cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compatibility and Stability of Paclitaxel Combined with Cisplatin and with Carboplatin in Infusion Solutions

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the physical compatibility and chemical stability of paclitaxel at concentrations of 0.3 and 1.2 mg/mL with cisplatin 0.2 mg/mL in NaCl 0.9% injection and with carboplatin 2 mg/mL in NaCl 0.9% injection and dextrose 5% injection over 7 days at 4, 23, and 32°C.DESIGN:The test samples were prepared in polyolefin bags of the infusion solutions at the required drug concentrations. Evaluations were performed initially and after 4 hours, and 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of storage at temperatures of 4, 23, and 32°C for physical and chemical stability. Physical stability was assessed by using visual observation in normal light and using a high-intensity monodirectional light beam. In addition, turbidity and particle content were measured electronically. Chemical stability of the three drugs was evaluated by using three stability-indicating HPLC analytical techniques.RESULTS:All samples were physically stable through 1 day. However, microcrystalline precipitation of paclitaxel occurred in 3 days in s...
On the block-sparse solution of single measurement vectors

Finding the solution of single measurement vector (SMV) problem with an unknown block-sparsity structure is considered. Here, we propose a sparse Bayesian learning (SBL) algorithm simplified via the approximate message passing (AMP) framework. In order to encourage the block-sparsity structure, we incorporate a parameter called Sigma-Delta as a measure of clumpiness in the supports of the solution. Using the AMP framework reduces the computational load of the proposed SBL algorithm and as a result makes it faster. Furthermore, in terms of the mean-squared error between the true and the reconstructed solution, the algorithm demonstrates an encouraging improvement compared to the other algorithms.
Does water chemistry limit the distribution of New Zealand mud snails in Redwood National Park

New Zealand mud snails (NZMS) are exotic mollusks present in many waterways of the western United States. In 2009, NZMS were detected in Redwood Creek in Redwood National Park, CA. Although NZMS are noted for their ability to rapidly increase in abundance and colonize new areas, after more than 5 years in Redwood Creek, their distribution remains limited to a ca. 300 m reach. Recent literature suggests that low specific conductivity and environmental calcium can limit NZMS distribution. We conducted laboratory experiments, exposing NZMS collected from Redwood Creek to both natural waters and artificial treatment solutions, to determine if low conductivity and calcium concentration limit the distribution of NZMS in Redwood National Park. For natural water exposures, we held NZMS in water from their source location (conductivity 135 μS/cm, calcium 13 mg/L) or water from four other locations in the Redwood Creek watershed encompassing a range of conductivity (77–158 μS/cm) and calcium concentration ( 4 months) in the lowest conductivity waters from Redwood Creek and all but the lowest-conductivity treatment solutions, regardless of calcium concentration. However, reproductive output was very low in all natural waters and all low-calcium treatment solutions. Our results suggest that water chemistry may inhibit the spread of NZMS in Redwood National Park by reducing their reproductive output.
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells accelerate granulocyte and platelet recovery after high-dose chemotherapy

Hematopoietic growth factors have been used to accelerate engraftment after bone marrow transplantation and to "mobilize" peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC). We report on the data in 85 consecutive patients with Hodgkin's disease who were treated in a single institution using different methods to obtain PB progenitor cells. Use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for mobilization resulted in a significantly accelerated time to recovery of granulocytes (10 days v 12 days, P < .01) when compared with "nonmobilized" PBPC recipients. Similarly, use of mobilized PBPC resulted in a significantly accelerated time to platelet engraftment (13 days v 30 days, P < .001) when compared with "nonmobilized" recipients. Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference in total costs in favor of the group receiving "mobilized" PBPC.
Use of EEA stapler for substernal esophagogastric anastomosis in palliation of esophageal carcinoma.

For the patient with carcinoma of the esophagus in whom curative resection is not feasible, palliative procedures are often possible. Substernal gastric bypass is one of those palliative procedures. Although it does improve the quality of life, substernal gastric bypass is a major surgical procedure in a debilitated patient. Use of the EEA stapler to effect the gastroesophageal anastomosis, as reported here, simplifies and shortens the procedure.
Synthesis, X-ray structures, and characterization of hexafluoro-iso-propoxide group 3 and lanthanide precursors

Abstract A series of hydrated hexafluoro-iso-propoxide (hfip) lanthanide complexes was synthesized from the amide-alkoxide exchange reaction of the lanthanide bis-trimethylsilyl amide dissolved in toluene and an excess amount of H-hfip. The products were isolated and identified by single crystal X-ray diffraction as: [cis-(H2O)2(hfip)2Ln(μ-hfip)]2 (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Y), [trans-(H2O)2(hfip)2Sc(μ-hfip)]2 (Sc), [(H2O)2(hfip)2La2(μ-hfip)3(μ3-OH)]2 (La-OH), and [(H2O)(hfip)2Sc(μ-hfip)(μ-OH)(μ3-OH)Sc(H2O)(hfip)]2 (Sc-OH). All species were found to have bound H2O molecules thought to be present in the hfip. For the non-oxo species, dinuclear species were formed with one bridging and two terminal hfip ligands. The waters were cis-oriented for all samples but the smallest derivative, Sc, where they were located in trans arrangement. Oxo species were formed by ‘aged’ hfip and generated tetranuclear species (La-OH and Sc-OH) that possessed different ligand sets. Initial efforts to determine these compounds utility for LnF3 nanomaterial production were undertaken using amine solvent in solvothermal (SOLVO) or solution precipitation (SPPT) routes. LnF3 phases were noted but often this was mixed with the Ln(O,F) or Ln2O3 phases.
Tuning Superhydrophobic Nanostructures To Enhance Jumping-Droplet Condensation.

