cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maternal transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls in Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes personatus), Puget Sound, Washington.

Abstract We measured polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in multiple age and size classes of Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes personatus), including eggs, young-of-the year, and adults to evaluate maternal transfer as a pathway for contaminant uptake and to add to the limited information on the occurrence of PCBs in sand lance in Puget Sound. Sampling was replicated at an urban embayment (Eagle Harbor) and a state park along an open shoreline (Clayton Beach), during spring and fall. Lipid-normalized concentrations of PCBs in sand lance at Eagle Harbor were 5–11 times higher than PCB concentrations in comparable samples at Clayton Beach. This was true for every life stage and size class of sand lance, including eggs removed from females. The same trend was observed in environmental samples. In Eagle Harbor, PCB concentrations in unfiltered water (0.19 ng/L), sieved (
Atrial Fibrillation and Transcatheter Repair of Functional Mitral Regurgitation: Evidence From a Meta-Regression

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on mortality and efficacy in patients with functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) undergoing MitraClip ...
A Soft Magnetic Moldable Composite With Tri-Modal Size Distribution for Power Electronics Applications

Soft magnetic moldable composites (SM2Cs) would be ideal for magnetic integration in power electronics converters because they can be readily processed at low temperature without pressure into the core shapes prescribed for the circuits. However, most of the existing SM2Cs have low relative magnetic permeability (<30) and low saturation flux density (<1 T). To improve the magnetic properties, we combined three different magnetic powders giving rise to a tri-modal size distribution and an acrylic polymer to produce a paste of tri-modal SM2C. The paste was molded and then cured below 200 °C without pressure to form cores offering a relative permeability over 30, a saturation flux density over 1.0 T, and a low core-loss density. The ease of its processing and high-performance properties make this SM2C a good candidate material for power electronics applications.
Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Transhiatal Esophagectomy

Esophageal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in around the world. Surgery, along with chemotherapy and radiation when indicated, offers the best chance for long-term survival; with multiple surgical approaches being used [1].
Towards Policy-aware Edge Computing Architectures

Cloud computing offers an economical and elastic means to handle the storage and computation needs of the Internet of Things (IoT). However, storage and retrieval from the cloud could potentially violate policies, especially those pertaining to data privacy. Edge computing as a paradigm is a suitable way to overcome these issues. This paper presents a policy-aware edge computing architecture that enables policy-aware normalization and filtration of the data that is sent to cloud services to preserve policies. We use a secure and encrypted channel to transmit the data generated by the IoT devices to the dedicated computing units at the edge of the network. Our architecture offers programmers the ability to configure the system easily and perform a predetermined set of computation tasks on the data, e.g., tasks to uphold privacy policies such as blurring faces, license plates, etc.
Effects of sleep and sleep deficiency on autonomic function in humans

Abstract The autonomic system plays an important role in regulating blood pressure (BP). BP is elevated at night when individuals remain awake and continues to be elevated during either the night or the day if wakefulness persists. There is a close relationship between the high frequency (HF) of the variability of the RR interval (RRI), an index of parasympathetic predominance, and delta power during slow-wave sleep bouts. In addition, there is an HF rebound once sleep is permitted following sleep deprivation. Furthermore, this is the case for acute total sleep deprivation, as well as for models of chronic sleep restriction. Evidence indicates that sleep is important for autonomic homeostasis. It has long been recognized that physiological stress induces sympathetic activation. However, the simple fact that humans can voluntarily, and sometimes even with great pleasure, deprive themselves of sleep, has led us to overlook the role that deficient sleep plays as a physiological stressor. Physiological and epidemiological data have shown that short sleep is a risk factor for a broad range of morbidity and all-cause mortality. Understanding the role sleep plays in autonomic regulation can open new opportunities for the development of sleep interventions to improve cardiovascular health.
EarDynamic: An Ear Canal Deformation Based Continuous User Authentication Using In-Ear Wearables

Biometric-based authentication is gaining increasing attention for wearables and mobile applications. Meanwhile, the growing adoption of sensors in wearables also provides opportunities to capture novel wearable biometrics. In this work, we propose EarDynamic, an ear canal deformation based user authentication using in-ear wearables. EarDynamic provides continuous and passive user authentication and is transparent to users. It leverages ear canal deformation that combines the unique static geometry and dynamic motions of the ear canal when the user is speaking for authentication. It utilizes an acoustic sensing approach to capture the ear canal deformation with the built-in microphone and speaker of the in-ear wearable. Specifically, it first emits well-designed inaudible beep signals and records the reflected signals from the ear canal. It then analyzes the reflected signals and extracts fine-grained acoustic features that correspond to the ear canal deformation for user authentication. Our extensive experimental evaluation shows that EarDynamic can achieve a recall of 97.38% and an F1 score of 96.84%. Results also show that our system works well under different noisy environments with various daily activities.
Moderating Effects of Parental Feeding Practices and Emotional Eating on Dietary Intake among Overweight African American Adolescents.

