cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance of CryoValve SG decellularized pulmonary allografts compared with standard cryopreserved allografts.

Background There is no ideal option for pulmonary valve replacement in children. Cryopreserved pulmonary allografts frequently demonstrate early valve regurgitation and may elicit an immune response. To improve these shortcomings, the SynerGraft process (CryoLife, Kennesaw, GA) decellularizes an allograft, leaving only connective tissue, which then becomes repopulated with host cells. A previous study at our institution demonstrated superior short-term durability of the SynerGraft-processed CryoValve SG compared with standard allografts. Longer-term impact of the technology remains unknown. Methods A single institution review was performed of all CryoValve SGs implanted between 2001 and 2004. Forty-one CryoValve SG patients and 41 age and diagnosis-matched standard allograft controls were evaluated. Demographics, survival, reintervention, and echocardiographic findings were analyzed. Results There were no significant differences between groups in demographics, valve diameter, orthotopic-heterotopic allograft position, or follow-up. For the entire cohort, there was no difference in early or late insufficiency or stenosis at a mean follow-up of 46 ± 14 months. However, freedom from moderate to severe insufficiency (>3+) was significantly better for CryoValve SG patients ( p = 0.05). In addition, for patients greater than 2 years of age, CryoValve SGs were significantly less regurgitant ( p = 0.045) and stenotic ( p = 0.041). Long-term survival was identical at 85% (35 of 41). Conclusions When compared with standard allografts, CryoValve SGs demonstrate superior freedom from significant insufficiency at intermediate follow-up. In older children, CryoValve SGs display less insufficiency and stenosis. For infants, patient age, valve diameter, previous conduit, and rapid somatic growth would likely be the predominant factors leading to allograft failure.
Patterns of deoxyglucose and glucose labeling in the optic tectum of monocularly stimulated bass

Uniformly labeled deoxyglucose and glucose were used to examine patterns of altered metabolic activity in the optic tectum of largemouth bass. Autoradiographs from fish which viewed moving vertical stripes with one eye show that the metabolites of the two sugars procedure similar patterns of activity-related labeling in the tectum: tangentially arranged bands of increased optical density through the SFGS and the SGC. In addition, aldehyde fixation was found to improve the histological quality of the sections without altering the patterns of labeling.
Changes in asthma-like responses after extended removal from exposure to trimellitic anhydride in the Brown Norway rat model

Summary Background Organic acid anhydride-induced occupational asthma is considered to be IgE-mediated. Airway and skin exposure are the two main routes of sensitization in the work place. Recently we developed an allergic asthmatic Brown Norway rat model sensitized by dermal exposure to trimellitic anhydride (TMA) using an occlusion patch application. Objectives The objectives of this study were (1) to develop a model of non-occluded dermal exposure leading to allergic sensitization and (2) to examine the effect of extended removal from exposure on persistence of both specific IgE and TMA aerosol-induced airway responses in this model. Methods TMA powder (4 or 40 mg) was applied, unoccluded, to the skin of rats for 4 h, once/week for 4 weeks. Rats were given a 10-min aerosol challenge to 40 mg/m3 TMA 2 weeks after the last dermal exposure (day 35). Another group was challenged on day 35 and again 18–24 months later. Respiratory enhanced pause (Penh), pulmonary histopathology and inflammation and specific IgE titres were measured. Results Rats produced dose-dependent specific IgE titres after exposure and developed early-phase (EAR) and late-phase airway responses (LAR) after airway challenge to TMA aerosol as well as airway eosinophilic inflammation. Specific airway responses were still manifested after a second TMA airway challenge given 18–24 months following the initial airway challenge. While persistent, airway inflammation, specific IgE and EAR were significantly attenuated following the second TMA challenge. LAR remained robust at 18–24 months and was not significantly different from the response on day 35. Conclusions These results demonstrate the persistence of chemical sensitization and further suggest that IgE is not essential for LAR.
Evidence for earthquake triggering stress

Earthquake time series are constructed by making counts per unit time of earthquakes with magnitudes greater than a chosen threshold. The time series from widely separated regions show strong correlations with one another, and it is suggested that tectonic plates are subjected to a fluctuating stress field that results in these changes in seismic activity.
Health services research as a management tool in the emergency department

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, with a grant under section 1205 of the Emergency Medical Services Systems (EMSS) Act of 1973 from the National Center for Health Services Research (DHEW), are doing three research projects pertaining to the quality and effectiveness of care and management in the emergency department. Project 1 concerns assessing the impact of categorization of facilities and ambulance and communication improvements on the use of emergency departments and ambulances. Project 2 assesses the impact of triage nursing, patient exit interviews, patient advocacy, nursing audit, walk-in clinics and education of asthmatic patients on emergency department care. Project 3 investigates the effect of specific clinical procedures on patient outcome.
Effective triage can ameliorate the deleterious effects of delayed transfer of trauma patients from the emergency department to the ICU.

