cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Salivary gland dysfunction.

Clinically significant declines of salivary output are not a function of aging. Complaints of oral dryness (xerostomia) are common in the elderly patient, however. This complaint is most often a consequence of medications; tricyclic antidepressants, certain antihypertensives, and anticholinergics can cause marked decreases in salivary flow rates. Other medications such as diuretics may cause xerostomia without decreasing salivary output. Systemic diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome can destroy salivary glands. Specific serologic, ophthalmologic, and salivary findings are necessary for the diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome. Radiation therapy for treatment of head and neck cancers also can damage salivary glands permanently. Infectious agents such as mycobacteria, Epstein-Barr virus, and various oral bacteria can infect human salivary glands. Diminished salivary output can lead to serious oral sequelae. Rapidly progressing dental caries and oral candidiasis are found frequently in this age group. Close supervision of the geriatric patient's oral and dental health is essential.
Colonic motor activity

The colon exhibits three types of contractions: individual phasic (short and long duration), organized groups (MMCs and nonmigrating motor complexes), and ultrapropulsive (giant migrating contractions). The individual phasic contractions and the MMCs and nonmigrating motor complexes produce extensive mixing and kneading of fecal material and slow net distal propulsion. The GMCs produce mass movements and expel feces during defecation. All contractions are controlled by myogenic, neural, and chemical mechanisms. The myogenic mechanisms determine the timing and frequency of contractions and the duration and distance of propagation of contractions. The neurochemical mechanisms determine whether the contractions will occur at a given site.
A Geographic and Disciplinary Examination of UX Empirical Research Since 2000

Defining the boundaries of a discipline is important work for helping others discover new avenues of research. In this research report, we share two new dimensions from an analysis of over 400 empirical user experience (UX) studies published between 2000 and 2016. The findings of this comprehensive examination reveal patterns within the researcher's methodological choices and artifacts of study across different countries and disciplines. Our research questions were: 1) Does the researcher's region (continent) affect the method(s) or artifacts(s) studied? 2) Does the researcher's disciplinary identity impact their choice of method and sample size? This research reveals future avenues for examination and helps UX researchers consider new opportunities on the horizon.
Cholinergic Dysfunction: A Common Denominator in Metabolic Encephalopathies

The metabolic encephalopathies are a group of disorders of brain function secondary to systemic metabolic derangements. Both they and the disorders that cause them are common (Table 1). Clinically, the metabolic encephalopathies typically present as disorders of attention, cognition and arousal. The milder stages usually lead to a loss of interest and attentiveness, and the associated inability to carry out a complex task. More severe stages progress to obtundation, stupor and coma (25). Motor abnormalities such as asterixis, motor resistance to passive stretch, and ataxia also occur. Pupillary and oculomotor functions are commonly spared. The key to identifying the specific cause of metabolic encephopathy in an individual patient generally lies in the systemic manifestations or laboratory determinations since the neurological abnormalities tend to be stereotyped. This very stereotypy, in fact, suggests the hypothesis that the metabolic encephalopathies share at least some common neurochemical and neuropharmacological derangements.
Do parents prefer inactivated or live attenuated influenza vaccine for their children

Abstract Objectives To determine the proportion of children whose parents prefer them to receive live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) or inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV), examine reasons for preferences, and determine what percentage of vaccinated children receive other than the preferred type of vaccine and why. Methods Parental-reported data for the 2014–15 and 2015–16 influenza seasons from the National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu), a random-digit-dialed, dual frame (landline and cellular telephone) survey of households with children, were analyzed. We calculated the proportions of vaccinated children aged 2–17 years whose parents preferred LAIV, IIV, or had no preference, and the proportions that were vaccinated with other than the preferred type of vaccine. Results For the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons, 55.2% and 53.7%, respectively, of vaccinated children had parents who reported no preference for either IIV or LAIV. The percentage who preferred LAIV was 22.7% and 21.7%, and IIV was 22.1% and 24.7%. The most common reason given by parents for preferring LAIV was the child’s fear of needles (70.9%) and for preferring IIV was belief that the shot is more effective (29.0%). Approximately one-third of vaccinated children whose parents preferred LAIV received IIV only. Conclusions The main finding of this study was that most parents do not have a vaccine type preference for their children. The lack of overwhelming preference is advantageous for the maintenance of vaccination coverage levels during times when one vaccine type is not available or not recommended such as in the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons when there was a temporary recommendation not to administer LAIV.
Regime Structure, Institutional Stability and Pro-market Reforms

International business scholars have studied the impact of reforms on firm performance. Political economists have analyzed the impact of governance structure on macro-economic prosperity. However, little attention has been paid to how political regime and institutional stability affect reforms and performance at the firm level. This comparative case study, examining the dissimilar paths to pro-market reforms in Argentina and Chile, attempts to strengthen the tie between the political economy and international business literature through the impact that regime type has on institutional stability and how these in turn affect the relationship between reforms and firm performance. By examining the pro-market reform history in junction with exclusive interviews with CEOs and managers from each country, this chapter serves as a vehicle to foment a deeper dialogue between political economy and international business.
Advances in Meconium Analysis for Assessment of Neonatal Drug Exposure

