cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rusty peritoneal dialysis fluid after intravenous administration of iron dextran

Abstract Rusty-colored peritoneal dialysate fluid was observed after intravenous administration of iron dextran to a patient with peritonitis being treated with vancomycin and rifampicin. The discoloration gradually cleared over a 24-hour period. Analysis of the fluid demonstrated that the discoloration could not be explained by the presence of erythrocytes or free hemoglobin. Iron (52 μg/dL) was detected in the fluid and decreased to undetectable levels as the discoloration cleared. Addition of iron dextran to an unused bag of peritoneal dialysis fluid to achieve an iron concentration of 52 μg/dL resulted in no discoloration. Addition of rifampicin at a clinically relevant serum concentration (10 μg/mL) to a different unused bag caused a light orange discoloration. Addition of iron dextran and rifampicin simultaneously in the concentrations mentioned to an unused bag caused a rusty discoloration almost as dark as that observed in our patient. We postulate, therefore, that a combination of iron and rifampicin caused the marked discoloration of our patient's peritoneal effluent. This is a US government work. There are no restrictions on its use.
Thresholds of Leaf Nitrogen for Optimum Fruit Production and Quality in Grapefruit

Fertilization is critical for sustainable production of citrus on sandy soils. However, information on nutritional diagnosis standards for grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi Macfad. ) is lacking and this information is needed for implementation of best management practices (BMPs). A field experiment was conducted from 1997 to 2000 on a Riviera fine sand (loamy, siliceous, hyperthermic, Arenic Glossaqualf) with 30-yr-old+ white Marsh grapefruit trees on sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.) rootstock to evaluate irrigation and fertilization effects on fruit yield and quality and to validate leaf nutrient concentration standards for guiding fertilization of grapefruit. Fertilizers were applied as water soluble granular (WSG, 3 applications yr -1 ), by fertigation (FRT, 15 applications yr -1 ), or as controlled-release fertilizers (CRF, 1 application yr -1 ) and at five rates (0, 56, 112, 168, or 224 kg N ha -1 yr ') with an N:P:K blend (1.0:0.17:1.02). Fruit yield and quality were not affected by irrigation treatments or fertilizer sources. There was a significantly positive correlation between leaf N concentrations and N rates (r = 0.98**). Fruit yield was linearly related to N rates or leaf N concentrations. At 90% of maximum yield, leaf N concentrations (dry weight basis) were 22 to 23 g kg -1 . Fruit quality parameters such as soluble solid concentration (SSC), juice, and total soluble solids (TSS) were positively correlated with leaf N concentrations, whereas fruit titratable acidity (TA) was negatively related to leaf N concentrations or N rates. The effect of N rate on TA outweighed that on SSC and consequently, the SSC/TA ratio decreased with increasing N rates or leaf N concentration. Fruit size was quadratically related to N rate or leaf N concentration. Overall, fruit sizes and SSC/ TA ratios were acceptable for fresh marketing or processing at leaf N concentrations of 22 to 23 g kg -1 . Therefore, this leaf N concentration of 22 to 23 g kg -1 can be considered the optimal concentration guideline for fertilization of grapefruit provided that other nutrients are sufficient.
Lessons learned from three interorganizational health care information systems

Abstract The airline, financial, retail, consumer goods and cotton industries are not alone in their increased use of interorganizational information systems (IOSs). Health care organizations are investing and participating in a growing number of IOSs, such as community health information networks (CHINs) and integrated delivery systems (IDS). This paper examines the experiences of three CHIN systems located in the US — Midwest. Multiple data sources, including executive interviews, memoranda, internal documentation and system demonstrations, provided data for this research. The history of each case provides a better understanding of systems implementation and the underlying determinants that emerged as having significant impact. Not only do these findings provide guidelines and learning tools for practitioners, but they also hold implications to the field and its current position on bipolar streams in the literature. Lastly, our findings suggest that large health care infrastructures will continue to be confronted by the presence of the World Wide Web and electronic commerce.
Benefits of Mindfulness Training for Patients With Progressive Cognitive Decline and Their Caregivers

New strategies are needed to help people cope with the repercussions of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Patients and caregivers face different challenges, but here we investigated an intervention tailored for this combined population. The program focused on training skills such as attending to the present moment nonjudgmentally, which may help reduce maladaptive emotional responses. Patients participated together with caregivers in weekly group sessions over 8 weeks. An assessment battery was individually administered before and after the program. Pre-post analyses revealed several benefits, including increased quality-of-life ratings, fewer depressive symptoms, and better subjective sleep quality. In addition, participants indicated that they were grateful for the opportunity to learn to apply mindfulness skills and that they would recommend the program to others. In conclusion, mindfulness training can be beneficial for patients and their caregivers, it can be delivered at low cost to combined groups, and it is worthy of further investigation.
Modularity of Motor Output Evoked By Intraspinal Microstimulation in Cats

