cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Columbia Evidence Based Neurology Manual: A Step Towards Evidence Based Practice (P4.194)

Objective: To determine whether an evidence based neurology manual created by residents for residents is a useful online educational resource. Background: Learning to approach clinical problems using the best available literature is inherent in medical education. While online resources are available, which include comprehensive reviews and search engines, these may not exclusively display the best available evidence. There was no readily accessible resource for residents to access available evidence in a streamlined user-friendly format to help guide clinical practice. Design/Methods: The manual consisted of 12 chapters organized by neurology subspecialties/topics each written by resident authors with faculty mentors overseeing article selection. Each chapter was a collection of article summaries organized by clinical question, summary paragraph and take home points. The format was a searchable PDF viewable on iPhone, iPad or desktop as well as on the resident website. An anonymous 10-item questionnaire was administered to the neurology residents to assess the impact of the evidence based neurology manual and to compare it to online educational resources. Results: Of 36 residents, 24 (67[percnt]) completed the questionnaire; 75[percnt] of residents had used the manual. Of those, 100[percnt] thought it is a useful tool; 100[percnt] said that the manual is a good tool for neurology residents in other programs; 80[percnt] thought the manual is more effective (25[percnt]) or as effective (55[percnt]) when compared to other online resources such as UpToDate. Conclusions: The neurology resident evidence based manual is at least as effective as other online resources in supporting the patient care process and guiding clinical decisions during residency training. The long-term goal is for the manual to be a resident driven project updated annually and to be made accessible to other training programs. Disclosure: Dr. Blum has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Willey has nothing to disclose.
Los orígenes de nuestra supuesta homogeneidad: Breve arqueología de la unidad nacional en México

How did the idea of a national race come to be a credible and widely spread notion in Mexico? This essay frames the question comparatively, by noting that the racialization of national identity, that is, the naturalization of national difference, is a common strategy, particularly when a state is too weak to impose collective identity by way of equality before the law. The Mexican case, however, is peculiar with regard to the success of a racialized idea of national identity because of its border with the United States, a situation that makes Mexico unique in the Americas. The essay demonstrates with historical detail and primary sources that the border dynamic that emerged in the late 19th century is the key to understanding why Mexicans in the 20th century represented themselves as members of a unitary race. The paper offers a close historical description and argument that tracks the consolidation of the "Mexican race" as a figure that had real and convincing experiential referents.
Induction of human immunoglobulin secretion: III. Inhibition of induction of IgG and IgA production in spleen but not peripheral blood cells by mitogenic antibody to IgM and IgD

Abstract Human peripheral blood and spleen mononuclear cells (MNC) were induced (SI = 5–30) to proliferate in vitro after stimulation by F(ab′) 2 fragments of goat anti-IgM antibody. Lower levels of DNA synthesis (SI = 2–14) were also observed following stimulation with anti-IgD antibody, whereas no DNA synthesis was detected in cultures containing F(ab′) 2 fragments of normal goat IgG antibody. Both intact and F(ab′) 2 fragments of anti-IgM antibody had stimulatory capacity for MNC, but intact antibody was less active. Anti-immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies alone did not induce Ig secretion in either peripheral blood or spleen cells. In spleen cultures anti-IgM completely inhibited IgM, IgG, and IgA production induced by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria strain Cowan I, pokeweed mitogen (PWM), or low concentrations of Cowan I plus PWM. Anti-IgD partially inhibited mitogen-generated Ig secretion by spleen cells. However, quite a different result was obtained with peripheral blood MNC in which anti-IgM antibody selectively abrogated the induction of IgM production by the mitogens. No inhibition was observed for induction of IgG and IgA production. Anti-IgD antibody did not show any significant suppressive effect on mitogen-induced production of the three classes of Ig using blood cells. These results suggest a difference in maturation stage of B-cell subsets in peripheral blood compared to spleen.
A motor protein model and how it relates to stochastic resonance, feynman’s ratchet, and maxwell’s demon

A motor protein turns chemical energy into motion, but it differs from an ordinary engine in that random Brownian kicks become important. Below we propose a description where the energy input is used to ratchet Brownian motion, i.e. to allow it in one direction and block it in the opposite direction. Our model relates to famous paradoxes like Feynman’s Ratchet and Maxwell’s Demon, but is thermodynamically consistent.
The Immunology of Breast Milk

Resistance to infection and protection from allergic disorders (or atopy) are probably the most frequently cited immunologic benefits of breast-feeding. In this chapter, some of the immunologic constituents of breast milk are described and the mechanisms of their possible beneficial effects discussed. In order to provide a background for this discussion, the basic effector mechanisms involved in immune responses are summarized in this section. Special attention has been given to the immune processes occuring at mucosal and secretory surfaces such as the intestinal and mammary epithelium.
An Adynamical, Graphical Approach to Quantum Gravity and Unification

