cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium muris in soil samples.

The flotation procedure for the detection of Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium muris oocysts in feces was adapted for use on soil samples. Soil samples were seeded with known amounts of purified C. parvum or C. muris oocysts and Cryptosporidium spp.-free bovine feces. The limit of detection for this procedure was determined at different levels of inoculation for each species. At each level of inoculation, 30 control samples were processed and the observer was blind to the status of the sample. All samples were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts using phase-contrast microscopy. The samples were seeded with the following estimated counts of C. parvum oocysts: 1000/g, 1250/g, and 1500/g. These levels had sensitivities of 88%, 90%, and 93%, respectively. All inoculation levels had a specificity of 100%. Thirty additional samples were inoculated with C. muris and the limit of detection was found to be 76 oocysts/g sample, with a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 100%.
Total synthesis of (-)-barbatusol, (+)-demethylsalvicanol, (-)-brussonol, and (+)-grandione

The icetexane-based diterpenes (-)-barbatusol, (+)-demethylsalvicanol, and (-)-brussonol were synthesized. Synthetic demethylsalvicanol was dimerized to produce (+)-grandione using aqueous Diels-Alder conditions.
The vacuum ultraviolet spectrum of bromosilane

Abstract The vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectrum of bromisilane in the vapor phase is reported. Assignments are made using photoelectron data and oscillator strengths. The absorptions of this compound are related to absorptions of chlorosilane, methyl bromide and methyl chloride. The results of this work indicate the presence of dπ-pπ (SiBr) delocalizations and concomitant stabilization of halogen nonbonding electrons.
Combined Exercise and Dietary Intervention to Optimize Body Composition in Aging

Concomitant losses of skeletal muscle and bone mass along with gradual accretion of adipose tissue typify usual human aging. Recent investigations have attempted to modify these processes with various combinations of dietary and exercise intervention in older adults. Complete nutritional supplements given with weight-lifting exercise have been shown to augment muscle and fat gains in healthy older men, but have merely suppressed habitual dietary intake when administered to frail sedentary elders, and have not altered body composition responses to strength training in this population. Protein supplementation at twice the RDA does not improve skeletal muscle function or increase muscle mass in healthy elderly weight lifters compared to those on a normal diet. Calcium supplementation during one year of aerobic training has an independent beneficial effect on cortical bone density at the femoral neck in postmenopausal women, whereas the exercise is associated with trabecular bone increases in the lumbar vertebrae. Hypocaloric dieting, with or without aerobic exercise, results in losses of weight, fat and lean mass in obese elderly men and women. By contrast, resistance training during hypocaloric dieting augments lean mass while further reducing fat mass. Low protein, isoenergetic diets result in muscle atrophy in older women. Current studies will determine the ability of resistance training to offset these catabolic effects on skeletal muscles of a low-protein (0.6 g/kg/day) diet prescribed for elderly with chronic renal failure. More long-term studies of efficacy and feasibility of diet and exercise combinations are needed in the aged to optimize the potential for healthful shifts in body composition.
Bacteria exploit platelets

In this issue of Blood, Arman et al show that bacteria use immunoglobulin G (IgG) from plasma to engage platelet surface receptors FcγRIIA and integrin αIIbβ3 to induce platelet activation, which is further facilitated by platelet factor 4 (PF4).
Which Counterfactuals Matter? A Response to Beck

In our article (Weisberg & Gopnik, 2013), we construct a unifying theory of imaginative processes, in which counterfactuals and pretend games share an underlying cognitive capacity. This theory allows us to explain why children pretend, why they create fantastical pretend worlds, and how pretend play and counterfactual reasoning can help children to learn about the causal structure of reality. In her response, Beck draws a distinction between two types of counterfactuals: general counterfactuals and real-world counterfactuals. General counterfactuals are the broadest class of counterfactuals, encompassing hypothetical futures, fictional events, and pretend games. Real-world counterfactuals are a subset of general counterfactuals, and they are defined by their relationship to the real world: They represent specific alternatives to events that actually happened, or minor modifications to specific elements of reality. We agree with Beck that the class of counterfactuals is broad and that not all types of counterfactuals share the same features. But we wish to add further nuance to this argument by pointing out that it may be difficult if not impossible to draw sharp lines between categories of counterfactuals, because the space of counterfactuals is continuous. Counterfactuals can differ from each other and from the real world along a wide variety of dimensions, and this creates an infinite number of possible worlds to contrast with any given state of the real world (Lewis, 2000). Even if we define real-world counterfactuals as those that are “closest” to the real world because they only change one or a very small set of real-world facts, it does not seem possible to determine where the boundaries of this category are. At what point do real-world counterfactuals become dissimilar enough from reality that they cease to be real-world counterfactuals and become general counterfactuals? We believe that there is no straightforward answer to this question, highlighting the difficulty with drawing distinctions between types of counterfactuals.
Abuse Potential of Nicotine Replacement Therapies

