cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intra-annual variability of water quality and phytoplankton in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River Estuary, Florida (USA): a quantitative assessment

Abstract Water quality and phytoplankton were examined within the North Fork of the St. Lucie River Estuary, Florida (USA) from March 2000 to March 2001. Alterations in water-quality parameters and phytoplankton assemblages mirrored salinity regimes resulting from the ‘wet’/‘dry’ seasonality of south Florida. Salinity was greatest during the ‘dry’, winter months whereas water temperature and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were greatest during the ‘wet’, summer months. A seasonal dissimilarity in phytoplankton occurred; cell abundance of cyanobacterial picoplankton ( Synechocystis sp., Synechococcus sp.) and a diatom ( Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve) and cell carbon of a dinoflagellate ( Gyrodinium sp.) and S. costatum were greatest during summer whereas abundance of chrysophytes ( Chrysochromulina parva Lackey, Chromulina sp.) and carbon of dinoflagellates ( Gymnodinium spp., Heterocapsa rotundata (Lohmann) Hansen) and a diatom ( Cyclotella sp.) were greatest during winter. Water-column chlorophyll a concentrations reached up to 29 μg L −1 and were negatively associated with salinity. Diatom chlorophyll comprised the majority and at times, greater than 90% of the total chlorophyll a . Picoplanktonic cyanobacteria comprised up to 5% and 1.4% of total phytoplankton carbon and chlorophyll a , respectively throughout the estuary; as such, its impact on overall assemblage rate processes and system-level function appeared minimal. Sediment and whole-water incubations confirmed the presence of heterotrophic dinoflagellates within the estuary. Dissolved oxygen concentrations did not correspond with total chlorophyll a concentrations and salinity, indicating that hypoxia within bottom waters during summer was not solely attributable to phytoplankton biomass or water-column stratification but likely, a result of multiple, interacting physical/chemical and biological factors.
COMPARISON OF FEEDS FOR LARVAL STAGES OF THE GIANT PRAWN (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

Freeze-dried ground oyster meat, freeze-dried catfish tissue or a commercial trout fry feed were fed with and without supplemental live Artemia nauplii to duplicate groups of 2,000 Macrobrachiun rosenbergii larvae stocked in 60-liter rectangular fiberglass tanks. The least time to metamorphosis (37 days) and the highest survival rate (78%) were achieved by feeding freeze-dried oyster with supplemental live Artemia Performances of larvae fed freeze-dried catfish tissue or trout fry feed with live Artemia were also satisfactory with 59% and 51%, respectively, of larvae metamorphosing within 37 days. On the contrary, survival and development of larvae fed oyster meat or trout feed without live Artemia were extremely poor with less than 2% of the larvae metamorphosing in 50 days.
Toward understanding the vibrational spectra of BEDT-TTF, a scaled density functional force field approach

Abstract Density functional theory B3LYP and ab initio MP2 calculations were carried out to study the structures and vibrational spectra of bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) and the related compounds, 1,3-dithiole-2-thione (DTT), tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), and 4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-dithiole-2-thione (EDT-DTT). It is found that B3LYP functional overestimates C-S bond lengths significantly and underestimates frequencies of modes involving C-S stretching accordingly. The errors in B3LYP force fields are shown to be satisfactorily corrected by scaled quantum mechanical force field procedure. After applying the scale factors derived from DTT, the scaled B3LYP force fields reproduce the observed frequencies of TTF, EDT-DTT, and BEDT-TTF satisfactorily, with a mean deviation between the calculated and observed frequencies of less than 10 cm −1 . On the basis of agreement between the calculated and observed frequencies, isotope shifts, as well as IR and Raman intensities, assignments of the fundamental vibrational modes of these molecules are given in terms of the true molecular symmetries of the equilibrium structures. This study shows that the scaled density functional force field procedure is a powerful approach for understanding the spectral features of large and low symmetry molecules.
Synergy between protamine and vancomycin in the treatment of staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms

Abstract Objectives To test for synergy between protamine and vancomycin by analyzing their bactericidal activities against slime-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35983 under planktonic and biofilm conditions. Methods We evaluated the activity of vancomycin and protamine separately against planktonic S epidermidis in broth by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for each agent according to the standard macrobroth dilution method. To assess the possibility of synergy between these two agents, planktonic S epidermidis was exposed to vancomycin and protamine together in varying concentrations. Biofilms containing S epidermidis were then prepared and subjected to incubation with vancomycin and protamine separately as well as combined in varying concentrations. The bacterial viability of S epidermidis in the planktonic and biofilm phases after exposure to these two agents was assessed by qualitative culture and determination of viable colony blots. Results Standard antibacterial susceptibility tests revealed that the MICs of protamine and vancomycin were 1 and 2 μg/mL, respectively, and their MBCs were 4 μg/mL. The MICs were unchanged when protamine and vancomycin were combined in varying concentrations. Neither agent exhibited significant bactericidal activity against S epidermidis in the biofilm phase at concentrations ≤32 μg/mL However, a combination of both agents, each at 32 μg/mL, resulted in a 7-log decrease in viable bacterial counts. Conclusions Protamine alone exhibited significant antibacterial activity against planktonic S epidermidis . No synergy was noted between protamine and vancomycin against S epidermidis in the planktonic phase. However, synergy was demonstrated when a combination of protamine and vancomycin was used on S epidermidis in the biofilm phase. Thus, protamine shows promise as an adjunctive agent to vancomycin in the treatment of S epidermidis in biofilms.
Colloquium 3 Unqualified Generation in Aristotle’s Natural Philosophy

