cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospective single-arm protocol of carvedilol in children with ventricular dysfunction.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of carvedilol in pediatric patients with stable moderate heart failure. We performed a single-arm prospective drug trial at three academic medical centers and the results were compared to historical controls. Patients were 3 months to 17 years old with an ejection fraction <40% in the systemic ventricle for at least 3 months on maximal medical therapy including ACE inhibitors. Treated patients were started on 0.1 mg/kg/day and uptitrated to 0.8 mg/kg/day or the maximal tolerated dose. Echocardiographic parameters of function were prospectively measured at entry and at 6 months. Two composite endpoints were recorded: severe decline in status and significant clinical change. Adverse events were reviewed by a safety committee. Data were also collected from untreated controls with dilated cardiomyopathy meeting entry criteria, assessed over a similar time frame. Twenty patients [12 dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and 8 congenital] with a median age of 8.4 years (range, 8 months to 17.8 years) were treated with carvedilol. Three patients discontinued the drug during the study. At entry, there was no statistical difference in age, weight, or ejection fraction between the treated group and controls. The ejection fraction of the treated DCM group improved significantly from entry to 6 months (median, 31 to 40%, p = 0.04), with no significant change in ejection fraction in the control group [median, 29 to 27%, p = not significant (NS)]. The median increase in ejection fraction was larger for the treated DCM group than for the untreated DCM controls (7 vs 0%, p = 0.05). By Kaplan–Meier analysis, time to death or transplant tended to be longer in treated patients (p = 0.07). The difference in the proportion of patients with severe decline in status or significant clinical change in the treated group was not significant compared to the controls (5 vs 12%, p = NS). We conclude that in this prospective protocol of pediatric patients, the use of adjunct carvedilol in the DCM group improved ejection fraction compared to untreated controls and trended toward delaying time to transplant or death.
On the Innervation of the Muscles in the Leg of the Lobster, Homarus Vulgaris Milne Edwards

The innervation as described for the crayfishes has been confirmed in the lobster and it has been possible to extend the innervation scheme to more muscles. (Fig. 1). The innervation of the main and accessory flexors are described here for the first time in an Astacuran. As expected the main flexor is innervated by 4 motor fibers and 1 inhibitory one, the accessory flexor by 1 motor and 1 inhibitory fiber. The latter was shown to be a branch of the inhibitor which supplies the extensor and the bender. It has not been possible to show that the inhibitory fiber of the main flexor is likewise a branch from one of the other inhibitors. Though this was the case in all other species thus far fully investigated. The question arises therefore, whether a 4th inhibitor is present in the Astacura, or whether one of the inhibitors branches in the proximal part of the leg, before the ischiopodite. It is not possible to decide this question. It seems unlikely that the stretcher inhibitor would branch so early, as this fiber runs in the small bundle with the main flexor axons. Again, the branch to the accessory flexor of the "third" inhibitor may be taken as an indication that the latter is not involved. There remains the opener inhibitor, which in Panulirus does inhibit the main flexor, but which there does not cross to the thicker bundle. In order to decide whether 3 or 4 separate inhibitors are present it would be necessary to use the whole leg, a procedure which would kill the animal, and would even then, because of the inclusion of the place of autotomy, be difficult to perform. Because of the scarcity of the material this type of experiment was not tried.
A Local Area Network for the Biomedical Engineering Department

The Biomedical Engineering Department at Mount Sinai Medical Hospital, New York, has the overall responsibility of managing patient care equipment and systems throughout the Medical Center. It is an absolute necessity to maintain detailed information on the history and maintenance of these equipment, from a regulatory standpoint as well as to ascertain good engineering practices. A Local Area Network (LAN) will enable the Biomedical Engineering Department to improve its efficiency and effectiveness to maintain equipment.
Mechanisms by which oxygen regulates gene expression and cell-cell interaction in the vasculature.

Mechanisms by which oxygen regulates gene expression and cell-cell interaction in the vasculature. Hypoxia has profound effects on blood vessel tone. Acute hypoxia causes pulmonary vasoconstriction and chronic hypoxia causes smooth muscle cell replication and extracellular matrix accumulation resulting in vessel wall remodeling. The cellular responses to hypoxia involve complex cell-cell interactions mediated by the release of growth factors, cytokines and biological messengers. We have reported that hypoxia increases the expression of a number of genes encoding vascular cell mitogens produced by endothelial cells: platelet-derived growth factor B(PDGF-B); endothelin-1 (ET-1); and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A 28-bp enhancer in the 5′ upstream region of the VEGF gene mediates the expression of VEGF by endothelial cells under conditions of hypoxia. Hypoxia, however, has opposite effects on the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO); hypoxia suppresses both the transcriptional rate of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and the stability of its mRNA. These endothelial-dependent processes would lead to vessel wall remodeling characteristic of a number of diseases from atherosclerosis to pulmonary hypertension. The smooth muscle cell also responds to hypoxia. It increases the transcriptional rate of the heme oxygenase gene-1 responsible for the breakdown of heme to carbon monoxide (CO) and biliverdin. CO is a vasodilator with properties similar to the well-studied molecule NO. CO suppresses the production of ET-1 and PDGF-B by endothelial cells. The regulated production of NO and CO under hypoxia, therefore, results in complex feedback loop interactions leading to altered smooth muscle cell growth in an autocrine and paracrine manner.
Evidence that serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus exert a stimulatory effect on the secretion of renin but not of corticosterone.

