cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sodium Intake Influences Hemodynamic and Neural Responses to Angiotensin Receptor Blockade in Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla

Abstract —To determine the effects of physiological alterations in endogenous angiotensin II activity on basal renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and its arterial baroreflex regulation, angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists were microinjected into the rostral ventrolateral medulla of anesthetized rats consuming a low, normal, or high sodium diet that were instrumented for simultaneous measurement of arterial pressure and RSNA. Plasma renin activity was increased in rats fed a low sodium diet and decreased in those fed a high sodium diet. Losartan (50, 100, and 200 pmol) decreased heart rate and RSNA (but not mean arterial pressure) dose-dependently; the responses were significantly greater in rats fed a low sodium diet than in those fed a high sodium diet. Candesartan (1, 2, and 10 pmol) decreased mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and RSNA dose-dependently; the responses were significantly greater in rats fed a low sodium diet than in those fed a normal or high sodium diet. [D-Ala 7 ]Angiotensin-(1-7) (100, 200, and 1000 pmol) did not affect mean arterial pressure, heart rate, or RSNA in rats fed either a low or a high sodium diet. In rats fed a low sodium diet, candesartan reset the arterial baroreflex control of RSNA to a lower level of arterial pressure, and in rats with congestive heart failure, candesartan increased the arterial baroreflex gain of RSNA. Physiological alterations in the endogenous activity of the renin-angiotensin system influence the bradycardic, vasodepressor, and renal sympathoinhibitory responses to rostral ventrolateral medulla injection of antagonists to angiotensin II type 1 receptors but not to angiotensin-(1-7) receptors.
Cu2+ potently enhances ATP-activated current in rat nodose ganglion neurons

Several lines of evidence suggest a physiological role for Cu2+ in regulating nervous system function. In the present study using whole-cell patch-clamp recording, Cu2+ greatly enhanced current activated by 10 microM ATP in the majority of rat nodose ganglion neurons. The enhancement was concentration-dependent between 1 and 50 microM Cu2+, and had an EC50 of 6.1 microM. Cu2+ shifted the ATP concentration-response curve to the left in a parallel manner. However, Cu2+ did not enhance ATP-activated current in the presence of a maximally-effective concentration of Zn2+. The observations suggest that Cu2+ increases the affinity of the receptor for ATP by acting at the Zn2+ modulatory site. In addition, a subset of neurons in the nodose ganglion express ATP-gated receptor-channels that are insensitive to modulation by physiological concentrations of Cu2+, Zn2+ and protons.
Chlamydia pneumoniae and coronary artery disease: the antibiotic trials.

Parallel with the mounting evidence that atherosclerosis has a major inflammatory component, provoking agents that may initiate and drive this process have been sought. Infectious agents such as Chlamydia pneumoniae have been alleged to be activators of inflammation that may contribute to atherosclerosis and thus coronary artery disease (CAD) and its associated complications. A logical extension of this theory is whether treating C pneumoniae infection with antibiotics and/or modulating inflammatory processes can affect CAD and its sequelae. This article discusses the potential role of C pneumoniae in atherosclerosis, its detection, and the rationale for antibiotics. Additionally, it summarizes the current randomized clinical trials of antichlamydial antibiotics in patients with CAD and draws conclusions based on the results.
The effects of behavior therapy, self-relaxation, and transcendental meditation on cardiovascular stress response

Compared Behavior Therapy (BT), self-relaxation (SR), transcendental meditation (TM), and a waiting-list control group (WL) on measures of cardiovascular and subjective stress response. Male and female respondents (N = 60) to an ad for therapy were evaluated in assessment sessions before and after treatment. The results indicate that BT and SR were more effective than either TM or WL in reducing cardiovascular stress response. These data were interpreted as resulting from therapeutic suggestion and positively reinforced client progress.
A 4-MV CT scanner for radiation therapy: The prototype system

A Varian 4-MV isocentric therapy accelerator has been modified to perform also as a CT scanner. The goal is to provide a computed tomography capability for use in radiotherapy at low cost. We envision three principal uses for the system. These are (i) to provide two and three-dimensional maps of electron density distribution for CT assisted therapy planning; (ii) to aid in patient set up by providing sectional views of the treatment volume and high contrast scout-mode verification images; and (iii) to provide a means for periodically checking the patients anatomical conformation against that which was used to generate the original therapy plan. The machine was modified by mounting an array of detectors on a frame that is bolted to the counterweight end of the gantry in such a manner as to define a ''third generation'' CT scanner geometry. Details of the detectors and data acquisition electronics are provided. We present results of phantom studies which demonstrate that this prototype system has a spatial resolution of 4 mm and the ability to discriminate electron density differences of less than 1%. We also show that the system is exactly linear over a wide range of electron densities corresponding to those foundmore » in body tissues.« less
The performance of submicrometer gate length GaAs MESFET's

