cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Female Athlete Triad Knowledge Following a Brief Video Educational Intervention.

To assess female high school athletes’ changes in Female Athlete Triad (Triad) knowledge following a brief educational intervention.Triad knowledge questionnaires were completed by female high school athletes before and after either an educational video intervention or control group activities.Four high schools in the Pacific Northwest.Ninety-three female high school athletes (15.9±1.2 years) participating in basketball, cheerleading, track & field, softball, soccer, golf, tennis, and volleyball.The 10-minute Social Cognitive Theory-based educational video highlighted Triad etiology, progression, impact on sports performance, and fueling strategies to decrease Triad risk.Triad knowledge score out of 7; proportion of participants who correctly answered each question.Mann-Whitney U tests assessed differences in pre and post intervention Triad knowledge scores between the control and intervention group. The McNemar test compared the proportion of participants (intervention group) who correctly answered individual Triad knowledge questions pre vs. post-intervention.Participants in the intervention group achieved greater increases in Triad knowledge following the intervention, than did control participants (P<0.001). For each Triad question, improvements in the proportion of participants (intervention group) who answered correctly was observed (P<0.05).The Triad educational video was an effective and timeefficient method for increasing Triad knowledge among female high school athletes.
MicroRNA Ratios Distinguish Melanomas from Nevi

The use of microRNAs as biomarkers has been proposed for many diseases, including the diagnosis of melanoma. Although hundreds of microRNAs have been identified as differentially expressed in melanomas as compared to benign melanocytic lesions, a limited consensus has been achieved across studies, constraining the effective use of these potentially useful markers. In this study, we applied a machine learning-based pipeline to a dataset consisting of genetic features, clinical features, and next-generation microRNA sequencing from micro-dissected formalin-fixed paraffin embedded melanomas and their adjacent benign precursor nevi. We identified patient age and tumor cellularity as variables that frequently confound the measured expression of potentially diagnostic microRNAs. By employing the ratios of microRNAs that were either enriched or depleted in melanoma compared to the nevi as a normalization strategy, we developed a model that classified all the available published cohorts with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.98. External validation on an independent cohort classified lesions with 81% sensitivity and 88% specificity and was uninfluenced by the tumor content of the sample or patient age.
Range edges in heterogeneous landscapes: Integrating geographic scale and climate complexity into range dynamics

The impacts of climate change have re-energized interest in understanding the role of climate in setting species geographic range edges. Despite the strong focus on species' distributions in ecology and evolution, defining a species range edge is theoretically and empirically difficult. The challenge of determining a range edge and its relationship to climate is in part driven by the nested nature of geography and the multidimensionality of climate, which together generate complex patterns of both climate and biotic distributions across landscapes. Because range-limiting processes occur in both geographic and climate space, the relationship between these two spaces plays a critical role in setting range limits. With both conceptual and empirical support, we argue that three factors-climate heterogeneity, collinearity among climate variables, and spatial scale-interact to shape the spatial structure of range edges along climate gradients, and we discuss several ways that these factors influence the stability of species range edges with a changing climate. We demonstrate that geographic and climate edges are often not concordant across species ranges. Furthermore, high climate heterogeneity and low climate collinearity across landscapes increase the spectrum of possible relationships between geographic and climatic space, suggesting that geographic range edges and climatic niche limits correspond less frequently than we may expect. More empirical explorations of how the complexity of real landscapes shapes the ecological and evolutionary processes that determine species range edges will advance the development of range limit theory and its applications to biodiversity conservation in the context of changing climate.
“Heart and kidney transplant from donor with recent veno‐arterial extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation”

Objetives ECMO is progressively being adopted as a last resort to stabilize patients receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECMO CPR). A significant number of these patients will present recovery of end-organ function, but evolve with brain death, accounting for only 30% of patients discharged from the hospital alive. Harvesting organs from donors on VA ECMO has recently been proposed as a strategy to expand the pool of available organs for transplantation. Methods We present a case of combined heart and kidney transplantation from a brain death donor with recent out of hospital cardiac arrest rescued with eCPR. Results A 31 year old male patient was admitted to local hospital with diagnosis of drowning after seizure episode. Patient received two rounds of CPR for 8 and 30 minutes respectively, and required emergency insertion of VA ECMO. Patient developed compartment syndrome of right lower extremity (RLE) with CPK = 30,720, prompting discontinuation of ECMO support within 48 hours as cardiac function had recovered, reflected on echocardiographic and enzymatic parameters. Patient was declared brain death and became organ donor. Multiple organ procurement was performed. Combined heart and right kidney transplant was then performed on a 61-year-old male with uneventful course, and with normal function of all implanted allografts at 3 months follow up. Conclusion Our experience supports the concept that VA ECMO is not a contraindication for solid organ donation. Individual evaluation of organ function can lead to successful transplantation of multiple organs from donors with recent history of VA ECMO support.
Adoption Ethics in a Digital World: Challenges and Best Practices1

