cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyclin T1 but not cyclin T2a is induced by a post-transcriptional mechanism in PAMP-activated monocyte-derived macrophages

Positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) is an RNA polymerase II elongation factor which exists as multiple complexes in human cells. These complexes contain cyclin-dependent kinase 9 as the catalytic subunit and different cyclin subunits-cyclin T1, T2a, T2b, or K. Cyclin T1 is targeted by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Tat protein to activate transcription of the HIV provirus. Expression of this P-TEFb subunit is highly regulated in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). Cyclin T1 is induced early during differentiation and is shut off later by proteasome-mediated proteolysis. Cyclin T1 can be reinduced by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or HIV infection. In this study, we analyzed regulation of P-TEFb in MDMs by examining 7SK small nuclear RNA and the HEXIM1 protein; these factors associate with P-TEFb and are thought to regulate its function. 7SK and HEXIM1 were induced early during differentiation, and this correlates with increased overall transcription. 7SK expression remained high, but HEXIM1 was shut off later during differentiation by proteasome-mediated proteolysis. Significantly, the cyclin T2a subunit of P-TEFb was not shut off during differentiation, and it was not induced by activation. Induction of cyclin T1 by PAMPs was found to be a slow process and did not involve an increase in cyclin T1 mRNA levels. Treatment of MDMs with PAMPs or a proteasome inhibitor induced cyclin T1 to a level equivalent to treatment with both agents together, suggesting that PAMPs and proteasome inhibitors act at a similar rate-limiting step. It is therefore likely that cyclin T1 induction by PAMPs is the result of a reduction in proteasome-mediated proteolysis.
High Energy Neutrinos in Super-Kamiokande

The new analysis of Super-Kamiokande atmospheric neutrino data, based on a subsample of higher precision data is reported. The plot of the muon neutrino survival probability as a function of the ratio of the distance over neutrino energy displays a dip just where the first oscillation maximum is expected from the standard analysis. As a result the parameters of the transitions ν μ ↔ ν τ are better constrained: 1.9 × 10 −3 Δ m 2 3.0 × 10 −3 eV 2 and sin 2 2 θ > 0.90 at 90% C.L. A signal of WIMP annihilations in the Sun, the core of the Earth or the Galactic Center has been searched in a sample of upward through-going muons, produced by neutrino interactions outside of detector. No statistically significant signal has been observed. Upper limits of the muon fluxes are compared with results from other neutrino detectors. Also upper limits on cross section for the WIMP nucleon interaction are derived and compared with corresponding results from direct searches of dark matter particles.
Relationship and Leadership: Sophonisba Breckinridge and Women in Social Work:

This article explores the career of Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge (1866–1948), a pioneering social work educator and a key figure in the professionalization of social work, to suggest how contemp...
Enduring Pictures in Our Heads: The Continuance of Authoritarianism and Racial Stereotyping

This study highlights the importance of examining the influence of personality measures, specifically authoritarianism, on negative racial stereotyping, even in an era of alleged color blindness. T...
Object Naming, Vocabulary Growth, and the Development of Word Retrieval Abilities☆

Previous research suggests that during a time of rapid growth in productive vocabulary, children are especially susceptible to errors of retrieval. These errors consist of words known to the child and often involve the incorrect selection of a previously said word. Two experiments investigated changes in lexical access and naming in the context of learning new words. Experiment 1 examined the rise and fall of children's naming errors for practiced and unpracticed words during the initial period of accelerated vocabulary growth. Findings indicated that as individual words were practiced in production, those words became stronger and more resistant to interference from lexical competitors. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that retrieval errors occur as a result of a general fragility of all words in the child's nascent lexicon. Experiment 2 investigated the related hypothesis that children's increased vulnerability to error is specific to the period of initial word learning. The results showed that older, more experienced word learners exhibited proportionately fewer errors when acquiring a set of novel words than novice word learners. However, the source of the error was similar, suggesting that common processing mechanisms may underlie the acquisition of a productive lexicon.
The measurement of stakeholder salience: a strategy for the exploration of stakeholder theories

Stakeholder theories, from the strategic management or ethics perspective, seem to be on hold due to the lack of a measure of stakeholder orientation to enable theory testing and/or comparative analysis. Managers and whole organisations must balance competing stakeholders, some of whom induce higher priority (salience) in the consideration of their wants, needs, claims, and demands. This paper introduces procedures that measure stakeholder salience, assign stakeholders to typology categories, and map stakeholder salience as suggested by Mitchell et al. (1997) in order for researchers and managers to identify important stakeholders and investigate why they matter. This effort extends their proposition that salience can be determined solely by three attributes of Power, Legitimacy, and Urgency with new measures that may be subject to more 'fine-grained' empirical analysis. These measures are introduced and demonstrated through the results of a pilot study.
Transport as a dynamical property of a simple map