We use graphical field gradients in an adynamical, background independent fashion to propose a new approach to quantum gravity and unification. Our proposed reconciliation of general relativity and quantum field theory is based on a modification of their graphical instantiations, i.e., Regge calculus and lattice gauge theory, respectively, which we assume are fundamental to their continuum counterparts. Accordingly, the fundamental structure is a graphical amalgam of space, time, and sources (in parlance of quantum field theory) called a "spacetimesource element." These are fundamental elements of space, time, and sources, not source elements in space and time. The transition amplitude for a spacetimesource element is computed using a path integral with discrete graphical action. The action for a spacetimesource element is constructed from a difference matrix K and source vector J on the graph, as in lattice gauge theory. K is constructed from graphical field gradients so that it contains a non-trivial null space and J is then restricted to the row space of K, so that it is divergence-free and represents a conserved exchange of energy-momentum. This construct of K and J represents an adynamical global constraint between sources, the spacetime metric, and the energy-momentum content of the element, rather than a dynamical law for time-evolved entities. We use this approach via modified Regge calculus to correct proper distance in the Einstein-deSitter cosmology model yielding a fit of the Union2 Compilation supernova data that matches LambdaCDM without having to invoke accelerating expansion or dark energy. A similar modification to lattice gauge theory results in an adynamical account of quantum interference.
Two-photon absorption spectroscopy of metastable hydrogen-like atoms

Abstract Recent experimental technology points to the possibility of measuring the 2S–3S transition in hydrogen-like atoms via two-photon absorption. The non-relativistic amplitude for this process is evaluated exactly and numerical values are given.
SAICAR Induces Protein Kinase Activity of PKM2 that Is Necessary for Sustained Proliferative Signaling of Cancer Cells

Abnormal metabolism and sustained proliferation are hallmarks of cancer. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a metabolic enzyme that plays important roles in both processes. Recently, PKM2 was shown to have protein kinase activity phosphorylating histone H3 and promoting cancer cell proliferation. However, the mechanism and extent of this protein kinase in cancer cells remain unclear. Here, we report that binding of succinyl-5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-ribose-5′-phosphate (SAICAR), a metabolite abundant in proliferating cells, induces PKM2’s protein kinase activity in vitro and in cells. Protein microarray experiments revealed that more than 100 human proteins, mostly protein kinases, are phosphorylated by PKM2-SAICAR. In particular, PKM2-SAICAR phosphorylates and activates Erk1/2, which in turn sensitizes PKM2 for SAICAR binding through phosphorylation. Additionally, PKM2-SAICAR was necessary to induce sustained Erk1/2 activation and mitogen-induced cell proliferation. Thus, the ligand-induced protein kinase activity from PKM2 is a mechanism that directly couples cell proliferation with intracellular metabolic status.
Variation in oral clearance of saquinavir is predicted by CYP3A5*1 genotype but not by enterocyte content of cytochrome P450 3A5.

Objective Saquinavir, a widely prescribed human immunodeficiency virus 1 protease inhibitor, has a low and variable oral bioavailability that has been attributed to extensive first-pass extraction mediated by hepatic or intestinal cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and intestinal P-glycoprotein (P-gp). The polymorphic CYP3A5 has also been shown to influence the saquinavir metabolite/parent urinary ratio, suggesting a role for CYP3A5. Methods Twenty healthy subjects received a single oral dose of saquinavir (600 mg) with water (control) and, on a separate occasion, with Seville orange juice (a selective intestinal CYP3A4/5 inhibitor). Hepatic CYP3A4 activity was evaluated by use of the erythromycin breath test. Duodenal biopsy specimens were used to assess relative intestinal CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 protein contents. Relative P-gp content was also assessed in the biopsy specimens and in lymphocytes. Genetic polymorphisms in MDR1 (in exon 21 and 26), CYP3A5 (*1 and *3), and CYP3A4*1B were identified by direct sequencing. Saquinavir plasma concentrations were measured by tandem liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameter estimates (maximum concentration, time to reach maximum concentration, area under the concentration-time curve, apparent oral clearance [CL/F]) were computed by standard noncompartmental methods. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to identify the hepatic or intestinal variables that predicted variation in saquinavir pharmacokinetic measures. Results Baseline saquinavir CL/F was not correlated with liver CYP3A4 activity (the erythromycin breath test result), intestinal CYP3A4 content, or intestinal P-gp content (r2 = 0.08, 0.08, and 0.007, respectively; P > .2). MDR1 genotype and lymphocyte P-gp content were also not predictive. Among the 6 subjects expressing intestinal CYP3A5, the mean saquinavir CL/F was almost twice as high as for the 14 nonexpressors (36.7 L/h [95% confidence interval (CI), 18.7–54.6 L/h] and 19.3 L/h [95% CI, 11.2–27.4 L/h], respectively; P = .03). However, among the 6 CYP3A5 expressors, there was an unexpected negative correlation between CL/F and intestinal CYP3A5 content (r2 = 0.58, P = .05). Seville orange juice decreased the mean CL/F in all 20 subjects from 24.5 L/h (95% CI, 16.7–32.3 L/h) to 14.7 L/h (95% CI, 8.4–20.6 L/h) (P = .05). The effect size did not appear to be influenced by CYP3A5 expression. Conclusions The CYP3A5*1 genotype is associated with increased saquinavir CL/F. This does not appear to reflect intestinal CYP3A5 expression and presumably reflects the contribution of hepatic CYP3A5. The interaction with Seville orange juice in subjects not expressing CYP3A5 supports a role for intestinal CYP3A4. However, the modest nature of the interaction, combined with the inability to detect a correlation between CL/F and CYP3A4 enterocyte content, supports our recent in vitro work suggesting a smaller contribution of intestinal CYP3A4 than has been assumed. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 78, 605–618; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2005.08.014
Validity and reliability issues in measurement instrumentation