This article discusses the range of ethical issues that today’s explosion of information and communications technology (ICT) has brought to the adoption landscape. It draws on recently adopted tech...
Machine-Learning-Based Online Transient Analysis via Iterative Computation of Generator Dynamics

Transient analysis is vital to the planning and operation of electric power systems. Traditional transient analysis utilizes numerical methods to solve the differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) to compute the trajectories of quantities in the grid. For this, various numerical integration methods have been developed and used for decades. On the other hand, solving the DAEs for a relatively large system such as power grids is computationally intensive and is particularly challenging to perform online. In this paper, a novel machine learning (ML) based approach is proposed and developed to predict post-contingency trajectories of a generator in the time domain. The training data are generated by using an off-line simulation platform considering random disturbance occurrences and clearing times. As a proof-of-concept study, the proposed ML-based approach is applied to a single generator. A Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network representation of the selected generator is successfully trained to capture the dependencies of its dynamics across a sufficiently long time span. In the online assessment stage, the LSTM network predicts the entire post-contingency transient trajectories given initial conditions of the power system triggered by system changes due to fault scenarios. Numerical experiments in the New York/New England 16-machine 86-bus power system show that the trained LSTM network accurately predicts the generator’s transient trajectories. Compared to existing numerical integration methods, the post-disturbance trajectories of generator’s dynamic states are computed much faster using the trained predictor, offering great promises for significantly accelerating both offline and online transient studies.
Memo to the Obama Administration on “Improving the International Investment Regime”

In January 2009, VCC sent a Memo to President Obama’s Administration on “Improving the international investment regime.” The Memo encourages the new Administration to take a look at the current international investment regime and consider several actions that the United States might take to strengthen that regime. A number of these ideas are already on the table, and the new Administration will have to be prepared, in one way or another, to deal with them. Several eminent colleagues at Columbia University signed on to the Memo.
La Obligación De Investigar Las Desapariciones Forzadas Y Su Aplicación a Los Crímenes Del Franquismo En España (The Duty to Investigate Enforced Disappearances and Its Applicability to the Franco Era Crimes in Spain)

Spanish Abstract: La sentencia del Tribunal Supremo de Espana en el caso por prevaricato contra el juez Garzon por pretender investigar los crimenes del franquismo ha cerrado la via judicial como medio para canalizar las reclamaciones de los familiares de los del franquismo. En su lugar, el Tribunal sostuvo que otros mecanismos eran los apropiados. La practica indica, sin embargo, que los juzgados competentes han archivado sistematicamente las causas y la Ley de Memoria Historica es insuficiente, colocando a los familiares en un estado de indefension. Esta situacion contrasta con las obligaciones asumidas internacionalmente por Espana, en especial con la obligacion de investigar, y con los desarrollos recientes del Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos.English Abstract: The decision of the Tribunal Supremo of Spain in the case against Garzon for malfeasance in relation with his decision to investigate the crimes of the Franco regime has closed down the access to judicial procedure to substantiate the claims from the relatives of the disappeared of that era. The Tribunal maintained that other mechanisms were appropriated; however, practice reveals that the competent local tribunals have systematically dismissed the applications and the Law on Historical Memory is insufficient, putting the victims in a permanent situation of injustice. This state of affairs differs from the international obligations assumed by Spain, especially with the obligation to investigate, and with recent decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.
Response: In and Out of the Game, as Usual:

In this response article, I revisit the idea of paratext in video games. I start, however, with the example of a book by Tolstoy, and the textual studies work of McKenzie and McGann, in order to ma...
A scoping review of person and family engagement in the context of multiple chronic conditions

Objective To review definitions, concepts, and evidence regarding person and family engagement for persons with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) in order to identify opportunities to advance the field. Data source Ovid MEDLINE STUDY DESIGN: We performed a two-step process: (1) a critical review of conceptual models of engagement to identify key concepts most pertinent to engagement among persons with MCC as a "launch pad" to our scoping review, and (2) a scoping review of reviews of engagement for persons living with MCC. Data collection/extraction methods First, we critically reviewed six models of engagement. Second, our scoping review identified 1297 citations, with 67 articles meeting criteria for inclusion. Of these, we focused on reviews, of which there were nine titles/abstracts retained for full text consideration. Six full-text reviews were included in the final analysis. The purpose, review type, population, number/type of included studies, theoretical framework, and findings of each study were extracted and analyzed thematically. Principal findings Conceptual models of engagement differ with respect to areas of emphasis (e.g., systems or clinical encounters) as well as attention to vulnerable populations; involvement of family; consideration of cost-benefit tradeoffs; and attention to outcomes that matter most. Our scoping review of reviews identified just one article explicitly focused on engagement interventions for those with MCC. Other reviews examined elements of self-management and involvement in decision-making, conceptually related to engagement without explicit use of the word. We find that existing evidence has predominantly described individual-level strategies rather than targeting organizations, systems, or policies. Barriers to engagement are not well described, nor are potential downsides to engagement. Family engagement is rarely considered. Conclusions Promising areas of future work include attention to barriers to engagement including trust, goal-based care, the design of structural changes to care delivery, tradeoffs between benefits and costs, and family engagement. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Ecological Populism: Politics in Defense of Home: Winner of the CNPS 2020 Christian Bay Best Paper Award

