cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating the thermodynamics and kinetics of chlorinated hydrocarbon degradation

Many different degradation reactions of chlorinated hydrocarbons are possible in natural groundwaters. In order to identify which degradation reactions are important, a large number of possible reaction pathways must be sorted out. Recent advances in ab initio electronic structure methods have the potential to help identify relevant environmental degradation reactions by characterizing the thermodynamic properties of all relevant contaminant species and intermediates for which experimental data are usually not available, as well as provide activation energies for relevant pathways. In this paper, strategies based on ab initio electronic structure methods for estimating thermochemical and kinetic properties of reactions with chlorinated hydrocarbons are presented. Particular emphasis is placed on strategies that are computationally fast and can be used for large organochlorine compounds such as 4,4′-DDT
The diagnostic and surgical challenges of massive localized lymphedema

BACKGROUND: Massive localized lymphedema (MLL) is a rare entity first described in 1998 in patients with morbid obesity; the incidence is rising with the increased prevalence of morbid obesity. This report defines the clinical presentation and surgical challenges in 6 patients with MLL. METHODS: The MLL in 6 patients with morbid obesity (weight range 270 to 585 lbs) involved the thigh in 3 patients, the calf in 1 patient, and the abdomen in 2 patients. The time from onset to presentation averaged 3 years (range 1 to 8 years). Two thigh lesions precluded ambulation because both legs could not be on the ground simultaneously; the 2 abdominal lesions were too heavy to permit ambulation. RESULTS: The surgical excision required the use of pulleys to elevate the MLL tissues, which, on excision, weighed between 24 and 78 lbs. A long oval horizontal incision and a long transverse incision were used for the 2 abdominal lesions. Long horizontal oval limb incisions with multiple perpendicular cross incisions had to be used to excise MLL in the 4 limb lesions. In 2 cases, the vessel-sealing device was employed successfully for dissecting subcutaneous edematous tissue. Loose wound closure permitted postoperative lymph leakage, which continued for 3 to 8 weeks. The histology demonstrated fibrotic lymphatic tissue with vascular and lymphatic proliferation and edema; all patients did well. CONCLUSIONS: MLL is rare and is best treated by surgical excision facilitated by pulleys and imaginative incisions to obtain primary closure. Long-term follow-up is necessary to assess for subsequent liposarcoma or angiosarcoma.
Sewering the coast: Bane or blessing to marine water quality

Abstract local wastewater management policies can be important tools for protecting marine water quality when coordinated with sound land use and environmental planning. that relationship is examined through a review of the point and nonpoint source pollution issues associated with centralized versus decentralized wastewater management approaches, sewerage extension and plant expansion effects, and sewerage management practices. we use information provided by 161 local jurisdictions in coastal regions of the southeastern united states and various secondary regions of the southeastern united states and various secondary sources. the article concludes with a discussion of policy implications and recommendations to improve the coordination of local sewerage extension/expansion practices and land use planning.
Binaural coherence edge pitch

The binaural coherence edge pitch (BICEP) is a dichotic broadband noise pitch effect similar to the binaural edge pitch. The noise is made by summing sine waves with equal amplitudes and random phases. The interaural phase angle is a constant for sine wave components with frequencies below a chosen frequency, and it is a random variable for components with frequencies above that frequency. The chosen frequency is a coherence edge because the signals to the two ears are mutually coherent within any band of frequencies below the edge and they are mutually incoherent in any band above the edge. Sine tone pitch matching experiments show that the BICEP exists for coherence edge frequencies between 300 and 1000 Hz and that it is always matched by a frequency above the edge frequency, by 5%–10%. The effect can be extended to higher edge frequencies, at least 2000 Hz, if the listener is appropriately cued. The results do not depend upon whether the coherent components are presented in phase or completely out of p...
Improving Molecular Mechanics Force Fields By Comparison Of Microsecond Simulations With Nmr Experiments

Molecular dynamics simulations and NMR spectroscopy provide complementary approaches to the study of protein structure and dynamics. We have carried out several molecular dynamics simulations of globular proteins and compared the results to a range of NMR experiments that probe the structure and dynamics of these proteins. In particular, simulations on the microsecond timescale allow full sampling of the rotamer distribution of most of the protein side chains. Comparisons with NMR data suggest that, for some residues, this distribution may be incorrectly reproduced by common force fields. We quantified these discrepancies by performing simulations of small helical peptides and comparing the side-chain rotamer distributions with those found in the Protein Data Bank. The potentially problematic residues identified with this procedure were corrected by suitable modification of the force field terms. The performance of the modified force field was evaluated against NMR spectroscopy data.
Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade as near-Utopia

