cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contributions of early adversity to pro-inflammatory phenotype in infancy: the buffer provided by attachment security

ABSTRACTAdversity early in life is associated with systemic inflammation by adolescence and beyond. At present, few studies have investigated the associations between different forms of adversity and inflammation during infancy, making it difficult to specify the origins of disease vulnerability. This study examined the association between multiple forms of early adversity – socioeconomic status disadvantage, familial stress, maternal depression, and security of attachment – and individual differences in a composite measure of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and the inflammatory protein C-reactive protein that were collected via saliva when (n = 49) children were 17 months old. In addition to gauging the direct effects of adversity, we also tested the hypothesis that infants’ attachment relationship with their mother might buffer infants against the immunologic effects of early adversity. Results show that familial stress, maternal depression, and security o...
Surgeons’ views on preoperative medical evaluation: a qualitative study

There is substantial variation in the practice of preoperative medical evaluation (PME) and limited evidence for its benefit, which raises concerns about overuse. Surgeons have a unique role in this multidisciplinary practice. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore surgeons’ practices and their beliefs about PME. We conducted of semi-structured interviews with 18 surgeons in Baltimore, Maryland. Surgeons were purposively sampled to maximize diversity in terms of practice type (academic vs. private practice), surgical specialty, gender, and experience level. General topics included surgeons’ current PME practices, perceived benefits and harms of PME, the surgical risk assessment, and potential improvements and barriers to change. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analyzed using content analysis to identify themes, which are presented as assertions. Transcripts were re-analyzed to identify supporting and opposing instances of each assertion. A total of 15 themes emerged. There was wide variation in surgeons’ described PME practices. Surgeons believed that PME improves surgical outcomes, but not all patients benefit. Surgeons were cognizant of the financial cost of the current system and the potential inconvenience that additional tests and office visits pose to patients. Surgeons believed that PME has minimal to no risk and that a normal PME is reassuring to them and patients. Surgeons were confident in their ability to assess surgical risk, and risk assessment by non-surgeons rarely affected their surgical decision-making. Hospital and anesthesiology requirements were a major driver of surgeons’ PME practices. Surgeons did not receive much training on PME but perceived their practices to be similar to their colleagues. Surgeons believed that PME provides malpractice protection, welcomed standardization, and perceived there to be inadequate evidence to significantly change their current practice. Views of surgeons should be considered in future research on and reforms to the PME process.
Obesity, Appetite, and the Prefrontal Cortex

Obesity is a chronic illness and its prevalence is growing worldwide and numerous factors play a role in the regulation of food intake. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in high-order executive function, regulation of limbic reward regions, and the inhibition of impulsive behaviors. Understanding the role of the PFC in the control of appetite regulation may contribute to a greater understanding of the etiology of obesity and could improve weight loss outcomes. Neuroimaging studies have identified lower activation in the left dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) in obese compared to lean individuals and others have focused on efforts to improve cognitive control in this area of the brain. The DLPFC is a critical brain area associated with appetitive control, food craving, and executive functioning, indicating a candidate target area for treatment. Further studies are needed to advance our understanding of the relationship between obesity, appetite, and the DLPFC and provide validation for the effectiveness of novel treatments in clinical populations.
Reassessing ACI 318 Shear Wall Provisions Based on Recent Earthquake and Test Observations

Observed wall damage in recent earthquakes in Chile (2010) and New Zealand (2011), where modern building codes exist, exceeded expectations. In these earthquakes, structural wall damage included boundary crushing, reinforcement fracture, and global wall buckling . Recent laboratory tests also have demonstrated inadequate performance in some cases, particularly for slender walls with thin boundary regions. These observations indicate a need to review code provisions, identify shortcomings, and make necessary revisions. Use of simple performance-based design approaches provides an ideal framework to incorporate code changes that balance performance expectations and impact/cost.
Kinetic and Mechanistic Studies of Peroxy, Vitamin E and Anti-Oxidant Free Radicals by Pulse Radiolysis

Autoxidation processes in food and biological systems are based on free radical reactions which involve a variety of organic peroxy radicals, ROO·, oxy radicals, RO· and superoxide radical (sometimes also called perhydroxyl radical), ·O2 − + H+ ⇋ ·O2H. As indicated, the superoxide radical comes in two forms: (a) the anionic form, ·O2 −, which is present predominantly in solutions with pH above pKa = 4.8, and (b) the protonated form, ·O2H, which is present predominantly in the solutions with pH below the pKa value and in less polar media.
Lasers and Analytical Polarimetry

