cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorescein angiographic defects of the optic disc in glaucoma.

• An Improved technique for high-contrast, high-resolution fluorescein angiography of the optic disc has been developed that almost eliminates pseudo-fluorescence. Fluorescein angiography of the optic disc was performed on normal, ocular hypertensive, and glaucomatous patients. Rapid-sequence angiograms in the early arterial phases have demonstrated localized areas of hypofluorescence or filling defects of the optic disc. Two types of fluorescein filling defects were observed—absolute and relative. The number of absolute filling defects, which increased with degree of visual field loss, was greater in glaucomatous than in ocular hypertensive or normal eyes. Similarly, ocular hypertensive eyes showed a larger number of discs with filling defects than normal eyes. It is postulated that relative defects progress to absolute filling defects, which may be an indication of impending loss of visual field. ( Arch Ophthalmol 95:1961-1974, 1977)
The effect of the bopyrid isopod Probopyrus pandalicola (Packard, 1879) (Isopoda, Bopyridae) on the survival time of the daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio Holthuis, 1949 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) during starvation at two different temperatures

The daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio Holthuis, 1949 is prevalent in estuaries along the East and Gulf coasts of the United States, and is an integral part of the estuarine food web. Probopyrus pandalicola (Packard, 1879) is a bopyrid isopod that parasitizes P. pugio and decreases the energy available to its host by feeding on the hemolymph of the shrimp. The parasite also causes female shrimp to be castrated. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Probopyrus pandalicola on the survival time of P. pugio during starvation at two different temperatures. The experiment was conducted between September 2009 and June 2012 at 20.0 ± 0.11°C and 25.0 ± 0.10°C. Three trials at each temperature were performed. For each trial, parasitized, deparasitized and unparasitized shrimp were randomly placed into individual aquaria in a temperature-controlled chamber. All trials lasted until 100% shrimp mortality occurred. The bopyrid isopod did have a significant effect on shrimp survival times, but only at the higher temperature during which parasitized shrimp survived a significantly shorter amount of time (21.8 ± 6.93 days) than unparasitized shrimp (25.2 ± 8.25 days). In contrast, the bopyrid did not have a significant effect on shrimp survival times at the lower temperature, with shrimp surviving an average of 26.9-27.5 days. The results of this study have implications related to potential climate change, specifically higher temperatures, as we found that a small increase in temperature significantly affected the response of P. pugio to the isopod parasite. This supports prior research on other host-parasite interactions that are affected by increased temperature.
DFT/B3-LYP and ab initio analysis of the ozone potential energy surface

Abstract The decomposition of O3 (1A1) into O (3P) and O2 (3Σg−) was investigated with both high-level ab initio methods (CBS-Q, G1, G2MP2, G2) and the density functional theory (DFT) B3-LYP method. Our results show that the best approximation to the dissociation barrier is the CBS-Q (Quadratic complete basis set) result that predicts this value to an accuracy of greater than 0.001 eV. In the second series of calculations the OOO angle in ozone (O3) was constrained to a ringed geometry (60° angle) in order to study this well-known C2v minimum along the potential energy surface.
The incrementor: a graphical technique for manipulating parameters

Description: The incrementor is a visually compact, flexible, and consistent mechanism for modifying the variables presented to the user. A locator (i.e., mouse) with two buttons is the required input device. The names of the variables appear in the center of one or two pairs of arrows, and the value of the variable appears just below the right arrow and to the left of the up arrow (Figures 1 and 2).
Primary production and light dynamics in an upper Mississippi River backwater

In nutrient-rich systems, phytoplankton production is frequently light-limited and light attenuation can become a critical factor controlling the rates of production, especially in shallow systems subject to wind resuspension of sediments. This study examined the relation between light availability and primary production in Lake Onalaska, a shallow, nutrient-rich impoundment of the Upper Mississippi River. Continuous water quality monitors recorded dissolved oxygen, temperature and light flux at a network of sites from July to September 1990 and these data were used to estimate the primary production, light availability and light attenuation coefficients. The gross primary production averaged 2·2gCm−2 day−1 and was due almost entirely to phytoplankton. Production was strongly light-limited, with most of the light attenuation due to non-algal components, possibly related to wind resuspension in this shallow system. Regression analyses revealed significant effects of wind speed and direction on light attenuation.
Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptor-1 Stimulates Phosphorylation of the β2-Adrenergic Receptor in Vivo on Sites Distinct from Those Phosphorylated in Response to Insulin *

