cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immune Cell and Other Noncardiomyocyte Regulation of Cardiac Hypertrophy and Remodeling

Cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling are pathological features of many cardiac diseases, with underlying causes including hypertension, cardiomyopathy, valvular dysfunction, and myocardial infarction. In these diseases, ventricular hypertrophy occurs in response to pathological stimuli such as pressure and volume overload, sarcomere gene mutations, and neurohumoral activation, and a major consequence of prolonged and uncontrolled hypertrophic remodeling is cardiac dysfunction, which can lead to heart failure or cardiac arrest resulting from arrhythmia. Despite the various pathological stimuli, there are many common features in the hypertrophic response in different cardiac diseases. In addition to increased cardiomyocyte mass, sarcomere rearrangement, and extracellular matrix deposition, other common features have recently been appreciated, including inflammatory signaling and immune cell activation. Numerous cell types are involved in orchestrating this complex pathological response. The heart consists of a heterogeneous population of cells, including cardiomyocytes and noncardiomyocytes, and it is now clear that intercellular signaling and communication between these cell types are critical in the pathophysiology of ventricular hypertrophy and remodeling (Figure 1). Figure 1. Overview of cardiomyocyte and noncardiomyocyte interactions during cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling. Cardiomyocytes respond to pathogenic stimuli by secreting inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs), which are recognized by local noncardiomyocyte cells. This induces activation and expansion of resident macrophages and fibroblasts and recruits bone marrow–derived immune cells from the circulation. Activated immune cells and fibroblasts secrete both prohypertrophic and profibrotic cytokines, which induce cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and promote fibroblast differentiation, matrix deposition, and interstitial fibrosis. ECM indicates extracellular matrix. Noncardiomyocytes display phenotypic changes during the development of cardiac hypertrophy. There is still much to be revealed about the specific roles of these cell types and their overall contribution to the hypertrophic response. Inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and neurohumoral factors such as …
Growth and fertility rates in the offspring of pregnant rats treated with L-ω nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide inhibitor

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to determine neonatal growth, fertility, and blood pressure for offspring of pregnant rats following in utero exposure to L-ω nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Study Design: Osmotic mini-pumps were inserted on day 14 of gestation during the index pregnancy to deliver L-NAME (50 mg/day/rat) or a placebo control continuously. Pup weights were obtained longitudinally until postnatal day 76. Systolic blood pressures were measured on postnatal days 29 and 44. At 11 weeks of age, groups of females and males (control and L-NAME–exposed in utero) were housed in pairs for 14 days; females were assessed for mating with a sperm positive vaginal flush and subsequent establishment of pregnancy. Pup weight and systolic blood pressure are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean and compared by using the unpaired t test. P Results: Pups born to L-NAME–treated mothers were significantly smaller than controls (5.2 ± 0.2 g and 6.5 ± 0.1 g, respectively; P P =.007 (control versus L-NAME females). Conclusion: The offspring of pregnant rats with in utero exposure to L-NAME (prolonged nitric oxide inhibition) exhibited decreased neonatal weight, postnatal growth, and fertility. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:89-93.)
α-Thio-APS: A Stereomechanistic Probe of Activated Sulfate Synthesis

Despite their broad application in the phosphoryl-transfer field, thio-nucleotides have not been available for the study of sulfate activation and transfer. There are two known forms of activated sulfate in the cell, APS (adenosine 5‘-phosphosulfate) and PAPS (3‘-phosphoadenosine 5‘-phosphosulfate). PAPS is the only known sulfuryl group donor in metabolism, and sulfuryl transfer is used widely to regulate metabolism. This study presents the first synthesis of a thio-nucleotide analogue of activated sulfate, APSαS ((Sp)- and (Rp)-adenosine 5‘-O-(1-thiophosphosulfate)). Two syntheses are described, one of which is a novel “one-pot” method that is general for the site-specific delivery of the sulfuryl group. Both epimers of APSαS were purified and their stereochemical configurations were assigned. These compounds were used to address several stereomechanistic issues in the APS-synthesis reaction catalyzed by yeast ATP sulfurylase (ATP:sulfate adenylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.4). The reaction is shown to proceed...
Pressure isotherms, phase transition, instability, and structure of tethered polymers in good, Θ, and poor solvents

The conformational and thermodynamic behavior of chain molecules tethered to a planar surface are studied for a variety of solvent qualities with a recently developed single‐chain mean‐field theory. The lateral pressure isotherms calculated from the theory for chains of n=50 segments show very good quantitative agreement with the recent molecular dynamics simulations of Grest, without the use of any adjustable parameter, for good and Θ solvents. The behavior of the pressure isotherms is analyzed in terms of a virial expansion and it is shown that the regimes where there is scaling of the pressure with surface coverage σ are very narrow for this chain length. Moreover, comparisons with analytical self‐consistent field (SCF) theory show good agreement only when the parabolic density profile is used in the full virial equation. In the bad solvent regime the pressure isotherms for grafted chains show negative values of the pressure and also a negative compressibility for some range of surface coverages for te...
Risk factors for male osteoporosis

