cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complications associated with L4-5 anterior retroperitoneal trans-psoas interbody fusion: a single institution series.

Background Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF), first described in the literature in 2006 by Ozgur et al., involves direct access to the lateral disc space via a retroperitoneal trans-psoas tubular approach. Neuromonitoring is vital during this approach since the surgical corridor traverses the psoas muscle where the lumbar plexus lies, risking injury to the lumbosacral plexus that could result in sensory or motor deficits. The risk of neurologic injury is especially higher at L4-5 due to the anatomy of the plexus at this level. Here we report our single-center clinical experience with L4-5 LLIF. Methods A retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent an L4-5 LLIF between May 2016 and March 2019 was performed. Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics, such as body mass index (BMI), medical comorbidities, surgical history, tobacco status, operative time and blood loss, length of stay (LOS), and post-op complications were recorded. Results A total of 220 (58% female and 42% male) cases were reviewed. The most common presenting pathology was spondylolisthesis. The average age, BMI, operative time, blood loss, and LOS were 64.6 years, 29 kg/m2, 214 min, 75 cc, and 2.5 days respectively. A review of post-operative neurologic deficits revealed 31.4% transient hip flexor weakness and 4.5% quadricep weakness on the approach side. At 3-week follow-up, 9.1% of patients experienced mild hip flexor weakness (4 or 4+/5), 0.9% reported mild quadricep weakness, and 9.5% reported anterior thigh dysesthesias; 93.2% of patients were discharged home and 2.3% were readmitted within the first 30 days post discharge. Female sex, higher BMI and longer operative time were associated with hip flexor weakness. Conclusions LLIF at L4-5 is a safe, feasible, and versatile approach to the lumbar spine with an acceptable approach-related sensory and motor neurologic complication rates.
Mapping the Radiogenome of Human Cancers

Precision oncology enables individualized treatment decisions on the basis of patient - and tumor-specific features. Despite growing evidence that inter-patient variation in tumor genomes affects treatment responses after radiation therapy, patients receiving these treatments continue to be treated with the same or similar doses. Herein, we discuss past, contemporary, and potential future forays into the mapping of the radiogenome of humans and their tumors. We contend that the incorporation of genomic information into radiation treatment approaches represents a critical step toward the individualization of radiation dose, which considers both treatment-related toxicity as well as tumor control probability. Specifically, we describe the role of somatic and germline genetic features on radiation tumor sensitivity and normal tissue toxicity. We also discuss potential barriers for the implementation of genomic predictors in clinical practices and strategies to overcome these barriers. The following discourse seeks to inform and guide the future use of genotype-directed radiation dose delivery and targeted radiosensitization.
Hepatocellular carcinomas can be Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 positive: an important diagnostic pitfall

Summary Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) is a sensitive and specific marker for tumors originating with the colon and appendix. It is now commonly used in surgical pathology, while working up carcinomas of unknown primary. We had anecdotally encountered occasional hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) that were SATB2 positive. Immunohistochemical expression of SATB2 in HCC has not yet been examined in detail. In this study, we evaluated SATB2 expression in 46 HCCs. Nineteen (41%) of 46 HCCs were positive for SATB2. SATB2 expression in HCCs was more commonly seen in poorly differentiated tumors (11 of 13 cases, 85%) than well and moderately differentiated tumors (8 of 33 cases, 24%), p value = 0.0001. No other statistically significant correlations were observed (p > 0.05). There were no other statistically significant correlations between SATB2 expression and age, gender, background liver disease, and cirrhosis (p > 0.05). Results of our study show that a significant subset (41%) of HCCs can be SATB2 positive. Awareness of this phenomenon is important as SATB2 expression in a liver tumor does not completely exclude a diagnosis of HCC.
Cost and Effectiveness of Reminders to Promote Colorectal Cancer Screening Uptake in Rural Federally Qualified Health Centers in West Virginia.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the West Virginia Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in implementing patient reminders to increase fecal immunochemical te...
Drawing Lines Among the Persecuted

Should a victim of persecution be denied protection in the United States if his persecutors forced him to participate in their campaign of terror? In its 2009 decision, Negusie v. Holder, the Supreme Court recognized the “difficult line drawing problems” presented by this question, but failed to offer concrete guidance to the lower courts or the executive agencies charged with drawing those lines. Circuit courts employ a variety of standards, leaving the law in disarray. This Article offers original historical research to argue that asylum seekers charged with participating in persecution should be afforded a duress defense. It traces the bar to refugee protection for persecutors back to its initial appearance in the Constitution of the International Refugee Organization and examines, for the first time, documents preserved in the French National Archive, which reveal that a requirement for personal culpability has been present since the bar’s inception. The legislative history of the persecutor bar in U.S. law shows that the bar was intended to be interpreted consistently with the standards for excluding persecutors under the Constitution of the International Refugee Organization, the U.N. Convention and Protocol on Refugees, and the war crimes jurisprudence of the Nuremburg Tribunals. All three sources lead to the same conclusion: the persecutor bar should include the defense of duress as a means of separating those who possessed a moral choice to refuse to persecute others from those who did not. A duress defense reconciles the statute’s meaning with its historical roots, international treaty obligations, and the application of similar provisions in immigration law. Further, it provides a principled standard with which to draw the difficult lines the law requires and offers protection to those in need.
Incidental cerebellar dermoid cyst mimicking low grade glioma in a teenager.

