cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Late effects of cisplatin-based chemotherapy on renal function in patients with ovarian carcinoma

Abstract While the acute toxicity of cisplatin on renal function is well described, the long-term effects have received little attention in the medical literature. In an effort to examine this important issue, we evaluated the renal function of a group of 60 women with ovarian cancer who received a second-line cisplatin-based chemotherapy program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center longer than 6 months following the completion of their initial cisplatin-based chemotherapeutic regimen. These patients had not received any cisplatin for a median of 19 months (range, 6–57 months) prior to beginning the second-line program. Only 4 patients (7%) had a serum creatinine value >1.3 mg/dl (upper limit of normal in our laboratory) at the time of initiation of the second-line program. In each case, the serum creatinine was ⩽1.6 mg/dl. An additional 6 patients (10%) had a >50% increase in serum creatinine above the initial baseline value prior to any treatment, but were still within the normal range. Following second-line cisplatin therapy, only 1 of the 60 patients (2%) experienced a serum creatinine rise to >2.0 mg/dl. We conclude that a limited number of patients with ovarian cancer who are long-term survivors following cisplatin-based chemotherapy exhibit evidence of a mild persistent compromise of renal function and, in general, second-line cisplatin can be administered to previously treated patients without the development of serious renal dysfunction.
Imaging Techniques in the Evaluation of Post-infarction Function and Scar

Imaging techniques are essential in the clinical evaluation of patients with a myocardial infarction. They are of value for both initial assessment of the ischemic injury and for detection of the subgroup of patients at higher risk of developing cardiovascular events during follow-up. Echocardiography remains the technique of choice for the initial evaluation, owing to its bedside capability to determine strong predictors, such as ventricular volumes, global and regional systolic function, and valvular regurgitation. New techniques for evaluating ventricular mechanics, mainly assessment of ventricular deformation, are revealing important aspects of post-infarction ventricular adaptation. The main alternative to echocardiography is cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. This technique is highly accurate for determining ventricular volumes and ventricular function and has the additional advantage of being able to characterize the myocardium and demonstrate changes associated with the ischemic insult such as necrosis/fibrosis, edema, microvascular obstruction, and intramyocardial hemorrhage. These features not only allow detection and quantification of the infarct size, but also reveal additional characteristics of the scar tissue with prognostic value.
Coexistence by recruitment variation: How large is the contribution of relative nonlinearity?

Recruitment variation is believed to be an important mechanism of species coexistence in variable environments. This mechanism, however, is a composite of two other mechanisms: the storage effect, and relative nonlinearity. The storage effect is a formalization of the concept of temporal environmental niche differentiation. It is well-understood theoretically and has been tested in natural systems such as forests and annual plant communities. Relative nonlinearity results from species differences in nonlinear responses to fluctuations in competition. Such differences arise whenever species differ in life-history traits such as mean longevity. While the storage effect is assumed to be the stronger mechanism, no studies have compared the relative magnitudes of the storage effect and relative nonlinearity in the same system, and so there has been no rigorous justification for the neglect of relative nonlinearity in theoretical and empirical studies of coexistence by recruitment variation. Our research uses analytical modeling and simulation tools to quantify the magnitude of these two mechanisms for iteroparous organisms coexisting by recruitment variation. Our results show that the strength of relative nonlinearity increases with species differences in longevity, and is larger with larger environmental variation. However, the storage effect is also larger with larger environmental variation, and in most cases, is much stronger than relative nonlinearity. Nevertheless, there are circumstances where relatively nonlinearity is predicted to be stronger than the storage effect. We find this is outcome in two-species cases where species have strong differences in their sensitivities to environmental fluctuations, as well as having different longevities. Indeed, it is possible for the storage effect to make no contribution to stabilization of coexistence, leaving relative nonlinearity as the only stabilizing mechanism. However, this outcome occurs only in a narrow range of circumstances. We conclude that under most circumstances, relative nonlinearity contributes little to the overall stabilizing effect and the neglect of relative nonlinearity in previous work is justified in those cases. Nevertheless, relative nonlinearity has the potential to make substantial contributions to species coexistence when species differ in their sensitivities to environmental variation.
Model calculations for reactivities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites

Abstract Structure-resonance theory calculations correlate reactivities and mutagenicities of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites.
Factors Affecting High School Students' Academic Motivation in Taiwan

The purpose of this research is to investigate predictive relationships among student characteristics that influence motivation for learning and achievement. A non-Western sample was chosen to test the generalisability of findings outside the Western cultural and social models. The participants were 6,539 students from 14 public high schools distributed across the western half of Taiwan. They were from three grade levels, and were balanced in gender. Correlations, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Individual differences predicted classroom perceptions, and perceptions predicted motivation, as did goal structures and group differences. Findings can inform educational policy, as well as teacher professional development and practice.
Galactose I-phosphate in the intestinal tissue of the rat during galactose abserption