Summary The abuse liability of nicotine replacement therapies is an important clinical consideration in the pharmacological treatment of nicotine dependence associated with cigarette smoking. Abuse liability is defined as: (i) the likelihood oftaking a substance repeatedly, taking into account both factors that are likely to increase use (e.g. faster onset of pharmacodynamic effect) and factors that are likely to decrease use (e.g. adverse effects); and (ii) the likelihood of adverse consequences (both long and short term). It can be concluded that most of the nicotine replacement therapies have lower abuse liability than tobacco cigarettes. Among the alternative therapies available, it would appear that those with a slower onset (e.g. chewing gum and transdermal systems) are less likely to be abused than those with a faster onset. Experience with existing nicotine replacement therapies may be useful for future research into the development of new therapies.
The Fight for Jobs

A description of the role public relations has played in “selling” Northampton and leading it through the recession into a thriving and commercially desirable regional centre.
Susceptibility to calcium dysregulation during brain aging

Calcium (Ca2+) is a highly versatile intracellular signaling molecule that is essential for regulating a variety of cellular and physiological processes ranging from fertilization to programmed cell death. Research has provided ample evidence that brain aging is associated with altered Ca2+ homeostasis. Much of the work has focused on the hippocampus, a brain region critically involved in learning and memory, which is particularly susceptible to dysfunction during senescence. The current review takes a broader perspective, assessing age-related changes in Ca2+ sources, Ca2+ sequestration, and Ca2+ binding proteins throughout the nervous system. The nature of altered Ca2+ homeostasis is cell specific and may represent a deficit or a compensatory mechanism, producing complex patterns of impaired cellular function. Incorporating the knowledge of the complexity of age-related alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis will positively shape the development of highly effective therapeutics to treat brain disorders.
5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide (AICAR) and its metabolites: metabolic and cytotoxic effects and accumulation during methotrexate treatment☆

Abstract Methotrexate is an antifolate useful in the treatment of neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. The mechanism of action of low dose methotrexate in the treatment of autoimmune diseases is unclear. It is known that methotrexate treatment blocks de novo purine biosynthesis, resulting in the accumulation of the intermediate 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide and its metabolites. It is hypothesized that these substances are involved in the mechanism of action of low dose methotrexate therapy by inhibiting enzymes crucial to immune function. 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide and its riboside were found to be irreversible inhibitors of S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase (EC 3.3.1.1) using enzyme from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients and from rabbit erythrocytes. 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide was also found to be a competitive inhibitor (with respect to adenosine) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells adenosine deaminase (EC 3.5.4.4) and S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase. Methotrexote, at concentrations similar to blood levels of low-dose-treated patients (i.e., 10 and 20 nm), was cytotoxic to a culture of a human lymphoblast T cells but not to a culture of a human lymphoblast B cells. 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide accumulated in T cells but not B cells treated with methotrexate, and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-riboside potentiated methotrexate toxicity only in T cells. A reduction in the activity of phosphoribosyl-aminoimidazole carboxamide formyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.3) was observed in methotrexate-treated cultures of T cells but not B cells. The S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase activity of cultured T cells was more sensitive to inhibition by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside in the medium when compared with B cells. No substantial reduction of adenosine deaminase or S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase activities was observed in methotrexate treated cultures of T or B cells. The data suggest that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-riboside have the potential for interfering with both adenosine deaminase and S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase, enzymes crucial to normal immune function. Methotrexate cytotoxicity was associated with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide accumulation and an inhibition of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide transformylase. The fact that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-riboside potentiates methotrexate cytotoxicity in T cells may also be related to the fact that its S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase is relatively sensitive to inhibition by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-riboside. Dilution of inhibitors during enzyme assays may account for the fact that little or no decrease in the S-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase or adenosine deaminase activities were observed in the methotrexate-treated cells. The data are consistent with a methotrexate-induced cytotoxicity targeted toward T cells, a cell type implicated in the pathology of autoimmune disease.
CD‐ROM technology in libraries: implications and considerations

Before libraries make the decision to implement CD‐ROM technology, they must take into account many factors. Deciding to set up CD‐ROM workstations certainly has a financial impact on the library's budget as well as an ongoing impact on staff at the Reference desk. Costs, training staff and end users, hardware compatibility, software concerns, multiple products, and networking are all concerns which will need to be addressed by libraries in their decision to take the plunge into CD‐ROM. This article will address some of these concerns faced by libraries today.
Oligodendrocyte-specific gene expression in mouse brain: use of a myelin-forming cell type-specific promoter in an adeno-associated virus.