This paper examines the divergent accounts of generation in Physics I and On Generation and Corruption. While the former concerns an unqualified and absolute generation of substance from not-substance, the latter describes the unqualified and simple generation of the elements from each other. In each of these texts, an unusual instance of ὀρέγeσθαι (to strive after) appears in Aristotle’s analysis, regarding the unqualified generation of substance at Phys. I 9, 192a18 and 19, and the cyclical transformation of the elements at GC II 10, 336b28. These passages employ the verb consistently, suggesting that generation involves an ambiguous ontological desire. Such orectic striving differs greatly from human or other animal striving for some good. The accounts of generation in these texts are developed in order to emphasize both the distinction between the two processes and the significance of ontological desire to unqualified generation in its strongest sense
Experimental evidence for exchange polarization in superexchange interactions

Abstract Experimental results on the variation of superexchange with volume in MnO, MnF2, and MnF2:Fe2+ indicate that the role of (3d-2p)σ covalent bonding is more important in these interactions than would be expected from spin transfer measurements.
Topoisomerase II inhibition by myeloperoxidase-activated hydroquinone: A potential mechanism underlying the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of benzene

Benzene is an established human and animal carcinogen. While many of the key mechanisms underlying its carcinogenic effects remain unknown, there is increasing evidence that chromosomal alterations play an important role in the development of the induced leukemias. Inhibition of enzymes involved in DNA replication and maintenance such as topoisomerases by benzene metabolites represents a potential mechanism by which benzene may induce its chromosome-altering effects. Previous work from our laboratory and others has demonstrated that bioactivated benzene metabolites are capable of inhibiting topoisomerase II (topo II) in isolated enzyme and cell systems as well as in mice administered benzene in vivo. The current studies were designed to build upon this hypothesis, and show that in the presence of human myeloperoxidase and H2O2, hydroquinone can be activated to a potent topo II inhibitor. In the absence of dithiothreitol, partial inhibition can be seen at hydroquinone concentrations as low as 50 nM. The potential role of topo II inhibition in the development of benzene-induced leukemia is also discussed in the context of other known leukemia-inducing agents. Current evidence indicates that multiple mechanisms are likely to contribute to benzene-induced leukemias, and that inhibition of topo II could represent an important step in the development of certain leukemia subtypes.
Association between percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty volumes and outcomes in the healthcare cost and utilization project 1993-1994

Abstract Studies from a variety of settings have indicated that outcomes for coronary angioplasty are improved when performed in institutions with high caseloads (>400/year). The purpose of this investigation was to examine the volume outcome hypothesis for coronary angioplasty in a 20% stratified sample of acute care, non-federal hospitals in 17 states. Data were derived from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project releases 2 and 3. From these records, 163,527 angioplasties from 214 hospitals were selected. Outcomes included hospital mortality, same-admission coronary artery bypass surgery, and a combined end point of either death or same-admission surgery, or both. Hospital volumes were defined as low (≤200 cases/year), medium (201 to 400), and high (>400). Analyses were conducted separately for patients with and without a principal discharge diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). For both AMI and no-AMI groups, the rates of adverse outcomes were generally lower in high-volume institutions, and this finding was true in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Although 27% of hospitals were in the low-volume category, only 5% of all procedures were performed in these institutions. Projecting to all United States hospitals for the 2 years, if all procedures performed in low-volume centers had been done in high-volume institutions, 137 deaths could have been averted (90 AMIs, 47 no-AMIs) as well as 404 (46 AMIs, 358 no-AMIs) same-admission surgeries. The results of this study support the hypothesis that better results are obtained in higher volume institutions, but also show that in 1993 and 1994, relatively few patients had their procedures performed in low-volume institutions.
Reproducing or Challenging Power in the Questions We Ask and the Methods We Use: A Framework for Activist Research in Urban Education

Many have argued that educational research does little to change (and may actually reproduce) the social-structural inequalities shaping the quality of high-poverty urban schools. Building from this premise, this paper asks: How can university-based scholars of urban education do research that encourages, produces, or informs change in urban schools and the conditions that shape them? I examine two broad aspects of urban educational research: the questions we ask and the methods we use. In both cases, I critique the dominant paradigm of technical rationality—one in which school failure is approached as a localized technical problem unveiled through neutral, objective, and experimental research methods. In contrast, I propose a paradigm of “political rationality” (Klees, Rizzini, & Dewees, 2000, Children on the streets of the Americas: homelessness, education and globalization in the United States, Brazil and Cuba. New York: Routledge) that approaches school failure and research practice as political issues situated within and shaped by social relations of power. Innovations in urban education research that reflect the logic of political rationality include: more contextualized and politicized analyses of urban schools, and the expanded use of engaged, collaborative, and participatory research methods. Drawing on this work and my experience implementing a participatory research project, I propose a framework for activist research in urban education, and critically evaluate the limits and possibilities of such work to effect change in urban schools.
The Equity Control Model as a Predictor of Vandalism among College Students