The influence of gate length, active layer thickness, and buffer layer current upon the steady-state and RF parameters of short gate length GaAs MESFET's is investigated using a two-dimensional model that accounts for electron energy relaxation effects. For devices of similar pinchoff voltage, the saturation currents are approximately the same, but the presence of substrate conduction in a device greatly reduces its transconductance and gain-bandwidth product. The effect upon frequency response due to gate length, donor profile, gate resistance, and source inductance is numerically evaluated. The model is shown to be in reasonable agreement with measured submicrometer device characteristics.
Attitudes toward childbearing and changes in sexual and contraceptive practices among HIV-infected women

12% of all reported AIDS cases are among women 75% of whom are of childbearing age. The author reports findings from a study conducted to determine if women infected with HIV change their attitudes toward childbearing and their sexual and contraceptive practices. 46 women aged 18-44 years 33 white 12 Hispanic and one black were questioned or interviewed. IV drug use was reported by 65% of participants while 19% had symptomatic HIV disease or AIDS. Only 70% reported receiving counseling after being tested for antibody to HIV. Of this subgroup 59% said they were counseled on avoiding pregnancy and 81% said they were counseled on condom use. Comparing outlook and behavior before and after testing 59% and 17% wanted to bear a child respectively 4% and 54% always used a condom and 39% and 70% reported using some form of birth control. The author notes reported changes in sexual and contraceptive practices despite less than complete and optimum counseling. Follow-up study is however needed to monitor whether changes are sustained.
Development of a photoactivatable fluorescent protein from Aequorea victoria GFP

ABSTRACT Photoactivation, the rapid conversion of photoactivatable molecules to a fluorescent state by intense irradiation, can beused to mark and monitor selected molecules within cells 1 . We report a photoactivatable variant of the Aequoreavictoria green fluorescent protein (GFP) based on a mutation at position 203 that upon intense irradiation with 413 nmlight exhibits a stable 60-100 fluorescence increase under 488 nm excitation. The photoactivated form of this mutantnamed photoactivatable GFP (PA-GFP), is stable under a number of conditions. PA-GFP can be used to analyzeprotein dynamics in living cells, offering enormous potential for addressing outstanding questions in protein traffickingand turnover, organelle dynamics, and cell lineage patterns.Keywords: Photoactivation, fluorescence imaging, T203, green fluorescent proteinCorrespondence should be addressed to J. L.-S. (e-mail: lippincj@mail.nih.gov ) 1. INTRODUCTION Techniques to monitor protein dynamics within cells are extremely important for the characterization of numerousregulatory processes that involve protein turnover, diffusion, binding/dissociation or translocation. Over the past tenyears, the Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein (GFP) has provided an invaluable research tool for studyingthese processes in cell and developmental biology
Agmatine, a novel hypothalamic amine, stimulates pituitary luteinizing hormone release in vivo and hypothalamic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone release in vitro

Agmatine, a clonidine displacing substance and imidazoline receptor agonist, was recently isolated from bovine brain and shown to be present in the rat hypothalamus. Since clonidine can stimulate the release of pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH), we tested the hypothesis that agmatine may similarly act in the rat to stimulate the hypothalamic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)-pituitary LH axis. Administration of agmatine intracerebroventricularly rapidly augmented the release of LH in a dose-related fashion in ovariectomized, ovarian steroid-primed rats. Additionally, agmatine enhanced the in vitro efflux of LH releasing hormone from the median eminence-arcuate nucleus of the hypothalami of rats similarly pretreated with steroids. These studies imply that the endogenous imidazoline receptor agonist, agmatine, may serve as an excitatory neurotransmitter/neuromodulator in the hypothalamic control of LH release and we suggest that the previously reported excitatory effects of clonidine on LH release may be attributed to stimulation by clonidine of imidazoline receptors.
Solvent Applications of 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran in Organometallic and Biphasic Reactions

2-Methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) is a commercially available solvent that is produced from renewable resources. The properties of MeTHF place it between tetrahydrofuran (THF) and diethyl ether in solvent polarity and Lewis base strength. In many cases, MeTHF can replace THF in organometallic reactions. The formation and reaction of Grignard reagents in MeTHF and THF are similar. MeTHF can be used as a solvent for low-temperature lithiation, for lithium aluminum hydride reductions, for the Reformatsky reaction, and for metal-catalyzed coupling reactions. MeTHF is also a good substitute for dichloromethane in biphasic reactions.
A social justice framing of climate change discourse and policy: adaptation, resilience and vulnerability in a Jamaican agricultural landscape.