To explore the feasibility of cell type-specific gene expression in oligodendrocytes as a possible therapeutic approach for demyelinating diseases, the cell specificity, tissue specificity, and duration of gene expression were investigated using recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) carrying a green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene. Recombinant AAV vectors carrying either the myelin basic protein (MBP) promoter (rAAV-MBP-GFP) or the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early promoter (rAAV-CMV-GFP) were semistereotactically injected into the brain of C57BL/6J mice. Injection of the rAAV-MBP-GFP vector into or near the corpus callosum resulted in high levels of GFP expression in white matter regions. Double immunostaining with cell- specific markers proved that these GFP-expressing cells were oligodendrocytes. Injection of the rAAV- MBP-GFP vector into gray matter rarely produced GFP expression. In contrast, injection of the rAAV-CMV-GFP vector resulted in few GFP-expressing cells in the white matter, with most of the GFP-expressing cells being neurons located in the cerebral cortex along the needle track. The expression of the GFP driven by the MBP promoter persisted for at least 3 months.
Joint network-host based malware detection using information-theoretic tools

In this paper, we propose two joint network-host based anomaly detection techniques that detect self-propagating malware in real-time by observing deviations from a behavioral model derived from a benign data profile. The proposed malware detection techniques employ perturbations in the distribution of keystrokes that are used to initiate network sessions. We show that the keystrokes' entropy increases and the session-keystroke mutual information decreases when an endpoint is compromised by a self-propagating malware. These two types of perturbations are used for real-time malware detection. The proposed malware detection techniques are further compared with three prominent anomaly detectors, namely the maximum entropy detector, the rate limiting detector and the credit-based threshold random walk detector. We show that the proposed detectors provide considerably higher accuracy with almost 100% detection rates and very low false alarm rates.
Effect of Fluorescent Dust Color on the Attractiveness of Attractant Self-Marking Devices to the Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae)

No significant differences were found when Alsynite panels treated with four colors of fluorescent dust were compared individually and simultaneously with untreated clear Alsynite for attractiveness to Stomoxys calcitrans L. Flies were attracted to attractant self-marking devices (ASMDs) and clear Alsynite because of the relatively low levels of light they reflect in the 400- to 470-nm range. Color intensity in the visible or ultraviolet range was unimportant to attractiveness. ASMDs and sticky traps attracted equal numbers of stable flies, making it possible to estimate the numbers of flies being marked on ASMDs by counting daily fly catches on sticky traps. This relationship provides investigators with a method to estimate stable fly populations by marking known portions of native fly populations instead of relying on laboratory-reared flies for marked-release-recapture studies.
Real-time peer review: an innovative feature to an evidence-based practice conference.

Many health sciences librarians as well as other professionals attend conferences on a regular basis. This study sought to link an innovative peer review process of presented research papers to long-term conference outcomes in the peer-reviewed professional journal literature. An evidence-based conference included a proof-of-concept study to gauge the long-term outcomes from research papers presented during the program. Real-time peer review recommendations from the conference were linked to final versions of articles published in the peer-reviewed literature. The real-time peer review feedback served as the basis for further mentoring to guide prospective authors toward publishing their research results. These efforts resulted in the publication of two of the four research papers in the peer-viewed literature. A third presented paper appeared in a blog because the authors wanted to disseminate their findings more quickly than through the journal literature. The presenters of the fourth paper never publis...
Visual Learning of Statistical Relations Among Non-adjacent Features: Evidence for Structural Encoding

Recent results suggest that observers can learn, unsupervised, the co-occurrence of independent shape features in viewed patterns (e.g., Fiser & Aslin, 2001). A critical question with regard to these findings is whether learning is driven by a structural, rule-based encoding of spatial relations between distinct features or by a pictorial, template-like encoding, in which spatial configurations of features are embedded in a 'holistic' fashion. In two experiments, we test whether observers can learn combinations of features when the paired features are separated by an intervening spatial 'gap', in which other, unrelated features can appear. This manipulation both increases task difficulty and makes it less likely that the feature-combinations are encoded simply as larger unitary features. Observers exhibited learning consistent with earlier studies, suggesting that unsupervised learning of compositional structure is based on the explicit encoding of spatial relations between separable visual features. More generally, these results provide support for compositional structure in visual representation.
Lyman-α imagery of Comet Kohoutek

Abstract Electrographic imagery of Comet Kohoutek in the 1100–1500 A wavelength range was obtained from a sounding rocket on January 8, 1974, and from the Skylab space station on 13 occasions between November 26, 1973 and February 2, 1974. These images are predominantly due to Lyman-α (1216 A) emission from the hydrogen coma of the comet. The rocket pictures have been calibrated for absolute sensitivity and a hydrogen production rate has been determined. However, the Skylab camera suffered degradation of its sensitivity during the mission, and its absolute sensiti vity fbservation ofn only be estimated by comparison of the comet images with those taken by the rocket camera, with imagery of the geocoronal Lyman-α glow, of the moon in reflected Lyman-α, and of ultraviolet-bright stars. The rocket and geocoronal comparisons are used to derive a preliminary, qualitative history of the development of the cometary hydrogen coma and the associated hydrogen production rate.
A Practical Implementation of Silicon Microchannel Coolers for High Power Chips