A 16-year-old boy with no significant medical history or family history sustained a concussion after an altercation. CT revealed an incidental finding of a heavily mineralised left inferior paramedian cerebellar lesion demonstrating cystic components ([figure 1A][1]). MRI revealed minimal peripheral
Statistical Judo: The Rhetoric of Senate Inaction in the Judicial Appointment Process

The article offers a chronological history and a critique of the rhetoric of both Republican and Democratic senators concerning the pace of lower-court confirmations during the 107th Congress. Much of that recent rhetoric, spanning the years 2001 to 2002, relies upon comparisons of then-current nomination success rates to judicial confirmation statistics from the Carter, Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton presidencies. Through carefully analyzing the claims of senators concerning Bush II's first-Congress judicial appointments, the article is able to present an overview of more than twenty years of Senate behavior with respect to the pace of lower-court confirmations. In doing so, the article identifies a number of confirmation process fallacies repeatedly relied upon by senators in their efforts to make political points out of the pace of the confirmation process. It also explains some confirmation process relevancies, in hopes that future debates can be grounded on important considerations rather than on those that are trivial and irrelevant. Because the lower-court confirmation mess is sure to return to prominence during the Democrat-controlled Senate that will be constituted in early 2007, and following the 2008 presidential elections and beyond, the author hopes that the article will help establish a baseline for arguments about delay in the process, particularly when the White House and Senate are held by different political parties.
Measurable Residual Disease in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Optimization and Innovation in 2021 and Beyond

Introduction Measurable residual disease (MRD) is an established component of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) management in both children and adults. Society guidelines and expert consensus documents include assessment of MRD as the standard of care following induction therapy, consolidation therapy, and at additional time points, depending on the treatment regimen administered.1–3 Further, the approval of blinatumomab for MRD+ B-ALL has advanced the concept of MRD response as a clinical endpoint in ALL. Although the utility of MRD in ALL has been well defined over the last decades, several questions remain. This extended abstract and the associated presentation focus on areas of ongoing controversy and exploration in ALL MRD, including the following.1) Does increasing the depth of MRD assessment add prognostic value? 2) Is there a role for ongoing MRD monitoring once patients achieve MRD– response? 3) Can MRD assessment of the peripheral blood be substituted for bone marrow? 4) Should MRD assays be applied to the analysis of the central nervous system (CNS)?
Particle Dynamics and Bioaerosol Viability of Aerosolized Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Vaccine Using Jet and Vibrating Mesh Clinical Nebulizers.

Background: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a vaccine used to protect against tuberculosis primarily in infants to stop early infection in areas of the world where the disease is endemic. Normally administered as a percutaneous injection, BCG is a live significantly attenuated bacteria that is now being investigated for its potential within an inhalable vaccine formulation. This study investigates the feasibility and performance of two jet and two vibrating mesh nebulizers aerosolizing BCG and the resulting particle characteristics and residual viability of the bacteria postaerosolization. Methods: A jet nebulizer (Collison), outfitted either with a 3- or 6-jet head, was compared with two clinical nebulizers, the vibrating mesh Omron MicroAir and Aerogen Solo devices. Particle characteristics, including aerodynamic particle sizing, was performed on all devices within a common aerosol chamber configuration and comparable BCG innocula concentrations. Integrated aerosol samples were collected for each generator and assayed for bacterial viability using conventional microbiological technique. Results: A batch lot of BCG (Danish) was grown to titer and used in all generator assessments. Aerosol particles within the respirable range were generated from all nebulizers at four different concentrations of BCG. The jet nebulizers produced a uniformly smaller particle size than the vibrating mesh devices, although particle concentrations by mass were similar across all devices tested with the exception of the Aerogen Solo, which resulted in a low concentration of BCG aerosols. Conclusions: The resulting measured viable BCG aerosol concentration fraction produced by each device approximated one another; however, a measurable decrease of efficiency and overall viability reduction in the jet nebulizer was observed in higher BCG inoculum starting concentrations, whereas the vibrating mesh nebulizer returned a remarkably stable viable aerosol fraction irrespective of inoculum concentration.
Why may allopregnanolone help alleviate loneliness

