cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Directional dependence of a color superconducting gap in two-flavor QCD in a magnetic field

We study the effect of a magnetic field on the pairing dynamics in two-flavor color superconducting dense quark matter. The study is performed in the weakly coupled regime of QCD at asymptotically high density, using the framework of the Schwinger-Dyson equation in the improved rainbow approximation. We show that the superconducting gap function develops a directional dependence in momentum space. Quasiparticles with momenta perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field have the largest gaps, while quasiparticles with momenta parallel to the field have the smallest gaps. We argue that the directional dependence is a consequence of a long-range interaction in QCD. The quantitative measure of the ellipticity of the gap function is determined by a dimensionless ratio, proportional to the square of the magnetic field and inversely proportional to the fourth power of the quark chemical potential. For magnetic fields in stars, $B\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{18}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{G}$, the corresponding ratio is estimated to be less than about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, justifying the use of the weak magnetic field limit in all stellar applications.
Evaluating the effect of EUV multilayer buried defects on feature printability using a stochastic resist model

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography has a number of challenges not encountered in DUV lithography. One of these challenges is that the stochastic nature of resist exposure is much more pronounced at an exposure wavelength of 13.5 nm than 193 nm. This leads to line-edge roughness (LER) and impacts critical dimension uniformity. Another challenge is that the reflective multilayer (ML) in photomasks will likely have defects buried in the ML. The size and the location of these defects could affect feature printability. This paper aims to study these two new challenges using a comprehensive lithographic model that accounts for both the scattering of light due to ML defects and stochastic resist effects. This enables more accurate predictions of the process window which could lead to more robust defect compensation.
Use Scenarios in the Development of the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype (ADEPT)

A user-centered, iterative design philosophy requires a common language between users, designers and builders to translate user needs into buildable specifications. This paper details the rationale, evolution and implementation of use scenarios—structured narrative descriptions of envisioned system use—in the development of the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype. This paper discusses the strengths of the scenario approach, obstacles to their use, and lessons learned in the overall development process.
Meshed capillary vessels found on narrow-band imaging without optical magnification effectively identifies colorectal neoplasia: a North American validation of the Japanese experience

Background The presence of meshed capillary (MC) vessels is highly sensitive (96%) and specific (92%) for diagnosing colorectal neoplasia on colonoscopy by using narrow-band imaging (NBI) with optical magnification, which is not available in North America. However, the efficacy of NBI to identify an MC pattern without optical magnification has not been determined. Objective To determine the diagnostic capabilities of NBI colonoscopy without optical magnification in differentiating neoplastic from non-neoplastic colorectal polyps by using the MC pattern. Design Retrospective comparison of prospectively collected colorectal polyp data. Setting Large, academic medical center. Patients This study involved 126 consecutive colorectal polyps (median size 3 mm) that were found in 52 patients (33 men) with a median age of 59.5 years. Intervention All lesions identified by white-light colonoscopy were prospectively diagnosed in real-time by using the MC pattern as determined on high-definition NBI, with 1.5× zoom but without true optical magnification, and then endoscopically excised. Surgical pathology was used as the criterion standard. Main outcome measurements Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of identifying neoplastic polyps were calculated. Results NBI without optical magnification was found to have a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 88%, positive predictive value of 90%, negative predictive value of 91%, and diagnostic accuracy of 91% when all polyp sizes were considered. For lesions ≤5 mm, sensitivity was 87%, specificity was 93%, positive predictive value was 89%, negative predictive value was 91%, and diagnostic accuracy was 90%. Limitations Single-center, single-endoscopist experience. Conclusion Use of the MC pattern on NBI colonoscopy without optical magnification effectively distinguishes neoplastic from non-neoplastic colorectal polyps. NBI colonoscopy without optical magnification for neoplastic polyp diagnosis appears to be comparable with NBI with optical magnification when the MC pattern is used. A large, prospective trial is needed for further validation.
Precision of the petrochemical process analysis using NIR spectroscopy

Quantitation of benzene in gasoline is becoming important due to new federal and state regulations. To meet these regulations an on-line analysis method for benzene in gasoline is needed. It has been shown that NIR is an ideal instrument for on-line analytical measurements. We report in this paper an analysis of benzene in synthetic gasoline with a standard error of prediction of 0.22 wt%. Both principal component analysis and partial least squares chemometric calibration methods were used. Both methods gave the same results for the prediction of the validation sample set.
Virtual Valve Design for Three Dimensional Numerical Simulations of a Large-Bore Natural Gas Engine