Abstract The water-soluble, ethanol-insoluble barium salt mixture from a trichlolroacetic acid extract of the small intestines of rats assimilating galactose was resolved into several fractions on a column of Dowex- I borate. Each of the fractions consists of several components. Galactose was identified in three of the fractions, including one in which acid-labile phosphates predominated. An enzymic method was used to confirm the presence of galactose I -phosphate in similar fractions from intestinal extracts which had not been treated with barium. A high level of galactose I -phosphate appears in the intestinal tissue during the absorption of galactose, but none is present when sorbose is being absorbed. Raising the rats on diets containing low levels of galactose or lactose does not influence the level of intestinal galactose I -phosphate, measured I h after the administration of galactose by stomach tube. The galactose I -phosphate is formed by the phosphorylation of free galactose in the intestinal tissue.
Blood consumption by the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

The volume of blood consumed by actively reproducing female cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche), while feeding in confinement feeding chambers on cats for 3 h, was investigated using two radionuclide blood tags (51Cr-erythrocyte and 125I-albumin) and the gravimetric method. Female fleas consumed an average of 0.110 ml (+/- 0.026 ml) of blood per 100 females in 3 h as determined using the dual radionuclide system. The single 51Cr-erythrocyte tag overestimated blood consumption by 11.3% and the single 125I-albumin tag underestimated blood consumption by 6.4%. The gravimetric method underestimated blood consumption by 72.2% compared with the dual radionuclide value. Investigations of blood consumption of nonconfined female fleas were conducted with cats housed in metabolic cages and restricted from grooming. These investigations were conducted using the single 51Cr-erythrocyte tag, and the data obtained were corrected to compensate for using a single erythrocyte tag. Female cat fleas consumed an average of 13.6 microliters (+/- 2.7 microliters) of blood per day, which was equivalent to 15.15 times their body weight. In an additional study, direct exposure to 40 kHz ultrasound did not reduce blood consumption by the fleas.
On transport in stochastic, heterogeneous fibrous domains

Abstract Design of porous, fibrous structures is needed in a number of important technological applications. We focus on material parameters relevant to conductive substrates in advanced battery systems, though similar microstructures arise in many engineered and natural materials. The conductivities of stochastically-generated fiber networks are examined, with an emphasis on the variance in observed properties based on material variability, scale dependence of solution, and the occurrence and strength of singularities encountered in solution of the high contrast cases. We show that rigorous bounds on material behavior are too wide to be practically useful in these stochastic networks, and that material property variance is reasonably predicted by use of our stochastic finite element-fiber network approach. We further show that the boundary conditions employed in solution of Laplace’s equation in heterogeneous domains critically affects solution, and suggest guidelines for solution for a general network based on sharpness of interior angles. Degree of contrast in material phases’ properties are also discussed in how they affect the simplicity of the approach which can be taken in modeling real networks. We further assess the scale-dependence of our calculations. Finally, we demonstrate that the stochastic finite element/stochastic network solutions are robust, and are able to accurately predict both effective conductivity, and variance in conductivity, in these materials.
Sustained elevation of norepinephrine depresses hepatocellular function.

Abstract The sympathetic-adrenal system is rapidly activated in response to sepsis or hemorrhagic shock, resulting in an increase in circulating levels of catecholamines. Although it has been shown that the occurrence of hepatocellular dysfunction under such conditions is associated with an early and sustained increase in plasma norepinephrine (NE), it remains unknown whether the increased NE per se plays any role in producing hepatocellular dysfunction. To study this, exogenous NE was administered, by implantation of a peritoneal mini-osmotic pump (consistently releasing NE), to produce a plasma level of NE similar to that observed after sepsis or hemorrhage. At 24 h after the pump implantation, cardiac output was determined by dye dilution technique and hepatocellular function [i.e., the maximal velocity (Vmax) and the efficiency of the transport (Km) of in vivo indocyanine green clearance) was assessed without blood sampling. In addition, tissue perfusion in various organs was determined using laser Doppler flowmetry. Plasma levels of interleukin-6 were measured by bioassay and liver enzymes were assayed enzymatically. The results indicate that sustained (24 h) elevation of plasma levels of NE caused a decrease in cardiac output and microvascular blood flow in the liver, spleen, and small intestine. In addition, the increase in plasma NE produced significant depression in hepatocellular function as evidenced by reduced Vmax and Km. This was associated with elevated plasma levels of liver enzymes, indicating hepatocyte injury. In addition, plasma levels of interleukin-6 increased significantly. These findings suggest that sustained elevated levels of NE, observed after sepsis or hemorrhagic shock, may play an important role in producing hepatocellular dysfunction and altered hepatocyte integrity.
Defining Social Problems: Public and Professional Perspectives