Impaired biosynthesis of Allopregnanolone (ALLO), a brain endogenous neurosteroid, has been associated with numerous behavioral dysfunctions, which range from anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors to aggressive behavior and changes in responses to contextual fear conditioning in rodent models of emotional dysfunction. Recent animal research also demonstrates a critical role of ALLO in social isolation. Although there are likely aspects of perceived social isolation that are uniquely human, there is also continuity across species. Both human and animal research show that perceived social isolation (which can be defined behaviorally in animals and humans) has detrimental effects on physical health, such as increased hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) activity, decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, and increased depressive behavior. The similarities between animal and human research suggest that perceived social isolation (loneliness) may also be associated with a reduction in the synthesis of ALLO, potentially by reducing BDNF regulation and increasing HPA activity through the hippocampus, amygdala, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), especially during social threat processing. Accordingly, exogenous administration of ALLO (or ALLO precursor, such as pregnenolone), in humans may help alleviate loneliness. Congruent with our hypothesis, exogenous administration of ALLO (or ALLO precursors) in humans has been shown to improve various stress-related disorders that show similarities between animals and humans i.e., post-traumatic stress disorders, traumatic brain injuries. Because a growing body of evidence demonstrates the benefits of ALLO in socially isolated animals, we believe our ALLO hypothesis can be applied to loneliness in humans, as well.
User-centered design in games

The third edition of a groundbreaking reference, The Human–Computer Interaction Handbook: Fundamentals, Evolving Technologies, and Emerging Applications raises the bar for handbooks in this field. It is the largest, most complete compilation of HCI theories, principles, advances, case studies, and more that exist within a single volume. The book captures the current and emerging sub-disciplines within HCI related to research, development, and practice that continue to advance at an astonishing rate. It features cutting-edge advances to the scientific knowledge base as well as visionary perspectives and developments that fundamentally transform the way in which researchers and practitioners view the discipline. New and Expanded Topics in the Third Edition: HCI and global sustainability HCI in health care Social networks and social media Enterprise social computing Role of HCI in e-Government Role of creativity and cognition in HCI Naturalistic approach to evaluation, persuasion, and globalization The chapter authors include experts from academia, industry, and government agencies from across the globe — all among the very best and most respected in their fields. The more than 80 tables, 400 figures, nearly 7,000 references, and four-page color insert combine to provide the single most comprehensive depiction of this field. Broad in scope, the book pays equal attention to the human side, the computer side, and the interaction of the two. This balanced, application-focused design coverage makes the book not only an excellent research guide but also an authoritative handbook for the practice of HCI and for education and training in HCI.
Packet Structure of Surface Eddies in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

A smoke visualization experiment has beenperformed in the first 3,m ofneutral and unstable atmospheric boundary layersat very large Reynolds number(ReΘ > 106). Under neutral atmosphericconditions mean wind profiles agreewell with those in the canonical flatplate zero-pressure-gradient turbulentboundary layer. The experiment was designedto minimize the temperaturedifference between the passive marker (smoke)and the air to ensure that anyobserved structures were due to vortical, ratherthan buoyant, motions. Imagesacquired in the streamwise–wall-normal planeusing a planar laser light-sheetare strikingly similar to those observed inlaboratory experiments at low to moderate Reynolds numbers. They reveal large-scaleramp-like structures withdownstream inclination of 3°–35°.This inclination isinterpreted as the hairpin packet growthangle following the hairpin vortexpacket model ofAdrian, Meinhart, and Tomkins.The distribution of this characteristicangle agrees with the results of experiments at far lower Reynolds numbers,suggesting a similarity in structures among low, moderate, and high Reynoldsnumber boundary layers at vastly different scales. These results indicate thatthe hairpin vortex packet model extends over a large range of scales. Theeffect of vertical heat transport in an unstable atmosphere on wall structuresis investigated in terms of the hairpin vortex packet model.
A large-scale purification of phosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine by high performance liquid chromatography: a partial resolution of molecular species.

Egg yolk phospholipids, on a 10 g scale, were resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography on an 8-m silica column with elution by a stepwise chloroform–methanol gradient into homogenous phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and lysophosphatidylethanolamine fractions. Within these fractions, partial resolution on the basis of fatty acyl side chain composition was achieved.
New Strategies in Cancer Nanomedicine

We review recent progress in cancer nanomedicine, including stimulus-responsive drug delivery systems and nanoparticles responding to light for phototherapy or tumor imaging. In addition, several new strategies to improve the circulation of nanoparticles in vivo, tumor penetration, and tumor targeting are discussed. The application of nanomedicine in cancer immunology, a relatively new type of cancer therapy, is also highlighted.
Reaction of low molecular weight aminothiols with o-phthalaldehyde.

