cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-term survival of a 6-year-old with trisomy 18 after cardiac intervention: The emerging need for comprehensive guidelines beyond the newborn period

Abstract Trisomy 18 is a well-documented cause of spontaneous abortions. When live births do occur, median survival time has been estimated between two and fourteen days. This severely shortened life expectancy is attributed to potentially lethal congenital malformations involving the heart, central nervous system, and gastrointestinal system, among others. Infrequently, affected children survive beyond a year and evidence suggests this may become more common due to increased willingness to intervene in the neonatal period and the success of surgical corrections. This case report documents how a six-year-old female with trisomy 18 has challenged provider expectations and gives perspective in an emerging treatment gray-zone.
Quantum Error-Correcting Codes

So far we have been dealing with a highly idealized situation in which physical states have been assumed to be stable and independent of time and in which unitary transformations on these states can be effected in a reliable fashion. The real situation is considerably more complicated and requires a model for the dynamics of a quantum system.
Quantifying regional trends in large live tree and snag availability in support of forest management

Abstract In the Pacific Northwest of the United States, 20th century timber harvesting resulted in major declines in area of forests supporting large live and dead trees (i.e., snags), that are not only key habitat elements for many wildlife species but also critical components of ecosystem function. Regional forest management guidance, such as the Northwest Forest Plan (1994) and Eastside Screens (1995), may aim to conserve and foster the development of late-successional old-growth forests, characterized by large live and dead trees. Satellite remote sensing supports regional monitoring efforts of these habitat characteristics, but managers may require additional guidance in order to leverage these data for large landscape or regional assessments. In this study, our objectives were to assess long-term (historical vs. contemporary) and short-term (1993–2017) changes in lands supporting large live trees and snags across 10 wildlife habitat types (WHTs) – disparate vegetation conditions that support significantly different wildlife communities – in Oregon and Washington, USA. We generated 30-m, annual maps of large live trees (>50 cm, >75 cm, and >100 cm diameter) and snags (>25 cm and > 50 cm diameter) based on the gradient nearest neighbor (GNN) imputation method. GNN integrates Landsat satellite imagery, geospatial climatic and topographic data, and USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data to predict forest attributes for all forested lands in the study area. GNN classification accuracy was poor to good for large live trees (Cohen’s kappa = 0.2 – 0.6) and poor to fair for snags (Cohen’s kappa = 0.1 – 0.3) in most WHTs, though performance was substantially lower in drier WHTs where large live trees and snags were rare. Our results highlighted long-term reductions in forest supporting large live trees and snags from historical to contemporary times, especially in wetter, more productive WHTs. In contrast, we observed short-term (1993–2017) increases in areas supporting large live trees and snags. Federal forests were both more similar to reference conditions and exhibited greater recent increases in areas supporting large live trees compared to nonfederal lands. Thus, Oregon and Washington have lost a substantial proportion of forests containing large live trees and snags and recent recruitment of these trees at regional scales is a slow process primarily occurring on federal lands. However, detecting such changes through current Landsat satellite mapping technologies remains challenging, highlighting the need for new mapping methods to aid in future management.
Compensatory conspicuous communication: Low status increases jargon use

Abstract Jargon is commonly used to efficiently communicate and signal group membership. We propose that jargon use also serves a status compensation function. We first define jargon and distinguish it from slang and technical language. Nine studies, including experiments and archival data analyses, test whether low status increases jargon use. Analyses of 64,000 dissertations found that titles produced by authors from lower-status schools included more jargon than titles from higher-status school authors. Experimental manipulations established that low status causally increases jargon use, even in live conversations. Statistical mediation and experimental-causal-chain analyses demonstrated that the low status → jargon effect is driven by increased concern with audience evaluations over conversational clarity. Additional archival and experimental evidence found that acronyms and legalese serve a similar status-compensation function as other forms of jargon (e.g., complex language). These findings establish a new driver of jargon use and demonstrate that communication, like consumption, can be both compensatory and conspicuous.
The logico-formalist turn in comparative and case study methods: a critical realist critique

Comparative and case study researchers have responded to critiques of their methods by developing formal procedures to validate theoretical claims through set theoretical logics of causal condition...
Poetry and Feminist Social Work

This paper explores how the use of poetry can be included in feminist social work as a method of empowerment and consciousness raising among women. Poetry and other literary writings by women serve as examples of the common experiences of subgroups of women who are connected by a unifying voice through literature.
Similarity transformation for equilibrium boundary layers, including effects of blowing and suction

A Lie group symmetry analysis is applied to the sink flow turbulent boundary layers, where a similarity transformation is obtained mapping mean velocity profiles under different blowing and suction conditions into a universal profile.
Beyond Wertheim’s Multi-density Theory: Steric Hindrance and Associated Rings in a Two-Density Formalism for Binary Mixtures of Molecules with Two Associating Sites