Investigations into the problem of vandalism have been limited in scope and quantity. Vandalism constitutes a rather common form of aggression, and its roots need to be more thoroughly understood. Basic research on this phenomenon could be an important adjunct to extant work on human aggression. From a practical standpoint, the societal costs of vandalism are simply enormous. Vandalism in American schools, parks, recreation areas, public housing, and transit systems is estimated to cost from $1 to $4 billion per year, and the figure is increasing rapidly (Einolander, 1976; U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee, 1975).
Burden of Osteoporosis among U.S. Adults: Estimates from Medicare Claims Data

Purpose The objectives were to estimate the recent burden of osteoporosis (OP) using Medicare claims data and to assess variation in OP prevalence by age, gender, race, and geographic region. Methods The Medicare Chronic Condition Data Warehouse provided 1999–2004 claims data on an enhanced 5% probability sample of Medicare beneficiaries. The analysis included beneficiaries covered for 12 months in each year by Medicare part A and B and not enrolled in a health maintenance organization. We developed four case definitions for OP using increasingly rigorous criteria for assessing the patterns of claims for OP. We also developed two estimates of the burden of OP. The first was the proportion of beneficiaries that had at least one claim for OP in each year. The second was the prevalence of OP in 2004, calculated as the proportion of beneficiaries with at least one claim for OP during the entire study period of 1999 to 2004. Results using the most conservative case definition are presented. Sensitivity analyses based on variations in case definitions, insurance coverage requirements and other factors were conducted. Results From 1999 to 2004, the total number of eligible beneficiaries ranged from 1,712,614 to 1,855,200 persons, a substantial proportion of whom was 65–74 years (36.9%–38.3%), female (61.2%–63.0%), white (86.0%–86.9%) or black (8.9%–9.4%). Using the most rigorous OP definition, the annual proportion of beneficiaries with at least one OP claim ranged from 5.2% in 1999 to 6.6% in 2004. Overall OP prevalence was 14.9% in 2004. OP prevalence was 15.7 % among whites and 6.7% among African Americans; was higher in women (22.1%) compared to men (3.4%); and increased with age, from 5.4% among those under 65 to 22.6% among those 85+ years of age. Regional variation in prevalence was small. Conclusion These results indicate sizeable differences in the burden of OP according to race, gender, and age. Results are discussed with respect to the varying case definitions and the methodological limitations of using claims data for epidemiologic studies.
Evaluation of Two Methods for Quantitation of Hepatitis C Virus RNA.

Background: Accurate quantitation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in serum may provide a means to predict disease course and response to interferon-alpha therapy. Several quantitative assays are commercially available, but none have been accepted as the gold standard. Methods and Results: The branched DNA quantitative hybridization assay (Quantiplex HCV 1.0, Chiron, Emeryville, CA) and a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (Amplicor HCV MONITOR, Roche Diagnostic Systems, Branchburg, NJ) were compared using a panel of 53 sera from patients with chronic hepatitis C. All sera contained HCV RNA of known genotype. Overall, there was a positive correlation between the results for the 41 sera that gave discrete values in both tests (r =.81, linear regression; P <.01, Kendall's rank test); however, the mean number of HCV copies per milliliter was 13.5-fold higher with Quantiplex (P <.01). A plot of the difference between methods against their means showed poor agreement between the methods. No correlation between the results of the two tests was observed for sera with MONITOR values greater than 5.0 x 10(5) copies/mL. Discrete MONITOR values were obtained for all 12 sera that were below the lower limit of quantitation of Quantiplex (mean, 1.78 x 10(5)). Parallel testing of serial dilutions of two sera showed that each method gave linear responses over the stated dynamic ranges; however, the proportional systematic error was greater with MONITOR. The mean coefficient of variation for replicate determinations was 23% for Quantiplex and 45% for MONITOR (P =.13). Conclusions: Despite a positive correlation, systematic differences exist between the two methods for quantitation of HCV RNA and they cannot be used interchangeably.
Natural Orbitals, Divergences, and Variational Principles

Bogoliubov's principle of compensation of dangerous diagrams (PCDD) is extended to finite fermion systems and is shown to give Lowdin's natural spin–orbitals (NSO) which diagonalize the single‐particle reduced density matrix. Hartree–Fock theory corresponds to the compensation of the lowest‐order dangerous diagrams, which cause divergences in the perturbation expansion of the ground‐state energy. The PCDD is then derived from a variational principle that the number of particle–hole excitations in the true ground state is a minimum. The sense in which the NSO give the most rapid rate of convergence of the configuration‐interaction expansion of the true wavefunction is also discussed.
Kinetin in familial dysautonomia carriers: implications for a new therapeutic strategy targeting mRNA splicing.

