cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differences in outcome with subspecialty care: pyloromyotomy in North Carolina.

Abstract Background/Purpose: Proponents of subspecialization in surgery claim that fellowship training improves the quality of care. Others claim that general training is adequate for most routine surgical procedures. The authors questioned whether there were differences in outcomes when general surgeons (GEN) operate on children and infants with common surgical conditions compared with the care of their pediatric surgical (PED) colleagues. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the Healthcare Investment Analysts North Carolina Information Network database to identify patients who underwent pyloromyotomy for congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in North Carolina during the period from October 1995 through September 1998 (n = 780). Information obtained included demographics, insurance type, hospital, length of stay, total hospital charges, occurrence of mucosal perforation, and type of surgeon (general v pediatric). Results: Of the 780 pyloromyotomies performed, 363 (48%) were performed by pediatric surgeons. Pediatric surgeons cared for more Medicaid patients than general surgeons (PED, 52% v GEN, 40%; P = .001). Infants treated by pediatric surgeons had a lower incidence of mucosal perforation (PED, 0.5% v GEN, 2.9%; P = .0015), which was associated with decreased overall total hospital charges (no perforation, $4,806 [plusmn] 79 v perforation, $6,592 [plusmn] 492; P = .002). When patients with uncomplicated pyloric stenosis were evaluated (96% of cases), those cared for by pediatric surgeons had lower total hospital charges (PED, $4,496 [plusmn] 95 v GEN, $5,121 [plusmn] 121; P = .0001) and shorter length of stay (PED, 2.7 [plusmn] 0.1 days v GEN, 3.1 [plusmn] 0.1 days; P = .01). Conclusions: In North Carolina, general surgeons treat more than half the patients who have pyloric stenosis, though fewer with Medicaid. The cost and incidence of mucosal perforation were increased in infants with pyloric stenosis when care was provided by general rather than pediatric surgeons.
Stereoselective neuroprotection by novel 2,3-benzodiazepine non-competitive AMPA antagonists against non-NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity in primary rat hippocampal cultures

Abstract Glutamate excitotoxicity has been implicated in a variety of acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases but early phase clinical trials with competitive antagonists at both N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA)-receptors and α -amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors have been disappointing. A family of atypical 2,3 benzodiazepines, exemplified by GYKI 52466, have been described recently which function as non-competitive AMPA-receptor antagonists. We have investigated the neuroprotective efficacy of LY303070 and LY300164, two analogs of GYKI-52466, in an embryonic rat hippocampal culture model of non-NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity using kainic acid (KA) as an agonist at the AMPA/KA receptor. Overnight treatment with 500 μ M KA resulted in prominent neuronal excitotoxicity as assessed by lactate dehydrogenase efflux. LY300164 and LY303070 attenuated KA-excitotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner with IC 50 s of 4 and 2 μ M, respectively. In contrast, their stereoisomers, LY300165 and LY303071 showed no neuroprotection at concentrations up to 25 μ M. In addition, AMPA-mediated excitotoxicity in cyclothiazide pre-treated cultures was also completely blocked by LY303070. Finally, neuroprotection by this class of 2,3 benzodiazepines was not influenced by antagonism of the classical benzodiazepine receptor. LY303070 and LY300164 represent novel non-competitive AMPA-receptor antagonists which may offer unique advantages in the clinic over competitive AMPA-receptor antagonists.
Perioperative anaesthetic considerations for patients undergoing lung transplantation.

Purpose Five thousand. two hundred and eight lung transplants were performed worldwide before April, 1996. This review will discuss lung transplantation from an historical perspective, its indications, donor and recipient selection criteria, donor lung preparation, surgical considerations, perioperative anaesthetic management, and associated morbidity and mortality.
13C Kinetic Isotope Effects and the Mechanism of the Uncatalyzed Decarboxylation of Orotic Acid

A complete set of 13C kinetic isotope effects were determined for the thermal decarboxylation of 1,3-dimethylorotic acid and compared with theoretically predicted isotope effects for decarboxylatio...
Thoughts on the Moral Relationship of Intent and Training in Sport

(1983). Thoughts on the Moral Relationship of Intent and Training in Sport. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 84-91.
Observing Forest Fires with the GOES-8, 3.9-µm Imaging Channel

Abstract Blackbody radiation at 3.9 µm increases rapidly with temperature. This fact suggests a potential application by fire weather meteorologists of the 3.9-µm imagery data provided by the new GOES-8 weather satellite. The ability of the 3.9-µm channel to sense forest fires is briefly discussed and an example case study is presented. A simple radiation model is used to estimate the minimum detectable fire size for several types of wildfires.
Chain entanglement in homopolymers, copolymers and terpolymers of methyl methacrylate, styrene and N-phenylmaleimide

