cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Children's Self-Drawings as Related to Self-Concept

The present study investigated the utilization of self-drawings as a measure of children's self-concepts. The subjects were 1599 9-, 10-, and 11-yr.-old girls. Each subject drew a picture of herself and responded to a self-concept scale. The data do not offer consistent or conclusive support for the hypothesis that self-drawings are indicative of self-concepts. Further study of the validity of self-drawings as an indicator of self-concept is needed.
Adrenal responses to pharmacological interruption of the renin-angiotensin system in sodium-restricted normal man.

We assessed the role of the renin-angiotensin system in the control of aldosterone secretion in response to sodium restriction in 62 normal subjects. Both saralasin, an angiotensin II antagonist, and SQ 20881, a converting enzyme inhibitor, induced a doserelated decrease in plasma aldosterone levels when the renin-angiotensin system was activated by restriction of sodium intake. Two types of experiments were performed with saralasin. In the first set, a dose-response relationship was established 20 min after beginning infusions ranging from 0.03–1.0 μg/kg/min. The optimal dose was 0.1 jug/kg/min, with a reduction in aldosterone levels of −10.1 ± 3.8 ng/dl (P < 0.025). Higher doses induced smaller reductions in aldosterone levels. In the second set, a 3-h infusion was given. The results were qualitatively similar but the magnitude was greater (−15 ± 4 ng/dl; P < 0.01). The aldosterone response 20 min after administration of SQ 20881 paralleled the angiotensin II response, with the first significant decreme...
The Influence of Cigarette Smoking on the Association between Body Weight and Mortality. The Framingham Heart Study Revisited

Abstract PURPOSE: To calculate for two measures of obesity, the Metropolitan Relative Weight (MRW) and body mass index (BMI), the value at which minimum mortality occurs. This was done to retest the hypothesis, in the Framingham Heart Study data, that the association between obesity and mortality can be obscured by an interaction between the measure of obesity and smoking. In the original analysis of the Framingham data it was suggested that there was a U- or J-shaped relationship between MRW and death in smokers but a linear relationship in nonsmokers. The design and setting were those of the NHLBI Framingham Heart Study. METHODS: The 5209 members of the Framingham Heart Study underwent a baseline examination in 1948–1952 (Exam 1) and they were reexamined at approximately two-year intervals over a 30-year period. The study included both men n = 2336 and women n = 2873 in the age range of 28 to 62 years. After excluding persons with missing baseline data, the analytic sample size was 5163. Additional analyses were conducted by deleting persons with cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline n = 135 , the sample used by the original paper by Garrison and colleagues, and persons who died within the first four years of follow-up n = 62 . The main outcome measures consisted of thirty-year survival through Exam 16, approximately in 1980, as influenced by MRW or BMI, age, and smoking status at baseline (Exam 1). RESULTS: We were able to show that the sample sizes of male nonsmokers were too small to test the hypothesis within age groups CONCLUSIONS: Reanalysis of the Framingham Heart Study data does not support the hypothesis that there is an interaction between smoking and measures of obesity. Moreover, the estimated BMI or MRW at the minimum risk of death was similar for men and women smokers and nonsmokers alike even after deleting prevalent cases of CVD and deaths within the first four years of follow-up.
A class of Large Sample Tests for Bivariate Exponentiality Versus Bifra and Bnbu (to, to) Alternatives

Two related problems are considered here. First, a class of tosts is proposed for testing bivariate exponentiality (BVE) against the class of bivariate increasing failure rate average (IFRA) distributions. Secondly, we propose a test of BVE versus bivariate new better than used of ago (to to)),a new class of bivariate distributions introduced here. The PITMAN asymptotic relative efficiencies of these tests with respect to BASU and EBRAHIMI's (1984) bivariate new better than used (BNBU) test, compared
Rayleigh scattering and weak localization: Geometric effects and fluctuations

The coherently backscattered light from a disordered medium occupying a half space is discussed. For oblique incidence of the incident light it is shown that the coherently backscattered light is confined to a cone of roughly elliptical cross section (it is circular for normal incidence). The effects of lower dimensionality (two dimensions) and absorption on the coherent backscattering are discussed. The fluctuations in the intensity are discussed and in the diffusion approximation shown to obey a Rayleigh distribution. The light scattered at different angles is shown to be uncorrelated.
Familial aggregation of osteoarthritis: data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Objective To evaluate the familial aggregation of osteoarthritis (OA) in a cohort of healthy volunteers drawn from a community setting. Methods Hand radiographs obtained between 1978 and 1991 and bilateral standing knee radiographs obtained between 1984 and 1991 were read for changes of OA, using Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) scales. The hand sites were distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints, proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, and first carpometacarpal (CMC1) joints. For each joint group, the presence of OA in at least 1 joint in a joint group, the number of affected digits in each joint group, and the sum of the K-L grade across all joints were analyzed. Polyarticular OA was recorded if there were OA findings in 2 of 3 hand joint groups plus 1 or both knees. Data from 167 families with hand radiographs, 157 families with knee radiographs, and 148 families with both hand and knee radiographs were analyzed for sib-sib correlations. Results After adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index, clinically relevant sib-sib common correlations were found for OA of the DIP, PIP, and CMC1 joints, for OA at 2 or 3 hand sites, and for polyarticular OA (r = 0.33-0.81) when OA was defined according to the number of affected joints or as the sum of the K-L grade across all joints. Conclusion These results from a cohort of volunteers drawn from a community setting and ascertained without regard to OA status demonstrate familial aggregation of OA and contribute to the evidence for heritability of OA.
Physical State of Lactose as Influencing the Determination of Moisture in Dry Milk Products by the Toluene Distillation Method