Hypogonadism from long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), either by bilateral orchiectomy or administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, causes significant and accelerated bone loss that may increase the risk of bone fractures in men with prostate cancer. Recent reports, as well as new data from our institution, have shown a high prevalence of pre-existing osteopenia and osteoporosis in men with prostate cancer before receiving ADT, and this is of great concern because of the risk of further bone loss during ADT. Data from these studies suggest the urgent need for clinical guidelines for screening, prevention, and treatment of these cases. This article reviews the prevalence and risk factors associated with osteoporosis in men and addresses risk factors in men with prostate cancer not receiving ADT. Considerations for the patient selection and timing of bone densitometry will also be discussed.
An Antigen in Lesions of Molluscum Contagiosum

OUCHTERLONY'S technique of agar diffusion1 has made it possible to demonstrate the presence of certain viral antigens and antibodies not identifiable by other serological means. Datt and Orleans2, in 1958, found an antigenic substance common to vaccinia and pig pox; Taylor-Robinson and Rundle3 have demonstrated a common antigen in chicken pox and herpes zoster. These successes prompted a re-investigation of the antigenicity of molluscum contagiosum, a large virus that produces benign skin tumours in man.
The rise, fall, and transformation of overseas construction contracting

Abstract A transformed international industry for exporting construction services has emerged from events associated with the oil shocks of 1973–1983. The market is mainly in developing countries, but LDC contractors have themselves been last-in and first-out as exporters. State financial support in various forms best explains the rise of Japanese, French, and Italian exporters. Among the displaced were American firms, except perhaps temporarily for the largest whose scale and technological lead with data processing gave them enough flexibility to be vertically integrated in some fields and to specialize in other tasks as designers, construction managers, joint venture partners, and in other roles. They were no longer ordinary construction firms with some sites abroad.
Analysis of Flavonoids by HPLC: An Update

(1988). Analysis of Flavonoids by HPLC: An Update. Journal of Liquid Chromatography: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 309-325.
Altered proximal tubule glucose metabolism in X-linked hypophosphatemic mice.

In the present study we examined renal proximal tubule glucose metabolism in the X-linked hypophosphatemic (Hyp/Y) mouse. Compared to those in its normal (+/Y) littermate, Hyp/Y mouse proximal tubules showed a higher rate of glucose production when using glutamine or alpha-ketoglutarate as a substrate. The glucose production rate was not, however, different when using malate or fructose as the substrate. PTH stimulated glucose production in +/Y, but not Hyp/Y, mouse proximal tubules. The PTH resistance in Hyp/Y mouse involves steps at and post-cAMP formation, because in Hyp/Y mouse proximal tubules PTH effects a lesser stimulation of cAMP generation, and addition of 8-bromo-cAMP failed to increase the glucose production rate. The rate of glucose utilization as a whole was not different in the two groups, but the rate of glucose metabolized through the pentose cycle (PC) pathway was markedly lower in Hyp/Y mouse proximal tubules. The lower PC activity in Hyp/Y mouse proximal tubules did not result from a d...
Analysis of Cross-Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) Prelaunch Test Data

Analyses of Cross-track Infrared Sounder Engineering Development Unit data collected while in bench test and thermal vacuum conditions is presented. Focus is placed on accuracy of the sensor's spectral lineshape and spectral calibration determination.
Safety and danger valves: functional displacement in American anti-abortion terrorism

Anti-abortion extremism is difficult both to quantify and qualify due to its diverse nature and poor data availability. This article presents a relationship between all types of anti-abortion protest and relevant factors studied in previous research. In support of the “safety valve”, “general strain” and “substitution”, or “functional displacement” theories, this article concludes that anti-abortion protest rose and fell along a continuum of extremism in response to political frustrations. This article offers examples of how the matter can be more thoroughly and systematically analyzed.
A comparison of floral development in wild type and a homeotic sepaloid petal mutant of Clarkia tembloriensis (Onagraceae)

