cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlating computed tomography and positron emission tomography scan with operative findings in metastatic colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies have been performed comparing computed tomography scan with positron emission tomography scan in clinical decision making. Unfortunately, therapeutic decisions are being made based on positron emission tomography scan data without a clear understanding of how well the diagnostic findings correlate with the clinical findings. METHODS: A retrospective review of 41 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer was performed. All patients had both a computed tomography scan and a positron emission tomography scan before surgical exploration. All underwent surgical re-exploration. Findings were divided into hepatic, extrahepatic, and pelvic regions of the abdomen. Computed tomography scan and positron emission tomography scan findings were either confirmed or refuted by the operative findings. RESULTS: Positron emission tomography scan was found to be more sensitive than computed tomography scan when compared with actual operative findings in the liver (100 vs. 69 percent, P = 0.004), extrahepatic region (90 vs. 52 percent, P = 0.015), and abdomen as a whole (87 vs. 61 percent, P < 0.001). Sensitivities of positron emission tomography scan and computed tomography scan were not significantly different in the pelvic region (87 vs. 61 percent, P = 0.091). In each case, specificity was not significantly different between the two examinations. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography scan and positron emission tomography scan are both diagnostic tests useful in the evaluation of metastatic colorectal cancer. However, positron emission tomography scanning is more sensitive than computed tomography scanning and more likely to give the correct result when actual metastatic disease is present.
Serotonin Transporter Genotype and Acute Subjective Response to Amphetamine

The authors have previously shown an effect of dopamine transporter genotype on acute subjective responses to d-amphetamine, which may affect risk of addiction. They now report the results of an evaluation of the role of the serotonin transporter gene (HTT) using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design in which subjects (N = 101) completed self-report measures of subjective effect. The separate and combined analyses of the gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and the Intron 2 VNTR suggest that these two HTT polymorphisms may contribute to acute subjective responses to d-amphetamine with a small effect.
COMT GENOTYPE AND MEMORY PERFORMANCE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Background: The Val158Met single nucleotide polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene on chromosome 22 influences dopamine catabolism and is related to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Previous research has found that the Met allele is associated in a dose-response fashion with better performance on most neuropsychological tests. Methods: We assessed 138 outpatients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (65% men; 59% Caucasian; mean age=49; mean years of education=13) with a blood draw and a comprehensive neuropsychological, functional, and clinical battery. Participantswith the Val/Val (n=49), Val/Met (n=57), and Met/Met (n=32) genotypes did not differ on demographic variables, diagnosis, type or dosage of antipsychotic medication, or duration of psychosis. Results: Spearman correlations between the "dose" of the Met allele (0, 1, or 2 Met alleles) and the neuropsychological, functional, and clinical variables demonstrated that a higher number of Met alleles was associated with better estimated premorbid intellectual functioning (r=.20, p=.020), verbal memory (r=.18, p=.036), visual memory (r=.17, p=.047), and working memory (r=.17, p=.045). Met carriers significantly outperformed noncarriers on measures of premorbid intellectual functioning (t=2.25, df=136, p=.026), verbal memory (t=2.13, df=136, p=.035), and visual memory (t=2.09, df=119.34, p=.028). Discussion: The Met allele appears to be associated with better performance in premorbid intellectual functioning, delayed verbal and visual recall, and working memory, explaining 3-4% of the variance in these abilities. Associations between COMTgenotype and functional capacity or psychiatric symptom severity were not statistically significant. Because the Val158Met polymorphism typically explains a small amount of variance in cognitive performance and given the size of the current sample, these results need to be replicated with a larger sample and other variants should be considered to further understand genetic contributions to cognition.
A method for statistically comparing spatial distribution maps.

Background Ecological niche modeling is a method for estimation of species distributions based on certain ecological parameters. Thus far, empirical determination of significant differences between independently generated distribution maps for a single species (maps which are created through equivalent processes, but with different ecological input parameters), has been challenging.
Experimental Study of the Mechanism of Constant Pressure Cake Filtration : Clogging of Filter Media

Abstract Failure of data taken in pilot plant filtration of liquefied coal to fit conventional analysis led to research summarized in this paper. Historically, the effect of migrating fine particles in cake filtration has been ignored in theoretical treatments. In usual development, the total resistance to flow has been broken into cake resistance RC and medium resistance Rm. Experimentors have only measured the total resistance and have assumed that Rm remained constant. In this investigation, a filter with seven probes was empolyed to measure the individual resistances. Medium resistance is found to increase with time and mass of dry cake per unit area due to migration of fine particles into the interestices of a filter medium.
Redox outside the Box: Linking Extracellular Redox Remodeling with Intracellular Redox Metabolism *