Summary 1.Dried skimmilk and dried whey containing lactose in the crystalline α hydrate form require appreciably longer heating times for the removal of moisture than do similar products containing the lactose in the glass or crystalline β anhydride form. 2.Determination by oven drying, of the moisture content of different types of dried whey, presents considerable difficulty due to the differences in acidity, amount of fermentation products, per cent and physical state of the lactose, and method of heating and degree of vacuum in the oven. 3.The toluene distillation method possesses distinct advantages for the determination of the moisture in dried milk, dried whey, and dried casein. The moisture loss time relationship can be determined without interrupting the process or interfering with the determination. The moisture loss time relationship indicates the completeness of removal of moisture, and often indicates whether more than one mechanism is involved in the loss of moisture.
On two-dimensional conformal invariance and the field theory of strings

Abstract An algebraic approach to string field theory is proposed. The string field is written as the quantum stress—energy tensor of two-dimensional nonlinear field theory. The equation of motion is the condition of two-dimensional conformal invariance, expressed as a quadratic operator product relation. The gauge structure of the linearized equation of motion is analyzed. Some of the remaining problems are discussed.
On the stability of two-dimensional interpolation and high order bases for curved finite elements

Abstract The stability of two-dimensional interpolating polynomials as the interpolation points coalesce is discussed. The results are applied to finite element bases for curved elements and a large class of such bases are shown to be singular as the curved sides degenerate to straight sides. It is shown that forcing the nodes to coalesce along certain paths can overcome part of the singularity in the sense that the limit of the interpolant is well defined though certain of the individual basis functions may still be singular. Finally, a basis is constructed which results in total stability as the element degenerates.
Surgical site infections in cardiac surgery: an 11-year perspective.

Abstract Background A surgical site infection (SSI) develops in 2% to 5% of patients undergoing operation. We report SSI surveillance at Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Mass, in coronary artery bypass operation between 1991 and 2001, and demonstrate a substantial decline in SSI rates accomplished with use of multiple intervention strategies. Methods Infection documentation used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria and a postdischarge questionnaire. Infections were stratified by risk class. Strategies used to lower SSI rates included active surveillance and provision of authenticated SSI rate plus surgeon-specific rates. Interventions included outbreak analyses and targeted nasal mupirocin plus chlorhexidine showering. Results The rate of coronary artery bypass-related SSIs declined from >8% to Staphylococcus aureus , and statistically decreased rates of postoperative infections with this organism. Conclusion Regular provision of authenticated and verified data, use of postdischarge questionnaires, and careful attention to adverse trends and outbreaks with appropriate actions can substantially decrease rates of infections in coronary artery bypass operation.
Unilateral neck exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism: Analysis of a controversy using a mathematical model

Most endocrine surgeons explore both sides of the neck and identify all parathyroid glands when operating on patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Others, however, advocate the unilateral approach, i.e., if an adenoma and a normal gland are identified, the contralateral side is not explored. We analyzed the strategy of the unilateral approach using a mathematical model to determine the variables that influence the probability of missing a tumor on the unexplored side of the neck. Assuming the frequency of single adenoma is 80%, hyperplasia 14%, double adenomas 4%, triple adenomas 1%, and carcinoma 1%, and the probability of missing a tumor on the explored side is 5%, we found that: 1. Only 41% of the patients treated by the unilateral approach undergo unilateral exploration. This is increased to 62% when a localization study with a sensitivity of 80% is used pre-operatively. 2. The probability of missing a tumor on the unexplored side of the neck parallels the prevalence of multiple adenomas. Half of the patients with triple adenomas and two-thirds of the patients with double adenomas will have a missed tumor when treated by the unilateral approach. 3. Patients who undergo unilateral exploration have an additional 7% to 8% probability of missing a tumor that would have been found if bilateral exploration is performed. This risk is lowered to 2% by a pre-operative localization study that is 80% sensitive. 4. A prospective study will require 684 patients, randomized to the unilateral or bilateral approach, to have an 80% statistical power (α=0.05, β=0.20) of detecting a difference between a 5% and a 10% risk of missing a tumor.
Submicron particle chemistry: Vapor condensation analogous to liquid solidification