While the SAFT equation of state, based on extensions and simplifications of Wertheim’s multi-density perturbation theory for associating molecules, has found wide application in industry and acade...
Performance Impacts of Metal Additive Manufacturing of Very Small Nozzles

AbstractFor small satellite electrothermal or chemical thrusters, nozzle throat diameters may be less than 1 mm. At these sizes, the effects of flow surface roughness on nozzle performance must be ...
Effect of Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure After Stroke on Circulatory Biomarkers

OBJECTIVE To determine the influence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure on circulatory biomarkers. METHODS Consecutive patients with PFO-related stroke were prospectively enrolled and followed with serial sampling of cardiac atrial and venous blood pre- and post-PFO closure over time. Candidate biomarkers were identified by mass spectrometry in a discovery cohort first, and lead candidates were validated in an independent cohort. RESULTS Patients with PFO-related stroke (n = 254) were recruited and followed up to 4 years (median 2.01; interquartile range 0.77-2.54). Metabolite profiling in the discovery cohort (n = 12) identified homocysteine as the most significantly decreased factor in intracardiac plasma after PFO closure (false discovery rate 0.001). This was confirmed in a validation cohort (n = 181), where intracardiac total homocysteine (tHcy) was immediately reduced in patients with complete closure, but not in those with residual shunting, suggesting association of PFO shunting with tHcy elevation (β 0.115; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.047-0.183; p = 0.001). tHcy reduction was more dramatic in left atrium than right (p < 0.001), suggesting clearance through pulmonary circulation. Long-term effect of PFO closure was also monitored and compared to medical treatment alone (n = 61). Complete PFO closure resulted in long-term tHcy reduction in peripheral blood, whereas medical therapy alone showed no effect (β -0.208; 95% CI -0.375∼-0.058; p = 0.007). Residual shunting was again independently associated with persistently elevated tHcy (β 0.184; 95% CI 0.051-0.316; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS PFO shunting may contribute to circulatory tHcy elevation, which is renormalized by PFO closure. PFO is not just a door for clots, but may itself enhance clot formation and injure neurovasculature by clot-independent mechanisms. Biomarkers such as tHcy can potentially serve as cost-effective measures of residual shunting and neurovascular risk for PFO stroke.
Formation of Pyrroloindolines via the Alkylation of Tryptamines with Trichloroacetimidates.

Abstract Pyrroloindolines and related systems are present in a large number of complex natural products. These core structures have generated considerable synthetic interest, as many of the compounds possess challenging, elaborate structures and interesting biological properties. Recently we have focused on using trichloroacetimidates for the synthesis of these fascinating molecules. Trichloroacetimidates can be used as an electrophilic source of an alkyl group to form the pyrroloindoline directly from tryptamine derivatives. In this manner trichloroacetimidates provide a flexible solution to forming highly functionalized pyrroloindoline core structures, needing only a catalytic amount of a Lewis acid to effect the requisite transformations.
The Place of Flawed Pleasures in a Good Life. A Discussion of Plato’s Philebus

The Philebus describes the “good” that enables human eudaimonia as a “mixture” in which cognitive states have to be combined with certain types of pleasure. This essay investigates how the various senses of falsehood that Plato distinguishes are applied to the question of the hedonic “ingredients” of the good. It argues that his theory allows for the inclusion of certain virtuous pleasures that are deficient with respect to truth: either qua “mixed pleasures” lacking in truth (genuineness) on account of the compresence of their opposite, pain, or because they are based on mistaken anticipations arising in the pursuit of virtuous and reasonable goals.
Reconsidering the Occupational History of the Crow Creek Site (39BF11)

This paper considers the occupational history of the Crow Creek site, arguably the most famous archaeological site on the northern Plains. We recognize that no single aspect of the currently available evidence makes it possible to examine this topic in rigorous detail. However, we argue that multiple lines of evidence converge on the conclusion that the site locality was an important place to Indian people on the Plains for at least the last 1,000 years. More specifically, we argue that the best-known components of the occupation of this locality—the Plains Village occupation—persisted for several hundred years (probably from the twelfth through the fifteenth centuries) almost without a break. This argument has important implications for the timing of the Crow Creek massacre and for the overall pattern of culture-historical change in the Middle Missouri region in general.
Treatment approaches for pathological gamblers

Outcome literature on the treatment of pathological gambling is reviewed, encompassing psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, cognitive-behavioral, multimodal, pharmacotherapeutic, and 12-step approaches. No properly controlled research has been conducted with psychodynamic or 12-step methods, and pharmacotherapies require replications with larger samples to determine their efficacy. Multimodal approaches have been tested most often in inpatient settings, and given the range of methods combined it is difficult to infer specific efficacy for treatment components. The largest volume of outcome research has focused on behavioral, cognitive, and combined cognitive-behavioral treatment methods, and findings from controlled and uncontrolled trials provide support for efficacy of these approaches. As a whole, the literature indicates that pathological gambling can be treated with highly successful outcomes. Needs for further research are considered.
Underutilization of A2 ABO incompatible kidney transplantation.