In a time of shrinking public resources and a growing, competitive arts community, the need is urgent for cities to examine the relationship between the performer and the urban public space. In this paper I argue that, among large cities, the city of Santa Monica, California is working to find and maintain a balance between the various factors that make public performance in a U.S. city a challenging dialectic. Key to this relationship is the presence of technology, which enhances the inherent advantages and deepens the disadvantages of urban space for the performing body. Consideration of how performers interact through basic infrastructure technology with the City – using Santa Monica's open-air shopping and pedestrian corridor, Third Street Promenade, as one successful model – suggests how cities may still pursue a utopian notion of public performance in this ever-changing and technological time.
Interaction between [3H]ethylketocyclazocine and [3H]etorphine and opioid receptors in membranes from rat brain a kinetic analysis

Abstract Scatchard analysis of the binding to opioid receptors of pHlethylketocyclazocine ([3H]EKC) and [3H]etorphine at equilibrium yielded biphasic plots and computer fitting of the data resulted in a minimal model of two independent saturable binding sites. The KD values for the high- and low-affinity sites were 0.58 and 38 nM for [3H]EKC, and 0.13 and 22 nM for [3H]etorphine. The corresponding density of binding sites was 157 and 418 fmol mg protein for [3H]EKC, and 220 and 289 fmol mg protein for [3H]etorphine. The KD values calculated from the association and dissociation rate constants corresponded to those observed at equilibrium. In the course of equilibrium binding, various opioids competed with [3H]ekc and [3H]etorphine preferentially at the high-affinity opioid receptor sites. No difference between the competition patterns of putative μ and κ ligands was observed. The kinetics of association and dissociation of [3H]EKC and [3H]etorphine revealed that the apparently homogeneous high-affinity binding site observed at equilibrium consisted of two components characterized by their fast and slow equilibrium times, respectively. While none of the μ and κ opiates investigated altered the rate of dissociation of [3H]EKC or [3H]etorphine, in the presence of sodium ions the rapidly dissociating binding component of [3H]etorphine became refractory to inhibition by μ but not κ agonists. The results underline the advantages of evaluating both equilbrium binding and the kinetics of ligand-receptor interactions.
A model for the effect of droplet interactions on vaporization

Abstract Effects of droplet interactions on vaporization were simulated by evaporation of a droplet inside a “bubble”. Initially the droplet-in-bubble vaporization rate exceeded that of a single droplet. Subsequently vaporization was retarded by cooling and vapor addition. If the bubble was not much larger than the droplet, saturation occurred before complete vaporization. With increasing bubble size the droplet radius at saturation was diminished until complete vaporization ensued. This saturation-complete vaporization transition was sensitive to pressure and initial gaseous temperature and insensitive to volatility and vapor content. A correlation was developed to incorporate interactions into spray vaporization models.
Bovine and equine peritubular and intertubular dentin.

Abstract Dentin contains 1–2 μm diameter tubules extending from the pulp cavity to near the junction with enamel. Peritubular dentin (PTD) borders the tubule lumens and is surrounded by intertubular dentin (ITD). Differences in PTD and ITD composition and microstructure remain poorly understood. Here, a (∼200 nm)2, 10.1 keV synchrotron X-ray beam maps X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction simultaneously around tubules in 15–30 μm thick bovine and equine specimens. Increased Ca fluorescence surrounding tubule lumens confirms that PTD is present, and the relative intensities in PTD and ITD correspond to carbonated apatite (cAp) volume fraction of ∼0.8 in PTD vs. 0.65 assumed for ITD. In the PTD near the lumen edges, Zn intensity is strongly peaked, corresponding to a Zn content of ∼0.9 mg g−1 for an assumed concentration of ∼0.4 mg g−1 for ITD. In the equine specimen, the Zn K-edge position indicates that Zn2+ is present, similar to bovine dentin (Deymier-Black et al., 2013), and the above edge structure is consistent with spectra from macromolecules related to biomineralization. Transmission X-ray diffraction shows only cAp, and the 00.2 diffraction peak (Miller–Bravais indices) width is constant from ITD to the lumen edge. The cAp 00.2 average preferred orientation is axisymmetric (about the tubule axis) in both bovine and equine dentin, and the axisymmetric preferred orientation continues from ITD through the PTD to the tubule lumen. These data indicate that cAp structure does not vary from PTD to ITD.
Geomagnetic polarity event recorded at 1.1 m.y. B.P. on Cobb Mountain, Clear Lake volcanic field, California

Paleomagnetic studies show that a normal polarity event within the Matuyama reversed polarity epoch is recorded by one of the volcanic units on Cobb Mountain in northern California. K-Ar age determinations show that this event has an age of 1.12 ± 0.02 m.y. and clearly preceded the Jaramillo normal polarity event. These data provide the first confirmation from a subaerial volcano that a brief polarity event occurred at this time, as suggested by published studies of some marine sedimentary cores and magnetic anomalies. This new event is herein named the “Cobb Mountain normal polarity event.”
CT chest under general anesthesia: pulmonary, anesthetic and radiologic dilemmas