Abstract Alcohol and drug exposure to fetus is associated with many adverse effects including developmental defects and stillbirth. Meconium is very useful to assess exposure of fetus to alcohol and drugs due to alcohol and drug abuse by mothers. Alcohol is not detected in meconium but minor metabolites of alcohol ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate can be used as markers of alcohol abuse by mother. In addition to alcohol, fetal exposure to various illicit drugs such as amphetamine, cocaine, opioids, cannabinoid, etc. can also be detected by analysis of meconium. Although smoking is not against the law, but fetal exposure to nicotine may also cause adverse effect. Detection of nicotine, cotinine, and related compounds are also very useful in identifying potential exposure of fetus to nicotine, a marker compound of tobacco smoke.
CLINICALLY SILENT ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE-SECRETING CROOKE CELL ADENOMA PRESENTING AS UNILATERAL EAR PAIN

ABSTRACT Objective: Crooke cell adenoma (CCA) is a rare tumor of the anterior pituitary. It is highly aggressive and carries significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Methods: This report focuse...
Surgical Management of Primary Osteosarcoma

Surgical strategies for the primary tumor for patients with extremity and pelvis osteosarcoma have evolved from the ablative to limb-sparing approaches over the past three decades. Favorable oncologic and functional outcomes with contemporary tissue-conserving techniques consistently observed in skeletally mature patients have prompted the application of similar approaches to a growing number of eligible skeletally immature patients.
Increased adoption of smoke-free policies on campuses with schools of nursing

Abstract Background In 2015, the majority of U.S. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)-accredited schools of nursing resided on campuses without smoke-free policies. Purpose To determine the presence of smoke-free policies at AACN-accredited after resolutions from AACN and the American Academy of Nursing, and the creation of online resources. Methods Smoke-free policies (2015-2017) were determined through listings on the ANRF College Campus Policy Database© and survey responses from nursing deans. Results Smoke-free policies for 689 schools of nursing increased from 36% in 2015 to 91% in 2017. There were no significant differences by nursing program types or geographic area. Twenty percent of deans reported using the resources, with over 1700-page views. Conclusion Smoke-free policies increased after support from two national nursing organizations. Learning in a smoke-free environment should be an expectation for nursing students to protect their own health, and to support their future critical role in tobacco control.
Cannabinoid Interactions with Proteins: Insights from Structural Studies

Cannabinoids have been widely used for recreational and medicinal purposes. The increasing legalization of cannabinoid use and the growing success in Medicinal Chemistry of cannabinoids have fueled recent interest in cannabinoid-sensing sites in receptor proteins. Here, we review structural data from high-resolution cryo-EM and crystallography studies that depict phytocannabinoid, endocannabinoid, and synthetic cannabinoid molecules bound to various proteins. The latter include antigen-binding fragment (Fab), cellular retinol binding protein 2 (CRBP2), fatty acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ), and cannabinoid receptor types 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2). Cannabinoid-protein complexes reveal the complex design of cannabinoid binding sites that are usually presented by conventional ligand-binding pockets on respective proteins. However, subtle differences in cannabinoid interaction with amino acids within the binding pocket often result in diverse consequences for protein function. The rapid increase in available structural data on cannabinoid-protein interactions will ultimately direct drug design efforts toward rendering highly potent cannabinoid-related pharmacotherapies that are devoid of side effects.
Being QuantCritical of U.S. K-12 demographic data: using and reporting race/ethnicity in Florida Heartland Schools

In this study on K-12 schools in the U.S. Florida Heartland, I take a QuantCrit approach to uncover how processes of data transformation, which I call ‘racial re-formation’, shape the utilization a...
Motivated control as a bridge between neuroeconomics and cognitive neuroscience.

Motivated control processes help us optimize our behaviour to deal with competing task demands: seeking rewards while minimizing the associated effort. A new study in Nature Human Behaviour argues that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, a key contributor to motivated control, tracks a computational quantity akin to surprise that is generated when events differ from our expectations.
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN ADULT SURVIVORS OF PEDIATRIC CANCERS: ROLE OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SURVIVORSHIP CLINIC IN IDENTIFICATION AND CARE

Survivors of pediatric cancer have elevated rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Early identification of high-risk individuals prompting initiation of appropriate medical therapy within a multidisciplinary survivorship clinic has not been well-studied
Cognitive Performance Assessment based on Everyday Activities for Human-Robot Interaction

Human-Robot Interaction often involves a robot assisting or providing feedback to a human partner's performance or cooperating to complete a task. In such an interaction scenario, the robotic system requires to perceive the human teammate's cognitive state that might affect task performance. In this pilot study, the focus is on developing a framework that assesses the human's cognitive performance for human-robot synergetic task, such as an assembly task. Specifically, we explore the correlation between a person's quality of sleep and performance metric through a standard task for cognitive assessment, the N-back task. To validate our hypothesis, we conducted a study with 25 participants, and our results indicate that there is a moderate correlation between some stages of sleep cycle and performance. Additionally, we present a possible Human-Robot Interaction setup that could benefit from our results.
Symptom profiles and postural control after concussion in female artistic athletes.