Populism has been hotly debated for decades, yet both political scientists and environmentalists have largely neglected its potential to galvanize popular support for the environmental movement. I ...
Deep Leakage from Gradients in Multiple-label Medical Image Classification

Recent research reveals that private training data can be reconstructed from shared gradients in federated learning setting. However, the existing work focuses on classical multi-class image classification. In this study, we extend the discussion to multi-label medical image classification, i.e. more than one target label is assigned to each image. Chest X-ray radiology images are used in our evaluation and experimental results show that X-ray images can be reconstructed but with low quality, which can barely be recognized for accurate disease diagnosis.
PTGFβ protects p53-null cells from PALA-mediated death

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 2958 The tumor-suppressor p53 is functionally inactivated by mutational, viral, and cellular mechanisms in the majority of human cancers. Therefore, a therapeutic strategy to kill cells lacking functional p53 and simultaneously to protect normal cells would be extremely powerful. Earlier, we reported that an unknown signal, activated in normal cells in response to starvation for pyrimidine nucleotides caused by the aspartate transcarbamylase inhibitor N-phosphonacetyl-L-aspartate (PALA), leads to the rapid activation of p53, which leads in turn to reversible cell cycle arrest. In order to address the mechanism of this phenomenon, wild-type p53 was reintroduced into p53-null ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells, which undergo apoptosis when treated with PALA. In contrast, PALA-treated p53+/+ (SKP53) cells accumulate in S-phase and are protected. The stable arrest of DNA synthesis by p53 for as long as several weeks is central to protection from PALA-mediated cell death. To identify downstream effectors of this novel S-phase check point mechanism, we developed a comprehensive p53-specific gene chip. Using this and the pair of cell lines SKOV3/SKP53, we found that the activation of p53 by PALA transactivates a gene encoding a secreted protein, PTGFβ also known as prostate differentiation factor or MIC-1. To determine whether PTGFβ is important in protecting PALA-treated cells, we transfected a plasmid carrying a full-length cDNA encoding PTGFβ into p53-null SKOV-3 cells. Individual clones, expressing PTGFβ or not, were treated with PALA. Cells expressing PTGFβ were protected from apoptosis induced by PALA, whereas cells that do not express PTGFβ undergo apoptosis similarly to those lacking p53. We also found that conditioned medium from PTGFβ expressing cells protects SKOV3 cells from PALA-mediated cell death, suggesting that PTGFβ works through an extracellular receptor. In a comparative study, we also observed that treatment withTGFβ2 does not protect SKOV3 cells from PALA-mediated cell death. Therefore, PTGFβ must activate expression of certain protective genes that TGFβ2 does not. These observations establish the role of PTGFβ in p53-mediated protection from DNA damage-induced apoptosis in response to PALA treatment. Our next task is to identify genes selectively induced by PTGFβ whose products are responsible for stable S-phase arrest. Since the utility of PALA as a chemotherapeutic agent in human cancer is limited by toxicity to the gut, it is attractive to consider a strategy in which PALA is combined with PTGFβ in order to improve the therapeutic index.
Chapter 1 The concept of development

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of development. It is not hard to see why the concept of development is so essential to economics in general. Economic problems involve logistic issues, and a lot of it is undoubtedly “engineering” of one kind or another. On the other hand, the success of all this has to be judged ultimately in terms of what it does to the lives of human beings. The enhancement of living conditions must clearly be an essential,if not the essential object of the entire economic exercise and that enhancement is an integral part of the concept of development. Even though the logistic and engineering problems involved in enhancing living conditions in the poor, developing countries might well be very different from those in the rich, developed ones, there is much in common in the respective exercises on the two sides of the divide. The close link between economic development and economic growth is simultaneously a matter of importance as well as a source of considerable confusion. The importance of “growth” must depend on the nature of the variable the expansion of which is considered and seen as “growth.” The chapter discusses a number of different sources of contrast that have to be clearly distinguished from each other, while drawing a distinction between development and growth. The well-being of a person can be seen as an evaluation of the functionings achieved by that person. This approach has been implicitly used by Adam Smith and Karl Marx in particular. The concept of development is by no meansunproblematic. The different problems underlying the concept have become clearer over the years based on conceptual discussions as well as from insights emerging from empirical work.
Pro-adrenomedullin as a clinical predictor after cardiac surgery

Pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery like ARDS are frequent and linked to high mortality [1]. Pro-adrenomedullin (pro-ADM) has a possible role in the development of ARDS [2] and a positive correlation between levels of pro-ADM and inflammation was found [3]. In this study we investigated whether intraoperative and postoperative pro-ADM transpulmonary gradient could predict postoperative morbidity.
Studies of the /sup 1/S/sub 0/-/sup 3/P/sub 0/ transition in atomic Yb for optical clocks and qubit arrays

Yb and Sr are both strong candidates for an optical lattice clock as well as for creating useful qubits. Both atoms have experimentally accessible energy level transitions, allowing the atoms to be readily laser-cooled and trapped, and in the case of Yb, Bose-Einstein condensed. While the Sr clock transition has been studied extensively, both in and out of an optical lattice, the same transition in Yb has thus far remained unexplored experimentally. Here we report the direct excitation of the 578 nm /sup 1/S/sub 0/-/sup 3/P/sub 0/ transition in odd isotope /sup 171,173/Yb. We also discuss the possible application of this type of transitions in making qubits for quantum computation and a clock scheme based on three-photon transition in an even isotope.
A Queuing Model of the Market for Access to Trading Partners

In this article, a market for access to trading partners arises through the operation of a competitive market in which consumers queue for goods at firms. Equilibrium occurs when firms and buyers face the same trade-off between price and wait time. The trade-off measures the cost to firms of more customers and the cost to customers of a shorter expected wait time. The queuing model is related to mechanisms that ration goods among potential buyers and to models in which the good is characterized by price and by a second variable reflecting likelihood of or delay in transaction.
Health Information Technology and Physicians’ Duty to Notify Patients of New Medical Developments

Physicians generally have had no legal or ethical duty to notify patients about new, patient-specific medical information or medical advances discovered after the patient's last episode of care. Notification has been viewed as impractical, burdensome, and not justified by gains in patient care. New developments in health information technology, however, have drastically altered the ratio of benefits to burdens in patient notification. In light of these developments, this article proposes that physicians should have a limited duty to notify patients about certain significant and relevant information, including adverse drug reactions, medical device recalls, and important changes in a physician's treatment recommendations.
Intracellular amyloid-β in Alzheimer's disease

The primal role that the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide has in the development of Alzheimer's disease is now almost universally accepted. It is also well recognized that Abeta exists in multiple assembly states, which have different physiological or pathophysiological effects. Although the classical view is that Abeta is deposited extracellularly, emerging evidence from transgenic mice and human patients indicates that this peptide can also accumulate intraneuronally, which may contribute to disease progression.
Disturbances of voluntary movement coordination in stroke: problems of planning or execution?

Publisher Summary Thrombotic or embolic stroke in the middle cerebral artery territory of the brain in man results in a complex set of clinical signs on the contralateral side of the body including spasticity (defined primarily as an increase in muscle tone), weakness for voluntary movement, and impaired motor coordination. These three factors are not independent in their etiology because, for example, both spasticity and weakness may contribute to impaired movement coordination. However, it is now believed that incoordination is mediated primarily by a loss of appropriate control signals to limb muscles, and it is often expressed when weakness and spasticity are not severe. This chapter focuses largely on this third factor—that is, impaired motor coordination. With the exception of Levin, there has been virtually no description of limb kinematics in the impaired upper extremity of the hemiparetic subject. There are a large number of neural mechanisms that could potentially contribute to the impairment in motor coordination in human stroke syndromes. For example, based on controlled lesion studies in nonhuman primates, there is increasing information about the functional roles and connectivity of many of the cortical areas that are presumably affected by stroke lesions in man. Although the anatomical and functional features are not identical, the broad flow of information from visual areas through parietal lobes to prefrontal areas and to the motor cortex and supplementary motor areas appears to be closely comparable in human and many nonhuman primates.
Family Capital and the Entry Mode into Entrepreneurship : The Contingent Role of National Culture

This study examines the role of family capital and national culture in entrepreneurs’ choice of mode of entry into entrepreneurship. Mode of entry consists of two choices: starting a new venture or taking over an existing firm. Specifically, we investigate that how cultural values moderate the relationship between entrepreneurs' family capital and their choice of business takeover. We found that the relationship is moderated by cultural values with individualism, short term orientation, and power distance. Using Flash Eurobarometer data, we test hypotheses by employing hierarchical linear modeling. Implications for policy makers and educators are discussed.
Field Tests and Numerical Modeling of Vehicle Impacts on a Boulder Embedded in Compacted Fill