Familial dysautonomia (FD) is caused by an intronic splice mutation in the IκB kinase–associated protein gene (IKBKAP) that leads to partial skipping of exon 20 and tissue-specific reduction of IκB kinase–associated protein/elongator protein 1 (IKAP/ELP-1 protein). Kinetin increases IKBKAP mRNA and protein expression in FD cell lines. To determine whether oral kinetin alters IKBKAP splicing in vivo, we administered kinetin to 29 healthy carriers of the major FD mutation for 8 d. Adverse effects, kinetin, and IKBKAP mRNA levels were monitored. In the highest dosing cohorts (23.5 mg/kg/d), the target plasma kinetin level was achieved in 91% of subjects at 2 h. After 8 d, IKBKAP mRNA expression in leukocytes increased as kinetin levels increased. There is a linear association between log plasma kinetin level and corresponding log change from baseline in IKBKAP mRNA expression that allows estimation of IKBKAP mRNA levels because of kinetin ingestion. Adverse effects were transient and mild. This is the first report of in vivo IKBKAP splicing modification and strongly suggests kinetin's therapeutic potential in FD and perhaps in other splicing disorders. Furthermore, our findings support our hypothesis that treatments, which target a particular splicing mutation, can be successfully developed.
Application of off-specular x-ray reflectivity for surface characterization

A scheme based on the distorted wave Born approximation has been developed to model the off-specular x-ray reflectivity from flat surfaces with compositional and topographic fluctuations. To verify this theoretical work, silicon wafers coated with evenly spaced aluminum lines were chosen as the test samples. Good agreement is found between the calculationed and the experimental results. In addition, a gross difference in the off-specular spectra was observed from two test samples different only in their surface roughness; this observation demonstrates the potential of using off-specular x-ray reflectivity for quality control measurements.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Kinesin-5 acts as a brake in anaphase spindle elongation

Bipolar kinesin-5 motors, essential in diverse organisms, can generate positive sliding forces between overlapped interpolar microtubules to push mitotic spindle poles apart. BMK-1, the sole Caenorhabditis elegans kinesin-5, is not essential. We have determined, by tracking pole movements in bmk-1 mutant C. elegans embryos, that BMK-1 actually resists pole separation during anaphase. This provides in vivo evidence that kinesin-5, when challenged by fast pole separation forces, can serve as a rate-limiting brake for interpolar microtubule sliding.
Historical Perspectives: Neonatal Transillumination

Author Disclosure Dr Donn did not disclose any financial relationships relevant to this article. As a fledgling intern in pediatrics at the University of Vermont in 1975 to 1976, my first experience with transilluminating the chest of a preterm newborn who had a pneumothorax was an unforgettable milestone in my training. I was amazed at how rapid, noninvasive, and inexpensive this technique was, and how it enabled immediate intervention without the inordinate delays usually involved in obtaining emergency radiography in the middle of the night. What surprised me even more was to learn that this was a relatively new neonatal diagnostic technique, with the first report from Lawrence Kuhns and coworkers at the University of Michigan having been published only a few months earlier. (1) Neonatal intensive care was a relatively new proposition in those days. Mechanical ventilation only recently had been introduced as a standard practice, and the incidence of pneumothorax and other thoracic air leaks in the presurfactant era was very high. Of course, every medical student was taught to transilluminate the skull of a newborn as part of the neonatal neurologic assessment, but this novel approach to using high-intensity visible light to diagnose a pneumothorax rapidly and accurately was exciting. Moreover, it was something even an intern could do. By a quirk of fate, …
Identification of knee joint models for varus-valgus and internal-external rotations: snow skiing experiments.

Abstract Sprains at the knee are the most frequent of the severe injuries occurring during alpine snow skiing. This paper discusses the development of analytical models describing rotations across the knee joint caused by varus-valgus and internal-external moments applied at the foot during skiing. Identification of an ARMAX model requires simultaneous measurements of the rotations across the knee and the moments at the foot during skiing. As the models only relate the measured input (moment) and output (rotation) data, they also identify components of apparent rotation resulting from imperfect fixation of the rotation measuring instrument on the test subject and resulting from other inputs. The models identified for all subjects are of order four or five for both varus-valgus and internal-external rotation, and they describe modes with oscillatory and exponentially decaying components. Application of the models to prediction of rotation across the knee from the measured moment at the foot is illustrated by example. A new, and virtually mechanically uncoupled, six degrees-of-freedom, strain gauge dynamometer is developed to record the moments at the foot during skiing. The concept of the dynamometer design has general application.
Effects of intranasal irrigation with mitotic inhibitors on olfactory behavior and biochemistry in mice

