cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Bone Cell Development and Function: Implications for Renal Osteodystrophy

Renal osteodystrophy or renal bone disease is one of the most common and potentially debilitating complications affecting patients with chronic renal insufficiency both before and after the initiation of maintenance dialysis. The term is used to describe the wide spectrum of skeletal abnormalities encountered in the setting of impaired renal function, which range from states of high to low bone turnover such as osteitis fibrosa cystica and adynamic bone disease, respectively.1,2Osteitis fibrosa results from high circulating levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which may occur in patients with only mild reductions in renal function. The principal factors involved in the pathogenesis of the secondary hyperparathyroidism of chronic renal failure include retention of serum phosphorus because of reduced renal function, altered production of 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 (calcitriol) by the kidney, abnormal parathyroid growth and function, and resistance to the calcemic effect of PTH. Bone histology in osteitis fibrosa is characterized by increased osteoclast number and increased bone resorption, as well as increased osteoblast number and bone formation. In contrast, adynamic bone disease is a low bone turnover state, which is being increasingly recognized in patients on long-term dialysis, and is now a major category of abnormal bone histology in patients with renal disease. The pathogenesis of this entity is not well understood. However, it is possible that it represents oversuppression of bone turnover as a consequence of the increased use of calcitriol and calcium salts.1-3Our understanding of the pathogenesis of renal osteodystrophy has provided the basis for the management of patients with this disorder. Thus, the prevention and treatment of hyperparathyroidism centers around the control of serum phosphorus and the administration of vitamin D compounds. The former is accomplished by dietary phosphorus restriction and the administration of intestinal phosphate binders, and the latter involves the …
Hepatotoxicity associated with herbal products.

A significant number of herbal products have been associated with hepatotoxicity. Attribution of liver injury to a specific herbal product may be difficult. There are few clinical or laboratory manifestations that specifically suggest that liver injury is the result of a specific herbal. Compounding this difficulty is that the patient may have liver disease from another cause, may be consuming other potentially hepatotoxic products, or may be using a contaminated herbal product. The most important clue often is the temporal relationship between initiation of the herbal product and the appearance of liver injury; of equal importance is the resolution of the injury following withdrawal of the herbal product.
Attending to the execution of a complex sensorimotor skill: expertise differences, choking, and slumps.

A simulated baseball batting task was used to compare the relative effects of attending to extraneous information (tone frequency) and attending to skill execution (direction of bat movement) on performance and swing kinematics and to evaluate how these effects differ as a function of expertise. The extraneous dual task degraded batting performance in novices but had no significant effect on experts. The skill-focused dual task increased batting errors and movement variability for experts but had no significant effect on novices. For expert batters, accuracy in the skill-focused dual task was inversely related to the current level of performance. Expert batters were significantly more accurate in the skill-focused dual task when placed under pressure. These findings indicate that the attentional focus varies substantially across and within performers with different levels of expertise. What do athletes pay attention to when executing a complex sensorimotor act such as putting a golf ball or hitting a baseball? Theories of skill acquisition (Anderson, 1982, 1983; Fitts & Posner, 1967) suggest that the answer to this question depends largely on the athlete’s level of expertise with the particular skill. For novice performers, it has been proposed that skill execution requires that attention be paid to each component stage of the motor act. At this level of performance (referred to as the cognitive stage or the declarative stage) it is assumed that skill execution depends on a set of unintegrated control structures that must be held in working memory and attended to in a step-by-step fashion. These attentional and memory requirements result in the slow, nonfluent, and error-prone movement execution that is the hallmark of a novice performer. As expertise develops through practice and the actor reaches the highest stage of skill execution (the autonomous stage or the procedural stage), it has been proposed that the role of attention in performance changes dramatically. As procedural knowledge develops, the conscious step-by-step control of execution is no longer required. Instead skill execution is assumed to operate by fast, efficient control procedures that can function largely without the assistance of working memory or attention. Therefore, the attentional mechanisms involved in the execution of a sensorimotor skill would seem to be one of the most prominent behaviors that distinguishes experts and novices. These theories of skill acquisition make several predictions about how the attentional processes of novice and expert performers should differ, with many important implications for sports skills training. The main purpose of the present study was to explore the attentional mechanisms involved in baseball batting across different levels of skill expertise and to directly test some of the predictions of skill acquisition theory in this domain. The specific predictions and the results of previous experiments designed to evaluate them are described next.
Recognition of geometric forms using the differential depth filter

Abstract The analysis of designs in single-piece part manufacturing during the design process results in significant benefits during the manufacturing stages. If manufacturability knowledge can be incorporated into the design, significant downstream problems may be eliminated. Manufacturing knowledge is often related to critiques on shape features that are special forms on parts that perform certain functions. The shape features required to analyze manufacturability are not always explicitly available in surface CAD models of parts, and they may need to be extracted. However, it is the variation of shape features with topology and geometry that makes the problem of feature recognition difficult. The research described in the paper focuses on shape-feature recognition that is based on the differential depth filter, which reduces the number of topological entities. A second level of operation causes the topological entities to be transformed into entities of a higher abstraction level called loops. Loops assist in reducing the number of entities in which features need to be searched for, which implies a reduction in the search space. Considerable success in feature recognition has been achieved for parts with varying topology and geometry and for parts with a relatively large number of topological entities (up to 30 000 faces and 40 000 edges).
On the Compression of Stishovite

