cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Platelet response to shear stress: Changes in serotonin uptake, serotonin release, and ADP induced aggregation

Abstract A rotational viscometer was used to study the effects of shear stress and solid surface interaction on human platelets in platelet-rich plasma. For 5 min. exposure times to the shear field, the post-shear 14 C-serotonin uptake rate was reduced by 40% at a stress level of 100 dynes/cm 2 . Serotonin release under shear and changes in post-shear aggregation response to ADP were also found for stress levels above 100 dynes/cm 2 . For 30 sec exposure times the results were similar to those at 5 min., but considerably higher stresses were required to induce changes in the parameters measured. In all cases marked changes in serotonin uptake and release, and in aggregation response were found at stress levels well below those which cause significant platelet lysis. Experiments were carried out with three different viscometer configurations so that the shear stress level and solid surface access were varied independently. Surface access was not found to be a significant variable under the conditions of the experiments.
Psychopathology in alcohol- and cocaine-dependent patients: a comparison of findings from psychological testing

Abstract Literature on cacaine-dependent patients studied through psychological testing remains limited, while there is much on assessment of alcoholics. This study replicated previous evaluation of cocaine-dependent patients, now compared with a group of alcoholics. Seventy-eight male and 21 female cocaine dependents and 70 male and 24 female alcoholics, hospitalized in a dual diagnosis program, were administered the MMPI, Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II), Rorschach, Beck Depression Inventory, and Shipley Institute of Living Scale, after a 2-week stabilization period. Test data were statistically analyzed and compared along with demographic information. Cocaine-addicted subjects were younger, more often single and Afro-American, of lower socioeconomic status, less educated, and had slightly lower intellectual functioning and lesser family occurrence of addiction than alcoholics. Patients dependent on cocaine showed statistically more distress and psychopathology. Both groups demonstrated a high occurrence of personality disorders, but with different patterns of diagnoses. Implications for further research and treatment are discussed.
Metrology results and lessons learned from the Univ. of Arizona NGST mirror system demonstrator

The University of Arizona has built a 2-m lightweight active mirror prototype for the next generation of space telescopes. This paper briefly reviews the mirror's opto-mechanical design, and it describes the three different metrology systems that were used to measure it during the actuation process. We also present a list of lessons learned while working on this project. We conclude by discussing one of the successful projects that has come out of this technology.
A process for practicing design innovation

Purpose – Companies are increasingly adopting design processes as a key driver for their innovation practice. Design processes help companies develop innovations that produce high user value as well as economic value and business value. The purpose of this paper is to describe how design processes can be effectively used in innovation projects through a good understanding design principles, tools, and frameworks.Design/methodology/approach – The frameworks in this paper are based on our direct experience with several innovation projects within leading companies. The processes adopted by many other companies and innovation projects, both academic and professional from around the world, were also studied as drawn from various sources. The goal was to uncover insights about the types of processes adopted by successful innovators.Findings – These analyses reveal that there is a new focus on “design innovation” that produces offerings with a better fit with users and results in higher rates of adoption. It is ...
Creating equitable water institutions on disputed land: a Honduran case study

This article explores the decade-long process by which village-level water committees established a reserve in 2002 to protect communal mountain springs in the Montana Camapara region of Honduras. In so doing, it considers the conditions under which shared dependence on water resources may motivate cooperation and foster equitable access to water in the face of difficult challenges posed by conflicts over land and water rights claims and degradation of the resource.
Thermal aging and reduced hydrophobic recovery of polydimethylsiloxane

Rapid prototyping of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is frequently used to build microfluidic devices. PDMS is inherently hydrophobic; however, the surface can be temporarily rendered hydrophilic by exposing the surface to an oxygen plasma. Hydrophilic microchannels are sometimes advantageous over hydrophobic microchannels due to increased cell adhesion to hydrophilic surfaces or less air bubble trapping during filling with aqueous solution. However, the hydrophilic surface is unstable and low molecular weight (LMW) chains diffuse from the bulk of the PDMS and cover up the thermodynamically unstable surface. However, eliminating LMW species through thermal aging allows the hydrophilic surface to be more permanent.
Total body bone mineral content and density during weight loss and maintenance on a low- or recommended-dairy weight-maintenance diet in obese men and women

Diets high in either dairy or calcium during moderate weight reduction both prevent loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and suppress bone turnover. The purpose of this study was to determine whether recommended dairy and calcium intakes during weight maintenance favorably affect total body BMD (TBBMD) and bone mineral content (TBBMC) in obese adults. Obese men (n=49) and women (n=64), aged 40.8±0.6 years, underwent 12 weeks of moderate energy restriction (∼1200 kcal/day) followed by 24 weeks on either a low or recommended dairy weight maintenance diet. The TBBMC and TBBMD values were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline, 12, 24 and 36 weeks. Concentrations of calcium, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), 25OH and 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D in plasma were also measured. Data were analyzed using a two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance. After weight loss, women exhibited a small, but statistically significant, increase in TBBMC (1.17±0.57%), whereas TBBMD increased in the men (1.34±0.28%). The iPTH concentration decreased significantly in all subjects. Despite significantly greater intakes of calcium, vitamin D and protein compared with the recommended dairy diet, there were no treatment-related differences in outcome variables after 24 weeks of weight maintenance. The TBBMC remained unchanged in women during weight stabilization; both TBBMC and TBBMD decreased in men (−1.59±0.51% and −0.70±0.25%, respectively). In summary, results of this study do not provide convincing evidence that moderate weight loss through energy restriction and mild exercise reduces TBBMC in obese men and women. Similarly, a weight-maintenance diet providing the recommended daily servings of dairy does not seem to affect changes in BMC after weight loss.
Location of treatment of supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children

