cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catastrophic Caustic Ingestion: A Case Report.

Introduction The majority of oral ingestion of caustic material by adults is intentional, and the aftermath varies widely with potentially fatal results. Injuries range from superficial burns of facial and oropharyngeal structures to extensive necrosis of the gastrointestinal tract. Management focuses on the identification of the ingested substance and prompt treatment and supportive care of the multiple complications stemming from the ingestion. Complications following caustic ingestion include both immediate and long term. Case presentation A fifty-seven-year-old man presented following intentional ingestion of drain cleaner. The patient was intubated and underwent emergent esophagogastroduodenoscopy [EGD], which revealed extensive damage to his oesophagus and stomach. He survived his initial injury but had a prolonged hospital course and ultimately died after developing tracheoesophageal and bronchooesophageal fistulas which were too extensive for surgical repair. Conclusion The sequelae of caustic ingestion can be minor or severe, both immediate and delayed. Despite appropriate prompt management and supportive care, patients may die as a result of the initial injury or subsequent complications.
Interest fit and job satisfaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Interest inventories are commonly used for career and organizational decision-making. Though it is widely assumed that interest fit predicts job satisfaction, previous meta-analyses reported non-significant relations between interest fit and job satisfaction. However, past meta-analyses were limited by several critical issues, including low statistical power and inconsistent inclusion criteria. In this updated meta-analysis, we systematically reviewed the link between interest fit and job satisfaction across 105 studies spanning over 65 years (k = 194, N = 39,602). Results revealed a statistically significant, positive relation between interest fit and overall job satisfaction that was slightly lower than expected (ρ = 0.19, [95% CI: 0.16, 0.21]). Yet moderation analyses revealed the strength of the relation was notably stronger for satisfaction facets capturing how people evaluate their career choice in general. Overall, these results suggest a need to reconceptualize the applied importance of vocational interests. Although we report clear evidence that interest fit predicts job satisfaction, interest fit is more strongly related to performance outcomes and satisfaction with one's overall career path. We conclude by presenting a series of recommendations for improving the use of interest assessments in career and organizational settings.
Novel Targets in Glucose Homeostasis and Obesity-Lesson from Rare Mutations

Obesity and diabetes have already become the second largest risk factor for cardiovascular disease. During the last decade, remarkable advances have been made in understanding the human genome’s contribution to glucose homeostasis disorders and obesity. A few studies on rare mutations of candidate genes provide potential genetic targets for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. In this review, we discussed the detailed findings of these studies and the possible causalities between specific genetic variations and dysfunctions in energy or glucose homeostasis. We are optimistic that novel therapeutic strategies targeting these specific mutants for treating and preventing diabetes and obesity will be developed in the near future. Studies on rare genetic mutation-caused obesity or diabetes have identified potential genetic targets to decrease body weight or reduce the risk of diabetes. Rare mutations observed in lipodystrophy, obese, or diabetic human patients are promising targets in the treatment of diabetes and obesity.
Finite-temperature instabilities of a two-dimensional dipolar Bose gas at arbitrary tilt angle

Advances in creating stable dipolar Bose systems and ingenious box traps have generated great interest in the field of cold bosons. Theory study of dipolar bosons at finite temperature $T$ has been limited. We study two-dimensional dipolar bosons at arbitrary tilt angle $\ensuremath{\theta}$ using finite-$T$ random phase approximation. We show that a comprehensive understanding of phases and instabilities at nonzero $T$ can be obtained by concurrently considering dipole strength, density, temperature, and $\ensuremath{\theta}$. We find the system to be in a homogeneous noncondensed phase that undergoes a collapse transition at large $\ensuremath{\theta}$, and a finite momentum instability, signaling a striped phase, at large dipolar strength; there are important differences from the $T=0$ case. As $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$, a Bose-condensed phase appears at critical dipolar strength, and at critical density. Our predictions for a polar molecule system, $^{41}\mathrm{K}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$, and $^{166}\mathrm{Er}$ may provide tests of our results.
Spectral composition of artificial illuminants and their effect on eye growth in chicks.

Abstract In broadband light, longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA) provides emmetropization signals from both wavelength defocus and the resulting chromatic cues. Indoor illuminants vary in their spectral output, potentially limiting the signals from LCA. Our aim is to investigate the effect that artificial illuminants with different spectral outputs have on chick emmetropization with and without low temporal frequency modulation. In Experiment 1, two-week-old chicks were exposed to 0.2 Hz, square-wave luminance modulation for 3 days. There were 4 spectral conditions: LED strips that simulated General Electric (GE) LED “Soft” (n = 13), GE LED “Daylight” (n = 12), a novel “Equal” condition (n = 12), and a novel “High S” condition (n = 10). These conditions were all tested at a mean level of 985 lux. In Experiment 2, the effect of intensity on the “Equal” condition was tested at two other light levels (70 lux: n = 10; 680 lux: n = 7). In Experiment 3, the effect of temporal modulation on the “Equal” condition was tested by comparing the 0.2 Hz condition with 0 Hz (steady). Significant differences were found in axial growth across lighting conditions. At 985 lux, birds exposed to the “Equal” condition showed a greater reduction in axial growth (both p
Antibiotic Use and Bacterial Infection among Inpatients in the First Wave of COVID-19: a Retrospective Cohort Study of 64,691 Patients.

Hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) often receive antibiotics for suspected bacterial coinfection. We estimated the incidence of bacterial coinfection and secondary infection in COVID-19 using clinical diagnoses to determine how frequently antibiotics are administered when bacterial infection is absent. We performed a retrospective cohort study of inpatients with COVID-19 present on admission to hospitals in the Premier Healthcare Database between April and June 2020. Bacterial infections were defined using ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes and associated "present on admission" coding. Coinfections were defined by bacterial infection present on admission, while secondary infections were defined by bacterial infection that developed after admission. Coinfection and secondary infection were not mutually exclusive. A total of 18.5% of 64,961 COVID-19 patients (n = 12,040) presented with bacterial infection at admission, 3.8% (n = 2,506) developed secondary infection after admission, and 0.9% (n = 574) had both; 76.3% (n = 49,551) received an antibiotic while hospitalized, including 71% of patients who had no diagnosis of bacterial infection. Secondary bacterial infection occurred in 5.7% of patients receiving steroids in the first 2 days of hospitalization, 9.9% receiving tocilizumab in the first 2 days of hospitalization, and 10.3% of patients receiving both. After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, bacterial coinfection (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 1.20) and secondary infection (aRR 1.93; 95% CI, 1.82 to 2.04) were both independently associated with increased mortality. Although 1 in 5 inpatients with COVID-19 presents with bacterial infection, secondary infections in the hospital are uncommon. Most inpatients with COVID-19 receive antibiotic therapy, including 71% of those not diagnosed with bacterial infection.
The Algebras \mathcal{O}^{\prime} {\rm k} and k

13.1.1. We preserve the setup of the previous chapter. Given v ∈ N[I]a, we may regard \({\rm{V}} \mapsto K({Q_V})\) as a functor on the category \(V_v^a\) with values in the category of O -modules. An isomorphism V ≅ V in \(V_v^a\) induces an isomorphism Ev ≅ Ev compatible with the a-actions; this induces an isomorphism Qv ≅ Qv which induces an isomorphism K(Qv) ≅ K(Qv ) that is actually independent of the choice of the isomorphism V ≅ V by the equivariance properties of the complexes considered. Hence we may take the direct limit \(\lim\limits_{\to_{\rm{v}}}\) K(Qv) over the category \(V_v^a\). This direct limit is denoted by O kv By the previous discussion, the natural homomorphism K(Qv)→ O kv is an isomorphism for any V ∈ \(V_v^a\).
Flow, deformation and fracture : lectures on fluid mechanics and the mechanics of deformable solids for mathematicians and physicists

Foreword Alexandre J. Chorin Preface Introduction 1. Idealized continuous media: the basic concepts 2. Dimensional analysis and physical similitude 3. The ideal incompressible fluid approximation. General concepts and relations 4. The ideal incompressible fluid approximation. Analysis and applications 5. The approximation of a linear elastic solid. Basic equations and boundary value problems of linear theory of elasticity 6. Approximation of a linear elastic body. Applications: brittle and quasi-brittle fracture, strength of structures 7. The approximation of Newtonian viscous fluids: general comments and basic relations 8. Approximation of a Newtonian viscous fluid: the boundary layer 9. Advanced similarity methods: complete and incomplete similarity 10. The ideal gas approximation. Sound waves. Shock waves 11. Turbulence. Generalities. Scaling laws for shear flows 12. Turbulence. Mathematical models of turbulent shear flows and of the local structure of turbulent flows at very large Reynolds numbers Bibliography Index.
A prospective open-label treatment trial of ziprasidone monotherapy in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness and tolerability of ziprasidone for treating pediatric mania. Methods: This was an eight-week, open-label, prospective study of ziprasidone monotherapy (57.3 ± 33.9 mg/day) in 21 bipolar youth [manic, mixed, or bipolar not otherwise specified (NOS); 6–17 years old]. Assessments included the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale (CGI-I), and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Adverse events were assessed through spontaneous self-reports, vital signs, weight monitoring, and laboratory analysis. Results: Fourteen of the 21 youth (67%) completed the study. Ziprasidone treatment was associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in mean YMRS scores (−10.8 ± 8.4, p < 0.0001) and 57% had a CGI-I ≤2 at endpoint. Ziprasidone was well tolerated with no statistically significant increase in body weight (0.6 ± 0.4 kg, p = 0.2) or QTc interval (−3.7 ± 4.7, p = 0.5). Conclusions: Open-label ziprasidone treatment was associated with a significant short-term improvement of symptoms of pediatric bipolar disorder. Future placebo-controlled, double-blind studies are warranted.
The formation of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes with giant impacts