Redfield RR, Parsons RF, Rodriguez E, Mustafa M, Cassuto J, Vivek K, Noorchashm H, Naji A, Levine MH, Abt PL. Underutilization of A2 ABO incompatible kidney transplantation. Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2011.01543.x. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: ABO compatibility creates a disadvantage for O and B renal allograft candidates. A2 ABO incompatible transplant may decrease waiting times and generate equivalent graft survival to an ABO compatible transplant. Methods: Death-censored graft survival was compared between A recipients and O, B, and AB recipients of an A2 allograft with multivariate Cox regression models utilizing data from the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) between 1997 and 2007. Results: Eighty-five percent of A2 kidneys were transplanted into ABO compatible recipients vs. 15% into ABO incompatible recipients. Rates of A2 incompatible kidney transplants did not increase over the study period (14.8% to 14.6%). Mean wait time for A2→O kidneys was 337 vs. 684 d for O→O and for A2→B kidneys, 542 vs. 734 d for B→B. Adjusted relative risk of graft loss at five-yr was similar between O, B, and AB recipients compared to A recipients of an A2 allograft, corresponding to a five-yr graft survival of 84%, 86.2%, 86.1%, and 86.1%, respectively. Conclusion: A2 incompatible kidney transplantation is underutilized. Graft outcomes are similar among A2 compatible and incompatible recipients. Shorter waiting time and improved access might be achieved if A2 kidneys are considered in all blood groups.
Hemodynamic Consequences of Circuit Weight Training

Abstract Sixty-six young men ( age = 18.2 yr) volunteered to participate in a 12-wk program of intensive circuit weight training. The training program met 3 day/wk, 27 min/session. Heart rates during training ranged between 138 (recovery) and 186 (third set of work). Assessments of resting heart rate and blood pressure; heart rate, cardiac output (CO2 rebreathing), stroke volume, and arteriovenous oxygen difference during standardized submaximal arm and leg work; and heart rate and oxygen uptake during maximal arm and leg work were made at the beginning and at the conclusion of the 12 wk. Neither control nor experimental subjects changed significantly with respect to any dependent variable measured. Substantial strength gains were recorded in the experimental subjects during the training program, however. Probable reasons for the lack of significant cardiovascular adaptations are discussed.
Surgical management of acute necrotizing lung infections.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection for acute necrotizing lung infections is not widely accepted due to unclear indications and high risk.
Storm and tidal energy in Long Island Sound

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the storm and tidal energy in Long Island Sound (LIS) and addresses the problem of determining the temporal variation of the power supplied for LIS. The LIS is a large estuary that receives fresh water principally from the Connecticut River. The tide is the principal source of the power used in the estuarine processes of mixing and sediment transport in LIS. In the western half of LIS, the work is done by the water on the moon. Power not used in lunar work and in mixing fresh and salt water is dissipated by friction and results in a large damping of the tidal oscillation. During the stormy period, water velocities near the Sound floor are observed to be greater than the normal tidal velocities for only brief intervals of time. Maps of Long Island and Block Island Sounds showing the locations of tide gauges, anemometers, and current meters are illustrated in the chapter. The power required for the mixing of surface and bottom water in the western half of LIS, estimated by the method of McLellan is explained. Tidal power characteristics of western LIS averaged over the spring-neap period are also described.
Steroidogenesis in isolated adrenal cells of rat: II. Effect of caffeine on ACTH and cyclic nucleotide-induced steroidogenesis and its relation to cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE)

Abstract Corticosterone production in isolated adrenal cells (IAC) of rat has been measured in response to ACTH or ribonucleoside 3′,5′-cyclic phosphate of adenosine (c-AMP), guanosine (c-GMP), inosine (c-IMP) and N 6 -2′-0 dibutyryl adenosine monophosphate (dc-AMP) in the presence and absence of caffeine. Caffeine inhibited ACTH-induced steroidogenesis in a manner independent of its effect on PDE. Study of PDE in whole adrenal homogenate showed hydrolysis of c-AMP, c-GMP and c-IMP but not of dc-AMP and other cyclic nucleotides. No PDE activity was demonstrable in IAC. High sensitivity of IAC to minute quantities of ACTH and various cyclic nucleotides may be due in part to lack of PDE activity in these preparations.
Solvent effect in protein crystals. A neutron diffraction analysis of solvent and ion density.