One of the promising mixing enhancement technologies for natural gas engines currently used is high pressure fuel injection. Three dimensional computational simulations that can examine the entire injection and mixing process in engines using high pressure injection and determine the impact of injector design on engine performance are consequently of considerable interest. However, the cost of three dimensional engine simulations including a moving piston and the kinetics of combustion and pollutants production quickly becomes considerable in terms of simulation time requirements. The limiting factor is the modeling of the small length scales of the poppet valve flow. Such length scales can be two orders of magnitude smaller than cylinder length scales. The objective of this paper is to describe the development of a compatible virtual valve which can be substituted in three-dimensional numerical models for the complex shrouded poppet valve injection system actually installed in the engine to be simulated. Downstream flow characteristics of the jets from an actual valve and a virtual valve were compared. Various mixing parameters were evaluated in moving piston simulations that include the effect of the jet-piston interaction. Comparison of the results indicated that it is possible to design a simple converging-diverging fuel nozzle that will produce the same jet and subsequently the same large and turbulent scale mixing patterns as a real poppet valve.© 2003 ASME
A profile of US emergency departments in 2001.

Study objective Emergency departments (EDs) provide round-the-clock emergency care but also serve as a health care "safety net." We seek to determine the number, distribution, and characteristics of US EDs, with a long-term goal of improving access to emergency care. Methods We created an inventory of nonfederal nonspecialty US hospitals using 2001 data from 2 independent sources. Hospitals that did not report ED visit data, or with large changes in visit volume by 2003, were contacted to obtain or verify visit volume (n=437; 9% of all hospitals). EDs were divided into 2 groups: those with at least 1 patient per hour, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week (≥ 8,760 visits/year) and those with fewer visits. Results Of 4,917 hospitals, 4,862 (99%) reported an ED. These EDs collectively received 101.6 million visits. One in 3 EDs (n=1,535) received less than 8,760 visits per year; the national median was 15,711 visits per year. Excluding the low-volume EDs, the remaining 3,327 reported 95.2 million annual visits. The typical higher-volume ED received approximately 28,000 visits per year; 28% (n=922) were in a nonurban setting. Among all EDs, per-capita visits varied by state, with the highest ED visit rates in Washington, DC; West Virginia; and Mississippi. Conclusion Significant variation exists in the distribution and use of US EDs. One third of EDs have an annual visit volume less than 8,760 and, together, they account for 6% of all visits. The United States should consider classifying EDs, as it does trauma centers, to clarify the type of care available in this heterogeneous clinical setting and the distribution of different types of EDs.
Giving rituximab in patients with occult or resolved hepatitis B virus infection: are the current guidelines good enough?

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation after ‘resolved’ infection can occur in the setting of immunosuppression, including iatrogenically induced by anti-CD20 antibodies. The presence of antibodies against the HBV core antigen (anti-HBc) is a marker of risk for this phenomenon. The risk of this occurring in patients with circulating HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) is well characterized, but is less well characterized in patients who are HBsAg negative.Areas covered: This article reviews the literature regarding HBV reactivation in the context of rituximab therapy. We have limited our review to HBsAg-negative patients, and clinical outcomes following HBV reactivation.Expert opinion: We have recommended prophylactic anti-viral therapy for all HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive patients undergoing rituximab therapy in combination with other immunosuppressive therapy.
A Temporary Stain for Paramecium and Other Ciliate Protozoa

A new temporary stain for the demonstration of nuclear and cytoplasmic structures in Paramecium and other protozoan ciliates during both vegetative reproduction and meiotic reorganization consists of a mixture of 10.5 parts of acetocarmine, 4.5 parts of 45% acetic acid, 2 parts of 1 N HCl and 1 part of 1% solution of fast green FCF in 95% alcohol. This stain replaces the acetocarmine and acidified methyl green nuclear stains commonly employed and has the following advantages: (1) it affords simultaneous differential stainability of nucleus and cytoplasm (brown-red and green to grey-green, respectively); (2) it provides differential stainability of newly developing macronuclei (homogeneous pale green), fragments of the old macronucleus (brown-red), and food vacuoles (granular, bright blue-green); and (3) it results in a delicate and more transparent stain which affords greater clarity of internal structure. Proportions may be shifted slightly to achieve the optimum results for any particular organism. Conc...
ERBB2 and chromosome 17 centromere studies of ovarian cancer by fluorescence in situ hybridization

More than 26,000 new cases of ovarian cancer are identified each year in the United States, with almost 75% of these malignancies in advanced stages at the time of diagnosis. Early-stage disease has a cure rate of up to 90%, but the long-term survival rate of patients with advanced disease is 5-20%. At this time, there are no biomarkers that are effective indicators of early ovarian cancer. Recently, immunohistochemical and Southern blot studies have suggested that overexpression/amplification of the oncogene ERBB2 (HER2/neu) is associated with aggressive ovarian malignancies; however, some studies have not supported this conclusion. Because tumor cells are known to be highly heterogeneous, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to study individual ovarian cancer cells for HER2/neu amplification and chromosome 17 centromere copy number. Simultaneous multicolor cohybridization of HER2/neu and chromosome 17 centromere alpha-satellite probes were carried out on 43 ovarian cancer samples. Ten of the forty-three samples showed moderate to high amplification of HER2/neu, with varying numbers of chromosome 17 centromeres present. In some cells the amplified HER2/neu was dispersed throughout the nucleus, whereas in other cells the amplified oncogenes were clustered together. Within a sample there was heterogeneity in oncogene and centromere copy number. In this small study, we were unable to identify a specific clinical correlation. However, FISH is a powerful method for the study of oncogene amplification in tumor samples.
Continuous spectrophotometric assays for dopamine β-monooxygenase based on two novel electron donors: N,N-dimethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine and 2-aminoascorbic acid