A change in the locations where children are treated for supracondylar fractures of the humerus has occurred during the past 13 years. Pediatric orthopaedic surgeons at specialist centers are seeing an increased number of such fractures. In New England, the number of supracondylar fractures of the humerus treated by closed reduction and percutaneous pinning has remained relatively constant between 1991 and 1999 with a range of 276 to 346 fractures per year, averaging 320 per year. In 1991, 63% of patients were treated by general orthopaedic surgeons in a nonspecialist setting. By 1999, 68% of the fractures were treated at centers with pediatric orthopaedic specialists available whereas only 32% were treated in a general orthopaedic setting. Associated with this change is a decreased length of stay from 2.2 (+/- 0.6) days in nonspecialist centers to 1.4 (+/- 0.4) days average in specialist centers.
Metamaterials and the Landau–Lifshitz permeability argument: Large permittivity begets high-frequency magnetism

Abstract Homogeneous composites, or metamaterials, made of dielectric or metallic particles are known to show magnetic properties that contradict arguments by Landau and Lifshitz [Landau LD, Lifshitz EM (1960) Electrodynamics of Continuous Media (Pergamon, Oxford, UK), p 251], indicating that the magnetization and, thus, the permeability, loses its meaning at relatively low frequencies. Here, we show that these arguments do not apply to composites made of substances with Im e S eS ≫ λ/l or Re e S eS ∼ λ/l (eS and l are the complex permittivity and the characteristic length of the particles, and λ ≫ l is the vacuum wavelength). Our general analysis is supported by studies of split rings, one of the most common constituents of electromagnetic metamaterials, and spherical inclusions. An analytical solution is given to the problem of scattering by a small and thin split ring of arbitrary permittivity. Results reveal a close relationship between eS and the dynamic magnetic properties of metamaterials. For | e S eS | ≪ λ/a (a is the ring cross-sectional radius), the composites exhibit very weak magnetic activity, consistent with the Landau–Lifshitz argument and similar to that of molecular crystals. In contrast, large values of the permittivity lead to strong diamagnetic or paramagnetic behavior characterized by susceptibilities whose magnitude is significantly larger than that of natural substances. We compiled from the literature a list of materials that show high permittivity at wavelengths in the range 0.3–3000 μm. Calculations for a system of spherical inclusions made of these materials, using the magnetic counterpart to Lorentz–Lorenz formula, uncover large magnetic effects the strength of which diminishes with decreasing wavelength.
SCHEDULING AND FACILITY DESIGN FOR TRANSIT RAILCAR MAINTENANCE

This paper develops models to evaluate the operational efficiency of alternative designs for railcar maintenance facilities. The focus is on utilization of maintenance positions in shops where multiple cars are assigned to the same track, creating the possibility of blocking. The paper develops and evaluates two rules for assigning jobs to shop stalls, one based on utilizing stalls in tandem with inserted idle time and the other not using inserted idle time. The performance is evaluated as a function of the number of stalls per track and whether the track is one-ended or two-ended.
Solute kinetics with short‐daily home hemodialysis using slow dialysate flow rate

"NxStage System One()" is increasingly used for daily home hemodialysis. The ultrapure dialysate volumes are typically between 15 L and 30 L per dialysis, substantially smaller than the volumes used in conventional dialysis. In this study, the impact of the use of low dialysate volumes on the removal rates of solutes of different molecular weights and volumes of distribution was evaluated. Serum measurements before and after dialysis and total dialysate collection were performed over 30 times in 5 functionally anephric patients undergoing short-daily home hemodialysis (6 d/wk) over the course of 8 to 16 months. Measured solutes included beta(2) microglobulin (beta(2)M), phosphorus, urea nitrogen, and potassium. The average spent dialysate volume (dialysate plus ultrafiltrate) was 25.4+/-4.7 L and the dialysis duration was 175+/-15 min. beta(2) microglobulin clearance of the polyethersulfone dialyzer averaged 53+/-14 mL/min. Total beta(2)M recovered in the dialysate was 106+/-42 mg per treatment (n=38). Predialysis serum beta(2)M levels remained stable over the observation period. Phosphorus removal averaged 694+/-343 mg per treatment with a mean predialysis serum phosphorus of 5.2+/-1.8 mg/dL (n=34). Standard Kt/V averaged 2.5+/-0.3 per week and correlated with the dialysate-based weekly Kt/V. Weekly beta(2)M, phosphorus, and urea nitrogen removal in patients dialyzing 6 d/wk with these relatively low dialysate volumes compared favorably with values published for thrice weekly conventional and with short-daily hemodialysis performed with machines using much higher dialysate flow rates. Results of the present study were achieved, however, with an average of 17.5 hours of dialysis per week.
Exogenous 25-hydroxycholecalciferol does not attenuate salt-induced hypertension