Landscape Vehicular Anti-Ram (LVAR) systems are a group of protective barriers, which are designed using natural materials (e.g., boulders) and have proven to both effectively protect sensitive structures against threats and be aesthetically pleasing. This paper presents two consecutive vehicular crash tests hitting the same single boulder embedded in AASHTO coarse aggregate fill. A LS-DYNA model was developed to simulate the field-scale tests, which were instrumented with high-speed cameras and pressure cells. A readily available truck model from the National Crash Analysis Center was modified and implemented in the LS-DYNA model. The boulder and surrounding soil were modeled using the Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria. The model parameters were calibrated using results from the first field-scale test with a truck traveling at 48.3 km/hr (30 mph) impacting the LVAR system. The calibrated model was then used to simulate the second field-scale test, which involved a truck traveling at 80.5 km/hr (50 mph) impac...
Natural variation in condition-dependent display colour does not predict male courtship success in a jumping spider

In many animals, males display costly, condition-dependent ornaments to choosy females. Indicator models of sexual selection predict that females should choose mates based on natural variation in such traits. In Habronattus pyrrithrix jumping spiders, males have conspicuous, condition-dependent red faces and green legs that they display to cryptically coloured females during courtship. In a correlational study using field-collected spiders, we paired individual males with virgin females in the laboratory and found that natural variation in male coloration did not predict mating success (likelihood of copulation) or levels of female aggression. Rather, mating success was best predicted by male body condition. We then conducted an outdoor experiment under natural sunlight where we gave both virgin and mated females the choice between two simultaneously courting males, one with his facial coloration experimentally reduced and the other that received a sham treatment. Again, we found no relationship between male coloration and courtship success. Our previous studies have shown that the presence (versus absence) of red facial coloration improves courtship success, but here we found no evidence that more subtle natural variation in this trait has any effect on success. We discuss these findings in the context of complex signalling and species recognition in Habronattus. While many studies report negative results for condition-dependent quality signalling alongside positive ones, few discuss the implications of negative results. We argue that, as empirical data accumulate, we should move towards asking why some condition-dependent traits are consistently important to females while other equally condition-dependent traits are either ignored, or only matter in certain contexts.
High-affinity phlorizin binding in Mytilus gill.

Abstract The gill of the marine mussel, Mytilus , contains a high affinity, Na-dependent d -glucose transporter capable of accumulating glucose directly from sea water. We examined the ability of the β-glucoside, phlorizin, to act as a high-affinity ligand of this process in intact gills and isolated brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV). The time course of association of nanomolar [ 3 H]phlorizin to gills and BBMV was slow, with t 50 values between 10 and 30 min, and a half-time for dissociation of approx. 30 min. 1 mM d -glucose reduced equilibrium binding of 1 nM phlorizin by 90–95%, indicating that there was little non-specific binding of this ligand to the gill. In addition, there was little, if any hydrolysis by the gill of phlorizin to its constituents, glucose and phloretin. Phlorizin binding to gills and BBMV was significantly inhibited by the addition of 50 μM concentrations of d -glucose and α-methyl- d -glucose, and unaffected by the addition of l -glucose and fructose. Binding to gills and BBMV was reduced by > 90% when Na + was replaced by K + . Replacement of Na + by Li + effectively blocked binding to the intact gill, although Li + did support a limited amount of glucose-specific phlorizin binding in BBMV. The K d values for glucose-specific phlorizin binding in intact gills and BBMV were 0.5 nM and 6nM, respectively. We conclude that phlorizin binds with extremely high affinity to the Na-dependent glucose transporter of Mytilus gill, which may be useful in future efforts to isolate and purify the protein(s) involved in integumental glucose transport.
Edentulous impression procedure for region of the mentalis muscles.

Abstract The described procedure will allow more freedom for the muscles under the basal seat of the lower denture to move in the region of the mentalis muscle. Consequently, the tendency of the denture to move is lessened. The lower lip should be mechanically elevated by the dentist in the border-molding procedure, because the mentalis muscles will not be activated and they will not be recorded in the impression surface in any great detail.
Collisional excitation of metastable oxygen O(1D) atoms through the B3∑−u channel of O2

Abstract Pectroscopic data on the shifts and widths of the energy levels of molecular oxygen have been used in the empirical construction of a diabatic potential matrix that characterizes the interactions of the B 3 ∑ − u state with the 5 Π u , 2 3 ∑ + u , 3 Π u and 1 Π u states. The diabatic potential matrix is u theory formulation to calculate the cross-sections for the excitation of O( 1 D) atoms in collisions of two O( 3 P) atoms. Total cross-sections are obtained by adding the excitation from the 3 Π g , channel. The rate coefficient for quenching of O( 1 D) by O( 3 P) is evaluated as a function of temperature. The values conflict with a recent analysis of the emission of the oxygen red line in the upper atmosphere.
Fast multifractal analysis by recursive box covering