IntroductionToday’s practice of medicine involves ever more complexpatients whose care is coordinated with multidisciplinaryteams. Caring for these patients can challenge all membersofthehealthcareteam.Sedation/anesthesiaininfants/toddlersas well as uncooperative or intellectually or emotionally im-paired children who require imaging studies of the chest areongoingchallenges.High-qualitycomputedtomography(CT)chest imaging studies inchildrenundergeneral anesthesia areextremely important for accurate interpretation and subse-quent medical decision-making. Anesthesia-induced atelecta-sismayobscureormimictruepathologycreatingasignificantquality issue. Obtaining a high-quality, motion-free chest im-aging study in infants and children under general anesthesiaremainsadifficulttaskinmanyinstitutions.Meticulousatten-tion to anesthesia and imaging techniques and specializedknowledge are required to properly perform and interpretchest imaging studies.In this commentary, we discuss the continuous struggleto obtain high-quality CT chest imaging under general anes-thesia. We will also discuss the major concerns of theanesthesiologist, radiologist and pulmonologist and why co-operation and coordination among these providers are criticalfor an optimal quality study.Pulmonary concernsSimply put, CT imaging of the chest is needed when moreroutine imaging modalities, such as the standard chest radio-graph, are insufficient for either the diagnosis or managementof children with respiratory disease. Given the inherent risks,thedecisiontopursuechestCTsinchildrenisrarelyunder-taken lightly, especially when sedation/anesthesia will be re-quired for an optimal study. Therefore, when inadequate im-ages are obtained to answer the clinical question, parents andclinicians are equally frustrated.Chest CT is superior to conventional chest radiographsbecause of its ability to provide three-dimensional anatomicalorientation, which allows for no overlap of anatomy andexcellent resolution of differences in tissue densities. Forinfants,itisfrequentlyindicatedintheevaluationofsuspectedinterstitial lung diseases or congenital anomalies [1]. In somecases of interstitial lung diseases, typical presentations ofneuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy for example, aproperlyperformedchestCTisdiagnostic[2],thusalleviatingthe need for more invasive procedures like surgical lungbiopsy. Even when surgical lung biopsy is necessary, pre-biopsy chest CT highlights areas of greatest pathologicalinvolvement increasing the likelihood of diagnosis.In cases of suspected mediastinal or congenital anomalies,the three-dimensional images provided by chest CTallow forboth diagnosis and presurgical planning, if necessary. Vascu-lar anomalies such as vascular rings or vascular slings can besuggested by other imaging modalities such as contrastesophagram, but a chest CT is usually performed to confirmthe diagnosis and delineate the precise anatomy or associated
The Fountain of Youth

Abstract DHEA and Sex Steroids. Intracrinology in Target Tissues Edited by F. Labrie, A. Belanger, J. Simard, V. Luu-The and C. Labrie. Bristol, UK, Society for Endocrinology, 1996, $69.95/£30.00 (265 pages), ISBN 1-898099-3 .
Cutting into collaboration: understanding coordination in distributed and interdisciplinary medical research

Coordinating goals, schedules, and tasks among collaborators is difficult, and made even more so when there are disciplinary, geographic and institutional boundaries that must be spanned. Designing CSCW tools to support coordination in these settings, however, requires an improved under-standing of the constraints and conflicts that impede effective collaboration. We present findings from a study of distributed collaborations between academic surgeons and biomedical engineering researchers. These two groups differ significantly in their work priorities and institutional contexts, but are nonetheless able to work together and co-ordinate effectively. They accomplish this via human mediation, frequent ad hoc communication, and optimizing the use of their limited face-to-face interaction opportunities.
Intracranial delivery of the nitric oxide donor diethylenetriamine/nitric oxide from a controlled-release polymer: toxicity in cynomolgus monkeys.

OBJECTIVE Diethylenetriamine/nitric oxide (DETA/NO) has been shown to be an effective treatment for delayed posthemorrhagic vasospasm when released abluminally from ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAc). However, the observed mortality associated with this drug warrants further investigation. To establish a maximum tolerable dose, this study evaluated the toxicity of DETA/NO released from EVAc in a dose-escalation series in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). METHODS DETA/NO was incorporated into EVAc at a 20:80 dry weight ratio (DETA/NO:EVAc). A total of 13 animals underwent a right frontotemporal craniotomy for placement of a single polymer delivering no drug (n = 3), 0.5 +/- 0.1 mg/kg (n = 3), 0.9 +/- 0.1 mg/kg (n = 3), 1.9 +/- 0.2 mg/kg (n = 3), or a 3.2 mg/kg dose (n = 1) into the subarachnoid space. RESULTS The animal receiving the highest dose of DETA/NO (3.2 mg/kg) died 46 hours after surgery. The remaining animals survived for the planned duration of the study. One animal in the group receiving the 1.9 mg/kg dose experienced a seizure 25 hours after surgery and remained lethargic for 2 days before making a complete recovery. The remaining animals exhibited no adverse behavioral effects. Histopathological examination of brain tissue revealed hemorrhagic and ischemic changes at doses above 0.9 mg/kg. No evidence of vascular wall pathology or infection was observed in any animal. CONCLUSION The greatest amount of DETA/NO safely delivered from EVAc copolymer to the subarachnoid space of the cynomolgus monkey is approximately 1.0 mg/kg. These findings show that continuous intracisternal delivery of DETA/NO is a safe and potentially effective strategy for prophylactic treatment of delayed cerebral vasospasm.
Current Sharing in Multiphase Converters Using Temperature Equalization