Background Emergency department (ED) crowding and delays in care represent a national problem; no large study has examined the impact of such delays in surgical patients. We sought to determine the impact of delayed transfer from the ED on outcomes in trauma/emergency general surgical patients in a center that has developed a policy to triage more critically ill/severely injured patients to earlier ICU admission. Study Design All trauma patients admitted from January 2005 to April 2007 in a Level I trauma center were divided into a nondelayed (≤6 hours) group or a delayed (>6 hours) group. Factors associated with their injuries and outcomes were determined from a large prospective database and all deaths were examined by root-cause analysis. Sentinel events were examined in all deaths and among randomly selected survivors. Results Among 3,918 patients, ED stay was often prolonged. The nondelayed group spent a mean of 3 hours in the ED compared with 14.6 hours in the delayed group. Patients admitted earlier were more seriously injured and had markedly worse outcomes, with overall mortality of 18% versus 2.3% in the nondelayed and delayed group, respectively. Mortality did not increase with time spent in the ED but, in fact, decreased after 4 hours. Case analysis disclosed two deaths that might have been altered by earlier ICU transfer. Conclusion Experienced clinicians can effectively triage more critically injured patients to earlier ICU admission and alter associations between ED length of stay and mortality. Hospitals with a large trauma/emergency general surgery caseload resulting in delays in ED throughput should institute policies and procedures for triage of more severely injured patients for early ICU admission and develop a monitoring system to ensure that delays do not adversely affect patient outcomes.
Laparoscopic versus open sigmoid resection for diverticulitis: long-term results of a prospective, randomized trial

Background Elective laparoscopic sigmoid resection for diverticulitis has proven short-term benefits, but little data are available from prospective randomized trials regarding long-term outcome, quality of life, and functional results.
Going to College: How Social, Economic, and Educational Factors Influence the Decisions Students Make

Going to College tells the powerful story of how high school students make choices about postsecondary education. Drawing on their unprecedented nine-year study of high school students, the authors explore how students and their parents negotiate these important decisions. Family background, finances, education, information-all influence students' plans after high school and the career paths they pursue, as do the more subtle messages delivered by parents and counselors which shape adolescents' self-expectations. For high school guidance counselors, college admissions counselors, parents and teachers, and public policy makers, this book is a valuable resource that explains the decision-making process and helps adults to help students make appropriate choices. The authors identify predisposition, search, and choice as the three stages in the student decision-making process. Predisposition refers to the plans students develop for education or work after they graduate from high school. The search stage involves students discovering and evaluating a variety of colleges and universities. In the choice stage, students choose a school to attend from among a list of institutions that are being seriously considered. Understanding exactly how students move through the predisposition, search, and choice stages of the college decision-making process can help students and parents prepare themselves for this process and consider a wider array of options. For education professionals, understanding this process can lead to new initiatives to guide students and families effectively-by providing better incentives for college savings, for example, or devising more effective early information programs about postsecondary education. Going to Collegeis the first book to seriously study over an extended period the decisions that have a pervasive and lasting impact on individual careers, livelihoods, and lifestyles. The authors conclude with important recommendations for improving academic support, exploring various financial options, providing early encouragement-in other words, for recognizing the factors that influence students' decisions, and knowing when to pay attention to them.
Embracing The Eden Alternative™ in Long-term Care Environments

Abstract As we move toward the new millennium, 76 million Baby Boomers are on the brink of retirement. For some seniors, long-term care will be a necessity. Older adults value independence, physical activity, intellectual curiosity, caring, and spirituality. The long-term care culture is being revolutionized by The Eden Alternative, which strives to decrease loneliness, helplessness, and boredom by developing healthy habitats in a home-like environment. Three key components are children, plants, and companion animals that provide variety and spontaneity in life. (Geriatr Nurs 1999;20:158-61)
Inducible knockout of GRP78/BiP in the hematopoietic system suppresses Pten-null leukemogenesis and AKT oncogenic signaling

Traditionally, GRP78 is regarded as protective against hypoxia and nutrient starvation prevalent in the microenvironment of solid tumors; thus, its role in the development of hematologic malignancies remains to be determined. To directly elucidate the requirement of GRP78 in leukemogenesis, we created a biallelic conditional knockout mouse model of GRP78 and PTEN in the hematopoietic system. Strikingly, heterozygous knockdown of GRP78 in PTEN null mice is sufficient to restore the hematopoietic stem cell population back to the normal percentage and suppress leukemic blast cell expansion. AKT/mTOR activation in PTEN null BM cells is potently inhibited by Grp78 heterozygosity, corresponding with suppression of the PI3K/AKT pathway by GRP78 knockdown in leukemia cell lines. This is the first demonstration that GRP78 is a critical effector of leukemia progression, at least in part through regulation of oncogenic PI3K/AKT signaling. In agreement with PI3K/AKT as an effector for cytosine arabinoside resistance in acute myeloid leukemia, overexpression of GRP78 renders human leukemic cells more resistant to cytosine arabinoside-induced apoptosis, whereas knockdown of GRP78 sensitizes them. These, coupled with the emerging association of elevated GRP78 expression in leukemic blasts of adult patients and early relapse in childhood leukemia, suggest that GRP78 is a novel therapeutic target for leukemia.
Asperger's syndrome: evidence of an empirical distinction from high-functioning autism.