The purpose of our investigation was to compare post-concussion symptom profiles and postural control measures among female youth artistic athletes (gymnasts and cheerleaders) relative to female ba...
Enhancing biogas production through co-digestion and thermal pretreatment of wheat straw and sunflower meal

Abstract High carbon to nitrogen ratio and complex lignocellulosic structure of wheat straw (WS) are the main hindrances in anaerobic digestion of this substrate. This research, conducted in two experiments, focused on the combined effect of co-digestion and thermal pretreatment of WS and sunflower meal (SM) on biogas production. In the first experiment, five co-digestion mixtures of WS and SM were made and assessed for biogas production. In the second experiment, the optimum co-digestion mixture selected from the first experiment was thermally pretreated at 120, 140, 160 and 180 °C and was evaluated for biogas production. Compared to control, the mixture M5 produced 61% higher biogas. It also showed better buffering capacity as compared to other mixtures and control. Combined effect of co-digestion and thermal pretreatment of the same mixture at 180 °C increased biogas yield by 94.3% as compared to control. Moreover, the experimental data obtained from both the experiments were validated using three different non-linear kinetic models.
Risk for Increased Mean Diastolic Gradient after Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair: A Quantitative Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiographic Analysis.

Background Iatrogenic mitral stenosis is a known limitation of transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVr), but determinants of increased postprocedural mean diastolic gradient (MG) are not well defined. The aim of this study was to determine correlates of increased post-TMVr MG or aborted clip implantation due to increased MG. Methods Procedural three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) data sets of 112 patients who underwent TMVr were retrospectively analyzed. Three-dimensional TEE mitral valve area (MVA) planimetry and mitral annular calcification (MAC) were quantified using multiplanar reconstruction. When MAC extension into the mitral leaflets was present, MAC with leaflet calcification (MAC-LC) length was recorded as the maximum distance from the mitral annulus to the most distal leaflet calcification. Increased MG after TMVr, measured on intraprocedural TEE imaging, was defined as ≥5 mm Hg or aborted clip implantation due to increased MG. Results Baseline MVA was 5.9 ± 1.7 cm2, baseline MG was 2.1 ± 1.2 mm Hg, and MAC-LC length was 4.0 ± 4.5 mm. Thirty-two patients (29%) had increased post-TMVr MG. Risk for increased post-TMVr MG was 86%, 28%, and 14% in patients with baseline MVA 6.0 cm2, respectively (P 6.0 cm2, the risk for increased post-TMVr MG was similar in the presence or absence of baseline MG ≥ 4 mm Hg or MAC-LC ≥ 6 mm (P > .05 for both). Conclusions Patients with baseline three-dimensional TEE MVA
Thrombospondin peptide ABT-898 inhibits inflammation and angiogenesis in a colitis model

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of the improved thrombospondin mimetic peptide ABT-898 in a murine model of ulcerative colitis. METHODS: The dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was used for the induction of colitis in both TSP-1 deficient (TSP-1-/-) and wild type (WT) mice during 7 d. While mice were receiving the DSS dissolved in the drinking water, the ABT-898 peptide was dissolved in sterile 5% glucose solution and delivered using mini pumps subcutaneously implanted. Plasma samples were analyzed for interleukin (IL)-6 by ELISA assay and colonic tissues were harvested, fixed and processed for histological evaluation. Immunohistochemistry using antibodies for the detection of CD31 and MECA in endothelial cells was performed. Inflammation was graded in colonic sections and the number of microvessels in each lesion was assessed. Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in colonic samples was quantified by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting using antibodies against total STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) (Ser727). RESULTS: Treatment with ABT-898 considerably diminished the inflammatory response in WT and TSP-1-/- mice (P < 0.0001 in both groups vs control). Identification of blood vessels highlighted by CD31/MECA immunohistochemistry, showed significantly reduced vessel counts in colitic lesions of WT and TSP-1-/- mice treated with ABT898 (TSP-1-/- controls/TSP-1-/- treated, P = 0.0002; WT controls/WT treated, P = 0.0005). Consistently, IL-6 was significantly diminished in plasma samples of TSP-1-/- and WT treated with the peptide when compared to the control mice (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.0148, respectively). pSTAT3 positive cells were quantified in WT and TSP-1-/- treated with ABT-898. A significant decrease in positive cells for pSTAT3 was observed in treated mice (TSP-1-/- controls/TSP-1-/- treated, P = 0.0089; WT/WT treated, P = 0.0110). These results were confirmed by Western blotting analyses showing lower levels of pSTAT3 in colitic lesions from mice treated with the peptide ABT-898. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the new peptide ABT-898 ameliorates inflammation and angiogenesis and might be a therapeutic alternative in IBD and inflammatory diseases.
Transformation of PseudomonasSolanacearum with Plasmid DNA