Multi-phase converters offer excellent performance advantages in transient response and efficiency. A case in point is the core converter for personal computers. These advantages can only be fully achieved if we guarantee load current sharing between all the phases of the design. This paper offers a novel approach in achieving this goal while at the same time guaranteeing another very important parameter - namely, equalization of case temperature of the switching MOSFETs. The approach taken here is to measure the temperature of the switching devices in each phase and regulate the switching current per phase so as to maintain the same temperature in all phases. Since both the conduction and dynamic losses are directly proportional to the switching current, changing the phase current amplitude higher or lower will increase or decrease the phase temperature allowing the control loop to equalize the phase temperature and current among all phases
The Effect of pH and Metal Loading on the Properties of Sol–Gel Rh/SiO2

Abstract Rh/SiO2, to be used as a potential catalytic material, was prepared using sol–gel processing. Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was used as the support precursor and Rh(acac)3 was used as the metal precursor. Nitrogen full-sorption was used to determine surface area, average pore size, and total pore volume of the support, while hydrogen chemisorption and electron microscopy were used to determine metal particle size. Samples prepared at a pH of about 3 had a high metal dispersion and well-defined pore size distribution. Designed metal loading was varied from 0.5 to 1.5 wt%. Dried gels were probed using 29Si Solid state MAS NMR, and the relative amount of partially and fully condensed (Q2, Q3, Q4) silicon centers was quantified. As the metal loading was increased, the gels became more fully condensed. Silica prepared at a pH of about 8 showed a significant increase in the degree of condensation regardless of the rhodium content.
Using Parental Perceptions of Childhood Allergic Rhinitis to Inform Primary Care Management

Objective. To describe parents’ experience with their child’s allergic rhinitis (AR) to inform management by the primary care provider (PCP). Study Design. Two hundred parents with a child 7 to 15 years old with AR symptoms within the past 12 months completed a paper survey. Results. The child’s AR was identified as a significant problem in spring (89.3%), fall (63.4%), summer (50.3%), and winter (21.4%); 51.3% had persistent disease. AR symptoms most commonly interfered with the child’s outdoor activities and sleeping, and frequently bothered the parent and other family members. Most parents (88.3%) wanted to know what their child was allergic to and had many concerns about treatment options. A total of 62.9% had sought AR care from the PCP in the past 12 months. Conclusions. Many families experience significant morbidity from their child’s AR and turn to their PCP for help. We identified opportunities for the PCP to reduce AR morbidity.
Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies: A Case Study of an Older Adult

Falls are the leading cause of injuries and deaths in adults over the age of 65. The purpose of this case study is to explore the use of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) to improve the mechanisms of balance, postural sway, fear of falling (FOF), and participation in older adults (OA). The participant (a 76-year-old woman), completed 10 Adaptive riding (AR) sessions over a six-week period, led by a Level II therapist (COTA/L and PATH certified riding instructor). Changes in function were assessed using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), Activity Card Sort (ACS), and Video Motion Capture (VMC) system. Results indicated improved static standing balance, postural stability, and greater dy- namic head and trunk control. Additionally, the participant expressed decreased FOF, decreased back pain, the ability to recover self after a fall, and an increase in activity participation as indicated in the ACS.
Prevalence of Antibody to Bordetella pertussis Antigens in Serum Specimens Obtained from 1793 Adolescents and Adults

Serum specimens were obtained from all subjects in the adolescent and adult acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine efficacy trial before and after immunization to study the prevalence of IgG and IgA antibody and geometric mean titers to 4 Bordetella pertussis antigens. Of 1793 adolescents and adult subjects who received aP vaccine, only 20%, 68%, 59%, and 39% had concentrations of IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin, filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin, and fimbriae types 2 and 3, respectively, that were greater than or equal to the limit of quantitation of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay used in the analysis. There was minimal variation in antibody prevalence with respect to geographic area, age, sex, or race.
How do i measure physical activity in my patients? Questionnaires and objective methods

How do healthcare providers know if their patients are getting enough physical activity to promote good health and to reduce their risks of chronic diseases and injury? The first step is to identify the patient's current level of physical activity using questionnaires and/or motion sensors. Questionnaires assess activity levels by having patients answer a set of questions about the types and amounts of activity performed at some time in the past. Motion sensors assess physical activity by patients wearing a small monitoring device that records their body movement as it occurs. If a provider is interested in determining a patient's caloric energy expenditure, he/she can apply statistical regression models to the questionnaire and motion sensor data to estimate kilocalories. If more precise measures of energy expenditure are desired, a provider can use the isotopic doubly labelled water method to estimate kilocalories; however, this method is costly and is impractical in non-research clinical settings.
Tumor-induced structural and radiometric asymmetry in brain images