Abstract This study compared the neuropsychological profiles of individuals with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger's syndrome (AS). In comparison with matched controls, both groups were impaired on executive function tests. Only the HFA group demonstrated deficits in theory of mind and verbal memory, performing more poorly than both controls and AS subjects. These results suggest that: (1) HFA and AS are empirically distinguishable on measures independent of diagnostic criteria, and (2) impairment on theory of mind measures is not universally found among individuals with autistic spectrum conditions. The primacy of executive function and theory of mind deficits to autism is discussed.
Discovery of MicroRNAs of the Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) by High-Throughput Sequencing

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), is a serious ectoparasite affecting animal production and health of both animals and humans. Stable fly control relies largely on chemical insecticides; however, the development of insecticide resistance as well as environmental considerations requires continued discovery research to develop novel control technologies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short noncoding RNAs that have been shown to be important regulators of gene expression across a wide variety of organisms, and may provide an innovative approach with regard to development of safer more targeted control technologies. The current study reports discovery ad initial comparative analysis of 88 presumptive miRNA sequences from the stable fly, obtained using high-throughput sequencing of small RNAs. The majority of stable fly miRNAs were 22-23 nt in length. Many miRNAs were arthropod specific, and several mature miRNA sequences showed greater sequence identity to miRNAs from other blood-feeding dipterans such as mosquitoes rather than to Drosophilids. This initial step in characterizing the stable fly microRNAome provides a basis for further analyses of life stage-specific and tissue-specific expression to elucidate their functional roles in stable fly biology.
Abrogation of calcium exclusion by erythrocytes under hypotonic stress

Normal human erythrocytes in isotonic suspension maintain a high gradient of calcium ion concentration across the membrane, with the cytosol [Ca2+] several orders of magnitude below plasma concentration. Despite the high degree of exclusion maintained against the entry of Ca2+, the osmotic resistance of red cells in hypotonic saline is significantly augmented by the presence in the medium of Ca2+ in concentrations greater than 0.07 mmol/l. Resistive particle spectroscopy showed this to occur without alteration of the mean critical haemolytic volume; furthermore, in the presence of Ca2+ there was a reduction in cell volume at prolytic osmolalities when compared with cells in calcium-free sodium chloride solutions. This is shown to be due to augmentation of the prolytic loss of K+ in the presence of Ca2+ through calcium-sensitive channels, and indicates that the pathway for passive K+ efflux uncovered in the prolytic state is indistinguishable from that of normal passive K+ diffusion. It is also demonstrated that the prolytic red cell membrane is permeable to Ca2+ and admits the divalent cation to the inner aspect of the plasma membrane. These changes are comparable to those of cells prior to haemolysis in vivo, as in the irreversibly sickled cell, and are therefore not specific to the latter condition.
Novel Role for the NMDA Receptor Redox Modulatory Site in the Pathophysiology of Seizures

Redox-active compounds modulate NMDA receptors (NMDARs) such that reduction of NMDAR redox sites increases, and oxidation decreases, NMDAR-mediated activity. Because NMDARs contribute to the pathophysiology of seizures, redox-active compounds also may modulate seizure activity. We report that the oxidant 5, 5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) and the redox cofactor pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) suppressed low Mg(2+)-induced hippocampal epileptiform activity in vitro. Additionally, in slices exposed to 4-7 microM bicuculline, DTNB and PQQ reversed the potentiation of evoked epileptiform responses by the reductants dithiothreitol and Tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP). NMDA-evoked whole-cell currents in CA1 neurons in slices were increased by TCEP and subsequently decreased by DTNB or PQQ at the same concentrations that modulated epileptiform activity. However, DTNB and PQQ had little effect on baseline NMDA-evoked currents in control medium, and PQQ did not alter NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation. In contrast, in slices returned to control medium after low Mg(2+)-induced ictal activity, DTNB significantly inhibited NMDAR-mediated currents, indicating endogenous reduction of NMDAR redox sites under this epileptogenic condition. These data suggested that PQQ and DTNB suppressed spontaneous ictal activity by reversing pathological NMDAR redox potentiation without inhibiting physiological NMDAR function. In vivo, PQQ decreased the duration of chemoconvulsant-induced seizures in rat pups with no effect on baseline behavior. Our results reveal endogenous potentiation of NMDAR function via mass reduction of redox sites as a novel mechanism that may enhance epileptogenesis and facilitate the transition to status epilepticus. The results further suggest that redox-active compounds may have therapeutic use by reversing NMDAR-mediated pathophysiology without blocking physiological NMDAR function.
The Two V.s of Thomas Pynchon, or From Lippincott to Jonathan Cape and Beyond

Two versions of V. were issued in 1963, one in the U.S. and one in England, because errors that had crept into the first American edition were found and corrected in time for the British edition’s release. Pynchon would be able to get the corrections he had made for the British edition into the American paperback the following year. The fact that the first U.S. edition needed to be corrected was forgotten, and with the exception of those printed by Bantam, the U.S. paperback publisher, all other U.S. editions are reproductions of the uncorrected first American edition. This paper traces the editorial history of V. after its publication, detailing the differences between the corrected and uncorrected editions of the novel.
Cigarette smoking and its fingerprint on DNA.