The majority of discovered exoplanetary systems harbour a new class of planets, bodies that are typically several times more massive than the Earth but that orbit their host stars well inside the orbit of Mercury. The origin of these close-in super-Earths and mini-Neptunes is one of the major unanswered questions in planet formation. Unlike the Earth, whose atmosphere contains less than 10 6 of its total mass, a large fraction of close-in planets have significant gaseous envelopes, containing 1 10 per cent or more of their total mass. It has been proposed that close-in super-Earths and mini-Neptunes formed in situ either by delivery of 50 100M of rocky material to the inner regions of the protoplanetary disc, or in a disc enhanced relative to the minimum mass solar nebula. In both cases, the final assembly of the planets occurs via giant impacts. Here we test the viability of these scenarios. We show that atmospheres that can be accreted by isolation masses are small (typically 10 3 10 2 of the core mass) and that the atmospheric mass-loss during giant impacts is significant, resulting in typical postgiant impact atmospheres that are 8 10 4 of the core mass. Such values are consistent with terrestrial planet atmospheres but more than an order of magnitude below atmospheric masses of 1 10 per cent inferred for many close-in exoplanets. In the most optimistic scenario in which there is no core luminosity from giant impacts and/or planetesimal accretion, we find that post-giant impact envelope accretion from a depleted gas disc can yield atmospheric masses that are several per cent the core mass. If the gravitational potential energy resulting from the last mass doubling of the planet by giant impacts is released over the disc dissipation time-scale as core luminosity, then the accreted envelope masses are reduced by about an order of magnitude. Finally we show that, even in the absence of type I migration, radial drift time-scales due to gas drag for many isolation masses are shorter than typical disc lifetimes for standard gas-to-dust ratios. Given these challenges, we conclude that most of the observed close-in planets with envelopes larger than several per cent of their total mass likely formed at larger separations from their host stars.
Purification, Immobilization, and Some Properties of Glucose Isomerase from Streptomyces flavogriseus.

Abstract Glucose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.5) produced from Streptomyces flavogriseus was purified by fractionation with (NH4)2SO4 and chromatography on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 columns. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as shown by ultracentrifugation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Benzyl DEAE-cellulose, triethylaminoethyl-cellulose, and DEAE-cellulose were effective in the immobilization of partially purified glucose isomerase. Several differences in properties were found between purified soluble enzyme, immobilized enzyme (DEAE-cellulose-glucose isomerase), and heat-treated whole cells. Glucose and xylose served as substrate for the enzyme. Whole cells had the highest Km values for glucose and xylose; the soluble enzyme had the lowest values. The optimum temperature for activity of the soluble and immobilized enzymes was 70°C; that for whole cells was 75°C. The pH optimum for the three enzyme preparations was 7.5. Magnesium ion or Co2+ was required for enzyme activity; an addition effect resulted from the presence of both Mg2+ and Co2+. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg2+, Ag+, or Cu2+. The conversion ratio of the enzyme for isomerization was about 50%. The soluble and immobilized enzymes showed a greater heat stability than whole cells. The soluble enzyme was stable over a slightly wider pH (5.0 to 9.0) range than the immobilized enzyme and whole cells (pH 5.5 to 9.0). The molecular weight of the enzyme determined by the sedimentation equilibrium method was 171,000. A tetrameric structure for the enzyme was also indicated. After operating at 70°C for 5 days, the remaining enzyme activity of the immobilized enzyme and whole cells, which were used for the continuous isomerization of glucose in a plug-flow type of column in the presence of Mg2+ and Co2+, was 75 and 55%, respectively. Elimination of Co2+ decreased operational stability.
Pharmacologic activities of aged garlic extract in comparison with other garlic preparations.

We investigated the pharmacologic activities of four garlic preparations, raw garlic juice (RGJ), heated garlic juice (HGJ), dehydrated garlic powder (DGP) and aged garlic extract (AGE). The study used three animal models, i.e., testicular hypogonadism (hypospermatogensis and impotence) induced by warm water treatment, intoxication of acetaldehyde and growth of inoculated tumor cells. RGJ was found to be effective only in recovery of testicular function. The efficacy of HGJ was observed in three models; however, it did not improve impotence. DGP was effective in recovery of spermatogenesis and stimulated acetaldehyde detoxification. Significant beneficial effects of AGE were found in all three models. Although all four garlic preparations significantly enhanced natural killer (NK) and killer cell activities of the spleen cells of tumor-bearing mice, only AGE and HGJ inhibited the growth of inoculated tumor cells. These results suggest that different types of garlic preparations have different pharmacologic properties, and among the four garlic preparations studied, AGE could be the most useful garlic preparation.
Differential Regulation of COX-2 Transcription by Ras- and Rho-Family of GTPases