Abstract Based on the novel chromophoric electron donors, N,N -dimethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (DMPD) and 2-amino-2-deoxy- l -ascorbic acid (2-aminoascorbic acid), two sensitive, convenient, and continuous spectrophotometric assays for dopamine β-monooxygenase (EC 1.14.17.1) are described. Both, DMPD and 2-aminoascorbic acid are kinetically and stoichiometrically well-behaved electron donors for dopamine β-monooxygenase with kinetic parameters comparable to the most efficient physiological electron donor, ascorbic acid. During dopamine β-monooxygenase turnover, DMPD is converted to its chromophoric cation radical which is stable under the standard assay conditions. The rate of the enzyme-dependent formation of DMPD cation radical under standard assay conditions could easily be followed at 515 nm with high accuracy and reproducibility. Similarly, dopamine β-monooxygenase-mediated oxidation of 2-aminoascorbic acid results in the formation of the known, stable chromophoric product, 2,2′-nitrilodi-2(2′)-deoxy- l -ascorbic acid (red pigment), which has a very strong absorption maximum at 385 nm. Both the above assays are superior to the existing assays in their convenience, reproducibility, and sensitivity for routine kinetic analysis of dopamine β-monooxygenase and may be adopted as a simple color test for the enzyme. We propose that the above assays could also be adopted to design continuous and sensitive spectrophotometric assays for ascorbate oxidase, peptidyl α-amidating monooxygenase, and the chromaffin granule electron transport protein, cytochrome b 561 , due to their remarkable similarity to dopamine β-monooxygenase in the chemistry of catalysis with regard to the electron donor.
Electrochemical detection for capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis and the use of electrochemically based detection schemes for capillary electrophoresis are reviewed. The three different electrochemical methods used in capillary electrophoresis include potentiometric, conductivity, and amperometric detection.
Effects of social deprivation and familiarity with the environment on social attraction in rats

Rats housed alone or with another rat were either given individual preexposure to an open-field testing situation or not. Rats were then observed in pairs for 8 days, and measures were taken of social attraction. As in previous studies, familiarity with the open field, whether achieved through individual preexposure or continued testing in pairs, strongly increased social attraction for socially deprived animals. Double-housed animals, however, as predicted, showed little effect of familiarity. In a familiar open field, single-housed rats were much more affiliative than socially satiated rats. Measures of emotionality suggest that greater responsiveness of isolated rats both to their environment and to their partner, not fear, is responsible for the pattern of results.
Coulomb explosion of D2 following capture and ionization by fast O8+ ions

Abstract In order to study two-electron processes in the collision of highly charged ions with a D 2 molecule target, measurements of cross sections for single capture, transfer ionization, single and double ionization for O 8+ on D 2 collision system were performed. During the data processing, it was found that it is very important to know the contribution to the production of D + ions from electronically excited D 2 + molecules relative to that from doubly ionized molecules. Since the D + ions from different channels have different kinetic energies, a time-of-flight technique (TOF) can be used to separate them. Therefore TOF spectra of the recoil D + ions taken with no extraction field have been measured in coincidence with the charge-analyzed projectiles for impact energies from 8 to 20 MeV. The production of D + ions from doubly ionized molecules was found to dominate at 8 MeV, while at 20 MeV the production of D + ions from electronically excited D 2 + molecules, which dissociate into D + + D, becomes important.
Getting Oceanography Done

This special section of Earth Sciences History presents four papers from the Maury II Conference on the History of the Marine Sciences, held at Woods Hole, Massachusetts in June 1999. The common theme of the papers is patronage: how scientists obtained moral, financial, and logistical support for oceanographic work from the late 19th to the mid 20th century. Oceanography is an expensive and logistically difficult science. How do scientists manage to get oceanography done?
Studying microarchitectural structures with object code reordering

Modern microprocessors have many microarchitectural features. Quantifying the performance impact of one feature such as dynamic branch prediction can be difficult. On one hand, a timing simulator can predict the difference in performance given two different implementations of the technique, but simulators can be quite inaccurate. On the other hand, real systems are very accurate representations of themselves, but often cannot be modified to study the impact of a new technique.We demonstrate how to develop a performance model for branch prediction using real systems based on object code reordering. By observing the behavior of the benchmarks over a range of branch prediction accuracies, we can estimate the impact of a new branch predictor by simulating only the predictor and not the rest of the microarchitecture.We also use the reordered object code to validate a reverse-engineered model for the Intel Core 2 branch predictor. We simulate several branch predictors using Pin and measure which hypothetical branch predictor has the highest correlation with the real one.This study in object code reorder points to way to future work on estimating the impact of other structures such as the instruction cache, the second-level cache, instruction decoders, indirect branch prediction, etc.
Failure analysis of a broken tooth