The mature wild type petals of Clarkia tembloriensis consist of a long slender claw and an expanded deltoid-shaped limb. They are pink, with a maroon spot at the base of the limb. Their surface texture is smooth. A variant of petal form, crinkled petal, occurs commonly in several natural populations of C. tembloriensis. The mature crinkled petals are elongated, greenish pink, and possess trichomes. They resemble the mature sepals of C. tembloriensis in general shape, color, and surface texture. Organ initiation and subsequent patterns of development of wild type petals, wild type sepals, and crinkled petals were examined and compared using scanning electron microscopy and allometric growth analysis. Crinkled petals are similar to wild type petals in time and position of primordia initiation, and in size and shape at inception. Crinkled petals are similar to wild type sepals in pattern of allometric growth. The crinkled petal mutant fits the broad definition of a homeotic mutant in that the petal has assumed characteristics of the sepal. Homeosis is defined as the development of a tissue or organ in an inappropriate position, taking the place of the tissue or organ that usually occupies that position (Bateson, 1894; Leavitt, 1905). The phenomenon of homeosis occurs widely in plants and has probably been of considerable importance to plant morphological diversification during evolution (Sattler, 1988). Homeosis generates diversity by rearragement of existing structures, and is known to occur in any part of the plant including flowers, floral organs, leaves, stems, roots, tendrils, or stipules (Sattler,
Nonrenal indications for continuous renal replacement therapy: A report from the Prospective Pediatric Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Registry Group.

Objective:Continuous renal replacement therapy is the most often implemented dialysis modality in the pediatric intensive care unit setting for patients with acute kidney injury. However, it also has a role in the management of patients with nonrenal indications such as clearance of drugs and interm
The borderland between benign and malignant surface epithelial ovarian tumors. Current controversy over the nature and nomenclature of “borderline” ovarian tumors

In the early 1970s, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted the terms borderline malignancy and carcinoma of low malignant potential in their classifications of surface epithelial tumors of the ovary in order to denote a subset of patients with a significantly more favorable prognosis than those with the usual surface epithelial carcinomas. Subsequently, a considerable clinicopathologic body of literature has arisen concerning borderline tumors, particularly the serous and mucinous types. Some of them, particularly advanced stage borderline tumors, have been purported to cause significant illness and death. However, some investigators have impugned their malignant nature, especially in Stage I disease, and blame the suggested poor prognosis in advanced cases on a paucity of accurate morbidity and mortality data and ambiguity in current histopathologic terminology ; to address the latter, they have proposed to remove any connotation of malignancy by replacing the aforementioned terms with designations such as atypical proliferating (serous or mucinous) tumor. Another soon-to-be proposed classification will use the terminology borderline tumors as a generic group without destructive invasion but with subdivisions into tumors with epithelial atypia and those with intraepithelial carcinoma. The clinical and therapeutic implications of accurate diagnosis of ovarian borderline tumors mandate additional investigation to elucidate their true prognosis ; indeed, further dialogue is necessary to arrive at a nosologic system to reflect that biologic behavior. However, until a consensus has been reached, the pathologic diagnosis should reflect, at some point, the currently sanctioned FIGO/WHO classification of surface epithelial ovarian tumors to obviate any misunderstanding that could lead to patient mismanagement.
Multiple X-ray emission components in low-power radio galaxies

We report x-ray observations of the first six sources observed with ROSAT in our study of low-power radio galaxies. Spatial and spectral measurements show that both resolved (thermal) and unresolved X-ray emission in a single source are typical, although the relative strength and size of the resolved component varies between objects. The unresolved X-ray component correlates well with the core radio emission and may be dominated by nonthermal emission associated with an inner radio jet.
Endogenous expenditures and student achievement

Abstract This study examines the effects of expenditures per pupil and expenditure-related variables on student achievement in Illinois. Particular attention is given to the endogenous relationship between expenditures and achievement. Demographic characteristics of a school district are used to identify two-stage least squares estimates of achievement. It is shown that expenditures per pupil and average teacher salary have modest positive effects on eighth grade test scores in mathematics.
Direct observation of scratching behavior in children with atopic dermatitis

This study examines scratching behavior in children with atopic dermatitis (AD). Thirty children with severe AD and one parent of each child were observed for a 10-minute observation period during a five-minute structured and five-minute unstructured task. Observers coded child and parent behaviors. Data analyses revealed that children engaged in more scratching behavior during the unstructured than structured task. Furthermore, regression analyses indicated that parent responses to scratching behavior in children were important predictors of scratching behavior even after controlling for demographic and medical status variables, such as serum IgE level and percentage of body area affected by AD. These results have important implications for health care professionals working with children who have AD. Suggestions for future behavioral treatment studies are discussed.
Losing a Giant’s Shoulders to Stand on: Will We Still be Able to See the Forest for the Trees?