G-protein-linked receptors have been shown to be substrates for growth factor receptors with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity typified by the ability of insulin to both phosphorylate tyrosyl residues in the C terminus of and to counter-regulate the action of the beta2-adrenergic receptor (Karoor, V., Baltensperger, K., Paul, H., Czech, M. P., and Malbon, C. C. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 25305-25308). Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), another member of the growth factor family operating via receptors with intrinsic tyrosine kinase, is shown in the present work to stimulate in vivo the phosphorylation of the beta2-adrenergic receptor. Analysis of tryptic digests prepared from phosphorylated beta2-adrenergic receptors of IGF-1-treated, metabolically labeled smooth muscle cells was performed using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, two-dimensional peptide mapping, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results of these separate analyses reveal that IGF-1 stimulates phosphorylation predominantly on tyrosyl residues Y132/141 of the second intracellular loop of the beta2-adrenergic receptor rather than the C-terminal region targeted by the activated insulin receptor (Y350/354, Y364), although both growth factors block beta-adrenergic agonist action. These data demonstrate selective phosphorylation of a G-protein-linked receptor by receptor tyrosine kinases for insulin and IGF-1 mapping to spatially distinct regions of this heptihelical membrane receptor.
Hypersegmentation of neutrophils in the cerebrospinal fluid: Report of a case with hematologic correlation and review of the literature

Hypersegmented neutrophils can occasionally be seen in the cere-brospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with acute pyogenic meningitis, and rarely as an artifact of cytocentrifugation. We report a case of florid neutrophil hypersegmentation in cytocentrifuged CSF specimens from a patient presenting with anemia and mental status changes. Megaloblastic anemia was excluded by a thorough hematologic evaluation, and the patient was later found to have an epidural abscess. The striking hypersegmentation is attributed to the combined effects of meningeal infection and cytocentrifugation, and a review of the available limited literature on cytomorphologic alterations in CSF cells, specifically neutrophils, is presented. Diagn Cytopathol 1994; 11:56–59. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions

Accumulation of anthropogenic litter (i.e. garbage; AL) and its ecosystem effects in marine environments are well documented. Rivers receive AL from terrestrial habitats and represent a major source of AL to marine environments, but AL is rarely studied within freshwater ecosystems. Our objectives were to 1) quantify AL density in urban freshwaters, 2) compare AL abundance among freshwater, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems, and 3) characterize the activity and composition of AL biofilms in freshwater habitats. We quantified AL from the Chicago River and Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline, and found that AL abundance in Chicago freshwater ecosystems was comparable to previously reported data for marine and terrestrial ecosystems, although AL density and composition differed among habitats. To assess microbial interactions with AL, we incubated AL and natural substrates in 3 freshwater ecosystems, quantified biofilm metabolism as gross primary production (GPP) and community respiration (CR), and characterized biofilm bacterial community composition via high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The main driver of biofilm community composition was incubation location (e.g., river vs pond), but there were some significant differences in biofilm composition and metabolism among substrates. For example, biofilms on organic substrates (cardboard and leaves) had lower GPP than hard substrates (glass, plastic, aluminum and tiles). In addition, bacterial communities on organic substrates were distinct in composition from those on hard substrates, with higher relative abundances of bacteria associated with cellulose decomposition. Finally, we used our results to develop a conceptual diagram designed to unite the study of AL in terrestrial and freshwater environments with the well-established field of marine debris research. We suggest this broad perspective will be useful for future studies which synthesize AL sources, ecosystem effects, and fate across multiple ecosystem types, and will benefit management and reduction of global AL accumulations.
A historiografia dos primeiros tempos do Brasil Moderno. Tendências e desafios das duas últimas décadas

This essay reviews the considerable historical production on colonial Brazil in the last twenty years. It notes that the various commemorations of the Columbus voyage, the discovery of Brazil, the abolition of slavery, and the transference of the court have resulted in a “boom” of publications and research guides. Over this period the historiographical trend has been from social to cultural history with influences from France, Italy, Portugal, and the United States particularly strong. The essay can not cover the full richness of recent historiographical production and thus concentrates on four principal themes. It notes the growing interest in the history of the Brazilian Indians, greatly influenced by modern anthropological studies; Afro-Brazilian culture and slavery which continues to be a major field of concentration; the cultural history of the colony with emphasis on mentalities, material culture, and dissidence; and finally a new return to the history of governance and administration that has profited greatly from the resurgence of early modern history in post-Salazar Portugal.
Perturbation of glutathione by a central action of morphine

Abstract A series of studies were conducted in order to further characterize the previously reported effect of morphine to diminish hepatocellular concentrations of glutathione (GSH) in mice. Naive ICR mice administered morphine (i.p.) in doses up to 1000 mg/kg had diminished hepatic GSH concentrations, with a maximum depletion of approximately 50% occurring at doses of 250 mg/kg or greater. No such effect from an acute challenge with morphine was observed in morphine-tolerant mice. The intracerebroventricular administration of the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (250 μg) completely blocked the hepatic GSH depression resulting from the systemic (i.p.) administration of morphine (100 mg/kg). When morphine (100 μg) was administered by the i.c.v. route, GSH concentrations in liver and plasma were significantly altered while heart and kidney were unchanged. Variable responses to i.c.v. morphine were obtained in spleen, stomach and lung. The depression of hepatic GSH was found not to be a consequence of morphine-induced hypoxia or hypothermia, and could not be attributed to intracellular oxidation of GSH.
Inhibition of estrogen receptor function promotes porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation

Estradiol-17beta (E2) can inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation probably through its ability to activate its nuclear estrogen receptors (ER). Activation or inhibition of the ER by cognate permissive or non-permissive ligands, respectively, would indicate whether ER action is critical for this vascular protective effect. We investigated a previously characterized population of cultured porcine coronary artery SMCs for ER expression and for the response of these cells to estrogens and antiestrogens. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses demonstrated ER mRNA and protein, respectively, in these cells. While the culture conditions required may have prevented the demonstration of physiological effects of E2, the antiestrogens, ICI 182,780 and 4-hydroxytamoxifen, stimulated VSMC proliferation. The data suggest that, by interrupting ER function, antiestrogens significantly increased the VSMC mitotic rate. This model may be used to identify ER-regulated genes that function to control the growth of these coronary artery SMCs.
Planar Pentacoordinate Carbon in CAl5+ : A Global Minimum

We report evidence for the first global-minimum structure having a planar pentacoordinate carbon. High-level ab initio computations and quantum molecular dynamics simulations at 300 and 400 K reveal that the most stable CAl5+ isomer has D5h symmetry and is ∼3.80 kcal/mol lower in energy than the second most stable alternative. The latter has a nonplanar structure based on a tetrahedral CAl4 moiety. The unexpectedly high proclivity for two-dimensional chemical bonding of the carbon in D5h CAl5+, the robust thermal stability indicated computationally, and its mass spectrometric detection suggest that experimental characterization of this planar pentacoordinate carbon cation at room temperature is a likely prospect.
Br-Cl-Na systematics in Illinois basin fluids: Constraints on fluid origin and evolution

The authors present here bromide, chloride, and sodium data for fluids from reservoirs of Ordovician through Pennsylvania age in the Illinois basic which suggest that remnant marine fluids contribute significantly to fluid Cl budgets. Cl/Br and NaBr ratios for Ordovician through Devonian formation fluids are relatively uniform and near those for seawater, despite greater than a factor of ten range in Cl concentration. In contrast, fluids from Mississippian and Pennsylvanian reservoirs, separated from older reservoirs by the New Albany Shale Group, have more variable fluid Cl/Br and Na/Br ratios, most of which are significantly greater then those of seawater. The 1:1 stoichiometry of Cl and Na increases for Mississippian and Pennsylvanian formation fluids is consistent with halite dissolution. Nevertheless, Br systematics and mass-balance considerations indicate that he overall Cl budget of Illinois basin formation fluids appears to be more significantly influenced by the contribution from subaerially evaporated seawater than by halite dissolution.
A diffusion approximate solution to the g/g/k queueing system

Abstract In the opening sections of this paper we present a diffusion approximate solution to a G/G/k queueing station under steady state condtions. The approximation technique is computationally simple and practical in that it requires knowledge of the means and variances of the interarrival and service time distributions, but not their distributional forms. Several numeric examples attesting to the good quality of the approximation are also included. We then discuss extending the basic approximation technique to account first for a feed back option and then to networks of multiserver queueing stations.
Supervolcanoes and Metallic Ore Deposits

Do supervolcanoes form metallic ore deposits? If so, what types of deposits do they form and how large are they?
Time course of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and its relation to myocardial enzymes after acute myocardial infarction☆

Abstract The acute phase reactant, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, binds to a number of basic antiarrhythmic drugs, including lidocaine, quinidine, propranolol, imipramine and disopyramide. Binding to alpha-1-acid glycoprotein accounts for a decrease in free drug fraction and may alter the expected concentration: response relation of drugs particularly when there are unpredictably large or rapid changes in alpha-1-acid glycoprotein. To determine the time course and magnitude of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein for 1 month after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), blood samples were collected from 27 patients, 14 with AMI and 13 with a chest pain syndrome but no AMI. Patients with AMI had a significant increase in alpha-1-acid glycoprotein after 72 hours (mean 153 ± 35 mg/dl) (p
The impact of maquiladora investment on the size distribution of income along the U.S.‐Mexico Border: The case of Texas

The last twenty years have seen the growth and development of maquiladora industries in the northern border region of Mexico. The maquiladoras are seen as a means to address the low income and high unemployment of the region (Schwartz 1987). To this point, most studies have concentrated on income and employment in the U.S. border region (Erickson 1970, Smith and Neumann 1977, Davila and Mattila 1985) and a few have examined the overall economic impact maquiladoras have on the region (Seligson and Williams 1981, ITC 1986, Clement and Jenner 1988). The employment and income effects of the maquiladoras on the U.S. side has been studied for the nation as a whole without arriving at a consensus. The effects of the growth of maquiladoras on the size distribution of income has received very little attention, particularly in terms of the counties on the U.S. side of the border. This study examines the effects of external investment (in the form of maquiladoras) on the income distribution of the residents of the border counties in Texas. The analysis will pay special attention to the impact of this investment on the large Hispanic population of this border region. The article proceeds as follows. In section two the background of the border region and of some of the relevant issues are discussed. In section three the model and the data are presented. Section four continues with an interpretation of the results. Finally, section five contains the conclusion.
A pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic comparison of SAAM II and PC/WinNonlin modeling software