This study examined the effects of parental feeding practices and adolescent emotional eating (EE) on dietary outcomes among overweight African American adolescents. Based on Family Systems Theory, it was hypothesized that parental feeding practices, such as parental monitoring and responsibility, would buffer the effects of EE on poor dietary quality, whereas practices such as concern about a child’s weight, restriction, and pressure-to-eat would exacerbate this relationship. Adolescents (N = 127; Mage = 12.83 ± 1.74; MBMI% = 96.61 ± 4.14) provided baseline data from the Families Improving Together (FIT) for Weight Loss trial and an ancillary study. Dietary outcomes (fruit and vegetables (FV B = 0.524, SE = 0.176, p = 0.004), restriction (B = −0.331, SE = 0.162, p = 0.043), and concern (B = −0.602, SE = 0.171, p = 0.001) on FV under high monitoring, low restriction, and low concern, EE was positively associated with F&V intake. There were no significant effects for the other dietary outcomes. These findings indicate that parental feeding practices and EE may be important factors to consider for dietary interventions, specifically for F&V intake, among overweight African American adolescents.
Person-Centered Suicide Prevention

Suicide prevention efforts have largely been informed by a biomedical paradigm. Yet the more we learn about suicide, the more it seems that reliance on that paradigm is unwise if not harmful. A person-centered approach is needed but it has not gained traction. In the first section of this chapter, “Biomedicalism Misdirected,” we argue that unfettered biomedicalism generates opportunity costs and forces clinicians to rely on cognitive heuristics, essentialism and focalism, that can unintentionally harm patients. In “Biomedicalism Retained,” we draw on self-determination theory and terror management theory to explain why person-centeredness has not gained traction in medicine and why the clinician’s cognitive activity is characterized by focalism and essentialism even when contraindicated. In “Humanism Reimagined,” we describe how advances in information technology could mitigate clinician reliance on unhelpful cognitive heuristics and thereby help clinicians relieve patient suffering and decrease suicide risk.
Effectiveness of the European Maritime Policy Instruments

European Maritime Transport Policy 2009-2018 was confirmed by European Commission (EC) Strategy Paper of 21 January 2009. This gives sound basis also for future of European shipping policy and particularly in respect of the global competitive position of European shipping. State Aid Guidelines for Maritime Transport have been introduced and implemented in many European countries and it was proposed now to maintain these Guidelines for another longer period and possibly to improve them also. The latest European Union (EU) Maritime policy developments are discussed more in detail in this paper, and their effectiveness is assessed.
Judicial Selection and Judicial Choice

The divisiveness of the lower federal court confirmation process has been the focus of extensive commentary by political pundits and scholars alike. The engine driving the controversy is the notion that who sits on the federal bench makes a difference for subsequent policy outcomes. However, while a great deal of attention has been paid to differences in the decision making of judges appointed by different presidents, virtually no attention has been paid to whether the concerns of actors involved in the process have been borne out in the behavior of nominees who were controversial at the time of their nomination to the bench (but ultimately were successful in securing confirmation). In other words, we have no rigorous, systematic evidence as to whether controversial nominees do, in fact, behave differently than other nominees once they don the black robe. Using data from 1977-2002 on nominations to the U.S. Courts of Appeals and the voting behavior of court of appeals jurists for the same period, here we empirically investigate whether judges who were considered more controversial during their confirmation process are more ideologically-driven in their voting behavior than other (less controversial) judges.
Carbohydrate metabolism in experimental intrauterine growth retardation in rats

Abstract Intrauterine growth retardation was induced in 34 pregnant rats by ligating the uterine artery supplying one uterine horn of a bicornate uterus at 17 days of gestation. The opposite uterine horn was left untouched and served as the control. The fetuses were delivered at 21 days of gestation. One hundred and fifty-eight control and 141 intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses were used in a series of three experiments. The body weight, placenta, liver, heart, and kidney weights were smaller in the intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses. The blood glucose of intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses at birth was lower than in the controls. The liver glycogen contents were lower in the intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses during the last 2 days of pregnancy. Intravenous glucose infusion to the mother 2 hours prior to delivery of the fetuses effectively raised the fetal blood glucose to a hyperglycemic range and repletes the previously observed lower hepatic glycogen in the intrauterine growth retardation.
Nutrition, Growth, and Development

This chapter will attempt to review briefly those areas in nutrition, growth, and development in which major advances have been made during the last few years. Of necessity, the areas covered are highly selective and the selection both arbitrary and subjective. No attempt is being made to cover the entire literature in any of the areas. Rather, a number of studies related to an area will be discussed and, it is hoped, placed in context of the major advances that have occurred in that area and the direction that future studies are likely to take. Where there are still major gaps, this will be noted and approaches designed to fill these gaps commented on.
Checking Strong Specifications Using an Extensible Software Model Checking Framework