An efficient system for transformation of Pseudomonas solanacearum with plasmid DNA has not been available. We now report transformation of two strains of P. solanacearum with plasmid DNA by treating the cells with polyethylene-glycol. Two plasmids had been used for transformation, pWI 297 and pUCD2; both plasmids contain two origins of replication, one from a ColEI replicon and one from an Inc W plasmid. Cells become competent when grown in minimal medium and reach optimum efficiency of transformation toward the end of the exponential phase of growth. Efficiency of transformation increases with amount of DNA (from 80 ng to 1.5 µg). Frequencies of transformation were in the ranges of 10-6 to 10-4 transformants per cell or from 103 to 105 transformants per µg of DNA.
Persuasive evidence that quinone reductase type 1 (DT diaphorase) protects cells against the toxicity of electrophiles and reactive forms of oxygen

An extensive body of evidence supports the conclusion that by catalyzing obligatory two-electron reductions of quinones to hydroquinones, NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (QR1) protects cells against the deleterious effects of redox cycling of quinones, their ability to deplete glutathione, and to produce neoplasia. The effects of elevation of QR1 levels by various enzyme inducers, inhibition of the enzyme by dicumarol, and genetic deletion of the enzyme (knockout mouse) are all consistent with the proposed protective functions. Measurement of QR1 activity in murine hepatoma cells grown in 96-well microtiter plates has provided a rapid and quantitative method for detecting inducer activity and determining inducer potency. This constitutes a strategy for the identification of potential chemoprotectors against cancer. Epidemiological studies show that humans who are genetically deficient in QR1 are more susceptible to the hematological toxicity and carcinogenicity of benzene exposure, and may be more susceptible to the development of a number of malignant tumors.
The Marine Analytical Chemistry Standards Program of the National Research Council of Canada

The Marine Analytical Chemistry Standards Program (MACSP) of the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) is described. This program, established in 1976, has resulted in the production, to date, of seven reference materials for the determination of trace metals and organic compounds in marine materials. Significant contributions to the analysis of marine materials have been made in the NRCC laboratories, and through MACSP contracts. Some current projects and plans for future reference materials are also discussed. 33 references, 5 tables.
Cognitive modeling for agent-based simulation of child maltreatment and child maltreatment prevention

Agent-based simulation is a useful tool for studying complex social and public health systems. The bottom up modeling approach of agent-based models makes it easy to model individual behaviors and their interactions within a complex system. One of the principles of agent-based modeling is to keep each agent relatively simple (e.g., specified by a set of rules), in the hope that the many agents and their interactions, although each of which is simple, can lead to complex emergent behavior at the system level. The degree of simplicity (or complexity) of each individual agent is application-dependent. For many social and public health systems, since each agent represents an individual person, it is often necessary to model the cognitive states and processes of individuals in order to adequately capture the dynamics of the system. In this talk, I will present our work of cognitive modeling for agent-based simulating of child maltreatment and child maltreatment prevention.
The Pull of Weird Horizons

Strange Matters. Undiscovered Ideas at the Frontiers of Space and Time. Tom Siegfried. Joseph Henry Press (National Academy Press), Washington, DC, 2002. 317 pp. $24.95, C$34.95. ISBN 0-309-08407-5. In this discussion of "dark matter" and the reconciliation of Einstein9s theory of gravity with quantum mechanics, science journalist Siegfried blends accounts of active research with summaries of the historical paths that have led to it.
Emerging Policy and Practice Issues (2005)

This paper, presented at the West Government Contracts Year in Review Conference (covering 2005), attempts to identify the key trends and issues for 2006 in U.S. federal procurement. In an effort to make sense of the current reforms, the paper focuses upon what seems to be the common imperative underlying the various initiatives: the need to bring order to a procurement function as it devolves away from the Government user - what some might call the "devolution" or "outsourcing" of the contracting function. The paper also addresses emerging issues including, among others, the death of competitive sourcing; the acquisition workforce crisis; centralized purchasing; public service ethics in the post-Darleen Druyun era; interagency purchasing and fees; post-Hurricane Katrina procurement; electronic procurement and reverse auctions; and conflicts of interest.
Apneumic laparoscopy in surgical oncology