Abstract It is now widely recognized that climate change is likely to have detrimental impacts across the Caribbean region, with the burden likely to fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable segments of society. It is therefore an appropriate time to ask whether the frameworks that lie behind climate change discourse and policy are consistent with the demands of social and environmental justice. In this paper, we use climate justice as a lens for evaluating three prominent frameworks for addressing climate change, those of adaptation, resilience, and vulnerability. Each of these discursive frameworks, we argue, can contribute to our understanding of climate change, but they do not all incorporate justice concerns to the same degree. In order to illustrate this, we examine the justice implications of using each of the three frameworks to assess a case study of agricultural transformation in Southwestern Jamaica. Farmers in this region have adapted to changing climate conditions in a variety of ways, including the use of new agricultural technology. The ability of many farmers to take advantage of such innovations, however, is constrained by the underlying landscape of vulnerability within the region. After interpreting this example from the perspectives of adaptation, resilience and vulnerability, we conclude that all three paradigms are capable of calling attention to climate justice issues, but only in the vulnerability perspective are such issues intrinsic. We believe, therefore, that a greater attention to vulnerability within Caribbean climate policy holds the potential to advance the goals of climate justice within the region.
Positioning membrane proteins by novel protein engineering and biophysical approaches.

Membrane proteins are unique, in that they can function properly only when they are bound to cellular membranes in a distinct manner. Therefore, positioning of membrane proteins with respect to the membrane is required in addition to the three-dimensional structures in order to understand their detailed molecular mechanisms. Atomic-resolution structures of membrane proteins that have been determined to date provide the atom coordinates in arbitrary coordinate systems with no relation to the membrane and therefore provide little or no information on how the protein would interact with the membrane. This is especially true for peripheral membrane proteins, because they, unlike integral proteins, are devoid of well-defined hydrophobic transmembrane domains. Here, we present a novel technique for determination of the configuration of a protein–membrane complex that involves protein ligation, segmental isotope labeling, polarized infrared spectroscopy, membrane depth-dependent fluorescence quenching, and analytical geometry algorithms. We have applied this approach to determine the structure of a membrane-bound phospholipase A2. Our results provide an unprecedented structure of a membrane-bound protein in which the z-coordinate of each atom is the distance from the membrane center and therefore allows precise location of each amino acid relative to the membrane. Given the functional significance of the orientation and location of membrane-bound proteins with respect to the membrane, we propose to specify this structural feature as the “quinary” structure of membrane proteins.
Partition Coefficients and Polymer−Solute Interaction Parameters by Inverse Supercritical Fluid Chromatography

Inverse supercritical fluid chromatography (ISFC) is used to measure partition coefficients of five polar and nonpolar organic solids between supercritical CO2 and cross-linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) swollen with CO2. Polymer−solute interaction energies, which are determined from the partition coefficients, correlate with the heats of vaporization of the pure solutes. These interaction energies can be determined at ambient temperature for solutes that are too nonvolatile to study by inverse gas chromatography. Binary and ternary phase equilibria are modeled with lattice fluid theory including a term to account for the degree of polymer cross-linking. Experimental results indicate that solute adsorption on the support phase, which can be severe in packed columns, is negligible with the use of capillary columns.
Practical aspects of spatially high-order accurate methods

The computational qualities of spatially high-order accurate methods for the finite-volume solution of the Euler equations are presented. Multidimensional reconstruction operators discussed include versions of the k-exact and essentially nonoscillatory (ENO) algorithms. The ENO schemes utilized are the reconstruction-via-primitive-function scheme and a dimensionally split ENO reconstruction. High-order operators are compared in terms of reconstruction and solution accuracy, computational cost, and oscillatory behavior in supersonic flows with shocks. Inherent steady-state convergence difficulties are demonstrated for the implemented adaptive-stencil algorithms
Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Is a Major Determinant of Arterial Thrombolysis Resistance

Background—Platelet-rich thrombi are resistant to lysis by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a rapid inhibitor of tPA, may contribute to arterial thrombolysis resistance. However, few data are available regarding the effect of PAI-1 on arterial thrombolysis in animals. We used a murine carotid injury model to test the hypothesis that PAI-1 inhibits thrombolysis mediated by pharmacological concentrations of tPA. Methods and Results—Platelet-rich thrombi were induced in wild-type mice (PAI-1 +/+; n=11) and PAI-1–deficient mice (PAI-1 −/−; n=11) with ferric chloride. Baseline carotid blood flows and mean occlusion times did not differ between PAI-1 +/+ and PAI-1 −/− mice. Clot lysis was induced by infusion of heparin (200 U/kg bolus, 70 U · kg−1 · h−1 drip), human plasminogen (50 mg/kg), and tPA at 20 (n=10) or 100 (n=12) μg · kg−1 · min−1. Mean plasma tPA antigens were 2.7 μg/mL (tPA infusion, 20 μg · kg−1 · min−1) and 5.5 μg/mL (tPA infusion, 100 μg · kg−1 · min...
Spin conduction in nitroxide molecules

Abstract Spin conduction by a molecule-containing nitroxide radicals linked via a phenylene coupling unit was estimated by calculating the transmission of electrons in the molecule when sandwiched between two semi-infinite periodic gold crystals. Nitroxides linked via a m-phenylene coupling unit showed a large splitting in the energy of the transmission peaks of α- and β-spins, whereas this energy splitting was smaller for molecules with extended π-conjugation, such as nitroxides linked via a p-phenylene coupling unit. The energy splitting of transmission is influenced by spin polarization and constructive/destructive interference of radicals through the phenylene coupling unit.
Pressure Driven Flow of Pure Vapor Undergoing Laminar Film Condensation Between Parallel Plates