The use of assertions to express correctness properties of programs is growing in practice. Assertions provide a form of checkable redundancy that can be very effective in finding defects in programs and in guiding developers to the cause of a defect. A wide variety of assertion languages and associated validation techniques have been developed, but run-time monitoring is commonly thought to be the only practical solution.
Robin Bienenstock at Sanford C. Bernstein

Robin Bienenstock, a senior sell-side equity research analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, considers how to build her research franchise given the changing nature of the industry and the firm. A collaborative research paper called "Computer in Your Pocket" was recently published by four of her colleagues, but she was not consulted or asked to contribute. As clients call Bienenstock asking for her response to the investment conclusions in the paper, Bienenstock wonders 1) how she should respond to the report and 2) how she can increase her collaborative work in the future. As she continues to grow her franchise in terms of both the number of companies under coverage and team members, she wonders how she can best organize her team in order to leverage herself effectively.Learning Objective:To discuss and analyze the leadership challenges of building and leveraging a global platform, the challenges of driving organizational change, and the role of leaders in creating a supportive environment for collaborative work from the perspective of one of the professionals at the firm.
Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind

PART ONE - FOUNDATIONS OF EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 1. The Scientific Movements Leading to Evolutionary Psychology Chapter 2. The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology PART TWO - PROBLEMS OF SURVIVAL Chapter 3. Combating the Hostile Forces of Nature: Human Survival Problems PART THREE - CHALLENGES OF SEX AND MATING Chapter 4. Women's Long-Term Mating Strategies Chapter 5. Men's Long-Term Mating Strategies Chapter 6. Short-Term Sexual Strategies PART FOUR - CHALLENGES OF PARENTING AND KINSHIP Chapter 7. Problems of Parenting Chapter 8. Problems of Kinship PART FIVE - PROBLEMS OF GROUP LIVING Chapter 9. Cooperative Alliances Chapter 10. Aggression and Warfare Chapter 11. Conflict between the Sexes Chapter 12. Status, Prestige, and Social Dominance PART SIX - AN INTEGRATED PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE Chapter 13. Toward a Unified Evolutionary Psychology
Heme oxygenase-2 gene deletion increases astrocyte vulnerability to hemin.

In a prior study, we observed that heme oxygenase-2 gene deletion protected murine cortical neurons from heme-mediated injury. In the course of these studies, constitutive HO-2 expression was observed in astrocyte cultures. The present study tested the hypothesis that astrocytes lacking the HO-2 gene would be less vulnerable to heme. Contrary to this hypothesis, gene deletion resulted in a 50–75% increase in cell death after 6 h exposure to 30 or 60 μM hemin, as measured by LDH release. A similar effect was observed when cell viability was assessed with the MTT assay. HO-2 gene deletion did not alter cellular expression of HO-1. The increased sensitivity of knockout astrocytes to hemin was reversed by increasing HO-1 expression by adenoviral gene transfer. These results suggest that heme oxygenase protects astrocytes from heme-mediated oxidative injury and highlight the disparate effect of HO in neurons and astrocytes.
The use of expanded criteria donor organs for transplantation

Abstract Expanded criteria donors (ECD) of kidneys include all those aged ≥60 years and donors aged 50–59 years with at least 2 of the following 3 medical criteria: (1) cerebrovascular accident as the cause of death, (2) terminal serum creatinine concentration >1.5 mg/dL, and (3) history of systemic hypertension. ECD kidneys now account for 20% of all deceased donor kidneys in the United States, with the fraction being as high as 35% in some donation service areas. However, procured ECD kidneys continue to be discarded at a significantly higher rate (41%) compared with 8% for non-ECD kidneys. Patients who elect to be offered and receive ECD kidneys have survival benefits of decreased long-term mortality between 17% and 27% when compared to waiting longer and subsequently receiving an standard criteria donors organ, but only if the waiting time is more than 44 months. The experience with ECD kidneys in the United States suggests that organ donation and transplantation rates can be significantly improved through the systematic incorporation of ECD policies into organ procurement and transplantation schemes. More refined definition of ECD and rigorous assessment of the outcomes of ECD organ transplantation will further contribute to improving the use of all donated organs.
GABA-sensitivity of dorsal column axons : an in vitro comparison between adult and neonatal rat spinal cords

Abstract In neonatal rat spinal cord, conduction in the dorsal column is reversibly depressed by GABA. We compared the GABA-sensitivity of dorsal columns in neonate versus adult rats, using in vitro isolated dorsal column preparations. The extracellular compound action potential evoked by submaximal stimuli was recorded with a glass micropipette. GABA (10−4-10−3 M) reversibly depressed the compound action potential of both neonatal and adult rat dorsal columns. The GABA-induced reduction of dorsal column compound action potential amplitudes was blocked by the GABAA antagonist picrotoxin (10−3 M) and mimicked by the GABAA agonist isoguvacine (10−4-10−3 M). The compound action potential reduction by GABA was far less pronounced on adult dorsal columns. The reduction of compound action potential amplitudes by isoguvacine (10−4-10−3 M) was also significantly less in adult dorsal columns. These data suggest that GABAA receptors may play a role in extrasynaptic modulation of spinal long tract conduction in an age-dependent manner.
Asymptotically Optimal Tests for Multinomial Distributions