Abstract This article provides a brief overview of validity and reliability as concepts related to the overall quality of test instruments. We describe the nature and interpretation of content, face, criterion, and construct validity and identify several approaches for measurement and improvement of reliability. We urge that test developers, users, and interpreters recognize the characteristics of good instruments as well as the limitations of measurement instrumentation.
Production dynamics of a tidal creek population of Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus)

Abstract Productivity of a Delaware, U.S.A., tidal creek population of adult Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus) was estimated during the summers of 1972 and 1973. Population size, length-frequency distribution, length-weight relationship, standing crop, instantaneous growth coefficients by length and weight, and mortality rate were determined. Petersen and Jolly stochastic indices were used to estimate population sizes along several 36 m segments of creek bank, the 36 m unit being a boundary limit for summer home range in our study area for most individual fish. Production was computed using an exponential model of growth rate and a linear model of mean stock biomass. Population parameters for young-of-the-year fish were derived by estimating the recruitment necessary to reconstitute the adult population between the end of our first and the start of our second summer study periods. These data are partially summarized in a model of changes in age and size class structure over an annual cycle. Mortality rate for age group O (from eggs to 59 mm T.L.) was estimated to be at least 99·5%, while mortality rate in age group I and older (⩾60 mm T.L.) was estimated to be from 51 to 57% per year. Productivity was a minimum of 40·7 gm−2 year−1, this being one of the highest reported values for fish productivity. Young-of-the-year fish produce at least 78% of the annual production. The high productivity of this resident fish population indicates that F. heteroclitus makes an important contribution to the energy transfers within tidal marshes.
Measurement of the Refraction of X-Rays in a Prism by Means of the Double X-Ray Spectrometer

In the double spectrometer used, x-radiation was reflected from a crystal surface $A$ through a slit $S$ on to a second crystal surface $B$, and thence to the ionization chamber. Surfaces $A$ and $B$ were obtained by splitting a single crystal of calcite. The curve obtained for Mo $\mathrm{K}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ by rocking $B$ is a triangle with base about 8 seconds wide. The effect of interposing a prism of aluminum (angle 166\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}) between $S$ and $B$ was to shift the curve 5.62\ensuremath{''} on the average, giving $1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\mu}=1.68\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. The value calculated from the Lorentz dispersion formula is 1.77\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. For Cu $\mathrm{K}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ the shift was 5.53\ensuremath{''} for a 116\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} prism, giving $1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\mu}=8.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ as compared with the calculated value 8.36\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. The accuracy of this method is thus within 5 percent.
Metabolic effects of an experimental histidinemia

Abstract A procedure has been devised whereby it is possible to maintain continuously elevated concentrations of histidine in the blood and tissues of the rat for extended periods. Initially, the levels of liver urocanase and histidine-pyruvate transaminase are increased, and the level of histidase is decreased in histidinemic rats; these changes, except for that in histidase, are diminished after prolonged histidinemia. The specific activity of histidine-pyruvate transaminase, present in the brain of the rat, was observed to be unchanged by elevated concentrations of histidine. The specific activity of histidine decarboxylase in gastric tissue also appears unaffected. Two enzymes of the urea cycle are affected by continuous histidinemia: the level of ornithine transcarbamylase is elevated initially but returns to normal levels after prolonged histidinemia; the level of arginase is decreased both initially and after prolonged histidinemia. The concentration of serotonin is decreased in both the liver and brain of histidinemic rats. The lipemia described in the histidinemic monkey does not occur in the histidine-fed rat.
Modeling of carbonic acid pretreatment process using ASPEN-Plus.