Summary Currently available shock-wave compression data for single-crystal α-quartz and pore-free quartzite have been used to determine values for the isentropic bulk modulus of stishovite and its first pressure derivative. The shock-wave data reduction scheme makes use of the observed linearity in the shock-velocity-particle-velocity field over the pressure range 0.4–2.0 Mbar and the first-order Murnaghan equation of state. In addition, an accurate form of the temperature independent Gruneisen parameter (γ), consistent with the linear Us–up relation, has been used in the reduction of the fundamental shock-wave data to the metastable Hugoniot. The temperature derivative of the isentropic bulk modulus is provided by a least-square fit of the γ relation to available Hugoniot data directly measured on porous and fused-quartz samples in the high-pressure regime. The pertinent results are: KS= 3.35±0.19 Mbar; (∂KS/∂P)T= 5.5±0.6; and (∂KS/∂T)p= (−0.35±0.08)× 10−3 Mbar/°K. These results are consistent with recent static-compression and ultrasonic measurements on stishovite and are related systematically to corresponding data for isostructural GeO2 and TiO2. Comparison of the present results with recent shock-wave analyses by other investigators suggests that the first-order Murnaghan form of the equation of state is more appropriate than the first-order Birch equation in reproducing the compression of stishovite in the zero to 2 Mbar pressure range. An evaluation of the composition of the lower mantle in terms of the fundamental oxides, FeO, MgO, and SiO2, using the present results for the elastic properties of stishovite, support marginally the conclusions of previous investigators regarding enrichment of FeO and SiO2 relative to the upper mantle; however, such an interpretation is predicated on the mixed oxide assumption and should be considered in relation to alternative models.
Label-Free Protein Detection by ZnO Nanowire Based Bio-Sensors

There is an increasing demand for portable, reliable, and cost effective bioelectronic systems for applications ranging from clinical diagnosis to homeland security. Conventional detection systems involve labeling the probe molecules, large amount of target molecules to enable detection, and elaborate signal transduction methods. Most of them also have to couple with optical detection equipments that are bulky and expensive. One dimensional (1-D) and two dimensional (2-D) structures such as nanowire, nanobelts and films are capable of detecting the molecular interactions in terms of significant change in their electrical properties leading to ultrahigh sensitivity and easy integration. In this paper, we demonstrate ZnO nanowires based bio-sesnors to detect IgG antibodies. Current-voltage (I-V) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) characterization were used to monitor the change in the conductivity as well as morphology. By comparing with the reference sample, the specific binding event between anti-IgG and IgG antibodies was detected. The data indicated a conductivity change by more than 12% after the protein hybridization. SEM images confirm the morphological change from reference samples to reacted samples. In addition, same experiment protocols are carried out for ZnO thin film devices. Similar change in I-V characteristics and morphologies are observed. Through this work, we have demonstrated to use ZnO nanowires as building blocks to fabricate bio-sensors which can potentially detect any protein. Conductimetric sensing results in a label-free detection system as it detects the protein hybridization events electrically. It is a cost effective process, which can be exploited further by expanding into arrays and integrating with microfluidics. When integrated on the SOP platform, this technology can lead to portable, reliable and cost effective biosensors with applications in many areas.
Restricted houseswapping games

Abstract Restricted houseswapping games (RHGs) are a generalization of ‘one-sided matching games’, in which we specify a class II * of ‘allowable’ simple trading cycles. The cores of such games may be empty. Given II *, all possible closed RHGs have non-empty cores of II * is ‘strongly balanced’. Examples include the one-sided matching markets ( Shapley and Scarf. Journal of Mathematical Economics 1974. 1. 23–37 . Tijs et al., OR Spektrum 1984, 6, 119–123 ; Quinzii, International Journal of Game Theory 1984, 13, 41–60 ) and the two-sided matching markets ( Gale and Shapley. American Mathematical Monthly 1962. 69, 9–16 ; Shapley and Shubik, International Journal of Game Theory 1972, 1, 111–130 : and Demange and Gale Econometrica 1985, 53, 873–888 ). We then consider the subclass of RHGs in which there is no transferable resource. In this case, a weaker condition on II *, called ‘weak balancedness’, is sufficient to guarantee core non-emptiness. In addition, if II * is not weakly balanced, then there exists a preference profile such that the strict core of the resultant game is empty. Several other examples are given of II * that are (a) strongly balanced: (b) weakly balanced but not strongly balanced: and (c) not even weakly balanced. Finally, we discuss the issues of equilibrium definition, existence, and core-equilibrium allocation equivalence in RHGs.
Racial Differences in Cognitive Decline in a Sample of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Education and Literacy