It is now an axiom in the field of chemical carcinogenesis that a number of chemical carcinogens or their metabolites become covalently bound to cellular DNA and that the damage this inflicts on the genetic material plays a critical role in the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of these agents (7,2). This principle provides not only insights into the mechanism of action of such agents, but also a sensitive in vivo method of detecting and quantitating the extent to which a suspected environmental agent might interact with the genetic material. In a sense, DNA can be used as an endogenous trapping agent, serving both as an internal dosimetry badge and as a fingerprint of the exposure. Several methods are now available for assaying with very high sensitivity the possible modification of cellular DNA by specific environmental chemicals (3,4). These include: (a) the use of radioactively labeled carcinogens (a method useful in studies on rodents and in rodent or human cell culture systems but not applicable to monitoring environmental exposures in humans); (b) fluorescence detection methods, which are suitable if the carcinogen-DNA adduct is fluorescent; (c) immunologic methods using polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies to specific carcinogen-DNA adducts, coupled with highly sensitive radioactive immunoassays (RIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), or immuno-fluore scence microscopy on single cells; (d) a " 32P-postlabeling method" in which the DNA sample is hydrolyzed to nucleotides, the nucleotides are labeled with highly radioactive [32P]phosphate, and the nucleotides modified by carcinogens are then separated from the normal nucleotides by thin-layer chromatography; and (e) gas chromatography and mass spectrometry methods. At the present time, methods c and d are the most useful for human studies since they can be readily performed and are extremely sensitive. For example, one can detect as few as 1-10 carcinogen-DNA adducts per about 109 base pairs, or fewer than about 10 carcinogen residues per cell.
Real-time Modulation Classification Based On Maximum Likelihood

This paper describes a likelihood test based modulation classification method for identifying the modulation scheme of a software-defined radio (SDR) in real-time without pilot symbols between transmitters and receivers. Unlike the prior art, the paper converts an unknown signal symbol to an address of the look-up table (LUT), loads the pre-calculated values of the test functions for the likelihood ratio test, and produces the estimated modulation scheme in real-time. The statistical performance of the LUT based classifier is studied. Simulation results are presented to confirm the theoretical analysis.
Optimal Agricultural Pest Management with Increasing Pest Resistance

The effect of increasing pest resistance to insecticides on the optimal control of a pest population is investigated by constructing a single-pest, single-crop management model and analyzing the resulting optimality conditions. Use of insecticides under these conditions results in both monetary costs and user costs. It is suggested that growers do not generally consider these user costs and therefore do not obtain maximum profits. The dynamic formulation of the model results in an extension of the literature dealing with the "economic-threshold," which under reasonable conditions is shown to be increasing during the course of the season.
Mechanism-Based Probe for the Analysis of Cathepsin Cysteine Proteases in Living Cells

Mechanism-based probes are providing new tools to evaluate the enzymatic activities of protein families in complex mixtures and to assign protein function. The application of these chemical probes for the visualization of protein labeling in cells and proteomic analysis is still challenging. As a consequence, imaging and proteomic analysis often require different sets of chemical probes. Here we describe a mechanism-based probe, azido-E-64, that can be used for both imaging and proteomics. Azido-E-64 covalently modifies active Cathepsin (Cat) B in living cells, an abundant cysteine protease involved in microbial infections, apop- tosis, and cancer. Furthermore, azido-E-64 contains an azide chemical handle that can be selectively derivatized with phosphine reagents via the Staudinger ligation, which enables the imaging and proteomic analysis of Cat B. We have utilized azido- E-64 to visualize active Cat B during infection of primary macrophages with Salmo- nella typhimurium, an facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen. These studies demonstrated that active Cat B is specifically excluded from Salmonella-containing vacuoles, which suggests that inhibition of protease activity within bacteria- containing vacuoles may contribute to bacterial virulence.
The Digital Divide in Internet-Based Patient Education Materials

The ubiquity of the Internet has led to the widespread availabil- ity of health-related information to the public, and the subse- quent empowerment of patients has fundamentally altered the patient-physician relationship. Among several concerns of phy- sicians is the possibility that patients may be misinformed by information obtained from the Internet. One opportunity for health care providers to address this problem exists within Internet-based patient education materials (IPEMs). According to recent research in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, IPEMs found within professional otolaryngology websites are written at the 8th- to 18th-grade reading comprehension level, essentially unchanged over the past 3 years. This greatly exceeds the fourth- to sixth-grade reading level recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Benefits, strategies, and challenges to improving the readability of IPEMs are discussed.
Minimization of dynamic and static power through joint assignment of threshold voltages and sizing optimization

