cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Artificial Sweeteners by Cancer Patients

Current daily use of artificial sweeteners (AS) and diet drinks was evaluated for 1,862 patients hospitalized for cancer and for 10,874 "control" patients hospitalized for other conditions believed not to be associated with use of these substances. The data were derived from an ongoing survey in seven countries. For cancer of most sites, the age-standardized proportion of users of AS was somewhat less than that for controls. A greater proportion of users among cancer patients than among controls was noted only for cancer of the stomach among women. Little information on urinary tract cancer was available; there were no users of AS among 13 patients with cancer of the bladder, 5 with cancer of the renal pelvis, and 2 with cancer of the ureter. There were 455 cancer patients known to have been interviewed during their initial hospitalization for the disease. Based on these cases, an age-sex-country-standardized estimate of cancer incidence for users of AS, relative to nonusers, was 1.0. Only a very small proportion of patients reported daily use of diet drinks, and the proportion of users did not differ substantially between cancer patients and controls. The present data provide virtually no support for an overall positive association of AS with cancer.
Development strategies for IVIVC in an industrial environment.

Product development is typically challenging. There is a strong desire to understand critical performance factors early in order to optimize formulations for Phase III trials or marketing approval. However, over 90% of drugs entering development in humans do not make it to the market. Thus there is a tremendous risk that resources spent early in development will be wasted as candidates attrite. To overcome this apparent dilemma, a Bayesian approach is suggested. In ‘traditional’ product development, clinical study designs are typically relatively assumption free and often do not consider learning from earlier investigations. A Bayesian approach is one in which prior information is considered when interpreting the results of the current study. A candidate IVIVC can be developed at the earliest stage of clinical development. Subsequently there are multiple opportunities within a typical development program to assess the performance of the preliminary IVIVC as new formulations are introduced. With each introduction, there is an opportunity to either confirm the adequacy of the IVIVC or to identify the need for development of a more predictive dissolution test and IVIVC. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Downregulating viral gene expression: codon usage bias manipulation for the generation of novel influenza A virus vaccines.

ABSTRACT Vaccination represents the best option to protect humans against influenza virus. However, improving the effectiveness of current vaccines could better stifle the health burden caused by viral infection. Protein synthesis from individual genes can be downregulated by synthetically deoptimizing a gene's codon usage. With more rapid and affordable nucleotide synthesis, generating viruses that contain genes with deoptimized codons is now feasible. Attenuated, vaccine-candidate viruses can thus be engineered with hitherto uncharacterized properties. With eight gene segments, influenza A viruses with variably recoded genomes can produce a spectrum of attenuation that is contingent on the gene segment targeted and the number of codon changes. This review summarizes different targets and approaches to deoptimize influenza A virus codons for novel vaccine generation.
The two-part tarif, practically speaking

Abstract This paper advocates the adoption of the two-part tariff rate design for electric utilities. This design involves marginal cost pricing for all services with the exception of an access fee set as a residual to achieve an overall revenue target. The design promises substantial efficiency gains, and objections to it have been on other grounds: issues of administration, distributional objectives, and energy efficiency goals. We demonstrate methods of implementing this design which fit with existing administrative knowledge and routines, achieve goals of bill stability and distribute benefits fairly across income classes, and allow energy efficiency concerns to be addressed more effectively than currently. We simulate the effects of the design on a sample of 4646 residential customers in the service area of the San Diego Gas & Electric Company in the USA.
Formation of asymmetric polysulfone membranes by immersion precipitation. Part II. The effects of casting solution and gelation bath compositions on membrane structure and skin formation

Abstract The effects of casting solution and gelation bath compositions on the structure of membranes produced from the system polysulfone-N,N-dimethylacetamide-2-propanol have been studied. Membranes were prepared by immersion precipitation with no evaporation step. Membrane structures were determined by scanning electron microscopy. The observations are analyzed in the light of predictions made using the model developed in Part I of this study [J. Membrane Sci., 65 (1992) 213]. The concept of the critical flux ratio is introduced to facilitate the analysis of the phenomena leading to skin formation of asymmetric membranes. This concept provides the means for predicting, based on casting conditions, whether or not a membrane will have a dense skin.
Structural characterization of the μ-Nitrido Complex {[Fe(OEP)]2N}

The molecular structure of the μ-nitrido dimer, μ-nitrido-bis(2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrinato)iron, is reported. The axial Fe–N distances average to 1.657(11)A and the equatorial distances average to 2.005(5)A. Although not required by symmetry, the two iron centers appear equivalent and are consistent with an assignment of a low-spin state and a formal oxidation state of +3.5. A comparison of this structure with other nitrido-bridged species is given.
Effect of bedside physical diagnosis training on third-year medical students' physical exam skills.