A common way of defining social problems is to include a subjective element; objective conditions only become social problems when they are perceived to be undesirable by some segment of the public. In their actual treatment of social problems, however, sociologists have contradicted their own definitions by ignoring public opinion in their selection of specific problems for study. A survey of Gallup Polls from 1935 to 1975 shows certain patterns in public definitions of problems and identifies the kind of concerns held by the public. An examination of thirty-four social problems texts shows the kind of problems treated by sociologists, and there is considerable disparity between the public and the professional perspectives. A resolution of this disparity is suggested in the form of a new definition of social problems that gives both professional and public opinion a place in identifying and analyzing social problems.
DENSITY CURRENTS OR DENSITY WEDGES: BOUNDARY-LAYER INFLUENCE AND CONTROL METHODS

Les courants et les coins de densite sont deux manifestations d'interactions entre un ecoulement ambiant et une intrusion horizontale de fluide plus leger. Analyse de perturbation pour etudier la reponse de l'interface a un effet rotationnel. Verification experimentale des resultats. Comparaison avec la theorie de Benjamin et la theorie de Britter et Simpson
Similarity between Adolescent Best Friends

The present study examined similarity between adolescents and their best friends on a variety of attributes. All 8th and 11th graders from several public and private schools completed a questionnaire that asked about their smoking behaviors, smoking attitudes, dispositional compliance, the importance offour activities, and parental socioeconomic status. They were asked also to identify their best school friend. Eighty-five percent of the adolescents could be matched and compared to their bestfriend on the 10 variables of interest. Adolescents were more similar to their friends than to other non-selected adolescents on all of the attributes. They were more similar on behaviors than on attitudes and the importance of activities, and the least similar on dispositional compliance and socioeconomic status. In addition, there were effects of the grade and ethnicity of the friendship dyad on the amount of similarity. Younger and African-American adolescents were less similar to their friends than were older and ...
Nucleic acid-binding specificity and idiotypic expression of canine anti-DNA antibodies.

Serum samples collected from eleven lupus dogs during an active phase of the disease all bound native and denatured DNA, poly(dT), poly(I) and poly(G). Nine bound poly(C); 10 bound poly(U); and 3 bound poly(A). Sera from 22 normal dogs were negative with all of these antigens. The canine sera were also probed for the presence of three idiotypic markers, one related to human lupus anti-DNA antibodies and two related to murine lupus antibodies. One canine lupus serum expressed idiotopes related to a murine anti-DNA idiotype (Id) termed H130: (a) the canine serum bound to anti-H130 anti-Id; (b) it inhibited the binding of anti-H130 Id to its homologous Id; and (c) the anti-H130 Id inhibited the binding of the canine serum to DNA. These findings suggest that anti-DNA variable regions exhibit interspecies similarities, probably reflecting the conservation of the encoding gene segments through evolution.
Testing of analog systems using behavioral models and optimal experimental design techniques

This paper describes a new CAD algorithm which performs automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) for a general class of analog systems, namely those circuits which can be efficiently modeled as an additive combination of user-defined basis functions. The algorithm is based on the statistical technique of I-optimal experimental design, in which test vectors are chosen to be maximally independent so that circuit performance will be characterized as accurately as possible in the presence of measurement noise and model inaccuracies. This technique allows analog systems to be characterized more accurately and more efficiently, thereby significantly reducing system test time and hence total manufacturing cost.
Distribution, Transportation, and the Persistence of Household Ceramic Production in the Tarascan State

AbstractThe transportation of pots to market in the Prehispanic Tarascan State was not merely transference of these goods, but part of the logistics of marketing, an act embedded within a local cultural context and comprised of physical and cultural limits upon the participants. This paper addresses two concerns and draws heavily upon geographic information systems and the ethnohistoric and ethnographic record from the Lake Patzcuaro Basin, in Michoacan, Mexico and the highlands of Western Mexico. First, we model the practicality of household potters controlling the transportation of their products within the Tarascan market system. To construct this model we address issues of transport technology, the topography of the Lake Patzcuaro Basin, and information regarding the cultural and political rules governing transportation access within the Late Postclassic Lake Patzcuaro Basin. Second, we consider the relative stability of the household organization of ceramic production during the emergence of the Tara...
Programmed Cell Death in the Dysmyelinating Mutants

A large number of genetic mutants that are missing a particular myelin protein or that have an aberrant myelin protein composition have been described. These mutations usually cause dysmyelination in the PNS or CNS. Similarly, the nervous system of animals experimentally altered to block synthesis of myelin proteins have recently been generated that show aberrations in the myelin sheath. For both groups of animals, the numbers of myelinating cells remain relatively stable and glial cell death is minimal. The exception is animals with mutations in the proteolipid protein (PLP) gene which exhibit extensive death of oligodendrocytes (OLs). The degree of OL death in the PLP mutants generally correlates with the amount of dysmyelination. Dying OLs in the PLP mutants exhibit the classical features of apoptotic cells. Programmed cell death (PCD) is often, but not necessarily, manifested by cleavage of DNA into abundant oligonucleosomal fragments. Detection of these abundant DNA fragments was examined in normal and jimpy (jp) mice using the TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) method. In normal spinal cord and brain, at least twice as many cells exhibited DNA fragmentation when compared to numbers of pyknotic glia observed microscopically. In jp spinal cord and brain, roughly onehalf of cells exhibited DNA fragmentation when compared to numbers of pyknotic glia observed microscopically. PCD of cells in normal development involving DNA fragmentation has been previously described and our results support that conclusion. The data obtained from the jp mice suggests that the mechanism of apoptosis due to PLP mutations is somewhat different from that which occurs in normal development.
On the asymptotic performance of the decorrelator

