cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an occupational injury intervention in the petroleum drilling industry

Installation of power makeup equipment (PME) on 13 of 30 mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) under study in the Gulf of Mexico provided an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of this device in reducing drill floor injuries. Two groups of injuries were defined on the basis of worker activity at the time of injury and the vehicle of mechanical energy; one group, "related" injuries, were preventable by the PME; the other group, "unrelated" injuries, should not have been affected by the PME. Two quasiexperimental evaluation designs were employed. The first, a multiple time series comparison of MODUs equipped and not equipped with PME, yielded a quantitative estimate of injuries averted. The second, a pretest-posttest design, compared related and unrelated injuries before and after PME installation. Because this method was subject to bias if different trends were present for related and unrelated injuries, only qualitative results could be obtained. Both methods indicated a significant reduction in related injuries attributable to the PME. A cost-savings analysis indicated savings that could conservatively pay for the equipment within six years time.
Labor and Production Barriers to the Reduction of Agricultural Chemical Inputs1

Advocates of sustainable agriculture consider farmer flexibility and innovativeness a key element in efforts to develop farm practices that reduce chemical inputs. In contrast to labor displacing technologies, farming with reduced chemical inputs may increase labor demands. Consequently, concerns about labor supply may affect farmer adaptability in reducing chemical inputs. This research addresses two specific questions. First, how concerned are farmers about the availability of labor needed to reduce chemical inputs? Second, do farmers view production problems as insurmountable without chemicals because of labor constraints? The majority of farmers surveyed agree that it is difficult to reduce chemical inputs because additional labor is hard to find, and their own labor inputs would have to increase. Results of OLS regression analysis show that whether the farmer hires workers affects the relationship between perceived labor and production barriers. Labor supply is less elastic for farmers who hire no labor, and they have less access to social networks that would provide them with sources of the additional workers needed if chemical inputs were reduced. The significance of these results for the development of sources of information that enhance farmer adaptability is discussed.
Decreasing power consumption with energy efficient data aware strategies

Regardless of whether data is stored in a cluster, grid, or cloud, data management is being recognized as a significant bottleneck. Computing elements can be located far away from the data storage elements. The energy efficiency of the data centers storing this data is one of the biggest issues in data intensive computing. In order to address such issues, we are designing and analyzing a series of energy efficient data aware strategies involving data replication and CPU scheduling. In this paper, we present a new strategy for data replication, called Queued Least-Frequently-Used (QLFU), and study its performance to determine if it is an energy efficient strategy. We also study the benefits of using a data aware CPU scheduling strategy, called data backfilling, which uses job preemption in order to maximize CPU usage and allows for longer periods of suspension time to save energy. We measure the performance of QLFU and existing replica strategies on a small green cluster to study the running time and power consumption of the strategies with and without data backfilling. Results from this study have demonstrated that energy efficient data management can reduce energy consumption without negatively impacting response time.
The rediscovery of Tetrataxis Hooker fil. (Lythraceae)

Tetrataxis, a monotypic endemic of Mauritius, has been known since the 1790s only by the type collection in the Paris Herbarium. Now a colony of seven individuals has been discovered in a valley south-east of the type area. The small trees grow in saturated soil in a low open wet forest. Vegetatively, they resemble the more common Syzygium or Eugenia. Characteristics of the pollen and seed, anatomy of stems and leaves, and an approximate chromosome number are reported for the first time. A lectotype is selected from material of the original collection. Tetrataxis displays a number of advanced characters. It appears to have no close affinity to any single member of the family.
Motivation to quit smoking among parents of urban children with asthma.

Objective To identify factors associated with motivation to quit smoking among parents of urban children with asthma.
Critical analysis of 3-D organoid in vitro cell culture models for high-throughput drug candidate toxicity assessments

Drug failure due to toxicity indicators remains among the primary reasons for staggering drug attrition rates during clinical studies and post-marketing surveillance. Broader validation and use of next-generation 3-D improved cell culture models are expected to improve predictive power and effectiveness of drug toxicological predictions. However, after decades of promising research significant gaps remain in our collective ability to extract quality human toxicity information from in vitro data using 3-D cell and tissue models. Issues, challenges and future directions for the field to improve drug assay predictive power and reliability of 3-D models are reviewed.
Thalidomide in the management of multiple myeloma.