Background: Graduating medical students, when surveyed, noted a deficit in training in physical examination skills. Purposes: In an attempt to remedy this deficit we implemented a pilot program for 3rd-year medical students consisting of twice-weekly bedside diagnosis rounds as part of their 8-week medicine clerkship. Methods: To assess the success of this program we reviewed students’ objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) scores at the completion of the clerkship compared with prior years’ students who did not have the bedside physical diagnosis training. Results: Students who were trained (n = 109) had an overall higher OSCE physical exam score (p < .01) than students without the training (n = 85). Conclusions: Bedside physical diagnosis rounds appear to have elevated the overall OSCE score for 3rd-year medical students.
Threshold Nonlinearities and Signal Detection Theory

The review summarizes Kulikowski's contributions to the mechanisms involved in visual detection and discrimination. His findings provide strong evidence for the existence of 'barriers' which block weak activity in the visual system. It is proposed that the properties of these barriers may underlie near-optimal detection in conditions of signal uncertainty.
317: REVEAL Registry: Does the LAS Score Underestimate the Risk of Death in IPAH

planted patients than for those who were not transplanted during the study period. The 1-year survival rate after Tx-listing in patients who underwent Tx after therapy with iloprost and/or bosentan was 79.8 9.1%. In those who received the same medical treatment but not Tx, the 1-year survival rate after listing reached only 39.7 10.2%. Conclusions: Transplantation appears to be still the most promising option for long-term survival with IPAH, once criteria for Tx listing are fulfilled for the first time.
Short-Term Intraocular Pressure Trends Following Intravitreal Pegaptanib (Macugen) Injection

Purpose To report the changes and trends in intraocular pressures (IOP) following intravitreal injection of Pegaptanib (Macugen) for the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration. Design Retrospective chart review. Methods Review of 79 patients who underwent 122 consecutive Pegaptanib injections. Analysis of the short-term effect of Pegaptanib injections on IOP was performed. Results Baseline mean IOP was 15.73 ± 3.41 mm Hg (mean ± standard deviation) with a range of 9 to 27 mm Hg. Postinjection mean IOP was 24.47 ± 6.29 mm Hg with a range of 8 to 36 mm Hg. Mean IOP change from baseline to roughly 30 minutes after Pegaptanib injection was 8.74 ± 7.23 mm Hg. At the 5- to 7-day follow-up visit, IOP had normalized. Conclusions Pegaptanib injection in this limited series seems to be safe from an IOP standpoint in the short-term. IOP monitoring postinjection may not be necessary.
AMPA Receptor Binding Cleft Mutations That Alter Affinity, Efficacy, and Recovery from Desensitization

Glutamate binds to AMPA receptors within a deep cleft between two globular protein domains (domains 1 and 2). Once glutamate binds, the cleft closes, and agonist-bound structures of the isolated ligand binding core suggest that closure of the binding cleft is sufficiently complete that it essentially prevents ligand dissociation. There is also considerable evidence supporting the view that cleft closure is the initial conformational change that triggers receptor activation and desensitization, and it has been clearly demonstrated that there is a correlation between the degree of cleft closure and agonist efficacy. It is unknown, however, whether the stability of binding cleft closure also influences receptor-channel properties. The crystallographic structures indicate that closed-cleft conformations are stabilized by the formation of hydrogen bonds that involve amino acid side chains of residues in domains 1 and 2. We show here that mutations that disrupt one such cross-cleft hydrogen bond (in the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2) decrease both agonist affinity and efficacy. The same mutations also hasten recovery from desensitization. We conclude that the stability of binding cleft closure has a significant impact on AMPA receptor function and is a major determinant of the apparent affinity of agonists. The results suggest that the stability of cleft closure has been tuned so that glutamate dissociates as rapidly as possible yet remains a full agonist.
Story Processing Ability in Cognitively Healthy Younger and Older Adults

Purpose The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among measures of comprehension and production for stories depicted in wordless pictures books and measures of memory and attention...
MANUFACTURING THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE: A WINDOW OF TECHNOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

The California Air Resources Board has mandated that by 1998 2% of new vehicles sold in California must be zero emission, effectively, electric vehicles. This requirement is largely responsible for the electric vehicle development programs run by almost every global automobile manufacturer that does business in the United States. At present, no single electric vehicle technology, from battery type, to propulsion system, to vehicle design, represents a standard for a protoelectric vehicle industry. In this paper competing electric vehicle technologies are reviewed, leading public and private electric vehicle research programs worldwide are summarized, and the barriers faced by competing technological systems in terms of manufacturing and infrastructural requirements are examined.
Differentially regulated functional gene clusters identified during ischemia and reperfusion in isolated cardiac myocytes using coverslip hypoxia.