ASPEN-Plus® process modeling software is used to model carbonic acid pretreatment of biomass. ASPEN-Plus was used because of the thorough treatment of thermodynamic interactions and its status as a widely accepted process simulator. Because most of the physical property data for many of the key components used in the simulation of pretreatment processes are not available in the standard ASPEN-Plus property databases, values from an in-house database (INHSPCD) developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory were used. The standard non-random-twoliquid (NRTL) or renon route was used as the main property method because of the need to distill ethanol and to handle dissolved gases. The pretreatment reactor was modeled as a “black box” stoichiometric reactor owing to the unavailability of reaction kinetics. The ASPEN-Plus model was used to calculate the process equipment costs, power requirements, and heating and cooling loads. Equipment costs were derived from published modeling studies. Wall thickness calculations were used to predict construction costs for the high-pressure pretreatment reactor. Published laboratory data were used to determine a suitable severity range for the operation of the carbonic acid reactor. The results indicate that combined capital and operating costs of the carbonic acid system are slightly higher than an H2SO4-based system and highly sensitive to reactor pressure and solids concentration.
Effect of fuel treatment on Coal-Water Fuel Combustion

Three methods of improving spray fineness by fuel treatment were investigated—1) the heating of the Coal Water Fuel (CWF) under pressure to produce steam as the pressure drops during passage of the CWF through the atomizer nozzle, 2) the absorption of CO2 gas in the CWF to produce a similar effect, and 3) the addition of a chemical additive which will cause microexplosions in the droplets upon heating. These treatments are expected to produce disruptive atomization, i.e., the disintegration of slurry droplets subsequent to their leaving the atomizing nozzle and, hence, to yield better burnout and finer fly ash particle size distribution upon combustion. The effects of disruptive atomization upon CWF spray size distribution were studied using a spray test chamber equipped with a laser diffraction particle size analyzer; the data were fitted to the Rosin-Rammler particle size distribution function. The combustion characteristics of the treated CWFs were investigated in the MIT Combustion Research Facility. The spray chamber tests established that thermally-assisted atomization produced reductions both in the mean droplet size and in the mass fraction of large particles in the spray. For fuel delivery temperatures up to 100°C this effect is attributable to lowered fuel viscosity, while further heating of the CWF (to 150°C in these experiments) produces disruptive atomization. In-flame measurements and high speed cine pictures made during combustion tests provided detailed information for comparisons of treated and untreated CWF. Thermally-assisted atomization was the most effective of the methods studied for improving carbon conversion efficiency and reducing fly ash particle size. CO2 and picric acid addition techniques showed substantial improvements but they were less effective.
Performance evaluation of protocols for group-oriented mobile services

The emerging mobile services, including m-commerce, have received considerable interest among researchers, developers, service providers, and users. Some of these mobile services require the support for group communications among mobile users for conducting transactions. Therefore, there is a need for protocols that are designed to support transactions for group-oriented mobile services especially under brief dis-connectivity and/or intermittent connectivity. In this paper, we identify the transaction requirements of group-oriented mobile services, present three protocol schemes and several new metrics for transactions, and evaluate the performance of protocol schemes under varying conditions. Our results show that higher levels of transaction completion probabilities and lower levels of transaction delays can be achieved to support the performance requirements of diverse group-oriented mobile services.
The elemental composition of some marine phytoplankton

We analyzed the cellular content of C, N, P, S, K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co, Cd, and Mo in 15 marine eukaryotic phytoplankton species in culture representing the major marine phyla. All the organisms were grown under identical culture conditions, in a medium designed to allow rapid growth while minimizing precipitation of iron hydroxide. The cellular concentrations of all metals, phosphorus, and sulfur were determined by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICPMS) and those of carbon and nitrogen by a carbon hydrogen nitrogen analyzer. Accuracy of the HR-ICPMS method was validated by comparison with data obtained with 5 5 Fe radioactive tracer and by a planktonic reference material. The cellular quotas (normalized to P) of trace metals and major cations in the biomass varied by a factor of about 20 among species (except for Cd, which varied over two orders of magnitude) compared with factors of 5 to 10 for major nutrients. Green algae had generally higher C, N, Fe, Zn, and Cu quotas and lower S, K, Ca, Sr, Mn, Co, and Cd quotas than coccolithophores and diatoms. Co and Cd quotas were also lower in diatoms than in coccolithophores. Although trace element quotas are influenced by a variety of growth conditions, a comparison of our results with published data suggests that the measured compositions reflect chiefly the intrinsic (i.e. genetically encoded) trace element physiology of the individual species. Published field data on the composition of the planktonic biomass fall within the range of laboratory values and are generally close to the approximate extended Redfield formula given by the average stoichiometry of our model species (excluding the hard parts): (C 1 2 4 N 1 6 P 1 S 1 . 3 K 1 . 7 Mg 0 . 5 6 Ca 0 . 5 ) 1 0 0 0 Sr 5 . 0 Fe 7 . 5 Zn 0 . 8 0 Cu 0 . 3 8 Co 0 . 1 9 Cd 0 . 2 1 Mo 0 . 0 3 While clearly this elemental stoichiometry varies between species and, potentially, in response to changes in the chemistry of seawater, it provides a basis for examining how phytoplankton influence the relative distributions of the ensemble of major and trace elements in the ocean.
Preleptotene chromosome contraction in Lilium longiflorum “Croft”

