cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phentermine + fenfluramine produce cocaine-like discriminative cues

Drug discrimination studies were conducted in six male Sprague-Dawley rats trained to discriminate the interoceptive cues produced by 10 mg/kg cocaine in an effort to investigate if there is stimulus generalization to phentermine or phentermine + fenfluramine. Once having reached criterion performance, these rats were tested with lower doses of cocaine and generated a typical dose-response curve allowing for calculation of an ED50 value: 2.798 mg/kg. Testing of phentermine in doses of 1.25-5.0 mg/kg indicated generalization with the highest dose producing 80% cocaine-appropriate responding and allowing for an ED50 value of 2.356 mg/kg. When the phentermine doses were tested in combination 2.0 mg/kg fenfluramine, however, there was an increase in the discriminability of the highest phentermine dose and a slight decrease in the ED50 value of the combination. Thus, administration of phentermine + fenfluramine, having both dopamine-releasing and serotonin-releasing properties, respectively, may mimic the neurochemical activity by which cocaine acts in the central nervous system and may possibly allow for cocaine-like effects as these two drugs see increased use in obesity control.
Would You Adopt Second Life as a Training and Development Tool

A survey of perceptions of Second Life as a training and development tool indicates that its use is still in the early stages of the adoption curve. Moreover, professionals who are familiar with it do not typically express the same enthusiasm for it as media reports seem to indicate.
Olfactory neuroblastoma—A clinical analysis of 17 cases

Seventeen patients with olfactory neuroblastoma seen at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary from 1941 to 1971 are presented. Data on age, sex, symptoms, physical, and roentgenographic findings, and therapeutic results are evaluated. A system of pretherapy staging is proposed in which for Group A, the tumor is limited to the nasal cavity; in group B, the tumor is localized to the nasal acvity and paranasal sinuses; and in group C, the tumor extends beyond the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Olfactory neuroblastoma is a radioresponsive, and, to a limited extent, radiocurable tumor and varies in aggressiveness. Of 17 patients in this series, 13 or 76% were alive without disease following treatment by surgery, irradiation, and combination of these two methods. Uncontrolled primary lesions with or without metastases accounted for all therapeutic failures. A treatment policy for this disease is presented.
Appendix C— Notes on the hydrology of limestone Terranes

There is a considerable revival of interest in matters relating to ground-water behavior in limestone. Solubility of limestone and the behavior of calcium-carbonate solutions have been discussed in three papers which have come to my attention, and these are: C. S. Adams and A. C. Swinnerton, Solubility of limestone, Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 18th Annual Meeting, pp. 504–508, 1937. Edward Steidtmann, Humidity and waters of a limestone cavern near Lexington, Virginia, Virginia Geol. Sur. Bull. 46, pp. 35–47, 1936—not distributed until 1937. Andrew Van Hook, The rate of adjustment of calcium bicarbonate solutions, J. Geol., v. 45, pp. 784–789, 1937. Also three papers dealing with the physiography of limestone terranes have appeared as follows: Robert A. Lawrence, Sink-holes of the Cumberland Plateau, J. Geol., v. 45, pp. 214–215, 1937. A. C. Swinnerton, Structural control of the form and distribution of sink-holes, Science, v. 85, pp. 218–219, 1937. Frank J. Wright, Natural Bridge of Virginia, Virginia Geol. Sur. Bull. 46, pp. 52–79, 1937 (reprinted with slight revisions from Denison Univ. Bull., J. Sci. Laboratories, v. 29, pp. 73–101, 1934).
ACP Journal Club. Review: Immediate routine lumbar-spine imaging does not improve clinical outcomes in low-back pain.

Source Citation Chou R, Fu R, Carrino JA, Deyo RA. Imaging strategies for low-back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2009;373:463-72. 19200918
Confidence of ophthalmology residents in obtaining informed consent.

Ophthalmology residents often obtain informed consent for common procedures. In this study, we set out to determine the confidence levels among ophthalmology residents who obtain informed consent. An anonymous online survey was distributed to United States ophthalmology residents across the country. Ninety-five residents participated, evenly distributed geographically and by postgraduate year (PGY). Residents were frequently obtaining consent for procedures despite not being comfortable doing so. Only 18% of residents reported that they always felt comfortable with the informed consent process. Comfort level increased significantly with PGY ( P P = .032). Of the residents surveyed, 76% indicated a desire for more formal training in the consent process. Most residents would welcome an informed-consent formal training curriculum, which would address 5 of the 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies and meet resident milestones in the Next Accreditation System. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
On a Chip