Abstract Introduction: Coverslip hypoxia (CSH) is a recently described method for producing rapid and severe ischemia derived from the metabolic activity of synchronously contracting isolated neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). While the effect of acute ischemia produced by CSH is documented, the contribution of reperfusion to cell viability has not been fully studied. Methods: We therefore used fluorescence microscopy and expression profiling by microarray to determine the morphological and genetic effects in NRVMs of both the ischemic and reperfusion events of CSH. Results: Fluorescence microscopy studies in coverslipped NRVMs showed cell death at 1 h as previously reported. Matched samples coverslipped for up to 2 h and then reperfused 18 h showed myocyte recovery prior to but not beyond 1 h upon post-staining, suggesting a limited window of recovery. Expression profiling of more than 30,000 genes using total RNA collected from NRVMs subjected to varying periods of ischemia and reperfusion revealed 103 genes regulated at least 2-fold at p − 7 . These genes fall into discrete functional groups including apoptosis, metabolism, and hypoxia/acidosis. The regulation of a subset of genes from these groups was confirmed by RT-PCR. Interestingly, the hypoxia/acidosis gene BNip3 (a Bcl-2 family member implicated in hypoxia/acidosis-associated cell death) was upregulated early during ischemia and persisted throughout reperfusion. In addition, other hypoxia/acidosis genes such as heme oxygenase 1, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1, prolyl hydroxylases, and hypoxia-inducible protein 2 were upregulated. Discussion: These data suggest that the ischemic and reperfusion events created by CSH induce gene regulation within distinct functional groups related to in vivo ischemia.
The Great Transition: A Great Opportunity for US Higher Education

A discussion of US higher education at the time of the transition from an industrial to a knowledge‐based economy. This is the time when people need to be educated to cope with not just one job for life but a series of different jobs demanding different skills and aptitudes. Universities and colleges have to gear up to meet this demand. One of the big challenges is having the necessary leadership within these institutions to effect the necessary changes.
Cyclooctatetrene derivatives as electron transporters and hole blocker in organic LEDs

In this paper, we report that novel tetraphenyl- tetraalkynyl-COTs and octaaryl-COTs can be used as electron transport and hole blocker layer in organic LEDs. These materials have the similar reduction potentials compared to traditional electron transporters, such as Alq3. The energy gaps for all of the COT derivatives studied here are very wide (> 3 eV), making it possible to fabricate blue emitting OLEDs with these materials. We have fabricated devices of the structure ITO/NPD400 angstrom/COT-Me 400 angstrom/Mg-Ag. (ITO equals indium-tin-oxide, NPD equals N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-dinapthylbenzidine). The external quantum yield reaches 0.15% and the emission comes from NPD ((lambda) max equals 436 nm). When 1% perylene (by weight) is doped into the NPD, the (lambda) max of emission shifts to the 454 nm with the external QE reaches 0.60%. It indicates the efficient energy transfer from NPD to perylene. Changing the COT layer thickness from 400 Angstrom to 200 Angstrom, the emission is still from the NPD layer, as seen before. However, the I-V curve and turn-on voltage both shift to lower potentials by ca 2 - 3 V with the QE drops to 0.06%. The device QE can be increased by either using thin Alq layer or replacing Mg:Ag with LiF/Al electrode. Finally, the devices using COTs as hole blocker are fabricated and results are discussed.
Intermittently Flowing Rivers of Magnetic Flux

The behavior of magnetic fields inside superconductors has implications for both technology and fundamental condensed matter physics. In his Perspective, Nori discusses results published in the same issue by Matsuda et al. (p. 1393) on the motion of magnetic flux lines in a high transition temperature superconductor. Video sequences show how the flux lines move around and are sometimes trapped by defects in the material.
Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) directly inhibits receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) expression by osteoblasts

Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), released by osteoblasts, stimulates the proliferation of osteoclast progenitors via the c-fms receptor (CSF-1R) and, in combination with receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), leads to the formation of mature osteoclasts. Whether the CSF-1R is expressed by osteoblasts and mediates specific biological effects in osteoblasts has not been explored. Wild-type primary calvaria osteoblasts (OB) were analyzed for CSF-1R expression (RT-PCR and Western blot) and functionality (immunocomplex kinase assay). OB were serum starved for 24 h, and the effect of CSF-1 (0–100 ng/ml) on OB biological activities was determined at 48 h. In wild-type mouse bone marrow cultures, CSF-1 was tested for its effect on RANKL mRNA and osteoclast formation. Because ROS influence osteoblast RANKL expression, studies analyzed the effect of CSF-1 on reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity and Nox1 and Nox4 proteins. Results indicate that OB express CSF-1R mRNA and protein and that CSF-1R could be phosphorylated in the presence of CSF-1. In osteoblasts, CSF-1 decreased RANKL mRNA in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Incubation of bone marrow cultures with CSF-1 resulted in a significant decline in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) activity and CTR expression. RANKL-decreased expression by CSF-1 was correlated with a decrease of NADPH oxidase activity as well as Nox1 and Nox4 protein levels. These findings provide the first evidence that osteoblasts express CSF-1R and are a target for CSF-1 ligand. CSF-1-mediated inhibition of RANKL expression on osteoblasts may provide an important mechanism for coupling bone formation/resorption and preventing excessive osteoclastogenesis during normal skeletal growth.
Cerebrospinal fluid and plasma β-endorphin in combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract Opioid-mediated analgesia develops in experimental animals following traumatic stress and increased opioid-mediated analgesia has been observed in combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These observations have led to the hypothesis that increased central nervous system (CNS) opioidergic activity exists in patients with PTSD. However, direct CNS data on opioid peptide concentrations and dynamics in patients with PTSD are lacking. We withdrew cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via a flexible, indwelling subarachnoid catheter over a 6-h period and determined hourly CSF concentrations of immunoreactive β-endorphin (irβEND) in 10 well-characterized combat veterans with PTSD and nine matched normal volunteers. Blood was simultaneously withdrawn to obtain plasma for irβEND. PTSD symptom clusters, as measured by the CAPS, were correlated with neuroendocrine data. Mean CSF irβEND was significantly greater in patients with PTSD compared with normals and there was a negative correlation between the irβEND and PTSD intrusive and avoidant symptoms of PTSD. No intergroup difference between plasma ieβEND was found, nor was there a significant correlation between CSF and plasma irβEND. Immunoreactive β-lipotropin (irβLPH) and pro-opiomelanocortin (irPOMC), both precursors of βEND, were much more plentiful in human CSF than was β-endorphin itself, as has been previously reported. It remains to be determined whether the increased CNS opioid concentrations predate traumatic stress, thereby conferring a vulnerability to dissociative states and PTSD itself, or result from the trauma. The negative correlation between CSF irβEND and avoidant and intrusive symptoms suggests that CNS hypersecretion of opioids might constitute an adaptive response to traumatic experience. Poor correlation between CSF and plasma irβEND limits use of plasma measures to assess CNS opioid activity.
Antiserum to brain gangliosides produces recurrent epileptiform activity

