cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HYDROPHOBIC FORCE FIELD AS A MOLECULAR ALTERNATIVE TO SURFACE-AREA MODELS

An effective force field for hydrophobic interactions is developed based on a modified potential-of-mean-force (PMF) expansion of the effective many-body interactions between nonpolar molecules in water. For the simplest nonpolar solutes in water, hard particles, the modified PMF expansion is exact in both limiting cases of infinite separation and perfect overlap. The hydrophobic interactions are parametrized by using the information-theory model of hydrophobic hydration. The interactions between nonpolar solutes are short-ranged and can be evaluated efficiently on a computer. The force field is compared with simulation data for alkane conformational equilibria in water as well as a model for the formation of a hydrophobic core of a protein. The modified PMF expansion can be extended to solutes with attractive interactions. The observed accuracy, computational efficiency, and atomic detail of the model suggest that this simple hydrophobic force field can lead to a molecular alternative for phenomenologica...
Detection of statistically significant trends in atmospheric concentrations of semivolatile compounds

This paper examines the sampling and analytical requirements of observing statistically significant temporal trends in atmospheric concentrations of semivolatile organic pollutants. Data precision and study duration are found to be the most important factors that are subject to experimental control. We define a detectable half-life as the longest half-life for which statistical significance can be observed for a given length of study and show how this can be calculated. Finally, we show how to predict the length of a study that will find a statistically significant half-life. These concepts are applied to a recently updated temporal trends study from the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network. Updated half-lives for gas-phase pesticides at three U.S. sampling sites are given. There are now enough data to observe statistically significant temporal trends for most of the gas-phase pesticides except for α-chlordane and trans-nonachlor at Eagle Harbor. Using the concept of detectable half-life and based on...
A VLSI algorithm for the optimal detection of a curve

This paper presents a parallel dynamic programming algorithm for the extraction of a smooth curve from a digitized image. The algorithm can be implemented on a systolic architecture with a limited number of processors, independent of the image size. The machine can be upgraded easily to detect arbitrarily irregular curves.
Building a Cloud Computing Platform for New Possibilities

The cloud represents a drastic shift, not only in terms of the new economics it brings to bear, but also in terms of the new possibilities it enables. Realizing the full benefits of this new paradigm requires re thinking the way we build applications.
Error detection and recovery in better-than-worst-case timing designs

Better-than-worst-case timing design methodologies aim at increasing throughput by speeding up the clock to the point where circuit timing margins are reduced to zero and even beyond. In low power designs such as Razor, this efficiency improvement is translated into power savings at a fixed operational clock rate through adaptive and dynamic voltage scaling. The main challenge in such designs is the development of efficient mechanisms to detect and recover from the occasional timing errors that can occur. We survey recently published designs in this domain with a special focus on the error detection and recovery approaches employed. Experimental prototype processors implemented by ARM and Intel are also discussed.
High-temperature infrared properties of sapphire, AlON, fused silica, yttria, and spinel

Abstract A vacuum emissometer, utilizing a carbon dioxide laser for high-temperature sample heating, has been designed and built for use with a Fourier Transform spectrometer. A two-color pyrometer technique is used to measure sample surface temperature. Oxides such as sapphire, spinel, yttria, aluminum oxynitride, and fused silica are experimentally characterized in temperature from 600 to 2000 K and in frequency from 500 to 5000 cm−1. A glowing yttria sample has also been characterized over the spectral range of 8500 to 13 500 cm−1. Good agreement with temperature dependent classical oscillator and quantum mechanical multiphonon models for the complex index of refraction is obtained.
THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHTING ON THE GROWTH AND PROMETAMORPHIC DEVELOPMENT OF LARVAL RANA PIPIENS

This study was designed to investigate whether the larval development of an anuran amphibian could be modified by raising the animals in continuous light or darkness instead of under conditions of diurnal illumination, and to quantify the effects of these treatments at various intervals during this period of development. Larvae of the frog, Rana pipiens, were raised through metamorphosis under conditions of constant light, constant darkness, or diurnal lighting. As measured by stages of development, body weight, tail length and body length at 20-day intervals, no significant differences in growth rate or metamorphic change were observed until near the middle of the prometamorphic period, which began at approximately the 50th day of development. After midmetamorphosis, a significant acceleration in the measured parameters was seen for the animals raised in conditions of constant light in comparison with those in constant darkness. Those with diurnal lighting were intermediate. These results suggested that light, or its absence, can respectively stimulate or retard amphibian metamorphosis in late larval stages after the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-thyroid axis has matured. Neither continuous light nor continuous darkness during larval development prevented the transformation from tadpole to frog.
MANTIS--Manual, Alternative, and Natural Therapy Index System Database.

