cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxygen radical chemistry of polyunsaturated fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are readily susceptible to autoxidation. A chain oxidation of PUFA is initiated by hydrogen abstraction from allylic or biss-allylic positions leading to oxygenation and subsequent formation of peroxyl radicals. In media of low hydrogen-donating capacity the peroxyl radical is free to react further by competitive pathways resulting in cyclic peroxides, double bond isomerization and formation of dimers and oligomers. In the presence of good hydrogen donators, such as α-tocopherol or PUFA themselves, the peroxyl radical abstracts hydrogen to furnish PUFA hydroperoxides. Given the proper conditions or catalysts, the hydroperoxides are prone to further transformations by free radical routes. Homolytic cleavage of the hydroperoxy group can afford either a peroxyl radical or an alkoxyl radical. The products of peroxyl radicals are identical to those obtained during autoxidation of PUFA; that is, it makes no difference whether the peroxyl radical is generated in the process of autoxidation or from a performed hydroperoxide. Of particular interest is the intramolecular rearrangement of peroxyl radicals to furnish cyclic peroxides and prostaglandin-like bicyclo endoperoxides. Other principal peroxyl radical reactions are the β-scission of O2, intermolecular addition and self-combination. Alkoxyl radicals of PUFA, contraty to popular belief, do not significantly abstract hydrogens, but rather are channeled into epoxide formation through intramolecular rearrangement. Other significant reactions of PUFA alkoxyl radicals are β-scission of the fatty chain and possibly the formation of ether-linked dimers and oligomers. Although homolytic reactions of PUFA hydroperoxides have received the most attention, hydroperoxides are also susceptible to heterolytic transformations, such as nuleophilic displacement and acid-catalyzed rearrangement.
A review of dietary polyamines: Formation, implications for growth and health and occurrence in foods

The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine commonly occur in the cells of living organisms where they fulfil an array of physiological roles. Their participation in human cell growth and proliferation has been of great interest for their role in tumour growth. However, polyamines could be useful for post-operation patients, during wound healing and for growth and development of the neonate digestive system. Both endogenous and dietary polyamines participate in such processes. Data on polyamine contents in foods are limited and diffused in literature and dieticians have thus limited plausible information. This review briefly summarizes current knowledge on the biological implications of dietary polyamines for human health and collects the data on their formation and contents in manifold foods. While putrescine content increases by bacterial activity during inappropriate storage and processing of foods of animal origin, spermidine and spermine originate mainly from raw materials. Higher contents of spermidine as compared to spermine are typical for foods of plant origin, while an opposite relation is characteristic for foods of animal origin. The highest contents of all polyamines were determined in cheeses, mainly in ripened types. High putrescine levels were reported in citrus fruits and juices, sauerkraut, ketchup, fermented soybean products and fish sauce. Legumes, cauliflower and broccoli are foods with high spermidine content, while meat, meat products and legumes are high in spermine. Commonly, polyamine contents range widely within the individual food items. Extensive research is needed to extend the current limited database.
Transition Bars during Transformation of an Amorphous Calcium Carbonate Precursor

A variety of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) biominerals are now thought to be formed via an amorphous precursor pathway. Our group has been using in vitro model systems to examine potential crystallochemical reactions that might occur during biomineralization and, in particular, has proposed that a polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) mineralization process may play a fundamental role in biomineralization. The PILP process is induced with polyanionic polypeptides (containing aspartic acid and phosphoserine) to produce colloids of an amorphous mineral that are so highly hydrated that they coalesce into smooth mineral films. In situ observations, however, show that these films are not smooth throughout the reaction because transition bars form ridges in the tablets/films as the amorphous phase crystallizes. Using fluorescently labeled polymer, it was determined that the transition bars are due to exclusion of the polymeric impurity into diffusion limited zones as crystallization proceeds across the amorphous ...
Diagnostic Predictors of Complications and Survival after Renal Transplantation in Cats

Objective— To identify preoperative diagnostic results that predict postoperative complications and survival in feline renal-transplant recipients. Study Design— Retrospective clinical study. Animals— Sixty-one feline renal allograft recipients. Methods— Medical records for 61 consecutive cats that underwent renal allograft transplantation between January 1, 1996, and December 1, 1999, were reviewed. Age, diagnosis, body weight, body condition score, preoperative medical treatment, systolic blood pressure, packed cell volume, biochemical parameters at admission and at the time of surgery, postoperative complications, and postoperative survival were recorded. Associations of preoperative data with the occurrence of postoperative complications were determined using logistic regression. Postoperative survival was graphed using a Kaplan-Meier cumulative-survival plot. Associations of covariates with postoperative survival were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results— Two parameters were significantly associated with occurrence of postoperative central nervous system (CNS) disorders: blood urea nitrogen concentration (odds ratio = 1.083; 95% CI = 1.018 to 1.148) and serum creatinine concentration (odds ratio = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.413 to 2.187) at the time of surgery. Postoperative survival 6 months after transplantation was 59%, though 3-year survival remained at 42%. Of all covariates investigated, only recipient age (relative hazard = 1.183; 95% CI = 1.039 to 1.334) was significantly associated with survival. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance— Standard measures of preoperative renal dysfunction do not predict postoperative survival in cats after renal transplantation, although an increase in the degree of preoperative azotemia is associated with an increased risk of CNS disorders after surgery. Increased recipient age is associated with decreased survival after renal transplantation.
Supreme Court decision on violent video games was based on the First Amendment, not scientific evidence.