Several days after heart surgery, a patient discovered his upper right canine tooth had broken at the root. Such tooth damage, recognized post-operatively, is usually assumed to be caused by blunt mechanical force from an instrument used by the anesthesiologist during placement of a breathing tube at the start of surgery. In this case, the patient had saved the crown portion of the broken tooth, and it was possible to examine the root fracture characteristics. The curvature and direction of the crack path and natural tooth situation suggested that failure could be described through a cantilever beam model. This was confirmed when a whole extracted sample tooth was embedded and broken by a measured force in a manner consistent with the model. The resulting fracture surface matched that of the patient’s broken canine tooth. However, the high load and force direction necessary to fracture the root was inconsistent with forces applied during the anesthesia procedure. The failure analysis and further investigation indicated tooth clenching on the breathing tube during recovery was the likely cause of fracture. This paper presents an alternate explanation for intubation-related dental injury, demonstrates the practicality of fractographic analysis of biological materials, and introduces a methodology for simulating in vitro tooth settings for mechanical testing.
Systemic lupus erythematosus in adults is associated with previous Epstein‐Barr virus exposure

Objective The possible molecular mimicry of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) peptide PPPGRRP by the peptide PPPGMRPP from Sm B'/B of the human spliceosome is consistent with the possibility that EBV infection is related to the origin of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in some patients. Association of EBV exposure with SLE was therefore tested for and subsequently found in children and adolescents (odds ratio [OR] 49.9, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 9.3-1,025, P 10, 95% CI 2.53-infinity, P Methods We selected 196 antinuclear antibody-positive adult SLE patients (age > or =20 years) and 2 age-, race-, and sex-matched controls per patient. SLE patients and matched controls were tested for evidence of previous infection with EBV, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), or varicella-zoster virus (VZV) by standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results Of the 196 lupus patients tested, all but 1 had been exposed to EBV, while 22 of the 392 controls did not have antibodies consistent with previous EBV exposure (OR 9.35, 95% CI 1.45-infinity, P = 0.014). No differences were observed between SLE patients and controls in the seroconversion rate against CMV, HSV-2, or VZV. Conclusion These new data from adults, along with the many suggestive features of EBV infection, are consistent with the contribution of this infection to the etiology of SLE.
CLINICAL CORRELATES OF NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS (NEC)

Of 720 newboms admitted to our NICU in a recent 38-month period, 54 (7.5%) developed NEC. In an attempt to better define the etiology of NEC, the acute course of these patients was compared to 98 control patients matched for birth weight. Survival was 37% in NEC as compared to 65% in control patients. The frequency of RDS (74%) and of perinatal asphyxia (32%), hypotension (20%) and hypothermia (20%) was comparable in the two groups. Stool cultures showed no predominance of a single organism in either group. Although DIG (48%) and sepsis (38%) both occurred three times as often in NEC patients as in controls, their onset usually coincided with, rather than preceded, the onset of NEC. On the day of life that NEC occurred, all 54 NEC patients and 63% of controls were receiving formula feedings, both at 80 cal/kg/day. 96% of NEC patients had umbilical arterial (UA) catheters and 78% were still in place within 24 hours of onset of NEC; 73% of controls had UA catheters. Average duration of UA catheters was 7.7 days in NEC as compared to 5.4 days in controls (P=.05). 69% of NEC and 43% of control patients (P=.05) had UV catheters. NEC patients were indistinguishable from controls prior to the onset of NEC. Although our data does not define one single etiology of NEC, the high incidence of formula feedings in NEC patients does suggest that formula feedings may be related to the etiology of NEC as well as to the extent of intramural gas.
Self‐reported outcomes of trans‐tibial amputations for non‐reconstructable Charcot neuroarthropathy in patients with diabetes: a preliminary report