Abstract Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) gene expression which is rapidly induced by cytokines, growth factors and tumor promoters, is important for inflammation, angiogenesis, and is markedly enhanced in various cancer cells. Many of these factors initiate signaling through Ras- and Rho-family small GTPases. Here, we investigated the ability of Ras, Rac, Rho, and Cdc42Hs to differentially regulate transcription from the murine COX-2 promoter in NIH 3T3 cells. Over-expression of constitutively active mutants of Ras, Rac, Rho, but not Cdc42Hs induced transcription from the COX-2 promoter. Transactivation by Rac and Rho required cis-acting elements located between −80 and −40 of the COX-2 promoter whereas deletion of this region enhanced transactivation by Ras. A CRE/ATF element located at −56 was critical for Ras- and Rac-induced transactivation of the COX-2 promoter, but was not required for transactivation by Rho. This demonstrates Rho-dependent transactivation of the COX-2 promoter through novel trans-acting elements and suggests that, in NIH 3T3 cells, signaling by small GTPases that result in COX-2 expression is not through a sequential pathway from Cdc42 to Rac to Rho, but rather through independent, parallel signaling pathways.
Kinetic Mechanism of GTP Binding and RNA Synthesis during Transcription Initiation by Bacteriophage T7 RNA Polymerase

Abstract We have used stopped-flow and rapid chemical quench-flow methods to investigate the kinetics of the early steps during transcription initiation by bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. Most promoters of T7 RNA polymerase initiate with two GTPs. The kinetics of GTP binding was investigated by monitoring the fluorescence changes resulting from GTP binding to polymerase and fluorescent 2-aminopurine-containing promoter DNA complex. SchemeFS1 was determined from studies of T7 Φ10 promoter at 25 °C, where (E·D)n represents the polymerase·DNA complex in different conformations. GTPEand GTPI represent the elongating and initiating GTP molecules incorporated at the +2 and +1 positions, respectively. Our studies show that GTP at the elongation site binds with at least 10-fold tighter affinity than the GTP at the initiation site. Two conformational changes were revealed upon GTP binding to the polymerase·2-aminopurine DNA complex. The first conformational change occurred upon GTP binding to the elongation site. This conformational change was reversible, and studies with partially melted DNA and incorrect NTPs suggested that it may represent a DNA melting and/or base pairing step. A second rate-limiting conformational change whose rate was same as the maximum rate of pppGpG synthesis occurred after two GTPs were bound. As with DNA polymerases, this rate-limiting conformational change probably occurs at each NMP incorporation event and may be involved in proper positioning of the initiation and the elongating GTPs within the polymerase active site to achieve efficient and accurate RNA synthesis.
Pharmacologic manipulation of coronary vascular physiology for the evaluation of coronary artery disease

During the last forty years tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of coronary atherosclerosis and in the development of methods to characterize atherosclerotic disease burden and risk. Stress testing is designed to elucidate abnormalities in myocardial perfusion during stress due to abnormal coronary vasomotor response. We summarize the underlying determinants of normal coronary vasomotor tone as well as its responsiveness to both exercise and pharmacologic stressors. We introduce the various methods of assessing the presence of myocardial ischemia. A detailed discussion of the most commonly used stress agents as well as their clinical advantages and limitations follows.
L2 writing in the post-process era: Introduction

Abstract In this introduction to the special issue, I attempt to lay out a coherent if still-heuristic notion of “post-process.” I do so by first investigating four components of Trimbur’s (1994) definition of “post-process”: the social; the post-cognitivist; literacy as an ideological arena; and composition as a cultural activity. Next, I review studies in first and especially second language writing/literacy research which have attempted to move beyond process pedagogy and theory, and which for me, at least, provide a sound conceptual basis for further developments in that direction. I then conclude by stating my own summative definition of post-process, and briefly introducing the main contributions to this special issue.
Latest performance of ArF immersion scanner NSR-S630D for high-volume manufacturing for 7nm node

In order to achieve stable operation in cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing, Nikon has developed NSR-S630D with extremely accurate overlay while maintaining throughput in various conditions resembling a real production environment. In addition, NSR-S630D has been equipped with enhanced capabilities to maintain long-term overlay stability and user interface improvement all due to our newly developed application software platform. In this paper, we describe the most recent S630D performance in various conditions similar to real productions. In a production environment, superior overlay accuracy with high dose conditions and high throughput are often required; therefore, we have performed several experiments with high dose conditions to demonstrate NSR’s thermal aberration capabilities in order to achieve world class overlay performance. Furthermore, we will introduce our new software that enables long term overlay performance.
Filtering clutter by optimal granulometric bandpass filters

Granulometric spectral decomposition results from partitioning an image according to the manner in which a granulometry continuously diminishes the image. A granulometric bandpass filter operates by passing some components and not passing others. An optimal granulometric bandpass filter is one that passes components in a way to minimize the expected area of the symmetric difference between the filtered and ideal images. The present paper considers bandpass optimization for reconstructive granulometries. For these, each connected grain in the input image is either fully passes or eliminated. Hence, such filters are well-suited to elimination of clutter. The observed image is modeled as a disjoint union of signal and clutter grains and the filter is designed to best eliminated clutter while maintaining the signal. The method is very general: grains are considered to be realizations of random sets; there are no shape constraints (such as convexity) on signal and noise grains; there are no similarity constraints between granulometric and image generators, and the method applies to overlapping grains by considering the filtering to take place on the image model resulting from segmentation preprocessing.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Selective-pressure single impression procedure for tooth-mucosa–supported removable partial dentures ☆ ☆☆ ★