Aerobic organisms generate reactive oxygen species as metabolic side products and must achieve a delicate balance between using them for signaling cellular functions and protecting against collateral damage. Small molecule (e.g. glutathione and cysteine)- and protein (e.g. thioredoxin)-based buffers regulate the ambient redox potentials in the various intracellular compartments, influence the status of redox-sensitive macromolecules, and protect against oxidative stress. Less well appreciated is the fact that the redox potential of the extracellular compartment is also carefully regulated and is dynamic. Changes in intracellular metabolism alter the redox poise in the extracellular compartment, and these are correlated with cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and death. In this minireview, the mechanism of extracellular redox remodeling due to intracellular sulfur metabolism is discussed in the context of various cell-cell communication paradigms.
Synthesis and single molecule force spectroscopy of graft copolymers of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-g-ethylene glycol)

In this study, an end-functionalized graft copolymer, thiol-terminated poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-g-ethylene glycol) or SH-poly(HEMA-g-EG), was synthesized by the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method and then characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and light scattering (LS). The polymer was covalently end-grafted to an Au substrate at low enough grafting densities to produce well-separated individual polymer “mushrooms” and single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) was then employed to measure the single polymer extensional elastic properties in phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS, ionic strength (IS) = 0.15 M, pH = 7.4) and deionized H2O (IS ∼ 6 × 10-5 M, pH = 5). In both solvents, the polymer behaved as an extensible freely jointed chain with a statistical segment length, a = 0.52 ± 0.09 nm, and a segment elasticity, ksegment = 10.5 ± 3.3 N/m, in PBS and a = 1.03 ± 0.01 nm and ksegment = 4.2 ± 0.5 N/m in H2O. Comparison to the kn...
Latent cytomegalovirus infection and innate immune function following a 75 km cycling time trial

This study compared the acute immune response, inflammation, and lipid peroxidation to a 75 km cycling time trial in male athletes testing positive or negative for latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Trained cyclists (N = 20) were tested for CMV serostatus, and cycled 75 km on a mountainous course using indoor trainers with continuous workload monitoring. Pre-, post-, and 1 h post-exercise blood samples were analyzed for total blood leukocyte counts, blood granulocyte (GR) and monocyte (MO) phagocytosis (PHAG) and oxidative burst activity (OBA), four plasma cytokines, and plasma F2-isoprostanes. Forty percent of the subjects tested positive for CMV. No differences in subject characteristics were found between CMVpos and CMVneg groups. Mean power (57.3 ± 1.6, 59.4 ± 1.8 % maximal Watts, p = 0.803), heart rate (87.0 ± 1.0, 86.5 ± 1.3 % maximal heart rate, p = 0.376), and total time (2.56 ± 0.08, 2.60 ± 0.08 h, p = 0.744) to complete the 75 km cycling time trial did not differ between CMVpos and CMVneg groups. Whereas exercise induced significant changes in total blood leukocyte counts, GR and MO-PHAG, four plasma cytokines, and plasma F2-isoprostanes (p 0.03), these exercise-induced changes did not differ between CMVpos and CMVneg groups (p > 0.05, ω2 < 0.01). CMV serostatus does not appear to influence these innate immune responses or markers of inflammation and lipid peroxidation in response to a single bout of heavy exertion.
Association of cardiomyopathy with adverse cardiac events in pregnant women at the time of delivery.

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of adverse events in pregnant women with cardiomyopathy (CDM) and CDM subtypes at the time of delivery. Background Investigation of patients’ characteristics and outcomes in women with CDM at the time of delivery has been limited. Methods The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s National Inpatient Sample was screened for hospital admissions for delivery in pregnant women with CDM from 2006 to 2010. Clinical characteristics and maternal outcomes were identified in women with and without CDM and in CDM subtypes. The primary outcome of interest was major adverse clinical events (MACE), a composite of in-hospital death, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmia, cerebrovascular event, or embolic event. Results Our study population comprised 2,078 patients with CDM and 4,438,439 patients without CDM. Of those with CDM, 52 (2.5%) were hypertrophic, 1,039 (50.0%) were peripartum, and 987 (47.5%) were classified as other. Women with CDM were older, white, and insured by Medicaid. MACE rates were significantly higher in women with peripartum CDM (46%), compared with hypertrophic CDM (23%) and all others (39%) (p Conclusions Presence of CDM is independently predictive of MACE during hospitalization for delivery. Patients with peripartum CDM had the highest likelihood of MACE compared with other CDM subtypes.
Treatment of Psychiatric Hospital Patients Transferred to Emergency Departments

Two hundred public psychiatric hospitals were surveyed regarding their management of inpatients with serious medical problems. Of the 102 hospitals responding, 98 had a formal arrangement with a medical facility for transfer and treatment. Fifty of the respondents felt they regularly had difficulty in receiving acceptable information from the receiving hospital, and 37 perceived that their patients regularly received less than optimal care. There was a significant direct correlation between difficulty obtaining information and the perception of suboptimal care. Seventynine hospitals had developed a referral form for the transfer of information to the receiving facility. The results point to an important area of discontinuity in the care of the seriously mentally ill.
ULTRA-RAPID FREEZING BY SPRAYING/PLUNGING : PRE-COOLING IN THE COLD GASEOUS LAYER