Recently while sitting on a federal advisory committee charged with advising the Secretary of Health and Human Services on routinely collected health statistics, I discovered something quite surprising. The federal government does not measure on an ongoing basis our population’s level of happiness or emotional well-being. Even more surprising, the National Institute of Mental Health has a mission not to study how to keep us happy, but rather how to prevent and treat pathology. I remember that day trying to tell everyone who would listen that I thought this was absolutely crazy. That is when I realized, again, that if I was going to win this battle I needed to stand on a foundation of White male privilege that causes the masses to listen and take serious a call to action. George had many of the attributes that should have given him a tin ear. He was a White male, a past APA President, a former department chair with layers of privilege that could insulate him, if he chose, from the tsuris around him. But he was always happy to share his privilege in the name of a just public interest cause. The fact that George was the one individual who came to mind at that moment was not an accident. George was always a respected letter writer for tenure reviews of individuals whose work challenged mainstream psychology to be more responsive to racial or ethnic minorities. When we as women or racial/ethnic minorities wrote about these issues it was often seen as political and personal
The Effects of Three Prereading Activities on Learning Disabled Students' Reading Comprehension

This study examined the effects of three prereading activities on learning disabled children's reading comprehension. Thirty-six children classified as learning disabled participated. The three pre...
Characterization of linear and branched bis-β-diketone ligands

Abstract Two series of tetraketones, consisting of two β-diketone moieties linked through alkyl chains to form either linear or branched structures, were investigated as the parent compounds of potentially bis-chelating, dinegative ligands for metal ions. The dependence of their keto-enol and acid-ionization equilibria on the point of attachment and length of the connecting alkyl chain was established by potentiometric titration and spectroscopic techniques(infrared, ultraviolet, 1 H and 13 C NMR).
T cell activation in pediatric AIDS pathogenesis: three-color immunophenotyping.

Immune activation is an important component of HIV disease in adults that may reflect a protective host response and/or be a component of immunopathogenesis. The goals of this study were to gain understanding of T cell activation in pediatric HIV disease, to assess the usefulness of T cell activation markers as surrogates for disease progression and/or early identification of infection in infants at risk, and to determine any advantages of three- compared to two-color flow cytometric immunophenotyping for the above assessments. We examined the expression of cell-surface activation antigens on the CD4 and CD8 T cells of 26 HIV-infected and 40 HIV-seronegative age-matched control children. Compared with controls, HIV-infected children showed a slight but not significant decrease in the proportion of CD4 cells that coexpressed CD45RA and L-selectin (mean of 83 vs 75% for <2 years of age, 76 vs 62% for 2-3 years, 64 vs 56% for ⩾4 years). CD4 cells coexpressing CD38 and HLA-DR were significantly increased in HIV+ children (mean of 2 vs 6% for <2 years of age, 3 vs 11% for 2-3 years, 2 vs 8% for ⩾4 years). There was a striking and significant increase in the proportion of CD8 cells coexpressing CD38 and HLA-DR (mean of 5 vs. 25% for <2 years, 10 vs 41% for 2-3 years, 6 vs 31% for ⩾4 years); this double positive population of CD8 cells included cells that were approximately 1 log brighter for the expression of CD38 than for that of CD38 single-positive cells. There was a significant reduction in CD45RA+ CD8 cells (means of 92 vs 71% for <2 years of age, 88 vs 50% for 2-3 years, 80 vs 57% for ⩾4 years) and an increase in CD57+ CD8 cells (mean of 4 vs 8% for <2 years of age, 8 vs 22% for 2-3 years, 19 vs 31% for ⩾ 4 years) in HIV+ children. The inclusion of CD3 as an anchor marker for CD8 cell subsets to limit the analysis to CD3+ CD8 cells did not substantially alter the data nor enhance the differences between infected and control children compared with the analysis of all CD8 cells. The phenotypic alterations were not clear diagnostic markers of infection in young at-risk children, but may be useful in association with other laboratory or clinical information in the identification of infected P-0 children. T cell activation antigens also may serve as markers of disease progression in HIV+ children.
In Situ Conjugated Polyelectrolyte Formation

The synthesis and characterization of a conjugated polymer with a thienothiophene-bithiophene-backbone and its corresponding polyelectrolyte structure is described. The conjugated polyelectrolyte is obtained by common nucleophilic substitution in solution, as well as by exposure of films of the neutral precursor to trimethylamine gas. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis is used to determine the extent of conversion, at least within the top 10 nm of the film. Attempts to determine hole mobilities by using steady-state current−voltage (I−V) measurements using hole-only diodes containing the conjugated polyelectrolyte films give rise to light-emitting electrochemical behavior, indicating ion motion and/or redistribution within the films. The use of a pulsed I−V method operating at frequencies higher than the ion response times allows measurements of hole mobilities and suppresses ion motion. The reported mobilities are about 3 orders of magnitude higher than those reported for other thiophene-bas...
Simple Analytical Model of the Thermal Resistance of Resistors in Integrated Circuits

The value of resistors generally changes with electrical current. For precision analog circuit layout, it is important to predict those resistance variations. For that purpose, we derive for the first time a simple analytic 3-D model to describe thermal resistance and self-heating, which we show as the dominant contribution to resistor nonlinearity for a wide range of resistors. The model shows good agreement with numerical simulations. Measured voltage coefficients of metal and polysilicon resistors can be fit to the model over a wide range of geometries. Finally, we show how thermal resistance can be reduced by placing metal bar structures underneath the resistor and apply the model to quantify the improvement.
The Spread of TCP/IP: How the Internet Became the Internet