The chemical composition of submicron particles condensed from vapor can vary with particle size. This chemical variation with size affects industrial health estimates and technological innovation. A model based on similar behavior during the solidification of liquids is proposed to explain this behavior.
Effect of Inert Tablet Ingredients on Drug Absorption I: Effect of Polyethylene Glycol 4000 on the Intestinal Absorption of Four Barbiturates

The effect of polyethylene glycol 4000 on dissolution and absorption rates of 4 barbiturates has been studied. It has been shown that in the case of phenobarbital, which formed a complex of reduced solubility with polyethylene glycol 4000, the dissolution and intestinal absorption rates of the drug were reduced. The other 3 barbiturates did not interact with the polyethylene glycol 4000, and its presence did not affect their dissolution and absorption rates. The reduction in the absorption rate of the phenobarbital was closely related to the reduced dissolution rate of the complex, although only the phenobarbital was shown to be absorbed through the gut. It was also shown that the absorption rate of the phenobarbital from the complex was independent of the degree of dissociation of the latter in the mucosal fluid. An hypothesis is proposed to explain that phenomenon.
An Essential Set of Basic DNA Response Elements Is Required for Receptor-Dependent Transcription of the Lecithin:Retinol Acyltransferase (Lrat) Gene

Abstract Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) is essential for vitamin A storage. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrated transcriptional regulation of the Lrat gene in vivo by all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) and other retinoids. Analysis of a 2.5 kb segment of rat genomic DNA revealed that the region ∼300 bp upstream from the transcription start site (TSS) is necessary for high luciferase (Luc) reporter activity in HEK293T and HepG2 cells. Although this region lacks retinoid receptor binding elements, it responded to the nuclear receptors RARα, RARβ or RARγ, with RXRα, with and without ligand. Removal of −111 bp from the TSS, which is well conserved in human, rat and mouse genomes, completely eliminated activity. This region contains several basic elements (TATA box, SP3 site, AP-1 site, CAAT box), all of which were essential. Nuclear extracts from RA-treated cells exhibited enhanced binding. Therefore, this proximal region together with basal transcription factors may be sufficient to drive Lrat expression.
Distribution of phytoplankton and nutrients in relation to different water masses in the area around Elephant Island, Antarctica

During January March 1996 the U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources program carried out an extensive multidisciplinary study in a 40,000 km2 sampling grid around Elephant Island, Antarctica. The physical, chemical, optical, and biological characteristics of the upper water column (0–750 m) were determined at 91 hydrographic stations. Analysis of the temperature and salinity data showed that six different hydrographic zones could be differentiated. The biological (phytoplankton distribution and abundance) and chemical (inorganic nutrient concentrations) data also showed characteristic differences within each of these six zones. In spite of high concentrations of inorganic N, P, and Si in all six zones, all stations in the northwest portion of the sampling grid (Drake Passage waters) showed very low chlorophyll-a concentrations in surface waters and a sub-surface maximum at increased depth. As stations in this zone have a relatively stable upper mixed layer of 40 m, excess macro-nutrients, and adequate solar radiation for maximal photosynthetic rates, this suggests that rates of primary production in this zone are limited by a micro-nutrient such as Fe. Phytoplankton abundance was much greater in the Bransfield Strait, in waters influenced by Bellingshausen Sea Water, and in the frontal zones where these water masses mix with Drake Passage waters. Relatively low and deeply distributed phytoplankton abundance was found at all stations in the southeastern portion of our sampling grid, where the upper water column was very weakly stratified and showed the characteristics of Weddell Sea water. The areas of enhanced phytoplankton biomass in the AMLR sampling grid roughly correspond to the areas where krill are generally also found in greater abundance. The overall biological productivity of the Elephant Island region would thus appear to be dependent upon the circulation patterns of the major water masses that intrude into this area.
Stimulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in rat liver by hyaluronan fragments

Hepatic injury and chronic wounding are characterized by increased synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins including hyaluronan (HA). Recently, it has been recognized that low-molecular-weight fragments of HA, but not native HA (e.g., high-molecular-weight HA), induce inflammatory gene expression, and activate the transcriptional regulator, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). The inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is induced by cytokines and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through the NF-κB signal transduction pathway. Because of this association, we hypothesized that HA fragments might also stimulate iNOS gene transcription. The aims of this study were therefore to determine whether HA or HA fragments induced iNOS in hepatic cells, and to characterize the signaling pathway. HA fragments (100 μg/mL) markedly stimulated iNOS messenger RNA (mRNA) in endothelial and Kupffer cells, but minimally induced this mRNA in hepatocytes and stellate cells. High-molecular-weight HA (200 μg/mL) had no effect on iNOS mRNA in any cell type. The addition of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) to HA fragments resulted in stimulation of iNOS mRNA 2-, 3-, 4-, and 10-fold above that for HA fragments alone in hepatocytes, endothelial, Kupffer, and stellate cells, respectively. The combination of HA fragments and LPS did not result in an incremental increase in iNOS mRNA induction. iNOS protein and nitrite levels (used as a measure of NO production and NOS enzymatic activity) paralleled closely iNOS mRNA expression and increased proportionally to HA fragment concentration in a dose-dependent fashion. At 1 hour following stimulation, NF-κB DNA binding activity was detected in extracts from Kupffer cells stimulated with HA fragments, but not in those exposed to media alone or to high-molecular-weight HA. Finally, inhibitors of NF-κB blocked HA fragment–dependent iNOS mRNA induction in Kupffer and sinusoidal endothelial cells. The data indicate that HA fragments, but not high-molecular-weight HA, induce iNOS in liver, having the greatest effects on endothelial and Kupffer cells. We speculate that HA fragments may be an important stimulus for NO production in various forms of liver disease, particularly as a cofactor with inflammatory cytokines.
An active set method for constrained linear quadratic optimal control