SUMMARY A thermophysical model is established to analyse the influence of pre-cooling of a biological specimen in the cold gas layer associated with spray-freezing techniques. The basic principles governing the process of pre-cooling are provided. It is concluded that pre-cooling is one of the major limiting steps in attaining an overall ultra-rapid cooling rate. Pre-cooling has a substantial influence on the nature of the final frozen specimens. In order completely to avoid crystallization before entry into the liquid cryogen and maximize the overall cooling rate of the specimen, precautions should be taken to control the height of the gaseous layer and the size of the specimen. The probability of the specimen being frozen in the cold gaseous layer is reduced by increasing the entry speed. The effectiveness, however, becomes less marked at speeds greater than 10 m/s. In order to minimize the risk of misinterpreting the measured cooling rate, it is necessary to specify the pre-cooling conditions. The pre-cooling effect is much more evident in liquid helium than in cryogens such as propane, ethane, Freon 12, 13 and 22.
Dose-dependent prevention of sugar cataracts in galactose-fed dogs by the aldose reductase inhibitor M79175

Abstract Sugar cataracts rapidly develop in dogs fed a diet containing 30% galactose. While studies on the formation and progression of these sugar cataracts suggest that they are osmotic in nature and are linked to aldose reductase, sugar cataract formation in the dog to date has not been completely prevented by the administration of aldose reductase inhibitors sorbinil and M79175. To demonstrate that the formation and progression of sugar cataracts in galactose-fed dogs can be dose-dependently inhibited by the administration of aldose reductase inhibitors, 9-month old male beagles were placed on diet containing 30% galactose with/without 10 or 16 mg kg-1day-1of M79175 for up to 39 months. Cataract progression in all dogs was followed by periodic slit lamp examination and documented by retroillumination photography. Although large variations in cataract formation and progression were observed, all dogs fed a 30% galactose diet for 39 months developed cataracts. Lens changes were significantly less in galactose-fed dogs treated with either 10 or 16 mg kg-1M79175 and no cataract formation was observed in 3 of 6 galactose-fed dogs treated with 16 mg kg-1M79175. These observations confirm that aldose reductase plays a key role in initiating cataract formation in galactose-fed dogs and that cataract formation can be prevented by adequate inhibition of aldose reductase.
Mesoscale analyses of West African summer climate: focus on wave disturbances

A mesoscale climate data set is created from simulations with a regional (limited area) model over West Africa on a 0.5° grid, covering six summers (June–September), 1998–2003. The Regional Model 3 (RM3) is the latest version run at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the (Columbia University) Center for Climate Systems Research. RM3 simulations are driven by synchronous lateral boundary data four times daily from the National Center for Environmental Prediction reanalysis (NCPR) on a 2.5° grid and sea-surface temperatures from the reanalysis. Characteristics of African wave disturbances (AWD) are analyzed from the mesoscale data set and compared to prior published descriptions. Results show a remarkably high correlation in time and space between RM3 modeled precipitation and Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission daily estimates, although the RM3 underestimates the frequency of the most extreme (high and low) precipitation rates. In addition, regional model precipitation was validated against gridded seasonal means from the East Anglia University data set and against a time series of daily rain gauge observations near Niamey, Niger. RM3 700 mb circulation shows evidence of considerable interannual variability in spectral properties that relate to AWD. Spectral amplitudes for 700 mb meridional wind time series peak most often in the range of 4 to 6-day periods over swaths traversed by AWD, often detected along 17°N and 4°N. AWD also create westward propagating bands of alternating southerlies and northerlies in NCPR, European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasting 40-year reanalysis (ERA-40) and RM3 700 mb circulations. RM3 700 mb meridional winds are highly correlated with corresponding NCPR and ERA-40 values, but are usually weaker, so RM3 AWD generally have lower amplitudes. Significant rain events are not always associated with AWD. The RM3 shows good potential for sensitivity experiments that will contribute to our understanding of the physical mechanisms underlying the variability of the West African monsoon. An RM3 West Africa mesoscale climatology could also prove useful for future climate research.
Preoperative Evaluation and Risk Assessment for Elderly Thoracic Surgery Patients

Assessment for thoracic surgery in elderly patients should proceed on the basis of physiologic rather than chronologic age. Thoracic surgery has been shown to be safe in selected elderly patients, and age should not be a contraindication to a therapy that offers the best chance of cure for early stage cancer patients. A targeted preoperative assessment can help individualize the morbidity and mortality risk of surgery for each patient and provide the surgeon and patient with the information needed for operative decision making. Operative interventions in the elderly require coordinated attention to the specific requirements of the aged. Specialized multidisciplinary care provided by primary care physicians, geriatric specialists, cardiologists, oncologists, surgeons, anesthesia personnel, nurses, physical therapists, and nutritionists will optimize care for the elderly thoracic surgery patient. Careful selection of patients for surgery has contributed to the improvement in operative mortality over time, and refinements in preoperative testing should continue this trend in the future.
Severe Weather and Automobile Assembly Productivity