In protein crystallography, it has been customary to omit the low-order data in refinement procedures. These data contain, however, important information about the gross features of the unit cell content and particularly the scattering density of the solvent, i.e. solvent structure. In order to use the low-order Bragg reflections, a solvent evaluation procedure has been developed that permits the description of the low-order structure factors (F) as a combination of solvent and protein terms. This permits the use of all observed F values in a least-squares refinement, results in better refinement (lower R factor) and permits easier placement of water and ion locations. Coupled with the measurement of the crystal density by a density-gradient technique, the evaluation of the solvent scattering makes it possible to determine the amount of salt present in the solvent space. For myoglobin crystals grown from solutions containing close to 40% (ww) ammonium sulfate only 13% (ww) of salt is present in the solvent space. This is equivalent to seven (ionized) ammonium sulfate molecules, which is larger than the two to three sulfate ions observed in the crystal solvent space by X-ray diffraction.
Between religion and nationalism in the Palestinian diaspora

This article examines Palestinian refugee articulations of the Palestinian homeland and struggle in relation to religion and nationalism. My contention is that the impact of Hamas's electoral victory in Palestine is visible within the discourse of Palestinians in Jordan. This discourse suggests a transformation of the meaning of Palestinian nationalism in which religion is taking an important albeit complex role in nationalism. Using the concept of intertwining, this article considers how Islam has been intertwined with Palestinian nationalism in ways that have privileged particular ideas about the national homeland and fight for liberation. While many suggest that Islamist politics is incompatible with nationalism, this article takes the local discourse of refugees and argues that Hamas and its supporters have yet to abandon the framework of nationalism, although certain tensions exist.
Environmental Factors in the Preconception and Prenatal Periods in Relation to Risk for ASD

Evidence is accumulating for potential contributions to ASD risk from preconception or prenatal maternal nutrition, lifestyle, infection, medications, and exposures to environmental chemicals. No single or universal cause is likely; rather, multiple genetic variants and noninherited factors appear to combine to affect each child's development. Key concepts for future research include specificity to ASD versus causes common to other neurodevelopmental conditions, gene-by-environment interactions, and critical windows of vulnerability that may vary by exposure. Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; causes; environmental chemicals; gene-by-environment; lifestyle; nutrition; pollution
Characterization of coding ends in thymocytes of scid mice: implications for the mechanism of V(D)J recombination.

Abstract We previously identified possible intermediates in V(D)J recombination at the TCRδ locus and characterized molecules with signal ends and with covalently sealed (hairpin) coding ends in thymocytes of scid mice by Southern blotting. Here, we use a sensitive ligation-mediated PCR assay to demonstrate that all coding ends detected in acid thymocytes are covelently sealed. Neither coding nor signal ends exhibit loss or addition of nucleotides. These data imply that hairpin formation is coupled to the initial cleavage at the signal/coding border, and that the cleavage step in V(D)J recombination is conservative. In scid /+ or wild-type thymocytes, hairpin coding ends are at least 1000-fold less abundant than signal ends. These results provide insight Into the mechanism of V(D)J recombination.
Derivation of the macroscopic continuum equations for multiphase flow

Macroscopic continuum equations for multiphase flow are derived from a modified Boltzmann equation using the Chapman-Enskog expansion technique. Phase separation and interface formation are naturally driven by an intermolecular interaction. At the equilibrium state, these equations reduce to previous results of thermodynamical studies. This work provides a solid physical foundation for the continuum descriptions of surface tension and will be useful for studying multiphase flow. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Regional variations in early intervention utilization for children with developmental delay.

We tested whether state-level variations in early intervention program (EI) participation were consistent with rates of key risk factors for early developmental delay. Based on the results of prior studies, we focused on child poverty and low birth weight as risk factors, included state threshold for EI eligibility by category (classified as broad/moderate or narrow), and aggregated the states into regions. Bivariate analyses were done in SPSS 15.0. All data were for 2009. Results were tested against data for prior years to ascertain whether findings for 2009 were anomalous. Nationally, 2.67 % of the age-eligible population was served in EI (range among states, 1.24–6.51 %). Variation in EI participation was significant at the regional level. Early intervention participation was lowest in the south and highest in the northeast (p < 0.01). Regional variations in low birth weight (p < 0.01) and child poverty (p < 0.01) were also significant. Both were highest in the south. While EI participation varied significantly by state eligibility standards, this factor did not entirely explain variance in utilization. Results for 2009 were representative of multi-year trend data. National EI utilization rates consistently lagged behind need as identified in epidemiologic studies from multiple sources. The results strongly suggest that there is a significant population of infants and toddlers who need but do not receive EI services, especially in the south.
Child-Directed Speech Produced by Mothers with Symptoms of Depression Fails to Promote Associative Learning in 4-Month-Old Infants

Child-directed (CD) speech segments produced by 20 mothers who varied in self-reported symptoms of depression, recorded during a structured play interaction with their 2- to 6-month-old infants, were used as conditioned stimuli with face reinforcers in a conditioned attention paradigm. After pairings of speech segments and faces, speech segments were assessed for their ability to increase time spent looking at a novel checkerboard pattern (summation test) using 225 4-month-old infants of nondepressed mothers. Significant positive summation, an index of associative learning, was obtained in groups of infants tested with speech produced by mothers with comparatively fewer self-reported symptoms of depression (Beck Depression Inventory or BDI ? 15). However, significant positive summation was not achieved using speech samples produced by mothers with comparatively more symptoms of depression (BDI > 15). These results indicate that the CD speech produced by mothers with symptoms of depression does not promote associative learning in infants.
Conforming to Masculine Norms: Evidence for Validity among Adult Men and Women