Tests of simple and composite hypotheses for multinomial distributions are considered. It is assumed that the size αN of a test tends to 0 as the sample size N increases. The main concern of this paper is to substantiate the following proposition: If a given test of size αN is “sufficiently different” from a likelihood ratio test then there is a likelihood ratio test of size ≦αN which is considerably more powerful than the given test at “most” points in the set of alternatives when N is large enough, provided that αN → 0 at a suitable rate. In particular, it is shown that chi-square tests of simple and of some composite hypotheses are inferior, in the sense described, to the corresponding likelihood ratio tests. Certain Bayes tests are shown to share the above-mentioned property of a likelihood ratio test.
Insects Associated with the Pinewood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae), in Missouri

Seven species of Coleoptera were found to carry the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus , upon emergence from nematode-infected Scotch pines. Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) carried a mean (±SD) of 19,152 (± 16,421) nematodes per individual beetle. None of the other insect species carried more than 300 nematodes per individual. Of the nematodes carried by M. carolinensis , 85% were found in the thoracic region, with the majority located in the metathoracic segment. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized to determine that the nematodes were located in the tracheal system of the beetle as it emerged from an infected tree.
When accessories turn out to be essential.

New findings demonstrate that the accessory proteins of primate lentiviruses are molecular tricksters that hold the strings to the pathogenesis of AIDS (pages 1397–1408).
Timing of Syntaxial Cement: ABSTRACT

Echinodermal fragments are commonly overgrown in ancient limestones, with large single crystals growing in optical continuity over their skeletal hosts (i.e., syntaxial overgrowths). Such syntaxial cements are usually considered to have precipitated from meteoric pore waters associated with a later stage of subaerial exposure. Although several examples have been reported from ancient carbonates where petrographic relationships may indicate an early submarine formation of syntaxial cement, no occurrences have been noted in Holocene submarine-cemented rocks. Syntaxial cements of submarine origin have been found in Bermuda beachrock where isopachous high-magnesian calcite cements merge with large optically continuous crystals growing on echinodermal debris. Examination of other Holocene sediments cemented by magnesian calcite indicates that echinodermal fragments are not always overgrown syntaxially, but may be rimmed by microcrystalline calcite. The reason for this difference is not clear, although it may be a function of the spacing of nucleation sites and rates of crystal growth. A review of syntaxial cements from several localities in ancient carbonate sequences reveals that many are best interpreted as having formed in the submarine setting, whereas it is more clear that others formed from meteoric precipitation. These occurrences suggest that care should be exercised in inferring meteoric diagenesis from syntaxial overgrowths and that the possibility of submarine formation should be considered. End_of_Article - Last_Page 295------------
Flywheel Energy Matrix Systems: Today’s Technology Enables Efficient Combined Cycle Operation

Based on field-tested performance and third-party evaluations, Beacon Power has demonstrated that high-energy flywheel systems are a sustainable energy storage option for many electrical applications. Successful power quality implementations range from low-power telecommunications equipment (low-kW for hours) to high-power industrial support (hundreds of kW for seconds). Using this proven technology, Beacon Power has begun development of a modular, high-energy system to deliver robust and responsive megawatt output levels — for seconds, minutes and even hours. This flywheel energy matrix would be ideal for grid stabilization, spinning reserves, renewable power, and distributed resource applications. For example, a system such as this would have sufficient energy to provide the minutes needed for ride-through capability to start smaller gas turbine-powered generators. This paper describes thc tecchnical feasibility of combining thc best features of flywheel energy storage with standard high-power electronics for energy storage and delivery. Two system-level configuration options are discussed: 1) Fixed installations, comprising a matrix of flywheels installed in a building with the Power Conversion System (PCS); and, 2) Deployable, portable equipment, based on a system-modular approach comprising an array of flywheels and PCS packaged in a standard shipping container to be easily dispatched for grid stabilization or load support. The technical discussion includes a building block-level component description of the flywheel and its motor/generator drive, electrical ratings, mechanical ratings and more. At a system level, an overview of component interconnection is provided, including links to the PCS. In addition, footprint and weight values are illustrated for both proposed system configuration options. This paper also includes a more detailed examination of ways in which this innovative energy storage solution can be economically used in electric supply systems. The flywheel’s deep discharge and resilient, high-power cyclic capability, combined with a long design life, make it an ideal solution for voltage and frequency stabilization as well as an attractive, passive alternative for spinning reserves. The paper focuses and expands upon the strengths and limitations of today’s flywheel technologies. Finally, the effects and impact of the ways that energy is produced, delivered, and consumed are summarized.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
VASCULAR DYSFUNCTION IN FUSARIUM WILT OF TOMATO