Abstract o-Phthalaldehyde has been recently shown to be a useful reagent for chemical modification of cyclic nucleotide dependent protein kinases, hexokinase, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. It reacts covalently with closely spaced (∼3 A) sulfhydryl and ϵ-amino functions of cysteine and lysine residues, respectively, of these enzymes to yield fluorescent isoindole derivatives. We have found the reagent to be equally useful to investigate the degree of reactivity of sulfhydryl and amino functions in substances that do not possess enzymatic activity, e.g., glutathione, homocysteine, and cysteine. The kinetics of the reaction of nonenzymatic aminothiols with o-phthalaldehyde can be followed rapidly and conveniently by continuously monitoring the increase in relative fluorescence of the isoindole derivatives. The fluorescence emission maxima of the o-phthalaldehyde adducts can be used to compute molar transition energies that provide qualitative but useful information concerning the degree of polarity of microenvironment of the sulfhydryl and amino functions participating in isoindole formation. The kinetic and spectral data obtained from the reaction between o-phthalaldehyde and nonenzymatic low molecular weight aminothiols may be helpful in comparing the reactivities of the sulfhydryl and amino functions in enzymes.
Isotopic tracking of prehistoric pinniped foraging and distribution along the central California coast: preliminary results

Zooarchaeological data from Monterey Bay and the adjacent central California coast corroborate earlier observations from northern California and Oregon that Callorhinus ursinus (northern fur seal) was a much more common component in prehistoric marine mammal prey than its present pelagic distribution and foraging habits would predict. C. ursinus remains from mid-Holocene Monterey Bay occurrences are predominantly from female individuals, associated with an inshore piscifauna, and lack associated artifactual evidence for deep water exploitation. Taken together with evidence from Oregon, this suggests that mid-Holocene C. ursinus populations had different foraging, resting, and, arguably, reproductive behaviours than historically reported. Currently debated is whether the contrast between prehistoric and present patterns of pinniped species representation results from: 1) late Holocene prehistoric resource depression by aboriginal hunters, 2) depredations of the early historic fur trade, or 3) non-anthropogenic climatic or oceanographic change. The issue has thus far been addressed with presence or absence data on pinniped species and age/sex classes in dated contexts. While these are fundamental data, they cannot shed light on the nature of foraging behaviour of the species in question, a key dimension of the problem. This paper reports a pilot study utilizing stable isotope analysis aimed to elucidate prehistoric pinniped foraging patterns, specifically that of C. ursinus. Elements from six archaeological sites in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties were analysed for stable isotope compositions of carbon and nitrogen in bone collagen and compared to a latitudinally ordered modern dataset. Results for archaeological C. ursinus strongly suggest that prehistoric animals habitually foraged at lower latitudes than characterize the species today, supporting earlier claims of their year-round residency south of Alaska. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adipose tissue and adrenal glands: novel pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical applications.

Hormones produced by the adrenal glands and adipose tissues have important roles in normal physiology and are altered in many disease states. Obesity is associated with changes in adrenal function, including increase in adrenal medullary catecholamine output, alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, elevations in circulating aldosterone together with changes in adipose tissue glucocorticoid metabolism, and enhanced adipocyte mineralocorticoid receptor activity. It is unknown whether these changes in adrenal endocrine function are in part responsible for the pathogenesis of obesity and related comorbidities or represent an adaptive response. In turn, adipose tissue hormones or “adipokines” have direct effects on the adrenal glands and interact with adrenal hormones at several levels. Here we review the emerging evidence supporting the existence of “cross talk” between the adrenal gland and adipose tissue, focusing on the relevance and roles of their respective hormones in health and disease states including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and primary disorders of the adrenals.
Patterns of neuroglial proliferation in spinal cord white matter following exposure to ionizing radiation.

X-irradiation temporarily decreases the proliferative activity of neuroglia in immature rat spinal cord. Later, the proliferative activity in these irradiated regions surpasses that noted in control rats. Areas adjacent to the irradiated region have a greater than normal percentage of labelled neuroglia and may also be a source for neuroglia which re-populate the irradiated zone.
Observation of multiple precipitate layers in MeV Au++‐implanted silicon

Room‐temperature MeV Au++ implantation into silicon with energies above 1.8 MeV shows a splitting of the Au concentration profile in the Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) spectra. Cross‐section transmission electron microscopy micrographs show two distinct regions of Au precipitates corresponding to the peaks in the RBS spectra. The double peaks can be explained by the segregation of Au into the highly damaged region near the end of the implant range and Au segregation along a dislocation network. These dislocations arise from dynamic beam annealing during the implant and act as paths for rapid diffusion. Precipitation occurs when the Au concentration exceeds the solubility limit. Lower energy implants resulted in the expected Gaussian distributions.
Long-term toxicity studies of erythrosine. I. Effects in rats and dogs

Abstract Groups of 12 male and 12 female weanling Osborne-Mendel rats were fed diets containing erythrosine (FD & C Red No. 3) at levels of 0, 0·5, 1·0, 2·0 or 5·0% for 2 yr. Growth depression was observed in the rats given the 5·0% level. Spleen weights, expressed as organ-to-body weight ratios, were decreased in the male rats given the 0·5, 2·0 and 5·0% dose levels and in female rats given the 5·0% dose level. Slight caecal distension occurred in rats given erythrosine at 1·0 % and the condition increased with increasing dose levels. The histology of the distended caeca was normal. Chronic nephritis was approximately doubled in incidence in the 0·5 % group compared with that in the control group, but this was probably due to chance variation. Weekly sc injections of erythrosine (approximately 12 mg/rat) were given to a group of 18 rats for 2 yr. Injection-site ulcerations were produced but no tumours were observed. In an acute oral toxicity study in rats, the LD50 of erythrosine was found to be 1840 mg/kg. In another long-term study, erythrosine was fed at dietary levels of 0, 0·5, 1·0 or 2·0% to groups of three male and three female beagle dogs. All dogs survived the 2-yr period and no effects attributable to the ingestion of erythrosine were observed.
An open enviornment for building parallel programming systems