Minimally invasive techniques now play an important role in virtually every aspect of general surgery. While it is unlikely that celiotomy for malignant disease will fall into obscurity as rapidly as open cholecystectomy, greater use of videoscopic techniques in surgical oncology are inevitable and will undoubtably improve patient care. Techniques of isopneumic laparoscopy have already proven useful in trauma, chole-cystectomy, bowel resection, herniorrhaphy, and a variety of other procedures. Further advances in this technique are dependent on the development of “user friendly” abdominal wall retraction systems. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Perspective on “Molecular collisions. VIII”

We present an overview of the influence of C.F. Curtiss on the theory of molecular collisions, as exemplified by the title paper. Both authors were graduate students of Curtiss and, as such, were strongly influenced by his ideas and approaches to theoretical chemistry. This resulted in a subsequent collaboration that provided the rigorous basis for understanding the success of the so-called centrifugal sudden and energy sudden approximations (the two combined being the “infinite order sudden” approximation).
Regarding the length and extent of the human medulla spinalis

Most of our modern text-books on human anatomy state that the spinal medulla is variable in length and in extent within the vertebral canal and that there is no definite relation between the length of the spinal medulla on the one hand and the length of the vertebral column and the height of the individual on the other. It was with these well known facts in mind that the study of this series of 234 cases was undertaken. The observations about to be reported were made on the cadaver in the dissecting room. The material had been prepared for dissecting purposes by the method described by Professor Streeter in volume 5 of The Anatomical Record. During the regular course in Gross Anatomy as given in this department the superficial and deep muscles of the back are identified and removed thereby exposing the entire length of the vertebra1 canal. The neural arches are then removed. The cut pedicles of the vertebrae and the posterior root ganglia of the spinal nerves are exposed. The dural and arachnoid knembranes are opened by an incision along the mid dorsal line bringing into view the spinal medulla and the root filaments of the spinal nerves. The relation of the neural segments of the spinal medulla with the vertebrae is readily determined. Because of the impossibility to determine with accuracy, macroscopically, the lowest point to which the nervous elements of the spinal medulla extend and the beginning of the filum terminale, the attachment of the lowest root filaments of the fourth sacral nerve was taken as the lowest point in all measurements. To avoid error the number of ribs and vertebrae were taken in all cases. The cadaver was placed in the prone position on a
4 Rapunzel , A Novel Zebrafish Mutant with Loss of Nutrition-Dependent Growth Control

Background and Purpose of Study: The essential genetics of normal human growth are not well understood. Size and form are maintained through the appropriate coordination of isometric and allometric growth. In addition, humans must be able to adapt their nascent developmental programs, such as growth, to ever changing environmental conditions, including nutritional status. When isometric or allometric control of growth is lost, disorders of growth control including overgrowth, undergrowth and cancer ensue. We use zebrafish and in particular, the zebrafish fin, as a genetically and physiologically tractable model to dissect the biology of growth control. Growth of the adult zebrafish caudal fin is episodic and isometric. In addition, when adult zebrafish are fasted, checkpoints rapidly abrogate caudal fin growth.
Synthesis and characterization of zirconium and iron complexes containing substituted indenyl ligands: Evaluation of steric and electronic parameters

Evaluation of the steric and electronic influence of a family of silyl- and alkyl-substituted indenyl ligands on zirconium and iron centers has been accomplished by a combination of X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, solution NMR dynamics, and electrochemical measurements. Three tetrasubstituted, bis-indenyl zirconocene dichloride complexes have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and adopt a gauche ligand conformation such that the interactions between tertiary substituents on adjacent rings are minimized. Similar solid state conformations were also observed in two of the corresponding iron compounds. Evaluation of the electronic environment about each zirconium center was achieved by measurement of the CO stretching frequencies of the dicarbonyl derivatives. Simple inductive effects govern the electronic properties of each zirconocene where silyl groups are relatively electron withdrawing and alkyl groups electron donating. For the most hindered zirconocene dicarbonyl derivatives, population of thr...
School Shootings as Organizational Deviance.

This article argues that rampage school shootings in American public schools can be understood as instances of organizational deviance, which occurs when events created by or in organizations do not conform to an organization's goals or expectations and produce unanticipated and harmful outcomes. Drawing on data from qualitative case studies of two schools that experienced shootings, the authors show how the organizational structure, environment, and culture of these schools led to the loss of information about socially or emotionally troubled students, information that might otherwise have led to some form of intervention or help for these students. Implications for educational policy and practice are discussed.
Knowing and Acting in Medical Practice: The Epistemological Politics of Outcomes Research

Recent health care policymaking favors outcomes research as a response to the putative ineffectiveness, as well as the undeniable expense, of American medicine. This small-scale ethnographic study conducted in a department of internal medicine evaluates claims that probabilistic knowledge will improve clinical practice. It finds that physicians are primarily determinists and that although they reason probabilistically in some instances, they rely on personal experience over research data at these times; that doctors view outcomes research as useful but not definitive and in no way immune to the social influences on medical knowledge generally; and that their mix of determinism and probabilism is well suited to the nature of medical work. The recent ascendancy of outcomes research is as much political as scientific, empowering the research community relative to practicing physicians, lending medical legitimacy to payer-promulgated practice guidelines, and creating additional clinical work around a false standard of medical certainty.
Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy-Based High-Throughput Screening of Ligands for Use in Affinity and Displacement Chromatography