Data from previous experiments in rats indicate that release of serotonin in the central nervous system increases renin and corticosterone secretion32. To determine which serotonergic neurons are involved, lesions of the dorsal or median raphe nuclei were produced by local injections of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) in rats, and 2 weeks later, the renin responses to parachloroamphetamine (PCA) were determined. Plasma corticosterone was also measured. PCA produced significant increases in plasma renin activity and plasma corticosterone in sham-lesioned animals and animals with median raphe lesions. The plasma corticosterone response to PCA was also normal in rats with dorsal raphe lesions but the renin response was significantly reduced. The data support the hypothesis that serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus are part of a neural pathway mediating increased renin secretion, and that the stimulatory effect of serotonin on corticosterone secretion is mediated by a different pathway.
Estrogen receptor mRNA levels in the preoptic area of neonatal rats are responsive to hormone manipulation.

Abstract Testosterone, after conversion to estrogen, masculinizes the developing preoptic area (POA) of rats, via binding to intracellular estrogen receptors located within the POA. Our previous studies have shown what seems to be a paradox, in that the levels of estrogen receptor mRNA are lower in males than in females. In the present study, we examined the effects of hormone manipulations on estrogen receptor (ER) mRNA levels in the preoptic area of neonatal male and female rats to test the hypothesis that gonadal steroid hormones regulate ER mRNA during the perinatal period. The relative amoung of steady state ER mRNA was assessed in the preoptic area of postnatal day 4 animals using in situ hybridization and film autoradiography. Hybridization density was approximately 2-fold higher in females compared with hybridization density in males. Depletion of testosterone by bilateral removal of the testes on the day of birth increased the level of ER mRNA in males to that observed in females. Treatment of females with the synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (1 μg per day, in pellet form), reduced ER mRNA levels to a level comparable to that in intact males. The non-aromatizable androgen, dihydrotestosterone (50 μg per day, in pellet form), had no effect on ER mRNA in females. These results suggest that estrogen, derived from the local aromatization of circulating testosterone, down-regulates ER mRNA in the neonatal male preoptic area. Down-regulation of ER mRNA may be an important estrogen-regulated event in the process of sexual differentiation of the preoptic area.
Touring DNS open houses for trends and configurations

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a critical component of the Internet. It maps domain names to IP addresses and serves as a distributed database for various other applications, including mail, Web, and spam filtering. This paper examines DNS zones in the Internet for diversity, adoption rates of new technologies, and prevalence of configuration issues. To gather data, we sweep 60% of the Internet's domains in June-August 2007 for zone transfers. Of them, 6.6% allow us to transfer their complete information. Surprisingly, this includes a large fraction of the domains deploying DNS security extensions (DNSSEC). We find that DNS zones vary significantly in size and some span many autonomous systems. Also, while anti-spam technologies appear to be getting deployed, the adoption rates of DNSSEC and IPv6 continue to be low. Finally, we also find that carelessness in handing DNS records can lead to reduced availability of name servers, e-mail, and Web servers. This also undermines anti-spam efforts and the efforts to shut down phishing sites or to contain malware infections.
Persistent earthquake clusters and gaps from slip on irregular faults

Clustering of earthquakes at various spatial scales is the result of a heterogeneous distribution of stresses, and – at least for intermediate-magnitude earthquakes – areas that are quiet at present are likely to remain so in the future.
Teens and Gun Trafficking: A Call for Pediatric Advocacy

At a meeting of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization in April 2013, Mirna Luz Ramos takes the microphone. With a cracking voice and tears, she talks about her 19-year-old son, Jorge. He was shot and killed while walking the dog outside of her home. She found him dying on the sidewalk. As she talks, many in the audience are weeping with her. Statistically speaking, this young man is the face of pediatric gun death. Homicides account for close to two-thirds of all gun deaths of young people 19 years and younger. Gunshots (from both suicide and homicide) are the second biggest killer of teens and the top killer of black teens. Yet, stories like Jorge’s garner far less attention in the popular press than do the unintentional shooting deaths of children. Unintentional shootings—which sometimes involve very young children who find a gun in a parent’s or friend’s home—account for only 4% of pediatric gun deaths. Language: en
Letrozole-Induced Very Early Systemic Sclerosis in a Patient With Breast Cancer: A Case Report