Objective The authors examined racial differences in cognitive decline (CD) and the role of education and literacy in mediating this relationship. Methods The relationship between race and CD was examined over a 3-year period in a biracial community sample of older adults (N = 3,097) living in North Carolina. Results African Americans, as compared with White participants, had fewer years of education and were more likely to be assessed by the interviewer as not literate. Race predicted CD such that African Americans had higher rates than Whites. When education and literacy were entered into the analysis, the association between race and CD, although remaining statistically significant, was reduced and was of relatively weak magnitude. Also, physical functioning problems also predicted CD and were found to be greater in African Americans than in Whites. Conclusions Education and literacy may be protective factors against CD. Socioeconomic disadvantages experienced by older African Americans in the South early in life, leading to poorer educational opportunities, may explain, in part, the increased rates of CD in older African Americans versus Whites.
Binary optics thin-film microlens array

Binary optics can produce microlenses and lens arrays with theoretical diffraction efficiency as high as 95% for eight-phase level devices. Due to shadowing, mask misalignment, and etching errors that accumulate during fabrication, the actual diffraction efficiency can be reduced to less than 70%. Advances in mask design and e-beam writing have reduced mask misalignment errors to less than 0.2 micrometers but the major issue is the accuracy of the RIE process that is used to transfer a lithographic pattern into the substrate. RIE has two limitations for binary optic applications. First, it cannot be readily employed for the wide range of possible optical substrates of interest (Al 2 O 3 for example), and second, since the pattern is etched directly into the substrate, there is no simple means to calibrate the etch depth during the process. Thin film deposition of the binary structure addresses both of these limitations. It is applicable to a wide range of materials, and accurate in process monitoring of the deposit permits precise control of the feature height. In this paper, we report on eight-phase level binary optic microlenses processed by deposition of SiO 2 on fused silica and Al 2 O 3 on sapphire using a projection lithography system. Photoresist processing was achieved by image reversal and lift-off technique. The microlens arrays (in a square format) were designed for (lambda) equals 0.632 micrometers with two microlens sizes of 120 micrometers X 120 micrometers and 240 micrometers X 240 micrometers having speeds of F/12 and F/6 (at the corners), respectively. Optical characterization has demonstrated that the microlens arrays are near diffraction limited and diffraction efficiency is in excess of 80%.
Evidence for an angiotensinogenic mechanism of the hypertension of Cushing's syndrome.

The blood pressure response to the an-giotensin II analog l-sar-8-ala-angiotensin II, or sara-lasin, was studied in five patients with clinical and laboratory evidence of Cushing's syndrome. Plasma renin activity, plasma renin substrate, andplasma renin concentration were measured in all five patients. The renin system and the response to saralasin were measured after furosemide administration. Plasma aldosterone was measured after infusion of 2 liters normal saline. All patients studied showed a hypotensive response to saralasin, the mean BP changing from 163/108 mm Hg to 130/85 mm Hg (P < 0.02). There was a significant elevation of the plasma renin activty and plasma renin concentration in the patients compared to normal subjects, although plasma renin substrate was not significantly different from normal values. There was normal suppression of plasma aldosterone after the infusion of 0.9% saline. The findings indicate that the hypertension of these patients with Cushing's syndrome was mediated in large...
Soft tissue sarcoma of the head and neck in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND The experience of one institution in treating soft tissue sarcomas of the head and neck in a pediatric population is presented. METHODS Case materials of 134 patients younger than 20 years who were referred to the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1970 and 1989 for treatment of sarcoma of the head and neck were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with rhabdomyosarcoma underwent multimodality treatment consisting of surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy. Wide resection was the treatment used for patients with nonrhabdomyosarcomatous soft tissue sarcomas (NRSTS). Adjuvant chemotherapy and irradiation were used to treat high grade neoplasms and residual disease. The clinical response to therapy was measured in terms of the disease-specific survival rate. RESULTS Seventy-nine of 134 patients presented with untreated or biopsy-proven disease. Fifty-six had rhabdomyosarcoma and 23 had NRSTS. At 2 and 5 years, the disease-specific survival rates for patients with rhabdomyosarcoma were 74% and 63%, respectively, and patients with NRSTS had 80% and 75% disease-specific survival rates at 2 and 5 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck in children is effectively treated with multimodality therapy. Prognostic indicators for rhabdomyosarcoma include completeness of tumor resection and the development of recurrent disease. Aggressive surgical resection is the treatment of choice for patients with NRSTS. Prognostic indicators for NRSTS include completeness of tumor resection and the development of recurrent disease. Cancer 1996;77:193-200.
Using intuition to define homesickness at summer camp