A phase II trial of thalidomide in refractory multiple myeloma was initiated using a dose schedule that escalated from 200 mg/d to 800 mg/d. More than two thirds of patients had cytogenetic abnormalities and more than half had received at least two cycles of high-dose therapy. A paraprotein reduction of at least 25% was noted in 37% of patients and 14% had either a complete remission (CR) or a near CR. No treatment-related mortality was observed. With a median follow-up of almost 2 years, the 2-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) estimates were 15% and 60%, respectively. A reduction of paraprotein levels by greater than 50% was associated with a significant reduction in bone marrow plasmacytosis and beta(2)-microglobulin levels (beta2M), and greater recovery of hemoglobin and IgM levels compared to patients whose paraprotein was reduced by a lesser degree. Responses occurred more frequently among patients with a lower plasma cell labeling index (PCLI) and normal cytogenetics. Comparing response and survival by thalidomide dose for low- and high-risk groups revealed a thalidomide dose-response effect in the high-risk group of patients. The virtual absence of myelosuppressive toxicity, except in heavily pretreated patients with compromised bone marrow function, suggests that thalidomide is an ideal agent to be used in combination with cytotoxic agents and dexamethasone. Several trials are currently underway at the Arkansas Myeloma and Transplantation Research Center to determine the clinical benefit of adding thalidomide to post-transplant salvage therapy and in the upfront management of patients.
Non-thermal atmospheric pressure discharges

There has been considerable interest in non-thermal atmospheric pressure discharges over the past decade due to the increased number of industrial applications. Diverse applications demand a solid physical and chemical understanding of the operational principals of such discharges. This paper focuses on the four most important and widely used varieties of non-thermal discharges: corona, dielectric barrier, gliding arc and spark discharge. The physics of these discharges is closely related to the breakdown phenomena. The main players in electrical breakdown of gases: avalanches and streamers are also discussed in this paper. Although non-thermal atmospheric pressure discharges have been intensively studied for the past century, a clear physical picture of these discharges is yet to be obtained.
Fatty-acid composition and biosynthesis in cell suspension cultures of Glycine max (L.) Merr., Catharanthus roseus G. Don and Nicotiana tabacum L.

The fatty-acid composition of C. roseus and N. tabacum cell suspension cultures was unaffected by subculture on Wood and Braun, Murashige and Skoog, or Gamborg B5C media. However, placing the cultures — which were normally grown at 25° C — at 15° C reduced growth but resulted in enhanced formation of oleic and linolenic acids in C. roseus cultures and increased levels of linoleic and linolenic acids in cultures of G. max and N. tabacum, respectively. The incorporation of [14C]acetate into [14C]linoleic acid was more rapid in N. tabacum cells than in G. max cells, but was very poor in C. roseus where the [14C] label was distributed mainly between palmitic and oleic acids.
Cognitive mechanisms underlying lying to questions: response time as a cue to deception

In this article, a model of the cognitive processes involved in generating deceptive answers to questions is proposed. Partly based on recent accounts of discourse processing, it posits two central processes. One is the decision to lie followed by the construction of a lie. Each should add to response time compared to answering honestly. In Experiment 1, the construction component was assessed; 92 adults were randomly assigned to one of two conditions where they answered personal questions either deceptively or truthfully. Constructing a lie added reliably to response time. Think-aloud and correlational data support features of the model. In Experiment 2, 121 adults were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: either to tell the truth, lie, or lie when asked a question that probed sensitive information. Replicating and extending Experiment 1, the decision to lie added reliably to response time in the case of open-ended questions (questions that elicit more than two possible answers). Based on between- and within-subjects comparisons, results suggest that response time is a cue to deception. Recommendations are made for future research. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparison of cell mediators and serum cytokines transcript expression between male and female mice infected with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis and/or consuming probiotics.

The gut immune system is complex, and dysregulation leads to a number of disorders including inflammatory bowel syndrome and (in livestock) Johne's disease. Previous work has demonstrated that males and females respond differently to treatment with pathologic and probiotic microorganisms, suggesting that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to treat GIT inflammation may be inadequate. While we had observed significant differences between males and females in terms of cytokine production, it remains unclear how these changes occur. To better understand the mechanisms, transcript expression of genes important to gut immunoregulation were monitored from male and female BALB/c mice consuming the probiotic Lactobacillus animalis (1 × 106 CFU g−1) and infected with the gut pathogen, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (1 × 107 CFU). Expression of transcripts analyzed included those important to the immune system, intestinal cell differentiation, and/or regulation. Males generally displayed increased expression of Th2 and B cell mediators, and females showed repressed cytokine expression after MAP infection ( IL 6 , TNF α , IL 1 among others). Additionally, regulation of pro inflammatory mediators in female mice consuming probiotics suggests females responded positively to L. animalis when compared to males. Therefore, we speculate that studying mechanistic changes associated with sex and immunoregulation in gastrointestinal tissues could further elucidate host response to microorganisms.
A radical-anion mechanism for the phase transfer catalyzed depolymerization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)

This paper describes a novel mechanism for the depolymerization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide). This radical-anion mechanism is responsible for liquid (organic solvent)-liquid (aqueous inorganic base) phase transfer catalyzed depolymerization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide). This depolymerization occurs through the addition of an aryloxy radical to the terminal phenolate anion of the polymer. The particular example discussed in this paper refers to the depolymerization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) in the presence of either 2,4,6-trimethylphenol or 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenol. The similarities and differences between the phase transfer catalyzed polymerization of 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol in the presence of 2,4,6-trimethylphenol and 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenol and the phase transfer catalyzed depolymerization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) in the presence of the same two phenols are discussed.
Comparison of Carrier Multiplication Yields in PbS and PbSe Nanocrystals: The Role of Competing Energy-Loss Processes