(2001). MANTIS™ – Manual, Alternative, and Natural Therapy Index System Database. Medical Reference Services Quarterly: Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 45-55.
Mineralogical changes along the freshwater/saltwater interface of a modern aquifer

Abstract Occurrence of dolomite is related to the distribution of geological and hydrochemical parameters in cores and wells penetrating the Floridan aquifer along portions of the west coast of peninsular Florida. Trace element analyses of the cores indicate correlations between strontium and sodium concentrations and the particular carbonate phase. Chloride, sulfate, and conductivity values indicate the position and extent of the freshwater/saltwater interface. Thick sequences of carbonate rocks in western peninsular Florida have been dolomitized in the freshwater/saltwater mixing zone of the coastal aquifer. Correlations between the occurrence of dolomite and specific stratigraphic formations suggest that dolomitization was rock-selective. Evidence of continuous formation of dolomite indicates that the process is actively occurring.
Effect of ultraviolet light on topical minoxidil-induced hair growth in advanced male pattern baldness

Nine healthy men with type IVa or Va male pattern baldness completed a 4-month single-blinded controlled pilot study designed to assess the effect of ultraviolet light (UVL) on topical minoxidil-induced hair growth. Subjects applied 2% topical minoxidil solution twice daily to their balding scalps and to one target area on the upper arm. These men, all of whom had either skin type It or 111, were randomized to also receive either incremental doses of UVB or PUVA (topical psoralen) twice weekly to one side of their scalp and to a 2.5 cm target area on the nonminoxidil-treated upper ipsilateral arm. Vellus, nonvellus, and total hair counts were done in two 1-inch in diameter circular target areas in symmetric regions of the scalp and on each upper arm at regular intervals. All nine subjects had an increase in target nonvellus hair and a net loss of vellus hair in scalp target areas treated with topical minoxidil. Concomitant UVL did not have a significant synergistic nor adverse effect on topical minoxidil-induced hair growth. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1987;16:971-6.)
Pulling the coat: postcolonial performativity in Black British women's drama

Abstract This paper analyzes black British women's drama produced during the 1980s and 1990s to understand the transformations in black lesbian politics through these decades. It explores the intersections between queer cultures and postcolonialism as a political theory and ideology that thinks of colonialism as an encounter with specific material, linguistic and cultural effects on the colonizing and colonized populations. Using Audre Lorde's idea of the ‘progress’ and ‘future’ of black women's politics, I outline a critical model described in this paper as ‘postcolonial performativity’. This model, I argue, allows us to look at representations of black sexualities in literature, culture and society in relation to concerns of class, vocabularies of sexualities, place of origin and belonging. A close reading of works by black British women playwrights, Jackie Kay, Jacqueline Rudet and Valerie-Mason John, indicates that the plays serve as instances of public pedagogy, thereby transforming the cultural proj...
Three-dimensional imaging of single nanotube molecule endocytosis on plasmonic substrates

Imaging and tracking the motion of single molecules on cell plasma membranes requires high spatial resolution in three dimensions. Hong et al. develop a plasmonic ruler based on the fluorescence enhancement of carbon nanotubes on a gold plasmonic substrate, allowing the observation of nanotube endocytosis in three dimensions.
Quadrature duobinary modulation for 100G transmission beyond the Nyquist limit

Quadrature duobinary (QDB) modulation with coherent detection is proposed for 112-Gb/s transmission systems. With proper system design for maximum spectral efficiency, we show that dual polarization QDB can achieve 112-Gb/s transmission on 25-GHz channel spacing.
Sex Hormones and Pain in Regularly Menstruating Women With Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Abstract Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is more prevalent in women than in men. The skewed sex distribution in the prevalence has prompted questions of if and how sex hormones may be involved in the pathophysiology of FMS. In this study, we evaluated the levels of sex hormones and pain sensitivity at different phases of a menstrual cycle in regularly menstruating women with FMS relative to age-matched healthy women. Participants (n = 74 in each group) underwent a 9-day urine test to identify the date of ovulation. Three laboratory visits were scheduled to ascertain the varying levels of estrogen (E) and progesterone (P): Late-follicular phase (high E, low P); mid-luteal phase (high E, high P); and perimenstrual phase (low E, low P). At each visit, blood was drawn and ischemic pain testing was performed. The groups did not differ in the fluctuation of luteal hormone, follicular-stimulating hormone, E, and testosterone across a menstrual cycle. FMS patients showed slightly elevated P levels during the mid-luteal phase relative to healthy women but levels were within the normal range. Women with FMS showed consistently lower pain thresholds and tolerance relative to healthy women throughout the menstrual cycle. Pain threshold at the late follicular phase was modestly related to the P level. The results suggest that the disproportionate prevalence of females with FMS is not likely to be attributable to hormonal factors. Furthermore, the role of sex hormones in pain sensitivity for both FMS and healthy women seems to be limited. Perspective Normally menstruating women with FMS and healthy women do not seem to show fluctuating threshold and tolerance to the ischemic pain test. The role of sex hormones in the hyperalgesia of FMS appears limited.
Baculovirus-mediated expression, purification, and characterization of a fully activated catalytic kinase domain construct of the 70 kDa 40S ribosomal protein S6 kinase-1 αII isoform (S6K1αII)