PRESTO is a set of tools for building parallel programming systems on shared-memory multiprocessors. PRESTO's goal is to provide a framework within which one can easily build efficient support for any of a wide variety of “models” of parallel programming. PRESTO is designed for easy modification and extension, not only at the level of the primitives and structures made available for the application programmer's use, but also at the level of the run-time kernel that supports parallel applications. PRESTO is implemented in the object-oriented language C++ on a Sequent Balance 21000 and has been used in a number of applications that are described in this paper.
Interprofessional care and the future of nursing

Like many countries, the US faces the challenges of caring for an aging population with multiple chronic diseases in a fragmented health system. According to the World Health Organization (2008), a...
Cohabitation Duration and Transient Domesticity.

Research finds that many impoverished urban Black adults engage in a pattern of partnering and family formation involving a succession of short cohabitations yielding children, a paradigm referred to as transient domesticity. Researchers have identified socioeconomic status, cultural adaptations, and urbanicity as explanations for aspects of this pattern. We used longitudinal data from the 2001 Survey of Income and Program Participation to analyze variation in cohabitation and marriage duration by race/ethnicity, income, and urban residence. Proportional hazards regression indicated that separation risk is greater among couples that are cohabiting, below 200% of the federal poverty line, and Black but is not greater among urban dwellers. This provides empirical demographic evidence to support the emerging theory of transient domesticity and suggests that both socioeconomic status and race explain this pattern. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding transient domesticity and make r...
Model Studies for Heme Oxygenase-Catalyzed Porphyrin Meso Hydroxylation

Nonenzymatic model studies based on a porphyrin analogue (2,4-diacetyldeuteroporphyrin) that avoid the steric effect complications of the heme oxygenase active site were carried out to determine the polarity of the ferric hydroperoxide attacking species. Mass spectral and deuterium-labeling experiments indicate that the porphyrin meso positions that are at higher π-electron densities in ferric 2,4-diacetyldeuteroporphyrin are selectively attacked. This supports an electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism for the heme oxygenase-catalyzed porphyrin meso hydroxylation.
IMPLICATIONS OF CHANGING PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIZATION RATES

This is a study of whether recent expansion of hospital beds, falling birth rates, advances in ambulatory care, higher hospital costs and varying bed occupancy have bad adverse effect on proper hospitalization of children. A special NRC committee found serious shortcomings in available data, no clear evidence of an overall decline, but lowered occupancy in some hospitals. The committee recommends, inter alia, that children be distinguished from adults on hospital annual reports; that children be housed separately, not distributed among adult services; that academic pediatric centers, as key units, participate actively in regional assessment of needs and resources and in inter-hospital cooperative planning to provide primary care for all children and more sophisticated care for those needing it. In some areas there will need to be consolidation of pediatric beds in fewer hospitals, to strengthen care for all children as well as to support better teaching and research.
Molecular Recognition on Functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers of Alkanethiols on Gold

A system for probing molecular recognition events at organic interfaces using fluorescent receptors is described. Receptors formed from the bis(2,6-diaminopyridine) amide of isophthalic acid are in...
Organization and efferent connections of transplanted suprachiasmatic nuclei

The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCh) is the principal brain structure involved in the generation of circadian rhythms. In the present study, we have employed immunohistochemical techniques to evaluate the development of the fetal SCh following its transplantation to the brain of adult host animals. Donor hypothalami were obtained from normal Long-Evans fetuses and transplanted to the lateral, third, or fourth ventricle of Brattleboro rats, Neuronal aggregations exhibiting the organotypic features of the SCh were present in over 90% of the grafts recovered at each transplantation site. Like the normal endogenous SCh, SCh-like cell groups identified within the transplants contained a prominent population of parvicellular (9–13 μm), neurophysin-containing neurons that were immunopositive for vasopressin (VP) but not oxytocin. These SCh-like cell groups also invariably contained similar small neurons that were immunoreactive for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Typically, VP and VIP immunoreactive perikarya were concentrated in contiguous, complementary parts of the grafted SCh, but fibers immunoreactive for either peptide were distributed throughout the extent of the nucleus. Because the brain of the Brattleboro rat is deficient in vasopressin, it was possible to evaluate the projection of the vasopressinergic component of the transplanted SCh to the host brain. Although SCh were identified in grafts recovered from each intraventricular transplantation site, an appreciable input to the host brain could be identified only when the fetal tissue was grafted to the third ventricle. Here, grafted SCh established efferent connections with periventricular diencephalic structures which ordinarily receive a projection from the in situ SCh. Specifically, VP immunoreactive fibers originating from transplanted SCh were identified in the medial preoptic area, the periventricular and dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei, the paraventricular nuclei of the thalamus and hypothalamus, and in the retrochiasmatic area, arcuate nucleus, and suprachiasmatic nucleus of the host brain. These results demonstrate that the fetal SCh not only survives transplantation but also retains its distinguishing cytological features and the capacity to form an appropriately restricted set of efferent connections with the brain of adult host animals.
Mostly Dormant Comets and their Disintegration into Meteoroid Streams: A Review