It is apparent that severe weather should hamper the productivity of work that occurs outside. But what is the effect of extreme rain, snow, heat and wind on work that occurs indoors, such as the production of automobiles? Using weekly production data from 64 automobile plants in the United States over a ten-year period, we find that adverse weather conditions lead to a significant reduction in production. For example, a week with six or more days of heat exceeding 90 reduces production in that week by 8% on average. The location impacted the least by weather (Princeton, IN) loses on average 0.5% of its production due to severe weather and the location with the most adverse weather (Montgomery, AL) suffers a production loss of 3.0%. Across our sample of plants, severe weather reduces production on average by 1.5%. While it is possible that plants are able to recover these losses at some later date, we do not find evidence that recovery occurs in the week after the event. Furthermore, even if recovery does occur at some point, at the very least, these shocks are costly as they increase the volatility of production. Our findings are useful both for assessing the potential productivity shock associated with inclement weather as well as guiding managers on where to locate a new production facility - in addition to the traditional factors considered in plant location (e.g., labor costs, local regulations, proximity to customers, access to suppliers), we add the prevalence of bad weather. These results can be expected to become more relevant as climate change may increase the severity and frequency of severe weather.
Marginal recurrences after selective targeting with intensity-modulated radiotherapy for oral tongue cancer.

Background No universal consensus of optimal radiation target coverage for oral tongue cancer exists, and there is wide variability in practice. Some centers use intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to selectively target only certain regions at risk while sparing others; however, patterns of failure after such selective targeting are rarely reported. Methods and Results We critically examined the location of failure in 4 patients with stage III to IV oral tongue cancer who presented to our department with locoregional recurrence after receiving IMRT with selective radiation targeting at outside institutions. All 4 patients' cancer recurred marginally in regions that were not initially targeted, whereas the regions would have been targeted if comprehensive IMRT targeting had been used. The median time to recurrence was short (3.9 months; range, 1.2–10.1 months). Conclusion This case series highlights the occurrence of marginal failures after selective targeting with IMRT for oral tongue cancer and cautions against this practice unless further supporting evidence becomes available. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Coastal groundwater discharge - an additional source of phosphorus for the oligotrophic wetlands of the Everglades

In this manuscript we define a new term we call coastal groundwater discharge (CGD), which is related to submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), but occurs when seawater intrudes inland to force brackish groundwater to discharge to the coastal wetlands. A hydrologic and geochemical investigation of both the groundwater and surface water in the southern Everglades was conducted to investigate the occurrence of CGD associated with seawater intrusion. During the wet season, the surface water chemistry remained fresh. Enhanced chloride, sodium, and calcium concentrations, indicative of brackish groundwater discharge, were observed in the surface water during the dry season. Brackish groundwaters of the southern Everglades contain 1–2.3μM concentrations of total phosphorus (TP). These concentrations exceed the expected values predicted by conservative mixing of local fresh groundwater and intruding seawater, which both have TP<1 μM. The additional source of TP may be from seawater sediments or from the aquifer matrix as a result of water–rock interactions (such as carbonate mineral dissolution and ion exchange reactions) induced by mixing fresh groundwater with intruding seawater. We hypothesize that CGD maybe an additional source of phosphorus (a limiting nutrient) to the coastal wetlands of the southern Everglades.
The effect of statins in heart failure: beyond its cholesterol-lowering effect.

Abstract Background Statins known as 3-hydroxyl-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) are designed to lower plasma cholesterol levels. They are used to treat hypercholesterolemia, ischemic heart disease patients, heart transplant recipients, in prevention of Alzheimer's dementia, multiple sclerosis, and have also been shown to reduce cancer risk. Methods and Results The idea of statin treatment in chronic heart failure is not well established. It has been shown to be beneficial in patients with ischemic heart disease with heart failure. Emerging trends show their usefulness in patients with nonischemic heart failure. Statins exhibit pleiotropic effects in stabilizing the atherosclerotic plaques, improvement of endothelial function, inhibition of cell migration and proliferation, and reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress. They also improve autonomic function with an increased parasympathetic drive, downregulate the angiotensin II type I receptors, and induce angiogenesis. Conclusion This article is a review on the current knowledge on statin use in heart failure.
Cerebral embolism during elective carotid endarterectomy treated with tissue plasminogen activator: Utility of intraoperative EEG monitoring

