cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An adaptation to Michel Foucault’s medical authority: The Lucid Succor of the informal caregiver

Michel Foucault’s understanding of how knowledge/power, as supported by the knowledge apparatus, made possible the Medical Gaze that has been one of the primary foundations of our understanding of the medical experience for the past 45 years. However, as a result of the epidemiological shift that has occurred throughout the Western world, as well as the proliferation of medical information across electronic media, the medical experience and our corresponding understanding of it, must adapt. In that spirit, the present work provides a short review of Foucault’s model of medical authority, and introduces an adaptation to the model that accounts for the role, and impact, of the informal caregiver of the care-dependent geriatric within the existing medical milieu.
Pion capture on 12C with emission of neutron pairs

Abstract The energy spectra of neutron pairs from the 12 C(π − , 2n) 10 B reaction have been measured. Our data disagree with the theory for pion capture from 2P atomic states but agree well for capture from 1S atomic states.
Geographic Information System Effects on Policing Efficacy: An Evaluation of Empirical Assessments

GIS technology is credited with substantially improving police crime analysis and related resource allocation. Although GIS has been said to be an efficient and effective technology in policing, limited empirical assessment has been conducted. An examination of functions and a review of the literature suggests four major applications of GIS in policing: computerized crime mapping/crime analysis; â€œhot spotsâ€ identification; improving command-level decision making; and geographical investigative analysis (primarily offender profiling). The primary objective of this qualitative review is to identify the extent of empirical evaluations of the effectiveness of a GIS. Although there is some research reference offender profiling, results are mixed. Only two empirical evaluations have been published that examine crime mapping, and both are limited to effects on perceptions. No empirical work links GIS to police deployment effectiveness.
Anti-Müllerian Hormone Levels Before and after Uterine Artery Embolization: A Preliminary Report

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a minimally invasive procedure proven to treat women with uterine myomata. Some studies have suggested that UAE decreases fertility levels in women of reproductive age. However, our patients have shown to have no reduced fertility by determining levels of the anti mullerian hormone (AMH), a more reliable fertility marker than the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). This current study describes our preliminary reports for measuring ovarian reserve of women under 40 by obtaining AMH levels before and after UAE.
Electricity generation and microbial community analysis of alcohol powered microbial fuel cells

Two different microbial fuel cell (MFC) configurations were investigated for electricity production from ethanol and methanol: a two-chambered, aqueous-cathode MFC; and a single-chamber direct-air cathode MFC. Electricity was generated in the two-chamber system at a maximum power density typical of this system (40+/-2 mW/m2) and a Coulombic efficiency (CE) ranging from 42% to 61% using ethanol. When bacteria were transferred into a single-chamber MFC known to produce higher power densities with different substrates, the maximum power density increased to 488+/-12 mW/m2 (CE = 10%) with ethanol. The voltage generated exhibited saturation kinetics as a function of ethanol concentration in the two-chambered MFC, with a half-saturation constant (Ks) of 4.86 mM. Methanol was also examined as a possible substrate, but it did not result in appreciable electricity generation. Analysis of the anode biofilm and suspension from a two-chamber MFC with ethanol using 16S rDNA-based techniques indicated that bacteria with sequences similar to Proteobacterium Core-1 (33.3% of clone library sequences), Azoarcus sp. (17.4%), and Desulfuromonas sp. M76 (15.9%) were significant members of the anode chamber community. These results indicate that ethanol can be used for sustained electricity generation at room temperature using bacteria on the anode in a MFC.
Activation of a microtubule-associated protein-2 kinase by insulin-like growth factor-I in bovine chromaffin cells.

Treatment of bovine chromaffin cells with insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) caused the activation of a protein kinase that phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) in vitro. Activation of MAP-2 kinase by IGF-I varied with the time of treatment (maximal at 10–15 min) and the concentration of IGF-I (maximal at 10 nM). The IGF-I-activated MAP-2 kinase was localized to the soluble fraction of chromaffin cell extracts and required Mg2+ for activity. The IGF-I-activated kinase also phosphorylated myelin basic protein, but had little or no activity toward his-tones or ribosomal S6 protein. To examine the role of protein tyrosine phosphoryiation in the activation of the MAP-2 kinase, we isolated phosphotyrosine (PTyr)-containing proteins from chromaffin cells by immunoaffinity adsorption on anti-PTyr-Sepharose beads. Anti-PTyr-Sepharose eluates from IGF-I-treated cells showed increased MAP-2 kinase activity; thus, the MAP-2 kinase (or a closely associated protein) appears to be a PTyr-containing protein. Treatment of anti-PTyr-Sepharose eluates or crude chromaffin cell extracts with alkaline phosphatase significantly decreased kinase activity toward myelin basic protein, indicating that phosphoryiation of the IGF-I-activated kinase is required for its activity.
Effect of strong scattering on the low-temperature penetration depth of a d-wave superconductor.