This paper presents a detailed comparison of the kinetic analysis software packages SAAM II and PCNonlin/WinNonlin, based on benchmark modeling problems reported in “Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Data Analysis: Concepts and Applications” (Gab-rielsson and Weiner, 1994) and seven additional models. For each model, both software packages were presented with identical implementations. Models were initially executed in PCNonlin or WinNonlin and automated comparisons with SAAM II made using Microsoft Test. Models investigated included one- and multicompart-ment models with nonlinearities, multiple inputs and samples, multiple simultaneous experiments, and linear equations. Maximum number of compartments, data sets, and parameters were 9, 5, and 10, respectively. We compared 88 different models, many of them in different configurations, e.g., different weighting schemes or different parameter limits. The total number of attempted comparisons between SAAM II and PCNonlin was 161, of which 142 executed without problems. Parameter estimates, their precision (standard errors), and model predictions were compared; a difference of 1% or less was considered “agreement”. Observed differences, mainly in parameter standard errors, can be accounted for in terms of different optimization algorithms, convergence criteria, and individual capabilities. In general, there was good agreement (<1% difference) between SAAM II and PCNonlin in terms of parameter estimates and model predictions. However, due to differences in the optimization procedure, parameter standard errors showed considerable differences. Additionally, there were differences when multiple data sets were fitted, indicating the importance of different fitting procedures for interpreting multiple kinetic data sets. The full results of the comparison and the model files in SAAM II and PCNonlin/WinNonlin formats are available from the authors.
ESTIMATION OF ARRHENIUS MODEL PARAMETERS USING THREE LEAST SQUARES METHODS

The effectiveness of three least squares regression methods has been assessed for the estimation of Arrhenius model parameters. The performance of each method was assessed by comparing the relative sizes and positions of the 90% confidence regions for the parameter estimates and the degradation predictions. The traditional regression scheme, Method I, of sequentially regressing concentration data to obtain rates followed by a regression of the rates versus temperature to obtain the Arrhenius parameters was shown to be the least desirable method. Method II was similar to Method I, but used a multiple linear regression to regress the concentration data through a single co value. This provided more precise estimates, but a bias was indicated due to the fact that the individual rate estimates were not independent. Method III utilized a nonlinear regression which did not evaluate the individual rates. This method was less precise than Method II, but showed no bias. Method III was superior to Method I in every respect.
Temptations in General Settings

I generalize Gul and Pesendorfer's (2001) model of temptation to a multi-period framework where preferences are defined over menus of menus rather than over menus of terminal consumptions. This extension can be applied to model preemptive temptations, self-deception, and biased perceptions of subjective uncertainty.
S-Acylation of Cysteine by O-Acetylsalicylic Anhydride: A Possible Mechanism for Aspirin Hypersensitivity?

In order to elucidate the possible reaction pathways for the acylation of protein by O-acetylsalicylic anhydride, the mechanism of the reaction between L-cysteine and O-acetylsalicylic anhydride was studied. O-Acetylsalicylic anhydride reacts with L-cysteine via a consecutive kinetic pathway. The thiol anion first reacts with the anhydride to form an intermediate thiol ester which then undergoes an intramolecular rearrangement to form the stable N-(O-acetylsalicyloyl)-2-amino-3-thiopro-pionic acid, 5. The importance of the free amino group in the intramolecular reaction was established by the observed stability of the S-(O-acetylsalicyloyl) derivative of N-acetylcysteine under similar reaction conditions. The formation of the thiol ester was pH dependent, suggesting that the thiol anlon was the attacking species. The acyl transfer to the adjacent amino group was catalyzed by both phosphate and acetate buffers. The results suggest that the reaction of O-acetylsalicylic anhydride with the thiol-containing amino acids of a protein molecule may proceed via formation of an initial thio ester, followed by an S to N intramolecular acyl transfer to form an immunogenic amide.
Economic issues in global climate change

Abstract The author highlights the critical role of economics in understanding the potential magnitude of global climate change as a problem for human society and for assessing and developing effective responses. It is shown that many of the basic economic tools and techniques needed to address global climate change issues are already found in the existing environmental and natural resource economics literature. However, in the application of economic concepts to climate change problems, much work remains. It is suggested that priority areas for future economic research include analysis of the impacts and the adaptation of economic systems, the value of information and decision making under uncertainty, and the development of world models of the economy that aid in understanding and predicting the sources and effects of global change that are linked to economic activity.
Two siblings with unusually mild homozygous β‐thalassemia: A didactic example of the effect of a nonallelic modifier gene on the expressivity of a monogenic disorder