This paper describes a practical implementation of a single-phase Si microchannel cooler designed for cooling very high power chips such as microprocessors. Through the use of multiple heat exchanger zones and optimized cooler fin designs, a unit thermal resistance 10.5 C-mm2 /W from the cooler surface to the inlet water was demonstrated with a fluid pressure drop of <35kPa. Further, cooling of a thermal test chip with a microchannel cooler bonded to it packaged in a single chip module was also demonstrated for a chip power density greater than 300W/cm2. Coolers of this design should be able to cool chips with average power densities of 400W/cm2 or more
Speech and sketching: an empirical study of multimodal interaction

Sketch recognition can capture the sketching component of a multimodal conversation about design, but it does not capture information conveyed in the other modalities. The informal speech that accompanies a sketch often has a considerable amount of additional information. We want to develop a digital whiteboard capable of understanding both sketching and speech, and capable of participating in a conversation similar to one that the user would have with a human design partner. We conducted a user study to help us understand what kinds of conversations users would have with a whiteboard capable of recognizing a sketch. We report results that we believe will help guide the design of an effective multimodal interface, and discuss implications for system architectures.
WARM CLIMATE IN THE LATE MIOCENE OF THE SOUTH COAST OF ALASKA AND THE OCCURRENCE OF PODOCARPACEAE POLLEN

Abstract A study of the Homerian type section in the upper Beluga Formation (Upper Miocene) of the Kenai Group of southern Alaska has yielded two surprising discoveries: (1) warmth-loving taxa and (2) the presence in Alaska of a ‘new’ gymnosperm family, Podocarpaceae. A well-preserved pollen and spore flora is present in Upper Miocene coal beds of the Kenai lowland, near Homer, Alaska. Stump horizons, abundant wood fragments, wood grain, and amber within the coal attest to a forested swamp. Pollen assemblages from the Homerian type section include elements of both Mixed Northern Hardwood and warm-temperate Mesophytic forests and are far richer than the flora previously defining the Homerian type section, which had suggested a less diverse, cooler assemblage. Within the Homerian type section, the flora exhibits no definite taxonomic chronology; in general, Alnus dominates, with up to 45% of the total counts, followed by Pinaceae and Taxodiaceae pollen types (30 to 35%) and thermophiles (c. 14%). At least 3...
Is Ashcroft v. Iqbal the Death (Finally) of the “Historical Test” for Interpreting the Seventh Amendment?

The Seventh Amendment provides that “[i]n suits at common law... the right of trial by jury shall be preserved.” To this day, the way we apply the Seventh Amendment - in other words, what we interpret to be the constitutional intent and mandate of our Founders - is to postulate hypothetically that a contemporary federal civil case, filed in federal district court under current-day statutes and laws, instead had been filed in England in 1792, and to ask whether then it would have been filed in the common law courts or in the equity courts. Time and jurisprudential evolution have exposed this approach - known as the “historical test” - as flawed from the inception. Nonetheless, largely through judicial inertia, the historical test has survived. Indeed, in the roughly 200 years since the historical test emerged, no occasion has been sufficient to cause the courts to consider whether the test is jurisprudentially supportable. The historical test may well not survive Ashcroft v. Iqbal. On its face, Iqbal has nothing to do with the Seventh Amendment. Rather, the opinion addresses pleading standards under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8, and empowers a federal district court in the vast majority of civil cases to dismiss a lawsuit pre-answer on the basis that the allegations, while facially sufficient, are conclusory and implausible. As a result, the Court all but directs district trial judges to weigh the factual heft of a complaint early, and to toss unworthy cases out of court. The opinion empowers judges to invade the constitutionally protected province of the jury. While the Court does not yet seem to see the Seventh Amendment problem with Iqbal, eventually it will. It is unlikely that the Court will be able to give due deference simultaneously to the history and intent of the Seventh Amendment, and yet constitutionally empower district courts to weigh evidence at the pleadings stage of civil litigation. Nonetheless, the attempt should be the necessary impetus to exposing the historical test as the flawed jurisprudence it long has been. This Article proposes an alternative and preferred understanding of the Seventh Amendment.
A Formal Approach for Designing Distributed Expert Problem-Solving Systems

In this paper, we consider the problem of generating effective information-gathering, communication, and decision-making ICD strategies for a distributed expert problem-solving DEPS system. We focus on the special case of a dual-processor DEPS system and present a decision-theoretic model that enables the characterization of feasible, efficient, and optimal ICD strategies. In view of the tremendous amount of computing needed to generate optimal strategies for problems of practical size, we develop useful heuristic procedures for constructing high-quality efficient ICD strategies. We illustrate the use of the model and the solution procedure through an example.
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin transgenic mice develop cryoglobulinemia and hepatitis with similarities to human hepatitis C liver disease.

Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia in humans is strongly associated with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. It remains controversial whether liver injury in hepatitis C is primarily attributable to direct viral cytopathic effect or to an immune-mediated response. We characterized the role of cryoglobulinemia in the development of liver disease in thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) transgenic mice that produce mixed cryoglobulinemia and develop hepatitis. The role of immune complexes in this animal model was evaluated using techniques of light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. To assess the role of Fc receptor engagement in mediation of the disease, TSLP transgenic mice were crossbred with mice deficient for immunoglobulin-binding receptor γ IIb (FcγRIIb). Livers from the TSLP transgenic animals showed mild to moderate liver injury, minimal to mild fibrosis, and deposition of immunoglobulin around the portal tracts. TSLP transgenic mice deficient in inhibitory FcγRIIb had more severe hepatitis and accelerated mortality. TSLP-associated hepatitis bears strong similarity to hepatitis C virus-related hepatitis as it occurs in humans, making this a valuable model system of chronic hepatitis and fibrosis to study therapies aimed at manipulating immune responses. Periportal immune complex deposition may play an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis occurring in the setting of systemic cryoglobulinemia.
Sverdlovsk revisited: Modeling human inhalation anthrax

Several models have been proposed for the dose–response function and the incubation period distribution for human inhalation anthrax. These models give very different predictions for the severity of a hypothetical bioterror attack, when an attack might be detected from clinical cases, the efficacy of medical intervention and the requirements for decontamination. Using data from the 1979 accidental atmospheric release of anthrax in Sverdlovsk, Russia, and limited nonhuman primate data, this paper eliminates two of the contending models and derives parameters for the other two, thereby narrowing the range of models that accurately predict the effects of human inhalation anthrax. Dose–response functions that exhibit a threshold for infectivity are contraindicated by the Sverdlovsk data. Dose-dependent incubation period distributions explain the 10-day median incubation period observed at Sverdlovsk and the 1- to 5-day incubation period observed in nonhuman primate experiments.
Obesity and intracranial in-stent thrombosis

A morbidly obese, diabetic, hypertensive patient, with severe intracranial left middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis, suffered recurrent stereotyped transient ischemic attacks over 2 months, despite taking daily antiplatelet agents, high dose statin, insulin and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. A left MCA (M1) Wingspan stent-assisted angioplasty was performed after standard loading, and daily doses of clopidogrel were given 3 days prior to the procedure. Immediately after the procedure, the patient developed a left hemispheric ischemic stroke syndrome. Urgent re-angiography identified an acute intracranial in-stent thrombosis. This complication was immediately treated successfully with abciximab and balloon angioplasty. The patient had persistent residual stroke despite complete recanalization of the thrombosed stent within 3 h of occlusion. The patient was subsequently found to have incomplete inhibition of platelet activity despite being on clopidogrel 150 mg and aspirin 81 mg daily and having a normal CYP-2C19 genotype, suggesting that suboptimal antiplatelet inhibition, secondary to morbid obesity, contributed to his in-stent thrombosis. Obese patients undergoing coronary artery stenting routinely receive larger loading and maintenance doses of clopidogrel. Our case suggests that obese patients undergoing intracranial stenting may also benefit from higher than conventional clopidogrel doses prior to intracranial stenting, to decrease risk of acute in-stent occlusion.
MAP kinase pathways.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways regulate diverse processes ranging from proliferation and differentiation to apoptosis. Activated by an enormous array of stimuli, they phosphorylate numerous proteins, including transcription factors, cytoskeletal proteins, kinases and other enzymes
Intoxications Amenable to Extracorporeal Removal

Extracorporeal removal of drugs was first attempted in 1913, by John Jacob Abel. Previously known to be a rarity, dialysis and to a lesser extent hemoperfusion have now become obvious tools for nephrologists in treating life-threatening cases of poisoning. Moreover, for dialysis patients, dialysis along with chelation therapy for removal of aluminum, once known to be common in the United States, is resurging in some countries. This article will discuss the principles of drug removal, the indications for dialysis, and give a brief outline of poisons amenable to dialysis.
Pharmacologic Expulsive Treatment of Ureteral Calculi