The accuracy and precision of polarimetric analyses, as with many optical methods of analysis, can be significantly enhanced through the use of lasers as sources of illumination. The properties that give lasers advantage over conventional sources for polarimetry are high brightness, stable intensity, spatial coherence, and monochromaticity. In order to appreciate the advantages to both visual and photoelectric polarimetry we will first briefly discuss typical methods of measurement, then present experimental comparisons of lasers and conventional lamps.
ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid-stimulated cellular internalization of phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides: Evidence for protein kinase C-ζ dependency

Abstract The rate of cellular internalization of phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides is determined predominantly by adsorptive plus fluid-phase endocytosis. Internalization of a 5′-fluoresceinated phosphorothioate 15mer homopolymer of thymidine (FSdT15) in K562 cells in medium containing lipid-depleted albumin was reduced consistently versus nondepleted albumin. Treatment of K562 and several other cell lines with ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-6 PUFAs; e.g. arachidonic and linoleic acids) but not saturated fatty acids dramatically increased FSdT15 internalization in a concentration-dependent manner and over a wide albumin concentration range. The rate of efflux of FSdT15 from K562 cells was not affected by the ω-6 PUFA, implying that an increase of cellular fluorescence was due to an increase in the in-rate. These data were consistent with the observation that the binding of FSdT15 to the cell surface was also increased in the presence of ω-6 PUFAs. ω-6 PUFAs are stimulators of protein kinase C (PKC) activity. Inhibition of PKC activity in K562 cells by Go6976, an inhibitor of the classical PKC isoforms, did not block the linoleic acid-induced stimulation of FSdT15 internalization. On the other hand, treatment of cells with Ro318220, which has considerably less isoform specificity, almost totally blocked the effect of linoleic acid on FSdT15 internalization, implying the involvement of a nonclassical PKC isoform in the process. Finally, since the only PKC isoform expressed in K562 cells that also is activated by ω-PUFAs is PKC-ζ, we obtained NIH 3T3 cells expressing a doxycycline-repressible dominant negative PKC-ζ mutant. Expression of the mutant blocked the stimulation of FSdT15 internalization by linoleic acid. Stimulated internalization also was blocked by wortmannin and LY 294002, which are relatively specific inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K). Taken together, our data suggest that ω-6 PUFA stimulation of fluoresceinated phosphorothioate oligomers may be PKC-ζ dependent, and perhaps PI-3K dependent as well.
Introduction to Special Education: Historical and Legal Foundations

This book is about the characteristics and educational needs of exceptional students. It is also about teaching exceptional students—what the teacher and other professionals can do to educate these students to the maximum extent possible. Teaching exceptional students is a challenging, rewarding, and sometimes frustrating endeavor. Through research and continued teaching, we are constantly discovering more and more about the characteristics, capabilities, and educational needs of exceptional students. Similarly, we have learned a great deal about the educational approaches to use with these students. Unfortunately, much of the information regarding the “best” approach to use to meet their educational needs is contradictory and somewhat confusing. Indeed, we may have to accept the fact that there is no single approach, theory, or philosophy that gives us all the answers. Clearly, we must look carefully into the professional literature to determine the approaches, models, and techniques that have been demonstrated to be successful with students who have certain characteristics and educational needs. It also is important to define as precisely as possible those students who are considered exceptional and to determine the number of these students who will receive some type of special education program.
Mechanism of secretion from the adrenal medulla. II. Release of catecholamines and storage vesicle protein in response to chemical stimulation.

The release of catecholamines and a specific protein of the storage vesicles was measured in isolated perfused bovine adrenal glands. Stimulation of catecholamine secretion by acetylcholine, nicotine, or Ba++ caused a parallel increase in the secretion of the storage vesicle protein. The ratio of catecholamines: vesicle protein in the perfusates was, within the limits of experimental error, the same as that in the intact gland. The release of both the vesicle protein and the catecholamines required Ca++ and was temperature dependent. These studies provide additional evidence to support the hypothesis that catecholamines are secreted from the medulla by a process in which the storage vesicle contents are released directly to the exterior of the cell.
Discussion: Nigrostriatal projections and the "dopamine report".

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the problem of identifying nigral dopaminergic nerve endings along neuronal surfaces within the caudate nucleus. The problem is to distinguish the asymmetrical axodendritic and axospinous synaptic contacts, which represent nigrostriatal projections or, more simply, to distinguish dopaminergic receptor sites within neostriatal neuropil. A dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase has been identified recently in the superior cervical ganglion, in the inner retina, and in the caudate nucleus. These studies suggest that this enzyme represents a dopamine receptor and that the cyclic AMP generated by adenylate cyclase action may mediate catecholamine-induced changes in the excitability of postsynaptic cells. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE), which catalyzes the metabolism of cyclic AMP, has been visualized cytochemically at postsynaptic dendritic sites in the molecular layer of the cerebral cortex. This method is used to demonstrate PDE activity at developing synapses in the molecular layer of immature cerebral cortex.
Language Teacher Associations that Learn