Comments on the article, "Violent video games and the Supreme Court: Lessons for the scientific community in the wake of Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association," by C. J. Ferguson (see record 2013-04752-001). The commentators agree with Ferguson that the U.S. Supreme Court case involving violent video games offers scientists a unique opportunity to reflect on violent video game research and findings. However, they disagree with many of the points he made. Due to space limits, they focus on five major areas of disagreement: 1) The Supreme Court decision was based on the First Amendment, not scientific evidence, 2) comparison of two amicus briefs, 3) some disagreement in the field does mean that the field is evenly divided, 4) what constitutes a trivial effect, and 5) laboratory measures of aggression are not trivial. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Adaptive Protein Evolution of X-linked and Autosomal Genes in Drosophila: Implications for Faster-X Hypotheses

Patterns of sex chromosome and autosome evolution can be used to elucidate the underlying genetic basis of adaptative change. Evolutionary theory predicts that X-linked genes will adapt more rapidly than autosomes if adaptation is limited by the availability of beneficial mutations and if such mutations are recessive. In Drosophila, rates of molecular divergence between species appear to be equivalent between autosomes and the X chromosome. However, molecular divergence contrasts are difficult to interpret because they reflect a composite of adaptive and nonadaptive substitutions between species. Predictions based on faster-X theory also assume that selection is equally effective on the X and autosomes; this might not be true because the effective population sizes of X-linked and autosomal genes systematically differ. Here, population genetic and divergence data from Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila simulans, and Drosophila yakuba are used to estimate the proportion of adaptive amino acid substitutions occurring in the D. melanogaster lineage. After gene composition and effective population size differences between chromosomes are controlled, X-linked and autosomal genes are shown to have equivalent rates of adaptive divergence with approximately 30% of amino acid substitutions driven by positive selection. The results suggest that adaptation is either unconstrained by a lack of beneficial genetic variation or that beneficial mutations are not recessive and are thus highly visible to natural selection whether on sex chromosomes or on autosomes.
GPU random numbers via the tiny encryption algorithm

Random numbers are extensively used on the GPU. As more computation is ported to the GPU, it can no longer be treated as rendering hardware alone. Random number generators (RNG) are expected to cater general purpose and graphics applications alike. Such diversity adds to expected requirements of a RNG. A good GPU RNG should be able to provide repeatability, random access, multiple independent streams, speed, and random numbers free from detectable statistical bias. A specific application may require some if not all of the above characteristics at one time. In particular, we hypothesize that not all algorithms need the highest-quality random numbers, so a good GPU RNG should provide a speed quality tradeoff that can be tuned for fast low quality or slower high quality random numbers.We propose that the Tiny Encryption Algorithm satisfies all of the requirements of a good GPU Pseudo Random Number Generator. We compare our technique against previous approaches, and present an evaluation using standard randomness test suites as well as Perlin noise and a Monte-Carlo shadow algorithm. We show that the quality of random number generation directly affects the quality of the noise produced, however, good quality noise can still be produced with a lower quality random number generator.
The development of laminar staining for neuron-specific enolase in the rat somatosensory cortex

The expression of the enzyme neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the central nervous system (CNS) has been used as a developmental marker based on observations that it is expressed shortly after the arrival of afferent inputs. The immunostaining pattern of NSE was examined in the laminae of the somatosensory cortex of the rat and the relationship of this staining pattern with previous data on the timing of afferent and efferent arrival was determined. Male rat pups were sacrificed on postnatal days 1 (24 h after birth), 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 20, and as an adult (over 90 days of age). Sections were stained with an anti-NSE antibody using the avidin-biotin immunocytochemical method. Sections from day 1 animals revealed stained cells in the subplate layer and cortical plate, presumably in cells destined to form layers VI and V. By day 8 there was staining in layers II, III, V and VI, the same layers that exhibited staining in the adult rat. This appears consistent with the arrival of afferents and efferents which is completed by approximately postnatal day 7. On day 10, there was a change in the staining pattern: cell staining in layer VI was decreased and then increased gradually up to adult levels by day 20. A stable pattern of NSE staining was not observed previous to day 20. These results suggest that changes in NSE expression following the initial arrival of afferents may relate to maturation of the neurons.
Using a model filamentous fungus to unravel mechanisms of lignocellulose deconstruction