Infrared band gap semiconductor nanocrystals are promising materials for exploring generation III photovoltaic concepts that rely on carrier multiplication or multiple exciton generation, the process in which a single high-energy photon generates more than one electron–hole pair. In this work, we present measurements of carrier multiplication yields and biexciton lifetimes for a large selection of PbS nanocrystals and compare these results to the well-studied PbSe nanocrystals. The similar bulk properties of PbS and PbSe make this an important comparison for discerning the pertinent properties that determine efficient carrier multiplication. We observe that PbS and PbSe have very similar biexciton lifetimes as a function of confinement energy. Together with the similar bulk properties, this suggests that the rates of multiexciton generation, which is the inverse of Auger recombination, are also similar. The carrier multiplication yields in PbS nanocrystals, however, are strikingly lower than those observe...
Tricaine methanesulfonate—I. pH and its effects on anesthetic potency☆

Abstract 1. Solutions of tricaine methanesulfonate (TMS; formerly MS-222, Sandoz, presently Finquel, ® Ayerst) dissolved in distilled or tap water are acidic, whereas in synthetic ocean water they are almost neutral. 2. Before use, TMS should be titrated with alkali and buffered in the region of pH 7–8. 3. Neutralized anethetic more rapidly induces a longer, unstressful anesthesia in goldfish, frogs, and Necturi at lower concentrations than acid anesthetic because neutralization removes the titratable H + from tricaine, the anesthetic moiety, thereby enabling it to diffuse more rapidly into these animals from the anesthetic solutions in which they are submerged.
A space–time diurnal method for short-term freeway travel time prediction

Abstract A number of short-term travel time prediction approaches have been developed in the past decade. However, few studies take into account spatial and temporal travel time information simultaneously in the prediction approach. In this study, we proposed a space–time diurnal (ST-D) method, which merges the spatial and temporal travel time information to obtain accurate short-term travel time prediction for freeway corridors under different traffic conditions. The proposed approach can take into account important characteristics of travel times: spatial and temporal correlation, diurnal pattern, and the nonnegativity of the travel time. We use two distributions to model the 5-min average travel time: a truncated normal distribution and a lognormal distribution. Contrary to the most existing methods that yield a point prediction of short-term travel time, this probabilistic modeling approach can overcome the drawbacks of the point prediction by fitting a probability distribution to describe the uncertainty of the future travel times, and from which prediction intervals can be calculated. We use minimum continuous ranked probability score (CRPS) estimation to numerically estimate the parameters in the prediction models. The ST-D method is examined using the travel time data collected on a segment along the US-290 in Houston, Texas. The proposed method provides prediction of travel time over 5-min intervals for up to 1 h in advance. It was found that travel time data from neighboring links along the freeway corridors can be efficiently used to obtain reliable short-term prediction of travel time. The study results suggest the ST-D method is more robust than the traditional vector autoregressive models.
The Cross-Sectional Seminar

In the typical seminar, each student examines (I single specialized topic, writes a paper, and presents an oral report to fellow students who probably have limited familiarity with that topic. An alternative structure is one in which students collaborate on a series of mutually agreeable topics, dividing responsibility for collecting and reporting the information. The advantages of this approach for fostering student interest, motivation, and learning are discussed.
Uplift history of the Central and Northern Andes: A review

The elevation of the Andean Cordillera is a crucial boundary condition for both climatic and tectonic studies. The Andes affect climate because they form the only barrier to atmospheric circulation in the Southern Hemisphere, and they intrigue geologists because they have the highest plateau on Earth formed at a noncollisional plate margin, the Altiplano-Puna. Yet, until recently, few quantitative studies of their uplift history existed. This study presents both (1) a review of the quantitative paleoelevation estimates that have been made for the Central and Colombian Andes and (2) an examination of the source and magnitude of error for each estimate. In the Central Andes, paleobotanical evidence suggests that the Altiplano-Puna had attained no more than a third of its modern elevation of 3700 m by 20 Ma and no more than half its modern elevation by 10.7 Ma. These data imply surface uplift on the order of 2300‐3400 m since the late Miocene at uplift rates of 0.2‐0.3 mm/yr. Paleobotanical and geomorphological data suggest a similar uplift history for the Eastern Cordillera—namely no more than half the modern elevation present by 10 Ma. No evidence exists for an exponential increase in uplift rate, as has been interpreted from fissiontrack data. These uplift rates mostly reflect mean surface uplift rather than rock uplift—that is, uplift of material points—because little dissection of the western Eastern Cordillera has occurred south of lat 19°S and of the Altiplano-Puna. Thus, the Central Andean Plateau appears to be young. In the Colombian Andes, paleobotanical data imply rapid uplift of the Eastern Cordillera between 2 and 5 Ma at rates on the order of 0.6‐3 mm/yr. However, some of this uplift is likely rock uplift due to erosion-driven isostatic rebound rather than mean surface uplift.
Transgenic Overexpression of β2-Adrenergic Receptors in Airway Smooth Muscle Alters Myocyte Function and Ablates Bronchial Hyperreactivity