Assessment of masculinity as an ideological belief system (MI) has become increasingly popular. Validation of MI measures and subsequent research has relied heavily on undergraduate samples. In the present study, convergent and divergent validity of the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (Mahalik et al., Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 4: 3–25, 2003) were examined among a convenience sample of 688 male and female adults who were divided into four groups (undergraduates, younger adults, middle-aged adults, older adults). Across groups, convergent validity was suggested by consistent relations with sexism, and divergent validity was suggested by consistent nonsignificant relations with masculine attributes. Results suggest that generalizations among male groups can be made with caution and that generalizations to women may be appropriate when the focal constructs are unrelated to women or femininity.
Simple models for excited-state dynamics of conjugated molecules

The photochemistry of large molecules with conjugated (pi) -systems plays an important role in many systems of biological interest, including vision and photosynthesis. The size of these systems, however, often precludes a detailed knowledge of the electronic states and associated potential energy surfaces on which the photochemical dynamics takes place. We present some recent progress in the construction of empirical excited state potential surfaces of conjugated molecules based on an analysis of spectroscopic, ab initio, and ultrafast lifetime measurement data. These surfaces are then used to investigate the excited state dynamics of both reduced- and full-dimensionality molecular models, including nonadiabatic processes. Applications to the photoisomerizaton reactions of the model system stilbene are featured.
Mechanisms of cholesterol accumulation in the arterial wall

The rate of cholesterol accumulation is a function of three separate processes: the transfer of lipid or lipoprotein from blood plasma to the artery, the binding and sequestering of lipids in the arterial wall and the solubilization and removal of lipid from the artery. These processes have been studied with lipids or lipoproteins labeled with radioisotopes by autoradiographic and quantitative chemical procedures. More recently immunochemical procedures have been applied to this problem. Studies have been performed with intact animals, isolated organs and cell cultures. In addition, homogenates have been used successfully to study intraarterial transformations of lipids, (for example, cholesterol esterification). Although epidemiologic and clinical studies, as well as animal experiments, have provided evidence that the concentration of plasma low or very low density lipoproteins parallels the rate of atherogenesis, the nature of the causal chain linking plasma lipoproteins to atherosclerosis is as yet unclear. A possible link between plasma lipoproteins, arterial liproprotein lipase and atherogenesis has been postulated.
Synaptic plasticity and self-organization in the hippocampus.

A new paper reports that long-term potentiation in the hippocampus, a model of learning and memory, can induce sharp wave-ripple complexes, which are thought to be critical for the stabilization of memory traces in cortex.
Nonequilibrium solutions for legislative systems

It is well known that group decision processes (of which voting processes are an important special case) do not in general have equilibria. In fact, recent work indicates that such processes are characterized by a degree of instability much more extensive than previously recognized. As observers of ongoing political processes, we contend that such instability results simply do not describe real world politics. As an alternative, we propose a nonequilibrium model which assigns a probability distribution to the objects of political decision. Although this Markov model is based on several specific propositions about the process by which legislative bodies move from one position to another, our theoretical results do not depend on these specific propositions: Given alternative substantive assumptions, our model would produce different predictions about outcomes. This version of the model, however, successfully simulates the results of a series of experiments performed several years ago.
A Generalized Personal/Group Discrepancy: Testing the Domain Specificity of a Perceived Higher Effect of Events on One's Group than on Oneself

Studies on the personal/group discrimination discrepancy show individuals to perceive higher levels of discrimination directed at their group as a whole than at themselves personally. The authors hypothesized that the discrepancy is not restricted to the domain of discrimination. Research participants in Studies I and 2 completed questionnaires asking them to rate the degree to which they personally, their close friends, their gender group, and the general population (in Study 2, the average person in these groups) were affected by events in eight domains, including gender discrimination. In both studies, participants rated group levels of affectedness higher than personal levels, demonstrating a generalized personal/group discrepancy. Study 3 showed that this discrepancy also extends to positive events, thus arguing against a denial hypothesis and perhaps supporting an availability heuristic interpretation.
A Rapid and Sensitive Quantitative Kinase Activity Assay Using a Convenient 96-Well Format

Abstract Activation of protein kinases in response to growth factor and extracellular matrix stimulation has been implicated in regulating a number of cell functions including differentiation, gene expression, migration, and proliferation. An improved quantitative assay for measuring protein kinase activity is crucial to the detailed study of this important category of signaling proteins and their role in regulating cell behavior. We describe a modifiedin vitrokinase activity assay that is both sensitive and quantitative. It offers several advantages when compared to the traditional immunoprecipitation/kinase assay: (i) high sensitivity that reduces the required amount of cell lysate by an order of magnitude, (ii) an immunoseparation technique utilizing antibody immobilization onto the surface of microtiter wells that replaces the cumbersome immunoprecipitation method, (iii) a 96-well plate configuration that eases handling of multiple samples and increases throughput of the assay, and (iv) the use of 96-well filter plates that greatly reduces radioactive liquid waste generation. While we implement this technique in a case study for measuring the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2), this assay can be extended to studying other protein kinases by using an appropriate antibody andin vitrosubstrate for the kinase of interest.
Climate variability as a dominant driver of post-disturbance savanna dynamics