Abstract We study a simple chaotic system given by a map which displays diffusion. The decaying eigenstates of the Frobenius-Perron operator of the map are constructed. These eigenstates are associated with the Ruelle resonances. The eigenstate associated with diffusion is considered in particular. The result implies a deep connection between the thermodynamical properties of a system and its underlying exact dynamics.
Comparison of structurally analogous Zn2, Co2, and Mg2 catalysts for the polymerization of cyclic esters

Three dimetallic monoethoxide complexes supported by a binucleating phenoxide ligand, LM2Cl2OEt (M = Zn, Co, or Mg), were prepared and shown by X-ray crystallography to be structurally analogous. Comparative studies of their cyclic ester polymerization reactivity revealed different trends for reactions with e-caprolactone and lactide, however, implicating complicated effects of metal ion variation in these polymerizations.
Problems with the appeal to intuition in epistemology

George Bealer argues that intuitions are not only reliable indicators of truth, they are necessary to the philosophical endeavor. Specifically, he thinks that intuitions are essential sources of evidence for epistemic justification. I argue that Bealer's defense of intuitions either (1) is insufficient to show that actual human beings are in a position to use intuitions for epistemic justification, or (2) begs the question. The growing empirical data about our intuitions support the view that humans are not creatures appropriately positioned to use intuitions for epistemic justification in the way Bealer suggests. Without the appropriate empirical evidence that humans are beings so positioned, his view begs the question against those who think that intuitions are not reliable guides to truth.
Active and passive properties of rabbit descending colon: A microelectrode and nystatin study

The electrical properties of the basolateral membrane of rabbit descending colon were studied with microelectrode methods in conjunction with the polyene antibiotic nystatin. Two problems were examined: (i) the relative distribution of tight junctional, apical membrane and basolateral membrane resistances, and (ii) the ionic basis of the basolateral membrane potential. Intracellular K+ activity (K+) was measured using liquid ion exchanger microelectrodes ((K+)=76±2mm) and was found not to be in equilibrium with the basolateral membrane potential. In order to measure membrane resistances and to estimate the selective permeability of the basolateral membrane, the apical membrane was treated with nystatin and bathed with a K2SO4 Ringer's solution which was designed to mimic intracellular K+ composition. This procedure virtually eliminated the resistance and electromotive force of the apical membrane. Shunt resistance was calculated by two independent methods based on microelectrode and transepithelial measurements. Both methods produced similar results (R s =691±63 Ω cm2 and 770±247 Ω cm2, respectively). These findings indicate that the shunt has no significant selectivity, contrary to previous reports. Native apical membrane resistance was estimated as 705±123 V cm2 and basolateral membrane resistance was 95±14 V cm2.
Cardiorespiratory response to exercise in Ebstein's anomaly

Abstract Fourteen patients with unrepaired Ebstein's anomaly underwent maximal exercise testing between October 1982 and April 1984. Compared with control subjects, these patients had significantly lower values for total work performed, exercise time, maximal oxygen uptake, blood oxygen saturation at rest and during exercise, and heart rate and systolic blood pressure during maximal exercise. They had a significant increase in heart rate at rest. The ventilatory equivalent for oxygen was increased signficantly both at rest and during exercise. Thus, patients with Ebstein's anomaly have decreased exercise tolerance owing to both cardiac and respiratory limitations.
Exciton dephasing in self-assembled CdSe quantum dots

We report experimental studies of exciton dephasing in self-assembled $\mathrm{CdSe}$ quantum dots using techniques based on spectral hole burning. The hole-burning response reveals directly in the spectral domain the zero-phonon-line (ZPL) as well as contributions from acoustic and LO-phonon assisted transitions. The observed strong coupling to acoustic phonons is in good agreement with theoretical expectation. The measured decoherence rate associated with the ZPL is as small as $3.5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{eV}$, comparable to that in self-assembled $\mathrm{InGaAs}$ quantum dots.
Roles of estrogen and progesterone in normal mammary gland development insights from progesterone receptor null mutant mice and in situ localization of receptor.

Abstract In contrast to most other organs, the development of normal mammary glands occurs mostly in the postnatal state and in a discontinuous fashion. In all species, the glands are composed of various cell types, and it is the epithelium, embedded in the fatty stroma (commonly known as the "fat pad"), that is targeted for proliferation and differentiation. Hormones, in particular the female sex steroids estrogen and progesterone, are absolutely essential for the proliferation of mammary epithelial cell. However, despite intensive efforts by many laboratories spanning nearly 4 decades, at present, the precise role of these steroids and their relative importance in mammary development remains unclear. This article reviews the general features and the effects of estrogen and progesterone on normal mammary gland development, followed by a discussion of our recent studies, which emphasize the primary importance of progesterone and progesterone receptor for the normal mammary epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. © 1997, Elsevier Science Inc. (Trends Endocrinol Metab 1997;8:34–39).
Transcription Factors MYOCD, SRF, Mesp1 and SMARCD3 Enhance the Cardio-Inducing Effect of GATA4, TBX5, and MEF2C during Direct Cellular Reprogramming