Abstract β2-Adrenergic receptors (β2AR) act to relax airway smooth muscle and can serve to counteract hyperresponsiveness, although the effect may not be ablative even in the presence of exogenous agonist. Within this signaling cascade that ultimately transduces smooth muscle relaxation, a significant “spare receptor” pool has been hypothesized to be present in the airway. In order to modify the relationship between β2AR and downstream effectors, transgenic mice (TG) were created overexpressing β2AR ∼75-fold in airway smooth muscle using a mouse smooth muscle α-actin promoter. While >90% of these receptors were expressed on the smooth muscle cell surface, the percentage of receptors able to form the agonist-promoted high affinity complex was less than that found with nontransgenic (NTG) cells (R H = 18 versus 36%). Nevertheless, β2AR signaling was found to be enhanced. Intact airway smooth muscle cells from TG had basal cAMP levels that were greater than NTG cells. A marked increase in agonist-stimulated cAMP levels was found in the TG (∼200% stimulation over basal) compared with NTG (∼50% over basal) cells. Adenylyl cyclase studies gave similar results and also showed a 10-fold lower EC50for TG cells. Tracheal rings from TG mice that were precontracted with acetylcholine had an enhanced responsiveness (relaxation) to β-agonist, with a 60-fold decrease in the ED50, indicating that the enhanced signaling imposed by overexpression results in an increase in the coordinated function of the intact airway cells. In vivo studies showed a significantly blunted airway resistance response to the inhaled bronchoconstrictor methacholine in the TG mice. Indeed, with β-agonist pretreatment, the TG mice displayed no response whatsoever to methacholine. These results are consistent with β2AR being the limiting factor in the transduction system. Increases in the initial component of this transduction system (the β2AR) are sufficient to markedly alter signaling and airway smooth muscle function to the extent that bronchial hyperresponsiveness is ablated, consistent with an anti-asthma phenotype.
A computer model of disks of stars.

Computer model for evolution investigation of disks of stars, discussing methods to obtain gravitational potential
Concussion understanding and management among New England high school football coaches

Primary objective: To determine high school football coaches’ understanding, management and sources of information of concussion at schools without a certified athletic trainer (ATC) or without one...
Adjunctive therapy to mechanical ventilation: surfactant therapy, liquid ventilation, and prone position.

Acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) represent the most severe form of pulmonary organ dysfunction driven by systemic inflammation, with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality [1–3]. The inflammatory process is a defense mechanism against infectious or noninfectious assaults that is driven by the local and systemic release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)– alpha and interleukins [4]. Optimal levels of these peptides are important for a successful host defense, but at higher concentrations pro-inflammatory cytokines mediate proportionately stronger local and systemic inflammatory responses, with predominantly destructive, rather than protective, effects on the host [4]. It is now recognized that these cytokines not only modulate this inflammatory process, but also drive pro-coagulatory (intravascular clotting and extravascular fibrin deposition) [5] and tissue repair (fibroblasts migration, replication, and deposition of collagen) [6] processes, and also influence hormonal functions such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis [7]. Recent studies have provided biological and morphological evidence that patients with ARDS who fail to improve their lung injury score (LIS) after 1 week of mechanical ventilation (so-called unresolving ARDS) have protracted pulmonary and systemic inflammatory and neofibrogenetic activity [8–10]. Sepsis is a common precipitating cause of systemic inflammation, and is complicated by ARDS in 18% to 41% of cases [11]. Patients who die having survived to day 3 succumb mostly following a prolonged period of ventilatory support, during which they develop the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) clinical manifestations of infection, and eventually multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) [12,13]. In this sense, sepsis is thought to be implicated in the death of 36% to 90% of patients with ARDS who fail to survive [13]; and at necropsy 69% of nonsurvivors have histologic evidence of pneumonia [14]. Such observations suggest that in ALI/ARDS a direct correlation may exist between mortality and the development of multiorgan failure and may be related to the amplification of the systemic inflammatory response. Thus, it is important to evaluate the role of potential pharmacologic and adjunctive therapy in the treatment of ALI/ARDS. Considerable progress in the understanding of the pathogenesis of ALI/ARDS was made in recent years. These data have allowed the design and implementation of different treatment modalities. In addition, ventilator adjunctive therapies and strategies designed to limit ventilator-induced lung provided alternatives in the management of these critically ill patients. An overview of the pathological mechanism and the results of the clinical trails directed to impact the inflammatory process is presented in this chapter. We also discuss the rationale and results of large clinical studies that evaluated the use of supplemental surfactant, partial liquid ventilation, and prone position.
The Importance of the Fauna in Agricultural Soils: Research Approaches and Perspectives