We have reported that an inverse relationship exists between blood pressure and plasma concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the precursor of the hormonal form of vitamin D, for Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed a high salt diet. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations decreased with time on the diet, as blood pressure increased. Experiments were conducted to determine whether the blood pressure increase of salt-sensitive rats fed a high salt diet could be attenuated by exogenous 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed a high salt diet and administered exogenous 25-hydroxycholecalciferol via subcutaneously implanted Alzet pumps. Exogenous 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (various doses from 28 to 80 microg/kg body weight-day) had no significant effect on the blood pressure of vitamin D-replete rats fed a high salt diet for 15 days. When exogenous 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (28 and 60 microg/day-kg body weight) was administered to vitamin D-depleted salt-sensitive rats, plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of the rats fed a low salt diet (26 +/- 2 and 59 +/- 6 nM) were proportional to the 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentration in the pumps. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of the rats fed a high salt diet (18 +/- 1 and 23 +/- 3 nM) were not proportional to the 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentration in the pumps, but were inversely proportional to the blood pressure of the rats. These data indicate no ameliorating effect of exogenous 25-hydroxycholecalciferol on salt-induced hypertension, but accelerated metabolism and/or clearance of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in salt-induced hypertension.
The uptake of heavy metals from sewage sludge applied to land by corn and soybeans

Abstract Sludge was applied to a Matapeake silt loam soil at loading rates of 0, 22, 45 and 90 mt/ha where corn and soybeans were planted. Corn seedling, ear leaf, grain and stover, and soybean seedling and grain samples were analyzed for their Al, B, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Na, Sr and Zn. Corn grain and stover and soybean grain samples were analyzed for As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb. Normal concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, and Hg were found in the corn grain and stover and soybean grain. The Pb concentration in the corn stover increased with increased sludge application rates. The Al, Ba and Fe concentrations decreased in the corn seedling samples at the 45 and 90 mt/ha loading rates but all trace element concentrations in the corn ear leaf tissue were within the normal range for corn.
Time-resolved fluorescence studies of a transmembrane peptide sequence of the dopamine D2 receptor

Highly hydrophobic peptides in small unilamellar vesicles can be used to model membrane-embedded proteins such as the dopamine D2 receptor. The transmembrane domains of the dopamine D2 receptor are known to contain residues corresponding to the binding sites for natural receptor ligands. We have developed a model system consisting of a peptide whose sequence was taken from the transmembrane region of the dopamine D2 receptor and incorporated it into phospholipid bilayers. This polypeptide sequence, NH2-D-V-L-Y-S-A-F-T-W-L-G-Y-V-N-S-A-V-N-P-I-I-Y-T- T-F-N-V-CO2H, contains a single tryptophan residue, whose fluorescence properties provides an intrinsic probe of the microenvironment of the peptide within the bilayer. Purification of this highly hydrophobic peptide required the development of a novel alcohol-based reversed-phase HPLC solvent system. The vesicles were produces by cosonication of the peptide with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine lipid and were characterized by electron microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. Time- correlated single photon counting was sued to measure the fluorescence anisotropy of the system as a function of temperature across the lipid phase transition range and as a function of the peptide/lipid ratio.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of localized phonon modes on magnetotunneling spectra in double-barrier structures.

The effects of localized phonon modes on the low-temperature current-voltage curves of GaAs/AlAs double-barrier resonant-tunneling structures have been calculated in the presence of large magnetic fields parallel to the applied electric field. The applied magnetic field sharpens and increases the height of the phonon-assisted-tunneling peaks in agreement with experimental data. Computed magnetotunneling spectra reveal systematic deviations from a simple fan structure---also observed experimentally---which are attributed here to oscillations of the emitter Fermi level with the magnetic field.
Multivariate Logarithmic Series Distribution as a Probability Model in Population and Community Ecology and Some of its Statistical Properties

Abstract A growing interest has been witnessed in recent years in multivariate discrete probability models. The multivariate logarithmic series distribution (LSD) is a multivariate analogue of the univariate LSD. This paper investigates the marginal and the conditional distributions of the multivariate LSD. It records its moment properties and also provides some regression and correlation analysis. An interesting modal property of the distribution is discovered. The paper also discusses the estimation of the parameters by the methods of maximum likelihood and unbiased minimum variance. At the end is discussed in detail an application of the multivariate LSD to the field of population and community ecology.
High-energy ion tracks in thin films.