Transient overexpression of defined combinations of master regulator genes can effectively induce cellular reprogramming: the acquisition of an alternative predicted phenotype from a differentiated cell lineage. This can be of particular importance in cardiac regenerative medicine wherein the heart lacks the capacity to heal itself, but simultaneously contains a large pool of fibroblasts. In this study we determined the cardio-inducing capacity of ten transcription factors to actuate cellular reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells. Overexpression of transcription factors MYOCD and SRF alone or in conjunction with Mesp1 and SMARCD3 enhanced the basal but necessary cardio-inducing effect of the previously reported GATA4, TBX5, and MEF2C. In particular, combinations of five or seven transcription factors enhanced the activation of cardiac reporter vectors, and induced an upregulation of cardiac-specific genes. Global gene expression analysis also demonstrated a significantly greater cardio-inducing effect when the transcription factors MYOCD and SRF were used. Detection of cross-striated cells was highly dependent on the cell culture conditions and was enhanced by the addition of valproic acid and JAK inhibitor. Although we detected Ca2+ transient oscillations in the reprogrammed cells, we did not detect significant changes in resting membrane potential or spontaneously contracting cells. This study further elucidates the cardio-inducing effect of the transcriptional networks involved in cardiac cellular reprogramming, contributing to the ongoing rational design of a robust protocol required for cardiac regenerative therapies.
Retrospective Evaluation Reveals That Long-term Androgen Deprivation Therapy Improves Cause-Specific and Overall Survival in the Setting of Dose-Escalated Radiation for High-Risk Prostate Cancer

Purpose To evaluate the role of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and duration for high-risk prostate cancer patients treated with dose-escalated radiation therapy (RT). Methods and Materials A retrospective analysis of high-risk prostate cancer patients treated with dose-escalated RT (minimum 75 Gy) with or without ADT was performed. The relationship between ADT use and duration with biochemical failure (BF), metastatic failure (MF), prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), non-prostate cancer death (NPCD), and overall survival (OS) was assessed as a function of pretreatment characteristics, comorbid medical illness, and treatment using Fine and Gray's cumulative incidence methodology. Results The median follow-up time was 64 months. In men with National Comprehensive Cancer Network defined high-risk prostate cancer treated with dose-escalated RT, on univariate analysis, both metastasis ( P P =.015; hazard ratio 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.2-1.0; cumulative incidence at 60 months 6% vs 11%) were improved with the use of ADT. On multivariate analysis for all high-risk patients, Gleason score was the strongest negative prognostic factor, and long-term ADT (LTAD) improved MF ( P =.002), PCSM ( P =.034), and OS ( P =.001). In men with prostate cancer and Gleason scores 8 to 10, on multivariate analysis after adjustment for other risk features, there was a duration-dependent improvement in BF, metastasis, PCSM, and OS, all favoring LTAD in comparison with STAD or RT alone. Conclusion For men with high-risk prostate cancer treated with dose-escalated EBRT, this retrospective study suggests that the combination of LTAD and RT provided a significant improvement in clinical outcome, which was especially true for those with Gleason scores of 8 to 10.
Age affects ERK1/2 and NRF2 signaling in the regulation of GCLC expression.

We previously reported that activator protein-1 (AP-1) DNA binding activity was increased in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from old rats when exposed to high glucose or tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) (Li et al., 2003. J Cell Physiol 197:418–425). We have now examined the relationship between the age-dependent activation of the ERK1/2–AP-1 pathway and modulation of constitutive gene expression of the catalytic subunit of glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCLC) in response to high glucose and TNF-α. GCLC mRNA levels were higher in VSMC from old rats compared to young, a pattern consistent with its protein levels. To determine whether age-related activation of ERK1/2-AP-1 signaling is responsible for the up-regulation of GCLC, the MEK inhibitors, PD98059 and U0126, were used to block ERK1/2 in VSMC from old rats. An increase in GCLC with inhibitors was observed, diminishing the likelihood of ERK1/2-AP-1 activation as the up-regulating signal for GCLC. However, the transcription factor Nrf2 was higher in nuclei and accompanied by increased Nrf2-ARE binding in VSMC from old rats. Furthermore, MEK inhibitors increased nuclear Nrf2 and Nrf2/ARE binding. These data suggest opposing effects of Nrf2 and ERK1/2 signaling in the modulation of GCLC expression in old animals. J. Cell. Physiol. 206: 518–525, 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Modernity and the process of state formation: An examination of 20th century Africa

Our understanding of the intricacies of international relations is enhanced by different forms of contextual knowledge, both spatial and temporal. In this article, we explore the complexities of th...
Bounds of integral transport operators

Abstract A proof that the integral transport operator is always bounded in some Hilbert space is given. The boundedness is valid regardless to the type of the moderator. When fission is present as well as scattering, the integral transport operator is still bounded, when some physical assumptions are included. Furthermore, a low estimate to the norm of the integral operators is obtained.
Conformal Equivalence for Finitely Connected Regions

