cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coronary reperfusion: effects of hyperosmotic mannitol.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of hyperosmotic mannitol on coronary hemodynamics, regional myocardial contractility, and the distribution of myocardial blood flow during coronary reperfusion in anesthetized, thoracotomized dogs. A portion of the left ventricle was rendered ischemic by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for two hours. During reperfusion, mannitol was infused intravenously at a rate which increased serum osmolality by approximately 40 mOsm./Kg. Coronary resistance in the reperfused vasculature increased progressively during reperfusion, in spite of mannitol treatment increasing by 45 per cent above the pre-occlusion control value after four hours of reflow. Minimal resistance in the reperfused coronary vascular bed, representing the passive or structural component of resistance, also increased progressively during reperfusion. Regional myocardial blood flow was measured with radiolabelled microspheres at five minutes, two hours, and four hours of reperfusion. At five minutes of reperfusion, myocardial blood flow was elevated in all regions of the left ventricle. After two hours of reperfusion, in spite of mannitol treatment, blood flow to the reperfused region was more severely reduced, and a transmural gradient of flow favoring the subepicardium existed. Blood flow in the reperfused region was further reduced at four hours of reperfusion, and the transmural flow gradient persisted. Regional contractility in the superficial and deep myocardial fibers, measured with Walton-Brodie strain gauges, diminished during reperfusion. However, contractility in the deep fibers was more severely depressed than that in the superficial fibers. This study demonstrated that treatment with hyperosmotic mannitol did not prevent the progressive increase in coronary vascular resistance or the selective underperfusion of the subendocardium during coronary artery reperfusion.
Hyperfine Structure of Bi 209

We have used the atomic-beam magnetic-resonance technique to improve and extend the measurements of Title and Smith on the hyperfine structure of the $(6{p}^{3}) ^{4}S_{\frac{3}{2}}$ ground state of ($I=\frac{9}{2}$). We measured the three zero-field hyperfine intervals and computed the octupole interaction constant. Our experimental results are ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{1}(F=5\ensuremath{\rightarrow}F=6)=2884.666(2)$, ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{2}(F=4\ensuremath{\rightarrow}F=5)=2171.419(2)$, and ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{3}(F=3\ensuremath{\rightarrow}F=4)=1584.502(2)$ MHz. From these values, we obtain for the hyperfine-interaction constants, corrected for the pseudo-octupole interactions due to perturbation by neighboring fine-structure levels $A=\ensuremath{-}446.937(1)$, $B=\ensuremath{-}305.067(2)$, and $C=0.0183(1)$ MHz. The assigned errors include only the experimental errors in the measurement of the three hyperfine intervals, and no estimate of the errors in the theoretical corrections has been made. We have also corrected the data of Lurio and Landman for the $(6{p}^{3})^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ metastable state of bismuth for these octupolelike interactions and have deduced a fairly consistent value for the one-electron octupole-interaction constant. From the average value of the octupole-interaction constant ${c}_{\frac{3}{2}}=0.0206$ MHz we find that the nuclear magnetic octupole moment is $0.0086{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}\mathrm{b}$. This value is compared with the prediction of the shell model.
Life stages and risk-avoidance: Status- and context-sensitivity in precaution systems

Human typical life history involves specific tradeoffs, resulting in the selection of specific cognitive adaptations, among which a suite of age- and gender-specific precaution systems sensitive to variations in the physical and social environment. Precaution systems take into account the individual's status and life-stage, information about specific threats, as well as the fact that the organism can or cannot address those threats unassisted. Systematic variation in individual decision-making and behavior in risky situations provide insights into the operation of those precaution systems. The literature survey is completed by data gathered among the pastoral Turkana of Kenya showing how variations in precautions and risk avoidance correlate with age, sex, and social conditions.
Observations of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury and Recovery Using a Rat Model

Objectives/Hypothesis: To evaluate standardized recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injuries using a rat model via minimally invasive transoral electromyography (ToL EMG) and histologic studies. Methods: Forty-two female Sprague Dawley rats weighing 200 g to 250 g underwent crush injury to the right RLN using a calibrated pressure clip (0.61 N or 1.19 N) for 60 seconds. Following injury, serial ToL EMGs were performed on abductor and adductor laryngeal muscles during respiratory cycles and spontaneous vocal fold abduction on day 4 and then weekly for 6 weeks. Vocal fold motion associated with spontaneous respiration was graded from 0 to 4. Rats were sacrificed at different time points for histologic evaluation of injured nerves. Results: EMG signals showed fibrillation potentials on day 4 in all experimental conditions. Crushed RLN, regardless of force, exhibited polyphasic potentials at 2 weeks postinjury. Normal motor unit potentials and recruitment patterns were observed in EMG signals at 4 weeks for all 0.61 N clip animals. Six weeks following crush injury, motor unit potentials having normal appearance were observed in most animals. Synkinetic EMG signals were observed at 5 weeks and 6 weeks in the 1.19 N clip animals. Endoscopic evaluation of vocal fold mobility was consistently normal at 6 weeks only following 0.61 N crush injury. Conclusions: This model is useful to simulate intraoperative RLN injuries and to better understand the electrophysiologic events during nerve recovery. The severity of injury to the RLN dictates histologic, neurologic and functional recovery of the laryngeal motor system. This model is useful to evaluate the efficacy of systemic and local neurotropic agents in the treatment of RLN injury.
Quantifying the extent and cost of food deserts in Lawrence, Kansas, USA