Abstract High-energy ion tracks (374 MeV Au26+) in thin films were examined with transmission electron microscopy to investigate nanopore formation. Tracks in quartz and mica showed diffraction contrast. Tracks in sapphire and mica showed craters formed at the positions of ion incidence and exit, with a lower-density track connecting them. Direct nanopore formation by ions (without chemical etching) would appear to require film thicknesses less than 10 nm.
Development of a Melanoma Risk Prediction Model Incorporating MC1R Genotype and Indoor Tanning Exposure: Impact of Mole Phenotype on Model Performance

Background Identifying individuals at increased risk for melanoma could potentially improve public health through targeted surveillance and early detection. Studies have separately demonstrated significant associations between melanoma risk, melanocortin receptor (MC1R) polymorphisms, and indoor ultraviolet light (UV) exposure. Existing melanoma risk prediction models do not include these factors; therefore, we investigated their potential to improve the performance of a risk model.
On the photolytic separation of halogens from sea water concentrates

A review of recent work on the UV photolysis of nitrate-bearing material and NOχ is carried out and a laboratory investigation is made of rates of halogen separation from concentrated sea water by the action of UV radiation. Effects of pH, concentration, light intensity, NO3− additive and temperature are evaluated in terms of broad trends on the process studied at a reduced pressure in an air flow. Rates of release, of NOχ and halogens from the liquid interphase photolyzed, are found to depend directly on the nitrate present, and exponentially on the concentration of sea water, light intensity and acidity. Those rates are also found to be inhibited by temperature. The process of halogen and NOχ release is believed to be triggered by the formation of transient pernitrite intermediate oxidants and is thought to be of importance in understanding both, some of the natural oxidative reactions which occur in the atmosphere, and of the processes which lead to the formation of hygroscopic Aitken nuclei from those released gases. An added point of interest consists in the possibility of halogenation and/or nitration of organic substance present in nitrate-bearing marine aerosol, and of a progress towards the explanation of differences in the Cl:Na ratio between this aerosol and sea water.
Early versus delayed surgical correction of malrotation in children with critical congenital heart disease

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes between early and delayed surgical correction of malrotation in children with critical congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods Patients with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery by 1 year of age and had malrotation diagnosed during their initial admission at 34 hospitals contributing to the Pediatric Health Information System in 2004–2009 were included. Ladd’s procedures performed during the first admission were considered early correction, and those at a subsequent admission were considered delayed. Interhospital variability in the proportion of patients undergoing delayed correction was assessed, and outcomes were compared between the groups. Results Of the 324 patients identified, 85.2% underwent early correction. Significant variability existed in the proportion of patients undergoing delayed correction across hospitals (p Conclusions In patients with critical CHD, delayed operative intervention for malrotation without volvulus may be a reasonable alternative.
Pyonephrosis: imaging and intervention

A series of 70 pyonephrotic kidneys drained by percutaneous nephrostomy tube was examined to evaluate the contribution of radiologic imaging to the diagnosis of pyonephrosis and to assess the diagnostic and therapeutic role of drainage by percutaneous nephrostomy catheter. The diagnosis of pyonephrosis is suspected when the clinical symptoms of fever and flank pain are combined with the radiologic evidence of obstruction to the urinary tract. Sonography gives a prompt diagnosis of hydronephrosis, and needle puncture of the kidney yields pus and establishes the presence of pyonephrosis. A percutaneous nephrostomy catheter is then inserted and serves for initial drainage of infected urine and for evaluation of residual kidney function before definitive surgery. The nephrostomy catheter is used for diagnostic nephrostograms, ureteral perfusions, therapeutic dissolution of stones, and indefinite drainage of the kidney. In 10 azotemic patients, the blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine values returned to normal levels after antibiotic therapy and nephrostomy drainage of infection. Long-term evaluation of residual renal function by means of an excretory urogram or a renogram was available in another 26 patients and 25 of them showed function of the previously pyonephrotic kidney.
TH-C-BRC-08: Integration of Cone Beam CT Imaging and a Small Animal Conformal RT Device Using a 6DOF Robotic Arm

Purpose: To integrate cone beam computed tomography(CBCT)imaging technology into a small animal conformal radiation therapy device (SACRTD) using a six degrees of freedom (6DOF) high accuracy/precision robotic arm. Method and Materials: A 225kV dual focus (0.4mm and 3mm) X‐ray tube (GE Seifert Isovolt Titan) is used for both radiation and imaging. An industrial robot (Adept Viper S650) is used for positioning and motion of a small animal for targeted radiation delivery and CBCTimaging with positional repeatability of ±0.020 mm in XYZ direction and angular precision of ±0.2°. A series of 2D‐radiographic projection images were recorded in cone beam mode with a flat panel amorphous silicon detector (Perking Elmer), which captures 1024 by 1024 pixels images (200μm pixel size) at a frame rate of 7.5Hz. An open source CBCTreconstruction tool (OSCAR‐2, University of Toronto) using Feldkamp‐Davis‐Kress (FDK) filtered back projection algorithm was employed for CBCTimage reconstruction. Results: Initial testing of the CBCT system using phantoms and mice was successful. Radiographs were cropped and downsampled to a spatial resolution of 0.4mm. Reconstructed matrices had dimensions of 181×267×97 voxels with 0.3mm×0.3mm×0.3mm voxel spacing. With the current computer the entire acquisition and reconstruction procedure takes > 7 minutes. The OSCAR‐2 algorithm offers various reconstruction filters, but more sophisticated tools specific for small animal imaging are needed to improve the quality of CBCTimages. Conclusion: This work demonstrated that a 6DOF robot is an excellent device for moving/rotating a small laboratory animal for acquiring high spatial resolutionradiographs with the necessary accuracy and precision for successful CBCTreconstruction. It also demonstrated that an open source CBCT software tool could be adapted to work with the SACRTD. The integration of CBCTimaging into the SACRTD opens new research paths requiring image guided radiation delivery to specific structures/volumes in small animals.
Industrially viable processes for synthesis of biologically active hydroxycarotenoids commonly found in fruits and vegetables