Abstract Camp nurses are in a unique position to assist in the study of homesickness because they are living the situation. This descriptive study was undertaken because homesickness has not been defined operationally, and nurses do not have a documented set of “defining characteristics” that might be used to make a diagnosis. Twelve camp nurses from eight states completed a questionnaire on homesickness. The nurses surveyed had a consistent set of defining characteristics regarding homesickness. Intuition is reported to play a significant part in the camp nurses's diagnosis of homesickness. Symptoms of homesickness and recommended interventions are included that will ultimately help to promote a more positive camp experience for the camper.
Cs1−xSn1−xBi9+xSe15 and Cs1.5−3xBi9.5+xSe15: Members of the homologous superseries Am[M1+lSe2+l]2m[M1+2l+nSe3+3l+n] (A = alkali metal, M = Sn and Bi) allowing structural evolution in three different dimensions

Cs1−xSn1−x Bi9+xSe15 and Cs1.5−3xBi9.5+xSe15 crystallize in a new structure type which does not belong to but is closely related to the members of the homologous series Am[M6- Se8]m[M5+nSe9+ n]; the new phases reveal a third dimension of structural evolution for this series according to the formula Am[M1+lSe2+l] 2m[M1+2l + nSe3+3l+n].
Fuzzy belief networks

The most common method for knowledge representation in an expert system is the production rule [Waterman 1986]. Unfortunately, the modularity inherent in a rule-based system is limiting, especially in an uncertain environment [Morawski 1989]. A fuzzy belief network (FBN) provides a more holistic, graphical approach and lends itself well to implementation in expert systems on personal and small computers.
Comparison of the expression, transcription and genomic organization of D2 dopamine receptors in outbred and inbred strains of rat

Three outbred (Sprague-Dawley, Wistar and Long-Evans) and five inbred (Brown-Norway, Buffalo, DA, Fisher and Lewis) strains of rat were used to investigate the extent of genetic variation in the expression and organization of the rat D2 receptor locus. Radioligand binding studies were performed using 125I-iodobenzamide ([125I]IBZM), a high-affinity antagonist for D2 dopamine receptors, to determine the extent of variation in the expression of D2 receptors in these strains of rat. A comparison of the affinities (Kd = 0.26-0.38 nM) and densities (450-580 fmol/mg of protein) of binding sites for [125I]IBZM in the striatum of the eight strains of rat did not reveal statistically significant differences. Solution hybridization using 32P-labeled riboprobes complementary to the coding region of the third intracellular loop of the D2 receptor was used to investigate the extent of variation in transcription of the long (D2L) and short (D2S) isoforms of D2 receptor mRNA in rat striatal tissue. The level of expression of these two mRNA isoforms was found to be invariant in the strains of rats that were examined. The genomic organization of the D2 receptor locus for each strain of rat was compared using Southern blot hybridization. Southern blots were hybridized with a DNA probe that codes for the D2L receptor isoform. Restriction fragment lengths were conserved between each rat strain for genomic DNA digested with BamHI, EcoRI, HindIII, PstI and TaqI. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were identified when genomic DNA was digested with XbaI or MspI. The XbaI polymorphism was mapped to within 2 kb of the exon coding for the third intracellular loop of the D2 receptor. Both RFLPs differentiated Sprague-Dawley and Brown-Norway rats from Wistar, Long-Evans, Buffalo, DA, Lewis and Fisher rats. The RFLPs for the rat D2 receptor locus provide genetic markers that can be used with classic genetic studies to determine whether strain differences in behavior and/or in the response to pharmacologic intervention are determined by genetic elements linked to the D2 receptor locus.
Effect of peripheral sympathectomy on left ventricular ultrastructure in young spontaneously hypertensive rats

Abstract Administration of nerve growth factor antiserum (NGFAS) to spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats during the first week of life prevents or ameliorates the development of hypertension but does not prevent development of left ventricular hypertrophy or dysfunction. Morphometric analysis of electron micrographs prepared from subepicardial myocardial cells of animals sacrificed at age 82 days shows that NGFAS treatment significantly reduces the fall in cellular concentration of mitochondria characteristic of untreated SH controls. In both groups myofibrillar concentrations were identical and correspond to literature values for normotensive rats. The results, which are consistent with independent control mechanisms for growth of mitochondria and myofibrils, suggest that in this model (a) NGFAS affects mitochondrial concentration either via its effect on arterial blood pressure and/or via some other, unidentified mechanism, and (b) the decreased mitochondrial concentration in myocardial cells of untreated SH rats need not be causally related to the observed cardiac dysfunction.
Refocusing Bohr's quantum postulate

Abstract As recently noted by Landsman, the postulate claimed by Bohr to characterize the essence of quantum theory has not played a major role in modern formulations of the theory. Folse has argued that the postulate nonetheless served a key role in Bohr's development of the “wholeness” and complementarity that underlie standard quantum-mechanical calculations. This paper presents one way to bring the main ideas of the quantum postulate into a sharper focus, one that addresses more directly how quantum mechanics is applied in the analysis of experimental results, and also leads to a useful criterion in evaluating counterfactual assertions about certain kinds of atomic-level measurements.
Spatio-temporal effects in visual gap detection