This paper presents a general framework for analyzing structural and radiometric asymmetry in brain images. In a healthy brain, the left and right hemispheres are largely symmetric across the mid-sagittal plane. Brain tumors may belong to one or both of the following categories: mass-effect, in which the diseased tissue displaces healthy tissue; and infiltrating, in which healthy tissue has become diseased. Mass-effect brain tumors cause structural asymmetry by displacing healthy tissue, and may cause radiometric asymmetry in adjacent normal structures due to edema. Infiltrating tumors have a different radiometric response from healthy tissue. Thus, structural and radiometric asymmetries across the mid-sagittal plane in brain images provide important cues that tumors may be present. We have developed a framework that registers images with their reflections across the mid-sagittal plane. The registration process accounts for tissue displacement through large deformation image warping. Radiometric differences are taken into account through an additive intensity field. We present an efficient multi-scale algorithm for the joint estimation of structural and radiometric asymmetry.
Hard to swallow: women, poison, and Hindu widowburning, 1500–1700

European accounts of the Hindu practice of sati, or widowburning, in India appear at least as early as Diodorus in 317 BC, and become, after the Portuguese landfall in India at the end of the fifteenth century, customary in European travelogues. My article centres on the ‘mimetic circulation’ of an infamous anecdote in several early modern European narratives of sati. This story defines widowburning as a social response to the ‘custom’ of Indian women poisoning their husbands. The travellers' persistent reliance on the poison tale mediates in the contact between Europeans and Indians, for the story functions as a powerful rhetorical device in European accounts of India. The question then becomes ‘What are the cultural ramifications of the insistent recurrence of the poison legend in the context of Indian widowburning in so many diverse European travelogues?’ And, if European representational practices are always self-reflexive and ‘can never be detached from European projection’, what does the use of this anecdote tell us about the early modern Europeans themselves? Finally, in the context of the travellers' origins, what role does the nexus between women and poisoning uncovered both in the legend and in early modern Europe play in the larger discursive apparatuses of future colonial enterprise?
Mechanical properties of polymer‐ceramic nanocomposite coatings by depth‐sensing indentation

The mechanical properties of antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticle/poly (vinyl acetate-co-acrylic) (PVAc-co-acrylic) coatings with various ATO contents were investigated using depth-sensing indentation. These coatings were prepared from aqueous dispersions of ATO and PVAc-co-acrylic latex. Three types of methods, including a prolonged load holding time, analysis of the pull-off portion of the unloading curve, and dynamic indentation, were used to characterize the mechanical properties of these composite coatings. As compared to dynamic indentation, quasistatic conventional indentation even with a prolonged load holding time and analysis of the pull-off portion of unloading curves generate more scattered coating modulus data. This is due to the effect of creep deformation and inconsistency of the pull-off portion dimension, respectively. The results obtained using dynamic indentation are more reliable because the technique minimizes the effect of creep deformation using a combination load including static and dynamic components. The dynamic indentation results indicate that the addition of the ATO nanoparticles made the composite coatings stiffer and more elastic solid–like. For example, the storage indentation modulus of the PVAc-co-acrylic coating is ∼1 GPa and tan δ is ∼1.6; the addition of 0.50 volume fraction of ATO increased the modulus to ∼5 GPa and reduced the tan δ to ∼0.01. POLYM. ENG. Sci. 45:207–216, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Ionic conductance changes in voltage clamped crayfish axons at low pH.

Giant axons from the crayfish have been voltage clamped with an axial wire system. General characterististics of observed ionic currents under normal conditions are similar to those measured in other giant axons and in nodes of Ranvier. As the pH of the external bath is lowered below 7, a marked, reversible slowing of potassium currents is seen with little effect on sodium currents. The steady-state potassium conductance-voltage curve is shifted along the voltage axis in a manner consistent with the development of a hyperpolarizing surface charge. Results suggest that this potential shift accounts for part, though not all, of the observed increase in τn. From the behavior of the kinetics of the delayed current with external pH these alterations in potassium conductance are attributed to the titration of a histidine imidazole residue of a membrane protein. Chemical modification of histidine by carbethoxylation at pH 6 slows and strongly depresses potassium currents. The results suggest that in addition to the introduction of electrostatic forces, possibly resulting from a hyperpolarizing surface charge, protonation of a histidine group at low pH also alters the nonelectrostatic chemical interactions determining the ease with which potassium gates open and close. The evidence indicates that the modified histidine residue is closely associated with the membrane components involved in the control of potassium conductance.
Fatal necrotizing angiitis associated with hypersensitivity to pencillin O and iodides.