Abstract Chain entanglement in poly (methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, poly poly( N -phenylmaleimide), poly(methyl methacrylate- stat -styrene), poly(methyl methacrylate- stat - N -phenylmaleimide) and poly(methyl methacrylate- state -styrene- stat - N -phenylmaleimide) is studied in the melt by dynamic viscoelastic spectroscopy. It is shown that the plateau modulus is equal to the storage modulus at the minimum of loss tangent. The plateau modulus and the entanglement molecular weight are found to obey the geometric mean relationship with respect to composition, i.e. log G 0 N = ∑ v j log G 0 N j and log M e = ∑ v j log M e j , where G 0 N is the plateau modulus, M e the molecular weight between entanglement points, v j the volume fraction of comonomer j , G 0 N j the plateau modulus for the homopolymer of j and M e j the entanglement molecular weight for the homopolymer of j . The G 0 N and M e of homopolymers and copolymers may also be predicted by group additivity method.
Two Expressed Soybean Genes with High Sequence Identity to Tomato Pti1 Kinase Lack Autophosphorylation Activity

Abstract An important signaling pathway for disease resistance in tomato involves the R gene product Pto which phosphorylates Pti1, a downstream member of this signaling cascade. Both Pto and Pti1 are Ser/Thr protein kinases capable of autophosphorylation in vitro. Two soybean ( Glycine max L. Merr. var. Hobbit) cDNAs ( sPti1a and sPti1b ) were cloned and sequenced and found to each have 78% amino acid sequence identity with tomato Pti1. Glutathione S -transferase fusions of sPti1a and b expressed in Escherichia coli did not autophosphorylate in vitro, but were efficiently phosphorylated by tomato Pto. Replacement of Tyr197 with an Asp that is invariant at this position in other protein kinases did not restore autophosphorylation activity to sPti1a or b. Tyr197 was also present in the Pti1 homologues of three distant relatives of G. max. Together these results suggest that soybean Pti1 might function in a Pto-like signaling pathway that does not require Pti1 kinase activity.
Individuals Family History Positive for Alcoholism Show Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Differences in Reward Sensitivity That Are Related to Impulsivity Factors

Background Substance-abusing individuals tend to display abnormal reward processing and a vulnerability to being impulsive. Detoxified alcoholics show differences in regional brain activation during a monetary incentive delay task. However, there is limited information on whether this uncharacteristic behavior represents a biological predisposition toward alcohol abuse, a consequence of chronic alcohol use, or both. Methods We investigated proposed neural correlates of substance disorder risk by examining reward system activity during a monetary incentive delay task with separate reward prospect, reward anticipation, and reward outcome phases in 30 individuals with and 19 without family histories of alcoholism. All subjects were healthy, lacked DSM-IV past or current alcohol or substance abuse histories, and were free of illegal substances as verified by a urine toxicology screening at the time of scanning. Additionally, we explored specific correlations between task-related nucleus accumbens (NAcc) activation and distinct factor analysis-derived domains of behavioral impulsivity. Results During reward anticipation, functional magnetic resonance imaging data confirmed blunted NAcc activation in family history positive subjects. In addition, we found atypical activation in additional reward-associated brain regions during additional task phases. We further found a significant negative correlation between NAcc activation during reward anticipation and an impulsivity construct. Conclusions Overall, results demonstrate that sensitivity of the reward circuit, including NAcc, is functionally different in alcoholism family history positive individuals in multiple regards.
Design and implementation of new auxiliaries for asymmetric enolate alkylations

Abstract Implementation of new, highly enantioenriched heterocycles for use in auxiliary-supported asymmetric alkylations is detailed. These new auxiliaries proved effective in enforcing pi-facial selectivity in enolate methylations with increasing diastereoselectivity resulting from bulkier aryl-steering groups. The sources for unanticipated kinetic effects and alkylation product decompositions are discussed. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Salinity adaptation of HCO3--dependent ATPase activity in the gills of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus).

A bicarbonate-dependent ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) was found in microsomal preparations from blue crab gills. When the crabs were transferred to low salinity (200 mosmolal) from seawater (1000 mosmolal), the HCO3−-dependent ATPase increased in all gill pairs, reaching its new steady state in 2 weeks. The greatest increase occurred in the sixth and seventh gill pairs (approx. 2.5-fold). Maximal enzyme activity was observed at an Mg2+ concentration of 3 mM and an optimal pH of 7.8. The apparent Ka for HCO3− was found to be 8.9 mM. Kinetic analysis showed that low-salinity adaptation increased the Vmax without altering the Km for ATP. When the microsomes from high-salinity crab gills were treated with detergent or assayed at different temperatures, the total enzyme activity did not reach the activity levels seen after adaptation to low salinity. These results suggest that the alteration of HCO3−-ATPase activity may be due to synthesis, rather than modulation of membranes or of the existing enzyme activity.
Designing Interventions for Grandparent Caregivers: The Need for an Ecological Perspective for Practice:

Grandparent caregivers confront multiple issues and challenges in their efforts to raise their grandchildren. The nature of these concerns suggests the relevancy of the ecological perspective as a framework for social work practice and for the design of interventions. This paper identifies the areas of stress faced by these grandparents and the ways in which the use of this perspective is particularly relevant to addressing their specific needs. A case study of services provided to one grandparent is presented. In working with these caregivers, social workers must be ready to assume a plethora of roles and interventions ranging from counselor and therapist to advocate and policy developer to ensure that the needs of grandparent caregivers are met and that stress is reduced.
Raman characteristics of carbon nitride synthesized by nitrogen-ion-beam-assisted pulsed laser deposition