Peter Senge’s (1990) description of five disciplines (systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, and team learning) practiced in a “learning organization” provides a useful rubric for thinking about how Language Teacher Associations (LTAs) can prepare for inevitable changes and challenges. Systems thinking focuses attention on the componential nature of LTAs various subsystems, including interest groups and governance committees, which together generate the LTA’s contribution to a larger educational system. Personal mastery emphasizes the role of LTAs in helping members to actualize their own visions. Surfacing the tacit mental models that shape understandings of what LTAs can accomplish can serve as a tool for removing roadblocks as well as identifying useful directions. Finally, a shared vision cannot be imposed by leadership but rather must be cultivated and achieved through productive team learning practices such as differentiating between dialog and discussion and regular work with potential scenarios. In addition to considering how Senge’s disciplines apply to LTAs, the chapter provides opportunities for reflection that can be used by LTA members hoping to engage in productive change within their association.
Exploring consumer responses to a nationwide breast cancer awareness campaign: the case of the National Football League's Crucial Catch campaign

During the month of October, the National Football League (NFL) activates a breast cancer awareness campaign - Crucial Catch - in which players, referees and coaches wear pink apparel and gear to promote its cause. Given that more than 17 million people in the USA watch a regular season game every week, this campaign reaches a broad audience. Using a representative sample of US adults (N = 600), this study examined differences in demographic variables (age, gender and race) and domain-specific personal variables (television viewership, cause involvement) on various campaign-related outcomes including cause-related outcomes (i.e., breast cancer perception and donation intentions to support the campaign) and organisation-related outcomes (i.e., perceived motives of the NFL, attitude toward the NFL and behaviour toward the NFL). Findings show how consumers' demographic, lifestyle and psychographic characteristics influence their responses to the campaign.
Organ Donation and Declaration of Death: Combined Neurologic and Cardiopulmonary Standards.

Prolonged survival after the declaration of death by neurologic criteria creates ambiguity regarding the validity of this methodology. This ambiguity has perpetuated the debate among secular and no...
Exploring Twitter use and services of academic innovation centers

Abstract This study examined the Twitter streams and websites of 36 university innovation centers and identified 14 service categories the centers offered. Exploring the present Twitter use practices of innovation centers and the services the centers provide can inform the design and planning of service offerings at new innovation centers and support training for center staff in the use of this social media platform. In addition, existing innovation centers can benchmark their service offerings against those services. Furthermore, mapping the services the innovation centers offer to the activities in an innovation workflow model can help center managers optimize the information architecture of their websites and resource guides. In this way, students can easily be informed about the help and resources available for each activity or phase of the innovation process. A comparison of the tweet categories identified in the present study with those of academic libraries assembled in a previous study revealed significant overlap, but some differences as well. In contrast to the Twitter accounts of academic libraries, the Twitter accounts of innovation centers did not tweet about their information services even if they offered them. Innovation centers also did not use Twitter to provide Q&A services to their users. Furthermore, innovation centers tweeted not only about the technological resources they provided, but also about the human resources they recruited to serve as student mentors and advisors. Finally, technology use was more mediated in innovation centers than in libraries, and some centers offered their users fee-based assistance from professionals with their 3D design and printing tasks.
Emerging trends in the dynamics of polyelectrolyte complexes

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are highly tunable materials that result from the phase separation that occurs upon mixing oppositely charged polymers. Over the years, they have gained interest due to their broad range of applications such as drug delivery systems, protective coatings, food packaging, and surface adhesives. In this review, we summarize the structure, phase transitions, chain dynamics, and rheological and thermal properties of PECs. Although most literature focuses upon the thermodynamics and application of PECs, this review highlights the fundamental role of salt and water on mechanical and thermal properties impacting the PEC's dynamics. A special focus is placed upon experimental results and techniques. Specifically, the review examines phase behaviour and salt partitioning in PECs, as well as different techniques used to measure diffusion coefficients, relaxation times, various superpositioning principles, glass transitions, and water microenvironments in PECs. This review concludes with future areas of opportunity in fundamental studies and best practices in reporting.
Predictors of illness course and health maintenance following inpatient treatment among patients with anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a life-threatening psychiatric disorder associated with significant medical and psychosocial impairment. Hospital-based behavioral treatment is an effective intervention in the short-term. However, relapse rates following discharge are high and thus, there is a need to identify predictors of longitudinal outcome. The current study provides information regarding illness course and health maintenance among patients with AN over 5 years following discharge from an eating disorder inpatient unit. Participants were individuals with AN who were discharged from a specialized, inpatient behaviorally-based unit. Prior to discharge, height and weight were measured and participants completed self-report measures of eating disorder severity and general psychopathology (depression, anxiety, harm avoidance). Participants were contacted annually for self-report measures of weight, eating disorder severity and clinical impairment. Outcome was defined by illness course (body mass index (BMI) and clinical impairment during the 5 years) and health maintenance (categories of weight and eating disorder symptom severity) across follow-up, using all available data. Linear mixed models were used to examine whether demographic and clinical parameters at discharge predicted BMI and clinical impairment over time. Additional analyses examined whether these variables significantly influenced an individual’s likelihood of maintaining inpatient treatment gains. One-hundred and sixty-eight individuals contributed data. Higher trait anxiety at discharge was associated with a lower BMI during follow-up (p = 0.012). There was a significant interaction between duration of illness and time, whereby duration of illness was associated with a faster rate of weight loss (p = 0.003) during follow-up. As duration of illness increased, there was a greater increase in self-reported clinical impairment (p = 0.011). Increased eating disorder severity at discharge was also associated with greater clinical impairment at follow-up (p = 0.004). Higher BMI at discharge was significantly associated with maintaining healthy weight across a priori BMI-based definitions of health maintenance. Weight status (higher BMI) and duration of illness are key factors in the prognosis of AN. Higher weight targets in intensive treatments may be of value in improving outcomes.
Negative Curvature on Line Bundles