For a pure superconductor in a d-wave-like state at temperatures T well below the critical temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, the deviation \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\lambda} of the penetration depth from its zero-temperature value \ensuremath{\lambda}(0) is proportional to T. When the concentration ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{i}}$ of strongly scattering impurities is nonzero, \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\propto}${\mathit{T}}^{\mathit{n}}$, where n=2 for T${\mathit{T}}^{\mathrm{*}}$\ensuremath{\ll}${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ and n=1 for ${\mathit{T}}^{\mathrm{*}}$T\ensuremath{\ll}${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. The crossover temperature ${\mathit{T}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ and the increase in \ensuremath{\lambda}(0) scale as \ensuremath{\surd}${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{i}}$ up to logarithmic corrections when resonant scattering is dominant. We argue that this case is relevant to recent measurements on ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ and present specific results for a model pairing state with ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{x}}^{2}$-${\mathit{y}}^{2}$ symmetry.
Alternative Radwaste Solidification Route for Three Mile Island Wastes

Present plans being considered for Three Mile Island (TMI) wastes involve radionuclide adsorption on zeolites, transportation, and possible melting with pit into glass. Several zeolites were treated with a simulated TMI waste and directly sintered at 1000°C to fix the adsorbed ions. The Cs leach rates of the sintered products are similar to those of borosilicate glasses. Thus, simple sintering (on-site) of zeolites may be a cost-effective and less cumbersome alternative for such waste solidification.
Experimental and theoretical investigation of running-in

In this paper, the running-in and steady-state wear in the mixed-EHL line contact problem are analytically and experimentally studied. An experimental apparatus is designed and built to investigate the transient wear process during the initial stage of contact of two rollers with fresh surfaces as well as the contact of broken-in surfaces, when wear rate becomes steady. Seven experiments are conducted with five running-in experiments on fresh rollers and two steady-state experiments on the run-in rollers. The results of experimental tests and a series of simulations of an analytical model that uses the load-sharing concept and accounts for plastic deformation of asperities during the running-in stage are presented. The comparison of experimentally measured wear weight, wear depth, surface roughness, friction coefficient, and surface temperature of these seven experiments are shown to be in good agreement with the simulation results.
Selective cytolysis by a protein toxin as a consequence of direct interaction with the lymphocyte plasma membrane

Abstract Two lines of evidence support the concept that cardiotoxin from Naja naja siamensis interacts directly with the plama membrane to produce selective cytolysis of lymphocytes. Toxin adsorbed to the wells of microtiter plates retained the ability to lyse murine T-lymphocytes, but lost the ability to destroy natural killer cells, whereas soluble toxin obliterated both cell types. Second, toxin covalently coupled to 100-μm-diameter agarose beads, such that endocytosis would be precluded, effectively lysed L1210 tumor T-lymphocytes. Although differences were observed among susceptibilities of a variety of mouse and human tumor lymphocyte cell lines to toxin-mediated lysis, these differences were not so great as the differences between tumor and normal lymphocytes. The intrinsic selectivity of the toxin for T-lymphocytes, plus its retention of cytolytic potential when affixed to a solid support, suggests that such a protein could be applied therapeutically. In addition, based upon activity which is temperature-independent and not influenced by the absence or presence of external calcium, it appears that the toxin's mode of action may be different from that involved with erythrocyte hemolysis or with skeletal or cardiac muscle depolarization.
Maltreatment ofchildren and adolescents with multiple handicaps: Five case examples

Little attention has been directed toward abuse and neglect in children and adolescents with multiple handicaps. This population, however, may be at especially high risk for maltreatment. Factors contributing to added risk include: (a) disruption in mother-infant attachment, (b) greater stress related to care needs and difficult to manage behavior problems, and (c) increased vulnerability due to communication and/or cognitive limitations. Five cases are presented involving abuse and neglect in psychiatrically referred children with multiple handicaps. Cases are discussed in terms of: (a) difficulties in identifying maltreatment in those with multiple handicaps, (b) the need for multidisciplinary intervention with families who engage in maltreatment, and (c) suggestions for future directions that research might take.
A study of the influence during trituration of air-borne impurities on the strength of amalgam.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of air-borne gaseous impurities, introduced during trituration, on the strength of amalgams. Four experiments were conducted. Each experiment consisted of a control group (1) in which the amalgam was triturated in air and an experimental group (2) in which the amalgam was triturated in argon, an inert gas. Standard specimens yielded mean diametral tensile strengths of 5950 psi (1) and 6603 psi (2). Hand compacted specimens yielded mean diametral tensile strengths of 5829 psi (1) and 6412 psi (2). Standard specimens yielded mean compressive strengths of 46,636 psi (1) and 47,269 psi (2). Specimens compacted hydraulically yielded mean uniaxial tensile strengths of 10,928 psi (1) and 11,660 psi (2). Statistically, the differences between the means for each experiment are significant. Hence, trituration in an inert gas has been shown to be an effective method for increasing the strength of amalgam.
AN EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF THE CURATIVE ACTION OF PENICILLIN IN ACUTE BACTERIAL INFECTIONS : II. THE ROLE OF PHAGOCYTIC CELLS IN THE PROCESS OF RECOVERY