Raman characteristics of carbon nitride films synthesized by nitrogen-ion-beam-assisted pulsed laser deposition were investigated. In addition to the D (disorder) band and G (graphitic) band commonly observed in carbon nitride films, two Raman bands located at 1080–1100 and 1465–1480 cm-1 were found from our carbon nitride films. These two bands were well matched with the predicted Raman frequencies for βC3N4 and the observed Raman bands reported for carbon nitride films, indicating their relation to carbon-nitrogen stretching vibrations. Furthermore, the relative intensity ratio of the two Raman bands to the D and G bands increased linearly with increasing nitrogen content of the carbon nitride films.
Photo-electrochemical and photocatalytic properties of chemically-treated and thermally-annealed titanium dioxide films

Chemical treatment followed by thermal annealing of titanium dioxide nanoparticle film surfaces with urea or ammonium acetate were found to exert a profound influence on their photoelectrochemical or photocatalytic activity. These films were dip-coated over conducting substrates, then dipped in urea or ammonium acetate aqueo us solutions, and finally baked at 300 or 500°C to yield two sets of chemically-treated TiO2 (CT-TiO2) films. The incident photon to electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) of the CT-TiO2 films in the near-UV region was significantly higher compared to the pristine (untreated) TiO2 samples baked similarly at 300 or 500°C. Higher photocurrents for formate photo-oxidation were also observed for the CT-TiO2 samples relative to their untreated TiO2 counterparts. All the CT-TiO2 films showed better photocatalytic activity toward Cr(VI) reduction with respect to their untreated TiO2 counterparts. The enhanced performance of the CT-TiO2 films was attributed to morphological changes as seen in scanning electron microscopy images. Possible reasons for the performance improvement in terms of better charge carrier separation properties of the CT-TiO2 films are finally discussed.
The influence of insulating coatings upon single wire explosions

Experiments have been initiated on the 1-MA Z-pinch generator at the Nevada Terawatt Facility to investigate the influence of insulating coatings on the ablation and energy deposition in current-carrying metallic wires. The Z-pinch loads used included single 50 µm Cu wires with and without polymer coatings, as well as pairs of such wires in a two-wire array configuration. The dynamics of these Z-pinches was diagnosed with laser shadowgraphy and X-pinch driven X-ray backlighting. It was observed that the ablation and the instability growth of the coated wires was delayed compared with that of the uncoated ones. Besides possible direct applications to enhanced energy deposition in Z-pinches, the coated exploding wires represent a platform for studying mixing in conditions that may be relevant to astrophysical systems and to directly or indirectly laser-driven fusion capsules.
THE EFFECT OF THREE FACTORIAL LEVELS OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS ON THE GROWTH AND COMPOSITION OF CINCHONA LEDGERIANA.

Most of the cultural trials and experiments with cinchona prior to 1900 were recorded as observations. With the possible exception of the work by Cowgill (1) the published information with reference to the effects of fertilizer applications on growth and alkaloid content of cinchona deal mainly with established trees (3, 4, 8, 9,11). Although it is generally conceded that the first few months are the most critical period in the life of the cinchona plant, little or no experimental data are available as to the nutritional requirements of young seedlings. Nitrogen and phosphorus are two essential mineral elements that are usually deficient in tropical soils. In view of this fact an experiment was initiated to obtain information on the effects of three levels of each of those
Enforcing the minimum drinking age: state, local and agency characteristics associated with compliance checks and Cops in Shops programs

Aims To identify state, local and organizational characteristics associated with local law enforcement agencies’ implementation of two dramatically different approaches to enforcement of underage drinking laws: compliance checks and Cops in Shops programs. Compliance checks use underage decoys to attempt to purchase alcohol from retail merchants, while Cops in Shops programs deploy undercover law enforcement officers in alcohol outlets to detect and cite persons under the age of 21 who attempt to purchase alcohol. Design Cross-sectional telephone interview conducted as part of the Tobacco Enforcement Study (TES), which examined enforcement of laws related to youth access to tobacco. Setting Data were collected in 1999 among law enforcement agencies in all 50 states of the United States. Participants Representatives of city police departments, departments of public safety, sheriffs or county police were included (n = 920 local agencies). Measurements Alcohol compliance checks and Cops in Shops programs were the primary outcomes. Covariates included state level policies (e.g. beer tax), agency resources (e.g. number of sworn officers) and community demographics (e.g. college dormitory population). Findings Local enforcement agencies were more likely to perform alcohol compliance checks than to have a Cops in Shops program (73.9% compared to 41.1% in cities > 25 000 and 55.7% compared to 23.9% in cities ≤ 25 000). Conducting compliance checks for tobacco age-of-sale laws was positively associated with alcohol compliance checks and Cops in Shops (OR 3.30, P < 0.001; OR 1.84, P = 0.001, respectively). Having a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) officer was negatively related to conducting compliance checks (OR 0.67, P = 0.03). Special community policing units were associated with departments having Cops in Shops programs (OR 1.80, P = 0.006). Conclusions This study used a nationally representative sample of communities to better understand state and local factors that shape local law enforcement agencies’ use of two distinct approaches to underage drinking enforcement. The strong link observed between tobacco and alcohol compliance checks may indicate a culture within some law enforcement agencies supporting strict enforcement of age-of-sale laws.
On boundary conditions for the diffusion equation in room-acoustic prediction: Theory, simulations, and experiments.