This chapter gives sufficient conditions for a complex manifold to be hyperbolic in terms of differential forms. The key word here is curvature, which I find very misleading since what is involved are invariants from linear algebra and how they are related to distance or measure decreasing properties of holomorphic maps. The historical terminology, as it evolved from the real case, constitutes a serious psychological impediment for a beginner to learn the complex theory, or at least for me when I was a beginner. Not too much can be done about this, since the terminology of “curvature” is too well established to be discarded. But I have tried to speak systematically of Chern or Ricci forms, and to avoid “curvature” terminology, except in the title of the section as a code word, to obviate linguistic problems.
3D Vision-Based Shelf Monitoring System for Intelligent Retail.

This paper presents a 3D Vision-Based Shelf Monitoring system (3D-VSM) aimed at automatically estimating the On-Shelf Availability (OSA) of products in a retail store. The proposed solution exploits 3D data returned by a consumer-grade depth sensor to provide up-to-date information about product availability for customer purchase and eventually generate alerts on Out-Of-Stock (OOS) events, based on the comparison between a reference model of the shelf and its current status. The main advantage is that no a priori knowledge about the product characteristics is required, while the shelf reference model is automatically built, based on an initial training stage. The 3D-VSM system is integrated into an e-commerce application for electronic shopping and home delivery, developed in the context of the E-SHELF research project. Experimental tests carried out in a retail store show that the system is able to accurately estimate the on-shelf availability of products, overcoming time and labour problems of conventional audits.
Civil Death in Early Modern England

The article explores the political, theological, and literary significance of civil death (mors civilis) in early modern England and claims the relevance of this doctrine for our thinking about inc...
A 29-Year-Old Woman With Cough, Dry Eyes, Pulmonary Cysts, and Nodules

Case Presentation A 29-year-old woman who is a never smoker and has a medical history of systemic hypertension presented with a 3-week history of generalized fatigue and dry cough. She endorsed sicca symptoms of dry eyes and dry mouth. She denied breathlessness, fever, chills, night sweats, or weight loss. She had no heartburn, postnasal drip, joint pain, swelling, or skin lesions. She had no known lung disease or history of pneumothorax. Her family history was unremarkable.
MEAN AND VARIANCE CHANGE IN CLIMATE SCENARIOS: METHODS, AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS, AND MEASURES OF UNCERTAINTY

Our central goal is to determine the importance of including both mean and variability changes in climate change scenarios in an agricultural context. By adapting and applying a stochastic weather generator, we first tested the sensitivity of the CERES-Wheat model to combinations of mean and variability changes of temperature and precipitation for two locations in Kansas. With a 2°C increase in temperature with daily (and interannual) variance doubled, yields were further reduced compared to the mean only change. In contrast, the negative effects of the mean temperature increase were greatly ameliorated by variance decreased by one-half. Changes for precipitation are more complex, since change in variability naturally attends change in mean, and constraining the stochastic generator to mean change only is highly artificial. The crop model is sensitive to precipitation variance increases with increased mean and variance decreases with decreased mean. With increased mean precipitation and a further increase in variability Topeka (where wheat cropping is not very moisture limited) experiences decrease in yield after an initial increase from the 'mean change only’ case. At Goodland Kansas, a moisture-limited site where summer fallowing is practiced, yields are decreased with decreased precipitation, but are further decreased when variability is further reduced. The range of mean and variability changes to which the crop model is sensitive are within the range of changes found in regional climate modeling (RegCM) experiments for a CO2 doubling (compared to a control run experiment). We then formed two types of climate change scenarios based on the changes in climate found in the control and doubled CO2 experiments over the conterminous U. S. of RegCM: (1) one using only mean monthly changes in temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation; and (2) another that included these mean changes plus changes in daily (and interannual) variability. The scenarios were then applied to the CERES-Wheat model at four locations (Goodland, Topeka, Des Moines, Spokane) in the United States. Contrasting model responses to the two scenarios were found at three of the four sites. At Goodland, and Des Moines mean climate change increased mean yields and decreased yield variability, but the mean plus variance climate change reduced yields to levels closer to their base (unchanged) condition. At Spokane mean climate change increased yields, which were somewhat further increased with climate variability change. Three key aspects that contribute to crop response are identified: the marginality of the current climate for crop growth, the relative size of the mean and variance changes, and timing of these changes. Indices for quantifying uncertainty in the impact assessment were developed based on the nature of the climate scenario formed, and the magnitude of difference between model and observed values of relevant climate variables.
A malignant tumor of the mandible of undetermined type and origin: Report of a case