S6K1alphaII is a member of the AGC subfamily of serine-threonine protein kinases, whereby catalytic activation requires dual phosphorylation of critical residues in the conserved T-loop (T229) and hydrophobic motif (HM; T389) regions of its catalytic kinase domain [S6K1alphaII(DeltaAID); deletion of C-terminal autoinhibitory domain residues 399-502]. With regard to mimicking the synergistic effect of full dual site phosphorylation, baculovirus-mediated expression and affinity purification of the His(6)-S6K1alphaII(DeltaAID)-T229E,T389E double mutant from Sf9 insect cells yielded enzyme with compromised activity. Higher activity preparations were generated using the Sf9 purified His(6)-S6K1alphaII(DeltaAID)-T389E single mutant isoform, which was in vitro phosphorylated by the upstream T229 kinase, PDK1 ( approximately 75 nmol/min/mg). Most significantly, we report that the His(6)-S6K1alphaII(DeltaAID)-T389E construct was generated in its most highly active form (250 nmol/min/mg) by baculovirus-mediated expression and purification from Sf9 insect cells that were coinfected with recombinant baculovirus expressing the catalytic kinase domain of PDK1 [His(6)-PDK1(DeltaPH)]. Approximately equal amounts of fully activated His(6)-S6K1alphaII(DeltaAID)-T389E (5+/-1 mg) and His(6)-PDK1(DeltaPH) (8+/-2 mg) were His(6) affinity co-purified 60 h after initial coinfection of 200 mL of Sf9 insect cells (2x10(6) cells/mL), which were resolved by MonoQ anion exchange chromatography. ESI-TOF mass spectrometry, MonoQ anion exchange chromatography, and kinetic assays showed His(6)-PDK1(DeltaPH) to phosphorylate T229 to approximately 100% after co-expression in Sf9 insect cells as compared to approximately 50% under in vitro conditions, raising interest to mechanistic components not fully achieved in the in vitro reaction. Generation of fully activated S6K1 will facilitate more rigorous analysis of its structure and mechanism.
A redescription of Varacosa apothetica (Wallace) (Araneae, Lycosidae)

Lycosa apothetica Wallace 1947 is redescribed as a member of the genus Varacosa Chamberlin & Ivie 1942 based on genitalic morphology. The species is freshly illustrated, and information is provided as to its distribution and interesting characteristics.
Congruence between Urban Adolescent and Caregiver Responses to Questions about the Adolescent’s Asthma

In clinical and research settings, it is increasingly acknowledged that adolescents may be better positioned than their caregivers to provide information in regard to their own health status, including information related to asthma. Very little is known, however, about the congruence between adolescent and caregiver responses to questions about asthma beyond reports of symptoms. We analyzed data for 215 urban, primarily African-American adolescent–caregiver pairs. Adolescents and caregiver reports concerning the adolescent’s asthma-related medical history were moderately correlated and not found to differ at the aggregate level. Correlations between adolescent and caregiver reports of the adolescent’s asthma symptoms and functional status were weak, although these differences deteriorated at the aggregate level. Adolescent–caregiver reports of symptoms and functioning were more likely to be in agreement if the adolescent was older, if school personnel were unaware of the child’s asthma, and if the adolescent’s asthma was classified as mild intermittent. For questions concerning the frequency of hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and physician visits, moderate correlations between adolescent and caregiver responses were noted, although with some differences at the aggregate level. Findings suggest that, when adolescents and their caregivers are asked about the adolescent’s asthma in clinical and research settings, the extent to which the two perspectives are likely to agree depends on the type of information sought. Clinicians and researchers may obtain more accurate information if questions about symptoms and functional status are directed toward adolescents.
High-sensitivity fiber-optic ultrasound sensors for medical imaging applications.

This paper presents several designs of high-sensitivity, compact fiber-optic ultrasound sensors that may be used for medical imaging applications. These sensors translate ultrasonic pulses into strains in single-mode optical fibers, which are measured with fiber-based laser interferometers at high precision. The sensors are simpler and less expensive to make than piezoelectric sensors, and are not susceptible to electromagnetic interference. It is possible to make focal sensors with these designs, and several schemes are discussed. Because of the minimum bending radius of optical fibers, the designs are suitable for single element sensors rather than for arrays.
Load flow and security assessment of VSC based MVDC shipboard power systems

The higher power density requirements in the future shipboard power systems are intended to be met by the adoption of Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) architecture. The MVDC shipboard power system is a typical case of the multi-terminal DC distribution system. Voltage Source Converters (VSC) with high voltage and power ratings and independent control over the real and reactive powers has many advantages over the current source converters and are best suited in the MVDC architecture for power conversions in the DC distribution network. A precise and efficient power flow is necessary for the MVDC architecture to determine the controls for VSCs and regulate the AC/DC systems. In this paper, the control modes of VSCs are studied, and the Newton-Raphson algorithm is employed to solve the AC-DC power flow of the MVDC shipboard power system containing VSCs. The power flow developed is used for security assessment based on a performance index that considers the MW flow violations over the DC cables.
Helping Students Help Themselves