In this chapter a number of results on conformal equivalence for simply connected regions are presented. The first section discusses elementary information and examples. The next three sections present the basics of the theory of prime ends for the study of the boundary behavior of Riemann maps. This will be used in §5 to show that the Riemann map from the unit disk onto the inside of a Jordan curve can be extended to a homeomorphism on the closure of the disk. The chapter then closes with a discussion of the family of all functions that are one-to-one on a simply connected region.
New England tidal inlets with special reference to riverine-associated inlet systems

Abstract Tidal inlets along the glaciated coast of New England exhibit a diverse morphology due to widely different physical and geological settings and sediment abundance. Except for the glacial sediment coasts of Cape Cod, Nantucket Island, and Martha's Vineyard, most regions of New England are rocky, and barrier and tidal inlet development is related to isolated glacial and riverine sediment supplies. Inlet-connected bays and marshes encompass many different origins, including drowned river valleys, glacial lake discharge channels, indented bedrock and glacial sediment coasts, kettles, and groundwater sapping channels. Generally, inlet size is correlated to tidal range; the largest inlets (width >300 m) occur along mesotidal coasts, whereas most inlets along microtidal coasts are small (width In spite of their diversity, New England tidal inlets can be grouped into three broad categories based on their morphology, hydrographic regime, and sediment transport characteristics. These classes include the wave-dominated and mixed-energy tidal inlets, and riverine-associated tidal inlets. Wave-dominated inlets tend to occur in microtidal settings and are found primarily in southern New England. They contain flood-tidal deltas of variable morphology and poorly developed or absent ebb-tidal deltas. They have histories of migration, closure, and reopening during storms. Mixed-energy tidal inlets occur mostly along the mesotidal shorelines of central and northern New England. These inlets exhibit well-developed ebb- and flood-tidal deltas. They are backed by extensive marshes and tidal creeks and, in some cases, by a broad system of tidal flats. Riverine-associated tidal inlets coincide with major rivers that have significant freshwater discharge, especially during late winter and early spring. The throat cross-sections are large in comparison to other inlets in New England and are a function of their tidal prism. They contain well-developed subtidal ebb-tidal deltas and variable developed flood-tidal deltas. Ebb-oriented bedforms, grain size, and mineralogical analyses of channel sediments, and hydraulic data have been used to demonstrate that the estuaries are exporting sand to the nearshore, a process that has likely been ongoing since deglaciation. The mechanism for downstream movement of sand in the estuaries is moderate to large spring freshets and major floods when freshwater discharge supplants the saltwater tidal prism. During these periods, there are unidirectional seaward currents in the estuaries that may last for several days or weeks.
Safety climate differences among job positions in a nuclear decommissioning and demolition industry: Employees’ self-reported safety attitudes and perceptions

This study examined group differences in safety climate among job positions in a nuclear decommissioning and demolition industry in the United States. Safety climate surveys were conducted at 10 locations. Survey responses totaled 1587 out of an available population of 3296 workers for an overall response rate of 48.1%. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in mean safety climate scores, factor scores, and item scores among job positions were observed. Most notably, foremen's self-reported safety attitudes and perceptions indicate a lower safety climate and suggest the need to target safety improvements at this key organizational level.
This Is Not Your Mother's Repressor: the Complex Role of Fur in Pathogenesis

In the struggle between host and pathogen, competition for resources is often a key point in determining who will be the ultimate winner. The goal of the pathogen is to secure the necessary resources, often nutrients, from the host, while the goal of the host is to sequester the utilizable resources
Mitochondrial Autophagy : An Essential Quality Control Mechanism for Myocardial Homeostasis

Efficient and functional mitochondrial networks are essential for myocardial contraction and cardiomyocyte survival. Mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) refers to selective sequestration of mitochondria by autophagosomes, which subsequently deliver them to lysosomes for destruction. This process is essential for myocardial homeostasis and adaptation to stress. Elimination of damaged mitochondria protects against cell death, as well as stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitophagy is a tightly controlled and highly selective process. It is modulated by mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins, BCL-2 family proteins, and the PINK1/Parkin pathway. Recent studies have provided evidence that miRNAs can regulate mitophagy by controlling the expression of essential proteins involved in the process. Disruption of autophagy leads to rapid accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria, and diseases associated with impaired autophagy produce severe cardiomyopathies. Thus, autophagy and mitophagy pathways hold promise as new therapeutic targets for clinical cardiac care.
The Impact of Ezetimibe on Endothelial Function and Other Markers of Cardiovascular Risk

Objective:To review the published literature characterizing the impact of ezetimibe-containing lipid-lowering regimens on endothelial function and other markers of cardiovascular risk and discuss the potential relevance of these effects to the clinical benefit of ezetimibe.Data Sources:A MEDLINE search (2000–August 2009) was completed using the key words ezetimibe, statins, endothelial function, flow-mediated dilation, pleiotropic, and inflammation to identify relevant literature. Bibliographies of identified literature were reviewed for additional references.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All clinical studies published in English that evaluated the effect of ezetimibe on ancillary endpoints of cardiovascular disease risk, including endothelial function, inflammation, thrombosis, and oxidative stress, were evaluated.Data Synthesis:Recent studies in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and hypercholesterolemia have demonstrated that treatment with ezetimibe for 4–12 weeks elicit...
A power-optimized widely-tunable 5-GHz monolithic VCO in a digital SOI CMOS technology. On high resistivity substrate