This paper proposes a modified boundary condition to improve the room-acoustic prediction accuracy of a diffusion equation model. Previous boundary conditions for the diffusion equation model have certain limitations which restrict its application to a certain number of room types. The boundary condition employing the Sabine absorption coefficient V. Valeau et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 119, 1504‐1513 2006 cannot predict the sound field well when the absorption coefficient is high, while the boundary condition employing the Eyring absorption coefficient Y. Jing and N. Xiang, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 121, 3284‐3287 2007; A. Billon et al., Appl. Acoust. 69, 2008 has a singularity whenever any surface material has an absorption coefficient of 1.0. The modified boundary condition is derived based on an analogy between sound propagation and light propagation. Simulated and experimental data are compared to verify the modified boundary condition in terms of room-acoustic parameter prediction. The results of this comparison suggest that the modified boundary condition is valid for a range of absorption coefficient values and successfully eliminates the singularity problem. © 2008 Acoustical Society of America. DOI: 10.1121/1.2805618
Stereochemical aspects of the free radical addition of methanethiol to 4-t-butylcyclohexene

Abstract The photochemically-induced additions of methanethiol to 4-t-butylcyclohexene yielded a mixture of the four isomeric sulphides, cis and trans 4-t-butylcyclohexylmethyl sulphides and cis and trans 3-t-butylcyclohexylmethyl sulphides. The less stable axially substituted isomers, cis 4-t-butylcyclohexylmethyl sulphide and trans 3-t-butylcyclohexymethyl sulphide, were formed in amounts five to seven times greater than the equatorially substituted isomers. The stereochemical control observed in this free radical addition reaction is proposed to be the result of the conformational factors encountered in the addition of the methanethiyl radical to the double bond of 4-t-butylcyclohexene. The role of the reversibility of the addition of thiyl radicals to 4-t-butylcyclohexene is discussed in terms of the stereospecificity noted in these addition reactions.
The Phosphatidylinositol 3‐Kinase Inhibitor Wortmannin Alters the Metabolism of the Alzheimer's Amyloid Precursor Protein

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of senile plaques in brain, extracellular lesions comprised mostly of aggregates of the amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta). Abeta is proteolytically derived from the Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein (APP). The generation of Abeta and nonamyloidogenic derivatives of APP involves utilization of alternative processing pathways and multiple subcellular compartments. To improve our understanding of the regulation of APP processing, we investigated the effects of wortmannin, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) inhibitor, on APP processing. PI3-kinases form a multifaceted family of enzymes that represent converging points for multiple signal transduction pathways and also act as key regulators of vesicular trafficking. In N2a neuroblastoma cells expressing either wild-type APP or the "Swedish" familial Alzheimer's disease-associated mutant variant of APP, wortmannin treatment resulted in decreased release of both Abeta and soluble APPalpha. In parallel, full-length APP and both processed derivatives accumulated inside the cells. These effects were not present at nanomolar concentrations of wortmannin, but only at micromolar concentrations, implying the possible involvement of a recently described trans-Golgi network (TGN)-associated PI3-kinase that is resistant to nanomolar concentrations of the inhibitor, but sensitive to micromolar concentrations. All effects were reversible when the drug was removed from the cell culture medium. Given the suspected site of action of this novel PI3-kinase activity at the TGN, it is tempting to speculate that the unexpected increase in the levels of both intracellular soluble APPalpha and intracellular Abeta might be due to wortmannin-induced covesiculation of APP together with its respective secretase enzymes within the TGN, leading to the execution of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-secretase reactions.
A computational analysis of the interaction between flavin and thiol(ate) groups. Implications for flavoenzyme catalysis

A computational analysis of the interaction between flavin and thiol(ate) groups has been performed using three density functional theory methods (B3LYP, MPW1PW91, and MPWB1K). Oxidized flavin forms a charge-transfer complex with the thiolate anion prior to the generation of a covalent-adduct at the C4a position of the isoalloxazine ring. The computed reactions require a concerted proton transfer to the N5 position of the flavin and show relatively small barriers (<13 kcal/mol). Using different model systems, it was demonstrated that this proton can be delivered to the flavin via a protonated cysteine, or from the carboxyl moiety of glutamic and aspartic acids by utilizing a series of intervening water molecules.
Singularity-enhanced implementation for diagonal long thin wire

New finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) update equations for long thin wire are presented. The axis of long thin wire is assumed to be diagonal to the Yee cell faces. Derived using the contour-path method, the new equations properly models the singular field near the long thin wire. A dramatic improvement in computed accuracy was observed when a stripline with long thin wire diagonal to the Yee cell faces in FDTD grid was analyzed using the new FDTD equations.
On the feasibility of observing electron antibunching in a field-emission beam

Abstract In contrast to the belief that low degeneracy and short coherence time prevent the direct observation of fermion anticorrelation in a free particle beam, it is shown that the antibunching of electrons in a field-emission electron beam should, in principle, be observable with current technology. This opens a gateway to fundamentally new tests of quantum mechanics.
Outcomes of percutaneous interventions in transposed hemodialysis fistulae

Purpose The optimal order of permanent hemodialysis access creation remains controversial. Existing literature gives little data regarding transposed autogenous arteriovenous fistulae (tAVF). This retrospective study sought to compare long-term outcomes of percutaneous interventions in tAVF to those in nontransposed fistulae (nAVF), and prosthetic grafts (AVG). Materials and Methods 591 hemodialysis accesses (195 tAVF, 205 nAVF, 191 AVG) from 522 patients (278M, 244F; mean age 57 years, range 15-91 yr) underwent prophylactic percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and/or mechanical thrombectomy (declot). Access characteristics, surgical history, percutaneous interventions, postintervention patency, and survival data were collected. Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted. Results See Table. Transposed fistulae (tAVF) age at first intervention exceeded that of nontransposed fistulae (nAVF) and prosthetic grafts (AVG) (260 vs 206 vs 176 days, p Conclusion Judging by the total number of percutaneous interventions needed to maintain patency, our study confirms the present NKF-K/DOQI access preference of nAVF before tAVF before AVG. An unexpected finding is the superior secondary patency in tAVF compared with nAVF. Further study is needed to explore the basis for this observation. Table 1 Table 2
A global reference database from very high resolution commercial satellite data and methodology for application to Landsat derived 30m continuous field tree cover data

Abstract The methodology for selection, creation, and application of a global remote sensing validation dataset using high resolution commercial satellite data is presented. High resolution data are obtained for a stratified random sample of 500 primary sampling units (5 km × 5 km sample blocks), where the stratification based on Koppen climate classes is used to distribute the sample globally among biomes. The high resolution data are classified to categorical land cover maps using an analyst mediated classification workflow. Our initial application of these data is to evaluate a global 30 m Landsat-derived, continuous field tree cover product. For this application, the categorical reference classification produced at 2 m resolution is converted to percent tree cover per 30 m pixel (secondary sampling unit)for comparison to Landsat-derived estimates of tree cover. We provide example results (based on a subsample of 25 sample blocks in South America) illustrating basic analyses of agreement that can be produced from these reference data. Commercial high resolution data availability and data quality are shown to provide a viable means of validating continuous field tree cover. When completed, the reference classifications for the full sample of 500 blocks will be released for public use.
Surgical considerations in cystic fibrosis: A 32-year evaluation of outcomes

Background Information concerning long-term operative outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is relatively sparse in the operative literature. Methods A retrospective review of CF patients with operative conditions was performed (1972-2004) at a tertiary children's hospital to analyze outcomes including long-term morbidity and survival. Results A total of 226 patients with CF presented with an operative diagnosis (113 men, 113 women). A total of 422 operations were performed in 213 patients (94%). The mean age at operation was 4.1 ± 6.2 years (range, 1 d to 26 y) and 109 were neonates. Fifteen of 42 (36%) babies with simple meconium ileus (MI) were treated nonoperatively with hypertonic enemas, 27 of 42 and all 45 patients with complicated MI required operation, including 15 with jejunoileal atresia (17%). Seventeen of 27 (63%) patients with meconium ileus equivalent had MI as neonates; 7 of 27 (26%) required operation. Eight of 9 (89%) with fibrosing colonopathy required operation. Organ transplantation was required in 21 patients. Follow-up evaluation was possible in 204 of 213 (96%) patients. The duration of follow-up evaluation was 14.9 ± 8.5 years (range, 2 mo to 35 y). Operative morbidity was 11% at 1 year, 2% at 2 to 4 years, 1% at 5 to 10 years, and less than 1% at more than 10 years. There were 24 deaths (11%); 22 followed CF-related pulmonary complications and included 8 of 16 (50%) children with pneumothorax. Conclusions Long-term survival in CF patients has improved significantly (89%), with many surviving into the fourth decade. MI may predispose to late complications including meconium ileus equivalent and fibrosing colonopathy. Pneumothorax in CF patients is an ominous predictor of mortality. Children with CF are living longer and are good candidates for operation, but require long-term follow-up evaluation because of ongoing exocrine dysfunction.
High-resolution spectral analysis and modeling of infrared ocean surface radiometric clutter