Abstract Food deserts are places in the urban environment of otherwise developed nations that are poorly served by access to healthful food. Included in these are vegetables, fruits, and cereals comprising the items needed for a healthy diet. The lack of healthful food imposes high costs on residents and is associated with health problems resulting from poor diets. We attempt to examine and refine the discussion of food deserts by using geographic information systems and remote sensing to quantitatively define such deserts and to measure the costs of distance imposed on consumers. Our initial application of these methods is in the small city of Lawrence, Kansas, USA, though the methods presented are appropriate for rural and urban communities as well.
Lipid composition of chick lens fiber cell gap junctions

Chick lens fiber cell gap junctions were isolated to homogeneity by the urea-deoxycholate method, characterized ultrastructurally and biochemically, and their lipid composition determined by quantitative thin layer chromatography (TLC). The junctions were estimated to comprise about 52% of the lens fiber plasma membrane. Unlike the junctions of other organs, the lens gap junctions were found to contain sphingomyelin. The cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio was 2.1 for total fiber membranes but 3.1 for the fiber gap junctions. The levels of major phospholipids in decreasing order were SPH, PC, PE, PI for fiber junctions and PE, SPH, PC, PI for total fiber membranes. The gap junctions were found to contain about 57% of the total fiber cholesterol and 53% of the total fiber sphingomyelin. The high cholesterol and sphingomyelin content suggests that lens fiber gap junctions constitute highly rigid membrane regions conferring significant constraints to the movement of their intramem-brane particles (connexons...
Public policy for fibre-to-the-home

Abstract Integrated broadband networks are very costly, but many US industry analysts believe their introduction to the residential sector should be a national policy goal. Unfortunately current policy towards fibre-to-the-home is inherently unstable, and pits public and private needs against one another. A choice must be made between a public infrastructure approach, in which social costs and benefits are given greatest weight, and a private market paradigm, where communications networks develop according to market forces. This article examines some of the implications of each approach.
Maria W. Stewart: America's First Black Woman Political Writer : Essays and Speeches

Illustrations Acknowledgments Preface Textual Note PART I. The Boston Years: Essays and Speeches, 1831-33 Introduction Religion and the Pure Principles Of Morality (1831) Cause For Encouragement (1832) Lecture Delivered At The Franklin Hall (1832) An Address Delivered Before The Afric-American Female Intelligence Society of America (1832) An Address Delivered At The African Masonic Hall (1833) Mrs. StewartOs Farewell Address To Her Friends In The City Of Boston (1833) OThe NegroOs ComplaintO PART II. Later Life Introduction Preface to the 1879 Edition of Meditations From The Pen Of Mrs. Maria W. Stewart Letters and Commendations Sufferings During The War Appendixes Notes Index
Gross structure resonances in the mutual excitation of the 0 2 + state of 16 O

Angle averaged cross sections for the mutual excitation of the ${0}_{2}^{+},$ 6.05 MeV excited state of ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ have been measured over the center of mass energy region 30.0--43.5 MeV in steps of 200--400 keV. The excitation function is dominated by three wide structures centered at center of mass energies 33.0, 37.0, and 40.5 MeV. A spin assignment for an angular distribution measurement at 37.0 indicates the dominant spins of this exit channel are smaller than the spins that dominate the resonances observed in the single excitation to the ${0}_{2}^{+},$ 6.05 MeV excited state of ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ at comparable center of mass energies. This result is consistent with preliminary coupled channel calculations.
Support-sting interference on boattail pressure drag for Reynolds numbers up to 70 x 10 to the 6th

A model was tested in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel to investigate the effects of Reynolds number on boattail pressure drag for a variety of sting shapes. The boattail pressure drag for constant Mach number increased linearly with Reynolds number over the Reynolds number range tested. The data indicated that, as the disturbance produced by the sting on the boattail increased, the boattail pressure drag became less sensitive to Reynolds number change. Also, it was found that the model base pressure versus Reynolds number curve reached a plateau within the Reynolds number range examined.
Field of Dreams or Dream Team? Assessing Two Models for Drought Impact Reporting in the Semiarid Southwest