We studied the forces produced at the cat's hindpaw by microstimulation of the ipsi- and contralateral lumbar spinal cord in spinal intact α-chloralose anesthetized (n = 3) or decerebrate (n = 3) a...
Investigating the resolution of IP arrays using inverse theory

Using a fast 2-D inverse solution, we examined the resolution of different resistivity/IP arrays using noisy synthetic data subject to minimum structure inversion. We compared estimated models from inversions of data from the dipole-dipole, pole-dipole, and pole-pole arrays over (1) a dipping, polarizable conductor, (2) two proximate conductive, polarizable bodies, (3) a polarizable conductor beneath conductive overburden, and (4) a thin, resistive, polarizable dike. The estimated resistivity and polarizability models obtained from inversion of the dipole-dipole data were usually similar to the pole-dipole estimated models. In the cases examined, the estimated models from the pole-pole data were more poorly resolved than the models from the other arrays. If pole-pole resistivity data contain even a fraction of a percent of Gaussian noise, the transformation of such data through superposition to equivalent data of other array types may be considerably distorted, and significant information can be lost using the pole-pole array. Though the gradient array is reputed to be more sensitive to dip than other arrays, it evidently contains little information on dip that does not also appear in dipole-dipole data, for joint inversion of dipole-dipole and gradient array data yields models virtually identical to those obtained from inversion of dipole-dipole data alone.
Alternating orientation and alternating colouration of perfect graphs

Abstract We establish a property of minimal imperfect graphs, and use this property to generate two classes of perfect graphs. The first class contains all comparability graphs, all triangulated graphs, and two other classes of perfect graphs. The second class contains all triangulated graphs and all line-graphs of bipartite graphs.
Chemotransport contributes to the effect of oscillatory fluid flow on human bone marrow stromal cell proliferation

Mechanical loads produce a diverse set of biophysical signals that may regulate bone cell activity, but accumulating evidence suggests that interstitial fluid flow is the primary signal that bone cells perceive. Because we previously demonstrated that oscillatory fluid flow increases human bone marrow stromal cell proliferation, we investigated the contribution of fluid shear stress and chemotransport, two stimuli induced by interstitial fluid flow. Alterations in flow rate at a constant peak shear stress were associated with decreases in oscillatory fluid flow-induced marrow stromal cell proliferation, while variations in peak fluid shear stress had no significant effect. Modulation of marrow stromal cell proliferation by flow rate may be attributed to changes in the release of ATP and intracellular calcium signaling. We found that if the flow rate is decreased while maintaining a constant peak fluid shear stress, marrow stromal cells release less ATP into the extracellular environment. Moreover, as the flow rate decreased fewer cells respond to fluid flow with an increase in intracellular calcium concentration. These data suggest that chemotransport is a prerequisite for marrow stromal cells to respond to interstitial fluid flow.
Propfan installation aerodynamics of a supercritical swept wing transport configuration

A semispan model with a powered propeller has been tested to provide data on the installation drag penalty of advanced propfan-powered transports designed to cruise at a Mach number of 0.8. These tests, conducted in 14-foot and 11-foot transonic wind tunnels, are a part of a NASA program to develop efficient, high-speed propellers for more fuel-efficient commercial transports for the 1990s and beyond. The model is instrumented for measuring propeller forces, wing/nacelle forces and moments, and pressure distributions over the wing and nacelle. The body in these tests was nonmetric, being connected to the wing by an RTV seal at the wing/body juncture. Tests were run at angles of attack from -3 to +5 deg over the Mach number range 0.6 to 0.85 at a Reynolds number of about 9,000,000. Results of these tests indicate that the nacelle interference drag can be quite large relative to an uninstalled nacelle. However, the losses due to the nacelle were reduced to acceptable levels by changes to the wing leading edge and nacelle intersection. The propeller slipstream causes substantial changes in the wing span load distribution indicating that twist modifications are needed to recover a more favorable span load distribution.
Limiting but not abandoning treatment in severely mentally impaired patients: a troubling issue for ethics consultants and ethics committees.

On many occasions, care givers are faced with problems in which “drastic” types of treatment seem clearly inappropriate but “lesser” interventions still appear to be advisable, if not indeed mandatory. In the hospital setting, examples are frequent: the demented elderly patient, still very much capable of brief social interactions and still able to enjoy at least limited life, who although clearly not a candidate for coronary bypass surgery is, nevertheless, a patient in whom an intercurrent pneumonia deserves treatment; the severely retarded youngster in whom appendectomy seems clearly warranted but for whom long-term dialysis seems ill-advised. The examples are legion, and their variety defies an easy, stereotypical solution. Why, one may ask, is the treatment of intercurrent pneumonia or operating on an acute appendix “clearly indicated” while coronary bypass and long-term dialysis “clearly” are not? The reactions of care givers in the past have often consisted of attempts to give half-hearted treatment or to treat fully even against their better judgment. The lack of conceptual guidelines that might help sort out such problems has inevitably led either to an inflexible absolutism in which all possible treatment to sustain life or no treatment at all is given or has resulted in a pathetic attempt to act but act minimally (the “slow code” or to give what seems to be an ineffective dose of antimicrobials) with the hope that such actions will be ineffective.
Isolated Polycystic Liver Disease

Isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) is an autosomal dominant disease with genetic and clinical heterogeneity. Apart from liver cysts, it exhibits few extrahepatic manifestations, and the majority of patients with this condition are asymptomatic or subclinical. However, a small fraction of these patients develop acute liver cyst–related complications and/or massive cystic liver enlargement, causing morbidity and mortality. Currently, the management for symptomatic PCLD is centered on palliating symptoms and treating complications.
Competitive interaction of pirenzepine with rat brain muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.

Abstract In the present work, we studied the details of the interaction of the nonclassical muscarinic receptor antagonist pirenzepine with [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites in rat brain homogenates. Pirenzepine showed biphasic competition curves with a Hill coefficient lower than unity, and these curves were better described according to a two-site receptor model. The affinities and the relative preponderance of these sites were constant at different ligand concentrations, in accordance with a competitive type of interaction. Similarly, pirenzepine did not influence the rate of dissociation of the [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate-receptor complex, even at relatively high concentrations. However, although low concentrations of pirenzepine decreased the affinity of [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate for the receptor without affecting the density of the binding sites, higher concentrations of the antagonist decreased the receptor number in a reversible fashion. Schild plots of these data indicated an apparent deviation from simple competition in this experimental design, an observation which can be attributed to the selectivity of pirenzepine for different receptor subtypes. Furthermore, pirenzepine, at concentrations high enough to saturate both its high- and low-affinity sites protected [ 3 H]quiniclidinyl benzilate binding sites in the brain against irreversible alkylation by propylbenzilylcholine mustard. Therefore, our data support a competitive nature of interaction of pirenzepine with rat brain muscarinic receptors.
Redefining single-parent families: Cohabitation and changing family reality

This paper explores the implications, for the measured prevalence and duration of mother-only families, of marked changes in nonmarital fertility, unmarried cohabitation, and homeleaving and re-entry. Throughout, estimates are compared on the basis of marital definitions and definitions including cohabitation. The duration of the first single-parent spell appears to have increased under the marital definition, but declines substantially when cohabitations are taken into account. A substantial proportion of single mothers have spent some time as single parents while in their parents' household. Hence we argue that definitions of single-parent families must be based on living arrangements rather than on the parents' marital status.
Cross-sectional analysis of intermittent versus chronic caloric restriction in the TRAMP mouse.

BACKGROUND Previously we found that intermittent calorie restriction (ICR) delayed the age of prostate tumor detection and death in TRAMP mice in comparison to chronic calorie restricted (CCR) and ad libitum fed (AL) TRAMP mice. METHODS In the present study the same protocol was used in a cross-sectional experiment whereby mice were either ad libitum fed, intermittently calorie restricted at 50% of the consumption of AL mice for 2 weeks followed by 2 weeks of refeeding matched to AL intake or were pair-fed to the ICR. Both ICR and CCR protocols resulted in a 25% reduction in caloric intake. Mice were enrolled in the study at 7 weeks of age to be euthanized at designated time points in cycles 3, 6, and 9 with mice euthanized at the end of restriction and refeeding. RESULTS At the youngest time point in cycle 3 ICR impacted body weight, fat pad weights and serum factors the most. Additionally, the incidence of detectable prostate cancer pathology was reduced for ICR mice compared to AL and CCR mice. However, by cycle 5 when the mice were 28–30 weeks of age all mice except one ICR mouse had pathologically confirmed prostate cancer. Furthermore, at the two older time points many of the mice assigned to the study did not survive to reach their designated endpoints. CONCLUSIONS Overall these findings are consistent with other studies indicating protective effects of various interventions on the development of prostate cancer in young TRAMP mice. Prostate 69:317–326, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Similarities in eukaryotic genomes.

Abstract 1. 1. The degree of overlap between the human genome and that of other eukaryotes is considered. Biochemical and molecular studies have shown that all eukaryotic organisms evolved from a common progenator that lived several billion years ago. 2. 2. From a geneological point of view, all eukaryotes are related and their genes are all descended from common ancestors. 3. 3. However, most of the DNA in eukaryotic genomes is not transcribed and has been free to drift in nucleotide sequence. Therefore, the question of overlap can only be applied meaningfully to the few per cent of the genome that is expressed. 4. 4. During the last billion years many genes have duplicated and diverged and new genes have been formed by accretion of domains copied from other genes (exon shuffling). 5. 5. The rate of genetic divergence has been such that only a few portions coding for pieces of highly conserved proteins are still shared by all eukaryotes including those that diverged over 600 million years ago. 6. 6. On the other hand, a fairly large number of shared genes can be recognized among species that separated within the last few hundred million years. 7. 7. Human genes have a high degree of identity with homologs in closely related organisms such as other mammals and a decreasing level of identity with their homologs in more distantly related species.
Improving physician-patient interactions: a review.