Abstract The flow or pure saturated vapor between horizontal parallel plates, with film condensation on the bottom plate, is considered and an approximate solution of the non-linear free boundary problem is obtained. The mixed differential-integral approach of this paper predicts film-thickness profile, condensation rate, wall heat transfer rate, pressure variations and other quantities of interest. The solutions for freon-113 show that an increase in mass flow rate (Reynolds number), with other control parameters being constant, leads to a thinner condensate, increased pressure drops, and increased heat removal rates. At a fixed mass flow rate, a drop in temperature difference between the vapor and the wall leads to smaller heat removal rates and, at the same time, thinner condensates. It is verified that the computed results satisfy balance laws and are self consistent. Furthermore, we find excellent qualitative and acceptable quantitative agreements with a related experiment.
Spontaneous transfer of gangliotetraosylceramide between phospholipid vesicles.

The transfer kinetics of the neutral glycosphingolipid gangliotetraosylceramide (asialo-GM1) were investigated by monitoring tritiated asialo-GM1 movement from donor to acceptor vesicles. Two different methods were employed to separate donor and acceptor vesicles at desired time intervals. In one method, a negative charge was imparted to dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine donor vesicles by including 10 mol% dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid. Donors were separated from neutral dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine acceptor vesicles by ion-exchange chromatography. In the other method, small, unilamellar donor vesicles and large, unilamellar acceptor vesicles were coincubated at 45 degrees C and then separated at desired time intervals by molecular sieve chromatography. The majority of asialo-GM1 transfer to acceptor vesicles occurred as a slow first-order process with a half-time of about 24 days assuming that the relative concentration of asialo-GM1 in the phospholipid matrix was identical in each half of the donor bilayer and that no glycolipid flip-flop occurred. Asialo-GM1 net transfer was calculated relative to that of ( UC)cholesteryl oleate, which served as a nontransferable marker in the donor vesicles. A nearly identical transfer half-time was obtained when the phospholipid matrix was changed from dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine to palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine. Varying the acceptor vesicle concentration did not significantly alter the asialo-GM1 transfer half-time. This result is consistent with amore » transfer mechanism involving diffusion of glycolipid through the aqueous phase rather than movement of glycolipid following formation of collisional complexes between donor and acceptor vesicles. (Abstract Truncated)« less
Numerical Curve Length Calculation Using Polynomial Interpolation

In this paper we present a method and algorithm for computing curve length approximately using a fixed rule resulting from polynomial interpolation of the points on the curve. The method can applied efficiently calculating digital curves by considering the control points of the interpolation as the pixels centers points. In the paper several examples are presented and the calculated lengths are compared to other methods found in the literature and we have shown progress. We provided MATLAB® code to simulate the algorithm. The advantage of the proposed method is in the approximation of the digital curve with the continuous curve rather than with piecewise linear sections used by most other methods.
Substituted tetrahydroquinolines as potent allosteric inhibitors of reverse transcriptase and its key mutants

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are key elements of multidrug regimens, called HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy), that are used to treat HIV-1 infections. Elucidation of the structure-activity relationships of the thiocarbamate moiety of the previous published lead compound 2 provided a series of novel tetrahydroquinoline derivatives as potent inhibitors of HIV-1 RT with nanomolar intrinsic activity on the WT and key mutant enzymes and potent antiviral activity in infected cells. The SAR optimization, mutation profiles, preparation of compounds, and pharmacokinetic profile of compounds are described.
Observer signal-to-noise ratios for the ML-EM algorithm.

We have used an approximate method developed by Barrett, Wilson, and Tsui for finding the ensemble statistics of the Maximum Likelihood-Expectation Maximization algorithm to compute task-dependent figures of merit as a function of stopping point. For comparison, human-observer performance was assessed through conventional psychophysics.The results of our studies show the dependence of the optimal stopping point of the algorithm on the detection task. Comparisons of human and various model observers show that a channelized Hotelling observer with overlapping channels is the best predictor of human performance.
FLASH PHOTOLYSIS OF ROD PARTICLE SUSPENSIONS

. Flash photolytic experiments with suspensions of rod particles isolated from cattle eyes reveal that at low temperatures a transient is formed following irradiation which preceeds lumirhodopsin in the bleaching process. Kinetic studies, in the range -75°C to -50°C, suggest that the transient is composed of three intermediate species, having similar absorption spectra but changing to lumirhodopsin at different rates. The energies of activation of the decay reactions appear to be identical and equal 12.5°3 kcal/mole. Spectrophotometric experiments have demonstrated that the low temperature transient is stable at liquid nitrogen temperatures and suggest that it can be reversibly converted to a mixture of rhodopsin and isorhodopsin at -195°C. A detailed comparison of light initiated reactions of rhodopsin in rod particle suspensions and in solutions reveals striking similarity in the two systems.
Factors that influence milk cholesterol and lipid phosphorus: content and distribution.