Biological or biomedical microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS) are poised to have a significant impact on clinical and biomedical applications. These devices-also termed lab-on-chip or point-of-care (POC) sensors-rep- resent a significant opportunity in various patient-centric settings, including at home, at the doctor's office, in ambulances on the way to the hospital, in emergency rooms (ERs), at the hospital bedside, in rural and global health settings, and in clinical or commercial diagnostic laboratories. The potential impact of these technologies on the early diagnosis and management of disease can be very high for sensing and reporting on parameters ranging from physiological to biomolecular. As health-care delivery and management be- come increasingly personalized and individualized and as genomic, proteomic, and metabolic technologies unravel the human genetic and epigenetic dispositions to disease, detection of multiple markers (at any of the Omics scale) at an individualized level to assess the state of health and disease will become even more important.
Microstructure analysis of samples sintered at different gravitational conditions

Tungsten heavy alloy samples liquid phase sintered under normal gravity and microgravity conditions are examined in this study for microstructure, phase, grain orientation, and lattice misorientation comparison. The focus is on understanding gravitational effects on the microstructure evolution as a function of location in the samples sintered using different holding times. This analysis shows that gravity has sub-grain level effects. The main differences are observed at the grain boundaries and in the relative orientation of the touching grains. Microgravity sintering is conducive for solid grain rotation into low lattice misorientation angle arrangement and potentially coalescence.
The Political Climate for Climate Science

Changing the Atmosphere: Expert Knowledge and Environmental Governance. Edited by Clark A. Miller, Paul N. Edwards. Cambridge. MA: The MIT Press, 2001. 375 pp., $67.00 cloth (ISBN: 0-262-13387-3), $26.95 paper (ISBN: 0-262-63219-5). How has scientific knowledge shaped the development of the global climate regime, and how has that regime shaped the production of scientific knowledge? These are the two interrelated questions posed by the contributors to Changing the Atmosphere . Their answers result in a fascinating account of the coproduction of science and politics—conceived in both substantive and organizational terms—as these two forces interact in the ongoing effort to understand and regulate anthropogenic climate change. Clark Miller and Paul N. Edwards's excellent introduction to the volume sets the stage for this discussion. Thereafter, three chapters look specifically at the politics and science of computer modeling. In the first, Paul Edwards argues that modeling is inherently political because it is a means by which atmospheric scientists engage in “world building.” World building is the representation of the global climate, and the role of human activity in it, with the aim of influencing the policymaking process. Moreover, Edwards argues, this world building process is unavoidably subjective. Given incomplete data, limitations in computational power, and the desire to make models understandable and persuasive to those outside the modeling community, modelers must choose which parameters to include and which to exclude. They must decide which to simplify and which to render in more detail. Finally, they must determine what values to assign to the parameters selected. The alternative, he argues, is not objective modeling, but no modeling at all. This conclusion is echoed in Stephen D. Norton and Frederick Suppe's defense of atmospheric modeling's epistemological underpinnings. Simon Shackley takes Edwards' argument one step farther, asserting that climate models are inherently political, even if the modeler's goals are not. Shackley examines the political consequences of competing epistemic “lifestyles” within the modeling community. An epistemic lifestyle is the broad intellectual, cultural, and organizational setting in which a given …
The post-platelet 100,000 count: effects of platelet collection and future.

Currently, the majority of platelets transfused in the United States are collected by apheresis. The recent Food and Drug Administration guidance document published maintains that a postdonation platelet count for a donor remain >100,000/μL. During apheresis procedures, platelets are released from the splenic pool into circulation. This allows for higher postdonation platelet counts than anticipated. Some current plateletpheresis instruments take this into account when determining a safe product to be collected. On other instruments, the software does not allow for this correction. This may impact collections, but is expected to be resolved with a software update. J. Clin. Apheresis, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Teaching beginning group therapists to incorporate a patient's empathic capacity in treatment planning

The author suggests that a focus on a patient's empathic capacity helps the supervision and teaching of beginning group therapists. The paper describes a promising working model to present in class or in supervision for assessing the level of empathic ability manifested by a prospective or current group member. In addition, ways of using this data for treatment planning are described and illustrated by a case example.
The temperature and pressure dependence of the normal fraction of superfluid3He-B

Measurements have been made of the normal fluid fraction of superfluid3He-B at eight different pressures between 0 and 29.2 bar. The minimum temperatures were such that ρn/ρ was reduced to less than 0.5%. The experiments, carried out independently at Cornell and Texas A&M Universities, used similar Andronikashvilli-type torsional oscillators. The results are qualitatively similar, but show significant differences due to the use of different temperature standards. Both sets of results are presented in tabular form. The inconsistencies in the temperature scales preclude the examination of the results for possible strong coupling effects.
The hydrolysis of rac-glycerol 1-monodecanoate by serum butyryl cholinesterase

Butyryl cholinesterase from horse and human sera catalyzed the hydrolysis of monoacylglycerols containing fatty acids varying in chain length from 8 to 12 carbons; maximum activity was obtained with rac-glycerol 1-monodecanoate as substrate. Neither the triacylglycerols of these fatty acids nor the monoacylglycerols of longer chain length fatty acids were hydrolyzed at measurable rates in the system used. The enzyme was eserine sensitive and indistinguishable from butyryl cholinesterase as judged by purification, response to the several inhibitors tested, and heat inactivation. Data from mixed substrate experiments suggest a possible effector role for butyryl choline in accelerating the rate of rac-glycerol 1-monodecanoate hydrolysis. Fatty acid released during the course of rac-glycerol 1-monodecanoate hydrolysis may irreversibly inactivate the enzyme.
A hydrogen-actuated pump