This paper describes the design and technology optimization of power-efficient monolithic VCOs with wide tuning range. Four 5-GHz LC-tank VCOs were fabricated in a 0.12-/spl mu/m SOI CMOS technology that was not enhanced for RF applications. High and regular resistivity substrates were used, as were single-layer and multiple-layer copper inductors. Using a new figure-of-merit (FOM/sub T/) that encompasses power dissipation, phase noise and tuning range, our best VCO has an FOM/sub T/ of -189 dBc/Hz. The measured frequency tuning range is 22 % and the phase noise is 126 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset for 4.5-GHz. Oscillation was achieved at 5.4-GHz at a minimum power consumption of 500 /spl mu/W.
A novel neuronal messenger molecule in brain: the free radical, nitric oxide.

Understanding of the organization and function of a newly identified neuronal messenger molecule, nitric oxide, has progressed rapidly. Nitric oxide synthase has been purified and molecularly cloned from brain. Its localization is exclusively neuronal and endothelial. The catalytic activity of nitric oxide synthase accounts for the NADPH diaphorase staining of neurons that are uniquely resistant ot toxic insults and neurodegenerative disorders. Nitric oxide has diverse functions. In platelets it inhibits their aggregation, in macrophages it mediates cytotoxicity, and in blood vessels it acts as a vasodilator. In the nervous system nitric oxide may be the retrograde transmitter in long-term potentiation. It is the “neurotransmitter” of cerebral vasodilator nerves and the inhibitory “neurotransmitter” of the motor neurons of the intestines. Nitric oxide in situations of excessive production may function as neurotoxin, suggesting a role for nitric oxide in neurodegenerative disorders.
Amphetamine-Induced time-dependent sensitization of dopamine neurotransmission in the dorsal and ventral striatum: A microdialysis study in behaving rats

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of amphetamine exposure on subsequent amphetamine-induced changes in behavior and dopamine (DA) release in the dorsal and ventral striatum, as a function of time following the discontinuation of repeated amphetamine treatment. Rats were pretreated with either saline or an escalating-dose amphetamine regimen, and then received a 0.5 mg/kg amphetamine “challenge” after either 3, 7, or 28 days of withdrawal. Animals tested after 28 days of withdrawal were hypersensitive (sensitized) to the locomotor-activating effects of amphetamine, and relative to control animals showed a significant enhancement in amphetamine-stimulated DA release in both the dorsal and ventral striatum, as revealed by in vivo microdialysis. Animals tested after only 3 or 7 days of withdrawal showed neither behavioral sensitization nor enhanced amphetamine-stimulated DA release. These results establish that time-dependent changes in behavioral sensitization to amphetamine are associated with time-dependent changes in amphetamine-stimulated DA release, and support the hypothesis that persistent sensitization-related changes in striatal DA neurotransmission contribute to the expression of behavioral sensitization.
Electrophysiological effects of sulfinpyrazone on canine cardiac Purkinje fibers.

Sulfinpyrazone, administered prophylactically following myocardial infarction, has been reported to reduce the incidence of sudden death. Because direct antiarrhythmic action may, in part, account for this finding, electrophysiological effects of sulfinpyrazone were studied in isolated superfused canine cardiac Purkinje fibers. Using conventional microelectrode recording techniques and programmed electrical stimulation, transmembrane action potential (AP) characteristics and effective refractory period (ERP) were determined in seven experiments under control conditions and during sequential 30-min periods of tissue exposure to 10−6, 10−5, and 10−4 M sulfinpyrazone (pacing cycle lengths 1000 and 500 ms). In six out of seven experiments, recordings were repeated during a 30- to 45-min drug-free recovery period. In four additional experiments, spontaneously depolarizing Purkinje fibers with low resting membrane potentials (−55 to −65 mV) were superfused with 10−4 M sulfinpyrazone for 45 min following a drug-...
Ethylammonium formate as an organic solvent replacement for ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

Ethylammonium formate (EAF), an inexpensive and easily synthesized room-temperature ionic liquid, acts like a conventional organic solvent for reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC). In this report, the use of standard ion-pair reagents with this ionic liquid LC mobile phase and a polystyrene-divinylbenzene PRP-1 column is explored. Starting with the column equilibrated with a methanol mobile phase, the required equilibration time of the column by the EAF ion-pair mobile phase is determined by the plate number profile. Chromatograms of six aromatic carboxylic acids, with either methanol or EAF as the mobile phase, at room temperature (in the absence of an ion-pairing agent) lack resolution with significant peak overlap of nitro-substituted benzoic acids. The addition of 30mM tetrabutylammonium ion to the EAF or methanol mobile phase provides baseline resolution for all peaks in approximately 10 min. Analogous studies using a mixture of four aromatic amines, including protonated tyramine, diphenhydramine, and neutral nitroanilines in the absence or presence of 30mM sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) in the mobile phase are similar to those for the aromatic acids, indicating baseline resolution with only the ion-pair reagent. Raising the column temperature to 55°C improves the plate count by a factor of approximately 1.2 when using the EAF mobile phase. The retention factor profiles for either the carboxylic acids or the amines, as a function of the organic modifier percentage or ion-pair reagent concentration, are similar for both EAF and methanol. The polymerized acyl monoglycinate surfactant, poly(sodium
Efficacy of Colchicine in Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Poorly Responsive to Ursodiol and Methotrexate