This study describes the spread of TCP/IP and therefore the diffusion of the Internet, beginning in the 1960s until the early 1990s. Understanding how TCP/IP emerged and spread provides insight into the changes and challenges brought by the Internet into world politics. Against arguments that the Internet reflects primarily economic or military concerns, I argue that notions of academic freedom are embedded in the fundamental technology of the Internet, TCP/IP, and that this embedded norm is essential to the Internet’s consequences for modern political life.
Do activated letters influence lexical selection in written word production

Background: Written communication has become increasingly important since the advent of digital media such as emailing and texting. Research into the nature of interaction between the cognitive processes underlying production have focused on spoken language. Less is known about the processes underlying written word production. Aims: We investigated the presence of feedback from letter activation to lexical selection in written word production. The presence of feedback would lead to greater-than-chance orthographic overlap between targets and semantically-related word errors in acquired dysgraphia, as the semantic neighbours of a target word sharing orthographic structure would receive extra support during lexical selection. Methods & Procedures: The orthographic overlap of written semantically-related word errors from an individual with acquired dysgraphia was compared to chance distributions of overlap generated using a word association database. We used a Monte Carlo procedure to select random “pseudo-e...
Comprehensive assessment of quality of life and psychosocial adjustment in patients with renal tumors undergoing open, laparoscopic and nephron sparing surgery

Purpose: We prospectively evaluated the general and cancer specific quality of life, and psychosocial adjustment of patients with a renal mass treated with radical vs partial nephrectomy via a laparoscopic or an open approach.Materials and Methods: A total of 172 patients with renal tumors completed questionnaires before surgery, and 3 weeks, and 2, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. We assessed general quality of life using SF-36™ and cancer specific quality of life using the Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System-Short Form, in addition to intrusive thoughts, avoidance behaviors and fear of recurrence. We used mixed model regression analysis to compare these measures across surgery types during the study course, adjusted for tumor size, histology, stage and renal function.Results: The SF-36 physical component score differed significantly by surgery type with time (p = 0.04). Patients treated with laparoscopy improved by month 2 while those treated with open surgery had poorer quality of life until mon...
Pattern of failure after limited margin radiotherapy and temozolomide for glioblastoma.

Purpose To evaluate the pattern of failure after limited margin radiotherapy for glioblastoma. Methods and Materials We analyzed 62 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma treated between 2006 and 2008 with standard fractionation to a total dose of 60Gy with concurrent temozolomide (97%) or arsenic trioxide (3%). The initial clinical target volume included postoperative T2 abnormality with a median margin of 0.7cm. The boost clinical target volume included residual T1-enhancing tumor and resection cavity with a median margin of 0.5cm. Planning target volumes added a 0.3- or 0.5-cm margin to clinical target volumes. The total boost planning target volume (PTV boost ) margin was 1cm or less in 92% of patients. The volume of recurrent tumor (new T1 enhancement) was categorized by the percent within the 60-Gy isodose line as central (>95%), infield (81–95%), marginal (20–80%), or distant ( boost with a 2.5-cm margin were created for each patient. Results With a median follow-up of 12 months, radiographic tumor progression developed in 43 of 62 patients. Imaging was available for analysis in 41: 38 (93%) had central or infield failure, 2 (5%) had marginal failure, and 1 (2%) had distant failure relative to the 60-Gy isodose line. The treated PTV boost (median, 140cm 3 ) was, on average, 70% less than the PTV boost with a 2.5-cm margin (median, 477cm 3 ) ( p Conclusions A PTV boost margin of 1cm or less did not appear to increase the risk of marginal and/or distant tumor failures compared with other published series. With careful radiation planning and delivery, it appears that treatment margins for glioblastoma can be reduced.
Robust periodic reference tracking by stable uncertain infinite-dimensional linear systems

A robust control scheme for tracking of periodic signals, consisting of a finite number of sinusoids, by uncertain exponentially stable infinite dimensional linear systems is presented. The scheme consists in constructing a cascade interconnection of the stable linear system and a partitioning filter and augmenting this cascade system with a simple internal model based filter. The stable system model is presumed to be unknown, but its transfer function gain at the frequencies to be tracked is assumed to be known and non-zero. A theorem guaranteeing the robust stability and performance of this scheme while tracking a sinusoidal reference is proved. The general theorem for tracking periodic signals is stated and can be established analogously. A discussion on quantitatively estimating the robustness of this scheme is presented. The efficacy of the scheme is demonstrated via simulation of an example. The simplicity of the proposed scheme, its quantitatively ascertainable robustness and a virtual lack of modeling requirements make it well suited for industrial applications.
Modeling drug release from dynamically swelling poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) hydrogels