This article describes a method of making impressions for tooth-mucosa-supported removable partial dentures using a single impression procedure. Through the use of border-molded custom trays, selectively relieved, and application of pressure on residual ridge areas, the objectives of maximum tissue coverage and selective tissue placement of primary stress-bearing areas are fulfilled. With a single impression procedure, treatment time is reduced and laboratory errors commonly encountered with the altered cast impression technique can be minimized or eliminated.
Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions.

A. FNHTRs are reported in 0.5%–5% of all transfusions. B. FNHTRs are the most common complication of platelet transfusion. 1. Incidence ranges from 1.7% to 31%. 2. Higher incidences are seen in patients who have received multiple prior transfusions. C. Incidence may decrease with increased use of prestorage leukocytereduced blood products. D. Higher incidence of blood transfusion reactions occurs in patients with hematologic and malignant diseases.
Target tracking based on multiagent and game theory in wireless sensor network

A new method for target tracking based on multiagent and game theory is proposed in this paper. When a target occur in the sensing field of wireless sensor network, the sensor nodes begin to forming coalition dynamically and then they start to negotiate with game theory. New coalition is formed to track it with the target moving. Utilizing multiagent method and game theory in wireless sensor network enables nodes to perform tasks coordinately to achieve some desired objectives.
Radical retropubic prostatectomy in Hispanic patients

BACKGROUND Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S. Most studies assessing race as a predictor of biochemical disease recurrence after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) have focused on African-American patients. To the authors' knowledge, little has been published to date regarding radical prostatectomy in Hispanic patients. Hispanics represent 29% of the patients in the current study. The authors analyzed the presentation and outcome of Hispanic males managed with radical prostatectomy. METHODS In the current study, 1163 RRPs were performed. Patients were categorized by ethnicity as Hispanics, white non-Hispanics, African-Americans, and other ethnicities. African-American and other minority group patients were excluded from the analysis because of the small number in the current series. A comparative analysis of Hispanics and white non-Hispanics was performed. RESULTS RRP was performed in 1163 patients. Two hundred seven Hispanic and 518 white non-Hispanic patients met the study criteria. The mean follow-up was 46.9 months. Twenty-three percent of the Hispanic patients received neoadjuvant therapy. RRP Gleason scores of 2–6, 7, and 8–10 were found in 45% of patients, 38% of patients, and in 17% of patients, respectively. Lymph node metastases were present in 3%, seminal vesicle invasion in 13%, and extraprostatic extension in 23% of Hispanic patients. Adjuvant hormonal therapy was administered to 6% of the Hispanic patients. The biochemical disease recurrence rate was 12%. The mean time to biochemical disease recurrence was 29.7 months. A comparison between the Hispanic and the white non-Hispanic groups showed no significant differences in the analyzed variables. CONCLUSIONS Hispanic patients managed with radical prostatectomy for prostate carcinoma were found to have similar presentation, pathologic findings, and outcome as the white non-Hispanic patients. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
The privatizing DOALL test: a run-time technique for DOALL loop identification and array privatization

Current parallelizing compilers cannot identify a significant fraction of fully parallel loops because they have complex or statically insufficiently defined access patterns. For this reason, we have developed the Privatizing DOALL test—a technique for identifying fully parallel loops at run-time, and dynamically privatizing scalars and arrays. The test itself is fully parallel, and can be applied to any loop, regardless of the structure of its data and/or control flow. The technique can be utilized in two modes: (i) the test is performed before executing the loop and indicates whether the loop can be executed as a DOALL; (ii) speculatively—the loop and the test are executed simultaneously, and it is determined later if the loop was in fact parallel. The test can also be used for debugging parallel programs. We discuss how the test can be inserted automatically by the compiler and outline a cost/performance analysis that can be performed to decide when to use the test. Our conclusion is that the test should almost always be applied—because, as we show, the expected speedup for fully parallel loops is significant, and the cost of a failed test (a not fully parallel loop), is minimal. We present some experimental results on loops from the PERFECT Benchmarks which confirm our conclusion that this test can lead to significant speedups.
Subblocking concentrations of local anesthetics: effects on impulse generation and conduction in single myelinated sciatic nerve axons in frog.