Summary Mice were trained to find buried food pellets or amyl acetate-scented sugar cubes. After training, the mice were intranasally irrigated with saline or one of several mitotic inhibitors — hydroxyurea (10 mM), ethidium bromide (2 mM), cytosine arabinoside (10 mM), or colchicine (0.25 mM). The behavioral testing was continued daily. By day 6 the colchicine animals had completely lost their ability to find sugar cubes. By day 8 all the ethidium bromide animals had lost their ability to find food pellets although 20% could still find the sugar cubes. The hydroxyurea animals exhibited a less dramatic and temporary deficit in olfactory capabilities which peaked near day 8. Cytosine arabinoside had no effect on olfactory-mediated behavior. The testing was terminated at 21 days. Two days later the animals were killed, olfactory tissue removed and assayed for thymidine incorporation into macromolecules, and the chemoreceptor marker, carnosine synthetase. All groups had a reduction in thymidine incorporation (33–52%). The ethidium bromide and colchicine groups exhibited a dramatic decrease in carnosine synthetase.activity (ethidium bromide — olfactory bulb = 8% control, epithelium = 2%; colchicine — olfactory bulb = 10%, epithelium = 1%) while the hydroxyurea group showed no change (bulb, 104%; epithelium, 108%). These data are consistent with the notion that a functional mitotic process is necessary for continued olfactory capabilities and that an interruption in the normal mitotic process results in a decrease in olfactory chemoreceptor neurons and a loss in function.
The local nonprofit sector and the pursuit of sustainability in American cities: a preliminary exploration

This paper reports on the results of a study of the relationship between the nonprofit sector and the pursuit of sustainability in 13 moderate sized US cities with populations between 400,000 and 600,000. Dividing the cities into two groups – those that have been more serious and less serious about adopting and implementing sustainability policies, analysis of a survey of local public officials examines differences in the nonprofit landscape. Analysis shows that the cities that are more serious about sustainability have local public officials who interact more with nonprofit organisations, and are more likely to report the presence of at least one nonprofit group that supports city sustainability policies. Additionally, these reported groups are more likely to be “local”, or homegrown, and to be explicitly dedicated to the environment or sustainability. While far from definitive, the results provide evidence that the nonprofit sector is different in cities with sustainability policies, and suggest that th...
Do infected inguinal lymph nodes increase the incidence of postoperative groin wound infection

Abstract Purpose: Risk factors for postoperative wound infection in patients undergoing vascular surgery may include age, comorbid conditions, wound classification, use of prosthetic grafts, and repeat operations. Groin incisions, in particular, pose substantial risk during placement of prosthetic grafts. Methods: To investigate the role of infected inguinal lymph nodes (LN) in groin wound infection (GWI), we excised an inguinal LN from 69 consecutive patients (89 groins) undergoing 36 infrainguinal reconstructions, 24 aortobifemoral bypasses, 12 extraanatomic femoral bypasses, 11 vein stripping, and 6 femoral pseudoaneurysm repairs. LN Gram staining was performed, and aerobic and anaerobic cultures were obtained. In addition cultures were taken from any ulcerated or gangrenous lesion on the ipsilateral open extremity lesion. Results: Bacteria were isolated from 10 of 89 LN (11.2%) and included Staphylococcus species, gram-negative rods, diphtheroids, and Peptostreptococcus . There of the 10 LN were taken from extremities with open lesions; seven were not. In no case did organisms cultured from a groin LN correlate with its corresponding open extremity lesion. Four GWI developed after operation (4%). In each case results of the groin LN cultures were negative. Three of the GWI were associated with an ulcerated or gangrenous lesion on the ipsilateral extremity ( p = 0.08, odds ratio=7.6), but in only one case did the organisms from the GWI correspond to that in the open lesion. The development of a GWI was strongly associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus ( p = 0.009, odds ratio=22.9). Conclusion: In conclusion, 11% of groin LN harbored bacteria, but none of these were associated with subsequent development of a wound infection. Instead, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and the presence of an open skin lesion on the ipsilateral extremity seemed to be associated with an increased risk of wound infection. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:1077-82.)
Learning curve for endobronchial ultrasound‑guided transbronchial needle aspiration: experience of a community‑based teaching hospital.

Abstract Endobronchial ultrasound‑guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS‑TBNA) is a minimally invasive procedure. This procedure is useful for nodal staging of lung cancer and evaluating mediastinal lymphoma and granuloma. The present study was a retrospective analysis of our experience when EBUS‑TBNA was initially implemented. A total of 112 lymph nodes/masses (51 patients) were divided into two groups: The first and second 8 months. In the first group, 33 lymph nodes/masses (16 patients) were biopsied and tumor diagnoses were made in 9% of the cases (three lymph nodes/masses). The material was adequate to produce a cell block for microscopic analysis in 42% of cases. Subsequent tissue diagnoses were available in 50% of cases. Only one of the three malignant EBUS‑TBNA diagnoses (33%) was confirmed by histological examination. In the second 8 months, 79 lymph nodes (35 patients) were sampled. Tumor/granuloma diagnoses were achieved in 27% of the cases (21 nodes) (P=0.045 versus the first 8 months) and the obtained material was adequate for producing a cell block in 90% of cases (P<0.001 versus the first 8 months). Corresponding tissue diagnoses were available in 28% of cases. Correlation of EBUS-TBNA and histological examination for tumor/granuloma diagnosis was 100% (12/12, P=0.029 versus the first 8 months). Immunostains in the cell blocks indicated that all the metastatic adenocarcinomas were thyroid transcription factor‑1 (TTF‑1)+ and p63‑, and that all squamous cell carcinomas were TTF‑1‑, p63+ and cytokeratin 5/6 (CK5/6)+. Eight granulomata were identified, of which five were positive for Acid‑Fast Bacilli (AFB) stain and confirmed by culture or tissue biopsy. The remaining three granulomata were AFB‑negative. EGFR/KRAS mutation analysis was conducted in cell blocks of five adenocarcinomas, of which all provided sufficient diagnostic material. The findings showed a steep learning curve when EBUS‑TBNA was first adopted, reflected by an increased rate of tumor/granuloma diagnoses as well as an improved sample yield for cell block preparation in the second 8 months. TTF‑1, p63 and CK5/6 were useful biomarkers for distinguishing metastatic lung carcinomas.
α(Z α) 2 Vacuum-Polarization Correction in Muonic Atoms