Drug release from a swelling hydrogel matrix is a complicated process where diffusion of drug molecules is coupled to the swelling kinetics. The swelling influences the diffusional flux of drug molecules by increasing the diffusion coefficient and diffusional pathlength. Release of phenylpropanolamine from apoly(hydroxyethy1 methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) hydrogel, initially at low pH, is highly influenced by swelling in a neutral pH medium. Swelling in these ionizing gels is a very long process, even in the absence of a glassy core, indicating that the swelling is not a simple Fickian process. In this paper, a novel approach is introduced to model the phenylpropanolamine release from these swelling gels. Through a free volume relationship, the experimentally determined swelling kinetics are coupled to a diffusion mechanism for the drug molecules. This model was shown to give an accurate prediction of phenylpropanolamine release from poly(hydroxyethy1 methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) gels.
Effective population size: the effects of sex, genotype, and density on the mean and variance of offspring numbers in the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum.

In this paper I present the results of an experimental study of the effects of genotype and density on the mean and variance of offspring numbers in both sexes of the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. From the observed variance in offspring numbers the effective population size at several different densities is estimated using the methods of Crow & Morton (1955).I found that both the mean and variance of offspring numbers varied with genotype and density. In general, males were more variable in offspring numbers than females and this variability increased with density. Individuals homozygous for the black body colour mutant, b/b, were less variable in offspring numbers than + / + individuals, but the latter produced more offspring at most densities. As density increased, + / + individuals became more variable in offspring numbers whereas b/b individuals were less sensitive in this regard. These findings are discussed in relation to the ecology of selection at the black and closely linked loci.
Cervical spine subluxation in Marfan syndrome. A case report.

Subluxation of the cervical spine may occur in patients secondary to trauma. Patients with Down syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis can have spontaneous cervical spine subluxation. Although cervical spine abnormalities are common in patients with Marfan syndrome, clinical problems are rare1. Lumbar subluxation is rarely seen in patients with this condition2 and, in an extensive review of cervical spine involvement in patients with Marfan syndrome, Hobbs et al. noted no cases of cervical subluxation1. We describe the clinical features and surgical treatment of a patient with Marfan syndrome who had progressive multilevel cervical subluxation. The patient was informed that information concerning this case would be submitted for publication. Athirteen-year-and-four-month-old boy presented to the Spine Service with right-sided neck pain associated with decreased range of motion. There was no history of trauma or recent illness. The medical history was unremarkable. The range of neck motion was flexion to 45°, extension to 10°, left axial rotation to 60°, and right axial rotation to 20°. The patient had mild upper cervical spine tenderness and had normal findings on neurological examination. Initial radiographic examination revealed anterior subluxation of C2 on C3, with marked segmental kyphosis (Fig. 1). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed disc-space changes at C2-C3 that were consistent with infection. The facet joints were aligned. Given the patient's complaints of pain and the finding of cervical subluxation on plain radiographs, the patient was admitted for evaluation and treatment. Computed tomography revealed no evidence of fracture. A bone scan with SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging showed slight posterior uptake at C2-C3 consistent with trauma. The findings of the laboratory evaluation were unremarkable and included a normal white blood-cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein level. The patient was managed with skeletal traction with use of tongs, with easy …
Right Heart Involvement in Patients with Sarcoidosis

The left ventricle (LV) is affected in 20-25% of patients with sarcoidosis and its involvement is associated with morbidity and mortality. However, effects of sarcoidosis on the right ventricle (RV) are not well documented. Our aims were to investigate the prevalence of RV dysfunction in patients with sarcoidosis and determine whether it is predominantly associated with direct cardiac involvement, severity of lung disease, or pulmonary hypertension (PH). We identified 50 patients with biopsy-proven extra-cardiac sarcoidosis and preserved LV function, who underwent echocardiography, pulmonary function (PF) testing, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance. RV function was quantified by free wall longitudinal strain. Tricuspid valve Doppler and estimated right atrial pressure were used to estimate systolic pulmonary artery pressure. Myocardial late gadolinium enhancement was considered diagnostic for cardiac sarcoidosis and assumed to involve both ventricles. Of the 50 patients, 28 (56%) had RV dysfunction, 4 with poorly defined PF status. Of the remaining 24 patients, 16 (67%) had lung disease, 8 (33%) had PH, and 10 (42%) had LV involvement. Ten patients had greater than one of these findings, and 4 had all 3. In contrast, in 4/24 patients (17%), RV dysfunction could not be explained by these mechanisms, despite severely reduced RV strain. In conclusion, RV dysfunction is common in patients with sarcoidosis and is usually associated with either direct LV involvement, lung disease, or PH, but may occur in the absence of these mechanisms, suggesting the possibility of isolated RV involvement and underscoring the need for imaging protocols that would include RV strain analysis.
Nanomanufacturing: A Perspective