Type I pneumococci injected into the leg muscles of otherwise normal mice reached a maximum total population of approximately 106 organisms. In mice rendered severely leucopenic by previous irradiation the maximum bacterial counts recorded were of the order of 109. Since the lesions in the latter animals were relatively acellular, the thousandfold difference in the two experiments represented a rough measure of the antibacterial action of the leucocytic exudate. The suppressive effect of the leucocytic exudate was shown by histologie studies to involve phagocytosis. The ingestion of pneumococci was clearly demonstrable within the first 12 to 18 hours. Accordingly, it was attributed to surface phagocytosis. In support of this conclusion was the finding that type III pneumococci reached a significantly higher total population in the myositis lesions than did type I. The type III strain used had been previously shown to be resistant to surface phagocytosis during active growth, whereas the type I strain was known to be susceptible throughout its growth phase. Evidence was also presented that the dense leucocytic exudate probably caused in addition a significant degree of bacteriostasis. When penicillin therapy was begun 9 hours after inoculation, the pneumococci were cleared from the lesions with equal rapidity regardless of the presence or absence of leucocytic exudate. At this early stage the pneumococci were multiplying rapidly in the lesions of both the irradiated and unirradiated mice and therefore were promptly killed by the direct action of the penicillin. When the start of treatment was delayed, however, until 24 hours after inoculation, the bacteria in both sets of lesions had already reached their maximum counts and therefore were presumably resistant to the bactericidal effect of the antibiotic. Under such circumstances the destruction of the bacteria was found to be significantly less prompt in the acellular lesions than in those with a normal cellular exudate. It is concluded from these findings that, in established pneumococcal myositis in mice, the curative effect of penicillin is due, not to the bactericidal action of the antibiotic alone, but rather to the combined effect of the drug and the cellular defenses of the host. The same conclusion also appears to be applicable to analogous acute infections in man, particularly when they are sufficiently advanced to be definitively diagnosed.
Reduction in angioplasty complications after the introduction of coronary stents: Results from a consecutive series of 2242 patients

The introduction of coronary stents for the treatment of acute vessel closure has probably improved the safety of angioplasty, but little data are available regarding angioplasty complication rates when bailout stenting is available. Therefore baseline and patient outcome data for 2242 consecutive patients treated at a single tertiary referral center were compared before and after bailout coronary stenting was introduced. Patients treated after stents became available were more likely to have diabetes (16% prestent availability vs 19% poststent, p 50% reduction in major complications despite greater patient acuity. The traditionally reported complication rates for angioplasty appear not to apply when ballout stenting is available.
Ultrasonographic assessment of early fetal growth in insulin-treated diabetic pregnancies

Abstract Early fetal growth aberrations have been suggested in diabetic gestations. To characterize such aberrations sonographically, longitudinal crown-rump length measurements were made in a group of 20 control and 20 diabetic pregnancies. The study evaluated growth between 40 and 100 days of amenorrhea. The best-fit curve of growth as a function of gestational age was that of a nonlinear polynomial regression curve for both the control and the diabetic groups. The correlation coefficients were 0.997 and 0.887 for the control and diabetic groups, respectively; the standard error of the estimate was 0.054 and 0.19, respectively. A log 10 linear transformation was performed successfully on each curve. Comparison of the slopes and the intercepts of the transformed control and diabetic curves revealed no significant differences. To evaluate the possibility of a transient fetal growth delay, interval growths and interval growth velocities were compared between groups. No significant differences were observed. The control and diabetic groups' mean (±SD) growth velocities were 0.043 ± 0.023 and 0.040 ± 0.022 mm/day/mm total, respectively ( p = NS). The growth of two anomalous fetuses in the diabetic group was studied individually. Their growth characteristics could not be distinguished from the control fetuses' growth profiles. The present study fails to confirm the presence of early fetal growth delay in diabetic pregnancies. Moreover, the data suggest that the fetuses' early growth in the mother with poorly controlled diabetes is similar to that of control fetuses.
Temperature and acid-base regulation in fish.

Abstract A conceptual framework is presented for the evaluation of acid-base regulation of fish. It is based upon the consideration that at any body temperature a state of constant relative alkalinity is preserved by regulation of the plasma [HCO 3 − ] and the ventilation or O 2 extraction coefficient which determine the arterial P CO 2 . In addition the absolute levels of the post-branchial P CO 2 are limited in water breathing animals to levels which theoretically do not exceed 5 torr.
p120-Catenin and p190RhoGAP Regulate Cell-Cell Adhesion by Coordinating Antagonism between Rac and Rho

Integration of receptor tyrosine kinase, integrin, and cadherin activities is crucial for normal cell growth, motility, and adhesion. Here, we describe roles for p120-catenin (p120) and p190RhoGAP that coordinate crosstalk between these systems and regulate cadherin function. Surprisingly, PDGFR-induced actin remodeling in NIH3T3 cells is blocked in the absence of p120, and the cells are partially transformed via constitutive activation of Rho. We have traced the mechanism to unexpected codependent roles for p120 and p190RhoGAP in regulating Rac-dependent antagonism of Rho. Receptor-induced Rac activity causes translocation of p190RhoGAP to adherens junctions (AJs), where it couples to the cadherin complex via interaction with p120. AJ formation is dependent on this p120-p190RhoGAP interaction and fails altogether if either of these proteins are compromised. We propose that Rac activation links diverse signaling systems to AJ assembly by controlling transient p190RhoGAP interactions with p120 and localized inhibition of Rho.
Spotiton: a prototype for an integrated inkjet dispense and vitrification system for cryo-TEM.