A period of chromosome contraction between premeiotic interphase and leptotene was regularly observed in three samples of Lilium longiflorum “Croft”. Extensive preleptotene chromosome contraction was also observed in L. longiflorum “Ace” and in the Lilium hybrid “Enchantment”. Although the stage resembles late mitotic prophase, microsporocytes never develop to metaphase, but despiralize to leptotene, and regular alignment, pairing and chiasma formation follow. As preleptotene chromosome contraction is discovered in an increasing number of organisms it becomes less likely that it represents a true reversion to mitosis. However its absence in many organisms and its extreme variability in others do not support the concept of preleptotene chromosome contraction as a regular meiotic stage. It is suggested that the line of demarcation between mitosis and meiosis is often imprecise, and meiocytes may fluctuate to some extent between these states before a final transition to meiosis is made. The occurrence and extent of this fluctuation may possibly be related to some externally produced substances required for the orderly development of meiotic prophase.
Mixed-radix MVL Function Spectral and Decision Diagram Representation

Discrete finite-valued functions are increasingly important in applications involving automation and control. In particular, it is evident that industry is focusing on “Systems-on-a-Chip” (SoC) where the integration of analog (infinite-valued) and digital (binary-valued) circuits must co-exist. As designers struggle with these interfacing issues, it is natural to consider the intermediate circuits that can be modeled as multi-valued, discrete logic-level circuits. This viewpoint is not unprecedented as such principles have been used for at least the past twenty years in telecommunications protocols. If an analogous approach is considered in control systems implemented in “Integrated Circuit” (IC) designs, it is proposed that spectral analysis may provide an important role and efficient methods for computing such mixed-radix function spectra are described here. These methods are formulated as transformations of word-level decision diagrams representing the underlying arithmetic expressions and can be implemented as graph traversal algorithms. The theoretical foundation of the spectral transform of a mixed-radix function is presented and the equivalence of the resulting spectrum and the spectrum of a Cayley graph is shown.
Gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery: analysis of 1291 patients

Abstract Background The development of an anastomotic stricture at the site of the gastrojejunostomy following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) is associated with substantial morbidity. Various techniques are available for creating the gastrojejunal anastomosis, including hand-sewing and using a circular or linear stapler, to reduce complication rates. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures in patients who underwent antecolic antegastric Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (AA-RYGBP) with the use of a linear stapler and to evaluate the outcomes of endoscopic pneumatic dilatation as a treatment option for patients with anastomotic stricture. Methods All patients who met the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria for bariatric surgery and underwent AA-RYGBP using a linear stapler technique between July 2000 and November 2004 were included in the study. Following Institutional Review Board approval, the medical records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. Two surgeons performed all of the surgical procedures in this series using a standardized surgical protocol. Results Between July 2000 and November 2004, 1291 patients (1016 females [79%] and 275 male [11%]) underwent AA-RYGBP. The patients' mean age was 43 years (range, 19–75 years), and mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 49.6 kg/m 2 (range, 34–97.5 kg/m 2 ). Out of 1291 procedures, 1265 were performed laparoscopically (98.3%), with the reminder performed by laparotomy. A linear stapler was used to create the gastrojejunal anastomosis in all of the procedures. A total of 405 (31%) complications occurred, with gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures the most common complication, found in 94 (7.3%) patients more than 30 days after the procedure. All of these cases of stricture were treated by endoscopic pneumatic dilatation with a through the scope (TTS) balloon, requiring between one and four dilatory sessions. Of the 94 patients (2.1%) who underwent balloon dilatation, 2 developed perforation, only 1 of whom required surgical intervention. The mean postoperative hospital stay for the 94 patients was 4.2 days (range, 2–24 days); there was no perioperative patient mortality. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that AA-RYGBP can attain a relatively low complication rate and no mortality. Gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures were the most common complication and were diagnosed 30 days after the procedure. Endoscopic balloon dilatation can be offered as a first-line treatment for gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures. Perforation is a potential complication of this treatment and may necessitate surgical intervention. © 2005 American Society for Bariatric Surgery
Social characteristics of patients readmitted to a community mental health center.