Review of: Three tools that aim to teach students more effective study habits: How to Get the Most Out of Studying: A Video Series by S.L. Chew, Study Smarter, Not Harder: Use the Genius in You , 3rd Edition by Kevin Paul, and How to Study Science 4th Edition by Frederick W. Drewes and Kristin L.D. Milligan.
Polymerized Phospholipid Vesicles Containing Amphotericin B: Evaluation of Toxic and Antifungal Activities In Vitro

Abstract We have prepared lipid vesicles (liposomes) composed of polymerized bis[12-(methacryloyloxy)dodecanoyl]-L- α -phosphatidylcholine (DPL) which contain the antifungal polyene antibiotic amphotericin B (AMB). It was necessary to devise a novel method for incorporating AMB into the liposomes subsequent to polymerization. The polymer liposome AMB was as effective as AMB in "conventional” liposomes in terms of inhibiting fungal growth in vitro. However, in contrast to "conventional” liposomes, the polymerized DPL vesicles did not protect mammalian cells against AMB induced toxicity.
Space system developments at Stanford University: from launch experience of microsatellites to the proposed future use of picosatellites

The Space Systems Development Laboratory was established in 1994 at Stanford University to give graduate and undergraduate students project based learning experience in microsatellite design, fabrication, test, launch integration and space operations. These students have completed two satellites - one called OPAL was launched on January 26, 2000, and the second called SAPPHIRE is tentatively scheduled for launch in late 2002. There are three additional satellites now in developments. OPAL had a unique primary objective payload. This was to launch six small Klondike ice cream bar size picosatellites. It completed this mission to gain a record of orbiting the world's smallest functional satellites. The next generation in picosats under developement that have a tentative late 2002 launch are called CubeSats. Launchers are under development to release multiple 4-inch cube CubeSats that can be used by amateur radio enthusiast, universities and government laboratories for inexpensive space testing.
A selective test for antidepressant treatments using rats bred for stress-induced reduction of motor activity in the swim test

Rationale and objective This paper describes a new procedure for detecting effective antidepressant treatments. The procedure uses the swim-test susceptible (Susceptible) rat which has been selectively bred to show decreased struggling behavior in a swim test after exposure to a mild stressor. The ability of treatments to block this decrease in swim-test activity was assessed as a method for detecting effective antidepressants.
Further Studies of Intramolecular Michael Reactions of Nitrosoalkenes for Construction of Functionalized Bridged Ring Systems

A wide variety of stabilized carbanions have been found to participate as nucleophiles in intramolecular Michael-type conjugate additions to in situ generated nitrosoalkenes to form bridged carbocyclic systems. The vinylnitroso platforms for these cyclizations have been prepared via two key steps involving ring-closing metathesis of vinyl chlorides and regioselective conversion of vinyl chlorides to α-chloroketones with sodium hypochlorite in glacial acetic acid/acetone. An alternative approach to preparation of some cyclization substrates has involved use of more reactive enol ethers as precursors to the requisite α-chloroketones. A sulfonamide anion has also been found to be an effective nucleophile in this type of reaction, leading to formation of a 6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane.
Trends in Wealth Concentration Before 1860

Robert Gallman has recently reported the results of research in the United States census of 1860 (Lee Soltow, editor, Six Papers on the Size Distribution of Wealth and Income [New York, 1969], pp. 1-25). He finds that the wealthiest ten percent of families in mid-nineteenth century America owned about seventy percent of the property. Yet I found that some eighty years earlier the richest ten percent held no more than half. If both Mr. Gallman and I are right, an economic and social revolution occurred which cries for investigation. Accepting the former's results as given, what about mine? My estimates for the distribution of wealth during the revolutionary era depend upon two types of sources: inventories of estates and tax lists. Both contain certain defects which I did not sufficiently consider in my published work based on them (The Social Structure of Revolutionary America) and in both cases my research covered only a part of the available data. The inventories used included the following: From South Carolina, I recorded over one thousand during the period 1763 to 1769 and from 1786 to 1788. Most of these came from the coastal parishes and exaggerate the proportion of wealthy men. From Virginia came 430 from Richmond, Westmoreland and Essex counties in the Tidewater, Spotsylvania and Chesterfield counties along the fall line, and Halifax and Lunenburg counties in the Piedmont during the years 1762-1772 and 1783-1788. These counties are fairly representative and were chosen after considerable previous research. New Jersey furnished 1489 cases between 1761 and 1770 and from 1786 to 1790. These probate records included only personal property. The Massachusetts inventories, however, included both real and personal estate. I used over 1000 in Suffolk county, which then stretched from Boston to the Rhode Island line, and 500 from interior Worcester county, during the years 1763-1771 and 1782-1788. These records, as they stand, indicate that the richest ten percent of the decedents held between 40 percent and 60 percent of the wealth, depending upon the area. They cannot, however, be taken as they stand. Their most serious deficiency lies in the absence of slaves, servants, and many other poor people. Therefore we must estimate the proportion of men who held no or almost no property and add these to our figures. In Worcester county the effect is slight but in other areas, notably the plantation south, it is considerable. The fact that the decedents were undoubtedly older than the general population introduces an error in the same direction, which perhaps is counteracted by including the propertyless. Two other flaws
Hydrogen-bonded extended arrays of the [Re6(μ3-Se)8]2+ core-containing clusters