Abstract A case of fatal necrotizing angiitis is thought to have resulted from the administration of penicillin O to a patient known to be sensitive to penicillin G. The patient also had an iodide allergy and hence it cannot be stated definitely that this did not have a place in the production of the necrotizing angiitis. Several of us who saw the patient thought that the penicillin O was probably more important than the iodides in the final outcome of the case. Postmortem findings were typical of allergic angiitis described by Zeek, while some features were characteristic of the allergic granulomatous type described by Churg and Strauss. Skin reactions to penicillin G and O and procaine were all negative. The patient died despite cortisone therapy; the dosage level may have been inadequate. This case, as well as others which have been described in the literature, especially those of Gruber and Rich, shows that drug allergy is important in the pathogenesis of some of the so-called cases of periarteritis nodosa.
Adenosine A1 and Prostaglandin E Receptor 3 Receptors Mediate Global Airway Contraction after Local Epithelial Injury

Epithelial injury and airway hyperresponsiveness are prominent features of asthma. We have previously demonstrated that laser ablation of single epithelial cells immediately induces global airway constriction through Ca(2+)-dependent smooth muscle shortening. The response is mediated by soluble mediators released from wounded single epithelial cells; however, the soluble mediators and signaling mechanisms have not been identified. In this study, we investigated the nature of the epithelial-derived soluble mediators and the associated signaling pathways that lead to the L-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel (VGCC)-mediated Ca(2+) influx. We found that inhibition of adenosine A1 receptors (or removal of adenosine with adenosine deaminase), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 or prostaglandin E receptor 3 (EP3) receptors, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), or platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) all significantly blocked Ca(2+) oscillations in smooth muscle cells and airway contraction induced by local epithelial injury. Using selective agonists to activate the receptors in the presence and absence of selective receptor antagonists, we found that adenosine activated the signaling pathway A1R→EGFR/PDGFR→COX-2→EP3→VGCCs→calcium-induced calcium release, leading to intracellular Ca(2+) oscillations in airway smooth muscle cells and airway constriction.
Carbon sequestration potential of forest land: Management for products and bioenergy versus preservation

A 40 year projection of potential carbon sequestration is based on USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data from the state of Georgia. The objective is to compare carbon sequestration under a sustainable management strategy versus a preservation strategy. FIA plots are projected ahead in time with hotdeck matching. This matches each subject plot with another plot from the database that represents the subject plot at a future time. The matched plot sequences are used to provide input data to a harvest scheduling program to generate a management strategy for the state. The sequestration from the management strategy is compared with a preservation strategy that involves no harvesting. Harvested wood is assumed to go into products with various half life decay rates. Carbon sequestration is increased as increasing proportions go into wood for energy, which is treated like a product with an infinite half life. Therefore, the harvested carbon does not return immediately to the atmosphere. Public land and land close to cities is assumed to be unavailable, and all other private land is assumed to be accessible. The results are presented as gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent to make them directly comparable to US annual carbon emissions. The conclusion is that forest management will sequester more above-ground carbon than preservation over a 40 year period if the wood is used for products with an average half life greater than 5 years.
Behavioral and Cognitive Predictors of Educational Outcomes in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

Research reveals mixed results regarding the utility of standardized cognitive and academic tests to predict educational outcomes in youth following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Yet, deficits in everyday school-based outcomes are prevalent after pediatric TBI. The current study used path modeling to test the hypothesis that parent ratings of adolescents’ daily behaviors associated with executive functioning (EF) would predict long-term functional educational outcomes following pediatric TBI, even when injury severity and patient demographics were included in the model. Furthermore, we contrasted the predictive strength of the EF behavioral ratings with that of a common measure of verbal memory. A total of 132 adolescents who were hospitalized for moderate to severe TBI were recruited to participate in a randomized clinical intervention trial. EF ratings and verbal memory were measured within 6 months of the injury; functional educational outcomes were measured 12 months later. EF ratings and verbal memory added to injury severity in predicting educational competence post injury but did not predict post-injury initiation of special education. The results demonstrated that measurement of EF behaviors is an important research and clinical tool for prediction of functional outcomes in pediatric TBI.
Pointwise Green's Function Approach to Stability for Scalar Conservation Laws

We study the pointwise behavior of perturbations from a viscous shock solution to a scalar conservation law, obtaining an estimate independent of shock strength. We find that for a perturbation with initial data decaying algebraically or slower, the perturbation decays in time at the rate of decay of the integrated initial data in any L p norm, p 1. Stability in any L p norm is a direct consequence. The approach taken is that of obtaining pointwise estimates on the perturbation through a Duhamel’s principle argument that employs recently developed pointwise estimates on the Green’s function for the linearized equation. c 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A preliminary study of the effects of breast-feeding on maternal health.