The history of associating meteor showers with asteroidal-looking objects is long, dating to before the 1983 discovery that 3200 Phaethon moves among the Geminids. Only since the more recent recognition that 2003 EH1 moves among the Quadrantids are we certain that dormant comets are associated with meteoroid streams. Since that time, many orphan streams have found parent bodies among the newly discovered Near Earth Objects. The seven established associations pertain mostly to showers in eccentric or highly inclined orbits. At least 35 other objects are tentatively linked to streams in less inclined orbits that are more difficult to distinguish from those of asteroids. There is mounting evidence that the streams originated from discrete breakup events, rather than long episodes of gradual water vapor outgassing. If all these associations can be confirmed, they represent a significant fraction of all dormant comets that are in near-Earth orbits, suggesting that dormant comets break at least as frequently as the lifetime of the streams. I find that most pertain to NEOs that have not yet fully decoupled from Jupiter. The picture that is emerging is one of rapid disintegration of comets after being captured by Jupiter, and consequently, that objects such as 3200 Phaethon most likely originated from among the most primitive asteroids in the main belt, instead. They too decay mostly by disintegration into comet fragments and meteoroid streams. The disintegration of dormant comets is likely the main source of our meteor showers and the main supply of dust to the zodiacal cloud.
Isozymes of glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase in some rat hepatomas

Abstract Water extracts of GOT from livers of normal and host rats, and from rat hepatomas 7316-B, 5123-A, 5123-B, 7288-C, and 3683 were made. The specific activities of these hepatomas varied over a wide range. Upon electrophoresis on granular starch block, the extracts of all five hepatomas, like that of the normal liver, and that of the host liver, exhibited two isozymes. The mobilities of these isozymes were identical with the respective isozymes in the different hepatomas, as well as with the isozymes in the normal and host livers. The relative quantitative distribution of each isozyme varied with the different hepatomas, and with the normal and host livers. However, it appeared that, at least with the five hepatomas studied here, the “anionic” to the “cationic” GOT ratio was higher in the hepatomas than in the normal.
The use of Bayesian networks for nanoparticle risk forecasting: Model formulation and baseline evaluation

We describe the use of Bayesian networks as a tool for nanomaterial risk forecasting and develop a baseline probabilistic model that incorporates nanoparticle specific characteristics and environmental parameters, along with elements of exposure potential, hazard, and risk related to nanomaterials. The baseline model, FINE (Forecasting the Impacts of Nanomaterials in the Environment), was developed using expert elicitation techniques. The Bayesian nature of FINE allows for updating as new data become available, a critical feature for forecasting risk in the context of nanomaterials. The specific case of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in aquatic environments is presented here (FINE(AgNP)). The results of this study show that Bayesian networks provide a robust method for formally incorporating expert judgments into a probabilistic measure of exposure and risk to nanoparticles, particularly when other knowledge bases may be lacking. The model is easily adapted and updated as additional experimental data and other information on nanoparticle behavior in the environment become available. The baseline model suggests that, within the bounds of uncertainty as currently quantified, nanosilver may pose the greatest potential risk as these particles accumulate in aquatic sediments.
Multiple activities of LigB potentiate virulence of Leptospira interrogans: inhibition of alternative and classical pathways of complement.

Microbial pathogens acquire the immediate imperative to avoid or counteract the formidable defense of innate immunity as soon as they overcome the initial physical barriers of the host. Many have adopted the strategy of directly disrupting the complement system through the capture of its components, using proteins on the pathogen's surface. In leptospirosis, pathogenic Leptospira spp. are resistant to complement-mediated killing, in contrast to the highly vulnerable non-pathogenic strains. Pathogenic L. interrogans uses LenA/LfhA and LcpA to respectively sequester and commandeer the function of two regulators, factor H and C4BP, which in turn bind C3b or C4b to interrupt the alternative or classical pathways of complement activation. LigB, another surface-proximal protein originally characterized as an adhesin binding multiple host proteins, has other activities suggesting its importance early in infection, including binding extracellular matrix, plasma, and cutaneous repair proteins and inhibiting hemostasis. In this study, we used a recent model of ectopic expression of LigB in the saprophyte, L. biflexa, to test the hypothesis that LigB also interacts with complement proteins C3b and C4b to promote the virulence of L. interrogans. The surface expression of LigB partially rescued the non-pathogen from killing by 5% normal human serum, showing 1.3- to 48-fold greater survival 4 to 6 d following exposure to complement than cultures of the non-expressing parental strain. Recombinant LigB7′-12 comprising the LigB-specific immunoglobulin repeats binds directly to human complement proteins, C3b and C4b, with respective Kds of 43±26 nM and 69±18 nM. Repeats 9 to 11, previously shown to contain the binding domain for fibronectin and fibrinogen, are also important in LigB-complement interactions, which interfere with the alternative and classical pathways measured by complement-mediated hemolysis of erythrocytes. Thus, LigB is an adaptable interface for L. interrogans to efficiently counteract the multiple homeostatic processes of the host.
NMR Studies of Crowded Diels–Alder Adducts of 3,6‐Dibromophencyclone with N‐(2,6‐Dialkylphenyl)maleimides. Hindered Rotations and Magnetic Anisotropy. Ab Initio Calculations for Optimized Structures of the Precursor Maleimides and Their Adducts with Phencyclone and 3,6‐Dibromophencyclone