Electroencephalography (EEG) is routinely used during elective carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for monitoring cerebral perfusion. The period most frequently associated with cerebral hypoperfusion is the one during the clamping of the carotid artery. We present a case whereby acute hypoperfusion, as detected by ipsilateral hemispheric slowing and attenuation of the fast frequencies on EEG, was detected in the period prior to clamping of the carotid artery. The acute changes were caused by a cerebral embolism. Following emergent treatment with intraoperative thrombolytic therapy with intra-arterial tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) the EEG changes reversed fully. We discuss the utility of intraoperative EEG monitoring in the detection and treatment of cerebral embolism. The ability of EEG to intraoperatively measure the function of the at-risk cerebral cortex makes it not only a useful tool in detecting acute changes such as from a large embolism, but also in guiding necessary treatment by offering direct feedback in the absence of reliable imaging and clinical examination.
Background and Current Status

(1999). Background and Current Status. Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene: Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 78-82.
Effects of Antibodies to Human Placental Lactogen on Reproduction in Pregnant Rats

A pool of serum from rabbits immunized with human placental lactogen (HPL) was used to immunize pregnant rats passively. Pregnant rats were injected intraperitoneally with 0.5 ml/injection of anti-HPL rabbit serum for 5 days from either days 1–5, 6–10, or 11–16 of gestation or from day 16 of gestation to term. Control rats were injected with normal rabbit serum according to the same schedule. The parameters studied were: the process of implantation, the course of gestation and the ability of the rats to lactate. The number of implantations was significantly reduced in those rats injected with anti-HPL serum from day 1–5 of gestation. Embryonic or fetal resorption interrupted the course of gestation to some extent in all groups. The neonatal mortality rate (first 21 days of life) for pups born alive was gradually increased in later immunizations with maximum mortality occurring among those pups whose mothers were injected with anti-HPL serum from day 16 of gestation to term. The weight of these pups at 21 ...
Precursor lesions of Wilms tumor : clinical and biological implications

Nephrogenic rests (NR) are persistent embryonal remnants in the kidney that are apparent precursors of Wilms tumor (WT). Nephroblastomatosis (Nbl) denotes multiple or diffuse NR. Two major categories of NR have been recognized to date, perilobar (PLNR) and intralobar (ILNR). A dynamic classification of NR according to their recognized developmental fates is presented. Dormancy, maturation, involution, hyperplastic overgrowth, and neoplastic induction are the common fates of NR. Hyperplastic NR are far more common than formerly recognized, and are frequently confused with WT, especially in cases of multicentric and bilateral tumors. Biopsy is of limited value in distinguishing hyperplastic NR from WT, and the use of surgery in cases of Nbl requires careful consideration, as its role can in many cases be reduced or supplanted due to the effectiveness of modern imaging techniques and chemotherapy. An understanding of the natural history of NR and Nbl is essential for rational patient care decisions, and is important for understanding the molecular biology of WT.
Studies of surface-induced layer-by-layer two-stage phase transformations

Utilizing our high-resolution ac calorimeter, optical reflectivity, and electron diffraction, we have found a few very interesting phenomena associated with the free-standing films of the N-(4-n-butyloxybenzylidene)-4-n-octylaniline (4O.8) compound. Upon cooling from the smectic-A phase, the outer surface layers display a distinct hexatic-B order and subsequently transforms into crystal-B phase through a two-stage transformation. Each stage is found to be first order. The film exhibits a layer-by-layer ordering transitions developed from the film/vapor interface inwardly.
Studies on theophylline metabolism: Autoinduction and inhibition by antipyrine

Theophylline metabolism was accelerated in 11 of 13 normal male volunteers who received theophylline for 1 week in usual therapeutic doses (3 mg/kg orally t.i.d.). Mean theophylline clearance increased 24% and mean salivary elimination half-life (t½) decreased 16%, whereas the mean apparent volume of distribution of theophylline was unchanged at 0.7 L/kg. Large variations occurred in the extent of autoinduction, ranging from no change in two subjects to doubling of theophylline clearance in two others. Subjects who accelerated their theophylline metabolism exhibited a high inverse correlation between the extent of their induction and their two control values for theophylline clearance (r = −0.88 and −0.91; P < 0.05). A single oral dose of antipyrine (18 mg/kg) simultaneously coadministered with a single oral dose of theophylline (5 mg/kg) retarded the metabolism of both theophylline and antipyrine. No significant change occurred in the apparent volume of distribution of either drug. Coadministration with antipyrine reduced mean theophylline clearance 18% and increased salivary t½ 39%. Theophylline decreased mean antipyrine clearance 21% and increased its mean salivary t½ 28%. Theophylline metabolism, therefore, is sensitive to not only autoinduction when theophylline is given long term at usual therapeutic doses but also inhibition when theophylline is coadministered with certain drugs. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1987) 41, 522–530; doi:10.1038/clpt.1987.67
Laser-Induced Damage And Two-Photon Absorption Measurements In CdTe