This study is a preliminary investigation of the effects on breast-feeding and cessation of breast-feeding on maternal health. A self-report questionnaire assessed overall health, mood, stress, and psychological and upper respiratory infection symptoms in 14 current, 36 never, and 49 past breast-feeders. Results indicated that breast-feeding did not incur greater health costs to the mother compared with bottle-feeding and that cessation of breast-feeding was associated with worse mood, more stress, and a greater number of psychological symptoms compared with current breast-feeding. Physiological mechanisms, as opposed to personality factors, are discussed as a basis for these findings.
Lie-group interpolation and variational recovery for internal variables

We propose a variational procedure for the recovery of internal variables, in effect extending them from integration points to the entire domain. The objective is to perform the recovery with minimum error and at the same time guarantee that the internal variables remain in their admissible spaces. The minimization of the error is achieved by a three-field finite element formulation. The fields in the formulation are the deformation mapping, the target or mapped internal variables and a Lagrange multiplier that enforces the equality between the source and target internal variables. This formulation leads to an $$L_2$$ L 2 projection that minimizes the distance between the source and target internal variables as measured in the $$L_2$$ L 2 norm of the internal variable space. To ensure that the target internal variables remain in their original space, their interpolation is performed by recourse to Lie groups, which allows for direct polynomial interpolation of the corresponding Lie algebras by means of the logarithmic map. Once the Lie algebras are interpolated, the mapped variables are recovered by the exponential map, thus guaranteeing that they remain in the appropriate space.
Pathogenesis of Diabetic Glomerulopathy: The Role of Glomerular Hemodynamic Factors

Glomerular hyperfiltration in insulin-dependent (Type 1) diabetes mellitus of short duration has been recognized for many years [1–3], with increments in renal plasma flow (RPF) and nephromegaly [3]. With the finding of early hyperfiltration, Stalder and Schmid proposed that these early functional changes may predispose the subsequent development of diabetic glomerulopathy [1]. Early support for the hypothesis that renal hyperperfusion and hyperfiltration contribute to diabetic glomerulopathy emanated from the finding of diabetic glomerulopathy only in the non-stenosed kidney in the setting of unilateral renal artery stenosis [4].
Vertical Transmission of a Pentatomid Caeca-Associated Symbiont

We present molecular data for an endosymbiont of the insect family Pentatomidae, located in the gastric caeca ofNezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) stink bugs. Restriction fragment length polymorphism and polymerase chain reaction analysis suggest that this bacterium is consistently present in caeca of N. viridula from a variety of geographic locations. The bacterium is present in different midgut sections in nymphs versus adults. The bacterium also was detected on eggshells after nymphs had hatched but not in ovarioles, suggesting oral rather than transovarial transmission. Surface sterilization of egg masses generated aposymbiotic insects. Aposymbiotic indi- viduals reached the adult stage, females laid viable eggs, and the offspring remained aposymbiotic in the following generation. No clear Þtness decrease was observed in aposymbiotic individuals over two generations. Phylogenetic analysis of a partial 16S rRNA data set with 21 Gammaproteobacteria suggested the inadequacy of neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony models to account for ho- moplasy apparent in a molecular data set, including a range of insect endosymbionts. Maximum likelihood-based analysis suggests that the N. viridula endosymbiont is closely related to a caeca- associated symbiont found in another stink bug family (Plataspidae). The high AT content of the symbiontOs 16S rRNA in relation to other insect endosymbionts, its location in the midgut of the host insect, oral transmission, and survival of aposymbiotic individuals suggest this symbiosis may be recently established.
Effects of DNA Double-Strand and Single-Strand Breaks on Intrachromosomal Recombination Events in Cell-Cycle-Arrested Yeast Cells

Intrachromosomal recombination between repeated elements can result in deletion (DEL recombination) events. We investigated the inducibility of such intrachromosomal recombination events at different stages of the cell cycle and the nature of the primary DNA lesions capable of initiating these events. Two genetic systems were constructed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that select for DEL recombination events between duplicated alleles of CDC28 and TUB2. We determined effects of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and single-strand breaks (SSBs) between the duplicated alleles on DEL recombination when induced in dividing cells or cells arrested in G1 or G2. Site-specific DSBs and SSBs were produced by overexpression of the I-Sce I endonuclease and the gene II protein (gIIp), respectively. I-Sce I-induced DSBs caused an increase in DEL recombination frequencies in both dividing and cell-cycle-arrested cells, indicating that G1- and G2-arrested cells are capable of completing DSB repair. In contrast, gIIp-induced SSBs caused an increase in DEL recombination frequency only in dividing cells. To further examine these phenomena we used both gamma-irradiation, inducing DSBs as its most relevant lesion, and UV, inducing other forms of DNA damage. UV irradiation did not increase DEL recombination frequencies in G1 or G2, whereas gamma-rays increased DEL recombination frequencies in both phases. Both forms of radiation, however, induced DEL recombination in dividing cells. The results suggest that DSBs but not SSBs induce DEL recombination, probably via the single-strand annealing pathway. Further, DSBs in dividing cells may result from the replication of a UV or SSB-damaged template. Alternatively, UV induced events may occur by replication slippage after DNA polymerase pausing in front of the damage.
Intensification of Magnesium Deficiency by Calcemic and Phosphate Therapy