Abstract 6,9‐Dibromo‐1,3‐diphenyl‐2H‐cyclopenta[l]phenanthren‐2‐one (commonly known as 3,6‐dibromophencyclone), 1b, reacted with N‐(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)maleimide, 2a; with N‐(2,6‐diethylphenyl)maleimide, 2b; and with N‐(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)maleimide, 2c, respectively, to yield the corresponding Diels–Alder adducts, 4a–c. The adducts were extensively characterized by NMR (7 T) at ambient temperatures using one‐ and two‐dimensional (1D and 2D) proton and carbon‐13 techniques for assignments. Slow exchange limit (SEL) spectra were observed, demonstrating slow rotations on the NMR timescales, for the unsubstituted bridgehead phenyl groups [C(sp3)–C(aryl sp2) bond rotations] and for the 2,6‐dialkylphenyl groups [N(sp2)–C(aryl sp2) bond rotations]. Substantial magnetic anisotropic shifts were seen in the adducts. For example, in the N‐(2,6‐dialkylphenyl) moieties of the adducts, one of the alkyl groups is directed “into” the adduct cavity, toward the phenanthrenoid portion, and these “inner” alkyl proton NMR s...
Saturn's icy satellites - Thermal and structural models

Thermal history models which assume formation as homogeneous ice-silicate mixtures are constructed for the small, icy Saturnian satellites Mimas, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, and Iapetus, including the effects of radiogenic and accretional heating, conductive and subsolidus convective heat transfer, and lithosphgeric growth. Accretional heating is not likely to have melted the water ice in the interiors of these bodies, and solid state creep of the ice-dominated material precludes melting by radiogenic heating. The four largest satellites are sufficiently large and rich in heat-producing silicates to possess a solid state convection system beneath a rigid lithosphere, irrespective of initial conditions. The model thermal histories are qualitatively consistent with the present appearances of these satellites.
Merging internal and external processes: examining the mental model convergence process through team communication

Mental model convergence is a macrocognitive process critical to team development. Yet, little is known about how the convergence process occurs in a team domain. To date, researchers have examined convergence at specific points in time after performance episodes. While this approach has moved the field forward, research is needed that captures the dynamics of the convergence process as it occurs during collaborative activities. To facilitate this needed research, we present a framework for examining mental model convergence via communicated mental model content. Our framework is theoretically based on research in cognitive science and communication, as well as more recent team mental model research. By explicitly establishing the theoretical connection between mental model convergence and team communication, we extend the extant research that links communication and team cognition and address a gap in the team mental model literature regarding how to examine the mental model convergence process over time.
The reaction of chlorine atoms withhighly vibrationally excited HCN

Abstract The reaction of chlorine atoms with HCN (4 v CH ) produces CN product in the ratio 56:33:11 for v =0: v =1: v =2, all at 800 K rotational temperature. Doppler profiles of the CN imply that ≈ 4500 cm −1 of the 7100 cm −1 available energy goes to product relative translation. The nearly isoenergetic Cl+HCN (2 v CH +3 v CN ) reaction leads to slightly more CN product excitation, with a relative population of vibrational states of 47:41:12 and 1000 K rotational temperature. The observed CN excitation and similar reaction rates for the two vibrational states are consistent with formation of a reaction complex.
A Comparison of Polymer Blocking Agents in the in vitro Motility Assay