A B S T R A C T Leaves on tomato plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. lycopersici frequently wilt unilaterally when the vascular bundles supplying the affected leaflets are diseased. However, when the vascular bundles on one side of healthv petioles are severed by notching the petiole base, the entire leaf remains turgid. Leaflets on the notched side receive water by diffusion between bundles at the petiole tip. Lateral translocation of water out of individual vessels and between bundles in diseased xylem is impaired by the impregnation of vessel walls, intercellular spaces, and cells adjacent to vessels with the products of vascular discoloration. Waterproofing of vascular bundles can be induced in excised healthy leaves by culture filtrates of the pathogen and catechol. Waterproofing of vessels may play an important role in vascular dysfunction by confining water to individual vessels and thereby increasing the importance of vessel occlusions. VASCULAR DYSFUTNCTION in tomato plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. lycopersici (Sace.) Snyd. & Hans. has been attributed mainly to vessel occlusion by mycelia and conidia, tyloses, gums, and hydrophilic materials that may form gels in the vessels (Dimond, 1955; Beckman, 1964). Recently Chambers and Corden (1963) described vessel collapse as a cause of vascular dysfunction and, further, suggested that deposits associated with vascular discoloration may cause vascular dysfunction by waterproofing the walls of vessels, thus preventing lateral movement of water. If water can not enter a vessel through its side walls, a single occlusion could render the vessel nonfunctional for axial translocation. The present study was initiated (Chambers and Corden, 1964) to determine if discolored deposits in the xylem of diseased tomato plants could impede the movement of water through the vessel side walls and between vascular bundles and thereby influence wilting. MATERIALS AND METHODS-Detached tomato leaves were used as a model system to determine the effects of disease, Fusarium culture filtrate, and catechol on lateral translocation of water between vascular bundles not interconnected by vessels. A knowledge of the vascular anatomy of tomato petioles is fundamental to their use in
Mechanism of G-Protein Coupled Receptor Activation

G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are seven-helix transmembane proteins that constitute the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome. GPCRs are responsible for the majority of signal transduction events involving hormones and neurotransmitters across the cell membrane. Activating ligands (agonists) promote binding to and nucleotide exchange by a heterotrimeric G-protein, which dissociates and interacts with downstream effectors. Recent crystal structures have revealed inactive states of several GPCRs, but efforts to obtain an agonist-bound active-state GPCR structure have proven difficult due to the inherent instability of this state in the absence of a G protein. We generated a camelid antibody fragment (nanobody) to the human beta2-adrenergic receptor that exhibits G protein-like behavior, and obtained an agonist-bound, active-state crystal structure of the receptor-nanobody complex at 3.5 Angstrom resolution. Comparison with the inactive beta2-adrenergic receptor structure reveals subtle changes in the binding pocket, but these small changes are associated with an 11 Angstrom outward movement of the cytoplasmic end of transmembrane segment 6, and rearrangements of transmembrane segments 5 and 7 that are remarkably similar to those observed in opsin, an active form of rhodopsin. This structure provides insights into the process of agonist binding and activation of GPCRs.
On the stability of concentrates. Non-aqueous dispersions

Abstract It is demonstrated that the depth of the potential well between two colloidal particles which interact via van der Waals interactions can be minimized if they are covered with a shell of adsorbed surfactant molecules whose Hamaker constant is near to that or the liquid medium. This result is used to explain some experimental observations (I. Sushumna, R.P. Gupta and E. Ruckenstein, J. Mater. Res., 7 (1992) 2884) which indicate that long-chain fatty acids with an alkyl side chain of 5–10 carbon atoms located far from the head group of the surfactant lead to lower paste viscosities than those without side chains or with longer side alkyl chains. It is also suggested that, in concentrated suspensions, the collective interactions when the pair interaction is attractive can lead to an effective repulsion component between two neighboring particles, and that this effect may contribute to the stability of the concentrated dispersions.
Origin of the volume collapse under pressure in elemental Dy

Most lanthanide metals exhibit a volume collapse at a critical pressure Pc; for Dy this pressure is ~73 GPa. The primary mechanism responsible for the volume collapse is a matter of debate and may involve the 4/ electrons themselves or be the result of simple pressure-induced s – d transfer in the conduction electrons. Possible mechanisms involving the 4/ electron system include: (i) valence increase, (ii) 4/ band formation, and (iii) increased 4/-conduction electron hybridization leading to a Kondo volume collapse. The present high pressure resistivity experiments on the dilute magnetic alloy Y(Dy) to 114 GPa give evidence for the validity of the Kondo volume collapse model for elemental Dy.
The UV and visible spectral properties of ferritin.

