cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LOCALIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 IN MOUSE MAMMARY GLAND-DERIVED CELLS

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) can participate in the regulation of eicosanoid biosynthesis via PLA2-mediated control of the release of arachidonic acid from phospholipids. Arachidonoyl-hydrolyzing PLA2s were examined in cells from normal mouse mammary glands and mammary carcinomas. Tumor-derived cells exhibited significant PLA2 activity(ies) with arachidonoyl containing phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine as substrates in cell-free assays. In contrast, arachidonoyl containing phosphatidylinositol was a poor substrate. When phosphatidylcholines with varying sn-2 fatty acyl groups were tested as substrates, activity was highest with the arachidonoyl containing lipid. The pH profiles for hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine differed; all other aspects of PLA2-mediated hydrolysis of these two substrates were similar including a Ca2+ requirement for activity. Moreover, Ca2+ affected the subcellular localization of the enzyme activity. Activity was predominately in the supernatant fraction when cells were harvested in an EGTA (ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid) containing buffer and largely in the particulate fraction when cells were harvested in a buffer containing free Ca2+. The localization of activity could be modulated from the supernatant fraction to the particulate fraction by recentrifugation in the presence of Ca2+. Normal gland-derived cells contained a PLA2 activity with properties similar to those of the tumor-derived cells. There was a significant difference in the level of activity in the normal versus tumor cells, the normal gland-derived cells had less than half the PLA2 activity of the carcinoma-derived cells.
Functional assessment of the dynamic profile of tricuspid annular motion.

Background: Maximal systolic tricuspid annulus (TA) descent by M-mode (MM) is a well described and accepted standard reference of right ventricular (RV) systolic function; however, the contribution of each individual TA contour during the cardiac cycle has not been well characterized. Therefore, the aim of this study was to define each peak and nadir component of the constantly moving annulus. Material and Methods: Standard echocardiographic data was collected from 35 patients over a wide range of both normal and abnormal RV systolic function. Time to onset and total duration of each recognizable component of the TA tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) signal was measured and correlated to each individual change in contour of the TA, obtained by MM, during the cardiac cycle. Results: In this heterogeneous patient population, careful measurement of each recognizable component of the TA TDI signal corresponded to conformational changes in the TA contour. Furthermore, these TA TDI intervals were imprinted into the TA MM tracing and precisely identified specific systolic as well as diastolic events, regardless of RV systolic function or pulmonary hypertension severity. Conclusions: Careful observation of the constant dynamic motion of the TA, aided by high temporal resolution MM, allows better understanding of each individual component of annular motion. It appears that each peak and nadir component not only is useful in characterizing RV systole and diastole, but also would be invaluable to assess the functional relationship that exists between the right atria and ventricle; particularly, when annular motion directly reflects the contribution of both cardiac chambers.
Cadmium removal using cladophora

Abstract This work presents results of a feasibility study for removal of heavy metal contaminants from water using aquatic plants. A local strain of Cladophora was used to remove cadmium from a synthetic wastewater. The algae were grown in a laboratory using natural water under the following conditions: pH controlled between 7.8 and 9.0, 18 hrs of light/day, occasional application of plant fertilizer. Cadmium was added to the water in two modes ‐ one time addition of a large dose of heavy metal (concentration 5 mg Cd+2/L), and several small, equal doses (each 1 mg Cd+2/L), added everyday. Experiments were replicated to verify reproducibility. In all sets, removal of cadmium (in a range of 8 days) varied from 86% to 96%, based on the residual concentration in the water. Percentage of removal calculated from digestion of biomass closely approximated these values (within 20%). High degrees of removal were observed in the first 48 hours. Concentration factors ranged from 1340 to 16,400. Concentration of cadm...
Long-term cellular and regional specificity of the photoreceptor toxin, iodoacetic acid (IAA), in the rabbit retina.

This study investigated the anatomical consequences of a photoreceptor toxin, iodoacetic acid (IAA), in the rabbit retina. Retinae were examined 2 weeks, 1, 3, and 6 months after systemic IAA injection. The retinae were processed using standard histological methods to assess the gross morphology and topographical distribution of damage, and by immunohistochemistry to examine specific cell populations in the retina. Degeneration was restricted to the photoreceptors and was most common in the ventral retina and visual streak. In damaged regions, the outer nuclear layer was reduced in thickness or eliminated entirely, with a concomitant loss of immunoreactivity for rhodopsin. However, the magnitude of the effect varied between animals with the same IAA dose and survival time, suggesting individual differences in the bioavailability of the toxin. In all eyes, the inner retina remained intact, as judged by the thickness of the inner nuclear layer, and by the pattern of immunoreactivity for protein kinase C-alpha (rod bipolar cells) and calbindin D-28 (horizontal cells). Muller cell stalks became immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) even in IAA-treated retinae that had no signs of cell loss, indicating a response of the retina to the toxin. However, no marked hypertrophy or proliferation of Muller cells was observed with either GFAP or vimentin immunohistochemistry. Thus the selective, long lasting damage to the photoreceptors produced by this toxin did not lead to a reorganization of the surviving cells, at least with survival as long as 6 months, in contrast to the remodeling of the inner retina that is observed in inherited retinal degenerations such as retinitis pigmentosa and retinal injuries such as retinal detachment.
Can the Treatment of Animals Be Compared to the Holocaust