Abstract The interaction between physician and patient comprises aspects of communication common to any two human beings and other aspects peculiar to the roles exclusively adopted by physicians and patients. In this review, nonverbal and verbal elements of general communication are discussed, detailing important aspects of vocal tone, body postures, appearance, and verbal cues that may influence attributions made of physicians by patients. Role-related elements of physician-patient interactions are discussed in light of findings from research on interactions between physicians and patients. Developmental elements of general communication are discussed, relating stages that evolve in interactions to physician-patient interactions. Finally, an examination is made of how interpersonal skills are taught to physicians and medical students. Discussion of what skills are specified for teaching, whether they are effectively taught, and whether the learning of these skills produces desired patient health-related outcomes is presented.
Increasing frequency of dental patients in the urban ED.

Abstract This study examined the spectrum and frequency of dental disorders presenting to an urban ED. Data were retrospectively collected on all patients presenting with dental complaints between January 1, 1987 and December 31, 1995. Data included age, date and time of presentation, diagnosis, triage acuity and disposition. Of the 3,943 charts reviewed, 1,892 (48%) patients required emergent oral surgery management and 2,051 (52%) emergency physician management only. The frequency of dental patients increased from 4.4/1,000 total ED patients in 1987 to 11.5/1,000 in 1995 (P
A Case Analysis of an Elementary School's Implementation of Response to Intervention.

The study provides an illustration of an elementary school's implementation of a model of Response to Intervention (RTI). The school was selected to be the pilot for RTI implementation within the district. The study employed interviews of all members of the school RTI Leadership Team and select members of the district-level RTI Leadership Team. An inductive, thematic analysis of participants' testimony revealed critical features and contextual issues related to RTI implementation. Major themes included the widespread frustration of participants with traditional prereferral and referral systems regarding special education eligibility and services, careful development of a school implementation plan and process, new role and responsibility challenges given RTI implementation, and the importance of principal and teacher leadership. Participants also provided descriptions of implementation obstacles or barriers and perceived improvements in instruction and student learning. Limitations of the study (given dis...
Guest Editor's Introduction: The Across Nations Project and the European Social Survey

This introduction refers to the Across Nations project and describes its evolution in the Cross-National Studies: Interdisciplinary Research and Training Program (CONSIRT). In this context all of the authors contributing articles to this issue of the International Journal of Sociology performed their work. CONSIRT uses the European Social Survey for research and training purposes, and all of the studies presented here are based on data from this survey. The articles ask the following questions: What are the determinants of trust in democratic institutions? How is trust among religious minorities affected by the size of the religious majority? Does trust influence political participation? To what extent does fear of crime depend on crime rates and the experience of victimization? And what mechanisms determine the level of women's involvement in housework? The first three articles deal with trust, the fourth with fear, and the fifth with the issue of micro-inequality. This introduction situates the five art...
Solid Solutions between octahedral and tetrahedral olivine types in LiZn-germanates

Abstract The solid electrolytes Li2+2xZn1−xGeO4 (LISICON) are solid solutions between the HTLi3PO4 type and the olivine type. A reevaluation of the HTLi3PO4 data confirms that all Li is in tetrahedral coordination.
Testing for periodicity of extinction.

The statistical techniques used by Raup and Sepkoski (1984 and 1986) to identify a 26-Myr periodicity in the biological extinction record for the past 250 Myr are reexamined, responding in detail to the criticisms of Stigler and Wagner (1987). It is argued that evaluation of a much larger set of extinction data using a time scale with 51 sampling intervals supports the finding of periodicity. In a reply by Sigler and Wagner, the preference for a 26-Myr period is attributed to a numerical quirk in the Harland et al. (1982) time scale, in which the subinterval boundaries are not linear interpolations between the stage boundaries but have 25-Myr periodicity. It is stressed that the results of the stringent statistical tests imposed do not disprove periodicity but rather indicate that the evidence and analyses presented so far are inadequate.
Antidepressant-like drug effects in juvenile and adolescent mice in the tail suspension test: Relationship with hippocampal serotonin and norepinephrine transporter expression and function.