Abstract Hydrogen is used as the motive fluid in a novel water pump. The principle of operation of the pump is that a metal hydride may be heated to decompose the hydride thus producing a metal alloy and hydrogen at elevated pressure. The high pressure hydrogen expands as it moves a flexible but impermeable diaphragm to produce a displacement capable of doing work. When the metal alloy powder is cooled the hydrogen is reabsorbed at the low (or expanded) pressure to return the system to its original condition. A laboratory prototype pump is shown and its thermal efficiency is discussed. In practice, the laboratory prototype has a thermal efficiency of 2.4% and with simple design improvements is calculated to be capable of an efficiency of 5%. This compares well with actual Rankine engines which have an efficiency of 5% under similar operating conditions. An efficient metal hydride pump (or engine) may be designed which uses a relatively small temperature gradient between the heat source and the heat sink (80 °C and 20 °C respectively). The basic simplicity of the hydride engine and its ability to operate efficiently at modest temperatures allows ordinary equipment and ordinary technology to be employed. Also, the energy sources to power this engine may be low temperature heat sources such as flat-plate solar collectors or waste process heat.
Kinetic study of the living cationic polymerization of isobutylene using t-Bu-m-DCC/TICL4/2,4-dimethylpyridine initiating system

Kinetics of the living cationic polymerization of isobutylene, initiated by the system t-bu-m-DCC/TiCl4/2,4-dimethylpyridine (2,4-DMP), were studied as a function of concentration of the various components of the initiation system, solvent polarity, and presence of the protic acid scavenger, 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (DTBP). Under a variety of conditions, the effective number of growing chains in a given polymerization remained constant and Mn increased linearly with monomer conversion. The system was found to yield an essentially homogeneous reaction mixture in hexanes/methyl chloride cosolvents, with only a small amount of precipitate, probably 2,4-dimethylpyridinium salts resulting from proton scavenging by the tertiary amine. It was found that increasing [TiCl4] strongly increased the rate while increasing [2,4-DMP] weakly decreased the rate. Evidence of a retardation of the polymerization rate by the soluble TiCl4:2,4-DMP complex was observed. The addition of DTBP as a protic acid scavenger, with or without 2,4-DMP, very weakly decreased the rate of polymerization. Increasing the fraction of methyl chloride in the solvent mixture caused an increase in the rate of polymerization. All of the results were consistent with a propagation mechanism in which an equilibrium exists between dormant and ionized, active chain ends.
Early empiric antibiotic use in preterm infants is associated with lower bacterial diversity and higher relative abundance of Enterobacter

Objectives To determine the impact of empiric ampicillin and gentamicin use in the first week of life on microbial colonization and diversity in preterm infants. Study design The 16s ribosomal DNA community profiling was used to compare the microbiota of 74 infants born ≤32 weeks gestational age by degree of antibiotic use in the first week of life. The degree of antibiotic use was classified as 0 days, 1-4 days, and 5-7 days of antibiotic administration. All of the antibiotic use was empiric, defined as treatment based solely on clinical suspicion of infection without a positive culture result. Results Infants who received 5-7 days of empiric antimicrobial agents in the first week had increased relative abundance of Enterobacter ( P = .016) and lower bacterial diversity in the second and third weeks of life. Infants receiving early antibiotics also experienced more cases of necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, or death than those not exposed to antibiotics. Conclusions Early empiric antibiotics have sustained effects on the intestinal microbiota of preterm infants. Intestinal dysbiosis in this population has been found to be associated with elevated risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, or death.
A highly selective Hsp90 affinity chromatography resin with a cleavable linker

Over 200 proteins have been identified that interact with the protein chaperone Hsp90, a recognized therapeutic target thought to participate in non-oncogene addiction in a variety of human cancers. However, defining Hsp90 clients is challenging because interactions between Hsp90 and its physiologically relevant targets involve low affinity binding and are thought to be transient. Using a chemo-proteomic strategy, we have developed a novel orthogonally cleavable Hsp90 affinity resin that allows purification of the native protein and is quite selective for Hsp90 over its immediate family members, GRP94 and TRAP 1. We show that the resin can be used under low stringency conditions for the rapid, unambiguous capture of native Hsp90 in complex with a native client. We also show that the choice of linker used to tether the ligand to the insoluble support can have a dramatic effect on the selectivity of the affinity media.
Visuomotor binding in older adults