We use the Laplace transform obtained by Wichmann and Kroll for the vacuum-polarization charge density of order ${(Z\ensuremath{\alpha})}^{3}$ induced by a point nucleus to determine the first few terms in the expansion of the charge density for small distances from the nucleus. The result is used to estimate the effect of the polarization charge near the nucleus on the muonic x rays studied experimentally by Dixit et al. The effect is found to be somewhat smaller than an earlier estimate, and the discrepancy between theory and experiment is silightly reduced, but the discrepancy remains large for the high-$Z$ muonic atoms, as much as three or four standard devitations in lead and barium.
CT of the Spine

The level of CT section in the lumbosacral region may be correlated with routine AP views of the spine using a reference plane constructed according to the distance between the iliac crests. CT scans of the spine in 100 patients have been analyzed. The majority of these cases consisted of primary or secondary bone or soft-tissue tumors. CT examination was valuable to supplement plain films and/or myelograms in evaluation of the extent of pathology. It was also useful in the workup of patients with malignant tumors whose other studies were equivocal.
The first matrix cracking behavior of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites

First matrix cracking stress in fiber reinforced ceramic composites is an important design parameter as it signifies the onset of mechanical damage and subsequent degradation of fiber and interface properties due to oxidation and corrosion. In this study, the influence of variation in the matrix crack length and fiber volume fraction on the first matrix cracking stress of ceramic matrix composites is investigated. To this end, zircon matrix composites uniaxially reinforced with silicon carbide fibers and monolithic zircon were fabricated. The monolithic and composite samples were microindented to create flaws of controlled size on the surface, and were then tested in 3-point flexure to obtain the matrix cracking stress. The results obtained from this study clearly indicated the non-steady state (short crack) and steady state (long crack) matrix cracking behaviors in ceramic matrix composites. The experimental results are compared with the theoretical results based on the fracture mechanics analyses published previously.
TH‐A‐BRF‐09: Integration of High‐Resolution MRSI Into Glioblastoma Treatment Planning

Purpose: Identification of a metabolite signature that shows significant tumor cell infiltration into normal brain in regions that do not appear abnormal on standard MRI scans would be extremely useful for radiation oncologists to choose optimal regions of brain to treat, and to quantify response beyond the MacDonald criteria. We report on integration of high-resolution magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (HR-MRSI) with radiation dose escalation treatment planning to define and target regions at high risk for recurrence. Methods: We propose to supplement standard MRI with a special technique performed on an MRI scanner to measure the metabolite levels within defined volumes. Metabolite imaging was acquired using an advanced MRSI technique combining 3D echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) with parallel acquisition (GRAPPA) using a multichannel head coil that allows acquisition of whole brain metabolite maps with 108 μl resolution in 12 minutes implemented on a 3T MR scanner. Elevation in the ratio of two metabolites, choline (Cho, elevated in proliferating high-grade gliomas) and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA, a normal neuronal metabolite), was used to image infiltrating high-grade glioma cells in vivo. Results: The metabolite images were co-registered with standard contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR images using in-house registration software and imported into the treatment-planning system. Regionsmore » with tumor infiltration are identified on the metabolic images and used to create adaptive IMRT plans that deliver a standard dose of 60 Gy to the standard target volume and an escalated dose of 75 Gy (or higher) to the most suspicious regions, identified as areas with elevated Cho/NAA ratio. Conclusion: We have implemented a state-of-the-art HR-MRSI technology that can generate metabolite maps of the entire brain in a clinically acceptable scan time, coupled with introduction of an imaging co-registration/ analysis program that combines MRSI data with standard imaging studies in a clinically useful fashion.« less
Translation of research into interventions

This article discusses distinct ways in which research plays pivotal roles in the development, evaluation, refinement and dissemination of interventions for children and adolescents. A key challenge in interventions for high-risk children is to identify screening criteria for risk status. Longitudinal research is essential in creating a screening system with adequate sensitivity and specificity. Research-based developmental models should provide the framework for interventions as they are developed. These models can be then tested with the interventions, and ongoing developmental research can lead to a series of refinements of the interventions. Research can also provide essential information about who the programs succeed with and who they do not, and a newer phase of intervention research can rigorously identify factors which can bridge the “research-to-practice” gap, maximizing the effectiveness of interventions when they are disseminated into real-world settings.
Deltamethrin-induced thymus atrophy in male Balb/c mice