A fractal can be generated by using recursion, and a fractal set of data can be analyzed in the same way. This paper discusses a box-counting algorithm which exploits self-similarity via recursion. The speed of the algorithm is O(n), where n is the number of points in the set. The algorithm is applied to multifractal analysis of the binomial multiplicative process. The algorithm does not involve sorting the floating-point summation; a brief examination of the sorting issue is presented. Scattering for negative q, characteristic of box-counting algorithms, is encountered, and is explained for the simple case of a uniform 1-D set.
The isolation of mutants conditionally defective in protein synthesis in Chlamydomonas reinhardi

Canavanine kills Chlamydomonas reinhardi because it is incorporated into protein. This has made it possible to develop a convenient method for isolating mutants which are conditionally defective in protein synthesis. Sixty percent of all mutants isolated by this method prove to have reversible defects in protein synthesis. These mutants have a variety of phenotypes.
History dependence of diffusion coefficients for glassy polymer-penetrant systems

Systeme polystyrene/bromure de methylene qui illustre l'importance de la vitesse de refroidissement et du vieillissement isotherme
Unisotropic solubilization of an inhalation anesthetic, methoxyflurane, into the interfacial region of cationic surfactant micelles.

Abstract Proton-NMR shows that methoxyflurane (HCCl2-CF2-O-CH3) binds hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide micelles only at the interfacial regions and does not mix with the lipid core isotropically. The protons of the -O-CH3 end is oriented into the hydrophobic interior, while the proton of the HCCl2-end stays at the interfacial region in the close vicinity of the aqueous phase.
Influence of Cell Cycle Checkpoints and p53 Function on the Toxicity of Temozolomide in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Background: Though an increased efficacy of carmustine and temozolomide (TMZ) has been demonstrated by inactivation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) with
Streptococcal Epidemics in Two Populations of “Normal” Families

Streptococcal acquisitions by members of two populations of "normal" families in Syracuse, New York, during epidemics of Group A streptococci, types 2 and 12, were analyzed in detail. Peak prevalences were 10.8% and 7.3% and mean durations of carriage were 6.4 and 11.5 weeks for types 2 and 12, respectively. Incidence of acquisition was greater in younger age groups. Both epidemics proceeded like stochastic processes determined by three parameters in each age group: (1) the proportion of resistant individuals; (2) the risk associated with radial prevalence in the community; and (3) the risk associated with household carriage. In each age group, factors such as season, crowding, race, and sex exerted no additional influence on the dynamics of the outbreaks. One-third of carriers of type 2 and two-thirds of carriers of type 12 became resistant to the type carried. The models developed in this study could be utilized in computer simulations of such epidemics and in evaluation of alternative strategies for control or eradication. This report is based on two type-specific streptococcal epidemics that occurred during long-term prospective studies in "normal" families residing in two, low-cost housing developments, Pioneer and Eastwood Homes, in Syracuse, New York. Each family had at least one child in school (kindergarten through the third grade) and one of preschool age. In Pioneer Homes, biweekly throat cultures were obtained from all members of participating households between November, 1958 and July, 1962. Illnesses and medications were recorded daily by a parent. These reports were collected biweekly by a visiting nurse. Semiannual samples of serum were obtained from all participants. A similar study was conducted from
A simplified cobalt-lysine method for tracing axon trajectories in the central nervous system of vertebrates.

Abstract The cobalt-lysine method for tract tracing in the vertebrate CNS has been shortened and simplified to the following steps: (1) the cobalt-lysine is applied to the nerve or tract being studied; (2) the animal is perfused 1–2 days later by the following sequence of solutions: (a) phosphate-buffered ammonium sulfide, (b) phosphate buffer alone and (c) phosphate-buffered glutaraldehyde; (3) the brain is exposed to the fixative overnight and left in 30% sugar another night; (4) the brain is then frozen and cut on a cryostat; the sections being collected directly on slides; (5) the mounted sections are then put in an intensification solution before dehydration, clearing and coverslipping.
The problem of hegemony: Rereading Gramsci for organizational communication studies

The purpose of this essay is to reread the concept of hegemony “against the grain” of interpretations currently dominant in communication studies generally, and in critical organizational communication studies specifically. I argue that the received reading of hegemony as domination through consent has lead to a bifurcation of critical studies into two models of power: a) a dominance model, in which relations of power and resistance are conceptually resolved in favor of the reaffirmation of the status quo; and b) a resistance model, where resistance to structures of domination is valorized in a largely uncritical manner. I attempt to resolve this dichotomy by suggesting that the concept of hegemony be reread within Gramsci's larger philosophy of praxis. Such a move, I claim, enables critical scholars to reclaim the dialectical underpinnings of the Gramscian framework, and to recognize the mutually implicative relations amongst communication, power, and resistance.
Development of Nanoscale Approaches for Ovarian Cancer Therapeutics and Diagnostics