The power or variance spectral properties of the ocean surface, in the infrared, have been investigated by a number of workers in the past. This paper summarizes the results of an analysis which extends previous results, obtained at spatial resolutions measured in tens of meters, to centimeter scale spatial wavelengths. The data were obtained with a common module HgCdTe FLIR radiometer with high spatial resolution (< 0.25 milliradians) and moderately high thermal sensitivity (<< 0.1 degree(s) C). The spatial resolution of the FLIR and large number of available scan lines per scene, for ensemble spectral averaging, permit computation of power spectra at centimeter scales with extremely low estimation variance. Prior to computation of the power spectra, the data were radiometrically corrected for instrument effects, atmospheric path radiance and transmission losses, and the OTF of the sensor. Both one- and two-dimensional power spectra were computed and parametrically evaluated by spectral factorization and characterized via linear predictive coding (LPC) to multipole autoregressive (AR) linear system models. This type of spectral characterization facilitates (1) correlation to dominant spectral components (i.e., system poles) with specific wavenumber regimes and ocean surface models; (2) simple characterization of large numbers of ocean surface spectra with a few parameters; and (3) generation of two-dimensional radiance map simulations by inversion of the linear system model. The results of this analysis are presented along with conclusions regarding agreement with previous studies, utility of the technique, and model validity.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Aged Male Rats Regenerate Cortical Bone with Reduced Osteocyte Density and Reduced Secretion of Nitric Oxide After Mechanical Stimulation

Mechanical loading is integral to the repair of bone damage. Osteocytes are mechanosensors in bone and participate in signaling through gap junction channels, which are primarily comprised of connexin 43 (Cx43). Nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) have anabolic and catabolic effects on bone, and the secretion of these molecules occurs after mechanical stimulation. The effect of age on the repair of bone tissue after damage and on the ability of regenerated bone to transduce mechanical stimulation into a cellular response is unexplored. The goal of this study was to examine (1) osteocytes and their mineralized matrix within regenerated bone from aged and mature animals and (2) the ability of regenerated bone explants from aged and mature animals to transduce cyclic mechanical loading into a cellular response through NO and PGE2 secretion. Bilateral cortical defects were created in the diaphysis of aged (21-month-old) or mature (6-month-old) male rats, and new bone tissue was allowed to grow into a custom implant of controlled geometry. Mineralization and mineral-to-matrix ratio were significantly higher in regenerated bone from aged animals, while lacunar and osteocyte density and phosphorylated (pCx43) and total Cx43 protein were significantly lower, relative to mature animals. Regenerated bone from mature rats had increased pCx43 protein and PGE2 secretion with loading and greater NO secretion relative to aged animals. Reduced osteocyte density and Cx43 in regenerated bone in aged animals could limit the establishment of gap junctions as well as NO and PGE2 secretion after loading, thereby altering bone formation and resorption in vivo.
Phosphatidylinositol biosynthesis: Biochemistry and regulation

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) is a ubiquitous membrane lipid in eukaryotes. It is becoming increasingly obvious that PI and its metabolites play a myriad of very diverse roles in eukaryotic cells. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae PIS1 gene is essential and encodes PI synthase, which is required for the synthesis of PI. Recently, PIS1 expression was found to be regulated in response to carbon source and oxygen availability. It is particularly significant that the promoter elements required for these responses are conserved evolutionarily throughout the Saccharomyces genus. In addition, several genome-wide strategies coupled with more traditional screens suggest that several other factors regulate PIS1 expression. The impact of regulating PIS1 expression on PI synthesis will be discussed along with the possible role(s) that this may have on diseases such as cancer.
Bio-sorption of neptunium(V) by Pseudomonas fluorescens

The bio-sorption of neptunyl (NpO 2 +) by Pseudomonas fluorescens was investigated. The overall goals of this research are to identify key interactions between neptunium and soil bacteria and to model these effects under subsurface-related conditions. Neptunyl, which is generally thought to be non-sorptive, was significantly sorbed under all conditions studied. At initial neptunyl concentrations of 4.75 μM and pH = 7, as much as 85% of the neptunium was sorbed under aerobic conditions. Kinetic studies show that neptunyl was sorbed rapidly within the first 15 minutes. The extent of sorption also increased with pH. In all cases, the sorbed neptunium was shown to be NpO 2 + by X-ray absorption near edged spectroscopy (XANES) analysis, confirming that there was no reduction to Np(lV) under the conditions of our experiment. The sorption data were modeled using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. A comparison of the two approaches showed a significantly better fit for the Freundlich isotherm, and the Freundlich parameter values suggest interactions between sorbed NpO 2 + molecules. These data show that bio-sorption, even for neptunyl, has a significant role in defining the speciation of neptunium and, hence, its overall mobility in the subsurface.
Type 2 blindsight and the nature of visual experience