Aims Lower-extremity amputation in patients with diabetes is associated with premature mortality and impaired ambulatory status. Despite advances in limb salvage techniques, certain patients will require major amputation. The hypothesis of this study is that self-reported outcomes of patients with non-reconstructable Charcot neuroarthropathy and chronic osteomyelitis improve after trans-tibial amputation. Methods Self-reported outcome was assessed using the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36-item health survey (SF-36) and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure. The study group included 13 patients with diabetes who underwent a trans-tibial amputation and completed both the Medical Outcome Study SF-36 and the Foot and Ankle Measure pre- and post-operatively. Results Significant improvement after trans-tibial amputation occurred in the SF-36 Physical Component Summary score and both the Foot and Ankle Measure Activity of Daily Living and Sports scores at a mean follow-up of 79 weeks (range 53–122 weeks). Although the SF-36 Mental Component Summary score improved, the improvement did not achieve statistical significance (P = 0.30). Twelve of the 13 patients were satisfied with the amputation and had no reservations. Conclusions In a select group of Charcot neuroarthropathy patients with chronic osteomyelitis, trans-tibial amputation resulted in improvement in self-reported outcomes. Although major lower-extremity amputation is a devastating complication in patients with diabetes, the results of this study provides some evidence for optimism in these high-risk patients.
High frequency propagation losses on an open wire transmission line above dissipative Earth

Both exact and simplified approximate equations for the current on a pair of conductors above a dissipative Earth are developed. Since, in many practical cases, each conductor consists of a pair of wires, a method for reducing four-wire lines to equivalent two-wire lines is presented. The assumptions used in the approximate expression are that the cross-sectional dimensions of the line (e.g. the distances between conductors but not the height of the conductors above earth) are small compared to the wavelength, that the propagation constant in the Earth is larger than the one in air, and that the conductors are thin compared to the wavelength and any cross-sectional dimension. The first assumption restricts the validity of the equations for the current to below 100 MHz ( lambda =3 m) for typical transmission lines and the second assumption can be met for most practical air-Earth problems. Numerical results for transmission line loss are computed using both the approximate method and the exact method. It is seen that the two results agree well for frequencies less that 100 MHz. The loss is divided into conductor loss and Earth loss and plotted, and physical interpretation of the frequency dependence of each component is given. The results of a parametric study of transmission-line loss are given along with an interpretation. >
Design, Synthesis of Novel Peptidomimetic Derivatives of 4-HPR for Rhabdoid Tumors

Rhabdoid tumors (RTs) are an extremely aggressive pediatric malignancy that results from loss of the INI1/hSNF5 tumor suppressor gene. Loss of INI1 results in aberrant expression of Cyclin D1, which supports rhabdoid tumorigenesis and survival. 4-HPR, a synthetic retinoid that down-modulates Cyclin D1, has shown promise in treating various tumors including RTs. In this study, we have generated a chemical library of peptidomimetic derivatives of 4-HPR in an attempt to create a more biologically active compound for use as a therapeutic agent against RTs and other tumors. We have synthesized novel peptidomimetic compound by substituting alkene backbone with a ring structure that retains the biological activity in cell culture models of rhabdoid tumors. We further identified derivative of peptidomimetic compound (11d, IC(50) approximately 3 microM) with approximately five times higher potency than 4-HPR (1, IC(50) approximately 15 microM) based on a survival assay against rhabdoid tumor cells. These studies indicate that peptidomimetic derivatives that retain the cytotoxic activity are promising novel chemotherapeutic agents against RTs and other tumors.
A Mesoscale Study of Corn-Weather Response on Cash-Grain Farms

Abstract Weather records for 49 locations and detailed agronomic data from 60 farms in a 400-mi2 area in central Illinois were used to study corn-weather relations exhibited by actual farming operations in a typical agricultural area of the American Corn Belt. Weekly, monthly and seasonal rainfall and temperature values plus agronomic data were correlated with corn yields during 1955–1963. The results are of added importance because the data sample was from a period when new agronomic practices, which could alter corn-weather relationships established in previous studies, were being widely employed. July and August mean temperatures and cumulative degrees above 90F during July and August had the strongest correlations with corn yield, −0.50, −0.69 and −0.51, respectively. July rainfall had a stronger association with yields than rainfall in any other month, but it was considerably less than the association for July temperature. Weekly rainfalls and temperatures in early June and early August correlated mo...
A Signal Transduction Primer

Because of the complexity and the rapid pace of research developments in the field of signal transduction, there are few textbooks devoted to this subject specifically. Blumenthal provides an overview of the text Principles of Molecular Regulation . The review emphasizes the strong points of the text and makes suggestions for improving later editions.
A debris mechanism of cyclic strain hardening for F.C.C. metals

Abstract Prismatic dislocation loops (dislocation debris), formed by fatigue or cyclic straining, have been observed in a number of metals. To account for these observations a mechanism of cyclic strain hardening is proposed which depends on the ease of loop formation and the behaviour of the loops after they are formed. In the initial rapid hardening stage, the rate of cyclic strain hardening is determined by the rate of formation of debris obstacles. Since the debris is thought to be formed by some variant of the double cross slip mecachism, changes of variable which lead to easier cross-slip result in higher hardening rates (because the rate of debris obstacle formation is increased). As the crystal fills up with debris, the motion of screw dislocations diminishes and the enforced strain is accommodated by the motion of the prismatic loops already present in the crystal. The basic motion of the prismatic dislocation loops is a flip-flop motion from one stable equilibrium position to another which is re...
The Triassic isotope record