An active-set method is proposed for solving Linear Quadratic Optimal control problems subject to general linear inequality path constraints including mixed state-control and state-only constraints. The proposed algorithm uses a Riccati based approach to efficiently solve the equality constrained optimal control subproblems generated during the procedure and it is illustrated with two numerical examples.
Satellite peers through the oceans from space

Satellite remote sensing has led to remarkable strides in oceanography in recent years. All measurements made so far have been of variables that are manifested directly at the sea surface, such as color, temperature, or height. There is, however, one apparent exception to the need to measure a surface property: fluctuations in the strength of the gravity field reflect changes in the distribution of mass in the ocean, atmosphere, and solid Earth, and in the storage of water, snow, and ice on land. As ocean bottom pressure represents a column integral of the weight of atmosphere plus ocean, this raises the tantalizing possibility of effectively measuring ocean bottom pressure changes from space.
The effect of methodological differences in the measurement of Lp(a) on the interpretation of clinical data

Abstract In the majority of clinical studies, Lp(a) levels have been determined by methods affected by apo(a) size heterogeneity. Despite the importance of this topic, no studies have been performed to evaluate the impact of method inaccuracy on the interpretation of clinical data. We have evaluated to what extent method inaccuracy affects the correct classification of subjects for being at risk or not for CAD based on their Lp(a) values. Lp(a) levels were measured in samples from the Framingham study participants by our reference ELISA, by a turbidimetric method and by a commercial ELISA using an Lp(a) value of 75 nmol/l as the clinical decision point. The number of false positive and false negative values obtained by the turbidimetric methods was almost entirely explained by the apo(a) size dependency of this assay. However, the large number of false positive values obtained by the commercial ELISA method was not. To evaluate method differences in the interpretation of clinical data, a study was performed to compare the ability of our ELISA method and a nephelometric method to predict future angina pectoris in men participating in the Physicians' Health Study. Lp(a) values determined by ELISA were associated with increased relative risk for angina while those obtained by the nephelometric method were not. The results of these two studies clearly indicate the importance of using suitable and standardized methods for risk assessment and for the interpretation of clinical outcomes.
Treating anemia of chronic kidney disease in the primary care setting: cardiovascular outcomes and management recommendations.

Anemia is an underrecognized but characteristic feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD), associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality. Since their inception nearly two decades ago, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have revolutionized the care of patients with renal anemia, and their use has been associated with improved quality of life and reduced hospitalizations, inpatient costs, and mortality. Hemoglobin targets ≥13 g/dL have been linked with adverse events in recent randomized trials, raising concerns over the proper hemoglobin range for ESA treatment. This review appraises observational and randomized studies of the outcomes of erythropoietic treatment and offers recommendations for managing renal anemia in the primary care setting.
Members of the Arabidopsis Dynamin-Like Gene Family, ADL1, Are Essential for Plant Cytokinesis and Polarized Cell Growth

Polarized membrane trafficking during plant cytokinesis and cell expansion are critical for plant morphogenesis, yet very little is known about the molecular mechanisms that guide this process. Dynamin and dynamin-related proteins are large GTP binding proteins that are involved in membrane trafficking. Here, we show that two functionally redundant members of the Arabidopsis dynamin-related protein family, ADL1A and ADL1E, are essential for polar cell expansion and cell plate biogenesis. adl1A-2 adl1E-1 double mutants show defects in cell plate assembly, cell wall formation, and plasma membrane recycling. Using a functional green fluorescent protein fusion protein, we show that the distribution of ADL1A is dynamic and that the protein is localized asymmetrically to the plasma membrane of newly formed and mature root cells. We propose that ADL1-mediated membrane recycling is essential for plasma membrane formation and maintenance in plants.
Aerosol and precipitation chemistry in the southwestern United States: spatiotemporal trends and interrelationships