We derive the asymptotic signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) of the decorrelator in the large system limit, both for the case in which the number of users exceeds the spreading gain and for the case in which the number of users is less than the spreading gain. We show that, contrary to what is claimed by Tse and Hardy (see ibid., vol.45, p.641-57, Mar. 1999) and by Tse and Zeitouni (see ibid., vol.46, p.171-188, Jan. 2000) when the number of users exceeds the spreading gain and the decorrelator is defined in terms of the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse, the SIR does not converge to zero.
Spülungen — Gestern, Heute, Morgen

Cystoskopien konnen mit Luft durchgefuhrt werden, aber alle transurethralen Operationen erfordern Spulflussigkeiten, um ein visuell klares Operationsfeld aufrechtzuhalten. Im Jahre 1946 inspizierten wir am Johns Hopkins Medical Centre das damals in Betrieb befindliche sterile Wasserfiltriersystem und fanden damals, das das sogenannte sterile Wasser verunreinigt war mit einer beachtlichen Kolonienzahl von Gram-negativen Organismen, wie Pseudomonas, Klebsiella und E. coli. Das System wurde abgeandert und es wurden stattdessen fur das sterile Wasser grose Glaskolben zum Ausgiesen benutzt. Anfang der 60er Jahre wurde dieses System abermals geandert und wir benutzten kommerziell erhaltliche Flaschen mit steriler Spulflussigkeit. Die Schwierigkeit der Handhabung, der Lagerung und die Leichtigkeit, mit der diese Systeme verunreinigt werden konnten, sowie der erhebliche Kostenaufwand fuhrten zur Erkundung von anderen Moglichkeiten; so wechselten wir in der Mitte der 60er Jahre zu Spulflussigkeiten in Einwegplastikbeuteln uber. Bis dahin hatten wir fast ausnahmslos Wasser verwendet, sowohl fur cystoskopische als auch operative Eingriffe.
Biotechnological efforts for preserving and enhancing temperate hardwood tree biodiversity, health, and productivity

Hardwood tree species in forest, plantation, and urban environments (temperate regions of the world) are important biological resources that play a significant role in the economy and the ecology of terrestrial ecosystems, and they have aesthetic and spiritual value. Because of these many values of hardwood tree species, preserving forest tree biodiversity through the use of biotechnological approaches should be an integral component in any forestry program in addition to large-scale ecologically sustainable forest management and preservation of the urban forest environment. Biotechnological tools are available for conserving tree species as well as genetic characterization that will be needed for deployment of germplasm through restoration activities. This review concentrates on the biotechnological tools available for conserving, characterizing, evaluating, and enhancing hardwood forest tree biodiversity. We focus mainly on species grown for lumber and wood products, not species grown mainly for fiber (pulp and paper production). We also present a brief summary of the importance of non-wood forest products from temperate hardwood tree species (a research area that needs further development using biotechnological techniques) and a few case studies for preserving forest tree biodiversity.
Waveform Inversion for One-Dimensional Near-Surface Structure in the New Madrid Seismic Zone

Waveform inversion is applied to P and S waveforms selected from microearthquakes of duration magnitude ( M d ) between 1.8 and 2.4 recorded at station PARM in Stahl Farm, Missouri, operated by the Cooperative New Madrid Seismic Network in the upper Mississippi Embayment to resolve the one-dimensional (1D) velocity structure of uppermost near-surface soils. Constrained by vertical seismic profiling (VSP) and standard cone penetration test (SCPT) data at nearby sites, we begin by defining a gradient velocity structure in the soils. A reference velocity model is constructed by grid search in which the observed P and P S wave shapes, ![Graphic][1] travel time, and P / P S amplitude ratio are the controlling factors in the systematic selection from among 136,000 models. A waveform inverse scheme is then implemented to obtain the least spectral misfit and best waveform correlation between synthetic and observed data. Four simultaneous inversions of joint waveforms from P and S wave types are performed. Resolved four 1D final models with associated uncertainties are listed in this article. The uppermost 7 m of near-surface soil exhibit very low velocities, through which V P and V S are in the ranges of 140 m/s to 470 m/s and 95 m/s to 215 m/s, respectively. This noninvasive technique demonstrates that the observed high-frequency reverberations (1–17 Hz) of P , S , and P S waveforms from local microearthquakes can be utilized to provide a view of the near-surface soil structure. Although there are trade-offs between layer thickness and slowness, this method explains much of the high-frequency site response due to microearthquake wave propagation through the very low-velocity, near-surface soils. [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Dressed states of molecules and state focusing