We describe an optimization strategy for minimizing total power consumption using dual threshold voltage (Vth) technology. Significant power savings are possible by simultaneous assignment of Vth with gate sizing. We propose an efficient algorithm based on linear programming that jointly performs Vth assignment and gate sizing to minimize total power under delay constraints. First, linear programming assigns the optimal amounts of slack to gates based on power-delay sensitivity. Then, an optimal gate configuration, in terms of Vth and transistor sizes, is selected by an exhaustive local search. Benchmark results for the algorithm show 32% reduction in power consumption on average, compared to sizing only power minimization. There is up to a 57% reduction for some circuits. The flow can be extended to dual supply voltage libraries to yield further power savings.
Effects of Competing Activities on Test Performance in Large Introductory Courses in Psychology

Next time students ask to take a make-up examination for a questionable reason, request that they read this paper.
The partnership care delivery model: an examination of the core concept and the need for a new model of care.

Aim This article describes the foundation of an emerging care delivery model based on partnership. It also reflects on and synthesizes the findings of earlier concept analyses of its core concept. Background Changes in the delivery of health care services in the United States have been driven significantly by cost containment over the last 20 years. This has resulted in an unprecedented pace of work, fragmentation of care, and medical errors. Fundamental changes are needed to meet the needs of today’s health care environment. Methods A literature search was done in electronic data bases. Concept analysis papers were reviewed and synthesized. Results The antecedents, attributes and consequences of partnership are described and linked to the supporting literature and theoretical models. Conclusions Engaging and empowering the patient through partnership seem to be crucial to developing a cohesive and effective model of care delivery. Partnerships among patients, their families, physicians, nurses and other clinicians positively impact on safety, quality of care, satisfaction, outcomes and job fulfillment. Implications for nursing management Managers need to foster an environment that allows for stronger reciprocal relationships. They need to facilitate changes in practice that support the development of partnerships among patients, their families and all care providers.
Synthesis and properties of conjugated thiophenes fused onto a dehydro[15]annulene scaffold

Abstract A short series of dehydrobenzothieno- and dehydropyridothieno[15]annulene ([15]DBTA and [15]DPTA) hybrids were assembled from thiophene, acetylene, and benzene/pyridine components. The molecules were constructed in a convergent manner and their properties examined optically, electrochemically, and thermally. In addition to lowered energy of electronic transitions of the 15-membered macrocycles, their emissive properties are discussed. The observed trends correspond with previously reported [14]annulenes, and are further rationalized using DFT (B3LYP/6-311G ∗∗ ) calculations.
PIV Measurements in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer within and above a Mature Corn Canopy. Part I: Statistics and Energy Flux

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements just within and above a mature corn canopy have been performed to clarify the small-scale spatial structure of the turbulence. The smallest resolved scales are about 15 times the Kolmogorov length scale ( 0.4 mm), the Taylor microscales are about 100, and the Taylor scale Reynolds numbers range between R 2000 and 3000. The vertical profiles of mean flow and turbulence parameters match those found in previous studies. Frequency spectra, obtained using the data as time series, are combined with instantaneous spatial spectra to resolve more than five orders of magnitude of length scales. They display an inertial range spanning three decades. However, the small-scale turbulence in the dissipation range exhibits anisotropy at all measurement heights, in spite of apparent agreement with conditions for reaching local isotropy, following a high-Reynolds-number wind tunnel study. Directly calculated subgrid-scale (SGS) energy flux, determined by spatially filtering the PIV data, increases significantly with decreasing filter size, providing support for the existence of a spectral shortcut that bypasses the cascading process and injects energy directly into small scales. The highest measured SGS flux is about 40% of the estimated energy cascading rate as determined from a5/3 fit to the spectra. Terms appearing in the turbulent kinetic energy budget that can be calculated from the PIV data are in agreement with previous results. Evidence of a very strong correlation between dissipation rate and out-of-plane component of the vorticity is demonstrated by a striking similarity between their time series.
Pirate Histories: Rethinking the Indian Film Archive

This article argues that despite their inherent illegality, forms of media piracy are an essential part of the memory of Bombay cinema. While Bombay cinema’s history is replete with its encounter with myriad pirate forms—cheaply published film dialogs and lyrics, locally produced posters, illegal music tapes, video cassettes, VCDs and DVDs—the activity of viewing, sharing, and storing cinematic objects sees a new order of proliferation online, leading to the creation of a network of private and indeed pirate archives of cinema.Built largely of illegal material (downloaded, ripped, and copied) and the “poor image” (Steyerl, 2009), the pirate archive is at odds with the official state archive of cinema that is all too aware of its role in preserving the “heritage of Indian cinema.” The pirate archive unpacks the carefully constructed and preserved hierarchy of “meaningful cinema” by including more derided forms like porn and “trash,” bringing them into the fold of history. I argue that its illicit, often in...
Liquid–Solid Equilibria in the System FeO–NiO–Fe2O3–SiO2