Depression is a major health problem for which most patients are not effectively treated. This problem is further compounded in children and adolescents where only two antidepressants [both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)] are currently approved for clinical use. Mouse models provide tools to identify mechanisms that might account for poor treatment response to antidepressants. However, there are few studies in adolescent mice and none in juvenile mice. The tail suspension test (TST) is commonly used to assay for antidepressant-like effects of drugs in adult mice. Here we show that the TST can also be used to assay antidepressant-like effects of drugs in C57Bl/6 mice aged 21 (juvenile) and 28 (adolescent) days post-partum (P). We found that the magnitude of antidepressant-like response to the SSRI escitalopram was less in P21 mice than in P28 or adult mice. The smaller antidepressant response of juveniles was not related to either maximal binding (Bmax) or affinity (Kd) for [3H]citalopram binding to the serotonin transporter (SERT) in hippocampus, which did not vary significantly among ages. Magnitude of antidepressant-like response to the tricyclic desipramine was similar among ages, as were Bmax and Kd values for [3H]nisoxetine binding to the norepinephrine transporter (NET) in hippocampus. Together, these findings suggest that juvenile mice are less responsive to the antidepressant-like effects of escitalopram than adults, but that this effect is not due to delayed maturation of SERT in hippocampus. Showing that the TST is a relevant behavioral assay of antidepressant-like activity in juvenile and adolescent mice sets the stage for future studies of the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant response in these young populations.
Reduction in Mitochondrial Membrane Potential Is an Early Event in Fas-Independent CTL-Mediated Apoptosis

Abstract Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) can destroy target cells via the Fas-mediated pathway or the granule-mediated pathway. We used Fas-negative target cells to examine for target-cell reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m ) induced by intact CTL via the granule-mediated pathway. We find that reduction in ΔΨ m is an early step in Fas-independent CTL killing of target cells that precedes phosphatidyl serine translocation, cytosolic protein release, or loss of plasma membrane integrity. Target-cell reduction in ΔΨ m and cytoplasmic protein release in Fas-independent CTL killing were inhibited by N -carbobenzoxy-Ala-Pro-Phe chloromethyl ketone, but not by caspase inhibitors N -carbobenzoxy-Val-Ala-Asp fluoromethyl ketone (z-VAD-fmk) or N -carbobenzoxy-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp fluoromethyl ketone (z-DEVD-fmk). This contrasts with Fas-mediated apoptosis, in which the reduction in ΔΨ m can be inhibited by z-VAD-fmk or z-DEVD-fmk. Assessing the changes in target-cell ΔΨ m can provide for a sensitive and rapid means with which to monitor CTL activity.
Minimizing draining waste through extending the lifetime of pilot jobs in Grid environments

The computing landscape is moving at an accelerated pace to many-core computing. Nowadays, it is not unusual to get 32 cores on a single physical node. As a consequence, there is increased pressure in the pilot systems domain to move from purely single-core scheduling and allow multi-core jobs as well. In order to allow for a gradual transition from single-core to multi-core user jobs, it is envisioned that pilot jobs will have to handle both kinds of user jobs at the same time, by requesting several cores at a time from Grid providers and then partitioning them between the user jobs at runtime. Unfortunately, the current Grid ecosystem only allows for relatively short lifetime of pilot jobs, requiring frequent draining, with the relative waste of compute resources due to varying lifetimes of the user jobs. Significantly extending the lifetime of pilot jobs is thus highly desirable, but must come without any adverse effects for the Grid resource providers. In this paper we present a mechanism, based on communication between the pilot jobs and the Grid provider, that allows for pilot jobs to run for extended periods of time when there are available resources, but also allows the Grid provider to reclaim the resources in a short amount of time when needed. We also present the experience of running a prototype system using the above mechanism on a few US-based Grid sites.
Robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty: a review of minimally invasive treatment options for ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

Our aim was to examine the current status of minimally invasive approaches to ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction and compare it to the gold standard of open pyeloplasty. A review of the literature was conducted using PubMed and Medline databases for UPJ obstruction. Open pyeloplasty achieves good results, in the range of 90–100%. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty results are as good as those of open surgery. However, the goal of laparoscopic pyeloplasty as a means of providing minimally invasive surgery to a larger number of patients has not been achieved. The reason for this is the difficulty faced by most urologists in acquiring the technical skills to perform a laparoscopic pyeloplasty. In reports of robot-assisted pyeloplasty, results in the range of 88–97% appear to be achieved. Robotic technology has the potential to make minimally invasive pyeloplasty an easier skill to acquire for a larger number of urologists. Long-term data are still required to determine its efficacy.
An Experimental Design for Determination of D-values Describing Inactivation Kinetics of Bacterial Spores; Design Parameters Selected Using Computer Simulation

An improved experimental design is proposed for studies of bacterial extinction. The new design may be used for either inoculated pack or model system studies. The design uses variable spore loads, and judiciously spaced time points (or doses) with a variable number of replicates over a selected range. A computer simulation of the process simplifies parameter selection in an economic way. The improved design results in more useable data points over an increased range leading to more accurate estimates of the D-value with the same level of experimental effort used in current experiments.
Radiation brain damage induced by interstitial 125I sources: a canine model evaluated by quantitative computed tomography.