Abstract The results of this investigation show that the visible and near ultraviolet extinction coefficients of the ferritin iron core increase as the content of iron per ferritin molecule increases. Additionally, the absorption spectrum of ferritin undergoes a red shift as the content of iron per molecule increases. These results suggest that use of the visible absorbance of ferritin to attempt to quantitate iron content or rate of iron exchange is subject to question. The experimentally determined coefficients of ferritin were used to calculate guidelines for the determination of the protein concentration of low-iron apoferritin or ferritin solutions by either absorbance or differential refractometry or a combination of both.
Testing multiple equality and inequality hypothesis in economics

Abstract The general case of equality and inequality hypotheses is considered and an abridged table of critical values for the test is presented.
The impact of age on computer input device use:: Psychophysical and physiological measures

Abstract This study examined the effects of aging on performance and preferences for two computer pointing devices (e.g. mouse and trackball). Participants made simple point-and-click and click-and-drag movements to targets of varying distance (96 and 192 mm) and widths (3, 6 and 12 mm). The results show that older adults (mean age=70) moved more slowly than younger adults (mean age=32), particularly for distant targets, yet their movements were less variable. No age differences were found in movement time or variable error between the two devices. EMG (RMS) recordings from the forearm flexor and extensor muscles showed no age related differences in between mouse and trackball. However, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) indicated that older adults perceived greater levels of exertion than younger adults when using the mouse during click-and-drag tasks. Given the reduced grip and pinch force of older adults, manipulation of the mouse and trackball required a greater percentage of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) compared to younger adults. In addition, the mouse requires a larger range of motion than the trackball. These findings in conjunction with the RPE results imply that the trackball may confer greater benefit for the older computer user. Relevance to industry The work force is growing older and the selection of appropriate computer input devices is important to reduce injury and improve or maintain productivity.
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins thePoint: A Review

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins's (LWW) thePoint is an access code restricted web platform that provides additional resources for students and instructors who have purchased certain print titles from LWW. It is designed for individual purchasers of LWW books rather than for libraries that have also purchased these titles. Content is available on thePoint for nursing, medical, and other health care professions. This review will discuss the accessibility of content on thePoint, explore navigation on the site, and describe in detail the available value-added features.
Low power diode laser treatment using indocyanine green for eradication of esophageal varices

Background and Study Aims: Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) is an alternative to sclerotherapy for the treatment of esophageal varices, but is associated with higher rates of recurrence and subsequent bleeding than sclerotherapy. To prevent recurrence of varices after EVL, we have developed a low-dose diode laser therapy combined with the injection of indocyanine green, which allows enhanced tissue absorption of the laser beam selectively around varices. In this study we investigated the efficacy and safety of this technique. Patients and Methods: Eight patients with F2 or F3 esophageal varices were enrolled. At 1 week after EVL, indocyanine green solution (1 mg/ml) was injected sub-mucosally around the remaining varices. A diode laser (power 10 watts) was applied to the surface from the esophagogastric junction to 5 cm above it. The spot size was kept to 5 mm in diameter. Results: Laser irradiation was performed safely, without bleeding from the varices, or perforation. There were no major complications. Endoscopy 1 month later showed F0 forms in seven patients, F1 in one patient, and no red color sign in any patient. No recurrence of varices has been observed in any of the patients during the follow-up period of at least 12 months. Conclusion: This technique may provide a simple, safe and effective procedure, as an additional treatment to EVL, for the prevention of recurrence of esophageal varices.
Gram stain results from amniocentesis in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes--comparison of maternal and fetal characteristics.

Abstract A total of 108 patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes who had undergone amniocentesis were retrospecively analyzed. Seventy-seven patients had negative amniotic fluid Gram stains and were managed expectantly. Thirty-one patients had positive amniotic fluid Gram stains confirmed by subsequent cultures and were delivered of infants on that basis. A univariate comparison of various parameters revealed significant differences in maternal temperature, pulse, and white blood cell count. Patients with positive Gram stains had lower mean gestational age, higher baseline fetal heart rate, and nonreactive fetal heart rate tracings. On the basis of a multivariate stepwise discriminate analysis, fetal heart rate >150 beats/min or nonreactive nonstress test were the best predictors of the Gram stain findings, with a sensitivity of 71 %, specificity of 76%, and negative predictive value of 87%. These data suggest that in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes and fetal tachycardia or nonreactive nonstress test, amniocentesis should be performed in the initial evaluation.
Role of Anisotropic Focal Adhesion Growth on Cellular Traction and Shape

We present findings from a two dimensional mathematical model (adapted from Stolarska et. al., 2009) of a biological cell on a soft substrate focusing on the role of anisotropic growth of focal adhesions and its effect on the cellular tractions within the substrate and subsequent changes in cell shape. The cell is modeled as a two dimensional hypoelastic continuum and the substrate as a linear elastic continuum material. The model computes the displacements at each node constituting the cell and substrate and the stresses generated within cell and on the substrate. The cell-substrate interaction is modeled as being mediated by focal adhesion complexes. The focal adhesion complexes represented by small circular regions are allowed to grow in size or shrink in response to forces acting on them. The growth and shrinkage of the complexes is modeled using the approach proposed by Besser and Safran (2006) where the mechanical forces from intracellular contraction, cell elasticity, and adhesion size are coupled by force induced conformational changes of molecular sized mechanosensors located in the focal adhesions. Further the cytoskeletal reorganizations driving the intracellular deformations are captured by an empirical active deformation tensor.References:M.A.Stolarska, Y.Kim and H.G.Othmer, Multiscale models of cell and tissue dynamics, Phil. Trans. Royal Soc., 367, pp.3525-3553, 2009.A.Besser, S.A.Safran, Force Induced Adsorption and Anisotropic growth of focal adhesions, Biophysical J, 90, pp.3469-3484, 2006.
Studies on the crystalline lens XXII. Characterization of chloride movement based on the pump-leak model