Blocking agents are used in in vitro motility assays to stabilize the motor proteins myosin or heavy meromyosin (HMM) and to prevent non-specific binding of actin to regions of microscope coverslip that are devoid of motors. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) or casein is typically used for blocking, but there is occasional need for non-protein blocking agents. We compared skeletal myosin and HMM function in motility assays as a function of the blocking agent that was used; these blocking agents included polysorbate (Tween) 20 and six different molecular weights of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) ranging from 10 kDa to 1.3 MDa, as well as BSA and β-casein as controls. In vitro motility assays were preformed and actin filament movement was quantified using automated particle tracking algorithms. PVPs of all molecular weights supported the motility of both HMM and myosin, though there was a slight downward trend in mobility at the highest molecular weights. When HMM was used in the motility assay, Tween showed poor mobility (1.7 um/s) compared to BSA (9.4 um/s). In contrast, full length myosin showed high mobility when blocked with Tween (8.3 um/s) compared to BSA (6.6 um/s). To determine whether Tween is a direct inhibitor of HMM function, NH4-activated ATPase assays were performed in solution with either BSA or Tween. There was no significant difference in ATPase rates between these two conditions. However, when the NH4-activated ATPase assay was repeated with HMM bound to a flow cell, Tween inhibited the ATPase activity. Thus while Tween does not directly inhibit the motor domains of HMM, it may adversely alter its binding to hydrophobic surfaces. In conclusion, low- to mid-molecular weight PVPs are excellent polymer blocking agents for actin-myosin or actin-HMM motility assays.
Management of menopausal symptoms in breast cancer patients.

Menopause is associated with multiple clinical problems in women. These include significant problems with symptoms of hot flushes and vaginal dryness; and also long-term sequelae with an increased incidence of heart disease and with accelerated bone loss leading to osteopaenia. In general, these medical conditions are usefully ameliorated by giving oestrogen with or without progesterone (1-3). This treatment has thus become common practice in women who are going through menopause, even though some data suggest that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does slightly increase the incidence of breast cancer, at least among current users (4).
Heat stress and strain in an aluminum smelter.

Studies of worker heat stress and strain in aluminum smelters have found that heat exposure likely to exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' threshold limit value (TLV®) and that the dose-response relationship between heat stress and strain was weak. A heat stress model based on climatic data and a task analysis indicated exposures to heat stress in excess of the TLV during the July/August study period. To study the impact of working above the TLV, heat strain data (i.e., oral temperature, recovery heart rate, average heart rate) were collected. Recovery heart rates indicated high strain most of the time, and oral temperatures after peak demands were above the no-strain threshold of 37.5°C about a quarter of the time, indicating that heat stress had an effect. About 95% of the readings were below 38.0°C, the acute oral temperature threshold for a safe exposure. Average heart rates over 6- and 12-hour intervals were generally below acceptable limits of 120 and 110 bpm, respec...
Thermochemical and Theoretical Studies of Dimethylpyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate and Pyridine-2,3-, Pyridine-2,5-, and Pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic Acids

The standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation for gaseous pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid, pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and dimethylpyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate were derived from the standard molar enthalpies of combustion, in oxygen, at T = 298.15 K, measured by static bomb combustion calorimetry, and the standard molar enthalpies of sublimation, at 298.15 K, measured by Calvet microcalorimetry: pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid, −(580.6 ± 5.0) kJ·mol-1; pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, −(608.0 ± 6.1) kJ·mol-1; dimethylpyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate, −(562.4 ± 4.2) kJ·mol-1. The enthalpy of formation for crystalline pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid was also derived from combustion calorimetry measurements as −(733.1 ± 2.0) kJ·mol-1. In addition, theoretical calculations using the density functional theory and the B3LYP/6-311G** hybrid exchange-correlation energy functional have been performed for these molecules in order to obtain the most stable geometries and to access their relative stabilities. Th...
Cyclic Codes over the Integers Modulopm

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we generalize the results of Pless and Qian and those of Pless, Sole, and Qian for cyclic Z4-codes to cyclic Zpm-codes. Second, we establish connections between this new development and the results on cyclic Zpm-codes obtained by Calderbank and Sloane. We produce generators for the cyclic Zpm-codes which are analogs to those for cyclic Z4-codes. We show that these may be used to produce a single generator for such codes. In particular, this proves that the ringRn= Zpmx]/(xn? 1) is principal, a result that had been previously announced with an incorrect proof. Generators for dual codes of cyclic Zpm-codes are produced from the generators of the corresponding cyclic Zpm-codes. In addition, we also obtain generators for the cyclicpm-ary codes induced from the idempotent generators for cyclicp-ary codes.
Latent heat of melting and its importance for glaciation cycles

A dynamical energy balance model is developed including both latent heat and sensible heat exchanges. It is applied to reconstructing the history of the changes of the icesheet mass and the ocean surface temperature over an ice age. The zero-dimensional model is extended to include three-dimensional information of the icesheets by assuming a specific geometric shape of the icesheets. The ice-albedo feedback can then be calculated and, at the same time, the cryosphere interaction is introduced into the climate model. The advancing of the glaciers and the cooling of the oceans in a glacial period can be accounted for by the differential equations of the dynamic system if an external perturbation in the form of any energy deficit of 0.13% of the insolation is imposed. The earth orbital changes generate a heat deficit of this magnitude due to the change of the eccentricity and have the same periodicity of 100 000 years as the major glacial cycles. Therefore they could well be the origin of the Pleistocene ice ages.