Site-differentiated solvated clusters of the general formula [Re6(μ3-Se)8(PEt3)n(MeCN)6-n](SbF6)2 (n = 4, cis and trans; n = 5) undergo ligand substitution reaction with isonicotinamide to afford t...
Improvement of isolated microspore culture of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through ovary co-culture.

Embryogenesis from isolated microspore cultures of wheat was improved by ovary co-culture when compared to a completely defined medium. This indicates that essential factor(s) in addition to PAA or its analogs may be supplied by the ovaries. Isolated microspores cocultured with 20 ovaries of wheat on the top of semi-solid MMS3 induction medium for 21–30 days gave the best response. Both the number and quality of the embryos was significantly increased. The maximum frequencies of dividing microspores and of embryogenesis were 94% and 2.4%, respectively. Up to 2583 embryos were formed per 100 anthers of cv ‘Chris’ and between 18% and 43% of the larger embryos regenerated into green plants upon transfer. Genotype differences for both induction and embryogenesis phases were reduced using ovary co-culture. However, there was still a strong genotype influence on plant regeneration with cv ’Chris‘, with the F1 of ‘Chris’ × ‘Sinton’ displaying the highest frequencies. These results are important with respect to enhancing haploidy applications in wheat biotechnology and plant breeding.
Pathways for C-H bond cleavage of propane σ-complexes on PdO(101).

We used dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D3) calculations to investigate the initial C–H bond cleavage of propane σ-complexes adsorbed on the PdO(101) surface. The calculations predict that propane molecules adsorbed in η1 configurations can undergo facile C–H bond cleavage on PdO(101), where the energy barrier for C–H bond activation is lower than that for desorption for each molecular complex. The preferred pathway for propane dissociation on PdO(101) corresponds to cleavage of a primary C–H bond of a so-called staggered p-2η1 complex which initially coordinates with the surface by forming two H–Pd dative bonds, one at each CH3 group. Among all of the adsorbed propane complexes, the staggered p-2η1 complex has the highest binding energy and must overcome the lowest energy barrier for C–H bond scission. Analysis of the atomic charges reveals that propane C–H bond cleavage occurs heterolytically on PdO(101), and suggests that primary C–H bond activation is favored because a more stabilizing charge distribution develops within the 1-propyl transition state structures. Lastly, we conducted kinetic simulations using microkinetic models derived from the DFT-D3 structures, and find that the models reproduce the apparent activation energy for propane dissociation on PdO(101) to within 14% of that determined experimentally. We show that the entropic contributions of the adsorbed transition structures greatly exceed those predicted by the harmonic oscillator model, and that quantitative agreement with the apparent dissociation pre-factor may be obtained by approximating two of the frustrated adsorbate motions as free motions while treating the remaining modes as harmonic vibrations.
Futures-forward price differentials in the T-bill markets: An application of the arbitrage pricing theory

Futures contracts are very similar to forward contracts. Both are agreements to trade an asset at a specific time in the future for a predetermined price. However, they are different in two aspects. First, the requirement of marking-to-market of futures contracts results in the difference in the timing and the size of cash flows between futures and forward contracts. Daily settlement of gains and losses is made by futures traders, but forward traders make no settlement until a reverse position is taken or a delivery is made. When interest rates are stochastic,the marking-to-market requirement results in differential pricing of futures and forward contracts. Second, the differential microstructure between futures and cash markets (see Kane 1980) also results in divergence between futures and forward prices. T-Bill futures and forward price differentials have been documented in a number of studies. Capozza and Cornell (1979) compared futures rates on T-Bills with forward rates contained in the term structure of interest rates. Their empirical results showed the existence of a differential that increased monotonically with the time to maturity of futures contracts. Elton, Gruber, and Rentzler (1984) used intraday prices and complex trading strategies in the test of efficiency of T-Bill futures markets. Their results indicated that the T-Bill futures markets were not efficient. Kawaller and Koch (1984) and Vignola and Dale (1980) both found significant futures and forward rate differentials on T-Bills when forward rates were implied by a Treasury yield curve. However, the differential became much smaller when forward rates were implied by the cash-and-carry trading relationship between the cash and the futures markets.
Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor-thrombolytic combination therapy for acute myocardial infarction.