Phenomena seen in axons exposed to subblocking doses serve as the basis for interpreting clinical and behavioral observations during onset and recovery of peripheral nerve block. To delineate the changes in excitability and in impulse conduction caused by subblocking concentrations of local anesthetics (LAs) in myelinated peripheral nerve fibers, LAs were applied to excised frog sciatic nerves while impulse conduction was monitored in single axons. For concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 1.2 times the LA concentration needed to block impulse conduction, three measures of susceptibility to LA were made to quantify the action of the drugs on "resting" fibers (firing rates 0.5 Hz). Local anesthetics reversibly inhibited two normally occurring afteroscillations in membrane threshold related to afterpotentials following an impulse. These were "superexcitability," a transient lowering of threshold lasting as long as 1 s, and "depression," a phase of raised threshold peaking within 2-4 s after an impulse and recovering slowly over several minutes. Impulse activity also transiently increased the apparent potency of LAs. Such "use-dependent" increases in threshold and decreases in conduction velocity showed kinetics that were agent specific, lasting 1 s after a burst of impulses for lidocaine and lasting > 10 s for bupivacaine. At low concentrations, within the range of nontoxic plasma concentrations after systemic administration, the predominant actions of LAs on conducting fibers were transient decreases in excitability and conduction velocity in combination with a reduction of intrinsic oscillatory aftereffects of impulse discharge. These effects may degrade decoding of information in discharge patterns without actually blocking conduction of infrequent impulses, suggesting how functional blockade of coordinated movement and perception may occur even without complete blockade of impulse conduction.
From Förster resonance energy transfer to coherent resonance energy transfer and back

Photosynthesis converts solar energy into chemical energy. It provides food and oxygen; and, in the future, it could directly provide bioenergy or renewable energy sources, such as bio-alcohol or hydrogen. To exploit such a highly efficient capture of energy requires an understanding of the fundamental physics. The process is initiated by photon absorption, followed by highly efficient and extremely rapid transfer and trapping of the excitation energy. We first review early fluorescence experiments on in vivo energy transfer, which were undertaken to understand the mechanism of such efficient energy capture. A historical synopsis is given of experiments and interpretations by others that dealt with the question of how energy is transferred from the original location of photon absorption in the photosynthetic antenna system into the reaction centers, where it is converted into useful chemical energy. We conclude by examining the physical basis of some current models concerning the roles of coherent excitons and incoherent hopping in the exceptionally efficient transfer of energy into the reaction center.
The Relationship Between Combat Exposure and the Transfer of Trauma-like Symptoms to Offspring of Veterans

This study systematically investigates the relationship between intensity of Vietnam combat exposure and the transfer of trauma symptoms to adult children of veterans. Forty male combat veterans who comprised high and low combat intensity groups were administered a series of measures designed to assess PTSD, depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and avoidance responses. Veterans also completed an emotional Stroop procedure involving combat relevant and non-relevant stimuli. Offspring of veterans (n = 53) completed similar measures. It was found that offspring affective responses were impacted by level of combat intensity. The most pronounced effects occurred on the emotional Stroop wherein children of high combat veterans showed the longest Stroop response latencies. Offspring of veterans were found to be relatively well adjusted despite many of their parent-veterans having PTSD. Results support the Stroop paradigm as a valuable research tool for investigating the parent - child transfer of subtle emot...
Use of temperature to study the nature of interface states and Fermi level pinning with metals on GaAs(110)

Abstract A number of metal/GaAs(110) interfaces prepared at room temperature and 80 K low temperature have been studied using photoelectron spectroscopy. Through two examples (non-reactive Ga/GaAs and reactive Cr/GaAs interfaces) we demonstrate that by controlling the temperature at which the interface is formed one can possibly identify the interface states which are responsible for the semiconductor band bending and Fermi level pinning. At low temperature, the low-coverage band bending is due to the surface donor states originating from metal atom chemisorption on the semiconductor surfaces. The Fermi level is pinned at high coverages mainly by two classes of interface states. Defects are dominant at the disrupted interfaces (mostly formed at room temperature), and the metal-induced gap states are important at the nearly ideal interface formed at low temperature. In general, the interplay between the defects and the metal-induced gap states has to be taken into account to determine the final Fermi level position relative to the band edges and the Schottky barrier height.
Transient Photochemistry of Safranin-O.

— We have characterized the spectra, acidity constants and decay kinetics of the triplet and semireduced radical species of Safranin-O. Between pH 3.0 and 10.6, there are three triplet species denoted 3DH2 +2, 3DH+ and 3D, the pKas being 7.5 and 9.2. All three triplet species exhibit first order decay, the rate constant for 3DH+ being ca. 5-fold lower than the rate constants of 3DH+ and 3D. Ascorbic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) quench the triplet state under appropriate pH conditions and the pH dependencies of the yield of semireduced dye indicate that 3DH+ is more reactive than 3DH+ or 3D. With EDTA as the reducing agent, there is the additional requirement that at least one of the amino nitrogens be deprotonated to obtain a significant yield of semireduced dye. In these reactions, ascorbic acid is oxidized reversibly, but EDTA is oxidized irreversibly, so that with the latter reducing agent photolysis causes buildup of the leucodye, which on subsequent photolysis can reduce triplet state dye. With ascorbic acid as the reducing agent, the regeneration of the ground state dye is reversible, the decay of the semireduced radical being second order. In general, the transient photochemistry of Safranin-O resembles that of Thionine, the major difference being that the lifetimes of 3DH2 +2 and 3DH+ are much longer for Safranin-O than for Thionine.
Utility of ultrasound-guided surface electrode placement in lateral femoral cutaneous nerve conduction studies