Action integration is the process through which actions performed on a stimulus and perceptual aspects of the stimulus become bound as a unitary object. This process appears to be controlled by the dopaminergic system in the prefrontal cortex, an area that is known to decrease in volume and dopamine functioning in older adults. Although the decline should lead to reduced action integration in older adults, we found equivalent integration in both young and older adults. This indicates that older adults may be able to compensate for their dopaminergic deficiencies by activating additional neural networks that are not used by young adults.
Micro-Raman, SEM, XPS, and electron field emission characterizations of nitrogen-induced shallow defects on nanodiamond films fabricated with different growth parameters

Nitrogen-induced shallow defects on nanodiamond films have been systematically characterized as a function of growth parameters using micro-Raman, SEM, XPS, and field emission measurements. Distinct peaks indicating diamond and graphite phases were observed in the micro-Raman spectroscopy. The increased in peak intensity and peak shifts due to growth parameters including pressure, power, and nitrogen flow-rate were observed and explained. The electronic behavior is further supplemented with SEM and XPS studies. Finally, electron field emission measurement is used to verify the deduced findings. The result of this study indicates that depending on the growth conditions nitrogen can act as a shallow donor in nanodiamond due to the formation of shallow defects with effective work functions ranging between 0.023 eV and 0.045 eV, as deduced from field emission characteristics. The correlation of film morphologies, spectroscopic analysis and field emission measurements to the growth conditions provide a better understanding of the nitrogen-induced shallow defects on the electronic properties of nanodiamond films.
Cytochemical analysis on a case of familial 17ps

Chromosome 17ps was identified in the mother and daughter but not the father of a normal family with no history of congenital abnormality. In addition to G-band and Ag-NOR staining, previously used to study this abnormality, we applied N-band and C-band techniques. Our results showed that 17ps has no demonstrable ribosomal cistron or constitutive heterochromatin.
Dopaminergic involvement in the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine in rats.

Rationale: Dopamine plays a major role in the behavioral effects of methamphetamine. Objective: In the present experiments, the effects of different dopaminergic agonists, antagonists, and uptake inhibitors were evaluated in rats discriminating methamphetamine from saline. Methods: In Sprague-Dawley rats trained to discriminate 1.0 mg/kg methamphetamine, i.p., from saline under a fixed-ratio schedule of food delivery, the ability of various dopaminergic agonists and uptake inhibitors to substitute for methamphetamine was evaluated. Subsequently, the ability of various dopaminergic antagonists to block the discriminative-stimulus effects of the training dose of methamphetamine was tested. Results: The dopamine-uptake inhibitors cocaine (10.0 mg/kg), nomifensine (3.0 mg/kg), GBR-12909 (18.0 mg/kg), and bupropion (30.0 mg/kg) fully substituted for the 1.0 mg/kg training dose of methamphetamine. Chloro-APB (SKF-82958), a full agonist at D1 dopamine receptors, produced about 85% methamphetamine-appropriate responding, but the dose required (0.18 mg/kg) markedly decreased rates of responding. Chloro-PB (SKF-81297), another agonist at D1 receptors with a lower intrinsic activity than Chloro-APB, produced only partial generalization (maximum about 55%) at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg. Full substitution for the training dose of methamphetamine was observed with 0.03 mg/kg of the D2 agonist NPA and 0.56 mg/kg of the D3/D2 agonist 7-OH-DPAT. Both NPA and 7-OH-DPAT markedly decreased rates of responding at these doses. The D1 antagonist SCH-23390 (0.056 mg/kg), the D2 antagonist spiperone (0.18 mg/kg), and the mixed D1,D2 antagonist cis-flupenthixol (0.56 mg/kg) all completely blocked the discriminative-stimulus actions of the training dose of methamphetamine. Conclusions: The present findings in rats support previous research findings in other species indicating a major role of dopamine in the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine. These findings further indicate involvement of dopamine uptake sites as well as D1 and D2 receptors.
Prevention of the pro-aggressive effects of alcohol in rats and squirrel monkeys by benzodiazepine receptor antagonists

Pharmacological manipulations at the benzodiazepine-GABAA-chloride ionophore receptor complex modify some of the behavioral and physiological actions of alcohol (ethanol). The interactions between alcohol, benzodiazepines and aggression were examined in similar ethopharmacological studies in squirrel monkeys and in rats in confrontations with conspecifics. Dominant male squirrel monkeys were tested (1) within their social groups, and (2) in dyadic confrontations with "rival" males from a different social group, and resident male rats were tested in their home cage in confrontations with an inexperienced male intruder. Low doses of alcohol (0.1-0.3 g/kg) increased aggressive behaviors in dominant squirrel monkeys and a subgroup of resident rats, whereas high doses of alcohol (1-3 g/kg) decreased aggression and produced marked motor incoordination. Individuals that showed alcohol-enhanced aggression were selected, and pretreated with benzodiazepine antagonists (flumazenil, ZK 93426) prior to alcohol administration. Both ZK 93426 (3 mg/kg) and flumazenil (10 mg/kg) blocked the aggression-enhancing effects of alcohol in dominant squirrel monkeys and resident rats in confrontations with conspecifics. Neither compound altered the reductions in aggression and increases in inactivity produced by high doses of alcohol. Interestingly, agonist-like increased feeding and inverse agonist-like reductions in social behaviors were observed simultaneously at the same dose of flumazenil, in the same individual and testing situation. ZK 93426 did not alter feeding but also reduced social behaviors. The two antagonists were also not equipotent in their interactions with alcohol. ZK 93426 reduced alcohol-induced motor incoordination in squirrel monkeys, whereas flumazenil did not. In fact, flumazenil potentiated the effects of low doses of alcohol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Structure and dynamics of graphite intercalation compounds