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are standard therapy for post-menopausal women with breast cancer. The use of AIs has been strongly associated with musculoskeletal symptoms and with various autoimmune conditions recently. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disorder of unknown etiology which may present with a broad range of clinical manifestations. In SSc, matrix deposition by activated fibroblasts leads to vasculopathy, systemic fibrosis, and end-organ damage. Skin, kidneys, pulmonary and gastrointestinal systems may be affected. Very early SSc can be diagnosed in patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon and puffy fingers as well as through autoantibodies and nailfold capillaroscopy. These symptoms are highly predictive of the further development of definite SSc. In this article, we report an unusual case of a 61-year-old female breast cancer with a very early-onset SSc with bilateral stiffness of the hands, Raynaud’s phenomenon, puffy fingers, dilated nailfold capillaries and positive anticentromere-B antibody titers after undergoing AI therapy with letrozole. Substitution of letrozole with exemestane followed by eventual discontinuation of AI therapy appears to relieve symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report suggesting a link between AI use and SSc. We suggest that AI use may induce SSc, or at least, exacerbate existing very early SSc in post-menopausal patients with breast cancer.
An assessment of PWRs' fuel-management options with extended burnup

Abstract A study is presented which evaluates two different fuel-management policies for refueling large PWRs. The policies consist of a conventional loading pattern (OUT-IN-IN) and a low-leakage loading pattern (IN-IN-OUT). The loading patterns are consistent with the acceptable power distribution imposed for safe operation. A 2-D nodal computer code, cyclops , is described, and its accuracy determined by comparison with more precise results (i.e. 2-D finite-difference code). Several fuel enrichments, ranging from 2.80 to 4.50%, have been included. Each reload size was 1 3 of the total core. The results indicate that for both the conventional and low-leakage loading patterns, the natural uranium utilization peaks and decreases at enrichments greater than 4.0%. It has also been established that for extended burnups (>42,000 MWd/MTU) a low-leakage loading is preferable and achieves a 1% saving in natural uranium utilization with a 3% increase in levelized fuel-cycle cost.
Effective heuristics for the dynamic demand joint replenishment problem

This paper considers the dynamic demand joint replenishment problem where there is a joint setup cost in each time period when any member of the product family is replenished and a separate setup cost for each different item replenished. We present two forward-pass heuristics, a two-phase heuristic, and a simulated annealing metaheuristic (SAM) and investigate their relative effectiveness in solving a comprehensive set of test problems. The experimental results indicate the two-phase heuristic and the SAM perform better than existing approaches for the problem.
Effects of age, smoking and vitamins on plasma DHEAS levels: a cross-sectional study in men

In recent years, relationships of dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate ester dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) with decreased risks of cardiovascular disease as well as a possible role in the aging process have been postulated. To explore the effects of cigarette smoking, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, as well as age, on the levels of these adrenal androgens, we measured plasma levels of DHEAS in 543 healthy male subjects from the Physicians' Health Study. Blood specimens were collected between August 1982 and December 1984 and stored at -80 C. The overall mean DHEAS level was 3.47 mumol/L (+/- 2.12 SD). DHEAS levels were positively correlated with smoking habits (r = +0.16, P = 0.0002); current smokers had the highest age-adjusted DHEAS concentrations (4.27 mumol/L, P = 0.0005 compared with never smokers), followed by past smokers (3.47 mumol/L, P = 0.02) and never smokers (3.10 mumol/L). A marked linear decline of levels with age was observed, with an average decrease of 3% per year. These data suggest a moderate direct association with cigarette smoking and a powerful influence of age on decreasing levels of DHEAS. After adjusting for age and smoking habits, DHEAS concentrations were also inversely correlated with reported use of multivitamins (r = -0.16, P = 0.0002) and positively correlated with plasma retinol levels (r = 0.14, P = 0.002).
Measurement of the solubility and diffusivity of blowing agents in polystyrene

The solubility and diffusivity of several gases in polystyrene (PS) and styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) were studied with the pressure decay method. Data were collected for carbon dioxide, isobutane, and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) in PS and for R-134a in SAN. The temperature range was between 30 and 200°C, and the gas pressures ranged from approximately 0.2 to 8.2 MPa. To cover these ranges, both the absolute and differential pressure decay methods were required. Henry's law was found to adequately represent all the gas solubilities. Isobutane and R-134a were found to have a plasticizing effect on PS and SAN; that is, the diffusivity increased significantly as the pressure (and mass uptake) increased. CO2 in PS had the highest diffusivity and lowest solubility and did not affect the diffusivity in PS over the pressure range studied. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
On the tip of the tongue: What causes word finding failures in young and older adults?