A variety of stable isotope measurements have been found useful in studying processes of environmental change. Measurements of d 13 C, d 18 O, d 34 S and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr all can provide infor- mation about the conditions of the water column in which sediment deposition occurred, but the most widely applied of these is d 13 C. The carbon isotope record for the Triassic System is a complex one; a pronounced negative excursion begins below the base of the Triassic System and continues into the basal Triassic. The succeeding 4 to 6 Ma Lower Triassic interval is marked by isotopic instability, with positive and negative excursions, continuing through the basal Middle Triassic. In contrast to the Lower Triassic, most of the Middle and Upper Triassic display relative isotopic stability, with rising values of d 13 C likely reflecting environmental recov- ery and increasing storage of organic carbon in terrestrial environments. The uppermost Triassic is marked by a pronounced negative excursion near the system boundary that has been linked to significant biotic turnover. The causes of the various excursions remain under investigation, particularly those at the system boundaries, with outgassing during volcanic activity, changes in productivity, ocean anoxia, and seafloor methane releases all suggested as mechanisms both for perturbing the global carbon cycle and for forcing biotic extinction.
Combined transsphenoidal and pterional craniotomy approach to giant pituitary tumors.

OBJECTIVE We describe a combined simultaneous approach to giant pituitary tumors and present a review of 10 patients undergoing this procedure with emphasis on patient selection, surgical technique, and results. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of patients who had undergone a combined, simultaneous transsphenoidal and pterional craniotomy approach to a giant pituitary adenoma. Visual findings, endocrine presentation, and tumor type were compiled. Tumor stage and grade (Hardy classification) were based on MRI and intraoperative findings. RESULTS Gross total resection of tumor was achieved in 4 of 10 patients, near total (>90%) in 2 of 10, and subtotal (80-90%) in 4. At the time of follow-up (average, 29.7 months; range, 17-44 months), stereotactic radiosurgery had been performed in 2 patients. Of the 9 patients who presented with visual field loss, all had improvement at 1-month follow-up. At 6 months follow-up, resolution was complete in 5 patients and partial in 4. No patient had worsening of vision. Hypopituitarism persisted in all 5 patients who presented with it preoperatively. CONCLUSION The combined, simultaneous transsphenoidal and pterional approach described is indicated for a small subset of patients with giant (>3 cm) clinically nonfunctional pituitary tumors who meet the criteria of tumor configuration outlined where the surgeon cannot achieve complete resection by a single approach. We propose adding a new Hardy's scheme subtype, Stage B-a, to describe giant pituitary tumors with a dumbbell configuration. Combining both craniotomy and transsphenoidal approaches may achieve the goal of tumor resection with less need for multiple sequential operations.
Metabolism of I131 by the endostyle and notochord of ammocoetes under different conditions of temperature

Abstract Ammocoetes larvae (Petromyzon marinus L.), kept at two different temperatures (20°C and 30°C), were injected with I131 and sacrificed at intervals from 2 to 120 hours. The endostyles and notochords were examined for per cent concentration of the isotope, and analyzed, by means of radiochromatography, for the formation of iodinated amino acids. The endostyles of animals kept at 20°C concentrated more I131 than the notochords of the same animals, on an equal weight basis. However, at 30°C the notochords eventually sequestered a higher percentage of the isotope than the endostyles due, apparently, to the relatively slow turnover of the radioiodine in the notochord as compared with the endostyles. Both the notochord and the endostyles were affected by changes in temperature. High temperature reduced the accumulation of the isotope by a factor of 10 in the case of the endostyle, and by a factor of 7 in the case of the notochord. The peak concentration of I131 was reached earlier under these conditions by both tissues. Radiochromatograms of hydrolyzates of endostyles from larvae kept at 30°C showed the presence of labelled thyroid hormones as early as 2 hours after injection of I131. At 20°C the labelled thyroid hormones were demonstrable 12 hours after administration of the isotope. The subpharyngeal organ behaves like a thyroid gland with a halogen cycle, forming the thyroid hormones and their precursors. The notochord concentrates the isotope largely in the form of iodide.
Early Changes in Pigmented Macrophages in Head Kidney of Channel Catfish Infected with Aeromonas hydrophila

Abstract Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus with scarified skin were exposed to the bacterial pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila. Systemic infections developed in 80% of the exposed fish, and the remaining exposed fish had infections limited to the cutaneous lesion. Skin of control fish was injured in the same manner as for the exposed fish, but control fish were not exposed to A. hydrophila nor was A. hydrophila recovered from them. None of the fish died during the 3-d experiment, and gross lesions in head kidneys, including changes in the size or relative weight, were not found in infected fish. Macrophage aggregates in head kidney of systemically infected fish increased 68% in mean area, 28% in number, and 111% in total relative volume. Volume of lipofuscin, the predominate pigment found in channel catfish head kidney, in systemically infected fish was about twice that of control fish. Volume of hemosiderin was about four times as great and macrophages containing hemosiderin were about three times as numer...
The utility of semi-formal models in ecological planning