The ability of the visual system to process temporal information is studied with regard to the interactions between temporal and spatial stimulus dimensions. A comparison of the results of two experiments indicate that the eye is able to discriminate temporal gaps in a train of visual flashes better when the flashes are spatially superposed then when they are dispersed. Thus, the inertial and integrating properties of the visual receptor seem, at first glance, to hinder the discrimination less than does spatial dispersion. However, an analysis of the results, using Levinson’s low-pass filter model, suggests that the increased discrimination is due to the recoding of the temporal stimulus information along a brightness dimension, and thus the true temporal properties of the visual system are probably better described by the dispersed rather than the overlapped condition. Other experiments are also reported that deal with related phenomena germane to the ability of human Ss to deal with the temporal information pattern of visual stimuli.
Comparative chlorpyrifos pharmacokinetics via multiple routes of exposure and vehicles of administration in the adult rat

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a commonly used organophosphorus pesticide. A number of toxicity and mechanistic studies have been conducted in animals, where CPF has been administered via a variety of different exposure routes and dosing vehicles. This study compared chlorpyrifos (CPF) pharmacokinetics using oral, intravenous (IV), and subcutaneous (SC) exposure routes and corn oil, saline/Tween 20, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as dosing vehicles. Two groups of rats were co-administered target doses (5 mg/kg) of CPF and isotopically labeled CPF (L-CPF). One group was exposed by both oral (CPF) and IV (L-CPF) routes using saline/Tween 20 vehicle; whereas, the second group was exposed by the SC route using two vehicles, corn oil (CPF) and DMSO (L-CPF). A third group was only administered CPF by the oral route in corn oil. For all treatments, blood and urine time course samples were collected and analyzed for 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), and isotopically labeled 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (L-TCPy). Peak TCPy/L-TCPy concentrations in blood (20.2 micromol/l), TCPy/L-TCPy blood AUC (94.9 micromol/lh), and percent of dose excreted in urine (100%) were all highest in rats dosed orally with CPF in saline/Tween 20 and second highest in rats dosed orally with CPF in corn oil. Peak TCPy concentrations in blood were more rapidly obtained after oral administration of CPF in saline/Tween 20 compared to all other dosing scenarios (>1.5 h). These results indicate that orally administered CPF is more extensively metabolized than systemic exposures of CPF (SC and IV), and vehicle of administration also has an effect on absorption rates. Thus, equivalent doses via different routes and/or vehicles of administration could potentially lead to different body burdens of CPF, different rates of bioactivation to CPF-oxon, and different toxic responses. Simulations using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) model for CPF are consistent with these possibilities. These results suggest that exposure route and dosing vehicle can substantially impact target tissue dosimetry. This is of particular importance when comparing studies that use varying exposure paradigms, which are then used for extrapolation of risk to humans.
Objective color scale for the SWYPE surface sampling technique using computerized image analysis tools.

Colorimetric SWYPE pads are useful tools for identifying unpolymerized aliphatic isocyanates on a variety of surfaces. This technique has been used in autobody shops to determine the presence of hexamethylene diisocyanate and other aliphatic isocyanates that are important constituents of many automotive coatings. SWYPEs have the advantage of being relatively inexpensive, rapid, and portable. The color change elicited by aliphatic isocyanates (from yellow to red) provides a visual indication of the extent of surface contamination. To quantify isocyanate contamination based on the colorimetric response, an objective color scale was developed for isocyanate loading. Sampled pads were digitized on a calibrated, portable flatbed scanner, and red-green-blue (RGB) histograms of SWYPE images were created. A calibration curve was created from a series of reference images derived from SWYPEs loaded with an isocyanate-containing product. The SWYPE RGB analysis allowed for quantification over a range of isocyanate lo...
Comparison of gonad quality factors: color, hardness and resilience, of Strongylocentrotus franciscanus between sea urchins fed prepared feed or algal diets and sea urchins harvested from the Northern California fishery

Abstract Quality factors important in sea urchin roe marketing are color and texture. In two laboratory experiments, spring and fall, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, were starved or fed a low carotenoid pigment diet (13.86 μg/g), a high carotenoid pigment diet (146.83 μg/g) or kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana (73.60 μg/g). Gonads from laboratory groups and three grades of commercially processed roe (Fort Bragg A, B, and C) were examined for color and texture. Grade A roe is the most commercially valuable. S. franciscanus weighed 329.1±43.0 g and had a test diameter of 91.4±5.3 mm. Feed consumption was greater in fall than spring for prepared diets and lower in fall for N. luetkeana. The lightness (L*) of S. franciscanus gonads was significantly greater in spring than fall. Gonads from laboratory treatments showed lower values for red and yellow resulting in overall lighter color than commercially processed roe. Red color (a*) remained similar in both season while yellow color (b*) decreased significantly in fall. Hardness and resilience were greater in fall than spring, reflecting greater dry matter content and gonad reproductive condition. Spring gonads were large, soft and mature. Fall gonads were large, firm and in the recovering and growing stages of the reproductive cycle. Seasonal differences in color, hardness, and resilience indicate reproductive state and must be considered in aquaculture strategies of sea urchins.
EFFECTS OF EXTRACELLULAR CA++ AND MG++ ON CYTOSOLIC CA++ AND PTH RELEASE IN DISPERSED BOVINE PARATHYROID PETI