Abstract As agricultural practice moves towards low inputs and sustainability as desirable goals, knowledge of the activities of soil biota becomes increasingly important. Soil fauna, for many years ignored or considered insignificant in agricultural soils, are now becoming recognized as important influences on process-level dynamics in agroecosystems. Recent research has concentrated on microbial-faunal interactions emphasizing the regulatory capabilities of the fauna. Other consequences of faunal activities include below-ground herbivory, stimulation of plant growth and direct effects of fauna on soil structure. Currently measured variables which integrate faunal influences on agroecosystems include decomposition and mineralization rates, primary production, energy flow and nutrient cycling. Physical and chemical manipulations of agroecosystems, as well as gnotobiotic microcosms, are being used to isolate faunal effects on ecosystem processes.
Comparison of the radiation properties of a sinusoidal current filament and a PEC dipole of vanishing radius

It has long been accepted that the current on a PEC dipole of vanishingly small radius approaches that of a sinusoidal current filament (SCF). It is shown that, while this is true for the imaginary component of the dipole current, a 10/sup -20/ wavelength-radius dipole retains a small, but significant, real component. It is also found that while these two sources exhibit nearly identical total and distributed radiated powers, their tangential power flows and IEMF behavior are much different, implying that their radiation processes are significantly different as well.
What are the “Chances” of Being Justified?

Distinguant parmi les differentes conceptions de la justification epistemique deux types dominants de justification que sont sa defintion responsabiliste (H. Putnam) et sa definition conductrice a la verite (A. Goldman), l'A. etudie le paradoxe qui consiste a considerer ces deux conceptions de la justification, non pas comme des notions rivales du meme concept pre-theorique, mais comme deux evaluations epistemiques distinctes. Soulignant l'existence d'un lien historique et genetique entre les deux notions, l'A. montre que celles-ci partagent le meme fondement paradigmatique concernant les chances de verite de la croyance et la fonction meme de la justification epistemique face aux accidents epistemiques
Pit Recharge Influenced by Subsurface Spreading

Artificial recharge from pits, trenches, or basins ordinarily is not considered feasible in situations where a thick layer of slowly permeable material exists near the surface. Results of a field investigation of recharge from an irrigation tail-water pit indicate that pit or trench recharge is feasible under this condition provided that a much more permeable stratum exists above the less permeable one. The more highly conductive layer acts as a subsurface spreading basin which greatly enhances the opportunity for recharge. The potential for recharge from pits penetrating a highly conductive layer underlain by a slowly permeable stratum can be calculated from the results of a simple theoretical analysis which is presented. The importance of subsurface spreading is demonstrated by a numerical example using conditions similar to those encountered during the field investigation. Under these conditions a narrow pit or trench 525 feet long and 10 feet deep has the potential for recharging at a rate of 1 million gpd or about 700 gpm. Subsurface spreading occurs over nearly 10 acres for this case. Evaporation is reduced because the need for spreading the water over large areas on the land surface is eliminated. Since the length of pit perimeter and not the surface area is the important factor for design, the volume excavated can be minimized by constructing long narrow pits or trenches.
Potential Well Shaping Through the Use of Impact Barriers for Broadband Electroelastic Energy Harvesting

Many recent advances in electroelastic energy harvesting have benefitted from the use of nonlinear effects that reshape the potential well of the device and lead to bandwidth improvement. In this letter, the merits of using impact barriers for potential well shaping and bandwidth improvement in nonlinear electroelastic energy harvesters are considered. A bistable piezoelectric cantilever beam with symmetrically placed impact barriers is developed and tested through numerical simulation and experiment. Preliminary results indicate that impact barriers prolong the stability of large-amplitude attractors across a wider frequency range than an equivalent nonimpacting device, albeit at the expense of a greater peak amplitude. A mathematical model and simulation parameters are provided, and the system is investigated through both numerical simulation and experiment. A nontrivial relationship between barrier placement and the linewidth of the frequency response was observed in experiments. Future work will seek to improve the mathematical model to more accurately capture the behavior seen in the experiment.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Hydrogen atom reactions with molecular halogens: The rate constants for H + F2 and H + Cl2 at 298 K

The rate constants for H atom reactions with Cl 2 and F 2 have been measured by monitoring the loss rate of hydrogen atoms in the presence of excess [Cl 2 ] and [F 2 ] via time-resolved, laser-induced Lyman-α fluorescence. The rate constants for H + F 2 and H + Cl 2 were found to be 2.4 ′ 0.4 (2σ) x 10 - 1 2 and 2.52 ′ 0.18 (2σ) × 10 - 1 1 cm 3 s - 1 , respectively. The result for H + F 2 is consistent with the recommendation of Baulch et al. [J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 1981, 10 (Suppl. 1)], and our k(H + Cl 2 ) value is consistent with the majority of previous measurements.
Choriocarcinoma involving the pancreas as first manifestation of a metastatic regressing mixed testicular germ cell tumor