It was recently discovered that condensation growing on a nanostructured superhydrophobic surface can spontaneously jump off the surface, triggered by naturally occurring coalescence events. Many reports have observed that droplets must grow to a size of order 10 μm before jumping is enabled upon coalescence; however, it remains unknown how the critical jumping size relates to the topography of the underlying nanostructure. Here, we characterize the dynamic behavior of condensation growing on six different superhydrophobic nanostructures, where the topography of the nanopillars was systematically varied. The critical jumping diameter was observed to be highly dependent upon the height, diameter, and pitch of the nanopillars: tall and slender nanopillars promoted 2 μm jumping droplets, whereas short and stout nanopillars increased the critical size to over 20 μm. The topology of each surface is successfully correlated to the critical jumping diameter by constructing an energetic model that predicts how lar...
Fungi Associated with Pure Maple Syrup Packed at the Minimum Recommended Reheating Temperature1

In a study on container storage and syrup stability, when pure maple syrup was heated at the traditional minimum packing temperature of 82°C, 6.9% of syrups in all types of containers were surface-contaminated with a fungal mat; Penicillium and Aspergillus species predominated. Fungal growth was not found in syrups stored at 4°C for 12 months, only in syrups stored for the same length of time at 24 and 30°C. In a second container study, heating the maple syrup before packing at 93°C resulted in no detectable fungal growth. This higher-than-recommended reheating temperature successfully minimized the effect of cold ambient temperatures during syrup packing, so that the reheated syrup was hot enough to sterilize the container and the air space between syrup and cap.
Abstract 202: Aging Alters the Electrical and Mechanical properties of LV Myocytes

Aging results in delays in the electrical recovery of the heart, enhancing the risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. But whether altered electrical properties affect myocardia...
Self-Consistent Calculation of the ρ-Meson Regge Pole

The left-hand discontinuities in the partial-wave amplitudes for $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\pi}$ scattering are assumed to be dominated by the exchange of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ meson in a form suggested by the Regge representation for a resonance. This Regge behavior provides the necessary high-energy cutoff and allows the $\frac{N}{D}$ equations to be solved. The partial-wave $I=1$ amplitudes are calculated for noninteger angular momenta $ll1$ as well as $l=1$. The trajectory ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}(s)$ as well as the residue ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}(s)$ of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$-meson Regge pole are evaluated. An attempt is made to obtain a self-consistent solution for the relevant parameters, namely the position and width of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ resonance and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}(0)$. The results of this calculation give ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}(0)\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.9$. The $I=0$ vacuum trajectory is also discussed.
Commonsense morality and not being required to maximize the overall good

Distinguant le cas de la contrainte centree sur l'agent et le cas de l'option centree sur l'agent, l'A. montre que la morale du sens commun peut fournir une explication a l'absence d'obligation d'agir.
JAK2 V617F-positive acute myeloid leukaemia (AML): a comparison between de novo AML and secondary AML transformed from an underlying myeloproliferative neoplasm. A study from the Bone Marrow Pathology Group.

The JAK2 V617F mutation is characteristic of most Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and occurs rarely in de novo acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We sought to characterize AMLs that harbour this mutation and distinguish those that arise de novo (AML-DN) from those that reflect transformation of an underlying MPN (AML-MPN). Forty-five patients with JAK2 V617F-mutated AML were identified; 15 were AML-DN and 30 were AML-MPN. AML-MPN cases were more likely to have splenomegaly (P = 0·02), MPN-like megakaryocytes and higher mean JAK2 V617F VAF at diagnosis (P = 0·04). Mutations involving TET2 were exclusively identified in AML-DN patients. Mutations of genes affecting DNA methylation were more common in AML-DN (P < 0·01). A complex karyotype was more frequent in AML-MPN cases than in AML-DN (P < 0·01), with AML-DN more likely to display a normal karyotype (P = 0·02). Bone marrow histology after recovery from induction chemotherapy in AML-DN cases revealed no morphological evidence of any previously occult MPNs, while this was evident in most of the AML-MPN specimens (P < 0·01). These findings in this largest study of JAK2 V617F-mutated AMLs indicate that AML-DN is distinct from AML-MPN.
Do User Fees Exclude Low-income People from Resource-based Recreation?