The canine brain is a good model of the human brain for studying radiation damage after megavoltage x-irradiation for brain tumors. We have further developed this model to study radiation damage induced by high activity interstitial 125I sources. Removable 125I sources were implanted in normal canine brains, and doses of 1,000 to 10,000 rads were delivered to a reference point at a 10-mm radius from the source; dose rates were 35 to 40 rads/hour at the reference point. Serial quantitative analysis of tissue damage (tissue density and contrast enhancement) was done using computed tomographic scanning up to 6 months after implantation and was compared to histopathological findings after the animals were killed. At doses greater than 19,000 rads (i.e., inside the reference point), frank coagulation necrosis was observed. Pronounced vessel-related changes, manifest as areas of contrast enhancement, corresponded to tissues receiving a minimum of 6,000 rads and a maximum of 19,000 rads. These results indicate that this model can be used in serial noninvasive studies to quantify the development of damage induced by interstitial irradiation and to provide dose-response information in individual animals.
Evaluating an instruction program with various assessment measures

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the author's library was able to enhance the collaborative learning and teaching environment, with secondary goals to improve teaching effectiveness and increase sharing among librarians of ideas and techniques used in first-year student sessions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes the various measures of assessment (peer-to-peer, student feedback and self-reflection) that the College of St Benedict (CSB) and St John's University (SJU) Libraries implemented in 2011. The methods were used to improve teaching by listening to peers, getting feedback from students, and by also doing self-reflection. Many librarians were able to make changes that were beneficial to their teaching sessions. Findings – The outcome allowed librarians to incorporate new ideas into their own instruction sessions; re-evaluate teaching methods based on student feedback; and, to realize that self-assessment was beneficial. More importantly, it led to the development...
Cooperative roles of biological flow and surface topography in guiding sperm migration revealed by a microfluidic model

Successful reproduction in mammals requires sperm to swim against a fluid flow and through the long and complex female reproductive tract before reaching the egg in the oviduct. Millions of them do not make it. Despite their clinical importance, the roles played in sperm migration by the diverse biophysical and biochemical microenvironments within the reproductive tract are largely unknown. In this article, we present the development of a double layer microfluidic device that recreates two important biophysical environments within the female reproductive tract: fluid flow and surface topography. The unique feature of the device is that it enables one to study the cooperative roles of fluid flow and surface topography in guiding sperm migration. Using bull sperm as a model system, we found that microfluidic grooves embedded on a channel surface facilitate sperm migration against fluid flow. These findings suggest ways to design in vitro fertilization devices to treat infertility and to develop non-invasive contraceptives that use a microarchitectural design to entrap sperm.
Survey of heavy-ion fusion hindrance and its implication on astrophysics

The recently observed heavy-ion fusion hindrance at extreme sub-barrier energies is reviewed. The study has been extended to lighter heavy-ion fusion reactions. Reaction systems with positive Q-values have been surveyed and systematics of the hindrance behavior have been developed. The impact of the hindrance phenomenon on astrophysics is discussed.
Cardiocyte Cytoskeleton in Patients With Left Ventricular Pressure Overload Hypertrophy

AbstractOBJECTIVESWe sought to determine whether the cardiocyte microtubule network densification characteristic of animal models of severe pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy occurs in human pat...
Close Association of Accelerated Rates of Whole Body Protein Turnover (Synthesis and Breakdown) and Energy Expenditure in Children with Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Using a single-dose [15N]glycine turnover technique, we studied protein metabolism in 15 children with newly diagnosed acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). As in our previous study, we observed increased rates of whole body protein synthesis (S) and breakdown (B) in comparison to healthy controls. In eight patients, we assessed basal metabolic rate (BMR). There was a significant linear regression between BMR (kcal/d) (Y) and S (g protein/d) (X): y = 3.7 X + 850 (R = 0.925, p less than 0.001). There was also a significant linear correlation between BMR, expressed as a percentage of the normal value, and S expressed as a percentage of the mean value in the healthy children (r = 0.79, p less than 0.05). There were also significant positive correlations between BMR and body weight (r = 0.75, p less than 0.05) or age (r = 0.83, p less than 0.05) and between S and weight or age (both, r = 0.86, p less than 0.01). BMR (kcal/d) also correlated with B (g protein/d) (r = 0.91, p less than 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that BMR was much more highly related to S than to weight. These data suggest that increased rates of S are closely related to increased energy requirements in patients with ALL. Furthermore, these data provide evidence for the biological relevance of whole body protein kinetics.
The relationship of the whole genome sequence identity to DNA hybridization varies between genera of prokaryotes.