We describe an unusual case of metastatic choriocarcinoma of the pancreas arising from a regressing testicular mixed germ cell tumor that clinically mimicked a primary pancreatic tumor. A 54-year-old male presented with a 2-month history of progressive upper abdominal pain, weight loss, and jaundice. He also had a history of recurrent epididymitis associated with the presence of a right testicular mass shown to be cystic by ultrasound and stable for at least 10 years. A computed tomography scan showed an isolated 6 cm mass in the head of the pancreas. A pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Upon histological examination, the pancreatic tumor showed extensive hemorrhage and necrosis. In the viable area, the tumor was composed of an intimate mixture of mononuclear cytotrophoblast cells and multinucleated syncytiotrophoblasts with vascular invasion. These characteristic features led to the correct diagnosis on frozen section. The cytology of the tumor was nonspecific and suggested undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas. The trophoblastic origin of the tumor cells was confirmed by immunohistochemistry staining. The testicular mass showed a regressed mixed germ cell tumor of predominantly seminoma with focal teratoma but without a choriocarcinoma component. In conclusion, we present a rare and unusual case of a regressing testicular mixed germ cell tumor that presented as a primary pancreatic tumor. Cytological features of the pancreatic mass were not specific and raised the possibility of a primary undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas. Characteristic histological features of choriocarcinoma led to the correct diagnosis on frozen section. Subsequent resection of the testicular mass confirmed the presence of a cystic and scarring (regressing) mixed germ cell tumor but without evidence of choriocarcinoma.
Modulation of the pulmonary cytochrome P450 system as a factor in pulmonary-selective toxic responses: fact and fiction.

The idea that metabolism mediated by cytochrome P450 is a major determinant of pulmonary-selective toxic responses to xenobiotics, including various chemical carcinogens, is attractive. That monooxygenation is a required step in the processes responsible for the deleterious effects of many exogenous chemicals is not in question. However, in only a few instances have we been able to relate unique properties of cytochrome P450be it substrate specificities, kinetics, localization, concentrations, or induction to the cell, tissue, individual, and species specificities associated with pulmonary-selective toxicity. Most notably, the localization and kinetic properties of cytochromes P450 2B4/5 and P450 4B1 appear to dictate the cell-specific effects of 4-ipomeanol (1), and the unique product specificity of cytochrome P450 2F1 in the mouse is likely a major factor in the species-selective toxicity of naphthalene (2). Both of these examples have to do with acute toxic effects; in the case of pulmonary carcinogenesis, no similar compelling evidence exists, although many investigations of the role of cytochrome P450, and, in particular, the proposed importance of the "inducibility" of P450 tAl, in lung cancer have been carried out. Lack of proof that cytochrome P450 plays a decisive role (is a determinant, rather than simply a requirement) in pulmonary chemical carcinogenesis is not to be taken as an argument for abandoning investigations of the pulmonary P450 system and its modulation by exogenous factors. On the contrary, we have only recently developed the means for understanding this system in molecular detail and for possibly providing the answers that have eluded us to this point. For these goals to be realized, it is vital that the information collected be readily interpreted as reflective of "real" events. In some instances, the data are fairly easy to evaluate. For example, 20-fold induction of pulmonary cytochrome P450 tAl following treatment of rabbits with TCDD or 90% loss of cytochrome P450 2B4 following treatment with PCBs (3) are changes of sufficient magnitude that questions about confounding factors are easily dismissed. In contrast, most effects reported in studies of the pulmonary cytochrome P450 system are fairly small. In a typical investigation, the
Actin Filament Attachments for Sustained Motility In Vitro Are Maintained by Filament Bundling

We reconstructed cellular motility in vitro from individual proteins to investigate how actin filaments are organized at the leading edge. Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy of actin filaments, we tested how profilin, Arp2/3, and capping protein (CP) function together to propel thin glass nanofibers or beads coated with N-WASP WCA domains. Thin nanofibers produced wide comet tails that showed more structural variation in actin filament organization than did bead substrates. During sustained motility, physiological concentrations of Mg(2+) generated actin filament bundles that processively attached to the nanofiber. Reduction of total Mg(2+) abolished particle motility and actin attachment to the particle surface without affecting actin polymerization, Arp2/3 nucleation, or filament capping. Analysis of similar motility of microspheres showed that loss of filament bundling did not affect actin shell formation or symmetry breaking but eliminated sustained attachments between the comet tail and the particle surface. Addition of Mg(2+), Lys-Lys(2+), or fascin restored both comet tail attachment and sustained particle motility in low Mg(2+) buffers. TIRF microscopic analysis of filaments captured by WCA-coated beads in the absence of Arp2/3, profilin, and CP showed that filament bundling by polycation or fascin addition increased barbed end capture by WCA domains. We propose a model in which CP directs barbed ends toward the leading edge and polycation-induced filament bundling sustains processive barbed end attachment to the leading edge.
Adhesive small-bowel obstruction in children