We describe an approach that uses surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy and self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for the high-throughput screening of ligands for use in displacement and affinity chromatographic processes. We identified a set of commercially available organic amines and allowed them to react with SAMs presenting interchain carboxylic anhydride groups; the resulting surfaces presented ligands of interest in a background of carboxylic acid groups. We used SPR spectroscopy to determine the extent of adsorption of two model proteins—lysozyme and cytochrome c—onto these “multimodal” surfaces and to select promising “affinity” ligands for further characterization. The attachment of selected ligands to UltraLink Biosupport resulted in beads with a significantly greater affinity for lysozyme than for cytochrome c that would be suitable for use in affinity chromatographic processes. Furthermore, we also used the screens to design “affinity displacers”—small molecules that selectively retain lyso...
Metals in soft tissues of mule deer and antelope

The Northern Great Plains is one of the few remaining areas in the United States containing large numbers of free roaming big game animals. Because of increasing fossil fuel development in this region and the potential for trace metal environmental hazards associated with this development, a closer look at metal levels in wildlife is desirable. The effect of elevated concentrations of trace metals upon laboratory animals, fish and man have been studied and many articles and reviews published but almost nothing has been said of increases in trace metals in the diets or tissues of wild terrestrial herbivores. In only a few cases has mention even been made of the levels of different elements in wildlife tissues. Most heavy metals are selectively concentrated in the liver and kidneys. These organs are, therefore, the preferred heavy metal reservoirs in studies of animal burdens and were used in this investigation.
Outcomes after treatment of 17 378 patients with locally advanced (T3N0-2) non-small-cell lung cancer †

OBJECTIVES: Treatment patterns and outcomes in a population-based database were examined to identify patients likely to benefi tf rom surgical resection of locally advanced (T3N0–2) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Factors predicting the use of surgery for patients with T3N0–2M0 NSCLC in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database from 1988 to 2010 were assessed using a multivariable logistic regression model. Survival was analysed using the Kaplan– Meier approach and Cox proportional hazard models. Propensity matching was used to compare outcomes after surgery and outcomes in patients who refused surgery and underwent radiation therapy (RT). RESULTS: Of 17 378 patients identified for study inclusion [8597 (50%) T3N0, 2304 (13%) T3N1 and 6477 (37%) T3N2], surgery was used in 7120 (41%). Only female sex and being married predicted the use of surgery, while older age, black race and N2 nodal disease predicted non-surgical management. Surgical patients overall had better long-term survival than non-surgical patients [odds ratio (OR) 0.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.41–0.45, P< 0.001]. After propensity adjustment, patients who refused surgery and instead were treated with RT had significantly worse long-term survival than matched surgery patients (OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48–0.89, P= 0.0074). Sublobar resection and pneumonectomy predicted worse survival in patients who had surgery. Nodal disease also predicted worse survival after surgery, but surgery maintained an association with better overall survival compared with non-operative therapy among patients with both N1 (OR 0.53, P< 0.001) and N2 disease (OR 0.50, P< 0.001) in separate analyses stratified by nodal status. Older age also predicted worse survival after surgery, but patients older than 75 who were treated with surgery had significantly better long-term survival than non-operative patients (OR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.45–0.53, P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is used in a minority of patients with locally advanced NSCLC, but is associated with better survival than non-surgical treatment, even for patients older than 75 and patients with nodal disease. Given the very poor outcomes observed with non-operative management, surgical resection should be carefully considered in all patients with locally advanced NSCLC and should not necessarily be denied because of patient age or nodal disease.
Characterization of a nonohmic RF-insensitive solid-state ignition element

A monolithic solid-state electro-explosive initiator which consists of Schottky barriers or p-n junctions fabricated on opposite sides of a silicon wafer is discussed. Thermal characterization of the structure was performed during radio frequency excitation to demonstrate RF insensitivity. >
Effect of eggshell powder as nucleating agent on the structure, morphology and functional properties of normal corn starch foams

Corn starch and eggshell powder (with particle sizes of 4–5µm and 8–10µm) composite foams were prepared by extrusion. Effects of eggshell on the structure, morphology, physical properties (unit density and expansion ratio), mechanical properties (spring index and compressibility) and thermal behaviour (thermal transition and stability) of the foams were investigated. Foam cell size decreased and cell population increased with addition of eggshell into starch matrix. The foam unit density, expansion ratio and compressibility decreased significantly (p < 0.05), while the spring index increased significantly (p < 0.05) as the eggshell content increased from 0 to 6wt%. Further increasing eggshell content to 10wt% increased the unit density and compressibility and decreased the expansion ratio and spring index. The thermal transition and stability increased with the addition of eggshell. The optimum eggshell content was 6wt% and the smaller-sized eggshell powder had a favourable effect on the functional properties of the foams. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of thyroxine-albumin binding using high-performance affinity chromatography II. Comparison of the binding of thyroxine, triiodothyronines and related compounds at the warfarin and indole sites of human serum albumin