The treatment of animals and the Holocaust have been compared many times before, but never has a thoroughly detailed comparison been offered. A thirty-nine-point comparison can be constructed, whether or not one believes that animals are oppressed. The question of whether or not the comparison ought to be expressed merely brings into question whether animal liberationists have liberal-democratic rights to express themselves, which they surely do. Four objections are considered: Is the comparison offensive? Does the comparison trivialize what happened to the victims of the Nazis, overlook important differences, or ignore supposed affinities between animal liberationists and Nazis? These four lines of attack are shown to fail. The comparison stands to help us to reflect on the significance of how animals are treated in contemporary times.
Elucidation of fertilization and development in a red alga by quantitative DNA microspectrofluorometry

Crucial nuclear events throughout the life histories of red algae have eluded researchers. Use of the DNA fluorochrome 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and microspectrofluorometry has now resolved the problems. In the parasitic red alga Choreocolax polysiphoniae (= Leachiella pacifica), the amounts of nuclear DNA during the processes of meiosis and fertilization are documented as well as the transfer of the newly formed zygote nucleus to the adjacent accessory cell. In this organism, the G2 period predominates in the cell cycle of vegatative and reproductive cells; many nondividing vegetative cells become highly polyploid. The results indicate that the use of various fluorochromes combined with microspectrofluorometric measurements of individual nuclei is valuable for study of many developmental problems in lower eukaryotes where the relatively small nuclear DNA content has made study with conventional dyes impossible.
On Chechetkin's proposed wavefunction for an anisotropic superfluid and its relation to the Gor'kov-Galitskii scheme

Abstract Checketkin proposed a wavefunction ψc for an anisotropic superfluid, claiming that it has lower energy than the Anderson-Morel type solution and represents the Gor'kov-Galitskii isotropic scheme. In this letter, we shall show that his claims are incorrect.
Hot-Spot Thermal Management With Flow Modulation in a Microchannel Heat Sink

Recesses created in the lid of a microchannel heat sink can serve to modulate the flow, resulting in local and global heat transfer enhancement. Numerical analysis of laminar flow and heat transfer in such a modified microchannel heat sink has shown an augmentation of heat transfer without an added penalty of increased pressure drop. The presence of the recesses reduces the overall flow friction and thus pressure drop. The flow expansion into the recesses and the subsequent contraction into the downstream region causes significant local enhancement in heat transfer. Both the maximum and average wall temperatures are decreased as a result. The heat transfer is locally enhanced, by as much as 150% in the regions just downstream of the recesses due to the re-initialization of boundary layers as the flow re-enters the microchannels. The potential for hot-spot mitigation in microelectronics devices using this approach is discussed.© 2005 ASME
Membrane independent limiting flux for RO and NF membranes fouled by humic acid.

The flux decline of reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes was investigated under constant pressure conditions during humic acid fouling tests. For a given membrane type under a given feedwater composition, increasing pressure resulted in increased flux reduction and foulant accumulation. A limiting flux seems to exist beyond which the membrane flux cannot be sustained. Membranes with initial fluxes greater than the limiting flux experienced severe fouling and their pseudo stable fluxes approached the limiting flux. Flux reduction was much milder when the initial flux was lower than the limiting flux. Furthermore, the limiting flux seems to be independent of membrane properties, probably due to the dominance of foulant−deposited-foulant interaction upon complete foulant coverage over membrane surfaces. On the other hand, strong dependence of the limiting flux on the feedwater composition was observed. The limiting flux was reduced at higher proton, calcium, and/or background electrolytes concentra t...
Acetylsalicylic acid reduces viral shedding induced by thermal stress.

Purpose. To investigate the effect of acetylsalicylic acid on ocular shedding of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Materials and methods. Mice that were latent for the McKrae strain of HSV-1 were treated with acetylsalicylic acid, a nonspecific inhibitor of cyclooxygenases, either prophylactically or at the time of heat stress–induced viral reactivation. The effect of the drug on viral shedding in the tear film, infectious virus in the cornea and trigeminal ganglion, and viral DNA in the cornea and trigeminal ganglion was determined. Results. Acetylsalicylic acid inhibited heat stress–induced shedding of virus in the tears and reduced the numbers of corneal and trigeminal ganglion homogenates containing virus. Intraperitoneal therapeutic and oral prophylactic plus therapeutic treatments were similar in their ability to inhibit reactivation. Conclusions. The results indicate that a cyclooxygenase inhibitor such as acetylsalicylic acid can reduce recurrent viral infection in mice. These findings may impl...
The fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra of pyrazine in benzene at 4.2°K

The fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra of pyrazine-h4 and pyrazine-d4 in benzene at 4.2° K are presented and analyzed. The Frank-Condon patterns of a1g modes in the fluorescence spectrum are quite similar to those in the phosphorescence spectrum for both pyrazine-h4 and pyrazine-d4. The ν5 (b2g) and v10a (b1g) out-of-plane bending modes appear with quite different intensities in the fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra. The 0 → 1 transitions in these modes only appear in the fluorescence spectra while the 0 → 2 transitions are more intense in the phosphorescence spectra. These results are interpreted in terms of a vibronic interaction between 1,3B3u (nπ∗) and the 1,3B2u (ππ∗) and 1,3B1u (ππ∗) states. No spectroscopic evidence is found for a forbidden 1nπ∗ state below 1B3u (nπ∗).
Periprocedural thromboprophylaxis in patients receiving chronic anticoagulation therapy

Patients receiving chronic anticoagulation therapy pose a clinical challenge when therapy needs to be interrupted for surgical or invasive procedures. Maintaining anticoagulation places them at risk for serious bleeding complications, whereas discontinuing anticoagulation puts them at risk of thromboembolic complications. Most patients can undergo dental procedures, cataract surgery, and diagnostic endoscopy without discontinuing anticoagulation. The main patient groups that may require a periprocedural alternative to oral anticoagulation (periprocedural thromboprophylaxis or bridging) include patients with prosthetic heart valves, atrial fibrillation, and hypercoagulable states and patients with chronic venous thrombosis who are undergoing surgery. Currently, there is little consensus on the appropriate perioperative treatment of patients on long-term warfarin therapy. There are an increasing number of studies that evaluate the benefits of periprocedural bridging with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in place of unfractionated heparin (UFH). An advantage of LMWH over UFH is that perioperative conversion from warfarin therapy with LMWH can be carried out in the outpatient setting, which is more convenient for patients and is cost effective. As with the use of UFH, there are reports of maternal thromboembolic complications with LMWHs in pregnant women with mechanical heart valves. This review brings together the available data on periprocedural bridging to assess the available options for patients on long-term warfarin therapy who are undergoing surgical procedures. It provides a rationale for using LMWHs while individualizing the risks versus benefits in a given patient population.
Medical Management and Therapy of Bronchopleural Fistulas in the Mechanically Ventilated Patient

Bronchopleural fistulas are associated with high morbidity and mortality and are particularly challenging in the ventilated patient. Familiarity with both basic and more technical medical management techniques may lessen morbidity and improve survival. Prompt recognition of BPFs and appropriate placement of a chest tube with an adequate suction device are crucial to prevent potential tension pneumothorax and to drain an infected pleural space. The chest tube may be used therapeutically to decrease BPF air leak and to promote fistula repair. Appropriate conventional ventilator manipulations aimed at decreasing fistula air leak and maintaining adequate oxygenation and ventilation may fail and necessitate a trial of HFV. Definitive therapy by the bronchoscopic application of a sealing agent to occlude the fistula site can be used, particularly in the poor surgical candidate.
Selective neocortical and thalamic cell death in the gerbil after transient ischemia

In animal models of transients ischemia, selective vulnerability and delayed neuronal death in the hippocampus have been extensively described. However, little is known about selective damage in the neocortex and the thalamus, even though deficits in sensorimotor function are common in humans surviving hypoxic/ischemic episodes. This study investigated the neurodegenerative effects of transient ischemia in the gerbil neocortex and thalamus with use of Cresyl Violet and silver impregnation staining methods. In addition, immunohistochemistry of an astrocyte-associated protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, was used to assess the astrocytic response to ischemia. Pyramidal cells in layers 3 and 6 of somatosensory and auditory cortex were exceptionally sensitive to ischemia, whereas the neurons in layers 2, 4 and 5 were more resistant to ischemia. More pyramidal cells were killed in layer 3 than in layer 6. This bilaminar pattern of neuronal death developed after periods of ischemia ranging from 3 to 10 min and was identifiable at post-ischemic survival times of 6 h to one month. Somatodendritic argyrophilia in the neocortex was identified as early as 6-12 h after 5 min of ischemia. The greatest number of degenerating cortical neurons were stained two to four days after ischemia. With 10 min of ischemia, argyrophilic neurites and neurons were also found as early as 8 h after the occlusion. The most extensive damage was noted in the ventroposterior nucleus, the medial geniculate nucleus, and the intralaminar nuclei two to four days after ischemia. Thus, selective vulnerability and delayed neuronal death are evident in both the neocortex and the thalamus after transient ischemia. These regions need to be examined when considering the efficacy of potential neuroprotective drugs.
Enhanced Single-Molecule Detection using Porous Silver Membrane.

