cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sorting-free utilization of semiconducting carbon nanotubes for large thermoelectric responses

Abstract Semiconducting carbon nanotubes (s-CNTs) are promising organic thermoelectric materials mainly due to their large thermopower (or Seebeck coefficient), but it is impractical to pick only s-CNTs out of a mixture of different chirality tubes in mass-produced CNTs. Here we report a sorting-free method for getting the large thermopower by suppressing electronic transport from metallic CNT (m-CNT). This study employed an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) configuration where poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) channel was disposed between two separated CNT films. Based on the experimentally constructed band diagrams and theoretical estimation, the PEDOT:PSS channel could create energy barriers for abating the contribution of m-CNT to thermopower as well as injecting holes to CNT films. As the gate bias voltage was raised up to 20 V, thermopower was noticeably increased, resulting in the maximum power factor. For practical applications without an externally supplied bias voltage, nanoscale PEDOT:PSS were deposited on top of one end of CNT films for the out-of-plane hole transport, and then PEDOT:PSS was chemically de-doped to adjust the Fermi level like the OECT experiment. With six CNT-PEDOT connections, the thermopower was raised up to ~150 μV/K and a remarkably high PF was obtained up to ~1.3 × 103 μW/m-K2 at room temperature, which is ~460% improvement compared with that of pristine CNT and is comparable to those of inorganic counterparts. This study provides not only better understanding of thermoelectric behaviors for organic thermoelectric materials, but also a practical method for suppressing the electronic transport from m-CNT, which would be widely applicable to other organic materials for thermoelectrics and beyond.
Glucose Levels during the First 24 Hours following Perinatal Hypoxia.

Objective Hypoglycemia is a significant risk factor for perinatal brain injury and adverse outcomes, particularly in infants requiring resuscitation following hypoxic ischemic (HI) insult. We aimed to study blood glucose (BG) levels in physiologically stressed infants in the presence or absence of epinephrine (Epi) administration at resuscitation in the first 24 hours after birth. Study Design A retrospective chart review of all infants with heart rate (HR) Results By design, infants in the Epi group had lower cord pH and higher base deficit. BG was significantly lower overtime in premature infants ≤32 weeks of gestation in the Epi group. The BG was markedly higher in near-term and term infants in the Epi group compared with the PPV group. Hypoglycemia was more common despite administration of higher GIR in premature infants ≤32 weeks of gestation. Conclusion In the presence of physiological stress, premature infants are more at risk for hypoglycemia than term infants.
Integrin-dependent regulation of the endothelial barrier.

The endothelium physically separates blood from surrounding tissue and yet allows for the regulated passage of nutrients, waste, and leukocytes into and out of the circulation. Trans-endothelium fl...
“Distressing” Situations and Differentiated Interventions: Preservice Teachers’ Imagined Futures With Trans and Gender-Creative Students

Background/ContextTeachers can help ensure trans and gender-creative students’ opportunity for, and equal access to, education, yet the field of educational research has just begun to explore how t...
Combined Inhibition of p38MAPK and PIKfyve Synergistically Disrupts Autophagy to Selectively Target Cancer Cells.

In nutrient-poor conditions, autophagy buffers metabolic stress and counteracts the effects of chemotherapy and radiation on cancer cells, which depend on autophagy for survival. However, clinical trials targeting autophagy have failed to produce successful anti-cancer treatments using currently available inhibitors. Recent studies have shown that PIKfyve kinase inhibitors disrupt lysosome function in autophagy and can selectively kill certain cancer cells. Analysis of biochemical changes caused by PIKfyve inhibition revealed that resistant cells contain significantly higher levels of cellular p38MAPK protein and phosphorylation. Expression of the lysosomal LAMP2 protein carrying phosphomimetic mutations of the p38MAPK phosphorylation sites prevented all effects caused by PIKfyve inhibition-induced lysosome dysfunction. Thus, the activation of p38MAPK in response to PIKfyve inhibition revealed a novel compensatory role in maintaining lysosome function in autophagy. The functional cooperation between the cellular PIKfyve and p38MAPK pathways in regulating lysosome homeostasis was especially important in cancer cells. Combined inhibition of PIKfyve and p38MAPK activities synergistically blocked autophagy-mediated protein degradation, prevented cathepsin maturation, and markedly reduced the viability of multiple cancer cell types without affecting the viability of normal cells. Furthermore, combined PIKfyve and p38MAPK inhibitors synergistically reduced tumor growth in mice bearing xenografts of human colorectal adenocarcinoma, suggesting a novel way to target cancer cells by prolonged inhibition of autophagy using lower drug concentrations.
Do hosts of avian brood parasites discriminate parasitic vs. predatory threats? A meta-analysis