Abstract How do climate variability and climate shifts influence vegetation patterns in dryland ecosystems? A landscape scale assessment of the effect of changes in precipitation on vegetation in three watersheds, spanning four southern African nations is undertaken and tests of statistical significance of vegetation changes developed. Concepts of resilience provide the framework for examining the influence of changes in both the mean and variance of annual precipitation on the ecological systems of southern Africa. They illustrate thresholds of change and their manifestation in the state of savanna ecosystems, which could previously only be postulated. Time series analyses indicate the fundamental role of precipitation mean and variability in modulating the states of savanna ecosystems. Here we show that the savanna dryland ecosystems have overall responded with increasing NDVI measures despite decreased precipitation since the mid to late 1970's. Areas which experienced diminished vegetative cover over time, are related to specific vegetation types, and declines in the variance of precipitation (even in the presence of overall increases in annual mean). The work highlights the importance of time-series analyses and explicit vegetation-precipitation linkages across this highly vulnerable region.
Cosorption of atrazine and a lauryl polyoxyethylene oxide nonionic surfactant on smectite.

Commercial atrazine formulations commonly contain nonionic surfactants that serve as solubilizing and wetting agents for enhancing the stability and efficacy of the herbicide. The fate of atrazine ...
Antineoplastic agents 440. Asymmetric synthesis and evaluation of the combretastatin A-1 SAR probes (1S,2S)- and (1R,2R)-1, 2-dihydroxy- 1-(2',3'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyphenyl)-2-(3' ',4' ',5' '-trimethoxyphenyl)-ethane.

The synthetic (E)-isomer (3b) of natural combretastatin A-1 (1a) isolated from the African bushwillow Combretum caffrum was the focus of chiral hydroxylation (Sharpless) reactions as part of a structure−activity relationship study. The resulting (R,R)- and (S,S,)-diols (6 and 7) and synthetic intermediates were evaluated against a series of cancer cell lines, microorganisms, and tubulin. Chiral diols 6 and 7 showed increased activity against the P-388 murine lymphocytic leukemia cell line with ED50 values of 3.9 and 2.9 μg/mL, respectively, when compared to the precursor (E)-stilbene 3b. In contrast, (E)-stilbene 3b exhibited more potent antibiotic activity than the chiral diols (6 and 7). Both diols, (R,R)-6 and (S,S)-7, displayed less cancer cell growth inhibition and less antibiotic activity than did natural combretastatin A-1 (1a) (P-388 ED50 0.25 μg/mL).
Gammadelta (γδ) T lymphocytes do not impact the development of early atherosclerosis

Objective Gammadelta (γδ) T cells are a subset of pro-inflammatory innate-like T lymphocytes that serve as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. γδ T cells are highly enriched in cholesterol compared to αβ T cells. In this study, we aimed to identify the role of γδ T cells in atherosclerosis, a cholesterol and inflammation-driven disease.
Some examples of possible descriptions of dynamic properties of polymers by means of the coupling model

Thanks to the research efforts of Prof. John D. Ferry and others over the last several decades, the viscoelastic properties of polymers have been extensively determined. From this accumulated wisdom, polymer viscoelasticity has become a mature field of research. This basic knowledge of polymer viscoelasticity has made it possible to discern the deviations from the apparently established general rules that one of us (DJP) have found, continuing the tradition of exhaustive experimental measurement started by Prof. Ferry. From many experimental studies on polymers carried out in different laboratories, it has also become clear that these viscoelastic anomalies are general and not exceptional features. Therefore, they pose significant problems in the quest of a truly satisfactory understanding of polymer viscoelasticity. The Coupling Model (CM) has been used to rationalize a number of deviations from thermorheological simplicity. In the realm of polymer viscoelastic behavior, we consider first the local segmental motion that is responsible for the glass temperature and show that the CM provides a consistent description in either the modulus or the compliance representation. Next, we elucidate several viscoelastic anomalies which originate from the different viscoelastic mechanisms being thermorheologically complex. Finally, we revisit the original formulation of the terminal relaxation of entangled polymer chains using the CM. The neglect of the lateral nature of the constraints imposed on one chain by other chains in the original formulation leads to failure in explaining the shape of the terminal relaxation, although it is successful in other aspects. A new formulation, which includes the lateral nature of the constraints and its subsequent mitigation when the terminal relaxation is reached, has restored consistency of the prediction with the terminal relaxation of a monodisperse polyisoprene melt probed dielectrically. The results can describe also the experimental data of dilute polyisoprene probes in polybutadiene matrices and in networks.
Successful surgical therapy of ruptured myocardium.