Filamentous fungi are the main source of enzymes used to degrade lignocellulose to fermentable sugars for the production of biofuels. While the most commonly used organism for the production of cellulases in an industrial setting is Trichoderma reesei (Hypocrea jecorina), recent work in the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa has shown that the variety of molecular, genetic and biochemical techniques developed for this organism can expedite analyses of the complexities involved in the utilization of lignocellulose as a source of carbon. These include elucidating regulatory networks associated with plant cell wall deconstruction, the identification of signaling molecules necessary for induction of the expression of genes encoding lignocellulolytic enzymes and the characterization of new cellulolytic enzymatic activities. In particular, the availability of a full genome deletion strain set for N. crassa has expedited high throughput screening for mutants that display a cellulolytic phenotype. This review summarizes the key findings of several recent studies using N. crassa to further understanding the mechanisms of plant cell wall deconstruction by filamentous fungi.
Novel human prostate-specific cDNA: molecular cloning, expression, and immunobiology of the recombinant protein.

Abstract The differential display-polymerase chain reaction technique was employed to obtain a prostate-specific ∼300-bp cDNA fragment. On screening the human prostate-λgt10 library with this fragment, a full-length ∼1.5-kb cDNA encoding for a prostate antigen, designated as human novel prostate-specific antigen (hNPSA), was found. Extensive database searches revealed that the hNPSA cDNA is a novel sequence. It has an open reading frame (ORF) of 735-bp encoding for 245 amino acids (aa), with a calculated molecular mass of ∼27 kDa. Hydrophilicity analysis of the deduced aa sequence indicated that hNPSA is a membrane-anchored peptide. Analysis for tissue-specificity by Northern blot and RT-PCR–Southern blot procedures indicated that hNPSA is specifically expressed only in human prostate. The hNPSA (ORF) was subcloned into pET22b(+) vector and expressed using the histidine-tagged gene fusion system. The recombinant (r) protein of ∼27 kDa was purified and antibodies (Ab) were raised in rabbits. The rhNPSA Ab recognized a specific protein band of ∼35 kDa in solubilized human prostate tissue and not in any of the other 10 human tissues tested in the Western blot procedure. The hNPSA expression is upregulated 2.5- to 3-fold, both at the mRNA and protein levels in androgen-dependent LNCaP cells, as compared to normal whole prostate tissue. Antisense, but not the sense, phosphothiorate-conjugated oligonucleotides based on the hNPSA cDNA sequence significantly (p
Calculations for pH during CO2 and O2 exchange with blood.

Abstract New mathematical formulas are presented to calculate directly the change in blood pH during CO2 and O2 exchange with blood. pH changes are calculated from changes in blood Pco2 and saturation values or from changes in blood PCO2 and blood PO2 values. Computational results agree well with information obtained from a Dill nomogram. These new formulas have applicability to the modelling of gas exchange in blood oxygenators as well as to estimating blood acid-base parameters following the mixing of blood samples.
Water quality in rice-growing watersheds in a Mediterranean climate

Abstract Rice (Oryza sativa L.) agriculture is estimated to cover 161 million ha of land on Earth, with 10% grown in temperate regions. Currently there are strong concerns about surface water nutrient pollution, and the purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of temperate rice cultivation on nutrient dynamics at the small watershed scale. Over the course of the 2008 growing season (May through September), bi-weekly grab samples were collected from outlets of 11 agricultural subwatersheds in California. Samples were analyzed for NO3-N, NH4-N, PO4-P, K, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations, and the average values across all subwatersheds and sampling dates were 0.22, 0.031, 0.047, 1.36, and 0.32 mg L−1, respectively. Linear mixed effects analysis was used to evaluate the magnitude of relationships between nutrient concentration and flux and subwatershed characteristics (i.e. percent soil clay and organic matter, percent rice area, irrigation water reuse, subwatershed discharge, irrigated area, and time, measured as the day in the growing season). For all nutrients, flux decreased over time and increased with discharge. Concentrations of K and DON were highest at the start and end of the growing season. Concentrations of NH4-N were near non-detect levels, with the exception of a peak in mid-July, which corresponds to when many growers top-dress rice fields with N fertilizer. Nitrate-N concentration and flux decreased with percent rice area, whereas PO4-P concentrations increased with percent rice area, indicating that rice area should be considered in future watershed-scale studies of nutrient discharge. In all subwatersheds, the discharge loads of K were smaller than surface water input loads, while NO3-N, NH4-N, PO4-P, and DON discharge loads exceeded input loads when total growing season discharge was greater than 3500–6600 m3 ha−1. This implies that the management of subwatershed discharge can be used to control nutrient export from rice-growing areas.
Friday Night Rights: South Texas High-school Football and the Struggle for Equality