We studied the effects of varying extracellular concentrations of Ca++and Mg++ on cytosolic Ca++concentration and PTH release by incorporating the Ca++-sensitive, fluorescent dye "QUIN 2" into dispersed bovine parathyroid cells. Increasing extracellular Ca++ from 0.5 to 2.0 mM led to a dose-dependent increase in cytosolic Ca++ from 179±8 to 646±68 nM (mean±SE, N=13; P<0.01), which correlated closely (r=‒.987, P<.001) with the suppression of PTH secretion by the same Ca++ concentrations. Raising extracellular Mg++ from 0.5 to 3 mM also caused a dose-related increase in cytosolic Ca++ from 176±10 to 277±15 nM (N=12, P<0.01) which correlated (r=‒.959, P<.01) with inhibition of PTH release. These results show a close inverse relationship between cyto-solic Ca++ and PTH release with alterations in extracellular Ca++ or Mg++. Cytosolic Ca++ may, therefore, act as a second messenger mediating the effects of these divalent cations on PTH release.
Alcoholism Level Differences between Vietnamese Batterers and Non-Batterers

Frequency of alcohol consumption and alcoholism levels were compared between Vietnamese batterers and non-batterers. A sample of 200 Vietnamese men was administered a self-reported questionnaire which combined the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 and the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test. Results of the study revealed statistical significant differences between the two groups regarding frequency of alcohol consumption and alcoholism levels. However, through logistic regression analysis, it was found that participants' frequency of alcohol consumption and alcoholism levels were not statistically significant in predicting battering among Vietnamese men.
A new thoracoscopic lung biopsy clamp simplifies excision of pulmonary nodules

Excision of a pulmonary nodule by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery can be difficult when the lesion is deep to the pleural surface. As lung staples are applied, the lung lesion may retract centrally, making continued localization by palpation impossible. We describe a thoracoscopic lung clamp with a novel open end allowing gentle retraction and continuous localization of the nodule during a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery biopsy.
Laser‐micromachined cellulose acetate adhesive tape as a low‐cost smart material

An off-the-shelf, moisture-responsive, acetate- backed adhesive tape is investigated as a commercially avail- able smart material for fabricating low-cost, multifunctional, humidity-responsive millimeter-scale structures. Laser ablation is used for cutting and thinning-down the tape to enhance its response. Water-submerged cantilevers show a radius of cur- vature of 3 mm or lower (for laser-thinned cantilevers). Addi- tionally, their humidity response is a function of the angle between the longitudinal axis of the cantilever and polymer orientation. A cut angled at 80 � with respect to this orientation results in a tip rotation of up to 25 � , enabling the formation of bending cantilevers with twisting behavior. The tape cantile- vers are further functionalized with magnetic nanoparticles and used to create four-finger grippers that close underwater within minutes and can sample 100 mL of liquid. A cyclic humidity monitor is also fabricated using a tape strip that walks unidir- ectionally on a ratchet-shaped surface upon exposure to humidity variations. V C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1263-1267
Evaluation of Wood Products Based on Elastic Waves

While timber is ubiquitous as a building material, it is common to associate it with lightweight residential construction. However, in a number of areas of the United States and in a number of applications timber construction is an important part of the infrastructure. Based on the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) 41,743 timber bridges are included in the inventory with an additional 42,102 steel bridges with timber decks. The number of timber bridges is a significant percentage of the total bridge inventory in a number of states as well. Colorado, Nebraska, Montana and North Dakota are the four western states with 20% or more of the bridge inventory built with timber main spans. In the southern portion of the country Louisiana is notable with 42.1% of the bridge inventory built of timber with Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi with 20% to 35% of the bridge inventory with timber main spans1.
Evidence that oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by menadione involves Fas-dependent and Fas-independent pathways.

Abstract Menadione (vitamin K 3 ) a redox cycling quinone, is a clinically important chemotherapeutic agent. The objective of this study was to clarify the cytotoxic mechanisms by which menadione induces cell death in a lymphoblastoid cell line. Our results show that while the Jun kinase cascade and FasL expression may contribute to cell death at lower drug concentrations, a mitochondrial pathway dominates the cytotoxic effect at higher menadione concentrations. Menadione treatment clearly affected the mitochondrial function of Jurkat T cells by inducing a collapse of the inner transmembrane potential (ΔΨ m ) and a decrease in inner membrane mass, which could be completely reversed by N -acetylcysteine. Importantly, while a broad range of fmk-derived caspase inhibitors had potent effects on Fas-induced apoptosis, they failed to interfere in menadione cytotoxicity, indicating that menadione-induced cell death is predominantly Fas-independent. In addition, the mitochondrial changes coincided with ATP depletion. The failure in ATP production explains the occurrence of Fas-independent death events.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy can be safely performed in the high-risk patient.