A single injection of 10 microliters of antiserum to total brain ganglioside onto (and into) the sensorimotor cortex of the rat resulted in recurrent spiking in the cortical electroencephalogram, lasting from 7 to 17 days. Absorption of antibody with pure monosialoganglioside (GM1) completely abosished the effect. Spiking was reactivated after 4 weeks by intramuscular injection of pentylenetetrazole.
Unity of Consciousness and Bi-Level Externalism

In a conference hotel recently I accompanied a philosophical friend on a shopping expedition for some bold red and green wrapping papers, to be displayed as props in his upcoming talk on sensory qualia. Most examples used in philosophical discussions of consciousness have this static, snapshot character. The vehicle for a conscious perception of red wrapping paper may be a pattern of activation in a region of the brain devoted to visual input. But while walking, a person can turn her head, notice the wrapping paper, reach out, and grasp it. Our survival often depends on our ability to negotiate a changing environment by simultaneous streams of perception and action. What do vehicles of conscious content look like when there is realistically complex interaction with the world? A dynamic view requires, according to Susan Hurley, a ‘twisted rope’, the strands of which are continuous multi-modal streams of inputs and outputs looping into the environment and back into the central nervous system. The twist in the rope is analogous to the unity of consciousness. The contents of conscious perceptions depend directly— non-instrumentally— on relations among inputs and outputs; similarly for conscious intentions. We are evidently a long way from static red and green sensory qualia. Hurley’s book is a work of formidable ambition and multi-disciplinary erudition. She marshals wide-ranging literatures in the philosophy of mind, cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and dynamic systems theory. Her Kant and Wittgenstein scholarship is also impressive. Each chapter stands on
The effects of consecutive day propofol anesthesia on feline red blood cells.

This study investigated the potential for multiple exposures of propofol to induce oxidative injury, in the form of Heinz body production, to feline red blood cells. Anesthesia was induced in six healthy cats with propofol (6 mg/kg, intravenous [IV]) and maintained for 30 minutes with a propofol infusion (0.20 to 0.30 mg/kg/min, IV). The initial protocol was designed for each cat to receive 10 consecutive days of propofol anesthesia. All cats spontaneously breathed room air. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and indirect blood pressure were measured and recorded before and during anesthesia. Time to complete recovery after each infusion was measured and recorded. Heinz body analysis was performed before and after each day of propofol anesthesia. Based on predetermined criteria for discontinuing daily infusions, the mean number of consecutive days of propofol anesthesia was six and propofol administration did not continue beyond 7 days in any cat. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and indirect blood pressure did not change significantly during propofol anesthesia compared with awake values. Following the third consecutive day of propofol anesthesia, there was a significant increase from baseline in the mean percentage of Heinz bodies. Hemolysis was not detected in any cat. Recovery time significantly increased after the second consecutive day of propofol anesthesia compared with the first day. Five of six cats developed generalized malaise, anorexia, and diarrhea on day 5, 6, or 7, and two cats developed facial edema. All clinical signs resolved without treatment 24 to 48 hours after discontinuing propofol anesthesia. This study suggests that consecutive day propofol anesthesia in normal cats can induce oxidative injury to feline red blood cells in the form of excessive Heinz body formation, result in increased recovery times, and result in clinical signs of illness.
Enhanced boundary lubrication by potential control during copper wire drawing