Abstract Over the last three decades, Cryo-TEM has developed into a powerful technique for high-resolution imaging of biological macromolecules in their native vitrified state. However, the method for vitrifying specimens onto EM grids is essentially unchanged – application of ∼3 μL sample to a grid, followed by blotting and rapid plunge freezing into liquid ethane. Several trials are often required to obtain suitable thin (few hundred nanometers or less) vitrified layers amenable for cryo-TEM imaging, which results in waste of precious sample and resources. While commercially available instruments provide some level of automation to control the vitrification process in an effort to increase quality and reproducibility, obtaining satisfactory vitrified specimens remains a bottleneck in the Cryo-TEM pipeline. We describe here a completely novel method for EM specimen preparation based on small volume (picoliter to nanoliter) dispensing using inkjet technology. A first prototype system (Spotiton v0.5) demonstrates feasibility of this new approach for specimen vitrification. A piezo-electric inkjet dispenser is integrated with optical real-time cameras (100 Hz frame rate) to analyze picoliter to nanoliter droplet profiles in-flight and spreading dynamics on the grid, and thus provides a method to optimize timing of the process. Using TEM imaging and biochemical assays we demonstrate that the piezo-electric inkjet mechanism does not disrupt the structural or functional integrity of macromolecules. These preliminary studies provide insight into the factors and components that will need further development to enable a robust and repeatable technique for specimen vitrification using this novel approach.
The effect of unit size on the range of the reference scale

Abstract Previous research has shown that the manipulation of reference scale range results in the concomitant variation of unit size. This study shows that the manipulation of unit size results in the concomitant variation in scale range. The implications of the reversibility of the relationship between unit and range are discussed in regard to theories of context effects in judgment and in regard to category width as a personality variable.
Neuroprotective Therapy for Parkinson's Disease ☆

The concept of neuroprotection relates to the fact that intervention may be able to interfere with the pathogenesis of neuronal cell death. Neuroprotective therapy may make it possible to delay disease progression or prevent the disease altogether. The pathophysiological mechanism of cell death in Parkinson's disease is unknown; however, hypotheses have been developed. The discovery that the toxin MPTP can cause Parkinson's disease both in humans and in animals strengthened the hypothesis that either exogenous or endogenous toxins may be involved in the mechanism of cell death in Parkinson's disease. The mechanism of MPTP toxicity has been elucidated, lending several possible mechanisms for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease. Current data suggest that oxidative stress may play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. It is possible that the generation of free radicals leads to neuronal cell death. There is also evidence that mitochondrial damage may play a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Other theories of possible pathogenesis include excitotoxicity, disturbances of calcium homeostasis, immunological mechanisms, and infectious etiologies. The first agent to be tested as a candidate for neuroprotection was the MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl. Evidence is reviewed for and against the theory that this drug is neuroprotective.
Topical administration of adrenergic receptor pharmaceutics and nerve growth factor

Topical application of nerve growth factor (NGF) and adrenergic receptor pharmaceutics are currently in use for corneal ulcers and glaucoma. A recent interest in the neuroprotective abilities of NGF has led to a renewed interest in NGF as a therapeutic for retinal and choroidal diseases. NGF can promote cell proliferation through actions of the TrkA receptor or promote apoptosis through receptor p75NTR. This understanding has led to novel interest in the role of NGF for diseases of the posterior eye. The role of β-adrenergic receptor agonists and antagonists for treatments of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and their potential mechanisms of action, are still under investigation. This review discusses the current knowledge and applications of topical NGF and adrenergic receptor drugs for ocular disease.
Flail mitral valve syndrome: comparison with chronic mitral regurgitation of other etiologies.

Thirty-nine patients with symptomatic severe mitral regurgitation (MR) were studied by cardiac catheterization and two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) prior to mitral valve replacement. A flail mitral valve was found at surgery in 23 patients (group 1); 16 patients had intact chordae tendineae (chronic MR, group 2). No difference was found between groups 1 and 2 with regard to hemodynamic findings. Left atrial volumes in end systole (LAESV) and end diastole (LAEDV) were determinod by 2DE from apical four- and two-chamber views with the use of a biplane area-length method and a light pen system. The LAESV and LAEDV measured 116 ± 66 ml and 56 ± 48 ml, respectively, in group 1, as compared with 185 ± 101 ml and 105 ± 62 ml in group 2 (p 100 ml (group 1B). Patients in group 1A had significantly smaller left ventricular volume and higher mean pulmonary wedge pressure, pulmonary artery, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure compared to patients in groups 1B and 2 (p < 0.05). Thus, a subset group of patients with flail mitral leaflets and smaller LAESV has hemodynamic features of acute MR, whereas the remainder with larger LAESV are indistinguishable from patients with chronic MR.
A Sorption-Kinetic Model for Surfactant-Driven Spreading of Aqueous Drops on Insoluble Liquid Substrates.