Seventy-one episodes of adhesive small-bowel obstruction (ASBO) in 57 children were reviewed to define the relationship of treatment methods to clinical conditions and to examine the place of conservative treatment. Thirteen children received urgent operations on the day of admission because of signs of suspected strangulation or complete obstruction. The remaining 58 episodes underwent initial conservative treatment, which was successful in 35 while 23 required subsequent surgical intervention, an overall incidence of operation in 36 of the 71 (50.7%) episodes of ASBO. Seven episodes required bowel resection, strangulation was found in 3 (4.2%), and mortality occurred in 1 (1.7%) due to delayed operation. Patients with more than one previous successfully treated occurrence of ASBO were significantly more likely to respond to conservative treatment (71.4% vs. 54.4%, P <0.05). Those patients who had undergone laparotomies twice or more before the episode were more likely to be successfully treated by conservative treatment than those who underwent laparotomy only once before (80% vs. 52.4%, P <0.01). Whether or not the treatment of the previous occurrences of ASBO was surgical, we found that the initial treatment of any further episode could be conservative except when evidence of a complete or strangulated bowel obstruction developed.
Tactical situation assessment challenges and implications for computational support

This paper presents and discusses a set of characteristics we have identified for a tactical situation assessment problem. We also discuss associated knowledge requirements and computational requirements for representation and reasoning.
Crystal chemistry and subsolidus phase relations in the system EuWO

Abstract Crystal chemistry and subsolidus phase relations in a portion of the system EuWO have been investigated. The stoichiometry and symmetry determined for compounds on the Eu2O3WO3 join are: Eu6WO12, cubic or tetragonal depending on the conditions of preparation—structure related to fluorite; Eu14W4O33, pseudorhombohedral; Eu2WO6, monoclinic—structure related to scheelite; Eu2W2O9, monoclinic—isostructural with Pr2W2O9; Eu2W3O12, monoclinic—structure also related to scheelite. The only divalent europium tungsten oxide, EuWO4, had the tetragonal scheelite structure. Because of the structural similarity of EuWO4 and Eu2W3O12 (Eu0.67WO4), there was actually a limited scheelite structure solid solution EuxWO4 (x ≈ 1 → 0.77) between them. A cubic europium tungsten bronze, EuxWO3, was found for x ≈ 0.07 → 0.15. The compatibility relations among all of these phases and those on the EuO and WO binary system are presented in a subsolidus phase diagram.
Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Behaviors in a Population-Based Sample of Older, Foreign-Born, Chinese American Adults Living in New York City

Although the New York City Chinese population aged ≥ 65 years increased by 50% between 2000 and 2010, the health needs of this population are poorly understood. Approximately 3,001 Chinese individuals from high-density Asian American New York City areas were included in the REACH U.S. Risk Factor Survey; 805 (26.8%) were aged ≥ 65 years and foreign-born. Four health-related quality of life and three behavioral risk factor outcome variables were examined. Descriptive statistics were conducted by gender, and logistic regression models assessed sociodemographic and health factors associated with each outcome. Few women were current smokers (1.3% vs. 14.8% of men), 19% of respondents ate fruits and vegetables more than or equal to five times daily, and one-third of individuals received sufficient weekly physical activity. Days of poor health were similar to the national population aged ≥ 65 years, while self-reported fair or poor health was much greater among our Chinese sample; over 60% of respondents rated their health as fair or poor. Lower education and lower obesity were significantly associated with cigarette smoking among men, and older age was significantly associated with insufficient physical activity overall. Female gender was significantly associated with all poor health days; older age was significantly associated with poor days of physical health, and lower income was significantly associated with poor days of physical health and fair or poor self-reported health. This study provides important health-related information on a rapidly growing older population and highlights future research areas to inform culturally appropriate health promotion and disease prevention strategies and policies within community-based settings.
Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 20 mosaicism by maternal serum screening for Down syndrome

Abstract We report two cases of prenatally diagnosed trisomy 20 mosaicism associated with positive Down syndrome screening at 16 weeks’ gestation. Both infants exhibited normal growth and mental development.These cases suggest that the multiple-marker screening test may play an important role in prenatal detection and diagnosis of chromosomal anomalies in addition to Down syndrome.
Site-specific binding of polymerase-containing particles of the Giardia lamblia double-stranded RNA virus to the viral plus-strand RNA