Abstract Metal deformation process, such as wire drawing, is conventionally performed under open-circuit conditions. Lubrication is heavily dependent on the surface conditions of the wire. The surface condition of the wire depends on the electrochemical reactions once the wire contacts with the emulsion lubricant. An oxide layer on the incoming wire could be removed partially or completely and repassivation occurs on the asperities of the wire after abrasion. Adsorption of fatty acid on the oxide layer of the wire could play a vital part in the efficiency of boundary lubrication. Friction could be reduced when a proper potential is applied between the wire and the auxiliary tube before the drawing dies. The reduction of friction detected at various potentials depended on the lubricant chemical composition. Surface quality could be significantly improbed and energy consumption substantially reduced by the potential control.
The effect of the metallurgical properties of the In-GaAs interface on the electrical properties of ohmic contacts to GaAs

Abstract The electrical properties of Al/In ohmic contacts to GaAs are correlated with the metallurgical properties of the In-GaAs interface. These contacts are formed by the deposition of 300 A of indium and 1000 A of aluminium onto n-type GaAs (Nd = 5 × 1017 cm−3) substrates by evaporation in an ultrahigh vacuum system. The non-linear current-voltage characteristics became linear and the resistance dropped by four orders of magnitude after annealing at 200 °C. The forward and reverse current-voltage characteristics are explained by the tunnel emission model. Auger depth profile studies indicated the presence of excess indium and gallium at the In-GaAs interface in annealed samples. Scanning electron microscope studies showed the growth of GaAs spikes just below the indium layer only in annealed samples. The excess indium in the regrown crystals of GaAs is believed to form the heavily doped layer resulting in an ohmic contact.
O-ring coping attachments for removable partial dentures

Clinical experiences for the past 9 years have demonstrated the practicability of the O-ring coping attachment, a modification of the telescopic crown-and-sleeve coping retainers, for removable partial dentures. A circumferential groove placed in the primary coping receives an elastomeric O-ring that fits into a corresponding groove made in the internal surface of the telescopic crown. The O-ring not only provides controllable retention but also acts as a shock absorber. Long-term retention of the prostheses can be easily maintained by periodic replacements of the O-rings, Sophisticated procedures and expensive machines are not required to make the prostheses. Excellent patient acceptance and the versatility in clinical applications make this system one of the winning designs for removable partial prosthodontics.
Screening for Peripheral Artery Disease

Do you have discomfort in the calf muscle when walking that is relieved with rest? If yes, you may have peripheral artery disease (PAD). This disease of the blood circulation affects as many as 10 million people in the United States. The classic symptom of PAD is discomfort or pain in the muscle of the leg with walking, called claudication in medical terminology. The discomfort in the leg is typically relieved within 10 minutes of rest. The claudication is due to a blocked leg artery, most commonly from cholesterol buildup resulting in plaque that blocks blood flow and oxygen, the fuel of muscle. A blocked artery and poor circulation may also occur in the carotid artery in the neck or in the kidney artery. People who are most susceptible to developing PAD smoke cigarettes or have diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol (Table 1). PAD is equally prevalent in men and women. It is common for people with PAD to have a blocked heart artery or a blocked carotid artery that predisposes to heart or stroke, respectively. All patients with PAD should be carefully evaluated for heart artery and carotid artery disease. The good news is that if properly treated, …
Sine-wave polarographic determination of zirconium or niobium in aqueous media

The sine-wave polarographic determination of zirconium in aqueous media was investigated using solutions which were 0.55 – 5.5·10-3M in zirconyl chloride and 1 M in potassium chloride and had been adjusted to pH 2.0 with hydrochloric acid. It was possible to determine zirconium in the concentration range of 0.05 to 0.4 mg per ml. The sine-wave polarographic behavior of zirconium in aqueous solutions in the pH range 2–3 is discussed. The sine-wave polarographic determination of niobium in aqueous media was investigated using concentrated sulfuric acid containing 5 to 0.1 mg of niobium per ml in a supporting electrolyte of citric acid; the determination of niobium was possible down to 0.1 mg of niobium per ml of concentrated sulfuric acid although the D.C. polarographic method was impractical for the determination of less than 0.5 mg of niobium per ml.
Newton's and einstein's relations between mass and energy

A third and somewhat different approach to the subject of fundamental physical concepts and the related theories is offered to assist engineers in a better understanding of the Newton and Einstein laws and their applications in the field of physics. This is a continuation of the discussion presented in ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, January 1947, pages 45–66.
MySQL and the trouble with temporal data

Storing historical data is not new. Data warehouses are filled with it. However, querying temporal data has only, in the past few years, become a realistic possibility.Yet the SQL standard has not had significant updates in temporal data support since 1992. The demands of the modern world are no longer satisfied by decades-old solutions. MySQL, an open-source database extremely popular in the sciences, has still not yet fully implemented SQL-92. Its approach to temporal needs is lacking. Too many queries are not answerable, and those that are answerable are often answered inconsistently.
The Genus Tetrapolipus (Acari: Podapolipidae), Parasites of Tropical and Semitropical Cerambycidae (Coleoptera), New Distribution Records and Descriptions of Four New Species