Objectives To determine whether percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) can be safely performed in the high-risk patient. Methods The records of 84 patients undergoing 98 consecutive PCNL procedures from January 2005 to January 2007 at a single institution were examined. Patients were divided into a high-risk preoperative group, which comprised patients having American Society of Anesthesiologist scores of III or IV (n = 25) and a low-risk preoperative group of patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologist score of II or less (n = 59). Results A total of 33 and 65 procedures were performed in the high- and low-risk groups, respectively. The high-risk group had significantly more comorbidities than the low-risk group (5.4 vs 1.5) ( P P = .41). The stone-free rate for the high-risk group was 61% compared with 92% for the low-risk group ( P = .028). Conclusions PCNL can be safely performed in the high-risk preoperative patient population.
Laparoscopic retropubic simple prostatectomy

ABSTRACT Purpose: Open retropubic simple prostatectomy is occasionally performed for symptomatic, large volume benign prostatic hyperplasia. We describe the technique of laparoscopic simple retropubic prostatectomy. Materials and Methods: Since August 2001 at our 2 institutions laparoscopic simple retropubic prostatectomy has been performed in 17 patients with symptomatic significant prostatomegaly on transrectal ultrasonography (60 gm or greater, mean 93). Essential aspects of our 5 port technique are transverse cystotomy just proximal to the prostatovesical junction, subcapsular plane development, prostatic adenomectomy, prostatic fossa trigonization and prostatic capsule suture repair. Demographic, perioperative and outcome data were recorded. Results: Mean operative time was 156 minutes (range 85 to 380), blood loss was 516 ml (range 100 to 2,500), hospital stay was 48 hours (range 15 to 110), and Foley catheter duration was 6.3 days (range 3 to 7). Mean specimen weight on pathological examination was 72 gm (range 32 to 120). Five patients (29%) required blood transfusion. Complications occurred in 3 patients (19%), that is intraoperative hemorrhage, catheter clot obstruction and duodenal ulcer bleeding in 1 each. All patients reported complete continence during a followup period of 1 month to 2 years. Considerable improvement from baseline was noted in American Urological Association score (preoperative vs postoperative 24.5 vs 9.9) and the maximum urine flow rate (preoperative vs postoperative 7 vs 22.8 cc per minute). Conclusions: Laparoscopic simple retropubic prostatectomy for large benign prostate hyperplasia is feasible. Our initial experience is presented.
Helping behavior and group size: Some exploratory stochastic models

Data from previous experiments on helping behavior are reanalyzed. An exponential model in which the probability of helping behavior taking place remains constant regardless of number of bystanders appears to fit data from experiments involving noncommunicating strangers. An exponential model in which the probability of helping behavior declines as the square of the number of bystanders appears to fit data from experiments involving strangers in an emergency situation with communication possibilities. Groups of friends in an emergency situation with communication possibilities appear to coordinate behavior so as to engage in helping behavior with the same probability as single individuals. However, data points are too few to make conclusions anything other than suggestive.
LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD MICROLENSES: DARK OR LUMINOUS?

Zhao has proposed that the microlensing events observed toward the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) could be due to faint stars in a dwarf galaxy or tidal debris lying along the line of sight to the LMC. Zaritsky & Lin claim to have detected such a structure which, they believe, could account for most of the observed microlensing optical depth. Here I show that a large-area surface-brightness map made by de Vaucouleurs constrains any such structure to one of four possibilities. Either (1) it does not account for a significant fraction of the observed microlensing, (2) it covers the inner ~3? of the LMC but does not extend beyond ~5? from the LMC center, (3) it is smooth on scales of ~15? in both transverse directions, or (4) it has a stellar mass-to-light ratio which exceeds by a factor 10 that of known stellar populations. The second and third possibilities would not be expected to apply to tidal debris. The last merely rephrases the dark-matter problem in a new form.
The Treatment of Cholera: Clinical Science at the Bedside

In 1959-1961, two major international centers for the study of cholera were established in Calcutta and in Dacca, Bangladesh. As the result of collaborative work in these centers, a simple effective oral therapy for cholera, using ingredients available in virtually every part of the world, was defined. Through the well-coordinated efforts of the World Health Organization (WHO), knowledge of how to prepare and administer oral rehydration therapy has now been disseminated throughout most of the world. With this background, when Peru was attacked in 1991 by a massive and totally unanticipated outbreak of cholera, a remarkably well-organized national response to the epidemic achieved a survival rate greater than 99% in greater than 300,000 cholera patients during the first year of the epidemic. Thus the results of clinical research on the Indian subcontinent, widely disseminated through educational programs by the WHO, have resulted in unparalleled success in the treatment of the largest epidemic outbreak of cholera in the 20th century.
FIRST REPORT OF THE GENUS LOPHOMASTIX BENEDICT, 1904 (CRUSTACEA: DECAPODA: ALBUNEIDAE) IN THE FOSSIL RECORD AND A REAPPRAISAL OF THE STATUS OF BLEPHARIPODA BRUCEI RATHBUN, 1926