Invited paper The lamellar compounds of monatomic alkali-layers intercalated in graphite provide a unique system to study the relation between low-dimensional intercalate structure and dynamics. Recent inelastic and quasi-elastic neutron scattering studies of the vibrational excitations and diffusional motion in stage 1 and 2 compounds are reviewed. In stage 2 compounds, these studies revealed an unusual coexistence of solid and liquid-like dynamical behavior of the akali layers, indicating a smooth transition from a low temperature domain-discommensuration structure to a high temperature isotropic fluid.
Long-term outcome of transcatheter coil closure of small to large patent ductus arteriosus.

Coil closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) has become an accepted alternative to surgical closure in most pediatric cardiac centers. However, little is known about the mid-to long-term outcome of this procedure. Therefore, we evaluated the immediate, short-, and long-term outcome of transcatheter coil closure (TCC) of PDA using single or multiple Gianturco coils or the Gianturco-Grifka Vascular Occlusive Device (GGVOD). One hundred forty-nine patients underwent an attempt at TCC of their PDAs at a median age of 2.4 years (2 weeks to 55 years) and median weight of 13.5 kg (2.3-87 kg). There were 33 patients 4 mm. A 4 Fr catheter was used for coil deployment in 136 patients, a 3 Fr in 4, and an 8 Fr in 4 patients who received the GGVOD. A single coil was used in 77 patients and multiple coils (2-6) were used in 66 patients. One hundred forty-six patients had successful closure (142 had immediate complete closure and 4 had residual shunt), 3 patients failed the initial attempt (2 underwent surgical ligation and 1 had a successful second attempt a year later). Of the four patients with residual shunt, three underwent a second procedure with implantation of 1-3 coils resulting in complete closure in all and one patient had spontaneous resolution of the residual shunt. Complications were encountered in nine patients: six had coil migration with successful retrieval in four; two had left pulmonary artery stenosis (2.4 kg and 6.3 kg infants), and one patient had loss of femoral arterial pulse. The median fluoroscopy time was 16 min (2-152 min). One hundred forty-two patients had the procedure as an outpatient, five patients stayed greater than 24 hr, and two of these patients were in hospital for 1 month for noncardiac reasons. At a median follow-up interval of 3.0 years (1 month to 5.1 years), there were no episodes of delayed coil migration, delayed recanalization, thromboembolic episodes, or bacterial endocarditis. Lung perfusion scans performed at a median follow-up interval of 1.6 years in 31 patients who received multiple coils revealed 45% +/- 5% blood flow to the left lung. Long-term follow-up of coil closure of PDA indicates that the technique is safe and effective for most patients with PDA up to a diameter of 7 mm.
Pastoral care and counseling with the chronically ill

The increasing prevalence of chronic illness and chronic pain problems offers a challenge to pastors and churches. In this paper, notions of surplus suffering and disability are discussed, misconceived rules and expectations characterized, and strategies for helping chronic patients and their families described.
Diversity based on race, ethnicity, and sex, of the US radiation oncology physician workforce.

Purpose To assess the current diversity of the US radiation oncology (RO) physician workforce by race, ethnicity, and sex. Methods and Materials Publicly available American Medical Association, American Association of Medical Colleges, and US census registries were used to assess differences by race, ethnicity, and sex for 2010 among RO practicing physicians, academic faculty, residents, and residency applicants. RO resident diversity was compared to medical school graduates and medical oncology (MO) fellows. Significant differences in diversity of RO residents by race, ethnicity, and sex were evaluated between 2003 and 2010 academic years. Results Females and traditionally underrepresented minorities in medicine (URM), blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders are underrepresented as RO residents (33.3% and 6.9%, respectively), faculty (23.8%, 8.1%), and practicing physicians (25.5%, 7.2%) levels compared with the US population (50.8%, 30.0%; P P P Conclusions Females and URM are underrepresented in the RO physician workforce. Given existing cancer disparities, further research and efforts are needed to ensure that the field is equipped to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse society.
Thrombolysis of acute or subacute nonembolic arterial thrombosis.