Over the past two decades, we have witnessed a large decrease in the death and complication rate of patients experiencing acute myocardial infarction (MI), due to our ability to restore blood flow to infarct-related arteries. Therapies include strategies to inhibit platelet function and induce fibrinolysis, and mechanical reperfusion with percutaneous intervention. Despite decreases in morbidity and mortality with thrombolytic therapy, reperfusion rates remain less than optimal. With standard fibrinolytic therapy in combination with aspirin, it is thought that thrombolyticinduced platelet activation may be an important reason for failure to induce perfusion, or maintain reperfusion in the infarct-related artery. In the past 10 years we have moved from platelet inhibition with aspirin to newer, more potent platelet inhibitors such as glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa antagonists. Recent trials have evaluated the efficacy and safety of combining thrombolytic drugs with GP IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists. Future trends may use combination therapy as a part of a mechanical strategy, using these medications to induce early reperfusion as the patient is prepared for percutaneous intervention. This review summarizes recently published trials using combination thrombolytic and GP IIb/ IIIa receptor inhibitor therapy in the treatment of acute MI.
Immunology: Lipopolysaccharide sensing on the inside

Host-cell detection of lipopolysaccharide in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria was thought to be restricted to the cell-surface receptor TLR4. It emerges that lipopolysaccharide can also be sensed in the cytoplasm.
Effects of biogenic amines, FMRFamide and acetylcholine on the radula protractor muscle of a whelk

1. 1. The muscle was isolated from the southern whelk, Busycon contrarium. 2. 2. Dopamine (DA) elicits a single phasic contraction that is rapidly desentisized at high drug concentrations. Such desensitized preparations still respond to acetylcholine (ACh) and the molluscan neuropeptide FMRFamide. The evidence suggests the existence of an excitatory DA receptor. 3. 3. Muscles in FMRFamide or ACh contraction are relaxed by 5-hydroxytryptamine, phenylethylamines and catecholamines in a dose-dependent manner; a single phasic contraction precedes the catecholamine relaxation of such muscles. 4. 4. The responsesto FMRFamide, ACh and DA are sodium dependent; FMMFamide responses are more calcium dependent than ACh or DA.
Teacher inquiry into formative assessment practices in remedial reading classrooms

Six remedial reading teachers in a large, rural school district participated in a form of professional development called Teaching as Intentional Learning, based on an inquiry process. Their topic of inquiry was formative assessment. Professional development comprised both direct instruction and inquiry learning in teachers’ own classrooms. This study describes the strategies they experimented with, their professional growth in formative assessment, and effects on students. All six teachers showed important professional growth, as indicated by their own reflections and also by their supervisor’s observations. In First Grade, at‐risk students assigned to these project teachers had increased reading readiness scores on one measure (DIBELS PSF) compared with at‐risk students assigned to non‐project teachers.
Is There Anyone Out There

That question has been with me for more than a year. I didn’t know whether anyone was reading the editorials. The last editorial, “Out of the Opioid Fog: A Personal Perspective” (Willens, 2006), was written to share my personal perspective of taking opioids and experiencing severe pain. It is embarrassing to be certified in pain management and be unable to manage my own pain. I never had such a foggy feeling after taking opioids, and it surprised me. After the editorial was published, I quickly learned that people do pay attention to the editorials. Margo McCaffery and Chris Pasero read it and quickly voiced concern. This is my mea culpa. I assumed, apparently incorrectly, that editorials are not considered published research. I do understand that research is based on averages. Although Margo and Chris’ comments and reference to the research literature are appreciated, I must be an outlier because I definitely felt unsafe to drive. In a review article (Fishbain, Cutler, Rosomoff, & Rosomoff, 2003) it was noted that there was some impairment in some people who were taking opioids long term. Margo and Chris present a very interesting question in their letter to the editor: What are the effects of pain on driving? Ethically, the study could only be conducted in a laboratory setting or a large area with no traffic and a car that could be “overtaken” by a person who was not under the influence of opioids. There is no way to know whether the bench research findings could be translated into clinical practice. Personally, I felt unsafe to drive: unsafe for myself and other drivers. The five questions that ended the editorial were included in the hope of making the reader think about these issues, and perhaps those who treat patients with chronic pain would inquire about their patients’ level of functioning and thoughts on safety. I thank Margo and Chris for writing a letter to the editor. Many of us are very grateful to them. They are excellent mentors, authors, practitioners, and entrepreneurs. Without their work, interests, and passion for pain management, we would not be practicing at the level we are now. Thank you for being out there.
Distinguishing between overdrive excited and suppressed ventricular beats in guinea pig ventricular myocardium