Abstract Average cholesterol content of 356 raw milk samples was 152.2 μ g/ml and upon centrifugation (3000×g for 8min), 16.9% was distributed in the skim milk phase. Lipid phosphorus averaged 19.0 μ g/ml and was partitioned 50:50 between cream and skim milk phases. Weight ratios of cholesterol to lipid phosphorus for milk and skim milk were 8.30:1 and 2.94:1. When variation due to milk yield, fat percent, and somatic cell numbers (deoxyribonucleic acid percent reflectance) was accounted for by least squares, cholesterol content and distribution did not differ among breeds (Holstein, Jersey, and Guernsey). Breed differences in lipid phosphorus content of whole milk could not be detected. However, Holsteins had a significantly lower content of lipid phosphorus and a higher weight ratio for skim milk. Milk yield, fat content, and somatic cells affected responses of cholesterol and lipid phosphorus. This supports a multiple origin concept for membrane material in skim milk.
System Level Bench Test for Trailing Arm Strength Estimation

For suspension components, bench testing for strength is mostly accomplished at component level. However, replicating loading and boundary conditions at the component level in order to simulate the suspension system environment may be difficult. Because of this, the component's bench test failure mode may not be similar to its real life failure mode in vehicle environment. A suspension system level bench test eliminates most of the discrepancies between simulated component level and real life vehicle level environments resulting in higher quality bench tests yielding realistic test results. Here, a suspension level bench test to estimate the strength of its trailing arm link is presented. A suspension system level nonlinear finite element model was built and analyzed using ABAQUS software. The strength loading was applied at the wheel end. The analysis results along with the hardware test correlations are presented. The reasons why a system level test is superior to a component level one are also highlighted.Copyright © 2006 by Ford Motor Company
Prestack depth migration for complex 2D structure using phase-screen propagators

We present results for the phase-screen propagator method applied to prestack depth migration of the Marmousi synthetic data set. The data were migrated as individual common-shot records and the resulting partial images were superposed to obtain the final complete Image. Tests were performed to determine the minimum number of frequency components required to achieve the best quality image and this in turn provided estimates of the minimum computing time. Running on a single processor SUN SPARC Ultra I, high quality images were obtained in as little as 8.7 CPU hours and adequate images were obtained in as little as 4.4 CPU hours. Different methods were tested for choosing the reference velocity used for the background phase-shift operation and for defining the slowness perturbation screens. Although the depths of some of the steeply dipping, high-contrast features were shifted slightly the overall image quality was fairly insensitive to the choice of the reference velocity. Our jests show the phase-screen method to be a reliable and fast algorithm for imaging complex geologic structures, at least for complex 2D synthetic data where the velocity model is known.
Gapless boundary excitations in the quantum Hall states and in the chiral spin states

Using the gauge invariances, we show that the (fractional and integral) Quantum Hall (QH) states and the chiral spin states must have gapless boundary exci- tations. The dynamical properties of those gapless excitations are studied. Under some general assumptions, the gapless excitations are shown to form a representation of the U(1) or SU(2) Kac-Moody algebras and to contribute to a specific heat with a linear tem- perature dependence. The low energy eective theories for those gapless excitations are derived. The quantum numbers of the gapless boundary excitations are also discussed. In particular, the charge zero sector of the low lying boundary excitations in the fractional QH states are shown to be described by the charge zero sector of free fermions with fractional charges.
Evaluation of Hypertension in Childhood Diseases

Evaluation of hypertension in the pediatric age group should be guided by the age at presentation, the severity of hypertension at presentation, and whether the hypertension is sustained or transient. The common causes of hypertension differ by age group (Table 1). Hypertension is more likely to be secondary and sustained in the younger age groups, whereas primary (essential) hypertension and white coat hypertension are more likely to be the etiology in adolescents [1–5]. The global epidemic of childhood obesity has been associated with an increased incidence of primary hypertension and prehypertension in adolescents worldwide [3–7]. Obese children have as much as a threefold higher risk for developing hypertension compared to nonobese children [7]. The frequent occurrence of primary hypertension in obese adolescents dictates an entirely different evaluation than for younger or nonobese children. Renal disease must be considered in every child with hypertension, because of the prevalence of renovascular and renal parenchymal disorders as the etiology in any age group. Secondary hypertension from renal disorders is more likely to be severe at presentation than primary hypertension. Endocrine causes of hypertension are rare, so special diagnostic studies for these disorders should be reserved for those patients whose history, physical examination, and preliminary evaluation warrant further specific investigation. This chapter outlines the steps in evaluation of childhood hypertension, starting with the confirmation of the diagnosis and evaluation of its duration and severity.
Cardiopulmonary bypass for adult patients: A survey of equipment and techniques