This study compared selected social characteristics of patients readmitted to a community mental health center with those of patients who were not readmitted during a threeyear period following discharge. An examination of existing records revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups for the variables of type of admission, age, unemployment in combination with race, and type of discharge, but not for other variables suggested by prior studies.
Fibroblast growth factor 23 and adverse clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease.

Purpose of review To review data on the epidemiology of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and adverse clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and introduce recent insights into the pathophysiology behind the observed relationships.
Hypernephroma presenting as solitary metastasis to penis

Abstract A rare case of primary renal neoplasm metastatic to the penis in a fifty-seven-year-old man is presented. The unusual features of a renal tumor on the right side with initial presentation as malignant priapism, and invasion of the urethral lumen without hematuria or other urinary symptoms are discussed. Pertinent literature is reviewed.
Role of Condensed Counterions in the Thermodynamics of Surfactant Micelle Formation with and without Oppositely Charged Polyelectrolytes

We present a simple model of micelle formation that includes any effects of condensed counterions. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) of ionic surfactants has a much weaker dependence on surfactant tail length than nonionic surfactants because condensed counterions on the ionic surfactant micelle lose their translational entropy, as predicted by Murray and Hartley in 1935. The critical aggregation concentration (cac) of ionic surfactants in the presence of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes is much smaller than the cmc, and has a strong dependence on surfactant tail length, similar to the cmc of nonionic surfactants. The oppositely charged polyelectrolyte has a strong electrostatic interaction with the micelle surface, partially accounting for the low cac. The binding of micelle and polyelectrolyte also means that no condensed counterions are necessary on the micelle surface, which also lowers the cac and changes the dependence of the cac on surfactant tail length. For strongly charged polyelectrol...
Funding and grantsmanship

Medical research funding in the United States has 4 predominant sources: the federal government; the pharmaceutical industry; institutions; and private foundations. In each case, the grant application process is the first step in obtaining funding. Successful grant applications are logical, organized, and easy to read. The research question should be both specific and significant. Comprehensive and detailed study methods addressing the study population, timeline, and data collection and management increase the likelihood of obtaining funding. Funding for inflammatory bowel disease preclinical and clinical research is available from the National Institutes of Health and Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America.
Determination of aerosol droplet size and concentration from simple transmittance measurements

A method is described, and equations are developed for the determination of aerosol droplet size and concentration based upon simple transmittance readings. Data and experimental results are presented for water, but the method is applicable to water solutions or other materials as well for which complex indices of refraction are known at specific wavelengths in the visible or the ir. An equation is given for transmittance at 0.63 microm (He:Ne laser) which allows the interrelationship between water cloud or fog droplet size and concentration to be determined. A second equation permits specific values of concentration and droplet size to be determined knowing transmittance values at one or more ir wavelengths located in regions of spectral absorption by the liquid comprising the droplets. For water, data are given for ir wavelengths of 8.5 microm, 10.5 microm, and 12.57 microm, and specific determinations of droplet size and concentration are tabulated based upon these observation wavelengths. In addition, a composite of wavelengths in the 8-13-microm window is presented so that aerosol determinations can be made simply by comparing transmittances at 0.63 microm to those taken broadband at 8-13 microm by devices operating in the latter region without wavelength-scanning capability. For water drops, the method produces results of about +/-10% precision. The method is based upon the constancy of the product of extinction coefficient and droplet diameter in Mie calculations for water at 0.63 microm and is applicable for droplet sizes of from 6 microm to at least 30 microm. Determinations for droplets as small as 2 microm can be made at +/-30% precision.
Response to Sheldon Watts, “Yellow Fever Immunities in West Africa and the Americas in the Age of Slavery and Beyond: A Reappraisal”