Abstract Many animals have evolved fine-tuned enemy recognition (the ability to discriminate between threat types) and respond to threats based on their particular impact on survival and/or fitness. Birds represent an important and tractable behavioral study system to explore hypotheses of enemy recognition in detail: in addition to predation risk to adult and nest survival, up to 17% of avian species also face reproductive threats from brood parasitism, whereby parasites lay their eggs in other species' nests. While nest predation is detrimental to progeny fitness throughout the reproductive cycle, brood parasitism can carry different costs depending on the host's nest stage and whether the host rejects parasitic eggs or chicks. We conducted a literature review and a formal meta-analysis of studies that conducted model presentation experiments to compare aggression levels of hosts toward brood parasites vs. predators, and synthesized up-to-date findings on such avian enemy recognition patterns. We focused on whether hosts are more aggressive toward brood parasites during the high-cost laying and incubation stages compared to the low-cost nestling stage, whereas responses to nest predators were predicted to be consistently strong or even increasing toward latter nesting stages. We also evaluated whether these front-loaded defenses prior to the brood parasite's access to nests are modulated by hosts' foreign egg ejection responses (accepters vs. rejecters), brood parasitic offspring strategy (nestmate-evictors vs. nest-sharers), and host-brood parasite geographic overlap (sympatry vs. allopatry). As predicted, hosts responded more aggressively toward models of brood parasites during the laying and incubation stages compared to the nestling stage. In turn, host aggression toward nest predators increased in intensity level during the nestling stage. We also found support that host type mediates anti-brood parasitic responses, in that accepters were generally more aggressive to brood parasites than rejecters. We did not find evidence that geographic overlap significantly affected anti-parasitic responses, but we did find differences based on the brood parasite's nestling strategies (evictor vs. non-evictor). These findings indicate that avian hosts of brood parasites make adaptive decisions regarding costly nest defensive behaviors to protect their offspring depending on the type and cost of the threat.
Prevalence of Venous Thromboembolism Following Acute Spinal Cord Injury in an Urban Inner City Hospital.

ABSTRACT Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is known to occur at high rates in patients who suffer spinal cord injury (SCI). Large population studies in the United States have shown a prevalence of approximately 4–5%, with some studies suggesting higher prevalence. While the specific mechanism behind increased VTE incidence in the SCI population is unknown, it is likely tied to immobility and functional decline. Previous studies have also linked social determinants of health to higher VTE prevalence in certain populations. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of VTE after acute SCI in the inner urban city population and to identify factors that place patients at increased VTE risk. Methods: Patients who suffered SCI between 2014 and 2019 were identified from one inner city urban hospital. A retrospective chart review was completed to record the development of VTE after SCI. Medical comorbidities, type of thromboprophylaxis used, patient demographics, injury characteristics, and postinjury sequelae were compared between individuals who did and did not develop VTE. Results: A total of 148 patients were included. These patients were from a low socioeconomic demographic when compared with the larger US population. Average household income based on zip code data for included patients was $56 647, $30 315 below the national average. The prevalence of VTE in this patient population was 19.59%. Weight, deep vein thrombosis history, chemoprophylaxis use, mobility impairment postinjury, neurologic level of SCI, malignancy history, and history of smokeless tobacco were associated with VTE (all P Conclusion: Patients from our urban inner city hospital have a higher VTE prevalence after SCI than shown in previous US-based studies. These patients may be at increased risk due to increased numbers of medical comorbidities, social factors, or undiagnosed medical conditions. Thromboprophylaxis with LMWH appears to lower the risk of VTE after SCI. Level of Evidence: 3. Clinical Relevance: Patients with the previously mentioned risk factors are at increased risk for VTE development during their acute recovery process. These patients should have a much lower screening threshold for VTE evaluation and likely would benefit from more routine screening to prevent complications related to VTE development or progression. Furthermore, these patients should, when medically appropriate, be treated with low molecular weight heparin for VTE prophylaxis as previously recommended by the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine.
Empowering prosthesis users with a hip exoskeleton

A phase 1 trial shows the feasibility of a novel approach combining a powered hip exoskeleton with a passive leg prosthesis to improve the energy efficiency of walking.
Representation, Deflationism, and the Question of Realism

How can we distinguish between quasi-realist expressivism and normative realism? The most promising answer to this question is the “explanation” explanation proposed by Dreier (2004), Simpson (2018), and others: the two views might agree in their claims about truth and objectivity, or even in their attributions of semantic content to normative sentences, but they disagree about how to explain normative meaning. Realists explain meaning by invoking normative facts and properties, or representational relations between normative language and the world, the thought goes, while expressivists appeal instead to desire-like mental states in their explanations of meaning. However, I argue that, if we adopt a deflationary approach to representation and other related notions, there need be no such explanatory divide between expressivism and anything recognizable as a plausible notion of normative realism. Any alleged explanatory criterion for realism will either be incompatible with deflationism, or it will fail to capture some standard versions of normative realism. I conclude that, in a deflationary framework, expressivism is compatible with genuine realism.
Disorders of Renal Tubular Transport Processes