We report the results of laser-induced damage and nonlinear absorption measured for CdTe and other selected II-VI materials. These studies were conducted using pulsed 1.06 pm radiation from a Nd:YAG laser. The laser pulsewidth was varied from approximately 40 psec to 9,000 psec (9 nsec). The lasernduced breakdown irradiance measured for CdTe over this pulsewidth range scaled as tp -1/2 [tp is the laser pulsewidth (FWHM)]. Nonlinear phtoacoustic spectroscopy was used to monitorPthe nonlinear and linear absorption in the samples in which laser-induced damage thresholds were measured.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolate from a Patient in Pennsylvania

A vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) isolate was obtained from a patient in Pennsylvania in September 2002. Species identification was confirmed by standard biochemical tests and analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA, gyrA, and gyrB sequences; all of the results were consistent with the S. aureus identification. The MICs of a variety of antimicrobial agents were determined by broth microdilution and macrodilution methods following National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) guidelines. The isolate was resistant to vancomycin (MIC = 32 μg/ml), aminoglycosides, β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and tetracycline, but it was susceptible to linezolid, minocycline, quinupristin-dalfopristin, rifampin, teicoplanin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The isolate, which was originally detected by using disk diffusion and a vancomycin agar screen plate, was vancomycin susceptible by automated susceptibility testing methods. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of SmaI-digested genomic DNA indicated that the isolate belonged to the USA100 lineage (also known as the New York/Japan clone), the most common staphylococcal PFGE type found in hospitals in the United States. The VRSA isolate contained two plasmids of 120 and 4 kb and was positive for mecA and vanA by PCR amplification. The vanA sequence was identical to the vanA sequence present in Tn1546. A DNA probe for vanA hybridized to the 120-kb plasmid. This is the second VRSA isolate reported in the United States.
Design and synthesis of novel enhanced water soluble hydroxyethyl analogs of combretastatin A-4

Abstract Thirteen hydroxyethyl- analogs of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) that contain the 1-(1′-hydroxyethyl)-1-(3″,4″,5″-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-(substituted phenyl)ethene framework were synthesized. Molecular modeling studies at the DFT level showed that compound 3j adopts a ‘twisted’ conformation mimicking CA-4. The cytotoxicity of the novel compounds against the growth of murine B16 melanoma and L1210 lymphoma cells in culture was measured using an MTT assay. Three analogs 3f , 3h , and 3j were active. Of these, 3j , which has the same substituents as CA-4 and IC 50 values of 16.1 and 4.1 μM against B16 and L1210 cells, respectively, was selected for further biological evaluation. The activity of 3j was verified by the NCI 60 cell line screen. Compound 3j causes microtubule depolymerization in A-10 cells with an EC 50 of 21.2 μM. Analog 3j , which has excellent water solubility of 479 μM, had antitumor activity in a syngeneic L1210 murine model.
Six Novel Genes Necessary for Pre-mRNA Splicing in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

We have identified six new genes whose products are necessary for the splicing of nuclear pre-mRNA in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A collection of 426 temperature-sensitive yeast strains was generated by EMS mutagenesis. These mutants were screened for pre-mRNA splicing defects by an RNA gel blot assay, using the intron- containing CRY1 and ACT1 genes as hybridization probes. We identified 20 temperature-sensitive mutants defective in pre-mRNA splicing. Twelve appear to be allelic to the previously identified prp2, prp3, prp6, prp16/prp23, prp18, prp19 or prp26 mutations that cause defects in spliceosome assembly or the first or second step of splicing. One is allelic to SNR14 encoding U4 snRNA. Six new complementation groups, prp29-prp34, were identified. Each of these mutants accumulates unspliced pre-mRNA at 37 degrees C and thus is blocked in spliceosome assembly or early steps of pre-mRNA splicing before the first cleavage and ligation reaction. The prp29 mutation is suppressed by multicopy PRP2 and displays incomplete patterns of complementation with prp2 alleles, suggesting that the PRP29 gene product may interact with that of PRP2. There are now at least 42 different gene products, including the five spliceosomal snRNAs and 37 different proteins that are necessary for pre-mRNA splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the number of yeast genes identifiable by this approach has not yet been exhausted.
Nursing considerations for the patient undergoing colostomy surgery