Abstract A malignant tumor of the mandible of undetermined type and origin has been presented to illustrate the confusing picture that such a lesion can present, both clinically and on histologic examination.
Strange Subordinations: Correcting Bankruptcy's Section 510(B)

Accepting the premise of ?510(b) that rescission claims of junior claimants should not have the seniority of debt, Prof. Georgakopoulos examines its operation and finds four implementation errors. The subordination to the "same priority as common stock" is excessive and provides insufficient deterrence from securities fraud. The subordination of claims arising from (re)sales to the corporation is excessive because any overreaching transactions it prevents would be easy to identify, while it mistreats honest transactions. But the greatest errors of ?510(b) are the subordination of claims from the purchase of subsidiaries' stock, which allows similar transactions to have vastly different results, and the subordination of claims from the purchase of other securities. Both eliminate deterrence against defraud-ing securities purchasers while the (parent) corpora-tion is insolvent. Since such an error cannot have been intended, ?510(b) should be interpreted to apply only to claims arising during solvency.
Visualization of diagnostic heteroduplex DNAs from cystic fibrosis deletion heterozygotes provides an estimate of the kinking of DNA by bulged bases.

Previous studies (Hsieh, C.-H., and Griffith, J. D. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 4833-4837) of DNAs containing extra or bulged bases on one of the two strands of a duplex showed that they exhibit slower electrophoretic mobility than non-bulged DNAs, indicating that bulges create stiff kinks in the DNA. Here we paired a 97-base single-stranded DNA from the intact cystic fibrosis (CF) gene with a complementary 94-base strand containing a central 3-base deletion (delta F508), common to many CF patients. This produced a 94-base pair DNA with a central 3-base bulge. Visualization of these DNAs by electron microscopy showed that twice as many bulge-containing DNAs had a central kink as compared with the non-bulged controls. Examination of the distribution of kinking angles showed that the bulged population contained 5-7-fold more molecules with a central kink of 80 +/- 10 degrees than did the control molecules. When the 3-base bulge was replaced by a 3-base gap, the resulting duplex DNA showed central kinks with a somewhat lower frequency but greater range of kinking angles.
Chapter 1 Path-integral quantum Monte Carlo studies of the vibrational properties of crystals

Publisher Summary This chapter presents some of the recent developments in Monte Carlo simulations for the static and dynamic thermodynamic properties of lattice vibrations in quantum mechanical crystalline solids (i.e., the development of quantum Monte Carlo methods as they apply to phonons in crystals). The method of quantum Monte Carlo simulation has been applied successfully to the study of the static thermodynamic properties of a wide variety of quantum mechanical systems. The different quantum Monte Carlo methods developed in the last couple of decades include (1) the Green's function Monte Carlo, which uses the Schrodinger equation evaluated for imaginary times to determine the ground state properties of many-body systems, (2) variational techniques based on the theorem for determining the ground state of quantum systems, and (3) path-integral techniques. The chapter also discusses the application of Metropolis sampling to study the thermodynamics of classical non-linear vibrational systems.
The Self-of-the-Therapist Awakened

Abstract The importance of use of self in therapy has been growing in recent years, in part because of the rise in popularity of postmodern therapeutic approaches. Such postmodern approaches, including Collaborative Language Systems, Feminist Therapy, and Narrative Therapy, espouse different ways for use of self in therapy. In this article, we briefly review the history of development of use of self through modernism to postmodernism. Next, we elaborate on how Collaborative Language Systems, Narrative, and Feminist approaches differentially use self in therapy. We conclude with three suggested ways to incorporate use of self into therapeutic practice along with a personal account of use of self in therapy.
Mechanics of fore‐arc slivers: Insights from simple analog models