Abstract The genus Tetrapolipus Berlese 1911 (Acari: Podapolipidae) known from three species collected from Batocera species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Indonesia and New Guinea is reviewed and new distribution records from Africa, Australia, India, Malaysia and the Philippines are presented. Tetrapolipus diastocerae n. sp., Tetrapolipus afrobatocerae n. sp., Tetrapolipus ramarajui n. sp. and Tetrapolipus seemani n. sp. are described. Tetrapolipus diastocerae from Diastocera wallichi Hope and Tetrapolipus species from Anoplophora lucipor Newman, 1842 are the first records of Tetrapolipus from cerambycid beetles other than Batocera. Tetrapolipus afrobatocerae is the first record of the genus Tetrapolipus in Africa, Tetrapolipus hunteri Husband, 1973 is the first record of Tetrapolipus in Australia and the first record of Tetrapolipus sp. from the Philippines is presented. Kurosapolipus species from Macropophora species (Cerambycidae) in the Western Hemisphere are compared with Tetrapolipus in the Eastern...
Protein characterization by on-line capillary isoelectric focusing, reversed-phase liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry.

Two-dimensional polyacrylmide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE), perhaps the most widely used method in proteomics research, is often limited by sensitivity and throughput. Capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF) coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) provides a liquid-based alternative to 2D-PAGE that can overcome these problems but is limited by ampholyte interference and signal quenching in ESI-MS. Inserting a reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) step between CIEF and MS can remove this interference. In this work, a CIEF-RPLC-MS system is described for separation and characterization of proteins in complex mixtures. CIEF is performed with a microdialysis membrane-based cathodic cell that also permits protein fractions to be collected, washed to remove ampholyte, and analyzed by RPLC-MS. CIEF performance with this cell is equivalent to that achieved with a conventional cathodic cell, and no loss of protein is observed during faction collection. The cell can be easily and safe...
Evaluation of a microfocused ultrasound system for improving skin laxity and tightening in the lower face.

Background: The Ulthera System (Ulthera, Inc, Mesa, Arizona) employs microfocused ultrasound to cause discrete focal heating of the dermis and stimulate neocollagenesis and elastin remodeling. Objectives: The authors investigated tightening and lifting of cheek tissue, improvement in jawline definition, and reduction in submental skin laxity in patients treated with the Ulthera System. Methods: A total of 103 adults were enrolled in this prospective nonrandomized clinical trial. Three-dimensional photographs obtained at baseline and 3 months posttreatment were assessed qualitatively by 3 blinded reviewers and quantitatively with AutoCAD software (Informer Technologies, Redwood City, California). The relationship between outcomes and body mass index (BMI) was examined as well. Patients rated pain during the procedure and provided subjective assessment of their outcome at 90 days. Adverse events were documented. Results: Ninety-three patients were evaluated. Blinded reviewers observed improvement in skin laxity in 58.1% of patients. During quantitative assessments, overall improvement in skin laxity was noted in 63.6% of evaluated patients. No change was detected in 54.5% of patients whose BMI exceeded 30 kg/m2 or in 12.2% of patients whose BMI was ≤30 kg/m2. At day 90, 65.6% of patients perceived improvement in the skin laxity of the lower half of their face/neck. The average procedural pain scores for the cheek, submental, and submandibular regions were 5.68, 6.09, and 6.53, respectively. Wheals, which resolved without intervention or long-term sequelae, were reported for 3 patients. Conclusions: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the largest clinical study of the effectiveness of the Ulthera System for rejuvenation of the lower face. At day 90, improvements were reported by two-thirds of patients and by nearly 60% of blinded reviewers. Outcomes were better in patients with BMI ≤30 kg/m2. Level of Evidence: 2 ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Opioids in context: relieving the pain of cancer. The role of comprehensive cancer management

Optimal pain control requires detailed appraisal of each symptom; in many cases definitive treatment of the underlying cause will be the most effective means of pain control. As an example back pain may be due not only to bone metastases but also enlarging lymph nodes, renal pain or retroperitoneal tumour. Benign causes including degenerative joint disease should also be considered and each cause treated specifically alongside the use of analgesics.
Electrical Contacts to Three-Dimensional Arrays of Carbon Nanotubes

We use numerical simulations to investigate the properties of metal contacts to three-dimensional arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). For undoped arrays top-contacted with high or low work function metals, electrostatic screening is very strong, resulting in a small Schottky barrier for current injection in the top layer and large Schottky barriers for current injection in the deeper layers. As a consequence, the majority of the current flows through the top layer of the array. Our simulations show that doping of the CNT array can alleviate this problem, even without direct contact to each tube in the array; however, we find that the charge transfer length is unusually long in arrays and increases with the number of CNT layers under the contact. We also show that a bottom gate can modulate the contact resistance, but only very weakly. These results are important for the design of electronic and optoelectronic devices based on CNT arrays, because they suggest that increasing the thickness of the array does little to improve the device performance unless the film is strongly doped at the contacts and the contact is long, or unless each tube in the array is directly contacted by the metal.
Isotope effect-mapping of the ionization of glucose demonstrates unusual charge sharing.