Liquidus and solidus phase relations have been determined for the system NiO-iron oxide–SiO2 in air and in CO2. In both cases the system is simple in that it contains only three primary crystalline phases: spinel (Fe3O4–NiFe2O3 solid solution), oxide (“FeO”–NiO solid solution) and SiO2, either tridymite or cristobalite. There is only one liquidus invariant point at which the above crystalline phases coexist with liquid (and the gas phase). In air, the invariant point (a eutectic) is at 1524°C, and a temperature maximum is present along the spinel–silica liquidus boundary curve at 1540°C. In CO2, the silica + spinel + oxide + liquid invariant temperature is considerably lower: 1433°C. Combination of these data with those obtained previously for the same system under strongly reducing conditions (CO2–CO gas mixtures of ratios only slightly above those of equilibrium coexistence of the oxide phases with Fe–Ni alloy) makes it possible to draw the main features of phase relations in the quaternary system FeO–NiO–Fe2O3–SiO2. This system also is relatively simple, in that only five crystalline phases are present in equilibrium with liquids, viz, silica (cristobalite or tridymite), olivine (Fe2SiO4-Ni2SiO4 solid solution), spinel (Fe3O4-NiFe2O4 solid solution), hematite (Fe2O3), and oxide (“FeO”–NiO solid solution). There is only one quaternary liquidus invariant point in the system, characterized by the equilibrium coexistence of silica, olivine, spinel, oxide, and liquid, at a temperature of ∼ 1410°C and an oxygen pressure of the gas phase of ∼10−5 atm.
Response to Stacey and Moller's letter to the editor.

To the Editor: We appreciate the authors’ interest in the study and belief that rigorous studies are needed to address the potential role, or not, of cannabinoids in pain research, particularly in the area of neuropathic pain, where upwards of 40–60% of patients fail to get relief from current treatments. 4 We agree that much is still unknown regarding the potential use of cannabis as medicine, such as How frequently would it need to be administered? Is any benefit sustainable? What are the short- and long-term effects on daily functioning (positive and negative)? What is the therapeutic window? Although we believe that our study provided important data regarding the initial effects of cannabis, and in particular at low doses, in patients who were no longer getting relief from commonly used medications, larger and long-term studies are needed to address the above issues. Unfortunately, implementation of such studies has been hampered in part by the ‘‘unique’’ cultural and scientific context surrounding cannabis, as noted by the authors. In this context, it is ironic that public approval is now believed to be driving medical marijuana legalization efforts without the scientific background normally required to justify a new medication’s introduction. 2 Developing such a scientific base, however,isparticularlychallenginggivencannabis’sclassification as a DEA Schedule 1 drug. Of note, we were particularly interested in whether lower doses would result in effective pain relief, with the aim of determining if lower levels of adverse effects could also be achieved. Although it’s true that in the end we could not precisely control the amount of cannabis inhaled by each participant, it is perhaps not critical in this method of administration, because ultimately self-titration may be the preferred approach, as not all individuals metabolize all medications similarly. We do not have data directly assessing the daily functioning impact of this dosage of cannabis; certainly, this could be an important aim for future research involving studies weeks in duration. That said, ‘‘brief’’ human laboratory experiments evaluating abuse potential are essential elements of investigative research. Data from these studies contribute to the development of product labeling and drug scheduling recommendations. 3 As cannabis remains a DEA Schedule I drug, a categorization reserved for street drugs with high abuse potential, such as heroin, quaaludes, lysergic acid diethylamide, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 5 such studies are highly relevant. And although the authors have noted some studies addressing possible negative consequences associated with cannabis, our study has demonstrated that a low-dose, 1.3% delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol (D9-THC) can result in pain relief with fewer side effects. 8 To place this concentration into perspective, cannabis with a D9-THC concen
Hydrodynamic deformation and removal of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms treated with urea, chlorhexidine, iron chloride, or DispersinB