The glomeruli of individuals with normal renal function deliver, on an average, about 180 liters of plasma ultrafiltrate to the nephrons each day. Included in this vast volume of filtrate are 25,000 mEq of sodium, 4300 mEq of bicarbonate, 700 mEq of potassium, 180 g of glucose, and 10 g of calcium. Indeed, for many of the constituents of the glomerular ultrafiltrate, such as water and sodium, the daily filtered load greatly exceeds the total body content of these substances. One of the primary functions of the nephron, then, is to reabsorb the bulk of the water and solutes presented to it. This process, involving the regulated actions of a wide variety of both active and passive transport pathways proceeding in spatially discrete segments of the nephron, results in a final urine that contains only a small fraction of the original volume and of certain solutes, while other solutes may be present in higher content than in the original glomerular filtrate. That is, certain solutes are avidly absorbed by the nephron while others may undergo net secretion. It also must be emphasized that the resorptive and secretory processes in the kidney are under strict physiologic regulation.
Current Saturation Mechanisms in Junction Field-Effect Transistors*

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the current saturation mechanisms in junction field-effect transistors (JFET). A JFET is an active semiconductor triode in which the current is primarily carried by the majority carriers. An n -channel JFET consists of a lightly doped n -type channel sandwiched between two heavily doped p -type gate layers. The drain current flows parallel to the metallurgical gate junctions that are reversely biased. The reverse bias across the p-n junctions depletes free carriers from the channel and produces space-charge regions extending into the channel. Under the current saturation condition, the electric field along the channel near the drain is comparable to the field normal to the channel. This two-dimensional field distribution violates the gradual channel approximation that assumes negligible electric field along the direction of the channel. The finite channel model provides a path for current flow after saturation that avoids the difficulty in the depleted channel model. The chapter also states that space-charge-limited current is physically realizable in very short JFET structures that produce triode-like characteristics.
Using graphics programs to help students understand strain

Abstract Commercially-available computer graphics programs can be effectively used to help students overcome their inaccurate expecta-tions of what happens during deformation of objects by homogeneous pure and simple shear. Many computer graphics packages allow stu-dents to draw an object on the screen and then to distort the object using commands that are the equivalents of pure shear and simple shear. As students create and deform objects, they develop a better visual under-standing of 1) the behavior of lines and angles during strain, 2) the differences between pure and simple shear, and 3) the significance of the principal directions of strain. Once students have developed an accurate intuitive understanding of strain, they can go on to tackle strain analysis armed with an arsenal of accurate visual images on which to rely as they work through the quantitative aspects of strain.
Electronic Commerce: State of the Art

There is a revolution transforming the global economy. Web technology is transforming all business activities into information-based. The rate of technological change is so rapid that emerging electronic commerce already is making fundamental changes in the economic landscape, affecting every aspect of how business is and will be conducted. The Web has extended the reach of corporations. New business opportunities are growing incrementally because of the vast amount of business information made available by the global Web, which helps bring together the information passed between businesses, between a business and its customers, and among different departments of a business. It will no longer be possible operationally or strategically to ignore the information-based virtual value chains for any business. This chapter reviews the scope, current applications, and the potentials of electronic commerce. It also develops a framework for identifying the significant opportunities and important research issues associated with electronic commerce. The emphasis is on taking an interdisciplinary view that integrates technology and business models.
Aromatic substitution by n-arylhydroxylamines—I : Formation of 8-amino-5,8′-iminobis(6-methoxyquinoline) by an intermolecular aromatic nitrene insertion reaction

Abstract Thermolysis of 8-hydroxylamino-6-methoxyquinoline at 65° in methanol gave 8-amino-5,8′-iminobis(6-methoxyquinoline), the same product being formed by thermolysis of 8-azido-6-methoxyquinoline as well as by deoxygenation of 6-methoxy-8-nitroquinoline with triethylphosphite in the presence of 8-amino-6-methoxyquinoline. Solvent effects were also consistent with the involvement of a nitrenoid species in these intermolecular aromatic substitutons. 8-Hydroxylaminoquinoline behaved in an analogous fashion but no iminobis compound was obtained from the corresponding 6-hydroxylaminoquinoline, indicating an internal interaction of the ring N atom with the 8-hydroxylamino function. Thermolysis of 8-hydroxylamino-6-methoxyquinoline in the presence of amines gave rise to o -diamines reconcilable with a nitrene intermediate.
Environmental and Developmental Regulation of Trypsin Inhibitor Activity in Brassica napus