In a review of Sheldon Watts Epidemics and History (which he cites in note 6) I complained, among other things, about words and phrases that were employed such as "guerilla terrorists" to describe Spanish conquistadors , as well as other unwarranted epithets to denigrate medical researchers of the past like Ronald Ross or Walter Reed. At the time I assumed that such deliberately offensive writing stemmed from the author's passion in blaming the West for the epidemiological and medical imperialism it had (often inadvertently) unleashed on the rest of the world. Now, however, I am wondering if this kind of reckless rhetoric could be a style. The review in question was generally favorable, although apparently not fa? vorable enough. I also objected to Watts dismissing "out of hand and with no discussion of the evidence" (p.l05) our demonstration of a black resistance to yellow fever that could not be explained by acquired immunity. And Professor Watts writes (between notes 14 and 15) that in the aftermath ofthe publication of The Cambridge World History of Human Disease (which I edited) that I (and my followers???) "felt at liberty to criticize younger scholars who refused to accept the Kiple yellow fever orthodoxy." The notion of an "old-guy" conspiracy guarding a non-existent orthodoxy is comical; less so is the contention that it is wrongheaded as well as racist and dangerous to point out that populations from areas of endemic yellow fever may have developed a tolerance for the disease that others without the benefit of such residence did not possess. Professor Watts is correct that I have puzzled over the question for the last quarter of a century or so. And during this time to my knowledge no one has ever spied evil or racist intent in that exploration, even though it dealt with sensitive issues and must have made a tempting target. Now that those days are obviously over, I am glad of a chance to restate my reasoning with the hope that it will never again be so misread, misunderstood, and especially misrepresented in the future. Before looking directly at yellow fever immunities it might be useful to glance at the historical experience of human groups with a couple of other illnesses to remind ourselves ofthe ways, other than acquiring immunity by surviving diseases, that peoples have mustered some measure of resistance to them. Tuberculosis makes a good example. Historically, populations having a long experience with it have suffered significantly less from its ravages than those with only abbreviated exposure. The reasons for this differential experience are obscure. Immunity to tuberculosis cannot really be acquired; indeed prior exposure may make devel? opment of active disease much more likely. To be sure there is a high correlation between tuberculosis and poor nutrition and overcrowding, both functions of poverty. But it is difficult to study rampant tuberculosis among nativeAmer? icans, Afro-Americans and native Hawaiians during the latter decades of the
The Reflectivity of a Liquid Crystal Cell in a Surface Plasmon Experiment

Abstract This paper provides the mathematical background on which the previous paper entitled: Determination of the Surface Tilt Angle by ATR, is based. The algebra was considered too lengthy to be incorporated as an appendix to that paper.
Dynamic simulation of azeotropic distillation towers

Algorithms are presented for integration of the stiff ordinary differential equations using an adaptive semi-implicit Runge-Kutta (ASIRK) integrator; an A-stable, single-step, noniterative algorithm with step-size control. Unusual open loop responses are encountered for simulations of azeotropic distillation towers and the results suggest two control variables. The results support the contention that one steady-state regime of operation is unstable.
The effect of phonemic processing on the retention of graphemic representations for words and nonwords

The three experiments reported in this study were each conducted in two phases. The first phase of Experiment 1 involved a same-different comparison task requiring “same” responses for both mixed-case (e.g., MAIN main) and pure-case (e.g., near near) pairs. This was followed by Phase 2, a surprise recognition test in which a graphemic effect on word retention was indicated by the superior recognition accuracy obtained for pure-case compared with mixed-case pairs. The first phases of Experiments 2 and 3 involved pronounceability and imageability judgment tasks, respectively. Graphemic retention was assessed by contrasting recognition accuracy for letter strings presented, during Phase 2, in their original Phase 1 case, with letter strings presented, during Phase 2, in. a graphemically dissimilar new case. The experiments provided evidence that there was minimal retention of the graphemic representations from which the phonemic representations of words are generated and, further, that the locus of this effect is probably postlexical. Nonwords were recognized more accurately than words in all three experiments. The latter result was attributed to differences between nonwords and words in both graphemic retention and semantic distinctiveness.
AN ETIOLOGIC BASIS FOR CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE ON THE MOLECULAR LEVEL

It is here proposed that disordered redox balance leads to congestive heart failure in a variety of diverse clinical situations. These conditions include those associated with an excess of reducing agents, such as catecholamines and thyroid hormone, or impaired oxidant defenses, such as in selenium deficiency. The clinical situations include hypertension, hyperthyroidism, progressive congestive heart failure, amphetamine overdose and hemochromatosis. The molecular damage to the cardiac muscle is postulated to be mediated via reaction oxygen radicals.
Alcohol facilitates HCV RNA replication via up-regulation of miR-122 expression and inhibition of cyclin G1 in human hepatoma cells.

HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) infection affects over 170 million people worldwide and most of these individuals consume alcohol occasionally or chronically. Alcohol abuse is a major independent risk factor that exacerbates the progression of liver disease in chronic hepatitis C infection: however, the mechanisms by which alcohol facilitates HCV-related liver damage are still poorly understood (McCartney et al., 2008; Seronello et al., 2010; Szabo et al., 2006, 2010; Zhang et al., 2003). Both in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that alcohol exposure promotes HCV viral replication (Romero-Gomez et al., 2001; Seronello et al., 2010; Zhang et al., 2003). In addition to enhancing HCV replication, alcohol also inhibits antiviral immunity by suppressing type I interferon production (McCartney et al., 2008; Szabo et al., 2006). HCV, a positive-sense RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family, like most viruses, can hijack host factors to facilitate its replication. Of those, microRNA-122 (miR-122), a miRNA representing 70% of all miRNAs in hepatocytes, was recently identified as having a critical role in the HCV life cycle (Jopling et al., 2005) and has been portrayed as a promising target for antiviral drug development (Lanford et al., 2010). It remains unknown if the activity of miR-122 in HCV RNA translation or RNA accumulation requires association with a protein complex similar to the miRNA-induced silencing complex, if the activity of miR-122 involves HCV RNA translocation to mRNA-processing bodies (Beckham and Parker, 2008) or if other miR-122 target genes have an effect on HCV viral levels. Several groups including ours have demonstrated that ethanol (EtOH) can modulate microRNA expression in the liver (Bala et al., 2011; Dolganiuc et al., 2009; Miranda et al., 2010). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that EtOH facilitates HCV replication through modulation of miR-122. We discovered that at a physiologically relevant dose, EtOH augments HCV replication involving miR-122 induction and its target, Cyclin G1, in human hepatoma cells. Our observation that EtOH modulates the expression of cellular host cofactors provides new insights into the pathomechanisms of alcohol-induced augmentation of HCV replication.
Land tenure, population pressure, and deforestation in Haiti: The case of Forêt des Pins Reserve