The force-deflection and removal characteristics of bacterial biofilm were measured by two different techniques before and after chemical, or enzymatic, treatment. The first technique involved time lapse imaging of a biofilm grown in a capillary flow cell and subjected to a brief shear stress challenge imparted through increased fluid flow. Biofilm removal was determined by calculating the reduction in biofilm area from quantitative analysis of transmission images. The second technique was based on micro-indentation using an atomic force microscope. In both cases, biofilms formed by Staphylococcus epidermidis were exposed to buffer (untreated control), urea, chlorhexidine, iron chloride, or DispersinB. In control experiments, the biofilm exhibited force-deflection responses that were similar before and after the same treatment. The biofilm structure was stable during the post-treatment shear challenge (1% loss). Biofilms treated with chlorhexidine became less deformable after treatment and no increase in biomass removal was seen during the post-treatment shear challenge (2% loss). In contrast, biofilms treated with urea or DispersinB became more deformable and exhibited significant biofilm loss during the post-treatment flow challenge (71% and 40%, respectively). During the treatment soak phase, biofilms exposed to urea swelled. Biofilms exposed to iron chloride showed little difference from the control other than slight contraction during the treatment soak. These observations suggest the following interpretations: (1) chemical or enzymatic treatments, including those that are not frankly antimicrobial, can alter the cohesion of bacterial biofilm; (2) biocidal treatments (e.g., chlorhexidine) do not necessarily weaken the biofilm; and (3) biofilm removal following treatment with agents that make the biofilm more deformable (e.g., urea, DispersinB) depend on interaction between the moving fluid and the biofilm structure. Measurements such as those reported here open the door to development of new technologies for controlling detrimental biofilms by targeting biofilm cohesion rather than killing microorganisms.
Applied heuristic optimal control

The paper focuses on the development of techniques for solving control engineering problems by applying heuristic search methods. Two main contributions of the work are: theoretical development of heuristic optimal control and its application to real engineering problems. In the sense that intelligence is an ability which maximizes the possibility of reaching a goal in an uncertain environment, heuristic optimal control is an intelligent control method. The paper provides necessary notation, proofs of the basic theories, and examples of heuristic optimal control.
EFFECTS OF HABITAT USE AND MOVEMENT PATTERNS ON INCUBATION BEHAVIOR OF FEMALE WOOD DUCKS (AIX SPONSA) IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA

Abstract We examined effects of movement patterns and habitat use of female Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) during incubation on incubation constancy and recess frequency. Incubating females (n = 41) were equipped with subcutaneous radiotransmitters and subsequently located during daily recess events. Using compositional analysis, we determined beaver ponds, creeks, ephemeral wetlands, and lake-influenced habitats ranked higher in preference than other available aquatic habitats (i.e. managed impoundments, farm pond, and lake habitats). An inverse relationship between female use of the top four ranked habitats and recess range size suggested that those were high-quality habitats. Mean (±SE) incubation constancy (n = 40 nests) was 81.3 ± 0.8%, and females took an average of 2.2 ± 0.3 recesses day−1. Incubation period averaged 31.8 ± 0.3 days, and there was a weak inverse relationship between incubation period and incubation constancy. Incubating females lost 3.9 ± 0.8% of early incubation body mass, but body-mass ...
Transcriptional regulation of tropoelastin expression in rat lung fibroblasts: changes with age and hyperoxia

Elastic fibers are thought to provide structural support for secondary septa as the lung undergoes the transition from the saccular to the alveolar stage. The synthesis of the soluble precursor of ...
Rapid baroreceptor resetting is unaltered by chronic hypertension in rats.

This study compares rapid baroreceptor resetting in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Single-fiber baroreceptor activity and aortic diameter were measured in in vitro preparations. Baroreceptor pressure threshold (Pth) and suprathreshold pressure sensitivity were measured during periods after various levels of conditioning mean arterial pressure (cMAP). The ability of a baroreceptor to reset was expressed as the resetting ratio (delta Pth/delta cMAP). Rapid resetting was successfully characterized in 30 baroreceptors (18 SHR and 12 WKY). SHR blood pressures were higher, and aortic distensibility was lower than in WKY. SHR baroreceptors showed signs of chronic resetting, i.e., elevated Pth (105.4 vs. 88.5 mmHg, SHR and WKY, respectively) and decreased suprathreshold sensitivity (0.92 vs. 1.42 spikes.s.-1.mmHg-1, SHR and WKY, respectively), but their resetting ratios were similar to WKY (0.260 and 0.237, SHR and WKY, respectively). Characterization of rapid resetting of more than one baroreceptor from single animals reveals that the resetting ratio can vary by greater than 50% within animals. During simultaneous discharge-diameter recordings, the strain threshold was better correlated to cMAP than Pth. We conclude that the ability of baroreceptors to rapidly reset is unaltered by chronic hypertension or chronic baroreceptor resetting, and we hypothesize that rapid resetting is probably a result of an intrinsic neural property rather than vessel mechanics.
Teaching Certificates Earned Online and Hiring Practices of High School Principals

A national survey of United States high school principals (n = 2,187) was used to assess the acceptability of job applicant qualifications that included degrees earned either online, partly online, or in a residential teacher-training program. The applicants with coursework taken in a residential setting were overwhelmingly preferred over applicants holding a degree earned partly or wholly online. Analysis indicated that the type of institution, personal experience and perceived benefits of face-to-face interaction play an important role in the formation of the perceived quality of online degree, programs and courses.
Steric and Electronic Influence of Aryl Isocyanides on the Properties of Iridium(III) Cyclometalates.