Abstract Human plasma and tissues contain in excess of 12 dietary carotenoids and several metabolites that originate from consumption of fruits and vegetables. The major hydroxycarotenoids absorbed by humans are: (3 R ,3′ R ,6′ R )-lutein ( 1 ), (3 R ,3′ R )-zeaxanthin ( 2 ), (3 R ,6′ R )-α-cryptoxanthin ( 3 ), and (3 R )-β-cryptoxanthin ( 4 ) and their E / Z -stereoisomers. In addition, several hydroxycarotenoids that result from metabolic transformation of 1 have also been identified in human plasma and ocular tissues. Epidemiological and experimental evidence to date suggest hydroxycarotenoids may protect against chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Therefore, supplementation with these carotenoids in individuals with a low dietary intake of fruits and vegetables is essential. However, with the exception of 1 and 2 , industrial production of 3 and 4 have not yet materialized. A relatively straightforward semisynthetic process has been developed that transform 1 into a mixture of 3 (12%) and 4 (80%). Hydroxycarotenoid 3 can also be directly prepared from allylic deoxygenation of 1 in a single step in an excellent yield. These two processes provide an easy access to optically active 3 and 4 that are normally prepared by numerous synthetic steps.
White Flight from Racially Integrated Neighbourhoods in the 1970s: the Cleveland Experience:

An econometric model of 1970-80 residential turnover rates for white households is estimated for census tracts in Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, Ohio. Results indicate that 1970 tract percentage black, coupled with its interaction with estimated segregationist sentiment for white residents, was the dominant explanatory variable, although the relationship was highly non-linear. Ceteris paribus, the maximum rate of racially motivated turnover by whites occurred in tracts that were at least 55 per cent black in 1970, regardless of whites' segregationist sentiments. However, tracts had negligible amounts of such turnover if they had below-average levels of segregationist sentiment and blacks did not represent a majority in the tract. Application of the results to the Schelling model indicated that white neighbourhood 'tipping-out' points varied from 98 per cent to 53 per cent white, within 1 standard deviation of the mean level of segregationist sentiment. Integration management policies conducted by the suburba...
A Baroclinic Tide in the Eastern North Pacific Determined from 1000-km Acoustic Transmissions*

Abstract In the summer of 1989 a 1000-km acoustic experiment in the eastern North Pacific showed a semidiurnal variation in pulse travel time that was coherent in depth and varied systematically across time fronts. The effect of a single-plane wave, gravest mode, M2, internal tide has been examined by ray tracing and has been found to show the same characteristic variation as the data if the internal tide is coming from the direction of the Gulf of Alaska. The most reasonable fit corresponds to an energy flux of 800 W m−1; implications for tidal dissipation are discussed. In the process of fitting specific acoustic data, the authors have developed an analysis technique for low-mode internal tides that can be applied generally to any acoustic tomography experiment.
Chaetognaths of the United States South Atlantic Bight: Distribution, abundance and potential interactions with newly spawned larval fish

Abstract Chaetognaths are one of the most numerous organisms in the zooplankton community off the coast of North Carolina. During two years of offshore sampling in the late winter to early spring, sixteen chaetognath species were identified, four of which had not previously been reported in the waters of the United States South Atlantic Bight. Offshore samples were dominated by Sagitta enflata Grassi, 1881, one of the larger species, which contributed > 61% of total chaetognath abundance while dominant coastal species were S. tenuis Conant, 1896 and S. hispida Conant, 1895. Abundances, body sizes and spatial distributions were determined for the most abundant chaetognath species along with the overall abundance of three common co-occurring larval fish species (spot, Atlantic croaker and Atlantic menhaden). In addition, laboratory feeding experiments were conducted using S. tenuis and S. hispida to estimate the potential impact of chaetognath predation on representative North Carolina larval fish which spawn offshore and subsequently migrate into local estuaries. Feeding rates (no. prey items day − 1 ) varied with prey type and the condition (starved/fed) of the chaetognath. Weight specific daily rations (SDR) were found to vary inversely with chaetognath size, decreasing exponentially with an increase in chaetognath length. The observed abundance and distribution data indicate that wintertime chaetognath populations in offshore waters of Onslow Bay, North Carolina have the potential to interact with recently spawned larval fish and may simultaneously act as competitors, predators, or prey. Furthermore, calculations using published values of chaetognath abundance, zooplankton standing crops, and our SDR estimates indicate that chaetognaths in a representative North Carolina estuary would require a minimum of 5.96 cal m − 3 day − 1 to sustain their biomass. Allowing for the reported spatial and temporal variability in zooplankton abundance in these systems, chaetognaths should consume 4.4%–20.9% of the estimated total zooplankton production day − 1 . This further emphasizes the role of chaetognaths not only as predators, but also as competitors with larval fish for zooplankton food stocks in southeastern United Sates estuaries.
Mitigating Multi-Tenancy Risks in IaaS Cloud Through Constraints-Driven Virtual Resource Scheduling