Abstract Spreading of aqueous drops on hydrocarbon liquids occurs only when particular surfactants are added to the droplets above a critical concentration. For surfactant solutions of didodecyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) in water spreading over mineral oil, rates of droplet expansion are much slower than those corresponding to pure liquids spreading over immiscible liquid substrates with the same initial spreading coefficients. We present a sorption-kinetic model to explain quantitatively the spreading histories for aqueous DDAB droplets on mineral oil. Due to surfactant transport limitations, spreading occurs only when enough surfactant arrives at the dilating lens surfaces to establish a slightly positive, but near-zero spreading coefficient. We solve the convective diffusion equation for a cylindrical disk-like lens under the integral constraint of a constant surfactant adsorption density corresponding to a near-zero spreading coefficient. All observed spreading behavior is correctly portrayed by the proposed sorption-kinetic model including final equilibrium lens formation and spreading rates that are sensibly independent of drop volume, but are strongly dependent on drop surfactant concentration. Quantitative agreement is found with the experimental spreading data for a surfactant diffusion coefficient of 6×10−12 m2/s and an effective adsorption rate constant of 6.5×10−7 m/s. Both values prove physically reasonable. The sorption-kinetic model provides a new mechanism for understanding slow surfactant-driven spreading.
Re)Imagining Gender.

This profile of 21-year-old Columbus State University visual art student Briden Cole Schueren looks his art works, visual explorations, and experiences of transitioning genders.
Emerging drugs for eosinophilic esophagitis

Introduction: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has emerged over the past two decades as an important esophageal disorder with significant associated morbidity. The prevalence of EoE now approximates that of commonly recognized gastrointestinal diseases including inflammatory bowel disease. In adults, EoE is now a leading cause of dysphagia and food impaction. Medications, food elimination diets and esophageal dilation are currently utilized for the treatment of EoE. While these approaches are often effective, no pharmaceutical agents have yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The current medical therapies for EoE primarily consist of topical corticosteroids that have been adopted from formulations designed for pulmonary delivery in patients with asthma and have not been optimized for esophageal delivery. Areas covered: This article focuses on therapeutics being developed for EoE. Several trials have evaluated improved steroid vehicles designed for topical delivery to the esophagus. No...
The sicker sex.

Arguments about the weaker sex notwithstanding, there is no contest about the identity of the sicker sex—it is males, almost every time. Everyone knows that old age homes have more widows than widowers, but the disparity extends far beyond the elderly. Fewer women than men died in the 1917–1918 influenza epidemic; the differential mortality was not related to World War I, as originally thought, but was global and widespread among ages. Kruger and Nesse [1] compared men's and women's mortality rates for 11 causes of death in men and women from 20 countries, including accidents and homicide as well as infectious and non-infectious diseases, and found that men virtually always die earlier. They concluded, “Being male is now the single largest demographic risk factor for early mortality in developed countries”. Furthermore, in many free-living mammals, males are more likely than females to harbor parasites or to suffer more intensely from their effects. During the mid-20th century, a virtual cottage industry developed in which investigators experimentally infested laboratory rodents with parasites and documented any resulting sex differences in the prevalence or intensity of the infection that developed [2]. Males usually developed higher parasitemia, with castration removing the sex difference. The persistence of these patterns in the laboratory suggests that the sex difference is not merely due to differences in exposure to parasites, with males and females behaving differently in the field and hence incurring different risks of infection, but to an inherent sex difference in vulnerability. What causes this disparity between the sexes in longevity and parasite susceptibility? Most research has focused on the proximate mechanisms, such as endocrine or immunological pathways, that are immediately responsible for any one cause. Here, I take a different approach. Sex differences in infection rates or mortality may come about for the same reasons as other differences between males and females, such as morphology: selection acts differently on the sexes because they maximize their fitness in different ways. Below I discuss an evolutionary approach to the question of why males so often die sooner and develop more diseases than females [3],[4]. Some researchers are hopeful that the gap between men's and women's lifespans will close as we develop better medical care and education about health risks, but I will argue instead that the disparity is not going away any time soon.
Alteration of iron homeostasis following chronic exposure to manganese in rats