In the original proposal of Wayne et al. (Int J Syst Bacteriol 37:463–464, 1987), two measures of genetic relatedness were proposed to set the boundary for prokaryotic species. The first was the change in the melting temperature (ΔTm) of heteroduplex DNA and the second was the extent of DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH). While this approach was justified given the experimental error inherent in these methods, genomic sequencing has the potential to measure both parameters with great precision. The average nucleotide identity (ANIb), a surrogate for the ΔTm, and the calculated DDH (cDDH) were determined from the complete genomes of representatives of 17 genera of prokaryotes. When the ANIb was >75 %, the ratio (100-cDDH)/(100-ANIb) was 3.69 ± 0.93 (± SD) and varied from about 2.35 to 4.59 between genera. The differences among genera was highly significant (p < 0.001) but not correlated with specific phylogenetic or physiological groups. Moreover, the ANIm was a poor measure of ANIb when ANIb was <75 %. Because the ANIb and cDDH provide different measures of relatedness, it is no longer appropiate to consider both when delineating species. For these reasons, measures of relatedness based upon sequence identity should be used for delineating species in the future.
Multivariable Predictors of Postoperative Venous Thromboembolic Events after General and Vascular Surgery: Results from the Patient Safety in Surgery Study

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially preventable postoperative complication. Accurate risk prediction is an essential first step toward limiting serious, and sometimes fatal, postoperative VTE. We sought to develop and test a model to predict patients at high risk for postoperative VTE. Study Design Data from the Patient Safety in Surgery (PSS) Study were used to develop and test a predictive model of VTE using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results VTE occurred in 1,162 of 183,069 (0.63%) patients undergoing vascular and general surgical procedures. The 30-day mortality in patients who suffered a VTE was 11.19%. Fifteen variables independently associated with increased risk of VTE included patient factors (female gender, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class, ventilator dependence, preoperative dyspnea, disseminated cancer, chemotherapy within 30 days, and > 4 U packed red blood cell transfusion in the 72 hours before operation), preoperative laboratory values (albumin 1.0 mg/dL, sodium > 145 mmol/L, and hematocrit Conclusions Venous thromboembolic events after noncardiac operations are relatively infrequent but highly lethal. Important multivariable risk factors for VTE in this setting were identified in the large PSS database. The risk-prediction scoring system, developed by using the logistic regression odds ratios, helps to identify patients at risk for postoperative VTE and to institute appropriate perioperative prophylactic measures.
Cytofluorographic and molecular identification of a CD8-positive, TCR-α/β-negative intraocular T cell lymphoma: a case report and review of the literature

Cytofluorographic and molecular techniques are effective adjuncts in diagnosing intraocular lymphoma. Primary intraocular lymphoma is an uncommon entity predominantly of B cell origin and rarely with a T cell phenotype. The aim of the present paper is to report a case of a CD8-positive, TCR-α/β-negative intraocular T cell lymphoma and review the literature. T cell neoplasia was detected based on flow cytometric demonstration of an abnormal T cell population and polymerase chain reactions for immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor rearrangements demonstrating evidence of monoclonality. Flow cytometry revealed a T cell population aberrantly expressing T-cell lineage markers. This T cell population expressed CD2, bright CD3, CD8, bright CD7, CD38, CD69, and variable CD25. T-cell receptor γ gene rearrangement studies demonstrated evidence of T-cell gene rearrangement confirming that the T cells were monoclonal. We herein report the rare case of a TCR α/β-negative CD8+ intraocular T-cell lymphoma suggestive of gamma/delta origin diagnosed by flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction.
A fast multipole approach to computing scattering from an inhomogeneous bianisotropic cylindrical object using Beltrami fields

There has been growing interest in the electromagnetic analysis of complex materials. Analysis of scattering from bianisotropic objects is attractive from both practical and intellectual perspectives. Furthermore, tailoring the properties of bianisotropic materials to specific needs is not altogether inconceivable due to the advances in materials technology. We present an efficient algorithm for analyzing the scattering from an inhomogeneous bianisotropic cylinder. The analysis presented provides a framework via which a wide variety of problems can be solved.
Accurate and Scalable IO Buffer Macromodel Based on Surrogate Modeling

In this paper, a new method is proposed to generate accurate and scalable macromodels for input/output buffers. The method characterizes the physically based model elements with adaptive multivariate surrogate modeling techniques in order to achieve high fidelity and process–voltage–temperature scalability. Both single-ended and differential output buffer circuit examples demonstrate that the proposed modeling method offers good accuracy and flexible scalability to facilitate signal integrity analysis.
A Fast and Effective Method for Transient Thermoelastic Displacement Analyses

Frictional heating due to the relative motion of contacting surfaces causes temperature rise and thermal distortion, which in turn affects the contact geometry and pressure distribution. A fast and effective method is presented for the calculation of the normal surface displacement of an elastic halfspace due to arbitrary transient surface heating. The method uses Fourier-transformed Green's functions (frequency response functions), found in the closed form by using the approach of Seo and Mura and the heat conduction analyses of Carslaw and Jaeger. The frequency response functions are shown analytically to be the frequency domain representations of the Green's functions given by Barber. The formulation for the surface normal displacement is in the form of three-dimensional convolution integrals (over surface and time) of the arbitrary transient heat flux and the Green's functions. Fourier transforms of these convolution integrals are taken, avoiding the Green's-function singularities and giving a simple multiplication between the transformed heat flux and the (known) frequency response functions. The discrete convolution-fast Fourier transform (DC-FFT) algorithm is applied for accurate and efficient calculations of the normal surface displacement from the frequency response functions for an arbitrary transient heat input. The combination of the frequency-domain formulation and the DC-FFT algorithm makes the solution of transient thermoelastic deformation extremely fast and convenient.
Social network structure and the achievement of consensus