Isotopic substitution is known to affect kinetic rate constants and equilibrium constants in chemistry. In this study, we have used tritium substitution and high pH to probe the glucose ⇋ glucose- + H+ equilibrium. Passing partially ionized mixtures of [3H]- and [14C]glucose over anionic exchange resin has permitted the detection of subtle differences in pKa. We have found that, at pH 11.7 in an anionic exchange system, [3H]glucose always elutes ahead of the [14C]glucose, and we report isotope effects of 1.051 ± 0.0007, 1.012 ± 1.0005, 1.014 ± 0.0004, 1.024 ± 0.0003, 1.014 ± 0.0004, and 1.015 ± 0.0014 for [1-3H]-, [2-3H]-, [3-3H]-, [4-3H]-, [5-3H]-, and [6,6-3H2]glucose, respectively, as compared to either [2-14C]-or [6-14C]glucose. The elevated isotope effects at H1 and H4 imply unusual charge sharing in anionic aqueous glucose. Base titration of 13C-chemical shift changes demonstrates the dominance of pyranose forms at elevated pH, and ab initio isotope effect computations on gas-phase glucose anions ar...
Les Sept Sages De La Forêt Des Bambous Et La Société De Leur Temps

I1 est peu de figures dans l'histoire de la Chine qui soient aussi universellement connues que les Sept Sages de la Foret des Bambous Pj j4 , ce club d'amis qui se reunissaient pour boire et bavarder vers la fin de la courte dynastie des Wei, soit aux environs de l'an 260 de notre ere. J'ai dej'a parle de leur role dans la vie de Hi K'ang et des doutes qu' on a pu avoir sur l'historicite de certaines des traditions qui les concernent 1). II n'est pas sans interet d'examiner leur place dans la societe de leur temps 2).
Market Discount Factors for Fully Developed, Declining Production

Every active market transaction provides a signal of a discount factor. Economic fundamentals show how that signal can be discerned from actual market transactions for fully developed properties producing under decline.
Magnetotransport in corrugated quantum wires

The magnetoresistance of ballistic quantum wires with periodically modulated width has been calculated. We find that the negative magnetoresistance peak persists approximately up to 0.1 T, which is two orders of magnitude larger than in single quantum dots. Our results are in good agreement with recent experiments. We believe that the wide peak is a manifestation of a weak localization effect, arising from multiple backscattering and resonances among the segments of the corrugated wire. The weak localization effect is not sensitive to the period of corrugation, nor to the wire width, as long as the number of propagating modes is large. As random disorder is introduced, and the system approaches the diffusive transport regime, the wide negative magnetoresistance peak disappears.
A quasi-classical trajectory study of collisions of fast H atoms with CO using an accurate ab initio potential surface

Abstract The quasi-classical trajectory method is used in conjunction with a globally determined ab initio surface to study translational to vibrational excitation in collisions of hot H atoms with CO. Good agreement with experiment is obtained. Sensitivity of the results to features of the surface is analyzed.
The discovery of long acting β2-adrenoreceptor agonists

Abstract The design and profile of a series of saligenin containing long acting β2-adrenoreceptor agonists is described. Evaluation of these analogues using a guinea-pig tissue model demonstrates that analogues within this series have significantly longer durations of action than salmeterol and have the potential for a once daily profile in human.
An evaluation of MES (2(N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid) and amberlite IRC-50 as pH buffers for nutrient solution studies

All buffering agents used to stabilize pH in hydroponic research have disadvantages. Inorganic buffers are absorbed and may become phytotoxic. Solid carbonate salts temporarily mitigate decreasing pH but provide almost no protection against increasing pH, and they alter nutrient absorption. Exchange resins are more effective, but we find that they remove magnesium and manganese from solution. We have tested 2(N-Morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) as a buffering agent at concentrations of 1 and 10 mol m-3 (1 and 10 mM) with beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, and wheat. MES appears to be biologically inert and does not interact significantly with other solution ions. Relative growth rates among controls and MES treatments were nearly identical for each species during the trial period. The pH was stabilized by 1 mol m-3 MES. This buffer warrants further consideration in nutrient research.
Inactivation of Escherichia coli by sonication at discrete ultrasonic frequencies

Abstract The sonolytic inactivation of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) is reported. The impact of power intensity, dissolved gas and ultrasonic frequency on the germicide effectiveness of sonification has been explored. The inactivation of E. coli exhibits pseudo-first order behavior, and depends moderately on total power and power intensity at a frequency of 20 kHz. The rate coefficients in an oxygenated solution vary from 0.031 to 0.046 min −1 when the power intensity ranges from 4.6 to 74 W cm −2 . Inactivation occurs most readily at the highest sound intensity, 74 W cm −2 . Three dissolved gases were investigated: oxygen, argon, and an argon/oxygen mixture. The nature of the dissolved gas does not strongly influence the magnitude of the inactivation coefficients which varied from k =0.027 min −1 to 0.047 min −1 . Ultrasonic frequency, within the limits of 205–1017 kHz, displays a strong influence on the rate of E. coli inactivation in oxygenated solutions. The rate coefficients vary from 0.030 to 0.078 min −1 . The most effective ultrasonic frequency for E. coli innovation is 205 kHz; the rate coefficient ( k =0.078 min −1 ) is greater than the coefficient at 1071 kHz ( k =0.030 min −1 ) by a factor of 2.6 and 358 kHz ( k =0.064 min −1 ) also demonstrates a greater efficiency than either 618 kHz ( k =0.041 min −1 ) or 1017 kHz.
Aluminum effects on brain microvessel endothelial cell monolayer permeability