Objective:TO evaluate the role of nifedipine and the α1-adrenoreceptor antagonists tamsulosin, terazosin, and doxazosin in the expulsive treatment of ureteral calculi.Data Sources:Literature was searched via MEDLINE (1966–February 2006) with subsequent bibliographic review. MeSH headings included ureteral calculi, nifedipine, doxazosin, and adrenergic α-antagonists. Key terms were ureteral calculi, nifedipine, tamsulosin, terazosin, and doxazosin.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Trials evaluating nifedipine, tamsulosin, terazosin, and doxazosin for expulsion of ureteral stones were reviewed. All were published in English-language, peer-reviewed journals.Data Synthesis:Several trials have evaluated the effects of nifedipine and tamsulosin on ureteral stone passage rates and mean time to stone passage in stones no larger than 15 mm. In 28 day trials, the rates of ureteral stone passage were 35–70% in the control groups compared with 77.1–80% in patients treated with nifedipine and 79.3–100% in patients t...
A note on the sampling properties of the Vincentizing (quantile averaging) procedure

Abstract To assess the effect of a manipulation on a response time distribution, psychologists often use Vincentizing or quantile averaging to construct group or “average” distributions. We provide a theorem characterizing the large sample properties of the averaged quantiles when the individual RT distributions all belong to the same location-scale family. We then apply the theorem to estimating parameters for the quantile-averaged distributions. From the theorem, it is shown that parameters of the group distribution can be estimated by generalized least squares. This method provides accurate estimates of standard errors of parameters and can therefore be used in formal inference. The method is benchmarked in a small simulation study against both a maximum likelihood method and an ordinary least-squares method. Generalized least squares essentially is the only method based on the averaged quantiles that is both unbiased and provides accurate estimates of parameter standard errors. It is also proved that for location-scale families, performing generalized least squares on quantile averages is formally equivalent to averaging parameter estimates from generalized least squares performed on individuals. A limitation on the method is that individual RT distributions must be members of the same location-scale family.
Tricuspid Insufficiency A Study of Hemodynamics and Pathogenesis

The clinical diagnosis of the presence and severity of tricuspid insufficiency is difficult and is complicated by the transient nature of this abnormality as well as its usual occurrence in subjects with other valve disease. This paper presents correlative hemodynamic data from 100 consecutive catheterized patients with valvular heart disease in 90 of whom the presence of tricuspid insufficiency was sought by the indicator-dilution technic. Tricuspid regurgitation was present in 28 of the 90 patients. Subjects were grouped into 20 controls without tricuspid insufficiency and those with mild, moderate, and severe tricuspid insufficiency. The hemodynamics of these groups were compared by the analysis of variance to determine which parameters relate most closely to tricuspid insufficiency. The results are interpreted to confirm that tricuspid insufficiency results from those factors which overdistend the right side of the heart, and by permitting blood to escape retrograde from the right ventricle serves as a safety valve preventing progressive overload of the pulmonary circulation.
Individual Employment Rights Arbitration in the United States: Actors and Outcomes

The authors examine disposition statistics from employment arbitration cases administered over an 11-year period by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to investigate the process of dispute ...
Miniature microcontroller-based heart rate telemeter processes single precordial lead

A miniature single-channel heart rate monitoring device has been developed specifically for use in critical care situations, such as intensive care units. The externally-worn device is placed directly on the chest above the heart, allowing acquisition of the electrocardiogram without the use of leads. The 8-bit microcontroller-based transmitter digitizes the preconditioned ECG and identifies the signal in real-time using a robust QRS detection algorithm. Data is output from the microcontroller only when an abnormal heart rate or low battery voltage is detected. When it is necessary to output data from the device, the digital data is transmitted by frequency modulation to a nearby nurses' station. At the monitoring station, the transmitted data is demodulated by the receiver and processed by another microcontroller which then activates the appropriate alarms. >
Comparison of biaxial mechanical properties of excised endocardium and epicardium

A complete understanding of cardiac mechanics requires knowledge of the mechanical properties of each of the tissues that comprise the heart, Data and constitutive relations are available for the nonlinear multiaxial behavior of epicardium and noncontracting myocardium, but there have been no comparable results for endocardium. In this paper, we present biaxial mechanical data for endocardium and epicardium excised from the same bovine hearts. The data reveal that these two membranes behave differently; endocardium exhibits a greater stiffness in the low-strain range. Moreover, quantification of endocardial behavior requires a seven-parameter, polynomial-exponential pseudostrain-energy function w, whereas epicardium can be described by a four-parameter exponential w. Comparison of our current findings with previous results on canine epicardium reveals further that canine and bovine epicardium behave similarly, although the latter is more extensible. Thus there appear to be marked species differences.
Abstract 2778: Association between mammographic density and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated an inverse association between vitamin D and risk of breast cancer. In addition, dietary vitamin D intake has been associated with lower mammographic density (MD), a strong intermediate marker of breast cancer risk. We examined the relationship between MD and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], an integrated measure of vitamin D status from food, supplements, and sun exposure, in a multi-ethnic cohort of women undergoing screening mammography. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, 195 women without a history of breast cancer completed a routine screening mammogram, in-person interviews collecting data on demographics, lifestyle factors, and breast cancer risk factors, and donated a blood sample. We digitized mammograms and evaluated the proportion of dense area on cranial-caudal images using Cumulus software. Serum 25(OH)D was measured in batched, archived specimens by Diasorin radioimmunoassay. We used a multivariate linear regression model to investigate the association of percent density with serum 25(OH)D. We examined confounding by age, race/ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), season of blood draw, and breast cancer risk factors. Results: A total of 195 women enrolled, 116 donated a blood sample and were evaluable for analysis; median age: 49.9 years (range 40.0-60.9); white/African American/African Caribbean/Hispanic Caribbean: 26%/43%/19%/12%. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D Discussion: In contrast to some previous reports, vitamin D does not appear to be related to MD in this multiethnic cohort. Vitamin D status, a potentially modifiable risk factor, may have a protective effect against breast cancer development which is not mediated by changes in breast density. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2778.
Blockade of Mitogen Induction of the Interferon Lymphokine by a Phenolic Food Additive Metabolite