A mail survey of New Hampshire and Vermont households shows that although user fees are widely accepted, they may substantially reduce participation in resource-based recreation by those earning le...
Vector Spaces and Linear Transformations

Building on our work with groups and group homomorphisms, we now define vector spaces and linear transformations. Again the axioms may at first look arbitrary, but as we shall see in subsequent chapters, they are a masterpiece of abstraction—general enough to admit a vast range of diverse particular instances, but restrictive enough to capture the fundamental geometric notion of dimension.
Identification of a DNA N6-Adenine Methyltransferase Complex and Its Impact on Chromatin Organization.

DNA N6-adenine methylation (6mA) has recently been described in diverse eukaryotes, spanning unicellular organisms to metazoa. Here, we report a DNA 6mA methyltransferase complex in ciliates, termed MTA1c. It consists of two MT-A70 proteins and two homeobox-like DNA-binding proteins and specifically methylates dsDNA. Disruption of the catalytic subunit, MTA1, in the ciliate Oxytricha leads to genome-wide loss of 6mA and abolishment of the consensus ApT dimethylated motif. Mutants fail to complete the sexual cycle, which normally coincides with peak MTA1 expression. We investigate the impact of 6mA on nucleosome occupancy in vitro by reconstructing complete, full-length Oxytricha chromosomes harboring 6mA in native or ectopic positions. We show that 6mA directly disfavors nucleosomes in vitro in a local, quantitative manner, independent of DNA sequence. Furthermore, the chromatin remodeler ACF can overcome this effect. Our study identifies a diverged DNA N6-adenine methyltransferase and defines the role of 6mA in chromatin organization.
CO2-dependent carbon isotope fractionation in Archaea, Part II: The marine water column

Abstract Stable carbon isotope ratios of archaeal glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) lipids have been proposed as a proxy to infer past changes in the carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The premise for paleo-δ13CDIC reconstructions from GDGTs is based on observations of relatively constant δ13CGDGT values in recent depositional environments. Marine Thaumarchaeota, thought to be the dominant source of GDGTs to marine sediments, fix inorganic carbon using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (3HP/4HB) pathway, which is specific to HCO3– as the substrate. Bicarbonate-dependent autotrophy has been the basis for predicting that the stable carbon isotopic composition of GDGTs (δ13CGDGT) should vary in parallel with water column δ13CDIC values, because HCO3– is by far the dominant fraction of DIC in modern seawater. However, this relationship has never been systematically tested. Here we examine the carbon isotopic composition of GDGTs from four water column profiles in the Southwest and Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Values of δ13CGDGT increase with depth in the water column, in contrast to the characteristic decrease in δ13CDIC values. These divergent trends imply a decrease in the observed total biosynthetic isotope effect (eAr) with depth, i.e., the offset between δ13CDIC and δ13CGDGT is not constant. Instead, we find that values of eAr specifically correlate with oceanographic variables associated with extent of organic remineralization, decreasing as CO2 concentration increases. This observed relationship is consistent in both magnitude and direction with the results of an isotope flux-balance model for Thaumarchaeota that suggests eAr should be sensitive to growth rate (μ) and CO2 availability under conditions of atmospheric pCO2
Origin of a second malignancy harboring isochromosome 12p [i(12p)] in patients with history of testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT).

412Background: The cumulative incidence of subsequent solid malignant neoplasm (SMN) after treatment of TGCT is about 10% over a 25-year period. i(12p) has been used to define tumor of germ cell or...
A Novel 3D Bioprinter Using Direct-Volumetric Drop-On-Demand Technology for Fabricating Micro-Tissues and Drug-Delivery

Drop-on-demand (DOD) 3D bioprinting technologies currently hold the greatest promise for generating functional tissues for clinical use and for drug development. However, existing DOD 3D bioprinting technologies have three main limitations: (1) droplet volume inconsistency; (2) the ability to print only bioinks with low cell concentrations and low viscosity; and (3) problems with cell viability when dispensed under high pressure. We report our success developing a novel direct-volumetric DOD (DVDOD) 3D bioprinting technology that overcomes each of these limitations. DVDOD can produce droplets of bioink from < 10 nL in volume using a direct-volumetric mechanism with < ± 5% volumetric percent accuracy in an accurate spatially controlled manner. DVDOD has the capability of dispensing bioinks with high concentrations of cells and/or high viscosity biomaterials in either low- or high-throughput modes. The cells are subjected to a low pressure during the bioprinting process for a very short period of time that does not negatively impact cell viability. We demonstrated the functions of the bioprinter in two distinct manners: (1) by using a high-throughput drug-delivery model; and (2) by bioprinting micro-tissues using a variety of different cell types, including functional micro-tissues of bone, cancer, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Our DVDOD technology demonstrates a promising platform for generating many types of tissues and drug-delivery models.
Partners in Empire? Co-colonialism and the Rise of Anti-Indian Nationalism in Burma, 1930–1938

On 28 July 1938, anti-Indian, Islamophobic riots broke out countrywide in colonial Burma for the first time. Scholars have argued that the rapid, extensive, and non-assimilationist nature of Indian...
Fully automated CT imaging biomarkers of bone, muscle, and fat: correcting for the effect of intravenous contrast.