To make decisions about drought declarations, status, and relief funds, decision makers need high-quality local-level drought impact data. In response to this need in Arizona the Arizona DroughtWatch program was created, which includes an online drought impacts reporting system. Despite extensive and intensive collaboration and consultation with the intended public participants, Arizona DroughtWatch has had few consistent users and has failed to live up to its goal of providing decision makers or the public with high-quality drought impacts data. Based on an evaluation of the DroughtWatch program, the authors found several weaknesses in the public-participation reporting-system model including that participation was reduced because of participants' over-commitment and time constraints, consultation fatigue, and confusion about the value of qualitative impact reports. Based on these findings, the authors recommend that professional resource agency personnel provide the backbone of drought impacts monitorin...
Amiodarone pharmacokinetics. I: Acute dose-dependent disposition studies in rats

Single intravenous bolus doses of amiodarone hydrochloride of 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg/kg were administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats to determine the effects of dose on amiodarone pharmacokinetics. Serial blood samples and total urine were collected over 48 hr and assayed for amiodarone and desethylamiodarone by HPLC. The blood amiodarone concentration-time curves for the four doses were best described by a triexponential equation with terminal half-lives (t 1/2γ ) ranging from 17 to 20 hr. Over the dose range studied, no changes in γ, t 1/2γ , or central compartment volume (Vc=1.2–1.4 L/kg) were observed. On the other hand, reductions in amiodarone clearance (CL and steady-state volume of distribution (V ss of 44% (17.7 to 10.0 ml/min per kg) and 50% (16.4 to 8.2 L/kg), respectively, were noted as the dose of amiodarone increased. The conversion of amiodarone to desethylamiodarone (fm was dose-independent and amounted to approximately 10% of each amiodarone dose. No amiodarone or desethylamiodarone was detected in the urine of any of the treated animals. The blood-to-plasma concentration ratio of amiodarone was concentration-independent and therefore did not account for the dose-dependent changes in Vss and CL observed. The data suggested that the dose-dependent changes noted were due to an alteration in the volume (s) of the peripheral tissue compartment(s).
The Freshness of Fanaticism: The Abolitionist Defense of Zealotry

Zealotry or fanaticism is increasingly regarded as one of the principal threats to liberal democracy in the twenty-first century. Yet even as it is universally disparaged, zealotry is a severely understudied concept. This article seeks to formulate a critical theory of zealotry and investigate its relationship to democracy through a close reading of the speeches of the radical abolitionist orator Wendell Phillips. The American abolitionists were passionate democrats. Yet many of them, such as Phillips, were also self-defined fanatics who believed in using extremist language and tactics on behalf of the slave. Phillips's speeches suggest a specifically political definition of zealotry as a strategy that seeks to mobilize populations in defense of a particular position by dividing the public sphere into friends (those who support the position) and enemies (those who oppose it) and pressuring the moderates in between. Through his defense of fanaticism and his argument for disunion, Phillips articulates a democratic form of fanaticism that challenges common pejorative associations of zealotry with irrationality, intolerance, fundamentalism, or terrorism.Joel Olson is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Northern Arizona University (joel.olson@nau.edu) and the author of The Abolition of White Democracy (University of Minnesota Press). Thanks to Randall Amster, Lisa Disch, Mike Kramer, Michael Lienesch, Jill Locke, Ryan Narce, David Schlosberg, and the anonymous reviewers for their comments and criticisms of earlier drafts of this article. Thanks also to Baohua Yan, Steve VanDalen, Katrina Taylor, and Adria Mooney for valuable research assistance.
Characterisation of IgE‐mediated histamine release from equine basophils in vitro

In vitro IgE-mediated histamine release by equine blood basophils was characterised as the basis for a screening test for immediate hypersensitivity responses in horses. The responses are initiated by inducing agents that are capable of crosslinking or bridging the membrane-bound IgE molecules. The release process is complete within 40 mins. In vitro histamine release is dose-dependent, with a submaximal response at less or greater than the optimal dose of inducing agent. Exogenous calcium is required but not magnesium; the optimal release calcium concentration is 1.0 to 1.5 mM. If an IgE-mediated inducing agent is added in the absence of exogenous calcium, the basophils become desensitised. The pH and temperature optima for release are physiological (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C). Histamine release is potentiated by deuterium oxide.
System dynamics modelling of hybrid renewable energy systems and combined heating and power generator

The role of energy in the present world is critical in terms of both economical development and environmental impact. Renewable energy sources are considered essential in addressing these challenges. As a result, a growing number of organisations have been adopting hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) to reduce their environmental impact and sometimes take advantage of various incentives. When a HRES is being planned, the ability to model a HRES can provide an organisation with numerous benefits including the capability of optimising sub-systems, predicting performances and carrying out sensitivity analysis. In this paper, we present a comprehensive system dynamics model of HRES and combined heating and power (CHP) generator. Data from a manufacturing company using HRES and CHP generator are used to validate the model and discuss important findings. The results illustrate that the components of a HRES can have conflicting effects on cost and environmental benefits; thus, there is a need for an organisati...
Planning Manipulation and Grasping Tasks With a Redundant Arm