The cause of arterial occlusion in patients with peripheral arterial disease is usually atherosclerosis. However, arterial thrombosis is at times associated with the intrinsic arterial disease. Progressive arterial stenosis by atherosclerosis may cause decreased arterial flow and eventual intra-arterial thrombosis. This is manifested clinically as an acute or subacute exacerbation of chronic arterial insufficiency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capability of thrombolysis by Streptokinase in acute or subacute exacerbations of chronic arterial occlusive disease by randomized single-blind comparison to standard anticoagulant therapy.
Induction of UCP2 gene expression by LPS: a potential mechanism for increased thermogenesis during infection.

UCP2 has been proposed to regulate thermogenesis and energy expenditure. To identify potential mechanisms underlying the increased energy expenditure and heat production during infection, we investigated whether LPS and cytokines might increase UCP2 mRNA levels in mice. LPS (100 micrograms, i.p.) increased the expression of UCP2 mRNA in liver (28-fold) and muscle and white adipose tissue (5-fold). In liver, both IL-1 beta (1 microgram, i.p.) and TNF (5 micrograms, i.p.) increased UCP2 mRNA levels, 4- and 3-fold respectively, whereas in muscle and fat tissue, an increase was detectable after TNF, but not IL-1 beta. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg, i.p.) administered immediately before LPS markedly reduced (70%) the ability of LPS to increase UCP2 mRNA in liver, but not in muscle or adipose tissue. These results suggest a role for UCP2 in the heat production and increased energy expenditure that occurs during infection.
Using Partitioning Alcohol Tracers To Estimate Hydrophobicity of High Molecular Weight LNAPLs

Partitioning alcohol tracers were evaluated for characterizing the hydrophobicity of high molecular weight light, nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs). Alcohol partitioning coefficients were found to decrease with increasing n-alkane molecular size. It is hypothesized that this decrease in partitioning coefficient is due to a decreased entropy of mixing. A thermodynamic model and an empirical model were used for fitting alcohol partitioning coefficients for n-alkanes ranging from hexane to hexadecane. The resulting expressions were further evaluated for characterizing equally and more hydrophobic oils of unknown equivalent alkane carbon number (EACN), including squalane (expected EACN of 24-30), and lower EACN oils (3.0-20), including PCE (EACN ∼ 3.0). Good agreement was observed for all the high EACN oils and for PCE. The agreement becomes progressively poorer as the EACN decreases below 3.0, illustrating the danger of extrapolating well beyond the range of data used to develop an empirical relationship. Based on our results we propose that simultaneously using the thermodynamic and empirical models can further characterize a NAPL based on a single partitioning tracer test.
Reading between the lines: Event-related brain potentials during natural sentence processing ☆

Abstract Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from subjects as they silently read 160 different seven-word sentences, presented one word at a time. Each sentence was in itself a natural, meaningful phrase. Substantial intersubject variability was observed in the ERP waveshapes following the words. More than half of the subjects generated P3 components to word stimuli, but those who did showed similar responses to repeated control presentations of a single word. In addition, it was found that all but the first word in the sentence elicited an ERP with a significant left-greater-than-right asymmetry in the late positivity over temporo-parietal regions. The ERPs to the last words were associated with more late positivity than those to the preceding words. One quarter of the sentences, at random, ended with a word printed in a typeface that was different from that of the preceding words. This infrequent change in typeface elicited a complex ERP having three consistent late positive components.
Circadian Clock and Stress Interactions in the Molecular Biology of Psychiatric Disorders

Many psychiatric disorders are characterized by circadian rhythm abnormalities, including disturbed sleep/wake cycles, changes in locomotor activity, and abnormal endocrine function. Animal models with mutations in circadian "clock genes" commonly show disturbances in reward processing, locomotor activity and novelty seeking behaviors, further supporting the idea of a connection between the circadian clock and psychiatric disorders. However, if circadian clock dysfunction is a common risk factor for multiple psychiatric disorders, it is unknown if and how these putative clock abnormalities could be expressed differently, and contribute to multiple, distinct phenotypes. One possible explanation is that the circadian clock modulates the biological responses to stressful environmental factors that vary with an individual's experience. It is known that the circadian clock and the stress response systems are closely related: Circadian clock genes regulate the physiological sensitivity to and rhythmic release of glucocorticoids (GC). In turn, GCs have reciprocal effects on the clock. Since stressful life events or increased vulnerability to stress are risk factors for multiple psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD), alcohol use disorder (AUD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), we propose that modulation of the stress response is a common mechanism by which circadian clock genes affect these illnesses. Presently, we review how molecular components of the circadian clock may contribute to these six psychiatric disorders, and present the hypothesis that modulation of the stress response may constitute a common mechanism by which the circadian clock affects multiple psychiatric disorders.
Excitation function of the N14(p, n)O14 total cross section from threshold to 12 MeV