Abstract This paper develops a new theory of the tip of the tongue (TOT) phenomenon. Within this interactive activation model of speech production, TOTs occur when the connections between lexical and phonological nodes become weakened due to infrequent use, nonrecent use, and aging, causing a reduction in the transmission of priming. Predictions of the theory were examined using retrospective questionnaires, diary procedures, and a laboratory word retrieval task. In Study 1, young, midage, and older adults recorded naturally occurring TOTs in structured diaries during a four week interval in their everyday life. TOT targets were infrequent words in the language, and proper names, the largest category of TOT targets, were the names of acquaintances who had not been contacted recently, especially for older adults. Persistent alternates, i.e., incorrect words that came repeatedly to mind, shared phonology and grammatical class with TOT targets, and delayed TOT resolution. Older adults experienced more TOTs, but fewer persistent alternates. An influence of expectations on these age differences was ruled out by responses to the retrospective questionnaires, which indicated no age differences in expected number of TOTs. In Study 2, the basic results for age and persistent alternates were replicated in the laboratory for experimenter-selected TOT targets. The experimental study also demonstrated that proper names of famous people are especially vulnerable to TOTs in older adults.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Resources and Programs for Gene Therapy in Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases

The advent of gene therapy holds great promise but the field is still in its infancy. Advances have been made but the translation of gene therapy from the bench to the clinical application has been slow. Relatively few clinical trials of gene therapy have been initiated for heart, lung, and blood disorders, and very few are currently ongoing. The future of gene therapy depends on our ability to translate basic research studies into clinical applications. These “translational studies” are expensive and complex, but necessary if we are to develop gene-based treatments that treat or prevent cardiovascular, lung and blood diseases. This article describes the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) current gene therapy programs which have been created to help support academic research efforts to successfully translate gene therapy into viable clinical applications. NHLBI convened an expert Working Group in June 2005, to better understand the issues that impede progress in gene therapy research. The group was asked for their expert advice as to the status of gene therapy research and to identify critical resources needed by academic investigators to speed clinical translation of gene therapies for heart, lung, and blood diseases.1 ### The Working Group Identified Three Major Research Challenges #### Producing Good Manufacturing Process Vectors Reliably and Efficiently The ability to undertake gene therapy clinical trials will require large scale production of safe and well-characterized vectors. The choices for viral vectors for many gene therapy applications are adenovirus, adeno-associated virus (AAV), retrovirus and lentivirus. Each requires dedicated facilities and technical expertise. To date, the availability …
Abstract C68: Using a chemical genetic approach to define the role of CDK2 in normal and transformed cell lines

Cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) drive progression through the eukaryotic cell cycle, making them an attractive target for cancer therapeutics. In particular, CDK2 is thought to regulate mammalian S‐phase entry and progression, and frequently shows increased activity in a variety of tumors. Surprisingly, recent studies using conventional genetic approaches suggest that CDK2 is dispensable for cellular proliferation, both during normal development and in malignant cell lines. Here we use an alternative chemical genetic approach to determine whether acute ablation of CDK2 activity has the same affect as genetic deletion. We have replaced the endogenous CDK2 allele in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) with a mutant analogue sensitive CDK2 allele, allowing us to selectively inactivate CDK2 using bulky ATP analogs. In contrast to genetically deleting CDK2, the acute inhibition of CDK2 resulted in severe defects in proliferation of non‐transformed MEFs, as well as MEFs that were transformed using various oncogenes. These findings reveal a requirement for CDK2 in mammalian cell proliferation and suggest its potential as a therapeutic target in tumor cells. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):C68.
Regulation of Single Chain Urokinase Binding, Internalization, and Degradation by a Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1-Derived Peptide

The internalization and degradation of cell-associated urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) through the alpha2-macroglobulin receptor/low density lipoprotein-related receptor (alpha2MR/LRP) represent important steps in the control of plasmin formation. Complexes between two chain urokinase (tcuPA) and plasminogen activator type 1 are degraded rapidly whereas single chain urokinase (scuPA) is not, suggesting that alpha2MR/LRP requires specific epitopes in the serpin for effective function. We report an alternative mechanism that may contribute to this process. The binding of scuPA to LM-TK- cells that lack the uPA receptor was stimulated by the hexapeptide EEIIMD, corresponding to amino acids 350-355 of plasminogen activator type 1, which contacts the sequence RHRGGS, corresponding to amino acids 179-184 in uPA. EEIIMD increased the Bmax of scuPA binding 4-fold with the half-maximal effect achieved at a peptide concentration of 50 microM. Stimulation was dependent on the charge on the COOH-terminal amino acid but not on the NH2 terminus of the peptide. EEIIMD also stimulated the internalization and degradation of scuPA. Both the binding and internalization of scuPA in the presence of EEIIMD were blocked by recombinant, 39-kDa alpha2MR/LRP-associated protein as well as by an anti-alpha2MR/LRP antibody. EEIIMD also stimulated the binding of scuPA to purified alpha2MR/LRP. EEIIMD had no effect on the binding of tcuPA or of complexes between scuPA and its receptor. These results suggest that EEIIMD regulates the binding of scuPA with alpha2MR/LRP. These findings also suggest a potential mechanism by which scuPA can be cleared which is independent of activation by plasmin or binding to uPA receptor.
Spontaneous emission revisited

The cause of spontaneous emission is frequently assigned to the presence of zero-point energy in the radiation field. As such it would have no classical equivalent since zero-point energy does not exist classically. It is argued that spontaneous emission is not caused by zero-point energy but rather by an essentially classical interaction between the excited electron and its surrounding medium. Die Ursache fur die spontane Emission wird haufig in der Nullpunktsenergie des Strahlungsfeldes gesucht. Als solche hatte sie nichts Entsprechendes in der klassischen Physik, da es dort keine Nullpunktsenergie gibt. Es wird gezeigt, das die spontane Emission nicht durch die Nullpunktsenergie hervorgerufen wird, sondern vielmehr durch eine ihrem Wesen nach klassische Wechselwirkung zwischen dem angeregten Elektron und dem umgebenden Medium.
Activation, adhesion, migration and death of chicken thrombocytes