Abstract The mechanism of chloride movement into and out of cultured rabbit lenses was investigated by analyzing chloride fluxes and bioelectric potentials based on the pump-leak model of ion transport. The model envisions that ion movement occurs by passive diffusion and/or active transport and takes into account the effect of the electric as well as the chemical gradient on the rate of diffusion across the outer fiber membranes of the lens. Efflux of 36 Cl from the lens was determined and appeared to be triphasic, possibly reflecting differences in flux rates from the capsule, outer cortical fibers, and nucleus. Accumulation of 36 Cl was also measured and found to be almost identical to a theoretical curve calculated on the basis of the rate constant obtained from the second phase of the efflux (0·3 hr −1 ), assuming all movement is passive. A coefficient, α, also employed in the calculation, that adjusts for the effect of the electric gradient on the rate of diffusion, was determined from the chloride distribution ratio (concentration lens/concentration media) under approximately steady state conditions (20 hr). Alpha was evaluated independently from concentration ratios and assumptions, by measuring the bioelectric potential of another group of lenses cultured for 20 hr, and was found to agree within less than 5% of that calculated from the Nernst equation and the distribution ratio. Results of the flux experiments and agreement between bioelectric potential and distribution ratio of chloride thus all support the conclusion that this anion moves both into and out of the lens solely by passive diffusion. Agreement between values of the bioelectric potentials of lenses determined in situ and the distribution ratio based on chemical analyses made immediately after removing lenses from the globe, suggests that, as in cultured lenses, all chloride movement in vivo also takes place passively.
Increased levels of S‐adenosylmethionine in the livers of rats fed various forms of selenium

Abstract The levels of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) were determined in the livers of male weanling rats fed six different forms of selenium for five weeks. The following forms of selenium were administrated in the diet in logarithmic doses: sodium selenite, sodium selenate, sodium selenide, selenomethionine, selenocystine, and selenium sulfide. An overall increase in hepatic SAM was observed, and all compounds resulted in at least one observation where SAM was significantly elevated (p < 0.01). No dose‐response relationship was found to exist, however. A comparison of the relative toxicity of each of the selenicals was based on a dose of 10 ppm dietary selenium for each chemical form. The elevation of SAM resulting from the subchronic administration of selenium may be one mechanism involved in the well‐known chemopreventive effects in experimental models.
Culture conflict and crime in Alaskan Native villages

Indigenous peoples throughout the world are increasingly pressing their claims to land and sovereignty. Their concerns regarding political autonomy and the right to be culturally different from the dominant majority are reflected in the 1993 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as the International Labor Organization Convention No. 169 “Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries.” Many of the arguments presented by Native peoples in support of their claims revolve around issues which are contained in culture conflict theory, such as the unjust taking of lands, the imposition of alien legal, educational, and religious systems, and the effect of colonialism on Native cultures. This article explores culture conflict theory as a partial explanation for the differences found in socially disruptive behaviors reported by sixteen Alaskan Native villages, half of whom belong to the Yupiit Nation, a sovereignty movement dedicated to political autonomy for Alaskan Natives.
Cerebral vasculitis in acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis

Neurological complications in acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) have been traditionally attributed to hypertensive encephalopathy. A 9-year-old girl with biopsy-documented APSGN developed seizures at a time she was normotensive and biochemically well balanced. Computed tomography of her brain was consistent with vasculitis, a finding which was also clinically supported by apparent vasculitic involvement of other organ systems. All clinical, laboratory and radiological abnormalities resolved with recovery from the APSGN. We suggest that on rare occasions neurological complications in APSGN may result from involvement of the central nervous system in multiorgan transient vasculitis.
A new electrocardiogram marker to identify patients at low risk for ventricular tachyarrhythmias: sum magnitude of the absolute QRST integral.