We examined several environmental and developmental influences on trypsin inhibitor (TI) activity in leaves of young Brassica napus seedlings in a series of greenhouse experiments. In seedlings of B. napus cv. Westar, TI activity is constitutively present and exhibits a rise then fall through time in the first true leaves of young plants. TI activity is induced by wounding in the first true leaves, but the degree of induction is relatively insensitive to the degree of wounding over a gradient of 5–15% of leaf area damage. TI activity is enhanced in first true leaves of plants in which the cotyledons have been wounded relative to plants in which the cotyledons have not been wounded. TI activity is also enhanced in the second true leaves on plants in which the first true leaves have been wounded. The degree of systemic induction in second true leaves declines additively with plant age, but local induction in the first true leaves is not affected by age. In B. napus cv. Gido, TI activity is constitutively present but is not locally wound-inducible in first true leaves of young plants exposed to the same wounding gradient as cv. Westar. In unwounded plants at the six-leaf stage, TI activity is higher in second true leaves than in fifth true leaves, indicating that TI activity is developmentally regulated in this cultivar.
Intranasal Immunization with CTL Epitope Peptides from HIV-1 or Ovalbumin and the Mucosal Adjuvant Cholera Toxin Induces Peptide-Specific CTLs and Protection Against Tumor Development in Vivo

To evaluate the ability of mucosal immunization protocols using peptide immunogens to induce CTL responses, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were immunized intranasally (i.n.) with peptides corresponding to a known CTL epitope in HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 or OVA, respectively, and the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin (CT). Intranasal immunization of BALB/c mice with a 10- or 15-amino acid peptide corresponding to a CTL determinant in HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 and CT induced peptide-specific CTLs in spleen cells that persisted through 35 days after the last immunization. Intranasal immunization of C57BL/6 mice with the octameric OVA peptide and CT produced similar results with detectable peptide-specific CTL in both the cervical lymph node and spleen. To test whether CTL induced by i.n. immunization with OVA peptide and CT were functional in vivo, groups of C57BL/6 mice were injected with E.G7-OVA tumor cells that express the OVA protein and monitored for tumor growth. Animals immunized i.n. with OVA and CT were protected against tumor development as efficiently as animals immunized by the potent CTL induction protocol of i.v. injection with OVA-pulsed dendritic cells. Intranasal immunization with peptides corresponding to known CTL epitopes and CT provides a noninvasive route of immunization for the induction of CTL responses in vivo.
Warmed diluent speeds dantrolene reconstitution

To define more completely the aqueous solubility of dantrolene in order to devise faster reconstitution techniques for use during malignant hyperthermia episodes. To determine Beer’s law compliance and the extinction coefficient, we measured the spectrophotometric absorbance at 385 nm of known dantrolene solutions. We added small aliquots of sterile water USP (pH 5.3; 15–40°C) or buffered water (20°C; pH 6.8–9.1) to dantrolene, mechanically agitated and filtered the solutions, and spectrophotometrically determined concentration, To simulate clinical reconstitution conditions, we added sterile water, 60 mL, at temperatures between 15 and 40°C to dantrolene vials and measured the manual shaking time needed to create a) a suspension of small particles, and b) a clear solution. A plot of UV-vis absorbance at 385 nm vs dantrolene concentration was linear and went through the origin; the extinction coefficient is 16.1 mM−1 At 20°C, dantrolene is nearly insoluble below pH 8.8, Dantrolene is 2.8 times more soluble in 0.1 M THAM (tris-(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane) than in sterile water at pH 9.1, Dantrolene is 6.7 times more soluble in 40°Cthan in 20°C water at pH 9.5 (the pH of reconstituted dantrolene). Under clinical conditions, water temperature altered the time to create a clear solution but not a suspension (60 sec). Diluting dantrolene with 40°C water rather than operating-room temperature water (20°C or below) would speed dantrolene reconstitution.
Social identity construction of Muslim women: A case study

While the number of Muslim college students in increasing, (Rasheed Ali & Bagheri, 2009), many are facing a severe misunderstanding of their faith that has been further distorted since 9/11 (Afridi & Carnegie Corp. of New York, 2001). This qualitative study focused on understanding the personal and religious experiences of four Muslim women in the context of a large research university in the Midwest United States. Using Siedman’s (1991) three-interview series, all participants were interviewed three times as the primary means of data collection. Based on analysis of the collected data, three themes emerged as central to the participants’ experiences: the role of prayer is varied but important, the influence of family in religious identity and expression, and the impact of environments on students’ experiences and identity. The findings from this study provide examples and stories that will allow student affairs professionals and faculty members to better understand Muslim students. The findings from this study also lead to implications for creating inclusive learning environments for all students.
Ontology-based geospatial XML query system

This demo illustrates querying heterogeneous geospatial data over the Web. The Geospatial community is in the process of developing Web sites that enable coordinated access to geospatial data. A new example is the Federal government's Geospatial One-Stop portal [GOS03]. The purpose of this Federal initiative is to have all geospatial data accessible from one site. There are many other examples of geospatial Web sites including the Wisconsin Land Information System [WLISsite] and the Alexandria Digital Library project [ADL]. These Web sites allow keyword search of data sets but do not have a query capability for full data manipulation nor do they accommodate heterogeneous data.
Efficient implementations of java remote method invocation (RMI)