Abstract The action of deltamethrin, a potent type II synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, on the thymus of the Balb/c mouse was studied in vivo and in vitro. We found that deltamethrin produced atrophy in the thymus in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The lowest effective dose was found to be 6 mg/kg, 24 hr after a single intraperitoneal treatment. Treated animals did not recover during the time-course of the experiment (35 days after treatment); however, deltamethrin did not affect the body weight of the treated animals during the course of the study. To determine if deltamethrin-induced [Ca2+]i signaling could lead to thymic atrophy via programmed cell death, mice were treated with 25 mg deltamethrin/kg for 24 hr or the isolated thymocyte suspension was treated with 50 μM deltamethrin. A significant stimulation of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) and inositol 1,4-diphosphate (IP2) production was found after 24 hr of deltamethrin-1R (active isomer) treatment. An inactive stereoisomer of deltamethrin (i.e. 1S) did not cause a significant rise in the production of IP3 and IP2. In addition, deltamethrin-1R induced a transient increase of [Ca2+]i mobilization in the thymocyte suspension after 10 min of in vitro treatment, and substantially reduced the rate of calcium-calmodulin ( Ca CaM )- dependent protein dephosphorylation in in vivo treated animals (25 mg deltamethrin/kg for 24 hr). The in vivo effects of deltamethrin treatment demonstrated induction of DNA fragmentation and cell death in thymocytes. Moreover, using a histochemical approach, it was evident that deltamethrin at 25 mg/kg was able to produce cell death in the thymus of treated animals 72 hr after treatment. In the present work, we found that cell death was apoptotic in nature as noted first by the inhibition of deltamethrin-induced cell death by aurintricarboxylic acid, an inhibitor of apoptosis, and second, by internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, a hallmark of apoptosis, produced by deltamethrin in treated animals as well in thymocyte suspensions. In addition, the involvement of the Ca CaM - dependent protein phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cascade in the induction of apoptosis by deltamethrin was supported by the protective role of the calmodulin inhibitor trifluoperazine against the apoptotic effect of deltamethrin on thymocyte suspension. Our results suggest that deltamethrin induced thymus atrophy and altered the Ca CaM - dependent protein kinase-phosphatase cascade, which might induce programmed cell death.
Real-World Assessment of Physical Activity in Glaucoma Using an Accelerometer

Objective To determine the association between glaucomatous visual field (VF) loss and the amount of physical activity and walking in normal life. Design Prospective, observational study. Participants Glaucoma suspects without significant VF or visual acuity loss (controls) and glaucoma subjects with bilateral VF loss between 60 and 80 years of age. Methods Participants wore an accelerometer over 7 days of normal activity. Main Outcome Measures Daily minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was the primary measure. Steps per day was a secondary measure. Results Fifty-eight controls and 83 glaucoma subjects provided sufficient study days for analysis. Control and glaucoma subjects were similar in age, race, gender, employment status, cognitive ability, and comorbid illness ( P >0.1 for all). Better-eye VF mean deviation (MD) averaged 0.0 decibels (dB) in controls and −11.1 dB in glaucoma subjects. The median control subject engaged in 16.1 minutes of MVPA daily and walked 5891 steps/day, as compared with 12.9 minutes of MVPA daily ( P = 0.25) and 5004 steps/day ( P = 0.05) for the median glaucoma subject. In multivariate models, glaucoma was associated with 21% less MVPA (95% confidence interval [CI], −53% to 32%; P = 0.37) and 12% fewer steps per day (95% CI, −22% to 9%; P = 0.21) than controls, although differences were not statistically significant. There was a significant dose response relating VF loss to decreased activity, with each 5 dB decrement in the better-eye VF associated with 17% less MVPA (95% CI, −30% to −2%; P = 0.03) and 10% fewer steps per day (95% CI, −16% to −5%; P = 0.001). Glaucoma subjects in the most severe tertile of VF damage (better-eye VF MD worse than −13.5 dB) engaged in 66% less MVPA than controls (95% CI, −82% to −37%; P = 0.001) and took 31% fewer steps per day (95% CI, −44% to −15%; P = 0.001). Other significant predictors of decreased physical activity included older age, comorbid illness, depressive symptoms, and higher body mass index. Conclusions Overall, no significant difference in physical activity was found between individuals with and without glaucoma, although substantial reductions in physical activity and walking were noted with greater levels of VF loss. Further study is needed to characterize better the relationship between glaucoma and physical activity. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
A comparison of colorimetric versus fluorometric sentinel lymph node mapping during robotic surgery for endometrial cancer.