A patient with cardiac rupture presented in shock with the clinical signs of tamponade. Survival was attributed to immediate pericardiocentesis, followed by closure of the perforation with a Dacron graft under cardiopulmonary bypass.
Reactivities of shark 19S and 7S IgM antibodies to Salmonella typhimurium.

LOWER vertebrates such as sharks can synthesize humoral antibodies in response to antigenic stimulation with a wide variety of antigens1. Physicochemical studies have shown that sharks can synthesize both 19S and 7S immunoglobulins and that these two proteins belong to the same immunoglobulin class, which seems to be structurally homologous to IgM as defined for higher animals. Thus the shark immunoglobulins have been designated 19S IgM and 7S IgM2–4. Because the predominant immunoglobulin (IgG) of most mammals is absent from sharks, the shark monomeric (7S) IgM might be functionally analogous to IgG. One example of the functional differences between IgM and IgG antibodies is the greater reactivity of the former in agglutination and bactericidal reactions5,6. We have isolated and characterized functionally the relatively high levels of agglutinating antibodies which the nurse shark, Gingly-mostoma cirratum, synthesizes in response to Salmonella typhimurium “O” antigens.
Severe accidental overdose of 4-aminopyridine due to a compounding pharmacy error.

Abstract Background: 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) is a potassium channel-blocking drug used to ameliorate symptoms of multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury by facilitating neural impulse conduction. It is not Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, but information about it is disseminated via the Internet, and it is currently available from compounding pharmacies with a physician's prescription. Dose-related toxicity is frequent and includes dizziness, insomnia, paresthesia, asthenia, headache, tremor, delirium, choreoathetosis, and seizures. Objectives: To report a case of life-threatening accidental overdose of 4-AP resulting from a pharmacy error. Case Report: A 42-year-old man with a history of C3 spinal cord injury with residual left-sided weakness and anesthesia, taking 4-AP, presented to the Emergency Department with the sudden onset of abdominal pain, vertigo, anxiety, profuse diaphoresis, hypersalivation, hypertension, bradycardia, agitation, and choreoathetosis, followed by status epilepticus. Toxicity due to 4-AP was suspected and the patient was treated symptomatically. He recovered with permanent short-term memory loss after a prolonged and complicated hospital course. Analysis of the pills, which had been prescribed for him by a physician and specially compounded by a pharmacist, showed that they contained approximately 10 times the dose indicated on the label, a dose that reliably produces severe toxicity. Conclusion: Emergency physicians should be familiar with the signs of 4-AP toxicity. Additionally, they should be aware that 4-AP and other non-FDA-approved medications may be available to patients from compounding pharmacies, and that quality control of made-to-order drug compounding may not be up to the standard that is expected with mass-produced pharmaceuticals.
Evaluation of an entomopathogenic fungus, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wize) Brown and Smith (Deuteromycota: Hyphomycetes) obtained from Formosan subterranean termites (Isop., Rhinotermitidae)

An isolate of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus was obtained from Coptotermes formosanus collected in Hong Kong, and a commercially available isolate of Metarhizium anisopliae, were both tested against C. formosanus shipped live from China. Survivorship of termites treated with a suspension of 5 x 10 5 M. anisopliae conidia/ml and kept alone declined more rapidly than for those treated at the same concentration of P. fumosoroseus conidia. At a 5 x 10 6 conidia/ml concentration, no significant differences in terms of termite survivorship were observed between the two fungal species. However, among termites kept in groups of 10 after treatment, those sprayed with P. fumosoroseus conidia at either 5 × 10 5 or 5 × 10 6 conidia/ml had significantly lower survivorship than those sprayed with M. anisopliae conidia. All the cadavers of termites treated with P. fumosoroseus and kept alone sporulated and among grouped termites 29% of the cadavers sporulated. By comparison, 53% of the cadavers of termites treated with M. anisopliae and kept alone sporulated, and only 4% of the cadavers of treated termites kept in groups sporulated.
Imagery content during nonpharmacologic analgesia in the procedure suite: where your patients would rather be.

Rationale and Objectives. Imagery as a hypnotic technique can produce analgesia and anxiolysis, but effective use may be restricted to select, highly hypnotizable individuals. This study assessed (a) whether patients not selected for hypnotizability can produce imagery during interventional radiologic procedures and (b) the type of imagery produced. A secondary goal of the study was to familiarize health care providers with a simple, time-efficient technique for imagery. Materials and Methods. Fifty-six nonselected patients referred for interventional procedures were guided to a state of self-hypnotic relaxation by a health care provider according to a standardized protocol and script. Patient hypnotizability was assessed according to the Hypnotic Induction Profile test. Results. Patients as a group had average distribution of hypnotizabilty. The induction script was started in all patients and completed in 53. All patients developed an imagery scenario. Chosen imagery was highly individual, but common trends were nature and travel, family and home, and personal skills. Being with loved ones was an important element of imagery for 14 patients. Thirty-two patients chose passive contemplation, and 24 were action oriented. Conclusion. Average patients who present for interventional radiologic procedures and are not preselected for hypnotizabilty can engage in imagery. Topics chosen are highly individual, thus making prerecorded tapes or provider-directed imagery unlikely to be equally successful.
Carcinogenic 4(5)-Methylimidazole Found in Beverages, Sauces, and Caramel Colors: Chemical Properties, Analysis, and Biological Activities