Two adult Black sibs with homozygous beta-thalassemia had severe deficiency of beta-chain production but an unusually mild clinical course and almost normal hematocrit values. Their father had the typical hematological findings of beta-thalassemia trait but the mother, in addition to the beta-thalassemia trait, had elevated F cells (42.2%). Elevated F cells were also present in a hematologically normal sister of the affected providing evidence that a gene for heterocellular hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobulin (HPFH) was also running in this family. The unusually mild clinical course of the two homozygotes is attributed to their inheritance from their mother of the heterocellular HPFH gene. The gene for heterocellular HPFH is nonallelic to the beta-globin locus and apparently acted as a modifier of the homozygous beta-thalassemia phenotype by facilitating F-cell production and thus diminishing the pathophysiological consequences of the beta-thalassemia defect. The effect of heterocellular HPFH on the expression of homozygous beta-thalassemia or Hb S genotypes is an impressive example of the pathophysiological basis of changes in the expressivity of monogenic disorders due to action of nonallelic modifiers.
Permeability of the ganglia of the willow aphid, Tuberolachnus salignus, to organic ions

A technique was developed that made possible the study of influx of compounds into the ganglia of the willow aphid. Penetration of C14 fatty acids into the aphid ganglia was biphasic, and increased with increasing liposolubility from acetate to valerate, but influx of hexanoate and heptanoate was similar to that of valerate. The influx rate of acetate into the aphid ganglia was almost twice that into the American cockroach abdominal nerve cord, but influx of valerate was similar in both species. Increasing liposolubility resulted in a greater increase in influx in the case of the cockroach than the aphid. The influx of H3-quaternary ammonium cations into the aphid ganglia was similar but slightly smaller than influx into the cockroach nerve cord. The kinetics were biphasic, differing in this way from the case of the cockroach. Increasing liposolubility tended to increase penetration, and increasing size, with respect to the smallest cross-sectional area, tended to decrease it. Metabolism of the organic ions in the aphid ganglia increased influx rate, as shown by studies on influx of acetylcholine alone and in the presence of eserine, and valerate alone and in the presence of DNP. The rate of penetration into the aphid ganglia was much higher for the fatty acids than the quaternary ammonium compounds. There seems to exist in the aphid ganglia a ‘regulatory system’ that restricts influx, especially of large, polar, and unmetabolizable cations.
Lack of attenuation of valproic acid-induced effects by folinic acid in rat embryos in vitro†

The anticonvulsant drug valproic acid (VPA) is suspected to be a developmental toxicant in humans, inducing primarily neural tube defects. The mechanism for this effect is unknown, but it has been suggested that the drug may act via a deficiency of the vitamin follic acid. We examined this possibility by concurrent treatment of rat embryos in a whole embryo culture system with VPA and folinic acid (FA), a folic acid derivative. Groups of CD rat embryos were treated with various concentrations of VPA, various concentrations of FA, or a combination of a teratogenic dose of VPA plus various levels of FA. At the end of the 44 hour culture period, each embryo was evaluated for viability (presence of a heartbeat), yolk sac circulation, presence of any malformations, morhological score, crown–rump and head lengths, as well as DNA and protein contents. The anticonvulsant did not decrease viability but did decrease yolk sac circulation and all growth and developmental endpoints in a dose-responsive manner. There was also a dose-related increase in the incidence of open neural tubes. The addition of FA alone had no significant effect on growth and development. When various concentratins of FA were added simultaneously with a teratogenic dose of VPA, there was no decrease in the incidence of open neural tubes. Growth and developmental endpoints were altered in a somewhat random fashion but were never increased to the control level. The lack of attenuation of FA was not due to instability of the compound in the culture system, nor was there a difference in the amount of FA, present in the exocoelomic fluid of VPA-treated and control embryos. Overall, these results suggest that VPA-induced open neural tubes in rat embryos cultured in vitro are not due to a deficiency of folinic acid.
978 RESPIRATORY PATTERNS DURING SLEEP IN INFANTS WITH UNEXPLAINED PROLONGED APNEA

Infants with unexplained apneic episodes (Near-Miss for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)), are presumably at increased risk of subsequently dying of SIDS. It has been proposed that these infants exhibit prolonged sleep apnea which contributes to the mechanism leading to death. The objective of this study was to document the incidence of apnea during sleep recordings in 16 Near-Miss infants and compare the findings with those obtained from age and sex matched controls. Polygraphic records of 4 sleep and 3 cardiopulmonary variables were obtained during a 12 hour overnight recording. Successive minutes were classified as quiet sleep, active sleep, waking or indeterminate states by trained observers using standard scoring criteria. Respiratory rate and variability were calculated by computer for each minute across the night and related to sleep state. Pauses in breathing ≥3 seconds were identified in both groups. There was a tendency for Near-Miss infants to breathe faster with fewer apnea than controls, but this finding was not statistically significant. Although one half of the Near-Miss infants had recurrent prolonged apneic spells, all survived and were normal at 2 years. The proposed relationship between SIDS and apnea is not confirmed by this study.
AMS beyond 2000