Java and the Remote Method Invocation (RMI) mechanism supported by it make it easy to build distributed applications and services in a heterogeneous environment. When the applications are interactive and require low response time, efficient implementations of RMI are needed. We explore both transport level protocols as well as object caching in the RMI framework to meet the performance requirements of interactive applications. We have developed a prototype system that offers new transport protocols and allows objects to be cached at client nodes. We describe the design issues and the implementation choices made in the prototype along with some preliminary performance results.
Exploring the origin of charging-induced pattern positioning errors in mask making using e-beam lithography

The authors present a detailed observation of the charge-induced pattern positioning errors (CIPPEs) in a variableshape e-beam writer on an opaque-MoSi-over-glass (OMOG) mask by directly measuring the pattern shifts using a mask registration tool. The CIPPEs are found to have one short-range, that is exponentially decaying in space, and the other constant offset components. The exponential term that decays slowly in time, whereas the constant offset fast diminishes. By applying a charge dissipation layer (CDL), the authors experimentally verify that the exponential component results from the charges in resist. On the other hands, the constant offset that can not be eliminated by the CDL is speculated to be charges in the substrate according to the Monte Carlo simulation.
A Rhetoric of Style, Barry Brummett

Looking back at a few memorable moments during the 2008 presidential primary campaign, Barry Brummett describes a discussion over whether a sweater Senator John McCain wore was “gay” as well as a c...
Schuler pumping of inertial velocity errors due to gravity anomalies along a popular North Pacific airway

Gravity anomalies have long been a major error source for high precision inertial navigation, but were thought to have a minimal effect on the performance of the less precise inertial navigation systems used for commercial air transport. For the most part that is true. However, there are isolated areas where gravity anomalies are so significant that they become the dominant error source even for a commercial air transport inertial system. One such area, the Kuril trench, lies directly along a popular North Pacific airway. The anomalies along this airway not only are very large but vary in such a way as to Schuler pump the inertial velocity errors when flying at cruising speed. This paper describes the results of a recent night test program which led to the discovery of the unique variations along this airway.
Renal Allograft Failure Due to Emphysematous Pyelonephritis: Successful Non-Operative Management and Proposed New Classification Scheme Based on Literature Review

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare necrotizing infection of the kidney caused by gas-forming organisms, usually occurs in diabetic patients, and often requires nephrectomy for effective therapy. EPN is rarely reported in renal allografts, with only 20 cases found in the English literature. We report herein a case of EPN in a transplanted kidney resulting in acute renal failure and sepsis. The patient was managed non-operatively with subsequent recovery of renal allograft function. Based on this experience and a review of the literature, we suggest an amended classification system for EPN in kidney transplantation to plan and guide treatment options accordingly. However, the scarcity of this disease process, coupled with the lack of prospective validation of the new classification scheme, prevents drawing definitive conclusions regarding optimal management strategies including the role and timing of allograft nephrectomy.
Alternate routes of invasion may affect pathogenesis of Salmonella typhimurium in swine.

Transmission of Salmonella typhimurium in swine is traditionally believed to occur by the fecal-oral route, with invasion through the intestinal wall and Peyer's patches. However, involvement of the upper respiratory tract may be equally important. An esophagotomy was performed on 6- to 8-week-old pigs. Esophagotomized pigs were challenged intranasally with 10(9) CFU of S. typhimurium cells and necropsied at 3, 6, 12, and 18 h postinoculation (p.i.). By 3 h p.i., S. typhimurium was recovered from cecum, colon, head, and thoracic tissues and from the middle ileum involving a large number of Peyer's patches. The ileocolic lymph nodes and ileocolic junction were not positive for S. typhimurium until 6 and 12 h p.i., respectively. Additional pigs were inoculated transthoracically with 10(9) CFU of S. typhimurium and necropsied at 3 and 18 h p.i. By 3 h p.i., all tissues were positive for S. typhimurium. Tonsil explants seeded with 10(9) CFU of S. typhimurium indicated that within 6 h p.i., S. typhimurium was located within the tonsilar crypts. These data show that after intranasal inoculation, S. typhimurium rapidly appears in the gut tissues and suggest that the tonsils and lung may be important sites for invasion and dissemination of Salmonella species.
Addressing the Problem of Cultural Anchoring An Identity-Based Model of Culture in Action

One of the primary challenges in the study of culture and action is determining which cultural elements “anchor” (or influence) other elements. Notable attempts to address this problem include tool kit theory and dual-process models of culture and action. Insightful as these efforts are, they do not adequately explain action that crosscuts contexts, in part because they do not detail the specific types of cultural content that matter. This article draws on identity theory from sociological social psychology and a variety of perspectives from cultural sociology to propose an identity-based model of culture in action that begins to address these shortcomings. Past research supports the theory’s major claims, although additional work is required to fully verify the proposed sequence of situated action.
Expression of c-myc protooncogene in rat lens cells during development, maturation and reversal of galactose cataracts.