We evaluated a commercial porous silver membrane as a support substrate for direct localization and visualization of single molecule events. We characterized the fluorescence behaviors of fluorescently labeled DNA oligonucleotides on the silver membranes. The fluorescence from the fluorescent probes that were immobilized on the porous silver is greatly enhanced. Additionally, correlated to reflectance contour image, it appears that enhanced fluorescence came from location close to the “valley” of the pore channels (or in the voids). These results are of great interest to increase the effectiveness of fluorescence–based single molecule DNA analysis.
Using Stocking or Harvesting to Reverse Period-Doubling Bifurcations in Discrete Population Models

This study considers a general class of 2-dimensional, discrete population models where each per capita transition function (fitness) depends on a linear combination of the densities of the interacting populations. The fitness functions are either monotone decreasing functions (pioneer fitnesses) or one-humped functions (climax fitnesses). Four sets of necessary inequality conditions are derived which guarantee generically that an equilibrium loses stability through a period-doubling bifurcation with respect to the pioneer self-crowding parameter. A stocking or harvesting term which is proportional to the pioneer density is introduced into the system. Conditions are determined under which this stocking or harvesting will reverse the bifurcation and restabilize the equilibrium. A numerical example illustrates how pioneer stocking can be used to reverse a period-doubling cascade and to maintain the system at any attracting cycle along the cascade.
BREEDING BIOLOGY AND INTER-TERRITORY MOVEMENTS IN A FISCAL SHRIKE POPULATION IN KENYA

Summary Zack, S. 1986. Breeding biology and inter-territory movements in a Fiscal Shrike population in Kenya. Ostrich 57: 65–74. A colour-banded population of Fiscal Shrikes Lanius collaris was studied for two-and-a-half years near Lake Naivasha, Kenya. Annual survival was 39%, but since 25% of the colour-banded adults were known to have resided in two or more territories, this probably is an overestimate of mortality, because of dispersal outside the study site. I detected no sexual differences in survival. The study site contained from five to 1 pairs. Young birds fledged from only 15% of the nests I found. Only eight of the 17 pairs studied produced any young; these eight pairs averaged 1,89 young per nest. The amount of time the breeding female incubated or brooded young was related to the number of prey items brought to the nest by the breeding male. Males brought 26% of their captured prey to the nest, and the items brought were biased toward the longer prey items. Small prey items were rarely broug...
Over-Moded Cavity for Multiple-Electronic-Device Wireless Charging

This paper discusses a shielded over-moded conductive cavity for wirelessly powering multiple electronic devices simultaneously. The demonstrated cavity is designed for 10-GHz powering with a subwatt transmitter. A study of methods to increase power density uniformity within the cavity is presented, including mechanical stirring, conductive and absorptive object loading, and frequency modulation. It is found that very small frequency modulation of less than 0.1% is sufficient to provide a practical level of power uniformity. A device-under-charge (DUT) consisting of a rectenna, microcontroller, power management circuit, solid-state battery, and ISM-band wireless transceiver is used to validate the study by monitoring the battery charging at various locations within the cavity. The demonstrated shielded three-dimensional charging method is scalable in frequency, volume, power, and number of devices that can be charged.
Minority Poverty in Nonmetropolitan Texas

Despite a high prevalence of poverty among minorities in nonmetropolitan areas, research and policy concerns regarding poverty have continued focusing on metropolitan minorities. This study uses a model integrating individual, household, and structural factors to examine poverty among Latinos, blacks, and Anglos in nonmetropolitan and, for comparative purposes, metropolitan areas, using data from the 1985 Special Texas Census TDHS 1987. The findings show that minorities in nonmetropolitan areas tend to have the highest poverty rates. In addition, consistent as well as divergent patterns exist among the six ethnic-resident groups with respect to the relationships among the various individual, household, and structural factors and poverty.
Segregation and preterm birth: The effects of neighborhood racial composition in North Carolina

Epidemiologic research suggests that racial segregation is associated with poor health among blacks in the United States (US). We used geocoded birth records and US census data to investigate whether neighborhood-level percent black is associated with preterm birth (PTB) for black and white women in two counties in the southern US, whether area-level deprivation modifies this association, and whether the association is influenced by the choice of geographic unit used to approximate a neighborhood. A 20%-point increase in tract-level percent black was found to be associated with increased PTB odds in white (OR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.18) and black (OR=1.05, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.11) women. These small associations were similar to those observed in other US regions. Effects were robust to choice of neighborhood proxy and were not modified by area-level deprivation.
Characterization of proton damage in light-emitting diodes

Proton damage is investigated for several types of modern light-emitting diodes (LEDs), examining the damage from the standpoint of older models based on lifetime degradation as well as the simpler method of normalized degradation. An empirical model is developed to describe injection-enhanced annealing in amphoterically doped LEDs. Experimental results on "aged" devices show that wearout degradation does not decrease the sensitivity of devices to radiation damage.
Nanoporous hybrid electrolytes