The non-segmented, double-stranded RNA genome of the Giardia lamblia virus (GLV) contains two genes encoding the major capsid protein (gag) and a fusion of gag with the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (pol). Computer analysis of the viral RNA genome revealed three putative stem-loop structures that were predicted to mediate replication, transcription and packaging of the GLV genomic RNA by binding to the pol domain of the virus-encoded fusion protein. To provide evidence of these postulated RNA/protein interactions, gel retardation assays were employed to examine the potential binding capacity of various viral RNA genome-related sequences to native GLV protein(s). Viral proteins were obtained by disrupting purified GLV particles under low-ionic-strength conditions. The resulting viral protein particles maintained their RNA polymerase activity in the presence of GLV genomic RNA and thus appeared to be suitable tools for the analyses of GLV-protein-mediated binding reactions. A 72-nt short single-stranded in vitro transcript containing a putative stem-loop structure predicted to participate in the packaging of GLV (+)-strand RNA bound specifically to the disrupted virus particles. RNAs containing modified motifs of this stem-loop structure failed to bind to the GLV capsid.
Will the Food Safety Modernization Act help prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness

Large-scale outbreaks of foodborne illness have recently focused attention on the ability of the U.S. food-safety system to protect the public health. The nationwide outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium infection associated with peanut products that is described by Cavallero et al. is one example.1 This contamination, which was ultimately traced to the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), took a high toll — 714 people were affected, about 200 were hospitalized, and 9 died. Investigators found multiple potential routes of contamination at PCA facilities, such as rain leakage and cross-contamination between raw and roasted peanuts. Although the outbreak was eventually . . .
The primary structure of the monoxygenase cytochrome P450CAM.

Abstract We report the first complete sequence of a P450 monoxygenase cytochrome. The P450CAM from Pseudomonas putida is a single polypeptide of 412 residues as determined from the isolated tryptic, clostripain, CNBr, and mild acid cleavage fragments. Significant molecular features, including secondary structure, are discussed.
Engendering West Central African History: The Role of Urban Women in Benguela in the Nineteenth Century

This study stresses the role of common women in the history of Benguela in the nineteenth century. I emphasize the importance of parish records to unveil sectors of the society that tend to be invisible in the history of Angola, such as farmers, poor women who acted as vendors in the urban centers, and particularly, enslaved women. While some attention has been paid to merchant women, the so-called donas , and on political leaders, particularly Queen Nzinga, the same cannot be said about the poor and the enslaved women. Parish records allow us to access bits of information on the lives of women who did not leave written records and did not gain attention from the Portuguese authorities. Resume: Cet article souligne le role joue par les femmes du peuple dans l’histoire de Benguela au XIXeme siecle. Ce papier met en valeur l’importance des registres paroissiaux pour reveler des secteurs de la societe qui ont tendance a rester invisibles dans l’histoire de l’Angola, comme les agriculteurs, les femmes pauvres qui travaillaient comme vendeuses dans les centres urbains et, en particulier, les femmes esclaves. Alors que les femmes participant au commerce, appelees donas , et les dirigeants politiques comme particulierement la reine Nzinga ont fait l’objet d’etudes, les pauvres et les femmes esclaves n’ont pas beneficie du meme traitement. Les registres paroissiaux nous permettent d’avoir acces a des miettes d’information sur la vie des femmes qui n’ont pas laisse de trace ecrite et qui n’ont pas attire l’attention des autorites portugaises.
Recognition of xenogeneic proteins by the blue crab: dissociation of the clearance and degradation reactions and lack of involvement of circulating hemocytes and humoral factors.

Blue crabs clear foreign proteins from the circulation to the gills in a manner that can be explained by postulating the participation of a finite number of naturally occurring quasi-specific receptors. The rate of this clearance reaction is not increased by previous exposure to the foreign protein although recovery to the normal rate of clearance after high level blockade is quite rapid. The cleared foreign proteins are degraded in the gills in a relatively nonspecific fashion suggestive of a clear distinction between the clearance and degradation reactions. The results of perfusion experiments indicate that neither circulating hemocytes nor specific humoral factors are responsible for the foreign protein clearance reaction in blue crabs. Thus it is concluded that fixed cells, most likely in the gills, are responsible for this means of dealing with nonself proteins in blue crabs and possibly other crustaceae .
Ingestion of fluid by Amoeba

ItAmoeba proteus, A. dubia, A. dofleini, orA. radiosa is put into a solution of albumin or into a hypertonic balanced salt solution or a hypertonic solution of calcium gluconate, it rapidly decreases in volume, then numerous tubes filled with fluid are formed. These tubes disintegrate releasing their fluid content inside of the organism. There are frequently more than 50 at a time. Considerable quantities of fluid are consequently ingested in this way. The ingestion of fluid by means of these tubes is a biological adaptation which serves to compensate for the rapid loss of water. It is probable that the process of ingestion of fluid observed byLewis in macrophages is similar to that inAmoeba, and that it occurs in many other cells.