It is well established that normal patterns of epithelial cell proliferation and metabolism, and of fiber cell differentiation and maturation are essential for the maintenance of transparency in the ocular lens. Several factors, including exposure to high levels of sugars, have been known to result in the compromise of lens transparency. For example, initiation of lens cell damage by galactose induces lens epithelial cells to proliferate. Elevated levels of c-myc mRNA have usually been correlated with rapid cell growth and increased entry of cells into the S phase. Therefore, changes in c-myc mRNA levels may provide an early indication of the stimulation of lens epithelial cells to proliferate and differentiate, which has been postulated to be an early and important event in response to lens cell injury by galactose. By Northern blot hybridization analysis we quantitated c-myc mRNA levels in the lens capsule epithelia of rats (1) exposed to galactose, and (2) undergoing a partial recovery from the galactose-induced cell damage. At the onset of lens cell damage, we find c-myc mRNA to elevate to 6-fold by 24 hr, and by 48 hr decreases to about 3-fold the normal levels. During recovery, c-myc mRNA continues to be expressed at high levels approaching a 10-fold increase by day 12, then decreasing to levels of about 8-fold the control by day 30. The 24 h transitory elevation in c-myc mRNA in lens epithelial cells is in accord with our previous observations on the 24 h increase in MP26, γcrystallin and aldose reductase mRNAs following a high influx of galactose. Therefore, the elevation in c-myc mRNA as well suggest that galactose appears to cause lens cells to undergo an early transitory period of gene induction following the exposure of lens cells to galactose.
On the randomness of pulsar nulls

Pulsar nulling is not always a random process; most pulsars, in fact, null non-randomly. The Wald-Wolfowitz statistical runs test is a simple diagnostic that pulsar astronomers can use to identify pulsars that have non-random nulls. It is not clear at this point how the dichotomy in pulsar nulling randomness is related to the underlying nulling phenomenon, but its nature suggests that there are at least two distinct reasons that pulsars null.
Massive quark scattering at strong coupling from AdS/CFT

We extend the analysis of Alday and Maldacena for obtaining gluon scattering amplitudes at strong coupling to include external massive quark states. Our quarks are actually the N=2 hypermultiplets which arise when D7-brane probes are included in the AdS{sub 5}xS{sup 5} geometry. We work in the quenched approximation, treating the N=2 matter multiplets as external sources coupled to the N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills fields. We first derive appropriate massive-particle boundary conditions for the string scattering world sheets. We then find an exact world sheet which corresponds to the scattering of two massive quarks and two massless gluons and extract from this the associated scattering amplitude. We also find the world sheet and amplitude for the scattering of four massive quarks. Our world sheet solutions reduce to the four massless gluon solution of Alday and Maldacena in the limit of zero quark mass. The amplitudes we compute can also be interpreted in terms of 2-2 scattering involving gluons and massive W bosons.
Anomalous near-field heat transfer between a cylinder and a perforated surface.

We predict that the near-field radiative heat-transfer rate between a cylinder and a perforated surface depends nonmonotonically on their separation. This anomalous behavior, which arises due to evanescent-wave effects, is explained using a heuristic model based on the interaction of a dipole with a plate. We show that nonmonotonicity depends not only on geometry and temperature but also on material dispersion---for micron and submicron objects, nonmonotonicity is present in polar dielectrics but absent in metals with small skin depths.
Treatment of functional diarrhea

Functional diarrhea (FD), one of the functional gastrointestinal disorders, is characterized by chronic or recurrent diarrhea not explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities. The treatment of FD is intimately associated with establishing the correct diagnosis. First, FD needs to be distinguished from diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), in which, unlike in FD, abdominal pain is a primary diagnostic criterion. Next, FD must be differentiated from the myriad organic causes of chronic diarrhea. Unlike IBS, in which a positive diagnosis can be made with an acceptable level of confidence using symptom-based criteria and minimal testing, the diagnosis of FD is still primarily a diagnosis of exclusion. Thus, the onus is on the physician to eliminate potential underlying causes, both common and uncommon, in the proper clinical setting. Once the diagnosis has been established, the clinician and patient should first focus on identifying, eliminating, and/or treating aggravating factors. These may include physiologic factors (eg, small bowel bacterial overgrowth), psychological factors (eg, stress and anxiety), and dietary factors (eg, carbohydrate malabsorption). Thereafter, appropriate treatment for functional diarrhea may be instituted. Treatment options include dietary and lifestyle modification, pharmacologic therapies, and alternative modalities. Although many of these strategies have been studied in IBS, almost none of them has been examined specifically in FD. Furthermore, given the poorly understood pathophysiologic basis of FD, these treatments primarily target a patient's symptoms and presumed altered physiology rather than underlying etiologic mechanisms. Therefore, we stress that treatment must be approached in an individualized manner and that dietary and pharmacologic therapies should be part of a comprehensive therapeutic approach in which education and reassurance form the foundation. In general, we attempt to remove dietary triggers and recommend increased fiber intake. We then add anticholinergic, antispasmodic, antimotility, and antidiarrheal agents as the first line of pharmacotherapy. Should a patient not respond to these, and for patients who have a significant degree of psychological dysfunction, central acting agents, including antidepressants and/or anxiolytics, may be beneficial. During the treatment period, we also recommend that physicians keep an open mind. If signs or symptoms that suggest an ongoing or previously unrecognized organic process develop, then a re-evaluation of the clinical picture is indicated.
The risk of Parkinson disease associated with urate in a community-based cohort of older adults.