Haiti, with a forest cover estimated at 3% of all land area, has experienced severe degradation of its natural resources and a significant change in its land cover. While deforestation in Haiti is obviously multifaceted, one issue emerges from previous empirical analysis in explaining deforestation: land tenure. This study focuses on the causes of deforestation in Haiti, particularly in Foret des Pins Reserve, using the annual average area of cleared forest per household as the dependent variable. Data were collected with the use of a survey instrument administered to 243 farm households in 15 villages inside the Reserve. Tobit Regression results reveal that household size, education of head of the household, land tenure regime, and farm labor are important factors affecting land clearing.
Evaluating the effectiveness of a logger safety training program.

Abstract Introduction: Logger safety training programs are rarely, if ever, evaluated as to their effectiveness in reducing injuries. Method: Workers' compensation claim rates were used to evaluate the effectiveness of a logger safety training program, the West Virginia Loggers' Safety Initiative (LSI). Results: There was no claim rate decline detected in the majority (67%) of companies that participated in all 4 years of the LSI. Furthermore, their rate did not differ from the rest of the WV logging industry that did not participate in the LSI. Worker turnover was significantly related to claim rates; companies with higher turnover of employees had higher claim rates. Companies using feller bunchers to harvest trees at least part of the time had a significantly lower claim rate than companies not using them. Companies that had more inspections per year had lower claim rates. Conclusions: High injury rates persist even in companies that receive safety training; high employee turnover may affect the efficacy of training programs. The logging industry should be encouraged to facilitate the mechanization of logging tasks, to address barriers to employee retention, and to increase the number of in-the-field performance monitoring inspections. Impact on industry There are many states whose logger safety programs include only about 4–8 hours of safe work practices training. These states may look to West Virginia's expanded training program (the LSI) as a model for their own programs. However, the LSI training may not be reaching loggers due to the delay in administering training to new employees and high levels of employee turnover. Regardless of training status, loggers' claim rates decline significantly the longer they work for a company. It may be that high injury rates in the state of West Virginia would be best addressed by finding ways to encourage and facilitate companies to become more mechanized in their harvesting practices, and to increase employee tenure. Increasing the number of yearly performance inspections may also be a venue to reduce claim rates. Future research could investigate in better detail the working conditions of West Virginia loggers and identify barriers to job tenure, particularly for workers whose primary job task is chainsaw operation. A larger-scale study of the effect of performance monitoring inspections on claim rates is also warranted.
Acute ethanol intoxication prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced down regulation of protein kinase C in rat Kupffer cells.

Protein kinase (PK) C has been implicated in a number of cellular events, many of which are also known to be affected by ethanol (ETOH). ETOH intoxication is also known to impair immune function, thereby increasing the host's susceptibility to infection. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of acute ETOH intoxication on PKC activity and its intracellular distribution in nonparenchymal liver cells following an E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. The liver was chosen for the study because it is the primary site both for metabolism of ETOH and detoxification of gut derived bacterial products. Catheterized conscious rats were administered saline or ETOH (175 mg/100 g body weight as a bolus followed by a continuous, 7 hr infusion of 28 mg/100 body weight/hr). LPS was injected intravenously (100 micrograms/100 g body weight) 3 hr before the end of the saline or ETOH infusion. Kupffer and endothelial cells were isolated by collagenase-pronase digestion followed by centrifugal elutriation. PKC was assayed after extraction with digitonin containing buffer and partial purification on DE-52 cellulose minicolumns. LPS decreased PKC activity by 69% from control values. Although ETOH infusion alone did not affect PKC activity in Kupffer cells, it completely abrogated the LPS effect. A similar trend was observed for the endothelial cells. No significant differences were observed between groups with respect to the intracellular distribution of PKC. The down-regulation of PKC by LPS may represent a mechanism of functional adaptation of the immunocompetent cells to one of the cytokines, i.e., TNF, whose receptors are down regulated by activation of PKC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)