Oligomer-suspended SiO2–polyethylene glycol nanoparticles are studied as porous media electrolytes. At SiO2 volume fractions, ϕ, bracketing a critical value ϕy ≈ 0.29, the suspensions jam and their mechanical modulus increase by more than seven orders. For ϕ>ϕy, the mean pore diameter is close to the anion size, yet the ionic conductivity remains surprisingly high and can be understood, at all ϕ, using a simple effective medium model proposed by Maxwell. SiO2–polyethylene glycol hybrid electrolytes are also reported to manifest attractive electrochemical stability windows (0.3–6.3 V) and to reach a steady-state interfacial impedance when in contact with metallic lithium.
Generalized alternating‐direction collocation methods for parabolic equations. III. Nonrectangular domains

The alternating-direction collocation (ADC) method is an efficient numerical approximation technique for the solution of parabolic partial differential equations. However, to date the ADC method has only been developed for rectangular discretizations. With judicious combination of isoparametric coordinate transformations and an extended ADC approach, the ADC method can be formulated on general nonrectangular domains. This extends the applicability of the ADC method by allowing it to be employed on domains of more general geometry.
AIGaN/GaN Schottky-ohmic combined anode field effect diode with fluoride-based plasma treatment

Proposed is a novel AlGaN/GaN field effect diode with relatively thick AlGaN barrier layer, named the Schottky-ohmic combined anode field effect diode (SOCFED) because of its distinguishing anode structure. To obtain a low turn-on voltage, a method of fluoride-based plasma exposure was used. The fabricated SOCFED has a turn-on voltage of 0 V and a breakdown voltage of over 200 V.
Escherichia coli mut T1 consequences of modification on the association of DNA polymerase with the cell membrane

1. This is a report of a possible causal relation between the structure of the membrane-bound DNA polymerase and the mutator characteristic of Exherichia coli, mut T1. The characteristics of the membrane-bound polymerase are compatible with its identification as DNA polymerase II, and enzyme which has been determined to be genetically closely linked to the mut T1 gene. Several genes concerned with membrane structure are also known to be linked to the mutator locus. 2. Differences exist between membrane-bound polymerase activity of a wild-type E. coli K-12 and of an isogenic strain harboring the mutator gene. (a) The cell membranes of the mutator strain retain 5--6 times as much activity as do membrane complexes from wild-type cells. (b) The DNA polymerase activity of the membranes from the mut T1 strain is less sensitive to inhibition by the sulfhydryl-binding reagent, N-ethylmaleimide. (c) The membrane-DNA polymerase complex of mut T1 cells uses endogenous, membrane-bound DNA for replication-repair in preference to exogenous DNA. 3. The differences described are specific to structural differences in the membrane complex. When DNA polymerase activity is solubilized from the complexes, the enzymes of the two strains exhibit similar characteristics. These results are consistent with the thesis that an alteration in membrane structure is the basis of mut T1 activity. The results do not support any hypothesis that mut T1 phenotype is a reflection of mutations in the structural gene for DNA replicase (polymerase) or its components.
Low levels effect of nitrogen oxides emitted by power station

Abstract In some people exposed to the long‐lasting activity of compounds contained in the “ chimney trail “ of power station the increasel level of MetHb was found but no increased values of SHb were observed Human organism responds to low concentrations of nitrogen oxides contained in the atmosphere by reaction to increased level of MetHb as well as the increase of GSH concentration in erythro‐cytes found near the upper limits of norm, and the increase of activity of G‐6‐PD and first of all the activity of MetHb‐Red. In the examined cases the Hb moleculary structure was of A type≪ The mechanism of human organism's response to the low concentrations of nitrogen oxides in inhaled air may be examined in two aspects, namely as the subtoxic effect with the increase of MetHb and as hormetic activity, stimulating the increase of reduction system activity.
Decay of 47Ca

Abstract A detailed investigation of the decay of 47Ca was made by means of a Ge(Li) detector and a shaped magnetic field spectrometer. The 47Ca half-life was determined to be 4.623 ± 0.032 d. The gamma-ray measurements yield the following transition energies: 489.2 ± 0.7, 529.6 ± 1.3, 766.2 ± 1.8, 807.9 ± 0.7 and 1296.6 ± 0.7 keV. These are combined with previous results and fitted into a level scheme for 47Sc resulting in excited states at 766.83 ± 0.30, 807.91 ± 0.20, and 1296.85 ± 0.18 keV. The beta spectrum measurements indicate a nearly statistical shape for the highly-retarded (log ft = 8.5), allowed ground-state-to-ground-state transition. The possibility that this beta spectrum has a nonstatistical shape, however, cannot be completely excluded. The endpoint energies, intensities, and log ft values for the beta groups are: 1980.6 ± 2.6 keV , ≧ 15.1 %, 8.5; 1213.8 keV , 9.8; 1172.7 keV , 8.8; and 683.7 keV , 83.9%, 6.0 .
Directionally selective motion detecting units in the optic lobe of the honeybee