Abstract. This study characterizes the spatial and temporal patterns of aerosol and precipitation composition at six sites across the United States Southwest between 1995 and 2010. Precipitation accumulation occurs mostly during the wintertime (December–February) and during the monsoon season (July–September). Rain and snow pH levels are usually between 5–6, with crustal-derived species playing a major role in acid neutralization. These species (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + , Na + ) exhibit their highest concentrations between March and June in both PM 2.5 and precipitation due mostly to dust. Crustal-derived species concentrations in precipitation exhibit positive relationships with SO 4 2− , NO 3 − , and Cl − , suggesting that acidic gases likely react with and partition to either crustal particles or hydrometeors enriched with crustal constituents. Concentrations of particulate SO 4 2− show a statistically significant correlation with rain SO 4 2− unlike snow SO 4 2− , which may be related to some combination of the vertical distribution of SO 4 2− (and precursors) and the varying degree to which SO 4 2− -enriched particles act as cloud condensation nuclei versus ice nuclei in the region. The coarse : fine aerosol mass ratio was correlated with crustal species concentrations in snow unlike rain, suggestive of a preferential role of coarse particles (mainly dust) as ice nuclei in the region. Precipitation NO 3 − : SO 4 2− ratios exhibit the following features with potential explanations discussed: (i) they are higher in precipitation as compared to PM 2.5 ; (ii) they exhibit the opposite annual cycle compared to particulate NO 3 − : SO 4 2− ratios; and (iii) they are higher in snow relative to rain during the wintertime. Long-term trend analysis for the monsoon season shows that the NO 3 − : SO 4 2− ratio in rain increased at the majority of sites due mostly to air pollution regulations of SO 4 2− precursors.
Physician predictions of graft survival following liver transplantation

Introduction. Due to the scarcity of cadaveric livers, clinical judgment must be used to avoid futile transplants. However, the accuracy of human judgment for predicting outcomes following liver transplantation is unknown. The study aim was to assess expert clinicians’ ability to predict graft survival and to compare their performance to published survival models. Materials and methods. Pre-transplant case summaries were prepared based on 16 actual, randomly selected liver transplants. Clinicians specializing in the care of liver transplant patients were invited to assess the likelihood of 90-day graft survival for each case using (1) a 4-point Likert scale ranging from poor to excellent, and (2) a visual analog scale denoting the probability of survival. Four published models were also used to predict survival for the 16 cases. Results. Completed instruments were received from 50 clinicians. Prognostic estimates on the two scales were highly correlated (median r=0.88). Individual clinicians’ predictive ability was 0.61±0.13, by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The performance of published models was MELD 0.59, Desai 0.66, Ghobrial 0.61, and Thuluvath 0.45. For three cases, clinicians consistently overestimated the probability of survival (87±10%, 89±9%, 86±9%); these patients had early graft failures caused by postoperative complications. Discussion. Clinicians varied in their ability to predict survival for a set of pre-transplant scenarios, but performed similarly to published models. When clinicians overestimated the chance of transplant success, either sepsis or hepatic artery thrombosis was involved; such events may be hard to predict before surgery.
Effect of 2 protein regimens and 2 lighting intensities on performance of the Hungarian partridge (Perdix perdix)

SUMMARY Limited information exists concerning dietary protein requirements of the Hungarian or gray partridge (Perdix perdix) when reared for sporting purposes, and producers could benefit from such information. In this experiment, 560 Hungarian partridge hatchlings were randomized into 16 pens with 35 birds/pen. Two protein regimens, high (HCP) or low (LCP), and 2 light intensities, 20 lx (HL) or 10 lx (LL), were evaluated. The HCP and LCP regimens were 30–26–22 and 26–22–18% CP diets fed from 0 to 4, 4–8, and 8–13 wk, respectively. Protein and light intensity were assigned to each of 4 pens in a 2 × 2 design. Birds and feed were weighed at 4, 8, and 13 wk. There were no distinct patterns in BW or BW gain of birds due to protein level. However, during the 4–8 and 8–13 wk periods, feed consumption was greater (approximately 11.8 and 21.6%, respectively; P < 0.0001) in the HCP regimen. However, during the 4–8 and 8–13 wk periods, feed efficiency was lower (P < 0.05) for the LCP compared with the HCP regimen where 13 wk feed efficiencies were 5.151 and 6.104 g of feed/g of BW gain, respectively. Light intensity had little, if any, effect on performance characteristics. Mortality was not influenced by treatment, but averaged 20% overall. Qualitative feather scores (5 = excellent; 1 = poor) obtained at 13 wk of age indicated that the LCP regimen had a significantly higher (P < 0.03) score (2.28 vs. 1.96) for the HCP regimen. The LL intensity had a better feather score (P < 0.0001) than the HL intensity (2.44 vs. 1.80, respectively).
The pncA gene from naturally pyrazinamide-resistant Mycobacterium avium encodes pyrazinamidase and confers pyrazinamide susceptibility to resistant M. tuberculosis complex organisms.