Since the National Toxicology Program (NTP) identified 4(5)-methylimidazole [4(5)-MI] as a cancer causing chemical in 2007 and the State of California added it to the Proposition 65 list of compounds as a carcinogen on January 7, 2011, many researchers and regulatory agencies have become focused on the presence of 4(5)-MI in foods and beverages. 4(5)-MI has been known to form in the Maillard reaction system consisting of a sugar and ammonia-a typical caramel-color preparation method for beverages. 4(5)-MI is identified in various beverages and sauces, which are colored with caramel, as well as in caramel color itself. Analysis of 4(5)-MI is extremely difficult due to its high water solubility, but the analytical method for 4(5)-MI has progressed from conventional paper chromatography, gas chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to the most advanced high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Various studies indicate that caramel colors and carbonated beverages contain 4(5)-MI in levels ranging from 0 to around 1000 ppm and from 0 to about 500 ppm, respectively. Reports of the toxicity of 4(5)-MI at relatively high levels suggest that it may cause some adverse effects on human consumers.
Reverse piedpiperase: is the knockout mouse leading neuroscientists to a watery end?

In the debate in the May issue of TINS: ‘Gene targeting for mammalian behavior’, important questions were raised concerning the utility of the null mutation, or the single-gene knockout, as a method for studying the role of particular proteins in brain function. Surprisingly, there is more agreement than debate as each contributor raises serious concerns about the interpretation of results from this method. In his lead article, Gerlai raises concerns about background genotype; the need to develop new embryonic stem (ES) cell lines because A/J mice do not learn is discussed by Crawley; Lathe points out that other unintended mutations arise from the 129 ES cells; and Crusio notes that the excitement of gene targeting should not dissuade us from using ‘less-flashy’ techniques that might, in fact, address the issue more directly.
Molecular structure of interfaces between plasma‐polymerized acetylene films and steel substrates

Plasma-polymerized films of acetylene were deposited onto steel substrates in an inductively coupled reactor by exciting the plasma in an argon carrier gas and then injecting the monomer into the afterglow region. The molecular structure of the film/substrate interface was determined using reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to characterize the films as a function of thickness. RAIR showed that thick (∼ 900 A) as-deposited plasma-polymerized acetylene films had a complicated molecular structure and contained methyl and methylene, mono- and disubstituted acetylene, vinyl, and cis- and trans-disubstituted olefin groups. Evidence of oxidation resulting from the reaction of trapped radicals with atmospheric oxygen and moisture to form O-H and C=O groups was also obtained. The molecular structure of thin films (∼ 60 A) was similar although evidence was obtained to indicate that acetylide groups (H-C≡C - were present at the film/substrate interface. Results obtained using angle-resolved XPS analysis showed that carbonaceous contamination was removed from the substrate and that oxides and hydroxides on the substrate surface, especially FeOOH, were chemically reduced during deposition of the films. XPS also confirmed that plasma-polymerized acetylene films deposited on steel substrates contained C-O- and C=O groups. Preliminary results also showed that films deposited in an inductively coupled reactor were good primers for rubber-to-metal bonding, whereas films deposited in a capacitively coupled reactor were not. The differences may be due to the wide variety of functional groups found in the former type of films but not in the latter.
Stress measurements during the oxidation of tantalum and niobium

Abstract The flexure technique was used to characterize the development of stresses during the gaseous oxidation of tantalum in the temperature range 350–550°C and of niobium at 400 and 425°C. Bending stresses in the rectangular specimens were calculated and their presence rationalized on the basis of surface stresses due to both oxygen solution and oxide film effects. In the early stages of oxidation, stresses of the order of the yield stress arise in the surface layers due to the solution of oxygen into the metal. At some later time, as thicker oxide layers develop, film stresses substantially control the gross flexure behavior.
Housing Opportunities and Vacancy Chains

Vacancy chain and vacancy transfer analyses are two methods used to assess housing market filtering as a policy tool. The vacancy transfer method is better suited for ascertaining the beneficial impact of housing turnover for particular subgroups of the population. Policy considerations dictate that we consider who benefits from improved housing opportunities. The vacancy transfer method proposed by White (1971) is carried out with data not available to him. His policy implications are not justified by the results when we explicitly consider the social utility of housing vacancies. By establishing a priori weights or a welfare function, it is possible to ascertain the maximum benefits for given levels of expenditures.