Background/Aims: Studies suggest an inverse association between urate concentration and the risk of Parkinson disease (PD). We investigated this in the Cardiovascular Health Study i
Interaction of human hemoglobin and its variants with agar

In citrate agar electrophoresis hemoglobin appears to bind reversibly to the sulfated polysaccharide agaropectin, a natural component of Difco Bacto-Agar. This complex migrates anodally, since the hemoglobin is only weakly positively charged at pH 6.2 whereas the carbohydrate carries a net negative charge. Electroendosmosis, on the other hand, proceeds in the cathodal direction. These opposing fluxes separate the hemoglobins in the order of their affinity for agaropectin. An agaropectin binding site was identified on hemoglobin by computer-assisted modeling, and the relation of the site to hemoglobin variants that exhibit abnormal citrate agar mobility was established. The citrate anion is postulated to function as a "counter ion." Preliminary evidence indicates that agaropectin has antigelling properties with respect to hemoglobin S.
Fundamentals of Cardipmetabolic Risk Factor Reduction: Achieving and Maintaining Weight Loss with Pharmacotherapy or Bariatric Surgery

Obesity is a major health problem in the United States and many other countries because of its high prevalence and causal relationship with serious medical comorbidities. The therapeutic options currently available to help obese patients lose weight are: (1) therapeutic lifestyle change (behavioral, dietary, and physical activity modification); (2) pharmacotherapy; and (3) bariatric surgery. Lifestyle modification is the first therapeutic choice; however, achieving a successful long-term weight loss with lifestyle intervention alone is difficult. There is increasing interest, therefore, in the use of pharmacotherapy and surgery to treat obesity. Although there are a number of antiobesity medications available, the only medications approved in the United States for long-term treatment of obesity are sibutramine and orlistat. Use of these medications results in 3% to 5% more weight loss compared with placebo after 1 year. Bariatric surgery is an effective weight loss option for obese patients, but it is restricted to patients who are considered morbidly obese (ie, with a body mass index [BMI] ≥40 kg/m2 or a BMI of 35-39.9 kg/m2 with ≥1 severe obesity-related medical complication).
Perception of Environmental Modifiability and Involvement in Antipollution Activities

Summary Members of an antipollution group were significantly less optimistic about the possibilities of cleaning up the environment than Nonmembers. Members expressed views that indicated that they were less in favor of technological means to lessen pollution and believed restoration of the environment would be difficult.
Effect of Cobalt Particle Size on the Catalyst Intrinsic Activity for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis

The active sites for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis are surface cobalt metal atoms. In order to obtain a high dispersion for reaction, ultra-small cobalt clusters (e.g., 1 nm) were supported on KL-zeolite using a chemical vapor deposition procedure. A Pt promoter was added to facilitate reduction of the cobalt oxide species. Upon activation in hydrogen, a high dispersion was obtained, but after exposure to realistic FT conditions in a pressurized continuously stirred tank reactor reactor, XANES and EXAFS results indicate that the fine cobalt clusters were susceptible to reoxidation, resulting in adverse activity and selectivity (30–37 % CH4 and 3.5–4.0 % CO2 on a C% basis).
The wind directions of the pleistocene dunes near Essaouira, Morocco

Abstract The dominant easterly and the westerly wind directions observed in the dune section exposed south of Essaouiria, Morocco, are interpreted as reflecting formation during a time characterized by a greater north-south seasonal displacement of the Azores High. It is further suggested that this is more characteristic of a cold rather than a warm period in the Early Pleistocene.
Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Incidental and Clinically Suspected Venous Thromboembolism in Lung Cancer Patients

Abstract Background It is unclear what proportion of VTE events in lung cancer patients are incidentally discovered and whether incidental events affect mortality. Patients and Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of lung cancer patients seen at the University of Rochester between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008 with the goal of quantifying and characterizing VTE events. Multiple clinical variables and mortality outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards. Results The study population consisted of 207 subjects with lung cancer. The median age was 66 years and 55% were female (n = 115). Thirty-one patients (14.9%) experienced at least 1 VTE event with 32.2% (10/31) of these incidentally discovered. Incidental events comprised 29.4% (n = 5) of pulmonary embolisms, 11.1% (n = 2) of deep vein thrombosis, and 100% (n = 3) of visceral events. The median survival for patients with incidental VTE was 23.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.8-32.1) compared with 45.8 months (95% CI, 34.1-56.8) in patients without VTE (HR 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2-4.9; P = .01), but in a subgroup analysis of stage IV patients overall survival was not significantly different (HR, 0.94; P = .33). Patients with clinically suspected VTE had the lowest median survival at 13.1 months (95% CI, 6.4-18.9) which was significantly lower than patients without VTE (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.6-4.5; P = .002), but not significantly different from patients with incidental VTE (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.4-2.0; P = .7). In multivariate analysis, occurrence of VTE (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3-3.8; P = .002) was significantly associated with mortality when adjusting for age, stage, and histology. Conclusions One-third of VTE events in lung cancer patients are incidentally discovered and VTE has negative clinical effect in lung cancer patients.
Spinal cord regeneration in a tail autotomizing urodele