The antituberculosis drug pyrazinamide (PZA) needs to be converted into pyrazinoic acid (POA) by the bacterial pyrazinamidase (PZase) in order to show bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. M. avium is naturally resistant to PZA. To investigate whether this natural resistance to PZA is due to inability of the M. avium PZase to convert PZA to bactericidal POA, the M. avium PZase gene (pncA) was cloned by using the M. tuberculosis pncA gene as a probe. Sequence analysis showed that the M. avium pncA gene is 561 bp long, encoding a protein with a predicted size of about 19-8 kDa; but Western blotting showed that the M. avium PZase migrated as a 24 kDa band when expressed in M. bovis BCG and Escherichia coli. Sequence comparison revealed that M. avium PZase has 67.7% and 32.8% amino acid identity with the corresponding enzymes from M. tuberculosis and E. coli, respectively. Southern blot analysis with the M. avium pncA gene as a probe showed that M. terrae, M. gastri, M. marinum, M. fortuitum, M. xenopi, M. gordonae, M. szulgai, M. celatum and M. kansasii have close pncA homologues, whereas M. chelonae and M. smegmatis did not give significant hybridization signals. Transformation with the M. avium pncA gene conferred PZA susceptibility to PZA-resistant M. tuberculosis complex organisms, indicating that the nonsusceptibility of M. avium to PZA is not due to an ineffective PZase enzyme, but appears to be related to other factors such as transport of POA.
Reaction mechanisms Part (ii) Pericyclic reactions

This report surveys the 2008 literature on mechanisms of pericyclic reactions. A recurring theme in this year’s reports is again catalysis. Several studies addressed the acceleration of pericyclic reactions by electron transfer, protonation, encapsulation-induced preorganization and selective transition state stabilization via hydrogen bonding or Lewis acid complexation. In addition, the mechanisms of a variety of pericyclic reactions leading to interesting polycycles were examined in detail, and several cases of theoretical predictions being verified experimentally were described. 1. General theories and theoretical tools A ‘‘new electronic theory of pericyclic chemistry,’’ based not on quantum mechanics but rather on assumptions about the movement of pairs of electrons and the avoidance of charge accumulation, the so-called ‘‘Cplex-isoelectronic theory,’’ was proposed by Cloonan. 1 This theory was applied to analyze the regio- and stereoselectivity of a variety of cycloadditions, drawing analogies between them and simple substitution reactions. DeProft and co-workers demonstrated that the initial response of the chemical hardness is consistently higher for allowed electrocyclic reactions than for forbidden ones, 2 further arguing for the utility of conceptual density functional theory in describing pericyclic reactivity. Houk and co-workers provided a survey of reactions for which evidence for bifurcating potential energy surfaces has been described, 3 and Tantillo provided an account on carbocation rearrangements for which several events are combined into concerted, but asynchronous, processes. 4 A variety of pericyclic processes are included in both of these reviews. 2. Cycloaddition reactions
EMI reduction of power supplies by Bi-Frequency modulation

In this paper, a new control (modulation) technique, called Bi-Frequency control, is proposed. By operating the converters at two fixed switching frequencies with a modulation frequency to adjust the duration ratio, the emission spectrum of the control signal is spread and the spectral power level is reduced. The spectral analysis of the Bi-Frequency control signal is given, and the spectral comparison between PWM and Bi-Frequency control is presented. A Bi-Frequency controlled buck ZVS converter is breadboarded to confirm the operation of the Bi-Frequency control. >
Similar myocardial effects of aging and hypertension.

Aging has sometimes been referred to as ‘blunted hypertension’, and hypertension as ‘accelerated aging’. Systolic arterial pressure increases with aging; the increase encompasses both the clinically normal and hypertensive ranges of pressure and is due in part to arterial stiffening. Cardiac changes that occur with aging in otherwise healthy individuals can occur at a younger age in clinically hypertensive individuals and can be produced in young animals by experimental hypertension. Such cardiac adaptations in hypertension and aging include left ventricular hypertrophy and prolonged Ca2+ activation of contractile proteins, leading to a prolonged force-bearing capacity. This is mediated by a prolongation of the cytosolic Ca2+ transient, due to a reduced rate of Ca2+ sequestration by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The action potential is also prolonged. The resultant delayed contractile relaxation, in part, leads to a slower velocity of early diastolic left ventricular filling; however, this is offset by enhanced atrial filling. Cardiac muscle of the aging and hypertensive heart are also less sensitive to beta-adrenergic stimulation. These myocardial adaptations with aging and hypertension, in part, are controlled from within the genome and permit a relatively normal heart volume and ejection fraction in the presence of chronically elevated afterload.
On the Future of Reanimatology