Recent studies suggest that manganese-induced neurodegenerative toxicity may be partly due to its action on aconitase, which participates in cellular iron regulation and mitochondrial energy production. This study was performed to investigate whether chronic manganese exposure in rats influenced the homeostasis of iron in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Groups of 8–10 rats received intraperitoneal injections of MnCl2 at the dose of 6 mg Mn/kg/day or equal volume of saline for 30 days. Concentrations of manganese and iron in plasma and CSF were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Rats exposed to manganese showed a greatly elevated manganese concentration in both plasma and CSF. The magnitude of increase in CSF manganese (11-fold) was equivalent to that of plasma (10-fold). Chronic manganese exposure resulted in a 32% decrease in plasma iron (p<0.01) and no changes in plasma total iron binding capacity (TIBC). However, it increased CSF iron by 3-fold as compared to the controls (p<0.01). Northern blot analyses of whole brain homogenates revealed a 34% increase in the expression of glutamine synthetase (p<0.05) with unchanged metallothionein-I in manganese-intoxicated rats. When the cultured choroidal epithelial cells derived from rat choroid plexus were incubated with MnCl2 (100 μM) for four days, the expression of transferrin receptor mRNA appeared to exceed by 50% that of control (p<0.002). The results indicate that chronic manganese exposure alters iron homeostasis possibly by expediting unidirectional influx of iron from the systemic circulation to cerebral compartment. The action appears likely to be mediated by manganese-facilitated iron transport at brain barrier systems.
Geometry-Dependent Quality Factors in ${\hbox{Ba}}_{0.5}{\hbox{Sr}}_{0.5}{\hbox{TiO}}_{3}$ Parallel-Plate Capacitors

Quality factor variation with top electrode area in thin-film barium-strontium-titanate parallel-plate capacitors is discussed. At low frequencies, the geometry dependence is consistent with the presence of a parallel parasitic loss pathway enabled by conduction over the device mesa surface. At high frequencies, the variation in the quality factor with top electrode area is due to a geometry-independent series resistance
Phylogeny and palaeobiogeography of hadrosaurian dinosaurs

MOST geologists agree on the placement of the continents at the end of the Cretaceous. Palaeobiologists, however, hold divergent opinions1,2. Some workers connect South America to Africa, some connect it only to North America, while others isolate South America totally. New evidence from vertebrate palaeontology suggest that a substantial land connection between North and South America existed 85–100 Myr ago which facilitated the passage of many terrestrial vertebrates between the continents, including large herbivorous dinosaurs. Specimens of hadrosaurian dinosaurs, collected in the first half of the present century, have now been used to reanalyse not only the palaeobiogeography but also the classification and phylogeny of this group. 1 report here the first solid evidence of an extensive land connection for large terrestrial vertebrates of this sort between North and South America at the end of the Cretaceous.
Systemic administration of 6-OHDA to rhesus monkeys upregulates HLA-DR expression in brain microvasculature.

Background We recently developed a nonhuman primate model of cardiac dysautonomia by systemic dosing of the catecholaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). The aim of this study was to assess whether systemic 6-OHDA affects the central nervous system of nonhuman primates, in particular the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system. Methods Brain sections from adult rhesus monkeys that received systemic 6-OHDA (50 mg/kg intravenously; n=5) and were necropsied 3 months later, as well as normal controls (n=5) were used in this study. Tissue was cut frozen at 40 μm on a sliding microtome, processed for immunohistochemistry, and blindly evaluated. Results Neither the optical density of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (TH-ir; a dopaminergic neuronal marker) in the caudate and putamen nucleus nor the TH-ir cell number and volume in the substantia nigra showed significant differences between groups. Yet within groups, statistical analysis revealed significant individual differences in the 6-OHDA-treated group, with two animals showing a lower cell count and volume. Optical density quantification of α-synuclein-ir in the substantia nigra did not show differences between groups. As α-synuclein intracellular distribution was noted to vary between animals, it was further evaluated with a semiquantitative scale. A greater intensity and presence of α-synuclein-positive nigral cell bodies was associated with larger TH-positive nigral cell volumes. Increased human leukocyte antigen (HLA-DR; a microglial marker) expression was observed in 6-OHDA-treated animals compared with controls. HLA-DR-ir was primarily localized in endothelial cells and perivascular spaces throughout cortical and subcortical structures. Semiquantitative evaluation using a rating scale revealed higher HLA-DR-ir in blood vessels of 6-OHDA-treated animals than controls, specifically in animals with the lowest number of dopaminergic nigral neurons. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that systemic 6-OHDA administration to rhesus monkeys can affect the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system and upregulate inflammatory markers in the cerebrovasculature that persist 3 months post neurotoxin challenge. The variability of the subject response suggests differences in individual sensitivity to 6-OHDA.
Amino acid metabolism and cell volume regulation in the little skate, Raja erinacea. II. Synthesis

The capacity for synthesis of β-alanine, sarcosine, and taurine was investigated in tissue slices from the little skate (Raja erinacea). Synthesis of β-alanine was found to occur predominantly in the liver and at a rate comparable to the β-alanine oxidation rate previously measured for this tissue. Synthesis rate did not change when tissues were incubated in a diluted saline medium or when skates were gradually acclimated to half-strength seawater. Sarcosine was found to be synthesized primarily in the liver, but at a much lower rate than β-alanine. Taurine synthesis could not be demonstrated definitely in any of the tissues tested. Amino acid analysis of liver, red blood cells, and wing muscle were performed on tissues of skates gradually acclimated to half-strength seawater and then reacclimated to full-strength seawater. Only β-alanine levels returned to predilution values upon reacclimation to full-strength seawater.
Recently Synthesized r-Process Nuclei: Ultra-Heavy Cosmic Rays and Peculiar Stars