A major concern in the adoption of cloud infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) arises from multi-tenancy, where multiple tenants share the underlying physical infrastructure operated by a cloud service provider. A tenant could be an enterprise in the context of a public cloud or a department within an enterprise in the context of a private cloud. Enabled by virtualization technology, the service provider is able to minimize cost by providing virtualized hardware resources such as virtual machines, virtual storage and virtual networks, as a service to multiple tenants where, for instance, a tenant's virtual machine may be hosted in the same physical server as that of many other tenants. It is well-known that separation of execution environment provided by the hypervisors that enable virtualization technology has many limitations. In addition to inadvertent misconfigurations, a number of attacks have been demonstrated that allow unauthorized information flow between virtual machines hosted by a hypervisor on a given physical server. In this paper, we present attribute-based constraints specification and enforcement as a mechanism to mitigate such multi-tenancy risks that arise in cloud IaaS. We represent relevant properties of virtual resources (e.g., virtual machines, virtual networks, etc.) as their attributes. Conflicting attribute values are specified by the tenant or by the cloud IaaS system as appropriate. The goal is to schedule virtual resources on physical resources in a conflict-free manner. The general problem is shown to be NP-complete. We explore practical conflict specifications that can be efficiently enforced. We have implemented a prototype for virtual machine scheduling in OpenStack, a widely-used open-source cloud IaaS software, and evaluated its performance overhead, resource requirements to satisfy conflicts, and resource utilization.
Pharmacodynamics of chimeric glycoprotein IIb/IIIa integrin antiplatelet antibody Fab 7E3 in high-risk coronary angioplasty.

BACKGROUNDThrombosis has been implicated as central to the clinical complications of coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Chimeric monoclonal 7E3 Fab (c7E3 Fab) is the first of a new class of antiplatelet drugs directed at the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa integrin. This study was performed to determine the pharmacodynamics of c7E3 Fab administration during PTCA and to gain an initial clinical experience with this novel agent.METHODS AND RESULTSThe study was a multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation study conducted in two stages. Enrollment included 56 patients scheduled for elective PTCA who were estimated to be at moderate to high risk of sustaining ischemic complications. All patients were given aspirin and heparin. The study drug was given at least 10 minutes before PTCA. In stage 1, increasing bolus doses of c7E3 Fab were given to 15 patients; a bolus dose of 0.25 mg/kg was found to result in blockade of > 80% of the receptors and reduce platelet aggregation to < 20% compared with baseline, establishing th...
A comparative study of two deep tests of articulation

The purpose of this study was to compare the articulatory responses of children with articulatory disorders under two stimulus conditions: (1) the traditional two-picture elicitation procedure for compound words (McDonald, 1964) and (2) a single-picture elicitation procedure modeled after Clark (1985). This investigation has provided evidence that an additional factor for consideration when assessing contextual influences is the type of elicitation stimuli. The findings parallel the discrepancies between articulation performance in response to single-word stimuli and connected speech samples.
Abstract 3085: Overexpression of theNOTCH3intracellular domain alters neuroendocrine phenotype in carcinoid tumor cells

Introduction: There are four mammalian Notch receptors (Notch1-4), which exhibit unique and overlapping expression pattern and act as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes depending on the cell and context type. We previously reported that Notch1 pathway is minimally active in neuroendocrine (NE) tumors. Furthermore, induction of the Notch1 signaling pathway by over- expression or by pharmacological treatment with valproic acid (VPA) and suberoyl bis-hydroxamic acid (SBHA) suppresses hormone secretion. However, the role of other Notch isoforms is not clear in carcinoid. In this study, we analyzed the presence of Notch isoforms and their regulatory role on chromogranin A (CgA), a clinically important NE marker, and achaete-scute complex-like1 (ASCL1), a known downstream target of Notch. Methods: Expression of four Notch isoforms was quantified by real time RT-PCR from parental BON cells (GI carcinoid) and VPA treated BON cells. pcDNA3.3 TOPO plasmid containing constitutively expressed human active portion of Notch3, NICD3, was transiently transfected into BON cells and the cell lysates were tested for the presence of NOTCH3. The levels of NE markers such as CgA and ASCL1 were analyzed by Western blot. Results: Gene expression analysis showed that the parental BON cells had very minimal levels of Notch1-3. Notch4 expression was not detected. In VPA treated cells, the levels of Notch1, 2 and 3 were increased significantly. Overall, the Notch3 expression level was higher than Notch1 and 2 in VPA treated cells. Importantly, there was a 60-fold induction of Notch3 expression in VPA treated cells compared to parental untreated cells. VPA treatment also resulted in a 15-fold and 20-fold increase for Notch1 and Notch2 respectively whereas Notch4 was not detected in these cells. The constitutive expression of NICD3 in BON cells resulted in a reduction in ASCL1 and CgA. Conclusions: Carcinoid tumor cells have a paucity of all Notch isoforms, including Notch3. For the first time, we demonstrate that Notch3 regulates the NE phenotype, and may play an important role in regulating carcinoid tumor progression. These findings warrant further investigation on targeting Notch3 for carcinoid cancer therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3085.
The effect of indefinite pretrial incarceration on the anxiety level of an urban jail population