We have found four classes of neurons in the honeybee optic lobe. These neurons respond to changes in light intensity and selectively to movement of objects within the entire acceptance angle of a compound eye. We suggest that these neurons are part of the neural system that controls flight, for example the optomotor response. Properties of these units are described in this paper. To our knowledge this is the first report of recording from interneurons of the honeybee.
Assessment and treatment of acute heart failure: Case study: Wet and warm profile with concomitant anuric renal failure

An 86-year-old man arrived by ambulance at the emergency department (ED) at 7:15 P.M. with shortness of breath, wheezing, and sweating. The history obtained of his present illness was brief due to the patient’s extreme dyspnea. He had missed his dialysis appointment the previous day, and he complained of worsening shortness of breath that morning. En route he received nebulized albuterol and was on 100% O2 by nonrebreather mask. The patient had suffered a myocardial infarction approximately 7 years previously. He had also undergone two cardiac catheterizations documenting extensive coronary artery disease (CAD), resulting in angioplasty with subsequent stent placement. In addition, he had a history of congestive heart failure (CHF) and hypertension that precipitated end-stage renal failure requiring hemodialysis. He also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and was on home O2 at 2 l/min. His medications were as follows: enalapril 40 mg/day, clonidine 0.1 mg t.i.d., isosorbide dinatrate 25 mg/day, atenolol 25 mg/day, salmeterol 2 puffs b.i.d., fluticasone 2 puffs b.i.d., albuterol p.r.n., lansoprazole 15 mg/day, calcium acetate 665 mg t.i.d., and Nephrocaps 1/day.
Determinants and Outcomes of Internet Banking Adoption

This paper examines the drivers of adoption of Internet banking and the linkages among adoption drivers and outcomes (product acquisition, service activity, profitability, loyalty). We relate Internet banking adoption to customer demand for banking services, the availability of alternative channels, customers' efficiency in service coproduction (“customer efficiency”), and local Internet banking penetration. We find that customers who have greater transaction demand and higher efficiency, and reside in areas with a greater density of online banking adopters, are faster to adopt online banking after controlling for time, regional, and individual characteristics. Consistent with prior work, we find that customers significantly increase their banking activity, acquire more products, and perform more transactions. These changes in behavior are not associated with short-run increases in customer profitability, but customers who adopt online banking have a lower propensity to leave the bank. Building on these observations we also find that the adoption drivers are linked to the postadoption changes in behavior or profitability. Customers who live in areas with a high branch density or high Internet banking penetration increase their product acquisition and transaction activity more than Internet banking adopters in other regions. Efficient customers and those with high service demand show greater postadoption profitability. This paper was accepted by Sandra Slaughter, information systems.
Hepatitis C in pregnancy

Objective: To review the epidemiology and clinical course of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, to examine current data on the vertical transmission of HCV to neonates, and to develop recommendations for intrapartum and postpartum follow-up of neonates born to HCV-infected mothers. Data Sources: The English-language medical literature from 1988 to 1996 was reviewed through MEDLINE. Methods of Study Selection: Case series evaluating vertical transmission of HCV infection in neonates, determined by HCV RNA testing, after delivery and breast-feeding were reviewed and summarized. Tabulation, Integration, and Results: Vertical transmission of HCV infection was examined with respect to maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status (as heterosexual transmission of HCV is enhanced in HIV-positive patients) and chronicity of HCV infection. Vertical transmission of HCV from HIV-negative mothers with chronic hepatitis C ranged from 0 to 18%. The risk of HCV vertical transmission from HIV-negative mothers with acute hepatitis C may be higher than that from mothers with chronic HCV infection. Vertical transmission of HCV was proportional to maternal HCV RNA levels; no transmission was noted in women without HCV RNA, whereas the greatest transmission was noted in women with HCV RNA greater than 1 million copies/mL. Vertical transmission of HCV from HIV-positive mothers with chronic hepatitis C ranged from 6 to 36%. In colostrum, HCV RNA was found to be present in low titers. No studies have documented transmission of HCV infection to infants via breast-feeding. Conclusion: Vertical transmission of HCV complicates up to 18% of pregnancies in HCV-positive, HIV-negative women and 6–36% in HCV-positive, HIV-positive women. The highest rates of vertical transmission of HCV were noted in women with high HCV RNA or concurrent HIV infection. Breast-feeding has not been associated with vertical transmission of HCV infection.
A Review of Recent Literature - Nurse Case Managers in Diabetes Care: Equivalent or Better Outcomes Compared to Primary Care Providers

Primary care has changed remarkably with chronic disease burden growth. Nurse case managers assist with this chronic disease by providing if not significantly better care, than equivalent care to that provided by usual primary care providers. Chronic disease management requires patient-centered skills and tools, such as registries, panel management, review of home data, communicating with patients outside of face-to-face care, and coordinating multiple services. Evidence reviewed in this article demonstrates that registered nurse care managers (RNCM) perform many actions required for diabetes chronic disease management including initiation and titration of medications with similar or improved physiologic and patient satisfaction outcomes over usual care providers. Selection and training of the nurse case managers is of utmost importance for implementation of a successful chronic disease management program. Evidence based guidelines, algorithms, protocols, and adequate ongoing education and mentoring are generally cited as necessary support tools for the nurse case managers.
Statistical Manipulability of Social Choice Functions