Fully automated CT-based algorithms for quantifying bone, muscle, and fat have been validated for unenhanced abdominal scans. The purpose of this study was to determine and correct for the effect of intravenous (IV) contrast on these automated body composition measures. Initial study cohort consisted of 1211 healthy adults (mean age, 45.2 years; 733 women) undergoing abdominal CT for potential renal donation. Multiphasic CT protocol consisted of pre-contrast, arterial, and parenchymal phases. Fully automated CT-based algorithms for quantifying bone mineral density (BMD, L1 trabecular HU), muscle area and density (L3-level MA and M-HU), and fat (visceral/subcutaneous (V/S) fat ratio) were applied to pre-contrast and parenchymal phases. Effect of IV contrast upon these body composition measures was analyzed. Square of the Pearson correlation coefficient (r2) was generated for each comparison. Mean changes (± SD) in L1 BMD, L3-level MA and M-HU, and V/S fat ratio were 26.7 ± 27.2 HU, 2.9 ± 10.2 cm2, 18.8 ± 6.0 HU, − 0.1 ± 0.2, respectively. Good linear correlation between pre- and post-contrast values was observed for all automated measures: BMD (pre = 0.87 × post; r2 = 0.72), MA (pre = 0.98 × post; r2 = 0.92), M-HU (pre = 0.75 × post + 5.7; r2 = 0.75), and V/S (pre = 1.11 × post; r2 = 0.94); p < 0.001 for all r2 values. There were no significant trends according to patient age or gender that required further correction. Fully automated quantitative tissue measures of bone, muscle, and fat at contrast-enhanced abdominal CT can be correlated with non-contrast equivalents using simple, linear relationships. These findings will facilitate evaluation of mixed CT cohorts involving larger patient populations and could greatly expand the potential for opportunistic screening.
Evolutionary perspectives on the mechanistic underpinnings of personality

Abstract Evolutionary theory is the organizing framework for the life sciences because of its unique value in deriving falsifiable predictions about the causal structure of organisms. This chapter outlines the relationships of evolutionary principles to the study of phenotypic variation and defines two distinct paradigms for personality science. The first of these, dimensional cost-benefit analysis (DCBA), entails analyzing the reproductive cost-benefit tradeoffs along inductively derived personality dimensions (e.g., the Big Five) to derive predictions regarding adaptively patterned variation in manifest trait levels. The second paradigm, ground-up adaptationism (GUA), requires building models of specific psychological mechanisms, from the ground-up, including their variable parameters that result in manifest behavioral variation. After evaluating the strengths and limitations of these paradigms, it is concluded that (1) inductively derived dimensions of person description should not serve as the field's explanatory targets; (2) GUA represents the most powerful available framework for elucidating the psychological mechanisms, which comprise human nature and produce its diverse range of behavioral variants; and (3) the goals of adaptationist evolutionary psychology are the same as those guiding personality psychology's next era: to identify the mechanisms that comprise the mind, figure out how they work, and determine how they generate behavioral variation.
Prescribing patterns in patients with metastatic castrate-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC).

21Background: Recent advances and approvals in mCSPC treatment offer improved outcomes. Docetaxel chemotherapy as well as novel hormonal therapies (NHT) including abiraterone, apalutamide and enzal...
Development of a sensitive direct injection LC-MS/MS method for the detection of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in hard waters

Glyphosate is currently the most widely used herbicide in the world; however, the zwitterionic and highly polar properties of glyphosate make current pesticide analysis methods unsuitable for its trace analysis in natural waters. Additionally, current glyphosate analysis methods do not account for waters of varying hardness, which is vital as glyphosate can complex with cationic species such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the environment. We detail here a robust LC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of glyphosate and its primary transformation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in environmental waters of varying water hardness. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a reversed-phase and weak anion-exchange mixed-mode column. We found that the addition of EDTA into hard water samples increases the response of both glyphosate and AMPA in the mass spectrometer. Limits of detection of 0.23 and 0.30 μg L−1 for glyphosate and AMPA in EDTA-amended hard water were achieved, respectively. We have demonstrated that the accuracy of the method was consistent over a wide range of water hardness levels up to a maximum of ~340 mg mL−1 CaCO3 hardness. We validated the method using matrix fortification of uncontaminated environmental samples from US river water. We then demonstrated that the method was successful at quantifying glyphosate and AMPA across surface and drinking water samples of varying water hardness from North Carolina and Sri Lanka. Measured concentrations of glyphosate and AMPA ranged from 1.6 to 13 μg L−1 and 0.50 to 2.5 μg L−1, respectively. This study represents a significant increase in sensitivity for LC-MS/MS analysis of glyphosate in hard water systems.
Updated Evaluation of RhD Status Among Women of Child-Bearing Age in Detroit, Michigan.