It is widely believed that bringing parties with differing opinions together to discuss their differences will help both in securing consensus and also in ensuring that this consensus closely approximates the truth. This paper investigates this presumption using two math- ematical and computer simulation models. Ultimately, these models show that increased contact can be useful in securing both consensus and truth, but it is not always beneficial in thisway.Thissuggestsoneshouldnot,withoutqualification,supportpolicieswhichincrease interpersonal contact if one seeks to improve the epistemic performance of groups.
Captopril prevents chronic hypertension produced by infusion of endothelin-1 in rats.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor peptide synthesized by the vascular smooth muscle endothelium, has been previously shown to produce a sustained, salt-sensitive elevation in mean arterial pressure when chronically infused over a 7-day period into male Sprague-Dawley rats. In addition to other physiological actions, ET-1 has been shown to have potent effects on various renal functions, including renin production. Activation of the renin-angiotensin system, therefore, may contribute to the pressor response induced by ET-1. In this investigation, captopril ([2S]-1-[3-mercapto-2-methylpropionyl]-L-proline), a sulfhydryl-containing angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, was chronically administered to endothelin-infused rats to elucidate the role of the renin-angiotensin system in this animal model of hypertension. Rats were catheterized, housed in metabolic cages, and maintained on a fixed 6.0 meq.day-1 sodium intake throughout the experiment, with daily measurements taken of mean arterial pressure, heart rate, water intake, urine output, and urinary sodium and potassium excretions. Infusion of ET-1 alone at a rate of 5.0 pmol.kg-1.min-1 for 7 days was associated with a significant and sustained increase in mean arterial pressure; concomitant chronic administration of captopril in another group of rats at a rate of 1.0 mg.kg-1.hr-1 prevented the ET-1-induced hypertension. In an additional study, however, increases in plasma angiotensin II concentration were not observed in rats administered ET-1 alone at 5.0 pmol.kg-1.min-1. These results indicate that endothelin-induced hypertension may involve stimulation of the renin-angiotensin system but not an increase in circulating angiotensin II concentration.
Equalization on Graphs: Linear Programming and Message Passing

We propose an approximation of maximum-likelihood detection in ISI channels based on linear programming or message passing. We convert the detection problem into a binary decoding problem, which can be easily combined with LDPC decoding. We show that, for a certain class of channels and in the absence of coding, the proposed technique provides the exact ML solution without an exponential complexity in the size of channel memory, while for some other channels, this method has a non-diminishing probability of failure as SNR increases. Some analysis is provided for the error events of the proposed technique under linear programming.
Transfusion for coagulopathy after heart surgery: efficacy of laboratory studies.

Limited information exists regarding transfusions specifically for coagulopathy following cardiac surgery and the value of pre- and postoperative coagulation tests. Procedures (86% coronary bypass,...
Introduction to Parkin/Baddeley dialogue

Fortunately, it is the rare neuropsychologist who still uses the term “frontal lobe functions” to refer to the collection of supervisory and regulatory mental processes we now typically call the “executive functions.” Most of us have come to realize that simply using a neuroanatomic moniker for a set of cognitive processes does not a neuropsychology make.
Light chain phosphorylation regulates the movement of smooth muscle myosin on actin filaments.

In smooth muscles there is no organized sarcomere structure wherein the relative movement of myosin filaments and actin filaments has been documented during contraction. Using the recently developed in vitro assay for myosin-coated bead movement (Sheetz, M.P., and J.A. Spudich, 1983, Nature (Lond.)., 303:31-35), we were able to quantitate the rate of movement of both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated smooth muscle myosin on ordered actin filaments derived from the giant alga, Nitella. We found that movement of turkey gizzard smooth muscle myosin on actin filaments depended upon the phosphorylation of the 20-kD myosin light chains. About 95% of the beads coated with phosphorylated myosin moved at velocities between 0.15 and 0.4 micron/s, depending upon the preparation. With unphosphorylated myosin, only 3% of the beads moved and then at a velocity of only approximately 0.01-0.04 micron/s. The effects of phosphorylation were fully reversible after dephosphorylation with a phosphatase prepared from smooth muscle. Analysis of the velocity of movement as a function of phosphorylation level indicated that phosphorylation of both heads of a myosin molecule was required for movement and that unphosphorylated myosin appears to decrease the rate of movement of phosphorylated myosin. Mixing of phosphorylated smooth muscle myosin with skeletal muscle myosin which moves at 2 microns/s resulted in a decreased rate of bead movement, suggesting that the more slowly cycling smooth muscle myosin is primarily determining the velocity of movement in such mixtures.