American football has been a staple of cultural life in Texas since the early twentieth century. While major university and professional squads have received the bulk of media attention and have emerged as global ‘brands’, the bulk of participation and spectatorship occurs in small towns at the upper-secondary or ‘high-school’ level. South Texas, a vast area with a large Mexican-American population, has one of the most vibrant scenes. This article gives a short history of high-school football, public culture and race relations in the region. It begins with a discussion of the role of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and its director Roy Bedicheck in shaping the ethos and ethno-racial dynamics of interscholastic competition in Texas. The article then discusses how within the context of inferior and segregated schooling and extreme prejudice towards Mexican-Americans, Everardo ‘E.C.’ Lerma broke through ethno-racial barriers and opened the game to all.
A piezoelectric driven ratchet actuator mechanism with application to automotive engine valves

Abstract Increasing demands on the performance of internal combustion engines, specifically automobile engines, require the production of more mechanical energy for a given amount of chemical fuel with reduced tailpipe emissions. Of particular interest in the development of high performance/low emission engines is the control and timing of individual engine valves. This paper investigates the design of an innovative piezoelectric ceramic (PZT) based actuator mechanism with a novel stepping motion amplifier to deliver force and displacement at higher magnitudes and operating frequencies. The target application is an engine valve train which traditionally uses cam-based lifter driven rocker arms to regulate the cylinders’ intake and exhaust valve motion. The proposed PZT-based actuator mechanism introduces a high frequency, lightweight, precise position solution for cylinder-by-cylinder variable valve timing. Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of a PZT-based/camless valve train. The new valve train demonstrates similar cam-based performance characteristics while enabling computer controlled individual valve timing opportunities.
Communicative Practices in Workplaces and the Professions: Cultural Perspectives on the Regulation of Discourse and Organizations

Edited by Mark Zachry and Charlotte Thralls. Amityville, NY: Baywood, 2008. 263 pp. In Communicative Practices in Workplaces and the Professions, Zachry and Thralls assemble a collection of works f...
Reliability and applicability of DSTs and bottomhole pressure measurements in Texas Gulf Coast Tertiary formations

Abstract Pressure data gathered from drillstem tests (DSTs) and bottomhole pressure measurements provide critical information toward formation and can be used for an assessment of prevailing pressure regimes and their influence on the migration potential of formation fluids. Reliability of such pressure data is an issue of major concern in reservoir engineering practice and can be established through an appropriate screening procedure.
Development of (Na+-K+)-ATPase in rat cerebrum: correlation with Na+-dependent phosphorylation and K+-paranitrophenylphosphatase.

— The activities of (Na+ K+)-ATPase and its proposed partial reactions, K +-pNPPase and Na +-dependent phosphorylation, all increase tenfold relative to microsomal protein between 5 days prior to birth and 60 days postnatally in NaI-treated rat cerebral microsomes, and all reach half of their adult values between the fifth and tenth postnatal day. These increases are concurrent with the most rapid changes in cerebral wet weight. Increases in the amount of the related phosphorylatable polypeptide during development. as estimated by densitometry of Coomassie-stained polyacrylamide gels after electrophoresis of constant amounts of microsomal protein dissolved in sodium dodecylsulfate, parallel the increments in levels of Na +-dependent phosphorylation. The fraction of total phosphorylation that is Na +-dependent increases steadily during development. suggesting a precursor role for some of the Na +-independent fraction. The results are consistent with a single biosynthetic control for the enzymatic sites critical to the partial reactions of (Na +-K +)-ATPase. No changes in turnover number or affinity for substrate or ligands were found during development. Little similarity was noted among the age-related changes of Mg 2+ -ATPase activity. Mg 2+ -paranitrophenylphosphatase activity, and Na+-independent phosphorylation levels. The most rapid changes in (Na+-K+)-ATPase take place during the period corresponding to glial proliferation and neuronal arborization.
Use of an iPad to Provide Warfarin Video Education to Hospitalized Patients.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of a warfarin educational video in the hospital setting and to determine patients’ satisfaction with using an iPad to view a warfarin educational video.MethodsThis prospective quality improvement project included adult (≥18 years of age) patients on warfarin in
Becoming self-aware: the thymic education of regulatory T cells.