Blindsight is a kind of residual vision found in people with lesions to V1. Subjects with blindsight typically report no visual awareness, but they are nonetheless able to make above-chance guesses about the shape, location, color and movement of visual stimuli presented to them in their blind field. A different kind of blindsight, sometimes called type 2 blindsight, is a kind of residual vision found in patients with V1 lesions in the presence of some residual awareness. Type 2 blindsight differs from ordinary visual experience in lacking the particularity, transparency and fine-grainedness often taken to be essential to visual experience, at least in veridical cases. I argue that the case of type 2 blindsight provides a counterexample to the view that these characteristics are essential to veridical visual experience and that this gives us reason to resist the view that visual experience is essentially a perceptual relation to external objects. In the second part of the paper I argue that the case of type 2 blindsight yields important insights into the effects of attentional modulation on perceptual content and that cases of attentional modulation of appearance are not at odds with the view that the phenomenology of visual experience flows from its content.
Slow metastable transitions in aromatic species

A tandem Dempster-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer was used to examine metastable transitions in benzene, toluene, anisole and anisole 1,3,5-d3. The tandem-ion cyclotron resonance technique examines all unimolecular reactions of the injected, mass-selected ion, which occur between the injection time of several microseconds and the ion cyclotron resonance reaction section residence time of several milliseconds. The long sampling interval results in different relative intensities and considerably larger isotope effects than have been observed in previous studies.
A TIMELESS-Independent Function for PERIOD Proteins in the Drosophila Clock

Abstract The mutation timeless UL generates 33 hr rhythms, prolonged nuclear localization of PERIOD/TIMELESS UL protein complexes, and protracted derepression of period ( per ) and timeless ( tim ) transcription. Lightinduced elimination of TIM UL from nuclear PER/TIM UL complexes gives strong downregulation of per and tim expression. Thus, in the absence of TIM, nuclear PER can function as a potent negative transcriptional regulator. Two additional studies support this role for PER: (1) Drosophila expressing PER that constitutively localizes to nuclei produce dominant behavioral arrhythmicity, and (2) constitutively nuclear PER represses dCLOCK/CYCLE-mediated transcription of per in cultured cells without TIM. Conversion of PER/TIM heterodimers to nuclear PER proteins appears to be required to complete transcriptional repression and terminate each circadian molecular cycle.
Charge of self-interstitials and boron-interstitial pairs as a function of doping concentration

In this paper, we discuss the accuracy of ab initio calculations for self-interstitial and boron diffusion in silicon in light of recent experimental data by De Salvador et al. and Bracht et al. Mapping the experimental data onto the activation energy vs. Fermi-level representation commonly used to display ab initio results, we show that the experimental results are consistent with each other. While the theoretical LDA value for the boron activation energy as a function of the Fermi level agrees well with experiment, we find for the self-interstitial, in line with other calculations, an underestimation of the experimental values, despite using scissors and finite-size type total-energy corrections. Finally, we discuss the general ability of ab initio calculations to predict ionization levels for the example of boron in comparison to indium.
Seasonal serum urea-creatinine ratios in wild and captive American badgers, Taxidea taxus.

Abstract 1. 1. Blood samples were taken from 22 American badgers in the field during different seasons and analysed for urea and creatinine. 2. 2. The urea-ereatinine ratio (U/C) of these animals did not decrease during the winter as previously reported for black bears. This suggests that the badger, unlike the bear, does not demonstrate a winter physiological state of protein conservation. 3. 3. This may be the consequence of intermittent ingestion of protein by the badger during the winter, or due to biochemical mechanisms unique to the bear which allows for protein turnover and resynthesis. 4. 4. Captive badgers fasted in the laboratory during the winter also did not exhibit lower U/C ratios and protein catabolism, compared to a summer fast, thereby supporting the latter hypothesis that badgers do not have an adjustment in protein catabolism during the winter season.
Growth, nutrition and gas exchange of Pinus resinosa following artificial defoliation

In three experiments, red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) seedlings and trees were subjected to artificial defoliations of varying intensities and subsequent growth, gas exchange and nutritional responses were monitored. In Experiment 1, 2-year-old seedlings received 0, 1 or 2 50% defoliations during a single growing season and were maintained in 1 of 3 low nutrient supply treatments. In Experiment 2, response of 4-year-old seedlings was monitored in the year following 0, 25, 50 or 75% defoliation, while in Experiment 3, response of 11-year-old trees was measured 1 year after being defoliated by 0, 33 or 66%. Regardless of intensity of defoliation, or plant size, clipped plants made qualitatively similar allocational and metabolic adjustments over time. First, leaf diffusive conductance and rates of net photosynthesis were stimulated, especially by light to intermediate defoliation. However, there was no effect of defoliation on foliar nitrogen concentration, and elevated gas exchange rates apparently resulted from altered root-shoot dynamics. Second, allocation of new biomass was preferentially shifted towards foliage at the expense of roots, gradually restoring (but undershooting or overshooting) the ratio of foliage: roots of control plants. During the period when foliage: root balance was being restored, the stimulation of needle gas exchange rates disappeared. Plants defoliated by 25% overcompensated in terms of whole plant growth (were larger at harvest than controls), due to shifts in allocation and enhanced photosynthesis. Defoliated plants also stored a proportionally greater share of their carbohydrate reserves in roots than did control plants, even 1 year after clipping.
Depressive Symptoms, Stress, and Social Support among Dental Students at a Historically Black College and University.