OBJECTIVES The Rh blood group system is one of the most important and immunogenic blood group systems after the ABO blood group system and, like other blood group antigens, it follows ethnic and racial trends. However, when it comes to D variants-partial D and weak D-most of the cohorts studied in the literature have been of European descent. This study aimed to discover the variant D trends in Detroit, Michigan, with an emphasis on Black communities. METHODS From 2016 to 2018, there were 102 patients (women of childbearing potential: < 50 years) at Henry Ford Hospital that had serologic D discrepant testing. These patients were sent out for molecular RHD determination. RESULTS In total, 12.7% of patients were characterized as RhD positive and 87.3% of patients were characterized as RhD variants (nominated as RhD negative at our institution). CONCLUSIONS Our predominantly Black cohort sheds light on the diversity of the RhD antigen. The majority of Blacks were classified as RhD variants (RhD negative nomination at our institution). Therefore, molecular testing for this patient population with serologic RhD discrepancies is paramount to properly manage their obstetric care.
Engineering polymers with metal-like thermal conductivity—Present status and future perspectives

Abstract Common polymers are thermal insulators. Turning polymer insulators into heat conductors is of fundamental interest and technological importance. Thermally conductive polymers may replace traditional metal heat conductors as lightweight and corrosion-resistant heat dissipators. In this review, we highlight recent progresses in developing polymers with metal-like thermal conductivity and discuss the understanding of thermal transport mechanisms in polymers. We use polyethylene as a model and address how thermal conductivity of polyethylene is influenced by structural parameters such as bond strength, chain orientation, molecular weight, crystallinity, and crystallite size. We review advanced strategies for developing thermally conductive polymers, e.g., mechanical stretching, extrusion, electrospinning, and template-assisted methods. We highlight how thermally conductive polymers provide new possibilities for future thermal management applications. Finally, we discuss future challenges and opportunities in designing and synthesizing polymers with metal-like thermal conductivity.
Tuning the molecular weight distributions of vinylketone-based polymers using RAFT photopolymerization and UV photodegradation

The choice of chain transfer agent in reversible addition/fragmentation chain transfer polymerization has proven to be instrumental in modulating the dispersity of a certain polyphenyl vinyl ketone (PVK). The monomer, PVK, which can self-initiate when exposed to blue light, was used to synthesize homopolymers, block copolymers by extending with a different monomer and gradient polymers. Regardless of the polymer architecture or degree of polymerization, a consistent trend in polymer dispersity was quantified, with higher loadings of the less active chain transfer agent xanthate leading to higher dispersities. The dispersity could be further modulated by photodegradation of vinyl ketone polymers under UV irradiation.
Media, markets, and democracy

Government interventions in media markets are often criticized for preventing audiences from getting the media products they want. A free press is often asserted to be essential for democracy. The first point is incorrect and the second is inadequate as a policy guide. Part I of this book shows that unique aspects of media products prevent markets from providing for audience desires. Part II shows that four prominent, but different, theories of democracy lead to different conceptions of good journalistic practice, media policy, and proper constitutional principles. Part II makes clear that the choice among democratic theories is crucial for understanding what should be meant by free press. Part III explores international free trade in media products. Contrary to the dominant American position, it shows that Parts I and II's economic and democratic theory justify deviations from free trade in media products.
Different Conceptions of the Ideal Audience—A First Look

As noted in the previous chapter, there are many universal features of law that reflect broadly accepted notions of the roles of judges and other participants in the legal process and of the forms that legal regulation must take—features that clearly influence and constrain our notions of the ideal form of legal argument. It is nevertheless indisputable that there are also differences in the way different cultures envision the ideal form of argument. That different cultures, even within the Western legal tradition, should have somewhat different conceptions of the ideal or universal audiences to which legal arguments are made is of course not surprising. It merely reflects the fact that our notion of an ideal or universal audience is basically a construct, even if it is a construct that we constantly presuppose and could not do without. Moreover, the existence of these differences certainly does not detract from the fact that these more particularized conceptions of an ideal audience and of the arguments that will appeal to those audiences serve as additional constraints on the form and nature of legal argument for those who are part of a subculture of a particular civilization.
Expression of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) at the blood–brain barrier

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts transport of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the blood to brain direction. However, IgG undergoes rapid efflux in the brain to blood direction via reverse transcytosis across the BBB after direct intracerebral injection. This BBB IgG transport system has the characteristics of an Fc receptor (FcR), but there is no molecular information on the putative BBB FcR. The present study uses confocal microscopy and an antibody to the rat neonatal FcR (FcRn), and demonstrates the expression of the FcRn at the brain microvasculature and choroid plexus epithelium. Co-localization with the Glut1 glucose transporter indicates the brain microvascular FcRn is expressed in the capillary endothelium. The capillary endothelial FcRn may mediate the 'reverse transcytosis' of IgG in the brain to blood direction.
The Obsolescence of Customary International Law