Abstract Objective We proposed and tested a novel electrocardiogram marker of risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). Methods Digital orthogonal electrocardiograms were recorded at rest before implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation in 508 participants of a primary prevention ICDs prospective cohort study (mean ± SD age, 60 ± 12 years; 377 male [74%]). The sum magnitude of the absolute QRST integral in 3 orthogonal leads (SAI QRST) was calculated. A derivation cohort of 128 patients was used to define a cutoff; a validation cohort (n = 380) was used to test a predictive value. Results During a mean follow-up of 18 months, 58 patients received appropriate ICD therapies. The SAI QRST was lower in patients with VA (105.2 ± 60.1 vs 138.4 ± 85.7 mV ⁎ ms, P = .002). In the Cox proportional hazards analysis, patients with SAI QRST not exceeding 145 mV ⁎ ms had about 4-fold higher risk of VA (hazard ratio, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.96-6.71; P P = .014), whereas prediction of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion High SAI QRST is associated with low risk of sustained VA in patients with structural heart disease.
Neural mechanisms mediating the hyperthermia elicited by prostaglandin E2 injected into the preoptic-anterior hypothalamus

Abstract The neuromechanism mediating the hyperthermia induced by injection of PGE 2 into the preoptic/anterior hypothalamus (PO/AH) was investigated in the rat. Pretreatment of rats with intraperitoneal injection of atropine sulfate blocked, whereas pretreatment with atropine methyl bromide had no significant effect on the hyperthermia. In a second series of experiments, atropine sulfate was microinjected into different regions of the hypothalamus and the thalamus in an attempt to locate the central cholinergic synapses involved in the PGE 2 -induced hyperthermia. The hyperthermia was blocked by atropine injection into the dorsal/dorsomedial hypothalamic area (DH), but was not significantly affected by injection into the PO/AH, ventromedial hypothalamus, or the thalamic area above the DH. Moreover, microinjection of the cholinergic agonist carbachol (0.5 μg) into the DH could also elicit hyperthermia. Thus, our data suggest that the hyperthermia induced by PGE 2 administration into the PO/AH is mediated by a cholinergic mechanism in the DH.
1,2-Bis(methylsulfonyl)-1-(2-chloroethyl)-2-[(methylamino)carbonyl]hydrazine (VNP40101M): I. Direct inhibition of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) by electrophilic species generated by decomposition.

To investigate the interaction of the electrophilic species generated by the decomposition of the antineoplastic prodrug 1,2-bis(methylsulfonyl)-1-(2-chloroethyl)-2-[(methylamino)carbonyl]hydrazine (VNP40101M) on the ability of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) to repair alkylated O6-chloroethylguanine and/or N1,O6-ethanoguanine DNA lesions. The contributions of inhibitory electrophilic species generated from VNP40101M towards AGT was assessed using analogues that selectively generated either the chloroethylating or the carbamoylating components of VNP40101M. The activity of AGT was determined from the inhibition of crosslink formation from O6-chloroethylguanine and/or N1,O6-ethanoguanine lesions. The half-lives of sulfonylhydrazine derivatives and isocyanates were measured using an acidification assay which gives a change in absorbance proportional to the release or consumption of small quantities of protons. Both of the reactive components produced by VNP40101M directly inactivated cloned human AGT; the carbamoylating moiety (IC50 about 13 μM) was approximately seven- to eight-fold more potent than the alkylating component(s) (IC50 about 100 μM). These inhibitory actions were moderated by the addition of naked T5 bacteriophage DNA. Thus, AGT bound to DNA was markedly more resistant than free AGT to these electrophilic species. DNA also blocked the spontaneous loss of AGT activity which occurred upon incubation of this protein under mild conditions. The reaction of AGT with the methyl isocyanate generated from the decomposition of VNP40101M increased the net number of crosslinks generated by VNP40101M compared to a sulfonylhydrazine prodrug that formed the equivalent alkylating species in the absence of the cogeneration of methyl isocyanate. These actions may be of significance to the antineoplastic activity of VNP40101M.
Longitudinal magnetoresistance of pure copper

Pippard suggested that the longitudinal magnetoresistance for metal crystals should give information about electronic scattering mechanisms on the Fermi surface. Therefore we have determined the magnetoresistance saturation ratio (R{B=saturation}/R{B=0}) for copper crystals of different orientations at varying temperatures in order to test several hypotheses concerning the anisotropy of mean-free-paths and the validity of diffusion or relaxation-time approximations. The temperature dependence of the saturation ratios along the 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 directions has been determined from 4 to 35°K. Near 35°K experimental ratios are well below theoretical values calculated using even wide (5 to 1) variations for the mean-free-path. As the temperature decreases from 35°K and the average scattering angle decreases, the ratio rises as would be expected from an approach to the diffusion approximation, but then decreases again as impurity scattering, which would be expected to be more isotropic, begins to dominate.
The basic RNA-binding domain of HIV-2 Tat contributes to preferential trans-activation of a TAR2-containing LTR

Human immunodeficiency viruses HIV-1 and HIV-2 encode a Tat protein that trans-activates the respective viral genome through RNA targets (TAR1 and TAR2). Tat-1 and Tat-2 have considerable homology. However, an interesting biological observation has been that Tat-1 activates the HIV-1 and HIV-2 LTRs equally while Tat-2 activates the former, in comparison to the latter, poorly. Here, we present evidence that it is the TAR2 RNA target together with the basic RNA-binding protein domain of Tat-2 that dictate this non-reciprocity in trans-activation.