Introduction: Meralgia paresthetica is a common clinical complaint for which some patients ultimately undergo surgical treatment. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) has been difficult to reliably test electrophysiologically, likely due to anatomic variability and lack of responses in asymptomatic obese subjects. Methods: We compared a novel ultrasound-guided antidromic sensory nerve conduction study (NCS) with a technique described previously in a population of normal subjects, of whom 50% had body mass indices within the obese range (>27.5). Results: Responses were obtained in at least 92% of subjects using either technique, and 92% of normal subjects had <60% interside variability using the ultrasound-guided technique. Conclusions: LFCN sensory nerve action potentials can be obtained in the vast majority of normal subjects, even in an obese population and can provide a useful sensory NCS for evaluation of mid-lumbar radiculopathy, plexopathy, or meralgia paresthetica. Muscle Nerve, 2011
Synthesis of mevalonolactone-2,3-13C2

The synthesis of mevalonolactone with 13C-labels at positions 2 and 3 is reported. Hydrolysis of methyl 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-5,5-dimethoxy-valerate-2,3-13C2 to the aldehydo acid followed by reduction with sodium borohydride yielded the title compound. The material is useful as a substrate in biosynthetic studies using 13C-NMR as an analytical tool.
Women in Academic Surgery: The Pipeline Is Busted

Purpose This investigation examined the trends for gender-based advancement in academic surgery by performing a comparative analysis of the rate of change in the percentage of medical students, surgery residents, and full professors of surgery who are women. Methods All available Women in Medicine Annual Reports were obtained from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). The gender compositions of medical graduates, surgery residents, and full professors were plotted. Binomial and linear trendlines were calculated to estimate the year when 50% of surgery full professors would be women. Additionally, the percentage distribution of men and women at each professorial rank was determined from 1995 to 2009 using these reports to demonstrate the rate of academic advancement of each gender. Results The slope of the line of increase for women full professors is significantly less than for female medical students and for female general surgery residents (0.36, compared with 0.75 and 0.99, respectively). This predicts that the earliest time that females will account for 50% of full professors in surgery is the year 2096. When comparing women and men in academic ranks, we find that women are much less likely than men to be full professors. Conclusions The percentage of full professors in surgery who are women is increasing at a rate disproportionately slower than the increases in female medical students and surgery residents. The rates of increase in female medical students and surgery residents are similar. The disproportionately slow rate of increase in the number of female full professors suggests that multiple factors may be responsible for this discrepancy.
Social behaviour in insects

Social Insects. Vol.I. Edited byHenry R. Hermann. Pp. 437. (Academic: New York and London, 1979.) $36; £23.40.
Search for interstellar superheavy hydrogen.

Models for fundamental physical interactions allow for the existence of stable or nearly stable elementary particles much heavier than the proton. Stellar spectra were searched for a positively charged superheavy particle, X(+), which, with a bound electron, should appear as apparently superheavy neutral hydrogen in the interstellar medium. An upper limit for the abundance of X relative to normal hydrogen in the line of sight toward the bright star gamma Cassiopeiae is 2 x 10 to the -8th.
Numerical study of fluid dynamic and heat transfer performance of Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids in the flat tubes of a radiator