Abstract The excitation function of the total N14(p, n)O14 cross section from threshold to 12 MeV was obtained by measuring the activation of O14. The threshold was determined to be 6.345±0.015 MeV. The excitation function rises smoothly from threshold up to about 8 MeV and then stays nearly constant up to 12 MeV, with indication of resonances at 7.5, 7.7, 7.95, 8.20, 9.05, 9.4 and 9.85 MeV. The 9.85 MeV resonance is relatively more pronounced than the others and has Γlab = 600±100 keV. Corresponding resonances in C12+He3 and N14+p due to the same states in O15 are evident. Using the same experimental arrangement the excitation function of the total C12(He3, n)O14 cross section from threshold to 3.5 MeV was also measured.
Multinational and International Regulation of Pharmaceuticals and US Policy

The availability world wide of safe and effective drugs requires the joint efforts of pharmaceutical manufacturers and national drug regulatory agencies. Communication and cooperation among these agencies and between national drug agencies and multinational organizations can facilitate the introduction of important new drugs and hasten the removal or restrictive labeling of drugs that are found to cause serious safety problems. Uniform regulatory requirements may be desirable from the point of view of efficiency; they could dramatically increase the speed by which new drugs are introduced and new drug technology transfers from country to country. Such a goal is Utopian, however. Each sovereign nation has its own national health policies and needs that must be considered in its drug regulatory program. Effective communication among regulatory agencies brings the facts of issues to bear quickly and permits each country to make its own decision on the issue with minimum delay. The Food and Drug Administratio...
Effects of examiner's location and subject's anxiety on gaze laterality.

Abstract Lateral eye movements were recorded electrically as 81 right-handed males were asked verbal and spatial questions. One group was questioned in a face-to-face situation; other subjects, who were assigned to high-anxiety or low-anxiety treatment groups, heard the same questions via tape recorder. Face-to-face interrogation yielded stereotypic eye movements and distinctive electro-oculographic patterns. These examiner location effects were independent of anxiety as defined by the experimental manipulation and subjective reports. Verbal questions elicited more lateral movements than did spatial questions, but a relationship between question category and lateral gaze direction was obtained only for subsets of questions.
Error correction for calibration and data reduction in rotating-polarizer ellipsometry: applications to a novel multichannel ellipsometer

Calibration and data-reduction procedures have been developed for use in rotating-polarizer ellipsometry. The procedures are demonstrated with a novel rotating-polarizer multichannel ellipsometer designed for real-time spectroscopic investigations of film growth, etching, and surface phenomena. This instrument employs a photodiode array detection system, permitting the collection of spectra from 1.5 to 4.5 eV with a maximum time resolution of 40 ms. Analyses of errors specific to the detection system, including nonlinearity and stray light, are outlined, and simple correction procedures are applied to calibrations and measurements. Source and polarization system imperfections are determined in expanded calibration procedures that are designed to provide polarizer phase and analyzer azimuth versus photon energy, corrected to first order in the imperfections. Two alternative approaches to calibration are demonstrated, depending on the value of the ellipsometric parameter Δ. Exact data-reduction equations are also derived to include source and polarization system imperfections in the calculation of (Ψ, Δ). Although the overall procedures can also be applied to ellipsometers with single-channel detection, the advantages of the multichannel ellipsometer for characterization and correction of systematic errors are apparent.
Lung biopsy for chronic pulmonary disease in children

Abstract Introduction and objectives Lung biopsy is frequently used in the management of children with chronic pulmonary disease to obtain a histological diagnosis. We further evaluate the role of lung biopsy by reviewing our experience of this procedure. Methods A retrospective case-note review was carried out of all patients in our regional service under 16 years who underwent a lung biopsy from 1998 to 2011. Results Thirty-three children (12 boys) (median 5 years 5 months, range 2 months to 16 years) underwent lung biopsy in the period studied. Following the procedure, 17 patients required ventilation on the intensive care unit for a median of two days (range 1–56 days). Complication rate was 30% (10/33); seven simple pneumothoraces, one tension pneumothorax, and one pneumonia (one child experienced more than one complication). The operative mortality was 12% (4/33). Three children (9%) died within 28 days of surgery. Twenty-six (79%) biopsies provided a definitive histological diagnosis. In 16 (48%) children, the working diagnosis and treatment were changed following lung biopsy. Conclusion Lung biopsy has an important role in the management of children with chronic pulmonary disease. However, it carries significant risks which must be considered when assessing the need for histological diagnosis.
The Effects of Computer Monitoring, Standards, and Rewards on Work Performance, Job Satisfaction, and Stress1