The generation of Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in the thymus is essential for immune homeostasis. In the past several years, substantial progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms by which a minor portion of developing thymocytes are selected to become Treg cells. Although previously controversial, recent data support the importance of TCR specificity as a primary determinant for selecting self-reactive thymocytes to become Treg cells in a multi-step process involving cytokines, co-stimulatory molecules, and a variety of antigen-presenting cells. Importantly, the antigenic niche for Treg cell development appears to be typically quite small, implying the recognition of tissue-specific, rather than ubiquitous, self-antigens. Finally, it appears that an NF-κB transcription factor, c-Rel, may be the link between TCR recognition and the induction of Foxp3 expression, which is required for the function and stability of the natural Treg cell population.
Contribution of Propionate to Glucose Synthesis in the Lactating and Nonlactating Cow

Abstract Ruminal volatile fatty acid production rates and blood glucose entry rate were measured in two cows, nonlactating and again lactating, with a constant infusion isotope dilution technique. Incorporation of ruminal acetate, propionate, and buty rate carbon into blood glucose was determined, and the contribution of propionate to glucose synthesis calculated. When the cows were nonlactating and consuming 9.5kg dry matter of a high grain ration, acetate and butyrate production averaged 42 and 8 moles per day. Because of an infusion error, propionate production could not be calculated, but was estimated to be 12 moles per day. When cows were lactating and consuming 17.0kg dry matter of the same ration, acetate and butyrate production averaged 77 and 6 moles per day. Propionate production was estimated at 25 moles per day. Total ruminal volatile acid production per kilogram ration dry matter, including the estimated propionate production, was 6.4 and 6.7 moles during the lactating and nonlactating phases. Average blood glucose entry rates during the lactating and nonlactating phases were 14.0 and 7.6 moles per day (∼0.81 and 0.44g/hr/kg body weight 3/4 ). Propionate contributed to a minimum of 32% of the blood glucose entry rate in the nonlactating phase and 45% in the lactating phase. These estimates are minimum values, based upon the transfer of propionate-2- 14 C carbon to glucose. A maximum estimate, based upon the extent of carbon cycling in the citric acid cycle, suggested that propionate contributed to not more than 60% of the glucose formed during the lactating phase. The amount of cycling in the citric acid cycle was calculated from the distribution of radio-activity in glucose derived from propionate-2- 14 C.
Thoracoscopic and Laparoscopic Enucleation of Esophageal Leiomyomas

Although infrequent, esophageal leiomyomas are the most common benign intramural tumors of the esophagus. As malignant potential is not a concern in these lesions, they represent ideal candidates for an organ-preserving approach. Due to their well-circumscribed growth, a minimally invasive approach should be pursued in almost all patients. We present our recent techniques and results associated with totally minimally invasive thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approaches to resection of esophageal leiomyomas. These approaches require technical expertise but can be accomplished with a short learning curve.
RNA-DNA ratio: an index of larval fish growth in the sea

Data on water temperature, RNA-DNA ratio, and growth of eight species of temperate marine fish larvae reared in the laboratory were fit to the equation: $$G_{pi} = 0.93{\text{ }}\operatorname{T} + 4.75{\text{ RNA - DNA}} - 18.18$$ where Gpi is the protein growth rate in % d-1 and T is the water temperature. Water temperature and larval RNA-DNA ratio explained 92% of the variability in growth rate of laboratory-reared larvae. The model is useful over the entire range of feeding levels (starvation to excess), temperatures (2° to 20°C) and fish species studied. Estimates of recent growth of larval cod, haddock, and sand lance caught at sea based on water temperature and RNA-DNA ratio ranged from negative to 26% d-1. These data demonstrate the importance of food availability in larval fish mortality and suggest that short-term growth under favorable conditions may be considerably higher than expected from long-term indicators. RNA-DNA ratio analysis offers new possibilities for understanding larval growth and mortality, and their relation to environmental variability.
Two classes of models for temporal variability of the Io torus

Two classes of spatially uniform models for the Io torus are analyzed for the stability and temporal variability of the torus. It is shown that stable-equilibrium torus models exist in two classes of models, one with nonlinear radial transport loss of plasma (e.g., from centrifugally driven interchanges) and one with linear transport (e.g., from externally driven interchanges). The two classes of models make substantially different predictions regarding temporal variability of the Io torus. Observational tests are proposed that make it possible to discriminate between the two classes.
Gold or Pyrite: The Importance of Information to the Professional Investor

The individual investor is faced with an ever-increasingstream of traditional and electronic sources of often contra-dictory financial information. This survey examines the rel-ative importance of government economic indicators, printmedia sources, and broadcast media programs to equitymutual fund managers. We find that these professionals ratethe Philadelphia Fed Index—a regional summary manufac-turing measure—as significantly more important to theirinvestment decision-making process than other better knownmeasures. At the same time, The Wall Street Journaldominatesprint media sources while CNBC9s Squawk Box signifi-cantly dominates other broadcast media programs. The find-ings of this survey suggest that individual investors cansignificantly reduce the volume of investment informationsources in their investment decision-making process.
Multivariable nonlinear control applications for a high purity distillation column using a recurrent dynamic neuron model