This paper presents an approach to analysis and planning for autonomous manipulation tasks using a commercially available robotic arm and hand. We discuss hardware implementation, software architecture, and state machine behaviors. The inverse kinematics of the seven-degree-of-freedom manipulator are analytically derived with special attention to deterministically resolving the redundancy at the position level. Appropriate grasps are generated given the perceived position and orientation of the target object. Planning for the arm is accomplished in joint space using an RRT* implementation. Our implementation is able to detect an arbitrarily placed object in the workspace, generate a plan for the arm and hand avoiding obstacles, and execute the planned manipulation task. To show the efficacy of our approach, we present experiments in which the system autonomously grasps a canteen and a flashlight.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Insights into Cullin-RING E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Recruitment: Structure of the VHL-EloBC-Cul2 Complex.

The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein (VHL) recruits a Cullin 2 (Cul2) E3 ubiquitin ligase to downregulate HIF-1α, an essential transcription factor for the hypoxia response. Mutations in VHL lead to VHL disease and renal cell carcinomas. Inhibition of this pathway to upregulate erythropoietin production is a promising new therapy to treat ischemia and chronic anemia. Here, we report the crystal structure of VHL bound to a Cul2 N-terminal domain, Elongin B, and Elongin C (EloC). Cul2 interacts with both the VHL BC box and cullin box and a novel EloC site. Comparison with other cullin E3 ligase structures shows that there is a conserved, yet flexible, cullin recognition module and that cullin selectivity is influenced by distinct electrostatic interactions. Our structure provides a structural basis for the study of the pathogenesis of VHL disease and rationale for the design of novel compounds that may modulate cullin-substrate receptor interactions.
Theoretical microwave spectroscopic constants for CCN+ and CNC+

Large-scale single-reference state configuration interaction calculations are performed to determine equilibrium bond lengths and rotational constants Be for CCN+ and CNC+ as well as for C3 in their electronic ground states. The calculations for C3 are used to assess the accuracy of the results for the ionic species.
Plastic Zone around Circular Holes

In 1946, L. A. Galin proposed an ingenious solution to the problem of analytically determining the plastic region completely surrounding a circular hole in a thin initially elastic plate subject to tensile stress at infinity. The results of Galin’s analysis are recovered by a simple collocation, provided an elliptical elastic-plastic boundary is assumed. This elementary procedure is then applied to treat the case, unresolvable by Galin’s method, in which the plastic domain does not completely surround the hole.
Interrupted aortic arch: An epidemiologic study

Background: Interruption of the aortic arch (IAA) is a rare but severe anomaly associated with major intracardiac defects and with multisystem noncardiac malformations, recently linked to chromosome deletion of 22q11.2. Methods: The Baltimore-Washington Infant Study (1981-1989), a population-based epidemiologic study of cardiovascular malformations, evaluated 53 infants with IAA in comparison with 3,572 controls. Risk factors for the anatomic subtypes were evaluated in 14 cases of IAA type A and 32 cases of IAA type B, but no molecular genetic tests were available. The distribution of associated cardiac defects was similar for both types. Results: DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) occurred more frequently in IAA type B. Case-control comparisons demonstrated that infants in both groups were growth retarded at birth. A family history of noncardiac defects occurred only in IAA type B cases and included relatives with cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Candidate risk factors were associated only in type B cases and differed for those with (n = 10) and for those without (n = 19) DGS: a family history of noncardiac defects (odds ratio [OR] = 7.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5-39.2) and maternal use of aspirin during the critical period (OR = 4.8, 95% Cl = 1.3-25.4) occurred with DGS, while previous stillbirth (OR = 9.4, 95% Cl = 1.3-53.1), bleeding during pregnancy (OR = 3.7, 95% Cl = 1.4-11.4), and maternal exposure to arts/crafts paints (OR = 4.8, 95% Cl = 1.3-17.4) were associated in those without DGS. Conclusions: These findings confirm the heterogeneity of IAA and of the type B subtype. Risk factors specific for cases with DGS may open a window to further investigations of the etiology of IAA and of the associated molecular genetic abnormalities.
PREMEDICATION DETERMINES THE CIRCULATORY RESPONSES TO RAPID SEQUENCE INDUCTION WITH SUFENTANIL FOR CARDIAC SURGERY

Thirty-three patients undergoing elective aortocoronary bypass were allocated randomly to receive morphine 0.1 mg kg−1 i.m. and either lorazepam 50 μg kg−1 by mouth or hyoscine 6 μg kg−1 i.m. before rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia with sufentanil 5 μg kg−1 i.v. and suxamethonium 1 mg kg−1 i.v. Following induction and tracheal intubation, patients premedicated with hyoscine had a significantly higher mean heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac index and left ventricular stroke-work index than patients premedicated with lorazepam. The incidence of new myocardial ischaemia was low in both groups.
Effects of hypoxia and hyperoxia on proteoglycan production by bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells

Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells in culture were used to assess the influence of oxygen tension on proteoglycan synthesis. Cells exposed to 3% O2 (hypoxia) for 72 h and then labeled with [35S]sulfate for 5 h accumulated significantly less [35S]proteoglycan in medium than cells exposed to 20% O2 (control). This decrease was due primarily to a reduction in heparan sulfate. Cells exposed to 80% O2 (hyperoxia) for 72 h secreted slightly more [35S]proteoglycan into medium than controls. Greater accumulation of chondroitin sulfate was responsible for the increase. The amount of cell-associated proteoglycan did not change significantly in cells cultured in 3% or 80% O2 as compared with control cells cultured in 20% O2. Proteoglycans produced by hypoxia- or hyperoxia-treated cells were found to be similar in size to proteoglycans produced by cells cultured at 20% O2. Glycosaminoglycan sulfation, as measured by ion-exchange chromatography, did not appear to change with varying oxygen tensions. Our results demonstrate that production of proteoglycans secreted by endothelial cells in culture is sensitive to oxygen tension.
Synchronized air-borne camera system

A method of taking aerial photographs with synchronized movie cameras has been developed at Northwestern University for the Navy. Films are exposed at the rate of 20 frames per second, and the cameras are synchronized to within ±0.002 second. The system includes: a plane-to-plane radio link for controlling equipment and relating data between two or more aircraft; a timing system for relating all data to an accurate time base; oscillograph recording for continuously checking the accuracy of the motor control system and for interpolating the data to a higher degree of accuracy if required; dial photography designed especially to obtain high illumination and satisfactory pictures of fast moving dials; film coding for marking the film of different cameras for matching.
Founder nativity, founding team formation, and firm performance in the U.S. high-tech sector

This paper is motivated by the movement of foreign-born entrepreneurs out of ethnic enclaves and into the mainstream, globally-connected economies of the countries of immigration, and from necessity to opportunity entrepreneurship. The theoretical contribution of the paper is to integrate the emerging literature on foreign-born entrepreneurship with work on the composition and impact of founding teams. Empirically, we draw on original quantitative and qualitative data on the U.S. high-tech sector. We find that homophily drives team formation and that nationality diversity in founding teams has a modest impact on firm performance.
Coefficients of Association Analogous to Pearson's r for nonparametric Statistics:

The rz and rp coefficients of association are discussed. Both coefficients, like Pearson's r, are based on a z/zmax framework. They yield coefficients directly comparable for all levels of measurement being based on an obtained/maximum departure from independence in z units interpretation. The r z coefficient can be applied to any nonparametric test statistic in which a normal approximation equation is appropriate. The rp coefficient is applicable to any nonparametric test statistic in which exact probabilities are known.
The effects of perceptual grouping on text entry performance

Summary: One of the primary challenges confronting designers of mobile computing devices is the issue of efficient text entry. One potential solution is to group multiple letters onto single keys, similar to the T9 keyboard currently used on telephones. Two experiments examined the effects of perceptual grouping on soft keyboard transcription rates. Results from Experiment 1 showed significantly slower transcription rates for QWERTY keyboards with grouped keys. Results from Experiment 2 showed various levels of perceptual interference due to the different Gestalt grouping effects. These results indicate that perceptual grouping can negatively affect text entry performance, and placing multiple letters onto single keys reduces the speed at which users can transcribe words.
The optimized ellipsoidal cavity and its application to the self-consistent reaction field calculation of hydration energies of cations and neutral molecules

An optimized ellipsoidal cavity has been defined for use in self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) calculations for the incorporation of aqueous medium effects. The location, size, and orientation of the cavity is obtained by minimizing the average interaction between the solute and a simplified water molecule over the surface of the cavity. The calculated hydration energies of organic cations and neutral molecules using this cavity and the SCRF method of Rinaldi and Rivail with the AM1 wave function led to surprisingly good agreement with the experimental data. The optimized cavities are discussed in relation to those based on van der Waals' volumes and on polarizability criteria.
A dialectical analysis of a social justice process: International collaboration in South Africa

Abstract This paper presents a case study of an international team collaboration between US and South African conflict specialists and educators implementing a Community Peace and Safety Network in four communities in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The project, funded by the United States Information Agency, was a social justice initiative that provided mediation training for school and community centers to aid them in accomplishing constructive conflict management and social change. Following an overview of the project goals, stages, and accomplishments, Smith and Berg's theory of paradoxes in groups is used to analyze the negotiated relationships in the international team and the mutual influence of group tensions and community impact throughout the 18‐month project period. Discussion includes implications for dialectical analyses of groups and for social justice scholars.
Model based symmetric information theoretic large deformation multi-modal image registration

This paper presents a Bayesian framework for generating inverse-consistent inter-subject large deformation transformations between two multi-modal image sets of the brain. In this framework, the estimated transformations are generated using the maximal information about the underlying neuroanatomy present in each of the different modalities. This modality independent registration framework is achieved using the Bayesian paradigm and jointly estimating the posterior densities associated with the multi-modal image sets and the high-dimensional registration transformation mapping the two subjects. To maximally use the information present in all the modalities, Kullback-Leibler divergence between the estimated posteriors is minimized to estimate the registration results for two synthetic image sets of a human neuroanatomy are presented.
Treatment of type II endoleaks with a novel polyurethane thrombogenic foam: induction of endoleak thrombosis and elimination of intra-aneurysmal pressure in the canine model.