High-performance affinity chromatography was used to examine the binding of thyroid hormones and related compounds at the warfarin and indole sites of human serum albumin (HSA). This was studied by continuously applying l-triiodothyronine (l-T3), l-reverse triiodothyronine (l-rT3) or structural analogs of these compounds to an immobilized HSA column while making injections of site-specific probe molecules (i.e. R-warfarin and l-tryptophan). The results were compared with those obtained previously for l-thyroxine (l-T4). Equilibrium association constants and thermodynamic parameters measured by this approach showed good agreement with previous models reported for l-T4 and l-T3 at their high-affinity sites on HSA. This data confirmed that the phenol groups of l-T4 and l-T3 played a significant role in the binding of these compounds at the indole site. Work performed at the warfarin site and with other solutes (e.g. l-rT3) indicated that additional factors, such as interactions through the thyronine backbone or terminal amine and carboxyl groups of these compounds, could also be involved in the binding of thyroid hormones to HSA.
The kinetics and mechanism of ligand exchange in photogenerated (η1-bromobenzene)Cr(CO)5/alkene systems

The kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of photogenerated (η1-bromobenzene)Cr(CO)5 (bromobenzene = PhBr), which coordinates weakly (= Lw) to Cr through a ‘dative’ Br → Cr bond, with more strongly bonding alkene ‘traps’ (Ls: 1-hexene: 1-decene: 2,4,4-trimethyl-pentene), has been studied by employing pulsed laser flash photolysis with visible and infrared detection. The kinetics data are (η1-PhBr)Cr(CO)5 → (η2-Ls)Cr(CO)5 consistent with a single mechanism, involving dissociation of PhBr from (η1-PhBr)Cr(CO)5, followed by competitive reaction of the [Cr(CO)5] intermediate thus produced with PhBr or L5. Data taken ‘neat’ to very high [Ls], and in dilute solution in the ‘inert’ solvents (S: fluorobenzene, n-heptane) agree closely, indicating that solvent effects are relatively unimportant. Relative rates of attack at [Cr(CO)6] increase in the order 1-hexene < 1-decene < 2,2,4-trimethylpentene. Carbonyl stretching spectra for (C6H5X)Cr(CO)5 complexes (X = H,F, Cl, Br) are quite similar, and indicate that these Lw all are weak σ and π bonders, but do not enable one to distinguish between ‘edge-on’ binding of the ring to the metal (H, F) from dative X → Cr bonding. However, activation parameters for complexes exhibiting the two bonding modes are diagnostic for each linkage.
Lateralized effects of monocular training on dendritic branching in adult split-brain rats.

Abstract A number of experimental approaches have indicated differential interneuronal connectivity following differential experience during both development and adulthood. In Golgi preparations, prolonged maze training was reported to alter dendritic branching of distal apical dendrites of Layer IV and V pyramidal neurons in adult rat occipital cortex. To determine the specificity of this effect to direct involvement in the visual aspects of training, the effects of monocular maze training, using a split-brain procedure and opaque contact occluders, was examined in the present study. Rats were maze trained with unilateral or alternating monocular occlusion, while non-trained rats with unilateral or alternating monocular occlusion were handled briefly and given water reward. There was no within-animal effect of fixed occluder position in non-trained controls. In unilaterally-occluded trained rats, Layer V pyramidal neurons in occipital cortex opposite the open eye had greater oblique dendritic length in the distal region of the apical dendrite than did those opposite the occluded eye. Similarly, rats trained with alternating occlusion had greater distal apical oblique dendritic length in Layer V occipital pyramidal neurons than did non-trained controls. This indicates that morphological sequelae of training are concentrated in areas processing information associated with visual aspects of the training and renders unlikely general metabolic or hormonal causation of such effects.
Chloride movement across the basolateral membrane of proximal tubule cells.