Rapid ventricular pacing rates induces two types of beats following pacing cessation: recovery cycle length (RCL) prolongation (overdrive suppression) and RCL shortening (overdrive excitation). The goals of this study were to compare common experimental protocols for studying triggered activity in whole-heart preparations and differentiate between recovery beats using a new methodology. Post-pacing recovery beat cycle length (RCL) and QRS were normalized to pre-paced R-R and QRS intervals and analyzed using a K-means clustering algorithm. Control hearts only produced suppressed beats: RCL ratio increased with rapid pacing (25±4.0%, n=10) without changing QRS duration. Rapid pacing during hypercalcemia + hypothermia (5.5 mM and 34°C) produced significantly earlier excited beats (53±14%, n=5) with wider QRS durations (58±6.3%, n=5) than suppressed beats. Digoxin + hypothermia (0.75 M) produced the most excited beats with significantly earlier RCL (44±3.2%, n=6) and wider QRS (60±3.1%, n=6) ratios relative to suppressed beats. Increasing pacing further shortened RCL (30±7.8%, n=6). In a prospective study, TTX (100 nM) increased RCL ratio (15±6.0%, n=10) without changing the QRS duration of excited beats. The algorithm was compared to a cross-correlation analysis with 93% sensitivity and 94% specificity. This ECG based algorithm distinguishes between triggered and automatic activity.
Time to Integrate Clinical and Research Informatics

Integration of clinical and research informatics can streamline clinical research, patient care, and the building of a learning health care system.
Temporal Gene Regulation of the Channel Catfish Virus (Ictalurid Herpesvirus 1)

To identify promoter regions that impart differential temporal regulation of channel catfish virus (CCV) genes, the transcriptional kinetics of an immediate-early gene and prospective early and late genes were characterized. A cDNA clone, designated IE3C, representing a third immediate-early transcript was identified. The 5′ end of the IE3C transcript was mapped to nucleotides 15,368 and 131,043 in the terminal repeat regions of the CCV genome. The full length of the transcript represented by the IE3C clone is 1,412 bp, and it most likely codes for the protein specified by open reading frame (ORF) 12. The putative product of ORF12 contains a consensus RING finger metal binding motif (C3HC4 structure). Temporal expression studies, in conjunction with protein synthesis and DNA replication inhibition, demonstrated that the IE3C transcript belongs to an immediate-early kinetic class, the ORF5 transcript is a member of the early kinetic class, and ORF39 and ORF46 are true late-kinetic-class genes. Additionally, we demonstrated that ORF38 transcription overlaps ORF39 and the products presumably share the same poly(A) signal. The 5′ ends of the transcripts encoding ORF38, ORF39, and ORF46 were mapped to nucleotides 44,862, 45,254, and 59,644, respectively, and potential transcriptional control elements were located.
The Epidemiology of Alcohol and Drug Disorders

Epidemiologic investigations focus on the description of the incidence and prevalence of health outcomes, and the identification of risk factors for health outcomes. In this chapter, we review the historical and current evidence on the epidemiology of alcohol and drug consumption and clinical diagnoses of abuse and dependence. Moderate alcohol consumption is prevalent, socially normative in Western culture, and associated with protection against health disease. Illicit drug use is less prevalent than alcohol use, but current estimates indicate that more than half of high school seniors have used marijuana. Two diagnostic nomenclatures, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, derive diagnoses of alcohol and drug disorders. The abuse/harmful use diagnosis captures the consequences of heavy use (social, legal, medical problems, and hazardous use), while dependence captures the physical, psychological, and behavioral manifestations of impaired control over substance use. These diagnoses are often correlated, and psychometric analyses suggest that they may derive from an underlying dimensional continuum of alcohol- and drug-related problems, rather than two separate axes of problem use. Current estimates indicate that the prevalence of alcohol abuse in the United States is 4.7 and 3.8%, respectively, and the prevalence of drug abuse and dependence is 1.4 and 0.6%, respectively. Alcohol and drug disorders are most common among individuals aged 18–29, and a high proportion of individuals recover from illness despite low rates of treatment utilization. Alcohol and drug disorders are more common among men compared with women, and among Whites compared with non-Hispanic Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics. Substance use disorders have a complex etiology involving genetic and environmental factors. We review the evidence for risk factors from the macro-level (e.g., availability, prices, laws, advertising) to the meso-level (e.g., parental and peer influences) and the micro-level (e.g., stress, cognition, personality, subjective reactions, and genetic vulnerability).
High reproducibility of adenosine stress cardiac MR myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objective To evaluate the reproducibility of first-pass contrast-enhanced cardiac MR (CMR) myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM). Design Prospective observational study. Setting Single centre, tertiary care hospital. Participants 6 outpatient participants with NIDCM. Outcome Reproducibility of semiquantitative myocardial perfusion analysis by CMR. Method 6 patients with NIDCM were studied twice using first-pass of contrast transit through the left ventricular (LV) myocardium with a saturation-recovery gradient echo sequence at rest and during adenosine-induced hyperaemia. The anterior wall was divided into endocardial (Endo) and epicardial (Epi) segments. The Myocardial Perfusion Index (MPI) was calculated as the myocardial signal augmentation rate normalised to the LV cavity rate. The Myocardial Perfusion Reserve Index (MPRI) was calculated as hyperaemic/resting MPI. Results Between study 1 and 2, median MPI was similar for resting Endo (0.076 vs 0.077), hyperaemic Endo (0.143 vs 0.143), resting Epi (0.073 vs 0.074), and hyperaemic Epi (0.135 vs 0.134). Median MPRI was similar for Endo (1.84 vs 1.87) and Epi (1.90 vs 2.00). Combining Endo and Epi MPI (N=12), there was excellent agreement between Study 1 and 2 for resting MPI (r=0.998, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.998, coefficients of variation (CoV) 1.4%), hyperaemic MPI (r=0.979, ICC 0.963, CoV 3.3%) and MPRI (r=0.989, ICC 0.94, CoV 3.8%). Conclusions Resting and hyperaemic myocardial perfusion using a normalised upslope analysis during adenosine CMR is a highly reproducible technique in patients with NIDCM. Trial registration number Clinical Trials.Gov ID NCT00574119.
Supraceliac aortic cross-clamping: Determinants of outcome in elective abdominal aortic reconstruction