Chicken thrombocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood and some of their functions were determined. Thrombocytes are capable of migration through chemotactic membranes and of phagocytosis; these functions, however, are reduced after in vitro incubation with Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Thrombocytes do not have the ability to undergo oxidative burst, but when activated with thrombin, they release a factor into the supernatant which causes the migration of chicken lymphocytes into the chemotaxis membrane. After incubation at 38°C in tissue culture medium for 3 h, thrombocytes start to undergo classical signs of apoptosis. NDV infection of thrombocytes in vitro results in internalisation of the virus; however, no evidence of virus multiplication can be determined. Thrombocytes adhere to NDV-infected chicken embryo fibroblasts readily in a virus dose-dependent manner. The adherence and the other evidence shown here indicate that thrombocytes may play a role in host defence against infections.
Replication of Lettuce chlorosis virus (LCV), a crinivirus in the family Closteroviridae, is accompanied by the production of LCV RNA 1-derived novel RNAs

Abstract Cloned infectious complementary DNAs of the bipartite genomic RNAs of Lettuce chlorosis virus (LCV) were constructed. Inoculation of tobacco protoplasts with the in vitro produced RNAs 1 and 2 transcripts, or with RNA 1 transcript alone, resulted in viral replication accompanied by the production of novel LCV RNA 1-derived RNAs. They included the abundantly accumulating LM-LCVR1-1 (~ 0.38 kb) and LM-LCVR1-2 (~ 0.3 kb), and the lowly accumulating HM-LCVR1-1 (~ 8.0 kb) and HM-LCVR1-2 (~ 6.6 kb), all of which reacted with riboprobes specific to the 5′ end of RNA 1 in Northern blot analysis. LM-LCVR1-1 and HM-LCVR1-2 accumulated as positive-stranded RNAs that lacked complementary negative strands, while HM-LCVR1-1 and LM-LCVR1-2 accumulated in both polarities. Additional Northern blot, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, cloning, and sequence analyses revealed LM-LCVR1-2 to be an authentic RNA 1-derived defective (D)RNA, suggesting that its synthesis and maintenance are supported in trans by an RNA 1 encoded replication machinery.
A Model Clinical Faculty Workshop Program for a Multisite Clerkship

Over the past 20 years, the University of Washington Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has conducted twice-yearly faculty development workshops at the University for clinical faculty at community sites spread over three time zones in Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. These workshops consist of three separate parts: 1) a session to report on student clerkship performance and faculty ratings, 2) a session on curriculum and/or teaching, and 3) a session to update medical topics. Faculty found the workshops useful for improving their clinical teaching, keeping in touch with the full-time faculty, and developing a sense of cohesiveness. The department found the workshops useful in maintaining the teaching of consistent content and ensuring that all sites provide students with comparable experiences and evaluation.
Experimental manipulation of verbal behavior: a review

(1959). Experimental Manipulation of Verbal Behavior: A Review. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 61, No. 1, pp. 65-94.
Hydrodynamic scalings in the rapid growth of crystals from solution

Abstract Flow field phenomena in the rapid growth of crystals from solution are studied experimentally. The phenomena studied include large-scale global transport over length scales of the order of the tank dimensions and local stirring of solution near the crystal surface. Convective transport processes in these regimes are explored by flow visualization and fluid velocity measurement techniques. Based upon these data, scaling laws are developed that relate fluid dynamics to geometric and operating parameters employed in rapid growth from solution. Observations indicate that upon start of rotation of the crystal, a vortex forms off each corner of the crystal, which dominates the initial flow field both local to the crystal and globally. The strength of this vortex is shown to scale with the rotation rate times a characteristic length squared (ωL2). After the initial flow field develops, a characteristic time is observed at which the magnitude of the velocity fluctuations decrease at a rate inversely proportional to the square root of the number of revolutions the crystal has undergone. At large times a steady-state condition is attained and the turbulence intensity decreases to a minimum value proportional to ωL. Relevance of these results to scale-up of mixing involving rotating bluff bodies is provided.
Neutrino and gamma-ray astronomy in the sea

Abstract The DUMAND proposal to place an array of 216 photomultipliers at a depth of 4.7 km in the ocean off the island of Hawaii has received the endorsement of the U.S. High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. This array, called the Octagon, will have an effective area for muons from astronomical neutrinos of 20,000 m 2 and an angular resolution of 1°. Because of its location and depth, the Octagon will have 100% sky coverage. It is anticipated that cosmic sources of very high energy particle acceleration, such as Cygnus X-3 and Hercules X-1, will be detectable by the neutrinos, and possibly also by the γ-rays, emitted by these sources. The capabilities of underground and underwater muon detectors to detect muons from cosmic γ-rays is estimated. It is shown that, if very high energy γN interactions in the atmosphere produce anomalous muons at least 3% of the time, the DUMAND Octagon will be large enough to detect γ-rays at currently observed flux levels.
Changes in Bone Fragility in Laying Hens