Objectives: The techniques and equipment used for cardiopulmonary bypass for adult cardiac surgery vary among institutions and may change over time. This study sought to document the changing patterns of practice. Design: Voluntary survey of meeting participants. Setting: 13th Annual San Diego Cardiothoracic Surgery Symposium (February 1993). Participants: There were 331 responses from perfusionists (79.5%), cardiac surgeons (11.2%), and anesthesiologists (6.3%). The majority of these participants were from institutions where more than 1,000 cardiac operations were performed annually. Measurements and Main Results: It was found that 91.5% of the respondents used membrane oxygenators currently, compared with 5% in 1982 (as reported in a previous survey). Over 80% of the institutions surveyed used some type of perioperative cell-salvaging technique. Arterial line filters were used by 92% of the respondents compared with 64% in 1982. Also, 80% of the respondents were aware of the availability of leukocyte-depleting filters. Conclusions: The probable reasons for the increased utilization of membrane oxygenators and arterial line filters include less damage to the formed elements of blood, fewer gaseous microemboli, and better control of carbon dioxide elimination and oxygenation. The authors anticipate that future surveys will document increased use of leukocyte-depleting filters because of the literature implicating neutrophils as mediators of tissue destruction in various disease processes, including myocardial reperfusion injury.
An analysis of shoulder laxity in patients undergoing shoulder surgery.

Background It has been recognized that there is a distinction between shoulder laxity and shoulder instability and that there is a wide range of normal shoulder laxities. Our goals were (1) to evaluate if the ability to subluxate the shoulder over the glenoid rim in patients under anesthesia would be more prevalent than the inability to do so, (2) to determine if patients with a diagnosis of instability would have significantly more shoulder laxity in the operatively treated shoulder than in the contralateral shoulder, and (3) to evaluate the observation that higher grades of shoulder laxity would be related to a diagnosis of shoulder instability. We hypothesized that, on examination with the patient under anesthesia, most shoulders could be subluxated over the glenoid rim and that the degree of shoulder laxity would be related to diagnosis. Methods In the present study of 1206 patients undergoing shoulder surgery, we evaluated the symptomatic and contralateral shoulders with use of a modified anterior and posterior drawer test and a sulcus sign test, with the patients under anesthesia. The anterior and posterior translations were graded as no subluxation (Grade I), subluxation over the glenoid rim with spontaneous reduction (Grade II), or subluxation without spontaneous reduction (Grade III). The sulcus sign was graded as 2.0 cm (Grade III). Results When the patients were evaluated while under anesthesia, the humeral head could be subluxated over the rim anteriorly in 81.6% (984 of 1206) of the patients and posteriorly in 57.5% (693 of 1206) of the patients. When the patients were evaluated while under anesthesia, there was an increase in the laxity grade anteriorly, posteriorly, and inferiorly in 50.8%, 36.3%, and 15.8% of the patients, respectively, as compared with the preoperative assessment. For all laxity testing, the higher the grade of laxity in an anterior, posterior, or inferior direction, the greater the chance that the patient had a diagnosis of instability. Compared with Grade-I laxity, Grade-III laxity increased the odds of a diagnosis of instability in the anterior (odds ratio, 170), posterior (odds ratio, 32), and inferior (odds ratio, 10.3) directions. Compared with Grade-I laxity, Grade-II laxity increased the odds of a diagnosis of instability in the anterior (odds ratio, 9.8), posterior (odds ratio, 4.6), and inferior (odds ratio, 4.4) directions. Conclusions The ability to subluxate the humeral head over the glenoid rim in the patient who is undergoing shoulder surgery under anesthesia is common regardless of the diagnosis. Higher grades of shoulder laxity are associated with shoulder instability.
Optimal control of hybrid systems in manufacturing

Hybrid systems combine time-driven and event-driven dynamics. This is a natural framework for manufacturing processes: The physical characteristics of production parts undergo changes at various operations described by time-driven models, while the timing control of operations is described by event-driven models. Accordingly, in the framework we propose, manufactured parts are characterized by physical states (e.g. temperature, geometry) subject to time-driven dynamics and by temporal states (e.g., operation start and stop times) subject to event-driven dynamics. We first provide a tutorial introduction to this hybrid system framework and associated optimal control problems through a single-stage manufacturing process model. We then show how the structure of the problem can be exploited to decompose what is a hard nonsmooth, nonconvex optimization problem into a collection of simpler problems. Next, we present extensions to multistage manufacturing processes for which we develop solution algorithms that make use of Bezier approximation techniques. Emphasis is given to the issue of deriving solutions through efficient algorithms, and some explicit numerical results are included.
OLEORESIN CHARACTERISTICS AND SUSCEPTIBILITY OF FOUR SOUTHERN PINES TO SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE) ATTACKS

All four major southern pines can be killed by the southern pine beetle, but loblolly and shortleaf are much more susceptible than longleaf and slash. Oleoresin from more than 50 trees of each species was tested for composition and amount of monoterpenes and resin acids, viscosity, flow (rate, duration, and amount), and rate of crystallization. Discriminant function analyses were used to classify the loblolly and shortleaf trees as to probable resistance. The best classification used physical properties (total flow, flow rate, viscosity, time to crystallization). Supposedly resistant and susceptible trees were subjected to controlled attack, and the chemical and physical properties of four loblolly pines that survived natural attack were measured. Resistance is strongly related to the physical properties of the oleoresin, and can be predicted by these properties. Loblolly and shortleaf trees with “average” properties usually succumb to 100 or more attacks per sq. m of bark surface. Several trees classified as resistant survived a much higher rate of attack.
Larger Forms in Lophiotoma: Four New Species Described in the Philippines and Three from Elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific

A group of venomous turriform gastropods in the subfamily Turrinae, genus Lophiotoma, has been investigated. Previously, forms in this group were identified as either Lophiotoma unedo or Lophiotoma indica. Our analysis has led to the description of four new species from the Philippines (L. bisaya, L. friedrichbonhoefferi, L. panglaoensis, and L. tayabasensis) and one each from Australia (L. capricornica), South Africa/Mozambique (L. dickkilburni), and Madagascar (L. madagascarensis). A new subspecies, L. indica queenslandica, is also described. In addition, 11 distinctive forms related to these taxa that may or may not deserve separate taxonomic status are defined; these need further evaluation. It is hypothesized that the forms of Lophiotoma discussed in this report are closely related to a particular subset of Gemmula, the G. kieneri/G. interpolata group.
Do Banks provision for bad loans in good times? empirical evidence and policy implications

Recent debate about the pro-cyclical effects of bank capital requirements, has ignored the important role that bank loan loss provisions play in the overall framework of minimum capital regulation. It is frequently observed that under-provisioning, due to inadequate assessment of expected credit losses, aggravates the negative effect of minimum capital requirements during recessions, because capital must absorb both expected, and unexpected losses. Moreover, when expected losses are properly reflected in lending rates, but not in provisioning practices, fluctuations in bank earnings magnify true oscillations in bank profitability. The relative agency problems faced by different stakeholders, may help explain the prevailing, and often unsatisfactory institutional arrangements. The authors test their hypotheses with a sample of 1,176 large commercial banks - 372 of them in non-G10 countries - for the period 1988-99. After controlling for different country-specific macroeconomic, and institutional features, they find robust evidence among G10 banks, of a positive association between loan loss provisions, and banks' pre-provision income. Such evidence is not confirmed for non-G10 banks, which on average, provision too little in good times, and are forced to increase provisions in bad times. The econometric evidence shows that the protection of outsiders' claims - the claims of minority shareholders in common law countries, and of fiscal authorities in countries with high public debt - on bank income, has negative effects on the level of bank provisions.
Improving the technical, environmental and social performance of wind energy systems using biomass-based energy storage

Abstract A completely renewable baseload electricity generation system is proposed by combining wind energy, compressed air energy storage, and biomass gasification. This system can eliminate problems associated with wind intermittency and provide a source of electrical energy functionally equivalent to a large fossil or nuclear power plant. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) can be economically deployed in the Midwestern US, an area with significant low-cost wind resources. CAES systems require a combustible fuel, typically natural gas, which results in fuel price risk and greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing natural gas with synfuel derived from biomass gasification eliminates the use of fossil fuels, virtually eliminating net CO 2 emissions from the system. In addition, by deriving energy completely from farm sources, this type of system may reduce some opposition to long distance transmission lines in rural areas, which may be an obstacle to large-scale wind deployment.
Cognitive ability and functional status.

Journal of Advanced Nursing 31(6), 1459–1468Cognitive ability and functional statusSigniﬁcant confusion exists in the literature about functional status. Despite itsimportance, little attention has focused on developing and substantiatingframeworks that detail the underpinnings of functional status, which hasresulted in lack of agreement about its deﬁnition and dimensions. The purposeof this literature review was to examine the development of functional statusand to describe the inclusion of its cognitive dimension. Cognition is one keydimension of functional status. One must ‘know how’ to perform to besuccessful in an activity. While cognitive capacity is generally considered inrelation to functional status, the nature of the cognitive dimension is poorlydescribed and poorly understood. Three databases were selected for review:Citations in Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Psychology Literature(PsychLit), and the Medical data base known as MedLine. Key word searchesidentiﬁed thousands of sources. This analysis includes an extensive sampling of1 these sources from the 1960s through to 1998. The sources sorted into fourprimary categories and demonstrate a growing recognition of the cognitivedimension of functional status in the literature. Despite this recognition, thelack of conceptual clarity of both the term functional status and its cognitivedimension limits communication among disciplines and limits comparisons offunctional status outcomes across studies. Functional status models are neededthat include cognition as a core dimension. Population speciﬁc descriptions ofthe cognitive dimension should be guided by knowledge in the neurosciences.Keywords: functional status, functional ability, cognitive status, cognitiveability, function, cognition, concept analysisINTRODUCTION
Illegal Anthropology: An Introduction