Abstract Extrapolation of developments in accelerator mass spectrometry since the 1990 conference in Paris tempts one to predict the future of the technology. The rapid expansion of biomedical applications of AMS has required not just development of high throughput spectrometers but demonstration of very short experimental cycles, typically a week or less. Such short cycles then make possible the virtual decoupling of sophisticated sample preparation methodologies from the spectrometer itself, imposing greater need for spectrometer availability and reliability. Established research uses of AMS in archaeology and the geosciences will benefit greatly from these developments and be modified by them. The future appears to hold a mix of proliferation of independent, discipline-dependent sample preparation labs, of large numbers of relatively inexpensive optimized spectrometers, and of steady pressure for capability, reliability, and throughput upgrades of the large multi-isotope laboratories.
Adenosine preferentially suppresses serotonin2A receptor-enhanced excitatory postsynaptic currents in layer V neurons of the rat medial prefrontal cortex

Serotonin induces ‘spontaneous’ (non-electrically evoked) excitatory postsynaptic currents in layer V pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex. This is likely due to a serotonin2A receptor-mediated focal release of glutamate onto apical dendrites. In addition, activation of the serotonin2A receptor selectively enhances late components of electrically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents. In this study, using in vitro intracellular and whole-cell recording in rat brain slices, we examined the role of adenosine in modulating serotonin2A-enhanced ‘spontaneous’ and electrically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents in layer V pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex. Adenosine and N6-cyclopentyladenosine, an A1 adenosine agonist, markedly suppressed the serotonin2A-induced (‘spontaneous’) excitatory postsynaptic currents. However, adenosine had no effect on spontaneous miniature (tetrodotoxin-insensitive) postsynaptic potentials. Adenosine also blocked the late excitatory postsynaptic currents induced by the serotonin2A/2C agonist R(−)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride. Surprisingly, in contrast to other regions, adenosine had a relatively small effect on electrically evoked fast excitatory postsynaptic currents. These findings represent a novel demonstration of adenosine’s ability to preferentially modulate serotonin2A-mediated synaptic events in the medial prefrontal cortex. As the serotonin2A receptor is closely linked with the effects of atypical antipsychotics and hallucinogens, further understanding of the modulators of this receptor such as adenosine may provide useful therapeutic applications.
Neuroradiological Facets of Cognitive Abnormality in Schizophrenia

Cognitive abnormality has long been regarded as a core feature of schizophrenia, but its nature and etiopathology have been poorly understood. Predicated on new tests that characterize fundamental cognitive impairments, we investigated their relationship to four neuroradiological markers that have been previously implicated in schizophrenia: choroid plexus calcification, cerebellar atrophy, third ventricle enlargement, and pineal calcification. Twenty-three chronic schizophrenic inpatients meeting RDC and DSM-III diagnostic criteria were stabilized on chlorpromazine and assessed independently on a cognitive battery and on CT scan. The results indicated that all four neuroradiological variables were independent of one another and of demographic, historical, and general intellectual measures. The neuroradiological assessments, however, correlated significantly with different cognitive parameters, implying separate pathophysiological bases for distinct profiles of cognitive abnormality. The findings support ...
Surgical Strategies in the Management of Spinal Nerve Sheath Tumors.

Objectives Spinal nerve sheath tumors (SNSTs) are the most common lesions in the extramedullary intradural compartment. Complex and large lesions may pose technical difficulties for the operating surgeons. We discuss the management of SNSTs and technical issues including surgical approaches, spinal fixation, and dural handling with the goal of achieving good clinical outcomes while minimizing the risk of complications. We also propose a new classification for SNSTs to guide surgical treatment of these tumors. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of 61 patients who underwent surgery for SNSTs during the period 1995–2012. The posterior approach was used for removal of most tumors ( n = 53). Lesions having a substantial extraforaminal component were accessed from the anterior or lateral approach or a combined approach. Concomitant spinal fixation and fusion was performed in 7 patients. Results Most of the patients ( n = 53) had clinical improvement; clinical status was the same in 4 patients and worse in the remaining 4 patients. One or more complications developed in 18 patients (29.5%). Recurrence was the most common complication ( n = 7). Death occurred in 2 patients with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors 12 and 8 months, respectively, after surgical resection. Conclusions Lesions with large extraforaminal extension pose technical difficulty. Spinal fixation with fusion should be supplemented whenever necessary. Complications related to dura mater may be associated with significant morbidity, and all possible efforts should be made to prevent them.
Effects of Acute Digitalization on the Pulmonary Blood Volume in Patients with Heart Disease