Abstract A model is an abstract representation of reality. For centuries, designers and planners have constructed three-dimensional models to study and illustrate visible form. Over the past half century, investigators in a variety of disciplines have expanded the modeling concept to represent invisible processes and relationships. Processes represented are extremely diverse; examples include the dynamics of predator-prey relationships, the varying trajectories of ballistic missiles under different atmospheric conditions, traffic flow, and organizational flux in a large corporation. In most cases, such models are formal, mathematical and highly quantified. Formal mathematical models have proven difficult to use in landscape planning and design for a variety of reasons including the complexity and seeming randomness of the situations and the lack of quantitative data. However, the concept of using models as a means of making invisible processes and relationships tangible is extremely useful. Most useful of all are models that define the relationships between these processes and the visible form of the landscape. By eschewing formality and strict quantification and adopting an adaptive and pragmatic approach to modeling, we can use models in planning and design processes in creative ways. We might call this semi-formal modeling because the models produced have definite form and consistency without the rigid formality of strict quantification. They can represent processes and relationships along with physical landscape forms in general or specific ways. But they are not casual or sloppy. We might define a few principles of semi-formal model application as follows: 1. (1) Models representing processes and their relationships to physical form are most useful in addressing the key issues of a project, especially those involving the modes of ecosystematic order: structure, function, and locational patterns. 2. (2) Models should be as visual and communicative as possible. 3. (3) Models are ideally as complex and inclusive as needed for the purposes of the project and no more so. 4. (4) Model-making generally proceeds from the qualitative to the quantitative; quantities are usually useful where they are available but usually dispensable where they are not. 5. (5) Models can represent change over time; the key changes for planning are usually those from the past to the present to the future. 6. (6) Models provide a medium for progressing from process to form in processes of planning and design.
Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of human liver cytochrome(s) P450

The major objective of personalized medicine is to select optimized drug therapies and to a large degree such mission is determined by the expression profiles of cytochrome(s) P450 (CYP). Accordingly, a proteomic case study in personalized medicine is provided by the superfamily of cytochromes P450. Our knowledge about CYP isozyme expression on a protein level is very limited and based exclusively on DNA/mRNA derived data. Such information is not sufficient because transcription and translation events do not lead to correlated levels of expressed proteins. Here we report expression profiles of CYPs in human liver obtained by mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic approach. We analyzed 32 samples of human liver microsomes (HLM) of different sexes, ages and ethnicity along with samples of recombinant human CYPs. We have experimentally confirmed that each CYP isozyme can be effectively differentiated by their unique isozyme-specific tryptic peptide(s). Trypsin digestion patterns for almost 30 human CYP isozymes were established. Those findings should assist in selecting tryptic peptides suitable for MS-based quantitation. The data obtained demonstrate remarkable differences in CYP expression profiles. CYP2E1, CYP2C8 and CYP4A11 were the only isozymes found in all HLM samples. Female and pediatric HLM samples revealed much more diverse spectrum of expressed CYPs isozymes compared to male HLM. We have confirmed expression of a number of "rare" CYP (CYP2J2, CYP4B1, CYP4V2, CYP4F3, CYP4F11, CYP8B1, CYP19A1, CYP24A1 and CYP27A1) and obtained first direct experimental data showing expression of such CYPs as CYP2F1, CYP2S1, CYP2W1, CYP4A22, CYP4X1, and CYP26A1 on a protein level.
The Effects of Five Potassium Chloride Preparations on the Upper Gastrointestinal Mucosa in Healthy Subjects Receiving Glycopyrrolate

The effects on the upper gastrointestinal tract of five different preparations of KCl were compared in 90 healthy subjects treated with glycopyrrolate. The KCl preparations studied were wax-matrix KCl, microencapsulated KCl, liquid KCl, experimental extended-release capsules, experimental extended-release tablets,and placebo. The subjects were endoscoped prior to and after seven days of dosing. Upper gastrointestinal mucosal pathology was seen with all of the potassium preparations as well as with placebo. No statistically significant differences between the various KCl groups or between KCl groups and placebo were seen. All of the lesions were superficial, except for one ulcer seen with the microencapsulated KCl. None of the subjects developed occult gastrointestinal bleeding. There were no differences in the incidence of abdominal symptoms.
The predictive value of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level in the prognosis of colon cancer