This study investigated the effect of indefinite incarceration on the anxiety levels of males (N = 60) held in a large metropolitan county jail. The IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire (Self Analysis Form) was administered to 60 male Ss (18 to 26 years of age) at intervals of 1 weeks and 8 weeks after incarceration. An analysis of variance, one-way with repeated measures, on the matching IPAT Anxiety Scale scores revealed a highly significant increase in anxiety (p less than .001) from 1 week to 8 weeks. A Newman-Keuls posttest comparison also indicated that anxiety levels rose significantly (p less than .001). The results suggested that indefinite pretrail incarceration can increase anxiety to a level of psychological morbidity. The possible effect of this finding upon the guarantee of a right to speedy trial was discussed.
Investigation of cysteinyl protein adducts of benzene diolepoxide

Abstract Metabolism of benzene is fairly complex yielding several reactive metabolites that could form adducts with macromolecules such as DNA and proteins. Systemic availability of these reactive species can be estimated by measuring the corresponding adducts of these species with serum albumin or hemoglobin. We have shown previously that serum albumin adducts of benzene oxide and 1,4-benzoquinone increased in a dose-dependent manner in rodents and humans exposed to benzene. However, formation of macromolecular adducts of other reactive metabolites, such as benzene diolepoxide and E , E -muconaldehyde, has not received much attention despite the demonstrated mutagenicity and/or carcinogenicity of these metabolites. We studied the reaction of isomers of benzene diolepoxide, namely syn -((±)BDE1) and anti -BDE ((±)BDE2), with sulfhydryl groups in vitro. The half-life of BDE2 in 0.1 M ammonium acetate buffer (pH 7.6) was (5.46 h) longer that that in serum albumin in the same buffer (3.83 h) indicating the reaction of BDE with nucleophilic sites on albumin. Reaction products between these and l -cysteine, and GSH were identified and characterized by mass spectrometry in an attempt to develop an assay to quantify these adducts in serum albumin.
67Gallium Scanning in Talc-Induced Pulmonary Granulomatosis

We describe a case of pulmonary granulomatosis in a user who habitually injected methylphenidate (Ritalin) intravenously; symptomatic and objective improvement occurred with corticosteroid therapy. A scan of the lungs using radioactive 67gallium showed an increased concentration of 67gallium throughout both lungs. There was a reduction in abnormal accumulation of 67gallium, improvement in the arterial oxygen pressure and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, and a reduction in the infiltrate on the chest x-ray film two months after the institution of therapy. Before treatment the patient's symptoms and arterial deoxygenation increased despite the cessation of her drug abuse, thus raising the question of a self-perpetuating inflammatory process in a case of pulmonary deposition of talc.
Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale: A Predictive Validity Study:

Using the social cognitive theory of career and academic behavior as a guide, we conducted a predictive validity study for the Quantitative and Verbal scales of the Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale (TSOSS). The Quantitative and Verbal TSOSS scale scores of a large group of undecided college freshmen were correlated with concurrent quantitative and verbal ability measures (SAT scores) and with subsequent quantitative and verbal performance in academic courses based on GPA. The TSOSS Quantitative scale was related to quantitative ability but failed to predict academic performance in quantitative courses. The TSOSS Verbal scale was unrelated both to a concurrent measure of verbal ability and to subsequent academic performance in verbal courses. These findings are used to provide a preliminary evaluation of the validity of the TSOSS Quantitative and Verbal scales.
Sympathetic Innervation Modulates the Expression of Angiotensin II Receptors in Embryonic Rat Heart Graftedin Oculo

Abstract Angiotensin II acts as a cardiac growth factor, and causes both inotropic and chronotropic changes within the heart. In the present study, we used an in oculo model system to examine the effects of sympathetic innervation on the density of cardiac angiotensin II receptors. Quantitative autoradiography was used to determine the density of angiotensin II receptors in embryonic rat hearts grafted into either sympathetically innervated or sympathetically denervated eye chambers of adult host rats. The density of specific binding to angiotensin II receptors was nearly three-fold higher in sympathetically non-innervated compared to sympathetically innervated heart grafts (30.8±4.2 v 11.5±3.2 fmol/mg protein). Specific binding to angiotensin II receptors in heart grafts was displaced by addition of the AT 1 receptor antagonist losartan, but not by addition of the AT 2 receptor competitor PD 123177. Thus, only AT 1 receptors were present in sympathetically innervated and sympathetically non-innervated embryonic rat hearts grafted in oculo . We conclude that changes in sympathetic innervation caused changes in the density of cardiac angiotensin II receptors in the present study. Our results may have implications for growth and function not only during cardiac development, but also during cardiac disease.
Latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap for breast reconstruction