Abstract A dynamic, nonlinear, multi-input multi-output application using the Recurrent Dynamic Neuron Network (RDNN) model is presented for a two-by-two distillation column case study. It is shown that the RDNN model, though compact (in terms of number of neurons and parameters to be estimated) performs well in both open- and closed-loop simulations. Open-loop simulations show that the RDNN is able to predict nonlinear output responses. The dual composition control problem is also investigated to demonstrate the model-based applications attainable with the RDNN. Due to the control affine nature of the RDNN structure, and the fact that it has finite vector relative degree, Input-Output Linearization techniques were used within the Internal Model Control framework for controller design. Nonlinear Model Predictive Control applications were also demonstrated using the RDNN. Simulations show that a combination of closed-loop and open-loop identification for the RDNN model results in a model-based controller which achieves robust closed-loop performance.
Local anesthetic effects of cocaine and several extracts of the coca leaf (E. coca).

Cocaine and a number of different fractions of a crude ethanol extract of the coca leaf (E. coca) were subjected to a local anesthetic screen using rat tail withdrawal from electric shock. Following an intradermal injection of 0.1 ml of a 2.0% (w.v) solution of cocaine HCl, an immediate response was observed. Two of the coca fractions also produced some local anesthesia. An alkaloidal fraction, containing an equivalent amount of cocaine, produced a maximum effect that was approximately 20% less than that observed with cocaine. The only other fraction producing any effect, a water soluble cocaine-free fraction, showed a maximum response that was approximately 30% of that observed with cocaine.
INNOVATIVE 15N MICROPLOT RESEARCH TECHNIQUES TO STUDY NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY UNDER DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS

Use of labeled 15N techniques can help improve and refine knowledge required to understand the dynamics of the N cycle under agricultural systems. The examples reported in this paper illustrate that, with creativity and careful planning, use of 15N-enriched or depleted fertilizers can be used in many types of N experiments with various crops, cropping systems, and in many types of agroecosystems. The objective is to report examples of a wide range of field studies that researchers can hopefully draw upon to design and utilize N isotope techniques that accomplish the objectives for their own research. Examples of microplot studies with and without physical barriers are discussed along with some of the strengths and limitations of each approach. Even though 15N technology offers considerable opportunity to understand N cycling, it too has limitations to its use. Types of fertilizer 15N materials and methods for applying 15N materials are discussed including some discussion about the use of ammonium versus n...
The importance of language and culture in pediatric care: case studies from the Latino community.

Abstract Background: Few studies have examined culture's effect on pediatric care. Objectives: To analyze 3 cases illustrating the importance of culture in pediatrics. Methods: Case analysis with a cultural competency model. Results: No interpreter was available for the parents of a 3-year-old brought to the emergency department because of abdominal pain; she was discharged twice, returned with an acute abdomen, and was hospitalized for treatment of appendiceal rupture and peritonitis. A 2-year-old fractured her clavicle in a fall but was placed in social services' custody because of a pediatrician's misinterpretation. Parents of a ventilation-dependent 2-week-old with encephalopathy, seizures, and renal failure were unaware of the infant's poor prognosis, despite use of an interpreter. Conclusions: Culture can have a significant impact on pediatric care; use of a simple model can ensure that pediatricians provide culturally competent care. (J Pediatr 2000;137:842-8)
Clinical Impact of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Implications for Regression

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor and predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events and all-cause mortality. Patients with LVH are at increased risk for stroke, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, and sudden cardiac death. Left ventricular hypertrophy represents both a manifestation of the effects of hypertension and other CV risk factors over time as well as an intrinsic condition causing pathologic changes in the CV structure and function. We review the risk factors for LVH and its consequences, concentric remodeling, and its prognostic significance, clinical benefits and supporting evidence for LVH regression, and its implications for management. We conclude our review summarizing the various pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapeutic options approved for the treatment of hypertension and LVH regression and the supporting clinical trial data for these therapeutic strategies.
Use of and Regional Variation in Initial CT Imaging for Kidney Stones

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the prevalence of initial computed tomography (CT) utilization and to identify regions in the United States where CT is highly used as the first imaging study for children with nephrolithiasis. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study in 9228 commercially insured children aged 1 to 17 years with nephrolithiasis who underwent diagnostic imaging in the United States between 2003 and 2011. Data were obtained from MarketScan, a commercial insurance claims database of 17 827 229 children in all 50 states. We determined the prevalence of initial CT use, defined as CT alone or CT performed before ultrasound in the emergency department, inpatient unit, or outpatient clinic, and identified regions of high CT utilization by using logistic regression. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent of children underwent initial CT study and 24% had ultrasound performed first. By state, the proportion of children who underwent initial CT ranged from 41% to 79%. Regional variations persisted after adjusting for age, gender, year of presentation, and insurance type. Relative to children living in West South Central states, the highest odds of initial CT utilization were observed for children living in the East South Central US Census division (odds ratio: 1.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.06–1.54). The lowest odds of initial CT were observed for children in the New England states (odds ratio: 0.48; 95% confidence interval: 0.38–0.62). CONCLUSIONS: Use of CT as the initial imaging study for children with nephrolithiasis is highly prevalent and shows extensive regional variability in the United States. Current imaging practices deviate substantially from recently published guidelines that recommend ultrasound as the initial imaging study.
Thermodynamic description of condensed phases