T HE INCIDENCE and mortality rate of cancer of the colon and rectum is second only to that of lung cancer. Approximately 140,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer annually.’ More than 60,000 people die from this disease each year. The incidence of colorectal cancers increases with age, with 94% of all cases occurring after the age of 50. Despite the great numbers of people that are diagnosed with or die from colon and rectal cancer each year, the public is surprisingly unaware of the facts concerning colorectal cancer. Warning signals of early, treatable, curable cancer often go unnoticed or ignored. Holliday and Hardcastle found in a retrospective study of 200 patients with colorectal cancers in England that an average lag time from symptoms to diagnosis was 8.25 months.2 Part of the delay was due to the patient and part to the family physician. Holland identified specific reasons for delays in seeking treatment as ignorance, denial of painful information, fear of mutilation and death, excessive modesty, and prior psychiatric illness.3 The results of a national American Cancer Society (ACS) study on colorectal cancers found that the public erroneously regarded a permanent colostomy as a normal result of colon and rectal cancer.4 Approximately 15% of patients with colorectal cancer require colostomy.5 The majority of the cancers requiring a permanent colostomy are found in the distal segment of the rectum or 0 to 5 cm above the anus. Additional indications for colostomy include when a low anastomosis is not feasible, when a wide resection for removal of the cancer would interfere with the rectal sphincters, when the cancer is a bulky, invasive, poorly differentiated midrectal cancer in an obese patient, or when the patient has a narrow pelvis making tumor resection with end-to-end anastomosis (EEA) difficult or undesirable.5
Aestivation of the African lungfish Protopterus aethiopicus: cardiovascular and respiratory functions.

The present study was undertaken to elicit the temporal sequence of changes in cardiovascular and respiratory function during aestivation. Twelve lungfish (2-6 kg) equipped with ECG electrodes, arterial and buccal cannulae, were studied while aestivating in mud or in artificial cloth-bag nests. The periods of observation ranged from 0.5 to 9.5 months. The mean arterial blood pressure gradually decreased from control values of 20-28 mm Hg to a range of 14-18 mmHg during the first 30 days of aestivation, whereas the heart rate dropped more gradually (22-30 beats/min to 11-16 beats/min in 6o days). Ventilatory frequency increased 2- to 5-fold during the first 30 days of encystment and then returned to the control range (2-10 h) within 45 days. The arterial PCOCO2 increased from control values of 25-30 mm Hg to 45-70 mmHg; arterial pH decreased concomitantly from 7.55-7.60 to 7.40-7.26 after the cocoon was formed. The arterial POO2 increased from the control range of 25-40 to 50-58 mmHg during the first 10 days and then returned to the control range. Therefore, the sequential cardiopulmonary changes during the onset of aestivation are gradual and do not parallel the decline in oxygen consumption. Aestivating lungfish also respond promptly to sensory disturbances and thus do not appear to be in a deep torpor. Aestivation is pictured as a state of dormancy, gradual in onset, and the consequence of a complicated physiological interplay.
Genetics of Reproductive Isolation in the Drosophila Simulans Clade: DNA Marker-Assisted Mapping and Characterization of a Hybrid-Male Sterility Gene, Odysseus (Ods)

In this study, we address the question of whether there exist major genes that cause complete male sterility in the interspecific hybrids of Drosophila and, if they do, how these genes may be characterized at the molecular level. Our approach is to introgress small segments of the X chromosome from Drosophila mauritiana (or Drosophila sechellia) into Drosophila simulans by repeated backcrosses for more than 20 generations. The introgressions are monitored by both visible mutations and a series of DNA markers. We compare the extent of introgressions that cause male sterility with those that do not. If a major sterility factor exists, there should be a sharp boundary between these two classes of introgressions and their breakpoints should demarcate such a gene. Furthermore, if male sterility is the only major fitness effect associated with the introgression, recombination analysis should yield a pattern predicted by the classical three-point cross. Both the genetic and molecular analyses suggest the presence of a major sterility factor from D. mauritiana, which we named Odysseus (Ods), in the cytological interval of 16D. We thus formalize three criteria for inferring the existence of a major gene within an introgression: (1) complete penetrance of sterility, (2) complementarity in recombination analysis, and (3) physical demarcation. Introgressions of Ods from D. sechellia do not cause sterility. Twenty-two introgressions in our collection have breakpoints in this interval of about 500 kb, making it possible to delineate Ods more precisely for molecular identification. The recombination analysis also reveals the complexity of the introgressed segments--even relatively short ones may contain a second male sterility factor and partial viability genes and may also interfere with crossovers. The spermatogenic defects associated with Ods and/or a second factor were characterized by phase-contrast microscopy.
First Descriptions of Initial Management

This chapter discusses the evolution of management of critically ill neurologic patients. This chapter discussed six crucial developments. Management of increased intracranial pressure, mechanical ventilation in neurologic patients, therapeutic hypothermia, and care of spinal cord injury are some of the topics discussed.
SCHOOL CONTACT AMONG PERSONS WITH HODGKIN'S DISEASE