Recently synthesized (t≲109 yr)r-process material has actinide elemental and isotopic abundance characteristics which can be used to distinguish it from ancientr-process material. The time-dependence of relative actinide abundances provides detailed chronometric information. Also it is shown that, ifN=184 is a neutron magic number as predicted by nuclear thery, the resultingr-process production peak atA∼281 will in turn yield, due to symmetric fission, a broad abundance peak aroundA∼135–140. The present results can be used to help verify or refute some current hypotheses concerning the origin of UH cosmic rays and some of the abundance anomalies in peculiar stars.
Prevalence of abnormal bone density of pediatric patients prior to blood or marrow transplant.

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are long-term side effects of bone marrow transplant (BMT). The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of bone mineral density (BMD) abnormalities in pediatric patients prior to BMT. Forty-four pediatric patients were evaluated with DEXA scans. The average Z-score was −0.37. Thirty-six percent had abnormal BMD. Sixty-seven percent of ALL patients had abnormal BMD. Patients with non-malignant diseases were significantly more likely to have abnormal BMD. Patients with ALL had more defects than solid tumor patients. Females had more defects than males. These results demonstrate BMD defects are common in children prior to BMT, especially in patients with ALL. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53:675–677. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
SCHOOL CHOICE AND THE BRANDING OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Abstract How useful are “corporate brands” in markets? In theory, brands convey reliable information, providing consumers with shortcuts to time-consuming provider searches. We examine the usefulness of a corporate brand when parental school choice is expanded through K–12 tuition scholarships. Specifically, we evaluate whether Catholic schools carry an identifiable education brand (1) preferred even by non-Catholics, (2) for reasons connected to the brand, (3) signaling largely accurate information resulting in an enduring “match” of school characteristics to student needs, and (4) leading to exit from the program when a Catholic school fails to meet consumers' brand expectations. We test these hypotheses using attitudinal and behavioral data from a scholarship program in Washington, DC. The results largely confirm our hypotheses about the Catholic school brand being attractive, familiar, generally accurate, and, when not accurate, an instigator of programmatic attrition—results that speak to enduring po...
Contrast media-related complications during cardiac catheterization using HexabrixTM or RenografinTM in high-risk patients

Contrast media may lead to adverse reactions during cardiac catheterization. Hexabrix has less hemodynamic and electrophysiologic effects than Renografin-76. To assess relative complication rates using these agents, 82 patients with heart failure or "unstable" ischemic syndromes and undergoing catheterization were prospectively randomized to receive either Hexabrix or Renografin. Clinical diagnoses, hemodynamics before contrast media administration, left ventricular ejection fraction, case duration, contrast volume and cine film quality were similar in the 2 groups. The condition of 1 patient assigned to receive Renografin was deemed too unstable and Hexabrix was safely used. In the other patients, a total of 17 adverse reactions occurred (7 before administration of contrast and thus unrelated: 4 Hexabrix- and 3 Renografin-assigned patients, difference not significant). Three contrast-induced adverse reactions were considered minor (Hexabrix 2, Renografin 1, difference not significant). Severe adverse reactions requiring intervention, such as pulmonary edema and hypotension, were more frequent in patients who received Renografin (6 of 38, 16%) as compared with Hexabrix (1 of 43, 2%) (p less than 0.05). It is concluded that in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac catheterization, Hexabrix is tolerated better than Renografin and should be considered for routine use.
Parking Lot Sealcoat: An Unrecognized Source of Urban Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a ubiquitous contaminant in urban environments. Although numerous sources of PAHs to urban runoff have been identified, their relative importance remains uncertain. We show that a previously unidentified source of urban PAHs, parking lot sealcoat, may dominate loading of PAHs to urban water bodies in the United States. Particles in runoff from parking lots with coal-tar emulsion sealcoat had mean concentrations of PAHs of 3500 mg/kg, 65 times higher than the mean concentration from unsealed asphalt and cement lots. Diagnostic ratios of individual PAHs indicating sources are similar for particles from coal-tar emulsion sealed lots and suspended sediment from four urban streams. Contaminant yields projected to the watershed scale for the four associated watersheds indicate that runoff from sealed parking lots could account for the majority of stream PAH loads.
Cooperation helps power saving