: This article is adapted from a presentation given at the 1999 SAEM annual meeting by Dr. Peter Safar. Dr. Safar has been involved in resuscitation research for 44 years, and is a distinguished professor and past initiating chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the founder and director of the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research at the University of Pittsburgh, and has been the research mentor of many critical care and emergency medicine research fellows. Here he presents a brief history of past accomplishments, recent findings, and future potentials for resuscitation research. Additional advances in resuscitation, from acute terminal states and clinical death, will build upon the lessons learned from the history of reanimatology, including optimal delivery by emergency medical services of already documented cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation, basic-advanced—prolonged life support, and future scientific breakthroughs. Current controversies, such as how to best educate the public in life-supporting first aid, how to restore normotensive spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest, how to rapidly induce mild hypothermia for cerebral protection, and how to minimize secondary insult after cerebral ischemia, are discussed, and must be resolved if advances are to be made. Dr. Safar also summarizes future technologies already under preliminary investigation, such as ultra-advanced life support for reversing prolonged cardiac arrest, extending the “golden hour” of shock tolerance, and suspended animation for delayed resuscitation.
A Process Flow-Based Framework for Nurse Demand Estimation

The nursing shortage in the United States poses a serious problem to hospitals, given that nurses provide an indispensable service within the healthcare system. This issue is expected to worsen, especially given the aging population of baby-boomers, which includes those that are part of the nurse workforce. This has resulted in a wide variety of problems, including patient safety issues, inability to detect complications, and potential patient mortality rate increases. Nurse shortage implications go beyond healthcare quality, extending to health economics as well. Inaccurate estimates of the nursing resources required to satisfy patient demand in a hospital environment could make this already-challenging problem worse. In addition, mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios implemented in some states, though providing for simplification from a demand estimation perspective, create a risk of under-or overestimating required nurse resources. We develop a series of process flow-based models that take into account the inherent complexity in key hospital departments and hence become the basis of empirical models to estimate nurse demands and thereby the best use of the scarce available nurse resource pool. In addition, via an illustrative example of a simple intensive care unit system, we demonstrate the issues with mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios in addressing the nurse shortage crisis when subject to varying patient demand and hospital service quality goals.
Avoiding transient loops through interface-specific forwarding

Under link-state routing protocols such as OSPF and IS-IS, when there is a change in the topology, propagation of link-state announcements, path recomputation, and updating of forwarding tables (FIBs) will all incur some delay before traffic forwarding can resume on alternate paths. During this convergence period, routers may have inconsistent views of the network, resulting in transient forwarding loops. Previous remedies proposed to address this issue enforce a certain order among the nodes in which they update their FIBs. While such approaches succeed in avoiding transient loops, they incur additional message overhead and increased convergence delay. We propose an alternate approach, loopless interface-specific forwarding (LISF), that averts transient loops by forwarding a packet based on both its incoming interface and destination. LISF requires no modifications to the existing link-state routing mechanisms. It is easily deployable with current routers since they already maintain a FIB at each interface for lookup efficiency. This paper presents the LISF approach, proves its correctness, discusses three alternative implementations of it and evaluates their performance.
Functional Activation of ATM by the Prostate Cancer Suppressor NKX3.1

The prostate tumor suppressor NKX3.1 augments response to DNA damage and enhances survival after DNA damage. Within minutes of DNA damage, NKX3.1 undergoes phosphorylation at tyrosine 222, which is required for a functional interaction with ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase. NKX3.1 binds to the N-terminal region of ATM, accelerates ATM activation, and hastens the formation of γhistone2AX. NKX3.1 enhances DNA-dependent ATM kinase activation by both the MRN complex and H2O2 in a DNA-damage-independent manner. ATM, bound to the NKX3.1 homeodomain, phosphorylates NKX3.1, leading to ubiquitination and degradation. Thus, NKX3.1 and ATM have a functional interaction leading to ATM activation and then NKX3.1 degradation in a tightly regulated DNA damage response specific to prostate epithelial cells. These findings demonstrate a mechanism for the tumor-suppressor properties of NKX3.1, demonstrate how NKX3.1 may enhance DNA integrity in prostate stem cells and may help to explain how cells differ in their sensitivity to DNA damage.
Building a freshman-year foundation for sustainability studies: Terrascope, a case study

Terrascope is a freshman learning community at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in which teams of students work to find solutions to large ‘unsolvable’ problems and to communicate about those problems with a wide variety of audiences in multiple formats. The program strongly promotes students’ autonomy in focusing and structuring their work, and student projects culminate in public presentations, both to general audiences and to panels of technical specialists. Students who have completed the program tend to show strong engagement with environmental and sustainability issues, as well as the skills and experience to work intensively on such issues within multidisciplinary teams. Here, we present the program as a case study, with some discussion of the factors that are key to its operation.
Forskolin Stimulates Swelling-Induced Chloride Current, Not Cardiac Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane-Conductance Regulator Current, in Human Cardiac Myocytes