Basic hemodynamic data and the pulmonary blood volume (PBV) were determined in 23 patients before and after intravenous administration of acetyl strophanthidin during right and left heart catheterization. These patients were divided into two groups depending upon whether or not digitalization produced a significant fall in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LV D ). Group I consisted of 11 patients who manifested a significant decrease in LV D , while in group II no change was noted after digitalization. In both groups, a significant rise in LV stroke volume, stroke work, and maximal rate of rise of LV systolic pressure (dp/dt) was recorded. In group I, a significant decrease in the pulmonary vascular distending pressure (P d ) was accompanied by a decrease in PBV. In contrast, no change in P d or PBV was noted in the patients in group II. Changes in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were inconsistent. It is concluded that: (1) in patients of group I the concordant decrease in P d and PBV represented a passive effect on the pulmonary vascular bed mediated by improved LV performance and decrease in LV D ; (2) in patients of group II, despite evidence of significant positive inotropic effects on the left ventricle, the failure of LV D to fall prevented a decrease in P d and PBV; (3) no evidence of active vasomotor effects of acetyl strophanthidin in the lung could be demonstrated. Changes in PVR were capricious and not apparently useful in assessment of the presence or absence of pulmonary vasomotor effects induced by digitalis. The results of this study differ from the findings of other investigators in cardiac patients and experimental animals. Some of the differences may be attributed to different experimental methods and to species variation in vascular reactivity. Also, the findings in this report contrast with those previously reported for isoproterenol and aminophylline, agents that produce both positive inotropic effects on the heart and active vasomotion in the pulmonary circulation.
Color of Fluorescent Paints

Twelve commonly used fluorescent paints were measured visually on a six-primary Donaldson colorimeter while being irradiated in turn by natural daylight from a north sky and artificial daylight—represented by Source C and by a high-pressure xenon arc. The results show that, for the most part, the xenon arc gives a better rendition of the samples than Source C as compared with natural daylight of the same correlated color temperature. However, the luminance factors of the samples obtained with the xenon arc are consistently higher than those obtained with equivalent natural daylight. In this respect Source C has a better agreement with natural daylight. Different fluorescent samples show different effects under the various sources of daylight. Deep red, orange, and pure yellow samples are only affected slightly by changing from one source to another. The chromaticity coordinates of the magenta, blue, and white samples depend strongly upon the source, and the ultraviolet content of the spectrum of the source often plays an important part in determining the chromaticity coordinates and luminance factors of these samples.
Bacteremia after Esophageal Dilation: A Clinical and Experimental Study

Patients with esophageal stricture caused by caustic ingestion, reflux esophagitis, or esophageal anastomosis often require repeated dilation. These patients frequently have a short febrile course after dilation. After development of brain abscess following esophageal dilation in 1 patient, positive blood cultures were obtained in 4 patients immediately following esophageal dilation. Caustic strictures were produced in cats and esophageal dilations performed. Blood cultures were positive at one minute after dilation in 6 cats and at five minutes in 2 of those cats. The organism responsible in all clinical and three of four experimental examples was Staphylococcus aureus. It is suggested on the basis of this clinical and experimental data that patients undergoing esophageal dilation should have prophylactic coverage if they are immunosuppressed, if endocarditis prophylaxis is necessary, if they are infants, if they are diabetic, or if they had severe bacteremia following dilation.
Female tourists casual sex and HIV risk in Costa Rica.

This paper describes the involvement of young female tourists who visit rural Costa Rica with gringueros (i.e., local men who actively seek relationships with foreign women), and explores the implications of these relations, which gringueros see as outlets for sexual adventure, for sexual behaviors that could contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS. The findings highlight the need to use tourism-related locales to implement HIV/AIDS awareness strategies targeted at women tourists, gringueros, and other local youth.
Identification of patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory tract infections at greatest risk of infection with carbapenem-resistant isolates.

Objective. To create a clinical tool based on institution-specific risk factors to estimate the probability of carbapenem resistance among Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates obtained from infected patients. By better estimating the probability of carbapenem resistance on the basis of patient-specific factors, clinicians can refine their empirical therapy for P. aeruginosa infections and potentially maximize clinical outcomes by increasing the likelihood of appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy. Design. A retrospective, cross-sectional study. Setting. Tertiary care academic hospital. Patients. All adult inpatients who had a respiratory tract infection due to P. aeruginosa between January 2001 and June 2005. Intervention. Data on demographic characteristics, antibiotic history, and microbiology were collected. Log-binomial regression was employed to identify predictors of carbapenem resistance among P. aeruginosa isolates and to devise the clinical prediction tool. Results. Among 351 patients with P. aeruginosa infection, 44% were infected with carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa strains. Independent predictors of carbapenem resistance were prior receipt of mechanical ventilation for 11 days or more, prior exposure to fluoroquinolones for 3 days or more, and prior exposure to carbapenems for 3 days or more. Conclusions. With carbapenem resistance rates among P. aeruginosa isolates on the rise at our institution, the challenge was to identify patients for whom carbapenems would remain an effective empirical agent, as well as the patients at greatest risk for infection with carbapenem-resistant strains. The clinical prediction tool accurately estimated carbapenem resistance among this risk-stratified cross-sectional study of patients with P. aeruginosa infection. This tool may be an effective way for clinicians to refine their selection of empirical antibiotic therapy and to maximize clinical outcomes by increasing the likelihood of appropriate antibiotic treatment.
Power capability limits of power MOSFET devices