Objective: The authors measured the prevalence of depressive symptoms among dental students at a historically black college in the United States to determine how depressive symptoms, stress, and social support influence each other within this student population. Participants: Dental students (n = 143) completed a self-administered survey to assess depressive symptoms, stress, and social support, using validated and reliable instruments. Participants also reported demographic variables. Methods: The authors used multivariable linear regression controlling for potential confounding. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 16.7%. There were significantly higher levels of stress for students with depressive symptoms compared with those without such symptoms (p < .01), and students with depressive symptoms had significantly lower levels of social support (p < .01). Results show higher levels of depressive symptomatology to be related to decreased social support at both high and low stress levels (p ...
Design, microfabrication, and application of novel x-ray optics

Following successful experience using photolithography and high aspect ratio reactive ion etching (RIE) to produce dynamically bent x-ray sagittal focusing crystals, we report on incorporating this optic in a novel high flux, narrow bandwidth, energy scanning monochromator for bend magnet synchrotron radiation. We describe the mono, several modes of operation, and our experience using it. Deep RIE has great utility for the manufacture, in silicon, of mechanical devices with feature as small as a few microns, however aberration free Bragg diffraction focusing requires uniformity in etch depth over large areas. To improve optical performance in terms of minimum focus spot size and maximum x-ray throughput, we are developing "second generation" focusing crystals based on a composite structure concept. We describe some of this new work and suggest areas of application.
Brain Alpha- and Beta-Globin Expression after Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Our recent study has demonstrated that hemoglobin (Hb) is present in cerebral neurons and neuronal Hb is inducible after cerebral ischemia. In the present study, we examined the effects of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) on the mRNA levels of the α-globin (HbA) and the β-globin (HbB) components of Hb and Hb protein in the brain in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, male Sprague-Dawley rats received either a needle insertion (sham) or an infusion of autologous whole blood into the basal ganglia and were killed at different time points. In vitro, cultured rat brain cells were used for HbA, HbB and Hb determination. Cultured neurons were exposed to 50 or 100 μM hemin for 24 h. Some neurons also were treated with deferoxamine, an iron chelator, or vehicle. Levels of HbA and HbB, Hb and hemopexin, a transporter of heme, were measured. We found that HbA, HbB and Hb are primarily expressed in neurons, with much lower expression in astrocytes and microglia. HbA, HbB and Hb expression in the perihematomal zone was increased after ICH and Hb was localized in neurons and glia. Hemin increased HbA, HbB and hemopexin mRNA levels in cultured neurons. Deferoxamine reduced hemin-induced neuronal Hb expression. ICH increased HbA and HbB expression in the brain, which may potentially serve to buffer the heme released during clot resolution.
Mental health, gender, and drug court completion

Drug-involved offenders report high rates of mental health problems that can negatively impact criminal justice outcomes. Yet, relatively little attention has been given to the mental health issues of drug court offenders. Therefore, this study examined 449 participants in a Delaware drug court and investigated relationships between mental health, gender, and program completion. Bivariate results indicated that gender was related to both mental health status and completion status. Multivariate findings revealed that two indicators of mental health, depression and being prescribed drugs for a psychological or emotional problem, were significant predictors of drug court completion. Policy implications include assessing the mental health status of all drug court participants at program entry so that services can be provided which aim to improve offender health and increase the likelihood of successful program outcomes. Drug courts must better meet the needs of participants with co-occurring disorders if they are to remain an effective and viable criminal justice intervention.
Fluorescence Quenching of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Transition-Metal Ions

The ability of cobalt, copper, and nickel salts to quench SDBS surfacted single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with a concentration between 0.5 and 5 mM per 15 mg·L−1 of SWNT has been investigated. The following metal salts show a decrease in fluorescence of the SWNTs: CuSO4, Cu(OAc)2, CuCl2, CoSO4, Co(OAc)2, CoCl2, NiSO4, Ni(OAc)2, and NiCl2. The Stern−Volmer quenching constants are found to depend on the identity of the metal ion and the anion but not on the chirality (similar to other ions of the same size) of the SWNT. As with Group 2 and 12 metal ions, the SWNT exciton formed from light absorption is sensitive to its local environment, and the field around the metal ions has a significant effect on the exciton facilitating nonradiative decay paths. Increased quenching is observed with transition-metal ions as compared to their Group 2 and 12 analogs, and this differs from the established charge versus ionic-volume trend observed with the latter. Some of this apparent increase is due to absorption by...
Bioelectrochemical Oscillations in Signal Transduction and Acupuncture — An Emerging Paradigm

Several converging points from recent research results on cellular signal transduction, pattern formation, bioelectromagnetism and acupuncture are reviewed. These converging points indicate the general importance of bioelectrochemical oscillations in morphogenesis and physiology: An organism is not only a system of molecules and cells, but also a system of oscillations. These oscillations precede the morphological changes in development or pathology. Converging discoveries and hypotheses in different fields, and a perspective on their potential application in biomedicine are also discussed in this article.