Abstract Background We evaluated factors associated with an increased preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level for colon cancer patients undergoing elective curative surgery and assessed whether this was associated with prognosis when accounting for other potential confounders. Methods Prospectively accrued data of patients with stage I, II, and III colon cancer undergoing surgery (1980–2008) were retrieved retrospectively. Patients with a preoperative CEA level greater than 5 ng/mL (group B) were compared with those with a CEA level of 5 ng/mL or less (group A). Results There were 651 patients (379 men) with a median age of 67 years (range, 21–94 y) and a median follow-up period of 5.9 years. Groups A (n = 451) and B (n = 200) had similar ages and tumor locations. Group B had larger tumors; more patients with T3 and N1/N2; and more patients with stage II/III tumors, and hence greater use of chemotherapy ( P = .04). On multivariate analysis, patient age, tumor stage, and differentiation were associated with oncologic outcomes. A CEA level greater than 5 ng/mL was not associated independently with recurrence, recurrence-free survival ( P = .47), or overall survival ( P = .3). Conclusions An increased preoperative CEA level is a marker for a more advanced tumor stage. For adequately staged patients, a high preoperative CEA level is not associated independently with oncologic outcomes.
Perioperative Management of the Podiatric Patient

This issue of Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery discusses perioperative issues vital to the enhancement of the management of our patients. Our goal is to deliver service either medically or surgically to maximize our results while minimizing adverse outcomes, thus providing an experience that reassures the patients and gives them comfort in the care that they receive. All too often, we tend to treat only the condition that we diagnose, forgetting our main purpose, the whole patient. The foot is connected to the rest of the body. Why be myopic? When we go to the dentist, does he only look at one tooth? If a patient presents with a unilateral condition, we need to look at both feet to more closely assess the problem, differentially diagnose, and ultimately make treatment recommendations. We would be remiss, setting the patient and ourselves up for failure and less than optimal results, if we do not address the patient as a person, not a condition! Each patient’s physical, psychological, social, and employment needs must be assessed. Our understanding of these needs assist us in designing a treatment program that will set a course to promote successful outcomes. Even a successful treatment, i.e. the technical surgical correction of a bunion, can lead to adverse results. The patient could suffer an infection, reaction to medication, develop a blood clot, or just take longer to heal. This, in turn, exceeds their level of expectation in multiple areas. They begin to doubt their general health, confidence in their treatment, and worse yet, their physician. Instead of returning to
AMPHIBIANS DO NOT FOLLOW BERGMANN'S RULE

The tendency for organisms to be larger in cooler climates (Bergmann's rule) is widely observed in endotherms, and has been reputed to apply to some ectotherms including amphibians. However, recent reports provide conflicting support for the pattern, questioning whether Bergmann's clines are generally present in amphibians. In this study, we measured 96,996 adult Plethodon from 3974 populations to test for the presence of Bergmann's clines in these salamanders. Only three Plethodon species exhibited a significant negative correlation between body size and temperature consistent with Bergmann's rule, whereas 37 of 40 species did not display a pattern consistent with this prediction. Further, a phylogenetic comparative analysis found no relationship between body size and temperature among species. A meta-analysis combining our data with the available data for other amphibian species revealed no support for Bergmann's rule at the genus (Plethodon), order (Caudata), or class (Amphibia) levels. Our findings strongly suggest that negative thermal body size clines are not common in amphibians, and we conclude that Bergmann's rule is not generally applicable to these taxa. Thus, evolutionary explanations of Bergmann's clines in other tetrapods need not account for unique life-history attributes of amphibians.
Adaptive aggregation on chip multiprocessors

The recent introduction of commodity chip multiprocessors requires that the design of core database operations be carefully examined to take full advantage of on-chip parallelism. In this paper we examine aggregation in a multi-core environment, the Sun UltraSPARC T1, a chip multiprocessor with eight cores and a shared L2 cache. Aggregation is an important aspect of query processing that is seemingly easy to understand and implement. Our research, however, demonstrates that a chip multiprocessor adds new dimensions to understanding hash-based aggregation performance---concurrent sharing of aggregation data structures and contentious accesses to frequently used values. We also identify a trade off between private data structures assigned to each thread versus shared data structures for aggregation. Depending on input characteristics, different aggregation strategies are optimal and choosing the wrong strategy can result in a performance penalty of over an order of magnitude. We provide a thorough explanation of the factors affecting aggregation performance on chip multiprocessors and identify three key input characteristics that dictate performance: (1) average run length of identical group-by values, (2) locality of references to the aggregation hash table, and (3) frequency of repeated accesses to the same hash table location. We then introduce an adaptive aggregation operator that performs lightweight sampling of the input to choose the correct aggregation strategy with high accuracy. Our experiments verify that our adaptive algorithm chooses the highest performing aggregation strategy on a number of common input distributions.
Parallel implementation of the fast Fourier transform on two TMS320C25 digital signal processors

The author used two fixed-point TMS320C25 digital signal processors (DSPs) to implement in parallel the FFT. The significance of this multiprocessing system is: (1) the number of times block data transfer occurs between these two DSPs is minimum, (2) each DSP can independently perform the same FFT routine with different data set, and (3) the total computational load is nearly equally distributed to two DSPs. The speedup of this system over a single sequential processor is close to two. >