Abstract Objective Approximately 20–30% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) respond fully to treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). The rest have progressive disease and eventually develop cirrhosis and liver failure. More effective treatment is needed. Methotrexate improved biochemical tests of liver function and liver histology in patients with PBC who had failed to respond to UDCA in one report and induced sustained biochemical and histological remission in another. The role of colchicine in PBC is unclear. We describe three patients with symptomatic PBC who responded very well to the addition of colchicine after they had failed to respond to UDCA alone and in combination with methotrexate. We suggest that colchicine should be tried in PBC patients who clearly fail to respond to UDCA. Methods Three patients with symptomatic biopsy-proven, antimitochondrial antibody-positive PBC failed to respond to UDCA and then to the addition of methotrexate. Colchicine was eventually added to the regimen. Symptoms, biochemical tests of liver function, and percutaneous liver biopsies were done at baseline, after treatment with UDCA, UDCA plus methotrexate, and UDCA plus methotrexate plus colchicine. Results All three patients responded after colchicine was added to UDCA and methotrexate. Symptoms, biochemical tests of liver function, and liver histology improved in all, and blood tests normalized in two. Conclusions Colchicine may be effective treatment in some symptomatic patients with PBC who respond incompletely to UDCA alone or in combination with methotrexate. Colchicine may be tried in such patients.
ORTH: R and SAS software for regression models of correlated binary data based on orthogonalized residuals and alternating logistic regressions

This article describes a new software for modeling correlated binary data based on orthogonalized residuals, a recently developed estimating equations approach that includes, as a special case, alternating logistic regressions. The software is flexible with respect to fitting in that the user can choose estimating equations for association models based on alternating logistic regressions or orthogonalized residuals, the latter choice providing a non-diagonal working covariance matrix for second moment parameters providing potentially greater efficiency. Regression diagnostics based on this method are also implemented in the software. The mathematical background is briefly reviewed and the software is applied to medical data sets.
The Slide towards Decentralization: Clock and Computer

The parallels between the diffusion of mechanical clocks and computers are quite striking. The mechanical clock migrated from Western monasteries to clock towers to our wrists and in the process contributed towards a profound transformation of our society. Today, omnipresent clocks, mechanical and electronic, allow for coordination and control essential for the functioning of a modern society. Similarly, the computer migrated from corporate basements to desk tops to hand-held devices and in the process made possible new means of coordination and control which have reconfigured social activity. In both cases, we see: (1) a ‘monumental’ (stand-alone) technology, (2) a reduction in size and a multiplication and diffusion into society (smaller stand-alone pieces), and (3) interconnection to form a web of coordination and control. On one level, this article traces the stages of technological development as outlined above. On another level, it examines socio-cultural changes that accompanied this pattern of tec...
Violence against psychiatric nurses. An untreated epidemic

1. Psychiatric nurses frequently are targets of assault by their clients. 2. Psychiatric nurses often experience emotional and physical injuries after being assaulted by their clients. 3. An interaction of individual, social-psychological, interpersonal, situational, and sociocultural factors lead to increased rates of workplace assaults by clients. 4. Nursing staff need to take an active role in preventing violent episodes from occurring.
Measure Word Generation for English-Chinese SMT Systems

Measure words in Chinese are used to indicate the count of nouns. Conventional statistical machine translation (SMT) systems do not perform well on measure word generation due to data sparseness and the potential long distance dependency between measure words and their corresponding head words. In this paper, we propose a statistical model to generate appropriate measure words of nouns for an English-to-Chinese SMT system. We model the probability of measure word generation by utilizing lexical and syntactic knowledge from both source and target sentences. Our model works as a post-processing procedure over output of statistical machine translation systems, and can work with any SMT system. Experimental results show our method can achieve high precision and recall in measure word generation.
Analysis of Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) aerosol optical depths over greater India during winter 2001-2004

[1] We present the first detailed spatial analysis of a four-year, wintertime visible aerosol optical depth (AOD) climatology from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) over greater India. Meteorological fields from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis, topographic data, and information related to aerosol source regions are used to explain the spatial patterns in MISR AODs. High AODs are found over much of greater India. The highest AODs are over the northern Indian state of Bihar, where we show that meteorology, topography, and aerosol sources all favor development of a concentrated pool of airborne particles. MISR AODs are validated against five ground-based sites in India and Nepal, revealing similar error characteristics found in other validation studies for the MISR aerosol product.
Total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: feasibility and outcome in an early experience.