Abstract Purpose: A 7-year experience in which 43 patients underwent supraceliac aortic cross-clamping (SC-AXC) during elective abdominal aortic reconstruction was reviewed. Methods: Operation was performed for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in 29 (68%) patients, aortoiliac occlusive disease in seven (16%), proximal anastomotic AAA in three (7%), "shaggy" aorta syndrome in three (7%), and in situ grafting of a previously ligated aorta in one (2%) patient. The indications for supraceliac control included pararenal AAA origin (25), pararenal aortic atherosclerosis (18), inflammatory AAA (2), and a short infrarenal aortic stump (1). Vital organ ischemic complications (VOICs) were defined as any major ischemic complication involving the liver, kidneys, bowel, or spinal cord. Results: The incidence of VOICs was significantly increased when concomitant renal or visceral revascularization (CRVR) was required ( p = 0.002) and correlated with an increasing SC-AXC time ( p = 0.015). In patients undergoing CRVR ( n = 16) the perioperative mortality rate was 25%; VOICs developed in six patients and included renal failure (3), mesenteric/colonic ischemia (3), hepatic ischemia with coagulopathy (2), and spinal cord ischemia (1). In contrast, in those not requiring CRVR ( n = 27), SC-AXC was well tolerated. There were no VOICs and no deaths; morbidity rate was 33%. Conclusions: The incidence of VOICs associated with the use of SC-AXC is primarily related to the level of preoperative renal or mesenteric insufficiency, the severity of pararenal aortic atherosclerosis, the extent of the operative procedure, and the duration of proximal aortic cross-clamping. In complex abdominal aortic reconstruction in which infrarenal aortic control is either not possible or deemed hazardous, SC-AXC is a safe and valuable technique for achieving proximal control. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:868-76.)
Macronutrient intakes and cardio metabolic risk factors in high BMI African American children.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between intakes of energy-providing macronutrients, and markers of cardio metabolic risk factors in high BMI African American (AA) children.
On the concentrated contact as a viscometer

AbstractLubricant viscosities from published concentrated contact-based measurements are compared with measurements by conventional viscometry for overlapping pressures and viscosities. Contrary to published claims there are important differences. The greater than exponential pressure-viscosity behaviour, which is known to occur at high pressures, is absent from contact measurements. Deficiencies in contact-based techniques are probably due to assumed constitutive behaviour and are not related to time scale. In general, contact-based methods are poorly conditioned for the measurement of pressure-viscosity coefficients.
The lattice of core (sub)matchings in a two-sided matching market

We consider the two-sided matching model of Demange and Gale 1985. Given a suitable partial ordering and a correct definition of "matching," we show the set of core matchings is under a nondegeneracy assumption always a lattice. The results parallel the "set of core matchings is a lattice" theorem Conway, in Knuth 1976 for the marriage market of Gale and Shapley 1962.
Successful use of "cryo-mapping" to avoid phrenic nerve damage during ostial superior vena caval ablation despite nerve proximity.

The SVC may require ablation to treat atrial fibrillation. Phrenic nerve proximity identified with pacing maneuvers may preclude ablation. We tested a new method using “cryo-mapping” to ablate despite nerve proximity. Of 833 patients undergoing ablation, 110 (12%) had arrhythmogenic substrate at the SVC/RA junction. Of these 110 patients, 66 (60%) had consistent diaphragmatic stimulation when pacing at 10 mA at the prospective site of ablation. Of these 66 patients, 7 had continued arrhythmogenicity despite attempts to modify this substrate. For these 7 patients, we paced 4 cm into the SVC where consistent phrenic nerve stimulation was obtained, and cryoablation at −30°C was performed at sites requiring ablation. In 6 of 7 patients (86%), with continued diaphragmatic capture, cryoablation at −70/−80°C was then performed. In 1 of 7 patients (14%), diaphragmatic stimulation ceased at −30°C, and energy delivery stopped. In the 6 patients in whom cryoablation was completed, the arrhythmogenic substrate was successfully ablated without phrenic nerve injury. A novel “cryo-mapping” technique during phrenic nerve pacing can be used to successfully ablate arrhythmogenic substrate at the SVC/RA junction despite phrenic nerve proximity.