SummaryGallic acid (GA), a food constituent and food additive metabolite, blocked macrophage-dependent mitogen-induced interferon production and suppressor T-lymphocyte function. Interferon production was restored by adherent peritoneal macrophages or 2-mercaptoethanol, a macro-phage substitute. GA failed to block the antiviral activity of preformed mitogen-induced interferon. Possible consequences of loss of lymphokine production and suppressor T-lymphocyte function(s) are discussed.
Responses of Systemic Arterial Pressure and Heart Rate to Increased Intrapulmonary Pressure in Anesthetized Dogs

ConclusionsEffects of varying pulmonary inflation pressure upon heart rate and arterial blood pressure were observed in anesthetized dogs. Mechanical, sympathetic and parasympathetic factors are believed to be involved in the responses observed as in the Valsalva phoenomenon. A high inflation pressure caused paradoxical bradycardia in phase 2, and a lack of arterial pressure overshoot in phase 4. From the evidences available, the bradycardia in phase 2 is interpreted as due to reflex vagal activity plus an active suppression of the sympathetic reflex. The lack of arterial pressure overshoot in phase 4 is considered to be the result of the mechanical effect of muscle relaxation due to anesthesia associated with peripheral blood pooling.When a low pulmonary inflation pressure was employed under mild to moderate anesthesia, and when the mechanical factor caused by anesthesia was eliminated, the responses observed were quite similar to the Valsalva phenomenon in man. The preparation used in this experiment ap...
Alteration of sensitivity of adrenergic vascular responses after prolonged exposure to agonists via osmotic minipump.

AbstractA study was performed to determine whether a constant 1-week exposure to either alpha or beta agonists in vivo would allow alteration or manipulation of the responses of rat aortic alpha- a...
Encapsulated Nanoscale Particles and Inclusions in Solid Propellant Ingredients

Nanoscale metal fuels (e.g., aluminum) and ultra-high surface area catalysts promise improved performance over conventional ingredients in composite solid propellants. However, there are undesirable consequences of simply replacing these materials with nanoscale counterparts. For example, the addition of nanoscale particles can lead to poor rheology of the propellant mix and unacceptable final mechanical properties. Additionally, nanoscale aluminum can readily sinter during the ignition and combustion process, which results in an effective burning diameter that is much larger than the original particle size, thus significantly lowering expected performance. Alternative approaches include encapsulating nanoscale particles within micrometer scale crystalline components, fabricating micrometer-sized particles with nanoscale features, or considering multicomponent metals, such as alloys, that can lead to droplet microexplosion (shattering) or dispersive boiling. In this chapter we present an overview of recent efforts to incorporate many of the benefits of nanoscale materials without at least some of the drawbacks.
APPLICATION OF CASE BASED REASONING AND MULTI-AGENT IN POWER SYSTEM SECURITY CONTROL

In order to accept the challenge from the changeable and uncertain environment caused by deregulation of power system, based on the analysis on development of power system dispatching from automation to informatization the distributed problem solving (DPS) for power system security control with the aid of CBR and Multi-Agent technology is presented and discussed.
THINKING OF DEVELOPING THE LIBRARY STANDARDIZATION MANAGEMENT FOR HOSPITAL IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE

We discuss library standardization management of hospital in Guangdong province according to its inherent law in the new position. Our objective is that the management having been standardized trend and ameliorated level of management and service.
Recent Studies on Radiation Damage Formation in Synthetic NaCl and Natural Rock Salt for Radioactive Waste Disposal Applications

Radiation damage formation in natural rock salt is described as a function of irradiation temperature and plastic deformation. F-center formation decreases with increasing temperature while significant colloidal sodium formation occurs over a restricted temperature range around 150°C. Plastic deformation increases colloid formation; it is estimated that colloid concentrations may be increased by a factor of 3 if the rock salt near radioactive waste disposal canisters is heavily deformed. Optical bandshape analysis indicates systematic differences between the colloids formed in synthetic and natural rock salts.
Stimulation by phenethyl alcohol of aerobic fermentation in Mucor rouxii