Abstract The permeability of primary cultures of brain microvessel endothelial cell (BMEC) monolayers has been shown to be sensitive to micromolar concentrations of aluminum. Aluminum increased BMEC permeability to a biomembrane impermeant molecule, fluorescein sodium, in a concentration-dependent manner with maximal effects observed after a 5 min preincubation. Aluminum attenuated BMEC pinocytosis as quantitated by the uptake of Lucifer yellow, a fluorescent marker for fluid-phase pinocytosis. Following labeling BMEC membranes with either diphenylhexatriene or trimethylammonium diphenylhexatriene, fluorescence anisotropy measurements showed that aluminum has no effect on membrane lipid order neither at the core of BMEC membranes nor near the surface of the BMEC membrane. The absence of aluminum-induced increases in BMEC pinocytosis, the absence of aluminum effects on BMEC lipid order, and the rapid onset of concetration-dependent increases in BMEC monolayer permeability suggests the potential site of aluminum-induced alterations of BBB permeability may originate at the luminal BMEC surface. Results confirm and support in vivo findings of aluminum-induced increases in blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability to peptides and non-peptides. We conclude that primary cultures of BMEC monolayers provide an appropriate in vitro model for molecular/cellular level elucidation of mechanisms modulating BBB permeability to blood-borne factors.
Pentosidine: a molecular marker for the cumulative damage to proteins in diabetes, aging, and uremia

Collagen undergoes progressive browning with age and diabetes characterized by yellowing, fluorescence, and cross-linking. The present research was undertaken in order to investigate the nature of the collagen-linked fluorescence. Human collagen was exhaustively cleaved into peptides by enzymatic digestion. Upon purification, a highly fluorescent chromophore was identified and purified from old human collagen. Structure elucidation revealed the presence of an imidazo [4,5-b] pyridinium-type structure acting as a cross-link between arginine, lysine, and a pentose. This advanced glycosylation end-product and protein cross-link results from the reaction of pentoses with proteins and was named pentosidine. Further work indicated that long-term glycosylation of proteins with hexoses also leads to pentosidine formation through sugar fragmentation. The proposed mechanism of pentosidine formation involves the dehydration of the pentose-derived Amadori compound to form an intermediate which is attacked under base catalysis by the guanido group of arginine. The strict requirement for the Amadori rearrangement is uncertain. However, oxidation is definitely involved since pentosidine is not formed in the absence of oxygen. Five-carbon sugars contributing to pentosidine formation could be formed from larger sugars by oxidative fragmentation or from trioses, tetroses, and ketoses by condensation and/or reverse aldol reactions. Pentosidine increases exponentially in human skin at autopsy. Mean age-adjusted skin levels were significantly increased in subjects with uremia and especially in type 1 diabetics with uremia vs. controls. In skin biopsy, levels were significantly elevated in all diabetic (type 1) vs. control subjects. The highest degree of association was with the cumulative grade of diabetic complication (retinopathy, nephropathy, arterial stiffness, and joint stiffness). Pentosidine also forms in various proteins other than collagen, although to a much lesser extent. In blood, pentosidine is mainly associated with plasma proteins and is highly elevated during uremia. In the lens, it is associated with both water-soluble and -insoluble protein fractions and is especially elevated during brunescent cataract formation. The origin of pentosidine in vivo is uncertain. Evidence suggests that the pentoses are the most reactive sugars in pentosidine formation in vitro; however, the origin and importance of free pentoses in vivo, especially during the diabetic state, are not certain. Possible origins include hemolysis and/or a defect in the primary pentose metabolism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SEED BEETLE FROM AUSTRALIA (COLEOPTERA: BRUCHIDAE)

i A new species of bruchid, Bruchidius mackenziei, is described from Australia and is compared with Bruchidius despicatus (Lea) comb. n. It is found in the native legumes, Cassia aciphylla Bentham and C. schultesii Colla., as well as Cassia bicapsularis L., introduced from the New World.
Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of δ-ALA, tyrosine and creatinine in biological fluids

Abstract Background Several acquired and congenital human disorders perturb the concentrations of delta-aminolevulinate (δ-ALA), creatinine and tyrosine in biological fluids. There is currently no facile, sensitive and specific method to measure these analytes simultaneously. Method We developed an LC-MS/MS method to quantify δ-ALA, creatinine and tyrosine in urine that requires minimal sample preparation and no derivatization. The method is also applicable to the analysis of tyrosine in plasma. Results All calibration plots were linear, with R2≥0.996. Intra- and interday CVs were Conclusions The method is simple, specific and precise and allows simultaneous quantitation of δ-ALA, creatinine and tyrosine at concentrations present under physiological or pathophysiological conditions.