Adult urodele amphibians possess extensive regenerative abilities, including lens, jaws, limbs, and tails. In this study, we examined the cellular events and time course of spinal cord regeneration in a species, Plethodon cinereus, that has the ability to autotomize its tail as an antipredator strategy. We propose that this species may have enhanced regenerative abilities as further coadaptations with this antipredator strategy. We examined the expression of nestin, vimentin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) after autotomy as markers of neural precursor cells and astroglia; we also traced the appearance of new neurons using 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine/neuronal nuclei (BrdU/NeuN) double labeling. As expected, the regenerating ependymal tube was a major source of new neurons; however, the spinal cord cranial to the plane of autotomy showed significant mitotic activity, more extensive than what is reported for other urodeles that cannot autotomize their tails. In addition, this species shows upregulation of nestin, vimentin, and GFAP within days after tail autotomy; further, this expression is upregulated within the spinal cord cranial to the plane of autotomy, not just within the extending ependymal tube, as reported in other urodeles. We suggest that enhanced survival of the spinal cord cranial to autotomy allows this portion to participate in the enhanced recovery and regeneration of the spinal cord.
The influences of ghostwriting on rhetorical criticism

Ghostwriters are here to stay, but their relationship to political speakers and their messages is largely ignored by rhetorical critics. The ghostwriter is a variable in the political process, and a critic who analyzes and evaluates political messages should not overlook the inputs of ghosts who influence both speakers and messages. Critics willing to do the difficult investigation required to find out about the influences of ghosts may write more interesting and more insightful analyses and evaluations.
Pulmonary function in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

The purpose of this study was to examine lung function and bronchodilator responsiveness in infants with a history of prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), using the raised volume rapid thoracoabdominal compression technique as well as with whole-body plethysmography. Spirometric measurements were obtained in 28 infants with a history of BPD, defined as preterm birth with O2 requirement at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (gestational age at birth, 26.4 ± 2.1 weeks, mean ± SD; birthweight, 898 ± 353 g; age at study, 68.0 ± 35.6 weeks). Fractional lung volumes were measured in 27 subjects. Values were expressed as percentage of predicted normal values. Compared to normal infants, those with a history of BPD exhibited decreases in forced expiratory flows including forced expiratory volume in 0.5 sec (76.3 ± 19.6%), forced expiratory flow at 75% of expired forced vital capacity (FEF75; 59.5 ± 30.7%), and FEF25–75 (74.0 ± 26.8%; P < 0.01 for all). Functional residual capacity (107.9 ± 25.3%), residual volume (RV, 124.5 ± 42.7%), and RV/total lung capacity (RV/TLC, 128.2 ± 35.3%) were increased in infants with a history of BPD (P < 0.05 for each). There was no difference in TLC between groups. Seventeen infants were studied both pre- and postalbuterol, and 6 (35%) demonstrated significant bronchodilator responsiveness. Infants with recurrent wheezing showed greater expiratory flow limitation, hyperinflation, and airways responsiveness, whereas those without wheezing showed only modest airway dysfunction. We conclude that infants with a history of BPD have pulmonary function abnormalities characterized by mild to moderate airflow obstruction and air trapping. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2004; 37:236–242. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Local thermodynamic models for high pressure process calculations

Abstract This paper discusses the local thermodynamic model concept in the context of high pressure chemical processes where equations of state are usually required for performing thermodynamic property evaluations. Functional forms for local K-value models are developed by simplifying the rigorous equations governing fluid phase equilibria. The local models have imbedded adjustable parameters that are evaluated by regression against either experimental data or thermodynamic properties calculated with more rigorous theoretically based models. During the course of the calculations the parameters in the local models are updated periodically, thereby ensuring that the local models continually provide accurate values for thermodynamic properties. Use of the concepts for process calculations is demonstrated in an example problem.
PMBus: A Decade of Growth: An open-standards success

This article has described the origins and basic operations of the PMBus, the result of the first open standard effort in the commercial power supply industry. From Revision 1.0, PMBus has grown and evolved into the de facto standard for digital power management. With the recent release of Revision 1.3 and new energy-saving AVSBus interface, PMBus has taken an important step that offers system manufacturers a new tool for reducing energy consumption.