Abstract Whole-cell patch clamp was used to look for cystic fibrosis transmembrane-conductance regulator (CFTR)–like chloride currents in calcium-tolerant human cardiac myocytes. Potassium-containing solutions were used initially. Steady state currents were measured with hyperpolarizing ramps (−16.25 mV/s). Peak net inward currents during voltage steps from −50 to +5 mV were used as an index of L-type calcium current. Isoproterenol (1 μmol/L) or forskolin (10 μmol/L) were used in attempts to evoke CFTR-like chloride current. No forskolin- or isoproterenol-induced steady state current was found in any of 17 atrial cells from seven patients in the absence of cell swelling. Every cell exhibited a large increase in net inward current in response to forskolin, suggesting that cAMP-dependent stimulation of L-type calcium current was present. Swelling with osmotic stress induced an outwardly rectifying steady state current with a reversal potential close to the chloride equilibrium potential. Once this current w...
TRAFFICKING AND FUSION OF NEUROPEPTIDE Y-CONTAINING DENSE CORE GRANULES IN ASTROCYTES

It is becoming clear that astrocytes are active participants in synaptic functioning and exhibit properties, such as the secretion of classical transmitters, previously thought to be exclusively neuronal. Whether these similarities extend to the release of neuropeptides, the other major class of transmitters, is less clear. Here we show that cortical astrocytes can synthesize both native and foreign neuropeptides and can secrete them in a stimulation-dependent manner. Reverse transcription-PCR and mass spectrometry indicate that cortical astrocytes contain neuropeptide Y (NPY), a widespread neuronal transmitter. Immunocytochemical studies reveal NPY-immunoreactive (IR) puncta that colocalize with markers of the regulated secretory pathway. These NPY-IR puncta are distinct from the synaptic-like vesicles that contain classical transmitters, and the two types of organelles are differentially distributed. After activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors and the release of calcium from intracellular stores, the NPY-IR puncta fuse with the cell membrane, and the peptide-containing dense cores are displayed. To determine whether peptide secretion subsequently occurred, exocytosis was monitored from astrocytes expressing NPY-red fluorescent protein (RFP). In live cells, after activation of glutamate receptors, the intensity of the NPY-RFP-labeled puncta declined in a step-like manner indicating a regulated release of the granular contents. Because NPY is a widespread and potent regulator of synaptic transmission, these results suggest that astrocytes could play a role in the peptidergic modulation of synaptic signaling in the CNS.
Microsalinometer for oceanographic model studies

An instrument has been developed for determining salinity structure in a small-scale oceanographic model of Puget Sound. Variations in electrical conductivity with depth at any point in the model are measured with a small probing conductivity cell. The conductivity-depth diagram is traced by an oscilloscope and photographed. Response to changes in conductivity is about 0.05 sec. The present accuracy of measurement is about one per cent. With suitable modifications the instrument may be adapted to a model of almost any scale. Adaptation to use for rapid salinity determination of sea water samples where titration accuracy is not required has been suggested.
Training residents in psychotherapy for psychotic patients : curricular constraints and clinical suggestions.

In recent years, residency programs have neglected to teach psychotherapy for psychotic patients to their trainees. This training has value in teaching residents how to more fully understand psychopathology, to understand the concept of the unconscious, and to work more effectively in using combined pharmacopsychotherapy with psychotic patients. The author suggests that an "affect-centered" psychotherapy approach is both clinically appropriate and educationally useful with psychotic patients. Recommendations for teaching this approach are given.
The effects of interoceptive attunement on action-specific perception

ABSTRACTDistances on a hill appear further than they do on the flat ground (Stefanucci, J. K., Proffitt, D. R., Banton, T., & Epstein, W. (2005). Distances appear different on hills. Perception & Psychophysics, 67(6), 1052–1060. doi:10.3758/BF03193631). These distortions are caused by our perceptual system’s integrating information about preparation for energy expenditure. We found that those with higher interoceptive attunement integrate these physiological preparations in their perception which yields the traditional hill effect, while participants with low attunement, did not. We subsequently ran the same interoceptive trials within a paradigm that requires no energy expenditure and found that interoceptive attunement did not modulate the action-modified perceptual distortions in that case.
Singing Accuracy Development from K-Adult: A Comparative Study

The development of singing accuracy, and the relative role of training versus maturation, is a central issue for both music educators and those within music cognition. Although various studies have focused on singing accuracy in different age groups, to date we know of no data sets that maintain the consistency in recruitment, methodology, and measurement that is necessary to make direct comparisons. We report analyses of three data sets that meet these criteria: two groups of children (kindergarten, middle school), and one group of adults (college aged). The data were collected at different times, but used a similar set of tasks and identical scoring procedures. Results indicate considerable improvement in accuracy from kindergarten to late elementary that dramatically reverses such that college students perform at the level of kindergartners. It appears singing accuracy may be related to variables involving singing experience rather than general development, and singing skill could decline over time if not maintained through engagement. A secondary purpose was to explore the efficacy of acoustic scoring for some singing tasks and how well it mimics human judgments of accuracy. The acoustic scoring procedure was highly correlated with expert judgment and could provide a standard approach to scoring that is largely automated. We discuss the potential benefits of a more unified approach to measuring singing accuracy and suggest future research that includes children, adolescents and adults in the sample.