Abstract The state-focusing properties of the dressed states of a molecule in a strong microwave field are studied through molecular-beam microwave–microwave double-resonance spectroscopy. The state-focusing properties can be easily obtained through the dressed state formalism using a sudden approximation for the transition between field-free and dressed molecular states. Using this formalism, the transition moment and state-focusing properties of dressed states can be predicted by considering the component molecular states in the molecule-field eigenstates. By carefully constructing the molecule-field eigenstates, powerful double-resonance capabilities can be obtained by borrowing state-focusing character from other molecular states.
Genetic Characterization of a Cell Envelope-Associated Proteinase from Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32

A cell envelope-associated proteinase gene (prtH) was identified in Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32. The prtH gene encodes a protein of 1,849 amino acids and with a predicted molecular mass of 204 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of the prtH product has significant identity (45%) to that of the lactococcal PrtP proteinases. Southern blot analysis indicates that prtH is not broadly distributed within L. helveticus. A prtH deletion mutant of CNRZ32 was constructed to evaluate the physiological role of PrtH. PrtH is not required for rapid growth or fast acid production in milk by CNRZ32. Cell surface proteinase activity and specificity were determined by hydrolysis of αs1-casein fragment 1-23 by whole cells. A comparison of CNRZ32 and its prtH deletion mutant indicates that CNRZ32 has at least two cell surface proteinases that differ in substrate specificity.
Networked sensing systems for detecting people carrying radioactive material

The goal of the research described in this paper is to help prevent scenarios such as the following: a terrorist detonates a device that distributes radioactive material such as Cesium-137 or Cobalt-60 in an open space used for public sports events or demonstrations. This paper studies the efficacy of networks of static sensors on street lamps or similar infrastructures. This paper describes individual sensors, evaluates the benefits of networks of stationary sensors, and briefly discusses the potential value of integrated networks of wireless-equipped mobile security personnel with stationary radiation sensors and cameras. The paper presents mathematical analysis coupled with simulation results.
Cognitive and Noncognitive Aspects of Social Learning

It is well recognized that animals can acquire a new response by observing the behavior of others, however there remains some controversy concerning the mechanisms responsible for this learning. Of particular interest is observational learning, which is presumed to have occurred when an organism copies an improbable action or action-outcome that it has observed and the matching behavior cannot be explained by an alternative mechanism. Psychologists have been especially interested in the form of observational learning known as imitation and in how to distinguish imitation from other processes. To successfully make this distinction, one must distinguish imitation (the copying of the demonstrated behavior) from the degree to which behavioral similarity results from (i) predisposed behavior, (ii) increased motivation resulting from the presence of another animal, (iii) attention drawn to a place or object, (iv) learning about the way the environment works. Several of the processes that may be involved in observational learning are reviewed, including social facilitation, stimulus enhancement, several kinds of emulation, and various forms of imitation.
A Spatial Approach to Measuring Functional Spin-Offs in Marketing Channels

The authors thank the Distribution Research and Education Foundation in Washington D.C. for its assistance in conducting the study. Thanks also to the Affirmative Action Faculty Development Program at California State University, Fullerton, for its support in completing the manuscript. The authors thank the editor and three anonymous reviewers at the Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice as well as Douglas LaBahn and Lance Leuthesser for their valuable comments on earlier drafts of this article.The authors propose a quantitative method for measuring the phenomenon of functional spin-off in marketing channels and demonstrate its use with data collected from senior executives of manufacturing firms in the United States. The concept of functional spin-off is useful for forecasting changes of channel structure as well as for planning the horizontal and vertical strategic alliances among firms. The innovative analytical technique of correspondence analysis provides a spatial map to reveal the spin-off patte...
Serum Ammonia in Associated With Transplant-free Survival in Hospitalized Patients With Acutely Decompensated Cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND As ammonia metabolism is a complex multiorgan process, we sought to determine whether serum ammonia concentrations were associated with transplant-free survival in patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). METHODS We studied 494 consecutive patients hospitalized with cirrhosis between April 2007 and September 2012 with venous ammonia measured on hospital admission. The primary outcome was transplant-free survival. RESULTS Overall, rates of death or transplant within 30 and 90 days were 23.1% (n=114) and 37.7% (n=186), respectively. Forty-six patients (9.2%) underwent liver transplantation within 90 days. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, ammonia concentration was independently associated with death or transplantation within 30 and 90 days after adjusting for model for end-stage liver disease, sodium, white blood cells, and number of ACLF organ failures; every doubling of ammonia was associated with respective hazard ratios of 1.22 (95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.38) and 1.21 (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.44) for 90- and 30-day transplant or mortality. Notably, after adjusting for ammonia, organ failures were not predictive of outcomes. In a Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients with admission ammonia concentrations >60 μmol/L had significantly lower 90-day transplant-free survival (P=0.0004). Patients with admission ammonia concentrations >60 μmol/L had higher 90- and 30-day risk of death or transplantation (45.2% vs. 31.2%, P=0.001; and 31.6% vs. 15.7%, P<0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSION For patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis, an elevated serum ammonia concentration on admission is associated with reduced 90-day transplant-free survival after adjusting for established predictors.
Coupled mode analysis of a distributed bragg reflector laser for hydrogen detection