Electrophysiologic and tracer experiments have shown that Cl− entersNecturus proximal tubule cells from the tubule lumen by a process coupled to the flow of Na+, and that Cl− entry is electrically silent. The mechanism of Cl− exit from the cell across the basolateral membrane has not been directly studied. To evaluate the importance of the movement of Cl− ions across the basolateral membrane, the relative conductance of Cl− to K+ was determined by a new method. Single-barrel ion-selective microelectrodes were used to measure intracellular Cl− and K+ as a function of basolateral membrane PD as it varied normally from tubule to tubule. Basolateral membrane Cl− conductance was about 10% of K+ conductance by this method. A second approach was to voltage clamp the basolateral PD to 20 mV above and below the spontaneous PD, while sensing intracellular Cl− activity with the second barrel of a double-barrel microelectrode. An axial wire electrode in the tubule lumen was used to pass current across the tubular wall and thereby vary the basolateral membrane PD. Cell Cl− activity was virtually unaffected by the PD changes. We conclude that Cl− leavesNecturus proximal tubule cells by a neutral mechanism, possibly coupled to the efflux of Na+ or K+.
Enhancement of backscattered diffuse specific intensities from random distributions of finitely conducting particles with rough surfaces

The incoherent diffuse specific intensities (modified Stokes parameters) backscattered from a horizontal layer consisting of random distributions of finitely conducting particles with smooth surfaces and finitely conducting particles with rough surfaces are evaluated. The normally and obliquely incident excitations at infrared and optical frequencies are vertically or horizontally polarized. The particle-surface roughness, which is characterized by its joint probability-density function, is assumed to be sufficiently rough to affect the diffuse specific intensities significantly. Thus the full-wave approach is used to determine the phase matrix as well as the extinction coefficient that appears in the equation of radiative transfer. The enhanced backscattered intensities that depend on the particle-surface roughness are compared with the enhanced backscatter that is associated with Mie scatter from smooth spherical particles. The enhanced backscattered diffuse specific intensities are evaluated for different particle sizes, complex permittivities, roughness parameters, and excitations. The effects of varying the optical thickness of the layer are also considered. Since the enhanced backscatter phenomenon reported here is primarily due to the particle-surface roughness, it appears in both the first-order solution and the multiple-scatter solution of the radiative-transfer equations.
Learning orthographic and phonological representations in models of monosyllabic and bisyllabic naming

Most current models of word naming are restricted to processing monosyllabic words and pseudowords. This limitation stems from difficulties in representing the orthographic and phonological codes for words varying substantially in length. Sibley, Kello, Plaut, and Elman (2008) described an extension of the simple recurrent network architecture, called the sequence encoder, that learned orthographic and phonological representations of variable-length words. The present research explored the use of sequence encoders in models of monosyllabic and bisyllabic word naming. Performance in these models is comparable to other models in terms of word and pseudoword naming accuracy, as well as accounting for naming latency phenomena. Although the models do not address all naming phenomena, the results suggest that sequence encoders can learn orthographic and phonological representations, making it easier to create models that scale up to larger vocabularies, while accounting for behavioural data.
The influence of antibiotics on micro-organisms causing fruit and vegetable rots

IN THE EARLY work on antibiotics, most efforts inclined toward studies concerning bacterial pathogens, particularly those of man, probably because most antibiotics were found to be more effective against bacteria than against fungi (Eumycophyta) , and because bacterial diseases of man are more numerous and more serious than fungus infections. However, some of the more recent antibiotics have been shown to be effective against fungi (Ammann, et al. 1955; Brian 1949; Charney, et al. 1955-56;
The Next Generation of Positron Emission Tomography Radiopharmaceuticals in Oncology

Although (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) is still the most widely used positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer, there are a few well-known limitations to its use. The last decade has seen the development of new PET probes for in vivo visualization of specific molecular targets, along with important technical advances in the production of positron-emitting radionuclides and their related labeling methods. As such, a broad range of new PET tracers are in preclinical development or have recently entered clinical trials. The topics covered in this review include labeling methods, biological targets, and the most recent preclinical or clinical data of some of the next generation of PET radiopharmaceuticals. This review, which is by no means exhaustive, has been separated into sections related to the PET radionuclide used for radiolabeling: fluorine-18, for the labeling of agents such as FACBC, FDHT, choline, and Galacto-RGD; carbon-11, for the labeling of choline; gallium-68, for the labeling of peptides such as DOTATOC and bombesin analogs; and the long-lived radionuclides iodine-124 and zirconium-89 for the labeling of monoclonal antibodies cG250, and J591 and trastuzumab, respectively.
Perflenapent emulsion (EchoGen): a new long-acting phase-shift agent for contrast echocardiography.

Perflenapent emulsion (EchoGen®, SONUS Pharmaceuticals, Bothell, Wash.) is a phase-shift colloid that is the first of a new class of intravenously injectable fluorocarbon-based ultrasound contrast agents, representing a significant advance in contrast echocardiography. Unlike currently available contrast agents, perflenapent emulsion effectively opacifies the left ventricle and enhances endocardial border delineation. The persistence of the contrast effect permits interrogation in multiple echocardiographic views. Perflenapent emulsion should permit the use of echocardiography to visualize and localize myocardial perfusion deficits at rest by producing a negative contrast effect, allowing physicians to diagnose coronary artery disease, including the extent of a lesion's impact on the perfusion of the myocardium, in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Perflenapent emulsion is also easy to use and requires no preparation, reconstitution, or refrigeration.