The possibility that magnesium deficiency might be contributory to, or might accompany, the abnormalities that cause ostopenia, hypocalcemia, hypercalcemia, and renal and cardiovascular disease is rarely considered in initiating therapy. Refractoriness to direct attempts to correct hypocalcemia and hypokalemia are now increasingly leading to investigation of serum magnesium levels, and less frequently to other (better) means of ascertaining the body’s magnesium status. Emphasis is placed, in this chapter, on the problems that can result from treatment of either hypo- or hypercalcemia by agents that cause magnesium loss, when the primary disorder is one resulting in magnesium deficiency. Accepting the difficulties in evaluating the magnesium status, it is proposed that serum magnesium levels and 24-hour urinary magnesium outputs be made part of the routine initial diagnostic program. Since higher serum levels of magnesium are tolerable without serious hazard, except perhaps when there is hypercalcemia, it is suggested that magnesium therapy be tried before calcium loading of patients who have disorders that might make them susceptible to magnesium deficiency.
The Effect of Growth Atmosphere Contamination on the Optical Quality of Fluoride Laser Crystals

Oxygen and moisture present in the growth atmosphere, may react with fluoride melts, compromising the optical quality of the grown crystals. Low level oxygen contamination can appear as an oxyfluoride coating over YLF boules without affecting their quality or as haze or milkiness in BaY 2 F 8 and in LISAF and its analogs. Vacuum furnaces used to lower the level of these contaminants introduce hydrocarbon residues that might reduce the valence state of dopant ions such as Cr and Yb in some fluoride systems. Cr-doped LICAF and LISAF have similar behavior in contaminated atmospheres, whereas Cr-doped LISGAF displays very different behavior.
Bonhoeffer, Christ and Culture

A product of the 21st Annual Wheaton Theology Conference (April 2012), Bonhoeffer, Christ and Culture offers an introspective look into the life and theology of the title's namesake. Noting the pop...
Assessing the Impact of Mineral Dust and Adsorption Activation on Cloud Droplet Formation

Most aerosol-cloud-climate assessment studies assume that aerosol with a substantial fraction of soluble material are the sole source of Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN). However, insoluble species can also act as good CCN, even if they lack appreciable amounts of soluble material. The source of hygroscopicity in these particles is the adsorption of water vapor onto the surface of the particle. Moreover, during atmospheric transport, fresh dust undergoes aging which results in a coating of soluble material on its surface that augments its CCN activity. Given that dust may affect precipitation in climate-sensitive areas, the ability to capture the complex impact of mineral dust on cloud droplet formation is an important issue for global and regional models. The “unified dust activation framework” of Kumar et al. (2011) can be used to calculate the CCN activity of both fresh and aged dust. In this study, simulations of droplet number are carried out with the GMI chemical transport model. GMI simulates global atmospheric composition which is used to drive the droplet number calculations of Kumar et al. (2011) parameterization. This new framework is a comprehensive treatment of the inherent hydrophilicity from adsorption and acquired hygroscopicity from soluble salts in dust particles and is used to assess the impact of dust and adsorption activation on the predicted global droplet number concentration.
Abstract 5541: Molecular diagnostic tests to augment cytomorphologic diagnosis of lung cancer

Morphologic analysis of cytology samples obtained by transthoracic needle aspiration (TTNA) is one of the primary methods for diagnosing bronchogenic carcinoma. However, across multiple studies the false negative rate for cytomorphological analysis ranges from 0.2-0.3, and among those diagnosed with lung cancer, the false positive rate for diagnosing the sub-class of small cell carcinoma averages 0.09. These false results lead to additional invasive diagnostic studies and delay treatment. In an effort to augment accuracy and utility of cytopathologic evaluation of TTNA lung samples, we measured the previously reported c-myc x E2F-1/p21WAF1/CIP1 (p21 hereafter) gene expression index in cDNA samples from 78 non-malignant lung tissues and 57 lung cancer tissues. Using the optimal cut-off value, this test correctly classified 72/78 non-malignant and 50/57 malignant samples for a correct classification rate of 90% (95% CI 83.6% - 94.3%), sensitivity of 88%, and specificity of 92%. A CDKN2C/FOSL1 test for distinguishing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from small cell lung cancer (SCLC) had a PPV of 100% with 63% sensitivity. In order to optimize the robustness and utility of these tests, we developed qPCR methods that enable simultaneous measurement of each target gene and reference gene transcript relative to a known number of internal standard competitive template (CT) molecules using two-color flurometric analysis on real-time platform. For each gene, the native template was quantified with a sequence-specific FAM-labeled probe and the CT was quantified with a sequence-specific Quasar670 labeled probe. Results for each gene thus far demonstrate excellent linearity (R2 > 0.99, slope 1.0 +/- 0.05), relative accuracy (variance Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5541. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5541