Cyclometalated iridium complexes with efficient phosphorescence and good electrochemical stability are important candidates for optoelectronic devices. Isocyanide ligands are strong-field ligands: when attached to transition metals, they impart larger HOMO–LUMO energy gaps, engender higher oxidative stability at the metal center, and support rugged organometallic complexes. Aryl isocyanides offer more versatile steric and electronic control by selective substitution at the aryl ring periphery. Despite a few reports of alkyl isocyanide of cyclometalated iridium(III), detailed studies on analogous aryl isocyanide complexes are scant. We report the synthesis, photophysical properties, and electrochemical properties of 11 new luminescent cationic biscyclometalated bis(aryl isocyanide)iridium(III) complexes. Three different aryl isocyanides—2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide (CNArdmp), 2,6-diisopropylphenyl isocyanide (CNArdipp), and 2-naphthyl isocyanide (CNArnap)—were combined with four cyclometalating ligands wi...
Neuroinfectious disease: A rapidly evolving challenge

Infectious diseases of the nervous system constitute a unique challenge for the practicing clinician: they are relatively uncommon, and are often serious enough to cause disability or death, yet frequently are treatable. By their nature, the organisms that cause neuroinfectious disease can evolve rapidly. Likewise, knowledge about these conditions can emerge and radically change during the practice life of a clinician. This necessitates regular updating of neurologists about neuroinfectious disease to provide optimal care for patients. In this issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice , we present a series of articles aimed at helping practicing clinicians stay abreast of emerging information needed to manage these critical neurologic disorders.
Prediction of Mode Specificity, Bond Selectivity, Normal Scaling, and Surface Lattice Effects in Water Dissociative Chemisorption on Several Metal Surfaces Using the Sudden Vector Projection Model

Dissociative chemisorption of water is a key step in many heterogeneous catalytic processes such as water–gas shift and steam reformation. As a result, a better understanding of the mechanism and dynamics of these processes is important for developing a predictive model of catalysis. In this work, we use the recently proposed Sudden Vector Projection (SVP) model to predict mode specificity, bond selectivity, normal scaling behavior, and surface lattice effects in water dissociative chemisorption on Ni(111), Cu(111), Pt(111), and Pt(110)-(1 × 2), based on direct plane-wave density functional theory calculations. While mode specificity and bond selectivity are similar on these surfaces, the SVP model predicts significant differences in the reaction promoting effects of kinetic energies in the surface normal and along the surface plane, signifying the different characters of the transition state on these metal surfaces. Furthermore, the involvement of surface atoms is shown, which predicts significant surfac...
Effect of Temperature and Lepidopteran Host Species on Entomopathogenic Nematode (Nematoda: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae) Infection

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of temperature on entomopathogenic nematode infection of in insect host. Late instars of Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were incubated at 10 temperatures ranging between 9.9 and 40 degrees C, and exposed to 150 infective juvenile entomopathogenic nematodes (Nematoda: Steinernematidae; Heterorhabditidae) per larva. The number of infecting Steinernema riobrave Cabanillas, Poinar & Raulston, S. carpocapsae (Weiser) (Kapow) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar) (Cruiser), nematodes was recorded. Temperature, nematode species, and target insect all significantly affected, the number of infective juvenile nematodes invading host insects. The temperature supporting the highest levels of nematode infection varied depending on insect host species. Larvae of P. gossypiella were then incubated at the same range of temperatures, and exposed to 2 dose rates (100 and 200 infective juveniles per larva) of S. riobrave, S. carpocapsae (Guardian). H. bacteriophora (Cruiser), or H. bacteriophora (Lawn Patrol). Increasing nematode dosage had no effect on the temperature at which nematode infection of P. gossypiella was highest. Doubling the nematode dose rate did not result in a significant increase in the number of infective juveniles infecting larvae for the nematode species tested with the exception of S. riobrave. The optimum temperature for the control of insect targets by a nematode will vary among target species. Assuming existing nematode temperature optima and applying the same conditions to untested insect species may not result in maximum biocontrol efficacy.
Primary pulmonary histiocytosis-X.

SUMMARY Primary pulmonary histiocytosis-X is a disease of the young that is characterized by granulomas formed by histiocytosis-X cells, eosinophils, macrophages, and varying numbers of lymphoid cells. Histiocytosis-X cells are similar to Langerhans' cells and are characterized by intracytoplasmic X-bodies on ultrastructural studies. An immune or hypersensitivity cause of histiocytosis-X is suspected. Clinically, patients most often present with cough and exertional dyspnea. On presentation the chest roentgenogram usually shows a diffuse nodular or reticulonodular infiltrate with relative sparing of the bases and costophrenic angles. Advanced disease is characterized by upper lobe coarsely reticular pattern with cystic lesions typical of a honeycomb lung. Current data indicate that primary pulmonary histiocytosis-X is a relatively benign disease with low mortality and a high rate of spontaneous remission. Although corticosteroids have been used extensively in the past, data on their efficacy are lacking. I would recommend the use of corticosteroids in patients who have moderate to severe symptoms or physiologic abnormalities. If, however, their benefits cannot be documented, they should be discontinued.