The effects of automated computer monitoring under different conditions of performance standards and reward were examined in two studies conducted in a simulated organization. In the first study, 37 computer operators were divided into six groups who worked for a 2-week period under different levels of performance standards. Individual keystrokes per hour and productive time was monitored by the computers for all of the groups (one group was a control group which was monitored but was unaware of the monitoring). Four of the six groups were assigned work standards, and performance against standards was also monitored for these four groups. Feedback reports on the monitored performance were available on demand at the individual consoles for those groups which were informed of the monitoring. The results showed that computer monitoring and feedback led to increased key rate compared to the control group which was not aware of monitoring. There was little effect of monitoring on work quality, satisfaction, and stress. In the second study, 24 operators worked for a 9-week period under various performance standards and rewards. Individual keystrokes per hour, productive time, and performance against standards were monitored by the computers for all workers. Feedback reports on performance against standards and rewards earned were available on demand at the individual consoles. The results revealed that the feedback from different combinations of standards and rewards had varying effects on performance, satisfaction, and stress. These effects, and the results from the first study, are discussed in terms of goal setting and expectancy theory.
Attention doesn’t slide: spatiotopic updating after eye movements instantiates a new, discrete attentional locus

During natural vision, eye movements can drastically alter the retinotopic (eye-centered) coordinates of locations and objects, yet the spatiotopic (world-centered) percept remains stable. Maintaining visuospatial attention in spatiotopic coordinates requires updating of attentional representations following each eye movement. However, this updating is not instantaneous; attentional facilitation temporarily lingers at the previous retinotopic location after a saccade, a phenomenon known as the retinotopic attentional trace. At various times after a saccade, we probed attention at an intermediate location between the retinotopic and spatiotopic locations to determine whether a single locus of attentional facilitation slides progressively from the previous retinotopic location to the appropriate spatiotopic location, or whether retinotopic facilitation decays while a new, independent spatiotopic locus concurrently becomes active. Facilitation at the intermediate location was not significant at any time, suggesting that top-down attention can result in enhancement of discrete retinotopic and spatiotopic locations without passing through intermediate locations.
Characteristics of impulsive VHF lightning signals observed by the FORTE satellite

[1] We study very high frequency (VHF) and optical emissions from lightning, observed by the FORTE satellite, differentiating between impulsive (transionospheric pulse pairs (TIPPs)) and nonimpulsive events. TIPPs are seen to constitute 47% of the FORTE VHF data but only 32% of the optically coincident data. The median peak optical irradiance of the optical emission associated with TIPPs is 916 μW/m2 at FORTE and for non-TIPPs is 195 μW/m2. The median effective pulse width of the optical signal from TIPPs is 658 μs, and it is 548 μs for non-TIPPs. In the VHF, both event types have similar observed peak powers (0.086 mV2/m2 and 0.089 mV2/m2, for TIPPs and non-TIPPs, respectively). The optically coincident lightning (of either type) is weaker in peak VHF emission than is the lightning that lacks coincident optical signals, although for non-TIPPs, the stronger the VHF peak, the more likely the event is to have a coincident optical signal. For TIPPs, however, this is true only for events with peak E2 < 0.1 mV2/m2. Above that threshold, TIPPs are increasingly less likely to show coincident optical emission with increasing VHF peak E2. For both TIPPs and non-TIPPs, the peak current reported by the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network™ and peak VHF power reported by FORTE are statistically proportional. The nature of the proportionality appears to depend upon the polarity of the discharge but not upon the event type. We also find that only 11% of TIPPs are associated with negative-polarity discharges, compared to 75% of non-TIPPs. Finally, we find that TIPPs arise from events with altitudes of 6–15 km, although we see optical coincidence only for those TIPPs occurring above ∼10 km.
Discord of measurements in assessing depression among African Americans with cancer diagnoses

This study examined the level of agreement among the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Observers' Rating on assessing depression of African American adults with cancer. A total of 75 breast and prostate cancer patients (57 African Americans and 18 Whites) were interviewed and administered the depression measures. Nonparametric tests were performed to examine the level of measurement agreement by group and the symptom items of CES-D, HAM-D and BDI-II to which African American patients responded differently across measures. The four measures showed agreement on approximately 75% of the cases in both racial groups. However, the difference between measures in identifying depressive cases is marked. The item analysis indicated that most measurement disagreements about African American patients occurred on two items: self-report of depression and sleeping disturbance. Measurement discord may be explaine...
Guaranteeing Lanekeeping Performance With Tire Saturation Using Computed Polynomial Lyapunov Functions

Lanekeeping assistance systems hold the promise to save thousands of lives every year by preventing unintended lane departure. The potential field lanekeeping assistance system assists the driver in the lanekeeping task by effectively placing the vehicle in an artificial potential well with minimum at lane center. Previous work mathematically guarantees the performance of the system in the linear region of tire forces, but no guarantees of performance or even stability exist for saturating tires. These guarantees are crucial to ensure safety when the vehicle speed is too high for a given turn or the friction coefficient of the road is low due to surface conditions. Here we explore ways to numerically find Lyapunov functions for a vehicle with lanekeeping assistance and realistic tires. First the nonlinearity is modeled as a sector bounded disturbance, and a Lyapunov function is found for all vehicle trajectories that fit this sector bounded disturbance. Next, a polynomial fit is performed on the HSRI tire model, and a Lyapunov function is found for these polynomial dynamics. Each of these approaches provide Lyapunov functions valid well into the nonlinear region.Copyright © 2005 by ASME