[1] Convergent margins with oblique subduction commonly include a fore-arc sliver, a portion of the overlying plate bounded by the trench and a major strike-slip fault system. It has long been noted that relative plate motion near the deformation front, as indicated by earthquake focal mechanisms, is generally closer to margin-normal than would be expected from overall relative plate motion. This results from sliver motion as well as from shear within the fore arc. We carry out some simple calculations to determine how the rate of sliver motion should vary with plate convergence obliquity. We find that the results are related to rheology but that the measurement of sliver rates at natural fore arcs is unlikely to yield real insight into physical properties; even for very simple models; the system is too complicated and its relation to rheology is not unique. The proportion of oblique convergence taken up by sliver motion in simple tabletop experiments depends on the rate of slip and the smoothing of asperities. Similarities in taper and style of strain between frontal wedges forming with and without slivers suggest that structural observations of exhumed accretionary wedges are unlikely to allow geologists to draw definitive conclusions about the degree of obliquity of relative plate motion at the time when the wedges were formed and in some cases not even whether or not a sliver plate was present at the time of deformation.
Thymoquinone, a component of the Middle East spicy seed Nigella sativa, decreases oxidative DNA damage in a rat model of mammary cancer (693.21)

Tamoxifen (TAM) is used widely for treatment and prevention of breast cancer. However, TAM has been reported to have a negative effect on the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) levels and 8-hydroxydeoxy...
Compatibility of verapamil hydrochloride injection in commonly used large-volume parenterals

The visual and chemical compatibilities of verapamil hydrochloride injection in 10 commonly used large-volume solutions packaged in glass, polyolefin, or polyvinyl chloride containers were studied. The mixtures, each containing 40 mg/liter of verapamil hydrochloride, were stored away from light for up to 48 hours at 25 degrees C. The solutions were examined visually for haze, precipitate formation, color change, and evolution of gas immediately after mixing and at 0.25, 1, 3, 8, 24, and 48 hours. Spectrophotometry and thin-layer chromatography were used to test for drug decomposition or chemical incompatibilities. All test methods used showed that no significant degradation of verapamil hydrochloride had taken place in the solutions or through contact with the containers. Slightly higher spectrophotometric readings for dextrose-containing solutions, though within experimental error, could have indicated the presence of dextrose degradation products. Evidence from this study suggests that verapamil hydrocholoride is compatible with the large-volume parenterals studied.
Small-target classification in ladar images with fuzzy templates

This paper presents a method for image understanding that combines a fuzzy pixel-based feature extractor with a novel, multiple prototype classifier to detect and interpret small targets in LADAR intensity images when very few pixels on target are available. The method is based on the fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm (FCM). Prototypes are appended to an unprocessed image and low-level attributes of each pixel in the combined image are computed from the 8-neighbor pixels using FCM in 9 dimensions with 5 classes. A feature vector is then extracted from each prototype using a centered n x m window. The class membership vectors of the labeled prototypes are compared to the resulting class membership vectors of each unlabeled pixel to generate a set of confidences of a pixel's membership in the prototype classes. The fuzzy partition produced by FCM retains spatial integrity of each pixel label vector and relates the pixel level information contained in the partition to pixels in the data to be labeled. The method exhibits good behavior for images that do not contain any of the original prototype targets.
The phylogenetic affinities of Otavipithecus namibiensis

Abstract The middle Miocene hominoid Otavipithecus namibiensis is the first and most complete fossil ape from sub-equatorial Africa and represents a significant addition to the taxonomically sparse African middle Miocene hominoid fossil record. The Otavipithecus hypodigm comprises the holotype mandible, which presents a unique mosaic of dental and gnathic characters, and several attributed cranial and postcranial elements which resemble the stem hominoid Proconsul. Contrary to initial hopes that this discovery would provide new insights into hominoid morphological diversity and phylogenetic relationships, a variety of conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses have been advanced suggesting ties to virtually every major large-bodied hominoid group (Conroy et al., 1992; Andrews, 1992 a; Conroy, 1994; Pickford et al., 1994; Begun, 1994 a). Cladistic analysis of a matrix of 22 qualitative and ten quantitative characters of the mandible and mandibular dentition found no support for a close phylogenetic relationship between Otavipithecus and either the African ape or great ape clades, or with any of the Eurasian fossil hominoids with which it has previously been compared. A close relationship between Otavipithecus and Kenyapithecus cannot be ruled out, but is deemed unlikely on the basis both of morphological comparisons and the absence of support within a cladistic framework. The present analysis indicates thatOtavipithecus is most closely related to Afropithecus, as previously suggested by Andrews (1992 a) among others. Due to lack of statistical support for this result, a conservative interpretation, that these taxa represented related but divergent lineages of a late early Miocene hominoid radiation, is currently favored. Findings are consistent with the allocation ofOtavipithecus to Andrews' (1992 a) tribe Afropithecini which represents the sister group toKenyapithecus and the extant ape clade.
Evaluation of a sporicidal peracetic acid/hydrogen peroxide-based daily disinfectant cleaner.