Newly discovered fossils from Eocene rocks of the Quimper Sandstone, Washington, USA, constitute the first reported occurrence of the albuneid genus Lophomastix Benedict, 1904, in the fossil record. Lophomastix and the closely related genus Blepharipoda Randall, 1839, are thought to be basal taxa within the decapod family Albuneidae Stimpson, 1858, based upon possession of primitive trichobranch gill structures. The occurrence of Lophomastix antiqua new species in Eocene deposits indicates that the genus is at least as old as the more derived genus, Albunea Weber, 1795, as would be expected for the basal taxon within the family. Based upon examination of type material, Blepharipoda brucei Rathbun, 1926, is herein removed from that genus and placed within the Paguroidea as Pagurus brucei (Rathbun, 1926) new combination.
Conservative Care of the Elderly CKD Patient: A Practical Guide

Palliative care is a branch of medicine dedicated to the relief of symptoms experienced during the course of illness. Renal palliative medicine or kidney supportive care is an evolving branch of nephrology, which incorporates the principles of palliative care into the care of CKD and ESRD (dialysis, transplant, and conservatively managed) patients. Conservative (non-dialytic) management is a legitimate option for frail, elderly CKD patients in whom dialysis may not lead to an improvement in quality or duration of life. Patients with advanced CKD have a high symptom burden that often worsens before death. Palliative or supportive care by visiting nurses, palliative care programs, or knowledgeable CKD programs should be routine for conservatively managed CKD patients. Decision-making about dialysis or conservative management requires patients and families be given information on prognosis, quality of life on dialysis, and options for supportive care. Advance care planning is the process by which these issues can be explored. In addition to advance care planning, because patients with ESRD have a high symptom burden, this needs to be addressed. Patients with ESRD have a high symptom burden, which needs to be addressed in any treatment plan. Common symptoms include pain, fatigue, insomnia, pruritus, anorexia, and nausea. Symptoms appear to increase as the patient nears death, and this must be anticipated. Recommendations for management are discussed in the article. Hospice care should be offered to all patients who are expected to die within the next 6 months, and supportive care should be provided to all CKD patients managed conservatively or with dialysis.
Substance Abuse Disorders

Substance abuse is a major public health problem, with high prevalence in the US population, and many associated economic costs. The problem of substance abuse is a useful example for better understanding the paradox and the challenge of chronic illness. Substance abuse has significant genetic heritability, along with elements of individual choice and family influence. There are also identifiable pathophysiological changes accompanying substance abuse, the presence of objective diagnostic criteria, and a relapse rate similar to many other chronic diseases. The pathways approach for substance abuse is illustrated by a case narrative involving a 46-year-old alcoholic woman.
Abstract A8: Identification of serum biomarkers for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck cancer remains one of the most devastating cancers in the United States. African American males develop head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) at significantly higher rates with stage at diagnosis for all individuals disproportionately skewed towards stages III and IV. Delayed detection results in decreased survival and increased morbidity while delayed detection of recurrence often results in a situation where there are no curative therapeutic options. This project seeks to identify serum biomarkers for early detection of HNSCC and targets a population that is a racial and socioeconomic cross section from urban Nashville, TN and adjacent suburban and rural areas. Serum proteome analysis using LC-MS/MS identified ten candidate proteins present at higher frequencies in the serum from late stage HNSCC patients compared to controls with a probability of p
H3O+Cl- Pair Association in Steam and Highly Compressible Aqueous Environments†

An extensive molecular-based simulation effort is conducted to analyze ion-pairing behavior in near-critical dilute HCl aqueous solutions along three near- (super- and sub-) critical isotherms over a wide density range, that is, from steam-like to liquid-like environments. The study encompasses the determination of the ion-pair association constant via potential of mean force calculations and the resulting degree of ion-pair association. The main goal behind this effort is to address a few relevant questions regarding the thermodynamic and corresponding microscopic behavior of the ion-pair formation in steamlike and highly compressible environments for which experimental data are extremely difficult to obtain accurately and in the process to illustrate the 'uneventful' behavior of the association constant along the critical isotherm of the solvent. Direct comparison is made between simulation, theoretical developments, and experiment to identify potential pitfalls in the interpretation of experimental data and subsequent macroscopic modeling.
Rat liver regeneration following ablation with irreversible electroporation

During the past decade, irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation has emerged as a promising tool for the treatment of multiple diseases including hepatic cancer. However, the mechanisms behind the tissue regeneration following IRE ablation have not been investigated. Our results indicate that IRE treatment immediately kills the cells at the treatment site preserving the extracellular architecture, in effect causing in vivo decellularization. Over the course of 4 weeks, progenitor cell differentiation, through YAP and notch pathways, together with hepatocyte expansion led to almost complete regeneration of the ablated liver leading to the formation of hepatocyte like cells at the ablated zone. We did not observe significant scarring or tumor formation at the regenerated areas 6 months post IRE. Our study suggests a new model to study the regeneration of liver when the naive extracellular matrix is decellularized in vivo with completely preserved extracellular architecture.