Objective The clinical significance and treatment of retrograde collateral arterial perfusion of abdominal aortic aneurysms after endovascular repair (type II endoleak) have not been completely characterized. A canine abdominal aortic aneurysm model of type II endoleak with an implanted pressure transducer was used to evaluate the use of polyurethane foam to induce thrombosis of type II endoleaks. The effect on endoleak patency, intra-aneurysmal pressure, and thrombus histology was studied. Methods Prosthetic aneurysms with an intraluminal, solid-state, strain-gauge pressure transducer were created in the infrarenal aorta of 14 mongrel dogs. Aneurysm side-branch vessels were reimplanted into the prosthetic aneurysm of 10 animals by using a Carrel patch. Type II (retrograde) endoleaks were created by excluding the aneurysm from antegrade perfusion with an impermeable stent graft. Thrombosis of the type II endoleak was induced by implantation of polyurethane foam into the prosthetic aneurysm sac of four animals. Six animals with type II endoleaks were not treated. In four control animals, no collateral side branches were reimplanted, and therefore no endoleak was created. Intra-aneurysmal and systemic pressures were measured daily for 60 to 90 days after the implantation of the stent graft. Endoleak patency and flow were assessed during surgery and at the time of death by using angiographic imaging and duplex ultrasonography. Histologic analysis of the intra-aneurysmal thrombus was also performed. Results Intra-aneurysmal pressure values are indexed to systemic pressure and are represented as a percentage of the simultaneously obtained systemic pressure, which has a value of 1.0. All six animals with untreated type II endoleaks maintained patency of the endoleak and side-branch arteries throughout the study period. Compared with control aneurysms that had no endoleak, animals with patent type II endoleaks exhibited significantly higher intra-aneurysmal pressurization (systolic pressure: patent type II endoleak, 0.702 ± 0.283; control, 0.172 ± 0.091; P P P P Conclusions Untreated type II endoleaks were associated with intra-aneurysmal pressures that were 70% to 80% of systemic pressure. Treatment with polyurethane foam resulted in a reduction of intra-aneurysmal pressure to a level that was indistinguishable from control aneurysms that had no endoleak. Clinical Relevance Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms is dependent on the successful exclusion of the aneurysm from arterial circulation. Type II endoleaks originate from retrograde flow into the aneurysm sac. This study demonstrates the use of polyurethane foam to induce thrombosis in a canine model of a type II endoleak, thereby reducing intra-aneurysmal pressure to levels similar to levels in animals without endoleaks. This approach may be a strategy for future treatment of type II endoleaks.
Using constraint lines to characterize plant performance

We used the self-thinning law to model constraints on the performance of desert annual plants in competitive situations which were also influenced by many other biotic and abiotic factors. We then applied the model to field data for two desert annual species measured over 384 permanent quadrats. Based on the self-thinning law, competition for limiting resources from conspecifics and heterospecifics places an upper boundary on the survivorship of desert annuals. Simple trade-off models are also developed to define constraint lines for another measure of performance, density under interspecific competition. Similar constraint lines can be potentially fitted to field data where still other factors also influence plant performance. Compared with most conventional methods, such as linear regression and multivariate techniques, models of constraint lines are better able to characterize the effects of the major limiting processes in complex systems in which many other factors contribute to the observed variation. This approach offers a powerful tool in dealing with complex ecological patterns; it should be generally applicable to many other systems.
Image plane coded aperture for terahertz imaging

In the absence of detector arrays, a single pixel coupled with an image plane coded aperture has been shown to be a practical solution to imaging problems in the terahertz and sub-millimeter wave domains. The authors demonstrate two laboratory, real-time, two-dimensional, sub-millimeter wave imagers that are based on an image plane coded aperture. These active imaging systems consist of a heterodyne source and receiver pair, image forming optics, a coded aperture, data acquisition hardware, and image reconstruction software. In one of the configurations, the target is measured in transmission, while in the other it is measured in reflection. In both configurations, images of the targets are formed on the coded aperture, and linear measurements of the image are acquired as the aperture patterns change. Once a sufficient number of linearly independent measurements are obtained, the image is reconstructed by solving a system of linear equations that is generated from the aperture patterns and the corresponding measurements. The authors show that for image sizes envisioned for many current applications, this image reconstruction technique is computationally efficient and can be implemented in real time. Measurements are collected with these systems, and the reconstruction results are presented and discussed.
Nurse Practitioner Role Transition: A Concept Analysis