OxyCide Daily Disinfectant Cleaner, a novel peracetic acid/hydrogen peroxide–based sporicidal disinfectant, was as effective as sodium hypochlorite for in vitro killing of Clostridium difficile spores, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and vancomcyin-resistant enterococci. OxyCide was minimally affected by organic load and was effective in reducing pathogen contamination in isolation rooms Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(11):1414–1416
Calvet-type calorimeter for the study of high-temperature processes II. New ballistic method for the enthalpy of vaporization of organic materials at high temperatures

Abstract A new method, ballistic Calvet calorimetry, is described for determining the enthalpy of vaporization of organic materials at high temperatures. A sample is dropped from room temperature into a Calvet-type calorimeter set near the normal boiling temperature of the sample, producing an endothermic peak in the calorimetric signal. Because sample heat-up and evaporation are rapid, the peak height (as distinct from the more traditional peak area) is proportional to the total heat transferred. Results on pure organic compounds from 525 to 1025 K are compared with literature values derived from calorimetric, spectroscopic, and vapor-pressure measurements. These comparisons indicate that the total enthalpy change {Hmo(T,g) − Hmo(298.15 K, cr or l)} is measured with an accuracy of ±1.0 to ±1.5 per cent when conditions are optimized. The method is rapid, convenient, and applicable to small samples (10 to 100 mg). Because of the short residence time of the organic sample at high temperatures, the danger of decomposition is reduced. A series of measurements on dibenzothiophene between 590 and 630 K is described, and the thermodynamic properties of this compound are reviewed. The method is also accurate for complex industrial mixtures.
The Relation of Monopoly Price to the Rate of Interest

Reasons for distinguishing in theory between the price policy of a temporary monopoly and that of a permanent monopoly, 384–389.—The current theory of monopoly price fails to make adequate allowance for the differences in monopolies, 389–390.—Rate of discount a factor in determining prices set by a permanent monopoly, 391.—Law of permanent monopoly price, 392.—Conditions affecting the rate of discount employed by the monopolist in fixing prices, 393–394.—Possible criticisms of the theory of permanent monopoly price, 394–397.—Practical consequences of the theory, 397–398.
Classification of schizoaffective disorder.

Abstract Two studies were conducted to examine the viability of the major alternative models of the classification of schizoaffective disorder: that it is a subtype of schizophrenia, a type of affective disorder, on a continuum between schizophrenia and affective disorder, a totally independent disorder, or a heterogeneous category. The methodologies, taken from the prototype view of classification in cognitive psychology, study the behavior of the classifiers, in this case, clinicians assigning psychiatric diagnoses. These paradigms are especially useful in the study of schizoaffective disorder since different definitions of this diagnosis have resulted in widely discrepant findings. Therefore, finding the concept of schizoaffective disorder with the highest consensus is a reasonable first step before conducting empirical studies of patients. The first study attempted to locate exemplars or typical schizoaffective cases based on high diagnostic agreement and fast diagnostic decision time. Twenty clinicians assigned diagnoses to 30 cases, including 15 schizoaffective cases from the literature. While 11 exemplars were found for other diagnoses, only one was found for schizoaffective disorder. Schizoaffective cases were most often diagnosed as schizophrenia, particularly by more experienced clinicians. In the second study, 20 clinicians listed the essential clinical features of schizoaffective disorder and other major psychoses. The schizoaffective list shared as many features with schizophrenia as did the schizophrenic subtypes, but shared only one feature with the affective disorders. Overall, the results suggested that these clinicians perceive schizoaffective disorder as a variant of schizophrenia; however, this view of schizoaffective disorder may be changing in newer clinicians. Implications for defining schizoaffective disorder, suggestions for diagnosis, the generalizability of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Cytoskeleton and polyploidy after maturation and fertilization of cryopreserved germinal vesicle—stage mouse oocytes

Purpose Our purpose was to assess the effect of cryopreservation on cytoskeleton of germinal vesicle (GV) mouse oocytes and determine whether irreversible spindle damage and related digyny associated with cryopreservation of metaphase II (MII) oocytes can be avoided.
Marketing innovations to nurses, part 1: How people adopt innovations