At a time when the world needs more, and more complex, international legal rules and institutions to address major cooperation problems, customary international law (“CIL”) has several important limitations: (i) it cannot be made in a coordinated manner in advance of events, (ii) it cannot be made with sufficient detail, (iii) it cannot be made with sufficiently heterogeneous reciprocity between states, (iv) it cannot be made with specifically-designed organizational support, (v) it is generally not subject to national parliamentary control, (vi) it purports to bind states that did not consent but failed to object to its formation, and (vii) it provides excessive space for auto-interpretation by states, or for sometimes insufficiently disciplined interpretation by judges. Treaty, and legislation produced by international organization voting, can perform better on all of these dimensions. Today, the vast majority of rules of CIL are codified: of 300 identified rules of CIL, only 13 have not been codified either in treaties or in International Law Commission instruments. To a remarkable extent, due to the growth of treaty law incorporating the same norms, if CIL were abolished today, most of the international legal system would remain intact. Although I cannot prove that the rise of treaty rules has resulted from the factors discussed above, those factors are a good set of reasons why states might have determined to produce treaties that include, but are not limited to, the rules that exist in CIL.
An analysis of the lipolysis in vitro of obese-hyperglycaemic and diabetic mice.

Mice homozygous for either the obese gene in linkage group XI or the diabetes gene in linkage VIII exhibit syndromes similar to those of diabetes mellitus in man, including obesity and hyperglycaemia. A study of the lipolysis in vitro of the epididymal adipose tissue of 5 genotypes of mice, namely, ob/ob, ob/ob +, ob +/ob +, db/db, and db +/db +, demonstrates that the mutant homozygotes respond differently from wild type homozygotes to various lipolytic agents. The agents tested were epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, corticotropin 1–24, theophylline and N6, O2-dibutyryl-cyclic-adenosine3′,5′-monophosphate. The response of ob/ob + tissue was the same as that of ob +/ob + tissue. The data indicate that there is a defect with respect to lipolysis in ob/ob and db/db mice. This is discussed in light of the involvement of cyclic AMP.
Abstract P127: Racial Disparities in Risk Factor Control in Older Adults with Diabetes: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Background: Racial disparities in risk factor control have been documented in middle-aged adults, but much less is known about older adults with diabetes. Our findings will inform clinical guidelines on appropriate risk factor control in older adults with diabetes. Methods: In 2011-13, 6,538 ARIC participants attended visit 5, and 4,988 provided data on all key covariates used in these analyses. Of these, 31% had diagnosed diabetes (N=1,561, 72% white, mean age=75 years) and were included in this study. Tight control of risk factors was defined according to American Diabetes Association guidelines: hemoglobin A1c Results: Among older adults with diabetes, 64% used glucose-lowering medication, 70% lipid-lowering medication and 82% BP-lowering medication. Only 5% of participants did not take medication for any of these risk factors. Tight control was observed in 72% for glucose, 64% for lipids and 70% for BP. Only 34% had tight control of all three. A higher proportion of whites than blacks consistently achieved tight control ( Figure ). In multivariable analyses of persons with diabetes who were treated for risk factors, racial disparities in tight control of lipids and BP remained significant: adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% CIs (white vs black) were 1.04 (0.91, 1.17) for glucose, 1.21 (1.08-1.34) for lipids, 1.15 (1.03-1.26) for BP, and 1.33 (0.95, 1.70) for tight control of all three risk factors. Conclusions: Our results highlight racial disparities in risk factor control in older adults with diabetes that were not explained by demographic or clinical characteristics. Further studies are needed to elucidate the determinants of disparities in risk factor control and strategies to address these.
Toxoplasma gondii protease TgSUB1 is required for cell surface processing of micronemal adhesive complexes and efficient adhesion of tachyzoites

Summary Host cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii is criti- cally dependent upon adhesive proteins secreted from the micronemes. Proteolytic trimming of microneme contents occurs rapidly after their secretion onto the parasite surface and is pro- posed to regulate adhesive complex activation to enhance binding to host cell receptors. However, the proteases responsible and their exact function are still unknown. In this report, we show that T. gondii tachyzoites lacking the microneme sub- tilisin protease TgSUB1 have a profound defect in surface processing of secreted microneme proteins. Notably parasites lack protease activity responsible for proteolytic trimming of MIC2, MIC4 and M2AP after release onto the parasite surface. Although complementation with full- length TgSUB1 restores processing, complemen- tation of Dsub1 parasites with TgSUB1 lacking the GPI anchor (Dsub1::DGPISUB1) only partially restores microneme protein processing. Loss of TgSUB1 decreases cell attachment and in vitro gliding efficiency leading to lower initial rates of invasion. Dsub1 and Dsub1::DGPISUB1 parasites are also less virulent in mice. Thus TgSUB1 is involved in micronemal protein processing and regulation of adhesive properties of macro- molecular adhesive complexes involved in host cell invasion.
Representation and Collaboration: Exploring the Role of Shared Identity in the Collaborative Process