BarnesBarnesAim A concept analysis of nurse practitioner (NP) role transition. Background The Affordable Care Act is expected to provide 32 million Americans with health insurance, and NPs are gaining attention in addressing this increasing demand for healthcare providers. However, there is limited analysis of the transition from registered nurse to NP. Oftentimes, during this transition, there is a shift from an experienced, expert status to an inexperienced, novice status, with a subsequent loss of confidence in one's ability and competence. This can hinder successful role development and affect employment continuity within the first year of practice. Methods and Sources NP role transition was examined using Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis. Electronic databases were searched using the terms role transition and nurse practitioner. Thirty articles from nursing, psychology, and business were included. Findings and Conclusions The four defining attributes of NP role transition are absorption of the role, the shift from provider of care to prescriber of care, straddling two identities, and mixed emotions. Personal and environmental antecedents and consequences of the concept are identified. The development of empirical knowledge on NP role transition through further research is important in order for new-to-practice NPs to become high-quality, full-functioning providers.
Body Size, Performance and Fitness in Galapagos Marine Iguanas

SYNOPSIS. Complex organismal traits such as body size are influenced by innumerable selective pressures, making the prediction of evolutionary trajectories for those traits difficult. A potentially powerful way to predict fitness in natural systems is to study the composite response of individuals in terms of performance measures, such as foraging or reproductive performance. Once key performance measures are identified in this top-down approach, we can determine the underlying physiological mechanisms and gain predictive power over long-term evolutionary processes. Here we use marine iguanas as a model system where body size differs by more than one order of magnitude between island populations. We identified foraging efficiency as the main performance measure that constrains body size. Mechanistically, foraging performance is determined by food pasture height and the thermal environment, influencing intake and digestion. Stress hormones may be a flexible way of influencing an individual’s response to low-food situations that may be caused by high population density, famines, or anthropogenic disturbances like oil spills. Reproductive performance, on the other hand, increases with body size and is mediated by higher survival of larger hatchlings from larger females and increased mating success of larger males. Reproductive performance of males may be adjusted via plastic hormonal feedback mechanisms that allow individuals to assess their social rank annually within the current population size structure. When integrated, these data suggest that reproductive performance favors increased body size (influenced by reproductive hormones), with an overall limit imposed by foraging performance (influenced by stress hormones). Based on our mechanistic understanding of individual performances we predicted an evolutionary increase in maximum body size caused by global warming trends. We support this prediction using specimens collected during 1905. We also show in a commongarden experiment that body size may have a genetic component in iguanids. This ‘performance paradigm’ allows predictions about adaptive evolution in natural populations.
3D Blob Modelling with BOUT

Plasma blobs found in the edge region of tokamaks are important to understand because they contribute to a large amount of the plasma particle transport in the SOL (scrape off layer). Most of the work to date is limited to 2D theory and simulations by ignoring the variation of blob parameters along the magnetic field line. 3D effects are examined in the electrostatic limit in this paper using the code BOUT++ by allowing for the variation of blob density and potential along the field line. It is demonstrated that the 3D variation of these parameters can lead to a Boltzmann potential relation that will cause the blob to spin and induce turbulent motion via unstable drift waves (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Be All that You Can Be The Electoral Impact of Military Service as an Information Cue

Former military service has long been considered a plus for the resume of a political candidate, presumably because voters may rely on this information as a shortcut by which to make inferences about the candidates and cast ballots accordingly. Previous research has demonstrated that such heuristics frequently affect vote decisions, but few studies have examined the impact of candidates’ military background on support at the polls; moreover, existing research is largely observational, leaving open crucial questions about causal impact. We build on this work by conducting an original survey experiment imbedded in a national survey in 2008 to test the effects of labeling a candidate an Iraq War veteran. Formulating our hypotheses from known issue and trait stereotypes of the military, we demonstrate that military experience can be helpful to some candidates under some conditions. The experimental evidence we present shows that stereotypes based on both issue position (military intervention) and issue owners...
Gefitinib in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Does It Deserve a Second Chance?

There has been intense investigation into the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a therapeutic target in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently there are two EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, erlotinib and gefitinib, approved for the treatment of advanced NSCLC. In a phase III trial (BR.21), treatment with erlotinib resulted in a statistically significant improvement in overall survival in patients who had experienced progression after one or two previous chemotherapy treatments in comparison with best supportive care (BSC). In contrast, in the Iressa Survival Evaluation in Lung Cancer (ISEL) trial, treatment with gefitinib did not result in a statistically significant improvement in overall survival time in comparison with BSC in patients who had received one or two previous chemotherapy treatments and were refractory to or intolerant of the previous chemotherapy. After the results of the ISEL trial, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration restricted the use of gefitinib, and gefitinib was effectively removed from routine clinical practice within the U.S. However, gefitinib was approved in other countries and clinical trials investigating gefitinib continued. Recently the Iressa Non-small cell lung cancer Trial Evaluating REsponse and Survival against Taxotere (INTEREST) trial met the primary endpoint of demonstrating noninferiority in terms of overall survival for gefitinib (250 mg daily) in comparison with docetaxel (75 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks). Patients treated with gefitinib experienced a lower rate of treatment-related toxicity and higher rate of improvement in quality of life. Results of recent gefitinib trials have been provocative, and suggest a role for gefitinib in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.
MetNetAligner: a web service tool for metabolic network alignments