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecological cancers and the fifth leading cause of death due to cancer in women. This is largely due to late-stage diagnosis, poor prognosis related to advanced-stage disease, and the high recurrence rate associated with development of chemoresistance. Survival statistics have not improved significantly over the last three decades, highlighting the fact that improved therapeutic strategies and early detection require substantial improvements. Here, we review and highlight nanotechnology-based approaches that seek to address this need. The success of Doxil, a PEGylated liposomal nanoencapsulation of doxorubicin, which was approved by the FDA for use on recurrent ovarian cancer, has paved the way for the current wave of nanoparticle formulations in drug discovery and clinical trials. We discuss and summarize new nanoformulations that are currently moving into clinical trials and highlight novel nanotherapeutic strategies that have shown promising results in preclinical in vivo studies. Further, the potential for nanomaterials in diagnostic imaging techniques and the ability to leverage nanotechnology for early detection of ovarian cancer are also discussed.
Aminophylline and kindled seizures.

The effects of aminophylline on amygdaloid and cortically kindled rats was studied. Rats implanted with chronic amygdaloid electrodes received either saline or 150 mg/kg, i.p., aminophylline 20 min prior to their first stimulation. On the first stimulation, aminophylline-treated rats had dramatically longer afterdischarge durations and more severe seizure ranks. When fully kindled, the animals were retested with saline or aminophylline. Again, the aminophylline-treated animals had longer afterdischarge durations than the saline-treated rats. In a second experiment, fully amygdaloid kindled rats were pretreated with various doses of aminophylline and stimulated 20 min later. With suprathreshold stimulation, a dose-dependent increase was noted in the afterdischarge duration. During seizure threshold determinations, aminophylline pretreatment markedly prolonged afterdischarge durations without significantly changing seizure severity or threshold. When animals were treated with the adenosine agonist, 2-chloroadenosine, prior to kindled amygdaloid stimulation, the elicited afterdischarge was shortened. The effect was antagonized where treatment with both 2-chloroadenosine and aminophylline occurred prior to amygdaloid stimulation. Rats with neocortical electrodes were also exposed to various doses of aminophylline while in a stable, partially developed kindled stage and again when fully kindled. At both stages, afterdischarge duration was increased by aminophylline in a dose-dependent manner. The partially developed, cortically kindled animals were more responsive to aminophylline than were those fully kindled and they tended to have greater increases in afterdischarge duration and seizure rank. These data demonstrate that aminophylline acts to prolong afterdischarges elicited at various stages of kindling from both amygdaloid and cortical sites.
Mergers & Acquisitions, Diversification and Performance in the U.S. Property-Liability Insurance Industry

This paper examines the relationship between mergers & acquisitions (M & As), diversification and financial performance in the U.S. property-liability insurance industry over the period 1989–2004. The risk-adjusted return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), Z-score and total risk measured by earnings volatility are considered as a relevant indicator of performance. We find that acquirers’ financial performance decreases and earnings volatility increases during the gestation period after the M & As perhaps due to increased frictional costs associated with post-merger integration and agency problems. We find that more focused insurers outperform the product-diversified insurers, implying that the costs of diversification outweigh the benefits. These findings are robust to alternative risk and diversification measures. We also find that marginal increases in commercial line share are associated with higher risk-adjusted profits, but these gains are offset by the extra costs from product diversity when its initial share is low. For insurers initially concentrated in commercial line, a marginal increase in commercial line share is related to higher performance due to positive effects of both direct exposure and indirect focus.
Single-frequency fiber oscillator with watt-level output power using photonic crystal phosphate glass fiber

Utilizing phosphate glass fiber with photonic crystal cladding and highly doped, large area core a cladding-pumped, single-frequency fiber oscillator is demonstrated. The fiber oscillator contains only 3.8 cm of active fiber in a linear cavity and operates in the 1.5 micron region. Spectrally broad, multimode pump light from semiconductor laser diodes is converted into a single-mode, single-frequency light beam with an efficiency of about 12% and the oscillator output power reached 2.3 W.
A Phosphomimetic Mutation of TnI Partially Rescues a Disease Causing Mutation of TnT

Cardiomyopathy causing mutations of troponin and mutations that simulate phosphorylation of troponin can alter the distribution of states of actin-tropomyosin-troponin. The active state of actin filaments containing the Δ14 TnT mutant is stabilized whereas filaments containing the S45E TnI mutation are more difficult to activate. We show that actin filaments containing both [[Unsupported Character - ]]Δ14 TnT and S45E TnI were somewhat normalized. However, because the Δ14 TnT mutation was far from the norm its effects dominated those of the S45E TnI mutation. ATPase activities of actin filaments at high Ca2+ followed the pattern: Δ14 > double mutant > wild type > S45E. In EGTA the activities were: Δ14 > double mutant > wild type ≥ S45E. At high concentrations of the activator, NEM-S1 all types of actin filaments had about the same rate. The rate of transition from the active state to the inactive state was measured using acrylodan labeled cardiac tropomyosin. Following rapid dissociation of S1 with ATP, wild type filaments exhibited a rapid decrease in fluorescence (as the intermediate state population increased) followed by a slower fluorescence redevelopment (formation of the inactive state). The rapid fluorescence decrease had a similar rate to that of S1-ATP dissociation. The slow fluorescence redevelopment was affected by mutations. Filaments containing S45E TnI were similar to wild type. Filaments containing the Δ14 TnT mutation alone or together with the S45E TnI mutation did not exhibit a slow fluorescence redevelopment although the S45E mutant partially restored normal ATPase activity. The rescue of disease causing mutations of troponin is possible but this particular pairing is not optimal for rescuing either mutation.
Heterotypic sprouting of serotonergic forebrain fibers in the brindled mottled mutant mouse.