THE ideal breast reconstruction following mastectomy should: be a one-stage procedure; restore deficient skin; replace the contour of the absent pectoralis major muscle; restore lost breast volume; replace the absent nipple-areolar complex; and match in a symmetrical and pleasing way the contour of the remaining breast. We believe that the first 3 of these objectives can be achieved in many patients by the use of a myocutaneous flap incorporating the latissimus dorsi muscle. The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was first reported for chest wall reconstruction by d’Este (1912). It was used as a superiorly based flap of skin and muscle having its pedicle base in the axilla. The flap was used at the time of radical mastectomy to cover the remaining defect. David (1949) and Campbell (1950) used a superiorly based latissimus dorsi muscle flap to reconstruct extensive chest wall defects. The latissimus dorsi muscle has also been used for the reconstruction of elbow flexion and extension (Schottstaedt, 1955; zancolli, 1973). DesPrez (1971) included the latissimus dorsi in bilateral bipedicle flaps for the closure of a defect secondary to a myelomeningocele. Olivari (1976) reported using a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap for the reconstruction of a chest wall defect. His technique was almost identical to that used by d’Este. Increased understanding of the blood supply of the skin overlying muscle as discussed by Daniel and Williams (1973) has further widened the range of myocutaneous flaps. Orticochea (1972) and McGraw (1976) took advantage of the vascular interconnection of skin and muscle in using the gracilis myocutaneous flap for penile and vaginal reconstruction. Harii (1976) reported the first free myocutaneous flap transfer. He used the gracilis muscle and its overlying skin based on the superior vascular pedicle of the muscle, which receives its arterial blood supply from the profunda femoris artery, thus further demonstrating that the skin can survive on the muscular perforators. Blood is supplied to the latissimus dorsi muscle by the thoracodorsal artery which is the terminal branch of the subscapular artery. The muscle is innervated by the thoracodorsal nerve, a branch of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus (Fig. I). The entire muscle, based on its neurovascular pedicle, can be mobilised after the division of the muscular origin from the lower 4 ribs, the lower 6 thoracic vertebrae, the lumber vertebrae, the sacral vertebrae, the supraspinal ligament and the posterior crest of the ilium. It can then be transposed to cover defects of the chest wall, the shoulder, the lower neck and the upper arm. An island of skin may be left on the muscle and used as necessary for the reconstruction (Fig. 2). We report the use of such a myocutaneous flap in a 3 I-year-old woman who 4 years previously had a radical mastectomy, including removal of the pectoralis major, for a stage I carcinoma. necrosis and an atrophic scar resulted (Fig. 3).
Interactions between cytochrome c2 and photosynthetic reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides: changes in binding affinity and electron transfer rate due to mutation of interfacial hydrophobic residues are strongly correlated.

The structure of the complex between cytochrome c2 (cyt) and the photosynthetic reaction center (RC) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides shows contacts between hydrophobic residues Tyr L162, Leu M191, and Val M192 on the RC and the surface of the cyt [Axelrod et al. (2002) J. Mol. Biol. 319, 501−515]. The role of these hydrophobic residues in binding and electron transfer was investigated by replacing them with Ala and other residues. Mutations of the hydrophobic residues generally resulted in relatively small changes in the second-order electron-transfer rate k2 (Bronsted coefficient, α= 0.15 ± 0.05) indicating that the transition state for association occurs before short-range hydrophobic contacts are established. Larger changes in k2, found in some cases, were attributed to a change in the second-order mechanism from a diffusion controlled regime to a rapidly reversible binding regime. The association constant, KA, of the cyt and the rate of electron transfer from the bound cyt, ke, were both decreased by mut...
Composition and long‐term stability of polyglycidol prepared by cationic ring‐opening polymerization

Polyglycidol synthesized by cationic ring-opening polymerization of glycidol (boron trifluoride initiation in dichloromethane) was purified of low molecular weight contaminants by centrifugal filtration. The high and low molecular weight fractions were characterized by NMR, GPC, osmometry, viscometry, DSC, and FTIR. The 13C-NMR spectrum of this polymer was completely annotated by proposing a new step in the reaction mechanism. The four thermal dimers of glycidol were also isolated and identified as 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,4-dioxane and 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,4-dioxane, each of which can exist in cis and trans configurations. Polyglycidol was found to be hygroscopic, picking up about 5% by weight of atmospheric moisture. It was also found that, over time (ca. 1–2 years), polyglycidol crosslinks into a rubbery, insoluble mass. It is therefore recommended that this polymer be stored dry and used within a few months of synthesis. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 1344–1351, 2004