Summary: The accumulation of high-throughput genomic, proteomic, and metabolical data allows for increasingly accurate modeling and reconstruction of metabolic networks. Alignment of the reconstructed networks can help to catch model inconsistencies and infer missing elements. In this note we present the web service tool MetNetAligner which aligns metabolic networks, taking in account the similarity of network topology and the enzymes’ functions. It can be used for predicting unknown pathways, comparing and finding conserved patterns, and resolving ambiguous identification of enzymes. The tool supports several alignment options including allowing or forbidding enzyme deletion and insertion. It is based on a novel scoring scheme which measures enzyme-to-enzyme functional similarity and a fast algorithm which efficiently finds optimal mappings from a directed graph with restricted cyclic structure to an arbitrary directed graph. Availability: MetNetAligner is available as web-server at:
AMINO ACID INTERACTIONS IN NEUROSPORA CRASSA

Abstract Soboren, Josephine (University of California, Los Angeles), and Joseph F. Nyc. Amino acid interactions in Neurospora crassa. J. Bacteriol. 82:20–25. 1961.—A systematic study of the effects of the naturally occurring amino acids on the growth of a wild-type strain of Neurospora crassa focused attention upon l-tryptophan, which exhibits a strong growth inhibitory effect. Further investigation disclosed that other tryptophan metabolites, anthranilic acid, indole, kynurenine, and 3-hydroxykynurenine also inhibit growth. The proposed antimetabolic role of these aromatic compounds explains the poor growth response of certain tryptophan-requiring strains of N. crassa to tryptophan supplements. The growth of normal and mutant strains of N. crassa on media supplemented with tryptophan is influenced by the presence of other amino acids.
The "third sex" theory of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs.

In the 1860's with an innovative theory of the origin of homosexuality that saw it as neither a sin nor a sickness, the German lawyer Karl Heinrich Ulrich's become an outspoken defender of its practice. This paper describes the theory, placing it historically in the context of Ulrich's' life, and shows why, although progressive for its time, the theory eventually was abandoned.
Hydrolysis of filter-paper cellulose to glucose by two recombinant endogenous glycosyl hydrolases of Coptotermes formosanus

Genes encoding for glycosyl hydrolases (GH) in multiple families were recovered from an expression sequence tag library of Coptotermes formosanus, a xylophagous lower termite species. Functional analyses of these genes not only shed light on the mechanisms the insect employs to successfully use cellulosic materials as energy sources, which may serve as strategic targets for designing molecular-based bio-pesticides, but also enrich discoveries of new cellulolytic enzymes for conversion of biomass into biofuel. Our study demonstrated that cellulose could be converted to glucose by two recombinant endogenous glycosyl hydrolases (endo-β-1,4 glucanase in GH9 and β-glucosidase in GH1). While the former cleaved cellulose to cellobiose and cellotriose, the resulting simple cellodextrins were digested to glucose. Both of the Escherichia coli-expressed recombinant proteins showed properties that could be incorporated in a glucose-based ethanol production program.
Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy: Room Setup, Patient Positioning, Instrumentation, and Anesthetic Considerations

Successful robotic cystectomy relies on proper patient selection, surgical skill, and proper oncologic principles. This chapter describes proper room setup to allow for maximal space utilization when incorporating robotic technology. Patient positioning is described in detail to avoid potentially devastating neurological side effects. Alternatives to standard patient positioning are also described in order to accommodate various clinical situations. The various forms of surgical instrumentation are outlined in detail and anesthetic considerations are explained.
Expression of transforming growth factor α and epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA in neoplastic and nonneoplastic human kidney tissue

Abstract Using Northern blot analysis, we have demonstrated that mRNA for transforming growth factor α (TGF-α) was expressed in five malignant kidney tissue specimens but was not detected in their autologous nonneoplastic homologues. In addition, the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor mRNA in these malignant tissues was 2- to 3-fold greater than in nontransformed tissues. In two cases examined using immunohistochemistry, we were able to correlate the increased expression of the mRNA with an increase in protein expression. Since TGF-α is known to bind to the EGF receptor, the finding of an increased expression of both TGF-α and EGF receptor mRNA in kidney tumor tissue suggests that interaction between TGF-α and the EGF receptor may play a role in promoting transformation and/or proliferation of kidney neoplasms, perhaps by an autocrine mechanism.