Abstract The brindled mottled mouse has a mutation on the X-chromosome which causes alterations in copper metabolism. One role for copper is as a cofactor for dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH), the enzyme that converts dopamine to norepinephrine (NE). This may explain the fact that the hemizygous males have low concentrations of NE, as well as high concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the brainstem and forebrain. The present study quantified serotonin (5-HT) immunoreactive fibers in the cerebral cortex and striatum of hemizygous males and control littermates on postnatal (P) days 7, 10, 12 and 14. The density of 5-HT immunoreactive fibers was measured using a digitized imaging system in conjunction with darkfield microscopy. Measurements of 5-HT innervation showed an age-dependent increase in density of 5-HT immunoreactive fibers in all layers of the cerebral cortex, with fiber density in brindled mice approximately 70% greater than controls by P14. High performance liquid chromatography confirmed the increased concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, and the low concentration of NE, in several regions. We believe that these results are an example of heterotypic sprouting of 5-HT neurons, similar to that observed in neonatal rats given 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). If so, these data provide the first description of 5-HT heterotypic sprouting in mice, and the first description of 5-HT heterotypic sprouting resulting from a natural disease state, rather than an experimentally induced lesion.
Incidence and In Vitro Acquisition of Transferable Drug Resistance in Salmonella arizonae

Fifty-eight cultures of Salmonella arizonae isolated in 1983 from poultry sources and 21 cultures isolated in 1972 to 1974 were screened for resistance to nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, triple sulfa, ampicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin, and kanamycin by the standardized disc susceptibility method. Sensitivity to all seven drugs was observed in 51% of the cultures tested (76% of the older cultures and 41% of the recent isolates). Resistance to two or more drugs was observed in 36% of the cultures tested (14% of the older cultures and 43% of the newer ones). The highest incidence of resistance was to streptomycin. Salmonella arizonae cultures sensitive to all seven drugs were tested for the ability conjugatively to acquire kanamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and ampicillin resistance determinants from a multiply resistant strain of Escherichia coli K12NA. Complete or intermediate resistance to all antibiotics was transferred to 93% of the sensitive cultures at 41 C and 85% at 28 C. Kanamycin resistance was transferred most frequently, and ampicillin resistance least frequently.
Obesity in children and adolescents: Development of predictive equations and their application to epidemiologic studies

Abstract Epidemiological studies of body fatness cannot be based on laboratory measures. One alternative is to analyze values related to body composition such as skinfold thicknesses, but it is better to apply an equation that accurately predicts a body composition variable. If an equation is to be developed, the choice of the dependent variable affects the selection of the independent variables to be tested for inclusion. The validation group should have a wide distribution of values for the dependent and independent variables. To develop an equation that works well on validation and with other groups, all possible sub‐set regression should be applied, multicollinearity examined, and ridge and robust regression used if these are needed. An equation chosen from the literature should have been developed and tested by appropriate methods and it should be validated against data from a sub‐group of the study sample.
Radiative transfer modelling of discontinuous tree canopies at microwave frequencies

Development of a first-order radiative transfer model for predicting backscatter from tree canopies has been underway at the University of Michigan Radiation Laboratory for some time. This model is known as the Michigan Microwave Canopy Scattering (MIMICS) model. This article presents the second-generation MIMICS model (MIMICS II) which accounts for canopies with discontinuous (open) crown layer geometries. MIMICS II models open crown layers by treating the location, size, and shape of the individual tree crowns as random variables. The backscattering coefficients for the canopy are then determined by introducing statistics derived from these parameters into the radiative transfer solution. Application of the radiative transfer equations to the discontinuous canopy geometry is presented. The resulting model is a robust fully polarimetric solution that is applicable over a wide variety of canopy architectures. Model simulations are compared to results generated with the continuous canopy model. The effect of the open crown geometry is found to be most significant at shallow incidence angles and at high frequencies for trees with well-developed crowns. Under these conditions, the gaps in the crown layer give rise to a notable increase in crown layer transmissivity which allows the radar to see through to the lower layers of the canopy more easily, thereby directly affecting the backscatter contribution of the trunks and ground.