Abstract In the absence of oxygen, some Mucor species exhibit a yeast-like morphology and reproduce by budding. Bartnicki-Garcia and Nickerson, 1962a , Bartnicki-Garcia and Nickerson, 1962b showed that the yeast-like phase of Mucor rouxii took place only when hexoses were fermented and that it could be converted to the hyphal phase after a few hours of exposure to air. Haidle and Storck, 1966a , Haidle and Storck, 1966b found that this conversion which required the synthesis of RNA and proteins was accompanied by the appearance of cytochrome oxidase activity. Recently Terenzi and Storck (1967) reported that a yeast-like phase was obtained in aerobiosis provided 0.2% ( v v ) of phenethyl alcohol (PEA) and a hexose (2–5%) were included in the growth medium. In the present paper it is shown that aerobic yeast-like growth involves an increase of alcoholic fermentation and a concomitant decrease of respiration. The data further suggest that PEA acts like an uncoupling agent and stimulates a Crabtree effect.
Role of grain boundary character on oxygen and hydrogen segregation-induced embrittlement in polycrystalline Ni

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are carried out to investigate the role of grain boundaries on the energetics related to the oxygen and hydrogen segregation-induced embrittlement in polycrystalline Ni systems. Four model grain boundary (GB) systems for nickel are chosen to investigate this effect. These model GBs are the Σ5 (012) GB, the Σ5 (013) GB, the Σ11 (113) GB, and the Σ3 (111) coherent twin boundary (CTB). The chosen GBs enable the investigation of the role of the CTB in the embrittlement and decohesion mechanisms in comparison with the other GBs. The embrittling mechanism considered here is based on the investigation of the energetics related to (a) the segregation of atoms of embrittling species (oxygen, hydrogen) at the GB; (b) the formation of vacancies due to the segregation of embrittling species at the GB; and (c) the energetics related to decohesion at the GB as a function of concentration/accumulation of the embrittling species at the GB. DFT calculations suggest that the segregation of the embrittling species and the embrittling effect are closely related to the local atomic structure of the GB and the associated excess free volume. In particular, it is found that the Σ3 (111) CTB is less prone to segregation of oxygen and hydrogen based on the binding energetics of the embrittling species. However, among all the GBs considered, the Σ3 (111) CTB is found to be most susceptible to GB decohesion and crack formation in the presence of small amounts of segregated oxygen atoms. This dual behavior of the Σ3 (111) CTB is also confirmed for the case of hydrogen as the embrittling species using DFT simulations. Thus, the segregation-resistant Σ3 (111) CTB is observed to be the most susceptible to crack formation in the presence of small amounts of segregated embrittling atoms. The energetics of segregation of the embrittling species and the effect of segregation on the vacancy formation energies and GB decohesion are discussed.
Usefulness of Mean Platelet Volume to Predict Significant Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Non–ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is characterized by unstable plaque with thrombotic process involving central role of platelets. The diagnosis and prediction of significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in non–ST-elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) can be challenging. The central role of platelets in acute atherothrombosis in NSTE-ACS spurred appreciable interest in the diagnostic and predictive role of platelet activity. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is one of the most promising laboratory markers in patients with CAD. This retrospective study was designed to investigate the diagnostic and predictive value of high MPV levels in patients with NSTE-ACS with significant CAD. A total of 213 patients (men 53%, mean age 61 ± 12.3 years) with NSTE-ACS were enrolled from 2011 to 2016 from 2 teaching hospitals. Patients' demographic, laboratory, and angiographic data were collected. Significant CAD was defined as ≥70% stenosis in at least 1 major coronary artery. Patients with high MPV (MPV ≥9 fl) had more significant CAD (55% vs 35%, p = 0.005), lower platelet count (204 ± 59 × 1,000/μl vs 246 ± 56 × 1,000/μl, p = 0.001), and higher HbA1c (6.9 vs 6.4, p = 0.02). Patients with significant CAD had higher MPV level (9.2 ± 1.07 vs 8.6 ± 1.03 fl, p = 0.001), higher MPV/platelet ratio (0.46 vs 0.40, p = 0.01), older age (64.5 ± 11 vs 59.2 ± 12 years, p = 0.02), and lower high-density lipoprotein level (42 ± 12 vs 47 ± 16, p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that increased age, high MPV, high troponin, and low high-density lipoprotein levels were associated with significant CAD. Patients with high MPV along with high troponin level demonstrated a 4.8-fold increased risk for significant CAD compared to those with normal MPV and high troponin (odds ratio 4.8, 95% confidence interval 1.31 to 17.6, p = 0.001). In conclusion, considering high MPV in the context of elevated troponin level increases the predictive value of screening for significant CAD, and this result may help determine who is most likely to benefit from cardiac catheterization.