In wireless sensor networks (WSN), energy efficiency is crucial to achieving satisfactory network lifetime. The most commonly used and may be the only efficient method to reduce the energy consumption significantly is to turn off the radios most of the time, except when it has to participate in data communication. The key challenge is to operate the radio at a low duty cycle but still ensure the delay is relatively low. Various power-saving medium-access control (MAC) protocols have been proposed along this thread. However, most of such protocols focus on a point-to-point communication setting, in which a node will drop an overheard packet if it is not the destination. On the other hand, cooperative wireless communication has been drawing extensive attention in the past few years. Node cooperation has been exploited to reduce end-to-end delay, improve transmission reliability, etc. However, not much has been done in utilizing node cooperation to save energy. This idea may sound absurd since cooperation requires more nodes involved in a communication and would result in more energy being consumed. But is this true? In this paper, we will exploit the possibility of cooperative power saving in wireless ad-hoc networks. The trade-off between energy consumption and delay will be studied. Interestingly, our analytical and simulation results show that cooperation can indeed help achieve a better delay-power consumption trade-off. Our results also show that cooperation together with asymmetric power allocation can achieve the optimal delay-power trade-off.
VXI or PXI test system improvement using DSP

The results of a study into the use of distributed digital signal processing (DSP) at the instrument level in a VXI and PXI based test system and the effects on test time. One of the limiting factors in testing mixed signal or analog devices using standard bus based instruments is the transfer speed from the instrument to the controlling computer of large amounts of waveform data. This is important as these types of tests use non-deterministic, quantized signals that must be mathematically processed to extract test information. This processing can either be done at the instrument or at the central controller. If the processing is done at the instrument then only the results are transferred to the controller. If the controller does the processing then the raw data must be transferred to and from the instrument. Using two instruments, one in VXI and one in PXI, this paper measures the effects of typical tests contesting the measurements as done in the central processor as opposed to a distributed DSP processor in each instrument For each acquisition instrument, tests were implemented by capturing the data and moving it to the controlling computer where it was processed to extract test results, or by using the instruments on-board DSP so only the final test results were set to the controlling computer. The study results show that a significant improvement in test time can be made by selecting "smart" instruments for the test system when using PXI or VXI based instruments.
Executive function impairments in high IQ adults with ADHD.

Objectives: To demonstrate that high IQ adults diagnosed with ADHD suffer from executive function (EF) impairments that: a) can be identified with a combination of standardized measures and self-re...
A 14,000-year environmental change history revealed by mineral magnetic data from White Lake, New Jersey, USA

Abstract The increasing use of magnetic parameters as a proxy for environmental change necessitates the understanding of processes that link magnetic properties of sediments, especially organic-rich lake sediments, and environmental change. To explore the magnetic mineral-paleoenvironment link, we have recovered a 14,000 yr mineral-magnetic record from White Lake, a hardwater lake containing organic-rich sediments in northwestern New Jersey, USA. Pre-14 ka (1 ka = 1000 cal yr BP) sediments are dominated by clays, and the magnetic variations of the clays recorded the deglaciation process, the initial development of the lake, and the stabilization of the watershed. The rapid increase in organic matter and carbonate around 14 ka likely marks the Bolling warming event. The marl sediments were deposited from 14 to 11 ka and displayed a continued decline in magnetic mineral concentration, which indicates increasing marl precipitation in the lake and stabilization of the watershed by vegetation growth. The Holocene gyttja-dominated sediments generally have weak magnetizations. However, yellowish marl layers in the Holocene sediments display strong magnetizations. The strong magnetization of marl layers at ∼ 1.3, 3.0, 4.4, and 6.1 ka probably resulted from oxidation of the precipitated marl sediments near to shore, which were then eroded, transported, and redeposited during periods of low lake levels. This study demonstrates that multiple magnetic parameters can provide a more detailed and robust interpretation of environmental change than lithologic data alone.
Conventional calcium channel mediates asynchronous acetylcholine release by motor nerve impulses

STIMULATION of the motor nerve, in addition to producing the synchronous, impulsive release of acetylcholine (ACh) that is recorded electrophysiologically as the endplate potential (e.p.p.)1, also elicits a delayed, asynchronous discharge of ACh quanta that appears as increases in miniature endplate potential (m.e.p.p.) frequencies2–4. The synchronous release of ACh is mediated by the movement of Ca2+ through specific conductance channels activated by depolarisation of the motor nerve ending (for reviews see refs 1, 5 and 6). Although asynchronous release is dependent in some fashion on extracellular (Ca2+) (ref. 4) there seems to be a controversy as to the precise nature of the ionic pathway responsible for this dependence. For example, although it has been suggested that asynchronous evoked release is mediated by residual Ca2+ that enters through the traditional Ca2+ conductance pathway3, results with Mg2+ have suggested the contrary4. Specifically, it has been shown that Mg2+, rather than antagonising the asynchronous release of ACh in Ca2+ solutions, (as would be expected if Ca2+ moved through the same conductance pathway for both forms of release7–10), actually enhanced the asynchronous discharge of ACh quanta4. The present study investigated the effects of the conventional Ca2+ antagonists, Co2+ and Mg2+, on the asynchronous evoked release of ACh. The results demonstrate that after brief, repetitive stimulation, both ions competitively antagonise asynchronous ACh release in a manner similar to their respective antagonism of synchronous release7,10. We conclude that Ca2+ supports both dispersed and synchronous ACh release through the same conductance pathway.