hypotension either have no symptoms or atypical symptoms, and therefore, screening BPs should be taken in all patients with risk factors. The treatment approach is not standardized but a stepped-care algorithm is presented that is likely to be successful for many patients. Future studies need to focus on the potential benefits of screening and treating patients with this disorder.
Paranoid Thinking, Quality of Relationships With Parents, and Social Outcomes Among Young Adults:

Research based on clinical samples suggests that poor-quality relationships with parents are associated with paranoid disorders; however, no research has investigated such relations within nonclinical populations. Undergraduate students (N = 179) completed self-reports of paranoid thinking, quality of relationships with mothers and fathers, loneliness, and social isolation. Paranoid thinking was associated with poor-quality relationships with parents and loneliness, including when both variables were considered simultaneously. Paranoid thinking was also associated with social isolation, but only for participants not currently residing with parents, suggesting that living in the family home may ameliorate links between paranoid thinking and isolation from friends. Family relationships are discussed as potential targets for clinical intervention in emerging adulthood.
Synthesis of some substituted pyridylsydnones

Synthesis of the I-oxide (2) of the photochromic N-(3-pyridyl) sydnone (1), of N-(5-bromo-3-pyridyl) sydnone (3), and the I-oxide (4) of 3 were undertaken in order to study the effect on photochromism exerted by substituents on the pyridine ring. Compounds 2 and 3 were prepared via the corresponding aminopyridines and N-pyridylglycines by the general procedure used earlier to prepare 1. The required amines, 3-aminopyridine I-oxide and 3-amino-5-bromopyridine, were obtained by Hofmann rearrangement of the corresponding amides. An excellent preparation of 5-bromonicotinamide was developed involving bromination in thionyl chloride followed by reaction of the bromoacid chloride with ammonia in chloroform. Proof of structure for 2 and 3 was accomplished by acid hydrolysis to the corresponding hydrazines, which were isolated, respectively, as acetophenone 3-pyridylhydrazone I-oxide and as 5-bromo-3-pyridylhydrazine hydrochloride. These products were identical with samples prepared by reduction of the respective diazotized amines. Sydnone 4 eluded preparation by this general procedure. 3-Amino-5-bromopyridine I-oxide was prepared conveniently from 5-bromonicotinamide but attempts to prepare the corresponding glycine by catalytic hydrogenation of a mixture of the amine and butyl glyoxylate afforded, in acid solution, N-(3-pyridyl)glycine and, in neutral or alkaline solution, the I-oxide of N-(3-pyridyl)glycine. Both products resulted from the reductive cleavage of the bromine atom. Neither 2 nor 3 was photochromic.
Comparing methods for analyzing overdispersed binary data in aquatic toxicology.

Endpoints in aquatic toxicity tests can be measured using a variety of measurement scales including dichotomous (survival), continuous (growth) and count (number of young). A distribution is assumed for an endpoint and analyses proceed accordingly. In certain situations, the assumed distribution may be incorrect and this may lead to incorrect statistical inference. The present study considers the analysis of count effects, here motivated by the Ceriodaphnia dubia reproduction study. While the Poisson probability model is a common starting point, this distribution assumes that the mean and variance are the same. This will not be the case if there is some extraneous source of variability in the system, and in this case, the variability may exceed the mean. A computer simulation study was used to examine the impact of overdispersion or outliers on the analysis of count data. Methods that assumed Poisson or negative binomially distributed outcomes were compared to methods that accommodated this potential overdispersion using quasi-likelihood (QL) or generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). If the data were truly Poisson, the adjusted methods still performed at nominal type I error rates. In the cases of overdispersed counts, the Poisson assumed methods resulted in rejection rates that exceeded nominal levels and standard errors for regression coefficients that were too narrow. The negative binomial methods worked best in the case when the data were, in fact, negative binomial but did not maintain nominal characteristics in other situations. In general, the QL and GLMM methods performed reasonably based on the present study, although all procedures suffered some impact in the presence of potential outliers. In particular, the QL is arguably preferred because it makes fewer assumptions than the GLMM and performed well over the range of conditions considered.
Response to Brachial Pulse Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk

We thank Blacher et al1 for their interest in our recent article.2 We agree that current recommendations regarding clinical management of cardiovascular risk depend on an arbitrary definition of “hypertension.” However, we note that, like pulse pressure (PP), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure are also risk factors observed in both normotensive and hypertensive individuals. Our data support the well-described linear associations of SBP and diastolic …
Transient analysis of three‐dimensional wave propagation using the boundary element method

In the past the time domain solution of the wave equation has been limited to simplified problems. This was due to the limitations of analytical methods and the capacity of computers to manipulate and store ‘large’ blocks of spatial information. With the advent of ‘super computers’ the ability to solve such problems has significantly increased. This paper outlines a method for transient analysis of wave propagation in arbitrary domains using a boundary element method. The technique presented will allow the definition of a domain, the input of impedance conditions on the domain's surface, the specification of inputs on the surface, and the specification of initial conditions within the domain. It will produce a complete solution of the wave equation inside the domain. The techniques are demonstrated using a program with a boundary element formulation of Kirchhoff's equation. The elements used are triangular and compatible.
Cutting Edge: Paracrine, but Not Autocrine, IL-2 Signaling Is Sustained during Early Antiviral CD4 T Cell Response

IL-2 is expressed predominantly by activated T cells, and regulates T cell function by activating, via its receptor, the latent transcription factor STAT5. This signaling can occur in either a paracrine (between cells) or an autocrine (same cell) manner, although the kinetics by which these two signaling modes operate during in vivo T cell responses are unknown. In the current study, IL-2 expression and signaling in a clonotypic population of antiviral CD4+ T cells was analyzed by flow cytometry during the initial 24 h of priming. IL-2 expression and STAT5 activation peaked in parallel, but surprisingly, were almost completely mutually exclusive. Thus, only paracrine IL-2 signaling could be observed. As an additional indication of the efficiency of paracrine IL-2 signaling, polyclonal CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells displayed detectable STAT5 activation under steady-state conditions, which was strongly enhanced by neighboring IL-2-expressing antiviral CD4 cells.