Phases may be smaller than visible to the human eye. In order to characterize a microphase, a phase smaller than 1 μm, one must consider surface area and free energy in addition to the standard thermodynamic functions. As one approaches nanometer sizes, one also needs to know the changing thermodynamic functions within the phases. The Gibbs–Thomson equation can be used to characterize microphases, but not nanophases. For the latter, the glass transition is needed to assess the properties in the interior. In order to classify condensed phases as liquid, solid, mesophase, or crystal, one needs to consider the molecular motion in addition to the molecular structure. Most important are large-amplitude displacements in form of translation, rotation, and conformational motion. An operational definition based on experiments and an updated classification of the phases is given. The surprising result is the observation that crystals, earlier assumed prime examples of solids, can have order–disorder transitions to more mobile mesophases, as well as a glass transition without change in crystal structure, i.e., under certain condition, they cannot be identified as a solid. To these observations, one has to add the fact that large-amplitude motion may start gradually to a more mobile phase without abrupt changes in structure. These observations limit the usefulness of the 80-year-old classification of transitions as being of first or second order. Quantitative thermal analysis is shown to be an important tool to identify the possible total of 57 different condensed states in terms of their macroscopic properties as well as molecular structure and motion.
Modeling the Resting State of Oxalate Oxidase and Oxalate Decarboxylase Enzymes

In view of the biological and commercial interest in models for Oxalate Decarboxylases (OxDC) and Oxalate Oxidases (OxOx), we have synthesized and characterized three new MnII complexes (1−3) employing N3O-donor amino-carboxylate ligands (TCMA, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N-acetic acid; KiPr2TCMA, potassium 1,4-diisopropyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N-acetate; and KBPZG, potassium N,N-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl methyl)glycinate). These complexes were characterized by several techniques including X-ray crystallographic analysis, X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and cyclic voltammetry. The crystal structures of 1 and 3 revealed that both form infinite polymeric chains of MnII complexes linked by the pendant carboxylate arms of the TCMA− and the BPZG− ligands in a syn-antipattern. Complex 2 crystallizes as a mononuclear MnII cation, six-coordinate in a distorted octahedral geometry. Although complexes 1 and 3 crystallize as polymeric chains, all compou...
Host developmental stage and size as factors affecting parasitization of Trogoderma variabile (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) by Laelius pedatus (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae).

Host acceptance and parasitization of the warehouse beetle, Trogoderma variabile Ballion, by the ectoparasitic wasp Laelius pedatus (Say) were affected by host developmental stage and size. Larvae <2.5 mm long or 0.4 mg in weight were not parasitized, although a few were paralyzed. Clutch size was positively correlated with host size but was limited on large hosts by the finite number of mature eggs available for oviposition. The maximal clutch size was six eggs during a 1-d exposure and nine eggs when the host(s) was exposed for 3 d. Female wasps showed no host size preference in a choice test. Inexperienced females 3—7 d after emergence produced either 0 or one male progeny per clutch, and never was more than one male offspring per host observed. Females attacked and parasitized host pupae, but handling time before deposition of eggs was significantly longer than larval handling time because of additional time spent penetrating the protective larval exuviae before stinging. Newly molted pupae were readily paralyzed and accepted for oviposition until tanning of the adult elytra occurred. The percentage accepted for oviposition decreased gradually during the last day of the pupal stage, and no pharate adults were developmentally arrested or parasitized. Nevertheless, pupae, in addition to larvae, are parasitized by L. pedatus , and the potential value of this wasp as a biological control agent may be greater than previously thought.
The effect of ageing in spinal cord injured humans on the blood pressure and heart rate responses during fatiguing isometric exercise