Abstract An experiment was conducted with Hy-Line W36 hens to determine the influence of age on tibia ash and breaking strength of hens kept in cages and floor pens. Breaking strength progressively decreased from 20 to 32 weeks of age for hens kept in cages and floor pens. However, the decrease was greater with hens kept in cages. Tibia ash progressively increased from 20 to 32 weeks of age; there was no difference after 23 weeks of age between cage and floor groups. Twenty hens were moved from cages to floor and 20 were moved from the floor to cages at 26 weeks of age. Tibia breaking strength did not significantly change for those moved from cages to floor and decreased for those moved from floor to cages. The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant at 32 weeks of age.
Dissipation, half-lives, and mass spectrometric identification of endosulfan isomers and the sulfate metabolite on three field-grown vegetables

Endosulfan 3 EC, a mixture of α- and β-stereo isomers, was sprayed on field-grown pepper, melon, and sweet potato plants at the recommended rate of 0.44 kg A.I. acre(-1). Plant tissue samples (leaves, fruits, or edible roots) were collected 1 h to 30 days following spraying and analyzed for endosulfan isomers (α- and β-isomers). Analysis of samples was accomplished using a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a mass detector in total ion mode. The results indicated the formation of endosulfan sulfate as the major metabolite of endosulfan sulfite and the relatively higher persistence of the β-isomers as compared to the α-isomer. The initial total residues (α- and β-isomers plus endosulfan sulfate) were higher on leaves than on fruits. On pepper and melon fruits, the α-isomer, which is the more toxic to mammals, dissipated faster (T(1/2) = 1.22 and 0.95 d, respectively) than the less toxic β-isomer (T(1/2) = 3.0 and 2.5 d, respectively). These results confirm the greater loss of the α-isomer compared to the β-isomer, which can ultimately impact endosulfan dissipation in the environment. Additionally, the higher initial residues of endosulfan on pepper and sweet potato leaves should be considered of great importance for timing field operations and the safe entry of harvesters due to the high mammalian toxicity of endosulfan.
Plasma membrane proteins of normal and Rous sarcoma virus-transformed chick-embryo fibroblasts.

The major transformation specific alteration in plasma membrane preparations from Rous sarcoma virus-transformed chick cells is the disappearance of only one prominent polypeptide component.
Neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease in European Burmese cats with hexosaminidase β-subunit deficiency

GM2 gangliosidosis is a fatal, progressive neuronopathic lysosomal storage disease resulting from a deficiency of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.52) activity. GM2 gangliosidosis occurs with varying degrees of severity in humans and in a variety of animals, including cats. In the current research, European Burmese cats presented with clinical neurological signs and histopathological features typical of a lysosomal storage disease. Thin layer chromatography revealed substantial storage of GM2 ganglioside in brain tissue of affected cats, and assays with a synthetic fluorogenic substrate confirmed the absence of hexosaminidase activity. When the hexosaminidase beta-subunit cDNA was sequenced from affected cats, a 91 base pair deletion constituting the entirety of exon 12 was documented. Subsequent sequencing of introns 11 and 12 revealed a 15 base pair deletion at the 3' end of intron 11 that included the preferred splice acceptor site, generating two minor transcripts from cryptic splice acceptor sites in affected Burmese cats. In the cerebral cortex of affected cats, hexosaminidase beta-subunit mRNA levels were approximately 1.5 times higher than normal (P<0.001), while beta-subunit protein levels were substantially reduced on Western blots.
Fluoride in Commercial Tea and Related Plants

Camellia sinensis (commercial tea), Camellia japonica (ornamental camellia, Stewartia koreana (AA 8-436), Stewartia gemmata (AA 405-42-A), and Franklinia alatamaha (AA 11831-C) are members of the Theaeeae. The accumulation of fluoride in the leaves of Camellia sinensis and Camelhia japonica has been reported (3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11) but the ability of other genera of this family to accumulate fluoride has not yet been investigated. In 1932, commercial tea was reported to contain only small amounts of fluoride (7). Since then, other investigators (3, 6, 8, 10, 11), using more reliable analytical methods, have found teas from a variety of sources to contain variable amounts of fluoride, sometimes in extremely high concentrations. In a study of dry Fukien and Bohea Mountain (Chung-An) teas, Wang et al. (10), found a fluoride range of 103 to 268 and 57 to 355 ppm, respectively. Reid (8), on the other hand, reported analyses of dry domestic teas which contained from 8.7 to 1758 ppm of fluoride. Standard brands of instant tea were reported to contain 170 ppm of fluoride (2), whereas most drv teas contain from 10 to 300 ppm of fluoride (3, 6, 8, 10, 11). There is apparently a wide variation in the fluoride content of young and older leaves of the same Camellia plant (11). The lowest concentration of fluoride reported in dry young leaves of a variety of Camellia japonica by Zimmerman et al. (11) was 67 ppm a-s compared to 3062 ppm in older leaves of this variety. The amount of the fluoride extractable from teas of Ceylon and India has varied
Wave Vector-Dependent Dielectric Relaxation of Methanol−Water Mixtures

Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, we investigate the wave vector (k)-dependent dielectric relaxation in room-temperature methanol−water mixtures at three methanol mole fractions: xm = 0.2,...
First-wall conditioning for enhanced confinement discharges and the DT experiments in TFTR

The conditioning techniques applied to the TFTR first-wall configuration that will be in place for the DT experiments in 1990–1991 are reviewed. Of primary interest is the helium conditioning procedure that was developed to control hydrogenic recycling from the graphite, inner-wall bumper limiter. Operation of TFTR over the plasma density range for gas-fueled ohmic plasmas, ne = (2–5) × 1019m−3, typically results in hydrogenic recycling coefficients near unity. The use of the helium conditioning procedure produced recycling coefficients as low as 0.5, and decreased the minimum ohmic plasma density to ne = 0.5 × 1019m−3 at IP = 0.8 MA. Low density ohmic target plasmas with low recycling conditions are prerequisite conditions for the enhanced confinement (e.g., “supershot”), neutral-beam-heated discharges observed in TFTR during 1986–1987, which is the primary mode being considered for study in the DT experiments. The recycling changes induced by the helium conditioning procedure are believed to be the result of a plasma pumping effect in the graphite induced by He and C ion desorption of hydrogenic species from the near-surface (< 20 nm) layer of the limiter. The capacity of the conditioned limiter to pump gas-fueled, pellet-fueled, and neutral-beam-fueled discharges is compared. The helium conditioning technique is also beneficial for isotopic exchange and for minimizing the in-vessel tritium inventory.
Automated Review of Electronic Health Records to Assess Quality of Care for Outpatients with Heart Failure

In this study, Baker and colleagues compared automated review of electronic health record (EHR) fields with automated review followed by manual review of the EHR to assess the quality of care of ou...
Effects of postnatal caffeine exposure through dam's milk upon weanling rats

Abstract The effects of postnatal caffeine exposure received through mother's milk were examined in rat pups by administering 0.0125 or 0.05% caffeine solution to the dams throughout lhe lactation. Offspring of caffeine-treated dams showed significantly earlier onset of auditory startle and air righting reflexes. No direct effects of treatment were observed on eight measures of open field activity. At weaning, high-dose caffeine pups exhibited a transient increase in caffeine acceptance in two-bottle taste preference tests and showed cyclic exaggerations in caffeine preference-aversion functions which persisted throughout the 22-day postweaning test period. The caffeine levels in the dam's milk had a 30-fold daily fluctuation reflecting the fluid ingestion pattern related to the light-dark cycle and caffeine elimination rate. Caffeine concentrations in the brains of the pups varied between 0.01 and 9.0 μg/g.
Crystal Shape Engineering

In an industrial crystallization process, crystal shape strongly influences end-product quality and functionality, as well as downstream processing. In addition, nucleation events, solvent effects, and polymorph selection play critical roles in both the design and operation of a crystallization plant and the patentability of the product and process. Therefore, investigation of these issues, with respect to a priori prediction, is (and will continue to be) an important avenue of research. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art in modeling crystallization processes over a range of length scales relevant to nucleation through process design. We also identify opportunities for continued research and specific areas where significant advancements are needed.
List of particle accelerator installations

Abstract Accelerator installations throughout the world are listed here with the types of particles accelerated and the energy and other characteristics of the machines. Geographical distribution of these accelerators by type of accelerator and country is tabulated, as is the distribution of the machines in the United States according to type of machine and primary activity of the organization.
Results of laboratory evaluation of staring arrays

This paper will present the results obtained at the Center For Night Vision and Electro-Optics of laboratory measurements of staring array thermal imaging systems. The results that will be reported are a compilation of a number of different systems tested. This data will be utilized not so much as a presentation of system performance but to show the relevance and validity of the tests. It is hoped that through the presentation of this data the thermal imaging community will get a better understanding of both laboratory and field performance of staring array thermal imaging systems.
Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture

There has been in recent decades an upsurge in publications about Indo-Caribbean indentured servitude, primarily from Caribbean East Indian descendants of indenture now living in Europe and North A...
Rapid activation of the stat3 transcription complex in liver regeneration