Nanomanufacturing, the commercially scalable and economically sustainable mass production of nanoscale materials and devices, represents the tangible outcome of the nanotechnology revolution. In contrast to those used in nanofabrication for research purposes, nanomanufacturing processes must satisfy the additional constraints of cost, throughput, and time to market. Taking silicon integrated circuit manufacturing as a baseline, we consider the factors involved in matching processes with products, examining the characteristics and potential of top-down and bottom-up processes, and their combination. We also discuss how a careful assessment of the way in which function can be made to follow form can enable high-volume manufacturing of nanoscale structures with the desired useful, and exciting, properties.
Architecture of the Spliceosome

Precursor-mRNA splicing is catalyzed by an extraordinarily large and highly dynamic macromolecular assemblage termed the spliceosome. Detailed biochemical and structural study of the spliceosome presents a formidable challenge, but there has recently been significant progress made on this front highlighted by the crystal structure of a 10-subunit human U1 snRNP. This review provides an overview of our current understanding of the architecture of the spliceosome and the RNA-protein complexes integral to its function, the U snRNPs.
On the feasibility of Non-contact Cardiac Motion Sensing for emerging heart-based biometrics

Cryptographic security is of great importance. Biometrics play a vital role in modern authentication systems. Among all emerging biometrics, heart-based biometrics are promising because they are unique and hard to counterfeit. The current solutions on cardiac motion detection are either obtrusive or incapable of providing comprehensive cardiac motion information. To this end, we present Non-contact Cardiac Motion Sensing (NCMS), an end-to-end hardware and software solution, to sense and characterize the cardiac motion in a continuous, unobtrusive and user-friendly manner. We evaluate the performance of NCMS and compare the cardiac motion cycle on human subjects. Experimental results indicate the feasibility of NCMS to detect the cardiac motion and show the concept of a new modality in emerging heart-based biometrics.
Observation of a metal-to-insulator transition with both Mott-Hubbard and Slater characteristics in Sr 2 IrO 4 from time-resolved photocarrier dynamics

We perform a time-resolved optical study of Sr${}_{2}$IrO${}_{4}$ to understand the influence of magnetic ordering on the low energy electronic structure of a strongly spin-orbit coupled ${J}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ $=$ 1/2 Mott insulator. By studying the recovery dynamics of photoexcited carriers, we find that upon cooling through the N\'eel temperature ${T}_{N}$ the system evolves continuously from a metal-like phase with fast ($\ensuremath{\sim}$50 fs) and excitation density independent relaxation dynamics to a gapped phase characterized by slower ($\ensuremath{\sim}$500 fs) excitation density-dependent bimolecular recombination dynamics, which is a hallmark of a Slater-type metal-to-insulator transition. However our data indicate that the high energy reflectivity associated with optical transitions into the unoccupied ${J}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ $=$ 1/2 band undergoes the sharpest upturn at ${T}_{N}$, which is consistent with a Mott-Hubbard type metal-to-insulator transition involving spectral weight transfer into an upper Hubbard band. These findings show Sr${}_{2}$IrO${}_{4}$ to be a unique system in which Slater- and Mott-Hubbard-type behaviors coexist and naturally explain the absence of anomalies at ${T}_{N}$ in transport and thermodynamic measurements.
Effect of thyroxine and related compounds on heparin-activated fatty acid liberating enzyme.

Summary1. L-thyroxine and Lesson Summary L-triiodothyronine inhibit the heparin-catalyzed release of fatty acid from lipoprotein triglycerides, the former inhibiting significantly at 3 × 10-4 M and being about 3-fold more effective than the latter at equimolar concentrations. 2. The inhibition does not result from removal of calcium or magnesium ions or heparin.
The Future of Inductive Risk for Disorders of Consciousness

L. Syd Johnson (2016) correctly identifies the inductive risk in making inferences about patients with disorders of consciousness and that this epistemic risk implies significant ethical risks. His...
The Drug Resistance of Barnyard-grass in Part of Rice Fields in Hunan Province

The resistant level of six biotypes of barnyard-grass that were collected from Yuanjiang City,Huarong County,Miluo County,Xiangyin County,Nanxian County and Anxiang County to five biotypes of common used herbicides has been detected by pot-spraying method.The results showed that prometryne,penoxsulam,butachlor and pretilachlor all had excellent control effect against all biotypes of barnyard-grass,while all biotypes of barnyard-grass had more obvious and universal drug-resistance that produced by quinclorac.Among these six biotypes of barnyard-grass,the barnyard-grass from Huarong County had the highest drug-resistant level,its resistant ratio reached 5.06.
Estimating anti-immigrant sentiment for the American states using multi-level modeling and post-stratification, 2004–2008:

An estimate is provided of an innovative state-level measure of anti-immigrant sentiment for use in future policy and behavioral studies. State governments became increasingly active in adopting immigrant policies in the 2000s. Previous research highlights the role of public opinion, especially attitudes toward immigrants, in explaining policy priorities and outcomes. Unfortunately, most extant studies utilize political ideology or immigrant populations as rough proxies for public opinion. In this article, we estimate a reliable and valid measure of anti-immigrant sentiment at the state-level using survey aggregation with multilevel regression and post-stratification (MRP) for the period 2004 to 2008. We compare our estimates of anti-immigrant sentiment to alternative measures of immigrant presence and political ideology in predicting multiple variations of state immigrant policies. Ultimately, we find theoretical and statistical advantages of using anti-immigrant sentiment over previous measures in predi...
Community Library Construction Ponder

The paper has elaborated the characteristics and function of community library,put forward existing problems in community library construction,and proposed paths of constructing community library on the basis of these problems.
Monoamine receptor systems and anxiety disorders

Drugs that alter the function of two of the major brain monoamine neurotransmitter systems (the noradrenergic [NE] and serotonergic [5HT]), have been shown to alter levels of “fear and anxiety” in laboratory animals, healthy humans, and patients. The relative clinical efficacy in the treatment of anxiety disorders with many of these drugs also emphasizes the importance of these two systems in anxiety. Stimulation of the 5-HT system does not produce marked abnormalities in patients with anxiety, but stimulation of the NE system does produce abnormal changes in measures of anxiety, somatic symptoms, blood pressure, and a plasma NE metabolite and cortisol levels in patients with panic disorder but not in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or schizophrenia. This indicates that some patients with panic disorder have an abnormality in the regulation of the NE system, which could explain many of the clinical features of this syndrome.
Credit Availability and Capital Structures: Does Size Matter? An Analysis of the U.S. Lodging Industry

Capital structure composition decisions are considered as very crucial for the overall success of firms. Lodging industry warrants an even greater emphasis on these decisions for the nature of this industry. This study empirically investigates the effect of credit availability on the leverage of large and small lodging firms in the United States using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). This study uses the Case-Schiller home price index to identify the three time points of differing credit availability to businesses in the United States. Leverage, net leverage, and short-to-long-term debt ratios of large and small U.S. lodging firms were analyzed at these differing credit availability time points to assess any significant differences. Significant effects of credit availability were found on the leverage and net leverage of both large and small lodging firms, but no significant effect was found on the short-to-long-term debt ratio of U.S. lodging firms. Interestingly, the leverage levels were found...
[Effect of antiretroviral therapy in reducing deaths among patients co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus in Guangxi].

Objective To understand the effect of antiretroviral therapy(ART)in reducing deaths among patients co-infected withMycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus(TB/HIV), and provide data-based evidence for improving ART in TB/HIV patients. Methods The information about TB patients who were HIV positive confirmed previously or recently in Guangxi were collected, and the TB/HIV patients were confirmed by using the related data from national AIDS prevention and treatment information system. Then a retrospective case control study was conducted to understand the survivals and deaths in the patients receiving ART or receiving no ART by using Kaplan-Meier method and estimate the ART, protective rate within 1 year after TB treatment initiation. Results Among 519 TB/HIV patients, 100 received ART (19.3%); Among 84 TB/HIV patients who died within 1 year after TB treatment, 8(9.5%)received ART, while 76 (90.5%) received no ART. Compared with the 18.7% mortality rate in non-ART group, TB/HIV patients mortality rate in ART group was only 8.08%, the difference was statistical significant(P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the survival rate in patients receiving ART was higher than that in patients receiving no ART within 1 year after TB treatment, the difference was statistical significant(Log-rank=4.96,P=0.02). Compared with patients receiving ART, theOR value was 2.31 times higher than that in patients receiving no ART; ART could protect 56.7% of TB/HIV patients against death during the first year of anti-TB therapy. Conclusion In the first year of anti-TB therapy, the risk of death in TB/HIV patients receiving no ART was much higher than that in TB/HIV patients receiving ART, and the survival time was longer in the patients receiving ART. The ART coverage should be expanded in TB/HIV patients. Key words: Antiretroviral therapy; AIDS; Tuberculosis; Death influence
Anesthesia for cesarean section: minimizing risk and complications.

SUMMARY Managing cesarean section anesthesia is challenging and fraught with hazards. Each anesthetic option has different maternal and fetal risks. Emphasis on regional anesthesia when possible and utilization of state-of-the-art monitoring such as pulse oximetry and end-tidal capnography will improve the anesthetic outcome.