The authors evaluated the hypothesis that Hodgkin's disease is transmitted among high school students (in a contagious manner) by determining whether members of a population-based series of young adult cases attended school together more frequently than expected. Cases of Hodgkin's disease were diagnosed from July 1, 1973 through December 31, 1977. Of the 245 cases and 483 matched population controls interviewed, 196 cases and 371 controls attended schools in Massachusetts. School histories of subjects obtained by personal interviews were analyzed to determine the frequency with which subjects had been in the same class or had attended the same school at the same time. In high school, cases were schoolmates more often than expected (relative risk (RR) = 1.2), as well as classmates (RR = 1.9). However, in junior high school, cases were schoolmates less often than expected (RR = 0.8), and none were classmates with four expected. In elementary school, cases were somewhat more likely to be schoolmates (RR = 1.4) with no excess of classmates. The 95% confidence interval for all relative risks includes 1.0.
PL9 * EMERGING EPIDEMIC OF HEPATITIS C INFECTION IN YOUNG INJECTORS

Substance abuse and co-occurring infections of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and associated morbidity and mortality are among the most significant health problems that world faces today. An estimated 153–300 million people abuse illegal drugs regularly worldwide and globally around 16 million people inject drugs. In addition, an estimated 170–200 million people are living with viral hepatitis C infection. Injection drug use is a major vector in acquisition and transmission of HCV infection. Up to 60% IDUs may be infected with HCV infection, while up to 90% of IDUs infected with HIV are also co-infected with HCV infection. Among IDUs worldwide, the incidence and prevalence of HCV infection is 50–90% and 10–30%/year, respectively. HCV infection is a serious blood-borne infection that causes liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. If untreated, up to 10% of HCV infected people may die from liver cancer each year. In 2007, more people died from HCV-associated complications than from those of HIV/AIDS. In an emerging epidemic, recent reports in the US have reported increases in HCV infection among young, 18–25 year old, non-urban IDUs in most US states. Increases in incident HCV infections among young injectors who've recently transitioned from oral opioid abuse present an important public health challenge requiring a comprehensive, community-based response. This plenary lecture will discuss various aspects of substance abuse, HCV infection in young adults that have transitioned from oral prescription drug use to injecting drugs and leading to acquisition and transmission of HCV infection causing morbidity and mortality. It will also present the most current medical interventions for HCV infection and new research being funded by NIDA/NIH.
Bioelectricity-AQA, one of the first MOOC courses in Engineering

Bioelectricity-AQA was one of the first massively open online courses in engineering, having been given the first time via Coursera starting in September, 2012. This report provides some detail on its background, presentation, enrollment, and lessons learned.
Changing Output per Person Employed in Trade, 1900 to 1940:

T HE PRINCIPAL function of most of those persons who are occupationally classified as "trade" by the U. S. Census is that of the selling of goods and/or services.1 Thus a salesman employed by a machinery manufacturing firm is engaged in trade, rather than in manufacturing. An automobile mechanic employed by a department store is involved in repair services rather than in trade. The criteria of classification is thereby occupational function, not industrial attachment. However, it is necessary to consider another large group of persons whose work is an integral part of the trade function but which is not so classified. For example, the efforts of a typist who writes letters dictated by a salesman employed by a manufacturing firm are oriented about selling and should be included in the trade group. This group is described by the Census as follows:
Longitudinal temperature distribution in the oil tank

A multitude of data which are obtained by real-time monitoring and warning system used to measure the oil temperature in oil tank are arranged andanalyzed. A series of longitudinal temperature distribution laws in the oil tank are summarized. Environment temperature exerts the heaviest effect on oil layer 0.5 m below the liquid surface. The temperature on the top layer of the oil tank is the lowest. Meanwhile, insulation measures should be taken for the buoyancy module of the tank in order to save energy and prolong the period of storage of the oil in the tank.
IgE in Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease with eosinophilia [see comments]

Tissues containing Hodgkin's disease (HD) are frequently infiltrated by large numbers of eosinophils. Because eosinophils as well as Reed- Sternberg (RS) cells express membrane receptors (CD23) for IgE, this study was performed to determine if IgE is present in tissue sections of HD and to correlate the results, when possible, with serum IgE levels and the presence of interleukin-5 (IL-5) messenger RNA (mRNA) in RS cells. Paraffin-embedded, B-5-fixed slices of 13 cases of HD, one case of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related HD, seven cases of benign lymphoid hyperplasia (including two cases from HD patients), and five cases of B-cell lymphomas were analyzed by a sensitive immunoperoxidase staining technique that used a murine monoclonal antibody specific for human IgE. In the benign hyperplastic lymph nodes and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, IgE was generally detectable only in rare plasma cells and in follicular dendritic cells. In 11 of the 14 cases of HD, including one case of AIDS-related HD, IgE was readily detectable within RS cells and variants and on the surrounding cells and connective tissue. These cases also had significant numbers of eosinophils, and IL-5 mRNA was detectable in three of the cases that were tested. Serum IgE was moderately elevated in the two serum specimens from HD patients that were available for analysis. The results of this study, therefore, indicate that some cases of HD contain abundant deposits of IgE, which may account for the extensive infiltration by eosinophils seen in this neoplasm.