This article is the first in a two-part series that explores marketing techniques to enhance nurse's adoption of innovations in practice. Introducing new policies and procedures and persuading colleagues to implement them constitute an important part of the WOC nurse role. Nursing research reveals a lag of 8 to 30 years between the time new ideas are generated and nurses use them in practice. This article presents a theoretic grounding based on the Everett Rogers Diffusion of innovation Theory and uses the author's experiences introducing a research-based practice innovation to illustrate concrete and practice-relevant examples of innovation adoption theory and marketing principles in action.
The Path from Analog HDTV to DTV in Japan

While Japanese broadcasters and manufacturers have been world pioneers in the development of high-definition television and digital production technologies, they have been slow to design a national system for digital television (DTV) transmission. Present plans call for the launching of a new satellite that will facilitate DTV transmissions by the year 2000. This paper examines the technological, political, and economic issues that have delayed the advent of digital broadcasting in Japan, especially compared to DTV broadcasting initiatives in Europe and the United States. The paper concludes that Japanese economic and political investment in the analog Hi-Vision HDTV format led to the promulgation of national industrial policies that inhibited the diffusion of alternative television technologies
Comparison of a new wild-type caenorhabditis briggsae with laboratory strains of C. Briggsae and C. Elegans

The hermaphroditic nematode strain G16, isolated from soil in Gujarat, India was identified as Caenorhabditis briggsae by genetic and morphological criteria. By contrast with the Dougherty strain of C. briggsae, in culture since 1944, the behavior of G 16 resembles that of the wild-type C. elegans strain N2. The Gujarat population does not exhibit uncoordinated movement, it produces males which mate efficiently, it exhibits chemotaxis, and it forms dauer larvae in response to crowding or starvation. The G16 animals grow bigger, have a shorter generation time (1.6 days at 25°C) and produce larger broods than the Dougherty strain. We conclude that the Dougherty strain has accumulated genetic defects during the years of laboratory cultivation. Genetic analysis using G16-Dougherty hybrids demonstrates that the defects in movement, chemotaxis, and dauer larva formation are all X-linked but genetically separable, while morphological differences in the male copulatory bursa are inherited autosomally. A Caenorhabditis-specific pheromone, which enhances entry into the dauer larva stage, is produced by the N2, G16, and Dougherty strains, but the Dougherty strain does not respond to the pheromone. The new wild-type C. briggsae may be more appropriate than the Dougherty strain for genetic study of C. briggsae or for future comparative studies with wild-type C. elegans.
Outside Options and the Logic of Security Council Action

I examine if and how a superpower can use its asymmetric power to achieve favorable outcomes in multilateral bargaining between states that have conflicting interests and veto power. Using a game-theoretic framework, I show that the ability to act outside, either unilaterally or with an ally, helps the superpower to reach agreements that would be vetoed in the absence of the outside option. These agreements, however, are usually not at the superpower's ideal point. Under some conditions, uncertainty about the credibility of the outside option can lead to unilateral action that all actors prefer to avoid. In other circumstances, this uncertainty results in multilateral actions that the superpower (and the ally) would not initiate without multilateral authorization. The model provides useful insights that help explain patterns of decision-making in the United Nations Security Council in the 1990s, including the failed attempt to reach agreement over the Kosovo intervention.
Logical distribution of applications and data

A distributed data processing system is composed of a set of nodes that are interdependent yet capable of operating autonomously. This paper describes a procedure for controlling the interdependencies and nodal autonomies with a logical distribution of applications and their data. The procedure is illustrated with data that were obtained from an on-line operations planning and control system at a steel mill.
Differentiation of colloidal and dissolved silica: analytical separation using spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract A method is described that differentiates between solutions containing silica-dominated colloids and solutions that are essentially free of colloids. Suspensions of tuff particles were treated to remove colloids by centrifugation, filtration or both. Agreement of silica concentrations determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and by a spectrophotometric method was taken as an indication of colloid-free solutions. For two tuffs, centrifugation was effective for removing colloids. For the third, highly altered tuff, filtration was more effective for removing colloids.
Vitamin D and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage

Studies have found that vitamin D plays an important role in mediating immune function via a number of pathways, including enhancing the release of antimicrobial peptides in the skin. Given these findings, we hypothesize that low serum vitamin D levels may increase the risk of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A secondary data analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2004 was performed to investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and MRSA nasal carriage for the non-institutionalized population of the USA. An estimated 2.7 million persons (1.2% of the population) are MRSA nasal carriers. An estimated 63.3 million persons (28.4% of the population) are vitamin D deficient (serum vitamin D <20 ng/ml). In an adjusted logistic regression analysis controlling for age, race, gender, poverty income ratio, current health status, hospitalization in the past 12 months, and antibiotic use in the past month, individuals with vitamin D deficiency had a statistically significant increased risk of MRSA carriage of 2.04 (95% CI 1.09-3.84). Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of MRSA nasal carriage. Further trials may be warranted to determine whether vitamin D supplementation decreases the risk of MRSA colonization.