Groups of 50 healthy male controls and 50 subjects suffering from paraplegia (aged 20-65 years) were examined as to the inter-relationships between age, paraplegia and the strength, endurance, blood pressure and heart rate responses to fatiguing isometric exercise. Contractions were maintained in both groups under voluntary effort and through a contraction induced by electrical stimulation in the paraplegic group. All contractions were maintained to fatigue at a tension of 40% of the maximal muscle strength in either the handgrip or quadriceps muscles. Muscle strength of the handgrip was higher in the paraplegic subjects than in the controls, averaging 589 N and 463 N, respectively for the two groups. In contrast, quadriceps leg extension strength averaged 696 N in the controls and 190 N in the paraplegic groups; for both groups, ageing was associated with a reduction in muscle strength. While leg endurance was less in the paraplegic group than the control group, handgrip endurance was similar in the two groups, endurance increasing with ageing in both the controls and paraplegics. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased at rest in paraplegic and control subjects with age. The magnitude of the pressor response to exercise also increased with age. This was true during both voluntary exercise and exercise induced through electrical stimulation in the paraplegic groups. The heart rate response (change in heart rate during exercise) to a fatiguing isometric handgrip contraction decreased by about 50% between the ages of 20 and 60 years in both the controls and paraplegics for isometric handgrip exercise. In contrast, heart rate changed little with age during contractions of the quadriceps muscle in paraplegics which were induced by electrical stimulation.
DNA Separations by Slab Gel, and Capillary Electrophoresis: Theory and Practice

Abstract In this review we evaluate existing experimental methods for the electrophoretic size separation of nucleic acids, including both slab gel electrophoresis and capillary electrophoresis (CE). First, we briefly discuss some important applications of DNA electrophoresis in molecular biology. We then focus on the theory and the practice of DNA separations by slab gel electrophoresis and CE, emphasizing the different practical limitations of the two techniques. In particular, we review new developments in CE, a technique which is evolving rapidly.
An Improved Target Extraction Algorithm Based on Region Growing for Lung CT Image

An efficient target extraction algorithm for lung CT image is proposed in this paper. First, it selects the gray average of ROI as the gray of seed points, and hits the seed points by erosion algorithm. At the same time it adopts the average value and variance of the region as the similarity criteria to improve the accuracy of the algorithm. Finally, the targets are extracted gradually by multilevel gray processing method avoiding the disturbed of the other parts in lung. The experiment results demonstrate that our algorithm is efficient in lung nodule extraction of ROI, and can offer more information for pathological analysis and diagnosis.
Exploring the Cold-to-Hot Empathy Gap in Smokers

Many decisions related to cigarette smoking require people in an affectively neutral, or "cold," state to predict how they will feel or behave when in a craving, or "hot," state. Research in other domains has revealed that individuals in cold states often underestimate the impact of being in a hot state on their own future behavior. In a study testing whether this is true of cigarette craving, 98 smokers were assigned to one of three conditions: hot (during a high-craving first session, they made predictions about a high-craving state in a second session), cold (during a low-craving first session, they made predictions about a high-craving state in a second session), and comparison (they experienced a high-craving session only). As predicted, in contrast to smokers in the hot group, smokers in the cold group underpredicted the value they would place on smoking during the second session. Results support the existence of a cold-to-hot empathy gap in smokers and help to explain diverse aspects of tobacco addiction.
Laryngeal function in wind instruments: The brass

Summary Utilizing video fiberoptic laryngoscopy, we have continued our research on the dynamics of laryngeal action in wind instruments by observing these actions in the brass instrumentalists. Laryngeal function in the brass instrumentalist appears to be predominantly concerned with control of air flow. Changes in laryngeal position were not as pronounced as in the other classes of wind instruments. We have found that laryngeal position and vocal fold movement are present in every wind instrument group, but vary significantly, depending on the class of wind instrument being observed.
Taming `wild' capitalism

As a fundamental premise in the rhetoric of free trade, the equation of free markets and democracy was particularly evident in Russia's transformation from a centralized economy to a market economy. During the battle over the new constitution in 1993, Boris Yeltsin and his supporters associated economic liberalization and democracy in successfully maintaining public support for their otherwise unpopular policies. However, that transition ultimately resulted in the takeover of the natural and financial wealth of the country by a criminal business elite and the widespread impoverishment of average Russian citizens. The Russian case exemplifies how the oversimplified discursive equation of free markets and democracy underemphasizes the crucial social role state institutions must play in order for peaceful market democracies to thrive.
Shape controlled synthesis of nanoparticles and their incorporation into polymers

Shape controlling of nanoparticles is a very important aspect in nanotechnology. By controlling the particle sizes and shapes in the 1-100 nm range virtually all material properties can be controlled. The current work focuses on the synthesis of such nanoparticles and subsequent incorporation of the different shaped nanoparticles into epoxy matrix. The object of current interest is to evaluate the use of metal nanoparticles in polymer-metal composites. Of particular interest is the case where the first connected path of metal particles occurs across the sample, called the percolation threshold. There has been evidence of a giant increase in capacitance at room temperature just below the percolation threshold. The current work is an initial step to use the current developments in nanotechnology to incorporate various shaped fillers in polymer matrices. This can shed light on fundamental theory behind the dielectric properties of polymer-metal dielectrics. For the current work silver has been chosen as the metal and epoxy has been chosen as the polymer matrix. Nanocubes, spheres and wires have been synthesized by current and novel methods and incorporated into epoxy.