Public managers must regularly engage and interact with stakeholders in the external environment to deliver meaningful policy outcomes. Examining the motivations behind such behavior is a critical component of understanding management in the modern era. Some studies suggest that actors with similar interests are more likely to form collaborative partnerships. Using an original mail survey of 150 American Indian education directors in public school districts, this article examines how shared identity and individual attitudes affect levels of interaction with Native American communities. Findings suggest that public school officials who share both a racial and a tribal/co-ethnic identity with Native American nations in their service area have higher levels of interaction with these groups than public school officials who are either members of Native American nations outside their service area or non-Indian. This research has broad implications for incorporating theories of representation and social construction into our understanding of collaboration.
Vibrational frequencies of small metal clusters. The beryllium tetramer

The structure and harmonic vibrational frequencies of Be4 have been predicted using ab initio molecular electronic structure theory. A better than double zeta plus polarization (DZ+P) basis set was used in conjunction with self-consistent-field (SCF) and configuration interaction (CI) methods. The predicted frequencies (SCF followed by CI in parentheses) are a1 651 (680), t2 576 (589), and e 489 (487) cm-1, respectively.
AN UNEXPECTED TOPOLOGICAL CENSOR

Morris-Thorne wormholes with a cosmological constant Λ have been studied extensively, even allowing Λ to be replaced by a space variable scalar. These wormholes cannot exist, however, if Λ is both space and time dependent. Such a Λ will therefore act as a topological censor. While not likely to have a bearing on the present, possible cosmological consequences of inflation cannot be discounted.
MMPI correlates of chronic drug abuse in hospitalized adolescents.

While research evidence suggests that habitual and prolonged use of the opiates, barbimrates, tranquilizers, stimulants, and hallucinogens is associated with manifest psychopathology (4, 6, 7), there is some disagreement as to whether there is an "addictionprone" personality (7), and, if so, what this personality is like. Pescor (5) reported that SS 1 % of 1036 hospitalized adult drug addicts studied were psychopathic or sociopathic, 6 3% were neurotic, and 5.6% psychotic. Gerard and Kornetsky (3) found, however, that among adolescent addicts, 47% were either overt or borderline schizophrenic. Smart and Fejer (6) observed mixtures of persons with conduct disorders and schizophrenia in their sample in which 96% of the chronic drug users had unusual MMPIs. Gendreau and Gendreau (2), however, found no significant differences on the MMPI between heroin addicts and non-addicts. In this study the MMPI was administered to 20 adolescents and post-adolescents (ages 14 to 24 yr.) who had used multiple drugs to the point of requiring hospitalization. All had at least three MMPI scales with a T score of over 70. All of these Ss had an elevation of scale 2 or 4 among the three highest scales; 80% showed some initial combination of 2-8-x or 4-8-x; 40% showed some initial combination of 2-4-8. The histories of these persons suggested that these personality traits had existed prior to the onset of drug use. Compared with the MMPI profiles of a reference group of 161 non-hospitalized adolescents collected by another researcher at a local high school, the elevations on scales 2, 4, and 8 were significant. When compared with a matched sample by age and sex of 14 hospitalized non-drug-using adolescents, however, no differences between the drug users and non-users could be found. These data are consistent with others' findings (3, 6) and suggest that incipient psychosis, especially so-called "pseudopsychopathic" schizophrenia, may often be implicated in adolescent drug-use cases severe enough to require hospitalization. The consistent elevations on scales 2 and 4 also support Edwards, el al.'s (1) hypothesis that chronic drug users are persons who have difficulty dealing with their aggressive feelings. The inability of the MMPI to distinguish between drug users and non-users in this sample suggests, however, that there are other parameters relevant to chronic drug abuse than those tapped by the MMPI. Perhaps longitudinal studies will help better delineate the "addictionprone" personality.
Calcium effects in the electrical excitability of "split" frog skin.

Abstract Electrical exictability, resting potentials, and short circuit currents were found in the epidermis (dermal layer removed) of isolated frog skin. Replacement of the outside Ringer's solution with 10 mM EDTA (calcium-free) Ringer's solution extinguishes the all-or-none response in 20 to 10 sec and simultaneously lowers the skin resistance 5–30%. Excitability can be restored if the EDTA-Ringer's solution is quickly replaced with a ‘calcium-free’ solution of relatively low electrical conductivity. EDTA-Ringer's solution on the inside of skin with the dermis removed requires more than 30 min to eliminate excitability. Excitation phenomena in ‘calcium-free’ solutions are discussed in terms of calcium-dependent leakage paths and membrane-bound calcium.
Neuroendocrine Regulation of Maternal Behavior

Maternal behavior in mammals is controlled by a combination of biochemical, neural, and environmental factors. Understanding of the neuroendocrine events that regulate maternal behavior has increased significantly in recent years with the identification of roles for specific hormones and peptides and the partial elucidation of the neural network involved in regulating maternal care. In addition, much is now known regarding the importance of sensory feedback from offspring and the role of experience on these behaviors. The focus of this chapter concerns the neuroendocrine regulation of parental behavior in the mammal with a focus on research in the rat. Specifically, the neural substrate underlying the expression of maternal care will be reviewed together with the roles of various hormones and neurochemical agents within the context of normal development in the female. Sensory aspects of maternal responsiveness as well as the effects of gene knockouts will be discussed. Finally, the effects of parental experience on the biochemical regulation of this evolutionarily critical behavior is presented.
Association of corticotropin releasing factor receptor-2 variants with response to inhaled glucocorticoids in asthma