Liver regeneration in response to partial hepatectomy is a physiological growth response observed in the intact animal. Understanding the early signals that trigger liver regeneration is of vital importance to understand the liver's response to injury. It has been observed that several growth factors and cytokines, including epidermal growth factor (EGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), can activate members of the signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stat) family of transcription factors resulting in tyrosine phosphorylation of these factors, nuclear translocation, and an active DNA binding transcriptional complex. Because Stat3 participates in the regulation of primary growth response genes, we wondered if it is induced in the early phase of liver regeneration. We found that Stat3 DNA-binding activity is increased in the remnant liver within 30 minutes of partial hepatectomy and peaks at more than 30-fold at 3 hours. This induction is not observed after sham surgery. The induction of Stat3 appears to be part of the initial response of the remnant liver to partial hepatectomy, because it occurs in the presence of cycloheximide-mediated protein synthesis blockade. Activation of Stat3 is unusual, because it extends beyond the immediate-early time period and remains near peak level at 5 hours posthepatectomy. Although insulin-treated H35 cells activate many of the same immediate-early genes as regenerating liver, Stat3 is not induced in these cells. Because Stat factors are known to be inactivated by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPase), we showed that a PTPase is able to eliminate the DNA binding of hepatic Stat3. It is likely that Stat3 contributes to the transcriptional activation of a subset of immediate-early genes that are induced over a prolonged time in the G1 phase of hepatic cells following partial hepatectomy. The identification of Stat3 as an early factor in liver regeneration provides clues to the activation of signal transduction pathways in the remnant liver within the first minutes to several hours after partial hepatectomy.
Perceived Professional Development Needs of Teachers and Administrators in PS-12 Christian Schools

To fulfill their religious and educational missions, PS-12 Christian schools should properly equip teachers to design and deliver instruction of the highest quality that incorporates sound pedagogical approaches. Research indicates that a key element for making this happen in classrooms is to offer professional development opportunities that provide a connection to the actual and perceived needs of individual classroom teachers. This study was an investigation of the perceived professional development needs of educators currently working in PS-12 Christian schools in the greater Virginia Beach, Virginia area.
Lunar Surface Magnetic Fields and Their Interaction with the Solar Wind: Results from Lunar Prospector

The magnetometer and electron reflectometer experiment on the Lunar Prospector spacecraft has obtained maps of lunar crustal magnetic fields and observed the interaction between the solar wind and regions of strong crustal magnetic fields at high selenographic latitude (30°S to 80°S) and low (∼100 kilometers) altitude. Electron reflection maps of the regions antipodal to the Imbrium and Serenitatis impact basins, extending to 80°S latitude, show that crustal magnetic fields fill most of the antipodal zones of those basins. This finding provides further evidence for the hypothesis that basin-forming impacts result in magnetization of the lunar crust at their antipodes. The crustal magnetic fields of the Imbrium antipode region are strong enough to deflect the solar wind and form a miniature (100 to several hundred kilometers across) magnetosphere, magnetosheath, and bow shock system.
Schizophrenia and alcohol dependence: Diverse clinical effects of oxytocin and their evolutionary origins

Beginning in 1979 with the first report that central administration of oxytocin stimulates maternal behavior in virgin rats, decades of animal research and more recent human studies have demonstrated that oxytocin has many pro-social effects. These many findings suggest that oxytocin may be an effective treatment for social deficits that are hallmark features of disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Effects in preclinical animal models also imply that oxytocin may be an efficacious pharmacotherapy in a wide range of psychiatric disorders including psychoses and addictions. To date, 3 small clinical trials found that daily intranasal oxytocin treatment for 2-8 weeks significantly reduced psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. Two of these trials also found improvement in social cognition or neurocognition, areas in which patients have significant deficiencies that do not respond to conventional antipsychotic treatment and contribute to disability. In another small trial, intranasal oxytocin potently blocked alcohol withdrawal. After reviewing the rationale for these trials, they are described in more detail. Questions are then asked followed by discussions of the large gaps in our knowledge about brain oxytocin systems in humans. The hope is to highlight important directions for future investigations of the role of oxytocin in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders and addictions and to extend clinical research in these areas. Heretofore unrecognized roles for which oxytocin may have been selected during the evolution of placental mammalian maternal-infant and other social attachments are considered as possible origins of oxytocin antipsychotic and antiaddiction effects.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin and Social Behav.
Data Envelopment Analysis in Small and Medium Enterprises: A Study of the Australian Food, Beverages and Tobacco Manufacturing Industry

Competitive pressures have led to growing interest in benchmarking small and medium enterprises (SMEs). We use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to measure the relative efficiency of SMEs in the Australian food, beverages and tobacco manufacturing industry. Estimates of relative technical efficiency suggest that firms in this industry can, on average, produce the same level of output using approximately 20% less inputs. Estimates of relative cost efficiency suggest that firms can, on average, realise cost savings in the order of 32% by reducing both the level and mix of inputs. Tobit regression analysis is used to explain variations in efficiency levels as functions of firm and management characteristics. Results suggest that family firms and firms with low union membership are less efficient than other firms. We show how DEA can be used to identify appropriate role models (or peers) that can be used by poor performers to improve their efficiency.
Renal Abscess Caused by a Providencia stuartii Isolate Biochemically Misidentified as Pasteurella

Providencia stuartii is associated with urinary tract infection (UTI) in catheterized patients. Here we report an abscess containing P. stuartii in a patient with a history of UTI, renal stones, and stent placement. This organism was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing following biochemical identification as Pasteurella.