Simulation results for a DBR laser hydrogen sensor formed using periodic strips of palladium are presented. Due to palladium's sensitivity to hydrogen gas, the laser's output wavelength and power shift in response to hydrogen concentration.
Quorum Exploitation in the American Legislative Experience

I examine the exploitation of quorum rules in American legislatures from the colonial era to the present. After documenting changing quorum standards, I examine instances where minorities (and occasionally majorities) have exploited them through disappearing quorums and bolting quorums. This analysis allows me to identify the conditions under which quorum rules have been more easily abused for partisan purposes.
Certain endocrine influences governing the leukocytic response to fever.

A study is reported of the influences exerted on the levels of the circulating eosinophils, lymphocytes and neutrophils of rats in which body temperatures have been elevated for one hour to 41.0 or to 41.5 C. by means of the Raytheon microwave diathermy apparatus. Preliminary studies were made to determine the influence exerted on these blood categories by the restrictions imposed on the animals such as confinement in cages and insertion of rectal thermistors: factors incident to the experimental procedure. Data were assembled on intact animals, trained to cage confinement and to thermistor implacement, and on such animals subjected to the elevated temperatures. Data were also assembled on adrenalectomized animals, hypophysectomized animals, hypophysectomized-adrenalectomized animals and adrenal-demedullated animals. These data warrant the following conclusions: 1. Cage restrictions and the insertion of the thermistor into the rectum resulted in a mild form of stress inducing a slight eosinopenia, a lymphopenia and a mild neutrophilia. The energy of the microwaves, applied for one hour, greatly accentuated those changes, resulting in marked eosinopenia and lymphopenia, with a greatly increased neutrophilia. When temperatures ranging from 41.0 to 41.5 C. were induced for one hour in previously trained rats, the total eosinophil tabulation decreased in four hours from a control level of 171 ± 24 cells per cu. mm. of blood to 41 ± 5 cells, a decline of 76 per cent. The total number of mononuclear leukocytes decreased from a control level of 19,940 ± 1,000 cells to 8,330 ± 810 cells immediately after heating, while the total number of neutrophilic leukocytes increased from a control level of 3,580 ± 650 cells per cu. mm. to 8,770 ± 1,920 cells at two hours after heating. 2. Adrenalectomy altered the hemograms of rats subjected to those elevated temperatures, by abolishing the eosinopenic and the lymphopenic trends but it did not alter the neutrophilia. 3. Removal of the pituitary gland from animals prior to the increases in their temperatures resulted in an average decrease in the number of eosinophils, a decrease which was not considered significant. The number of neutrophilic leukocytes remained high. 4. When animals lacking both pituitary gland amid adrenal glands were subjected to the same energy for one hour no significant alterations in the number of eosinophils, of lymphocytes or of neutrophils were recorded. 5. The adrenal medulla did not appear to play a significant role in the chain of events leading to the characteristic hemogram in animals subjected to fever. In adrenal-demedullated animals an eosinopenia, a lymphopenia and a neutrophilia occurred as in normal intact animals. 6. The conclusion seems warranted that hyperpyrexia has produced pituitary and adrenocortical stimulation.
6-Chloro-6-deoxy-α-d-glucose: From Methyl α-d-Glucopyranoside by Reaction with Methanesulfonyl Chloride in N,N-Dimethylformamide

This chapter discusses the procedure involved in the preparation of 6-chloro-6-deoxy- d -glucose. It describes an experiment that involved the preparation of 6-chloro-6-deoxy- d -glucose by hydrolysis of methyl 6-chloro-6-deoxy- α - d -glucopyranoside in 10% hydrochloric acid for 3 hours at 100°; the yield was not stated. Methyl 6-chloro-6-deoxy- α - d -glucopyranoside was obtained in 8% overall yield from methyl α - d -glucopyranoside by a reaction sequence comprising formation of methyl 2,3,4-tri- O -acetyl-6- O -trityl-α- d -glucopyranoside, treatment of the latter compound with phosphorus pentachloride to give methyl 2,3,4-tri- O -acetyl-6-chloro-6-deoxy- α - d -glucopyranoside (31% yield), and deacetylation to form methyl 6-chloro-6-deoxy- α - d -glucopyranoside. For the preparation of 6-chloro-6-deoxy- d -glucose from its methyl glycoside, acetolysis is preferable to hydrolysis. The treatment of methyl 4,6- O -benzylidene- α - d -glucopyranoside with N -chlorosuccinimide may offer a route to 6-chloro-6-deoxy- d -glucose.
A Review of Epidemiological Research on Adverse Neurological Effects of Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution

There is a growing body of epidemiological research reporting the neurological effects of ambient air pollution. We examined current evidence, identified the strengths and weaknesses of published epidemiological studies, and suggest future directions for research in this area. Studies were identified through a systematic search of online scientific databases, in addition to a manual search of the reference lists from the identified papers. Despite being a relatively new area of investigation, overall, there is mounting evidence implicating adverse effects of air pollution on neurobehavioral function in both adults and children. Further research is needed to expand our understanding of these relationships, including: improvement in the accuracy of exposure assessments; focusing on specific toxicants and their relationships to specific health endpoints, such as neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases; investigating the combined neurological effects of multiple air pollutants; and further exploration of genetic susceptibility for neurotoxicity of air pollution. In order to achieve these goals collaborative efforts are needed from multidisciplinary teams including experts in toxicology, biostatistics, geographical science, epidemiology, and neurology.
Bond Strength of Deformed Bars and Steel Fibers in High Strength Concrete

In recent years, the means of making high strength concrete are simple by adding microsilica, fly ash, or other types of additives. As the use of high strength concrete increases, the need to clearly understand its prcperties is essentially a necessity for engineering design. While much of the basic properties of high strength concrete such as compressive strength (f c ), modulus of elasticity (E c ), and modulus of rupture (f r ), etc., has been investigated and reported recently, many remain unavailable. This paper presents the bond strength characteristics of deformed bar, steel fibers, and normal aggregate in high strength concrete matrix. The compressive strength of concrete used in this study is 75–80 MPa (11,000-12,000 psi). Bond slip relationships of deformed bars of three different bar diameters were obtained from the pull-cut test. Two types of steel fiber reinforced high strength cemented composites were tested in a directtension, tapered specimen to observe the pulled-out behavior of steel fibers. Fiber reinforced concretes with fiber volume fraction of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 % were compared to the unreinforced matrix. A direct-tension, dog boned specimen was used to study the bond between aggregate-matrix interface. The results from this study indicate that high strength concrete is generally more brittle, and in essence, allows less microcracking, less slippage, and less pulled-out deformation. This general trend is observed in both the deformed bar and fiber pulled-out as well as in aggregate-matrix interfacial debonding. The maximum slip of deformed bars in high strength concrete is about 0.15 mm.(0.006 in.) which is only one-tenth of that reported for normal concrete as 1.5 to 2.0 mm.(0.06–0.08 in.). A normalized pull-out stress-displacement relationship of high strength fiber reinforced concrete exhibits a unique behavior similar to those reported for normal fiber reinforced matrix.
High-Throughput Microplate-Based Assay to Monitor Plasma Membrane Wounding and Repair.

The plasma membrane of mammalian cells is susceptible to disruption due to mechanical and biochemical damages that frequently occur within tissues. Therefore, efficient and rapid repair of the plasma membrane is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis and cell survival. Excessive damage of the plasma membrane and defects in its repair are associated with pathological conditions such as infections, muscular dystrophy, heart failure, diabetes, lung diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. The molecular events that remodel the plasma membrane during its repair remain poorly understood. In the present work, we report the development of an assay for quantitative high-throughput monitoring of the plasma membrane repair efficiencies in real time using a sensitive microplate reader. In this assay, the plasma membrane of living cells is perforated by the bacterial pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O and the integrity and recovery of the membrane are monitored at 37°C by measuring the intracellular penetration of the membrane impermeant fluorescent dye propidium iodide. We demonstrate that listeriolysin O causes dose-dependent plasma membrane wounding and activation of the cell repair machinery. This assay was successfully applied to cell types from different origins including epithelial and muscle cells. In conclusion, this high-throughput assay provides a novel opportunity for the discovery of membrane repair effectors and the development of new therapeutic compounds that could target membrane repair in various pathological processes, from degenerative to infectious diseases.
Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: Pathogenesis and Treatment Considerations

The treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria begins with antihistamines; however, the dose required typically exceeds that recommended for allergic rhinitis. Second-generation, relatively non-sedating H₁-receptor blockers are typically employed up to 4 times a day. First-generation antihistamines, such as hydroxyzine or diphenhydramine (Atarax or Benadryl), were employed similarly in the past. Should high-dose antihistamines fail to control symptoms (at least 50%), omalizumab at 300 mg/month is the next step. This is effective in 70% of antihistamine-refractory patients. H₂-receptor blockers and leukotriene antagonists are no longer recommended; they add little and the literature does not support significant efficacy. For those patients who are unresponsive to both antihistamines and omalizumab, cyclosporine is recommended next. This is similarly effective in 65%-70% of patients; however, care is needed regarding possible side-effects on blood pressure and renal function. Corticosteroids should not be employed chronically due to cumulative toxicity that is dose and time dependent. Brief courses of steroid e.g., 3-10 days can be employed for severe exacerbations, but should be an infrequent occurrence. Finally, other agents, such as dapsone or sulfasalazine, can be tried for those patients unresponsive to antihistamines, omalizumab, and cyclosporine.
A Person-Centered Approach to Child Temperament and Parenting