Background CRFR2 is a G-protein-coupled receptor that regulates glucocorticoid levels and smooth muscle tone. CRFR2 may have anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effects in the airways of asthmatics. Because genetic variants in the homologous receptor CRFR1 have been associated with altered glucocorticoid response, we hypothesized that there exist variants in CRFR2 that are associated with altered response. Methods We genotyped 16 polymorphisms in CRFR2 in two clinical trial populations: 311 childhood asthmatics treated with glucocorticoids for 8 weeks and 336 adult asthmatics treated with glucocorticoids for 8 weeks. The association of single SNPs and haplotypes with response at 8 weeks was explored with response measured as a change in the forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) as a continuous trait. FEV1 was adjusted for age, height, and sex as covariates. Only Caucasians were included in the analysis to minimize the effects of population stratification. Results Two CRFR2 SNPs were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with glucocorticoid response in the childhood asthma study and one of these SNPs was also associated with response in the adult study. Conclusion CRFR2 variants may be associated with response to inhaled glucocorticoids in asthmatics. These findings suggest that the CRF pathway may be an important genetic source of therapeutic heterogeneity that is relevant to the many inflammatory diseases treated with exogenous glucocorticoids. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P97–P97; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.264
Computational fluid dynamics as a development tool for rotary blood pumps

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is beginning to significantly impact the development of biomedical devices, in particular rotary cardiac assist devices. The University of Pittsburgh's McGowan Center for Artificial Organ Development has extensively used CFD as the primary tool to analyze and design a novel axial flow blood pump having a magnetically suspended rotor. The blood-contacting surfaces of the pump were developed using a design strategy based on CFD that involved closely coupling a Navier-Stokes solver to a parameterized geometry modeler and advanced mesh movement techniques. CFD-based blood damage models for shear-induced hemolysis as well as surrogate functions describing thrombosis potential were employed to help guide design improvements. This CFD-based design approach resulted in the timely development of a pump subjected to multiple geometric refinements without building expensive physical prototypes for each design iteration. A physical prototype of the final improved pump was fabricated and experimentally analyzed using particle imaging flow visualization. The CFD predicted results correlated well with the experimental data including pressure-flow (H-Q) performance and specific flow field features. It is estimated that the present CFD-based design approach shortened the overall design time frame from an order of years to months.
Total Arteriovenous CO2 Removal: Simplifying Extracorporeal Support for Respiratory Failure

Abstract Background . To reduce the complexity, complications, and cost of conventional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, we have developed a technique of simplified arteriovenous extracorporeal CO 2 removal (AVCO 2 R) with a low-resistance membrane gas exchanger for total CO 2 removal to provide lung rest in the setting of severe respiratory failure. Methods . We initially used AVCO 2 R in healthy animals to quantify the gas exchange capabilities of the system and establish ventilator management protocols for the subsequent studies of AVCO 2 R in a large animal model of respiratory failure secondary to a severe smoke inhalation injury. Results . In healthy sheep the maximum spontaneous arteriovenous flow ranged from 1,350 to 1,500 mL/min, whereas CO 2 removal plateaued at a blood flow of approximately 1,000 mL/min in which 112 ± 3 mL/min CO 2 was removed, allowing an 84% reduction in the minute ventilation of from 6.9 ± 0.8 L/min to 1.1 ± 0.4 L/min ( p 2 R in mechanically ventilated sheep with a severe smoke inhalation injury and removed 95% (111 ± 4 mL/min) of the total CO 2 production. This allowed the minute ventilation to be reduced by 95% and the peak inspiratory pressures by 52% (both p 2 R flow was 1,213 ± 29 mL/min, averaging 27% ± 1% of the cardiac output. Conclusions . We conclude that AVCO 2 R in a simple arteriovenous shunt is a less complicated technique than extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and is capable of total CO 2 removal that allows a significant reduction in the minute ventilation and peak airway pressure during severe respiratory failure.
ANGIOGENIC FACTORS IN ENDOMETRIOSIS

Similar to tumor metastases, endometriotic implants require neovascularization to establish, grow, and invade. The peritoneal environment is ideally suited to provide a proangiogenic milieu. Nevertheless, endometriotic lesions are found only in a minority of reproductive-age women (approximately 10%) with retrograde menstruation. In this paper, we review the major cytokines, growth factors, steroid hormones, and eicosanoids responsible for angiogenesis in endometriosis. We postulate that interference with angiogenic principles expressed in the peritoneum may constitute novel therapeutic opportunities for the prevention, amelioration, or treatment of pelvic endometriosis.