We consider the proportion of profiles at which an anonymous neutral social choice function cannot be manipulated to any coalition's advantage. We fix the number of alternatives and consider the limit as the number of individuals goes to infinity, and assume that the limit of the fraction of all profiles in the domain is 1.
The Importance of Skills of M.B.A. Students Seeking Marketing Positions: An Employers' Perspective

The presence of various academic skills affects the employment prospects of recent M.B.A. graduates. Employer preferences toward M.B.A. job applicants are influenced by both the presence and the perceived level of development of these skills. For this article, adaptive conjoint analysis was used to derive the importance of skills used by recruiters in the selection decision. The utilities for various levels of these skills are estimated for employers from different areas of marketing specialization.
Submillimeter wave photoconductivity observation of shallow donors in In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As

The hydrogen like 1s → 2p (m=−1,0,+1) transitions of two donors have been observed in high intensity magnetic fields up to 8.5T. The m=−1 transitions ocurred between 2 cm−1 and 25 cm−1. The signature curves for donors in ternary semiconductor In0.53Ga0.47As have now been established.
Resonance Electromagnetic Absorption by Nonspherical Dielectric Objects

The extended boundary condition method (EBCM) is used to develop a theoretical solution for the internal fields of isotropic and homogeneous nonspherical dielectric objects. The formulation is particularly effective for resonance-sized bodies. The computational capabilities of the technique are demonstrated by presenting numerical calculations of absorption efficiency versus electrical size (ka) and internal-field distributions at resonance for a number of Iossy axisymmetric objects including spheres, spheroids, and a finite cylinder. The numerical limitations are discussed and a method is given which allows extension of the numerical technique to a larger class of problems.
Asymptotical analysis of the outage capacity of rate-tailored BLAST

The paper considers the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel with quasi-static Rayleigh fading. Lower bounds are derived for the outage capacity of a recently introduced approach to horizontally encoded BLAST (Bell Labs layered space time) in which the rates of the layers are optimally designed. The outage capacity of this scheme, rate-tailored BLAST (RT-BLAST), is shown to behave in the same manner as the true outage capacity of the MIMO channel (e.g., using a maximum-likelihood, ML, receiver) in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. That is, the asymptotical growth rates of the ML and RT-BLAST outage capacities as a function of SNR are equal to each other.
Quantification of Fly Ash in Concrete by Image Analysis Techniques: a Preliminary Investigation

The fly ash present in concrete mixtures is readily identified with qualitative electron microscope techniques. Quantification of the fly ash present in samples is more difficult. Visual analysis of a representative sample volume can be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time through use of image analysis techniques. Our research efforts have focused on the development of an image analysis technique which uses particle shape and composition to quantify the fly ash present in samples. The resultant binary image is filtered to eliminate the smallest particles and pieces of particles. Shape factor analysis distinguishes spherical fly ash particles from irregularly shaped grains of unhydrated cement clinker. The volume percent of nearly spherical particles is calculated and adjusted to compare the percentage of spherical particles in the matrix of fly ash-containing specimens to the percentage in a control specimen with no fly ash. There is a 2.2-fold increase in the number of spherical particles associated with the substitution of Portland cement by 60 wt% fly ash. Proportional changes in this ratio should be observable in samples with varying amounts of fly ash. The most obvious limitation of the method is related to the requirement that one knows the percentage of high atomic number particles in the fly ash beforehand.
Changes in quality of life following treatment for early prostate cancer.

Abstract Objectives. To explore the effects of urinary, bowel, and sexual symptoms following treatment for early (nonmetastatic) prostate cancer on health-related quality of life through an examination of the responsiveness of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Methods. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 125 men with early prostate cancer who underwent either radical prostatectomy or radical, external beam radiotherapy. Patients completed questionnaires, which included assessments of urinary, bowel, and sexual symptoms and the SF-36 at the time of their clinical consultation prior to deciding on primary therapy and at 3 and 12-month follow-up. Results. Although cross-sectional analysis showed substantial associations between symptoms and the eight scales of the SF-36 12 months after the initiation of treatment, longitudinal analyses of changes in these scales showed only modest effects. Three scales registered changes associated with the development of new symptoms: General Health Perceptions, Vitality, and Social Function. Role Performance with Emotional Limitations demonstrated a surprising response: slight improvements in men with new symptoms, compared with substantial gains in men who survived treatment without developing new urinary, bowel, or sexual symptoms. Overall, the SF-36 demonstrated a pattern of decline at 3 months and recovery to baseline at 12 months. Rather than registering declines in response to increasing symptoms, negative changes occurred primarily in men who presented symptoms prior to treatment and whose symptoms were unchanged 12 months later. Conclusions. The SF-36 is associated with the presence of physical symptoms but demonstrates a complicated pattern of change following treatment and the development of new urinary, bowel, and sexual problems. Multidimensional approaches to the outcomes of treatment for early prostate cancer help to clarify the magnitude of both gains and losses in quality of life.
Expression analysis of neuregulin-1 in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia.