Hypothesis Total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy is a safe and effective therapeutic approach. Design Single-institutional retrospective review. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients All consecutive patients undergoing total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy from July 2007 through July 2009 at a single center (n = 62). Main Outcome Measures Blood loss, operative time, postoperative morbidity, length of hospital stay, and 30-day or in-hospital mortality. Results Of 65 patients undergoing laparoscopic resection, 62 patients with a mean age of 66 years (SD, 12 years) underwent total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy. The pancreaticojejunostomy consisted of a duct-to-mucosa anastomosis with interrupted suture. Median operative time was 368 minutes (range, 258-608 minutes) and median blood loss was 240 mL (range, 30-1200 mL). Diagnosis was pancreatic adenocarcinoma (n = 31), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (n = 12), periampullary adenocarcinoma (n = 8), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 4), chronic pancreatitis (n = 3), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 1), metastatic renal cell carcinoma (n = 1), cystadenoma (n = 1), and duodenal adenoma (n = 1). Median tumor size was 3 cm (range, 0.9-10.0 cm) and the median number of lymph nodes harvested was 15 (range, 6-31). Perioperative morbidity occurred in 26 patients and included pancreatic fistula (n = 11), delayed gastric emptying (n = 9), bleeding (n = 5), and deep vein thrombosis (n = 2). There was 1 postoperative mortality. Median length of hospital stay was 7 days (range, 4-69 days). Conclusions Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy is feasible, safe, and effective. Outcomes appear comparable with those via the open approach; however, controlled trials are needed. Despite this series representing experience within the learning curve, laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy holds promise for providing advantages seen with minimally invasive approaches in other procedures.
Richness and diversity of bacterioplankton species along an estuarine gradient in Moreton Bay, Australia.

Bacterioplankton community diversity was investigated in the subtropical Brisbane River-Moreton Bay estuary, Australia (27°25′S, 153°5′E). Bacterial communities were studied using automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), which amplifies 16S-23S ribosomal DNA internally transcribed spacer regions from mixed-community DNA and detects the separated products on a fragment analyzer. Samples were collected from eight sites throughout the estuary and east to the East Australian Current (Coral Sea). Bacterioplankton communities had the highest operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness, as measured by ARISA at eastern bay stations (S [total richness] = 84 to 85 OTU) and the lowest richness in the Coral Sea (S = 39 to 59 OTU). Richness correlated positively with bacterial abundance; however, there were no strong correlations between diversity and salinity, NO3− and PO43− concentrations, or chlorophyll a concentration. Bacterioplankton communities at the riverine stations were different from communities in the bay or Coral Sea. The main differences in OTU richness between stations were in taxa that each represented 0.1% (the detection limit) to 0.5% of the total amplified DNA, i.e., the “tail” of the distribution. We found that some bacterioplankton taxa are specific to distinct environments while others have a ubiquitous distribution from river to sea. Bacterioplankton richness and diversity patterns in the estuary are potentially a consequence of greater niche availability, mixing of local and adjacent environment communities, or intermediate disturbance. Furthermore, these results contrast with previous reports of spatially homogeneous bacterioplankton communities in other coastal waters.
Critical speed in the rat: implications for hindlimb muscle blood flow distribution and fibre recruitment

Critical speed (CS) constitutes an important metabolic and performance demarcator. However, active skeletal muscle blood flow distribution specifically surrounding CS remains unknown. We tested the hypotheses that CS could be accurately determined in the running rat and that measurement of hindlimb inter- and intramuscular blood flow below and above CS would support that the greatest muscle fibre recruitment above, relative to below, CS occurs in the predominantly glycolytic muscles. Seven male Sprague–Dawley rats performed five constant-speed tests to exhaustion at speeds between 95 and 115% of the speed that elicited to determine CS. Subsequent constant-speed tests were performed at speeds incrementally surrounding CS to determine time to exhaustion, , and hindlimb muscle blood flow distribution. Speed and time to exhaustion conformed to a hyperbolic relationship (r2= 0.92 ± 0.03) which corresponded to a linear 1/time function (r2= 0.93 ± 0.02) with a CS of 48.6 ± 1.0 m min−1. Time to exhaustion below CS was ∼5× greater (P 0.05 vs. above CS). The 11 individual muscles or muscle parts that evidenced the greatest blood flow increases above, relative to below, CS were composed of ≥69% Type IIb/d/x muscle fibres. Moreover, there was a significant correlation (P < 0.05, r= 0.42) between the increased blood flow above expressed relative to below CS and the percentage Type IIb/d/x fibres found in the individual muscles or muscle parts. These data validate the powerful CS construct in the rat and identify that running above CS, relative to below CS, incurs disproportionate blood flow increases (indicative of recruitment) in predominantly highly glycolytic muscle fibres.
Relative Stabilities of Metal Derivatives of oo‘-Dihydroxyazo Dyes