The aim of this study was to examine how variations in children's temperamental reactivity and mothers' parenting stress relate to parenting behavior. A sample of 3,001 mother-child dyads was assessed when children were 14, 24, 36, and 54 months. Latent profile analysis identified a group of temperamentally "easy" children whose mothers experienced little parenting stress, along with two groups of highly reactive children differentiated by mothers' stress levels. Maternal negative regard over time was highest in the group of reactive children with highly stressed mothers. Mothers in this group also perceived more child behavior problems and had less knowledge of child development. Results are discussed relative to Person × Environment interactions and the complex interplay between parent and child characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Making Decisions about Elder Abuse

The study reported here indicated that, for at least some health care providers, determining whether abuse was present in a given situation was a complex and value-laden matter. More research and o...
Managing A Steady-State Firm. A Cybernetic Framework

Conventional managerial wisdom conceives of a firm as a mechanism that converts resources into products and services via a process of continuous and uninterrupted growth which fits an exponential pattern. Recent research on real or apparent ‘crises’ has demonstrated beyond any doubt that the growth pattern of complex systems resembles a logistic growth curve more than it does an exponential growth curve. This paper presents a cybernetic framework which describes the interplay between positive feedback (or growth creating) mechanisms and negative feedback (or controlling) devices. The outcome of this interplay is a growth strategy for the firm which is labeled sustainable growth.
Mechanics of Creep and Combined Stresses

A tensile creep strain-time-stress relation is proposed for the basis of creep stress and strain analysis. This relation has the advantages that: (1) it can be used for both short time transient creep as well as long time creep, (2) it gives a good representation of experimental creep data and (3) it leads to relatively simple mathematical creep stress and strain analysis for various types of structurel members and loadings.
Operator Identities for Subnormal Tuples of Operators

Some formulas for the products of resolvents of subnormal k-tuples of operators as well as k-tuples of commuting operators are established.
Aerobic Oxidation of in Situ Generated Cyanine Dyes Leading to DNA Damage

DNA damage induced by noncatalytic aerobic oxidation of pyridinocyanine dyes is described. The dyes are generated in situ during spontaneous oxidations of tetrakis- and bis(N-methylpyridin-4-ium)al...
Fire severity, time since fire, and site-level characteristics influence streamwater chemistry at baseflow conditions in catchments of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA

Fire plays an important role in controlling the cycling and composition of organic matter and nutrients in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the effects of wildfire severity, time since fire, and site-level characteristics on (1) concentration of multiple solutes (dissolved organic carbon, DOC; total dissolved nitrogen, TDN; dissolved organic nitrogen, DON; calcium, Ca2+; magnesium, Mg2+; potassium, K+; sodium, Na+; chloride, Cl−; nitrate, NO3−; ammonium, NH4+; sulfate, SO42−; and phosphate, PO43−), and (2) the molecular composition of stream-dissolved organic matter (DOM) across 12 streams sampled under baseflow conditions in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Samples were collected from low- and high-severity burned stream reaches, as well as an unburned reference stream reach. Fire severity, time since fire, and variability in site-level characteristics emerged as the strongest influences on streamwater chemistry. Results from mixed-effect models indicated that DOC and DON concentrations decreased with time since fire in high-severity burned stream reaches. In low-severity burned stream reaches, DOC concentrations increased, and DON concentrations slightly decreased with time since fire. We also found that declines in aromaticity (expressed as decreased SUVA254) and mean molecular weight DOM (expressed as increased E2:E3 ratios) with time since fire were associated with high-severity fires. Mixed-effect models also indicated that site-level characteristics played a role in solute responses. Aliphatic structures dominated streamwater DOM composition across fire-impacted catchments, but neither fire severity nor time since fire was a significant predictor of the proportion of aliphatic structures in streamwater DOM. North aspect exhibited the highest concentrations of Ca2+, K+, and Mg2+, whereas the north-northwest aspect exhibited the highest concentrations of Cl− and SO42+. We also observed elevated Ca2+, K+, and Mg2+ in burned (but not reference) stream reaches with pool-riffle versus step-pool bed morphology. Taken together, our findings suggest that the response of stream chemistry to wildfires in the Sierra Nevada, California, can persist for years, varying with both fire severity and site-specific characteristics. These impacts may have important implications for biogeochemical cycles and productivity in aquatic ecosystems in fire-adapted landscapes.