Genetic linkage and association have implicated neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) as a schizophrenia susceptibility gene. We measured mRNA expression levels of the three major isoforms of NRG-1 (ie type I, type II, and type III) in the postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) from matched patients and controls using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Expression levels of three internal controls—GAPDH, cyclophilin, and β-actin—were unchanged in schizophrenia, and there were no changes in the absolute levels of the NRG-1 isoforms. However, type I expression normalized by GAPDH levels was significantly increased in schizophrenia DLPFC (by 23%) and positively correlated with antipsychotic medication dosage. Type II/type I and type II/type III ratios were significantly decreased (18 and 23% respectively). There was no effect on the NRG-1 mRNA levels of genotype at two SNPs previously associated with schizophrenia, suggesting that these alleles are not functionally responsible for abnormal NRG-1 expression patterns in patients. Subtle abnormalities in the expression patterns of NRG-1 mRNA isoforms in DLPFC may be associated with schizophrenia.
Entropy, Its Language, and Interpretation

The language of entropy is examined for consistency with its mathematics and physics, and for its efficacy as a guide to what entropy means. Do common descriptors such as disorder, missing information, and multiplicity help or hinder understanding? Can the language of entropy be helpful in cases where entropy is not well defined? We argue in favor of the descriptor spreading, which entails space, time, and energy in a fundamental way. This includes spreading of energy spatially during processes and temporal spreading over accessible microstates states in thermodynamic equilibrium. Various examples illustrate the value of the spreading metaphor. To provide further support for this metaphor’s utility, it is shown how a set of reasonable spreading properties can be used to derive the entropy function. A main conclusion is that it is appropriate to view entropy’s symbol S as shorthand for spreading.
Arab and Muslim Political Attitudes: Stereotypes and Evidence from Survey Research

Although the administration of President George W. Bush insists that the U.S. War on Terrorism is not a war on Islam, too many Americans seem to view it that way. A national poll taken by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research following the attack of September 11, 2001, found that 54 percent expressed the view that the attack was motivated by a conflict between Christianity and Islam. Even more disturbing are the statements of some religious figures in the U.S. For example, Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham and a well-known evangelist in his own right, said of Islam, “I believe it’s a very evil and wicked religion.” This and a sampling of other offensive references to Islam by prominent American conservatives are summarized by Nicholas Kristof in an important New York Times article published this summer.1 Mr. Kristof concludes that if we expect Muslim leaders to confront the hate-mongers in their societies, we must confront those here in the U.S. Yet another illustration is the reaction of some conservatives to a plan by the University of North Carolina to assign a book on Islam to incoming freshmen. The Family Policy Network, a conservative Christian organization, filed suit against the university. Fox News Network talk-show host Bill O’Reilly denounced the teaching of “our enemy’s religion” and compared the assignment to teaching Mein Kampf in 1941.2 Finally, there is the well-known “Clash of Civilizations” thesis, in which Professor Samuel Huntington of Harvard argues that cultural and religious differences are a major cause of international conflict in the post–Cold War era and asserts that Islam in particular encourages Muslim aggressiveness toward non-Muslim peoples. According to Huntington, “Some Westerners have argued that the West does not have problems with Islam but only with violent Islamic extremists…But evidence to …
The Role of Toxicological Science in Meeting the Challenges and Opportunities of Hydraulic Fracturing

We briefly describe how toxicology can inform the discussion and debate of the merits of hydraulic fracturing by providing information on the potential toxicity of the chemical and physical agents associated with this process, individually and in combination. We consider upstream activities related to bringing chemical and physical agents to the site, on-site activities including drilling of wells and containment of agents injected into or produced from the well, and downstream activities including the flow/removal of hydrocarbon products and of produced water from the site. A broad variety of chemical and physical agents are involved. As the industry expands this has raised concern about the potential for toxicological effects on ecosystems, workers, and the general public. Response to these concerns requires a concerted and collaborative toxicological assessment. This assessment should take into account the different geology in areas newly subjected to hydraulic fracturing as well as evolving industrial practices that can alter the chemical and physical agents of toxicological interest. The potential for ecosystem or human exposure to mixtures of these agents presents a particular toxicological and public health challenge. These data are essential for developing a reliable assessment of the potential risks to the environment and to human health of the rapidly increasing use of hydraulic fracturing and deep underground horizontal drilling techniques for tightly bound shale gas and other fossil fuels. Input from toxicologists will be most effective when employed early in the process, before there are unwanted consequences to the environment and human health, or economic losses due to the need to abandon or rework costly initiatives.