The relative stabilities of metal derivatives of 00′-dihydroxyazo dyes (terdentate groups) have been measured potentiometrically in dioxan-water (75: 25 by volume). The order of stability of the metal derivatives agrees with that already reported in the literature for monodentate and bidentate groups. The coordinating power of the diarylazo compounds for a given metal is proportional to the acid dissociation constants of the chelating agents. The one 0-hydroxy-0′-carboxyazo dye which has been studied forms less stable metal derivatives than the 00′-dihydroxyazo dyes and differs from them in coordinating with beryllium.
Photophoretic force on aerosol particles in the free-molecule regime

Numerical results have been obtained for the photophoretic force on spherical particles in the free-molecule regime using the Lorenz–Mie solution for the electromagnetic field inside the particle to obtain the heat-source function. The size parameter ranges up to α = 2πa/λ = 7 for various values of the complex refractive index. The force is initially positive, then becomes negative, and again becomes positive with increasing size parameter. The effect of the complex refractive index is discussed. For the parameters explored here, the photophoretic force may become as large as 4% of the gravitational force.
David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel

While attending medical school at McGill, David Hubel developed an interest in the nervous system during the summers he spent at the Montreal Neurological Institute. After heading to the United States in 1954 for a Neurology year at Johns Hopkins, he was drafted by the army and was assigned to the Neuropsychiatry Division at the Walter Reed Hospital, where he began his career in research and did his first recordings from the visual cortex of sleeping and awake cats. In 1958, he moved to the lab of Stephen Kuffler at Johns Hopkins, where he began a long and fruitful collaboration with Torsten Wiesel. Born in Sweden, Torsten Wiesel began his scientific career at the Karolinska Institute, where he received his medical degree in 1954. After spending a year in Carl Gustaf Bernhard's laboratory doing basic neurophysiological research, he moved to the United States to be a postdoctoral fellow with Stephen Kuffler. It was at Johns Hopkins where he met David Hubel in 1958, and they began working together on exploring the receptive field properties of neurons in the visual cortex. Their collaboration continued until the late seventies. Hubel and Wiesel's work provided fundamental insight into information processing in the visual system and laid the foundation for the field of visual neuroscience. They have had many achievements, including—but not limited to—the discovery of orientation selectivity in visual cortex neurons and the characterization of the columnar organization of visual cortex through their discovery of orientation columns and ocular-dominance columns. Their work earned them the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1981, which they shared with Roger Sperry.
Determining the impacts of experimental forest plantation on groundwater recharge in the Nebraska Sand Hills (USA) using chloride and sulfate

Although impacts of land-use changes on groundwater recharge have been widely demonstrated across diverse environmental settings, most previous research has focused on the role of agriculture. This study investigates recharge impacts of tree plantations in a century-old experimental forest surrounded by mixed-grass prairie in the Northern High Plains (Nebraska National Forest), USA. Recharge was estimated using solute mass balance methods from unsaturated zone cores beneath 10 experimental plots with different vegetation and planting densities. Pine and cedar plantation plots had uniformly lower moisture contents and higher solute concentrations than grasslands. Cumulative solute concentrations were greatest beneath the plots with the highest planting densities (chloride concentrations 225–240 % and sulfate concentrations 175–230 % of the grassland plot). Estimated recharge rates beneath the dense plantations (4–10 mm yr−1) represent reductions of 86–94 % relative to the surrounding native grassland. Relationships between sulfate, chloride, and moisture content in the area’s relatively homogenous sandy soils confirm that the unsaturated zone solute signals reflect partitioning between drainage and evapotranspiration in this setting. This study is among the first to explore afforestation impacts on recharge beneath sandy soils and sulfate as a tracer of deep drainage.
The Invisible Patient

The Author reviews Sally Satel's 2000 book "How Political Correctness is Corrupting Medicine." Despite the fact that African-Americans suffer from a variety of health problems at disproportionately higher rates than whites, inequities in the medical system make access to care more difficult for minorities. The problem of racial disparities in health care encompasses more than problems of access or payment, however. Communication difficulties between physician and patient and disparate provision of services covered by insurance also may contribute substantially to health disparities between the races. This review canvasses some of the evidence of differential medical treatment and offers some suggestions that may improve the quality of communication between physicians and patients. In addition to considering the usefulness of the cultural competence movement in the health profession and its connection to the requirement of informed consent, this review calls for an increased commitment to diversity in medical education, and it considers how an often-ignored component of the informed consent doctrine may serve to redress cases of individual discrimination in health care.
An Elicitation Procedure Using Piecewise Conjugate Priors

Although computationally convenient, conjugate priors can represent only a rather limited set of prior beliefs. By considering piecewise conjugate priors one can represent a much larger class of prior beliefs and retain much of the computational simplicity of conjugate priors. Methods of elicitation are discussed which allow one to choose a specific piecewise conjugate prior to approximate a given set of prior beliefs. The class of prior beliefs that can be approximated this way is quite large. This should allow for increased flexibility in the application of the Bayesian paradigm.