In “States and Illegal Practices,” Josiah McC. Heyman and Alan Smart (1999) illustrate thesymbiotic relationship between the state and illegal practices, arguing that their interrelation-ship offers “important terrain for studying the complexity of power and ‘common sense’” (7).Willem van Schendel and Itty Abraham (2005) contribute to this discussion by highlightingdistinctions between the social (licit) and political (legal) construction of legitimacy. CarolynNordstrom (2007) further reminds scholars that such distinctions are never static, as the legaland illegal overlap and merge in everyday practice. This symposium builds on such schol-arship by examining how dominant legal discourse (often guaranteed by, but not exclusivelyarticulated by, states) “illegalizes” particular people and practices, excluding them from themoral–legal community and rendering them available for criminalization, marginalization,exploitation, and even dehumanization. We therefore define “illegalization” as a sociopolit-ical process that serves to uphold particular relations of power and delegitimize others (seeGomberg-Munoz 2011).˜Many scholars and activists now eschew the term “illegal” for its negative associations. How-ever,wemake“illegality”aprincipaltopicofinvestigationinordertodenaturalizeandcritiquelegality, reveal the term’s sociopolitical construction, and lay bare the profound implicationsthat “illegalization” has on individual lives (Bacon 2008). As a powerful index of social, po-litical, and economic inequality, we insist that “illegality” and “illegalization” be investigatednot in opposition to, but alongside studies of the state, power, ethics, and the law. In thissymposium, therefore, we examine the effects of the distinctions between legality and ille-gality and what illegality as a social, subjective (Willen 2007), political, and spatial categoryproduces when, as Nicholas De Genova (2004) puts it, “there is [often] nothing matter-of-factabout...illegality” (161).Each contribution interrogates the processes through which legal categories and attendantpower relations are solidified rather than taking for granted the authoritative status of the stateand the rule of law. Legality is not a stable set of rules and norms, but rather, as Peggy Levitt(2001) notes, the “meanings, sources of authority, and cultural practices that we think of as[legitimate], no matter who uses them or what their goals may be” (112; see also Ewick andSilbey 1998). In this symposium we examine how subjects come to understand practices asright or wrong regardless of, and perhaps in spite of, formal legal classifications, and drawattention to how people engage with, and position themselves in relation to, the law. Weattend to how they imagine law should work, and how people craft notions of justice thatmayparallel,contradict,evade,orreinforceofficialdividesbetweenlegalandillegalpractices.We illustrate how legal orders institutionalize assumptions justifying societal divisions and
Testing for escalation in Lower Mississippian camerate crinoids

Crinoids were relatively unaffected by the end-Devonian Hangenberg mass extinction event. Major clades of Devonian durophagous fishes suffered significant extinctions, however, and the dominant surviving clades were biting or nipping predators. In part as a response to the Hangenberg event, early Mississippian crinoids underwent an adaptive radiation, while fish clades with a shell-crushing durophagous strategy diversified. Durophagous predators are inferred to have been more effective predators on camerate crinoids; and it is hypothesized, following the predictions of escalation, that through the early Mississippian, camerate crinoids evolved more effective anti-predatory strategies in response. We test this hypothesis of escalation by examining the changes in spinosity and plate convexity among camerate crinoids throughout this interval. A new method was formulated to test for an increase in convexity of the tegmen plates. Traits in Agaricocrinus, Aorocrinus, and Dorycrinus (Family Coelocrinidae) were tested for congruence to the escalation hypothesis, and results were mixed. Convexity of tegmen plates in Agaricocrinus, spine length/calyx diameter in Aorocrinus, calyx size in Aorocrinus, central spine length in Dorycrinus, and spine width in Dorycrinus did not have size increase trends supporting escalation. Rather than an increase in convexity, the variance of convexity in Agaricocrinus tegmen plates narrowed, which could reflect an optimum. Alternatively, morphological change consistent with the escalation hypothesis occurred in calyx size of Agaricocrinus and in lateral spine length and calyx size in Dorycrinus. Furthermore, central and lateral spine length, parameters of the spine width, and size trends support escalation when Aorocrinus and Dorycrinus are treated as a lineage. Thus, inferred escalation acted on traits differently within a single lineage and was relevant for both speciation and the diversification of a new genus.
METAMORPHOSIS OF BARNACLE NAUPLII: EFFECTS OF FOOD VARIABILITY AND A COMPARISON WITH AMPHIBIAN MODELS

Like many animals, barnacles have a complex life cycle with shifts in both diet and habitat. The life cycle of most barnacles has three distinct phases: (1) a planktotrophic nauplius, (2) a non-feeding, planktonic cyprid that subsists on energy reserves, and (3) a benthic juvenile and adult. We conducted a series of experiments to measure the effects of variable food concentration during the naupliar phase on the age, size, and lipid reserves of Balanus glandula cyprids. When food shifted during only the first ∼25% of the naupliar phase (the first three instars), the initial food level did not affect the timing of metamorphosis to the cyprid. Shifts in food that were restricted to the final ∼40% of the naupliar phase (the sixth instar) also did not affect age at metamorphosis. During the intermediate portion of the naupliar phase, enhanced food decreased the age at metamorphosis, while reduced food lengthened the naupliar phase. Cyprid size generally correlated positively with changes in food, but a maxim...