Abstract Objective The study objective was to compare the ability to detect sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in women with endometrial cancer (EC) or complex atypical hyperplasia (CAH) using fluorometric imaging with indocyanine green (ICG) versus colorimetric imaging with isosulfan blue (ISB). Methods Women underwent SLN mapping, with either ISB or ICG, during robotic-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy (RA-TLH) from September 2012 to March 2014. SLNs were submitted for permanent pathologic analysis. Completion lymphadenectomy and ultrastaging were performed according to institutional protocols. Results RA-TLH and SLN mapping was performed in 71 women; 64 had EC (64) and 7 had CAH. Age, body mass index (BMI), stage and tumor characteristics were similar in the ICG versus the ISB cohorts. Overall, SLNs were identified bilaterally (62.0%), unilaterally (21.1%), or neither (16.9%), and in 103 of 142 hemi-pelvises (72.5%). The mean number of SLNs retrieved per hemipelvis was 2.23(SD 1.7). SLNs were identified in the hypogastric (76.8%), external iliac (14.2%), common iliac (4.5%) and paraaortic (4.5%) regions. ICG mapped bilaterally in 78.9% of women compared with 42.4% of those injected with ISB (p=0.02). Five women (7%) had positive lymph nodes, all identified by the SLN protocol (false negative rate: 0%). On multivariate analysis, BMI was negatively correlated with bilateral mapping success (p=0.02). When stratified by dye type, the association with BMI was only significant for ISB (p=0.03). Conclusions Fluorescence imaging with ICG may be superior to colorimetric imaging with ISB in women undergoing SLN mapping for endometrial cancer. SLN mapping success is negatively associated with increasing patient BMI only when ISB is used.
Paleomagnetic correlations and Potassium-Argon dating of Middle Tertiary ash-flow sheets in the eastern Great Basin, Nevada and Utah

Directions of natural remanent magnetization are used to identify and correlate individual cooling units in the middle Tertiary ash-flow province in central and eastern Nevada and western Utah. Potassium-argon dating indicates that the minimum time between eruptions of individual but genetically related ash-flow cooling units is on the order of 0.8 m.y. As this interval is long in comparison with the secular variation of the direction of the geomagnetic field, in a given volcanic province the direction of natural thermoremanent magnetization is a unique characteristic of each cooling unit. Ash-flow sheets investigated include the Stone Cabin Formation, the tuff of Pancake Summit, the Windous Butte Formation, the Needles Range Formation, the Bates Mountain Tuff, and the tuff of Clipper Gap, of Oliogcene to early Miocene age. The original areas of individual ash-flow cooling units are as great as 8,000 km 2 ; the volumes, 1,300 km 3 . The paleomagnetic correlations, made over distances up to 200 km, confirm most of the previously made lithologic correlations and allow more accurate delineation of single cooling units. These correlations are particularly useful in those parts of the Basin and Range province where the Tertiary stratigraphic section consists mainly of ash-flow sheets, and the outcrops are confined to mountain ranges that are separated by alluvium-filled valleys.
Cotton, Corn and Risk in the Nineteenth Century

Why Did “Uncle Remus” exhort the post-bellum South to reduce its cotton-growing in favor of corn? His complaint was prompted in the immediate sense by the low cotton prices of the early 1890's, but such comments reflected a continuing discontent over the region's abandonment of self-sufficiency in foods after the Civil War. The ratio of cotton output to com was probably at an antebellum peak in 1860, but this ratio had been easily exceeded by 1880, as Table 1 indicates. In the leading cotton states, per capita corn production and the per capita stock of hogs were only about half of what they had been twenty years earlier. Coinciding as it did with a major era of stagnation in world cotton demand, this shift into cotton is of great importance for the subsequent economic development of the South. Despite its size and significance, the shift lacks a satisfactory explanation in the historical literature.
LVAD support in patients with bioprosthetic valves

The presence of mechanical or bioprosthetic valves has traditionally excluded patients from mechanical circulatory support. However, several centers have now developed algorithms for the surgical management of native or prosthetic valve disease in patients requiring left ventricular assist device insertion. We report adverse events associated with bioprosthetic valves in the mitral and tricuspid positions in 2 patients who received long-term mechanical support. We recommend anticoagulation for all patients with prosthetic valves in the mitral or tricuspid position to avoid thromboembolism, inflow conduit occlusion, or valvular incompetence.
Acute myocardial infarction with left bundle-branch block: disproportional anterior ST elevation due to right ventricular myocardial infarction in the presence of left bundle-branch block

A case of inferior and right ventricular acute myocardial infarction in the presence of left bundle-branch block is presented. The electrocardiogram manifests disproportional, discordant ST elevation in leads II, III, and aVF and in leads V(1) through V(4).
Effect of several stress factors on the susceptibility of the predatory insect, Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), to the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana

Abstract Temperature, starvation, and nutrition stresses, applied singly and in combination, significantly affected the susceptibility of Chrysoperla carnea to Beauveria bassiana and varied in effectiveness according to insect age and gender. The nutrition stress caused the most significant increase in adult and larval mortality and larval developmental failure. Larval mortality and developmental failure were also increased by the starvation stress. The temperature stress affected C. carnea mortality only when used in combination with nutrition and/or starvation. Possible mechanisms for the effects of the stresses on C. carnea response to B. bassiana are discussed.