Abstract A three-dimensional laminar flow and heat transfer with two different nanofluids, Al 2 O 3 and CuO, in an ethylene glycol and water mixture circulating through the flat tubes of an automobile radiator have been numerically studied to evaluate their superiority over the base fluid. New correlations for viscosity and thermal conductivity of nanofluids as a function of particle volumetric concentration and temperature developed from the experiments have been used in this paper. Numerical results from the present simulation were first validated for the flow of water by comparing the friction factor and the Nusselt number in flat tubes, for which accurate results are available in the literature. Next, the model was applied to study the peripheral variations of shear stress and convective heat transfer coefficient, both showing higher magnitudes in the flat regions of the tube. Convective heat transfer coefficient in the developing and developed regions along the flat tubes with the nanofluid flow showed marked improvement over the base fluid. Results for the local and the average friction factor and convective heat transfer coefficient show an increase with increasing particle volumetric concentration of the nanofluids. Quantitative results of the increase of the heat transfer coefficient and the friction factor with increasing volumetric concentrations of nanofluids at various Reynolds numbers are presented. The pressure loss increases with increasing particle volumetric concentrations of nanofluids; however, due to the reduced volumetric flow needed for the same amount of heat transfer, the required pumping power diminishes.
SU-FF-T-33: Introduction to 3-D Image-Based Treatment Planning for Complex Brachytherapy of Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Purpose: To introduce CT-based treatment planning for brachytherapy of soft tissue sarcoma utilizing 3-D graphics, and to examine resulting improvements in dosimetry and efficiency for complex cases. Method and Materials: This procedure begins with a CT scan (Picker PQ 5000) following surgical catheter placement. CT data is transferred to the treatment planning workstation and imported into BrachyVision 6.5 (Varian) software. The catheters are defined as applicators utilizing the combination of 2-D transverse, coronal, and sagittal CT views and 3-D image reconstruction. This type of applicator definition creates automatic seed placement and spacing along the catheter. Ir-192 seeds (Best Industries, Inc.) with TG-43 data are used for dose calculation. Dosimetry is optimized using 3-D dose visualization. This planning procedure has been performed and analyzed on seven LDR and two HDR clinical cases. Two LDR cases were planned with both the previous 2-D method of orthogonal films and the new 3-D CT-based method. The two methods were compared on 3-D versus 2-D (volume versus planar), dosimetry optimization, and clinical feasibility. Results: There are significant benefits of using CT-based 3-D planning for sarcoma brachytherapy. CT plane views allow accurate catheter definition and seed placement. 3-D visualization permits an assessment of catheter distribution in more than one plane, and enhances dose optimization for tumor bed dose, hot/cold spots, and normal tissue doses. The process is no more time consuming, and gives more confidence in source placement, more choices in source activity, and improved displays of isodose distributions. Conclusion: 3-D compatible planning software with CT imaging has allowed this clinic to improve visualization and dosimetry optimization while reducing uncertainty in seed positioning for complex cases of sarcoma brachytherapy. Use of CT additionally creates the potential of combining dose distributions from external beam treatment and brachytherapy to produce composite dose evaluation.
Platelet glycoprotein VI facilitates experimental lung metastasis in syngenic mouse models

Summary. Background: Glycoprotein (GP)VI is a key receptor for collagen on the platelet surface. It is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily and is uniquely expressed on the surface of platelets, where it is assembled with the immunoreceptor tyrosine activation motif subunit, FcR-γ. We have previously reported the generation of a murine model of GPVI deficiency that revealed profound defects in collagen-induced platelet aggregation and in platelet activation following adhesion to collagen. Beyond the hemostasis/thrombosis paradigm, platelet receptors are emerging as significant participants in tumorigenesis and inflammation. Objective: In the current study, we have evaluated a role for platelet GPVI in primary tumor growth and experimental metastasis. Methods: Primary tumor induction and experimental metastasis assays were performed using syngenic immunocompetent animals and tumor cells derived from the C57BL/6J mouse strain in wild-type (C57BL/6J) and N10 C57BL/6J congenic GPVI-deficient mice. Results: Using either a Lewis lung carcinoma (D121) or melanoma (B16F10.1) cell line, we observed an approximately 50% reduction in the number of visible tumor foci in GPVI-deficient mice as compared with control C57BL/6J mice. Additional studies were performed to compare the size of subcutaneously implanted tumor cells, that is, primary tumor growth. Here, we observed no noticeable size difference when comparing the presence or absence of platelet GPVI. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the presence of platelet GPVI facilitates experimental tumor metastasis but does not contribute to the growth of primary tumors.
Cardiovascular biology: Heart fails without pump partner

Mishandling of calcium ions by cardiac cells causes the heart to malfunction. The discovery of a crucial modification to a calcium pump inside the cell opens up a potential way to correct this. See Letter p.601 SERCA2a is an ATPase responsible for calcium reuptake during excitation contraction coupling. Levels and activity of SERCA2a are decreased in heart failure, and a gene-therapy approach to deliver SERCA2a to failing hearts is being tested in clinical trials. Roger Hajjar and colleagues now show that SUMOylation, the attachment of SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) proteins, is essential for preserving the stability and activity of SERCA2a and that levels of SUMO1 are decreased in failing hearts. They also show in a mouse model of heart failure that gene delivery of SUMO1 can restore heart function to the same degree as delivery of SERCA2a, pointing to SUMO1 as a potential therapeutic candidate for treating heart failure.
keepin' it R.E.A.L.: A Drug Resistance Curriculum Tailored to the Strengths and Needs of Pre-Adolescents of the Southwest

Research has shown that students respond more favorably to drug prevention programs when they see their culture and themselves represented in the prevention message. Additionally, studies highlight important ethnic differences in drug behaviors and attitudes, indicating that students' ethnic culture should be considered in the creation of prevention programs. Because there are few effective, culturally grounded programs, new approaches are needed, particularly among Mexican American youth. This need inspired the Drug Resistance Strategies Project (DRS) to develop and test the keepin' it R.E.A.L curriculum serving ethnically diverse seventh grade students residing in a large southwestern city. This article describes development of the keepin' it R.E.A.L. curriculum, focusing on the methods used to ensure cultural grounding. The article also reviews literature on cultural approaches in prevention, presents a theoretical framework, summarizes key outcomes of the curriculum evaluation, and concludes with recommendations for the development of prevention programs for ethnically diverse youth.