Abstract With technology progression, power capability becomes a more critical concern in optimizing power device designs in various smart power IC applications. Interaction between the electrical and thermal entities is essential in understanding the power capability limit of the semiconductor devices in both transient and steady-state operations. This paper reports the fundamental mechanisms of the electrical–thermal coupling process during power dissipation and the characteristics of the power capability limits of the power MOSFET devices from the scope of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect the power capability. An electrothermally driven snapback breakdown is discussed in detail to investigate the physical mechanism of the power capability limits of an LDMOS power transistor. Both simulation and experimental results are in good agreement, indicating that the electrothermal snapback breakdown would occur at lower junction temperature than the intrinsic junction temperature.
On the Construction of Male Differences Marketing Variations in Technosemen

While many feminist scholars have investigated the hierarchical ranking of differences between men and women in both empirical and theoretical work, differences among men have received less analysis. This article examines the epistemological creation of male differences through analysis of data from semen banks' donor catalogues. Using methods of content and discourse analysis, the authors interpret the ways in which men are advertised to be different from one another. Through marketing semen and thus constructing men, semen banks diversify their merchandise and offer consumers interesting ways to select masculinity. In conclusion, the authors speculate on the effects of semen bank strategies on our concepts of masculinity and notions of reproduction.
Hierarchical Structure and Gender Dissimilarity in American Legal Labor Markets

Research on inequality in the legal profession underemphasizes the macro-level factors that structure legal work. This paper introduces two measures that characterize local legal labor markets. The index of gender dissimilarity is the proportion of women required to move into the private law firm sector from the public sector to create gender balance. The index of hierarchical market structure is defined by a concentration of elite law graduates, highly leveraged law firms, lucrative billings, and corporate clients. Women’s salaries increase more rapidly than men’s in these markets, yet men continue to out-earn women. Furthermore, HLM models indicate that in labor markets with greater gender dissimilarity, women’s wages are significantly depressed. We explain this in terms of mechanisms of opportunity hoarding and exploitation (Tilly 1998).
“Reflections of Yesterday”: George H. W. Bush's Instrumental Use of Public Opinion Research in Presidential Discourse

This essay employs archival data and myriad interviews with principals from the Bush administration to explore how George Herbert Walker Bush used public opinion research in the pro cess of rhetorical invention throughout his presidency. The author argues that Bush's aversion to political marketing, disdain for rhetoric, and bifurcation between campaigning and governance cre ated a president whose instrumental poll usage for rhetorical purposes was much less than his prede cessor, and intentionally so.
Pre-anesthetic meperidine: associated vomiting and gastroesophageal reflux during the subsequent anesthetic in dogs.

Abstract Objective To determine the effect of meperidine administered prior to anesthesia on the incidence of vomiting before, and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and regurgitation during, the subsequent period of anesthesia in dogs. Study design Randomized, controlled trial. Animals A total of 60 healthy dogs, 4.3 ± 2.3 years old, and weighing 35.5 ± 13.1 kg. Methods Dogs were admitted to the study if they were healthy, had no history of vomiting, and were scheduled to undergo elective orthopedic surgery. The anesthetic protocol used was standardized to include thiopental and isoflurane in oxygen. Dogs were randomly selected to receive one of the following pre-medications: morphine (0.66 mg kg−1 IM) with acepromazine (0.044 mg kg−1 IM), meperidine (8.8 mg kg−1 IM) with acepromazine (0.044 mg kg−1 IM) or meperidine alone (8.8 mg kg−1 IM). A sensor-tipped catheter was placed to measure esophageal pH during anesthesia. Gastro-esophageal reflux was judged to have occurred if there was a decrease in esophageal pH below four or an increase above 7.5. Results No dogs vomited after the administration of meperidine, but 50% of dogs vomited after the administration of morphine. When compared with morphine, treatment with meperidine alone or combined with acepromazine before anesthesia was associated with a 55% and 27% reduction in absolute risk of developing GER, respectively. Dogs receiving meperidine alone were significantly less sedate than other dogs in the study, and required more thiopental to induce anesthesia. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly different between groups at the start of the measurement period. Cutaneous erythema and swelling were evident in four dogs receiving meperidine. Conclusions and Clinical relevance Administration of meperidine to healthy dogs prior to anesthesia was not associated with vomiting and tended to reduce the occurrence of GER, but produced less sedation when compared with morphine. Meperidine is not a useful addition to the anesthetic protocol if prevention of GER is desired.